day : 18/04/2010 13 results

That’s Morgan Junction-based preparedness volunteer Ron Zuber, doing double duty this morning – while joining in the student-led breast-cancer walk (here’s our earlier report), he stopped for a few radio tests. If other communication channels go down, there’s a radio plan in place for the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs to talk with other neighborhoods and other areas of the city, as well as with authorities – and Ron works to make sure the system’s running, which means periodic testing. This is in addition to the ham-radio operators who are part of a formal network – we’ve reported before on some of their local tests, often headquartered at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge (site of the Communications Academy we spotlighted on Night 10). Even if you’re not part of these networks, simple 2-way radios are often advised as part of your preparedness kit – they can provide family or neighborhood communication over a short distance if needed. And there are some 2-way radios among the increasing number of hand-crank- or solar-powered options. Meantime, our nightly reminders as Disaster Preparedness Month continues:

****Join the West Seattle Be Prepared group on Facebook
****Take the “3 to Get Ready” challenge (WSB sponsor – with prizes!)

Followup: Owners of “The Hole” say they’ll answer the letter

April 18, 2010 8:54 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Development | Southwest District Council | West Seattle news

A week and a half ago, the Southwest District Council decided (WSB coverage here) to send a letter to the owner of The Hole, aka the excavated-then-stalled Fauntleroy Place development site at Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th, asking for safety and aesthetic improvements. The letter subsequently was sent, after a few changes (here’s our report with the final version). We subsequently sought reaction from the addressee, Seattle Capital. After a few days, spokesperson Mary Grace Roske sent this reply:

I have talked with representatives of Seattle Capital Corporation, managing member of Fauntleroy Place LLC, and they have received the letter from the Southwest District Council. Seattle Capital intends to respond to the letter and is reviewing the issues raised. A response will be sent as soon as reasonably possible … the property is in foreclosure and that legal process continues.

A motion for judicial foreclosure was filed eight months ago (WSB coverage here) as part of the ongoing lawsuits (consolidated into one mega-case that is currently set for trial in October).

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Update: EB West Seattle Bridge reopens after half-hour closure

April 18, 2010 6:47 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
6:47 PM: You can’t take the high bridge eastbound right now – it’s closed. There is a police situation at the high-rise. More as we get it. 7:01 PM UPDATE: The person police were dealing with at the high rise is now described on the scanner as “in custody/under control.” So the situation should be wrapping up – we are going back to 35th/Fauntleroy to see if the bridge is open again yet. (7:03: It’s not.) 7:12 PM: Police are saying on the scanner that they are “ready to open everything up.” 7:17 PM: If you’re waiting to go somewhere, note that there’s some residual backup from this, even though the bridge is open again – we are on Harbor Avenue right now and the bridge-bound backup stretches as far as Salty’s. 7:29 PM: Adding a photo from a distance of the police presence that was still on the bridge just before it reopened to traffic. 8:46 PM: One last note – we checked with Det. Mark Jamieson from the SPD Media Unit, and he did confirm that police negotiators safely talked the person into “coming back in”; they were headed to the hospital for an evaluation.

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Dozens join student-organized breast-cancer walk in West Seattle

April 18, 2010 2:05 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Health | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

Those are some of the walkers who joined Evergreen High School senior Anastasia Janecke this morning for the culmination of her senior project, which has been two months in the making: A breast-cancer-awareness/fundraising walk through West Seattle. They left Keller Williams Realty in The Junction at midmorning and headed north on California SW to Seacrest, with a water stop at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District along the way. At Seacrest, Anastasia told us she had two special inspirations for her project:

Ready to keep supporting the battle against breast cancer? As noted here when we first mentioned Anastasia’s project, Northwest Hope and Healing – which has many West Seattle ties, though it helps breast-cancer patients all over the region – has an event coming up: the Style ’10 fashion show, with WS boutiques participating, April 28 at Showbox SODO (tickets available online).

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West Seattle weekend scene: Mariachi @ Chief Sealth music benefit

April 18, 2010 12:56 pm

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

Music filled the cafeteria at Chief Sealth High School/Boren last night, during the Sealth music program’s annual benefit Tamale Dinner. Above, you can see and hear a sample of one of several mariachi groups that performed – this one features Sealth alumni (of whom Sealth principal John Boyd told us at the dinner he’s “very proud”). The program featured choir music too; you can find out more about the Sealth music programs at chiefsealthmusic.org – including a page with info on how to help with financial and/or instrument donations.

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West Seattle weekend scene: Panantukan guro at SIMA

April 18, 2010 12:49 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle video

On Saturday, West Seattle’s newest martial-arts studio played host to an expert teaching the Filipino art of Panantukan:

The instructor is guro Andy Wilson, who spent Saturday afternoon at Seattle Integrated Martial Arts (across from Jefferson Square, co-housed with Limber Yoga), shown in our video with SIMA’s Bob Heinemann. Another special event’s coming up at SIMA – a women’s self-defense class April 28th (info on the SIMA home page).

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Reminder: West Seattle Crime Prevention Council TOMORROW

April 18, 2010 12:19 pm

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| Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

This is a change from its usual “third Tuesday,” so we’re mentioning it again: The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting – a great way to hear directly from local police leadership regarding crime trends, and to ask questions – is TOMORROW, Monday 4/19, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct. Agenda highlights are on the WSCPC website.

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West Seattle High School Fastpitch Softball “Bingo and Walking Taco Night” on May 7

April 18, 2010 10:13 am

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| Announcements

Just out of the WSB inbox:

WEST SEATTLE HS FASTPITCH SOFTBALL BOOSTER CLUB PRESENTS . . . . .

The 1st Annual
BINGO AND WALKING TACO NIGHT

May 7, 2010
6:30-8:30 pm
First Game Begins at 6:40 pm
West Seattle HS Commons (3000 California Avenue SW)

More than $300.00 in cash and other prizes
Tickets: $5.00 for 5 games of bingo
Come find out what a “walking taco” is!

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Last call for West Seattle Food Bank’s “Instruments of Change”

April 18, 2010 10:03 am

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| Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news

The West Seattle Food Bank sends word that tickets are almost sold out for its upcoming benefit – and you’ve got till tomorrow to get yours (remember, it’s Feinstein Challenge time, so everything you do for a local food bank counts extra!). From Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts:

There are only a few tickets left for the West Seattle Food Bank fundraiser Instruments of Change. This fun and worthwhile event is happening Friday, April 30th at 6:00 PM at the Hall at Fauntleroy. Our Special Guest Speaker is Robert V. Taylor. There will be excellent food catered by Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes, music by the Miho and Diego Duo and of course, all proceeds go to help feed families in need in this community. We are extending the deadline to buy tickets through Monday, April 19th, but there are only a few tickets left. Tickets can be bought at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/97962.

Thank you to our tremendous event sponsors!

WSB is pleased to be among them – read on, to see the full list of businesses and organizations that the Food Bank wants to publicly thank:Read More

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Cycle University presents a West Seattle Bike Swap on May 2nd

April 18, 2010 9:58 am

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| Announcements

Just announced by Cycle University, which now has a West Seattle location in The Triangle:

West Seattle Cycle University’s Bike Swap to benefit the Major Taylor Project (explained here)

Date: May 2, 2010
Time: 9 am – 3 pm
Location: Cycle University in West Seattle, 4550 Fauntleroy Way SW

How to participate in the Swap:
Consignment: You can drop off your bike at the West Seattle Cycle University location April 20th – May 1. You establish a price you would like to get for the bike. We then tag the bike with the price and have it available on May 2 for the swap. There will be a 15% consignment fee deducted from all bikes sold, which will be donated to the Major Taylor Project.

If your bike or equipment does not sell, you can donate it to the Major Taylor Project or pick it up at the West Seattle Cycle University .

Rent a Space: If you have a lot of bikes or bike equipment to sell, you can rent a space. Costs are $10 for a 5ft x 5ft and $20 for a 10ft x 10ft space. Register at Cycle University.

Donate: Any bike or bike related equipment can be donated to the Major Taylor Project. All donations are tax deductible. Donations can be dropped off at Cycle University in West Seattle.

Other Activities:
– Kids Learn to Ride Clinics
– Triathlon Presentations

Sponsors:
Cycle University
www.CoolMom.org

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“Throwin’ Samoan” Jack Thompson at Tibbetts Church on April 25

April 18, 2010 7:48 am

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| Announcements

Here’s the announcement from Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor):

On Sunday, April 25th, Tibbetts United Methodist Church is pleased to welcome Jack Thompson, aka “The Throwing Samoan” following the Sunday service, at 11:30am! As a quarterback for the WSU Cougars, Jack played from 1975 to 1978, setting numerous records for WSU, the Pac-10 as well as the NCAA. In 1979’s NFL draft, Jack was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals. Then in 1983, he was a starting quarterback for Tampa Bay.

Jack will be talking about religion in his life, relief efforts following the tsunami that struck Samoa in 2009 and the transition from high school to college.

Being lunch time, there will be food provided, Pecos Pit BBQ sandwiches, potato salad and Husky (?) Ice cream for dessert! For a suggested donation of $5.00, you can’t go wrong.

Tibbetts is at 3940 41st SW.

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West Seattle Sunday: “Firecracker” finale; gumbo; pets x 2 …

April 18, 2010 7:39 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Today’s sunrise, photographed by Robin Lindsey)
There’s a Southern flavor to two of the spotlight events today: At noon, you can enjoy gumbo at Hope Lutheran Church followed by music at 1:30 pm from Total Experience Gospel Choir, all to raise money for New Orleans relief (admission by free-will donation), and at 3 pm, it’s the final performance of the Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) play “The Miss Firecracker Contest” at Youngstown Arts Center.

Also from the West Seattle Weekend Lineup: The WS Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm as always (here’s the latest Ripe ‘n’ Ready list) … while you’re in The Junction, a special aromatherapy presentation is happening 11 am-noon at Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy (WSB sponsor) … also at 11, the Humane Society MaxMobile brings adoptable pets to Next to Nature (till 3) … while you’re in The Junction, at 1 pm, head on over to the Holy Rosary School gym to cheer on the Cub Scout Pack 793 Pinewood Derby … then between 2 and 5 you can mosey southbound to Morgan Junction for the “Live Rock ‘n’ Roll Auction” at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) to help Animals First Foundation raise money to help pets. Have a great day!

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Crashed SUV found overnight – reportedly empty

April 18, 2010 6:19 am

| 16 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news

David Rosen of SlickPix Photography shared that picture of an SUV found on its side at the California Ave SW/California Lane curve (map) just after 2 am. He says police at the scene told him they couldn’t find whoever (if anyone) had been in the car. As for whether they’ve been found since – we’ll be checking on that.

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