day : 20/04/2012 12 results

(Julie Schickling, “Volunteer of the Year,” with Council President Sally Clark; photo by Dina Johnson)
“Most neighborhoods don’t do what you’re doing right now,” City Council President Sally Clark told the first-ever “Gathering of Heroes: Celebrating Volunteers” event tonight, “taking a moment … to simply say ‘thank you’ to one another and recognize good deeds.”

(Photo by Holli Margell)
The “moment” was a two-hour event attended by more than 50 people from around eastern West Seattle – plus some neighbors from over the ridge – at High Point Neighborhood Center to celebrate volunteers working hard to improve the community, the people that organizers dubbed Delridge’s Unsung Heroes. You might recall, the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council put out the call for nominees – and while the original thought was to choose honorees from among them, they decided to celebrate everyone who was nominated. Then at night’s end, two finalists were announced for “Volunteer of the Year” – here’s the reading of the nominations, then the announcement of the winner, and a few words of explanation from Council President Clark about the Jefferson Awards for which that winner will be nominated:

The winner, Julie Schickling from the Highland Park Improvement Club (how she led the charge to save the HPIC building was well-told by our partners at the Seattle Times in 2009), and the other finalist, Alejandra Ruiz Diaz, from the Roxhill Elementary PTA, were among 27 honored individuals and groups. Here they are (including our truncated descriptions of how the event program explained their achievements):

from Highland Park
Betsy Harris – public-safety volunteer
Blair Johnson – “volunteered in multiple capacities”
Julie Schickling – “led the double facelift at the Highland Park Improvement Club”
Carolyn Stauffer – spray-park project leader, Westcrest Park expansion, more

from High Point
Mat McBride – Camp Long Advisory Council, chairs Delridge Neighborhoods District Council
Peter Miller – ESL computer lab teacher

from North Delridge
Gale Hurley – public safety
Dave Brown – preparedness
Jake Vanderplas – Greenways
Tammy & Chris Stewart – fighting drug houses/street activity
Amanda Leonard – saved “Delridge Day” in 2011, co-chairs North Delridge Neighborhood Council
Nancy Folsom – skatepark liaison, cleanup organizer
Betsy Hoffmeister – “gets things done when others see no way”
Vonetta Mangaoang – DESC advisory committee
Patrick Baer – Delridge Community Forum
Parie Hines – NDNC
Mike Dady – “diligent in his pursuit of a better community for more than 12 years”
Michael Taylor-Judd – “longtime advocate for transportation and transit”
Benjamin Canfield – preparedness

from Puget Ridge
Pamela Dore – Block Watch captain
Tasha Mosher – “Recovery Garden”

from Pigeon Point
Gene Recker – quiet steward, cleanups
Helen Shampain – directs Community Orchard of West Seattle

from Westwood
Alejandra Ruiz Diaz – active PTA parent @ Roxhill

“special groups & people”
Willard Brown – development of affordable housing, DNDA board president
Delridge Branch Library Homework Helper Team (John, Robyn, Jim, Linda, Michele, Elaine, Robert, Dang, Joyce, Phil, Gary)

Longfellow Creek stewards
Jay Mirro, Scott Blackstock, Mike Arizona, Kirsten Rohrbach

Those at the celebration, which included a buffet dinner sponsored by Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering and Events (other contributing sponsors included the Delridge Day Committee), also heard from Christa Mazzone-Palmberg from Sound Alliance. Organizers promise coverage to come on the Delridge Grassroots Leadership website. This was intended to be something of a pre-func to tomorrow’s Gathering of Neighbors – you’ll see more than a few of these dedicated volunteers there – hope to see you at Chief Sealth International High School during the GoN, 11 am-3 pm Saturday!

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Followup: 4724 California (ex-Petco) development-plan details

April 20, 2012 4:19 pm

| 41 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

If you have something to say about the proposed apartment/retail development for the ex-Petco site at 4724 California SW, the development-team leads want to hear it.

So insist Chris Rossman and Matt Corsi of Urban Evolution, who spent almost an hour and a half talking with WSB this afternoon as a followup to our Thursday story breaking the news that this development is in the works – albeit in the very early stages, with the city webpages we mentioned last night little more than placeholders..

They already have been reaching out (quietly) to local groups such as the Junction Neighborhood Organization and the West Seattle Junction Association, to find out what people want to see in the development.

Ahead, what we found out, but first, who they are and how the proposal came to be:Read More

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Mayor McGinn returning to West Seattle for another Town Hall

April 20, 2012 3:05 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

He was here last month for a Town Hall at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (WSB coverage here), and now Mayor McGinn is returning to West Seattle for another one in two weeks, according to an e-mail announcement this afternoon. It invites anyone interested in Q/A with the mayor to come to the Senior Center of West Seattle, 5-6 pm Thursday, May 3rd.

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Alki Community Council: Marination/Seacrest update; more

April 20, 2012 2:17 pm

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| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(Marination’s Roz Edison and Kamala Saxton, with Alki CC president Tony Fragada at right)
Marination proprietors Roz Edison and Kamala Saxton stole the show at last night’s Alki Community Council meeting, with an update on the sudden red-tape snag that pushed back their Seacrest Boathouse project – but that wasn’t the only meaty briefing on the agenda:Read More

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Big weekend for donating to food banks & having it count extra

April 20, 2012 2:15 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle news

Till the end of April, the Feinstein Challenge remains in effect for local food banks – which means your donations to the White Center Food Bank and West Seattle Food Bank, both of which serve areas of WS, count extra. We have two updates on ways you can help – first, just in from the WC Food Bank:

White Center Food Bank continues to serve record numbers of families. We gave food to 1,654 families which included 1,476 children and 1,323 seniors. With such a large demand, we are seeing a huge need for food donations. Most needed foods include canned meat, cereal, Hamburger Helper and Rice a Roni type products, peanut butter and canned fruit. Non-perishable foods and fresh produce from gardens is accepted Mondays through Fridays 8:30 to 5:00. We will also be open Saturday, April 21 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Food donations made from now until April 30 count bring a little extra bonus for the food bank as they count toward our Feinstein Million Dollar Challenge totals. Food can also be donated at barrels in the community at: A Place for Pets (Burien), Admiral Safeway, BECU (in Roxbury Safeway), Big Al’s Brewing, Café Rozella, and QFC Westwood Village.

Second, a reminder that tomorrow is the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle one-day food drive for the WS Food Bank. 9 am-3 pm, you’ll find Kiwanis and Key Club volunteers collecting food and monetary donations at several spots around West Seattle, including WSB sponsors Metropolitan Market and PCC Natural Markets in the Admiral District and West Seattle Thriftway in Morgan Junction.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 reports, including ‘scary surprise’

April 20, 2012 1:41 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports this afternoon. First, from Sara:

We came home to a scary surprise yesterday evening and wanted to let our West Seattle neighbors know so that it doesn’t happen to them. Someone had tried to break-in to our house in the Fauntleroy neighborhhood, north of Endolyne Joe’s. Sometime between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., they managed to pry open a bathroom window in the back of our house, in an area where they wouldn’t have been easily seen. It seems they grabbed one of our patio chairs, stood on that to get up to a drain spout and pried open our old-fashioned window; breaking the drain, the window and a chunk of the windowsill in the process.

Sara’s report continues with another photo – plus, we have a separate car break-in report – after the jump:Read More

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‘Park Preservation Work Group’ set up to work on $ issues

April 20, 2012 11:05 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

With so much city parkland in West Seattle, this news release just sent by the Mayor’s Office might be of interest. (The group it “announces” has already had its first meeting, though, if the timetable in the last paragraph is correct.)

Mayor Mike McGinn and City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw today announced the formation of the Parks Preservation Work Group, charged with advising the Mayor, City Council and Parks and Recreation on a range of options for generating more revenue and finding efficiencies that could reduce costs in the 2013 operating budget and beyond.

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West Seattle traffic alert: Closures for next week (April 23-27)

April 20, 2012 10:33 am

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| Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

From the citywide “lookahead” updated by SDOT each week (but also containing info on state projects): Just one round of major closures next week – nightly from Monday (April 23rd) through Thursday (April 26th and into early April 27th morning), the southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct/Highway 99 stretch will be closed overnight for four nights, between Denny Way and the West Seattle Bridge, 9 pm-5 am nightly.

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West Seattle Friday: From bake sale to ballroom to bingo…

April 20, 2012 9:09 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Friday: From bake sale to ballroom to bingo…

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Along the Duwamish River, south of the WS Bridge – by Don Brubeck, via the WSB group pool on Flickr)
‘Rain tapering off by noon!’ promises the current forecast. (We added the exclamation point.) In the meantime, prepare for your weekend (take an advance look at the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar – especially for tomorrow – it’s wall-to-wall) – and for a great Friday full of opportunities including these:

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION EVENT AT THRIFTWAY: Three days of appreciation start today at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), with the store’s first-ever produce tent sale plus a raffle benefiting West Seattle Food Bank. More details on the Thriftway website (4201 SW Morgan).

BAKE SALE AT SHANTI: During regular business hours today through Sunday (10 am-7 pm today), stop by Shanti Salon and Spa (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District to check out a deluxe bake sale – described on our event-calendar listing (2138 California SW).

BALLROOM DANCING: Monthly event with Lauren Petrie at Senior Center of West Seattle, 1:30-3:30 pm (California/Oregon in The Junction)

MEET YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: Questions/concerns about Seattle Public Schools, as it prepares to choose a new superintendent, open a new “option” elementary in WS, and put a levy on the ballot (among other things)? West Seattle’s school board director Marty McLaren holds her next community-conversation meeting 5-6:30 pm at High Point Neighborhood Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW).

STORYTELLING WITH MISS SEAFAIR: Veronica Quintero is the guest storyteller at the White Center Community Cultural Center (actually in West Seattle, 9421 18th SW) tonight, and all are invited; the event starts with a light meal at 5:30 pm. Our calendar listing has the details.

DELRIDGE UNSUNG HEROES: They’ll be honored in this first-ever event tonight at 6 at High Point Neighborhood Center (last we checked, the event was at capacity).

RAINBOW BINGO: Got a reservation already? No? Call quick (info’s here)! Doors open at 6, bingo starts at 7, Senior Center of West Seattle.

WINE TASTING: At Bin 41 in The Junction, wines under $20 from around the globe. 6:30-8 pm (4707 California SW).

(Jay Jenkins and Connie Murray in “Love Letters”; photo by Gary Wigle)
‘LOVE LETTERS’: Last weekend for Twelfth Night Productions‘ presentation at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center! Showtime is 7:30 pm; ticket info’s on TNP’s website (4408 Delridge Way SW).

PIANOMANIA! AT KENYON HALL: As the announcement from KH puts it, it’s their “celebration of all things pianistic.” Check out the lineup on the Kenyon Hall website. Four shows this weekend, starting with 7:30 pm tonight (7904 35th SW).

LIVE MUSIC AT ALKI TAVERN: The Slags play at the tavern tonight, 9 pm (1321 Harbor Avenue SW).

‘CALIFORNIA 90420’ AT THE ADMIRAL: One-time-only documentary screening at the Admiral Theater, 9 pm (2343 California SW).

And there’s even more on the WSB Events Calendar (handy hint for using that page- mouse over the right side of any listing line to see the “plus” sign; click it and a preview of the details will open WITHOUT you leaving the page – then click READ MORE if you want to – or mouse over the upper right again to find the “minus” sign and click it to close the item)

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West Seattle volunteering: 1-on-1 chance to make a difference

April 20, 2012 7:54 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Some requests for volunteer help that we receive and publish may sound a little vague, and if that’s what’s kept you from lending a hand, here’s something different, and very specific, from the WSB inbox:

ElderFriends, a volunteer-based program of local non-profit Full Life Care, matches elders with friendly volunteer visitors who help relieve isolation and loneliness. We foster mutually rewarding friendships between our elders and volunteers. Pairs are matched based on geography, similar interests, and shared life experiences. We currently have 7 elders in and around West Seattle who are waiting to be matched with a volunteer. This is a great way to build a lasting friendship, while making a significant difference in the life of an elder in your community.

We ask that volunteers commit to visit an elder friend at least twice a month for one year. It is important that volunteers are comfortable listening attentively, initiating conversation, and being sensitive to the needs of isolated older adults. Volunteers must be over the age of 18, must pass a background check, and must attend a one-time training session.

If you’re interested in volunteering, or have questions about the ElderFriends program, you can contact Ginger Seybold, Director of Volunteer Programs, at 206.224.3790 or gingers@fulllifecare.org. You can also fill out a volunteer application online at www.elderfriends.org and someone will contact you.

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Morgan Community Association: Updates on Murray CSO, RapidRide, festival…

April 20, 2012 12:57 am

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Salvage work has started at the residential properties that will be demolished to make way for the million-gallon underground tank anchoring the Murray Basin Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Project. An update on the CSO project was one of several major items at Wednesday night’s Morgan Community Association meeting:Read More

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Followup: Jacob Terao’s perfect game gets a TV spotlight

April 20, 2012 12:30 am

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Earlier this week, we shared West Seattle Little League president Brian Pare‘s report of 12-year-old Jacob Terao‘s perfect game. It drew attention from regional media, too, including Q13 FOX TV, which interviewed Jacob, his catcher, and his dad (WSLL past president Mark Terao). The story’s not embeddable so we can’t show it here, but here’s a link where you can watch it on the Q13 website.

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