West Seattle, Washington
30 Friday
Just out of the WSB inbox (editor@westseattleblog.com):
Lee’s Martial Arts is offering 3 Summer Camps this year for children ages 5-12 years old.
The dates are:
Monday, July 13th – Friday July 17th
Monday, July 27th- July 31st
Monday, August 10th -August 14thCost: $200 (Discounts and Financial scholarships available). For more information please contact Lisa Skvarla @ 206-938-3375
This report is from a WSBer who asked to be anonymous. She saw a man vandalizing a Junction wall with hate graffiti this morning and says she also heard him utter an anti-gay slur; she’s reported it to the police but in light of the recent reports of anti-gay graffiti vandalism elsewhere in West Seattle, she wanted to share the information with you too in case it’s someone you see or have seen – read on:Read More
Received today from the West Seattle Garden Club:
May 22, 2009, Friday, 10 AM to 2 PM will be the last regular meeting of the West Seattle Garden Club for their current year, until September. Meeting at the Alki Congregational Church, 6115 SW Hinds Street.
The morning program will be in Honor of Past Presidents of the Club, Presentations to Outgoing Officers and the Installation of New Officers for the coming 2009-2010 year. Commentary on Design and Horticulture Exhibits. Lunch at noon will be a “Cold Food” Potluck provided by members, with dessert and beverages served by the club. The afternoon program will be given by Gwen Bell on “Hostas,” showing slides and sharing her knowledge and love of these striking shade plants. Visitors are welcome. $5.00 donation. More information available at 932-2540.
Just announced by Life Church in Westwood:
Life Church of West Seattle is offering a Summer Day Camp, “KIDS ON THE GO…,” for children ages 5-10 years.
The day camp runs June 15th-August 21st. Hours are 8:30AM – 4:00PM.
Before camp care and after camp care is available from 7:00AM-8:30AM & 4:00PM-6:00PM.
This is not a day care program. The program is recreational and educational, and includes activities such as a swimming lesson (twice a week), and daily field trips all around Puget Sound.
A nutritious breakfast is included in the cost of children attending the before camp program.
A morning and afternoon snack along with a nutritional lunch is included in the camp
fees and will be provided for all campers.The after camp program is a structured program including activities, singing and training on musical instruments.
Registration is open now .The registration fee, which is $75.00, includes 2 t-shirts and must be paid in full to hold the camper’s spot.
A discount will be given to those who prepay for any four weeks,per child, in advance.
Call now for fees and additional information.
The contact information is as follows:
Life Ministries Summer Day Camp
3420 SW Cloverdale Street
Seattle, WA 98126
206-932-9200
It would usually be a great place to enjoy the West Seattle sunshine – but this weekend, much of Jack Block Park on the Harbor Avenue waterfront was closed, according to several notes we received from WSBers wondering why. Jack Block Park is operated by the Port of Seattle; here’s what we found out by calling Peter McGraw, media officer for the port: “We have some blown fuses – an electricity problem we found out about on Friday, affecting the restroom areas and some walkways, so we had to shut them down for public safety, affecting about two thirds of the park.” He says crews were working over the weekend to try to fix the electrical problem and are back out at the park today; he’s expecting a status report in early afternoon – we’ll let you know when that new info is available.
(Delridge Playfield wading pool, photographed last year)
Recalling last summer’s West Seattle wading-pool controversy, we’ve been checking with Seattle Parks and Recreation from time to time, inquiring about this year’s plan for the city-run wading pools. Last week, we were told news was imminent. Never did get an announcement, but the 2009 schedule has now turned up on the Parks website — without fanfare or announcements, even though it includes some rather dramatic news we don’t recall hearing before: 11 of the city’s 25 wading pools will not open at all this year, while 8 others will open later than usual, explained by the city in the schedule document as follows:
… because of the need to complete federally required safety improvements required by the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. The Act, enacted by Congress and signed into law in December 2008, requires that all owners of pools and spas install specified new drain covers and second anti-entrapment systems to protect swimmers from possible injury or death caused by getting caught in pool drains. Because of the nationwide demand for the drain covers and anti-entrapment systems and the skilled labor required to install them, there are delays in the work all over the country.
As a result, here’s the plan for West Seattle’s wading pools (although the city cautions that this schedule could slide depending on how the work goes):
*Lincoln Park will open at the start of the season, June 20 (11 am-8 pm daily)
*Delridge Playfield will open July 8 (noon-7 pm daily)
*Hiawatha Playfield will open July 20 (noon-7 pm daily)
*E.C. Hughes Playground will open July 27 (noon-7 pm daily)
*Highland Park will not open this year at all
Note that all four of the West Seattle wading pools that will be open this year are scheduled to be open seven days a week – last year’s controversy involved the fact that only Lincoln Park and Hiawatha, both in western West Seattle, were open on Sundays, while Delridge, Hughes and Highland Park were closed Sundays; three weeks after we first reported on a community campaign to convince Parks to open Delridge on Sundays, the department agreed to do it for the rest of the year. Back to this year: This document has full details on the wading-pool situation citywide. Also note, Southwest Pool is open this summer, unlike last year when it was undergoing renovations; and Colman Pool, the saltwater outdoor swimming facility on the Lincoln Park shore, is scheduled to start its season this Saturday.
First, tonight’s West Seattle highlights:
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: One week earlier than usual because of Memorial Day, HPAC meets at 7 pm at the Highland Park Improvement Club, after a 6:30 pm potluck dinner. Agenda includes reps from Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Green Seattle Partnership and the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition.
SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE: Two weeks after the well-attended, sun-splashed Sustainable West Seattle Festival, SWS invites all to its monthly meeting at Camp Long Lodge, 7 pm, with Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association founder and former executive director Paul Fischburg as guest speaker, discussing “Volunteerism, Community and Leadership.”
Also of note, today’s county/city council toplines:
KING COUNTY COUNCIL: Today’s big agenda item is appointing an interim King County Executive to serve till a new permanent one is elected in November. Last week, a “blue-ribbon panel” recommended two finalists, Charles Royer and Kurt Triplett; this morning, the council’s Committee of the Whole will interview them and the other 2 candidates, former County Councilmembers Louise Miller and Steve Hammond, starting at 9 am (agenda here). The council then is expected to make the official appointment in its 11 am meeting (agenda here). Both meetings are scheduled to be shown live online.
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL: During the morning “briefing” session (agenda here), councilmembers are scheduled to hear an update on the city’s tree audit, around 10:15 am. During the afternoon session, a long list of items (agenda here) includes a proposed 10-year lease extension for land north of the West Seattle (Westcrest) Reservoir that’s used by the federal government for air-traffic control communications. The council meetings will be live online here.
One more pre-registration date for SWAC Football and Cheer — June 13, 11 am-2 pm, at Westwood Village Big 5. Registration fee is $100. Games start August 3rd, at Southwest Athletic Complex (east of Southwest Community Center). More info online: swaccougars.org
Bright and early last Friday morning, more than two dozen people gathered in Fauntleroy to hear six West Seattle-area community leaders discuss how their local organizations/service agencies are handling the economy and its effects on the people they serve. The occasion: the annual Community Panel organized by the board of the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor). Though panel members agreed that job losses and other problems are bringing them more clients, who in turn are coping with more anxiety, they also expressed general optimism. Read on for the main points each made, and the understanding that emerged before the event ended:Read More
Thanks to Ian McKay for sharing that photo of the Denny Middle School Marching Band in the Syttende Mai parade in Ballard today (full coverage of the parade at MyBallard.com)! Back on this side of the bay, thanks to JayDee for sharing a shot from the King County Water Taxi – just can’t get enough of The Mountain when it’s “out”:
And thanks to Jason for a cameraphone pic from the puppet show that delighted dozens of kids and parents at Alki Bathhouse on Saturday, the Zambini Brothers‘ “The Fattest Kitty on Earth“:
That was just one of the dozens of West Seattle events on our Weekend Lineup, published Fridays; between weekends, you can find highlights for any day of the week, stretching months into the summer and beyond, on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar page.
Editor’s note: 3 months till our state’s primary – and while that sounds like a long time, we’ve got many more candidates to introduce you to, so — after kicking off with two County Executive candidate interviews (Dow Constantine and Larry Phillips) earlier this spring — we’re continuing the profiles now, with veteran West Seattle journalist Jack Mayne on the WSB politics-reporting team — starting with his story about one of the West Seattleites running for City Council, David Ginsberg:
(David Ginsberg at left, photographed after becoming the 34th District Democrats’ 2nd vice chair in January; note that the group has not yet made its endorsement in City Council races)
By Jack Mayne
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
West Seattle’s David Ginsberg has been phased out of his technology job with Washington Mutual and now wants to displace Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin as the Position 2 councilmember.
Why three-term incumbent Conlin, when there are open seats?
“I understand this is the toughest seat I could have chosen,” Ginsberg said during a recent interview at Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in The Junction.
Two tipsters report traffic trouble along Fauntleroy in the Fairmount Park area because of a two-car crash – if you have to drive, take an alternate route. Thanks to Ray for the photo. 7:23 PM UPDATE: The scene is clear and traffic is back to normal.
Bumping this up in case you hadn’t already seen the link from SPDBlotter on the WSB Crime Watch page: This explains a couple notes we received about this time Saturday, regarding police chasing suspects in upper Alki. SPDBlotter reports:
Southwest Precinct officers were at 58th Avenue Southwest and Alki Avenue Southwest when they observed a stolen vehicle occupied by three suspects. When the officers approached (in heavy traffic) to attempt to arrest them, the suspects fled on foot. Following several foot pursuits and yard-to-yard searches, two of the three suspects were located and arrested.
Police say one suspect is an adult male, the other a juvenile male, and both were booked for investigation of auto theft. (We mentioned the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting in earlier CW updates today; we should also mention that police leadership will be at the Alki Community Council meeting Thursday — 7 pm, Alki Community Center — for updates in the aftermath of the May 1st shooting, and more on plans for summer police presence at the beach.)
Ray sent photos and info as “an FYI” about his car getting prowled in the 5900 block of 38th SW (map). He notes it’s a car he hadn’t moved in a while. As we mentioned in today’s earlier Crime Watch report: West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, 7 pm Tuesday, Southwest Precinct, Delridge/Webster (map).
On video, that’s helga hizer and Matthew Ellis of Mess Kit performing at West Seattle Nursery a short time ago – during the first-ever beer/art/gardening event that’s teaming WSN with Twilight Artist Collective and Prost West Seattle. $2 beer:
$1 pretzels:
Art – priceless. Well, not really. Prices vary.
West Seattle Nursery is at California/Brandon (map). Part of the sale proceeds during today’s event will go to West Seattle Helpline.
That video shows the start of this morning’s Walk with Us to Cure Lupus 5K fundraising walk at Alki – third year for this event, and organizer Laurie Gray told us the hundreds of walkers raised about $40,000. Before the walk began, participants were told that researchers are making progress in the fight against lupus, an auto-immune disorder (explained here), by identifying specific genes linked to it. (Lupus is gender-linked, as well; 90 percent of patients are female.) This is one of more than a dozen Walk with Us to Cure Lupus events around the country (others are listed here); local businesses supported the event too, including WSB sponsor M3 Bodyworks, which had massage stations set up inside Alki Bathhouse:
From left, that’s Jen Barth, Michael Mandell and Liam Buell (he’s one of M3’s newest therapists, who are the inspiration for the “New Therapists Special” currently being promoted in M3’s WSB ad). Seattle Lutheran High School band members were on hand to help pump up the walkers, and Pioneer Coffee provided their signature beverage. Next 5K event on Alki: The first-ever West Seattle 5K to raise money for local schools; organizers are advertising on WSB for the rest of the month to help get the word out — it’s the kickoff event to the May 31 “Celebrate Seattle Summer Streets” event (sequel to last September’s Car-Free Day, though the name has changed this year); you can register for the West Seattle 5K here.
Update on the adoptable dogs and cats at the Furry Faces Foundation plant sale/pet adoption event running through 4 pm today (3809 46th SW; map) – Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor)’s Lora Lewis is there and sends pix of some of the pets who just might be looking for YOU – that’s Rambo in the photo above – and following the nameless but cute kittens, it’s Griswold:
Griswold’s a Rottweiler mix, 18 months old, available through King County Animal Services – Lora says the fees are $75 dogs, $35 for cats, $75 kittens. And as she adds, “Lots of plants too, of course!”
From the Triangle district (4700 block of 36th; map), Mike sent that photo, wondering if anyone has more information about how their car window wound up in that condition. He says it happened between 12:30 am, when he and his wife went to bed, and 2:30 am, when a police officer woke them up; he says they didn’t hear this happen because their windows were closed to shut out noise from “revelers at the VFW” and wonders if it was related. It’s been reported to police, so there’s a case number if you call with info (206-625-5011 is the non-emergency number). By the way, it’s time for us to start reminding you that the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets this Tuesday, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (map), first meeting since high-profile cases including the May 1st Alki shooting and April 30th Junction bank robbery. WSCPC meetings are the biggest monthly opportunity to bring your concerns about crime/safety directly to local police leadership, since they’re always there both to brief the group and to answer attendees’ questions.
Special T-shirts are part of the festivities through 1 pm today as Our Lady of Guadalupe welcomes one and all to an open house at its new Pastoral Center (that’s Father Jack Walmesley at right).
Seattle Archbishop Alex Brunett helped dedicate it two weeks ago (photo here). Inside the new center: 6,800 square feet of accessible meeting rooms, offices and storage. You can tour it today and enjoy refreshments too; OLG notes that this is just the start of its campus master plan – next phase, a Pastoral Life Center/Gym. Here’s a map to OLG’s location at 35th/Myrtle (on the highest hill in Seattle!).
From Anne and Doug:
We’re noticing a group or pod of whales or dolphins swimming south in the sound. Very white on the sides of one. We are south of Brace Point, it’s 8:15 Sunday 5/17. Anyone else know what they are?
Among today’s highlights:
We got that video at a cheering station along Alki Ave during last year’s Walk with Us to Cure Lupus 5K — today, another sunny day for the fundraising walk, which starts from the Alki Bathhouse at 10, after check-in at 9 (more info here).
Also at 10, Furry Faces Foundation‘s plant sale/pet adoption event starts its second day at 3809 46th SW (map), continuing till 4 pm. Even more pets today, dogs and cats, and as of our visit around 2 pm yesterday, Riley (shown above with the Animals First Foundation folks) hadn’t found her permanent home yet. As for the plants? Vegetable starts and flowers, sun and shade, and if you’ve got questions, some great folks are there to help – like F3 leader Teri Ensley‘s mom Lila:
Gardeners who also enjoy beer and art have an event tailor-made for them at West Seattle Nursery – joining forces with Prost and Twilight for its first “Beer Fest” 1-5 pm, combining beer, gardening and art. Pretzels too, according to the WSN website. Part of today’s sales go to West Seattle Helpline in honor of the occasion.
Also today: In The Junction, as always, 10 am-2 pm is West Seattle Farmers’ Market time – here’s the link to today’s list of what’s fresh.
One more event of note: Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrating its new Pastoral Center with an Open House, all welcome, 9:30 am-1 pm (more info here; the new center’s on 35th just north of Myrtle – here’s a map).
Yes, those geese AGAIN, though with a dramatic background this time – West Seattle photojournalist Matt Durham from mattdurhamphotography.com shares the photo, looking south toward Salty’s. (Personal aside: We are just back from there, where tonight we helped celebrate the wondrous wedding of our dear friend Shep, a West Seattleite who we’ve known since the year he, and we, arrived here, 1991. Mazel tov!) Now, from outside to inside:
The Kenney hosted its annual fundraising brunch today – that’s CEO Kevin McFeely circulating in the photo above – the main goal was to raise money for a fund that helps residents stay at The Kenney even if they outlive their financial reserves.
It’s not on the Camp Long website yet, and it’s not available in print till sometime next week, but you can see the summer brochure for Camp Long (and other Seattle Parks Environmental Learning Centers) right now — Sheila Brown from Camp Long sent it via e-mail today and we’ve uploaded it here.
| 2 COMMENTS