As-it-happened: ArtsWest announces next season’s productions

March 14, 2011 7:39 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

7:39 PM: We’re at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, where the 2011-2012 season lineup is about to be announced. ArtsWest’s Alan Harrison and Christopher Zinovitch are scheduled to lead the announcement, along with We’ll publish updates as the announcements are made – stay tuned!

7:41 PM: The event is beginning with a discussion of ArtsWest’s current production “Distracted” by Lisa Loomer – in the tradition of ArtsWest’s “OnStage” talks, linked to all of their productions. Zinovitch is talking about the family dynamic of the production, which follows a journey through a family’s experience with ADHD, that he says doesn’t come down on any particular side of what’s right and what’s wrong. The cast categorizes the play as a “dramedy.”

8 PM: That’s followed up by a discussion of “Shipwrecked,” the next production on ArtsWest’s current slate. “It’s kind of like presenting ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ as a true story,” observed Harrison. Cast members are onstage and talking about the central character of this story touring as “the greatest liar of all time.” (This production too is directed by Zinovitch, who says “It’s not a piece for children, but it’s a piece to bring your inner child back to life.” That is not to say it’s not suitable for children – in fact, Harrison pointed out moments later, it’s for all ages, and there will be a student matinee on May 11 for which there’s still space – contact the theater to talk about tickets.)

(Brandon Felker with a monologue from “Amy’s View,” followed by discussion with Alan Harrison and Christopher Zinovitch)
8:33 PM: And the announcing is under way – minus a PowerPoint that was planned, and nobody seems to mind. First play: “Amy’s View“ by David Hare, September 7-October 1. “It’s a mother-daughter story,” explains Zinovitch, with the mother, an actor, as a “Peter Pan” figure, and the daughter having to bring her mother back to reality as their relationship evolves over 20 years, 1979-1999. He also discussed (we have this on video and will add later) the undercurrent of the play, about supporting the arts. Harrison talked about how this dovetails with ArtsWest’s mission – to foster conversation, among other things. Moments later, he revealed that this is “the highest-selling season we’ve ever had” at ArtsWest. “People are coming to ArtsWest and filling this joint on a regular basis!” That was greeted with applause from the sizable crowd that’s here.

(The rest of our as-it-happened coverage is after the jump …)Read More

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Little kids, big freebie: Dr. Bryan Brenner’s “well-baby check” day

March 14, 2011 4:36 pm

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| Health | West Seattle news

No, Dr. Bryan Brenner, DDS (WSB sponsor), says, the American Dental Association is NOT trying to make parents feel guilty by warning them to be sure to get their little ones to the dentist for the first time “within six months of the appearance of a child’s first tooth and no later than his or her first birthday.” That’s just to make sure you know how important it is for your child to have a healthy mouth! Toward that end, Dr. Brenner is offering FREE well-baby checks for children 5 and younger on Friday, April 1st, from 8 am – 12 pm. Parents must call and schedule an appointment at 206-762-2573. (Find out more about why baby teeth matter and what is included in a well-baby check by reading what Dr. Brenner wrote here.)

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West Seattle schools: Pathfinder, Gatewood auctions’ aftermath

March 14, 2011 4:08 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(1st two photos courtesy Machel Spence)
One last round of scenes from weekend fundraisers – two on behalf of local schools. Above, Becca Cressell from the self-contained autism program at Pathfinder K-8 received the annual “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” award (she’s shown with principal David Dockendorf) during the school’s “Pathfunder” auction event Saturday night at South Seattle Community College. The school website says the award is given each year to “a teacher, staff member or adult volunteer in the Pathfinder K-8 community who does an outstanding job of helping our children learn and develop … through dedication, innovative thinking, creativity and honoring the differences, strengths and uniqueness of each child.” (The award was created in honor of a former Pathfinder student who was helped there to work through the challenges of Asperger Syndrome.) Auction items included adventures and art:

(In the right background is a creation donated by Machel, who is a Pathfinder parent; you can take a closer look here.) We’re checking on fundraiser results. (UPDATE: Auction chair Sharon tells WSB, “We had a sold-out event, raising over $50,000. Over 100 people volunteered in one form or another. We more than met our goal of raising money for our Fund-A-Need – buying more books for our classroom libraries. It was a great night!”)

Friday night, Gatewood Elementary gathered for “Bids for Kids” at The Hall at Fauntleroy – with a superheroes theme:

(Photo courtesy Gail Ann Photography)
From left in the photo, it’s PTA vice president Nicole “Gator Girl” Sipila, principal Rhonda Claytor, and PTA president Mary Howland. Photographer Gail Ann quotes the principal as saying, “Our fundamental beliefs at Gatewood are that class size should be as small as possible, that children should have a variety of learning experience…this event is a crucial part of providing the funding to make these ideas continue to be an effective learning tool and a reality at Gatewood.” (You can see Gail Ann’s gallery from the gala by going here.) Auction chair Anita Schumacher tells WSB that the auction “grossed just over $60,000. The night was a blast with a lot of costumes to liven up the night.” Still ways to contribute – she’ll be cataloguing the few remaining auction items still up for grabs – keep an eye on the auction website for that. (And if you have a school event coming up, please make sure we know about it! Thanks!)

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Hit the street, 2 feet or 2 wheels: Alki Street Scramble Saturday

March 14, 2011 2:50 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

Just got word that the “Street Scramble” season is opening again this year with the Alki Street Scramble – this Saturday (March 19). It’s a race to see how many of 30 designated locations on a map you can visit on bike or on foot during a certain time period. Registration starts at 8:30 am Saturday (62nd and Alki), maps are handed out at 9:30 am, you have half an hour to plot and then – you’re off! More information here; photos from last year are on Facebook.

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Food news: ‘Pi(e) Day’ specials; Lumpia World dinner

March 14, 2011 12:57 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

2 quick food notes:

PI(E) DAY: It’s the unofficial National Pie Day, what with it being 3.14 and all that. The photo above is courtesy WSB/White Center Now contributor Deanie Schwarz, who says 3.14 Bakery in White Center has $1 “pie pops” today, cherry, marionberry and peach. West Seattle’s Shoofly Pie Company reported via Twitter that it’s offering slices of fruit and shoofly pie for $3.14 all day.

LUMPIA WORLD: The newest food truck to regularly visit West Seattle has a change starting today: Instead of lunch, Lumpia World is serving dinner on Mondays starting tonight, 5-8 pm in the California SW Rite-Aid parking lot. (They plan to continue with lunch on Saturdays.)

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Seattle city leaders backing medical-marijuana bill SB 5073

March 14, 2011 11:37 am

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| Health | West Seattle news

Over the weekend, we reported on the neighborhood discussion sparked by reports that West Seattle’s third medical-marijuana dispensary might be on its way to a space in the 5200 block of Delridge Way SW. Though police tell WSB that the property owner now says the dispensary probably is not happening after all, the issue remains, since dispensaries are operating in a gray area of the law. We noted in our weekend report that state legislation to change that, SB 5073, has a public hearing in Olympia today; now we’ve received a letter from Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes‘ office, also signed by Mayor McGinn and the entire City Council, voicing support for the bill, because they believe a “coherent, consistent, and rational regulatory system’ for dispensaries is needed. Here’s the letter in its entirety, including amendments they are proposing, including restoring language that would allow for-profit dispensaries as well as nonprofit.

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Video: Fauntleroy house fire cause will remain officially ‘unknown’

March 14, 2011 8:10 am

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| Fauntleroy | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(Video/photos by Patrick Sand for WSB; clip substituted at 9:26 am for earlier photos)
8:10 AM: On our way to a fire in single-family residence call in the 9600 block of 48th SW (map).

8:19 AM: There are flames, according to the scanner, and part of the building is in danger of collapse, so firefighters are being kept away from that side. Our crew is just arriving – there’s a significant amount of smoke, even from a distance. Flames are still visible. We’re being told by neighbors that the house is almost a century old.

8:28 AM: Just added photos. Our crew is just feet from the house but the smoke is so thick, you can’t see the flames – it’s still burning – via cameraphone. No report of any injuries but too soon to tell for sure.

8:41 AM: Firefighters still actively fighting – some flames visible on 1st floor (it’s a 2-story house). Looks like a Seattle Fire Department public-information officer has arrived on scene, which means we should have more specifics soon from the fire crews. Meantime, scanner traffic (8:45 am) indicates that an “occupant” from the house is “at a neighbor’s house.”

(OUR AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE CONTINUES POST-JUMP)Read More

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West Seattle Monday: Preparedness plan; ArtsWest lineup…

March 14, 2011 6:12 am

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Danny McMillin, from the West Seattle Blog group pool on Flickr)

As we do most mornings, we’re taking a look at some highlights of the day/night ahead, from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar. First, two neighborhood meetings, including one with a timely agenda:

NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: 6:30 pm, Delridge Library (Delridge/Brandon). As announced by chair Karrie Kohlhaas, this one’s focused on emergency preparedness:

Imagine not being prepared when an earthquake, tsunami, mudslides, terrorist attack, or other disaster situation strikes, cutting you off from the rest of Seattle, from provisions, from electricity and other city services like waste management, police, fire dept…

We want Delridge to be prepared and in good shape if disaster comes our way, so we found the best people to come talk with us:

Debbie Goetz, City of Seattle Emergency Preparedness Training Specialist
Cindi Barker, West Seattle Hubs Coordinator and WS neighbor
Ben Canfield, neighbor volunteer creating a Delridge Disaster Preparedness Plan

* Learn how you will know what’s going on if you can’t use your phone or computer
* Find out what supplies you should have on hand at all times
* Meet an amazing neighbor who organized a communication plan for West Seattle
* Ask questions of city and local organizers so you can empower your family
* Find out how you can get more involved in shaping a plan for Delridge
* Leave with information that could save your life or a neighbor’s life …

Looking forward to meeting many of you for the first time. Meetings are upbeat and I try to keep them moving. We must be done by 7:45 because the library closes, so no worries that this is going to take your whole night! Hope to see you there!

PIGEON POINT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Northeast of NDNC, the PPNC meets tonight at 7 at Pathfinder K-8 (Cooper campus) School.

ARTSWEST ANNOUNCEMENT: What will West Seattle’s fulltime arts purveyor produce/present next season? The suspense ends tonight in a fun announcement event at the ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) theater in The Junction, 7:30 pm, free, everyone invited (and it’ll include a sneak peek at the current production “Distracted“).

SING IT!: Karaoke with Kelli at Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor), 9 pm

RAISE A GUIDE PUPPY: West Seattle See Dogs meets 6:30 pm, Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor) lobby at 2326 California Ave SW. Do you have love and time to share with a puppy? Call Ruth Oldham at 206-953-0268 for information on how you can raise a Guide Dog Puppy or just show up at our meeting! More info at www.guidedogs.com.

FREE WORKSHOP: “Building a Better Home” free workshop at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) for those interested in custom homebuilding or remodeling, 6 pm, more info on Facebook invite page (but call to RSVP).

BINGO! Every Monday night, it’s Bingo at Alki UCC church – doors open at 5:30 pm, games start at 6:30 pm (read more here)

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West Side Presbyterian Church celebrating its centennial

March 14, 2011 5:04 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

This month, West Seattle’s West Side Presbyterian Church is celebrating its centennial – 100 years in the community, though not at the same location for that entire time. From Mark O’Connell at WSPC:

On March 27, 2011, West Side Presbyterian will hold a “Generations of Faithfulness” Centennial Celebration at 9:30 am at 3601 California Avenue SW followed by a light lunch and fellowship. The Rev. Dr. Paul Smith (right), who has served at West Side since 1981, will preside over the service, which will include speakers and members of former staff families, musical selections from children and adult choirs and special ensembles, and video greetings from West Siders around the world. Members of the community, along with former church members and friends, are invited to join us in celebrating our 100th anniversary.

West Side Presbyterian Church was established in March 1911 near the Admiral Junction in West Seattle on 44th SW and Lander. It originated as a mission of Seattle’s First Presbyterian Church under the leadership of Dr. Mark Matthews, a dynamic and colorful community leader in Seattle’s early days. The church grew from 47 charter members to 583 members today. In 1948, the church dedicated its current building on the corner of California Avenue SW and Spokane Street. It has undergone remodels and expansions in the 1950s and 2000s. West Side is a stalwart member of the West Seattle community with many outreach activities and ministries.

After the 1949 earthquake when Lafayette School was damaged beyond usability for students, West Side was one of the locations where classes were held through the end of the year. West Side has sponsored Boy Scout Troop 282 for 63 years. In the 1950s, more than 1000 children attended West Side’s two-week Vacation Bible School, and notable guests have included sports editor Royal Brougham and Seahawks quarterback Sam Adkins. Ministries to lonely and shut-in members of the community have touched many people for more than 50 years, and West Side has served vital roles and support to the homeless and less fortunate in our neighborhoods, including Union Gospel Mission, City Team, and Family Promise. Our doors have been open to community members for meeting spaces, blood drives, special musical presentations and performances, and an annual garage sale that fills the church and raises significant funds for youth projects.

Through the years, West Side has sent out over 75 missionaries to countries around the world, even as we have taken in displaced families and refugees from wars and violent regimes ranging from the World War II refugees from Hungary and Austria, to those fleeing Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge. West Side’s membership is a special and unique melding of people who have lived and contributed to life in West Seattle for 50+ years, including teachers, business owners, service people, musicians and artists, and medical personnel, as well as newcomers to the community.

Further Information:
www.wspc.org
West Side Presbyterian Church on Facebook
Church office: 206.935.4477
E-mail: office@wspc.org or wspc.centennial@gmail.com