With spring break over, high-school baseball season gets into full swing. Chief Sealth High School plays at Cleveland today, hosts Ingraham tomorrow, and visits them Friday; West Seattle High School‘s schedule is featured in this update from assistant coach Scott Meaker, including an update on yesterday’s win:
The West Seattle Varsity faced cross -valley rival Cleveland HS at Hiawatha Sports Complex on Monday afternoon. West Seattle prevailed 16 – 2 in 5 innings. Senior Ryan Wernli earned the win, pitching 3 innings, allowing 1 hit and 2 runs on 4 strikeouts. He walked none. Sophomore Jeff Freeman went 2 -for-3 with 3 RBI, a double and a HR. Junior Issac Luton went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI, a double, and scored 2 runs. Junior Tim Tinkler went 3 -for-4 with 3 RBI and scored 3 runs. Senior Ryan Wiggins hit a 3-run HR. West Seattle plays Bainbridge Is. HS at Hiawatha on Tuesday at 3:30 and hosts Nathan Hale HS on Wednesday.
Each night in April, we’re marking Disaster Preparedness Month with info on one more step you can take to increase your chances of getting yourself and your family through the unthinkable – just in case. Tonight, it’s actually 3 steps, but we’ve mentioned two of them already: It’s the City of Seattle’s “3 to Get Ready” Preparedness Challenge, during which the city Office of Emergency Management is sponsoring WSB and other media outlets to promote a campaign to take those 3 steps and get 3 people you know to do the same thing. Step 1 – Store emergency water. Step 2 (we highlighted this Saturday night) – Set up an out-of-area phone contact. Step 3 (mentioned here Sunday night) – “Drop, cover, hold” in case of earthquake. Got all those? Follow the link on this city page to sign up for a special prize package between now and May 7. We’ll mention it again as the month rolls on – and you can find it again by looking for the “3 to Get Ready” ad in the WSB sidebar. ALSO: For WSB, we’d love to share preparedness pix, to inspire others – For starters, once you have your water stored, send us a pic of yourself/your family/any or all of the above with the big container(s)! (Here’s how to get us that pic.) Final note – our nightly reminders: Know your Hub; and join The Group!
As an all-star group of community activists and businesspeople gathered for the first in a new series of meetings to map a vision for The Triangle – the mostly industrial/commercial area east of The Junction, bounded by 35th/Fauntleroy/Alaska – what wasn’t discussed loomed almost as large as what was.
The two-hour-long meeting was about three-fourths through when Harbor Properties‘ Denny Onslow angled into the issue: “The parking issue is the 500-pound gorilla in the room. We can’t ignore it, or say we’ll address it later.”
Harbor has one of the biggest stakes in The Triangle right now, with what is currently the biggest in-progress construction project in West Seattle, Link, which will supply about 200 of the potential 2,000 new residential units the area might eventually hold, and will not solve “the parking issue,” as it is designed with fewer than 1 space for each of those units.
But the Triangle already has its parking-challenged moments, even before new residents start moving in.
The West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival is moving toward its busy season – and Hi-Yu’s Deena Mahn has some news to share tonight: First, it’s our first look at the recently chosen 2010 button design – which Deena and daughter Zoe Mahn designed. The buttons will be sold for $1 as usual, all summer long, and Deena adds, “Many thanks to Steve Fischer for digitalizing our drawing!” The “Dreams Do Come True” theme for 2010 was chosen four months ago (WSB coverage here); the float with that theme is now being turned from dream to reality, Deena reports: “The float building is under way, and many volunteers led by Tim Spencer are feverishly trying to finish for our first parade appearance in Sequim on May 8th.” Meantime, she also has a long list of thank-yous for the recent Hi-Yu Spring Tea and Auction – read on to see the list:Read More
ORIGINAL 3:28 PM REPORT: From the scanner, and we’re on our way to find out more in person: There’s a report of a bank robbery in The Junction – the address checks to KeyBank at California/Alaska. 3:35 PM UPDATE: The description police are giving out so far: 35-year-old woman, white, about 5-4, slim, shoulder-length black hair, black glasses, black knit cap, black wool jacket, black scarf with red flowers and green leaves, put the money in a “B of A bag,” headed west on Alaska. At the scene, we’re seeing a “temporarily closed” sign on the bank door, with investigators inside.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli, added 4:47 pm) 3:50 PM UPDATE: We’ve talked to police on the scene; no new description info but we did find out that the robber claimed to have a weapon, though none was actually seen. We’ll also be checking with the FBI to see if they’ll distribute a surveillance photo, as they often do after holdups. (Our archives show at least two holdups at this bank last year – April and August.) 5:03 PM NOTE: Got a question about a damaged police car “near the entrance to (The Bridge)” – according to the scanner watch at CentralDistrictNews.com, an officer crashed while rushing to help with the robbery response here. 8:38 PM: Casey sent a photo snapped while driving by that car:
Meantime, no new info in the search for the bank robber.
Thanks to Jim Sander from the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council and Mike Dady from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council for the word that 23rd SW reopened today, as promised, after six weeks of work adding utility connections to new homes up the hill from Delridge. (We took the photo at left a short time ago.) Jim reported in e-mail to PPNC members that the much-discussed no-parking signs along 21st SW were being picked up, too. Mike, on behalf of the NDNC Transportation Committee, wants to remind drivers that this means the end of other temporary traffic changes: In particular, it means the return of the temporarily covered “No Left Turn” and “No Right Turn” signs at the corner of 22nd and 23rd Avenues SW, which he says were hard-won after a years-long campaign – those turns are again illegal. And Metro Route 125 is supposed to be back on its regular route this afternoon, according to spokesperson Linda Thielke.
Got chickens, or thinking about them? One of our newest WSB sponsors can help you feed them. We welcome Scratch and Peck, a regional chicken-feed company (delivery or pickup), which like all new sponsors gets the chance to tell you about their business: “Many of us are trying to eat healthy foods grown close to home – that’s a big part of the reason we keep chickens in our yards. We are a local, chicken-owning family business dedicated to providing the cleanest, most wholesome animal feeds possible without the use of soy. We use only organic or non-gmo grains, most of which are grown in the Pacific NW. We currently specialize in chicken feed and are also working on creating feeds for other urban farm animals (goats, rabbits). We are in the process of building a feed mill to produce a line of organic feeds made with Washington-grown grains. Our customers seek us out because they want organic chicken feeds so the eggs and meat the chickens give are the cleanest, healthiest possible for human consumption. Most comments center around the idea that the chickens absolutely love the feed and their people love the look and feel of it. The grains are ground or whole and look similar to granola. Many folks say that it looks good enough for them to eat it themselves! My customers return again and again because their chickens thrive on the feed and they feel confident that they are providing the best feed available. My customers are very appreciative of our delivery services. We enjoy it as well because it enables us to visit with our customers and to meet their special chickens up close and personal. Their lives are enhanced because we are helping them in their goal to live as local and organically as possible.” Scratch and Peck is affiliated with the Seattle Urban Farm Co-op, Puget Sound Food Network, American Pastured Poultry Producers Association, and Sustainable Connections. You’ll find them online at scratchandpeck.com – phone and e-mail information is here.
We thank Scratch and Peck for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
The race for State House Position 2 is now down to four candidates – Sabra Schneider just announced she’s dropping out because of an injury that will keep her from campaigning strenuously. Read on for her statement:Read More
WEST SEATTLE RUNNER SETS START DATE: When we last updated you on the much-awaited specialty-running store coming to Charlestown Center (NW corner of California/Charlestown), Lori and Tim McConnell were hoping for an April 10th opening date – and looks like they’ll make it happen, per their official announcement last night via Facebook. 10 am-7 pm Saturday, with chair massages plus a running coach and physical therapist on-site all day.
SHADOWLAND “SIDEWALK CAFE”: The latest West Seattle establishment to apply for a sidewalk-cafe permit is Shadowland; the notice (see it here) was part of the twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin just e-mailed by the city. According to the notice, you can comment on the application until April 19th.
One more note:
“REFRESHING”: Washington Federal Savings is “refreshing our brand,” explained Gypsie Gitane in sharing that photo recently, not long after we spotted the Morgan Junction branch’s new signage being hoisted into place one late-March morning. She adds, “Still one of the best capitalized banks in the nation.”
7:23 AM: Just back from Seacrest, where the King County Water Taxi‘s first West Seattle-to-downtown run of 2010 left right on time about half an hour ago. We’ll add video of the sailaway shortly; above, our iPhone photo of the first two passengers at the portable-farebox stop (or, if you’re using ORCA, the portable reader). Lots of info in our preview from last night.ADDED 7:52 AM: Here’s the sailaway, which took 2 minutes as the Rachel Marie backed away and pivoted to point toward downtown.
Fairly quiet, you might notice – when we were at a Ballard shipyard for our sneak peek at the RM as it underwent renovations, we were told that would be one noticeable difference. Right before boarding began, by the way, we caught inaugural captain Neil and crew member Ben on camera:
As for whether the Water Taxi really will run year-round from here on out – we checked last week with King County Executive (and longtime Water Taxi advocate) Dow Constantine‘s transportation specialist Chris Arkills, who says the funding question has yet to be worked out, but that Constantine “remains committed to it.” P.S. Remember that the season-opening party for the Water Taxi (which returns as a WSB sponsor as of later today) is this Sunday, noon-2 pm at Seacrest, with free rides all day.
On this 4th night of Disaster Preparedness Month, yet another big quake reminds us that we’re in Quake Country too: The 7.2 quake that rocked northern Mexico and Southern California (Twitpic at left). You’ve heard a lot about what you should do to prepare for quakes – and we’ll take a closer look at some of those specifics later in the month – but you don’t always hear a lot about “what to do WHEN one hits.” OK, maybe you’ve heard “go stand in a doorway” – what if there’s not one nearby? And what if you’re outside, or in a car? FEMA has a short four-part list of tips – take two minutes and read it right now. (You can even scroll down and take a pop quiz afterward.) Next step, the one we’re going to mention every one of this month’s 30 nights: Know your nearest Emergency Communication Hub. If a major quake (or other type of disaster) takes out communication/utility infrastructure, that’s where you’d go to find out what’s going on and how to get help. (The Hubs map is part of the West Seattle Be Prepared website, the subject of our DPM Night 1 advice; on Night 2, the important docs to store safely; on Night 3, picking an out-of-state relative/friend whose number is carried by everyone in your family, for check-in purposes.) Any particular preparedness topic you feel confused/under-informed about? Just mention it so we can be sure to hit it as the month goes on – local volunteers are plugged into an amazing wealth of information and resources. Oh, and join the West Seattle Be Prepared Facebook group too – you’ll find an interesting quake-info link there, just a few updates down the page!)
The Cask is described by co-owner Shon MacDughlas as an “Old World ale and wine house” which will offer local, independent-label wines and 150 imported beers. MacDughlas notes that the venue, which he co-owns with his wife Dedria Pope, a West Seattle-based Windermere real-estate agent, has applied for a “multi-faceted license” allowing them to offer beverages for retail sale as well as serving them.
The Cask will provide a “cozy” atmosphere with wood features (including the bar top, made from a fallen old-growth fir), lamplight, and music, including a lounge with space to accommodate solo musicians.
Thanks to Trileigh, wildlife photographer extraordinaire (remember Wollet the owlet?), for providing the first photo we’ve seen of one of the orcas that have been in the area today. She took the photo from the south side of Lincoln Park. (Here’s our earlier story, with updates and comments tracking the sightings.) ADDED 8:52 PM: Trileigh sent this one later, after going through hundreds more she took:
(BACK TO ORIGINAL 5:35 PM REPORT) And we’re happy to be able to share another great photo, an “Easter seal” courtesy of Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey, photographed this morning before the sun went away:
30 sales — from North Admiral to White Center – are on the list so far for the 6th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, coming up Saturday, May 8, 9 am-3 pm, all over the peninsula – not one big sale, but a multitude (close to 200 last year) of sales big and small, transforming West Seattle into a garage-saler’s parade for the day. Registration opened Thursday and continues till April 22, when we start building The Big Map. If you want to sell a few things but don’t have space at your own place for a sale, both Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) and C & P Coffee are stepping up to offer space again this year – check in with Hotwire or C&P if you’re interested in reserving space there. If you plan to do that, but still want your own “ad” – up to 10 words about your sale – on the map, please register as an individual, noting the group site as your sale address (otherwise, each of those locations will simply be on the map as “site with multiple sellers”). Ready to sign up? Here’s the form; any questions, e-mail garagesale@westseattleblog.com.
Richard e-mailed WSB to share these photos, explaining:
Every Easter Sunday morning for the past few years, we’ve awoken to find the fences, shrubbery and landscaping in the alley between 36th/37th/Findlay and Juneau [map] artistically festooned with hundreds of yellow marshmallow ‘Peeps’. We have have a couple neighbors who we think are the ‘Peepers’, but we’re not sure (and we don’t feel like getting up in the middle of the night to catch them in the act!). The kids and families along our block love this, and we think it’s a great and fun tradition. I’m attaching some pics of their ‘artwork’. Happy Easter! (p.s.–I took all the pics this morning at 8:30)
ADDED 2:26 PM: And from somewhere else in West Seattle – Karensent a photo, saying her daughter discovered the chickens love Peeps too:
ADDED MONDAY MORNING: We got one more batch of photos from a mystery sender. This is our favorite:
ORIGINAL 9:56 AM REPORT: Just got note and text from Gary — orcas spotted west of the Alki Point lighthouse, heading “slowly south.” Off to look. 10:20 AM: Orca expert Jeff Hogan just called, says they’re off Lowman. 10:28: You need binoculars to see them – they are by Blake Island and heading south fairly fast. 10:46 AM: They went into the far passage off west Vashon, out of view, but keep an eye out later – Jeff says they’re transients. 11:46 AM: And now they’re heading back north, per commenter Jen – who also just called. Watch the comments; we’re heading back down the hill to look again! 1:35 PM: Just back from whale-watching – you definitely need binoculars – they’re out between WS and Blake Island again, and you can look for a very, very small boat, which is virtually next to them. We just watched them for quite some time from a vantage point near the West Beach Condos west and downhill from Marine View Drive’s north end (map); they did not seem to be going in any particular direction. We’re told that what some describe as “playing” – we saw tail-slapping while watching – could mean they’re feeding. Bottom line, they could be visible off our shore for quite a while. Keep an eye on comments here, and/or on our Facebook thread.
On this Easter Sunday/second-to-last night of Passover, here are some of the West Seattle highlights:
ANNUAL EASTER MORNING SUNRISE SERVICE: Forest Lawn, 6701 30th SW (map), 6:30 am. Sponsored by the West Seattle Ministerial Association, which says Holy Rosary‘s Father John Madigan will today become the first Roman Catholic priest to preach at the nondenominational tradition. Outdoors unless it’s raining, in which case it’s in the chapel; refreshments afterward.
OTHER CHURCH HIGHLIGHTS: Another outdoor tradition, West Seattle’s three UCC churches have a sunrise service at 7 am on Alki Beach (east of the Bathhouse) … Many churches have breakfasts and egg hunts, including WSB sponsor Tibbetts United Methodist Church, where breakfast is served 8-9:45, preceding 10 am service, which is followed by their egg hunt …
EASTER BRUNCH: Many more West Seattle restaurants serving brunch every weekend this year than last – it’s been a popular addition recently. One hotspot is WSB sponsor Skylark Café and Club, which serves brunch 9 am-3 pm; newly opened Heartland Café started taking reservations Friday so don’t show up without calling to see if any reservations are left; you can find Junction brunch ideas on the West Seattle Junction Association website; the fabled Salty’s on Alki buffet is being offered morning till night and has “prime … seating” reservable for parties of 4 or fewer, per Salty’s Facebook page.
SUNDAY SHOPPING: No holiday break for West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm, The Junction (44th/Alaska), as always (here’s today’s Ripe ‘n’ Ready list of what’s new) … It’s the third and final day of the spring sale at Alki Bike and Board (details here) … New wine shop Bin 41 wraps up its four-day grand-opening party with Pinot Noir tastings 11 am-2 pm … Avalon Glassworks is open and demonstrating glass-blowing 1-5 pm.
Every night in April, in honor of Disaster Preparedness Month, we’re spotlighting something you can do to be ready in case of the unthinkable – simple steps, in many cases. And this one really is simple: Since it’s Easter and Passover, you may well have been seeing, or at least talking to, more of your out-of-the-area family and friends than usual. And they are the key to this hint: In case of a localized disaster – like an earthquake – you may be able to reach someone outside the area more easily than someone close by, so it’s important to pick a distant relative/friend who will agree to be your check-in point, then make sure everyone in your family has their phone number handy – so you can at least coordinate messages through that person, if you can get a call through to another area but not someplace locally. Put this person in your cell speed-dial, and in case land lines work but mobiles don’t, have their number in your wallet or something else you carry with you. Meantime, an option for checking in locally is to arrange to rendezvous at your nearest Emergency Communication Hub – there are now nine in West Seattle, chosen as part of a volunteer coordination/planning effort that’s been in the works more than two years, and it’s vital to know which one to go to if ALL lines of communication are down and you need to get information and/or help. They’re all on this map, which is part of the thorough West Seattle Be Prepared website, which was the subject of our Disaster Preparedness Month Night 1 report, while “getting important documents together and putting them in a safe place” was the topic for DPM Night 2.
Every Saturday morning, volunteers descend on some of West Seattle’s green treasures — for cleanup, for restoration, for a helping hand to make sure natural spaces survive in our city. One of them got some TLC today, and Mike Arizona shared the photo above, with this report:
On any given Saturday along West Seattle’s Longfellow Creek you will find volunteers working to restore the creek and the greens spaces that surround it to a more natural habitat. This Saturday was no exception!
Thanks to a energetic group of volunteers from Seattle Works, 500 square feet of the Delridge Natural Area was freed from invasive blackberry and the entire area was mulched and cleared of trash. Today’s volunteers prepared the site for planting of native plants and trees this fall.
Check out Longfellow Creek at www.longfellowcreek.org and learn how you can help preserve and enjoy a West Seattle treasure.
Most Fridays, our weekend preview features work-party listings around West Seattle for the following day; you can also check ahead for opportunities here and around the city via the Green Seattle Partnership website.
With highlights on the WSB Easter page including three outdoor sunrise services – including the annual nondenominational one at Forest Lawn and the three UCC churches’ gathering on Alki Beach – you might be checking out the forecast tonight. Right now, it looks promising – a chance of morning showers, making way for a partly sunny afternoon, says the National Weather Service.
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society sent word today that a 95-year-old Craftsman in the Admiral District known as the “Bloss House” has been nominated for city landmark status, and a hearing is 2 1/2 weeks away. Above, the house (4055 SW Holgate) as photographed by the King County Assessor’s Office in 1938, and below, 2010 (in a photo by Historic Seattle, which made the nomination):
Log House Museum director Andrea Mercado explains, “The Bloss House is unusual in that it is an early West Seattle craftsman with almost all original era styling inside and out.” According to the nomination document, its living room is “unaltered,” with features including leaded glass and unpainted mahogany, among the home’s many other distinctive features inside and outside, and its owner is only the third since it was built in 1915 – artist Ruth Ward has lived in the house since buying it in 1971. In addition to reading the nomination document, you can also look at its supporting photos and graphics in this document. The hearing is set for 3:30 pm April 21st, before the city Landmark Preservation Board, which meets at the Municipal Tower downtown; if you are interested in commenting on the nomination and can’t go to the hearing, you can e-mail your thoughts to beth.chave@seattle.gov. (The list of city landmarks in West Seattle gained two additions last year – the Seaview Building at The Kenney [WSB coverage here] and The Sanctuary at Admiral, formerly Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist [WSB coverage here].)
YOUR MOTHER WILL LOVE COOKIE LEE JEWELRY FOR MOTHER’S DAY!!!
Go to the website for Cookie Lee, (www.cookielee.com), then place your order with Mary Toal, WSHS parent, by April 12th at : mary.toal@becu.org or at 938-2276.
All profits from Cookie Lee sales placed by April 12th will go to Grad Night 2010, to help keep our seniors safe on Graduation Night.
PLUS – all profits will be MATCHED BY BOEING EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION (BECU) – Please help us take advantage of this amazing and generous offer, and you will also enjoy high quality jewelry!!! Thanks Mary and thanks BECU!!!!
As an all-star group of community activists and businesspeople gathered for the first in a new series of meetings to map a vision for The Triangle – the mostly industrial/commercial area east of The Junction, bounded by 35th/Fauntleroy/Alaska – what wasn’t discussed loomed almost as large as what was.
The 
Thanks to Jim Sander from the 
“Many of us are trying to eat healthy foods grown close to home – that’s a big part of the reason we keep chickens in our yards. We are a local, chicken-owning family business dedicated to providing the cleanest, most wholesome animal feeds possible without the use of soy. We use only organic or non-gmo grains, most of which are grown in the Pacific NW. 
WEST SEATTLE RUNNER SETS START DATE: When we 
If you’ve noticed activity in the storefront where Dante’s 
Quick reminder – the 
30 sales — from North Admiral to White Center – are on the list so far for the 6th annual 
And they are the key to this hint: In case of a localized disaster – like an earthquake – you may be able to reach someone outside the area more easily than someone close by, so it’s important to pick a distant relative/friend who will agree to be your check-in point, then make sure everyone in your family has their phone number handy – so you can at least coordinate messages through that person, if you can get a call through to another area but not someplace locally. Put this person in your cell speed-dial, and in case land lines work but mobiles don’t, have their number in your wallet or something else you carry with you. Meantime, an option for checking in locally is to arrange to rendezvous at 
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