West Seattle, Washington
23 Wednesday
Just got word from Southwest Youth and Family Services that they are hosting a workshop this Wednesday night for anyone interested in applying for a grant of up to $20,000 for a community project that could be part of the Youth Violence Prevention Initiative. Our part of the city is among three Seattle areas where the initiative is focused, and SWYFS is the lead agency in this area; details on the grants, the application process, and Wednesday’s workshop are here.
ORIGINAL 10:51 AM REPORT: Thanks to WSB’er Diane for pointing out that the fencing’s up all around the Admiral Safeway site. We checked in with Sara Corn at Safeway HQ – and she confirmed that demolition is starting this week. Here’s what we’ve found there this morning: A backhoe’s in place behind the 42nd/Lander house that’s being demolished (top photo) along with the main store building, and Seattle Fire Department crews are doing roof-ventilation training – here’s Ladder 11 on site:
As noted here last month, Safeway has set up a website with project details – the link’s here.
4:25 PM UPDATE: We checked again around 12:30, and the house was still standing – but in the ensuing few hours, it was torn down. Carrie Ann shares this photo:
She says it was quite the attraction for families from nearby Lafayette Elementary once school let out.
After 3 weeks of voting, the Dick’s Drive-In “where to build a new location?” poll results are in. From the company:
After a phenomenal customer response to an online poll, Dick’s Drive- In Restaurants announced today plans to focus their search for a new restaurant location within a 20 mile area north of the original Dick’s in Wallingford. After almost 3 weeks of voting, the north region, including Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Edmonds, and South Everett scored highest with 53,810 votes, or 46 percent of the 115,524 votes cast. South [which included West Seattle] captured 28 percent, (32,180 votes), and East received 26 percent (30,534 votes). …
“This is an historic time for our family’s small business,” says Jim Spady, Vice President of Dick’s Drive-Ins and son of co-founder and namesake, Dick Spady. “The outpouring of support has been overwhelming and humbling. North received the most votes, and that is where we will now focus our efforts.” Spady added, “We want those who voted South and East to know that we heard their voices also. If the new northern Dick’s is a success, the next two Dick’s Drive-Ins will be built in the South and East regions.
Meantime, as discussed amply during the voting, West Seattle already has fabulous burgers, so be sure to show them your love.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar listings for today/tonight: High Point Library (35th/Raymond) adds a new Family Story Time on Mondays, 7 pm, starting tonight … 7 pm is also start time (at the Senior Center of West Seattle) for Sustainable West Seattle‘s monthly Community Forum, tonight addressing the question “After Peak Oil – How Do We Transition?” … Fauntleroy Children’s Center hosts a parent meeting on kindergarten readiness, 6 pm (call 206-932-9590 to sign up) … Meet Navos CEO David Johnson, Ed.D., for a look “Inside Navos” at the West Seattle campus (2600 SW Holden), 6 pm … It’s the second session of fall for Bingo on Alki at Alki UCC, 5:30 pm … And it’s the first Monday for now-open-7-days Skylark Café and Club, starting at 3 pm … More on the calendar!
Two years ago, we caught the start of “Walk ‘n’ Roll for Ataxia” on Alki; this morning, we have the announcement that it’s happening again in a few weeks, to benefit the National Ataxia Foundation in its fight against the not-so-well-known nervous-system disease (explained here). It’s at 10 am Saturday, October 2nd, starting from Alki Beach shelter #1 (across from Pegasus Pizza). Registration form here – or e-mail ataxiaseattle@comcast.net or call 425-823-6239. The very next day, there’s another awareness-and-money-raising walk in the Alki area:
(WSB photo from 2008 CROP Walk)
Sunday, October 3rd, is the day for this year’s CROP Walk, leaving from Alki UCC at 1:30 pm, raising money to fight hunger. More info here about how to participate and/or pledge.
Before those two walks in West Seattle, there is another walk happening outside our area but with West Seattle participants. Lisa from Arbor Heights e-mailed to let us know about Light the Night Walk, a cancer-fighting event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, coming up next Saturday. Lisa is planning to walk with her friend April Fennell Robinson (photo left), whom Lisa says is fighting non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma (and has already survived breast cancer). The walk is at Green Lake Park, starting at 7 pm September 25th, more info here.
And the day before that – it’s the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure, with a big West Seattle contingent, led by local survivor Tracy Dart‘s Team Tracy. She’s been continuing to chronicle their hard-fought fundraising successes online, and her excitement over being chosen to carry the “Courage” banner in the Survivors’ Circle during the 3-Day. This year’s walk starts next Friday night; Tracy has posted information on her site about how you can cheer on the walkers.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Never a dull moment at Wendy and Stephen Hughes-Jelen’s High Point townhome.
They always have a variety of enterprises under way. For one, they’re companions to Sophia, the Italian greyhound, who’s appeared on the cover of CityDog Magazine. For two, Wendy has a green real-estate practice, and a social-media sideline with multiple blog-format websites (most recently, she’s been producing videos to promote Eat Local Now! – the local-food celebration coming up Sept. 30th).
We could go on, but why bother, when the next thing we’re going to list is so all-consuming: Their current sideline is round-the-clock kitten-raising. Five heart-stealing kittens – with, best of all, webcams. (One’s here; the other’s here.)
On behalf of West Seattle-headquartered nonprofit shelter Kitty Harbor, Wendy and Stephen volunteered to foster the little fluffballs – now six weeks old, two weeks away from adoptability – and decided to chronicle the whole thing online.
The clouds are back after four hours of sunshine graced the second half of the West Seattle Junction Car Show – but not before yielding a perfect rainbow arc over Elliott Bay. Kristina shares the photo above: Jerry from JetCityOrange shares the video below:
(added 7:47 pm) David Hutchinson shared a photo too:
And Jillian got the water-taxi perspective:
Thanks again to everyone who shared photos! You might not be surprised to hear famous forecaster Cliff Mass say that this may wind up as the wettest September on record.
(Our earlier WSJ Car Show reports: #1 is here, #2 is here)
Prime time to come down and see the West Seattle Junction Car Show (co-sponsored by WSB) if you haven’t already – we’re in hour 4 of sun (the puddles from the morning monsoons are almost all gone – check out the blue sky over the Last Resort Fire Department ladder:
That’s parked by the spot where raffle/drawing tickets to raise money for West Seattle Helpline are still on sale, and judging continues, with awards coming up at 3. Here by the way are a few more of the cars that have been here all day, through rain and shine:
Like West Seattle Summer Fest and all the other great summer festivals we were thrilled to be part of too, there’s a whole lot of “get out and talk to your friends and neighbors” going on here – thanks to everyone who has stopped by to say hi! More to come as the awards are announced in about an hour. 3:36 PM: Show’s over – awards have been announced, cars are rolling out. We’ll publish the list of who won (with pix) a bit later.
As mentioned in our food-notes roundup on Friday night – Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) is in the midst of its annual “For the Love of Cheese” celebration, and today’s the biggest event at the Admiral store, with cheesemakers and samples till 5 pm. You can also check in on the hand-pulled mozzarella that Metropolitan Market staffers make year-round:
The full schedule of cheese festival events at the Metropolitan Markets around the region is online here.
That’s former West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival Junior Queen Kailin Jo Alexander Spencer with her creation from the Zucchini 500 under way at West Seattle Farmers’ Market right now – she came over to the neighboring West Seattle Junction Car Show to show it to us. Here’s the table at the market where kids are welcome to stop, make and race their own:
Also at the Farmers’ Market – before the sun came out (it’s been sunny a whole hour now!) – we found Sustainable West Seattle‘s Bill Reiswig, promoting Eat Local Now!
If you haven’t heard about it yet, the annual Eat Local Now! dinner is coming up September 30th at Herban Feast‘s SODO Park – it’s all about local food – to celebrate, and educate! WSB is among the co-sponsors again this year; tickets are $35 adults/$10 kids, available here.
You first heard about the Dick’s Drive-In “where to build a new location?” poll here back on August 30th – and today, our friends at KING 5 point out this is the final day to vote. The “South” option, which includes West Seattle, is in second place, albeit a distant second – nonetheless, there’s still time to round up some more votes. So we’re mentioning it one last time. Here’s where to vote.
(Scroll down for added photos and updates – as of 10:57 am we’ve got a sunbreak!)
Yes, it’s showery, but the third annual West Seattle Junction Car Show is on, rain or shine as promised, and the brightly colored cars are a great counterpoint to the 10-shades-of-gray sky. There’s plenty of people-watching too – here’s Husky Deli proprietor Jack Miller with one of the Last Resort Fire Department trucks you’ll find on SW Alaska between KeyBank and Easy Street Records:
Right nearby (just west of our tent on the Easy Street corner), you can also buy a West Seattle Junction Car Show T-shirt – shown off here by the West Seattle Helpline crew:
Also at the Helpline booth, you can get in on the drawing/raffle that’s raising money for Helpline, too. We’ll be adding more sights and sounds (classic rock’s on the sound system, by the way) in the hours ahead – the clouds are moving fast so we just might get sunbreaks along the way too! 11:07 AM: And that’s exactly what’s happened – after a couple of good cloudbursts, we’ve got a break, and some blue sky coming in from the west. Meantime, even the police are in rain gear:
The Last Resort Fire Department’s ladder has a flag over the west end of the show.
And speaking of “last resort” – today’s participants include a classic … hearse!
Also, there’s Brian Alvarez’s ’65 Mini … he tells us about it in this clip before we take a peek inside:
More to come!
With the third annual West Seattle Junction Car Show scheduled to start at 8 am, the setup’s been under way since before dawn – with tents arriving when it was still dark, along the closed-till-late-afternoon heart of The Junction. Then, as the eastern sky started to lighten, the participating cars (and other vehicles!) lined up to roll in:
First in line: Bill Baum and what he describes as his “1934 Ford pickup rod”:
Before the cars could start parking, the hydros had to get into place:
The show’s free, 8 am-4 pm, and we’ll be there reporting live all day; other Junction activities include a breakfast buffet at the West Seattle Eagles, $8, 9:30 am-noon per their newsletter, and the annual Zucchini 500 at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market (which is on as usual, 10 am-2 pm) – kids get to make and race their own veggie vehicles. More to come!
From Sean:
2 thieves were caught on camera breaking into cars at the 6300 block of 34th Ave SW [map] 09/17/2010 between 3:00 am – 3:15 am. They were very quiet, making sure to not shut doors and make noise, and probably were taking full advantage of the fog to further conceal their activities.
They were seen on camera heading northbound after digging through several cars on the 6300 block. If anybody has information or thinks they were victim of the same guys, they might try to contact Officer Larry Longley.
Meantime, yet another reminder – the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s next meeting is this Tuesday night, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room. Community Police Team officers, who work on ongoing neighborhood issues, are usually there as well as at least one rep from precinct leadership, and it’s one way to ask about chronic (or new) concerns.
That’s photographer Tim Aguero, snapped via the WSB BlackBerry between mini-photo sessions at Avalon Glassworks on Saturday afternoon, during “Head Shots at the Hot Shop” – a chance to get a new photo for your online profiles (or whatever), with a suggested $40 donation going to the White Center Food Bank. We stopped by toward the end, but it was too soon for the final tally, which Avalon Glassworks’ Shannon Felix has posted on their Facebook page (along with shots of some of the participants) – $745. AG’s FB page is also a good place to learn a little more about art-glass creation – which we caught in action while covering the fundraiser:
That’s Sean with the torch. You can watch the creative process at the shop four days a week!)
Suddenly this pig-roasting thing is quite the West Seattle trend. First Fresh Bistro did it – then last Sunday, Endolyne Joe’s (WSB sponsor) – and tonight, neighbors around 47th/Brandon threw a party they called the 1st Annual Seaview Swine-Que – mostly before the big rain started in again. We got the tip from Shelly, seen here holding little Gabi:
Shelly had explained via e-mail, “Several local families came together to plan this fun event and The Beer Junction was gracious enough to sponsor it,” going on to say the event was a “testament to good ol’ fashioned neighborhood spirit in West Seattle.” Reminded us a bit of the last time we went around checking on neighborhood spirit, it was Night Out block party night on August 4th, so we got a group portrait here too:
By the way, even if you feel like summer is most decidedly over (hey, but it’s WARM rain), it isn’t officially done until Wednesday, the autumnal equinox. (And if it looks like there will be something resembling a sunset that night, you can go watch it with NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen of Alice’s Astro Info at Solstice Park – info here.)
Today’s semi-surprise sunshine ended right before the speeches concluded at this afternoon’s Seattle Parks celebration in honor of the newly named Walt Hundley Playfield by High Point Community Center. But the event continued with the cheery atmosphere of a family-and-friends reunion – which it was, with dozens of people on hand in addition to the official participants shown above – from left, Mr. Hundley’s son Evan, former mayors Wes Uhlman (1969-78) and Charley Royer (1978-90), former Parks superintendent Ken Bounds, Mr. Hundley’s son David, acting Parks superintendent Christopher Williams, and former Parks finance director Curt Green. Mr. Hundley had held other city roles, including budget director, and Uhlman recalled appointing him to the job in which he made history, serving 1977-88 as the city’s first African-American parks superintendent:
Everyone who spoke remembered Mr. Hundley’s mentorship skills – Williams, too, cited him as an inspiration:
Walt Hundley died in 2002; here’s his biography on HistoryLink. Members of the Hundley family noted sadly that they had hoped to have Walt’s widow Felisa Hundley would there to share in the tributes. She, however, died just weeks ago, two days before what would have been her 79th birthday (here’s her obituary). (added Sunday morning) Evan Hundley – who heads Explorer West Middle School – read a Maya Angelou poem that, he explained, his mother originally was planning to read at the event:
At Liberty Bell Printing in The Junction on Friday, Anne was checking out the info-packets awaiting cars already signed up for the third annual West Seattle Junction Car Show tomorrow (with co-sponsors including WSB) – and elsewhere in the shop, we got to peek at a couple of the trophies:
Here’s the “traffic alert” part of it – note that the heart of The Junction will be closed to traffic tomorrow from early morning till late afternoon – same streets as for West Seattle Summer Fest, California between Genesee and Edmunds, and Alaska on both sides of California. There’s still some room for same-day registration but it’s first-come, first-served – be there by 7 am – you can print out and bring the form (PDF). The show runs 8 am-4 pm; admission is free, but bring some money for drawing/raffles to raise money for West Seattle Helpline. See you there, rain or shine!
Think raccoons only come out at night? Brad caught proof to the contrary with this iPhone video from Admiral (thanks for sharing!). We’ve heard about some bigger, bolder raccoon sightings lately – they are a frequent topic in the WSB Forums – so it’s just as worthwhile to check out the “living with wildlife” raccoon info from the state as it is to read the similar links we usually share about coyotes.
Some of what’s happening now around West Seattle – The surprise sunshine (which Cliff Mass explains here) is gracing Holy Rosary‘s WestFest, where inflatable rides (with some non-inflatable components too) are a new addition this year – it’s in and around the school, north of Genesee, between 41st and 42nd SW. Inside you’ll find a bake sale, among other things (near a busy kitchen!).
WestFest continues till 10 pm; the stage schedule is here. A bake sale’s also part of the book sale at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) till 3 this afternoon, 3940 41st SW – look close and you’ll find lots of readable treasures:
Books for all ages are on the tables in Adams Hall, on the lower level of the church’s south side. And further north, another work party is just wrapping up at the old Genesee Hill School:
Tina sent photos from the fourth community cleanup at the schoolyard – these volunteers are standing by a big pile of donated mulch that’s keeping weeds from growing back in areas that were tidied up last month. You’ve still got one more chance to pitch in with the Genesee Schmitz Neighborhood Council – coming up October 16th.
Thanks to Seana for sharing the link: Almost exactly a year after the alcohol-poisoning death of 15-year-old Nick Barnes, a former Madison Middle School student who had moved to Lewis County, charges have been filed there. Lewis County Sirens reports that the owner of the house where Nick was found unconscious, 29-year-old James W. Taylor, is charged with nine crimes including second-degree manslaughter. More details here.
Quick notes on some of today’s highlights:
BOOK SALE: Stock up on fall/winter reading at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), selling books from 9 am – 3 pm in the lower level of Adams Hall. (3940 41st SW)
GENESEE HILL GARDEN-BUILDING: The Genesee Schmitz Neighborhood Council works on the community gardens at the closed Genesee Hill School again today, starting at 9 – tools provided. (Genesee/51st)
CROSS-COUNTRY MEET: Lots of action in Lincoln Park during the annual Sundodger Invitational cross-country meet starting at 9 am – more than 1,000 college athletes competing.
WESTFEST AT HOLY ROSARY 10 am-10 pm – more here, and the stage lineup announcement is here. (42nd/Genesee)
SCHMITZ PARK WALKING TOUR: Presented by the SW Seattle Historical Society, 10 am – meet at 58th and Stevens; a target=”_blank” href=”https://westseattleblog.com/2010/09/southwest-seattle-historical-society-presents-schmitz-park-walking-tour-september-18th”>more details here.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER’S COMMUNITY CHAT: Open availability to talk with school board rep Steve Sundquist,, Southwest Library, 11 am. (35th/Henderson)
DUWAMISH TRIBE FUNDRAISER: Fry Bread for Justice fundraiser at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, noon-4 pm, with proceeds benefiting the tribe’s legal fund as it continues to fight for formal federal recognition. Fry bread $3, coffee $1, with the film “Princess Angeline” shown at 2 pm. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
SQUARE ONE CLEARS OUT: 1-3 pm, now-closed Square One Books is giving away its bookshelves and selling other store decorations. (Jefferson Square)
NEED A BETTER HEAD SHOT? As previewed here yesterday – a pro photographer will be at Avalon Glassworks in the Luna Park business district 1-5 pm, with your chance to get a great-looking head shot, in exchange for a donation ($40 suggested) to the White Center Food Bank.
HIGH POINT CELEBRATION: The ceremony to rename High Point Playfield as Walt Hundley Playfield is set for 2 pm. (34th/Myrtle)
JIMI HENDRIX TRIBUTE: He’s been gone 40 years as of today – but not forgotten, and Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) will make sure of that with a Jimi Hendrix tribute starting tonight at 6. (6451 California SW)
FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESE: The annual festival at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) is under way through the 28th, bringing artisan cheesemakers to their stories including Mt. Townsend Creamery owner Matt Day at the Admiral MM this Sunday, noon-5 pm.
BREAKFAST AT BRICKYARD: Brickyard BBQ proprietor Dan Kriley says they’re now serving breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 9 am: “We are featuring a full breakfast menu and more than you can eat for $8.50. It’s Football season and we have all the games. College and NFL all weekend long.”
HEAVENLY COFFEE, CAKES, BREADS: In a recent e-mail update, Heavenly Pastry and Cake co-proprietor Michael Stein noted that Heavenly has “added Stumptown Coffee/Espresso to the mix, and a latte with one of our Cinnamon Roses is, indeed, a thing of Joy! Also a big ol’ bunch of beautiful cakes are now part of the Heavenly range, as well as some killer breads.”
SKYLARK HOURS CHANGE MONDAY: One more reminder that Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) starts its new 7-day-a-week schedule on Monday, opening at 3 pm on weekdays (no lunch, but food is available starting at 3). They’re still serving brunch 9 am-3 pm on weekends, too.
NEED TO CONSULT A MENU? In the WSB Forums, member “Mannamc” came up with a great idea – scanning local to-go menus and posting them in blog format online. Here’s what’s up so far.
AND IN WHITE CENTER … Proletariat Pizza celebrates its one-year anniversary this weekend, coinciding with the monthly White Center Art Walk. The full list of participants is here.
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