An open letter,

My name is Dan Mullins and I live in Highland Park in West Seattle and Im the former Chair of the Highland Park Action Committee.

The neighbors in our area have worked for years to keep our little community a clean and safe place for kids and families.

I have always felt compassion for the folks in the giant homeless encampment named Nicklesville, less than 1/2 mile from my home, but things have gotten out of hand and something needs to change sooner than later.

It’s been a steady progression for 2 years now, from the little pink tents and muddy conditions to what we have now.

Stacks of pallets, plywood shacks and gates with guards, rats, urine, litter, its like a post apocalyptic novel down there.

While I sat at the stoplight recently I observed people unloading plywood and construction supplies and there were young girls with signs, begging for money at 3 of the 4 corners of E. Marginal and Highland Park Way.

The 4th corner had 4 or 5 young men sitting on the ground smoking and waiting.

My neighborhood is filled with people who don’t take the bus to work anymore, because of the rough, intimidating crowd constantly coming and going from Nickelsville.

I’m told that If you do drugs you can’t stay there, and I commend them for that, but where do you go if you are a trouble maker or a meth head and get kicked out by the Nickelsville bosses?

They go across the street, and into the woods, adjacent to our backyards, where our kids play.

Recently three of my neighbors had their cars vandalized, two with smashed windows and numerous neighbors homes have been burglarized.

I have heard normally rational people talk crazy about taking action into their own hands and vigilante justice.

I imagine them to be idle threats but it demonstrates how angry people are getting in this community.

I know it’s a complicated situation and a public relations nightmare for the city, but it’s reaching a point where our elected officials need to act.

This self governed community can only last so long before it self destructs and I feel that the inhabitants of Nickelsville and the neighbors will all lose.

My fear is that the solution will only come when there is a murder or a young woman is raped.

It has gotten so bad that, in my work as a real estate agent, I have heard people say, they will not look at homes in Highland Park because of the Nickelsville problem.

This blue collar neighborhood has always been compassionate and open minded and we have invited Nickelsville organizers to speak at community meetings, I have personally donated food and bathroom supplies, but people here are past their breaking point.

Something needs to be done about this illegal population and they need your help to move to somewhere safe for them but with less impact on their surrounding community.

There are mentally ill and chronically homeless, runaway kids, substance abusers and all manner of folks on the fringe who need help, but their leaders have created a private City-State, with their own hammer wielding police force, deciding who can stay and who needs to go, and if necessary they will punish all of the individuals by withholding toilet facilities for the sins of the few.

I was passing by today as I do every day and I know they are scrambling to clean the place up because they are aware of all the bad press about them lately and their leaders are gearing up for a fight.

I feel that the City’s lack of conviction to do something serious about finding a real solution for Nickelsville is mainly because it lays between two of Seattle’s poorest neighborhoods, South Park and Highland Park, and that makes it seem easy to sweep this illegal community under the carpet.
Let’s be honest, this would never be allowed in Queen Anne, Magnolia, Fremont, Ballard, anywhere else than a lower income community.

When I talk to people in those other neighborhoods, they don’t even know about Nickelsville.

I understand that Food Lifeline, a service that helps thousands of marginalized folks yearly by distributing food to the needy, wants to buy the WA State and DOT owned property for their new facility but the illegal encampment has become a major roadblock in their plans.

The city must not let this opportunity slip away.

All people deserve a little humanity, clean water and a place to lay their head and that is one of the reasons we vote and pay our taxes to build roads and schools and public assistance for those who need it.

But this illegal community, which is bound to swell in size as the warmer weather approaches must go and it must go now.

Tomorrow night from 4-7:00 at the West Seattle PCC, Garfield High School will sell tickets for their Tesla Sedan raffle. That is right! We are only selling 1,650 tickets for a chance to win a Tesla sedan! The 2013 car of the year. All electric, it can go 300 miles on one charge. $100 will get you a ticket. The winner will be drawn at Garfield’s auction on Friday, March 1st. You need not be present to win. Proceeds from the raffle go towards hiring a counselor in the High School & Beyond Career Center.

You can read more about the raffle on the Garfield website.

ADDED MONDAY: Frpm Phil Sherburne of the Garfield PTSA, in an exchange when we asked a few followup questions: “This raffle just shows to what extent parents need to go to raise money to make up for state cuts in important programs at the high school. (Last year) the raffle prize was a Nissan Leaf electric car. We chose electric cars because they speak to the future which is what education is also about. This year the prize is the Tesla S Sedan–300 mile range. This is a spectacular car–a real breakthrough. The car costs us $85,000. Tesla reserves the car for us. We don’t have to pay for it until after the raffle. This was important because we want the winner to be the first owner of the car. That way there is no sales tax on the car and the winner is eligible for a $7500 tax credit. Last year we cleared $40,000 for the school and with this year’s raffle we will clear $80,000 if we sell all the tickets.”

WSHS 1st Annual Big Band Dance:

The West Seattle High School Music Department invites you to dust off your dancing shoes and join us for a night of live music and dancing on Friday, February 1st in the WSHS Commons. There will be a swing dance lesson with a local instructor from 6:30 to 7 pm. The dance is from 7:00 to 9:00 pm with music by the West Seattle High School Jazz Ensemble and the West Seattle Big Band. Light refreshments will be available for sale.

Tickets are available: $12 in advance or $15 at the door and can be purchased from students in the Music Department or by sending an email to: wshsmusicdept@gmail.com. See you there!

Grow Plant Starts for The Community Orchard of West Seattle (COWS)!

The Orchard is located at South Seattle Community College North Entrance, 6000 16th Ave SW

The U.S. Civil Rights Movement will be explored in a fascinating, four-course, non-credit series of classes offered by South Seattle Community College’s Continuing Education department.

South instructor Allen Stowers facilitates this exploration of the social justice movement from the early colonies to present day struggles. In-depth conversation and study of the formation of strategies, efforts and outcomes of the movement will be highlighted by specific focuses on Native American, Latino American, Asian American and African American struggles. Guest speakers, all former civil rights workers, will add their personal and historical perspectives to each session.

Classes may be taken separately or as a series. Each class meets from 9 am – 12 pm Saturday, on the South Seattle Community College campus. Cost for the four-class series is $99; taken individually, cost is $29 per class.

Saturday, February 25 Native American Civil Rights Movement
Saturday, March 3 Latino American Rights Movement
Saturday, March 10 Asian American Civil Rights Movement
Saturday, March 17 African American Civil Rights Movement
Register online at www.LearnAtSouth.org, or call (260) 934-5339 for more information.

Japanese American Day of Remembrance
Events mark the 70th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
11 am – 1 pm, Brockey Student Center

Japanese American Day of Remembrance observes the 70th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, following the attack on Pearl Harbor. It authorized the evacuation and incarceration of 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast, most of whom were U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents

In Washington state, nearly 13,000 people of Japanese descent were ultimately sent to detention centers. Most Seattleites ended up at Camp Minidoka near Hunt, Idaho, while the majority of rural Western Washington evacuees were sent to Tule Lake in California.

South Seattle Community College is holding a series of events to recognize this historic date.

Wednesday, February 15
*11 – 11:50 am – Mary Matsuda Gruenewald will discuss her memoir, Looking Like the Enemy, and share her story of living in several Incarceration Camps
*12 – 1 pm – Mark Mitsui, South’s former vice president of Student Services and current president of North Seattle Community College will discuss the significance of this Day of Remembrance with author, Mary Matsuda Greunewald.

Monday, February 13 – Friday, February 18 Photographs by Teresa Tamura
Photographer Teresa Tamura created a series of black and white images that record the remains of the Minidoka Relocation Center, as a means of affirming the spirit and resilience of those who lived through the incarceration. The collection will be on display in the South Seattle Community College library. Ms. Tamura’s photos have been displayed at Whitman College, Missoula Art Museum, and published in the Seattle Times.

The public is invited to remember and learn more about this period in our history through the words and experiences of these special guests. The events are free and open to the public. Driving directions: www.southseattle.edu/campus/map.htm#sscc.

This program is part of the learning series From Prejudice to Genocide, sponsored by the Office of Diversity & Retention at South Seattle Community College.

ORGANIZATIONS/FACILITIES
West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor):

West Seattle Y Facility is open.
Fauntleroy Y Facility is open.
Some classes running at each locations.
Expect Family Programs 9am – Noon at West Seattle.

West Seattle Golf Course closed

BUSINESSES:
Young At Art in The Junction opening at 10 am
Giannoni’s Pizza in Westwood opening at noon and will offer a free cheese slice with food purchases
The Little Gym of West Seattle closed
Fleurt closed

SERVICES
No Seattle Public Utilities trash (etc.) pickup. Otherwise, they’re on one-day delay – if you have Friday pickup, put yours out TOMORROW.

Here’s the list of school closures/changes announced for today (please note that this story has been updated over the past three days so many of the comments are from earlier this week):

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Seattle Public Schools closed Fri.
Vashon Island School District closed Fri.
Highline Public Schools closed Fri.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Westside School closed Fri.
Hope Lutheran School closed Fri.
Explorer West Middle School closed Fri.
West Seattle Montessori/West Seattle Academy closed Fri.
Holy Rosary School closed Fri.
Our Lady of Guadalupe School closed Fri.
Holy Famliy School closed Fri.
Seattle Lutheran High School closed Fri.
Community School of West Seattle closed Fri.
Shorewood Christian School closed Fri.
Kennedy High School (Burien) closed Fri.

**Tilden School is again “open if you can get there safely.”**

PRESCHOOLS
A Child Becomes Preschool closed Fri.
The Cove School closed Fri.

COLLEGES
South Seattle Community College closed Fri.
University of Washington (Seattle) closed Fri.

FACILITIES/AGENCIES:
Seattle Public Library system closed
Seattle Parks facilities (community centers, pools, etc.) closed
West Seattle Food Bank closed
White Center Food Bank closed
King County Government delayed till 10 am
Seattle Chinese Garden (which is at South Seattle CC) closed

SERVICES:
Seattle Public Utilities says NO residential pickup, limited commercial pickup

BUSINESSES:
Little Gym of West Seattle closed
Bird on a Wire Espresso closed
West Seattle YMCA: Morning Family Programs closed at both locations
Head to Toe Day Spa open 11 am-5 pm
West Seattle Natural Medicine open reduced hours
Dr. Suzanne Fiala‘s office, closed
Avalon Restaurant, closed
Clementine in The Junction, closed (but you can shop online)
Service Dog Academy, closed
Young At Art in The Junction, closed
ArtsWest canceling tonight’s ‘All Through the Night,’ exchange tickets for any other night of run
Illusions Hair Design closing at 2:30 pm
Salty’s on Alki, closed
JaK’s Grill (all locations), closed
The Wash Dog, closed
Twilight Artist Collective, closed
Spring Hill, closed
Eats Market Café open till 4 pm
Zippy’s Giant Burgers “open as long as (they) can hold out”

EVENT CHANGES:
Alki Community Council meeting canceled
Chief Sealth Int’l High School band concert postponed
Teri Ensley/Furry Faces benefits postponed till this Sunday, January 22nd
Chief Sealth tour for the 20th for Madison/Pathfinder families is POSTPONED

We have deleted the Wednesday list to avoid conFusion, and are starting fresh here.

Other closures/changes? We’ll keep adding as we hear about them. editor@westseattleblog.com or 206-293-6302

UPDATED 8:44 AM WEDNESDAY:

ANNOUNCED FOR WEDNESDAY 1/18/12:
Seattle Public Schools closed Wed.
Explorer West Middle School closed Wed.
Westside School closed Wed.
Holy Family School closed Wed.
Hope Lutheran School closed Wed.
Vashon Public Schools closed Wed.
Highline Public Schools closed Wed.
Seattle Lutheran High School closed Wed.
Our Lady of Guadalupe closed Wed.
Holy Rosary School closed Wed.
West Seattle Montessori/West Seattle Academy closed Wed.
Community School of West Seattle closed Wed.
A Child Becomes Preschool closed Wed.
Bright Horizons-West Seattle closed Wed.
Kennedy High School (Burien) closed Wed.
South Seattle Community College closed Wed.
University of Washington-Seattle closed Wed.
Seattle University closed Wed.

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West Seattle Polar Bear Club

Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 10 am at Alki Beach in front of Duke’s Restaurant and Christo’s Restaurant. Both restaurants are strong supporters of this event.

Bring water shoes, a towel, a change of warm clothes and your friends and family. Over 100 folks will hold hands in a line and run into Puget Sound together. Hot chocolate will be provided.

This is a great way to wash away the complexities of 2011, and celebrate the new opportunities and challenges that await in 2012.

Fifteen of the region’s top chefs will participate in South’s 2012 Gifts from the Earth gala, the annual event that celebrates the hospitality industry and raises funds for college programs and student scholarships. The singular event provides food and wine aficionados, donors, and sponsors a unique opportunity to interact with celebrity chefs and South students while enjoying innovative cuisine and the finest Washington wines.

The festivities, sponsored by Food Services of America, take place Saturday, January 28, 2012, at South Seattle Community College beginning at 5 pm. The evening features hors d’oeuvres, wine tasting and a silent auction, followed by dinner and a live auction that includes unique wine and dining packages.

It’s the can’t-miss event of the year, as the region’s celebrity chefs create their own menus and prepare a multi-course gourmet feast for two tables (10 guests per table) each. All the courses are paired with fine wine from Washington wineries, poured by student sommeliers from South’s own Northwest Wine Academy.

Gifts from the Earth is more than a unique fundraising event; it also provides invaluable, hands-on learning and professional networking opportunities for South Seattle Community College students Hospitality Management bachelor’s degree program students manage guest relations, Culinary Arts students prepare meals alongside celebrity chefs, and students in the Wine Technology program pour wine with winemakers.

2012 Celebrity Chefs (* denotes South Seattle Community College alumni):
Ron Arbour – Royal Argosy; Jay DeLong – Canapé & Northwest Wine Academy instructor; Eric Floyd – Washington Athletic Club; Chris Frantela – Bellevue Harbor Club; Mark Guth* and Carly Duke* – Emerald Cove Catering; Kraig Hansen – Palisade Restaurant; John Hart – Sheraton Seattle; Jeff Maxfield* – Sky City; Renatto Medranda – The Westin Bellevue; Brent Novotny – Cactus Restaurant; Cody Reaves – Flat Iron Grill; Sean Rogers – Broadmoor Golf Club; Robert Scribner – South Seattle Community College; Kenneth Slack* – Sullivan’s Steakhouse Seattle; and Travis Chase – The Tin Table.

2012 Featured Wineries
Antonville Winery, Barnard Griffin, Brian Carter Cellars, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Chatter Creek, Columbia Winery, Covington Cellars, DeLille Cellars, Elsom, Eroica, Gecko Cellars, Hollywood Hill, Isenhower Cellars, Kestrel Vintners, Martedi Wines, Michael Florentino Cellars, Northwest Wine Academy, Nota Bene Cellars, O.S. Winery, Palouse Winery, Pleasant Hill Cellars, Soos Creek Winery, Stomani Cellars, Waterbrook, and Willis Hall.

Additional chefs and wineries may be announced.

Title sponsor Food Services of America (FSA) is one of the nation’s largest foodservice distributors, serving customers in 15 western and mid-western states. This is the fifth consecutive year that FSA, a long-time supporter of South’s award-winning culinary and hospitality industry programs, has participated as the Gifts from the Earth title sponsor. The cocktail hour and silent auction reception is sponsored by Union Bank. Additional sponsors include Boeing, Charlie’s Produce, Interbay Food Company, Tony’s Coffee, Rebar & Associates PLLC, Odom Distribution, and Ferguson Construction.

Tickets for Gifts from the Earth may be purchased for $175 per person. Corporate and table sponsorships ranging from $1,750 to $5,000 are also available. More information on ticket purchase and sponsorship opportunities may be obtained by contacting the South Seattle Community College Foundation at (206) 934-5809, email to ssccfoundation@seattlecolleges.edu, or on the web at www.southseattle.edu/foundation/giftsfromtheearth/index.html.

Celebrity Chef Profile – Carly Duke & Mark Guth, Emerald Cove Catering
VOTED 2010 BEST CATERER OF WESTERN WASHINGTON on King 5′s “Best of”
Emerald Cove Catering Company Operations Director Carly Duke and Chef Mark Guth are seasoned Gifts from the Earth veterans. They participated in the event as Culinary Arts Program students and are returning for the second consecutive year as guest chefs. Both graduated from South in 2006 with certificates in Restaurant Production and Banquet & Catering Operations, and share a unique perspective on the student/chef connection that distinguishes Gifts from the Earth.

“We have so many things on our plate, but being part of the school and remembering the experience we had, we thought it would be really fun to do,” said Carly of their decision to participate as guest chefs the first time. “It makes me feel kind of old, but it’s really fun to see the students and remember where you were then.”

Adds Mark, “I think it’s really good for students to interact with people who are actually in the industry. It’s also great exposure, because the guest chefs bring out all sorts of ingredients and methods that students don’t normally see. There’s lots of variety.”

The dynamic duo is bringing along another South alumn, Brandon LaVielle, to help them prepare their special 5-course menu for the evening. All the guest chefs take full advantage of the opportunity to cook foods of their own choosing, and Gifts from the Earth diners are always treated to imaginative, inspired meals.

To make it easier for you, our elves have scheduled four wrapping events:
1. Dec 17th, 2 -7 pm, at the Rocksport, 4209 SW Alaska
2. Dec 18th, 1 - 7 pm at the Beveridge Place Pub, 6413 California Ave SW (During the Specialty Bottle Sale and for a couple hours after).
3. Dec 23rd, 3 - 7 pm, at Elliott Bay Brewhouse & Pub; 255 SW 152nd St., Burien
4. Dec 24th, 2 - 7 pm at the Beveridge Place Pub, 6413 California Ave SW
So sit back and enjoy a beverage and nibble, while watching us dazzle you with our brilliant smiles and unique gift wrapping styles! You will LOVE our Holiday Firecracker Bottle Wrap!

Holiday Lunches
Tuesday & Wednesday, December 13 & 14
12:00 pm, Brockey Center
Cost: $18.95 per person
Reservations required: (206) 934-7952

The three-course meal, prepared by students in South’s Culinary Arts program, includes a salad course, followed by Roasted New York Strip Loin Béarnaise with a Yam Potato Puree and seasonal vegetables. Desserts include an assortment including Macaroons, Madeleine’s and Chocolate Buttercream Cake. Coffee and tea are included.

The holiday feast is prepared by students as part of their training in Restaurant and Food Service Production, Catering and Banquet Operations, and Pastry & Specialty Baking. Many of them are also pursuing the college’s Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree in Hospitality Management.

Holiday Wine Tasting & Sales
Thursday & Friday, December 8, 9, 15, & 16
1 – 4 pm, Northwest Wine Academy, (206) 934-5344

Need wine for gifts or to bring to your holiday or New Year’s party? The NWWA is open Monday thru Friday from 11 am-5 pm throughout the month of December (closed December 23 and 26). On sale are award-winning wines produced on campus by students in the winemaking program, as well as wines made by program alumni and wines from around the world. Don’t know which wine to buy? Come to one a tasting where NWWA wines and traditional holiday favorites are featured.

The Northwest Wine Academy is located on the South Seattle Community College campus across from Bernie’s Bakery. Parking is available in the North entry parking lot.

The Musica Sacra Chamber Chorale will present its inaugural Christmas Concert on Saturday, December 17, 2011 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in West Seattle. The concert. titled “Peace & Joy,” features two significant sacred works: a suite entitled “Carols of the nativity” by Canadian composer and conductor Stephen Chatman; and the world premiere of Spanish Cradle Carol: An homage to Maurice Ravel by Bob Ingalls scored for Chamber Chorale, cello and piano featuring Seattle Symphony cellist Roberta Downey. This concert series also includes numerous carols of the season written or arranged by distinguished American choral composers and will be a wonderful way to highlight your holiday season.

The concert is sponsored by the West Seattle HelpLine and West Seattle Food Bank. Bring a hat/scarf/glove set or 5 non-perishable food items and receive your ticket for half price. For more information please consult our website: www.musicasacrachamberchorale.com