West Seattle, Washington
08 Sunday
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
(10:18 pm) We’re checking out the fire response in the 5900 block of SW Stevens, about half a block west – reduced from what was originally a “full response.” (added 10:25 pm) A neighbor says there was “a lot of smoke” initially but whatever it was, it appears to be out now, and units are clearing the scene. (added 10:31 pm) Christopher Boffoli reports it was “food on the stove.”
As spring-sports season continues, with just two months left in the school year, we’ve been tracking a few of the sports – and just got word of another one: Parent Lynda Eronimous e-mailed to let us know about Chief Sealth International High School‘s junior-varsity lacrosse team. She says it’s a partnership between Supersonics Lacrosse and Sealth, started this year “under the coaching of Scott Pattinson, who started SuperSonics Lacrosse two years ago. This is a very young team with kids from across Seattle coming together to play under the Chief Sealth name. They are always looking for more players and have equipment to loan to those that may not have any. Their season is underway and would love more crowd support at their upcoming home games played at SWAC on SW Thistle.” Lynda says you can check them out the next three Fridays at home, 6:30 pm tomorrow (April 12th) vs. Kennedy Catholic JV; April 19th at 6:30 pm vs. Mount Si JV; and 6:30 pm April 26th vs. Skyline’s C team. The Sealth team has a Facebook page, too.
Instead of pile-driving next week at the Barton Pump Station upgrade project work zone next to the Fauntleroy ferry dock, King County Wastewater Treatment Division says tonight it’ll happen a week later, April 22nd through April 25th. However, the announcement notes, “Next week at the pump station, you may notice crews pre-drilling the soil in order to prepare for the pile-driving work.”
SDOT just sent word that the Delridge/Thistle intersection closure that had been scheduled for this weekend is now postponed two weeks, to April 26-29, because of a not-so-optimal forecast.
EDITOR’S NOTE: For everyone who’s wished they had advance alert of an upcoming meteor shower/eclipse/etc. – and/or wondered “What’s that bright ‘star’ up there?” – this is for you – the third edition of our new monthly feature by West Seattle’s own Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen, famous for her solstice/equinox sunset watches and for the recent bout of Comet PanSTARRS watching. Speaking of which …
(Comet PanSTARRS’ ‘last hurrah,’ from WSB reader John Hinkey)
By Alice Enevoldsen
Special to West Seattle Blog
We had some amazing nights last month, despite it being March. Now that it is officially spring, it’s started raining again. This month we have two planets in the night sky, and solar activity continues to ramp up towards Solar Maximum in November. It’s Global Astronomy Month, according to Astronomers without Borders, as well as Astronomy Day and Astronomy Week towards the end of the month as declared by the Astronomical League.
Hey! What’s That?
Did you see something in the sky recently, and wonder what it was? There are several options, but I’m betting you probably saw Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. It twinkles and flashes like anything in the mid-low sky between southeast and southwest. You probably will even think it is an airplane at first, until you realize it isn’t moving.
The other prime options are Jupiter and Saturn, depending on when and where you’re looking. Both of them will appear extremely bright, but Jupiter is in among a number of similarly bright stars, and Saturn will be rising later in the evening.
Planets (and the rest of the Solar System)
What a nice segue into the planets visible now, if the skies clear.
(WSB photo from last September’s Recycle Roundup)
It’s an ever-more-popular component of spring/fall cleaning in West Seattle – the twice-yearly Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church. Judy Pickens sends word that the date for the next one is set!
The Recycle Roundup is coming to town again, thanks to organizing by the Green Committee at Fauntleroy Church. It will be Sunday, April 28, 9 am – 3 pm in the church parking lot (9140 California Ave. SW). 1 Green Planet will take almost anything for free, responsible recycling. Here’s the list and contact information for questions.
(Thanks to the WSB’er who texted this photo from Avalon/35th)
You might see Seattle Police motorcycle officers out in motorcade formation around West Seattle over the next few hours – as happened one week ago – and once again, it’s just training, according to Officer Renée Witt in SPD Public Affairs, who shared the alert.
How often do you get a say in what color somebody else’s (future) home is painted? Four months have passed since we reported on “The Triplets,” three old homes in Westwood getting major makeovers – instead of being torn down – as part of a program carried out in conjunction with the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. They renovation work is almost done – and now, you have a chance to participate in the final phase of the makeover: Voting on what color palette will be used for their paint. It’s a tradition with Green Canopy Homes, which has been working on the project. Voting is open till 2 pm tomorrow (Friday); you can go here to have a say. The homes are expected to go on the market in June.
Love to run? Here’s another benefit 5K to add to this spring’s schedule. This announcement is just out of the WSB inbox:
Just wanted to let everyone know that the West Seattle-based nonprofit Orphans to Ambassadors
is hosting the RUN FOR LIGHTS 5k in Lincoln Park on May 4th, 2013 at 10 am. Orphans to Ambassadors provides sustainable technologies and solutions to children’s homes around the globe through the use of solar power, rainwater harvesting systems, water filtration, rocket stoves, vegetable gardens, and animal husbandry. The RUN FOR LIGHTS 5k will benefit a solar project at an orphanage in Uganda this coming summer. Snacks and T-shirts are included in the registration fees: $30 for adults, $20 for those 18 and under before May 1st, or $35 after May 1. Register now to guarantee a t-shirt! Walkers welcome. Tickets can be purchased here.
They’re also looking for sponsors – if you’re interested, e-mail katherine@orphanstoambassadors.org.
(Ferries at Fauntleroy, by Flickr member planet lb, shared via the WSB Flickr group)
Highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
(added) SPRING TASTING EVENT: West Seattle Thriftway (Fauntleroy/California; WSB sponsor) is inviting shoppers to their spring tasting event 4-7 pm. Among the vendors who are scheduled to demonstrate is Maria Esztergalyos, a West Seattle mom who has launched a line of vegan, soy-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, nut-free, refined-sugar-free sauces and spice rubs called Palmera Naturals (and is crowdfunding via Kickstarter in hopes of expanding).
.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK! It’s the April edition – your chance to explore dozens of venues around the peninsula that will be showing art, most with the artist(s) on hand, 6-9 pm. Preview venues and artists on the official website. Here are a few notes:
SHANTI’S SILENT AUCTION DURING ART WALK: During Art Walk tonight, Shanti Salon and Spa (WSB sponsor) will host a special silent auction that’s also an Earth Month event – student art from K-5 STEM at Boren, 6 pm to 8 pm to celebrate Earth Month and raise funds for Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.
FIREFLY’S ART WALK DEBUT & DONATION DRIVE: Firefly Café and Creperie at California/Genesee is debuting on the Art Walk tonight – and also inviting you to bring a car seat to donate to WestSide Baby; proprietor Charell Estby is matching every car seat donation with a package of diapers for WS Baby.
WEST SEATTLE OFFICE JUNCTION’S ART WALK DEBUT: Also making its first appearance on the WS Art Walk, the new co-working space West Seattle Office Junction at 5230 California SW.
CAMERA DONATION DRIVE BEGINS: Art for Animals’ Sake is starting another collection of digital-camera donations so it can help underserved youth with art projects. You can drop them off at Mind Unwind or Beveridge Place Pub.
DESIGN REVIEW FOR 3829 CALIFORNIA & 3210 CALIFORNIA: As previewed last night, two projects are on the agenda tonight for the Southwest Design Review Board – the second meeting for a 29-apartment project at 3829 California at 6:30 pm, the first meeting for a 166-apartment proposal at 3210 California SW at 8 pm. Both meetings are at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).
(added) WANT TO LEARN ABOUT RAINGARDENS? Special session tonight at South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), Chan Building, room CDC-102, 6-8:30 pm. More info here.
DUWAMISH ROWING CLUB MOVIE NIGHT: 6:30 pm at Georgetown Stables, help raise money for the Duwamish Rowing Club – serving communities also including West Seattle and South Park – full details here.
‘PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE’ AT WSHS: Second-to-last chance to check out this year’s spring student musical at West Seattle High School, 7:30 pm – see westsidedrama.com for details.
Thanks to Roxhill Elementary‘s award-winning librarian Pat Bliquez for sharing this report and the accompanying photos:
Roxhill kindergartners left school this week with a smile on their faces and a colorful, handmade hat on their heads. It was “hat week” in our kindergarten classes where students read “hat stories” (The Magic Hat by Mem Fox and What a hat by Holly Keller) and created artwork with a hat theme. The hats were a gift from Kristine Dembiczak of Kent, Roberta Martin of West Seattle, Roxhill librarian Pat Bliquez, and teachers Anndrea Beaty and Mary Elizabeth Ezenwaka.
It took approximately an hour and a half to make each hand loomed hat. Each hat was unique: one sported a pom pom, another a crocheted bow; another was accented with sparkly thread. This is the third year that Roxhill kindergartners have participated in “Hat Day,” a tradition started by Ms. Kristine Dembiczak and now expanded to other volunteer hat loomers.
The Roxhill community especially wants to thank Kristine and Roberta for the generosity of their gifts of time and creativity.
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
With the weekend in view, along with tracking whatever’s happening today, we’re also looking ahead to two traffic alerts for the weekend:
DELRIDGE/THISTLE INTERSECTION CLOSURE, PLUS CLOVERDALE CLOSURE STARTING TODAY: As previewed here (with a detour map), the Delridge/Thistle intersection is scheduled to close at 7 pm Friday and stay closed all weekend as part of the Delridge-repaving project. In addition, SW Cloverdale will be closed at Delridge to eastbound traffic from 11 am TODAY until about 5 pm Saturday.
SPOKANE STREET INTERCHANGE RAMP CLOSURES: 10 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, you won’t be able to get from the West Seattle Bridge or lower Spokane Street to either northbound I-5 or Beacon Hill. It’s the second-to-last scheduled weekend closure for the Spokane Street Interchange Special Bridge Repair. Detours are listed here.
And note that this will be a getaway weekend for many, because Seattle Public Schools are out next week for spring break.
Thanks to 34th District Democrats webmaster Bill Schrier for the photo from Wednesday night’s meeting, during a presentation on the proposal for electing some Seattle City Councilmembers by district. At left is James Bush, a supporter; next to him, former Councilmember Jim Street, an opponent; at right, 34th member Susan Harmon asking a question. The group did not take a position on the proposal – its endorsement meeting is coming up in June. Schrier’s full recap of the meeting, including resolutions that were approved, is on the 34th DDs’ home page. His live Twitter stream, with quick updates as the meeting unfolded, can be seen here. Next month, on May 8th, the group plans a candidates’ forum for everything on the primary ballot except Seattle mayor, since the 34th is co-sponsoring an April 29th forum in Georgetown.
“West Seattle enjoyed a Day at the Beach” is how Greg Slader began his report on the division-leading WSHS baseball team’s 28-0 Wednesday win over Rainier Beach HS. He continues:
The weather cleared up enough for a baseball game, as West Seattle added to their lead in first place. Everyone hit, everyone played, as the team put up a season-high 28 runs. Graham French (#25, top photo) hit a home run to deep center field – 380 feet. Andy Snook (#16, next photo) drove in several runs:
TK Snow pitched a complete game (five innings), giving up only one hit. Next game is Friday against Rainier Beach, 3:30 pm @ Hiawatha.
Thanks again to Greg for sharing recaps and photos from the WSHS games!
| Comments Off on Update: Alki fire call was ‘food on stove’