day : 06/09/2014 11 results

From the Playa to the beach. Previously seen at Burning Man (here’s video!), the Tiki Tank turned up on Alki tonight. David Hutchinson photographed it outside Spud, not far from the salsa’ing crowd at Statue of Liberty Plaza, in what mashed up into a fine late-summer Saturday night at the beach.

West Seattle weekend scene: 100+ watch ‘Princess Angeline,’ meet filmmakers, with WS Meaningful Movies & SWSHS

September 6, 2014 11:29 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thanks to Clay Eals from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society for the photo from Neighborhood House’s High Point Center, where more than 100 people came to tonight’s screening of “Princess Angeline,” and talked with filmmakers Sandy and Yasu Osawa. He explains: “The 53-minute film focuses on the history of the Duwamish Tribe and its efforts to become federally recognized. Princess Angeline was the daughter of Chief Seattle. Sponsoring the presentation were West Seattle Meaningful Movies and the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. Those attending were encouraged to inscribe pre-addressed postcards to President Obama asking that the tribe be recognized.” The latest version of the recognition bill is languishing in the U.S. House.

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Puget Sound orcas welcome first new baby in two years

September 6, 2014 8:49 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(L-pod orcas – file photo, shared here in 2009 by Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales)
Just a week ago, the Kitsap Sun reported that Puget Sound’s orcas, the Southern Resident Killer Whales, were down to their lowest population level in almost 30 years, after two deaths this year, and no new births in two years. Tonight, some good news: The Center for Whale Research, which had reported the population down to 78, says it’s up to 79, with a new baby spotted in L Pod, same pod that had the last SRKW birth in 2012. In a Facebook post, CWR says the baby, to be known as L120, was with L86. You can see a photo on Orca Network‘s FB page.

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West Seattle development: New commercial building on Delridge

September 6, 2014 7:25 pm

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| Delridge | Development | West Seattle news

Our daily check of city Department of Planning and Development records turns up a new project in a high-profile place: The lot at 5448 Delridge Way SW, between DESC’s Cottage Grove Commons and the Martin’s Way storefront. The site has long held a ramshackle 1927-built cottage. On Friday, its new owner applied to the city for permission to tear down the house and build a commercial building. Documents in the file carry the name of Dreamscapes, a local landscaping company whose owner bought the Delridge site a year ago, according to county records. The online file says the permit is for a 1-story “office” building with a pre-fab steel frame and four on-site parking spaces (the site is zoned for “neighborhood commercial” up to 40 feet high).

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Here’s what we found out about the early-morning death investigation at Admiral Way Viewpoint

September 6, 2014 6:47 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

If you are among those wondering about the police, fire, and then Medical Examiner response at Admiral Way Viewpoint just after dawn today – especially unnerving to some in that area after the overnight fires – we finally have a bit of information. SPD Lt. Alan Williams responded to our inquiry, saying a suicide victim was found there, a man believed to be in his 70s.

(As always when mentioning suicide, we want to point out a local resource for those considering self-harm or otherwise in crisis: The Crisis Clinic has a 24-hour hotline, 206-461-3222.)

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Followup: What happened when the Gatewood Elementary Class of ’56 reconnected

September 6, 2014 3:30 pm

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| Gatewood | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Back in April, we shared the announcement of a reunion for the Gatewood Elementary School Class of 1956. Now, the followup – Carol Stoner shares the photo above and this report on how it went!

We finally managed to locate more than 70 of the original list of 90. Most of us had not seen the school since the remodel in 1991, and we spent much of the tour reconciling our memories with the new reality.

The Class of 1956 attended Gatewood before the ‘gator was its mascot, when wooden desks with iron grillwork legs were bolted to the floor, and empty inkwells clanged if you flicked them during study time. Cloakrooms in the back were filled with wet coats, dripping boots, and lunchboxes with baloney sandwiches on white bread. No actual library; books were shelved in Mr. Acedo’s sixth-grade classroom, and choosing 35 books for your class was brief, stressful, and done very quietly during his class if you were book monitor that month. And, even in 1956, the wooden stairs leading up into the school had deep indentations, hollow treads, where former students, perhaps parents and grandparents, had trudged in previous decades.

On August 22nd, twenty-eight ‘Woodies reunited for a tour of the remodeled school and a catchup picnic in Lincoln Park. They found the wooden steps had been replaced, but delighted in the fact that the century-old banisters had been retained. Gone also were the wooden desks and cloakrooms, giving the rooms a modern feel and more space. The class picture on the front steps and the tour itself was much like herding cats, but a good time was had by all.

The picnic following at Lincoln Park, catered by Husky’s, was great fun. We heard apologies for remembered slights: “I’m sorry I pushed you off the table in Kindergarten, but I wanted to nap there” or “Sorry I teased you so much, but you were so cute when you blushed.” Episodes were told about teachers who had impacted our lives for good and bad, but we heard no bad stories about missing classmates, only “Remember how fast he ran?” or “She was so funny! Do you remember when she…?” We also told stories on ourselves, and it turns out that little candy store across the street from school must have made a fortune!

Although most of us shared the grade-school experience with one class for seven years, we split into two groups in ’56, some going to Madison and some to Denny. Some classmates we hadn’t seen in 58 years. Since then our classmates have built homes, airplanes, businesses, and families. They have climbed mountains, written books, worked in law enforcement, education, and health care. They have been firefighters, commercial fishermen, and researchers. They’ve worked with numbers, words, machinery, and people. It was a joy to reconnect with old friends, to remember cloakrooms, wooden desks, and inkwells, and when we were all twelve.

Gatewood is an official city landmark, by the way. P.S. Follow the link to the April announcement to see class photos from back in the day.

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Junction bike theft; Genesee phone grab; Alki tire slash: Latest reader reports

September 6, 2014 1:03 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three more incidents your neighbors want you to know about – first, Bryan is hoping you might have seen his bike, stolen while he was in a Junction store for a few minutes:

I am sad to say my beloved Psy-Clo was stolen (Friday) around 4:00 pm from the bike rack (locked) in front of the True Value at Edmunds and 44th Ave, while I was in the store for about 5 minutes.

Psy-Clo was a 2014 Cannondale CAAD-X, mariner blue with red and blue accents, black taped road bars, black ESA cranks (with some distinctive worn paint and scratches from when the crank fell off!), black clip in pedals, Cygolite Metro USB chargeable light (and Hotshot rear), a black rear rack, Novara under seat bag with red tool bag and orange seat cover, a black Brooks leather seat, Promax disc brakes (front adjuster is broken/loose), an RSVP top tube blue frame bag, a silver/black Zefal frame bike pump (strapped to the underside of the top tube), two black bottle holders with one white insulated Polar water bottle, and Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tires – plus a Seahawks car flag mounted under the rear seat!

I did notice an older gentleman with grayish hair and mustache sitting in a pickup truck (I think) parked along 44th right by the bike rack, who in retrospect appeared to be taking in interest in my bicycle – I figured he was just a Hawks fan! Anyway, I (have filed a police report) and have some hope the True Value surveillance camera could have some information, but would appreciate any information any passerbys/witnesses (including the C-Line bus that went by) might have.

Ahead – another “iPhone theft from outside the window” case, plus a tire slash that followed apparent “parking rage”:

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West Seattle businesses: Delridge Food Mart shuttered, maybe just temporarily

September 6, 2014 11:20 am

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| Delridge | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

A texter tipped us this morning that Delridge Food Mart at Delridge/Brandon was closed and appeared empty of merchandise. We confirmed that with a visit to the store – closed, gated, shelves visibly empty, no explanatory notes. There’s one reason to think this might be temporary: A liquor-license application suggests the store is changing hands. The application was filed on August 26th, described as an “assumption” by new proprietors Trimurti LLC, headquartered in Renton.

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West Seattle Saturday: Morning through midnight, here’s what’s up

September 6, 2014 8:59 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Friday’s sunset, by John Hinkey)
It’s still summer! Some ways to maximize your Saturday:

BENEFIT CAR WASH: Highline Premier FC high school girls’ soccer teams are having a fundraising car wash from 10 am to 2 pm today and tomorrow at Westwood 7-11. Cheryl explains, “They are raising money to help with travel expenses to the Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup International Showcase in February 2015. This tournament gives the girls the opportunity to be seen by college coaches and recruiters from around the country.” (35th/Barton)

SHOP AND SNACK AT THE DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE: 10 am-4 pm, second of two days for the arts/crafts-and-more multiple-vendors sale (food, too!) at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse in West Seattle; more info in our calendar listing. Free parking/admission. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)

SAN GENNARO FESTIVAL: This is a West Seattle family‘s 2nd year staging this festival in nearby Georgetown. Today’s the second day, running 10 am-10 pm; more info here. (South Angelo St., north of Boeing Field)

VOLUNTEER WITH THE SOUTHWEST SEATTLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY! 11 am, be at the Log House Museum to find out how your talent(s) can be best put to work helping the home of West Seattle’s history. (61st/Stevens)

BARBECUE BENEFITING THE HUMANE SOCIETY: Final “Dog Days of Summer” benefit barbecue at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), 11 am-4 pm. (California/Morgan/42nd)

COLMAN POOL’S SECOND-TO-LAST 2014 DAY: Second-to-last day this year that you can enjoy West Seattle’s only city-owned outdoor pool. Swimming starts at noon – find the schedule here. (On the shore at Lincoln Park)

KENYON HALL ‘FLUSH FUND’ BENEFIT: Noon-8 pm, stop by historic Kenyon Hall and enjoy barbecue/entertainment to raise money to upgrade the restrooms. Here’s our preview. (7904 35th SW)

WINE-TASTING ROOM OPENS: It’s opening weekend for Viscon Cellars‘ new tasting room north of Morgan Junction, featured here a few months back. They’re open today 2-7 pm. (5910 California SW)

HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL TODAY/TONIGHT: Two local teams play, both out of town – Seattle Lutheran is at Mary Knight in the Elma area, 1:30 pm, according to its website; West Seattle High School is at Juneau-Douglas High School in Alaska tonight, 7 pm local time, which is 8 pm Seattle time. (Scores appreciated if you’re traveling with either team – text 206-293-6302 – thanks!)

SKIHAWKS CHARITY AUCTION: Benefit at Our Lady of Guadalupe to raise money for the Skihawks Racing Team‘s special athletes. 6:30 pm – details here. (35th/Myrtle)

‘PRINCESS ANGELINE’: Come watch the story of Chief Sealth’s daughter Princess Angeline, presented by West Seattle Meaningful Movies and the SW Seattle Historical Society – details in our calendar listing. 7 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center. Filmmakers Sandy and Yasu Osawa will be in attendance. (6400 Sylvan Way)

LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Philip Mariconda performs live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE CASK: Gary Benson performs live at The Cask (WSB sponsor), 8:30 pm. (2350 California SW)

‘COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE – ABRIDGED’: Come applaud youth performers/producers (and donate to a local nonprofit they’re raising money for), 7:30 pm in the Seattle Lutheran High School gym, second of three performances, details in our calendar listing. (41st/Genesee)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE FEEDBACK: Special solo performance by Jefferson Angell at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9 pm. (6451 California SW)

‘ROCKY HORROR’ AT THE ADMIRAL: At midnight! Details in our calendar listing. (2343 California SW)

YES, THERE’S MORE … on our calendar!

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Update: Arson also suspected in 3200 block of California SW vacant-building fire

September 6, 2014 1:59 am

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| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(WSB photos, added 2:58 am)
1:59 AM: Now Seattle Fire is at the scene of a reported “room fire” inside what sounds like one of the vacated buildings at the future 3210 California development site (former Cayce/Gain offices). More to come.

2:24 AM UPDATE: We are at the scene. Fire out, no injuries. It *was* in the back of the vacant, awaiting-demolition ex-Cayce/Gain/Cometa building. No cause yet and no one will speculate on any connection to those earlier dumpster fires a few blocks north. Many of the units are leaving, but the street will be blocked a while longer.

10:30 AM Police now say via SPD Blotter that they are indeed investigating this fire and two Dumpster fires as arson and are seeking tips.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Dumpster fires start search for suspected arsonist

September 6, 2014 12:08 am

| 16 COMMENTS

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

12:08 AM: Right now in the Admiral District, investigators are dealing with multiple Dumpster fires, and looking into the possibility they were arson. (Thanks to Peter for sharing the photo from one fire between Admiral Chevron and Admiral 7-11.) They have mentioned a possible suspect description over emergency radio – white male, 5’11”, gray jacket with a white stripe, khaki shorts, last seen running southbound on Admiral near California.

4:02 AM: We’ve reported separately on the 2 am fire in South Admiral. Now, a small fire in High Point is now under investigation, and firefighters are checking out a report of smoke in Gatewood. No official information at this point indicating any of this is related but police and fire investigators are checking it all out.

10:30 AM: Via SPD Blotter, police now say they are indeed investigating two Dumpster fires and the 3200 block California SW fire as arson and are seeking tips.

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