June 2009

(Editor's note: The following article appears originally in Seattle City Council member Nick Licata's newsletter "Urban Politics.")

Last month, the Seattle City Council’s Joint Pedestrian Safety and Transportation Committee got a look at the recommendations for Seattle’s first Pedestrian Master Plan.

You may remember that in 2007, as council president I created a special committee on pedestrian safety.  The Pedestrian Master Plan Advisory Group, known as PMPAG, was convened by this new council pedestrian safety committee.  

The PMPAG vision - and mine too - is that Seattle become a “walking city” and recognizes that as we grow, people will walk in ever-increasing numbers.  To be a “walking city” we must make walking safer.  I am committed to finding the funding to implement this plan after the council approves it.

The draft Pedestrian Master Plan is available on-line here.

Waterwheel Lounge
7034 15th Ave. N.W., 784-5701
Daily 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Tucked away on 15th Avenue Northwest between a pho restaurant and a vacant fencing business, behind a parking lot, the Waterwheel Lounge sits frozen in time.

This no-nonsense tavern serves a steady clientele and welcomes newcomers, too. A funky little joint, it was recently made famous by its inclusion in the Top 10 in Mike Seely's guidebook, Seattle's Best Dive Bars.

The bar's been under new ownership for the last few years, but it's still the down-home place everyone loved. A new barbecue menu has also been added, but the Waterwheel's popular burgers and fried chicken dinners are not going away.

Served with massive bronzed chunks of poultry, the chicken dinners ($11.95) appear large enough to feed the entire clientele, although customers appear to have little difficulty polishing off the affair. Friendly-appearing ribs join the chicken on the entree list ($12.95).

While West Seattle is home to many local gyms, Admiral’s newest gym, Crossfit, will soon offer what it calls a new approach to fitness.

Proprietors Zach Filer, Rob Martin and Eric Renn are developing a gym that will create fitness communities, so that members encourage one another to reach their best physical condition.

CrossFit started out as a Web site in 2001. Now it's an international fitness phenomenon with offspring gyms like the one coming to 4200 S.W. Admiral Way.

Unlike gyms that provide members with the use treadmills and isolation machines, Crossfit is an open space gym equipped with dumbbells, barbells, pull up bars, sandbags, tires and other tools used to train with functional movements.

Instead of training alone, members of Crossfit will take classes to receive personal training in a small group atmosphere.

“You’re motivated by the community aspect, by a group of people you regularly workout with” said Martin.

The hour long classes will differ every day. Martin says this not only keeps members from becoming bored, but it also keeps members growing in their physicality.

Amigos de las Américas (AMIGOS) announced the coming departure of six teenagers from the West Seattle area with the Seattle AMIGOS Chapter for service projects in Latin America.

For six to eight weeks this summer, these West Seattle youths will join more than 700 other teenagers and young adults from throughout the United States and other countries to volunteer on public health, education and environment projects in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Paraguay.

Volunteers include Kata Martin, Rachel Cermak, Lukas Shadair, Kyeti Morgan, Andrea Adachi, and Johanna Garcia of West Seattle, Washington. They comprise part of the Seattle AMIGOS Chapter, which will send a total of 30 teenagers from the Puget Sound area to Latin America this summer.

“AMIGOS Volunteers return from their Latin American assignments with a greater understanding of global issues, their personal capabilities and the values of volunteerism,” said Breen Lorenz, Seattle AMIGOS chapter president.

Editor's note: This letter is addressed to Ron Paananen, Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Program Administrator for the state department of transportation, and was also copied to the Ballard News-Tribune.

Dear Mr. Paananen: 

The BINMIC (Ballard Interbay North Manufacturing Industrial Council) Action Committee and its member organizations have identified a number of issues regarding the North Portal for the Bored Tunnel which are provided in the bullets below. 
 

• The design of this key freight arterial must be consistent with recognized highway and freight arterial standards for new construction.  ’Major Truck Streets’ must be established and clearly identified in the engineering design drawings.  These routes need to be designated and vetted during the design review process. 

On Thursday, July 2 Peace Lutheran Church will host a potluck-presentation block party from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring the Tour de Revs, a trio of Lutheran pastors travelling cross country on a bamboo bicycle built for three to promote wellness and raise awareness and funds to end hunger. 

This will be stop 39 of 65 in their 13,000 mile journey traveling on their custom bamboo bicycle created by Craig Calfee from a design originally created for local production in the developing world.
 
The cycling Revs will share about their trip, the bike, and their mission to end hunger.  Cycling youth from Peace Lutheran, St. Luke's in Bellevue, and Our Savior's in Issaquah will be cycling in that evening from a local cycling and service trip and will also share about their experience.
 
West Seattle and White Center Food Banks along with other local charities and community agencies will be represented, the grills will be grilling and the people chilling.
 
Bring a non perishable food item for the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks and something to share.
 
Ride your bike and end the evening with a sunset ride in beautiful West Seattle with the Revs.
 

Mike Cap and his partner started looking for a new pet online through a Bellevue animal shelter. They liked a few dogs but every time they would go to get one it had already been adopted.

The day they went to look at the dog they had picked out (called Deacon at the time) he too was already spoken for, then they learned the new owners had to claim their new pet by noon so they waited. The wait paid off and they adopted him at 12:01, one minute past the pick up time. How did he come by the unusual name? "When we picked him up he looked like a "Wup" so we called him Mr. WupWup."

It has been six months of good times including sharing the bed, with Mr. Wupwup. Although sharing is not what he does, he thinks the whole bed is his. Once he is asleep he quickly goes into a dream state moving his paws and talking or whimpering.

An Army sergeant was arrested at Alki Friday evening after flashing a .357 Ruger at some teens. (It seems he didn't like being told that he and his girlfriend shouldn't be petting a beached seal.) In addition to displaying his bravado with a loaded weapon (which was stuck in his waistband), the 25-year-old saw fit to make rude remarks about the teenaged girls in the group. Officers confiscated the weapon, five rounds of ammunition, an alcohol flask and a knife before booking the man for investigation of unlawful carrying or handling of a weapon. The seal later died.

Three West Seattle High School teens spent the morning of June 2 assaulting clerks and trying to steal malt liquor from two California Avenue convenience stores. One clerk managed to lock a 16-year-old suspect inside and wait for officers. (The other suspects are 15 and 17 and were identified later.) The caught suspect was taken downtown to be fingerprinted and was later released to school security.

On Friday, June 5 at approximately 7 p.m., a suspect was at 60th Avenue Southwest and Alki Avenue Southwest with a female friend, when he got into a confrontation with a group of juveniles (young teenagers — middle school students).

The suspect hurled profanities at the teens and pulled up his shirt to display a holstered handgun, frightening the juveniles and many onlookers. Officers arrived on scene and quickly located the suspect at Alki and 63rd Southwest. Officers recovered a .357 magnum revolver from the suspect’s waistband. He appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, and was also carrying a flask of whiskey. The suspect, produced a US Army ID, identifying him as an active duty sergeant, and a CCW permit issued by the state of Ohio.

Written and directed by Tony Gilroy
Rated PG-13
(Three and one half stars)

The caper film requires a talent for cool. Tom Cruise won’t quite get you there. For best results you want to reach back in history for the likes of Cary Grant, but barring that Clive Owen will do handily in a pinch.

The charm of “Duplicity,” the latest film by “Michael Clayton” director Tony Gilroy, starts with its casting. This story about two spies who leave behind the security of a government paycheck to pull off a lucrative scam in corporate espionage brings together the exquisite low-spark chemistry of Clive Owen and Julia Roberts.

Ray Koval (Clive Owen) and Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts) meet cute as competing government agents trying to out hustle each other for some stolen documents. The opening sequence is slick, even a little clichéd, as Owen and Roberts engage in a dance of seduction that lacks for nothing except sincerity. The two actors are having such a good time the with the urbane cynicism of their respective roles you can’t help but think that even if the film feels a little rote, they’re going to be a lot of fun to watch.