West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
Two weeks from tonight, you’ll be dancing in the streets – if you feel like it – at West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction (co-sponsored by WSB). It’s coming up July 9-10-11, and the website’s being updated with more on what you’ll find and who you’ll see during three days of free entertainment and activities – including the music lineup first previewed here three weeks ago. From 5:45 pm Friday through 3:45 pm Sunday, most of the schedule’s now up, in order of appearance, here. And there’s more than music – from the Rat City Rollergirls to the Art Dive, Big Purple Slide, and Super Terrific Happy Fun Zone, that’s all listed here, with times and places. Then there’s the five-page list of vendors – listed in alphabetical order, starting here. It all kicks off at 10 am Friday, July 9, and runs till 5 pm Sunday, July 11 – and also mark your calendar for the West Seattle Art Walk on Summer Fest Eve, 6-9 pm Thursday, July 8 – there’ll be extra fun that night too.
Thanks to Ron Zuber, one of the amateur-radio operators participating in Field Day at South Seattle Community College (who also happens to be a preparedness pro), for sharing photos from Day 1 of the annual event. (This page explains the GOTA in the photo above.) This morning, Ron says, operators were working to make contact with stations in other states including Idaho and California. He explains, “Field Day is a chance for non-hams to participate with experienced hams and make contact all over the world.”
Among many other activities in which they participate, hams also are involved in emergency preparedness in a big way – if and when regular channels of communication go down, they are ready to get involved and facilitate communication in a nimble, portable way. Field Day participants usually welcome visitors, and you can find them in the field on the southeast side of the SSCC campus, just past Olympic Hall (just look for tents and equipment) – Field Day is really more like “Field Day and a Half,” considering they’ll be there till noon tomorrow.
(Rendering of new “design concept” for the park atop now-covered West Seattle Reservoir in Highland Park)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Extra space for offleash dogs, new parking, a “skate dot,” and kinetic-sculpture art likened to characters from Wall-E are all parts of the design concept for the West Seattle Reservoir/Westcrest park expansion, just unveiled this morning during the project’s fourth and final public design meeting at Southwest Community Center.
In general, comments were positive, though concerns remain – read on for the key points of what’s new and what people are concerned about – we also have images from this morning’s presentation, which isn’t on the Parks website yet:Read More
Till 5 pm at Bridge Park Retirement Community (WSB sponsor) in High Point, on SW Morgan across from Neighborhood Center and Commons Park – you can come see the work of the Piecemakers, a West Seattle quilting group that’s been meeting for 20 years (and still includes some of its original members). They’re offering giveaways, including one prize described as “a gorgeous quilted wall hanging.” (added) Here’s a photo – it’s a charity-fundraising raffle:
Bridge Park is at 3204 SW Morgan (here’s a map).
ORIGINAL 12 PM “HAPPENING NOW” REPORT: On the beach right now – 157 people holding hands as part of “Hands Across the Sand.” It’s part of a nationwide demonstration against offshore oil drilling and for clean-energy development.
More info here; more photos to come. ADDED 1:52 PM: Here’s one courtesy of Cathy, as the participants gathered at Alki Statue of Liberty:
And another of ours:
ADDED 4:14 PM: Two video clips – one as the line formed, and one in which we talked with organizers:
That’s Stacia Jenkins and Rick Harlan.
Arriving for the West Seattle Reservoir (at Westcrest) Park project meeting at Southwest Community Center – a surprise: The parking’s jammed; side streets are lined with cars too. Big event at the Southwest Athletic Complex: The Pacific Northwest Association Junior Track and Field Championships. The event is happening all weekend – here’s the schedule.
(Photo courtesy Frances Smersh)
Those are some of the handbags donated during last night’s event at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), for the Ruby Room, which provides teenage girls access to formal wear they couldn’t otherwise afford. If you missed the event with Nyla Bittermann – who leads the Seattle Ruby Room effort (and runs Cherry Consignment in The Junction) – no worries, you can bring a “gently used” handbag to Click! all weekend, and qualify for a 20 percent discount on a new one. The Click! website has the latest on some of what’s in stock.
Alki photographer David Hutchinson has contributed so many breathtaking scenes to WSB – and a few others that evoke something closer to sighs of disgust. This one’s from Thursday, but the issue is unfortunately timeless. He wrote: “It was a beautiful sunrise at Alki Beach (Thursday) morning – until I took a closer look.”
He continues:
This type of scene was repeated at many of the metal fire containers from 59th Ave east along Alki Ave for 3 blocks. There was also a good deal of litter around the picnic tables just east of the Bathhouse. I realize that the photo was taken before the Parks crew made their morning rounds, but I think it’s a shame that visitors to the beach feel free to leave it in this condition.
Last night and early today, we previewed some of today’s big events – including the West Seattle Reservoir Park design meeting (10 am @ Southwest Community Center) and Hands Across the Sand (11 am @ Alki), plus the Alaskan Way Viaduct and northbound 1st Avenue South Bridge closures – here are more:
SOCCER: If you haven’t already planned where to watch the USA vs. Ghana World Cup soccer match at 11:30 am, here’s our list of West Seattle venues that have been putting the games on their bigscreens; then tonight, a film full of the flavor of soccer mania screens again at 7 pm at Admiral Theater – “Argentina Futbol Club” – the subtitled trailer’s above.
GENESEE HILL SCHOOL CLEANUP 9 AM to 1 PM – A garden and grounds clean-up Genesee Hill School Playground! Come for a bit, or stay the whole time! Members of the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council are organizing a community clean-up event for the the north playground, raised beds, nature area and play structure at the vacant Genesee Hill School. At SW Dakota and 51st Ave SW. Tools and gloves provided.
‘FIELD DAY’ ALL WEEKEND: Ham radio operators’ Field Day at South Seattle Community College – they’re set up in the field on the southeast side of the SSCC campus.
TOOL LIBRARY: While you’re at SSCC, check out the new West Seattle Tool Library on the north side – its regular Saturday hours are 9 am-2 pm.
LITTLE LEAGUE ALL-STARS: All-Star play for West Seattle Little League gets under way, and some of the teams are playing at Bar-S on the east side of Alki Point – details here.
SWAP MEET/FLEA MARKET: 9 am to 5 pm at White Center Eagles, 10452 15th Ave SW
Their invite: “Come browse, come shop! Burgers & dogs served hot off the grill all afternoon. Bring your sweet tooth, baked goods also available for sale.”
FOR THE BIRDS: Save Our Amazing Raptors, West Seattle (Admiral) Library branch, 11 am (details here)
MAGIC AT YOUNGSTOWN: Another Saturday night magic show at Youngstown Arts Center, 6:30 pm – more info at gggreenmagic.com
Sports Director Matt Schlede from the West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) has two bits of news to report:
One of our West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA t-ball teams was chosen to throw out the first pitch at last Sunday’s Mariners game vs. the Cincinnati Reds (Youth Baseball Day). Attached is a picture of some of them with Jason Vargas; pictured are Orion Bohus, Aina Sulcs, Henry First, Skye Milne, Campbell Howe. Campbell was the one who actually threw the first pitch to Skye.
Matt also reports that the end-of-season barbecue is today at EC Hughes – you’ll see YMCA players out there, with a bounce house, 10 am-6 pm, and the Mariners Moose 11 am-1 pm. P.S. Interested in sports at the Y? From Matt’s sig, the lists of when the Y does what:Read More
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