day : 21/03/2009 8 results

We dropped by the beautiful Duwamish Longhouse this afternoon in the middle of the Fry Bread for Justice fundraiser – unfortunately, they were between batches of fry bread during our visit, but Pam at Nerd’s Eye View tells a great yarn from her visit. (They’re planning more Fry Bread for Justice events – keep an eye on the tribe’s website.) And tonight, the finale of the Winter Movies on the Wall series – “Napoleon Dynamite,” preceded by a tater-tot-eating contest – just a bit of which was caught on video:

Nine entrants – not bad! The tater tots – and the $25 gift-certificate prize – were donated by Skylark Cafe and Club (WSB sponsor). Keep an eye out for more news soon about the popular Summer Movies on the Wall series, which will start in mid-July – outdoor movies every Saturday night for six weeks, beginning July 18th.

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New plan for city’s SW Manning parcel near The Bridge

March 21, 2009 8:03 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

There’s word of a breakthrough in West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s work on the issue of what to do about a city-owned parcel at SW Manning/Admiral Way near The Bridge that’s best known for its sequoia tree, which has a 4-foot-diameter trunk:

The 14,000-square-foot site was originally purchased in 1961 as part of the West Seattle Bridge right-of-way; several years ago, it was targeted for potential sale as surplus property, but neighbors and community activists expressed concern, saying it still had potential for public use. Now, there’s a plan in the works to not only keep it off the market, but to have it transferred to the Parks Department, which wasn’t interested in the site in years past, but is now. That “public involvement plan” is on the agenda next Tuesday morning for the council’s Parks Committee, which Rasmussen chairs; here’s what will be proposed as a next step:

A) A public meeting should be scheduled in the vicinity of the property. Notice of the meeting will be provided to all citizens who have previously submitted comments, as well as property owners and residents living within a 1200-foot radius of PMA No. 4273, community organizations, and others who might be interested.

B) The meeting will consider uses put forward by the community, including but not limited to the following: green space, park area, sculpture garden, off-leash area, mini skate park, flower garden, or P-patch. The proposed transfer of the property to the Department of Parks and Recreation will also be discussed. Other issues may include concerns about the tall Sequoia tree located in the northeast section of the property, the sloping nature of the parcel, and the pace of residential development in the neighborhood.

Rasmussen’s committee meets at 9:30 am Tuesday at City Hall downtown; if you can’t be there in person, you can watch live on cable channel 21 or online via Seattle Channel.

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Alaskan Way Viaduct closure, day 1: The media tour

March 21, 2009 5:55 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Alaskan Way Viaduct | Safety | Transportation

Video, photos, and text by Christopher Boffoli
WSB photojournalist

WSDOT maintenance crews closed the Alaskan Way Viaduct for 12 hours today for its semi-annual inspection and repairs, and are scheduled to do it again 6 am-6 pm tomorrow.

And as West Seattle drivers no doubt cursed the increased congestion as they navigated alternate routes off the peninsula, a select group of lucky people donned hard hats and reflective vests for walking tours of the 56-year-old structure. Transportation Department organizers said that the weekend’s public tours were open to anyone who signed up, though they filled up quickly. Hundreds of people were scheduled to tour the Viaduct this weekend and many more were put on waiting lists.

In addition to the public walking tours, a media tour was organized for first thing this morning, and WSB went along for a closer look at what’s being done this weekend – not just the inspection, but also some work related to the Viaduct’s proposed replacement.
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West Seattle Crime Watch: Minivan prowl; stolen Buddha

March 21, 2009 2:18 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

From Michael:

We unknowingly left our minivan unlocked last night (3/20/09) and this morning the contents were strewn about our front sidewalk. It appears nothing was stolen, but they went through all the bags and glove box. Location 34th Ave SW between Andover and Charlestown [map].

ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: From Dano:

Just wanted to share that I too, just felt the sting of theft…. I live on Alki Beach, and my beautiful concrete Buddha statue was stolen right off my street side patio. It makes me sad… I guess the person who stole it needed its peaceful presence more than me…..But still, I am sad.

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Greenbelt cleanup: Can you pitch in too? Local students hope so!

March 21, 2009 11:14 am

| Comments Off on Greenbelt cleanup: Can you pitch in too? Local students hope so!

| Environment | How to help | Pigeon Point

As you probably noticed in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, lots of work-party action in local greenspaces today, as is the case most Saturdays – but if you can spare some time TOMORROW, here’s a request we just received:

My name is Sam Westler and I go to Chief Sealth High School. A group of students along with myself are hosting a work party to remove the invasive plants in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. We are working from 10-4 on Sunday March 22nd, and we would like to get the word out to as many people as possible. Everyone is welcome to come help out. We are meeting in the Cooper Elementary School parking lot at ten.

If you haven’t been to Cooper, which is on Pigeon Point, here’s a map.

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West Seattle scenes: Sanislo “Jamboree”; Olympics’ appearance

March 21, 2009 8:50 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle scenes: Sanislo “Jamboree”; Olympics’ appearance

| Seen around town | West Seattle schools

The Alki Masonic Hall in The Junction went Wild West last night for the Sanislo Elementary PTA’s Jamboree, raising money for programs at “the small school with the big ideas,” as the PTA website calls it.

Thanks to Dartanyon for sharing pix from the Sanislo dinner and auction. Two other photos to share this morning – the Olympic Mountains are “out” in all their snow-frosted (albeit hazy) splendor, and as Shannon observed in the note accompanying the pix, that doesn’t always last long:

Thanks again to everyone who e-mails photos (and news tips!) to share – we’re reachable many other ways too, all listed on the WSB Contact page.

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Today/tonight: Scouting for Food, Movies on the Wall, more

March 21, 2009 7:56 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Fun stuff to do | How to help | WS culture/arts

Reminder – The Viaduct is closed till 6 pm for the first day of its semiannual inspection; the Battery Street Tunnel is closed around the clock till early Monday morning. But why leave West Seattle? Highlights from the latest West Seattle Weekend Lineup include:

SCOUTING FOR FOOD – You may have received a door hanger about this; we reported on it two weeks ago. Local Boy Scouts will go door to door to collect food donations to help fight hunger; if they’re not in your neighborhood, you can still take donations to the West Seattle Food Bank (map) 10 am-2 pm.

FRY BREAD FOR JUSTICE – 10 am-5 pm at the new Duwamish Longhouse (map) – $20 donation, food and entertainment to help the tribe raise money to keep fighting for federal recognition.

CASUAL INDUSTREES SALE – This sassy West Seattle clothing business doesn’t have a regular storefront but it’s opening the doors for a big sale this weekend – 6205 SW Admiral (map), 10 am-6 pm today.

FREE MOVIE – “Napoleon Dynamite” is the grand finale of the first-ever Winter Indoor Movies on the Wall series presented in The Junction by local businesses (including WSB!) – free (but bring money for concessions and nonprofit-benefiting raffle), 7 pm, the new West Seattle Christian Church activity center (map), bring your own chair(s), doors open at 5:30 pm.

“ECLECTIC” MUSIC – That’s how guitarist Andre Feriante described the show he and others will present in the Admiral Theater‘s Listening Room series at 9 tonight ($12).

Much, more more in the WSWL.

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Delridge-area problem properties: A call for “quick demolition”

March 21, 2009 2:34 am

| 17 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Safety | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

We reported Thursday about a stirring of hope that some high-level city attention may finally be given to a problem that’s been plaguing the Delridge area in its redevelopment throes: Even as some of Delridge’s old homes make way for new construction – particularly townhouses – some houses sit abandoned for years, and become magnets for trouble — like the one above, which sits prominently over the northbound Delridge approach to The Bridge. While, as we reported last night, the city says it was cleared and “secured” a few weeks ago, the proprietor of nearby Skylark Club and Cafe (WSB sponsor) pointed out in a new e-mail discussion (including city councilmember Sally Clark, who promised to come tour the area) that it was also reportedly “secured” last year, too (after a small fire we reported here, attributed to transients). And North Delridge Neighborhood Council co-chair Mike Dady says he would like to see this lead to changes that can help areas beyond Delridge, too:

My hope is that we will see Council Member Clark and Diane Sugimura follow through and visit Delridge within the next couple weeks. But my greater hope is that we don’t just have a band-aid or quick-fix put on wound that is affecting not just Delridge, but many other parts of the city. These are properties that are in the hands of absentee property owners, speculators or developers who allow them to sit vacant, completely unattended or monitored, and looking like, well…..looking like a pile of you-know-what and attracting problems that are in some cases beyond the imagination.

It seems to me that the City Council and the Mayor’s Office needs to revise the Seattle Municipal Code to allow quick demolition and removal of problem prone structures as it is nearly impossible to keep trespassers out of vacant building, even if it is boarded up with plywood, lumber and lag bolts. Allowing houses without water service turned on and functional plumbing to become de facto shelters for transient or homeless people is not an acceptable solution to that very separate and difficult issue.

To allow these dilapidated properties to remain as is, for many, many years in some cases, creates a public safety problem, wastes citizen energy and is a drain on DPD, SPD, SFD and KC Public Health budgets and staff time.

Sincerely,
Mike Dady
North Delridge Neighborhood Council Co-Chair

It’s not just the vacant houses that he’s concerned about, but also the occupied ones that are literally trashed outdoors – like this junk pile spotted recently behind a multiplex in the 4800 block of Delridge (map):

The discussed city-involved tour of Delridge hasn’t been scheduled yet, to our knowledge, but we will continue to follow up. You can also bet this will be on the next NDNC agenda – the council meets the first Wednesday of each month, so that’s 6:30 pm April 1st, Delridge Library.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: A date for the tour is now set for early April, according to Mike Dady, and at least one citywide media outlet may be along, after reading about it here.

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