November 2024

OP-ED : 'Alternative' Final Environmental Statement notes major flaws in Sound Transit's West Seattle light rail plan

A group of regional transit experts has assembled an alternative Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on Sound Transit's WS light rail plan.  You can find its version 5.1 here.  At less than 20 pages, it is more accessible than the nearly 1000-page FEIS generated by Sound Transit.  The group, calling itself Regional Transit Colleagues, has looked at the project from several angles, starting with how Sound Transit tax dollars — about $1780 per household per year in King, Snohomish & Pierce counties — are being spent. 

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Police arrest three serial robbery suspects in coordinated effort

Information from Seattle Police Blotter

by Detective Brian Pritchard 

Seattle Police Officers arrested a 21-year-old, 19-year-old and 11-year-old wanted for a string of robberies in Seattle and surrounding jurisdictions.

During these robberies, the suspects enter the businesses armed with firearms, stole merchandise and cash, before fleeing in stolen vehicles.

Friday evening at approximately 8:30 p.m., the same suspects committed an additional armed robbery in a surrounding jurisdiction. The suspects were pursued in a silver Hyundai by Tukwila Police into Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood.

The pursuit spanned through multiple jurisdictions and involved several agencies including King County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol and Tukwila Police Department.

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Sports Roundup 11-17-24

By Tim Clinton

SPORTS EDITOR

 

Football

Kennedy 49, Richland 7

Kennedy Catholic opened the state Class 4A playoffs by blasting the Richland Bombers in a game played Friday at Highline Memorial.

The No. 4 state seeded Lancers ran their overall record to 11-0.

Next up is a home state quarterfinal against No. 5-seeded Gonzaga Prep of Spokane at a day and time to be announced.

 

Volleyball

West Seattle

The Wildcats won the District 2 Class 3A championship with a 3-0 Saturday victory over Liberty of Renton in the Lakeside of Seattle gymnasium.

West Seattle beat Bellevue by a 3-0 margin earlier in the day after opening with a 3-1 win Thursday over Roosevelt.

The Wildcats advance to the state tournament to take place next Friday and Saturday at the Yakima Valley Sun Dome.

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Reconnecting Alki Beach to Schmitz Preserve Park: UW students present visionary designs

Master's level landscape architecture students from the University of Washington under the guidance of instructor Paul Peters presented their 60% design phase concepts for the future of Schmitz Preserve Park and its connection to Alki Beach on Nov. 15 at Gould Hall in the University District. This eight week design exercise is meant to teach the students analysis, evaluation, design and presentation skills involving the use of software design tools and 3-D models meant for visualization and presentation.

It should be noted that these designs are all high level conceptual ideas that would face enormous hurdles before they could become a reality including, funding, permitting, potential property acquisition and community support. The product of their efforts could serve as an advisory and conceptual guide to any real work that might be done in the future. 

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Sports Watch 11-15-24
Sporting events worth keeping an eye on

By Tim Clinton

SPORTS EDITOR

 

High schools

Football

Kennedy Catholic opens state Class 4A action with a 7 p.m. Friday home game against Richland at Highline Memorial.

 

Volleyball

Chief Sealth travels to the Yakima Valley Sundome for state Class 2A tournament play this weekend, starting with a 9 a.m. Saturday match against Tumwater.

Kennedy Catholic and Mount Rainier are both playing in the West Central District Class 4A tournament that starts Friday.

The Lancers play Spanaway Lake in a 3 p.m. match at Curtis High School and the Rams meet Graham-Kapowsin at 4:45 p.m. at Curtis Junior High.

 

Pros

Seahawks

Seattle goes to San Francisco to take on the 49ers at 1:05 p.m. Sunday.

Channel 13 will televise the action live.

 

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Civil rights pioneer Ruby Bridges honored on 'Walk to School Day'

Civil rights pioneer Ruby Bridges was honored by students and public officials on Nov. 14 during the Walk to School Day. Seattle Public Schools Director Chris Carter was in attendance and  Denny International Middle School Principal Mary Ingraham and City Councilmember Rob Saka spoke to students at a gathering at 26th and Trenton SW prior to walking to Denny International Middle School, where they were greeted by "Lunch Lady" Doree Fazio-Young and given hot chocolate.

 

Carter, Ingraham and Saka
Seattle Public Schools Director Chris Carter, Denny International Middle School Mary Ingraham and Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka. Photo by Patrick Robinson

 

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Dow Constantine announces he will not seek re-election next year

Dow Constantine who has served as King County Executive since 2009 announced Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2025.

He previously served on and chaired the King County Council from 2002 to 2009. His political career began as a legislative aide in 1990  and he ran for and won the election for 34th District State House of Representatives serving from 1997 to 2000. He later served as  State Senator from this area from 2000 to 2002.

He’s a graduate of West Seattle High School and The University of Washington Law School.

Constantine made no announcement on his future plans. 

His current term ends Jan. 1, 2026.

In a press release he said:

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West Seattle Junction expands its boundaries

Information from West Seattle Junction Association

The Junction has officially expanded. Please join us in a warm welcome to the new businesses who are now part of the West Seattle Junction Association (WSJA). Our footprint now reaches 1 block north on California Ave SW to SW Dakota St and also includes the east side of Fauntleroy, across from Whole Foods.

See the image above for boundary reference.

Why should you care? Because being a part of WSJA or Business Improvement Area (BIA) means that all of the businesses within our boundaries now have a team, a network, a community, to help keep our neighborhood clean and safe, to organize events and marketing, implement beautification projects, organize community service projects and engage in advocacy in support of our neighborhood with the City of Seattle. 

The new businesses now part of the Junction include the following (between SW Oregon and SW Dakota):

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Wind Advisory could interrupt power in the overnight hours of Nov. 13

As is common in November a windy rainy time is happening Nov. 13 with high wind gusts that might knock out power. 

The National Weather Service issued the following Wind Advisory:

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Seattle WA 

Southwest Interior-Everett and Vicinity-Tacoma Area-Hood Canal Area-Lower Chehalis Valley Area-East Puget Sound Lowlands- Bellevue and Vicinity-Seattle and Vicinity-Bremerton and Vicinity- Including the cities of Lacey, Covington-Sawyer-w, Redmond, Tacoma, Bonney Lake, Sahalee, Montesano, Kenmore, Bremerton, Lynnwood, Silverdale, Edmonds, Prairie Ridge, Olympia, Woodinville, Maple Valley, Kirkland, Shelton, Newport Hills, Elma, McCleary, Everett, Tumwater, Monroe, Bothell, Seattle, Enumclaw, Marysville, and Pine Lake

327 PM PST Tue Nov 12 2024 ...

WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM PST WEDNESDAY...

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Public Safety Survey wrapping up Nov. 30: Fiil it out to help shape community safety

The Public Safety Survey being conducted by Seattle University is still underway but wraps up November 30. The sponsors are urging the public to take the survey.

As of Today (11/12) they have received the following number of surveys by neighborhood in the SW Precinct:

Alaska Junction: 68

Alki: 51

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