West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
When Mike e-mailed to share the news about West Side Music Academy “Girl Band” students performing tonight at a special all-ages Easy Street After Hours in The Junction (here’s our preview), we knew we’d want to share a bit of the show – so here you go – Pop Rox at Easy Street: Danielle Howard, Annie Murphy, Olivia Norberg, Maryellen Fleming, Oly Mosely and Erica Schwartz.
That’s the site of the new Genesee P-Patch late this afternoon – just a few hours after the big city-supported Clean and Green work party (first report here) that mixed mountains of Cedar Grove-donated compost into the soil:
Among the dozens of volunteers was John Legge, among those who received certificates today in honor of the plots they’ve been awarded in the new community garden:
(If you noticed some lighter spots in the compost pile in that photo – that’s actually where steam rose as the volunteers dug in — pungent steam, at that.) Among the others – Rahn Lee and her 9-year-old daughter Mei Lee Vandervelde, who are with a Girl Scout troop that meets in South Delridge:
The new P-Patch is on a spot of land along Genesee just east of West Seattle Christian Church, which donated the site (and has also been donating food grown on another patch of church land). In this video clip, you’ll hear WSCC’s Pastor Dan Jacobs talking about how the gardening sideline came to be:
As we mentioned in our first report, Mayor Nickels and wife Sharon Nickels volunteered today too. In his kickoff speech, the mayor mentioned this was the city’s 99th Clean and Green event:
And a shoutout to the organizational efforts of two more people who helped make today happen — Stan Lock, one of the city’s two Neighborhood Service Coordinators on our peninsula – he works out of the office in The Junction, next to Rocksport:
Plus, Erica Karlovits, president of the Junction Neighborhood Organization, which held its quarterly Adopt-a-Street cleanup in connection with today’s Clean and Green:
And these events do require planning down to the last detail, like treat procurement – Erica told us these cupcakes, with icing-drawn carrots and radishes, were donated by Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in The Junction:
Side note: In our first story on today’s event, we mentioned the three other West Seattle sites proposed for funding under the Parks and Green Spaces Levy. One is the “southern triangle” near California Place Park, the subject of a story you’ll see later tonight (because of the celebration in the park today); the other is in High Point; and we just noticed this brand-new sign up at the third, in Westwood (34th and Barton):
The sign makes it clear that the proposed disposition of that site (which we originally wrote about here) is as a “community garden,” and says you’ve got till July 20 to send comments to the city (same person that’s listed here).
On the surface, it’s just a little sign outside a not-too-big church here in our unassuming corner of the city. But take a bigger look, through the prism of the world’s woes: It’s a Christian congregation and a Jewish congregation, finally declaring to the world that they share a building, and not in an “uneasy truce” sort of way. Listen through this video to the end of the Bible passage that Kol HaNeshamah president Eric Orlin read at last night’s dedication ceremony:
Also speaking at the ceremony, Alki UCC Board chair Gail Christianer (with the church’s Rev. Diane Darling at her left):
As we showed you last month, Alki UCC is celebrating its centennial this year; Kol HaNeshamah, as you heard Eric Orlin say in the first clip, is six years old. The synagogue’s sign was designed by artist Michael Dupille, who is a member of KHN.
Just before the luminaria ceremony – honoring those lost to cancer – was scheduled to begin at 10 pm, four hours into Relay for Life of West Seattle, rain began to fall. But that didn’t extinguish the bagged candles – spelling out HOPE in the stands at West Seattle Stadium, and lining the field as relay participants walked, and names were read aloud:
The 18-hour event to raise cancer-fighting cash continues till noon tomorrow, and each team has someone walking the track at all times, so you’re welcome to stop by any time and cheer them on; here’s our earlier report.
Cancer survivors always get the honors of the first lap around the West Seattle Stadium track for Relay for Life of West Seattle – which started just after 6 tonight and continues till about noon tomorrow. Teams in the relay event are raising tens of thousands of dollars to fight cancer, and they welcome visitors cheering them on, so you are welcome to drop by the stadium any time as the event continues – particularly tonight at 10, when luminarias will be lit in memory of those lost to cancer – a moving ceremony that is a highlight of Relay for Life. Just before the opening lap, those on hand heard from King County Council chair Dow Constantine, who shared his reason for supporting the event:
You may have noticed, our headline mentioned TWO West Seattle “events to fight cancer.” Here’s the other one, as explained by Sharon:
Just wanted to let you know that from 8 until close tonight (update: and all weekend long) Chelan Cafe is holding a fund raiser for our Breast Cancer 3 Day Team, The Warming Hut Hotties. They will sell hot dogs and Jello shots, with all proceeds being donated to our team’s fund raising goal. Each walker in the Breast Cancer 3-Day has made a fundraising commitment of at least $2300 and our team’s total goal is $100,000.
The net proceeds raised by The 3 Day benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and The National Philanthropic Trust’s Breast Cancer Fund.
Further information can be obtained at: www.the3day.org
The Seattle 3-Day is coming up in September; while its route traveled along the West Seattle waterfront two years ago, it will skip the peninsula again this year. Still, we know of more than a few West Seattle participants, so it’s a “local” story just the same. Chelan Cafe, by the way, is right under The Bridge, just north of North Delridge.
The West Seattle Teeter Tots (with kids born in – or “around” – 2007) are among the dozens of groups and businesses we’ve spent the day with here at the Morgan Junction Community Festival. Still an hour left before everybody packs up from the park and the booth area behind Zeeks/Feedback, where it’s been a perfect day – brilliant sunshine but not too hot, lots of people but not too crowded. Also here – the Lazy Locavores – edible-garden consultants (also known as the Shibaguyz) — that’s Shannon in the background:
We’ll be adding a few more pics and some video to one last report here; this is the first time in about two years that the Morgan Community Association has presented this festival, and it’s been a smash hit – particularly the “Bite of Morgan” food sampling, with 400 coupon books handed out (the entire stock) by midway through the festival – and the slate of local musicians, spanning a wide variety of genres, assembled by MoCA’s Chas Redmond. Here’s video of Soul Machinery:
(next clip added 7:54 pm) And here, a minute of The Slags:
(next clip added 8:30 pm) Last but not least, the cover band 4 outta 5, with the disco classic “I Will Survive”:
Special thanks to everybody who dropped by the WSB table to say hi – those we’d met before, those we knew only through e-mail, and those we hadn’t met yet either way but have been out there in WSB-land … thank YOU for being part of WSB. (Including MargL, who sent us this pic from Engine 37’s visit to the festival — Engine 29 was here earlier too – and apologies if we’re omitting any other fire teams who visited, but they were over by the park area and we’ve spent most of the day in the booth area.)
If we didn’t see you today, we’ll see you at the Westwood Village street festival in two weeks, and West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction July 10-11-12.
All three major West Seattle high schools have now sent their 2009 graduates out into the world, after Chief Sealth High School‘s commencement ceremony earlier this afternoon at Seattle Center’s Memorial Stadium. (Our video shows some of the grads acknowledging family and friends as they enter the stadium.) [photo added 8:36 pm]
This is the first of two classes finishing their high-school years at Sealth’s temporary location at Boren; the school is scheduled to be there one more year while renovation work is completed and a new Denny Middle School is constructed on the campus. (West Seattle HS and Seattle Lutheran HS graduated Thursday night; here’s our coverage.)
That’s Sheila Brown from Camp Long, wearing coffee-filter art as a hat – in the newly dedicated Morgan Junction Park itself, you’ll find the Parks Department booth where you can make some too – and the park is also where the legendary Bubbleman put on a show as the festival began – here’s a snippet of video:
(Note: The Bubbleman will be in The Junction the night before West Seattle Summer Fest – Thursday 7/9, 7 pm, after the streets close for festival prep, right in front of Elliott Bay Brewery.) But MJ Park’s not the only place you’ll find things to do and people to meet (like us!) – right behind the Feedback Lounge/Zeeks building is where more than two dozen booths are set up. Just walk southwest from the back of the park, behind Beveridge Place. Good turnout so far, and we’ve had some great conversations – chatted with Larry Carpenter and Ron Richardson from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society/Log House Museum – just finished talking to the first campaigning candidate sighted today, City Council hopeful Jessie Israel (who is running against incumbent Councilmember Nick Licata) — the primary election is just a little more than two months away. Remember to stop by the Morgan Community Association booth in front of the park to get your coupons for the “Bite of Morgan” freebies – and if you want even more, you can cross California SW to West Seattle Thriftway, with $7 for a barbecue lunch till 4 pm (proceeds going to MoCA for future festivals):
You can enter the festival from the park on California north of Fauntleroy, or through the booth area on Fauntleroy just west of California – it continues till 6 pm.
2:56 PM UPDATE: Adding a few more photos. And candidate sighting #2 – David Ginsberg, High Point resident running for City Council. And by all indications, the festival’s a smash hit – 400 coupon books gone already, with three hours left to go … right now we’re talking with Jeff Gilbert from Feedback Lounge about those pulled-pork sliders that folks have mentioned in comments on this post – he says lots of folks who’ve never been in FL before have stopped by because of the “Bite.” A couple quick photos from the booths closest to us:
That’s where you can find out about the Communication Hubs around West Seattle – the places you can go just in case of disaster, to get information. (More info at westseattle.bepreparedseattle.info) Right next to the Hubs, more info about Orchard Street Ravine, a natural area just about half a mile southeast of here:
And next to that, the Friends of Lincoln Park P-Patch are having a fundraising bake sale:
More to come – we’re here till 6.
Within the past hour, the ribbon was cut, speeches were made, and the $480,000 Morgan Junction Park is now a full-fledged member of the Seattle Parks system. It’s also the site today of some of the events in the Morgan Junction Community Festival – but be sure to make your way behind Beveridge Place Pub, Feedback Lounge and Zeeks Pizza to see the community group and business booths, including ours. Now back to the park dedication: Morgan Community Association president Deb Barker made note of this park’s origins as a site for the Seattle monorail-that-wasn’t:
In addition to the plaza-like park itself, there’s also a sidewalk art project fronting California SW alongside the park – it went in along with new sidewalks funded by SDOT – and two of its creators, from SuttonBeresCuller, accepted thank-you art from Steve Sindiong of MoCA:
Others who received similar honors from Sindiong and Deb Barker on MoCA’s behalf included Parks project manager Virginia Hassinger, who led many a public meeting on the park design (in addition to the considerable behind-the-scenes work):
And Gary Sink, owner of the nearby Beveridge Place Pub, which helped make the park happen as part of a purchase of the entire monorail-property site, where he moved his popular pub to the former Video Vault building that’s just south of the park (it used to be where the Feedback Lounge is now):
Q13 FOX sent a photojournalist, so you might see a bit of the dedication on their 9 and 10 pm newscasts. Now, for the rest of the day, it’s the festival in and around the park, and we’ll be reporting as it happens (the occasional Twitter update at @westseattleblog as well – where you’ll find links to photos we “tweeted” before the event, including City Council President Richard Conlin in his “I Love West Seattle T-shirt” – he and Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher were the two top dignitaries on hand for the event). [added 8:55 pm – video of Gallagher discussing the park’s relationship to BPP]
The park is on the west side of California SW, a block north of Fauntleroy (map).
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
After both the West Seattle High School and Seattle Lutheran High School commencement ceremonies on Thursday night, we published photos here – now we’re adding video. Above, it’s the WSHS Class of 2009 — 265 grads — on the field at Memorial Stadium (here’s our earlier coverage on their Awards Night); below, members of the SLHS Class of 2009 (45 grads) doing the wave while waiting to enter the gym for their ceremony:
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
Since our photographer got a little closer to the SLHS grads, he noticed special detail work on some of their caps, like this:
And here they are in the gym:
The SLHS ceremony, by the way, was streamed live online! Graduations yet to come: Chief Sealth High School on Saturday, and two ceremonies at South Seattle Community College next week (schedule here).
That’s Clinton, one of the six finalists in the latest round of “Alki Idol,” which has been rocking Bamboo Bar and Grill on Thursdays. You can go to the Alki Idol YouTube channel to see the other five finalists – Jennifer, Angela, Anders, Robert and Janie – and/or be at Bamboo this Thursday night (9:30 pm).
A grand vision to mark 15 key whale-watching spots on our state’s inland and seacoast shores — The Whale Trail — is coming closer to reality. At one spot set for a marker, Alki, a who’s-who of marine mammal/ecology advocates gathered last night for an open house to show off the plan, including Whale Trail director Donna Sandstrom (seated in the photo below) and Kathy Fletcher from People for Puget Sound:
Sandstrom said orca extinction “will not happen on our watch … it’s not too late.” Fletcher said awareness-raising efforts like The Whale Trail are “part of the overall effort to restore Puget Sound … as an ecosystem.” She also urged people not to be fooled by the Sound’s “extraordinary beauty” — “Puget Sound is in trouble,” all the way down the food chain, which is topped by the orcas.
One of their major sources of food is salmon – Mark Sears, longtime researcher as well as resident operator of West Seattle’s Colman Pool, discussed what’s being learned about the specific salmon they prefer, and why it matters:
The importance of protecting local waterways was hammered home by Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen, who also digressed into mentioning the status of her tribe’s bid for restoration of its short-lived federal recognition:
The unifying message: It takes not just a village, but a region, to protect its whales. Sandstrom suggested “a clear vision for everyone in the room, that by 2020, we have a thriving orca population here in Puget Sound – The Whale Trail is one way we’re going to do that.” It’s not just a private effort: A state Fish and Wildlife Department rep was there, showing off the designs for new wildlife maps you’ll be able to get starting next month, and also talking with us about the WildWatch Cams (check it out – coolest link we got all weekend). So how can you help The Whale Trail get all 15 markers up by 2013 as hoped? Sandstrom mentioned a $14K state grant has just come in, but it’s matching funds, so they need contributions (including volunteer help). Contact info is on their website, which she told us will have a “donate” link soon too.
(photo added 10:08 am)
The homeless camp that started at Highland Park Way/West Marginal Way (map) – the site that is still under consideration for future jail construction – says it’s back in West Seattle. “Nickelsville” organizers sent a news release last night saying they would be moving from the Southeast Seattle church property where they spent the past three months; then this morning they sent an update saying they’re at 2nd SW and Highland Park Way SW, “… approximate to the original location where they set-up the first Nickelsville in September of 2008.” We’ll be heading out shortly to have a look. 8:55 AM UPDATE: Just stopped by, and got chased off the site shortly afterward by two “Nickelodeons.” It is almost immediately east of the site where they were rousted for alleged trespassing (charges that were dropped recently); we’ll add a few photos shortly. 10:28 AM UPDATE: The Nickelsville spokesperson who sent the original e-mail apologized for us getting rousted, and confirms this is state land, as we noted with the presence of this sign:
As you can see in the top photo, they are still setting up – in addition to tents, tarps, structures, we saw an electrical generator being brought in – as also shown in this video:
As for how the state will deal with this, the spokesperson’s comment was, “That parcel is state land and Nickelsville plans to stay. At this time I’m not privy to any agreements or negotiations.” We’ll be trying to figure out if there’s an appropriate state spokesperson to reach for comment over the weekend. 11:53 PM UPDATE: From the Nickelsville website:
Nickelodeons need your support! This is State land. Ask the State to negotiate not to arrest the Nickelodeons. Please contact Governor Christine Gregoire and State Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond immediately and voice your support for the Nickelodeons. …
Be prepared to stand with us should the State choose to arrest rather than negotiate.
First: A ceremony and assembly this afternoon as Holy Rosary School celebrated its certification as Seattle’s first “Washington Green School” (first reported here earlier this week). Parent volunteer coordinator Nancy Stillger and principal Kris Brown (center) accepted the certificate. The program will be available online in time for other schools to sign on starting this fall; recycling is just part of it, and Nancy posed with HR teacher Matt Seacrest at one of the recycling stations in the hallway on the second floor. Matt will be teaching an elective course next year about recycling and being environmentally sound.
Second celebration: Tonight, Holy Rosary’s 8th graders graduate. And it’s almost “graduation time” for principal Brown, who is moving on to a new job after this school year (as first reported here two months ago). She told us about a message she is sharing tonight, which sounds like it also is personally relevant:
Holy Rosary’s kindergarteners graduate tomorrow morning; then, a week from tonight at 7 pm, a celebration is planned in honor of Kris Brown. More details on the Holy Rosary website. (Brown is leaving to become principal of St. Catherine in Maple Leaf, a smaller school; her replacement at HR has not yet been announced.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The word heard at Monday night’s King County Executive candidates’ forum at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) more often than you would expect to hear at a meeting of rivals for a big, open job: Agree.
As in:
“I agree with Dow.”
“I agree with Fred.”
“I agree with Larry.”
“I agree with Ross.”
Of course, consider the fact that all four are Democrats, though they can’t run under that label since King County Executive is a nonpartisan job, made so by the voters last year; also, all four are current or former state legislators. The one major candidate who doesn’t fall under either of those umbrellas, former TV anchor Susan Hutchison, didn’t even respond to repeated invitations to participate tonight, according to organizers from InSPIRe (Seattle Progressives Inspiring Reform), which presented the forum.
The fact three of the candidates even showed up is proof nobody’s writing off West Seattle just because this area’s largest political group, the 34th District Democrats, has already taken a vote supporting hometown guy Constantine. But just because you’re speaking in West Seattle, doesn’t mean you’ll only be read about and heard about in WS, so off we go with coverage of what was and wasn’t said — read on:Read More
Mayor Greg Nickels makes his re-election campaign official Monday. During our interview with him at Admiral Starbucks on Saturday morning, we asked some of the questions we solicited from WSBers, starting with the one you see answered in the top clip: Why should he get a third term? Meantime, if you’re just catching up after the weekend – we’ve already published three excerpts:
First: The park-trash-can phase out
Second: Getting hassled on Alki – can police do anything about it?
Third: (published on White Center Now) Will Seattle annex White Center (assuming the rest of North Highline goes with Burien)?
We had 25 minutes to talk with him, a blink of an eye in political interview time, but we squeezed in as many questions as we could, most of them from those offered by WSBers after we asked on Friday for suggestions. The very first one posted here on WSB also speaks to his campaign overall: Lillian suggested he and other politicians have a problem with inauthenticity, and asked how he would get people to believe in him and what he wants to do – in his answer, you will hear him acknowledge that he doesn’t always come off authentically and warmly in the media:
We’ve still got several answers to roll out, and we’re not going to jam them all into this third report, but we did ask about one West Seattle sore spot, the “Whole Foods hole” – can the city do anything to try to stop this sort of “big dig, followed by big stall” situation from happening? Go forward to see/hear his answer:Read More
As noted here earlier in the week, several West Seattle churches are marking momentous anniversaries this year – including centennials. That was the occasion that sent members and leaders of Alki Congregational United Church of Christ on a special pre-service walk this morning: They gathered at Weather Watch Park for a “Centennial Parade” to the nearby site where their church was founded in 1909, at Chilberg and Carroll (map), and then to its current site. In addition to the video above, here’s a photo, with the parade headed by Rev. Diane Darling (carrying the staff) and the church’s longest-term member, Ada Hallberg, who’s been attending Alki UCC since 1941:
(You might have recognized another church attendee in that photo, King County Council Chair Dow Constantine.) When they reached the current church at 61st/Hinds (map), they entered through the sanctuary doors from 1926, on their way into the sanctuary built in 1958 after Rev. Darling discussed history and led song on the steps:
If you noticed that many parishioners were wearing red – that was in honor of this being Pentecost Sunday. Centennial congratulations also go out tonight to Tibbetts United Methodist Church, which continued its 100th birthday celebration with a talent show/ice cream social this afternoon.
UPDATE: Organizers say the final official count of participants was more than 1,000.
(top photo by David Hutchinson, added 10:48 am; next photo by TR, published when post 1st went live)
The West Seattle 5K (WSB sponsor) runners and walkers are still going past the window at Alki Tully’s, where we’re set up at the moment. The photo above is a sample from several minutes after the first runners crossed the line; Jordan Welling from Bellingham (Western Washington U track team member) was first across, at 15 minutes exactly, 1:21 ahead of the second finisher; (added 10:30 am) here’s the video:
First woman across the line was Vanessa Hunter at 17:33 (she finished first in last year’s Torchlight Run). We’ll be checking the registration totals with organizers a bit later, but anecdotally – as you’ll see in our starting-line video shortly – it was a sizable crowd. ADDED 11:09 AM: Here’s our video of the West Seattle 5K start, from the first runner to the last walker – the voice you hear leading the countdown is WS school-board rep Steve Sundquist:
We’ve got more photos of the 5K, including several sent by WSBers – we’ll add them shortly! ADDED 11:34 AM: As promised – more photos (and we’ll likely be adding more later today, so check this story again) – click ahead:Read More
We’re continuing to roll out chunks of our Saturday morning interview with Mayor Nickels, who’s doing the media rounds as he prepares to officially file his re-election campaign papers this Monday. To recap: We had about 25 minutes with him at Admiral Starbucks (they chose the spot, we chose the outdoor table); we asked WSBers (also via Facebook and Twitter) for question suggestions, and got MANY more than we could ask in that short time. The clip above is his answer to a question we asked as a followup to the recent Alki Community Council meeting following the May 1st Alki shooting – some in attendance (and, later, in WSB comments) voiced more concern about getting harassed at the beach, than about the threat of violent crime. Police in attendance noted there’s no law against, for example, standing around and saying something “vile.” So is there anything that can be done? we asked the mayor; reply above. Yet more from the interview to come (and we will be adding soundbite transcripts shortly to this story, and our 1st one – about the park trash-can issue – see that here). P.S. Ken, whose post-ACC comment we linked above, is the person who started the Alki Neighborhood Watch Facebook group – if you haven’t joined yet and you’re interested, find it here.
Two more video clips with sights and sounds from Saturday’s Delridge Day at Youngstown Arts Center (our as-it-happened coverage was here and here): First, one of the afternoon’s biggest ovations went to the Vicious Puppies Crew breakdancers. We wouldn’t usually put up 7 minutes of video of anything, but those guys were mesmerizing. Next, just one sample of the wide-ranging musical slate, which ranged from intense rock during the Youth Showcase in the morning, to acoustical folk later in the afternoon – in this case, it’s the Seattle Fandango Project, featuring members of Quetzal:
Last but not least, an update from the Delridge Playground fundraising booth:
Left to right, Holli, Betsy, and (mostly hidden) Lisa, who reported via our WS Blog page on Facebook:
Good news: between the raffle, the plant sale and donations we made over $300 for the new playground, and over 20 more folks signed up as interested in volunteering. Thanks, Delridge! Design #3 seems to be generating the most interest, but we’re still looking for feedback.
That’s a reference to the three playground designs from which the community needs to choose. You can see all three designs in this WSB report; there’s a feedback address there, plus word of a public meeting this Monday, 7:30 pm, where you can offer your thoughts on the designs.
Here at Delridge Day at Youngstown Arts Center, playtime is what the North Delridge Neighborhood Council booth is all about – selling plants to raise the money needed to finish the contribution toward the fab new playground that KaBOOM! will build at Delridge Community Center in mid-July. (You can also sign up to help with the bulid-it-in-a-day project.) Then just steps away, you can borrow a hula hoop and hoop it up:
Rather create art? Multiple ways to do that — including indoor work with recycled materials, starting shortly, but out here it’s sidewalk chalk, among other things:
Part of the celebration is about food, since Delridge is involved with the King County Food and Fitness Initiative — besides the Delridge Produce Cooperative display, which we mentioned earlier, there are free apples available from Tiny’s (which you’ve probably seen at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market on Sundays), and right next door, it’s a taco truck!
Just up the slope behind us, you can even help the Nature Consortium build organic garden beds. This is all happening at Youngstown Arts Center till 5 pm; part of Team WSB is out checking out some of today’s other events, too, including the West Seattle Rock Club’s Rock and Gem Show (the Masonic Hall at 40th/Edmunds, also till 5 pm) – more to come! (A bald eagale just flew overhead, good sign.) ADDED 1:46 PM: Quick video clip of a contestant in the skateboarding competition:
Another competition’s under way right now – battle of the chefs – with the secret ingredient, Iron Chef style: Top Ramen! We’ll add a clip of that as soon as it’s uploaded. (added 2:46 pm – here’s the video:)
Speaking of food, talked with Galena White of the Delridge Produce Cooperative – they’ve been awarded the $15,000 city grant they were seeking for a mobile produce-providing setup – more details on that as they develop. 4:12 PM UPDATE: The festival’s wrapping up. We have some great video to share a little later – performances including breakdancers. Randy Engstrom, director of Youngstown Arts Center, just gave a closing speech of sorts saying this has been an “amazing” day.
Going to do anything about the “fewer trash cans in parks” policy that the Parks Department is pursuing? That’s the first WSBer-suggested question we asked Mayor Nickels this morning, and the answer is in the :45 video clip above. Backstory: As noted here last night, we were offered a half-hour to interview Mayor Nickels, as he prepares to officially kick off his campaign for a third term by filing paperwork this Monday. This morning, we got about 25 minutes with him at Admiral Starbucks (they chose the location); he appeared with his wife Sharon Nickels and their dog Edgar – saying they walk there every morning – as well as the folks who helped arrange the interview, including campaign spokesperson Sandeep Kaushik. We sat outdoors on the east side of the coffee shop, and we asked some of the many questions WSBers kindly sent in response to our request for suggested questions – many more than we could squeeze in, and we hope to get a chance to ask more later in the campaign. Meantime, we’ll share more from this interview later – just wanted to get out the park/trash answer, for starters.
Beautiful night for dancing, indoors and outdoors … that first video is from The Kenney, which had a “Senior-Senior Prom” tonight, with high-school seniors mingling with Kenney residents. The Las Vegas sign in front of the band is in honor of the “Rat Pack” theme. (Note in the video, that’s Kenney CEO Kevin McFeely taking a turn on the dance floor, off to the left at one point.) Completely different dance style a few miles southeast, for the Devil’s Dance Parade in White Center — an Afro-Peruvian costumed dance troupe started at 15th/Roxbury, wound its way through the business district, south, then west, then north, and wrapped up at Cafe Rozella:
We’ve got another clip on partner site White Center Now as the dancers paused to perform by the taco truck south of White Center Plaza. A concert followed at the coffeehouse.
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