West Seattle, Washington
31 Friday
Three weeks ago, we published the tale of Amy the West Seattleite and Arlene the one-eyed cat. Amy had contacted us to add Arlene – the name she had given her – to the WSB Lost/Found Pets page, explaining she had found the cat a month earlier, in bad shape. After Arlene healed, Amy thought she had better do due diligence to see if the original owner was out there somewhere. We checked back to see how that went:
So far, Amy has not heard from Arlene’s previous owner, nor anyone with even a lead. She said, “I got TONS of e-mails back from people, all supportive and loving, and I did get some donations via pay-pal (which were very much appreciated!) But no one has said anything about recognizing Arlene or knowing who she belonged to. I must say, I’m relieved.” (Amy hadn’t asked for donations, but in the comment section following the first story, folks asked how they could help, since it was clear Arlene’s medical bills had cost a chunk of change.) Arlene has her own Facebook page, by the way; see it here.
That’s TONNULL, one of three bands – along with One Class Lady and Echo9 – ready to rock Youngstown Cultural Arts Center this Saturday as a benefit for hurricane victims in Nicaragua. Desiree e-mailed to let us know about the concert, which she says is Chief Sealth International High School student Kathryn Purcell‘s senior project. The concert is set for 7:30-11 pm January 7 at Youngstown, admission $7, benefiting the rural Nicaraguan community of El Quebrachal, where Hurricane Rina caused major damage to homes and school facilities earlier this fall. Find more information on this Facebook page set up for Kathryn’s project.
The early weeks/months of parenthood can be scary as well as joyful – suddenly you’re responsible for a little person who depends completely on you. If you’re up for helping brand-new parents get through that time, here’s your chance. Just received from Martha:
PEPS is looking for group leaders for Newborn Groups in West Seattle. Now that the holidays are over, please consider leading a PEPS Group! We have new parents anxiously awaiting the start of their groups – if you remember how valuable your own PEPS experience was, please consider volunteering to lead a PEPS Group in West Seattle. PEPS provides the training and materials. You can also co-lead with a friend to divide up the time commitment! For more information, see our website, and/or contact our Volunteer Manager, Cate Palmer, directly at catep@peps.org. We would love to hear from you ASAP!
If you’ve ever wanted to check out the West Seattle Cooking Club – which was featured here last summer – but just couldn’t get to one of their Monday afternoon meeting, today might be your chance. 2 pm, Beveridge Place Pub. They’ll be choosing the “themes” for their next few months of meetings; today’s theme is Latin, according to the WSCC Facebook page.
New haircuts to start the New Year. That’s part of what volunteers organized by Vietnamese Cultural Center director Lee Bui brought to the “Nickelsville” encampment in West Seattle today, along with donated food and clothing. Above, Renton hairstylist Van; below, Nga Ngo:
Volunteers promised they’d return, after a Thanksgiving visit with free flu shots as well as food (WSB coverage here). Here’s most of today’s group:
While there, we also found a second group of volunteers, who came to the encampment to offer a New Year’s Day barbecue:
What the New Year will bring for Nickelsville isn’t clear, as their status on this city-owned land remains tenuous. Though Mayor McGinn said after the encampment’s return last spring that he didn’t plan to evict them as his predecessor had three years earlier, the city also is not moving toward granting a request for utility hookups, as discussed at last month’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting (WSB coverage here).
(Photo by Kevin McClintic: At right, John Burmaz with longtime client John Jardine)
The New Year will bring a big change for a West Seattle barber who’s heading out of the business after almost half a century. Today is the second-to-last day of barbering for John Burmaz, whose “significant other” Jeannette Eshom shares this announcement:
END OF AN ERA! John Burmaz of the Alki Style and Barber Shop at 5040 California Avenue SW (across from the Rite Aid drugstore) is retiring after 47 years of barbering in West Seattle. His last day of work is December 31, 2011.
John started barbering at George’s Barber Shop, across from the Admiral Theater, on August 25, 1964. One year later, George sold the barber shop and John worked for the new owners, Don Jahnke and Martin Picinich, for four years. On the 18th of March 1969, John bought a barber shop from Arthur Buffington, a retiring barber, on Alki Beach. He barbered in that location until the 12th of December 1989, when the building was sold to Pegasus Pizza. He relocated to his current location, barbering another 22 years.
John wishes to thank his customers, past and present, for all their support through the years. He will miss interacting with his customers. At 70 years of age, he plans to enjoy winters in Arizona and summers in Seattle, as well as traveling and enjoying visits with his children and grandchildren.
Customers won’t have to look far for another barber, as the Classic Barber Shop is taking over John’s shop on January 1, 2012.
Might be a hard act to follow; Kevin McClintic, who took the photo you see above while visiting John for one last haircut on Thursday, said the longtime barber told him that when things get busy, he can do five haircuts an hour!
Perry told the story of the Locks of Love donations made by his kids, Sanislo Elementary students, in the WSB Forums. Above is his son Jesse‘s “after” photo. Here’s “before”:
Perry explains:
He was in first grade and I had read somewhere that reading things other then books to kids can help them see the importance of reading so I’d share a WSB article with him if I thought he might like it. One of the first articles I shared with him was this one about 3 boys in a higher grade at Sanislo that donated their hair. He asked me some questions about why they were donating their hair and why other kids need a wig and I explained it to him and he said he wanted to grow his hair to donate as well. The longer hair has been a challenge for him because of baseball, soccer, and swimming. Now that he’s done it, he’s talking about growing it back to donate again.
And, Perry says, Jesse inspired his sibling:
His sister’s name is Jennie and she is in K at Sanislo. The photo of her was from the beginning of the school year. When she was getting her hair cut we asked her if she wanted a trim or to donate her hair like her brother is doing and she opted to donate.
You can find out more about donating at locksoflove.org; some hair salons offer free cuts for donors – check with your favorite.
From the West Seattle Eagles, who are mourning their Madam President, Linda Crank:
In Loving Memory of Linda Crank.
Please join us for a memorial service to honor Linda Crank, a friend, sister, colleague, and active volunteer in her community.
The service will be held at the West Seattle Eagles Hall on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm. The service will conclude with a potluck affair.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the charities that Linda supported: Stan Murray Kidney Fund or Breast Cancer.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Suzanne Gutierrez directly by phone (206.890.2461) or e-mail at k.suzannegutierrez@gmail.com
Fraternal Order of Eagles
West Seattle
Aerie/Auxiliary 2643
4426 California Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116
www.westseattleeagles.org
Random acts of holidayness! Thanks to Timothy for sharing video of the carolers who turned up in his neighborhood (Fairmount Park area) Friday night. (P.S. Not related to this that we know of, but from the WSB Holidays page, there are two scheduled caroling appearances in West Seattle today – 11 am-2 pm at California/Alaska in The Junction, and at Westwood Village, 11:30 am-1:30 pm.)
(Tonight’s photos/video by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
West Seattle residents Gary Elbaum (above left) and Todd Metter were part of a celebration tonight in Bellevue – in honor of a life they both helped save there back in October. It happened here:
(October 2011 photo courtesy Bellevue FD)
Elbaum, who works for T-Mobile on the Eastside, was one of three bystanders who sprung to action after 59-year-old Gary Farer suffered cardiac arrest while driving that day. He and one of the others, Dominic Dimino – a fellow T-Mobile worker he’d never met – explained tonight how it unfolded (Elbaum is on the left):
They and the third bystander-turned-rescuer, David Howe, who helped them get Farer out of his locked car, received the Citizens’ Award of Merit from Bellevue Fire Chief Michael Eisner tonight in a ceremony at Bellevue Fire Station 2.
Farer, the rescued man, was there too (on the left). Todd Metter’s role? He is a Bellevue paramedic and that day was a vital part of what they call the “Chain of Survival.” Farer received 45 minutes of continuous CPR, and yet, BFD says, “survived with no long-lasting neurologic deficits.”
Lois Baldwin lived a life of education – given and received – as well as creativity and adventure, as detailed in this remembrance shared by her niece, Vicki Burr-Chellin:
Lois Elaine Baldwin, former English teacher and guidance counselor at Evergreen High School from 1955-1976, died peacefully on December 11, 2011 in West Seattle.
Miss Baldwin was born on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1920 in Winlock, WA to Lee Ernest Baldwin and Yola Barrett Baldwin, both from pioneer families. (She claimed to love pumpkin pie because her mother had been eating pie on the day she was born.) The Baldwins moved to Oregon. where their father owned timber and operated a sawmill and their mother was a career public-school teacher, and they raised 4 children.
Miss Baldwin graduated high school in Cottage Grove, OR; she received her BA in Education from the University of Oregon, Eugene, OR (1944); and her MA in Education (English Literature) from the Colorado State College of Education at Greeley, CO (1955). She was a published poet and a student and teacher of Shakespeare. Her published poem in Poems of the Beaver State 1948, A Thanksgiving Prayer follows:
God
Grant that there be
Quietness
Within my soul,
I pray –
Calm, cool strength that
Lends a peace
To this – Thanksgiving Day.And – then – dear Lord,
Let there be
Love
And with it
Faith to know
That by this quality we live
And by this Truth
We grow.
Two schools are celebrating award-winning students’ arts achievements tonight. First, from Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor):
The photo showing some of the Explorer West seventh-graders in the drama program is from Amy, and the report of two student honorees is from Alice:
On Monday night, two seventh grade students from West Seattle’s Explorer West Middle School won prestigious awards from the ACT Theater Young Playwrights Program.
For the past ten weeks, EWMS seventh graders have been working with ACT Theater Young Playwrights Program in the schools. Across Seattle 400 students submitted plays, in hopes of their play being selected for a production at ACT Theater. EWMS was one of two middle schools invited to participate in a mostly high-school-based contest with sixteen schools in Puget Sound, The Young Playwrights Festival. The top 47 plays were honored with an honorable mention and eight were selected for a full production at ACT THeater.
Winning in the top eight was seventh-grade student and lifelong West Seattle resident, twelve-year-old Finnley Kafer for her play, “The Trial of the Wolf and the Three Little Pigs”. Her play will be produced March 15 through 17 at ACT Theater.
Earning an Honorable mention was seventh-grader Jackson Rockowitz for his play, “The Epic Story of Snuffles the Goat Farmer.”
Meantime, Chief Sealth International High School student Pazuzu Jindrich, 15, won a contest for her banner design commemorating Human Rights Day (which was December 10th).
The folks at PugetSoundOff.org held the contest and say Pazuzu was chosen the winner from among more than 125 entries! Listen to her explain it in this short video clip:
As you can see in the video – Pazuzu won a Kindle for her award-winning design.
No, that’s not a typo in our headline – when we stopped by CAPERS in The Junction just before musician Caspar Babypants and artist Kate Endle started their 11 am appearance, we asked about the order of events – music, then reading, then signing, or? “We’re singing the books,” they explained, “so it’s a book ‘singing,’ then a book ‘signing’.” We’ll add video of the singing part when we’re back at HQ. You can find out more about their new books “Bunny Rabbit in the Sunlight” and “My Woodland Wish” here – they’ll be at CAPERS till noon or so.
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Here’s the video, as promised. It begins with Caspar B explaining how he added the kids-music sideline to his rock ‘n’ roll career:
As Kate said in the comment section, pre-signed books are still available at CAPERS, among other items of hers.
Two weeks till Christmas! And while it seems the holidays are busy for everyone – imagine being part of your city’s best-known holiday production. More than a dozen West Seattle students, from a second-grader up to a 12-grader, are part of the Pacific Northwest Ballet‘s “Nutcracker“ this year, and in case you’re among the many people going to see it as its run continues through December 27th, we thought you’d like to know. From the list provided by PNB:
Calista Burke-Conte, “Small Servant,” Seattle Country Day School third-grader
Celeste Burke-Conte, “Infantry,” Seattle Country Day School sixth-graderKeegan Daley (above photo), “Toy Theater Boy,” Madison sixth-grader
Sebastian Fanucchi, “Infantry,” Sanislo fifth-grader
Nikolas Jordan, “Party Boy,” Westside School fourth-grader
Megan Kennedy, “Chinese,” The Center School twelfth-grader
Ailee Knauff, “Baby Mouse,” Lafayette second-grader
Carlin Kramer, “Fighting Mice Woman,” homeschooled/Running Start eleventh-grader
George Legler, “Little Boy,” Westside School second-grader
Vanessa Lincoln, “Tall Servant,” Seattle Country Day School seventh-grader
Benjohn Magcalas, “Toy Theater Boy,” West Seattle Elementary fourth-grader
Luchlan Munteanu, “Infantry,” Sanislo fifth-grader
Tayler Nguyen, “Little Boy,” Arbor Heights second-grader
Flynn Schuehle, “Tall Servant,” Seattle Girls School seventh-grader
Erica Schwartz, “Tall Servant,” McMurray-Vashon seventh-grader
Nathanlel Solis, “Fighting Mice Man,” West Seattle HS eleventh-grader
Fletcher Weld, “Toy Theater Boy,” Tilden School fifth-grader
PNB points out that you won’t see all of these students in every performance, as they have “two and a half casts” of participating children/teenagers. (P.S. Photo above was shared by Keegan Daley’s mom Sue – if you are a parent of any of the other West Seattleites in the cast, we’d be happy to add more photos – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!)
(September photo by Kevin McClintic)
Six months after its return to a city-owned site at West Marginal Way SW/Highland Park Way, the encampment that calls itself Nickelsville is in a sort of limbo – legal, and otherwise.
After the Highland Park Action Committee‘s meeting last night, following up on a discussion that began at its October meeting (as reported here), it seemed clear that the city does not currently intend to either:
*Evict the encampment
or
*Provide services (water/sewer/power hookups) that would make the site more habitable
You can watch the meeting yourself, if you’d like to see how it all played out:
Context for the meeting was a letter sent to the city by HPAC, as co-chairs Carolyn Stauffer and Billy Stauffer explained at the start of last night’s meeting. As the letter began, “In the past, our organization has been supportive of Nickelsville as a temporary situation. With news of this potentially becoming a permanent settlement, we have begun to hear a lot from our friends and neighbors.” HPAC says that the “burden of homelessness” should be shared with the rest of the city and suggests that this encampment, like others in the city, could switch sites every six months or so.
The issue drew a crowd to the meeting, including City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith, and Lisa Herbold from Councilmember Nick Licata‘s office.Read More
The family of West Seattleite Cheryl Colehour, who died a week ago at just 45, shares this remembrance, and news of her memorial service:
On November 30, 2011, West Seattle and the rest of the world lost Cheryl Colehour. She fought hard for the preceding 13 months against breast cancer, which ultimately metastasized to her liver.
Cheryl was a beautiful, talented, loving, fierce woman. Her strength and grace were exceeded only by her loving nature.
Cheryl was born and raised in Bellevue, attended college at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, and spent her adult years in Seattle – Capitol Hill, Beacon Hill, and ultimately in West Seattle for the last 12 years. Cheryl studied film and video in college and parlayed those skills into a career as an Instructional Designer. She was a skilled fiber artist as well, often gifting friends and family with her exquisite knitting and sewing projects.
Cheryl is survived by her husband Tom Humphreys and their two children, Clara Humphreys (10) and August Humphreys (3); her father and stepmother, Jeff and Beth Colehour; her sister, Julie Colehour (Mitchell), husband Don and children Jessica and Jeremy; her sister, Janelle Urfer, husband Scott and children Owen and Emma. She is preceded in death by her mother Vernal Colehour (Harkness).
Cheryl was unfortunate to have inherited the BRCA1 gene mutation, which creates an astronomical risk for cancer of the breast and ovaries. Her mother and grandmother succumbed to these cancers as well. Her aunt is a breast-cancer survivor. Cheryl was always willing to participate in whatever studies she could to increase medical understanding of these conditions. In that spirit, if you are moved to contribute in her memory, please consider the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance or The University of Washington Medical Center or Gilda’s Club Seattle.
A memorial will be held for Cheryl on January 21st, 2012, at 1:00 pm, Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 7141 California Ave SW. We will re-announce the memorial at a closer date as well.
Cheryl’s husband Tom also shares the link for this online memorial, which includes a guestbook.
Beyond what’s featured here on the WSB news page day in and day out, stories and opinions, rants and raves, requests and offers, are shared around the clock in the WSB Forums. We just read one that we thought you might like to read, in case you are not a frequent Forums visitor – a gift for a soldier, from a stranger, inside a local store. See it here.
For the first time since 1998, the SWAC Cougarettes cheer squad went to the big regional competition at Pacific Lutheran University last weekend, after a lot of hard work, reports Felicia, who shared the photo and a recap:
Coaches Alicia and Roxie were wonderful with these girls, and treated them like family. The girls practiced 3 times a week as well as cheering for all the games on Sundays from 8 am to sometimes 6 pm. Many of the other competing squads have a cheer squad for each of the football divisions. These kids worked so hard and even though they didn’t win a trophy, they deserve just as much hoopla. The thing that struck me was that these kids were sad for like a minute, but then were sincerely happy for the teams that placed, and thrilled to be in the moment. My daughter Chloe’s takeaway was that the experience itself was worth all the hard work. I’m sure each and every one of the families are as proud as I am of our girls and so grateful to Alicia & Roxie for their dedication!
Felicia says 9 teams competed, and a squad from Kent won the championship.
From her granddaughter Elizabeth Guzman:
Henrietta Ellen Henke, born December 31st, 1929, went to heaven on November 16th, 2011, surrounded by her loving husband of 61 years, Charles, and her family.
She is survived by her devoted husband Charles, her children Chuck (Sherry), Jeralee (James), and Steven (Kari), her seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Her funeral service is Monday, November 21st, 11:00 am, at Hope Lutheran Church. 4456 42nd Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98116. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Hope Lutheran School.
(WSB publishes obituaries at no charge; send text and photo to editor@westseattleblog.com)
West Seattleite Maria Federici sent word that her grandfather Robert (Bob) Abel died early today. She says longtime West Seattleites would remember him as vice president of Westside Federal Savings and Loan, which she says was located where Rocksport is now. Today also happened to be the 61st or 62nd anniversary of Mr. Abel’s marriage to wife Jorene, she notes, adding, “Thank you, West Seattle, for providing a lovely home base for my Grandpa.”
Known to many for her work at West Seattle High School, Carol Wakefield will be remembered at a memorial service next month. From her family:
Carol Lynn Wakefield 04/03/1948 ~ 11/01/2011
Carol Wakefield went home to be with the Lord on November 1, 2011. Carol touched many lives and will be fondly remembered.
Carol is survived by her son Scott, her sisters and their families: Cheryl, Ken, Russ and Ozzy, Sue, Ken, Heather, Kenny and Janelle.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on December 3rd, 2011, in the Banquet Room at West Seattle Golf Course, 4470 35th Ave SW.
Per the WSHS website, the school’s main office is accepting donations for flowers and a commemorative tree.
A momentous day for West Seattle’s highest-ranking politician, King County Executive Dow Constantine. As he would put it, this is the 12th time he is celebrating his 39th birthday. Do the math, and you’ll notice it’s one of those milestone things. Tonight, he partied at The Paramount downtown (check out the marquee); this morning, he celebrated in a quieter way, with volunteers from the West Seattle-based Nature Consortium, whose volunteers mark his birthday and half-birthday every year with a work party at College Street Ravine, a greenspace not far from his west Admiral neighborhood. (Helping save it is what got him into politics in the first place, the story goes.) Above, the birthday guy with the NC’s restoration director, who was also celebrating a milestone birthday today (let’s say her 13th eighteenth birthday!), Lili Alalla; below, some of the volunteers tackling invasives:
You can join a Nature Consortium work party at sites like this one just about any time – they’re usually out three times a week; find out more here.
From Prudential Northwest Realty, sent tonight by Barb Joseph:
With great sadness we report the passing of David Dean Smith, a longtime West Seattle and, more recently, Burien Realtor.
David died in the early morning hours of November 3, 2011.
David started his real estate career in March 1983 with Ron Turner Realty (later becoming Prudential Benton, then Prudential Northwest Realty Associates) in West Seattle and was still a very active broker with Prudential Northwest at the time of his death. David was known for his generous mentoring of new agents and caring friendship to so many of his fellow real estate associates.
Some of David’s many friends have arranged to get together to remember him Tuesday afternoon (November 15th) at 3 pm at Christos on Alki, 2508 Alki SW. Everyone is welcome.
Services will be held at 11 am on November 19th at Our Lady of Guadalupe School Auditorium in West Seattle at 3401 SW Myrtle.
Mr. Smith was 53 years old, according to his Seattle Times (WSB partner) obituary.
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