West Seattle Blog…

West Seattle biznote: Happy anniversary, Fitness Together!

Happy 8th anniversary to Fitness Together-West Seattle (longtime WSB sponsor)! In the photo above, that’s FT-WS proprietor Bonnie Katz Sailors (center) and her team, based in a personal-training studio at 4546 California SW in The Junction. Announcing the anniversary on the FT-WS Facebook page, Bonnie and team said, “We started with a boom in 2007 and it’s been an incredible journey ever since. We always strive for an awesome team of trainers, and we are very proud of all the clients who make the big leap to come through our doors. We know it’s not easy!! A huge THANK YOU to all the clients and trainers who have made this studio a place to be proud of!!”

Need help enrolling for health insurance? Area event tomorrow offers that help and more in 7 languages

This event is happening tomorrow afternoon in South Park but organizers, including UW nursing students, are extending the invitation to West Seattle, White Center, and vicinity too:

FREE Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Enrollment Event

When: Saturday, January 24th, 2:00 to 6:00 PM
Where: South Park Neighborhood Center, 8201 10th Ave S.
What: Information about and assistance to enroll in health insurance programs, free health screenings, diabetes education, free tax information, information about nursing as a career

**Safe environment for all**

**Assistance offered in Spanish/Vietnamese/Amharic/Tagalog/Russian/English/Somali**

What to bring: questions, social security numbers, job employment information, proof of citizenship

Partners: Public Health Seattle & King County, SPIARC, Consulate of Mexico, Consulate of Peru, Consulate of El Salvador, SeaMar, WithinReach, Denise Louie, Western WA National Hispanic Nurses Association, & UW School of Nursing

A map is linked from the announcement on this King County webpage.

Update: Swedish West Seattle reconnected, doctor reports

9:41 AM: If you’ve been having trouble getting through to the Swedish clinic in West Seattle, Dr. Tom Erdmann sent this note explaining what’s going on:

Swedish West Seattle has been experiencing phone connectivity issues since late 1/14/2015. We have no outgoing message. The busy signal is due to the phone outage. Repairs are underway but no estimate is available as to when phones will be restored. The clinic is open. If needed, please walk in for an urgent appointment.

10:57 AM: Per Dr. Erdmann’s comment, this has been solved. Also note, in a separate situation/location, Sound PT‘s problem, lingering from Tuesday’s Andover crash.

Burn ban lifted, announces Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

Update from Puget Sound Clean Air Agency:

Effective immediately, all burn bans are being lifted in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, as well as Darrington. With the help of rain and wind, air pollution levels everywhere dropped to GOOD or lower Moderate last night.

While agency forecasters do expect only light winds during the day today and into tonight, an approaching weather system should increase winds and rain late tonight and into Sunday. This will again help disperse our air pollution and keep levels low for the next 2-3 days.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency would like to thank everyone who switched to alternative sources of heat instead of burning wood during these bans. Children, the elderly, and people with chronic respiratory health problems especially appreciate your efforts.

The now-over burn ban had been in effect for two days.

Hoping for a fitter 2015? ‘Get Fit, West Seattle’ info night Monday

Even without a formal New Year’s resolution, you might well be hoping to be healthier and more fit in 2015 – at least in hopes of still being here in 2016, 2017, 2018, and beyond. Get a jump on it tomorrow during an informational night for a program that West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) offers periodically. From WSR’s Lori McConnell:

What better goal than to run or walk your first half-marathon? We will start our new Get Fit West Seattle Half Marathon Training on Sunday, January 4th, at 9 am by running, walking or crawling 1 mile!! By June, participants will be ready to run the Rock N Roll Half!! Spread the word to family, friends, and co-workers. This is a free program for beginners. We will host an informational meeting on Monday, December 29th, at 6:30 pm.

WSR is on the second floor of Charlestown Center, northwest corner of California and Charlestown.

P.S. And if you’re looking for trainers/gyms/classes to enhance your 2015 fitness plans, note that we have six local options in the WSB sponsor directory – scroll down to the “exercise/fitness/gym” list.

Big gift to West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA from Kids Need Bikes

(Photos courtesy West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA)
Thanks to a Seattle-based volunteer group called Kids Need Bikes, dozens of young West Seattleites have new ones just in time for Christmas. The West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) received 90 donated bicycles.

Most of the bicycles donated to the Y through Kids Need Bikes, which believes “every child deserves a bicycle to experience the unique freedom and well-being that only riding a bicycle can offer,” were given to children served by Y programs – the Y’s Joleen Post shared the photos from bike-pickup visits this past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The donation even included tricycles for the Y Preschool – shown below with Emilia Holbik and Obie Wilkerson from the preschool:

The trikes are for preschoolers to use while at school. In all, Kids Need Bikes made 200 bicycle donations in the city this holiday season, and it could use your help, via donations of volunteer time and/or money; get more info on its website.

Full Tilt Ice Cream temporarily closing shops, pulling its dairy-based products, as side effect of Snoqualmie Ice Cream recall

You might have heard about a voluntary recall of Snoqualmie Ice Cream products because of listeria concerns. No illnesses have been reported, but other businesses that use Snoqualmie products are affected – including Full Tilt Ice Cream, which is pulling its dairy-based ice cream and closing its shops for a few days. Here’s the explanation from FT’s Facebook page:

Unfortunately our stores are going to be closed until December 26th. Our dairy supplier, Snoqualmie Gourmet, has issued a recall on our pasteurized milk products. This does not affect our non-dairy and vegan flavors.

None of our ice cream has been contaminated, but to err on the side of caution, we have decided to pull all of our dairy-based ice cream.

If you have a pint at home that you bought at one of our scoop shops, feel free to bring it in for a refund or replacement. If you recently bought a pint from another retail outlet, you can return it to the store that you bought it from for a full refund. We are currently working as hard as we can to make ice cream and get open as soon as possible.

Again, that’s the message from Full Tilt. It is not the only business affected by the Snoqualmie situation – another popular local ice-cream mini-chain, Molly Moon, has temporarily closed its shops too. (Thanks to Chas and Amy for the tips on this.)

ADDED 12/25: Please see the comments for additional info, pending our next update on this.

Update: King County burn ban lifted as of noon

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is lifting the King County burn ban as of noon, so fireplace and woodstove use will be OK again (as will outdoor fires where approved, including the fire rings at Alki Beach).

West Seattle weather: Stage 1 burn ban in effect countywide

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has announced a Stage 1 burn ban for King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties starting at 1 pm today and continuing until further notice. That means no use of fireplaces or uncertified woodstoves, unless you have a “previously approved ‘No Other Adequate Source of Heat’ designation from PSCAA,” and no outdoor fires of any kind.

West Seattle weather: Stage 2 burn ban for King County

As of noon, a Stage 2 burn ban is in effect in King County, and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency expects to keep it in effect until 6 am tomorrow. It cites “continued weather conditions and air-pollution levels. Here’s what this level of burn ban means:

During a Stage 2 burn ban:

* No burning is allowed in any wood-burning fireplaces, certified or uncertified wood stoves or fireplace inserts. 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 the homeowner has a previously approved ‘No Other Adequate Source of Heat’ designation from the Clean Air Agency

* 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.

Rain is expected to return early tomorrow.

‘Immediate concerns of patients, businesses, neighbors’ to be addressed at city medical-marijuana symposium

With at least half a dozen dispensaries in West Seattle, this might be of interest: The city has announced a public symposium one week from today, November 20th, “for those concerned about access to safe medical marijuana and the location of marijuana-related businesses in the city.” This comes as the mayor and council work on “a common-sense regulatory framework to govern where and how these businesses operate in Seattle.” If you’re interested in attending the 5-7:45 pm event at City Hall next Thursday, full details are here.

Alki X Gym: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor

We’re welcoming one of our newest WSB sponsors today – Alki X Gym, which calls itself an “Anti-Gym” – this video explains why:

Here’s what else Alki X Gym wants you to know:

We are a small “boutique” style training center that never gets overcrowded. In fact, we limit the gym to no more than 3 clients at a time, each with their own trainer for the one-on-one sessions. We also limit the group sessions to 7 people or less and at those times, there are no one-on one clients in the club. Our clients also feel the non-judgmental environment we foster. Everyone is loved, accepted, and coached on their own unique journey according to their own individual goals and needs.

(WSB photo: X Gym’s PJ Glassey)
Our exercise methods are completely unique and designed by us to be the safest way to exercise. These methods also produce the best results in the least amount of time. In only 21 minutes, twice a week, our clients receive about twice the results of traditional training in less than 1/4 the time required. We are also about 1/2 the investment of traditional personal training and now offer group training classes at less than 1/2 the investment of our already low one-on-one rate!

The comment we hear most often from X Gym clients is how fast they feel the strength results. Soon after that, they comment how much more endurance they have and how that allows them to do things they haven’t been able to do for years. The third comment we get is how fast they feel their muscles toning up, getting firmer and more defined. The main thing that keeps them coming back is the results gained to the time invested. After all, we only offer month-to-month memberships, so if it wasn’t working for them, they wouldn’t be coming back. Their lives have changed because their quality of life has increased. Their physical abilities improve of course, but their mind also gets stronger as their mental envelope is stretched from how our program is designed. Our clients literally feel like they are aging in reverse as they feel younger and more vital, both inside and out.

Alki X-Gym is at 3213 Harbor Avenue SW; call 206-938-XGYM (9496).

We thank Alki X-Gym for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative, 24/7 neighborhood news via WSB. Find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

West Seattle Halloween postscript: A Kids Place Too candy buyback nets letters along with treats

Dr. Keith McDonald and staff at A Kids Place Too! Dentistry for Children (WSB sponsor) are all smiles over the results of their first-ever “candy buyback” – 400 pounds of candy plus 200 letters of appreciation, all to be given to troops.

The candy and letters are going out via Operation Gratitude.

Fighting Ebola: 2 events tomorrow, one for volunteer mapmakers, one to separate facts from fiction

Two events of note, both tomorrow night, related to the Ebola fight:

If you have a laptop and time to spare volunteering, that flyer explains how you can be a volunteer mapmaker to help first responders dealing with the Ebola crisis. All this, without leaving your home. The event’s at 6 pm tomorrow (Tuesday, November 4th) at the West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library, 2306 42nd SW; if you can’t see the embedded flyer, here’s the PDF version.

Second event is not IN West Seattle, but you’re invited by one of your neighbors, West Seattleite Kristen Tetteh, who works with the Washington Global Health Alliance: At Town Hall downtown (1119 8th), an event at 6:30 tomorrow will “touch on the state of Ebola globally as well as how Seattle is preparing.” Medical, policy, education, and humanitarian reps will address “Ebola Facts and Fiction.” Tickets are $10 and available online.

Student athletes raising cancer awareness: Huling Bowl tomorrow night, volleyball match Monday

Two upcoming sports events feature friendly faceoffs between our area’s two biggest public schools – both spotlighting the fight against cancer:

HULING BOWL, FRIDAY NIGHT: The Huling Bowl – trophy and all! – is the name of the annual football game between Chief Sealth International High School and West Seattle High School, and you’re invited to this year’s edition at 7 pm tomorrow (Friday), Southwest Athletic Complex (2601 SW Thistle, across from the Sealth campus).

Sealth’s bulletin announces it as a “pink-out,” urging everyone to wear pink to show support for the fight against breast cancer. That will be especially meaningful for Sealth running back Daron Camacho, who e-mailed us overnight asking if we would let folks know that “I dedicate the game to my Godmom Margarita Vidrio, who is fighting breast cancer.” You’ll see Daron on the field wearing #11.

VOLLEYBALL, MONDAY NIGHT: Thanks to Jim Bowe for sharing the announcement:

On Monday, October 20th at 7 pm, West Seattle HS Volleyball hosts Chief Sealth in what is always a great Metro League volleyball match. The WSHS volleyball girls are making this night Cancer Awareness Night. Admission to the event is free. There will be opportunities for people to donate to cancer research if they choose to do so; however, attendance and awareness is really the goal.

The WSHS gym is on the southwest side of the school, right off the parking lot, at 3000 California SW.

Higher public-health permit fees for farmers’ markets, others? County postpones discussion, continues comment period

(WSB photo from last Sunday’s WS Farmers’ Market, by Katie Meyer)
The Seattle-King County Public Health Board has just postponed its planned discussion of proposed permit-fee increases, to take comments for at least two more months. We heard about the controversy over some of the fee increases, thanks to a reader who pointed us to protests from regional farmers-market vendors like organic-meat producer Skagit River Ranch, which called the proposed increases “outrageous” in an open letter posted via Facebook. Businesses quoted anonymously in a county roundup of “stakeholder” feedback had comments including, “It is discouraging for vendors to get higher permit fees for selling healthier food – unhealthy food should pay more.” The county says it hasn’t reviewed fees/rates since 2008 but needs to raise rates to cover costs. Other types of businesses with proposed public-health fee increases include animal shelters and some other pet-related businesses. Whatever your thoughts about the fee changes – which are less dramatic in some categories – the county says it’s taken them off the agenda for next week’s board meeting and will take comments until mid-December (this page explains how to have a say).

2 local flu-shot clinics for Seattle Public Schools students, staff, families – and community members

(UPDATE: We’re told ANYONE is welcome to come to these clinics – adults must have either proof of insurance or else $28 payment, but no student will be turned away for lack of insurance, says Sealth nurse Alison Enochs)

ORIGINAL REPORT: Just out of the WSB inbox:

Seattle Public Schools is partnering with the Seattle Visiting Nurse Association to provide flu shot clinics for all students, staff, and their families at no charge, with proof of current medical insurance.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the single best protection from influenza is to receive a flu shot each year. The CDC recommends everyone 6 months old and over be vaccinated against the flu.

West Seattle clinic locations and dates:

* Chief Sealth High School: Wednesday, October 8, 4-7:30 pm
* West Seattle High School: Monday, October 20, 2:30-7 pm

Clinics will be open to all Seattle Public Schools children (4 years of age and older) and their families. Please note that students under the age of 18 will need a Patient Consent Form signed by a parent or guardian. Patient Consent Forms are available at the clinics, or click here to download.

All participants will be asked to provide their health insurance information (card) to receive an immunization. SVNA will electronically bill the insurance plan for your flu shot. They bill all insurance plans including Apple Health (Washington State Medicaid) plans. Flu shots are considered preventive care and are not subject to deductibles or co-pays. This means no out-of-pocket expense for participants.

This is happening districtwide – here’s the full list.

Unneeded/expired prescription drugs? Take-Back Day this Saturday

Keeping unneeded, unwanted, and/or expired prescription medicine around the house is a bad idea for a variety of reasons. Tossing it in the trash or emptying it down the drain is a bad idea, too. So what to do? Get rid of it this Saturday (September 27th), 10 am-2 pm, during the next Take-Back Day. The official local drop-off spot will once again be the Seattle Police Southwest Precinct at Webster/Delridge.

You can help! Here’s where West Seattle firefighters will ask you to help ‘Fill the Boot’ for MDA this Thursday and Friday

(WSB photo from 2011 “Fill the Boot,” taken in Admiral District)
This year’s edition of the International Association of Fire Fighters “Fill the Boot” fundraising drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Association is coming up this Thursday and Friday, 1 pm-6 pm September 18-19, and we asked organizers where in West Seattle you’ll see firefighters joining in. Here’s the list (subject to change) compiled for us by Sandy Elfers of the MDA:

Station #11 – Westwood Village
Station #29 – California and Admiral
Station #32 – California and Alaska
Station #36 – Alki Beach and/or Avalon/Spokane
Station #37 – By the station, 35th/Holden

The IAFF and MDA have partnered for 60 years. Local IAFF members will be among 1,000 citywide participating in the fundraising drive this year.

Video: New partnership plan saves Greenbridge clinic, moves West Seattle Planned Parenthood clinic

At the surface, what brought King County Executive Dow Constantine, County Councilmember Joe McDermott, Public Health acting director Patty Hayes, Seattle Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim, Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest CEO Chris Charbonneau, and others to White Center’s Greenbridge Plaza at noontime was news that a nearby county health clinic won’t have to close.

Their remarks are all featured in our video of the event, above, as well as what a clinic staffer and client had to say about the importance of saving the clinic. But what they explained in the media briefing wasn’t quite that simple:

*Mayor Murray’s proposed budget will include money for Greenbridge clinic operations (this was mentioned briefly in his Friday announcement about human-services and public-safety spending – the $ mentioned in that news release differs from what’s in today’s county news release, so we’re trying to verify which is correct)

*Planned Parenthood of the Great NW will take over family-planning services at the clinic, meaning layoffs for county-employed family-planning staffers unless they find jobs with PP

*As a result, PP will close its current West Seattle clinic (9641 28th SW) and merge its services into the Greenbridge location (9942 8th SW)

*County employees at the clinic will continue providing other services such as maternity support and Women/Infant/Children (WIC) nutrition support

Though Greenbridge is across the city/county line, it serves many Seattle residents, Constantine said, so city funding is appropriate. (The clinic relocated two years ago from its previous site about a mile south.) His plan for the clinic’s future will be in the budget proposal he presents one week from today.

P.S. The full county news release is part of coverage on our partner site White Center Now.

Reminder: 1st West Seattle YMCA expansion Q/A meeting today

One week after we brought you first word of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) expansion plans, the first public Q/A meeting is this afternoon. Anyone interested in hearing/talking about the proposal is welcome – 2-3 pm at the Y’s “Studio 5″ annex, 4518 Fauntleroy Way SW. Two more public meetings are planned, in different dayparts – 6-7 pm Tuesday, 7-8 am Wednesday. The Y has more project info online here.

West Seattle YMCA announces expansion plan for Triangle HQ

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Starting with an all-staff meeting tonight, the West Seattle YMCA is pulling the wraps off plans for a major expansion project at its headquarters in The Triangle.

The Y (a WSB sponsor) will be officially filing for permits with the city this week, but has been quietly fundraising for a while. Its Board of Managers has a goal of raising half the cost of the $11 million project, with the Greater Seattle Y board raising money for the other half.

“We’re excited!” exclaimed regional executive Josh Sutton, during our conversation about the plan.

Click to read the rest of West Seattle YMCA announces expansion plan for Triangle HQ…

Video: Ice Bucket Challenge at Holy Rosary, and who they’re passing it on to

That’s the first “Ice Bucket Challenge” clip called to our attention by a local school. This one features the staff of Holy Rosary School and the parish’s pastor, Father John Madigan. HR principal George Hofbauer starts with challenges to other local Catholic schools, and Fr. Madigan adds a challenge to Seattle’s Archbishop Peter Sartain. (In case you’ve missed it somehow, the IBC has been making the rounds for weeks to raise awareness and money for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.) P.S. First day of school at HRS is next Tuesday.

Alki Beach 5K 2014 video/photos: Almost 1,100 runners and walkers!

Almost 1,100 runners and walkers are on the course along Alki as this year’s Alki Beach 5K got under way minutes ago. First, they heard inspirational words from “Warrior Marathon Runner” Carol Dellinger, a breast-cancer survivor who has run 278 marathons, and just keeps running.

The Alki Beach 5K is a benefit for West Seattleite-founded-and-led Northwest Hope and Healing, and a fun time for all.

9:58 AM: Runners and walkers keep crossing the finish line. First one across, last year’s winner Miler Haller, 17 years old:

(Photo by David Hutchinson)
ADDED 12:32 PM: Here’s our video of everyone leaving the starting line:

First-time emcee (whose voice you hear in our video): Shellie Hart from Warm 106.9 radio:

Overseeing everything as always – NWHH executive director Shari Sewell:

The Alki Beach 5K is for a serious cause – helping NWHH help breast-cancer patients – but it’s fun too, and smiles abounded:

Eye-catching outfits, too:

3:59 PM: The results are now available online. In addition to first finisher Miler Haller, shown above, the other top finishers were:
#2 male – Joe Sheeran, 56, in 16:49:

#3 male – Chris Tolonen, 45, in 16:53:

#1 female – Somer Kreisman, 25, in 18:07:

#2 female – Hailey Kettel, 18, in 18:30:

#3 female – Caoline Austin, 23, in 18:46:

(The spellings are exactly as shown on the official results page; please let us know if anything is incorrect!)
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: More scenes from race day:
Click to read the rest of Alki Beach 5K 2014 video/photos: Almost 1,100 runners and walkers!…

One week away! Alki Beach 5K to help Northwest Hope and Healing help breast-cancer patients

(Photo by David Hutchinson, from 2012 Alki Beach 5K)
Only one week till the summer’s next big benefit 5K in West Seattle, the Northwest Hope and Healing-presented Alki Beach 5K, 9 am next Sunday (August 24th). It’s a fundraiser for West Seattleite-founded-and-led NWHH’s work helping breast-cancer patients. You can run or walk; Alki SW will be closed for the run, so there’s plenty of room for you and the other hundreds of people who will be part of it. Sign up online right now, or in person this week at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), which also has an early-packet-pickup event set for Saturday (10 am-2 pm, California/Charlestown), if you want to get yours before 5K day. See you at the beach (start/finish line is by the Bathhouse, 61st/Alki) next Sunday!

West Seattle scene: Eddie Vedder’s Ice Bucket Challenge video

Thanks to Philip for pointing this out to us via Twitter – one of the newest celebrity videos in the Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS awareness, just published on YouTube today, stars West Seattleite and Pearl Jam leader Eddie Vedder, with the bucket wielded by bandmate Mike McCready. Looks like it was recorded on the West Seattle shoreline, too, as Philip noted in his tweet.

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.