West Seattle, Washington
23 Saturday
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
One more last-day-of-elementary-school West Seattle story: Arbor Heights Elementary celebrated a new artwork this morning, just before its end-of-year assembly – a mural for its playcourt. AH teacher Mark Ahlness tells WSB, “It is the culmination of months of work by all students, under the direction of artist-in-residence Jihyun Andersen.” He has a Flickr gallery up. The artist was there when WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen stopped by:
Jihyun is also an Arbor Heights mom, with a son finishing his kindergarten year. She thought the playcourt looked rather stark, so the mural idea was born, and has been under way since May. It depicts the Fauntleroy Creek ecosystem when salmon are released – a Salmon in the Classroom activity in which AH participates.
Ellen reports that the 5th graders did a lot of the free-hand drawing and the kindergarteners used bug stamps to populate the creek. The 1st-4th graders worked on the plants and birds.
Jihyun told Ellen she plans to add a few trees, then seal the mural with varnish to protect it.
Low-key meeting for the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council tonight, and its last one till September (bylaws passed last year enable them to skip July and August) – but there was the usual crime-trend briefing, plus informational, albeit casual, presentations about the Seattle Police Foundation and the SPD Explorers program, as well as news of a new graffiti-paint-out program this summer – read on for summaries:Read More
The end of the school year for Seattle Public Schools elementaries and K-8s meant special celebrations at some schools. At Lafayette Elementary in the Admiral District, it was the last day for principal Virginia Turner after 7 years (who is moving to Coe Elementary on Queen Anne, as announced last week). WSB’er Luckie shared photos, including the special hats that 2nd graders wore in her honor, and the principal herself saying goodbye:
Luckie says Golden Acorn Award-winning volunteers Deborah Hazlegrove (below left) and Holly Grambihler (below right) were feted too – as organizers of the Play It Forward playground project, which reaches a milestone this weekend with groundbreaking for the next phase and a work party (as mentioned here).
Seattle public middle/high schools are still in session till Thursday.
Thanks to Sharonn for the photo from 37th/Alaska, where a Route 54 bus was involved in a crash. Not major, but as you can see from the ambulance in the photo, at least one person was hurt, and eastbound Alaska (by the VFW and Legion halls) will be difficult to get around until the scene is clear.
(Photo courtesy Paul Riek)
In addition to Saturday’s Morgan Junction Community Festival, there’s another festival in West Seattle this weekend, and it’s a first-time event. Maybe you’ve seen the banner hanging over the entrance to Jack Block Park (a public park on Port of Seattle land off Harbor Avenue SW) – it went up a few days ago, and it’s your invitation to the Northwest Paddling Festival this Saturday and Sunday (June 25-26).
The festival is not just for the hardcore kayaker/stand-up paddleboarder. If you’ve been thinking about trying the sport – or if you prefer to be a spectator – it’s for you too. An Olympic-medalist kayaker will even be on hand. The marine-life protectors of Seal Sitters will too.
And it will kick off with a historic moment: The beach at Jack Block Park is being reopened to the public, in a ceremony on the festival’s eve.
We spoke Monday afternoon with two of the organizers, Paul Riek from Sea Kayaker Magazine and Rob Stowell from West Seattle’s Mountain to Sound Outfitters, to get more details on what you’ll see if you go:Read More
Next week in West Seattle – two days, two restaurant openings. We broke the news earlier that A Terrible Beauty plans to open in The Junction next Tuesday (June 28), 11 am; now we’ve just confirmed that Pizzeria 22, Cary Kemp‘s new wood-fired pizzeria in the Admiral District, is planning to open Monday (June 27) at 4 pm (barring any last-minute snags). He’s been in business with a mobile wood-fired-pizza oven, and now his dream of owning his own restaurant is coming true. It will be all-ages; the menu and hours are at pizzeria22.com; here’s our original report from last January, when he signed the lease at 4213 SW College, a few doors east of California SW. Thanks to Kim for the opening-date tip! (April photo of Cary Kemp & imported oven, by Stephanie Chacharon for WSB)
High Point Community Center is hoping you’ll be part of its start-of-summer celebration tomorrow, “Bite at the Point” – a multicultural potluck and family-fun event (jumpy toys too!). We published this announcement about it earlier, with full details. If you haven’t been to HPCC before, here’s a map; it has a great city-skyline view and expansive playfield grounds, plus, of course, the center. “Bite at the Point” is set for 6-7:30 pm tomorrow.
Another long-dormant project is apparently about to get going again: the south-of-Junction 91-unit building called Spring Hill – no relation to the restaurant – by its previous developer, BlueStar (also the original developer of The Hole). BlueStar is long out of the picture and the site has been bank-owned for a while, and up for sale since 2009; our last update was in early 2010. Now, Paragon Real Estate Associates announced on its website that the site’s been sold to someone who wants to “break ground as soon as possible,” since the project passed Design Review 3 years ago and already has its land-use permit (though construction permits aren’t finalized, according to city online records). We’re still working to find out who bought it.
We discovered the 5020 California SW sale thanks to Jodee, who had e-mailed to point out another West Seattle item on the Paragon website, an Avalon Way sale described as a future 100-unit apartment complex. Actually, 117 units, according to an initial DPD entry for 3261 Avalon Way, one of the addresses that Paragon includes in its info about the sale. The buyer is Redmond-based CD Heritage LLC.
(Monday photo courtesy GW)
The state Ecology Department is talking today about the reddish “bloom” seen in some Puget Sound waters, including ours (here’s yesterday’s WSB report/photos). From their news release (we’ve added an aerial photo they posted to Flickr):
Scientists from the Department of Ecology’s marine monitoring program in a routine overflight of Puget Sound have spotted an extensive reddish bloom in Puget Sound that they suspect is harmless.
It is not the so-called “red tide” that refers to paralytic shellfish poisoning.
The bloom extends from Kingston to Des Moines, and across the Central Basin from Seattle to Bainbridge Island.
Today, they collected water samples they predict will confirm that the bloom is Noctiluca (pronounced “nock-ti-lukah”), a harmless single-celled micro-organism that bioluminesces and occurs normally at this time of year. This kind of plankton does not photosynthesize, but gets its red color from the phytoplankton it eats, a type of nutrition called heterotrophy.
This type of bloom shows up as large, red-brown, even orange “tomato-soup-like” streaks along current and tidal convergence lines, according to Dr. Christopher Krembs of Ecology’s marine monitoring program.
Krembs said the bloom is also accumulating along shores and beaches.
“We are reasonably certain this is Noctiluca, so there is no public health threat,” Krembs said. “As the sun warms the water, the water stratifies, holding the tiny plankton near the surface where they flourish.” …
The long-awaited opening date is set for A Terrible Beauty in The Junction – the new family-friendly Irish pub/restaurant that’s been in development at California/Edmunds. Co-owner Jenna Shannon Garvey O’Brien has just told WSB contributor Katie Meyer, who’s been covering the in-development establishment since they announced their West Seattle plans 3 months ago, that they will open one week from today, June 28th, starting with lunch at 11 am. Katie visited Jenna and the crew over the weekend, while they – with the help of volunteers – were putting in some of the finishing touches prior to a round of inspections:
That’s Jenna – next photo, one of the helpful volunteers:
If you’ve missed our previous coverage – this is an expansion for A Terrible Beauty, whose original location in Renton is wildly popular by all accounts. Katie has chronicled their extensive makeover of the West Seattle Junction spot that previously housed the short-lived Table 35 – as the ATB team added highlights from Scottie Joe‘s stonework to the distinctive green paint. You can find out more about them at aterriblebeauty.com (including menu information), and they’re also in Facebook, including a page just for the West Seattle location. More to come!
After two series of meetings with a citizens’ advisory group, the city planners working on the future of the West Seattle Triangle have gone public with two draft plans, opened a public-comment period, and announced a public open house.
THE PLANS: The draft “urban design framework” can be seen here; the draft “land use code and zoning amendments” can be seen here. The proposed zoning changes include a recommendation to increase maximum height to 85 feet in the bluish-purple area you see in the graphic above**; that suggestion had drawn concern in previous community-group reviews. The changes also would rezone what is now “commercial” land throughout The Triangle to “neighborhood commercial.”
COMMENT PERIOD AND OPEN HOUSE: The open house is scheduled for 6-8 pm June 29th at the Senior Center of West Seattle; public comment is being accepted on the two draft plans through July 1st – susan.mclain@seattle.gov – note that these plans are supposed to be voted on by the City Council later this summer, so if you want a say in what might eventually turn up in this area, this is your chance. Read on for an excerpt from the zoning/land-use document summarizing the proposed zoning changes, and more:Read More
Summer vacation is hours away for elementary and K-8 students in Seattle Public Schools – it’s their last day (middle/high schoolers attend till Thursday). That’s just part of what’s on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar for today, as we say goodbye to spring:
SUMMER ARRIVES: Summer solstice arrives at 10:16 am our time – then tonight at 8:45 pm, go to Solstice Park to watch summer-solstice sunset (9:11 pm) with Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen (as explained here).
PREPAREDNESS, THE NEXT STEP: Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon) presents Personal Preparedness beyond 3-day kits! 12:15 – 1:15 pm. What do you do on day 4, day 5, day 6, day 10. . . when there is no power for weeks. Prepare yourselves, your family, as best you can, to provide for your basic needs, safety, comfort and well-being for weeks!
SOMALI STORY TIME: It is Somali Story Time, 1:30-2 pm at the High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond) Branch! Bring your children to enjoy stories, rhymes, and fun.
CRUISE PRESENTATION: Join AAA Travel and discover Europe on a river cruise! Learn about the various itineraries and why river cruising is becoming more and more popular. 6 pm at Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (WSB sponsor; 4611 35th Avenue SW) – RSVP to 206.933.4106. Members and nonmembers are welcome!
OUT-OF-SCHOOL BASH: For ages 5-17, 6 pm, High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW) (from the spring brochure)
CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets, Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster). Guests: Renee Hopkins, Director of the Seattle Police Foundation, which sponsors many programs including the SPD Explorer Program, which also will be explained by Sgt. Adrian Diaz.
NEW PRODUCE BUYERS’ CLUB: Delridge Produce Cooperative Buyers’ Club first meeting, Delridge Community Center, 7 pm (more info here)
BELLY DANCING: Alauda belly dance showcase at Skylark Café and Club, 7:30 pm
MORE NIGHTLIFE: Rock music trivia at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm … At Mac’s Triangle Pub at the south end of Delridge, open-mike night starting at 8 pm.
(2009 aerial by Long Bach Nguyen; click to see a larger version)
Is it better that our spectacular green-surrounded-by-blue peninsula remain a well-kept secret (to most), or is it time to reach out to the outside world and actively invite “sustainable tourism” to West Seattle? That was at the heart of a lively discussion during Sustainable West Seattle‘s community forum last night. You can see and hear what happened in our hourlong unedited video recording – click the image to go to the video clip:
If you don’t have time to watch (or listen, with it playing in the background) click ahead for the toplines: Read More
If you knew “Coach” Brown – you’re invited to his service on Friday. His family shared this tribute:
Grant D. Brown, 68, lifelong resident of West Seattle and tireless volunteer for the youth in our community, passed away June 14, 2011, after a long struggle with cancer.
Grant was the first child of Don and Margaret (Crosby) Brown. He grew up with his siblings Alan and Donna on the hill overlooking Alki, attending Alki Elementary, James Madison Junior High and West Seattle High School, graduating in 1960. He served in the National Guard in the mid-1960s, stationed out of Camp Murray.
It was early in his schooling that he discovered a penchant for technical drawing, which served him well as, at age 18, he went to work for Boeing as a drafter. He worked in commercial, military and aerospace, including the Dash-80, 727 and 737, SST, Minuteman, ALCM, Wind Turbines, B-2 and finally the F-22. He retired from Boeing after 48 years of dedicated service. Boeing was also where he met his wife Cathy, to whom he was married for 40 years.
The most memorable and greatest passion of Grant’s life, however, was his commitment to youth sports, volunteering as a coach, manager and mentor for more than 40 years.
(State Ecology Department photo from spill scene)
2:37 AM: A cleanup is under way this morning on Harbor Island after a Union Pacific locomotive spilled 600 gallons of diesel fuel, according to the state Ecology Department. The state got word of the spill at 7:40 last night and says the diesel fuel “spilled to the gravel railroad bed when the engine and two rail cars went off the track.” Responders – also including Seattle Public Utilities and the U.S. Coast Guard – don’t think any of the spilled fuel went into the water. They think the locomotive was carrying about 1,500 gallons of fuel; the diesel that didn’t spill was removed by a vacuum truck, according to a news release from Ecology, which says UP has hired NRC Environmental Services for the cleanup. The Coast Guard says the two rail cars were carrying cement ash. Investigators are working to find out why the train derailed; no word of any injuries.
4:50 AM: Ecology spokesperson Dieter Bohrmann tells WSB that Union Pacific and NRC “kept a skeleton crew at the site” overnight, and are hoping to “get equipment in place to put the engine car back on the rails around 7 a.m., so crews could access the ground directly below the locomotive and determine any further cleanup actions needed.”
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