West Seattle, Washington

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day : 25/04/2013 17 results

Admiral Theater plan: ‘We have to … try to make this thing happen’
April 25, 2013 9:09 pm
|      95 COMMENTS
 |   Admiral Theater | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The owner of the Admiral Theater has a plan to ensure the historic landmark has a promising future as well as a storied past.

The first phase of that plan is already complete … creation of the plan itself.

“We have spent a lot of time and energy and money – what little that we have – to engage the services of an architect,” explained Jeff Brein, whose Far Away Entertainment owns the Admiral – the business, not the building itself, as well as seven other theaters in six towns around the region.

“We determined that in order to keep the theater going and to at least turn a profit, we need to make some changes in the basic business model. And that … takes the theater from its current two-auditorium, second-run format to a four-auditorium, first-run digital format.”

There’s really no choice, said Brein. The notion of a “second-run, dollar-house” theater is dying: “The studios are not providing us with the types of release schedules they used to. The window from theatrical first-run release to home video or cable TV or RedBox or whatever is becoming much more narrow.”

That’s not the only reason that a first-run moviehouse makes more sense for West Seattle: “It’s a great unserved market. If you want a first-run movie, you have to get in your car and travel well outside (West Seattle) – downtown, the airport, wherever people need to go.”

However, it’s not as easy as deciding to run new movies instead of not-so-new movies. First, Brein says, “you really need a minimum of three to four screens. And you need a facility that everybody is going to feel comfortable in.”

No matter how much you love the Admiral Theater, designated a city landmark 20 years ago – “comfortable” is not a word that comes to mind. “Overhaul” is.

Brein knows that. The Admiral’s devoted on-site general manager – his sister Dinah Brein – knows that.

So, they have a plan. They have an operating budget.

What they don’t have yet (and they stress they’re NOT asking for a handout or donations) is … the money.

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Happening now: Happy 4th birthday, Feedback Lounge!
April 25, 2013 8:53 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
As we’ve been mentioning in our daily calendar-highlight roundups, Feedback Lounge (6451 California SW; WSB sponsor) is spreading its 4th-anniversary celebration over four nights – but tonight’s the actual anniversary; April 25, 2009, is when The Feedback opened the doors for, as the slogan atop its website goes, “people who like their cocktails to rock, their food to rock, and their rock to rock.” GM Bradi Jones is at center with the cake she created; other original Feedback team members in the photo include co-proprietor Jeff Gilbert at right; his co-conspirator Matt Johnson didn’t make it into the shot, too busy at the bar! The Feedback’s home page details what’s up the next two nights as the party continues – including the reunion tomorrow of the Memphis Radio Kings! (As for what will be in store when the Feedback turns five NEXT year, Jeff says it’s something unimaginably huge. You heard it here first.)

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Updated with video: ‘Orcas of the World’ in The Whale Trail’s spotlight
April 25, 2013 8:39 pm
|    Comments Off on Updated with video: ‘Orcas of the World’ in The Whale Trail’s spotlight
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

8:39 PM ‘HAPPENING NOW’ REPORT: It’s one of those nights when The Whale Trail turns inland – to C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) for the ongoing series of presentations about whales and other marine life. Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for sharing photos again – here’s tonight’s featured presenter, Uko Gorter, talking about “Orcas of the World“:

Big crowd again:

Watch The Whale Trail’s website for news of the next event!

ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: Thanks to Laura for also sharing video, if you couldn’t get there last night:

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Another ‘run’ for Boston: Providence Mount St. Vincent
April 25, 2013 8:09 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Another local outpouring of support for Boston as its people continue to recover from last week’s bombings: Anna Cronin from Providence Mount St. Vincent shares the photo and this update on what they’re doing:

Many residents, staff and children participated in The Mount’s “Marathon for Boston” to celebrate the resilient Boston Community and to remember the victims and those injured in the terrible events that took place at the Boston Marathon last week. Our goal was to show Boston that for every one person wishing to inflict harm, there are many, many more who wish to do good. We mapped out a route and together walked a combined 70+ miles! That is nearly three full marathons. Our hope is to eventually walk 3,048 miles (the distance from Seattle to Boston) in the following weeks to continue to show our support for, and solidarity with Boston.

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Madison dance: West Seattle Big Band, student musicians, more
April 25, 2013 7:21 pm
|    Comments Off on Madison dance: West Seattle Big Band, student musicians, more
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

Madison Middle School‘s Music Boosters are raising money tomorrow night with a big-band swing dance for the whole family – 6-9 pm, featuring the West Seattle Big Band as well as Madison’s own student musicians. Swing-dance lessons too! Suggested donation is $10 adults at the door, students/other kids free – go here to RSVP. Concessions will be sold, from Vietnamese sandwiches to snow cones.

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Dog rescued by police at Westwood Village still at shelter
April 25, 2013 7:08 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Update tonight in the tale of a dog that Seattle Police rescued from a car at Westwood Village, reported Wednesday on SPD Blotter: Today’s Blotter followup says Zipper the puggle is being kept at the Seattle Animal Shelter while an animal-cruelty investigation is under way. Witnesses told police the car in which Zipper was found had been parked at the center for six days, though it hasn’t been determined if Zipper was inside the whole time. Zipper apparently was supposedly under a dog-sitter’s watch, while his owner was out of town.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 stolen bikes returned, 1 with an arrest
April 25, 2013 4:47 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

We start with a followup: Last night’s West Seattle Crime Watch roundup included a reader report from Ignacio, whose bicycle had been stolen from his Admiral District apartment building’s garage. Shortly after we published the report, he obtained the surveillance video, published it to YouTube, and we added it to the story. Today, we got a message from a Seattle Parks staffer that Ignacio’s bike had turned up at Lincoln Park and was awaiting him in a safe storage place there, and he’s making plans to get it back.

Second, an arrest: Our first word of this bike-theft story came in a tweet from Cheryl, who rides the West Seattle Water Taxi, asking about a big police presence near Seacrest yesterday. Nothing hit our radar at the time; when the call turned up on the police map later, it was labeled as “bicycle theft.” Wondering how that turned into a big response, we sought out the full report today, and here’s what we found out:

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West Seattle/White Center restaurant notes: Proletariat expansion; Cassis update
April 25, 2013 3:24 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants | White Center

Two restaurant notes today:

MORE ROOM AT PROLETARIAT PIZZA: In case you didn’t catch the story on our partner site White Center Now, published late last night – Proletariat Pizza in White Center is taking over space next door (formerly Dzul Tattoo) to make more room. Still a work in progress when we stopped by Wednesday afternoon; you’ll see even more progress if you stop by tonight, when PP is taking part in Dining Out For Life. Full story here.

CASSIS UPDATE: More than four months have elapsed since word that Jef Fike, the proprietor of Cassis, a French restaurant that gained fame during a run on Capitol Hill, planned to bring it back – on Alki. Fike called recently to say it’s still in the works. The still-not-officially-announced location will soon undergo renovation, he said, and he’s hoping to be open by July 4th.

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1 more way to offload unwanted items this weekend: Hope Lutheran donation drive
April 25, 2013 2:28 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Spring cleaning? In addition to the events we’ve already mentioned for this weekend – shredding, recycling, drug take-back events all detailed here – we have word of yet another way you can do something useful this weekend with items you no longer use. Hope Lutheran Church is having a donation drive 10 am-2 pm Saturday (April 27) for newly arrived refugees – including furniture as well as other items that help make a house a home:

We are collecting donations of:
*kitchen tables and chairs
*couches
*twin- and full-sized beds
*nice blankets/sheets/towels
*kitchenware/pots and pans/utensils
*microwaves
*TVs/dvd players
*computers with all parts/laptops

***All must be in good, usable condition (no major tears or stains, please)
***Will NOT accept clothes or other furniture pieces not on list

See you there! Put on by Hope Lutheran Church and Lutheran Community Services NW Refugee Resettlement Program.

The church is at 4456 42nd SW, northeast corner of 42nd and Oregon.

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West Seattle schools: Donna Ramos announced as new Our Lady of Guadalupe principal
April 25, 2013 2:02 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle schools: Donna Ramos announced as new Our Lady of Guadalupe principal
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Another West Seattle school has announced a new principal. From Our Lady of Guadalupe School:

Our Lady of Guadalupe School is delighted to announce that Ms, Donna Ramos has been hired as principal for the upcoming school year. She brings with her more than 20 years as a Catholic school educator, she has taught every grade from Kindergarten through 6th grade and worked on projects with middle-school students, as well as elementary-school Spanish. Her experience reflects her love of social justice, environmental stewardship and the arts, and faithful engagement with the world.

Ms. Ramos is currently the principal of Immaculate Conception & Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a Pre-K-8 School in Everett.

According to the announcement in the OLG church bulletin, she also worked as an assistant principal at a school on Capitol Hill. OLG’s current principal Kristin Dixon is leaving after almost 14 years; she started at the school in fall 1999.

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P-Patch fire followup: For those who asked if help’s needed…
April 25, 2013 12:39 pm
|    Comments Off on P-Patch fire followup: For those who asked if help’s needed…
 |   Gardening | West Seattle news

No word yet on any breakthrough in Wednesday morning’s arson at Longfellow Creek P-Patch in Westwood. But after a WSB commenter asked whether anything was needed to help the gardeners recover, we sought out an answer – and got it today from Minh Chau Le of the Department of Neighborhoods, who manages the community garden as part of the P-Patch program.

I was very pleasantly surprised to hear of the offers of help and support that came in, first via the posted comments of your readers and then via Lois Maag from DON, who has been fielding communications about the incident. It was so great to see that the types of community caring that we strive to foster within each P-Patch were coming to us from the greater community as well.

As reported by the Seattle Fire Department, the damages amount to around $500. The Longfellow Creek P-Patch, like every P-Patch throughout the city, is very much a community-driven effort. It currently does not have money or supplies readily on hand to replace the items lost. Should you continue to receive inquires from concerned neighbors who wish to help out in some way, please feel free to share this list of items that would be useful to the P-Patch as it begins the gardening season after having suffered the arson:

· 1 sturdy wheel barrow 3 cubic foot capacity or greater
· 1 Hori hori digging tool
· 2 digging shovels
· 2 digging forks
· Gift certificates in any amount to: Home Depot, TrueValue in the Junction, or McLendon’s Hardware.

The arson reward fund mentioned in the sign in our photo, by the way, does not involve public funds (we got a question about that too) – it’s from an insurance-company-supported foundation. If you have any information about who set this fire, call 800-55-ARSON. And if you have questions or other ideas about helping out, reach Chau via the P-Patch Program.

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Explorer West Middle school team wins ‘Environmental Issues Slam’
April 25, 2013 12:00 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

As Earth Week continues, a local school is celebrating its students’ achievements in a big event last night – thanks to Amy French for sharing the photo and report:

The Explorer West Middle School community congratulates the three groups of students chosen to represent Explorer West at Washington Foundation for the Environment‘s “3rd Annual Great Environmental Issues Slam” last night at The Flagship REI Store. The 6 students (across three teams) had 5 minutes to present their issues to a packed room of audience members who had the chance to vote at the end. The other contestants were all talented, adult speakers from a range of non-profits.

One of the student teams, presenting on “Drastic Plastic,” won the slam and the opportunity to donate $1,000 to the charity of their choice that is working to deal with the issue of plastics in our world’s oceans. Explorer West students will be voting this week to decide which non-profit receives the donation from Washington Foundation for the Environment.

Featured in the top photos is the winning group with EWMS Head of School Evan Hundley and history teacher Tim Owens, who Amy says “was the lead in getting the school involved in the slam.”

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Don’t want yellow-pages (etc.) directories? Opt-out deadline ahead
April 25, 2013 10:52 am
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news

Both Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien and a PR agency for the yellow-pages-directory industry have sent reminders today that a deadline is ahead for opting out of the next big round of deliveries – go to this website by May 6th if you want to opt out of the next Dex directory delivery. They say you can also use that site to set your preferences regarding other directories. The city, you might recall, was sued over its attempts to constrain the directory industry (Seattle Times coverage here), but residents still have the right to opt out, and this industry-sponsored site is what both sides are recommending.

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West Seattle Thursday: Dining Out For Life; The Whale Trail goes global; more
April 25, 2013 9:42 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Wednesday morning’s sunrise, with great blue heron; photo by Joya)
Five highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY? Get answers directly from a Social Security Administration rep at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library today, 3:30 pm, at an event co-sponsored by the West Seattle Lions Club; details here. (2306 42nd SW)

DINNER TO BENEFIT WORLD VISION: 4:30-6 pm at Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor) – free, with donations accepted for World Vision. Call to see if there’s still room; info’s in our calendar listing. (2326 California SW)

DINING OUT FOR LIFE: Dine and/or drink at one of the participating establishments tonight – the DOFL/Seattle site has the same six-venue West Seattle/White Center list we reported earlier this week – and you’ll be supporting Lifelong AIDS Alliance. They’re all signed on for dinner, donating at least 30 percent of proceeds (Skylark’s giving 50 percent!).

FEEDBACK LOUNGE’S SECOND 4TH-ANNIVERSARY PARTY: The celebration continues on the actual anniversary of the night in 2009 when Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) opened its doors. Festivities start at 6 – details in the calendar listing. (6451 California SW)

ORCAS OF THE WORLD: That’s what you’ll find out about with The Whale Trail tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), as Uko Gorter discusses our beloved local whales’ cousins around the globe. Details, including ticket info, here. (5612 California SW)

P.S. Should be a beautiful full moon tonight; Alice Enevoldsen‘s most recent “Skies Over West Seattle“ reminds us of the date, and you can check the moonrise/moonset/sunrise/sunset times anytime on the WSB West Seattle Weather page.

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Benefit skate at Southgate Roller Rink this Sunday
April 25, 2013 9:16 am
|    Comments Off on Benefit skate at Southgate Roller Rink this Sunday
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

This Sunday, you can go rollerskating at Southgate Rink and not just have a good time, but also do a good deed. West Seattle resident Kathy Himes has organized the event to help her friend Pauline Hunt, a former professional mountain biker who now is living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. They’re raising money for a Habitat for Humanity renovation for the home where Pauline and her family, including her two young daughters, live, so that it will be wheelchair-accessible. It’s a global effort – Pauline is in Canada and her friends around the world, including Kathy, are helping. So come skate 5-7 pm on Sunday, April 28, for $12, covering skate rental and a suggested donation. Kathy says there’ll be raffles too, thanks to donations from generous businesses including Zippy’s Giant Burgers, Full Tilt Ice Cream, and Meander’s Kitchen. (See the event flyer here.)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday updates, & road work
April 25, 2013 7:10 am
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; other cameras are on the WSB Traffic page)
7:10 AM: More warm, bright sunshine today. Perfect for road work, too, and remember that repaving work is scheduled today and tomorrow on California SW, south of The Junction, between Dawson (the west leg, per the No Parking signs) and Findlay. Then this weekend, the Delridge/Thistle intersection has a planned closure, Friday night until Monday morning, as the Delridge repaving project continues – details and detours here.

8:01 AM UPDATE: Thanks to Erica for the tip – there’s a crash on the eastbound bridge just before the 99 exit, currently blocking two lanes, so if you haven’t left yet, wait a while.

8:33 AM UPDATE: The bridge crash has been cleared.

8:45 AM: However – maybe because of diversion from the bridge – commenter Trickycoolj says Highland Park Way hill is backed up.

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High-school baseball: West Seattle HS clinches, in win over Sealth
April 25, 2013 1:19 am
|    Comments Off on High-school baseball: West Seattle HS clinches, in win over Sealth
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Hard-fought game Wednesday afternoon at Southwest Athletic Complex, but West Seattle High School clinched the Metro championship with the eventual win over Chief Sealth International HS, reports Greg Slader:

The stands were full as the Wildcats traveled across town to face the Seahawks. Chief Sealth had a 3-2 lead through four innings before Andy Snook (top photo) took the mound to shut them down. West Seattle rallied to tie 3-3 heading into the seventh inning, and then Spencer Elder decided to steal some bases. Sam Hellinger drove him in with a shot into the six hole, 4-3:

A stolen base, a hit and suicide squeeze, as Sam scored to give West Seattle a 5-3 lead. The Seahawks will get another chance on Friday, 3:30 pm @ Hiawatha.

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