West Seattle, Washington
19 Sunday
As previewed here yesterday, Mayor McGinn has gone public with what he calls the Seattle Jobs Plan. There’s a full writeup on his website. In addition to investment and infrastructure, the plan also promises to “monitor and report semi-annually on five key economic indicators: business income, job growth, business start-ups, performance of local K-12 and postsecondary education systems, and distribution of income.” The plan itself is linked here. ADDED 3:11 PM: Seattle Channel-provided video of the mayor’s announcement.
Once again this year, the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival plans screenings in West Seattle – Oct. 21-22 (updated dates from organizers) at Admiral Theater, during the final days of the Oct. 15-24 festival. This’ll be the festival’s third year with WS dates. We got first word from the festival’s volunteer coordinator Kevin Fansler, who also sent word they’re looking for volunteer help, with an orientation coming up Sept. 26 – read on for more on what kind of help they need:Read More
(Scroll down for newest information – 1:11 pm: SFD has determined fire was accidental)
(Photo substituted at 5:46 am for cameraphone photo we had earlier – this was taken before fire was out)
FIRST REPORT, 4:35 AM: There’s a big response right now to a boat-fire call in the 1300 block of SW Spokane, and we have a few reports of a loud explosion-like noise heard from northeast West Seattle right about the time it was reported – we’re checking it all out right now. It’s at the Jim Clark Marina.
4:50 PM: We’re en route to the scene – scanner traffic indicates that this is affecting traffic in the area, even train traffic, which has been shut down by Burlington Northern. Scanner says “two houseboats are totaled” so far in the fire, and also indicates the fireboat Leschi is involved in fighting the fire. WSB’s Patrick Sand has just arrived in the area and even before reaching the marina just called to say “fire is still visible.” (added – the video he shot on arrival)
5:03 AM: Patrick came over the low bridge and IT IS OPEN – for those who were worried. The flames are now subsiding but still a lot of smoke. Now the scanner (which we’re monitoring at HQ) says three houseboats were/are involved. At the scene, Patrick says it appears some sheds at the marina were involved too – sunrise is still an hour away so the damage will be more fully visible then.
5:13 AM: The “houseboats” reported on the scanner are more like covered slips, Patrick is being told at the scene, where SFD public-information officer Helen Fitzpatrick has arrived to work with the media. She tells us **no injuries**. Some of the fire units are being cleared from the scene; the fire is mostly out.
5:20 AM: Adding a cameraphone photo atop the story (that’s a fireboat lit up at the back of the shot); we’ll have video back at HQ in a bit. We asked SFD’s Fitzpatrick about the reports of a “boom” just before this was reported; she says the Fire Department’s heard a lot about that too but it’s way too soon to tell what that was – investigators will have to do their work figuring out what caused this. The official summary so far is two “boat houses” burned (NOT “houseboats” as per earlier scanner traffic) and one boat (photo above shows smoldering debris). The fire was fought from both land and water (the fireboat Leschi was called out) – and if you’re passing by, as a Twitter question reminds us, you may notice firefighting foam on the Duwamish.
6:50 AM: We’re going back shortly for a daylight look at the scene – scanner indicates police have just reopened the surface street(s) that were blocked off in the marina’s immediate vicinity (again, NOT affecting low-bridge traffic).
7:14 AM: SFD’s Fitzpatrick has just updated the damage totals from the fire: One boat burned, one boat was damaged by fire, a third boat sank; one boathouse was gutted (see our photo) and the two adjacent ones were damaged. The firefighting foam on the water, she notes, is biodegradable. No word yet on how the fire started.
7:55 AM: We’re back at the marina now that the sun’s fully up. The iPhone photo above is the burned boat from the shore east of the marina – we’ll have a closer photo a bit later but that’ll do for now. Port of Seattle Police are here as well as a few remaining fire and citywide-media crews. (Next two photos added 9:22 am – burned boat, plus damaged boathouse next to debris from destroyed one)
11:37 AM: Still no word on the cause. SFD has posted its complete summary of other details here.
1:11 PM: Fire investigators say this was an accident: “fuel vapor in the bilge of a 36-foot boat was ignited by a spark from electrical equipment, & caused explosion.” Damage total is estimated at $200,000.
A routine check of today’s King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office “Daily Docket” roundup revealed there’s been a verdict in a case we’d lost track of:
Guilty verdict, West Seattle pharmacy robbery–A jury convicted Tyler Ljubich last Thursday of Robbery First Degree for holding up a West Seattle pharmacy at gunpoint last September and demanding oxycontin and vicodin. Ljubich, who has a prior conviction for drive-by shooting, will be sentenced on October 1 at 1 p.m. before King County Superior Court Judge Carol Schapira at the King County Courthouse, W-331. He faces a sentence range of 41 to 54 months in prison.
As our update on the case from last October details, Ljubich was arrested two days after the holdup, following a chase in which he wound up on the Schmitz Park Elementary playground; then a judge let him out of jail, until police showed up with a new warrant for his arrest. This is a case of ironic timing, given that the drugstore Ljubich robbed in its closing days – Westside Pharmacy – is close to opening under its new name/ownership (here’s our update from last week).
We’re hearing about auto theft a little more than usual lately, and Southwest Precinct police confirm there’s been a slight uptick lately. Tonight, three notes to share. First one, just e-mailed by Melinda:
Our black 2000 Honda Civic was stolen on Friday night/Saturday morning. It was parked across the street from our house on the 8100 block of 16th Ave SW. My 7 year old is upset because he had books in the back seat. We got a call late last night that it was recovered and is impounded but we can’t pick it up yet because the police “are not done with it yet”. So far we know that it is missing it’s front fenders and the instrument panel. No word on the books.
Another auto theft was solved – at least in terms of finding the vehicle – in the WSB Forums – you can follow the story here. But one more auto-theft victim who posted in the forums has yet to get word of a recovery – Scooter is asking you to be on the lookout for a black 1999 Honda Passport, described here. Meantime, here’s what Seattle Police advise regarding auto-theft prevention.
Jack Miller at Husky Deli has been getting condolences all day from folks getting the news about his Aunt Alyce, who worked at the store for more than 70 of her 90 years – until August 10th, less than two weeks ago. She died yesterday morning. She never married but leaves behind 20 nieces and nephews. She was born Mary Alyce Miller on November 15, 1919 in Peru, Indiana, and moved to West Seattle in 1931. In 1936, her father bought the Edgewood Farm Grocery, and she began working behind the counter. Jack Miller says she’s the one “who got the store through the war.” She worked to keep it open and operating even when wartime rationing and restrictions were in place. Jack says she was always dedicated to the family business, and that she taught him the value of a dollar earned. Alyce’s rosary and vigil will be 7 pm this Friday night at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, followed by her Funeral Mass there at 10:30 am Saturday.
(Scroll down for latest update – thanks to everyone who called/texted/e-mailed when this started!)
ORIGINAL 2:38 PM REPORT: Getting reports including Seaview and Morgan. Also central Beach Drive. 2750 homes and businesses. Seattle City Light has crews en route but says they don’t know yet what’s wrong.
2:47 PM: City Light’s online update has increased that to 2,814. It’s NOT affecting us here in upper Fauntleroy – we were just on a story in Sunrise Heights and all was well there too. But the “Alki” description SCL has is not entirely accurate. Let us know if you’re off or on.
3:04 PM UPDATE: Added photo of powerless stoplight at California/Graham in Morgan Junction (next to a long-shuttered landmark of sorts). Note the comments for ongoing reports on the boundaries of the outage – we’ve got some Admiral, some Alki, some Morgan Junction. Nothing south of MJ so far. Some areas apparently flickered (like Arbor Heights) at the time it started, but stayed on – while others went out and are still out. But northward, we’ve got Alki Point and Admiral Junction, among others. Apparently east West Seattle is OK. The official start time of the outage, per City Light, was 2:26 pm.
3:26 PM UPDATE: Just checked with Scott Thomsen at City Light, now that we’re an hour into the outage. He says two crews are out “running the lines,” trying to trace the outage’s cause/source, but haven’t found it yet, so they can’t say how long till the power’s back on. He confirms that the southernmost reports have come from south Morgan Junction (SW Holly).
3:47 PM UPDATE: City Light has a cause now – trash truck hit a tree, knocking the tree into power lines. They say they hope to have most back by 4 pm, everyone by 8:30 pm. Let us know when you get it back. P.S. We’ve gone to The Junction to check – though there are points south and north that are out, Junction is OK.
3:52 PM: Getting reports of power coming back on in various areas – so let us know if a little while elapses and you’re still OUT. (added) P.S. – Doug just sent this photo of what we believe to be THE truck vs. tree scene – 49th/Raymond:
4:26 PM: Another quick update from City Light – more than 500 homes/businesses who don’t have their power yet should have it back by 6:30 pm.
(Photo added 4:29 pm – Alfonso took it from Alki – thanks for sharing!)
ORIGINAL 1:57 PM REPORT: Amy just e-mailed to say she saw “a blimp over West Seattle.” If it’s what our first cut of research (we haven’t seen it ourselves yet) suggests, it’s actually a zeppelin.
3:01 PM UPDATE: Confirmed – it’s the Airship Ventures zeppelin. They documented their flight northward with photos on this website – no West Seattle photo (so far as we’re seeing), though.
11:07 PM NOTE: Christopher Boffoli went up to Paine Field (Snohomish County) to check out the airship (aka zeppelin):
Check out his report in the comment section – including (scroll down) a link to more photos.
Seattle Public Schools just sent a news release with a long list of new district administrators and principals. We’ve already published the news of the one West Seattle-specific principal announcement, Vicki Sacco taking over West Seattle Elementary (here’s our August 4th story). But there are a few other notes of interest: Former WS Elementary principal Gayle Everly‘s new job is on the list, co-principal of Bryant Elementary. Also, former West Seattle High School assistant principal Anitra Pinchback-Jones‘s new job is on the list too – she is becoming principal at Bagley Elementary, whose former principal Kimberly Kinzer will move to Denny International Middle School as a teacher. The new school year starts for most SPS students on Sept. 8 – WS Elementary, because of its improvement plan, starts classes Aug. 31st.
Just out of the WSB inbox, a media advisory for Mayor McGinn‘s announcement of the “Seattle Jobs Plan” tomorrow morning. The announcement explains:
The Seattle Jobs Plan articulates a strategy for next generation economic development to help create a sustainable economy with shared prosperity. It is a framework of policies, programs and investments to create quality jobs, protect the environment and ensure that taxpayers get true value from the city of Seattle’s public investments.
The news conference is being held at Cascade Designs, and along with its co-founder John Burroughs, the mayor will be joined, according to the advisory, by Seattle Community Colleges Chancellor Dr. Jill Wakefield, former president of West Seattle’s South Seattle Community College.
Just out of the WSB inbox:
On Saturday, September 25th, 2010, the Bo M Karlsson Foundation’s Third Annual ‘Mahilaa Night’ will be held at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Address: 4408 Delridge Way SW.
This annual Seattle event is a benefit to raise funds for the education of underprivileged women in Nepal. For more information on the work we do, please visit our website www.bomkarlsson.org
We hope you’ll join us for a traditional Nepali dinner, wine bar, entertainment by Nepali musicians, a short film and, a silent auction. Items in the silent auction will include local arts and crafts, Nepali handcrafted goods and gift certificates to many Seattle businesses.
Suggested donation:
Single $35.00/Couples $60.00/Family of 4 $85.00
Tickets includes first drinkRSVP before or by September 15, 2010 at info@bomkarlsson.org or by phone: 206 354 3119
Another burst of warm weather is in the works, but as of this week, only one city-run wading pool remains open in West Seattle – Delridge, E.C. Hughes and Hiawatha have just had their final days of operation for the year, but Lincoln Park is open 11 am-8 pm daily (provided the daytime high’s projected to be at least 70) through September 6th. Also, Southwest Pool is scheduled to start a maintenance closure today, to run through Sept. 3rd; High Point Community Center also was scheduled to start a building-maintenance closure today. And an impending closure of note: One week till Seattle Public Libraries shut down for a budget-cut-compelled week, from Aug. 30th till after Labor Day (and note that the West Seattle [Admiral] branch already is closed for roof work that’ll last till the systemwide-shutdown week is over) – but you have ample opportunity to enjoy your libraries this week, starting with Baby Story Time at Southwest Library today, 11 am. Finally, our daily preview does include one opening: As first mentioned here a week ago, it’s grand-opening day for Uncle Mike’s BBQ in White Center (9640 16th SW) – a complete look at the new restaurant and its owners is now up at partner site White Center Now (check out the vegetarian options!). Meantime, more Monday activities around the area are listed on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“Suite Arrangements is the result of many things coming together at once: personal interests, family experience, our evolving cultural ethic, and macro-economic picture, and the availability of a great location,” says Geoffrey Abdian, talking about the furniture store he’s about to bring to The Junction.
Where, you ask? If you are a keen observer of storefront changes, you probably noticed the “for lease” signs being replaced this weekend by butcher paper (photo at left) in the windows of Suite Arrangements‘ future storefront at 4706 California SW – formerly Funky Jane’s Consignment (which moved a block and a half north), then briefly Heavenly Wholesale/Leslie’s. Appropriately enough given the space’s history, Suite Arrangements will be a consignment store too – furniture consignment (among other specialties).
We’d been trying to track down this story for a few weeks, after getting tipped to a Craigslist ad seeking employees for a “small furniture store” planned for the heart of West Seattle. Our inquiry to the blind box in that CL post went unanswered, but then a few days ago, a more general announcement of the future enterprise appeared, and our second request for information was answered, amply, by Abdian.
With less than a month officially left in summer – more like about two weeks, unofficially, if you consider Labor Day the summer/fall bridge – the beauty shots become all the more poignant. Top photo, JayDee captured tonight’s glory from the Alki area; next, David Ginsberg‘s view of the Fauntleroy ferry:
And from Friday night’s Alki sunset, David Hutchinson brings us Seagullzilla:
Thanks to everyone who shares photos – all these ways, or via the West Seattle Blog Flickr group.
(WSB photo from Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run in September 2009)
A couple things are different about this year’s Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run. First, it’s in August this time, not September. It’s just one week away – Sunday, August 29. Second, instead of walking and running along the Alki Beach pathway, participants will be out in the street on Alki Avenue SW, which will be closed next Sunday morning for the event – approximately 8 am to 11 am, according to Shari Sewell from Northwest Hope and Healing, the Alki Beach 5K’s beneficiary, a nonprofit that helps breast-cancer patients. You can sign up online till 11 am Friday morning – might as well do it now! – just go here.
Things really got rolling about 45 minutes into this afternoon’s community welcome party for the visiting artisans at the Seattle Chinese Garden, when lion dancers paraded around the grounds – our video shows a small part of the procession. At one point along the route, the artisans stood side by side to watch:
They and visitors heard from two presidents – Jon Geiger of the Seattle Chinese Garden Society (purple shirt) and new South Seattle Community College president Gary Oertli, both of whom kept their speeches short, saying they wanted visitors to spend their time touring the site instead:
Pulling back from that scene – the artisans were to the presidents’ left:
Their work has been focused on the Knowing the Spring Courtyard, the first major feature of the Seattle Chinese Garden to be built – you can see into it, looking over the dancers’ shoulders – that’s not a photo or painting, but instead a view into the future courtyard:
The project itself (explained here), in fact, is for the future as well as the present – a dream becoming reality, and a building of understanding across the miles, between the cultures –
If you missed this afternoon’s party, watch the Seattle Chinese Garden website for word of tours and other opportunities to visit. Garden volunteers also are keeping a blog-format website with stories of what’s happening at the site, which is on the far north end of the SSCC campus atop Puget Ridge.
We stopped by the Sounders FC Soccer Beach Blast Tournament on Alki late this afternoon just in time for the end of the men’s final. We can tell you the Vashon team, in orange, won – via penalty-kick phase following regulation. The Sounders were expecting more than 40 teams for the day of three-on-three play. If and when we spot other results, we’ll link them here.
Two years ago, The Junction was home to that PARK(ing) Day setup, calling attention to the final push to get nearby Junction Plaza Park completed. Now it’s done – but another PARK(ing) Day (explained here) is rolling around – September 17 – and the deadline to apply for your own temporary park is almost here. Friday’s the deadline to apply – this item on the Sustainable West Seattle website explains how. And we’ve already gotten word of one PARK(ing) Day “park” planned for West Seattle – arborist and tree-protection activist Michael Oxman shares the following rendering, followed by an explanation of what it will feature – and how you can be part of it:
Now that I’m located out here in West Seattle, it’s time to give back a little to my new community. Some decoration and greenery in a vast sea of asphalt is in order. This is a demonstration project of what to do when we run out of oil, and have fewer cars. We certainly won’t need as many parking spaces. Parking Day shows what to do with them, by setting out plants, trees and oxygen-producing greenery to soak up some of that excess CO2.
West Seattle interpretive designer Pat Whempner and experience designer Sam Stubblefield are creating the design concept for the “Park.” Our Park will be a Free Speech Platform with a Free Speech Garden in the Junction neighborhood. Anyone can get up there on the podium and say anything they want for 15 minutes. No restrictions. The platform will provide space for speakers or musicians, and the garden will create a journey through a maze of plants telling the story of important historic free speech moments or asking important free speech questions.
Since the timing of the Sept 17th event is right for politicians, we usually have candidates sign up to reserve a time slot in advance to give their pitch. We’d love to have musicians serenade the strollers. If anybody wants to help with the construction, some carpentry, set up assistance, & plant loans would be appreciated. Other spaces can also be created by people that submit the $10 application for the street use permit through the sponsor, Feet First. It would be really cool to have a few spaces scattered around West Seattle.
A design competition among the expected 100 Parking Day spaces across the city will result in prizes being awarded to the most innovative projects. The Seattle Department of Transportation will be issuing one day permits to occupy the street. Did you know the street right of way footprint covers almost a quarter of the total land area in Seattle? We can certainly spare a few spots for a day.
… wait till next Saturday, when South Park promises up to 1,000 sales in a community-wide day of yard sales – and they’ve got a site for outside vendors to participate too. Details (along with photos from a big SP event yesterday) are on our partner site White Center Now.
(P.S. If you’re looking for West Seattle yard sales, or want to promote one – free! – the WSB Forums’ Freebies/Deals/Sales section is the place.)
11 days after the first word of the many ways you – and/or your kid(s) – can participate in Alki Family Fun Day on Sunday, September 12, a whimsical new video has just been made as another way to get the word out that they’ve still got spots for youth talent-show participants (as well as sponsors, vendors, and community groups). Early signup is especially vital for the talent show because they’re planning on one or two rehearsals. (Antonio Fernandez, who stars in the video with Izzy Krainick, is the talent show’s emcee and director.) The talent show will be part of a day also including a dog parade and concert. If you are interested in participating, e-mail Libby ASAP at libby@carrbiz.com – or call her at 206-938-8721.
Just some of what you’ll find on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
ADMIRAL SAFEWAY SHUTTERED – BUT TEMPORARY PHARMACY TO OPEN: Just in case you missed the past three weeks of warnings – Admiral Safeway is now closed. Construction of its big new replacement is scheduled to start next month. Meantime, the temporary pharmacy in a trailer in its parking lot is supposed to open today.
ZIPPY’S GIANT BURGERS EXPANDS TO SUNDAYS: As noted here a few days ago, the legendary Highland Park burger joint will no longer be closed on Sundays, effective today.
ARTS IN NATURE FESTIVAL, DAY 2: 11 am to 5 pm, Camp Long; see our earlier reports.
COMMUNITY WELCOME FOR SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN ARTISANS: 1-4 pm at the garden site on the South Seattle Community College campus – see our earlier preview for full details.
DOG-TREAT FUNDRAISER: Westcresters PAWSWalk team’s treat sale at Westcrest Off-Leash Area, 9:30-noon
SEATTLE SOUNDERS’ SOCCER BEACH BLAST: At Alki, starting at 10 am.
WATER SAFETY DAY AT LIGHTHOUSE: A first-of-its-kind event is planned at Alki Point’s historic lighthouse; details here
FINAL PERFORMANCES FOR ‘HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING’ AND ‘THE BIRDS’: The former is presented by Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) at West Seattle High School Theater, the latterby ArtsWest, and both are onstage at 3 this afternoon.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET AND HIGHLAND PARK SUNDAY MARKET: Two markets again today – WSFM, of course, is year-round, 10 am-2 pm in The Junction (here’s the latest Ripe ‘n’ Ready fresh sheet); HPSM is in its second-to-last go-round this year, 11 am-3 pm at the Highland Park Improvement Club lot (check its FB page for the latest).
FRIENDS OF LINCOLN PARK: 9 am, meet at the kiosk in the north parking lot (across from Rose St) to join a work party to help protect this green treasure. Bring garden gloves and hand clippers (extras available).
Christopher Boffoli‘s video from Day 1 of the Nature Consortium-presented Arts in Nature Festival – which continues today at Camp Long – begins and ends with the Cabiri, first with their aerial artistry during the day, then a fire-fueled performance at dusk. In case you are video-challenged, Christopher’s photo gives you a hint of the latter:
We have one other photo from Saturday night at the festival – Eileen shared the next photo while reporting that Hey Marseilles, Saturday’s final musical act at Camp Long Lodge, rocked the house:
Arts in Nature resumes today at 11 am, and two musical acts perform at 11 — Caspar Babypants in the lodge, Steven Arntson (concertina) in the Glacier area, east and upslope from the meadow, north of Schurman Rock. Full schedule details here.
Those are some of the artisans who’ve been here for two weeks now, visiting from China to help make the Seattle Chinese Garden‘s first major feature as authentic as possible – and now it’s your chance to meet and welcome them. Tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon, 1-4 pm, you’re invited to the welcome party at the garden site – on West Seattle’s Puget Ridge, north end of South Seattle Community College – for a welcome party. We took these photos last Monday afternoon during a quick tour of their worksite, the Knowing the Spring Courtyard:
That’s a look at the expanse inside the courtyard walls – the work is going on inside and out:
Tomorrow’s not just a simple open house – special programs are planned as listed in the full party program here, from a flower-arranging demonstration to a lion dance to martial arts (and more).
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