TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Friday and weekend info, plus low-bridge closure day 7

6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, April 26.

LOW-BRIDGE CLOSURE

The West Seattle low bridge is closed for a seventh day, expected to reopen no later than early Monday morning; here’s SDOT info about the closure, including how to get free bus or Water Taxi trips.

SDOT’s update at end-of-day Thursday: “The new control system is in. You may see the bridge opening and closing as we conduct test openings for the next few days. These tests determine if the new control system is working as intended.”

ROAD-WORK ALERTS

*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues at Delridge/Oregon, down to two lanes for the project’s duration, up to one year.

*Final work on the permanent Highland Park Way/Holden signal is under way, as previewed here.

*If you’re going to Westwood Village, note that road work is under way at the center, requiring some detouring:

STADIUM ZONE

The Mariners are back in town, starting a homestand at 6:40 pm tonight vs. Arizona.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Showers, high in the upper 50s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:59 am; sunset will be at 8:15 pm.

TRANSIT NOTES

Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Water Taxi today – Regular schedule, including the later-evening trips for spring/summer schedule tonight and Saturday. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.

Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

High Bridge – the main camera:

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):

1st Ave. S. Bridge:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are open for vessel traffic.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!

VIDEO: South Seattle College shows off expanded solar array

(Photos courtesy South Seattle College)

It’s Earth Week and South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) used the occasion to show off the solar array installed a few months ago atop Cascade Hall on the north end of campus as part of the larger Seattle Colleges systemwide campaign to decarbonize. It’s an 82-kilowatt array, successor to the building’s original 7-kilowatt array, supported with state financing that will be paid back over 15 years by energy savings. SSC’s Steve Abercrombie led a tour of the installation atop the roof:

But first, those gathered heard from not only Abercrombie but also reps from partner McKinstry – which is helping with a variety of energy-efficiency campus upgrades – and from Seattle City Light, which supported the Seattle Colleges installations with $425,000 in renewable-energy credits:

The array is not only generating power, but it and the arrays at the other Seattle Colleges campuses are also integrated into the curriculum, including sustainable building.

Abercrombie says, “Students get tours of the arrays to understand the mechanics of the siting, installation, and considerations for solar. They then engage in projects related to solar feasibility, planning, and renewable energy financing through several of our classes.” They also use the real-time data to learn about performance evaluation and, ultimately, workforce opportunities. He says those “include identifying and practicing 21st century skills like troubleshooting and communication that are the heart of careers like energy analysis and commissioning.”

LAST CALL! Want to be part of this year’s Morgan Junction Community Festival?

As mentioned in our coverage of the most-recent Morgan Community Association meeting, the group’s summer festival is expanding again this year, getting closer to what it used to be, including an area for community groups and vendors. If you’d like to be part of that, MoCA wants to hear from you ASAP – here’s the reminder:

The date for the Morgan Junction Community Festival is on the horizon, so we need to make the LAST CALL for Festival Vendors and Nonprofit Booths!!

The Morgan Junction Community Festival returns to Morgan Junction on Saturday, June 15, 2024 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. It features live entertainment in Morgan Junction Park, and the return of the popular vendor booths with everyone’s favorite local businesses, artisans/crafts people, nonprofit organizations, and government groups in the parking lot behind Zeeks Pizza. 

Applications for the vendor booths are found at the Morgan Community Association (MoCA) website morganjunction.org/festival. Application deadline is 5:00 pm April 30, 2024. 

Contact the Morgan Junction Community Festival team at mocacnc@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you for helping make the June 15th Morgan Junction Community Festival absolutely amazing!

 

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen 4Runner; fencing thief on video

Two reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

STOLEN 4RUNNER: Sent by Lauren:

1988 4Runner STOLEN!!! Please keep an eye out for my truck! It occurred at around 4 am on Friday morning the 19th. It was parked across the street from Fauntleroy Park on SW Barton/SW Henderson when it was stolen. They drove it east on Barton up toward 35th when they took off. It wasn’t super dirty like in the pic when it was taken but please use it as a reference. Plate CV1083A. It is light blue with a black top and hood, and rhino coating on part of the detachable hardtop, tops of doors, as well as the rear storage area inside. Newer camo interior, sunroof, and Grey dash. Please, please contact the police and reference incident # 2024-105705 if you see it. My dad is the reason I was able to get this truck and he has since passed. It is very special to me.

FENCING THIEF: The owners of the ex-Midas site at 4457 Fauntleroy Way SW had fenced it off for environmental cleanup. Then on Sunday, just before 6 pm, a man went onto the property, started removing clamps from the fencing, stacked the panels up, and drove a vehicle in to take them away.

Here’s an image of the thief.

And the vehicle’s rear end and plate:

If you have any information, you can refer to police report # 24-906637.

Side note: Regarding the site’s future post-cleanup, we asked about a notation in city files that it might become a Sherwin-Williams paint store. That’s one possibility, the owners say, but there’s “no lease or commitment” and the site could go to “another interested business.”

Decision delayed for Delridge/Highland Park ‘Healthy Streets’ future, HPAC hears at April meeting

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Alki Point Healthy Street: Permanent.

High Point Healthy Street: Permanent.

Delridge/Highland Park Healthy Streets: Undecided.

And it might remain that way until late this year, the community coalition HPAC heard last night at its monthly meeting, facilitated by co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick.

SDOT’s Michael Taylor-Judd was there for the discussion during HPAC’s meeting at Southwest Library. He stressed that while he’s an outreach person for the Healthy Streets program, he’s not a decisionmaker, but promised he would convey what he heard. Here’s the stretch under discussion:

Taylor-Judd said it will get upgraded signage by summer, he said. He was asked to describe what a “Healthy Street” is; he went back to their pandemic roots, acknowledging the city said it was originally temporary, but “what we heard from the public was that people really liked the increased space” to walk, roll, and ride. “That led to an evaluation of all of them … to see if this is something that neighborhoods want to keep or not.” In most cases (Alki Point being an exception) these were rolled out on streets already designated as greenways, Taylor-Judd said. They are intended to be “safer routes” for people to use. They were evaluated on factors such as whether more people are walking, rolling and biking, is there neighborhood support, are fewer people driving? The stats he showed dated back to 2020 and 2021, but he said new data is to be collected soon. Two attendees said they haven’t seen pedestrian or bicyclist traffic on these stretches of streets. He said the decision is not likely to be made until year’s end, later than originally thought. The three questions would be:

Read More

FOLLOWUP: Here’s the plan for yearlong Delridge Pedestrian Bridge project

(WSB photo, Tuesday)

As we’ve been noting in our weekday-morning traffic notes, the project to reinforce the Delridge Pedestrian Bridge is officially under way. SDOT says it’s expected to last about a year, during which time the Delridge/Oregon intersection will be narrowed. Here’s the official fact sheet for the project, and today we also have more information about the phases of work:

To complete the work as safely and efficiently as possible, the bridge will be closed to people walking, biking, and rolling during construction. In addition, we will be closing sidewalks and car lanes under the bridge on Delridge Way SW in three phases to divert people walking, rolling, biking, and driving away from where work is occurring. At least one lane of travel in each direction and a sidewalk on one side of the street will be maintained throughout each phase.

We understand these closures will impact everyone who uses the bridge and Delridge Way SW regularly and we will do what we can to minimize impacts. The three phases will include the following closures:

Phase One
Our first phase of sidewalk and lane closures is currently in progress. Delridge Way SW will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with car traffic shifted to the east. Between SW Genesee St and SW Oregon St, the sidewalk on the west side of Delridge Way SW will also be closed while crews work on the west side of the bridge. We will share a map showing the sidewalk and lane closure soon.

Phase Two
During the second phase of sidewalks and lane closures, Delridge Way SW will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with car traffic shifted to the west. Between SW Genesee St and SW Oregon St, the sidewalk on the east side of Delridge Way SW will also be closed while crews work on the east side of the bridge. We will share a map showing the sidewalk and lane closure in phase two as we approach the end of phase one.

Phase Three
Our final phase of sidewalk and lane closures will reduce Delridge Way SW to one lane in both directions. The innermost lanes will be closed and traffic will be shifted to the outermost lanes while crews work underneath the middle of the bridge. The sidewalks on both sides of Delridge Way SW will remain open to people walking and rolling during this phase. We will share a map showing the lane closures in phase three as we approach the end of phase two.

Though the project page doesn’t cite a number, the city previously has listed the project budget as $5 million; the successful “base bid” by Ferndale-headquartered contractor IMCO Construction is shown online as $2.3 million. At one point the city contemplated demolishing the bridge rather than upgrading it, but community feedback led to the city scrapping that idea.

SIDE NOTE: An earthquake-safety project is ahead for the Admiral Way bridges over Fairmount Ravine, too. The city is in the process of finalizing the contract for the north bridge, so we should have a timeline soon.

BIZNOTES: HomeStreet Bank x SW Seattle Historical Society; Little Donkey brunch; Molly Moon’s timeline

Three business notes:

HOMESTREET X SWSHS: We photographed Bob Livingston of HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) and Elizabeth Rudrud from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society as HomeStreet wrapped up its month of spotlighting SWSHS at the West Seattle branch. Visitors have had the chance to enter a drawing for two free tickets to the upcoming SWSHS gala, and the drawing was held Wednesday. Elizabeth told us they’ve added a third guest speaker to the gala on May 3 (tickets and info here): Michael Halady, the Duwamish artist who carved the story pole now at Admiral Way Viewpoint Park. Live-auction items at the gala include making your own ice cream with Husky Deli and a custom mural with Desmond Hansen. If you can’t get to the gala, the online auction – open to all – starts next Monday (April 29), with items including a three-day stay at a lodge near Yellowstone. Preview – and register for – the online auction by going here.

LITTLE DONKEY BRUNCH: When the new restaurant at 3401 California SW opened in February, the proprietors said they’d be adding brunch – and that finally launches this week, every Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm. Here’s the menu.

MOLLY MOON’S TIMELINE: Almost three weeks now since we reported Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream is moving into 4540 California SW in The Junction. It’s not going to happen as quickly as you might expect – Katie from Molly Moon’s answered our followup inquiry: “Of course everyone wants to know ‘when will you be open?’ and all I can say is that we want to be open as soon as possible! So much of the timing is out of our control (permitting, construction schedules, etc) but if it goes our way, we’d love to be scooping cones and cups by this fall!” City records show the company has indeed applied for permits, so the process has begun.

The list for your West Seattle Thursday

(River otters at Anchor Park, photographed Tuesday by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Today’s list is late because of breaking news, but here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Now open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.

WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com for info on where they’re playing today.

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar now open Thursdays-Saturdays 1 pm-6 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.

ESTATE PLANNING: 2 pm discussion at Village Green West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor) – tour while you’re there!

STRONG BODIES, STRONG BONES: 2:30 pm class at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).

HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: Every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Kathmandu MoMoCha.

SOFTBALL: Two high-school home games scheduled today (though it’s raining as we write this) – Chief Sealth IHS hosts Bishop Blanchet and West Seattle HS hosts Ballard, both games listed as 4 pm at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle)

FREE ECO-ARTS CLASS: 5-7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – you’re invited to drop in!

VISCON CELLARS: The West Seattle winery’s tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle.

OPEN HOUSE: Summit Atlas charter middle/high school welcomes prospective families, 5:30 pm. (9601 35th SW)

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Good Society (California/Lander) at 6 pm for a 3-mile run.

HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: 6:30 pm, meet at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) for a 3-mile run through the neighborhood. (Walking option, too!)

BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.

PICKLEBALL/TENNIS AT PARKS BOARD: As previewed, the city Parks Board agenda for tonight – 6:30 meeting, downtown or online – includes a presentation on the department’s vision for pickleball and tennis.

THURSDAY NIGHT TRIVIA: Burger Planet (9614 14th SW) in White Center now has Thursday night trivia at 7 pm – prizes!

FINAL WEEK FOR ‘ENGLISH’: The current play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor) takes the stage at 7:30 pm. See our calendar listing for info, including the ticket link – if sold out online, check directly with the box office.

Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in daily preview lists like this one? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

UPDATE: 1,300 customers lose electricity in West Seattle power outage

10:02 AM: Thanks for the tips. There’s a power outage in eastern West Seattle – 1,300 customers as shown on the Seattle City Light outage map. Updates to come.

10:35 AM: No info yet on the cause. If you’re in the outage zone and see City Light crews, let us know!

10:50 AM: Highland Park Elementary is out of power, according to email we’ve just received. Louisa Boren STEM K-8 also appears to be in the outage zone but we haven’t heard from anyone there, so we’re checking with the district. (Added: Commenters confirm STEM affected too.)

11:23 AM: City Light map shows the outage resolved. We’re inquiring as to what/where caused it.

1:07 PM: City Light spokesperson Jenn Strang tells us “a branch on a line” near SW Orchard was to blame.

Memorial gathering Friday for Martin E. Schutt, 1944-2024

Family and friends of Marty Schutt will gather tomorrow to remember him and want to invite others who knew him to be there too:

A memorial gathering for Martin E. Schutt will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024 from 11:30 am to 2 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 14022 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien.

Marty passed on April 11 at his retirement home in Pacific County.

Marty was West Seattle-born – February 25, 1944, he was the first baby in the Schutt family to not be home-birthed (which was the standard then). He was born in the West Seattle hospital that stood at the corner in The Junction where Starbucks is now.

He attended Alki Elementary School and graduated from West Seattle High School in the Class of 1963.

Marty worked as an engine specialist at Mack Truck of Seattle, formerly on Airport Way.

If you have a memory, a story, or a photo of Marty you’d like to share, the family would be glad to have you bring it to share at the gathering.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

Last day to register for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2024!

Last call to register a sale for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2024 on Saturday, May 11! One year short of its 20th anniversary (the first WSCGSD was in 2005), West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day will be bigger than ever this year, with more than 450 sales registered. We’ve read through 400 of those registrations so far and the variety is impressive to say the least! Descriptions range from “museum-quality dumpster finds” to “kitschy treasure-hunting vibe” … there’s a “kitchenware-palooza,” “teen-curated clothes/shoes,” businesses with Garage Sale Day deals … two sales promising DJs … The map and guide will be ready a week in advance so you can browse it all (or just look for the sales near you). Registration ends at 11:30 pm tonight, so if your sale isn’t signed up yet, don’t wait another minute … go here to register!

TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday info + low-bridge closure day 6

6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, April 25.

LOW-BRIDGE CLOSURE

The West Seattle low bridge is closed for a sixth day, expected to reopen by Monday morning; here’s SDOT info about the closure, including how to get free bus or Water Taxi trips.

SDOT said on Wednesday that “the control system upgrade continues. 90% of the system is in place, and we’re booting up and testing the programmable logic control units one by one.”

ROAD-WORK ALERTS

*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project continues at Delridge/Oregon, down to two lanes for the project’s duration, up to one year.

*Final work on the permanent Highland Park Way/Holden signal is under way, as previewed here. We photographed the crew on Wednesday:

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Cloudy, rain, high in the mid-50s. Today’s sunrise will be at 6:01 am, sunset at 8:14 pm.

(Wednesday sunset, photographed by Gene Pavola)

TRANSIT NOTES

Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.

Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for last-minute changes. Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

High Bridge – the main camera:

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):

1st Ave. S. Bridge:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are open for vessel traffic.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire investigation

After multiple 911 calls about suspected gunfire in South Delridge, police looking for evidence have found some – one casing so far, which an officer told dispatch he found in the 1400 block of SW Henderson. No injuries or property damage reported so far.

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Police release video in teen’s Westwood robbery arrest. Here’s where the case stands (updated Thursday afternoon)

2:25 AM: Almost three weeks ago, we reported that a woman had been attacked and robbed at the Westwood Village Rite-Aid, and followed up with a report on the charges filed against the 13-year-old arrested shortly after the attack. On Wednesday, SPD released this video of both the incident and the arrest:

The SPD post featuring the video did not include any case information beyond what we reported back when this happened. As we noted in our first follow-up report, the suspect already had two warrants out for his arrest before the Rite Aid incident, including one related to a business robbery and assault in Normandy Park in September that had been the subject of TV-news reports because of security video. The other was for a stolen-car case in Renton in October. He also was wanted for escape after cutting his home-detention bracelet and leaving home six days after being released from secure detention back in February.

So here’s what court documents say has happened since our last report:

-He’s been charged with second-degree robbery for this month’s Westwood Rite Aid incident.
-He’s been charged with second-degree escape for cutting off the monitoring device and leaving home in February
-He’s been charged with possession of a stolen vehicle for another October incident in Renton, this one involving a Kia Soul stolen from Auburn

With all that, the suspect is now charged with five felonies. He’s still in secure detention and is due in court today (Thursday) to be arraigned on the three newest felony charges. We’ll update when we find out what happens.

4:48 PM: Court documents from today’s brief hearing say Judge Kristin Richardson ordered the suspect to remain in custody. His next hearing is scheduled for May 9.

MISSING: Have you seen Colleen? (update: found)

THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Colleen has been found and is safe.

Earlier:

Read More

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: SPD seeks help in solving possible kidnapping

Tonight SPD published a request for help in solving a possible kidnapping reported along SW Roxbury two weeks ago. From SPD Blotter:

Seattle Police are seeking the public’s assistance for any information about a woman that was forced into a truck in a West Seattle neighborhood.

On April 10th, the Seattle Police Department received 911 calls regarding a woman being forced into a truck. The location of the incident was Southwest Roxbury Street near White Center.

Police responded to the scene, and quickly located the suspected vehicle. Officers stopped the truck at 14th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Roxbury Street. When officers went to contact the occupants of the truck, it fled the scene.

Officers pursued and lost sight of the truck as it traveled southbound onto Highway 509.

The attached photos are from the SPD traffic stop and Metro Transit buses that were in the area at the time of incident.

If you have any information about this case, please call SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

TRAFFIC ALERT: Pipe-replacement project ahead on SW Holden

Thanks to Savannah for the heads-up on more than a month of work ahead at 30th/Holden – her neighborhood got notices about it, and she thought others who travel through the area should know too. We subsequently obtained the construction notice from Seattle Public Utilities. They tell us this work will replace a 15-foot section of 10-inch-wide sewer pipe, with some added accessibility features on the sidewalk:

For this work, SPU contractor crews will excavate, remove, and replace the section of pipe. New ADA curb ramps will also be installed in the work area. Crews will then restore the roadway. This work is part of a larger citywide sewer rehabilitation effort that enables SPU to provide reliable sewer service to you and your neighbors.

LOCATION
Work will occur near the intersection of 30th Ave SW and SW Holden St. View the map for approximate work location and equipment staging.

SCHEDULE
Construction is scheduled to begin as soon as April 29 with work taking up to 5 weeks to complete. Construction activities will occur on weekdays, 7:30-3:30 pm. Please note that the start date, duration, and working hours are subject to change due to permitting, weather, crew availability, and other factors.

ANTICIPATED IMPACTS
Residents and businesses will continue to receive normal sewer services during construction. However, you can also expect:

• Lanes will be reduced on SW Holden St in the work area. Traffic control measures and signage will be in place to direct traffic.
• Construction noise, dirt, dust, and vibrations
• Increased construction traffic and staging of large equipment near the intersection of SW Holden St and 30th Ave SW
• Parking restrictions near the work area. Please abide by all “no parking” signs.
• Crews will coordinate garbage/recycling/compost pick-up, mail delivery, and emergency access, as needed
• Residents and businesses next to the repair may be asked to limit water usage. Crews will provide notification when performing work that will require reduced flow

See the full construction notice here.

The latest West Seattle brown-water reports

We’ve had two reports of brown water today – Barrie in Admiral reported it late this morning, and Katie west of The Junction just emailed to say, “We’ve got brown water at 45th and Alaska.” We also received one report, with a photo, on Tuesday:

Brian in Gatewood/south Morgan Junction sent that, reporting, “This is like the 4th time this year,” in the 4300 block of SW Frontenac.

The Seattle Public Utilities water-trouble map shows an emergency repair last night near 20th/Roxbury, but that’s not close enough to factor into any of the aforementioned reports, so hydrant testing might be the culprit; if it happens to you, always report it to SPU’s hotline, 206-386-1800.

FOLLOWUP: Mayor announces dates, locations for public-safety forums around the city

That’s Seattle Channel video of the public-safety forum led by Mayor Harrell and chiefs/department heads last month, at which time it was promised that regional forums around the city would follow, one for each police-precinct area. Today, the dates and locations of those forums have just been announced; the one for our area will be Tuesday, May 14, in South Park. Here’s the city announcement:

Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced five additional community safety forums that will give the public opportunity to help shape the soon-to-be-released One Seattle Safety Framework.

Building on lessons learned from the citywide public safety forum held in March, the five community forums will be held in neighborhoods across the city, starting at Garfield High School on April 30, 2024. Each forum will give the public opportunity to share their ideas for how to make Seattle safer and interact with officials from the city’s public safety departments.

“Public safety is our highest priority – the One Seattle Safety Framework defines the outcomes we aim to achieve and the vision to help get us there, based on what we know works and have put into effect, new approaches, and our shared values,” said Mayor Harrell. “Ensuring the framework is informed by meaningful community input is critical for its success – and these public forums will help add and enhance specific actions most impactful to neighbors and communities. I am grateful for the hard work our emergency responders do every day, and I look forward to working with them, the City Council, the City Attorney’s Office, and our neighbors to continue building a safer Seattle.”

Mayor Harrell’s vision for the One Seattle Safety Framework is to create a city where everyone, in every neighborhood, is safe and feels secure. The framework includes six key strategies, which the public is invited to comment on at the upcoming community safety forums.

-Reduce gun violence and other violent crime with evidence-based solutions and enforcement strategies.
-Respond to 9-1-1 calls efficiently and effectively by hiring more officers and diversifying response options.
-Address the root causes and impacts of violence by investing in community-based solutions and upstream interventions.
-Prioritize a public health and trauma-informed approach to reduce overdoses, reduce violence, and better support victims and survivors.
-Coordinate community safety efforts to avoid duplication and inefficiencies by breaking down silos between departments.
-Build and maintain community trust through strong accountability systems and community engagement on law enforcement priorities.

Based on feedback received at the upcoming forums, the City will continue to refine a comprehensive One Seattle Safety Framework with detailed approaches for the above strategies. The City is also releasing a new promotional video showcasing the coordinated approach of the CARE, Fire, and Police departments under this framework, watch here.

The community forums “will feature staff from the Seattle Mayor’s Office, Police Department, Fire Department, CARE Department, Department of Transportation, and youth liaisons,” and will “include specific local information,” the city says. For our area, it’s 6-7:30 pm Tuesday, May 14, at Concord International Elementary School in South Park (723 S. Concord); RSVP here.

Next goal for West Seattle Junction FC: Host families for out-of-state players

Less than four weeks until the first match for West Seattle’s new pre-pro soccer club, Junction FC. The schedule and roster are set. One ball still in play – housing for players! Junction FC sent this announcement in search of hosts:

In the spirit of community engagement, West Seattle Junction FC is reaching out to our vibrant community for assistance in identifying and acquiring volunteers who are willing to open their homes to provide temporary housing for each of the out-of-state players who are on our roster for the season. The dates needed for temporary housing are May 3, 2024, through August 4, 2024. By offering a comfortable and supportive living space, volunteers play a crucial role in helping our athletes thrive both on and off the field.

Interested in hosting a player? Learn more here: wsjunctionfc.club/housing-program

The season starts at 2 pm Sunday, May 19, at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex.

SUV on sidewalk after crash across from Jefferson Square

(Texted photo)

Thanks for the tips and photos. Close call in The Junction about an hour ago – what was dispatched as a two-car collision left one of the vehicles up on the sidewalk and against the exterior of Season’s salon on the ground floor of Mural, across 42nd from Jefferson Square.

(Photo sent by Mike)

The other car was a Camry. No serious injuries reported, nor was anyone reported hit on the sidewalk, but we’re following up with SFD to verify.

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Help find vehicle in deadly hit-run; victim identified

11:29 AM: That’s the vehicle whose driver hit and killed an 81-year-old man at 15th/Roxbury on Monday night, as previously reported here., according to the King County Sheriff’s Office, which just released the photo with this request for help:

Case#: C24013796

On Monday, April 22nd, just after 10:00 PM, the King County Sheriff’s Office received 911 calls reporting a hit and run just south of the intersection of SW Roxbury Street and 15th Ave SW in unincorporated White Center.

On arrival, deputies located the victim, an adult male in his 80s. The victim was transported to Harborview Medical Center, where he later was pronounced deceased.

KCSO’s Major Accident Response & Reconstruction (MARR) detectives are asking for the community’s help in locating the fleeing vehicle. The suspected vehicle (picture attached) is described as a silver, 2007-2016 Jeep Compass with front-end damage to the grill and hood.

If you have any information about the incident or were in the area and may have dash camera footage, call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit P3Tips.com, or use the P3 Tip App. Tips are anonymous.

4:12 PM: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office released the victim’s name this afternoon: Thomas J. Garrett.

Catch up with Fauntleroy ferry-dock replacement project via ‘online open house,’ just launched

(WSB file photo, Fauntleroy WSF terminal)

We’ve been reporting for three years on planning for Washington State Ferries‘ upcoming replacement of the Fauntleroy dock/terminal, but with construction not planned until late in the decade, it’s still in a relatively early stage – multiple alternatives are under consideration, all bigger than the current dock, by varying degrees. WSF is offering you the chance to catch up via an “online open house” that just launched, as well as two online meetings in early May. The “open house” includes this review of the dock-design alternatives currently under consideration. You can visit any time for the next month. You’re also invited to an online meeting – two options for attending what’s promised to be the same meeting – 6 pm Tuesday, May 7 (register here), or noon Wednesday, May 8 (register here).

Meantime, the planning process we’ve been covering continues with the next Community Advisory Group meeting, online at 6 pm Wednesday, May 15 (here’s our report on their most-recent meeting, in March). The public is welcome to observe those meetings (register here).