West Seattle, Washington
28 Tuesday
Thanks to Shelley for sharing that photo from Lincoln Park early this morning – the second day in a row that she reported seeing dozens and dozens of people fishing on the beach. We asked our fellow neighborhood-news publisher and Lincoln Park fishing aficionado Justin from CapitolHillSeattle.com what’s hot right now; he explained it’s the every-two-year pink-salmon run. Turns out our partners at the Seattle Times previewed it recently.
Katie Meyer at the King County Courthouse comes word that the Steve Bushaw murder trial is recess till next Wednesday. As noted at the end of our report on the Wednesday proceedings, Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque already had agreed to a defense lawyer’s request to end early today, – but due to witness availability, “early” moved back a few hours, and that meant at lunchtime, they were done, since the trial’s not in session on Fridays, and was already off the calendar for next Monday and Tuesday. A King County Medical Examiner staffer was on the stand this morning; we’ll have details in a full report from Katie later. WSB is the only news organization covering what is the first West Seattle murder case to go to trial in three years (it’s also a rare multiple-defendant trial); our coverage is archived, newest to oldest, here.
(12:15 PM UPDATE: The store’s now open. Ribboncutting video added to this story; separate full report later.)
10:57 AM: If you visit the new Admiral Safeway, which opens its doors to the public a little more than an hour from now (noon today, after an 11:30 am ribboncutting), take a moment and check out “Barb’s bench.” It’s on the landing of the stairway to/from the rooftop parking (which of course has an elevator nearby), and as noted on a it’s in honor of longtime Safeway employee Barb Fuda, a 41-year West Seattle Safeway employee who’d been looking forward to working in the new store – till cancer claimed her life two months ago. The store has other seating areas too:
This one is also on the west side of the store, to the right of the Starbucks kiosk, and includes a TV – Safeway’s Sara Osborne joked this morning (or maybe she wasn’t joking) that the Seahawks game would be on tonight. (Like other local Safeways, this one has wi-fi.) Then outside, as promised while the project went through an exhaustive series of design reviews, there’s a seating plaza at the southwest corner (California/Lander, across from Hiawatha):
We’re on our way back to the store right now – they’re offering a tour to show off the features of the store that Safeway says racked up enough points to potentially qualify for LEED silver status. Besides the 11:30 ceremony, special features today include a shopping-bag giveaway (limited quantities) and the Toucans steel-drum band playing 4-7 pm (that’s expected to be outdoors). More to come.
ADDED 12:16 PM: The ribboncutting, with longtime Admiral neighborhood leader Dennis Ross and City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen wielding the scissors:
We’ll have a separate report later with more video and photos, including the entirety of the grand-opening ceremony.
(WSB photo from April 2009)
Almost two and a half years ago, it was the first stop on the “problem properties” tour organized by then-North Delridge Neighborhood Council chair Mike Dady (at left in our 2009 photo, with City Councilmember Tim Burgess) – a long-empty, vandal- and squatter-targeted, often-reported-to-the-city house on a slope facing the northeastern end of Delridge Way. Its address is officially 3804 23rd SW, and this morning, a tipster e-mailed us to point out that it’s just gone up for sale, with its 7,700-square-foot lot, for $100,000; public records say its owner bought it for half that 22 years ago. There’s a note on the listing (see it here with a variety of related details on Redfin, though the listing is credited to ReMAX): “Tear down. Value in land. View with caution.”
Last night, we reported that Village Green Perennial Nursery owner Vera Johnson had been booked for an MSNBC TV interview this morning regarding her foreclosure fight against Bank of America. MSNBC’s Veronica Delacruz interviewed her live a little over an hour ago, and we just found the clip online; it’s embedded above.
The largest development project in the Admiral area in years, the Safeway redevelopment, opens its first and biggest phase today – the new grocery store. (The photo above is from our sneak peek inside the store early this morning, looking toward the wine section in the store’s southeast corner.) That’s one of the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
ADMIRAL SAFEWAY OPENING: More details ahead in a separate preview, but as announced last week, 11 months of construction are over for the store itself, and it opens to the public at noon. (2 other buildings on the site are still being completed – a small retail building, and an apartment building.) You’re also welcome at a ribboncutting at 11:30 am along the main entrance; dignitaries will include City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. And the Toucans (steel drums) play live music 4-7 pm. 2622 California SW.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY SUMMER WINE EVENT: Noon-4 pm at South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW), featuring wines of Spain, available for tasting and purchase.
SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA – AT ALKI, TONIGHT ONLY: Yogoman Burning Band plays by the Alki Bathhouse as the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s “Summer Concerts at Hiawatha” series takes the show on the road, just this time, to Alki Beach. 6:30 pm, free, bring your own chair/blanket.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: It’s the second Thursday, and that means dozens of West Seattle businesses and studios are welcoming you to come enjoy art, and what should be a mild summer night. 6-9 pm – preview some of the artists on the official Art Walk website.
SHOP LATE IN THE JUNCTION: It’s also another edition of Shop Late Thursdays in The Junction, till 9 pm; participants’ list here.
SOUTHWEST SEATTLE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WOMEN MEMBERSHIP SOCIAL: Not in West Seattle, but the organization’s turf includes WS, so you’re invited! 6-8 pm, Vino Bello, 636 SW 152nd in Burien, $15/door, includes 1 glass of wine or other beverage of your choice and light appetizers. Winning raffle tickets available! Bring business cards or promotional materials for your business, a happy attitude, and meet and network with other successful women in your neighborhood. The first two people to arrive get in free, BPW says.
WINE TASTING AT C & P: C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) wine club meets on the 2nd Thursday of every month. Everyone is welcome to join (21+), and feel free to bring an appetizer. $5.00 tasting fee or wines by the glass or bottle. 5612 California SW, 6-8 pm.
6:36 AM: A rude, and fiery, awakening for a North Admiral neighborhood this morning. In the 3700 block of SW Grayson (map), firefighters are mopping up after a fire on a trailer parked along the street. WSB’er Meredith shares the photos.
No injuries are reported. Investigators are trying to find out how the fire started.
We’ll add an update later when the cause is determined.
8:57 AM UPDATE: According to SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore, both the trailer fire and a fire in a nearby recycling bin “are being called Incendiary or set fires. A suspect or suspects set fire to a utility trailer and a recycling bin within minutes of each other. The damage estimate is $1550.”
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Summer school can be something to cheer about. Just ask the Z Unit, one of ten groups formed from among more than 100 students for a section of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) “Level 9” program, six weeks of academic enrichment for students going into ninth grade this fall at Chief Sealth International, West Seattle, and Franklin High Schools. We caught up with them on Wednesday at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center, where, as part of a Level 9 project, there was a trade show-style event to showcase “inventions” by the groups, which had to develop business plans and solicit “investors.” More ahead:Read More
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
It was an educational day at the Steve Bushaw murder trial on Wednesday, as testimony took a turn for the technical.
As prosecutor Jeff Baird continued to call witnesses in his case against Brandon Chaney and Bryce Huber, accused in the February 2009 West Seattle murder to which two others already have pleaded guilty, there was much for observers to learn.
Today’s witnesses were two Seattle Police homicide detectives, Paul Takimoto and James Cooper, and a state-employed expert in analyzing cell-phone records, Valentine Luu.
First, from Det. Takimoto, we learned how the SPD homicide unit is set up, as questions focused on his background and role, before moving on to his part of the Bushaw murder investigation.
The formerly-76, once-to-be-converted-to-Arco gas station on the east side of Fauntleroy/Alaska is finally tidier tonight. We’d been looking into the site’s status for three weeks, as WSB’ers continued sending notes asking what we knew about it, as trash and junk continued to accumulate following its sudden closure months ago. We took this photo (and others showing trash/junk around the site) three weeks ago:
That was shortly after a complaint had been filed with the city. The city’s log shows that in the meantime, the site was inspected, found to be in violation, and a warning was issued – clean up by August 14th. Looks so far like they have met that deadline. But what about the station itself?
We had reported back in February that it was being converted to an Arco station. Then the work stalled – the station stopped pumping gas – and the store closed. When we inquired with Arco, a spokesperson told us that “for reasons we don’t know” the conversion never moved forward, and Arco doesn’t “anticipate it ever being converted.” However, the spokesperson made it clear that the site is not owned by Arco, but instead by an area entrepreneur, and even gave us his name and number. Took us a while to reach owner Brandon Kim, but WSB contributor Katie Meyer talked with him by phone yesterday. Asked if the station would reopen, he replied, “Not really,” and told her that he believed a bank would be taking it over. That’s all the comment he had; online records do not indicate any sort of a sale or foreclosure at this point, but we’ll keep an eye out.
SIDE NOTE: The gas station on the west side of the intersection is no longer on the market – we had reported the listing in February, and while the listing was active less than two weeks ago (here’s a cached version). So far, we can’t tell if it was sold, or just de-listed.
That’s a preview of “Explore: Catalina,” a stand-up paddleboarding “adventure film” that’ll have its Seattle premiere next Tuesday (August 16th) as part of a big night at Seacrest. Greg Whittaker from Alki Kayak Tours says it’ll be shown outdoor at the Alki Crab and Fish lounge right next to his business, at the end of an evening that starts with SUP demos at 6 pm (first 40 people free), continues with the weekly SUP race at 7, and then the movie – free – at 8. Raffles too. (Co-sponsors for the evening include WSB sponsor Mountain to Sound Outfitters, which is celebrating the launch of its online store – discount code here; the full sponsor list is on the official flyer, which includes even more details.)
Two quick updates in the ongoing saga of Village Green Perennial Nursery owner Vera Johnson‘s fight against foreclosure, after what she says has been months of getting the runaround from Bank of America: First, WSB commenters had suggested this story deserves national attention – and it looks like some is on the way: Vera tells WSB she has been asked to do a national cable-network interview, tomorrow morning around 8 am with MSNBC, from a downtown Seattle studio. We don’t have an exact time yet when this is likely to air, but we’re working to find out. Second, the date for a community benefit/rally on Vera’s behalf has just changed to August 31st, still at 5 pm at Big Al Brewing in White Center. (If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s our Tuesday story about her trip downtown to get a face-to-face meeting with B of A.)
A WSB commenter broke the news, and Safeway’s Sara Osborne confirms it: Steel-drum band The Toucans will play at tomorrow’s opening celebration for the new Admiral Safeway, likely outdoors, 4-7 pm. As reported previously, the store opens at noon, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony around 11:30 am (here’s our most recent report).
Tomorrow is also the next Summer Concerts at Hiawatha show – but it’s actually on Alki this time:
Yogoman Burning Band plays at 6:30 pm tomorrow (Thursday) – as with the regular location, bring your own blanket/chair to Alki for the concert. Same goes on Friday at Providence Mount St. Vincent (WSB sponsor), when the second of four Friday night concerts brings Danny Vernon with his Illusion of Elvis:
That’s our video of his show there last year. This Friday, it’s music at 6, dinner/beer/wine available for sale at 5:30 pm, free popcorn/snow cones, south side of The Mount (4831 35th SW). ADDED 4:41 PM: Susan Clark at The Mount sends details of something extra this Friday night – a classic-car show:
We’re having around 20 cars! Here’s a brief listing:
* Ford Model A
* 1957 Chevy
* 1965 Corvair
* 1965 Corvette Sting Ray
* Austin Healy
* Other Chevrolets and MustangsIt’s an informal car show-no judging. The show starts at 3:30 pm and ends at 7:30 pm. It’s just something we wanted to do for our residents and concertgoers.
2:57 PM: SFD sent a full house-fire response to the 5900 block of SW Genesee (map). WSB’s Christopher Boffoli is there and says no smoke or flames are visible. This is actually just east of Beach Drive. More as we get it.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
3:10 PM: Christopher says it was a small fire on a deck; no injuries or major damage reported so far.
After getting a question about the tall ship docked downtown at Pier 66 – our friends at KING 5 mentioned it last night – we checked with the Port of Seattle to see how long it’ll be around, and they said they’ve just gotten a schedule for public tours. It’s the Russian ship Pallada, said to have at least at one time held a record as the “fastest sailing ship” in the world, owned by the Far Eastern State Technical Fishing University. It’s on a goodwill tour, carrying what this report from Russia describes as “an exhibition featuring the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s space flight and the 270th anniversary of the discovery of Russian America by Russian seafarers.” According to port spokesperson Charla Skaggs, the Pallada is open for tours till 6 pm today, 10:30 am-4 pm tomorrow, and 10:30 am-3 pm on Friday. She says it’s scheduled to leave later Friday – no exact time yet; the Russian report says it’ll be bound for Japan, after having stopped here, in B.C., and in Alaska. Via the WSB Facebook page, Rob pointed out his photos of the Pallada visiting Puget Sound in 2005 for the Tall Ships Tacoma festival.
More Web research yielded another bit of local history with this ship: It was stuck in Seattle for a while almost exactly 20 years ago because of money troubles. Here’s a story from August 1991.
This arrived in the WSB inbox under the heading, “The Case of the Inadvertently Missing Punchbowl.” Admiral UCC Church hopes you can help solve the “case”:
Here are the facts as we know them:
1. A glass punchbowl set with punch cups and a glass ladle was loaned to the Admiral Congregational United Church of Christ for use during receptions a month or so ago.
2. At some point it was inadvertently placed in a stack of items to be sold at the annual yard sale.
3. On July 30th, at the annual yard sale, it was sold to a lady from West Seattle whom the cashier did not know.
4. There are a number of red faces around our church because this happened, and shouldn’t have.
5. The punchbowl set was sold in a box with the name “Verle Kramer” written on it.
6. While the owner admits that the set has no great monetary value, it belonged to his mother, and therefore has sentimental value.
7. If anyone has any knowledge of the whereabouts of the set, please contact the church at 206 932-2928.
8. The purchase price will be refunded, and there is a reward being offered.
If you haven’t already checked out the brochure for fall classes, programs, and events at West Seattle’s city-run community centers – it’s now available online, and registration is now available for the offerings that require it. The same brochure includes the fall schedule for Southwest Pool, from lessons to public swims.
Highlights from this week’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting included a push for another community forum about the proposed Downtown Emergency Service Center 75-unit apartment building to house homeless people living with mental illness. NDNC leaders said that DESC was suggesting smaller gatherings, but discussion at the meeting solidified a sentiment that a big-group forum was important, as there hadn’t been one yet – given the June 27th meeting (WSB coverage here, with video) from which dozens were turned away given the small size of the venue. No meeting date yet. As reported here two weeks ago, the proposal is now in the city permit system.
NDNC attendees, meeting Monday night outdoors in the Delridge/Genesee park area, also heard a presentation about a new business headed to Delridge:
Stockbox Grocers‘ founders were in attendance to announce they plan to open its first West Seattle prototype on September 1st, in a parking lot at the Westhaven Apartments (24th/Holden).
Presenting the plan to NDNC, Stockbox’s Carrie Ferrence explained it’s a “miniature grocery,” meant to be permanently housed in a recycled cargo container, though the two-month West Seattle experiment will be in a 20 x 8 “portable office” structure. Stockbox is a for-profit startup that hopes to grow to multiple locations with mini-corner-store type operations, but for now, they’re planning to start in the Delridge and Skyway areas. They’re also trying to raise $15,000 more capital via a Kickstarter campaign. They’ll start by being open 3-8 pm (to catch people heading home) weekdays, 8 am-8 pm weekends.
Also at NDNC: A round of voting resulted in a choice for the organization’s new logo:
That was one of nine entries in the council’s open-to-the-public logo contest. Turns out, though, the artist isn’t from Delridge – but rather, from Edmonds, according to NDNC’s Patrick Baer, who spearheaded the contest.
NDNC also discussed plans for upcoming events including the Delridge Day festival, 11 am-3 pm on September 17th, which they’re organizing – vendor booths (still time to apply), food, and more, plus the centerpiece of the day, the skatepark dedication – the festival site will be in the adjacent park area. Asked if there will be live music, project lead Amanda Leonard said Parks is working on that. NDNC needs lots of volunteer help to make Delridge Day a success;
NDNC also reiterated the public invitation for this weekend’s Longfellow Creek walk: Meet at 26th/Brandon (Greg Davis Park) at 1 pm Sunday (August 14th) – kids and pets welcome.
You can find out more about the North Delridge Neighborhood Council at ndnc.org; meetings are first Mondays, 6:30 pm, Delridge Library unless otherwise announced – like this summer’s outdoor versions!
Today we’re welcoming one of our newest WSB sponsors, and per WSB tradition, here’s what the Community Acupuncture Project of West Sea would like you to know about who they are and what they do:
West Seattle finally has our very own full-time community acupuncture clinic. The Community Acupuncture Project of West Sea is now open 7 days a week, in the heart of the Junction. Acupuncture is now affordable in our neighborhood, every day, with no need to cross the bridge! Sonja Sivesind, a licensed acupuncturist and owner of the Project, is a Westwood resident who opened this second location after two years of running the Community Acupuncture Project of Columbia City. Sonja is also an acupuncturist at a methadone clinic downtown and loves offering acupuncture to so many members of the community. She is thrilled to be providing acupuncture to her neighbors and fellow West Seattleites while also offering jobs to Seattle acupuncturists.
The Community Acupuncture Project of West Sea, which opened for business on June 12, joins the ranks of 9 other community acupuncture clinics in Seattle and more than 200 sliding-scale clinics nationwide. “Community acupuncture surprises people. It is powerful to be treated with others and feel healing energy radiating off one another. Because acupuncture is most effective as a series of treatments, our sliding scale ($15-40) allows people to come in often and really get better,” explains Sivesind. “Patients come in for everything from back pain and allergies to insomnia and anxiety,” says Sivesind. “Most people feel more relaxed when they leave our clinic and are pleased with the calmness they feel as they re-emerge into their daily lives.” The Community Acupuncture Project of West Sea is located at 4545 44th Ave SW @ Alaska. You can reach us at 206.933.7891. To learn more about community acupuncture, check out: acupunctureforall.org
We thank Community Acupuncture Project of West Sea for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
LOW TIDES: Another few days of minus tides begin (here’s the monthly chart), with this morning’s low tide just after 9 am, -1.1.
KIWANIS HOSTS COUNCILMEMBER: At Be’s in The Junction at noon ,the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle will hear from Seattle City Councilmember Jean Godden. Lunch is $8; RSVP to Warren Lawless, ewl@westseattle.com or 206-938-8032.
HEALTH-CARE TALK: “Health Care Reform and Seniors” at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon St), 12:15 pm. Learn about Medicare changes, how health-care reform is closing the prescription drug “donut hole”, new long-term care and care transition initiatives, and free preventive visits for seniors. Drop-ins welcome.
FARM-STAND PRODUCE: The High Point Market Garden Farm Stand is open 4-7 pm, 32nd Ave SW and SW Juneau. You can buy produce that’s been just picked, yards away.
ROXHILL PARK PROJECTS: Community meeting about the Roxhill Park skatespot and playground renovation, 6 pm, Southwest Library (35th/Henderson); more details in our preview.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: With six days to go till the primary election, our area’s largest political group has its monthly meeting, 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California SW. (agenda here)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
At the Steve Bushaw murder trial, the third day on the witness stand was the final one – unless he’s called back later – for John Sylve, one of two men who confessed to the deadly February 2009 shooting.
On trial are two other men, Bryce Huber and Brandon Chaney, who are charged with first-degree murder though there’s no indication they ever fired a shot. Tuesday’s witnesses also included a woman who was at Talarico’s with Huber the night of the shooting – Super Bowl Sunday 2009 – and a woman who just happened to be at the restaurant/bar when the shooting happened outside and found herself helping tend to Bushaw’s wounds till help arrived.
(Photo courtesy Robin Lindsey)
Seal-pup season has officially begun on West Seattle beaches, with this little one’s visit to Lincoln Park today. Shelley first told us about it; we checked with Robin Lindsey of Seal Sitters, and they were of course all over the case (here’s the full story on the Seal Sitters “Blubberblog”). But Robin says the arrival of the pup they dubbed “Tiny” – so little, they believe it was a newborn – brings an urgent reminder: When you spot a pup on the beach, stay as far back as possible, and call Seal Sitters ASAP – 206-905-SEAL. A pup might be scared back into the water if people (or other animals) get too close, and that could be deadly, because its mom, who left it on the beach so she could go find food, might not find the pup again. (There’s already been a dead seal pup near Alki Point, and a dead adult seal along Beach Drive. Robin says Seal Sitters – whose mission has expanded – and NOAA want ALL reports of marine mammals, dead or alive, so whatever you spot, call that hotline, 206-905-SEAL – keep it handy.)
ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: Robin says another expert’s evaluation of the photo confirms the suspicion that the pup still had a bit of “umbilicus” attached – so it’s likely no more than a week and a half old, and she thinks it’ll probably turn up on the West Seattle shore again today. PLEASE call if you see it.
Village Green Perennial Nursery owner Vera Johnson is now awaiting her official answer from Bank of America, regarding a “loan modification” to prevent foreclosure, after a face-to-face meeting downtown today that she says took some twists and turns. Besides insisting on being told to her face where her case stands – after months of the runaround, as chronicled in our original story last month – she brought along more than 10,000 online petition signatures gathered through Change.org (now up past 11,000). And, a plant, as she explains in our video:
Inside the bank – where media wasn’t allowed into her meeting – Vera tells us tonight that first, she discovered the bank manager she met with last week, Michael Kuehner, suddenly doesn’t work for B of A any more, “no explanation, gone.” Instead, she found vice president/regional manager Dennis Day. “They reacted quite quickly to the camera that Joe from Change.org had with him, visibly annoyed, I gave Dennis the signatures, he barely looked at them, completely devoid from emotion, then telling me I cannot record the meeting, as it is against policy.” As for her case: “They expect to have an answer next week, and it’s entirely up to the servicer of the loan-FannieMae. No promises. They could not give me a date, they said the foreclosure is stopped as of now, and in the event that I get turned down, apparently there are other possible outcomes, and we will pursue them then…” And once the meeting was over, she says, “The security guards removed us from the building, then off the plaza, and to the sidewalk.” They even trailed her and a friend – also going through a similar process – to the restrooms, she says, “waiting outside and asking if we needed help finding something. We apparently were a threat, because they were all on high alert, it was creepy.” Also there downtown when Vera talked to the media before going in: KING 5 – their story’s here.
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