West Seattle, Washington
04 Friday
EAT LOCAL NOW: This event celebrating locally grown food, with sponsors including Sustainable West Seattle and CoolMom.org, is now just a month away, and tickets are on sale: 5 pm October 11th at the Alki Masonic Hall in The Junction. Read more about it here; buy tickets here.
SPEAKING OF FOOD: Just this morning, we noted The Swinery (taking over 3207 California SW) was chronicling its push toward an expected opening next week. Tonight WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli has learned from Swinery proprietor Gabriel Claycamp that last-minute renovation challenges have pushed that date back to September 21st.
JUNCTION TRICK-OR-TREATING: Jennifer e-mailed tonight to ask whether this megapopular annual event will be on Halloween itself, since it’s a Saturday this year, or the week before. The West Seattle Junction Association has scheduled it for 1-3 pm Saturday, October 31st, so go ahead and mark your calendars. We’re also asking Admiral merchants what they’re planning to do and will share that information when we get it.
From the Camp Long mailing list:
We’re still looking for an appropriate site in West Seattle to do pruning. Do you know of a church, institution or yard that could use some major pruning that would be done for free? The only thing is, it has to fit the qualifications below.
Here’s the updated site requirements info for the Oct. 1st workshop.
Site Requirements for PlantAmnesty’s Spanish Language Pruning and Renovation Workshop
Thursday, October 1st, 2009, 8 am – 4 pmThis workshop is a classroom and hands-on all-day event for Spanish-speaking landscape professionals. Pruning and creative solutions to an overgrown landscape will be taught as a landscape is renovated during the workshop. In the morning George Ortiz of Signature Landscape Services will give a lecture at Camp Long. Then in the afternoon everyone moves to a location where professionals work in small groups with the workshop students, practicing pruning methods. For the afternoon portion of the workshop we are looking for a site that meets the requirements below.
Site Requirements
– A private home, church, library, commercial landscape, school or park located in West Seattle.
– Large enough so that it is maneuverable by a group of 20-30 people.
– It is preferable for us to work on different groupings of overgrown, neglected shrubs and small trees that are as old as 15 years. And a diversity of types of shrubs (i.e. not just a landscape of mostly Rhodys).
– Nearby parking for as many as 20-30 vehicles.
– A place to leave pruning debris.
– A bathroom for use by potentially muddy workers.
– A representative of site should be present during the workshop.
– A small monetary donation to PlantAmnesty is required, unless it is a public property.
– This type of work will NOT be done: hedge shearing, a lot of blackberry and weed removal, and work on steep slopes. Only one large tree can be pruned by a certified arborist. Several smaller or younger trees are preferable for this class situation.Benefits to the Site Owner
– A pre-workshop consultation with author-expert Cass Turnbull, and the benefit of several professionals’ insights into possible solutions to existing landscape problems.
– Pruning and renovation work done by approximately 8 landscape professionals and 15-20 students.
– Opportunity to attend the workshop (taught in Spanish) and receive all workshop materials (a pruning DVD and handouts on pruning topics, in Spanish or English).
– A beautiful landscape at the end of the workshop!If you are interested in having the workshop held at your residence, business, church, library, school, or park, contact PlantAmnesty, 206.783.9813 or info@plantamnesty.org
(photo added 8:55 pm, courtesy Cami)
ORIGINAL 8:08 NOTE: Near Whale Tail. We just arrived. No obvious sign of fire. 2600 block Marine, north of Whale Tail [map]. 8:12 PM UPDATE: No fire – “food on stove.” Fire crews now airing the place out. 10:35 PM UPDATE: New information in comments from KH, who says there was damage, and the people living in the house were displaced because of the smoke.
That’s the top of a flyer that law enforcers are about to start distributing around Delridge – asking for help from anyone who saw anything the night of a double shooting in May of last year, in which a woman and her 10-year-old son were hit by bullets fired from outside their home. Here’s the flyer – the back of which includes part of a WSB report about the crime. Washington State Patrol Detective Donovan Daly says they’re making one last sweep to make sure they’ve got as much evidence as possible, for the strongest case possible. It’s been eight months since an indictment was announced, as originally reported by KING5 (our followup includes a link to the indictment paperwork) – the suspect, DeVaughn “Buster” Dorsey, was accused of a variety of charges that also related to an alleged “chop shop” in West Seattle; the shooting was allegedly intended to intimidate a witness. According to the new flyer, any little thing you recall from the night of May 18, 2008, could be helpful:
ANY information relating to the events of that night, however insignificant they may seem: loud voices, people running, rumors you have heard on the street, suspicious cars, barking dogs are all important information to the Washington State Patrol.
This is the number to call if you have anything that might help in the case: 425.401.7743.
YET MORE ON THE JUNCTION QFC: Checking in with regional spokesperson Kristin Maas this afternoon, she reconfirmed next Wednesday’s opening date for the store in Capco Plaza (42nd/Alaska), and noted it’ll kick off with a 7 am ribbon-cutting ceremony that day (so if you ever wanted to be among the first to shop a brand-new grocery store, be there!). Store hours: Round the clock. We’re expecting a fact sheet a bit later and will add it here, in case you have any other questions about what the store will offer.
SHOREMONT ON ALKI: There’s an update on this vacant building (2464 Alki SW), slated for eventual demolition, which had been the subject of an emergency city order because it was open to the elements (and potentially transients) – AlkiNews.com reports it’s boarded up. The city’s online records say the site failed an inspection in late August after the emergency order was “served.”
WESTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: This community group has scheduled its first meeting in months, and you’re invited – 7 pm September 24th, Southwest Community Center (2801 SW Thistle), bring a dessert to share. Here’s the flyer outlining some of what’ll be discussed.
Seattle Public Schools just announced 3 community meetings, including one in West Seattle – 6:30 pm September 24th at Madison Middle School – to talk about what should be on the 2010 ballot. Here’s the announcement (including how to comment if you CAN’T go):Read More
(2008 WSB photo of Fauntleroy Schoolhouse)
The future of one of West Seattle’s long-closed schools is not a done deal yet but it’s very close. The Fauntleroy Community Service Agency‘s purchase of the old Fauntleroy Schoolhouse has been more than a year in the making, and FCSA’s Kevin Wooley tells WSB today that the deal should finally close within a month or two – the legal challenge that had posed a problem earlier in the year has ended, and some of the public financing that’s helping with the deal is close to finalization. The schoolhouse is used right now for a mix of community and business activities, from Fauntleroy Children’s Center to Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering, and while its usage is not expected to change post-purchase, Wooley says they are still planning to explore the possibility of a capital campaign to raise what’s needed for repairs and upgrades, adding that FCSA is currenly “modifying the organization to run the building … It’s pretty exciting that we’re finally getting close to the finish.” They’ll soon be recruiting members for a “building advisory board,” too, and Wooley promises there’ll be a celebration once the purchase officially closes. FCSA and Seattle Public Schools reached agreement on terms of the $1.8 million deal last October.
4:45 PM UPDATE: And in fact there’s more news about the schoolhouse deal today – Kim Sheridan called with word that $1.1 million in additional state funding has been “set aside for purchase of additional playground space,” according to a community e-mail update she just said, adding, “This means that we can purchase all of the climber area on the lower playground, as well as the hill and a bit more!” That’s part of the rear section of the site that had not originally been in the deal.
Story and photo by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The free-standing Westside Pharmacy, which has been at the corner of California SW and Brandon Street for 20 years, is closing, but its longtime owner isn’t leaving the business – he is partnering with QFC to provide pharmacy services in their about-to-open Junction store.
Michael Ng, pharmacist and 32-year owner of Westside Pharmacy, tells WSB he is very excited about this partnership with QFC for a number of reasons, including the expanded hours and parking availability for his clients.
MAYORAL DEBATE: In case you’re not going to the big showdown between Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn at the Cinerama downtown today, sponsors say they’ll stream it here (look for that stream around noon – 12:15 pm update – it’s started, with an intro from moderator Steve Scher – 12:25 pm – added the embedded version above, click to watch – 1:57 pm, it’s over but you can click to see the archived video).
PORT COMMISSION CANDIDATES ON THE RADIO: Marcee Stone mentioned this at last night’s 34th District Democrats meeting (we’ve added more details to our report; see it here) – West Seattleite Max Vekich and incumbent Tom Albro are both scheduled to be on KUOW (94.9 FM or listen online) at noon.
WEST SEATTLE VOTERS HATED THE BAG FEE: May not surprise you. But if you’re interested in the breakdown, seattletimes.com (WSB partner) has made a map with the breakout on what parts of the city backed the bag fee in last month’s election and which parts didn’t. Doesn’t appear ANY part of West Seattle had a majority “yes.” 12:13 PM UPDATE: Via Twitter, @labradoodles points out that if you follow the link to a larger version of the map, you will see two small clumps where the fee was supported (here’s that link).
Three quick updates on food/drink places scheduled to open this month:
THE SWINERY: It’s the home stretch of work to convert the former Muttley Crew Cuts location (first reported here; meantime, MCC is now at 42nd/Admiral) for this new artisan meats/deli shop, and it’s being chronicled online. Check out theswinery.blogspot.com. They still expect to soft-open September 15 (next Tuesday). A few days after that —
(Photo provided by Proletariat’s owners as their sign went up recently)
PROLETARIAT PIZZA: White Center’s new pizza joint, in the northernmost block of the 16th SW business district across from Full Tilt Ice Cream, has pushed its opening day back a week – co-owner Stefanie says they’re now hoping to open September 18th. (12:39 pm note – Bayou points out on the White Center Now version of this item, they’ve got a blog-format website going at proletariatpizza.com.)
JUNCTION STARBUCKS FOLLOWUP: We mentioned when reporting the sighting inside Capco Plaza (42nd/Alaska) that we’d be checking with Starbucks whether this was company-owned or franchised. Finally got the official answer: Franchised (“licensed”). The QFC store in Capco Plaza is projected to soft-open September 16.
As the new school year continues, there’s word of another big school fundraiser: Chief Sealth High School‘s PTSA and Performing Arts department are presenting the first-ever Seahawk Spirit Dinner and Auction on November 12th. It’ll be held at The Hall at Fauntleroy on November 12th, with doors opening at 5:30 for a silent auction, buffet dinner at 7, and a live auction at 8. Auction-item donations are being accepted as well as ticket orders – Dick Lee at rjlee@seattleschools.org or 206-252-0476.
Just in, from West Seattle High School assistant volleyball coach Jim Hardy:
Westside’s Volleyball team swept Cleveland HS 3-0 Wednesday night in their season opener at Cleveland.
Seniors Jess Harrison and Mariah Doll were the only returning lettermen on a young Wildcats squad that saw 7 players start in their first Varsity matches. Junior setter Taylor Magera had 23 assists in her Varsity debut, and sophomores Emmie Riley and Nicole Broten turned in solid performances in their first Varsity appearances.
Westside Coach Gail Mowrer was very pleased with her young team and relieved to come away with the win. “They are a very scrappy team that plays every ball to the whistle and always give us a lot of trouble.” Mowrer noted. “With so many young players, we felt that the keys for us would be to execute the fundamentals and try to serve and pass well.”
The Wildcats pulled away late in the first game to win 25-18. They controlled the second set, winning 25-14. In the third game, the Cats needed to come from behind to overcome a 7-point deficit midway through the set as Cleveland came out playing very well. In the preliminary match, the West Seattle Junior Varsity team won their match 3-0. The next match will be Monday night at Nathan Hale [map].
Sports is part of the school news from all over West Seattle that we’re committed to reporting – advance word of events is welcome as well as timely reports afterward like this – here’s all the contact info – thanks!!!!
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: Tonight, 6-9 pm, all around West Seattle. We previewed some of the featured venues/artists on Wednesday (like The Paint Ball at Feedback Lounge [WSB sponsor]); more to mention today – The Kenney is excited about belly dancer Nadira, resident photographer Phil Gelpi, guest artist Josh Miller, jewelry by Penguina Designs’ Johanna Lindsay, and food; at Capers in The Junction, Banana Blossom Press is donating proceeds from sales of its cards (more here) to 2 breast-cancer-related causes, including Northwest Hope and Healing (WSB sponsor) and its upcoming Alki Beach 5K Run/Walk (Sept. 27 – registered yet?). Get your Art Walk map and more previews at the official Art Walk site.
HIGH POINT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Come to Commons Park Amphitheater at 6 pm for HPNA’s quarterly meeting – topic, how to be a good neighbor, and a good neighborhood. Refreshments!
SOUTHWEST SEATTLE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN: They meet in Burien, but West Seattleites are part of the group and you’re invited to join them too. Tonight, 5:30 pm at Yo’s Bistro (205 SW 152nd; map), $10 cash/check at the door, RSVP to Jan at 206-244-7016 or Kay, kbk.bpw@hotmail.com
With hours to go till the start of what for many is the SECOND day of the new school year, we have collected the rest of the photos kindly shared with us from Day 1. First, that’s Kandie‘s daughter Cece, who started 2nd grade at Gatewood Elementary. We received a few family photos too – 5-year-old Cole is pictured below with mom Jennifer and dad Brian, on his first day of kindergarten at Arbor Heights Elementary:
By the way, Arbor Heights is the first West Seattle public school we know of that’s on Twitter – not surprising since thanks to teacher Mark Ahlness, who’s also involved with the Twitter account (@arborhts), it was also among the first schools ANYWHERE to have its own website, way back when. (They’re on Facebook too.) Now on to Gatewood Elementary – here’s Katie‘s son Emmett checking out his spot in circle in Mr. Skeffington‘s kindergarten class:
Next, Jen shared a photo of her daughters and this explanation – “Bella, off to Madison Middle School, go Bulldogs, and Lauren off to West Seattle High School, go Wildcats!”
We had a couple pix from Lafayette Elementary earlier today – here’s another one, courtesy of Carrie Ann, who photographed daughter Molly with teacher Mr. Bell. (Carrie Ann says her daughter is one of “five or six” Molly’s in kindergarten there!)
Krystal sent this photo showing the lineup outside Lafayette:
And here are her daughters (Sophia at center, 1st grader in Ms. Nyberg‘s class, and Eloise at right, who’s a year away from kindergarten) with neighbor Aine (at left, 1st grader in Ms. Longo‘s class):
Not far from Lafayette, quite the day at Schmitz Park Elementary. Erik’s 8-year-old daughters Hailey, Caitlin and Sophia started third grade in Mrs. Watson‘s class:
They and their schoolmates got to hear from a descendant of the couple who donated the nearby parkland – Alan Schmitz (grandson of Ferdinand and Emma Schmitz):
And second-year principal Gerrit Kischner was clearly energized as he urged his returning students to welcome the newcomers:
One more back-to-school photo – Daphne shares this snapshot of Chloé, 4, and Pascal, 6:
Thanks to everyone who shared back-to-school photos … pix of West Seattle people, places and events, both the good news and the not-so-good news, are an integral part of WSB, and just one way in which this is collaborative rather than a “we make it/you read it” type of creation. Here are all the ways to reach us, any time.
We covered tonight’s 34th District Democrats‘ meeting as-it-happened on our special @wsblive Twitter account (read the updates here). And now, here are the headlines from the 2-hour-plus Hall at Fauntleroy gathering, till we add more details later:
Anyone endorsed by the group for the primary who made it to the general got to keep that endorsement. But under terms of a one-time rule change, anyone who wasn’t endorsed and made it to the general was welcome to try again tonight. At the head of the line: Mayoral candidate Joe Mallahan (photo above). For the primary, the 34th DDs endorsed Mike McGinn, who’s in the general with Mallahan, and incumbent Greg Nickels, who isn’t. But a vote to add an endorsement for Mallahan fell short – two-thirds majority was required, and Mallahan came up with 49 percent, so McGinn is the sole 34th District Democrats’ endorsee for November. In the City Council Position 4 race, the 34th DDs endorsed David Bloom tonight, adding that to Sally Bagshaw, who retains her share of the endorsement that also had included West Seattleite Dorsol Plants, who didn’t make it to the general but is backing Bloom. A proposal to endorse Mike O’Brien for Council Position 8 – where the pre-primary dual endorsees were Robert Rosencrantz, who made it to the general, and David Miller, who didn’t – failed.
More on tonight’s endorsements (which included other races), and other news from West Seattle’s biggest political group, coming up.
12:29 AM NOTE: In the meantime, the full list of endorsements is on the 34th DDs’ own website, per webmaster Bill Schrier – check it out here.
ADDED 9:42 AM THURSDAY: More details from last night’s meeting, including Mallahan’s explanation of what he considered an “ignorant” remark – click ahead:Read More
Seattle Archbishop Alex Brunett – the region’s top Catholic leader – was in West Seattle this afternoon to bless and dedicate a new project of the Archdiocesan Housing Authority, which has 1,900 units around the region: Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus, described as “permanent housing for families transitioning from homelessness”; it’s in the 2400 block of SW Holden (map), with 26 two- and three-bedroom units in four buildings, all already rented. The archbishop spoke in English and Spanish about the saint for whom the complex is named:
Also at the ceremony: reps from the city’s Office of Housing, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Homestead Capital, along with Holy Family’s Rev. Horacio Yanez, and a resident of the new housing, Evelyn Gomez-Ortiz.
More back-to-school news: The West Seattle High School Foundation is presenting its second annual Back-to-School Breakfast. Foundation president Christy Rowe says the special guest will be WSHS Class of 1972 alum astronaut Gregory Johnson, recent Atlantis pilot who, according to the official announcement, “will be presenting the student / staff signed basketball jersey that he took into space to the high school.Greg was also inducted into the WSHS Alumni Hall of Fame in 2009.” The event is September 24 at WSHS, with breakfast at 7:30, Greg Johnson at 8, then at 8:20, a program including emcee King County Council Chair Dow Constantine (WSHS alum) as well as Rowe, WSHS president Bruce Bivins, and Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson. Breakfast is free; donations will be accepted; RSVPs are requested – call Dick Lee at 206-252-0476.
Fitting for what was for thousands of students the first day of school, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly lunch meeting was keynoted today by Dr. Jill Wakefield, who runs the city’s community-college system after more than 30 years with South Seattle Community College here in West Seattle. The heart of her presentation was the fact that almost everything you think about community colleges is probably wrong – as is everything you think about the job market today. On the former point – she called attention to the fact that 50,000 students are now in the Seattle system, “the second largest higher-education provider after the University of Washington.” And she noted that SSCC is one of four community colleges in the state to offer a 4-year degree (it’s in hospitality management); on the latter point, she talked about the specialties in which trained workers are most in demand, such as health care, and noted that while “green jobs” and training for them is growing in popularity, the actual job market has not quite caught up yet. She stressed the importance of technology and the broad adoption of it among students and teachers, saying that 9,000 students in the Seattle system are taking at least one online course now, and that by 2020, 70 percent of classes will be online or “hybrid.” Along with looking to the future, she gave a nod to SSCC’s 40-year past, outlining a bit of its history, dating back to the first classes, before the Puget Ridge campus was built, including some held in the West Seattle High School building. CHAMBER NOTES: Watch the group’s website at wschamber.com for news on next month’s lunch meeting; in the meantime, State Sen. Joe McDermott will be the next “Local Elected Official” at the brown-bag Lunch With LEO at the Chamber offices (RSVP ASAP, only 10 seats) Sept. 24; tickets are on sale for the Bordeaux, Bites and Bingo fundraiser October 2 at the SODO facilty of West Seattle-based Herban Feast.
Two Lafayette Elementary students’ photos happened to be among the first we received today (thanks to those who’ve answered our request for “kids starting school” pix if you didn’t mind sharing – it’s so much nicer to “meet” individual people, instead of us just heading out and getting a wide shot of school buses pulling up somewhere) – First, that’s Brynn, whose proud mommy Brandi explains was “preparing for her big day in Mrs. Bell’s kindergarten class at Lafayette. The atmosphere was perfect for the first morning at school – sun, laughter and new friends to be made.” Also attending Lafayette for the first time ever today was 4th grader Zack – stepson of longtime WSB Forums contributor Hopey:
Starting kindergarten at Gatewood Elementary today, here’s Jordyn (thanks to mom Karisse):
And mom Marcia sends this photo of Aidan on the first day of Kindergarten at Hope Lutheran, noting that he’s in Mrs. Burza’s class:
Then, there were those last precious moments of summer – Lashanna shares this photo of daughter Coco the night before starting kindergarten at Pathfinder K-8:
More photos to share later!
So many West Seattleites travel through SODO, we’re passing along city traffic alerts for that area – like this one about the Microsoft annual meeting at The Safe tomorrow – read on:Read More
Remember West Seattle Art Walk night last month? Thunder, lightning, downpours? Looks like tomorrow’s expected weather will be much more conducive to wandering. And the offerings keep getting more and more creative. Sampling from among the ranks of WSB sponsors who are participating, for example, Feedback Lounge in Morgan Junction is presenting The Paint Ball – billed as “Four artists, 120 minutes, public scrutiny, suffering” (more here). At Brunette Mix in The Junction, Gatewood artist/writer Pam Mandel (also known for Nerd’s Eye View) is showing collages. Ventana Construction, between Alaska and Morgan Junctions, is having an “artist blowout.” Back in The Junction, Wallflower Custom Framing will show the work of Kelly Rae Cunningham, whose creations adorn walls in Mural Apartments (where Wallflower’s in the ground-level-retail area). Across the street at Dream Dinners in Jefferson Square, Betty Olson Vacca‘s oils, pastels and watercolors. Other WSB sponsors participating: Click! Design That Fits in Admiral, M3 Bodyworks between Alaska and Morgan Junctions, Coffee at the Heights in Sunrise Heights, Endolyne Joe’s in Fauntleroy. One more participant of note: A very young artist, Schmitz Park Elementary third-grader Romy Ehrsam – who likes to draw, paint with watercolor and make block prints – will show her work at Shoofly Pie in The Junction. Here’s the printable map to all of tomorrow night’s participants; look for more venue/artist highlights at the official Art Walk site, and if you have something to highlight, let us know for the next preview tomorrow morning!
Just back from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce monthly lunch, where Bill Hibler of West Seattle Internet mentioned that the West Seattle Garden Tour – which included his Gatewood home this past July (photo above) – is inviting people to join the committee, and there’s a meeting tonight, which he described as part party (that’s where the food comes in – wine too) and part meeting – as Bill puts it, “One member suggested that the committee was actually a gourmet cooking club masquerading as a garden committee!” If you’d like to investigate the possibility of helping out the WS Garden Tour, be at 1300 SW Webster (map) at 6:30 (phone numbers if you get lost: 206 225-6508, 206 225-4109). If you just can’t make it, but are interested in being on the WSGT committee, contact Clay Swidler at 206-669-4653. (The tour is a nonprofit annual event that raises money for nonprofit and educational organizations in West Seattle and vicinity – more info at westseattlegardentour.com.)
Kelli e-mailed last night to say that she saw graffiti in three areas north of Lincoln Park, including a business sign, 
with the same homophobic three-word slur that led to a police investigation and arrest this past May. She has reported it through the city’s online graffiti-reporting form and is contacting police as well – as we told her, police have said publicly recently that they want to hear about graffiti because they might be able to match it to certain suspects/repeat offenders. While no suspect has been described or identified in this case, we did check on the status of the man arrested after last May’s graffiti incidents. According to Seattle Municipal Court online records, the charges were dropped in June because he was found incompetent to stand trial. As for what happened after that, online records don’t say, but we are checking whether there is any publicly available information; he spent about a month in jail after being arrested in mid-May. P.S. Kelli said in her original note that she was hoping a report might “broadcast to these dunces that their feelings do not represent those of most West Seattleites. I found it disgusting and, frankly embarrassing for our neighborhood.” One spot she said had been vandalized, a bench at the tennis courts north of Lincoln Park, was already getting some work; she said “an elderly gentleman was busy trying to sand the words off the park bench” as of late yesterday afternoon.
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