West Seattle, Washington
12 Friday
3:58 PM: After another faceoff with the city over a permanent site, the homeless encampment that still calls itself “Nickelsville“ has packed up and moved again, and just sent an announcement that its new location is on West Marginal Way in West Seattle, near the intersection with Highland Park Way (map), where the camp had put down stakes before. They’ve been headquartered at the former Fire Station 39 in Lake City, and the city reportedly was ready to let them stay there at least a few more months, but their news release proclaims, “We moved anyway!” for a variety of reasons, including that they needed more space, and they think city leaders are just stringing them along. The address is the same as the one where the camp first set up in September 2008 (WSB coverage here).
7:06 PM: We went over about an hour and a half ago to see what’s happening at the site, and took the photos we have just added (above, 3 of the 4 trucks a camp manager told us they’re using – one was still in transit from Lake City when we stopped by). There were about 50 people in view, and the piles of belongings, pallets and other materials you see in our top photo; one person was wondering aloud when spaces would be assigned. The camp manager told us they should be all set up by tomorrow. No word thus far from the city – who owned this site last time we checked (which is why Seattle Police were used to evict campers back in 2008) – on how this will be dealt with, if at all.
From the just-in-case-you-were-wondering-too files: After a few notes asking if we know what Starbucks is doing with the remodel of its original West Seattle store, we stopped by for a photo today and e-mailed Starbucks PR, which answered our questions as follows:
Our store at 4101 SW Admiral Way is getting both an interior and external refresh. When work is finished, customers will see an expanded patio area with bench and table seating, as well as a new modern awning to replace the previous canvas version.
The interior of the store will also be updated and will feature a wood-paneled espresso bar, new furniture, a remodeled restroom and a new mural on the North wall. We think it’s going to be gorgeous and can’t wait for West Seattle to see the finished product when work is complete at the end of the month.
Remodeling is standard course of business for Starbucks stores and typically done on a regular basis in order to provide the best experience to customers. There are no other remodels in the West Seattle area to announce at this time.
In addition to West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, among many other events, tomorrow is also the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Leave a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox or front door (if you get mail through a slot) in the morning, and your letter carrier will pick it up – what could be easier than a door-to-door food drive? If it’s not convenient to leave the bag outside, or if you want to save your letter carrier a little work, owner Andrea at Café Osita in Sunrise Heights (northwest side of 35th/Webster) says her coffee shop is now an official dropoff spot: 8 am-2 pm tomorrow, take your bag of food there, and she’ll give you free flavoring (or a free extra shot) if you order a drink while you’re there.
One day last week in the rain, we caught up with Kerrie, Janet and Karen at the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Garden. It’s in its first season growing on the grounds of the shuttered Genesee Hill Elementary School, where there were gardens when Pathfinder K-8 used the campus.
It’s part of an ongoing effort by the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council to make sure the vacant school doesn’t fall into disrepair; they’ve also arranged for art on the side of some of the buildings, to discourage vandalism. Individual gardeners have signed up for plots but they still need overall volunteer help for the first gardening event of the season – not just in the beds, but also in other areas. So just show up on the north side of the playground at 51st and Dakota, 9 am-1 pm tomorrow. Help tend the beds, distribute wood chips, and pull ivy. Seattle Public Schools (which continues to hold the property for potential future use) is providing tools, gloves, and a “weed wrench.” (GSNC acknowledges donations including wood chips from Seattle Tree Preservation, Zoo-Doo from Woodland Park Zoo, and art murals from Van Asselt Elementary.)
It’s a straightaway from Seaview toward Genesee – and many neighbors say drivers tend to treat that section of 48th SW like a drag strip. They asked the city for help, and now four sets of speed bumps between Brandon and Graham (map) are closer to reality. SDOT says they are slated for installation in September, provided they work out the details with the neighborhood. Next step, a community meeting at 7 pm Thursday (May 19th) at Seaview Methodist Church (thanks to Barb for sharing the official flyer distributed to neighbors – see it, with a photo of the proposed bumps, here).
Thanks to Sally for the alert – she says the lights are out at Delridge/Andover (map) because of a crash. (It’s on 911 as a motor-vehicle accident with no medic dispatch, so hopefully not too serious, but we’re en route to check.)
1 PM: All clear, lights back on. We don’t have official info on the crash but one unofficial report says it was a single car and the driver appeared OK.
Story and photos by Stephanie Chacharon
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
As guests streamed through the doors of Showbox SODO last night, a school bus full of cheering, waving models — all breast-cancer survivors — pulled up to the venue. STYLE ’11, the 9th annual fashion -how benefit for Northwest Hope & Healing, had just begun.
Inside, the SoDo space was elegantly decorated, dimly lit and accented with pink. Guests greeted friends while waiting in line for a drink. The catwalk was illuminated with bold pink lighting, framed by candlelit VIP tables. The screen behind the runway flashed candid images of smiling women and past fashion show shots intermixed with sponsors’ logos. The women’s larger-than-life faces were proof that bald is beautiful, just as beautiful as a stage filled with more than three dozen breast cancer survivors.
The annual benefit is the brainchild of Carmilia’s Linda Sabee (shown above with NWHH executive director Shari Sewell) and Ola Salon & Spa. Sabee told us the original intent was just to have some fun, and then it quickly evolved into a fundraiser for Northwest Hope & Healing. For the first few years the event was held at Ola, but once it began to grow they moved the event to Showbox SODO. The event is a chance to honor and celebrate breast cancer survivors and fashion in the Seattle area.
(Story continues, with more photos, ahead)Read More
From the Alki Community Council – a chance to lend a hand (or two) this Monday, 9 am-noon:
With the coming of warmer weather, litter seems to sprout from our beaches and parks. This is going to be a particularly bad year, due to the impact of Seattle Parks & Recreation’s recent budget cutbacks on park maintenance. Working together as a community, we can all make a contribution in the effort to keep our parks litter free.
In cooperation with AmeriCorps volunteers, the Alki Community Council and Seal Sitters are co-sponsoring a cleanup of Alki Beach. If you have some free time on Monday morning, you are invited to participate. The litter on our beaches makes its way into Puget Sound and has a negative impact on marine life. Beginning at 9:00 am, Kristin Wilkinson, NOAA NW Stranding Expert, will be briefing us on the hazards that our misplaced trash creates.
Be sure and check the Seal Sitters Blubberblog for more details and a photo of the stomach contents of the Gray Whale that stranded and died on a West Seattle Beach in April of 2010.
We want to thank Pioneer Coffee, Tully’s, and Starbucks for providing coffee. Seattle Parks & Recreation will be supplying the necessary tools and trash bags.
The Alki Community Council has an ongoing volunteer program with Seattle Parks & Recreation. The ACC “Friends of Alki Beach” are responsible for picking up litter in Alki Park between 59th Ave SW and 63rd Ave SW. If you would like more information on this program or the cleanup event on Monday, please contact Larry Carpenter at 206-938-0887.
Tomorrow’s the day: 256 sales are on the list and ready to go for the 7th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (coordinated/presented by WSB since year four). So far as we can tell, this is the region’s biggest Community Garage Sale Day, so get your friends/co-workers/relatives to come on over and shop.
You can browse the sale locations and listings through two versions of the official map, both available here — the online map works just like a Google Map, with panning/zooming; click on any individual sale marker, or line on the list at right, to see the exact address and a few sale details. Also linked atop that page, the printable (12-page PDF) sale list/map. (From the online map, you can also print an individual sale’s address/description via the icon on the info-bubble that opens if you click the marker or listing.)
There are sales in just about every neighborhood on the peninsula – check the map to see who’s having a sale near you. And if you’re looking for something in particular (or if you’re a seller looking to spotlight something extra), head on over to the WSCGSD Facebook page NOW for pre-sale chat that’s been under way for a few days (scroll through to see what’s already there). Then on sale day, SHARE PHOTOS! We’ll be out and about but no matter how fast we move, we won’t get to them all. However you want to send ’em – e-mail, Facebook (including the WSCGSD wall), Twitter – thanks in advance!
P.S. The group seller sites – with lots of individual tables – are Hotwire Coffee, C & P Coffee (both WSB sponsors, 4410 and 5612 California SW respectively), VFW Hall (which expects to have room for sellers to just show up tomorrow, 3601 SW Alaska), and Cycle U – which is having a bike swap too (4550 Fauntleroy Way).
That’s a new video by My Goodness, a local rock duo playing Easy Street Records in The Junction at 9 tonight (all ages, $5 cover). A few other highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
PIRATE PARTY AT ‘SHIPWRECKED’: It’s not just a play, it’s a Pirate Party tonight at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) for the last special event of the year. Be ye Jack Sparrow or Blackbeard, ye’re welcome to partake in the festivities! Tickets are $50 and that includes food, drink, and entertainment before Shipwrecked! An Entertainment: The Amazing Adventures of Louis De Rougemont (As Told By Himself). Call the ArtsWest box office for details: (206) 938-0339.
OKLAHOMA! CONTINUES: West Seattle High School Drama Club and Music Department present “Oklahoma!” (Rodgers and Hammerstein) at the WSHS Theater (3000 California Ave SW) at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $7 in advance or $12 at the door. Tonight before the show, by donation, you can get your photo taken with Jeb, the Admiral District’s miniature horse.
AT KENYON HALL: Hearth Music presents acoustic bluegrass songwriters Kevin Brown & The Beloved Country and Jim Faddis and Friends. Kenyon Hall (7904 35th Ave SW), 7 pm. Tickets are $12 general admission.
HIP-HOP CELEBRATION: West Seattle Youth Arts Charity Unified Outreach 2011 “Seattle City Breaker’s Reunion” and 30 year anniversary celebration featuring the return of the 1980’s premier break dancer “Ziggy Zig Zag”. Three decades of break dancers will celebrate 30 years of hip hop in Seattle. This special ALL AGES and FREE event takes place 6 – 9 pm at West Seattle Christian Church Performance Hall (4400 42nd Ave SW). Doors open at 6 pm. General information is available at the Facebook Event page here where you can RSVP and talk about the upcoming event.
ST. JOHN’S RUMMAGE SALE and other dates: 9 am-3 pm today, you can practice up for tomorrow’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day by checking out the first day of the church’s multi-day rummage sale, 3050 California Ave SW.
The new Triangle building Link (WSB sponsor) was celebrated as the development that beat the odds – and bucked a trend – at an invitation-only reception on its sweeping-view rooftop last night. In our photo above, you’ll note West Seattle’s highest-ranking elected officials – King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. Neighborhood leaders and local businesspeople were there too, admiring the view and the rooftop herb/vegetable gardens, pausing briefly to hear speeches. West Seattle Chamber of Commerce board chair and West 5 owner Dave Montoure (below left) hailed the 60 jobs the new development is estimated to have created; after the jubilant opening remarks from Harbor executive vice president Denny Onslow (below right):
Barely a year and a half earlier, a short distance to the east, Onslow had stood at a meeting of the Fairmount Community Association and announced that Harbor had secured financing for Link – at a time when almost nothing else of its kind was being built in the city, since the commercial-market dive was so fresh. Seattle Department of Planning and Development director Diane Sugimura spoke too, describing Harbor as “bold” for moving ahead at the time.
And now, less than 2 months after its first move-ins, Onslow said 85 of its 200 units are leased. And as of yesterday, all three of its ground-floor businesses are open, with Breathe Hot Yoga‘s first classes, next door to one-month-open Chaco Canyon Organic Café, and recently opened Bright Horizons. If you’re interested in a first-hand look at Link, its next public open house is scheduled for Saturday, May 21st (one week from tomorrow).
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
At the heart of a meeting tonight in Fairmount Springs was not a victim, but a person – a neighbor in the hospital, for reasons not yet understood, fighting to recover from serious injuries she suffered in some kind of attack.
She’s in stable condition, reported neighbors at the meeting’s start. Then at the meeting’s end, a prayer for her physical and emotional recovery was offered, by the pastor of the church where about 50 neighbors gathered.
And the neighbors’ condition was a source of concern too. Don’t be frightened, exhorted police. “It’s not the one who did this that’s the powerful one – you are,” asserted Mark Solomon, the Southwest Precinct‘s Crime Prevention Coordinator.
He spoke along with the top two Seattle Police leaders from the precinct, its commander, Capt. Steve Paulsen, and operations Lt. Pierre Davis. Before the meeting was out, City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen had offered a few words too.
The gathering at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene was the first major neighborhood meeting since another one sparked by crime concerns a year and a half ago (here’s our report from that night). And as it concluded, neighbors agreed they would like to meet more often – maybe quarterly – though they already are bound by strong Block Watches and a much-used mailing list. But first: What police said tonight about the Sunday morning attack, reported in the 5900 block of 41st SW – ahead:Read More
The county says the Rachel Marie has been repaired and will be back on its regular West Seattle-Downtown Seattle Water Taxi schedule tomorrow. They also say the delay in getting an alert out about this morning’s sudden problem was because it took a while for the crew to figure out what was wrong and how serious it was, and they’ll try to be faster in the future.
We’ll substitute a clearer photo a bit later but for now, that’s a cameraphoto of the latest YarnCore “yarn bomb” in West Seattle – appearing around a tree near Radio Shack in The Junction, during tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk. According to the YarnCore website, the group is part of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – #204 – one of the benefit sales. (Sale day is this Saturday, 9 am-3 pm, find the online map and a link to the printable map here. And more on Art Walk, coming up separately.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Almost four full years ago, the principals of what were then Chief Sealth High School and Denny Middle School stood before a concerned crowd at Southwest Community Center and apologized for not enough community outreach about the plan for their schools to share a campus.
Flash forward to last night. The principals are the same – Sealth’s John Boyd, Denny’s Jeff Clark. The schools are both now “international” schools. And the shared campus is almost complete; a new Denny has arisen next to the remodeled Sealth, which reopened last fall after two years of work, and is scheduled to open this summer.
Last night, not far from SWCC — where they had faced concerned community members in 2007 — they stood together before a group to again talk about the shared campus – this time, about the practicalities, the procedures, the reality of what it should be like next fall, when the middle schoolers and high schoolers are on the same campus, the first co-located campuses in the district.
The meeting yielded new information, such as the schools’ start/end times for next year and expected enrollment.
A beautiful day for some spring cleaning – and that’s what Keller Williams Realty staffers helped with at West Seattle’s Log House Museum today, as part of a nationwide day of service for the real-estate company. We caught up with them in their last hour of six hours of work – dressed in their company-colors white-on-red – during which they handled tasks including cleaning donor bricks, oiling logs, and refreshing garden beds.
(County map showing where the “green stormwater infrastructure” is proposed for the area feeding the Murray pump station; go here for larger version)
King County says its environmental review is complete for the “green stormwater infrastructure” proposal to reduce combined-sewer overflows (CSO) from the Barton pump station – which is actually a few miles downhill from where the “infrastructure” would be built to hold water. The result: A “determination of nonsignificance.” That’s another hurdle cleared for the proposal. You can see the actual “determination of nonsignificance” here (PDF); comments will be taken through May 31st, and the county wants them postal-mailed to:
Wesley Sprague, Supervisor Community Services and Environmental Planning
King County Wastewater Treatment Division
201 South Jackson Street, MS: KSC‐NR‐0505
Seattle, WA 98104‐3855
The proposal would create “bioswales” to hold rainwater, mostly in planting-strip areas, so it can go into the ground instead of into the sewer system. Dozens of them would be installed at various locations in the Sunrise Heights/Westwood neighborhoods shown in the map above. The proposal was discussed again at a community meeting last month (WSB coverage here).
Just in from King County Department of Transportation:
West Seattle-Downtown Seattle Water Taxi service has been canceled for the remainder of the day due to a mechanical problem. Metro DART shuttles 773 and 775 are operating on their regular schedules.
An update about tomorrow’s Water Taxi service will be provided this evening. Please monitor service alerts, check the Water Taxi web site, kingcounty.gov/watertaxi, or call the Water Taxi information line at 206-684-1551.
Metro Route 37 provides service between downtown Seattle and Alki during commute hours. Visit www.kingcounty.gov/metro or call the Metro Customer Information Office at 206-553-3000 for trip planning information.
And of course we’ll have an update here once the outlook for tomorrow is made public. We first reported the problems with the Water Taxi shortly after 8 this morning, thanks to WSB’ers who called/texted/e-mailed, and that was more than an hour before official alerts were issued. If you have news to share, 206-293-6302 any time (other ways to contact us are listed here).
Campaign season is under way. Two Seattle City Council candidates were at Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting – Position 1 candidate Michael Taylor-Judd and Position 9 candidate Dian Ferguson – and last night, one dozen candidates appeared before our area’s biggest political organization, the 34th District Democrats.
Our video shows the entire forum, unedited, with these candidates (two more were on the agenda but didn’t show): For Position 1, Councilmember Jean Godden, Michael Taylor-Judd, Bobby Forch, Maurice Classen, David Schraer; for Position 3, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Brad Meachum; for Position 5, Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Sandy Cioffi; for Position 7, Councilmember Tim Burgess (whose lone declared opponent Darryl Carter Metcalf was a no-show); for Position 9, Councilmember Sally Clark, Dian Ferguson (the other declared candidate Fathi Karshie was a no-show). August 16th is the primary, which will narrow to the top two candidates any race that has three or more.
Police have released more information about the case we reported here on Monday, a woman who is in the hospital and told police she was attacked by someone in her Fairmount Springs home. Seattle Police media-unit Det. Mark Jamieson says there is no question the woman was seriously injured – but police do not believe it happened in her home; there is no sign of a struggle or other evidence there indicating an attack. According to the police-report narrative in the case, the original call did not come from the woman’s home; the victim showed up at a neighbor’s house early Sunday morning saying she was “hurt and needed to sleep.” Then the neighbor noticed the woman was clearly injured, and called 911. The victim told police she woke up to find a man in her room; he said nothing but restrained her, then sat on her, and tried to strangle her. She said she fought back, and that she lost consciousness and awoke later to find him gone, at which time she said she managed to get herself free and walked over to her neighbor’s house. Police also confirm they questioned someone yesterday in connection with the case but that no one is currently under arrest. The victim remains at Harborview Medical Center, and because of her condition, Det. Jamieson says, police have been unable to talk more with her yet about what happened and where it happened.
(Final wayfinding kiosk of project’s 1st phase now in place, near Seacrest – Wednesday afternoon photo courtesy Chas Redmond)
Delayed by breaking news, a quick look at tonight’s highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: Monthly event – every second Thursday – at dozens of venues all over West Seattle. Many have the artists on hand and offer free refreshments, too – every venue handles Art Walk night a bit differently, and that’s part of the fun. Here’s the map/list for tonight’s venues. Get the artist highlights by going to the official Art Walk site at wsartwalk.com. 6-9 pm.
STYLE ’11: The annual fundraiser spring fashion show for Northwest Hope and Healing‘s work helping breast-cancer patients, involving West Seattle boutiques and other WS participants, is tonight at Showbox SODO, 7 pm. Tickets available at the door. Lots of info here.
OPENING NIGHT FOR ‘OKLAHOMA!’ West Seattle High School‘s spring musical opens tonight in the school theater, 7:30 pm. Full details in our preview from last night, including special events during the run.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TALARICO’S: Talarico Pizza’s 5-year anniversary party (4718 California Ave SW). Happy hour food and drink specials open till close. Also video DJ that will be mixing music and music videos in real time from 9:30 til close. Party is Mafioso themed so suggested attire is “roaring 20’s.” No cover & food will be served until 1 am.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: We’ll add updates to this story as the morning goes on when new info is available)
8:18 AM: We haven’t officially confirmed it, and no alert has come from the county, but we’ve received two reports now that something is going on with the West Seattle Water Taxi. More to come as soon as we get something confirmed.
8:34 AM UPDATE: Tracy sent a note saying she’s been told it’s out of service for at least two hours. Jim sent the photo we’ve added above, saying it’s in the water south of Seacrest with what he believes is a police boat, lights on, nearby.
9 AM UPDATE: Another photo, from Al, which clearly shows a boat labeled police; SPD isn’t showing anything in the area. A county spokesperson is handling our inquiry but still no official info on what’s going on.
9:07 AM UPDATE: Mechanical problem, Rochelle Ogershok with King County Department of Transportation now confirms. She says they haven’t figured out yet how the schedule will be affected. We’re also asking why the alert system didn’t kick in, since this has been going on for at least an hour and there’s been no text alert for riders to warn them of a problem.
9:42 AM UPDATE: The official text alert has now arrived, saying the boat will be out of service TFN.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
1:42 AM: Right now fire crews are at the scene of a house-fire call in the 7300 block of 35th SW. Scanner traffic indicates it’s fairly small; it appears to be between an exterior deck and a wall, and most of the units that responded have been dismissed. 35th is closed at Webster, though.
2:05 AM: Christopher Boffoli is there for WSB. (A couple of TV crews have come over from downtown to check it out too; it’s been a quiet night citywide till this.) He reports a man and woman were inside when the fire broke out but got out OK; nobody is injured. They also brought out a pet bird but are trying to find their cat. Christopher reports the fire started in a “back corner of the house,” though the actual cause is still being determined.
We’ll check back with SFD later this morning to see what they found out about how it started.
11:16 AM: Lt. Sue Stangl in the SFD communications office says they haven’t received a report yet on the cause.
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