West Seattle, Washington
11 Wednesday
(8/14 note: To check whether a business is still a current WSB sponsor, please go here)
Today we welcome Inspire West Seattle, with its studio now open in The Admiral District, as a new WSB sponsor. Here’s what Inspire West Seattle would like you to know:
Inspire is the only place in Seattle that offers Lagree Fitness. Lagree Fitness (formerly known as SPX Fitness) fuses key elements of Pilates with the latest in equipment technology and techniques, offering a total body workout in a dynamic class environment. In as little as 40 minutes on the Megaformer, our workout incorporates Pilates, strength training, and cardio to sculpt your body like no other workout.
Clients seek out Inspire Seattle because what we offer is so different from anything they’ve ever tried. It’s not uncommon for clients to say this is the hardest workout that they’ve ever done. It’s a tough workout, but also very safe, as all of our exercises are done using slow and controlled movement. Bottom line: Clients come back because they see results pretty quickly (results vary depending on the number of classes taken per week). Once you start seeing results, it motivates you to keep coming back. Aside from the physical benefits of our workout, clients have also mentioned they really love the sense of community they feel when they come to our studio. Many friendships have been made amongst clients and that’s so nice to see as a business owner. We’re hoping to build the same kind of community at our new West Seattle location.
Inspire‘s studio is located at 2620 California SW; call 206-932-0301. Online, you can find out more here.
We thank Inspire West Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
(WSB photo of Mounted Patrol officers, from our coverage of Delridge Day 2013)
Every time one or more officers/horses from the Seattle Police Mounted Patrol appears in the area, it surprises someone who didn’t realize they’re based in West Seattle, right next to Westcrest Park. Now, we’re getting word of your chance to find out more about the unit firsthand – its first-ever public open house has just been announced for 1-5 pm Sunday, September 22nd:
The Seattle Mounted Patrol is holding a picnic similar to those of Department’s precincts at its stables at Westcrest Park in West Seattle (entrance at approx. 8th and Henderson). Join the Mounted Patrol for an opportunity to tour the stables and meet the Officers and their Partners.
They will exhibit their skills, primarily crowd-control training and maneuvers, in two demonstrations at 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Their skills are likely ones you have not seen before: If you have never seen a horse push a 5’ rubber ball, here is your chance. The officers enjoy talking to the community about their horses, and their role as one of the unique units of the Department, providing community relations, crime deterrence, and crowd control. Refreshments will be provided. Don’t forget to bring your cameras; these beautiful horses love a good photo opportunity!
Directions and parking instructions will be posted on our Facebook page “Friends of the Seattle Mounted Patrol.”
And we’ll add those to our forthcoming calendar listing for this when the parking info’s announced; on FB right now, there’s a specific page just for this event.
Three quick notes this midday:
ALKI SUBWAY OPEN: While at the beach for a quick walk this morning, we noticed that, after a couple days’ delay, the new Subway at 2758 Alki SW is open, so we popped in to photograph the team. It’s the fifth Subway in West Seattle, as noted here when we first reported exactly three months ago that it was on the way. (P.S. Just after publishing this, we noticed Subway tweeted it’s just opened its 40,000th restaurant worldwide. Checking to see if this was #40,000.)
ATHENA’S: Several people have asked us lately about the status of Athena’s at 16th and Holden in Highland Park, since its windows are papered over and it hasn’t been open for a while. As we’ve mentioned in direct replies, its Facebook page mentioned a few weeks back that while the truck is out and about, the bricks-and-mortar location would be closed “due to construction” until net month.
FIREFLY CAFE & CREPERIE: Firefly (a WSB sponsor) at California/Genesee has new hours as of this week – 7 am-4 pm Mondays-Fridays, 8 am-5 pm weekends.
Out of the WSB inbox, from Kari:
Last night around 3 am, we spotted two healthy adult coyotes and maybe a younger one walking down our street on 31st PL SW just north of Roxbury [map]. They were heading north, but might’ve ducked behind a neighbor’s house to the east of us. There’s a big ravine down there, but we also have a ton of cats on our street including our own, so maybe that’s what attracted them.
Expert advice on what to do if you see coyote(s) – and how best to keep them at bay – can be found here, as well as in this WSB story from last month.
(West Seattle section of Times’ mayoral-vote map, shown with permission; click to go to interactive map on ST site)
With a little over two months to go until the general election, our partners at The Seattle Times have mapped out the primary-election results in the mayoral race. As you can see when you click here to go to the interactive map (click any spot to get that precinct’s results, or put an address into the search box), State Sen. Ed Murray took more territory (purple), running strongest in north/west West Seattle – where, as he frequently noted – he grew up – while Mayor Mike McGinn (orange) finished ahead in much of the east and south. City Councilmember Bruce Harrell (green) took two precincts in Arbor Heights, one in the Roxhill area, and one in Admiral. And just in case you wondered, given pre-election developments regarding a certain development – McGinn won the precinct containing the 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW (aka Whole Foods) development site and much of The Triangle, with 27 percent of the vote to 25 percent for Murray and 21 percent for Peter Steinbrueck, who, according to The Times’ map, did not win any precincts in West Seattle outright. General election day: November 5th.
(Colman Pool panorama shared by Flickr member alextutu1821 via the WSB Flickr pool)
Is an outdoor swim on your “before summer ends” bucket list? Time’s ebbing – this is the last full week of the season at Colman Pool (see the schedule, including the “postseason” weekend, here). Meantime, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what else is up today:
FOREST RESTORATION: The West Seattle-based Nature Consortium needs you! And not just on weekends. Our calendar listing explains.
BABY STORY TIME: Introduce your little one to libraries as early as possible! Baby Story Time is a great opportunity – and there’s one at 11:30 this morning at Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION TOWN HALL: As explained in the calendar listing, two of the state’s chapters of the association will “highlight and solicit feedback on public policy initiatives, including the National Alzheimer’s Plan, an Alzheimer’s Disease Plan for Washington State, and Voices for Better Health in Washington State, a new initiative to improve health care for ‘dual eligibles,’ older and disabled Washingtonians who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.” All welcome, 1:30-3:30 pm at Providence Mount St. Vincent. (4831 35th SW)
EX-SUBSTATION SITES MEETING: Tonight’s the second of two Seattle City Light public meetings about no-longer-needed substation sites in the area – this time, focusing on the Dakota, Fauntleroy, Ambaum & Glendale Substations (whose locations range from north West Seattle to Burien), as explained here. High Point Community Center, 7-9 pm. (6920 34th SW)
SHADOW AT EASY STREET: It’s a reunion show at Easy Street Records for this circa-’80s band featuring Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, celebrating a record release – as explained here. Sweet Water‘s on the bill for this free, all-ages, in-store concert; be there, 7 pm. (California/Alaska)
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:28 AM: Be careful out there – just had a cloudburst 15 minutes or so ago. And if you are heading for I-90, be aware that there have been problems in the Mount Baker tunnel, including one blocking two eastbound lanes just reported by WSDOT.
8:16 AM UPDATE: From comments – the Admiral approach to the bridge is “backed up all the way to the viewpoint.”
8:38 AM UPDATE: More updates/observations in comments – ugly just about everywhere, at least in part a domino effect from a particularly jammed-up morning on I-5. Remember that the WSB Traffic page – always linked beneath the image atop this daily update – includes views like this one:
Unfortunately, while the city has multiple views heading toward the bridge on the Fauntleroy side, there’s nothing publicly viewable from the Admiral approach. So comments from there (when you can safely share them – NOT while driving; thanks!) are the only “views” we get on that side.
(WSB photo from Monday night, looking southeast from the encampment’s main gate)
Less than a week remains until September 1st, the date the city has proclaimed and posted for closing the site where the encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” has been for more than two years. Again tonight, the Westside Interfaith Network brought volunteers to keep vigil outside the encampment, near the busy intersection of West Marginal Way SW and Highland Park Way SW:
Organizer Mary Anne deVry says her understanding is that people are continuing to arrive at Nickelsville, rather than clearing out as the deadline nears; we had heard the same thing in our conversation with a manager from Union Gospel Mission, brought in by the city to spend at least some of the allocated $500,000 to find housing and other services for campers. But again, this week’s nightly vigils by WIN (6-9 pm each evening through Saturday) – a primarily faith-based coalition of churches/organizations in the West Seattle/White Center vicinity – are meant to shine a light on the plight of homeless people, not necessarily to oppose the closure of the encampment, although deVry and other volunteers continue to wonder where the estimated 150 or so there will go.
They shouldn’t have been allowed to put down roots there in the first place, contends Highland Park Action Committee co-chair Carolyn Stauffer, whose community council is headquartered just up the Highland Park Way hill.
With less than a week and a half until Seattle Public Schools students are due to return to school, the district and its teachers have yet to reach agreement on a replacement for the contract that expires Saturday (August 31st). Members of the union representing teachers and some other employee groups, the Seattle Education Association, voted “nearly unanimously” against the latest proposal this afternoon, according to an update on the union’s Facebook page. It should be noted, that was NOT a strike vote – the union says they voted “to return to bargaining.” The district listed details of its offer on its website three days ago; tonight, in a statement acknowledging the union’s rejection vote, Superintendent José Banda said, “While we are disappointed that members of the Seattle Education Association did not approve our proposal, we are hopeful that we will reach an agreement that is in the best interests of students prior to the start of school.”
6:54 PM: We’re cross-posting this from the WSB Lost/Found Pets page since an injured dog might still be out there somewhere. Ashleigh e-mailed to say:
A black and white Boston Terrier was hit by a car in front of Gatewood Elementary, on Myrtle St at 5 pm. I live right across the street. There were several witnesses to him getting hit, none of whom i was able to get info from. The driver, however, stopped her car, and with a witness tried to find him. After being stuck, he ran south down the alley across the street from the east side of the school campus. I looked for him for almost an hour and a half with no luck. I keep saying “he,” but i am actually not sure of the sex.
If you find the dog, please take it to a vet, Ashleigh requests; if it’s your dog and you want to ask her more about the circumstances – you can reach her at ashleigh_spring@hotmail.com.
8:24 PM: Just heard from Ashleigh: “I found the owner of Louis the Boston Terrier. He is alive, though he does have a broken pelvis. I will report more of his condition when I find out. Thanks, West Seattle!”
The three men arrested last Wednesday night after allegedly holding up a woman in Arbor Heights and trying to rob a man in Fauntleroy have just been charged. 22-year-old Hassan I. Abdirizak, 19-year-old Abdulkamir A. Ahmed, and 21-year-old Najib A. Aden are each charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of attempted first-degree robbery. Though investigators say they are suspected in other robberies – the documents say “additional charges are likely” – the charges filed today are for the Arbor Heights and Fauntleroy incidents and a robbery earlier that same night on Beacon Hill. The documents do not mention any other West Seattle incidents; Ahmed is alleged to have claimed the three, and others, were involved in 7 holdups on Capitol Hill. The documents do confirm what we found in research last week – no known criminal history for Abdirizak and Ahmed, but Aden was arrested in June for theft and harassment. Accordng to police, the car in which the three were found in Arbor Heights (WSB photo above) belongs to Aden’s aunt. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office asked that bail remain set at $250,000 each (8:12 pm update: that’s where it stayed); the three, none of whom lists a West Seattle address, are scheduled to be arraigned on September 9th.
(Photo courtesy Cori Roed)
It’s an annual tradition – AFTER Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club closes its pool for the year, its teams will raise money by inviting dogs over to swim again this year! The pool at 11003 31st Avenue SW plans five 2-hour sessions:
Tuesday, Sept. 17th 5-7 pm
Wednesday, Sept. 18th 5-7 pm
Thursday, Sept. 19th 5-7pm
Friday, Sept. 20th 5-7 pm
Saturday, Sept. 21st 10 am-12 pm
There are a few prerequisites – see them, along with other details, on the official flyer. No people in the pool (again, this is AFTER the human swims end for the season) but dog owners will have to stay at the club while their pets are in the pool. $10/donation per dog or $25 for a pass for the entire five-day run.
The newest Twitter service launched by the Seattle Police Department is aimed at getting stolen/lost bicycles back to their owners. It’s @getyourbikeback – but instead of tweeting info on stolen bikes as @getyourcarback does for stolen vehicles, it will include info on bikes that SPD has recovered but not been able to return. In many cases, according to this explanation on SPD Blotter, that’s because the bikes weren’t reported as stolen. So if your bike does get stolen – be sure to report it to police; let us know too, so we can include it in a West Seattle Crime Watch report; and keep an eye on @getyourbikeback.
Aida Fraser-Hammer is one of six new Seattle Public Schools principals in West Seattle for the school year that starts a week from Wednesday – in charge of our area’s most populous school, Chief Sealth International High School. Her leadership team includes two new assistant principals, joining Andra Maughan, who moved to Sealth from West Seattle High School last year: Clint Sallee from Baltimore and Cheryl Sullivan comes to us from Arizona. Fraser-Hammer previously worked in the Kent School District, as noted when her appointment was announced almost two months ago. Her “get ready for school” message for families, with dates and details, can be seen here; you’re also welcome to stop by and meet her and her team – students welcome too! – at the school today, until 6 pm.
Thanks to Christine for the tip – she e-mailed with news of a “cool twin-masted sailboat” passing by; MarineTraffic.com revealed it was Lady Washington, the tall ship that’s been featured in movies and music videos (including Macklemore‘s “Can’t Hold Us,” a winner at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards), so we headed down to the shore to grab a photo. According to its website, the Lady Washington is en route from Tacoma to Kirkland, where it’ll be based with another tall ship, Hawaiian Chieftain, through Labor Day. P.S. Macklemore has even made a PSA video urging people to support the nonprofit-owned-and-operated Lady Washington – see it here.
(Photo by Mark Wangerin)
Short list of highlights today, so we’re bookending it with two beautiful photos of Anna’s hummingbirds, each credited beneath – thanks again to everyone who shares wondrous West Seattle imagery with the community via WSB. Now, from the calendar:
CHIEF SEALTH PRINCIPAL’S MEET-AND-GREET: As announced last week, the new principal of Chief Sealth International High School, Aida Fraser-Hammer, says the doors are open today for a meet-and-greet with her and other school administrators – just stop by 10 am-6 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)
SUMMER READING PROGRAM: Last week to get in on the Seattle Public Library‘s summer-reading program – as explained here – just go to your nearest branch during regular hours!
VIGIL OUTSIDE ‘NICKELSVILLE’: Tonight is the second night of the Westside Interfaith Network‘s week of vigils outside the encampment, in hope of raising awareness about homelessness. Here’s our coverage of the first one on Sunday night, and our archived coverage about the encampment, which the city says will be closed after next weekend. (7116 W. Marginal Way SW)
DELRIDGE GROCERY: Volunteer help is sought by the nonprofit group working to launch a co-op grocery store next summer in the under-construction DESC building on Delridge. Their next public meeting, as previewed here, is at 6:30 tonight, Delridge Branch Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
(Photo by Patrick McCaffrey)
See the calendar for recurring events (and please let us know if you see errors!).
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
No scheduled road work announced for West Seattle this week – aside from the ongoing Delridge repaving – so the only heads-up we have for you, so far, is another ramp closure next weekend for expansion-joint replacement, longer than the just-concluded closure – 7 pm Friday (August 30th) until 3 pm Monday (Labor Day, September 2nd). More info here.
Almost four and a half years after we reported on the origins of what was then the Delridge Produce Co-op, its evolution toward operation of a Delridge Grocery co-op store has less than one year to go. At the next public meeting tomorrow (Monday) night, they’ll be enlisting your help in simple ways to volunteer, as well as signing up more founding members:
… A co-op grocery can only happen if the community embraces it and joins together to make it happen. … Many of you have also began the process of contributing toward your share in the future grocery store. If you have not already done this, now is the time. We need 500 founding members to start to bring this grocery on the road to reality. We can do this by contributing and then sharing information so your neighbors and friends can consider becoming an owner of the co-op, too.
At last month’s public meeting, we created a plan and brainstormed how best to reach people. Please join us this Monday evening to sign up for an outreach packet so you can be better prepared to share membership and store info.
The meeting’s at 6:30 pm Monday, Delridge Branch Library (5423 Delridge Way SW). You can also sign up for a co-op membership online at delridgegrocery.coop.
That sign quoting former Vice President Hubert Humphrey was held by the youngest of just over a dozen people standing in a patch of dead grass on the roadside outside the main entrance to “Nickelsville” this past hour. It was also the only sign in evidence – Mary Anne deVry from the Westside Interfaith Network, the coalition of area churches/faith groups starting a week of vigils there, said they will probably bring one or more tomorrow. For now, they are waving flashlights:
That’s to underscore their intent – to “shine a light” on homelessness in Seattle. WIN announced Friday that they would hold a vigil each night through next Saturday, 6-10 pm. Next Sunday is September 1st – the date that Seattle elected officials have decreed as closure day for the camp, proclaimed on signs installed by its entrance:
Some of the half-million dollars the City Council approved for getting people out of the camp and into housing has so far placed 47 people, according to Union Gospel Mission, the organization tabbed by the city to work on relocating “campers” – but, as a UGM manager acknowledged in an interview with WSB on Friday, that hasn’t reduced the population. It’s estimated at least 125 people are there now, up from fewer than 100 when the relocation effort began. The Nickelsville Central Committee has said publicly that it hopes to move to three sites, only one of which – in the Central District – has been formally announced. But it was evident tonight that housekeeping/cleanup is under way:
The wood that was being carried out and stacked in the parking area had been lining pathways but is no longer needed, we were told. Meantime, deVry told us that the local church representatives had served a meal at the camp tonight, before walking over to the roadside for the casual vigil. They’ll be back tomorrow, same time, 6-10 pm, and anyone interested in calling attention to homelessness – whether you support “Nickelsville” or not – is welcome.
Through month’s end – next Saturday – dining at The Bridge (4439 35th SW) benefits Food for Art, a fundraiser for the art therapy program at Transitional Resources, which provides “respectful, optimistic, and recovery-oriented care” to people living with severe/persistent mental illness. When customers order off the fresh sheet, The Bridge will donate 10% of the proceeds. Transitional Resources also has announced a party and raffle at 3:30 pm next Friday (August 30th) to celebrate the benefit; raffle tickets are on sale at The Bridge any time between now and then, with the grand prize two tickets to two Sounders FC games this fall.
P.S. As noted in comments, the raffle drawing will be at 8 pm, with tickets on sale until then.
(Work zone around 1 pm today: WSB photo, taken from passenger seat)
I-5 RAMP: In case you’re checking in before heading home from a road trip to the south – reminder that the ramp from northbound I-5 to the West Seattle Bridge remains closed for expansion-joint work, scheduled to reopen by 5 am tomorrow (we’ll update this story if it reopens sooner). Three of the four weekends ahead also have closures as part of the project – check the list here.
SODO, WATER TAXI: A record crowd is expected for tonight’s Sounders FC-Portland Timbers match, so SODO and environs will be very busy in the hours ahead (start time7 pm). The West Seattle Water Taxi does run later hours on Sundays with games – see the sailing schedule here.
12:26 PM: A big response is headed for a house-fire call in the 7100 block of 34th SW. Crews on the scene are seeing light smoke, but “no sign of fire,” and some units are being canceled. We’re on our way – updates shortly.
12:37 PM UPDATE: Firefighters say it was a kitchen problem (assessed in fire-department terminology as “food on the stove”). They have ventilation going to clear out the resulting smoke. No injuries reported.
In our video, you’ll see what was described by announcer Eric Radovich as a record turnout for this morning’s Alki Beach 5K, benefiting Northwest Hope and Healing, a West Seattleite-founded, West Seattleite-led nonprofit that helps breast-cancer patients. Before the estimated 1,000 runners and walkers left the finish line, they heard a pep talk from eight-year survivor Kristina Dahl, who declared she’s here because breast cancer didn’t kill her.
The top male and female finishers were both teenage runners from Edmonds – here, pending official results online later, are the top 3 men and top 3 women, per printouts provided at the start/finish line:
MEN
Miler Haller, 16, 16:11
Terry Robinson, 40, 17:48
Brig Seidl, 50, 18:04
WOMEN
Hailey Kettel, 17, 18:25
Kate Nishino, 24, 19:40
Meissa Neumann, 13, 20:40
Runners and walkers are still crossing the finish line as we publish this at 9:54 am, so Alki SW will remain closed a while longer. More to come, including photos and additional video.
11:34 AM UPDATE: We’ve added video of Kristina Dahl’s talk, and photos of top finishers, above. Also:
From left, NWHH executive director Shari Sewell, volunteer coordinator Caitie Clark, and volunteer Carol Ann Boyle. This year’s official AB5K shirts were green, you’ve probably noticed, but in honor of the cause, lots of pink was sported this morning too – even on pets:
P.S. When full race results are posted online, you’ll see them here.
8:13 PM NOTE: The results are live at that link now. We have also learned from our friends at MyEdmondsNews.com that not only are the top male and female finishers from Edmonds-Woodway High School, the second-place female, Kate Nishino, is an assistant coach there, who says Miler and Hailey are two of four Edmonds-Woodway students who ran the AB5K today as they get ready for their season to start this week!
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