June 2011

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Duwamish Tribal Services held its Fifth Annual Gala Dinner & Art Auction Saturday, June 4, at the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center at 4705 W. Marginal Way S.W.

This annual event is a celebration of contemporary and traditional culture of Seattle's First People, the Duwamish Tribe.

Folks mingled during the reception & silent auction in the museum, then gathered in the longhouse room for a brief traditional program and traditional buffet-style dinner including salmon cooked over an open fire pit outside. The live auction of art by Northwest artists followed.

Proceeds will support the operations of the Duwamish Longhouse & Cultural Center.

"We're so delighted that there are a lot of guests showing up," said Cecile Hansen, Chairwoman of the Duwamish Tribe. "I was asked to give the invocation at the dinner of the grand opening of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation HeadquartersThursday night (June 2). They gave us $10,000 for sponsoring our gala. I was really delighted."

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The Fourth Annual WSHS All School Reunion's After Party took place Friday night at The Bridge restaurant, 4439 35th Ave SW (at Avalon Way), formerly Redline Music. Attendees danced to the Tim Turner Band. Turner is also a WSHS grad.

Some took advantage of the large backyard patio and relatively mild weather.

If you took photos at the reunion, send them to WestSeattle@robinsonnews.com and we will add them to the slideshow.

By Cassandra Baker, Intern

12:54 a.m. on May 28th. 24th block of NW 56th St

A man and his girlfriend returned home after walking their dog late on the night of May 27th to hear their back door closing. They found no evidence of an intruder in the house. Soon after, they received an email from a neighbor saying that a man had entered their residence through the back door and gone into the kitchen. They went to talk to the neighbor, who gave them a description of the suspect.

Shortly after, at 12:50 a.m. on May 28th, the victim answered a knock at the front door and found one of his girlfriend’s daughter’s acquaintances standing on the front porch. The young man was visibly intoxicated. The victim noticed that the man matched the description of the intruder. He invited the young man in and questioned him, and the suspect admitted that he had broken into the victim’s house. The victim then told the suspect that he was calling the police. The suspect attempted to escape and a struggle ensued. The suspect jumped through a closed window head first, leaving behind his hat, shirt, and shoes. Officers searched the area for the suspect but could not find him.

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Seven junior girl scouts representing Troop 41504 received their Bronze Awards Friday after a list of civic and field exercises. The event took place at Our Lady of Guadalupe School on 35th Ave. as proud parents looked on.

We reported outdoor troop activities in our recent story here:

Earning their Bronzes were Penny Dierich, Corinne Manley, Jane Miller, Regan Nagle, Haley Pyscher, Hana Kurahara Sisk, and Kaitlin Morgan. Longtime troop leader Patricia Hahler and co-leader Ginny Diedrich helped officiate. Kaitlin Morgan is Patricia Hahler's daughter, and Penny Dierich is Ginny's daughter.

South Seattle Community College hosted a public presentation June 2 in the Olympic Hall Theater exploring the history of discrimination toward African Americans in Seattle and the robust Civil Rights Movement here in the 1960's. Four panelists were original members of CORE, Congress of Racial Equality from 1961 to 1968. Joan Singler, Jean Durning, Bettylou Valentine, and Maid Adams shared eyewitness accounts, struggles, marches, and successes toward integrating Seattle.

They explored problems of that era, like Seattle's real estate and rental organizations' refusal to do business with people of color outside the immediate Union St. and 23rd Av. neighborhood, the Safeway and A&P grocery stores there that only hired whites, but where African Africans shopped, and department stores, like Bon Marché, and elsewhere in the city that refused to hire blacks, and school segregation.

Press release: Norman Goldman, national progressive talk show host of "The Norman
Goldman Show - Where Justice is Served" will be the headline speaker for Washington Public Campaign's 5th Annual Awards Banquet Saturday, June 18, 6:00 PM at South Seattle Community College.

Tickets, RSVP and more information are available online at washclean.org or by calling 206-283-6297. Washington Public Campaigns is a statewide volunteer organization advocating public funding for political campaigns to sustain our democracy.

This year's Awards will honor State Representative Bob Hasegawa of the 11th Legislative District for Public Leadership, Washington Public Interest Group--better know as WASHPIRG--Organization of the Year, and Olympia's Monica Hoover as Volunteer of the Year.

State Senator Adam Kline of the 37th Legislative District will emcee the program. Jonathan Lawson of community radio's Reclaim the Media will introduce Norman Goldman. The Norman Goldman show is broadcast locally on AM 1090 Seattle.

Showing their work for only the second time the cast, crew and creators of West Seattle based television show The Divine Marigolds played host to a group of approximately 50 people who came to see the screening of the pilot episode. The event took place just before the opening night party for STIFF or Seattle's True Independent Film Festival got underway at the Northwest Film Forum 1515 12th Ave. on Capitol Hill.

The 22 minute pilot episode is now being shopped to potential distributors including NBC and other networks.

This is the beginning of the pilot season in Los Angeles and producer Jeremiah Kaynor said, "We'll be first in line."

The show has been "sweetened" with the addition of a new title sequence by Jason Singler with artwork from Jordin Mitchell, and more incidental music. The closing song called "Heaven in this rain" was actually prompted by coverage of the production in the West Seattle Herald.

Interviewee: Monica Gallagher

Occupation:Drug counselor for adolescent teens

Riding style: leisure, group rides

Her ride: a 43 cm green Felt roadbike. "My size definitely narrows down my options quite a bit. For how small my frame is I really like 650c wheels which narrows [my selection] down even more."

On Saturday, June 11, Menstrual Monday, a group of women who ride together every first Monday of the month, will host their first All-Girl Alley Cat race.

Alley Cat races are popular in Seattle and in urban environments but few cater specifically to women in its prizes and participants.

Advertised as "an adventurous romp through the Seattle city streets celebrating the best thing ever, GIRLS ON BIKES," the Girls on Summer Alley Cat is organized by Monica Gallagher and Kristen Forseth.

I met up with Monica Gallagher on a beautiful sunny day at the Ballard Locks for a ride to Fremont.

"I'm really, really excited," said Gallagher, who has been organizing this event for the last two months.

Press release:
The Alki Community Council wants to announce that the sale of engraved bricks for the Alki Statute of Liberty Plaza has ended. We wish to thank all of you that contributed over the years to the success of this project. Since the ACC assumed the responsibility of selling the remaining bricks and plaques in 2009, over 600 bricks and 7 Tribute Plaques have been ordered.

The Council is allowed to retain a small fiscal sponsor fee and pays the cost of engraving the bricks and casting the plaques. More than $47,000 has been turned over to Seattle Parks & Recreation for future Statue and Plaza maintenance needs.

Two bronze Tribute Plaques remain to be sold. For further information, contact Eilene at 206-933-8352 or libertyplaza@msn.com .

The Alki Community Council

It was a busy night for the NHUAC on June 2, covering a number of topics pertinent to the future of North Highline and Burien.

Affordable housing in White Center – a heated debate
Derek Birnie, executive director of the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association, presented plans for a new affordable housing project called Pappas Village (named after White Center residents Mary Anne and Gus Pappas who sold the land to DNDA and financed a portion of the sale) located on 1.5 acres southwest of the intersection between S.W. 107th St and 14th Ave S.W.

While Birnie said the project’s vision is still flexible, at this time they are planning for 60 family housing units of various sizes to accommodate large and small families from low to middle-income with six units “set aside as permanent housing for families transitioning from homelessness.” DNDA is working with the White Center Community Development Association (CDA) to develop the vision for Pappas Village and Birnie said they are currently looking for development partners to move forward. If a partner isn’t found, the land may go back on the market.