day : 16/01/2010 7 results

What happened after Nickelsville? Part of it: “People’s Place”

(9/30/09 photo by Matt Durham from mattdurhamphotography.com)
Four months after residents of the homeless camp that called itself “Nickelsville” were ordered out of West Seattle’s T-107 Park, what’s happened to them? A camp still using that name is currently set up at a church southeast of downtown. But another group spun off after the uncertainty that followed the eviction – unable or unwilling, for a host of reasons, to join the others, but just as much in need of help. The spinoff group became part of an effort called People’s Place, co-created by a West Seattle activist, looking ahead to a fundraiser this Friday. Ahead, what they’re about, and how you can help:Read More

MLK Day of Service in West Seattle: Forest-restoration work parties

January 16, 2010 5:28 pm
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 |   Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

A question arrived in e-mail: Where can people go in West Seattle to volunteer for the MLK Day of Service on Monday? We checked a regional database and didn’t turn up anything in West Seattle, except for the Nature Consortium work party mentioned as part of this comment that Monica added to the West Seattle Weekend Lineup:

Nature Consortium is holding Restoration Work Parties all weekend long to celebrate MLK Day.

Sunday, January 17th: Highland Park Way SW from 10 am to 2 pm
Monday, January 18th: Pigeon Point Park from 9:30 am to 3 pm
Entertainment and refreshments included!

RSVP by calling us at 206-923-0853 or e-mail: volunteer@naturec.org

If you know of any other MLK Day of Service events that could use volunteer help, please share the info – others may be looking for volunteer opportunities too!

Update: Motorcycle/car crash in The Junction

Thanks to @raypage on Twitter for almost immediate word of a crash that’s affecting traffic in the south end of The Junction – a motorcycle-car crash. Ray says the cyclist does not appear to be seriously hurt. The photo above is an overview of the scene, also via Twitter, from @kurtricketts. Ray has images from the scene here. 5 PM UPDATE: We were en route to check on the traffic situation when Brian from TouchTech Systems e-mailed an update – he says the ambulance has taken the motorcyclist away, and the scene’s now clear, traffic back to normal.

Seed’s planted – help a West Seattle Community Orchard grow

Another invitation from Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle: Tomorrow night, you’re invited to the first meeting to discuss a potential Community Orchard in West Seattle. Community Harvest’s Aviva says they got about 50 positive responses to the survey they did recently (linked in this WSB story), so they’re moving ahead with pursuing the idea. Bring your ideas – or just come to listen and learn. The meeting’s at 4 pm tomorrow (Sunday) at Duwamish Cohousing, 6000 17th SW (map). Questions in the meantime? info@gleanit.org

Update: Haiti fundraising car wash till 3; Dogs for Docs tomorrow

(Saturday night note: Michaelle says donations and pledges totaled about $1,500 – about 50% over the goal!)

ORIGINAL 12:38 PM REPORT: When we dropped by Keller Williams‘ back lot in The Junction (4452 California SW), one hour into today’s car wash raising money for Haiti earthquake relief, things were getting really busy – they’d already washed a dozen cars, and have been racking up additional pledges and donations, according to organizer Michaelle Crovisier:

The car wash continues till 3 pm. Then tomorrow, there are several fundraisers, detailed here, including Dogs for DocsDoctors Without Borders, which is on the ground in Haiti helping already, will be the beneficiary of the event at Beveridge Place Pub, 4-7 pm Sunday – hot dogs, sausages, veggie dogs, silent auction and raffle (official flyer here). They’re still welcoming donations for the silent auction/raffle too – more info in this WSB Forums post.

ADDED 1:07 PM: Also just got word of another West Seattle fundraiser. Maria Groen of Sold Home Décor (WSB sponsor), 9003 35th Ave SW, says her shop “is teaming with artist Linda Thorson to donate 10% of all art sales to Lutheran World Relief for the emergency response to efforts in Haiti. This donation opportunity continues through February 7th.” Find out more about LInda’s work at the Sold Home Décor website.

ADDED 4:25 PM: A challenge to local real-estate agents from local agent Bruce Butterfield, who announced today that he will support earthquake relief efforts in Haiti by donating $100 from each home purchase or sale he completes, now through the end of June 2010, to Doctors Without Borders. Here’s the rest of his announcement:

“I chose Doctors Without Borders because they were among the first to treat earthquake survivors in Haiti,” says Butterfield. “And with three million people now cut off from food, water, and sanitation, the health consequences are dire and long-term. I’ll make multiple donations over six months — a small price to pay in order to save thousands of lives. And I challenge all real estate professionals to do the same, or more.”

Doctors Without Borders is working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe. The organization responded immediately in Haiti because they were already running projects there when the earthquake struck. Since then, the international organization has sent additional surgical supplies, inflatable surgical suites, and medical personnel to Haiti. An overview of their work is available online at www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/allcontent.cfm?id=31.

Butterfield is an associate broker at Prudential Northwest Realty Associates in the West Seattle Office (Jefferson Square). He can be reached at BruceButterfield@pnwrealty.com or 206-932-2400.

Alki Homestead fire anniversary: Permit applications filed

January 16, 2010 12:13 pm
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 |   Alki Homestead | Development | West Seattle news

Today marks exactly one year since the landmark Alki Homestead restaurant caught fire in the early morning; Fire Department investigators traced the fire to faulty Christmas lights. No one was hurt, but the beloved restaurant has been closed ever since. What happens on the site next will require approval of the city Landmarks Preservation Board, because of the Homestead’s status as a city landmark. Working with a team of experts who say the structure is too damaged for restoration, Homestead owner Tom Lin has been working on a proposal to instead reconstruct it and add other structures on the site, as first outlined in a presentation to the Alki Community Council in September (WSB coverage here), then brought to the Landmarks Board’s Architectural Review Committee in November (WSB coverage here). The Landmarks Board will have to have a full hearing before voting on whether to approve the development proposal; no date has been announced yet. The project will also require Southwest Design Review Board approval, according to the permit applications recently filed with the city Department of Planning and Development. Here’s the land-use-permit page, summarized as “reconstruction of Fir Lodge/Alki Homestead Restaurant”; here’s the construction-permit page, which summarizes the proposal as “Reconstruct restaurant and structure, remove existing surface parking and add below grade parking, commercial/retail space, and a small inn,” same as outlined in the September and November presentations.

Today: Haiti relief car wash, octopus census, school talk …

January 16, 2010 9:15 am
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

That’s one of the donation boxes from last night’s West Seattle Kiwanis-hosted Seattle Symphony concert, dedicated in part to the Haiti earthquake victims/survivors. Your chances to help them continue this weekend, starting with Keller Williams‘ fundraising car wash – rain or shine! – 10 am-3 pm today, alongside their offices at 4452 California SW in The Junction (map).

(photo added 11:58 am)
Other West Seattle/White Center fundraisers are listed here. Also today – divers at Alki Cove 2 (which is actually near Seacrest) will be joining in the Seattle Aquarium‘s octopus census (explained here) – looking for sights like this:

(Thanks to Paul Riggs for sharing info about the census as well as photos like that one by Joyce Merkel, president of the Marker Buoy Dive Club.) Another event of note: The ongoing discussion about Seattle Public Schools‘ new Student Assignment Plan – and any other school issue on your mind – continues when West Seattle’s school board rep Steve Sundquist hosts his next community chat, 1 pm today at Delridge Library. That’s also where, by the way, the branch’s first Vietnamese Story Time is scheduled for 11:15 today! MUCH more going on – all this is just a small slice – check the West Seattle Weekend Lineup for the full list.