Another play coming to The Junction: “Closing” @ Easy Street
Not sure if it’s a first but certainly it’s a rarity – Easy Street Cafe, better known for live music (and breakfast/lunch), is the venue where a play will be performed the next two weekends. Dylan Ward (left) shares the announcement:
I am producing my new play “Closing” at the Easy Street Cafe, on Dec 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th, which are Fridays and Saturdays respectively. The show starts at 9:30pm. Tickets are $15 and are available at the door or in advance at Easy Street Records. Tickets include Coffee and Pie. All of the cast and crew either live in, work in, or are from West Seattle.
“Closing” is about Rowan, who is working at the Catharsis Cafe on its last day of business. Catharsis is a failed art space/coffee shop, and all Rowan wants to do is leave his failures, co-workers, and old lovers behind him. He and the owner are ready to lock up and ship out, but a particularly strange woman appears and asks to tell her story about seals. Despite his impatience, Rowan must reconcile his feelings and allow her to speak.
Dylan says the closing night of “Closing” is already almost sold out – so this weekend’s your best chance to see it. We asked, why Easy Street? Dylan’s reply – “because the play takes place at a cafe. I figured that rather than building or mimicking a set for a cafe, I would just use one. The audience members will be sat at seats in the cafe, and the play will happen in the aisles, at a table, on the stage, and behind the bar.” We also couldn’t resist asking whose pie they’ll serve: The pie is by Janiel’s Alki Pie Company, baked here in West Seattle.
Update: Charges confirmed, unsealed in Steve Bushaw murder
Just received documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with the charges against the four suspects who, 
as we first reported early this morning, have been arrested in connection with the February 1 shooting death of Steve Bushaw in The Junction. The suspects named in the documents are the same three who we found on the King County Jail Register early today – 27-year-old Bryce Huber, 30-year-old Brandon Chaney, 28-year-old Danny O’Neal Jr. – and the man arrested in San Antonio, TX, 32-year-old John Sylve. More as we read the documents. 4:43 PM: The documents tell a long and complicated story which as we boil it down appears to explain why so much time elapsed between the murder and the arrests – it appears to have been an extremely complex investigation, involving a lot of cell-phone trails in the evidence – read on for more as we add it:Read More
Update: Helicopter search in White Center/South Delridge
King County Sheriff’s Office says this is what it’s about: A bail bondsman was trying to arrest someone – which they have the authority to do, per Sgt. John Urquhart – and the would-be arrestee ran off. Now KCSO is involved. So that’s what we know about the search for now; thanks to everyone who’s sent tips/questions. 4:23 PM UPDATE: The helicopter seems to have left the original search area, which we have confirmed on scene is 16th/102nd, on the south side of the main White Center business district.
Congratulations, West Seattle Volunteer Recognition winners!
Here’s another reason to be at the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting (at left, The Tree, photographed this afternoon) this Saturday night: The latest winners of West Seattle Volunteer Recognition honors will be introduced and, with your help, cheered mightily! Today we’re giving them an advance shoutout, now that the application-review committee has announced its decision and gotten the news to the winners (in hopes they all can be there). It’s another star-studded group:
COMMUNITY
Chas Redmond
Pete Spalding
Both are involved with too many groups to list here (we’ll have a more detailed report on the winners this weekend). Just a quick sampling: Chas co-chairs the Southwest District Council and leads the West Seattle Trails project; Pete leads the West Seattle Food Bank Board of Directors and is a WS rep on the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee.
ENVIRONMENT
Jay Mirro
Judy Pickens
Both are involved in a variety of community efforts but are being recognized in this case as active stewards of revitalized West Seattle waterways: Jay, Longfellow Creek; Judy, Fauntleroy Creek.
YOUTH
Janet Hillier (Chief Sealth High School PTSA)
Paul Leonardo (Southwest Seattle PONY Baseball president)
GROUP
Volunteers at Providence Mount St. Vincent (as the nomination form pointed out: The Mount has more than 200 active volunteers ranging in age from 14 to 92!)
Congratulations to all these hardworking volunteers, and thanks to everyone who nominated someone for the honor – this is the second group this year (meet the first group here), and there’ll be another chance in the new year to get recognition for more of the hardworking volunteers who help make West Seattle a very special place. And back to the Tree Lighting, where they’ll get their turn in the spotlight – it all starts at 5 pm Saturday, Farmers’ Market parking lot at 44th/Alaska, including music, caroling, and more, as the kickoff to Hometown Holidays (co-sponsored again this year by WSB) – and remember to enter the $6,500 Junction giveaway BEFORE Saturday, so you’ll be in the first drawing during the tree-lighting event!
More of what’s up tonight – and beyond, including freebies!
MAYOR-ELECT’S THIRD TOWN HALL TONIGHT: While Mayor-Elect Mike McGinn hasn’t scheduled a Town Hall in West Seattle yet, the one he’s having tonight in Rainier Beach is meant for the “south” section of the city – including us – it’s at 7 pm, 8815 Seward Park Ave. S. (map).
BAKERY NOUVEAU OPEN HOUSE: More holiday fun – the renowned West Seattle bakery has its Holiday Open House 6-8 pm tonight in The Junction, not far from this next event:
OPENING NIGHT FOR “PLAID TIDINGS”: The holiday musical fave is back at ArtsWest again this year – as explained here. You can see Frankie, Sparky, Jinx, and Smudge in holiday form through December 27, and this Friday night is a special “Toast to the Holidays” – featuring wine! – more about that here.
THINKING ABOUT REMODELING/BUILDING A HOUSE? Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) is offering another of their every-so-often free workshops – no obligation – lots of info. It’s at their office (the log-house-style building at 5458 California SW) tomorrow night, 6 pm, free but RSVP requested – contact info’s here.
West Seattle development: Link site now building-free
In The Triangle, demolition crews have finished knocking down all the buildings on the future site of Harbor Properties‘ Link (200 apartments/14,000 sf commercial, background here), along 38th between Alaska and Fauntleroy. That photo looks north; here’s a Google Street View image looking east at the now-gone ex-Huling/Gee service building:
View Larger Map
When we went by about an hour ago, crews were pummeling away at the remaining below-grade concrete walls on the south side of the site. It’s the biggest active construction site in West Seattle right now; probably the second biggest is the new Fire Station 37, under construction for 2 months now at 35th/Holden.
West Seattle low tides: Late-night delights
(September 2007 nighttime photo of beached jelly on Alki)
Thanks to Lura for sharing this info:
I’m not sure how many nature lovers are willing to brave the cold, but tonight and the next two nights have some extreme low tides. The rare clear sky and full moon means that you’ll be able to walk way, way out and see all sorts of nocturnal sea creatures – shrimp, starfish, crabs, clams…
Low tonight is -3.4 at 10:42 pm
Thursday night -3.5 at 11:27 pm, and
Friday night (early Saturday) -3.2 at 12:14.
It’s cold on the beach, but way cool.
Wondering about aircraft noise? Invitation for tonight
Also for tonight – we’ve received a meeting notice for the first time from the South King County group that opposed Sea-Tac’s third runway and is now tackling noise issues, CASE. Since aircraft noise has been a hot topic here off and on over the past few months (particularly this episode in late summer), you might be interested. CASE’s Stuart Jenner says the meeting tonight will focus on current usage of Sea-Tac’s new third runway, with the airport’s noise program manager Stan Shepherd scheduled to make a presentation. 15675 Ambaum SW in Burien (map), 7 pm.
Today/tonight: Ornaments; NDNC; HPAC; Fairmount Playground
(Thanks to Gary Jones for sharing his photo of this morning’s full-moon moonset over the Olympics)
ORNAMENTS FOR EDUCATION: From the WSB West Seattle Holidays page (keep checking it, we’re adding new events daily!) – Join Scholastic Journey at a drop-in workshop, noon-5 pm downstairs at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (map), to help make ornaments for an upcoming fundraiser to help get school supplies and uniforms for kids in developing countries. “Drop in for a few minutes or a few hours!” says Krista Livingston (krista@scholasticjourney.org), who adds that it’s free to participate.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL MEETING/POTLUCK: NDNC is forming new committees on public safety, outreach, beautification, streets/pedestrian, transportation, land use/economic development, and hopes to see a good turnout of North Delridge neighbors tonight for a potluck meeting to talk about those issues and how to make a difference, 6:30 at Delridge Library (map) – bring something to share if you can. “We need YOU to help us make a difference!” says board member Holli Margell.
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE HOLIDAY POTLUCK: You’re invited to come help HPAC trim the tree at the historic Highland Park Improvement Club building (where the group always meets) and enjoy a holiday potluck – 7 pm, 1116 SW Holden (map).
FAIRMOUNT PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS MEETING: Reminder that tonight’s your chance to have a say in how this Parks and Green Spaces Levy-funded project will improve the playground at Fairmount Playfield. 6:30 pm, High Point Library (map) – here’s our previous preview.
Also tonight — “Plaid Tidings” opens at ArtsWest – more on that coming up! Check our Events calendar and Holidays page (which also has ongoing lists, like tree lots and giving opportunities) for lots more of what’s happening around West Seattle.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Arrests in Steve Bushaw murder
(2/1/09 photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
We have been working most of the night to try to confirm a thirdhand report we received of arrests in the murder 10 months ago of Steven Bushaw – shot to death in The Junction hours after the Super Bowl. Police have not been available for comment and the court-records system is shut down for the night, but we did find three people listed 
on the King County Jail Register who were booked today on suspicion of first-degree murder – and one of our messages seeking comment from family members has just been answered: Steve’s sister Tanya Bushaw confirms that they have been told of three arrests, possibly four. This might be the fourth: We just found an out-of-town news story confirming one person under arrest in Texas (with a name different from the 3 in KCJ) and a mention of three others “sought”: This story from San Antonio names a man arrested there in connection with the Bushaw murder (the victim is not mentioned by name in the story but it describes the case as a Feb. 1 murder in West Seattle). We hope to be able to talk with police and prosecutors later this morning and will publish whatever additional information becomes available. (Photo above right was provided last winter by the Bushaw family, showing Steve with niece Ava in summer 2008.) 9:18 AM UPDATE: We just spoke with Det. Mark Jamieson in the SPD Media Unit. They are not yet ready this morning to release details of the case/arrests, he told me, but hope to later today – it’s still, he notes, “an active and ongoing investigation.” We’ve also checked the online court files but nothing on this is in the system yet – we have an inquiry in to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, asking for any documents that can be made public at this point. 3:19 PM: PAO spokesperson Dan Donohoe says, “The court documents are under seal because of ongoing investigation.” But he says “some more information” should be available later.
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