Till 9 tonight, the merchants of Luna Park welcome you to their first-ever Block Party – you can’t miss the balloons waving in the slightest hint of breeze along SW Avalon Way, from Ola Salon to Avalon Glassworks (watch glassblowing, live!), with stops along the way including Java Bean Coffee, a West Seattle fixture for more than two decades. And looking back even further … why … it’s “The King”!
You can snack like a king (or queen, or princess, or prince) at the food booths – these were by Luna Park Café:
And the Java Bean van’s not the only classic car you can gawk at:
Live music and raffles too – on Avalon south of The Bridge, till 9 tonight.
Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon: First, info on the reason for a police search early this morning in The Junction. Police confirm a man reported being robbed at gunpoint at California/Alaska at 2:15 am. According to Det. Jeff Kappel in the media unit, here’s the description he gave officers: Black man in his mid-20s, 5-7, 180 pounds, short hair, mustache, black T-shirt, black cutoff-jeans shorts, black handgun, took off on foot headed westbound. A K-9 team joined the search, but the reported robber wasn’t found. (Hat tip to Lisa at CAPERS, who says the man who reported the robbery came into her store this afternoon; he told her it happened in the alley behind the west side of the Alaska-to-Oregon block. Also in The Junction, Katiee-mailed to ask what happened to the window at Northwest Art and Frame (right). Turns out a would-be burglar smashed it early Tuesday. The online police report says they did not enter the business; a staffer we talked to this afternoon said it didn’t appear anything had been taken. That would be at least the fourth case of business-window-smashing in West Seattle in the past few weeks (after Zebra Print and Copy in The Triangle and Freshy’s Coffee and The Swinery in South Admiral).
Two days after King County Elections announced the August 17 primary ballots were in the mail, they’re arriving (ours just showed up). The big decisions for West Seattle (and neighboring communities) are in two open races with four candidates each, which the primary results will narrow to two for November: 34th District State House Position 2 (WSB coverage archive with “candidate conversation” stories here) and King County Council District 8 (WSB coverage archive here; watch for “candidate conversation” stories in the next week). Two candidate forums are coming up – tomorrow on Vashon Island, the candidates from both races are expected at Courthouse Square (see the end of this article) for a forum to focus on the State House race 7-8 pm and the County Council race 8-9 pm; then next Thursday, August 5th, the Seattle League of Women Voterspresents a candidates’ forum downtown, with the County Council race (and those vying for two Supreme Court seats). Back to voting: August 17th is the deadline to postmark your ballot; the county has a list of voter resources on this webpage.
One followup on this morning’s news that West Seattle-raised U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jarod Newlove was found dead in Afghanistan, 5 days after vanishing: The Department of Defense has now officially made the announcement. See it here. No word yet on services for PO3 Newlove, a 2003 graduate of Chief Sealth High School, nor on the circumstances of his disappearance.
It’s the little things that matter. You’ll find paperless hand dryers in two new restrooms on the lower level of Camp Long Lodge when you visit this Saturday, during the party to celebrate its grand reopening after 7 months of renovation work – a million-dollar project funded by the Parks and Green Spaces Levy that Seattle voters passed two years ago. We asked for a sneak preview, and toured on Tuesday. Both workers and volunteers were busy with finishing touches – we found Mary Quackenbush from the Camp Long Advisory Board bringing back some of Camp Long’s historic artwork, like this self-portrait of Clark Schurman:
That’s Schurman as in Schurman Rock, which itself got some sprucing-up a few years back. More than a dozen of his paintings were rediscovered at Camp Long several years ago and were being brought back to the park on Tuesday. But the renovation project is all about the beautiful old lodge. Click ahead for photos and video taking you inside to see what you’re getting for your money:Read More
Three weeks after first word of a Design Review meeting ahead for a mixed-use project at 7100 Delridge Way (map) project, the official notice is out this morning, with a place and time: 6:30 pm August 12th, Senior Center of West Seattle. As the notice reconfirms, the proposal is for “a four-story structure containing 58 units over 1,750 sq. ft. of retail space and three single family structures on a split zone site” with 77 underground parking spaces.
As noted last night, Seattle Police told us they couldn’t comment on the incident that brought so many officers to Arbor Heights in the 5:30 pm vicinity, because it was a King County Sheriff’s Office case. We have just heard back from KCSO’s media liaison Sgt. John Urquhart, who explains what it was about:
This was a stolen car in the driveway at a house in the 3500 block of SW 97th [map]. Our detectives saw a man in the driveway who took off running when we approached. A foot pursuit ensued. SPD was called to help out. The car had been stolen from Tukwila. The person who ran was not found, but one other man associated was booked on charges unrelated to the stolen car.
ADDED 8:10 AM: A family friend confirms to WSB that a community event will be planned at some point to show support for PO3 Newlove’s family, though it is too soon to announce.
Another update on Blackboard Bistro, going into 3247 California, formerly and briefly home to Eness: They’ve set August 13 for the opening date. Proprietor Jacob Wiegner explains, in the announcement (which also includes menu details)Read More
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION’S SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA: The second year for this free outdoor-concert series (co-sponsored by local businesses including WSB) kicks off tomorrow night with The Starlings (video above). For each of the next six Thursday nights, be on the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center (bring your own chair/blanket) at 6:30 to enjoy great local music. And it’s more than music: The Kid Picks van from PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor as well as major sponsor of the concert series) will be back. ANA will sell its new T-shirts and track jackets. No food concessions yet, so bring your own dinner/snacks – but food carts are welcome if you want to invite one (they’d have to set up along Walnut on the east side of the park). See you there!
LUNA PARK BLOCK PARTY: Businesses in the Luna Park area – SW Avalon Way just south of the West Seattle Bridge – are planning this first-ever bash tomorrow night, stretching from Avalon Glassworks (where you can watch live glass-blowing demonstrations) to Ola Salon (beverages and raffle), 5-9 pm, with live music along the way too, all to showcase this unique slice of West Seattle.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
The Rotary Club of West Seattle had a delegation on hand this morning as a crew from Artech re-installed the now-restored, repainted totem pole stolen eight months ago from the park they donated to the city 34 years ago. Our as-it-happened coverage of this morning’s operation is here; Christopher Boffoli‘s video compilation shows the key scenes as the pole was returned to its place with the help of a crane:
The official rededication celebration is set for the evening of August 10. Among those on hand this morning: Duane Ruud, who, along with fellow longtime Rotarian Ken Wise, followed a track of clues that helped lead police to the discovery the pole had been taken to Oregon after the November 30th theft. Duane had hoped Ken would be well enough to be on hand to watch today’s reinstallation – while we all watched the operation this morning, he and others kept looking to see if someone might pull up, bringing him to the park – but ultimately he couldn’t (his son Tom is at left in our top photo). We asked Duane about Ken as well as about what it was like to see the pole put back in place today:
As for the future of the 34-year-old pole itself – read ahead for more on that and more photos from this morning’s operation:Read More
5:30 PM UPDATE: For starters – letting you know we are checking on the search that’s under way in Arbor Heights right now. The scanner indicates a suspect who’s being sought (with what at least one tipster calls a “massive” police presence) is on foot. More to come as we get it. 6:03 PM UPDATE:Southwest Precinct‘s front desk says it started with a request for assistance put out by King County Sheriff’s Office, so they can’t comment further.
Eric in Seaview says somebody crashed into his sidewalk planter last night – strewing concrete chunks everywhere – then drove off. Read on for his story, with a photo:Read More
ORIGINAL 3 PM REPORT: Just heard from Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail – she says orcas have been spotted off south West Seattle shores, Marine View Drive vicinity. They’ve switched directions so no indication of which way they’re headed now; we’re off to look, but wanted to get the word out just in case there’s the chance for others to see them too. 3:16 PM UPDATE: We’re told they’re now just off the Vashon ferry dock, and heading north – about five so-called “transients” – look for a NOAA Zodiac-type craft near them. 4:11 PM UPDATE: A few minutes ago via Twitter, @shermanscornerreported they’re just south of Alki Lighthouse.
Today we welcome a new sponsor, West Seattle Natural Medicine, at 3256 California SW (map). As always, new sponsors are offered the chance to tell you about their business: The clinic is run by Dr. Katherine Oldfield and employs three other doctors – Dr. Debbie Whittington, Dr. Molly Gray, and Dr. Jennifer Lush. (Photo right, clockwise from top: Drs. Oldfield, Lush, Whittington, Gray) She and her staff work with patients to create long-term plans for health and nutrition. Dr. Oldfield says, “I’d like to think that we help empower people to realize that they have considerable control over their own health. We take the time to explain lab work thoroughly and explain what’s going on in their body physiologically to help them understand what is making them feel bad. Finally, we help them turn their health around with diet, exercise, counseling and maybe supplements, hormones, or a prescription.” West Seattle Natural Medicine welcomes those who are looking for another approach to seeking out health care. They do family medicine, pediatrics, allergy treatments, women’s health and physicals – including gynecological exams – and they draw blood for lab work at the office. Dr. Oldfield says the clinic has a great reputation for being compassionate, safe, consistent, and thorough. “We are very nice and approachable and treat everyone equally. Patients feel very comfortable talking to us. When patients are in a safe environment we can learn more about them and therefore help find the underlying cause of their health concern.” Dr. Katherine Oldfield is not only the director of the clinic, but also an instructor for PCC Cooks at PCC Natural Markets (also a WSB sponsor) and a member of CoolMom. She’s a specialist in women’s health and also a member of Physicians for Social Responsibility. You’ll find the clinic online at westseattlenaturalmedicine.com; you can call West Seattle Natural Medicine at 206-938-1393.
We thank West Seattle Natural Medicine for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
Just announced by the West Seattle Junction Association: The “Big Bonanza” multi-merchant sale is on again this year, “with specials on a wide range of goods and services, a noontime community water fight showdown and a $100 Junction gift card giveaway … (also featuring) Western themed grub from Junction restaurants and deep discounts on past and current season merchandise from more than 40 Junction merchants including shoes, apparel, books, music, flowers, perfume, French pastry and pub food.” The date: Saturday, August 21, 10 am-5 pm. Again this year, checked tablecloths and red balloons will mark the spot for retailers that are offering specials during “Big Bonanza” (a full list of participants is promised at the Junction website tomorrow). You’ll also want to stop by The Junction’s tent by Walk All Ways – they’ll hand out bandanas and sheriff’s stickers, with the water-fight showdown promised at “high noon” (squirter equipment available at the tent ahead of time). (Above left: WSB photo taken outside CAPERS during last year’s “Big Bonanza”)
FIRST AS-IT-HAPPENED REPORT, 11:23 AM: Some days just have a theme. Today’s theme is heavy equipment. Our next stop post-totem pole: We’re in the 3200 block of 61st SW, where a house is being installed, in four pieces built offsite. 61st SW is closed in the block immediately south of Admiral as a result, till 3 pm, by the way. We arrived in time for the third of four pieces to be craned into place at the site (video added 1:08 pm):
If you’ve driven past Salty’s on Alki in the past day or so, you probably noticed the sections, which we’re told were brought in by barge. The project’s being overseen by Double Diamond Remodeling, whose owner Dave Farrell says the owners chose to buy a house built offsite – it’s a 2-story house going into a fairly small lot. Homeowners Leonard Jones and Charlie Fink joke that they hope to be settled by Thanksgiving – though their actual moving-in will be a lot sooner:(video added 1:09 pm):
The house itself was built by South King County-based Timberland, which comes in tomorrow to start “matching everything up,” Farrell says. 1:44 PM NOTE: The fourth piece was being trucked in just as we left after the third one was secured. Adding two more photos – a long shot for perspective, from before piece #3 was installed:
And as close as we could get to the house after:
The “no parking” signage on the street is marked until 5 pm, but as noted earlier, the crews were expected to clear 61st SW sooner.
ORIGINAL 9:23 AM REPORT: We’re at West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park for the re-installation of the totem pole stolen eight months ago, and since repainted and restored. The official re-dedication isn’t until August 10th, but they’re putting it back into place today, and the pole is already here, about to be taken off the back of a flatbed truck by a Ness Crane that itself has been jacked up off the grass. Among those here: Duane Ruud, one of the Rotarians who sleuthed the theft even before police made an arrest, and Terry Boden, the first Parks employee with whom we spoke for our first story in early December, while trying to determine if the pole had been taken with or without authorization. This all may only take about an hour. 9:49 AM UPDATE: The pole’s been craned over to its base, where it’s being fastened. To see the winged pole briefly in flight was quite the sight:
(video added 2:04 pm)
If you missed our earlier stories, the pole is being reinstalled by a crew from Artech, the Renton-based art-restoration firm that also has given it a facelift – from fumigation to repainting. 10:30 AM: The reinstallation is almost over. The pole’s in place; the crew’s starting to fold up, and some of the onlookers have drifted away. By all accounts, it’s gone well. We’ll have a full report later with video and better photos (Christopher Boffoli was there shooting for WSB as well – here’s a great image he got as Artech’s Roger Waterhouse worked atop the pole:)
(Photo by Cliff DesPeaux)
If you drive the Alaskan Way Viaduct or its parallel surface street – or if you ride the King County Water Taxi – you might have noticed this already today, or else you’ll see it on the way home: Crews have begun to demolish Pier 48 on the downtown waterfront, just south of the Water Taxi’s dock at Pier 50 (and the neighboring Washington State Ferries terminal). We remember it best as the dock for the Princess Marguerite car ferry between Seattle and Victoria, which shut down several years back. It’ll be a staging area for some of the Viaduct work. Photojournalist Cliff DesPeaux is there for WSB, and we’ll have more from him later in the day (click here to see a video snippet he tweeted); the entire demolition project, WSDOT says, could last up to four months. (added later – more video – the voice you hear is WSDOT’s Matt Preedy, a West Seattleite, explaining what’s happening)
ADDED 10:17 AM: Here’s a new WSDOT summary of the work that started today:Read More
That video by West Seattle’s Captive Eye Mediagives you a quick preview of “Side Show,” resuming its run at ArtsWest tonight and continuing through Sunday, 7:30 pm … Tonight’s also the monthly Poetrybridge event at C & P Coffee, with featured poet Dobbie Reese Norris and open-mike poetry, 7 pm … Before we get to that, as previewed last night, the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole is scheduled for reinstallation this morning, 10 am-ish … The High Point Market Garden farm stand is open 3-7 pm, 32nd/Juneau … And on the Highway 99/Viaduct front, the South Portal Working Group – citizen advisors who’ve been reviewing state/city proposals for what happens on our side of the project (including how it all ties together) – meets at 4 pm at the Sound Transit board room downtown (there’s also Viaduct-related demolition work on the downtown waterfront today, by the way, at Pier 48) … Busy day/night with even more going on; see the rest on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.
It’s been one week since eastbound traffic on the Spokane Street Viaductsection of the West Seattle Bridge lost a lane to construction work. And while the eastbound bridge is seldom a picnic, some drivers say it’s become even more of a “parking lot” – the term Twitter user @allrachel used while sending the shown-above cameraphone photo Monday morning. All this brings us to a note we received from West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who chairs the council’s Transportation Committee. “I am concerned about the backups on the Spokane Street Viaduct. Recently I inquired whether SDOT would be able to speed up the work on the completion of the offramp from the Spokane Street Viaduct.” He attached the e-mail he got back – read ahead to see it:Read More
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