day : 15/03/2015 9 results

West Seattle weather: Slide blocks part of Fairmount Avenue; water woes on West Marginal

March 15, 2015 8:36 pm

| Comments Off on West Seattle weather: Slide blocks part of Fairmount Avenue; water woes on West Marginal

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

8:36 PM: Thanks to Ramona (who also sent the photo) and Matt for the tip – a slide is covering part of Fairmount Avenue, near SW Hill (toward the north end of Fairmount; here’s a map). We’re hearing Seattle Fire crews heading to check out a slide report in that area right now – not sure if it’s the same one, since as you can tell from the photo, this slide happened before nightfall.

9:22 PM: The SFD response closed fairly quickly. Slides are causing trouble elsewhere in the region, too, blocking rail travel between Seattle and Everett, and also blocking part of a road in the Southworth area, on the other side of the ferry route from Fauntleroy. The rain is expected to ease overnight.

10:59 PM: New problem (via scanner): Vehicles reported to be stalled in water across West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way – frequent trouble spot in heavy rain, with runoff down the HP Way hill and from the West Duwamish Greenbelt. Police are on the way.

11:07 PM: Police are also at another flooded section of West Marginal, 6300 block (map), and closing it in both directions.

Share This

Update: Seattle Fire response in The Junction; no fire

March 15, 2015 8:20 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(Thanks to Aleda for sharing the photo)
8:20 PM: Seattle Fire crews are checking out a possible fire at 4700 42nd SW (the Jefferson Square office building). Nothing reported to have been found so far; they’re checking floor by floor.

8:24 PM: Still nothing found; much of the response is being dismissed.

8:58 PM: The call is now completely closed, meaning all SFD crews have left the scene.

Share This

Biznote: West Seattle Fabric Company changing focus, moving

March 15, 2015 6:45 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Another storefront in Admiral will be vacant soon – but the business that’s leaving it is NOT shutting down. Monica Skov of West Seattle Fabric Company announced late today that their focus is shifting, recognizing how the retail world is changing. From the message sent to the WSFC mailing list:

We are making a big shift to our business, and although it is a bittersweet decision, let’s celebrate together. As a retail storefront, we have had the beautiful benefit of getting to know all of the people in our community. We feel so thankful to have made connections and friendships that we would have never encountered. Inspiring a community of new sewing enthusiasts fills us with so much happiness. And I cannot tell you the joy I feel every time a customer comes in and says ~ I come here to be inspired. But the days of dense neighborhood shopping districts & bustling storefront commerce are evolving into online shopping and home delivery. Honestly, we’ve seen a shift from increased online sales and less storefront traffic. Shopping online has become much more convenient and in order to grow in an ever-changing economy we are going to transition our fabrics to an online-only fabric shop.

But, she continues, that’s just part of the change:

Seeing this trend for some time, we’ve been turning our focus toward the one thing you can’t get online – Services. The thing that we love about being small-business owners isn’t selling new collections or decorating a shop (although that is fun). We truly love helping our community. Our team has taught hundreds of customers to sew & quilt, we’ve been a resource for all sorts of sewing related questions and advice, and we’ve already completed a large number of customers’ quilts in the past couple of months. In addition to all of our other services, the ultimate way that we can help our community is Repairing and Servicing Sewing Machines, which we will now be offering.

So next month, West Seattle Fabric Company will move to a smaller space on Harbor Avenue in the ActivSpace [WSB sponsor] building, not retailing fabric, but focusing on services and education – classes, repairs, quilt finishing, plus, in relation to the online merchandise, “FREE local pick-up for our local online shoppers …” First, the shop (at 2210 California SW, where it opened in December 2010) plans a liquidation sale starting at 10 am Friday (March 20th), 30 percent off everything in the store, and “incentives for buying in bulk.” You can read the entire announcement here.

Share This

VIDEO: See Art Wolfe’s special West Seattle presentation

March 15, 2015 4:45 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

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

Award-winning West Seattle-based environmental/cultural photographer Art Wolfe has published more than 80 books and taken more than 2 million images in his storied career, according to his website. While he travels much of the year to seek and photograph what’s beautiful in our world, on occasion he is able to stop down for a presentation – like the one shown in these two video clips, a recent gathering with the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s top supporters. While there wasn’t enough room at the venue to open this event to the public, SWSHS executive director Clay Eals explains, Wolfe agreed to allow it to be recorded on video so it could be shared, and that’s what we’re doing here. His presentation included his most famous images as well as West Seattle photos from his early days.

Wolfe is a lifelong West Seattleite; his main gallery is in Pioneer Square. And, checking his website, we note he has a presentation coming up one month from today at Benaroya Hall downtown (April 15th) – find out more here.

Share This

New Vashon Water Taxi arrives in Seattle, 2 weeks before dedication

March 15, 2015 2:16 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

According to MarineTraffic.com, the first of two new King County Water Taxis, M/V Sally Fox, is now docked in Seattle. Before the vessel left All American Marine to head south, the Bellingham Herald put together this video with a look inside:

The Sally Fox will serve the Seattle-Vashon run, but the Bellingham Herald’s sneak peek is a de-facto preview of what the new West Seattle Water Taxi, M/V Doc Maynard, also will look like, since it’s a twin being built by AAM, expected to arrive in October. First: For an in-person look at M/V Sally Fox, make plans to be at the north Vashon Island dock on March 28th – we’ve mentioned that date before, but now King County has published a schedule of events for the 1-4 pm dedication celebration that day.

Share This

Time for high-school soccer – and for Sealth soccer summer camp signups, grades 3-9

March 15, 2015 12:55 pm

| Comments Off on Time for high-school soccer – and for Sealth soccer summer camp signups, grades 3-9

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

It’s time for high-school soccer to resume, with the boys’ spring season starting (girls play in fall). The varsity teams from Chief Sealth International High School and West Seattle High School have a match scheduled for Tuesday (March 17th), 3:30 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point.

It’s also time to sign up for Sealth’s popular summer Soccer Skills Camp for girls and boys going into grades 3 through 9 this fall, all skill levels. The camp is under the direction of CSIHS’s award-winning head soccer coach Ron Johnson and will be led by current and past Sealth boys and girls soccer players. The camp is not until July 27-31, but spots fill fast. Here’s the flyer/application form.

Share This

Notorious North Delridge site, 3804 23rd SW, sold at tax auction

March 15, 2015 11:12 am

| 20 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news

(King County Assessor photo)

The issue of blighted properties got a little attention citywide this week with an action by the city in North Seattle.

While we haven’t heard of anything similar in our area just yet, we did discover recently that one of West Seattle’s most visible blighted properties has new ownership.

It’s the house above, 3804 23rd SW, isolated and deteriorating on the slope along the Delridge onramp to the West Seattle Bridge.

Vandalism and squatter trouble has ravaged it for years. In 2009, it was a stop on a tour organized by then-North Delridge Neighborhood Council chair Mike Dady, who invited City Councilmembers and department heads to come see several blighted ND sites firsthand. (You’ll see a photo in one of our reports from that tour.) It came up again during a 2012 walking tour organized by later NDNC leadership, with a suggestion the city acquire the site, then listed at $79,000. And city acquisition was suggested again in passing at a recent community meeting.

Checking subsequently to figure out the property’s status, we found it had changed hands recently – at a foreclosure sale. County documents showed its longtime owner hadn’t paid its property taxes since at least 2008, and that piled up to more than $25,000 owed. So the house wound up on a long list of properties the county sold on December 12th to cover tax liens. Its new owner is the Eastside-based Wayne Seminoff Company‘s Money Purchase Pension Plan (WSCO MPPP); While county websites don’t show the purchase price, we obtained it from the KC Treasury Department: $68,000. (Its previous sale was in 1989, for $50,000.)

For its $68,000, the WSCO MPPP got the 66-year-old house and its 7,700-square-foot site, which is platted as four lots, zoned LR (lowrise) 1, meaning multifamily development such as rowhouses/townhouses would be allowable. No reply so far to our inquiry about the company’s plans for the site; nothing’s on file with the city (at least in terms of development or remodeling), so far.

–WSB editor Tracy Record

Share This

You can help! 2015 Fairmount Ravine cleanup on March 28th

March 15, 2015 10:11 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photo of young volunteer Woodrow at 2014 Fairmount Ravine cleanup)
Early alert for one of our area’s most challenging community cleanups – the annual Fairmount Ravine cleanup is now less than 2 weeks away, set for Saturday, March 28th. Neighbors tackle the roadside slopes once a year to pick up trash and cut tree-threatening invasives off trunks, but would appreciate more help. The official announcement, if you haven’t already seen it in our calendar:

Fairmount Ravine Preservation Group will sponsor the 23rd Annual Spring Cleanup and Reforestation of Fairmount Ravine, Saturday, March 28h at 8:30. Meet at top of ravine (Forest St. and Fairmount Ave.). Wear boots and gloves. Bring a pruning saw or large loppers if interested in removing ivy from trees. Delicious beverages and food from our local merchants will be provided. We extend a special invitation to those who use the ravine to access the waterfront; please donate an hour of your time to keep this greenbelt healthy and pristine. More info – call John at 206-932-5151.

If you’re not familiar with the ravine, it’s along Fairmount Avenue between Harbor and Forest (map), running under the Admiral Way Bridge east of the business district, used by drivers, riders, walkers, and runners, usually as a route between Admiral and Alki.

Share This

West Seattle Sunday: Seed swap; library lunch; benefit bowling…

March 15, 2015 8:41 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Blooms on the Alki Trail, from Flickr member alextutu1821, shared via the WSB Flickr group)

Good morning and happy Sunday! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, rain or shine. Here’s the latest Ripe ‘n’ Ready Report. (44th/Alaska)

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES, LAST CHANCE: Final day of the selling season, we’re reminded. If you can’t find cookie sellers, use the online lookup.

THE GENERAL STORE SEATTLE GIVE-BACK SALE: 10 am-7 pm, second and final day of this unique sale at new WSB sponsor The General Store Seattle – 5 percent of your purchase will be donated. (3400 Harbor SW)

INTERNATIONAL MOTHERING SUNDAY LUNCHEON: Noon at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, food from around the world will be served at a by-donation International Mothering Sunday lunch benefiting a high-school library in Kenya – details in our calendar listing. (3050 California SW)

MUSIC AND COFFEE: Jamtime is live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) starting at 1 pm. (5612 California SW)

BOWLING FOR EQUALITY: Two benefit bowling sessions for the Human Rights Campaign, 1-3 pm and 4-6 pm, at West Seattle Bowl – the HRC website says tickets are still available at the door. (39th/Oregon)

THE GREAT SEATTLE SEED SWAP: Seattle Farm School is presenting this first-ever event this afternoon, 2-4 pm, at the West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library. From SFS’s Katie Stemp:

Bring seeds to swap, and take home new and familiar kinds of seeds! We guarantee lots of fun along with seeds for fruit, flowers & vegetables, Library books & DVDs, and the chance to talk with fellow gardeners and make new friends!! We will also be accepting donations for the brand new West Seattle Seed Library! Don’t miss the Seed Saving talk at 3 pm with Caitlin Moore of the King County Seed Lending Library.

Free; all welcome. (2306 42nd SW)

ARTSWEST MATINEE: Haven’t seen “Chinglish” yet? 3 pm curtain at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) today – find out more about the play here.

LAST CALL FOR NOMINATIONS! As noted earlier this week, today’s the deadline for nominations in the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce-presented Westside Awards – info here.

Share This