West Seattle, Washington
12 Monday
If you are a longtime WSB’er, you may remember West Seattle Art Attack – the whimsical late-night forays of a glass artist (and accomplices) to leave surprises here and there – here’s our first report from fall 2007. As far as we know, WSAA has been dormant for two years (here’s the last spree) – but we just got a communique:
We are targeting 6 houses in the Admiral neighborhood tonight. We scoped them out in an afternoon drive-by and it was hard to pick but based on our whims and an appreciation for the care they have put into their yards we have selected some recipients for a midnight (perhaps sooner) surprise. As long as everyone knows that this is yard art and often has cracks or chips (but is not dangerously sharp) and is not a piece of studio quality glass we’ll all be good. It’s great to be back attacking again!
WSAA tells us they’re actually already back from the covert operation … so if you find an artsy surprise in your yard, let us all know!
Thanks to Paige for the tip (via Facebook) that some power is out in The Junction. We’re up there looking around and so far all we’re seeing is the traffic lights at California/Oregon and 42nd/Oregon. There’s a crew on scene so we’ll check with them. 9:20 PM UPDATE: We’re told a transformer on a pole in the alley behind Shoofly Pie is to blame for the outage. It’s just affecting that block – east side of California north of Oregon, that area. Crews are working on it (as our photo shows).
First came the online availability of police reports in certain categories of incident (start here) – now, Seattle Police have added incident types to the city’s My Neighborhood map, which has been available a while with multiple layers of other types of information. We’re still wandering around it ourselves but wanted to share the link in case you hadn’t already heard. As explained here, the icons – showing what type of report was taken – will start showing up as soon as six hours later. The announcement on SPD Blotter summarizes:
The crime reporting map is a short-term view of crime: it provides a good sense of what is reported to be going on in a certain neighborhood or the city at large at any time. It is also good for seeing patterns of types of crimes happening (such as an unusual amount of reported bike thefts in your area).
If you choose to use the “neighborhood” view instead of the specific-address view, note that Southwest is basically “western West Seattle,” while Delridge is the label for most of the eastern half of the peninsula. 8:25 PM: After spending some time clicking around, one observation: While more categories of crime are reported on the map, the reports to which you can link don’t offer any additional detail – so far we’ve clicked on the report links for crimes such as auto theft and animal bites, and the only detail on the “report” is what block and what day/time.
Tomorrow night, you’re invited to celebrate West Seattle’s newest park, at the dedication ceremony for Junction Plaza Park – where the finishing touches have been going in (check the bench in our photo taken early this afternoon, one of three alongside the grassy oval on its west side). We noted here earlier this month that Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, who chairs the council’s Parks Committee, was planning to attend; she just announced via Twitter that her predecessor in that role, West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, will be on hand too. The Parks Department had previously announced that Deputy Superintendent Eric Friedl would participate as well, and that music will be provided by violinist Pasquale Santos. The dedication’s scheduled to start at 5:30 pm tomorrow (Tuesday) – if you haven’t been to the park yet, it’s on the northwest corner of 42nd and Alaska, and it’s been more than five years in the making, with tons of volunteer help and donations.
We haven’t yet formally welcomed one of our newest WSB sponsors – so, as is customary, today they get the chance to share information about their business with you: Bin 41, “your Junction wine shop.” Bin 41 co-proprietor T. Frick McNamara explains, “Jon and I are casual West Seattleites who just love wine. Our goal is to provide a welcoming, open atmosphere to discover. Based on a quote we once saw, we believe a meal or get-together without good wine and friends is like a day without sunshine. We want wine to be approachable and affordable so it can find a special place in everyday experiences.” She sees a parallel between this business and the work she has done as an urban designer: “I used to design socially sustainable places with a focus on community. Now we get to be a part firsthand in our community fabric. The most rewarding aspect of our new lives at bin 41 is meeting new faces from the community and getting to share and learn more about the world of wine with them. We love it when customers come back to provide feedback on the last bottle of wine we recommended to help us hand select wines to match their palate, their dinner menu or assist in finding the perfect gift item.” Their current community involvement includes being part of the West Seattle Junction Association and participating in the monthly West Seattle Art Walk (stop by to see them next time, July 8, night before West Seattle Summer Fest). And there are special occasions just about every week – with tastings at the shop – the schedule is here. Bin 41 is in The Junction at 4707 California SW, and online at bin41wine.com.
We thank bin 41 for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
Quick update on last Friday’s three-location West Seattle Community Car Wash fundraiser for West Seattle Food Bank and Haiti relief (via World Vision) – Terry Gangon says they raised $2,577, with $2,000 of that going to the food bank. (Here’s our as-it-happened report on last Friday’s event.)
Thanks to Larry Nitkey for that photo from 4516 42nd SW (map), where one of the houses scheduled to be cleared away for future development is in the process of being moved. According to Larry, “One of the contractors said they are moving this to 47th & Stevens.” This is one of four houses on the site of the 42nd/Oregon development that’s been in the works for more than 2 years. This house in particular, in fact, came up in a WSB discussion two years ago about saving old houses. 2:07 PM NOTE: Went by to check on progress, and crews are doing some work on the structure; we’ve got a message out to the construction firm to see if there’s a timetable for actually moving it. LATE-NIGHT NOTE: We did talk with the firm’s proprietor – the move actually is still more than 2 weeks away, very early July 17th.
For starters, the process of moving out of the temporary Chief Sealth International High School campus at Boren, getting ready to occupy the renovated permanent campus in fall, is a big job – we happened onto the band equipment getting packed up. But that’s not the main reason we were at the school:
It’s the first day of the first weeklong session of the 13th annual edition of the popular Chief Sealth Life Skills and Basketball Camp. In that view, everyone’s gathered for the team meeting. Guest coach this week with Coach Colin Slingsby (right) is recent Sealth grad Daniel Davis:
Coach Slingsby noted that Daniel first attended the Sealth camp way back in third grade – and now he’s coaching. Participants – 2nd through 9th grade boys/girls – spend the day in everything from warmups to specific basketball-skill-coaching to drills.
And as the name indicates, it’s more than sports. The printed schedule has the quote of the day: “You have not lived a perfect day, even if you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” For info on the summer’s remaining sessions, check out the brochure (PDF).
(WSB photo of Maia Santell at The Mount in August 2009)
Once again this August, Providence Mount St. Vincent plans a slate of outdoor concerts. The Mount’s Arlene Carter has just shared the lineup, including info on family activities accompanying the music, as well as the dinner offerings you can buy:
August 6th: Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana
Taco salad, burgers, hot dogs. Clown, face painter, caricature artist.August 13th: Maia Santell & House Blend
Jambalaya, burgers, hot dogs. Bouncy House, face painter, caricature artist.August 20th: Illusion of Elvis by Danny Vernon
Fried chicken picnic, burgers, hot dogs. Clown, face painter, caricature artist.August 27th: The Haggis Brothers – Rockin’, swingin’, fiddle-driven string band
BBQ ribs, burgers, hotdogs. Magician, face painter, caricature artist.Providence Mount St. Vincent is located at 4831 35th Ave SW (between SW Hudson & SW Edmunds in West Seattle. (206) 937-3700.
Other outdoor music this summer includes the West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB) slate – see it here – and the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park with the West Seattle Big Band on July 20th (when the West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Award winners will be honored), the Admiral Neighborhood Association’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha (co-sponsored by WSB), and several concerts planned at Alki (playfield and boardwalk).
This morning, the official city report is out on a major development reported here Friday in a story that’s been ongoing for almost three years – a request to change the zoning for both sides of one full block (and a bit extra) of California SW. Most of it currently has a 30-foot height limit; the proposed new zoning would add 10 feet. As property owner/rezoning proponent Mike Gain told WSB on Friday, the Department of Planning and Development, which has had the rezoning proposal under review since summer 2007, is recommending approval. This page explains how to comment before the public hearing, which is planned before the city Hearing Examiner at 9 am August 18th (her chambers are on the 40th floor of the Municipal Tower downtown) – after that, it goes to the City Council. The full Director’s Report on the recommendation can be seen here (PDF); we’re reading it now and will add its toplines to this story.
ADDED 10:35 AM: As promised – click ahead for toplines from the report, including what it forecasts would be the eventual effects of the rezone:Read More
Yet another award for the West Seattle Hi-Yu “Dreams Do Come True” float – the President’s Award in the Port Orchard Fathoms O’ Fun Parade on Saturday, according to Hi-Yu vice president Deena Mahn. (We should have some photos to add soon.) Next up for the float, next Sunday’s Burien 4th of July Parade (time/route info here). And before then, the West Seattle Hi-Yu Order of the White Rose Reception – a women-only event honoring Hi-Yu royalty and hopefuls, past and present – is 7 pm this Tuesday at the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall. 8:14 AM: Photos added. In the one below, from left, Senior Court Princess Kelly Nealson, Junior Court Princess Kaitlin Morgan, 2009 Junior Court Princess Anna Fuller, 2009 Junior Court Queen Zoe Mahn, and Queen Georgia are posing with the President’s Award plaque.
You’ll get to see the award-winning Hi-Yu float (and royalty, and volunteers) in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade on Saturday, July 24, starting at 11 am from California/Lander in the Admiral District and proceeding down California SW to SW Edmunds in The Junction.
In the latest West Seattle Crime Watch roundup – an e-mailed warning from a WSB’er that car prowlers will break into “even the most dirty old beat-up car” – plus, from the police files, the baseboard burglary, the overgrowth pathway, and the bike burglar caught on tape, among other cases – all ahead:Read More
| 13 COMMENTS