Our Massage Envy staff is amazing. We have 15 talented massage therapists, each trained in multiple modalities. In addition to being licensed health-care professionals in Washington, each passed a 3-part interview which included a practical massage with myself and my experienced Clinic Administrator, Amanda. They were evaluated on 6 criteria and had to score well in all six categories to come aboard. We had to turn away several applicants and get a lot of massage to select these wonderful, gifted people. It was tough. My neck and shoulder have never felt so relaxed.

I’ve worked in health care for the last 15 years, in a variety of settings. I’ve never seen therapy apply to such a variety of issues. It was a natural fit to open a business designed to make people feel good right away. The more you have massage, the better you feel. It’s as healthy as working out, but instead of sweating, you lie down. Our American lifestyle is pretty stressful. Americans don’t have any pause rituals like afternoon tea or siestas. Pausing is essential to a healthy balanced life.

Massage Envy invented the concept of a gym-type membership for massage. The response has been huge because people always leave feeling great and want to have more of that well-being feeling. Regular massage is addictive and we have a great program that makes it affordable and convenient. Parking and public transport are plentiful; we’re open 7 days a week, 8 am-10 pm Mondays-Fridays, 8 am-6 pm Saturdays, 10 am-6 pm Sundays. It’s pretty easy to fit it into a busy schedule. As the local owner, I spent a year vetting the Massage Envy brand to gain a comfort level with the brand for professionalism, convenience, and value. I visited over 50 Massage Envys around the US in several states. I talked to a lot of therapists about what made their job rewarding (or not) and took note. The consistency and quality of massage is strikingly good. I found a manager talented in delivering on customer service and systems that work for our staff. She has several years’ experience in the wellness industry. Because of my history as a health-care provider, spending long hours in the operating room, it’s important to me that my employees have state of the art equipment that preserves their bodies. We take care of our clients, we take care of ourselves and we take care of each other. It’s hugely rewarding to all of us to make people feel so good, run a better race, wake up less stiff, move with ease and less pain, go to sleep soundly, recover from surgery — I could go on and on and usually do if you give me half a chance. I believe in massage. If you are the type of person who likes massage, please come and give us a try – 2513 SW Trenton, on the north side of Westwood Village, 206-456-3400.

And this Saturday (May 25th), it’s the grand opening, with a ribbon-cutting at 11 am, followed by complimentary chair massages, healthy treats, and a water bar until 1 pm.

We thank Massage Envy-West Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

(April 2011 photo by Long Bach Nguyen, over Alki Lighthouse)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Every year, you get just a few chances for a close-up look at one of West Seattle’s true gems – the Alki Point Lighthouse.

This year, those chances start June 1st, when weekend afternoon tours resume. But that first day comes with something extra – a celebration of the lighthouse’s centennial.

US Coast Guard Auxiliary member and area resident Will Winter talked about it at last Thursday’s Alki Community Council meeting. (He’s at right in the photo below, taken by Liesbet T. and published here as the tour season wrapped up in 2011:)

The USCG Auxiliary volunteers staff the lighthouse for tours, and that’s why Winter joined.

He presented an overview of its history, as well as mentioning the low-key celebration that’s ahead, planned in conjunction with the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which has a “complementary celebration” on deck that day:

(October 2012 photo by Gary Jones, watching passing orcas with the lighthouse in the foreground)
Checking our archives, we’re reminded that last summer, lighthouse volunteers put out a call for reminiscences, as part of preparations for the centennial celebration of the current tower being placed into service as its light was turned on.

The lighthouse’s origins go back so far, nobody’s left to reminisce about the earliest days in person – as Winter told the ACC last week, the first light was put up on the site in 1868! Other milestone dates include:

*US Lighthouse Service bought the land and took over light operation in 1910

*Lighthouse Service became part of the US Coast Guard in 1939

*Alki’s last lighthouse keeper (second-to-last one in the entire U.S.) retired 1970

The grounds, as you may know, are home to the commander of the Coast Guard‘s 13th District.

But the history – which you can read in its entirety here – is more than dates – it’s also the tale of the lantern that held 9 days of kerosene, and the 10-foot-tall Fresnel lens now on display, “a rather impressive piece of glass,” as Winter described it.

The light is automated, so the lighthouse is “more like a museum than anything (else),” he acknowledged. Even the foghorn’s been out of service since 2005, since ships now have high-tech features like GPS and don’t need audible alerts during times of low visibility.

It’s in an interesting spot, though – Winter also showed navigation charts, noting that Puget Sound is 700 feet deep right off Alki Point.

You can see for yourself on Saturdays and Sundays again this summer, starting on the centennial-celebration day, June 1st, 1-4 pm. That’s provided there are enough volunteers available – Winter said the corps might be a little thin – it takes four people to staff the grounds during tour days!

During Winter’s presentation at the ACC meeting, Log House Museum manager Sarah Baylinson mentioned they were firming up plans for their part of the centennial celebration. And we received some details in time to include with this story:

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society is planning a complementary celebration of the Alki Lighthouse Centennial on Saturday, June 1. That afternoon, during its open hours of noon to 4 pm, the organization’s Log House Museum — just a half mile east of the lighthouse — will host an expanded lighthouse exhibit. The exhibit will feature artifacts, rare photos, memorabilia and artwork, all focused on telling the story of the lighthouse, including the decades prior to its construction when a single lantern provided the same function of aiding the navigation of sailing ships and steering them away from danger.

A brief program on Saturday, June 1, will begin at 2 pm, with presentations by area residents with connections to the lighthouse. A highlight of the afternoon is an emphasis on children’s activities, including an opportunity for each child to color his or her own version of the Alki Lighthouse. Each child who completes the coloring exercise will receive a handmade, hand-decorated cookie that is a replica of the lighthouse.

“We are hoping that everyone who visits the Alki Lighthouse on its first touring day of the summer will also stop in just a few blocks away at our Log House Museum,” says Clay Eals, executive director of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. “By the end of the afternoon, we hope that at least 100 children will have visited us so that we can display 100 colored versions of the lighthouse in honor of the 100th birthday.”

The expanded lighthouse exhibit will run through early September, with new items added in coming weeks. “We are calling it a centennial summer,” Eals says. More details will be available later this week.

The museum is at 61st and Stevens, while the lighthouse is accessible from the spot where Alki Avenue and Beach Drive meet on Alki Point.

That’s 23% more than last year. We want to give a big thanks to the many establishments who participated and to the ticket purchasers who made this event a success. The West Seattle Helpline looks forward to helping many families get back on their feet after facing an emergency in West Seattle with these funds.

You of course don’t have to wait for the next special event to help the Helpline … you can donate online any time.

(Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
The alert we received on Monday warned us not to tip off Sanislo Elementary librarian Craig Seasholes (right) that CenturyLink rep Sue Anderson (left) would be visiting the school with a surprise for him – a big $5,000 check as part of the CL/Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Teachers & Technology grant program. He’s one of 22 teachers to get one of the grants this year, and we’re told it’ll go toward iPads with educational apps and e-books. (Big spring for Mr. Seasholes and the Sanislo Library – you’ll recall they hosted Caroline Kennedy last month.)

(WSB photo of proposed rowhouse site, April 2013)
“Rowhouses” are a hot development trend right now, under construction and/or on the drawing boards for at least half a dozen West Seattle sites. Three weeks ago, we reported on a petition drive launched by neighbors of a proposal for four three-story rowhouses at 2414 55th SW in Alki. They had learned that, although the project did not hit the threshold for a mandatory public meeting of any kind (such as Design Review), if they gathered at least 50 signatures requesting one, the city would consider it. Neighbor Marie McKinsey says she heard back from the city Monday afternoon:

This is from Tami Garrett, the DPD planner in charge of this project: “DPD will facilitate a public meeting. The purpose of this meeting will be for Staff to provide an overview of the proposed project and for the public to provide comments about the proposal in person. The meeting date, location and time hasn’t been confirmed yet. It’s my understanding that the parties of record will be sent written notice of the date, time and location. Neighbors within close proximity of the proposal site, petition signers, and public commenters are considered part of this group.

McKinsey says Garrett also indicated it could take a month or more to schedule that meeting. (The neighbors’ reasons for requesting one were detailed in our previous story.)

(Ducklings at Lincoln Park; photo by Patrick McCaffrey)
Even if you’re not much for meetings, there are two tonight that might give you reason to reconsider. They’re on our list of highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BLOOD DRIVE: Puget Sound Blood Center‘s Bloodmobile is at Chief Sealth International High School till 2 pm (closed 10:30-11:30 am) – walk-ins usually welcome if you are interested in donating. (2600 SW Thistle)

BABY STORY TIME: 10:30 am at West Seattle (Admiral) Library – parents/caregivers, bring your 4-to-12-month-old(s)! (2306 42nd SW)

BENEFIT DINNER @ SENIOR CENTER: “Pay what you can” turkey dinner tonight at 5:30 at the Senior Center of West Seattle, to help raise money to repair the front door. (California and Oregon)

MEMORIAL WALK: Just got word while writing this; there’s a 5:30 pm walk in memory of Surinderpaul Basra, hit and killed last week at 1st and Findlay in Georgetown:

A family and community were torn apart by a horrific collision on Tuesday, May 14 as Surinderpaul Basra crossed at the intersection of First Avenue South and South Findlay Street right after she left after work at Essential Bakery. It’s the sort of tragedy we hear about all too often.

Please join us Tuesday, May 21st at 5:30 p.m. in front of Essential Bakery, 5601 1st Avenue South in Georgetown. We will walk where Surinderpaul Basra walked to pay our respects to her family and friends, and we will walk to send the message that we want safer streets for everyone in Seattle. These tragedies don’t need to keep happening.

More information here and here.

SEATTLE PARKS’ FUTURE – YOUR TURN TO SPEAK UP: 7 pm tonight in the renovated historic building at Dakota Place Park, it’s the biggest West Seattle meeting about the roadmap for Seattle Parks‘ future, the Legacy Plan. Have a favorite park? Something you’d like to see fixed up or changed? Or added to the system? That’s just some of what you’re welcome to talk about. (California and Dakota)

BURGLARY DETECTIVE @ CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct meeting room, SPD burglary Det. Jill Vanskike talks with the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council. You’ll also hear about area crime trends, and get a chance to bring up neighborhood concerns. (SW Webster, just west of Delridge Way)

BELLY DANCING: The monthly Alauda freeform-belly-dancing showcase at Skylark Café and Club is tonight, 7:30 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

(Live view from the west-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:19 AM: After a rainy night, the most recent alert for this morning is no surprise – KING 5 traffic reporter Tracy Taylor tweets that there’s “one lane blocked each direction on Highway 99 near Battery Street Tunnel due to standing water.”

8:16 AM: Thanks to the person who texted that all lanes are back open by the tunnel.

8:41 AM: Thanks to Mary for e-mailing to report a tree blocking 18th SW just south of Holden, causing some abrupt braking on Holden. She says a tree service has arrived but looks like cleanup might take a while.

9:18 AM: At Morgan Junction, the bus sightings usually involve Metro. But this morning, there’s a head-turner, photographed by Ben:

So far, the only information we’ve tracked down is that Thai Me Up is here all the way from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and seems to be on tour for American Craft Beer Week.

Anne Higuera from longtime WSB sponsor Ventana Construction was working on a project in Ballard when that West Seattle story from a 1961 edition of the Seattle P-I, stuffed in the walls, caught her eye. It tells the tale of how a West Seattle family nabbed a would-be burglar. Click here for a larger, readable version (you might have to click it to zoom in when it opens in your browser – that’s what happened with ours).

Ahead, the current cases:

Garry‘s house in Seola was broken into and ransacked between 11 am and 4:30 pm Sunday:

The brazen thief(s) stole an extendable ladder from my neighbor’s back yard, then used it to get to a 3rd floor window at my house.

They got away with watch, jewelry, credit cards, membership cards, a black Swiss Army backpack, a bag of tortilla chips, and some other small items. I am still cleaning up and trying to get a good inventory of what was taken. Made a real mess of the place, but left large items.

Interestingly, same afternoon, the culprits used the cards at Shorewood Grocery, Target, Bartell, and Big 5. Shorewood Grocery is checking their in-store video, and Target has video and Photos of the people making purchases using my cards. Hopefully the King County Sheriff will be able to get those images and bring the law.

Keep your windows locked.. Even the ones on the third floor!

Also received today – Ben‘s hit-run report from Gatewood, with a photo:

I have gotten to my wit’s end with people and their driving. I thought you could add this to your crimes section. I live near the corner of Thistle and California and this is the second time in 6 months someone has destroyed my car and driven off. I woke up this morning to this; my wheel was bent under the car and un-drivable.

If you have any information, contact police.

Last but not least, a quick reminder that the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting is tomorrow – Tuesday, 7 pm, at the Southwest Precinct (Webster just west of Delridge), with an SPD burglary detective as the special guest, and the usual chance for you to bring up concerns with police leadership.

(Photo courtesy Folklife: Programmers and WS residents Debbie Fant, Michelle Shaevitz, Kelli Faryar)
Going to Seattle Center for the Northwest Folklife Festival next weekend? Though it’s not happening in West Seattle, three West Seattleites are involved in making it happen, as we recently found out. One of them – Deputy Director Debbie Fant – explains:

West Seattle is really well represented at the 2013 Northwest Folklife Festival! First of all, the programming team — Kelli Faryar, Michelle Demers Shaevitz, and Debbie Fant — all live in West Seattle! And second, there are 34 groups from West Seattle performing throughout the weekend!! (Not that we’re biased — there’s just so much talent in West Seattle!)

If you’re among those Folklife performers from West Seattle (or White Center/South Park, since we cover those communities with our other two sites), please let us know (comment, or e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com) so we can include that in weekend mentions. Here’s the schedule – even if you’re not the performer, let us know if you recognize locals who are listed.

Welcome to the Chief Sealth International High School community! We hope that you are excited to begin life as a Seahawk! We would like to invite you to do what more than 400 fellow Seahawks are already doing – come out for a sports team at Chief Sealth International High School. Whether you’re a long-time veteran of a sport or thinking about trying something, there is bound to be a great fit for you.

Participating in high school sports allows you to meet new people, develop improved work habits, keeps you focused on your grades, and teaches teamwork, sacrifice, self-discipline and many other traits that will help you in the classroom and in life for years to come.

You are invited to the Incoming Student Sealth Athletics Open House

Tuesday, May 28th, 6-7:30 pm @ the Chief Sealth Galleria

All incoming 9th graders and their parents are invited to come visit with representatives from each of our sports and athletic activities in a comfortable and casual setting.

The purpose of the event is to:
• Introduce you to our outstanding coaching staff,
• Connect you with programs they may be interested in,
• Invite you to participate in voluntary summer workouts,
• Walk you through the sports packet and what is required to play high school sports,
• Show you what health and safety resources are available for student athletes,
• Much more!

Refreshments will be served.

Please e-mail with any advance questions. (sjreed@seattleschools.org)

CSIHS is at 2600 SW Thistle.

Following up on the Seattle Public Utilities announcement published here last night regarding work starting today to place reflective red rings on the city’s 70 remaining low-flow hydrants, so firefighters can make fast decisions when arriving at fire scenes – we now have the map and list of locations from SPU. What you see above is the West Seattle section of the map; click it to get a PDF of the full-size citywide map. And if you see one you want to know more about, click here for the PDF list of exact addresses. We count 28 served by West Seattle fire engines (note the E37, E32, and E29 designations). Three are listed as being in the unincorporated North Highline area just south of West Seattle, and one is in the area served by South Park’s Engine 26. SPU says it expects to have all of the low-flow hydrants – which, it stresses, are fully operational, but just deliver less than 500 gallons per minute – marked by the end of the month.

(May 8th WSB photo)
Big followup from West Seattle High School teacher Danielle Henry, two weeks after the “Cutting Edge” cooking competition came to campus – the WSHS winner is a national finalist!

Sarah Rosenthal is gearing up to take a trip to compete for the ultimate title of Top Teen Chef! We just got off the phone with the National Restaurant Association, and found out that Sarah was selected as one of the top three students in the entire U.S. (out of 63 students and 21 schools) to compete for the title and the opportunity to cook for the President and Vice-President at the White House. They announced her big win at the National Restaurant Association Conference this past weekend. I am so proud of Sarah and can’t wait to see her compete in the next round!!

More updates today on the future of the encampment known as “Nickelsville” and its mostly-city-owned site:

First, from Highland Park Action Committee, which says it’s time for the encampment to move on, chair Carolyn Stauffer says:

We’ve just come back from the City Clerk’s office, where we filed a claim. We filed for “Declaratory Judgement” as to whether the Land Use Code, the Building and Construction Codes, and the Health and Safety Codes – all part of the Seattle Municipal Codes, apply to the SDOT property at 7116 West Marginal Way (current site of Nickelsville).

We filed with a “Permanent Injunction” requiring the City to move the encampment. This asks the court to clarify if that parcel of land exists outside of existing laws governing the entire City, and if it’s not, then we ask that the courts order the city to move the encampment. Our application was submitted with photos and maps documenting the encampment and the specific locations of activity in the West Duwamish Greenbelt.

We expect to hear back from them in 3-4 days with a claim number and confirmation, and then there is a 60 (day) wait period. If we don’t hear back, it opens the door to a lawsuit, which cannot be filed until this claim has been submitted … so the wheels of legal action are starting to turn, as of today.

Stauffer also says HPAC is continuing to circulate its online petition (first noted here last Friday), declaring it “is the number-one issue City Council is hearing about from citizens right now.” She also is encouraging turnout for this Wednesday’s City Council Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture Committee meeting at City Hall, which will include a review of two proposed ordinances that would relate to Nickelsville (both linked in our Friday report) – public comment will be at the start of the hearing, around 2 pm. You can read the rest of the HPAC update here, including a reminder that their monthly meeting is that same day, Wednesday (May 22), 7 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club (12th/Holden).

Other updates include a clarification from the city’s Finance and Administrative Services department on the cost of an environmental study that the mayor’s proposed ordinance would require for the encampment site to be made “semi-permanent”:

FAS spokesperson Katherine Schubert-Knapp e-mailed WSB to explain that while the mayor’s proposed ordinance lists two $150,000 line items and a “total $300,000″ regarding a possible environmental study, as we reported Friday, the study would actually cost $150,000, because the other line item is for one department to reimburse the other for that cost.

Meantime, the official Facebook group for the encampment, Nickelsville Works, has published a post from its Central Committee suggesting a different option than the two the council committee will consider Wednesday. An excerpt:

… We at the Nickelsville Central Committee are asking you to support another option – one that brings good new homes soon to both Nickelsville and Food Lifeline:

This option has us moving out of our present location very quickly and turning it over to Food Lifeline. We would then move to two locations that are ‘controlled’ (but not owned) by religious institutions. We would stay at each site for two years, and have not more than 100 people at either site. Most of the sites we are looking at could require rent payments to the owner (but not more than the $300,000 study proposed for the Glassyards.) As always, we would be glad to work with a Non-Profit Social Service Organization on Management Aspects of Nickelsville.

We are grateful to the Church Council of Greater Seattle, the Low Income Housing Institute, and Food Lifeline for providing us advice, assistance and counsel on this option to move quickly.

This all comes shortly after the encampment marked the two-year anniversary of its return to the West Seattle site where it was founded in fall 2008 (days before being evicted and starting a series of moves).

WSB coverage is archived here, newest-to-oldest.