January 2017

Announced via Facebook, Big Al Brewing in White Center will close permanently on Jan. 14. Owner Alejandro Brown posted his thoughts on the matter on the comapny's Facebook page Jan. 12.

"8 years ago. Damn time flies! Every time I sit down to write this I have to stop because it's too damn hard. But some things have to be said. Saturday January 14th will be the last day of Big Al Brewing as we know it. We are closing our doors. Phew, hard part over. There are many contributing factors that led to this decision but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. I'd rather focus on the positive. What an amazing 8 years it has been!! I lived my dream and experienced things I could have never thought of in my wildest dreams!

White Center has a graffiti problem and as it has in the past, the community is coming together to address it. A special meeting was called on Jan. 12 to announce the early stage plans.

Chamber of Commerce President Bobby Beeman of Sky’s Barber Shop, led the discussion of how the issue will be addressed and sought more input from the community about cleanup, responses education and prevention.

“I’m proposing a three stage plan,” he said, “I believe that we have an emergency and this meeting and response is the first stage.”

That plan calls for an “Graffiti Response Team” that when graffiti is first seen, to have it painted over, hopefully within 24 hours. Citing several studies Beeman said that quick removal has shown to be an effective deterrent to the kind of “tagging” and graffiti art seen in many urban environments. To that end a deal has been worked out with McLendon's Hardware granting business owners a 30% discount on paint, in the shade they require, to allow rapid repainting.

Beeman said he is working T-Mobile to set up a cell phone line and phone he will personally handle at first, that people can call to report any grafitti they see.

The workers on Bertha, the tunnel drilling machine making its way under downtown Seattle to replace the Alaksan Way Viaduct, are according to WSDOT almost literally underwater.

Since the depths reached by Bertha are deep into the water table at 160 feet down, workers must treat shifts up at the cutting head like underwater dives, completely with pressurization and depressurization procedures and multiple physical exams. The work done by Ballard Marine Construction and SeattleTunnel Partners requires that the cutter head be maintained directly by cleaning, inspection and when required, replacement of worn parts.

Since the maintenance period began on Jan. 5, crews have replaced 250 cutterhead tools (see example below) over the course of 184 hours of hyperbaric shifts.  This maintenance is critical as STP prepares for the final 25% of the tunnel drive.  

STP will resume tunneling when the maintenance period is complete. The top of Bertha’s cutterhead is located approximately 160 feet below Third Avenue, about halfway between Blanchard and Bell streets. Crews are less than 2,500 feet from the receiving pit near Seattle Center where Bertha will emerge.
 

By Gwen Davis

Sandra Jametski, a 48-year-old resident of White Center was charged with a hate crime, after posting a live 10-minute video on Facebook on Nov. 21 which shows her tailing a Hispanic woman in her car, ranting about “Spanish privilege” and threatening to damage the woman’s vehicle.

Jametski has been held on $500,000 bail since her malicious harassment arrest in early December.

According to King County prosecutors, Jametski recorded the racist rant on her cell phone, as the woman drove to her child’s school, Rainier Prep Academy. Jametski continued recording as she confronted the woman and blamed her for damage done to her car, questioned her immigration status and made references to having her deported.

Prosecutors said that Jametski’s actions were “an attack on the entire Latino community,” according to The Seattle Times’ coverage.

Jametski has pleaded not guilty.

West Seattle Artwalk Jan 12

4410 California Ave SW
HOTWIRE COFFEE: WORKS BY VICTORIA KELLY
victoria-kelly
4445 California Ave SW
JOHN L. SCOTT: WORKS BY RICK DUQUE
2b462-image1
4507 44th Ave SW
NORTHWEST ACADEMY FOR THE HEALING ARTS

4525 California Ave SW
CAPERS: WORKS BY GENNA DRAPER

capers
4526 California Ave SW
WINDERMERE REAL ESTATE HOSTED BY KIM TINGLEY

4400 SW Alaska St
REMAX IN THE JUNCTION: WORKS BY JUDITH ALLISON
4529 California Ave SW
WILD ROSE’S: WORKS BY JACOB SMITHERS
wild-roses

4543 California Ave SW
NEXT-TO-NATURE

4540 California Ave SW
CLICK! DESIGN THAT FITS (CLICK! WILL BE CLOSED FOR JANUARY ART WALK)

4556 California Ave SW
CUPCAKE ROYALE

4306 SW Alaska St
VIRAGO GALLERY (FORMALLY TWILIGHT): WILD WONDER
twilight
4735 42nd Ave SW
WALLFLOWER CUSTOM FRAMING: HELD OVER PUNY PICTURE SHOW
west_two_bottles_standing_10x10_oil_on_board_2014
Akiko Masker: http://www.akikomasker.com/
Carina Booyens: http://www.carinabooyens.com/
Jessica Creager: http://petraitsbyjessica.com/
D. Lisa West: http://dlisa.com/
Ali Serra: https://www.facebook.com/aliserraart/

Announced via Facebook, Big Al Brewing in White Center will close permanently on Jan. 14. Owner Alejandro Brown posted his thoughts on the matter on the comapny's Facebook page Jan. 12.

"8 years ago. Damn time flies! Every time I sit down to write this I have to stop because it's too damn hard. But some things have to be said. Saturday January 14th will be the last day of Big Al Brewing as we know it. We are closing our doors. Phew, hard part over. There are many contributing factors that led to this decision but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. I'd rather focus on the positive. What an amazing 8 years it has been!! I lived my dream and experienced things I could have never thought of in my wildest dreams!

The West Seattle Junction Merchants have announced a new program launching this May in which the now well known flower baskets, all 95 of them, in the junction are available for sponsorship by individuals or businesses.

The "Adopt-A-Basket" program, created by Lora Swift and the Merchants association allows you for a $145 donation (you can purchase more than one basket) adopt a flower basket that will show the neighborhood your support for West Seattle. Your basket is professionally planted and designed by City Planters. The Junction Association will take care of watering and maintaining your basket.

Your basket will be completed with an engraved name plate affixed to the historic light pole showing who adopted it. You may have the name plate in your name, for a gift (fun for an anniversary or birthday), or in memory.

At the end of the season, in September, you can take the plants, and the name plate or renew your sponsorship for the following year.

To take part in the program, visit http://wsjunction.org/adopt-a-basket/ and fill out the form.

Build your resume, gain nonprofit management experience and give back to your community in a special volunteer project at Southwest Youth and Family Services (SYFS) in Delridge.

Be part of United Way and 501 Commons’ Volunteer Manager Corps (VMC), helping SYFS management develop and sustain effective volunteer practices. You’ll volunteer February through May for an average of 10 hours per week during the 9 - 5 work day. As a Corp member, you’ll receive training, on-going support, and can earn a United Way service award of $400 and/or internship credit.

Visit 501Commons.org/engage/VMC to learn more and apply or contact Juli@501Commons.org.

Bloodworks Northwest (formerly Puget Sound Blood Center) is asking people to schedule a blood donation during the next week as chilly weather and flu-and-cold season dramatically reduce the blood supply in the region.

“A normal dip in donations during the holidays is expected, but in the first 10 days of January we’re already down 800 units below what is needed,” said James P. AuBuchon, MD, president and CEO. “Regular donors are delaying coming in because of illness, while extreme winter weather and treacherous road conditions in southwest Washington and Oregon have hampered donors in those communities.”

Nationwide, severe winter weather and seasonal viruses are causing acute shortages at many blood centers. Today about 20 percent of US blood centers (one in five) are reporting emergency blood inventories: a one day or less supply of common blood types. On average, only 1 center in 20 is experiencing supply challenges at this level. Normal inventory is a 4-day supply.

“Sometimes when local supplies dip, we can reach out to other regions for short term help. But there is no extra supply out there right now,” AuBuchon said.

Philanthropist Harriet Bullitt has donated her rare collection of Edward S. Curtis' "The North American Indian" to The Seattle Public Library.

Curtis (1868-1952) was an American photographer and ethnologist whose work focused on the American West and Native American peoples.

"We are beyond honored that Ms. Bullitt is entrusting The Seattle Public Library to be good stewards of such an important collection of work that documents American Indian culture," said Marcellus Turner, city librarian. "We are extremely excited about the possibilities this generous donation opens up for us to showcase Curtis' work for years to come and to foster exploration of an important chapter in the history of our country."

"The North American Indian" is a collection of 20 informational books and 20 books of large images, written and photographed by Curtis and his collaborators over the course of nearly 30 years, detailing the traditions and customs of more than 80 of North America's native nations.