day : 12/04/2012 12 results

Countdown to West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2012: 1 month!

April 12, 2012 11:54 pm

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

Quick note before we turn another calendar page: May 12th is now one month away … that’s the 8th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, coordinated and presented by WSB – not one big sale, but rather sales of all sizes, all over the peninsula, depending on how many people decide to join in. After a week and a half of registration, more than 70 sales are registered – thanks! – and we still have about two weeks to go. Not to jinx things too early, but we just heard the outlook for spring weather is fairly bright (Cliff Mass says La Niña is on its way out) … WSCGSD has been graced with sunshine in recent years anyway. So if you’re ready to be part of the region’s BIGGEST all-community person-to-person-recycling day, sign up here! (Then keep an eye out for updates not just here, but also on the WSCGSD website and Facebook page.)

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Friday traffic alerts: Trader Joe’s; Bridge Switch Day 2; Mariners

April 12, 2012 9:29 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle Trader Joe's | West Seattle traffic alerts

Might be a bit of a rubbernecker slowdown on Fauntleroy Way en route to the bridge around 8 am tomorrow, since that’s when the West Seattle Trader Joe’s finally opens, two years after the location first appeared on the city website, which was two months before the lease was signed and the official announcement made. One of the city-operated cameras on the WSB Traffic page, by the way, has long been pointed right at that building:

We also wanted to remind you it’ll be Spokane Street Viaduct Traffic Switch Day 2 – check the comments on this morning’s story for a review of day 1 – AND SDOT also wants to make sure you know the evening commute through Pioneer Square/SODO may be affected by the home opener for the Mariners, 7:10 pm vs. the Oakland A’s.

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West Seattle Art Walk, April edition, and Food for Art!

April 12, 2012 8:01 pm

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| West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

Wonders to behold on tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk – and you still have an hour to get out and see the sights. Our crew is still out and about, but here are two photos shared with us – top, Jana sends the view of artist Jeffro‘s work (with kids assisting!) at Mind Unwind in the Admiral District; next, from Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), jewelry artist Sarah Loertscher:

Sarah’s at Click! again Saturday for a trunk show. More to come – and while you’re out, remember it’s Food for Art tonight, with seven venues sharing proceeds with Transitional Resources! Art Walk’s on till 9 but many Food for ARt participants are going beyond that.

ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: More photos! First, from Sound Ad Group‘s Rock-afire collection in the ex-Petco space:

At Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), photographer Mark Morgan is this month’s artist:

Babette’s Hatworks was featured at Wallflower Custom Framing:

At Seattle Real Estate Associates (WSB sponsor), we photographed D. Lisa West (who created the art you’ll see on this quarter’s WSAW posters and postcards):

At Twilight Artist Collective, artist Michael Harrison:

And one more view from Mind Unwind, where we began – here’s more information about Jeffro Uitto‘s exhibition, and here’s our photo of him with his work:

And it was a feast not just for the eyes but also for diners at the seven venues participating in Food for Art for Transitional Resources. At West 5, Ola Salon was the host – here’s Rachel Karlin, with Shawn Skerritt:

Art Walk is the second Saturday of every month – next one, May 10th!

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Video: 34th District Democrats’ candidate forums, surprise visits, caucus preview…

April 12, 2012 7:54 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

“If someone [still] doesn’t know the caucuses are happening, we can’t help them at this point,” said 34th District Democrats chair Tim Nuse at Wednesday night’s monthly meeting, mentioning an awareness-raising campaign that he said has included 7,000 door-knocks, thousands of phone calls (including 10,000 robocalls Wednesday with a message from King County Executive Dow Constantine), and paid ads (including one here on WSB).

That would be the Democratic precinct caucuses – happening this Sunday at 1 pm at locations all around the district (if you’re a Democrat, find your location here). Even though the presidential candidate is not up for debate, the 34th DDs say there is much to talk about and many reasons to attend yours. But after that pep talk, last night’s meeting at The Hall at Fauntleroy moved on to many ways of looking ahead to August and November, including a surprise speech by our area’s Congressmmember, and three mini-campaign-forums – we’ve got them all on video, ahead:Read More

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West Seattle weather: Sunny now, but earlier…

April 12, 2012 4:27 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to Debbie Pierce for sharing the photo, as stormy weather moved through – and by – this afternoon. (She was looking toward Bainbridge from Alki Beach.) The forecast says there’s still a chance of thundershowers, but overall, it’s a lot nicer now than it was earlier, so come on back home and get out to tonight’s two big events, Food for Art and the West Seattle Art Walk.
ADDED 8 PM: Thanks to Debra Salazar Herbst for this view of the sunset!

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Big response, not-so-big fire in Admiral District this afternoon

April 12, 2012 3:32 pm

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| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

Big response, as is standard for a fire call to a multi-unit building – but what happened at California/College this afternoon was over pretty quick, we learned at the scene. Seattle Fire crews told WSB’s Christopher Boffoli that it was a small fire on an apartment balcony, believed to have been caused by a cigarette. The building’s owner, who has a business on the ground floor, tackled it with an extinguisher before fire crews arrived and finished the job. No injuries, no major damage.

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First the field, now the building: Genesee Hill School fence plan

April 12, 2012 2:39 pm

| 22 COMMENTS

| Crime | Genesee Hill | West Seattle news

The vacant former Genesee Hill Elementary is being besieged by vandals, says Seattle Public Schools, so now they’re going to put up even more fencing. Four weeks ago, we reported on a new locked gate along SW Genesee, which was mostly aimed at vandals, according to the district, but now it seems that’s not enough. Tom Redman from the SPS Capital Projects and Planning department tells WSB the district is “going to fence off the Genesee Hill building with temporary fencing in the near future. There has been increasing vandalism and graffiti plus another break-in last week. Crews will fence off the building, but it will not affect the garden use or the field use (use of the field as a dog park is still not allowed).” Right now, it doesn’t seem likely the Genesee Hill building will ever reopen; in the district’s BEX IV levy planning, it’s mostly under discussion as a future site for an elementary to replace Schmitz Park.

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Getting back on track: West Seattle train trouble along Harbor

April 12, 2012 1:41 pm

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

(First two photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
New train service to Salty’s? No – just looks that way. You don’t often see locomotives this far west – but one is helping resolve a situation just past the end of the tracks along Harbor Avenue this afternoon.

A couple of scrap-metal cars were backed up a little too far and ran into the STREET END sign for the SW Bronson parklet east of Salty’s. First person who told us about this was Alki photographer David Hutchinson, who shared early-morning photos, including this one showing a small tree taken out by one of the errant cars:

The crews we talked with at the scene a short time ago told us they should have things back on track by mid-afternoon. (Thanks also to David F and Craig B for tips about this in the past few hours.)

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West Seattle businesses: Morgan Junction Super Supplements sign

April 12, 2012 11:59 am

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Thanks to Robin for the tip that a banner’s just gone up for the impending move of Super Supplements from The Junction to its new Morgan Junction location (the former Blockbuster Video on the northwest corner of 42nd/Fauntleroy). We first reported three months ago that Super Supplements had settled on this site for a new location; the California/Alaska corner where the store’s been for six years is part of the site where Equity Residential has said it will start construction on its two-building mixed-use project before year’s end. (We’re checking for an update on Super Supplements’ moving timetable.)

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West Seattle power outage update: Most customers back on

April 12, 2012 10:45 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Utilities | West Seattle news

(Screengrab from City Light map, when outage affected 187 customers)
10:45 AM: Thanks to Stu for letting us know about this outage; there was a “wires down” call in the 1900 block of Bonair in Upper Alki around 9 am, and now, an outage too. The City Light map says 187 homes are without power as of about half an hour ago, and they’re not sure yet when it’ll be restored.

11:44 AM UPDATE: Stu says his power is back, and the City Light map confirms the outage is down to 7 residences.

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West Seattle Thursday: Art Walk; Food for Art; more

April 12, 2012 10:30 am

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| West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

Our morning preview is running late because it was stuck in traffic [coverage]. But lots to do tonight!

Click the image for your full-size walking map/venue list for tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk, 6-9 pm. It’s the first Art Walk of the second quarter, so there are some changes. For the next three WSAWs, there are 37 venues, stretching from Alki Arts in the north to Locöl in the south. Some venues have live music, most have refreshments, and it’s the perfect night to wander West Seattle. Find out more about some of the highlighted artists by going to the official Art Walk site – such as, artist Chris Rollins during the Thursday night wine tasting at new WSB sponsor West Seattle Cellars.

FOOD FOR ART: Tonight, dine and drink at any or all of seven West Seattle venues, and help WS-based Transitional Resources fund its art programs for people living with mental illness. Here’s an update from TR’s Yemaya St. Clair:

Dine out in support of art therapy Thursday, April 12 at one of seven participating West Seattle Restaurants. Circa, Fresh Bistro, Highstrike Grill, Locol Barley & Vine, Luna Park Café, West 5, and Zatz are all donating a percentage of their proceeds on Thursday night to Transitional Resources’ art therapy program, serving men and women living with severe and persistent mental illness. Each of the restaurants will host a raffle; your $5 ticket could win one of many generous prizes donated by local businesses, including the grand prize Wellness Package (Ola Salon 60-minute facial + Ola Salon spa products + LaVida Massage 60-minute massage + West Seattle Body Works Spray Tan Party + Chaco Canyon Café gift certificate) or the Artist’s Collection Package ($100 gift certificate toward the purchase of any RobRoy Chalmers original art + Wallflower Custom Framing $50 gift certificate + Young at Art $25 gift certificate + Handmade Quilt by local quilt artist).

Additional raffle prizes include:

Ola Salon Bag (products + hair cut service – total estimated value $170)
$50 gift certificate for Capers
$50 gift certificate for Jak’s Grill
$50 gift certificate for Northwest Art & Frame
$50 gift certificate for Elliott Bay Brewing Co.
Framed original painting by TR Resident Artist, Jenzo
$25 gift certificate for Prost!
Gift certificate for 12 Cupcake Royale cupcakes
6 months of bagels (one dozen bagels each month) from Zatz

Details of each venue’s participation – including hours and links – can be found on the Facebook event page.

GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCIENCE FAIR PALOOZA: Gatewood Elementary principal Rhonda Claytor invites everyone in to see the first annual edition of this showcase: “Every student in grades 2 thru 5 will be contributing some scientific writing for display, and about 50 students have chosen to present their findings from a home science project. We’ll have student work on display (this) afternoon from 1:50-2:50 pm, and in the evening (with cheese and fruit) from 6:30 – 8 pm. The public is welcome to come and see the work of our young scientists.” (Gatewood is on SW Myrtle just west of California SW.)

DELRIDGE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Continued discussion of the 5444 Delridge Way SW project’s potential commercial tenant is part of the agenda for tonight’s meeting, 6:30-8:30 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW).

OPEN HOUSE AT BUTTERFLY BALANCE WELLNESS CENTER: While you’re out and about, 7-9 pm tonight on the southeast edge of The Triangle. Details in the WSB event-calendar listing.

Even more for today/tonight on the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar – explore it here.

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West Seattle traffic alert: Spokane St. Viaduct ‘traffic shift’ starts

April 12, 2012 5:00 am

| 57 COMMENTS

| Spokane St. Viaduct project | West Seattle news

(Scroll down for ongoing updates during the morning commute)

(No cameras in the construction zone, so here’s the SDOT webcam view looking toward it)
5 AM: If you use the Spokane Street Viaduct – the West Seattle Bridge between I-5 and Highway 99 – this is the morning a big, though temporary, change is supposed to kick in, as of right about now: All four lanes of traffic will be using the newly built north side of the elevated structure, which means …

*Narrower lanes (10 feet)
*25 mph speed limit
*No eastbound access to the 4th Avenue S. offramp for at least the first six weeks

This is all for the biggest part of the final phase of the three-plus-year Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project – rehabbing the original elevated structure, to the south of the newly built one. When it’s all done, the new north side will carry the westbound lanes and the original south side will carry the eastbound lanes. Meantime, the tighter-squeeze temporary configuration will likely mean slower going, so we’ll watch this morning’s commute closely, for starters. And (once your commute is over) let us know how it goes for you.

(Photo shared by Ben)
7:46 AM NOTE: Commenters are talking about one other change mentioned in the city reminder from yesterday afternoon:

In addition, access to the eastbound Spokane Viaduct from the eastbound Harbor Island on-ramp will be restricted – the ramp will only provide access to northbound SR99—until the eastbound traffic is moved back onto the refurbished structure in the late summer.

8:17 AM UPDATE: Text (206-293-6302 any time) and Twitter tips say there’s a multi-car “fender bender” in the right eastbound lane of the Spokane Street Viaduct, with “huge backups” ensuing.

8:47 AM UPDATE: Police are handling the crash – units were going from West Seattle, but were called off when closer units said they would handle – but we haven’t heard whether it’s been cleared yet. Multiple reports say the bridge trouble has backed up approaches including Delridge and 35th.

9:18 AM UPDATE: The bridge crash has JUST been cleared – it was announced on the scanner, “All lanes of the eastbound West Seattle Bridge are now open.”