West Seattle Montessori/WS Academy students’ food drive – for pets!

(Photo courtesy West Seattle Montessori/West Seattle Academy)
In recent months, we’ve shared the news of multiple food drives by community-minded students at local schools – and we have another one today: This time, to help pets in area shelters. West Seattle Montessori/West Seattle Academy (WSB sponsor) assistant director Heather Aquino explains:

Our seventh-grade students have taken on a very cool cause. (Through) April 25 they are challenging all of our classes to collect as much pet food as they can, by the pound, to be donated to local Seattle shelters. Our winning class will have a small party hosted by these incredible seventh-graders.

Community members are welcome to donate pet food too – drop it off at the school, 11215 15th SW, today or April 22-25th (as with Seattle Public Schools, WSMS/WSA will be out on spring break next week).

West Seattle Friday: Rummage sale; plant sale & spaghetti dinner; ‘Charlie Brown,’ more

April 12, 2013 8:32 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Friday: Rummage sale; plant sale & spaghetti dinner; ‘Charlie Brown,’ more
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo courtesy Twelfth Night Productions)
The weekend’s in view! Here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

ST. JOHN’S RUMMAGE SALE: St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church promises “great treasures, good deals, and fresh baked cookies” as its two-day rummage sale begins – hours are 9 am-7 pm today and 9 am-3 pm Saturday at 3050 California SW, next to West Seattle High School.

WEST SEATTLE LIONS’ PLANT SALE AND SPAGHETTI DINNER: The West Seattle Lions Club‘s 19th annual plant sale is tonight 5-8 pm and Saturday 9 am-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle – and tonight you can join them for a spaghetti dinner, too. Details here. (Bake sale, too!)

HIGH-SCHOOL LACROSSE: As noted here last night, you can catch the new Chief Sealth International High School JV Lacrosse team in action tonight at 6:30 pm at home vs. Kennedy.

TWELFTH NIGHT’S ‘CHARLIE BROWN’ OPENS: Opening night for “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” produced by West Seattle’s own Twelfth Night Productions, 7:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. More details in our calendar listing; tickets are available online.

LAST NIGHT FOR WSHS MUSICAL: Meantime, it’s the final performance of West Seattle High School‘s spring musicalThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” 7:30 pm at the WSHS Theater – details in our calendar listing.

FOLK DUO AT KENYON HALL: Emma’s Revolution performs at the historic hall (7904 35th SW), 7:30 tonight – more info at kenyonhall.org.

…and there’s LOTS more on the calendar!

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday notes; weekend reminders

April 12, 2013 6:16 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday notes; weekend reminders
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Happy Friday! Last day of school before the one-week spring break for Seattle Public Schools. And with the postponement of the Delridge/Thistle intersection work, there’s just one traffic alert for this weekend, taking effect tonight at 10, ending by 5 am Monday: The ramps from the eastbound West Seattle Bridge and lower Spokane Street to northbound I-5 and Beacon Hill will be closed for expansion-joint work; detours are listed here.

West Seattle Art Walk: Scenes from April 2013 edition

Story and photos by Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Spring sunshine graced Thursday evening’s West Seattle Art Walk – above, at Firefly Café & Creperie (4160 California SW; WSB sponsor), featured artist Kimi J. Hansen-Chadwick (right) and proprietor Charell Estby. One of Hansen-Chadwick’s paintings, below:

Art appreciators at Firefly also enjoyed a sample of Zoka Coffee’s single origin Guatemalan “El Limonar” coffee, brewed with the “pour over” method by Zoka roaster Matreya:

Etsby was excited to take part in the West Seattle Art Walk — and to combine it with hosting a donation drive for WestSide Baby (packaged diapers, car seats). Per Etsby, two car seats were donated today. The bright red bin is ready and waiting in the cafe for the month of April:

Artists Judy Lane of Crooked Feather Girl Studio, and Rafael Caraballo also had their works on display at Firefly:

Meanwhile, more sunshine – and butterfly wings – glowed inside the newly opened West Seattle Office Junction (WSB’s coverage of opening day here). Entrepreneurs Stefan Hansmire and Christine Bartels welcomed visitors:

Featured artist Walter Scheirer (below) used off-tint house paint and salvaged/recycled doors in his work; this series is titled “Abstracts in Insects” with pieces depicting designs and patterns from butterfly wings. (Learn more about Scheirer’s artwork here.)


“Baltimore Checkerspot #2,” painting by Walter Scheirer

The West Seattle Art Walk is held every second Thursday, 6-9 pm, and you can preview venues and artists here.

Update: Alki fire call was ‘food on stove’

April 11, 2013 10:18 pm
|    Comments Off on Update: Alki fire call was ‘food on stove’
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
(10:18 pm) We’re checking out the fire response in the 5900 block of SW Stevens, about half a block west – reduced from what was originally a “full response.” (added 10:25 pm) A neighbor says there was “a lot of smoke” initially but whatever it was, it appears to be out now, and units are clearing the scene. (added 10:31 pm) Christopher Boffoli reports it was “food on the stove.”

More high-school athletes to cheer: Chief Sealth lacrosse

April 11, 2013 10:10 pm
|    Comments Off on More high-school athletes to cheer: Chief Sealth lacrosse
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

As spring-sports season continues, with just two months left in the school year, we’ve been tracking a few of the sports – and just got word of another one: Parent Lynda Eronimous e-mailed to let us know about Chief Sealth International High School‘s junior-varsity lacrosse team. She says it’s a partnership between Supersonics Lacrosse and Sealth, started this year “under the coaching of Scott Pattinson, who started SuperSonics Lacrosse two years ago. This is a very young team with kids from across Seattle coming together to play under the Chief Sealth name. They are always looking for more players and have equipment to loan to those that may not have any. Their season is underway and would love more crowd support at their upcoming home games played at SWAC on SW Thistle.” Lynda says you can check them out the next three Fridays at home, 6:30 pm tomorrow (April 12th) vs. Kennedy Catholic JV; April 19th at 6:30 pm vs. Mount Si JV; and 6:30 pm April 26th vs. Skyline’s C team. The Sealth team has a Facebook page, too.

Another delay announced: Barton Pump Station pile-driving

April 11, 2013 9:09 pm
|    Comments Off on Another delay announced: Barton Pump Station pile-driving
 |   Fauntleroy | Utilities | West Seattle news

Instead of pile-driving next week at the Barton Pump Station upgrade project work zone next to the Fauntleroy ferry dock, King County Wastewater Treatment Division says tonight it’ll happen a week later, April 22nd through April 25th. However, the announcement notes, “Next week at the pump station, you may notice crews pre-drilling the soil in order to prepare for the pile-driving work.”

West Seattle traffic alert: Delridge/Thistle closure postponed

April 11, 2013 4:04 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle traffic alert: Delridge/Thistle closure postponed
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

SDOT just sent word that the Delridge/Thistle intersection closure that had been scheduled for this weekend is now postponed two weeks, to April 26-29, because of a not-so-optimal forecast.

Skies Over West Seattle, April 2013 edition: Astronomy Month; some planets…

EDITOR’S NOTE: For everyone who’s wished they had advance alert of an upcoming meteor shower/eclipse/etc. – and/or wondered “What’s that bright ‘star’ up there?” – this is for you – the third edition of our new monthly feature by West Seattle’s own Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen, famous for her solstice/equinox sunset watches and for the recent bout of Comet PanSTARRS watching. Speaking of which …

(Comet PanSTARRS’ ‘last hurrah,’ from WSB reader John Hinkey)
By Alice Enevoldsen
Special to West Seattle Blog

We had some amazing nights last month, despite it being March. Now that it is officially spring, it’s started raining again. This month we have two planets in the night sky, and solar activity continues to ramp up towards Solar Maximum in November. It’s Global Astronomy Month, according to Astronomers without Borders, as well as Astronomy Day and Astronomy Week towards the end of the month as declared by the Astronomical League.

Hey! What’s That?

Did you see something in the sky recently, and wonder what it was? There are several options, but I’m betting you probably saw Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. It twinkles and flashes like anything in the mid-low sky between southeast and southwest. You probably will even think it is an airplane at first, until you realize it isn’t moving.

The other prime options are Jupiter and Saturn, depending on when and where you’re looking. Both of them will appear extremely bright, but Jupiter is in among a number of similarly bright stars, and Saturn will be rising later in the evening.

Planets (and the rest of the Solar System)

What a nice segue into the planets visible now, if the skies clear.

Read More

Next ‘Recycle Roundup’ at Fauntleroy Church set for April 28th

(WSB photo from last September’s Recycle Roundup)
It’s an ever-more-popular component of spring/fall cleaning in West Seattle – the twice-yearly Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church. Judy Pickens sends word that the date for the next one is set!

The Recycle Roundup is coming to town again, thanks to organizing by the Green Committee at Fauntleroy Church. It will be Sunday, April 28, 9 am – 3 pm in the church parking lot (9140 California Ave. SW). 1 Green Planet will take almost anything for free, responsible recycling. Here’s the list and contact information for questions.

Heads up: Seattle Police motorcade training again today

(Thanks to the WSB’er who texted this photo from Avalon/35th)
You might see Seattle Police motorcycle officers out in motorcade formation around West Seattle over the next few hours – as happened one week ago – and once again, it’s just training, according to Officer Renée Witt in SPD Public Affairs, who shared the alert.

West Seattle housing: Help pick paint for ‘The Triplets’

How often do you get a say in what color somebody else’s (future) home is painted? Four months have passed since we reported on “The Triplets,” three old homes in Westwood getting major makeovers – instead of being torn down – as part of a program carried out in conjunction with the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. They renovation work is almost done – and now, you have a chance to participate in the final phase of the makeover: Voting on what color palette will be used for their paint. It’s a tradition with Green Canopy Homes, which has been working on the project. Voting is open till 2 pm tomorrow (Friday); you can go here to have a say. The homes are expected to go on the market in June.

New 5K in West Seattle next month: ‘Run for Lights’

Love to run? Here’s another benefit 5K to add to this spring’s schedule. This announcement is just out of the WSB inbox:

Just wanted to let everyone know that the West Seattle-based nonprofit Orphans to Ambassadors is hosting the RUN FOR LIGHTS 5k in Lincoln Park on May 4th, 2013 at 10 am. Orphans to Ambassadors provides sustainable technologies and solutions to children’s homes around the globe through the use of solar power, rainwater harvesting systems, water filtration, rocket stoves, vegetable gardens, and animal husbandry. The RUN FOR LIGHTS 5k will benefit a solar project at an orphanage in Uganda this coming summer. Snacks and T-shirts are included in the registration fees: $30 for adults, $20 for those 18 and under before May 1st, or $35 after May 1. Register now to guarantee a t-shirt! Walkers welcome. Tickets can be purchased here.

They’re also looking for sponsors – if you’re interested, e-mail katherine@orphanstoambassadors.org.

West Seattle Thursday: Art Walk, Design Review, and more

M/V Tillikum and M/V Sealth

(Ferries at Fauntleroy, by Flickr member planet lb, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

(added) SPRING TASTING EVENT: West Seattle Thriftway (Fauntleroy/California; WSB sponsor) is inviting shoppers to their spring tasting event 4-7 pm. Among the vendors who are scheduled to demonstrate is Maria Esztergalyos, a West Seattle mom who has launched a line of vegan, soy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, nut-free, refined-sugar-free sauces and spice rubs called Palmera Naturals (and is crowdfunding via Kickstarter in hopes of expanding).
.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK! It’s the April edition – your chance to explore dozens of venues around the peninsula that will be showing art, most with the artist(s) on hand, 6-9 pm. Preview venues and artists on the official website. Here are a few notes:

SHANTI’S SILENT AUCTION DURING ART WALK: During Art Walk tonight, Shanti Salon and Spa (WSB sponsor) will host a special silent auction that’s also an Earth Month event – student art from K-5 STEM at Boren, 6 pm to 8 pm to celebrate Earth Month and raise funds for Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.

FIREFLY’S ART WALK DEBUT & DONATION DRIVE: Firefly Café and Creperie at California/Genesee is debuting on the Art Walk tonight – and also inviting you to bring a car seat to donate to WestSide Baby; proprietor Charell Estby is matching every car seat donation with a package of diapers for WS Baby.

WEST SEATTLE OFFICE JUNCTION’S ART WALK DEBUT: Also making its first appearance on the WS Art Walk, the new co-working space West Seattle Office Junction at 5230 California SW.

CAMERA DONATION DRIVE BEGINS: Art for Animals’ Sake is starting another collection of digital-camera donations so it can help underserved youth with art projects. You can drop them off at Mind Unwind or Beveridge Place Pub.

DESIGN REVIEW FOR 3829 CALIFORNIA & 3210 CALIFORNIA: As previewed last night, two projects are on the agenda tonight for the Southwest Design Review Board – the second meeting for a 29-apartment project at 3829 California at 6:30 pm, the first meeting for a 166-apartment proposal at 3210 California SW at 8 pm. Both meetings are at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).

(added) WANT TO LEARN ABOUT RAINGARDENS? Special session tonight at South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), Chan Building, room CDC-102, 6-8:30 pm. More info here.

DUWAMISH ROWING CLUB MOVIE NIGHT: 6:30 pm at Georgetown Stables, help raise money for the Duwamish Rowing Club – serving communities also including West Seattle and South Park – full details here.

‘PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE’ AT WSHS: Second-to-last chance to check out this year’s spring student musical at West Seattle High School, 7:30 pm – see westsidedrama.com for details.

West Seattle schools: ‘Hat Day’ at Roxhill Elementary

Thanks to Roxhill Elementary‘s award-winning librarian Pat Bliquez for sharing this report and the accompanying photos:

Roxhill kindergartners left school this week with a smile on their faces and a colorful, handmade hat on their heads. It was “hat week” in our kindergarten classes where students read “hat stories” (The Magic Hat by Mem Fox and What a hat by Holly Keller) and created artwork with a hat theme. The hats were a gift from Kristine Dembiczak of Kent, Roberta Martin of West Seattle, Roxhill librarian Pat Bliquez, and teachers Anndrea Beaty and Mary Elizabeth Ezenwaka.

It took approximately an hour and a half to make each hand loomed hat. Each hat was unique: one sported a pom pom, another a crocheted bow; another was accented with sparkly thread. This is the third year that Roxhill kindergartners have participated in “Hat Day,” a tradition started by Ms. Kristine Dembiczak and now expanded to other volunteer hat loomers.

The Roxhill community especially wants to thank Kristine and Roberta for the generosity of their gifts of time and creativity.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday on the move

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
With the weekend in view, along with tracking whatever’s happening today, we’re also looking ahead to two traffic alerts for the weekend:

DELRIDGE/THISTLE INTERSECTION CLOSURE, PLUS CLOVERDALE CLOSURE STARTING TODAY: As previewed here (with a detour map), the Delridge/Thistle intersection is scheduled to close at 7 pm Friday and stay closed all weekend as part of the Delridge-repaving project. In addition, SW Cloverdale will be closed at Delridge to eastbound traffic from 11 am TODAY until about 5 pm Saturday.

SPOKANE STREET INTERCHANGE RAMP CLOSURES: 10 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, you won’t be able to get from the West Seattle Bridge or lower Spokane Street to either northbound I-5 or Beacon Hill. It’s the second-to-last scheduled weekend closure for the Spokane Street Interchange Special Bridge Repair. Detours are listed here.

And note that this will be a getaway weekend for many, because Seattle Public Schools are out next week for spring break.

34th District Democrats: District-election discussion, and more

April 11, 2013 2:39 am
|    Comments Off on 34th District Democrats: District-election discussion, and more
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Thanks to 34th District Democrats webmaster Bill Schrier for the photo from Wednesday night’s meeting, during a presentation on the proposal for electing some Seattle City Councilmembers by district. At left is James Bush, a supporter; next to him, former Councilmember Jim Street, an opponent; at right, 34th member Susan Harmon asking a question. The group did not take a position on the proposal – its endorsement meeting is coming up in June. Schrier’s full recap of the meeting, including resolutions that were approved, is on the 34th DDs’ home page. His live Twitter stream, with quick updates as the meeting unfolded, can be seen here. Next month, on May 8th, the group plans a candidates’ forum for everything on the primary ballot except Seattle mayor, since the 34th is co-sponsoring an April 29th forum in Georgetown.

West Seattle High School baseball team’s biggest shutout yet

“West Seattle enjoyed a Day at the Beach” is how Greg Slader began his report on the division-leading WSHS baseball team’s 28-0 Wednesday win over Rainier Beach HS. He continues:

The weather cleared up enough for a baseball game, as West Seattle added to their lead in first place. Everyone hit, everyone played, as the team put up a season-high 28 runs. Graham French (#25, top photo) hit a home run to deep center field – 380 feet. Andy Snook (#16, next photo) drove in several runs:

TK Snow pitched a complete game (five innings), giving up only one hit. Next game is Friday against Rainier Beach, 3:30 pm @ Hiawatha.

Thanks again to Greg for sharing recaps and photos from the WSHS games!

3210 California SW’s Design Review debut Thursday; neighbors detail concerns

(Proposed ‘preferred’ massing for the development; rendering courtesy Nicholson Kovalchick Architects)
Tomorrow (Thursday) night is the first Southwest Design Review Board meeting for 3210 California SW, the 166-apartment project that’s the first proposal for a block-long stretch of South Admiral upzoned two years ago, after an at-times-contentious process that started more than three years earlier. The meeting was set to happen last month – until neighbors pointed out that the notice had not gone to everyone affected, so the city postponed it at the last minute. Those neighbors live in the single-family neighborhood behind the proposed development plan; while they expect to be at the meeting, they also have drafted a 13-page letter they sent in advance in hopes the board members would have time to consider it. Here’s a copy they provided. It details their concerns, particularly regarding height, bulk, and scale of the new development. Looking at homes to the east along 42nd, you can see its potential top floors in blue to the west.

An excerpt from the letter:

1. The proposed project abuts a much less intensive SF zone of substantially different scale, along its long axis. 80-percent of the abutting single-family residences are one or two-story bungalows on 5000 sf lots. The absence of an alley for access and buffer is conducive to a project of smaller scale.
2. The proposed project is two full stories taller than the buildings on California Ave to its north and south. (See Section D in the project packet.)
3. The development site is of such exceptional length not only for its immediate context, but for Seattle overall. The proposed building is 200 feet longer than a downtown block, with a footprint equivalent to 6 NC parcel lengths and 9 SF parcel lengths. Even with one “break” in the building’s upper stories, the two masses are still each far longer than any other buildings.
4. The current proposal appears substantially greater in height and scale than in representations made in connection with a 2011 rezone.

The project packet can be seen here. This review is the second one on the board’s agenda for tomorrow night at the Senior Center of West Seattle (second floor of California/Oregon building) – at 6:30 pm, they take up the 39-apartment building proposed for 3829 California SW, and then 3210 California SW’s part of the meeting is scheduled to start at 8 pm. There’ll be a period for public comment on each project.

Reader report: Suspicious incident in Schmitz Park

Police are investigating a suspicious incident that happened in Schmitz Park this evening. The person who reported it has just sent her story, and we’re sharing it, not in the interest of panic, but in the interest of “knowledge is power,” particularly since we have unsolved incidents including last Tuesday’s California SW attack. Here’s what she wrote:

I was walking with my 3-year-old son just inside the entryway to Schmitz Park behind the elementary school. We wanted to see some big trees, but I had a strange feeling that we needed to turn back. I heard some rustling and had an urgent feeling we needed to get out. We had to maneuver around a puddle, and I glanced over my shoulder. A man with reddish hair, a slight build, with a brownish sweater, tan pants, and brown shoes was running straight at me. If I hadn’t turned around and looked him in the face, he would have overcome me. When I looked at him, he stopped and turned sideways. He had something he put in his pocket. He sort of made another move forward, because as I looked around, we were still out of plain view. So I used a very loud voice to tell my son we were going home now. My son made a lot of noise complaining that he didn’t want to go home. I kept my eyes on the man and picked up my protesting, screaming son. And the man literally ran back into the park.

Police reiterate that they want to be notified, via 911, when something suspicious happens – and that’s exactly what this mom did.

High-school sports: Sealth shuts out WSHS in crosstown soccer

It was a crosstown soccer match on Tuesday afternoon at Southwest Athletic Complex – Chief Sealth International High School vs. West Seattle High School. The division-leading Seahawks came away with the win, Sealth over WSHS 5-0. Here’s the scoring recap from our partners at The Seattle Times; ahead – our gallery of scenes from the game, photographed for WSB by Nick Adams:

Read More

Date set for next public review of 4755 Fauntleroy Way megaproject

As discussed when the Whole Foods/370-apartment megaproject at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW came back to the Southwest Design Review Board two weeks ago (WSB coverage here), the proposal also is in the midst of a crucial review by another city-organized group: The Seattle Design Commission. They must sign off on the developer’s request for an “alley vacation,” a process that would make public land private, and they must decide whether its “urban design merit” and “public benefits” pass muster. At their first review March 7 (WSB coverage here) they sent the project back for revisions and so will be reviewing its “merit” again on April 18th, 1:30-3:30 pm. The public is welcome; the meeting will be in the Boards and Commissions Room on the L2 level of City Hall downtown.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Watch for a gold Lincoln Town Car

April 10, 2013 3:43 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Watch for a gold Lincoln Town Car
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Another car to be on the lookout for, reported by Katy:

I just wanted to warn others/inform loyal blog readers that my car was stolen from SW Lander St & 42 Ave SW by the Admiral Safeway, near the tennis courts, between 10:30 pm (4/9) and 8 am (4/10). The car stolen was a gold ’91 Lincoln Town Car with gold seats. The license plate is 879-WJD. There is also a USC sticker on the back windshield along with a few bumper stickers and a QA magnet on the back trunk. The car may also have a disabled placard up (it was in the car at the time of the theft) as the vehicle had belonged to my mother, a longterm Alki resident.