West Seattle, Washington
07 Saturday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“There are no quick fixes, no silver bullets,” said Mike Squire-Graham from Neighborhood House, as he opened what was described as an “urgent community meeting” about teen alcohol and drug abuse.
The meeting Thursday was sparked by concerns in the Hiawatha Park/West Seattle High School area, but Squire-Graham stressed that these types of concerns are and should be addressed as a community-wide challenge, not as a problem for a particular school or park.
A strong turnout for the meeting in the WSHS library indicated many were up to that challenge – or at least, up for finding out more about it: We noted a rough count of more than 40 people – from parents, to Seattle Public Schools reps including the principals of WSHS and Madison Middle School, to Seattle Parks, business, and neighborhood-group reps.
Front and center as it began, and helping lead the discussion, was a mom with firsthand experience:
While out this afternoon checking out something else, we happened onto that SDOT pothole crew working on SW Barton near 31st, and tweeted that photo. Sharing it here, we’re adding some info in case you don’t know how to report one:
*Phone (voice) – 206-684-ROAD
*Web – fill out this form
*App – Find out about the city’s smartphone app for reporting potholes, among other things, here
*Map – See if somebody’s already reported it, by checking the map
Hear about the Philippines earthquake, and sizable aftershocks? 7.1 magnitude, dozens of people killed. And even in a big city, this is what the aftermath can look like, for those trying to stay safe, facing aftershocks – taking refuge or camping in open areas, not knowing if buildings are safe to beinside:
So get going on your “Go Bag” if you’re not already proceeding along with our monthlong effort honoring Washington State Disaster Preparedness Month. If we’re lucky, none of us will ever need to use ours. But there is just no way to tell.
From West Seattle Be Prepared, the next thing to get into your bag:
Time to think about your medications. Often you will be able to set aside 2 or 3 pills and just renew a tiny bit early. So do not throw away your prescription bottles/containers this month; hold onto them and start putting your 3-day stash of pills in them, and then add to your kit. At a minimum, list your medications and put that in your bag. And don’t forget your children’s, seniors’, or pet’s medications.
Catch up with previous installments by going here. The most recent installment will always be linked atop the BIG STORIES list in the sidebar on the right side of WSB pages, through the end of this month.
(2011 WSB photo)
Another West Seattle holiday bazaar has opened signups for arts and crafts vendors. Just in:
Artists and crafters needed for the 4th Annual Schmitz Park Elementary Holiday Craft Fair!!
Saturday, December 7th, 10 am-3 pmWe are looking for local artists and craftspeople to participate as vendors at our 4th annual fair. There is a small table fee and we are asking for an item donation to our raffle in addition to the fee. No other commission will be involved. All proceeds will go to the Schmitz Park Elementary PTA General Fund. If you are an artist or craftsperson yourself, or know someone that is and may be interested in being a vendor, please contact Deb Cibene at dcibene@gmail.com for more details.
Back in July, West Seattleite Jake Vanderplas wrote a letter to Seattle Bike Blog reporting a driver deliberately hitting him as he bicycled on 26th SW in North Delridge – ironically, a street transforming into a greenway thanks to efforts led by Vanderplas. Today, we learned (hat tip SeattlePI.com and WSB readers who pointed us there) that a criminal charge has been filed against the driver – second-degree assault with a deadly weapon. We’ve subsequently obtained the court documents:
(More Delridge fall colors, this time from Flickr member alextutu1821 via the WSB Flickr group)
Busy news day already, but we’re taking a minute to call out four things happening later today/tonight:
WSHS VS. SEALTH SOCCER: The girls-varsity soccer rematch is this afternoon, 3:30 pm at Hiawatha Playfield – division-leading West Seattle High School taking on crosstown rivals Chief Sealth International High School. (2700 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS: Music-maker in your family, young or not-that-young? The WSCOs welcome new members – just come to a weekly rehearsal; tonight marks week 2 for the current season. 5:30 pm at Chief Sealth IHS – see the WSCO website for full details. (2600 SW Thistle)
WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: How does King County Drug Court work? Find out from tonight’s featured guests. Also hear about crime trends from, and bring up your neighborhood concerns with, local police leadership. Meeting’s at 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room. (Off Webster west of Delridge)
PUBLIC HEALTH CAFE: Come talk about GMOs and I-522 before the ballots arrive – details in our calendar listing. 7 pm at Chaco Canyon Café in The Triangle. (38th/Alaska)
See the rest of what’s up today/tonight/beyond by browsing the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar!
West Seattle’s Engine 11 (in our photo) and Battalion 7 have just cleared the scene of a major house fire in White Center this morning, for which the Seattle Fire Department provided “mutual aid.” The fire caused major damage to a home in the 10000 block of 11th SW (map); full coverage including video is on our partner site White Center Now.
A West Seattle break-in last night has two young suspects in custody today. Here’s the report just published on SPD Blotter:
Two 13-year-old boys are in the Youth Services Center this morning following a burglary last night to a South Delridge apartment.
Last night, at about 11:30 pm, a man called 911 stating that he had just confronted two teenage burglars inside his residence in the 7900 Block of Delridge Way Southwest. After the confrontation, the suspects fled south out of the apartment.
A few minutes later, a Southwest Precinct officer arrived in the area and saw two teenage suspects matching the description provided by the victim get on a bus in front of the apartment complex. The officer detained the two while other officers contacted the victim.
(East-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge; see other cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:36 AM: Another foggy fall morning, with sun expected to take over later. Just checked around; nothing out of the ordinary reported on nearby routes so far.
8:52 AM: If you’re checking in from out of town and wondering how foggy is it – we tweeted this photo taken looking west at the 35th/Thistle stoplight, uphill stretch of Thistle out of sight:
Can't see the hill. http://t.co/QukI43ZDqx
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 15, 2013
East (behind us at the time), visibility was even lower in the Delridge vicinity. Drive slowly in these conditions – you can’t even see crosswalks (or people waiting to use them) until you’re just yards away.
9:15 AM: Stalled vehicle on northbound 99 near the stadiums, according to 911 log and scanner.
10:32 PM: Thanks for the tips/questions regarding a sizable police/fire presence on the south side of Roxhill Park, near the Westwood Heights building on Roxbury. Police on the scene told us they are still trying to sort out who did what to who; according to radio communications monitored before we got there, a man in his mid-20s was found unconscious and was believed to have been repeatedly kicked in the head. Medics planned to take him to Harborview Medical Center. We’ll be following up to find out more about the circumstances and whether anyone was arrested.
UPDATE, 11:11 AM TUESDAY: Just received the report on this, after requesting it from SPD. It says police were called by someone who reported they had heard “there was possibly an assault, and the victim was possibly dead.” On arrival, officers found the victim on his back in the parking lot west of Westwood Heights, bleeding, going in and out of consciousness. Witnesses told conflicting stories of what had happened – one said they saw a group of teens kicking the victim, another said they heard “sounds of fighting” and saw three adults. Police weren’t able to find any potential suspects in the area. The victim is described in the report as having been in critical condition when taken to the hospital.
We’re approaching the midpoint of Washington State Disaster Preparedness Month – there’s a big statewide quake drill on Thursday, if you’re looking for something to reignite your inspiration for participation in our ongoing one-item-at-a-time “Go Bag” creation project with West Seattle Be Prepared.
Or – read up on Typhoon Phailin. Weather disasters can happen too (remember the 2006 windstorm? the 2007 rainstorm? archived coverage of both is in the “categories” list toward the bottom of our sidebar).
Next item for your “Go Bag”:
Either put a gas utility shut-off wrench in your bag or attach it to your outside meter near the valve. They cost less than $5 at hardware stores. But be aware that you should only shut off your gas if you smell gas, which would indicate a leak or ruptured line, or have been instructed to turn off the gas by emergency personnel. Once you turn off gas to your house, only a trained technician utility person can reactive the line; you cannot do it yourself. Imagine being in line for that service if you turn off the gas and didn’t really need to during a disaster.
While you are thinking about the gas line, you should also know where your water-shutoff valve is and have a tool nearby to do emergency shut off should the water lines rupture as well. A brochure from the Seattle Neighbors Actively Prepare (SNAP) program shows how to shut off the gas, water and electrical power. SNAP groups receive training on how to utility shut off and more, consider starting a SNAP group in your neighborhood! Here’s the brochure.
P.S. Enjoy tests? If you’re really confident about your preparedness skills, take this one on the San Francisco Office Of Emergency Preparedness site.
Catch up with previous installments by going here. The most recent installment is always linked atop the BIG STORIES list in the sidebar on the right side of WSB pages.
Their new album isn’t officially out until tomorrow – but today, you could buy The Head & The Heart‘s new album “Let’s Be Still” in advance at just one place: West Seattle’s own Easy Street Records. And those who did, were guaranteed a spot inside the store for tonight’s announced-at-the-last-minute live performance. Big spillover outside:
It’s not easy running a record store -slash- café -slash- live-music venue – ESR proprietor Matt Vaughan was seen minutes before the show, coming down from his crow’s nest by the café’s front door; he had been moving some audio equipment:
After tonight’s Easy Street performance, The Head & The Heart (profiled in The Seattle Times [WSB partner] today) was off to a sold-out show at the Columbia City Theater, and heading east on tour after that; as for ESR, there’s more excitement at the store later tonight – Pearl Jam‘s new album will be playing and on sale in less than an hour, when the release party starts at 9 pm.
(Click image for larger view)
What could be the final Southwest Design Review Board meeting for 3210 California SW now has a (technically tentative) date: November 21st, 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle. The 5-story, ~150-apartment, ~168-parking-space project reappeared today on the city Department of Planning and Development schedule. The proposal made it through the Early Design Guidance stage of the process in two meetings, April 11th and June 27th. At least a week before the meeting, developers Intracorp and architects Nicholson Kovalchick will go public with a proposed final draft of the building’s design; we’ll publish an update when it’s available. The drawing above is from the building “massing” taken to the second EDG meeting, which the developers told WSB is similar to what they would be including in their permit application afterward.
Four West Seattle food notes to share:
FATBURGER’S TIMELINE: Lots of questions about when the first Fatburger within the Seattle city limits is opening; as first reported here in August, it’s in the heart of Alki, in the former Bada Bistro/Beachside Café/Alki Bakery spot at 61st and Alki. Today, an answer from its owners: The restaurant is expected to open in two to four weeks. Hours are likely to be 11 am-9 pm for starters, but given that it’s the offseason at the beach, that might evolve once they’re open and see how it goes. If you’ve been to a Fatburger on the Eastside, note that this one will come with something extra – two things extra, actually – wings and a full-service bar. (Photo: Illuminated sign visible through Alki window.)
(Photo added 7:41 pm – sign’s up at the new West Seattle location)
ZAW PREVIEW FREEBIES: As noted here two months ago, Zaw Artisan Pizza – which is a take-and-bake shop – is opening a West Seattle store in the for-sale strip mall on the northwest corner of 35th and Fauntleroy. Via its Facebook page, it’s offering “sneak preview” freebies this Wednesday-Friday, by advance reservation.
TERRA COLE BUTCHERY OPENS IN THE JUNCTION: The new meat-and-more shop in the former Coffee to a Tea spot in The Junction, featured here last month, has soft-opened. (Don’t go today, though – they’re closed Mondays.)
COPPER COIN’S ANNIVERSARY: Proprietor Aaron Shepherd says they’re celebrating the Admiral District restaurant’s first anniversary tomorrow (Tuesday, October 15th) with a special that incorporates a taste of political advocacy as the November election approaches:
Four seasons and Seven menu designs ago we opened the doors of The Copper Coin to our friends and neighbors in West Seattle. It’s been your standard first year for a restaurant. That’s to say, it’s been exhilaratingly bonkers. At the one year mark it’s a good time to take a moment to both celebrate and to remember why we come to work every day. In fact, we’ve decided to combine the two. Our menu states ‘our food is not grown, harvested, or cooked in a factory. We work with farmers who say yes to grass and no to drugs, and with fishermen who believe in being sustainably wild,’ and within those words you’ll find our opinion on Initiative 522. This Tuesday, October 15th, in support of I-522 and in celebration of the support we’ve received from our neighborhood over the last year, we are running our Deluxe Burger paired with an exclusive 1-year anniversary “Two Coins” Double Copper Ale by Two Beers Brewery for $5.22. Hopefully the $5.22 price for a burger and beer can serve as a thank you to our friends and as a catalyst for healthy conversation about an important topic for our community.
REMINDER: WSB maintains the West Seattle Restaurant Guide as a quick, basic reference to info on local eateries; we check from time to time to see if hours (etc.) have changed, but if you happen onto outdated information, please let us know – editor@wsb.blackfin.biz any time – so we can fix it. Thanks!
Twice a year, you can roll up your sleeves and help the Duwamish River by joining in one of multiple volunteer events on and along the river and in its watershed, from West Seattle to South Park to Tukwila. The autumn edition of that big event – Duwamish Alive! – is 10 am-2 pm next Saturday (October 19th). You still have time to sign up to help at one of the sites shown on the official map – just go here ASAP.
(Lincoln Park beach creations; photo by Mark Ahlness via the WSB Flickr group, where you’ll find other views too)
Before we hit noontime – a few notes about today and tonight:
COLUMBUS DAY CLOSURES: Today is a holiday for the U.S. Postal Service, and for some if not all banks. (Let us know if you know of one that’s open – checking regional/national announcements, it seems there are some here and there.) It is NOT a parking-meter/pay-station holiday for Seattle, so if you are in/going to a neighborhood that has paid street parking, keep that in mind.
THE HEAD & THE HEART PERFORM: As previewed here on Sunday, hot band The Head & The Heart performs at 6 pm at Easy Street Records, celebrating their new album – with wristbands guaranteeing a spot going to those who buy it at ESR starting at noon today. Then at 9 pm, it’s the release party for Pearl Jam‘s new album (sorry, no live show with THAT one, that we know of!). Find more details on the ESR website. (California/Alaska)
LEGO MANIA! Build and play at Delridge Branch Library tonight, 6-7:30 pm. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
TRANSPORTATION FORUM: Want to show state legislators that you want a transportation-funding solution? Tonight’s the Seattle stop on their statewide tour – 6-9 pm at First Presbyterian Church downtown; details and a map are in our calendar listing.
DOING GOOD IN THE ‘HOOD: That’s the theme of tonight’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting, with visitors and members discussing multiple opportunities to make a difference in the community (including via NDNC itself) – agenda details are on the NDNC website. 6:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
PIGEON POINT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL … is meeting tonight as well, 7 pm at Pathfinder K-8 School‘s cafeteria; agenda details are in our calendar listing. (1901 SW Genesee)
the big transit hearing – mention that in the morning traffic update too
Who will win the Huling Bowl trophy this year (and local bragging rights)? The big game between West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School is this Saturday night (October 19th), 7 pm, hosted by WSHS at West Seattle Stadium – and we’ve just received word from WSHS activities director Christina Posten that they’re asking everyone coming to the game to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the West Seattle Food Bank. The fun goes beyond football – it begins with tailgating at 5:30 pm, and you’ll also see both schools’ marching bands in action, in a combined performance at halftime!
Two weeks from tonight, you’re invited to the Seattle Lutheran High School gym (4100 SW Genesee) for a West Seattle elementary/middle-school education fair. The 6:30-8:30 pm event is hosted and organized by SLHS and sponsored by WSB, and free for families to participate. There’s still time for schools to sign up to be part of it – here’s the form. See you there!
The east-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge is back after some downtime; so are a few others, as you can see on the WSB Traffic page.
No new road work or other alerts so far, but we have two notes:
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION NEEDS YOU! The new group launched a manifesto of sorts over the weekend, with the letter it’s sending to local/regional leaders challenging them to join in solving West Seattle’s transportation challenges. You’re invited to sign on by contacting the WSTC (that link also will show you a survey they’re using to shape priorities).
SPEAKING OF TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY … there’s still that matter of no transportation-funding measure from the State Legislature, with problems looming including cuts in bus service, and if you have something to say to legislators, there’s a special meeting downtown, 6-9 pm, details here.
ADDED 11:22 AM: From Washington State Ferries:
Beginning later this afternoon, the 87-car Klahowya returns to service and will replace the 90-car Sealth. The galley on the Sealth will close today at noon in preparation for the boat move. The galley on the Klahowya will open on Tuesday, 10/15, at 2 pm.
(Click image for larger view)
Thanks to Dustin T. Smith for sharing his sunset view of the Olympic Mountains and the centennial-celebrating Alki Point Lighthouse. (If you’re interested in the technical points of the image, Dustin posted notes on the photo page he shared via the WSB Flickr group.) Looks like more sunset views ahead this week, with a rainless forecast stretching days ahead.
We start our weekend-ending West Seattle Crime Watch roundup with a semi-happy ending. From Adam:
I just wanted to let you know that a bicycle that was stolen from me a year ago has been recovered. It is thrashed, but it is back. I just went to identify it at the station today. They say they are cracking down on the bicycle thefts and identifying more and more. They found mine in a stash that an arrested burglar told them about. The police are taking notice. Just wanted to let you know about a successful recovery. I thought I’d never see it again a couple months after it was nabbed. This is kind of awesome. $900 bike, a tune-up and some new parts are better than dishing out another $900.
Remember that SPD is tweeting info on bicycles it recovers – check @getyourbikeback.
Now, two reader reports received this weekend. From Jackie:
On Friday morning, the staff at Images hair salon arrived at work to find the police waiting there. Someone had smashed the front door, entered the salon then (burglarized) and ransacked it. According to the officer, they have a good idea who did it, so we are hopeful the fingerprints they found will put this person in jail.
The salon is in the 5000 block of California SW, south of The Junction. Next, from Rachel:
Thought I’d share for other Highland Park residents that my car was broken into Wednesday night and my GPS was stolen. I thought my husband had just gone looking for something in the car because our items were shuffled around, but the doors were locked in the morning when I got up to take my kids to the zoo. My husband just noticed today that the GPS was missing. No broken windows, just a thief courteous enough to lock the doors when they were finished.
P.S. The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s next meeting is this Tuesday – and as always, you are welcome to bring neighborhood concerns/questions to police leadership for Q/A during the meeting, which also is scheduled to feature guest speakers, as noted on the WSCPC website. 7 pm Tuesday (October 15th) at the Southwest Precinct, Delridge/Webster.
(Chickens and fans at last year’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival; 2012 WSB photo by Nick Adams)
Just one week until this year’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival – 2 pm-5:30 pm Sunday, October 20th, in and around the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, The Hall at Fauntleroy, Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor), and Fauntleroy Church. Judy Pickens shares a partial preview:
In addition to the festival’s customary line-up of free things to do, this year’s event will have a record number of environment-related activities, including
*Chickens and other backyard farm animals with the Seattle Farm Co-Op
*Sweet talk about bees with the Puget Sound Beekeepers
*Fly tying with Pete and his amazing array of supplies
*Salmon-hat decorating with the Fauntleroy Watershed Council
*A preview of the Kilbourne ravine project with Fauntleroy’s forest stewards
*Critter study with those fun-loving naturalists from Camp Long
*An up-close look at the Barton pump station upgrade with King County Wastewater Treatment Division
Here are more photos from last year’s festival; here’s a map to the festival location. See more festival previews on the FFF Facebook page.
ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: The music lineup is out now; from the FFF Facebook page:
• Church lot: Lauren Petrie (keyboard—2 p.m.), Pickled Okra (bluegrass—3 p.m.), 5 Buck Band (rock ‘n roll—4:30 p.m.)
• West side of schoolhouse: Jump Jazz (2:30 p.m.), Polka Service (4 p.m.)
• Fellowship Hall: Y Zumba (2 p.m.), Dance Seattle (classical—4 p.m.)
• Church sanctuary: Endolyne Children’s Choir (2 p.m. practice, 2:30 performance),
• Hall at Fauntleroy: Epic Jam Session (teens—2–5 p.m.)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Earlier this year, WSB started a series of stories about independent local businesses and why they matter more to a community like ours than you might realize. Then, the “West Seattle: We Have That” campaign launched at midsummer. Starting today, WSB will continue publishing the series – and inviting you into the conversation. Many of the reports, starting with this one, will be underwritten by the West Seattle Junction Association, but not as ads – it’s their contribution to an issue of importance from Alki to Westwood, Fauntleroy to Highland Park, and all over WS.
By Keith Creighton
Special to West Seattle Blog
Demolition is under way on the southeast corner of Alaska Avenue, California Avenue SW, and 42nd Avenue SW, on properties that were once anchor points of the West Seattle Junction. While the buildings have been empty for more than a year and life has continued as normal, many of us have taken comfort in knowing interesting restaurants and shops will return to the corner someday.
But what if they didn’t return?
Two-dozen other boutiques still line The Junction. For some West Seattleites, these stores are rich with treasures: Home décor to fashion, shoes, eyewear, music, wine, and beer, pet supplies and more. Store regulars know the shop owners and clerks by name and enjoy the personalized service only stores like these can provide.
For a greater percentage of area residents, West Seattle shop windows are just eye candy, gazed upon as we stroll the avenue and duck into our favorite restaurants. Window shopping is a difficult task to monetize, so the futures of many of these stores might be passing them by as well.
Do you “Buy Local” in West Seattle – not just The Junction, but other areas as well?
Please share your story in the comments section below, including: If you prefer to shop at malls or online, would you miss West Seattle’s locally owned stores if they went away?
The discussion isn’t merely about supporting a few dozen retailers. It’s about preserving the way of life that sets West Seattle apart from other corners of King County.
To spark retail support from Alki to Endolyne and beyond, the West Seattle Junction Association launched “West Seattle: We Have That” in partnership with a coalition of local retailers and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
“Independent retailers and businesses need to feel the love and patronage of the community to keep their doors open and make West Seattle feel like West Seattle,” says Susan Melrose, director of the Junction Association. “This campaign sheds light on the robust selection of affordable goods and services that can be found every day on this side of the bridge.”
In the coming weeks, these reports will take a closer look at the impact locally owned stores have on West Seattle’s financial future, real estate values, environment, schools and non-profits and our overall quality of life. And if you think you know everything West Seattle businesses have to offer – you might see cause to think twice. So stay tuned, and let us know what you think.
Keith Creighton is a West Seattle-based writer.
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