day : 29/08/2012 12 results

Laurie shared these photos from Lincoln Park, explaining:

About 1:45 today, eleven police officers pulled up on motorcycles in front of Colman Pool. Apparently it was a training exercise in riding through park terrain.

First the officers answered questions and handed out stickers to awe-struck boys, and then they rode up the steep dirt trail that leads from the beach to the upper park. Once there, they rode around single file, learning to navigate the fields and woods.

Read about the SPD Motorcycle Unit here.

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One more concert in the park! Curtains For You, Thursday at Hiawatha

August 29, 2012 10:23 pm

| Comments Off on One more concert in the park! Curtains For You, Thursday at Hiawatha

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Tomorrow (Thursday) night, it’s the grand finale of the Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with co-sponsors including WSB. Tonight’s reminder comes from ANA president Katy Walum:

I wanted to let your readers know that the Admiral Neighborhood Association will be having two face painters for the kids’ enjoyment at tomorrow night’s show. Free! Also, we’ll be giving out the rest of our popsicles – free! And the best free thing of all – the free concert – Curtains For You – brought to the community by the ANA and our fabulous sponsors. We’re a little sad that the last show of the summer is upon us, but so glad that we get to ring out the close of the season with such an amazing power-pop band (hint: they’ll be opening for the fall tour of the Head and the Heart)! Fingers crossed for clear-ish skies …

Above, a recent Curtains For You clip we found on YouTube. The concert’s free, on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center, 6:30 pm. See you there!

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Bataan Park Outdoor Fitness Zone: New, and free, in High Point

August 29, 2012 6:27 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| Health | High Point | West Seattle news

Thanks to Wendy Hughes-Jelen for that photo of part of a brand-new installation in High Point – the Bataan Park Outdoor Fitness Zone at High Point Drive SW and Bataan Place SW. We got first word from Denise Sharify with Neighborhood House:

Be Active Together (Neighborhood House) and Open Space Association at High Point announces the opening of the Bataan Park Outdoor Fitness Zone

First of a kind in West Seattle, if not Seattle, The Zone offers FREE outdoor exercise equipment to the community 24/7. They are fun to use and accessible for almost everyone.

There are 8 pieces of equipment that make up a medium-sized gym center outdoors in a beautiful setting. A person who works his or her way through the entire circuit will get a high-quality aerobic and strength workout for the whole body.

*Located next to a children’s playground, it promotes family fitness and intergenerational play

*Offers communities a great way to promote wellness and fight obesity.

Join us at the grand opening on Sept. 5th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and work out with fitness expert Willie Austin. Live Jazz music and refreshments provided.

For more information or to receive training as a Fitness Zone ambassador, call Denise Sharify at 206.571.5070.

The new Fitness Zone was built with the help of a grant from KaBOOM! (previously known around here for the Delridge Playground) and Dr. Pepper/Snapple.

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Followup: Lauren’s bee project gets the green light

August 29, 2012 4:59 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Environment | Gardening | High Point | West Seattle news

Remember Lauren Englund and her idea for an “observational/educational beehive” in High Point, where she lives? We featured her pitch here back in May – and she’s just e-mailed to say “We got the space!” Next Tuesday, everyone interested in the project is invited to a design meeting. Ahead, excerpts of the e-mail she sent to supporters, including the meeting time/date/place:Read More

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Why coming to a mayoral Town Hall can matter: Diane’s computer complaint sparks action

August 29, 2012 4:57 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle online

Last night, as reported in our as-it-happened coverage of Mayor McGinn‘s West Seattle Town Hall, Admiral resident Diane Vincent told him the city should have planned better to make sure computerless citizens weren’t out in the cold during the Seattle Public Library closure week – she tried to use community-center computer labs, and found some of THEM closed too. The mayor promised action. Here’s the official announcement just sent by Seattle Parks:

During this week when Seattle Public Library branches are closed, these Seattle Parks and Recreation “Rec Tech” computer labs will be open for public use:

· International District/Chinatown Community Center, 719 8th Ave. S, Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and today and Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

· Garfield Community Center, 2323 E Cherry St., hours vary because of daily programming; please call 206-684-4788 for public hours.

· Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave. E, hours vary because of daily programming; please call 206-684-4753 for public hours.

· Yesler Community Center, 917 E Yesler Way, Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. Additional hours may be available for public use based on daily programming; for information, please call 206-386-1245.

· Southwest Teen Life Center, 2801 SW Thistle St., will open today and tomorrow (Thursday) from 5 to 8 p.m. and Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. but no technical support will be available.

Regular library operations resume on Tuesday, September 4. …

We’ll add a direct link shortly to Diane’s question (#19) in our video of the entire event. (added) You can hear her question (we didn’t turn the camera, though) and see the mayor’s response, starting here.

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West Seattle coyotes: Westwood sighting – with cat

August 29, 2012 4:51 pm

| 20 COMMENTS

| Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Recent comments and correspondence have led us to realize that some people still are not aware that coyotes are pretty much everywhere around the peninsula (here’s our map). So, when something like this note from Bill comes in, we need to share it:

My wife was walking our dog this morning in the Westwood area when she came across a coyote with a black cat in its mouth. This happened on 32nd Ave between Thistle and Cloverdale. Just want to give all of our neighbors near here a heads-up.

Everything you want to know about coyotes – including what to do when you see one – is here.

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ArtsWest ‘immensely proud’ of National Theatre Company grant

August 29, 2012 3:46 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Big news from ArtsWest – a prestigious grant never before given to a theater in our state. Here’s the announcement:

ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery is pleased to announce that the American Theatre Wing, best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards, is awarding the Company with one of the 2012 National Theatre Company grants.

The award includes a $10,000 grant given to only 10 theaters in the country. ArtsWest is the first theater in Washington State to win this award.

This grant will have a significant impact on ArtsWest, providing resources needed to realize our full artistic vision and assisting in our ability to provide even broader access to the arts. The grant is given to emerging regional theaters that have articulated a distinctive mission, cultivated an audience, and nurtured a community of artists in ways that strengthen and demonstrate the quality, diversity, and dynamism of American theatre. More information about the National Theatre Company grants can be found at http://americantheatrewing.org/grants.

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West Seattle development: Testing at 4755 Fauntleroy Way

August 29, 2012 2:46 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| 4755 Fauntleroy | Development | West Seattle news

Anne at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) tipped us to a work crew at 4755 Fauntleroy Way, past Huling Chevrolet and future proposed mixed-use development site (first covered here a month ago). In case you wondered too: We checked with John Wunder of Associates West, rep for the property owners, and he said it’s just “environmental testing” – the site’s prospective future owners doing “due diligence.” No additional information yet about this proposed development, but we’re continuing to follow up. It’s one of the sites on the map we debuted last week, showing active under- and future-construction sites in West Seattle:

View Major active/upcoming West Seattle development, August 2012 in a larger map

Nothing added to the map since its debut six days ago, but we’re monitoring these and other sites and will continue to update.

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West Seattle restaurants: Pica Border Grill transformation, with spice and art

August 29, 2012 12:06 pm

| 27 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Story and photos by Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Pica Border Grill is open for business in The Junction at 4151 California SW (the former location of Jonny Bostons), offering “burgers, tacos, and more.”

We reported last month that new owner Miguel Govela planned to expand the menu and change the name and look of the establishment; he chatted with WSB Wednesday during the “soft launch” of the new menu. The restaurant has new art, too.

First, the food – Pica Border Grill now offers food from “both sides of the border,” retaining the menu of burgers and cheesesteak subs and adding a menu of Mexican fare that includes chicken, beef, pork and fish tacos, quesadillas, salads and a torta sandwich named the Tampiqueña: Beef or shredded pork on a bolillo (French roll) with mayonnaise, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, carmelized onions, homemade chorizo, avocado, Mexican cheese, green salsa, tomato, and cilantro. (This signature torta is named for Govela’s home city of Tampico, in Tamaulipas, Mexico.) There are vegetarian options for several of the dishes — and their variety of salsas and salad dressings are prepared fresh each day.

(Proud proprietor of Pica Border Grill, Miguel Govela)

Next, the art – after painting the building with a southwestern color palette, Govela was pleased to have West Seattle artist Joseph Brooks (seen in the West Seattle Art Walk, featured at Twilight Artist Collective) spraypaint the mural that glows on the south side of the building:

Mural on the wall at Pica Border Grill in West Seattle

Minor fine-tuning to the menu may occur going forward, but Govela looks forward to providing his “both sides of the border” menu to West Seattle.

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West Seattle Crime Watch (and more): Overnight ‘chase’; stolen and recovered bicycles; car prowls…

August 29, 2012 11:14 am

| 12 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Big roundup today for West Seattle Crime Watch and other police activity – with three notes related to bike theft (actual or suspected).

First one starts with an incident that several people asked about this morning on the WSB Facebook page – early-morning yelling in Morgan Junction, and eventually an ambulance. Nothing on the 911 log, so we checked with Det. Mark Jamieson of Seattle Police. He says one man thought he saw another steal a bicycle around 2 am – the second man was reported to be on one bicycle and pushing another, after having allegedly gone into the first man’s neighbor’s yard. The first man, police say, followed/chased the second man, who dropped the extra bike, and then, when the first man caught up with him near California/Graham, dropped the one he was riding. The first man “detained” him and the second one started yelling something like “Don’t hurt me.” That’s when multiple people called 911 – a passing ambulance even stopped, thinking they had witnessed an assault. Police could not prove that the bicycle was stolen, says Det. Jamieson, so there was no arrest, and nobody required hospitalization, so the final categorization of the call was simply “suspicious circumstances.” P.S. The bicycle was placed into evidence.

Whether related or not, we’ve heard more stories of bicycle thefts in Crime Watch reader reports lately. One is after the jump – along with the saga of a Crime Watch case closed when a bicycle-theft victim DID get her bikes back – via someone who saw the story here – and a few other WSCW notes:

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West Seattle Wednesday: Check the calendar!

August 29, 2012 10:07 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Check the calendar!

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

For today’s daily preview, just a quick note pointing you to the updated-for-months-to-come WSB West Seattle Events Calendar. The highlights are several Back-To-School events for individual local schools, including WSB sponsors West Seattle Montessori and Holy Family Parish School, plus a Community Health Fair this evening in High Point. For any WSB calendar event (today or beyond) you would like to know more about, click the “plus” on the right side of the listing line to expand the preview, then click “read more” on the lower right, and you will be taken to a standalone page with info, map, and more.

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Countdown to new Spokane St. Viaduct ramp: How to get onto it

August 29, 2012 7:51 am

| 62 COMMENTS

| Spokane St. Viaduct project | West Seattle news

By this time Friday morning, as SDOT announced last week, the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct‘s new 1st Avenue South on-/offramp will be open. Since it is a two-way ramp, you’ll drive southbound to get onto it, rather than westbound. And that led commenter “TK” to ask:

What is the recommended route for westbound traffic coming from the Georgetown/4th Ave S (Costco)/Spokane St. area going back to West Seattle via the 1st Ave onramp?

Once Spokane St is reopened, how do we access the onramp? Turn north on 1st Ave & pull a U-turn? (will SDOT put up signs allowing this like some places in Bellevue?) Or continue on 4th north to the old potholed non-arterial Holgate just to get south again?

There doesn’t seem to be any reasonable solution that comes to mind, and there is a lot of traffic which will have to deal with this daily.

As promised in the comment exchange, we took the question to SDOT. Ahead, the answer from project spokesperson Paul Elliott:Read More

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