First of several updates from tonight’s Morgan Community Association meeting: The most intensive phase of the Fauntleroy/California section of the Fauntleroy Way road work is on track to be done by the end of this week as promised, according to an SDOT update read by MoCA president Deb Barker. The update provided to MoCA by project manager Jessica Murphy also mentions the crews are using a “special fast-setting mix” that is enabling the rebuilt road sections to be used within 24 hours. Right now, according to Murphy’s update, the north access to West Seattle Thriftway and surrounding areas should be open again by Saturday afternoon. One thing that’s still up in the air – exactly when repaving will start in that area – could be as soon as late July. As for the rest of the road-rebuilding project stretch, SDOT says crews will “work their way north from Morgan Junction” starting next week, working on the concrete panels in the northbound lanes – the east side — just uncovered by grinding, and then that long stretch up to Alaska will be reduced to one lane in each direction “for the duration of the project” (into fall). SDOT also acknowledges the bumpiness between the patching on the edge of the redone concrete panels and the yet-to-be-tackled center section, but says that will be eliminated when the center section of the roadway is completely rebuilt. More updates to come: The Viaduct, the Spokane Street Viaduct widening project, RapidRide and the Lowman Beach pump project – and that’s just what we’ve heard so far, with even more on the agenda!
No other details of the crash but you’ll want to avoid that area north of Morgan Junction for a while – already tends to be slow, especially southbound, heading into the construction zone. 6:56 PM UPDATE: The crash scene is clear now. Adding photo(s). We have no official information on this yet but several witness accounts say a car and bicycle collided. ADDED 7:35 PM: Here’s a photo that Chas Redmond shares, showing medics firefighters tending to the bicyclist:
ORIGINAL 3:44 PM REPORT: We’re back in the city Landmarks Preservation Board‘s hearing room on the 40th floor of the Municipal Tower downtown as The Kenney presents its landmark nomination for part of the property, including the iconic Seaview Building (2008 photo above). See the photo-laden nomination document here. This is part of the process for its redevelopment plan, which at one time included a proposal to demolish The Seaview; that proposal has been scrapped and the plan now calls for saving it. Those on hand for the hearing include The Kenney’s CEO Kevin McFeely and Ron Richardson from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. We will update this item when the board decides whether to accept the nomination for consideration, which would then lead to a later public hearing and vote; landmark status brings some financial incentives (such as tax breaks) but also means restrictions on what can be done to the landmark in the future. 5:08 PM UPDATE: The Landmarks Board has just voted unanimously to consider the Seaview Building for landmark status. A hearing, at which the final vote will likely be taken, is set for the board’s 3:30 pm meeting on August 19th. No one spoke today against the proposal; those speaking for it also included SWSHS director Andrea Mercado and a representative from Historic Seattle.
That’s the Rev. Pat Wright, leader of the Total Experience Gospel Choir, at West Seattle’s Kenyon Hall (March 2008). Tomorrow night, you can see and hear Rev. Wright and her choir as part of Westsidewalk, three performances in three venues right across the street from each other in Fauntleroy, presented by the folks behind Kenyon Hall, Seattle Artists, who are sponsoring WSB this week to get the word out. Westsidewalk proceeds benefit that venue and its programs (including Kindermusik with Lou Magor, who works regularly at Kenyon with Total Experience and accompanies Rev. Wright in the video clip above). The performances at Fauntleroy Church and Fauntleroy Schoolhouse also include Sambatuque and the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band. 7 pm tomorrow, ticket info at kenyonhall.org. Also tomorrow night:
That crocheted “fiber river” has been months in the making — artist Mandy Greer has installed it in the trees near Polliwog Pond at Camp Long (where we photographed it yesterday), and tomorrow night her city-funded “temporary public art” project Mater Matrix Mother and Medium culminates with a free art/music performance in the park. 6:30 pm tomorrow, more details here.
One more unique performance ahead: Saturday night at C & P Coffee, a benefit concert to support Real Change, which isn’t just a newspaper, but also, as concert organizer and performer Mike Buchman describes it, “an aggressive community organizing agency helping to create a more humane world.” He and Real Change director Tim Harris will perform; it’s free but donations will be accepted, and they have a match for the first $500 received. They’re performing 6-8 pm – early enough that you could drop in and still make it up the street a mile to the first Outdoor Movies on the Wall (“The Princess Bride,” dusk Saturday).
Just posted – here’s the listing. Reminder that anyone who is hiring one or more employees in the West Seattle/White Center area is welcome to post the job in the WSB Forums – the listing is FREE – start here. (Another section of interest to businesses, as well as shoppers: Freebies, Deals, Sales.)
(photo added 12:33 pm) ORIGINAL 11:29 AM REPORT: Police confirm they are investigating a robbery at US Bank, 42nd and Edmunds in The Junction. This would be the second West Seattle bank robbery in less than a week, after the Alaska USA branch in QFC was held up late Friday afternoon (WSB coverage here). This time, according to Seattle Police media unit Officer Mark Jamieson, they have a suspect in custody – less than 10 minutes after the robbery, about 15 minutes ago, someone was stopped at 35th and Avalon. More information as we get it. 11:47 AM UPDATE: We’re at the reported arrest scene – while several police cars are parked at the 35th/Avalon 7-11, the main investigative activity is focused on the east side of Beni Hoshi Teriyaki (the former Yasuko’s).
(photo added 12:22 pm)
No one at that scene will comment yet on how the person who’s in custody was tracked there. 11:58 AM UPDATE: Now we’re back at the bank – it’s still closed, with a note on the door to that effect, and investigators are inside.
(photo added 12:25 pm) 12:45 PM UPDATE: New note on the door at the bank – “please use drive-through” – so it’s at least partly open.
2:45 PM UPDATE: New information from Officer Jamieson: Though the man who was detained at 35th/Avalon “matched (the robber’s) description” and was “100 percent positively identified” by a witness who was brought to the scene – he’s been released because after interviewing him, investigators believe he was NOT the robber. Their search continues. Officer Jamieson describes the robber as “a black male, late 20s to early 40s, 6 feet, medium build, a ‘Jamaican hat,’ dreadlocks, wearing a white sweatshirt.” If you have any information, call 911.
At left is The Kenney‘s CEO Kevin McFeely, when we caught up with him at West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction last weekend. This afternoon he’s expected to be at the Municipal Tower downtown as The Kenney introduces its landmark nomination for the Seaview and Sunrise Buildings to the city Landmark Preservation Board (see the document here), a prelude to The Kenney’s redevelopment plan moving forward. 3:30 pm, board room on the 40th floor of the Muni Tower. The rest of the Wednesday highlights happen tonight:
(Photos by Matt Durham of mattdurhamphotography.com) ArtsWest ‘s “Sweeney Todd” opens tonight. It’s a production of the Summer Youth Musical Theater Apprenticeship Program and plays through July 25; showtimes and ticket info can be found here. Also tonight — three meetings tackling an array of big issues:
NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING: The traffic circle at left is just one example of the many tools that can be used to “calm” neighborhood traffic. If you have questions, concerns, ideas about your neighborhood, anywhere in West Seattle, come to an SDOT public meeting at 6:30 tonight in the South Seattle Community College board room. The Southwest District Council-presented event also includes a Backyard Cottages briefing at 7:30 and an 8 pm version of the briefing that will happen earlier at the next event:
DELRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL: Haven’t made up your mind yet on the bag-fee referendum that’s on next month’s ballot (official city voters’ guide info here)? That’s the measure asking city residents whether to approve or reject the City Council-approved fee for using non-reusable shopping bags. A pro-bag fee rep will speak to the Delridge District Council tonight, among other items on the agenda at 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: We published a preview last night (see it here); tonight’s MoCA meeting, 7 pm at The Kenney, includes a long list of hot topics from The Viaduct to RapidRide to future work at the Lowman Beach pump station.
This group gathered at Hiawatha last night includes the first-ever West Seattle Volunteer Recognition recipients — Tim and Carol Winston of West Seattle Hi-Yu, youth mentor Marcus Stubblefield, co-chair Mike Dady of the North Delridge Neighborhood Council, presenters Erica Karlovits and Cindi Barker from the Southwest District Council (which co-sponsors WSVR with Delridge District Council and WSB), White Center Food Bank (among other organizations) volunteer Beth Grieser, Sustainable West Seattle‘s Bill Reiswig, and WestSide Baby‘s Nancy McDonnell. They received framed certificates and spirited applause during the announcement, made while the West Seattle Big Band took a quick break at the annual Hi-Yu Concert in the Park. From hereon out, Volunteer Recognition will happen twice a year – there are so many amazing people out there (these six were chosen from among 40 entries) that the supply of nominees we’ll never run low! More information about the recipients shortly – first, moments from the concert, starting with video of WSBB music (and the crowd):
We estimated the crowd at more than 200:
Fittingly for a family-friendly event, WestSide Baby was on hand – with reminders that this Sunday is the day to “Stuff the Bus” with diaper donations (10 am-2 pm at West Seattle Farmers’ Market)
And during another break in the music, the crowd heard from Hi-Yu royalty – the current Junior and Senior Court members, and Senior Court candidates (next Monday is the night you can watch to see who becomes the next Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu; the Junior Court is chosen this Friday; schedule here):
Now back to the Volunteer Recognition recipients. Read on for photos of each and the excerpts from the nominations that were read at last night’s event:Read More
Dan Lake came by to say hi during West Seattle Summer Fest last weekend and subsequently sent us that photo from an eagle sighting in South Alki. Meantime, one of the intrepid Lincoln Park barred-owlet watchers, Trileigh, sent us new photos of “Wollet” on Independence Day and we just realized we didn’t run them – this one is particularly eye-catching, as the owlet squawked for a parent to bring breakfast:
Previous Wollet photos can be seen here (May 23), here (May 27), here (May 31), here (June 14), here (June 16) and here (June 24).
DUWAMISH TRIBE RECOGNITION HEARING: 7 am our time, Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen will be among those testifying to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee in D.C. regarding the latest proposal to officially recognize the tribe – a designation that happened briefly at the end of the Clinton Administration and was then canceled by the ensuing Bush Administration. We’re told it’ll be webcast live – you should be able to watch it here.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MEETING: Tomorrow night’s quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting agenda is jampacked with big topics – from Myrtle Reservoir (about which we reported here last night) to the Viaduct/Tunnel (with new developments today) to RapidRide (with a proposed “branding delay” as reported recently) and much more. 7 pm tomorrow at The Kenney, which itself is on the agenda because its proposed landmark designation goes to the city Landmarks Board tomorrow – read on for the complete agenda, shared by MoCA president Deb Barker:Read More
Just back from the Seattle Market Gardens farm stand at 32nd/Juneau in High Point, open till 7 pm (and every Tuesday 4:30-7 pm through Oct. 6). Brought home peas-in-pod for $3/pound, also noticed carrots, baby bok choy, onions, potatoes, lettuce, salad greens and beautiful flowers including fiery crocosmia. Everything harvested this morning, we were told; the growers were a bit shy but we did manage to snag this photo:
Looking east from the southwest end, over the actual garden (mini-farm), the stand is under the white tent:
(Photo courtesy Robin Lindsey)
We ran that photo a week ago with the announcement of Seal Sitters‘ first volunteer-training session of the season – and now that the meeting’s a few hours away, hard to resist running it again.Alki UCC, tonight at 7. Puget Sound’s baby seals need YOU to protect them when they’re on the beach taking a break while their moms are off finding food. Read more about them at sealsitters.org.
SDOT has just sent one of its periodic updates on the Spokane Street Viaduct (basically the stretch between the high-rise bridge and I-5) widening (etc.) project – which incidentally is considered to be one of the components in the overall Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement work. Among the toplines: Bids are in for the actual widening work, and SDOT says three of the bids were less than $62 million – for a project that was estimated to cost up to $80 million. Read on for the full update:Read More
(photo courtesy Ken, added 4:46 pm)
Got a note from a West Ridge Apartments (map) resident wondering what we know about why their power’s been out since early this morning. Checked with Scott Thomsen at Seattle City Light, who replies, “Crews are working on repairs. They have not been able to identify a cause yet. They are about to try re-energizing. It might hold or it should give us a more accurate indication of what went wrong.” He says 87 customers (which can mean homes/businesses, but that area’s all residential as far as we know) are affected. 4:47 PM UPDATE: Power’s still out but Thomsen says they’ve traced it to a transformer failure and are estimating the power will be back around 7:30 pm.
Five prominent supporters of the plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bored tunnel and other road/transit projects summoned reporters to Ivar’s Acres of Clams on the downtown waterfront today, saying they needed to correct “falsehoods,” “confusion” and “mis-impressions” that they say are circulating. They blame the “falsehoods” in particular on some political campaigns, specifically citing the campaigns of two anti-tunnel candidates, mayoral hopeful Mike McGinn (who calls the tunnel “unnecessary”) and council hopeful Mike O’Brien (whose tunnel concerns are detailed here). First, the group pointed to the numbers in the graphic you see above: While opponents refer to it as a “$4 billion tunnel,” they note the tunnel itself will cost about half of that total transportation package. State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, a sponsor of the legislation that made the tunnel plan law, says there’s a “sizable built-in contingency” for the estimated $1.9-$2.2 billion tunnel cost “so cost overruns will be very unlikely and if any minimal.”
She also reiterated that the controversial amendment saying Seattle property owners would have to pay for overruns would almost certainly not hold up in court, if there was any attempt to apply it. And she stressed it was “not an easy feat” to get the tunnel plan through the Legislature in the first place. Briefing participants also stressed that they believe this is the only plan that will “keep traffic flowing” while it’s built. We asked about some West Seattleites’ concerns that accessibility will be hampered by the fact there are no downtown exits in the tunnel:
(note that’s a 2008 parade photo – this year’s drive is THIS SUNDAY, JULY 19)
You’ll see them again in Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade – and then the very next day, this Sunday, you are going to want to show up at the bus at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market with an armload of diaper packages, to help “Stuff the Bus” on behalf of the hundreds of local families who get help from WestSide Baby every week. WSB is proud to be among the co-sponsors of this year’s diaper drive, and we just got the official news release – read on for the full details of this Sunday’s event, plus a note about a way you can participate right now (with a freebie attached!):Read More
Starting today, every Tuesday from 4:30 pm-7 pm through October 6th, the Seattle Market Gardens Program will present a weekly farm stand at the Juneau Market Garden in High Point, 32nd SW and SW Juneau, selling fresh produce and flowers, grown locally! Here’s a map.
Tomorrow night, the Morgan Community Association has a long list of big items for its quarterly meeting – many of which will interest even those living outside Morgan Junction – president Deb Barker provided the rundown – read on: Read More
We’re just back from another event on the downtown waterfront (call it the “tunnel defense” media briefing, story in the works) and didn’t know about this one till we found out on Twitter: A change of command ceremony is under way at US Coast Guard District 13 HQ at Pier 36 right now – with a 15-gun salute. Here’s a news release – but even better, you’ll find links to photos (like the one above) and running commentary from the District 13 public-affairs staff on Twitter at @uscgd13.
Eric just e-mailed to share this report — and an alert:
Yesterday, Monday 7/14, our house was broken into, sometime during the day. They kicked in a back door and took only small valuable things. When we spoke with a police officer last night, he said there has been a string of similar incidents in our area, within a six-block radius. We live on 35th and Brandon [map]. Maybe by putting the word out we can save our neighbors from experiencing this.
Just in from Betsy Hoffmeister, as North Delridge residents – with hundreds of volunteers helping – get ready to build their new playground at Delridge Community Center later this week – they’ve got most of what they need lined up for the build-a-thon but now need what she calls “a minor miracle”:
Life has gotten a little extra complicated for the Delridge Community Center playground. We have an amazing, thrilling number of volunteers lined up for Friday’s event, food is in place, and we’re good to go, except for one exciting detail. When the hole was excavated, more and more concrete was found. The hole is now much, much deeper than anticipated. We are getting 30 cubic yards of gravel delivered Wednesday afternoon, and we need to move it into the hole and spread it evenly. We do not currently have heavy equipment or a heavy equipment operator lined up to do this task for us. We know that if we had a skid steer, it could be done in a few hours. If humans need to do this, it is a monumental task. So, we are looking for a skid steer and skilled operator, or a contingent of Marines. Or neighbors with shovels and rakes. Please, neighbors, when we have asked for food, you’ve provided food. When we’ve asked for cash, you’ve given cash. When we’ve asked for time, you’ve given time. A mere skid steer and operator seems like a minor miracle to us – but you may have the answer sitting in your back yard. Please, friends, contact helpdelridgeplay@gmail.com or call Betsy at 206 353 9334. Thank you!!
American Legion Post 160 has finished the lineup for the West Seattle Grand Parade this Saturday – and “Patches Pals” will be pleased to hear that the legendary JP Patches is back! He’s been fighting cancer and wasn’t in the parade last year (our photo above is from 2007), but the lineup says he’ll be riding with Bill and Cynthia Reid again this Saturday just like old times. Speaking of clowns, the Seattle Seafair Clowns announced they’ll have a special guest:
That’s West Seattle’s own Jim Dever from Evening Magazine, clowning around, upside down, in a behind-the-scenes video he posted to his Twitter feed (@jimdever) – Calling Jim “a clown in his own right,” the Seafair Clowns’ news release also notes, “Although not substantiated, Dever claims to be an accomplished concert cellist, foot model and president of the National Association of Male Contortionists.” The Seafair Clowns themselves also have a brand-new vehicle – thanks to West Seattle-residing “Officer Lumpy” for sharing the news (and this link to a look at the vehicle). As for OTHER officers in the West Seattle Grand Parade — with almost 80 entries in all this year, as always, they start with not one but TWO motorcycle drill teams – the Vancouver, B.C. Police right after Seattle’s finest:
As we reported here a month ago, the parade’s Grand Marshal is designer/artist Blayne, known both for his “Project Runway” season and for his work at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor). The parade starts at California/Lander (by Lafayette Elementary) at 11 am Saturday and continues south on California to the end of the main Junction business district, so stake out your spot anywhere along the way. And all kids are invited to be in the Rotary Club of West Seattle-presented Kiddies’ Parade, which starts at 10:30 from California/Genesee (shorter route and plenty of time to get back to your spot to see the “other” parade!).
is on track to be done by the end of this week as promised, according to an 
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NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC CALMING: The traffic circle at left is just one example of the many tools that can be used to “calm” neighborhood traffic. If you have questions, concerns, ideas about your neighborhood, anywhere in West Seattle, come to an SDOT public meeting at 6:30 tonight in the 
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