December 2014

HO, HO, HOLIDAYS is an exhibit of 3 well-known local artists – Kelly Lyles, Theresa Neinas and Phil Scroggs - creating this unique show to celebrate the season. Holidays are a time of family togetherness, peace and love. But it's also consumerism, pressures and stress; therefor we commemorate with humour, twisted iconography, and in some cases inserting the fun in dysfunction.

Many of these works were designed as the artists' personal Christmas and Hanukkah cards, some created together on the same winter night at a linoleum block carving event. Kelly started her tradition by designing and printing 1,000 cards for her own friends, these are her originals (many of the images are also $1 postcards available for sale). And in the spirit of the season all of these artworks are priced as affordable, memorable gifts.

A reception with the artists in attendance is scheduled for December 11th, 2014 from 7:00-9:00 at Normandy Park City Hall, 801 S.W. 174th Street, Normandy Park, Washington 98166. Please RSVP.

The exhibition will be on view and open to the public during December, 2014 (Mon.- Thur. 7:30 am – 5:30pm).

Even before high winds expected to cause power outages arrive Thursday night, a 12.2 high tide made higher by persistent wind flooded the Alki Beach Promenade on Dec. 11.

The water did not quite reach high enough to flood the Alki Bathhouse but sand bags were in place just in case.

The Admiral Theater, West Seattle's only movie house, has faced an uncertain future for some time. With movie studios offering fewer and fewer film prints in 35mm as the industry shifts to digital projection, the Admiral has fallen behind the times. As a second run theater they have come to show films almost at the same time or after they have gone to DVD release, and the rest of the building is in need of serious attention, with aging seats, wall coverings, flooring, plus questionable plumbing and ventilation.

Discussions with the historic building's owner Mark Gartin have been ongoing as he considered his options for the building. Under landmark determination, the exterior walls of the Admiral must be preserved.

But for now, as discussions between current tenant Faraway Entertainment and Gartner continue the Admiral has stepped up to return to first run movie status. The first film of the new status will be The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

That will mean ticket prices will go to $10.50 for regular admission; $8.50 for matinees and seniors and kids under 12. Senior Tuesday will be $6.50.

UPDATE Dec. 15
The final visit of the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ships is tonight at 9:15pm where they will stop for a 20 minute performance off shore from Salty's on Alki. The Holy Names Academy Choir will perform. Salty's is welcoming the public to their outdoor deck and providing blankets and heatlamps.

Original Post
The annual visit of the Argosy Cruises Christmas ships will make three stops in West Seattle for 2014.
The first visit will be Dec. 13 and will feature a performance by the Dickens Carolers at 4:20-4:40 Lowman Beach Park followed by another performance at 5:10-5:30 at Alki Beach Park (near the Bathhouse).

Two nights later, on Dec.15 the Holy Names Academy Choir will perform at 9:15-9:35 at Salty’s on Alki where the public is invited to see the show from the patio where they will make blankets available and have the heat lamps going if it's cold out.

The performances last approximately 20 minutes.

As a bonus, again this year the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is hosting a "Cookies & Cider on the Porch" event at 4 p.m. this Saturday just prior to the Christmas Ship's annual visit to Alki Beach (5:10-5:30 p.m.).

Bon Ton Cleaners, in North Ballard at 801 NW 85th St. is cleaning more than your office-wear; they are cleaning up the environment and their workplace by replacing their old dry cleaning machine with a new “green” cleaner.

Bon Ton has taken advantage of the King County Local Hazardous Waste Management Program and received a $15,000 grant to replace their dry cleaning machine that used hazardous chemicals and wasted energy.

Bon Ton was one of four dry cleaners in King County that qualified to receive the grant from the County. The grant helps pay for new machines that are more efficient and do not use harmful chemicals. Older dry cleaning equipment uses a solvent called perchloroethylene (perc), which the EPA declares a probable carcinogen. The fumes are toxic and it should not make direct contact with skin. Moreover, the chemical is a nervous system depressant and long time exposure is thought to be linked to Parkinson Disease.

Fred Cho, owner of Bon Ton Cleaners, is elated with the new machine.

Canadian rock group The Tea Party will perform live, in a free show at Easy Street Records in the West Seattle Junction Thursday Dec, 11 at 7pm

The performance is notable since the group, which has eight platinum and gold records, has not released a new album in a decade, released The Ocean At The End in September. They have enjoyed more than 2 million global albums sales.

"The three of us probably never thought we'd be sitting here right now," said lead singer and guitarist Jeff Martin.

"It's a testament to the strength of the music that we've created in the past and a testament to the friendship that exists between the three of us. We had to do a lot of soul-searching, but now the bond between the three of us is stronger.” It’s what [drummer/ Jeff Burrows calls, simply, “a rebirth.”

The show is open to all ages.

https://www.facebook.com/events/362159877295008/

by Rob Ketcherside

In 1888 Thomas Ewing had the good fortune to invest in West Seattle. His industry was mining: big, million-dollar mines. He had a corporate stake in mines in Nevada, Colorado, California, Utah and Arizona, and lived in all of those states over the years. His background was groceries and general stores. Somehow though this 48 year old widower ended up buying the entire West Seattle Elliott Bay waterfront and a good chunk of the hill in 1888.
 
With partners he immediately bought a ferry and built a dock just south of where the West Seattle Water Taxi lands today. They were set up just in time to attract home buyers dispossessed by Seattle's Great Fire in 1889 and all of the newcomers drawn by the reconstruction boom. Their marketing slogan could still be used today, "Because it's cheap! Because it's beautiful! Because it has a Great Future!"
 

UPDATE 9:10am
The National Weather Service has updated its forecast for tonight and while the top wind gusts have dropped a little the potential for power outages and damage to trees and adjacent property remains high. This storm system is part of a full west coast of stormy weather but it should be calmer and be gone by mid morning.
Here's the NOAA weather forecast as of this morning:

...HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS INCLUDE...SEATTLE...TACOMA...EVERETT... BELLINGHAM...OLYMPIA.

* TIMING...HIGH WINDS ARE POSSIBLE FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT.

* WIND...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 65
MPH COULD DEVELOP. HIGH WINDS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN THE
NORTHWEST INTERIOR INCLUDING WESTERN WHATCOM COUNTY...THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS...THE ADMIRALTY INLET AREA...AND WESTERN SKAGIT
COUNTY. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE FOR HIGH WINDS IN THE PUGET SOUND REGION AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR...BUT THE OCCURRENCE IS LESS LIKELY THERE.

* IMPACTS...WINDS THIS STRONG CAN TOPPLE LARGE TREES. POWER OUTAGES ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR AND MAY BE WIDESPREAD.

By Gwen Davis

The committee meeting on Tues. morning was upbeat and rich in the latest comments and news on transportation.

Updates you need to know:

—> “There was a great show of support for Metro in Seattle,” Tom Rasmussen said regarding the Nov. passage of Prop. 1. However, “this measure expires after six years. We’ll work with Olympia to have more sustainable funding for transit. It's not something we wanted to do, but the state did not pass a transportation budget during the legislative session.” But overall there is strong public support for transportation, which is encouraging. “While 20 years ago there were a lot of skeptics of the light rail, on this time around people want to see the light rail at their door step,” the Councilmember Mike O’Brien said. “It’s exciting to think what’s possible.” Rasmussen also agreed it’s “positive” to see how people are now in favor of the light rail. Folks "on the ground are really hungry for good public transit and light rail is part of that and that’s exciting,” O'Brian said.

By Scott Anthony

After Dad passed this last spring, the task fell to us, his kids, to go through his belongings and sort out the items we wished to keep and those that might benefit charities like Goodwill.  In the garage this winter I packed the boxes of old paperbacks and glassware into the back of my brother's truck, the knickknacks and curios filled the truck, each one a small reminder of the 50 plus years I had coming into this house.   One big box left, I hefted into the truck and saw that it contained Christmas decorations. While I waited for my brother to get off the phone, I poked through the contents.

Old tinsel strewn glass bulbs, a string of tree lights that may or may not work and near the bottom, a tree topper in the shape of an Angel. I recognized the rough-hewn wood and paint work. Dad made it.  One wing was smaller than the other, the gown was painted white originally but was now flaking badly, and he made a bow out of twine. I don't remember seeing in place on his Christmas trees, so perhaps he thought it wasn't good enough.