West Seattle, Washington
11 Thursday
West Seattle High School senior or Madison Middle School 8th grader in the family? Just two days to get in on this fundraiser:
Pre-order a lovely flower lei that is created and shipped directly from Hawaii for your graduate and help support West Seattle High School Music Department. We are also offering candy leis made in Westside and Madison colors! Both will be available to pick up right before the ceremony at the SW Athletic Complex before the seniors line up for commencement on June 14th, and for the Madison promotion at WSHS on June 18th. Below are the options available:
*Single Purple Orchid Lei -$22*
*Single White Orchid Lei – $22*
*Single fragrant Tuberose and Purple Orchid Lei -$25*
*Candy Lei made in WSHS Wildcat colors – $8*You can view pictures of each, and place your order (here).
All leis must be *pre ordered and paid* for by Wednesday, May 28th. There may be a limited number of extras at the event. If you have any questions, please email Cathy at wshsptsavparts@gmail.com
This Friday night, West Seattleite Scott Schill will be in Hollywood – not as a tourist, but as the producer of a film having its world premiere at Hollywood’s legendary Chinese Theaters. The film is “Frank Vs. God,” described as “a comedy … a romance … a spiritual journey” whose protagonist is “serving God – with a lawsuit.” (Why, you ask? The trailer, above, explains.) It stars Henry Ian Cusick (from “Lost” and “Scandal” among other things). The film’s premiere is part of the 17th annual Dances With Films, which bills itself as the last truly independent film festival. (He says it did have a private screening for friends in Seattle back in April, “and the response was phenomenal.”) We asked what’s next for the filmed-in-Orlando movie, post-festival – will “Frank Vs. God” make it to “a theater near you”? Schill, a Junction resident, says they’re working on distribution plans and possibilities. But first, the premiere!
Sunshine again graced West Seattle’s traditional Memorial Day commemoration, the annual ceremony at Forest Lawn Cemetery. The flags placed by local Scouts waved in the breeze; local veterans shared thoughts and exhortations from the podium:
That’s American Legion Post 160‘s Keith Hughes; also speaking today, from VFW Post 2713, Steve Strand, below left (in his current workday life, acting commander of SPD’s South Precinct):
With him in photo (above right) is Kyle Geraghty from Post 160. Dozens came to honor and remember:
The traditional somber “Taps” were played, of course, but before and after the ceremony, classic Americana from Duwamish Jazz:
This was the Memorial Day ceremony’s 87th year.
Another hit-run crash has left a bicycle rider hurt – not seriously, this time. It happened in the 3700 block of Beach Drive SW; SFD checked out the rider, whose ankle was hurt, and was waiting with him for police to arrive; he told us he didn’t get a good look at the car, which continued northbound on Beach Drive.
SIDE NOTE: Last Thursday night’s hit-run at the east end of the low bridge remains unsolved; the vehicle description made public hours later remains the most information we have about it. A relative of the rider posted a comment today saying he did survive and that they’re grateful for those who helped him at the scene.
In two weeks – 6-8 pm Tuesday, June 10th – alumni, staff and students past and present, neighbors, everyone’s invited to celebrate Arbor Heights Elementary before the demolition and reconstruction. Scroll through the official invitation:
(If you can’t read it in the window, see it as a PDF here.)
P.S. Before then, if you’re interested in an update on the plan for the new school, here’s our previously published announcement for the district’s June 2nd meeting.
Puget Sound in the Spring… from Laura James on Vimeo.
On this holiday morning, take a peek beneath the surface of Puget Sound, just off West Seattle, in this video shared by “Diver Laura” James (thanks!). Unlike some underwater videos, this one identifies most of what/who you’ll see – unobtrusively; if you want to find out more about any individual creature, you then can look it up via a site like this.
P.S. Laura says they wouldn’t have been able to do this if the noctiluca bloom hadn’t begun to let up (that’s the orangish-red water that seems to show up every year – here’s the photo we published a week ago).
(Bald eagle in madrone, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
No traffic report today since there’s not likely to be much of it, but the holiday transit changes top our info list for this Memorial Day:
TRANSPORTATION: Metro is on a Sunday schedule … The West Seattle Water Taxi also is on a Sunday schedule (no Vashon WT service) … Sound Transit buses are on a Sunday schedule … The Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth state-ferry route is on a regular Monday schedule.
TRASH/RECYCLING/ETC.: If you have Monday pickup, you can expect normal service today, according to Seattle Public Utilities; the South Transfer Station is open normal Monday hours, too.
SCHOOLS: Seattle Public Schools and Highline Public Schools are closed, as is South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) and most if not all independent schools.
LIBRARIES: Seattle branches are closed, as are King County branches.
FREE CITY-STREET PARKING: No charge to park today in Seattle neighborhoods that have city-operated pay stations/meters.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE HOLIDAY … as listed here.
CITY-RUN COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SOUTHWEST POOL … closed today.
COLMAN POOL IS OPEN! The outdoor pool on the Lincoln Park shore is open today, noon-7 pm, as its first pre-season weekend concludes.
CEREMONY AT FOREST LAWN: 2 pm, come to Forest Lawn Cemetery (WSB sponsor) just east of High Point for the traditional Memorial Day commemoration with American Legion Post 160 and VFW Post 2713. (6701 30th SW)
West Seattle restaurant updates to share tonight:
MARINATION MA KAI’S SUMMER SCHEDULE: Starting tomorrow, Marination ma kai (1660 Harbor Ave. SW; WSB sponsor) will be open seven days a week for summer. GM Shawn Findley says that comes along with expanded summer hours – 9 am-9 pm Sundays-Thursdays, 9 am-10 pm Fridays and Saturdays – and the new patio bar is open throughout the holiday weekend. If you’re free for lunch on Wednesday, a TV crew will be there, and Marination is offering an extra treat with all purchases – details in this tweet.
FRESH BISTRO’S ANNIVERSARY MENU: Fresh Bistro (4725 42nd SW) just returned to the WSB sponsor team to help get the word out about its 5th-anniversary celebration, including a special menu with some of the favorites from its early days.
The special anniversary menu is available through June 5th, with dishes including pan-fried garlic-chive cakes, Ahi Tuna Avocado Mango, Kalbi-Marinated Grilled Wagyu Flank Steak for shared plates, Cedar Seared Wild King Salmon, Fennel-Crusted Halibut (photo above), and Kurabuta Pork New York for entrées, plus a special dessert treat – see the anniversary menu here, and other menus here. Fresh Bistro is open for dinner Mondays-Saturdays, 5 pm-10 pm, and for brunch Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am-3 pm; you can book a reservation online by going here.
ROYAL INDIA GRILL MYSTERY: We’re trying to find out the status of Royal India Grill in The Admiral District, after John tipped us that the space appeared vacant – we’ve gone by twice in three days and as of the second look today, the dining area is indeed empty, no furniture, no signs, nobody there, no information on whether it’s a closure or possibly something else like an impending remodel, nobody answers the phone, no hints on website or Facebook page. The restaurant changed hands in early 2013. Any info, please e-mail us!
HOLIDAY CLOSURES: Per social-media announcements, Zippy’s Giant Burgers will be closed Monday for the Memorial Day holiday; Mashiko in The Junction will be closed Monday through Wednesday.
UPDATING THE WSB RESTAURANT GUIDE: We’re in the process of checking with local restaurants to see if any information has changed since last time we updated the WSB West Seattle Restaurant Guide. (Restaurants are also welcome to contact us any time with updates.)
7:19 PM: Avoid the high bridge right now, either direction – as shown on the 911 log, there are crashes both ways, westbound near Admiral, eastbound near Delridge. (Thanks to Anne for the tip!)
7:29 PM UPDATE: We just happened to be coming back from downtown when we got this report, so we’ve passed both scenes. On the eastbound side, the right lane is blocked just past the Delridge onramp; on the westbound side, the right lane is blocked right at Walking on Logs. Traffic is moving OK in both directions.
8:04 PM UPDATE: SFD has cleared both of those scenes – but now there’s a third crash, described as eastbound West Seattle Bridge to northbound I-5. It’s being described on the scanner as “a rollover that landed back on its wheels.” And before we could finish typing this, we’re hearing ANOTHER dispatch for a spinout on the westbound side by Walking On Logs. No injuries.
8:38 PM: Those calls have closed too.
Any concert by the West Seattle Community Orchestras is special – WSCO is our area’s only multi-age musical organization of its type, nurturing and providing a creative outlet for musicians of many age ranges and skill levels. But next Friday’s concert (7:30 pm May 30th, Chief Sealth IHS auditorium) includes something extra-special – the premiere of a new symphony by WSCO’s Rob Duisberg, who explains:
At this concert I will be conducting the premiere of the newly completed symphony in three movements, “A Magyar Szimfónia,” which I have composed expressly for this orchestra. It has been a work in progress for a number of years, with parts of the work heard in earlier seasons. So the writing interestingly tracks the development of the ensemble over the last few years, which has grown tremendously in membership and musicianship in that time, building on the dedicated work of its founder, Dr. Toni Reineke, and more recently with the talented direction of Kimberly Roy.
For instance, the new finale is rather more challenging and showcases the group’s abilities dramatically. I feel this piece to be a tribute to the growth and development of an increasingly fine performing arts educational resource in
our West Seattle community.
In addition, this symphony tracks a progression of discovery of ethnic roots. The whole work has developed as a paean to my mother, Agnes Adámy, a Hungarian immigrant and refugee who was unable ever to return home. She came to America as a student of English literature just before the outbreak of World War II. After a year of study, her parents sent a telegram that she should “wait until this all blows over,” but as they were killed upon the Russian “liberation” of Hungary, she remained a war refugee here and kept her heritage tucked away inside for the rest of her life. I have learned more about this heritage recently through the remarkably large and active Hungarian American Association of Washington, and the annual week-long summer Hungarian folk music and dance camp, Ti Ti Tábor, which attracts hundreds of participants from the entire region. My involvement in these communities has infused this new symphony with a rich abundance of Magyar motifs and melodies.
— Robert Adámy Duisberg, PhD, DMA
Composer in residence, conductor and president
West Seattle Community Orchestras
(The portrait of Agnes Adámy, above right, is by Trileigh Tucker.) If you would like to preview the concert’s program notes for the symphony, Duisberg shared those too; read on!
Rain makes a garden grow, and it didn’t stop the gardeners of the Barton Street P-Patch from throwing a community pizza (and more) party today as promised.
We stopped by this afternoon for a quick look, and found Brad making the wood-fired-oven magic happen.
The season kickoff started with bagel-baking this morning and continues with pizza until 5 pm; as for future open-to-the-public dates, we’re told that’s still under discussion. The community-created garden is in its third full season at 34th and Barton.
(WSB photo)
Even more heavy equipment is on site now at the combined-sewer overflow (CSO) control project across from Lowman Beach Park, officially known as the Murray CSO Project. As announced by the King County Wastewater Treatment District, crews are starting to build the outer wall of the facility’s million-gallon underground storage tank:
Crews will drill holes 80 feet into the ground and replace the soil with four-foot wide concrete cylinders. The cylinders are called secant piles.
The secant piles lock together to create a watertight ring. The ring will be nearly 100 feet wide. It will keep water out of the tank area while it is being dug and protect nearby utilities, roadways and private property from settlement. Installing the secant piles is expected to take four months.
Along with the tank site on the east side of Beach Drive SW, portable office trailers and other equipment and components are taking up a lot of space at Lowman, as the project-site map shows:
We took the top photo on Saturday, with no crews on site, which meant parking was OK on the east side of Beach, but it’s a different situation during the official work hours of 7 am-6 pm weekdays, so keep that in mind as we move toward the summer season – for example, if you are accustomed to getting to Colman Pool by parking at or near Lowman and walking along Lincoln Park’s south shore, you might need a different strategy on weekdays. Work on the tank facility and the pump station across the street is projected to last at least until mid-2016.
A community garden badly in need of TLC got it thanks to West Seattle Boy Scouts; now, it’s your turn to show some love. Julie Nugent-Carney shares the photos and this report:
(Last) weekend, Troop 282 restored the Longfellow Creek Community Garden/P-Patch, which had been vandalized and fallen into disrepair. This was organized and led by my son (Jacob Carney) as part of his Eagle Project.
There were more than 40 volunteers, and 800 pounds of garbage was hauled away. They spread a dump truck’s worth of new bark on all the paths and installed a new sign. We’re hoping people will take notice and start using the P-Patch again to discourage the vandals.
The garden is at 2500 SW Thistle, just east of where the creek borders the Chief Sealth International High School parking lot.
(Photos by Doug Branch)
Congratulations to the musicians from Denny International Middle School who are wrapping up a successful and busy visit north of the border. Music director Marcus Pimpleton reports:
It has been a wonderful two days in Vancouver, B.C., with the Denny Senior Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Ensemble, and String Orchestra. The students have been doing a wonderful job and are all set to return to Seattle (this) afternoon.
Friday featured adjudicated student performances by the jazz ensemble, concert band, and string orchestras and some down time at the hotel. Saturday morning the marching band participated in the Hyack International Parade in New Westminster, B.C. All of the performances were in conjunction with the Worldstrides Heritage Festival which provided the adjudications and clinics for all of the performing groups. The event concluded with an afternoon at Grouse Mountain, and an awards ceremony at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver.
Denny ensembles and students earned multiple recognitions including:
Emmett Medaris – Maestro Award for Outstanding Individual Student Performance
Denny Jazz Ensemble – Gold Rating
Denny Marching Band – Silver Rating
Denny Senior Concert Band – Silver Rating (2nd Place)
Denny Senior String Orchestra – Silver Rating (2nd Place)The marching band was led in the parade by Chief Sealth International High School drum majors Zach Baisch and Alvin Calhoun II, who were recognized with the Best Drum Major Award. (It was funny to see the expressions on the faces of the other student participants when they saw these very tall high school seniors accepting an award for leading a middle school band.)
West Seattle High School’s orchestra also participated and earned a bronze rating for their string orchestra.
According to the Denny/Sealth music calendar, you’ll be able to enjoy the student musicians’ work in concerts on June 4th (orchestra) and June 5th (band), along with their Sealth counterparts, in the Sealth auditorium, 6:30 pm both nights.
(Lincoln Park photo by wsLaura, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Highlights for day 2 of your Memorial Day weekend, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FIRE IT UP! The wood-fired oven at Barton Street Community Garden and P-Patch is getting fired up for the season today and you’re invited to stop by for bread-baking and pizza-making, 10 am-5 pm. What to bring? Where to go? That’s all answered in our original preview. (34th/Barton)
FARMERS’ MARKET: Strawberries and basil are some of what will debut today at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm, according to previews on its Facebook page. Share the news with a comment here if YOU find something cool. (44th/Alaska)
GOT YOUR POPPY YET?: Second chance to “honor the dead and help the living” by getting your poppy from American Legion Post 160/Auxiliary Unit 160, 10 am-3 pm at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), as explained here. (Fauntleroy/California/Morgan)
COLMAN POOL’S SECOND DAY OF 2014: The first “pre-season weekend” continues at Lincoln Park‘s outdoor pool. Swimming starts at noon – see the schedule here.
SUMMER OF LOVE, +47: It’s 1967 in 2014 at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) as “Hair” continues, with a 3 pm matinee today. (4711 California SW)
IZZY WATER, LIVE: Solo singer-songwriter from California will serenade you at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) 3-5 pm today. (5612 California SW)
Another West Seattle school celebrated science in hands-on style this past week – “Diver Laura” James shares photos from Madison Middle School, where she participated in Super Science Night.
Laura explains that she was invited by Mr. Thomas, who works with students building mini ROV’s – underwater robots.
According to info from an online fundraising project earlier this year, the ROV work is part of a “unit of undersea exploration, looking at Cousteau, the local aquarium, and recent work by our local university that has a deep-sea-vent research program.”
Following up on the American Legion Post 160/Auxiliary Unit 160 announcement of Memorial Day weekend poppy availability, we stopped by West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) at noontime. There we found, above, two veterans who just wanted to be identified as Mac and Bob offering poppies and accepting donations. Mac served in the U.S. Coast Guard and Marine Corps; Bob, in the Army. The poppies, each labeled as “handmade by veterans,” both “honor the dead and help the living,” as explained here. Volunteers will be back outside Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan) 10 am-3 pm tomorrow. You can also honor a Memorial Day tradition by attending the 2 pm Monday ceremony at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) – details here; Mac and Bob promise you’ll see them there.
Don’t be fooled if you get a call from someone claiming to be from Seattle City Light and that you need to pay money NOW to avoid power-service disconnection. Last November, we wrote about this scam hitting local businesses. And tonight, West Seattle’s Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) says somebody just tried it on them today – they weren’t fooled.
A guy calling himself James from Seattle City Light called the Feedback and got our manager. “James” said we were due to be disconnected for non-payment. He said there was a technician in the area and would arrive within about 30 minutes so we needed to act quickly. He wanted her to go to Rite Aid and get a Money Pack for $260 then call back (to a different number than he was calling on) to process the payment. Fortunately (the manager) was sharp enough to call me and we determined it was a scam. Here were the clues:
*We had just paid our bill and had reference numbers to prove it. James said the payments didn’t show on our account. When I asked what account number he was looking at, he wouldn’t tell me.
*James called from a number that didn’t have a city-type prefix (usually 684).
*The number at Feedback is not the contact number we have on file at City Light. When (the manager) tried the number James gave her to make the payment, James answered. When he recognized her voice he hung up.
*The amount ($260) bore no relation to any of our bills. Anyone who has dealt with disconnection knows that balances have to be paid in full to stop the disconnect.
*Anyone from City Light that calls about a disconnection has the ability to take a payment. There is no need to call another number.
*Most telling, there is no way City Light is paying anyone on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to go out and do power disconnects.
*I called police and reported this and they told me it is a currently running scam around town.
Also of note – when this scam went around exactly a year ago, City Light explained on its website that it does NOT cut off power for one late payment – you would get at least two written notifications. This kind of scam is a crime, so if someone tries it on you, call police, as the Feedback crew did.
(Pitcher Ben Wexler gave up only 2 runs, throwing all 11 innings)
At Mount Vernon this morning, the West Seattle High School Wildcats played what became their last game of the season, losing 2-1 to Shelton HS in 11 innings. The photos and summary are by Greg Slader (thank you!):
(Jimmy Mai‘s 7th-inning single brought in the Wildcats’ lone run)
The Wildcats fell behind early 0-1 in round one of Regionals against Shelton. Their pitching and defense kept the game at 0-1 until the seventh inning, when returning WSHS player Jimmy Mai produced a pinch-hit single and came around to score on a sac fly. Game tied 1-1 and would stay that way thru 10 innings before Shelton won with a sac fly of their own in the bottom of the 11th inning.
Congratulations to head coach Velko Vitalich, assistant coaches Scott Meaker, Bryan Tupper, and Kerry Tupper, and all the players, families, and other supporters on another season of making it to state.
Two ways you can help West Seattle wildlife via Seal Sitters:
(WSB file photo from one of the previous Seal Sitters-co-sponsored cleanups)
JUNE 14 CLEANUP: Get trash off Alki Beach, before it gets into the water and into/onto seals and other marine life. Join Seal Sitters and co-sponsors for a beach cleanup 9:30 am-12:30 pm three weeks from today, Saturday, June 14th. One of the co-sponsors, PAWS Wildlife Center, will talk about the threat wildlife faces from beach debris, and the difficulty of rehab for rescued wildlife. This cleanup is in honor of Sandy the seal pup, rescued and rehabbed by PAWS and then found dead in abandoned netting, and of the gray whale that died in The Arroyos, then was found to have a stomach full of plastic debris. Bring your own gloves if you can, and meet at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza (61st/Alki Ave SW) at 9:30 am June 14th – RSVP via the link in this announcement on Seal Sitters’ Blubberblog.
HOIST A MUG WITH A HELPING HAND: Seal Sitters has also announced that Rock Bottom Brewery downtown (1333 5th Avenue) has offered to raise money via donating all proceeds from $2 pints of a specific ale fold next Tuesday night (May 27th), 5-8 pm – if you’re downtown, stop by! Details on Blubberblog.
Cloudy and 60s when we stopped by, but that wasn’t going to keep these two from being among the first to visit the Highland Park Spraypark this morning when it opened for the first day of its second year in operation. (They weren’t the only early visitors, either – the grownup keeping an eye on them told us that youth baseball players came over to run through the water after a morning game nearby!) The spraypark is scheduled to be open daily 11 am-8 pm through September 1st; it’s at 1100 SW Cloverdale. (As noted here earlier this spring, wading pools don’t start opening for another four weeks.)
Thanks to Trina for the photo of the Annabelle, which she reported seeing near Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor). An info search reminds us that we’ve shown the Tacoma-based former Herron Island ferry here before, in 2010, at which time commenters surfaced lots of info about both its history and its rebirth as a floating home.
SIDE NOTE FOR SEA-WATCHERS: Checking the Coast Guard’s latest Local Notice for Mariners, looks like west-facing water watchers will see a yacht race one week from today – the annual Blake Island Race (see the course map on page 23, here) on May 31st.
(Thursday night WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
New information from Seattle Police might help solve the Thursday night hit-run that injured a bicycle rider at the east end of the “low bridge.” It was added to the original SPD Blotter post last night; we added it to our original story but in case you didn’t go back looking for an update, here are the new details:
Detectives have reason to believe the suspect vehicle is light metallic blue and is missing the right-side mirror. The vehicle should have damage to the front bumper as well as heavy damage to the windshield. The suspect’s vehicle had been traveling westbound at the time of the collision and likely continued over the lower bridge and into West Seattle. Detectives are asking anyone with information to please call TCIS Detective Andrew Norton at (206) 684-8934.
Please do call that number with ANY information – don’t post it in comments; thanks. (In case it helps with time frame, the original SFD dispatch to the incident scene was at 9:17 pm Thursday night.)
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