West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(Photo courtesy the John family)
This Saturday, you have a chance to help Joplin, Missouri, tornado victims – without leaving West Seattle. A neighborhood yard sale (4726 50th SW, 9 am-3 pm Saturday) is being organized as a benefit – not only because the organizers want to help, but because they have a personal tie: Their neighbors have family in Joplin. The photo above was shared by those neighbors, Torrey and Steve John, taken during Steve’s recent trip, accompanying his father to help their relatives – here’s his dad:
We asked Torrey for more about their Joplin relatives’ story. Read it after the jump, along with more on the sale – to which you can donate, by the way, even if you can’t shop it on Saturday (they’ll be accepting donated items on Friday):Read More
A standing-room-only crowd filled the main room at The Hall at Fauntleroy tonight for the 34th District Democrats‘ pre-primary-election endorsement meeting. “Always one of our best-attended meetings,” as the group’s vice chair Sabra Schneider observed. The toplines: 34th DDs member and Seattle School Board incumbent Steve Sundquist did not win the group’s endorsement; the only challenger who has filed, Marty McLaren, was endorsed, with 62 percent support. On the Highway 99 Tunnel city referendum, “approve” – essentially pro-tunnel – was endorsed. And in much-contested City Council Position 1, incumbent Jean Godden and challenger Bobby Forch won a dual endorsement on the third ballot. Full details of the 2 1/2-hour meeting, including other endorsements, and video, are coming up. (11:38 PM NOTE: 34th DDs webmaster Bill Schrier just sent word the list is up on their site – see it here.)
2:02 AM: Here’s our video of the entire meeting (including non-endorsement business at the beginning and the end), in two parts, but none is edited or altered – the 2nd part picks up 2 minutes after the 1st ended, but no speaking was missed (they were collecting votes), and ends a few minutes short of the end of miscellaneous meeting-ending “good of the order” (the camera’s power ran out):
Now, if you want to read highlights of how it unfolded – that’ll be done in a few hours. that’s been added; click ahead:Read More
Just in case you were wondering … After three days of the Melissa Ann filling in for the undergoing-repairs Rachel Marie on the West Seattle-Downtown Seattle run of the King County Water Taxi, we checked with the county Transportation Department to see how repairs are going. Spokesperson Rochelle Ogershok says the work is still under way but: “We’re estimating the Rachel Marie will be back in service this weekend or early next week.” The Melissa Ann is usually on the Vashon-to-downtown Water Taxi run, which is currently being handled by the Victoria Express (details here).
Besides the fact the Alaskan Way Viaduct is scheduled to be closed from late Friday through early Monday – there are a variety of reasons you might encounter traffic snarls this weekend if you head eastward. SDOT is publishing Friday-Saturday-Sunday weekend advisories in advance each week, and we’re getting back to sharing them with you each week – so here’s the one that just arrived:Read More
The summer’s biggest events are approaching fast – among them, the West Seattle Garden Tour, 9 am-5 pm on Sunday, July 17th, with a milestone today: Tickets are now about to go on sale, now that ticket books have just arrived at West Seattle Nursery, and the rest to be available at all designated outlets by this weekend, according to Jane Watson from the WSGT:
The WS ticket outlets are: Junction True Value, West Seattle Nursery, ArtsWest, Metropolitan Market and Village Green Perennial Nursery.
We hope to sell a record number of tickets this year to support our 2011 beneficiaries (Seattle Chinese Garden, Walking on Logs Landscape Restoration Group, West Seattle Tool Library, Nantes Park, Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center, Nature Consortium, Lincoln Park P-Patch, and ArtsWest).
This year’s featured gardens are previewed here (minus addresses). Tickets are $15 and include Sue Goetz’s noon lecture on perennials, at the West Seattle Golf Course. (WSB is proud to be co-sponsoring the WS Garden Tour again this year!)
It’s going on 2 years since the city approved new rules for so-called “backyard cottages.” They’re not exactly what the name conjures – they can be elegant, albeit relatively small, residences in their own way. WSB sponsor Ncompass Cottage Company is a specialist in the field and is about to launch a series of free workshops, along with Microhouse Northwest. (At right are Drew Foster and Stefan Hansmire of Ncompass.) They say the city processed 55 construction permits for backyard cottages last year, nine in West Seattle, and they’re ready to share information about everything from the history of the idea, to current regulations, to financing options, planning/design considerations, and how to choose an architect and builder. Got a sketch already? Bring it along. The free one-hour workshops are planned for 7 pm June 22, June 29, and July 13th at the Community School of West Seattle (9450 22nd SW). RSVP (or get questions answered) by contacting Stefan at 206-933-5961 or stefan@ncompass-llc.com.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Reopening a closed West Seattle public school is virtually inevitable, Seattle School Board president Steve Sundquist confirmed during this morning’s community-conversation meeting at Delridge Library, as the district deals with overcrowding issues in the second year after the last round of closures. And though no decision’s been made yet, Fairmount Park Elementary at 38th/Findlay – shuttered for four years – seems likely to be that school, he acknowledged – with one caveat. Read on for details of the discussion, which also tackled issues including sibling waitlists:Read More
Longtime WSB’er Margaret Lanphier is getting a shoutout on the SPD Blotter website today – for helping reunite a stolen car with its owner. Spotting an unfamiliar car on her Arbor Heights block, she checked SPD’s @getyourcarback Twitter account – which sends out the plates of cars reported stolen – and found it had been tweeted. Turned out the car had been stolen from Capitol Hill. Read the full story here – including advice for people whose stolen cars are recovered, stemming from what was found inside this one.
If you have a 2011 grad in your family – you’ve known the big date for a long time. But for everyone else who’s wondering when it’s cap/gown/diploma time:
SLHS GRADUATION THIS FRIDAY: West Seattle’s first graduation ceremony of the season is this Friday (June 10), 7:30 pm, for Seattle Lutheran High School.
WSHS GRADUATION NEXT TUESDAY: West Seattle High School‘s grads get their diplomas on Tuesday, June 14th, 5 pm at Memorial Stadium (5th and Harrison downtown).
MIDDLE COLLEGE GRADUATION NEXT WEDNESDAY: One week from tonight, June 15th, it’s the Middle College High School graduation, 7 pm at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center.
SSCC GRADUATION JUNE 16 – SOMEPLACE NEW: South Seattle Community College commencement is at Benaroya Hall downtown for the first time – SSCC spokesperson Candace Oehler explains, “We’ve outgrown the Brockey Center. At Benaroya, we can now accommodate our graduates’ families, friends and significant others. Previously, we’ve had to limit the number of tickets per grad and many folks were left out. We’re very, very excited about the move!” The ceremony is at 2:30 pm, one week from tomorrow (June 16).
CHIEF SEALTH GRADUATION A WEEK FROM FRIDAY: The seniors’ sendoff for Chief Sealth International High School is at Memorial Stadium downtown on June 17th, 5 pm.
West Seattle Elementary made that video about “Community” for a new nationwide contest they insist they’re “planning on” winning – to get $20,000 for a new technology lab. But they have to win the vote first. The contest is through the retail chain Big Lots and you can find the backstory here; what matters most is to go directly to WSES’s contest page and vote for them, which you can do three times a day (the site says) till July 4th.
10:37 AM: WSB Forums member Paul points us to this post about another Seattle school’s entry – The Center School, which has dozens of students from West Seattle. Here’s a direct link to their contest page.
That’s the trailer for “Sushi: The Global Catch,” which has its world premiere tonight here in West Seattle, during the ongoing Seattle International Film Festival (WSB sponsor) run at the Admiral Theater. It’s at 7 pm, and debut documentarian Mark Hall is scheduled to be there. Also from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
ELECTION ENDORSEMENTS: Our area’s largest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, meet tonight to consider who they’ll endorse in the August primaries. Candidates will be there too. 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
COOLMOMS (AND KIDS) ON PARADE: This month’s meeting of the family-oriented environmental-awareness group CoolMom is a walk-and-bike parade at Lincoln Park, 10 am. Meet at the south end of the paved beach path for a walk/ride to Colman Pool and back.
MEET YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: Got a concern or question about Seattle Public Schools as the school year winds down? West Seattle’s representative on the school board – also its president – Steve Sundquist holds two neighborhood chats this week, starting with 11 am today at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW).
ANOTHER WAY TO HAVE A SAY ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS: 9 pm tonight is the deadline to answer a survey that will factor into Seattle Public Schools’ Strategic Plan – 21 questions, all online, anonymous. The survey’s here.
BRAINSTORM THE FUTURE OF PARKS PROGRAMMING Seattle Parks and Recreation Adult Programming Dinner and Brainstorm. Free dinner at Delridge Community Center, followed by a lively discussion on what programs you’d like to see at your local community centers. 6 pm
SUMMER FEST COUNTDOWN! Exactly one month till West Seattle Summer Fest, July 8-9-10 in The Junction (with co-sponsors including WSB).
Two signs seen along 35th SW in West Seattle on Tuesday are the latest proof that despite the legislative turmoil in Olympia, and local authorities’ words of warning, the medical-marijuana industry is moving ahead undaunted.
First, we’ve never seen signs like the one above, promoting medical-marijuana cards (aka licenses/prescriptions), but we spotted several along north-central 35th SW while checking on Tuesday morning traffic backups. We called and Googled the phone number, and both pointed to Pacific Medical Labs, based in Gig Harbor. We left voicemail asking for comment, but no callback.
On the south stretch of 35th, another sign – unrelated to the one above, so far as we know – for the new medical-marijuana business we first told you about in April:
(This photo and others below: By Deanie Schwarz for WSB)
Before the sign went up, the WSB contributor who broke the news of Northwest Patient Resource Center‘s move into the ex-Payday Loans spot at 35th and Roxbury had checked in with its proprietors for a followup:
By Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
In the weeks since the State Legislature’s special session concluded without passage of new legislation to clarify medical-marijuana law, the Northwest Patient Resource Center (NWPRC) has continued forging ahead with its West Seattle plan, despite the impending law change next month, when legislation that did pass takes effect.
We toured the facility and talked there with owner John Davis and partner Anthony Lilly. about both their business and the uncertainty of the regulatory situation.
They are awaiting the installation of their “point of sale” system, and expect to open within a few weeks. But then what, given the legislative/legal climate? They explain what they call a different model:
Read More
One week from tonight, the new architect/developer for Oregon 42 – the official name for the revived development plan for 42nd/Oregon in The Junction – will meet with interested community members (all welcome) to discuss its revised plan. We’ve been covering it here, including, on Monday, a then/now comparison with renderings from the 2008-2009 Design Review process compared to hard-copy versions from the current revisions on file with the city. Since then, new architect JBDG has provided a PDF document with two views of the project, then/now (the one you see above is a current view), as well as their toplines on what’s changed – more ahead:Read More
Union organizers and other activists came to West Seattle on Tuesday afternoon for a media briefing organized by UFCW 21 to spotlight their concerns about “the global supply chain for clothing” and working conditions for the people who work as part of that chain.They chose Jack Block Park in hopes of a scenic backdrop showing container-laden ships bringing in imports. Unfortunately, the rain moved in just as they were starting; also unfortunately for their hopes of a citywide spotlight, we were the only media who showed up.
Their main target of concern is Wal-Mart, which doesn’t have a nearby store – but, the organizers insisted, the corporation wants to open stores here. We rolled video on the entire 16-minute briefing, and have published it above. Speakers included Kalpona Akter, an organizer from Bangladesh, who said she had been jailed and otherwise persecuted for her campaign to improve working conditions. She went to the Wal-Mart shareholders’ meeting recently to pressure the corporation to make changes; here’s more on that – including Wal-Mart’s side of the story – from the New York Times.
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