West Seattle, Washington
21 Wednesday
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.
No, that was ****NOT**** a lockdown/shelter-in-place at Sealth – the school says it was a drill.
After the first few texts wondering what was going on, we contacted police, who said there was absolutely nothing in the area that would merit precautions. Then we finally reached the school, which confirmed it was only a drill, and was already over. But enough people have continued to message us that we thought we’d better mention it here, besides replying to them individually.
Two businesses on Alki have announced they’re closing:
BAMBOO BAR AND GRILL: Thanks to Mike for sending that photo of the board posted outside Bamboo (2806 Alki SW), saying the restaurant/bar is closing permanently as of November 22nd. Earlier this year, it was listed for sale; the listing is now inactive, so we don’t know if the business was sold or just taken off the market. We’re trying to reach Bamboo, but it wasn’t open yet for the day when we went by in late morning, and the phone is currently being answered by a fax tone. Though Bamboo was long notorious as a trouble spot, that peaked (more, like bottomed out) in 2012, and changes were made following a shooting. More recently, the owner had merged Amante Pizza into the operation last spring when Amante lost its California SW location because of development. (P.S. We’ll update the story whenever we find out more about the closure and what might follow it.)
(added 2:15 pm) WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand just talked in person with a manager at Bamboo who confirms what has been brought up in comments: It’s closing, but a new sports bar will open in its place, after renovations. They’re not committing to a timeline because they don’t know how long that will take.
(back to original report) ALKI BEACH DOG: This shop’s location at 59th/Alki also is in the path of development, but that’s not why it’s closing.
As announced on that sign outside the shop, its owner, Debra Brown, has died. Groomer Amanda Regan is overseeing the shop during its closeout sale through Friday; people who contacted us about the closure said they appreciate her talents and hope she stays local, but she just told us by phone she doesn’t know yet where she will wind up. She’s going to take the holidays off, for starters.
UPDATE: Minutes after we published this (which in turn was only minutes after we received it), the original sender sent word that Nate had been found in a hospital.
(West Seattle’s fall colors continue: Photo shared by TW)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE SENIOR CENTER BOARD: As mentioned during last night’s “town hall” meetings for community comment on the center’s future (WSB coverage here), its board meets at 5:30 pm tonight. Open to all. (Oregon/California)
SERVED? SERVING? American Legion Post 160‘s monthly meetings are open to those who have served or are serving in the armed forces. 6 pm; details in our calendar listing. (3618 SW Alaska)
HARBOR SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE, WITH SPECIAL INVITATION TO WEST SEATTLEITES: 7 pm, Harbor School (WSB sponsor) on Vashon Island, for 4th-8th graders, has another open house with a special invitation to West Seattleites – they’ll send a shuttle to the ferry dock for you *if* you RSVP ASAP – by phone at 206-567-5955 or by email at admissions@harborschool.org – details in our calendar listing. (15920 Vashon Highway SW)
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, with an agenda including this area’s three state legislators looking ahead to the upcoming session; more agenda details on the 34th Dems’ website. (9131 California SW)
WSHS DRAMA CLUB PRODUCTION: 7:30 pm at the West Seattle High School Theater, your third-to-last chance to catch “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.” Details in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)
‘DOGFIGHT’ AT ARTSWEST: Haven’t seen the musical (a Seattle premiere!) at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) yet? This week’s run starts tonight, 7:30 pm. (4711 California SW)
MORE OPTIONS! Our calendar has much more for today/tonight/beyond – one click away.
After another rocky (to say the least) commute, you might be wondering what’s being done, what can be done, how can you get involved in supporting a solution. So before we get to our preview of what’s up today – we’re reminding you about this Saturday’s Gathering of Neighbors, which includes a chance to spend an hour with the West Seattle Transportation Coalition, among other things. Transportation is not the only topic on the agenda, but it’s top-of-mind right now, so we’re nudging you. Details on the official flyer:
The Gathering of Neighbors is at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), 9 am-1 pm but even if you can just drop by for the 10 am-11 am breakout sessions … see you there!
(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:49 AM: There’s a crash at the crest of the eastbound high bridge – thanks to those who messaged us about it. SFD cleared it fairly quickly (no injuries, apparently), but the top-left camera shot above indicates it’s blocking the left lane right now, and that police are still on the scene.
7:06 AM: Discussion monitored via scanner suggests police are having trouble finding a tow truck that can respond any sooner than an hour or two. They’re still trying. (The topic of routinely stationing tow trucks near the bridge – as was done for a while years ago – had just come up at last night’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition meeting; our story on that and other WSTC topics is in the works.)
7:33 AM: Lane still blocked, still awaiting tow truck (we haven’t heard anything more on an ETA – the crash itself happened around 6:20 am). And now SDOT warns via Twitter that the “low bridge” will be closing to vehicles in a few minutes. (Also a topic last night, with Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who has led previous unsuccessful efforts to get the Coast Guard to exempt the bridge from rush-hour openings, saying he agrees it’s time to revisit the situation.) If you haven’t seen the regional news, many areas – but NOT the city – are dealing with the aftermath of an overnight windstorm, especially SE King County, which is tying up many resources.
It's the West Seattle nightmare scenario – crash blocking part of high bridge while low bridge opens for vessel pic.twitter.com/Z5uqRcvozi
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) November 12, 2014
(Traffic-cam images we grabbed/tweeted at 7:40 am during high-bridge problem and low-bridge vessel opening)
7:48 AM: Vehicles are moving across the low bridge again.
8:01 AM: Hard to tell if any progress is being made, because the only working camera on the high rise is impeded by sun glare (as you can see at top left). But there’s now a problem BEFORE the bridge – outbound C Line bus has a medical emergency at Avalon/Charlestown in the Luna Park business district; everyone’s been taken off the bus, and we’re told, some are getting onto another.
8:08 AM: The crash scene is finally clear. Backups of course will last a while.
8:29 AM: New problem, per Jessica on Twitter: Right before the I-5 ramps, at the eastbound edge of the bridge, a “fender-bender” just happened. She says, “People (are) getting out of their cars; likely to back up.”
8:40 AM: And back on the peninsula, Sage notes that Delridge is backed up all the way to Brandon. Meantime, people headed for the 1st Avenue South Bridge should take note, WSDOT has tweeted “On SR 509 northbound just north of S Cloverdale St, there is a collision blocking the right center lane.”
9:12 AM: Surface problem not far away – East Marginal/1st, from the scanner, some debris on the road that need to be cleaned up, and part of the intersection is being blocked off until that happens.
Advance alert in case you or someone you know is interested: Once again this Thanksgiving season, Eastridge Church will give away 1,500 turkey-and-groceries packages at its West Seattle and Issaquah campuses. This year’s date is Saturday, November 22nd, starting at 9 am, and continuing as long as the supply lasts; they don’t ask for proof of need – anyone who shows up is eligible. In West Seattle, Eastridge is at 39th/Oregon (map) in the Junction/Triangle area. (WSB photo from 2012)
Following up on the West Coast port backup noted here on Monday (the union and terminal operators, still in contract talks, disagree on its cause): The number of cargo ships at anchor in this area has increased tonight. One of the ships that had been off Manchester for a few days, the Hyundai Force, moved on to Tacoma (as shown in Cheryl’s photo above) this afternoon. Two more arrived in that area, so tonight, MarineTraffic.com shows three ships off Manchester, two in Elliott Bay off northeast West Seattle/Harbor Island (the OOCL London, shown here Monday, and the YM March), and two off Magnolia.
(Added: Photo taken tonight by Don Brubeck)
Seattle’s terminals were closed today for the Veterans Day holiday.
(MIDNIGHT UPDATE: Right after our as-it-happened coverage of meeting #1, we have added the full unedited video of meeting #2)
Big turnout for 1st of 2 town halls today re: Senior Center's future. We will be chronicling live. pic.twitter.com/h2sB7z0R08
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) November 11, 2014
We’re at the Senior Center of West Seattle with about 100 people here to hear, and talk, about the center’s future. The issue first came to public light four months ago with the sudden ouster of the center’s longtime director Karen Sisson (as first reported here), who says she was fired over an e-mail (read it in this WSB report) expressing concern about the decision the center is reported to be facing – becoming a “program” of the citywide nonprofit Senior Services, or going independent. We’ll be reporting live as the meeting goes; there is a second session coming up at 5:30 pm for those who cannot be here this early.
Regarding the question “should we stay or should we go,” it’s just been stressed by independent facilitator Charlotte Stuart that “no decision will be made today.” She says they do not want those in attendance to speak about Sisson’s departure.
Her successor, interim center director Lyle Evans, is the first to make an opening statement. Second, board president David Robertson says the board has made a decision “to remain at this time under the current umbrella of Senior Services and to work with Senior Services to fulfill (its) mission … The Senior Center board of directors supports Lyle’s position as interim director” and will work with him.
Panel from the center and Senior Services pic.twitter.com/lvN87AdbQX
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) November 11, 2014
Senior Services CEO Paula Houston (who fired Sisson) speaks next. “We are very excited that the board has voted to remain with us and to work through the process that we are going to be putting in place.” That would seem to suggest that the first-announced point of the meeting is moot – the question “should we stay or should we go?” – although it came just minutes after the facilitator said “no decision would be made today.” Houston then goes on to say “nothing has been decided … we are just at the beginning of our decision-making process.” We’ll do what we can to get this clarified after the meeting.
One attendee asks Houston to define Senior Services and the center’s relationship with it. “We are a nonprofit … the largest one serving seniors in King County … we also operate (programs such as) Meals on Wheels, caregivers … enhanced fitness. Our relationship to this center is that we operate it under a memorandum of agreement – although the center is its own 501(c)(3) with its own governing body, Senior Services employs the staff, (provides some) funding, and (handles support services) such as IT, payroll …”
3:22 PM: The first member of the audience asks for clarification of that very point. Robertson says “That is not a permanent decision, that is a decision that at this time we are going to stay under the umbrella of Senior Services. There is a task force (that will) study the Memorandum of Agreement … to help develop (a new one). At this time we are staying under that umbrella – I am stressing those words, ‘at this time’. We are looking at a good 12 to 18 months before they have even done their research talking to the various centers and their staff.” (Senior Services runs six centers in the region.)
Nancy Sorensen, a member of the West Seattle center’s board, stands to say she wrote the original contract, ~30 years ago, and offers more background: The center was incorporated in 1972, and bought the building – now owned free and clear – in 1986; the center also has about $200,000 in reserves, she says. She explains the board first voted to secede from Senior Services, then rescinded that decision and decided to gather more information, including talking with the community and looking at budget projections and “whether there is community support for independence or community support for being part of Senior Services.” She summarizes, “the board has decided to remain a part of Senior Services pending further study.”
Will another permanent director be hired? asks another attendee. That’s on hold while the future is determined, is the reply.
Next Q: You all know all about this memorandum – but we don’t – can we see it? Sorensen (photo above) explains that the contract included a statement that the center director could not be determined without consulting the board, and mentions Sisson’s firing (which was supposedly not to be mentioned) was done “in violation of that memorandum of agreement.” She says copies of the six-page memorandum “can be provided.”
Then Doug Garvey steps up and says, “if we choose to go with Senior Services instead of stay independent, what are you going to do for me?”
Audience member Doug Garvey says he 'doesn't trust' Senior Services. pic.twitter.com/QugeD2MvfD
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) November 11, 2014
Houston steps up to reply, “We are going to ensure that this senior center remains a senior center in perpetuity. We know how important this center is to the community.” “How are you going to do that?” someone calls out from the crowd. Garvey steps back up to the mike and says, “We own this building … I gotta say, I don’t trust you. I think we can handle it on our own, that we can be independent … we got a good base here, we got a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we have a lot of great people here who can continue this, and I’m all for that.” Some applause ensues.
Facilitator Stuart next reads a question that was submitted in writing, asking for the advantages and disadvantages of staying with Senior Services. …
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
On this chilly, breezy, sunny day, outdoor art is happening in The Junction. It’s the beautification project noted here when artist recruitment was under way last spring. West Seattle artist Kelda Martensen (below) was chosen, and today she and assistants are out installing her vinyl-wrap creations on five signal boxes in The Junction:
They started at California/Oregon (top photo). We then caught up with them again at California/Edmunds (where we photographed Martensen). The other three are going up at California/Alaska, 42nd/Alaska, and 39th/Alaska. You can see all five designs here.
A fifth candidate just announced he’s in the running for West Seattle’s new City Council District 1 seat next year: George Capestany. He’s made news here as owner of the well-known Jacobsen Road goats, and now he’s jumping into politics. As described in his official announcement, Capestany is also “a longtime West Seattle resident, active community volunteer, and US Navy Veteran” and “professional artist, teacher, a small business owner, … coach for Pony & Little League Baseball, West Seattle Soccer, and West Seattle Football.” The announcement notes that Capestany would be the first councilmember of Hispanic descent, as the “son of Hispanic immigrants forced to leave (Cuba) due to communist rule.” He says, “For a long time, West Seattle residents have been left out of virtually everything that goes on at City Hall. … I will work to ensure the unique needs of West Seattle are heard and addressed.” (Photo courtesy Capestany campaign)
Also in the running so far for District 1, which includes South Park as well as West Seattle, in order of their announcements/filings: Chas Redmond, David Ishii, Tom Rasmussen, and Amanda Kay Helmick. The filing deadline is May 1st of next year.
That short clip by Elizabeth Butler shows the first two coho spawners spotted this fall at the mouth of Fauntleroy Creek south of the ferry dock, back on October 25th. That’s how the volunteer salmon-watchers’ season started; now, after more than a week without sightings, it’s ended. Here’s the wrap-up report from Judy Pickens, including the visitor count as well as the fish count:
Salmon Watch 2014 on Fauntleroy Creek closed Nov. 7, a week after volunteers documented the last of 19 coho spawners to come into the creek.
Eleven volunteers watched for nearly three weeks, recording the first fish on Oct. 25, a day ahead of the annual salmon drumming. They noted spawning behavior at two locations and saw a third pair heading upstream at dusk with enough energy that they may also have left fertilized eggs. Spawning locations will be monitored in late January/early February to see if fry emerge to start feeding in the creek.
In addition to the fish, volunteers welcomed at least 190 visitors to see the action and learn about salmon and the creek habitat.
This fall marked the 20th anniversary of coho spawners in Fauntleroy Creek. Restoration activity happened just in time for a pair of fish to come in at high tide in 1994 and spawn a few yards up the creek. Since then, the number of spawners has fluctuated wildly, from zero some years to the record-smashing 274 recorded in 2012.
Thanks to Judy and to Dennis Hinton for sharing information and photos during the watch (not to mention other times of the year, including spring, when volunteers host schoolchildren at creekside, releasing salmon fry raised by their classes).
Thanks to Mark Wangerin for sharing that photo in honor of Veterans Day, and all those who have served and are serving. He took it yesterday from West Seattle. We believe it’s a U.S. Navy vessel that itself is about to become a “veteran” – the USS Ingraham, which will be decommissioned tomorrow.
Meantime, looking ahead to today in West Seattle – we’ve included holiday notes in our daily traffic watch; no specific Veterans Day commemorations that we have word of, but here are major events that ARE happening:
SENIOR CENTER ‘SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO’ TOWN HALL MEETINGS: In two sessions (attend either one or both) at 3 and 5:30 pm today, the Senior Center of West Seattle‘s board is looking for community guidance on its future – become a “program” of the nonprofit Senior Services, or go independent. Backstory here if you haven’t been following developments as reported here on WSB in the past few months. (California/Oregon)
MARATHON INFO NIGHT, WITH DISCOUNTS: Interested in the Seattle Marathon/Half Marathon coming up November 30th? 6:30-8:30 pm, drop by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) for a special Information Night, including discounted registration, and in-store merchandise discounts for attendees. (California/Charlestown)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center, join the WSTC for a wide-ranging meeting including what’s next now that transit-funding Prop 1 has passed. Full agenda details on the WSTC website. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE SEE DOGS: Find out what it’s like to train a guide puppy, and consider volunteering to do it! First step, check out the next WSSD meeting tonight, 6:30 pm, The Kenney (WSB sponsor) – more in our calendar listing. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at The Sanctuary, featuring an update from the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition and election of 2015 leadership. (42nd/Lander)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 7 pm board meeting, at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. Topics are likely to include the traffic/transportation forum (WSB coverage here) held last Thursday. (9131 California SW)
ORCAS’ FUTURE: 7 pm tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), The Whale Trail‘s next Orca Talk features Dawn Noren on the Southern Resident Killer Whales’ status, as previewed in our report on TWT’s previous event. Tickets = $5 suggested donation – at door if there’s room, or online. (5612 California SW)
AQUARIUM-PLANT, FISH, ANIMAL AUCTION: Members of the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society will be auctioning plants, fish, and aquarium animals starting at 7 tonight (doors open at 6) in the West Seattle Christian Church Activity Center. Details on the GSAS website. (4400 42nd SW)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING … blues, bingo, storytelling, meditation … by browsing our calendar!
(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
As we start the morning, here’s what might affect how you get around on this Veterans Day:
*Metro is on a reduced-weekday/no-UW schedule
*No Water Taxi service on either route
*Sound Transit: Regular schedule
*Washington State Ferries: Regular schedule
*Schools are closed today (as are other government-run facilities including libraries)
*In Seattle neighborhoods with street parking, it’s free today
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION TONIGHT: The holiday is NOT pre-empting a full slate of community meetings, including the WSTC, 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW) – see the agenda here.
7:25 AM: As noted in comments, some Battery St. Tunnel trouble, but no official word on its current status….
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.
Affordable, livable housing. Everybody needs it. Not everybody can find it. So the city’s trying to figure out what it can/should do, to fix that. To help shape its Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, it’s working with an advisory committee. Among its members, West Seattle community advocate Cindi Barker, who says the committee met for the first time last week and is now looking ahead to three community meetings at which you can be heard.
Above is the slide deck with issues and data put before the committee, but you might already know in your heart and gut what it would take to deal with this issue. The key “starting points” for discussion are growth, affordability, recent development, and race/social justice. Back to the upcoming meetings: They’re all outside West Seattle, but the first two are not far:
South Seattle: Ethiopian Community Center (Map)
Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Central District: Garfield Community Center (Map)
Thursday, November 20, 2014, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Northgate: Northgate Community Center (Map)
Thursday, December 04, 2014, 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Meeting format:
6:00 pm, doors open
6:30 – 6:45, introductions and remarks
6:45 – 7:30, Survey of meeting attendees (hand held survey devices so people can respond to presentation material and provide direct input)
7:30 – 8:00, display stations of information and interaction with staff and committee members present
The full committee roster, by the way, is listed on the right side of this city webpage. They are expected to get recommendations to the mayor and council by the end of May.
Four West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight, starting with a thief caught on video:
That video shows a theft in the Me-Kwa-Mooks Park area last week, according to Heather, who shared the video. (The thief gets out of the car at :46 in.) In case you can’t quite tell, she says, “He was driving a Nissan Murano with tinted windows and a sunroof. He took a pressure washer.” Call police if you know who that is.
#2 – CAR PROWL: Quick heads-up from Blair – “Car break-in on 32nd and Barton Saturday night by the Barton Pea Patch.”
#3 – PHONE SCAM: In case you get this call, here’s a warning from Melissa:
A man (“David Johnson”) with an accent (India, it sounded like) claiming to be from the “US Treasury Inspector” wanted my lawyer’s contact info regarding a legal action involving me, claiming I was notified months ago and that someone would be arriving tomorrow to arrest me. He was very good, even providing names and contact info when I pressed him, but nothing was adding up. I demanded a number to call him back (after a couple prompts, after he oh so helpfully offered to simply transfer me), then I hung up and immediately called the Seattle Police non-emergency line. They knew what this was instantly and did confirm that it was a scam, and if they call back, tell them you’ve already spoken to the police and hang up.
While every fiber of my being was telling me this was a scam, I did have a few bad moments since I still in bed and not totally awake yet. (It was before 7:30 am, so I guess they weren’t super sharp about the time zone thing…)
#4 – NO MORE HANDWRITTEN TICKETS: In case you missed the SPD announcement of a new electronic system, read about it here.
On Saturday morning, we published Emily’s plea, trying to find out who might have the package containing her wedding ring, remade for her upcoming 10th anniversary, after its delivery … to the wrong address. No one knew WHICH wrong address. But Emily just sent this happy news:
MY RING HAS BEEN FOUND! The delivery driver went to every house on his route…at this house in particular, they saw the news story and didn’t even realize it was in their screen door. My faith in humanity has been restored :)
Thanks go out to everyone who helped look!
3:48 PM: SDOT says the low bridge is closed right now because of “police activity.”
3:52 PM: And it’s now open again.
4:04 PM: According to Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Wilske, the incident involved someone threatening suicide. He says, “The officers successfully talked him down.” (Every time we mention suicide, we also want to be sure you know about the 24/7 resource in our area, the Crisis Clinic hotline – 206-461-3222.)
We’re working on the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide right now – our traditional one-stop page for EVERYTHING holiday-ish that’s happening in this area between mid-November and early January – and want to nudge you to send info about anything that might fit! Including but not limited to:
*Restaurant/bar hours (or closure plans) for Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year’s
*Holiday open houses at local businesses
*Holiday-season donation drives
*Tree lightings
*Tree lots/wreath sales
*Concerts/singalongs
*Theater performances
*Holiday church/synagogue services
*Holiday light/decorations displays
*Bazaars/art sales/trunk shows
*Other holiday celebrations to which the community’s invited
As with other event announcements, we request that you send the info:
*Via e-mail – editor@westseattleblog.com
*At least a week in advance (but the sooner, the better, even weeks/months ahead)
*Text only, PLEASE – we cannot easily pull details off a flyer/poster. You can attach those *too* if desired, but please put the info in the body of your e-mail.
*Weblinks are very much welcome. Facebook links are OK but a link to your website, which means the widest possible accessibility/readership, is better.
Thank you! (We do update the guide daily throughout the season, but the more info we have even BEFORE we launch version 1.0, the better.)
While sizable ships anchor off Don Armeni from time to time, seldom have we seen a loaded-with-containers cargo ship there, appearing almost close enough to touch, as did the OOCL London this morning. Over the weekend, Beach Drive Blog pointed out the two cargo ships visible at anchor across the Sound, off Manchester; from West Seattle, you can see two more ships anchored off Magnolia.
It’s a visible effect of an alleged “slowdown” that comes six months into West Coast contract talks between the ILWU, which says it’s “congestion,” and the terminal operators of the Pacific Maritime Association, which accuses the ILWU of “orchestrated job actions.” According to this online schedule, OOCL London was to dock at Terminal 18 yesterday; one of the ships waiting off Manchester, the Hyundai Force, was to dock at T-18 Saturday.
The pace of work is reported to have picked up at both ports today – at the Port of Seattle per its seaport division managing director Linda Stryk in a phone conversation with WSB, and Tacoma per this an updated “operation status” online. Styrk calls the increase in ships at anchor a “snowballing effect” of last week’s “very low productivity,” while adding, “productivity improved over the weekend” but warning “it will take some time to catch up with the snowball effect.” Since the Port’s only role in this is as a “landlord,” as Styrk put it, the best they can do is engage in “advocacy and raising concerns up the flagpole, encouraging both parties to come to terms.” That advocacy, she added, includes making note of the effects the slowdown is having on exports. “People recognize that low productivity is not good for jobs; hopefully the advocacy of impacts will help them keep moving in a more-positive direction.”
TUESDAY AFTERNOON NOTE: The Hyundai Force left Manchester today for Tacoma.
(Dawn redwood grove at Lincoln Park, by Mark Ahlness, shared via WSB Flickr group)
Before we get too much further into today – four highlights (and there’s even more on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar):
REGISTRATION AT SOUTH: First day for new students to register for winter quarter 2015 at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) – details online. (6000 16th SW)
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY PTA MEETING: Starts with dinner at 5:30, then the meeting 6-7:30 pm, in the cafeteria at HPES – child care available, all welcome. (1012 SW Trenton)
ROXHILL ELEMENTARY PTSA MEETING: 6 pm at Roxhill ES. (30th/Roxbury)
PRECINCT COMMANDER @ NORTH DELRIDGE MEETING: 6:30 pm, it’s the November meeting of the North Delridge Neighborhood Council. Preview, via Nancy Folsom:
*Captain Steve Wilske talking about the North Delridge Policing Plan and other crime/public safety issues. You might note that he was scheduled for last month on the same topic but was unable to come due to illness.
*Approval of the 2015 executive committee
*Follow up on DESC issues if needed
*Any open issues
NDNC meets at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
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