West Seattle, Washington
08 Friday
10:44 AM: Those yellow umbrellas are part of a one-day art installation at Alki Beach that Charlotte Starck hopes will send a message to the other side of the world. Here’s her explanation:
A pop-up environmental art installation, I call, The Umbrella Postcard: Seattle to Troops made of yellow umbrellas set in the sand in the shape of a yellow ribbon. The intent is to make it viewable from the sky for the world to see. Underneath: the words “Come home safe.”
The exhibit is also lined with 13 American flags in memory of the 13 service members who died Thursday in the Kabul airport attacks. Each flag has the name, hometown, and age of the servicemember – most in their early 20s.
For pedestrians, we will tie yellow ribbons and put signs on the lamp posts lining the exhibit on Alki at the volleyball courts. The exhibit will be taken down at twilight Monday.
Starck created this with daughter Sarah Hall and Brandon Rodriguez.
She says the airport bombing troubled her so much that, “I wanted to do something broad that would send a clear and direct message from Seattle to Kabul, and I believe ‘A picture paints a thousand words’.” The yellow ribbon is the original awareness ribbon, dating back to the Iran hostage crisis in the late ’70s.
12:18 PM: Added that photo from our return to Alki to check on the finished installation.
3:42 PM: Here’s the aerial view, by Howard Shack:
Seattle Parks is offering outdoor fitness classes at local community centers this fall, includng its Lifelong Recreation program for peopl 50+. Here are three they’re spotlighting; each class title is linked to a page with online registration and more information:
Gentle Yoga at High Point: 9/13-10/18, 10 am Mondays
Stretch and move with awareness, correct alignment and a focus on breath to increase strength and stamina, improve flexibility, and develop better balance, posture, poise, and peace of mind.
Fitness at Delridge: 9/8-10/20, 10:30 am Wednesdays
Build total body muscle strength using fitness bands, free weights and floor work. Improve balance, flexibility and agility. The instructor is a professional dance and fitness instructor and performer. Please bring weights to class
Thriller Dance at Delridge: 9/9-10/21, 11:30 am Thursdays
Learn the “Thrill the World” version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance. During this session you will learn all the steps and practice the entire dance (no dance experience necessary). If there is interest, the instructor will provide quick tips on Zombie makeup, character and costumes. All participants will receive a dance script so that you can practice at home. After this class you’ll be prepared to join in on the next Thriller flash mob or be the hit at your next party! The instructor is a professional dance and fitness instructor, performer, and has taught and performed Thriller since 2008.
You can also register by phone at 206-684-5177. Classes will be moved indoors if the weather’s bad.
6:05 AM: Good morning! Mixed forecast today.
ROAD WORK
26th SW & beyond – Northbound 26th SW closure continues between Roxbury and Barton.
Delridge project – Here’s the plan for this week.
Spokane Street Viaduct – The deck-scan work that was expected to start today is now postponed until at least Wednesday.
TRANSIT
Buses are on regular schedules – except for the rerouting in RapidRise H Line work zones. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of bus cancellations.
For ferries and water taxis, regular schedule. Watch @wsferries for updates.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
525th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are views of other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden – No camera for a few weeks (explained here)
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
For the South Park Bridge (map), here’s the nearest camera:
Are draw/swing bridges opening for boats or barges? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed will tell you. (1st Ave. South Bridge openings also are tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.)
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page.
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
Here’s our weekly roundup of local pandemic updates, starting with the newest local numbers.
KING COUNTY CUMULATIVE NUMBERS AS OF FRIDAY:
133,647 people have tested positive – 4,486 more than a week ago (4,757 in West Seattle, up 176)
7,289 people have been hospitalized – 177 more than a week ago (222 from West Seattle, up 6)
1,753 people have died – 30 more than a week ago (69 in West Seattle, up 2)
VACCINATION RATE:
77.3% of King County residents 12+ have completed their vaccine series (up .5% in the past week)
By West Seattle zip code:
98106 – 79.8%
98116 – 85.7%
98126 – 75%
98136 – 86.7%
98146 – 74.2%
(More COVID-related King County stats here)
PANDEMIC NEWS
Back to school – Classes resume, in-person, this week and next. Seattle Public Schools told families in a Friday letter that some activities will be paused and some meetings will be held remotely at least through the end of October.
Pfizer vaccine gets full approval – COVID vaccines have been administered under an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA; now the Pfizer vaccine is the first to get full approval (for ages 16 and up – full approval for younger recipients is continuing). With the approval, the vaccine now has a name, according to the FDA news release – Comirnaty (pronounced like “community”).
State health officials’ briefing – Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah and other top state health officials gave a pandemic briefing last Wednesday; you can watch it here.
NEED TO GET TESTED IN WEST SEATTLE?
The UW Medicine testing service at the Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex parking lot (2801 SW Thistle) continues to operate; you can make an appointment here, though readers report walk-ups have been accepted. Meantime, the Curative testing kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1222 Harbor SW) is also still operating. In addition, both West Seattle Walgreens stores are offering drive-up testing (35th/Morgan and 16th/Roxbury) – more info here.
NOT VACCINATED YET?
Go here to see where you can change that. Local pop-up in the week ahead: Tuesday night 6-8 pm during Created Commons at Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW, north of the P-patch).
Slogging through the mud was just one of the challenges for participants in Seattle’s only 5K obstacle course, part of Loop the ‘Lupe, four fun fundraising events in one, today at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point. There was also some jumping to be done:
And climbing:
Things got a little tangled too:
Participants started in waves:
See the results here. Something else unique to Loop the ‘Lupe, coordinated again this year by race director Brian Callanan – a Senior Saunter walk; here’s how today’s began:
Loop the ‘Lupe also featured a 5K Fun Run and a Kids’ Dash (though as shown in our course-start video above, plenty of kids participated in the obstacle course). Whether you were running, walking, or obstacle-dodging, there was music, from the West Seattle School of Rock:
The Kennedy Catholic High School Band made an appearance too:
WSB was a community co-sponsor of Loop the ‘Lupe, as were a long list of local businesses and organizations, including some of our sponsors – Verity Credit Union, which was handing out “boogie bots”:
And Lake Washington Physical Therapy‘s new West Seattle location, led by Mark and Laura Bouma:
Sponsors and participants were all helping raise money for the social work done by Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Just a quick reminder that school is starting before Labor Day this year for many, and some go back as soon as tomorrow. We’ve added a few more schools to the start-date list we published last week. From that list, three notes for tomorrow (Monday, August 30th): It’s the first day for Holy Rosary Catholic School and Seattle Lutheran High School – both on the north edge of The Junction – and Vashon Island School District 1st-12th graders, some of whom travel by ferry from Fauntleroy.
As seems to happen every few years, the drive-up/ride-up mailbox outside the Westwood Village post office is damaged and out of service. We don’t know when it happened; someone texted us about it a short time ago and we went over for a firsthand look. We’ll be checking with USPS tomorrow. Last two times it sustained major damage, in 2015 and 2018, it was out of service for about four months. Meantime, if you need this kind of mailbox, there’s one outside the post office in The Junction, 4412 California SW.
4:28 PM: The duo Dandy rapped as Created Commons got going for a third day at Westcrest Park, north of the P-Patch. Up next, a panel discussion about health-care access, moderated by co-emcee Dr. Sinead Younge, with panelists including today’s curator dani tirrell. Programming for this first-ever celebration of art and science, presented by Lelavision through September 5th, continues after the panel, until about 8.
(L-R, Dr. Sinead Younge, Candace Jackson, dani tirrell)
7:33 PM: Also on the panel, Candace Jackson from Seattle’s African American Health Board. The topic turned out to be not health-care access but the concept of caring for yourself and your community – through rest, through joy, through art. “Art transforms the way we think about life,” tirrell noted.
Art is vital to healing, Jackson agreed.
She also spoke of the importance of support. tirrell laid it out in personal terms – what could you, would you give up so that someone else could benefit? Here’s our video of the entire discussion:
That segued into the performance slate curated by tirrell. Dandy – David Rue and Randy Ford – returned with raps both sharp-edged and playful:
Inbetween, tirrell spoke of impending plans to move to Washington, D.C., and sadness at leaving the artist community here. Next up was poet J Mase III:
We recorded this on video too:
We had to leave before the rest of the slate, including Northwest Tap Connection. But all the while, Lelavision’s interactive sculpture Interspecies Connection was there for eventgoers to visit, pulling a cord to flap its wings:
The next Created Commons event at Westcrest (9000 8th SW) is Tuesday at 6 pm, in commemoration of International Overdose Awareness Day, promising “art, poetry, health science, remembrance, recovery.” Vaccinations will be offered, too. Lots going on Friday/Saturday/Sunday too – here’s the full schedule. (Our Friday coverage is here; our Saturday coverage is here.)
1:12 PM: That’s the scene on 16th SW south of Roxbury, closed for a block party until 5 pm to raise money for the half-dozen-plus businesses affected by last month’s arson, as mentioned on today’s preview list. Eat, drink, shop, wander – we’ll be updating.
1:42 PM: Just back from a quick tour of the block party – we’ll be adding photos shortly. First, some info: To get in on the raffle/silent auction, go to the breezeway by The Plant Store, midblock – that’s where we found DJ Bugzy Beatdown.
The entertainment schedule for the rest of the afternoon:
Now until 2:10 – selfdoubt
2:30-3:15: Junior on the Prowl
3:30-4:30 DJ DeVonne
5:00 DJ Bugzy Beatdown returns
That’s all midblock. You can also check out B.O.C. Music (3:30-4:30) and Monty Banks (5 pm) at Drunky Two Shoes and then at Southgate Roller Rink, DJ Dan Steely at 5 pm and Kids on Fire at 6 pm.
Another big attraction besides street-fair-style shopping, food.
There’s a seating area in the middle of 16th where Chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, who’s about to open Tomo, is grilling.
You can also dine outside Buho and Bizzarro Italian Café.
At the south end of the block, the Home Skillit is offering street food including Louisiana hot links and Seattle Dogs.
This is all community-organized; we talked to White Center Pride about what people can do to support the businesses that are still working to get back on their feet.
Come down today, wander around, find out about the new locations some have found, they said. (Their booth is on the east side of the block – look for the rainbows.) Some of those new locations are already open – La Tipica Oaxaqueña moved to the southwest corner of 16th/Roxbury – and some hope to be open soon, like John’s Hair and Nails, moving to 10261 16th SW.
Two reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
GARAGE BURGLAR: From an Admiral resident:
Someone broke into our garage and our cars and stole a bunch of stuff. She couldn’t carry everything, having taken a bunch of stuff, and left a bag that she took from another West Seattle home in the alley (there was a mailing label in the bag and we found the owner). She hit our place at 7:30 am (Saturday) – we have her on Ring camera.
Our neighbor is fairly sure he saw her picture re some other theft or break-in earlier this year? There have been multiple police reports filed.
In all, neighbors believe this burglar hit at least four homes on 45th/46th near Admiral Way.
PARK VANDALISM: From Blair:
As we were taking a morning walk around the path on top of the reservoir at Westcrest Park this morning, we found that a picnic table, bench and part of a play structure had been unbolted and vandalized. A garbage can had also been rolled down the hill, and the “no motorized vehicles” sign at the 8th & Henderson entrance had been bent and removed from its post. I called it in to the Parks Department’s maintenance request line.
That’s 206-684-7250. (Find other key Parks numbers here.)
Thanks to Lisa for the tip: Loki Fish Company, a vendor at the West Seattle Farmers Market, is recalling one of its products, and if you have any of it, you can take it to them there for a refund. From the company’s announcement:
Loki Fish Company of Seattle is recalling 4 oz. packages of Keta Salmon Lox (UPC code 92103 00111) because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with compromised immune systems….
The Keta Salmon Lox is packaged in a 4 oz. plastic package on a coated board. It is labeled as Wild Keta Lox, Loki Fish Co., Seattle, WA. There are no best-by dates on the package.
The Keta Salmon Lox was distributed through Cherry Sprout Produce in Portland, OR and Central Co-op and Pacific Coast Harvest in Seattle. It was also sold at the University District and West Seattle Farmers Markets.
No illnesses have been reported to date.
The possibility of contamination was discovered during the FDA inspection at our co-packer Felix Custom Smoking, of Monroe, Washington in July 2021. Loki submitted samples of the Keta Lox to Micro-Chem Laboratories for testing. Loki has ceased production, sales, and distribution of keta lox immediately and Loki will continue the investigation as to what caused the problem.
This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
If you have purchased this product, please do not consume it, and get rid of it immediately. You can return it to your place of purchase or to Loki Fish Company at the farmers market for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Hing Ng at Loki Fish Company (hing@lokifish.com; 206-937-1048, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
While this is a company recall, not government-ordered, it was published on the FDA website as an FYI.
(Saturday sunset, photographed by Lynn Hall)
So many options today, as August’s final weekend concludes:
ROAD-WORK ALERTS: Work is scheduled again today at West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way (until 1 pm), and we’re told the backup was huge on Saturday – so avoid that area if you can. Work is also planned at 44th and Edmunds.
CHURCHES: Many continue streaming, in addition to in-person services. Here are the newest links for 20+ West Seattle churches’ services.
ULTIMATE FRISBEE PICKUP: 10 am at West Seattle Stadium (4432 35th SW) – different location than usual this week.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm on California between Oregon and Alaska. Scroll down the page at this link to find the vendor list and map for this week. (The market is a WSB sponsor.)
LOOP THE ‘LUPE: Today’s the day! Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle) is the place. Here’s the schedule of events: The obstacle-course 5K is first up at 11 am, followed by the 5K run/walk at 11:45, quarter-mile-loop Senior Saunter at noon, 1K Youth Dash for kids 8 and under at 1 pm. Yes, you can still sign up this morning! Prizes, plus a beer garden and live music for afterpartying. Proceeds benefit the social work done by Our Lady of Guadalupe for people of all religious/nonreligious backgrounds. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of Loop the ‘Lupe.)
GET VACCINATED: 11:30 am-3 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th & Myrtle) during Loop the ‘Lupe (make an appointment here), and 1:30-7:30 pm at Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW) during Created Commons, no appointment needed.
WHITE CENTER BLOCK PARTY: Noon-5 pm in the heart of White Center, it’s a block party to raise money for the businesses ravaged by July’s big fire. Music, food, pop-up market, raffle, auction. Just head for 16th south of Roxbury.
CREATED COMMONS, DAY 3: The third day of this celebration of art and science at Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW, north of the P-Patch), produced by Lelavision, whose website has the full schedule. Today starts at noon – go see and “flap” the kinetic sculpture Interspecies Communication – then at 4 pm, it’s a discussion of health-care access, followed by a performance slate curated by artist/activist dani tirrell. All free.
SUNDAY RUN CLUB: Noon at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW) – info in our calendar listing.
POKEMON TRAINING CAMP: Noon-2 pm Sundays at Meeples Games – for all Pokémon trainers! (3727 California SW)
DELRIDGE BRIDGE REMOVAL INFO TABLING: 1-3 pm outside Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW), SDOT reps will be available for your questions/comments about whether the nearby pedestrian bridge should stay or go, as we’ve been reporting.
TILDEN SCHOOL CELEBRATION: 3-6 pm at Hiawatha Community Center Park (2700 California SW), celebrating Tilden School‘s past, present, and future, including the retirement of founder Whitney Tjerandsen and the torch-passing to her successor Sarah Shearer, remembering Lou Magor, and more..
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Singer-songwriter Deb Seymour performs, 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
BOOK CLUB: Also at 3 pm at C & P, the Classic Novels (and Movies) Book Club meets.
SUNDAY NIGHT KARAOKE: 8 pm to 1 am at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW; WSB sponsor).
SUNDAY NIGHT JAZZ: Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8 pm and 9 pm sets.
Event listings welcome – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Continuing our tradition of publishing bird-photo galleries during Seahawks games when we can … the top photo by Mark McDonald is the “real seahawk,” an Osprey, with prey, over Arroyo Beach. Also in flight, a Brown Pelican – not that common around here – photographed over Alki by Jerry Simmons:
Jerry also caught those perennial rivals, a Bald Eagle and Crow, on the ground:
Mark Wangerin photographed a Pigeon Guillemot seemingly on the run:
Great Blue Herons don’t always look regal, Greg Snyder‘s photo reminds us:
And we go inland for the last two photos – Vlad Oustimovitch photographed fledgling Cooper’s Hawks with lunch:
Yard birds shared a perch in Gill Loring‘s photo – a Northern Flicker (we think) and Steller’s Jay:
Big thanks to everyone who sends photos, from birds to breaking news – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
5:41 PM: You can make art, join dancers, and/or just watch as Created Commons continues at Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW). Performances continue until 8 tonight, with a DNDA-curated Arts-in-Nature showcase. We’ll add photos and video when we’re back at HQ; if you can’t get here this evening, you have tomorrow, next weekend, and multiple events inbetween!
ADDED 7:24 PM: When we arrived this evening, dancer Noelle Price (above) was performing with electric cellist Gretchen Yanover.
She invited audience members to join her in front of the stage.
Co-emcee Lash (above) observed that their work conveyed “so much love and peace and sisterhood.” She handed the mic to co-emcee Dr. Sinead Younge (see her in our Night 1 coverage), who encouraged everyone to “be part of the art” (including pulling the cord that flaps the wings of the kinetic sculpture Interspecies Communication, made by Created Commons coordinating team Lelavision). Dr. Younge also offered props for Erika Bell from DNDA, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center manager and curator of today’s showcase:
(Erika Bell with DNDA executive director David Bestock)
The performances are telling stories, observed Lash, stories “that are not fictional – they’re real.” She introduced a group whose music and movement told stories of West Africa, Boka Kouyate and the Djeliyah Band:
They explained that the Djeli people were for centuries the ones who communicated between the community and kings, so the latter could more wisely rule.
See the Created Commons schedule here; tomorrow includes not only performances curated by artist/activist dani tirrell but also a panel on health-care access, part of the Created Commons mission to elevate science as well as art. This is all free; a booth is set up if you want to donate to Real Rent Duwamish, in honor of the Indigenous people whose unceded land is where this is taking place.
This week, the city announced it’s using federal funds to give grants to help more than two dozen neighborhood business organizations recover from pandemic hardships. Among them, the West Seattle Junction Association, which will receive $100,000. WSJA executive director Lora Radford was among the speakers at the media briefing on Tuesday (11:42 into the video above). She spoke about what it was like to help The Junction’s small independent businesses get through the many months of pandemic uncertainty, and how gratifying it was that West Seattleites chose to support their local businesses. Now with the city/federal grant, Radford promised, “we get to show West Seattleites how we can show up for them.” She tells WSB that plans for the money include lighting modernization, replacing faded banners, hiring extra cleanup help via UpLift Northwest, and presenting a local-maker popup during the holidays. Other recipients – as listed in the announcement – include the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce and South Park Business District.
Thanks for sending the photo! A reader noticed the SS Cape Island passing West Seattle, northbound, this afternoon. We’ve shown it two previous times in the past 12 years; it’s a Tacoma-based Ready Reserve Force ship, 45 years old, 685 feet long, steam-powered. It’s still headed north in Puget Sound right now, passing Whidbey Island per MarineTraffic.com, destination not listed.
From skis to toys, camping gear to housewares, the Boy Scout Troop 284 megasale at West Seattle American Legion Post 160 (3618 SW Alaska) still has “lots of great stuff left,” reports Karen, with three hours to go. Even a cedar chest:
And for the final two hours, at 2 pm, you can “fill a grocery sack for $5!” As noted in our daily preview, the sale is to raise money for the troop’s activities. The Scouts are active in community service, too, as we’ve reported in the past (examples here and here).
Police say one person was pistol-whipped and another narrowly missed by gunfire in the 1900 block of Harbor Avenue SW early today. They went to the area after a report of gunfire around 1:20 am; they found a 22-year-old man with a cut to the head. He wouldn’t talk to officers about what had happened but they say witnesses saw him pistol-whipped in a fight with someone who then fired multiple shots as the victim tried to run away. One bullet went through a parked van where a woman was asleep, just missing her. The pistol-whipping victim was taken to the hospital. Police are asking anyone with information to call their tip line at 206-233-5000.
(Sunrise last Wednesday, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Welcome to the weekend!
TRAFFIC ALERTS: Crews are working at the Highland Park Way/West Marginal Way intersection again today, until 1 pm. Work is also planned at 44th/Edmunds in The Junction.
BENEFIT SALE: More than 50 families have donated items for Boy Scout Troop 284‘s fundraising sale at American Legion Post 160 (3618 SW Alaska), 9 am-4 pm:
Troop 284 was founded more than a century ago. Karen, who sent the photo, says, “Proceeds go directly to the scouts for camp, gear and outings.”
OTHER SALES: Check the WSB Community Forums‘ Freebies, Sales, Trades section for listings of other West Seattle sales today!
BIZ COLLAB: Clementines – the shoe shop formerly in The Junction – is popping up again today at Carmilia’s – the boutique that’s still in The Junction – for a sale! Hours today at 4528 California SW are 11 am-6 pm.
FOOD DRIVE: Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill) is collecting food donations 11 am-3 pm – see our calendar listing for what’s needed most.
PICKLEBALL PARTY: Noon-4 pm, whether you’re an experienced player or novice, you’re invited to go play pickleball at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW), celebrating new nets!
CREATED COMMONS, DAY 2: Noon-8 pm, Created Commons continues at Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW, north of the P-Patch). Today’s spotlight event: DNDA‘s Arts-in-Nature showcase – see the performer lineup here. (Here’s our report from Created Commons’s opening night.)
PIANO RECITAL: 2 pm, Henry Mauser – a classical pianist currently attending Gonzaga University – performs music by Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (3050 California SW). Admission is free.
FASHION SHOW: 5 pm Seattle Metropolitan Fashion Week 2021 show at Seattle Chinese Garden (5640 16th SW) still had tickets available when we checked early this morning.
MYSTERY MADE PARTY: 5-9 pm at “West Seattle’s only men’s shop” (4312 SW Oregon), launch party for collaboration with Roark, featuring live mural painting, BBQ, beer.
QUEER & TRANS NIGHT MARKET: Presented by VietQ, 6-9 pm at White Center Heights Park (7th SW/SW 102nd), with more than 40 vendors.
TWELFTH NIGHT AFTER DARK: One night only, “rated R” musical theater with members of Twelfth Night Productions, 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall (35th/Kenyon). Mask and vaccination proof or negative test results required.
WEST SEATTLE DRAG SHOW WITH DOLLY MADISON: 8 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), join Dolly and The DJ for a night of fun.
WEST END GIRLS: Drag show at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm (doors at 7), $15 cover, all ages.
Upcoming event? Send us info for a calendar listing – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photos/video)
With a spirited, arms-outstretched yell, Leah Okamoto Mann set the tone for the start of the multi-day Created Commons event she and Lelavision partner Ela Lamblin are presenting at Westcrest Park: Don’t hold back. Those in the opening-night spotlight certainly did not. Lamblin mesmerized attendees with music from the stamenphone:
The grant-funded event’s intent is to blend art and science – indeed, the emcee is a professor, not a performer. Dr. Sinead Younge‘s spirit, too, was boundless – as she periodically led everyone in a Ghanian call-and-response to be sure they were paying attention. She spoke about health as a human right.
She introduced Duwamish Tribe members including Ken Workman, who spoke of how this area’s First People are still here – “the hills, valleys, rocks retain the memory of the people … these people are all around you.”
He offered words of gratitude and welcome in other Northwest tribes’ languages. Then came the exuberance of dance, with the Pacific Islander Student Alliance from UW Tacoma:
They concluded by inviting attendees onto the stage for what they described as a Samoan tradition, dancing around a “princess,” Angelina, an 8th-grader who’s been dancing with them this summer. Every Indigenous culture celebrates with dance, observed Dr. Younge, before the mood turned somber. ” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>“Orca Annie” Stateler and Odin Lonning, from Vashon Island, spoke – and drummed – about the Southern Resident Killer Whales’ plight:
Annie told the tales both of individual whales that have been lost in recent years, and the overview of their troubles – too little food, and also how losses have affected their families.
With orcas, as with humans, she observed, losing an elder means you “lose an encyclopedia of knowledge.” What can you do to help? “Listen to Indigenous elders,” she said, not just white “experts.” And examine your daily life – recycling, food choices, energy use. They closed after Odin presented a spoken-word lament about “no longer knowing” the killer whales. Dr. Younge offered her hope that it would move people to action. The night concluded with a chance for everyone to “flap the wings” of Lelavision’s sculpture Interspecies Communication, which towers over the stage:
If you go to Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW) during Created Commons noon-8 pm this weekend or next, you too can “flap” the sculpture. Look for it and the canopies north of the P-Patch. See the full schedule here – in the Saturday spotlight, a mini-version of DNDA‘s Arts-in-Nature festival, 3-8 pm, with music, dance, spoken word, and other art. It’s all free and casual – wander in, wander out, bring a picnic.
Two cases of vandalism, both against symbols of the fight for racial justice:
DIVERSITY CENTER SIGN DEFACED: From Jean Iannelli Craciun at the Diversity Center of Washington in Morgan Junction:
I am sad to report that the Black Lives Matter sign we have had out front was marked with an X across the front and thrown down. Luckily the other side was not damaged and we could re-install it on that side. We were surprised to see this and it made us sad and angry….after all, this is West Seattle!!
MURAL VANDALIZED: On the south edge of West Seattle, Desmond Hansen‘s George Floyd signal-box mural has been vandalized again, this time with green paint splattered across it and someone then scrawling Black Lives Matter across the green blotch. This is not the only one of Hansen’s box murals to be defaced – his portrait of murdered hip-hop musician JuiceTheGod at 35th/Barton and the BLM-themed box at 42nd/Alaska have been hit too.
6:03 PM: The November election has apparently just lost its marquee measure. Opponents of homelessness-related Seattle Charter Amendment 29 have won a victory in their lawsuit to keep it off the ballot. King County Superior Court Judge Catherine Shaffer ruled today that it “violated state law limiting the permissible scope of local ballot initiatives in many ways,” according to opponents, Their lawyer Knoll Lowney said, “The blunt tool of an initiative is not a way to address this complex and evolving crisis. The law recognizes this and so did the judge.” Supporters call their campaign Compassion Seattle. It would codify various city responses to the crisis and would allow encampment sweeps on public property if its requirements were met. The lawsuit against it was filed two weeks ago, same day the 34th District Democrats hosted a forum about it (as mentioned in our coverage of that event). No word yet whether Compassion Seattle will appeal the ruling.
8:57 PM: Compassion Seattle now has a statement on its website, saying in part “This ruling means the only way the public can change the city’s current approach to homelessness is to change who is in charge at city hall. An appeal of the judge’s ruling would not happen in time for the election. However, we urge the public not to give up the fight. We can still make our voices heard in the elections for Mayor, City Council, and City Attorney.”
(Photos courtesy Southwest Seattle Historical Society)
That bench is now gracing the grounds of the Log House Museum, after a donation announced today:
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society is thrilled to announce that West Seattle Art Club has generously donated a sculptural art bench for permanent use on the grounds of the Log House Museum. Formed in 1910, the West Seattle Art Club, which has enjoyed a long history of support and involvement with the arts community, especially the Seattle Art Museum, will close its doors this year. The bench generously donated to the Historical Society will memorialize the Club and its vibrant history for generations to come inviting visitors to sit, relax, and enjoy the Log House Museum’s garden.
The memorial bench, which was created and installed by Kris Myrseth-Barrea, was officially unveiled in a ceremony hosted by the Historical Society earlier today. The bench was designed and fabricated to reflect the artist’s vision of the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Members of the West Seattle Art Club (above) and their families were joined on-site at the Log House Museum by Historical Society staff and Trustees to dedicate the bench and celebrate its placement. Of the generous contribution, Historical Society executive director Michael King remarked, “The Historical Society is incredibly grateful to the West Seattle Art Club for its donation of this beautiful bench, which will serve as a welcoming centerpiece to our native plant garden for generations to come. We are proud to be able to honor the memory of the West Seattle Art Club and deeply appreciative of the Club’s support of and commitment to the Historical Society and the community we call home.”
“While we are saddened to bring our long history to a close, we are delighted to place this wonderful creation at the LHM. We so appreciate the generosity of providing our Club such a perfect site. We feel the LHM perfectly matches our deep roots in the WS community and the placement of the bench in the native plant garden is so lovely and so fitting as a memorial location,” said CR Hendrick, president of the West Seattle Art Club.
The museum at 3003 61st SW is open noon-4 pm Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
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