West Seattle, Washington
03 Thursday
We get half an hour to interview Mayor Nickels tomorrow morning. We’ve got questions galore, of course. But it wouldn’t be a truly two-way news service if we didn’t ask you what YOU would ask him. (And if you don’t want to post it in a comment, editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!)
Today, we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor: Keystone Windows and Doors of Seattle, owned by Michan Rhodes, a West Seattle resident. This weekend Michan and her staff will be offering a free Milgard Smart Home Workshop on Saturday (May 30), 10 am-12 pm, at their showroom located just south of Safeco Field at 2215 4th Avenue South (map). Michan and crew will answer questions about how new windows and doors can save you money on your energy bill. Also, they’ll explain how to qualify for the new $1500 tax credit and Milgard’s energy rebate of up to $750. Keystone is family-owned and operated and has been in business for 20 years. Michan says the business started out with her going out and meeting each customer one-on-one, personally hiring the installers, and taking direct responsibility for each project. She says that process led to a steady stream of referrals, and she was able to open a showroom. She adds that all job estimates are free; Keystone is licensed, bonded and insured and in compliance with all Washington state laws. Also, Keystone is registered as a woman-owned business under the state of Washington’s Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) program. Find Keystone Windows and Doors online at keystonewindows.com, or call 206.860.8686.
Thanks to Keystone Windows and Doors for supporting 24/7 community news, information and discussion by sponsoring West Seattle Blog; our full list of sponsors is here, where you also can find out how to join them!
Yes, an actual news release announcing this has actually been sent out:
OLYMPIA — Mere months after declaring he was “too hip” for Facebook in The Seattle Times, Sen. Joe McDermott, D-West Seattle, has joined the social networking site.
“When the Senate approved both the expansion of our Domestic Partnership law and a measure that added ‘transgendered’ to our hate crimes statute, I sent an email out to my friends, constituents and family praising the actions. A friend replied, encouraging me to join Facebook so I could easily keep everyone informed,” McDermott said. “I knew then that I had to join.”
Facebook is a social networking web site that allows users to add friends and send them messages while updating their personal profiles to inform friends about themselves.
“While I still appreciate face-to-face conversations, I realized that utilizing social networking sites like Facebook would allow me to reach out to even more of my constituents — even if it makes me tragically unhip,” McDermott said.
To friend McDermott, visit http://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-McDermott/1169128548.
On Facebook, we have a West Seattle Blog group and you can friend us at WS Blog.
Another update today on Coreena Wolford, the 16-year-old Chief Sealth High School student who suffered major injuries in a crash by Highway 509 three weeks ago, as she drove from West Seattle to South Park to help tutor students in the READ program at Concord Elementary. Coreena’s aunt Danica e-mailed to say that her niece is now in a Burien rehabilitation facility: “She is recovering, but has a long, hard road ahead of her.” She adds that the family is looking for witnesses to the May 6th crash: “We are looking for any witnesses who may have seen the accident take place, not the aftermath. We need to get information for insurance purposes. Please e-mail me at danicacandy@hotmail.com with any information.” Family and friends also are continuing to update this website with news on Coreena’s recovery.
Thanks to Cathy Woo, who just sent a cameraphone photo with that subject line on the e-mail. We reported last night that, a month after training fires started the demolition process, the appearance of a backhoe indicated the end was near for the 59th SW house where Ivar Haglund once lived; this morning, the backhoe’s digging in. ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: Video as the backhoe finished up with the debris:
Sent by Stephanie:
Last night I heard a sound like someone smashing a window. I got up right away and went outside in my front yard and looked around, but I didn’t see anything. I saw a car, but it promptly pulled over to park about a half a block up at about 5440 46th ave sw so I figured they lived there and were just coming home. This morning I saw 2 full windows broken lying on the corner at Findlay & 46th [map]. I couldn’t see where they came from.
Thanks to the tipster who called us about this; last night, after a “transformer fire” call nearby, we heard from one person who was without power for a while, but they got it back by 9:15 pm and we heard no further reports. However, this morning Starbucks is closed (expecting to open 10-ish, per a note on the door), the QFC is open under generator power, and some other businesses are closed. Checking with City Light to see what’s going on. Checking at WV, it only appears to be the building with QFC etc. – Target and McDonald’s are unaffected. 9:29 AM UPDATE: Peter Clarke from City Light tells WSB the power should be back any time now, adding:
The problem was a transformer outage. The crew worked through the night to replace the transformer which originally was reported out at 7:38 p.m. The boundaries of the initial outage were on the north: SW Trenton St; on the south SW Barton St; on the east 25 Ave SW and on the west 27 Ave SW. Initially City Light estimates there were 133 customers without power, however, 80 % were restored power by 9 p.m.
The lion’s share of tonight’s activities – plus Saturday and Sunday – will be in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup later this morning. But we wanted to mention a few things early on: First, two local high-school softball teams are in state tournament play starting today – Seattle Lutheran High School vs. La Salle in Yakima, West Seattle High School vs. Columbia River in Tacoma. (See coach Carrie Burr‘s extensive report in the WSB Forums.) Second, it’s the last day for online registration for Sunday’s West Seattle 5K (WSB sponsor), which kicks off “Celebrate Summer Streets” on Alki (aka “car-free day”) on Sunday – you can sign up online till 6 tonight, or register in person Saturday or Sunday – full details on both options here. 1:09 PM UPDATE: West Seattle lost to Columbia River this morning, 4-2, but is playing Sedro-Woolley right now (1 pm start). 7:07 PM UPDATE: As rockergirl points out in comments, SLHS won the first game, and is playing a second game right now. WSHS lost its second game.
In the hat, it’s West Seattle writer and former “Rosie the Riveter” Georgie Bright Kunkel, who spoke briefly at Thursday’s West Seattle Democratic Women luncheon as the group paid tribute to her husband Norman Kunkel, who died earlier this year (as noted here). (Georgie revealed she’s doing open-mike comedy at Comedy Underground on June 8th, by the way.) The group also presented a check to an organization for which Mr. Kunkel did a lot of work, the Sightline Institute (whose Alan Durning is shown above with Georgie) in his honor. The centerpiece of the luncheon at the West Seattle Golf Course clubhouse, however, was a candidates’ forum – one of several in West Seattle in the coming weeks. The field won’t be set till after the filing deadline a week from today, but three candidates each for two City Council seats – the open Position 4 (which Jan Drago is leaving to run for mayor) and Position 6 (with candidates including incumbent Nick Licata) spoke to the group – read on for video highlights and a few other notes:Read More
As announced by the Rat City Rollergirls:
Rat City Rollergirls to Play Championship Bout; All-Star Team Heads to New ShoWare Center
Women’s flat-track roller derby league wraps up successful season; All-Stars to compete for national ranking
The Rat City Rollergirls will finish their fifth regular
season with their championship bout on May 30 at KeyArena. But fans need not fret;
there will still be plenty of roller derby action all summer long, starting with the
league’s All-Stars taking on Detroit a week later at the new ShoWare Center in Kent,
Wash.The May 30, championship bout will include all four teams with Derby Liberation
Front vs. Sockit Wenches for the championship title and a grudge match between Grave
Danger and Throttle Rockets.This has been a season of significant growth for the Rat City Rollergirls, with an
average of 4,000 fans showing up for their bouts at KeyArena. During previous
seasons, when bouts were held at a hangar in Magnuson Park, the venue could only
hold about 1,500 fans, and the events routinely sold out.“We have amazing fans and couldn’t do what we do without their continued enthusiasm
and support. We look forward to another season at KeyArena next year and to bringing
roller derby to ShoWare Center this summer with our All-Stars,” said Maeleeke Lavan
of the Rat City Rollergirls’ Derby Liberation Front team.The All-Star team consists of players from Derby Liberation Front, Sockit Wenches,
Throttle Rockets and Grave Danger. Rat City Rollergirls All-Stars are ranked number
five in the West and number five in the nation according to Women’s Flat Track Derby
Association (WFTDA). Large crowds are expected for the June 6 All-Star game, the
team’s first local bout of the year. The number two ranked Detroit Derby Girls will
join the Rat City Rollergirls at the ShoWare Center, the first Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED(r)) certified sports and entertainment venue in the
country.For the second game of that evening, Rat City’s Rain of Terror, another select team
which includes members for all four Rat City Rollergirls teams, will compete against
the Jet City Bombers, the All-Star team from Snohomish County’s Jet City
Rollergirls.“The Rat City Rollergirls continue to prove themselves as a strong force in Seattle
sports with their ever expanding fan base,” said Tim Higgins, General Manager,
SMG/ShoWare Center. “We’re excited to bring them to a new legion of fans here in the
south end and look forward to welcoming existing fans.”General admission ticket price for bouts at KeyArena and ShoWare Center is $19.00
for adults and $12.00 for children. Tickets for KeyArena are available at all
Ticketmaster locations or at www.ticketmaster.com. For June 6, July 18 and August
15, tickets are available at ShoWare Center’s Box Office in Kent, or online at
www.ShoWareCenter.com, or by calling 253-856-6999.
From the WSB inbox:
*West Seattle Neighbors for Peace and Justice Monthly Meeting/Potluck
*Alki Congregational Church
6115 S.W. HindsOn *Sunday, June 7, 2009 – 6 p.m. *meeting with open dialogue on
action items, *7 p.m. *potluck. Public is invited. Come join us at
our weekly vigils and show your opposition to the war/occupation in Iraq
and Afghanistan at the Alaska/California Junction, every Sunday from
noon to 1 p.m. and White Center at Roxbury and 15th Southwest on
Wednesdays, 3 to 4 p.m. www.groups.snowcoalition.org/westseattle/
or contact John Repp at jmrepp@comcast.net
The digging-up of the old, about-to-be-replaced pavement on Fauntleroy Way has started in earnest, we noticed today. But that’s not all that’s happening on the road. Brianna sent the photo within the past hour, explaining:
just thought i would pass these pics along of a local artist making the most of the fauntleroy street closure.
andy smith has been out on the street painting for the past hour or so working on some pollock inspired pieces.
looks great!!
We have a followup question out to ask exactly where this is happening – the construction zone currently stretches from Edmunds to Findlay.
That’s the BigBelly solar-powered trash compactor west of the Alki Bathhouse, a demonstration project of sorts for the city, which is reducing the number of trash cans in local parks (as reported this week by the Times). When the trash-can-reduction campaign came up in the WSB Forums, member Que mentioned that her 8-year-old daughter had an opinion on the matter, after deciding to practice her reading by perusing the aforementioned article. We invited Que to offer her daughter the chance to practice writing by elaborating and sharing it with us (and you). Here’s the result!
I read the newspaper and there was an article about how they were taking the trashcans away from the parks. I don’t believe that they should take the trash cans away because then people will litter. Everyone uses the parks. People use them for playing and having fun and having picnics. We need to have trashcans because people will leave all their trash in the parks. This will make the parks disgusting. Then the parks will be full of trash and bags of poop. That will make the parks not fun anymore and the Moms will not want to take their kids there for picnics because they will be gross. I don’t think that the city is going to save enough money to make it worth having yucky parks. How much money would we all give to have nice parks? The city should find a different place to save that money.
– Rosemary A.
age 8
By Jonathan Stumpf
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
In advance of this Saturday’s Seattle march and rally for health-care reform, members of the Health Care for All – Washington (HCFA-WA) organization presented a community screening of the PBS documentary “Sick Around the World” Wednesday night at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor).
The hour-long Frontline documentary, hosted by former Washington Post and NPR correspondent T.R. Reid, examines the successes and problems of health care systems in five countries, looking for alternatives to what many see as a failing health-care system in America.
Twenty West Seattle residents attended the event. The discussion afterward hosted by HCFA-WA board member Chuck Rogers and committee chairs Paul and Mary Margaret Pruitt (photo above) stirred up myriad issues and concerns among attendees, ranging from emergency rooms serving as clinics for the uninsured to some residents being disgusted with insurance company’s control over America’s health-care system.
If you’ve been on Alki tonight, you might have noticed a brightly colored flyer attached to many of the “no parking” signs that are up for the “Celebrate Seattle Summer Streets” event that’s closing Alki Ave (from Harbor/California Way to Alki/63rd) 9 am-5 pm Sunday. Take a closer look, and it’s a last-minute plea for volunteer help; we got a phone call about it while en route to Alki, where we subsequently saw the flyers. We asked the caller to send us the request so we could share it with you:
NEIGHBORS NEEDED TO VOLUNTEER ON ALKI THIS SUNDAY, MAY 31.
All Volunteers will receive a Summer Streets T Shirt and Eligible to WIN Free REI Gear and a BIG Prize.Keep the streets safe by being a block watch and letting staff know of any emergencies while you enjoy the sun and meet your neighbors. You are needed for this event to happen.
BE A HERO, BE A NEIGHBOR! SHIFTS: 10:30 am – 2 pm and 1:30 pm to 5 pm.
Contact:
Kerry Bischoff
kerrybischoff@yahoo.com
425-248-9193
Here’s the city’s official page about the event; here’s our report from last night with more details on the activities and performances planned during the day, which kicks off with the first-ever West Seattle 5K Walk/Run (WSB sponsor; tomorrow’s your last chance to register online – but there’ll be registration in person Saturday and Sunday).
One month ago, we covered the training fires at the 59th SW (on the slope south of Admiral Way) house once owned by West Seattle’s legendary Ivar Haglund (yes, if you’re just joining us, THE Ivar). The owner had offered the house to the Seattle Fire Department because of its impending demolition. If you want one last look, time appears to be running out — it looks like the rest of the demolition work is not far away; we noticed the shown-above backhoe while driving by yesterday, and went back this evening for a photo (this is taken from the west side of the house). A new, larger house is planned for the property; here’s one more look at the photos sent to us last month by Seattle historian Paul Dorpat (first, the house in 2003; then, its official survey photo from the ’30s):
We’re proud to be co-sponsoring the West Seattle Summer Outdoor Movies on the Wall series again this year – and part of that means helping gather suggestions for what movies will be shown during the six-week series (Saturday nights starting July 18th, in the courtyard between Dr. Wolff and Hotwire Coffee). The decisions will be made soon, so we’re putting out one more call for suggestions, if you haven’t already made one or more – family-friendly movies, but that doesn’t mean they have to be G-rated.Here’s our original call for suggestions, which includes links to lists of the movies shown the past two years, plus suggestions already made (you can also e-mail suggestions to westseattlemovies@gmail.com – or leave a comment here – plus we’ve put the call out on our WS Blog page on Facebook). The movie series’ official site is here. Deadline for suggestions – this Sunday night.
Congratulations to Jacob Miller and Ross Monroe, from the West Seattle High School Class of ’09 and Damp Flame Design: Their redesign of the WSHS website has just gone live tonight — follow the link here to see it. Damp Flame has been in business since 2005, with other projects including redesigning the Husky Deli website. If you want to compare the new WSHS site with the old one, there’s a screengrab on the “About This Site” page on the new site, where you can read more about the project. Side note, Jacob is the son of veteran Seattle journalist Kathy Mulady, who has been reporting recently for WSB as well as for the Seattle PostGlobe.
Haven’t heard much lately on the jail-site search – aside from the City Council asking the county to reopen the issue of whether they can keep handling the misdemeanor inmates for a few more years, therefore delaying the potential need for this jail – but the process continues, and a West Seattle site (Highland Park/West Marginal Way, Google Street View above) remains on the list of six sites under regional consideration. Just got an official update late today from Katherine Schubert-Knapp, noting that new information is now available in the “scoping” process – which identifies what the Environmental Impact Statement for the project will have to look at. The announcement notes that the timeline has slid:
Based on the feedback received during the EIS Scoping period, the NEC will be adding the following items to the scope of the EIS: air quality; populations and housing; and an analysis of the possible impact of a jail on property values and public safety. These additions, along with the complexity of some of the analyses, have impacted the EIS schedule. The NEC now plans to release the Draft EIS in early December 2009, and hold Public Meetings in January 2010. The NEC plans to release the final EIS in the second quarter of 2010.
Documents including the EIS Scoping Summary are now posted on the website set up for the jail-site-search project.
CRUISE CAM: Via Facebook, Marc points out the view of West Seattle from the aft end of the Pacific Princess, currently docked in Magnolia. Ever wonder which ship’s in when? The full schedule is here.
CAPERS CONSOLIDATING: It came up first in the WSB Forums. Then, Brian sent us this photo:
We finally got to stop in at Capers in The Junction today to ask what’s up. They’re not closing – they’re consolidating; after June 1st, the store will be in the southernmost (“lower”) level, including the spot that used to be its cafe. No word so far on what will take over the space Capers is vacating, but they tell us a wall will be put up to finish enclosing the shop’s resized space.
ANOTHER DEDICATION AT MORGAN COMMUNITY FESTIVAL: Not only will Morgan Junction Park itself be dedicated during the Morgan Community Festival on June 13, so will the new sidewalk art project, “Salon,” by SuttonBeresCuller (ceremony scheduled for 10 am that day, according to an invite just in from the city’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs). The festival also will feature the “Bite of Morgan” and entertainment including the famed Bubbleman. (We’ll be reporting “live” from the festival, so looking forward to seeing you there.)
Thanks to Cathy for pointing out in comments on this story that South Seattle Community College has a wine-tasting event even sooner than the July event mentioned earlier – this one features the latest release of their own acclaimed wines – June 12-13. Here’s the full announcement:Read More
It was once the Sixth Church of Christ Scientist, built in 1929 at the corner of SW Lander and 42nd SW – what you see in the Google Street View image above is the south side, immediately across the street from Hiawatha (more photos in this Vintage Seattle post). Now, it’s an events venue called The Sanctuary at Admiral, and city landmarks coordinator Beth Chave confirms to WSB that the city has just accepted a nomination this week proposing Seattle landmark status, submitted by The Sanctuary’s owner (and months in the making), which means this is one of two West Seattle buildings currently under consideration — the other is the Seaview building at The Kenney (as noted in our coverage of the ongoing Design Review process for its proposed redevelopment). Landmark status can bring some economic benefits, like tax breaks, though it also brings restrictions – if the city Landmarks Board decides to designate the building as a landmark, that means that any changes to it (remodeling, etc.) would require their approval. Chave says neither this nomination nor that of the Seaview is listed on the city’s “current nominations” page because the applications are still being reviewed for completeness; once that’s determined, hearings will be scheduled for the board to review the proposal, and public comment will be part of the process (as explained here). You can find a list of West Seattle sites that already have landmark status by going here; meantime, here’s more on The Sanctuary’s history, from its website. The venue, by the way, hosted an event of worldwide note earlier this month – the International Food Bloggers’ Conference (podcasts available on the IFBC website).
Knowing how many people are wild about wine, this one seemed even bigger than the Announced page – a huge tasting event coming to South Seattle Community College in July, with 40 Zinfandel wineries conducting tastings at the event — read on for the details:Read More
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