In case you haven’t seen it already in the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar – Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s brand-new Alex J. Brunett Gymnasium will host Hoopfest this weekend, and sign-ups are open now for boys and girls going into 3rd through 12th grades this fall. It’s a three-on-three basketball tournament this Saturday and Sunday, with these brackets:
3/4th grade Boys 3/4th grade Girls
5/6th grade Boys 5/6th grade Girls
7/8th grade Boys 7/8th grade Girls
9-12th grade Boys 9-12th grade Girls
The cost is $50 per team, with proceeds benefiting the OLG CYO sports program. Questions? E-mail olghoops@gmail.com – or if you just want to sign up, go here!
As we continue counting down to Saturday’s West Seattle Grand Parade, presented by American Legion Post 160, we have news of another honoree who you’ll see toward the start of the parade: Recent Seattle Lutheran High School retiree Shirley Vradenburgh is this year’s winner of the Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community.
SLHS honored Shirley, a West Seattle native, just last month – as she retired – with its first-ever Ring of Honor Award. She spent 33 years as teacher and registrar/college counselor at Seattle Lutheran, after spending a few years away from West Seattle, while she studied and taught in the Midwest.
Her community service here has included myriad roles including youth ministry and volunteer work with local nonprofits. In particular, she is well-known at Providence Mount St. Vincent, and explains:
I began volunteering at the Mount in 1996 when my mother spent her last two years there. I went every evening to visit her and began helping at dinner time. After my mother died in 1998, I was back the next day, and I have continued most days since that time. I found the Mount to be a special place; the staff were very supportive, and I have enjoyed many friendships with residents and their families through the years. It is a delight to see the smiles on the faces of residents as I spend a few minutes visiting while I help serve their drinks and the evening meal. They enjoy hearing about my activities with the students or travels, etc. I also spend time visiting with other residents around the building. Spending time with teenagers and the elderly each day makes a great balance – both are amazing groups of people.
The Kiwanis Club of West Seattle celebrated Shirley as an Everyday Hero in 2008, and the Rotary Club of West Seattle honored her recently too. Now, Post 160 is honoring her with the award named after the man who led the Post as Commander when it was first presented, 1984, Orville Rummel. Last year, community advocate/volunteer Cindi Barker was the honoree. In 2010, your WSB co-publishers were honored to receive it; that year, we wrote about its history.
So come to the parade this Saturday and cheer for Shirley – the route is California SW from Lander to Edmunds, starting around 11 am, with the motorcycles as usual launching earlier, so don’t be last-minute if you’re watching from the start of the route!
This afternoon in Mount Vernon, the West Seattle Little League Seniors Division team (15/16-year-olds) shut out their first opponent in state play, 5-0. A game scheduled for 4 pm game today will determine who they play tomorrow (here’s the bracket). They won the state berth by winning the District 7 tournament earlier this month (as reported here). More to come!
3:28 PM: If you’ve noticed the police search in the Gatewood/Fauntleroy area – they are looking for someone who might have fired gunshots, no injuries but possible damage found to a fence. The suspect was last seen on SW Willow headed toward Fauntleroy (map) and southbound on Fauntleroy, so they are checking Lincoln Park, too. The suspect was described on the scanner as white, male, around 18, 5’6″, wearing a baseball cap, black shirt, jeans (but keep in mind, that was just a preliminary description).
3:35 PM UPDATE: People in the area tell us that police are searching with rifles out, which would be standard given the nature of the call. Scanner says they’ve heard from workers in the area who think it might have been firecrackers and not gunshots. Search continues.
(Historic photo of Camp Colman dock, courtesy YMCA)
Though it’s not in West Seattle, thousands of West Seattleites old and young know all about YMCA Camp Colman – which is celebrating its centennial this year. The Colman family, which founded the camp on Case Inlet in south Puget Sound, had major roots in Fauntleroy – which is where you can be part of a celebration coming up on July 27th. Here’s the announcement from the Y (WSB sponsor):
YMCA Camp Colman, located on the Case Inlet in lower Puget Sound, is celebrating 100 years of helping kids and teens to realize their potential and give back to their communities throughout greater Seattle and beyond.
Founded in 1912 by the Colman family (Seattle pioneers and philanthropists), Camp Colman is a year-round facility featuring more than 100 forested acres, a protected saltwater lagoon and views of the snow-capped Olympic Mountains. Camp Colman offers a wide variety of programs offering positive role models, connection to the natural world and personal challenges. Programs include youth and teen summer overnight camp, family camps, Outdoor Environmental Education programs and Women’s Wellness Weekends.
Centennial Events
The central events of Camp Colman’s Centennial Year will be celebrated by camp alumni and friends of Camp Colman this July. Key dates include:
• July 27, 5:30 pm-8:30 pm: Bean Feed Dinner & Centennial Film Premiere at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California Ave. SW, Seattle
• July 28-29, 2:00 pm arrival and 5:30 pm dinner: Celebration Weekend at Camp Colman! Salmon Bake Dinner, Campfire, French Toast & Goop on Sunday Morning and other activities. Location: 20016 Bay Road, KPS, Longbranch
• For the latest news and information on the Centennial and other events, visit campcolman.org
History & Facility Enhancements
In 1912, the Colman family welcomed campers from the Plymouth Congregational Church to their property at Horsehead Bay. The program expanded to include children from the Fauntleroy YMCA located in West Seattle. Camp Colman moved to its current location on Whiteman’s Cove in 1965 to allow for more space to grow.
Originally built to accommodate about 120 campers at a time, Camp Colman’s Anderson Lodge now serves approximately 220 campers attending per session during the summer. Expansion of Anderson Lodge and other renovations are also marking the Centennial. Enhancements include new bathrooms on the main floor, an improved kitchen, new floors, upgraded safety features, an expanded deck around the building to enjoy stunning views of the Olympics, a new staff lounge area and a history wall.
Over the past 40 years, Camp Colman has added new cabins to accommodate steady growth and, in the past three years, the new Freeman Village has added space for 48 more campers or guests. These improvements are increasing Camp Colman’s year-round appeal for programs such as Women’s Wellness Weekends, retreats and Outdoor Environmental Education.
1:02 PM: Big response off to the 5600 block of 29th SW, which is the golf course/Camp Long vicinity. We believe the dispatch was for someone “stuck in a tree” – we’re en route. And just as we typed that, most of the units have been canceled – we’re continuing just to check it out.
1:10 PM: We’re not there yet but we did want to let you know, if you are seeing a helicopter in the North Delridge area, it’s a TV chopper that was sent to check this out.
1:25 PM: The incident is definitely over – so over, the last fire unit was leaving as we pulled up. Still checking to try to find out a little bit more but bottom line, all’s well now.
2:28 PM: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore says it was a report of an 11-year-old in a tree … and the child turned out to be all of five feet up, so the call was canceled.
Thanks to photographer J.P. Peck of QuickShows.com for the overview looking toward Lowman Beach – we noticed this a little while ago too – the noctiluca is back. In case you missed our earlier coverage (here’s a story from last month), and/or previous years’ stories, it’s NOT “red tide,” but rather nontoxic microorganisms. The state Department of Ecology talks about it here.
Last week, we reported that West Seattle-based Grindline was the “apparent low bidder” for the Roxhill Skatespot (skatepark) and playground-renovations-prep project (here’s that story). “Apparent” was an important word in that report, inferring “not final yet” – and indeed, that has turned out to be the case: This morning, we have an update from Seattle Parks’ project manager Kelly Davidson: “After review of the bids, project budget, and WMBE Inclusion Plan, Parks has decided to reject all bids. The only qualified bidder was $29K over the engineer’s estimate and this bid did not leave a sufficient contingency in the project budget. The inclusion plan was reviewed and discussed and will be adjusted in the revised bid. This has been posted to eBid and all contractors have been notified. The bid will be posted again this week and we expect to re-bid on July 25th.” (You might recall that Delridge Skatepark also went through 2 rounds of bidding.) Davidson says that means construction is not likely to start till late August or even September.
(Photo by Jordan Petram, shared via Flickr – Alki Point Lighthouse, open for tours 1-4 pm summer weekends)
Recovered from West Seattle Summer Fest yet? (Our coverage, day by day, is linked in the sidebar “BIG STORIES” list, if you want to browse the pics and video, or here!) Rest up for more summer fun ahead – though today is semi-quiet; here are some highlights:
BRIDGE CLOSURES THIS WEEK? Short answer – NO bridge or 99/Viaduct closures. But Thursday and Friday nights (late night into early the following morning), the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project will require lane closures in both directions, and the ramp to the West Seattle Bridge from *northbound* I-5 will be closed as a result. Those closures are listed in the latest “construction lookahead” from SDOT/WSDOT.
WORK AHEAD AT LOWMAN BEACH PARK: You might have missed this story, published here Saturday, amid all the Summer Fest coverage over the weekend – this week, King County will start a monthlong project at Lowman Beach Park, but it’s NOT related to the upcoming megaproject to build the million-gallon storage tank to reduce combined-sewer overflows. They’re replacing the grate over the underground Murray Pump Station. That’ll block off a few parking spaces on the street and part of the south side of the park. It’s all explained here (including aerial photos).
DELRIDGE PRODUCE CO-OP MEETING: Tonight, 6:30 pm, Delridge Library (Delridge/Brandon). Marketing, membership, and upcoming events are on the agenda.
WALK OR BIKE TO FIND OUT ABOUT GREENWAYS: This month’s Sustainable West Seattle “forum” will get you out and about for a firsthand look at proposed “greenways” through eastern WS. Meet at the West Seattle Tool Library, on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), at 7 pm, and either bike along with Stu Hennessey of Alki Bike and Board (WSB sponsor) or walk with Feet First.
There’s more on the calendar, including events that happen every Monday, from paddleboarding to cooking!
(Photo by Long Bach Nguyen)
That’s a June 27th photograph of the Noble Discoverer, one of two Shell oil-drilling vessels that left Harbor Island’s Vigor Shipyards that day (WSB coverage here) after months of work, headed for a controversial new round of Arctic offshore drilling. A WSB’er has called our attention to a new report of trouble for the ND before it had even reached its destination; as shown in this photo published by the Washington Post, it came very close to shore in Alaska over the weekend. It went adrift off Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians (Coast Guard news release here), where it and the other rig worked on at Vigor, Kulluk, have been waiting; they haven’t made it into the Arctic Ocean because of heavier-than-expected ice, according to this detailed report from an Alaska news organization. Another update says Shell doesn’t think it ran aground; they’re still checking for possible damage.
After many expressions of love for Lincoln Park emerged among those concerned about the commercial zipline attraction proposal first reported here on June 28th and withdrawn by the Parks Department last Wednesday after an emotional meeting the night before, it was suggested that love be shown by participation in a volunteer work party. This weekend, some did just that. Volunteer forest steward Lisa McGinty says Sunday’s Friends of Lincoln Park (FLIP) work party was a success: “We had a good turnout of volunteers and lots of friendly acknowledgment from park visitors.” FLIP usually has two volunteer events each month – watch the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for word of upcoming chances for you to get involved too.
As mentioned in our continuous West Seattle Summer Fest coverage, WS Hi-Yu royalty and volunteers were busy at the festival – and you’ll see even more of them in the days ahead. Four big events for West Seattle Hi-Yu in the coming week: First, the Hi-Yu Concert in the Park brings the West Seattle Big Band to Hiawatha’s east lawn (along Walnut, south of Lander) on Tuesday night (July 17th), 7:30 pm – free! On Friday, the West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court for next year will be coronated, also at Hiawatha, during the noon-3 pm Fun Fest – coronation’s at 1 pm. On Saturday, your Hi-Yu float and current royalty will be in the West Seattle Grand Parade (starting around 11 am from California/Lander and headed south). And Hi-Yu president James Kline just confirmed that the Community Breakfast is back on for Sunday (July 22nd) at the Masonic Hall, 4736 40th SW, thanks to volunteers and a donation. Keep up on festival happenings at westseattlehiyu.com.
ADDED 8:14 AM MONDAY: During our weekend Summer Fest coverage, we mentioned the Hi-Yu button sales, including the prizes they gave after spotting random button-wearers at the festival (see one winner in our Saturday afternoon report). The sales were a big success, according to this update received this morning:
West Seattle Hi-Yu would like to thank the West Seattle Community for their fantastic support over the Summer Fest weekend! We sold approximately 400 buttons, 25 totem pole pins and received about $100 in donations. All of these funds go towards the float and our scholarship programs. Queen Kayli gave out 4 cash prizes on Saturday to random supporters wearing their “Hi-Yu Button” during the festival. It was a lot of fun and we hope to do it again next year. We hope everyone enjoyed seeing the float up close.
Button sales will continue this week and during the American Legion Grand Parade on Saturday. Thanks again, West Seattle!
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
The clouds made the colors and patterns stand out just that much more during today’s 18th annual West Seattle Garden Tour. WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams visited some of the nine featured gardens; above, Barbara Post and Margie O’Coyne walked through the Pollinators’ Paradise (Davis & Plucinski) garden, admiring the fireglow. Also from that garden:
Next stop:
Participating gardener Sarah Cecil Martin answered Chris Porter‘s questions about a rose bush in her garden (Urban Growth), which is also where visitors saw this glass/stone path:
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Another splendid stop: The Rohwer garden:
This one, for the tour, was dubbed “Perennial Plush”:
In the Houghton/Wong garden, tour-titled “North by Southwest,” a bee headed for the sea holly:
(Live SDOT webcam looking north on California from Alaska) 11:49 AM: The third and final day of West Seattle Summer Fest 2012 has begun! The weather is getting better by the minute – sun as well as clouds, the mist has (mostly) stopped, just a bit of breeze, lots of people here. One more time, here are the quick info links:
Vendor list and map: 3 ways to view – searchable list, PDF list, zoomable map – and if you haven’t shopped the year-round Junction merchants’ sidewalk sales, last chance! Music schedule:Here Alaska Stage schedule: Here GreenLife schedule: Here
One thing you will NOT find in The Junction today – turns out that Rocksport sold out of food and liquor last night, and will NOT reopen today – last night was it. Here’s the sign on their door:
Lots of places you CAN go, though – all the restaurants/bars along both sides of California SW are welcoming Summer Fest visitors with open arms, and many with specials, in addition to the temporary fair-style food booths. More than a few people have asked us about caramel corn – there IS a booth at the far south end of the festival, at SW Edmunds.
Which leads us to a great photo that just came in – an amazing overview of the entire festival zone:
That’s from John Peck of QuickShows.com – they shoot with a mast-cam. Back down here on street level, if you’re looking for any festival information, we’re in the Info Booth with West Seattle Chamber of Commerce ambassadors, plus flyers about a variety of other summer events still to come. And the music has begun – we’ll add video from the first act of the day, Black Bangs, in a few minutes.
1:07 PM UPDATE: As promised, here’s that clip:
So glad to see the weather isn’t keeping anyone away – just as busy as yesterday. Also relatively quiet so far – in the past half-hour or so, we’ve seen Seattle Police Lt. Ron Smith, who’s been in charge of the Summer Fest force, and Officers Luckie and Lucas, and they have nothing major to report. We HAVE heard (mostly via e-mail) from folks pointing out that parking enforcement on 44th is being taken seriously, with towing again today – the “no parking” zones are posted there so buses rerouted from California/Alaska can get through. (Remember there will also be lots of no-parking signs in advance of West Seattle Grand Parade/Float Dodger 5K day next Saturday, too.)
1:44 PM UPDATE: Bunnies!
You’ll see them at GreenLife on the southwest end of the festival zone, alongside Bikram Yoga (WSB sponsor) and east of the Chase drive-thru. This is also a great day to find out why it does NOT have to be sunny for solar power to work at your home/business:
Solar Epiphany is putting on frequent demos at GL. And GreenLife – presented by Sustainable West Seattle and WS Nursery – also is where you can test putting your bike on a Metro bus-style rack (like the one that’s been out in front of Alki Bike and Board (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District, whose proprietor Stu Hennessey is at GreenLife too):
On the north end of the festival zone, near SW Oregon, don’t miss the Art Dive – lots of artists showing and selling their creations.
2:20 PM UPDATE: The SUN is now out. (Check the live cam atop this story – refresh the page if the time stamp isn’t current – for proof.) We just knew the forecast was overplaying the clouds. Meantime, another Summer Fest sight – the impromptu skatepark right behind the Info Booth:
A popular question at the Info Booth today – where are the community organizations, like Seal Sitters or West Seattle Be Prepared? They’re time-sharing at the community spot over near the ex-Petco. Meantime, we’ve been hanging out in the Info Booth with WS Chamber ambassador Don Bazemore, who’s been talking to people about his glam-rock group’s next gig – Matt the Hoopla (after playing Ballard Seafood Fest last night) plays the Alki Art Fair in two weeks, July 28th.
3:18 PM UPDATE: Still time to get here for the final performances/demonstrations of Summer Fest – Hobosexual is the last scheduled music act, on the California Stage at 3:45 pm. At GreenLife, Backyard Beer Making is the last scheduled demonstration/workshop, 4 pm. Meantime, here’s a music clip from earlier – the Duwamish Dixieland Jazz Band was on the Alaska Stage earlier this afternoon:
4:45 PM UPDATE: Festival’s waning minutes – and the first missing-child report of the entire three-day festival (hopefully the last!) has just happened – 5-year-old boy reunited quickly with mom after, we’re told, he walked up to a police officer at California/Oregon.
4:52 PM: Second lost-child report, also a 5-year-old boy, Ben, blonde, gray T-shirt. Police and festival staff are searching. Meantime, if you have lost any items during the festival – the official lost/found was at the festival office, on California SW next to the now-ex-Super Supplements (they just opened their new Morgan Junction location this past Friday).
5:00 PM: Festival closing time. Some of the vendors may linger – the food booths near the info booth still seem to be in action – but before too long, some of the load-out will begin. It usually takes several hours for breakdown, so the streets will remain closed for a while. **2nd lost child found.**
ADDED 11:56 PM: A few photos shared with us post-festival – first, Eric took this one of Ben Harwood from Hobosexual, performing this afternoon:
And from Jana, a montage of tiny participants in the West Seattle’s Got Talent showcase held at the Alaska Stage:
Festival breakdown wasn’t done yet when we passed through The Junction about two hours ago, but the California/Alaska SDOT cam shows the streets are clear now. Thanks again to everyone who stopped by the Info Booth to say hi – we had a terrific time and hope you did too.
Esther Faye Franks, 94, died of natural causes in West Seattle on July 10, supported by her extended family and friends.
Faye was born February 10, 1918, in Lakeview, Kansas, a small farming community. She was the second of five children born to Mattie and Ebon Anderson. Faye graduated from the University of Kansas in 1941 and taught high-school home economics, where she met Kermit Franks, teaching at the same school. They were married in February 1942, ten days before he was drafted into the Army. His service was in Alaska, and when the war ended the couple decided to live in Seattle. They started a family and Kerm began a 30-year career with Seattle Public Schools. Faye spent many years involved in PTA, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Euthenics – an organization for Home Economics graduates.
From 1961 to 1975, Faye and Kerm co-managed the Seabeck Conference Center on Hood Canal. They are remembered fondly as “Auntie Faye” and “Uncle Kerm” by the many former staff members, who were high-school and college youth at the time.
For more than 25 years beginning in 1963, Faye and Kerm hosted a series of exchange students from Europe, Asia and Central America. She was the regional International Christian Youth Exchange coordinator and served on the national board. They also traveled to a number of countries, visiting the families of their student guests.
The couple built a cabin at Lake Cushman, near Hoodsport, Washington, in 1976. They spent summers there, encouraging visits from family and friends. Faye enjoyed square dancing, hiking, swimming, and berry and mushroom picking well into her 80s. She was skilled at sewing, rug-making and other needle arts. She was our bread-baker supreme and taught bread baking classes for many years.
Faye was an active member of Tibbetts United Methodist Church in West Seattle. One of her favorite volunteer jobs was helping oversee the annual church rummage sale. She was known for “rescuing” many sale items to ensure they would have a good home, even if it meant in her home. Faye taught the AARP safe driving course for many years and also served as course coordinator.
Faye and Kerm celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends at an open house on February 26 at The Kenney residential community in West Seattle.
She is survived by husband Kerm; daughters Marsha (Mike) and Candace (John); sons Dean (Cynthia) and David; sister Doris Stubeck; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; four nephews and three nieces.
A memorial service will be held in September. Donations may be made to Seabeck Conference Center or Tibbetts United Methodist Church.
(Thanks to Robert Spears for sharing the Saturday double-eagle sighting from Alki, via the WSB Facebook page)
OK, so it’s cloudy, misty, breezy. The fun must go on.
WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST, FINAL DAY: Rain or shine, the festival carries on – once things get under way for the day at 11 am (an hour later than Friday/Saturday), we’ll start our “live” coverage, and we’ll have updates if the weather leads to any changes in scheduled events. Scheduled closing time today is 5 pm. Here’s the live cam courtesy of SDOT:
Vendor list and map: 3 ways to view – searchable list, PDF list, zoomable map – and if you haven’t shopped the year-round Junction merchants’ sidewalk sales, last chance! Music schedule:Here (first performance at noon, Black Bangs on the California Stage) Alaska Stage schedule: Here (first performance 1 pm, Duwamish Dixieland Jazz Band) GreenLife schedule: Here (first event 11 am, with a food-preservation presentation by Christina from Sustainable West Seattle)
We’re reporting live again throughout the day, based out of the Information Booth, where we and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce volunteers also have free WS Art Walk buttons plus flyers with handy info about other summer events including the full schedule for West Seattle Outdoor Movies (co-sponsored by WSB, as is Summer Fest), which start next weekend in the courtyard by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor).
WEST SEATTLE GARDEN TOUR: It’s happening right now! All the info about the nine open gardens and the noon lecture are in the ticket books – which you can get at the locations listed on the right side of this page. The self-guided tour is on till 5 pm today, and we can affirm from last year’s tour, umbrellas welcome. Remember, there’s an indoor event included in the ticket price too – the noon lecture at The Kenney (WSB sponsor).
YES, THE FARMERS’ MARKET IS ON: The West Seattle Farmers’ Market is always a popular feature on the final day of West Seattle Summer Fest – 10 am-2 pm at 44th/Alaska as always; just remember, if you haven’t been to The Junction during the festival, California SW is closed between Edmunds and Oregon (and part of the block between Oregon and Genesee), while SW Alaska is closed between 44th and 42nd. The Junction parking lots accessible from those streets themselves are open.
ROCKSPORT’S LAST DAY: After two nights rockin’ with Hell’s Belles, the Rocksport Bar and Grill is scheduled to close after today – one of the businesses closing/moving at California/Alaska/42nd because the Equity Residential (formerly Conner) two-building apartments/retail development is about to get under way. Unlike most of the other businesses on the block, they are *not* moving to another location; their fixtures and other items will be auctioned off on July 24th.
UPDATE – ROCKSPORT ALREADY CLOSED: There’s a sign on the door that says they sold out of food and liquor last night (we’ll add a photo to our Summer Fest coverage), so they’re not opening today – last night was it.
(Photo added: Christopher Boffoli caught Ladder 11’s crew as they too prepared to roll away)
The call’s at California/Genesee. En route to check it out. (added) Our first crew there says it looks like a false alarm – the crews have been canceled.
One week from today, California Avenue SW will be lined with spectators and filled with floats, marchers, and more, for the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade. And today, we learned that WestSide Baby executive director Nancy Woodland will be Grand Marshal, just one day before her organization’s big annual Stuff The Bus diaper-donate-a-thon (10 am-2 pm Sunday, July 22nd, in the AmericanWest Bank parking lot). The diaper drive’s signature bus will be in next Saturday’s parade right behind the convertible in which she’ll be displaying a well-executed parade wave (we saw a preview in the West Seattle Summer Fest Info Booth today). Note that this year’s parade timing will be a bit different for reasons including the first-ever Float Dodger 5K – which will start at California/Lander, the start of the parade route, around 9:45 am. The parade will begin with the Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team as usual – and then between the SPD motorcycles and their Vancouver, B.C., counterparts, you’ll see the Seattle Police Pipes and Drums with some guests from back east. In The Junction, the Rotary Club of West Seattle Kiddie Parade will precede the main part of the parade as usual (click the linked title to sign up now) – more parade previews here all week.
(WSB coverage of 2012 Summer Fest Friday is here and here)
FIRST REPORT, 1:31 PM: The fog’s gone, the afternoon sun is shining in full force on West Seattle Summer Fest’s second afternoon, as you can see on the SDOT “live” cam that’s right over our HQ in the Info Booth (southwest corner of California/Alaska) with West Seattle Chamber of Commerce volunteers. We’re launching continuous coverage in a moment – but first the quick links for info before you go (or while you’re there!) –
(added) The Alaska Stage is where Rat City Brass kicked off today’s performances:
GreenLife is on the west side of the south end of the festival zone, just south of Bikram Yoga (WSB sponsor) – and Sustainable West Seattle president Christina Hahs just came by the Info Booth to tell us they’ve got COUPONS you might be interested in – including discounts on Cedar Grove Compost, and 10 percent off the just-moved Greendepot in SODO.
GreenLife is one place where Summer Fest exhibitors are educational as well as fun. Then there’s the community booth along the east side of California SW south of Alaska – where West Seattle Be Prepared‘s Deb Greer and Karen Berge are on duty now, talking with folks about preparedness:
Once again today, the kids’ activities are a big focus of Info Booth questions – if you’re here with little ones, be sure to check out the rides on the west end of SW Alaska as well as everything in the Wells Fargo lot – you’ll even find this – not exactly the Seattle Great Wheel, but perfect for little ones:
2:34 PM UPDATE: The “Guns ‘n’ Hoses” Wing Dome three-alarm-wing contest is over – and the winners are:
That’s the Seattle Police team. They won, four to one, in individual matches like this:
They won $250 – and there was a $125 prize for the Seattle Fire Department team, whose members, we’re told, were from nearby Station 32:
Also here at the heart of the festival, live painting’s happening with artists from Seattle Mural Art, outside Twilight Artist Collective (just around the corner from Easy Street Records):
Twilight also organizes the Art Dive, north of Oregon – don’t miss it! That’s also where you’ll find the West Seattle Hi-Yu float (this year’s theme, “Secret Garden,” preview it before next Saturday’s WS Grand Parade!) Meantime, Hi-Yu royalty and volunteers have been wandering the festival selling buttons ($1, and it supports the program that includes Seattle’s last community parade float!) – and then if they spot someone wearing one, they’re handing out random prizes! Here’s Queen Kayli with one of the winners, Cherie:
More to come!
4:07 PM UPDATE: After a very brief rainshower, which required a tarp for the chalk-art project we’ve been watching for two days …
… it’s dry – with filtered sunshine. The rain didn’t seem to chase anyone away – it’s a steady stream of people. And besides music on the California Stage, there are also lots of performers along the sidewalks, in the middle of the street … and at venues like Red Cup Espresso just north of SW Oregon:
5:08 PM UPDATE: Another hot topic in the info booth: Festival food. Yes, there are fair-style traditions like deep-fried peanut-butter sandwiches, strawberry shortcake, etc:
Some Junction restaurants are also taking it outside their regular spots – Matador and Bang Bar both have a presence in the food zone on SW Alaska, west of California. We spotted Nadia in the crowd; she’s performing at Bang Bar at 6 pm:
Tonight’s official fair hours are till 8, although some booths do close earlier – the music continues till 11 tonight, with The DTs at 6, The Tom Price Desert Classic around 7:30, Alcohol Funnycar around 8:30, and Pierced Arrows last up, at 10 pm. We hear the beer gardens are rocking today, too – they’re by both stages, the Alaska Stage by Junction Plaza Park, and the California Stage on California north of Oregon. We mentioned earlier that there’s music outside the stage, too – Sarah e-mailed to share a photo and more info about something to look for toward the south end of the festival zone:
A fun highlight from the West Seattle street festival was free drumming lessons for kids at Nana Yesman’s African Crafts Booth across from Northwest Art and Frame. Nana Yesman (Aminu Adamu) is a resident of West Seattle and works at PCC Natural Markets. He makes and sells jewelry using beads from his native country Ghana. He also sells other handmade arts and crafts from Ghana, including djembe drums … tomorrow (Sunday) at noon, he is offering free drumming lessons to kids.
5:46 PM: Just a note, if you’re coming tomorrow (or if you’re in the area tonight), if you stop by here at the Info Booth, we have lots of info about other summer activities. That includes tomorrow’s West Seattle Garden Tour – 9 am to 5 pm! – and White Center Garden Tour – 10 am to 4 pm. And since there’s a big West Seattle Outdoor Movies banner hanging in the back of the booth, we’ve gotten plenty of takers for the WSOM schedule flyers – they start Friday night (July 20th) with a special benefit event for Thrive Through Cancer (the movie is “50/50” – not recommended for young kids) and then the first of six Saturday night movies (July 21st) – “Pretty in Pink,” with Bob “Bobcat Bob” Rice as the opening act. The movies are on the wall in the courtyard next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor).
7:15 PM: Booths are starting to close up; sun from the west is intensifying. Above, the view a few minutes ago from our perch. We’ll be back in the Info Booth tomorrow for day 3, when Summer Fest opens an hour later so everyone can recover from Saturday night – 11 am.
ADDED: A few more Summer Fest Saturday scenes. At GreenLife, Occupy West Seattle presented an open-mike speakout on whether the economy is sustainable. A gallery was shared with us by Dina Johnson, who also spoke:
Dina says she talked “of the massive and skyrocketing gulf between the richest one percent of households (red line) and the rest, creating an unhealthy imbalance in economic and political power – in favor of the super-rich.” She reports 21 speakers in all.
On the main festival ground, WSB contributor Nick Adams shows us a closer look at the mentioned-earlier street art that’s been under way all festival long outside the Verizon megabooth (steps away from our spot at Info Central):
And a vendor with his wares: Hatterdashery’s owner Michael Loeffler, making a hat during the festival:
One more chance Sunday to check the sidewalk sales, see friends and neighbors, enjoy the music … see you there.
Rick R is wondering if you can help find that missing buoy:
Our neighbor’s mooring was last seen on Sunday, before the lightning storm. It normally rests in the small bay just South of Brace Point, around the point from Fauntleroy Cove.
It isn’t the best looking buoy around, but it has a lot of sentinmental value. If the chain broke, it could have ended up anywhere from The Arroyos to Alki Point..or beyond.
If seen, please send me a note at fr7001@gmail.com.
12:09 PM: We’ve learned that a man killed in a one-car crash near the Southworth ferry dock on the Kitsap Peninsula yesterday was a 20-year-old West Seattleite. Ben Huppe graduated from Garfield High School just two years ago. According to this Kitsap Sun report, his car veered off the road around 7:30 am Friday and went down a 30-foot embankment. A friend who e-mailed us with the sad news describes Mr. Huppe as “a truly amazing young man.”
ADDED 6:38 PM: As commenters have mentioned, Mr. Huppe was a coach at the Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club, where a memorial is growing. C.D. sent the photo we have added above, explaining it’s “a little memorial that we set up on the Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis courts; we encourage members to write their thoughts and prayers.” The AHSTC website has this tribute:
Ben has been the heart of the tennis team for years, joining the team at age 9 and twice voted “most inspirational” by his teammates. Ben coached for 4 years and has been a great role model for all the kids at the club, teaching them to love the game of tennis. He will be greatly missed and our hearts go out to his family
(Recent Lowman Beach aerial photo, by Long Bach Nguyen)
Next week, a month-long project is starting at King County’s Murray Pump Station in Lowman Beach Park, and it means reduced park access and parking, according to county spokesperson Annie Kolb-Nelson, who explains:
King County contractors will begin work during the week of July 16 to replace the wet well grate in the County’s Murray Pump Station located in Lowman Beach Park. The work is not part of the CSO project but necessary for the maintenance of the facility. The project will take about a month to complete and will reduce parking on Beach Drive Southwest and access to the southeastern corner of Lowman Beach Park (see attachment). Public access to the swing set, tennis court and beach will be maintained.
The pump station transports West Seattle’s sewage and stormwater for treatment at the County treatment plant in Magnolia. The new grate will allow County operations and maintenance staff to continue working safely in the pump station. The old grate has been corroded by sewer gases over the course of the pump station’s 55 years of service. Park users and neighbors can expect the following:
· Work hours typically 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday
· More noise and activity at the site
· Construction fencing and boom truck on site
· Reduced access to southeastern corner of the park
· Three closed parking spaces on Beach Drive Southwest
Again, she says this is NOT related to the upcoming megaproject to build a million-gallon underground storage tank (the houses/apartments in the center of the photo, “above” the park – east of it – will be demolished for that), but there is a related meeting coming up:
Also, the next Murray CSO Control Facility DAG meeting is Tuesday July 17, beginning at 6:30 at the Fauntleroy Church.
Meeting topics include:
· SDOT review of 60% design
· Facility landscaping, architecture and art
· Site fencing and art
Recent 
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Faye was born February 10, 1918, in Lakeview, Kansas, a small farming community. She was the second of five children born to Mattie and Ebon Anderson. Faye graduated from the University of Kansas in 1941 and taught high-school home economics, where she met Kermit Franks, teaching at the same school. They were married in February 1942, ten days before he was drafted into the Army. His service was in Alaska, and when the war ended the couple decided to live in Seattle. They started a family and Kerm began a 30-year career with Seattle Public Schools. Faye spent many years involved in PTA, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Euthenics – an organization for Home Economics graduates.
And today, we learned that 
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