That video by WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli captures what happened on the day last November that 4532 42nd SW (map) — a huge house with a lot of history, including time spent as one of West Seattle’s original hospitals — met its demise. The newest date written onto the Southwest Design Review Board‘s calendar is for the next review of the project that will replace it, seen here in a rendering from its last SWDRB review last June:
4532 42nd SW is now the second project on the SWDRB agenda for April 9, 8 pm – location TBD – first one that night, at 6:30 pm, is 2922 SW Avalon (featured here yesterday). But there’s a West Seattle Design Review meeting *before* then, too – a week from tomorrow, at 6:30 pm March 12 at High Point Library, the Conner Homes Junction project gets its next look (and part of that project, its “alley vacation” request, has a third hearing before the Seattle Design Commission at City Hall downtown tomorrow). Side note: We cover the Design Review scheduling, reviews, and votes closely because this is a rare step in the development process, for some projects, when the public gets a chance to speak out at a public hearing. For details on how that works, you can check out the Community Guide to Design Review.
Word just in from Olympia (thanks to Sharonn Meeks for the forward) that Senate Bill 5768, to confirm the deep-bore tunnel as the Alaskan Way Viaduct Central Waterfront replacement and look into the possibility of tolling to raise some of the money, has just passed the Senate, 43-6 (West Seattle’s State Sen. Joe McDermott voted ‘yes’). Here’s its official status/information page.
The next semi-annual inspection shutdown weekend for the Alaskan Way Viaduct is March 21-22, according to an e-mail update that just arrived from WSDOT. Here are the specifics: Closed 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, with the Battery Street Tunnel scheduled for continuous shutdown 11 pm Friday 3/20 to 5 am Monday 3/23. They’re also offering walking tours of The Viaduct on Saturday morning 3/21, by reservation – e-mail viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov, or call 888–AWV–LINE (first-come, first-served).
WEST SEATTLE COOL MOMS MEET TONIGHT TOO: They’re inviting one and all to their monthly meeting, 7 pm at C and P Coffee. For more on what they’re about, go to coolmom.org.
TOMORROW NIGHT – SUMMER CAMP INFO! Also got a note from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School making sure you know they’re having a Summer Camp Information Night tomorrow, and everyone’s invited to that too, not just members of the school community – representatives of several camps will be there to share information, answer questions, and even take reservations. 7-8:30 pm Thursday in the OLG Parish Hall (34th/Myrtle).
SWAP ON SATURDAY: Home accessories “swap” event at Youngstown Arts Center — more info here (note, there is an admission fee in addition to requiring that you bring at least five items to participate).
“MORNING VISITOR”: That’s how Rick C in Westwood titled the e-mail with this photo:
He says he zoomed in as close as he could; he lives near Delridge/Thistle and saw the eagle from his backyard.
If you’re heading southbound on California SW through the 3300 block – south of Prost, The Bohemian, Spiro’s, and the almost-complete Madison Heights townhouse project – it’s slow going because of those four huge cherry-picker trucks working on trimming tree branches away from power lines. City Light has had major tree work going in West Seattle for almost a year now; SCL’s Scott Thomsen just confirmed to WSB that this is city work — “JTS Inc. is working there for us with a city arborist. They’ve been out in West Seattle for the past three weeks. They’ll be working in that area for about another month.”
You may recall Admiral Theater entertainment director Dinah Brein McClellan putting out the call here on WSB for a couple to get married onstage during the upcoming singalong showing of “Mamma Mia.” At least one citywide media source read about it here and in turn, that brought forward Melodie Anderson and John Babcock, whose relationship has stretched across several years and two states (they originally met in San Diego; John followed Melodie when she moved up here) – as well as a cancer fight (Melodie is a survivor, and John’s been by her side all the way). We photographed them last night when they came to The Admiral to meet with Dinah, and today Dinah’s sent word that they are The Ones. The big event is a week from this Saturday – 7:30 pm March 14th, right before the movie. Now Dinah’s thinking it might be a great idea to “give John and Melodie a great sendoff.” The new Luna Park Italian restaurant Cafe Revo already has donated a celebration dinner for 4, and Dinah says Sugar Rush Baking Company/Coffee to a Tea‘s chipping in with a wedding cake and mini-cupcakes . Anybody else want to get in on this with something else for the lucky couple (in addition to attending the showing, not just to cheer on John and Melodie, but also to sing along with your ABBA faves)? Could be the West Seattle media event of the month, and you’ll be in the spotlight too (plus, who doesn’t love a love story?). Give Dinah a shout – dinah@admiralentertainment.com. She says John and Melodie weren’t the only ones to contact her, but she sees “something magical” about their story – love will conquer all, which is the theme of the “Mamma Mia” movie too.
We’re at the end of a two-part media event this morning put on by Seattle Public Utilities and the mayor’s office to start intensifying the reminders that the way you handle your trash/recycling is changing in a big way at month’s end. Rates are rising, pickup dates are changing, weekly food/yard-waste collection is happening, and you’ll be able to recycle more items (and you won’t have to separate the glass any more). First part of the media event is in the photo above – on a Beacon Hill streetcorner, the mayor and a neighborhood family used plastic props to demonstrate the new push for more food recycling. Second part, we’ll be adding video in a bit – we and the other media reps were taken inside the gigantic recycling-sorting facility at 3rd/Lander in Sodo …. (photo added 4:48 pm)
… for a look at what happens AFTER your recycling is picked up, BEFORE it’s sent off to whoever’s buying the “raw” materials. Loud, smelly, fascinating. Clips to come.
(Photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
The Seattle Police SWAT team was in West Seattle briefly this morning. According to SPD spokesperson Renee Witt, the police received a call about a family member threatening another family member with a gun in a home near the intersection in the 4700 block of 26th SW (map). Witt says the situation ended when the suspect surrendered shortly after the SWAT team arrived and that suspect is currently in custody.
(“History Boys” photo by Matt Durham, mattdurhamphotography.com) OPENING NIGHT: Three nights after we brought you first word of their 2009-2010 season, ArtsWest continues the current season with the first performance of “History Boys,” 7:30 tonight in The Junction.
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT IN WEST SEATTLE: Council President Richard Conlin is scheduled for a guest appearance at the Southwest District Council‘s (WSB sponsor) monthly meeting, 7 pm, board room at South Seattle Community College.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORS: If you live in the North Delridge area, meet your neighbors and see how you can help work on neighborhood issues as the North Delridge Neighborhood Council meets tonight, 6:30 pm, Delridge Library.
FAUNTLEROY SERIES: “Re-creating Community in Our Day” continues with leadership expert Bill Grace, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Church (after 6 pm “simple supper” by donation).
Congratulations to the Chief Sealth High School boys’ basketball team for beating Cleveland 76-66 last night (the game for which your votes won the channel 7 “Game of the Week” web poll) – that means they play Seattle Prep tomorrow night — 6:30 pm, Bellevue Community College — with the winner going to the state playoffs. When Sealth faced Prep on January 13, it was a close game, with Prep winning 45-41.
(added Wednesday afternoon, Junction Plaza Park rendering)
(Susan Melrose of the Junction Association and Isaac Cohen of Seattle Parks Foundation)
From Tuesday night’s first meeting of Friends of Junction Plaza Park, designed to get the long-semi-dormant park project across the finish line: Three women are giving the group a jump start: There’s Susan Melrose, who’s been helping Junction merchants bring new energy to the business district in her role as director of the West Seattle Junction Association; Erica Karlovits, who helms the Junction Neighborhood Organization and co-chairs the Southwest District Council; and Katie Hjorten, who we last heard from publicly when, as chair of Friends of Ercolini Park, she helped celebrate that park’s dedication west of The Junction last July. After the meeting, we asked her, why get involved with another park? Read More
(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli, added 1:41 am) FIRST ITEM: Big callout — as is par for the course if a “fire in building” is reported/suspected — but it turned out to be a small fire. WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli checked out the call in the Montridge Arms apartment building at 9000 20th SW (at Henderson) and says it was “food on the stove” — firefighters told him a man left food cooking and went out, then came home “just as firefighters were about to kick down his door.” Crews are just wrapping up at the scene.
SECOND ITEM, ADDED 1:58 AM: Christopher happened onto a significant police presence at Delridge/21st while heading away from the apartment-fire call:
Sgt. Foster at the scene told Christopher that a “juvenile” had shown up at the Southwest Precinct claiming he had been physically abused by his father; a subsequent hospital investigation showed signs of “excessive discipline,” so police followed up and took the father into custody. No other details available so far.
First, this note went out last night on the Pigeon Point neighborhood list:
Two cars in the 4100 block of 20th Ave were car prowled, a van at the very north end of 20th Ave was burglarized and a vehicle was stolen from the corner of 21st Ave and SW Genesee. [map]
Then tonight, Pigeon Point neighborhood organizer Pete Spalding sent this followup:
Just wanted to give everyone a quick update of what I have learned in the last 24 hours. It seems that at a minimum there were 11 vehicles that were either car prowled, vandalized, burglarized or stolen on Sunday evening/night. Most of these were on 20th Ave SW and the one that was stolen was on 21st.
Pete also reminded Pigeon Point’ers that this is a good time to organize a Block Watch if you don’t have one already, and a good time to meet with yours if you do. (Benjamin Kinlow, crime-prevention coordinator at the Southwest Precinct, is the person to contact about setting one up.)
As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child – and in the case of this story, it takes a village of fundraisers to rustle up the money for programs to help kids. The West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) gathered fundraising volunteers at The Hall at Fauntleroy tonight for the Partners With Youth Campaign “victory celebration”: More than $202,000 raised, close to the $205K target (half of the total $410K goal, with the other half raised by the Y’s Board of Managers). This money goes to keep YMCA programs accessible to kids, teens, and families in West Seattle, Vashon, and South Park. Tonight’s event brought together volunteers to report their individual achievements – those who exceeded certain personal goals got T-shirts – the photo above shows Katie Taylor, director of the Y’s afterschool program at Madison, calling out goal-exceeders’ names. (The Y website offers online-donation opportunities, by the way.)
We’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor:Envision Homes. Every time a new sponsor joins, we offer them the chance to tell you about their business, so here’s what Envision Homes wants you to know: “In 2000, we started Envision Homes, with the basic idea that we envisioned homes that were energy and resource efficient, clean and low toxic, durable and well crafted … to leave a legacy of responsible and conscience building. For the last nine years, our dedication to sustainable building has continued to gain momentum. (We love what we do.) We are small and personal, passionate about sustainable building, exceptional project managers and proud craftsmen. Our fees and hourly rates are very competitive, but mostly, our value is compelling. Our competitively priced lead carpenters are friendly, efficient, creative and clean. They also act as site supervisors, dedicated to each client. Our clients enjoy focused site supervisors who are proud builders, share our commitment to environmentally friendly building practices, and build positive client relationships. We believe the experience of the project is just as important as the result. But what really sets us apart is our dedication to sustainable remodeling, our continuing education on building sciences, our involvement and sponsorship of major local sustainable building organizations, public, college and outreach speaking and lecture programs. Each client gets the full benefit of our product and application knowledge in making informed decisions about their project, in all aspects of residential building sciences, renewable energy and materials, all of which is included in our very competitive GC fee.” Envision Homes is currently sponsoring the WSB Crime Watch page, where you will see their ad banner; you can find them online by going here, and you can call Envision Homes at 206-356-7853. We’re glad to have them on the WSB sponsor team, listed in its entirety here, where you’ll also find information on how to be part of it.
That’s the video we mentioned in our earlier report on King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg‘s presentation today to the Rotary Club of West Seattle; as soon as we saw it, even before Satterberg finished speaking, we sent a note to his media liaison to ask if we could have a copy to share with you – it is quite the gripping clip, with video and audio from inside a police car as officers worked to stop the driver of a stolen car, who sped throughout West Seattle one night in November 2007. Not sure if this has been made public before – we were still working in TV news then, and don’t remember having seen it – nonetheless, it’s worth a look. As Satterberg observed, “This is why auto theft is not really a nonviolent crime – it’s amazing (in this case) that no one got killed.” (As for what happened to the guy arrested at the end of this – that’ll be another followup.)
As we reported in coverage of last month’s 34th District Democrats meeting, West Seattle State Sen. Joe McDermott thinks you should be able to register to vote all the way up till Election Day. But that’s not a popular idea, yet, so he is heading that way incrementally: The Senate has approved a bill he’s co-sponsoring, to move the in-person voter-registration deadline a week later, to 8 days pre-election. According to a Legislature news release, the 8 states allowing Election Day registration have voter participation averaging 10 percent higher than other states. His bill, SB 5270 (status and other links here), now moves to the House.
That’s King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, special guest at this afternoon’s meeting of the Rotary Club of West Seattle at Salty’s on Alki. He shared what he described as a “remarkable” story — one that might cheer you up a bit, if the off-and-on deluge of Crime Watch reports tends to leave you worried. Satterberg said the crackdown on car theft has brought dramatic results – and he says that’s particularly important because car theft is seen as a springboard to other crimes; someone steals a car to go commit burglaries, or worse. Read on to hear about the numbers he listed, what else he told the Rotarians, and after that, a few notes about what they’re up to:Read More
SSCC(West Seattle’s only college) just sent this out and wanted to make sure you knew:
Thanks to a generous donor to the South Seattle Community College Foundation, we have an opportunity to offer a special scholarship round to award two full scholarships (3 quarters each) to two students who have been in the U.S. Foster Care System.
Because it can be challenging to contact students who are eligible for this scholarship, we encourage you to let all students know it is available so they can determine whether or not to apply.
The application deadline is Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 4:00 p.m. in the Development Office, Room RS-01.
(photo added 2:22 pm) Dave Brewere-mailed to share this alert:
On the 2900 block of SW Avalon Way, a section on the east side of the street that used to have no-limit parking is now a 2 hour zone. My assumption is that it has to do with Cafe Revo, directly across from the area.
Riders in my van pool (as well as at least three others that I am aware of) have been parking in this area during the work day for a couple years, so a warning to any others who have been doing the same.
Further up the hill (across from Ola, animal clinic, and beyond), is still unlimited.
We’ll be checking with SDOT to find out more, and see if anything’s in store for other areas of West Seattle.
(video added 2:06 pm, SLHS gym sendoff for the teams just before 1 pm )
An update this morning from Bil Hood at Seattle Lutheran High School (which is on the northeast edge of The Junction):
Our basketball teams are heading to Spokane this afternoon for the State Basketball Tournament in Spokane.
The boys get started tomorrow night at 5:30 v.s the number 2 team in the state, Napavine. The girls follow at 9 vs. the number 2 girls team, Colfax.
There are links at www.SeattleLutheran.org to live audio and video feeds from the games as well as a cell phone text service that will send you the scores as they happen.
GO SAINTS!!
ADDED 2:06 PM: Video of this afternoon’s sendoff for the teams, before they left SLHS.
P.S. FROM ORIGINAL REPORT: One other high-school basketball note – we told you yesterday morning that Chief Sealth is in the running for its match vs. Cleveland to be chosen channel 7’s “Game of the Week” if it wins a webpoll – last hour to vote – go here (right sidebar). ADDED 2:05 PM: Thanks for voting – they won. Now, they’re trying to sort out exactly what that means – what kind of showcase the game will get – we’ll keep you posted.
We’re at Concord Elementary School — which is in South Park but is part of Seattle Public Schools‘ “West Seattle South” grouping — where a celebration is just wrapping up in honor of the recent designation of Concord and Denny Middle School as “international schools.” Above, you see members of the Denny steel-drum band and masked Concord second-grade dancers, who performed for dignitaries including Denny principal Jeff Clark, Concord principal Sandra Scott, and Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson. More highlights in a bit, along with details on specifics of exactly what this designation means to these two schools. (Clark, by the way, has ties to both schools – he mentioned he’s best known at Concord as “Gabe’s dad,” because his first-grader is in the immersion program, which now serves kindergarteners and first graders and will add second grade in the fall.) ADDED 11:46 AM: More from this morning’s event, including video: Read More
Word just in from Olympia (thanks to Sharonn Meeks for the forward) that Senate Bill 5768, to confirm the deep-bore tunnel as the Alaskan Way Viaduct Central Waterfront replacement and look into the possibility of tolling to raise some of the money, has just passed the Senate, 43-6 (West Seattle’s State Sen. Joe McDermott voted ‘yes’). 
The next semi-annual inspection shutdown weekend for the Alaskan Way Viaduct is March 21-22, according to an e-mail update that just arrived from 
You may recall 
Homes wants you to know: “In 2000, we started Envision Homes, with the basic idea that we envisioned homes that were energy and resource efficient, clean and low toxic, durable and well crafted … to leave a legacy of responsible and conscience building. For the last nine years, our dedication to sustainable building has continued to gain momentum. (We love what we do.) We are small and personal, passionate about sustainable building, exceptional project managers and proud craftsmen. Our fees and hourly rates are very competitive, but mostly, our value is compelling. Our competitively priced lead carpenters are friendly, efficient, creative and clean. They also act as site supervisors, dedicated to each client. Our clients enjoy focused site supervisors who are proud builders, share our commitment to environmentally friendly building practices, and build positive client relationships. We believe the experience of the project is just as important as the result. But what really sets us apart is our dedication to sustainable remodeling, our continuing education on building sciences, our involvement and sponsorship of major local sustainable building organizations, public, college and outreach speaking and lecture programs. Each client gets the full benefit of our product and application knowledge in making informed decisions about their project, in all aspects of residential building sciences, renewable energy and materials, all of which is included in our very competitive GC fee.” Envision Homes is currently sponsoring 
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