West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
The King County Council–Seattle City Council joint meeting on The Viaduct just concluded a moment ago, lasting a little more than 2 hours. As was hinted at the Seattle Council briefing on The Viaduct that we covered downtown one month ago (read our story here), the information presented today was more about related elements such as the Urban Mobility Plan — ways that we will get around either without, or despite, The Viaduct. And it did provide some glimpses into West Seattle’s possible transportation future — near-future (another Viaduct meeting in WS was just announced for next month) and far-future:Read More
This factoid didn’t make it into our original caucus report (see it, and its dozens of followup comments, here) — it was mentioned to us briefly on Saturday that Terry McAuliffe, national Clinton campaign chair, had dropped by the West Seattle High School gathering between 9 and 10 am, before the meeting officially started. We didn’t arrive till just after 10, so missed him. But eagle-eyed Cami MacNamara (editor of the Alki News Beacon) spotted photographic proof in, of all places, this Baltimore Sun political blog post (which focuses on the fact McAuliffe was photographed posing with Obama fans). P.S. Additional caucus photos are also up at the 34th District Democrats’ site; much of the discussion about Saturday’s process has centered on the ability to affect it by getting involved with the group – its next meeting is 7 pm this Wednesday, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
This new P-I story is a good – if scary – preview of the anti-youth-drinking town-hall event tomorrow night at South Seattle Community College, coordinated by Madison Middle School‘s Renae Gaines, who says the event is an “opportunity to come together to learn more about the new research on underage drinking and its impact on both individuals and the community, and to discuss how our community can implement the recommendations in The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to prevent underage alcohol use.” That’s 6 pm tomorrow @ SSCC. (More helpful info here at the Start Talking Before They Start Drinking site.)
Hiawatha Community Center coordinator Ryan Nakanishi asked us to help get out the word that HCC is closed tomorrow through next Sunday for floor-refinishing work. It’ll reopen Monday 4/14. (P.S. While doublechecking on this, we discovered there’s an extended closure for Southwest Pool later this year, June 16-Sept. 29, for “major capital improvements.”)
Out of the inbox this afternoon from M:
Our house just got egged while we were playing a board game near 15th Ave SW & Thistle. We ran outside but didn’t see anyone. I haven’t heard about this kind of thing happening around here recently.
Here’s a map for that location.
If you missed the news earlier this year, WSB is the new sponsor of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day. The big day is Saturday 5/10; we’re opening registration this Thursday, 4/10. Check our WSCGSD website for full updates including the list of where you’ll be able to pick up mail-in forms if you don’t want to sign up online.
Thanks to Tammi for the tip – Beveridge Place Pub is closed for a few days while moving next door; according to the BPP website, it will reopen in the new spot 3 pm Thursday.
This is somewhat old news but we missed it somehow till two people pointed it out last night, so we’re posting it in case you missed it too. Just a few months after selling his Admiral store, which is now the Atomic Boys retro-stuff store, Alan Hart — longtime owner of Hart’s Cards and Gifts — has died at age 67. The obituary published at nwsource.com a few days ago notes he “thoroughly enjoyed his 2 months of retirement.” Here’s the online guest book mentioned in the obituary.
Out of the inbox, from Rey:
I park my car in a lot below Bartell in the Admiral District. (Friday) a patrol car came into the lot with their lights flashing. I was actually fixing a rear window of my car and someone reported that someone (me) was breaking into the car. The officer told me they were having problems with thief in this lot. Ironically (the previous Saturday) I went to take my car out and left my truck in its place. When I came back my truck was broken into and my stereo and many of my tools were missing. I thought I would let you know to get out the warning.
We’ve reported a couple incidents in this lot in previous West Seattle Crime Watch reports in recent months.
Just five nights till the April edition of the West Seattle Second Thursday Art Walk, and the full lineup’s out. (See it here.) Every Art Walk for the past few months has made history with something new — a first-ever feature, biggest-ever participant list, etc. — and this one’s no exception: This time, the Art Walk continues to grow beyond The Junction — with five Admiral participants this time! — and the listings on the official flyer/map now geographically group the venues. More on its growth, plus a closer look at a non-business Art Walk regular, ahead:Read More
While more than a thousand 34th Legislative District Democrats caucused inside West Seattle High School, the intrepid WSHS Class of 2008 car wash to raise $ for Grad Night continued outside. Parent Carol Viger tells us they brought in $1,200! Next step in their fundraising — they’re giving out vouchers for shopping at Barnes and Noble next Saturday (4/12); they’ll get part of the proceeds from purchases made by people who turn in the vouchers. (Download the vouchers here.) Next, thanks to Robert Stever for this photo of a traditional Khmer dance performance during the Cambodian New Year Street Festival in White Center today:
In his e-mail, Robert adds: “In the photo, note their hands and toes turned backward. … It was cold outside, but the dancers showed no effect. See the kids in the background ready to be involved.” Last but not least, we couldn’t resist the cute pet photo:
We should have just put it on the Pets page but we’re working later tonight to update that and in the short run, this photo post was just looking for a “kicker.” The e-mail accompanying that photo was headed “Welcome Harley to West Seattle!” and went on to say winningly, “Harley is a 10 week old Black Lab that loves his new neighborhood. He will always stop and say hi for a treat or a good belly rub! Peter Brennan and Sarah Bonzer (who are getting married later this year) are the proud parents of the little guy who won’t be little for long.” Thanks as always for sending photos; e-mail us any time at westseattleblog@yahoo.com.
We’ve never before gone to a political caucus or convention beyond the precinct level (Feb. 9 caucuses this year, WSB coverage here). There’s a first time for everything, and so we are back from a long day at the 34th Legislative District Democratic Caucus at West Seattle High School. If you thought the February caucuses were lively, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve packed into a high-school gym with more than 1,000 people — and “packing in” was a challenge long before everyone entered the WSHS doors:Read More
Less than a week till His Holiness the Dalai Lama visits Seattle; if you want to see his appearances but didn’t/couldn’t get tickets, the Seattle Public Library is organizing the next best thing: Live video webcasts of select events April 11-15 at select library branches, including High Point and West Seattle (Admiral). Here’s the full list of dates and times. In case you’re wondering, though these are described as webcasts, the announcement doesn’t mention whether they will be viewable online outside of the library-branch events; we have a message out to SPL PR to clarify.
That’s Longfellow Creek Farm — a quarter-acre at 2311 SW Myrtle (just off Delridge; map) where Growing Washington is inviting you to a “community-garden restoration work party” noon-4 pm April 19. Help is needed raking leaves, clipping brambles, spreading mulch, weed-whacking, and painting. The goal is to restore the site into a “functioning, food-producing garden,” and volunteers will be first in line for free organic produce — once it’s grown. They’d like you to let them know you’ll be there; register during the next week by using the contact info here.
That’s the listing photo for 4600 37th SW, the SK Food Group building immediately north of the American Legion Hall. The company laid off 90 people last summer; the site is now listed for sale for $5,795,000, with a description that includes “… USDA food production facility and many other potential specialty uses. Redevelopment potential with C1-65`zoning and potential to acquire adjacent properties.” This listing is now added to our clickable map of known development projects and for-sale sites in the Junction/”Triangle” area (find it below on 37th one block north of Alaska):
Still working on a permanent home for this map plus counterparts for other development-laden areas such as greater Alki.
Seattle Public Library managers just announced that eight teams of fourth- and fifth-graders citywide have made it to the finals of the 2008 Global Reading Challenge, an event set for 7 pm April 22 at the downtown library. Among those eight teams are the “Flaming Reader Raiders” of Highland Park Elementary School and the “Concord Cougars” from Concord Elementary. Here’s the full announcement:Read More
Two weeks after we brought you the announcement that April 27 is Opening Day for the Elliott Bay Water Taxi season … the county has just released more details about the kickoff event and the season, including how long it will last. 6:55 PM UPDATE: One more key detail – County West Seattle County Councilmember Dow Constantine‘s team points out that the EBWT will remain on a full schedule all the way through the end of the season, unlike last year when it cut back to commute-runs-only in the final weeks. Now, here’s the full text of the King County news release made public this afternoon:Read More
Seen this morning along California SW:
That sign’s for the building going up at the ex-burned-out-Schuck’s site (WSB video coverage of the December demolition here) – now christened Charlestown Shopping and Business Center. A short distance south, the California/Andover gas station is now an ex-Exxon:
And in The Junction, that new banner is hanging outside the laundromat next to Yummy Teriyaki. (Which island? Vashon? Blake?)
Thanks to Patricia for the tip, which we just confirmed by phone – Pioneer Coffee’s Aimonetto, in the ex-Alki Mail/Dispatch location at 2536 Alki, is finally open as of today; they’ll be open till 9 pm tonight, said the cheery person who answered the phone, also noting they open at 5:30 am. (We’ve been tracking the progress here since the business name first surfaced last September.)
That’s 20-year-old Adrianna “Addie” Killam, who grew up in West Seattle — graduating from Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2002, Holy Names Academy in 2006, then heading to Arizona to go to college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical and Engineering University. Today, she traveled home to Seattle on a plane from Maui – but it was no tourism flight – it was a “medical lift” so that Addie could be admitted to the University of Washington Medical Center for therapy and rehab after a spring-break surfing jaunt left her with a spinal-cord injury. Family friend Maureen Emerson e-mailed WSB to help get the word out about Addie’s injury — which didn’t happen the way you might think after hearing the phrase “surfing injury” — and her fight to recover, which she’s chronicling online:Read More
One month after the Seattle School Board‘s vote to move Denny Middle School into a new building on the Chief Sealth High School campus (WSB video coverage here), an official challenge to the decision is filed. We just got a copy; it’s filed in the name of 12 individuals and one union (Operating Engineers). The legal documents say the individuals are concerned about “property values, crime, and other effects” of the move, as well as the safety of a 6-12 campus; the union, which represents classified school workers, says it’s concerned about job loss. The filing also contends, among other things, that the decision was made without “following the procedural requirements for citizen involvement required by the school closure statute.” This is filed in King County Superior Court. We will pursue district comment tomorrow.
A few days into the “Inconvenient Ride” cross-country bicycle trip starring six West Seattle students calling attention to climate change (WSB video preview here), updates are starting to appear on their website, with photos added to the gallery here and media coverage added here. Their stops are listed here (Atlanta tonight); they’re due back in Seattle on Earth Day, April 22, with the final leg of their trip taking them from West Seattle to the “Global to Local” Project Earth Care fundraiser at Benaroya downtown.
Another quick update from the Design Commission meeting downtown: A new schematic design for Myrtle Reservoir park, “option C,” is moving forward. (It’s not online yet but we have a printout and will upload a photo when we get back to WSB HQ; 7:12 PM UPDATE – that’s it atop the post; we’ll try to get an electronic copy tomorrow so you can see it more clearly.) The design moves the play areas on the park’s north side further to the center of that side, and sets aside an area a short way south of the northeast corner (fronting on 35th) as “future skate spot.” Parks managers and architects at this meeting pulled back from the statements we heard in February that this area was definitely where the skateboarding proposal would move forward, going back to the “one is proposed for here or for High Point,” and also countered what a parks manager had told us in February, now saying skate feature funding would NOT come out of the park’s $1,068,000 budget ($668,000 for construction, $400,000 for design/planning/administration). After the meeting, we asked parks official Colleen Browne to clarify the situation regarding precisely where the Myrtle skate feature stands now; she asked us to check with her tomorrow for an official answer. 7:13 PM ADDITION: Most important of all, the next public meeting for the project is set: 7 pm May 1, High Point Community Center. The Design Commission also asked the Parks Department and architects to bring the project back for them to have another look, too.
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