Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza construction, 3 weeks to go
More new photos from David Hutchinson with the Seattle (Alki) Statue of Liberty Plaza Project, as construction of the plaza enters its final weeks leading up to the September 6th dedication.
The pace has been picking up this past week … The bronze bench and landscape plaques arrived at the beginning of the week and the final pouring of cement took place. Three of the fifteen bench plaques were embedded in the newly poured apron around the front of the seat walls. Work also began on the first three wooden bench tops. The middle of the week saw continued work on the bench tops, work began on the new irrigation system, and holes were bored in the concrete for the step railing supports. The end of the week highlight was the arrival and installation of benches 13, 14, and 15 which were fabricated offsite as a single unit.
This coming week should see continued work on the benches and the arrival of the inscribed pavers which are scheduled to be installed over the next couple of weeks. At this time the new pedestal which is being cast offsite is scheduled to be put in place around the beginning of September with the Statue to be in installed in time for the September 6th dedication ceremony.
Here’s how the site looked Saturday:
You can catch up on this entire project and what led up to it over the past year-plus, in our Alki Statue of Liberty archive.
One year later, West Seattle construction arson still unsolved
(8/17/2007 photo by Garrett Burke)
That was the scene at 4132 California SW, on the northernmost edge of The Junction, as a huge fire burned in the early-morning hours of August 17, 2007, exactly one year ago today. The next day, investigators announced the fire had been ruled arson. In the ensuing months, we have received occasional e-mail questions wondering if the case was ever solved; a few days ago, we checked back with Seattle Police to see if any progress had been made in the investigation; Officer Jeff Kappel in the Media Unit told WSB by phone that they cannot comment on specifics, except to say it is an “open investigation.” The arson burned an under-construction live/work-unit building, but Knoll Development did not let the fire stop its plans — shortly afterward, as we showed you in this report last December, rebuilding resumed, and today the building is almost done:
We took that photo today. Meantime, if you have any information that might help investigators close this case, you can call Seattle Police (non-emergency line is 206/625-5011) or the national Arson Hotline, 800-55-ARSON.
Video, more photos: Picnic at the (Southwest) Precinct
We showed you a couple photos while Picnic at the Precinct was in full swing Saturday afternoon – but that was just in-progress coverage, for anyone checking here who hadn’t been yet. Today, the full report.
First – you see his name here all the time – but we don’t recall having shown you a photo before – that’s Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen at right, with Segway-riding traffic-enforcement officer L. James, who explained the two-wheelers are not just used because they’re cool:
Her face-painting, by the way (which was offered free to picnicgoers), said ‘Beep-Beep.’ Of course.
The event really was all about people – and your chance to meet the ones who work hard to keep you safe – better to meet them, oh, say, handing out free ice cream, than showing up in your neighborhood chasing baddies:
That’s Officer Brian Ballew from the Community Police Team. It was a perfect day for ice cream, but the nearby hot dogs tasted pretty good too (or so the Junior Member of the Team tells us). More pictures, including the Arson Bomb Squad robot unit, ahead:Read More
Happening now: 3Day fundraiser, pet adopt-a-thon, plus …
You can’t miss that big white tent, with balloons and bright-pink signs, set up right now outside West 5 in The Junction. Till 6 pm, West Seattleite Tracy Dart – 33 years old and fighting breast cancer – is there raising money (goal: $1200) with her teammates in the upcoming Breast Cancer 3Day (September 12-14), which she’d registered for, even before her diagnosis. Check out Tracy’s custom T-shirt:
The slogan refers to breast self-exams, which is how Tracy caught her problem in time to be diagnosed in Stage 1. In addition to taking donations (from southbound drive-by traffic behind their tent too!), they’re having a small silent auction in nearby Coffee to a Tea with Sugar tonight, 7-9 pm. We got a quick video interview with Tracy about how her fight’s going and the fact this isn’t the first 3Day for her and her crew:
Now, on to Morgan Junction:
The bright yellow Seattle Humane Society Maxmobile is in the West Seattle Thriftway parking lot till 3 pm, your chance to adopt a new pet. (Remember, everybody loves puppies and kittens, but the adult pets are tougher to adopt, yet can offer a whole lot of love … we have two cats adopted as adults from shelters.) One more sighting, back in The Junction:
Lisa Corbin with the West Seattle-based Nature Consortium is tabling at the Farmers’ Market (continuing till 2 pm today) to remind everyone about the Arts in Nature Festival that NC is presenting at Camp Long next weekend. We’ll take a closer look in the days to come; you can get a sneak peek right now online — the full schedule is posted here.
Video: High Point Neighborhood Center groundbreaking
That’s the $13 million High Point Neighborhood Center that should be up and running by fall of next year; an unconventional “groundbreaking” ceremony and community celebration on Saturday moved the project to its next stage, even as fundraising continues (leaders from the parent agency, Neighborhood House, revealed that $10.6 million of that money already is in hand). One speaker had a slip of the tongue and almost called the event a “groundbaking,” appropriate enough given the sizzling midday heat at the Commons Park Amphitheater, where ceremony attendees were summoned with the rhythms of African group Naby Camara:
(video no longer available because of blip.tv shutdown)
The actual groundbreaking itself didn’t involve the traditional dignitaries with shovels; instead, it involved stones, handed out to attendees beforehand, with pens, for them to inscribe the stones with their hope/dream for Neighborhood Center. See how that worked – and hear short highlights from many of the speakers — just ahead:Read More
Bag-fee battle: Supporters launch their counter-offensive
One week after WSB broke the news of signature-gathering for a city referendum to cancel the disposable-bag fee (see last Sunday’s report here), we have word of a counter-offensive: The sustainability-oriented moms’ group CoolMom.org 
is planning pro-bag-fee demonstrations citywide, including one at West Seattle Thriftway in Morgan Junction – same place where we found that paid signature-gatherer with referendum petitions last weekend – on Monday, 3-5 pm. West Seattle CoolMom leader Abby Suplizio says anyone who backs the bag fee is welcome to participate; CoolMom is being joined in the citywide pro-bag-fee effort by groups including BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag), Foam Free Seattle, People for Puget Sound, Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation, Washington Toxics Coalition, Earth Ministry, Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle Rainforest Action Group, Sustainable West Seattle, WASHPIRG, Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, and King County Conservation Voters. CoolMom also is suggesting its members show support by talking to management at independent grocers (whose advocacy group Washington Food Industry is partly behind the anti-bag-fee drive) such as Thriftway and Metropolitan Market, to reiterate support for the fee and the emphasis on using reusable bags. Meantime, WSB’er Diane Vincent noticed new disclosure text at the bottom of the anti-bag-fee website StopTheSeattleBagTax.com (which we mentioned here and here): It now says:
Paid for by the Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax.
Coalition Members:
Washington Food Industry
7-Eleven Inc.
Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council
Do 7-Eleven customers really use that many bags?
Sunday morning means of course
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