West Seattle Blog…

West Seattle Crime Watch: 3 reader reports, including not exactly the kind of loot a burglar can run with

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning:

GARAGE BREAK-IN: From Kathy:

My garage was broken into over the weekend and a Lincoln Electric welder and cart were stolen.

Seems like a brazen thing to steal as it’s very heavy and the garage is on an alley that is pretty visible (between California and 42nd near Brandon). I reported it to police and just want this incident out there in case anyone has information.

MOTORCYCLE DAMAGED IN HIT-RUN: From Aaron:

My brand-new Ducati Monster 696 (with only 120 miles on it!) was hit (Monday morning) on California Ave SW, and the driver fled the scene. Three witnesses watched the driver hit my bike, but none were able to get the license plate.

The driver was a white woman in her mid-to-late 30s with shoulder-length or shorter blonde hair. Her vehicle is a silver Honda Pilot. She backed into my parked motorcycle, knocking it over its kickstand and onto its left side. The impact snapped off a mirror, bent the handlebars, and caused engine damage. And then she just drove away. This happened at approximately 9:15 a.m. on January 26, near 5440 California Ave SW, on the east side of the street just north of the Rapid Ride stop.

If you have any info for police, the incident number is 15-28651.

CARS VANDALIZED: John reports this happened Monday morning:

I woke up to an unpleasant sight … somebody had grabbed some large rocks from my neighbor’s front yard and completely shattered my driver-side windows of my ’04 Subaru wagon. They got both of the neighbors’ cars as well – both older Subarus. 6700 block of 39th Ave SW.

REMINDER FOR TONIGHT: As previewed earlier, Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske is expected to be at tonight’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting – all welcome for crime/safety updates and networking to make neighborhoods safer, 6:30 pm at the precinct (Webster/Delridge).

VIDEO: Missed the Asteroid 2004 BL₈₆ flyby? See it here!

(Video: Copyright 2015, Jason Ayres Gift Enevoldsen)
Couldn’t find Asteroid 2004 BL₈₆ last night, even with the info in Alice Enevoldsen‘s special edition of “Skies Over West Seattle“? No worries. We have video to share, courtesy of Jason Ayres Gift Enevoldsen, via backyard scope: “I took one 6s-long image once a minute for 103 minutes to capture it moving across the Beehive Cluster (M44) in the SE portion of the sky. It appears at the bottom middle of the frame and moves up and left.” You might have to watch a time or two to spot it. Note that it is NOT going to look to you like a Hollywood asteroid – it’s a spot on the screen like all the other spots. We found it cool just the same. (If you prefer Vimeo, watch it there.)

West Seattle Tuesday: What you can catch today/tonight

(Photo by Matt Olson – red-necked grebe dining on a prawn off Duwamish Head last weekend)
You’ll find today’s full menu on our calendar, but as usual, we’re offering a sampler:

BABY STORY TIMES: 10:30 am at both the Southwest Branch (35th/Henderson) and West Seattle (Admiral) Branch (2306 42nd SW) Libraries this morning, free and fun.

CAPTAIN & CAPTAINS: The West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network is expecting to hear tonight from Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske, with updates including the recent series of robberies (most-recent WSB update here). You don’t have to be a captain or even part of a Block Watch to be there – all welcome. Meeting’s at 6:30 pm at the precinct. (Webster/Delridge)

PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING FORUM: Not in West Seattle, but of interest – how to have more of a say in how your money’s spent: The City Neighborhood Council and Councilmember Nick Licata are co-hosting a forum about “Participatory Budgeting“ and how it works in other cities, with an eye toward whether it could work here. 6-8 pm in the Bertha Knight Landes Room at City Hall downtown. (5th/Cherry)

NOT USING SOCIAL MEDIA YET? 6 pm event at High Point Library might help you figure out how to change that. Info here, including how to sign up. (35th/Raymond)

BLUES TO DO: 8 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), this week’s blues extravaganza is themed “Ladies Sing the Blues.” (6451 California SW)

KARAOKE … at Skylark in North Delridge and Yen Wor Village in The Admiral District, both 9 pm starts, both detailed on our calendar.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; bridge collision

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:00 AM: Routine morning so far on the routes through/from West Seattle. This week’s only traffic alert remains for Highway 99 north of downtown, late-night/early-early-morning lane closures all week. Also, it’s a short week for Seattle Public Schools – no classes on Friday for “the day between semesters.”

7:08 AM: Just getting word of a car/motorcycle crash on the eastbound bridge, Spokane St. Viaduct section, (update) between 1st and 4th Ave. exits. Someone who just went past the scene says the rider was sitting up.

(Added: Image from SDOT Twitter feed)
7:15 AM: From the scanner – left lane(s) are blocked at the scene; the rider is believed to have an ankle injury and will be taken to the hospital by private ambulance.

7:36 AM: One left lane still blocked but most of the emergency response is wrapped up so probably not for much longer.

8:06 AM: Tow crew on scene now, per SDOT.

8:12 AM: Now cleared.

Update: Motorcyclist hurt in incident at 59th/Alki

(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
9:36 PM: Alki Avenue SW is blocked at 59th right now because of a crash involving a motorcycle rider. We’ve heard conflicting reports about whether or not another vehicle is involved. More to come.

10:03 PM: The scene is already clear. WSB’s Christopher Boffoli got here before SPD left and says the rider was the only one involved and is being taken to the hospital.

10:42 PM: A little more from Christopher: “I spoke with a friend of the victim who told me a group of friends were departing eastbound at the same time, several on motorcycles and a few more in cars, from roughly the intersection of 59th & Alki. The man I spoke to said he watched as his friend wobbled and lost control of his motorcycle right in front of Saigon Boat Cafe. He said the victim has recently had a shoulder injury and that tonight he apparently fell over and hit the street on the same shoulder. The bike was drivable so his friends were riding it home for the victim.”

West Seattle music: New album recorded in a local living room by “Lucky Brown” and friends

More West Seattle music! Above, you can preview the audio from a record released today, made in a West Seattle living room, according to the musician/producer who goes by “Lucky Brown.” From his artist statement about “Mystery Road”:

Lucky Brown and his friends play music together on a carpet in the living room. They record to a portable tape machine situated in or near a kitchen because most of this music was recorded after a shared meal. Much of this album is the record of the musicians playing or creating the song for the first time together – listening to and communicating with each other. Searching for a beautiful feeling that has not yet been invented. As his thirst for authenticity remains unquenched, Lucky Brown’s journey transcends limitations of time, space, subject or object.

“Lucky” wanted to share it “to help promote the unique arts and culture environment of West Seattle,” and included “the personnel list and where they live”:

Ollie Klomp – Drums, Percussion – Lives in West Seattle and hosted the session in his living room
Bob Heinemann – Bass – Lives in West Seattle
Jason Gray – Bass – Lives in West Seattle
Marc Hager – Rhodes – Lives in West Seattle
Lucky Brown – Trumpet, Producer – Currently living in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Thomas Deakin – Saxophone, Bell – Lived in West Seattle at the time of the recording, now living and touring in Europe.
Mars – Trombone – Lives in Bellingham
Jabrille ‘Jimmy James’ Williams – Lives in the Rainier Valley
Ben Bloom – Guitar – Lives in West Seattle

Click the title link in the embedded audio player to find out even more about “Mystery Road.”

How did we get here and how are ‘urban villages’ doing after 20 years? Review to be presented Wednesday

For some, the intensive redevelopment in the heart of West Seattle – particularly The Junction – might seem to be relatively sudden, just the past few years. The groundwork was laid 20 years ago, when the city Comprehensive Plan designated some areas as “urban villages.” West Seattle has four:

Some were bitterly opposed to what they saw as a plan forcing West Seattle to bear an unfair share of future growth, with a legal challenge and secession movement resulting. The urban villages went forward, and much of the potential redevelopment is only just now coming to pass. Meantime, the city is getting ready to revise the Comprehensive Plan to look ahead another 20 years, to 2035, and as part of that, former City Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck is presenting this Wednesday “a study that measures results and achievements of the urban-village strategy.” The presentation is not in West Seattle, but some community activists here are so interested in attending that the next meeting of the West Seattle Land Use Committee (usually on the fourth Wednesday) has been canceled so members can attend this instead. It’s fully previewed here, happening Wednesday night (January 28th) in the Bertha Knight Landes Room on the ground floor of City Hall downtown, open house at 5:30 pm, presentation 6-7 pm, all welcome.

School of Rock-West Seattle: Welcome, new WSB sponsor!

Grand-opening day is less than a week away for School of Rock-West Seattle, one of our newest sponsors. As a new local sponsor, they get the chance to introduce themselves to you, and here’s what School of Rock-West Seattle would like you to know:

Residing in a residential neighborhood, School of Rock is an ingenious concept that gets kids and adults rocking out to the classics and on stage performing with their peers. Music programs are designed to create a supportive environment where music students of all skill levels are comfortable yet challenged at every turn. In addition to individual private music instruction on guitar, bass, vocals, keyboards and/or drums, students also learn how to jam with their peers in a weekly rehearsal session.

West Seattle will be operated by former School of Rock instructor Phil Gustavson along with father Bob Gustavson and close friend Eric Muhs, each musicians, passionate youth advocates, and educators. Phil’s lifelong love of music began at an early age playing piano and falling asleep in the booths of clubs listening to his father’s bands. At age 12 he picked up a guitar, and his musical journey continued into adulthood as he produced small, all-ages concerts for local bands and played in various bands in his hometown of Richland, WA. After a horrific car accident in 2001, he lost use of his arm for a time and his ability to play guitar was tested. But from hardship came new dedication and he vowed to pursue his passion for music and education.

Following graduation from The Evergreen State College, Phil formed the Seattle area gypsy jazz group Hochiwichi and found a part time job teaching at The Seattle School of Rock. He rose the ranks from teacher to Assistant GM while earning two Master’s Degrees from Antioch University, which gave him the tools to become the operator of his own School of Rock.

“For the past six years I have had so much fun introducing students to music and I’ve seen firsthand how this place can impact kids in positive ways,” said Phil, “I’m thrilled to be bringing School of Rock to West Seattle families. It is such an enriching and creative environment that benefits not just the students but the community.”

All School of Rock programs are performance-based and emphasize the message that music is not just about playing an instrument; it’s about teamwork, building confidence, and creating leaders. The first stage is “School of Rock 101,” teaching basic skills through 45-minute private lessons and 90-minute group sessions. Next, students reach the main program, the heart and soul of School of Rock – the “Performance Program.” This stage consists of 45-minute private lessons and a final show. The students are cast in songs and rehearse them each week, preparing for a blowout concert in front of a real live audience.

Additionally, School of Rock also offers 5-day intensive summer, spring break, and winter camps, involving rehearsals with a big show at the end. These 5-day intensive camps are guaranteed to transform a wanna-be into a true rock performer.  School of Rock also recently launched an adult performance program and a preschool program called “Little Wing.”

Through School of Rock’s “Guest Performer Series,” students have the opportunity to learn from and jam with some of music’s most iconic names, including Matt Cameron, drummer from Soundgarden and Pearl Jam; Jon Anderson, lead vocalist from the legendary rock band Yes; Earl Slick, David Bowie’s guitarist; seminal post-punk bass player Mike Watt; and collaborator of the groundbreaking pop-rock duo The Eurythmics, Dave Stewart.

The grand opening for School of Rock-West Seattle is this Saturday, January 31st, 1-6 pm; pre-registration discounts are available now. Regular hours at 4701 41st SW will be Monday through Thursday from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm. For more information, please call 206-294-3175.

We thank School of Rock-West Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

What’s next for the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce? Annual meeting Thursday; early-registration deadline today

What should the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce focus on in 2015? That’s one of the topics in the spotlight at the annual meeting this Thursday (January 29th), and the Chamber says both members and nonmembers are invited. The catered luncheon starts at 11:30 am at the city-landmark Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd/Lander); if you sign up by the end of today, you’re eligible for the early-registration discounted rate of $25 member/$35 non-member. Go here to register online.

West Seattle Crime Watch followup: What we’ve found out about the 47th SW burglary suspects

(Reader photo from Friday afternoon; Williams is the standing arrestee, French is on the ground)
Bail was set over the weekend for both suspects arrested after last Friday’s West Seattle break-in at a 47th SW home where a resident hid in a closet until police arrived (WSB coverage here). The suspects, both 20 years old, have warrants in other cases so we’re naming them though the charging decision in this case won’t likely be made before tomorrow: $100,000 is the bail set for James Michael French, who has a North Delridge address; $60,000 is the bail set for Donchavell Delrae Williams, who lives in Federal Way. His warrant dates back to May 2013, in an assault case for which the paperwork is not available online since it’s out of Juvenile Court; court documents say Williams had prior felony convictions for assault and taking a motor vehicle without permission.

French’s warrant is from earlier this month, involving what the state terms as “escape” from community custody, the technical term for probation, related to a conviction for a 2013 robbery in Des Moines in which he hit a gas-station clerk in the face while robbing him at gunpoint and knifepoint. French’s history, according to charging documents in that case, had by then also included an attack that inflicted rib fractures on a 58-year-old man who had just had surgery, plus other convictions including robbery, assault, harassment, and drug violations, dating as far back as 2008, when he was 14. He pleaded guilty in the 2013 case and was sentenced in May 2014 to 22 months, which would have included time he had already spent in jail by then. Both French and Williams remain in jail, according to the register, and are scheduled for another hearing tomorrow afternoon.

ADDED 1:08 PM: We’re adding state Corrections Department mugshots for both suspects (French at left, Williams at right). According to a DOC spokesperson, both were released from prison on January 5th, serving time in apparently unrelated cases.

Future kindergartener in the house? Don’t wait to register!

If you have a future kindergartener in the house, you’ll want to register her/him for school sooner rather than later. If you’re going into Seattle Public Schools, two special registration events are coming up in West Seattle – February 12th at Roxhill Elementary and February 19th at West Seattle Elementary, both 5:30-7 pm, and both open to families seeking enrollment in any school, not just those two. The events have been in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for a while, but the principal of West Seattle’s most populous elementary, Schmitz Park’s Gerrit Kischner, suggested a reminder, explaining on behalf of all schools, not just his:

We’d really like to make sure that all families with incoming Kindergarteners enroll by March 6th (the end of Open Enrollment). In recent years, Schmitz Park has experienced around a 20 percent increase in Kindergarten enrollment between May and September. This makes it very difficult to plan, budget and assign balanced classrooms. Of course, some families will move over the summer, but to the extent that we can minimize this late enrollment, the better.

School-tour season is here as well. Schmitz Park has its first adults-only kindergarten tour scheduled tomorrow (Tuesday, January 27th). Several other schools’ tour dates are on our calendar (click the CATEGORIES button and choose SCHOOLS on the pulldown list), and we’ll add any others we hear from. Meantime, find out more about SPS enrollment here.

What’s on the calendar for your West Seattle Monday

(Sunday morning fog burnoff, with seagull: Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Notes for today, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

MORE WORK AT LOWMAN BEACH: Separate from all the work across the street on the Murray Combined Sewer Overflow Control project, Seattle Public Utilities is repairing the culvert that conveys Pelly Creek and storm drainage to the outfall west of the Lowman Beach Park tennis court. SPU says it’s damaged and causing soil erosion, so they are “excavating a portion of the damaged pipeline, repairing the broken pipe, and backfilling to surrounding grade.” The work starts this week and is expected to continue for about 10 days. (7017 Beach Drive SW)

LA LECHE LEAGUE OF WEST SEATTLE: The support group for nursing and expectant moms has its monthly morning meeting today at 10:30 am, Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way)

JINI DELACCIO EXHIBITION CLOSING: Easy Street Records has a two-part event today to mark the end of its exhibition of photographs by the late Jini Delaccio: 1 pm, the sale begins; 5 pm, the music begins. More info here. (California/Alaska)

BEER MEET-AND-GREET: 6-8 pm at The Beer Junction, it’s a free brewer meet-and-greet event with Firestone Walker. (4511 California SW)

FREE ESL CLASSES: 6:30 pm, open to all to improve English-language skills, Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

WORDS & MUSIC: Tonight’s nightlife listings include trivia and karaoke – see for yourself!

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: January’s last Monday

(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:44 AM: The fog that moved in late last night has lifted, at least in this area, so visibility is no longer a problem between here and downtown. No West Seattle traffic alerts for today, but if you use Highway 99 north of downtown in the late night/early morning hours, note lane closures are planned for the rest of the week.

7:02 AM: Fog’s moving back in, here in the Gatewood/Upper Fauntleroy area. So be aware of potentially changing conditions.

10:17 AM: Just got a text alert about a gravel truck spill on SW Oregon near 39th – rocks on the road. “Bit of a mess,” writes the texter. We hope someone has already reported this to SDOT – the hotline for road hazards is 206-684-ROAD.

Skies Over West Seattle, special edition: Asteroid & comet in range!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Two special sights in the sky have sparked this edition of our periodic feature by West Seattle’s own Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen, so get ready to find out what to look for, how, and where.

(Processed photograph of Comet Q2 Lovejoy by Jason Ayres Gift Enevoldsen taken January 16, 2015 from near The Junction)
By Alice Enevoldsen
Special to West Seattle Blog

Asteroid 2004 BL₈₆ is going to be flying past the Earth on Monday night, at a distance of only three times the distance to the Moon. It will not hit us, but it will be visible from West Seattle with a telescope or steady binoculars. Clear Sky Chart is still predicting clear enough skies to look for it.

At the same time, Comet 2014 Q2 Lovejoy is also a beautiful telescope object this week, and will be until the Moon gets too bright.

If you don’t have a telescope, attach a pair of binoculars to a tripod or other steady object. You’ll see some neat things, definitely the comet, and perhaps the asteroid if you have very sensitive eyes.

Finding Asteroid 2004 BL₈₆

Near-Earth asteroids move across our sky more slowly than shooting stars and satellites, but faster than the Moon. They are dim and tiny. This one will be visible in a decent backyard telescope for most of the night of January 26 to the morning of January 27.

Click to read the rest of Skies Over West Seattle, special edition: Asteroid & comet in range!…

Congratulations! Award shared by Highland Park Improvement Club, Nature Consortium, Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition

That’s historic Highland Park Improvement Club, honored along with two other local organizations, the Nature Consortium and Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition in the annual Sustainable Seattle Awards. The three organizations share this year’s “Transforming Spaces” award; HPIC has been adding sustainability features to its almost-a-century-old site at 12th/Holden, including “depaving” part of its parking lot, replacing it with a raingarden and permeable pavement. The Nature Consortium, also West Seattle-based, continues to restore the West Duwamish Greenbelt; and DRCC continues to advocate for the river running along much of West Seattle’s eastern edge to be restored and used as “A River for All.” DRCC founder BJ Cummings also was honored as this year’s Sustainable Hero. The full list of awards, announced at a Friday night event at MOHAI on South Lake Union, is here.

P.S. If you’ve never been to HPIC, it has big events ahead in the next few weeks including a Super Bowl tailgate potluck next Sunday and the WSB-presented District 1 First Look candidates’ forum on February 5th. Nature Consortium, meantime, has at least two volunteer events you can check out every week. And DRCC is currently focused on helping people learn about the EPA’s Record of Decision about cleaning the river, and what more can be done – check out two events coming up, including one in West Seattle.

West Seattle weekend scenes: Spring-y Sunday, near-historic high

The National Weather Service says today was the second-warmest January day in Seattle history – high of 63 (warmest on record, 64 on January 20, 1981). If you were anywhere near Alki Beach today, you too might have observed that it looked and felt a lot like spring. Above, JayDee caught the beach scene – including volleyball! Below, a sunset scene from the west-facing shore:

Tomorrow’s forecast suggests a sunny afternoon and high near 60.

@ Morgan Community Association: Books, bike racks, development…

From a new Little Free Library, to bike racks, to development updates, and more – here are our toplines from the Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meeting:

Click to read the rest of @ Morgan Community Association: Books, bike racks, development……

You can help! Volunteer as a Girls on the Run coach this spring

(Photo courtesy Girls on the Run)
So sunny and warm today that we’ve seen people out running, walking, bicycling everywhere around West Seattle. Great time to think about community involvement like this: Girls on the Run is recruiting coaches for spring 2015, and needs volunteers for the program at three West Seattle schools: WS Elementary, Alki Elementary, and Westside School (WSB sponsor). Here’s the announcement:

Girls on the Run of Puget Sound is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Empower 3rd-5th grade girls to celebrate their bodies, honor their voices, recognize their gifts, and activate their power to make healthy choices for years to come!

As a coach, you’ll work with 1-2 other coaches to guide a group of girls through an established, easy-to-follow curriculum that uses running games to teach healthy living lessons that develop the whole girl – her social, emotional and physical self. Together, you will explore issues like media awareness, nutrition, emotional health, positive communication, and community service. Help empower the next generation of women by volunteering to coach this spring! For more information, please visit http://girlsrun.org/get-involved/coach/ or contact Jen John, Program Manager, at jen@girlsrun.org or 206-528-2118.

Update: Luna Park coffee shop The Shack hit, damaged

11:27 AM: Nobody hurt, but some damage at The Shack coffee shop in Luna Park, after a car crashed into the building this past hour. We’re heading over to find out more. Thanks to Eleanor for tweeting photos.

(Photo courtesy The Shack)
11:53 AM: Just back from The Shack. Owner tells us they’re still open for business – the damage wasn’t that serious – and also shared another photo from right after the crash, added above (note the T-shirt). Someone is already on the way to board up the damaged window.

12:17 PM: And their sense of humor was certainly left undamaged:

West Seattle weekend scene: Sweating for the Seahawks

11:08 AM SUNDAY: From the “in case you wondered” file: Here’s what the Seahawks-spirit crowd, with cameras and sound equipment, was doing at Don Armeni Boat Ramp a little while ago. We checked it out after someone texted this photo, wondering if it was some kind of video shoot.

Turns out it was local Zumba instructor Jennifer Cepeda and friends, dancing in Hawks fan gear (and recording it on video, link to follow).

(WSB photo)
With warm-ish temps and dry weather, perfect morning.

ADDED 3:17 PM MONDAY: Jennifer sent us the link to her finished video:

West Seattle Crime Watch: Junction 7-11 store robbery

Thanks to the person who called to say they had heard about this from an employee at the Junction 7-11 (California/Erskine). We have since obtained some information from police: They confirm the store was held up about 1:30 am Saturday. The robber was described “as a white male about 25 years of age, wearing a dark blue or black puffy coat, and had a red scarf wrapped around his face.” He showed the clerk a handgun. Police called in a K-9 to help search but they didn’t find the robber. Checking Tweets by Beat, that’s the only robbery call in the Southwest Precinct coverage area, West Seattle and South Park, so far this weekend. (Side note: If you routinely check the tweets and haven’t noticed this, each confirmed incident generates two tweets – the second one, when a report is filed, so the time will be different. The first tweet describes what was reported – so the second one might classify the incident differently, depending on what’s confirmed. The telltale sign that two or more tweets are about the same case is the incident # in the tweet.)

West Seattle Sunday: Food drives; knitting; performing; more…

One week until The Big Game! Look closely at Lynn Hall‘s photo of always-scenic Alki Point Lighthouse, taken Saturday, and you’ll see the “12.” Here are some ways to keep yourself busy today, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

FOOD DRIVE #1: 9 am-1 pm today at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), you can drop off food for the United in Blue coast-to-coast church food drive tied to the Super Bowl. Details in our preview from earlier this week. Help Seattle beat New England even BEFORE the teams take the field; in this contest, everyone wins! (3940 41st SW)

FOOD DRIVE #2: And if you’re closer to the south end, Peace Lutheran Church Pastor Erik Kindem e-mailed to say his church in Gatewood has a Seahawks-spirit food drive going too:

Food donations may be dropped off at Peace Lutheran on Sunday, January 25 from 8:30 am to 3 pm, or Sunday, February 1 from 8:30 am to 3 pm. OR they may also be left at any time under the vestibule by the THISTLE STREET DOORS at any time. GO HAWKS!!

(39th/Thistle)

OLG SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE/SCIENCE FAIR: 9 am until 1 pm, you’re invited to visit Our Lady of Guadalupe School, where you’ll be able to meet teachers, parents, and students. (34th/Myrtle)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always. By the way, the Seattle farmers’ markets have made a bet with their Boston counterparts. (44th/Alaska)

FREE DROP-OFF TAX HELP: 1-4 pm at High Point Branch Library, the United Way of King County‘s offering free “drop-off” help with tax returns, as explained here. (35th/Raymond)

BIOCHAR CLASS: 1 pm, learn how to make it, at West Seattle Nursery ($10 fee). (California/Brandon)

OPERA-PREVIEW LECTURE: 2-3:30 pm, free lecture at the West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library previewing the Seattle Opera‘s upcoming production of “Semele.” (2306 42nd SW)

MATINEE OF ’4000 MILES’: First Sunday matinée for the new ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) production, the Pulitzer-nominated dramatic comedy “4000 Miles.” 3 pm. (4711 California SW)

OPEN MICROPHONE: 4 pm, it’s the monthly all-ages open-microphone event at Skylark – details here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

KNITTERS’ MEETUP: 5:30 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – bring whatever you’re working on! (5612 California SW)

SUNDAY NIGHTLIFE: Trivia, karaoke, live music … listings here!

South Seattle College ‘Gifts from the Earth’ fundraiser sets record

(Photos/video courtesy South Seattle College)
A student’s inspiring story keynoted tonight’s recordsetting “Gifts from the Earth” fundraiser at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). Above, David Yama spoke to the sold-out crowd of 300. Here’s the full recap by SSC’s communications director Kevin Maloney:

South Seattle College announced tonight that the annual Gifts from the Earth fundraising event raised nearly $215,000, a new record in its 12-year history. Proceeds from the event benefit South’s Foundation in its mission to support South students and programs with scholarships, internships, emergency funding, tutoring, and more.

“Gifts from the Earth is an inspiring event where philanthropists and our sponsors come together for the common goal of supporting South students in their pursuit of a higher education and a fulfilling career,” South Seattle College President Gary Oertli said. “Their support has an enormous impact on our students’ ability to realize their dreams.”

South’s supporters started their night with a silent auction accompanied by appetizers and wines crafted by South’s Culinary Arts, Pastry and Baking Arts, and Northwest Wine Academy students and alumni. Next, the sold-out event moved to the Jerry M. Brockey Center, where guests enjoyed a multi-course meal created by 15 celebrity Northwest chefs (including South alumni). Students from the college’s culinary, wine and Hospitality Management B.A.S. programs helped the chefs prep, cook and serve.

A highlight of the evening came after dinner and a live auction, when South student David Michael Patrick Yama shared his story of emerging from poverty to succeeding in college with the help of a Foundation scholarship:

“I sought out a Foundation scholarship because I needed more money, but money was the smallest thing it gave me,” said Yama, who hopes to obtain a doctorate in biomedical engineering. “The greatest thing it gave to me was validation. Validation that I belong here, that I could succeed in school.”

Gifts from the Earth is made possible by the support of the following sponsors: Food Services of America (title sponsor), Boeing, Union Bank, Rebar and Associates, McGranahan Architects, GM Nameplate, QBSI, Interbay Food Company, WSECU, Vigor Industrial, The Gene Colin and Susan Janus Charitable Fund, Pedersen’s and Ferguson Construction.

(Watch SSC’s Facebook page for a photo gallery next week.) The college is headquartered on West Seattle’s Puget Ridge.

West Seattle brothers join in youth-led ‘State of the Planet’ event

(Photos by Andy Clark, courtesy 350 Seattle)
Last year they sang downtown at a rally of concern about exploding oil trains; today, West Seattle brothers Aji and Adonis Piper were part of the “State of the Planet” event at City Hall. Though City Councilmember Mike O’Brien was on hand, this event was led by young sustainability ambassadors, campaigning for two initiatives – first, the Billion-Tree Challenge:

According to the young advocates supported by 350 Seattle, if each person in our state planted 150 trees, that would add up to a billion new ones, creating, advocates say, a “carbon bank” to get through the rest of this century. The other proposal discussed today: Climate-change-warning labels on gas-pump nozzles in Seattle, something like this:

The Northern California city of Berkeley passed an ordinance last November approving that type of label; San Francisco is reported to be considering it. Those who attended today’s event heard from Rob Shirkey, who has been campaigning for the pump labels in Canada. There is no formal proposal pending in Seattle yet.

The WSBeat: Seven more cases from the precinct files

em>By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

This edition of our periodic feature The WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block?” Or on the bridge, or the beach, or …

*Early on the morning of the 17th, a man heard a bang outside his home in the 2700 block of 46th SW. He contacted three males who were standing around his car. (The car door was open.) The three walked away and the victim followed them to a grocery on California Avenue. Officers found the three hiding in the rooftop parking lot. One, a 15-year-old who lives in another part of Seattle, was booked into the Youth Service Center for investigation of vehicle prowling. A second, a 12-year old who does live in West Seattle, was a missing person, and already had two juvenile warrants; one for burglary and one for theft. He was booked for these warrants and for investigation of vehicle prowling. The third, a 14-year-old from downtown, was also a missing person with two juvenile warrants – one for burglary, one for possession of a stolen vehicle. He was booked for the warrants and for investigation of vehicle prowling.

*On the morning of the 20th, a 14-year-old Kent resident with a history of disruptive and intimidating behavior was arrested and booked into the Youth Service Center after striking and threatening to “cut” an Admiral-area store employee who had told him to leave the premises.

Five more summaries ahead: Click to read the rest of The WSBeat: Seven more cases from the precinct files…

West Seattle biznote: Happy anniversary, Fitness Together!

Happy 8th anniversary to Fitness Together-West Seattle (longtime WSB sponsor)! In the photo above, that’s FT-WS proprietor Bonnie Katz Sailors (center) and her team, based in a personal-training studio at 4546 California SW in The Junction. Announcing the anniversary on the FT-WS Facebook page, Bonnie and team said, “We started with a boom in 2007 and it’s been an incredible journey ever since. We always strive for an awesome team of trainers, and we are very proud of all the clients who make the big leap to come through our doors. We know it’s not easy!! A huge THANK YOU to all the clients and trainers who have made this studio a place to be proud of!!”

West Seattle music: Another ‘Tiny Desk Concerts’ contender

Two weeks ago, we featured video of the West Seattle band Woodland recording a song on the Water Taxi for a contest offering an appearance on NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concerts” series. Today, another West Seattle entry:

That’s Margaux LeSourd performing “The Piper.” Her husband Tom sent the link to her video of “The Piper,” explaining it’s her entry in the “Tiny Desk Concerts” contest and also her first video! As noted on the YT page for the clip, she explains:

I love the intimacy of Tiny Desk Concerts… as a musician it is something that both terrifies and touches me. That’s why I chose this song for the submission – I feel that in light of recent and ongoing national events, I have a responsibility to say something meaningful in this small, vulnerable space where people are truly listening.

Margaux teaches music in West Seattle and Georgetown. According to the NPR website, the winner will be announced on February 12th.