West Seattle, Washington
12 Friday
We’ve published obituaries since requests started coming in – but this is the first time we recall being asked about a WEDDING announcement; we’d be happy to publish those too! Congratulations to Samir Baillie and Breanna Duvall, celebrating their first full day as husband and wife. He says you might know him as the “espresso-scooter guy” – which explains why the couple also is congratulated on an A-board we just saw outside Red Cup Espresso in The Junction. They got married yesterday at Hamilton Viewpoint Park in Admiral, and had their reception at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center; Samir says they are both West Seattleites, so: “Our idea was to have all of the money spent on the wedding to be put back into the West Seattle community.” (Their officiant was local too, Samir says – Michael Supino, owner of Red Star Pizza.) Wishing you many happy decades together!
(Photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand – that’s from the race’s start; video below, by WSB editor Tracy Record, added 1:08 pm, is the entirety of the field, off and running/walking!)
10:01 AM: The 1,234 West Seattle 5K runners/walkers/joggers are still crossing the finish line. Here are the top men and women:
MEN
1. Joe Sheeran, 53, Ellensburg, #871, 15:57 chip time
2. Kyle Smits, 32, Seattle, #879, 16:16 chip time
3. Ian McMorran, 33, #1186, 16:33 chip time
WOMEN
1. Megan Johnson, 29, Seattle, #445, 17:31 chip time
2. Mary Hanna, 49, Maple Valley, #1266, 19:02 chip time
3. Alexandra Walton, 30, Seattle, #982, 19:12 chip time
P.S. Appropriately enough for a race raising money for education (organized by the West Seattle High School PTSA) – #1 female finisher Johnson is a teacher here in West Seattle.
(added 2:13 pm) Full results will be available later here – though many checked them right after the race, at terminals inside Alki Bathhouse:
P.P.S. The race is about the people on the sidelines, too:
Lots of cheering. And other sites – people running with kids, even pets:
(added 11:03 am) Thanks to Debra Herbst for this overview from further down the race course:
If you squint at the lower-right corner, that’s Spud the fish-and-chips mascot. (added 2:20 pm) A few more photos – starting with WSHS first-year principal Ruth Medsker, thanking the participants for supporting her school:
WSB sponsor Erik LaSeur of Alki Moves, jubilant to have run the West Seattle 5K for the first time:
Kids on the run:
Congratulations to all. We are proud that WSB has been a co-sponsor of the West Seattle 5K since year one.
The signs are up, the runners are out, and we’re a half-hour away from the start of the West Seattle 5K (organized by the West Seattle High School PTSA, with co-sponsors including WSB), which will take over Alki Avenue SW from 63rd to Don Armeni till 11 this morning. Here’s the west end of the roadblock zone:
We found the family with bib numbers 1, 2, and 3 – Shelly Aaron of West Seattle Body Works:
Other race sponsors include two WSB sponsors, Link Apartments and Metropolitan Market, and Northwest Hope and Healing‘s Alki Beach 5K (coming up in late summer):
After that, the Summer Streets party begins, including an afternoon of Family Fun presented by the Alki Community Council – event co-chair Libby Carr just shared this updated schedule for their events (which are in addition to booths and demonstrations from other participants):
12:00 – Brazilian music (flute & guitar) on Plaza
1:00 – Washboard Band
1:00 – Fun Kid Games (w/prizes) west of Bathhouse
2:00 – Irish Dancers
2:30 – Kids’ Talent Show
3:30 – Tae Kwon Do demonstration
4:00 – Ultimate Frisbee demonstrationAlso, pirates, gorilla and a real live miniature horse who lives in Alki will be talking with folks in the street near our stage at 61st & Alki.
More photos in a moment!
(Early arrivals for the WS5K, along the Alki promenade)
Quick look at what’s happening today, before our coverage from Alki begins:
WEST SEATTLE 5K: West Seattle 5K (co-sponsored by WSB), to benefit West Seattle High School PTSA, 9 am – last-minute registration starts at 8 at Alki Bathhouse. Alki Ave closed from 63rd to Don Armeni, 9-11 am. Race starts 9:30 am. MAP HERE.
SEATTLE SUMMER STREETS: 11 am-5 pm, Alki SW remains closed 56th-63rd for the street party including Alki Family Fun Day. MAP HERE.
ALSO AT THE BEACH: AVA beach volleyball on Alki, see full details here.
PLANT SALE: Furry Faces Foundation Plant Sale and Pet Adoption at 3809 46th Ave SW, 10 am – 4 pm. See full story here.
FARMERS’ MARKET: West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm, The Junction (44th/Alaska). Today’s highlights, shared last night by market manager Catherine Burke:
Kittitas Greenhouse: T-O-M-A-T-O-E-S (come git some!)
Rockridge Orchards: Apple Cider Granitas!
Music: Squirrel Butter
WITH BELLS ON: Join Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor, 3940 41st Ave SW) at 4 pm to hear hand bell choirs in all their glory. Afterward, an ice cream social!
WITH WINGS ON: Orchestra of Flight is holding its annual fundraiser dinner at Highland Park Improvement Club (1116 SW Holden), 4 pm – 6:30 pm. Tickets are $15. Dinner is pot luck provided by the orchestra members. Doors open at 4, dinner starts at 4:30 and the concert starts at 5:30. Tickets are available at the door. See Facebook Event page
AT THE GARDEN: Book Reading by Grant Hayter-Menzies at Seattle Chinese Garden at SSCC (6000 16th Ave SW), 4 – 6 pm. FREE. The Empress and Mrs. Conger: The Uncommon Friendship of Two Women and Two Worlds. The reading will touch on the relationship between Cixi, Empress Dowager of China and an American diplomat’s wife Mrs. Conger and Mrs. Conger’s fascination with symbolism in Chinese art, gardens, and architectural design.
SINGING IN GATEWOOD: The Seattle Glee Clubs presents the Seattle Metropolitan Glee Club in concert, “Hope is the Thing”, at Peace Lutheran Church (8316 39th Ave SW), 4 pm. Admission by donation. Directed by John Gulhaugen and accompanied by Diana Shvets, this choir of 22 women will be singing a varied program containing music inspired by the poetry of Emily Dickinson and Percy Shelley, songs from Broadway musicals and popular music enjoyed by many.
A big part of today’s Summer Streets event on Alki (coverage coming up!) was organized by the Alki Community Council. While you’re at the beach, you can find out more about what ACC says is your last chance to be part of Statue of Liberty Plaza:
The sun is setting on the Alki Community Council Brick & Plaque Sale. Orders have been placed for an additional 154 engraved bricks and 2 bronze Tribute Plaques. Seattle Parks & Recreation will be installing these by late May or early June. Donations from this portion of the sale totaled $20,410. The ACC is allowed to retain a small fiscal sponsor fee and is responsible for paying for the engraving of the bricks and casting of the plaques. The remaining amount will be turned over to Seattle Parks & Recreation, to be placed in a dedicated maintenance fund for the future upkeep of the Alki Statue of Liberty and the surrounding plaza. Last year, $35,566.22 was transferred to Parks for this fund.
An additional 22 bricks have been sold for installation this fall. This means that less than 30 bricks and only 2 plaques are available. When these are sold, the sale will be concluded. Be sure and stop by the ACC table at today’s Summer Streets event. Order forms for the remaining bricks and plaques will be available. The Council would like to thank those who have supported this effort over the years.
David & Eilene Hutchinson
ACC Brick & Plaque Sales
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Alki Kayak Tours/Mountain to Sound Outfitters will offer stand-up paddleboard demos during Sunday’s Alki Summer Streets party. We asked WSB contributor Stephanie Chacharon to take a closer look at what this sport is about; she went out last Tuesday night, and tells the story first-person.)
Story by Stephanie Chacharon
Photos by Christina Chacharon
On assignment for West Seattle Blog
Conditions weren’t exactly ideal for my first stand-up paddleboard (SUP) experience. The north wind was blowing strong, waves crashed into the rocky beach, the sun was preparing for its descent behind the peninsula, and the temperature hovered just below 60 degrees.
Nevertheless, the group gathered at Seacrest Boathouse was visibly excited for Alki Kayak Tours‘ second Tuesday Night SUP’r of the season.
I found myself under the guidance of Alki Kayak Tours’ lead SUP instructor, Shoshannah Moxley (who also works on the other end of Alki at La Rustica). She selected a short, wide paddleboard for me — a stable model that’s ideal for beginners, women, and children.
This year’s West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival float, themed “Sparkling Seattle,” has now been to two parades (the last Seattle-neighborhood float on the parade circuit). Hi-Yu shares these photos from their trip to the 76th annual Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival parade. Hi-Yu president Tim Winston tells WSB, “The morning rain stopped in time for the parade. We didn’t win any awards this week, but the crowd loved the float.” Last week, “Sparkling Seattle” got the Mayor’s Award at the Sequim Irrigation Festival parade.
Tim says the float will make its next appearance at the Mason County Forest Festival parade in Shelton on June 4th. Its details include the Space Needle and Mount Rainier:
P.S. Hi-Yu just launched a new page on Facebook, where it just had a “group” previously. You can “like” the page here.
Just hours till the West Seattle 5K run/walk hits Alki Avenue SW tomorrow morning (last chance to register, 8 am at Alki Bathhouse), followed by the Alki Summer Streets party. As we’ve reported previously, after the race at 11 am, the all-day street closure is much shorter than years past. Here’s the newest map from the city, also pointing you to planned attractions:
(Click here to get a larger version as a PDF.) Good news – the forecast suggests tomorrow will be a bit warmer, with some afternoon sunshine. See you on Alki!
ADDED 8:56 PM: One more PDF (thanks to Alki Community Council reps for pointing this out) – with a closer look at the “party” zone and the entertainment schedule. See it here.
Another new West Seattle business has set its opening date. We first told you in February about Spira Power Yoga coming to the former Herban Feast Catering storefront in the Admiral District (2332 California SW). Proprietor Dora Gyarmati (who provided the photo at right) explained at the time that she’s expanding here partly because of West Seattle’s “loving, relaxed vibe.” Dora sent word this week that her new studio will be open June 1st, with a grand-opening celebration on June 4th, featuring free classes that day, 9 am and 4 pm, as well as a party that night at 7:30 pm. She says: “Everyone is welcome to come in, check out the place, and meet the teachers. I will be serving snacks; it could be a perfect little time killer for the movie goers!” (Admiral Theater is across the street.) Dora adds that the business’s website at spirapoweryoga.com is now set up for online purchases.
Our video includes part of the dog show that kicked off today’s Westwood Village Street Fair – continuing till 7 pm. It’s dry but still a bit cool, which isn’t stopping the steady stream of visitors, especially families with kids. Next to our booth, a face-painting artist has drawn a line (not TOO long) – with the resulting work on display on kids’ faces everywhere:
And throughout the fair zone (mostly in the parking area between Bed Bath Beyond and Pier 1), there are inflatable slides and obstacle courses. Live music is scheduled to start at 3. Here’s more of who and what else is here – it’s up, up and away on the climbing wall:
Next: Know where your Emergency Communication Hub is, in case of disaster? West Seattle Be Prepared can show you – they’re here too:
From left, that’s Cindi Barker, Karen Berge, and Dave Brown. Here’s the pendant from Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) that’s being raffled off:
3:18 PM: The live music hasn’t started quite yet, but once it does, Hondo II is scheduled to play first, followed by Gunn and the Damage Done (sometime after 4 pm), and then School of Rock.
4:29 PM UPDATE: Second fashion show of the day, before the bands began – here’s part of the show put on by Dress Barn:
The inflatables are scheduled to be here till 6; it’s a bit chillier and drizzlier than it was earlier, so there’s not much of a wait!
Congratulations to 11-year-old Lafayette Elementary student Luca Rose for winning the youth award this morning in the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) 3-Minute Masterpieces competition this morning. Word came from Luca’s mom Gayle Rose, who also shared the photo: At left, that’s Luca, with classmates Olivia and Kenny, seen in the film ( mentioned here two days ago), “Our Grass Is Always Greener.” (Another co-star, Johnny, wasn’t on hand.) The winners were also announced online, here. If you missed it in our Thursday story, you can see it here, via YouTube (the rather anthemic song is by Luca’s dad Tim Rose).
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Every year (for at least as long as we’ve covered it), the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club has had a canopy for its annual kids’ fishing pond event at Seacrest Pier. Some years, it’s a good shield from the sun; this morning, it served as rain protection. Above, that’s Jake with his catch (and dad Justin). WSSC provides bamboo rods and arranges for the pond to be stocked the day before with trout (and they keep watch all night till the early-morning event, too).
Kids got to keep their catch – if they wanted to. Find out more about the WS Sportsmen’s Club – established 1934! – by going here.
STILL skeptical about the West Seattle Trader Joe’s that was first announced almost a year ago (after years of rumors, speculation, discussion, etc.)? If nothing will cure your skepticism but the sight of construction work at the site, get ready to see it.
On the heels of the land-use approvals first reported here earlier this month, the first construction permit was granted yesterday – for interior “soft demolition” work, and a source tells WSB that construction work is expected to start next week. The exterior construction permit is still pending (here’s its page on the city website).
If you are just catching up on all this – Trader Joe’s plans to open a store at 4545 Fauntleroy Way SW, the old Huling Brothers Buick showroom. They are not tearing down the showroom building, but instead, converting it, and adding a facade (the rendering above was distributed when the store plan was formally announced last June). So when will it be open, you ask? When we reviewed hard-copy plans at city offices downtown in February, we found a projection of a six-month construction schedule.
Even though the only sun in evidence right now is in that makebelieve scene on the back of one of the inflatables, the Westwood Village Street Fair is indeed on, set to start at 11 am. “Train” rides again this year too!
The “amateur dog show” is scheduled to start at 11; live entertainment is scheduled too (we don’t have the full schedule yet but will publish it as soon as we do). Community groups and businesses (us included) will be there with booths and tables. It’s all scheduled to run till 7 pm in the lot between Bed Bath Beyond and Pier 1. See you there!
(Duwamish River sunrise, photographed Friday by Danny McMillin as he biked to work)
The fun starts early today, so here’s an early look at highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
WESTWOOD VILLAGE STREET FAIR: It’s back! 11 am-7 pm in central Westwood Village, between Bed Bath Beyond and Pier 1. A dog show starts things off 11 am-1 pm – if you haven’t signed up yet, you can do it at WV starting at 10:30 am – plus a fashion show, live music, magician, and those fun inflatable rides. Also a drawing for a pendant, courtesy of Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor). As usual during street-festival season, you’ll find us there, reporting “live” as the day unfolds – come say hi!
GO FISH: As previewed here earlier this week, this morning’s another season-starter, the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club fishing pond at Seacrest , 8 am-11 am, they provide the gear. Free.
FAMILY FUN FAIR: It’s at Gatewood Elementary (4320 SW Myrtle), 12-3 pm. Activities will be located in the back parking lot on SW Frontenac street and in the school gym/cafeteria area. There will be a dunk tank, inflatables (bouncy houses), henna painting, carnival games with prizes, food, or try your luck at the cake walk. Proceeds from the cake walk go to help support the 4th and 5th grade overnight camp to Warm Beach.
PLANT SALE: First day of the year for Furry Faces Foundation‘s famous plant sale (with pet-adoption opportunities too). 10 am-4 pm, 3809 46th SW. Details here.
BOOK SALE: Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor, 3940 41st SW), from 10 am – 1 pm holds its “semi-irregular somewhat annual” used book sale (a fundraiser for one of the women’s groups) and tries to “stem the tide of the eReader revolution.” Hardbacks $1, paperbacks fifty cents. Refreshments available for purchase at “the goodie café” to help you enjoy your purchases immediately. Full story here
RUMMAGE SALE: Last day of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church‘s famous rummage sale, 9-3. Held in Parish Hall at 3050 California Ave SW and SW Hanford.
FLOWERS: First annual Peony Festival at Seattle Chinese Garden at South Seattle Community College (6000 16th Ave SW), 4 – 6 pm. Come out and celebrate peonies with us. See them in bloom, bring your own cut peonies for display, and buy herbaceous peony plants.
VOLLEYBALL: AVA beach volleyball on Alki, see full details here.
BASEBALL: The West Seattle High School baseball team plays in the state tournament, 1 pm at Skagit College against Shorewood. Also playing, Auburn Mountainview vs. Seattle Prep 10 am. If WSHS wins its first game, they play at 4 pm the same day against the winner of the 10 am game.
OPEN HOUSE: Link Apartments (WSB sponsor, 4550 38th SW) invites one and all to its open house, 11:30 am-3:30 pm.
FINAL SHOW FOR ‘SHIPWRECKED’: Closing night for ArtsWest‘s latest production, 7:30 pm.
WHITE CENTER ART WALK: 6-9 pm tonight. Here’s where to go.
NOT IN WEST SEATTLE, BUT …: New Balance Girls on the Run event, at Seward Park, 10 am – lots of West Seattleites involved. More info here.
ORIGINAL 1:59 AM REPORT: Police and medics are at the scene of a stabbing in the vicinity of 37th and 99th (map). According to scanner traffic, the victim is a 25-year-old stabbed in the abdomen and face with a “kitchen knife.” He’s being rushed to Harborview Medical Center.
2:17 AM UPDATE: At the scene, police tell us they are questioning a suspect. Adding a photo. No information on the circumstances yet, but we’ll be checking back.
1:08 PM UPDATE: Details on the circumstances, just obtained from Lt. Ron Smith of the Southwest Precinct: He says the incident started with an “ex-boyfriend forcing his way into the residence.” That man, he says, attacked his ex-girlfriend and another woman – until “another male in the residence … stabbed the (domestic-violence) suspect in an effort to stop the assault.”
We last mentioned local filmmaker Leah Warshawski‘s Rwanda documentary project last November, when she was a featured artist during the monthly West Seattle Art Walk. (In the photo above, she’s second from left in the center row.) We’ve just learned that her project “Film Festival: Rwanda” has been raising money via Kickstarter, and has 10 days left to reach a goal that’s still a few thousand dollars away. Here’s how the project is explained in a news release:
More than three years in the making, Film Festival: Rwanda follows the efforts of five Rwandan filmmakers to produce their own films and screen them in remote villages for thousands of people, on a 40-foot inflatable screen since electricity is still a scare commodity in many villages.
For many Rwandans, this is the first time they’ve seen a film, let alone one in their local language. It is this determination to display their country’s progress that drew Leah Warshawski, a veteran television and documentary producer, to document the efforts of the young filmmaker.
“Rather than re-examining the past, these young storytellers are using film to project a positive vision of their country’s future,” said Warshawski, executive producer. “Their motivation, energy and creativity inspired us to document their efforts to show the progress their country has made since the end of the atrocities.”
Once the project makes its $29,000 total, they can finish their rough cut, a critical milestone. You can chip in – even $10, we’re told, and you’ll be listed on the credits – by going here. To find out more about the project, you can check out the site for the production company, Inflatable Film.
Last month, at the annual auction for West Seattle’s Holy Rosary Catholic School, attendees not only raised money for their own school’s needs, they also reached deep down to lend a hand to White Center’s Holy Family School – as reported here the next day, courtesy of journalist Gregg Hersholt, who emceed the HR auction that night. Now, a followup: Last night, Holy Family’s principal Frank Cantwell was invited to the Holy Rosary Parents Club‘s meeting for a check presentation. And as you can see in our clip above, it turned out to be not just the $20,000 announced the night of the auction – but a total of $25,000.
The Parents’ Club event also provided an introduction to Holy Rosary’s new principal, Michael Cantu, who is coming here from St. Francis School in Sherwood, Oregon. Current principal Dr. Randal Peters explains to WSB:
I’m leaving at the end of the school year to become a professor in the School of Education at my alma mater, Drake University, in Des Moines, Iowa. It’s been an extremely difficult decision to leave Holy Rosary and West Seattle, as I’ve really come to love both the school and community, but my wife and I have aging parents and large, extended families in the Midwest and moving back seemed to be the right thing to do at this point in our lives.
An FBI agent was in the area near Viking Bank on the eastern edge of The Junction (40th/Alaska) earlier today, according to WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli, continuing to search for evidence in yesterday afternoon’s robbery (WSB coverage here), and showing surveillance photos. We had sent a request to FBI’s local media unit this morning, hoping such photos would be made available; they have just arrived in the inbox.
There’s no additional descriptive information today – just From the FBI news release: “A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered to anyone with information leading to the identification and capture of these subjects. Anyone with information regarding these subjects is asked to call 1-800-222-TIPS, the 24/7 anonymous tips line of the Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.”
By the way – unless we’ve missed something, our archives indicate this was the first West Seattle bank robbery in almost nine months, since one at Westwood Village last August. The bank hit yesterday was also robbed in June of last year. (The June 2010 Viking Bank stickup was believed to be the work of the so-called “Mrs. Doubtfire” robber, so dubbed because authorities weren’t sure whether it was a man dressing as a woman; earlier this year, 54-year-old Kristen LeClaire was arrested in connection with that robbery spree, and we just looked up her status – she remains in jail, now charged with 9 counts, with her next status hearing set for May 31st.)
From an end-of-week e-mail sent by WSDOT:
Thank you, drivers. We’ve reduced SR 99 from three to two lanes between the West Seattle Bridge and Seattle’s sports stadiums. While drivers using the West Seattle Bridge in the morning can expect to add an average of 15 minutes to their commute, we have yet to see any significant backups southbound on the viaduct.
Drivers on the West Seattle Bridge looking to avoid traveling on the viaduct should consider using the Fourth Avenue S. off-ramp. WSDOT contributed funding to this project in order to keep people and goods moving during south end construction. This ramp provides eastbound drivers on the West Seattle Bridge with direct access to downtown Seattle.
How does the “15 minutes longer in the morning, but afternoon comparable” (our paraphrase) compare with your experience?
It’ll be a sea of orange along Alki on Sunday morning – at left, it’s this year’s official T-shirt for the West Seattle 5K, organized by and benefiting the West Seattle High School PTSA, coming up Sunday morning. Denise Lathrop e-mailed to remind you that, “You can still register for the 5K and pick up your bib, shirt and timing chip in person on Saturday [tomorrow] between 1 PM and 4 PM at West Seattle Runner, 3727 California Ave SW, Suite 2A (map). Packet pick-up and registration is also available on the day of the event, starting at 8:00 AM.” You’ll find that registration form here. Questions? E-mail Denise at delathrop@comcast.net or Andy at pandrewnorton@comcast.net. (And yet another reminder – the race closes Alki Avenue from 63rd SW to Don Armeni from 9-11 am Sunday, and then it’s closed only from 56th SW to 63rd SW, a change from past years, 11 am-5 pm for the Seattle Summer Streets party.)
Another update today as the new owners of West Seattle’s only motel (36th/Alaska) continue working to renovate it and leave its troubled past behind: Spokesperson Lynn Sweeney tells WSB they have chosen a name: “The Grove, West Seattle Inn.” She adds, “The name was chosen in part to reflect the rejuvenated location as a peaceful, comfortable and friendly environment, and over time, our goal is to enhance and grow the natural landscape as well.” They announced the renovation plan five months ago and are aiming to reopen in early summer. You might recall that while at one point they had hoped to stay open while renovating, the SWAT-team incident in late March accelerated matters, and they closed shortly thereafter. The Grove has a website already too, with a logo and some hints at what they’re aiming for – grovewestseattle.com.
Last Friday, we published the story of a dog hit by a driver who didn’t stop, and the helpful people who did stop or in some other way help. 
Much discussion ensued in the comments, including information from the owner’s mom, who identified the Lab as Asia and later reported the dog had a dislocated hip. We don’t have a new update from Asia’s family, but we do have something that might help other pets and people in the future, courtesy of one of the people who assisted last Friday, Doug. He offered to compile a list of resources in case you need to find emergency care for an animal, so that we could link it from the WSB Lost/Found Pets page. We wanted to let you know that it’s at the top of that page now; Doug’s list includes clinics around the metro area, north to south. (If you have anything to add, we will do our best to keep it updated – e-mail the information to editor@westseattleblog.com. Thanks!)
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