June 2015

 By Tim Robinson 
 
          In the 1950-60's, along Ambaum Boulevard near SW 118th St., for many years, stood a sign; “Fill Dirt Wanted”. The sign was posted by Clarence Gresset, long time resident and local historian who owned the property. The sign emphasized "clean-fill" so contributors would not discard their yards scraps. 
 
 We don't know if anyone actually ever dumped a load of good dirt for Clarence.

It seemed an unlikely request that anyone would take the time to rid themselves of perfectly good dirt. What the sign did say was that Clarence Gresset was a man of opportunity and dreams of building a better community. 
 
         The  big sign was between White Center and the Green Center trailer park just before the Salmon Creek curve. Gresset was closer to Green Center but wrote about the history of White Center for good reason. Not much was happening in that old trailer park but White Center was a hub of activity sitting just across the Seattle city limit at SW Roxbury street.
 

Saturday afternoon, June 13th, Seal Sitters will be holding a special training for those wanting to protect marine mammals along the shoreline of West Seattle and the Duwamish River. Unlike most marine mammal stranding networks, we encourage children to participate in Seal Sitters - supervised at all times, of course, by a parent or guardian. The training will take place at Alki UCC 6115 SW Hind Street in the Front meeting room from 1pm to 3:30 pm. The doors will be open at 12:30 and training will start promptly at 1.

A multi-media presentation will illustrate Seal Sitters MMSN's educational work in the community and the unique challenges of protecting seals and other marine mammals in an urban environment. Included in the training is an overview of NOAA's Western Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network and biology and behavior of seals and other pinnipeds (due to time frame, supplementary sessions will include more marine mammals of Puget Sound).

FOR MORE DETAILS AND RSVP, visit Seal Sitters' event page http://www.sealsitters.org/news/events_and_training.html

Volunteer with Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network (www.sealsitters.org).

A proposed 4-story structure containing 89 residential units, 8,500 sq. ft. of office space and 1,500 sq. ft. of retail space located at ground level is the subject of an early design guidance review on June 25. Surface parking for 98 vehicles would be provided. The project would be located at 35th SW and SW Graham street at 6058 35th Ave SW.

No design packet has yet been made available.

MEETING

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2015

Time: 8:00 p.m.

Location: West Seattle Senior Center
4217 SW Oregon Street
Hatten Hall

All meeting facilities are ADA compliant. Translators or interpreters provided upon request. Please contact the Public Resource Center at prc@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8467 at least five business days prior to the meeting to request this service.

OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT

A proposed CVS Pharmacy, intended to be built at 4722 Fauntleroy Way SW, across the street from The Whittaker/Whole Foods project and taking the place of West Seattle Produce and Suite Arrangements is up for an early design guidance review meeting June 25. It is DPD project #3019746. The 12,200 sq.ft. retail building would have surface parking for 17 vehicles. An additional 32 surface parking stalls to be provided at 4721 38th Ave SW (project #3019746).

MEETING

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2015

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: West Seattle Senior Center
4217 SW Oregon Street
Hatten Hall

(An early design guidance meeting was previously held on March 19, 2015.)

All meeting facilities are ADA compliant. Translators or interpreters provided upon request. Please contact the Public Resource Center at prc@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8467 at least five business days prior to the meeting to request this service.

OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT

On Saturday June 13, The West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club will again be hosting the annual Free Kids Fishing Derby at Seacrest Park and Marina located at 1660 Harbor Ave SW.

The West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club in association with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have been hosting the Kids Fishing Derby at various locations in West Seattle since 1934.

The fishing pond will open at 8:00 am and conclude at 11:00 am, and fishing poles and bait will be provided. Kids and their families all enjoy a morning on the water front and the kids enjoy their fishing opportunity. For many this will be their first fishing trip.

Free photos with their catch will also be available.

For further information contact Gary Moseley, President, West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club (206) 935-9240.

The 17-year-old suspect who was shot in the head by a King County Sheriff's Deputy on May 28 was released from the hospital today. After leaving Harborview Medical Center the suspect was booked into the Youth Service Center on investigation of Assault in the 1st Degree, attempting to allude police, and two counts of Malicious Mischief in the 1st Degree.

On May 28 the teenager was spotted in SeaTac by Sheriff's Deputies driving a 1996 Lexus that had earlier been reported stolen out of Federal Way. When the deputies attempted to pull the suspect over a short chase ensued that ended in the dead end of an apartment complex. As the Deputies got out of their vehicles and approached the suspect's car he threw it into reverse and rammed one of the patrol cars.

In doing so the suspect pinned one of the deputies between the two patrol vehicles. At that point one of the officers fired twice into the suspect's car, hitting him in the head.

By Peggy Studivant

We were standing next to each other waiting to unfurl a banner between us for the 17th of May Parade. After the Nordic Heritage Museum group moved into position Elaine Ike said to me, “Do you know what’s going to happen to Webster School after the museum moves?”

Her question to me, and what she revealed next took me on a weeklong journey into Ballard history, into a chapter that I didn’t know had existed, and into a state my friend and fellow writer Sheila Kelly calls, “Research Rapture.”

I don’t know Elaine Ike well. Along with another woman I’ve recently met as part of Seattle Green Spaces Coalition there has not been time for learning backstories, as one usually does in budding friendships. We meet to strategize, agreeing that we hope that when we are old we can sit down as friends in open spaces that we have been able to keep from development.

Earlier this month King County Metro and Sound Transit release proposed plans for changes in bus service routes that will affect Northwest Seattle riders, and the Ballard District Council has made recommendations to the proposals.

In early 2016, Sound Transit’s Link light rail will connect Capitol Hill and the University of Washington with downtown Seattle, Rainier Valley and Sea-Tac Airport. With the new system, Metro and Sound Transit are considering changes that they think will help buses and light rail work together to improve overall mobility.

According to Metro, average transit boardings per day average around 400 thousand. As of March of this year, ridership has been 1.4 percent higher than last year. Metro attributes the growth to an increase in local employment.

Changes are proposed to 32 Metro bus routes (8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 32, 43, 44, 48, 49, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 238, 242, 316, 372, and 373) and three Sound Transit routes (ST 540, ST 542, and ST 545)

Route 44, 45 and 28 will affect Northwest Seattle riders.

Thieves take beer, beat clerk with folded belt

Seattle Police are investigating a robbery and assault that took place at a convenience store on the 9000 block of Holman Road NW on May 25. The victim told police that two male suspects – one white, one black – entered the store and split up. The number one suspect went to the back of the store and grabbed two cases of beer. He dashed out the door. The other suspect lagged behind. The store clerk followed the suspect into the parking lot and attempted to retrieve the beverages. There was the scuffle. The suspect took off his belt, folded it in half and struck the clerk on the head and body. He made off with the beer. The clerk tried to follow but fell. The second suspect ran during the scuffle. Police dispatched a K9, and the stolen goods were found behind the building. Police believe the suspects got in a waiting car and drove off. The clerk said he would be able to recognize the suspects if he saw them again. He declined medical treatment for scrapes and scuffs.

Burglar makes off with games and jewelry

Saint Alphonsus Holy Angel Academy class of 1955 celebrated their 60th anniversary on March 30 at the Seattle Yacht Club. The class graduated on June 5, 1955.

The high school was located on the top portion of the parish at 5816 15th Ave NW. The school closed in 1973.

Over 150 other members from past classes attended the anniversary dinner.