August 2009

The monthly Greenwood-Phinney artwalk, Art Up, supports the Penguins on the March silent auction at The Greenwood Collective on Friday, Aug. 14.

The monthly artwalk opens the neighborhood every second Friday between 6 and 9 p.m. with nearly 30 participating businesses across more than 22 blocks.

Sixty-two Seattle artists of all ages and experience levels painted, embellished and decorated fabricated penguins. This community celebration of art and wildlife conservation is inspired by Woodland Park Zoo's brand new Humboldt penguin exhibit, which opened in May.

These penguins have been migrating through Seattle neighborhoods including Greenwood, Phinney Ridge, Ballard, Fremont and Wallingford since early June.

About 30 of these penguins will be auctioned off to benefit Woodland Park Zoo's field conservation program. Woodland Park Zoo supports 38 wildlife conservation projects in 50 countries worldwide, including the Humboldt Penguin Conservation Center at Punta San Juan.

There are just a few more weeks to enjoy this year's Summer Concert Series at Hiawatha Park, organized by the Admiral Neighborhood Association.

The concerts, which begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, have been going on since July 23 and will continue until Aug. 27.

Mark Wainwright of the Admiral Neighborhood Association said the series so far has gone great.

Attendees can expect to hear music from some local artists that is fun, relaxing and has appeal for a wide audience, according to the neighborhood association.

All concerts will be free to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic, relax on the lawn and listen to some music with other members of the community.

The line-up

August 13: Elizabeth Carpenter Trio. This trio delivers your favorite jazz standards from the 1930s and beyond.

Seattle City Council member Jan Drago is hosting a special transportation committee this Wednesday, Aug. 12 at noon to discuss Metro budget shortfalls and proposed cuts.

King County Executive Kurt Triplett will be there to speak about his Metro proposal. Other speakers include: Kevin Desmond, Metro Transit, Jon Scholes, Downtown Seattle Association and Rob Johnson, Transportation Choices Coalition.

There will be a presentation by Metro Desmond on current budget shortfalls and a dicussion by the panel on budget shortfall proposals.

Katherine Fountain Mackinnon at katherine.fountain_mackinnon@seattle.gov or 684-8801 for more information.

Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21 and Web cast
live on the council’s Web site at www.seattle.gov/council.

(Editor's note: Celebration of life ceremony will be held today, Friday Aug. 14 at the Alki Bathhouse across the street from the Phoenecia.)

Hussein Khazaal, who owned the Phoenecia Restaurant on Alki Avenue, died in his sleep late Friday night, Aug. 7, at age 63. Khazaal was born in Nabatieh, in southern Lebanon, and was one of 14 siblings.

On Monday night, his family and friends gathered at his home near the Alaska Junction and wanted to share some thoughts. Hussein left behind his wife of 40 years, Inaam, three children, William, Sonya, and Nadia, and four grandchildren.

“I feel like he was an angel on Earth,” said William, 35. “I was diagnosed a few months ago with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and I was so scared. I shared my thoughts with my father. I thought in a couple of years I wouldn’t be walking anymore. The three words he said to me were, ‘Don’t worry son.’ He said those three words, in addition to ‘I love you’ a lot, because I’m always stressed out.”

Under the care of a naturopath, Hussein prepared a special, complicated diet that was recommended for William’s MS.

Revel Smith, a spokesperson for the homeless encampment Nickelsville, released an update about its dealing's with the Port of Seattle, which has asked the tent city to leave its property at Terminal 107 Park in West Seattle.

It's been on Port property at 4700 West Marginal Way S.W. for about two weeks after the state transportation department asked it to leave a previous location on property it owns in South Park.

Here is the letter from Smith:

"On July 31, a random 14 Nickelsville residents, as well as Veterans For Peace Chapter 92, were served eviction papers. A written response is due by Tuesday, August 11. On Thursday, August 13th, each person named and served appear, as individuals, before King County Superior Court Judge, Paris K. Kallas.

The Port’s new strategy targets Nickelsville’s residents individually, not as one encampment. Many residents are working or disabled and saving-up credit check fees and deposits. Even Mayor Nickels’ homeless sweeps don’t directly impact people’s rental history for obtaining future housing.

Matt Dupuis got his "Labrabull," Maggie, as a gift from someone who got her as a rescue dog from Eastern Washington.

Labrabulls are what they sound like--a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Pit Bull.

"She's the smartest dog I've ever had," said Dupuis. "She won't eat anything unless I give it to her ... the first night I had her I fell asleep and a piece of pizza had fallen on the floor and in the morning it was still there, she didn't touch it."

Maggie, 6, loves to dive for rocks in streams and lakes, "As long as she can see the bottom she will get a ball or a rock," explained Dupuis.

She loves to catch the frisibee, enjoys licking salty things and is a very good guard dog, said her owner.

"She lets me know what's going on," said Dupuis. "You can play hide and seek on her, like if I'm walking her off leash you can hide behind a tree and she will start running around."

How to nominate your pet for Pet of the Week:

On Sunday, Aug. 9, just after midnight, officers responded to a call of shots fired in the 1000 Block of South Sullivan Street.

The actual scene of the shooting was near 12th Avenue South and South Cloverdale.

The victim ran to a residence in the 1000 Block of South Sullivan Street after the shooting and residents there called 911. The call stated that a vehicle, described as a white SUV, drove past this location and fired at least one shot into a residence, striking someone inside.

Seattle Police and Seattle Fire Department responded to the scene. Officers were given a description of the vehicle, and it was stopped approximately 10 minutes later on I-5. Four suspects were taken into custody and at least one gun was recovered.

The victim was treated by the fire department and transported to Harborview Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries. Detectives from the gang unit are investigating.

Taproot Theatre has announced the lineup for its 34th season, which features three regional premieres, a new staging of a beloved musical featuring a literary author and one of his most well-known characters, and a production of a comedic Victorian farce.

Taproot Theatre Company’s 2010 Season runs from January through October. The re-subscription period is currently underway, with subscriptions opening to the general public on Oct. 1.   
      
Taproot Theatre Company’s 2010 Season:

"The Great Divorce"
By C.S. Lewis, adapted by George Drance and The Magis Theatre
Jan. 29 through Feb. 27, previews Jan. 27, 28

C.S. Lewis’ fantastical work springs to life in this electrifying regional premiere. One drizzly afternoon our author embarks on a supernatural voyage with a cast of eccentric, humorous characters that bear a remarkable resemblance to us. Theatrical, imaginative and thought provoking. It’s a bus ride through heaven and hell that, in the grand C.S. Lewis tradition, leaves you breathless and wanting more.
 
"Brooklyn Boy"
By Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies

Should I start with adopting a kitten on impulse or being left with a dog? ( Anything to gloss over nearly kidnapping a baby in between).

I’ll start at the end instead of the beginning. The landscaper gave me a quote and an approximate day. Ten minutes after he’d let the phone rang and the landscaper said, “I have to ask a big favor.”

I waited, figuring he must need to reschedule the work.

“I forgot my dog on your street,” he said.

“You forgot your dog,” I yelled, from the sheer joy of having the upper hand. “How could you forget your dog. Do you do this often?”

“No,” he said. “This is the first time.”

“Should I start calling his name for him on the street?”

“I left him tied up,” the poor man finally got out. “His name is Rex.”

I peered down the street. Sure enough peering back at me was a small dog tied to a tree on the planting strip.

“Will Rex be staying with me long?” I asked.

For an agreeable hour I had a dog named Rex. I’ve never owned a dog so I wanted to show him off like he was an engagement ring or a new baby. It seemed so fitting that a dog had landed in my lap.

"Star Trek"
Directed by J. J. Abrams
Rated PG-13
(Three Stars)

Prequels…the final frontier.

At some point every action franchise goes there, back to the place where it all began, hoping to mine a little juice from a story line that’s gone long in the tooth.

Usually it’s a fool’s journey. Screenwriters run into the unforgiving fact that back-stories play more vividly in our imaginations than splashed across the multiplex screen and casting directors fail to capture the ephemeral qualities that made these characters our favorites.

None of these well-documented pitfalls discouraged the "Star Trek" franchise from telling the story about how Kirk, Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew first got together. And neither, surprisingly enough, did they stop “Star Trek” from turning into the most entertaining film of the entire Star Trek franchise.

If you have even a passing acquaintance with the original “Star Trek” television series, this film is a lot of fun to watch.