West Seattle, Washington
28 Monday
Quick reminders: Gathering of Neighbors at Chief Sealth International High School, 11 am-4 pm, see you there! (more details in our Friday preview) … Another dropoff day for Lafayette Elementary‘s Sports Swap, 9 am-3 pm (sale is tomorrow; info’s here) … SWAC junior-football playoff games at Southwest Athletic Complex, 9 am and 4 pm … Holiday alert! Wreath-making workshop at Alki Bathhouse, 10 am … Also at 10 am: Delridge Adopt-A-Street and Green Seattle Day (both previewed here) … Avalon Way 7-11 “grand opening party” (previewed here) noon-2 pm … Artists’ reception at 2 pm today for the Southwest Library community art showcase … “Comfort Food Throwdown” to raise money for Family Promise of Seattle, 5-8 pm at St. John the Baptist Church Hall … Free lacrosse clinic, 7:30 pm at Hiawatha Playfield … Live music schedule for C&P Coffee is here, and Skylark Café and Club here (both are WSB sponsors) … LOOKING AHEAD: Just one week till the CoolMom Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale – donate a bag of toys, get a $5 discount – full details here.
More details announced by the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle for their traditional community pancake breakfast, coming up December 4:
The annual West Seattle Community Pancake Breakfast will be carrying on a tradition that is looked forward to by a growing number of adults and kids. Folks look forward to this chance to renew long- standing friendships and to make new ones. For the 64th year, the event will be sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle. At the club’s weekly booth at the West Seattle Farmers Market, club members are being asked, “When’s the Pancake Breakfast?”
For the record, it’s always the first Saturday morning of December – this year, it’s December 4. “As usual, we’ll be at the Alki Masonic Building, 4736 40th Ave. S.W. Breakfast will be ready at 7 a.m. and we’re closing at 11 a.m.,” Dr. Steve Leifheit, breakfast chair announced.
Loyal patrons claim, “THE CAKES ARE GREAT!” “They ought to be,” chimed West Niver, president of the West Seattle Kiwanis Club; “we’ve been making them for over 63 years. The recipe is so treasured, Sig Staaksted, who traditionally mixes the batter, keeps the recipe in his billfold”.
Kiwanis is a “hands-on” service organization. “However,” declared Niver, “it still takes some financial resources to support helping young kids, teens and adults who are facing stiff challenges these days. Our time-honored assistance to schools and youth organizations requires funding, as well. “By supporting this event, generous folks help us meet those needs,” Niver concluded.The breakfast will also provide an opportunity for patrons to donate new, unwrapped “Toys for Tots.” Marine reservists will be on hand to accept the toys. Children to 12, accompanied by an adult, will be offered a free photo with Santa.
Adult ticket donations are $5 each ($6 at the door) and kids, to 12, just $3. Mail orders may be sent to PO Box 16128, Seattle, WA 98116. Phone inquiries will be received at 206-938-8032, or stop by the Kiwanis tent at the West Seattle Farmers Market each Sunday.
The West Seattle Kiwanis club is one of the first service clubs established in West Seattle, and was started in 1929. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time. The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle offers you the opportunity to share your experience, knowledge, and time in service to the community. This service is great fun and builds fellowship with other members. Excellent, diverse programs can be enjoyed at our weekly meetings. Membership is open to all men and women who possess a genuine interest in serving the community.
The club meets at 7am every 1st and 3rd Wednesday, and Noon every 2nd Wednesday, at Be’s Restaurant in the Junction, at 4509 California Ave SW. Park in rear lot and enter the rear door.
(Dining-room photo courtesy of, and used with permission from, Tuscan Tea Room)
Proprietor Aimee Pellegrini sent word overnight that she has set the official opening date for her Tuscan Tea Room and Romanza Floral in The Junction (4521 California SW, next to the new Wing Dome):
We will be open on Tuesday!! Our Tea/Coffee bar is open at 8:00 am and the dining room/floral bar at 10:30. We are accepting reservations for dining or please stop in for a cuppa and treat!
The Tearoom is a unique multi-purpose business. There are many different ways to use it and we are excited to see how our patrons will enjoy it from your daily beverage, lunch, or a specialty tea party, to planning your wedding flowers or grabbing a quick gift.
Tuscan/Romanza is on Facebook here, and on the Web here. (Our first report on this in-the-works business was back in June.)
The forecast is iffy, but a few raindrops never hurt anyone. So make plans to get outside for a while tomorrow (and when you’re ready to come inside, we’ll see you at the Gathering of Neighbors). Two events of note: Join the North Delridge Neighborhood Council for a 2-hour cleanup – full details here; and it’s Green Seattle Day, with tree-planting events around the city – if you’d like to help, show up at Camp Long – full details here.
Scene from Holy Rosary School, shared by John Slee, who explained: “This was at the end of the day, just as the students were being let out….. they just couldn’t resist throwing the leaves.”
Two high-school football games tonight – Chief Sealth International High School defeated Lakeside, 21-14; Seattle Lutheran High School is playing Rainier Christian right now, and we’re tweeting live at @wsblive (will update with the score here when it’s over). UPDATE: SLHS won 57-7. After the jump – more details and video from both Friday games:Read More
There’s a charity boot-camp-fitness session to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank coming up at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 9-10 am Saturday, November 13. Cash and food donations will be accepted at the door. The session will be run by West Seattle’s Jill Bruyere, who currently offers boot-camp-fitness sessions at Hiawatha Community Center, as well as the Senior Center. Jill has been a resident of West Seattle for the past six years and a personal trainer for the past 11. This is one of several charity-benefiting boot camp projects she’s hoping to bring to West Seattle over the next few months, with a goal of offering fitness and fun, while embracing a sense of responsibility to the community. Jill is currently taking suggestions for nonprofits to support with her future benefit boot camps; you can reach her through her website, runwithjill.com.
EX-REDLINE SITE: Just a month after Redline Music and Sports closed at 4439 35th SW, we got reports of work at the site, and we wondered if perhaps it was related to the development proposal that was reviewed last year. Nothing on the city docket – but perusing the liquor-license applications, we discovered we’d missed something last week: A new establishment seeking the license under the name The Bridge. We’ve got an inquiry out to one of the prospective owners in hopes of finding out more.
FUTURE TRADER JOE’S: At the end of September, we contacted site spokesperson John Wunder of Associates West Real Estate to ask why nothing had happened yet with the plan announced in June to remodel the old Huling Buick showroom at 4545 Fauntleroy Way into a new Trader Joe’s. He in turn checked with Trader Joe’s development department – which has been fairly impenetrable from the media front – and reported back that they expected to apply for a permit “within a month.” Now that the month’s come and gone, and because someone asked us about a rumor of trouble, we checked back with Wunder. He says Trader Joe’s is expecting to file the official application next week: “It’s taking a little longer than we thought, but it’s still going to happen.”
Transit updates for next Thursday, Veterans Day, include the fact there’s no King County Water Taxi service (West Seattle *or* Vashon) at all. That reminder’s just in from the county, which lists these Water Taxi-less dates:
· Veterans Day – Thursday, Nov. 11
· Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, Nov. 25
· Day after Thanksgiving – Friday, Nov. 26
· Christmas Day (observed) – Friday, Dec. 24
· New Year’s Day (observed) – Friday, Dec 31
· Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Monday, Jan. 17
· Presidents Day – Monday, Feb. 21
And if you’re wondering about Metro buses … here’s their official announcement of service changes for the same dates, and a few others. (Veterans Day is a “reduced weekday service” date for Metro.)
Just out of the WSB inbox from Lou Kristopher:
I am a coach with the West Seattle SWAC youth football organization. This Saturday (11/6) SWAC will host the first round of playoffs for the Puget Sound Junior Football League at our field. This is particularly exciting because your SWAC has two teams (our Pee Wee and Bantam teams) playing that day representing the future of football in West Seattle. The Pee Wee game starts at 9 am and the Bantam game starts at 4 pm. All football lovers in West Seattle are highly encouraged to come have fun watching youth football, support, and cheer for your local youth during the first game in our playoff run. For more information please check our website at www.swaccougars.org.
They play at Southwest Athletic Complex (across from Chief Sealth International High School) – here’s a map.
We’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor today, Sound Advice in The Junction, where you’ll find Gary Larkin (shown above with a huge historic photo of “Downtown West Seattle”). As is WSB custom, new sponsors get to tell you about themselves; here’s what Sound Advice has to say: We at Sound Advice have been following the West Seattle Blog for quite a while when we noticed a number of our customers were posting some very flattering comments about us (which we were very appreciative of). Sound Advice has been in The Junction for ten years and has local West Seattle ownership, so we are vested in the local community. Actually, we were the very first Verizon agent in the area back in the mid-1980s (then known as US West New Vector), so we have loads of experience in the wireless business. Sound Advice has always handled Verizon along with a couple of other carriers, but a couple of years ago we decided to go back to our roots and become an exclusive Verizon agent, since being exclusive allowed us to match the Verizon direct pricing and programs.
Our expertise is in Smartphones, setting up e-mail, and computer-related issues with wireless equipment. We will have 4G launch shortly — that will allow us to have wireless data speeds of 10 to 12 mps, which is faster than most cable modems. We also carry a wide variety of Droids, BlackBerries, other PDA’s, and just regular everyday phones. We have the ability to copy contacts from one phone to another and we can do 98% of what can be done at the bigger mall wireless stores, but with much less waiting on most days. Stop by and check us out! Sound Advice is at 4702 California SW (map), online at soundadvicecellular.com, or call 206-932-4247.
We thank Sound Advice for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Hope to see you tomorrow at the Gathering of Neighbors – dozens of West Seattle organizations and businesses (including WSB) gathered in one place to meet neighbors including you! GON is scheduled for 11 am to 4 pm Saturday in the Galleria at Chief Sealth International High School (that alone is one reason to come visit – if you haven’t seen this brand-new facility yet), admission’s free. New this year, it’s more than just tables to visit (fun as those are) – workshops and speeches are planned too (including one we’re presenting) – here’s the schedule:
4 hour-long workshops happening simultaneously, presented twice, once at 11:30 am and once at 1:30 pm (these will be in TBA classrooms):
WORKSHOP #1: Social Media/Citizen Journalism – presentation & Q/A with WSB!
WORKSHOP #2: “Fresh” movie screening and DNDA Family Gardening coordinator discussion
WORKSHOP #3: Solar Energy education/employment opportunities, presented by Solar Epiphany
WORKSHOP #4: Family/Kid Zone with DNDA’s Resident Engagement Coordinator
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: At 1 pm, CSIHS principal John Boyd and former Seattle Mayor Norm Rice
FOOD: Pai’s Thai/Hawaiian truck will be parked at Sealth if you’d like to buy lunch. And DNDA’s Phillippia Goldsmith adds that, “Our very own Delridge Fresh Food Spot project will be facilitating a Multi-cultural Food Pyramid game complete with yummy snacks!”
Hope to see you there. P.S. This may sound kind of goofy but since the Online Journalism Award for “community collaboration” that we accepted last weekend is yours too – we’re bringing it to display at the WSB table in the Sealth Galleria. Again, 11 am-4 pm tomorrow, come meet West Seattle neighbors and new friends.
(WSB photos and video by Ellen Cedergreen)
Serious rock jam at Bamboo Bar and Grill last night as part of Dine Out to Remember Our Fallen. (Here’s our earlier report, after we met with organizers at Puerto Vallarta in The Junction.) Members of Queensryche, Candlebox and Lotus Crush took the stage – their instruments overwhelmed their vocals in our video, but you still get the idea:
We’re waiting this morning to hear the regional total for the benefit to raise money for the Lakewood Police Officers’ Memorial, in honor of the four officers murdered a year ago this month. At Bamboo, the turnout included Lakewood and Tukwila officers as well as SPD – the next photo includes the two we spoke with earlier in the evening, retired detective Frank Kampsen, director of the Behind the Badge Foundation, and Officer Raleigh Evans:
From the stage, musician Kelly Gray offered a toast to honor the four slain Lakewood officers.
He expressed appreciation for the work of police officers everywhere as well as gratitude for the fact that they “put their lives on the line for us every day.” If you couldn’t join in last night’s fundraiser, either at Bamboo or any of the participating restaurants, you can still donate to the Lakewood Police Independent Guild, which is raising money – there’s a PayPal button on the right sidebar.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: SODO driver alert – 4th Avenue South closes at (lower) Spokane Street tonight and tomorrow night, 11 pm-5 am, for work on the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project; SB detour is at Horton, NB detour goes up Spokane to 6th … Lafayette Elementary‘s Sports Swap to raise money for playground renovations is this weekend, so you can drop off sports items for donations or consignment at the school (2645 California SW) today, 3-5 pm (look for a longer WSB story later today on the playground project, which just launched a Facebook page) … Southwest Pool has a food drive under way, and you can swim free if you bring a donation today (from the Fall Brochure) … Skate at Alki Community Center! Only 2 chances to do it this month, and tonight’s one of them, 6:45-8:45 pm … At the Duwamish Longhouse: Mike ‘didahalqid’ Evans shares traditional native stories associated with Duwamish locations, 7-8:30 pm, $5 students/seniors, $10 adults. Come early 5-7 PM for $3 frybread … High-school football: Chief Sealth International High School hosts Lakeside at 4 pm, Seattle Lutheran hosts Rainier Christian at 7 pm.
Just in case you haven’t been over-reminded yet: Daylight Saving Time is in its waning hours for this year; early Sunday – aka Saturday night – we’ll turn the clock back an hour (2 am Sunday becomes 1 am). Lost track of time? Find the official U.S. clock here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A gathering tonight on Alki marked the end of a 2-week adventure for more than a dozen West Seattle High School students and their families, as well as their new friends from thousands of miles away.
It was the traditional farewell beach fire – s’mores and all – for students visiting WSHS from Seattle’s sister city Nantes, France, in a unique two-part annual exchange program that teacher Douglas Peterman says is the only one of its kind in the city.
WSB visited his classroom earlier this week to meet some of the participating West Seattle and Nantes students, as well as their chaperones and a local host parent. Among the lessons we learned – the real pronunciation of Nantes, and the relevance of an exchange program in a day and age when some say technology has reduced the need to travel. Read on for the story!
That’s West Seattle Helpline executive director Anna Fern (left) with husband Alan Fern (right) and Virginia Pellegrino and Brad Huskinson, during tonight’s fall benefit for the Helpline. Virginia and Brad produced a video that was shown at the benefit (we’re told it’ll be published online within a few days); the event’s theme, “Give the Gift of Warmth and Light.” Certainly a warmer-than-normal evening in a perfect setting, Salty’s on Alki. If you’d like to help Helpline meet the needs of folks in need this holiday season, and beyond, but couldn’t make it to the event – you can donate through the button on the left side of their home page.
(SSCC President Gary Oertli speaks to SW District Council, with SW Precinct Capt. Steve Paulsen and the city Department of Neighborhoods’ Southwest District Coordinator Stan Lock at right)
More from last night’s Southwest District Council meeting: The SWDC, which has long met at South Seattle Community College, got to officially meet its new president, Gary Oertli, a born-and-raised West Seattle native. “West Seattle is a state of mind – diverse, entrepreneurial, innovative – we hope South Seattle Community College reflects that in the same way.” He shared some data points with council members, and you might not know them either:
*More than 15,000 students
*West Seattle and Georgetown campuses, New Holly Park and “Airport University” locations
*Average age: 33
*70 percent of students work part-time or full-time
*Largest program: Its transfer program
*300 students in wine-technology program
*Hundreds in Running Start
*340 international students
*Annual operating budget of $53 million, with 500 employees
The numbers weren’t all rosy; Oertli also talked about the 25 percent budget cuts that community colleges have endured in the past two years, with more to come because of the state’s financial situation, but SSCC is working hard to keep serving people including the “thousands of laid-off workers (who) have turned to community colleges to upgrade their skills,” in addition to other students. And they’re working to expand the 13th Year Promise Scholarship program, with one free year of community college for students at Cleveland High School: “Our goal is to do that for EVERY student at the high schools in our service area.” Finally – they’re reaching out to the West Seattle community for increased partnership, and inviting everyone to find out more about SSCC. One place to start: The next wine-release event for its popular program is coming up November 15th (find out more here).
Look for the red, white and blue balloons all over West Seattle tonight – like the ones outside Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) in our photo – they signify participation in the Dine Out to Remember Our Fallen fundraiser that’s under way right now. Here’s what it’s all about:
In the waiting area for Puerto Vallarta in The Junction, you’ll see that rendering of the police memorial planned for Lakewood, where four officers were gunned down almost a year ago. Tonight’s fundraiser is meant to raise money to bring it closer to reality. Helping lead local efforts, retired Seattle Police Detective Frank Kampsen, director of the Behind the Badge Foundation, and Southwest Precinct Officer Raleigh Evans:
They explained why West Seattle participation is so high:
Meantime, check out this list of participants – get out sometime tonight, and help make the memorial happen. The night’s biggest event will be emceed by Officer Evans: A rock ‘n’ roll jam at Bamboo Bar and Grill on Alki starting at 8 pm. Details here; more later!
Two photos from a jaunt out-and-about during this spectacularly sunny afternoon: While we were in The Junction checking on a few things, Michael from Liberty Bell Printing pointed out that the crosswalk signals at Walk-All-Ways have been switched to the increasingly common “countdown” style – so now you know exactly how long you have to scamper diagonally (or otherwise) to the other side. Meantime, in High Point:
Thanks to Jake for sending word that the sign’s up for the market going into a spot on property owned by Hans’ VW at 35th and Graham. We reported on the new market three months ago, when support was being sought for a “change of use” permit to make it possible. We will keep checking to see if we can find out how soon it’s likely to open.
3:44 PM: Various citywide news sources are going into the details of this more deeply than we will. Suffice it to say if you haven’t already heard: Public-safety personnel have closed off (this is changing rapidly) parts of 3rd, 4th, and 5th near the county courthouse and jail on the south end of downtown; they have been trying to rescue a woman who at least at one point was threatening to jump, and has walked atop the skybridge between the two buildings. The street closures are affecting bus routes as well. We will add information here if anything changes.
(For anyone needing help – 206-461-3222 is the 24-hour Crisis Clinic hotline.)
4:43 PM: Onscene reports via Twitter say the woman has been rescued. Metro alerts say streets are open again and buses returning to normal.
Live right now at www.seattlechannel.org: The City Council Budget Committee is talking about changes to the mayor’s proposed cuts in the Department of Neighborhoods. Assistants are presenting the proposed changes: First, they re-added a coordinator who was to be cut from the Historic Preservation program; next, came restoration of more than $300,000 that was to be cut from the Neighborhood Matching Fund program. None of this is final until the council votes on its official plan in about two and a half weeks. Still to come: A discussion of possibly canceling the plan to close the Neighborhood Service Center in The Junction and cut the job of its Neighborhood District Coordinator; we’ll continue to add updates here. The full agenda, with supporting documents, is here.
2:16 PM: They are now discussing the Southwest NSC’s fate. The council’s assistant is noting that the location in The Junction is on a month-by-month basis (because of the proposed Conner Homes development, which, she added, may be delayed further – “That hasn’t been moving too quickly,” observed West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen). “And if the development takes place, we’ll have the extra property taxes to fund the new location,” added Council President Richard Conlin cheerily. Now on to the proposed cut of Neighborhood District Coordinators’ jobs (including Stan Lock, who works out of the Southwest NSC in The Junction) – they’re talking about keeping those jobs, but at 80% time, and they want the mayor to explain how neighborhood engagement would play out without these jobs. “This allows us to make a rational policy choice, instead of just sweeping them away,” observed Councilmember Tim Burgess.
2:35 PM UPDATE: They’ve moved on to SDOT – and the first item is about the proposed street-parking changes. Councilmember Jean Godden has suggested she’d like to see the top parking rate be $4 instead of $5.
3:10 PM: Though no official votes are being taken, there seems to be more sentiment about NOT starting paid Sunday parking – studying it as a possible addition later. Councilmember Nick Licata says the public should be “cut a little slack” given they’ll already be asked to start paying for parking all the way till 8 pm on other nights.
4:22 PM: They’re still talking transportation – right now, the proposed increase in the commercial parking tax.
4:45 PM: Today’s meeting is over. Next week, it’s “Round 2,” which means final decisions on changes – so NOTHING is final till then, even items that were well-received in meetings like today.
Thanks to TouchTech Systems‘ Brian Presser for sharing the photo of the sign going up today. We’re awaiting owner Aimee Pellegrini‘s announcement of the opening date, but it’s clearly very close for her Tuscan Tea Room and Romanza Floral in The Junction, next to the newly opened Wing Dome. We first reported on the new business back in June; Aimee’s been running Romanza Floral for quite some time, but decided to venture into the tea-room business.
| Comments Off on West Seattle Saturday: Gathering of Neighbors, much more!