day : 14/11/2009 8 results

One month after SDOT reported tweaking the Admiral/California signal timing, some drivers say it’s still not right. Acemotel brought this up in the WSB Forums today – not long after we got the following e-mail from Ted:

Whatever timing changes the city made a few months ago to the light at Admiral Ave SW and SW California, it is much worse than it used to be. Today I was again frustrated with long backups going east on SW Admiral toward California Ave. The backups on Admiral go beyond the yellow flashing light at Waite Street, which is already an extremely dangerous intersection. The backups make it hard to pull out on to Admiral from Waite St. and then there is a five, six, seven cycle wait to get through the first light at California. This causes people to make all kinds of dangerous moves. They bypass the queue on Admiral by driving for blocks up the left turn lane, etc. I find the problem to be bad in the afternoons on weekdays, but even much worse on weekends. Today I drove through the back up at 10:30 AM Saturday morning.

I imagine someone at the city thinks they improved things at the intersection. I think they need to get away from their desk and their computer and get out on the road and see what they have done. /with the changes, it is SLIGHTLY better going west on Admiral in the afternoons on weekdays and SLIGHTLY better going north on California and turning left onto Admiral. I make both moves regularly and used to have a two cycle wait during busy times. Now I SOMETIMES get a one cycle wait. Usually, it is still two cycles. But these minor improvements are not worth the big delays and safety problems that have been created. We do not need another serious accident at Admiral and Waite St. because of this!

Please go back to the way things were . . . .

The city suggests two ways to report traffic-signal problems – the overall hotline 206-684-ROAD and/or traffic.signals@seattle.gov; more background about the signal system on this page.

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Highland Park Improvement Club birthday party tomorrow!

November 14, 2009 8:20 pm

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| Highland Park | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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Tons of fun today – if you’re not out and about tonight, it’s time to think about tomorrow. One of the most spirited celebrations will be at 12th SW and SW Holden, as the Highland Park Improvement Club celebrates one decade short of a century. Here’s its official announcement:

Friends and neighbors are invited to attend a ninetieth anniversary party at the Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden, on Sunday, November 15, from 2 to 5 p.m., to celebrate the club’s past, present and future.

The non-profit was established in 1919 to bring improvements to the community while providing a social center. Since then, the club has worked on projects ranging from securing a streetcar line that came up Highland Park Way, to fostering a WPA sewing group, to sponsoring playgrounds and baseball teams, all the while hosting dance parties and other entertainments. More recently, the organization has persevered through uncertain times, as the membership had difficulty attracting new members, and considered dissolution. Despite their discouragement, the long-term members continued to reach out to the neighborhood, and today the Club has a steady and growing membership. New members have presented gala events for the Club and the community: the Day of the Dead dance last year, the Inauguration Day celebration in January, the popular Wine for Our Times event this spring, and the Second Annual Rummage Sale this summer.

(WSB note: That’s the one where we found this scene:)

The Highland Park Improvement Club hosts several neighborhood groups, including the Highland Park Action Committee (HPAC), which is dedicated to community issues, and meets at the club monthly. The Club is also home to on-going dance and yoga classes.

This historic neighborhood hub, at the corner of 12th and Holden, is becoming vibrant again- just in time for its 90th birthday.

It’s a humble old building that just got some new trimmings – including curtains and paint – before the big bash. Here’s where to find HPIC; online, they’re at www.hpic1919.org.

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2 local schools’ soccer squads in their tournaments’ Final Fours

November 14, 2009 7:37 pm

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

Two girls’ soccer updates: First, Bil Hood from Seattle Lutheran High School reports that the Saints beat Mount Vernon Christian 5-0 today, advancing to the Class 2B/1B final four next weekend in Sumner. Also, Madison Middle School will play Eckstein at 3 pm Monday (Memorial Stadium downtown) for third place in the middle-school tournament.

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Video: High Point Neighborhood Center dedication celebration

November 14, 2009 4:13 pm

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| High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

About an hour ago, that ribboncutting marked the official grand opening of the High Point Neighborhood Center, the $13 million “heart of High Point” community facility that we’ve been chronicling since even before its August 2008 groundbreaking (WSB coverage here, and here’s the tour we took during construction). Hundreds of people at the celebration this afternoon – which started with an hour of tours before speeches and the ribboncutting ceremony – here’s just one small cross-section of the crowd:

Speakers included executive director Mark Okazaki of Neighborhood House, the organization that led the project, which is already famous for its solar array and LEED Gold certification – he listed some of its other environmental attributes too:

We’ve got other scenes and speeches to add later. If you haven’t been to HP Neighborhood Center yet, you can check it out during Sustainable West Seattle‘s “Money-Free Shopping Spree” pre-holiday gathering, which’ll be happening there 6:30 pm Monday – we also published a detailed preview story last Monday, with photos of some of its amazing art. ADDED SUNDAY: More photos – click ahead!Read More

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Happening now: Catsino, Bridge Park crafts, Dubsea Coffee day 1

November 14, 2009 3:49 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | White Center

So busy around West Seattle today, you’d think it was a midsummer Saturday. Continuing till 6 tonight, Catsino at Beveridge Place Pub is a fundraiser for Furry Faces Foundation, with fun games and more – and once again this year there’s an “afterparty” of sorts tomorrow, the Morgan Junction Pet Stroll. Till 4 pm, there’s a craft fair at Bridge Park – vendor Anna sent this photo before we dropped by for a few of our own:

She says, “We’re having fun selling funky knit hats and fabulous finger mustaches! There are lots of other beautiful and original wares like the Loteria onesies and handmade market bags.” And continuing till 7 pm, grand opening day 1 at Dubsea Coffee on 8th SW in Greenbridge, about a block south of Roxbury:

LOTS more happening this weekend – including several big events tomorrow, like the Highland Park Improvement Club‘s 90th birthday party – check the West Seattle Weekend Lineup for the full list.

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Update: Armed man’s challenge to Seattle parks/gun law

November 14, 2009 12:33 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics | Westwood

It’s all over – Bob Warden went into Southwest Community Center with his concealed weapon (backstory here), a parks security staffer came up to him and asked him to leave, he left, now he says he’s got grounds to sue. Big media circus, of course, including TV, newspaper and new-media crews. Here’s the TV contingent (photo added 12:58 pm – sorry we didn’t get the photojournalists’ names, but at left and right, reporters Theron Zahn from channel 4 and Chris Daniels from 5):

Adding more shortly, video and photos. The reason Warden said he chose SWCC at noon was because they were having the Dogs in the Hood show; as of 12:30, the people and dogs who showed up for the show left when they saw all the commotion. (Photo above – TV reporters asked to see his gun, after he’d been asked to leave; when he entered the center, it was under his jacket.) ADDED 12:55 PM: Here’s video as we followed Warden entering the center, after spending about 15 minutes talking with the media outside, then leaving as he’d said he would if asked:

(Despite what you heard him say there toward the end of our clip, he had sent a letter to the city Parks Department informing them he’d had a gun, so you could say they DID know.) Police were standing by inside the center but did not get involved at any point.

With Warden was one of his young-adult children, Casey. A few people showed up to support him, including a man who worked the media sidelines handing out pamphlets for the Museum of Flight, where he said he was a docent. We asked Warden if he’d be going home and starting to draw up legal papers immediately; he said, no, he’d probably watch some sports.

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Gatewood power outage: City Light says they’re working on it

November 14, 2009 11:17 am

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| Gatewood | Utilities | West Seattle news

Got a note about an outage in Gatewood that’s been under way since about 8 this morning. Just checked with Seattle City Light‘s on-call media rep – no estimate yet when it’ll be fixed; they say it’s affecting about 53 customers, in the northern Gatewood Hill residential area east of the Morgan Junction business area so far as we can tell from the boundaries.

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Happening today: Toy Swap, Seal Sitters jewelry, and more

November 14, 2009 6:30 am

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Added: Toy Swap photo from about 10 am)
SAVE MONEY, SAVE THE EARTH: That’s the slogan for CoolMom‘s second annual Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale, 9 am-1 pm. CoolMom’s Terri Glaberson tells us some deal-hunting earlybirds were even waiting when the doors opened last year. This time it’s at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW; here’s a map). 9 am-1 pm, proceeds benefit WestSide Baby as well as CoolMom. On to another of today’s many sales:

(Photo by Robin Lindsey)
ALL THAT GLITTERS … HELPS SEAL SITTERS: Neptune the seal pup is just one of many helped by Seal Sitters in their few short but acclaimed years of existence. Today is their first-ever fundraiser – and in addition to more than 500 pieces of estate jewelry on sale, there are a few additions to the plan – Seal Sitters founder Brenda Peterson — an acclaimed author — will sign books purchased between 11 and 2; a framed photo by Robin Lindsey and a specialty Italian wine basket will be offered for silent auction; and they’ll be raffling items including plush toys and what’s described as “an amazing artisan seal bread.” Cash, credit and debit, 10 am-2 pm at Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor), 2326 California SW, across from the Admiral Theater. Now on to an outdoor highlight:

GET OUT AND GET GREEN: Thanks to Cindi Barker for forwarding a photo from last Saturday’s Orchard Street Ravine work party during Green Seattle Day. This morning, like most Saturday mornings, you have multiple chances to get out and dig in during volunteer work parties – Delridge Natural Area, West Duwamish Greenbelt and Roxhill Park, this time around, details in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup along with MULTIPLE other events today/tonight!

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