West Seattle, Washington
16 Monday
We’ve brought you a few chapters (here, here, and here) in the story of Addie Killam, the college student soon to be returning home to West Seattle to continue her rehabilitation after a bizarre surfing injury left her with a physical disability. The outpouring of help brings this message from Carrie Rasmussen, who e-mailed it to people including us, and gave us permission to share it here:
*As many of you know a few months ago we had a good family friend who is only 20 years old become paralyzed in a spring break surfing accident. At this point her prognosis is permanent paralysis from the ribs down. If there were ever a young woman that I would want my daughter to aspire to be like it would be our friend Addie. She posses many amazing qualities; kindness, dedication and through this all has maintained a positive attitude that God has a different plan in mind for her.
Over the past few weekends there have been several people; family friends, schoolmates from Our Lady of Guadalupe and Holy Names Academy, fellow Girl Scouts, her brothers friends from Boy Scouts, her parents co-workers etc. who have been working on a home in West Seattle, getting it wheel chair accessible for when she comes home. It is inspiration enough to see all these people who know and love her and her family working countless hours to get things ready.
We as well have spent some time over the past few weekends helping out and Hanna sold lemonade for donations to put into Addie’s account. There have been so many people it is hard to know who is who and how they are connected. This past weekend I saw a gentleman who, when he wasn’t helping build the back deck, was taking some pictures. I had seen him there the previous weekends working but not known who he was, but then again, there were several people I didn’t know. I asked him if he would mind emailing them (the pictures) to me so I could add them to the work party blog (http://addiespeeps.blogspot.com) I am maintaining.
As I was getting ready to update the blog I referenced back to one of the original postings done on Addie and her story on the West Seattle Blog. I noticed that there were new comments and had seen aside from emailing me the pictures the gentleman, whom I now know as “Steve”, had posted a link with the photos to his personal blog.
I realize my story is getting long but bear with me because here is the really inspiring part. I went to Steve’s personal blog and read that he *did not know* our friend Addie, he had *never* met her or her family. He had simply seen her story on the WS Blog and he along with several other friends (6 adults and 1 baby) from his church group decided to spend their Memorial Day weekend at her home pitching in. They then came back this past weekend (with 2 new volunteers) and with the help of some donations from their church, planted a beautiful garden outside of Addie’s new bedroom window so she will always have something beautiful to look at. Amazing!
I must say when I discovered that total strangers rallied together and have spent not just one, but multiple weekends to help someone they do not know and are not connected to is some way, I was inspired. How incredibly full their hearts must feel to purposely make time for others………they do not know……….just because. How cool is that!
That group has given me a gift, one that I hope I can pass along. We all have been given the same amount of time in a day, how you spend it is what matters. That group of people will be my inspiration to seek out doing good for others, just because.
As promised last night, we have more information from the Southwest Precinct today regarding a 12-year-old girl reporting being molested during a field trip at Camp Long last week. Lt. Steve Paulsen tells WSB that the incident was reported through the North Precinct, which is the area where the victim lives; SWP and the Special Assault Unit are now investigating. “We take incidents such as this very seriously,” Lt. Paulsen adds, and says his staff will get a schedule of events such as field trips and group activities at Camp Long so they can keep an extra eye out.
Thanks to “Alkiguy” for sharing these photos from low tide at Alki yesterday – lowest of the year (-4.1 per this chart), but today’s low tide is almost as low (-4.0 at 12:39 pm).
From tonight’s monthly meeting of the Southwest District Council, which includes representatives of neighborhood associations and other major organizations in the area of West Seattle that the city considers the “Southwest District” (map of all “districts” here):
HELP CLEAN UP A MAJOR GATEWAY TO WEST SEATTLE: It’s been discussed here before, and now the date is set: The volunteer cleanup from 35th/Fauntleroy to “Walking on Logs” is set for Sept. 13, as announced at tonight’s meeting by Nancy Driver. Mark your calendar!
WATER TAXI RIDERSHIP UP: King County Councilmember Dow Constantine attended tonight’s meeting and provided a quick preview of recent ridership stats — Elliott Bay Water Taxi operation: Through the middle of May, readership is up 17 percent over last year. (We’re expecting the full May stats soon.) Two factors are considered to be in play — higher gas prices and higher Water Taxi awareness.
RAPIDRIDE REACTION: With the latest news about West Seattle RapidRide (WSB coverage here), Constantine got an earful of concerns about the latest details on the forthcoming bus service. He promised to report the concerns to Metro leadership and his colleagues.
VIADUCT MEETING: The Southwest and Delridge District Councils plan to discuss the latest on The Viaduct at their next joint meeting, coming up in September.
JAIL-SITES FIGHT: Monday night’s Highland Park meeting on the jail sites (WSB coverage here) was summarized, and new Highland Park Action Committee chair Dorsol Plants spoke to the SWDC and asked the council to write a letter expressing concern about the two proposed West Seattle sites; council reps agreed to do that and are consulting their respective organizations. Councilmember Constantine said that tomorrow is when he plans to introduce the proposal he mentioned at Monday night’s Highland Park meeting — proposing that the county extend its agreement to house cities’ misdemeanor offenders till a regional solution can be found, rather than having Seattle and other cities each pursue their own potential new jail sites. He says the county council’s Committee of the Whole, which he chairs, will get the proposal on Monday, with a hearing and action scheduled later. (If you missed it earlier, this morning the city announced dates for its public meetings on the jail sites – details here.)
We will ask the Southwest Precinct about this first thing in the morning, but in the meantime, channel 13 reported tonight that a 12-year-old girl said she was molested at Camp Long last week. Here’s the online writeup of their report, including a description of the suspect.
Was it tide-related trouble, a resident’s boat, or just a temporary stop? A WSB reader who wishes to be anonymous sent that photo and this question:
I was jogging through Lincoln Park late this afternoon with cameraphone in tote and snapped a pic of a beached sailboat at the south end of the park, toward the ferry terminal. The boat appeared to be anchored in the water on side and tethered to the drift wood from the other. The name of the boat, barely visible in these pics, is “Cheeky Bosom.” I’m 100% serious about that. Anyone know the story of what happened? I didn’t see an owner of the boat anywhere.
West Seattle-based Furry Faces Foundation usually has a few plant sales each spring and summer to raise money for its animal-rescue work — 
but during the first day of the F3 sale this weekend, you’ll not only find plants, you might find yourself a new pet. Teri Ensley of Furry Faces says King County Animal Services is bringing adoptable cats and dogs to the sale this Saturday, 3809 46th SW (map), 11 am-3 pm. Rain or shine; there’s a backup plan if the weather’s soggy. The sale will continue, sans animals, on Sunday, and plants will be sold both days 10 am-4 pm. (Shown at left, in case you were wondering, are the official WSB mascots for pet adoption, the cats we adopted from local shelters as adults.) P.S. One more pet note while we’re all here – we just posted two more lost pets on the WSB Pets page; maybe you can help bring them home.
We caught up with the West Seattle Food Bank‘s newly wrapped van today while driver Charlie Workman was making his weekly pickup at Metropolitan Market.
WSFB executive director Fran Yeatts says the van was made possible by an anonymous donation they received last summer. Additional donations paid for the graphics you see “wrapped” on its sides. She says the new Dodge van uses less gas and holds more food, “so it’s more cost-efficient than anything we’ve had before.”
(2 more photos added 3:55 pm – scroll down)
11:51 am today was Seattle’s the lowest tide of the year (tomorrow’s almost as low, 12:39 pm; here’s the chart). Here’s a couple of pictures that were taken more or less at the tide’s lowest point today.
From Lowman Beach:
From the bottom of the Water Taxi dock at Seacrest:
ADDED 3:55 PM: Thanks to “K” for e-mailing these photos (and noting “it was great to see everyone out there”):
Just in from the city Transportation Department:
SDOT paving crews will repair failed concrete panels on the west side of Delridge Way Southwest at Southwest Elmgrove Street on Saturday, June 7. (Last Saturday crews repaired pavement on the east side of the street.)
The crews plan to work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting with breaking out and removing the damaged concrete. One lane will remain open to traffic. Flaggers will assist drivers through the area. On-street parking will be restricted. When the new pavement has sufficiently cured, expected Saturday evening, the full street will be reopened to traffic.
Elmgrove doesn’t fully intersect with Delridge – this is the 8100 block of Delridge – here’s a map.
The city has just set the dates for feedback on the four potential municipal-misdemeanor jail sites (which include two in eastern West Seattle, as we’ve been reporting; most recent WSB coverage here) – the forum in WS will be 9 am July 26 in Brockey Center at South Seattle Community College, but a June 26 forum in South Park also is supposed to focus on the Marginal Way and Myers Way sites. Here’s the full text of the city announcement:
Seattle seeks feedback on possible municipal jail sites
Four dates set for public forums
SEATTLE – The city of Seattle announced today it will hold public forums around the city to provide information and hear feedback about possible sites for a new Seattle Municipal Jail. While residents are welcome to attend any of the forums, each will focus primarily on a specific potential jail site, as outlined below. The forum dates and locations are:Thursday, June 26, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Aerospace Machinists Union Hall A, located at 9125 15th Place S. [map] focus: West Marginal Way and Myers Way sites
Saturday, July 12, from 9 a.m. to noon, in the Wellness Center at North Seattle Community College at 9600 College Way N. focus: Aurora site
Saturday, July 26, from 9 a.m. to noon, in the Brockey Conference Center at South Seattle Community College, located at 6000 16th Ave. S.W. focus: West Marginal Way and Myers Way sites
Wednesday, July 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, located at 225 Mercer Street – focus: Interbay site.
Be ready for optimal walking weather when it arrives! From Chas Redmond, who put together the West Seattle Trails walking map with Feet First (and with your suggestions) – here’s the first list of places you can get a map (as well as tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting at the board room at South Seattle Community College, 7 pm, with guests including West Seattle’s King County Councilmember Dow Constantine):Read More
Happening here, with the to-the-point subject line coined by beachdrivegirl, “What month is it?” The forecast does have a tiny bit of hope … ADDED AT MIDDAY: The view from Seacrest at 11 am today. (Low-tide pix to come)
Checked the chart for the entire year; the -4.1 low tide at 11:51 this morning is as low as it goes for all of 2008. (Tomorrow’s close, -4.0 at 12:39 pm; beach naturalists will be out both days.) Meantime, we’ve had reminders to be kind to the wildlife that’s vulnerable at low tide – WSB’er “Bernicki” sent these photos showing what can happen if you’re not:
(photo by Akemi Hart)
That’s Princess-Nyosha McWilliams, a Pathfinder K-8 eighth grader (and future Chief Sealth High School student) wearing a special city-provided jacket that’s part of a big honor she just won – here’s the full story, sent by Eric Baer, co-president of the Pathfinder PTSA:Read More
Tree branches, a street sign, and an SUV door are among the items which didn’t make out well in some of the more unusual crime reports from the latest round we reviewed at the Southwest Precinct — they were publicly released for review within the past few days, but some are from older incidents. Here are the toplines on 16 incidents of note:Read More
Just re-checked the City Light outages hotline. They are now saying 2 am is when they expect to have power back in the north West Seattle areas that lost power in tonight’s pole fire. (206/684-7400 is that hotline, by the way.)
Mentioned briefly this morning while the meeting was under way – now here are the full details from this morning’s West Seattle RapidRide briefing presented to the Seattle City Council:Read More
The power’s out tonight for parts of Alki and some of the northern parts of West Seattle. A pole fire caused City Light to pull the plug for a couple of hours in order to make repairs. An update on City Light’s phone line said that work was underway as of 5:50 pm and the outage should last approximately two hours.
We just spoke to Chris Deering, the sister of the last two operators of The Corner Inn at California/Fauntleroy in Morgan Junction, and she confirms that The Corner Inn is closed. The building has reverted back to the owner and is now being advertised for lease. Chris says that on behalf of her late brothers she’d like to thank the many people who came to The Corner Inn over the years. 10:50 PM ADDITION: Before tips came in today about the shutdown (thank you to everyone who e-mailed and texted), we had been checking on the “for lease” sign that had appeared on the west side of the building (see the photo above). Worth noting that there was a development proposal (described on the city project page as a three-story apartment building with ground-level retail) filed for this site back in 2006 — no activity since June of that year.
You know, it’s a lovely day outside FOR FEBRUARY! and the worst part is that the cold temps coincide with the lowest tides of the year (tomorrow’s the lowest – as noted yesterday). Photographer Bob Bollen braved the elements and took some shots at Alki during low tide this morning.
So put on another scarf, stick the coffee in the microwave one more time, and enjoy.
As we reported yesterday, the “new” operator of the Admiral Theater – who’s also one of its “old” operators – spoke with WSB and provided information we’re writing up in two reports. The first one yesterday focused on the fate of the donations solicited by the historic theater’s former manager (read that story here); this morning, our second report has the details on what the new operator plans to do next – including a relatively quick timetable for a key decision on the Admiral’s future:Read More
If you want to see what local transportation leaders are telling the Seattle City Council Transportation Committee about West Seattle’s forthcoming RapidRide bus service — the briefing’s under way now (on the Seattle Channel, on cable and online). We’ll post a wrapup afterward, or bulletins if something dramatic is revealed. Looks like they’re starting with a lot of background that’s already been reported here in connection with previous public meetings and briefings. 9:28 AM ADDITION: Two noteworthy items so far – the West Seattle route will be called the “C Line” — also, the buses will have wi-fi service, likely free to the user. 10:01 AM ADDITION: Metro has put up a slide showing the route will go all the way to Westwood Village. This has not been officially announced previously. Metro also says the service is scheduled to start in September 2011 — previously they’d just said 2011.
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