West Seattle, Washington
10 Tuesday
Driving through The Junction this morning, we noticed the crews out decking the storefronts with holiday greenery – so of course we had to stop for the photo op. It’s Hometown Holidays (co-sponsored by WSB) time, with Shop Late Thursdays resuming this week, followed by the Junction Tree Lighting this Saturday night at Junction Plaza Park, also looking lovely in the sunshine:
The day after the tree is lit, it’s the first Hometown Holidays Sunday (December 4th), including Junction-presented Santa photos 11 am-3 pm at City Mouse Studio and Store (suggested $15 donation goes to local charities). But you don’t have to wait till the weekend, or even till Shop Late Thursday, to enter The Junction’s $3,500 Holiday Raffle:
Boxes like the one we found this morning at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) await you at more than 30 businesses throughout The Junction (listed here) – it’s free to enter. Meantime, the full Hometown Holidays schedule is here; West Seattle-wide holiday info (events, trees, Christmas ships, giving opportunities, more) is on the WSB Holidays page.
Five years after a deadly crash at 47th/Admiral – which stretches between the corners holding busy Life Care Center and Alki Mail & Dispatch, and is within a half-mile of two elementary schools – neighborhood leaders are still campaigning for a pedestrian signal. So this morning, the Admiral Neighborhood Association led a rally at the five-way intersection – in memory of 26-year-old Tatsuo Nakata, killed there in November 2006 (the 9th pedestrian killed in Seattle that year, it was pointed out at the time).
Speaking during the rally were former Seattle City Councilmember David Della, for whom Mr. Nakata had worked, and current Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who chairs the Transportation Committee, as well as ANA president Katy Walum and vice president Karl de Jong – who lives across the street and heard the crash:
As Councilmember Rasmussen noted, “There have been a lot of changes at this intersection” since the deadly crash, “but I don’t think it’s enough.”
The light request is a frequent topic at ANA meetings (usually the second Tuesday of the month, 7 pm, Admiral Congregational Church at California/Hill); this past March, Walum read an SDOT letter turning down the request, but the group vowed not to give up. That was about nine months after they stepped up the campaign (June 2010 WSB coverage here), including a pitch to Mayor McGinn and Council President Richard Conlin at a meeting of the 34th District Democrats, whose chair Tim Nuse joined in this morning’s rally.
Just announced and potentially of interest to local families as well as educators: Holy Family Parish School is hosting a forum on “dual language immersion,” 8 am-3 pm this Saturday, and principal Frank Cantwell says the public is invited; it’s not specifically about his school, but about this educational philosophy/method in general:
Seattle and Highline Public Schools have been operating immersion schools for a number of years, and have agreed to come and discuss their programs. In the afternoon, we will have a panel of experts who will answer questions on the subject. We are inviting the public to come and listen to the speakers. This is an opportunity to learn more about this new and exciting way to teach languages. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the principal of Holy Family, Frank Cantwell, at 206-767-6640.
Here’s a flyer with more information.
Hope you had a festive holiday weekend. As we start the week with sunshine promised, here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
LIFE’S JOURNEYS: Mondays through December 19th 1-2:30 pm at West Seattle Senior Center. From organizers: “This group will explore the territory we find ourselves in when involved in a significant transition. Are you in a changing time – relationships, housing, health, mobility, losses, retirement, etc? Are you looking for ways to make new connections?” Facilitated by Laurie Becharas, Licensed Marriage and Family therapist, and D’vorah Kost, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Cost: $20/month donation; no one turned away for inability to pay.
REOPEN SCHOOLS? MORE PORTABLES? OR? Those are some of the questions Seattle Public Schools faces in the “capacity management” process under way now, with decisions for next fall to be made soon. Tonight, hear the district’s latest proposals and offer your opinions at Denny International Middle School, 6 pm. Details here.
WEST SEATTLE RESERVOIR PARK: An update is on the agenda for the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee, 7 pm at Parks HQ downtown.
TRAFFIC REMINDER IF YOU TRAVEL THROUGH GEORGETOWN: The big Airport Way project is scheduled to begin today – with a 14-month closure projected.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch, one about a burglary this past weekend, one about a break-in attempt last week while residents were home – read on (added 9:55 am, gas siphoning interrupted in progress):Read More
(Photo courtesy Admiral Neighborhood Association)
Admiral Neighborhood Association leaders gathered at Alki Mail and Dispatch tonight to make signs for tomorrow morning’s safety rally in tribute to Tatsuo Nakata, hit and killed while crossing at that intersection (47th/Admiral) five years ago this month. They’re hoping everyone who shares safety concerns about the area will join them there at 7 am tomorrow (Monday); they’ve been asking the city for a signal there, to improve pedestrians’ chances of making it across OK. (More in the preview published here yesterday.)
Thanks to Trileigh Tucker (above) and Greg (below) for sharing their photos of tonight’s intensely colorful sunset! It started closer to the hue in her photo … then just kept deepening. Also note one bonus feature in Trileigh’s photo, taken from a Lincoln Park bluff:
Two eagles kept flying back and forth across the sunset, and they’ve both been hanging around the nest this fall – great news for the chances of an eaglet this spring! This photo with the eagle and the ferries and the sunset reminded me (though it’s hard to forget) that West Seattleites really do live in the most beautiful place on earth!
Latest forecast says we may see fog tomorrow morning – then a mostly sunny day.
7:55 PM: WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli checked out this crash that happened a short time ago at 35th/Fauntleroy. No major injuries, he reports, but it’s blocking part of the road, as you can see, so slow going till it’s cleared.
ADDED 8:14 PM: More info from Christopher, who was on the scene right after it happened: He says the BMW station wagon was just off the bridge and collided with a minivan going the other way; both drivers, who appeared to be alone in the cars, got out of the vehicles right afterward. Bystanders pushed the BMW out of the main traffic lanes but the minivan wasn’t so easily dealt with – since it lost its driver’s-side rear tire.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In three days, West Seattle will have a new representative on the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors.
As she campaigned, Marty McLaren insisted the board needed someone who’s been a teacher, and voters apparently agreed. Though the vote won’t be certified till Tuesday, with McLaren scheduled to be sworn in Wednesday, she is 12,999 votes (eight percentage points) ahead of incumbent Steve Sundquist, who ascended to the board presidency last year. (Her official Facebook page already incorporates her almost-official new title.)
With no chance the results would change, we sat down this week with McLaren, to find out more about the person now charged with representing the peninsula’s interests as the district continues through a time of change on so many fronts – deciding how to deal with brimming schools and dwindling state funding, among other challenges. (The former, aka “capacity management,” is the subject of another community meeting in West Seattle tomorrow night.)
We talked at the Puget Ridge home where McLaren has lived for 17 years. She is not a Seattle native – born in Brooklyn, New York, in fact – but has spent her entire adult life in the Puget Sound area, after her dad’s Navy career moved her family many places, finally landing them at Bangor in Kitsap County. She finished high school in the Highline district just south of Seattle in the early ’60s.
Her introduction to Seattle Public Schools came before her teaching career:
In case you wondered about the big police response in the Puget Ridge area this past hour (21st/Holly) … turned out to be something of a false alarm. What looked like someone with a gun turned out to be someone with a pellet gun/airsoft-type gun, roleplaying a bit too realistically, apparently – according to scanner traffic, it looked to at least one witness like a holdup in progress, and that report is what sent police rushing to the scene.
One of those days where, as the old saying goes, it’s raining cats and Dawgs. Yes, Dawgs, as in the Apple Cup-victorious University of Washington Huskies … and that win meant Washington State University Cougars fan Conor lost his bet. We found him in Morgan Junction, in the wind and the rain, wasting no time making good on it.
Yet another West Seattle holiday tradition – handmade wreaths from Pathfinder K-8. Their booth made its WS Farmers’ Market debut today, with Yumi and Willow displaying two of this year’s creations. You can find them under a canopy by the KeyBank west-side doors (right next to the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, selling tickets for next Saturday’s pancake breakfast – more on that later).
P.S. Yes, they’ll be selling wreaths every Sunday between now and Christmas (12/4, 12/11, 12/18) – as long as supplies last! As the school website points out, the wreath sales have been going on for almost 20 years.
Wisdom, humor, history … our elders have a lot to offer. But you don’t get to see/hear/read much of it online, at least not from the very oldest among us. West Seattleite Shanna Christie noticed this, particularly in regards to her own grandma, and decided to address it with UploadYourGrandma.com. She announced it on the WSB Facebook wall last night:
I’ve started a blog for my Grandmother, a 96 year old West Seattle resident, so that I can share the thoughts of someone who is not online, with the rest of the world. … As part of this project, if anyone else has elderly relatives who has ideas, opinions or perspectives too good not to share, I invite you to “upload” them to this site! It’s been a fun experiment so far and it is great to hear from a generation who is often left out of the digital world.
Here’s a weather-appropriate sample of what Shanna’s grandma has to say – screengrab from a recent post:
Of course there are some 90-plus’ers online, and Shanna speaks to that point today. But if the one(s) you know and love isn’t – go upload her/him, while you still can! (P.S. You can find Shanna’s site, and The Grandma, on Twitter, too.)
(Photo by Nette Miller)
This morning’s photo is from last night’s rehearsal of “The Miracle and the Mystery of Advent: Mary’s Journey in Word & Song” at Alki UCC, one of our highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Holidays page and West Seattle Events calendar:
TRAFFIC ALERTS: Not in West Seattle, but two big events in the downtown vicinity might affect you today, even if you’re not attending/participating – here’s the alert.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Year-round, so yes, they’re there today! 10 am – 2 pm, The Junction (44th/Alaska). P.S. According to this WSB Forums post, you just might find Santa and Mrs. Claus in the vicinity.
NATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR, FINAL DAY: Third and final day for the Native Holiday Gift Fair at the Duwamish Longhouse, 10 to 5 – buy unique gifts directly from artists and craft persons. Snacks and beverages available too. Free admission and parking. 4705 W Marginal Way SW; here’s our story from the fair’s first day.
WRAP IT UP: Gift Wrap fundraiser for Sanislo Elementary School, from 10 am- 6 pm at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village.
SPECIAL EVENTS AT PHARMACA: Demo Day at Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, 10 am-5 pm (and if you’re going, check out the $10 discount coupon on the WSB Coupons page!)
GLASS JELLYFISH DEMO: At Avalon Glassworks in Luna Park, 11 am-4 pm, glass artist Richard Lowrie is back, sharing the secrets of creating the glass jellyfish, and you are invited to watch live demonstrations throughout the day. Meet the artist, purchase signed work, and watch the process: 2914 SW Avalon Way. More info here.
MUSIC-SYNCHED CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW: Nightly shows of the Helmstetler Family Spectacular/West Seattle Lights extravaganza, 3908 SW Charlestown; also fundraising the first weekend for the Kingston Family. Full details here (and here’s our coverage, with video, from last night’s opening ceremony/show).
CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION @ ALKI UCC: “The Miracle and the Mystery of Advent: Mary’s Journey in Word & Song,” 7 pm, in the Alki UCC Sanctuary (6112 SW Hinds). A special musical evening to mark the beginning of Advent: Hear the Christmas story told from the point of view of Mary, her parents and Joseph as we follow their transformation from the Annunciation to starting off on the road to Bethlehem. This is a full production for one night only, combining dialogue and music and a chance to see some of your fellow congregants perform. Suggested donation is $15. Proceeds will go to the West Seattle Food Bank and toward the purchase of new chairs for the church. Refreshments after the show.
HENDRIX BIRTHDAY: Jimi Hendrix birthday tribute at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9 pm.
After tonight’s first show at what you can formally call “West Seattle Lights presents the Helmstetler Family Christmas Spectacular,” that’s how the house looked with every light switched on. About 40 minutes early, the music-synched light show’s third season had kicked off – literally, with Seattle Sounders FC‘s Zach Scott kicking a goal instead of pulling a switch (followed by an appropriate, albeit non-Christmasy, song):
He signed autographs afterward:
But wait! Back to the lights. 60,000 of them this year – LEDs, which means not as much of an electricity drain as you might think. Jim Winder is again the mastermind, working on it for months before the actual lights start going up on the 3908 SW Charlestown home of his friends the Helmstetler Family. We stayed through the whole set tonight – enjoying songs both traditional and novelty, the latter including a Village People takeoff (“N-O-E-L” instead of “Y-M-C-A”) and this ’60s classic:
Full details about the show, the location, and more, are on its official website at westseattlelights.com. (This year they have a Facebook page and Twitter feed, too!) Bring a donation for the West Seattle Food Bank – the bin’s out front (as shown in our preview from last weekend) – and this weekend, they’re also collecting money for the Kingston Family ($ donations the rest of the season will go to the food bank and NW Parkinson’s Foundation) . Best place to watch the show is right across Charlestown in front of the water tower, but if you bring little ones, be sure to remind them to stay out of the street – it’s not blocked off for the show, and there can be a fair amount of traffic (as you’ll note in our clips). Here’s the schedule.
Just out of the WSB inbox, from a tipster who didn’t want their name used:
I spotted a car prowler about 9:45 pm tonight on 45th Ave SW near Alaska. He was trying to open every car via the car door handle. Male wearing a white/beige ball cap. Wearing black hoodie or sweater. I immediately called the police and they sent someone out to look for the suspect. Just wanted to let you know so people can be sure to lock their cars, especially on streets that have no street lights.
Also important … as police advise over and over again: Don’t leave anything in your car that might even remotely tempt a thief, not even something that hints there might be items of value (example: if you have GPS, don’t just bring it in for the night, take down the suction cups too).
It’s the only Christmas tree lot in West Seattle where the trees get blessed. A few hours after the Holy Rosary School Tree Lot opened for the season this afternoon, we were there as Father John Madigan (with an assist by young Sam Lee) presided over the annual Blessing of the Trees:
In addition to supporting the school, 15 percent of the tree lot’s proceeds go toward four beneficiaries this year: West Seattle Food Bank, the Salvation Army‘s Hickman House domestic-violence shelter, and West Seattle Helpline, as usual, plus the Ed Kingston Memorial Fund. This is the lot’s second year on school property next to the playground (41st/Dakota); you can see the hours, and the merchandise, here. (A full roster of West Seattle tree sellers is on the WSB West Seattle Holiday Events and Info page.)
The first offerings on display when we dropped by the Sustainable West Seattle-presented WS Barter Fair in the early going included these two tables abounding with art:
Your chance for a “money-free shopping spree” continues till 8 at Camp Long Lodge (5200 35th SW, right inside the gates); how it works is explained on the SWS website.
Early this Monday morning (November 28), you are invited to join the Admiral Neighborhood Association for an event at 47th/Admiral, the intersection where an inattentive driver hit and killed Tatsuo Nakata five years ago this month. We mentioned the plan in our coverage of ANA’s most recent meeting, and just confirmed with association president Katy Walum that the event is on. She says, “We are inviting all interested community members (young and old) to meet up at Alki Mail and Dispatch at 7am for a peaceful celebration of the memory of Tatsuo Nakata, and demonstration to our City’s leaders that we still have an all-too dangerous intersection in our neighborhood. We will have signs for folks to hold, light sticks and necklaces for the kids, and Don at Alki Mail has graciously offered to provide coffee and cocoa.” Read on for the official news release/announcement they are distributing:Read More
It’s been a quiet holiday weekend so far – hope it stays that way – but firefighters/police have been busy today responding to a few crashes. This is the latest one; Val sent the photo from 36th/Cloverdale (map). No word on the circumstances, but no aid/medic unit was dispatched, indicating no serious injuries.
5:04 PM UPDATE: Val says two private ambulances did respond.
(Photo courtesy WSCC)
You have eight more days to register for what just might be the craziest – definitely the gingerbread-iest – holiday event in West Seattle, the “Extreme Makeover Gingerbread Challenge,” 5 pm December 11th in the West Seattle Christian Church Activity Center (4400 42nd SW) – but you need to pre-register ASAP. The official announcement, in case you haven’t already seen this on the Holidays page:
Join what will undoubtedly be the largest gathering of questionable talent for an amazing holiday creative venture which, while certainly being memorable, will also be contributing to our effort to provide clean water to a village in El Salvador. The registration fee is only $20 per house which includes an assembled, but not yet decorated house, as well as a contribution to our well projects. There will be a general category as well as an open-class competition where the sky is the limit. Rules and registration form can be found at http://www.wsccwaterwells.org/events.html Deadline for registration: Sunday, December 4th, 6 pm.
The official poster/flyer can be seen here.
Since they’re not visible this morning, here’s another look at the pink-lit snow-sheathed Olympics from Friday morning – this one’s courtesy of JayDee. You don’t quite need a hummingbird’s energy to get to what’s going on today, but the pace is picking up. From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar and West Seattle Holidays page:
‘SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY’: Since “Black Friday” has become mostly a big-chain phenom, “Small Business Saturday” has been promoted as a counterpoint for independent locally owned businesses. Being one of those ourselves, we wholeheartedly encourage the notion of “Small Business Every Day!” (WSB is proud to be a co-founder of Authentically Local); some West Seattle businesses are offering or continuing special deals today; see the list on the Holidays page.
NATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR CONTINUES: 10 am-5 pm again today at the Duwamish Longhouse, 4705 W Marginal Way SW. We visited yesterday (story and photos here).
WEST SEATTLE BARTER FAIR: This year’s edition of the Sustainable West Seattle-organized event that began as a “money-free shopping spree,” Camp Long Lodge, 4-8 pm, details here
WEST SEATTLE’S LIVELIEST LIGHT SHOW DEBUTS: Tonight is the lighting ceremony for the Holmstetler Family Spectacular/West Seattle Lights, 7 pm, 3908 SW Charlestown, with special guest Zach Scott of the Seattle Sounders; they’re also fundraising the first weekend for the Kingston Family, and there’s an ongoing collection of food items for the West Seattle Food Bank (look for the barrel in front of the house). The official website has even more information (and video highlights from the past two years).
GROWING HAIR TO SAVE LIVES: The mustache-growing men of “Movember” (raising awareness and money to fight men’s cancers) are scheduled to be partying at Mission, 7 pm, and you’re invited.
HOLY ROSARY TREE LOT OPENS: Noon marks the official opening of the Holy Rosary Tree Lot, north of the school at 41st/Dakota, and it’s scheduled to be open till 9. Full details on its official website; information on all of West Seattle’s Christmas tree sites can be found on the Holidays page.
NIGHTLIFE: See a movie without leaving West Seattle! Here’s the Admiral Theater schedule … Steve and Kristi Nebel live at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm … 3 bands live at Skylark (schedule here), 9 pm …
Santa’s not the only one with a workshop this time of year. In fact, the West Seattle Tool Library has four planned for the holiday season, teaching you skills that can result in homemade gifts:
Introduction to Holiday Canning
Nov. 29th, 7-9 PMLearn how to preserve your harvest. We’ll cover all the basics of using a hot water bath canner. Each participant will get to take home a few jars of what we can in class.
Instructor: Christina Hahs
Cost: $20 plus $5 for materialsIntroduction to Backyard Booze
Dec. 6th, 7-9 PMLearn to use fruit and simple ingredients to make homemade specialty liqueurs such as Fig Bourbon, Rumtopf, Cranberry Spice Vodka, or Pineapple Rum.
Instructor: Vanessa Primer
Cost: $20Introduction to Jewelry Making
Dec. 13th, 7-9 PMLearn the basics of beading and wirework. Techniques learned include crafting clasps, wire wrapping and beading to begin creating a bracelet or necklace to complete at home.
Instructor: Jill Sundberg
Cost: $20 plus $5 for materialsIntroduction to Soapmaking
Dec. 20th 7-9 PMHomemade soaps make great gifts! Join us as we demonstrate the basics of traditional soap making using all-natural herbs and essential oils. These are tried and true, simple methods you will be able to use at home. If there’s enough time, this class will also cover the basics of making bath salts, scrubs, teas, and oils.
Instructor: Vanessa Primer
Cost: $20 plus $5 for materialsThe West Seattle Tool Library and Community Workshop are in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center at 4408 Delridge Way on the east side of the building. (Its regular hours are Thursdays: 6 pm till 9 pm; Saturdays: 9 am till 2 pm; Sundays: 1 pm till 5 pm.) For more information, contact Kate Kaemerle at 206.743.4468.
P.S. Speaking of handmade gifts – you’ll be able to trade for some at tonight’s Sustainable West Seattle Barter Fair, 4-8 pm at Camp Long Lodge. Read more about it here (and comment on the SWS site if you’re planning to participate!).
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