month : 06/2010 383 results

South Park Bridge: Countdown to closure; business brainstorming

Jeff Gilbert of the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) is a longtime humorist as well as rock ‘n’ roller, entrepreneur, etc., and mashed that scenario up in honor of the all-day wake he’s holding for the South Park Bridge starting at 6 pm June 30, an hour before it closes forever, with no concrete commitments yet for full funding of a new bridge. (At the Feedback that night, they’ll supply the materials, you help build the symbolic replacement!) The people of South Park are still hashing out their plans for C-Day – the South Park Yahoo! group has been abuzz with ideas. And for the businesses of South Park, who suddenly will no longer have people walking, riding and driving across the bridge to dine and shop, they’ve got a big brainstorming session ahead this Wednesday – city reps from departments including the Office of Economic Development will be at the SP Community Center on 8th South at 6:30 pm (here’s a flyer in English/Spanish/Vietnamese). MONDAY NIGHT UPDATE: SDOT has announced sharrow-painting ahead in South Park – read on:Read More

Special guest for health-reform Town Hall screening in West Seattle

June 7, 2010 2:48 pm
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 |   Health | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Tomorrow morning’s presidential Town Hall addressing health reform and seniors will be viewed at senior-serving facilities across the country, including Providence Mount St. Vincent here in West Seattle. The Mount’s Arlene Carter sends word that Susan Johnson, the Health and Human Services regional director for Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho, will be at the Mount for the event, starting at 8 tomorrow morning. The National Council on Aging is sponsoring “satellite town halls” like the one in WS to try to get questions answered about health-reform changes. (If you can’t get to The Mount, the event itself, led by President Obama and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius from a Maryland senior center, will be streamed on whitehouse.gov and healthreform.gov, 8:15 am-9:45 am our time tomorrow.)

West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 incidents in Lincoln Park area

This afternoon, we have two reports from the Lincoln Park area – one from a man who e-mailed to report he was chased through nearby Solstice Park last night; the other was a robbery/attack reported in LP last week, published on the new SPD online-report website. Read on for both:Read More

Video: Pathfinder K-8’s Lou Cutler runs 60 laps for Make-A-Wish

With dozens of students running alongside, that’s Pathfinder K-8 P-E teacher Lou Cutler scoring a strong finish to his annual birthday run this mornin – one lap around the school playfield for each year of his life, raising money for Make-A-Wish Foundation. This is the seventh time Lou’s done this, but a few things were different this year – for one, it’s the first time around the field at Pathfinder’s new Pigeon Point campus; for two, he tacked on an extra lap – 59th birthday, 60 laps. We’ll check later on the fundraising total; you can donate online here.

Admiral Safeway rezoning goes to City Council committee Wed.

When last we updated the Admiral Safeway project – with this report that the smaller retail building on the northwest side of the current parking lot would not be built first, after all, and the interim pharmacy will instead be in a trailer – Safeway’s Sara Corn said the next milestone was City Council consideration of the “contract rezone” they’ve requested. As she had projected at the time, the rezoning proposal is indeed on a Council agenda this week – the Committee on the Built Environment will consider it Wednesday at 9:30 am at City Hall downtown. Here’s the agenda; here’s the actual Council Bill they’re voting on. According to the agenda, public comment will not be taken at the meeting (though certainly you can e-mail committee chair Sally Clark, vice chair Tim Burgess and/or member Sally Bagshaw before then – contact info is here). The rezone doesn’t change the height limit for any part of the site – it’s listed as 40 feet now, and will remain that – but would change the allowable business size on the section of the site where the store itself will be built, and will change one currently residential section of the site’s south side to commercial zoning. Approval by the full council is required after the committee vote, and the project still needs approval for the north-side “alley vacation.” Once that vote is scheduled, Corn told us last month, Safeway will finalize a construction schedule for the project.

Federal trial starts today for Delridge shooting, chop-shop suspect

gavel.jpgAt the federal courthouse downtown, trial is scheduled to begin today for DeVaughn Dorsey, charged with a long list of federal crimes including the May 2008 shooting of a mother and her 10-year-old son at their Delridge home. We reported the indictments in January 2009, including the allegation that the 2008 shooting was a case of attempted witness intimidation (both victims survived) in a car theft/”chop shop” case involving multiple locations (one in West Seattle). Starting today, Chief Judge Robert Lasnik presides over Dorsey’s trial; last September, investigators made one last neighborhood sweep – as we noted here – for evidence and witnesses, before going to trial.

West Seattle Monday: Lou’s run, Admiral crime, Triangle parks

June 7, 2010 6:30 am
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 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Weekend photo taken at Jack Block Park in West Seattle by David Hutchinson)
Today’s buzz: At Pathfinder K-8 (1901 SW Genesee on Pigeon Point), P-E teacher Lou Cutler raises money for Make-A-Wish with his annual birthday run – starting at 8:45 am – go cheer him on (you can pledge online too) … At 9 am, all around the state, it’s the official start of online/in-person candidate-filing week for the August primary; if you’re thinking of running for something, info’s here … Tonight at 6 at West Seattle Golf Course, as part of the current city-spearheaded Triangle planning process, everyone who’s interested is invited to take a look at, and get an overview of, Triangle park facilities, including WSGC … Tonight at 6:30 at Hiawatha Community Center, it’s the second crime-prevention forum presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association … At 6:45, the evening book group at Southwest Library discusses Thomas Friedman‘s “From Beirut to Jerusalem.”

To see more of what’s up, check the WSB West Seattle Events calendar any time!

“Pawty with a Purpose”- for West Seattle author Val Mallinson

By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

“Imagine the worst flu you’ve ever had — aches, fever, stomach illness, and feeling like you want to die. Now imagine that lasting for a year.”

This is how Val Mallinson, author of The Dog Lover’s Companion…” books for the Pacific Northwest, describes the effects of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), which she has been struggling with since 1987. Val’s particular type of CFS comes in waves of relapse and remission, and it was during times of remission that she and the “Wonder Wieners” (Cooper and Isis, her rescued miniature Dachshunds) did the research for her travel books.

Her most recent relapse began in March of 2009; as of July, she says, her part-time employer, PCC in West Seattle (WSB sponsor), found her an easier job to do while she dealt with the effects of CFS. However, the physical impact of this particular relapse has continued so long and so severely, that she hasn’t been able to work since December.

Unable to continue in her job at PCC — Val and her husband Steve are quick to note that PCC was very supportive of Val and provided her with medical benefits for as long as they could — Val applied for disability benefits through her insurance company. Her application was denied, she says, because many insurance companies don’t recognize CFS as a legitimate disability.

Her disability claim is being appealed with the help of a lawyer through the organization Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, but in the meantime, the medical bills are accumulating. Friends suggested a fundraising party, which Val initially balked at – but now, it’s on.

Read More

Parks Levy Opportunity Fund proposals: 1 week till the pitches!

Who will get shares of the first $7 million? Thanks to Pete Spalding from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee, we have details on the meeting a week from tonight during which West Seattleites who proposed Opportunity Fund projects will get to make their pitches. It’s Monday, June 14th, at Magnuson Park‘s Workshop & View Ridge Room (7400 Sand Point Way; here’s a map). It starts at 4:45, when applicants will set up displays and sign up for presentations; 5:15-6:15 is their open-house opportunity to show them off; then 6:30-8:45, applicants get 2 minutes each to pitch their projects. (In addition to the West Seattle projects, this meeting also is for those from the Northwest and Northeast parts of the city; other parts of the city get a pitch session 6/28.) Pete stresses one thing: Even if your project didn’t rank highly in the recently revealed Parks staff ratings, you’ve still got a chance, if you’re ready to fight for it – those ratings are only part of what committee members will decide in their recommendations, and even the lowest-staff-rated proposal has a chance, if a good enough case is made! Here’s the official agenda; here’s the citywide list of projects and staff ratings.

Dolphins take on Pirates – and look who won!

June 7, 2010 12:31 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photos by Cori Roed)
When you’re talking Seafair Pirates (who invade Alki on July 10th) and parades, you know it’s summer, rain or shine. These photos are from last weekend but just came in, courtesy of Cori Roed, who explains:

At a parade in New Westminster, BC, Canada, on Saturday, May 29th, the Denny International MS Marching Band, under the command of Band Director Dr. Marcus Pimpleton, stormed and took over the ship of Seattle’s own Seafair Pirates. (To be fair, it was early and the pirates didn’t put up that much of a fight.)

The Denny music program has its own website here, and of course the Pirates sail the online seas here.

3 next weekend: Tool Library, Morgan Festival, Junction Health Fair

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY GRAND OPENING COMING UP: On this showery Sunday, no rest for some of the stalwart volunteers from Sustainable West Seattle. We photographed Chas Redmond and Bill Reiswig at the WS Farmers’ Market, just one day after their group put on its 3rd annual festival – part of ReFRESH Southwest this time around. Today, they were promoting next Saturday’s West Seattle Tool Library grand opening (9 am-2 pm, north side of South Seattle Community College), and continuing to collect tool donations. As ReFRESH SW ended Saturday, we had asked Gene Homicki what the Tool Library still REALLY needs; his reply, the one thing they’re still hoping to get donated – an electric pressure washer! If you can donate one of those, here’s the contact info. Meantime, get a sneak peek at the tools in the system by searching this database (300 or so now, 100 more to be catalogued, Gene tells us).

MORGAN JUNCTION FESTIVAL UPDATE: Also next Saturday, it’s the southernmost West Seattle neighborhood to have its own major festival – Morgan Junction! 11 am-6 pm next Saturday (6/12), you’ll find live music next to Beveridge Place Pub and other entertainment (lineup here) in year-old Morgan Junction Park, booths (come say hi, we’re #17) behind Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) and Zeeks Pizza, and the Bite of Morgan food samples (be sure to pick up a free ‘ticket’ book) at not only Feedback and Zeeks, but also Kokoras Greek Grill, Abbondanza and Domino’s. (Plus the legendary Bubbleman at 5:15 pm!)

WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION HEALTH FAIR: Brand-new event this year (info here) – gathering The Junction’s health-related businesses together for an expo to show their stuff. Among them are WSB sponsors Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy, Westside Dermatology, 8 Limbs Yoga, Fitness Together; they’ll join more than a dozen-other health/wellness specialists for demonstrations, raffles, freebies, and there’ll even be a mobile blood drive, plus police, firefighters and disaster-preparedness experts. This’ll all happen 10 am-2 pm in the Wells Fargo parking lot, conveniently across from the West Seattle Farmers’ Market during those same hours, next Sunday!

Ticket-sales time for West Seattle Garden Tour 2010

Will June showers mean July flowers? If so, it’ll be the best year yet for the West Seattle Garden Tour. Just might be, no matter what! WSB is pleased to be among the West Seattle Garden Tour sponsors this year for the first time; we just got word from organizers that the $15 tickets (kids under 12 are free) go on sale this week at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), West Seattle Nursery, ArtsWest and Junction TrueValue – or you can buy yours online right now. The tour is on July 18th. Organizers hope to sell 1,000 tickets this year to match what they’ve received in sponsorships – the proceeds this year will benefit Highland Park Elementary, the Duwamish Longhouse‘s Rain Gardens, Seattle Tilth, the ArtsWest education program, and the South Seattle Community College Arboretum (WSGT photo at left), which this year is one of 8 WSGT stops. SSCC is also where ticketholders will see a noon edible-gardening lecture by West Seattle’s own Willi Galloway of DigginFood.com, followed by wine, cheese and confections tasting courtesy of SSCC. The July 18 tour is self-guided, 9 am-5 pm.

‘Running for Robel’ followup: Holy Rosary kids @ Race for the Cure

(Photos courtesy Tim Hinthorn)
A few days ago, Susan G. Komen for the Cure volunteer Meg Paynor e-mailed WSB to share the story of a Holy Rosary School class running in the Race for the Cure today to honor their beloved teacher, who’s fighting breast cancer. She explained that they were chosen to start the Kids’ Race because of their touching story; we published that report on Friday night. This morning, they ran in the rain – and Tim Hinthorn just sent a note to share photos along with this report:

Over twenty students and their families from Holy Rosary School didn’t let summer rain drown their spirits as they participated in the Susan G Komen “Race for the Cure” this morning.

The students wore “Running for Robel” t-shirts to express their love and support for Second Grade teacher Karen Robel. Willie McGaughey, Cory Hinthorn, and Ethan Grassley finished the kids’ race first, second, and third respectively, and all participants finished the race with enthusiasm, love, and hope that Mrs. Robel recovers soon!

Though the race is over, the Komen organization accepts online donations year-round – go here.

Camp Long Lodge fans, rejoice: Grand reopening set for July 31

The date’s official, as announced on the card distributed at the Camp Long table during Saturday’s ReFRESH Southwest festival in Delridge (WSB coverage here and here) – 5 months after the Camp Long Lodge closed for a $1 million renovation project, funded by the Parks and Green Spaces Levy, its grand-reopening party is set for 4-7 pm July 31st: “Tours, activities, cake,” promises the card. The celebration will precede one of GreenStage‘s free “Shakespeare in the Park” shows (their full season calendar is here – thanks to JanS for that tip). If you haven’t been to Camp Long lately, please note that the park itself remains open, and its trademark environmental-learning programs are still happening (see the latest list here) – only the main lodge is closed.

West Seattle finalist in All-Star contest gets Safeco showcase today

Pongo Teen Writing Project founder Richard Gold of West Seattle is scheduled to get a big-screen showcase during this afternoon’s Mariners-Angels game at Safeco Field. As reported here last Tuesday, Gold is a finalist in the national All-Stars Among Us competition (with voting under way now). After getting word of that from the Mariners, we contacted him to find out more about Pongo and its West Seattle connections beyond the fact he lives here:

The Alki Bakery is Pongo’s office. That’s where I meet with volunteers, collaborators, and supporters. I love to walk along Alki afterward. But in terms of Pongo’s work, what I’ve found is that the process of healing through poetry is profoundly powerful, so I seek the youth who are institutionalized in county-wide and state-wide agencies. Our principal sites are King County juvenile detention and the state psychiatric hospital for children. Of course, I’ve worked with West Seattle youth along the way. And in the community, Pongo appears at Folklife and Bumbershoot where we speak to 500 people over a weekend and give readings, and talk to our West Seattle friends. FYI, one of Pongo’s recent volunteers is Mike Hickey, a West Seattle resident, professor at South Seattle CC, and current Seattle Poet Populist.

So why enter the nationwide contest?:

…I hope to do more good through our Pongo website, which contains free writing activities that serve abused and neglected youth. We have writing activities that address addiction, letter to a missing parent, feelings of invisibility, etc. It’s my hope that through the “All-Stars Among Us” balloting more teens, counselors, and teachers will discover and use the Pongo website.

He adds, “My primary message at the baseball game is this… For abused and neglected teens, like struggling baseball teams, you can’t undo the past. But the best first step is honesty, figuring out your truth, followed by effort and the support of caring teammates.” So if you’re going to today’s game, watch the big screen for the Richard Gold shoutout; in the meantime, you can vote for him by going here (click on the Mariners logo). June 20 is the voting deadline. Each Major League Baseball team has three finalists in the competition, and each will send one to Anaheim for recognition during the All-Star Game on July 13. (Photo courtesy Richard Gold)

West Seattle Sunday: Music, drama, Farmers’ Market, plants for pets

June 6, 2010 8:55 am
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 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Much quieter today – but there are still a few things of note on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar, including: The renowned Music Sunday at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) is today, 10 am … one more performance for “Fool for Love” in Easy Street Café, “pay what you will,” 8 pm tonight … cherries make their debut at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm (here’s the Ripe and Ready list) … and the Furry Faces fundraiser plant sale/adoption event continues at 3809 46th SW (plant sale 10 am-4 pm, cat/dog adoptions noon-4).

West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival: Another award-winning field trip

(First three photos by Mark and Carrie Hewitt)
How does a queen cross a mud puddle? Very carefully! That’s the current Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu, Georgia Mitchell, leaping over a lingering puddle on Saturday in Shelton, where the Hi-Yu float had another award-winning day:

The “Dreams Do Come True” float was in Shelton for the Mason County Forest Festival Parade, where West Seattle Hi-Yu won the Governor’s Award – here’s your Hi-Yu royalty with the plaque and fellow parade-participant clowns:

Reporting the big win – on the heels of the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival Parade Mayor’s Award last month – Hi-Yu Summer Festival President Tim Winston adds, “The float ran great, the girls did a great job representing West Seattle, and there was SUN!” Also along for the trip, two of the current Miss Hi-Yu candidates, Kelsey Bills and Melanie Frey:

(Photo by Carol Winston)
The candidates have several big events ahead before the July 26 coronation reveals who will be the next Queen and Senior Court – first one, the candidates’ reception at American Legion Post 160 this Wednesday night.

West Seattle weekend scene: Log House Museum’s summer prep

Right in the middle of West Seattle’s bright beautiful Saturday morning, its headquarters for history – the Log House Museum – got some love from a small but dedicated cleanup crew – below, that’s Southwest Seattle Historical Society president Judy Bentley and a young volunteer in the next photo, checking out the “to do” list.

For the latest roundup of what the Historical Society is focusing on – including a current pledge drive – you can check out their most recent newsletter (PDF) here. And expect to hear more soon about the Alki Homestead awareness event announced by board member Jim Del Ciello at this past week’s Southwest District Council meeting. Meantime, the museum’s open Thursdays-Sundays, noon-4 pm, 61st/Stevens (map), and well worth a visit.

West Seattle weekend scene: 2010’s first summery sunset

(Photo by David Rosen from SlickPix Photography)
Though the solstice isn’t till June 21, you have to agree today felt like summer. Finally. So even with the clouds that moved in by the end of ReFRESH Southwest (our coverage is here and here), this was the perfect sunset. (The forecast still suggests the return of rain tomorrow.)

West Seattle Crime Watch: Suspicious activity

From Sarah:

Hello,

Around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, my husband and I came home from a day downtown and observed a young man – black, early 20s-ish – attempting to act nonchalant while trying car door handles along Avalon Way SW between 35th and SW Genesee. Specifically, he tested a late-90s silver Honda Accord twice (crossing the street and testing others between attempts). I did report the activity to police, who were dispatching a car to check things out. He was wearing an oversized black t-shirt and black shorts, red baseball cap, and red backpack. Keep an eye out! This is obviously a heavily-traveled street, and it’s still light out, but this guy didn’t seem fazed at all.

West Seattle coyotes: Pigeon Point sighting

Out of the WSB inbox, from Crystal:

I noticed that the coyote sightings are being posted on the blog so I just wanted to mention that we saw one tonight. We were walking through the Pigeon Point neighborhood toward the school there and we saw one behind the fence, near the Duwamish trail. It ran away from us because we were walking our dogs, but looked pretty big.

If you missed it – our previous coyote-sighting report included a photo. And as always, we don’t publish these because they’re cause for major alarm, but because some still aren’t aware they’re among us; here’s the “coexisting with coyotes” link frequently shared here.

Next Saturday: Join West Seattle Kiwanis at Westcrest!

(Photo courtesy West Niver)
Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area is the only off-leash park in West Seattle, and the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is going to make it an even better place for dogs and their people – with your help. 9 am to noon next Saturday, June 12th, they’ll be there for a community-service project – installing hand-built (see photo!) cedar dispensers for “doggy bags,” and clearing overgrown vegetation. Want to help? Just show up! Got questions? E-mail West Niver at westseattlekiwanis@live.com.

‘Live’ at the ReFRESH Southwest festival, report #2

We’ve been enjoying music drifting over from the Delridge Day main stage, into the Sustainable West Seattle Festival exhibition area, here at ReFRESH Southwest (grounds of Delridge Community Center till 5 pm). Above, drumming and dancing early in the afternoon. Right now, the Vicious Puppies Crew – breakdancers that rocked the festival (Delridge Day) last year too – are over at the main stage. 4:05 PM UPDATE: Final hour – here are more of the scenes – City Council President Richard Conlin dropped by, wearing the I (Heart) West Seattle T-shirt we remember from his visit to the Morgan Junction Park dedication this time last year (the Morgan Festival is coming up hext Saturday, in and around the park, 11 am-6 pm):

4:24 PM UPDATE: It’s been an afternoon full of workshops, too – here are some of the stars – urban ilvestock!

We also caught up with the Highland Park group that we mentioned in a separate story earlier – as they joined in Delridge Walks, heading to the festival on foot:

Again, this is on till 5 – performances by the Delridge Community Center building, sustainability exhibits (and other ‘tablers’ like us) in the parking lot. (video added 6:26 pm – there were also workshops inside, like this one)

5:07 PM: It’s all wrapping up, and we’re packing up. Lots more going on this weekend, of course – and next weekend, two festivals: Morgan Community Festival on Saturday, the West Seattle Junction Health Fair on Sunday (both of which we’re co-sponsoring). We’ve got some more video and photos to add to coverage of ReFRESH Southwest – once we’re back at HQ. Thanks to everybody who stopped by to chat, and everyone who worked hard to make this happen! ADDED: A few more pix, as promised – you saw the chickens above – here’s the chicken workshop!

The year-old Delridge Community Center Playground was a big draw:

West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen stopped by in the festival’s final moments:

And for even more photos – digital pix from Usnaps, a portable, rentable, digital photo booth created by West Seattle-based entrepreneurs – Usnaps’ Kim Schwarzkopf stopped by the WSB table to say hi; they’ve traveled the country with Usnaps in recent months. See the ReFRESH SW Usnaps pix here.