West Seattle, Washington
14 Tuesday
At midday today, West Seattle’s Fire Station 36 in North Delridge welcomed visitors to an open house with tours of its upgrades and renovations:
The station recently reopened after about nine months of work – read more about it here – during which time Station 36’s crews were temporarily stationed at a spot off Harbor Avenue SW. Among those on hand today, Fire Chief Gregory Dean:
And history, courtesy of the Last Resort Fire Department:
The next West Seattle fire station to relocate for an upgrade is Station 32 in The Junction, which will be demolished and rebuilt on its current site; during the project, that station will be temporarily relocated to city-owned property on 40th SW across from the Masonic Center.
10:17 AM: Again today, we start with the SDOT traffic camera facing north on California at Alaska – right over our HQ at the Info Booth in the heart of West Seattle Summer Fest, where Day 2 continues until 8 pm (with music running later). Here’s the basic Summer Fest map:
We’ll be updating live throughout the day – with this report continuing until we launch the day’s second live chronicle at mid-afternoon. (If major/breaking West Seattle news happens, we’ll of course cover that too.) Festival music starts at noon with reggae band Two-Story Zori. Festival quicklinks are in our daily preview, for starters. More to come!
10:44 AM: Need a tote bag? Stop by the west side of the Info Booth, where Karen and Deb from the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network also have some tchotchkes courtesy of the Seattle Police Foundation – hundreds of tote bags, coloring books, and more. Also in the booth with us today are volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle. Meantime, local businesses are having sidewalk sales again today, all along the festival grounds – at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), just north of Alaska on the east side of California SW, the hammock’s the thing this weekend:
Click! co-proprietors Frances and John Smersh are in the photo (taken on Day 1), demonstrating. When you’re not resting – maybe you’re on the run. If so, be sure you have signed up for the Float Dodger 5K, preceding the West Seattle Grand Parade one week from today:
West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) is presenting the Float Dodger 5K this year – it benefits the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society – and signing up participants at their Summer Fest booth. Later in the summer, it’s the Alki Beach 5K, benefiting Northwest Hope and Healing, and you can sign up for that at Summer Fest too – here’s the temp tattoo sported by NWHH’s Shari Sewell:
11:29 AM: Teri Ensley of Furry Faces Foundation, which is in the Community Tent today – actually a double-canopied area against the south wall of Easy Street Records at California/Alaska – has a plea for pet owners, given the heat advisory for today:
Please leave your dog(s) at home, in a cool place, with lots of available water. Leaving them in a car, can kill them. Walking them on concrete can burn the pads of their feet…if the concrete is too hot for our bare feet–it’s too hot for theirs. Lastly, keep your dogs out of the sun when you are walking them—they can suffer from heat exhaustion because they are wearing a fur coat.
Here’s who you will find in the Community Tent today – meet local community groups’ reps, find out more about what they do:
10 am-2 pm
Environmental Science Center
SSCC Parent Education Program
West Seattle Be Prepared
Furry Faces Foundation2 pm -6 pm
West Seattle Community Orchestras
Seal Sitters
34th District Democrats
Furry Faces Foundation
Here are Cindi Barker and Sharonn Meeks from West Seattle Be Prepared (go ask them questions about your nearest Emergency Communication Hub!):
WSCO is bringing its Instrument Petting Zoo – don’t miss that this afternoon.
Meantime, a couple of visitors this past quarter-hour at the Info Booth – Pete Spalding, who’s on his way to volunteer at the West Seattle Food Bank booth (photo added above – don’t miss their raffle!), had a few updates about Delridge Day, which he’s helping organize, August 9th – looks like the “Picnic at the Precinct” SPD features will be combined with the festival again this year, and also, there’ll be a Delridge Day Eve outdoor movie on Friday, August 8th – “The Lego Movie.” Stay tuned for more details on that. Also saying hi, City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – first politician/elected official we’ve seen this Summer Fest.
And reps from West Seattle Hi-Yu – don’t miss their float, and a chance to buy a Hi-Yu button for just $1 to support the festival – on SW Alaska just east of California, near Junction Plaza Park.
12:57 PM: A snippet of Instagram video of today’s first band, Two-Story Zori:
Just about to start on the stage (north of SW Oregon), Sundae + Mr. Goessel, described as “a spirit reminiscent of 1930s pop.” We just returned from another stroll in that direction – noticed the Windermere sidewalk setup has a mister keeping passersby cool:
First mist-er we've seen at #wssummerfest – Windermere on the sidewalk, Calif east side btwn Oregon & Alaska pic.twitter.com/oQAhZH8eII
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) July 12, 2014
Today, almost every eatery on California SW has an outdoor area set up just for Summer Fest, even ones that don’t have outdoor seating otherwise. So along with the official “food court” area stretching along the south side of SW Alaska east of California – all the way to the corner of 42nd – lots of other options. We noticed that Pagliacci Pizza just north of SW Oregon is offering slices, something not usually on their West Seattle menu.
1:44 PM: Another local business that’s all in for Summer Fest, CAPERS, is grabbing attention on the sidewalk with the West Seattle T-shirt made famous by Eddie Vedder:
Don’t miss GreenLife at the southwest end of the festival zone, presented by Sustainable West Seattle in the parking lot north of Technical Analysis, with a full schedule of demonstrations and a few performances. One that was a hot ticket last year is back at 4 pm today – backyard beer making! (Update: just found out at 2:36 pm that the workshop has been canceled.) Speaking of hot … imagine having to wear a big furry costume in this weather:
Those two were wandering to promote the Sasquatch! music festival.
2:38 PM UPDATE: Other places that will be happy to “mist” you – as well as meet you – the West Seattle Fabric Company booth, for one:
And a reminder that if you are here with a baby and/or toddler and need a place to nurse, change diapers, otherwise get out of the crowd – the Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) booth by NW Art and Frame on the west side of California between Alaska and Edmunds is one place, as is City Mouse Studio and Store at 4218 SW Alaska. Meantime, we’ll be launching the day’s second round of coverage around the top of the hour, after a non-festival-related story or two.
West Seattle Crime Watch reader report today from Kallie:
My boyfriend’s car was broken into on 39th Ave SW, near 39th and Forest, last night. His laptop bag (with laptop) and gym bag were stolen out of the car. Unfortunately we believe the car may have been unlocked. We found the duffle with everything, including a $20 bill, besides his Levi jeans and polo tshirt around the corner on the sidewalk. Additionally we found some papers from his work bag on the sidewalk a half block up. Nothing else was taken out of the car and based in what they left behind I’m thinking it was some a–hole kids who were on foot. They left a half-drank bottle of pineapple vodka in my front lawn as well, which is covered in fingerprints. I left a sign in my yard requesting the laptop back with no questions asked … Police said to call back Monday-Friday and we will give the vodka bottle to them then.
My neighbor sometimes leaves her car unlocked and said she thought hers had been rifled through last night too, however the only items they have in there are kids’ toys. She doesn’t think anything was taken.
Hoping to get the word out so when the (thieves) who did this realize that a corporate, password and encrypted laptop has no value to them, they will bring it back and not throw it away.
(Summer Fest Day 1 photo by WSB’s Katie Meyer)
Our live coverage gets going again at 10 am, the start of West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction! We’re reporting live again this year from the midst of it all – the information booth at California/Alaska. Today’s full list of West Seattle events – the festival AND other highlights – is ahead, but first, the Summer Fest quick links:
SUMMER FEST MUSIC SCHEDULE – here (first band, Two-Story Zori at noon)
SUMMER FEST VENDOR LIST – here
SUMMER FEST VENDOR MAP – here (by number, per the list)
SUMMER FEST GREENLIFE SCHEDULE – here (first presentation, “Smart Home Maintenance” at 11 am
SUMMER FEST COMMUNITY TENT SCHEDULE – here (scroll down)
SUMMER FEST BUS REROUTES – here
POOL/WADING POOL/SPRAYPARK NOTES FOR TODAY: Colman Pool is closed to the public again today because of a swim meet (back open tomorrow). Southwest Pool (indoors) is open. On the wading-pool schedule, Delridge and Hiawatha are both open noon-6:45 pm; Lincoln Park is open 11 am-8 pm; and Highland Park Spraypark is open 11 am-8 pm. Addresses are on the citywide wading pool/spraypark schedule.
WORK PARTIES: Want to get out, roll up your sleeves, and help with restoration of West Seattle’s beautiful natural areas … BEFORE the heat of the afternoon? Our calendar has several options today – click any one for details: Terminal 105 (starts 9 am), Delridge Natural Area (starts 10 am), West Duwamish Greenbelt (starts 10 am), Westcrest Park (starts 10 am).
RIP-IT TOURNAMENT: As previewed here last night, Chief Sealth International High School Football is hosting the RIP-IT passing tournament, and you’re invited to watch – play continues until 4 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)
BENEFIT CAR WASH: West Seattle High School‘s 2014-2015 Cheer Squad is washing cars at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) 10 am-3 pm to help pay for uniforms and camp – funding for which is not provided through the school. (35th/Webster)
LOW-LOW TIDE AND BEACH NATURALISTS: 10 am-2 pm, Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are out on Constellation Park and Lincoln Park (near Colman Pool) beaches, since the full moon is bringing a low-low tide – 11:21 am, -3.1.
CHICKEN COOP AND URBAN FARM TOUR: West Seattle locations are part of the Seattle Tilth Chicken Coop and Urban Farm Tour today, 10 am-4 pm, self-guided tour – ticket info is on the official website.
FIRE STATION 36 OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-1 pm, go see the renovated/upgraded Station 36 by the bridge! Here’s our preview. (3600 23rd SW)
SSC GARDEN CENTER OPEN: 11 am-3 pm, with discount pricing on plants; sales benefit the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) horticulture/gardening programs – details in our calendar listing. North end of campus. (6000 16th SW)
LITTLE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT: Starting today, West Seattle Little League hosts the state Majors’ tournament at Bar-S Playfields on Alki Point. Info – including handy tips if you’re going – is in this WSB story from earlier this week. (6425 SW Admiral Way)
REMODELING/CUSTOM HOMEBUILDING WORKSHOP: Thinking about either (or both! of those? Today at 2 pm, free workshop at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) – where you’ll find air conditioning!!! – and there’s space left. Just show up. (California/Findlay)
SALSA ON ALKI! 5:30-10 pm by the Statue of Liberty on Alki Beach – details in our calendar listing. (61st/Alki)
STRAIGHT BLAST BENEFIT: At C & P Coffee Company, there’s a beer/wine benefit tonight, 6:30-9:30 pm, for the Booster Club – youth programs and more – of North Delridge’s Straight Blast Gym of Seattle (like C & P, a WSB sponsor). More info in the calendar listing. (5612 California SW)
NIGHTLIFE! In addition to live music at Summer Fest, several local venues have bands tonight too – see the individual listings on the calendar.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This was originally published Saturday, but it all still applies Sunday)
Before we get to the big list of everything happening today – a separate list of road closure/bus reroutes, and it’s not just The Junction:
ROAD CLOSURES TODAY: West Seattle Summer Fest continues, so California SW remains closed between Edmunds and Genesee, with east-west traffic allowed through on SW Oregon; also closed, SW Alaska between 42nd and 44th. Regionally, the 520 bridge across Lake Washington is closed all weekend.
BUS REROUTES TODAY: In addition to the Summer Fest-related reroutes in West Seattle, two local buses are affected by changes this weekend downtown, so we’re including them in this list. (Thanks to @MJS1980 for pointing this out via Twitter; Metro’s full systemwide list, from which these links are taken, is here.)
Festival-related:
*RapidRide C Line
*Route 50
*Route 55
*Route 57
*Route 128
*Route 773 (Water Taxi shuttle)
Downtown-construction related:
*Route 21
*Route 120
Big sports day tomorrow in West Seattle. We’ve already mentioned the big Little League tournament happening tomorrow at Bar-S – and there’s football on the peninsula tomorrow too. From Chief Sealth International High School head coach Luther Carr III:
We are hosting our 2nd annual RIP-IT 7 on 7 Passing League tomorrow July 12, 2014 at SWAC from 8:00AM – 4:00PM. 16 Teams from around Western Washington are competing for the RIP-IT Championship trophy. Teams are guaranteed 6 games. Most of the games will be played from 8 am to 1 pm. Following a break for lunch the games played from 1:30PM till 4:00 PM are loser-out games, culminating with the RIP-IT Championship. Entry is free for fans.
SW Athletic Complex is across from Sealth, at 2801 SW Thistle.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand, substituted for original cameraphone photo)
At least one person is reported hurt in a multiple-vehicle crash that is blocking one lane each way on 35th at Juneau. Police are just arriving at the scene to help with traffic control. Traffic is getting by in the outside lane each way but that might change; a civilian is waving traffic around while police assess the scene. First fire personnel to arrive reported one person was unconscious. The two vehicles involved are side-by-side facing south.
9:22 PM UPDATE: Went back to check; crash scene is clear.
(INFO LINKS in our first installment of today’s festival coverage – go here)
That’s a snippet of Squirrel Butter, first band on the West Seattle Summer Fest schedule, performing about an hour ago; right now, Rat City Brass is onstage …
… and music continues until the Yada Yada Blues Band‘s set at 9 pm (see the full schedule here). A breeze has been keeping the festival zone from getting too warm, so far, so don’t be too worried about overheating.
Summer Fest’s roots, of course, are in the Sidewalk Sale – and many shops still have one as part of the festivities. We’ve received this announcement from the nonprofit Discovery Shop, on the west side of California between Oregon and Alaska:
Plants with Pizzazz
It’s a beehive of activity over at the Discovery Shop as their annual plant sale fundraiser is well underway. Shelves are overflowing with a variety of indoor and outdoor plants in unique containers such as toy wagons, old watering cans, even rhinestone shoes. Other containers include beautiful handmade pottery. These one-of-kind creations are only available
during the Summer Fest Sidewalk Sale, now through Sunday. Sales benefit the American Cancer Society.
Lots more coverage to come – hope to see you here!
4:14 PM: Here’s the music schedule for the rest of today – Vaudeville Etiquette is onstage right now (again, there’s one music stage, on California north of Oregon):
And after that:
Killer Ghost, 5 pm
Magic Mirrors, 6 pm
Country Lips, 7 pm
Hobosexual, 8 pm
Yada Yada Blues Band, 9 pm
Also right now, Illuminatio Dance is onstage at GreenLife, which is in the parking lot off the west side of California, just north of Edmunds. That’ll be followed by a presentation about building with reclaimed materials, at 5 pm; here’s the full weekend schedule for GreenLife.
5:25 PM: It’s been busy all day but now of course as more people leave work, the crowd is growing. The kids’ rides will be open until 8, the official end time for tonight, though the music runs later:
With the sun arcing to the west, it’s getting warmer. Lots of beverage options – the QFC booth across from ours is selling $1 water if you don’t bring any of your own. (Just had to buy some after running out of the supply we bought … it’s REALLY icy. Perfect.)
One of our many Summer Fest previews mentioned the pop-up library today in Junction Plaza Park. It’s continuing until 6:
More Summer Fest sights – lots of dogs – all sizes, all shapes, all … spots:
If you’re bringing yours, head up to the Pet Junction zone north of Oregon – a Summer Fest first this year. Speaking of animals … we talked this afternoon with Robin from Seal Sitters and Donna from The Whale Trail. Robin says the pup recently rescued from a local beach is doing OK. Donna is just back from taking The Whale Trail on a road trip including California and says the Southern Resident whales were in the area too – in some cases foraging for fish further south than they’ve been seen before. (Another feature of Summer Fest – endless supply of cool people to talk with, all concentrated in a few blocks for three days)
If you’re coming tomorrow, bring diapers – HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) is collecting for WestSide Baby‘s Stuff the Bus drive:
You can also drop off diapers at HomeStreet’s West Seattle branch (40th/Alaska) during business hours – Stuff the Bus is one week from Sunday, July 20th in the HomeStreet parking lot. Like HomeStreet, some other businesses from just outside the festival zone have booths here – including longtime WSB sponsor Dream Dinners:
Dream Dinners’ year-round location is on the east exterior of Jefferson Square, fronting 41st – that’s where you go to put together ready-to-cook family-style dishes to take home and cook later. At Summer Fest, you can find out more about a variety of local businesses you might not have visited before.
6:30 PM: If you’re coming just to wander .. do note that some vendors leave as early as 6, though they can stay open tonight up until 8 (and the food area might stay open later if people are still buying – that’s the official word festival staff is circulating). We’ll be here in the info booth until around 7, and then back tomorrow morning as the festival opens at 10. In addition to finding particular vendors and other info such as bus reroutes, we also wind up collecting information about other area summertime events, and since the booth has a big banner for the West Seattle Outdoor Movies series, we’ve been fielding questions about it – come get a card with the schedule, or stop by wsmovies.org. First free outdoor movie in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard, one week from tomorrow (Saturday, July 19th) – “Gravity.”
7:06 PM: The evening crowd is wandering around in force, many checking out the food zone just east of us, stretching along the south side of Alaska, east of California.
If nothing there grabs your attention, remember The Junction has many year-round eateries too – both old and new; some have opened since last Summer Fest, like Quadrato on SW Oregon and Terra Cole on California. And then there are the classics, like Husky Deli, home to sandwiches as well as ice cream, with proprietor Jack Miller among the familiar Summer Fest faces:
We’re wrapping up the Info Booth for the night – only one question is still being asked, and that’s “which way to the music?” (North of Oregon on California!)
8:43 PM: Thanks to Dave for sharing photos of one of the anticipated bands – Country Lips:
(added) He also shared this video of their final song:
Last band of the night, Yada Yada Blues Band, is scheduled to start at 9. Saturday music begins at noon with Two Story Zori.
In June, we reported on WSDOT’s plan to close part of Highway 99 (including the Alaskan Way Viaduct) in late August for repair work. Today, new details are out – see them here – since WSDOT has locked in more details. Key points: 99 will be closed both ways from the West Seattle Bridge to Valley Street from late Friday night, August 22nd, until early Monday morning, August 25th; the section from the WS Bridge to the Battery Street Tunnel will reopen then, but the stretch north to Valley will remain closed until Wednesday, August 27th.
P.S. If you have questions about ongoing Highway 99 work, including (or not) the tunnel, WSDOT has a booth here at West Seattle Summer Fest, all weekend long.
10:16 AM: That’s the SDOT traffic camera pointing north on California at Alaska – right over our vantage point in the heart of West Seattle Summer Fest, which has just officially opened. We’ll be covering it live for the next three days, but you can also count on us for other news coverage, especially breaking news, as it happens, so you won’t miss a thing. First, some info links:
TODAY’S HOURS: 10 am-8 pm
MUSIC: Schedule here; Squirrel Butter is first at 2 pm, Yada Yada Blues Band at 9 pm
FOOD: Local year-round restaurants plus vendor stands on the south side of Alaska, east of California
BABY/TODDLER FEEDING/CHANGING: Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) booth by NW Art and Frame; City Mouse Studio/Store at 4218 SW Alaska
KID ZONE: Rides/bouncy toys/ticket booth are on Alaska west of California; also, activities in the Wells Fargo drive-thru
PET JUNCTION: First-of-its-kind pet zone is on California north of Oregon
VENDOR LIST – here
VENDOR MAP – here (by number, per the list)
GREENLIFE SCHEDULE – here – first event today, Zumba at 1 pm
COMMUNITY TENT SCHEDULE – here (scroll down)
BUS REROUTES – here
12:01 PM: Two hours into Day 1, lots of fun so far. Lots of shade and breeze, too, so it’s a great place to get out of the heat. While you’re browsing vendor booths, you can snag some shade too – stop and chat with folks like Gina with Snooter-doots:
Rides and bouncy toys for kids are just west of our spot in the Info Booth – they’re on Alaska west of California and also in the Wells Fargo drive-through. Here’s the price list:
Plenty of activities sprinkled throughout the rest of the festival – for example, the West Seattle Y (WSB sponsor) is just north of us, and it’s offering jumping and hula-hooping.
The new Pet Junction area on California north of Oregon has the MaxMobile pet-adoption van, today only:
Throughout the festival, the Community Tent – actually two canopies – can be found on the south side of Easy Street’s corner of California/Alaska, with a rotating list of local community/nonprofit organizations:
Here’s today’s list of participating groups whose reps are looking forward to meeting you there:
10 am -2 pm
Environmental Science Center
34th District Democrats2 pm – 6 pm
Seal Sitters
West Seattle Girl Scouts
Seattle Parks for All
WS Green Spaces
Friends of Seattle’s Urban Forests
Some nonprofits have their own spots around the festival grounds – among them, the West Seattle Food Bank, which asked us to share an announcement:
Summer Fest is on all weekend and the West Seattle Food Bank is selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win two unrestricted roundtrip tickets on Alaska or Horizon Airlines (no blackout dates) PLUS a 10% discount at 5 fabulous West Seattle restaurants, Christo’s on Alki, Elliott Bay Brewery & Pub, Talarico’s Pizzeria (you could use both of those the day you’re at SummerFest), Menchie’s Admiral & Zeeks Pizza. All proceeds go to help our West Seattle families in need. Stop by and see them and you’ll get a free new cool car window sticker. They’re across from West 5!
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society booth is on the north side of Alaska, east of California, and Seymour History the marmot is on hand until 3 pm with volunteers from the Washington State Historical Society joining SWSHS reps – read more about that here.
Meantime, here in the Info Booth (look for the big INFORMATION sign as well as the WSB banner), service organizations’ volunteers are helping out throughout the weekend too – today, meet reps from the Rotary Club of West Seattle (who also are selling $5 tote bags to raise money for Pencil Me In For Kids, which gets school supplies to kids in need).
12:46 PM: In the background on the block between Alaska and Edmunds, the unmistakable sound of work continuing on the two under-construction projects, including 4730 California at midblock:
We got a tip that the contractor, Compass, is offering cool drinks, and stickers, so check it out if you pass that way. That project has topped out, which means shade where it didn’t exist before.
1:30 PM: When you are at Summer Fest, don’t miss GreenLife – it’s tucked in the parking lot on the west side of California just north of Edmunds (east of the Chase ATM drive-thru). Sustainable West Seattle is managing it again this year, with local sustainability-focused businesses participating, onstage performances and demonstrations and … chickens!
And next to the Info Booth, a pigeon sighting – the official art for this year’s Summer Fest posters etc. is also a photo-op station (that’s West Seattle Junction Association director Susan Melrose at left):
Also getting into the festival spirit – Seattle Police assigned to Summer Fest patrol. Officers Steiger and Dobson met up with West Seattle Hi-Yu royalty:
More to come – we’ll be launching the second round of as-it-happens coverage around 3 pm, after a couple of non-festival news notes.
Thanks to Kenna for the photo and to Will for the tip – the Blue Moon Burgers sign finally has gone up at its future Alki location (former home of Alki Auto Repair, now in the Luna Park business district). Our first report was back in March; Blue Moon officially confirmed it to us in early April. When we spoke with him then, owner Charlie Olson didn’t expect that remodeling work (they’re remodeling, NOT replacing, the auto-repair building) would take long once they got the permits; we’ll check with him to see if they have an update.
Top of today’s highlight list is our area’s biggest party of the year, which starts at 10 am – West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction! We’re reporting live again this year from the midst of it all – the information booth at California/Alaska. Quick links first:
SUMMER FEST MUSIC SCHEDULE – here (first band, Squirrel Butter at 2 pm)
SUMMER FEST VENDOR LIST – here
SUMMER FEST VENDOR MAP – here (by number, per the list)
SUMMER FEST GREENLIFE SCHEDULE – here
SUMMER FEST COMMUNITY TENT SCHEDULE – here (scroll down)
SUMMER FEST BUS REROUTES – here
Other highlights for the day/night:
COLMAN POOL CLOSED … but this time it’s scheduled; no public swimming events today and tomorrow because of a swim meet.
WADING POOLS/SPRAY PARK SCHEDULE … Lincoln Park (11 am-8 pm), EC Hughes, Hiawatha wading pools are open today, along with Highland Park spraypark (11 am-8 pm). Addresses are here.
LOW-LOW TIDE: -2.8 at 10:35 am; volunteer beach naturalists are out at Lincoln and Constellation Parks, 9:30 am-1:30 pm.
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: The author-appearance series presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society at Barnes and Noble/Westwood Village continues today with Harold Taw and Elizabeth Austen: – here’s their video invitation, produced by Mark Jaroslaw for SWSHS:
Full details on the SWSHS website. 5-7 pm. (2600 SW Barton)
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: Greenstage‘s Backyard Bard series presents “All’s Well That Ends Well” at High Point Commons Park, 7 pm. (Lanham/Morgan/Sylvan)
NIGHTLIFE: Summer Fest music rocks on into the night. But other areas of West Seattle have live music tonight too – see the listings on our calendar.
Happy Friday! It’s Day 1 of West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction: The tents are up, the streets are closed – specifically, California between Edmunds and Genesee (though east-west traffic on Oregon is allowed through) and Alaska between 44th and 42nd. Bus reroute specifics (each link is a PDF from Metro explaining stop and route changes):
*RapidRide C Line
*Route 50
*Route 55
*Route 57
*Route 128
*Route 773 (Water Taxi shuttle)
Once the festival begins at 10 am, we’ll be covering it live. First, the rest of the commute:
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
We’re monitoring as always; if you see/hear something, let us know – but not until you can safely/legally do so (if you are a passenger, or once you have reached your destination) – text or voice any time, 206-293-6302.
P.S. One major weekend closure in the region – the 520 bridge closes again late tonight through early Monday.
From Keven Ruf:
West Seattle Little League 13-year olds in the Intermediate League competed Thursday afternoon for the State Championship in Mill Creek. They lost to an all-star team drawn from three leagues in the Everett area, but they put up a great battle to finish second in the state.
The team played together all season against several other division teams from Central Seattle, Highline, and White Center. In June they won the District Championship at Pac West field in Burien, and earned the right to contest the State tournament in Mill Creek.
The roster consisted of Chris Frost, Will Douglas, Kelvin Wallace, Henry Ruf, Hunter Hammington, Joe Pare, Nate Pelley, Eli Dever, Noah Oehling, and Nathan Villegas.
The team was managed by Dave Douglas and coaches were Brian Pare and Keven Ruf.
The Intermediate League is sponsored by Little League, but is played on larger fields with a 50-foot pitching distance and 70-foot bases.
Their season was highlighted by consistent pitching, good fielding and strong hitting, with many innings of double-digit scoring.
Many of the players will be cheering on the West Seattle 11- and 12-year olds this weekend at Bar-S fields, where they too will be competing for the State Championship.
That tournament starts tomorrow – here’s the bracket/schedule, with the WSLL team’s first game at 1 pm Saturday. If you’re going to a game, don’t forget the Visitor’s Guide to Bar-S!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
A change in architects meant a big change in fortune for 3824 California SW, the townhome/live-work project proposed on the three-years-vacant ex-Charlestown Café site. On the third try – first one since the changes – the proposal passed Early Design Guidance and moved on to the second and final phase of Design Review.
In contrast with the evening’s first meeting, which was sparsely attended, dozens of neighbors and community members turned out for this one – they have long been working hard to make sure their voices would be heard in plans for the ex-cafe site, and this time, according to those who commented, they were, even though its basic composition hasn’t changed – a mix of townhomes and live-work units.
Johnston Architects is the firm now leading the project; Ray Johnston briefly described the site, saying that they hope to bring a “diverse mix” of uses into the property, with its status between the Admiral and Alaska Junctions.
Johnston’s Megan McKay led the presentation.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Making its debut before the Southwest Design Review Board, the proposed Clearview Eye Clinic project at 7520 35th SW was sent back for a second round of Early Design Guidance.
Concerns included how the building would interact with the evolving streetscape – busy as 35th SW is, and can be – and whether it was too close to the street, and should be set back as are other buildings. A paucity of landscape was identified as a concern, too, as was the fact that the proposal includes a parking area fronting 35th SW, and how the site’s vehicle entries should work.
This project will be a medical/commercial building – no residential component – and the architect described an intent for its look to be “crisp, clean, and clear.” (We first reported the project plan two months ago.)
Four of the SWDRB’s five members (with T. Frick McNamara absent) were present, with planner Tami Garrett from the Department of Planning and Development.
Architect Peter Bocek from PB Architects explained that the clinic doctors are building a permanent home for their practice, with a staff of about 20, because their lease at Westwood Village is expiring:
The streets are closed in the heart of The Junction and the party’s on – West Seattle Summer Fest eve, setup going on while, as the night began, Bubbleman made his traditional appearance outside Elliott Bay Brewery:
And as he performed, the setup continued (vendors don’t arrive until tomorrow morning, but the booths, stage, and other components need to go up tonight):
Some merchants got going on the Summer Fest sidewalk sale early – like Tom Henry of JF Henry (WSB sponsor):
There’s music in the street – some of it hasn’t even started yet (West 5 proprietor Dave Montoure told us things would get going around 8 pm outside his venue) – and WS Art Walk until 9.
As part of Art Walk, S. Tudyk is at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), where the Summer Fest pre-party also features Click! co-proprietor Frances Smersh introducing new jewelry. At Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), Clay Eals from the Southwest Seattle Historical Society was there for the ongoing show of photos celebrating the 30th anniversary of the high-level bridge:
The two photos with him are before – the old bridge – and after (aerial photo by Long B. Nguyen, whose work is often seen here on WSB). More to come.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When the August 5th ballot arrives in your mailbox next week, it will include one major issue for you to decide: How will the City of Seattle raise extra money for its park system from here on out?
In recent years, the city has done that by taking a levy/bond measure to the public every so often. The most recent one was the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy, which expires this year.
But what the city’s asking you to approve this time has no expiration date. If you approve Seattle Proposition 1, you’ll be voting to support creation of a permanent Park District with taxing authority – no further votes needed.
The Admiral Neighborhood Association spent most of its July meeting on a mini-forum about Proposition 1 – with some pointed questions, and responses.
It’s been warm for days – and it’s about to get a lot warmer. The National Weather Service has issued an “excessive heat watch” alert (see it here) for the weekend, Saturday morning through Sunday night. Highs are expected in the 90s – and even after the weekend, no significant cooldown is likely before at least midweek.
West Seattle Summer Fest is almost here – it starts 10 am tomorrow (Friday), and once again, we need to remind you that the Junction streets close TONIGHT at 6 (details, including bus reroutes, are here – and “Summer Fest Eve”/Art Walk info for tonight is here). We still have lots to share in advance. Some quick points this afternoon:
COMMUNITY TENT: One of the schedules you might not have seen yet is for the neighbors you’ll meet at the Summer Fest Community Tent, just west of the Information Booth at California/Alaska (where you’ll find us again this year). So many of the people you’ll meet at the Community Tent are busy all year doing good work, almost always on a volunteer basis, to make West Seattle an awesome place, so go say hi, meet them, thank them, ask questions … The lineup, coordinated by the fine folks at Furry Faces Foundation, is toward the end of this page. (P.S. During Furry Faces’ official time in the tent, they’ll be offering pet-ID tags, among other things.)
WSCO’S ‘INSTRUMENT PETTING ZOO’: West Seattle Community Orchestras will be at the Community Tent (see the schedule) with an “instrument petting zoo” so that young prospective musicians can get a firsthand look.
FAMILY REST STOP AT CITY MOUSE: At 4218 SW Alaska (just east of California), City Mouse Studio and Store is again open during Summer Fest with “a place to feed, change, and escape the heat,” according to proprietor Donna Ryan.
DONATE DIAPERS AT HOMESTREET BANK AND ITS BOOTH: Melodie from HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) has a Summer Fest update:
All weekend long we will be accepting diaper donations for WestSide Baby’s upcoming Stuff the Bus Event (7/20). HomeStreet Bank will accept donations at our booth in vendor row and also at the Branch during normal business hours. We will also be helping folks keep cool by giving out free Otter Pops in front of the branch (located at the corner of Alaska and 41st), while supplies last.
HomeStreet’s booth in the heart of the festival grounds is #148.
‘CYCLELUNG’ AT AAA BOOTH: From AAA-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – they’ll be at Summer Fest too:
People can stop by our booth (#) to learn more about all of AAA’s great services and enter to win a prize. You can also spin our prize wheel and receive a giveaway. Plus, on Saturday, AAA will host the CycleLung to promote the ALA Bike Around the Sound presented by AAA. The CycleLung is interactive art where a person can pedal a stationary bike to get lungs (a series of light bulbs) to light up. The piece of art is made up of bicycle parts. We look forward to seeing everyone at Summer Fest.
Those are just a few updates – you can browse/search the vendors list, review the vendors map (zoom in to see each booth number), the music schedule, and more, on the official Summer Fest website. For the seventh year, we’ll be in the Information Booth (at walk-all-ways, California/Alaska), with volunteers from the West Seattle Chamber, Kiwanis Club, and Rotary Club, ready to answer questions and say hi. We’ll also have Summer Fest updates, photos, videos, and general info here on the site “live” all three days (plus WSB’s social-media channels – see the links atop the right sidebar). See you at Summer Fest!
Two West Seattle Crime Watch updates:
(One of nine photos published in our original report last Saturday)
TIRE-SLASHING SPREE UPDATE: We finally obtained the police report written after officers talked to many of the people whose vehicles’ tires were slashed late July 4th or early July 5th in Seaview – here’s our original story. The report includes 22 cases totaling 30 tires; neighbors cited up to 40, so if it happened to you and you haven’t reported it, be sure to contact police. We also were reminded by SPD that if anyone with a surveillance camera anywhere nearby hasn’t checked it yet – maybe you were away for an extended holiday weekend? – please do, before the recording is lost. Meantime, neighbors’ reward fund is up to $750 and they are still accepting contributions – go here. And the neighbor who organized the fund has posted in the WSB Forums looking for help in putting up posters touting the reward for tips (follow that link – her contact info is there too).
ALAN POLEVIA IN JAIL AGAIN: Last fall, we covered the sentencing of 33-year-old repeat offender Alan Polevia, who had made news both regionally – for escaping from Harborview while handcuffed – and locally, for various property-crime cases. He was sentenced to six months, and got out this spring. This week, a reader tip brought the news that he was booked into King County Jail again Tuesday morning. Charges have since been filed against him; it’s not a West Seattle case, but because of his history in this area, it seemed noteworthy. According to court documents, Polevia is charged with second-degree burglary and firearm theft for a late-April break-in at Boulevard Park Pawn and Loan (11848 Des Moines Memorial Drive). 13 guns were stolen, in addition to other items; two safes containing at least some of those guns had been pried open. The King County Sheriff’s Office report says deputies came into contact with Polevia that day about a mile away and noticed him both “highly under the influence of narcotics” and wearing an empty holster that he couldn’t explain. It had a price tag from the pawn shop; prints on one of the pried-open safes matched his. His bail is set at $50,000, plus $500 for an unrelated failure-to-appear case.
We’ve received a few phone calls about unusual helicopter traffic today – and have heard/seen a few going over WSB HQ. Turns out there is a huge “emergency exercise simulating an aircraft accident” at Sea-Tac, going on for another hour or so. Participants include “eight evacuation helicopters, more than 175 emergency vehicles and 300 victim volunteers.” Airlift agencies that are participating, according to the summary, include “the U.S. Coast Guard from Port Angeles and Astoria, Oregon, U.S. Navy Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington Air National Guard – Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Snohomish County Sheriff, King County Sheriff, and Airlift Northwest.”
Today’s calendar-highlights look into the (immediate) future starts with a look at the past:
Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives via the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, that’s video of the West Seattle Bridge from the 1970s – in honor of the ongoing celebration of the 1984-completed high-level bridge’s 30th anniversary, which continues tonight. But first, another historic clip, this time showing what maritime traffic used to have to fit through!
The bridge-history photo display at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) is part of tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk – here’s the summer-quarter map/venue list for the WSAW:
As always, the Art Walk runs 6-9 pm. Spotlighted venues/artists are on the official WSAW website. And while the Art Walk is *not* limited to The Junction, your enjoyment there will be enhanced by the closed streets – as noted again in our daily traffic watch, California closes between Genesee and Edmunds, Alaska between 44th and 42nd, starting at 6 pm tonight for West Seattle Summer Fest prep, and those blocks stay closed to vehicle traffic until WSSF breakdown is over late Sunday night. One more Junction venue to mention:
JINI DELLACCIO’S PHOTOGRAPHY AT EASY STREET: An extra-special photography exhibition at Easy Street Records for Art Walk – the work of Jini Dellaccio, rock-portrait photographer who died just last week at the age of 97.
(The Sonics, by Jini Dellaccio, republished with permission)
As Rod from ESR points out, “Her amazing photos live on!” He shares this info from her biography:
After years of shooting fashion photography in the LA area, Jini Dellaccio brought a remarkable degree of sophistication to her portraits of blue-collar rock musicians of the early to mid-sixties. Her iconic images of seminal rock & roll bands such as the Sonics, Wailers, Daily Flash and Don & The Goodtimes, among countless others, capture both the aesthetics and attitudes of these influential groups. Many of Dellaccio’s photographs were shot among the lush landscape of her Gig Harbor property and reflect the conventions of the dominant “Northwest School” art movement of the region. Her candid concert photographs – featuring local groups as well as legendary national touring acts such as The Who, The Yardbirds and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels – mirror the raw, energetic and often menacing music that characterized early Northwest rock & roll. Jini’s journey in becoming America’s first woman rock & roll photographer is chronicled in the recent documentary, Her Aim Is True.”
Easy Street is at California/Alaska.
Also tonight as part of Summer Fest Eve, it’s …
BUBBLEMAN OUTSIDE ELLIOTT BAY: 6 pm, it’s a pre-Summer Fest tradition, as Elliott Bay Brewery brings in Bubbleman to put on a show for kids (of all ages) out in the middle of California SW, midblock between Alaska and Edmunds.
And even more of what’s up today/tonight …
TENT SALE AT JF HENRY: Many Junction merchants still have “sidewalk sales” during Summer Fest time – that’s how the festival originated, long, long ago. And at least one is starting early – JF Henry Kitchen and Tableware, returning as a WSB sponsor for the occasion, starts its sale today. (4445 California SW)
SUPPORT THE WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE 9-10 ALL-STARS: As mentioned here last night, they’re raising money for their travel to the state tournament in Richland; you can buy raffle tickets 4-6 pm today at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) and Admiral Safeway.
LUNA PARK BLOCK PARTY: 6-9 pm outside Ola Salon in the Luna Park business district, you’ll find vendors, food, music, and fun – here’s our calendar listing. (2942 SW Avalon)
DESIGN REVIEW X 2: Two projects go before the Southwest Design Review Board tonight in its first meeting in more than two months – the eye clinic proposed at 7520 35th SW is up at 6:30 pm for its first Early Design Guidance meeting, while the townhome/live-work proposal for the former Charlestown Café site at 3824 California SW is up for its third EDG meeting at 8 pm. Both reviews are upstairs at the Senior Center of West Seattle; the design packets for both are linked in this WSB preview. (Oregon/California)
EVEN MORE … on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar.
| 1 COMMENT