West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
From the Parks Department:
Come celebrate with John Hermann, Recreation Coordinator at Alki Community Center, as he retires from Seattle Parks and Recreation after 36 years of service. John has served the West Seattle area at Hiawatha and Alki Community Centers from 1978-2009. The retirement party will take place at the Alki Bathhouse, 2701 Alki Ave. SW, from 6 – 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13. For more information, please call Mary Pat Byington at 206-684-7430.
JUNCTION PLAZA PARK: Within months, groundbreaking is expected for the long-in-the-works construction of this park at 42nd/Alaska. But first – one last public meeting – discuss the current design plan tonight at 6:30, Senior Center of West Seattle (southeast corner of California/Oregon).
VOTER-REGISTRATION DEADLINE: With Election Day four weeks from tomorrow, today’s the deadline to either postmark a by-mail registration form or register online – or to update your information. Here’s a link for form printout and online registration. (If you haven’t been registered in WA before, you can do it in person at the Elections Office up till 10/26.)
The first full week of the month means the start of the calendar of monthly recurring community-group meetings – starting with two this Wednesday, North Delridge Neighborhood Council (6:30 pm, Delridge Library) and Southwest District Council (7 pm, South Seattle Community College [WSB sponsor] board room). One of West Seattle’s neighborhood councils recently regrouped – here’s the story of how, and what’s next:
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Donn DeVore just moved to Westwood last year, but didn’t want to just sit back and see what happened with his neighborhood and its community group.
After finding out that the Westwood Neighborhood Council hadn’t met in months, DeVore coordinated a regrouping meeting of sorts a week and a half ago.
With him were members and leaders, old and new. In the photo above, that’s Donn; to his left, Pablo Lambinicio, the first person to lead the WNC; not pictured but sitting on his other side were Ron Angeles, longtime Delridge Neighborhoods District coordinator for the city, and Steven Fischer, longtime WNC leader, particularly through the months of struggle to get Seattle Public Schools to pay attention to neighborhood concerns over the Denny Middle School-Chief Sealth High School co-located campus project.
DeVore and Lambinicio both told their stories as the meeting began.
Over the weekend, Beach Drive Blog published a note from someone trying to find out what happened to a house they remember from decades ago. Maybe you can help – read the note here.
It’s been almost two months since the sudden death of Phoenecia at Alki proprietor Hussein Khazaal (here’s our original report; 
here’s coverage of his Alki memorial). His family said at the time that they would take a while to decide the fate of the restaurant that he had so lovingly operated for so many years. Now, they’ve made the decision. We talked today with Hussein’s son William Khazaal, after many people had e-mailed us to ask if the exterior work at the restaurant (the photo at right was taken yesterday) was an indication a decision had been made. William says yes – they’ve decided to reopen, so that’s why they’re doing some work, inside as well as outside. He says they spent a lot of time considering what might be the right course of action; they talked about selling the restaurant, but came to the conclusion they just didn’t want to see the space turned into something else. William says the staff remains, and a chef who left a few months back is returning to help out. According to William, he and his sisters plan to be there to manage each night. He says they will bring back the same menu, along with several dishes his dad had been experimenting with in the months before his death. They believe they can provide customers with good food and great service, but the atmosphere will be a bit more casual, he said, and a bit more affordable. Most of all, William told us, they want to thank the hundreds of people who sent e-mail and other messages of sympathy and well-wishes after their father’s death. They currently hope to reopen the restaurant in early December.
In our coverage last night of the Seattle Lutheran High School Homecoming, we included video of the Chief Sealth High School Band‘s appearance and mentioned a WSB’er had reported they brought home a big prize at the Issaquah Salmon Days Parade earlier in the day. Tonight, we have a detailed report from Chief Sealth (and Denny Middle School) band director Marcus Pimpleton, along with the photo above:
Congratulations are in order for the Chief Sealth High School Marching Band for their outstanding performance at the Issaquah Salmon Days Parade on Saturday October 3rd. The band took 1st place in the band division, besting regional favorites Interlake, Skyline, Liberty and Issaquah. The band received an average score of 97 from the three judge panel with one judge commenting “Wow… just wow!” and another commenting “Great! Just great!”. The Seahawk Band was praised for their lines, uniformity, footwork, music choices, intonation, dynamics, and choreography.
Earlier this month the Sealth Band also won the Music Award from the Fiestas Patrias Parade in South Park, and joined forces with students from the Seattle All-City Band to help kick off the Light the Night Walk at Greenlake raising funds to fight blood borne cancers. The Chief Sealth Band is under the direction of Marcus Pimpleton, who is in his first year as band director at Sealth and his eighth year at Denny Middle School. It has been eleven years since the Sealth band has managed to upset the eastside schools at Salmon Days.
Congrats indeed! P.S. The Chief Sealth Performing Arts Department and PTSA are co-presenting a big fundraising dinner next month – here’s our previous report with details on how to get tickets.
Thanks to Gary J and Desiree, who both sent news/photos of that big tree limb down at Alki, on this windy afternoon (that’s Gary’s pic, above). Forecast says we could see wind up to 25 mph at times tonight. ADDED 5:58 PM: One other weather note – Jenny says her family lost a kite, and her 7-year-old thought WSB’ers might be able to help find it:
What a great day to fly a kite, and lose one! My husband and sons were flying kites up on Genesee Hill near 55th and Bradford, and one got loose. It’s rainbow with a fluorescent orange tail. It was last seen headed south around Dakota and 55th. [map] … If they find it, please ask them to call Jenny at 935-7389.
This one, unlike our earlier report about the Junction holdup, comes directly from the business that was hit: Sometime Thursday night/Friday morning, Circa in the Admiral District was burglarized – manager Alphonsine tells us it was sometime after midnight, and it was discovered when the early-shift cook arrived at 7 am, to find a side door had been opened with a crowbar. The burglar/s removed the face of the safe and took cash/receipts – no one’s sure quite how much. This differed, she says, from the January break-in (WSB coverage here), when the safe was virtually empty. Nothing else was damaged this time except the safe, described as “beyond repair”; no arrests reported so far.
At Alki UCC‘s “Blessing of the Animals” service this morning, Rev. Diane Darling ministers to Joe Mitter’s canine companion, while elsewhere in the sanctuary, other prospective bless-ees awaited:
Then at noon, St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church welcomed community members to an informal outdoor event, where Brother Kris Wilder from the Order of St. Francis blessed 16-year-old Pizazz:
The Order, by the way, has members from around the country, as you can see here, though Brother Wilder is from West Seattle; it’s not a cloistered order. One other photo from the St. John event, as participants milled about in the sunshine:
These events are traditional for many churches on or near the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals. In addition to today’s events, Providence Mount St. Vincent welcomed residents’ and visitors’ pets for blessings on Saturday morning.
From SPDBlotter: Police arrested four suspects after a knifepoint holdup in The Junction last night, with the help of not only the victim, but also an alert neighbor who spotted something suspicious. The report says:
… the victim closed up shop in the 4700 block of California Av SW and began to walk to his vehicle parked on 42 Av SW. 4 males who had been hanging around the area came up and grabbed him from behind. The suspects held a knife to the victim’s mid section and robbed him of his daily cash deposit , his personal wallet, and cell phone.
The males walked back to their vehicle parked around the corner. The victim followed the 4 suspects and observed them get into their vehicle and drive away. He called 911 to report the Armed Robbery. At 11:43 p.m., a concerned neighbor saw a burgundy vehicle parked in front of his house. The occupants were throwing items out the window. He called 911 to report the disturbance. Officers quickly arrived and noted the vehicle and occupants matched the descriptions of the Robbery suspects.
The report doesn’t say how far away the suspects were caught (we’ll be checking). The items found on the ground included the victim’s credit cards and driver’s license; one suspect had cash, another had a check from the victim’s business. Police say all four were booked – three are juveniles, so they’re at the Youth Services Center; one is an adult and went to King County Jail. 9:13 PM UPDATE: Det. Renee Witt of the SPD media unit answered our followup note – she says she doesn’t have all the additional details we’re looking for, except that the robbery victim was affiliated with “the teriyaki place in The Junction,” which in the block in question would be Yummy Teriyaki. She promises to get us those additional details when she has access to more documents in the office tomorrow.
It’ll be a really important night for WSHS parents/guardians to come to school, says Carol Viger:
West Seattle High School Curriculum Night 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm [Thursday 10/8]. Visit classrooms, meet your student’s teachers. A Barnes and Noble manager will be present to answer questions regarding the PTSA’s upcoming Bookfair Fundraiser November 27, 28, 29 for PTSA Grad Night 2010, and to show popular college-planning handbooks, resources for December (Holiday) break reading!!! Grad Night will launch ticket sales, take deposits and answer questions. Contact: cviger@comcast.net or 718-2442
Two days after that, a Grad Night fundraiser car wash is planned at the school – 10 am-2 pm Saturday, October 10th.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, 44th/Alaska. The Ripe ‘n’ Ready list is back online, and you can see the long list here.
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS – TWO OPTIONS: Today is the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, Patron Saint of Animals, a traditional time for “Blessing of the Animals” events – and you have two options today – Alki UCC (62nd/Hinds; map) is having a special service at 10 am (read more here), and St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church is presenting a festival-style outdoor event in the adjacent West Seattle High School parking lot starting at noon (here’s our coverage from last year).
CROP WALK: Alki UCC is also, as usual, the starting point for the annual Seattle CROP Walk to fight hunger; you will see walkers, many with special vests, some carrying signs, on a route around Alki Point starting around 1:30 pm (if you want to join them, register at 1).
FREE YOGA: It’s in the Freebies/Deals/Sales section of the WSB Forums, too, but if you missed it – SoundYoga (WSB sponsor) is offering one of its periodic Free Sunday Yoga sessions today, 11 am-12:15 pm.
Yet more of today’s highlights in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.
Might just have looked like a big group out for a walk in the Saturday sunshine – but what you see in the start of that video was part of the Holy Rosary centennial celebration, as a group of parishioners walked from the church’s current location to one of its past locations, now home to St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church<. Holy Rosary was on that site 1913-1922. The pilgrimage was greeted by members of St. John’s, including its Rev. Peter DeVeau, and they viewed displays of what the area looked like a century ago:
Members of the two churches held a joint prayer service followed by lunch. The culmination of Holy Rosary’s centennial is next Sunday, when Archbishop Alex Brunett is scheduled to celebrate Mass at 9:30 and 11:30 am at HR, with a parish gathering afterward.
So the game didn’t turn out so great – Friday Harbor 56, Seattle Lutheran 0 – but it was a beautiful day for SLHS Homecoming at West Seattle Stadium. Even before the game – there was the decorating, and the tailgating:
Then during the game, the cheering:
And even a visit by musicians from one of West Seattle’s two other high schools – the Chief Sealth High School Band:
Hours earlier, by the way, they’d won an award at the Issaquah Salmon Days Parade. But back to Seattle Lutheran. You can’t have a homecoming game without the court:
And the king and queen – Anna Foy and Drew Burza. (With them on the court, fellow seniors Hannah Jacobs, Alysha Mason, Kelsey Shaw, Nick Jones, Mindon Win; juniors Jake Nigon and Kaitlyn Morrison; sophomores Ashley Shaw and Colin O’Brien; freshmen Katie Fleming and Alex Coy.)
A few words about the game, covered by co-publisher Patrick: The Saints’ opponents were a much larger and more physical Friday Harbor team. They put together a few good drives, but got beaten back whenever it seemed the momentum was going their way. The game also saw a couple of SLHS players get injured on back to back plays. Next week, Seattle Lutheran has a
bye.
That’s Cooper Margell with the fresh-pressed cider, in one of the photos his mom Holli Margell from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council has just shared: Today NDNC invited neighbors far and near to the annual Ciderpress, held at the home of neighbor Karl, shown here with the press:
Holli says visitors came from as far away as Highland Park, and adds, “It was a lot less work than I expected, and the returns are delicious. Not to mention the fun of meeting a neat neighbor, Karl, and seeing his amazing garden!” NDNC, by the way, meets the first Wednesday of each month, so that’s this coming Wednesday, October 7, 6:30 pm, Delridge Library.
As children of mothers lost to cancer, both of your WSB co-publishers especially appreciate those on the front lines of the fight to vanquish it – including so many in West Seattle, like the well-known West Seattle-based Breast Cancer 3Day group shown above, Team Tracy. The team’s namesake Tracy Dart is a young breast-cancer survivor. She has a challenge for you, and anyone else who sees this:
The 2010 3 Day event in Seattle is one year away. September 24-26th, 2010. I thought, why not start early in recruiting our team. Team Tracy will be back in full force this year. This past year 10 of us raised over $27,000 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Breast Cancer Trust.
As a whole, the Seattle 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk raised $5.5 million dollars. Not too shabby! BUT, attendance was down this year in Seattle, and we raise $3 Million less than we did in 2008. This year, I want to grow our team…and I’m inviting any West Seattlites (and beyond) to be a part of it! So many times I hear people say that they have always wanted to participate in the event, but they didn’t have anyone to walk with. That excuse can officially be kicked out the door.
So this is my call to action…as a survivor of this nasty disease…I don’t intend on lying down and waiting for someone else to raise the money. If I want to see a cure in my lifetime – I feel like we need to bring out the big guns NOW! The time is NOW – and we will not give up hope that a cure is in sight. I am setting the bar high, and I want Team Tracy to raise $60,000 this year. More importantly I want to get more people involved in this life changing 3 days – men, women, anyone 16 years of age and older, active folks, couch potatoes, vitamen takers, beer drinkers…we don’t discriminate. Here are a few reasons why I think people should get involved…
Washington State has the highest rate of Breast Cancer in the country. 2.4 million women in the United States are currently diagnosed and being treated for Breast Cancer. 40,000 women will die this year from this disease! The recurrence rate of Breast Cancer is high and normally happens within the first 3 to 5 years.
I pray that I won’t be part of that recurrence statistic…but I also know that it is a very real threat! If that day comes, I want to have no doubt in my mind that I did EVERYTHING in my power to make a difference…that I got everyone I know involved in finding a cure…and that we raised as much money as we could…to help my chances of survival – and the chances of survival for thousands of other women and men.
I’m asking for anyone who has thought about walking, to make the commitment. And I know it’s a doozie! 60 miles is a haul…and raising $2300 is no chump change. But you have a year – to train, fundraise and be a part of something HUGE!
To learn more about the Breast Cancer 3 Day, CLICK HERE!
To join TEAM TRACY…CLICK HERE!
If you have questions about the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk and joining Team Tracy – e-mail TEAM TRACY at teamtracy2010@hotmail.com
Side note: Tracy manages the new West Seattle store Cherry Consignment (featured in this WSB story), which is donating 10 percent of sale prices to the 3Day this month (which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month) – read more about that on Facebook.
Quite the breeze out of the north, late this afternoon – Alki looked more like an open-ocean beach than protected waters. Matching the wave energy, music and rhythm energy by the Bathhouse:
Eric Wilson was offering a round of his “Fitness Rhythms” to anybody who cared to join in – like the little guy in the foreground. And in conjunction with the Vedic Cultural Center‘s “Dance for Peace” nearby, a Jagannath Ratha-Yatra religious procession made its way along the water-side Alki sidewalk:
That was one of two religious processions we covered today – though this one was without advance notice; we just happened by – our story on the other one, the Holy Rosary centennial procession to St. John the Baptist, is coming up.
Thanks to Daniel for the photo from Sunrise Heights; we were in Morgan Junction when we spotted the four choppers approaching from the southwest (checking to see if our Flip video is worth using). It was a Washington Army National Guard flyby for the Mariners’ pregame, per TV. ADDED 6:23 PM: Here’s our (distant – Flip doesn’t zoom) video:
We stopped by one of the Prudential NW food drive spots – West Seattle Thriftway – just intending to get a photo to add to the advance blurb published this morning, but Kristi Freeburg and helper Audrey made such a cute picture, we’re showcasing them separately. Audrey was there to make a point: Local food banks need pet food donations too. The Prudential drive is over but you can help the local food banks any time – follow the links: West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank. Meantime, here’s a photo you could caption “Bird’s Eye View from Nerd’s Eye View”:
Gatewood author/artist Pam Mandel (best known for her site Nerd’s Eye View) shared that photo taken at Alki.
We’re still more than nine months away from next year’s West Seattle Garden Tour, but the gardens for next year are chosen much sooner – and organizers are inviting more people to apply right now, since they tour prospects during October. (The photo above is used by permission of WSGT, showing one of last year’s highlighted gardens.) This page on the WSGT website has more info on the tour and how to find out if your garden might qualify.
Grocery stores have lots of food demos and promotions, but the Metropolitan Market “For the Love of Cheese” event fascinated us because we heard directly from Molly in the cheese department, who’d been working for a long time helping plan and prepare for the big event, particularly the demonstrations yesterday and today. Above, that’s Molly, showing how they make hand-pulled mozzarrella, which MM manager Brad Halverson says is unique to their markets in this area. Our video is from Friday afternoon, but you’ll find cheese demos, samples and specials there this afternoon too:
Demos continue till 5 pm – schedule is here.
Eight days till the October 11th Eat Local Now! dinner/auction/entertainment event at Alki Masonic Hall, with co-presenters including Sustainable West Seattle and CoolMom, and co-sponsors including WSB. Kate Kaemerle shares the latest on WHOSE food you’ll be eating at Eat Local Now! – check it out:
The featured chefs include many West Seattle favorites, including:
Toby Matasar – Eats Market Cafe
Tony Kurzinski – Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor)
Dalis Chea – Fresh Bistro
Hajime Sato – Mashiko
Nance Tourigny
Bill Taylor
Maria Gonzalez
Brad GlabersonLocal food providers include New Roots Organics, 21 Acres Farm, Beechers Handmade Cheese, Boistfort Valley Farm, Field Roast Grain Meats, Full Circle Farm, Helsing Junction Farm, Jubilee Farm, Lazy Locavores, Local Roots Farm, Plum Forest, SPUD! and Theo Chocolates. Local beer, wine and cider will be available at a cash bar from Elliott Bay Brewery, Georgetown Brewery, Bainbridge Winery and Rockridge Cidery.
The evening includes dinner, speakers active in the local-food movement, exhibitors, a silent auction, music and dancing. It’s an opportunity to enjoy a locally produced dinner while celebrating the people who grow, cook and support the local food movement.
Tickets for 2009 Eat Local Now! are available online at eatlocalnow.org or Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006 or brownpapertickets.com or at the door. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children under 10.
Alki Masonic Hall is in The Junction, 41st/Edmunds. See you there!
Thanks to Victoria and Thomas for sending word that a truck is stuck under the bridge by Luna Park; Thomas included the photo. We’re heading over to figure out exactly what’s blocked, but in the meantime, good area to avoid. 10:44 AM UPDATE: The truck is blocking the ramp where you turn either southbound from Harbor or northbound from Avalon to go toward the eastbound West Seattle Bridge (here’s a map). Some of its wheels are up on a concrete barrier. So if you need to get to The Bridge, don’t go that way, TFN. 11:02 AM UPDATE: We just took these pics for a closer look. No word so far how long till this will be cleared:
11:29 AM: Heading back over to see if it’s cleared yet. Meantime, note other traffic challenges around the area, as discussed in comments. The Viaduct has reopened, though, just got word on that. And thanks again to everyone who sends tips – which in turn help many other people – please check our contact options and consider storing in your cell phone/smartphone/etc. whichever one would be easiest for you to use whenever you have something to report. 1:32 PM UPDATE: The scene is now clear and you can get to the ramp from either direction.
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