West Seattle, Washington
25 Saturday
Straight from the semi-fabulous vinyl collection at WSB HQ, that’s some of what co-publisher Patrick hopes he might get a chance to spin during the second monthly “Open Turntables” night tonight at Skylark Cafe and Club (WSB sponsor) – and if you have those old school things known as “records,” you’re invited to come down too. As proprietor Jessie Summa-Kusiak explained in her initial announcement: “You’ve got a lonely collection of vinyl — from hand-me-down gems to awesome yard sale finds. We’ve got the Technics turntables, atmosphere, and late night happy hour prices to turn your secret DJ dreams into reality. It’s easy and fun!” Bring “half an hour’s worth of vinyl and some friends to witness your debut”; signups start at 9 pm, the spinning continues till Skylark closes at 2, and the “late-night happy hour” is from 9 till 1. Skylark’s at 3803 Delridge (map).
(Photo courtesy Shorewood Christian School)
For a second straight year, Mrs. Beth Gatlin‘s second-grade class at Shorewood Christian School is supporting a nonprofit group on the other side of the planet … with popcorn. Last year, they sold popcorn after school, 50 cents a bag, to help missionaries in India buy bicycles – their popcorn sales ultimately bought five bikes at $105 each. This year they are selling popcorn again, in part to raise money for the same missionaries – who now are trying to build wells to get water to villages, at $1000/well — but also to help a Costa Rican orphanage buy books. If you can’t get over to Shorewood Christian to buy popcorn, you can bring a donation to the school office, 10300 28th SW (map), or call the school office at 206/933-1056.
A little more than a week after we told you about that speed-radar sign going up on northbound 35th near Willow, two more are up: Southbound 35th near Brandon, and southbound Fauntleroy near Brandon (map). (Thanks to Bob Loblaw for the tip on the Fauntleroy sign, which as of our drive-by a short time ago was not yet activated, though the other two – which start checking your speed about a block before you get to them are.)
Big week for the Highland Park Action Committee — it’s sponsoring Highland Park Neighborhood Halloween on Friday night, with the Highland Park Improvement Club building as headquarters for family-geared fun. But first, tonight it was the regular monthly meeting, including a briefing on recognizing domestic violence and helping its victims, and the last-minute arrival of HPAC’s chair, fresh out of the City Council‘s budget hearing, with news about the ongoing fight against the potential construction of a city jail in West Seattle — read on for details:Read More
That’s video of South Seattle Community College‘s Mike Hickey, reading tonight during the second “candidates’ forum” held during voting for Seattle’s next “Poet Populist.” Here’s Mike’s official “candidate” page; he is one of two West Seattleites who are in the running (Karen Finneyfrock from Cooper Artists’ Housing at Youngstown read at a previous forum held elsewhere in the city; read more about her here). Voting continues one more week, till November 4th; the online ballot is here.
The trial of the Alki 18-year-old charged with murder in the 10/13/07 deadly shooting inside a car at 59th/Admiral is now in its third week. WSB is covering the trial start to finish; today, the defendant took the stand – here’s our courtroom correspondent’s latest report:Read More
Two incidents to alert you about this afternoon. One – word of a credit-card scammer who hit West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor) – with a distinctive description, and a distinctive purchase – and WSN wants to make sure other businesses are on the lookout; two, word of a car break-in – read on for details of both:Read More
Next step in the plan to seek private operators for West Seattle Stadium is a Parks Board vote Nov. 13 on the “request for proposals” (as we reported last week), but in the meantime, there’s a new website set up by people concerned about its future. We got word today of savewestseattlestadium.blogspot.com; its author is requesting your comments and other feedback, and is planning to add additional info to the site in days to come.
Out driving around to check on a few things this morning, we noticed what looked like a particularly prolific graffiti-vandalism spree in recent days – one particular tag (which we will not name or show) in dozens of spots, from safety signs to real-estate signs to concrete construction blockades, where it hadn’t been just days earlier. Can’t say for sure if the vandal is a teenager, but in most cases, graffiti vandalism is done by young offenders. That reminded us we’d been meaning to write about a discussion at last week’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting — an update on the mayor’s proposed youth-violence-prevention program, and what local police are seeing and doing:Read More
Just heard back from Dewey Potter at the Parks Department, after we checked in to ask whether any sort of “grand reopening event” was planned for Southwest Pool, as the end of its four-month-plus renovation closure nears. Short answer, “no event scheduled yet”; long answer, there is some news — instead of November 1st, the reopening is now planned for November 7th. Here’s why:
There will be a slight delay in the opening because of time lost to three factors: a delay in selecting the contractor as low bid was rejected, delay by the manufacturer in shipping the air handling unit, and water damage because the roof was exposed during the August rains.
Instead of opening on Saturday, November 1 as originally planned, we will now open on Friday, November 7. Drop-in recreation programs will be affected by this delay, but swimming lessons are scheduled to start on November 8 and will continue as originally planned.
The contractor will finish their primary work on Friday, Oct. 31: a new HVAC system, new roof, new boiler, and upgraded electrical systems. Also included in this closure are energy conservation improvements including a pool blanket, UV disinfection system, and new lighting. Parks maintenance crews will need the additional six days to address other maintenance needs and prepare for reopening.
The original reopening date actually was in late September; it changed to 11/1 in August (as we reported here). We reported on the project’s scope in a preview story just before the pool closed for construction; see that story here (rare peek inside its inner workings!). And you can get a look at what was happening inside DURING the construction by watching the latest edition of Seattle Channel‘s “CityStream” show, which includes a story about us here at WSB; it’s viewable online here, or on cable Channel 21 at these various times between now and early Thursday morning (the WSB and Southwest Pool stories are about midway through the half-hour show).
Thanks to Bil Hood for that photo and this update:
Hope Lutheran Church and School celebrated a milestone today. The day after the church celebrated its 90th year of ministry, ribbon-cutting ceremonies took place, opening up the new wing of the grade school. The 8th grade, kindergarten and preschool classes all moved into their new rooms, and for the first time, all of the school’s classes are housed in the same building. The final phase of the construction will be completed at the end of the year, with the addition of a new computer classroom, music room, Discovery Program rooms, elevator, much larger church lobby and much more. To follow the progress, visit HopeSeattle.org.
We covered the Hope Lutheran project groundbreaking ceremonies back in June (here’s that report, with video); it’s one of three church-construction projects in the same area on The Junction’s northeast edge.
As expected, our Sunday-night survey of West Seattle gas stations revealed major price slippage in the past week — the biggest, a 44-cent drop (at the station where we just had the first $2.60-something sighting, Arco on Delridge, photo left). Read on to see where the stations were at as the weekend ended, and how that compared to where they were this time last week:Read More
In day’s-end golden sunlight, more than 60 people gathered at the Fauntleroy Creek overlook this evening to drum, sing, and call the salmon home – with many of the songs and chants led by Jamie Shilling (top photo) and many young participants, as seen in the second photo. After the first song, Fauntleroy Creek champion (and neighbor) Judy Pickens explained the native tradition that inspired this annual gathering – and also shared some information on what you might call the “state of the salmon”:
Cub Scout Troop 793 contributed players to a skit telling the tale of how the mischievous Norse god Loki turned into a salmon – here’s the final passage – the “stars” are in the middle of the picture:
And the entire group joined in other songs and chants like this one:
Now, it’s up to the spawners to come home and create the next generation of Fauntleroy-born fish. This past spring, as we reported here, Judy and other creek-watchers were heartened to see some “home hatch,” despite major winter storms that they feared would have washed the eggs out of the creek. Tomorrow, volunteers begin their watch in Fauntleroy, hopeful of seeing spawners swim in and continue the cycle. To find out how to help, go to this page on fauntleroy.net (and if you scroll all the way to the bottom, you’ll see a short clip of a spawner spotted in the creek during a previous season). The fish ladder, by the way, is marking its 10th anniversary this fall.
Two sites to update in North Delridge — one more mysterious than the other. That would be the one shown above, right behind the DSHS/Kidney Center building. Its official address is 4040 26th (map), and we got a few notes after that fence went up around it a week or so ago. No activity has ensued — yet — and its official city webpage doesn’t show any recent permit-granting; most of the applications were from a few years ago, save a “phase III” construction permit application last May. In the original 2005 application, for which a land-use permit was issued in 2006, this was proposed as a “six-story, 154-unit apartment building with 2,500 square feet of retail and 11 live-work units.” We contacted Anka Developments, listed as the applicant on most of the DPD pages, and a spokesperson wrote back that the company is no longer involved with the site, noting that it was sold a year ago. The purchaser, PortVue LLC, has the same address and phone number as Woodinville-based Sierra Construction, where we have left an inquiry that has so far gone unanswered; we’ll keep working it. Meantime, there’s a fuller picture of information about this nearby site:
From the corner of Delridge/Dakota, that’s a look across the street toward the site that’s in city records as 4106 Delridge, subject of its first “early design guidance” meeting this past week – reviewers told the architect they want to see the project for a second round – read on to see why:Read More
Last reminder — 5 pm today, Fauntleroy Creek overlook (here’s a map; 
it’s across from the ferry terminal and up the bank – you can take the 54 bus and get off at the terminal, or park at Lincoln Park‘s south end and walk down – nearby street parking is somewhat spotty), come help drum (makeshift drums welcome too) and sing to summon the spawners. It’s been a tough year for salmon runs up and down the coasts (and those who rely on them, like Puget Sound’s resident orcas) so the fish need all the help and welcoming they can get.
In recent days, we checked on a few park projects around West Seattle, but didn’t get a chance to report the results immediately. Before these quick updates gather dust in our notebook/inbox any longer, here they are, in one roundup:Read More
NIA CLASS TO BENEFIT NORTHWEST HOPE AND HEALING: At 10 this morning at Youngstown Arts Center, you can multitask by working out while helping breast-cancer patients: The NiaDivas are presenting their second annual Nia breast-cancer-benefit class: Proceeds go to West Seattle-based Northwest Hope and Healing. The class will be led by Lesley Tinker; the fee is $15, with $5 raffle tickets offered (raffle items include lingerie and a tote bag). Read more about it here.
FARMERS’ MARKET TODAY: Starting right when the West Seattle Farmers’ Market opens at 10, and continuing till the pumpkins run out, WSFM managers say: “Folks are encouraged to use paint, glitter, feathers, glue, leaves and all types of accessories to make the scariest and most beautiful pumpkins on the planet. All pumpkins and supplies will be provided.” The market’s open 10 am-2 pm at 44th/Alaska; also, as always, here’s your Sunday morning link to the weekly “fresh sheet” of what’ll be on sale there.
(refresh for latest info, including updated comments)
Just like last night, we were out for a bit, got home, and suddenly there’s a helicopter – this one also sweeping around southwest West Seattle, Lincoln Park/South Beach Drive vicinity. We saw a few cruisers while we headed through that area a few minutes ago but nothing active except an empty car being checked out by an SPD cruiser with rollers, near the Lincoln Park 76. Listening to the scanner, of course, nothing obvious so far. 11:58 PM UPDATE: Comment from area resident says police told her/him it’s a search related to a robbery at Beach Drive/Lincoln Park Way. We saw two SPD units parked in that exact spot, no rollers though, while driving home at about 11:25 so this might match up. 12:06 PM UPDATE: From the scanner, report of suspect running southbound on beach from ferry terminal after jumping the wall. Helicopter (confirmed as Guardian One, operated by King County, but it assists Seattle Police, who don’t have a chopper) heading that way. 12:22 AM UPDATE: Heard from Lt. Ron Smith at Southwest Precinct: Search for “possible burglary suspects who fled southbound through Lincoln Park.”
Meet Cohen. His proud family wants to let the world know he’s one of the finalists in the CityDog Magazine “Cover Dog” search. We mentioned back in August that CityDog was coming to West Seattle Thriftway as part of the search, during an animal-adoption event; of the 500 dogs who entered both in West Seattle and other locations citywide, five finalists have been chosen, including Cohen. Ray Clemens tells WSB that Cohen is about 7 1/2 months old; he was adopted from the Seattle Animal Shelter in June, after having been abandoned in a park as a small puppy. Ray adds, “We are so proud of him.” Here’s how to vote: See the final lineup here. Send a note to info@citydogmagazine.com with COHEN in the subject line. (If you want to make it really easy, just click here to launch a mail window for the Cohen vote, pre-filled subject line and all.) By the way, you can see all the dogs from the Thriftway photo day by going to this Flickr page. (Side note, CityDog founder Brandi Ahlgren is a West Seattleite.)
Yes, by the time 3 o’clock approached, it was all too much for that West Seattle Junction trick-or-treating munchkin. But in the preceding two hours, such excitement:
That’s the view looking over the Thrill the World dance encore toward the adoring crowd on the southwest corner of the Walk-All-Ways intersection. (See video of their Occidental Park “official” performance here; they’re at Admiral Theater tonight at 9.) Earlier at that same intersection:
All along the streets of The Junction, businesspeople were waiting to hand out treats. Any guesses who this is?
That’s Dawn Leverett, president of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce board – for today, the Cham-BOO! of Commerce – outside Windermere Real Estate. We also found potentially shadowy characters outside Shadow Land:
Here’s who greeted trick-or-treaters at Zamboanga:
Back at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor), Thrill the World-West Seattle organizer Lora Lewis was still in zombie garb, attacking her “Project Runway” star barista Blayne:
As for the West Seattle citizenry, a little cooking humor for Chris and Steve (with baby Owen):
Having been to a few conferences lately, we could appreciate the costume on the left side of this pic:
The Junction event was the first of three business-district trick-or-treating events this Halloween season. The other two are on Halloween, next Friday — the Admiral merchants welcome you 3 to 6 pm (see the WSB Holidays page for full details on the giveaway that’s involved) and Westwood Village 5-7 pm. Here’s hoping Friday has weather like today’s … like these two from Forsythe Studio, the sunshine was truly, well, groovy:
‘Cause if Halloween isn’t nice too, there will be just one thing to say: D’oh!
With that, we bid you adios:
(That photo is courtesy Meredith; all previous photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick and Junior Member of the Team Torin)
That’s the apartment building at 6609 Admiral Way (map), immediately west of Bar-S Playfield, whose fencing you can see on the left. Because of its spot high over Alki Point, this building’s roof has been home to cell-phone antennas for more than a decade (you can see part of the history on the site’s official city-permit webpage) – here’s a closer look at one group on the northeast section of the roof:
In April 2007, we told you about neighbors’ concern over a plan to add more antennas; this past June, we reported that the city had approved the plan to expand a group of Verizon antennas from 3 to 11. (You can read the decision here.) Neighbors challenged that decision, and after various delays, their case comes before the city Hearing Examiner on Tuesday morning, and they sent WSB a letter inviting anyone who shares their concern to show up and support them. Their major concerns are twofold — read on:Read More
The prospect of more Seattle Public Schools closures in West Seattle has been hinted at during the now-under-way process of discussing the future of the Denny Middle School site — the district has said a “future elementary school” may be built there, but not as an additional school, instead as a replacement for three as-yet-unspecified schools to be closed. Now (hat tip to saveseattleschools.blogspot.com) the district has put up webpages about closure discussions (superintendent’s message here, FAQ here). More details could emerge by next Wednesday, when school-board members have a work session and special meeting regarding “capacity management,” which would include school closures. Here’s an excerpt from what’s now on the SPS website:
SPS has operated for many years with substantially more capacity than needed for the number of students enrolled; and we have more school buildings than other districts with comparable student populations. Many of these buildings are costly to maintain due to their age and amount of deferred maintenance.
The most recent Seattle Public Schools building closure in West Seattle was Fairmount Park Elementary, shut down at the end of the school year in 2007. If age is to be a factor in school-closure proposals, it’s worth noting the age of West Seattle school buildings that have not gone through recent renovations: Part of Gatewood Elementary dates back almost a century and has city landmark designation; Lafayette Elementary‘s buildings date back to 1941-1953; Arbor Heights Elementary‘s buildings were built between 1948 and 1958; Alki Elementary’s buildings are from 1954 and 1967; Roxhill Elementary opened in 1958; Schmitz Park Elementary opened in 1962; Sanislo Elementary opened in 1970. Next Wednesday’s School Board meeting is in two sessions, a 3-7 pm “workshop,” and 8 pm “special legislative session,” both at district HQ in Sodo.
From left, that’s West Seattle High School principal Bruce Bivins, Chief Sealth High School principal John Boyd, and Steve Huling, right after tonight’s “Huling Bowl” football game between WSHS and CSHS. Given the amazing year West Seattle’s having, you probably weren’t surprised to hear the Wildcats won – but the game was just part of what the night was about – we’ve got the story and video, just ahead:Read More
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