West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
(WSB photo, November 2017)
Once again this year, Eastridge Church plans a turkey-and-groceries giveaway at both its campuses, including West Seattle, so no one goes without a Thanksgiving feast. The event next Saturday morning (November 17) is already in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, and the church has just sent the full announcement:
Eastridge Church will provide 1,500 free Thanksgiving turkeys and bags of groceries to families in need on Saturday, November 17, beginning at 9 a.m. (while supplies last) at their two locations: Issaquah and West Seattle. The church will also be giving away coats, gloves, Bibles and, in Issaquah, free haircuts from licensed stylists.
For nearly 15 years, Eastridge Church has put on the giveaway and offered a free turkey and bag of groceries to families in the community who may need a little help to put a holiday meal on their table. Eastridge Church’s goal through the event is to demonstrate to its neighbors that Eastridge cares by providing a meal this Thanksgiving.
When:
Saturday, November 17, starting at 9 a.m., while supplies lastWhere:
The Issaquah Campus of Eastridge Church, 24205 Issaquah-Fall City Road, Issaquah
The West Seattle Campus of Eastridge Church, 4500 39th Avenue SW, SeattleThe 1,500 dinner packages will be given out first-come, first-served, with no demonstration of need required to receive the assistance.
Thanks to Lora Radford, executive director of the West Seattle Junction Association, for the photos! Renovation work is done at the Mosquito Fleet mural on the east side of the city-landmark Campbell Building in The Junction. Here’s what it looked like before muralist Bob Henry started work:
This was Henry’s second mural-restoration project in West Seattle, after the Morgan Street Market mural. (Here’s the backstory on the mural-restoration campaign and how to be part of it.)
Just thought we’d make a note of this, since it’s a quiet day so far: The 15th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day is exactly six months away – Saturday, May 11, 2019. It’s the one event we present each year; a community-connection nonprofit called Megawatt launched it in 2005, then looked for someone to take it over after 2007, and that turned out to be WSB, so we’ve presented it on the second Saturday in May each year since 2008. Registration starts in early April, and then we publish the map and listings one week before The Big Day. New to West Seattle? Here’s our as-it-happened coverage from this year’s WSCGSD – report #1 and report #2.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
Long before the West Seattle Farmers’ Market drew its usual throngs to The Junction, volunteers were out this morning, setting flags in place for Veterans day.
(Photo sent by Frank S)
Volunteers will return to The Junction around 4 to get the flags back down before sunset.
At 11:11 am, Washington State Ferries will commemorate Veterans Day with a moment of silence on all vessels, followed by blowing the ships’ whistles. From the announcement: “Please join us in remembering and thanking our veterans for their service in the U.S. Armed Forces.”
(Photo by Bob Spears, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Welcome to Sunday! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, in the street, in the heart of The Junction. At the south end, look for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle with coffee and ticket sales for their December 1st pancake breakfast. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
FAUNTLEROY FINE ART & HOLIDAY GIFT SHOW, LAST CHANCE: The third and final day of the show runs 11 am-2 pm in the Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church. See the list of participating artists in our calendar listing! (9140 California SW)
STRONG4SAM BARBECUE BENEFIT: At the West Seattle Eagles during the 1:25 pm Seahawks-Rams game:
To The Bone BBQ will be hosting a fundraising halftime meal at the West Seattle Eagles Aerie in an effort to raise money for the Strong4Sam foundation and Project Violet. Food, drinks, raffles & Seahawks football on the big screen will be had. Entry is free, but donations to the foundation are encouraged. Cash bar. 100% of the proceeds from food sales, raffle tickets, Strong4Sam products & donations go directly to the Strong4Sam foundation in support of Project Violet. Below is the story of why Strong4Sam was started.
In December 2014, Jeff and Kellea Taylor received the devastating news that their youngest son, 11 year old Sam, had an inoperable brain tumor. In the following months, their family was inundated with information about brain tumors and treatment options. They learned the hard way that, while effective, the existing treatment options come with difficult and painful side effects. It was during these early months that they also learned about Project Violet, a nonprofit research group at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, started by Sam’s doctor Dr. Jim Olsen, and dedicated to discovering more effective and less toxic therapies for pediatric cancer.
Born out of the Taylors’ desire to do everything possible to help Sam, Strong4Sam was created as a fundraising group in support of Project Violet, which is funded exclusively through private donations.
In May 2015, after raising and donating over $40,000 for Project Violet, the Taylors established the Strong4Sam Foundation with the following mission: Strong4Sam is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating community awareness and raising funds for innovative research to discover more effective and less toxic therapies for pediatric cancer.
(4426 California SW)
BYSTANDER INTERVENTION PRACTICE: 2 pm-4 pm at Admiral UCC, practice bystander-intervention skills with Anti-Hate Alaska Junction, as explained here. (4320 SW Hill)
PRAIRIE DAWN LIVE @ C & P: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), Prairie Dawn performs “jazz influenced duo with an eclectic repertoire of standards and originals.” No cover. (5612 California SW)
J MASCIS LIVE IN-STORE: 6 pm, two days after new album “Elastic Days” went on sale, J Mascis is live in-store at Easy Street Records. Free. All ages. (California SW & SW Alaska)
TOMORROW & BEYOND … look into the future via the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and newly launched Holiday Guide.
Veterans Day observances started tonight in West Seattle with the annual dinner at American Legion Post 160 in The Junction. The experiences of those who were there tonight spanned multiple services and multiple decades:
Below with Post 160 commander Keith Hughes, left, and American Legion state chaplain Chris Kuhnert is Chelsea Clayton, a West Seattleite who works as veterans’ affairs director for U.S. Senator Patty Murray.
As she had done at last year’s Post 160 dinner, Clayton read a message from Sen. Murray:
The heart of the message: “Please accept our sincere thanks for your dedication and service.” Tomorrow, November 11th, is not only Veterans Day but the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day.
P.S. Post 160’s observance continues tomorrow morning as volunteers will be out early to place flags in The Junction.
Since Thanksgiving is on the earliest-possible date this year, November 22nd, the holiday season is starting semi-early, and so we’ve launched our annual WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide knowing that you’ll be sending MUCH more to add to it. Additions? editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – parties, tastings, light shows, concerts, plays, craft events, open houses, bazaars, donation drives, holiday hours/closure info, Santa appearances, anything and everything that’s holiday-related and open to the public, happening now through New Year’s, send it! Thank you!
Canna Culture is now open at 5435 California SW, across the street from Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor), and the “founding celebration” continues until 5. Above, the shops’ proprietor Maryam Mirnateghi, staff, and friends posed next to the new mural by Desmond Graves, while Chris Kelleher painted an indoor creation:
As previewed here earlier this week, Canna Culture “is designed to provide supplemental cannabis-related products to cannabis users.” Mirnateghi describes it as a “lifestyle boutique.”
Branded merchandise is available too:
This is the storefront where Canna West Seattle originally opened, before moving across the street to 5440 California SW this past spring.
While our regular lost/found/non-pets section is here, unusual “found” or “lost” items might wind up on the news page too. Like this one from Southwest Pool, where a mystery wheelchair materialized:
On Thursday morning when staff opened the pool, we found a wheelchair in our lobby. We do not know who the owner is or why it was left at the pool but we really want to return it to its owner. The owner can call us at 206-684-7440 and describe the wheelchair. We really would like to see it reunited with its owner.
In the seasonal mood yet? Twelve days to Thanksgiving! And holiday bazaar season has begun! Until 3 pm today, Highland Park Improvement Club is full of local artists/vendors with ideas for your gift list … or maybe for yourself.
Among the sellers, Scouts from Troop 40593, Layla, Nora, Cora, and Lilliaa, with tea wallets and bath bombs:
Among the coolest merchandise – local maps and items made from them:
And if you’re hungry … HPIC has tons of treats. Mike and Christie were at the table with sweet potato pie, cookies, and more.
Plus, ways to show off your Highland Park pride:
HPIC is at 1116 SW Holden.
West Seattleite Patrick Gerding is on the board of Everyone for Veterans and wants to be sure everyone hears about the organization’s “open mic” event tomorrow – not in WS but not far – whether you are a veteran who would like to speak, or whether you could simply be there to listen:
Veterans Day is not just a day off or about Veterans Day Sales…..
Please join us in honoring and acknowledging veterans on November 11th. We are collaborating with What They Signed Up For to bring you a free event where veterans and their families will share their stories of deployment to combat and readjustment at home. The public can listen and learn at this meaningful celebration.
It’s at the Rainier Arts Center (3515 South Alaska St.; map) in Columbia City, 3-5 pm Sunday. Find more information, and an RSVP link, here.
(Steller’s Jay, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
First big Saturday of the holiday season, though these aren’t ALL holiday highlights:
SPECIAL TIME/PLACE FOR WS LINUX USER GROUP: If you’re going to the Seattle GNU/Linux Conference, catch up with WSeaLUG there. 8 am – info here – at Seattle Central College on Capitol Hill. (1701 Broadway)
CLEAN UP ROXHILL PARK: Grab your gloves and go help the neighbors who’ve been taking care of Roxhill Park for years. 9 am, meet in the parking lot. (29th SW/SW Barton)
WHITE CENTER SUMMIT: 9 am breakfast, 10 am summit, all welcome at Evergreen High School. (830 SW 116th)
HPIC HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Today’s the day for the legendary Highland Park Improvement Club Holiday Bazaar, 10 am-3 pm. 20+ vendors! Lunch for sale! Bar open! (1116 SW Holden)
FAUNTLEROY FINE ART AND HOLIDAY GIFT SHOW: 2nd of 3 days and the longest, 10 am-4 pm. Vendors are listed in our report from the first night. At the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall. (9140 California SW)
SHOREWOOD ELEMENTARY HOLIDAY BAZAAR: 10 am-4 pm at the school, featuring handmade goods and Santa photos, among other things. (2725 SW 116th)
NURSERY OPEN HOUSE: West Seattle Nursery holiday open house, 11 am-2 pm, with special presentations and demonstrations. (California/Brandon)
TAPROOT SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-1 pm, this K-5 school invites you to its Fauntleroy Schoolhouse open house. (9131 California SW)
LOOK FOR SALMON @ ‘OPEN CREEK‘: Noon-3 pm, you’re invited to visit Fauntleroy Creek, where you just might see spawning salmon. Go to the fish-ladder overlook and wait for a volunteer to come escort you to creekside. More info here. If you’ve never been before, this Google Street View shows you the entrance. (Upper Fauntleroy Way SW & SW Director)
HAPPY 2ND ANNIVERSARY, OUNCES! Noon-10 pm, Ounces in North Delridge is celebrating its second anniversary with free pizza and more. (3809 Delridge Way SW)
CANNA CULTURE GRAND OPENING: 1-5 pm, it’s a party celebrating the opening of Canna Culture, in what had been the original location of Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor), with art, food, education, and more, as detailed here. 21+. (5435 California SW)
VISCON CELLARS WINE RELEASE: Day 2! Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) has just released “a 2015 Unoaked Chardonnay and our 2014 Heart Box Red Merlot. Just in time for the Thanksgiving Holidays, both these wines pair great with traditional holiday meals.” The tasting room/wine bar is open 2-7 pm today. (5910 California SW)
BOOK DRIVE: 2-4 pm at Aegis West Seattle (WSB sponsor). Bring books, get cocoa and cookies! (4700 SW Admiral Way)
VETERANS DAY DINNER: It’s an annual tradition – free spaghetti dinner for veterans and their families as well as others with connection to the armed services. Dinner starts at 5:30 pm at American Legion Post 160; program at 6. (3618 SW Alaska)
NELSON WRIGHT & STEVE BECK: 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), singer-songwriters “in the Americana tradition.” (5612 California SW)
‘FOOLS’ NIGHT 3: 7:30 pm curtain time for the West Seattle High School Drama Club‘s production of the Neil Simon. Ticket info is in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)
THE OLD GROWTH QUARTET: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall – “the band features an eclectic repertoire of traditional and original music, with deep roots in bluegrass, country, and folk.” (7904 35th SW)
BENEFIT FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS: Country singer/songwriter Lauren Davidson‘s show at The Skylark benefits the Wounded Warriors Project. Doors at 8, music at 9, advance tickets here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … via our complete calendar.
2:12 AM: Seattle Fire is sending a “rescue extrication” response to Harbor Avenue SW, in the 7-11 vicinity. It’s described as a one-car crash. Per scanner, the driver hit a utility pole at high speed and is still in the car; SFD expects to have to cut the vehicle’s roof off to get the person out.
2:17 AM: Still monitoring via radio communication: The driver is described as a 23-year-old woman.
2:22 AM: Harbor is closed both ways at the crash scene.
2:38 AM: The driver’s been extricated and will be taken by SFD Medic 32 to the hospital with a reported head injury; her car is described as wrapped around the pole and SFD quoted police as estimating she was going 80+ mph.
Today’s King County Elections count is the last one due out until Monday. So with most – not all – ballots counted, here’s how some key stats have turned out so far:
34th Legislative District – 77,700 ballots returned so far, out of 100,380 “active registered voters”
City of Seattle – 363,532 ballots returned so far, of 463,432 “active registered voters”
Entire county – 963,699 of 1,294,184
(Past elections’ countywide turnout #’s going back to the turn of the millennium are here.)
Here are the numbers from nearby dropboxes (which closed at 8 pm Election Night, so these numbers would seem to be final or close to it):
West Seattle Junction – 4,775
High Point – 8,699
White Center – 5,503
South Park – 1,472
The county says 381,746 ballots came in via dropboxes. Final election certification is set for November 27th – here’s the calendar.
(WSB photos from final show setup this afternoon)
Looking for something to do before/after dinner? The Fauntleroy Fine Art and Holiday Gift Show has begun! Open until 8 tonight at Fauntleroy Church‘s Fellowship Hall – free to stop in and browse:
Courtesy of Judy Pickens, here’s the list of this year’s participating artists:
Melissa Aaron – Spice blends & teas
Michelle Aitken – Beach-inspired ceramics
Mary Anderson – Whimsical cashmere & fleece hats
Leslee Avery Beausoleil – Cold-pressed soaps & dog shampoo
Sonja Bergstrom – SheepPAL footstools
Saki Uehara-Bingen – Hand-designed mandala products
Gretchen Curtis – Hand-knitted textiles
Josephine DeLellis – Collages, shadow boxes & collage kits
Natalie Fobes – Prints, mobiles & notecards
Esperanza Robles-Lazo – Delicate wire-wrapped jewelry
Johanna Lindsay – Playful glass & wire jewelry
Kate Lorenzini – Fine greeting cards, packaging & paper sundries
Dee Miller – Garden art
Marise Miville – Nature-inspired handmade jewelry
David Somers – Wood turnings, engravings, carvings & paintings
Linda Thorson – Molded concrete yard art & birdhouses
The church is at 9140 California SW. The show/sale continues 10 am-4 pm tomorrow and 11 am-2 pm Sunday, one of the first events of the season – here’s our calendarized list of holiday events (more to come, in the calendar and our almost-ready Holiday Guide).
Early alert that southbound Highway 99 is scheduled for closure next weekend (late Friday, November 16, through early Monday, November 19th), between the (updated) south end of the Battery Street Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge. This is described as a closure “for joint and spall repairs.” It’s weather-dependent, so rain will postpone it.
(WSB photo, July 2015)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Another new real-estate listing of note has a unique backstory.
The auto-shop site at 9200 16th SW is up for sale as the result of a court settlement that traces back to the SWAT-involved drug raid we covered there in 2015.
It’s not mentioned in the listing, which heralds this as “Westwood Development Site” and says:
ZONED LR3 RC: 12,918 sq. foot lot, suitable for up to 14 townhomes at 1,350 sq. feet each or 19,000 sq. foot apartment Building (Buyer to verify). Excellent value at less than $65,000 per door. Development is rampant in this area. Excellent investment opportunity. Vacant at closing.
We recognized the address, as we’ve been checking in from time to time on the long-running court case’s files. Those files now contain a settlement agreement, filed in October. The settlement ends what had been a forfeiture case brought by the city in 2015.
The original filing’s documents tell the story of an unlicensed marijuana-sales operation at the site, known as “The Wolfpack,” including a detective’s report from 11 days of surveillance in 2015. On those days – scattered through the period of March to July – the detective wrote of counting 2,873 vehicles arriving to make purchases from the operation, plus 1,621 arrivals on foot, while the auto business handled a total of 7 cars for repairs. The documents also detail subsequent undercover buys which allegedly were made without requests for documentation such as proof of age.
The settlement agreement stipulates that the property will be listed for $900,000 and any offer below that would have to be approved by the city. The city will get 70 percent of the sale proceeds; owner Paul Noble, 51, will get 30 percent minus any and all fees and commissions. The city also gets to keep about half the $59,000 in cash that was seized.
In the extensive case files spanning three-plus years, a judge ordered the city to show this past February why the case should not be dismissed “for failure to prosecute” after both sides reportedly failed to fulfill a requirement to update the court on trial readiness. Lawyers for Noble subsequently responded that they expected felony drug charges to be filed against him shortly, and indeed they were; files show he then pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in July. Another city case seeking the forfeiture of his residence was dismissed.
(Thursday night’s sunset, before the clouds rolled in! Photo by Robin Sinner)
Five for tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
VISCON CELLARS WINE RELEASE: Two new wines, and you can get them starting tonight!
(Photo courtesy Viscon Cellars)
Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) is releasing “a 2015 Unoaked Chardonnay and our 2014 Heart Box Red Merlot. Just in time for the Thanksgiving Holidays, both these wines pair great with traditional holiday meals.” The tasting room/wine bar is open 5-9 pm tonight, 2-7 pm Saturday. (5910 California SW)
FAUNTLEROY FINE ART AND GIFT SHOW: Tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday, local artists (see the list here) are showing and selling in the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall. Tonight, you’re invited to stop by 5 pm-8 pm. (9140 California SW)
GO SKATING: Alki Community Center turns roller rink most Friday nights, 5:45-7:45 pm. Details in our calendar listing. (5817 SW Stevens)
SONGWRITERS’ SHOWCASE: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – “new lineup each month featuring four local singer-songwriters performing their original material. Anchored and hosted the second Friday of each month by West Seattle’s own Tom Humphreys. Each performer gets a 25-minute set in the showcase.” (5612 California SW)
‘FOOLS’ NIGHT 2: 7:30 pm, it’s your second chance to see the West Seattle High School Drama Club‘s production of the Neil Simon. Ticket info in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP TONIGHT AND BEYOND … by checking our complete calendar.
More than five months after we broke the news that KFC was moving out of 3501 SW Avalon Way and The Habit Burger Grill was moving in, work at the site is finally beginning in earnest. If you pass by the busy 35th and Avalon corner frequently (which we do), you know the building was repainted in the chain’s trademark taupe fairly soon after the KFC closure, but it’s been idle in the months since, even drawing some vandalism. However, city permit files show the project has remained in the works, with a raft of filings in mid-September. We are attempting again to reach the company to see if there’s a projected opening date. The California-based Habit Burger chain opened its first within-city-limits Seattle store in Ballard back in August.
10:51 AM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the photos from Fauntleroy Creek earlier this week. Spawning season continues and she photographed those eggs, explaining, “Some critter had dragged them up on the banks. Eventually they were eaten but it took a few days … which surprises me! Seeing that we have otters and raccoons and birds a plenty.” She also shared this photo of the 13th coho counted in the creek, a ~3-pound female:
We’re checking on where the count stands. (UPDATE: Creek steward Judy Pickens tells us it’s at 18 – that’s more than 4 times last year’s four-fish count.)
ADDED 3:55 PM: Judy has since announced there’ll be another “open creek” tomorrow:
We’ve seen 18 coho to date, witnessed active spawning, and continue to have favorable tides for bringing in more fish. Volunteers will host an “open creek” Saturday (11/10) afternoon from noon to 3:00 at the fish ladder (SW Director and upper Fauntleroy Way SW). Come to the viewpoint there and a watcher will invite you down. Children need to bring a parent and dogs should be leashed and well behaved. Decking and steps will likely be wet, so use caution.
P.S. Bonus video from Kersti:
She explains, “It’s from yesterday, a spawning pair activity making a nest, with a little Jack trying to have a turn but getting turned back by the larger male.” (A “jack” is a salmon returning a year earlier than they usually would.)
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:14 AM: Good morning! No incidents or transit alerts in/from West Seattle so far.
HOLIDAY WEEKEND: Monday (November 12th) is the observed Veterans Day, so there will be changes including no Water Taxi, reduced-weekday Metro, and no school.
Most of Seattle’s stairways are actually part of city streets, in spots where the right-of-way can’t quite accommodate anything else. There are more than 500 of them. A new one planned for SW Myrtle between Sylvan and 25th – as announced in August – has stirred up some neighborhood concern, so SDOT and SPD invited neighbors to the Southwest Precinct last night to talk about it.
At the front of the room, SDOT’s Greg Funk and Dan Anderson.
Funk said he works on about 10 to 12 stairway projects per year and this one’s a little different in that
it’s a stairway that needs to be installed from scratch. Most of his projects – all but an average of about 1 each year – are replacements, or major maintenance, for existing stairways.
Most of those in attendance said they use the existing path that’s there now because Sylvan is too dangerous to walk along – too much traffic and poorly defined pedestrian boundaries.
But there’s neighborhood concern about a serious uptick in trash along that existing path over the past year. Two residents who live by the east end of the future stairway say they’ve seen and heard lots of suspicion-sparking people, along with arguments, and they’re worried the stairway will be a magnet for more.
Overall, though, most attendees were in favor of the new stairway, with some noting that improved access to and from Myrtle will be especially helpful when Route 120 becomes the RapidRide H Line and has a station at Delridge/Myrtle.
Various questions related to lighting and, as already mentioned, trash. Funk said lighting is not in the plan; trash trouble can be reported via Find It, Fix It.
The precinct’s crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner said she’d visit the area to talk about Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. The area’s Community Police Team Officer Ken Mazzuca said calling 911 and using Find It Fix It are both vital so any problems in the area can be not only addressed but also documented (as SPD is very data-driven).
What’s next? Since the project went on hold for a bit to address concerns, the one-to-two-month installation is not expected to happen before the first quarter of next year.
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