November 2016

by Rob Clay
Bob Ward has lived in many places, worked in all of them and raised a fine family. At 100 that is saying something.

Bob was born John Robertson Ward in Dewey, Oklahoma November 4th 1916. Bob’s folks moved to Topeka, Kansas, living there until Bob turned 11. Then it was off to Carthage, Missouri. Before long, during the beginning of the Great Depression, some family moved to the Pacific Northwest. Bob’s mom and dad followed n 1932.

As a teen, in those years, Bob took the old Kirkland ferry boat over to Seattle to learn to play the alto-saxophone at Sherman Clay Music downtown. He also loved to hunt and fish with his dad in the Snoqualmie Forest foothills. It was then he learned that smoking and a box of .22 caliber shells was the same out of pocket. He opted for the shells like the good boy scout he was; reaching the rank of Eagle scout.

Never shy about work, Bob cut wood and dodged death in the gale of ’34 when a falling tree narrowly missed him. Bob sold vacuum cleaners, worked at Seafirst Bank, met the beautiful Esther Agard and got married by 1936. His gift on their honeymoon was a hike up Mt. Si near North Bend. He is a romantic.

American Legion Post 160 in West Seattle will provide a free dinner to honor all past and present members of the military and their families on Veterans Day Nov. 11. In an announcement they said:

"Veterans Day, the annual time for remembering the end of World War I and the brave Americans who served in the “war to end all wars,” also draws from the news headlines of the day.

“What we now call ‘Veterans Day’ began as ‘Armistice Day.’ It is historically significant that this day continue to be observed on the month, day and hour that the guns fell silent in World War I at 11a.m., Nov. 11, 1918,” Keith Hughes, commander of West Seattle American Legion Post 160, said.

While the day has strong historical roots, current events continue to add meaning to the day.

“Today, thousands of Americans are serving in uniform. They sacrifice in the war on terror and in hundreds of locations around the globe so we may remain free. They, too, are veterans,” Hughes said.

information from SDOT

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) advises travelers that crews are scheduled to close lower Spokane Street in both directions on Harbor Island this weekend for paving. This work is weather dependent and may be cancelled due to rain in the forecast.

SDOT offices will be closed for the Veterans Day holiday on Friday, November 11. Please monitor our Twitter account @seattledot for any changes concerning this scheduled work.

From Friday, November 11 at 7 p.m. to Sunday, November 13 at 7 a.m., travelers can expect the following:

· Lower Spokane Street will be closed in both directions between 11th St and E Marginal Way.
· Detours will be in place:
o Westbound surface traffic will be detoured down E Marginal Way to the 1st Ave S Bridge and back up W Marginal Way.
o Westbound traffic from SR 99 or the Spokane Viaduct will detour via the West Seattle Delridge Way SW exit to eastbound SW Spokane St.
o Eastbound traffic will be detoured locally within Harbor Island.

Donations of Clothes, Coats and shoes in full swing as West Seattle residents give generously to help our less fortunate friends and neighbors.

Dave Newman State Farm Insurance agency will continue to collect clean donations of clothes, coats and shoes through the end of December.

For those who have donations but are unable to transport their clothes, coats and shoes to the donation location a pickup may be available.

For further information contact the State Farm office at (206) 932-1878.

The fourth design review meeting is set for Dec. 1, for Braseth 42, a 6-story structure containing 74 apartment units and 5,302 sq. ft. of office and retail space at ground level proposed for 4532 42nd Ave SW. Parking for 71 vehicles would be provided. Existing structures would be demolished. Public comments were recorded at the second design review meeting and as we reported in April provided guidance to NK Architects who will present changes reflective of that input at the next meeting set for Dec. 1.

MEETING

Date: Thursday, December 1, 2016

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: West Seattle Senior Center
4217 SW Oregon St
Room: Hatten Hall

The World Mission Society Church of God plans a food drive for Sunday, Nov. 13. Their goal is to collect 1,000 pounds of food. The location is 18435 42nd Ave. S. SeaTac.

"All the food we collect will be donated to a local food bank--Northwest Harvest, located in the city of Kent, Washington. Northwest Harvest is serving one of the highest concentrations of homeless youth and foster children in our area, and we are excited to support their work," a spokesperson said.

There will be a collection ceremony Nov. 20 from 1 to 5 p.m.

International Chowder Day - Thursday, November 10 will mean something special to you if you are a veteran and are anywhere near one of the six Duke's Chowder House locations. He's giving away free chowder.

The West Seattle location is 2516 Alki Ave SW.

Thousands of gallons of Duke's clam chowder will be distributed as a complimentary treat to veterans. This is the 9th year for the event. Veterans receive a complimentary bowl of Duke's Award Winning Clam Chowder while other guests pay $1 for a small bowl. Duke's matches every dollar. All money raised goes to support Veterans who are being cared for at Seattle Veteran's Hospital.

Duke said, "My son and business partner, John Moscrip, and I are pleased to share our signature specialty with chowder enthusiasts and Veterans alike, who are sure to attend this heartfelt event.

By Gwen Davis

On Wednesday evening, the Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) and the Department of Neighborhoods hosted the Westwood Highland Park Urban Village Community Design Workshop at Chief Sealth High School.

The workshop informed participants about the city’s proposals to expand affordable housing in the area, within the city’s signature Housing Affordability and Living Agenda (HALA).

Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold was in attendance to observe the workshop.

“How do we grow as a city, create more affordable housing, and while we’re doing that maintain the essential quality of neighborhoods where new housing will be developed,” said John Howell with OPCD at the beginning of the workshop, addressing a crowd of about 15.

The forecasters are saying that over the next 10 years, 50,000 new people will move to Seattle, Howell said.

The question isn’t whether our neighborhoods will change, he stated. It’s a question of how do we want them to change.

“We don't do anything special, we just take care of them.”

Pete Knutson, co-founder of Loki Fish Company speaks casually about his fishing practices, but how he handles his catch has garnered the respect and admiration of many Seattleites, as well as Martha Stewart’s American Made Program.

Knutson says the company’s aim is to keep the quality of the fish from the time it lands in their boat in a gill net to when it’s served on the table. Freshness, respect, scope are the foundation of their practices, and the quality of their products convey a message of stewardship, of independence and respect for the harvest. That message is being communicated beyond the farmers markets, small time purveyor shops and Fishermen’s Terminal where people find Loki Fish Co.

One of Ballard’s oldest buildings is more likely to still be standing after an earthquake because the owners have undergone a voluntary seismic retrofit with the help of King County.

The two-story building at 5101 Ballard Avenue is known as the Hansen Building, and until recently many Ballardites would recognize it as the at the location of Dock Street Brokers. The business operated there for the last 40 years. Dock Street Brokers recently sold.

The building was built in 1905 and was added to the U.S. Department of Interior National Register in 1976 as a building that adds to the Ballard Avenue Landmark District.

Hansen Building in 1937 operated as the Ballard Hand Laundry.