West Seattle, Washington
02 Friday
(Looking south on 35th SW, south of SW Dawson)
More than four years ago, the city announced a “multi-year” safety project for 35th SW. One year after that, the first major phase was announced, including rechannelization between Roxbury and Willow. Another year passed before Phase 2 possibilities were unveiled – but no final plan has followed. After recent reader questions, we checked in today with SDOT point person Jim Curtin, five months after he told us Phase 2 was definitely still in the works. He tells WSB that Phase 2 “outreach” is now scheduled to start in early April, with “a mailer with the Phase 2 project elements, construction schedule, and potential project impacts,” as well as “a couple of drop-in sessions to gather input” and a website update that will include “the latest stats for Phase 1.”
Two weeks ago during a “town hall” event at Chief Sealth International High School, Mayor Jenny Durkan said the city was looking at laws to help prevent violence involving guns. Today, she and two other citywide elected officials announced what they’re working on – here’s the news release:
Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, and Councilmember M. Lorena González announced that they will be developing legislation within the next month to address gun violence in Seattle. Following outreach and engagement with stakeholders including gun owners, safety advocates, community members, public health experts and others, this legislation will require safe storage of firearms and increase civil penalties and legal responsibility for not reporting lost or stolen firearms, which is required within 24 hours.
“We should not pretend for one second that the level of carnage in our country from guns is inevitable. We cannot allow it to become the new normal,” said Mayor Durkan. “Unsecured, unsafely stored firearms are more likely to be stolen, used in a suicide, accessed by children and teens and unintentionally fired.”
Across the country, nearly 1,300 children die and 5,790 are treated for gunshot wounds each year. In 2015, an estimated 150,000 adults in King County reported keeping a firearm unlocked. In Seattle, 250 stolen guns were reported from burglaries and car prowls in 2017 according to Seattle Police Department.
“We’re taking seriously the call to action from youth and their families to address gun violence in our schools, our communities, and within our own homes,” said Councilmember M. Lorena González (Citywide, Position 9). “More than 40 percent of King County adults with guns in or around their home said they left them unlocked. This legislation is about public safety. Our proposal to require gunowners to safely store their firearms will prevent children from accessing guns, and will reduce firearm injuries, accidental deaths and suicides among our youth. Simply put: this strategy will help us create a safer community.”
“Gun violence and mass shootings are a plague on our society, and for too long our federal and state governments have failed to enact common sense measures to promote gun safety. I support, and am prepared to defend, Seattle taking steps to move forward at the local level,” said Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes.
In 2015, the Seattle City Council passed legislation to establish a tax on gun and ammunition sales to fund gun violence prevention research. Although the City Council continued funding gun violence prevention work at Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, the revenue was initially blocked due to ongoing litigation. With the tax upheld by the State Supreme Court, this proposal will invest 2018 revenue and future gun and ammo tax revenues in Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center’s work to help individuals with firearm injuries.
In 2013, Seattle became the first city in the nation to conduct basic research on gun safety. The City Council-funded research led to a report from The Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center that established that “gun violence begets gun violence.” The research found that individuals hospitalized for a firearm injury were 30 times more likely to be re-hospitalized for another firearm injury than people admitted to the hospital for non-firearm related injuries.
In addition, the City of Seattle and Seattle Police Department launched a new site, seattle.gov/ERPO, to ensure all Seattle residents can easily complete an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO). An ERPO was designed to give family, household members, and law enforcement a way to petition the court to restrict the access and ability for a person with health crisis issues to purchase or possess firearms. In Seattle, 18 ERPOs have been petitioned by law enforcement with 37 weapons recovered.
“From Columbine to Newtown to Parkland, we are constantly reminded that Extreme Risk Protection Orders are more important than ever. These protection orders won’t prevent every act of gun violence, but we know they are already making a difference,” said Seattle Interim Police Chief Carmen Best.
Councilmember González, a West Seattle resident re-elected last year to a citywide council seat, chairs the committee that would consider new laws, the Gender Equity, Safe Communities, New Americans, and Education Committee.
(WSB photo: Some of the ~60 people we counted at last night’s meeting)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
What didn’t happen at last night’s city-convened meeting about Camp Second Chance‘s permit renewal was nearly as notable as what did.
At the start of the meeting at the Joint Training Facility, a few blocks north of the encampment, Lisa Gustaveson from the city Human Services Department tried to tell those who had gathered that they should spend the first half-hour or so talking one-on-one with city reps, instead of speaking at a microphone for all to hear.
This is often an unpopular tactic with meeting attendees, as many would like to hear what everyone has to say, and would like everyone to hear what they themselves have to say. So Gustaveson quickly got – and quickly acknowledged – a visible “sorry, but no” reaction, and changed the plan. Our video begins where the testimony started a few minutes after that announcement:
Also of note: You might recognize the man in a blue shirt who served as the microphone minder, someone with a very different role last time the JTF saw a city meeting about Camp Second Chance, George Scarola, hired by former Mayor Ed Murray as “director of homelessness,” still with the city but not with that title. The only city officials at the table at the head of the room – making it clear they were just there to listen – were Gustaveson and, also from HSD, Sola Plumacher.
They weren’t the only city reps among the ~60 or so people in the room, though. Others included City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who took the microphone before the meeting was over, and staffers by easels at the back of the room. But the most memorable speakers were C2C residents and neighbors. Both supporters and opponents of the permit renewal spoke thoughtfully – as contentious as the issue of homelessness and what to do about it can be, this was not a contentious meeting.
After the jump, short highlights of what each of the 27 speakers said (note that these are not transcriptions – please watch/listen to the video to hear the entirety of what each person said), and what happens next:
(Trillium, photographed at Schmitz Preserve Park by Mark Ahlness, shared via WSB Flickr group)
Looking ahead to the rest of your Wednesday:
PARKING-RULES CHANGES: The City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Zoning Committee meets at 9:30 am, with its agenda including the latest changes suggested for the city’s “parking reform” proposals. See them here. Meeting is at City Hall, and live via Seattle Channel (cable 21 or seattlechannel.org).
WOMEN’S JAZZ ORCHESTRA & GIRLS’ JAZZ BAND: 7 pm concert at Chief Sealth International High School, featuring adult musicians and the girls they’ve been mentoring in an eight-week program – details here. Admission and parking free. Donations accepted. (2600 SW Thistle)
WORDSWEST LITERARY SERIES: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), this month’s theme is “Who Tells Her Story?” with featured readers Melinda Mueller and Dianne Aprile. Admission free, as always. See the full preview here. (5612 California SW)
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: 7 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club, reps from community groups and other organizations around eastern West Seattle, with agenda including a guest from the King County Dispute Resolution Center. All welcome! (1116 SW Holden)
MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL PTSA: 7 pm at the school, with scheduled speakers including principal Dr. Robert Gary – see the agenda highlights here. (3429 45th SW)
TRIANGULAR JAZZTET: 7 pm at Whisky West in Morgan Junction, no cover, 21+. (6451 California SW)
THAT’S JUST THE START … see even more on our complete calendar! And look ahead to spring events and services via our WSB West Seattle Easter, Passover, and More page.
(Added: WSB photo and video by Christopher Boffoli)
7:07 AM: We first mentioned this in morning traffic but are now publishing this separate story. One person has just been cut out of a car that crashed and went onto its side in the 2600 block of Walnut SW by West Seattle High School and Hiawatha.
(Longer clip substituted for short one originally published)
More to come.
7:10 AM: SFD describes the injured person as an “adult female.” Her injuries are not major – she’ll be taken to the hospital by private ambulance. Also, though the logged address is Walnut, the crash scene is more at the corner of Lander and Walnut. Traffic is now getting through but we’d advise avoiding the area for a while anyway.
7:56 AM: Also, we doublechecked and responders at the scene told us no other vehicles were involved/damaged. WSB’s Christopher Boffoli says the vehicle hit a tree, which had some damage. He adds, “There was a stop sign on the ground behind the car but no one could figure out where it came from.”
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:58 AM: We start with word of a “heavy rescue” response to a car-on-its-side crash in the 2600 block of Walnut in Admiral. One person is reported to be hurt. More to come.
7:04 AM: We’re breaking this out to its own story but will cover any other traffic incidents here.
7:53 AM: Reminder that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is scheduled to close for its regular semiannual inspection on Saturday, 6 am-6 pm, and Sunday too IF needed.
Meantime, there’s a crash at 4th S./S. Spokane that’s reported to be blocking all westbound lanes of Spokane.
Photos by Leda Costa for WSB
For the first time since 2014, the sun was out for Alice Enevoldsen‘s spring-equinox sunset watch at Solstice Park. That meant everyone could gather along the park’s designated path to view the seasonal sunset alignment:
A special feature for tonight’s viewing: Alice’s daughter and friends set up a stick so that its shadow would align with the sunset:
A regular feature of Alice’s gatherings: Learning about the relationship between the sun and earth as the seasons change:
Another way to learn: Alice brought books so early-ish arrivals could read while awaiting the sunset:
Not to rush through spring, but … if you feel like setting your calendar for Alice’s next sunset-watch event, it’ll mark the first sunset after the summer solstice, on Thursday, June 21st, 8:45 pm-9:45 pm. Alice has been leading sunset watches for nine years now!
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports tonight:
NICHOLAS WATSON BACK IN JAIL: Back on Sunday night, we told you about a warrant out for the arrest of 36-year-old Nicholas Watson, after he stopped showing up for classes he was supposed to be taking in an alternative-custody program as a condition of being released from jail March 1st, two weeks after he was arrested for allegedly breaking into an Upper Morgan house where he was found in possession of items stolen from people’s cars. Tonight, we learned that he’s just been booked back into jail. We also note from the new entry on the jail register that since being charged in the Upper Morgan case, he has been charged in two earlier cases – both involving stolen cars – one taken in January in East Admiral, found in the Admiral Safeway parking lot, and one taken last November, found in Highland Park – and he already had failure-to-appear warrants in both of those cases.
Also tonight, two reader reports about burglaries:
First, from Paige:
My parents’ house was broken into today in the neighborhood west of The Junction. The thieves broke in through the back of the house and took leftovers from the fridge to feed and distract my parents’ dog. They stole laptops, iPads, all of my mom’s jewelry, which included antique jewelry from my late grandparents. On top of all of this, they stole spare keys to their vehicles and a lockbox that held ALL of their important documents such as Social Security cards, birth certificates, wedding certificates, power of attorney paperwork, my grandmother’s will, and the titles to their vehicles. They also stole blank checks. While I know we likely will not see the majority of these items again, our hope is possibly something will get dumped somewhere. Especially especially the lockbox.
We’ve asked Paige for the police incident # so it can be referred to by anyone who finds any of the above, and will add it here when we get it. (UPDATE: 2018-099933)
Second, from Andrew, near 41st and Edmunds:
We have had two break-ins in the last few days by the same guy. Can you please let other neighbors know? The first break-in was on 3/14 at 3:23 am with a male and female. Both are African American.
The second time was last night (3/20) at the same time but this time it was the male only. The only key thing that stands out is his large Seahawk “12” bag on his back.
We’re also awaiting the police incident # in this case so we can add it.
If you have a question or concern about what’s happening in Washington, D.C., one week from tonight, you can talk with our area’s U.S. House representative here in West Seattle – Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who’s planning a town-hall meeting at 6 pm Tuesday, March 27th, at The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW). She lives in West Seattle but represents (corrected) much of the city as well as the rest of the 7th District [added: here’s the map].
We just happened to be close enough to Seacrest to get that photo of the West Seattle Water Taxi arriving, shortly after King County sent out this reminder about the seasonal schedule change kicking in a week from Thursday (March 29th), as we first mentioned last month:
The new schedule includes sailings seven days a week between West Seattle and Pier 52 in downtown Seattle. The Water Taxi will also offer evening sailings on Fridays, Saturdays, and during Seattle Mariners, Sounders, and Seahawks night home games.
Sports fans can enjoy traffic-free travel to both the March 29 Mariners home opener at Safeco Field and the Sounders March 31 match at CenturyLink Field.
For an adult one-way fare of $5.75 ($5 with an ORCA card), passengers can enjoy a 15-minute ride across Elliott Bay with views (weather permitting) of the Seattle skyline, Mount Rainier, and Olympic Mountains—and avoid paying for parking in Seattle.
Added sailings on weekdays will mean boats leave every 30 minutes during peak commute hours and every hour in off-peak times.
The Water Taxi is accessible by transit. In West Seattle, riders can take free Metro shuttles to and from the Water Taxi landing at Seacrest Park. Route 773 serves the West Seattle Junction. Route 775 serves the Admiral District and Alki. Both also serve destinations offering dining, shopping, and other entertainment.
The Vashon Island Water Taxi schedule stays the same throughout the year (visit kingcounty.gov/watertaxi to learn more).
If you haven’t been on the WT in a while – remember that the downtown dock continues to be in its temporary location north of Colman Dock. (We’re checking on progress of the new dock.)
4:08 PM: Thanks to Kersti for the tip – police are directing traffic around a crash by Fauntleroy Park, at Henderson/Barton [map]. If you are headed to/from the ferry dock or the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse/YMCA (WSB sponsor) area, you might want to try an alternate route, for now.
5:14 PM: Still not clear – we just went through the area. But probably not too much longer, since a tow truck has arrived.
The photo and report are from William:
My car was stolen from under the West Seattle Bridge this morning between 7:30 and 8. 1984 Nissan 200SX, white, license plate 82460.
If you see it, call 911.
We’ve been reporting on the planning process for the first of three “landbanked” park sites in West Seattle awaiting development, the one on 40th SW in the West Seattle Junction. We’ve been asked, what about the other two?
(WSB photos, both taken this morning)
They are, above, the Morgan Junction Park expansion site, north of the existing park, where the city demolished a commercial building in 2016. And below, the 48th SW/SW Charlestown site, which remains a meadow behind a low fence:
Both will go through a planning process, and we have an update on the city’s timeline – official planning for Morgan will start in the second quarter of this year, and for 48th/Charlestown, in the third quarter. That’s according to page 18 in this slide deck prepared for a briefing to be given to the City Council’s Civic Development, Public Assets, and Native Communities Committee at 2 pm tomorrow. The slide also lists the levy funding planned for developing those (and other) landbanked sites into parks – $1.4 million for Morgan and $1.2 million for 48th/Charlestown.
Spring is here and that means garage (yard/courtyard/rummage/etc.) sale season is on!
For the 14th consecutive spring, this year brings a day that’ll be full of sales of all sizes, all around the peninsula – West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, coordinated by WSB since its fourth year back in 2008. We’re mentioning WSCGSD today because registration will begin in two weeks. The actual sale day is Saturday, May 12, 2018 (second Saturday in May every year), 9 am-3 pm, though participants are welcome to start sooner and/or end later if they want (if you’re having a sale and plan to do that, be sure to include the hours in the listing text you give us when you sign up).
Watch here on WSB and westseattlegaragesale.com for the announcement when signups begin!
(Photo courtesy Robin Kanev)
We start by wishing good luck to the Enlightened Eagles, the Pathfinder K-8 team that is West Seattle’s sole representative in tonight’s citywide Global Reading Challenge finals. You’re welcome to cheer them on in the auditorium at the Central Library downtown (1000 4th Ave.), 7 pm, admission free.
Back here on the peninsula, it’s also a busy day/night. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
DINE OUT FOR TWO SCHOOLS: 5-8 pm at adjacent White Center businesses Lil’ Woody’s, CTO, and Beer Star, a portion of the proceeds benefit two local schools – Boren STEM K-8 and Concord International. (
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION FOOD FEST/MEMBERSHIP MEETING: It’s the annual chance to sample local eateries while learning what’s up in the community, voting for FCA leadership, and renewing your membership, all starting at 6 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. This is not a “sit down and listen” meeting – more like mingling. (9131 California SW)
STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Art viewing at West Side Presbyterian Church, explained in our calendar listing. See the 14 artworks inthe chapel 6-8 pm. (3601 California SW)
(Crescent moon, photographed by Danny McMillin)
SPRING EQUINOX SUNSET WATCH: Starting at 6:30 pm (with sunset around 7:10 pm), join expert skywatcher Alice Enevoldsen at Solstice Park for the ninth anniversary of her quarterly sunset watches – this is the first one after this morning’s spring equinox. All ages welcome and encouraged. It’s free and on a drop-in/stop-by basis, so you can be there for a few minutes or for the entire hour or so that Alice will be there. Uphill from the tennis courts. (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
EXTEND ENCAMPMENT ANOTHER YEAR? 6:30 pm at the Joint Training Facility, it’s the city-organized meeting to take comment on whether to officially extend the permit of sanctioned encampment Camp Second Chance to remain on the Myers Way Parcels for another year. Note that the JTF is an adults-only facility. (9401 Myers Way S.)
LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY PTA: 6:30 pm meeting at the school – agenda details here. (2645 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct, your chance to hear crime-trend updates from, and ask questions of, local police. Plus a special guest this month will bring his insight into current regional illegal-drug trends. All welcome. (2300 SW Webster)
TIE ONE ON TUESDAY: Fly-tying (and beer!) at Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor) – preregistration required; details here. (4502 42nd SW)
UNPLUGGED – A MUSICAL GATHERING! 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), acoustic instrumentalists and singers welcome. (5612 California SW)
LOTS MORE ON THE CALENDAR – browse it here!
The photo is from Southwest Titans parent liaison Janet Hinson, who invites you to come cheer for that brand-new team (whose formation we announced last October):
The Southwest Titans Lacrosse Organization has created a brand-new Lacrosse Team at the elementary level just for girls this year!
This is a momentous revival of our girls’ program. Every player on the team is from West Seattle.
Their first game is this coming Saturday: March 24, 9 am at Pathfinder.
That’s 1901 SW Genesee, on Pigeon Point.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:58 AM: Good morning. Spring officially arrives at 9:15 am so it’s the last commute of winter. So far, no incidents reported in/from West Seattle; no transit alerts.
VIADUCT CLOSURE REMINDER: Remember that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is scheduled to close 6 am-6 pm Saturday (March 24th) for inspection; if the work isn’t completed that day, it’ll close Sunday too.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council continues to evolve.
Co-chair Kim Barnes says it’s now meant to function as more of a “support group for committees” – each one, small now and hoping to grow, taking on a particular area of interest. If any are of interest to you – or if there’s something else you’d like to help make happen in the area – jump in!
Among those areas of interest discussed at this month’s WWRHAH meeting:
ROXHILL PARK: The recent kickoff meeting for getting Roxhill into the Park Commons project went well. This would be a two-to-three-year project, Barnes said, “for us to develop ways and means” – some through assistance, some through guidance – “to create more interactive activities in the areas of the park that are less utilized and need ore positive activities in them.”
The photos are from Al, who explains: “Attached to the railing where the two bike paths merge under the south end of the 1st Ave Bridge is a new ‘Ghost Bike.’ It definitely wasn’t there Friday evening and I truly believe it wasn’t there this morning around 6 am, but it is there now. Dedicated to ‘Marvin Miller died doing what he loved…March 17, 2006…’.” This is attached, a picture of Mr. Miller and the text of his obituary:
We found one online report about the deadly crash, from seattlepi.com. If you haven’t heard about “ghost bikes” before, they’re explained here.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
7:03 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a full response to a “fire in a building” call at an apartment complex in the 4000 block of California SW.
7:09 PM: This is on California between Andover and Dakota. You’ll want to avoid the area for a while.
7:12 PM: According to radio communication, they haven’t found any sign of fire – some “sparking” – and they’re reducing the size of the response.
7:16 PM: Firefighters report finding an “arcing wire” that’s the source of the problem, and have declared it a “tapped fire.”
(This WSB photo and next, by Christopher Boffoli)
7:19 PM: Added photos sent by our crew; we’ve confirmed all of the above at the scene.
Firefighters also say there’s no damage of note, no injuries, and they’ll be wrapping up.
5:03 PM: Thanks for the tips about a police response on the east side of Westwood Village. It was wrapping up when we got there but the sergeant on scene was able to tell us that it wasn’t an incident response – they were there to arrest someone on a warrant. We don’t yet know who or what kind of warrant, but we’ll be watching the jail roster.
P.S. Crime concern/question? Tomorrow night is the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster), 7 pm. The briefing/Q&A with local police precedes the featured guest – this month, find out about regional drug trends from Steve Freng of the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
ADDED TUESDAY: According to online records, the person arrested is a 19-year-old man wanted in connection with an assault case. He got out of jail less than three weeks ago after two and a half months behind bars.
Our area’s precious green spaces can’t be taken for granted. In realization of that, the Fauntleroy Watershed Stewardship Fund was announced earlier this month, and we have an update from creek steward Judy Pickens:
The fund to enable ongoing stewardship of Fauntleroy Creek and Fauntleroy Park now has $3,600 toward its initial goal of $30,000.
The Fauntleroy Watershed Council announced the fund on March 1 in the wake of ever-decreasing grant funding for restoring and maintaining Seattle’s natural areas. EarthCorps, an international conservation training program, is accepting tax-deductible donations on behalf of the council and its trainees will do the lion’s share of the work that’s funded.
“This early response is greatly encouraging,” said Peggy Cummings, a member of the council’s executive committee. “Our main concern is being able to maintain restoration already done at public expense so those investments aren’t lost.”
Ensuring that the creek is safe for students is a particular focus for donations. Volunteers will be hosting 19 salmon releases starting April 27, which will bring an estimated 750 students to the watershed.
Find out more about the fund at the council’s table at Tuesday night’s Fauntleroy Food Fest, 6 pm in the Hall at Fauntleroy, or at www.fauntleroywatershed.org.
The FFF is the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s annual membership meeting – community members are invited to enjoy tastings from local restaurants, to find out more about what’s going on in the community – with a multitude of groups (like the Watershed Council) and agencies participating – and to renew FCA membership. (The Hall is at 9131 California SW.)
A document in the agenda packet for this Wednesday’s Seattle Public Schools board meeting shows the timeline for upcoming work at Southwest Athletic Complex, the stadium and sports fields just south of Chief Sealth International High School. The levy-funded $1.5 million project “will include replacement of the existing synthetic turf at football, softball, and baseball fields using cork infill, refurbishing the existing rubberized running track, and associated work,” according to the document. A timeline is set for two phases of work – the first, starting on the track in mid-May, to be complete before graduation ceremonies at the stadium in late June, and then right after those events, field improvements will start, to be done before football practice begins August 15th. The agenda item seeks to award the contract to King County Directors’ Association, described as “a purchasing cooperative owned by Washington State Public School Districts.”
| 72 COMMENTS