With two successful tool drives behind it, The West Seattle Tool Library will be meeting again on Tuesday night, April 20, 7 pm at Uptown Espresso to discuss plans to develop the rest of our collection and plan for our involvement in The West Seattle Community Garage Sale. We’ll also be reviewing our logo designs, and establishing how we’ll promote the Tool Library as our June Grand Opening approaches. All are invited and more than welcome to attend. As always, feel free to send any ideas, comments, questions, or answers along to Gary Lichtenstein at library@sustainablewestseattle.org or visit the Tool Library’s page (sustainablewestseattle.org/tool-library) for more details.
That’s Morgan Junction-based preparedness volunteer Ron Zuber, doing double duty this morning – while joining in the student-led breast-cancer walk (here’s our earlier report), he stopped for a few radio tests. If other communication channels go down, there’s a radio plan in place for the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs to talk with other neighborhoods and other areas of the city, as well as with authorities – and Ron works to make sure the system’s running, which means periodic testing. This is in addition to the ham-radio operators who are part of a formal network – we’ve reported before on some of their local tests, often headquartered at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge (site of the Communications Academy we spotlighted on Night 10). Even if you’re not part of these networks, simple 2-way radios are often advised as part of your preparedness kit – they can provide family or neighborhood communication over a short distance if needed. And there are some 2-way radios among the increasing number of hand-crank- or solar-powered options. Meantime, our nightly reminders as Disaster Preparedness Month continues:
A week and a half ago, the Southwest District Council decided (WSB coverage here) to send a letter to the owner of The Hole, aka the excavated-then-stalled Fauntleroy Place development site at Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th, asking for safety and aesthetic improvements. The letter subsequently was sent, after a few changes (here’s our report with the final version). We subsequently sought reaction from the addressee, Seattle Capital. After a few days, spokesperson Mary Grace Roske sent this reply:
I have talked with representatives of Seattle Capital Corporation, managing member of Fauntleroy Place LLC, and they have received the letter from the Southwest District Council. Seattle Capital intends to respond to the letter and is reviewing the issues raised. A response will be sent as soon as reasonably possible … the property is in foreclosure and that legal process continues.
A motion for judicial foreclosure was filed eight months ago (WSB coverage here) as part of the ongoing lawsuits (consolidated into one mega-case that is currently set for trial in October).
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli) 6:47 PM: You can’t take the high bridge eastbound right now – it’s closed. There is a police situation at the high-rise. More as we get it. 7:01 PM UPDATE: The person police were dealing with at the high rise is now described on the scanner as “in custody/under control.” So the situation should be wrapping up – we are going back to 35th/Fauntleroy to see if the bridge is open again yet. (7:03: It’s not.) 7:12 PM: Police are saying on the scanner that they are “ready to open everything up.” 7:17 PM: If you’re waiting to go somewhere, note that there’s some residual backup from this, even though the bridge is open again – we are on Harbor Avenue right now and the bridge-bound backup stretches as far as Salty’s. 7:29 PM: Adding a photo from a distance of the police presence that was still on the bridge just before it reopened to traffic. 8:46 PM: One last note – we checked with Det. Mark Jamieson from the SPD Media Unit, and he did confirm that police negotiators safely talked the person into “coming back in”; they were headed to the hospital for an evaluation.
Those are some of the walkers who joinedEvergreen High School senior Anastasia Janecke this morning for the culmination of her senior project, which has been two months in the making: A breast-cancer-awareness/fundraising walk through West Seattle. They leftKeller Williams Realty in The Junction at midmorning and headed north on California SW to Seacrest, with a water stop at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District along the way. At Seacrest, Anastasia told us she had two special inspirations for her project:
Ready to keep supporting the battle against breast cancer? As noted here when we first mentioned Anastasia’s project, Northwest Hope and Healing – which has many West Seattle ties, though it helps breast-cancer patients all over the region – has an event coming up: the Style ’10 fashion show, with WS boutiques participating, April 28 at Showbox SODO (tickets available online).
Music filled the cafeteria at Chief Sealth High School/Boren last night, during the Sealth music program’s annual benefit Tamale Dinner. Above, you can see and hear a sample of one of several mariachi groups that performed – this one features Sealth alumni (of whom Sealth principal John Boyd told us at the dinner he’s “very proud”). The program featured choir music too; you can find out more about the Sealth music programs at chiefsealthmusic.org – including a page with info on how to help with financial and/or instrument donations.
This is a change from its usual “third Tuesday,” so we’re mentioning it again: The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting – a great way to hear directly from local police leadership regarding crime trends, and to ask questions – is TOMORROW, Monday 4/19, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct. Agenda highlights are on the WSCPC website.
The West Seattle Food Bank sends word that tickets are almost sold out for its upcoming benefit – and you’ve got till tomorrow to get yours (remember, it’s Feinstein Challenge time, so everything you do for a local food bank counts extra!). From Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts:
There are only a few tickets left for the West Seattle Food Bank fundraiser Instruments of Change. This fun and worthwhile event is happening Friday, April 30th at 6:00 PM at the Hall at Fauntleroy. Our Special Guest Speaker is Robert V. Taylor. There will be excellent food catered by Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes, music by the Miho and Diego Duo and of course, all proceeds go to help feed families in need in this community. We are extending the deadline to buy tickets through Monday, April 19th, but there are only a few tickets left. Tickets can be bought at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/97962.
Thank you to our tremendous event sponsors!
WSB is pleased to be among them – read on, to see the full list of businesses and organizations that the Food Bank wants to publicly thank:Read More
Just announced by Cycle University, which now has a West Seattle location in The Triangle:
West Seattle Cycle University’s Bike Swap to benefit the Major Taylor Project (explained here)
Date: May 2, 2010
Time: 9 am – 3 pm
Location: Cycle University in West Seattle, 4550 Fauntleroy Way SW
How to participate in the Swap:
Consignment: You can drop off your bike at the West Seattle Cycle University location April 20th – May 1. You establish a price you would like to get for the bike. We then tag the bike with the price and have it available on May 2 for the swap. There will be a 15% consignment fee deducted from all bikes sold, which will be donated to the Major Taylor Project.
If your bike or equipment does not sell, you can donate it to the Major Taylor Project or pick it up at the West Seattle Cycle University .
Rent a Space: If you have a lot of bikes or bike equipment to sell, you can rent a space. Costs are $10 for a 5ft x 5ft and $20 for a 10ft x 10ft space. Register at Cycle University.
Donate: Any bike or bike related equipment can be donated to the Major Taylor Project. All donations are tax deductible. Donations can be dropped off at Cycle University in West Seattle.
Other Activities:
– Kids Learn to Ride Clinics
– Triathlon Presentations
On Sunday, April 25th, Tibbetts United Methodist Church is pleased to welcome Jack Thompson, aka “The Throwing Samoan” following the Sunday service, at 11:30am! As a quarterback for the WSU Cougars, Jack played from 1975 to 1978, setting numerous records for WSU, the Pac-10 as well as the NCAA. In 1979’s NFL draft, Jack was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals. Then in 1983, he was a starting quarterback for Tampa Bay.
Jack will be talking about religion in his life, relief efforts following the tsunami that struck Samoa in 2009 and the transition from high school to college.
Being lunch time, there will be food provided, Pecos Pit BBQ sandwiches, potato salad and Husky (?) Ice cream for dessert! For a suggested donation of $5.00, you can’t go wrong.
(Today’s sunrise, photographed by Robin Lindsey)
There’s a Southern flavor to two of the spotlight events today: At noon, you can enjoy gumbo at Hope Lutheran Church followed by music at 1:30 pm from Total Experience Gospel Choir, all to raise money for New Orleans relief (admission by free-will donation), and at 3 pm, it’s the final performance of the Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) play “The Miss Firecracker Contest” at Youngstown Arts Center.
David Rosen of SlickPix Photography shared that picture of an SUV found on its side at the California Ave SW/California Lane curve (map) just after 2 am. He says police at the scene told him they couldn’t find whoever (if anyone) had been in the car. As for whether they’ve been found since – we’ll be checking on that.
(Editor’s note: As we bring you a spotlight report each night during Disaster Preparedness Month, we find ourselves repeatedly emphasizing that because of dedicated community volunteers, West Seattle is way ahead of most other neighborhoods in the city – especially for having the Emergency Communication Hubs. That’s part of why West Seattle reps were a big part of a special summit downtown today. This firsthand participant’s report includes important reminders on why preparedness is up to all of us.)
Story and photos by Karen Berge
West Seattle Emergency Preparedness Committee
More than 45 people attended the Community Preparedness Summit this morning at the Emergency Operations Center downtown. West Seattle was well-represented, perhaps a third or more of the participants.
Four of us from the West Seattle Emergency Preparedness Committee (Cindi Barker, Ron Zuber, Deb Greer and I) have been working with Mark Howard from the city Office of Emergency Management and groups from Magnolia-Queen Anne-Interbay and Wallingford-Fremont to plan this event. Several other communities who are just beginning preparedness efforts also provided brief updates on their efforts: Capitol Hill (Angela Wallis), View Ridge (Peter Shaw) and Belltown (Ron Turner). One person from the Green Lake neighborhood also attended. Mark Howard emceed the event (photo):
Many of the other attendees at the Summit were community leaders or those who have some role in preparedness for their communities already; one of the goals of the Summit was to motivate the group to continue working on that effort. Other goals: Inform attendees of the overall Emergency Preparedness work that is being done and where preparing at the community level fits into this effort; provide an overview of where each community is at and where they want to go; identify current issues and challenges; identify the need to maintain interest and structure beyond initial interest in order to create a sustainable structure.
(WSB photos and video by Cliff DesPeaux)
On a day dedicated to caring for the Duwamish River — with more than a dozen Duwamish Alive!cleanup/restoration work parties on and around it — about 100 of the volunteers took to the water, after hearing kayaking basics from Greg Whittaker of Alki Kayak Tours. They left from South Park:
Among them, someone who is dedicated to river cleanup year-round, Neal Chism, to whom we introduced you with this story last October:
Ahead – more photos from the river cleanup, as well as photos and video from the largest Duwamish Alive! site at Pigeon Point Park:Read More
At this point while these deaths are important to monitor, we do not consider them alarming and they do not appear to reflect any specific problem in Puget Sound. None of the whales that have died are the regular animals that visit Washington waters on a regular basis each year. These appear to be stragglers from the larger gray whale population of close to 20,000 gray whales that typically migrate north past Washington each spring after fasting several months in warmer southern waters they use as their breeding area. This makes April a period when whales that did not get enough food on their Alaskan feeding grounds may be running out of their reserves. A major mortality event occurred in 1999 and 2000 in which 50 gray whales died in Washington State in the two years combined.
One of those whales beached in West Seattle in 1999 – the last stranding here until this week in The Arroyos. (Again, that latest one was towed away this morning for a necropsy at an undisclosed location to the south – here’s our report, to which we just added information from Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey, who works closely with NOAA, that the whale has been “secured” at the location where that necropsy will be done tomorrow.)
Thanks to Colby for sharing photos from the Pinewood Derby races today at Brickyard BarBQ in the Admiral District – above, the contenders’ creations – here, the track:
Another round is planned for noon next Saturday (4/24) at Alki Tavern; here’s the Facebook event page. Pinewood Derby is of course best known as a Scouting tradition, and tomorrow, you can cheer on local Cub Scouts putting their vehicles to the test — West Seattle’s Pack 793 will be racing at Holy Rosary Gym starting at 1 pm, and you’re welcome to come watch for free.
Thanks to Mike Heavey (in photo below) for sharing pics from one of more than half a dozen sites in West Seattle that were part of today’s annual Duwamish Alive! Earth Day work parties – he was one of 15 volunteers at Roxhill Bog, the restored natural area on the east side of Roxhill Park, across SW Barton from Westwood Village. Mike reports, “Under the direction of park steward, Scott Blackstock, the group of 15 people removed invasive, non-native species (mostly dandelions and some geranium).”
Also happening in The Junction today – the epicenter of Seattle’s celebration of the nationwide (maybe even worldwide) Record Store Day celebration of independent music stores – Easy Street Records. And if you’re talking records, how about a GOLD record? That’s Easy Street owner Matt Vaughan above, holding the one he received for his role in the success of Pearl Jam‘s Backspacer. And if you’re in the mood to pick up a few (or more) records yourself, music’s on sale at Easy Street all day, and the very browsable vinyl stacks are out front:
Find out more about the Tool Library by going here, and keep tabs on other Community Harvest activities – you can become a member now, too – by going here.
Brunette Mix (WSB sponsor), next to the newly opened Fleurt flower shop at Oregon/California, is one of the 30-plus businesses taking part in today’s big sale day in The Junction. Most will be open till at least 5 pm; the West Seattle Junction Association (WSB sponsor) website has a page of coupons for special deals today. Just like last year, you’ll see red balloons outside participants’ storefronts, so while you certainly can print out the list, you don’t have to have it – just get over to The Junction and get walking! ADDED 3:15 PM: A photo from inside Fleurt, celebrating its first day at the new Junction location:
A week and a half ago, the Southwest District Council decided (
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