day : 20/05/2012 7 results

When José Banda, just hired to be Seattle Public Schools‘ next superintendent, visited Arbor Heights Elementary last Thursday (WSB coverage here), the final official stop of his tour was an orchestra rehearsal in the cafetorium, shown in our video clip above. The rehearsal also provided a view into a community partnership that is playing out at schools around this area. Since 2008, the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras have provided professional music coaches to several schools in West Seattle and South Park, in hopes that will increase the number of students who go on to play orchestral music with string instruments in middle school and high school. Two SYSO-provided coaches were there during the Thursday practice, according to Kathleen Allen, education/communication/partnerships director of SYSO, a West Seattleite who also was on hand. Earlier in the week, she had circulated a video – see it here – promoting the SYSO/SPS partnership in this area, and she provided this list of 13 school concerts over the next three weeks to which you are welcome (including next Thursday at AH):

May 22, 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm at Highland Park Elementary
May 24, 1:30 pm and 6:00 pm at Arbor Heights Elementary
May 24, 2 pm and 6 pm at Gatewood Elementary
June 1, 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm at Sanislo Elementary
June 6, 6:30 pm and June 8, 1:30 p.m. at Concord International (Elementary)
June 6, 7:00 pm, Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School Choir and Orchestra concert at the Sealth Auditorium
June 11, 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm at Roxhill Elementary

The program is supported by grants and donations, and the collaboration also includes the West Seattle Community Orchestras, Allen says.

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West Seattle Grand Parade organizers: It’s OFFICIALLY on!

May 20, 2012 4:13 pm

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| West Seattle Grand Parade | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from last year’s Grand Parade; Stuff the Bus, by the way, will be on 7/22 this year)
First came the warning the West Seattle Grand Parade was in danger of cancellation without sponsors/donations to cover costs including the road-closure barricades that the city used to bankroll – then came word that enough people stepped up, it looked like the parade was saved – and today, parade co-coordinator Dave Vague sends official final word it’s on for July 21st, along with thanks to donors and sponsors old and new:

Thanks to the spectacular generosity of the West Seattle and Greater Seattle communities we have donations enough to now hold the parade as scheduled on Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 11:00 AM! Inquiries and support came from all over Seattle and even as far away as Chicago.

In addition to the individual donations made by many of you we have three great organizations sponsoring the American Legion’s West Seattle Grand Parade this year:

Our returning sponsor from last year – the West Seattle Y, and two new great sponsors this year – Sound Advertising Group and International Parking Management! A huge thank you for all of your participation, we really can’t do it without you.

Along with the parade rolling forward, we can now also reveal something new this year – the Float Dodger 5K run that will take place up and down the parade route just before the parade. Clowns, pirates, princesses and now sweaty runners! What a day this will be!

We’ve mentioned the new Float Dodger 5K before – but if you haven’t signed up yet, this is a great time to go ahead and jump in – you can do it here or in person at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor). P.S. Sound Advertising Group, if you don’t recognize the name, is the business that’s currently in The Junction’s former Petco storefront.

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Video: Seattle Summer Streets, & spring showers, at Alki

May 20, 2012 11:51 am

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

(Have we ever had a sunny “car-free day”? Our archive check, at end of this story)

The summery weather we’ve seen recently did not stick around for the 2012 edition of Seattle Summer Streets (“car-free day”) on Alki. But if Sarah from the Log House Museum can brave the showers to answer your questions about West Seattle history and museum happenings, you can certainly come down, with umbrella if necessary, and check out what’s up between 63rd and 56th SW, closed all day – right? Here’s the list of events, performances, and activities.

ADDED 1:03 PM: Another reason to come down – bring canned food to donate to the Seattle’s Healthiest Canned-Food Pyramid!

At right, with volunteers, that’s Fran Yeatts of the West Seattle Food Bank. The pyramid started with donations from Metropolitan Market and PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsors) among other businesses. It’s right in front of Tully’s on Alki. Meantime, if you find the Seal Sitters west of 61st, you can enter the raffle for this little guy:

Summer Streets continues till 5 pm; upcoming events include a bike parade at 2.

2:16 PM UPDATE: The rain has stopped – perfect time to come down. Still overcast but very bright. We arrived back at the beach to find a pickup ballgame in the street:

And then the bike parade!

Music in two places – Alki Arts (where proprietor Diane Venti has artists doing live demonstrations, too).

That’s The Brian and Janie Show – till 3. There’s also a stage in the bike lane at 61st and Alki. And more community groups – we think the Morgan Community Association banner, shown off by president Deb Barker, is the best we’ve seen, given today’s weather:

Just east of 62nd SW, Cindi Barker (no relation to Deb) is at the West Seattle Be Prepared tent – never too young for kids to start learning about preparedness!

2:56 PM UPDATE: At the east end of the closure zone, you’ll find activities including basketball:

At the 61st stage, Sarey Savy is singing, with DJ accompaniment (concluding with a cover of Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend”). And the SPD parking enforcement officers are goofing off by drawing a chalk outline in the street – no wait, it’s something more:

The big yellow MaxMobile is here now, too, by the west end of the 63rd-56th closure zone, with adoptable pets.

4:49 PM: Minutes to go till this year’s event ends. Near the parking officers’ chalk creation, others drew a word full of optimism:

By and by!

5:17 PM P.S. Since the gray, damp weather was the big story, we checked back on coverage of previous years (since we have always published “as-it-happens” coverage for this event), and here’s what our photos show:
*May 22, 2011 – cloudy
*May 23, 2010 – started cloudy, some clearing later in the day
*May 31, 2009 – cloudy till the last hour
*The only truly sun-soaked “car-free day” was the first one – before SDOT changed the name to “Summer Streets” – September 7, 2008 – here’s the proof

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West Seattle 5K 2012, report #2: The race, and the winners!

May 20, 2012 10:21 am

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(Results link now added. Pre-race coverage here!)

(Photo by David Hutchinson)
The drizzle couldn’t stop the enthusiasm at the fourth annual West Seattle 5K (organized by the West Seattle High School PTSA, with co-sponsors including WSB), wrapping up soon with an awards ceremony. Check out the sea of green above, the color for this year’s official race T-shirt – and the intensity of the first seconds!

Here’s our video of all the runners and walkers as the WS5K began – 1,008 signed up, organizers say:

(Video by Tracy Record)
Kelly Spady (16:56) and Lana Lacey (18:14) were the top male and female finishers. (Added: Full results are now online here.) We caught up with Kelly, who works for West Seattle Runner (WS5K co-sponsor and WSB sponsor), right after the race:

(Photos by Patrick Sand from hereon out unless otherwise credited)
Here’s our video of Lana crossing the finish line:

From further down the course, a look over the crowd:

(Photo by Debra Salazar Herbst)
Then there are the always-fun scenes from the rest of the crowd – strollers, dogs, and more:

(Evening note – we have learned via e-mail, that’s Jennifer and her Briard – a “French herding breed,” she says – named Zorro, who “run together all year and are always happy to be able to race together in the West Seattle 5K.”)

The West Seattle High School Band performed, post-race:

5:25 PM NOTE: In case you missed it added in the story above, here again is the link to full race results.

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West Seattle 5K 2012, report #1: Getting ready

May 20, 2012 9:19 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle 5K 2012, report #1: Getting ready

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

The warmups are complete and we’re looking ahead to race time around 9:30 at Alki, for the fourth annual West Seattle 5K – but it’s been busy at and around the start/finish line for quite a while already.

From left, that’s Cathy, Denise, Lisa, and Cheryl from the West Seattle High School PTSA, which created and benefits from the WS 5K. WSHS principal Ruth Medsker was on hand early, greeting arriving runners/walkers:

WSB is proud to be a co-sponsor of the WS 5K, as we’ve been every year since its inception. Others sponsors include WSB sponsor West Seattle Runner, whose Tim and Lori McConnell are of course running this morning:

More coverage to come. Remember, Harbor and Alki are entirely closed from Don Armeni to 63rd till about 11 – then traffic is restricted to 56th, with 56th-63rd completely closed to traffic, 11 am-5 pm for Seattle Summer Streets – lots of activities this year.

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West Seattle Sunday: WS 5K, Summer Streets, plants, Sinatra, eclipse, more…

May 20, 2012 8:23 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(“Live” image from traffic camera over the Alaskan Way Viaduct, looking north)
ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT STILL CLOSED: It’s scheduled to reopen by 5 tomorrow morning; it’s been closed all weekend for reinforcement work looking ahead to tunnel construction beneath it.

WEST SEATTLE 5K AND SEATTLE SUMMER STREETS: The no-parking zones along the beach are already in effect; the 5K walk/run starts just after 9, and the Summer Streets activities just after 11, both of which mean traffic advisories and bus detours for Alki until 5 pm. Links – including the full list of activities/events during Summer Streets – map, and more, here.

FURRY FACES’ PLANT SALE, DAY 2: Above, just some of the plants on sale at 3809 46th SW during Furry Faces Foundation’s annual plant sale, continuing today, 10 am-4 pm.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Here’s what’s new, according to the WSFM Facebook page: “Puget Beach Shellfish is back for spring! Rockridge Orchards has JAPANESE CUKES. And Alpenfire Cider will be sampling their local fizzies!” 10 am-2 pm at 44th and Alaska in The Junction.

SUPER DELI MART ANNIVERSARY PARTY: The store at 35th and Barton is celebrating its third anniversary and inviting the community to a free barbecue, 11 am-6 pm.

CELEBRATING PEONIES: That’s what’s happening today at the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north side of the South Seattle Community College campus, noon-4:30 pm.

MUSIC AT C & P: Jamtime performs, 1-4 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 5612 California SW.

GLEE CLUB IN CONCERT: Never mind the clouds, the songs are about sunshine and summer as the Seattle Metropolitan Glee Club performs at 4 pm at Peace Lutheran Church (39th/Thistle).

ECLIPSE, THOUGH IT’S NOT LIKELY TO BE VISIBLE: The radar suggests virtually no chance of this, but in the “anything can happen” spirit, that partial solar eclipse is happening late today – here’s the preview we published the other day.

FRANK FEST! Celebrate the music of Frank Sinatra with Tony La Stella performing after dinner (6 pm) tonight at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor). Details here.

SHOWCASE OF NEW PLAYS: Final night for this three-night showcase at ArtsWest, 7 pm. Whose plays are up tonight, you ask? Info here.

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Followup: First-graders teach shoppers about healthy food

May 20, 2012 2:08 am

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| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Saturday photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
The bonnets worn by Arbor Heights Elementary first-graders Lynn and Lucy on Saturday afternoon might look familiar – two days earlier, they and their classmates wore old-time farmers’ gear to greet a distinguished visitor to their school, newly hired Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda:

(Thursday photo courtesy of AH parent volunteer)
We had reported before on their tomato-growing adventure in teacher Marcia Ingerslev‘s class, and the plan to give away tomato plants at Roxbury Safeway on Saturday; by the time we checked in toward the end of their four-hour stint outside the store, hundreds of plants had new homes, they told us, and as you can see in their table decoration, they had a healthy-food message to go along with it.

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