West Seattle, Washington

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Spotlight Stories


  • Closure

    CLOSURE CHANGE: Low bridge, starting Saturday

  • Demolition

    TEARDOWN: But no construction here yet

  • Sale day

    WS GARAGE SALE DAY 5/11: Register by April 25!

West Seattle Weekend Lineup: Morgan Junction Festival edition
June 12, 2009 12:49 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | WS culture/arts | WS Weekend Lineup

wswllicon3.pngThe Morgan Junction Community Festival on Saturday is this weekend’s marquee event – we’ll be reporting live there all day and hope to see you too – more music, more food (the “Bite of Morgan” freebies!), etc. Also in the spotlight this weekend, … more than FIFTY events ahead in the full West Seattle Weekend Lineup, brought to you by Skylark Cafe and Club:Read More

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Cooper Elementary closure challenge hearing: No ruling today
June 12, 2009 12:13 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle school closure

(From left, Charita Dumas, Joy Anderson, Shelly Williams, pursuing legal action against the school district; photo by Christopher Boffoli)
We’re back from the hearing at King County Superior Courtgavel.jpg on the challenge to the Seattle Public Schools closure of the Cooper Elementary “program” (the building will remain open as the new home to Pathfinder K-8, whose longtime “temporary” home at Genesee Hill will be closed). Topline: Judge Greg Canova said he would not issue a ruling today. Lawyers for both sides argued the points they’ve been making – for the closure opponents, that Cooper is a school, not a “program,” and should have received its own closure hearing; for the district, that it followed proper procedure and that this was the School Board’s decision to make, so anyone who doesn’t agree with it should vote against them in the next election rather than going to court. More details, plus photos/video, to come. 2:55 PM UPDATE: Adding some additional photos and video:Read More

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Federal “compliance review” of Seattle Public Schools closures
June 12, 2009 10:39 am
|    Comments Off on Federal “compliance review” of Seattle Public Schools closures
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle school closure


View Larger Map

As the court hearing for the Cooper Elementary School (Google Street View above) closure challenge is about to get under way at King County Superior Court (we’re there and will update you when it’s over), we have word from closure opponent Joy Anderson of another action under way in connection with the entire Seattle Public Schools closure process last fall/winter: A federal “compliance review” by the U.S. Department of Education, under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Anderson explains that Shelley Williams, who is one of the other two people pursuing the court challenge that’s being heard today, “organized and helped people file about 200 civil rights complaints to the Department of Education. Since they had so many, and it would have been really time consuming to act on each one, the DOE dismissed the individual complaints and has initiated one BIG COMPLIANCE review.” We have asked Seattle Public Schools for comment. Meantime, the letter to Williams that explains the review can be seen after the jump (as provided by Anderson) – we have cut off only the letterhead which has the Education Department logo and Williams’ personal address:Read More

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Continuing with today’s “food” theme: Amazon Fresh to 98146
June 12, 2009 10:30 am
|    Comments Off on Continuing with today’s “food” theme: Amazon Fresh to 98146
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online

amazontruck.jpg

(2008 photo by Jerry from JetCityOrange)
No, not a news release – just one line on Twitter: the big green trucks of Amazon Fresh are now delivering to zip code 98146. It’s been a year and a half since AF’s first West Seattle service, at which time (WSB report here) they told us they weren’t sure how soon 98146 would be added. (They added 98106 in March of last year.)

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Skillet Street Food’s new Junction location: Olympic Court
June 12, 2009 10:00 am
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

We mentioned Thursday that after several Sundays in the Seattle Lutheran High School parking lot, and then no West Seattle service last Sunday, Skillet just announced a new WS spot starting this Sunday – in the same block of 44th SW as the West Seattle Farmers’ Market. Now we’ve gotten details (and the photo above) from Jon Davis at Westside Dermatology (WSB sponsor):

Skillet Street Food has found a new location at 4740 44th Ave SW in the Junction in front of the Olympic Court Building parking lot. The building is home to Westside Dermatology and is on the same block as the West Seattle Farmer’s Market… just a half block south. Olympic Court and Westside Dermatology hope Skillet can finally find a permanent home in West Seattle and encourage everyone in the neighborhood who hasn’t had a chance to try their delicious food this Sunday.

Just thought we’d confirm with you that Skillet WILL be in our parking lot this Sunday. Our agreement with them is for them to stay as many Sundays as they’d like. We’ve heard such great things about them and are so happy to have the opportunity to host them. I’ve enclosed a photo of our building in case people are wondering which parking lot on 44th it will be in.

11 am-2 pm on Sunday; the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, of course, is 10 am-2 pm. P.S. You’ll note on the Westside Dermatology website that WD is having a Summer Skin Care Fair on Saturday, July 11, during West Seattle Summer Fest.

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West Seattle Art Walk: June images, and a look ahead to July
June 12, 2009 9:41 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Art Walk: June images, and a look ahead to July
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

That’s the Fraternal Order of Eagles Band performing at The Kenney last night during the monthly West Seattle Art Walk. Other sights from along the route:

Twilight Artist Collective celebrated its June group show. (And remember, they’re accepting applications for the Art Dive at West Seattle Summer Fest next month – full details here.) To the south, Curious Kidstuff unveiled its new Curious Art Kids and Curious Party Kids additions:

And in the Admiral District, Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) featured Mixed Greens Blog and celebrated 10 years of the West Seattle Farmers’ Market with rosemary/lavender lemonade, homemade crackers with rhubarb and Beecher’s cheese (second photo), and co-proprietor Frances Smersh‘s cork jewelry:

The West Seattle Art Walk (official site here) adds new participants quarterly – here’s a Google Map with sneak peek at who you will find on the next three WSAWs – July 9th will be particularly fun because that’s the night before Summer Fest, so you can visit stops in The Junction while wandering the closed street. And the new participants include venues outside The Junction, too, like Coffee at the Heights (WSB sponsor) in Sunrise Heights.

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Happening today/tonight: Cooper hearing; TV switch; wine; skating
June 12, 2009 7:54 am
|    Comments Off on Happening today/tonight: Cooper hearing; TV switch; wine; skating
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

COOPER ELEMENTARY CLOSURE COURT HEARING: 10:30 this morning in King County Superior Court; closure opponents are offering bus rides to supporters who want to be there (as reported here).

TV SWITCH: This is the date TV’s all supposed to go digital. If you still need help making sure you’re ready, there’s a drop-in help center at Youngstown Arts Center (as reported here).

WINE RELEASE: 3-6 pm, the Northwest Wine Academy at South Seattle Community College hosts a free event for you to taste and purchase its summer wine releases (tomorrow too; more info here).

END-OF-YEAR SKATING PARTY: The popular Friday night roller-skating events at Alki Community Center wrap up the season with a party tonight, 6:45-8:45 pm, free admission – including hot dogs and a bouncy toy for younger kids.

More to come – for today, tomorrow and Sunday – in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup later this morning.

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Video: West Seattle High School, Seattle Lutheran graduations
June 12, 2009 1:57 am
|    Comments Off on Video: West Seattle High School, Seattle Lutheran graduations
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | West Seattle video

(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)

After both the West Seattle High School and Seattle Lutheran High School commencement ceremonies on Thursday night, we published photos here – now we’re adding video. Above, it’s the WSHS Class of 2009 — 265 grads — on the field at Memorial Stadium (here’s our earlier coverage on their Awards Night); below, members of the SLHS Class of 2009 (45 grads) doing the wave while waiting to enter the gym for their ceremony:

(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)

Since our photographer got a little closer to the SLHS grads, he noticed special detail work on some of their caps, like this:

And here they are in the gym:

The SLHS ceremony, by the way, was streamed live online! Graduations yet to come: Chief Sealth High School on Saturday, and two ceremonies at South Seattle Community College next week (schedule here).

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West Seattle food: Swinery Deli in the works for The Junction
June 12, 2009 12:48 am
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

(Gabriel Claycamp demonstrating pork-butchering in Port Orchard; 2008 photo by Christopher Boffoli)
One month ago, we shared the report that The Swinery — Culinary Communion founder Gabriel Claycamp‘s cured-meat business, closed on Beacon Hill – was planning to take over space in West Seattle. Now, a multitude of WSBers have shared e-mail from Claycamp that not only has more details about the originally reported West Seattle space, but also about plans to sell their products retail in The Junction – here’s the excerpt:

The Swinery Deli (The Swine Shop?)
The rumors are true. The Swinery is about to open an official retail establishment in West Seattle. This will be a full-service delicatessen (in the style of DeLaurenti’s, but smaller). We will carry cured meats from our friends around the sound and include a FULL butcher shop, as well as truly incredible cheeses that you don’t see anywhere else. We will have some dry goods, plus plenty of the hard to find deli items. This will be a delicatessen for foodies—for CC type foodies, who would everyday ask us where to buy veal bones, or salt cod, or bocarones. We hope to open this summer. Culinary Communion will have a little play here too: The Swinery Deli will feature a computer and printer running the complete CC database of recipes and curriculum. Now, when you ask about oxtails or mahi mahi, you can choose from a selection of real recipes, tested and proven. This has never been done before, truly turning a retail store into an educational cooking experience.

Where is it?
For 7 years people asked the Chefs at CC where their favorite fish store was. Without a doubt, our first response was always: Seattle Fish Company in West Seattle (California Ave, just north of the Junction). Owner Hobey Grote carries, we believe, the most amazing fish in Seattle at the best price. Only one little oddity, Seattle Fish has a huge amount of empty space in the front of its store… perfect to house an amazing deli/butcher. The deal isn’t finalized yet, but Hobey has told us to go ahead and tell people. Please, if you are in the area, come down, say hi to Hobey and crew, and buy some fish to show your support for this incredible opportunity for all of us!! The combination of amazing seafood, incredible meats and cheeses, and great wine will be a treasure for West Seattle and the whole Puget Sound.

If you haven’t been to Seattle Fish Company, it’s on the west side of California SW, north of SW Oregon.

(photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Claycamp and his family, meantime, have moved to Vashon Island. They originally started in West Seattle, then moved to Beacon Hill, but lost their lease there shortly after a permit controversy and – according to their e-mail – are currently in a legal fight over how that ended. Their other new endeavor, which has been reported elsewhere – teaming with Skillet Street Food‘s Josh Henderson to come up with a “street food fair” starting later this year.

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West Seattle scene: Yet another memorable sunset
June 11, 2009 11:18 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle weather

David Hutchinson shares this shot from Duwamish Head (you’ll recognize the silhouetted area as Anchor/Luna Park). ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: Thanks also to Cynthia, for this view:

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Traffic alert: Crash blocking Delridge at Trenton
June 11, 2009 10:27 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

We’re on the scene of a two-car crash – at least one person is being transported by private ambulance – Delridge is blocked at Trenton right now. No info on how it happened.

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A very busy night
June 11, 2009 9:05 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Tonight both West Seattle High and Seattle Lutheran held their graduations. Here’s two quick pictures. The first is from Memorial Stadium, where the WSHS graduation took place. The second features the Seattle Lutheran class of 2009 waiting to make their grand entrance.

Later we’ll be adding an update that includes highlights of the West Seattle Art Walk, the grand opening of the new art studio and birthday space at Curious Kidstuff, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Band performing at The Kenney.

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Cooper Elementary “buddy program” to present art show 6/13
June 11, 2009 4:41 pm
|    Comments Off on Cooper Elementary “buddy program” to present art show 6/13
 |   Announcements

Coming up this weekend:

TAKE A WALK IN OUR SHOES:
An art show hosted by the Cooper Elementary Buddy Program

Saturday, June 13th
6:30 – 9:30 pm
Zeitgeist Coffee
171 S. Jackson St.
Come help us celebrate a successful first year of the Cooper Buddy
Program, a program dedicated to building relationships among students
with and without Autism at Cooper Elementary in Seattle Public Schools.
This evening celebration will feature student photography, paintings,
musical performances, spoken word, and writing, all highlighting the
relationships developed between students with Autism and their buddies.
There will be musical performances by local bluegrass and folk
musicians, Kirk Reese, Jason Stewart, Tom Rooney, Brad Carter and Melisa
Holman. Join us June 13th at Zeitgeist Coffee to celebrate friendships
as we walk together in the shoes of Autism.

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West Seattle jail-site fight: County to offer “multi-year extension”
June 11, 2009 3:47 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle jail-site fight: County to offer “multi-year extension”
 |   Crime | West Seattle jail sites | West Seattle news

We reported in April that the Seattle City Council had sent the county a letter asking for an extension of at least 10 years in the contract for the county to handle misdemeanor inmates – the same inmates the county had said it couldn’t handle after 2012, touching off a push to build new municipal jails (with a West Seattle site under consideration by the “north/east cities”). Now comes word the county will offer a “multi-year” extension – read on to see the official news release just received from the county, followed by a response on behalf of Seattle and the other “north/east cities” (indicating the jail-planning process will NOT be halted):Read More

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2 West Seattle food updates: Zippy’s parking; Skillet’s plan
June 11, 2009 3:01 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

ZIPPY’S PARKING: This one’s been playing out in the WSB Forums over the past several days – a Zippy’s Giant Burgers customer wrote about some apparent escalated tension over parking in the small lot there; now, Rahel Cook from Zippy’s has weighed in with an update.

SKILLET RETURNS: After one week without a West Seattle appearance, Skillet Street Food says it’ll be back this Sunday, 11 am-2 pm, Seattle Lutheran High School parking lot. 5:40 PM UPDATE: Skillet just tweeted a new Sunday location: 44th SW near the Farmers’ Market.

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“Bite of Morgan” at Saturday’s Morgan Junction Festival: Freebies!
June 11, 2009 1:30 pm
|    Comments Off on “Bite of Morgan” at Saturday’s Morgan Junction Festival: Freebies!
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Just two days till the next big West Seattle festival, the Morgan Junction Community Festival this Saturday, in and around the new Morgan Junction Park (which will be dedicated at 10 am, right before the 11 am-6 pm festival), and we have more details now about one brand-new component of the festival, the “Bite of Morgan” — from Kate Stineback:

Several restaurants have agreed to participate in the first annual “Bite” by donating bite-sized goodies for festival attendees throughout the day…the restaurants participating are:

Kokoras Greek Grill
Feedback Lounge
Zeeks Pizza
Tully’s Coffee
Abbondanza Pizzeria (after 4:30pm)
Domino’s
Caffe Ladro (handing out coupons at the park opening)

We are so excited about this and hope that people will come on down, grab a coupon book and travel around the (Morgan) Junction to these businesses to pick up a yummy “bite” of something inside each establishment. It should be great! And it says a lot about our businesses that they would be willing to do this at such a precarious time in the economy. Let’s show them our love and come out to the festival to celebrate our great little commercial business district!

You’ll be able to get the coupon book for the free “bites” at the Morgan Community Association booth. We’ll be there reporting live throughout the day too – hope to see you there! Earlier in the week, we mentioned the music lineup – read on for a few more details on the bands, courtesy of Chas Redmond:Read More

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Pancake breakfast at Alki UCC on June 27 to help Family Promise
June 11, 2009 12:23 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Announcements

Your breakfast plans for June 27 just might be set – here’s the announcement of a fundraising pancake breakfast:

Who doesn’t love pancakes? Mickey mouse shaped, buttermilk, blueberry, apple sauce, creamy butter, maple syrup, piping hot stack of flap jacks.

Where: Alki United Church of Christ, 62nd and Hinds, in West Seattle.
When: Saturday morning, June 27th starting at 8:30AM.
What¹s to eat: Simple breakfast of pancakes, sausage links, syrup, orange juice, milk and coffee
Who is invited: Anyone who wants to help the cause of homeless families! Children must be accompanied by an adult.
What it costs: $5 per person, but larger donations are welcome and appreciated.

Additional information on Family Promise can be obtained through our website at www. familypromiseofseattle.org or at our parent website at www.familypromise.org

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“Red Across Day” this Sunday (6/14) at Avalon Glassworks
June 11, 2009 12:06 pm
|    Comments Off on “Red Across Day” this Sunday (6/14) at Avalon Glassworks
 |   Announcements

That photo is from Shannon Felix at Avalon Glassworks in Luna Park, along with an explanation below:

“Red Across” Day at Avalon Glassworks this Sunday:

All-Red-All-Day to Support American Red Cross.

Shop at Avalon Glassworks on Sunday, June 14 when we we will be donating 10% of the day’s sales to help American Red Cross of King and Kitsap Counties.

Watch live glassblowing throughout the day, we’re making ALL RED stuff.

See a special RED vase demonstration at 2pm.

Get the limited edition mini RED float for a $20 donation.

10% of the day’s sales will be donated to American Red Cross.

More info at http://www.avalonglassworks.com

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Digital TV switchover tomorrow – where to go if you’re not ready
June 11, 2009 12:01 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news

You may feel like you’ve been hearing about it forever. But it’s still estimated that thousands of people in the Seattle area alone will be caught off guard when the “digital TV transition” finally happens tomorrow. So, if you’re not sure you’re ready – here’s a reminder that you can get help at a special drop-in center at Youngstown Arts Center in North Delridge, 9 am-9 pm daily (that includes tonight and tomorrow). More details here, including information on what the transition’s all about, if you’re still a bit befuddled.

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New York Times writer looks at the Amanda Knox case
June 11, 2009 11:28 am
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle online | West Seattle people

As Kristina put it while e-mailing WSB to share this New York Times link (which a few others have pointed out to us as well), “West Seattle-ites don’t hit the NYT all that often!” Seattle-based NYT writer Timothy Egan has written a long, opinionated look at the case of Amanda Knox, the Arbor Heights student who is about to testify at her murder trial in Italy. See it here.

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Washington State Ferries starts summer season on June 21
June 11, 2009 11:09 am
|    Comments Off on Washington State Ferries starts summer season on June 21
 |   Announcements

Yet more proof that summer is just around the corner – so is the summer season that kicks off June 21 on Washington State Ferries, with details in a news release we just received – read on:Read More

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Report #2: What the candidates told the 34th District Democrats
June 11, 2009 9:29 am
|      41 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Next time West Seattle’s biggest political group, the 34th District Democrats, meet, they will decide who else to endorse for the August primary — and that’s why more than two dozen candidates in almost one dozen races came to The Hall at Fauntleroy last night for our area’s biggest pre-primary candidates’ forum.

One week earlier, four of the contenders for King County Executive took questions in the InSPIRe-sponsored forum (WSB coverage here) across the street at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor); with many 34th DDs involved in that group, they urged members to attend that event to get a look at the KCE candidates, but as for everything else – last night was the big night.

The marquee race: Seattle Mayor, which started the night; also featured – four Seattle City Council races, the Seattle City Attorney race, Seattle Port Commission positions, and Burien City Council. Read on for our marathon roundup of highlights (focusing on the city races) – including links to the 34th DD’s own coverage, as well as photo galleries, and a link to what we sent out via Twitter during the event:Read More

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Invitation to join – and help – the Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade!
June 11, 2009 9:04 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | Holidays | West Seattle news

That’s WSB video from last year’s 4th of July Kids’ Parade in the Admiral District – and Sherri Chun has just sent word of the plans for this year, with a request for help to make sure it happens next year (and beyond) too:

Yes, we are having a parade this year! As usual, we’ll meet at 44th and Sunset to kick things off. Start time is 10:00 am. We’re still waiting for confirmation (but are hopeful) that Mayor Nickels will again be able to join us. The parade will end at Hamilton Viewpoint park, with games and bake sale treats courtesy of the Holy Rosary Moms’ group. A huge shoutout to Dave Weitzel at Weitzel Construction [WSB sponsor] for providing our portable toilets. Dave, we couldn’t do it without you! Thank you also to Holy Rosary Parish for underwriting our parade insurance and for providing our PA system, and to all the volunteers who make it happen.

This year we are really, really counting on the community’s support. Several years ago we had a volunteer development director, whose job it was to solicit donations from local businesses. Sadly, this person retired due to a combination of job and personal life changes. This year we are financing the parade using the last of her development efforts. If we are to continue having this parade in the future, we need additional support from the community. Parade and park permits alone are $350. Additional costs include the generator, beach balls (an annual tradition at the park!), printing, and miscellaneous decorations. This does not include the cost of portable toilets, which are very important (and expensive over the holiday weekend!).

This year we are asking each family to donate $1 per child toward future parades. There will be donation boxes by the games table, the concessions stand, and next to the portable toilets. Please help ensure the future of our annual 4th of July Kids Parade! Thank you, and we look forward to seeing all of you and your families on the 4th of July!

Sherri Chun and Jodi Bennett
Parade Coordinators

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