West Seattle, Washington
26 Thursday
A fourth West Seattle project is now listed as a participant in the city’s new Early Community Outreach for Design Review program – seven townhouses with six offstreet-parking spaces planned to replace a 66-year-old triplex at 1604 SW Henderson [map]. This means the developers are supposed to contact nearby residents for feedback before the project gets to official Design Review. So far, two other projects in the program have had informal community meetings – announced via postcards to people living close by – and we covered both: 5616 California SW and 1772 Alki SW. The third program to appear on the city’s list is 5009 Fauntleroy Way SW – no early-outreach meeting on the schedule so far.
The photo is from Scott, who found that bike on 26th SW between Genesee and Alaska: “Been here since last last evening [9/28]. Have moved it into my yard on 26th for safekeeping.” Let us know if it’s yours.
8:24 PM: If you’re hearing Guardian One, the helicopter crew has tweeted that they are helping Seattle Police search for “a robbery suspect that fled in a vehicle on Delridge Way SW from the Home Depot.” More when we get it.
9:04 PM: We checked the area and couldn’t find anyone still searching, so we stopped at the precinct to see what we could find out. The robbery was a case of shoplifting turned violent. No one in custody.
Miles has a master’s degree in plant physiology and a passion for ornamental plants, so he has just opened a business to put his interests to work: The Plant Store is at 9428 Delridge Way SW, a little shop with a big selection of indoor plants. Some are familiar – cacti, succulents – some are exotic:
Miles also plans to use the shop as a hub for classes and consultations, and might offer a few outdoor plants – herbs, for example – by the time the next warm season comes along. The Plant Store is planning a grand opening event on Saturday, October 20th, but it’s already fully open – you can stop by 10 am-6 pm Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-4 pm Sundays. (The Plant Store is closed Mondays.)
The sun is setting on 2018’s PARKing Day – when parklets pop up along city streets. Earlier, we showed you the Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) setup at Westwood Square. At midafternoon, we stopped in the 5900 block of Delridge Way SW, across from Louisa Boren STEM K-8, where West Seattle Bike Connections had a helmet giveaway going, courtesy of Bell:
Boren’s three 1st-grade classes helped plan the parklet.
Thanks to co-organizer Doug Ollerenshaw for letting us know!
Thanks to Evan for the tip via Twitter – another West Seattle business closure, The Daily Dose coffee shop (5214 Delridge Way SW). We don’t know when it happened, but Evan was the first to mention it to us, after spotting that sign in the window this morning, and we went over to confirm.
Thanks to the Louisa Boren STEM K-8 parent who sent the photo, explaining that 1st-graders in Adrienne Ollerenshaw‘s class “created a new play space in the paved area recently occupied by a half dozen portables. Parents, staff, and students worked together on the Self Help painting project that transformed the blacktop, creating a track and colorful 4-square courts and other features. The end result looks wonderful in spite of some marginal weather.”
Two camping-related updates:
MYERS WAY CLEANUP: As mentioned here in this report last Sunday, parking and dumping along Myers Way has been on the rise again. Last night, while at the Fauntleroy Community Association meeting to discuss other topics, Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Steve Strand said a big cleanup of the area is planned in the next few weeks, with “heavy equipment” already booked. We’re checking with the city’s homelessness-related-info point person to see if we can find out more.
DELRIDGE HILLSIDE ENCAMPMENT: A nearby resident e-mailed us about an encampment growing on a hillside off Croft Place, upslope from Louisa Boren STEM K-8. County records suggest the camping is on school property, which stretches upslope to the side of the road. We asked Seattle Public Schools about their policy regarding camping on school property and how to report it. Spokesperson Carri Campbell says, “Encampments are not allowed on our property … when the district becomes aware we follow our regular procedure; our safety and security office report it to SPD.” Here’s how to report camping on school grounds, Campbell says: “Please report directly to the district’s safety and security office, 206-252-0707 or securityoff@seattleschools.org.”
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
GUARDIAN ONE: Thanks to those who messaged us a few minutes ago that the law-enforcement helicopter was in the Westwood area; it wasn’t showing on flight tracker so we didn’t know until then. We checked in with them on Twitter and the reply: “Assisted Seattle PD with taking a felony suspect into custody near Westwood Village.”
STOLEN CAR: Alex e-mailed this report a short time ago: “My car was stolen outside of Southwest Youth and Family Services, at 25th SW and SW Alaska St. Blue Ford Taurus, 2005, WA license plate AVD0257. There is a Rover.com magnet on the back that may have been peeled off.” Call 911 if you see it. (SATURDAY UPDATE: Alex says his car has been recovered.)
Police released photos Wednesday night of four people they describe as “associated with” one of this year’s four remaining unsolved West Seattle murders – the July 20th stabbing death of 34-year-old Mike Abay. From SPD:
Detectives are attempting to identify two men and two women associated with the July 20th fatal stabbing that occurred at 16th Avenue SW and SW Cambridge Street. All four were captured on surveillance cameras in the area of the stabbing.
If you recognize any of the individuals, or have additional information, please call the tip line at 206- 233-5000.
Police did not elaborate on why or how they believe these people are “associated” with the July 20th stabbing. That night, police said, someone called SPD to report a man down in the street, and when they arrived, Mr. Abay was already dead.
Almost exactly a year after “standing for peace” on the Delridge/Oregon overpass, Hate-Free Delridge members and friends returned there this evening. This time, the goal was to show support for immigrants and refugees.
It’s now been two years since the group formed in response to a racist, threatening note left at the home of a local family.
Here are some fast facts about Seattle’s immigrant/refugee population.
From Friends of the Delridge Triangle and the South Delridge Community Group:
Saturday, 8/11 marked another successful cleanup at the Delridge Triangle! We hit an all-time record of volunteers coming as far as Admiral to show their community spirit by pitching in at Delridge Way SW/18th Ave SW/SW Barton St, as well as surrounding blocks.
The cleanup was a joint effort between the South Delridge Community Group (SDCG) and Friends Of The Delridge Triangle (FDT). Burger Boss Drive In kindly sponsored the event with free meal vouchers for all participants.
This is one step of a greater project in the works to redevelop the Triangle into a safe and usable community space where the neighborhood can socialize and play. The Friends of the Delridge Triangle was recently awarded $41k through the Neighborhood Matching Fund to start a community engagement process for a Phase 1 redesign of the space. The redesign phase will run start September and run through Spring 2019. The community is invited to have their voices heard and participate in the project.
To learn more about the ongoing community work and receive notifications for upcoming clean ups in South Delridge, contact the South Delridge Community Group @:
sdelridgecommunitygroup@gmail.com or visit our website.To receive project updates and information how get involved with the Delridge Triangle redesign project contact Friends Of The Delridge Triangle @: delridgetriangle@gmail.com or visit our website.
Rain or shine, Delridge Day 2018 is on! Until 3 pm, lots of fun – and free food:
The hot dogs are courtesy of the Seattle Police Foundation, which sponsors the citywide Precinct Picnics, including the one that’s part of Delridge Day. You can also get a look at SPD specialty units’ gear, including the Dive Team:
Find out about community groups, too, including the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club:
Other groups, organizations, and agencies include Sound Transit, which is there to answer your questions about West Seattle light-rail planning. And you can enjoy music, dance, and other performances – see the schedule in our calendar. It’s all happening in the park at Delridge/Genesee/26th (with co-sponsors including WSB).
(WSB file photo)
One more reminder that tomorrow also brings this year’s Delridge Day – with kids’ field games planned along with music, cultural performances, vendors, community organizations, SPD’s Southwest Precinct Picnic (with free treats!), and skateboarding demos/competitions. It’s all happening at Delridge Community Center Park and the adjacent Delridge Skatepark, 11 am-3 pm Saturday, free! From our calendar listing, here are some of the scheduling specifics:
Main Music Stage
11 am Mode Music Studios students
12 Quarter Past 8 (rock)
1 pm Burley Mountain (country)
2 pm Moon Girl (ballads)Cultural Stage
12 Dance Brazil (will be an adult and a youth performance)
1:15 Arabaka Trio
2:15 Otoqui Reyes e Hijos de Agüeybaná
The park is along SW Genesee between Delridge Way SW and 26th Avenue SW.
Earlier today, we showed two “found” bicycles … tonight, a stolen bike:
Scott sent the photo and explains:
I made the foolish mistake of leaving my dear wife’s venerable, 28-year-old Cannondale everythingbike locked on our car’s roof rack last night. It walked away from our parking lot at Youngstown/Cooper sometime after midnight … It’s a 1991ish Cannondale FS700, frame size 16”, with distinctive silver alloy up handlebars, Shimano 8spd thumb shifters, a sturdy black rack on the back, and blue/black paint with white Cannondale lettering. Brass colored bell, cork grips, and it likely will have a mismatched front wheel as the old one was left in our car.
(File photo)
From Kim Barnes on behalf of Friends of the Delridge Triangle:
I’m pleased to announce The Delridge Triangle has been awarded the Neighborhood Matching Fund Grant!
We now have the opportunity to have a voice on how we want to best use this much needed and cherished space for the South Delridge community.
A big thank you to everyone that has participated to date to get us to this next stage in redeveloping the space.
Next steps on the project timeline:
August
– Friends of the Delridge Triangle (FDT) committee leaders will attend the City’s grant recipient workshop.
– Fiscal Sponsor to be selected.September
– FDT committee to draft and publish scope with call for RFQs from interested Landscape Architects.
– FDT committee starts process of review of RFQs and selection of the vendor.Want to join the FDT steering committee?
The steering committee is always open to community members that are interested and dedicated to supporting this project through to completion. Get in touch – email DelridgeTriangle@gmail.com to set up a short conversation about the role and see if it might work for you.
The grant, to cover the redesign process, is for $41,000; fundraising and volunteer time is required for the “match.” The rendered design is expected to be ready next spring, in late April/early May.
Thanks to Scott Amick for spotting the posted notice that work is about to start on a new stairway at SW Myrtle between Sylvan and 25th. This wasn’t on the list of scheduled West Seattle stairway projects that we published earlier this year, nor could we find it on the city website, so we checked in with SDOT‘s Greg Funk. He explained that funding found to replace a 50-foot-long dirt path here is coming from the Safe Routes to School program. Grading work is scheduled to start “as soon as” this week; then the stairway itself will be built in October. He also provided an update on other projects, following up on our March check-in:
*SW Director (between upper and lower Fauntleroy Way across from the ferry terminal) is complete
*SW Willow and pathway (at California) are complete
*SW Hill (between 42nd and California) is under construction, 1 more month or sooner
(SDOT photo)
*SW Hill (another one across from that one), added because of savings on “a couple projects”
*SW Holly (at Beveridge) is under construction, closed for 2 months. Funk adds: “This will be a stairway we are going to reset and will be one of our historic streetcar slab stairways – one of 5 we will be doing in the future.”
The photo and report are from Melinda:
An interesting find at my back gate this morning. It appears to be fishing gear and an unopened bottle of beer. The larger bag says Starbucks on the side. We live in Youngstown, south of the steel mill. I’ll keep for a few days and then give to Goodwill if no one claims it. Bottle of beer was unopened!
Just a week until eastern West Seattle’s biggest event of the summer – Delridge Day! The festival is set for 11 am-3 pm Saturday, August 11th, in the park outside Delridge Community Center (Delridge/26th/Genesee), and Pete Spalding shared info today on what you can expect to see – two stages of music and cultural performances, ~40 vendors, lessons and competitions at adjacent Delridge Skatepark with Skate Like A Girl, Seattle Police‘s Southwest Precinct Picnic with specialty-unit demonstrations plus free hot dogs, chips, and drinks … Pete says a classic rig from the Last Resort Fire Department will be there too. (Among those with booths, as mentioned here earlier this week, Sound Transit – so bring your questions about West Seattle’s future light rail!) Schedule details are in our calendar listing. Co-sponsors include WSB – see you there!
Seattle Public Utilities has cleaned up the debris left behind after an RV crashed into the greenbelt east of West Seattle Health Club‘s parking lot early Saturday. As we reported from the scene, a man and woman were taken to the hospital and a dog went to a clinic. We doh’t know the status of any of those three, but we do know what happened at the scene. We went back at midday today to see if the debris had been cleaned up, and while we were there, two people from SPU arrived.
In our photo is environmental compliance inspector Angelique Hockett, who said they had just found out about the situation; they hadn’t received notification from SPD or SFD but the co-worker with her had happened onto our report. She also said they found no sign of Longfellow Creek pollution or fuel leakage; that had been a concern of responders at the time of the crash, as it happened on the slope over the creek, which then goes into an underground culvert and on to the Duwamish River. She and her co-worker had planned to move the debris up away from the creek, and that an SPU crew that deals with illegal dumping would then come to pick up the items. We went back for a look about an hour ago and the scene was indeed clear; Hockett confirmed by phone that the cleanup was complete. We still have a few big-picture questions for SPU but our usual contacts are out of the office until later this week.
11:29 AM: Two WSB commenters mentioned that family and friends of Michael Abay, stabbed to death in South Delridge a little over a week ago, planned a car-wash fundraiser near the scene at 16th SW and SW Cambridge. And now a texter has sent word that it’s under way and that Mr. Abay’s family was setting up a benefit barbecue there too. “I happened to stumble on them as they were setting up. I gave the day’s first donation and they gave me a big hug. Don’t know why it brought me to tears!” said the texter. No arrest reported in the case yet. (Photo from Abay family’s GoFundMe page)
2:04 PM: Another texter says the car wash will continue until 4 pm and sent this photo:
12:41 AM: The big Seattle Fire response is headed for a report that a truck has crashed into Longfellow Creek near 28th/Yancy. It’s a “rescue extrication” response in case someone has to be freed from the truck. More to come.
12:43 AM: The first units to arrive are saying it appears to be an RV that has crashed.
12:46 AM: SFD says two people have minor injuries but should be able to get themselves out of the vehicle.
12:52 AM: The two are reported to be out of the vehicle, which is reported to be leaking fuel.
1:09 AM: Both are being taken to the hospital. The wrecked RV is partly visible, in the wooded area on the east side of the health club parking lot.
1:33 AM: Just talked to an officer at the scene. He said a tow truck’s been ordered. The man and woman who were in the RV were headed eastbound on Yancy when their brakes went out. They had a dog in the RV too; it’s been taken to a vet to be checked out.
8:57 AM: Just went back to check. The RV was indeed removed.
Debris remain and a couple parking spots are blocked off.
2:54 AM: Police are investigating a shooting, complicated by the fact the victim wasn’t shot at the location where he was found. That location is the Longfellow Creek Apartments (5915 Delridge Way SW), where both SPD and SFD are converging right now. The 28-year-old victim is reported to have (update) two gunshot wounds, back and shoulder, and is reported – according to police-radio communication – to not be telling police where the shooting happened. He’s been taken to Harborview.
12:13 PM: SPD has just published an item about this on its blog-format blotter, and we’ve also obtained the report narrative. Still no arrest; police believe the victim, whose injuries are described as “non-life-threatening,” was dropped off at the apartment complex, where he apparently used to live.
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