‘Tis the season for … bazaars
They’re your one-stop shop for holiday gifts and all kinds of other surprises. Fauntleroy Church is having a bazaar and bake sale today, 8 am-6 pm, to coincide with the visit of voters (but everyone’s welcome even if you don’t vote there), Another one of the upcoming bazaars you’ll find on the WSB Events page still has room for more vendors: The Holiday Gifts & Crafts Bazaar at Elizabeth House in High Point, this Saturday, 10 am-4 pm (with a bake sale!) in the EH community room (map). One prerequisite: 10% of the proceeds must be donated to EH (find out more about it here). E-mail organizers Rose or Jean.
High Point’s party
What a day for High Point, with a big event this morning to officially celebrate the global award just given to the Seattle Housing Authority‘s grand experiment. Citywide media dropped in too; check out this tv clip with a few familiar folks (Wendy Hughes-Jelen, who has two sites on our Other Blogs in WS page, and neighborhood activist Miranda Taylor). We stopped by to check out an expected appearance by the mayor, but the crowd was told he had to cancel at the last minute for a funeral. Instead, Al Levine from SHA (photo right) emceed. High Point is amassing quite the trophy case. If you haven’t been through the area lately, make time for a drive, or a stroll. The sheer scope is something to behold.
Hot question
This one hit the inbox last week but is still worth discussing till the weather gets really bad, since so many of us live the outdoor lifestyle as far into the year as we can:
I was at a party in West Seattle … The fire dept. was called because we were having a backyard fire. It was in a fire pit, had a cage around the fire, hose was nearby as well as a fire extinguisher.The fire dept. didn’t ask about any safety questions, just wanted to know if it was a cooking fire. They said if it’s a cooking fire it’s okay. Implying that if we weren’t cooking, it wasn’t okay. I guess a neighbor had complained and the fire dept. had to come check it out. My friends have had problems with this neighbor before. My question is: What’s the law in regards to fires in your yard? How much does is cost to fire up those trucks and go look into those complaints? They brought the big truck and there were 5 firefighters.
Update on fishing nets and seal concerns
5:30 PM UPDATE: Observers say the net is now gone.
ORIGINAL POST FROM EARLIER: Concerned observers say this boat spotted off West Seattle’s northern shores at midday today is believed to be a tribal boat involved with the net they are worried about (as we reported this morning), which could even be a gill net, which they say is “very damaging to wildlife.” They still suspect it’s linked to the Suquamish tribe but say it could be related to the Muckleshoots. Also, they say they have heard from beach patrollers that other nets are in the area — “that there are multiple nets now, including purse seine nets far offshore off Seacrest … These nets are not as lethal to marine life and farther away from pups.” They are again hoping that the tribal fishing crews will pull the nets away from the potential danger zone, or at least monitor them to get quick word if any marine mammals such as seal pups get entangled. They say Suquamish leaders had previously posted a note asking fishing crews NOT to place nets near “known rookeries” (which Alki and “Anchor Park” are), and they are continuing to ask concerned citizens to call the Suquamish at 360/598-3314 to ask questions and express concerns.
Meet your new State House Representative
)
Within the past hour, the King County Council confirmed Sharon Nelson a short time ago as State House Representative for the 34th District (West Seattle/Vashon Island). Rep. Nelson was appointed to the seat left open when Joe McDermott was confirmed as State Senator, succeeding Erik Poulsen, who resigned for a job in the private sector. Congratulations, Rep. Nelson! (Photo showing Rep. Nelson being sworn in by King County Superior Court Judge Mary Yu is courtesy of the Office of King County Councilmember Dow Constantine.)
Packing up, heading out
One week till the parts-inventory auction at the ex-GEE (previously Huling) lots — and now it looks like the vehicles are heading out (as we reported 2 weeks ago, the Gees said in court documents that the inventory was being repurchased). Thanks to Andy S for the tip and pic. We also are working on another update about the latest back-and-forth in the court battle related to the Gees’ suit against the Hulings; short version is, the Hulings say the dispute should be arbitrated per a clause in their original agreement, the Gees say no.
“35th is not I-35,” neighborhood activists say
As we noted a couple months ago in a slightly different context, “‘arterial’ doesn’t mean ‘open somebody’s arteries’.” Many people who have to deal daily with 35th SW (one small section shown above), whether as pedestrians or drivers, bike riders or transit users, would probably agree. Two recent accidents have put the 35th SW problems back in the spotlight – the one that killed 85-year-old Oswald Clement weekend before last, and the one that shut down a section of the road this past Friday night. The High Point Neighborhood Association has been lobbying for safety improvements on this busy straightaway and hopes to gain some traction from two high-profile visits this week: Mayor Nickels will be in High Point this morning to celebrate the development’s recent award, and City Council President Nick Licata is coming Thursday night for a walking tour focused on the safety concerns. The group’s been working on these issues for quite some time, and here’s where they stand and what they are trying to get the city to do:Read More
WSB milestone
Money may not be able to buy happiness, or love, so it’s said, but in some cases, it can buy time. For us, money *from* WSB will buy more time we can devote *to* WSB. 
So this morning, we are thrilled to welcome our first advertiser: HOTWIRE COFFEE, celebrating its fifth anniversary in that cool brick building by the Junction post office. We are grateful to Hotwire proprietor Lora Vickrey and our other sponsors-to-be for supporting WSB and our mission to offer you 24/7/365 West Seattle news, information, and discussion. Want to join them? More info on our new Advertising page; and for everybody here in WSB-land, here’s our commitment:Read More
West Seattle Gas Price Watch: On the up-and-up
After seeing this article warning this time we really might be on the way to $4, we thought it was high time to survey the West Seattle stations again. Current range: from $3.05/gallon for regular at Arco on Delridge (photo at left) to $3.26/gallon for regular at the 35th/Holden Chevron (which back in May had this year’s highest-posted price for regular, $3.49/gallon). Both of those stations are up 22 cents/gallon since our last check 2 1/2 weeks ago.
Another graffiti-vandalism problem, and a question
Just out of the WSB inbox, Betsy writes:
Someone sprayed graffiti on the end of the guard rail on the beach side of the road at the corner of Alki Ave. and Beach Drive recently, and today I discovered that they’d also tagged the slope of the retaining wall on the beach just down the sidewalk of the boat landing area. I really hate this stuff. It’s Seattle Parks property, but if I call them will they just come out with some gray paint and cover it? That’s just as ugly and attracts new taggers just as the original graffiti does. Do any of your readers know if paint remover will work on metal and concrete?
Torch rally on Alki
Pic from the torch rally on Alki this afternoon — featuring a symbolic Olympic Torch that’s making its way around the world to raise awareness about what activists want China, host of the next Olympics, to do to help end the genocide in Darfur (detailed explanation here about why it goes on; info here on how to take action):
9:30 PM UPDATE: Info about the man in our photo, thanks to Ruth from Save Darfur/Washington State:
His name is Marial Nhiel – he is from Yirol, Sudan, and is 27 years old. He arrived in Seattle as a refugee in August 2007. Marial’s leg was deliberately shot off by a Northern Sudanese soldier when he was a seven year old boy. He is married with twin children, age 5 years, one boy and one girl, who are currently living in Kenya. He was brought to us by Maury Clark, a local Sudanese advocate. Marial was here to carry the torch for his countrymen and women, to show his support for their safety.
Reader Recommendation Request: Hair salon
No shortage of salons in West Seattle, so this could be a lively discussion: Jo is looking for a hair salon that’s affordable (less than $50 to cut short hair for women), has a staff with good communication skills, and “doesn’t send you out into the world with round, tightly-curled little-old-lady hair.” She’s willing to consider downtown suggestions too, as she’s there a lot. Leave a comment with your recommendation; find previous WSB Reader Recommendation Request discussions archived on this page (below this post).
Congratulations to Holy Rosary’s 7th-grade girls’ soccer team
Frank Coluccio just e-mailed this update on the Gators’ championship game, played today and mentioned here last Tuesday night:
After a very well played game that went into overtime, the final score, after regulation and the two overtime periods (a total of 70 minutes), was 2-2. CYO doesn’t have a penalty kick shootout after the overtime period so Holy Rosary and Sacred Heart will be Co-Champions for this year’s CYO 7th grade girls division. Holy Rosary jumped out to a 1-0 lead and Sacred Heart tied it up 1-1. Then the Gators went up 2-1 on a corner kick. Sacred Heart tied the score on a penalty kick with about 10 minutes to play. Both teams played their hearts out.
Tree talk
Yes, already. New lot coming to the West Seattle shoreline, according to this CL post. We’re planning Christmas-tree price checks again this year, by the way. 8:10 PM ADDENDUM: Just noticed the organization for one of West Seattle’s best-known tree lots, run by Holy Rosary School in the parking area south of Admiral Safeway, is well under way.
| Comments Off on ‘Tis the season for … bazaars