West Seattle, Washington
24 Saturday
Just back from City Hall, where we tried our best to represent Seattle’s growing online-neighborhood-news industry on a City Council panel discussion (not archived on SeattleChannel.org yet but should be soon), and there’s more post-storm council action to relay: Tomorrow at 2 pm, the Energy and Technology Committee will focus on this aspect of snowstorm response past and future:
Winter Storm Response — Discussion of City Light’s participation in the winter storm response and purchase of snowplow equipment for mounting on existing Seattle City Light trucks. It is in the interest of public safety to improve the City’s ability to clear city streets of snow so that City Light vehicles, fire apparatus, emergency medical units, police cars, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles are able to navigate city streets.
Here’s the full agenda; some interesting technology items too, led by the city’s tech boss Bill Schrier (a West Seattleite). Meantime, Seattle Channel sends an alert that three councilmembers can be seen criticizing the city’s response to last month’s Snowmare during a show that’s available online now or premiering on Cable Channel 21 tonight at 7.
As first reported during the School Board meeting a week ago, board president Michael DeBell asked his fellow members this: If you’re going to propose any changes to the “final recommendation” for school closure/changes, get them in by yesterday, so they can be made public today (and voted on during the special board meeting tomorrow night). Caveat, board members still COULD propose amendments during tomorrow morning’s meeting, but for now, here are the ones just revealed. They include a proposal to take Genesee Hill off the recommendations, keeping Pathfinder K-8 there, and leaving Cooper Elementary as is; that proposal, included in this document, comes from board member Harium Martin-Morris. West Seattle board member Steve Sundquist has an amendment on the agenda too; it would continue with the move-Pathfinder-to-Cooper plan in the original “final recommendations,” but would set conditions on where the majority of current Cooper students would be reassigned – he proposes splitting them among Gatewood, Highland Park, and Arbor Heights. Of interest to APP families citywide, board member Mary Bass proposes keeping the elementary-level program at Lowell, instead of splitting half (including West Seattle APP elementary students) to another school. The amendments will all be voted on during tomorrow night’s special board meeting, 6 pm, district HQ in Sodo. (In addition to discussion here, there’ll be citywide comment ongoing at saveseattleschools.blogspot.com.)
Three months ago, former City Councilmember Jeanette Williams 
(seen at left in a city archives photo from 1973) was remembered for accomplishments including fighting to secure federal money to building the high-rise West Seattle Bridge. Now, there’s a campaign to name the bridge in her honor as the Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge; a resolution supporting the proposal was adopted unanimously at last week’s Seattle Community Council Federation meeting and is circulating among other councils in the city as well (here’s the wording as also recently endorsed in View Ridge, according to SCCF chair Jeannie Hale). City Council approval would be required; no word yet of a timetable for a formal proposal coming before the council, but we asked Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – who got his political start working with Ms. Williams – and he told WSB he’s all for it. We’ll keep you posted. (Maybe it’ll happen in time for the bridge’s 25th anniversary this summer?)
For those waiting to find out if Seattle School Board members proposed any amendments to the closure/change plan that will be voted on tomorrow night – while the district had been expected to post amendments to its website by noon today, a notice is now posted on the board page saying they’ll be up at 1. We’ll bring them to you as soon as we get them.
We showed you that photo Monday, while reporting that West Seattle firefighters helped clean up and secure the area around a big broken window on the west side of a former Huling/Gee storefront on SW Alaska east of Fauntleroy Way. We subsequently checked to see if it was a case of burglary or “just” vandalism; this morning, we have followup information from Southwest Precinct Sgt. Mike Teeter, who summarizes that “a large rock was thrown through the window, but no entry was made.”
Meantime, a new Crime Watch report this morning, from Amy in Gatewood:
My car was stolen from my driveway yesterday sometime between 10 pm Monday evening and 6 am Tuesday morning. I live on the corner of SW Myrtle street and 36th Ave SW [map]. I filed a police report and thankfully my car was found yesterday around 5 pm by the King County Sheriff’s (Office). It was recovered in the South Park area and towed to a Burien lot. They said they had just recovered a similar Honda Accord like mine stolen from the same area. This is the second time my car has been targeted in my neighborhood. Two years ago my stereo was stolen. I think it’s a group of punk kids going for a joy ride. They didn’t take any car parts, just valuables that were in the car, punched out the ignition, stole my stereo again (luckily I carry the face plate with me so it’s useless to them now), and trashed the inside of the car. Just thought people should know about this in case there is anyone else out there who has had the same thing happen around the area.
We’ve received reports both official and unofficial of more than a few car thefts lately, including a “huge spike” in the unincorporated area south of WS, as described by King County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Hancock at last week’s White Center Crime Prevention Coalition meeting, but the Southwest Precinct says numbers on this side of the line are not currently higher than usual.
Just in from SDOT – the full news release is ahead; note that the three pilot bike-parking areas are all outside West Seattle, but the department offers a way for you to propose one:Read More
That’s Madison Middle School student Bazel Rivera, who’ll be in the Admiral Theater spotlight this Saturday night as a student of a different school – the Paul Green School of Rock Music. They’re presenting a salute to The Monkees – the TV rockers whose heyday was so long ago, some of the 8-to-18-year-olds heard about it from their grandparents. Or via a recent resurgence, as Bazel explains in a quick interview clip you’ll see ahead:Read More
When we reported last week on Prudential Northwest Realty moving out of its California SW location, merging with the same-ownership office at Jefferson Square, we got a new round of questions about the “upzoning” proposal for the area in which the now-empty office sits (which also was invoked in the real-estate listing for the Shamrock apartment building, as we reported days before the Prudential story). That proposal to change the zoning along California between Hanford and Hinds (and a bit further south on the west side of the street) to NC2-40 has been in the works for almost 15 months (we broke the story 11/8/07), and it’s been more than half a year since the city started telling us the recommendation was almost ready. And that’s what the city says now; planner Malli Anderson tells WSB, “I expect to complete a draft of the rezone recommendation this week.” Two of her supervisors then review it, including Bob McElhose, who told us, “When we have agreed with the decision and the final edits, it will go to the Hearing Examiner for the open record pre-decision hearing and recommendation, for which there will be notice. Depending on the review of the draft, the notice could go out as early as this Thursday or possibly next week.” (The city’s Land Use Information Bulletin is published Mondays and Thursdays; you can see the latest one here.) Anderson said the notice will “be sent to those who sent comment letters and e-mails or signed the sign-in sheet at the public meeting.” (That’s the public meeting we covered in late November 2007; a month after that meeting, longtime local businessmen Mike Gain and Roger Cayce talked with us about their vision for the area.) No explanation of why it’s taken so long, although planners told us at one point along the way that it’s not unusual for rezoning requests to take more than a year; since the decision here will trigger hearings and comment periods, it’ll be months before anything’s final.
SOUND TRANSIT: Route 560, which includes West Seattle, is one of the routes with changes to come, in part because of ST light rail, so a public-comment meeting has just been set for Feb. 25, 5-7 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction. Read more about it here.
METRO RATE INCREASE: This Sunday is the day that Metro Transit fares go up a quarter. See the new fare schedule in its entirety here.
APPRAISALS: Wondering what your treasures are worth? Merrill Gardens at Admiral Heights has an appraisal event today – just about everything but jewelry. 1-3 pm. Check to see if there’s still room to RSVP: (206) 938-3964.
WSB ON TV: Much discussion these days about the evolution of news media, in Seattle and elsewhere, particularly since the P-I’s plight came to light. Today, the topic is tackled by the City Council’s Culture, Civil Rights, Health and Personnel Committee, chaired by Councilmember Nick Licata (vice chair is West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen). Your editor here is on the panel, to discuss what local independent online neighborhood-news organizations like ours are bringing to the table. It’ll be live on Seattle Channel starting around 2:15-2:30 pm, after a few other agenda items when the committee meeting starts at 2 pm (cable channel 21 or online at seattlechannel.org). Read the latest version of the news release, with the full list of panelists, here. (If you can come to City Hall, a public-comment period is scheduled during the meeting, too.)
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Lots on the agenda for the quarterly meeting tonight – 7 pm, The Kenney; see the agenda items at the MoCA website.
Got a note from Restita DeJesus, head instructor at Seattle Wushu Center (formerly Yin Yang Arts Center), who wanted to share this news: “My Tai Chi / Kung Fu studio was located at the old Graham & California building that was torn down. After being there for close to 
8 years, (prior to that, on California and Juneau in the Nail Salon/Women’s fitness bldg for 6 years), it was very sad to leave West Seattle. Before teaching commercially, I taught at Southwest Community Center and Alki Community Center for a long time…..so after more than 20 years of being in West Seattle, I was crushed that I would have to leave …. However….I just want to notify readers of the West Seattle Blog that we will be moving back to West Seattle!! The owners of the Satellite Auto Glass building have agreed to lease the shop area to me. I was so overjoyed that I just wanted to … let everyone know we’re returning. Our plans are to move into the building the first week of February (cleaning, prepping, moving small items), and moving our big items in February 6th, 7th, and 8th. We’re looking forward to being back ‘home’ very soon!” (Her center’s new location is at 5659 California, which has been for sale for months.)
Julie Morelli sent that flyer, which says it all. If you can help make Valentines to distribute to hospitalized veterans, e-mail her at soldiersangelswashington@gmail.com; check out her group’s site at soldiersangelswashington.wordpress.com.
Another youth sports team is getting ready for next season: We have word from 12U West Seattle Thunder Fastpitch Softball that they’re “looking for athletes with a good attitude and desire to play tournament softball this spring and summer.” To find out about arranging a tryout, call Coach Greg at 206-669-6881 or e-mail him at gkormanik@comcast.net. More team info is here.
That photo is courtesy Minette Layne – who saw the barred owl in Lincoln Park just after 4 o’clock this afternoon. They’re relatively common, according to online info from the Seattle Audubon Society. (If you’d like to look for owls with an expert, West Seattle naturalist Stewart Wechsler is leading an event at Me-Kwa-Mooks this Saturday, 5 pm, $1-$20 donation, RSVP at 206 932-7225 or ecostewart@quidnunc.net.)
A second wildlife note, from Mike in North Admiral:
Just wanted to let WSB readers know that Animal Control came to our house this morning to pick up an apparently sick raccoon. The raccoon spent the night in our dog’s kennel which we keep outside. This morning I discovered the raccoon and was able to close and latch the kennel. The raccoon was very lethargic and barely stirred when I approached.
The officer from Animal Control commented that every few years there is usually a widespread incident of the distemper virus that runs through and thins out the local raccoon population. The virus has two forms (canine distemper and feline distemper) both of which are deadly. This is a very contagious disease and unvaccinated dogs and cats are very susceptible to catching this. He suggested we discard the dog bed we keep in the kennel and spray down the kennel itself w/ a bleach/water compound to kill the virus.
So just a reminder to keep an eye on your pets and make sure their vaccinations are up to date.
That advice was also part of our coverage of the Living with Wildlife event at Camp Long last October (see the story here).
According to the Seattle Times, West Seattle High School cornerback Aaron Grymes has decided to sign with Idaho instead of UW, saying the Huskies had asked him to “grayshirt” instead of starting next season. (Realdawg.com reported the news earlier today; its story requires membership to read.)
Two notes we’ve received this afternoon that might be of interest – read on:Read More
Two one-time-only events to remind you about before the day is gone:
FAMILY SURVEY RESULTS: Back in November, we brought you the link to a community survey spearheaded by Renae Gaines , who’s based at Madison Middle School but has been working tirelessly community-wide to make sure that West Seattleites are aware of the true impact of underage drinking, and how to fight the problem. The survey results are out now, and will be discussed in detail at tonight’s meeting of the Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership, 6 pm at West Seattle High School. (Here’s a Power Point presentation of the results, if you want a preview.)
SEWAGE PLANT MEETING: Don’t let the title fool you: This is technically about the West Point Sewage Treatment Plant, which is in Magnolia, but it turns out the focus is also on the “combined sewer overflows” that result from pump stations all over West Seattle and elsewhere – so the meeting will feature information about potential pollution in our waters, both the open Sound and the Duwamish River. 6 pm tonight, South Seattle Community College‘s Georgetown campus, Building C (6727 Corson Ave. S.; map). Thanks to Liesbet for the tip; she points out there’s more info at duwamishcleanup.org.
This apparently happened late last week but we can’t find any evidence of major coverage – just got a news release about it now. Opponents of the plan to build a new regional misdemeanor jail (with Seattle and several other King County cities partnering; they’re considering six sites including one in West Seattle) have filed Initiative 100, asking, among other things, for a public vote on whether to build a jail. (It’s also on tap for a forum tomorrow night, 6:30, Pigott Hall at Seattle University.) Here’s the initiative petition that will be circulated (note: updated that link late Tuesday to point to the copy finalized today). ADDED 4:46 PM: Just got a county news release about a County Council briefing today regarding the first drop in county jail population in five years – read on:Read More
That photo is courtesy Teri Ensley of Furry Faces Foundation, who first asked us last week to let you know (original report here) that West Seattle businesses are collecting donations for the hundreds of dogs rescued from “puppy mill” operations in the North Sound. Last night, Teri and others took a pile of donated items up to two of the organizations that are helping care for the rescued dogs, and she reports:
Both shelters are so grateful for everyone’s generous donations. They have enough food for now (but will not turn any down)–and what they are in desperate need for are the following:
1. Lots and lots of toys for small to sm/med sized dogs
2. Lots of wee wee pads/puppy training pads
3. Bedding—beds, blankets, towels, etc.
Here are the businesses where you can drop off items:
Admiral District:
Mud Bay; 2611 Calif. Ave SW (dog food & supplies only)
Muttley Crew Cuts Co; 3707 Calif. Ave SWAlaska Junction:
Hotwire Online Coffeehouse; 4410 Calif. Ave SW (dog food & supplies only)Petco: 4732 Calif. Ave SW
Alki: All the Best Pet Care; 2820 Alki Ave SW
Morgan Junction:
Pet Elements; 6701 Calif. Ave SW
The Wash Dog; 6400 Calif. Ave SW
(added late Tuesday afternoon) Stella Ruffington’s, 7003 California SWWestwood Village: Pet Pros; 9033 25th Ave SW
Teri says any other businesses interested in participating — and anyone who can help make future deliveries of donated items — is welcome to e-mail her at furryfaces@hotmail.com. Also, she says Muttley Crew Cuts staffers are heading north next Monday “to volunteer their grooming skills with some of the dogs,” and at least one other business owner is trying to help with grooming too. Teri also shared a link to this article about the whistleblower who touched off the investigation that led to the dogs’ rescue.
As first featured here two months ago, that’s Lynda, who won “Alki Idol” Season 1 (and $1,000)! Now it’s time for the second round – here’s the announcement from organizer John McKenzie:
The Bamboo Bar and Grill on Alki will be hosting Alki Idol Season 2 starting Thursday, January 29th at 9:30 PM. Alki Idol is an eight-week karaoke competition set up for local amateur singers to compete for cash and prizes on a weekly basis, as well as a grand prize for the overall winner. Season 1 was a huge success and featured some amazing local singers.
The contest will include 6 weeks of auditions with 2 contestants qualifying each night based on voting by a panel of judges. The final field of 12 will compete in a semi-final competition on March 12th, reducing the field to 6. The 6 finalists will then compete in the finals for cash and prizes on March 19th. The Bamboo Bar and Grill is located at 2806 Alki Ave SW. Check for updates on Alki Idol at www.alkiidol.com or www.bamboobarandgrill.com.
You may have heard that the Interbay Whole Foods project is now back on track, as officially announced today. Our fellow neighborhood-news-site operators at MagnoliaVoice.com covered the announcement and were kind enough to ask WF about its West Seattle status on our behalf. John Clougher, Pacific Northwest regional manager for Whole Foods, replied: “As far as West Seattle, we are on track and deeply committed to that project. It is a solid commitment and we can’t wait to get going. There is no opening date yet but it usually takes 5-7 months after the construction of the shell is complete and delivered to Whole Foods.” (We’ve had messages out to local developers BlueStar for a few days to find out when construction will be gearing up again at the Fauntleroy Place site, and will let you know when we hear from them.) ADDED 2:11 PM: MagnoliaVoice.com‘s full story on today’s Interbay announcement is now up; see it here.
Just out of the WSB inbox, from Terry:
I was ticketed for $162.00 for having my dogs off a leash at Hamilton Viewpoint Park (map) this AM. I and many other West Seattle residents have been taking our dogs there for years. We all seem to use the hilly south end of the park as not to disturb anyone. I have never experienced people leaving dog waste there, and often leave with a handful of broken beer bottle glass and trash from the night before. In any case, the animal control explained dogs can’t be off a leash in a public park in Seattle. The only signs in the park ask for dogs to be kept out of the flower beds.
Not word yet if underage drinking parties are still “a go.”
The only official “off-leash area” in West Seattle is at Westcrest Park (map).
(looking toward the SW Thistle stairs to Lincoln Park, west of California SW)
At least up here, and at least it waited till the commute was mostly over. SDOT sent a short blurb to assure you they’re on patrol:
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has trucks standing by at various locations around the city including the West Seattle Bridge and the tops of hills, in case they are needed. Last night crews applied deicer to the high level West Seattle Bridge, the Alaskan Way Viaduct, and the Aurora Bridge.
Is it snowing where you are? 9:10 AM UPDATE: Via Facebook (where you can “friend” us as WS Blog), Becky reports that she’s seen one of those city trucks standing by at Westwood Village. While the ground is lightly covered up here at “higher elevations,” the road’s still bare/wet. Forecasters continue to all-but-promise it will turn to rain within a few hours. Here’s the bridge cam (refresh the page for the latest image; you can also see it any time on the WSB Traffic page):
9:45 AM UPDATE: We’re out driving around. Not much at all on the ground/roofs down at sea level, through Morgan Junction and Fairmount Springs. The “snow” itself is more like sleet. 11:33 AM UPDATE: En route back from downtown and it’s rain now … we can definitely declare fleeting snow panic over!
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