West Seattle, Washington

19 Wednesday

40℉

day : 30/10/2011 12 results

Notes for Monday morning’s commute – road, sea, bike path…
October 30, 2011 9:39 pm
|    Comments Off on Notes for Monday morning’s commute – road, sea, bike path…
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle news

Yes, the rollercoaster week of “Viadoom” is in our rear-view mirrors. But things are different tomorrow, in various ways:

VIADUCT/HIGHWAY 99: Both directions were open again by 1 pm Saturday. Our subsequent report includes dash-cam video recorded as we tried the trip in both directions. It’s narrower in spots, and the speed limit is lower, so we’ll be publishing commute updates again in the morning with word on how that’s shaking out.

(Melissa Ann on the West Seattle run last Monday morning, which it’ll also handle today)
WEST SEATTLE WATER TAXI: The Rachel Marie, which broke down during the pm rush hour on Friday, is not yet ready to return, so its twin Melissa Ann, which usually handles Vashon, will be on the West Seattle run tomorrow morning (the Spirit of Kingston will fill in for Vashon). Remember that the new winter schedule starts tomorrow, which means commute hours only (here’s the new schedule) – first trip from Seacrest is 6:45. Also, for those who asked, the WT will NOT be running late for the Sounders game on Wednesday, or any other fall/winter sporting event – the staffing doesn’t permit for that, the county says.

METRO: Buses were scheduled to be back on their “Viaduct routing” as of this morning. Metro says it will watch closely to see how the new configuration – including the two-lanes-each-way elevated section – affects their schedule. Their official advisory:

Routes 21 Express, 37 southbound, 54, 54 Express, 55, 56 Express, 113, 120, 121, 122 and 125 have returned to their regular routing using the new viaduct bypass in SODO. The temporary stops at 4 Av S & S Lander Street and 4 Av And Jackson St Island will no longer be served. Expect some delays in service on the bypass due to narrow lanes and lower speed limits and please be aware that bus times may be longer (than) before the viaduct was demolished.

(“Energizer station” last Wednesday; photo courtesy WSDOT)
BICYCLES: Cascade Bicycle Club was planning one more “energizer station” tomorrow morning starting at 6:45 at the west end of the “low bridge” to cheer on riders, particularly those who tried two-wheel commuting for the first time (or returned to it) last week.

Share This

West Seattle Halloween: Skeleton Theatre returns Mon. & Tues.
October 30, 2011 8:51 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Halloween: Skeleton Theatre returns Mon. & Tues.
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(“Spur” the guitarist – photo courtesy Skeleton Theatre)
The all-out animatronic extravaganza Skeleton Theatre is back this Halloween, confirms Maia Low, spouse of creator Chris Walker: “The show is basically the same this year – Bonaparte’s Reunion Concert. There is added video and more effects this year. We’ll be running the show from 6:00-9:00 pm on Monday, Oct. 31 and Tuesday, Nov. 1 on the hour and the half hour.” Bonaparte (get it?) is a legendary, albeit skeletal, rock band. Their video-recorded reminiscences, “Behind the Music” style, are part of the show, on a big screen over the animatronics onstage. You’ll find Skeleton Theatre in the yard (visible from the street) at 36th/Hanford (map). You can see our coverage from last year, including video, by going here. The show’s free, but the crew appreciates online donations to help cover expenses.

Share This

Halloween Eve: Pumpkin-carving contest in Delridge Triangle
October 30, 2011 7:26 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | White Center

The first-ever White Center Pumpkin Carving Contest is in the judging phase till about 8 pm; drop by and pick your fave! Five pumpkins were on display when we dropped by just after 7 – including John Tarrant‘s “Angry Birds” entry, above. You’ll find the pumpkins under a canopy right in front of Mac’s Triangle Pub on the north side of Delridge/16th/Roxbury – and the entries will be on display during White Center business-district trick-or-treating (5-8 pm) tomorrow night, too. (See a few more photos on our partner site White Center Now.)

Share This

West Seattle Crime Watch: Purse thefts at church; cars targeted
October 30, 2011 3:59 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports received so far today – one involving purses stolen at a local church, and a request to be on the lookout for them; the other, one household whose cars have been targeted twice in two weeks. Details ahead:Read More

Share This

West Seattle Chamber ‘Lunch With LEO’ brings mayor to table
October 30, 2011 3:36 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

From “street disorder” to outdated laws, more than a dozen West Seattle businesspeople shared concerns with Mayor Mike McGinn during the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s most recent “Lunch With LEO” (local elected officials) brown-bag-lunch conversations.

The businesses/organizations represented at the event earlier this month at the Senior Center of West Seattle spanned the peninsula, from Alki Kayak Tours in the north to Reflections Dental Centre (Westwood Village) in the south, from West 5 in The Junction to Huling Brothers Properties in The Triangle to South Seattle Community College on Puget Ridge – and more.

While generally listening sympathetically, at one point, the mayor did challenge an assertion about local police presence.

Read More

Share This

West Seattle Halloween: How to carve a 400-pound pumpkin
October 30, 2011 2:16 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

That giant pumpkin has become what must be one of West Seattle’s biggest jack o’lanterns. When Dawson mentioned his 300- and 400-pound pumpkins here, we couldn’t help asking for photos. He obliged with a sequence of eight – starting with the biggest pumpkin, pre-carving. Read on to see the other photos, including the finished creation!Read More

Share This

Congrats! WS Wildcats youth-football team championship-bound
October 30, 2011 12:02 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Congratulations to another winning team! From Travis, who also shared the video:

Folks, your West Seattle community has a winner in its presence!!! Its your 7,8,9 year-old West Seattle Wildcats youth football team! There’s even some 6-year-old development players that have seen some good playing time this year during games!

We’d like to take this time to invite you to the Northwest Junior Football League 89ers championship game hosted at Shoreline Stadium next Saturday, November 5th at 9:00 AM. Come get introduced to the West Seattle Wildcats playing for their championship after a great season of youth football. If you have a child you are interested in getting into the great game of football, or you want a winning team from your community to root for, or you just want to see some high-flying offense and hard hitting defense, come and cheer and experience youth football at its finest!

The 89er Wildcats this year have averaged 32 points of offense per game, with an average margin of victory over 20 points.

Travis’s report continues:Read More

Share This

West Seattle Sunday: Halloweekend continues, and much more
October 30, 2011 7:31 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

If you missed Saturday’s coverage (with video showing what it’s like to drive the new route, both directions) – yes, The Viaduct is now open, ahead of schedule; that’s the latest live image, above. Metro buses return to their Viaduct routing as of this morning. So if you have to leave the peninsula, you have that option, but why leave? Here’s what’s up:

“DINE AND DRINK FOR PINK”: Part of today’s food/beverage proceeds from 7 participating West Seattle establishments go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, organized by Team Tracy. All day/night. More details on this Facebook event page.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am – 2 pm, The Junction (44th/Alaska). From market management:

Jonboy caramel apples, anyone?! Organic Honeycrisp apples dipped in infamous caramel. Don’t be scared! … We got eggs, raw milk, butter now & local ancient grain flours coming soon! … Thanks to all who gathered for our Pear-Fect event last week – we raised $185 for the WS Food Bank! Cheers! Next week, join us for our “Eat Local for the Holidays” event! Chef demo, tastings, coupons, recipes … hooray!

FALL DAKOTA PLACE WORK PARTY: Grab your gloves, a trowel or a shovel and join a work party at Dakota Place Park. 1-4 pm. Rain or shine. Weeding, pruning, more. For more information, please contact Jennifer at cargalj@comcast.net

HALLOWEEN PORTRAITS AT FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE: Help support the schoolhouse’s new mission as a center for community activity, and get a professional photo of your Halloween “look,” with the expertise of Gail Ann Photography! 1-3 pm at the schoolhouse (9131 California SW)

HAUNTED BOAT TOUR The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition‘s annual spooky sailing with your chance to hear local Native American supernatural legends, spooky settler stories from Georgetown and South Park, and learn about the terrifying toxic chemicals in the Duwamish River. The tour happens rain or shine. Guests must RSVP through Brown Paper Tickets ($25 donation). Leaves Harbor Island Marina, 1 pm today.

CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH CARE? 34th District Health Action Team of Health Care For All -WA is having a meeting today at 2:15 PM, at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson) meeting room. From organizers: “Everyone is invited who is concerned about health care in this country. On Sunday, we plan is to read, view and discuss HB 1096 and SB 5601. The possibility for Universal Health Care for Washington citizens is alive.”

TRICK OR CAN: “Trick or Can,” 3-5 pm. HPFC Eagles soccer-team members plan to go door to door in some West Seattle (and vicinity) neighborhoods collecting food-drive donations – so have a can or two ready just in case! (Here’s our previously published preview with more details.)

MUSIC NORTHWEST: Music Northwest Concert Series 2011 – “Ein Feste Burg:
Music for Reformation,” 3 pm. At First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (4105 California SW). Seattle Pro Musica directed by Karen Thomas. See website for tickets and more information.

WAR OF THE WORLDS: Twelfth Night Productions‘ production of “War of the Worlds, A Live Radio Play.” 4 pm today at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), tickets available online at Brown Paper Tickets (brownpapertickets.com/event/199850), or at the door.

WINTERNACHT: 6 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. It’s The Cabiri’s fifth-annual Ghost Game production, second-to-last performance. Dessert included. Purchase your ticket at brownpapertickets.com/event/188904.

WHITE CENTER PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST: First ever! Bring your carved pumpkin to Triangle Park at 16th and Roxbury between 6 and 7 pm; judging starts at 7. More info here.

EVIL DEAD, THE MUSICAL: 7:30 pm at ArtsWest in The Junction, the musical based on the cult-favorite movies. (More info, including ticket-purchase link, here.)

FOOD TRUCK NOTE: Snout and Co. food truck NOT here at 35th/Graham (expected back next weekend).

Share This

Memorial service next Saturday for Harvey and Helen Spicer
October 30, 2011 5:16 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

The family of longtime West Seattle residents Harvey and Helen Spicer asked us to share news of their memorial service, next Saturday at 2 pm, Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 6701 30th SW, for those who knew the couple and want to attend. Daughter-in-law Marci, who sent the information, also provided the photo. The Spicers were found inside their home a week and a half ago; she was 80 and he was 79.

Share This

West Seattle Crime Watch: Van vandalized; freeway hit-run
October 30, 2011 4:49 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two reports for West Seattle Crime Watch – a vandalized van used by a coach for special-needs kids, and a hit-run victim looking for witnesses – read on:Read More

Share This

Ready for anything: West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs drill
October 30, 2011 4:21 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Preparedness | West Seattle news

Last weekend, canopies were up in the Fauntleroy Church parking lot for the Fauntleroy Fall Festival. Saturday, a very different kind of event – one of the periodic Emergency Communication Hubs drills, as part of West Seattle Be Prepared‘s ongoing readiness efforts. Appropriately enough, given the leaves covering the ground, the scenario (detailed here) this time around was a windstorm – folded within the context of a major onslaught of winter weather that started with freezing temperatures. “Hubs” are volunteer-run stations at preplanned locations that would coordinate communication in the event regular channels and methods are thrown into chaos by disaster – here’s the current map (from a preview on the WS Be Prepared blog-format website):

The hubs scheduled to participate in the Saturday drill – part of a larger citywide practice, since other neighborhoods now have “hubs” too – included Alki and North Delridge as well as Fauntleroy, which was led by Gordon Wiehler, sporting an official “hub cap”:

In addition to citizen volunteers who were role-playing in the disaster scenario, future volunteers were on hand too, like Katie (with Cooper):

Volunteers is the one thing WSBP can always use more of. Sometimes that includes people to be the official hub point person – just this week, while covering the Highland Park Action Committee‘s monthly meeting, we heard that neighborhood needs hub leadership help. Contact WSBP through the info here if you want to help in your neighborhood – even if it doesn’t have its own hub yet. P.S. One more preparedness note – Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare (SNAP) offers a free class at Southwest Library this Thursday night, as noted by WSBP.

Share This

Sealth sends cross-country runner to state for 1st time in 22 years
October 30, 2011 4:14 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

(Kenaia, right, at Metro championships earlier this month, where she finished 8th)
(Photo by Desiree Gross)
From Chief Sealth International High School cross-country coach Jason Glover:

For the first time since Gretchen Benson in 1989, a Sealth runner will be heading to the state cross-country meet in Pasco this coming weekend. Sophomore Kenaia Neumann earned her way by placing 16th in the Metro-Kingco district meet at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah last Thursday. She ran a school record 19:43 for 5k (3.1 miles, for the metrically challenged). The only other time Sealth women have run at state was as a team in 1975. They won the championship that year, making them the only school in state history with a 100% winning record at the state meet.

The championships are next Saturday.

Share This