West Seattle, Washington
21 Saturday
Just announced by Galena White, ringleader of the Delridge Produce Cooperative campaign: “This summer, Delridge Produce Cooperative wants to give away hundreds of reusable, compactible nylon tote bags to help get out the message, ‘I want a produce cooperative on Delridge!’ Reusable totes are environmentally sustainable, and are great for carrying home fresh produce. We are holding a contest for the best artistic design to put on the tote which expresses the theme, “I want a produce cooperative on Delridge!” The design should be less than a foot square and contain only the colors black and white. Full-size foldable designs can be dropped off at the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association office at 5411 Delridge Way SW. Put your submission in the envelope marked, “Delridge Produce Co-Op,” along with attached sheet with your full name, address, phone number and email address. Submissions are due by April 28th; 1st prize is $48, 2nd prize is $32, and 3rd prize is $16. Judges will be the board members of Delridge Produce Cooperative. All ages are welcome!”
One week ago today (WSB coverage here), that vacant North Delridge house in the 5400 block of 26th SW (map) was cleaned out by a city crew; it’s now slated to be auctioned off on April 17th foreclosure auction. The ongoing issue of Delridge-area problem properties – from vacant and squatter-besieged, to occupied but debris/deterioration-plagued – is one of the items on the agenda for tonight’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting, 6:30 pm at Delridge Library (map). NDNC co-chair Mike Dady, who has been working a long time to get the city to take notice of the issue, has finally succeeded, and we are now two days away from a tour he plans to lead of some of the problem spots (community members invited, meeting time/place is 2:30 pm Friday at Delridge Uptown Espresso). City Councilmember Sally Clark and Department of Planning and Development director Diane Sugimura have already RSVP’d, and since our original reports on this, the mayor’s public-safety liaison, Julien Loh, also has contacted Mike, who has invited the mayor to join the tour; a city attorney’s office rep is expected to be along too. (12:25 pm addition: We’re also told Councilmember Tim Burgess will be there, as will Department of Neighborhoods director Stella Chao.) One other development: The city’s Customer Service Bureau director has circulated a note reiterating city codes regarding properties like these — read on to see it (we’ve added inline links to the code sections she mentions):Read More
The official announcement of the “Snake Hill” sidewalk work on 30th SW (see the city “concept” rendering here) is just in from SDOT – it’s scheduled to start next week:
30th Avenue SW Sidewalk Improvements to Start April 6
The Seattle Department of Transportation’s contractor plans to begin construction of 30th Avenue SW sidewalk improvements on Monday, April 6. The sidewalk will be constructed on the eastern side of 30th Avenue SW from SW Brandon Street to the existing sidewalk at the top of the hill (just north of SW Juneau Street and High Point). Some preparation work such as surveying will start later this week.
The construction is expected to take five to six weeks, depending on the weather. For the duration of construction, 30th Avenue SW between SW Findlay and Brandon Streets will be closed to through traffic. A detour route will be signed for through traffic to use 29th Avenue SW.
Parking will be restricted in the area under construction. Access to driveways will be maintained.
Work hours will typically be from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Also from the same city news release, this P.S. of what’ll happen when the sidewalk work is done:
Seattle City Light will be moving the utility poles closer to the new curb on 30th Avenue SW between SW Findlay and Brandon Streets. This work will occur after SDOT’s sidewalk project and is expected to take two months. After the new utility poles are placed and the old utility poles are removed, SDOT will return to fill in any gaps in the sidewalk that remain.
Like the Alki Point sidewalk project, the 30th SW sidewalk work is a Neighborhood Street Fund project first announced in November 2007 (WSB coverage here). The project’s official city webpage is here.
Dropped by Southwest Youth and Family Services in North Delridge this afternoon to catch the moment as Sue Mariotti (right) from the Admiral Safeway BECU presented a check for $1,000 to SWYFS, officially accepted by Donna Chapman (left). The money will support the Parent Child Home Program, a SWYFS program that will provide family support this summer to 44 “very low income” Latino, African-American, Somali, and Iraqi families with 2- and/or 3-year-old children. Cara Kroenke of SWYFS explains, “Children living in poverty often miss out on active play and exploration which could enhance their development,” so toward that end, each family will get to choose up to six “field trips,” such as libraries, beaches, or environmental-education parks such as Camp Long, also receiving “developmentally appropriate toys/books reflecting the theme of the field trip.” BECU, by the way, also is a sponsor of SWYFS’s next annual fundraising event, which is now a dinner/auction rather than the traditional breakfast – the date is set for September 18th, with other details to come. Find out more about SWYFS – which is also our area’s lead agency for the city’s Youth Violence Prevention Initiative — at its website, swyfs.org.
SIGNS: SDOT crews have been back in West Seattle in recent days replacing more street signs – in a process that’s been under way for the past two years – and we noticed something interesting: Signs like this one, with an icon to signify “street” sections that are really stairways (this is on the east side of California at Hudson, just south of The Junction). By the way, the city is still selling the old street signs it’s taking down as the bigger, more reflective new ones go up: Inventory updates are posted periodically here (the one there now is dated January).
SCOUTS: Have no idea how often this happens, but we discovered belatedly that a slew of NFL scouts were at Southwest Athletic Complex in Westwood Saturday afternoon to watch Washington State receiver Brandon Gibson show his stuff in hopes of getting drafted. He played high-school football in Puyallup, which is why the Tacoma News-Tribune covered it (report with video here)
POTLUCK: Also from Saturday – Delridge Produce Cooperative organizer Galena White, speaking to attendees at the community potluck event at Youngstown Arts Center:
Next events (calendar here) in the ongoing process of trying to get the coop off the ground: A meeting Tuesday at Pearls on Delridge, and a table at the Gathering of Neighbors next Saturday, 11 am-3 pm at Chief Sealth‘s Boren campus – we’ve got a table there too (offering early discount registration for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day!), so hope you’ll be there to find out more about 70-plus West Seattle organizations and businesses.
POOCH: As of today, you can get an online sneak peek at the City Dog Magazine cover featuring Sophia, the Italian greyhound who lives with High Point’s Wendy and Stephen Hughes-Jelen. (CDM is headquartered in West Seattle.)
In the past week, we have brought you two updates on Delridge-area problem properties (here and here), focused in particular on one vacant house at the far north end of Delridge, but also discussing a wider problem – junk and trash piling up outside some, transient/squatter problems at others. Today, we got word (thanks, Lisa!) that a cleanup crew is at 5424 26th SW (map), which she says is a vacant house that’s had a junk problem for a long time (note the photos above and below). The city-worker crew that’s there would tell us only that it’s a court-ordered cleanup; crossreferencing the parcel number in King County’s online-records system didn’t turn up that kind of court order, nor did any recent violation notices show up on the city website (though as a commenter discovered, it looks like one of last year’s violations did just wind its way through the system), but we did find a notice that the site is to be auctioned off on April 17th (10 am, King County Administration Building downtown).
That was the turnout tonight at Southwest Community Center for TEAM Delridge – community members getting together to envision future neighborhood improvements, including healthier food – since it is, after all, part of the King County Food and Fitness Initiative:
Two more TEAM Delridge meetings are planned, April 20th and May 18th, locations to be announced.
2 more Delridge events to note this week — both potlucks, in fact. First comes the monthly FEEST Community Potluck at 5:30 pm Wednesday, Youngstown Arts Center, which, according to an e-mail alert, is “offering youth-prepared organic dishes, an opportunity to build community with youth members of the Food Education Empowerment and Sustainability Team, and a glance at King County Food and Fitness Initiative’s proposed Community Action Plan to improve and sustain resources in the Delridge and White Center neighborhoods.” Then Saturday, it’s the Community Potluck event organized by the volunteers working toward a Delridge Produce Cooperative, this Saturday from 11 am-2 pm, also at Youngstown (read more here).
TRASH COUNTDOWN: At WSB HQ, we finally got the official notice taped to the containers, after today’s pickup … although we’d already received the notice in the mail saying our pickup day, currently Monday, is changing to Tuesday. One week from today is when the changes – including higher rates and weekly yard/food waste pickup — start kicking in. One big reminder we took away from a Seattle Public Utilities presentation at last week’s Alki Community Council meeting – which is likely to be mentioned again at tonight’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting — is that, while you used to be able to opt out of yard-waste service, you can’t any more – it’s mandatory (even if you don’t have yard waste to recycle, the city is encouraging you to recycle food waste), but you can get a small container (full options listed here).
TEAM DELRIDGE EVENT TONIGHT, LOCATION CORRECTION: We listed the wrong location in an earlier note – it’s at 6:30 pm at Southwest Community Center (map).
CAMP LONG EVENT THIS WEEKEND: Coming up next weekend, a great way to enjoy and support one of West Seattle’s greenest treasures: a coffeehouse and dessert-auction fundraiser at Camp Long, 7 pm this Saturday night, with music by Jim Page and Grant Dermody. Reservations recommended, call 206-684-7434 or 206-938-3870. $10 per adult; kids over 5 are $5, and a naturalist program will be available for them to enjoy during the event.
IT’S A REALLY BIG TREE: Over the weekend we reported on the new plan for the SW Manning/Admiral Way site that’s best known for its sequoia tree. City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, whose Parks Committee will look at the plan tomorrow morning, visited over the weekend – for a sense of the tree’s size, check out this photo of the tree, with Councilmember Rasmussen standing next to it:
Two highlights from the WSB West Seattle-wide Events calendar – and a bonus:
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: Busy agenda tonight for the neighborhood group that focuses on southeast West Seattle – including more information on the trash/recycling changes that kick in just a week from now, and the latest on the question of whether a city/regional misdemeanor jail will be built in West Seattle – plus, how many community-group meetings offer a raffle (last time, the prize was a gift card for Highland Park’s own JoJo’s Espresso!)? More details here. HPAC invites you to join the meeting at 7 pm in the Highland Park Improvement Club building, 11th and Holden.
TEAM DELRIDGE: It’s the next step in the ongoing King County Food and Fitness campaign to bring neighbors together as the Delridge neighborhood continues to grow and change – but it’s not just about food and fitness. More details here. Be at Youngstown Arts Center Southwest Community Center, 6:30 tonight.
P.S. Also happening tonight – technically tomorrow morning – Easy Street plans a midnight event when the new editions of Pearl Jam’s “Ten” goes on sale.
We reported Thursday about a stirring of hope that some high-level city attention may finally be given to a problem that’s been plaguing the Delridge area in its redevelopment throes: Even as some of Delridge’s old homes make way for new construction – particularly townhouses – some houses sit abandoned for years, and become magnets for trouble — like the one above, which sits prominently over the northbound Delridge approach to The Bridge. While, as we reported last night, the city says it was cleared and “secured” a few weeks ago, the proprietor of nearby Skylark Club and Cafe (WSB sponsor) pointed out in a new e-mail discussion (including city councilmember Sally Clark, who promised to come tour the area) that it was also reportedly “secured” last year, too (after a small fire we reported here, attributed to transients). And North Delridge Neighborhood Council co-chair Mike Dady says he would like to see this lead to changes that can help areas beyond Delridge, too:
My hope is that we will see Council Member Clark and Diane Sugimura follow through and visit Delridge within the next couple weeks. But my greater hope is that we don’t just have a band-aid or quick-fix put on wound that is affecting not just Delridge, but many other parts of the city. These are properties that are in the hands of absentee property owners, speculators or developers who allow them to sit vacant, completely unattended or monitored, and looking like, well…..looking like a pile of you-know-what and attracting problems that are in some cases beyond the imagination.
It seems to me that the City Council and the Mayor’s Office needs to revise the Seattle Municipal Code to allow quick demolition and removal of problem prone structures as it is nearly impossible to keep trespassers out of vacant building, even if it is boarded up with plywood, lumber and lag bolts. Allowing houses without water service turned on and functional plumbing to become de facto shelters for transient or homeless people is not an acceptable solution to that very separate and difficult issue.
To allow these dilapidated properties to remain as is, for many, many years in some cases, creates a public safety problem, wastes citizen energy and is a drain on DPD, SPD, SFD and KC Public Health budgets and staff time.
Sincerely,
Mike Dady
North Delridge Neighborhood Council Co-Chair
It’s not just the vacant houses that he’s concerned about, but also the occupied ones that are literally trashed outdoors – like this junk pile spotted recently behind a multiplex in the 4800 block of Delridge (map):
The discussed city-involved tour of Delridge hasn’t been scheduled yet, to our knowledge, but we will continue to follow up. You can also bet this will be on the next NDNC agenda – the council meets the first Wednesday of each month, so that’s 6:30 pm April 1st, Delridge Library.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: A date for the tour is now set for early April, according to Mike Dady, and at least one citywide media outlet may be along, after reading about it here.
(From left, Delridge Produce Co-Op organizer Galena White, Nola [daughter of Jennifer Grant], board members Jennifer Grant and Ranette Iding, volunteer consultant Johnathan Oliver from Heart On My Sleeve)
The next big event for the volunteers working toward a Delridge Produce Cooperative is a community potluck (to which you’re invited!) one week from tomorrow, and they gathered to work on the plan last night at Pearls coffeehouse. Music, food, a raffle, and even a chili-making demonstration are planned for the event 11 am-2 pm (see the flyer on the Delridge Produce Cooperative home page) Saturday, March 28, at Youngstown Arts Center. Your role? Show up, with “healthy food” to share, and have fun. Meantime, co-op organizer Galena White recently wrote up a recap of how this all got started, in response to requests from other media looking into stories about the Delridge Produce Cooperative effort, and we want to share her story as an inspirational instance of one person who decided to stop “complaining” – and take action – see what she did, step by step:Read More
That house is at the far north end of Delridge, across the busy, bridge-approaching street from Skylark Club and Cafe (WSB sponsor). When someone broke into Skylark last month, all eyes turned there. Technically, the house is vacant. In reality, it hasn’t been — it’s been used by squatters and partyers, and Skylark proprietor Jessie Summa-Kusiak says it’s been a sore spot for that area for quite some time. It’s part of a problem that North Delridge Neighborhood Council co-chair Mike Dady brought to last night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting, out of abject frustration. After trying for a long time to get something done, he says, the city needs to take stronger action about properties like this one – and tonight, there may be some progress – read on:Read More
One more important event to mention tonight: The Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meets at 7, Youngstown Arts Center, everybody welcome. Agenda includes a look at the latest list of proposed Delridge neighborhoods street improvement projects, which will be ranked by District Council members and sent to city departments for evaluation, plus an update from a Seattle City Light rep (got a question about SCL issues, including street lights? this is a good chance). Here’s our report from last month’s DNDC meeting.
On this rainy night – think of how great the rain is for all those West Seattle gardens-in-waiting, with the official start of spring just a week away. We have several garden-related notes to share:
P-PATCH VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: An update from Aaron Hernandez, who’s helping coordinate the creation of a new P-Patch on a plot provided by West Seattle Christian Church in The Junction:
We’ve finally got a name, Friends of West Seattle Genesee P-Patch. We’re shooting to meet the April 6 grant deadline, and I am still in search of potential volunteers. I am also interested in hearing from any local businesses able and willing to contribute to our project. The items we need vary, so if anyone is interested they should contact me. I’d also like to encourage businesses and other organizations to consider volunteering as teams, as it is a great way not only to contribute to our community, but also build and strengthen employee teams and relationships. My e-mail is wscc.grounds@hotmail.com.
LONGFELLOW CREEK GARDEN: We followed the development of this organic garden/mini-farm last year, and its volunteers are getting ready for a new growing season:
Another organizing meeting is planned tonight (Sunday) not far from the garden site in Delridge. If you’re interested in being part of it, send a note to longfellowcreekgarden@earthlink.net — you can also become a “friend” of Longfellow Creek Garden on Facebook – start here.
ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY PLANT SALE: Orders are being taken now for plants that’ll be delivered in early May. All the info you need starts here. (And if anyone else has a fundraising plant sale under way, let us know – all our contact info is here.)
(Video: Sili Savusa of SWYFS discusses how the utility-bill-help changes will be used in their work)
Just back from Mayor Nickels’ brief media op at Southwest Youth and Family Services in North Delridge. Two big items: First, he publicly congratulated Police Chief Gil Kerllikowske for the official announcement this morning of his nomination as federal “drug czar” (White House news release here); the mayor says he will announce his plans for interim SPD leadership on Monday. His Kerlikowske quote: “Our loss is the nation’s gain.” He would not comment on a possible short list for interim and permanent chief, although he hinted quite strongly that the permanent chief could well come from within SPD – here’s video of what he said about that:
Second, the main reason for the briefing: He announced — with the help of SWYFS staffers Rosario Nava and Sili Savusa (Rosario is at the microphone in the top photo) — a new streamlined program for offering utility-bill help to families making 70 percent or less of the local median income. Bottom line on that: The city will now use the same eligibility standard for Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light help – currently, that’s an annual income of $53,124 or less for a family of four, which makes you eligible for a 50 percent reduction in utility bills for up to 18 months. You can get an application and more information by calling 206-684-0268. Full details in this city news release.
Two West Seattle items in the city’s latest Land Use Information Bulletin: On Alki, immediately south of Cactus on 63th SW, a land-use application has just been filed for two 3-story buildings totaling 7 units. Here’s the notice, which has links for comments to be submitted, through 3/22.
Second: In South Delridge, a decision is in approving a land-use application to build two 4-unit townhouse buildings on a 9,500-square-foot lot at 8605 Delridge (map) that currently holds one house. Read the decision here.
SPEAKING OF TOWNHOUSES: The proposed changes to the Multi-Family Code (zoning), involving townhouse design and more, will be the subject of a briefing this Wednesday, 9:30 am at City Hall, before the City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Neighborhoods Committee. Here’s the committee agenda (which also includes a rezoning request for some High Point Land); here’s our report from January.
Whatever term you want to use, this invitation’s for you: TEAM Delridge, latest push for neighborhood efforts in the King County Food and Fitness Initiative, invites you to a get-together at 6:30 pm March 23rd. Food for thought, from the official invitation:
Does any or all of the following apply to you:
___ I live in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I learn in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I work in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I play in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I care about the Delridge neighborhood.Do you have ideas or thoughts on the accessibility of healthy food for your family or others’ families living, working, learning and playing in Delridge?
We’ve heard a thousand times before that Delridge needs a grocery store. Is that true? Would a farmers’ market be best? You tell us!
Join other community members just like yourself who are striving to eat healthier, practicing collective action and moving more!
Topics for discussion and prioritization:
What kinds of businesses, organizations, and programs will make a more vibrant Delridge?
What are our largest community concerns, and how can they be addressed?For more information on the exciting initiative or to RSVP for the community meeting, please contact Phillippia Goldsmith at (206) 923-0917 x 116 or via e-mail at phillippiag@dnda.org
(“History Boys” photo by Matt Durham, mattdurhamphotography.com)
OPENING NIGHT: Three nights after we brought you first word of their 2009-2010 season, ArtsWest continues the current season with the first performance of “History Boys,” 7:30 tonight in The Junction.
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT IN WEST SEATTLE: Council President Richard Conlin is scheduled for a guest appearance at the Southwest District Council‘s (WSB sponsor) monthly meeting, 7 pm, board room at South Seattle Community College.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORS: If you live in the North Delridge area, meet your neighbors and see how you can help work on neighborhood issues as the North Delridge Neighborhood Council meets tonight, 6:30 pm, Delridge Library.
FAUNTLEROY SERIES: “Re-creating Community in Our Day” continues with leadership expert Bill Grace, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Church (after 6 pm “simple supper” by donation).
In case you live nearby or drove by and wondered what happened: This is the accident that briefly led to a huge “heavy rescue” callout on the Longfellow Creek side of Delridge across from the Chief Sealth/Boren parking lot about an hour ago. That callout was closed fairly quickly because the person in the truck got out OK. Police at the scene told us that person was taken to the hospital to be checked out; no word on age or other identification, or on exactly how the truck wound up “offroad.”
FIRST 3:22 PM REPORT WITH IPHONE PHOTO: A car’s flipped at Delridge and Henderson. Traffic is closed to northbound traffic.
(photo added 4:29 pm – the other car involved in the crash is the one at left with front-end damage)
3:42 PM UPDATE: The scene should be cleared soon. The crash happened feet away from Stan’s Mt. View Towing on the southeast corner of the intersection – one truck quickly towed the white car that suffered front-end damage in the crash, and another has already righted the overturned burgundy-colored car. Two people were being treated for what did not appear to be life-threatening injuries, and one ambulance arrived for each one. A witness told us that the burgundy car apparently ran the light, and went airborne after hitting the white car. More visuals shortly.
ADDED 4:35 PM: Here’s the unedited video of the flipped car being turned back over. It happened in two stages: Seconds into this clip, the tow truck pulled it onto its side; then after a bit more repositioning and tinkering, toward the end of the clip, the job was finished:
The Hoffmeister family of North Delridge is searching for Pogo, their Papillon, so relentlessly and creatively, they’ve already traced her trail … to a new dead end.
Of all the pets we’ve posted to the Lost/Found section of the WSB Pets page, Pogo’s odyssey is the most agonizing one since the theft and recovery of Butch the Shiba Inu three weeks ago (original WSB report here; followup here).
And according to what Betsy Hoffmeister and family have discovered since Pogo disappeared Friday night, Pogo and Butch seem to have something in common …Read More
After another meeting this week to get the envisioned Delridge Produce Co-op further down the road to reality, Galena White shares how it went, including word of a possible produce source, and a search for entertainment experts! Read on for Galena’s full report:Read More
By David Whelan
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
A state/city briefing on the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement/tunnel plan highlighted Wednesday night’s Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting.
Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin was scheduled to speak but didn’t make it to the meeting.
The Viaduct/Tunnel briefing came from Ron Paananen, who’s been a project lead for WSDOT, and Hannah McIntosh from SDOT.
| Comments Off on Design a tote bag for Delridge Produce Cooperative, win $