day : 13/05/2012 10 results

(Bride Thelema, aka “TJ,” tosses her bouquet)
Thanks to Kevin McClintic for sharing photos and info about a noontime event today: As previewed in a news release on Friday, Mother’s Day was wedding day for two couples at the eastern West Seattle encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville.” The day also marked exactly a year since the encampment returned to the spot where it began in fall 2008 – at that time, under the administration of its namesake, it was evicted days later, but this time, it’s been allowed to stay, though not allowed to hook up to city services. Kevin says that today at the camp, “the wedding overshadowed the 1 year anniversary by a long shot.” The Christian Crusaders Motorcycle Club of Tacoma officiated; Kevin says most are fully ordained ministers:

TJ’s groom is Charlie Smith; the couple at right, Charlie’s brother Josh Smith and his bride Barbie Houseman. TJ and Charlie are camp residents; Josh and Barbie used to be, but, according to this WSB Forums post, found housing before their baby was born. Before the noontime ceremony, Kevin reports, “The CCMC showed up about 11 AM with about a dozen bikes (mostly Harleys) and a box truck with a trailer. They brought all the food needed, a powerful generator, two propane BBQs, and lots of donations for NV residents consisting of boots, blankets, clothing, and other needed items!” He got them to pose for a group shot before they left around 2:30 pm.

Meantime, on Friday, the city released its “draft investment plan for homeless services” – how it proposes to better appropriate and track tens of millions of dollars spent on those services each year – and is inviting public comment. Read about it here.

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Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, and free bus rides all week

May 13, 2012 9:34 pm

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

View Bike Month Activities & Bike to Work Day Stations in a larger map

Also coming up Friday – it’s Bike-to-Work Day, and in addition to the commute station on the west end of the “low bridge” here in West Seattle, two White Center spots participating this year – both marked on the map above with aqua markers – Caffe Delia (9622 16th SW) is inviting bike commuters to stop by for coffee, waffles, and Full Tilt Ice Cream (Caffe Delia and FT are both members of the Rat City Business Association, a WSB sponsor); and Dubsea Coffee (9910 8th SW), with free bike tune-ups as well as free coffee.

And all week – tomorrow through Friday – Metro and Sound Transit are offering free rides to any bicyclist who loads a bike on one of their buses. Each bus, Metro notes, has three spaces, available first-come first-served. And if you’ve never used the bus bike rack before, remember that you can give the same equipment a try at Alki Bike and Board at 2606 California SW in the Admiral District (ABB is also participating in the Friday morning bike-to-work station by the low bridge, mentioned above).

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Seattle Police Memorial remembrance at Forest Lawn next Friday

May 13, 2012 6:56 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(May 2010 photo from Seattle Police Memorial at Forest Lawn, by Christopher Boffoli)
Next Friday, you are invited to the annual Seattle Police Memorial on the grounds of Forest Lawn Cemetery (WSB sponsor) east of High Point, where the plan for a permanent memorial is finally moving forward. The Friday (May 18) ceremony will be at 1 pm, with the founding president of the Washington State Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, retired Sgt. Frank Kampsen, as keynote speaker, according to Forest Lawn’s David Salove. SPD leadership at the ceremony will include Deputy Chief Nick Metz, and the Seattle Police Pipes and Drums will be there to provide ceremonial music. The site for the permanent memorial was dedicated in 2009 (WSB coverage here), with hopes it would be built within the following year, but the plan stalled for a while; now it’s proceeding, according to Salove, who says anyone interested in getting involved can contact Forest Lawn at 206-932-0050.

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West Seattle wildlife: Honeybee-swarmed neighborhood

May 13, 2012 3:33 pm

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| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Yes, we count bees (and other insects/etc.) as wildlife too. So here’s an unusual sight, shared by Ute Herzel-Harding, whose block (3600 block of 46th SW, Genesee area) has drawn five honeybee swarms in three days – including the one shown above, with the honeybees almost appearing to be part of the hanging planter, which is what inspired Ute to share the photos (thanks!). Ute’s husband Mike Harding is a beekeeper and gathered them up for a new home:

The planter swarm turned up on Friday. Then on Saturday, another swarm on what Ute says otherwise was “a rather flimsy ash-tree branch”:

Here’s Mike:

(If you find a bee swarm, the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association website usually displays a list of who to call – we’ve tried it in multiple browsers and it’s not displaying for us – perhaps a bee-savvy WSB’er knows what’s up?)

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Déja vu at Alki Beach: Sunny day = littering beachgoers

May 13, 2012 2:20 pm

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| Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Alki photographer David Hutchinson was out at the beach early this morning and dismayed to see this scene repeated (remember April?) – in multiple spots. Not long after he took the photos, David says, a Parks Department crew came by for trash pickup. But the point of this isn’t to criticize Parks, which put out some extra cans after last month’s litterfest – some of which still overflowed or were ignored:

The point is for people to consider picking up after themselves. David notes there’s available space in “dumpsters (usually half empty) when cans are full. There are 5 dumpsters from 59th Ave to 56th Ave – a distance of 4 blocks. They are spaced about every block. There are 3 dumpsters around the Alki Bathhouse plus 1 dumpster for recycling. An additional dumpster is located by the picnic shelter down at 62nd.” After all, it’s not like somebody’s on hand to bus your table:

We know many people who use Alki won’t see this story because the beach draws from far beyond West Seattle. But if you do go to the beach on a sunny day, or know someone planning an event, be sure to make sure an extra bag or two is in the plan, and even consider packing out your trash – or at least hauling it to the nearest dumpster, which probably, as David points out, will have room.

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West Seattle weekend scene: Mother’s Day hot spot

May 13, 2012 1:49 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Many a Sunday, you’ll find a line at Bakery Nouveau in The Junction. This morning, Edgar Riebe from Captive Eye Media caught this photo from the back of what he says was a 30-minute line to get in the door! And worth it, Edgar added. Here’s hoping this is a successful Mother’s Day for all local eateries – and if you’re just venturing out for late lunch/brunch, while we can’t guarantee they have room, La Romanza Bistro Italiano in The Junction (WSB sponsor) offers jazz brunch till 4 pm. The sponsor team also was joined this week by vegetarian Chaco Canyon Organic Café in The Triangle, brunch till 3 pm on Sundays. And while driving north of Morgan Junction the other day, we noticed a NOW SERVING BRUNCH banner outside Pan Africa Grill at Juneau/California.

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West Seattle Sunday: Happy Mother’s Day! 2012 edition

May 13, 2012 7:02 am

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| Holidays | West Seattle news

Thanks to Doug B for the photo! (More on his Flickr page.) Not entirely certain whether that’s Mom Goose or Dad Goose, so let’s just celebrate the spirit of parenthood, which comes in so many forms. And to that point, while brunch is awesome, Mother’s Day activities go beyond that … especially on a summer-like day … check out this list:

STILL IN THE MOOD FOR YARD/GARAGE/RUMMAGE SALES? Here in the aftermath of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, the Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation is continuing its sale 9 am-2 pm today (details here). P.S. If you’re having a sale, you’re always welcome to post it in the Freebies/Deals/Sales section of the WSB Forums.

MOTHER’S DAY AT WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, with food and flowers and special activities:

We’ll have a book booth from Readers to Eaters, with author readings and book sales:

10:30 – Jill Lightener – Edible Seattle: The Cookbook
11:30 – Rick Swann – Our School Garden! (children’s picture book)
12:30 – Sara Anderson – A Day At The Market (children’s book)

All Day: Master Gardeners will host a seed-planting booth for kids! (With sweet peas from Langley Fine Gardens on Vashon).

44th/Alaska in The Junction.

GLASS FLOWERS FOR MOTHER’S DAY: Not only can you buy them, you can watch glass sunflowers being created at Avalon Glassworks again today, 11 am-5 pm (SW Avalon Way just south of the West Seattle Bridge).

‘NICKELSVILLE’ ANNIVERSARY: As reported here on Friday, today marks one year since the encampment founded on a triangle of public land at West Marginal Way SW and Highland Park Way SW moved back, with the city not threatening eviction this time. The public is invited to events today that start at noon, including a double wedding.

MOTHER’S DAY TEA DANCE … with Dance for Joy @ Camp Long Lodge (5200 35th SW). 1-5 pm. See the schedule here.

TAKE MOM TO THE SEALTH MUSICAL: The last of three performances of “The Rehearsal Room” at the Chief Sealth International High School auditorium (2600 SW Thistle) is a 2 pm matinee today, with flowers and chocolate promised for the moms in attendance. Ticket info here.

LIVE GUITAR MUSIC: Jonathan Nicholson performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm (5612 California SW).

‘IRON BREWER COMPETITION’ … a special event this week for the West Seattle Cooking Club, with an unusual lineup of flavors. 4 pm, Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW).

THE MAMA-LOGUES: Mother’s Day evening performance at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)! 7:30 pm, with wine, dessert, and the knowledge that the proceeds benefit family-nurturing nonprofits. Details here.

More on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.

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Casting call! Next Saturday’s West Seattle ‘hubs’ drill needs you

May 13, 2012 6:34 am

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| How to help | Preparedness | West Seattle news

View West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs in a larger map

If you can spare a few hours next Saturday morning, the volunteer-run West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs would love to have your help as a “citizen actor.” It’s another drill – this time with a terrorism scenario – and two of the 11 West Seattle hubs are scheduled to be “activated,” along with at least 10 others around the city. The “hubs” are neighborhood spots designated as places you would be able to go to find information if some kind of disaster takes out the regular communications channels, and local volunteers “activate” them periodically in drills, to stay fresh with the procedures and skills that might have to be put to use someday. The drill is scheduled for Saturday (May 19th) 8:30-noon at hubs in High Point and Fauntleroy; to volunteer as a potential “citizen actor,” role TBA, please e-mail Cindi at cbarker@Qwest.net.

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West Seattle weekend scene: Pack 793’s derby & ‘dogs

May 13, 2012 5:01 am

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

West Seattle’s Cub Scout Pack 793 was on the fast track to fun Saturday evening at Holy Rosary, with its annual Pinewood Derby – which troop leaders also hoped to use as a springboard to wider community involvement in a bigger derby later this year. Check out the vehicle lineup:

And it wasn’t just a derby, it was dinner too – here are Dylan and Daniel, on the hot-dog crew:

Interested community members/businesses were offered the chance to sign up for the bigger event ahead – once there’s more information to share about that, we’ll publish an update. Pack 793, by the way, is online – here.

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West Seattle weekend scene: Troop 284’s Spaghetti Dinner/Auction

May 13, 2012 4:25 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Tables, bellies, and hearts were full Saturday night at Our Lady of Guadalupe, as Boy Scout Troop 284 hosted its annual spaghetti dinner and auction. Lots of food, and lots of donations for the auction:

As the original announcement of the event, shared by Teresa Syrstad, noted, “Having just celebrated our 97th year, Troop 284 is the fifth oldest, continuously charted troop in the nation! The boys are involved in numerous service projects in the West Seattle community. We look forward to them becoming community leaders and passing on their skills, inspiration and leadership to countless other youth.”