West Seattle, Washington
19 Tuesday
FIRST REPORT, 11:26 AM: With the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce board taking a stand against the SODO location proposed for a new Seattle sports arena (as first reported here last week), it’s higher on the radar here – so here’s a new development: Less than 3 hours before the King County Council holds a public hearing on the possible county investment in the plan, the Seattle City Council has announced it’s “in discussions” with would-be arena investor Chris Hansen, and has gone public with a four-page letter to him, signed by 8 councilmembers (all except Bruce Harrell). You can see the letter here; the concerns it outlines include the ones on which the WSCoC and Port of Seattle have focused:
… In particular, transportation issues must be addressed and freight mobility impacts mitigated to protect the city’s vital maritime and industrial job sectors. …
The letter spends even more time on concerns about “ongoing financial exposure” to the city and a “balance of public and private benefits.” But it also makes a point that “it would be unfortunate if the project were to founder now …”
Meantime, in advance of the public hearing and expected County Council vote this afternoon, West Seattle’s County Councilmember Joe McDermott co-authored an essay explaining why he believes they have “done (their) due diligence”; read it here. (If and when there is a vote, we’ll add that update to this story.)
6:46 PM: The County Council’s vote was yes. Read about it on their site.
While talking with SDOT about a different project last Friday, we asked about the timetable for the future Avalon Way/SW Genesee traffic signal, mentioned often in various discussions of local road safety. Our most recent mention was back in February, when its future installation was described as tentatively set for the third quarter of this year (which we’re a month into). SDOT’s Paul Elliott checked on its status and tells WSB today: “Design for the civil work will begin in the next month and construction will be later this fall, with completion by Thanksgiving.” (He confirms that, as was said in February, the project also will include new curb ramps for accessibility.)
(Thanks to Brooke Kipling for the golden view of Sunday night’s sunset, from West Seattle’s west shore)
Happy Monday! Here are the highlights of our look ahead to what’s up today/tonight – including events not in West Seattle but of interest here:
WONDERING ABOUT TRASH/RECYCLING PICKUP? The Waste Management recycling/yard-waste drivers’ strike continues, supported by garbage-truck drivers; the company is bringing in what it calls “substitute drivers,” saying they will focus on commercial pickups today. Here’s the newest information.
TRAFFIC ALERTS FOR TODAY/TONIGHT: From our day-by-day traffic-alert list: Southbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed 9 pm-5 am; the 1st Avenue South exit from the eastbound West Seattle Bridge will close 10 pm-5 am. And during the day, in West Seattle, there is one alert: Concrete trucks are expected at the Barton Street Pump Station expansion project next to the Fauntleroy ferry dock noon-4:30 pm, and the county warns some traffic trouble might result. (They will have flaggers to assist.)
1ST BLUE ANGEL ARRIVES: Seafair‘s big week always begins with a sight in the sky – the first Blue Angels jet to arrive (the other six are due tomorrow) is expected this morning. We’re checking with Seafair on the time. You’ll likely see it zipping around on media/VIP ridealongs, too. (ADDED 8:43 AM: The first jet has arrived. It’ll be out on “key influencer” ridealongs from 11 am-3 pm. Tomorrow’s group arrival is scheduled around 11 am.)
TIDEWALKING TIME: The next round of low tides starts today, -2 feet just after 9 am.
COUNTY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING ON SODO ARENA: 1:30 pm today, the public has another chance to tell the King County Council what it thinks about the SODO arena plan, during a public hearing at the council’s meeting in the courthouse downtown (as explained here). 1:30 pm; details here.
FAMILY STORY TIME: Tonight at the High Point Library branch (35th/Raymond), 7 pm.
More on the calendar!
So many people crowded the Olympia shore on Sunday to see the arrival of nearly 100 tribal canoes, that video is as close as Anne from Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) could get to see the local participants – her clip shows the Duwamish Raven Canoe arriving in Budd Inlet. The southernmost reach of Puget Sound was the destination for the Paddle to Squaxin, which included – as we reported last Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday – an Alki Beach stop along the way. The Olympian reported on Sunday’s arrivals, all greeted by the Squaxin Island Tribe, which is this year’s host for the tribes visiting from all over the Pacific Northwest, some of whom have been paddling for more than a month. The gathering there, the weeklong Potlatch Protocol, will officially begin at 10 am today – and a live stream is promised on this webpage.
Road-closure advisories for the week ahead have come in from a variety of sources – so we’ve melding them into one list of what to expect, day by day. This includes Alaskan Way Viaduct, Spokane Street Viaduct (the West Seattle Bridge between 99 and I-5), and, for this week, I-90 Bridge/Blue Angels closures (since the exit’s close enough to the east end of the WS Bridge to affect it):
SUNDAY NIGHT, JULY 29 (tonight)
*Alaskan Way Viaduct is closed northbound AND southbound from and to the West Seattle Bridge until 5 am. The NB closure ends at Royal Brougham; the SB closure begins at the Battery Street Tunnel
MONDAY, JULY 30
*Alaskan Way Viaduct: Closed southbound 9 pm-5 am between Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge
*Spokane St. Viaduct: Eastbound offramp to 1st Avenue S. closed 10 pm tonight to 5 am tomorrow
TUESDAY, JULY 31
*Alaskan Way Viaduct: Closed southbound 9 pm-5 am between Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge
*Spokane St. Viaduct: Eastbound offramp to 1st Avenue S. closed 10 pm tonight to 5 am tomorrow
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1
*Alaskan Way Viaduct: Closed southbound 9 pm-5 am between Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge
*Spokane St. Viaduct: Eastbound offramp to 1st Avenue S. closed 10 pm tonight to 5 am tomorrow
THURSDAY, AUGUST 2
*Alaskan Way Viaduct: Closed southbound 9 pm-5 am between Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge
*Spokane St. Viaduct: Eastbound offramp to 1st Avenue S. closed 10 pm tonight to 5 am tomorrow
*I-90 Bridge closures for Blue Angels’ Seafair practices: 9:45 am-noon, 1:15 pm-2:30 pm
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3
*Spokane St. Viaduct: Eastbound lanes will be closed 10 pm tonight-5 am tomorrow; all eastbound traffic will have to exit at 1st Avenue South offramp (to get to I-5 or Columbian Way, you can then drive eastbound on surface Spokane St. and reconnect at 6th)
*I-90 Bridge closure for Blue Angels’ Seafair practice show: 12:45 pm-2:40 pm
SATURDAY, AUGUST 4
*I-90 Bridge closures for Blue Angels’ Seafair show: 12:45 pm-2:40 pm
SUNDAY, AUGUST 5
*Alaskan Way Viaduct: Closed southbound 9 pm-5 am between Battery Street Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge
*I-90 Bridge closures for Blue Angels’ Seafair show: 12:45 pm-2:40 pm
MONDAY, AUGUST 6
*Spokane St. Viaduct: Westbound lanes will be closed between I-5 and Highway 99, 10 pm-5 am, which means no access to West Seattle Bridge from I-5 or Beacon Hill
This will remain linked atop the BIG STORIES list on the WSB sidebar throughout the week, in case you’need to find it quickly!
8:49 PM: Seattle Fire Department crews are arriving at a home near 39th and 102nd and reporting “light smoke” visible. We’re on the way and will have updates as more information is available. It does not appear to be a major fire, though – all but three crews have been canceled.
8:57 PM UPDATE: Our crew is there and says it was a small fire contained to a terrarium where a turtle lives. The residents are checking on the turtle.
10:52 PM UPDATE: In case you haven’t seen this in the comments already – a neighbor says the turtle is OK, though a bit shell-scorched.
We have news of a local gold medalist – but it’s got nothing to do with the Olympics! West Seattle High School student Philip Nokeo is home from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America national conference in Florida with the gold medal for Applied Technology. He earned the trip to nationals by winning that same medal in statewide competition. Philip and teacher Sarah Orton (with him in the photo) traveled with 20 students and staff from elsewhere in the city. Teacher says they were among 7,000 students at the conference, and of course there was time for side trips to Disney World and Universal Studios parks, as well as numerous conference events on which Philip will brief his fellow students in the WSHS chapter next school year. Congratulations!
(8:23 PM UPDATE: Police say West Seattleite driving on I-5 caught in crossfire)
(“Live” image of I-5 at Boeing Access Road – refresh page for newest view)
5:04 PM: An incident on southbound I-5 in the Boeing Field area has backed up traffic all the way to the West Seattle Bridge – with northbound slowdowns reported too – and since a stretch of northbound 99 is currently closed just north of here, that means bridge backups. According to KING 5, this is a crash that was preceded by “an exchange of gunfire between the occupants of two cars.” More to come.
5:36 PM: Update from WSDOT:
Two lanes on SB I-5 open at Boeing Access Road.Flipped SUV onto wheels. Thx for your patience. Tell a friend about our twitter feed!
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) July 30, 2012
Seattle Police also have updates, via Twitter, saying that one person was shot, and is expected to survive. They say that one of the vehicles involved in the dispute hit one that was not, and that caused the rollover crash.
5:55 PM: WSDOT says all lanes are open again.
6:36 PM: SFD has an update on the people injured – two in the flipped car, one shooting victim in a different vehicle.
8:23 PM: The SPD Blotter version of all this has just been published, and it includes this new information: Police say a “stray bullet” hit a West Seattleite’s car. From their report:
Another innocent motorist who was driving southbound on I-5 got his windows shot out by a stray bullet fired by the suspects. That driver (who was the only one on board his vehicle) drove home to the West Seattle area and called 911. An officer responded and took a report on that incident and documented the property damage. The driver was not injured.
8:39 PM: Police also have added this clarification – the original incident was not an “exchange of gunfire” – only one car, which has not yet been found, had someone in it who was shooting; the car in which someone got shot, and which hit the vehicle that overturned, did NOT have anyone firing a gun, and was not even found to contain anyone with a gun. The SPD report now includes this:
There is no indication at this time that the shooting victim ever shot back at the suspects or suspect vehicle and no firearm was located on the shooting victim.
A man arrested in West Seattle early today is a suspect in two street robberies – one here, one in Capitol Hill – according to police, who are still seeking a second suspect. From the report published on SPD Blotter this afternoon by Det. Jeff Kappel:
At approximately 1:00 a.m. this morning the two female victims, 26 and 27 years of age, were walking in the area of Delridge and Genesee when they were confronted by two black male suspects. One asked for a cigarette which the victims didn’t have. Both victims continued walking. A couple seconds later they were approached from behind by one of the suspects. This time he was armed with a handgun and demanded their purses.
At the same time a witness was leaving his house to walk his dog and interrupted the robbery, causing the suspect to run off. The witness and the victims chased the suspect and observed him enter a waiting vehicle driven by a second suspect at 25th and Genesee.
(Substitute-driven WM truck photographed outside Delridge restaurant Saturday morning)
An update on the Waste Management walkout, just in from the company:
Teamsters Local 117 recycle and yard waste drivers remain on strike. Teamsters 174 garbage drivers continue to honor the picket lines.
Over the weekend, experienced WM substitute drivers made solid progress on critical stops in cities across the Puget Sound. Per our contingency plan, our second wave of experienced WM substitute drivers arrived on Saturday and Sunday. They will be deployed on Monday, July 30. Additional substitute drivers are on the way and we are beginning to hire replacement drivers identified during our job fair last month.
MONDAY COLLECTION SERVICE
Monday collection service will focus on commercial collection routes, including restaurants.
Renton will receive residential garbage collection service due to their unique every other week (EOW) collection frequency.Please continue to check our WM website for daily collection information at www.wmnorthwest.com.
The city’s most recent update, from Friday, suggests Monday pickup customers put out their cans as usual.
The strike began at midday Wednesday; drivers had been working without a contract since late May, and took a strike-authorization vote in early June.
Even bigger crowd at the Alki Art Fair during the early afternoon today, by our comparison – good reason to try the shuttle from WSHS if you’re driving. It runs till 6, which is how long the vendors are supposed to be open, but music continues till about 8 (six more acts to go, including at 5:45 pm, “Elvis rock/punk review” Graceland Five). The main stage was briefly idle during our visit, but the small “acoustic stage” toward the west end of the fair wasn’t:
That’s Choro Tocando, often seen and heard around West Seattle. If you’ve never been to the fair and are still pondering whether to go before day’s end, note that it features art that’s wearable and otherwise functional, not just great paintings and prints and photos for decorating your home. We even found checkbook covers:
The cat and dog images are creations of Phoenix Chiu. And if you take along your real-life pet, the Seal Sitters booth has water that’s “under guard”:
(We checked in with Seal Sitters volunteers, who say no pup has turned up since “Georgie” earlier in the week – here’s their Art Fair report! If you see a seal on the shore, call them at 206-905-SEAL.)
P.S. This is the second year the Alki Art Fair has been an all-volunteer production, since city budget cuts took away the staff support it used to get from Alki Community Center.
Four West Seattle Crime Watch reports so far this weekend, starting with a hit-run that left the above-shown damage on Kami and Martin‘s car:
Someone hit our car early (Saturday) morning and drove off. The sound of the crash woke me, but by the time I looked out the window they were gone. It happened about 2:15 am. Our car is parked in High Point at 29th & Raymond. Their car must be pretty damaged, as we cannot even drive ours. They left some blue paint on our car and mirror and glass on the road. Their car (probably a blue color) would have damage to the driver’s side from the headlight down the side, damaged side mirror and headlight and probably some black paint on it from our car. It is just disturbing that someone leaves the scene like this and costs a family a $1,000 deductible, rental car and towing expense.
Ahead, three notes including two cases of car prowling, both spotted in progress overnight:
A few more notes before we get too far into our sun-is-trying-to-break-through Sunday:
OVERLAPPING 99 CLOSURES: Northbound Highway 99 between the West Seattle Bridge and Royal Brougham Way remains closed till 5 am tomorrow. And that will overlap with a southbound closure between the Battery Street Tunnel and WS Bridge from 9 pm tonight till 5 am tomorrow. (Our melded day-by-day version of the closure list for the week ahead, with info for both 99 and the Spokane Street Viaduct, will be published later today.)
TODAY’S YARD/RUMMAGE SALES: Check the listings (free to post!) in the WSB Forums‘ Freebies/Deals/Sales section – some of this weekend’s sales are on for today, too, including the Community School of West Seattle yard/bake sale (till 4 pm)
ALKI ART FAIR, DAY 2: Here are our reports from Day 1, and from Night 1. Hours are 10 am-6 pm today along the boardwalk, and that’s when you can catch the shuttle from the West Seattle High School parking lot (3000 California SW); music runs 10 am-8 pm (here’s the schedule).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm at 44th/Alaska as always – peak time for some summer produce!
WING-EATING CONTEST: At West Seattle’s Wing Dome today – but it’s not an “everybody sit down and compete all at once” event – it’s ongoing from 11 am to 9 pm; info here.
PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 1-4 pm today at Little Rascals Preschool of West Seattle (WSB sponsor); map here.
FIRST ALL-AGES OPEN MIKE AT SKYLARK: Sign up at 3 pm, three songs each between 4 and 7 pm, at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW). We have it on good word that musician India Spence (recently seen at Summer Fest) will be among the performers. Note that the bar IS open for those with 21+ up ID.
WEST SEATTLE COOKING CLUB: They usually meet on Mondays, but this is one of those special weekend gatherings just for those who are busy weekdays. 3 pm at Beveridge Place Pub – the theme is “Southwestern.”
MORE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: Today Greenstage presents “Taming of the Shrew” at 3 pm in Lincoln Park, free.
SUNDAY NIGHT SINGING: At The Bridge with Karaoke Kelli, 9 pm.
More on the calendar!
The Alki Art Fair continues today – 10 am to 6 pm for vendors, same as Saturday, with the shuttle from West Seattle High School‘s parking lot running those hours too; music continues till about 8 pm. Our 1st Saturday report is here, but there’s more…
Yet another beautiful sunset last night as people gathered for Saturday’s final musical act, Matt the Hoopla:
MTH is a West Seattle band specializing in ’70s-rock covers, with a focus on “glam rock.” The song on the clip is “One of the Boys,” by the band that inspired their name, Mott the Hoople. We met one of the band’s members, Don Bazemore (screen left), while he was volunteering at the West Seattle Summer Fest Info Booth (our festival HQ), and resolved to check out their AAF performance. Today’s full music lineup, from MoZo at 10 am to Burley Mountain at 7 pm, is here.
In case you were watching the Seafair Torchlight Parade on TV and missed the West Seattle Hi-Yu float because, we’re told, they went to a commercial break – here you go. This year, they were fairly close to the top of the running order, so it wasn’t even dark yet when Queen Kayli, Junior Queen Thea, and Junior Princesses Elena and Amanda passed by our spot in the photography zone close to the TV cameras and bleachers at Westlake.
West Seattle’s neighbor South Park was represented too:
Ahead – the West Seattleite-led All-City Band, for starters:
(Photo tweeted by Special Olympics Washington – @SO_Washington)
FIRST REPORT, 6:25 PM: In a few hours, after the Sounders–Rapids soccer match in Colorado, West Seattle-area student players and coaches, many from the Seattle Schools Unified Soccer League, will take the field for their own match. Chief Sealth International High School athletic director Sam Reed shared the news that they’re traveling with the Sounders and Special Olympics of Washington. The SO Sounders headed out on Friday. Three weeks ago, a similar delegation came here when the Rapids visited the Sounders; the Seattle team won that game, and is now in the Rockies for the rematch against the Colorado team. Reed explains that “more than half of the SO Sounders team (in) Colorado come from Chief Sealth International and West Seattle High Schools. Chief Sealth Head Coach Andrew Saldana is on the coaching staff, while players Morgan Hegge, Cameron O’Donnell, Christian Freitas, Ben Lee, Sydney Proctor, Karina Silva, Eric Swenson and Xahil McDonald all represent the Seahawks as either athletes or partners. Christian Estaban is on the team representing West Seattle.” Traveling with them is Angie Bounds, who’s been publishing updates at sosounders.blogspot.com; she tells WSB the game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO, is around 9:30 Colorado time tonight. We’ll update this story after the game (you can check out the SO-WA Twitter feed, too).
11:16 PM UPDATE: SO Sounders win, 2-0, according to Twitter updates. And someone recorded the entire match on phone video – you can see and hear it here.
We’re into the second half of day 1 of the 2012 Alki Art Fair – with a growing patch of blue sky overhead, and pale blue water as the backdrop. It’s particularly interesting to see artists who focus on the sea, holding court at booths right on the water:
Patri O’Connor, whose work can be found at nearby Alki Arts (and often on the WSB Facebook page!), has a booth just steps away from where Art Fair volunteers are showing this year’s official T-shirt ($18), featuring her design:
That’s Susan Madrid, who’s in the booth right next to the Bathhouse’s waterfront doors, with all the info you need if you’re looking for something or someone. (Inside the Bathhouse, silent auctions are under way – one just ended, and another one is continuing at least till 5 today.) Back to the vendors: Andy Hill is showing and selling sea creatures in handcrafted metal sculpture:
From North Delridge, “Holli with an I” (Margell) is here with her photography:
And kids will find something to do even if they’re not art lovers yet – there was a big crowd around the Seal Sitters‘ table:
And just west of the Bathhouse, Young at Art is here from The Junction (they are moving soon to Fairmount Springs, at Fauntleroy and Raymond) with activities, too.
On the east side of the Bathhouse, you’ll find the main stage, with music till about 9 tonight (here’s the full schedule). If you come before the vendors close for the day at 6 (and again 10-6 tomorrow), you can take the free shuttle from the West Seattle High School parking lot – we’ve already heard from one rider who says it’s NOT crowded.
One other frequent question – what about food? Besides the numerous year-round beach businesses, we’ve seen two booths – frozen custard (focused on sundaes) from Peak’s, west side of the Bathhouse, and T-CE’s Barbecue further west, toward the picnic shelters.
ADDED 3:55 PM: Earlier this afternoon, the Log House Museum presented a show of vintage bathing fashions; the models posed just before taking the stage:
The museum itself, by the way, is open noon-4 pm Thursdays-Sundays. And while you’re at Alki tomorrow, the Alki Point Lighthouse is open for tours 1-4 pm (Saturdays and Sundays, through August).
(MONDAY UPDATE: A medal for Ginger’s grandson! Scroll down …)
26-year-old Olympic athlete Nick Thoman is from Ohio – but you can call him an honorary West Seattleite if you’re looking for specific people to cheer during the 2012 Summer Olympics, since his grandmother Ginger Brewer lives on Alki. She headed to London a few days ago to join other family members there. We’ve heard from Ginger before regarding Nick’s swimming success; a neighbor of hers told us he made it to the Olympics, so we e-mailed her, and heard back from daughter-in-law Lauri, who says Nick’s in the 100m backstroke “and may also swim in the 4x100m medley relay.” Lauri says those competition dates are:
July 29 – 100 m prelims
July 30 – 100 m finals
Aug 3 – 4x100m medley relay prelims
Aug 4 – 4x100m medley relay finals
She adds, “He has the third fastest Olympic qualifying time in the world for the 100m backstroke, so he is definitely in the running to bring home some hardware, although we are just super excited that he is even going! He currently holds the world record in the 100m short-course backstroke. The Olympics is a long-course pool. Short course is a 25 meter pool, long course is a 50 meter pool.” Nick is 26 and has been swimming since he was 4, Lauri says, adding, “Go Team USA!!” (P.S. Nick of course has an official “fan page” on Facebook. Here’s the lineup for his preliminary competition at 11 am Sunday, London time.)
SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: Nick finished first in his heat very early this morning (results here), and is in the second heat at the semifinals tonight, 8:28 pm London time.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: And … he’s in Monday’s finals!
MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Nick scored silver today – here are the results (thanks to Ben for sharing the link in the comment section). He is also scheduled to be part of the USA relay team in competition later this week.
(Recent sunrise, from Flickr member t_ravtyler, via the WSB group pool)
The summer fun continues – even before the start of the Alki Art Fair this morning, and even beyond the final credit roll for West Seattle Outdoor Movies‘ showing late tonight. Here’s today’s list:
NORTHBOUND VIADUCT CLOSURE STARTS TONIGHT: 5:30 tonight through 5 am Monday, the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct is closed from the West Seattle Bridge northward. However, after the Seafair Torchlight Run tonight, it will reopen from Royal Brougham Way northward. Still means no access from the eastbound WS Bridge, but you’ll be able to get onto northbound 99 from SODO.
COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF WEST SEATTLE RUMMAGE/BAKE SALE: 8 am to 6 pm today, thousands of items are on sale (including the ones “under wraps” in the photo above). Treats too – including cinnamon rolls and scones, starting first thing in the morning. Map’s in our calendar listing.
EVEN MORE RUMMAGE/GARAGE/YARD SALES: This must be the peak of the season – the WSB Forums‘ Freebies/Deals/Sales section is full of listings for this weekend. Including the “best yard sale ever.” See the listings here (and if you’re having one, make sure you’ve posted it too – free!).
WSHS CHEERLEADERS’ CAR WASH: The new school year is five and a half weeks away, and the West Seattle High School Cheerleaders are busy fundraising – today, with a car wash at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor; 35th and Webster), 10 am-3 pm.
ALKI ART FAIR – WITH LOTS OF LIVE MUSIC – AND A SHUTTLE! Art/music/shuttle are the three points you’ll want to remember for the two-day Alki Art Fair, for starters. 
Of course you’ll find art to enjoy, browse, and purchase (dozens of booths and tents along the boardwalk and by the Bathhouse) – but the live-music lineup is more extensive than ever, and stretches beyond the official Art Fair hours of 10 am-6 pm. Here’s the updated music schedule, starting with Kyle Hough at 10:30 this morning and continuing through Matt the Hoopla at 8 tonight. The free shuttle, meantime, is a yellow school bus running every 15 minutes or so from the West Seattle High School parking lot (3000 California SW) to the Art Fair, between 10 am and 6 pm, both days – great option if you are driving your own vehicle, since Alki parking can get crazy. (No road closures for the street fair, so regular buses serving Alki can get you there too.)
SWAT FOOTBALL AND CHEER BARBECUE: Come enjoy a barbecue and sign up for SWAC Football and Cheer‘s new season, 11 am-2 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). Barbecue also welcomes new and returning players. Registration also continues online at SWACcougars.org.
DELRIDGE LIBRARY: A TALE OF TEN YEARS: Celebrate the Delridge Library‘s 10th anniversary 1:30 pm-4 pm today – details here.
‘YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN’ AT WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: Week two for the free Saturday night movies (co-sponsored by WSB) in the courtyard by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor; 4410 California SW). The movie, “Young Frankenstein,” is at dusk (9-something); pre-show entertainment is by jump-rope champ Rene Bibaud, 7:30 pm start; tonight’s raffle benefits Seattle Lutheran High School, with the SLHS Key Club providing concessions, cupcakes by Sugar Rush Baking Company, and PB&J Textiles (WSB sponsor) handling the popcorn machine. Come early, BYO chair/blanket, and stake out your spot(s).
GARDEN CONCERT: You’ve heard of house concerts; this one’s billed as a garden concert at a West Seattle home, with three acts – Rebecca Cohen, Matt Price, Robin McGillveray – starting at 7 pm; lineup and map here.
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: 7 pm at Camp Long (5200 35th SW), Greenstage presents “Henry VIII.” Free!
SEAFAIR TORCHLIGHT PARADE: Downtown, but featuring West Seattleites – our calendar listing includes the full parade running order, according to what Seafair made public earlier this week. (The West Seattle Hi-Yu float and volunteers appear 28th, according to that lineup. Other entries with West Seattle ties include the Seattle All-City Marching Band, led by Denny/Sealth’s Marcus Pimpleton and featuring numerous local student musicians, and King County Executive Dow Constantine. Plus, when the Seafair Scholarship Program for Women contestants go by, you’ll see Hi-Yu representative Kelsey Bills – she’s one of the contenders up for Queen/Princess honors in the pre-parade coronation. And Mayor McGinn will be driven by West Seattleite Craig Vinton in his electric roadster.) Parade starts from just south of Seattle Center at 7:30 pm and proceeds down 4th Avenue to the International District. If you want to get in the mood earlier, there’s a “Torchlight Spectacular” event at Seattle Center starting at 2 pm, with your chance to preview parade floats, among other things. And before the parade, there’s the Torchlight Run.
NIGHTLIFE: Three bands at Skylark Café and Club at 8 pm … Hondo II plays the Feedback Lounge, 9 pm, with special guest Gypsy Thieves … Three bands at the Benbow Room, 9 pm.
With four days left, you can still bring dog or cat food to Alki Mail and Dispatch for their July pet-food drive. The staff tells WSB they’ve collected more than 150 pounds of pet food so far (some of it is shown above in the photo they shared), but are hoping for more. As we mentioned at the beginning of the drive, they are accepting dry or canned food and treats. All cat food will go to Kitty Harbor and all dog food to Dogs Deserve Better, an organization raising awareness for dogs who live chained or tethered outdoors.
The drive goes through Tuesday (July 31st). Check Alki Mail’s hours and location here. And by the way, they’re already thinking about doing it again next year!
Evergreen Tang Soo Do Academy student Tamela Thomas has won her third world championship, reports the academy’s Master Steve Elmore (with her in the photo above). Thomas, 52, is one of nine students who went with Elmore to the World Tang Soo Do Association‘s world championships in Greensboro, North Carolina, last weekend, an every-two-years event at which more than 1,600 people from 34 countries competed. He says Thomas became Senior Female Black Belt World Champion “by winning gold medals in weapons, forms, and free fighting. This was her 3rd consecutive world title but her first in the black belt division.” (Back in 2008, we mentioned this Seattle Weekly story about her first world title.) He also reports that the recent death of the association’s founder, Grandmaster Jae C. Shin (reported here), loomed large over the event, with a memorial service following the ribbon-cutting for a new WTSDA in nearby Burlington, N.C.
That’s what it said on longtime community activist/volunteer Pete Spalding‘s birthday cake last night at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), where wife Kerry Hughes organized a surprise party:
Back in their home neighborhood of Pigeon Point, one of the trademark signposts held a tribute:
Pete has led the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council multiple times, as well as chairing the citywide Parks and Green Spaces Levy OVersight Committee, serving on the board of the West Seattle Food Bank, and countless other councils/groups/projects. His awards include being honored as this year’s “Westsider of the Year” by the WS Chamber of Commerce.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
If you saw a group of more than 40 bicyclists riding by in the Thursday evening sunshine, here’s what it was all about: A “bikeability tour” of West Seattle, presented by groups including the Cascade Bicycle Club, Seattle Greenways, and the city Bicycle Advisory Board, whose co-chair Max Hepp-Buchanan spoke before the group pedaled away from the starting point by Chelan Café:
He said, “This is a great way for people to bike through communities, meet their neighbors, and help inform the recommendations we are going to be making to the council, Mayor’s office, and SDOT.” The route is mapped here (with descriptions of various points along the way).
More views from along the 10.5-mile ride, ahead:Read More
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