West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
Transportation is the focus for this Disaster Preparedness Month “moment” … specifically, how you’d get around if you can’t drive, either because you’re out of fuel or the roads are jammed/impassable. 
West Seattle Be Prepared webmaster (and more) Karen Berge recalls the scenes from 9/11 in which women were trying to walk with shoes that weren’t made for distance – giving rise to the thought that even if high heels are your preferred business wear, you might keep something more practical handy at your workplace, stashed in a locker or under a desk, and at home, regardless of what you usually wear, know where the sturdiest, most walkable shoes are, in case you have to get out fast. If you’re not fully acquainted with West Seattle’s streets and trails, take some time to learn more about them – the West Seattle Walking Trails maps can help. Know the route to your West Seattle Emergency Communication Hub, at least. And beyond walkability – even if you don’t or can’t regularly ride a bike, you might consider having one around as a matter of preparedness; taking the idea even further, given that we’re surrounded by water, owning watercraft (or having an agreement with a friend who has a boat moored on this side of the bay) could be considered part of preparedness as well.
Now, for the third to last time, our nightly reminders:
–West Seattle Be Prepared (resource-laden, WS-specific website here; Facebook group for more discussion/ideas here)
-Accept the city’s simple 3 To Get Ready challenge (register for prizes!), which is being advertised on WSB through early May
-All of this month’s reports/ideas/links are in the WSB Preparedness archive, newest to oldest – see them here
9 days till the sixth annual edition of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – coming up Saturday, May 8, 9 am-3 pm, all over the peninsula.. We are deep in the throes of mapmaking right now – we start with a Google Map before converting the data into the printed, numbered map, and what you see at left is a screengrab of the peninsula with “only” two-thirds of the sales entered so far – there’s no question, we’re past 200 sales. If you missed out on the three-week registration period (which closed last Thursday), we heard tonight that there are still a few spots at the group-sale site at Highland Park Improvement Club (e-mail hpic1919@gmail.com to inquire) – also you can check with Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) if there’s any room in the Hotwire courtyard/Ginomai parking lot multi-seller site, or at C & P Coffee. If you add all the people participating there to the total, plus the multi-family/group sales, there are at least 400 people selling! Lots of nonprofit fundraisers too – including West Seattle High School Grad Night, Chief Sealth High School PTSA, Lincoln Park P-Patch, CoolMom, Hope Lutheran mission trip, West Seattle Christian well-building trip, West Seattle Relay for Life, Alki and Lincoln Park Co-op Preschools, Amigos de los Americas, Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, Boy Scout Troop 284, Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, International Order of the Rainbow for Girls, and then there’s the West Seattle Tool Library – accepting donations, and sending “scavenger teams” out to buy tools, instead of selling. The West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day map will be available online by Saturday night; we’ll have a limited number of printed copies for pickup at various locations, hopefully also by Saturday but it depends on how fast we finish it! Meantime, the most important thing to do is to mark your calendar and plan on a fun day. (Note to sellers: Thursday’s the last day we can take you off the map if you have to cancel – e-mail garagesale@westseattleblog.com or call 206-293-6302.)
(Photo by Dina Johnson)
Two weeks ago, we shared West Seattle High School marketing instructor Martha Tonkin‘s open call for volunteer help to judge student presentations. She reports a great response – and today, the students (above) gave those presentations, with concepts for cause-based marketing campaigns. The photos are courtesy of one of the volunteers, Highland Park’s Dina Johnson, who reports, “It was a lively event – a reminder of those days when we all had more enthusiasm, ambition, and imagination than experience and know-how. Almost all the students planned to have Taylor Swift perform in their benefit concerts. The teacher, Martha, was eager to get judges’ feedback afterward, not only on the presentations, but the concept of the project itself.” Here are the judges – Dina’s second from left.
Now, where YOU might come in – Martha is looking for judges for two other competitions – 8-11 am next Tuesday, May 3, a photography show called “Portraiture” with 60 WSHS students – 12 photography judges are needed; 3:30-8 pm May 20th, eight marketing judges and 12 photography judges are needed to judge “West Seattle Spring Expo 2010,” final marketing-campaign projects by the students. Can you help? Contact Martha: 206.252.8832 office, 206.283.8440 cell, mmtonkin@seattleschools.org
Thanks to Bob Bollen for that photo; Bob, along with J. Leddy, David V. and Ron, sent word of that submarine sighting off Alki Point, northbound , in the past hour. Earlier in the day, David Hutchinson photographed a more frequently sighted vessel, just as the storm clouds rolled in:
Thanks to everyone who shares photos of what you see around West Seattle – here are all the ways you can share.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Just in case you saw the fire response to The Mount within the past hour, or the “4 RED” call on the live 911 log – Christopher Boffoli checked it out; firefighters told him it was a small fire in an elevator exhaust-fan motor. No injuries but some smoke, so that’s why – as shown in Christopher’s photo – they had to bring in fans to clear the air.
(Friday afternoon photo by Christopher Boffoli)
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has just announced that 22-year-old Marcus Combs is now charged with first-degree assault in connection with last Friday’s stabbing of a 40-year-old woman who was walking with her 9-year-old. Court documents we obtained and reported on Monday said he stabbed her 15 times in the head and body after attacking her and pushing her down along a High Point street. But as disclosed in a Seattle Housing Authority update on Monday, the victim was doing well enough to leave the hospital over the weekend and is recovering at home. Combs is scheduled for arraignment on May 12th; if found guilty on this charge, he could be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison. The High Point Neighborhood Association is sponsoring a community meeting tomorrow night at HP Neighborhood Center to discuss the incident and other issues, and is also working to find out if there is anything the community can do collectively to help the victim’s family. ADDED 3:24 PM: Transcription, from the charging documents, of exactly how it’s alleged the Friday afternoon attack went down – read on:Read More
We are out in The Junction, caught in serious sleet/hail/heavy rain. Since it’s been coming down a while, beware of street flooding etc. (iPhone video added 3:40 pm, shot from inside the car during one of the cloudbursts – the forecast says there’s a chance of thunderstorms through tonight.)
(Photo by Greg Gilbert/Used with permission of the Seattle Times – added 7:19 pm)
ORIGINAL 12:23 PM REPORT: In a few minutes, King County Executive Dow Constantine and a flotilla of other elected county leaders including Sheriff Sue Rahr and Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg are meeting the media to talk about “an option for preserving current levels of public safety and health services.” According to several advance reports including this one from our regional-news partners at the Seattle Times, the proposal will ask voters to approve a potential sales-tax increase. We’ll add more details as the announcement is made. ADDED 1:03 PM: The Times story is now updated with details – the proposal is to raise the sales tax 0.2 percent, with 60% of the money going to the county, 40% to cities. 1:12 PM: And the official news release is now on the county website. They’re proposing that this go to voters in August. A public hearing on the proposal is set for the County Council’s budget committee at 1:30 tomorrow afternoon; this has to be finalized by May 25th to make it onto the August ballot. This document shows how the county would spend the money it thinks the tax increase would raise.
For the second time in three days, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson is visiting West Seattle to join in an event with high-profile visitors. The other day, it was the Confucius Institute Education Center opening ceremonies at Denny International Middle School (WSB coverage here), and today, she’s at Chief Sealth High School – pictured above with Sealth principal John Boyd – for a special assembly introducing the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz‘s “Peer-to-Peer” jazz education program. The jazz legend’s son, Thelonious Monk Jr., is here, along with a musical delegation including a team described in the official announcement as “six exceptionally gifted high school jazz students from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.” After the assembly, which is continuing till noon, the visitors will join in an afternoon of workshops for Sealth musicians. ADDED: Our video is from Monk’s stirring pep talk as the event began- talking about how jazz is quintessential Americana – representing so many important values, including teamwork:
(Photo from June 2009 Westwood Village Street Fair)
If you’re looking to start scheduling your summer – more dates are rolling in. Last night, we noted that Sustainable West Seattle is taking exhibitor applications for its festival, to be held in conjunction with Delridge Day on June 5th. The Morgan Community Association announced last week that its 2010 festival is set for June 12th. And the West Seattle Junction Association started planning months ago for this year’s West Seattle Summer Fest, July 9-11. Now, today, we have word that Westwood Village will have a festival again this year too – but earlier than last year. According to WV general manager Stuart Crandall, the date’s set for May 22. Full details to come, but they’re working on activities for not only kids, but also pets! 8:47 PM UPDATE: More details of the festival were revealed at tonight’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting (separate meeting story to come) – including the fact they’re expecting an appearance by beloved clown J.P. Patches! The news was shared by Evie Knoke, who had advance copies of promotional flyers for the festival. Also planned: Live bands, magicians, inflatable bouncers for the kids, hourly raffles including a diamond pendant from Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor), and an amateur dog show – you can sign up now at Pet Pros in WV.
Big night around West Seattle – and beyond. The marquee event is happening outside WS but with ramifications here and around the city: The first chance for citizens to speak out about the city budget is coming up at 5:30 tonight (sign-ins for speakers at 5), NewHolly Gathering Hall on Beacon Hill (map). There seems to be no question more major cuts are ahead; if you don’t want certain services cut, what do you think should be cut instead? First chance to speak out. … In West Seattle, the Highland Park Action Committee meets tonight, with topics including the West Seattle Reservoir Park project and this year’s Westwood Vilage Street Fair, 7 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club … In The Junction, ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) opens its new production, Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s “Tell Me on a Sunday,” tonight, 7:30 pm … What can you do to fight underage drinking in our community? The Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership needs you, 7 pm at Seattle Lutheran High School … West Seattle Elementary invites you to come visit the campus as it celebrates Literacy Night, 6:30-7:30 pm, full details and map here … In honor of National Poetry Month, Poetrybridge features a reading by Kerry Cox followed by open mike for all, 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee … Writer/activist Georgie Bright Kunkel sends word that her committee to educate the public about “corporate personhood” meets at 7 tonight in the Westwood Village area; call 935-8663 for specifics.
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