West Seattle, Washington
20 Thursday
Four brief West Seattle Crime Watch reports to share tonight – a package taken from a porch, and three car break-ins, including one that might have had a witness, since it was in a busy parking lot:Read More
That’s part of the loft at Caffe Fiore – opening tomorrow in a new North Admiral live/work building at 2206 California SW. Right next to West Seattle Fabric Company (WSB sponsor), whose proprietor Monica Skov was among those who dropped in for 
a peek at the shop tonight. They weren’t selling coffee, just opening the doors to anyone who wanted to drop by and have a look around. With the loft, it’s West Seattle’s only two-story coffeehouse. Caffe Fiore is what you might call a “micro-chain,” to take the phrase from a businessperson with whom we were talking at another event tonight; this is its fourth all-organic coffeehouse, with the other three in North Seattle Though the building is brand-new, the interior is designed to look historic upstairs – brick walls, recycled wood flooring, ironwork – and the lighting is so warm, our photos of people had to be converted to black/white, like proprietor Deming Maclise and general manager Katrine Callahan at right. You have to see it in person to appreciate it – and you can do that starting at 6 tomorrow morning (hours are listed here).
As noted in the city’s ongoing budget process, Seattle’s city-run community centers offer a lot more than you might realize. If you think they are just places to go play basketball or hang out – you’re missing some of their well-kept secrets. At High Point Community Center (which has a city-organized public meeting tonight), the Small Scholars preschool program is under new leadership. 
We talked on Friday with Marquita Mosby, who took over Small Scholars this fall. The program (run by the Associated Recreation Council) is for ages 3-5, 9:30 am-1 pm on weekdays, with options for 2-, 3-, or 5-day participation. Marquita says she and her team pack a lot into those hours, from preschool traditions like circle time and play time, to language-learning (they’ve been working on Spanish).
With the expansive park and field grounds right out the door, the preschoolers take nature walks, too. When they show a particular interest, the curriculum responds, she explains – lately there’s been a lot of talk about volcanoes, so they’ve been talking about real-life volcanoes and checking out the ever-popular science-fair staple, the baking-soda-and-vinegar variety. There are openings in the program right now; find out more by calling 206-684-7422 (you can also reach Marquita directly at 206-321-7952).
Today we welcome a new sponsor, Hood Web Management, an Arbor Heights-based business that specializes in website design, website management, site maintenance for existing websites, search-engine optimization, and online marketing services. 
Owner Kane Jamison says he’s committed to helping local businesses: “We offer effective online marketing solutions for local businesses, and we’re great at what we do! We have years of experience in building and managing websites and that experience is what makes us such a great value to our clients. We offer a full spectrum of web solutions for business owners including website design, website management and maintenance for existing websites, search engine optimization, online marketing services, and more. We support our community and do our best to support local businesses and keep our dollars in the community.”
Kane says there’s some real advantages of having someone manage your website. “The majority of our clients come to Hood Web Management because they recognize that we can save them time, money, and headaches. Instead of spending four hours trying to figure out how to make a change to their site, we can do it in an hour or less, and more importantly, we know the best way to complete the task. Our clients are frequently delighted to find out that we can take their existing website and improve it by making it faster, by reducing website errors and other issues that cause visitors to leave the site, making small site changes that increase their search traffic, and a number of other similarly beneficial changes. We have yet to run across a client site that couldn’t be improved, and it’s typically something the website owner just isn’t aware of.”
Hood Web Management has done pro-bono work for such community organizations as the Environmental Science Center, Sustainable Burien, and Ballard-based SeaChar. He’s also a member of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
DEAL: For a limited time, West Seattle Blog readers can get 25% off their first invoice with Hood Web Management! Start here.
We thank Hood Web Management for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
If you’re following the progress of the two-part project to renovate the Roxhill Playground and build a Roxhill Skatespot: The city has just changed its plan for the final public reviews of the two design proposals, adding a new meeting to the calendar.
The process had started with an August meeting about both, continued with separate October meetings about each one (skatespot here, playground here), and then was supposed to conclude with a November 14th meeting about both. But according to a postcard just mailed by the Parks Department, they’re now going to have that meeting next Monday focus only on the skatespot design, while a November 30th meeting has been added, to focus only on the playground design.
Both meetings will be at 6 pm on their respective dates, at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson), same time/location as previous meetings.
(Photo added 2:39 pm; looking from the NW corner of WSP’s current lot, across to where it’s moving)
Just shared by Christa Anderson – an announcement from West Seattle Produce:
West Seattle Produce Moving to New Location… Across the Street
Earlier this fall, we contradicted rumors that West Seattle Produce was moving because, at that point, it wasn’t. However, plans evolve and West Seattle Produce is now moving to a beautiful new home at 4722 Fauntleroy, directly across the street from the current location. The new location will be open for business on December 1, but we will be open for business at the original location until that date.
(And yes, the Beloved Mexico food truck will be coming too.)
This is exciting: we’ve got more room for current and new projects, lots of great parking, and we’re protected from the weather. We can’t wait to show off the new space!
If you’re like us, and still in mourning for in-person voting – or, if you’re a classic procrastinator OR extremely busy person – you might still have your ballot sitting around, waiting to be marked/mailed. If so, here’s our reminder: TOMORROW is the deadline to get it postmarked. If you’d rather get it directly into a county dropbox, the only one anywhere near here is downtown (500 4th Avenue, county photo at right); the full list (with maps for each one) is on this county webpage. Your ballot must be in a dropbox by 8 pm tomorrow or else it won’t count. Though this is an “off-year” election, there still is plenty to be decided, including Seattle Transportation Benefit District Prop 1 raising car-tab fees for transportation projects, Seattle Prop 1 aka the “Families and Education Levy,” three statewide initiatives including I-1183 (liquor privatization), I-1125 (tolling), and I-1163 (home health care), five Seattle City Council positions, four Seattle School Board positions, two Seattle Port Commission positions, one King County Council position, and a few more issues/races (see your full sample ballot by filling in the fields on the right side of the County Elections home page – that “sample ballot” will have direct links to all the candidates and measures, if you need to read up on any before voting). The first round of results will go public shortly after 8 tomorrow night, with daily updates after that, till everything’s counted.
The recent “Viadoom” week put bicycle/pedestrian commuting in a brighter spotlight than it had had for a while – including one hazard along the way between West Seattle and downtown – a spot where non-motorized traffic is supposed to use a “roundabout,” which means they wouldn’t have to cross the road. You can see it at :57 into Seattle Times (WSB partner) reporter Mike Lindblom‘s helmet-cam video of his bicycle commute that week – his narration calls attention to it:
This is apparently the same vicinity in which West Seattle resident Tim Nelson was hit by a truck two weeks ago while running to work. West Seattle bicyclist Eric Shalit, who publishes Tubulocity, e-mailed us about it, saying the safe path is not well-marked; we suggested he contact City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who chairs the council’s Transportation Committee and commutes by bicycle on occasion. Eric’s letter has yielded positive responses from both Councilmember Rasmussen and SDOT leadership – read on to see the letter, and the replies:Read More
(Heron at Constellation Park, photographed by Melanie Dixon on Sunday morning)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
WESTBOUND SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT CLOSURE, OVERNIGHT: SDOT plans to close the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct – the West Seattle Bridge between I-5 and Highway 99 – every night this week, as construction work to widen it continues. 10 pm-5 am, and during the closure, you will not be able to get onto the bridge from I-5 or Beacon Hill. Here’s the official announcement.
BINGO! Weekly bingo at Alki UCC Church (62nd/Hinds), doors open at 5:30 pm, games at 6:30 pm, usually running until about 8:30 pm, $7 buy-in. Hotline for information is [206] 935-5950.
NEW COFFEEHOUSE’S OPEN HOUSE: As reported here last week, the new Caffe Fiore in the Admiral District opens tomorrow, and invites you to a pre-opening open house tonight, 6-9 pm (2206 California SW).
‘WE ARE FAMILY’: The next event in the Community Lecture Series at Admiral Congregational Church is tonight at 7 (4320 SW Hill) Admiral resident Laura Sutkus will talk about family law: Appointing guardians, power of attorney, health care directives (living wills). $5 fee, cookies, coffee, and child care provided
KIDS’ ONLINE SAFETY: At 7 pm, you’re invited to Shorewood Christian School to hear from Stephanie Thomas of the Seattle Police Department, speaking about Internet Crimes Against Children and educating parents about inappropriate online behavior and what to watch out for when online and networking. (10300 28th SW)
HIGH POINT COMMUNITY CENTER’S FUTURE: Under the mayor’s budget proposal, High Point Community Center becomes a sort of hub of community-center services in West Seattle. How will that work? What would you like to see? Bring your ideas to a meeting tonight at 7 pm ((more details here)
One week ago, the heart of the West Seattle Junction again brimmed with trick-or-treaters for the wildly popular two-hour event in which businesses welcomed kids to stop by for treats. Lots of smiles, lots of fun. No problems reported. But every year, some have wondered afterward, can’t the street be closed for this event as it is for other successful Junction events, like West Seattle Summer Fest and the West Seattle Junction Car Show (among others)? One local mom is doing more than wondering – she has started a dialogue with the West Seattle Junction Association, and is asking now for your thoughts. Here’s the open letter she asked us to publish:
Dear West Seattle Residents:
We are a family of 4, with two young children living in Belvidere. We are longtime residents of West Seattle and love it here mainly for the sense of community. Each year we look forward to the various Junction events where we can visit with our neighbors, patronize local businesses and roam the streets at Summer Fest, the Hi Yu Parade, WS Junction Car Show and even the Mobile Chowdown food-truck festival. The other big event we truly love is the Junction Trick or Treating, but there is one major drawback to this event.
Each year hundreds of parents, children, relatives, strollers & dogs flock to the Junction in full Halloween costume to trick-or-treat the Junction shops for only 2 hours. The streets are NOT blocked off and everyone is left crowding the sidewalks. Inevitably, there’s a logjam which leads people to step off the sidewalk either in the way of a parking car or right into the street. While I’m thankful there have been no accidents to date, it’s simply a matter of time. There has to be a better, safer way to celebrate the day.
If the Junction can close the streets for all the wonderful events I list above, then they can certainly close the streets for the safety and enjoyment of families. Understanding there are permitting costs (around $3800, I believe) and time and energy in coordinating with the City and Metro (which I’m willing to take on), there is also the benefit of bringing additional business to the Junction shops and bringing our community closer together.
Here’s what I propose…..we rally as a community, raise the money for permits, close the streets and delight in a day of trick-or-treating from 10 am to 3 pm (to capture the kids who nap early, the ones who nap late and folks who want to grab lunch at a Junction eatery!)
Here’s what I need now…..I know WSBlogers are great at commenting and speaking their minds. I’m counting on you to voice your support for closing down the streets for Trick or Treating in the Junction 2012. That’s all I’m asking…for now. Once I’ve garnered enough community support from residents and businesses, I’ll be back again for fundraising!
I’m committed to seeing this process through and count on your support!! Let’s make Halloween 2012 spooky and safe!!
Your neighbor, Behnaz Nelson
So – what do YOU think?
Not a solicitor, but somebody going door-to-door – and just maybe, publishing a worried WSB’er’s tale will lead to reassurance that this was legit. Or not. Read on:Read More
The city has set a tentative date for the first Southwest Design Review Board meeting on the Downtown Emergency Service Center‘s 75-unit Delridge Supportive Housing project: Thursday, December 8th. That’s according to the list of upcoming meetings on the city’s website. If that date holds, it’ll be at 6:30 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Design Review meetings are held before a city-appointed all-volunteer regional board that evaluates projects strictly in terms of design and whether those elements of a project conform to zoning (if not, “departures” have to be requested). Projects for which design review is required, like this one, will go before the board at least twice, once for “early design guidance” (the purpose of this meeting), then, for a formal recommendation to the city.
In the meantime, the project proposed for the 5400 block of Delridge (official address on city records, 5444 Delridge) has been recommended for two public-funding grants, $500,000 state and “up to $4.45 million” city, while the county-convened Joint Recommendations Committee meets November 17th to consider a request for $538,000. Other funding for the $14 million project is proposed to be raised through a tax-credits program.
Local residents researching the project continue to post information and documents obtained through public-records requests at these two sites: Delridge Community Forum and A Concerned Delridge Neighbor. The volunteers working on the DCF site say that the county staffers working on the Nov. 17th presentation suggest public comments be sent by this Wednesday; the contacts are listed in this post on their website
At the Service Dog Academy north of Morgan Junction, today was Graduation Day for the newest class of diabetic-alert dogs – specially trained to alert their owners to a potentially dangerous drop in blood-sugar levels. Six dogs graduated this time around, two from West Seattle, and that’s who you see above – Ron with canine companion Spencer, Heather with Stella. Both Spencer and Stella are pit-bull mixes. Academy owner Mary McNeight says this is the fifth class of diabetic-alert dogs they’ve graduated since she launched the program.
Timely items in the big spread of silent-auction offerings at the “Hope for Jan” benefit at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) till 5 pm – something to keep you warm. (It was below freezing by 4 am today.) Or how about this one – Meander’s Kitchen proprietor Miranda Krone cooks for your party of up to 10 people? $500 value but they were taking bids as low as $100. It’s all to help out longtime WSB’er Jan Seeley – aka “JanS” – who’s there with daughter Jessica Diamant:
They’re asking for bids by 4. The Feedback is also donating profits from food and drink specials (spicy chicken teriyaki skewers, $7; Feedback Cape Cod, $6) while the event lasts till 5 – and while you’re there, you can play pinball, meet cool people, admire the wall of 45-rpm record jackets (small slice of the abundant music memorabilia at The Feedback):
Feedback Lounge is at 6451 California SW (in another benefit effort, it’ll be epicenter of the Whale Tail Ale release parties coming up at 6 pm this Wednesday).
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports today – a puppy stolen in a burglary, and break-ins in a parking garage – read on for both reports:Read More
Tonight at Locöl (35th/Kenyon) – Belgian musicians, and Belgian ale. West Seattle trumpeter/composer Chad McCullough is in the clip above (from a jazz festival last January) with Belgian musicians including the two who will join him tonight at Locöl – Bram Weijters (piano) and Piet Verbist (bass), both from Antwerp. Chad explains, “Both are really fine players, and are top-call jazz musicians in Belgium. Bram and I met in Canada at the 2009 Creative Music workshop at the Banff Centre. We’ve been playing together as much as possible for the last 3 years.” They released an album last year, “Imaginary Sketches,” on Seattle’s Origin Records, available via iTunes. Joining Chad, Bram, and Piet tonight will be Seattle drummer Matt Jorgensen. The event starts at 7:30 pm. Oh, and then there’s the beer – they’re pitting Westmalle Trappist Ale vs. Odin Belgian Strong Ale, and the publicity poster says “You can decide the winner!”
DONATION DEADLINE COMING UP FOR TOY SWAP & SALE: We’ve mentioned before that CoolMom‘s Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale is coming up November 12th (Fauntleroy Church, 9 am-2 pm) … and if you’d like to get a credit to apply toward whatever you buy, the deadline for donations is this Tuesday. Donation locations, and more info about the Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale, can be found on the CoolMom website.
WEST SEATTLE BARTER FAIR: A unique way to find gifts – and share potential gifts – right after Thanksgiving. The date is set, 4-8 pmNovember 26th. From the Sustainable West Seattle website:
Join us for a fun and unique “money free shopping spree” geared toward the holiday shopping season on ‘Green Saturday’, the day after “Black Friday”. We’ll be enjoying a potluck at the same time, so bring a gift to share!
This unique event will be held in an equally unique setting — The Lodge at Camp Long. The object of the Barter Fair is to promote more meaningful gifting of products through exchanging services, or items made from raw materials
The “Money Free Shopping Spree” is gift trading. Categories include: Services, Art Crafts, Home Crafts, Food Crafts and Salvaged/Refurbished Items.
If you know what you will bring to trade, they would love to hear from you in the comment section on the SWS site.
(Fall colors on the beach, from Mannie79 via the WSB Flickr pool)
Got any non-automatically-set clocks to turn back? Welcome back to Pacific Standard Time. Here are some of today’s highlights, from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
BENEFIT BRUNCH: Benefit brunch to help the family of Ed Kingston, the volunteer soccer coach who died suddenly last month, West Seattle Eagles‘ Aerie, doors open 10 am – details here.
CHEFS AT WS FARMERS’ MARKET: At the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am – 2 pm, The Junction (44th/Alaska), you’ll find cooking demos today: 11:00 am- noon – Jeremy McLachlan of Salty’s on Alki demonstrates his favorite seasonal holiday recipes; 12:30-1:30 pm – Laurie Pflazer of Pastry Craft shows how to make desserts using local, seasonal ingredients.
BOARD GAMERS: Strategy board game group that plays games like Settlers of Catan, Carcassone and Dominion. New players who don’t mind some complexity and strategic thinking in games are welcome. Uptown Espresso, California and Edmunds, 1 pm. E-mail Gene at egene1@yahoo.com with questions, and join games.groups.yahoo.com/group/wsgamers/
TOOL LIBRARY: West Seattle Tool Library open at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (east side of main building), 1-5 pm.
HOPE FOR JAN: Benefit for Jan Seeley (longtime WSB’er “JanS”) to help her as she awaits a kidney transplant. Silent auction, food/drink specials, and more, 2-5 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 6451 California SW (more in this WSB Forums thread)
FINAL PERFORMANCE OF ‘THE FOREIGNER’: 2 pm at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California Avenue SW) – a comedy for all ages. More details here.
ARTISTS’ RECEPTION: The community art show at Southwest Library has its artists’ reception today, 2 pm.
STOCKBOX GROCERS’ FINAL DAY: The prototype micro-grocery in Delridge (24th/Holden) must shut down after today (though its founders say they’ll be back!) – having a sale on remaining inventory, too (here’s our previous report).
DRUMMERS TRY FOR A RECORD: Not in West Seattle, but presented by West Seattle drummer Donn Bennett: The Woodstick Big Beat 2011 world-record attempt, hundreds of drummers at Juanita Field House, Juanita HS, 10601 NE 132nd, Kirkland, 2:00-4:00PM. Doors open 10 am. Raising money for Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and Camp Korey. $12 for participants, $10 for spectators. More info at BennettDrums.com
FAREWELL PARTY: Farewell party for St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church‘s departing Rev. Peter DeVeau and wife Mary, 5-8 pm (more details in our Saturday night report).
SWEET SHOW: HoneyHoney in-store performance at Easy Street Records in The Junction, free, 6 pm
AT KENYON HALL: Sousa Birthday Bash with the Ballard Sedentary Sousa Band, 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Tilden School fifth-graders have contributed to WSB from time to time. Here’s a report about their environmental education in action.)
By Tilden School’s Fifth-Grade Class
Special to West Seattle Blog
If you help the West Duwamish Greenbelt, you also help the Duwamish River and the world. A nonprofit organization called Nature Consortium led us, the Tilden fifth-graders, in the right direction to reforest the West Duwamish Greenbelt, which helps a lot more than just this West Seattle forest.
On October 7, we went to the West Duwamish Greenbelt to spend the day with environmental educators from Nature Consortium. We wanted to learn about the Greenbelt’s ecosystem and work toward improving its health. Our class removed invasive species like Himalayan blackberries, and planted native trees and shrubs.
Did you know that you can never step out of a watershed? Indeed, West Seattle is one big watershed. The point is, all watersheds affect the health of our waterways and oceans. Healthy green space in a watershed controls water yield, sediment levels, and water quality, providing cleaner runoff for nearby waterways. Thus, if more volunteers help reforest the Greenbelt, many unwanted pollutants will be removed.
Save the West Duwamish Greenbelt and get one step closer to saving the world. To volunteer for Nature Consortium, go to www.naturec.org.
WSB SIDE NOTE: One big event ahead for the Nature Consortium – its forest-restoration work party in the College Street Ravine in honor of King County Executive Dow Constantine’s birthday on November 15th from 10 am-2 pm. Volunteers can sign up by calling our office 206.923.0853, e-mailing volunteer@naturec.org or going online, here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After almost 15 years, Rev. Peter DeVeau will deliver his last sermon to West Seattle’s St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church tomorrow.
His departure is entwined with a return – he is going to lead the Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral congregation in Kansas City, where he served for more than 6 years earlier in his career.
Sunday night, community members are invited to a farewell celebration at St. John’s. We caught up with him late Friday for a look back, and ahead.
Been to the beach lately? Off Beach Drive, or Lincoln Park, in particular, there is much to see and hear – if you look closely. Thanks to another much-appreciated wildlife photographer (and sharer), Trileigh Tucker, for that photo of hooded mergansers. She writes:
We’ve just begun the exciting season when the sea ducks begin their dating-and-mating process! The males are going all out to impress the ladies, splashing and head-bobbing in ways that the females apparently find pretty endearing. Keep an eye out for mergansers, scoters, buffleheads, and others in waters near the West Seattle shore!
Trileigh is also writing about this topic on her Natural Presence website.
This past week, the City Council listened to presentations about possible changes to the mayor’s budget plan for next year. Next week, they start making decisions about possible changes, before finalizing a plan around November 21st. A group of Southwest Community Center users concerned about the mayor’s proposal to change it into a Teen Life Center and Neighborhood Service Center invited councilmembers to visit – and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen accepted their offer, visiting SWCC on Friday afternoon, to talk and tour.
The Family Learning Program is particularly concerned; their program has grown since starting earlier this year at SWCC, and while they have been told they can keep using space there, they told Rasmussen that much of the functional space they use will be taken away by changes to the building that will be necessary to turn it into a Neighborhood Service Center. They believe the city used bad data in deciding that SWCC was underutilized, as it’s had frequent closures in the past few years for upgrades and repairs, some of which aren’t even fully paid off yet, though their availability to the public will be curtailed if these changes are made.
Rasmussen asked if the SWCC supporters had reached out to other councilmembers; yes, they said, but nobody else responded. He suggested they try again, and promised to convey what he had heard. And when asked what else they could do – he suggested offering other money-saving or revenue-raising ideas, to show what could be done to save money instead of changing operations at SWCC.
You can keep an eye on the ongoing council budget process here.
If you’re interested in a little shopping, a little art/craft appreciation, two things happening now:
RACHEL AUSTIN AT CLICK! Looking ahead to Thursday’s West Seattle Art Walk for art! Artist Rachel Austin is at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in The Junction this afternoon. You can check out her “Cartography Series” during the reception continuing till 5 pm. Look closely at the painting she is standing next to (sent by Click! a short time ago) – see West Seattle’s outline?
CRAFT FAIR IN HIGH POINT: Didn’t get advance word of this one, or else it would have been in our morning preview, but Jennifer e-mailed to say that Bridge Park is hosting a craft fair till 4 pm at 3204 SW Morgan: “There are a variety of vendors here… Scentsy candles, handmade jewelry, scarves, holiday decor, African jewelry, historical photographs, handpainted plates and wineglasses, Usborne books, handmade cards, and an artist doing pastel portraits while you wait. There is a drawing for door prizes! Refreshments available as well.”
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