West Seattle Blog…

Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.: Candidates, concerts, more

(From left, ANA secretary Jim Cavin, president Katy Walum, City Council candidate Brad Meacham, City Councilmember Bruce Harrell)

Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Political discussion, local business interests, community safety, and summer entertainment took center stage at the July meeting of the Admiral Neighborhood Association Tuesday night at Admiral Congregational Church.

Meeting highlights included discussions with two candidates for the Seattle City Council, details about the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (lineup here), a presentation about disaster preparedness, and updates on ANA’s efforts to engage with Admiral-area businesses.

Click to read the rest of Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.: Candidates, concerts, more…

West Seattle Junction Neighborhood Service Center closes, quietly

With just a minute to go till 5 pm, one last visitor went into the city’s Neighborhood Service Center in The Junction, which then closed quietly, permanently.

We dropped by about 10 till 5 to see what was happening in its final moments.

The customer-service rep didn’t want us to take his photo. He’s one of the people losing his job because of the midyear budget cut that shut the center down, less than a year after passionate lobbying by neighborhood advocates saved from a previous budget ax.

At 4:50: “I didn’t know this place was closing down,” a woman said, aloud but to herself, in the lobby’s corner.

4:52, another woman walked in: “Where’s the nearest pay phone?” The customer-service rep told her she could use the phone on the wall right outside his window.

4:55, another woman came in to pay a bill. Maybe two.

Another employee entered the lobby. Maybe we can photograph you closing the door one last time? we ask. He pointed out the door is power-assisted and closes automatically. So much for the potentially poignant shot; the NSC – “linking city government to Seattle’s neighborhoods,” as its webpage says – was just going to unlink one neighborhood without fanfare. As of tomorrow, you can transact city business in the one remaining NSC on the peninsula, in Delridge, north of the library.

West Seattle summer: Beloved Mexico @ Admiral concerts

As popular as the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with co-sponsors including WSB) has been, many have wished for dinner options, so you don’t have to haul in your picnic for the outdoor series. Today, there’s word there will be something new this year – the Beloved Mexico food truck, which has been a fixture at the West Seattle Produce lot along Fauntleroy Way, will be there, according to ANA president Katy Walum. Definitely for the five shows that will be at Hiawatha, and they’ll also try to be at the one show set for Alki (August 11), she says. Also booked again this year: The Full Tilt Ice Cream bicycle-pulled cart with ice-cream bars, for all shows. Missed the announcement of the Admiral concert lineup? Check it out here; six Thursday nights, starting July 28th, free, all ages welcome, BYO chairs/blankets!

Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.: Ready for a busy summer ahead

By Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

It’s shaping up to be an action-packed summer schedule for the Admiral Neighborhood Association, based on the full agenda and lively discussions at the group’s meeting Tuesday night at Admiral Congregational Church.

Meeting highlights included a recap of plans for the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (lineup here) and Admiral 4^th of July Kids’ Parade (latest update here), a “summer activity” preview from SPD, and discussion about ANA’s new website (latest update here).

Ahead, toplines including what police had to say about the reported child-luring attempt in Admiral, as well as information about events that will interest even those who live outside Admiral: Click to read the rest of Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.: Ready for a busy summer ahead…

Admiral Neighborhood Association: New website; Tuesday meeting

Two notes from the Admiral Neighborhood Association: First, they’re the latest neighborhood group to launch a website – it went live over the weekend; you can see it here. Previously, their main means of communication was a Yahoo! mail group. The website includes information on the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series (co-sponsored by WSB), which previously had its own site.

Second – tomorrow night is ANA’s monthly meeting, with lots on the agenda, including the concert series and the 4th of July Kids’ Parade (previewed here earlier tonight). 7 pm at Admiral Congregational Church, lower meeting room, California/Hill – see the full agenda here.

Also in action today: Admiral Neighborhood Association volunteers

Yet another of the many groups out doing great things in great weather today – this morning was the quarterly Adopt-a-Street event for the Admiral Neighborhood Association, whose president Katy Walum shared the photo, explaining: “Big smiles from some of our younger volunteers as they set out to clean up in the sunshine! 13 showed up today. We thank all of our volunteers for their commitment to keeping Admiral beautiful.” ANA has another big summer ahead – the free Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (with WSB among the sponsors) run Thursday nights July 28-September 1 (here’s the lineup, if you missed our story on the announcement last month).

SW District Council, report #1: New Neighborhoods boss

Bernie Matsuno, awaiting confirmation as director of the city Department of Neighborhoods, met with the Southwest District Council on Wednesday night, asking for “patience.” She inherited big changes required by big budget cuts last year – most notably the reorganization of the District Coordinators team, no longer including one coordinator per district, but now serving 13 districts with 9 coordinators who work in teams. “It’s going to take some time before they know the region as well as they know their own district.” (The South Region team now serving West Seattle does not include either of the area’s longtime coordinators – Stan Lock, who had staffed Southwest, moved to another part of the city; Ron Angeles, who had staffed Delridge, retired.) Though district councils including SW have expressed concern, Matsuno said she doesn’t expect that staffing level to change any time soon – especially with directors having been asked by the mayor to come up with potential 12 percent budget cuts.

An extra wrinkle for Matsuno: Mayor McGinn has asked her and four other department directors (Economic Development, Housing, Sustainability/Environment, and Arts/Cultural Affairs) to explore the possibility of consolidation . She told SWDC members she doesn’t believe the mayor wants to get rid of Neighborhoods or “minimize it to the point where we don’t know what it is any more,” but she admitted it’s tough to review without knowing where he’s leaning. Earlier in the day, she said, had been the sixth meeting regarding the “feasibility study” for the potential consolidation, and the question remains whether it would save any money. “We have it down to five different options,” she revealed.

Speaking of research: DON has an online survey going, asking you how they should prioritize their “outreach and engagement” activities. Share your thoughts here.

Alki Community Council: Sunday=Fun Day; Seal Sitters briefing…

Big stuff at the beach, starting with Sunday’s big events – read on for toplines from the Alki Community Council meeting just concluded: Click to read the rest of Alki Community Council: Sunday=Fun Day; Seal Sitters briefing……

New decals debut at Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting

We’re at the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s monthly meeting, where the sticker/decal you see on the vehicle window has made its debut. They’re available for purchase as of right now – $5 each. You can e-mail ANA president Katy Walum at katy.walum@gmail.com, or come to an ANA event such as the monthly meetings (2nd Tuesday, 7 pm, lower-level meeting room at Admiral Church), upcoming Summer Concerts at Hiawatha in July/August/September, or the 4th of July Kids’ Parade. Katy says, “Show your Admiral pride and support the neighborhood.” More to come from the meeting, including the lineup for this year’s concert series (Thursday nights July 28-Sept. 1st)!

Alki Community Council: Be part of 5/22! Plus, The Whale Trail

(October 2010 West Seattle orca sighting; photo courtesy Jeff Hogan)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Want to help make the next “car-free day” on Alki more of a street party than it’s been before? Want to help save the orcas? Opportunities for both factored into Thursday night’s Alki Community Council meeting, with major topics including Alki’s Summer Streets day (just one month away, May 22nd) and imminent West Seattle milestones for The Whale Trail: Click to read the rest of Alki Community Council: Be part of 5/22! Plus, The Whale Trail…

Morgan Community Association: Festival; potential park space; more…

Story and photos by Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

A new wayfinding kiosk, an update on the Murray CSO Control Project, and the 6th annual Morgan Junction Festivalthis June were some of the topics covered at the Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meeting last night.

Toplines:

*A wayfinding kiosk will soon go up on the west side of Fauntleroy Way SW across from the tennis courts, with map and information about the area including Lincoln Park and Solstice Park.

*An update on the Murray CSO project was presented by Martha Tuttle from King County: The environmental review has been completed and results will be made public later this month, after which the public has 14 days to comment, then the design phase begins.

*The Morgan Junction Festival will be on June 25th, with 2 different stages for live music from 10:30 am to 7 pm; local vendors, plenty of activities for children, and the “Bite of Morgan” featuring local restaurants.

Traffic-calming concerns, Zipcars, a unanimous re-election, emergency preparedness drills, tips on deterring crime, and more, after the jump: Click to read the rest of Morgan Community Association: Festival; potential park space; more……

Mayor chooses Bernie Matsuno as permanent Neighborhoods director

Bernie Matsuno, who’s been acting director of the Department of Neighborhoods for three months, will be its permanent director if confirmed by the City Council, according to an announcement just sent by Mayor McGinn‘s office. The announcement includes other appointments – a new personnel director and communications director. Read on for the full news release: Click to read the rest of Mayor chooses Bernie Matsuno as permanent Neighborhoods director…

Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.: Union promise; Rasmussen; more

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“It’s been quite a meeting,” observed Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum as her group’s monthly session concluded last night.

That, it had – with a promise and a presentation from a labor union that recently drew ire for its noisy protest, a briefing from a city councilmember, and pride over a regional magazine feature, among other highlights. Toplines ahead:

Click to read the rest of Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.: Union promise; Rasmussen; more…

Neighborhoods: North Delridge tonight, Admiral tomorrow

NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL TONIGHT: Agenda includes this Saturday’s “Green Up! Delridge” event (previewed here) and NDNC‘s strategic goals for the months and years ahead. 6:30 pm tonight, Delridge Library (Delridge/Brandon).

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION TOMORROW: As mentioned briefly Friday in our first report on the Admiral Safeway hard-hat tour (2nd report coming today), ANA president Katy Walum invited all sides of the recent construction-site protests (WSB coverage here and here) to come explain (and answer questions). So far, Walum says, both the Regional Council of Carpenters and Marquise Drywall (the company they targeted) have confirmed they’re sending representatives. 7 pm Tuesday, Admiral Congregational Church lower-level meeting room (California/Hill).

2 West Seattle neighborhood alerts: ‘Keep a lookout’

Two notes from the WSB inbox might best be termed “neighborhood alerts” – one a warning of vandals on wheels, the other, a potential scavenger, at the very least – read on: Click to read the rest of 2 West Seattle neighborhood alerts: ‘Keep a lookout’…

No 47th/Admiral light, and more from Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.

From last night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting: ANA president Katy Walum read a letter from SDOT turning down the longrunning request for a pedestrian light at 47th/Admiral (map), the intersection where City Council staffer Tatsuo Nakata was hit and killed more than four years ago. ANA has been pressing for stepped-up safety measures at that intersection; the letter signed by SDOT’s Luke Korpi pointed out the intersection has had work done including the addition of curb bulbs and, more recently, stop lines (as you can see in our photo), ultimately concluding that its volume of usage doesn’t merit a pedestrian signal. Walum said she is continuing to hear from area residents who see numerous near-collisions, and vowed not to give up pushing for a signal.

That was just one of the items on the agenda for last night’s meeting in the lower-level meeting room of Admiral Congregational Church – read on for more toplines including the latest on the Lafayette Playground project and the plans for this year’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series: Click to read the rest of No 47th/Admiral light, and more from Admiral Neighborhood Assoc….

@ Alki Community Council: Alki Art Fair plan; skyscraper signs

Story and photos by Karen Berge
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Though the city budget cuts to Alki Community Center threatened the Alki Art Fair‘s future, as previously reported here, it’s expected now to continue – with volunteer power (and that means you!).

That’s one of the biggest items discussed this past Thursday night at the monthly meeting of the Alki Community Council. City Council President Richard Conlin was there too – his first of two West Seattle visits in a three-day span – as were Southwest Precinct police leaders, who discussed crime trends as well as police-staffing plans for Alki this summer. Read on for details: Click to read the rest of @ Alki Community Council: Alki Art Fair plan; skyscraper signs…

Also tonight: Alki Community Council; Pathfinder K-8 science fair

Yet more of note that’s happening tonight (in addition to this list) – The photo above is courtesy of West Seattle photographer extraordinaire Machel Spence (still celebrating her cover story!) from the daytime run of the Pathfinder K-8 science fair. She says everybody’s invited tonight 6:30-8 pm (1901 SW Genesee). Also tonight: The Alki Community Council‘s general meeting, 7 pm, Alki Congregational Church (62nd/Hinds), with topics including the future of the Alki Art Fair (since the Alki Community Center staffers who used to oversee it fell victim to budget cuts) and the proposal for bigger signs on skyscrapers – City Council President Richard Conlin is expected to be at the meeting to discuss that.

Admiral Neighborhood Association: Safeway project changes; more

“Full house!” as Admiral Neighborhood Association past president Mark Wainwright put it, arriving at the ANA meeting tonight at Admiral Congregational Church – more than two dozen people.

The evening’s main event was a somewhat tense appearance by the Admiral Safeway project team, explaining the recent, seemingly sudden change in the project (reported here two weeks ago) – doubling the number of the residential units in the building on the southeast side of the site, discarding the flex-work office component (we first reported the change when it appeared on the city’s Land Use Information Bulletin, and Safeway shared an explanation later that day).

Safeway’s Sara Corn and Fuller/Sears architect Bill Fuller explained that the change was the result of financing troubles unfolding after construction began; ANA president Katy Walum read an official statement gently chiding the team for not having given the group a heads-up. In turn, the Safeway team implored the ANA to bring any concerns to them in the weeks ahead rather than just debuting them before the City Council when the proposed change comes up for a future hearing. More on this, and other meeting topics, ahead: Click to read the rest of Admiral Neighborhood Association: Safeway project changes; more…

Alki Community Council: ‘New blood’ helps debate Beacon’s future

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The turnout was the biggest news from tonight’s Alki Community Council meeting.

As mentioned here earlier this week, the group is taking a serious look at its future – and more than 25 people answered the call to join in that scrutiny by showing up to join in. “I see a lot of new blood,” offered ACC’s Larry Carpenter from the sign-in table at the back of the room. Some of it, he explained later, included members who hadn’t come to meetings in a while. He said membership is currently at 132, down from a peak of 390.

Like other print publications, the ACC-published Alki News Beacon has gone through some changes in recent years.

Click to read the rest of Alki Community Council: ‘New blood’ helps debate Beacon’s future…

Interim director chosen for Department of Neighborhoods

Just announced by the city:

Bernadette (Bernie) Matsuno, a former deputy director of the Department of Neighborhoods and a well-known community activist and volunteer, will return as interim director of the department, Mayor Mike McGinn announced.

(City-published photo above.) Read on for the rest of the announcement: Click to read the rest of Interim director chosen for Department of Neighborhoods…

Ahead this week: CSO & more @ Morgan Community Association

(One of the underground rooms at Lowman Beach’s Murray Pump Station, from a tour last June)
And another preview for the week ahead: The Morgan Community Association only meets quarterly, so when they get together, the agenda is info-packed. On the agenda for Wednesday night, 7 pm, lower level of The Kenney, hot topics from street changes along California SW and 48th SW, to planning this year’s Morgan Junction Community Festival, to the recent recommendation for how to reduce combined-sewer overflows (CSO) into Puget Sound at Lowman Beach’s Murray Pump Station (above). As we reported in early December, the county is recommending a Murray solution that will require the purchase of private property across from Lowman Beach Park (we followed up with MoCA’s response); King County’s Martha Tuttle is scheduled to be at Wednesday night’s meeting with an update on where it stands and how the recommendation was reached. MoCA also will talk Wednesday night about its new Facebook page (you can “like” it here), and soon-to-retire Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow will discuss neighborhood safety. See the full MoCA agenda here.

North Delridge Neighborhood Council: From P-Patches to promotion

From tonight’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting at Delridge Library, two major topics – solving P-Patch challenges, and promoting the neighborhood. Our summaries, after the jump: Click to read the rest of North Delridge Neighborhood Council: From P-Patches to promotion…