West Seattle New Year’s Eve 2012: Highland Park’s big party
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
It’s not loud – and no explosives are involved – but the Highland Park Improvement Club‘s New Year’s Eve “Sage Comet” always puts the fireworks to shame. That’s Chris Huson spinning the briefly blazing display tonight outside HPIC, following the fourth annual “Not-So-Silent Night Parade“:
Highland Park’s big party is actually still under way right now – since midnight hasn’t arrived yet – with a special edition of HPIC’s “Corner Bar,” which usually happens the first Friday of the month – and you’re welcome to go join the fun at 12th/Holden:
Meantime, more of WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams‘ photos from the parade and show that started the night are ahead:
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West Seattle scene: New Avalon/Genesee light switched on
Even with brilliant sunrise and sunset in the books, and fireworks to come, this very simple light is also likely bringing some smiles this New Year’s Eve – Mary McNeight from Service Dog Academy sends word (and photo) that the new Genesee/Avalon traffic signal has been turned on and is in flashing red/yellow mode, three days after the lights themselves were installed. As noted here, the light is a community-requested Neighborhood Street Fund project.
West Seattle 2012 in review: Most-commented-on WSB stories
We like to think of the end of the year as a time to look ahead more than to look back. But one particular year-in-review list has become a tradition here on WSB – the “most-commented-on” stories of the year. The 2012 top 10 is actually the top 11, because of a tie at numbers 5/6 (depending on which way you’re counting). Here’s the countdown:
10. FIRST WEEKDAY COMMUTE WITH RAPIDRIDE AND RESTRUCTURING – 139 comments – October 1, 2012
First weekday after Metro launched the RapidRide C Line and a fleet of “restructuring” changes on other routes.
9. ICY THURSDAY, AFTERNOON UPDATES – 141 comments – January 19, 2012
Wintry weather always means lots of WSB commenters sharing information to help each other stay safe.
8. GOAPE ZIPLINE PROPOSAL SCRAPPED – 142 comments – July 11, 2012
The day after hundreds crowded into a special Fauntleroy Community Association meeting to hear for the first time from Seattle Parks about a proposal to allow a commercial zipline/ropes course attraction in Lincoln Park – and to almost unanimously decry it – Parks announced it was shelved.
7. LAFAYETTE PRINCIPAL EXPLAINS NO-COSTUMES-ON-HALLOWEEN DECISION – 143 comments – October 16, 2012
Lafayette Elementary didn’t ban Halloween and didn’t ban costumes. But the staff did decide not to allow costumes on Halloween itself (a shortened school day), and that led to much discussion, plus an explanation from the principal.
6. OCCUPY WEST SEATTLE ANNOUNCES WEST SEATTLE RALLY – 145 comments – March 12, 2012
We published Occupy West Seattle’s first announcement of a rally/protest – targeting Chase Bank in The Junction. Much discussion followed (the event itself was relatively low-key).
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Happy (early) New Year! West Seattle’s earliest celebration
It’s a tradition at Providence Mount St. Vincent – West Seattle’s earliest New Year celebration. So early, it just wrapped up, nine hours before 2013’s local arrival. Among the revelers, Gwen:
Gwen has seen more than 80 new years arrive, we learned, and is looking forward to another one. While we couldn’t stay for the whole thing, we were told they were expecting to wrap up by dancing to the song for which 2012 will be remembered (bet you can guess which one).
Post-holiday recycling: Christmas lights; more tree options
Popular question for these days between Christmas and New Year’s: Where/how to recycle no-longer-needed lights and/or the done-for-the-season tree? We just got two new answers to the latter. But first, the former:
RECYCLING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Thanks to Victoria for sending this link to KING 5‘s list of locations – while it starts off with details about a mostly Tacoma-centered program, it includes a mention that McLendon Hardware is recycling lights this year, and that means you don’t have to go far; they’re at 16th/102nd in White Center.
MORE OPTIONS FOR RECYCLING CHRISTMAS TREES: We’ve mentioned the city’s how-to a couple times, for curbside pickup or transfer-station dropoff. Just in, two other options: First, the West Seattle Rainbow Girls are again recycling trees by donation at the Masonic Hall in The Junction (40th/Edmunds), this Saturday (January 5), 10 am-2 pm. Second, Dreamscapes Landscaping owner Jacob Ford says he’ll pick your tree up for free in West Seattle – he mulches the branches and “makes things out of” the rest. 206-412-7707.
West Seattle New Year’s Eve: 3 things to do long BEFORE midnight
(1/1/12 Needle fireworks, photographed by David Hutchinson)
You already know about the midnight fireworks – visible from anywhere there’s a view of the Space Needle, or from anywhere there’s a screen (via KING 5). But long before we get to midnight – here are three things you can do BEFORE your late-night celebration of choice:
NEW YEAR’S EVE WALK: The Emerald City Wanderers have again organized “healthy, scenic walks” for tonight and tomorrow. Both start from St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (California/Hanford, just south of West Seattle High School) and you can start any time between 4 and 7 pm today, 9 am-noon tomorrow. No charge, no competition, just show up and find out about the routes (different 5K and 10K routes each day).
LABYRINTH WALK: 6-8 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW), in the Vashon Room (enter through the lower-level door off the parking lot on the west side of Fauntleroy Schoolhouse). Suggested $5 donation benefits the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse capital campaign. More info here.
NOT-SO-SILENT NIGHT PARADE, AND MORE: At 6 pm, the annual New Year’s Eve noisemaking parade takes off from the Highland Park Improvement Club, strolling through nearby – followed by the “Sage Comet” in the parking lot, and then indoors, new for this year, starting around 7, a special New Year’s Eve edition of the all-ages Corner Bar.
For the late-night parties, etc. – see the Holiday Guide!
More West Seattle stoplight trouble: 35th and Alaska
10:10 AM: Thanks for the calls/texts. Another stoplight is having trouble in the Junction/Triangle area – this time, 35th and Alaska (the past few weeks have seen problems at 35th/Avalon, 42nd/Alaska, and California/Fauntleroy). When we checked with SDOT at the end of last week, they told us information on what’s causing these glitches wasn’t expected till post-holiday. P.S. If you see a significant road problem like a broken signal, BIG pothole, road obstacle, etc., the city hotline is 206-684-ROAD, unless it’s after-hours, in which case a major problem would go to 911.
10:25 AM UPDATE: Our crew says it’s stuck on red in all directions. So far, people are doing what they should be doing in case of malfunction – treating it as a 4-way stop (in this case, three ways).
West Seattle New Year’s Eve 2012 starts with spectacular sunrise
Thanks to Lise Thivierge for sharing the view from the West Seattle Water Taxi dock at Seacrest (regular schedule today but no WT service tomorrow, by the way). Beautiful start to the year’s final day.
ADDED: More views! This one’s from Michelle Stathoulis via the WSB Facebook page:
Fittingly, there’s a Sunrise Heights landmark in the foreground of Michelle’s sunrise view! And from Arbor Heights, Debbie Pierce sends this sunrise-watching scene:
That’s Debbie’s pup Austin enjoying the view.
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