Orchard Street Ravine gets Valentine’s Day love: 350 new plants!
In Gatewood, neighbors and friends spent part of Valentine’s Day working to give nature a helping hand in one of West Seattle’s semi-hidden greenbelt treasures, Orchard Street Ravine (map). Among them, Morgan Community Association‘s Cindi Barker, who shared these photos and a quick report:
We had a very successful day planting in the Orchard Street Ravine. Nearly 20 people turned out and worked their tails off for 4 hours to get 350-plus plants into the ground. Half of the plants were donated by the Green Seattle Partnership, the others were purchased with the last of the ProParks Levy funding allocated for the ravine and trail project. Many of the plants that went in today were bareroot native trees, to complement the understory plants put in before Christmas. Today’s weather was much more enjoyable than during that frigid planting party! The remaining blackberry thickets seen in the boundary areas will remain for a year or so to provide ground cover for the wildlife, until the new plants are established and spread out. We’ve had madrona trees grow over 3 feet in one year, so this is a rich environment for native species. Remember that future work parties will be on the second Saturday of the month, from 9:00 to 1:00.
Bobo Botanicals on the move, “to keep everything going”
As noted in this report earlier today, Valentine’s Day is a big day for florists – but one West Seattle florist is looking ahead to something even bigger, now that the holiday is over. When we spotted that big banner (shown above) outside Bobo Botanicals at 3435 California SW, we wondered whether the shop was going out of business, so we put a call in to owner Anka Bobo. Her emphatic answer: NO – “we’re not going out of business, we’re staying in business.” She does acknowledge, “The economy’s hit us really hard,” but she’s doing what she can “to keep everything going” — including moving to a studio on Charlestown Hill where she will continue her floral business “by appointment only.” Her original lease hasn’t expired yet but she is helping the owner get the word out about the search for a new tenant. And as she gets ready to move at the end of the month, she’s got sales going to reduce her inventory. She’s focused on staying in West Seattle — she grew up here, went to West Seattle High School, then moved away but came back to raise her kids. (If you want to check out her moving sale before the month ends, here’s a map.)
UPDATE: Suspicious death now classified as homicide
We told you this morning about what police called a suspicious death in a building at Fauntleroy and Dawson. Police now say the victim was a 71 year-old woman and her death is classified as a homicide. More information at SPDBlotter. Google Street View of the building (you can click inside the image to move around and get an idea of where this is, if you’re not familiar with the area):
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ADDED 6:55 PM ALONG WITH THAT IMAGE: For context – this is the second homicide case of the year in West Seattle (first one, the still-unsolved Steve Bushaw shooting on 2/1); there was only one for all of last year, a woman in Highland Park killed last spring by her husband, who then killed himself. In 2007, there were three (all men killed by someone they knew – the third case, the 59th/Admiral shooting in October ’07, was ruled self-defense, after a trial WSB covered extensively; the other two ended with plea bargains – here and here). Also, one very good point made in an unrelated crime thread in the WSB Forums: Everyone concerned about crime in our area is not only welcome, but encouraged, to attend the next West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting – it’s coming up this Tuesday, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room, and since there are almost always several reps from the precinct there, you will get the latest on the homicides, and other local crimes, firsthand, as well as a chance to ask any questions you have (the special guest is the SPD 911 team leader, to help debunk myths about when to call 911 and when not to).
Happening tomorrow: Enjoy local music, help orphaned children
That’s Khayelitshe, South Africa, home to the Baphumelele Children’s Home, which helps kids whose lives have been touched by HIV/AIDS. 
Tomorrow afternoon, you’re invited to a Children’s Music Festival — the senior project of Seattle Lutheran High School senior Lauren Vanderpool (left) — to benefit the children getting assistance from Baphumelele Home. It’s at 2:30 pm Sunday, Grace Church (10323 28th SW; here’s a map), and a free-will offering will be taken at the door. Lauren writes, “Children and teens from Seattle Lutheran and around Seattle are sharing their musical talents in a variety of ways.
… There are over 14,000 orphaned children in the small village of Khayelitshe. Baphumelele is a haven for these children whose lives are affected by AIDS. Right now the women of Baphumelele are in the process of building several more ‘Cluster Homes’ so the children have a warm place to sleep, and a health clinic (they have a doctor and two nurses who visit twice a week). Baphumelele is run by local women from the Khayelitshe village. The children of South Africa need our help and support.” You can find out more at www.baphumelele.org.za — and by going to the Children’s Music Festival tomorrow afternoon at Grace Church.
This explains the new Google searches for “Nicholas Francisco”
It’s been some months since our logs showed people landing on WSB by searching Google for “Nicholas Francisco,” the Seattle man who vanished one year ago. (His disappearance was a West Seattle story for a while because he and his wife had attended church here, and friends here put up posters all over the area.) But today’s logs suddenly show a few of those searches, and an e-mailed link explains why: On the anniversary of his disappearance, his wife gave her first TV interview in many months (see it here), claiming she found evidence of a “secret life” – but also saying, she just wants to know, is he still alive? As for law enforcement – the missing-person case is still open.
Traffic alert: Avoid I-5 southbound through downtown
A major crash (check the cam here) has WSDOT warning that all southbound lanes are blocked:
A police investigation continues to block all lanes of southbound I-5 at Pine Street in Seattle. Traffic is currently getting by on the right shoulder. All exits on the express lanes are open to all traffic. Washington State Patrol, fire, aid and Seattle Police are on scene.
Just in case you’re heading that way or you happen to be on the other side of this and about to head THIS way, we thought we’d better share. (Added: Thanks to Scott B for sharing this link; KIRO says it started with a pursuit following an Eastside carjacking; there’s a closer photo on the KOMO site.) 1:36 PM NOTE: WSDOT sent an update – 2 SB lanes now getting by on the right shoulder.
West Seattle scenes: Valentine morning with Linda and crew
Yes, Valentine’s Day procrastinators, you can still get flowers. One option: Follow the trail of rose petals (who needs bread crumbs?) to Linda’s Flowers and Gifts at Admiral/California (map); we stopped by last Valentine’s Day to chronicle the craziness of this very busy day, and they invited us back. The shop’s namesake and owner Linda Harader was busy with what she says remains the Valentine favorite – red roses:
As you can see in the background of that photo, balloons are bouncing around the shop too. At the work table, here are Debra (left) and Virginia:
And in the other direction, with the boss in the foreground, Melody (in pink) and Wendy:
They’re there till 5:30 tonight or “until we’re done.” When we stopped in about an hour ago, they were finishing their pickup orders, but they say they’ve got plenty left for walk-ins. (There’s a flower shop on the south side of West Seattle too, Sharon’s Westwood Florist on 35th south of Kenyon.)
West Seattle weekend scenes: Need sweet Valentine treats?
From left, John, Kelly, and Lauren are the family who unleashed Muttley Crew Cuts on West Seattle – and as we mentioned earlier this morning, they’re having a bake sale today to raise money for the North Sound puppy-mill rescuees/rescuers. You can’t miss the bake-sale tent outside their shop on the west side of California south of Hanford (map) – that’s what caught our eye and led us to pull over for a quick photo on the way back to WSB HQ from another story. (Inside, 50 percent of the proceeds from today’s bath-only canine clients go to the same cause, and The Wash Dog in Morgan Junction is doing the same for self-serve dog washes.) They’re there till 7 (bake sale too, for as long as the ample supply of treats last!). ADDED 10 PM: Kelly e-mailed to say the bake sale alone brought in $1,000 today! And that doesn’t even include the 50% of “bath dog” proceeds they were planning to donate. She adds, “We had a wonderful day and thank everyone that came out and supported us. We will be here tomorrow starting at 10 am to groom cats; I will have the left-over goodies here if anyone wants to stop by and donate. Please no dogs tomorrow, it’s hard enough grooming cats :) We are all going home and going to bed!!!!”
“Suspicious death” investigation near Fairmount Park
Megan e-mailed overnight about police activity in and around a building at Fauntleroy/Dawson (map), which had been preceded by a medic call earlier in the night (“7 per rule,” which usually means serious distress or injury), and then was followed very early this morning by the Medical Examiner taking away a body. According to Lt. Steve Paulsen from the Southwest Precinct, it’s a “death investigation that can be classified as suspicious” and investigators were called in to thoroughly process the scene “to be on the safe side.” That’s all the info we have so far but will update when we know more.
Happy Valentine’s Day, West Seattle! Today’s highlights
HELP PUPPY-MILL RESCUEES BY GETTING YOUR DOG/S CLEAN: Self-serve dog washes at The Wash Dog and “bath-only dogs” at Muttley Crew Cuts both will send 50 percent of today’s proceeds to help the puppy-mill rescuees/rescuers in the North Sound. For The Wash Dog, hours are 8 am-7 pm; for Muttley Crew, hours are 9 am-7 pm, and you need to call for an appointment — 932-6888 — they’re having a bake sale with hot coffee and cocoa too.
HELP STUDENTS BY GETTING YOUR CAR CLEAN: 10 am-3 pm at West Seattle High School, student fundraiser car wash, suggested donation $10.
FREE STRAWBERRY WHITE MOCHA: Go to Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) and mention you heard about the free drink at West Seattle Blog – they’re open 7 am-7 pm.
FREE EXERCISE: 9 am at Youngstown Arts Center, the NiaDivas (WSB sponsors) invite you to start Valentine’s Day by doing something good for your heart (and the rest of you) – in a free “Welcome to Nia” introductory class.
FREE MUSIC: Check the West Seattle Weekend Lineup for all the places you can enjoy free music today and tonight – one late add, Henta and Marias performing 3-5 this afternoon at Pearls on Delridge.
Those are just a few of today’s biggies — the full list is here.
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