UPDATE:  The dog has been reunited with his owners.

A  poodle was found wandering last night in the area of Dravus and 21st Ave West.  Here is the note and photo we received from the couple that found the dog:

My wife and I found this male, miniature poodle on Dravus by Mulleady’s Pub tonight.

He has a harness, but no tags. Everything is closed for the night, so we brought him back to West Seattle with us for the night. Going to put a posting on craigslist, but thought we should give you a shout in hopes that someone may have sent a email in. if so, please please have them contact us.

If you have any information about this dog, drop us a note at tips@magnoliavoice.com and we will put you in touch with the couple that found him.

A man riding on the back of a garbage truck was critically injured in Magnolia on Monday.  Here is the information from Seattle Police:

On May 30th at approximately 1:20 p.m. officers responded to a vehicle-related incident at 28th Avenue West and West Galer Street.  Preliminary investigation indicates that a garbage truck was traveling southbound on 28th Avenue West with a waste disposal employee riding on a platform on the rear of the truck.  When the driver turned westbound onto West Galer Street, the employee fell off the truck and struck his head on the ground.

SFD medics responded to the scene and transported the adult male employee to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.

Officers evaluated the driver of the garbage truck for signs of impairment due to alcohol and/or drugs.  None were detected.

Preliminary investigation indicates that speed was not a factor in this incident.  There were no other vehicles or persons involved.  Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives responded to the scene and continue to actively investigate.

Thanks to Wendell for these photos!

There are two ceremonies planned Monday in Magnolia for Memorial Day.  The first is at 10a.m. at the Post Office in The Village at 3211 W McGraw St.

Right after that there will be a service at the Fort Lawton Cemetery in Discovery Park  (just past the visitor center at 39801 Government Way)  sponsored by the American Legion Post 123.   It will start a little before 11a.m.  For additional information call 206-909-6853.

We also got a note from Nancy who wanted to put the word out to anyone who is looking for a project on Memorial Day.

The Vietnam Memorial on the island in the parking lot shared by the Magnolia Community Center and the Catharine Blaine School on 34th Ave West is once again in desperate need of weeding.  We had a small turnout last Memorial Day in the pouring rain and I’m hoping some folks might help out again.  Anyone who wants to help should just bring their favorite weeding tools and a bag to carry the weeds home to a yard waste bin.  Its mostly grass and clover with some pesky dandelions.  There is not set time, just come when you can and work as long as you want.   There is always more to do!

A man claiming to have a gun robbed the Key Bank in the Magnolia Village at 34th Ave West and West McGraw at about 12:15p.m. Saturday.

The suspect entered the bank and handed a note demanding money to a teller.  The note said the man had a gun but no gun was seen.  The teller handed money to the robber who then left the bank on foot headed northbound.

The bank teller was shaken in the incident but there were no injuries.  No other customers were in the bank at the time of the robbery.

The suspect is described as a black male in his 40’s with a medium build.  He is clean shaven.  At the time of the robbery he was wearing a sweatshirt with a Corona Beer logo on it.  Officers on the scene speculate that the robber may have been picked up quickly by a car that was waiting for him following the robbery.

Sgt. Robertson with Seattle Police tells us that there were officers nearby at the time of the robbery and they were on the scene minutes after the robbery call.  The investigation continues at the scene as officers gathered fingerprints.  They do have a photograph of the suspect from the security cameras of the bank.

If you see anyone matching the description of the robber, police encourage you to call 911.

By Meghan Walker

A young Magnolia woman is working hard to raise money for a documentary about filmmaking in Rwanda. It’s called, “Film Festival: Rwanda.”

Aly Schoonover is a recent Washington State University graduate, and has been experiencing firsthand what it’s like to fundraise for the independent film company creating the documentary, Inflatable Film. “I saw the trailer, and I felt like I had to do everything I could to help with the project,” said Schoonover. The company has all the footage for the film, but now the editing process means more money is needed.

Photo credit Inflatable Film

In order to raise money, the film company created a Kickstarter page, which allows donors to give money to fund the project. The goal was $29,000, and unless they received the full amount in 55 days, the project wouldn’t be funded. Now, less than a week before their June 1 deadline, the group has exceeded their goals. The group now has almost $29,500, with 378 backers.

Leah Warshawski is the executive producer on the project. The idea for the film came when Warshawski and the director of photography, Chris Towey, were visiting Rwanda four years ago. They met a couple Rwandan filmmakers, and were captivated by their story. So much so, they decided to create a documentary about the Rwandans’ filmmaking passions.

In an interview on Inflatable Film’s Kickstarter page, Towey said the film aims to be an alternative to the dark and dreary films that typically come out of Africa. In the same interview, Warshawski said a goal was to create something that hadn’t been done before. “This is something really unique, really different,” she explained. “The film is about hope, and creativity, and the power of story and imagination, and thousands of people showing up without shoes on to watch movies in their own language for the very first time on this giant inflatable screen.”

Photo credit Inflatable Film

Schoonover says she’s been amazed at the amount of support from the Kickstarter page. “People have come out of the woodworks. People I knew in eighth grade have been touched by this film, and cared enough to give $10; I’ve been reaching out to everyone I’ve ever known,” Schoonover laughed.

“I’m excited that this film will become a reality because of everyone’s support. It’s a great project and I think it’ll bring a lot of hope and inspiration to a place that’s faced a lot of hardships,” said Schoonover.

(Disclosure: Schoonover is the daughter of the MagnoliaVoice editor. This piece was written independently by a student at the University of Washington.)

The owner of Around the Block in the Magnolia Village at 3308 West McGraw Street is calling it quits. 

Here is the message she sent to announce the closure of the store:

I wanted to inform the community which has supported me at Around the Block for the past 22 years that I have decided to close as of September 1, 2011.  Through all these past years I have truly enjoyed coming in to many of your homes and helping you create the environment you wished for and give you the advice you needed to look at a room in a different way.  The store has allowed me to " have a reason to shop" for the  unexpected, the beautiful and the best of  what I believe a home should include and the gifts that I hope anyone would want to receive.  I will begin a store wide sale on Wednesday June 1 to continue until August 31.  I will miss my fellow Magnolia Merchants who work so hard at making the Village a better place for all of us and also the customers whom I have come to call my friends!   Janie Bolton

Everybody knows a character.  Someone who is quirky, idiosyncratic or just a little different. These are the people who make life interesting and we want to introduce you to a real character who lives in Magnolia.  Hold onto your snorkel.

Howard Garton is a 50-year-old brick layer – a mason if you prefer – and a craftsman of the highest order, he says with a laugh.  When Howard, who takes his pet pig Bonita to work every day, works on a chimney in the area, the rest of the neighbors make a pilgrimage to ask him, “Can you do mine too?”

But this isn’t a tale of a skillful brick layer. This is a story about a character.

During his off time, our certified Magnolia eccentric rides a “personal watercraft” 75 miles-an-hour anywhere from Elliott Bay to the Canadian border, depending on his mood.

In the wind and waves, Howard zips up and down the sound riding a jet-ski for an environmental cause. Scooping up garbage, old nets, and anything polluting our salty front porch, Howard hauls it in with a twist that turns him into a character.

You see, our environmental good guy has an alter-ego. With a two-foot-long dorsal fin protruding from the back of his wetsuit, our plucky brick layer becomes OrcaMan, super hero and grime fighter!

Beloved by ferry riders, beach combers, and children with mouths agape, OrcaMan plies the waves for, “goodness, not badness.” Even the Coast Guard gives him a friendly nod as they plow past the intrepid refuse collector.

Before you snarky-types comment about a guy with an environmental message riding a gas-operated water buggy, OrcaMan says he’s working on a solar powered water craft.  And remember, this is a story about a character.

You can witness OrcaMan for yourself this summer when he appears with his buddies, the SeaFair Pirates at Seattle events.

Additionally, a soon-to-be self-published comic book is about to turn our soggy, litter hero into a funny pages rock star. Any monies collected will be donated to charity.

On the horizon, watch for OrcaMan to jet-ski from here all the way to Alaska, filling bags of detritus along the route. A reality TV show is planned to record the event with the help of a soon-to-be found sponsor to cover costs.

Howard sums up his ride into Magnolia history with, “I have yet to grow up.” Something to which we could all aspire.  Click here to visit OrcaMan’s website.

Thanks to contributor Steven Smalley for this article and photos!

Magnolia residents Jackie and Pierre Gehlen Jackie have received the Arthur Sheridan Langlie Award for Visionary Leadership.  The Salvation Army presents the award each year. 

The couple has been working with the Salvation Army for five years.  They received the award for their commitment to improving and enriching the lives of underprivileged youth and young adults through social justice, education, and employment preparedness.  In addition to their work through The Salvation Army, they are regular service and monetary contributors to The Seattle Foundation, Seattle Public Library, Rainier Scholars, and Engineers Without Borders, and they fund educational and nutritional programs in Africa.  Congratulations!

You can get to know the Port of Seattle and get some exercise at the same time at the Know Your Port by Bike ride on Sunday, June 5.  The ride is part of the Port’s Centennial Celebration.  

The free family bike ride starts at Shilshole Bay Marina and ends at Bell Street Pier at Pier 66.   You can ride one way or round trip for a total of 14 miles.  The rides begins at Shilshole Bay Marina, then walk your bike across the Locks and heard towards Fishermen’s Terminal, past the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Terminal 91, then to the Terminal 86 Grain Facility and the Bell Street Pier at Pier 66.

Registration opens at 10:30 a.m. and the event wraps up at 4:00 p.m. Riders are encouraged to stop at Port properties along the route and experience some then and now photo posters highlighting the importance of the Port and the changes over the past 100 years.

A driver crashed into the fence in the south parking lot of Albertsons on 32nd Ave West this morning.  It happened around 11a.m. and the driver took off after the accident.  No one was injured.

The car was described as a large SUV, possibly an Escalade. The store may be able to identify the vehicle from the video surveillance camera.

Thanks to kkennell for the photo

36th District Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D), issued the following statement today regarding her efforts to reform Washington’s medical marijuana law.

“Regretfully, I have decided not to pursue further attempts this year to strengthen our state’s voter-approved medical marijuana law.

“My efforts to make improvements to existing law were motivated by the need to provide qualifying patients with protection from arrest and prosecution and access to a safe, secure and reliable source of the medicine they are legally entitled to use and that has been recommended to them by their licensed health care provider. I also sought to increase public safety and provide a bright line for law enforcement in determining those who are authorized patients, regulated growers and dispensers.

“Despite having bipartisan support, we were unable to achieve these objectives. By far, this represents the greatest disappointment of my legislative career.

“Senate Bill 5073, the medical marijuana legislation I originally introduced this session, included many key improvements to the status quo, such as creating a state regulatory system for licensing producers, processers, and dispensaries and protecting patients who voluntarily sign up on a confidential, secure state registry from arrest and prosecution.

“Unfortunately, around the time the bill passed the Legislature with bipartisan support, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) reinforced its authority to prosecute those involved with commercial dispensaries. As a result, Governor Gregoire vetoed the most substantive parts of SB 5073 out of concern that state employees involved in regulating medical marijuana would be at risk of federal arrest and prosecution. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the situation for patients and their designated providers was exacerbated as a result.

“While the governor did encourage the Legislature to follow-up with a special session bill, it is apparent there is insufficient time to pass a bill addressing these problems at this time.

“My original bill was developed over the course of a year, with significant input from a diverse group of stakeholders, including groups representing patients, designated providers, advocates, local governments, state agencies, and law enforcement.

“But it’s very difficult to develop complex policy—especially with multiple stakeholders—in the course of a 30-day special session. And, unfortunately, in the end, it just was not possible to pass a bill that would address the governor’s concerns, while meeting the needs of patients and local governments in such a limited time frame.

“The governor also specified that the leaders of the four legislative caucuses agree to move the bill. Unfortunately, that was not possible.

“In addition to my keen disappointment in not being able to improve access and protections for patients, I also regret our failure to provide cities and counties with the tools they need to regulate dispensaries and grow operations. The attached letter submitted by King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes illustrates the challenges faced by local governments.

“My most recent attempt to reform the medical marijuana law would have scaled back the proposal to a pilot program giving local governments in counties with populations greater than 200,000 the option of authorizing and regulating nonprofit patient cooperatives. It also would have created a joint legislative task force to make recommendations to the Legislature next December on issues still needing resolution. But, even this proposal failed to receive sufficient support to move forward in the remaining days of special session, mainly due to the overriding focus on the budget.

“While it is clear this issue has stalled for now, we cannot continue to ignore this issue– it simply will not solve itself. It is clear that the needs of patients and local jurisdictions remain unresolved and will necessitate further legislative efforts.”

The Magnolia Chamber of Commerce will hold a general meeting tonight (5/24) at Serendipity Café (322 West McGraw) starting at 6:15pm. 

The topics on the agenda include looking for ways to increase business in the Commodore Way and Thorndyke areas and there will be a report from Sustainable Magnolia.

There will also be an open forum and all Magnolia residents are welcome to attend. 

Ever thought about taking Zumba? Looking for something to kick start your fitness plan or to introduce something healthy to your family.

As part of the Healthy Parks, Healthy You initiative, Magnolia Community Center is offering free Zumba classes on Wednesday (5/25).   You will learn fun dance moves and get a workout that is lively and motivating.

The evening begins with a family class for ages 7 and up, and all children 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult. The family class is 5:30-6:15 p.m. An adult class follows at 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for people ages 18 and up.

All students must pre-register for this class. Just visit or call Magnolia C.C. at 206-386-4235 and reference family Zumba (#73511) or adult Zumba (#73510).