day : 22/06/2011 12 results

Before last weekend is too much further in the rear-view mirror, an acknowledgment of an event that WSB Forums members made happen: The potluck that wrapped up an open-house afternoon at the encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville,” now back on a previously vacant city-owned site on the southeastern edge of West Seattle. Forums member Kevin McClintic, who collaborated with member Joanne Brayden on three previous reports about the camp (here, here, and here), shares the photos, and this report:

Despite gray skies and intermittent rain, the Nickelsville Potluck was a great success thanks to everyone who helped make it happen. The camp had set up several open rain shelters, but they were not needed. The rain managed to stay away for the duration of the event.

This was no hot-dog-and-hamburger event. The food was first class. There were more than two dozen individual contributors who brought some outstanding homemade entrees. One generous contributor brought several dozen steaks, intended specifically for the residents.

According to Nickelsville resident/WSB Forums member Mike (miws), they were still eating leftovers on Sunday, and still snacking on homemade cookies and treats into the first of the week.

Pictured in the group photo from left to right (Scott and Peggy are Nickelsville staff. Everyone else, Nickelsville friends): Scott Morrow, JoB, Peggy Hotes, Linda, miws, the jamjets, EmmyJane, Rod Clark, angelescrest and her daughter, and Dennis Reilly (kneeling in front row)

Thanks to Kevin for the report/photos. Meantime, Nickelsville discussion, and lists of donated items the camp is seeking, can be found, ongoing, along with other topics, in the WSB Forums.

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Second ‘Hands Across the Sand’ on Alki Beach this Saturday

June 22, 2011 11:05 pm

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| Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from 2010 ‘Hands Across the Sand’)
Once again this year, “Hands Across the Sand” demonstrations are planned on shorelines around the country, including Alki Beach, where we photographed the inaugural local event a year ago. The Sierra Club says it’s intended “to champion clean energy solutions that will move us beyond oil — and protect our coastal economies and marine wildlife.” Alki’s “Hands Across the Sand” is scheduled for noon this Saturday, just east of Alki Bathhouse; more here.

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Trailers at Boren for Denny’s move, with big event ahead at SWAC

June 22, 2011 8:44 pm

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| Denny-Sealth | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

No, the semi-truck trailers lined up in the parking lot at vacant Boren School on Delridge don’t mean anyone’s moving in. They’re staging for a move involving two other campuses – the big migration, starting tomorrow afternoon, from the old Denny International Middle School to the new one alongside nearby Chief Sealth International High School.

When we asked Seattle Public Schools about the truck trailers, suspecting they had something to do with the Denny move – which precedes abatement work to prepare for demolition, as explained at last week’s informational meeting – we learned something else: Boren, 2+ miles from Denny, is being used as staging because of a big sporting event at the Southwest Athletic Complex east of Denny this weekend, so that parking lot is off-limits. That’s according to SPS spokesperson Teresa Wippel, who says this notice went to Denny-area residents today:

Denny International Middle School will be relocating, beginning this Thursday, June 23rd. School District staff will be moving furniture and equipment to the new building, continuing into early next week. “No Parking” signs will be posted along the west and south sides of the building as well as along 29th AVE SW between SW Cloverdale St and SW Trenton St. and you will see moving trailers on these streets.

On Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, the Southwest Athletic Complex will be the site of the Pacific Northwest Junior Olympics Track and Field Championships. A large crowd is expected.

Information about, and the schedule for, the track/field meet is on its website.

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Mayor’s Town Hall in West Seattle tomorrow: Who’ll be there

June 22, 2011 7:59 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Vicious Puppies Crew 2010 clip from YouTube)
Even if you’re NOT interested in asking Mayor McGinn a question or hearing what he has to say, you might consider going to his Town Hall at Hiawatha Community Center tomorrow (Thursday) night. For one – there will be a short entertainment break around 6:30 pm, with two West Seattle-based youth groups performing for a few minutes each: the breakdancing Vicious Puppies Crew and the synchronized dancers of Defined Movement. Before that, from 5:30 till 6:30 pm, the community-information fair will include your chance to meet people from, and find out about, a wide variety of groups and issues. As mentioned here yesterday, the West Seattle Triangle planning team will be represented – the two draft proposals for that area’s future have just gone public, including major zoning changes, and they’re seeking public comment, as well as ready to answer questions. Today, Ed Pottharst from the Department of Neighborhoods shared a list of other participants in the information fair:

Admiral Neighborhood Association
Alki Community Council
Whale Trail Project
Seal Sitters
Alki Wildlife Habitat
Alki Community Center Advisory Council
Barton P-Patch
Concord International Elementary School
Delridge P-Patch
Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council
Lincoln Park P-Patch
Morgan Community Association
Nature Consortium
Southwest Seattle Historical Society & Log House Museum
Sustainable West Seattle
West Seattle Be Prepared
West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network
West Seattle Chamber of Commerce
West Seattle Food Bank
West Seattle Helpline

(If you’ll be tabling there and aren’t listed, leave a comment!) Again – 5:30 pm info fair, 6:30 pm performers, 6:40 pm mayor/others Q/A. Hiawatha is at 2700 California SW, probably best to park at West Seattle High School’s California-facing lot if you’re driving, since Hiawatha’s own lot is fairly small.

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West Seattle’s made-over motel The Grove gets ready to reopen

June 22, 2011 5:04 pm

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| Triangle | West Seattle news

By the 4th of July weekend, The Grove/West Seattle Inn – our peninsula’s only motel – plans to reopen, two months after closing for the first phase of extensive renovations. We’ve been chronicling the renovation plans since the motel’s new owners, longtime West Seattleites, announced them back in December. They’re having a community open house next Monday, and they have reservations for their first guests, starting with the pre-4th of July weekend. But to put it bluntly, some wonder how they will keep out the seedy clientele that kept many legitimate visitors away in recent years. That’s one of the questions we asked Lynn Sweeney, spokesperson for the owners, who granted our request for a tour this week – read on:Read More

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Midweek reminder: Saturday Viaduct (etc.) closure

June 22, 2011 3:51 pm

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| Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

View Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Interactive Road Closure Map in a larger map

It’s been atop our BIG STORIES list on the sidebar all week, just for easy reference, but in case you’ve missed it somehow, a midweek reminder: The Alaskan Way Viaduct is closed for much of Saturday because of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. And since the event starts in Tukwila, there are other road closures within miles of West Seattle that might affect you too (including, in SODO, part of 1st Avenue S.). The information is all on the marathon website, where we got the map shown above. Of course, with the Morgan Junction Community Festival and the Northwest Paddling Festival, you might not want to leave West Seattle on Saturday anyway – but if you do, consider yourself forewarned. Again.

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‘The Hole’ court settlement: More details emerge

June 22, 2011 2:14 pm

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| Development | West Seattle news

(WSB photo of ‘The Hole,’ taken last month)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Some details remain elusive, but new court documents reveal some of what’s in the settlement that canceled plans for another trial in the longrunning legal fight over the stalled West Seattle development site dubbed “The Hole” (fully excavated for a parking garage between a once-planned Whole Foods/Hancock Fabrics/apartment building, then fenced off when it became clear things had fallen apart and gone to court).

To recap: We first reported news of a settlement on June 3rd. No one would comment on its details. Last week, King County Superior Court Judge Susan Craighead‘s bailiff Jennie Cowan told WSB they were expecting some kind of documents to be filed in the ensuing week or so – and bit by bit, that is now happening.

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Bike to dinner next Tuesday: 2 local Spoke & Food participants

June 22, 2011 12:43 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants | White Center

Next Tuesday is this year’s Spoke and Food benefit event – to encourage people to bicycle to local restaurants. In West Seattle, Chaco Canyon Organic Café is participating, and in neighboring White Center, Proletariat Pizza is participating. 20 percent of that night’s proceeds from all participants go to the Seattle Tilth Children’s Garden. Both restaurants have bicycle racks, of course! It’s 5-10 pm next Tuesday (June 28).

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West Seattle Wednesday: 5 quick highlights for tonight

June 22, 2011 11:13 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Five quick mentions (sorry, later than usual as we were caught up in following up on this):

HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: Monthly meeting, 7 pm, HP Improvement Club (12th/Holden). Speakers scheduled to talk about West Seattle Tool Library, Community Orchard of West Seattle, and September’s Delridge Day festival.

BITE AT THE POINT: All are invited to Bite at the Point, a free community potluck and family-fun event at High Point Community Center. Details here; 6-7:30 pm.

PEPS ORIENTATION AT BRIGHT HORIZONS: Interested in PEPS – the Program for Early Parent Support? Just got word that there’s an orientation tonight for people who aren’t signed up yet or who signed up for a group that’s not meeting yet. The meeting’s at Bright Horizons (WSB sponsor), 38th/Alaska, 7 pm.

OPEN MIKE: No featured readers this time – all welcome to the monthly Poetry Bridge gathering at 7 pm at C & P Coffee, 5612 California SW, including poets, story tellers, and musicians with a poetic message.

BACKYARD COTTAGES: Free one-hour workshop on building a backyard cottage or “accessory dwelling unit” put on by Ncompass Cottage Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm at Community School of West Seattle (9450 22nd SW) at 7 pm. Check to see if there’s room – contact Stefan at 206-933-5961 or stefan@ncompass-llc.com.

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Design Review meeting set for Nova and new Avalon development

June 22, 2011 8:14 am

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| Development | West Seattle news

Just yesterday, we brought you news of a new project proposed on Avalon Way, a few lots east of 35th – six stories, 117 apartments, at 3261 Avalon. This morning, there’s word that it’s scheduled for its first Southwest Design Review Board “early design guidance” meeting. And the meeting on Thursday night, July 28th, will be a doubleheader – it also includes the second Design Review meeting for Nova, Harbor Properties‘ proposed 62-unit building at 4600 36th SW, adjacent to Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) and the motel now known as The Grove/West Seattle Inn. (Here’s our coverage of Nova’s first Design Review session.) The July 28th meeting will be at the Southwest Precinct meeting room, Delridge/Webster, with Nova at 6:30 pm, the Avalon project at 8 pm.

**7/21/11 NOTE – Since original publication, the meeting has moved to the Senior Center in The Junction, and the projects have reversed order, Avalon at 6:30, Nova at 8.**

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Junction vandalism, attack may be linked

June 22, 2011 2:16 am

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| Crime | West Seattle news

(SCROLL DOWN FOR STORY UPDATES including SPD reports, Bang Bar cleanup)

2:16 AM: We’re still trying to piece this one together but here’s what we know so far, thanks to scanner traffic as well as tips from Will (who sent photos) and Jacob: At least two businesses were hit by vandalism – broken windows – in The Junction early today – the new Bang Bar on California north of Edmunds (Will’s photo above shows fire crews dealing with the broken glass), and Elegant Nails a short distance south:

Police were talking to possible suspects at last report. Other scanner traffic suggests there’s even more to the story but we’ll wait till we can confirm with police sometime in the next several hours.

8:41 AM: We just spoke with media-response unit Det. Mark Jamieson, who has published more details on SPD Blotter. As it had sounded last night via scanner, it’s complicated – there were two Junction incidents that might be related, an assault outside Matador (detailed on SPD Blotter here – two passersby hit an employee, who wasn’t seriously hurt) and the broken-windows incident (detailed on SPD Blotter here – it appears the two businesses in our report are the only ones hit). Two 23-year-old men are in custody, and facing charges in the attack, for starters. They were caught just northwest of The Junction, one along Glenn, one along Oregon; the second arrest involved a K-9 officer who had joined the search.

9:43 AM: We can’t make a definitive match yet without seeing a more-detailed police report (not available online), but there were two 23-year-old men booked into King County Jail at 3:30 am on suspicion of misdemeanor assault; according to Seattle Municipal Court status updates, one is already out of jail, on “personal recognizance”; the other, who has a felony criminal record including robbery cases, has a court hearing at 10 am.

10:44 AM: We just went to The Junction to check on the aftermath. The nail salon is already open and doing business for the day. At Bang Bar, here’s what we found:

The owners are there, cleaning up and fixing the window (we took the photo inside, looking toward the street). They told us they will be open tonight as usual starting at 4 pm. Note that, as is posted on their door, they are only open for dinner (etc.) TFN, no relation to this, it’s just a decision they’ve made while they continue to fine-tune operations.

4:42 PM: Will shares another photo – the Bang Bar window, fixed:

We checked on the one believed-to-be suspect who was still in jail this morning; he’s still in this afternoon, in lieu of $950 bail, with a hearing now set for tomorrow morning.

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Video: Solar Ambassador’s summer-solstice sunset success:

June 22, 2011 1:43 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

After the summer-solstice sunset, West Seattle’s own NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen offered her traditional explanation of solstices and equinoxes – as you’ll see in our video, above. But the evening’s suspense at Solstice Park (east of north Lincoln Park) preceded that. Would the sun finally appear for one of Alice’s quarterly viewing events, after a streak of 8 without the sun?

The answer: Yes! And at this point, we’re going to cheat and use a photo shared by JayDee from upper Alki, better than any we captured featuring the setting sun:

Back to Solstice Park – the suspense then became, would the setting sun on solstice night line up with a particular stone, as it was intended to?

Alice polled those on hand. No consensus. Maybe it did, maybe it didn’t – although if it didn’t, it was close.

Speaking of “those on hand,” at its peak, we counted close to a hundred people, spread out across the berms and slopes of the hillside park:

Those who came to watch spanned a wide age range – from Alice’s 2-month-old daughter, on up. And Alice cheerily invited them all to come back in 3 months for the fall equinox. That’ll be September 23rd – mark your calendar now! And in the meantime, keep an eye on Alice’s website, alicesastroinfo.com.

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