July 2011

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The 34th Legislative District Democrats held their annual picnic and Celebrity Softball game Saturday featuring City Council and School Board members and their challengers, plus others in the political scene. Food and cash donations for the West Seattle Food Bank were collected. The first pitch was tossed at 4:35 p.m. in the friendly confines of Field #3 in Lincoln Park during the mostly sunny afternoon.

Incumbents played challengers campaigning for their jobs in office. Congressman Jim McDermott stopped by briefly and took a swing at the bat, even though he is not in a race. Event organizer and Alki resident Michael Heavey was the catcher for both sides. The referee was Dave Upthegrove, State Representative from the 33rd Legislative District running for reelection. The announcer, and co-organizer was State Committee Candidate #2 Karl de Jong.

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Despite two significant dousings of rain, one early and one late, the White Center July Jubilee Street Fair was extremely well attended with visitors packing the one day event, staged on 17th Ave. s.w.

This year the fair was extended up through the curve on the street to the intersection of 16th s.w. to accommodate the car show.

Two stages, one north, one south (the family stage), filled the scene with music and other performances as food vendors, and many more took part in the annual festival.

The car show featured a few cars, set at an angle with hydraulic lift kits that allowed to be raised or lowered at will, as well as many other highly customized vehicles.

The July Jubilee parade is set for Sunday, starting at 11:00 am proceeding from approximately 112th s.w. along Ambaum Blvd. to 100th Street s.w.

More than 40 entries are expected to take part.

Update for July 25:
The police report from a July 16 robbery that resulted in the victim being shot in the buttocks revealed a dangerous struggle over the firearm used in the robbery.

According to the report, the victim met with a black male suspect in front of his home on the 9700 block of 33rd Ave S.W. They met the night before and the victim believed he was going to purchase shorts and sports shirts from the suspect.

Instead, the suspect led the victim back to his vehicle (a maroon Ford Bronco), pulled out a pistol and put it to the victim's temple.

"(Expletive), you know what this is, this is a (expletive) robbery!," the suspect yelled as he reached into the victim's back pocket and took his wallet.

A scuffle ensued and the victim was able to grab the pistol barrel, forcing it from his temple to his hip.

The suspect fired once, shooting the victim in the left buttocks before fleeing in his vehicle with a female acquaintance.

Seattle Police Detective Mark Jamieson said no arrests have been made as of July 25 in the ongoing investigation led by SPD gang detectives.

from the SPD blotter:

press release:

Families who are in foreclosure, seniors and students gathered in protest outside Chase and Bank of America in White Center. The message of the action was simple: enough is enough; it’s time to put human needs over corporate profit. While Chase and Bank of America continue to receive tax breaks, community members are shouldering the burden of the budget cuts.

Between 2009-2012, 132,000 homes in Washington are projected to go into foreclosure. In this recent budget cycle, $129.6 million was cut from Basic Health and teachers are facing a 1.9% reduction in salary. At the same time, JP Morgan Chase is lobbying for $1.4 billion in additional taxpayer subsidies, citing losses after taking over WaMu (Washington Mutual). Since the takeover JP Morgan Chase is enjoying record profits and its CEO, Jamie Dimon, is among the highest paid executives in the nation.

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There's a whole lotta' shakin' goin' on today, tonight, and tomorrow, at Hiawatha Park as the annual Mediterranean Fantasy Festival is back. The event is co-sponsored by the Babylonian Ensemble, Hiawatha Advisory Council, and Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Well over 100 belly dancing troupes and individual dancers perform on both the outdoor and indoor stages. Over 45 vendors sell dancing costumes, jewelry, scarves, baubles, and food.

Dancers include West Seattle's "Troupe Hipnotica", Seattle's "Hands of Kali", "Fuzzy Monkey's" and "Dina the Costume Goddess". Many of us know Dina (Lydia Johnson), who also has a vending booth where she sells her books and other costumes, as a photographer of many West Seattle political and social functions.

Other vendors include "Geisha Moth", "Franzhiska Tarot/Aleedra's Henna", and "Flame Catering".

Members of "Rubies on Fire Dance Troupe" from Arlington, WA. pointed out that just before Mediterranean dancers go on stage, you don't say, "Break a leg", you say, "Bust a belly".

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The Hi-Yu Community Breakfast fundraiser, part of the West Seattle Hi-Yu celebrations throughout the month of July, was held this morning at the Admiral Congregational United Church of Christ. Present were the new West Seattle Hi-Yu Junior Court members Queen Thea Pulido, 9, Princess Elena Kline, 11, and Princess Amanda Elder, 11. They were crowned yesterday, and begin serving this fall.

The current Senior Court and Junior Court also attended.

The room was filled with eggs, bacon, sausage, muffins, and plenty of royal, ear to ear grins.

"We've been involved with Hi-Y for 45 years," said Joanne Louise Murray who with husband Jay are the official Hi-Y photographers with "Photography by Murray's J2".

"We do need more volunteers to join Hi-Yu to keep the celebrations going," she added. "We need more girls. It is not a beauty contest. It is a scholarship program. They gain so much by being in Hi-Yu learning public speaking, meeting different people, developing other skills. Many have gone on to have incredible jobs."

Seattle School Board candidate and Delridge resident Martha "Marty" McLaren (West Seattle District 6) is taking on incumbent Steve Sundquist in the Aug. 16 primary. The West Seattle Herald will interview Sundquist, and challengers Joy Anderson and Nick Esparza within the next two weeks.

McLaren's bio

Marty McLaren's three children attended Seattle schools. As a parent she served as president, Washington Middle School PTSA. After earning her K8 teaching credential in 1987, she taught preschool for eight years and later served as co-coordinator of The Homeless Children's Network, a program of Family Services of King County. In 1999, she began substitute teaching in the district. After earning a math credential she taught middle and high school math for four years. 

Ira Finkelstein's Christmas, produced by Seattle film company Von Piglet productions that the West Seattle Herald reported on in April has released a trailer for the film viewable on Vimeo.com.

The film, starring Elliott Gould, David DeLuise and Cynthia Geary tells the story of a Christmas obsessed Jewish boy on his way to Florida who trades airline tickets with another boy on his way to Christmastown, WA

The new Admiral Safeway is taking on the shape of its final form as a 140,000 square-foot mixed-use development in West Seattle.

Madison Development Group is developing the residential component, Element 42, which is a 54,000 square-foot apartment building wrapping around the east side of the project. Element 42 will feature 78 new studio and one-bedroom apartments and 58 new parking spaces. Safeway’s new retail store will expand the retail footprint from 35,000 square-feet in the former store to 60,000 square feet. The site will also include 7,147 square feet of new street-level retail along California Avenue.

Safeway’s original store closed in August 2010 and the new store is expected to open in August 2011. Element 42 is anticipated to open in 2012, along with the new street-level retail.

Press release:

The Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Tukwila will present a seminar, "Ecommerce for Southcenter Businesses," on Thursday, August 4.

Some electronic marketing strategies can only be performed on an individual business basis. Others can be accomplished collaboratively. In this seminar, Southcenter businesses will receive an overview of:
*Free e-marketing opportunities available to businesses in Tukwila's Southcenter district
*Local examples of collaborative membership based electronic marketing
*Electronic coupon and offer-based marketing such as Groupon, Living Social, Deal Find and Google Offers
*Electronic event reservation marketing
*Social media marketing

Elizabeth Paulson of Cascade e-Commerce Solutions will lead the seminar. It will be targeted to business owners, managers, and marketing and sales professionals who want to bring in more sales and expand their outreach. Participants will learn how to build a community among their customers and fans, attract new customers, move ahead of their competition, and further expand their reach.