West Seattle, Washington
20 Wednesday
ORIGINAL REPORT, 4:30 PM: This year’s much-contested, much-discussed City Council races are intensifying – here are three reasons why:
FILING WEEK: By Friday, we’ll know who’s in and who’s out – it’s filing week, and candidates have to either pay a fee or submit signatures, to finalize their candidacy.
AT-LARGE CANDIDATES’ FORUM THURSDAY: We’ve been paying most election attention so far to the District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) City Council race – but you’ll also be voting on two at-large seats, Positions 8 and 9. So far, per the city website, six people are running for #8, including West Seattle resident David Trotter, and three for #9, including West Seattleites Alon Bassok and Lorena González. This Thursday (May 14th), three south-end groups including the 34th District Democrats are presenting a forum for the two at-large seats at the Georgetown campus of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor; 6737 Corson Avenue S.), 7 pm (with pre-forum mingling at 6:30).
TWO DISTRICT 1 FORUMS AHEAD: The District 1 field is back to 10 candidates listed on the city website; as previously reported here, two forums are scheduled before the month’s out, 6:30 pm Monday, May 18th, at Fauntleroy UCC Church, presented by the Westside Interfaith Network and League of Women Voters, and 7 pm Wednesday, May 27th, in South Park.
P.S. We had to look this up so thought we’d share – the rules for campaign-sign placement.
5:48 PM UPDATE: Another candidate – potentially the 11th, if everyone else on the list makes it official by end of day Friday – for District 1: Arturo Robles.
Not as summery today as it was over the weekend but we just checked the pool schedules because of this picture:
Jim Edwards sent the photo from Colman Pool on the Lincoln Park shore, where he says they’re “putting the finishing touches and doing the laser alignment on the pumps.” Less than two weeks now until Colman Pool’s first pre-season opening – May 23rd, which is also when Highland Park Spraypark opens. The wading pools open later (in West Seattle, June 27th for Lincoln Park, June 29th for Delridge, July 1st for E.C. Hughes and Hiawatha). Here’s the citywide wading-pool schedule (PDF, including the pools’ addresses); here’s the Colman Pool 2015 schedule (also a PDF).
(WSB file photo)
Exactly two months from now, we’ll be in the midst of West Seattle Summer Fest 2015 – Friday-Sunday, July 10-12, presented by the West Seattle Junction Association (with co-sponsors including WSB). Two notes today as we look ahead to West Seattle’s biggest event of the year:
SUMMER FEST MUSIC LINEUP: Due out tomorrow!
SUMMER FEST COMMUNITY TENT: It’s application time for West Seattle nonprofits and community groups interested in FREE space in the Community Tent. The Junction Association explains, “We will select groups who strive to benefit, strengthen, and educate our community.” Here’s what’s available:
Friday/Saturday: 4-hour slots
10 am – 2 pm, 2 pm – 6 pmSunday: 3-hour slots
11 am – 2 pm, 2 pm – 5 pmThe Community Tent will be located on Alaska St, east of California. Tent, tables, and chairs will be provided. Participants are encouraged to set up their table & area with displays which reflect their mission and contributions to the West Seattle Community. They are welcome to bring props, brochures and such, which will entice folks to stop and chat about their organization. NO SALES, PLEASE.
Interested neighborhood non-profits or community groups who would like to be a part of the Summer Fest Community Tent, please e-mail Jenelle by June 27th at jenelle@wsjunction.org.
(Monday midday image from Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce webcam, republished with permission)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 12:18 PM: In our update last night on the events surrounding the plan for Shell to bring its Arctic-offshore-drilling rigs (including Polar Pioneer, above, still in Port Angeles) to Terminal 5 in West Seattle, we described this as a “pivotal week.” And since that update last night, it’s become even more so: This morning, the federal government issued its approval for Shell’s revised plan to drill six wells in the Chukchi Sea this summer – read the announcement here. This comes just before the City Council is scheduled to vote during its 2 pm meeting today on this resolution expressing opposition to Arctic offshore drilling and asking the Port of Seattle to reconsider its lease with Foss bringing Shell vessels to T-5. (The Port Commission‘s meeting on lease-related issues is at 1 pm tomorrow.) Representing a coalition of anti-drilling groups, Earthjustice has reacted by saying, “The project Interior approved today is bigger, dirtier, and louder than any previous plan, calling for more sound disturbances and harassment of whales and seals, more water and air pollution, and more vessels and helicopters. It also runs the risk of a catastrophic oil spill that could not be cleaned in Arctic waters.”
3:33 PM UPDATE: The City Council passed the aforementioned resolution unanimously. City Councilmember Mike O’Brien said it’s not possible to just abruptly stop using oil, but “a just transition” must be worked on; Councilmember Kshama Sawant, whose amendment to the resolution also won unanimous approval, said that while the jobs created by the drilling-related work are important, the more important issue is that of oil executives’ profits – she accused them of “hoodwinking” people into thinking it’s the environment vs. jobs. And Councilmember Nick Licata said the environment is “changing rapidly” and a resolution like this is a “small step” toward action to try to slow that rate of change. The comment period before their deliberation and vote included Alaskan Natives who had come from areas close to the prospective drilling zone to express their support for Shell.
(WSB photo from May 6th levy-revision announcement)
What’s in it for West Seattle? The next discussion of the revised city transportation levy is set for this Wednesday at the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly lunch meeting, 11:30 am at The Kenney (WSB sponsor). City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, seen in our photo (above) speaking at last week’s announcement, will be there with at least one SDOT rep, updating the proposal announced last week. Today’s your last chance to register at the earlybird price, $25 members/$35 nonmembers – sign up here.
(Male American Goldfinch, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
A new week! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP: 1-3 pm, it’s the twice-monthly meeting of this group at Providence Mount St. Vincent – info in our calendar listing. (4831 35th SW)
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: 6:30 pm on the second Monday means it’s time for the NDNC to meet, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
PLANT-IDENTIFICATION WALK: Been to “Soundway Park“? That’s the site of tonight’s free 6:30 pm plant-identification walk with the Nature Consortium. Check to see if there’s room (if there isn’t sign up for a future hike!). Meet at the trailhead. (14th/Holly)
AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR? 6:30 pm, weekly on-air “meeting” for the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club – featured here on Sunday. Info for tonight (and every Monday):
The West Seattle Amateur Radio Club (WSARC) weekly net @ W7AW Repeater, 441.800, input +5, tone 141.3. Echolink and IRLP are also available -see westseattlearc.org for more info. The repeater is located at High Point.
EVENING BOOK GROUPS: Both meet at 6:45 pm, all welcome. At Southwest Library, they’re reading “Zeitoun” by Dave Eggers; at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, they’re reading the 2015 Seattle Reads book.
DENNY PTSA MEETING: 7 pm, the Denny International Middle School PTSA meets in the school library. (2601 SW Kenyon)
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning – so far, no trouble reported in or from our area.
POST-COMMUTE ALERT: Work that started over the weekend in the outer lane of the eastbound West Seattle Bridge is scheduled to continue today and tonight; here’s the SDOT schedule.
Transportation issues were at centerstage during this month’s Southwest District Council meeting, which had a few agenda changes from what had been announced in advance.
DON ARMENI BOAT RAMP PARKING: SWDC heard first from Paul Hage, who is opposed to the new non-boater-parking crackdown at Don Armeni. We reported on this in April; the city insists it’s not a change in policy, but rather, stepped-up enforcement.
With construction winding down at Spruce, the mixed-use project that filled what for years was “The Hole,” the sidewalk along 39th SW is open and that provides a view of the plaza on what is actually a bit of city parkland along the corner where Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th meet. At the heart of the plaza, art by Lezlie Jane, the West Seattle artist whose creations grace other spots including Constellation, Cormorant Cove, Weather Watch, and Dakota Place Parks.
We first reported her role in this project when the “public benefit” package for Spruce – required because it includes an “alley vacation” – went to the Seattle Design Commission in December 2012. You can see the concept for the “medallion” in our coverage of the meeting, and how it’s turning out, above, and below in our quick walkaround captured in a 15-second Instagram video clip (we focused on the wording around its perimeter, which includes an explanation of the bear, if you don’t know that part of West Seattle history on sight):
Our visit to the site this afternoon was inspired by the announcement of next Tuesday’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting – JuNO director René Commons mentioned it while saying the group will talk about the mini-park’s future, as well as other public/green space issues, at 6:30 pm Tuesday, at the Senior Center of West Seattle.
West Seattle’s only all-coworking space, WS Office Junction (WSB sponsor), has a deal for you this week:
The Office Junction is open free to the public to try coworking, Monday, May 11 – Friday, May 15, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. RSVP required at wsofficejunction@gmail.com.
Tired of working in coffee shops? Need to get out of the house? Looking for a friendly professional place to get some work done? The Office Junction has a desk waiting for you with free high-speed WiFi, free refreshments, color printer, conference room, great people and more! Book a time, then show up with your laptop and discover how coworking is redefining independence.
Whether you do or don’t take advantage of that deal, WS Office Junction has another offer:
Looking for a chance to network, meet new people or explore new ideas? The Office Junction is hosting a broad variety of events, meetups and workshops this month. See our event calendar at wsofficejunction.com/calendar.html for more information.
Office Junction is at 6040 California SW, north of Morgan Junction.
This week promises to be pivotal in the ongoing controversy over and scrutiny of the plan for two Shell-leased drill rigs to come to the Port of Seattle‘s Terminal 5 in West Seattle before heading to the Arctic Ocean.
One of those rigs, the drillship Noble Discoverer, took an unexpected – at least to observers – turn this weekend.
As noted here Thursday, Noble Discoverer is expected to stop in Everett this week. Foss Maritime has indicated that the city of Seattle’s suggestion that it’s not coming here is inaccurate, so the expectation is that it would then proceed to T-5.
We’ve been checking online vessel tracker MarineTraffic.com relatively often for any signs of the drillship coming into range – it was last “seen” by tracking signal when it was off Honolulu two weeks ago (at which time, it’s since been revealed, it failed a Coast Guard inspection).
Looking at MT very early this morning, we noticed Noble Discoverer had been in tracking range for a while starting Saturday morning, approaching the entrance to the Strait of Juan De Fuca – but then disappeared from tracking. Almost concurrently, we received a note from Robert, pointing to this online observation with a few more specifics, showing that the ship had turned around and gone back out of tracking range. Here’s what MT’s records show:
MT tracking doesn’t pick up until relatively close to the coast, so we don’t know quite where the drillship is now – just that it’s out of range, shown as having been last “seen” at 2:43 am today (our time) sailing away from the Washington coast, about 18 hours after it had become visible while sailing toward it.
Meantime, Shell’s other drill rig, the platform Polar Pioneer, has now spent three weeks in Port Angeles (where this webcam points toward it around the clock); here in Seattle, the Port Commission takes up the T-5 lease/city interpretation situation in public session Tuesday afternoon, and opponents of offshore Arctic drilling plan a series of protests here in (and off) West Seattle starting later in the week, culminating in an early-morning march from Harbor Island to T-5 one week from tomorrow .
One month from today, you’re invited to join the Senior Center of West Seattle in celebrating its former longtime leader, Karen Sisson. Sent tonight by center board member Sandie Wilkinson:
We will be celebrating the retirement party for Karen Sisson after her 25 years as Executive Director of the Senior Center of West Seattle. It will be held at the Senior Center on June 10th from 5 to 8 PM and the community is welcome to come by and wish her the best. The theme of the party is Gone Boating, since she and her husband will be spending more time on their boat now that she is retired.
During the retirement party Dow Constantine will be helping us to dedicate the building housing, and owned by, the Senior Center as the Sisson Building at 7 PM.
We are also excited to announce that on June 8th the Seattle City Council will be meeting to vote on a Proclamation declaring June 10th as Karen Sisson Day; we encourage our community to join the meeting as well.
Family and friends will gather Friday (May 15th) to remember Margaret Skube, who died in February at age 60. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community:
Margaret Ann Skube passed away on February 27th, 2015, surrounded by her family.
She was born in West Seattle on October 10, 1954 to Galina and Noel (Cam) Skube. She attended Alki Elementary and Madison Junior High, and graduated from West Seattle High School with the class of 1972.
After working as a cook on cargo ships to Alaska with Western Pioneer for many years, she moved to Stanwood, WA, where she raised her daughter Calley.
Calley and her husband, Lane, blessed Margaret by giving her three beautiful grandchildren, Adalynn, Fionnegan, and Gillian. They were the light of her life.
Margaret will be remembered for her love of life, willingness to try just about anything, and for living her life at 100% in all she did. Margaret loved to garden, cook, swim, and to play games. She loved to travel, meet people, and to learn new things. She lived her life just the way she wanted to and always hoped for a better day. She certainly had her own sense of style, and always brought a change of clothes, since “anything could happen.” She was a fun-loving, positive, and hopeful woman.
Besides her daughter’s family, she leaves behind her dad, Cam, her niece Elle, and nephew Seth. She was preceded in death by her mother Galina and her brother Peter. She will be deeply missed by her many friends and her beloved Beaver Damn Campout girlfriends.
Her celebration of life will be Friday afternoon, May 15, 2015 from 11:00 – 2:00 at the Lakewood Seward Park Community Club, 4916 S. Angeline St.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Last night, reporting on two West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs participating in a citywide preparedness drill, we mentioned amateur-radio operators’ involvement. A new member of the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club board recently offered this story about who they are, what they do, and how you can get involved; this seems like the perfect time to publish it.
(West Seattle ARC photo – board members, from left: Secretary Lance Rasmussen, K7LER; board position 2, Tom Saunders, N7OEP; vice president Curt Black, WR5J; board position 1, Kayla Ware, KG7PJW; president Ken Iverson, AB7X; board position 3, Jim Edwards, WS7JIM; not pictured, treasurer Dave Hillier, AF7CW)
By Jim Edwards
WS7JIM
Special to West Seattle Blog
For those who remember Grandpa down in the basement with a set of headphones on, turning a big radio dial, and think that’s what Amateur Radio is, you’re not alone. But in fact, it is a wide-ranging hobby. If you want to hide in the basement, and do that … it’s still an option. But it’s so much more, that anyone can find an area of interest to explore.
When I got into Amateur radio, I did it for the purpose of expanding the communications available to the West Seattle Parade Committee. With small UHF radios, club members are able to communicate with each other through the club repeater located on a City of Seattle tower near the High Point water tanks. I quickly learned that the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club (WSARC) has one of the best-placed repeaters in the city.
The West Seattle Parade route – at one and a half miles, with a large hill in the middle and increasingly taller buildings lining the street – makes it a difficult situation for radio. Seafair Parade Marshals and the radio club that supports the Seafair Parade Marshals struggle with this growing problem each year. WSARC came to the parade committee a couple years ago with an offer to help. The radio net they set up spans the entire parade route, and helps to bring together all of this communication. I wanted to be a part of that, so I studied and got my license.
There are three levels of licensing in Amateur Radio. Each level opens up more of the radio spectrum reserved for Amateur Radio. Each level requires a greater understanding of radio operation, and the electrical know-how to not get yourself in trouble. The three levels are Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. When I took my General test, one of the youngest members of the WSARC club was also updating her license to General. At 9 years old, she managed to complete the test in half the time it took me. And her two older sisters did it even faster.
What can you do with a radio license? A huge part of the hobby is emergency preparedness. Honing those radio skills is why you go out and volunteer at events like the West Seattle Parade. But beyond that, the hobby has much more, such as:
HF radio: Talking to contacts around the world, for fun, or in contests. You can do this with voice, Morse code, or digital formats. You can bounce signals off the atmosphere, a passing satellite, communicate with the International Space Station, even bounce a signal off the moon.
UHF / VHF: Usually short-range communication, but can be extended with repeaters. With a computer connected to the radio, you can send messages and pictures digitally. With APRS you can set up a radio-based tracking system.
Echolink and IRLP: Through an application on a cell phone or computer, a licensed Amateur can broadcast on radio repeaters around the world via the internet.
Mesh networks: Licensed Amateurs can build their own WiFi computer networks that encompass entire neighborhoods.
You can participate with the Seattle Auxiliary Communication Service. You can help out with West Seattle Be Prepared in disaster preparedness. On any night of the week you can tune into radio nets across the city. You can help produce events like The West Seattle Parade, or any of the Seafair parades around the city. The list of events is endless. The level of expertise varies with the many events. The bottom line is, there is something for everyone.
To get into the hobby, you need to take a FCC test. From time to time, WSARC holds training classes to help you prepare for those tests. And they also have the certified personnel to give the tests too. The filing fee for the test is $15, and the license is good for 10 years. And no, you don’t need to learn Morse Code. The costs of the hobby vary, depending what you want to do. But you can get started with a handheld UHF/VHF radio, for under $50. Currently the FCC shows more than 330 Licensed Amateur operators in the West Seattle area alone.
Membership in the West Seattle ARC is $12 a year. We meet weekly on the air on Mondays at 6:30 PM using the club repeater, W7AW. Each month we gather for breakfast on the 3rd Sunday (this month, that’s May 17th) at 9:30 am, at Young’s Restaurant at 9413 16th Ave SW, just a half block north of Roxbury.
If you would like more information, you can send your inquiries to info@westseattlearc.org.
What was on the 911 log as an “aid response” – usually a minor-injury incident – early this morning turns out to have been a stabbing in the Westwood Village area, report Seattle Police:
Seattle Police and King County Deputies arrested a man Sunday who fled following a 4 AM stabbing … An employee of a restaurant in the 2500 block of SW Barton St. was attacked and stabbed twice, once in the chest and once in the head, before the 23-year-old suspect fled on foot.
A Seattle K-9 officer tracked the suspect toward an area in unincorporated King County and called King County Deputies for assistance. Deputy Cueva found the suspect at 25 Ave. SW and SW 100th St. where he was taken into custody without incident.
The employee suffered non-life threatening injuries and was treated and released at the scene. Officers located a four-inch folding blade knife at the scene. Officers have booked the suspect into King County Jail for investigation of Assault.
Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo and update:
The goslings along Harbor Ave are growing up fast and are almost a month old now. One of the original three disappeared a few days ago but they were joined by a family with 5 others late last month. Looks like that will probably be all for this year.
David also shared a photo here in April (there, you’ll also see links to his lovely gosling photos from previous years).
Beach-ing or boating today? We start with two views from our summery Saturday – above, Rebecca shared the view from Argosy’s Goodtime II passing Alki en route back from Blake Island and below, from Upper Alki, JayDee caught a view of the Seattle Yacht Club‘s regatta before, according to its website, it was abandoned due to “light air”:
(Click either image for a larger view.) Now, on to our calendar highlights for the day ahead – whether you’re celebrating Mother’s Day or just the second day of the weekend:
POST-GARAGE SALE DAY DONATIONS: Until 11 am, Clothes for the Cause collection continues at Alki Elementary (3010 59th SW); 10 am-3 pm, Stop n Shop at the Senior Center of West Seattle is taking dropoffs on the alley in back (SW Oregon just east of California SW); for details and other ongoing donation sites, see our big list.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Flowers, treats, all manner of freshness. 10 am-2 pm in The Junction. (44th/Alaska)
FLASH MOTHER’S DAY SALE: Shop local with/for Mom! 40 percent off at The General Store Seattle (WSB sponsor), in person or online. Open 10-7 today. (3400 Harbor SW)
TAKE MOM TO THE MUSEUM: Noon-4 pm, regular hours at the home of West Seattle’s history, the Log House Museum. (61st/Stevens)
‘ANGRY HOUSEWIVES’: 3 pm at ArtsWest Playhouse (WSB sponsor) – almost sold out as of our check moments ago, but go here to see if tickets are available. (4711 California SW)
JEREMY SERWER: 3-5 pm, Jeremy Serwer performs folk/Americana music live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor); no cover. (5612 California SW)
LADIES MUSICAL CLUB: 3 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library – “Join us for a Mother’s Day concert featuring music by Schumann, Granados, Bernstein and a U.S. premiere of Alfred Tokayer.” Free. (2306 42nd SW)
This weekend’s Highway 99 closures north of downtown are over; not only is that mentioned briefly as an update to this alert, we can attest to it firsthand, having just had to drive to Green Lake and back. Meantime, the eastbound high bridge lane closure of which SDOT warned the other day IS under way, closing the outside lane between the Delridge onramp and the crest of the high rise.
They’re not quite burning the midnight oil, but close. Local emergency-preparedness volunteers will be in view at Ercolini Park west of The Junction and Hiawatha Playfield (above) in Admiral until about 10 pm tonight as part of a citywide drill. We stopped at both before sunset. The drill scenario: A BIG quake, with the Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hubs on Day 3, working to communicate information and procure help. Listen in to a snippet from Hiawatha:
We listened in for a bit at Ercolini too:
Ham-radio operators are on site at each participating hub this time for the first time, according to West Seattle Be Prepared.
Volunteers of all ages were welcome, and were assigned roles including “greeter” and “message taker” all to be ready just in case the unthinkable happens and the hubs have to be set up because other ways of communication aren’t working:
That was the whiteboard at Hiawatha, which we visited a while after our stop at Ercolini:
While these were the only two hubs “activated” for tonight’s drill, West Seattle has ten others – check this map to find the one closest to you:
And learn more about the hubs at westseattlebeprepared.org.
As promised: Here’s why the Seafair Pirates turned up in the middle of our West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day coverage (9th photo). We were out photographing sales when a tip caused us to change course and set sail for Don Armeni Boat Ramp, where the Pirates were arriving for their annual photo shoot – Moby Duck and all.
It won’t be long until they’re back, this time arriving by sea – the annual Seafair Pirates Landing at Alki Beach is only seven weeks from today, on Saturday, June 27th.
You’ll also see them in the West Seattle Grand Parade on Saturday, July 18th. And you never know when and where else … keep a weather eye on the horizon (or, at least, your rear-view mirror)!
Lots of kindhearted people out and about on West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, with benefit sales and post-sale donations. The generosity includes what these kids did, setting up shop along California SW in Gatewood to sell lemonade and treats to help earthquake survivors in Nepal!
They were only out for three hours this morning but they were able to raise $180 for Nepal SEEDS, according to Sandy, who shared the photos afterward, explaining that their friend Cris Miller, a West Seattleite, is on the group’s board, and that Nepal SEEDS is “in major fundraising mode to assist in earthquake relief and re-building in the villages they work in.”
If you’re a seller with leftovers and you’d rather donate them than bring them back in the house – or, if you just happen to have stuff you don’t want – we have a list of organizations hoping to reap some benefits from the aftermath of the biggest West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day ever. Here’s the list – from that list, who’s collecting RIGHT NOW:
BOOKS FOR WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Look for the truck and the sign until 6 pm today across from Junction True Value (44th/Edmunds); other donation places and times are on the list.
SENIOR CENTER’S STOP ‘N’ SHOP: On the alley at California/Oregon behind the Senior Center of West Seattle, until 7 pm tonight, again 10 am-3 pm on Sunday, donate your re-sellable items.
NORTHWEST CENTER: The Big Blue Truck is at 44th/Edmunds until 6:30 pm today. Here’s what they do and don’t take.
ALKI ELEMENTARY ‘CLOTHES FOR THE CAUSE’: You can drop off donations at Alki Elementary School until 8 pm tonight – there’s a small window tomorrow too. (3010 59th SW)
*The Tool Library and Holy Rosary’s donation drive are going until 4 pm today – again, check for other dates/times by going here.
LINKS: Web map here * Printable list/map here * Benefit sales here * Donation drives here
FIRST UPDATE, 9 AM: Good morning! Our as-it-happens coverage of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2015 is under way. You never know what you’ll find – check out what we discovered (above and below) when we checked out setup at multi-seller Sale #21, C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW)
We’re on the road stopping by sales for photos while WSCGSD continues until 3 pm. Unusual items? Unusual happenings? Send pics to garagesale@westseattleblog.com.
Sale #5 in Arbor Heights gets most creative signage so far. 3554 SW 110th pic.twitter.com/CjDzMgJsZ8
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 9, 2015
9:13 AM: We’re starting in the south – more sales this year in Arbor Heights than before (of course, overall, we have more sales than ever before – the recordsetting 340+ is up 25% from last year). Above, the #DUH is for Sale #5, which is swarmed, and billed on another pole as “PLEASE BUY OUR STUFF.” (added) Sale hosts, Kerry and Steve:
Next, we’re headed to Sale #15 at Arbor Heights Adult Family Home (10842 35th SW), with proceeds benefiting the NW Parkinson’s Foundation:
9:27 AM UPDATE: Another benefit sale just sent a photo – Sale #46 at Dance! West Seattle, on the north side of the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (4320 SW Director St.):
They note, “We’ve got costumes, toys, clothes, and a bake sale.” Next, a photo from Katie at Sale #322:
Katie says, “Sale happening at 4127 49th Ave Sw (dead-end block of 49th off Dakota) is selling plants to raise money for the Children’s Garden. Stop by!” Next, we stopped by Sale #91 to say hi to Allison in High Point:
She is at 2812 SW Graham. Note that the map software seems to have trouble with High Point, so be extra-sure to go by street addresses, not just map markers.
HOUR 2 BEGINS, 10:04 AM: We’re in the Alki area after getting a tip about a Seafair Pirates sighting.
More on that later. En route now to Sale #282, the northernmost sale on the map. When they advertised an old Hotpoint range, they REALLY meant “old”:
That sale is at a beach cottage on Duwamish Head, at 1258 Alki SW. From the mailbox, Jill says, “Come say hi to Huck at Sale #197!”
Jill and Huck are at 4048 56th Ave SW. Which reminds us that the hosts of Sale #320 at 3278 41st Ave SW invite you to come meet their bunny.
10:26 AM: We’re at West Seattle High School, Sale #270 on the map, which is having a benefit sale to raise money for Grad Night, a fun time that helps make sure seniors survive the night after graduation.
Perhaps you’d be interested in a classic West Seattle 5K T-shirt?
This year’s race, by the way (co-sponsored by WSB), is one week from tomorrow – Sunday, May 17th, 9 am, on Alki. Meantime, from the mailbox, Susan sends a photo from Sale #159:
Remember, you can click on any line on the list at the right side of the online map, and that’ll open a bubble with the address AND description. Susan’s description also mentions tools and exercise equipment.
11:02 AM UPDATE: Hour #3 of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day is under way. Our most-recent stops include the West Seattle Tool Library, which is on the north side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge (4408 Delridge Way SW):
On the map, the Tool Library is Sale #335. And they’re accepting donations as well as selling items – the award-winning WSTL, in fact, launched several years ago with tools in part procured during WSCGSD.
Kiley is with Furry Faces Foundation at the @hotwirecoffee courtyard for WSCGSD. Hot dogs, muffins, popcorn! pic.twitter.com/zDTiMVJhfa
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 9, 2015
11:30 AM: We’re in The Junction. Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) is the biggest multi-seller site every WSCGSD, with dozens of sellers who also spill into the Ginomai parking lot across the alley to the east – Sale #183. It’s also steps away from the West Seattle Eagles‘ Auxiliary sale to the south – Sale #182 (4426 California SW). Can’t miss the sign!
This is an outdoor AND indoor sale:
Also in The Junction:
In the newly improved parking lot at the Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds), it’s Sale #300, hosted by Amethyst Chapter #138, Order of Eastern Star. And from the mailbox – Sara says Sale #347 “is off to a good start”:
She’s at 2201 SW Holden. Back to the west, at 6040 California SW:
Garage Sale Day at the OJ, 1000+ items, electronics, toys, kitchen, books, DVDs @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/lRdvJaTASK
— OfficeJunction (@OfficeJunction) May 9, 2015
West Seattle’s only co-working space, WS Office Junction (free all next week, by the way – look for more on that later), is on the map too – Sale #77.
12:29 PM: We’re halfway through Hour 4 already. Had to stop down for lunch – options abound (in addition to the F3-benefit hot dogs at Hotwire, mentioned above) – we went to West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), which happens to be having one of its spring/summer benefit barbecues today, burger or hot dog, chips, drink, proceeds to fight MS. And on the west side of the Thriftway lot, you’ll find Sale #71, which is a lemonade/bake sale and donation drive for Pathfinder K-8 (more details here):
Not far south of there, at Sale #97 in Gatewood, via e-mail:
Writes Christine, “Cooper is welcoming shoppers at 6741 38th Ave SW! A secretary desk and dining by table and chairs are hoping to find a new home.” Continuing south to Westwood:
@westseattleblog set up at spot 106, 32nd Ave! #westseattle #garagesale pic.twitter.com/O7CcvLS6bc
— B-Rex (@monkeylatina) May 9, 2015
The tweet is from Sale #106 at 8633 32nd SW. Another tweet, from east of The Junction:
Moving to SF, CA Spot 102 #WestSeattleGarageSale @westseattleblog 4853 37th Ave SW – pic.twitter.com/d9DSb942JR
— Laura0419 (@laura0419) May 9, 2015
Lots of moving sales today, and that’s one of ’em, Sale #102 at 4853 37th SW. Meantime, an indoor sale if you want to get out of the sun for a few – including cooking pots, drink glasses, more:
Who needs pots! @westseattleblog Garage Sale at American Legion 3618 SW Alaska street pic.twitter.com/1XRCe5EebF
— Robin Eckstein (@RobinEckstein) May 9, 2015
Sale 109 is in The Triangle, 3618 SW Alaska, American Legion Post 160/West Seattle Veteran Center (look for the cannon out front).
1:17 PM UPDATE: Hour 5! We’re back on the road, headed first to Highland Park – saw a sign promising an “epic sale” at 12th/Othello, and we believe that’ll be Sale #329. … And indeed it was.
“10 years in the making!” as the sign said:
We then found the sign for Sale #332, easternmost sale on our map, in the remote eastern reaches of Highland Park:
Easternmost sale – sale 332 – 7343 7th Pl pic.twitter.com/T9HKlMI7Cx
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 9, 2015
Also in Highland Park – two sales just a block apart, Sale #327 at 15th/Trenton:
And uphill to the east, Sale #350 at 14th/Trenton:
Checking the mailbox – Sale #42 relocated to 40th and Morgan, 6351 40th Ave SW to be specific – “Lots of kids’ stuff, vintage Pendleton blankets and, of course, lemonade!”
The lemonade’s a good idea – it’s getting hot out here. (For Seattle in May, anyway.) Just saw someone walk by with an umbrella … for shade! Also from the mailbox, in the Alki area, Elle is at Sale #295, 2485 55th SW:
She says, “I’m the only one on my street but I’ve got some goodies! Several 3/$1, 2/$5, 3/$5 etc. Accepting best offers as we are moving.”
2 PM UPDATE: Last hour, already – did you see Alison, an independent consultant with Thirty-One Gifts, when you stopped by C & P? If not, go back!
She’s having a gift certificate giveaway and is independently registered as Sale #87 (5612 California SW, out front of C&P). Meantime, we’re also hearing from shoppers:
Karen sent that photo and noted, “This is the haul my son found at his first garage sale of the day.”
2:45 PM UPDATE: We made one last stop, the Delta Kappa Gamma benefit sale at 8436 Fauntleroy Way SW, across from Lincoln Park:
And we just received this via e-mail, from Lee at Sale #174, 4420 46th SW:
Good day so far! Had an middle school friend show up! (pic attached)
Planning on selling until 4:30-5 with another sale tomorrow. I left a box with jewelry inside on accident, so that’s new here. Also still some musical equipment, tables, board games and records for sale. Met a lot of neighbors. Phew! What a day!
That’s what we always love to hear each year – WSCGSD giving neighbors a chance to see each other face to face. It’s been a beautiful day; thanks to all the sellers and shoppers. Now it’s the afterparty … a boon for local nonprofits accepting donations of leftovers (or items non-sellers want to donate) … separate story to come. Since West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day is always on the second Saturday in May, next year it will be May 14, 2016.
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