West Seattle (and vicinity) scenes, at sea and on land
Thanks to Kevin McClintic of Arbor Heights for sending us that photo taken from downtown (with West Seattle in the background), which he captioned “When the Water Taxi Grows Up.” Yes, that’s the Elliott Bay Water Taxi dwarfed by the cruise ship Golden Princess as it headed off for another weeklong Alaska cruise late yesterday afternoon. Back on land, thanks to Jim Edwards for this shot:
That’s the long-shuttered 76 station on Roxbury, which has been cleaned up in recent months, and this would seem to be potential confirmation it’s gearing up to reopen. Might soon be another stop on our weekly West Seattle Gas Price Watch surveys (archived here) – next one coming up late tonight. ADDED 12:12 PM: Another photo just in – came in on our phone so we’re not sure who sent, nor do we have the kids’ names, but this appears to be another lemonade stand (with baked goods AND “saxophone entertainment” per the sign and the instrument at left!) on Alki – raising money for the Obama campaign:
Can’t recall ever seeing a campaign bake sale. (Glad to see kids getting excited about politics so young; your editor was 12 when she discovered her mom wasn’t registered to vote, and made a deal – “you register, Mom, I’ll do the research to help you figure out who to vote for.” About seven years later, Mom belatedly completed college … as valedictorian … with a degree in political science.) 12:41 PM UPDATE: Thanks to JanS for enlightening us to the fact this is a nationwide event (as were yesterday’s nonpolitical charity lemonade stands); they’re listed online here – the Alki one doesn’t appear to be registered, though the one at The Junction is.
Hours after Race for the Cure, a walk you won’t hear as much about
Here in the wee hours of early Sunday morning, throughout downtown and surrounding neighborhoods including Capitol Hill and Lake Union, small groups like that one are walking in a longer, more contemplative awareness- and fund-raising event: the Out of the Darkness Overnight, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. We told you about it back in March, interviewing a West Seattle woman who was planning to be part of it, after losing her father to suicide (read our story here). This is the first time The Overnight has happened in Seattle, one of two cities to host the walk this year (New York City had one earlier this month); the walkers started at Seattle Center at 7:20 last night and will end the event with a ceremony there at 5:15 this morning, after walking all night. The mission of this walk is to bring suicide “out of the darkness” – it’s an epidemic, but it’s seldom discussed, and seldom reported because there is a media misconception that the mere mention of it will trigger more. One poignant thing we have noted in reporting some suicides here on WSB is that days and weeks later, people who knew the victims have found our posts, and used the comment sections to post tributes (see here and here, for example). They were looking for a public place to say “this person mattered.” We think discussing, and reporting on, suicide is another way to say its victims matter – and that it’s important to find ways to prevent their number from growing. (The local 24-hour crisis line is 206-461-3222.)
Update: Fire in Beach Drive waterfront apartment building
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli; added at 10:57 pm)
An apartment building at 3821 Beach Drive, according to 911; WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is there so we should find out more shortly. Map here. Thanks to everyone who has texted/e-mailed/called about this! 10:02 PM UPDATE: Christopher says residents reported hearing “an explosion.” 10:12 PM UPDATE: Christopher says fire crews are wrapping up, so not a big incident BUT Beach Drive is closed in both directions at that spot. He also confirms, no injuries. What fire there was, was in a lower unit on the water side (this is a waterfront building), and the person who lives in the unit was NOT home at the time. Christopher reports fire investigators are there now and trying to figure out how the fire started. 10:25 PM UPDATE: One lane of Beach Drive now open. 10:40 PM UPDATE: The woman whose unit caught fire has just returned home to an upsetting shock. Forgot to mention, in relation to the earlier mention that residents thought they heard an explosion, they told Christopher the building does NOT have natural-gas service.
Westwood Council releases “vision” for Denny site
We mentioned here last month that the Westwood Neighborhood Council was looking for drawing help to draft neighbors’ vision of what could be done with the Denny Middle School site when the new Denny is ready on the Chief Sealth High School campus and the old Denny is demolished. The first draft (mentioned at the last WNC meeting; WSB coverage here) is above; click it for a fullsize version so you can read all the descriptions. So far, as reported here, early Seattle Public Schools thoughts on the site have focused on tennis courts and a softball field (
Within the past few hours, Walking on Logs (Fauntleroy end of The Bridge) was decorated in honor of the upcoming Relay for Life-West Seattle, an American Cancer Society fundraiser that involves walking/running around the track at West Seattle Stadium overnight next Friday-into-Saturday. This week, we interviewed a West Seattle couple who’ve been part of it since the event’s inception, and you’ll see their story here this weekend; meantime, go here to find out more about the event, including good times to drop by and support the participants – by cheering and or donating – even if you’re not in the event yourself.
We stopped to phonephoto the Relay for Life decorations this morning while on our way back from Seattle Race for the Cure; that photo shows the sea of people in front of Team WSB as the three of us engaged in our annual tradition of joining the thousands of people who walk on the temporarily carless Alaskan Way Viaduct during the breast-cancer fundraiser’s 5K Walk section. We take pretty much that same photo every year; it’s always an incredible sight. Here’s the view after we got to the Western Avenue end and started back south toward Qwest Field, with some participants still heading southbound to our right:
With all the projects in the pipeline for The Viaduct, we couldn’t help but wonder if this would be the last chance to take exactly this route; it was closed 7:45-11 am for the event and one WSB commenter in an earlier thread said the “Viaduct Closed” signs weren’t working on Admiral – did you see any of them in operation? Just wondering before we check with SDOT on Monday.
Love puppies? Here’s an opportunity you’ll love
Just out of the WSB inbox, from Cheryl Phelps:
The reason for this message is that our volunteer group, puppy raisers for Guide Dogs for the Blind, needs more volunteers. We need puppy sitters and puppy raisers. Our next meeting is at the Hiawatha Community Center at 7 pm Monday evening the 23rd of June. We would love to talk to others about this rewarding service and how it has touched our lives and the lives of others.
That’s THIS Monday night. We’ve added it to the WSB West Seattle-wide Events calendar; if you need directions to Hiawatha, here’s a map.
What’s happening on summer’s 1st full day: Late adds
Since we first published the latest West Seattle Weekend Lineup list on Friday afternoon, we’ve gotten word of a couple additions for today — including one that came in overnight, for the karaoke fans who have been lamenting the closure of the Corner Inn in Morgan Junction (first reported here June 3). Kim N e-mailed to say:
Since the Corner Inn closed down, lots of folks have been upset at the loss of being able to perform karaoke there, hosted by Christopher Mychael (of PCM Musiq).
Well, the wait is over!
Christopher Mychael will be hosting Karaoke this Saturday night (6/21) at The Rocksport! Please come out and support him. If all goes well, there will hopefully be a more permanent schedule there!
P.S. Remember The Viaduct is closed this morning, till about 11 am, for Race for the Cure; that’s where we’ll be for the next few hours.
Details: King County Sheriff’s budget warning (and jail talk)
That’s King County Sheriff Sue Rahr, talking about one of the budget cuts she may have to make if the county’s budget picture still looks ugly by fall; she says the thought of having to stop investigating certain kinds of crimes makes her “sick.” She spoke Friday night at SeaTac City Hall, in one of several public meetings she’s called to talk about potential effects of massive budget cuts ordered by county leadership; the possible cuts in the criminal-justice system could affect West Seattle not only through services the county provides for the city such as prosecution, but also because many of the cuts would have to be made in the ranks that serve unincorporated areas such as White Center, right next door. But the first headline of the night for West Seattle interests was what the sheriff had to say when asked about the jail-sites situation – and that’s where our full report begins;Read More
Officer attacked in High Point: Two updates
First: Thanks to Pokey for posting this in the comments section of our last update: The Times says the two 16-year-old boys and one 17-year-old girl arrested in the Tuesday night attack are charged with assault and obstruction of justice, and the one who tried to take away the officer’s gun is also charged with attempting to disarm an officer. Will try to find out what the possible sentencing range would be for juveniles convicted of those charges. Second: The High Point Neighborhood website has posted a statement from High Point (Seattle Housing Authority) management, saying “… the tenants involved … appear to be in serious violation of the lease” and promising “swift action” against those tenants.
Water Taxi dock otters: Caught on camera
Thanks to Alki resident Marge Carpenter for sending photos — she and husband Larry were on the same Water Taxi run from downtown yesterday afternoon, but we didn’t see them till after getting on the boat, and didn’t know they’d caught the otters (mentioned here last night) on cam. Sorry we don’t have zoom processing; they were indeed that different in size, maybe parent and child?
County sheriff says West Seattle jail would “waste taxpayers’ $”
… and so would either of the other two jail sites, for that matter. Sheriff Sue Rahr was asked about the jail controversy during the meeting she called tonight in SeaTac to talk about possible massive budget cuts in the county’s criminal-justice system. She says it’s her “personal opinion as your elected sheriff” that the county should “build out” the Regional Justice Center in Kent instead and that cities shouldn’t be in the jail business, period. More on that, and what else she had to say about the possible cuts – which could affect everyone in King County, though particularly our White Center neighbors for whom the county provides on-the-street law enforcement — when we write up our full report later tonight. Side note, lovely view from the south side of the SeaTac City Hall parking lot:
Another West Seattle school in the market for a new principal
From the Seattle Public Schools “School Beat” e-newsletter that arrived today:
Cathy Thompson, currently principal at Roxhill Elementary School, has been appointed Assistant Director of Curriculum and Instruction. This is a newly established role that strengthens the Learning and Teaching function in support of the Strategic Plan. Before taking the leadership role at Roxhill, Cathy spent four years at Rainier View Elementary School, four years as a literacy instructional coach and six years as a first-grade teacher at Bailey Gatzert Elementary School.
That means Roxhill and Schmitz Park Elementary Schools (links and maps to those and all other WS schools are on this WSB page) here in West Seattle are both looking for new principals; the SPS communications team is checking into the search status and we should have an update next week. “School Beat” also mentioned that volunteers organized by Pricewaterhousecooper were sprucing up Roxhill today.
Next, we’re picking the winning lottery numbers
(photo taken a few minutes before the Official Start of Summer)
Permit us a funny little brag. Admiral Neighborhood Association president Mark Wainwright sometimes begins his meetings by going around the room with an interesting question for each person in attendance to answer. During the ANA meeting on Tuesday, June 10, in the midst of June gloom, he asked everyone in the room to predict which date it would next hit 80 degrees. Many were pessimists .. August? Next year? Etc. For some reason, your editor here declared, “June 20th.” Everyone laughed. Well, just for the record, it’s June 20th, and the 4 pm temperature reading at Sea-Tac Airport is … 80 degrees. At Boeing Field, 81. And the next few hours are likely to be even warmer. Happy summer!!!!
Grand Opening day for Full Tilt Ice Cream (and pinball!)
The first pinball (note the circa-1981 Mr. and Mrs. Pac-Man game at right) and video games are in … the ice cream is up at the counter …
… and Full Tilt Ice Cream on 16th SW (detailed WSB preview here with flavors, hours, etc.) is open for business as of a couple hours ago. Co-owner Justin Cline says the party really gets going tonight, with The Blank-Its playing from 9 till about midnight, but you can wander in any time before then and try the ice cream, paletas, and/or pinball. We’ll add a couple video clips in a bit with a closer look at the games; just wanted to post this reminder that they’re officially open.
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
Your chance to be a hero – and more chances later
Passing through Westwood Village on the way back from dropping in on Grand Opening Day for Full Tilt Ice Cream (an update on that is coming up shortly), we noticed the bloodmobile at WV, just east of Barnes and Noble. That reminded us we hadn’t passed along word of the “Give Twice” drive that the Puget Sound Blood Center recently launched to avoid a dangerous summertime blood shortage — even if you can’t get to WV today (sorry for the short notice, looks like it’s only there till about 3 pm), there’s a June 30th blood drive at Admiral Safeway, July 2nd at PCC, and then back at Westwood Village July 26th. Or make an online appointment here to donate some other time at one of the PSBC’s regional centers. Meantime, here are full details about “Give Twice” – with a freebie for participants:Read More
First, one last note that The Viaduct will be closed 7:45-11 am tomorrow for the Race for the Cure (
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