West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
Some West Seattle private schools have this week off – Our Lady of Guadalupe and Holy Rosary, for example – but Seattle Public Schools‘ spring break isn’t till next week.
Photographed early this evening from Lincoln Park’s south parking lot, looking east.
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: Jill was taking pictures during the evening sun/storm mix, and caught this intriguing scene that managed to make utility lines look almost picturesque:
And we couldn’t resist adding this golden-lit photo from Lincoln Park beach:
Two Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share — as discussed elsewhere, primarily in the interest of all of us watching out for each other. First from Erik in Westwood:
My neighbor’s house just got vandalized. Their fence was tagged by graffiti vandals at 8:15 tonight at the corner of 16th and Trenton in plain view right across from a street lamp. I scared the vandals away (before I got their license plate! D’oh!) but called 911 and the police took a report and were circling the block. I think other neighbors should be aware of this, and I think it’s worth sharing the “tip” that I should have gotten the license number before scaring them away. Keep an eye out for a red Mazda or Toyota with three vandals out looking for property to destroy and property values to drop.
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: This one from Shannon may be related:
There was a lot of tagging going on behind our townhouses on 18th Ave SW near Barton. We didn’t see it happen and, surprisingly, our dogs didn’t bark but we saw flashing lights when the police officer arrived. The vandals tagged our fences and a van parked in the lot of the apartments across the alley with the “M13” gang sign. The neighbor who reported it said they were driving a white car. His daughter saw them and he ran outside. When he did run outside, they drove away quickly before he could get their plates.
Just wanted everyone to be on the lookout. The officer says this is a known gang sign but, for some reason he didn’t make very clear, he believed it was a fake… not that he had any evidence that it was a fake he just said he had a “feeling” it was a fake. Needless to say, that didn’t make any of us feel any better.
(back to the original Sunday night post) And from Dunsany:
Last night, someone broke the lock off my gas cap and siphoned my tank. We’re in Highland Park near 12th and Holden. Savages, I only had maybe 5 gallons in the tank. I hope it was worth it.
Remember, police stress that if you see someone or something suspicious NOW, call 911. If you want to report something that happened some time ago, the non-emergency number is 625-5011.
Thanks to Cleat for that shot of a Coast Guard boat heading westward against the major chop early this evening, bound for a search that happened in the 6 o’clock hour near Alki Point. We have been trying to get official info on this and haven’t been successful yet; reader reports say there was concern about a possible missing windsurfer. We hope “no news is good news” in this case; hard to believe it wouldn’t be widely, and officially, reported, if someone were still missing right now. 10:05 PM UPDATE: Thanks so much to Guy, who saw the original post here and just sent this note:
The kite surfer is okay. We live near the point and had seen him out there. All of a sudden we saw the kite go by very fast with no rider. I called the Coast Guard and reported it. They called me back later and said the surfer had had a life jacket and wet suit on and had made it back to shore but had lost his kite. He saw the CG helicopter and thought maybe they had spotted his kite. He called 911 and thus there was a happy ending!
The mysterious contributor “Rock Steele, Man About Town” sent photos (thank you!) from last night’s revelry at West Seattle’s official WSU-fan bar (we would say “Cougar bar” but that can have a different connotation), Redline Music and Sports (35th south of Avalon). Washington State has made it to the “Sweet 16” round of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament thanks to the victory these scarletcrimson-and-gray diehards were cheering — according to the official WSU Athletics website, first time the Cougs have gone this far since 1941! The Cougs’ next match is 4:30 pm Thursday vs. North Carolina.
As usually happens during the weekend closures, The Viaduct has reopened earlier than expected — the state Transportation Department says it was back in business as of about 3 pm. Inspection results are due out later this week; some repair and maintenance work was done during the weekend downtime, shown here as listed by WSDOT:
*Smoothing out the roadway surface on the Columbia Street on-ramp
*Searching for and removing loose concrete on the viaduct
*Repairing expansion joints and damaged bridge rails
*Applying a protective covering to exposed rebar
*Servicing drainage systems and traffic cameras
*Washing the walls of the Battery Street Tunnel, and inspecting the lighting, fire suppression and ventilation systems
WSB contributing photojournalist Matt Durham went on the public walking tour of The Viaduct during the closure and sent these photos, explaining the lower one as “simple technology measuring the movement of The Viaduct’s joints and cracks with a sliding rule attached across two points of contact”:
(Prints of Matt’s WSB photos and his other work are available through his site, MattDurhamPhotography.com.)
You may have heard that Seattle Parks will soon put out 
their first recycling containers for park visitors, beginning with parks in West Seattle as well as the city’s southeast section. They’ll collect glass bottles, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans. Suspecting this didn’t mean ALL West Seattle parks, we asked the Parks Department for a list of exactly where those containers will go, and Dewey Potter from the communications team obliged:Read More
Those intrepid Easter-morning beachgoers at water’s edge were worshipers from the Admiral, Alki, and Fauntleroy UCC congregations who clearly meant it when they said “rain or shine” for their sunrise service on Alki Beach. We took this photo from a distance, with zoom, so as not to intrude; just as we walked off the soaked sand at about 7:25, we noticed the group breaking up. The rest of today’s West Seattle services are listed here.
(photo of that always-festive Lowman Beach house by WSB contributor Matt Durham)
WEST SEATTLE EASTER SERVICES: Here’s our list, one last time. It starts with Freedom Church at 6 am, continues through the Alki and Forest Lawn outdoor services, and onward from there.
EASTER REMINDERS: All Seattle public-library branches are closed today. So is The Viaduct for the continuation of its weekend inspection, 6 am-6 pm (sometimes it reopens early, we’ll keep an eye out during the afternoon to let you know if that happens this time).
A big but brief rescue callout early this morning to the stretch of road you see above, Fairmount beneath the Admiral Way bridge – brief because the person, described by police as an “adult male,” was dead at the scene, according to WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, who went there to investigate the callout. The King County Medical Examiner will investigate the death, but crews at the scene told Christopher it appeared to be suicide. As we’ve reported before, suicide is an epidemic that needs to be addressed, not ignored as is the policy of some media, so we report it here along with other means of violent death. For those who have thought about it — the local Crisis Clinic is there to help: 206/461-3222. There’s a national hotline at 800/SUICIDE. MARCH 28 UPDATE: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office confirms the person found under the bridge was a suicide victim, a 54-year-old West Seattle man.
First, that’s a quick bit of video from tonight’s Chief Sealth Mariachi and Honor Choir fundraiser, the annual tamale dinner at which diners were serenaded by the student musicians; you can hear the CSHS mariachis in our clip. Find out more about Chief Sealth’s music program at its website.
Second, almost a month after the Denny/Sealth shared-campus vote, the School Design Team meetings — which are open to the public — are starting up again next week, 3 pm Tuesday at CSHS. Organizers say the next meeting will include a project update and “discussion of next steps.”
Yes, yes, we know, sea LION, really. WSB contributing photojournalist Matt Durham got these companion shots with marine mammal and canines eyeing each other from sea and shore at Lincoln Park. (Prints of Matt’s WSB photos and his other work are available through his site, MattDurhamPhotography.com.)
While out photographing outdoor sunrise services tomorrow (listed on our West Seattle Easter Sunday Services page along with every other WS service we could find), we’ll be stopping by Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) in The Junction for their Easter-season treat — Peep lattes. Really! Hotwire proprietor Lora provided the photographic proof. The ones with yellow Peeps have honey and vanilla; pink Peeps, strawberry and white chocolate; green Peeps, peppermint and milk chocolate. Lora says Hotwire will be open 7 am-6 pm tomorrow. (And if you’ve got a little one in tow, Hotwire’s having a Peep hunt – find the six Peep pix hidden around Hotwire, get your own Peep.) IF YOU’RE READING THIS POST-EASTER: Lora says the Peeps are “put away for the year” but other spring treats are now on the menu – including lavender mochas and rose lattes.
The libraries will be closed, The Viaduct will be closed 6 am-6 pm, but tomorrow, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be open just like every Sunday – southeast corner of 44th and Alaska — here’s the official citywide “fresh list”:Read More
Been gathering these most of the week, as other news kept getting in the way … So, it’s the Saturday “better late than never” collection of real-estate and land-use notes:
ANOTHER APARTMENT BUILDING FOR SALE: 9020 35th (map), $2,025,000 (here’s the listing). Right next door to the scheduled teardowns-to-mixed-use at 9030 35th. We always make a point of reporting apartment-building listings, because they’re often a prelude to some sort of future change, such as what’s happened here:
CONDO-IZED AFTER ALL: We’ve been watching the building shown above, West Aires at 6001 California SW (map), ever since it was up for sale last year for $2 million-plus. King County property records show it’s stlll owned by the people who bought it for under $1 mil in 2006, but they’ve apparently taken a new spin – selling individual units. Over the months, we’ve received several e-mails inquiring about West Aires’ status; each time we checked the city records for any sign of a condo-conversion application, but found none. Guess those aren’t always needed (or at least not always posted online), because as tipster Greg pointed out (thanks!), the shingle’s up and units are for sale. “Fabulous 2 & 3 bedroom condos,” says this listing.
FROM LAND-USE LAND: The permits have been granted for the 6002 Admiral teardown and the townhouses (permits at 6002 and 6004); that’s on this site, at 60th/Admiral:
Not far away, 2771 59th SW (across from Alki Elementary) appears in the latest Land Use Information Bulletin; comments will be taken till 4/2 on that teardown proposal for 2 homes and one 3-unit townhouse. Comments are also open till 4/2 for early design review on 4145 Beach Drive and environs; we mentioned recently that it’s getting an “administrative” review, which means no hearing — this page explains why (the developer wants a “departure” — exception — from setback requirements). And the same LUIB finally presents official notice of the upcoming 4/10 Design Review Board public meetings for the Harbor Properties proposal at 38th/Alaska and the Conner Homes proposal at California/Alaska/42nd, both hearings already mentioned here (with more details on the develelopments) when they appeared on the city website more than a week ago.
Not even noon yet, and so much has happened already. First, check out the throng outside West Seattle Thriftway in Morgan Junction just before its 9 am egg hunt (so big, we needed two angles – first the group on the south side of the storefront, then the north side):
We hopped quickly over to Alki to catch the crowd gathering at the start of Walk for Water – Seattle is one of two cities nationwide to host this World Water Day event:
Next stop, Delridge Community Center – one of West Seattle’s five city-run community centers, all of which had egg hunts at 10 am today – at Delridge, the crowd was broken into three age groups; here’s video of elementary-age kids on the run for their hunt:
Also at Delridge at 10 am, just yards away from the egg-hunt kids and their Easter baskets, older kids — a few dozen from Denny Middle School — were holding different types of collection containers: bright yellow bags for the Delridge Adopt-A-Street cleanup; the students joined North Delridge Neighborhood Council members in this morning’s effort:
Still more to come in West Seattle as the day continues; our West Seattle Weekend Lineup has the comprehensive list.
If you are thinking about attending church tomorrow and haven’t decided where yet – just wanted to let you know we’ve added updates to our as-comprehensive-as-we-could-make-it list of West Seattle Easter Sunday services; check it out here. (Thanks to Amy for the most recent addition – she noticed Freedom Church’s marquee at 35th/Roxbury had an added 6 am service tomorrow and e-mailed to let us know.)
Update on our previous promise to check the “Alaskan Way Viaduct Closed When Flashing” lights — the “test” promised by the city must apparently be an intermittent test, or else it’s not starting till later, because we checked on the lights along 35th, Fauntleroy, and Admiral between 7:10 and 7:45 am, more than an hour after the viaduct’s scheduled shutdown started, and none were on (photo at left is the one next to the West Seattle Golf Course entrance); the only notable orange light we saw was a lovely sunrise. Anyway, just so you know; if one of those signs isn’t flashing when you pass it today till 6 pm or tomorrow 6 am-6 pm, don’t be fooled, those are still the scheduled Viaduct shutdown hours. Also, at least as of early this morning, we also didn’t see the mobile signs that are usually set up at 35th/Fauntleroy and on Admiral. 10:35 AM UPDATE: OK, we have now seen flashing action – at least, the one on Harbor Ave just north of The Bridge was on when we drove by at 9:45:
VIADUCT REMINDER: The closure started an hour ago, continues till 6 pm today, then again 6 am-6 pm tomorrow. The Battery Street Tunnel is scheduled to be closed for the duration, all the way till 6 pm tomorrow. Inspection results are promised next Friday; we’re heading out momentarily to see how the “warning-lights test” is going.
EGG HUNTS: There are a multitude this morning around West Seattle, all listed on our Events page (which is also where you’ll find a link to our list of WS Easter Sunday services).
As the night ends – with the gutted shop now boarded up, as our sunset photo above shows (earlier photos are in our morning report) – no word of arrests so far in this morning’s arson at Puget Sound Key & Lock (6016 California; map). Call 911 or the arson hotline (800-55-ARSON) with any tips. As we reported this morning, business owner Michael Dein says he had no fire insurance; bighearted, fast-acting WSB Forum members have set up a bank account for donations (any Wells Fargo Bank, account #5358011681.) and are meeting Monday night to discuss plans for a fundraising benefit (get the latest here). Tonight’s second note – remember others were affected, with businesses on each side and apartment residents above – we checked with Eric Renn from West Seattle Digital, a new shop adjacent to PS Key & Lock, and he e-mailed back:
We did suffer minor damage mainly from water, smoke fumes, and broken glass from when the fire fighter’s entered through the front door. I will not know the full extent of damage until the power is turned back on.
Thanks to Arbor Heights Elementary School teacher Mark Ahlness for these photos from last night’s Art Fair and Auction (silent-auction participants shown below) — he says it was an “incredible success”! More fundraisers are on our Events page (including tomorrow night’s Chief Sealth Tamale Dinner for music $).
That spot at the west end of the Alki Beach Promenade is where anyone and everyone interested in the Alki Point sidewalk project is invited to meet at 10 am tomorrow, for a walking tour of the area to be involved in whatever proposal goes forward. To recap, the city approved money last year to do something about the pedestrian-unfriendly conditions on the north side of Alki Ave heading from that spot to Alki Point. Then neighbors who would be directly affected got concerned about what might happen (coverage here and here), and the city’s work took a new turn (coverage here). Tomorrow’s tour, to be facilitated by immediate past Alki Community Council trustee Gary Ogden, will be a prelude to the April 2 community meeting with the city presenting design concepts for feedback.
Just last night, we got a very thoughtful note from a WSB’er concerned that the prolific crime reports of late were leaving people feeling as if West Seattle is a hotbed of evil. 
Our philosophy is that we believe it’s important to give you the facts – sometimes the facts are that crime is up, sometimes that it’s down, but we believe that “knowledge is power” in tough times as well as good times. Seattle Police online stats only go back through December 2007, so we can’t give you the big picture for this month, or last month, or even January. But know that everything runs in cycles and the best way to keep those cycles down is to stay alert, as we’ve discussed lately. All that said — GOOD NEWS – we just reviewed Southwest Precinct reports from Tuesday through late last night, and there’s barely a burglary in the bunch. Could mean the recent arrests got the major culprits off the street — could be a coincidence — but whatever the case, we wanted to let you know. Here’s what else we found, including an arrest that solved some house/car window shootings:Read More
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