ROLLING COMMUNITY MEETING: Think community meetings require plopping yourself in a chair and sitting there for a few hours? Not this one! It’s a “rolling” meeting – rendezvous at 10 am at Delridge Neighborhood Development Association HQ at Delridge and Brandon, and carpool along to various spots where wayfinding kiosks are planned. More info here.
YARD SALE SEASON ROLLS ON: First of all, check the WSB Forums‘ Freebies/Deals/Sales section for sales posted by your West Seattle neighbors and friends – looks like some good ones! And if you’d like to hop from sale to sale in relatively close confines, South Park is having a community yard sale day – organizers think there’ll be more than the few dozen they’ve mapped – get the list of locations here.
SEATTLE PARKS’ BIG DAY OF PLAY: – This Seattle Parks and Recreation extravaganza is happening at Magnuson Park but free shuttles are offered from sites including Delridge Community Center and Southwest Community Center in West Seattle – info here.
WEST SEATTLE BEST-SELLING AUTHOR’S ANNUAL READING: Terry Brooks, a big name among fantasy-fiction fans, makes his annual appearance to read and sign books at Westwood Village Barnes and Noble, 2 pm (more at TerryBrooks.net).
FINAL 2010 SHOWTIME FOR WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: Rescheduled night for what was supposed to be the Aug. 7 presentation of Summer Outdoor Movies in The Junction (Hotwire/Dr. Wolff courtyard) – “Star Trek” (2009 version) screens at dusk. Movie’s free; bring your own chair/blanket; bring a few $ for fundraiser raffle tickets/concessions, too!
Got a 3- through 12-year-old interested in playing outdoor soccer this fall? There’s stiil time to sign up with the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) – this Sunday’s the deadline. According to the Y’s sports director Matt Schlede, practices start the week of September 13, the first games are September 25, and the season ends November 6, with all games played Saturdays at Lincoln Park – one practice and one game per week during the 7-game schedule. Here’s the page you can use to find out more, and to register.
(Photos and Video by Christopher Boffoli)
The Providence Mount St. Vincent outdoor-concert series is a wrap for this year – after The Haggis Brothers‘ performance at The Mount tonight. A few people in the audience were bundled up against the breezy late-summer evening. But the band’s Bluegrass and Western Swing music (and a barbecue dinner) definitely warmed up the crowd.
This is one of two major outdoor-music series in West Seattle – the other, the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (co-sponsored by WSB), concludes next Thursday, with the hometown favorite West Seattle Big Band playing on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center at 6:30 pm. (In the meantime, there’s a bonus concert – The Board of Education, half of a crowd-delighting Hiawatha double bill Tuesday before last, will perform at Alki Playfield Tuesday night at 6.)
Just so you know when to start watching for “school zone” lights, students crossing streets, and other signs that school’s in session – some West Seattle schools start as early as next Monday! Here’s the list we have so far – if we’re missing yours, please leave a comment or e-mail us and we’ll add it:
(In the photo,) Ava & Helen Simmons put the finishing touches on a mural of the EC Hughes building. The students of Westside School created a number of beautiful murals for the walls of their new school. The first day of classes will be held on Wednesday, September 8th. Westside School will be having a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, September 7th at 4:00. Westside School currently has an enrollment of 235 students from preschool through fifth grade.
Second note – SPS sent a news release late today about teachers visiting several district schools from China this year, including some in West Seattle – read on for the full announcement:Read More
RYAN COX: He’s the 32-year-old man who was twice arrested for graffiti vandalism in West Seattle, with charges then dismissed because he was incompetent to stand trial – and now the same thing has happened a third time. After his arrest earlier this month (WSB coverage here), for graffiti vandalism and knife possession, he was scheduled to return to court next Monday after a Western State Hospital evaluation – but instead, the case was moved up, and we learned after the fact that he had been in the city’s Mental Health Court yesterday afternoon. Once again, he was found incompetent to stand trial, and unlikely to be “restored” to competency in the short period of time allotted if it is not a major crime; once again, the charges were dismissed, and he’s been sent back to Western State Hospital for a different evaluation. According to deputy city attorney Jennifer Grant, who is handling this case, Western State and state lawyers have till next Tuesday evening to decide whether to seek to have Cox committed – a process which both previous times has led to a decision against commitment, which put him back on the street. The twist here is that as in the previous cases, neither we nor even the city will be formally notified of the results – because of medical-privacy laws. The only thing different this time, Grant says, is that because he was arrested before this case and pleaded guilty to a charge for which he is still on probation – if at any point he is found competent, that case could reopen.
STEPHEN KIRK: He is the 50-year-old man arrested and charged in connection with three so-called smash-and-grab break-ins – only charged in three Burien cases so far, but suspected in more than 30, including some in West Seattle. He was scheduled for arraignment – the hearing at which a suspect answers the charges – yesterday, but it was postponed till Monday. We should find out then if he will face additional charges. Though Kirk’s bail was reduced to $25,000 two weeks ago, he has remained behind bars.
Thanks to West Seattle-based journalist Gregg Hersholt for the tip – the awnings have gone up at the future Highstrike Grill, in the restaurant space at West Seattle Bowl (where Terrace West closed a month and a half ago). While snapping the photo, we dropped in to check with WS Bowl owner Andrew Carl, who says they’re hoping to be open by mid-September – the kitchen equipment is coming in next week, and more signage is on the way. He also says there’ll be a website up soon with info including the Highstrike Grill menu.
One more case you might be able to help solve: Seattle Police are out with photos of one suspect from yesterday morning’s home-invasion robbery in the 7900 block of 4th SW in Highland Park. They say he was photographed while using one of the victim’s cards at a “nearby” ATM:
He is described as an Asian male, 5′ 8″, 165 pounds, average build, wearing eyeglasses and dressed in a hooded sweatshirt. He also has a thin mustache. An ATM camera captured his image while he was attempting to use the victim’s ATM card at a nearby location. The photo images also capture him driving the victim’s stolen white 1995 Ford van, Washington license plate 65327 DP (Disabled plate). The van is wheelchair equipped and has no hubcaps.
Roxhill Elementary School‘s distinctive “R” needs some help. And Westwood Neighborhood Councilleader Donn DeVore (who shared the photo above) is offering the perfect chance for you to pitch in and make sure that a building working on teaching kids the “three R’s” – and then some – can be proud of its own “R” once more:
Calling for volunteers on September 11th/12th from 10 am to 2 pm. Need a minimum of 8-10 people (4-5 each day) to help sand, prime and re-paint the Roxhill Elementary School ‘R’ on SW Roxbury Street. The school doesn’t have the budget for this.
If people are interested in volunteering, please have them contact me at donndevore@hotmail.com.
Less than two weeks after the sad saga of Primo, the second Alki seal pup of the year has arrived, according to the newest update on the Seal Sitters‘ “blubberblog” website. Little “Windy” was on the beach until 8 pm or so, Seal Sitters writes; if you spot “Windy” (or another pup) anywhere on the West Seattle shore in the days ahead, please be sure to call Seal Sitters at 905-SEAL.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli)
If you drove through The Junction tonight and spotted the huge crowd spilling into the street from Easy Street Records – big night for music fans. The store hosted – free! – the public debut of Fistful of Mercy, a new group with three names you might recognize: Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur, and Dhani Harrison. Hundreds showed up for a glimpse and a listen:
Fistful of Mercy is based in Venice, California. They’ve got a website – but it looks like you’ll find out about them right now on the band’s Facebook page. ADDED 10:17 PM: From comments, here’s video shot and uploaded to YouTube by “k”:
And Christopher’s clip from the crowd-in-the-street perspective:
A onetime Junction eyesore is getting a big dose of beautification. We told you two weeks ago about the High Point Community Center-supervised mural-creation project, making paintings that would be put up in the passageway on the west side of California SW in The Junction, near Northwest Art & Frame and Puerto Vallarta – now, they’re up, after some hard work by volunteers on Wednesday.
A dedication plaque will go up soon, and the walkway path itself will be repainted too, to complete the facelift, which should be done sometime next month.
Just got that photo from Josh Sutton of the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor), e-mailing us on behalf of the Rotary Club of West Seattle, whose members are busy with a big volunteer project right now:
A dozen Rotary Club members are busy sorting over $8,000 worth of school supplies for elementary students in need across West Seattle. Pencil Me in for Kids is a project of the West Seattle Rotary. We raise money throughout the year and work with school staff to be sure that students have the supplies they need to be successful in class. Tonight we sort the supplies by school, and on Friday we’ll deliver them to local schools.
You can find out more about Pencil Me In For Kidsby going here; donation information’s here.
With 13 Seattle communities having regular art walks, including West Seattle, even devoted art lovers might have trouble keeping track. That’s why City Councilmember Nick Licata‘s office just launched a new website spotlighting them all – click the neighborhood name and you’ll get more information on its art walk. See the new site here. (The next West Seattle Art Walk, by the way, is just two weeks from tonight, on Sept. 9th.)
Today, we welcome a new WSB sponsor, Stacey Riley of Stacey Riley Interiors. She says her approach to design is to be both fun and flexible. Stacey explains, “I think design should be a successful endeavor between client and designer, of course. But having fun and choosing a designer that they have a good connection with is equally as important. There are so many beautiful things to look at and select from in the design world, and this experience should be fun! Also, if they have kids and/or pets they should try to select someone that is patient and also has kids and pets! Which I do.” Stacey adds, “Most of my clients have said that I am fun to work with, and that I always keep their needs in mind before style. Fashion is important when planning a design, but function is always more important. Clients also feel that they can work with me at their pace. If they need to take a break or just take a breather mid-project, it will be easy to get back in touch with me and begin working again.”
Stacey says she believes a third-party perspective can bring solid results. She says working with clients and being able to step back from a given project has given people the ability to let clients work through their own ideas or be open to her suggestions. As a pet lover, she is also aware of what pet-friendly material are out there and how your new design can work for the whole family. Stacey also has a column, Dish on Design, which appears in the West Seattle Herald. You can find Stacey Riley Interiors online at staceyrileyinteriors.com, or call 206-200-5951.
We thank Stacey Riley Interiors for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
When the Aurora Bridge Fence Projectaffected traffic on northbound 99 last Sunday, we heard from West Seattleites who got stuck in backups – so we’re passing along the advisory that just came in for THIS Sunday, in case you were planning to use 99 – which will have closures in both directions that day – read on:Read More
2 quick reminders about Sunday’s Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run, benefiting Northwest Hope and Healing, which helps breast-cancer patients: First, 11 am tomorrow is your deadline to register online – you can do that here. Second, a reminder that Alki SW will be closed approximately 8 am-11 am Sunday for the 5K – this is a CHANGE from past years; the run got so big (1,400 last year) that it needs to be on the street, same course as the West Seattle 5K.
The Seattle Fire Department has just announced the cause of this morning’s 6 am garage fire in the 5400 block of 23rd SW – “accidental, caused by an electrical malfunction.” Their update adds, “Damage estimate: $100,000.” Here’s our original breaking-news coverage with photos and video; the video above is shared by our friends at KING5, sent to them by viewer “edgallo“; here’s the last shot we took before leaving the scene this morning, looking into the gutted garage as the smoke cleared:
(Photo courtesy Toni Reineke, Westside Symphonette) Westside Symphonette “welcomes all musicians – beginning to advanced, young to antique.” So writes its founder/co-conductor Toni Reineke in her announcement of its new season, which starts September 14th. If you’re interested in being part of this community orchestra, it’s registering musicians now. Read on for the full announcement:Read More
So, it’s a little cloudy. Bring a sweater along with your blanket/chair and be at Hiawatha Community Center‘s east lawn for the second-to-last Admiral Neighborhood Association-presented Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (co-sponsored by WSB), 6:30 pm. In concert tonight: Camille Bloom (seen in the above video clip performing one of her album tracks). Mark your calendar for next Thursday night too, when the Hiawatha series concludes with the West Seattle Big Band onstage. (PS – We’re checking on rain plans, since moments after we published this, a shower began …)
(Meantime, two more outdoor concerts in West Seattle between tonight and next Thursday: Tomorrow, 6 pm, the Providence Mount St. Vincent Friday night series concludes with The Haggis Brothers; next Tuesday night at Alki Playfield, it’s the Board of Education, which was part of last week’s well-attended double bill at Hiawatha.)
Update from Seattle Policeon a “home invasion” robbery they’ve been investigating in the 7900 block of 4th SW this morning: Det. Mark Jamieson tells WSB they don’t believe it was random – they think this house “was targeted”: Someone knocked at the house around 3 am; a woman in her 60s answered, a man with a gun forced his way in, tied her up; two other people who were home – a man in his 30s and his girlfriend in her 20s – came out, and they too were tied up. Police believe at least three robbers were involved; they stole “items including rifles and handguns” as well as two cars, a gray 2005 Toyota Camry (license 9224*DP) and 1995 white Ford Windstar (license 6532*DP). The only description they have, according to Det. Jamieson, is that the man who knocked was described as “Asian”; no other descriptions so far, but detectives are continuing to do interviews.
(Added top photo 6:47 am, sent from Belvidere by anonymous contributor; photo below was added at 6:27 am – Wendy Hughes-Jelen photographed the smoke from High Point)
6:15 AM: On our way to the house fire call in the 5400 block of 23rd SW. If you’re hearing/seeing choppers, it’s TV. This is just east of Delridge, near/at the intersection with Brandon (map). 6:21 AM: Fire is “knocked down” per scanner – but the smoke could be seen from quite some distance, according to some of the people who’ve called (thanks!). 6:30 AM: “A large garage with vehicles inside” is what burned, according to SFD’s Helen Fitzpatrick, who says nobody was hurt – everybody got out of the adjacent house OK. 6:36 AM: Here’s what’s left of the garage, which is behind the house:
In case you wondered – this is NOT affecting traffic on Delridge, which is open and running just fine. 23rd is blocked, but it’s not a major through street at that point anyway. One wall of the garage is still smoldering. 7:02 AM: The media briefing at the scene (we’ll add that video when it’s back at HQ) has mostly reiterated what we’ve already reported – nobody home; contents of garage a loss (but exactly what was in there is still being sorted out). The family who lives there was home at the time and called in the fire. Investigators are working to find out how it started.
7:58 AM: The above video clip is Battalion Chief Jay Hagen, who spoke to media at the scene. Here’s also a short clip of firefighters still hosing off the smoldering garage:
Got a 3- through 12-year-old interested in playing outdoor soccer this fall? There’s stiil time to sign up with the 
and now the same thing has happened a third time. After his arrest earlier this month (
As summer sails closer to its sunset, it’s the return of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, topped by the 
Stacey explains, “I think design should be a successful endeavor between client and designer, of course. But having fun and choosing a designer that they have a good connection with is equally as important. There are so many beautiful things to look at and select from in the design world, and this experience should be fun! Also, if they have kids and/or pets they should try to select someone that is patient and also has kids and pets! Which I do.” Stacey adds, “Most of my clients have said that I am fun to work with, and that I always keep their needs in mind before style. Fashion is important when planning a design, but function is always more important. Clients also feel that they can work with me at their pace. If they need to take a break or just take a breather mid-project, it will be easy to get back in touch with me and begin working again.”
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