West Seattle Blog…

Delridge Grocery’s first Friday Farmstand – a hit!

Sarah, Susan, Constance, and Ariana posed with leafy greens at the first Delridge Grocery Friday Farmstand because that’s all they had left by the time we got there at 7 pm. Ariana reports the stand had a line for the first two hours as buyers scooped up all the fruit. We mentioned the produce offerings in this morning’s daily preview; next Friday, they’re likely to have more raspberries and blueberries, cherries, peaches, greens, tomatoes, summer squash, and green onions, among other offerings. The farmstand is a sort of appetizer for the future Delridge Grocery, the cooperative store that volunteers are working to open in the commercial space of DESC’s Cottage Grove Commons. To add to the festive flavor of today’s stand, live music was provided by Thaddeus Spae.

Look for the farmstand’s second edition just south of Delridge Branch Library (5423 Delridge Way SW) next Friday (July 25th), 4:30-7:30 pm.

Southwest Design Review Board report #1: Eye-clinic project @ 7520 35th SW sent back for second round of early-design guidance

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Making its debut before the Southwest Design Review Board, the proposed Clearview Eye Clinic project at 7520 35th SW was sent back for a second round of Early Design Guidance.

Concerns included how the building would interact with the evolving streetscape – busy as 35th SW is, and can be – and whether it was too close to the street, and should be set back as are other buildings. A paucity of landscape was identified as a concern, too, as was the fact that the proposal includes a parking area fronting 35th SW, and how the site’s vehicle entries should work.

This project will be a medical/commercial building – no residential component – and the architect described an intent for its look to be “crisp, clean, and clear.” (We first reported the project plan two months ago.)

Four of the SWDRB’s five members (with T. Frick McNamara absent) were present, with planner Tami Garrett from the Department of Planning and Development.

Architect Peter Bocek from PB Architects explained that the clinic doctors are building a permanent home for their practice, with a staff of about 20, because their lease at Westwood Village is expiring:

Click to read the rest of Southwest Design Review Board report #1: Eye-clinic project @ 7520 35th SW sent back for second round of early-design guidance…

High Point Market Garden to open for the season Wednesday

(2011 WSB photo from High Point Market Garden)
This Wednesday is your first chance to buy fresh organic produce picked steps away from the point of sale – opening day for the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand, just announced by the city. It’s at 32nd/Juneau (map) and it’ll be open 4-7 pm Wednesdays, July 9th-September 24th. The first harvest is expected to include spinach, carrots, leafy vegetables, new onions, peas, turnips, and radishes. The city announcement adds that the stand and its counterpart at NewHolly “accept EBT cards and participate in Fresh Bucks which doubles consumers’ first $10 spent on the card.

Happening now: Relay for Life team’s cancer-fighting car wash

Exactly four weeks from now, participants in this year’s Relay for Life-West Seattle will have just finished their intense overnight event at WS Stadium (7:30 pm June 27-11:30 am June 28), one of hundreds of similar events across the country raising money for the American Cancer Society. Right now, it’s full-on advance-fundraising mode, and one of the local teams, “Answers for Cancers,” is doing just that with this car wash at West Seattle Autoworks (35th/Webster; WSB sponsor). By donation, they’re cleaning up cars until 2 pm today. If you can’t make it today, you can also donate to Relay for Life-WS by using the link you’ll find here, and by visiting the stadium during the public Relay for Life events next month.

West Seattle restaurants: Thai Landing closed by health inspectors

Just in from King County Public Health – its inspectors closed the Thai Landing on Alki restaurant this afternoon. Here’s the notice published online:

Thai Landing on Alki
2620 Alki Av SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Closed: May 27, 2014 at 1:00 pm

Reasons:
Potentially hazardous foods at unsafe temperatures
Foods not protected from cross-contamination
Equipment/utensils not properly sanitized
Handwashing facilities inaccessible
Failure to correct repeated violations

The county will announce when it’s cleared to open again; you can check its status here.

West Seattle health care: Swedish to open urgent-care clinic in South Admiral, after pediatric move to Junction

(King County Assessor’s Office photo of Swedish clinic building at 3400 California SW)
More big moves in local health care: If you are a patient at Swedish‘s pediatric clinic in South Admiral, you might already know it’s moving to The Junction (thanks to all the recent tipsters!). Following up with Swedish, we asked what it plans to do with the space the Children’s Clinic is leaving behind, and found out they’ll be opening an urgent-care clinic there later this year.

As noted online, the pediatric clinic will make the move to 4744 41st SW, east of Jefferson Square (a space vacated by the former Highline clinic that moved into The Triangle) over a weekend in mid-June, opening in the new location on June 16th. Swedish spokesperson Clay Holtzman tells WSB, “The move is being made to create additional space for the clinic. The new children’s clinic is adding one pediatrician. There are seven physicians associated with the children’s clinic, including the newest doctor. The new space will have parking out front and will be decorated with a West Seattle theme. Most importantly, the new clinic will be reconfigured for a ‘care team’ approach – a concept in patient care that has a team of people (not just the physician) who are responsible for the wellness of the patient. This reflects the more efficient, proactive, and engaged approach that health care overall is shifting toward.”

After that, Holtzman continues, “The old location at California SW will expand its third-floor primary care clinic into the second floor (where the children’s clinic was). Swedish will be adding an Urgent Care clinic in that second floor.” Urgent Care, he says, will open there in the late summer or early fall.

How to talk with teens about marijuana: West Seattle High School hosting community event

Just out of the WSB inbox:

Please join us on Tuesday, May 13th, from 7:00-8:30 in the West Seattle High School Library to learn about how the legalization of marijuana and increased availability of marijuana products are affecting our students and our community. The West Seattle counseling staff is pleased to host this informative evening providing the latest research and data on marijuana legalization issues, use among teens and how to talk with our kids about all of it. Presenters will include Lisa Sharp and Stephen Bogan. Lisa is SPS Manager of Prevention and Intervention Education and has been working with adolescents for 15 years as a case manager, intervention specialist and health educator. Stephen Bogan is a private clinician with over 35 years of experience working in the field of chemical dependency, mental health and adolescent development.

If you have any questions, please contact Tara Vanselow at thvanselow@seattleschools.org

Anyone in the community who’s interested is invited – not just WSHS families. The school is at 3000 California SW.

Video: Fashion & compassion with ‘Style ’14′ raising money to help cancer patients

(Video by Edgar Riebe of West Seattle-headquartered Captive Eye Media)
The women you’ll meet in that video are what and who “Style ’14” this Thursday night is all about – their stories reveal how you can help Northwest Hope and Healing, the West Seattle/West Seattleite-founded and -run organization that assists cancer patients as they get through day-to-day life, which doesn’t stop down just because you’ve been diagnosed with cancer.

Your ticket gets you into Showbox SODO for a runway fashion show with models who also happen to be breast-cancer survivors. You can get a ticket to just attend the show, or you can buy a VIP ticket including admission to a pre-event party and cocktail reception with “heavy appetizers,” reserved seats, and a thank-you gift. Doors are at 6:30 pm for VIP, 7 pm for general admission, with the fashion show at 7:30 pm; it’s a 21+ event. Also part of “Style ’14″: West Seattle businesses including West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), Carmilia’s, Coastal, Ola, Twala Intimates, and more, as well as West Seattleites who are on the volunteer planning committee. You can buy your ticket online here (see the left sidebar of that page).

Straight Blast Gym of Seattle: Welcome, new WSB sponsor

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.

Next Drug Take-Back Day coming up this Saturday

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.

County reports potential measles exposure at two West Seattle-area stores

The latest measles-exposure alert from King County Public Health involves someone who, before being diagnosed, was at two stores in West Seattle the afternoon/evening of March 30th. From the announcement:

Local public health officials have confirmed a measles infection in a traveler who was at Sea-Tac airport and two locations in Seattle during his contagious period. The traveler is a resident of California and was likely exposed to the measles while on a flight with an earlier confirmed measles case on March 21, 2014.

What to do if you were in a location of potential measles exposure

Most people in our area have immunity to the measles through vaccination, so the risk to the general public is low. However, all persons who were in the following locations around the same time as the individual with measles should:

*Find out if they have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously

*Call a health care provider promptly if they develop an illness with fever or illness with an unexplained rash between April 7th and April 21st. To avoid possibly spreading measles to other patients, do not go to a clinic or hospital without calling first to tell them you want to be evaluated for measles.

Locations of potential exposure to measles

Before receiving the measles diagnosis, the traveler was in West Seattle and at Sea-Tac Airport. Anyone who was at Sea-Tac Airport or the locations listed during the following times was possibly exposed to measles:

Seattle

Safeway, 9620 28th Ave SW, 03/30/2014, 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Marshall’s, 2600 SW Barton Street, 3/30/2014, 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

SeaTac

Sea-Tac Airport, 03/31/2014 , 4:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.: terminal B

If you were at one of the locations at the times listed above and are not immune to measles, the most likely time you would become sick is between April 7th and April 21st.

The county webpage that features this announcement includes more background information about measles, if you need it.

Video: Hair loss for a cause @ West Seattle St. Baldrick’s benefit

(In our video, Vincent and Lisa from Shanti are shaving Gene and Leah)
Paintbrushes are the tools you are most likely to see people holding at Mind Unwind in The Admiral District. Saturday night, though, razors and scissors prevailed. It was West Seattle’s first head-shaving fundraiser for childhood-cancer-research money, via the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Mind Unwind was the venue, but nearby Shanti Salon and Spa was the official presenter, and senior stylist Emily Austin the lead organizer. Here’s Emily with the night’s top fundraising shavee, Gene Hsu:

Emily had told us, while organizing this, that she had been involved with St. Baldrick’s in Ohio, where she used to live, and was surprised to find out that Seattle, despite being a hub for cancer research, has one of the nation’s lowest participation rates. Saturday night, she hoped, would be the beginning of an end to that, and the show of support suggested she was well on her way:

So let’s get back to Gene. For one, his fundraising alone was double Emily’s original $5,000 goal for this first event. By the time the razor touched his hair, he was up to about $11,000, and was getting matching support from his employer Marchex, he said. Plus, he was donating his hair to Locks of Love – which makes wigs for cancer patients. Other shavees included Shelley and Eric Herzog:

Head-shavings happened two at a time – in the foreground below is John Trainor, who said he had been growing his beard for 11 years, but allowed it to be taken (along with his higher-up hair) in exchange for more donations:

Leah Browne just signed up the day of the event and agreed to give up half of her 15-year dreadlocks:

Local businesses and artists donated prizes for ongoing drawings. Emily says St. Baldrick’s spends 82 percent of donations on research, and she added, “I think it gives folks a way of supporting a loved one who might be going through cancer treatment or might have lost a loved one to the disease.” She’s hopeful the event will grow year by year … so start growing your hair now and make it all the more dramatic when you join in NEXT time! Like Gene – before and after:

Equilibrium Fitness: Welcome, new West Seattle Blog sponsor

Today we’re welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor, Equilibrium Fitness in South Admiral, offering a deal via this WSB coupon. Here’s what proprietors Dominick Viscardi and Thomas Alexander would like you to know about their business:

When you first come to Equilibrium Fitness, you’ll get a total evaluation. It can – but doesn have to – include an orthopedic check, and a general once-over. You’ll be asked questions including what your goals are and what medical history you have, and Equilibrium Fitness can create and adjust a workout program from there. They will be able to tailor your workout so it doesn’t stress out your system – they will see what kind of load your body can handle. The goal is to help you become more fit – not to “go for the burn” as is the case with some trainers and regimes, which can happen if they don’t do what Equilibrium Fitness does – get to know you and your overall fitness condition.

They will help you attain realistic goals based on their interaction with you. Have a past injury, an area of your body you want to make sure doesn’t get re-injured or overly stressed? Equilibrium Fitness will work to make sure it’s protected, as you work on getting more fit. They also offer massage therapy. And Dominick is C.H.E.K.-certified.

Use this coupon for 30 days of unlimited classes when you sign up for monthly membership at Equilibrium Fitness, a member of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, is at 3270 California SW, online at eqfitness.net, and on Facebook here.

We thank Equilibrium Fitness 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.

After you go green for St. Patrick’s Day, go bald for St. Baldrick’s

Heard about St. Baldrick’s?

Organizer Emily Austin is asking West Seattleites to agree to go bald on March 29th to help kids with cancer. She and Shanti Salon are organizing the fundraising event at Mind Unwind (2206 California SW) in The Admiral District, just a few blocks from the salon.

The act of giving up your head hair, says Emily, is “a gesture of solidarity for children who lose their hair in treatment, or anyone else who has gone through the hair loss trauma while undergoing treatment.”

Cheering on the shavees – who will have gathered sponsor pledges ahead of time – is just part of the event, so you’re invited even if you’re planning on keeping your hair. Says Emily, “There will also be silent auction items, raffle items and other ways to donate. We are still in need of a few donations of goods, services, gift cards, or table ready baskets to auction off.” But most importantly:

We’re actively searching for a few more folks who would consider shaving their heads and in particular, those willing to collect donations in advance. Our event link makes it quite easy to sign up, and sometimes, people or businesses will even form a team to make things more interesting. Anyone can get involved, from getting shaved, shaving heads, sweeping hair, helping collect donations for the raffle tickets that evening, to just coming by the event and lending support.

Emily hopes to build the event in the years ahead to where 100 people will get their heads shaved in a single evening. If you’re willing to help her head in that direction – sign up here. And join her at Mind Unwind on Saturday, March 29th, 6-8 pm.

Video: Walking to West Seattle Elementary with Gov. Inslee

About 20 West Seattle Elementary students will have a lot to talk about on their way to school today – one day after a high-profile visitor accompanied their Walking School Bus. Governor Jay Inslee is trying to encourage the “Healthiest Next Generation,” and walking is of course part of it. WSE’s principal Vicki Sacco accompanied him:

One of the walkers had a bit of a shoe problem – and the governor stepped in to help:

Back on the move, Inslee greeted a crossing guard:

And there was time for autographs:

Parting words from the governor:

Also part of the event, Feet First, which advocates walking and biking to school safely – read about its initiatives here.

Delridge ‘Food Hub’? One recommendation of a new city report

A new city report reiterates that access to healthy food in Delridge is abysmal, especially for low-income families. The report follows surveys and focus groups of women in the Delridge area, and was presented to the City Council in a briefing this past week; thanks to Councilmember Tom Rasmussen for pointing it out. The report was inspired, it says, by the Seattle Women’s Commission and Councilmember Mike O’Brien looking into a Delridge community member’s concerns of how difficult it was to find healthy food in the area, even if she took transit to the store, complicated by the logistics of bringing along young children. The report’s executive summary is here, with recommendations from creating a Food Hub – maybe even with a Farmers’ Market-type produce stand – to transportation improvements, to supporting the Delridge Grocery co-op startup that’s aiming to open its market later this year. Here’s the slide deck shown at the briefing.

SODO Health & Performance/SODO Crossfit: New WSB sponsor

Today we welcome one of our newest sponsors: West Seattleite-owned SODO Health & Performance and SODO CrossFit. As a new sponsor, they get the chance to tell you about what they do:

SODO CROSSFIT: One of the things members tell us they love about us is our location. If you prefer training before work, but then find yourself fighting bridge traffic after your workout in West Seattle, you will love the convenience – we’re on 6th Ave S, across the street from Franz Bakery. We have classes at 6:00 and 7:00 am so you can get out of West Seattle before “the 7:05 rush.” When you finish training, use our showers and dressing rooms to clean up before heading to work and completely bypass the West Seattle Bridge traffic.

At SODO CrossFit, we train to be durable, healthy and fit. Injury prevention and feeling better, as well as stronger, are our primary goals. All our coaches have a wide depth of knowledge and numerous coaching certifications that include, but also go beyond, CrossFit. Plus our head coach, Dr. Michael Ross DC, CSCS, a Sports Chiropractor, is an exercise-rehabilitation specialist and manual therapist who also has numerous coaching certifications in addition to CrossFit.

Members say they trust us and have confidence in our methods because of our extensive training and rehabilitation knowledge. They say this makes us different from other facilities in the area and gives them assurance they are receiving the best training possible with the lowest risk of injury.

SODO HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE: We offer a multi-disciplinary clinic of Sports Chiropractic, Active Release Technique, Therapeutic Massage, Exercise Rehabilitation, Sports Acupuncture and Sports Naturopathic. Patients tell us how much they appreciate our approach to wellness – that we provide short-term, active-based care, emphasizing long-term results. Our goal is to get you better so you can return to your health and fitness goals as soon as possible with minimal visits to any doctor.

Dr. Michael Ross, DC, CSCS, has been a 42-year resident of West Seattle, all the way back to Genesee Hill Elementary. With decades of experience between our coaches and practitioners, we have put together a great combination of fitness, health, and wellness, in our small West Seattle office and our new SODO location, 2920 6th Ave. S., 206-932-7943.

We thank SODO Health & Performance and SODO CrossFit for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Well Medical Arts: New WSB sponsor for Inner Health, Outer Beauty

This afternoon we welcome a new WSB sponsor, Well Medical Arts. As is our tradition, we offer new local sponsors the chance to tell you about what they do:

Make 2014 the year for you! Come visit us at Well Medical Arts and learn how to treat yourself every day of the year. Learn about our vitamin-deficiency testing or our fabulous new Laser resurfacing for your face. No matter your concern, Dominique Well, ARNP, addresses your issue with total quality treatment and a great value for your money. For new patients, we have a special offer of 5 free units of Botox if you purchase 20! Do schedule your free consultation soon and see exactly what happens within the healing walls of Well Medical Arts, a unique boutique of Inner Health, Outer Beauty.

Well Medical Arts has four special events coming up: Tomorrow (Thursday, January 30th), introducing our special CLEANSE Series, 6 pm-8 pm; Thursday, February 6th, HCG Diet Clinic, 6 pm-8 pm; February 14th and 28th, come learn about the new semi-permanent filler Aretfill (by appointment only). Call now to reserve your spot! 206-935-6789.

Well Medical Arts is at 9025 35th SW, and online at wellmedicalarts.com.

We thank Well Medical Arts for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Starless night: Newest starfish (sea stars) survey in West Seattle waters

Months after first word of starfish (sea stars) dying off in many areas – particularly here in Northwest waters – scientists still haven’t figured out why. British Columbia, one of the first places where it was noticed, remains perplexed. Californians have noticed. Here in West Seattle, eco-advocate “Diver Laura” James has been taking periodic surveys in “Cove 1″ at Seacrest to survey the situation. As the video shows, still pretty bleak. But this dive was more than a survey, Laura explains:

Saturday night was a bit of a departure from our regular survey dives. A researcher up at the Port Townsend marine labs has 30 healthy stars and was ready to do an experiment to help understand the transmission of the disease, but was having a bit of a hard time getting some sick subjects. Pycnopodia (the sunflower star) like the ones that we helped collect up at Mukilteo all die too fast once they are infected. So it was up to us to find some either _very_ freshly sick pycnopodia (who could make it to the labs) or more likely some of the purple stars (pisaster) that we’ve been videoing at cove 1. Luckily I’ve learned to recognize the early stages of the illness in the Purple stars and also the Orange colored mottled stars. Each has its own subtlety and can only be seen when you have spent some time studying the healthy counterparts side by side with video of the sick.

My concern on this dive started early:

Click to read the rest of Starless night: Newest starfish (sea stars) survey in West Seattle waters…

Hot stuff! Brand-new sauna open at Southwest Pool

The new sauna at city-run Southwest Pool is open – so in case you hadn’t heard, we’re sharing the news, and photos, from assistant aquatics coordinator Matt Richardson:

Southwest Pool’s new sauna is open!

We invite all of our adult swimmers and water exercisers to try out the new sauna. Use of the sauna is included in your regular swim fee during adult and senior programs. Please read and follow the posted safety rules.

Come on in and smell the new cedar.

We are really excited and know that it was worth the wait.

The sauna measures 10 X 12 feet and is kept at 160 degrees. It was purchased with a loan from Rev-Eck and Meadowbrook Councils. It is part of our fitness-room-upgrade project. The remainder of the project is waiting on DPD construction permits. It should be completed over the next six months to a year. It includes leveling a concrete floor, HVAC, emergency egress, electrical and weight equipment for a total investment close to $120,000. It should not require shutting down the pool to complete the project.

Call the pool at 206-684-7440 for information about adult swimming and water aerobics.

Haven’t been to Southwest Pool? It’s at 2801 SW Thistle; you can see its schedule online.

West Seattle restaurants: Saigon Boat Café closed by health inspector

9:53 AM: Just in from King County Public Health:

Saigon Boat Café, located at 2632 Alki Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116, was closed by a Public Health food inspector on January 6, 2014 at 5:00 pm for the following food safety violations:

Potentially hazardous foods at unsafe temperatures
Improper cooling of potentially hazardous food
Foods not protected from cross-contamination
Poor personal hygiene practices: handwashing
Equipment/utensils not properly sanitized
Handwashing facilities inaccessible and not working

The establishment will be reopened once the inspector confirms that all issues have been resolved.

We’ll check back, and you can also watch its status at the county website.

(Side note – the restaurant is located in a building set for replacement by a development project that goes to Design Review next month.)

ADDED 11:30 AM: A commenter reminded us that this is not the first time a Public Health inspector has closed Saigon Boat Café – the closure in February 2010 was attributed to a lack of proper permits/plans; the restaurant reopened two months later.

Stage 1 burn ban for King County, but not until Christmas night

Just announced by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency:

Due to increasingly stagnant weather conditions, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is issuing a Stage 1 burn ban for King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, effective at 5 p.m. on December 25, 2013. This ban remains in effect until further notice.

During a Stage 1 burn ban:

No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.

Teen runner in the house? New group in the new year

West Seattle teenagers interested in running are invited to be part of a new group launching early in the new year. The announcement was shared by Emma:

Starting January 4th, West Seattle Runner will offer a free teen running group every Saturday at 11 am for those in high school and college. This will be a great place to meet other youth who enjoy running, train for races like 5Ks and half marathons, and improve overall fitness.

Lori McConnell, co-owner of West Seattle Runner, wanted to start this group because “As a long distance runner, the owner of a running store, and a therapist for youth and athletes, I saw the need. I have heard from teens that they would like to run more, but in the dark winter, they are limited because they don’t want to run alone. I also want to introduce the joy of running to youth. It is a healthy activity for them to spend time doing, it gives a sense of belonging, and it increases confidence. Also, running is a way to build good mental health and helps with learning. I wanted an opportunity to connect like-minded teens in a social way.”

A Facebook group called “West Seattle Teen Running Group” has been created and will be the central place for future information about this upcoming running group. If you have questions, contact Lori at lori@westseattlerunner.com or call West Seattle Runner at 206-938-0545.

West Seattle scene: Finished floragraph for Joshua Waleryszak

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
That’s the floragraph of Joshua Waleryszak, whose mom Judy Waleryszak finished it tonight at Forest Lawn in West Seattle, 20 years after losing her 12-year-old son to complications of developmental disabilities. It’s his portrait in plant material, ready for the 2014 edition of the Rose Parade float honoring organ donors – as explained in our preview, Joshua’s death meant life-saving donations for three people.

(Photo courtesy Alyson Hallberg)
Joshua’s story is told here, on the website about this year’s Donate Life float, which will include the floragraph just completed by his mom.

West Seattle weather: Countywide burn ban going up to Stage 2

As of 2 pm, King County will be under a Stage 2 burn ban, elevated from yesterday’s announcement. Here’s what the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency says that means:

*No burning is allowed in ANY wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves or fireplace inserts (certified or uncertified) or pellet stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.

*No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.

*Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

*It is OK to use natural gas and propane stoves or inserts during a Stage 2 burn ban.

This might not last too long – breezes up to 15 mph are in the forecast for tomorrow, and possible rain on Thursday night.

West Seattle development: New sign of planned memory-care facility on Junction site

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
A sign has just gone up at 4515 41st SW in The Junction, announcing “Quail Park Memory Care Residences of West Seattle” is on the way – here’s a closer look:

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
This is the same long-vacant site (map) mentioned in a WSB report from October 2012, noting that a city Department of Planning and Development webpage featured an early-stage filing “proposing construction of a new 50-60 unit Alzheimer’s care community …” with the would-be applicant inquiring about any similar projects in West Seattle. The North Seattle address on that filing is the same one listed for Living Care Lifestyles, the company on the new sign; its website does not mention the 41st SW plan, nor does the DPD webpage include any new filings, but we have an inquiry out and will update whenever we hear back. The site (which has had multiple previous proposals that didn’t go through) is adjacent to the 41st/Oregon townhouse plan reported here two months ago; at least one other senior-care project is expected to be on the local drawing boards soon, since as we reported last week, Aegis Living is buying the former Life Care Center site at 47th/Admiral.

Holy Rosary gets Franciscan grant for student’s winning billboard

An exciting celebration at Holy Rosary School on Friday – the prize presentation for its winning student billboard artist!

This all goes back to June, when we published the art created by the finalists in the Franciscan Health System (WSB sponsor; formerly Highline) contest after they invited local students to write and illustrate healthy-living tips, with the winner to be put up on a billboard alongside the West Seattle Bridge. The winner was Holy Rosary student Audrey Kline (at center in our photo above, with HR’s Father John Madigan and the other HR finalists in the contest). In case you missed seeing Audrey’s art on the billboard, here it is again:

Audrey’s win was announced in September (WSB coverage here); then on Friday, Franciscan Health System leaders came to Holy Rosary to present the other part of the prize – a $500 grant for health education at the school.

P.S. Back in September, after the event announcing the winning billboard, we had first word of Franciscan’s plan to move its Roxbury clinic to Westwood Village. We learned yesterday that they are aiming for an opening date in mid-December.