West Seattle, Washington
08 Friday
(WSB photo from August 2012: Part of the crowd at last year’s Garden Party)
It’s a summertime staple – the annual Garden Party fundraiser for our area’s biggest political organization, the 34th District Democrats – and tomorrow (Friday) is the night, West Seattle Nursery‘s the place. This year’s theme is “Fiesta,” with a Tex-Mex buffet and live music, and some of the auction items even fit the theme – including a week in Sayulita, Mexico. Also up for grabs to the highest bidder(s):
* a half-case of wine from the Vashon winery,
* a yachting tour of Lake Union with Dow Constantine
* a week on the island of Majorca, Spain in a luxurious condo,
* cocktail party at Rep. Eileen Cody‘s home, co-hosted by County Councilmember Joe McDermott
This year’s guest auctioneer is Seattle City Council President Sally Clark, and the event’s always a draw for other local political leaders, so you never know who you’ll get a chance to chat with. Tickets are $34 individual/$60 couple; the event starts at 6 pm Friday at WS Nursery (California/Brandon).
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
As we keep an eye on what’s happening today – with your help – we’re also looking ahead, so here are two reminders:
*Friday night/Saturday morning, Highway 99 closures – newest details here
*Next Monday-Friday, a key road closure between Highland Park/Puget Ridge and Delridge – details here
*For that road closure, Metro Route 120 effects start TODAY – explained here
8:21 AM: The stalled semi mentioned in comments has been cleared from the westbound lanes of the low bridge, per SDOT. A possible truck problem is now mentioned in e-mail from Nicholas: “A semi missed the turn on Andover to Nucor, and now appears to be stuck on the hill heading back up to Avalon.”
9:28 AM: If you take the 1st Avenue South Bridge on 99 northbound, note that there’s a big SFD callout on East Marginal Way north of the bridge (map) right now, listed as hazmat/spill/leak – no details yet but the callout is likely to affect 99 traffic in that area between bridges, so be forewarned.
10:11 AM: As discussed in comments – here’s what SFD has tweeted about the East Marginal incident: “… a report of 1 patient who felt dizzy & nauseous after opening envelope. … Medic evaluating 1 patient. Envelope islolated. Workers in building being sheltered in place. HazMat team will evaluate envelope.”
(1930s photo, taken for King County Assessor’s Office)
As an e-mailed reminder puts it, it’ll be the “house party of the century”: This Sunday is the day you’re invited to the North Admiral home of Greg and Sharon Nickels, for either or both parts of a two-part event: “If These Walls Could Talk: The Centennial of Hizzoner’s House.”
(July 2013 photo by Jean Sherrard)
They’ve lived in the 100-year-old Craftsman for more than a quarter century, and in addition to working extensively on its restoration, have hosted many a gathering…with visitors including Al and Tipper Gore …
… and supporters from the former mayor’s own campaigns …
As explained here, the entire afternoon is a fundraiser for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, starting with a 1-3 pm VIP event including talks by the Nickels and a presentation on how to research your home’s background; reservations are required. For the 3-5 pm event, including tours of the restored home, admission will be collected on a walk-up basis. (Again, full details are here.)
P.S. You can get ready for the big day by checking out the backstory, as told on the Log House Museum website by Brad Chrisman, and also checking out the preview in “Now and Then“ from last Sunday’s Seattle Times, as well as the extras added to that story on the website that is co-authored by Paul Dorpat from “Now and Then.”
The second-through-ninth-grade girls and boys spending the week at Chief Sealth Basketball and Life Skills Camp got to meet a pro athlete today – Ashley Robinson, who has just returned to the Seattle Storm, after a season with the Washington Mystics that followed more than six years with the Storm.
Sealth boys’ head coach Colin Slingsby, who heads up the camp program, had told participants yesterday that Robinson would visit today, so they had a chance to come up with questions for her. And they had plenty:
Robinson, who plays center and just turned 31, acknowledged that it’s fun to travel around the world, while pointing out that she wouldn’t be where she is now unless she had worked hard in high school and college, getting good grades and having a vision for what she wanted to do in the long run. Besides memories of meeting and talking with her, campers also got Storm posters. The team’s next game, by the way, is tomorrow night, against the visiting Chicago Sky; the Storm is 10-12 so far this season. The Sealth camp, meantime, has one more weeklong session this summer, the first ever “advanced concepts” version for sixth-through-ninth graders, starting next Monday.
Our latest check of West Seattle commercial-real-estate listings – which can be precursors to future development – shows two Triangle sites are new on the market:
4441 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: The current Elliott Tire/Goodyear site has just been listed under the heading “West Seattle Development Site.” It’s zoned NC3-65; NC stands for “neighborhood commercial,” without a size limit for most uses, while 65 means up to 6 stories. (City records show a 6-story proposal for this site was canceled in early 2011.) Listing price: $2.8 million.
4151 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: At the very tip of The Triangle, northwest corner of 35th/Fauntleroy, this strip mall has just been listed for $2.6 million. The marketing flyer linked to the listing calls it a “trophy property with a gateway location” and also reveals a bit of new information – a line item shows Zaw Pizza – organic take-it-and-bake-it – as a future tenant. We’ll be checking on that.
Following up on last month’s deadly rollover at Delridge/Kenyon: The allegedly drunk pickup driver, 43-year-old William K. Edmon, was in court today and pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide and reckless-endangerment charges. Michael Fisher, also 43, died after being thrown from the back of the pickup Edmon was driving when it rolled after running a red light clipping an SUV late the night of July 27th. As reported here and elsewhere, Edmon was driving without a valid license – as had happened at least 13 times before, according to his long record, which also includes two DUI convictions. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says the judge is keeping Edmon’s bail at $1 million; his next hearing is tentatively scheduled for August 29th.
If you’ll be out driving late Friday/early Saturday – you should know that the plan for Highway 99 closures has changed a bit. The work is part of the Spokane Street Overcrossing project, rebuilding an elevated section south of the West Seattle Bridge. Here are the newest details from WSDOT:
Northbound SR 99 closures: 10 pm Friday to 8 am Saturday:
· All lanes closed between S. Nevada and S. Royal Brougham Way
· East Marginal Way off-ramp is open
· West Seattle Bridge ramp to NB SR 99 closedSouthbound SR 99 closures: closures: 10 pm Friday to 8 am Saturday:
· All lanes closed between S. Atlantic Street and S. Nevada Street.
· Drivers heading to the West Seattle Bridge will be detoured to E. Marginal Way South at the S. Atlantic Street exit.Southbound SR 99 closures: 8 am to noon Saturday:
· All lanes of southbound SR 99 will be closed from just south of the West Seattle Bridge exit and S. Nevada Street.
· Drivers heading to the West Seattle Bridge will be able to use the West Seattle Bridge exit.
Again, these closures/changes are for THIS Friday night/Saturday morning (August 16-17). When this work is done – shifting traffic from one side of the highway to the other – here’s what it will look like.
Several groups have taken West Seattle beaches under their wing lately and organized cleanups – but none quite like this one. In late July, an Eastside company called Tirebuyer.com announced volunteers from its staff planned to come clean up West Seattle beach spots marred by washed-up tires, apparently on the suggestion of a company employee who lives here. It sounded almost too publicity-perfect to be true – but they’re now sharing pictorial proof, including the photo above (note the edge of the overlook at Luna/Anchor Park) that we’re republishing with permission. Their tire-removal tale is here, and they’re planning to try it again soon; if you know of a beached tire that needs removal for recycling, e-mail them at beachtireremoval@tirebuyer.com.
Separate from our ongoing festival previews for this weekend, here’s what’s ahead for the weekly free summer entertainment events this week:
SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA: Massy Ferguson (seen above in our clip from the Hiawatha series two years ago) performs tomorrow (Thursday) night, 6:30 pm, in the fourth of this year’s Admiral Neighborhood Association-presented concerts (with co-sponsors including WSB) on the east lawn at Hiawatha (along Walnut Ave. south of Lander).
CONCERTS AT THE MOUNT: The 85th Street Big Band takes the stage on the south side of the Providence Mount St. Vincent (4831 35th SW; WSB sponsor) campus, 6 pm Friday. On the menu for (optional) dinner at 5:30 pm – steak, potato, and coconut-cream pie!
WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: Second-to-last screening of this summer’s series (with co-sponsors including WSB), so if you haven’t been yet … the classic “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (trailer above) is this week’s feature, Saturday at dusk (just after 8:30 pm; gates open at 6:30) on the big screen next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor). Bring $ for concessions and raffle, both of which support local nonprofits.
It has a new playground … a new skatepark … and now, Roxhill Park is in line for a big day of TLC from neighbors, led by the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council (WWRHAH). The nascent plan is one of many topics tackled at last night’s WWRHAH meeting, per the detailed meeting notes published by council secretary Joe Szilagyi. As it has been throughout the council’s months of existence, traffic safety was high on the discussion list too, particularly SW Roxbury issues. If you’re in the WWRHAH area, make plans to be there in person next month (usually the 1st Tuesday – this month was an anomaly – watch wwrhah.org for meeting updates).
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch – two about thefts, with a request that you be on the lookout for the stolen items; third, what might have been a car-theft attempt.
First, from Becca:
We just had a bunch of stuff stolen from our house … and the most important things were a camera (Samsung) and two Apple Computers that had a lot of baby pictures from our child’s first year. I don’t care how they come back, but I would love to get the pics. I don’t even need the computers, but the pictures are really important to me.
If anyone buys a computer or camera from Craigslist or a pawn shop or anything like that, no questions asked, send it anonymously or however, but please consider giving me back my pics of my kid.
From Danielle:
My husband just recently bought a brand new Prodeco Genesis electric bike as a means of transportation to/from work (he is in the military). He locked it up Thursday night after work in the bike room of our secured access garage at our apartment complex. He didn’t need it for the rest of the weekend until (Monday) night when we went to the bike room to grab the bike (we had just gotten a new rack for our car) and noticed it was gone. He had secured and chained the bike in the bike room Thursday night and it was stolen at some point this past weekend. We are not sure if this was an act of someone in the apartment building or someone sneaking through the garage gate from the outside street while it was open letting a car in/out. Again, the bike is a brand new Prodeco Genesis electric bike (silver in color with black fenders). It may be easy to spot because of the large battery pack on the pack of the bike. He also had 2 stickers on the bike, one was from a band called “Being as an ocean” and the other from a band called “Heart to Heart.” The bike was stolen from the Residences at 3295 (intersection of Avalon Way and 35th Ave SW in West Seattle).
And from a Subaru Forester owner who didn’t want to be identified – they discovered a theft (or break-in) attempt that happened at 47th/Admiral early Saturday evening:
At 8:30 pm I went out to my car and saw that the driver’s-side lock had been what looked to me like drilled or hammered. There was a small scratch on the body. Must have been scared off by people, it was still light and kids playing at the house next door.
If you have information on any of the above – or any other crime – contact police.
(Thanks to Diana for sharing her owl photo from Lincoln Park, taken earlier this week)
We’ve made it to Wednesday, and another summer weekend is in sight – but first, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, highlights of what’s up today/tonight:
AFRICAN SONG/DANCE: Interactive performance in which all ages are welcome to participation, 2 pm at Delridge Branch Library – details in the calendar listing. (5423 Delridge Way)
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARM STAND: Fresh summer produce, grown steps away, on sale 4-7 pm at the garden (more info here).
REMEMBERING LARRY KELLER: As noted here last week, friends will gather at Yen Wor Village in the Admiral District tonight at 6 for a party in honor of Larry Keller, killed in a collision last month. (California/College)
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONCERNS? With big district decisions ahead including “growth boundaries” and the future of West Seattle’s first STEM school (whose community-generated proposals are updated here), tonight you can talk with West Seattle’s school-board rep Marty McLaren, 6-7:45 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library. (2306 42nd SW)
SKYGAZING: From this month’s edition of Skies Over West Seattle by Alice Enevoldsen for WSB – tonight’s the first-quarter moon, and if the sky’s clear, it should be a beautiful sight in the early evening sky.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: Our area’s largest political group meets at 7 tonight at The Hall at Fauntleroy; chair Marcee Stone-Vekich says the agenda highlight is a discussion: “Republican War on Women – could Washington State become the next Texas?” with a panel including State House Rep. Eileen Cody, Janet Chung of Legal Voice, and Rachel Berkson of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. See the rest of the agenda here. (9131 California SW)
Lots more on the calendar, here!
(Live view from the west-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:46 AM: Nothing out of the ordinary to report so far, as we head toward the peak of the morning commute.
11:03 AM: Thanks to Jonathan and Jan for tips that the Admiral Way exit from the westbound bridge was closed – supposed to have reopened by now, but we’re making note in case you’re wondering what it was about: SPD says they were assisting SDOT with some kind of brief cleanup that required closure of the exit.
More changes for ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery, which is undergoing a leadership transition. For one – see the new logo at left, explained by interim managing director Laura Lee: “”Our new logo tells the ArtsWest story. The square of our old logo is still visible, as we are not rebuilding a completely new ArtsWest, but instead heading into the next stage of our growth with more confidence and maturity. The square is now a three-sided box, representing the three facets of ArtsWest – our theater, gallery and education programs – and is also the physical shape of our thrust stage. The open fourth side invites us to consider the fourth wall as our audience, our community and possibilities yet to be defined. Our lettering is purposefully moving us outside of the box. The word ‘Arts’ is highlighted in orange – a bright, in your face color – just as we too fall into that realm, and the word ‘West’ is to the literal west, reminding us all of our location and roots in West Seattle.” Meantime, ArtsWest is updating its gallery/theater spaces at 4711 California SW, Lee says, and will be closed until September 26th, when she promises that “a more contemporary, cleaner and fresher ArtsWest will greet the public.” (Tickets for upcoming productions are still on sale online and by phone during the closure.)
11:07 PM: Just heard from Jack Miller @ Husky Deli – whose famous ice cream has made it to the final 8 in a TV contest for “Best Ice Cream” in Western Washington. If you see this before midmorning tomorrow, they’re asking for your vote – it’s apparently a fast-moving contest and votes between now and 9 am (Wednesday) will determine the Final Four. Here’s the direct link; please note it’s a “Facebook app” contest (if anybody knows another way to vote, let us know!).
12:58 AM: Thanks to JanS for finding (as she notes in comments) the Facebookless way to vote! You still have to “create an account” but it’s simple (we tested it). Go here – before 9 am!
Thanks to Debra Salazar Herbst from Alki Beach Daily Sunsets for allowing us to use her photo of the military plane whose low Alki flyby drew some attention tonight. Several people messaged us to ask about it; we also obtained some information via Twitter, because what was apparently the same plane also caught some eyes/ears in Whatcom County. It’s reported to have been a C-17 from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
West Seattle’s next new restaurant, Pecado Bueno, has announced it’s opening this Thursday (August 15th) at 5 pm. We first reported back in June that PB, whose original location is in Fremont, would expand here, taking over the former Wing Dome spot at 4523 California SW. As founder James Schmidt explained to us at the time, PB is a “casual,” family-friendly taqueria-style restaurant with a full bar.
Thanks to Dana Guy with PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support) for not only sharing news of registration and upcoming groups – but also sharing that photo, from a group of moms and babies who started meeting in June: “Getting 11 young babies to pose for a photo is no easy task!” Dana says. Now, the news from PEPS:
There are lots of PEPS activities going on in West Seattle in the next month! Registration is open now for several site based programs for parents of older babies that will take place weekly starting in September, plus we have a PEPS “While You’re Waiting” Drop In-session coming up on August 27.
In a PEPS group, parents meet (with their babies), share, and learn in sessions facilitated by a trained volunteer. Each meeting includes time for sharing parenting highs and lows, followed by a discussion of a topic related to the joys and challenges of parenting; plus break time for informal socializing and connecting with other parents.
Baby Peppers is open to all families with babies 5-12 months old when the group starts. Groups meet once a week for 11 weeks every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. starting September 25 at the Fauntleroy YMCA.
Little Peppers is for families with 2 children under age three (at the time the group begins). Meetings are led by a professional facilitator with the help of an assistant to keep the toddlers busy. Babies and children remain in the room with their parents for the entire meeting – which makes for a busy and exciting morning! Groups meet once a week for 11 weeks every Thursday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. starting September 19 at the Fauntleroy YMCA.
For new and expectant parents who are interested in PEPS neighborhood-based Newborn Groups, the next West Seattle While You’re Waiting Drop-In Sessions will take place on August 27 and September 24 at Limber Yoga from 1:30-3 pm.
Just announced by the city: “Find It, Fix It,” an app for your iPhone or Android phone that can be used to report graffiti, potholes, abandoned vehicles, parking-enforcement issues, and more. The announcement explains that you can use the app to take a picture, add details, pinpoint the location, and send the report to the city. What happens from there?
Submissions are entered into the City’s Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) system, and departments responsible for providing that specific service will manage and track requests. The City of Seattle began using the CRM system in December 2011. There may be some initial delays in response time as City departments adjust to any increase in service requests. …
The City anticipates adding other request types in the future and welcomes feedback on the app and ideas for additional features. Users should choose the Find It, Fix It app’s “other inquiry” category – found under the “New Request” icon – to submit feedback.
Read more about it here – and/or, if you have an Android or iPhone, go to Google Play or the App Store (respectively) and check it out. The city says it’s looking forward to feedback from the first round of users to figure out how to improve it in the long run.
(WSB photo: Work being done on one of the Boren-stored portables today)
An early-morning traffic alert for the next two days, from Tom Redman at Seattle Public Schools: Three portables are about to leave the Boren campus at 5950 Delridge Way SW. Before 6 am tomorrow, one single portable will be taken from Boren, bound for Bagley Elementary in North Seattle. Before 6 am Thursday, two double portables will be taken from Boren to Schmitz Park Elementary in north West Seattle. SDOT will determine the exact routes before the moves.
“We are in need of some new volunteers at the White Center Food Bank,” says spokesperson Leah Zoller. If you have some time to spare in these final weeks of summer – YOU can help! She adds, “Most needed days are Mondays and Wednesdays as well as every third Saturday. Contact audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org to volunteer.” The WC Food Bank, at 8th/108th in WC, is the official food bank for West Seattle south of Myrtle Street as well as for WC and other parts of the unincorporated area.
(May 2 photo by West Seattle bicyclist Eric Shalit: Rutted road near East Marginal crash scene)
With another bicycle collision on East Marginal way drawing attention last week – this time, a bicycle-vs.-bicycle crash, three months after the bike/truck collision that took a life – we checked with SDOT on the status of city-promised safety improvements, some of which were discussed hours after the May crash that killed Lance David. SDOT spokesperson Marybeth Turner says this is the list of what they expect will be done by November:
This fall SDOT plans the following improvements:
· A rapid flashing beacon at South Horton Street with a marked crosswalk to create a preferred crossing location.
· Asphalt spot repair along the travel lanes and bike lanes.
· Relocation of the trees from the tree pits, which will then be filled with asphalt to widen out the sidewalk area for bikes and pedestrians.
· Roadway restriping and some additional spot delineators for separation.
· Signal timing adjustments at East Marginal Way South and South Hanford Street.
· Some shim repair work on the sidewalk.
Then next year, according to Turner, “SDOT will study the possibility of installing a two-way cycle track or multi-use trail along East Marginal Way South from Spokane to Atlantic streets.”
P.S. In that same area, the big Bike/Truck Safety Fair with co-sponsors including the Port of Seattle and West Seattle Bike Connections is coming up the morning of September 6th – in case you missed the earlier announcement, here it is again.
Three West Seattle business notes this afternoon:
WEST SEATTLE CYCLERY GRAND OPENING: Six weeks after we first told you about proprietor Brad Loetel‘s new bicycle shop at 4508 California SW, West Seattle Cyclery is about to have its official grand opening, this Friday-Saturday-Sunday (August 16-18). Brad says, “We have a great selection of 2013 bikes with discounts of 10-40 % off. This weekend we will have several opportunities to win free stuff or discounts on 2014 bikes. Check out our website for more information on the drawings. Our Service department has been up completing most repairs in one to two days.” Hours at WS Cyclery are 10 am-7 pm Tuesdays-Thursdays, noon-7 Fridays, 10-5 Saturdays, noon-5 Sundays.
FIREFLY CAFE HOSTING SECOND GEAR SPORTS DROPOFFS: One week ago, we noted the impending opening of Second Gear Sports in Morgan Junction. As Second Gear gets ready to open, Firefly Café and Creperie (WSB sponsor) in The Junction is hosting a dropoff event for anything you’d like to consign to Second Gear, this Saturday (August 17), 8 am-4 pm. Details are on the Firefly Facebook page, including a Firefly discount if you drop something off! The truck will be behind Firefly at California/Genesee.
HEIDI FISH/TWALA INTIMATES CHANGES: After sharing space in The Junction at 4519 California SW (second floor) for a while, changes are ahead for Heidi Fish Swimwear and Twala Intimates. Heidi Fish will take over the entire retail space in which the two have been co-located, while Twala Intimates will relocate to a non-retail space in SODO. Heidi Fish will continue carrying some Twala Intimates items, and “also plans to expand on her own offerings to include resort and lounge wear,” according to the announcement.
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