day : 22/04/2014 12 results

8:13 PM: Tonight’s results have just been made public for Proposition 1, the Metro/roads money measure, and it’s 55 percent no, 44 percent yes. More to come.

8:28 PM: This is the only vote count we’ll get tonight, with another to come tomorrow. The details, from the county website:

No – 200887 votes, 55.28%
Yes – 162508 votes, 44.72%

In addition to your thoughts in the comment section, we’re watching for other reaction around the net. Metro is a county service; from King County Executive Dow Constantine:

Dow Constantine "the voters have spoken" , not rejecting metro, rejecting this proposal to fund metro. pic.twitter.com/HvAKj1MsQf

— Alison Grande (@Alison_Grande) April 23, 2014

9:09 PM: So what happens now? The vote-counting usually takes a few weeks. If the measure is indeed defeated, the West Seattle-specific cut list would have to be reshuffled, because it included an extra cut that was averted two months ago, when the state agreed to continue providing “mitigation money” related to Highway 99 construction for at least another year. (And that was BEFORE Monday’s news that the Highway 99 tunneling machine won’t get moving again for almost a year.)

Metro did recently make a slight reduction in the number of service hours it said would be necessary if no new funding became available – 550,000 instead of 600,000; that draft revision included this route-by-route table.

It leaves more routes unchanged than the original proposal, and would be phased in between September 2014 and September 2015. Still on the list of routes to be eliminated: 21, 22, 37, 57. Route 113 was on the deletion list in November but is on the “would be unchanged” list now.

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Congratulations! WSHS student artist Regine Fernandez wins regional award

April 22, 2014 6:12 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

Congratulations go out to an award-winning West Seattle High School student artist, just announced by art/design teacher Michelle Sloan, who also shared the photo:

West Seattle High School Student Regine Fernandez wins an Outstanding Achievement award for her Oil Pastel Drawing of “Grandma’s Girl” in the Puget Sound Regional Art competition. The drawing was of her family’s pet dog.

More information about the competition is here.

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Straight Blast Gym of Seattle: Welcome, new WSB sponsor

April 22, 2014 4:28 pm

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| Health | West Seattle news

We’re welcoming Straight Blast Gym of Seattle as a WSB sponsor – with a special event coming up this weekend. Here’s what they want you to know about their business:

At Straight Blast Gym of Seattle, we not only teach martial arts, we teach movement. We strive to connect the sense of effort and enjoyment, providing an environment that is physically demanding yet playful in nature. We operate out of a 5300-square-foot warehouse converted into a martial-arts and fitness facility, conveniently located on Delridge Way, with more than 1700 square feet of mat space. Needless to say, there is plenty of room to climb, jump, lift, roll, kick, punch, and most importantly, MOVE.

Straight Blast Gym of Seattle is what we like to call the “third place.” It is a community that fosters deep bonds and relationships with individuals that are just like you. Everyone knows that we are a martial-arts gym, and anyone with a computer can Google search “Straight Blast Gym” and figure that our coaching methods are world class – there is no doubt that you’ll learn something new, and learn it well. So, what sets us apart? Why are we different? Community. Oftentimes, the sense that people truly care about you is overlooked when looking for a martial arts and fitness facility. We emphasize community because it’s the most important element in helping you reach your goals.

Most people seek us out because we are very approachable, and our community is so diverse. Our gym is not like your typical martial-arts academy, as it has plenty of personality. We do not adhere to the norms, because everyone here is considered family. People continue coming back because they see results, whether that is weight loss, increased confidence, learning martial arts, or that feeling of being alive again; everyone eventually reaches their goals, whether you’re a child or adult. Our Growing Gorillas is a children’s martial arts program designed to help your child improve focus, self-control, discipline, and a positive self-image within a fun, safe, and family-friendly environment that emphasizes goal setting and achievement. No matter what program you enroll in, you will begin to achieve the goals you’ve set.

The coaches never think about how they transform lives, because we are so busy noticing how much our students change our own lives. We offer a variety of programs for people of all ages, our youngest student is 3 and our oldest student is 59:

Brazilian Jiujitsu
Boxing
Muay Thai
Warrior Woman Strength and Conditioning
Youth Martial Arts
Personal Training
Before and After School Care

Also coming up: We are hosting a free women’s self-defense seminar on Sunday, April 27th at noon:

We will also be collecting items for New Beginnings, a women’s shelter in Seattle that does some amazing things. Here’s the Facebook event.

If you want to see for yourself what we offer and what we’re all about, contact us today to schedule your free consultation and private lesson.

We thank Straight Blast Gym of Seattle for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; see our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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Happening now: Ballot-dropoff vans in West Seattle, WC until 8

April 22, 2014 4:00 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Four more hours to get your ballot in for the Proposition 1 (Metro/roads money) special election, and if you’re not mailing it, the ballot-dropoff vans in West Seattle and White Center will take it for free. Above, Taylor and Benjamin were on duty at the West Seattle Stadium van when we stopped by around noon; they already had received more than 150 ballots in two hours at that point. The other nearby van is in Greenbridge, 8th SW south of Roxbury. P.S. The other voting option is an accessible voting center – explained here; three locations – Renton, Bellevue, and Union Station downtown, also until 8 tonight. (Tonight’s round of results will be made public shortly after that, and we’ll have them here as soon as they’re available.)

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West Seattle gets swarmed! If it happens to you, don’t panic – here’s what to do

April 22, 2014 2:36 pm

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| West Seattle news | Wildlife

A wild sight outside West Seattle’s PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) store on Monday – a honeybee swarm! (Thanks to K for the photo.) This reminds us that it’s the season for a reminder – If you spot a bee swarm, don’t panic about them, don’t poison them, don’t even spray them with water – check out this info from the Washington State Beekeepers’ Association, and then this page from the Puget Sound Beekeepers’ Association, which includes a link to this year’s list of beekeepers you can call to remove the swarm (which is what we’re told PCC did – called a beekeeper).

P.S. While checking those pages, we discovered that the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association’s monthly meeting is tonight (not in WS, but in case you’re a beekeeper and not already involved with them, thought we’d mention it given the timing).

P.P.S. Learn more about bees – and celebrate their vital role in our ecosystem – at the second annual West Seattle Bee Festival on May 4th; info here.

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Speaking of registration: West Seattle Cup tournament deadline

April 22, 2014 1:17 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

One more registration reminder – this time, for the West Seattle Cup, a free World Cup-style family soccer tournament (kids AND parents/guardians!) coming up in West Seattle in June. Organizer Terry Kegel says the deadline to sign up is 11:59 pm tonight – you can do it online, or in person at West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) or Neighborhood House’s High Point Center.

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West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day registration update: New form link, as deadline nears

April 22, 2014 12:22 pm

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

More than 200 sales are signed up for the 10th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day coming up Saturday, May 10th, and after three-plus weeks, registration closes tomorrow night. Would-be registrants have just alerted us to a problem with the form that for some reason started late last night, so if you’ve tried to sign up in the past 12-plus hours, and encountered a problem with the form, please try this alternate link (we just tested it):

NEW SIGNUP LINK

Aside from one registration around 9:30 this morning, our tracking system does NOT show any other registrations since about 9:30 last night, so if you believe you registered during that 12-hour interval, please e-mail us at garagesale@westseattleblog.com and we’ll doublecheck. PayPal doesn’t show anything in that interval either. (Remember that every official registration generates two receipts – one from us acknowledging your registration, one from PayPal acknowledging your payment.) Sorry for the hassle! The company whose form technology we have used for years for WSCGSD, Formstack, is troubleshooting. If you registered at any other time and didn’t get two acknowledgments, we’d be happy to doublecheck on your status – e-mail that same address, garagesale@westseattleblog.com. Thank you!

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Something to say about Comcast? West Seattle meeting tomorrow night

April 22, 2014 11:43 am

| 14 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Something to say about Comcast? We just found out the city has scheduled a community meeting in West Seattle TOMORROW NIGHT (Wednesday 4/23) about the city’s cable-franchise renewal process. (Thanks to Deb and Karen of the Block Watch Captains’ Network – which by the way has an unrelated meeting tonight – for the tip.) The cable-franchise meeting is at 6 pm Wednesday, High Point Community Center (6420 34th SW), with a chance for you to tell the city what you think about Comcast, as it gets ready for a potential 10-year franchise renewal. If you can’t make it to the meeting, and haven’t filled out the city survey, it’s still open – go here; other ways to have your say are here.

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West Seattle Tuesday: Election Day; Earth Day; Spa Day; Sealth PTSA; Block Watch Captains’ Network…

April 22, 2014 11:09 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

One thing that might be on your agenda today – whale watching! Carolyn Newman got that photo this morning (and also got the visitors on camera Monday). Thanks to everybody who’s called and texted – we’ve been sharing updates here as well as on Twitter and on Facebook. Meantime, other highlights for today/tonight:

BALLOT DROP-OFF VAN UNTIL 8 PM: It’s Election Day, which really means “ballot-dropoff-or-mailing deadline day.” No stamp needed IF you use a King County Elections dropoff box or van; our area has two of the latter until 8 pm tonight – West Seattle Stadium (enter off northbound 35th just south of Avalon Way) or Greenbridge (east side of 8th SW just south of SW Roxbury). We should get one round of results tonight around 8:15-8:30, and we’ll publish them here on WSB as soon as they’re available.

EARTH DAY/WEEK AT FLEURT: Today through Sunday (April 27th), Fleurt (WSB sponsor) in The Junction celebrates Earth Day/Week by offering you an incentive to recycle a vase/container – for every donated vase/container turned in, Fleurt will give you a mini-plant! (4536 California SW)

SPA DAY AT THE SENIOR CENTER: 2-7 pm, one admission price gets you up to five spa services (or you can buy a la carte) during this special event at the Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) – details on the center’s home page. (California/Oregon)

CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PTSA, DIFFERENT LOCATION: 7 pm, the Chief Sealth IHS PTSA meets NOT at the school, but this time, at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. From president Ted Reed:

For the first time, the PTSA at Chief Sealth Int’l High School is going mobile with its general meeting. It will be held at the High Point Neighborhood House. Come hear Principal Aida Fraser-Hammer discuss the process of bringing the school budget to completion. As an initial proposal from the school district – to its final version approved by the teaching staff – the Chief Sealth annual budget is a work-in-progress throughout the year. She will also detail the budget for the upcoming school year. We’re also proud to have Marty McLaren, Seattle School Board Director, presenting the latest news from the district. She will discuss the State Court’s decision to “fully” fund education in the State. If there is an eventual windfall from the State, does have the District have a plan for its use? Priorities?

(6400 Sylvan Way)

WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: 6:30 pm at Southwest Precinct, with tonight’s special topic, SPD’s online information, what’s helpful, what would be more helpful, what’s in the works. (Delridge/Webster)

NIGHTLIFE: Jazz, blues, trivia, karaoke, singer/songwriter showcase – see the listings on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. (Mouse over the right side of any line on the calendar and click the “plus sign” to open it for more information.)

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen business truck to watch for

April 22, 2014 9:08 am

| 12 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Another stolen-vehicle report this morning – this time on the west side of The Junction – and this one should be very recognizable. From Adam at Clean Air Lawn Care (WSB sponsor):

We just realized that one of the trucks that we use for our business was stolen overnight. It’s a 2013 White Chevy Silverado 1500, license plate number B08424Y. The kicker is, the truck is logoed with Clean Air Lawn Care all over the sides and back, including our phone number 206-941-4180 and website www.cleanairlawncareseattle.com. If anyone sees this truck, can you please call us or the police immediately.

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Next Drug Take-Back Day coming up this Saturday

April 22, 2014 9:00 am

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| Health | Safety | West Seattle news

If you have medicine around the house that’s expired or no longer needed, this Saturday (April 26) is the next Drug Take-Back Day, and you’ll be able to drop it off, anonymously, at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster), 10 am-2 pm. That’s the only dropoff spot listed in West Seattle; here’s a regional list.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates

April 22, 2014 7:11 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Latest bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
No major problems reported in, or headed out of, West Seattle so far. Buses headed out of Fauntleroy might be more crowded with the Vashon Water Taxi canceled for this morning (vessel trouble); and speaking of water, if you’re riding ferries or the West Seattle Water Taxi (which IS running as usual), watch for whales again – we just got a text of a sighting in The Arroyos.

TRANSPORTATION NEWS: In case you missed it, the Highway 99 tunneling machine is now expected to take nearly a year (from now) to fix.

ELECTION DAY: Ballots for King County Proposition 1, Metro/roads money, must be in the mail by tonight (or dropped off by 8 pm – the ballot van’s back at West Seattle Stadium 10-8 today, along with one on 8th SW south of Roxbury in Greenbridge).

TRAFFIC ALERT, 8:25 AM: Two-car collision reported in the 3300 block of Harbor Avenue SW, blocking the center lane.

TRAFFIC ALERT, 2:51 PM: Crash with injuries at 1st/Cloverdale, between West Seattle/White Center and South Park. We’re checking it out – don’t know yet how/whether traffic is affected.

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