West Seattle, Washington
30 Saturday
A number of West Seattleites traveled across the state to join in the Spokane Hoopfest last weekend, competing against more than 7,000 teams in the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Hoopfest, begun in 1990, is an annual tournament that draws players and fans of all ages from around the country. It takes place outdoors, covering an area of 42 city blocks in downtown Spokane.
After playing through thunderstorms on Saturday and 96-degree heat on Sunday, at least four young West Seattle teams became champions of their brackets:
Regus ICE: Jayce, Grace, and Lexi
Gray Wolves: Teagan, Bryce, and Jaxton
Golden Arches: Josh Meyer, John Ursino, Andrew Burggraff, and Tyler Lenzie
Lady Hawks: Samantha Scroggins, Lani Taylor, Alison Hadaway, and Sidney Proctor
To see each team’s draw, check out Hoopfest’s Team Tracker. (Thanks to Mike Jensen and Jeffrey Proctor for the photos and info!)
… as they work on new mobile apps. This is the second survey on the topic; they’re asking for specifics on what kind of information you would find useful in three particular areas. Here’s the link.
8:53 PM: Emergency crews are handling a crash across SW Thistle from Chief Sealth International High School. Our crew says that’s blocking eastbound Thistle at the scene. The crash originally was dispatched as a “heavy rescue” situation, but many of the crews were subsequently canceled. Our crew says it looks like two cars went up over the sidewalk and through a fence at an apartment complex. A private ambulance is there, which suggests the injuries are not life-threatening. Avoid the area.
9:11 PM UPDATE: In addition to going through the fence, it looks like at least one vehicle hit an apartment, breaking a window, and firefighters are helping clean up the glass inside.
As for how it happened – police were still sorting that out.
If you noticed police activity in the 16th and Holden area of Highland Park earlier today, here’s what it was about: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams says two neighbors called police after seeing four people break into a house in the 7700 block of 15th SW and run away. Two suspects were stopped at 16th and Holden, two at 15th and Holden; all were juveniles, and Lt. Williams says some “had property on their person that was later identified by the victim as their property.” One had a “loaded semi-automatic ammo clip on his person,” but a K-9 searching the area didn’t find a gun. He says three suspects were booked, one interviewed and released.
After the Tuesday night multi-location investigation described as involving a possible carjacking (WSB coverage here), police promised they would have followup information once they sorted it out. They still haven’t entirely sorted it out, but an update just appeared on SPD Blotter – read it here. Bottom line: It all may have had something to do with stolen auto parts that someone was trying to buy back; the later locations involved police trying to find a suspect who had called them. While two people were briefly in custody at one Highland Park location, as we noted in a followup comment Wednesday, nobody was actually arrested; two vehicles were impounded, though.
Many places display flags on the 4th of July and other patriotically themed holidays. The West Seattle home of Sharon and Duff Kennedy is among them. Or – has been. The flag they hang every 4th of July was stolen last night; the photo above shows where it had been displayed. This is not just any flag, Sharon explains:
We hung the flag that was given to my husband when his son Roger was laid to rest.
It was the flag presented to him at (Roger’s) burial; he was a Vietnam War casualty.
We hang it every 4th of July, and this year we hung it in a new spot, and after our company left late the night of the 4th, we forgot to take the flag down.
It is a very large flag and we hung it so proudly each year.
The thief took it down carefully, and all the hangers we used are still in place.
We want our flag back, we will buy a replacement flag for the person who stole ours, not ask any questions, no bad feelings.
The flag is about 10 feet wide and about 5 feet long.
The sentimental value is priceless.
Perhaps the thief can simply return it – the Kennedys are at 4234 Beach Drive SW.
You might not be counting the days yet, but we are – West Seattle’s biggest festival of the year, the Junction Association-presented West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB), is now exactly one week away – Friday, Saturday, Sunday (July 12-14). Or you might say it’s six days away, if you count what we call Summer Fest Eve, Thursday night, July 11th, when California and Alaska close in the heart of The Junction starting at 6 pm and Summer Fest setup begins, concurrent with the July edition of the West Seattle Art Walk, and featuring street performances (we’ve already mentioned Bret Wiggins bringing his award-winning Elvis styling to the street outside La Romanza Bistro Italiano [WSB sponsor] that night).
Quick links and notes:
*Summer Fest music lineup
*Summer Fest vendors/exhibitors directory (use the column titles to sort alphabetically or numerically)
*Summer Fest vendors/exhibitors map (PDF; we’re not listed because you’ll find WSB in the Information Booth again this year)
*Summer Fest kid zone is on Alaska WEST of California, where the food used to be
*Summer Fest food zone is on Alaska EAST of California (sort the vendor list by “location” and click ahead to the pages starting 151 and 176 for the “F” as in “food” entries – earlier in the list, note a few “Sidewalk Cafes” too)
*Other specialty areas – GreenLife is back on the south side of the festival area; Art Dive is back on the north side
*West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be ON during Summer Fest, 10 am-2 pm as always
Festival hours will be 10 am-8 pm Friday and Saturday (with music running later) and 11 am-5 pm on Sunday. More details to come as our countdown continues in the days/nights ahead! And if your business/organization has something special to spotlight, please let us know ASAP so we can include it in countdown coverage – editor@westseattleblog.com.
(9-10 team Wednesday night, congratulating Reece McAllister after his double allowed Spencer Burgess to score from 2nd for the win)
Big day for Alki tomorrow – not just the Seafair Pirates Landing, but also, the championship games for the Little League District 7 All-Star tournaments that have been under way since last weekend at Bar-S Playfield. And, Laurie Rasmussen tells us, both teams from the hosting West Seattle Little League are in their respective championship games!
Both the 9-10 and 11-12 year old West Seattle Little League All Star teams will be playing tomorrow in the District 7 championship games beginning at 10:00 at Bar S fields.
*The 9-10 year old team will face the winner of tonight’s game, PAC West vs. South Highline National. The 9-10 year old team beat South Highline National on Wednesday night in extra innings by the score of 9-8.
*The 11-12 year old team will face the winner of tonight’s game, PAC West vs. Renton. The 11-12 year old team beat PAC West on Wednesday night in a shutout, with a score of 17-0.
Both teams go into the championship game undefeated in tournament play. The winner of the District 7 tournament will move on to the State tournament.
The 10-11 year old tournament and Juniors tournament begin tomorrow also at PAC West fields in Burien. We wish them luck! Go Westside!
And remember, you are welcome to go watch and cheer the players on. There’s more information, including scheduling, on the WSLL website.
During the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s 4th of July membership picnic, executive director Clay Eals rolled out a long list of events SWSHS has in the works, including a series of monthly author talks in partnership with South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), a 9/11 commemoration on September 8th at Alki Arts, and the annual fundraising gala in November, spotlighting the Alki Point Lighthouse‘s centennial. But first up will be the August event that SWSHS is formally announcing today – centered on another centennial, that of a well-known couple’s home:
(Photo by Jean Sherrard)
The event August 18th at the North Admiral home of Sharon and Greg Nickels will be both a celebration of history and inspiration for homeowners considering renovating their own classic homes. Here’s the official announcement from SWSHS:
What do you do when the house you live in turns 100? Former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and his wife, Sharon, have a ready answer: Throw a community celebration and make it a fundraiser for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.
To be held Sunday afternoon, Aug. 18, 2013, the event is called “If These Walls Could Talk: The Centennial of Hizzoner’s Home.” It will take place at the Nickels home in the Admiral neighborhood of West Seattle.
Sponsoring the two-tiered event is the 29-year-old Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which also will be the beneficiary.
11:20 AM: The new Highland Park Spraypark has had a few technical glitches since opening a week ago, as we’ve been noting, and Seattle Parks just sent word there’s another today:
Highland Park Spraypark has mechanical problems with the backwash system. It cannot open until repairs are made. Tom Dunning, (project manager) Kelly Goold and Contractor are on site, but it will not open at 11:00. There is no estimate for the time.
We have updated the Wading Pool Hotline.
Of special note, people in the community brought their own brooms to help clean up the spraypad to remove fireworks garbage.
We’ll post an update when we hear (or see) that it’s fixed. Parks spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad, who sent the announcement, says, “We do expect to get it open today. We just don’t know when.”
ADDED 11:44 AM: We asked if this is related or similar to the earlier problems. Parks says no – the first-day glitch involved nearby grass-mowing just before the spraypark opened, and cut grass repeatedly clogged the system; today, it’s “an electrical problem on the automatic backwash system.”
3:26 PM UPDATE: Seattle Parks confirms a commenter’s report – it’s open!
(Click image for larger view)
“Our island at 9,000 feet” is how pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen captioned that view shared with us this week. Here are highlights for today/tonight on “our island,” from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SCOOTER INSANITY: Red Cup Espresso in The Junction is hosting this big scooter rally for a brunch stop, 11 am until 3 pm – here’s the rally schedule, in case you wonder what they’re up to before/after.
BLOOD DRIVE: The Puget Sound Blood Center Bloodmobile is at Westwood Village until 3:30 pm, and walk-up donations are welcome – holiday weekends are too often a time when the supply runs low. Details in our calendar listing.
MAYOR AT SOUTHWEST PRECINCT: Not a public event, but FYI, the mayor’s tour of Seattle Police precincts, with media updates on the Safe Communities Initiative, brings him to the Southwest Precinct at 1:30 pm today. We’ll of course be there and report here.
CORNER BAR CELEBRATES A YEAR: One year for the pop-up “first Fridays” bar at Highland Park Improvement Club! To celebrate, tonight’s theme is “reunion” – explained here. 6-9 pm it’s all ages, then at 9 it’s 21+. (12th/Holden)
LIVE MUSIC AT SKYLARK: 8 pm, Knut Bell and the Blue Collars, Sourmash Stevedores. Details on the Skylark calendar. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
FLAT FIVE AT FEEDBACK: R&B, soul, rock, and funk, live at 9:30 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) with the Flat 5. (6451 California SW)
More on the calendar!
Michale e-mailed to ask that you keep an eye out for this truck stolen from the 9800 block of 25th SW, just south of the city/county boundary:
Just wanted to report that last night around 4:30 am our 2012 Black Nissan Frontier 4×4 was stolen out of our driveway at 9808 25th ave sw 98118. License plate B88732x. If anyone see this truck they can contact the King County (Sheriff’s Office) or us at 206-310-2661.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
For everyone who’s not taking a four-day (or longer) holiday weekend, here’s the daily traffic/transit watch: Since it’s not an official holiday, today’s bus and boat schedules are back to normal. But tonight’s the start of the weekend-long northbound 99 closure north of downtown – Battery Street Tunnel to Valley St., midnight tonight to no later than 5 am Monday morning. And remember that Monday is the day the Delridge repaving project switches to its next phase.
Thanks to Mike Scharer for sharing photos of the Lake Union 4th of July fireworks as seen from the Admiral Way Bridge over Fairmount Ravine.
If you missed the (sanctioned) show, you have two more chances to see fireworks displays in our area this month: July 17th at Steve Cox Park as part of White Center Jubilee Days, and July 20th off Beach Drive as part of a private event (but the fireworks will be publicly visible.)
Meantime, Mike sent an additional photo taken before Thursday night’s fireworks – showing, if you look very closely, black smoke billowing from the same general area:
Having listened to the scanner throughout the evening, we’re fairly sure that was related to this boat-storage yard fire on Lake Union, not far from Gas Works Park, main viewing area for the fireworks show. SFD says via Twitter that $1.5 million in damage is estimated for 14 boats.
That’s our traditional “everybody, start to finish” West Seattle/Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade video – but this year, #19 for the parade, the turnout wasn’t the only impressive thing about the parade: The diaper drive was, too! New co-coordinator Jackie Clough reports that attendees brought “1,327 diapers and 8 bags of clothes and quilts for WestSide Baby.” She shared this photo from afterward:
Cash donations also totaled enough to reimburse Holy Rosary Parish for the cost of the permits needed for the parade, Jackie says. Before the parade started, we photographed her with Sherri Chun (photo below), longtime coordinator who turned over the reins this year to Jackie and (not pictured) Allyson Schreck.
This year’s parade also drew two mayors – Greg Nickels, North Admiral resident, was expected; here’s his speech (introduced by Jackie), which made note of the situation in Egypt as well as the United States history marked by today’s holiday:
The mayoral surprise was an unexpected appearance by Nickels’ successor, Mike McGinn, who wound up speaking briefly at the Hamilton Viewpoint Park festival that followed the parade. He declared West Seattle to be “unbelievable …” a scene right out of a Norman Rockwell painting:
Perhaps he was inspired by sights like this:
Or this:
More photos (including the post-parade fun and games), video – and a keepsake found after the parade (is it yours?) – ahead:
9:20 PM: Seattle Fire crews are on their way to a reported roof fire at a home in the 4000 block of 37th SW (map).
9:25 PM UPDATE: First units there say it appears to have started in a gutter and it appears to be out. Most of the units have been canceled.
9:31 PM UPDATE: Per scanner traffic, the fire may have been caused by “someone setting off flares” in the vicinity; police are looking around.
A few times these past few weeks, Westwood residents asked about music/drums they’ve heard coming from Southwest Athletic Complex. We eventually learned SWAC is the rehearsal HQ this year for the All-City Band, the green-shirted student musicians who are fixtures in summer parades around this region. And beyond – as evidenced by the photos and update shared by Steve White:
The Seattle All City Band, under the direction of Chief Sealth/Denny music director Marcus Pimpleton, is performing this week on the island of Oahu.
Today, they participated in the Kailua, Oahu, 4th of July Parade (photo above; below is a group shot with the King Kamehameha statue in Honolulu).
Later in the week, the band will be performing at the Polynesian Cultural Center and in a parade along Waikiki Beach in downtown Honolulu.
The band is rehearsing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at SWAC to prepare for the upcoming Seafair parade season.
The band will also be hosting the Seattle All City “Band Jam” at SWAC on Friday, July 26th at 7 pm. This event features many of the music groups that will be performing in the following night’s Seafair Torchlight Parade, but in a concert setting on the football field. The event is free for all; donations to the program gladly accepted.
Before that, you’ll see them here in the West Seattle Grand Parade on July 20th.
After leaving the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s Log House Museum, we traveled Alki and Harbor Avenues to see what’s up this 4th of July. Above, at 59th/Alki, we found the AMNO & Co. underwater-robotics team with fundraising refreshments (they’re there until 6 pm) – here’s our recent story about them. Right across the street, perhaps the most unusual food truck we’ve seen at Alki:
Yes, it’s a truck promoting Birds-Eye frozen food. Exactly what we had on our mind on the national barbecuing holiday. From there, more routine sights, including what you’ll always see at Don Armeni and other northeast-facing points by early afternoon on the 4th – people staked out for a fireworks view:
Whatever you do – be safe. We’re hoping for a quiet night. But we’ll be covering breaking news 24/7 as always, so if you see/hear something, 206-293-6302.
12:43 PM: Next big event of the day is at the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens) – its annual 4th of July membership picnic is under way now till 3 pm, with a theme of “celebrating volunteers” this year. We’re on the way for some photos and will add an update when we get there!
1:21 PM: Clay Eals, executive director, is emceeing the picnic program on the museum’s back patio (above), talking to some of the volunteers who are on hand about why they volunteered and why others should join them. Eals noted that this year alone, 35 new volunteers have signed up. There are some not-that-new volunteers here too – 87-year-old Nancy McPhee (with Eals in photo below) joked that she “IS a historical exhibit.”
Veteran volunteer Barbara McGlothern reminisced about the campaign to save the Admiral Theater more than 20 years ago. And president Marcy Johnsen talked about living in the Log House Museum before it was a museum.
Still lots of time to come on over – bring a potluck dish if you have one, but if you don’t, don’t let that stop you, there’s food aplenty to share here! P.S. Your next chance to get involved as a volunteer at the museum/Southwest Seattle Historical Society is an information session on July 13th – details here. And Eals has just announced other big events SWSHS has coming up – look for a separate story on that here a bit later.
(POST-PARADE NOTE: This’ll be in report #2 later with lots of full-size photos but if you can’t wait – go here to see our “parade in its entirety” video)
10 AM: As usual, we’re tweeting from the parade route. In case you don’t use Twitter, here’s a window to show you those quick updates, including photos and possibly some video (look for links with Instagram addresses) along the way:
11:17 AM: Parade is over and funfest at Hamilton Viewpoint is well under way. Looks like AT&T signal hung up most of our parade pic tweets but we’ll have lots of coverage once back at HQ.
Good morning and Happy Independence Day! Our full lineup of 4th of July-related information is on this special WSB page, but here are a few toplines:
FORECAST FOR THE FOURTH: Cloudy now but supposed to burn off at “midday,” says the National Weather Service, as it has the past few days.
WEST SEATTLE 4TH OF JULY KIDS’ PARADE: The peninsula’s only 4th of July parade starts at 44th and Sunset at 10 am. Everyone’s welcome to join the fun, walking/rolling along a fairly short route to Hamilton Viewpoint Park, where you’ll find old-fashioned games on the green plus concessions, for a fun celebration to start your holiday. Remember the diaper drive at the start of the route this year for WestSide Baby! And if you’re not in the parade or watching it, do avoid the north end of California till it’s over, as traffic will be stopped while paraders cross. We’ll post a traffic alert on WSB and our other channels once they’re all on the other side.
BOATING OR GOING TO THE BEACH? Seal Sitters reminds you that it’s pupping season and what you do, or don’t do, on beaches and on the water can be a matter of life and death.
SPEAKING OF WATER: The new Highland Park Spraypark is open daily 11 am-8 pm; the city wading-pool hotline says that since the forecast is for sunshine and 70s later, the pools WILL be open – in our area, on Thursdays, that’ll be Lincoln Park, EC Hughes, and Delridge (hours are on the citywide season schedule). Outdoor Colman Pool will be open (here’s its schedule); indoor Southwest Pool, closed.
LOST OR FOUND PET? While personal fireworks are illegal, many use them anyway, and that leads to more than a few pets getting spooked and running away. If you find or lose a pet, we hope West Seattle’s only dedicated online HQ for such notices can help with a reunion – e-mail info (photo if available but not required) to editor@westseattleblog.com – we will be on duty as always, well into the night.
Again – lots more on the West Seattle 4th of July page.
Family and friends of Mark “Waz” Wasielewski knew that even though he wasn’t around for his 27th annual Make-A-Wish fundraising Invitational Golf Tournament this year – having died suddenly in February at just 51 years old – they had to carry on. And carry on they did, raising $11,278.45, exceeding their expectations, according to Verne Justice, who’s in the photo with Janice Morgan and Make-A-Wish’s Tamsyn Theo. Verne says he and Janice were joined in making the June tournament happen by Jim & Jillian Wasielewski, Eric Dwyer, and John Maynard. “We far exceeded our expectations,” Verne says. “We never really had a goal – just to have some fun and raise some money.” Enough, in fact, “to support not one, but two wishes! In fact, it looks like this year was the most successful year yet!” Their acknowledgments:
Thanks to the friends and family of Mark Wasielewski in making the day a huge success. Also, to the following businesses that supported the Tournament; Pizzeria 22, Seattle Fish, Lee’s Asian, Salty’s, Phoenecia, Elliott Bay Pub, Jak’s Grill, Marination Ma Kai, Szmania’s, Alki Mail, Foster Golf Course, Seattle Logo Pro, Easy Street, Talarico’s, Kamei Restaurant, West Seattle Golf, Ephesus, A Terrible Beauty, Proletariat Pizza, and the Lunchbox Laboratory.
Also, thanks to sponsors; Ray Bowen, Eric Beardemphl, Tim Morgan and Paul Frederickson
Verne adds, “The sun came out the day of the Tournament, everyone was in good spirits; it was a great tribute to Mark.” P.S. You can help Make-A-Wish too – just go here.
A memorial service is planned August 2nd for Susan Fortney, whose family shares this remembrance:
Susan Theresa Fortney, 64, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family, on June 22, 2013.
Susie was born in Wallace, Idaho, on April 3, 1949 and moved to West Seattle at the age of 2- she was a lifelong resident of the West Seattle area, attending Cooper Elementary, Boren Middle School, then graduating from Chief Sealth High School in 1968. She continued on to receive an associate’s degree to become a nurse from Skagit Valley Community College.
Susie was a nurse, in heart and profession, at Valley Medical Center for several years, and then went to work for a law firm, working as a office manager until her full-time retirement in 2011.
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