day : 20/02/2012 9 results

(Taken on 35th looking toward Fauntleroy just before 8 am February 8th)
Hundreds if not thousands of drivers who use the Fauntleroy Way entrance to the West Seattle Bridge may still have memories of February 8th, the morning the 35th/Fauntleroy stoplight turned into a 4-way stop for much of the morning commute. We first reported on it as a traffic alert, and then followed up later in the day, because we and others had noticed the light in flash mode the night before, and wondered why it hadn’t been fixed before it could cause a rush-hour backup.

Hours later, SDOT spokesperson Rick Sheridan told WSB , “Though reported overnight, the signal required specialized diagnosis and repair expertise.” (The rest of his statement’s in our followup story.) In an article published online tonight, Seattle Times (WSB partner) reporter Susan Kelleher digs further into what happened. She writes that at the time of the incident, SDOT had a rule that in essence resulted in no one being available for overtime callout to West Seattle the night of February 7th, and reports that rule was dropped last week after a union grievance. The Times report attributes the rule to an SDOT manager who gained notoriety because he, as Kelleher writes, “led the city’s botched response to the December 2008 snowstorms and who figured prominently in a yearlong human-resources investigation into the department’s street-maintenance division.” You can read her story here.

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West Seattle Chamber to launch Young Professionals’ Network

February 20, 2012 9:57 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Besides regular monthly lunch meetings and big annual events like the Westside Awards (April 18th this year), the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce offers its members other opportunities to get together – like a brand-new type of event on the calendar for next week: The first Young Professionals Network mixer. David Kim from AmericanWest Bank in The Junction is organizing it, as chair of the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee. Don’t get stuck on the “y” word, he advises, because “the YPN is designed as a unique, casual network programming for those that are young-at-heart. Some other YPNs have an age limit, but … we determined that we wanted to engage members that wanted to have something fun & exciting to mix it up.” The first YPN event is a scotch tasting at West 5 at 5 pm Tuesday, February 28th – “a tasting of several brands of single-malt scotches, with a brand expert on hand to educate about scotch,” West 5 proprietor and Chamber board chair Dave Montoure explains. No fee, and open to all Chamber members; if you haven’t received an e-mail invitation, you can RSVP through the Chamber website. (Not a member? Here’s how to join.)

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Art under the bridge: What’ll be beneath the Spokane St. Viaduct

February 20, 2012 5:50 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

While at SDOT headquarters downtown two weeks ago to discuss the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project, now in its final months (our story’s here), they mentioned that they would soon be able to share renderings for the art to be included in the work, part of the SDOT Art Plan, which in turn is part of the city’s “1% for art” rule. And here’s a peek:

Project manager Stuart Goldsmith explains:

>Merge Conceptual Design (Franka Diehnelt and Claudia Reisenberger) out of Santa Monica, CA will install a colorful paint treatment for a large number of concrete columns under the Spokane St. Viaduct between East Marginal Way and Fifth Ave. The design will treat much of the space under the viaduct as one artwork; changing the atmosphere and enlivening the space, creating distinct zones to help with orientation, and creating a strong identity that can be experienced by a diversity of user groups.

The artists will create eight different zones, each featuring its own color scheme and iconic imagery. Every zone will focus on a narrative related to neighborhood history or contemporary uses. Each narrative will be “told” using graphic icons and barcode patterns that reference aspects of the neighborhood.

The art work will be one of the final components completed along the westbound surface-level Spokane Street before it reopens as the project finishes up this summer. The artists were chosen almost three years ago – as noted in this city newsletter – from among more than 200 applicants.

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Local café seeks local artists: Chaco Canyon’s invitation

February 20, 2012 4:37 pm

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| Triangle | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

The folks at Chaco Canyon Café, the organic vegetarian/vegan restaurant at Link (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle, are inviting artists to come show their stuff. Here’s the invitation we were asked to share:

Call to West Seattle Artists! Chaco Canyon Café is looking for your art to display on our walls!

Criteria:
1. West Seattle and White Center artists preferred.
2. Paintings preferred and we welcome pieces with a bright and vibrant color palette.
3. Artists must be willing to keep their work here for a minimum of 6 months and to host at least one Art Walk event during that period.
4. Have approx. 12 large pieces, or an equivalent number of small or medium pieces available for display.
5. Have all work neatly and appropriately framed with the ability to hang from a single hook provided.
6. Be ready and able to put up art during the week of March 19th.

For those interested, please e-mail photographs of your works to anise@chacocanyoncafe.com. We hope to come to a decision by the beginning of March.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: ‘I loved that car’

February 20, 2012 2:02 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Out of the WSB inbox, a stolen-car report from Ken:

I live at 4800 Fauntleroy [multi-unit building], and my car was stolen this weekend. Silver 1993 Nissan Sentra with 250k+ miles, stolen from my assigned parking space between 9:00pm Saturday (2/18) and 3:00pm Sunday (2/19).

I’m a broke student and I loved that car. I would find a way to reward somebody for info about the car and/or who took it.

As Seattle Police request when they tweet about stolen cars (including this one), call 911 if you have seen it.

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New in West Seattle: In Tandem Midwifery opens in The Junction

February 20, 2012 12:05 pm

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| Health | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Natural and alternative health-care options abound in West Seattle.

But if a family expecting a child wanted to explore the option of home birth with a certified midwife – there was no dedicated, midwifery-only West Seattle practice to turn to. Till now.

Taylor Hamil, LM, CPM (right), and Christine Tindal, LM, CPM, half the first graduating class from the new Department of Midwifery at Bastyr University, have opened In Tandem Midwifery in a warmly furnished Junction office, with a grand-opening event this Saturday.

Their first client is due in August. And they’re ready to welcome others.

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The WSBeat: Scam; spying; sauce; strange phone calls…

February 20, 2012 10:30 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle police | WSBeat

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that had not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

*A foreign exchange student’s parents were scammed out of $12,000 after someone contacted them, claimed to be their daughter, and requested that money be wired.

*A 16-year-old was arrested and taken to the Youth Service Center on Thursday afternoon after citizens caught him peeping into a window of a home in the 5400 block of 26th SW.

Six more summaries, ahead:Read More

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West Seattle Monday: Presidents Day holiday info, and more

February 20, 2012 5:53 am

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| Holidays | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(One of several “tree full of eagles” photos shared lately – this one from Anita, 37th/Belvidere)
Bet it wouldn’t take you long to name the West Seattle school named after a president, the local park named after a president, the shopping center named (indirectly) after a president. How about the two WS streets who share names with presidents? (**Answers to all of the above, at the bottom of this story) Now, on with today’s list:

SCHOOLS: For Seattle Public Schools, it’s mid-winter break all week. Most if not all others have at least today off.

TRANSIT/TRANSPORTATION: Metro is on a “weekday/no UW” schedule. … No West Seattle OR Vashon Water Taxi today … Sound Transit services’ plans are here … Normal weekday schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth Washington State Ferries run.

SOLID-WASTE PICKUP ON NORMAL SCHEDULE: So says Seattle Public Utilities.

OTHER CLOSURES/CHANGES: Seattle Public Library facilities are closed … No U.S. Postal Service delivery …

FREE PARKING: No charge today in those neighborhoods (outside West Seattle) where the city has on-street meters or pay stations.

NO BRIDGE CLOSURE TONIGHT, BY THE WAY: The Fauntleroy Expressway’s next scheduled closure is Tuesday night. There will be lane closures related to the Spokane Street Viaduct work on the east end of the bridge, however, as detailed here.

Now, a few events:

MIND UNWIND: Proprietor Krystal Kelley shares that photo from artist Cathy Woo‘s Sunday reception at Mind Unwind (2206 California SW), and word of some special events for this school-break week:

Monday, Feb 20th-24th we have “Coffee Break”, a toddler’s art class. 9:30-11:30 am, Ages 2-5 years old; 2 hours of playing, music and art projects made from recycled household items. Email create@mindunwind.org to register. $25

Monday, Feb 20th-“No School, so Let’s Make a Book”. from 10 am-2 pm. 1st-5th grades. Handmake a real book! Lunch served while the glue dries. $45

Monday, Feb 20-24th. “Rock & Roll Camp” Bring your acoustic or electric guitar and spend the day at Mind Unwind while school is out. Camp is Monday through Friday during Mid-Winter Break, 10 am-2 pm. Lessons will be guided by Kenton Wise. Jam sessions will be encouraged as will having a fun time. Lunch is provided. $60 per day. Ages 7-13 encouraged, but exceptions can be made. Must have a guitar and participation can be for one day or all 5.

COOKING CLUB: West Seattle Cooking Club! Meeting info at westseattlecookingclub.org 2:30 pm at Beveridge Place Pub, theme “Cake and Pie.”

DIET CLASSES: New session of Kathy’s Anti-Inflammatory TQI Diet class starts 6:30 tonight at The Kenney, 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW. Details here.

CHRISTOPHER BOFFOLI ON ‘EVENING MAGAZINE’: The longtime WSB contributor, and now internationally known art photographer, is featured tonight on KING 5’s “Evening Magazine,” 7 pm.

**Presidents Day “quiz” answers – James Madison Middle School, Lincoln Park, Jefferson Square – on the site of the former Jefferson School – plus SW Adams and SW Monroe streets (can’t say for sure if they were named after the presidents, but they’re the only ones we can find in West Seattle whose names are also presidential surnames).**

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Maybe, possibly, weekend snow

February 20, 2012 12:47 am

| 11 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

This might be completely ruled out by the time we get to midweek – or not – but just in case you haven’t heard, there’s a bit of a chance of snow next weekend. Here’s how famous forecaster/analyst Cliff Mass breaks it down; here’s the National Weather Service’s “forecast discussion.”

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