day : 21/06/2013 11 results

Almost three years after she was told she needed a kidney transplant to save her life, longtime West Seattleite Jan Seeley – known for years as “JanS” in the WSB Forum and comments – is finally getting one. She is at Swedish Medical Center now after getting the call tonight for surgery in the morning. Even if you don’t know Jan, a self-employed massage therapist, you might remember reading her story here in 2011, at the start of a community fundraising drive (which has continued online), told by her daughter Jessica Diamant, who had hoped to give a kidney to her mom, until testing showed incompatibility. As Jessica wrote, Jan already had survived serious health challenges, including breast cancer, before being diagnosed with fibrillary glomerulonephritis, which led to kidney failure. The ensuing wait has been nerve-wracking, but now it’s almost over, and we wish Jan good luck with this operation and recovery. For updates, check – of course – the thread in the WSB Forum.

Congratulations, Red Sox! West Seattle Baseball division winners

June 21, 2013 9:55 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

One more baseball team to congratulate before we get too far past season’s end – Michele Wallace shares the photo of West Seattle Baseball‘s Red Sox after their big victory:

Congratulations to the Red Sox for winning their Bronco division at West Seattle Baseball. Their journey was an exciting one! They had to win 7 games in a row to get to Saturday’s championship, and then win by 2 games! They did it! Congrats to Josiah Clark, Gavin Doerr, Nicholas Golubiec, Reuben Gut, Hunter Hammington, Wyatt Henry, Tate Ingraham, Jake Jonson, Robert Salle, Ray Sifferman, Casey Sullivan, and Richie Wallace. Thank you, coaches Mark Golubiec and Steve Wallace, for a great season!

Thanks to Michele and everyone who’s taken the time to send in good news to share – and congratulations, Red Sox!

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See hams in action! Field Day this weekend in West Seattle

June 21, 2013 7:20 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | Preparedness | West Seattle news

(Photos courtesy West Seattle Amateur Radio Club)
This weekend, West Seattleites of all ages are welcome to go look, learn, and listen during amateur-radio operators’ annual Field Day, a national event that will locally be running around the clock for more than 24 hours starting at 11 am Saturday on the south field at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor).

Read on for the details:

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West Seattle traffic alert: Car fire on westbound bridge

June 21, 2013 6:25 pm

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| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:25 PM: There’s a car fire in the outside lane on the westbound West Seattle Bridge – M., who shared the photo, says it’s just past the ramp from 99. No word of any injuries.

6:50 PM: Fire call on it has already closed; no backups visible on cameras. So, good news, this does not seem to be a major commute impact.

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Followup: Transforming Chuck & Sally’s into The (new) Bridge

June 21, 2013 6:05 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Renderings by apackdesigns; click image for larger view)
Four weeks after we brought you first word that The Bridge would take over and overhaul the former Chuck and Sally’s Tavern in Morgan Junction, proprietor Rita Dixson is showing off the vision for its new look. We received these renderings from her this afternoon – day and night versions, above and below:

(Click image for larger view)
Caveat from Rita: “This is not the final draft, but it can give people an idea of what we’re up to.” As the city page for the project describes it, an addition and “substantial alterations” are involved. Rita and business partners Trevor Garand, Jenny Almukhtar, and Ahmed Almukhtar hope to open in late October/early November. You can go say hi tomorrow during the Morgan Junction Community Festival, as noted here earlier today, to play “cornhole” – a staple at The Bridge – and check out one of the festival food trucks.

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West Seattle scene: Demolition uncovers old Firestone sign

June 21, 2013 2:17 pm

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| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

After getting word (thanks to Max for the tip) that most of the ex-Petco building had been taken down during our rainy Thursday, we went by at midday today for followup photos – and noticed the construction crew taking down a sign from the newly exposed building to the south. There’s no mistaking the old Firestone Tire logo:

Online searching yielded multiple references to 4724/4736 California SW as a Firestone store in the mid-20th century; it opened in 1946.

Since their construction crew was taking it down, we asked the 4730 California (formerly 4724) developers what happens to the sign. It belongs to the owner of the adjacent building, we’re told, but was taken down to “remove and secure it to prevent unnecessary damage or building up against it again. The ultimate disposition of the sign will be entirely up to its owner.”

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Morgan Junction Community Festival tomorrow! Updates, including food-truck lineup

June 21, 2013 1:08 pm

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| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

Hope we’ll see you tomorrow at the Morgan Junction Community Festival (co-sponsored by WSB), 10:30 am-7 pm Saturday, in and around Morgan Junction Park (above), including the lot behind Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) and, across California, next to Washington Federal. We just confirmed a couple of updates: First, in addition to the Bite of Morgan food sampling at area restaurants, four food trucks are scheduled to be there, per Morgan Community Association president Deb Barker:

Fez on Wheels: Modern Middle Eastern Food – Bank parking lot

Waffle Wagon: Gourmet sweet & savory waffles – CPA parking lot

Fish Basket – Home of the Famous Fish Taco – CPA parking lot

Xplosive – Filipino & Vietnamese Fusion – Bridge parking lot

P.S. Fez on Wheels is West Seattle-based – we met its owner by chance last week. The “CPA parking lot” is the north side of California/Graham. On the south side of that intersection, “Bridge parking lot” means the old Chuck and Sally’s Tavern at California/Graham, future home of The Bridge, as first reported here last month. And it’s become a de-facto fourth location for tomorrow, since Deb adds: “Also at the Bridge parking lot, owner Rita Dixson will be hosting a ‘Corn Hole Derby’ and handing out water bottles!”

As for the rest of the festival – including the Bark of Morgan pet parade/contest and music/performance lineup – that’s all in our preview from earlier this week. See you there!

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Vote now! Choose student art for West Seattle Bridge billboard

June 21, 2013 12:44 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

In May, Highline West Seattle Family Medicine and Urgent Care (WSB sponsor) held a contest for local elementary-school students to send in their best health tips (and corresponding artwork) as a way of promoting health awareness among kids. The prize: The winning artwork will be featured on a billboard over the West Seattle Bridge, and the winner’s school will receive a $500 grant for health education. Now nine finalists have been chosen, and Highline is asking you to help pick the winner by July 15th. You can view the finalists below, then scroll back up to vote here!

Finalist A: Adelaide

Finalist B: Audrey

Finalist C: Betel

Finalist D: Isabella

Finalist E: Lola

Finalist F: Marie

Finalist G: Victoria

Finalist H: Natalie

Finalist I: Zoe

Vote by July 15; we’ll remind you again, but do it now if you can! The winner will be announced in August, and the billboard will be up in the fall.

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Alki Community Council: Development plan unveiled; police/Metro updates; parking-zone proposal

June 21, 2013 10:53 am

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| Development | West Seattle news

Busy meeting last night for the Alki Community Council, including first word of a development proposal for the heart of the beach business zone:

Architect Roger Newell, noting he grew up in the Alki area, gave the ACC first word of a project he says has been in the works for several years. It’s proposed for a 13,700-square-foot site owned by West Seattle resident Borge Steinsvik on the east corner of 59th/Alki, which currently includes the buildings housing Alki Beach Properties and Saigon Boat Café.

Newell showed the four options they’ll take to the Southwest Design Review Board (no date set – the plans haven’t yet been submitted to the city, but he said they will be soon). It will be one or two mixed-use buildings, three stories (the maximum allowable for the site), with some apartments, some live-work units – numbers not firmed up yet – and commercial space, likely a restaurant. The site actually spans two zones, NC1-30 (where the commercial space will have to be) and LR-2. (Here’s the Seattle zoning-classification list.)

At least 25 parking spaces are planned (city rules set requirements such as 1 1/2 spaces per living unit and 1 car for every 250 feet of restaurant). The parking will be on the ground floor, under two levels of living space, because an underground garage can’t be built on the site, Newell explained, much as they would have preferred to do that – turns out there’s a peat-settlement zone beneath it.

All but one of the proposed alternatives would have the parking entrance off 59th.

The property owner is intent on environmentally friendly features, and Newell says they’ll be aiming to qualify the project for LEED Silver certification. Though the early stage of the Design Review process is only for shape/size of the building, he showed one concept for its appearance – with glass and “heavy timber.”

However, he said, the materials choices could go in a variety of directions, since buildings in the area “have no particular style.” (That drew laughter from the attendees.)

They’re expecting it’ll take a year to get through the permit process before construction can begin. Newell also said the property owner plans to keep the building – it’s “not something he’s going to build and then turn around.”

The 20 or so residents on hand for the meeting were impressed enough, they applauded at the end of Newell’s presentation.

Ahead – toplines on the meeting’s three other topics, from police and Metro updates to a resident who wants to revisit the idea of parking restrictions:

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West Seattle Friday: Tides; movies; benefit buffet; Rainbow Bingo…

June 21, 2013 9:22 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Annika Bowden for sharing her photo from low-tide exploration – it’s time for another round of low tides, and that’s what tops our highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

LOW-LOW TIDES: They’re back starting today, with -2.4 at 9:45 am, and minus-three-foot tides both days this weekend. Find the tide chart any time on the WSB West Seattle Weather page.

MANGA-MAKING: Teens are invited to Southwest Library this afternoon, 2:30-4:30 pm, for “Make a Manga” – details on the library website. (35th/Henderson)

FUNDRAISING DINNER: A local student’s raising money for her exchange-student trip to Italy by offering a Mexican buffet dinner tonight at Holy Family School, starting at 5:30 pm – details here. (20th/Roxbury)

MOVIE NIGHT AT HPIC: Free family movie at Highland Park Improvement Club! Details here. Doors open at 6:30. (12th/Holden)

RAINBOW BINGO: The Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) is presenting the last Rainbow Bingo till fall; tonight’s theme is “Woodstock.” Call ASAP to get a reservation – info’s in our listing. Doors open at 6, bingo at 7. (California/Oregon)

‘JAWS’ AT THE ADMIRAL! First of the three-late-night-movie benefit series (co-sponsored by WSB) at Admiral Theater – “Jaws” on the big screen tonight! And an art display and silent auction. 21+ (beer/wine sales available). Doors open at 10, movie at 11 – details in our most recent preview; tickets available here. (2343 California SW)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates

June 21, 2013 6:10 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy Friday! We start with a transit problem – Metro says the West Seattle Water Taxi shuttles, Routes 773 and 775, are “experiencing delays” and will not be available until after 6:30 am.

OTHER NOTES: As reported here Thursday, the new bicycle counter on the east end of the low bridge is now up and running. And looking ahead to the weekend – if you are traveling outside West Seattle, especially Saturday, here’s what you need to know – most notably the 5 am-3:30 pm NB 99 closure for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon.

SPEAKING OF WHICH – here’s the list of bus reroutes for tomorrow.

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