West Seattle, Washington
05 Sunday
Headed back from a story, WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand happened onto this tree blocking California Way midway on the stretch between California and Harbor Avenues – no crew in sight so we’re reporting it (to 911) in case no one else has. Avoid the area for a while.
9:46 PM UPDATE: Probably has long since been clear, but we only just now got a chance to go back to verify – tree’s gone and road’s open
Four news notes from The Junction:
CLEMENTINE SHOE DRIVE EXTENDED: We stopped in to see Linda Walsh at Clementine after she announced that their shoe drive for Jubilee Women’s Center has been so successful, she’d delivered boxes full of shoes and had a new empty collection box ready for more! The drive is now continuing throughout next Sunday. If you take in a donation of gently used women’s shoes, you’re eligible for a discount on new shoes, too. Or just drop them off for the joy of helping. (Clementine is at 4447 California SW.)
A block south:
CURIOUS KIDSTUFF’S CASH-AND-CHECKS DRIVE A HIT: See all those chips? They are tokens of no-plastic purchases made at the Curious Kidstuff toy store. During their anniversary sale two weeks ago, CKS launched the campaign to get customers to use cash or checks, avoiding fees charged by banks for credit-card processing; owner Ann Walker said she’d donate to charity in lieu of those fees, and she shares this update:
Curious Kidstuff wants to thank you for embracing an idea. We have had an overwhelming response to the request for checks and cash instead of credit and debit cards. We can see we will be writing a check to WestSide Baby at the end of June. A loose estimation at this point would be close to $200. “Wow,” what a great and giving community we are when we work as a team. We will give you the exact dollar amount in the beginning of July. I’m so proud of us!
Curious Kidstuff is at 4740 California SW.
SHOP LATE THURSDAYS, STARTING THIS WEEK: Clementine and Curious Kidstuff are both among the participants this summer, listed here – go to The Junction on Thursday night and shop, dine, drink at 20 businesses that will be staying open at least till mid-evening. (The participant list also includes WSB sponsors Click! Design That Fits and Fleurt.)
NEW GALLERY MANAGER AT ARTSWEST: The gallery/playhouse in The Junction announced a new gallery manager today – Susanna Bluhm, described as “an artist, educator and member of SOIL artist-run gallery in Pioneer Square,” has taken over as of last week. She also is a resident of Cooper Artist Housing in North Delridge, and has taught art to all ages as well as showing her work internationally.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch prowling incidents reported today – one house, one car – read on:Read More
SDOT sends word that the bike-trail work by the “low bridge” will run one extra day – so now it’s continuing 7:30 am-3 pm daily through Wednesday. A reminder for both bike riders and motorized-vehicle users: “Bicyclists will slow down and follow a very brief signed detour at the lower West Seattle Swing Bridge on 11th Ave SW on Harbor Island. To accommodate the landscape workers, vehicle traffic will be reduced to one lane westbound on SW Spokane Street and one lane eastbound on Klickitat Avenue SW in the vicinity of 11th Avenue on Harbor Island.”
For those with a stake in Middle College High School having to leave South Seattle Community College after 17 years, and being given a temporary new spot at the Boren Building campus on Delridge – also the temporary home of the new K-5 STEM at Boren elementary – it’s been a busy weekend. We broke the news on Friday and discussions have ensued both in WSB comments and on the K-5 STEM Yahoo! group, as well as in the MCHS community, among other places. We followed up today with SSCC president Gary Oertli, and while we have a few other people to contact, we are publishing the first draft of our followup because the district has just shared the letter it sent to K-5 STEM families, both announcing the campus-sharing and seeking to alleviate concerns about how much contact there might be between the two schools’ populations:Read More
With the school year ending this Friday, the campaign is on to make sure kids keep reading during summer vacation – and Gatewood Elementary is busy today with a special way to encourage that: Principal Rhonda Claytor shared the photo and explains, “Students brought in gently used books from home during the month of May, and today we are having a school-wide book exchange to send students into the summer with some new reading materials. Happy summer reading, Gatewood Gators!” (P.S. The Seattle Public Library summer-reading program is now under way too – with info for all ages here.)
Congratulations to Laura James, also known as “Diver Laura,” whose underwater adventures and sea/land volunteer work – like “The Great Battery Roundup of 2012” – are often featured here on WSB. She is one of the finalists for this year’s “Cox Conserves Heroes” award, and online voting is open now. Here’s what’s at stake, from the Cox/KIRO TV announcement:
A total of $15,000 will be donated to local environmental nonprofits on behalf of the finalists. By being a finalist, each individual has secured a $2,500 donation for his or her nonprofit of choice. The finalists are now competing for an additional $7,500 – bringing the total donation on behalf of the winner to $10,000. The winner will be chosen through an online public vote.
Laura’s chosen nonprofit is Sustainable West Seattle. To vote (and to see who she’s up against!), go to kirotv.com/heroes.
(West Seattle has had a finalist once before – Fauntleroy Creek steward Judy Pickens in 2008.)
Just launched: West Seattle Women in Charge.
Diane Venti of Alki Arts hatched the idea of a monthly mixer for local women who own businesses, and she invited a few to a get-together at her beachfront gallery/event venue last week. Five showed up, and now they’re organizing a second meeting and casting a wider net. If you’re interested in being part of it, you’re invited to “like” their new Facebook page, set up by one of the five – Krystal Kelley of Mind Unwind in the Admiral District – with this mission:
We are the women business owners of West Seattle. We believe in symbiotic networking and idea-sharing with good intentions, supporting our wonderful community and the arts in West Seattle, along with having a good time and smiling.
Interested? Next meeting is 9:30 am July 23rd at Mind Unwind (2206 California SW) – and of course there’s a Facebook event page already.
Took the photo at Anchor Park one sunny morning last week … now it’s at least handy for daydreaming during our soggy Monday morning. (“Clearing” on Wednesday, according to the newest forecast – just in time for the official arrival of summer and West Seattle Solstice Sunset Watch!) Looking ahead to the rest of today and tonight:
TRAFFIC ALERTS: Spokane Street Viaduct eastbound lanes and one westbound lane are scheduled to be closed 10 pm-5 am, along with additional surface-street closures overnight in SODO (detailed here). Today’s also the first of two days during which daytime bike-trail work near the “low bridge” is under way – explained here. Closures/changes for the rest of the week (through Saturday’s northbound Viaduct/99 closure for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon) are listed here.
GREEN SCHOOLS: Teachers, students, administrators, and parents – as well as other interested community members – are invited to tonight’s Sustainable West Seattle forum, 6 pm at Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon) to talk about environmental education/efforts happening now, and plans and hopes for the future.
DELRIDGE PRODUCE COOPERATIVE’S SUMMER PLANS: Everyone’s invited to DPC‘s monthly meeting, 6:30 pm at the Delridge Library, to hear about plans for a summer produce stand, their recent fundraising Trivia Night at Skylark (and what’s next), plus the DPC business plan as they look ahead to a permanent storefront in the future DESC development. Prospective volunteers especially welcome to come check out the group.
PUBLIC SAFETY – A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: Not in West Seattle but a topic affecting us all. And the announcement comes from West Seattleite Susie Tennant of Town Hall Seattle:
Town Hall Seattle staff, members, and board are deeply shaken and disturbed by the events that took place so close to our offices on May 30th. The other shooting the same day, previous incidents in May, and earlier in the year have caused us great concern. Like all of Seattle, we are trying to process the situation and wonder what we as a community can do to address it. As an institution whose purpose is to create a safe place for the expression of ideas, and which has hosted community conversations on topics including education, Occupy Seattle, artist space, the environment, and more, we can think of no more appropriate response than to gather as a community for a constructive conversation about these events which affect us all. A group of city leaders and citizens — including Mayor Mike McGinn, Seattle Police Chief John Diaz, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Mariko Lockhart, director of Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat, and others — will discuss issues of public safety, gun safety, mental illness, gangs, and how a community not only stays safe, but heals itself after such tragedies.
7:30 tonight, free with reservation at brownpapertickets.com. Town Hall is at 1119 8th Ave. downtown.
DJ NIGHT AT WEST 5: Monday night means the “Flat Earth Society” at West 5 in The Junction, with guest DJs and fab vinyl. Tonight, Rosemary Otero of Light in the Attic Records is scheduled, 9 pm.
And there’s more! Check out the calendar.
(UPDATED June 25 to add additional camps we’ve heard from)
ORIGINAL JUNE 18th REPORT: This is the last week of classes for Seattle Public Schools and schools that follow the SPS calendar. Some families are still working on the summer plan for the student(s) in their household – so we’ve compiled a list of local camp programs that still have room (at least, as of a few days ago, when we published an invitation for them to send word. Any other WS-based day-camp programs with room? Let us know ASAP – editor@westseattleblog.com – and we’ll add you to this list! Click ahead to see the (updated) NINETEEN programs we have listed so far, arranged by start date, soonest to latest:
WSDOT says the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct/Highway 99 has reopened early, but the southbound direction will stay closed till 5 am tomorrow as planned.
P.S. Here’s our day-by-day list of closures for the week ahead, also including the city’s Spokane Street Viaduct plus the bike-trail work by the “low bridge” the next two days.
Just got an e-mail tip that the Seattle Great Wheel – aka the Seattle ferris wheel – that’s been drawing so much attention across the bay was testing its full-color light show tonight. Our “tipster” didn’t have a camera handy but, searching Twitter and YouTube, we found this clip that someone posted. Vertical video, but wow! The wheel is scheduled to open June 28th, if you hadn’t yet heard.
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: “Mz Cher,” who published the YouTube video, notes in a YT comment that she had posted Instagram photos, too. Here’s one:
Just last Thursday, when City Council President Sally Clark was speaking to the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, she was asked “Where did the (Seattle Great Wheel) come from?” since for some, its appearance was something of a surprise, with little advance publicity. Clark’s answer was not extensive, but as noted in comments here last night, the project did get city approval last November – here’s the written decision (which briefly mentions the prospective lights, though not as in “multi-colored display,” on page 10).
ADDED MONDAY AFTERNOON: KING 5 seems to have found some video from their tower cam – see it here.
(Graphic from a city flyer available in 15 languages, here)
A visit to the grocery store tonight reminded us that the city’s plastic-bag ban takes effect in exactly two weeks – starting July 1st – so it’s probably just about time for a barrage of reminders to start kicking into high gear. The City Council passed it six months ago, so you’ve had time to stock up on reusable totes if you don’t want to pay the nickel charge for paper bags, which is noted on both the city graphic above and the West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) home page (their line “We don’t want to have to charge you; please remember your bags!”) – note that it’s a nickel MINIMUM, so it’s up to stores to decide whether to charge you 5 cents, or more, for a paper bag. Metropolitan Market (also a WSB sponsor) already has an incentive program for bringing your own bags – Admiral store director Glen Hasstedt explains, “Metropolitan Market has a program called Nickels for the Neighborhood. For every reusable bag a customer brings in to use at checkout, Metropolitan Market donates a nickel to a local organization whose endeavors support of our environment or ecology.” (Last year, they chose People for Puget Sound as the beneficiary, and donated $5,280.)
**Tuesday 6/19 update: This program is evolving starting July 1st, according to Metropolitan Market – they’ll continue to make donations, but the individual stores will be making decisions on beneficiaries, and you won’t be asked about it at the checkout stand. MM’s Brad Halverson says they’re also very proud to have a high rate of bag reuse already, long before the ban kicks in.**
(back to original story) Still have questions about the bag ban? Here’s an FAQ from Zero Waste Seattle; there are more informational links on City Councilmember Mike O’Brien‘s website.
(Saturday photo courtesy West Seattle Hi-Yu)
The 2012 West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float, with the theme “Secret Garden” (chosen last December, from an idea by Riley Fredericks), has made its debut – and brought home an award. At Saturday’s parade in Marysville, the Hi-Yu float was honored for “Best Floral Display,” as reported on the Hi-Yu website. Its next scheduled parade appearance is in Port Orchard on June 30th; three weeks after that, you’ll get to see it here at home in the West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade on July 21st.
(Click photo to see larger image – the resulting image may also be zoomable)
Laurie in Admiral found more newspaper pages from 1917 during her ongoing remodeling project and – as she did with the ones we featured here three weeks ago – she shared them with WSB. The top story for “The West Seattle Press” on February 14, 1917, involved an uproar over the cost of completing Admiral Way – here’s a closer look at part of the top story:
We’re not sure exactly which stretch of Admiral was being discussed. But here’s a Seattle Municipal Archives photo from less than a year earlier, looking toward Pigeon Point over where Admiral Way begins now:
(Click photo to see larger image on the city’s website)
And here’s one from a different stretch to Admiral in 1916 – though the archives don’t identify exactly where:
Back to the 95-year-old newspaper pages, we have a few other things Laurie shared from her discoveries – three ads, starting with another look at what land cost back then:
You don’t have to go it alone if you want to get a good look at the Duwamish River – join one of this summer’s guided, educational community-kayaking tours presented by the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition/TAG, Alki Kayak Tours, the Seattle Aquarium, Sound Citizen, and the National Wildlife Federation. Two leave from West Seattle, and the other three from South Park. Kayaking experience is not required, and all gear is provided; it’s $45 per person (plus a $5 donation to DRCC/TAG). Also note that participants under 18 need to be accompanied by an adult.
The tours are all 6-8:30 pm (and you’re welcome to bring a picnic dinner):
*July 19 and September 13: Meet at T-107 Park in West Seattle (4700 W. Marginal Way SW)
*August 2, 16, 30: Meet at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park (7900 10th Avenue S.)
You can reserve your spot on a tour by contacting Alki Kayak Tours at 206-953-0237 or tours@kayakalki.com.
Father’s Day wildlife viewing, anyone? Guy shared the otter photo from east Alki – where you never know what you’ll see, and when. If your plans aren’t all set but you’re looking for something with a little more of a schedule, a few options from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Under way now, till 2 pm as always, 44th/Alaska.
FRESH VEGGIES/FRUIT IN ADMIRAL: Marguerite Lynch and her teenage sons are selling organic produce, with part of the proceeds benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank, till 1 pm. She says, “We will have mixed lettuce bags, fresh picked peas, strawberries, kale, mustard greens, and honey!” 44th/Hill, just west of Admiral Congregational Church.
CAT/KITTEN FOR DAD? Two options today: 11 am-3 pm, Friends of the Animals Foundation is at Next to Nature in The Junction with adoptable cats and kittens (more info here); noon-6 pm, Kitty Harbor on Harbor Avenue just north of the bridge is open for adoptions.
FATHER-AND-SON GLASS-JELLYFISH DEMO: Richard Lowrie and son Levi Lowrie are in the house at Avalon Glassworks, 11 am-4 pm, to demonstrate and answer questions about the creation of glass jellyfish. On Avalon Way just south of the bridge.
BLUEGRASS AND OLD-TIME MUSIC: Jamtime plays C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) 1-4 pm, 5612 California SW.
DANCE WITH DAD: Today’s the day for the monthly Afternoon Tea Dance at Camp Long Lodge (5200 35th SW), 1-4 pm – details here.
(LONG)HOUSE CONCERT: The Duwamish Tribe invites you to enjoy the music of Native flutist Paul Che-oke-ten Wagner and Sin Fronteras in concert at the longhouse; doors open 3:30 pm; details and map here.
At Saturday’s Westwood Village Street Fair, someone who stopped by the WSB booth asked us what’s up with the seemingly endless work on the bus stops at 35th/Avalon – RapidRide-related work that’s been anything but rapid. Just so happens that SDOT‘s Marybeth Turner has provided this “progress report”:
After some unforeseen challenges that delayed work on the RapidRide bus stops at 35th Avenue SW and SW Avalon Way, the contractor has begun pouring the new sidewalk on the west side of the street, and hopes to reopen the sidewalk on the west side of the street by the end of the week of June 18.
In the interim, the temporary west-side sidewalk has been more clearly delineated to make it safer for pedestrians. The temporary sidewalk is also ADA-compliant with temporary ramps for wheelchairs to maneuver between the section of the sidewalk still open and the temporary sidewalk. In addition, a police officer will be present through the week of June 18 while construction activities are occurring to ensure safety and smooth the flow of traffic.
The big challenge has been on the east side of 35th, where a wooden utility pole was found to be rotted and in need of replacement, but only after the sidewalk had been torn up. It took a number of weeks to secure and place the replacement pole, but that is now done and construction activities have resumed. The contractor hopes to pour the sidewalk on the east side the week of June 18, and it should be reopened to pedestrians by the first week of July (hopefully sooner).
Both bus stops will be reopened as soon as the contractor has completed their piece of the work, although both will again be temporarily closed for several days later in the summer when the RapidRide shelters are put in place.
A couple times during Saturday evening’s West Seattle High School graduation ceremony at Memorial Stadium, the rain came down … but that didn’t keep the caps from eventually going up:
The ceremony program listed 237 graduates; here’s our video of everyone in the opening processional:
Before everything got under way, some of the adult participants paused to reflect – from left, school board director Marty McLaren, WSHS principal Ruth Medsker, and interim superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield:
The program didn’t list valedictorian(s)/salutatorian(s), but 29 students were listed as National Honor Society members, with grade-point averages from 3.2 to 4.0 as well as participation in activities such as meetings and community-service events.
(Photo was taken from Roxbury Safeway property looking northeast onto the scene on Roxbury)
1:21 AM: Big emergency response to 28th and Roxbury, where one vehicle is reported to have rolled over. More shortly.
1:36 AM: The crash is just north of the Roxbury Safeway. The car is on its side; both directions of Roxbury are blocked at the moment.
1:55 AM: 1 person was taken to the hospital by private ambulance. Police and sheriff’s deputies are searching a few blocks south for a suspect believed to be related to the crash – possibly a hit-run driver; they reported finding a car “in a ditch.”
Today was graduation day for our area’s two biggest high schools – both at Memorial Stadium downtown – and the first to take the field was Chief Sealth International High School, at 1 pm. Here’s our video of all the seniors walking in:
The program lists 221 graduates this year. The ceremony ran a bit shorter than planned because, according to Sealth staff, the buses didn’t show up to bring the band over. But the weather stayed dry, and all else went well:
Afterward, the traditional staff receiving line for the graduates:
But before that – a flash mob-style dance!
As denoted in the program for today’s ceremony, 2012 valedictorians are Brian Griffith, Stephanie Hernandez, and Logan Smith; salutatorian, Graham Henry. It was Chris Kinsey‘s first commencement as Chief Sealth principal:
Chief Sealth is the newer of West Seattle’s two standalone public high schools, having opened in 1957.
Thanks to Roy Kauffman for the view of tonight’s sunset – which started with a big gap in the clouds over the horizon, then morphed into swirls of different cloud formations, like the ones he captured. Spending the day outside – at the Westwood Village Street Fair and two high-school graduations (those reports are up next) – we can say it never did more than “mist” in West Seattle (though the WSHS graduation downtown got a couple showers). The sun made a cameo appearance, then retreated. Tomorrow also is forecast as cloudy with a chance of showers, per the National Weather Service.
(Updating this daily through the week to cross out what’s already happened)
Once again, looking ahead to major road closures scheduled to affect West Seattleites in the week ahead, we’re combining both sets of closure alerts – from the state, regarding the Alaskan Way Viaduct/Highway 99, and from the city, regarding the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project – into one list for handy reference (it’ll be atop the sidebar “Biggest Stories” list throughout the week). ALSO – we’re adding in the work on the bike trail, announced a few days ago. As we write this (Saturday night), the only closure in effect is the AWV/99, scheduled for the rest of the weekend. So this picks things up tomorrow:
SUNDAY (June 17)
Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 – Full closure continues
Spokane St. Viaduct – No closure scheduled
MONDAY (June 18)
Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 – Reopens by 5 am
Spokane St. Viaduct – Eastbound lanes closed and one westbound lane closed 10 pm-5 am
Additional overnight surface closures in SODO (detailed here)
Daytime bike trail work near the “low bridge” – details here
TUESDAY (June 19)
Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 – no scheduled closure
Spokane St. Viaduct – Eastbound lanes closed and one westbound lane closed 10 pm-5 am
Additional overnight surface closures in SODO (detailed here)
Daytime bike trail work near the “low bridge” – details here
WEDNESDAY (June 20 – UPDATE)
Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 – no scheduled closure
Spokane St. Viaduct – Westbound lanes closed and one eastbound lane closed 10 pm-5 am
**Here are maps showing how to get to WS during this closure:
–From the south, here
–From the north, here
—UPDATE: 1st Avenue South offramp from eastbound bridge REOPENED EARLY
Additional overnight surface closures in SODO (detailed here)
(added) Daytime bike trail work near the “low bridge” CONTINUES
THURSDAY (June 21 – UPDATE)
Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 – no scheduled closure
Spokane St. Viaduct – Westbound lanes closed and one eastbound lane closed 10 pm-5 am
**Here are maps showing how to get to WS during this closure:
–From the south, here
–From the north, here
Additional overnight surface closure (detailed here)
FRIDAY (June 22)
Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 – no scheduled closure
Overnight surface closure (detailed here)
NEXT SATURDAY (June 23)
Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 – Northbound from West Seattle Bridge to Roy St., closed 5 am-3:30 pm because of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon (full race-related closure list here)
Spokane Street Viaduct – nothing scheduled
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