Thanks to Arbor Heights Elementary teacher Mark Ahlness for sharing photos from Sunday’s Camp Long memorial in honor of his fellow AH teacher Lynn Barnicle. As reported here last week, leukemia took Ms. Barnicle’s life a week earlier; she was just 50 years old. Friends, family and colleagues were invited to the park to share memories as well as music:
Mark shares:
Many spoke about her caring and loving life, filled with passion for exploring, learning, teaching, and creating. It was truly moving to see and speak with so many who were touched by her life, and every person there felt blessed to have had that experience. Her brother spoke about one of her favorite poems, which she would be very happy to know that people were reading, “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry.
You can see Mark’s Flickr set with other photos here; some have been added to this website where she and others had written during her leukemia battle. It’s expected that a memorial will be held at the school in the fall as well, so that students can pay tribute to the beloved fifth-grade teacher.
(February 2009 WSB photo)
West Seattle has two of the city’s two-dozen-plus red-light cameras (35th/Thistle and 35th/Avalon), and Seattle Police have just issued a news release pointing out — as part of “Stop on Red Week” — that those are two of many reasons why NOT to run a red light – read on:Read More
Thinking of a garage/yard sale, but no room at your house, not sure you want to advertise your address, etc.? Here’s an option: Jolene Williams sends word that the 1st annual Duwamish Community Garage Sale is set for Saturday, August 15th, and you’re invited to come “sell your stuff and make some extra money!” Spaces are free, first come/first serve; 10 percent of sales will go to the Duwamish Tribe Legal Fund (they’re fighting for federal recognition in Congress and in court). On sale day, tribal chair Cecile Hansen‘s famous fry bread will be available, as will the tribe’s legendary salmon lunch. 9 am-6 pm August 15th, Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center in West Seattle (4705 West Marginal Way SW; map); questions? Call 206-431-1582.
We are pretty swamped with private events, and Aug and Sept are just crazy…so we are leaving Sundays open for the foreseeable future…could change..but for now that is what we have to do… but thanks so much for checking in, we love the West Seattle folks and hopefully they can track us down in other parts of the city.
Elsewhere on the street-food beat, Marination Mobile is in its second month of Saturday 11 am-2 pm visits to High Point (35th/Graham; map). P.S. Since food is perennially one of the hottest topics in the WSB Forums, it now has its own section – West Seattle Food. It’ll take a while to recategorize all the archived discussions that belong there (previously they were part of Open Discussion) but from hereon out, if that’s what you want to talk about – and reviews are welcome as long as they are labeled as such – go here. (And to find archived coverage of West Seattle restaurants on WSB – go here.)
Two more notes from the city permit files this morning: The land-use permit has just been issued for the project shown above, 4502 42nd SW (corner of SW Oregon; map), which is planned as a 7-story building with 89 residential units over 20,000+ square feet of ground-level retail and office space, with parking for 121 vehicles. Four houses on the site will be demolished when construction begins; next steps include building and demolition permits. Meantime, the city has just published approvals for “shoreline substantial development” and administrative Design Review for the 2-years-in-the-works 2-story proposal (two residential units over retail) at the old Pegasus Pizza site (2758 Alki); the official decision notice explains how to appeal.
Thanks to John at Mary North Travel for the tip that demolition work is under way at one of their neighboring businesses in The Triangle, Lien Animal Clinic (3710 SW Alaska; map). Their old building is coming down, just one week after they opened their new 2-story building on the north side of the site. And as is sometimes the case with demolition sites, firefighters are doing some training on the section of the old building that isn’t down yet:
Once demolition is done, the area where the old building stood will become parking for the bigger new one. By the way, if you wonder what’s up with the nearby site where Harbor Properties plans to build Link – there’s been some partial site clearing as West Seattle Montessori School (WSB sponsor) moves to its new location, but Harbor tells us its work on Link isn’t scheduled to start till later in the year.
DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR NIGHT OUT: Tomorrow night, you can close your (non-arterial) street and have a neighborhood block party to celebrate Night Out – provided you sign up by 9 am today (extended from last Friday). Here’s where to do it online. (And if you wouldn’t mind us dropping in for a photo or two, e-mail us your Night Out party location – editor@westseattleblog.com.)
First an update on “Leucy,” the leucistic (light-colored) crow that died in the recordsetting Wednesday heat, after living for several years along the Gatewood/Upper Fauntleroy border. Our neighbor Jane, who told us about the well-known crow’s death on Friday, posted an update today, saying that after freezing the crow’s remains, she turned them over to the local bird-expert author who had studied it before, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, who Jane said planned to take it for study at UW. (Added Monday morning: As Lyanda notes in the comment section, she has now written about “Leucy” at her website, The Tangled Nest.)
Speaking of crows:
Jodie shares that photo of a local bald eagle under siege by a crow while perched atop a tree nera 45th and Genesee, west side of The Junction – a scene we’ve probably all seen before, and yet always riveting. A different bird-in-tree scene is shared by Gary Jones – two ospreys squabbling over supremacy in an Alki Point tree:
Want to know more about our local birds and why they behave the way they do? Seattle Audubon‘s BirdWeb site is a great place to start.
(iPhone photo that doesn’t do justice to tonight’s sunset – send a photo if you have one that does!)
As the sun sets on anotherSeafair Sunday, we have one last look at those six blue-and-yellow U.S. Navy jets that have either mesmerized or maddened you for the past four days – there don’t seem to be many people whose opinions fall inbetween. Thanks to everyone who shared their views of the high-flying Blue Angels – this one from Jim Clark:
And there’s the seventh Blue Angels crowd fave – this view of Fat Albert is from David Rosen of SlickPix Photography, who was out along I-90 today:
David also shares this view of two Blues:
Our lingering memory is always the sound of the cockpit covers closing, and the jets’ engines firing up at the Museum of Flight– this clip from the M-o-F fence today is more about that sound than the visuals:
And we never leave without a snapshot of the ever-cool crew:
Last update we got, the Angels were scheduled to leave Seattle on Tuesday. If we get any more specific information than that, we’ll let you know. Meantime, lots of video of today’s events, including other airshow acts and the hydro races, can be found at kirotv.com – their TV station has the Seafair television contract, so they have the most “behind-the-scenes” stuff to share.
(December 2008 photo)
Last December, a movie crew took over the long-defunct Morgan Junction tavern Chuck and Sally’sto film part of “Greenspoke.” This weekend, we got an update from writer/producer/director Tom McIntire – including an offer to see the finished product next week, at a discount:
The film was completed in March. Shot in West Seattle, Ballard and Magnolia, Greenspoke features local talent and crew. We recently won The Accolade Award of Merit: short film and were nominated for the Best International Film under 50 Minutes at the International Film Festival Ireland. A beautiful Japanese translator and a world weary vehicle emissions technician awaken profoundly changed by the efforts of a brilliant scientist trying to control climate change.
Greenspoke will have a sneak preview locally on Tuesday Aug 4 at 9:30 pm at the strong>Central Cinema, part of a fundraising effort for nonprofit Smiling Z Studios that includes another award-winning short film (two julias) and live music after the screening from Seattle band The Daguerreotypes (featured in both films). (Tickets available online: Enter the promo code blog to get the cast and crew price of $12. Includes hors d’oeurves. No-host bar. No one under 21 admitted.)
Greenspoke will also be playing at 1 Reel Bumbershoot on Monday Sept 7 at 8 pm and at the Tacoma Film Festival in October.
We haven’t written an item like this in a while. More than a few people, however, have suggested we shouldn’t be so shy about sharing good news regarding this trailblazing business of making a living as an independent, journalist-run, community-collaborative, online-only news service. So here’s a little bit about WSB’s July. According to Google Analytics – the gold standard in traffic measurement – WSB pageviews totaled 706,143 for the month of July. 23,000 homes/businesses (unique users) visited at least once a week; more than a third of them visited at least once a day. This is the biggest month we’ve had so far this year, second-biggest to snowbound December 2008, and through the end of July, our pageviews for this year total more than 4.6 million. We thank you SO MUCH for finding value in being part of WSB. But even more than the numbers, we are proud of more big stories this month. The biggest: Myrtle Reservoir neighbors e-mailed WSB, wondering why the reservoir-covering project was being dug up again; we uncovered the fact that the waterproofing material used at Myrtle and Beacon reservoirs had hundreds of leaks and needed to be replaced, in a $4 million “change order”; the story was picked up by almost every major news outlet in the region, with credit to WSB in print and on the airwaves. Speaking of airwaves, we guested on KUOW’s “The Conversation” twice this month to talk about neighborhood news. The WSB Pets page helped reunite more than a dozen lost/found pets with their owners; the WSB Forums’ West Seattle Jobs Offeredsection helped match jobs and jobseekers (see this recent “thank you” from a recruiter) – employers can post job listings there for free. And last week, for the second consecutive year, Seattle Weekly announced that readers voted WSB the best website of its kind in the city – and this year the competition was tougher than ever, with more great independent news sites appearing almost weekly. Though we don’t all run our operations exactly the same way, there is one guiding principle we all share: Community collaboration. So much of what you see here begins with your e-mails, phone calls, WSB Forum posts, tweets, Facebook posts, and in-person conversations (all contact info here) – we were pleased to meet so many people this spring/summer while tabling at festivals from Gathering of Neighbors toDelridge Day to the Morgan Junction Community Festival to West Seattle Summer Fest. Thanks again for being part of an incredible community, and thanks to everyone who is part of WSB by collaborating with helpfulness and respect for your fellow neighbor. Though some days bring bad news, and it’s part of our job to report that too, together our future as a community is nothing but bright.
Planning to vote early, now that ballots are arriving for the biggest election King County’s ever conducted entirely by mail (which is how they’ll all be done from now on)? If you’d like to see and hear the candidates in key races, the county-produced Video Voters’ Guide has King County Executive candidates here ; and Seattle city races (plus bag-fee Referendum 1) here.
10 am-2 pm, 44th and Alaska, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market rolls into August; peppers and potatoes are on the “what’s new” list within the Ripe and Ready rundown (see it here). Via Twitter, we also learn that Loki Fish Company plans to bring newly arrived whole fish; there are often other sightings, close to market time, tweeted by Farmers’ Market management at @NFMASeattle. Meantime – for anyone planning on checking out the Skillet street-food trailer while visiting the Farmers’ Market – not only won’t it be there today, as noted on its website, but Skillet may not be back in West Seattle any time soon, at least not according to an e-mail exchange shared by John L, in which Skillet proprietor Josh Henderson told him they were going to concentrate on their weekend catering business for now; we have sent Henderson a note asking for confirmation, no reply yet.
Those are the Seafair-provided Corvette convertibles that Blue Angels pilots and entourage use to get around while they’re in Seattle each summer, leaving downtown – with police escort – Saturday morning. The video is from former Blue Angels pilot Len Anderson, who traveled to Seattle with the team on Thursday and has been sharing behind-the-scenes photos, video and observations via his Twitter account (@lead_solo) all along the way (here’s a link to his photo of the pilots in the parking garage, pre-Corvettes, and a photo of the SPD motorcycles awaiting them). But you don’t have to be an ex-pilot to get “behind the scenes” to some degree; that’s the feeling we always get when watching the Blue Angels’ arrivals, takeoffs and landings at the Museum of Flight, including the crew preps before the pilots show up:
To get any closer, you’d practically have to be flying yourself, which might provide a view like this one that David Hutchinson shared, after taking photos from Ruby Chow Park on the north end of Boeing Field:
For the timeline of this year’s Boeing Field/Museum of Flight viewing (from our experience so far), and more photos, read on:Read More
Saturday morning, members and neighbors of St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church got to work clearing an area south of the church, along SW Hanford (map), that they’re hoping will become a “park-like space” for the neighborhood. Among the helpers, Charlie the Bichon Frise:
“He’s the boss!” one of the volunteers told our photojournalist. For the human volunteers, next step is planting drought-resistant native plants later this summer. Not a bad idea, given our dry weather, which took a turn for the foggy this morning:
Greg Wright shared that look at the downtown skyline seemingly floating over the fog. The forecast does not mention a rerun for this morning; another weather note, famous forecaster Cliff Maas says the stats show that last Wednesday wasn’t the only recordsetter – the entire month of July goes on record as Seattle’s hottest July ever.
We’ll add video later, but in the short run, that photo should give you an idea of the exuberant preshow fun at tonight’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies on the Wall event, before the crowd hooted and hollered their way through the ’80s classic “Footloose.” In the back of the photo, by the speaker, that’s Jackie Helton from Fusion Studio (WSB sponsor), and her fellow “go-go dancers” — boots and all! — were the crew from one of tonight’s sponsors, The Body Bar in The Junction (which also offered chair massages before the movie, while another sponsor, Stella Ruffington’s, handed out dog treats). [Here’s our video, added Sunday morning – note the young moviegoers joining in, about a minute into the clip]
Every series co-sponsor got to pick a particular movie to attach themselves to, and this one is “ours” – preshow activities include tinfoil-hat-making and a crowd singalong to the famous five-note theme. Doors open 7 pm – b/y/o chair and/or blanket – the preshow fun will start at or shortly before 8:30, with the movie at dusk.
DELRIDGE VACUUM AND TV OPERATOR’S APPEAL: Stoyan Tanev is challenging the city’s notice of license revocation for his business at 5214 Delridge (Google Street View, above) and has an appeal hearing scheduled for 9 am August 11th. According to city Municipal Court records, Tanev was scheduled to go to trial in April on charges of “receiving stolen property” but the case was dismissed because of an agreement in another case against him, reported here on April 21 after assistant city attorney Beth Gappert briefed the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, involving charges of not having the proper license and not retaining used goods for the required 30 days before selling them.
That’s a photo we shared this year when first word came in that Girls on the Run was expanding into West Seattle. Now, in its second year, it’s adding a new site – Pathfinder K-8 – as well as Hiawatha Community Center. As Amber Swim explains it, “Girls on the Run operates an afterschool prevention program that uses the power of running to educate and prepare preteen girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. … Our program is facilitated by female volunteer coaches. Girls on the Run coaches do NOT need to be elite runners. Any woman who lives a healthy lifestyle and is committed to improving the lives of girls can be a GOTR coach.” Find out how to volunteer as a coach by going here. They’re accepting coaching applications until September 4th. The program sites will start twice-weekly sessions for girls (and coaches!) the week of September 28th, running through the New Balance Girls on the Run 5K on December 12th. For more info about participating, girlsrun.org is the place to go.
We mentioned this on Thursday, but now that it’s the weekend and maybe you have a few more minutes to mull the idea, here’s a reminder – Seattle Police extended the deadline for signing up to close your street for a Night Out block party this Tuesday, so you have till Monday morning to register online (do it here; then go here to print out collateral including neighborhood flyers if you need/want it). And if you ARE having a party and wouldn’t mind being photographed for WSB, please send us a note – editor@westseattleblog.com – we’ll be covering the night again this year as it unfolds.
That’s “The Bee Keeper’s Yard” at 6750 35th SW – one of 10 stops on the West Seattle Edible Garden Tour, free and self-guided, happening till 4 this afternoon. Those boxes you see are for the bees – no, they don’t live in the iconic conical “hives.” Beekeeper and gardener here is Brian Allen:
You may also know Brian as secretary of Sustainable West Seattle. Visit his garden and any or all of the 9 others till 4 pm today – find the addresses and a downloadable map at ediblewestseattle.org.
Highlights from the West Seattle Weekend Lineup: Work parties today include a one-of-a-kind event – St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Admiral invites neighbors as well as parishioners to an “Ivy Out Day” to clear a spot along SW Hanford that will become a “park-like” space for the whole neighborhood – 9 am to noon with a free barbecue to follow. Also: You can take the FREE West Seattle Edible Garden Tour today, self-guided, 10 am-4 pm, get your map here. Then tonight – everybody gets “Footloose” at West Seattle Outdoor Movies on the Wall, doors open 7 pm in the courtyard by Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor), preshow fun at 8:30, movie at dusk, bring $ for concessions and raffles to benefit local nonprofits.
Continuing our 4th annual collection of reports from Temporary WSB HQ East, aka Boeing Field during the Blue Angels‘ appearances at Seafair: If you are thinking about going to see them today, but not necessarily determined to watch from Lake Washington, we happened onto another option for watching their takeoff, landing, and significant Angels-glimpsing inbetween. On Friday, since we didn’t extricate ourselves from the desk soon enough to go hang out “on the fence” (explained here) at the Museum of Flight, we had to find an alternative spot along the Boeing Field runway. A turn opportunity presented itself just north of the Boeing Field tower, and we wound up here:
The turn is at South 81st Place and East Marginal (map). It’s a small Boeing lot but as with the Boeing lots closer to the Museum of Flight, nobody seemed to be checking credentials. Drawbacks: A road parallels the runway-boundary fence, so you need to stand on or behind the fairly short concrete barrier. Advantages: You’re right there as the Angels go wheels up – and you get the Fat Albert (C-130T support plane) flyby, too:
Not to mention the multiple Blue Angels sightings during the show:
These folks ON the runway (across from “our” spot) had an even-better view, but somehow we doubt that spot’s publicly accessible:
The Blue Angels took off just before 1:30 on Friday, with a ground-shaking opening act from other airshow performers, particularly the F-15E Strike Eagles. Today, we’re hoping to get to the Museum of Flight in time to wait “on the fence” and see the walkdown, the synchronized crew moves, etc. And remember, the I-90 floating bridge closes 12:45-2:40 pm.
Ballots have started arriving for the August 18 primary. WSB continues offering close-up looks at — asking the same 3 West Seattle-specific questions — candidates in races including the threeSeattle City Council contests you’ll find on the primary ballot. Previous stories are in the WSB Politics archive.
By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
City Council Position 4 candidate Thomas Tobin lives on Capitol Hill, where he was born, grew up and plans to stay. He said he rarely has a chance to visit West Seattle, but when he does, Alki Beach is his favorite place.
“My grandma used to love to go to Spud’s,” he said.
This is Tobin’s second time running for city council. In 1997 he was in the race with Richard Conlin, who is now city council president.
Tobin is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a small business owner providing Internet service. “Being from here, I have watched the city deteriorate,” he said.
Thinking of a garage/yard sale, but no room at your house, not sure you want to advertise your address, etc.? Here’s an option: Jolene Williams sends word that the 1st annual Duwamish Community Garage Sale is set for Saturday, August 15th, and you’re invited to come “sell your stuff and make some extra money!” Spaces are free, first come/first serve; 10 percent of sales will go to the 
We mentioned this briefly as 
DEADLINE TO SIGN UP FOR NIGHT OUT: Tomorrow night, you can close your (non-arterial) street and have a neighborhood block party to celebrate Night Out – provided you sign up by 9 am today (extended from last Friday). 
First an update on “Leucy,” the leucistic (light-colored) crow that 
We haven’t written an item like this in a while. More than a few people, however, have suggested we shouldn’t be so shy about sharing good news regarding this trailblazing business of making a living as an independent, journalist-run, community-collaborative, online-only news service. So here’s a little bit about WSB’s July. According to 
Planning to vote early, now that ballots are arriving for the biggest election King County’s ever conducted entirely by mail (which is how they’ll all be done from now on)? If you’d like to see and hear the candidates in key races, the county-produced Video Voters’ Guide has 
10 am-2 pm, 44th and Alaska, the 
Highlights from the 
City Council Position 4 candidate
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