West Seattle, Washington

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month : 06/2014 296 results

West Seattle Summer Fest 2014 countdown: GreenLife is back
June 30, 2014 10:00 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Summer Fest 2014 countdown: GreenLife is back
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

The year’s biggest party, West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB), is 11 days away – July 11th, 12th, 13th, closing the streets to vehicles and opening them to fun in the heart of The Junction. We’ll be counting down daily/nightly with info – tonight, Sustainable West Seattle‘s preview of the 4th annual GreenLife festival-within-a-festival:

The GreenLife Stage is sponsored by Alki Bike and Board and features 3 days of sustainability demonstrations. Topics include: Building with Reclaimed Materials; Backyard Beer Making; and Home Canning and Preservation. We are also excited to have performances of the highly acclaimed Illuminatio Dance on Friday and Sunday afternoons.

The GreenLife area is sponsored by West Seattle Nursery and is located in the parking lot (east of the former Chase drive-through), off California Ave SW and SW Edmunds St. For more information and to view the schedule, please visit wsjunction.org/summerfest/green-life

You can explore other SummerFest infolinks from the festival’s home page at wsjunction.org/summerfest.

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Beached-buoy followup: King County trying to solve the mystery
June 30, 2014 6:49 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

That photo shared by Lura last night showed the retrieval of a King County water-quality-monitoring buoy from its surprise spot on the Beach Drive shore, less than a year after it was put into place off Lincoln Park. Following up on what we reported Sunday, here’s what the county says today:

King County Environmental Laboratory employees are looking into how a water-quality- data-collection buoy came loose from its mooring before washing ashore along West Seattle on June 29.

The buoy and its host of environmental sensors had been in place off Point Williams since July 2013 and automatically transmitted a wealth of important data about environmental conditions. King County employees were notified early in the morning of June 29 that the buoy was ashore along the 5400 block of Beach Drive SW, south of Me-Kwa-Mooks Park.

Later that day, laboratory employees successfully refloated the buoy and towed it to the Elliott Bay Marina while arrangements are made to move it to the County’s environmental laboratory in Queen Anne for refitting.

While the buoy itself appears unscathed by its unexpected journey, a sensor that detects and transmits data on water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, specific conductivity and depth did not fare as well and was damaged.

Exactly how the buoy came loose from its mooring remains a mystery. The buoy was secured off Point Williams by nearly 1,200 pounds of weight, including two railroad wheels and a heavy gage steel chain that was attached to the buoy by a shackle mechanism.

Environmental laboratory workers will try to determine what part of the mooring set-up broke and how it can be repaired so that the buoy can be placed back at Point Williams.

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PM commute FYI: Shooting at SODO station; Sound Transit, Metro effects
June 30, 2014 4:50 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news

4:50 PM: With many West Seattleites commuting through SODO one way or another, this seems worth a mention: There’s been a shooting at/near the SODO transit station, 5th/Lander, and it involved a King County Sheriff’s Deputy. No other details yet, and we haven’t seen word from Metro or Sound Transit yet on how/if this is affecting routes, but just an FYI. Also, if you are in North Delridge and noticed the major response of northbound SPD units from the precinct (we were in the area and saw half a dozen head north, full lights/sirens), that apparently is what they were headed for, though the response downsized shortly afterward; one texter says this brought helicopters (TV, we believe) to the SODO area near 99, too.

5 PM UPDATE: Metro has sent a text alert saying that buses are routed off the SODO Busway and off S. Holgate in that area – “use busway stops north of S. Holgate or south of S. Lander.” Sound Transit also has tweeted that Central Link light rail service is interrupted.

5:30 PM UPDATE: Both KCSO and Seattle Fire say one person, described by SFD only as “male” and by KCSO as a “suspect,” was declared dead at the scene. Sound Transit has sent an updated rider alert – see it here; Metro now says its busway reroute starts at Royal Brougham.

5:45 PM UPDATE: Per our partners at The Seattle Times, the shooting started as a confrontation involving an unarmed fare-enforcement officer, who called for backup, and the deadly shot(s) came from an armed deputy who was among those responding.

9:29 PM UPDATE: Sound Transit says normal operation has resumed.

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West Seattle Athletic Club owner Sam Adams files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
June 30, 2014 1:54 pm
|      71 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

On the day he was due to answer the most-recent “unlawful detainer” complaint from the owner of the North Delridge property that holds West Seattle Athletic Club, its owner Sam Adams advised King County Superior Court that he filed for bankruptcy over the weekend.

We have confirmed the Chapter 11 case via documents filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court‘s Western District of Washington.

The “unlawful detainer” complaint was first reported here two weeks ago, with court filings including a document in which club landlord John Pietromonaco alleged that he was owed more than $594,000 including back rent and late fees.

Read More

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Portable classroom arriving today at West Seattle Elementary
June 30, 2014 1:00 pm
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 |   High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Local public-school enrollment continues to rise, and even new construction/expansion isn’t taking all the pressure off some campuses. Latest evidence: Today, a portable classroom is arriving at West Seattle Elementary in High Point, according to Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Tom Redman. He says it’s a “single-classroom portable -to be used as a homeroom.” According to district numbers featured here last month, WSE expects 443 students this fall, up about twenty from last year.

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Morgan Junction and Harbor Ave. rezones, citywide policy changes all part of Comprehensive Plan amendment proposal
June 30, 2014 10:03 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

A public notice published today lists 11 potential changes to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, with at least four of interest to West Seattle. All 11 will be lumped together in one public hearing set for the City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee on July 15th. The four are:

*Rezoning to allow a six-townhouse project on land owned by the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene south of its 42nd/Juneau sanctuary and parsonage in north Morgan Junction. (Here’s our most recent report on the project, from a meeting in which the Morgan Community Association endorsed it; see the proposed amendment here.)

*Rezoning to “remove an area waterward of Harbor Avenue Southwest and south of Southwest Bronson Way known as Pier One from the Duwamish Manufacturing/Industrial Center and change the designation of that area from industrial to commercial/mixed-use.” We first wrote about this proposal two years ago; see the proposed amendment here.

*An amendment to “limit live-work units along arterials.” See the text here.

*An amendment to “add policy language regarding the monitoring and reporting of growth and to require action when an area exceeds its growth targets.” This comes up often in development discussions regarding the West Seattle Junction area, already well past its current “growth target” and is in fact proposed by a West Seattleite, Cindi Barker. See the text here.

You can read the full text of all the proposed amendments by going here. The meeting on July 15th is at City Hall, 2 pm; if you can’t be there, the notice points out other ways to comment.

DEVELOPMENT P.S. We covered Saturday morning’s well-attended “West Seattle: Let’s Talk” meeting and expect to publish the report by tonight.

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West Seattle Monday: Southside Revolution Junior Derby; Hi-Yu reception; ‘Tidepool Tunes & Fishy Tales’; more
June 30, 2014 9:00 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

That view of Mount Rainier is from the new South Park Bridge, where we photographed the first vehicles to cross on this morning after its dedication celebration (WSB coverage here). Here are highlights for the rest of today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

TIDE POOL TUNES AND FISHY TALES: 11 am event with children’s author/songwriter Eric Ode at Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)

TODAY’S WADING-POOL SCHEDULE … since forecasters say we’re going into a few days of truly summery temps (near or beyond 80), we’ll list the wading pools and sprayparks open each day. Today – Lincoln Park (which is 7 days a week unless the weather’s bad), 11 am-8 pm; Delridge, noon-6:45 pm. And Highland Park Spraypark is open daily too, 11 am-8 pm. Addresses are on the citywide schedule.

HI-YU WHITE ROSE RECEPTION: From West Seattle Hi-Yu:

West Seattle Hi-Yu cordially invites you to the 2014 White Rose reception. This event is a celebration of past and present Hi Yu royalty and candidates. All are invited; festivities will begin at 7 pm at St John’s Church in West Seattle. Come and share your Hi-Yu memories and/or to learn about our community festival. Past royalty are encouraged to wear or bring their crowns and memory books.

(3050 California SW)

READY TO ROLL? NEW JUNIOR ROLLER DERBY: As previewed here last week, the new Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby league for skaters 8-17 is having an info night tonight, 7 pm, at Southgate Roller Rink. (9646 17th SW)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Pre-holiday Monday edition
June 30, 2014 6:38 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Pre-holiday Monday edition
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to the last day of the month and the first day of a pre-holiday week, with the 4th of July coming up on Friday. No traffic trouble so far; we’ll update if anything happens.

TRANSPORTATION NEWS: As of 6 am, as promised, the new South Park Bridge is in service, though it’s one (vehicle) lane each way for the first week or so while finishing touches continue … From the “in case you missed it” file, you’re invited to suggest names for the new King County Water Taxi boats … and this open letter calls for the city to get moving on a bicycle-parking “corral” for The Junction.

8:05 AM: Some northbound I-5 trouble downtown:

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4 years ago, South Park chanted ‘We need a bridge’; now, the community and its neighbors have one again
June 30, 2014 6:14 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   South Park | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB video, 6 am today)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The new South Park Bridge is now officially in service, opened to regular traffic minutes ago.

(Motorcyclist Charles, center, was first in line; that’s bridge project manager Tim Lane at right)
This comes on the morning after an all-day-and-into-the-night celebration. And it comes exactly four years to the day following the closure of the bridge’s 80-year-old predecessor with a wake both boisterous and bitter.

On June 30, 2010, the crowd chanted, “We need a bridge”:

That night, June 30, 2010, it was by no means certain they would get another one. The bridge’s drawspan was raised one last time, and there it stood.

Sunday, there was no chanting. But there were fireworks:

Read More

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West Seattle wildlife: Eagles on a crane; coyote on Beach Drive
June 29, 2014 10:18 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle wildlife: Eagles on a crane; coyote on Beach Drive
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Two wildlife notes from the inbox tonight – Karen, who lives in The Junction, reports three eagles spent at least 10 minutes on the 4030 California construction crane, “perching, circling, landing again and again … much chirping and activity.” They looked like two adults and a juvenile, she says, perhaps flight lessons for the younger one. Eagle sightings in West Seattle certainly aren’t rare, but this is the first on-a-crane report we’ve received.

In the early evening, Phyllis and Jeff reported, “Coyote sighting – about 50-60 lbs and wandering through our yard in the 5000 block of Beach Drive. Looks like he/she has been searching for food, as our backyard was all dug up. Usually don’t see them during the daytime! Our kitties are inside!” (We have actually had more than a few daylight reports over the years. This info from state wildlife experts explains what to do if/when you see one, day or night.)

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West Seattle traffic alert: Stoplight trouble at 35th/Avalon
June 29, 2014 9:02 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle traffic alert: Stoplight trouble at 35th/Avalon
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

We’ve had two reports in the past few minutes of stoplight trouble at 35th and Avalon – on our way to check it out, but if you’re about to head out, you might consider avoiding it for now.

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West Seattle Grand Parade 2014: Medal of Honor recipient Col. (ret.) Bruce Crandall announced as Grand Marshal
June 29, 2014 7:38 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Grand Parade | West Seattle news

The Rotary Club of West Seattle, which this year for the first time is presenting the West Seattle Grand Parade, has announced this year’s Grand Marshal:

Medal of Honor recipient Col. Bruce Crandall (retired) will be the Grand Marshal of the 82nd annual West Seattle Grand Parade on July 19, 2014. Crandall was born in Olympia and resides in Kitsap County; his son, Steve, lives in West Seattle.

Crandall is a Master Army Aviator, qualified in both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, and a veteran of 900 combat missions in Vietnam. In addition to the Medal of Honor, he is also the recipient of the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster and many other awards. In 2004 he was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame.

In a battle in November, 1965, Crandall, flying a series of three unarmed helicopters through the day and into the night, supplied a surrounded force of 450 US soldiers and evacuated 70 wounded. The battle is depicted in the Mel Gibson film “We Were Soldiers,” where Crandall is portrayed by actor Greg Kinnear.

In January, 1966, in the dark and under intense enemy fire, Crandall twice dropped his helicopter through dense jungle canopy to evacuate 12 wounded solders.

In January, 1968, his helicopter was shot down during another rescue attempt, and Crandall was hospitalized for five months with serious injuries.

Crandall is active in the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, a middle school and high school curriculum designed to build character and promote responsible citizenship.

He travels the country addressing school assemblies about developing a moral compass and having the courage to do the right thing even when it is not popular.

The West Seattle Grand Parade is sponsored by the Rotary Club of West Seattle.

The medal was presented to Col. Crandall by President Bush in 2007; he retired from the Army with the rank of Lt. Col. but was promoted to Colonel (retired) in 2010.

The parade on Saturday, July 19th, will travel down California SW from The Admiral District to The Junction, usually starting around 11 am. More details as we count down to this year’s parade in the almost-three-weeks ahead!

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Celebrating (and walking on) the new South Park Bridge, report #1
June 29, 2014 10:57 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   South Park | Transportation | West Seattle news

(GALLERY ON THESOUTHPARKNEWS.COM: See it here. And report #2 is in the works for WSB)

4:43 PM: The new South Park Bridge is officially open – if you’re on foot (vehicle traffic won’t be permitted until tomorrow morning at 6 am)!

This followed an epic dedication ceremony:

We have it all on video and will have it in a separate story later (lots of photos too, of course). Most importantly, the street party is scheduled to run until about 9 pm, so you have time to get here, walk on the bridge, enjoy the Lucha Libre masked wrestling that starts around 6 pm …

Earlier:

2:05 PM NOTE: We’re heading back to SP for the heart of the party, but we visited in the noon hour and are already building a gallery on The South Park News.

Scroll down here on WSB, meantime, for helpful advance info if you’re planning to go. And watch the WSB Instagram feed between official updates.

And earlier still:
EARLIER, 10:57 AM: Few planned activities/events on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar today – the city’s biggest event is downtown, the Pride Parade, starting shortly (11 am). But in the “almost West Seattle” category, our neighbors in South Park are celebrating the new bridge today, on the eve of its official opening tomorrow, exactly 4 years after the old one was taken out of service.

(Added: WSB photo taken after today’s bridge party started at noon)
So here’s what you need to know if you’re planning on, or thinking about, going to the party. First, a map (the party’s on the south side of the bridge, on 14th Avenue South)! Now, today’s schedule, from the King County website:

12:00 – 3:00 p.m. — Street party: music & performances, info booths, self-guided tours of the bridge’s south tower, food & drink

3:00 – 4:00 p.m. — Dedication ceremony with elected officials & community leaders; fireworks

4:30 – 5:30 p.m. — Parade [you can walk on the bridge!]

6:00 – 9:00 p.m. — Lucha Libre; street party continues

Elected officials announced so far for the 3 pm event include U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, County Executive Dow Constantine, Mayor Ed Murray, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott. Info about street closures, parking, and bus changes during today’s party is at the bottom of this page. We’ll be covering the events here and at TheSouthParkNews.com. If you’re just waiting for the chance to use that route across the Duwamish again, take note that the new bridge will NOT be open for regular use until 6 am tomorrow (Monday).

P.S. Browse our photo galleries previewing the new bridge – looking at its exterior (including the new raingarden in the footprint of the old bridge); peeking inside during a behind-the-scenes media tour.

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Underwater video: State of the sea stars near Seacrest
June 29, 2014 10:11 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Sea Star Survey 6/26/2014 from Laura James on Vimeo.

From “Diver Laura” James, that’s the latest underwater look at the state of sea stars (aka “starfish”) at Cove 2 near Seacrest. Earlier this week, we featured video from a CCTV report on the sea-star dieoff, with Laura among the interviewees, in her role as a “citizen scientist.” The newest report was published last night on SeattleTimes.com (WSB partner), with a West Seattle focus, though our area is far from alone in experiencing the epidemic. Meantime, Laura summarizes what she observed in the video (from a dive on Thursday) as:

I’d gotten reports of baby stars showing up so figured it was time to go take a peek. It is really only one species that is showing what is hopefully signs of recovery (they still have to make it to ‘large’ size before it counts) the Evasterias or “mottled star”. Only a few pisaster (the purple ones) and zero pycnopodia (sunflower stars).

A reminder – if you spot sea stars on the beach or in the water, your observations can help too: sickstarfish.com.

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Beached-buoy update: King County water-quality outpost floats in, gets towed out
June 29, 2014 9:25 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

FIRST REPORT, 9:25 AM: Lura shares the photo from the 5400 block of Beach Drive SW. It appears to be the King County water-quality-monitoring buoy placed off Lincoln Park almost a year ago, described at the time as “firmly anchored in about 550 feet of water just less than half a mile off Point Williams.” She was making phone calls in hopes of finding someone to report it to, and just sent an update saying a neighbor has reached somebody. (The buoy, by the way, still seems to be sending readings.)

UPDATE, 4:51 PM: From King County’s Kimberle Stark:

Thanks definitely go out to the residents who reported the buoy was on the beach!!! Staff from the King County Environmental Laboratory are going to try and retrieve it tonight. We’re not sure what happened yet until we get a close look at the bottom frame. Thanks again to the residents who reported it in such a timely manner!

UPDATE, 6:40 PM: Looks like they were able to retrieve it – Lura sent this photo of the buoy under tow:

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West Seattle road-work update: California/Fauntleroy done
June 29, 2014 8:47 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle road-work update: California/Fauntleroy done
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

The work ran a little longer than scheduled but somewhere around 8 pm Saturday night, the California/Fauntleroy intersection did indeed reopen – as noted in our tweet, above – after a one-day repaving job. Going back in the archives, we were reminded that the intersection was not part of the big Fauntleroy Way repaving/rechanneling project in 2009 – SDOT told us at the time that it had had more-recent attention than the rest of the stretch, and that it would be repaved at some point in the future, along with other parts of southern California SW. But it was indeed on the 2014 list we obtained from SDOT in January, and it follows block-by-block repaving in the area over the past few years, including Graham to Fauntleroy, Holly to Myrtle, and Frontenac to Mills last year,

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Happening now: ‘Field Day’ with amateur-radio operators at SSC
June 28, 2014 7:41 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

“This is not your grandfather’s amateur radio service,” points out the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club, inviting you to stop by Field Day on the south side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus any time before 10 am tomorrow. What’s Field Day, you ask?

Every June hams across the country take their radios outside and run them free of the electric grid. Joining with members of the Auxillary Communications Service (amateurs who work with Seattle Department of Emergency Management) and the Puget Sound Repeater Group, West Seattle Amateur Radio Club members will operate radios and communicate with other hams around the world from West Seattle. We operate using power we generate including solar panels and batteries. We build our stations in the 24 hours prior to the event

Yes, you’ll see that big antenna in our top photo – with which they’ve even been talking to the International Space Station – but then there’s smaller equipment:

(The water bottles, we were told, are just for counterbalance.) The club explains further:

As a group, some of us just built our own software defined radios. The only analog part of these radios is the antenna connection. We are deploying a wide area microwave network and in doing so are learning mesh networking and how to offer services across our homebrewed internet. Knowlege like that will make hooking your printer up a snap next time. We routinely use digital modes that allow effective communication using 1/1000th the power needed just a decade ago. While some of us still employ large antenna arrays for worldwide communication, it is now possible to work the world with a very modest station.

We peeked in the main tent, and found Jeff:

Anyone you find will be happy to talk with you (as well as with whomever they’re transmitting to and receiving from). Outside, talking to Curt, we were reminded that amateur-radio operators are deeply involved in emergency preparedness – and in other tasks that need close communications coordination – even on the sidelines at the West Seattle Grand Parade (watch for them July 19th).

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West Seattle 4th of July page, first edition, just published
June 28, 2014 7:00 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

Our annual West Seattle 4th of July info page is now up with the local holiday basics, including special events and transportation changes. We expect additions and updates in the days ahead, especially from local food/beverage establishments that plan to be open – just e-mail us the basics, editor@westseattleblog.com. The page is here, and you’ll see it on the navigation tabs beneath the sunset-photo header on every WSB page through next Friday night.

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Storming ashore before the storm: Seafair Pirates’ Alki arrival
June 28, 2014 1:30 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(UPDATED 9:13 PM with 15 more photos, including 3 more aerials!)

(Aerial views of Pirates’ Landing by Long Bach Nguyen; click each photo to see a larger image)
The Seafair Pirates have landed!

(That photo and next 2 are by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
More than anything, their annual Alki arrival is about the kids. And the photo ops. And more kids.

And the occasional politician.

LOTS more photos and video to come, of course. And though a cloudburst has dampened things post-landing, the beach festivities are scheduled to continue for a few more hours – the sun might just make a comeback.

P.S. Before they landed, the pirates tell us, they took time to remember last year’s Captain Kidd, the late Rusty Harper, with a wreath thrown toward the briny deep of Puget Sound.

ADDED 3:01 PM: Thanks to Alki photographer David Hutchinson for the next three views of the Pirates’ boisterous beach approach:

Still adding more. The Pirates will be back in West Seattle for the Grand Parade on July 19th, by the way … if not sooner.

ADDED 9:13 PM: So much more to see. Here’s the crowd on the ground:

(That photo and others from here are by WSB’s Patrick Sand unless otherwise credited)
Here’s another view from the sky:

(Photo by Long Bach Nguyen)
Even with all those people, there were some singular moments – like this pirate fan who wanted to be first out in the water to greet them:

Others were more content to sit and wait … and sit some more:

The clouds menaced:

One pirate was ready:

Another just stuck with the sword:

And then there were some modern, uh, weapons:

Back up on stage, was this the key to the city?

Or maybe the ignition key for Moby Duck?

All over the beach, people were making new friends, like this possible future Hi-Yu candidate who posed with royalty:

This one too:

All the while, the battle for Alki raged … we think:

Some watched from a distance:

(That photo and next by Long Bach Nguyen)
And one last look at that crowd – note the pole-vaulting east of Alki Bathhouse:

Tomorrow, the Pirates will be part of the Pride Parade downtown.

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Followup: Stolen ‘Walking on Logs’ sculpture still missing; theft returns its past and plight to the spotlight
June 28, 2014 9:22 am
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Exactly one week has now passed since one of the four “Walking on Logs” sculptures was discovered missing, but there’s still no word of breakthroughs in the case.

The theft was discovered when volunteers from the Walking on Logs Landscape Restoration Group and Kiwanis Club of West Seattle arrived at the site alongside the Fauntleroy end of the West Seattle Bridge last Saturday morning for cleanup and weeding. (Here’s our first report, from last Saturday night.) The sculpture was severed above the foot that had balanced atop a “log,” as shown in our top photo (from Friday), leaving behind these three:

It’s not the first public-art theft in West Seattle; the Rotary Viewpoint Park totem-pole heist of 2009 comes to mind, as do years of vandalism/theft incidents targeting the original Alki Statue of Liberty.

But the Dancing on Logs site has had other challenges. First, some history: The four bronze “dancing children” by renowned artist Phillip Levine of Burien were installed in 1996. Following up on the installation’s history and context over the past week, we learned that Clay Eals, executive director of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, interviewed Levine on video just last month, out at the sculpture site, with traffic whizzing by. He and Levine agreed that this unedited interview could be published as part of our followup:

He talks about location as well as the inspiration for the “sheer joy” exuded by the sculptures’ pose. (You can see more of Levine’s work here.) Eals also recorded video of each of the sculptures – starting with the one that is now gone (also visible behind Levine during much of the interview above):

Eals then photographed Levine with Earl Cruzen, who made the Murals of West Seattle project happen – that’s what the statue was part of, confirmed Calandra Childers of the city Office of Arts and Culture, noting that “the whole project was funded from matching-fund grants from both King County and from Department of Neighborhoods. SDOT allowed the artwork in the right of way with the understanding that the community would maintain the artwork.”

In Eals’ May photo below, that’s Levine at left, Cruzen at right, and the now-stolen sculpture at top left:

Cruzen, now 93, took care of the sculptures’ site often singlehandedly until four years ago, when Nancy Driver of Fairmount spearheaded the organization of what became the Walking on Logs Landscape Restoration Group, as reported here in March 2010. Volunteer cleanups organized since then have not drawn much response. Driver got a few volunteers from the Kiwanis Club for the one last Saturday.

The theft of one of the sculptures might lead to renewed attention for the site’s plight. The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has long been accountable for giving permission for nonprofits to display messages there, and board president Nancy Woodland tells WSB:

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has been calendaring the Walking on Logs decorations for years. Local non-profits schedule time to dress the statues to promote activities that support the local community. The Chamber is now committed to stepping up that involvement to help support the dedicated work of others including Nancy Driver, the Department of Neighborhoods, SDOT, and SPU to maintain the site. We’re exploring all options for involvement but are hopeful that our membership of business owners will step in to help with clean-up efforts bi-annually at a minimum. This is a first impression of our amazing community and we want to help make it a good one.

Right now, though, the search is still on for the missing sculpture. Here’s another look:

(WSB file photo by Christopher Boffoli)
If you have any information about what happened to it and/or where it is, you can call 911 – mention case number 14-198308 – or contact the Southwest Precinct at 206-733-9800. Its burglary/theft detectives are handling the case, according to the SPD spokesperson with whom we last checked.

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West Seattle Saturday: Seafair Pirates land on Alki; city reps at ‘Let’s Talk’ in The Junction; more highlights…
June 28, 2014 7:15 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

What you should know about today, primarily from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

(WSB photo: SDOT crew working on California just south of Fauntleroy)
TRAFFIC ALERTS – ROAD WORK TODAY: Paving work is scheduled all day at California/Fauntleroy, 7 am-7 pm; two lanes of northbound I-5 are scheduled to be closed all weekend at the West Seattle Bridge, and the Highway 520 bridge is closed too.

(added) BUS ALERTS: The California/Fauntleroy work includes bus reroutes – Rapid Ride between Fontanelle and California; Route 128 between Graham and Morgan – Metro sent them as e-mail alerts on Friday.

Also today:

(WSB photo: Relay-ers on the track, 8:30-ish this morning)
RELAY FOR LIFE CONTINUES: You’re welcome at West Seattle Stadium as the all-night cancer-fighting fundraiser Relay for Life of West Seattle continues, including a fire truck scheduled to visit at 8 am, the kids’ parade at 10, a “dance party” at 10:30, and the closing ceremony at 11:30 am. Here’s our story from its start last night. (4432 35th SW)

‘WEST SEATTLE: LET’S TALK’: City reps from the Department of Planning and Development, Department of Neighborhoods, and SDOT will be at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 9:30-11:30 am, for what’s described as an open-house-format meeting – we’ll update on Twitter when we’re on site.

(added 10:21 am) We’re at the event now – there were a few minutes of remarks including DPD and DON’s directors, Diane Sugimura and Bernie Matsuno. But the emphasis is on one-on-one conversations (below, Sugimura speaking with attendees shortly after we walked in):

(They are now convening informal chat groups toward the back of the room, upstairs at the SC.) If you just can’t make it, watch for our report later and followups with the information the city departments are sharing via boards on easels. Sugimura said basically, growth won’t stop, but they’re hoping to hear from people around the city – starting with this meeting in West Seattle – about how to accommodate it. (California/Oregon)

SEAFAIR PIRATES’ LANDING: On Alki, with events centered in the Bathhouse vicinity – including live music starting at 10, Seafair Pirates (watch the bay!) expected sometime after 11:30, vendors, kids activities, and general revelry continuing on into the mid-afternoon. (added) Hi-Yu royalty too:

More details in our preview from last night. (60th/Alki)

BENEFIT CAR WASH: Hope Lutheran School 7th and 8th graders will be at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) today, 10 am-3 pm, washing cars to raise money for a trip to Washington, D.C. (35th/Webster)

HIAWATHA YOUTH FAIR: 10:30 am-3:30 pm at Hiawatha Community Center, presented by West Seattle Wildcats Junior Football and Cheer organization. Details in our preview from last night. (2700 California SW)

LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Not mega-low but low enough (-1.4 feet just after noon) for beach exploration, with volunteer naturalists at Constellation and Lincoln Parks 10:30 am-1:30 pm.

CAT/KITTEN ADOPTIONS: Two opportunities in West Seattle today (and tomorrow) – Friends of the Animals Foundation at Next-to-Nature in The Junction (4543 California SW), 11:30-3:30 pm (details here); Kitty Harbor just north of the West Seattle Bridge at 3422 Harbor SW, noon-5 pm (info here).

FIELD DAY AT SSC: Amateur-radio operators are set up from noon today until 10 am Sunday in the field on the south side of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus and welcome your visit – details here. (6000 16th SW)

LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT: See our calendar for listings at venues including C & P Coffee Company, The Cask, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsors), Kenyon Hall, Benbow Room, Skylark.

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Also Saturday: Play and learn @ Youth Resource Fair at Hiawatha
June 27, 2014 9:39 pm
|    Comments Off on Also Saturday: Play and learn @ Youth Resource Fair at Hiawatha
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

Another big event tomorrow:

West Seattle Wildcats Jr. Football and Cheer will be hosting a Youth Resource Fair on Saturday, June 28th at Hiawatha (2900 California SW). Come for some fun, entertainment, food, games, activities, arts, crafts, prizes, raffles, education, demonstrations, music, speakers, and more. Jump on the opportunity to dunk Coach Carter, win photos of Seahawk players, and punt pass and kick your way to $500. Appearances by some of Seattle Hottest DJ’s! DJ Funk Daddy, DJ Lovesick Larry, and DJ Custom Cuts.

You’ll find the fun outdoors at Hiawatha (2700 California SW) 10:30 am-3:30 pm tomorrow.

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Happening now: Cancer-fighting all-nighter West Seattle Relay for Life 2014
June 27, 2014 7:24 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

It began with a lap around the West Seattle Stadium track featuring the participants hailed as heroes – cancer survivors and their caregivers. And with that, this year’s West Seattle Relay for Life was underway as of about an hour ago. More than 20 teams are there for the all-night relay-style walkathon/campout.

They’re raising money for the American Cancer Society, with a goal of $50,000. Some teams and participants have been raising money all year, like tonight’s greeters, the mother-and-daughter team of Gerry and Lauri Cunningham:

Again this year, they made and sold spaghetti dinners to go, and told us tonight that they raised more than a thousand dollars. Just before the kickoff lap by survivors and caregivers, participants heard from organizers including Sarah, who identified herself as a survivor – diagnosed with kidney cancer at age 3, now cancer-free 20 years later: “The money you raise is saving someone’s life,” she said. “It saved mine.” As the night goes on, a long list of activities awaits participants – from the reflective luminaria ceremony at 10 pm (you are welcome to go make your own luminaria in honor of someone fighting cancer or someone who has passed) …

… to lighthearted activities like balloon ping-pong, hula-hooping, and midnight bowling, plus music by “DJ Gary.” It’s participants only from 11 pm to 5 am (some will walk, some will sleep, some will even watch movies) but visitors are welcome the rest of the time. At the heart of it is the walking, whether you’re in costume (like team Answers for Cancers, below) or not:

Tomorrow morning’s schedule includes 8 am yoga and stretches, a fire truck visit at 9 am, the kids’ parade at 10 am, and closing ceremony at 11:30 am. It’s not too soon to start thinking about getting involved next year, either by organizing a team or volunteering to help behind the scenes – more info (and donation links) can be found on the official WSR4L page.

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