day : 24/07/2013 9 results

Family and friends have said goodbye to Vicky McKim, and are sharing this remembrance:

Victoria Lynn Kaiser McKim
October 30, 1947 – July 6, 2013

Vicky went home into the loving arms of her Savior Jesus after courageously fighting mesothelioma. Her steadfast faith sustained her throughout her treatment and she was a willing witness for Christ.

Vicky was born and raised in Springfield, Ohio, the oldest of five daughters, to Roger and Joan Kaiser. She was active in vocal and dramatic activities, both in and outside of school. She graduated with a BS in Education from Otterbein College and taught elementary school in New Albany and Harrisburg, Ohio, and then regularly substitute-taught in several parochial schools, primarily at Hope Lutheran School in Seattle.

Vicky and Ken, founding owner of Greentree Animal Hospital in West Seattle, began “going steady” in high school, a love affair that continued for more than 50 years.

West Seattle coyote sighting: Another one caught on camera

| Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Our latest West Seattle coyote sighting comes with a photo. David Roth saw this one “at the end of Victoria Avenue SW” on Monday and sent the photo today. That’s along the Duwamish Head Greenbelt, according to Google Maps.

In our most recent coyote coverage (our five-year archive is here), a federal wildlife-control agent had contacted WSB to urge local residents to take precautions to discourage their proximity to neighborhoods, including not letting pets out by themselves, not leaving pet food out (or anything else – like bird feeders – that coyotes might find tasty), and, if you see one, actively scaring it away, by hollering and throwing things, among other tips. More info is in this state publication we often share to close out coyote-sighting reports, which we publish as a public service to remind more people they’re out there, pretty much everywhere, and if you assume they’re not in your neighborhood because you’ve never seen one, you’re probably wrong.

Share This

West Seattle road work: Alki Avenue repaving next week, after California SW work

July 24, 2013 4:34 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Another road-work project next week in West Seattle. Here’s the announcement from SDOT:

Drivers should expect congestion on Alki Avenue Southwest next Thursday and Friday, August 1-2. Seattle Department of Transportation paving crews will work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the 1200 block of Alki Avenue Southwest removing the old roadway surface and laying new asphalt. One lane of traffic will remain open for each direction of traffic. The Alki Trail, all crosswalks and sidewalks will remain open.

This is in addition to the repaving work first reported here yesterday – California SW between Graham and Fauntleroy, scheduled for next Tuesday-Wednesday, July 30-31, right before the Alki project.

Share This

Southwest Pool closed until tomorrow; city cites ‘contamination’

July 24, 2013 3:40 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| Health | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

West Seattle’s only city-run indoor pool, Southwest Pool, is closed until tomorrow morning, says Seattle Parks, which just sent this announcement:

Seattle Parks and Recreation has closed Southwest Pool, 2801 SW Thistle St., for the rest of the day because of contamination that could not be contained. In compliance with State of Washington health regulations, Parks is taking these routine steps to ensure the pool water is clean and safe for public use:

· Elevating chlorine levels
· Disinfecting all pool surfaces
· Using the pool’s ultraviolet disinfectant system as a supplemental effort

Parks and Recreation apologizes for the inconvenience to pool users and will reopen the pool at 7 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, July 25.

We have a few followup questions out to Parks; we also asked about a report that Hiawatha wading pool was closed for a while today, and Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter tells WSB that was because of broken glass (second time in less than three weeks), which has been cleaned up, and Hiawatha’s pool reopened at 2:30 pm.

Share This

Whose dog was it? Man, dog bitten in North Delridge attack

July 24, 2013 2:08 pm

| 85 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Pets | West Seattle news

(Recent photo of Katie)
2:08 PM: A man and dog are both getting medical attention after a reported attack by another dog in North Delridge this morning. Chandra e-mailed us about it: “My elderly father and my small dog, Katie, were attacked around 10 AM this morning by a loose dog in the 5000 block of 26th Avenue SW. Both were injured fairly badly.” Here’s how she was told it happened:

He saw the other dog loose and decided to head home to avoid an encounter. The dog followed them up the stairs to our house. Dad went to pick Katie up, but it was too late. He was bit trying to get the dog off of Katie. Then the dog attacked him. A neighbor came over and helped fight the dog off and called the police. Katie is like our child. My dad made the police take her to the hospital before he would go seek medical attention.

Chandra’s dad went to urgent care for stitches and X-rays and might have to go to the ER; Katie, a Bichon Frise, is undergoing surgery, Chandra says, adding:

I believe the attacking dog was captured. I just want to remind people to always keep their dogs leashed or contained, especially if they do not do well with people or other pets. My family is so upset that this happened. It will cost hundreds of dollars to care for Katie’s injuries, all due to someone’s negligence. Imagine if there had been a small child with them. If anyone knows who the owner of the dog is, please contact Seattle Police. My dad described it as a large, black pit mix.

We are checking with Seattle Animal Shelter to confirm whether the dog was captured and whether its owner has been located, and will add anything more that we find out.

4:56 PM: Shelter spokesperson Ann Graves confirms they have the dog and are still seeking its owner. Meantime, Chandra published a comment with an update on her dad and Katie.

Share This

Summer Concerts at Hiawatha: First 2013 show tomorrow night!

July 24, 2013 11:20 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

The banner’s now up at Hiawatha, and that means only one thing – it’s almost time for summer outdoor concerts! Tomorrow is the first of six in the 5th annual Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, with co-sponsors including WSB (and other community businesses/organizations listed on the right side of this page). You are hereby invited to bring a chair/blanket – and your family, friends, neighbors … – to the east lawn at Hiawatha Community Center (along the 2700 block of Walnut SW) the next six Thursdays at 6:30. First up: Glenn Crytzer and His Syncopators, with jazz/swing music. Here’s a recent clip:

Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy good weather, good times, good music. The full series lineup is listed here.

Share This

A Kids Place Dentistry for Children: Welcome, new WSB sponsor!

July 24, 2013 10:29 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| Health | West Seattle news

Today we welcome A Kids Place Dentistry as a new WSB sponsor. Here’s what Dr. Keith McDonald wants you to know about his practice, which has just expanded to the Admiral District:

“Every parent should take their child to see a dentist that fits within the framework of their parental philosophy. The pediatric dentists in the state of Washington are all excellent, but just like parents, dentists also have varying practice philosophies. In my practice, my associates and I utilize what we call the Parent-Directed Approach during patient examinations. This means that we design the child’s dental treatment around specific parental ideologies about topics such as fluoride, white vs. silver fillings, the child’s medical history, specific oral habits of the child, and familial dietary habits. In that respect, parents are welcomed during the examinations and treatments and are always informed and included in the decision-making process.

“At A Kids Place Dentistry, the most common compliment that we continuously hear from clients is that their child can’t wait to go back to see the dentist and how much fun their child had. The second most common question is usually, ‘How did you make my child so motivated to brush their teeth?’ We work very hard to make the environment at A Kids Place Dentistry comfortable, fun and informative for both the child and the parents. On some days one might think that they’ve entered a carnival or circus with balloon animals, magic tricks and bouncy balls! We’ve had the pleasure of serving the Renton Highlands community for over 7 years with excellent success. That office space is solely a pediatric dental office, so the colors are brighter and the design of the office is tailored specifically for kids. In our new West Seattle location, we share the space with our new partners, Sound Orthodontics, so the office design and colors are little more subdued, though still very comfortable and inviting. Our great ‘A Kids Place’ energy, along with the balloons, magic tricks, and bouncy balls are still in full force; however, and it’s a beautiful space for which we are so privileged with this opportunity to serve the West Seattle community.

“What keeps our patients coming back is the caring and honest approach of our staff and doctors. We change the lives of concerned parents and timid children every day, and it’s a joy to see those families return with smiles on their faces and excitement in their eyes!”

Dr. McDonald believes in community involvement: “Besides working with community groups and schools, I am also very involved in organizations that help strengthen the oral-health safety net in our state. I’ve served three years as a Washington State Dental Association (WSDA) state delegate, I am past president of the Seattle Pediatric Dental study club, and I currently sit on two boards – The Washington Oral Health Foundation (the dental foundation of the WSDA) and the Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Executive Board. I also serve as a Seattle-King County Dental Champion for the Access to Baby and Child Dentistry Program, a state program designed to assist the underserved with accessing dental care.”

A Kids Place Dentistry is at 2617 California SW, 206-933-5437, info@akidsplacetoo.com. You can request an appointment online via the A Kids Place Dentistry website, akidsplacedentistry.com.

We thank A Kids Place Dentistry for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Share This

7 possibilities for your West Seattle Wednesday afternoon/evening

July 24, 2013 8:57 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Gary Jones for sharing his photo of ospreys at Alki Point; it’s prime time for birdwatching at the beach – we saw an osprey and a bald eagle during a brief walk in east Alki on Tuesday. As for what else is up – from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:

LOW TIDE: Speaking of walking along Alki (or your favorite beach) – the lowest tide of the day is not as low as a few days ago but the -2.1-foot low tide at 12:37 pm will still make for excellent beach exploration.

TOLLING THE HIGHWAY 99 TUNNEL: Just as “Bertha” gets ready to start digging, an advisory committee is still talking about the tolling issue – what amount of tolling would raise enough money to cover its share of the project budget, while not being so high that too many drivers would divert to other routes. Today’s quarterly meeting of the committee, open to the public, is 3-5 pm (info and agenda here) in the Puget Sound Regional Council conference room. (1011 Western Avenue, Suite 500)

HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN FARM STAND: 4-7 pm every Wednesday, buy organic produce just steps away from where it was grown. Info in our calendar listing. (32nd/Juneau)

WEST SEATTLE TIMEBANK, 1ST ORIENTATION: Help launch the West Seattle Timebank tonight, by coming to its first orientation meeting, at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Potluck at 6:30, orientation at 7, details and links in our preview from earlier this week. (Oregon/California)

SEAL SITTERS VOLUNTEER TRAINING: Want to join Seal Sitters? The next volunteer orientation is tonight, and it’s the last one for a while. E-mail to see if there’s still room; the address, and more info, is in our recent preview.

SOUTH PARK BRIDGE UPDATE: Want to see how things are going with the new South Park Bridge? The county presents its fourth program with photos and info at 7 pm tonight, South Park Community Center. (8319 8th Avenue S.)

‘CHESS’ AT ARTSWEST: It’s the second and final week for the ArtsWest Summer Apprenticeship Program’s presentation of the musical “Chess,” onstage at 7:30 tonight. (4711 California SW)

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday on the move

July 24, 2013 7:08 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:08 AM: Good morning! Just got a text about a problem you might notice if you drive Roxbury to Olson to Highway 509 – a tree in “the uphill lanes.”

Meanwhile, another reminder about two traffic alerts for this weekend:

*Friday night/early Saturday, midnight to 5 am, all southbound lanes of I-5 under the Convention Center downtown will be closed for fire-system testing
*Saturday night, the Seafair Torchlight Run will close northbound Highway 99 from approximately 5:45 pm to 7:45 pm. There will also be bus changes downtown because of the run and the Seafair Torchlight Parade that follows.

8:17 AM UPDATE: The tree on Olson is cleared, according to a FB comment from Donn (thanks!). One more note: If you travel through/work in SODO, note that there’s a day game for the Mariners today.

Share This