April 2013

Press release:

Global Diving & Salvage, Inc. familiar with unique stranding projects was contracted to remove the fin whale on April 16 that had washed up on the Seahurst Beach in Burien.

Global was able to remove the carcass successfully and prevented its further decomposition in the city park.

On Saturday, April 13th, several reports were made to the US Coast Guard that a whale had washed up approximately 5 miles south of Seattle’s Alki Point.

The fin whale, not local to this area, was believed to have been struck by a container ship at sea and brought into the Puget Sound on the bow. As the ship slowed down the whale dislodged and floated until it washed ashore at the north end of Seahurst Park beach.

Biologists examined the carcass and noticed that the tail section was missing, leaving approximately 50 feet of the assumed 65 foot marine mammal. The whale quickly became an attraction; for the next several days the local park service and volunteers from several organizations stood watch. They were able to answer the multitude of questions and keep the public away from the carcass until a plan for removal was established.

Information from SDOT
Seattle Department of Transportation crews plan to grind and pave California Avenue Southwest from Southwest Dawson Street to Southwest Findlay Street on April 25 and 26, weather permitting.

Traffic will be shifted to one side, leaving one lane open in each direction. A Police Officer will assist traffic at the intersection of California Avenue Southwest and Southwest Brandon Street (this is where West Seattle Nursery is located). All crosswalks and sidewalks will remain open.

The crews will work from 9a.m. to 6p.m.

By Matt Wendland

Eight people from Burien and one man from Bellingham, who were in Boston, MA. for the Boston Marathon, are safe after explosions near the race finish line killed 2 people and injured at least 135 others.

Sandi Rowden, a member of CrossFit Burien located on SW 152nd St in Olde Burien, flew into Boston on Saturday, April 13th, to get ready for the race. On Saturday, Sandi was met by her two daughters, Leslie (22) and Jamie (20), their adopted brothers Tim (16) and Casey (14) Clingan, her sister Jill Olsen and boyfriend Derek Monk, as well as Jake Newman and Sandi’s coach Joe Byers.

To view the rest of the story click here to head over to Buriendaily.com

King County Sheriff's Office press release:

The City of SeaTac announced on April 17 that King County Sheriff’s Major Lisa Mulligan has been selected as the City’s new Police Chief. Mulligan will replace Chief James Graddon who is retiring this month after serving as SeaTac’s Police Chief for over 6 years.

Major Mulligan is a 28 year veteran of the King County Sheriff’s Office. Most recently she served as the contract Chief of Metro Transit Police. She has also served as Assistant Commander of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Center and spent much of her career patrolling the southwest area of King County as a deputy and sergeant.

SeaTac City Manager Todd Cutts said, “I believe she will be a great addition to our team here in SeaTac.” Cutts also said a formalized start date has not been set yet, but he expects she will start in late April or early May.

Update

Seattle Police put up their report on SPD Blotter about the Ballard Corners Park explosion fiasco.

First, they explain a bit of background. Since the tragic marathon bombing in Boston on Monday, apparently Seattle Police Department's Arson/Bomb Squad (ABS) has been going around town to check out a half-dozen suspicious bags or devices around the city. So far, they haven't turned up anything, but ABS Sergeant Jim Hansen says ”When there’s a major event around the country, people become more vigilant.” Bags examined so far have contained hair dryers, wires or left behind luggage, writes Jonah Spangenthal-Lee.

North Beach Park has made leaps and bounds in progress over the last few years.

When the Ballard News-Tribune last published an article about the park, in June of 2008, it was in a depressing state. Seattle Parks and Recreation crew chief Patrick Merriam had inspected the park and found beer bottles, graffiti on trees and other debris. In addition, nearby residents had discovered piles of litter, a water heater, an old tent and other junk on a morning stroll. (If you want to visit memory lane, you can still read May 20, 2008’s article “Neighbors upset over illegal trails” and June 30, 2008’s “North Beach gets help to stay green”)

By Peggy Sturdivant

My daughter seconded an earlier comment that our cold house was “one step above camping.” But the upside of living in such a drafty house is that there was so much room for improvement when we committed to Seattle’s energy upgrade program.

As of Day 12 of the energy retrofit of this old house, the project was emerging as one the greatest successes to date for authorized contractor SustainableWorks. They had reduced air leakage by half, thereby lowering our future heating costs and reducing energy needs.

To recap, our latest adventure with the house began innocently at last September’s Sustainable Ballard festival. It progressed through the drama of the audit (without a way to seal the damper-less chimney from simulating 25 mph hour winds into the living room), through determining the scope of the work, acquiring a home equity loan, and a project manager’s walkthrough. Work started on March 28. (But not until we cleared pathways in the basement.)

The start day was a Thursday. Crew supervisor Zach Hoiland said they might be done the following Tuesday. In later weeks he was willing to admit, “I don’t know why I said that.”

The White Center Chamber of Commerce is seeking more mural artists to continue the effort started last year to decorate building walls with public art.

Outgoing Chamber President Mark Ufkes said, "What we have learned is that murals add color to our community and reduce graffiti at the sites where murals are installed."

White Center now has over 20 murals. "Last year, for example, we took two of the dumpiest buildings in White Center and turned them into public art (The Lions Mural and the Rainbow Mural on 17th Ave. SW) Six more mural sites have been identified for this year's CDA White Center Spring Clean. Three mural sites still need artists," said Ufkes,

Interested artists must be willing to work for free to bring their art and color to White Center. Here are the details of identified mural sites that still need artists.

Meat The Live Butcher (Tom Salle)
9432 16th Ave. SW (South wall - 36 feet long)
(206) 354-2692

An assault by a woman allegedly on drugs sent the assailant to the hospital and left the victim shaken and injured at the entrance to the West Seattle Golf Course on Tuesday April 16.

The victim said, "I was going to go home and she comes up and starts hitting me with the skateboard! I wasn't doing anything. She told me she was high on ecstasy and she told the officers that too."

The victim said she was requesting a trip to the emergency room and complained of injuries to her face, arm and side. "She hit me in the arm and in the lower half of my back. Then after that I pushed her and she starts hitting me so I hit her back."

People in the area including the victim's friend heard her cries for help and called 911. Officers arrived and subdued the suspect, placing her in handcuffs. She was face down, straddling the curb and then sat up as she spoke to officers.

Police said the suspect would be taken to Harborview.

On April 16, King County announced the finalization of a long-term agreement with the federal government to fund pollution control programs to reduce polluted runoff dumping into Puget Sound and the Duwamish River.

Those projects include improvements to the Barton Pump Station and a series of bioretention swales (similar to rain gardens) in the Sunrise Heights and Westwood neighborhoods of West Seattle.

King County Press Release:

Agreement ushers in final phase of King County’s pollution control program
Long-term plan affirmed by feds; protects public health and water quality in Puget Sound, Duwamish River through partnerships and more green infrastructure

An agreement with federal agencies marks the final phase in King County’s long-term plan to protect regional water ways from overflows of stormwater and sewage that occur during heavy rains.