West Seattle, Washington
19 Friday
By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
It’s 8:00 Thursday night — do you know where your roller skates are?
If you do, and you’re a female over the age of 21, with current health insurance and a “badass” attitude — you may be a prime candidate for the Rat City Rollergirls.
RCRG was founded in 2004, based back then at the Southgate rink in White Center. Though Southgate has since closed and RCRG skaters now practice at rinks in Lynnwood and Bellevue, they maintain their ties to the White Center/West Seattle communities. For starters, at least eight skaters live in the area, including Bird on a Wire coffee shop owner Heidi Herr (skate name: “Skate Trooper”). Also — community outreach is a core value for RCRG, and they participate in local activities including helping clean up Longfellow Creek, and a stretch of road they’ve “adopted” in White Center (where their next cleanup is scheduled for April 25).
West Seattle Rollergirl and “Derby Liberation Front” team co-captain “Deadly Aim” (aka Aimee Ettel) took some time off the track to provide some insight into the world of RCRG and to talk about their upcoming home game at RCRG’s big new home “rink,” KeyArena, this Saturday.
We’re at Alki Community Center for the third and final “design workshop” in this stage of the process that could result in additions to little California Place Park next to Admiral Church (WSB sponsor) at California/Hill. Park-change opponents are here with bright lime-green mini-signs that say NO CHANGE TO PARK on one side, echoing the large sign held by Jan Bailey, greeting meeting attendees outside (then at the back of the room once the meeting began, per photo added above at 7:16 pm), while landscape architect Karen Kiest and members of Friends and Neighbors of North Admiral get ready to lead the meeting inside. About 35 people are here as the meeting starts; Steven Gray from FANNA just announced there will be a May 24 gathering, location TBA (probably at the park), to celebrate the time and energy everyone’s put into this – on both sides. Kiest will be presenting final design options for the park; we’ll add a note or two along the way as the meeting proceeds, before a separate, full writeup afterward. 8:41 PM UPDATE: The meeting just wrapped up; next steps, Kiest will write up a report within the next month and a half or so, and FANNA will decide what if anything they might pursue funding for – cost estimates presented here went all the way from less than $100,000 for one component of the “draft plan” to almost $400,000 for everything that could be done (including extending the park boundaries to green up a currently paved section of land on the north side that belongs to the park but is currently used as road). ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: While we’re working on the in-depth followup, here’s the design artwork shown at the meeting.
After more than two years, the “Auto Buff Is Moving” banner is finally about to come down at 42nd/Admiral – because the building’s getting a facelift, with someone new moving in: Eric Renn talked to WSB today about his new “athletic gym,” taking over the long-vacant former Auto Buff space. Our discussion also reveals a bit about the future of the corner in general – previously slated for a mixed-use development with a “grocery store” once rumored to be the ever-elusive Trader Joe’s – read on to find out more:Read More
Even though the State Legislature‘s session isn’t over yet, Democratic legislative staffers have voted on this award – and given it to Rep. Sharon Nelson, serving her first full term representing the 34th District, which includes West Seattle. She’s shown above with the plaque and her legislative assistant Joe Fitzgibbon; we heard about it last night and asked him for more details – read on for the official announcement we’ve received in reply:Read More
Tomorrow morning, Mayor Nickels will brief the media on more of the budget-cut plans to bring city spending in line with the dramatically reduced revenue forecast revealed last week. Though council votes aren’t required for him to implement cuts, councilmembers say they want to hear what you think – so they’ve just announced another public hearing, this one for next Tuesday night – read on for the official announcement from the office of Councilmember Jean Godden, who chairs the council’s budget committee:Read More
More than a few WSBers have asked what we know about the city crew that’s been clearing part of the slope this week along the west side of Admiral Way, about halfway uphill from the West Seattle Bridge. We checked with Parks Department spokesperson Dewey Potter, who explains:
At this site there’s a little bit of park property and mostly Seattle Department of Transportation property. Under the Green Seattle Partnership, it’s the first piece of work to be done on non-park property, and the largest piece of non-park property identified as a Green Seattle Partnership site. Here’s the partnership web site: greenseattle.org and a recent Mayor’s news release
Parks is clearing the invasive blackberries. A banner will go up soon at the site inviting volunteers to come and help, if they’d like to, on the east side (the west side is too dangerous for volunteers because of its proximity to traffic and the steepness of the slope).
By the way, we regularly feature Green Seattle Partnership-promoted work parties in our West Seattle Weekend Lineup, published every Friday – here’s the GS list of what’s coming up this weekend, a particularly big slate since it’s the weekend before Earth Day. This page on the GSP website explains the importance of clearing invasives (ivy, and more) in urban forests.
(recent WSB photo peeking inside the Zeeks construction site)
As we first reported last night, the new Zeeks Pizza coming to the ex-Corner Inn spot at California/Fauntleroy has finalized its grand opening date and time: 11 am on Friday, May 1st. After we published word here and on Facebook following Zeeks executive Dan Black‘s announcement at last night’s Morgan Community Association meeting, some WSBers asked if they had firmed up their delivery boundaries yet (always a hot topic when it comes to West Seattle and pizza). We followed up with Black this morning, and here’s his reply:
North – Water
West – Water
South – 116th St SW [map]
East – Highway 509
Plus one pocket outside those boundaries, which he described as “the Shorewood neighborhood.” He also told us after last night’s meeting that Zeeks is thinking about asking customers, once they’re open, to co-create a West Seattle-exclusive pizza that would only be on the menu at this location. Meantime, he adds that they are still hiring, and in the midst of an intensive final two weeks of work renovating and rehabilitating the space; the building’s owner was at last night’s meeting too, and recalled that it was a market and hardware store when he took it over more than 40 years ago.
One day after Tax Deadline Day, the merchants of the West Seattle Junction Association have just announced a plan to free you from (sales) taxes for a day – the “Junction Rebellion.” Tax-free shopping – in other words, the store pays the tax, not you – with other discounts and promotions, are planned for participating merchants (see the poster) on Saturday, April 25th.
3:46 PM UPDATE: After some commenters asked whether this was tied to yesterday’s “tea party” protests around the country, WSJA’s Susan Melrose asked us to share this message:
The purpose of this promotion was to generate shopping in The Junction for the benefit of our retail members in this trying economy. It was in no way intended to be construed as a political statement, and the timing was inadvertent and unfortunate for our intention (we planned this 2 weeks ago). One of the Junction Association’s core values is to support community and the true intention behind this promotion is nothing more than to have a fun shopping day in The Junction, enjoy living local, and have merchants pick up the tab on sales tax. Sorry for overcomplicating a simple neighborhood sale! To contact me directly: susan@wsjunction.org
One last round of reminders about these events, from the WSB Events calendar (where even more events for tonight, and way beyond, are listed):
LAST CALIFORNIA PLACE PARK DESIGN WORKSHOP: 7 pm, Alki Community Center. The first workshop was tumultuous; the second one, at which potential designs for park additions were unveiled, was deemed productive; tonight, something closer to a final proposal is presented for discussion and feedback. After that, an entirely different process would ensue if Friends and Neighbors of North Admiral decides to pursue park additions — the search for funding.
SUNRISE HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: If we were to casually define this area, we’d say, between High Point and Gatewood, mostly east of 35th SW. If you live there, you’ve probably received a flyer about this; if not, check out the group’s website, which includes the agenda (plus word of their Poker Tournament this Saturday). Meeting’s at 7 pm, Southwest Precinct (map).
WESTSIDE BABY “SORTING FRENZY”: Hundreds of local families get clothing and other necessities through WestSide Baby, but before donated items can get to recipients, they have to be sorted, and WestSide Baby has monthly “sorting frenzy” parties with volunteer helpers. If you can lend a hand tonight, e-mail sarah@westsidebaby.org.
The Rotary Club of West Seattle sends word that it’s accepting applications right now for the Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship program. As Steve Fuller explains it, “The program provides several types of international scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies”; you can find more details and application information in this section of the Rotary International website, but applications go directly to the Rotary Club of West Seattle, due before May 15, with final interviews scheduled for June 20. Questions? wsrotary@gmail.com
Creative talent? 2 opportunities today, and your work could be seen by thousands!
WEST SEATTLE HI-YU SUMMER FESTIVAL NEEDS SOUVENIR BOOKLET HELP: From Deena Mahn:
West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival is looking for help doing the page design & layout for our Summer Festival Souvenir Book. We pass out thousands in West Seattle before our festival in July. The advertising-supported 32-page book contains a thank-you to our business members, events description & schedule, introductions of our Junior and Senior Courts, and information on our sponsoring service clubs. This could be a great way to serve your community while adding to your portfolio. Anyone who might be able to help can look at past years’ books at hiyu.com/booklets – contact us at info@hiyu.com.
DELRIDGE PRODUCE COOPERATIVE TOTE BAG CONTEST: Above, you see Pam, attendee at the recent Delridge Produce Cooperative Produce Partners Potluck, who won that bag full of goodies – now imagine Pam (among others) holding a bag with a design YOU created! Galena White says there’s one entry so far in the tote-bag design contest but they’d love to see more, and ALL AGES are encouraged to give it a try – the deadline’s less than two weeks away:
Just draw a black-and-white picture representing how you feel about having a produce cooperative on Delridge, and what it means to you. If you win first prize, you’ll see your artwork all around Delridge this summer. Delridge Produce Cooperative wants to give away hundreds of reusable, compactible nylon tote bags with artwork on them to help spread the message, “I want a produce cooperative on Delridge!” Reusable totes are environmentally sustainable, and are great for carrying home fresh produce.
1st prize is $48, 2nd prize is $32, and 3rd prize is $16. The design should be a foot square or a little less, and be submitted in a foldable format (on a piece of non-cardstock-weight paper) at the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association office (5411 Delridge Way SW). Put your submission in the “Delridge Produce Co-Op” envelope along with an attached sheet with your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Entry is FREE, and due by April 28th, 2009. The board members of Delridge Produce Cooperative will be the judges, and will inform the winners by May 12th, 2009. All ages are encouraged to participate!
Also from Wednesday night’s Morgan Community Association meeting (first report here) – officer elections: Pictured, from left, former president Steve Sindiong, who’s now secretary; public information officer Cindi Barker; new MoCA president Deb Barker; treasurer David Fansler; former secretary Eldon Olson; not pictured, vice president Chas Redmond, who was at the Delridge/Southwest District Councils’ joint meeting on the other side of the peninsula (WSB report here). MoCA usually meets quarterly, but has two special events coming up before the next meeting – May 4, co-sponsored with the Fauntleroy Community Association, the community meeting about The Kenney‘s new design proposals that save the cupola-topped Seaview building (here’s our Tuesday update), and June 13, the Morgan Junction Community Festival, which will start with the dedication of the new MJ park.
That’s the only Overton Berry Ensemble, and a taste of what’s in store at Admiral Church this Sunday. Admiral Church (California/Hill; here’s a map) joined the WSB sponsor team this week to get the word out about its annual Jazz Sunday, coming up this weekend; as you can see on the lineup here, it starts with “jazz-flavored worship” at the 10:30 am service, featuring the Admiral Choir, vocalist Grace Holden, flutist Bernie Jacobs, bassist Jeff Davies, all under the leadership of church music director Keith Terhune. Then at 7 pm, it’s a free concert (donations will be accepted) with the Overton Berry Ensemble (and Grace Holden sings again). To get your complimentary ticket(s), call the church at 932-2928.
At Youngstown Arts Center tonight, the Southwest District Council and Delridge District Council got together for one of their periodic joint meetings; these groups include representatives of various organizations in the two city-defined “districts” that comprise West Seattle. Highlights ahead:Read More
That’s Bianca and her prize-winning chicken from last year’s Pet Rodeo and Snooty Walk presented by West Seattle High School students; tonight, Collrane Frivold sends word that another Snooty Walk is in the works – it apparently doesn’t have a website this time around, so Collrane is helping get the word out:
This year my class is putting on the third annual Snooty Walk on April 25 (starting at 2 pm at Hiawatha). This is a fun event created to connect the whole West Seattle community and the love of pets in this neighborhood. My class wants the whole community to be a part of this, so I was hoping you could post it on the blog so that it will be more known to the West Seattle community. … You just have to show up and buy tickets to enter your pet. It cost $10 to enter your pet, and we’re also going to be making pet videos and you can buy a package for a pet video and a ticket for $20.
The 12 events we are doing this year are best trick, best costume, best dancer, speediest pet, drooliest, smallest pet, cutest couple, fattest pet, obstacle course, most obedient pet, oddest pet noise, and most unique pet. Six of these events will be running at one, then we will switch and run the other six. Then the grand finale snooty walk will be at 3:30. This is when the pets and their owners strut their stuff and do whatever they think of as snooty. … Basically this event is just to do something fun for the community, and express the love for pets in this community.
Collrane says judges will include King County Council Chair (and Executive candidate, and WSHS alum) Dow Constantine and Husky Deli owner Jack Miller. Photos from last year’s Snooty Walk are online here.
More to come, but first some toplines, starting with: Two park updates from the Morgan Community Association meeting that’s under way right now at The Kenney: First, the new Morgan Junction park is unofficially open; it’s not going to be dedicated until the Morgan Junction Festival on June 13th, and its name hasn’t been chosen yet, but the fences are down (photo above added 9:19 pm) and the park is open for use. Second, a trail is complete in Solstice Park (the former Lincoln Park annex), some invasive-clearing work has been complete (and more is ahead), more than half a dozen new trees will go in this fall, and “site furniture” is going in within the next month, including benches behind the tennis court and a picnic table, according to Parks Department planner Susanne Friedman, who is briefing MoCA tonight. The park discussion is just part of a busy MoCA agenda – more to come.
ADDED 8:16 PM: Also at the meeting, SDOT’s Jessica Murphy is updating the Fauntleroy repaving/restriping project; she says the contract (with Merlino) was just executed today, and the start date for the work is mid-May – no word yet exactly where along the Alaska-to-Holly route the crews will start. Murphy also says Puget Sound Energy will be doing some gas main work in the Morgan Junction area in late May — we’ll check tomorrow to find out more on that. We also are getting a Zeeks Pizza update – Dan Black from Zeeks says they’re still on track for a MAY FIRST opening in the new California/Fauntleroy location (11 am!). (More details in a Thursday followup.) The building owners are here – they say the Feedback Lounge owners (north of Zeeks) couldn’t be at this meeting but hope to be open BEFORE Zeeks; checking their MySpace site, they’re saying they will announce their grand opening date this Saturday.
Four Five (with a late addition) more reports to share with you tonight, starting with a burglary this afternoon — read on:Read More
WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is back from the disaster-training exercise at the Joint Training Facility on the southeast edge of West Seattle — the one with Seattle Fire Department crews and the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department (which contributed the helicopter) working together, as mentioned in advance yesterday just in case the chopper alarmed anyone.
ADDED 7:55 PM: Here’s Christopher’s video:
It’s Tax Day; we’ve had a lot of crime reports (and more in the works); so let’s take a moment for a quick respite: After we started profiling West Seattle’s “shop cats” (meet Swifty here, Presta and Schrader here, and Seth here), we got a few notes about local “shop dogs.” First, there was Cooper; now, meet Adie, the mascot for C & P Coffee, where proprietor Cameron says, “We love all our pals who come to visit, although the official line is service dogs only. Adie comes to work with us every day, but she still won’t drink coffee.” More “mascots” to come!
(photo courtesy Mayor Nickels’ office)
As part of the city’s Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, five public middle schools, including Denny in West Seattle, will have officers on campus. The four officers on the citywide team were introduced at Seattle Public Schools HQ today; here’s the official announcement.
Only one place in the area that we can find: USPS’s Riverton Station, 15250 32nd Ave. So., a few blocks east of the northeast end of Sea-Tac Airport (Google Street View above; map here).
(The Stonehedge Tree Experts team: From left, Matt Kuebler, Jim LeBlanc, Lincoln Erbeck and owner Mark Harman)
Today we welcome a new sponsor – Stonehedge Tree Experts. Stonehedge is West Seattle’s oldest tree-care company. Its owner Mark Harman says his business is built on repeat customers who appreciate the care and attention to detail that his crew brings to each and every job. He says the comments he gets about his crew usually include the words “careful,” “efficient,” and “clean.” Mark says he thinks that this care and attention are why he’s been able to build so many long-term relationships with customers. Mark is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and Plant Amnesty. He has three ISA Certified Arborists on the crew who are members of the Pacific Northwest chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. Mark is a West Seattle native – his family lived in Fauntleroy when he was born and that’s where he grew up; he currently resides in Gatewood. He’s also a member of the Fauntleroy Community Association. You can reach Stonehedge Tree Experts at 937-7428 or at their website, stonehedgetree.com.
Thanks to Stonehedge Tree Experts for choosing to grow their business while supporting 24/7 community news/information/discussion by sponsoring WSB; our full sponsor lineup, and info on how to become part of it, is on our Advertise! page.
Thanks to Minoru for the tip on this late last night, which we shared via Facebook at the time, and have now confirmed this morning: The Seattle International Film Festival will include a week of showings at the historic Admiral Theater here in West Seattle, June 5-June 11. The Admiral’s entertainment director, Dinah Brein-McClellan, tells WSB, “I’ve been working on an association with them for a long time and we’re really happy about it.” The Admiral has been diversifying its film offerings for a while, as a participating venue in the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival last year, and 
by showcasing independent movies with events like the one coming up this Saturday night: Walter Dalton, one of the featured stars of the hit independent film “Wendy and Lucy,” will attend its 7 pm screening at the Admiral and conducting an audience Q/A afterward. The SIFF movie lineup is scheduled to be announced in early May; here’s the news release that includes today’s announcement of the Admiral joining the venue lineup (and festival guests at other venues including Spike Lee and Francis Ford Coppola).
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