West Seattle, Washington

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day : 21/03/2017 12 results

WEST SEATTLE 5K 2017 … in 2 months!
March 21, 2017 11:56 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE 5K 2017 … in 2 months!
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Continuing to count down to big springtime events … the ninth annual West Seattle 5K is now two months away, on Sunday, May 21st (9:20 am start). And if you think you’ll be walking/running in it … you really want to sign up right now, because the early-bird discount rate is available for just ten more days, through March 31st. You’ll be going “to the anchor and back” (Anchor/Luna Park, from and back to 61st/Alki) on behalf of educational programs at West Seattle High School. Youth and adult participants get a T-shirt – new logo this year (by Erik Bell) – and a reusable tote bag full of sponsor swag. Kids 6 and under run/walk for free. Sign up here, now.

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YOU’RE INVITED: Community Pow-Wow at Highland Park Elementary Friday night
March 21, 2017 9:50 pm
|    Comments Off on YOU’RE INVITED: Community Pow-Wow at Highland Park Elementary Friday night
 |   Fun stuff to do | Highland Park | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

That’s our video from the “grand entrance” during last year’s Niksokowaaks Community Pow-Wow at Highland Park Elementary. Organizers of this year’s Pow-Wow are inviting you, your neighbors, and everyone in the community to join them this year: “There will be incredible dancing, beautiful arts and crafts from vendors all over the United States, delicious food, and drumming.” It’s happening 6-10 pm Friday inside HPE, 1012 SW Trenton. Its main goal, organizers add, is to “help support the Native youth” in the community, especially in deepening their connection with Native culture, and to bring everyone together “to share in this celebration.” Here’s the flyer with more info.

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GRATITUDE: Troop 282’s Scouting for Food report
March 21, 2017 9:16 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Last weekend, several local Scout troops gathered food donations in a variety of ways as part of Scouting for Food. One of them sent a photo and a report, with words of thanks for the donations they were able to gather:

West Seattle Boy Scout Troop #282 participated in Scouting for Food. We are grateful for our neighborhood’s generosity. We collected 713 pounds of food for the West Seattle Food Bank. Looking forward to next year!

Speaking of the Food Bank, next Saturday (March 25th) is when you’re invited to its open house, 3-6 pm (35th/Morgan), to see its new “shopping” model.

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Package-theft suspect charged, released
March 21, 2017 6:49 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

6:49 PM: Quick followup: The package-theft suspect arrested last night after reader videos/photos led to tips and a police search is out of jail. 35-year-old Kelly W. Klein was charged with misdemeanor theft and pleaded not guilty at a hearing this morning; he was set free on personal recognizance. We haven’t seen court documents related to the charge yet and will likely have to get them from the city attorney – which handles misdemeanor cases – tomorrow. State records show no felony record for Klein.

9:26 PM: One side note to this emerged at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting (full meeting report tomorrow) – while officers were staked out/searching for Klein last night, they made another arrest in the area after spotting someone in a stolen car.

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ORCA ALERT: Transient killer whales southbound, mid-Sound
March 21, 2017 4:12 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to the texter who just let us know that transient orcas (the ones who are NOT the Southern Resident Killer Whales) have been seen off Bainbridge, southbound, this afternoon. According to Orca Network commenters, they’re closer to the Kitsap side, so if you go to look, bring good binoculars. Our texter says Whale Scout will have a volunteer looking from Alki Point around 4:30.

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FOLLOWUP: Demolition underway for burned building at Delridge’s Lam-Bow Apartments
March 21, 2017 3:01 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news


(WSB photo)

Six months after the three-alarm fire at the Lam-Bow Apartments complex (6955 Delridge Way SW), the building left “unsalvageable” (as the Seattle Housing Authority deemed it) is being demolished. We just went by for a look, after two reader tips (thank you!). SHA spokesperson Kerry Coughlin had told us in January that they were waiting for permits so they could tear it down, and now the work is under way. The September 27th fire displaced more than 40 residents; no one was hurt, and investigators never determined the cause, just that the fire started on the building’s exterior. Coughlin told us this afternoon: “Rebuilding will not start immediately and we don’t have any plans or details. We had to get the damaged structure down as soon as possible but need due diligence time to make sure we maximize the opportunity to replace.”

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Woman robbed while watching TV at home
March 21, 2017 1:34 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Just got information about the reason for a police search northwest of The Junction this morning – which included containment units at spots including the one in our photo above. Scanner traffic at the time talked about burglary – but now police say it was as a home-invasion robbery. Just published via SPD Blotter:

Robbery detectives are searching for a man who broke into a West Seattle home this morning and robbed a woman as she was watching TV.

The victim was watching television at her home in the 4400 block of 47th Avenue Southwest around 8:45 AM when she realized there was an unfamiliar man standing in her room. The man told the woman he wouldn’t hurt her, and said he only wanted cash. The woman pointed the suspect towards her purse beside the bed.

The suspect removed the cash and walked out of the home.

Officers searched the area, even employing a K-9 unit, but were unable to locate the suspect. The woman described the suspect as white, 5’8″ with a medium build, and sandy blonde hair. Police believe (he) entered the woman’s home after kicking in the back door. Robbery detectives are investigating. …

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HOUSE ON THE MOVE: Barging away from Beach Drive
March 21, 2017 12:01 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news


(First two photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)

12:01 PM: Nickel Bros is getting ready to rescue another West Seattle house. This one is a 1912-built Craftsman in the 7000 block of Beach Drive SW, between Lowman Beach and the north shore of Lincoln Park, on a site where a new house is set to be built.

The house-moving firm was originally scheduled to be barging the house away right about now, but the tides will be more conducive late tonight, so they’ve rescheduled for 11 pm.


(Photo by Lynn Hall)

The twist here: The house does not have a new owner, yet, but Nickel Bros decided to take a chance on it, and it will be taken to a storage yard. You can see inside the house via its listing on the Nickel Bros site.

P.S. Nickel Bros tells us they’re working with six moving-or-movable West Seattle houses right now. We’ve already told you about this one at California/Findlay. Listings on their site include three from the Alki area – here, here, and here.

ADDED 8:22 PM: If you have a late-night eye on the water – you might see the house go by, as the storage spot it’s going to is on the Duwamish River. We also wanted to say thanks to local journalist Jenny Cunningham (with whom we worked long ago in local TV news) for the original tip on this; she’ll be covering it for KCTS and we’ll let you know when the story is set for broadcast.

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Vandals damage West Seattle Little League fields, facilities on eve of new season
March 21, 2017 10:03 am
|      27 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Last weekend, a huge volunteer turnout worked at West Seattle Little League‘s home field, Bar-S Playfields on Alki Point, to get it ready for the start of the season next weekend.

They put in hundreds of volunteer hours, league spokesperson Kathy Powers says.

Then Monday, the league’s field maintenance director went to Bar-S – and discovered vandals had struck, in a big, heart-sickening way.


(Photos courtesy WSLL. We don’t show tags in their entirety, so the photo is cropped)

Buildings were broken into, and facilities were tagged.

Also, Powers says, “The infields, already in rough shape from all the rain, were trashed by a vehicle. Most frustrating was the damage done to the newly rebuilt pitchers’ mounds and batters’ boxes.”

They’re working to fix the damage – only part of which is shown in the photos – and you can help – in two ways.

For one, Powers says, “We hope the entire West Seattle community will join us in keeping watch and reporting behavior that tries to steal our kids’ opportunity to play baseball.” (Call 911 whenever, wherever you see a crime or possible crime in progress and it’s happening now, or has just happened.)

For two, you can join in one or both work parties planned to clean up and fix up at Bar-S:

*Thursday night (March 23), 5:30-7:30 pm

*Friday night (March 24), 5:30-7:30 pm

The fields and facilities are off SW Admiral Way a short distance west of 63rd SW [map].

P.S. Yes, the vandalism has been reported to police.

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Morning to night, what’s up for your West Seattle Tuesday
March 21, 2017 9:09 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous


(Northern Flicker woodpecker, photographed in Fauntleroy Park by Mark Wangerin)

Busy day and night ahead!

WHITE CENTER SHELTER JOB FAIR: The new family shelter in the old King County Public Health building in White Center opens today. Mary’s Place, which is operating it, is first having a job fair, 10 am-11:30 am – more info here. (8th SW/SW 108th)

CANNABIS EDUCATION FOR SENIORS: 1-2 pm at the Senior Center. (4217 SW Oregon)

DIY BIKES: You bring the bike, and a willingness to learn how to fix and maintain it! 5-7:30 pm at the West Seattle Tool Library. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE – HELP REVIEW PROJECTS! 5:30-7:30 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club, it’s the third of four meetings – previous attendance NOT required – to take a look at park/street projects proposed by your West Seattle/South Park neighbors, and see which ones could be put up for a community vote in June. Backstory here. (12th SW/SW Holden)

FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND FOOD FEST: 6 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, it’s the annual membership meeting for the Fauntleroy Community Association, dubbed “Food Fest” because local eateries provide bites for attendees. Free but FCA hopes you will renew/launch your $25/year membership while there. (9131 California SW)

JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: 6:30 pm meeting at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, with topics from upzoning to parking, and more, as previewed here. (4217 SW Oregon)

WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct – this is your monthly chance to bring neighborhood crime/safety concerns/questions directly to local police, face to face, and to hear their updates on local crime trends. (2300 SW Webster)

GLOBAL READING CHALLENGE: Good luck to the Literature Lions of Genesee Hill Elementary School, the only West Seattle team in the finals of the Seattle Public Library Global Reading Challenge, as previewed here – 7 pm in the auditorium at the Central Library downtown – spectators welcome! (1000 4th Ave.)

PEACEFUL PARENT, HAPPY KIDS: Parenting lecture at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Brockey Center, 7 pm, with Dr. Laura Markham – details and ticket info in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)

UNPLUGGED – A MUSICAL GATHERING: Open-microphone event for acoustic musicians at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

THE PISTOL SISTERS: Live music at Parliament Tavern, 8-11 pm. No cover. 21+ (4210 SW Admiral Way)

MORE AS ALWAYS … just check out our complete-calendar page!

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SITE NOTE: Comment editing returns
March 21, 2017 8:10 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online

Since our technical overhaul last year, some have lamented the loss of the comment-editing function. As noted in responses to those laments, the software “plug-in” we were able to use in the old format is no longer supported by its developers, so we weren’t able to bring it along. But we’ve finally been able to install something similar. If you write a comment, after you send it, you should see a line appear in the window with the invitation “click to edit” and a 4-minute countdown during which you can do that. If you click that line, it should show your comment above while opening a window in which you can make changes and then save, delete, or cancel. It’s an optional function – if there’s nothing you want to fix/change, you can ignore it. Please let us know if you have any trouble (editor@westseattleblog.com – please include what device/browser you’re using). Thanks for your patience.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch
March 21, 2017 7:24 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

7:24 AM: Good morning! An earlier crash on the West Seattle Bridge has cleared to the shoulder, per SDOT, but the backup remains, so it’s slow going.

Also, you may see SFD vehicles headed eastbound on the bridge, being dispatched to a fire call at the VA Hospital complex on Beacon Hill.

DELRIDGE RAPIDRIDE: Again this morning, through 9 am, SDOT reps are scheduled to be at bus stops along Delridge Way to talk with people about the planning process under way for converting Route 120 to RapidRide H Line.

WEDNESDAY NOTE: Tomorrow, Seattle Public Schools get out 2 hours early.

8:12 AM: The aforementioned Beacon Hill fire call is closed.

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