day : 30/09/2011 11 results

HELP GET THE WORD OUT IN DELRIDGE: At 10 am Sunday, volunteers are needed to help distribute 1,600 flyers in the Delridge area, letting people know about the October 11th Delridge Community Forum, focused on the DESC proposal to build a 75-apartment complex for homeless people living with mental illness. If you can help, be at Delridge Library (Brandon/Delridge) at 10 o’clock Sunday morning (rain or shine).

DONATE FOOD: 10 am-2 pm Saturday, Prudential NW Realty team members are collecting food-bank donations – money and/or food – at stores including PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor), West Seattle Thriftway, Jefferson Square Safeway, and White Center Albertsons.

HELP WEST SEATTLE’S NEWEST P-PATCH:

From the Barton Street P-Patch (34th/Barton) crew, that photo and this request:

The Barton Street PPatch is seeking community volunteers to help build retaining walls this weekend. No experience necessary- you need only bring your enthusiasm. These walls use mortar over reclaimed materials, chain link and tiles, shells, pottery shards and other found objects. Shifts are available Saturday 10-3 and Sunday 11-3. We are also seeking muscular folks to help mix mortar and do other digging, weeding and wheelbarrow activities. Please let us know if you are interested in participating in this community garden. KFarleyLandscapeDesign@gmail.com or Randeef@Comcast.net

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High-school football: 2 shutouts among tonight’s 3 games

September 30, 2011 9:13 pm

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

9:13 PM: At Southwest Athletic Complex, Chief Sealth International High School‘s homecoming game just wrapped up – and it was a shutout, Eastside Catholic 46, Sealth 0. Most of the scoring came in the first half, which concluded at 39-0; then Eastside ran the ball in from the second-half kickoff, and that (plus the extra point) ended the night’s scoring.

ADDED 10:34 PM: Another score in: Seattle Lutheran High School lost at Concrete, 42-13, per its Twitter feed, which notes that it’s SLHS’s homecoming next weekend.

ADDED 11:25 PM: Per our partners at the Seattle Times, West Seattle High School shut out Cleveland at Southeast Athletic Complex, 35-0.

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West Seattle traffic-alert reminder: Longer closure than usual

September 30, 2011 7:56 pm

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| Spokane St. Viaduct project | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

One more reminder if you are, or are heading, downtown or beyond – tonight’s westbound Spokane Street Viaduct closure is scheduled to last longer than previous ones – this time, it’s set to start at 10 pm and continue all day and all night Saturday, until 10 am Sunday. (We’ll publish an update, of course, if it reopens early.) That means the only high-bridge access westbound during that time will be from Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct – the I-5 and Beacon Hill ramps will be closed.

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Anti-absenteeism campaign to be launched in West Seattle

September 30, 2011 3:45 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

On Monday morning, West Seattle will again be the backdrop for another citywide-initiative announcement. This time, Mayor McGinn and Seattle Public Schools interim Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield will be at the new Denny International Middle School to announce “Be Here, Get There,” described as an effort to “incentivize kids to get to school and remind them that every day in school matters.” The announcement is scheduled for 11:30 am. (It’s part of a national campaign, as this MSNBC.com story – spotlighting schools including Chief Sealth International High School – points out.)

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One ‘triggerman’ sentenced in Steve Bushaw murder; 2nd delayed

September 30, 2011 3:10 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

(Ron and Meg Bushaw, Steve’s parents)
Story and photos by Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“I want you to know, you have put a hole in our hearts that will always be there,” murder victim Steve Bushaw‘s mother told one of her son’s killers in court this afternoon.

Meg Bushaw was speaking directly to Danny O’Neal, one of two men who fired their guns at her son outside Talarico’s in The Junction on Super Bowl Sunday night in 2009.

She was one of more than a dozen members of Steve Bushaw’s family who were in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque, for what was supposed to be the sentencing of both “triggermen” who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder – O’Neal and John Sylve. This comes one month after a jury found the killing’s so-called mastermind, Bryce Huber, guilty of first-degree murder; he has already been sentenced to almost 32 years in prison.

The two triggermen were to be sentenced separately, explained as being necessary because there weren’t enough court deputies to bring them into, and guard them in, the courtroom at the same time – but after Sylve was brought in, his lawyer asked for a continuance, because for reasons unknown, Sylve’s family had not shown up. The prosecutor, judge, and family all agreed to the delay.

(From left, prosecutor Jeff Baird, defense lawyer Walter Peale, confessed killer Danny O’Neal)
Before that, Judge DuBuque sentenced O’Neal to the 183 months recommended by prosecutor Jeff Baird – including 60 months (five years) because a gun was involved.

O’Neal’s mother Alfreda Mitchell was among those speaking on his behalf. She turned to address the Bushaw family, crying as she said that her son had previously “always been a person that has made wise choices … I don’t even know if he understands what happened. I don’t expect you to forgive him, because I know what I would feel if I was sitting in your position.” His wife and older sister also turned to face the Bushaw family and apologize, expressing hope they could find forgiveness someday. Then, O’Neal himself did the same, following it with an apology to his own family, including his daughter. And he insisted, “I didn’t go (to West Seattle) that night planning to kill your son in the middle of the street in front of no less than 30 people.”

As she announced the sentence, Judge DuBuque called the case overall “tragic,” without easy answers as to why the killing happened. (O’Neal said in court that he didn’t believe Steve Bushaw was responsible for the home-invasion robbery that was described as the motive.)

Sylve’s sentencing is now scheduled for November 4th. November is also when another hearing is scheduled in the matter of whether the fourth defendant in the case, Brandon Chaney, will be retried – the jury that found Huber guilty could not agree on Chaney’s innocence or guilt.

We will add more details of the hearing, and photos, shortly.

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October Viaduct closure: First map to help you get around

September 30, 2011 2:18 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle news

Click the image (or here) to see the full PDF version of that map, which is the first one out from WSDOT to help people get around during the impending October 21-31 Alaskan Way Viaduct closure. WSDOT spokesperson Travis Phelps says that within the next week or so they will have smaller, more detailed maps targeted at specific parts of the area – such as West Seattle – but this one is meant as a reminder that the closure does have a few time/day exceptions – the striped northbound side of The Viaduct, for example, from Royal Brougham north, will be open during certain times. The entire southbound stretch will be continuously closed, as will the northbound stretch from the West Seattle Bridge to Royal Brougham. Phelps says another key feature of this map shows which way downtown streets flow – in case you’re not familiar with that part of the area. (Also another reminder that city/county/state reps will be at a West Seattle-specific open-house-style meeting the evening of October 10th at West Seattle High School – time to be announced Monday – to answer your questions.)

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West Seattle schools: Gatewood leadership; Madison request

September 30, 2011 12:37 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Two updates this morning from West Seattle schools:

GATEWOOD IN THE WOODS: Gatewood Elementary principal Rhonda Claytor shares that photo, from before the weather turned cloudy – she says her school “is hosting its first 4th /5th Grade Fall Leadership Camp today at Lincoln Park. In the attached picture, the students are participating in a writing celebration, sharing their first piece of writing this fall with their classmates.”

MADISON READING PROGRAM NEEDS YOU! Not volunteer help – but rather, donations! Stacia the librarian explains:

Greetings, West Seattle community members! My name is Stacia Bell and I am the new librarian at Madison Middle School. I want to let you know about a great new reading program at Madison and how you can help. This year, we are starting up the Bulldogs Read program (modeled after Whitman Middle School’s successful Wildcats Read program), an incentive reading program with the goal being to get more and more kids reading for pleasure. The Bulldogs Read program is made up of 50 new books that students are challenged to read each year that are chosen because they are new publications, they are a diverse mix of books, and they were all nominated for some sort of literary award. Our hope is that each student and staff member at Madison will read at least one of the Bulldogs Read books and will, in the process, increase their love of reading and, in turn, their reading skills.

**Here is how you can help:

Each time a student completes a Bulldogs Read book, they are entered into a drawing for weekly small prizes and monthly grand prizes. I am looking for local businesses or donors who would like to partner with Madison by donating items for our weekly and monthly prize drawings. It could be gift certificates or actual prize items from your store/business. No donation is too small…or too large! You and/or your business would receive publicity on our school web site, you’d be featured on our photo wall of monthly winners, and you’d receive great thank you notes from our monthly winners. If you are a business owner and would be interested in finding out more about how you can support this reading program (or know a business owner that might be interested in donating something), please read the attached letter that explains the program in more detail. Please call (206.252.9152) or e-mail me, Stacia Bell (smbell@seattleschools.org), to discuss your possible donation. Thank you so much for considering partnering with Madison in this special program.

School news? Here’s how to share!

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Reminder for bus riders: Metro’s service change is tomorrow

September 30, 2011 12:02 pm

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

Just in case you missed previous mentions – tomorrow is the “service change” day for Metro, with a variety of changes affecting West Seattle bus riders, including added service on Route 54. You can read the details – and check your route – at the Metro website.

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Words of thanks from family of West Seattle Bridge crash victim

September 30, 2011 11:18 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

A family member of Bradly Gilmore, the 53-year-old motorcyclist who died after crashing Tuesday morning on the West Seattle Bridge, has posted a thank-you comment that you probably haven’t seen, so we’re sharing it here. Ally writes:

Thank you to everyone for your kind posts about Brad. Our family appreciates your condolences. If you knew him, please share your memories on havenrest.com under the Online tab on the Online Obituaries in the Guestbook for Bradly Gilmore. [Obituary here; guestbook here] Thank you to those who stayed with him through the accident and thank you to all of his fellow riders for your kind words. Please keep riding – that’s what he would have wanted. I can’t say it enough to everyone else regardless of fault LOOK TWICE. You NEVER know who is going to be where and when whether it’s a motorcycle, cyclist, pedestrian, etc. Thank you again for your kind words and support.

Mr. Gilmore’s obituary (we added direct links in Ally’s comment above) says the family is hosting an event to remember him at their home in Olalla (Kitsap County) tomorrow. For those who want to make memorial donations, Ally’s followup comment, and the obituary, suggest supporting High Country News.

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New event coming up in West Seattle: ‘Fall Food Swap’

September 30, 2011 9:42 am

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

Jill from Seattle Swappers just sent word that her group’s Fall Food Swap will be in West Seattle, 2-4 pm at High Point Neighborhood Center (6400 Sylvan Way). It’s free, but you’ll need a ticket, and there’s a limited number available. Full announcement (and ticket link) ahead:Read More

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West Seattle Friday: Partial bridge closure; Sealth homecoming…

September 30, 2011 7:59 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Stand-up paddleboarding at sunset earlier this week; photo by Paul Swortz from the WSB Flickr group pool)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

TRAFFIC ALERT – PARTIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: Westbound Spokane Street Viaduct closes at 10 pm and is scheduled to stay closed through 10 am Sunday. This means the exits to the West Seattle Bridge from I-5 and Beacon Hill are closed.

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES TALK MATH/SCIENCE EDUCATION: 6-8 pm at Puget Ridge Cohousing Association, a “happy-hour fundraiser” for school-board candidates Sharon Peaslee and Marty McLaren with guests Cliff Mass, Ted Nutting (Ballard math teacher) & Dr. Dave Myerson (Mercer Island School Board). Puget Ridge Cohousing Association, 7020 18th SW (north of SW Myrtle), $50 donation requested, all are invited.
From organizers: “We have a huge achievement gap in math and science that continues to grow. Marty McLaren and Sharon Peaslee will address this head on if they’re elected to the School Board.”

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP: 2-weekend workshop starts at the Seattle Chinese Garden in West Seattle, 6:30 pm – full details here.

ADMIRAL CHURCH FUNDRAISER: Admiral Church‘s diinner/auction fundraiser is tonight at South Seattle Community College, 6000 16th SW. Vacation accommodations in South Africa, Kona, Tucson and Ocean Shores will highlight the live auction, and there are many gift baskets and silent auction items. Call 206-932-8662 to see if there’s still room.

HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Chief Sealth homecoming game, hosting Eastside Catholic at Southwest Athletic Complex, 7 pm; West Seattle HS plays at Franklin (Southeast Athletic Complex), 7 pm; Seattle Lutheran HS at Concrete, 7 pm.

ART/GIFT SHOW DEADLINE: A reminder that the holiday season is not that far away: Deadline for West Seattle artists to apply to participate in the 2011 Fauntleroy Fine Art & Holiday Gift Fair in November. See Fauntleroy Church website for more details.

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