West Seattle, Washington

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day : 04/03/2013 12 results

Water Taxi changes Tuesday – Rachel Marie’s in for repairs again
March 4, 2013 10:09 pm
|    Comments Off on Water Taxi changes Tuesday – Rachel Marie’s in for repairs again
 |   King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

For the second time in less than a month, the West Seattle Water Taxi run’s regular vessel Rachel Marie is out for repairs, so the county has just announced that Melissa Ann will handle the run tomorrow. It in turn will be replaced on the Vashon run by the Victoria Clipper. You might recall that the county’s been working on getting a new backup boat, the Spirit of Kingston, which was built with a federal grant that would enable it to be transferred here since its original owners don’t need it any more. It may be just a few weeks away – Kingston Community News reports that it’s about to leave that community for a week-long “pre-transfer survey” in Port Townsend; last time we checked with King County Councilmember and Ferry Board chair Joe McDermott‘s office, that was one of the last steps before delivering the boat here.

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West Seattle scene: Sun’ll set later after Daylight Saving Time arrives Sunday morning
March 4, 2013 8:12 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Click image for larger view)
WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams caught the sunset scene tonight at Lowman Beach. It’s an excuse for us to remind you that Daylight Saving Time is just days away – at 2 am this Sunday, we’ll spring forward an hour, which means the sunset’s later (and sunrise too, for a while) starting Sunday night.

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West Seattle Helpline @ City Hall tomorrow to back water-bill-help proposal
March 4, 2013 5:56 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

Executive director Tara Luckie and board member Rev. Ron Marshall from West Seattle Helpline will be among those at a City Council committee meeting tomorrow to support a proposal aimed at keeping Seattle Public Utilities from shutting off water to homes with children. A news release from the city explains:

Councilmember Jean Godden, chair of the Libraries, Utilities, and Center (LUC) Committee, will discuss legislation tomorrow that will prevent Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) from shutting off water to homes in which children reside.

“This legislation is based on a simple premise: no child should lack access to clean drinking water and sanitation,” said Councilmember Godden.

Read More

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Followup: Saturday night Barton Pump Station overflow estimated at 50 gallons maximum
March 4, 2013 4:55 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

Saturday night, we told you about an overflow after a mechanical malfunction at the Barton Pump Station in Fauntleroy. This afternoon, King County estimates the overflow totaled “five to 50 gallons of wastewater.” Their news release adds, “Cleanup crews deployed Saturday evening did not find debris typically associated with a wastewater overflow, further confirming the incident’s minimal impact.” Water samples nearby “showed normal bacteria levels,” so they say area beaches will reopen once the Public Health Department says it’s OK.

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West Seattle development: 4755 Fauntleroy hearing Thursday
March 4, 2013 3:05 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

Since an alley vacation is part of the 4755 Fauntleroy Way megaproject – slated for more than 370 apartments and about 600 parking spaces, as well as a Whole Foods Market and TBA drugstore – the Seattle Design Commission has to sign off on it. It’s on the commission’s agenda for this Thursday (March 7), 1:30 pm, at the Boards/Commissions Room on the lower level at City Hall downtown. Public comment is welcome at these meetings, as it will also be when the project gets its next turn before the Southwest Design Review Board (as reported here last week, that’s set for 6:30 pm March 28 at the Senior Center of West Seattle). The two hearings, however, serve different purposes – the Design Commission’s role in reviewing projects with alley or street vacations is to be sure there will be public benefit in exchange for the public giving up some of its right-of-way property (the street or alley).

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Another invitation: West Seattle Art Walk seeking hosts
March 4, 2013 2:20 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

Every second Thursday, it’s a celebration of art and community, at dozens of businesses, galleries, and other venues around the peninsula – the monthly West Seattle Art Walk. And there’s room for more, according to this WSAW announcement:

The West Seattle Art Walk committee is currently putting out a call to area businesses interested in participating in the monthly Art Walk for the second quarter of 2013. Art Walk is an evening community event on the second Thursday of each month, including locations across the West Seattle peninsula. Requirements for Art Walk hosts include procuring an artist, featuring their work, and committing to being open during Art Walk for the 3 months of the quarter they are signed up for. Interested? Click here for an application, or e-mail wsartwalk@gmail.com for more information. Deadline for participation is March 8.

Note that this is *not* a call for artists, but if you *are* an artist interested in participating, you are urged to contact participating businesses (listed at wsartwalk.com).

The next Art Walk is March 14th; if your venue signs up for second-quarter participation, that would start with the April 11th WSAW.

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Another community cleanup next Saturday: North Delridge encore
March 4, 2013 11:52 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | How to help | West Seattle news

This past Saturday was a banner day for volunteer-powered cleanups – and next Saturday is shaping up that way too. Above are members of the North Delridge Neighborhood Council-mustered crew that worked at Greg Davis Park two days ago – and NDNC beautification chair Lisa Taylor-Whitley sends “a GIGANTIC thank you” and news that they collected 14 bags of recyclables and 6 bags of trash. She adds that they’re planning on an encore: “Even though a large amount of trash was collected there is still more to be cleaned. So we are having another cleanup event this coming Saturday, March 9, from 10 am to 12 pm to finish the work that was started. Again, we will meet at the 4 large rocks.”

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West Seattle Monday: Exercise; music; trivia; Hi-Yu help…
March 4, 2013 10:13 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous


(Olympics panorama this morning by Patrick McCaffrey; click image for larger view)
Happy first Monday in March! Some of what’s up today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

DISCOVERY SHOP EVENT: Are you a collector? The American Cancer Society-benefiting all-volunteer, nonprofit Discovery Shop, 4535 California SW, has Hummel and Goebel Friar Tuck figurines for sale during the Antiques, Vintage and Collectibles Event going on now. 10 am-4:30 pm.

ZUMBATOMIC CLASS FOR KIDS: Ages 4-7 are invited to their own Zumba-style class, starting 3:15 pm today at Alki Community Center – details in the calendar listing.

SPEAKING OF ZUMBA … YMCA BENEFIT @ MADISON: 5-7 pm, you can Zumba with Katherine Rintoul at the Madison Middle School Commons (45th/Spokane), to benefit Y “The MOST” programs. Details here.

HI-YU NEEDS YOU! Come to tonight’s West Seattle Hi-Yu general meeting if you can help with this year’s float – the city’s LAST neighborhood-sponsored traveling parade float – and/or festival events – and/or even if you just want to know what’s going on with Hi-Yu as summer inches closer. 6:30 pm at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (California/Hanford).

PICKWICK, LIVE AT EASY STREET: 7 pm at Easy Street Records in The Junction (California/Alaska), it’s a live in-store concert with Pickwick, celebrating their new release.

TRIVIA/QUIZ TIME! Three venues have questions for you tonight – see the nightlife listings on the calendar.

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Signup time for West Seattle spring, summer festivals
March 4, 2013 9:22 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from West Seattle Summer Fest ’11)
Yes, it’s technically winter, as this morning’s icy windshields reminded us. But the sunshine also stirs daydreams of spring and summer, and West Seattle’s wonderful annual events. Here are three that are already signing up vendors/exhibitors/etc.:

SEATTLE SUMMER STREETS ON ALKI, MAY 19TH: Once again this year, after the West Seattle 5K closes Alki and Harbor Avenues 9 am-11 am, a shorter stretch of Alki SW will remain closed to motorized vehicles the rest of the day for Seattle Summer Streets, till 5 pm. SDOT is soliciting sponsors, vendors, exhibitors, and activities; apply online here.

WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST, JULY 12-13-14: Vendor and music applications for The Junction’s annual festival are linked from the right side of its home page.

ALKI ART FAIR, JULY 20-21: Artist/vendor applications are available – find the links here.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: March’s first Monday, with new alerts for drivers/riders
March 4, 2013 5:58 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
5:58 AM: The weekend closures are over – both the Viaduct/99 and Delridge/Trenton closures ended earlier than expected – but now we have a few new ones to share, as the week begins:

*Bicycle riders – an alert for the entire week, from SDOT:

(This) week, bicyclists using the trail under the low-level Spokane Street Bridge will be rerouted to the north side of Southwest Spokane Place daily from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation will perform landscaping work in the area.

*Some followup work to the earthquake-safety improvements under the Fauntleroy Expressway end of the West Seattle Bridge is planned this week. Exact times/locations hadn’t yet been set when we heard from SDOT consultants at week’s end, though.

P.S. – Next weekend, the Spokane St. Interchange/I-5 project closes a ramp that does NOT directly affect West Seattle traffic – northbound I-5 to 6th Ave. S.

7:25 AM: Just checked outside and noticed serious windshield ice, a reminder that winter’s not officially over yet.

11:15 AM: If you’re heading northbound on 99 in the next few hours, take note of this last-minute advisory:

This past weekend during their inspection of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the Washington State Department of Transportation found a slight problem with the pavement around an expansion joint northbound. A crew will close a lane today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. northbound between Royal Brougham Way and King Street in order to make the repairs. Motorists should slow down and use caution passing by the work zone.

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Books? Textbooks? Share them globally with Rotary’s help Saturday
March 4, 2013 2:57 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Rotary Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

Ready for spring cleaning – including reading material you don’t need any more? The Rotary Club of West Seattle invites you to donate it next Saturday:

The West Seattle Rotary Club, along with many Rotary Clubs across the United States, is accepting donations of gently used or new books that will be sent to underserved communities in South Africa and other southern African nations. Books for all ages are welcome, for example:

§ Picture/story books (pre-K and up)
§ Teen and adult fiction
§ K-12 textbooks in sets of 10 or more (world history is okay; U.S. history is discouraged)
§ Current professional books (medical books, international law, etc.)
§ Encyclopedia sets (less than 20 years old)
§ Magazines – National Geographic, Smithsonian (please, no news magazines)

Your donation will be gratefully accepted on Saturday, March 9th, between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at 3925 SW Alaska Street (the empty used car lot on the southeast corner of SW Alaska Street and 40th Avenue SW – just west of the Howden-Kennedy Funeral Home at 3909 SW Alaska Street).

Cash donations of any amount are also being accepted to help with the cost of shipping the books to Africa. Make checks payable to: “District 5030 Service Fund” and send to: West Seattle Rotary, 6523 California Avenue SW, PMB 315, Seattle, WA 98136.

If you have any questions, you may contact Rotarian Martha Sidlo at (206) 933-8008.

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Update: House-fire call in 9800 block 35th SW
March 4, 2013 12:14 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

12:14 AM: A caller driving by told 911 about seeing smoke and possibly flames at a home in the 9800 block of 35th SW (map), so Seattle Fire Department has a full response on the way. First unit on the scene isn’t seeing anything, though. 35th SW is closed between 98th and 100th while firefighters investigate.

12:59 AM: Call’s closed, which means the crews have cleared from the scene.

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