West Seattle, Washington
29 Friday
As noted on our Events page, Forest Lawn (east of High Point) will hold its annual Memorial Day service at 2 pm Monday. What we almost missed (until a note from Creighton, who mentioned it on his site) was the preparatory work that local Scouts do, marking the graves with crosses and flags each Memorial Day weekend. At Forest Lawn a few hours ago, we caught up with this group — including 8 Boy Scouts from Troop 284, 1 Boy Scout from Troop 398, and I Cub Scout from Pack 381:
They had hours of work left when we stopped by. But the results will all be in view if you attend Monday’s service, which one WSB’er noted last year is presented by American Legion Post 160, and is one of the city’s longest-running Memorial Day services. If you haven’t been to Forest Lawn before, here’s where to find it.
A side note from the folks at Forest Lawn: They told us today that after the Monday service, the Senior Center of West Seattle‘s Ukulele Band will perform.
That’s the sign in Ron Richardson‘s yard along Fauntleroy across from Lincoln Park, which he updates with the death and injury toll in the Iraq war. We’ve told you about it before; our most recent post, and comments on it, led to coverage in the citywide media. Richardson introduced himself to us at our table at the recent Sustainable West Seattle Festival in The Junction, and told us he’d added a new number to his sign, in honor of an area resident killed in the war in 2005, Christopher Dickison (photo right). Here’s his story of how that happened — timely as Memorial Day approaches:
The most important response [to the sign], by far, came three weeks ago when a woman and several of her family knocked at my door. The woman, Leanna Dickison, wanted to thank me for having the sign. She told me that her son, Christopher Wayne Dickison, was fatality number 1754. Christopher’s twin sister Rhonda Herrera was part of the group. Chris’ mother had made a blanket as a gift for me. I thanked her and suggested she take the blanket to the VA Hospital and present it to one of the Iraq vets at the VA.
I have since visited Leanna and learned more about Christopher. The family lives in White Center. Christopher was a graduate of Evergreen High. He joined the military in 2002. He was in Iraq for a year when his tour of duty was extended. It was during this extension that Chris was killed. I looked up Chris’s name on the internet and found articles and memory pages by those who knew him as a friend, a relative and as a comrade in arms. This reminded me that the internet can be a rallying place for folks to share their respect and love.
I have attached a current photo of the sign, a photo of Chris and a list of some of the websites that memorialize Chris. I have added the number 1754 on the sign and it will stay there. Each time I change the other numbers I will remember Chris and his family. They are our neighbors and part of our community. As folks spot my sign I hope they remember Chris and all of the others killed and wounded in Iraq. I also think about this war and why we are fighting it. I hope your readers think upon this as well.
Here are the links that Ron provided: a page featuring citywide media coverage from Christopher’s death in 2005, a guestbook that he has signed and you can too, and a video tribute posted online.
Side note: Richardson also is involved with another issue right now — voter-owned elections — and told us he’ll be speaking about that at tonight’s Delridge District Council meeting (7 pm, Southwest Precinct).
From the 34th District Democrats‘ site: The 7th Congressional District caucus over the weekend led to two Obama delegates from the 34th being chosen to go to the national convention in Denver in late August — Chris Porter from West Seattle and Nick Bordner from Vashon (a high-school senior). Read more here.
If you live in the Fairmount area – should disaster strike, that spot by the flagpole in the southeast Providence Mount St. Vincent parking lot is your neighborhood gathering spot for information. Sunday afternoon, Fairmount Community representatives (led by Sharonn Meeks, center in shades) set up this table there …
… for the latest West Seattle drop-in event to get out the word about neighborhood gathering places and disaster-readiness info. (Read more here, and see the map of other neighborhood spots that have been designated so far.)
Meantime, the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival crew coped this weekend with the semi-disastrous float woes, by riding instead in convertibles so they could represent West Seattle in the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival parade:
That’s Carol Winston driving Queen Danica and Queen Sivona. A few more photos shared by Hi-Yu president Tim Winston, including a young court member showing off a tiny friend, ahead:Read More
At Anchor (Luna) Park on Alki Avenue, that video shows the scene as an enthusiastic woman (who told us she does this every year) and two kids greeted Walk with Us to Cure Lupus participants at the first turnaround point (for a shorter loop than the 5K walkers). While hundreds of people joined in that awareness- and money-raising event this morning, a trio of triathloners spent the afternoon under a tent in The Junction to fight leukemia and lymphoma — more on both events ahead:Read More
We caught those young women and their penguin pal staking out The Junction to promote the nearby Hope Lutheran rummage sale, raising money for a summertime mission to Mexico. (They’re going till about 2 pm; another rummage sale at nearby West Seattle Christian Church [WSB sponsor] has a similar goal, and it’s continuing till 5 pm; you can hit both in the span of about a block.)
Thanks to John Smersh from Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District for that photo from nearby Admiralty House Antiques, which he says is open today for the first time in a long time, selling tools at 50% off on outdoor tables (you’ll recall it “closed for remodeling” in January; WSB coverage here). Now, to the other side of West Seattle, and the High Point Community Center:
The women in the blue shirts are nursing students from Seattle University standing by to help you get healthier at their High Point Health Fair, under way till 4 pm at High Point CC. Door prizes and refreshments, too, all free – plus some educational exhibits:
That exhibit about indoor air quality was manned by Abby Suplizio, who we introduced you to here in our recent feature about the West Seattle chapter of CoolMom.org, which she leads. She teaches a twice-yearly course about indoor air quality and other safety concerns through the American Lung Association of Washington (more online here). We’ve been out covering many of the day’s other events too, including JP Patches at the Admiral Theater; more coverage coming up later.
WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli sent us that photo recently from the megaproject construction site at Alaska/41st/42nd – just one of dozens he’s contributed to WSB in the past year-plus. His contributions have been invaluable, a word that barely begins to describe it – not only has he shared lovely shots like those of a heart-melting baby seal, he also is incredible with breaking news (remember the Fauntleroy car-on-cable?) — often the first word we’ll get about a major breaking story is a text from Christopher, who’s already there. (Charlestown Cafe fire and the recent Delridge-area SWAT incident, just two cases in point, as well as the “wire fire” south of The Junction.) Right now, Christopher’s getting a national showcase in the current issue of Everywhere Magazine (the magazine, shown at right, is sold in West Seattle at Barnes and Noble). In this edition, you’ll find photographs he took in Copenhagen, plus his article about Japanese electronic toilets. This is the May-June issue of Everywhere; you won’t find its content on its website, so you’ll have to check the newsstands. Here’s a shot from Christopher’s spread (click it to see a larger image):
Shane Valentine, baby daughter Alina, and some West Seattle stores and scenery are all featured in this cooking video the Valentines entered in a Food Network contest – viewer ratings might snag them a spot on TV.
We are always thrilled to get contributions — stories, photos, tips, suggestions — that help WSB become a place where together we all tell and share even more of the ongoing story of West Seattle and its people. Tonight, Camp Long‘s Sheila Brown wanted to share an article and photos (including the one above) about a new grant that will help Camp Long and other Seattle city park/recreation facilities provide more outdoor opportunities for young people (such as climbing) — read on:Read More
E-mailed to WSB by Ruthie Winter, who explains:
We called our event: Sixty@Salty’s!
In the attached picture are 57 women classmates from the West Seattle High School graduating class of 1966, born in 1948 and celebrating their 60th birthday together. It was a girls-only event … sorry guys!
Most of these classmates had not seen each other in over 40 years, so it was a joyous celebration of old friendships. Classmates came from far away as Texas, Montana, Alaska, Arizona, California, Oregon etc etc. A joyous time was had by all.
The STAR 101.5 “Teacher of the Week” promotion had another West Seattle winner today — congrats to Arbor Heights Elementary second-grade teacher Sally Shavey. This comes six weeks after Lafayette Elementary fifth-grade teacher Catherine Bloom won the same honor.
During the recent barrage of “legit or not?” door-knocker/solicitor concerns, we’ve often thought that it would be helpful for organizations to send out advance word when they’ll have people canvassing … especially now that neighborhood-level media is on the rise and sites like ours could get that word out. Well, without us even having said it aloud, here comes an example of someone doing just that — Derek Birnie at Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, which is preparing for the gala Delridge Day events on May 31, wants you to know this:
Trust these doorknockers!
Despite the worry and fear that some recent doorknockers hare inspired in WSB readers, we want folks to know that those young people knocking on your door this Saturday and next are legitimate; please welcome them!
Every Friday, a group of inspired young leaders meet at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center to help establish direction for the programming there. This programming committee has taken the lead in developing the program for this year’s Delridge Day and Open House at Youngstown on May 31.
Those emerging community leaders will be knocking on neighborhood doors this Saturday to extend a personal invitation to attend this free event. We hope their enthusiasm and courage will be met with friendly faces!
So, there’s something else happening Saturday, besides the Stamp Out Hunger letter-carrier food drive (be sure to leave a bag out by your mailbox or mailslot), West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, Pathfinder K-8 sprucing-up, Admiral Adopt-a-Street Cleanup, Seattle Walks, and more happenings you’ll find on our Events page. By the way, DNDA sent along two flyers: here’s the one for volunteer help between now and Delridge Day, and here’s one for the DD event itself.
Potentially of interest if there’s a high-school senior in your house — or anybody else heading for college (hey, my mom went at 40!): In today’s Washington Post, West Seattle author Anne Crossman co-authors an article debunking 5 myths that the college-bound might fear are truths. Read it here. She also co-authored the recently published book “Getting the Best Out of College.”
As promised last night by Brandon, who told us about the Admiral Theater marquee spotlighting a prom-date invitation, here’s his video interview with the happy couple after Stephanie told Sam “yes.” (We’re charmed by the start of the clip but the jury’s out on the soundtrack.)
That hand-lettered sign graced a column inside the Admiral Pub as the WSB Forum Community and fellow funseekers rocked the house during tonight’s get-together and fundraiser. More pix (plus video) ahead:Read More
Thanks to Capers for again hosting the quarterly West Seattle Community Recognition Awards get-together, with complimentary coffee, tea, and brownies like last time (January report here) – and thanks to everybody who attended – more pix, and the winners, ahead:Read More
Just a reminder, you’re invited to Capers in The Junction 7-8 pm for the second quarterly informal get-together to announce the latest West Seattle Community Recognition Awards recipients. The three of us will be there, as will WSB Forum Community members selling tickets for tomorrow night’s raffle, plus – treats! Come say hi if you can. 8:41 PM UPDATE: Great crowd, fun event. We’ll post with photos and winner announcements in a bit.
Out of the WSB inbox, from Paul (the report he refers to from yesterday can be found here):
The 6053 California property, that you have (run yesterday) in your blog, has been continually attacked by taggers and graffiti. It had a severe attack again last week on the opposite 2 sides that were shown in your picture.
Saturday afternoon, when I drove into the alley I spotted a man with paint and roller next to his car. I was suspicious and approached him in my gruffest block-watch-nosey-neighbor way. He said hello and said he hated graffiti and was going to paint. This caught me completely off guard. I asked him if he was a new property manager. He said no, he was just a concerned neighbor that lived on 66th. (? this was a little vague).
But anyway, he took white paint and covered all the graffiti and cleaned the paint off a local contractor’s panel truck. It was a miracle! Never has a stranger drove in that alley to do good.
I am ashamed that I did not pay closer attention to the man’s name but I want to see that his efforts are recognized. I would like to thank Dick from 66th ave. (?) for painting and cleaning the alley along 6053 California. Thank you. Your efforts have encouraged me.
I was going to send you a picture of a blank white brick wall to go along with this story. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Last June, the subject of that unusually colored crow came up in the comments on this post, back when we were still anonymous, so we never let on that it lived practically outside our front door. But now it’s making news again, sort of, as one of the birds mentioned in the upcoming book that made a West Seattle author a finalist for a prestigious prize. Lyanda Lynn Haupt has been honored as a finalist for a 2008 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Prize, on behalf of “Crow Planet” — which one judge said “promises to be a fascinating and original book” giving us a window into the lives of these ubiquitous, yet mysterious, birds. Read the full citation here; more about the author at her website here. Now, as for the particular crow, known at WSB HQ as “the golden crow” (now spending time further east), she says:
Partially albinistic or leucistic crows — birds with white or light patches of feathers — are somewhat common. In albinism, all pigment is lacking; in leucism, some pigment is lacking (feathers are normally colored with layers of pigment, so if one of the color layers is missing, the feathers will be lighter or differently colored). But a fully leucistic crow like “Leucy,” as my 9-year-old daughter calls it, is quite rare. Notice that even the “bare parts” as they are called — the bill, feet, etc. are also light. Very cool bird.
Lots of e-mails asking about this one — after an intense helicopter/ground search over part of east West Seattle on Saturday night — finally got the info: Lt. Norm James at the Southwest Precinct says it started with a domestic-violence call, one person threatening another with a knife (in a situation where there already was a restraining order) — the victim was not hurt, but it took about an hour to find and arrest the suspect (Lt. James says the K-9 team made the capture in the 5300 block of 21st SW).
The half-dozen West Seattle students (profiled here with video last month) who are currently on “An Inconvenient Ride” now have “trip log” diary-style posts (read them here) on the environmental-awareness trip’s official website, and the few we grazed are rather honest, occasionally raw tales of the tough road trip they’ve taken on. Their photo gallery is even more up to date (find it here). The group is in Arizona this morning (the route is detailed here), and will then head up through California and Oregon en route to a slated arrival back in Seattle on Earth Day, April 22, for the “Global to Local” benefit at Benaroya Hall.
Tomorrow night, West Seattle Christian Church (WSB sponsor) invites you to come watch a movie, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” for free, 6 pm in the downstairs social hall, with concessions sold — popcorn, snacks, and Italian sodas — as a fundraiser for a special trip some WSCC teens are taking to Mexico this July. No, it’s not a trip to go lie on the beach; they will be driving from Seattle to Tijuana in rented vans as part of a 19-member group helping Amor Ministries build a home for a family. Above, you see some of the participants; left to right, they are 15-year-old West Seattle High School sophomore Thea N, 14-year-old WSHS freshman Miriam N, 13-year-old Madison Middle School 8th grader Lauren S, 12-year-old Madison 6th grader Darrian T, 15-year-old WSHS sophomore Dominique T, 15-year-old Chief Sealth High School sophomore Ian H. WSB interviewed three of them by e-mail with the help of WSCC’s Norma Hernandez, who says, “We’ve been told to expect the temperature in the hundreds; they’ll be sleeping in tents, with no running water or flushing toilets. The group is payig 100% of the cost of the materials, travel expenses, and tool rentals (manual tools, since no electricity is available).” Here’s what the teens have to say about their trip and other ways they’ve helped people near and far:Read More
Just this week, we added a new area to the WSB Forums, for West Seattle-based businesses who are hiring. By request, we have retitled that section West Seattle Jobs Offered and added a West Seattle Jobs Wanted section (where we have moved 2 jobseekers who turned up in the original area). Please follow the rules posted on the main Forums page. Thanks!
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