Happening today/tonight: Bike-a-palooza, new coffee shop, more

April 20, 2009 6:03 am
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 |   Delridge | Environment | West Seattle politics | WS beverages

NEW COFFEE SHOP: A year in the making, Coffee at the Heights opens this morning (more info here). [Photo of barista Cheryl, on duty at midday, added 12:46 pm]

CITY BUDGET CUT PLANS: Proposed general-fund cuts outlined by the mayor last Friday will be discussed at the council Budget Committee meeting, 10:30 this morning (you can watch live via Seattle Channel, cable channel 21 or seattlechannel.org).

BIKE-A-PALOOZA: That’s what Sustainable West Seattle is calling the bicycling presentations and exhibits assembled for tonight’s monthly meeting, 7 pm, Camp Long (more info here).

TEAM DELRIDGE: 6:30 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, as part of the King County Food and Fitness Initiative — come talk about strategies for the Fitness & Built Environment.

* Do you feel safe walking in the Delridge neighborhood?
* Do you use the stairs along Delridge Way?
* Have you ever walked Longfellow Creek?
* Is the current bus system useful for your needs?
* Are the sidewalks safe? For children? Strollers? Elderly?

Lots more – for today/tonight and way beyond – on the WSB Events calendar.

West Seattle scenes: The point; a perch; on stage; on street

Thanks to JayDee for that view from Sunset Avenue SW, looking out toward Alki Point, with Blake Island in the background. Next: Ground-level on Alki, we spotted this bird a few days ago, and have been meaning to ask aloud if it’s yet another eagle-in-transition:

Different kind of creatures onstage this past week at West Seattle Montessori School (WSB sponsor) – congratulations to the preprimary performers who put on “Three Billy Goats Gruff”, and thanks to Jennifer for sharing the photo:

Last but not least, we published a photo tour last week spotlighting a new WSB sponsor, Mural Apartments in The Junction — a few days later, Brian sent us this photo, with appliances-in-waiting seeming to mirror the windows above:

Thanks to everyone who shares photos via WSB, whether breaking news or interesting sights – yours are welcome any time at editor@westseattleblog.com (including links to Flickr or other types of galleries, as long as you tell us it’s OK to publish)!

Homeless shelter’s stay extended at West Seattle church

As reported two months ago, the homeless shelter that moved into West Seattle Church of the Nazarene at 42nd/Juneau in March of last year was supposed to move to Ballard — but its planned new temporary home in Ballard fell through. Now, according to this story posted tonight at seattlepi.com, the shelter’s West Seattle stay has just been extended again — to June 1st — because parent organization SHARE hasn’t found a new place for it. The article also says the Community of Christ Church in Highland Park recently “evicted” a shelter it had hosted for seven years.

Park problem: Illegal scooter “offroading” at Solstice Park

James sent photos with this explanation:

I was walking through Solstice Park with my baby and dog and noticed a bunch of skinny-tired donut (360 skid-out) tracks in the groomed gravel of the lookout. Following the tracks, they led to the culprits fixing their scooters up the trail.

He says the riders were 3 male teenagers/young men: “… the broken (scooter) was blue.” One of the other two, he says, had a license plate that starts with 78 and ends in 52; he says some of the ruts left behind in this small park, formerly known as Lincoln Park Annex — uphill east of the tennis courts across from Lincoln Park’s north end, and also home to a P-Patch — were almost half a foot deep.

James says he did call police to report this. Motorized vehicles, including scooters, are prohibited on Seattle Parks trails.

6 days to sign up for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day

garagesaledaysmalllog5.jpgOn the brink of 100 sales signed up now for the 5th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – schools, churches, estate sales, block sales, private homes, the “group sites” at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) and C & P Coffee, a great mix. Registration deadline is next Saturday night – get your online registration in by 11:59 pm Saturday, or make sure your mail-in form gets to us by Saturday’s delivery (so mailing it no later than Thursday is a good idea) – The Big Day, with sales all over West Seattle is 9 am-3 pm, Saturday, May 9th, and the map will be available earlier than ever this year (starting with distribution at the WSB table at the Sustainable West Seattle Festival [WSB sponsor *and* we’re a festival co-sponsor] Sunday 5/3 in The Junction). Want to register, or just find out more? The official Garage Sale Day site is westseattlegaragesale.com (you can browse the site for coverage of last year, too, to get a taste of what it’s about and how it went).

Here’s a West Seattle summer-camp option for 2nd-9th graders

April 19, 2009 3:01 pm
|    Comments Off on Here’s a West Seattle summer-camp option for 2nd-9th graders
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

School may have two months left to go but as thousands of West Seattle families know, it’s prime time to get summer-camp options lined up. Here’s one: Registration is open now for this year’s Basketball and Life Skills Camp at Chief Sealth High School, but it’s not just for high-school students – it’s open to incoming second through ninth graders, both girls and boys. Sessions start June 22; here’s the brochure. This came to us, by the way, from Sealth’s Sam Reed, who will be CSHS athletics director next year, taking over from Nels Enquist, who Reed explains been in that role on an interim basis after retiring as assistant principal.

Updates: House fire in 8100 block of Delridge

(WSB cameraphone photo added 12:37 pm)
FIRST REPORT, 12:21 PM: On our way to a single-family residence fire call in the 8100 block of Delridge (map). Huge callout; more details momentarily.

12:25 PM UPDATE: South of the fire, Delridge is blocked to traffic at Thistle. Don’t know yet where it’s blocked on the north. The fire is centered in the basement, according to the scanner, and has just been declared “under control,” but not entirely out yet.

12:34 PM UPDATE: Looks like Delridge may be blocked to traffic as far north as Holden, north of the fire scene. Still lots of smoke and the house is quite charred, according to our crew on the scene; medic units are there but do not appear to be treating anyone – firefighters have searched the house and not found anyone inside, as of “primary search.” From the scanner, fire was “well-involved in the basement” of the house but is now “knocked down” aside from some hot spots. We don’t have official word at the scene yet if anyone was inside when this started, but we talked to neighbors who say they haven’t seen anyone at the house in quite some time.

1:02 PM UPDATE: Firefighters say nobody was in the house when it started; nobody hurt; cause won’t be known for a while, but it definitely started in the basement. While the fire’s technically out, they’ll be on the scene for a while monitoring “smoldering debris” as well as investigating the cause, so Delridge traffic north of Thistle will still be difficult for a while – we’ll check periodically so we can update you when it’s fully open again.

1:48 PM ADDITION: We shot that video clip is when we first arrived at the scene – you can see some smoke for starters, then more after firefighters break out some of the windows (you can hear the glass breaking, then you see more smoke and steam from a front window); our camera also looked southbound on Delridge, to show how far down the line of fire trucks stretched. Property records show the 1,000-square-foot house, built in 1955, has had the same owners since 1997. We’ll add an update whenever an official cause is announced.

5:40 PM UPDATE: Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen says damage from the fire totals $225,000 – $150,000 to the structure, $75,000 to its contents. The cause is not yet determined; she says investigators still have to talk to a few more people.

2 more Earth Day notes: Sealth sign, Thriftway bags & contest

While at Chief Sealth High School for the Honor Choir/Mariachi Tamale Dinner last night, we noticed that sign on a courtyard window. The Wednesday activity reminded us of the passion with which restoration workers describe the need to get invasives up and out of our forests, yards, fields, anywhere you see them. (Here’s a list and photos of what to look for.) Meantime, we also have an update from West Seattle Thriftway regarding their big Earth Day plan: Not only will the store bag everything in reusable tote bags (while they last) – and no plastic for the day at all (aside from the health-code-required produce and meat/freezer bags), even if you insist you don’t want a tote bag – but the Movin’ 92.5 “Ladies Room” team will have a contest in the Thriftway parking lot, noon-1:30 pm, giving away a three-wheeled ECO Car. Michelle from Thriftway explains, “These cars are still in preproduction … so the winner will be able to customize the car to their liking…interior, color etc. There will be a model of the car on-site. They have a pre-determined list of contestants [from an ongoing contest], but will be choosing a handful of on-site individuals to participate (maybe 10-15). It will be a mix of some ECO trivia and sort of a ‘Supermarket Sweep’ type game to incorporate our store into the challenge.” Here’s a video of the DJs’ test drive of the three-wheeled car:

Found that on their site’s page with more info, here. Thriftway’s Earth Day page is here.

West Seattle bicycling: 3 notes about 2-wheel-focused events

SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE BIKE-A-PALOOZA TOMORROW: Looks like the 70s for Monday. bicyclist35thavalon.jpgSo after work, get on your bike and ride over to Camp Long, where the monthly Sustainable West Seattle meeting at 7 pm tomorrow will feature Bike-A-Palooza, with speakers and exhibits as described here. Even if you’re not riding yet, but maybe mulling the possibility, there’s a lot to see and hear.

WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE BICYCLE TRAIL CLEANUP, MAY 23: As the official webpage for this cleanup asks, “Do you ever ride the trail to West Seattle or commute to downtown? It is a mess!” Check out the plan here; maybe you even know a business or group that wants to get involved. bathhousestreettabling.jpgBut even if you can “only” volunteer yourself, go here to sign up.

2ND ANNUAL WEST SEATTLE BIKE TOUR, JUNE 7: Tour “some of West Seattle’s most influential landmarks,” as the Southwest Seattle Historical Society puts it, 12:30 pm-2 pm Sunday 6/7 — going from the Log House Museum to the Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, Anchor (Luna) Park, and the Duwamish Longhouse. The tour’s creator, museum assistant Sarah Frederick, says, “Much of the route is a bike path or part of the existing Alki Cultural Trail. Taking the history out of a museum and or standard educational setting is refreshing for the patrons. It’s wonderful to stand on the spot where something actually happened and bring it to life through stories.” To join the tour, it’ll be $5 museum members/$7 non-members – to sign up in advance, call Sarah at 206-938-5293 or e-mail shop@loghousemuseum.org.

West Seattle Farmers’ Market: What to look for today

April 19, 2009 7:02 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Farmers’ Market: What to look for today
 |   West Seattle Farmers' Market

As always, Sunday morning means we point you to the latest from the West Seattle Farmers Market (10 am-2 pm, 44th/Alaska). Sounds like you should bring greenery for greens.

Fun and fundraising on the menu: ARK Park, Chief Sealth dinners

April 18, 2009 11:56 pm
|    Comments Off on Fun and fundraising on the menu: ARK Park, Chief Sealth dinners
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

That’s the team we found in the kitchen at Arbor Heights Community Church for the ARK Park Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser tonight (the park-plan ringleaders we first introduced you to last summer were in the group – Jan Seidel with the salad, at left, Loretta Kimball with the spaghetti, second from right). We showed you the ceremonial groundbreaking last month; the church is raising money to turn a nearby parcel into a playground-centered park. Play figured into tonight’s event, too, with activities for kids in separate rooms after dinner:

By the time we arrived at the spaghetti dinner, 2 hours into the 3-hour event, they estimated they’d already fed more than 200 people! From there, we headed northeast to Delridge, where the Chief Sealth High School cafeteria was also full of good times and good food – plus good music, at the 7th annual Honor Choir and Mariachi Tamale Dinner. In addition to enjoying the talent of CSHS student musicians, diners also heard from guest groups such as Mariachi Quinto Sol, featuring University of Washington students and alumni – here’s one of the songs they performed:

While at Chief Sealth, we bumped into a former TV co-worker, Lowell Deo, who was there to work on a Seattle Channel TV feature about CSHS that will air in his ongoing CityStream series later this spring – he promised to let us know when it’s scheduled, so we can let you know to watch for it. (Lowell profiled us halfway through this CityStream episode six months ago [15 minutes into the program].)

Another opening day announced: Coffee at the Heights

Coffee at the Heights in Sunrise Heights is the third West Seattle business this week to announce its opening date (after Zeeks, 5/1, and Feedback Lounge, 4/25). That banner went up this afternoon, and the coffee shop at 7349 35th SW (map) will be open starting Monday, according to co-proprietor Paul Binder, who with David Robertson also operates PB&J Textiles on Fauntleroy Way as well as the laundromat next to Coffee at the Heights. It’ll be what Paul calls a “super-soft opening” – then on Tuesday, they’ll have full service with pastries, etc., and their grand-opening celebration (with prizes, as noted here) will kick off on Saturday, May 2nd (we’re expecting a little more info on that tomorrow, and we’ll add it here).

ADDED SUNDAY MORNING: That extra info: Hours 5:30 am-8 pm Monday-Friday, 6:30 am-8 pm Saturday/Sunday. Coffee from Caffe d’Arte, baked goods from Macrina. Sandwiches, soup of the day, bagels, and beverages. Plus, starting May 2, the “month of grand opening” will have specials and giveaways- here’s the list:Read More

Author in West Seattle to honor Al Skaret, other Bunker Hill heroes

By Ron Richardson
Special to West Seattle Blog

Maxwell Taylor Kennedy came to West Seattle to pay tribute to Al Skaret and other heroes of the 1945 USS Bunker Hill attack.

(From left, John McNeil, Al Skaret, Lou Tice, Maxwell Kennedy, Art Shipe, Wilton ‘Hoot’ Hutt, Lou Biotano. Al, Art, ‘Hoot’ and Lou were all Bunker Hill crew members)

Over the past four years our neighbor Al Skaret has been interviewed and ultimately featured in Maxwell Taylor Kennedy’s 2008 book ‘Danger’s Hour: The Story of the USS Bunker Hill and the Kamikaze Pilot Who Crippled Her’ (you can see video clips on this page of the book’s promotional website).

This past Wednesday, Mr. Kennedy, son of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, came to the Pacific Institute in West Seattle to honor Al and crew members of the USS Bunker Hill. He gave an inspiring talk, like a good college lecturer, about the war in the Pacific, its origins, the struggle, the sacrifice and the final victory. Mr. Kennedy showed a collection of photos from the National Archives that illustrated episodes he discovered as he researched his book.

Maxwell Kennedy showed a photo of a handwritten note prepared by pilot Al Turnbull which said “Keep chute on in case wing comes off.”

Read More

They don’t just enforce, they encourage: Police Activity League

April 18, 2009 6:27 pm
|    Comments Off on They don’t just enforce, they encourage: Police Activity League
 |   West Seattle police | West Seattle video | WS & Sports

Football’s back on the field tonight at Southwest Athletic Complex (across from the permanent Chief Sealth High School campus), as local officers and deputies from Seattle Police Department and King County Sheriff’s Office coach a flag-football jamboree with players from all over the metro area — our video captured a few lively plays. Both agencies sponsored the tournament through the Greater King County Police Activity League, with grant assistance from NFL Youth Football; according to the original announcement, tonight’s jamboree marks “the beginning of an eight-week long series of games which will include elementary, middle, and high schools kids from the inner city as well as five tribal communities.” The PAL has previously sponsored youth boxing, too. Big day for local law enforcers in the many community activities they are involved with in their “off-hours” – today was also “Tip A Cop” day at local Red Robin restaurants, per this item on SPDBlotter, the department’s blog-style site (which just launched a new look, by the way).

West Seattle Crime Watch: Another burglary on 42nd SW

April 18, 2009 4:14 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Another burglary on 42nd SW
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Just out of the WSB inbox:

This is Sean and Matthew from the 5200 block of 42nd Ave SW. [map] Our home was burglarized at about 11 AM on 4/16. The thieves kicked in the back door and stole a 52″ flat screen, laptop, Playstation, DVDs, games, and some jewelry.

That’s one day after Dan in the 4400 block of 42nd reported a break-in (part of this roundup). Reminder – if you’re concerned about crime in your neighborhood, this Tuesday night is your chance to talk with police leadership and community advocates at the next meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct (35th/Webster).

Summer on the way: Seafair Clowns at YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Before the sun went back behind the clouds, blue sky and a big crowd graced the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) Healthy Kids Day fun at midday today – and WSB happened to be there as the Seafair Clowns rolled up. Great reminder that the heart of summer-fun season is just a few months away (the West Seattle American Legion Grand Parade is exactly three months from today – July 18 – and one week before that, on 7/11, the clowns’ “cousins” [?] the Seafair Pirates will storm Alki). Back to Healthy Kids’ Day – it’s an annual tradition, with indoor and outdoor activities:

The West Seattle Y was one of 10 around the metro area to celebrate Healthy Kids Day today.

Happening now: Duwamish Alive! work parties, report #1

With coordination from EarthCorps and the West Seattle-based Nature Consortium, hundreds of volunteers are working at 20+ sites in the West Duwamish Greenbelt section south and east of Pigeon Point’s Cooper School, just one of more than a dozen Duwamish Alive! events today in honor of Earth Day (which technically isn’t till Wednesday). In a clearing close to the school, numbers mark where each group’s supplies were gathered:

EarthCorps told us we were the first media visitors of the day; they were expecting a few high-profile political visitors too, including County Councilmember/Executive candidate Larry Phillips, who was there (at right in the photo below) during our stop (expected this afternoon, two West Seattleites: County Councilmember/Executive candidate Dow Constantine and Mayor Nickels):

The heart of the work: Tearing out, pulling out, pulling down the invasive plants that choke the life out of the forest and its native understory – this gentleman was doing battle with a thickly trunked Scotch broom:

Some invasive plants like Scotch broom and ivy are still sold for planting, but even if you think they’re great in your yard, birds can eat the seeds and distribute them far and wide, so think twice before using them in your landscaping. More on Duwamish Alive! after we go back for this afternoon’s community festival at Cooper, 2-5 pm (and you’re invited), and we’ll add some video later, including the musician serenading the volunteers in the meadow.

Happening now: Digging in, at Delridge’s Longfellow Creek Garden

We first told you last year about Longfellow Creek Garden, an “urban farm” in the Delridge area — with volunteers tending it and reaping the benefit. All day today, its first major work party of the year is under way – getting the rows ready, composting the herb-garden area, tackling a list of tasks that even includes “who brought the beer?” That part of the plan, of course, will be skipped by the youngest members of the team:

And alumni of Minnesota’s St. Olaf College are even pitching in for their day of service – here’s their official check-in station along the nearest road:

The tool table has a pair of guards, brought along by Shannon and Jason from the newly formed Longfellow Creek Garden Board of Stewards:

To get involved with Longfellow Creek Garden, e-mail lazylocavores@me.com – you too can help with this adventure in “urban farming” – LFCG is on Facebook, too. Today’s work party continues till 4 pm.

Morgan Junction’s Feedback Lounge announces its opening date

(note at left, Zeeks has put in its glass)
They promised they’d announce their opening day/time today, and indeed, here it is, announced online: 6 pm next Saturday, April 25, the doors open at Feedback Lounge (between the new Zeeks Pizza opening May 1st and the old Beveridge Place Pub location that opened exactly a year ago immediately south of the new one).

ADDED 9:45 AM: More details from the e-mail announcement that came in about 45 minutes after we originally published this item – if you’re not on the FL e-mail list and haven’t seen it, read on:Read More

So much to do, so little time: Happening in West Seattle today

April 18, 2009 6:21 am
|    Comments Off on So much to do, so little time: Happening in West Seattle today
 |   Environment | Fun stuff to do | How to help | Pigeon Point

That’s just a slice of the 400-strong crowd at the Duwamish Alive! Earth Day mega-work party southeast of Cooper School last year – and a similar crowd is expected today (with at least three political leaders – Mayor Nickels and County Councilmembers/Executive candidates Dow Constantine and Larry Phillips – visiting along the way). It’s part of a HUGE slate of not just Earth Day events, but also fun fundraisers, live music performances, 2 big rummage/garage sales, and a lot more happening today – we’ll just point you directly to the Saturday section of the West Seattle Weekend Lineupclick here.

Using Twitter — even to find out diving conditions at Seacrest!

With Oprah talking about it today, Twitter is suddenly The Next Big Bandwagon. We’ve been talking about Twitter here for a long time – WSB has been using it since November 2007, and we added a page here last year enabling you to check out recent tweets by almost anyone mentioning West Seattle, plus our latest tweets. You don’t need to sign up for Twitter to see what’s on it — just as long as you know who you’re looking for, you can check out their latest tweets on the Web; for example, we are @westseattleblog, so you can see what we’re up to at twitter.com/westseattleblog, Twitter member or not. Enough about us: We got word via Facebook (where you can “friend” us: WS Blog) from local diving instructor Dave Rintoul of Dive Canuck SCUBA that he’s set up a Twitter account – inspired by one in Malibu – to share info on Seacrest diving conditions. Find him at twitter.com/seacrestdiving – he says he’ll be looking for more divers to share the responsibility of posting condition updates.

West Seattle scenes: Schmitz Park signs of spring

From West Seattle photojournalist Matt Durham, of mattdurhamphotography.com:

Clockwise from lower left: Spring foliage adorns the trails as hikers and naturalists tour Schmitz Park Friday. White Trillium flowers (Lily family) can be found by the keen observer. Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) sprouts from soggy soils and their flowers are short-lived. Various other plants and flowers await visitors in West Seattle’s second-generation “old growth” forest.

Never been to Schmitz Park? Here’s a map.

California Place Park: Design workshops end – now what?

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Much has changed since the first public discussion of possible changes to little California Place Park in North Admiral – and much has not.

What has changed:

*After going through the design process funded by a $15,000 city matching-funds grant, the proposal for possible park changes does not include anything resembling a children’s play area.

*The so-called “southern triangle” of city-owned land, southwest of the park itself, is now under Parks Department supervision since the process brought to light the fact it was somewhat neglected SDOT-owned right-of-way.

*Life has changed for one of the leaders of Friends and Neighbors of North AdmiralManuela Slye is moving her Admiral District home-based bilingual Cometa Playschool — which some critics had suggested was a motivation for proposing park changes — to part of the former Prudential NW space about two miles south.

What hasn’t changed:

Those opposed to any changes in the small triangle of lawn and trees remain resolute, particularly nearby resident Jan Bailey, who has spent many hours standing in the park with her NO CHANGE TO PARK sign, gathering almost 700 petition signatures, and brought her sign and flyers to last night’s meeting, greeting neighbors at the door, then keeping vigil at the back of the room.

Also unchanged, one stark reality: The fact that intensive community fundraising would be needed to make any changes to the park.

Read More