day : 12/11/2009 10 results

(September 2009 photo by Christopher Boffoli)
… two months later, it’s a clothing-optional swim at Southwest Pool, just announced on Twitter. Seems the folks behind the bike ride also sponsor a series of skinny-dipping evenings at city pools – usually at Ballard Pool, but a closure there has just been extended, so this Saturday night’s swim has moved to West Seattle’s only city-run indoor pool. It’s a private rental, 8-10 pm (hours the pool would otherwise be closed), raising money for the World Naked Bike Ride events (like the one in West Seattle two months ago) and the Gardens Everywhere Bike Parade – more info here (ticket prices and a whole long list of rules, regulations and prerequisites) if you’re inclined to join them.

Video: Tonight’s Chief Sealth Seahawk Spirit dinner/auction

November 12, 2009 9:13 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | West Seattle video

The student musicians of Chief Sealth High School not only were among the beneficiaries of tonight’s Seahawk Spirit fundraising dinner/auction at The Hall at Fauntleroy, they also were the featured performers – above, video of the Chief Sealth Mariachis outside, and here, the Steel Drum Band inside:

Attendees browsed the abundant auction offerings, including the eclectic cross-section in our second photo:

Tonight’s event sold out more than a week in advance, but there are lots of other ways to help, as noted on the Chief Sealth PTSA website.

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Happening now: West Seattle Art Walk, all over the peninsula

November 12, 2009 6:13 pm

| Comments Off on Happening now: West Seattle Art Walk, all over the peninsula

| West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

(That’s Primo on the keys at The Kenney tonight)
Now till 9 pm, dozens of venues all over the peninsula – from Alki to North Delridge, The Junction to Morgan Junction to Fauntleroy – are welcoming you to stop in for this month’s West Seattle Art Walk. We previewed a few venues this morning; the Art Walk website has many more previews; and we’ve received a few more notes in the meantime, including word of a “crow” theme at Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in The Junction, with Gatewood author Lyanda Lynn Haupt signing her acclaimed book “Crow Planet” while artist Cara Granger shows crow-themed paintings.

Also, while ActivSpace artists participate in this month’s Art Walk, High Point-residing realtor Wendy Hughes-Jelen is having a reception at her new GreenWorks Realty office in ActivSpace. (Added the photo 11:59 pm – from left, Rhonda Porter of The Mortgage Porter [WSB sponsor], Wendy Hughes-Jelen, jewelry artist Delores Johnston Peck, pottery artist Michael Eric Dennett)

Here’s the Art Walk map – and send pix if you get them (we’ll be out and about too) – here’s our first one, with artist Todd Martin in his safari tent at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor), just sent by Hotwire proprietor Lora Lewis:

7:48 PM UPDATE: Added video from The Kenney atop this story, and here’s art from Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), sent by co-proprietor John Smersh, observing that it seems to play into tonight’s impromptu crow theme:

That’s by Portland artist Rachel Austin, who will be at Click! for an artist reception 6-9 pm Nov. 21st. 8:33 PM: A few more photos – at Twilight Artist Collective in The Junction, it’s all about ironworkers’ art, like this equine example:

And at Brunette Mix (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, the captivating cutouts of Wil Clark Kerner, a teenage “artist savant”:

Next month’s Art Walk on December 10th is a special holiday Art Walk, and a chance to do late-night, not-so-last-minute shopping.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Burglarized while asleep, and more

November 12, 2009 5:48 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

2 West Seattle Crime Watch reports to share – starting with a home burglarized while its residents were asleep. We got this one thirdhand, so we checked with the Southwest Precinct, where Lt. Steve Paulsen confirmed the details: The house in the 5200 block of 35th SW (map) was broken into Tuesday night. The burglar(s) broke a basement window to get in; police say the items stolen included a camera, laptop, purse, credit card, and calling card. And one unusual detail: The burglar(s) tried to disable the home phone by jamming a button. One more case ahead – call it a backyard break-in:Read More

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Budget vote: 2 West Seattle libraries to move to 5 days a week

November 12, 2009 3:26 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Following this morning’s vote to raise electricity rates, another high-profile budget action’s been taken by the Seattle City Council: Councilmembers voted to restore $860,000 in funding to the Seattle Public Library budget. According to the Friends of Seattle Public Library website, here’s what that means in terms of library operations in West Seattle: The Southwest and West Seattle (Admiral) branches will remain open 7 days a week, 10 am-8 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 10 am-6 pm Fridays-Saturdays, 1-5 pm Sundays. But the Delridge and High Point branches (South Park too), currently open 6 days a week, will be reduced to 5 days a week (closed Fridays and Sundays) – 1 pm-8 pm Mondays and Tuesdays, 11 am-6 pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 am-6 pm Saturdays. Read more here about what the library budget action means.

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Video: Tuskegee Airmen spotlighted at Denny assembly

November 12, 2009 2:08 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | West Seattle video

No classes districtwide yesterday, so Denny International Middle School celebrated Veterans Day today. Our video shows the featured guest speaker, Tommie Lamb, president of the Puget Sound-based Sam Bruce Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, who made history in the 1940s as the first African-American pilots in the U.S. military. His speech was preceded by students talking about the Tuskegee Airmen’s history and accomplishments. Denny student musicians performed at today’s assembly too.

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2 West Seattle school notes: Madison soccer, Chief Sealth dinner

November 12, 2009 12:24 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

MADISON SOCCER: Thanks to Cheryl for sending word that Madison Middle School‘s girls’ varsity soccer team is in tournament semifinals today, playing Washington Middle School at 3 pm at Memorial Stadium downtown (map), and hoping for a big cheering section.

CHIEF SEALTH DINNER/AUCTION TONIGHT: The event tonight at The Hall at Fauntleroy is sold out but a supporter points out that you can still donate to the program – they’re raising money to support the acclaimed Chief Sealth music program (including groups that will perform tonight – Mariachi, Steel Drum, Brass Quintet) and $ donations are welcome through donation forms on the PTSA website.

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14% Seattle City Light rate increase gets council approval

November 12, 2009 11:18 am

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| Utilities | West Seattle news

Followup on last night’s story – according to a City Council news release we just received, councilmembers approved the highest proposed Seattle City Light rate hike under consideration – nearly 14 percent over 2 years. Read on for their announcement and explanation (followed by Councilmember Bruce Harrell‘s statement – added 11:32 am – saying he thought a smaller increase would have sufficed):Read More

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Your first look at what’s planned for the Redline (etc.) site

November 12, 2009 9:13 am

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| Development | Triangle | West Seattle news

We first told you on Halloween about a project that’s emerged for the Triangle-area site on 35th south of Avalon that now holds Redline Music and Sports and a vacant lot. Today, one week before the Southwest Design Review Board is scheduled to take a look, the early-design proposal for the project is available online – it’s the source for the sketch you see above. The perspective is roughly the same one in this Google Street View of the site:

View Larger Map

The proposal packet outlines the plan so far as: “100-150 dwelling units on five floors over a ground level floor of commercial and parking with a below grade basement parking structure. Parking for approximately 158 vehicles would be available to support the 100-150 dwelling units and 12,250 sf of street level commercial space” and says developers are looking at building to the maximum height allowed by current zoning, 65 feet. More details to come when the Design Review Board looks at the project, 6:30 pm next Thursday at the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction; the city’s project-status page is here.

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West Seattle Art Walk tonight! Bring food bank donations

November 12, 2009 7:30 am

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle Art Walk | WS culture/arts

Tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk rocks at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) with the Seattle premiere of “Double Down Live,” West Seattle filmmaker Jamie Chamberlin‘s two-disc production of tour footage from the band — 1980 for one disc, 2008 for the other. Screening’s at 7 (with another one post-Art Walk at 10). And that’s just one of many stops on the map – get it here – which ranges all over West Seattle:

Not far from the Feedback, it’s Harvest Time at The Kenney – one of the spots on this month’s Art Walk collecting nonperishable food donations for the two food banks that serve West Seattle – art includes watercolors, jewelry and live piano/vocals – Brock Mason Photography will also be there offering professional-quality family portraits in front of a decorated holiday tree – and you can nosh on “autumn comfort foods” provided by the catering team from The Kenney.

Heading north, Emerald Spiral (5910 California SW) features Iris Muranaka’s work and acoustic music by Why Ask Why; C and P Coffee‘s Wine Club tasting event coincides with Art Walk night – 6-8 pm, the theme is Thanksgiving wine, with Christy Hemovich from Grape Expectations offering suggestions for holiday meals. (While Art Walk itself is free, this event at C&P has a $15 tasting fee; RSVP to candpco@comcast.net)

On to The Junction, Twilight Artist Collective opens a new show tonight, surveying contemporary Northwest ironwork by members of the NW Blacksmith Association, curated by Lisa Geertsen and Andy Blakney of Firelight Forge, with an opening reception during Art Walk 6-9 pm.

Wallflower Custom Framing (WSB sponsor) also has an artists’ reception, opening a group show of “Puny Pictures”:

The show includes 23 artists with 162 pieces, says Wallflower’s Kelly Rae Cunningham, who’s among the artists. Wallflower is across 42nd from Jefferson Square.

Continuing north, there’s also a reception at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), with artist Todd Martin, who explains: “The show: ‘Head Shots, if animals were celebrities,’ is based on the idea of what it would be like if the paparazzi chased animals instead of celebrities.” Hotwire is one of the locations collecting food-bank donations, along with nearby Ginomai, Alki Bathhouse, ActivSpace, The Kenney, Sterling Images, and Bird on a Wire Espresso. Many more of the shows, from Alki in the north to Fauntleroy in the south, are previewed on the official Art Walk website; download the printable walking map here; again, official Art Walk hours tonight are 6-9 pm.

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