West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When last we checked in with “The West,” it was a concept galloping around a mixer upstairs at Mission three months ago.
Tomorrow night, The West rides out of the stable and into the spotlight. Or might we say, instead of the classic “riding into the sunset” Western metaphor, rides into the sunrise.
If you hang out on Facebook or Twitter, you might have seen the mysterious hints…
What’s been said publicly so far is that tomorrow night’s invitation-only event is at the West Seattle Eagles Aerie in The Junction, and will feature live music. But what’s The West about? We managed to cajole an advance interview out of two people from the core group – Lora Swift from Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) and Swift Media Solutions, and Oliver Little from The Workshop. Lora’s had a high profile not just for her businesses but for organizing popular events such as West Seattle Outdoor Movies and leading the West Seattle Art Walk behind-the-scenes group for quite some time (recently handed over to Twilight Artist Collective). As for Oliver – some of West Seattle’s biggest events wouldn’t have happened without him behind the scenes. Summer Fest, for example.
So if these are representatives of The West, you start to get the idea the group is ready to make things happen. Indeed, that’s where this is going.Read More
Late today – keep in mind that we’re going into an official three-day weekend – SDOT published its update on NEXT WEEK’S bridge closures. With closures tonight, and the all-day Fauntleroy Expressway closure on Sunday, still to come, it might be a little tough to digest this too .. but buried in the update, we discovered a ray of hope: SDOT says the Fauntleroy Expressway project is AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, and nighttime bridge closures will probably NOT be needed beyond next week. Read for yourself (including next week’s bridge plan) here.
Just in from Seattle Parks:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Landscape Structures Inc., announced a voluntary recall of the Slalom Glider slide. This slide is located in two Seattle parks. Landscape Structures Inc. will be working at Ross Playground and Myrtle Reservoir Park on Monday, February 20, 2012 to remove the recalled slide.
Landscape Structures is requesting consumers to immediately stop children from using the recalled gliders.
The slide is a playground slide that lacks a transition platform on the top and sides of the chute. The Slalom Glider is a distinctive 6-foot high slide that is curved in shape and made from molded plastic. It includes an arched, tubular steel access ladder. The recalled product comes as a stand-alone slide or as an attachment to other playground equipment.
Ross Playground is located at 4320 4th Ave. NW in the Fremont neighborhood and Myrtle Reservoir Park is located at 6900 35th Ave SW in West Seattle. Seattle Parks and Recreation is working with Landscape Structure Inc. to select and install an appropriate replace play element as soon as possible.
ADDED 7:26 PM: The recall was announced nationally yesterday, with at least 16 injuries blamed on the slide, according to this Associated Press story published by our partners at the Seattle Times.
A fireplace in a fire station! Somehow, you might think it would be the last thing firefighters would want to look at when they’re not out at a burning home – but on the other hand, everybody has to stay warm. The fireplace is inside ex-Fire Station 37, which as reported here last week, is now officially up for sale. We joined broker Arvin Vander Veen from Colliers International there (35th/Othello) this afternoon for a quick peek inside- and the latest information on how you can get a closer look, too.
(That’s the kitchen.) The open-house dates are now set, Vander Veer told us: March 10th and April 7th, 10 am-2 pm. The deadline for offers will be April 20th (as noted before, $250,000 minimum, cash, no contingencies). Since the former fire station is an official city landmark, you can’t change the outside without city permission, but there’s a lot you can do with the inside:
Vander Veer says he’s fielded about 100 inquiries so far, and many have been from people who think this would be the ultimate “man-cave” – and whatever the gender, imagine having a cavernous garage like this for your vehicles, or maybe some creative project you’re working on, or both!
Sizable basement, as well:
In case you’re just coming in on this story – the city built a new fire station a few blocks south, and is selling this because it’s considered surplus property not needed for any other city purposes.
P.S. Two years ago, a student journalist on assignment for WSB toured the now-ex-station before it closed; this report includes a video tour.
(Jared the cat with firefighter Jeff Blevins; 1/9/2012 photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Remember Jared, the foster cat rescued from animal advocate Teri Ensley‘s house during a fire last month? He is one of the cats and kittens who will be looking for “forever homes” during a special adopt-a-thon this weekend at West Seattle’s Kitty Harbor (3422 Harbor SW). As posted in the WSB Forums, Kitty Harbor will be open noon-6 pm Saturday and Sunday with more than 70 other cats/kittens, including some Siamese cats rescued from a recent hoarding situation – among those nicknamed the “camper cats.” More info (and photos!) on Kitty Harbor’s Facebook page.
The man charged with second-degree murder in last August’s White Center murder of 23-year-old Sweetheart Failautusi has struck a plea bargain. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office tells WSB that Anthony Haroldlee Smith pleaded guilty this morning to that same charge, acknowledging he is to blame for the deadly shooting at 15th and Roxbury in the early-morning hours of August 16th. Sentencing range is 134-234 months; KCPAO spokesperson Ian Goodhew says the “agreed recommendation” for sentencing will be 15 years. He adds, “Sweetheart’s family felt the agreement was the right thing to do to assure a conviction and have the certainty of the mid-range recommendation as opposed to him possibly receiving a lower sentence.” Smith is to be sentenced March 23rd at 1:45 pm by King County Superior Court Mary Yu.
(Harbor Properties’ year-old Link, 38th between Alaska and Fauntleroy)
One of the highest-profile development companies to build in West Seattle in recent years is merging with another company. Harbor Properties‘ merger with Los Angeles-headquartered Urban Partners was first reported this morning by the Puget Sound Business Journal, and we just spoke with Harbor executive Denny Onslow to find out what this means for the company’s West Seattle properties, mixed-use (apartment/retail) Link in The Triangle and Mural in The Junction (both WSB sponsors), plus all-apartment under-construction Nova (4600 37th SW).
Just announced: Mayor McGinn will be back in West Seattle during his next round of “Town Hall” meetings. March 13th is the date, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center at 4408 Delridge Way SW is the place – where he held one in December 2010 (photo above) – and the schedule, according to the city’s e-mailed announcement, is as follows:
5:30 to 6:30 pm: Community information fair
6:30 to 6:40 pm: Performance by local artists
6:40 to 8:00 pm: Open Q&A with Mayor McGinn and City staff
Here’s the official flyer for the event.
Besides the roads/bridge update (below), something that certainly could be on this list daily is the ongoing work at Colman Pool on the shore in Lincoln Park. As reported here last month, the outdoor saltwater pool will open later than usual this year (June 30), because of renovation work. Last weekend, Gatewood pilot/photographer Long B. Nguyen flew over the park, and shares the view. (Click the photo for a larger image; and for a bonus image – a wider shot of the pool, the beach, and the forest behind it – go here.) Now, today’s highlights:
BRIDGE CLOSURES AND OTHER ROAD WORK, YET AGAIN TODAY/TONIGHT: Same reminders as all week: In the Morgan Junction/Lincoln Park area on Fauntleroy Way SW and part of California SW north of M-Junction, Day 5 of work on the “transit corridor” project to facilitate this fall’s launch of RapidRide bus service. Details in our on-scene report from Monday. … Restrictions/detours are planned for Avalon Way again today, 9 am-4 pm, explained here … Two overnight West Seattle Bridge closures: Eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct, east of the 1st Avenue South offramp, 9 pm-5 am (details here), which is the same time period for which the Fauntleroy Expressway (southwest end of the bridge) has an overnight closure, detailed here. DON’T FORGET – THIS SUNDAY is the all-day Fauntleroy Expressway closure, 9 pm Saturday through as late as midnight Sunday night).
CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES IN STATE COMPETITION: From an announcement by Sealth athletic director Sam Reed: Sophomores Michael Stewart and Carlos Morgan Montemayor will be representing the Seahawks at the 3A State Swim and Dive championships taking place at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way,” starting this morning, and “wrestlers Jordan Armstrong and Christopher Rios will be competing in Mat Classic XXIV, held at the Tacoma Dome.”
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES ALSO IN STATE COMPETITION: From the WSHS Daily Bulletin, Katie Fleming and Della Norton are competing in the state gymnastics tournament, while Nick Marek is competing in the state wrestling tournament, also in Tacoma. Luke Asatainti is in the state swimming championships.
HOPE LUTHERAN AT LEST IN PORTLAND: West Seattle’s Hope Lutheran School has a sizable contingent at the annual Lutheran Elementary Schools Tournament in Portland right now, with more games/performances/etc. scheduled today, and is sharing the highlights via Twitter and via Facebook.
ATHENA’S IN HIGHLAND PARK: Athena’s truck debuts @ 16th/Holden, 1-8 pm (here’s our report from yesterday).
BIN 41 TASTING: 6-7:30 pm, they’re presenting a winery from Woodinville, Januik | Novelty Hill, whose tasting-room manager Diane LaCroix-Ball will be on hand with some Bin 41 favorites (including a red, a Chardonnay, and a Grenache).
MOVIE NIGHT IN HIGHLAND PARK: It’s movie night at Highland Park Improvement Club (12th and Holden). From their newsletter: “Doors open at 6:30 pm, movie at 7 pm. Free admission. We will be selling popcorn, candy and other movie fare. Bring blankets and pillows or sit in our chairs. Movie hint: The first movie of J.K. Rowling’s classic tale of the Hogwarts kids.”
MUSIC TONIGHT: The ever-busier lineup of West Seattle live music includes The Slags w/ Red the Dead, 9:30 pm at The Shipwreck Tavern (with Slags EPs on site, the band tells WSB) … Chad Knight, Hi-Fi Reset, Urban Seeds at Skylark Café and Club, 9 pm …
We stopped by Madison Middle School on Thursday afternoon for orchestra members’ quick command performance of the Beatles classic “Eleanor Rigby,” after hearing from Madison music director Clark Bathum, who had big news about two of his musicians:
Congratulations to Lauren Estep (viola) and Caroline May (violin), who will perform with the Washington Junior All-State Orchestra at the Washington Music Educators Conference in Yakima this weekend. After a highly competitive audition in the fall, both were selected to join other top musicians from around the state. This is Caroline’s first selection to the group. Lauren was selected to the All-Northwest orchestra last year. Both girls are looking forward to the performance this weekend and are really excited about getting to travel and play together. The staff and students at Madison are really proud of Lauren and Caroline and wish them the best of luck.
In our video, Caroline is at left, Lauren at center, with Samantha Bushman , violin (2nd from left), Annabel Foucault, bass (2nd from right), and Madelyn Hollister, cello (right).
Tickets are now on sale for the second annual gala benefiting the West Seattle Community Orchestras. This year, it’ll be at Highland Park Improvement Club, 6:30-9 pm on March 10th. Musicians from all three of WSCO’s orchestras (“all ages and abilities”) will perform, and a silent auction is planned, along with a “smorgasbord dinner.” You can buy tickets online now; they’re $20 till March 1st, when the price goes up to $25. Go here to buy yours (that link is also where you’ll find the form to donate an item to the silent auction).
Grow Plant Starts for The Community Orchard of West Seattle (COWS)!
We will happily provide the seeds!
If you have a sunny window sill, cold frame or green house, and would like to consider growing plants for us we would love to hear from you!
Starts needed:
Broccoli, kales, cabbages, lettuces, squash varieties, tomatoes, Asian eggplant, onions, flowers, mustards and herbs.The Community Orchard of West Seattle (COWS) provides a home-scale model that demonstrates how much food can be grown on a city-sized lot. Our produce goes to our volunteers, neighbors and local food security programs while we provide a venue for public agricultural education and community gathering.
Contact: info@fruitinwestseattle.org
The Orchard is located at South Seattle Community College North Entrance, 6000 16th Ave SW
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