day : 18/12/2009 12 results

West Seattle businesses: Donna Ryan Photography to The Junction

(Santa photo provided by West Seattle Junction Association)
Again this season, Santa photos like that one are being taken in The Junction by Donna Ryan Photography (you’ve got one more chance coming up this Sunday afternoon). This year, though, new digs for Santa and Donna – Hometown Holidays HQ has been in the former storefront of Swee Swee Paperie (which, while now operating online, has returned for a cameo to wrap gifts during the Santa days), east of Cupcake Royale. And tonight we know the space won’t return to emptiness after Santa-photo season: Donna reveals she’s decided to lease the storefront: “The Calvos were very kind in donating the space to the Junction Association for Santa photos. This gave me the opportunity to shoot in the space and see what wonderful light it has for the fresh and natural style I prefer. I had been growing out of my home based studio – so I rented the space!” After Sunday – when you can get a professional Santa photo by Donna between noon and 4 pm ($10 donation goes to 3 nonprofits) – she takes control of the space, and expects to have Donna Ryan Photography open there in February. (Her move is also featured in this Seattle Times [WSB partner] article tonight about repurposing of vacant retail spaces around the metro area.)

MORE West Seattle student helpers: Sanislo’s food-drive success

Really, there’s nothing like a ton of good news going into a weekend, especially before a holiday. Here’s more. Earlier we reported the success of Lafayette Elementary‘s food drive for the White Center Food Bank. Now we have a report from Sanislo Elementary, which also wrapped up a food drive today – Lisa K shared the photos and the report below this next pic:

WOW! The Sanislo community once again demonstrated their tremendous generosity during our annual winter food drive. Our 300 students blew away our goal of 1000 lbs of nonperishable food, toiletries and cleaning supplies with donations totaling 2912 pounds! In full disclosure, one of our truly big-hearted dads once again donated hundreds of pounds of food to help his son’s class win the class competition. However, even without his amazing generosity, our kids still topped a ton (!!) of donations. There were more than enough donations this year to provide for our own school families needing extra help AND to share with the greater community through the food bank. Given the current economy and the fact that approximately half our students qualify for free or reduced meals, this is certainly an example of the kids’ and teachers’ care for one another.

Representatives from Mr. Apostol’s 5th grade class accepted the trophy as this year’s winners, and their class leads off the initial engraved plate on our new plaque that will commemorate each year’s “Annual Sanislo Food Drive Superstars.” Mrs. Goethe’s kindergarten class and Mr. Simmons’ 4th graders (woo hoo FIRE MONKEYS!) also deserve mention for their efforts. Since the entire school did such a great job showing us just what outstanding citizens they are, EVERY class won ice cream. Congratulations to you all!

All the best,
Lisa K. for the Sanislo PTA

High Point toy drive update: “Goal exceeded”

First, WSB’er Celeste called us a little while ago with word that the Marines had landed at High Point Community Center with toys for the toy drive mentioned here earlier this week. Then High Point CC’s Rebecca Hall sent us the photo you see above, with word that they now officially have exceeded the goal of 400 toys for the families who were disappointed on what was supposed to be the distribution day last Monday. So they’ve got everything they need, and then some – if you’ve bought toys to donate, please check out some of the many Giving Trees and other donation drives (we have some listed on our Holidays page and will check around to see if there are any other urgent needs). By the way, High Point CC will be happy to see you and the kids in your life tomorrow morning – they’re making gingerbread houses, 10:30-11:30 am, $5 admission.

West Seattle Crime Watch: 3 break-ins; school scare

4 Crime Watch notes: 1st, we checked with the precinct regarding a report published this morning at SeattleCrime.com regarding an incident last week on the grounds of Madison Middle School. Police confirm that “a bottle filled with flammable fluid was thrown on the roof of the school” around 5 pm 12/12 and that nobody’s been arrested.

Also in Crime Watch, three break-in reports. First one is from a WSB’er near 38th/Dakota (map) who says a neighbor’s home was broken into around 12:30 pm Wednesday – while someone was home. The burglar, they tell us, started knocking on the front door; the person at home decided to ignore the knocking – but shortly thereafter, the burglar went around back and kicked in the door. Our tipster adds:

… thankfully the person ran off when they realized someone was home. The police told our neighbor our block would be put on the watch list for extra patrols. It is scary — we live high up on a hill and it is not easy for people to come up all the stairs to knock to begin with — then to go through a gated privacy fence to kick in a back door? Really disturbing.

Two other break-in reports ahead:Read More

West Seattle students’ good deeds: Lafayette food drive success

We’re just back from Lafayette Elementary School in Admiral, where White Center Food Bank executive director Rick Jump and volunteer Beth Grieser came to pick up a huge donation of food gathered by Lafayette students. We’ll add photos of the handoff later; first, here are a few of the student heroes with the massive pile of food (in a photo taken by Lafayette leadership this morning), and the story told by school administrators:

For the second year in a row, the Lafayette Elementary community used some friendly competition to amass donations for the school’s annual food drive. The charitable event was fueled by a contest to see which class could collect the most items and donations by teacher were tracked on a bulletin board in the front lobby. Over the next couple of weeks, the collected food almost overtook the school’s front lobby.

All of the classes participated, but two classes led the competition: Ms. Rollins’ class collected the most items (525) and Mr. Beal’s class (497) came in second place. Mrs. Bell’s kindergarten class sorted their 297 items alphabetically so that the collection effort also became a learning opportunity. Over 3,300 items total were collected school-wide, which is up dramatically from 2,100 last year. Today the White Center Food Bank team (came) to start transporting all of the collected food down to their facility in White Center.

Lafayette’s student council sponsors two community service projects a year–one in winter and one in spring. We would like to thank the Lafayette’s student council leaders for putting together the food drive, faculty/staff for keeping students motivated and to all the generous Lafayette families who donated food.

Congratulations to all the generous youngsters and their families, and to everyone in West Seattle who’s reached out so generously to make sure fewer people will be in need. We published a story earlier today about the WC Food Bank as the holiday approaches and how you can help – read it here; and our earlier story about the West Seattle Food Bank can be seen here.

Update: More charges, higher bail for vandalism suspect Ryan Cox

Thanks to “Born to be Mild” for catching this in the King County Jail Register database first: New information regarding bail and charges for Ryan Joshua Cox, arrested yesterday for the second time this year and accused of multiple instances of vandalizing West Seattle homes, businesses and public facilities, usually with a profane three-word anti-gay slur. The register now says he’s charged with 10 counts of property destruction, as well as graffiti and having a dangerous weapon – as police told us yesterday, they found a fixed-blade knife on him when he was arrested in The Junction. Bail is now up to $20,000. We’re looking for more details on the latest developments in the case and will add whatever more we find.

Add money and stir: South Park Bridge ready to go – if $ comes

(King County rendering of what replacement South Park Bridge would look like)
The South Park Bridge replacement project is now officially “shovel-ready” if it can just get the federal money sought for construction, says King County. Here’s today’s announcement with the latest on the project (which is needed if that route is to remain open):Read More

West Seattle Whale Watch: Gray-whale sightings reported

Only one report so far but you know how we are about sharing whale reports, in case you want to keep an eye out: “Cloudbreak” shared e-mail from a friend who e-mailed an hour ago, “OK, a few minutes ago a gray whale cruised by Alki, turned East at the lighthouse.” (Maybe it was this one.) ADDED 11:57 AM: Now a second report, closer to downtown – from Zack:

I’m down at Argosy Cruises and we had a gray whale pass us and head into the east waterway…last view I got was about 10 ago and it was surfacing inbetween the cargo ships. Looks like it’s still heading south.

Traffic alert: SODO closures, detours this weekend

December 18, 2009 10:57 am
|    Comments Off on Traffic alert: SODO closures, detours this weekend
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Transportation

A weekend traffic alert from WSDOT this morning, regarding effects this weekend of work that’s under way as part of the 1st phase of the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement project – if you’re going through SODO, including heading for the Seahawks game on Sunday, here’s what you need to know:Read More

West Seattle Weekend Lineup, Christmas countdown edition

December 18, 2009 6:46 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Weekend Lineup, Christmas countdown edition
 |   Fun stuff to do | WS culture/arts | WS Weekend Lineup

wswllicon3.png1 week to go and holiday happenings abound – as do other events, including the West Seattle Garden Club meeting this morning/afternoon and the Nature Consortiums free eco-hike this afternoon … which is also when winter vacation starts for most West Seattle students. Then as we get into the weekend – bundle up your donations to bring (a food-bank item at the very least) to the free Christmas movie “Elf” at Admiral Theater tomorrow … the final Hometown Holidays Sunday (co-sponsored by WSB) will brighten The Junction (with Santa, mule rides, gift wrap, and deals, including six merchants’ “free stocking stuffers” all weekend – before Sunday, by the way, it’s your last chance to get in on the $6,500 Junction Giveaway) … “Plaid Tidings” (WSB sponsor) has two matinees this weekend … Fauntleroy Church (also a WSB sponsor) has its Christmas concert on Sunday … more than 50 West Seattle events/activities in all, holiday and non-holiday, brought to you by Skylark Cafe and Club:Read More

Congratulations! Honors for 13 local teachers, 1 local business

First – the teachers. Seattle Public Schools (where winter break starts after classes let out an hour early today) announced 57 teachers in the district have just received Board Certification – explained here – including these teachers from West Seattle-area schools:

Alki Elementary
Kristine McChesney

Arbor Heights Elementary
Susan Crooke

Concord International
Tom Ly
Linda Martinez
Kathryn Sperling

Gatewood Elementary
Darren Radu

Highland Park Elementary
Laura Drake

Madison Middle
Kathleen Myers
Karen Nixon

Pathfinder K-8 @ Cooper
Ami Pendley

Roxhill Elementary
Jenny Dew
Teresa Klein

Sanislo Elementary
Carolyn Autenrieth

Second … congratulations to Morgan Junction-based Alki Tours, which sent word it’s received the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Sightseeing tour companies category by the Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA). The accompanying news release says, “The SBCA 2009 Award Program recognizes the top 5% of small businesses throughout the country. … The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports.” This time of year, Alki Tours is best known for its Leavenworth Snow Train excursions.

What the White Center Food Bank needs before (& after) Christmas

December 18, 2009 1:09 am
|    Comments Off on What the White Center Food Bank needs before (& after) Christmas
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

(Editor’s note: We’re spotlighting some of West Seattle’s nonprofits in the Christmas countdown, to help with the final push to make sure the people they assist get what they need for the holidays. Wednesday we focused on the West Seattle Food Bank; this morning, it’s the White Center Food Bank, which helps people in part of West Seattle too.)

By Lauri Hennessey
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The White Center Food Bank has taken a hit over the last year. Its executive director says the need for its services has increased up to 80 percent over the last 18 months. Still, Rick Jump says the food bank is surviving the economic downtown in some pretty creative ways — in no small part due to the local community stepping up.

Examples? This fall West Seattle’s Avalon Glassworks produced beautiful red glass apples as part of a WC Food Bank fundraiser. The apples are gorgeous — just $80 each (and there are still some left). Half of the proceeds from each apple goes to the food bank.

Plus, the food bank has received a donation of Christmas trees from IKEA and Evergreen High School. And, food bank board member Gary Fasso joined with the local Carpenters Union to create a new “carport style” produce shed. Now volunteers and customers can be protected from the rain as they look through produce.

Jump says the changes are all part of the food bank’s efforts to make it a bit more pleasant experience for those who come in for help. Just coming in for food is hard enough, he says, without having to stand out in the cold.

(Read on for what you can do NOW to help WC Food Bank before Christmas – and more)Read More