day : 22/07/2011 13 results

Less than twelve hours till the West Seattle Grand Parade, presented by American Legion Post 160, and tonight we’ve heard from two of the new participants – Above, Patrick from Sustainable West Seattle shared a shot of SWS and Alki Bike and Board crews “putting the finishing touches on Trikeceratops, our human & solar powered float for the Grand Parade.” And Debbie Stern e-mailed to say her daughter Becca Stern, a student at Madison Middle School, is “so excited to get to march in front of her home town”:

Becca (center, in red poncho) is captain of the Li’l Señoritas, the younger squad affiliated with La Señoritas, drill teams that are marching in the West Seattle Grand Parade for the first time. (Debbie notes that unlike La Señoritas, Li’l Señoritas do NOT have sabers!)

If you missed our earlier parade previews – scroll down this page for our entire (newest-to-oldest) WS Grand Parade coverage archive; the parade starts at 11 am from California/Lander and proceeds southbound on California to Edmunds at the south end of The Junction. The road closes a couple hours ahead of time, and side streets in the Admiral area on both sides of California are staging areas, so note that even if you are not going to see the parade, cars and buses will be affected till early afternoon. We’ll be out in the staging areas with advance coverage here on WSB tomorrow morning, and of course full coverage afterward.

P.S. Two more notes – we’re reminded that the motorcycle drill teams roll as early as 10:30, so don’t wait till the last minute to get your parade spot along California. Plus, the Kiddie Parade from Calif/Genesee gathers at 10, and if you’re anywhere near there, $3 gets you a hot dog or veggie dog from Furry Faces Foundation‘s Dogs 4 Cats at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor, and parade participant, 4410 California SW), 11 am-1 pm.

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West Seattle weekend: Swimsuit history at Alki Art Fair tomorrow

July 22, 2011 7:56 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Finally finally finally… the forecast looks great for a weekend full of outdoor summer fun – and Alki Art Fair (co-sponsored by WSB this year for the first time!) is a big part of it, on the beach, both days. Besides the 29 musical acts (here’s our preview, with the schedule) and artists/vendors, a highlight this year is the Alki Bathhouse Centennial Celebration – with vintage swimsuits (like the ones worn by Gaea Singer and Log House Museum manager Sarah Frederick, at right) on display Saturday afternoon – volunteers wearing suits from the Seattle Goodwill Vintage Fashion Collection will parade along the Alki promenade 1-4 pm tomorrow, with a fashion show on the main music stage at 2:30 pm. The Art Fair itself starts at 10 am both days this weekend – around the bathhouse and down the promenade – inside the bathhouse, you’ll find a silent auction, 11 am-4 pm both days – and remember, kids get to help paint a mural!

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Video: West Seattle Health Fair, with a ‘flash mob’!

July 22, 2011 6:00 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | High Point | West Seattle news

If you drove 35th SW in the High Point area in the past half-hour or so – you might have seen the “flash mob” dancers on the sidewalk north of Walgreens, part of the West Seattle Health Fair, continuing till 8 pm. (added) Here’s the video:

There’s a “healthy food” tour at the drugstore – which carries fresh produce – and the nearby High Point Market, as well as a bigger concentration of activities, including free health testing, a few blocks away in the parking lot behind High Point Neighborhood Center (Sylvan Way and Lanham):

Entertainment, too.

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Weekend traffic alerts, including West Seattle Grand Parade

July 22, 2011 4:34 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Almost forgot the traditional end-of-week link to SDOT‘s roundup of weekend traffic alerts around the city! This time around, the West Seattle Grand Parade is part of it (tomorrow morning!). The city has the entire list here.

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Is this your downtown bus stop? Metro seeking opinions

July 22, 2011 2:16 pm

| 55 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news

Metro is thinking about closing the bus stop on Columbia downtown just east of Second Avenue (map), which serves several routes headed this way. So, in case that’s where you catch the bus – or if you have an opinion as a driver, bicyclist, or pedestrian – we’re publishing their call for comments – read on:Read More

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Another review next week for Alki Homestead project

July 22, 2011 1:59 pm

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| Alki Homestead | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

For the first time in more than three months, the proposal to restore/reconstruct the historic-landmark Alki Homestead (originally the Fir Lodge) will return to the city Landmarks Preservation Board‘s Architectural Review Committee next week. This will be its fourth review before the committee, which holds informal reviews with project teams – multiple times, if they request it, as has been the case here – before they take proposals to the full board for a vote. Two and a half years now have passed since the fire that ravaged the Homestead’s interior; here’s our report on the most recent review of the proposal to restore/reconstruct it for use as a restaurant/banquet facility (our full coverage archive is here). This next review is listed as a “briefing on proposed building elements condition survey”; it’s set for 9:35 am next Friday (July 29th) on the 40th floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower downtown.

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SSCC’s Dr. Yilin Sun chosen as Fulbright Scholar

July 22, 2011 1:24 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

South Seattle Community College just announced a prestigious honor for a faculty member: Dr. Yilin Sun, full-time tenured faculty in Basic & Transitional Studies, has been chosen as a Fulbright Senior Scholar for next academic year. The SSCC announcement says Dr. Sun will spend that year in Taiwan, handling training for Fulbright English Teaching Assistants as well as seminars for graduate students, and she will join in curriculum and assessment initiatives at the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. Dr. Sun is described in SSCC’s announcement as “a recognized leader in curriculum development for adult English to Speakers of Other Languages programs and teacher training.” She has a long list of honors and accomplishments (listed on this SSCC webpage). The Fulbright program is sponsored by the U.S. State Department.

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Denny school-demolition milestone: Chimney coming down

July 22, 2011 11:53 am

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| Denny-Sealth | West Seattle news

(Video substituted at 1:04 pm for original photo)
Thanks to tipster David for sharing word that the 55-foot-tall chimney (or smokestack, if you prefer) at the old Denny International Middle School was about to come down. We’ve been staked out all morning waiting for the work to start, and just after 11, it finally did. It’s not an implosion, and you’re not going to see any huge section come tumbling down all at once if you come out – a giant piece of equipment is chewing away at the stack, a few bricks at a time. But it’s a spectacle for the rest of the crew, which had paused for lunch by the time this got under way after an equipment hitch:

The new Denny, adjacent to nearby Chief Sealth International High School, officially opens in September; the old school site will hold a softball field, tennis court, an open playfield, and some park-type features like play equipment, once the construction following the destruction is complete this fall. BNBuilders is the general contractor. This is the third phase of the Sealth/Denny project funded by Seattle Public Schools’ BEX III bond measure.

3:52 PM UPDATE: We checked back just after 3 – and the chimney/stack was already completely taken down; just a pile of bricks remains:

Out front, along 30th SW, workers were dismantling some of the main school building’s big front windows; if you want to get a last look at the old school before it’s completely gone, you don’t have much time!

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West Seattle firefighters ask you to ‘Fill the Boot’ for MDA

July 22, 2011 11:10 am

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| How to help | Seen around town | West Seattle news

If you can spare a few dollars to help fight muscular dystrophy, keep the cash close by as you drive through West Seattle – local firefighters are out asking you to “Fill the Boot“ for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This morning we spotted Seattle Fire Department Lt. Sue Stangl and the Admiral District’s own Engine 29 at Admiral Chevron; she says they’ll be back in that area and near Taco Time at 35th/Fauntleroy starting around 4:30 this afternoon, to catch people heading back home.

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West Seattle Grand Parade tomorrow! Lineup highlights today

July 22, 2011 10:14 am

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| West Seattle Grand Parade | West Seattle news

(2009 WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
At this time tomorrow, 77 entries will be getting into place for the 2011 edition of the West Seattle Grand Parade, presented by American Legion Post 160. The post’s Junction headquarters are where parade coordinators gather to rough out the lineup – we sat in on that meeting this past Monday night. But after two hours of intensive discussion – with parade co-coordinator Dave Vague using his Father’s Day gift iPad, and parade co-coordinator Jim Edwards checking a table full of the actual entries, while Doreen Vague handled logistics regarding judging – the final plan still had some tweaking to be done, before one last meeting last night. The lineup includes:

*2 motorcycle drill teams (this is the only local parade where you see the Vancouver, B.C. team too – they’re in the top photo)
*More than half a dozen floats, including West Seattle Hi-Yu‘s “Sparkling Seattle” and visitors from as far away as the Sequim Irrigation Festival float
*4 marching bands, including the famous Calgary Roundup Band, back for the first time in a few years
*More than half a dozen drill teams, including the saber-wielding Las Senoritas
*Community entries including a few new ones, such as Sustainable West Seattle, and longtime participants including schools, churches, Scouts, community groups
*Commercial entries including Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor)
*The full Seafair contingent, including their new (as of last year) float and, of course, the Pirates
*As announced here earlier: 2011 Grand Marshals Art and Gloria Peters, and 2011 Orville Rummel Trophy winner Cindi Barker

The parade starts at 11 am Saturday from California/Lander and travels down California till the route ends at Edmunds on the south end of The Junction (here’s the map on the parade’s official website). Side streets along California at the north end of the route are part of the staging area, so in the early morning hours tomorrow, you’re going to want to steer clear of there. Kids are invited to join in the West Seattle Rotary Kiddie Parade gathering at 10 am at California/Genesee (more here). And remember, the parade’s not over till you see the tow trucks! (They’re entry #77.)

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Be a winner! Clock ticking on North Delridge logo contest

July 22, 2011 9:04 am

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| Delridge | How to help | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photo from July 2009)
They’re known for the stylish (Heart) Delridge T-shirts sported by many in our photo from the Delridge playground-construction event two years ago this week – but now, as noted here earlier this month, the North Delridge Neighborhood Council is in search of a full-fledged logo, for “a letterhead, posters, and other outreach materials,” as NDNC’s Holli Margell explains. Two weeks left to get in on their logo contest, perfect for a graphic designer who needs to build a portfolio and/or one who’s able to give back to the community with a donation of time and talent. The winner gets not only one of the famous T-shirts, but also $50 in gift certificates to local businesses. If you’re interested, e-mail ndnclogo@gmail.com – and check out the rules/criteria on the NDNC website, here. Deadline is August 5th!

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West Seattle Friday: Return of the summer sunshine

July 22, 2011 8:49 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo courtesy Melanie – parent and baby gull at Jack Block Park)
Welcome, sunshine! Looks like The Big Day (West Seattle Grand Parade, Alki Art Fair, outdoor movie, more) tomorrow will be perfect – but first – it’s Friday, and here are highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

ROTARY RASPBERRIES: Pickup is scheduled this afternoon 1-6 pm at 40th/Alaska for the second round of the Rotary Club of West Seattle Berry Sale, raspberries. Walk-up sales are often available – scroll down here for details.

PLAYGROUND PARTY: At Delridge Community Center, it’s the KaBoom! Playground Birthday Party (free, for all ages). From the community-center summer brochure: “Our little playground is turning 2! Join us for an evening of fun and fellowship as we celebrate the playground built in one day.” 4:30-6:30 pm

(added) WEST SEATTLE HEALTH FAIR: Free health resources at High Point Neighborhood Center, including free health checks, a “Healthy Food Here” walk, kids’ activities, more. 5-8 pm at High Point Neighborhood Center, 6400 Sylvan Way SW.

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: GreenStage presents “The Tempest” at Lincoln Park, 7 pm, free.

ROCKY HORROR TIMES TWO: Final scheduled weekend of “Rocky Horror Show Live” at ArtsWest in The Junction, and there are two shows tonight – 7:30 and 11 pm. Tickets are available online, here.

MUSIC AT YOUNGSTOWN: James Hurley, singer/songwriter, is performing at The Dewitty Theater at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). James’ singing and guitar style is unique and witty, sometimes whimsical, with a folk- based style and a little bit of rock and jazz. Doors open at 7 pm and show starts at 7:30 pm. Cost is $10 cash at the door. Kids under 14 are free.

TRIBUTE TO BILLIE HOLIDAY: At Kenyon Hall(7904 35th Ave SW): Stacie Calkins and David Duvall present “Lady Day and the Blues” honoring jazz singer Billie Holiday. Reserved table seats are $14. Row seating is $12 general and $10 seniors. With a reservation, row seating is $10 general and $8 seniors. Elementary, middle, & high school students are $5. Pre- school children are free, and Root Beer Floats are still only a buck. To make a reservation, please e-mail kenyonhall@earthlink.net with your request; you’ll receive an e-mail confirming your reservation.

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Thursday night’s Metro cuts-or-fee hearing, and what’s next

July 22, 2011 12:35 am

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| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

For West Seattle Blog and White Center Now, Deanie Schwarz covered Thursday night’s Metro-future hearing in Burien – focused on whether the transit system will get a new $20 tax/fee to stave off budget cuts, or start cutting service. She reports it wasn’t the gigantic turnout that swarmed last week’s hearing in downtown Seattle, but “a few hundred people” were eventually on hand. Among them, South Seattle Community College student Vice President Joshua Clark:

Deanie reports that Clark lobbied to save routes 125 and 128 – the only routes which serve the campus. He also had a modification to the suggested $20 fee for cars. He’s a motorcyclist and half-jokingly suggested $5 per wheel would be another fee-structure alternative to consider; that got a big laugh and a “Nice try” from a committee member. From southeasternmost West Seattle, Arrowhead Gardens residents campaigned for the buses they take to services on Roxbury:

Next up – testimony before the council on Monday, as they prepare to vote on whether to implement the $20/year fee, or send it to voters. Signups will be taken at 1 pm at the park south of the county courthouse on Monday, with the item expected to come up in the County Council Chambers around 3 pm. If you can’t be there and still haven’t commented on this, you can do so in writing. Meantime, our partners at the Seattle Times have published their report on the Burien hearing – see it here.

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