West Seattle Crime Watch: Precious memories, taken by thieves

A car prowl in Highland Park stole more than just belongings – it stole precious memories that were all Mary‘s daughter and grandchildren had left of their husband/father, killed in the Middle East. Mary says it took her a while to realize that a public plea just might somehow help bring back that one item full of memories – one particular hard drive:

Last month my daughter’s Suburban was broken into when she and the
babies spent the night at my house. When I opened the curtains in the morning I saw that the back hatch was open. She ran outside, looked in and instantly started crying – someone had stolen EVERYTHING from in it. Two car seats and all the stuff that goes with them, a large emergency kit she had just put together, the dog’s leases and toys, yard tools that she borrowed from me, the brand new Easter presents for the kids, a bunch of toys and of course all the electronics. They even took the kids’ cups that were in the back seat, some miscellaneous clothes that were tossed in and all the kids’ snacks that were in the glove box. Unbelievable.

The absolute worst part – they took two external hard drives. She had them in the console and was taking them somewhere to have one copied onto the other. The one she was copying belonged to her husband who died in Afghanistan last year. On it were the last photos and movies he took of his life with his military friends, what he was doing and feeling on his 9-month tour and the last photos of his life. The people who have this hard drive have no idea what they have done to my daughter – they took his life from her. Again.

I don’t think this was just some random kids prowling the streets and checking for unlocked car doors, these people must have had a large vehicle to take all this stuff away and while they tried to jimmy the ignition, they just succeeding in scratching up the steering column. We called the police and of course there is nothing they can do, this happens almost every night they say. Unfortunately the magnitude of this does not even register with them, it’s just another car prowl.

I know asking for the hard drives back is a stretch to say the least but I have to try. And of course if they get returned there will be no questions asked. Thank you.

You probably remember Mary’s son-in-law: Navy Petty Officer Jarod Newlove, the West Seattleite killed in Afghanistan ten months ago.

West Seattle Trader Joe’s: The construction fence is up

Last Saturday, we reported the first construction permit granted for the long-awaited West Seattle Trader Joe’s at 4545 Fauntleroy Way SW, meaning construction is imminent. And here’s another sign – as of this afternoon, the fence is up. We have a message out to corporate PR to ask if they have any update from the six-month construction schedule listed in the plans we reviewed downtown earlier this year. (ADDED 4:37 PM: A TJ’s spokesperson tells WSB they won’t get any more specific than “4th quarter” for an expected opening date.)

SIDE NOTE: Seems West Seattle Trader Joe’s fans have kindred spirits across the water in Kitsap County. They’re finally getting one, in Silverdale, – and this Kitsap Sun story about its impending opening next month includes the same sort of saga we’ve gone through here over years of rumors/etc.

Announcing Löwman Bräu: ‘We think West Seattle is so cool, it deserves its own beverage’

Just announced by Jeff Gilbert of Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) – West Seattle’s very own beer, Löwman Bräu, is ready for its closeup:

Löwman Bräu was conceived and named in 2010 by the owners of The Feedback Lounge in West Seattle’s Morgan Junction. Over the course of last year, we modified our concept, contacted master brewer Alejandro Brown over at the way cool Big Al Brewing in White Center, and invited some of our fellow bar/restaurant owners together to present a local beer that’s not only West Seattle-centric in its name (you’ve heard of our locally famous Lowman Beach, yes?), but is designed to support our totally kick-ass neighborhood and community.

We each do this by pledging a percentage of every pint sold during Löwman Bräu’s limited summer run to West Seattle-only charities. So yeah, another excellent reason to drink this awesome beer!

The Feedback Lounge, along with our friends at West 5, Shadowland, Mission, Easy Street Records, The Bridge, Locöl, and of course, Big Al Brewing, is introducing Löwman Bräu to the entire West Seattle community, all on the same night in each of our establishments.

Wednesday, June 15, 7 pm, all the participating venues will hold a 21 & older premiere party for Löwman Bräu, so whichever place is your hangout, we got you covered.

Löwman Bräu will be sold as “pint pours from kegs,” only in West Seattle/White Center/Georgetown, and each participating venue will determine a percentage of the proceeds to go to charity. There will be West Seattle-exclusive seasonal beers too – find out about them, and the full scoop on Löwman Bräu, from this page on The Feedback’s website.

(SIDE NOTE: If you haven’t heard, this is Washington Beer Week; find all the latest updates at West Seattle-headquartered Washington Beer Blog.)

West Seattle coyotes: 4 sightings, including ‘Wanna play?’

Tom shared that photo with a coyote-sighting report from a little more than an hour ago – one of two we’ve received this morning, which we’re publishing along with two more from recent days. First, Tom’s note accompanying the photo:

8:40 AM this morning … A young coyote was on our deck on 21st Ave SW near Holly St. He was not afraid, we walked right up to the window with the camera. He wanted to play, tried several times to pick up this blue toy.

A short time earlier, from the Admiral District, Caylyn had a double sighting:

I live on 44th between Hinds and Hanford and just ran outside because I thought I
saw two dogs running down the middle of the street. I brought out my dog treats to see if I could call to them. To my surprise they were very big coyotes. Yellowish brown in color and looked like small German Shepherds. Please, people with children, gardening and walking dogs, be careful in this area.

The other 2 sightings, ahead:Read More

West Seattle Tuesday: Crime-prevention ‘field trip’; traffic alert; student art…

May 24, 2011 9:30 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Tuesday: Crime-prevention ‘field trip’; traffic alert; student art…
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts | WS miscellaneous

From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

CRIME-PREVENTION FIELD TRIP: Tonight’s meeting of the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network will start at the Southwest Precinct as usual (6:30 pm), but then moves on to a carpool (or self-driven) field trip to a private residence where Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design will be shown in action, following up on a presentation by Community Police Team Officer Jon Kiehn at a WSBCN meeting earlier this year. All welcome, not just Block Watch captains.

TRAFFIC ALERT – PARTIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE OVERNIGHT: One more time tonight, the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct is scheduled for an overnight shutdown, 10 pm-5 am, which again means that the bridge ramps from I-5 and from Columbian Way (Beacon Hill) will be closed too. Here’s the official SDOT advisory.

HIGH-SCHOOL ART SHOW: Today through Saturday, the ArtsWest Gallery presents the work of top student artists from West Seattle High School, Seattle Lutheran High School, and Chief Sealth International High School. A reception and awards presentation is planned 6 pm Thursday night, but starting today, you can visit the gallery and see their work.

Video: Seattle Public Schools’ new leader in High Point

May 24, 2011 9:02 am
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 |   High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Top Seattle Public Schools leaders including interim superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield and school board president Steve Sundquist led a forum last night at Neighborhood Center in High Point. It was not an official district event, but was co-sponsored by private organizations Neighborhood House and the Alliance for Education. Though an invitation was extended to anyone in West Seattle with public-school questions and concerns, the bulk of the discussion involved issues unique to High Point, including transportation to Denny International Middle School, whose principal Jeff Clark was also among those on hand. Though Denny students in HP are technically inside the walk zone, it was noted that they will be provided with transit passes. We recorded the nearly-two-hour meeting, which included translation for Somali community members, in its entirety from the point where Dr. Enfield began speaking (first hour atop the story, second hour below):

Our video was recorded by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand, who estimates the attendance at about 50. The translator was Aynna Aden.

West Seattle passengers among the first to ride new Metro buses

Metro sent word on Monday that brand-new hybrid buses had just hit the street, and when the official announcement just mentioned “South King County,” we asked if perhaps that included West Seattle and/or White Center. Turns out – it did! If you rode Route 128 somewhere between Admiral and Southcenter on Monday, you were among the first to ride Metro’s new Orion 40-foot hybrid-electric buses, each costing about half a million dollars but partially paid for by federal “stimulus” funds. Read all about ’em here.

How much to spend on public safety? Low-key chat tonight

(Photos by Katie Meyer for WSB)
Four city councilmembers were in West Seattle tonight – Councilmember Tom Rasmussen for the first of three Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee forums around the city (more on that later), and Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Mike O’Brien (above), and Jean Godden for a discussion of the city’s public-safety budget. (Burgess chairs the Public Safety committee.) The latter meeting was never widely announced; we stumbled onto a brief mention on a city calendar, then a note to a neighborhood mailing list, and when we asked why no news release had been sent to announce the meeting and get it on media events calendars, we were told they were using a small-group format that could only accommodate about 75 people, and they didn’t want to have to turn people away.

They shouldn’t have worried.

We asked WSB contributor Katie Meyer to check out that meeting, and she estimates the citizen turnout at Delridge Community Center (aside from councilmembers and staffers) at fewer than 20. A quick meeting summary, ahead:Read More

West Seattle Crime Watch: Witness helps solve burglary

(Photo shared by Michael, added Tuesday morning)
Couple messages came in earlier tonight about police activity at Delridge and Holden. Here’s what it was about, according to Lt. Ron Smith of the (not far from the scene) Southwest Precinct: About quarter till six, a call of “burglary in progress” in the 2400 block of SW Holden brought police to the scene. A witness said he had seen two “male juveniles” go into a home, steal items, and walk/run away.

Description/”direction of travel” information that the witness gave, quickly distributed among police, was good enough that officers found the suspects several blocks away; they fled into a residence and then, Lt. Smith continues, “The 2 suspects fled out a window at the rear of the house and were apprehended on a steep uphill embankment where they tried to conceal the stolen goods in the blackberry brush. Officers processed the scene and the recovered property was placed into evidence. Both suspects were positively identified and placed into the Youth Services Center for burglary. One suspect was also booked for a warrant. Thank you, West Seattleites, for taking good care of your neighborhoods!”

(P.S. Interested in burglary prevention? This meeting/field trip tomorrow night is for you.)

ADDED 10:23 PM: Since publishing this, we’ve received a note from the witness, Phillip, telling his story:

I actually heard them busting through my neighbor’s house and then saw them leaping over the fence, so I jumped up and ran out my door chasing after them down the street – I called out to my neighbor to call 911, and kept chasing them all the way down Holden (barefoot, mind you.. I didn’t even realize I forgot my shoes) where I saw them go running into a house. I managed to cut up my foot a bit chasing after them, but didn’t even realize until I got in my house and saw I was tracking blood around. I just did what any good neighbor would – looking out for them. :)

The credit really should go to the WSPD for their incredibly fast response.. it was only about 2 minutes from when I lost sight of them to when the first cruiser rolled up, and they’d apprehended them moments afterward.

ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: SPD Blotter featured this case early today. Only added detail is that the suspects are 16 and 17. Also, Michael shared a photo he took during the big police response, and we’ve added it atop the story.

West Seattle (offshore) scene: Sea lions sighted – oh, buoy!

You can hear them from Don Armeni, Jack Block, and Seacrest, and vicinity – but unless you’re out on the water, or have binoculars, no closeup look. Patrick McCaffrey provides us with a view of the sea lions that hang out off Harbor Avenue – from a distance and close up.

Thanks to Patrick and the other fine photographers who share photos here – if you have a photo to share, here are the various ways to share it!

West Seattle volunteers help provide safety net for budget-slashed Salmon in the Classroom

(Sanislo Elementary salmon-releasing visit** to Fauntleroy Creek last week; photo by Lisa Keith)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

This week, Fauntleroy residents Judy Pickens and Phil Sweetland will finish a busy schedule of assisting hundreds of local schoolchildren with salmon releases into Fauntleroy Creek, which runs steps away from their home.

But there’s no time to rest, if they are going to be back at creekside, doing it again next year.

One day before their schedule of salmon releases ends, the gavel is scheduled to fall on the special session of the State Legislature. And with that gavel, it will be official: No state money for the program that has facilitated the releases over the years, Salmon in the Classroom.

Read More

3 dates set for Denny International Middle School transition events

In our coverage of the recent joint Chief Sealth International High School-Denny International Middle School PTSA briefing, we mentioned a big event announced that night by Denny principal Jeff Clark – a June 11th event to say goodbye to the half-century old school that is soon to be demolished. Today, we have more information about that event, and a couple other dates you can mark on the calendar: First, the June 11th event, for anyone interested to take “one last look” at the old Denny, will start with “walking the halls” at 10 am – then 10:30-noon, a program in the cafeteria. (This is on a Saturday, so classes will not be in session.) Dates also have been set for the new Denny’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, 1 pm Tuesday, September 6th, the day before the new school year starts, and an “all-community celebration” at 10 am Saturday, September 24th.

As for exactly when the old Denny building is to be demolished, making way for new sports facilities – a softball field and tennis courts – replacing the ones lost in the construction of the new school on the Sealth campus, we have that question out to the district, which expects to be able to share the information later this week. The demolition permit has not yet been granted, but it’s close, as the city website lists its status as “reviews completed.” The land-use permit for the project was granted in March.

West Seattle Water Taxi numbers, before/after 99 Squeeze

As promised, we have before/after numbers on the West Seattle Water Taxi, through the prism of the Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct lane-reduction “squeeze” that began one week ago today.

For the week BEFORE the Squeeze, morning-commute ridership averaged 90 passengers daily, afternoon-commute ridership averaged 150 passengers daily.

For last week, the numbers jumped 50+ percent in the morning – averaging 140 passengers – and doubled in the pm, to 300.

From the office of King County Councilmember Joe McDermott (who also chairs the King County Ferry District Board), Michelle Allison says, “We look forward to this trend continuing. There is still plenty of room on the boat and the free shuttle that meets the taxi at Seacrest dock, bringing riders to several important transfer points, including 35th and Avalon. From here riders can catch the 54, 55, 21 and 22 buses.” (The schedule for the 775 to Admiral/Alki is here; the schedule for the 773 to The Junction, and part-time to Morgan Junction, is here.)

West Seattle scene: Duplex demolished on Beach Drive

Thanks to Nancy for sharing that photo of demolition in progress this morning at 4149 Beach Drive (map). It’s a 95-year-old house, listed on county rolls as a duplex, being torn down for what the city lists as a new 3-story single-family house with “accessory dwelling unit.” The city site says it’s been exactly four years ago since an application was filed for a different project at the site (reported here); the same city page says that project was canceled.

SIDE NOTE: Wondering about trends? The city keeps online statistics for building permits by month. No breakdown by region or project, but in April (when this permit was issued), building, demolition and related permits totaled $305 million in value, compared to $107 million for April last year.

12:44 PM UPDATE: House gone. Katie E shares this new photo:

She adds, “Thanks for the tip on the demolition on Beach Drive. It made for a nice pre-lunch outing for my three year old son and I. … The house is now a pile of boards and rubble. Also, Henry (who’s 3 and fancies himself a construction vehicle expert), tells me it’s an excavator, not a backhoe. Not sure if he’s right, but that’s what he insists!” (Editor’s note: Consulting Google Image Search, we will take Henry’s correction. So much for the first alliterative headline; we’ll scrap “busy backhoe” for “duplex demolished.” Thanks!)

West Seattle Monday: Citywide leaders here; plus, a benefit

Before the news of the day sweeps too much further along, one last reminder about 4 one-time-only events tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

TRANSPORTATION FUTURE: Certainly a lot of concern about Seattle’s transportation “present” – so if you have something to say, join in a workshop about its future, 5:30-7:30 pm tonight, Southwest Library (35th/Henderson). City Council Transportation Committee chair Councilmember Tom Rasmussen will be there too. Here’s our previously published preview.

PUBLIC-SAFETY BUDGET: Long before the big clamorous budget hearings, councilmembers are trying a new format to find out citizens’ priorities and concerns. Here’s one: A community conversation about the city’s Public Safety budget with Public Safety Committee chair Tim Burgess among those on hand, Delridge Community Center gym (4501 Delridge Way SW), 6-8 pm.

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IN WEST SEATTLE: West Seattleites with an interest in Seattle Public Schools issues are invited to a public forum at High Point Neighborhood Center (6400 Sylvan Way) tonight with interim Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield and other district officials, 6:30 pm.

BENEFIT:Not in West Seattle, but it’s on behalf of a West Seattleite: A benefit for Nicole Pieratt, who’s battling breast cancer, is tonight at Fred Wildlife Refuge (128 Belmont Ave E) on Capitol Hill, 6 – 11 pm. More details here.

Traffic alert tonight: Westbound Spokane Street Viaduct closure

If you’re heading toward West Seattle late tonight or early tomorrow, from work or play or wherever, this might affect you: 10 pm tonight-5 am tomorrow, it’s the second of three overnight construction closures for the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct – the section of the West Seattle Bridge that’s between I-5 and Highway 99. The first closure (last Thursday night) caught some by surprise despite advance alerts, especially those using I-5, since this means the West Seattle exits will be closed, as well as access from Beacon Hill’s Columbian Way. Here’s the original alert from SDOT.

Troop 41504 Girl Scouts mentor younger Scouts to earn their Bronze

When you think of children, and mentors, your first thought may be of adults mentoring the kids. But for groups such as Girl Scouts, it means youth mentoring younger kids – as was the case on Saturday at Camp Long, for West Seattle’s Junior Girl Scout Troop 41504. Troop leader Patricia Hahler is so proud of her Scouts (6th graders) for earning their Bronze Awards, she invited the media to cover the crowning event – a Fun Day her Scouts hosted for younger Scouts (three Brownie troops – 2nd/3rd graders – and one Daisy troop – kindergarteners/first graders). The Junior Scouts set up three “stations” around the park for the younger Scouts to visit, in rotation (above, First Aid; next, Improv):

Other stations included Hiking/Compass and Games/Sensory – which is where we found this activity:

Patricia explains that Bronze is the first of three levels of awards that older Girl Scouts earn – at the next level, Cadettes, they earn Silver Awards; then as Senior Girl Scouts, Gold Awards. And it’s not easy; she explained, “There are many requirements within the Bronze Award requirements to satisfy before reaching the service project.” (They are explained on the Girl Scouts’ national website, here.) Congratulations to the Troop 41504 Girl Scouts earning their Bronze Award: Penny Dierich, Corinne Manley, Jane Miller, Kaitlin Morgan, Regan Nagle, Haley Pyscher and Hana Kurahara Sisk!

Family Promise: Shelter program restarts in 2 weeks; then, a party!

May 22, 2011 10:09 pm
|    Comments Off on Family Promise: Shelter program restarts in 2 weeks; then, a party!
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Among those with booths/tables at today’s Summer Streets event on Alki (WSB coverage here): West Seattle-headquartered Family Promise of Seattle. You might recall, this is the family-sheltering program that decided last August to go on hiatus because of a funding crisis, and has been working ever since to get enough money to restart its program, which shelters homeless families with the help of community partners (usually churches). Back in March, we reported that the FPS board had tentatively decided fundraising was going well enough, they could plan to reopen in June. Today, board members Cierra Moore and Lynne Downs confirmed to WSB that they’re still on track; June 6th is the date they plan to start serving homeless families again. Just days later, they have a fundraising event planned, with tickets on sale now – a “sock hop”-style dinner/dance/auction event in West Seattle on June 11th, with tickets available by calling 206-937-2703. Here’s a flyer with full details. (Auction items already lined up, Lynne says, include an 18-seat suite of Sounders FC tickets, and a weekend at Rosario Inn on Orcas Island in the San Juans.)

Become an Orca Steward! Free training offered on June 11th

May 22, 2011 8:21 pm
|    Comments Off on Become an Orca Steward! Free training offered on June 11th
 |   Announcements

The Whale Trail is presenting an Orca Steward Training at the Alki Community Center (5817 SW Stevens Street) on June 11th from 10 am to 2:30 pm. This half-day program is designed to teach individuals about orcas, issues impacting them, and what people can do to make a difference. Starting with West Seattle, they hope to offer this training to communities around the region. Details below…

A pilot project to train orca stewards is launching in June with its first presentation to the local community. Presented by The Whale Trail, the Orca Steward Training Program seeks to teach members of the local community what they can do to help endangered southern resident orcas. Starting with the West Seattle community, the goal is to offer the Orca Steward Training Program in communities around the region, creating a network of people making positive changes for the orcas and the Sound.

The event will feature experts sharing their knowledge of orcas with residents of West Seattle and beyond. Cindy Hansen from The Whale Museum will teach “Orca ABCs,” Lynne Barre from NOAA Fisheries will discuss the management and recovery of the southern resident orcas, Mark Sears will share his photos and experiences from over 30 years of orca research in West Seattle, and Franziska McKay of People for Puget Sound will show how everyone can have a positive influence on the Sound, linking stormwater management to orca recovery.

The event is free, and open to all ages.

Preregistration is required at Brown Paper Tickets. Training is free and lunch will be provided. Attendance is limited. Register early!

This project is funded in part by a Neighborhood Matching Fund award of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.

Why become an Orca Steward?
Local Southern Resident orcas (J, K, and L pods) have historically and currently use the entire Puget Sound basin. During winter months, they are frequently spotted from the shores of West Seattle. These iconic marine mammals were listed as Endangered in 2005. Threats contributing to their decline include lack of prey, toxin accumulations, and stress and noise from vessel impacts. If current trends continue or worsen, they could go extinct in as little as 100 years.

Residents of the Puget Sound region have a tremendous impact on whether the orcas will survive. The pilot program will teach how individuals can make a difference for the whales, the Sound, and the marine life that it sustains. As part of the program, participants will be encouraged to make a commitment to one or more specific stewardship actions, focused especially on stormwater management.

About The Whale Trail
The Whale Trail is a series of sites around the region where the public may view orcas and other marine mammals from shore. Its mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment. The project is partnering with groups, agencies and communities around the region to select and develop the Whale Trail sites, and to create and deliver educational programs. With 20 sites established, the project plans to add at least 20 more this year, including four in West Seattle.

For more information, visit www.thewhaletrail.org, see them on Facebook, or email info@thewhaletrail.org

West Seattle Crime Watch: ‘A terrible ripoff’ & 3 more reports

Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes as the weekend comes to a close. First, the one to which Kevin tipped us, with e-mail headed “A Terrible Ripoff” – it’s about what you don’t see on this door, any longer:

The opening-soon Junction restaurant/pub A Terrible Beauty (California/Edmunds) is missing an ornate metal door-knocker. After Kevin’s note came in, WSB contributor Katie Meyer went over to find out more. Seems it turned up missing yesterday, and they speculate it might be a case of metal theft.

Sorry to say there’s no photo we can point you to so that you would know it if you saw it, but Katie says ATB’s co-owner Jenna Shannon Garvey O’Brien describes it as “(matching) the hardware on the door, which is pretty dark patinated brass, looks nearly black – it was round, about 3 inches, with a loop or ring that swung as the knocker. It was original to the antique door they got from a reclamation/salvage place, and they had taken the hardware off, painstakingly sanded/refinished and re-stained the door, then screwed the hardware back on.” Jenna told Katie they regret not nailing or gluing it to the door, since, Katie reports, “they’ve learned to nail everything down from their other establishment, where someone walked off with an ornate Celtic cross from inside the restaurant, and someone else walked out with a brass urn and an antique washboard!” Three more Crime Watch reports ahead – a parking-lot hit-run and a GPS theft – plus an arrest report from the Southwest Precinct:Read More

West Seattle schools: 2 Chief Sealth notes, including new website

May 22, 2011 6:09 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle schools: 2 Chief Sealth notes, including new website
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online | West Seattle schools

NEW PLACE TO FIND CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ONLINE: Seattle Public Schools has been revamping its web presence, not just for the district’s own website, but also for individual schools. The latest West Seattle school to get a new site – and new URL – is Chief Sealth, at chiefsealthhs.seattleschools.org. According to the announcement, CSIHS families should know “the new site has new capabilities for connecting with your students’ classes and teachers,” though they won’t be fully functional till fall (they’re explained here). Meantime, one event you’ll find listed on the new site is coming up Wednesday:

5:30-7 pm on Wednesday (May 25), student art will be on display, with some on sale too. Then at 7 pm, Sealth 9th graders will perform original poetry, written in the Book-It Repertory Theater “page to stage” style.

Happening now: Scenes from Alki’s Summer Streets party, till 5

From 56th SW to 63rd SW, Alki Avenue SW is all people power till 5 pm, as part of the annual Seattle Summer Streets party. You can even go airborne:

…or enjoy a unique set of wheels:

At 61st SW, the Alki Community Council-presented “Family Fun Day” events are under way (see the list in our earlier report). And by Alki Bathhouse, you’ll get to meet folks from community groups including West Seattle Be Prepared and The Whale Trail. We’re headed back to the beach after a brief break at HQ – more coverage to come! ADDED 4:10 PM: The kids’ talent show about an hour ago drew a crowd:

And along the route, community and advocacy groups greeted visitors – like The Whale Trail (that’s founder Donna Sandstrom at right):

Also here for marine-mammal advocacy – Seal Sitters:

And the Seattle Fire Department‘s here too, with Engine 29 from the fire station in Admiral:

Beach businesses are joining in too – Coastal Boutique has been a fixture every year; this year, there’s T-shirt screening outside:

(added) A new participant this year (unless our memory fails us) – Team Half Racks, getting ready for the 3-Day breast-cancer-fighting walk:

They were selling cupcakes and promoting their upcoming June 18th bingo fundraiser:

(TRAFFIC NOTE: While Alki SW is technically open east of 56th SW, we noticed on the way back here that it’s restricted in the lanes heading to the beach, “local traffic only,” so you’re still best advised, if you don’t live on Alki, to approach from back ways including Admiral; even the Alki end of Bonair had an officer – who was, as we drove past that point, talking with someone who sure looked a lot like former Mayor Greg Nickels, who lives uphill in North Admiral.)

Happening now: Furry Faces Foundation plant sale, pet adoption

As listed in our “West Seattle Sunday” daily preview, lots going on today in addition to the events on Alki; we stopped by one inbetween events at the beach. Furry Faces Foundation is in the second day of the first weekend of its annual series of fundraising plant sales at 3809 46th SW (just south of Charlestown), and today, you can also go home with Ed the dog, shown above with Rebecca from King County Animal Services. She also brought along a nameless 3-week-old stray kitten, shown at right – not to adopt (yet) but to remind everyone of the importance of volunteers who foster abandoned kittens and other pets that shelters may not be able to care for. Oops, almost forgot about the plants – there are some available for as little as 50 cents; there are veggies, flowers, natives, herbs, sun, shade, hundreds available:

Sale is on till 4 pm.