High-school baseball: West Seattle’s rough afternoon vs. visiting Eastside Catholic

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

Thanks to Caryn Johnson for the photo and report on West Seattle High School‘s varsity baseball game on Wednesday:

It was a rough afternoon for the Wildcats. The Crusaders of Eastside Catholic jumped out to an early lead and the Wildcats just could not recover. There were a few highlights in the game, but the key was when sophomore Andrew Burggraff [photo above] came in to pitch midway through the 3rd inning. He pitched the rest of the game, giving up only one hit and not letting in a run. In the end, West Seattle lost 13-2 in five innings.

Next game is against Ballard on Friday at Hiawatha, at 3:30 pm.

Be part of 2015 West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! Registration now open

| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

It’s on! Signup time for the 2015 edition of West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day starts now.

You can get to the form here. Or, it’s embedded here on WSB, below. First, the basics:

*Sale day is Saturday, May 9, 2015.

*Official sale hours: 9 am-3 pm, but if you want to start yours earlier/end it later, that’s up to you (no late starts/early ends, though; thanks!).

*Registration gets you on the map, which is published on WSB and on the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day website – as well as promoted/advertised regionally and in our social-media channels – with clickable and printable (PDF) versions. The map is ready a week in advance and assigns each sale a number, which you can use for cross-reference, your own promotion (“come see us, we’re sale #22!”), etc.

*Same registration fees/process as years past – all online. Three categories: Individual, Organization/Business/School, Block Sale.

April 1, 2015 8:15 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Services are planned this Saturday (April 4th) for Michael R. Shomaker. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing:

Michael Robert Shomaker
January 25, 1958 ~ March 28, 2015

Beloved husband of Michelle, son of Bob and Myrna Shomaker, father of Kyle, Cody, and Sophie Shomaker, brother of Beth Torgeson (Ron) and David Shomaker (Kathy), passed away after a valiant battle with myelofibrosis (blood cancer). Eagle Scout, Sea Scout, Control Systems Engineer, smart, funny, very caring, talented up the kazoo.

There was nothing he couldn’t fix or make better.

Services Saturday 4/4 at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, West Seattle. Viewing 12:00 pm, Chapel Service 1:00 pm, graveside following.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

West Seattle wildlife: Bobcat sighting reported

April 1, 2015 5:47 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Just received this from Tarah. It’s the second time in the past month or so we’ve heard about a possible bobcat – anyone else?

Hey, just wanted people to have a heads-up…I saw a bobcat in the parking lot of
Youngstown (Cultural Arts) center on Delridge. It ran off into the woods neighboring the lot. Just want people in that area to be forewarned so they can keep their animals safe.

The other possible sighting mentioned to us was three weeks ago, early morning, 59th/Alki. Here’s what the state Fish and Wildlife Department says about bobcats.

West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Plea bargain in Highland Park theft of SUV with baby inside

April 1, 2015 3:33 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Just found during our periodic check of open case files: A plea bargain in a crime that drew regional attention one afternoon last August, after an SUV was stolen from outside a Highland Park mini-mart with a baby in the back seat.

(8/27/14 photo by BETTINA HANSEN/THE SEATTLE TIMES, republished by permission)
25-year-old Estevan L. Sanchez pleaded guilty last week to auto theft and unlawful imprisonment – reduced from second-degree kidnapping – for stealing the vehicle from outside the Sea-Mart store at 16th and Holden last August 27th with a 10-month-old girl in the back seat. According to court documents from the plea bargain and from the original charges, the baby’s father ran into the store with the vehicle’s engine running, but the SUV was supposed to be locked and unable to be shifted out of “park.” Instead, Sanchez got in and drove it away even as the baby’s father ran out of the store and yelled for him to stop. 15 minutes later, the vehicle was found abandoned in White Center’s Greenbridge neighborhood, with the baby safe inside; Sanchez, a Highland Park resident, was found within the hour at 17th and Roxbury.

He already was wanted on warrants from a domestic-violence case in which he injured his girlfriend and her 11-year-old son, attacking her with a stun gun and knocking him down just before stealing her car.. As part of this plea agreement, Sanchez has pleaded guilty to reduced domestic-violence charges in that case too. In all, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is recommending 19.5 months in prison – a little over a year and a half – for Sanchez, who has been in jail for seven months since his August arrest. King County Superior Court Judge Monica Benton is scheduled to sentence him on April 17th. .

PHOTOS: ‘Wall-to-wall’ Westwood transit-hub-and-vicinity tour, the sequel

April 1, 2015 1:11 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news | Westwood

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

You can complain and explain until you’re out of breath, but few things beat showing a problem spot firsthand to those who can at least help find solutions. That’s the idea behind the classic “walking tour” with community members and government reps.

One in Westwood on Monday afternoon was a sequel/followup to a similar one exactly 15 months earlier (WSB coverage here), from the “wall of buses” on Barton to the one on 25th, and beyond. It showcased what had changed, what hadn’t changed, and what will soon change.

This one, like the one at the end of December 2013, was requested by the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council, represented this time by chair Amanda Kay Helmick and WWRHAH’s Southwest District Council delegate (and SWDC co-chair) Eric Iwamoto. Also like the December 2013, other participants included Metro, SDOT, SPD, Seattle Parks, reps from County Executive Dow Constantine and City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s offices, plus King County Sheriff’s Office transit deputies.

Ahead – what’s changed, what hasn’t, and more:

April 1, 2015 12:09 pm

| Comments Off on Here’s where you can make a difference during the spring edition of Duwamish Alive!

| Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

Duwamish Alive! is just two and a half weeks away, and organizers hope you’ll take a minute now to decide where you want to join in to help out our city’s only river and its watershed. All you need to commit to is a four-hour shift on April 18th – 10 am-2 pm – and as the map shows, you have options from West Seattle to South Park and beyond. Go here to find out more and to choose your site.

West Seattle Wednesday: Minimum wage & sales tax go up; Don Smathers memorial; SDOT at Southwest District Council…

April 1, 2015 10:35 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(UPDATED 12:52 PM: Don Smathers memorial has moved indoors, to Easy Street Records)

(Photo by Jonathan S.: – Double rainbow from the Fauntleroy ferry on Tuesday)

Happy April!

TWO THINGS THAT GO UP TODAY IN SEATTLE: First, the minimum wage. It’s not anywhere near $15 yet – that’s being phased in over several years. Today, it’s either $10/$11 – here’s where to figure it out. Second, the sales tax. The one-tenth-of-one-percent increase starts today, as approved by voters last year to pay for transit. This means you’ll pay a penny more tax on a taxable $10 purchase, a dime per $100, a dollar per $1,000. (The other part of the voter-approved funding, the $60 car-tab fee, doesn’t kick in until June.)

Now, from the calendar:

NETWORKING/HOME OFFICE/ETC. MEETUP: Get out of the house and into West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor), if only for an hour! Free – bring your lunch if you want.

MEMORIAL FOR DON SMATHERS: 5 pm at ~~Junction Plaza Park~~ – if you knew Don, you’re invited. Here’s what we published after news of his death – with many warm tributes added in the comment section. Since the weather’s been volatile recently, if there’s any last-minute change, we’ll post an update here as well as via the WSB Facebook and Twitter feeds. Otherwise, see you at the park. 12:52 PM UPDATE: New location – Easy Street Records. (California/Alaska)

INTERESTED IN COMMUTING BY BICYCLE? Or at least a bit curious? Free class tonight at Cycle U in West Seattle, 6:30 pm – details here. (3418 Harbor SW)

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: Whether by bike, car, bus, truck, feet, or … transportation remains the local hot-button topic, and SDOT is at the heart of the agenda for tonight’s 6:30 pm meeting at the Senior Center of West Seattle. At 6:40 pm, SDOT director Scott Kubly is back to talk about the Transportation Levy to Move Seattle (following last night’s open house); at 7:10 pm, SDOT communicators with two more topics, Arbor Heights microsurfacing and Admiral Way bike lanes. All welcome. (Oregon/California)

And stay tuned for this:

WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE DAY REGISTRATION STARTING BY TONIGHT: The big day is May 9th, and every year we start signups right about now so we can get everything lined up well in advance. Planning to have a sale this year? When the form is ready to go later today/tonight, we’ll publish announcements here on WSB and on the official WSCGSD page at westseattlegaragesale.com.

‘Pajama Game’ opens tomorrow at WSHS – plus, tickets available now for special benefit April 10th

April 1, 2015 9:31 am

| Comments Off on ‘Pajama Game’ opens tomorrow at WSHS – plus, tickets available now for special benefit April 10th

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

The West Seattle High School Drama Club presentation of “The Pajama Game” opens tomorrow (Thursday) night, 7:30 pm, at the WSHS Theater (3000 California SW).

In addition to the regular run, you have the option of seeing the closing-night performance on April 10th as part of the annual benefit:

Your ticket for the April 10th benefit event also includes:

Gourmet dessert from Essential Baking Company and beverage of your choice (pre-show and during intermission!)
Pajama Game photo booth pictures
Priority seating for benefit ticket holders

You can buy your ticket(s) online by going here – or e-mail tickets@westsidedrama.com.

Last chance for tickets to tomorrow’s Westside Awards breakfast

April 1, 2015 8:59 am

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Those smiling faces belong to Lynn Dennis, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce CEO, and Nancy Woodland, WestSide Baby executive director and past Chamber board chair. We photographed them last Thursday when the Chamber brought its monthly After Hours event to WS Baby – and we’re showing the pic this morning as a reminder that this is your last chance to buy tickets to tomorrow morning’s Chamber-presented Westside Awards – they need to have the attendee count locked in by noon today, and still had a few seats last we checked. The event starts at 7:30 am Thursday at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) and will feature award presentations for the honorees announced last week, as well as a keynote by West Seattleite Mark Tabbutt, chair of Saltchuk International. Online signusp are closed so call 206-932-5685 – before noon today! – to register for the breakfast.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates, as April begins

April 1, 2015 6:41 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! Welcome to April. Transportation news, to start with:

47TH/ADMIRAL UPDATE: As published here last night – today’s work is expected to be louder than usual, with some excavation on the southeast side of the intersection. And SW Waite will be closed to through traffic next week.

TRANSPORTATION LEVY MEETING: Really more of an open house last night, but tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting brings another chance to hear/ask questions/comment about it (6 pm, WS Senior Center, Oregon/California).

TRANSIT TAX: Seattle sales tax goes up .1 percent today as part of Transportation Benefit District Proposition 1, approved last year for transit service that will be added starting in June. That means you pay 1 cent more sales tax on a taxable $10 purchase.

8:07 AM: Katie tweets that SPD is on bus-lane enforcement on the bridge this morning.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen pickup truck to watch for

March 31, 2015 11:53 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Maybe it’s somewhere on YOUR block – or beyond:

STOLEN in last 48-72 hours, ’83 Mazda B2000 2-door p/u truck, license C15356B, silver color; rust painted over on back right side; small damage/rust front left fender. Rear of truck saws MAZDA in blue letters. Taken near Bartell Pharmacy in Admiral area. If you spot this truck, call 911 and tell police location of vehicle do not approach occupant, if any.

UPDATE: Amber Alert over, child found safe

March 31, 2015 8:32 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

UPDATE: The situation was resolved overnight, as explained by SPD here.

ORIGINAL 8:32 PM REPORT:
Read More

NOW UNTIL 9 PM: The Sonics @ Easy Street Records

March 31, 2015 8:14 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Northwest rock legends The Sonics, who broke up going on a half-century ago, are back, and you can meet them right now at Easy Street Records in The Junction. As explained on the Easy Street website, “This Is The Sonics,” their first record since the mid-’60s, “reunites original members Jerry Roslie, Larry Parypa and Rob Lind, backed by the powerhouse rhythm section of Freddie Dennis (The Kingsmen, The Liverpool Five) and Dusty Watson (Dick Dale, Agent Orange).” They’re signing the new record in a meet-and-greet at Easy Street (California/Alaska) until 9 pm; Thursday, they play The Moore with Mudhoney, and ESR is raffling two tickets at tonight’s event (which is free).

AS-IT-HAPPENED: Find out about proposed ‘Transportation Levy to Move Seattle’ @ WSHS

March 31, 2015 6:18 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

6:18 PM: We’re in the commons at >West Seattle High School tonight, for the first official West Seattle meeting on the “Transportation Levy to Move Seattle,” proposed as a successor to the expiring Bridging The Gap levy. The presentation is scheduled to start around 6:30, so you have time to get here if you’re interested; until then, people are circulating around info-boards, writing sticky notes with ideas and comments, etc. You can even set up your idea of an ideal road:

More to come.

6:39 PM: After a 4-minute introductory video, Councilmember Tom Rasmussen stepped to the microphone.

He says the council will have “our own meetings and public hearings” after the mayor sends them his final proposed levy. Estimating about 40 people here. Rasmussen hands the microphone to SDOT director Scott Kubly, who says they want to hear what’s “missing” in the levy, “anything you’d like to see less of, anything you’d like to see more of.” He says city staffers are here to circulate to ask people if they have questions or comments, and he talks about the boards around the room.

Kubly mentions that the mayor announced the “Move Seattle” overview before the draft levy. He then describes this as a “renewal” though it’s $900 million over 9 years compared to BTG’s $365 million in the same period. The slide deck behind him notes that “safe, affordable, interconnected, vibrant” are the values around which this is organized. Toward the first value, he mentions the new “Vision Zero” plan, which among other things will cut speed limits on many streets, including some of West Seattle’s arterials (shoutout from Kubly to 35th and Roxbury – the plan for the latter will be unveiled at next Tuesday’s Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting). Toward the second value, he mentions road maintenance – it’s cheaper to fix it than to rebuild it, so this plans to “maintain and modernize 250 lane miles” of arterials. For “interconnected,” he mentions better connections to light rail (none of which is in West Seattle yet), and “we’re going to make it a lot easier to walk and bike in the city.” And under “vibrant,” there’s a promise of improving “mobility for freight and delivery vehicles,” and investment in Neighborhood Street Fund projects.

Here he brings up the Lander Street Overpass, mentioning coal and oil trains on the rise, and the need to get buses up over those tracks in SODO, plus South Park drainage improvements in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities.

Now before sending people off to look at the boards and write down comments and notes, he says they’ll also be having coffees around the city. Here’s the timeline:

*End of May – Mayor submits proposal to Council
*’Possible City Council action’ from mid-July to mid-August
*Send measure to King County in August, for November ballot

6:55 PM: This has broken back up into an open house after word that a mural artist is standing by on the side of the room. If people have questions, Kubly says, they can talk to him one on one, or anybody else around the room. There was no call for general Q/A while attendees remained seated as an audience, but this is supposed to continue until 8 pm if you’re interested in stopping by with something to say and/or ask. We’re going to circulate and see what people are asking/saying.

9:22 PM: Photos added above and below. We spotted three City Council District 1 candidates at the meeting:

From left, Tom Koch, Amanda Kay Helmick, Chas Redmond. Taking a look at the sticky-notes and other written comments left on boards and the future mural, we noted the prevalence of requests for light rail, and even a wistful wish for a monorail:

Missed tonight? Bring comments and questions to tomorrow night’s Southwest District Council meeting (6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle, Wednesday, April 1st). And remember the online survey.

PROGRESS REPORT: 47th/Admiral signal & crosswalks

March 31, 2015 4:11 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Just received this 47th/Admiral signal/crosswalks-project update from SDOT, including an alert for neighbors tomorrow, and a road closure next week:

Construction continues this week at the corners on the north side of the intersection of 47th Avenue SW, SW Admiral Way and SW Waite Street. Crews will begin pouring new concrete at the northeast corner as soon as today, March 31, and through the end of this week. New concrete at the northwest and north center (between SW Waite Street and 47th Avenue SW) corners is expected to be poured next week, weather depending. These corners will continue to be closed to pedestrians and bicyclists during work. People walking and biking will need to follow marked detours or find an alternate route.

Tomorrow, April 1, residents in the area can expect work to be louder than usual, when crews begin excavating for pole foundations at the southeast corner of the intersection. This work is scheduled to take place in the morning, beginning at 8 AM, and will last approximately four hours.

Closure and local access only at SW Waite Street
Beginning next Monday, April 6, SW Waite Street will be closed to thru-traffic for five days. This closure will be in place to allow crews to safely and efficiently perform underground electrical work in preparation for installation of the new signal. Local access will be permitted on SW Waite Street from the west. A detour will be signed on SW Admiral Way directing travelers to continue on SW Admiral Way and access SW Waite Street from 49th Avenue SW.

The project team will distribute flyers in the area later this week with detour information and post this information on the project webpage additionally.

Touchdown, Bertha! Tunneling machine’s cutterhead now cradled

March 31, 2015 3:36 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news

(From WSDOT’s project-site cameras)
After getting a day-and-a-half ride up from the pit and over to the cradle, the Highway 99 tunneling machine’s 2,000-ton cutterhead is now in place for repairs. The big red crane isn’t done with its work, though, according to the newest update on the project website:

… Crews will continue disassembling the machine’s 2,000-ton front end in the coming days, using the massive red crane that completed yesterday’s lift to arrange pieces on the repair site. Repair work will take place south of the pit beneath a large canopy that will soon be moved into place to protect the workers and machine pieces from the elements. …

No snags reported in the lifting process; if repairs are snag-free too, tunneling could resume by late summer.

West Seattle wildlife: Sisters rescue injured owl

March 31, 2015 2:32 pm

| 26 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

2:32 PM: The photo and story are from Pete:

My daughters, Sadie and Madeline, found an injured owl under a bush. (They thought it was fake because it didn’t move.) We called animal control and they sent an officer to pick it up and take it to the hospital.

You can see from the picture that it is very small – about the size of a hand. But the agent told us the owl is a full-grown adult “Burrow Owl.”

The owl went to PAWS wildlife rehabilitation in Lynnwood, and the agent stated it looked like it will fully recover.

We don’t know exactly where in West Seattle the owl was found, and Pete hasn’t replied to our followup yet, but we did look up some information you might find useful – the PAWS infosheet on what to do if you find an injured bird – see it here. We’re also checking on the type of owl, as online info says “burrowing owls” are only found east of the mountains in our state.

6:43 PM: Pete has replied and tells us his daughters found the owl near College Street Ravine (in Admiral). Meantime, commenters have identified it as a northern saw-whet owl.

West Seattle egg hunts and more, just four days away

March 31, 2015 1:33 pm

| Comments Off on West Seattle egg hunts and more, just four days away

| Fun stuff to do | Holidays | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from Hiawatha Community Center egg hunt, 2013)
Too soon to say how the weather will turn out for Saturday, but West Seattle kids can hunt for eggs indoors as well as outdoors, so you’re covered. With four days to go, we wanted to remind you that the egg-hunt list is on the WSB Easter & More page; the basic Saturday (April 4th) lineup starts at 9 am at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor; indoors), continues at 10 am participating city-run community centers (mostly outdoors), and then there’s more! Some churches have egg hunts after Easter Sunday services, too – check their schedules (which span all of Holy Week), which are also on our Easter & More page. And we’re still ready to update if anything/anyone’s missing. Please send info via e-mail – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

Puget Sound’s orcas welcome fourth calf in three months

March 31, 2015 11:39 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo by naturalist/researcher Jeanne Hyde, Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching)
Word started getting around last night that Puget Sound’s orcas, the Southern Resident Killer Whales, have another new baby – and researchers have confirmed that this is the fourth calf spotted in three months. Three of them, including this one, were born to J Pod. The first report came from the Pacific Whale Watch Association; one of its members, Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching, spotted the baby off Galiano Island, British Columbia, on Monday. This means the SRKWs – J Pod, K Pod, L Pod – are up to 81 orcas in the wild (and the 82nd, Tokitae/Lolita, in captivity in Florida). The newest baby is J52; it’s been exactly three months since J50 was spotted, followed by J51 in mid-February, and then the L Pod baby two weeks later.

West Seattle Tuesday: Talk about tax votes for transportation & schools; The Sonics at Easy Street; two deadlines…

March 31, 2015 10:49 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Tuesday: Talk about tax votes for transportation & schools; The Sonics at Easy Street; two deadlines…

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Olympic Mountains, photographed last weekend by James Bratsanos)

Five highlights for today/tonight:

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE $900 MILLION TRANSPORTATION LEVY? Tonight’s the West Seattle meeting about the first draft of what’s headed for the ballot this November – 6-8 pm at WSHS. Here’s our report from the day the levy was announced, including what we found out about what’s in it for WS. (3000 California SW)

WHAT’S IN THE NEXT SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVIES? Looking even further ahead, Seattle Public Schools is previewing its operations and building/technology levies, planned for February 2016, and asking your thoughts, in a meeting at 6:30 pm at Fairmount Park Elementary – details here. (38th/Findlay)

THE SONICS AT EASY STREET: 7:30 pm at Easy Street Records in The Junction, Northwest rock legends The Sonics are signing copies of their first album in FIFTY years! (California/Alaska)

DEADLINE DAY! DISCOUNT REGISTRATION FOR WEST SEATTLE 5K: Sign up for the May 17th West Seattle 5K Walk/Run by tonight and get the lowest price. Here’s how.

DEADLINE DAY! NAME THE NEW SCHOOL: Today’s your last chance to suggest a name for the new school being built on Genesee Hill – here’s how.

VIDEO: How do you follow up an ‘incredibly record-breaking’ season? Watch and listen as ArtsWest shows off 2015-2016 slate

March 31, 2015 9:31 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Before ArtsWest looked ahead last night with the grand unveiling of its 2015-2016 season, there was a moment to look back:

Artistic director Mathew Wright said that season-to-season, attendance had jumped dramatically, for “an incredibly record-breaking season” – from just under 11,000, to just over 14,000, and that for “2,689 of those folks, it was their first time coming to see a show at ArtsWest.”

But the spotlight was on what lies ahead – the first full-season slate Wright has chosen as artistic director, a role he has had since last summer. In her introduction of Wright, managing director Laura Lee hailed the “collaborative process” of theater making “great and wonderful things happen. .. I’m incredibly proud of what we’re going to do next year.”

In addition to excerpts and songs, the announcement show included sit-down conversations with guests from other theaters around the city. The stage was set with the first guest, Kristin Leahey of Seattle Rep, for a conversation about season planning: “It can be tricky to figure out what kind of theater to put on our stages.” They talked briefly about the place of live theater in today’s society. She listed its attributes as connecting with other audience members, a “utopian moment” during a performance, “that we’re feeling with others in the audience.”

And then, to the slate: Six works “organized around a central question” that he said dated back to his time in college “in post-9/11 America.” Wright and friends tried to effect cultural revolution but didn’t. Eventually, he said, he took a cross-country road trip to Seattle. “I discovered how huge America is, and how beautiful it is.”

The question – “what is it that unites us as a people today in this country?” The answer, on a screen behind him: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness/or/Success.

First, a Tony-nominated musical as the season-opener, “Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’,” September 10th-October 11th, based on the group’s platinum album, telling the tale of friends struggling to find meaning in the post-9/11 world. ArtsWest will be one of the first regional theaters to stage it, Wright said. Two numbers from “American Idiot” were performed for the full house of invited guests last night – here’s “21 Guns”:

(The singers were Devon Busswood, Diana Huey, Chance Michael Eldridge, EmilyRose Frasca, Isaiah Crowson, Jeff Orton, Tori Spero, Sara Porkalob, Stacie Calkins, Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako, Ann Cornelius, Chelsea LeValley, Brian Lange, Brent Moury, Mark Tyler Miller, Frederick Hagreen, Saxton Walker, Janet McWilliams.)

March 31, 2015 9:00 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2015 approaches, and signups start here tomorrow!

| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

Tomorrow not only brings a new month, it also brings the start of registration for the 11th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day. This year, May 9 is the Saturday when, for six hours, sellers and shoppers will fill the peninsula with “person-to-person recycling.”

WSCGSD, which we’re coordinating for the eighth consecutive year, brings sales big and small, from household sales to organizational fundraisers, all over the map – which is what we create and publish with the locations and information shared by registered sellers, making clickable and printable versions available one week before the May 9th sale day. When the signup form is ready to go sometime tomorrow afternoon or evening, we’ll announce it here and on the official WSCGSD site at westseattlegaragesale.com. Registration will be open for more than two weeks, so there’s plenty of time for word to get around.

P.S. If you’re an apartment resident or otherwise don’t have room for your own sale, check in at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor), where proprietor Lora Swift is again offering courtyard spaces (including the lot at Ginomai across the alley). More tomorrow!