day : 28/06/2008 12 results

One more round of West Seattle Saturday scenes

June 28, 2008 11:55 pm

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| Puget Ridge | Seen around town | West Seattle people

That’s part of the scene on the South Seattle Community College campus as “Field Day” for local amateur-radio operators (part of a nationwide drill) is more like “Field Weekend” — you can check it out tomorrow, too (southeast corner of the campus). Next, from the final hour of another longrunning West Seattle event this weekend:

Click To Play

That’s the “kids’ lap” in the final hour of Relay for Life of West Seattle, the American Cancer Society fundraiser that ran continuously from 6 pm Friday to noon today at West Seattle Stadium (we showed you the event-opening “survivors’ lap” here). Finally, more playground progress:

By the time we got to Gatewood Elementary at late morning, the wood-chip-shoveling work party was already over – and the area around the newly installed play structure is looking better all the time – we’ll let you know when inspectors give the all-clear and it’s ready to open (parent volunteers HOPE that might be in time for next weekend).

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Busy night on the scanner, and one seasonal question

June 28, 2008 11:06 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Various West Seattle police calls in progress at the moment – including “numerous illegal beach fires” in the 56th/Alki vicinity, which the dispatcher was advised are being handled by the Parks Deparment “putting ’em out right now.” But even more seasonal, in West Seattle and beyond, are tons of police calls from people who aren’t sure if they’re hearing gunshots or fireworks. We thought we’d look up “how to tell the difference,” and haven’t found a definitive explanation so far – only that guns tend to be a more “sharp” sound. (Of course, fireworks merit a police call too, since all types are illegal within city limits, as we mentioned yesterday.)

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More scenes from a sizzling Saturday

June 28, 2008 9:57 pm

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| Seen around town | Seen at sea | West Seattle weather

WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli sent that stupendous shot – airshow-practice season! – and the next two wonderful water scenes:

The riders crowding the top deck of the Water Taxi no doubt had a view of Mount Rainier today, but nothing like this one sent by Scott (who lives in West Seattle but happened to be “above Enumclaw” at the time he took this:

Those are the “beauty shots” – more photos coming up in a bit from some of the events/activities around our area today. (Thanks to Christopher and Scott, and to everyone who sends pix, video, and info … editor@westseattleblog.com, any time.)

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New ways to help the two food banks that serve West Seattle

June 28, 2008 8:32 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | How to help

This week we’ve received information from the White Center Food Bank, whose turf includes southern WS, and the West Seattle Food Bank, regarding new ways to help them continue to serve thousands of people in our area, a number that’s growing as times get tougher: WCFB is working right now to plan its annual Harvest Dinner/Auction (October 18 at South Seattle Community College) — its biggest fundraising event of the year — and will greatly appreciate your donations of auction items, gift certificates, or cash. Contact the White Center Food Bank by August 1st (the sooner the better) to let them know what you can donate; you can call Rick Jump at 206-762-2848 with questions and/or to get a form. Meantime, with West Seattle Summer Fest now just two weeks away, we get word that West Seattle Food Bank will be selling raffle tickets there again this year — grand prize is 2 unrestricted round-trip tickets to anywhere via Alaska Airlines, first prize is an 18-inch freshwater-pearl necklace from Menashe & Sons Jewelers, and the ticket itself gets you a 10% discount at Elliott Bay Brewery or Christo’s on Alki. You can even buy raffle tickets in advance – call the West Seattle Food Bank at 206-932-9023 – tickets are $5 each and only 1,000 will be sold.

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Charlestown Cafe grand reopening: Still on for Monday

June 28, 2008 5:31 pm

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| Charlestown Cafe | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Just checked with Charlestown Cafe co-owner Larry Mellum, and he confirms the grand reopening is still on for 6 am Monday (as first reported here a week and a half ago; then we showed you photos last Monday of the CC team getting everything ready), almost five months after the fire that shut the Charlestown down. We’ll be there to bring you the online equivalent of a live report. Says Larry, in an understatement: “Should be fun!” (WSB Charlestown Cafe coverage is archived here, newest to oldest.)

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Keeping cool on Alki

June 28, 2008 4:11 pm

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| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Actually this group probably wasn’t feeling all that cool, huddling around a barbecue by one of the picnic shelters to roast marshmallows. Nice umbrellas, though. Down on the sandy beach, a Malibu-size throng:

And a reminder that the Seafair Pirates’ Landing is one week from today – an Alki Ave. house has decorated its dolphin fountain with pirate headgear:

The official National Weather Service top-of-each-hour readings are here (KBFI is Boeing Field – 85 at 4 pm – KSEA is Sea-Tac Airport – 89 – K91S is Alki Point but that doesn’t measure temperature).

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Always wanted to be in The Parade? Here’s an easy way

June 28, 2008 1:08 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival | West Seattle people

Three weeks from today, on July 19, thousands of West Seattleites will line California Avenue SW, from Admiral to The Junction, to enjoy the West Seattle Grand Parade presented by American Legion Post 160 during the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival, with sights and sounds like those provided by the All-City Band (above, that’s a 2007 WSB photo of its tuba players). If this is your second or third summer reading WSB, you know we are absolutely crazy in love with parades, particularly this one. And we are thrilled to be able to help facilitate a group for this year’s parade — and to extend to you the invitation to be part of it, provided you meet just one criteria: You do, or have done, volunteer work for something. It can be something small and simple – you help out at your kids’ school – or something big (you’re part of a community group with meetings and events and everything else that keeps you busy week in and week out) – or something you’ve done just a time or two (painted out graffiti? picked up trash?). While discussing the idea of a parade unit with Morgan Junction volunteer extraordinaire Cindi Barker, the idea hatched: Volunteers of West Seattle Grand Parade Marching Unit. Don’t worry, no rehearsals, no choreographed moves, just show up on parade day and show off the “volunteer power” that keeps West Seattle running (though we’d like you to RSVP – e-mail volunteermarchers@gmail.com). Here’s part of the notice that Cindi has started to distribute on local mailing lists:

Weâ€™re not organized, scheduled or in any way coherent for this event, just like your average volunteer activity. The one thing that is firm:
If you show up decorated in anything that remotely resembles your volunteer activity, we will buy you a beer or soda at West 5 after the parade. Silliness and giant leaps of imagination are encouraged, have fun with your topic. Afterwards, youâ€™ll be trying to explain yourself – networking at its finest, eh?

No need to RSVP or pre-register, though we’d like to hear from you, so if you think you might be interested drop us a line at volunteermarchers@gmail.com

If you decide at the last minute you can come along, just show up and join the Volunteers in West Seattle Grand Parade Marching Unit for the recognition you so greatly deserve. No meetings will be held along the parade route, in case you were wondering.

Note that freebie – if you really get into the spirit. WSB will be joining the group too, and you can watch this site for details as the parade gets closer, as well as morganjunction.org, where Cindi will have info posted too. If you’re not already in the parade, and you’re part of West Seattle’s amazing volunteer power, please consider joining us! (Your kids can march with the group too; nothing motorized – Cindi has arranged for a cool Mini Cooper to lead the unit, with “snappy music” as she puts it.)

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West Seattle Saturday morning scenes

June 28, 2008 10:50 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| Seen around town | West Seattle weather

Thanks to Christy Johnson of On Focus Photo for that incredible shot of this morning’s sunrise, taken just after 5 am. (Just LOOKS like a day that’s going to get close to 90 degrees; in fact, the National Weather Service now has a “Heat Advisory” in effect till 9 pm Sunday.) Christy also advises us she’ll have a booth selling her work at the upcoming West Seattle Summer Fest (7/11-7/13) in The Junction. Speaking of The Junction – if you’re driving in that area today, be forewarned about this:

We told you Thursday about the plans for last night’s road work – and the “seal coat” you see above is the result of that, with cars kicking up some dust when we passed through earlier today.

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Happening today: Strength; slugging; signaling; housewarming

June 28, 2008 8:14 am

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| Fun stuff to do | How to help | WS & Sports

That’s one of the pics we took last year at the Bench Press and Dead Lift Championships at Alki — last summer (our coverage here) they were in August; this summer, it’s happening today. Other highlights from our West Seattle Weekend Lineup list include amateur-radio operators’ Field Day (you’ll find them on the southeast side of the South Seattle Community College campus; pic from last year is here), plus West Seattle Little League 9-10 and 10-11 All-Star teams in championship games this morning at PacWest Fields in SeaTac; and a housewarming celebration this afternoon for surfing-injury survivor Addie Killam (more at the blog that chronicled the volunteer effort to fix up the house she’s come home to). Lots more in the WSWL.

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Radio programming note: WSB on KUOW (94.9 FM) Monday

June 28, 2008 6:30 am

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| West Seattle online | West Seattle people

If you’re near a radio or computer at 9 am Monday, your editor here will be one of several guests during the live interview show “Weekday” on KUOW (94.9 FM, or listen online here) — here’s their description of what we’ll be talking about (not on KUOW’s website yet so we’re excerpting from e-mail the booking producer sent us):

Neighborhood blogs

A townhouse is going up next door, someone got mugged around the corner, and a new coffee shop opened down the street. That’s the kind of thing you want to know when it happens near you. But it’s probably not going to make it into the city newspaper. Hyper local bloggers have sprung up to fill you in on your neighborhood news. Some bloggers are reporters. Some are software developers. Some are just curious citizens. One only writes haikus. Are local blogs how all of us will get more information in the future? Is it a sustainable business? Do you read a local blog? E-mail weekday@kuow.org.

Other scheduled guests are from Central District News, Rainier Valley Post, OlyBlog, and Hillku (whose writer also contributes to Capitol Hill Seattle). P.S. Our “Rain City Radio” online/phone chat from earlier this week is now archived here as an audio file (and linked from our “About” page, where we have a list of WSB-related coverage links below our bios).

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Happening right now: Relay for Life – West Seattle

June 28, 2008 1:21 am

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| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

Click To Play

Up late? Up early? Go drop by West Seattle Stadium and cheer on the Relay for Life of West Seattle teams as they continue their 18-hour American Cancer Society fundraiser — yes, that’s 18 continuous hours; R4LWS started at 6 pm Friday with the scene you see above, the “survivors’ lap.” That video shows the “survivors’ lap” at 6 pm Friday. Among the survivors participating — Fauntlee Hills’ Tammy Wooley, who we interviewed along with husband Kevin in this Relay for Life preview. The relay continues till an awards’ ceremony at noon today (preceded by the “kids’ lap” at 11 am).

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Water views, on the bay and on the hill

June 28, 2008 12:28 am

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| Elliott Bay Water Taxi | High Point | Seen around town | Seen at sea

Thanks to JayDee for sending that view of a state ferry and cruise ship on Elliott Bay, photographed from the 4:40 pm Water Taxi run. A few hours later, we captured this view from High Point Pond:

Good birdwatching at the pond – besides the two Canada geese on the pond in the photo, down by the water’s edge we saw two baby ducks and their mom (photo didn’t come out, unfortunately) and abundant barn swallows.

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