month : 05/2013 341 results

West Seattle weekend scenes: Bright low-low-tide sights

Two colorful photos to share from this weekend’s low-low tides: Top photo is courtesy of 12-year-old Max Rubin-Stencel, who took it on Saturday at Constellation Park south of Alki Point. If you know what type of eggs (?) those are, please advise via comments or e-mail – thanks! Next, Sunshine Adams-Toledo shared the photo of a blood star:

If you have an extra day off – or are otherwise flexible during the day – tomorrow’s low tide will be -2.8 at 2 pm (not quite as far out as the past three days, but close) and Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists will be out at Constellation Park and Lincoln Park (near Colman Pool) again, 11:30 am-3 pm.

Wednesday: Final public hearing on Duwamish cleanup plan

(2011 photo by Danny McMillin, via the WSB Flickr group)
Just two and a half weeks remain in what began as a three-month public-comment period for the Environmental Protection Agency‘s proposed Duwamish River cleanup plan. June 13th is the deadline to have a say on how Seattle’s only river should be cleaned up after decades of pollution, and one more public hearing (with two sessions) is coming up this week. As the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition has led the way in pointing out, there are distinct differences in the ways the cleanup can be approached, and your comment(s) can be something as simple as a description of your priorities. The official plan document is here – you can read it in its entirety, or just check the “executive summary” a few pages in, if that’s all you have time for. DRCC’s recommendations are here, along with other assistance they offer for commenting.

HOW TO COMMENT: This week’s two-session hearing is at 2 pm and 6 pm Wednesday (May 29th) at Town Hall downtown, 1119 Eighth Avenue (map). You can also comment online via this web form, or e-mail ldpc@resolv.org.

West Seattle High School Marching Band goes international!

Yet another major event in what’s been a milestone year for West Seattle High School musicians; the photo is shared by teacher Ethan Thomas, with this report:

The West Seattle High School Marching Band traveled to Victoria, B.C. last weekend to participate in the Victoria Day Parade. The band performed in the Parade of Bands at the Parliament Building and at Beacon Hill Park in addition to the 115th annual parade that celebrates the birthday of Queen Victoria.

It’s been a big year of parades for the WSHS band – we’ve covered them in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and in the Macy’s Holiday Parade downtown, as well as the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival Parade. And you can see the WSHS band musicians perform one week from Thursday – stay tuned for details of their June 6th concert.

Video: New post commanders lead West Seattle Memorial Day 2013 @ Forest Lawn – ‘Remember their sacrifices’

While this afternoon’s Memorial Day ceremony at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) represented the event’s 86th year, it was also a first, for new commanders Kyle Geraghty of American Legion Post 160 (below left) and Nick Sullivan of VFW Post 2713, both headquartered in The Triangle (below right):

The day’s persistent rain paused just before “Taps”; as we do each year, we recorded video of the ceremony in its entirety, as all were exhorted to remember the sacrifices made by those who served:

Tenor Ross Hauck sang the national anthem and “America the Beautiful“; Pete Kirkman and Greg Lyon echoed “Taps.” And as always, the flags and crosses marking veterans’ graves were the work of Boy Scout Troop 284.

West Seattle filmmaker’s ‘Finding Hillywood’ to premiere

(“Finding Hillywood” trailer)
A few years back, we reported on a West Seattle filmmaker busy with a project then called “Film Festival: Rwanda.” Today – under the title “Finding Hillywood” – director Leah Warshawski‘s film is complete – after six years of work – and is about to have its world premiere! From the announcement:

Finding Hillywood is a feature documentary about the beginning of Rwanda’s film industry and a real-life example of how art heals.

First-time director and West Seattle resident Leah Warshawski and cinematographer Chris Towey invite us to experience Rwanda from an intimate, fresh perspective – through the lens of the country’s first filmmaking generation and the Rwanda Film Festival, now in its 9th year.

“Finding Hillywood” will be screened at the Egyptian Theater on Capitol Hill as part of the Seattle International Film Festival, this Wednesday (May 29th) and June 5.

And that’s just the beginning, Warshawski tells WSB that after SIFF, “we will screen at the deadCENTER Film Festival in Oklahoma City on June 8, and the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto on June 23. We have some other things coming up but they are not public yet. Our main character from Rwanda (Ayuub) will be in Seattle with us from May 28 – June 6.” If you’d like to see “Finding Hillywood” during its premiere screenings, ticket sales and showtimes for the upcoming screenings can be found on the SIFF website.

Police incident on the bridge

1:46 PM: Thanks to those who have messaged us about something unfolding on the high-rise bridge a short time ago – we’ve heard both that police briefly blocked the eastbound bridge, and that someone was seen walking on that side of the bridge. There is no medic response anywhere in the vicinity currently; cameras suggest traffic is flowing normally right now. We’ll add anything we find out.

2:43 PM: Still no official information, aside from this tweet via the SPD automated feed:

West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen SUV; stolen van; 2 other reader reports

Three Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes today. First, Sydney hopes you can help find her SUV stolen overnight from the 7900 block of 32nd SW:

The back hatch wouldn’t lock. *facesmack* It is a black ’88 Nissan Pathfinder with a small dent left rear bumper, license plate something like 173 VEU. It’s got a rock guard on the hood and some
mud splatter there as well.

(added, from commenter report shortly after we published this) Linda‘s van was stolen in the Fairmount Springs area last night:

Our van was stolen last night – we gave a police report but in case anyone sees it – it’s a maroon 1994 Plymouth Voyager-not super pretty but it also had an air compressor in the back. Stolen off Fauntleroy Way SW. 5900 block. It also has a for-sale sign in it with our phone number.

(back to original report) Here’s a car-prowl report from Aaron:

I just thought I would send a quick note to let you know that we had a car prowl last night in Arbor Heights. Our block on Marine View Drive at 106th Ave SW has been targeted before. This time they broke out a friend’s car window, rummaged through some clothes bags and took a bathroom bag, but nothing of real value.

And GA reports a package-contents theft:

We came home to a torn-open box from Fed Ex at our home (alley of 61st Ave. SW) Sunday evening about 7:00 pm. The box was delivered on Saturday, and we came home Sunday. We reported to police along with a description of the two younger people who neighbors saw near alley on Sunday about 6:30 p.m. This is not a full report, but wanted to alert my neighbors that the woman was seen casing the alley after the theft. The box was taken from the porch, cut into and contents were taken. The box contained art work that we purchased from Louisiana at an auction.

West Seattle food notes: Subway on Alki; patio at Firefly; another North Delridge food truck

SUBWAY AT THE BEACH: Thanks to Dale for the tip on this – city records say one of the newly divided spaces at 2758 Alki SW is being turned into a Subway sandwich shop. That would be the fifth in West Seattle by our count, after North Delridge, Morgan Junction, Jefferson Square, and West Marginal Way. The Alki building has been vacant since it was built almost three years ago on the site long occupied by Pegasus Pizza before that restaurant moved next door two years earlier. A few months ago, work began to split it into two spaces; nothing on record so far for the other one. (P.S. Since publishing this, we’ve also found the Alki Subway listed on the company website as “coming soon.”)

Now, to The Junction:

FIREFLY FOLLOWUP: The outdoor seating along the south side of Firefly Café and Creperie (California/Genesee; WSB sponsor), mentioned here a month ago, is up and running as of this holiday weekend. (We’re checking on an ETA for the organic juice bar that’s been in the works, too.)

ANOTHER NORTH DELRIDGE FOOD-TRUCK STOP: The parking lot of West Seattle Corporate Center parking lot at Delridge/Andover is turning into the latest food-truck hot spot. This week will be the second Friday stop, 11 am-2 pm, for the Mediterranean food truck Za’a Tar (thanks to SeattleFoodTruck.com for the tip); here’s their menu. The New Orleans cuisine truck Where Ya At Matt is stopping there Mondays, also 11 am-2 pm, but not today, because of the holiday. (Sunday evening note) The SeattleFoodTruck.com folks say a third truck, Fish Basket, is about to join the lineup too; we’re awaiting confirmation.

West Seattle Memorial Day 2013: What you need to know

Thanks to William Larson for sharing that photo of Troop 284 Scouts helping to mark veterans’ graves, as they do every year, at Forest Lawn, where today’s traditional West Seattle Memorial Day service will happen at 2 pm. That’s part of our info list for today, starting with some holiday basics:

TRANSPORTATION: Metro is on a Sunday schedule … The West Seattle Water Taxi also is on a Sunday schedule (but there’s no Vashon WT service) … Sound Transit buses are on a Sunday schedule … The Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth state-ferry route is on a regular Monday schedule.

TRASH/RECYCLING/ETC.: If you have Monday pickup, it’s normal service today, says Seattle Public Utilities; the South Transfer Station is open normal Monday hours, too.

SCHOOLS: Seattle Public Schools are closed, as is South Seattle Community College.

LIBRARIES: Seattle branches are closed, as are King County branches.

CITY PARKING HOLIDAY: No charge to park today in Seattle neighborhoods with city-operated pay stations/meters.

NO MAIL, NO BANKS … though on occasion we hear of a bank branch open on a holiday, so if you happen onto one, let us know!

CITY-RUN COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SOUTHWEST POOL … closed today.

But …

… COLMAN POOL IS OPEN! The outdoor pool on the shore at Lincoln Park is open for its first pre-season weekend! Today’s hours are noon-7 pm – broken up into these sessions.

Also happening today:

FITNESS BOOTCAMP FOR CHARITY: 8:30-9:30 am at Hiawatha Field with Fitness Revolution, free but bring a donation for WestSide Babymore info in the calendar listing. (2700 California SW)

LOW-LOW TIDE, WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Today’s low tide is almost as low as yesterday’s (did you see WSB readers’ photos/video?) – at 1:11 pm, it’ll be out to -3.4 feet. That’s right in the middle of the four-hour period when you will find Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, 11 am-3 pm.

MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE: All are welcome at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) at 2 pm for the traditional Memorial Day service/commemoration presented by American Legion Post 160 – look for the canopy on the green, across from FL’s building and parking. (6701 30th SW)

Overnight notes – ‘booms’ = fireworks; water search

ORIGINAL REPORT, 11:48 PM: More people are starting to ask about “booms” heard in the past half-hour-plus, in areas including Upper Morgan and North Delridge, wondering if it was gunfire, so we’re mentioning it here: So far, police-radio traffic indicates, they believe it’s fireworks. No evidence of anyone having been shot, or of non-injury gunfire. (If you have any further information, to the contrary or otherwise, please let police know.)

ADDED 4:12 AM: If you are up and noticing some searching in the Fauntleroy ferry-dock area, scanner suggests it has something to do with a report of a watercraft or dinghy of some kind. There’s no rescue response at this time, no reported need for one, so far.

Photos, video: Above, beyond, inside at low-low tide in West Seattle

Thanks to everyone who has shared views of this weekend’s low-low tides – tonight, we have more, starting with aerial images from pilot/photographer Craig Howard, from north Beach Drive (above) to Alki …

… and Duwamish Head:

Our next view is from Jim Edwards, looking back over at Alki from Centennial Park downtown:

Donna Barnett shared video as her daughter discovered a young octopus emerging from a shell – most of the voices, she says, are the Seattle Aquarium naturalists who were nearby:

(Monday P.S. – not sure if it’s the same one but a longer clip of a small octopus found in a shell, with naturalists on hand, can be seen here, on the Facebook page of longtime WSB sponsor Click! Design THat Fits.)

From Machel Spence, two photographs from Saturday – here, squid eggs at Lincoln Park:

And Machel’s daughter India with friend Isabel, holding moon snails:

Tomorrow, another chance to explore (gently!) at low-low tide – as with the past two days, it’ll be very low in the afternoon, minus three feet and then some – Monday’s lowest point will be at 1:11 pm, -3.4 feet.

West Seattle Crime Watch: 6 reader reports; Lincoln Park safety-walk reminder

Six West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share from the past few days, plus new details about the WS Crime Prevention Council‘s Lincoln Park Safety Walk next Tuesday night. We start with Katie‘s report of a Highland Park burglary:

Sometime between 6:30 am and 5:00 pm on Thursday (May 23rd), there was an attempted burglary on the 7700 block of 11th Ave SW [map]. The (burglar/s) attempted to enter the home through a window. Police were notified when the occupant of the home returned after work.

Read More

Followup: Sound Experience to benefit from Explorer West win

The winning “Environmental Issues Slam” team from Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) – mentioned here a month ago – has decided what to do with their winnings. The team calling itself “Drastic Plastic,” whose presentation covered plastics pollution in the world’s oceans, won the right to choose a charity for a $1,000 donation from the Washington Foundation for the Environment, and voted to give it to Sound Experience, described by EW’s Amy French as “an educational sailing organization with a program that educates schools/youth about plastic pollution in Puget Sound … Sound Experience has a unique partnership with UW-Tacoma to research microplastics in Puget Sound. As shown in the photo Amy shared, Sound Experience’s education/outreach coordinator Megan Addison visited EW this past week to receive the ceremonial check from the students; she’s shown with them and history teacher Tim Owens. Amy adds, “The winning team of students have also been invited by Sound Experience to participate in some plastic clean-up on board their vessel.” The slam participation followed a schoolwide effort that was part of EW’s Sustainability Program.

Happening now: Raven tapping to get from West Seattle to Chicago

12:55 PM: Outside CAPERS at 4525 California SW in The Junction right now, you’ll find 9-year-old Raven tap dancing; CAPERS’ Lisa Myers explains that Raven is “raising funds to be part of the HUMAN RHYTHM PROJECT FESTIVAL in Chicago in July. Come support this fabulous local talent.” She’s there until 2. (And if you didn’t see this in time – you can still donate to Raven’s fundraising campaign; CAPERS will forward donations.)

West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club invites kids to fish next Saturday

Next Saturday (June 1st), the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club invites kids to Seacrest for its annual free pop-up “fishing pond,” 8 am-11 am. The announcement and photo are from WSSC’s Greg Boyd:

It’s time again for the annual West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club Free Kids’ Fishing Pond at Seacrest Park. Gather up your kids (ages 14 and under) and bring them on down for some great fishing fun. We’ll have cane poles for the kids to use, bait and the pond all stocked up with trout for the kids to catch and bring home.

There will be canopies over the pond so don’t let any possible rain scare you away.

Seacrest Park is located at 1660 Harbor Ave SW. It is just down the road from Salty’s and shares the same parking lot with the foot ferry and Marination ma kai restaurant.

If you have any questions please see the calendar at our website www.wssportsmen.org, email us at info@wssportsmen.org or call Greg at 206-818-4469.

Seven calendar highlights for your West Seattle Sunday

May 26, 2013 7:20 am
|    Comments Off on Seven calendar highlights for your West Seattle Sunday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Saturday low-low-tide south of Alki Point, by Annika Bowden)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

FARMERS’ MARKET: Open Sundays year-round, even holiday weekends, so you’ll find it in The Junction today, 10 am-2 pm, as usual. Back today, according to market managers, “Kittitas tomatoes and early Lyall cherries.” Also on hand: Master Gardeners to help you solve problems. (44th/Alaska)

MEMORIAL POPPIES: 10 am-2 pm, you’ll find them offered by American Legion Auxiliary Unit 160 at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), California/Fauntleroy, in addition to VFW members at Admiral Safeway (2622 California SW) 9 am-11 pm – more information here.

FOOD SWAP: 10-11:30 am at Village Green Perennial Nursery – details in the calendar listing. (10223 26th SW)

LOW-LOW TIDE: 12:23 pm, it’s even lower than Saturday – -3.6 feet. From 10:30 am until 2:30 pm, Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists will be out at Constellation Park south of Alki Point and Lincoln Park near Colman Pool.

PHILIP MARICONDA: Singer/songwriter with live music 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company. (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)

ROO AND THE FEW: Live music – originals and covers, 7:30 pm at Locol. (7901 35th SW).

HOLLY FIGUEROA: All-ages 8 pm show at Skylark Café and Club, admission free. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

Update: Seattle Police car, SUV collide at 35th/Morgan

(1st two photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 11:42 PM: Avoid the intersection of 35th and Morgan if you happen to be heading out any time soon – we’ve received two messages about a crash there. No major injuries reported, but an ambulance has been called for one person, and one person in the area says it appears traffic headed northbound is being detoured onto Morgan.

12:29 AM: The crash involved two vehicles – and one, which is in the shrubbery by the gas-station sign on the northeast corner of the intersection, is a Seattle Police car. The east side of Morgan is blocked off but 35th is completely passable as of a few minutes ago.

(Photo shared by Mary – note the fence the SPD car crashed through; black SUV at left is other vehicle involved)
12:53 AM: Just went back to try to find out more. The second vehicle, an SUV, has been towed, and the SPD car was about to be. Officers on the scene would say only that two people went to the hospital but neither seemed to have major injuries – we don’t know if either is an officer. The first of the photos we’re adding show that the officer whose car was involved had a shockingly close call – a wooden post went through the windshield on the passenger side.

11:59 AM: The only additional information we’ve been able to get from police so far is that the officer whose car crashed was taken to a hospital and released shortly thereafter.

ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: We checked back in hopes of more information – SPD media-relations Officer Renée Witt says the report is “being transcribed and not yet available.” So we’ll check back again.

Golf and help Make-A-Wish, in honor of ‘Waz’

May 25, 2013 9:11 pm
|    Comments Off on Golf and help Make-A-Wish, in honor of ‘Waz’
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Three months ago, lifelong West Seattleite Mark “Waz” Wasielewski died too soon, at 52. His friends are carrying on with his annual golf tournament to help Make-A-Wish, and wanted to share the invitation here too. The tournament is set for Friday, June 14th, at Foster Golf Links in Tukwila, “2 pm shotgun start/scramble format,” according to the announcement, which lists the entry fee as “$80-$120 – You decide; remember, it’s for Waz’s Make-A-Wish kids.” For registration information, e-mail jim@jwsales.com.

Followup: West Seattle Soccer Club scores a crowd at The Admiral

Big game on the big screen = big success! Today’s West Seattle Soccer Club event featuring a food drive and Champions League final match screening at the Admiral Theater was “very successful,” reports WSSC’s Tim McMonigle:

Over 300 people showed up, the vast majority to watch the game, with a few watching the movie.

We had giveaways, visits from our professional women’s soccer team, the Seattle Reign and a very exciting game that was won in the last couple of minutes of the game, with Bayern Munich beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1.

We hope to make this an annual event, possibly including the World Cup next year. Thanks to all our West Seattle community for coming together to watch the game in a great venue. Looking forward to our last two weekends of our spring season (June 2, 9) and the opening of our fall registration on June 1, at westseattlesoccer.org.

Tim says more photos will be up soon on WSSC’s Facebook page.

Update: West Seattle High School baseball finishes #2 in the state

(Added: Postgame photo by Greg Slader)
5:57 PM: The West Seattle High School baseball team finishes an incredible season as #2 in the state. Championship game final score: Auburn Mountainview 7, WSHS 1.

9:18 PM NOTE: The team is due back at WSHS sometime after 11 pm, and as suggested in the comments, fans are welcome to greet them.

1:47 AM: As Coach Velko Vitalich told The Times, “… the accomplishments of this team are amazing.” They arrived back at WSHS a little over two hours ago:

Earlier:

4 PM: The game is on! West Seattle High School vs. Auburn-Mountainview for the state 3A high-school-baseball championship, happening right now in Pasco. You can see a live video feed here; below, it’s play by play via Twitter, thanks to WSHS team-parent volunteers (refresh this WSB page to see the newest tweets, or if you use Twitter, you can directly follow @wseattlestate):


P.S. Our partners at The Seattle Times took a closer look at the team and its big semifinal win yesterday in this story published today.

48th and Charlestown site makes list of final park-levy Opportunity Fund recommendations

If the City Council agrees with the recommendations of the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee, that lot at 48th and Charlestown will become city-owned park space. It’s one of the proposed Opportunity Fund recommendation changes that committee chair Pete Spalding mentioned last Wednesday night while telling the Highland Park Action Committee that the new HP spraypark – funded with money from the first Opportunity Fund – is almost ready. The 48th/Charlestown purchase was proposed by the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council. The full list of citywide recommendations is here; in addition to $400,000 for that site, it includes two other spending recommendations for this side of the city – $374,500 for the Highland Park playground area (vicinity of the new spraypark), and $669,000 for land acquisition near the south end of the new South Park Bridge, to create a plaza. Those three projects are on a list of 14 citywide; a preliminary list of recommendations had included a plan for improvements to cabins at Camp Long, but we’re told that had to be dropped, which cleared the way for the two other West Seattle projects (culled from an original list of 7 from WS) to make the list. The council is expected to vote by mid-summer.

Happening now: Low-low tide along West Seattle shores

May 25, 2013 12:19 pm
|    Comments Off on Happening now: Low-low tide along West Seattle shores
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to Leslie Dierauf of Beach Drive for sharing low-tide sights – today’s tide bottomed out at -3.3 less than an hour ago, so beach-walking conditions will still be great for a few hours, and Leslie points out that Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists are out. They’re at Constellation Park and Lincoln Park until 2 pm today.

Tomorrow’s low-low tide will be even further out – -3.6 at 12:23 pm Sunday; the volunteer beach naturalists will be back, same spots, 10:30 am-2:30 pm.

P.S. Remember you can always find the tide chart on the WSB Weather page!

West Seattle weekend scene: Massage Envy grand opening

With the help of West Seattle Chamber of Commerce board chair Dave Montoure (left), the ribbon is cut and the party’s on till 1 pm at Westwood Village’s newest business, Massage Envy (WSB sponsor, featured here earlier this week).