West Seattle, Washington
16 Monday
We’re at the Morgan Community Association quarterly meeting, and it kicked off with a short presentation by a rep from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound — Bottom line: 100 kids, 7 to 17, are on a waiting list in the West Seattle area, awaiting more potential mentors to join BBBSPS. Commitment can be as little as an hour a week. More info: www.bbbsps.org or 877-700-BIGS. (More from MoCA later.)
According to the Seattle Times, West Seattle High School cornerback Aaron Grymes has decided to sign with Idaho instead of UW, saying the Huskies had asked him to “grayshirt” instead of starting next season. (Realdawg.com reported the news earlier today; its story requires membership to read.)
The folks at 8 Limbs Yoga (WSB sponsor) are banding together to help popular teacher Denise Carrico (photo at left), who can’t teach – and therefore, can’t work – for a month because she “fell while hiking and broke both her leg and her arm,” says 8 Limbs’ Anne Phyfe Palmer. To help get Denise through this time of crisis, 8 Limbs is offering two benefit classes this Saturday – here are the details:
Please join yoga teacher Greg Owen on Saturday, January 31st for either of his morning classes:
9:00 am LEVEL II FLOW
10:30 am LEVEL IHere’s how Denise will benefit:
Drop-ins ($16) will go directly to Denise.
If you are an 8 Limbs class card holder, consider paying drop-in for this class, otherwise $5 will be donated by 8 Limbs for each class card holder. 8 Limbs will donate $5 for each member who attends.
Additional donations are encouraged. Please pay cash or write checks directly to Denise Carrico.
Donations of any amount can be made by check at any time at the 8 Limbs front desk.
Thank you!
8 Limbs is in The Junction, right over JaK’s Grill (map), enter from the alley behind the building; find lots more information online at 8limbsyoga.com.
The Times writes this morning about that wind-power invention by West Seattleite Chad Maglaque; he entered it in Google’s Project 10 to the 100th, which will publish word tomorrow of the 100 finalists (from among 100,000+ entries) who made it to a public vote. 1:55 PM UPDATE: Thanks for the tip from Todd – Google has just announced it’s delaying the announcement of the 100 finalists till March; read the announcement here.
A little past midway through Saturday night’s 4th birthday bash for Twilight Artist Collective – held in the West Seattle Junction spot (west of Easy Street) that they took over in late ’07 – they were serenaded with the traditional birthday tune, in a not-so-traditional way. Haven’t met Erin, Mary, and Cheryl yet? Info’s here, for their original Pike Place Market location as well as their Junction space. (They have a separate blog-format website, too.)
We took you to Grace Church last July for the coronation of West Seattle Hi-Yu Senior Court Queen Margo Femiano (center) and Princesses Alicia Watanabe and Katie Tarabochia (left, right); now, at the midpoint between summers, the 2009 Scholarship Program is welcoming applications. This year’s program coordinator is Shirley Enebrad, who renews the basics of the announcement we made one year ago today:
Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu Scholarship Competition: Applications due
3/30/09Young women who live, work or attend school in West Seattle are invited to apply for the Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu scholarship competition. There are several scholarship awards given out at the pageant, including, but again, not limited to: Athletic, Media Career, Community Service, Academic, Miss Congeniality, Creative Expression, and Hi-Yu Involvement. There are three titles awarded: Queen and two Princesses.
Each title winner receives a scholarship (Princesses- $1,000 each, Queen- $2,000), crown, and sash. The Queen will receive $1,250 at the end of her reign and $750 after completing the Miss Seafair competition. She will represent the community during the 2009-2010 festival year and travel to several Northwest parades with the Hi-Yu float. The Senior Court members must be available to participate in the Hi-Yu Summer Festival activities.
While there is some work involved, West Seattle royalty will have a lot of fun serving your community, making new friends, increasing confidence, and developing leadership. New this year, all candidates will have the opportunity to work with a local businesswoman as a professional mentor and spend a day with professional health & beauty professionals receiving advice on hair, make-up, and dress. Hi-Yu serves the West Seattle Community by providing fun and affordable entertainment for adults and children alike.
The application, found at www.hiyu.com, must be postmarked by March 30, 2009. Mail your completed application to Candidate Coordinator, West Seattle Hi-Yu, PO Box 16130, Seattle, WA 98116. If you have questions, call Shirley at 206-935-5224.
Again, here’s the direct link to the application. Another Hi-Yu note, from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: Hi-Yu’s Spring Tea and Silent Auction is set for March 22 at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 2-4:30 pm, $25/person, and they’re taking reservations now – 206-935-6517 or info@hiyu.com.
Among your many entertainment options on tonight’s West Seattle Weekend Lineup: Two “classic silent comedies” accompanied (with ragtime!) by Donald Sosin at Kenyon Hall (interior photo above). If you aren’t well-acquainted with that venue, time to fix that. We revisited the historic building (on 35th just south of Kenyon – here’s a map) recently to talk with manager Lou Magor and find what’s new – read on!Read More
Thanks to Paul Dieter for sharing that video of The Center School‘s Poetry Slam performance/competition on Thursday night. We learned more about TCS during the Seattle Public Schools closure process that’s heading for a vote next Thursday; TCS changes are NOT part of the plan any more but when they were, we learned that the unique Seattle Center-based school has more than a few West Seattle teens in attendance, including one who performed in the Thursday night event, as Paul explains:
The Center School presented A Night Of Poetry and Theater For Social Change at the Seattle Repertory Theater. The standing-room-only audience was treated to these talented high-school students exercising the power they are finding in words, performance and personal poise confidence. The evening began with 18 students reading their own poems and finished with a competitive poetry slam that included West Seattle’s own Daniel Willoughby. There was also a brief performance by the school’s Theater For Social Change class that gave us a view on some of the issues facing these young adults.
Another poetry note with a West Seattle hook: South Seattle Community College writing instructor Mike Hickey (photo left), elected last November as the city’s newest Poet Populist, will be officially “installed” as the PP Sunday afternoon. He’ll read, of course, at the 2 pm event at the city’s central library branch downtown (map), which features other special guests. Read more about the (free!) event here; hear Mike read in this WSB report on a pre-election event last October at Youngstown Arts Center.
No, it wasn’t here in West Seattle. Just happened onto this mention of Eddie Vedder making a cameo at the Tractor Tavern (in Ballard) on Tuesday night on the Mayor’s Office of Film and Music‘s new blog-format website. (Full story seems to be at RollingStone.com.)
This morning, we have another report on the results of West Seattleites stepping up to help others – the inauguration-commemoration shoe drive kicked off by “Bob Loblaw” in the WSB Forums. The photo shows a member of the Loblaw clan — seventh-grade student at Madison Middle School shown helping sort the shoes (with community-service credit as a bonus!). Bob writes:
West Seattle’s generous souls donated a total of exactly 100 pairs of shoes, boots, sandals and other footwear during the week-long drive. All will make their way shortly to those who truly need them. Big kudos go to those who stepped up, especially the participating businesses, Hotwire and Full Tilt. It goes without saying once again that West Seattle rocks!
Earlier today, we shared the final report on the diaper drive Katy Lloyd organized; now, we have a report on the blanket-making event Linda Tepe and Nancy Ross spearheaded on Monday at Fauntleroy Church, which also benefited the local families helped through WestSide Baby:
Our event was a huge success!
Through the USAService.org website I had allowed as many as 50 people to sign up. The event was filled by last Friday. Additionally, 8 friends told me they would attend. Instructions from USAService.org told me to expect no more than 60% of those to turn out, but incredibly 57 signed in.
People brought their friends, co-workers and children. There were people of all ages from babies on up to some in their 80’s: there were high school and college students; a group of 10 from Starbucks corporate; 3 woman brought their young daughters to help; a man and woman brought their daughters; and some young women brought their boyfriends. And 2 babies did quality control, making sure the blankets were soft enough and modeling some of the creations.
We made 130 baby blankets, 107 buntings and an unknown number of adorable hats that one of the volunteers created with the leftover remnants.
Our event was very “green”: not even the smallest scraps of that fleece were thrown away because one the volunteers, who also volunteers for the Humane Society, took those little scraps to make cat toys for her feline friends.
The 40 odd bolts of fleece fabric that we used had been donated to WestSide Baby by BlueStar. BlueStar had purchased the leftover inventory from Hancock Fabrics before the groundbreaking for the Whole Foods project and then turned around and donated the goods to a number of charities, including WestSide Baby.
Thanks again to everyone who shared their stories from Day of Service (and also, yesterday, from Inauguration Day/Night). Share your stories and/or photos with your West Seattle neighbors, whether it’s breaking news or happy news, by sending whatever you have to editor@wsb.blackfin.biz … thanks!
Photo sent to us by Marlow Harris, along with this explanation:
West Seattle resident and licensed architect Bret Wiggins has had a lifelong dream to channel the King and does so at every opportunity. He’ll get a chance to do so again this Saturday at the 2009 12th Annual Elvis Invitationals.
Bret is from West Seattle, and has a wife, Judy and 3 boys. They all know about 100 Elvis songs (they have to put up with dad singing in the shower..) Bret has been doing Elvis since he was a teenager (he’s now 47) and it has just become a very fun hobby. He does a tribute show for friends and family and occasionally for special parties or events. On several occasions he has done Elvis at auctions for fundraising, but he’s not giving up the day job, so to speak. He is a licensed architect from Seattle and has been in the design field for nearly 25 years, currently working at Callison. Bret placed 3rd in this competition 2 years ago and would love to win it this time!
The Elvis Invitationals are at 8 pm Saturday, Club Motor in Sodo (map); you can get a hunka hunka burnin’ info (and then some) by going to the official website.
On Monday, we showed you Katy Lloyd and her daughters at Jefferson Square Safeway, kicking off a 10-hour diaper drive for WestSide Baby that Katy organized as part of National Day of Service, with other volunteers taking the baton later in the day. Late last night, she sent us word of final results (and gratitude):
Well, after a day that has been just unbelievably good in so many ways, I can add one more thing: the final count from our Westside Baby Diaper Drive on Monday brought in a grand total of 10,000 diapers! Executive Director Nancy Woodland tells me this was one of the best diaper drives they’ve ever had aside from their huge Stuff the Bus event in July. Thanks to the Diaper Drive they will be able to serve the needs of 400 children. I can’t tell you how many people told me they came by after seeing it posted on the blog.
Thank you for providing a way for our community to do what communities do best-helping one another. Thanks to Safeway Manager Dave Dupuy for supporting the drive, making announcements in the store all day long, and for being so helpful. Thanks to Liberty Bell Printing for providing free services for our effort. Thanks to the volunteers (the big ones and the little ones) who stood in the cold, handed out fliers to shoppers, and carted loads of diapers here and there. Most of all, thanks to the generous people of West Seattle, who on Martin Luther King Day helped make his vision of a just world more real by putting a smile on a baby’s face.
A diaper can’t change the world, but it can change a sad baby into a happy baby, and for families stressed by lack of affordable housing, health care, and low incomes, a happy baby can make a world of difference. So, maybe a diaper can change the world after all.
Deeply grateful,
Katy Lloyd
You of course don’t have to wait for the next diaper drive to help WestSide Baby; its website offers lots of suggestions for how to do that any time. And we’ll continue to share news of opportunities to help your West Seattle neighbors and the organizations working hard to make lives better.
That’s one of the ways Inauguration Night wrapped up in West Seattle – with revelers dancing to the sound of the West Seattle Big Band at the WS Democratic Women-presented Inaugural Gala at The Hall at Fauntleroy. West Seattleites in DC are reliving their memories – that includes Stephanie and Hans, who are sharing their take on The Big Day, along with photos:
Read on:Read More
You saw the massive crowd in national-media video. What was it like to be part of it – not just during the ceremony, but for hours before?
Our first report comes from Carter and Dan, the Fauntleroy residents who’ve been sharing their stories from DC the past few days:
We’re expecting quite a bit from our new President. As he said, we need to sacrifice, and we felt like we did today. We celebrated with a record two million other ice cubes.
(Will be updated with more photos/video from West Seattleites, as we get them)
Click the player to watch MSNBC ongoing Inauguration Day coverage live right now. (The Inauguration page also has a Hulu player where FOX coverage is streaming. To watch the live Twitter feed, go here.)
To see the new look of the official WhiteHouse.gov presidential website, go here. Here’s a notable excerpt from the first entry on its “blog”:
One significant addition to WhiteHouse.gov reflects a campaign promise from the President: we will publish all non-emergency legislation to the website for five days, and allow the public to review and comment before the President signs it.
We’ll add local photos/video of inauguration-watching moments as we get them. Here’s the Chelan Cafe, from Bob Loblaw:
Here’s the swearing-in, as watched and cheered by the West Seattle Democratic Women’s breakfast gathering at the WS Golf Course:
From Alki, this photo of Michael Adams‘ party:
(Michael’s caption: From left, Rachelle Kauffman, Estevan Mazariegos, Michael Adams, Alex Siao, Ryan Trail, Lacey Watson. Breakfast: Blueberry Pancakes, apple smoked bacon, scrambled eggs w/ green onions, buttermilk toast and Mimosas! Michael & Ryan’s place- photo by Rachelle Kauffman)
As we post this, the inaugural lunch is kicking off (10:33 am PT) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein just mentioned the population of the recipe page on the inaugural website; the site seems to be overloaded at the moment but if you want to try it later, here’s the link.
(Added 11:23 am) Molly sent this video clip of her inauguration decorations:
(Added 12:55 pm) Paul Dieter sent this video shot while watching at Seattle Center with a group from The Center School (a Seattle Public Schools high school attended by more than a few West Seattleites):
(Added 1:21 pm) Cami McNamara from Alki sends this clip from where she watched this morning’s historic events — The Paramount Theater downtown:
Here’s Cami (right) with Jackie Ramels (Alki resident who chairs the city Parks Board):
And the Paramount marquee:
(added 1:30 pm) Kathleen from Highland Park sends more photos from the Chelan Cafe by The Bridge:
I just returned from a fantastic inauguration breakfast at the Chelan cafe. About 15 or so people sat and ate comfortably in the Ebb Tide Room watching the inauguration on 4 large plasma TVs. The atmosphere was festive including decorations, inauguration food specials, and just a general feeling of a small slice of the community coming together to share their happiness and joy. The owners (1st pic) couldn’t have been more hospitable! A great morning!
(added 3:55 pm) Barbara watched the ceremonies at Town Hall downtown:
(added 8:05 pm) From Arbor Heights, this group watched the inauguration together: Melissa, Tappi, Derek, Jake, and Maria:
(added 8:16 pm) Two sets of Obama cupcakes – first one from Trophy Cupcakes, photo sent by Lisa; second photo from Emily:
Got an Inauguration Day photo? We’ll add to this, for the record, till they stop coming in; editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – we also will report separately on other events later today including two West Seattle schools where students will talk by phone with Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson, who’s in DC, and some of tonight’s West Seattle celebrations.
Meantime, click ahead to read a poem just sent by West Seattle poet Carol Smith:Read More
(Preamble to the Constitution, signed by Carter, Dan and many others in DuPont Circle)
(The box from which the new President will view the Inaugural Parade)
To recap, we’re getting inauguration updates from two teams of West Seattleites in D.C. — we heard earlier from Stephanie and Hans, and now we have two reports – and more photos – to share from Carter and Dan:
DC is high gear. There are crowds everywhere the events are happening. Metro stop lines are a half to a full block long. Parade route has people parading. The National Mall is busy with activity. Everyone is in a great mood despite the crowds. Smiles abound and the random chatting up of strangers. “Where are you from?” is a question everyone asks.
We have a change of plans regarding how we are going to get there. As of this moment, we are going to attempt the 4:00AM Metro from Arlington to the National Mall. I’m voting for just walking the four miles. Everyone i’ve spoke with is going 4AM or before. They won’t even open the Mall until 7 or 8AM (depends on the source). The media here is warning, if there is 2 million people, you will have a personal space the size of a page of newspaper!
Attached photo is “Give Bush The Boot” game. It was a riot watching people vent with the hundreds of shoes. Ironically, while I was in front of the White House, the Police handcuffed and arrested a young guy for throwing a shoe on the White House lawn. They shut down the street which prevented me from going up to the fence.
Carter also sent a celebrity photo … and we have his report from earlier today, including the inaugural concert details — ahead:Read More
Both of our teams of inauguration correspondents — West Seattleites in D.C. for the big event who offered to share some of what they’re doing and seeing — have sent updates in the past few hours. The pix above are more souvenirs, photographed by Stephanie and Hans – here’s their quick update:
Following the plan, my brother and I headed to the nearest metro station to pick-up our train passes. The parking lot was full, so I jumped out to make it a quick run. How hard could it be?
Five lines, about 15 people deep and growing by the minute.
By what can only be termed a miracle, I managed to get in the “right” line at the right time. To my left, a metro worker was furiously attempting to restart one machine. The smart-trip cards were sold out further down. The cash lines were in a constant state of clamor — ironing and re-ironing crumpled bills. And everywhere, the sense that most of the people in line were not “regulars.” One perplexed fellow managed to buy 18 farecards, each $1.35. (Which, separately, won’t get him, um . . . anywhere.)
Despite all this, people were generally pretty upbeat and helpful. Which was a good thing. Because by the time I got to the front of my line, the machine had stopped taking debit cards. Mercy.
My sister-in-law (a veteran commuter) tells me that she’s never seen a line for a metro pass. Much less five at the same time. If that’s any indication of what tomorrow will be like, I can’t wait.
Oh, and I won’t even be sorry about the cash if we end up not using our passes . . . they’re just too cool. =)
Yes we can!
Stephanie
The latest from the other team in D.C. — Carter and Dan — with even more photos – coming up shortly. All our 2009 Inauguration coverage is archived here; our page of info about how/where to watch tomorrow, and who’s celebrating where afterward, can be found here.
Thanks to Toddy Dyer for sharing that photo of the Curran-Walker Family, Spangler-Ellerbrook Family, Vuletic Family, and Dyer Family, who teamed up to clean up Alki Beach and Whale Tail Park (where the photo was taken) during today’s National Day of Service. Toddy tells WSB the kids in the photo range in age from 1 through 8. Congratulations, and thank you, to everyone who joined in today (other photos and reports welcome, too! editor@wsb.blackfin.biz).
Wherever you are tomorrow at 9 am and whoever you’re with, we would love to have a photo of your inauguration-watching group, so that we can post it tomorrow as part of the WSB “historical record.” Cameraphone, whatever. Names if possible, but not mandatory. Sorry we didn’t think of this sooner, but better late than never. Either send it to editor@wsb.blackfin.biz afterward – or if you upload to Flickr, Facebook, TwitPic, wherever, just let us know where to find it so we’ll know we have permission to use it. Thanks! (More local inauguration info is on our special page, here.)
Today’s biggest MLK Day event in Seattle: A rally at Garfield High School in the Central District, with participants then marching to the Federal Building downtown. Thanks VERY MUCH to one of our fellow Seattle neighborhood-news-site operators, Scott from CentralDistrictNews.com, for sharing these photos of West Seattle participants – West Seattle Neighbors for Peace and Justice in the top photo, and this contingent from Fauntleroy Church (where Rev. David Kratz reflected on Dr. King in this newsletter you can read online):
See more rally coverage at CD News.
The past two nights, we’ve brought you updates from Carter and Dan, Fauntleroy residents in D.C. for the inauguration (albeit without tickets). Right now, we have a report from West Seattle resident Stephanie, who’s also in D.C. along with husband Hans and their toddler – who’s going to spend Inauguration Day with area relatives while Mom and Dad join the crowd. Hans is tweeting at @p_delta (with photo links from their sightseeing), and Stephanie has sent a longer update – which explains (among other things) the photo you see above:Read More
(Zack with Otto the dachshund – explained below)
After we shared the news Friday that donations had fully funded the care needed by Zack the stray cat – who turned up on Jane‘s doorstep and then turned out to be in dire need of costly care – some folks clamored for one more followup, with more details and photos. So Jane has obliged:
It has been two weeks since Zack had his surgery and he got his stitches out (Friday). It was really rough the first twelve days and we did not get much sleep. Zack had his worse moments from 11:00p.m. till around 5:00a.m. Zack is still on pain meds but he is doing great.
It is amazing how fast Zack became part of the family. Zack loves his roommate Maxine (who came to me 8 yrs ago a feral cat) and I was surprised to see how much Zack loves his cousins Otto (a Dachshund) and Sophia (a Chihuahua). Zack is bigger and the Alpha male. Zack loves it when Sophia and Otto run around him trying to play, then he puts his big paws out and they have a good time. Photos attached. Zack even alerted me before the dogs did that someone was at the door. It was so cute, he growled.
Again, thanks to everyone who has followed Zack’s story and supported Zack via the WSB and donated for his surgery. Oh, to those who asked, I was not looking for another dependent, Zack just happened my way and he needed love and care which I could not refuse. I did try to find Zack’s owners but if he did have one, they did not take care of him. Zack is a big love and he just loves cuddling up and hanging out with his new family.
Sincerely, Jane
Another photo of Zack – he’s on the carpet, Maxine‘s on the chair:
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