West Seattle, Washington
20 Friday
3:27 PM: Just in from King County:
Service on the West Seattle Water Taxi is cancelled this afternoon because the Rachel Marie [WSB file photo at left] is undergoing repairs. Service will not resume before next Monday, March 28. Passengers should watch for service updates later in the week and over the weekend via the Water Taxi website and subscriber alerts.
… and, of course, here. ADDED 4:05 PM: Linda Thielke with county DOT says the problem was discovered yesterday; the decision for “more extensive repairs” was made today. ADDED 4:18 PM: Matt Reichmann with county DOT answered our question about exactly what’s wrong:
*A small fracture was discovered in the hull of the Rachel Marie below the waterline. The King County Marine Division, in coordination with the Coast Guard, have developed a repair plan to repair the vessel’s aluminum hull plating in way of the fracture. This work will require the Rachel Marie to be put up in dry-dock and be taken out of service through at least the end of this week. …We don’t know when it happened. It was discovered after Monday’s commute and temporary repairs were made for this morning.
We also asked why the Rachel Marie wasn’t being replaced with an Argosy vessel, as it had been for much of the time after last year’s crash; the county says that was investigated but is “not feasible” for this week.
If you happened onto a detour in the last half-hour or so in Highland Park – this is what it was about: WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz happened onto the Engine 11 crew tackling a car fire at 9th/Cloverdale (map).
No injuries reported – and the intersection is open again. Deanie talked to the driver, who said she was headed home to Burien when smoke started appearing under the hood of her car. She got out OK; Engine 11 (based at 16th/Holden) was there fast and had a tricky job trying to unlock the hood – eventually they had to cut the grille work off when flames reignited, Deanie says.
(Photo courtesy WSHS; from left, Latisha Evans, Kirby Davis, and Johnny Le)
West Seattle High School principal Ruth Medsker is beaming about her students who are just back from the Washington Restaurant Association‘s ProStart Invitational statewide competition in Spokane last weekend:
West Seattle High School’s culinary team ROCKED Pro Start State this year. Our team of three, won the “BEST ENTREE AWARD” out of seventeen competing teams from across Washington State. This is a proud accomplishment. Students received a $500 scholarship to The Art Institute of Seattle, a Certificate of Achievement and a chef’s knife along with the “BEST ENTREE AWARD” honor.
The WRA has photo galleries up for all the schools in the competition – here’s the Flickr gallery with their WSHS photos:
ADDED 3:32 PM: Teacher Sarah Orton has shared a news release with more information – including what the winners cooked! After the jump … Read More
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
More than 125 people gathered at Chief Sealth International High School Monday night for the opening evening of their World Water Week festival, featuring a resource fair and notable guest speakers focused on a worthy theme – raising awareness of water’s value and the crucial need to provide quality water for people locally and worldwide.
The central event of the evening (pictured above) was a presentation by Robert Glennon, author of “Unquenchable” and a law professor and water-issues expert at the University of Arizona. Sealth’s events for World Water Week are being led by Sealth senior Molly Freed and her social-studies teacher Noah Zeichner (who we’ve talked about previously on WSB; Freed was also on KOUW radio yesterday). Those two, along with others at Sealth who worked tirelessly to make the evening happen, were given praise and kudos by both Glennon and special guest Congressman Jay Inslee for their efforts. We took the photo below just before Glennon’s speech got started:
(From left: Congressman Jay Inslee, Sealth teacher Noah Zeichner, principal John Boyd and student Molly Freed, and speaker Robert Glennon)
We talked with Glennon before his presentation, and he commended Freed for her passion on water issues, saying “I’m here because Molly sent me a letter and asked me. It’s that simple. I don’t get a lot of letters from high school students, so I told her I’d make it happen.” Glennon also praised Seattle for being a progressive community that has “always impressed me” with its forward-thinking regarding water conservation, using less water even as population has risen in recent decades.
(In-depth coverage continues after the jump – including video of the entire auditorium event)Read More
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has announced that the so-called “polite robber,” caught on videotape apologizing while holding up a Roxbury gas station (just outside city limits) in early February, has pleaded guilty. 65-year-old Gregory Paul Hess pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and will be sentenced April 1st. The PAO says the sentencing range would be 51 to 68 months in prison. As we reported previously, Hess gained some fame eight years ago for a series of robberies attributed to the “Transaction Bandit.” After the local heist this past February, police say, Hess confessed; they also say that he reported putting $90 in the bank, from the $200 he stole.
The Rotary Club of West Seattle usually meets for lunch on Tuesdays, but today members got up early for the annual Community Breakfast. Guest speakers included Penny LeGate, award-winning veteran broadcaster, and Ezra Teshome, who is assistant governor for Rotary District 5030 (above, from left, Teshome, LeGate, and WS Rotary president Steve Fuller). LeGate talked about the Rotary effort to help eradicate polio, which persists in countries including Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan, where it’s difficult to deliver vaccine, and to break through geographic/cultural challenges. The Rotary’s polio-fighting campaign goes back more than a quarter of a century, and gets financial assistance from the Seattle-headquartered Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Teshome talked about his trips taking dozens of Rotarians to Ethiopia each fall to work on the polio-fighting project.
Also highlighted – Arbor Heights Elementary students modeling clothes from last December’s West Seattle Rotary Holiday Shopping Spree, and Molly Ward from the South Seattle Community College-based Career Link, which receives assistance from the Rotary’s education program (which also provides scholarships to local students including West Seattle High School, Chief Sealth International High School, and Seattle Lutheran High School). One more youth note – the Ellis Brothers Jazz Trio entertained:
You can find out more about the Rotary Club of West Seattle, its events and programs at their website – westseattlerotary.org.
From West Seattleite Irene Stewart, who’s an aging/disability services (ADS) planner with the city:
Every four years, ADS prepares a new Area Plan on Aging for King County, which guides our work. As we prepare to draft a new plan for 2012 through 2015, we need to hear from Seattle and King County residents. We invite residents of all ages to complete an online questionnaire. We especially encourage people who are age 60 or older, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers to respond.
Click here to take the survey. Irene adds, “Everybody is aging, so everybody should care.’
(Cicadellidae – a leafhopper – photographed by Machel Spence)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
BLOCKWATCH CAPTAINS’ NETWORK: The community is welcome at tonight’s West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network meeting, Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster), 6:30 pm. Meet the precinct’s new Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon and talk about crime prevention through “environmental design.”
‘PERSONAL SAFETY NETS’: Another brown-bag talk in the “Living Into Life” series helps you develop Personal Safety Nets to support you when you need it. 11:30-1 pm at Alki Arts (2820 Alki SW), register by phone: 206-659-0665.
FAMILY STORY TIME: Bring the family to the Seattle Public Library‘s Delridge Branch (Delridge/Brandon) for story time tonight with Amy, 7 pm.
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TRIVIA: Rock music trivia every Tuesday night at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm
LIVE AT SKYLARK: Luke Sayers will bring his one man show in which he spins live organic loops of lush vocal harmony, rich guitar textures, & grooving percussion back to the Skylark Café (3803 Delridge Way SW) tonight @ 10 pm, no cover.
POLITICAL FUNDRAISER: West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen is running for re-election and having a WS fundraiser tonight, 6-8 pm, Puget Ridge Cohousing common building ‐ 7020 18th SW. (RSVP to Colby.a.underwood@gmail.com or call (206) 779‐1494.)
WATERCOLOR CLASSES: Painter Jennifer Carrasco launches a new series of classes tonight at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor); details at the end of the story we published last night.
The overfishing crisis was on the menu, and the marquee, for Sustainable West Seattle last night, launching their new periodic film series. The cautionary film based on the book “The End of the Line“ was on screen, and then sustainable-seafood star Chef Hajime Sato, proprietor of Mashiko in The Junction, was onstage. If you don’t want to eat endangered fish, he pointed out, bluefin tuna is far from the only thing to avoid:
This summer will mark two years since he gained fame for not just advocating “sustainable sushi” but dedicating his acclaimed restaurant to it. But, he said, “I’m not telling you to stop eating everything; if we protect certain species, they are coming back.” Another video clip after the jump:Read More
(ANOTHER UPDATE: This G-Map shows all 27 participants announced as of Saturday evening.)
(LATEST UPDATE: Go to the West Seattle for Japan FB page and follow the link to “Info” to find the latest list of participants … )
(Poster added Tuesday am, republished with permission; design by Jeff Gilbert, Feedback Lounge)
Followup to our Friday report with West 5 proprietor Dave Montoure‘s announcement he was organizing a Japan-relief event for next Sunday (March 27) – he said he would announce details via Facebook and Twitter, and a poster appeared late tonight on the West 5 FB page; see it here (*morning update, we now have permission to republish it; see it above*).
Participating businesses (each business name is linked to its website) as listed on the poster: West 5, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), Shadowland, Easy Street Records & Cafe, Mission, Porterhouse, Beveridge Place Pub, Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor), Bin 41, The Bridge, Mashiko, Spring Hill, Cherry Consignment, Coffee to a Tea with Sugar, Fresh Bistro, Meander’s, JaK’s Grill, West Seattle Produce, Wing Dome.
The poster says “donating for relief” and notes that donations go to Peace Winds Japan and KnK International; the notation on FB says, “Support these businesses on Sunday, provide relief to Japan.” P.S. The event has its own Facebook page – “like” it here.
ADDED 11:47 AM TUESDAY: We’ve received the official news release for this event – read on:Read More
Story and photos by Ellen Cedergreen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Tomorrow (Tuesday) night, West Seattle-based painter Jennifer Carrasco opens a new series of classes at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor). And recently, she gave her students and fans a special treat: A tour of The Ruins, a private supper club at the foot of Queen Anne Hill, where her murals cover an entire room, spanning an area half the size of a football field, including the ceiling.
Carrasco was hired for the project in 1995, by project designer Joe McDonnel and partner Virginia Wyman. It took her two years of full time work — a year to design and a year to execute, in order to finish the murals. And in addition to the “Pacific Northwest Rococo” style murals, which were actually painted offsite (in acrylics) and installed later, Carrasco’s work can also be found in the entry hall to the club, and on a life-size horse just inside the doorway. The horse, a leftover department-store Ralph Lauren prop, is painted in gold and covered in flowers.
A group of around 20 were treated to a tour of the Ruins, as well as a presentation, where Jennifer outlined how she completed such a large-scale body of work.
Tonight, from “Wseavirgo“:
thought you might be interested in a coyote sighting this morning on Delridge at the Louisa Boren school. A woman was taking photos of it and it ran across the street in front of my car – had to hit the brakes so I would not hit it. This was at 8:20 this morning, a time when kids are in the area waiting for buses- there were a couple about half a block from where the coyote was.
We’ve been publishing coyote sightings (with photos when available – scroll through the archive) for about four years, by the way, and haven’t had any West Seattle reports of human-coyote problems, though certainly there’s no doubt they eat smaller animals, which is noted in the coexisting-with-coyotes advice to which we often link. Then, there are the audio encounters, like this one Sha’ari shared last week:
All the dogs in the neighborhood went nuts as a coyote sang his high-pitched repetitive barks for about 10 minutes, just ending about a minute ago. Sounded like it was coming from the Longfellow Creek/golf course area. I’m on 25th Ave SW near Alaska. Wish I’d recorded it! First time I’ve heard that in 12 years @ my house.
45th-reunion time for the West Seattle High School Class of 1966, and Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) proprietor Sue Lindblom, sends word that organizers are trying to track down “missing persons” from the class. If you are one – or know one – the June reunion info is on a website that’s simple to remember: WestSeattle66.com. (If you follow the link, you’ll also see a link on that site to join the class’s Facebook group.)
We’re at Chief Sealth International High School, where the community event for their long-planned World Water Week festival is under way – a resource fair in the commons (through the main door with the cylindrical atrium), then Rep. Jay Inslee and Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen preceding author Robert Glennon in the auditorium at 7. Refreshments and music are part of the fair – here are the steel drummers currently serenading the growing crowd:
Coverage of the speeches, coming up later.
ADDED AFTERWARD: Till our full article about the event is ready, here’s our video of the auditorium presentation, in its entirety:
(WSB photo: Police after the robbery, about a block north of the dispensary)
Two days after an armed robbery at a medical-marijuana dispensary in the 5400 block of California SW (original Saturday night WSB coverage here), the three suspects made initial court appearances this afternoon. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says the adult suspect, 24, has bail set at $500,000; the 15- and 16-year-old boys who also were arrested have been ordered to “remain in secure detention.” The KCPAO has until Wednesday to file charges or set the suspects free. We’ll add to this story shortly with details from the court documents accompanying word of today’s hearing.
ADDED 5:31 PM UPDATE: We’re transcribing the court document (minus any suspect/witness names), after the jump:Read More
Are food trucks a threat to fixed-location restaurants? Lumpia World, which has set up at Rite Aid south of The Junction on Saturdays and Mondays for the past month or so, says its permission to be there just got pulled – after what its co-owner says was a confrontation on Saturday with someone making that argument. We just talked with co-owner Derrick – but first, here’s the backstory: Today, via their Facebook page, they announced they won’t be there tonight, claiming that an “unidentified man” approached the truck on Saturday, saying something about health rules, and “was/is upset about the rise in mobile food vendors & the fact that our overhead/taxes are not what his is based on him having a physical location.” As a result, Lumpia World said in its second FB post, the man caused “a very large scene at our trailer as well as in Rite Aid. With this said, Rite Aid has asked us to halt our operations temporarily until they hear back from their legal team.” And in a third and final FB post:
… We hope this matter will be resolved in a quick manner so we can get back to doing what we are passionate about & love in West Seattle. It is not our mission or goal to take business away from any one, we just want to bring & make available our cuisine that we are so passionate about.
We just talked by phone with Lumpia World’s co-owner Derrick, who confirms that Rite Aid has withdrawn their permission for Lumpia World TFN (he says at least one other area business with a sizable lot has invited him to contact them, though). He reiterates that the man did not identify himself or his restaurant but demanded to see food handler cards and claimed one was invalid because it’s from a different county (Derrick says that’s not true – we’re researching the rules) and then became irate, going on about taxes and overhead that he has to pay compared to a mobile operation, after which, Derrick says, the man went into the store and complained there. He’s waiting for final word from Rite Aid; in the meantime, LW tried White Center last weekend, by Big Al Brewing, and Derrick says they’ll return there 5-8 pm Friday.
Meantime, we have a message out to Rite-Aid media relations to ask about the reported permission withdrawal. But the one person we don’t have a message out to, because we have no idea who he is, is the “unidentified” person who complained – we issue an open call, if that’s you, we’d love to publish your side of the story too – or that of ANY local restaurateur who feels that street-food trucks are hurting their business. It would be an important viewpoint to hear.
Just in from SDOT:
Seattle Department of Transportation paving crews will start work this week on two pedestrian safety projects on California Avenue SW.
The first project will be at the intersection of California Avenue and SW Frontenac Street [map], where they will install new curb ramps on three corners of the intersection. When the first job is finished, the crews will install a new curb bulb on the southbound side of California Avenue SW at SW Othello Street [map].
The crews will work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Parking will be restricted in the work area. The crew chief hopes to complete both projects by the end of the month.
These are the two remaining projects out of three on California SW whose Neighborhood Street Fund money was announced last year; we had a progress report on the third one, at SW Findlay, earlier this month.
Congratulations to Bill Schrier of West Seattle, an acclaimed tech visionary just reconfirmed as Chief Technology Officer and Director of the Department of Information Technology for the City of Seattle, a department he has led for eight years (and now will lead for at least another four). The announcement from the council, after the jump:Read More
WSB’ers have answered similar calls in the past – so if you can help with this, West Seattle High School teacher Michelle Sloan and her students will be grateful! Please contact her ASAP via the e-mail address and/or phone number below if you’re available:
West Seattle High School Marketing Class needs marketing/business judges for Friday, April 1st. We have 7 marketing teams that will be presenting their Entrepreneurship projects and need judges to decide which team presented their project the best.
Date: Friday, April 1st
Time: 11am-12pm
Where: West Seattle High School- Marketing Classroom, #131 (Near the main office)
Parking: Visitor parking available in the main parking lot in front of the school.Contact: Ms. Sloan, masloan@seattleschools.org, 206-252-8861
Your job: To watch 7 West Seattle High School Marketing teams present their Entrepreneurship projects and score them based on a scoring rubric given to you by the teacher.
Thank you for supporting your students and community.
In January 2010, a Metro bus driver who lives on Alki survived a vicious attack while on the job in Tukwila. She recovered well enough to be at the hearings for her teenage attacker (here’s our final report from last April), but wasn’t sure if she would ever return to work. We learned the other day that she had decided to return; today is her first day. She shared some of her thoughts via e-mail:
Yes, it’s true. I am “attempting” to go back. I will be on a limited schedule at first. I was pleasantly surprised that my driving skills were 100% intact so less pressure there. As far as the rest, well, here’s my thoughts:
January 22, 2010 changed me and my family’s life forever. It has been a rough journey. Physically I recovered quite well, except for a small scar. I didn’t really know what post-traumatic-stress disorder was until this. Boy, I do now! I will always carry that night with me, and I have accepted that. The day of the sentencing I forgave the boys and that is when the healing began, and to this day I cannot harbor hate or anger. I needed to gain enough confidence that I could safely drive the bus without “freaking out” while there were passengers on board. I believe I have now reached that point. I am able to work my way through the “rough spots,” whereas a year ago I wouldn’t have even considered going back.
I believe that my mission is now to turn what has happened to me into something positive. In the coming months, and perhaps years, my focus will be on doing my job, creating some sort of program to reach out to our youth, loving my family and hugging my Shiba Inu. When I look into her eyes, as strange as it sounds, I see the big picture. And the big picture is Japan. I am just a speck in the universe compared to this tragedy. I will survive. I will move on. I want to thank the much love and encouragement from literally everyone who has helped me get through this, including King County Metro. My future looks bright. Thank you, and prayer for Japan.
The forgiveness she mentions above was also reflected in the statement she gave in court last April – part of this WSB story. The then-14-year-old was the only one charged with attacking her; two other teens were charged with vandalism as part of the incident.
Spring may have officially arrived, but that doesn’t magically dry out the fields, so another announcement has come in from West Seattle Little League president Mark Terao:
Due to the record-setting rain in Seattle, the fields are not ready at Bar-S Playground, which has forced West Seattle Little League to push the season-starting Jamboree back to April 2, 2011.
Last Friday, WSLL announced the postponement, with weather also a factor, of the ribboncutting festivities for its Bar-S improvements – no new date is set for that yet.
Think global, act local. You’ve heard it a million times. That’s what the students of Chief Sealth International High School are setting out to do this week – with some of their local action potentially having global benefits. Their five-day World Water Week “local ideas festival” is finally here, and they need YOU to help kick it off in a big way.
The main event: 7 pm tonight, “Unquenchable” author Robert Glennon speaks in the Sealth auditorium (west side of campus), talking about America’s water crisis — not to alarm you, but to explain what’s happening and what to do about it. Glennon will be introduced by Congressmember Jay Inslee (whose father was a coach at Sealth). And there’ll be a special video message from Alexandra Cousteau (granddaughter of the legendary Jacques Cousteau – read about her here).
Come early to see what the students have arranged, through months of hard work, for a resource fair, starting at 6:15 pm (refreshments too). And get a preview of the big night earlier this morning – at 10 am, Glennon will be interviewed live on KUOW Radio (94.9 FM, or live online) along with Molly Freed, the Sealth senior who’s leading the World Water Week project with social-studies teacher Noah Zeichner (pictured with her recently along one of West Seattle’s fragile waterways, Longfellow Creek):
(Photo by Camille Burke)
Lots more information about World Water Week @ Sealth is perusable here.
ADDED 1:43 PM: You can listen to the radio show from this morning by going here. And a photo of Molly and Glennon, courtesy of teacher Zeichner, is here:
“We’re 8 for 8!” was the cheery declaration at 7:22 pm last night, as, for the eighth consecutive equinox-or-solstice-sunset-viewing event at West Seattle’s Solstice Park (uphill from the Lincoln Park tennis courts and P-Patch), the sun failed to appear . That didn’t faze Alice Enevoldsen (photo center, just past blue scarf), an official NASA Solar System Ambassador, jovially checking the time till the first (technical) sunset of spring, while explaining equinoxes/solstices to the crowd (with the help of a young assistant):
Sun or no sun, Alice hopes to be back at Solstice Park for summer solstice in three months, toting the daughter she’s expecting in a few weeks; the solstice/equinox crowds just keep getting bigger – we counted more than 50 people this time! Long after the actual moment the sun set somewhere behind all those clouds, Alice stayed, answering questions, including one about the previous night’s so-called “supermoon.” No, it wasn’t really that big a deal, she explained, it was only a little closer that night than on previous nights (that was a relief to the people who asked the question, since apparently they hadn’t been able to join the “supermoon”-gazers the night before).
(If you missed the “supermoon,” by the way, here’s a video that WSB’er Coleman shared, including the subsequent moonset:)
We shared local photographers’ “supermoon” photos late Saturday night, too – see them here.
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