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month : 10/2013 358 results

West Seattle Halloween 2013: Skeleton Theatre blasts off
October 31, 2013 10:19 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Halloween 2013: Skeleton Theatre blasts off
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Back from Halloween rounds – including a stop at Skeleton Theatre, which as usual is playing again tomorrow, so you still have a chance to go if you didn’t get to 36th/Hanford tonight. It’s an updated version of last year’s production “Ulna 13,” a space saga starring the animatronic protagonists – lights, sound, dialogue, bones and all:

A team of friends/neighbors works hard to make the (free, but you can donate online) show happen every year – their story’s on the ST website. If you haven’t been before, here’s a map; the stage is in the elevated front yard of the home on the southwest corner of 36th/Hanford, and Friday’s showtimes are expected to be roughly on the hour/half-hour between 6 and 9 again.

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Update: West Seattle power outage in south Morgan Junction
October 31, 2013 5:41 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

5:41 PM: Kati reports, “Our townhouse complex near California and Myrtle is without power – heard a pop and a flash.” She’s the only report so far, and there’s nothing on the Seattle City Light outage map – though we know from the PREVIOUS outage, there are old “feeders” in this area (slated for replacement within the next two years) and that means SCL doesn’t know you’re out unless you call. Let us know if you’re affected.

6:03 PM UPDATE: It’s now on the City Light map (screengrab above) – 26 customers (each customer could be a home, a business, a building, so the number of people affected is invariably higher than the “customer” number). Cause not yet known; restoration guesstimate, 8:30ish.

10:36 PM UPDATE: Update from Kati in comments – the power’s back.

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West Seattle Halloween 2013: Admiral District trick-or-treating
October 31, 2013 5:07 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

For one more hour, it’s trick-or-treat time in The Admiral District – mostly outdoors, except for the special setup inside Emeritus at Admiral Heights (photo above; WSB sponsor), with residents lining the lobby at 2326 California SW to hand out treats. While the lovely parasol in our next photo makes a fine accessory, the weather’s been dry, and we’ve even seen a bit of sun.

Maybe a little calendar confusion? Look who turned up inside Alki Bike and Board (2606 California SW):

Over at Atomic Boys, things were rockin’:

Decisions, decisions!

We suspect the hat gave away the true identity of Brent Amacher:

Adding more photos later; participating Admiral businesses are offering treats until 6 pm.

ADDED: Thanks to Vanessa for this photo taken at Wiseman’s Appliance – where else would you find a washing machine with a smile?

Another Admiral business took its show on the road – well, the sidewalk:

Segway-touring clients went bananas for a gorilla-led tour with West Coast Entertainment, photographed around the corner by Hiawatha.

On the creative north edge of the business district, we found Monica and daughter at West Seattle Fabric Company:

And Krystal at Mind Unwind:

Lots of other participating businesses too, across more than a half-mile of storefronts. Go check ’em out during the upcoming winter holidays, too (if not sooner).

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West Seattle development updates: Special meeting for no-parking Junction project; Design Reviews confirmed; more
October 31, 2013 3:40 pm
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Six West Seattle development updates today – starting with a special public meeting for one of the projects proposed without parking spaces:

SPECIAL MEETING FOR 4535 44TH SW: This five-story, 36-apartment building on the west side of The Junction (map) currently includes no parking. Neighbors concerned about that and other aspects of the “Lofts at The Junction” project circulated a petition last summer seeking a special public meeting to address that and other State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)-related concerns, and that meeting has just been officially scheduled and announced. The meeting is set for 6:30 pm Tuesday, November 19th, at Hope Lutheran School (42nd/Oregon); here’s the formal notice. This is separate from the Design Review process, in which this project passed Early Design Guidance in May (WSB coverage here), with an early-stage proposal including the sketch you see above; it still has to go through at least one more Design Review meeting, and there’s no date for that yet.

Meantime, today’s edition of the city’s twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin also included confirmation of the next two Southwest Design Review Board sessions, both on November 21st, as reported here earlier this month:

3210 CALIFORNIA: As first reported here more than two weeks ago, this 5-story, 143-apartment, 168-parking-space mixed-use building (map) is scheduled for its next review at 6:30 pm Thursday, November 21st, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon). See the official notice here.

3078 AVALON WAY: As first reported here 11 days ago, this 8-story, 108-apartment, 61-parking-space residential building (map) is scheduled for its second and possibly final review at 8 pm during that same November 21st meeting; its first review was more than a year ago. Here’s the official notice.

Also in today’s bulletin:

6917 CALIFORNIA SW: This is the official published notice regarding the 30-apartment, no-parking building in Morgan Junction (map) that we’ve mentioned twice, first on October 16th; the clock is now ticking on its official comment period, through November 13th.

4522 DELRIDGE WAY SW: This four-house proposal (map) also was mentioned here back on Monday; the official notice of its land-use-permit application is in today’s bulletin, with a comment period through November 13th.

3947 SW KENYON: The city is taking comments through November 13th on an application to split one lot into two at this Gatewood location (map). Separate from this application, the city website shows applications to build two new homes on the site.

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West Seattle Halloween scenes: Trick-or-treating, costumes @ The Mount
October 31, 2013 1:46 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

And the Halloween photos drift spookily in … This one is from the Intergenerational Learning Center at Providence Mount St. Vincent where, as The Mount’s Anna Cronin explained in sharing it, Halloween is for both the very young and the young at heart.

P.S. We’ll be out and about later today/tonight, but we always appreciate your photos, too, so if/when you have a Halloween scene to share, editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

ADDED 2:25 PM: First photo in after this one ALSO happens to be from The Mount:

Judy shares the photo of her mom Helen (“the clown”) and Connie (“the nice witch”) dressed up today while in the Elder Care program.

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Tell them what you think: Fauntleroy ferry-route survey
October 31, 2013 12:43 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(Ferry leaving Fauntleroy at sunset Sunday; WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
Washington State Ferries is expecting to revise its schedule for the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run (aka the “Triangle route”) for the first time in a long time, since the vessel assignment is changing next year and adding capacity. WSF has just completed two open houses, on Vashon Island and in Kitsap County, and is also inviting comments via an online survey. We took a look at the survey; it seems geared toward regular ferry riders, but the third page includes an open-comments area, so if you have something to say about other potential effects of the change – traffic, transit, etc. – take it anyway. The survey starts here. This is one of the last public-comment opportunities before WSF comes out early next year with a draft of the revisions.

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Followup: Another sunfish perspective, before its Alki display
October 31, 2013 12:07 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news

One day after we showed you the caught-in-Puget Sound ocean sunfish that was on display outside Alki’s Sunfish restaurant, a new look and perspective from one of the first to see it on shore after a Muckleshoot fishing crew brought it in. From journalist John Loftus:

Here’s a photo I took of the sunfish a few hours after it was landed on a dock on the Duwamish River.

Its weight has been estimated at 300-350 pounds. Wikipedia notes that the Monterey Bay Aquarium had a young specimen that arrived weighing 26 pounds and weighed 880 pounds just 15 months later, so it seems safe to say that, contrary to what one’s intuition may suggest, this is not an old fish.

You will also note a semicircular spot on its side where a pectoral fin used to be, apparently a healed-over wound. The fin, larger than a man’s hand, was present on the other side of the fish. It’s possible that the loss of this fin may have hindered the sunfish’s ability to navigate properly, resulting in its gradual weakening and disorientation. While very rare in Puget Sound, ocean sunfish are quite common all around the world and, unfortunately, are frequently caught in nets set for other fish.

I spent some time with the fish after it was moved to Sunfish on Alki, where it attracted a constant stream of curious visitors. Most found it fascinating. A few found it repulsive, a perception that was greatly exaggerated in KUOW’s report this morning. The owner of Sunfish and I both thought that the giant fish was very beautiful.

John Loftus, Editor
Muckleshoot Monthly

(Yes, that’s the 1st Avenue South Bridge in the background.) We looked but haven’t found a link to the KUOW discussion he mentioned; if you missed the link in the Wednesday report, The Seattle Times (WSB partner; paywalled) has updated its story. Here’s information about the species via National Geographic.

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West Seattle Thursday: Halloween happenings for today/tonight
October 31, 2013 10:44 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Thursday: Halloween happenings for today/tonight
 |   Fun stuff to do | Holidays | West Seattle news

(Decorated home at 38th/Hanford; photo courtesy Siobhan)
It’s here – the haunting holiday of Halloween. Today’s daily preview is a spooktacular collection of highlights from the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide, starting with the biggest local event:

ADMIRAL DISTRICT TRICK-OR-TREATING: 3-6 pm, it’s time for trick-or-treating at businesses in The Admiral District, participating merchants – look for businesses displaying this sign:

No treasure hunt or raffle prizes this year, “just good old-fashioned trick-or-treating.” No list but we DID hear from Emeritus at Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor), 2326 California SW, which is participating and extends a warm welcome to trick-or-treaters.

METROPOLITAN MARKET KIDS’ COSTUME CONTEST: While you’re in The Admiral District for trick-or-treating, join in the Kids’ Halloween Costume Contest 3-6 pm at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor). Winners in the three categories will receive $25 Toys “R” Us gift cards; drop by today, and then vote over the next three days. (41st/42nd/Admiral Way)

FREE HALLOWEEN FAMILY SKATE: Southgate Roller Rink and Full Tilt Ice Cream present a FREE Halloween Family Skate from 3:00 pm-5:00 pm at the rink. Costume contest, candy giveaways, a guest DJ, more. (17th SW south of Roxbury, White Center)

WESTWOOD VILLAGE: 5-7 pm is the time you can go trick-or-treating at participating venues in the Westwood Village shopping center

SKELETON THEATRE: 6-9 pm (tonight AND tomorrow), don’t miss this year’s edition of Skeleton Theatre, 6-9 pm (directions and show info here). The animatronic skeletons are back, reprising the space-themed “Ulna 13” from last year with updates! Shows “roughly on the hour and half-hour.” (36th/Hanford)

NIGHTMARE ON 44TH: 6-9 pm tonight only, animatronic and spooky “Nightmare on 44th” is back! 44th Ave SW between Charlestown and Andover. See behind-the-scenes photos on Twitter at @NightmareOn44th.

KIDS KARNIVAL: 6-8 pm, it’s a Kids Karnival at West Side Presbyterian Church, promising “carnival games, bouncy house, giant slide, a box maze, prizes and more! This event is geared for young children through 5th grade. It is a fun, safe alternative to trick-or-treating!” Admission free BUT there’s a donation drive for emergency kits for people in need – here’s what you can bring:

Hand warmers, socks, granola bars, small-amount gift cards, beanie hats, travel sized toothpaste & toothbrush, bars of soap, hand sanitizer, $ donation to purchase these items!

WSPC is at 3601 California SW.

TRUNK OR TREAT: Grace Community Church Trunk or Treat, 6-8 pm, free family event with car trunks filled with goodies, games, hot drinks, food. (10323 28th SW)

(In the planting strip in the 9400 block of 13th SW; photo courtesy Lisa)
GHOST GAME VII: The Cabiri in ‘Ghost Game VII: The Wild Hunt’ @ Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 8-9:45 pm. Tickets available here; 16 and over only. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

OZZY-WEEN: Halloween Ozzy Osbourne tribute at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9:30 pm. (6451 California SW)

HALLOWEEN KARAOKE: It’s “Scary-Oke” for Halloween at Outwest Bar, 9 pm-2 am. (California/Brandon)

ZOMBIE HOMECOMING: Zombie Homecoming 18+ event hosted by Southgate Roller Rink and the Rainier Roller Girls! 9 pm-midnight, $12 @ the door. Costume contest, raffle, 21+ bar, and much more! (17th SW south of Roxbury, White Center)

More Halloween (etc.) events for tonight and the next two nights – in our guide; today’s non-Halloween happenings are on our regular calendar.

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Community cleanup Saturday: Bike path under West Seattle Bridge
October 31, 2013 9:11 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

You’ve probably heard about Green Seattle Day in the West Duwamish Greenbelt on Saturday. We just received word of a separate, community-organized cleanup that can use as many hands as it can get: The proprietor of Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor) is rallying volunteers to help him pick up trash along the west stretch of the bike trail under the West Seattle Bridge 9 am-11 am Saturday. Here’s the announcement:

Please join Dave Winters of Swedish Automotive for an impromptu cleanup under the West Seattle Bridge! The bike path from the bottom of Avalon Way near Luna Park Café heading east alongside and under the bridge toward downtown has become trashed with litter, styrofoam packing pellets, and other debris and needs cleanup!

Dave will be there with the old, yellow Swedish Automotive Van with garbage cans and bags from 9 to 11 am this Saturday, November 2nd. His goal is to clean the area between Luna Park Café and the Chelan Café. If you find yourself with time and desire to help this Saturday, please stop by with gloves, rakes and brooms, and we’ll get it cleaned up. The van will be parked under the west end of bridge (that’s the West Seattle end) in the first curb cut next to the bike trail. Let’s clean up Seattle! Hope to see you there!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Halloween commute – trick or treat?
October 31, 2013 6:12 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Halloween commute – trick or treat?
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(East-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge; see other cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:12 AM: How scary – or not – will the Halloween commute be? We’re off and rolling for Thursday. On the other side of the day, do note that trick-or-treating at Admiral District businesses is set for 3-6 pm today, so extra care is vital in that area, no matter what mode of transportation you’re using. Meantime, here’s the bridge cam that usually points west:

P.S. The rest of the Halloween event lineup is in our special guide.

9:18 AM: We seem to have made it through the bulk of the morning commute without a major problem. However, a medic response near Holden/Highland Park Way right now is reported to be a crash; we’re checking it out for potential traffic effects.

9:38 AM: Our crew says the uphill side of the intersection – south/westbound from Highland Park Way on to Holden/9th – is blocked right now. Two pickups collided; one person was going to the hospital via private ambulance.

Tow trucks have arrived so it’s not likely to be blocked too long.

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Duwamish River: Taking a look toward its future, ‘for all’
October 31, 2013 3:24 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Sustainable West Seattle | West Seattle news

(2011 photo by Danny McMillin)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“The Duwamish really needs our help.”

So began this month’s Sustainable West Seattle community forum about our city’s only river.

How can you help? One way is through simple personal action, particularly when it comes to reducing/preventing stormwater/runoff-pollution, a campaign crystallized at Tox-Ick.org, whose champion “Diver Laura” James emceed the forum. She told those in attendance that just days earlier, she had spoken about it to 800 high-school students outside West Seattle.

Another way: Realize that the process of determining a cleanup plan for the river – so polluted in spots, it’s a “Superfund” site – is the process of determining whether it can be “A River for All.” That’s the vision of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, whose coordinator James Rasmussen spoke at the forum, recapping the comment period just concluded on the Environmental Protection Agency‘s proposed cleanup plan for the river – a plan which would leave 62 percent of the river “under monitored natural recovery, which basically means, ‘we’re not going to do anything with it’.”

DRCC, however, wants to “kickstart that with enhanced natural recovery,” and is very intent on “source control” – addressing the source of pollution, present and future as well as past – being part of the plan.

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Junction demolition update: The view from above
October 30, 2013 10:29 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

23 days after teardown work started at the two-building California/Alaska/42nd project site, crews are still clearing debris on the west side of the site, and tackling the underground level left after that building was demolished last week. Along the way, we’ve received a few requests for an aerial view, and local pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen has obliged, with two angles – top and bottom. For a comparison, here is the Seattle Municipal Archives 1957 aerial we’ve featured before – flipped and cropped – that’s SW Alaska at right, though the historic photo didn’t show California:

Back to the current view – here’s the aerial looking from north toward south – the tents on California are from Sunday’s Harvest Festival:

(Both views also show the crane and excavation for the 4730 California project.)

The California/Alaska/42nd demolition is the last major tearing down for at least a few months. The next one could be on the 4745 40th SW site, where a permit is pending and one tenant of the existing small office building has told us they were told to be out by the end of November.

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PACK YOUR BAG! Day 29: Take a look at what you have
October 30, 2013 8:20 pm
|    Comments Off on PACK YOUR BAG! Day 29: Take a look at what you have
 |   Preparedness | West Seattle news

Next-to-last step in our Washington State Disaster Preparedness Month project to build your “Go Bag“/kit – see what you have. From West Seattle Be Prepared:

Spread your bag out, take a look at what you’ve got. This is your chance to decide if there’s something special and unique to you or your family that we’ve not covered. Or maybe the food just doesn’t seem like it will be enough (but don’t forget, you have to lift the bag). You can also take this time to repackage or regroup things in plastic bags or containers to make things fit more compactly; using ziplock bags or small containers can help make things fit more compactly.

This is the time to also decide if you might need a larger bag. Earlier in the month Margaret in Vashon decided she was going to use a suitcase with wheels, so she could move it without having to carry the whole time, so that’s one good idea. Maybe the water could fit into another tub or bag. There have been comments during the month about how bulky the water supply is. Remember, if you’ve stored all the water suggested, you will have enough for 2 weeks. The pre-made emergency backpacks sold by companies like the Red Cross do not have anywhere near that much water in their packs for sale; they usually just include a couple of cups per person. That’s so the bag is portable and has some water, but really only enough water for a day, it won’t get you through an extended disruption of the water supply. The point is, if you are going to have to evacuate the area, and are in a vehicle, you can take all the water you’ve stored. But if you are evacuating on foot, you will really only take what you can comfortably carry.

Want some recognition for what you have? We’d love to share a photo of your bag/kit/stuff – this might be the time to take one, before you repack everything, and send it to editor@westseattleblog.com. Remember that if you’ve missed some items along the way, or finally just made up your mind to get started, you can find everything archived (reverse-chronological order) at westseattleblog.com/category/preparedness.

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West Seattle Halloween 2013: Costumed visitors at Fire Station 32
October 30, 2013 5:18 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | Triangle | West Seattle news

The location of the Bright Horizons-West Seattle child-care center right across the street from Seattle Fire Department Station 32 in The Triangle presents some opportunities – including this one: A costume parade.

More photos ahead:

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West Seattle Halloween 2013: Skeleton Theatre update
October 30, 2013 3:42 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

The most elaborate Halloween production you’ll find in a West Seattle neighborhood this year is again Skeleton Theatre, the animatronic show at 36th and Hanford (map), with sound, lights, and usually a pretty good crowd. Team member Maia reminds us that it’s an updated reprise of last year’s “Ulna 13” skeletons-in-space production – here’s the trailer:

Showtimes are tomorrow (Halloween night) and Friday (November 1st), 6 pm until 9 pm, with the crew attempting to start the shows on the hour and half-hour – but it’s live, and free, so be kind if the times don’t exactly hit those marks. (Speaking of “free,” if you enjoy or have enjoyed the show, you’re invited to chip in a donation to cover the costs – the link is on the ST home page; behind-the-scenes photos, meantime, are on the ST Facebook page.)

Lots more Halloween events (including tomorrow’s Admiral District and Westwood Village trick-or-treating, and a long list of other fun happenings including some scheduled for Friday and Saturday) are all listed in our guide. And if you know of a great decoration display, let us know and/or send photos – we’ll be adding that list and pix by Hallo-morning.

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Opening night Friday for WSHS Drama Club’s ‘Diary of Anne Frank’
October 30, 2013 3:01 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

Starting Friday night and continuing for five performances, you can support the West Seattle High School Drama Club by seeing its fall production, “The Diary of Anne Frank.” This is the famous story of a Jewish family hiding in Amsterdam to try to avoid the Nazis, as told by young Anne. Showtimes are 7:30 pm this Friday and Saturday and November 6, 7, 8. The lowest-priced tickets are $7 by e-mail reservation (reservations@westsidedrama.com); otherwise, you will pay $12 at the door at the WSHS Theater (3000 California SW). More information, including the cast list, on the Drama Club website.

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Memorial on Sunday afternoon for James Ewing, 1992-2013
October 30, 2013 1:03 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

The life of West Seattle High School graduate James Ewing, gone at just 21 years old, will be celebrated this Sunday. Here’s the remembrance his family is sharing:

James Douglas Ewing, 21, passed away peacefully at home October 19, 2013 surrounded by the love of those close to him. He was born June 27, 1992 to Ted Ewing and Ellen Becker and grew up in West Seattle. He and his father were “Ted and James” since James was a toddler and remained close friends into adulthood. They shared many great adventures on dusty baseball fields, boating in Puget Sound, helping his dad at work, dirt biking and snowmobiling. James attended Schmitz Park Elementary, Madison Middle School, and graduated from West Seattle High School in June 2010, where he participated both in wrestling and baseball.

James continued his education at Highline Community College. Without warning he had a seizure and was diagnosed with Glioblastoma. This is an aggressive form of brain cancer and cannot be cured, but only fought and James made the decision to fight and live the rest of his life to the fullest. He spent many hours in medical care, but continued doing fun things with loved ones. During these years, there were many trips to the mountains and Puget Sound enjoying life while at the same time knowing that life would not be as long as it should be for someone so young.

He had spent the last years fighting valiantly, and early this fall was told that he may have only several months to live. He lived much, laughed much, and loved much. The world is left to mourn. He was much loved. His memory will live on in the sounds heard from a baseball field of a game in progress, the bright glint of sun off the water on a summer afternoon, and immeasurable other beautiful moments happening around us every day.

Please join us in a memorial celebration of our beloved James to be held Sunday. November 3rd at 1:00 pm at the Des Moines Field House, 1000 S 220th, Des Moines, WA 98198. It is time to celebrate a life well lived and support each other in this time of loss.

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West Seattle scene: Sunfish seen outside Sunfish
October 30, 2013 12:39 pm
|      49 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

12:39 PM: The photo was shared by Amanda, who says:

This fish was sitting outside of Sunfish on Alki. Owner said it was caught right in Puget sound waters this morning. Amazing!! … Ironically, it’s actually a sunfish (the restaurant’s namesake). Normally this is a tropical fish, so the owner wasn’t sure why it was in the Sound. It’s not an edible fish, so it’s on display outside his restaurant.

That’s Amanda’s fiancé Kelby Schrock with the sunfish. A bit of online research suggests these fish do turn up in Puget Sound from time to time.

4:42 PM: Thanks to Owen for finding this Seattle Times (WSB partner) item with more information about the fish and how it got to Alki – in short, it was bycatch while a Muckleshoot tribal fishing boat was pulling up its salmon net.

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West Seattle Whale Watch: Orcas in central Sound again today
October 30, 2013 12:13 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

12:13 PM: Can’t guarantee they’ll get this far south, but orcas are reported to be heading this way again today. Off Edmonds and southbound around 10 am, according to Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales, and commenters on the Orca Network Facebook page have seen them further south in the past hour. Let us know if you get a glimpse anywhere close to here!

3:10 PM: Just got a text that they are approaching the Alki area, still southbound at last report.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Delridge DESC advisory committee; Halloween Eve parties; more
October 30, 2013 10:03 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Will orcas head this way again today? You just never know. Thanks to Rod Hatfield for the photo, taken from Alki Point (during the orca visit noted here Tuesday). Here are highlights from what we DO know is on the schedule for today/tonight:

FABRICATING FLAIR: Button-making for teens, 12-16, 2 pm at Delridge Branch Library (early time because it’s early-release day for most schools) – details in our calendar listing. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

DESC DELRIDGE PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The DESC Delridge Supportive Housing building is close to opening; if you have questions or just want to hear about the latest details, you’re welcome at tonight’s advisory committee meeting at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 6:30 pm. Here’s the agenda. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

FREE PARENTING SEMINAR: Toddler(s) in the house? SSCC Cooperative Preschools present a free seminar on guidance and discipline, 7-9 pm tonight at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) – details in our calendar listing, including RSVP e-mail address. (3940 41st SW)

And from the WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide (which includes events through this weekend – send yours ASAP if you haven’t already!):

GIRL JAM HALLOWEEN PARTY: 6 pm-close, Feedback Lounge presents Girl Jam Halloween Party. Costumed staff with Gia pouring Halloween-themed cocktail and wine specials; classic public-domain horror movies on the big screen. (6451 California SW)

TUG INN HALLOWEEN PARTY: 9 pm tonight, the annual karaoke/costume party – including a $200 grand prize! Details on this Facebook event page. (2216 SW Orchard)

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West Seattle schools: Fundraiser updates, and how you can help
October 30, 2013 9:26 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(UPDATED 8:50 PM for a total of 8 school fundraisers, current and upcoming)

It’s fundraising season for local schools – and four SIX EIGHT local PTSA/PTA groups have shared updates on how you can help, as well as how the community has helped already:

LAFAYETTE WALK-A-THON: Lafayette Elementary‘s minute-long video recaps last Friday’s Walk-A-Thon; Kelly Johnston from the PTA tells us: “As a school, the students ran a combined total of 9,477 Laps. This is about 1,898 miles! The students collected $58,000, and local business donated over $15,000! We are so grateful to all of our business sponsors. A link featuring them can be found here.”

ARBOR HEIGHTS DIRECT DRIVE: Some PTAs have launched “Direct Donation Drives” – including Arbor Heights Elementary, which is running through November 6th, and is welcoming donations from the community as well as from those with kids at/ties to the school: “Funds go toward our Young Authors Day activities, Kindergarten Aides, stipends for teacher projects, and much more.” The school website features multiple alternatives for donating, including online.

CHIEF SEALTH ‘PASSPORT TO EXCELLENCE’ AUCTION/DINNER: The biggest annual benefit for Chief Sealth International High School is set for 6 pm Friday, November 15th, at The Hall at Fauntleroy, with a sit-down dinner, entertainment, and auction. You can buy tickets online by going here; you can browse auction items here.

WEST SEATTLE HS ‘REACHING FOR THE STARS’ AUCTION/DINNER: One week after that, it’s the biggest annual benefit for West Seattle High School – 5:30 pm Friday, November 22nd, in the Brockey Center at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor). You can buy tickets online by going here; auction items are previewable here.

ADDED 2:16 PM: Since we first published this roundup, we’ve received word of two more fundraisers:

K-5 STEM DIRECT DONATION DRIVE: Our area’s newest public school has a direct-give drive under way; the K-5 STEM PTA points out that the district didn’t give them any money for library books, for example, so they have only what the PTA is raising money for, and that’s just part of what they need. Their plan, and the link for donating online, can be seen here.

NOVEMBER READ-A-THON MONTH AT DENNY: Also just received word of Denny International Middle School’s upcoming Read-A-Thon during December:

Students set reading goals with their literacy teachers (a number of pages or books) and then collect pledges from friends family or the community toward those goals. The first week in December we collect on the pledges and hope for a great double reward money for the school and learning by our students. If anyone is interested in sponsoring a student, please contact the Read-a-Thon chair Nicole Sipila at alipis@clearwire.net. We’ll finish our literacy fundraising with a book fair celebration at the Westwood Barnes and Noble on Dec. 12th. Purchases that night (actually all that week) can go toward Denny if you tell the clerk at checkout. We’ll be featuring some Denny student art, music, and writing that Tuesday evening.

ADDED 8:50 PM: Two more!

WEST SEATTLE ELEMENTARY CAMP FUNDRAISER: 4th and 5th graders from West Seattle Elementary School are going to Islandwood, with donors’ help – they’re crowdfunding, so you can donate (and find out more) here.

ALKI ELEMENTARY AUCTION: Got word tonight of the Alki Elementary PTA Gold Rush Auction & Dinner at 5:30 pm Saturday, November 16th, at The Hall at Fauntleroy. You can browse items for this auction online by going here; and you can buy your tickets online here.

Other major school fundraisers in progress/coming up? Let us know!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday watch; schools out early
October 30, 2013 7:30 am
|      41 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(East-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge; see other cams on the WSB Traffic page)
No trouble on the routes through/out of West Seattle so far. One note for this afternoon – Seattle Public Schools are out two hours early, so you’ll see school buses, biking/walking kids, and other dismissal-time traffic sooner than usual.

Speaking of time – 2 am this Sunday, clocks “fall back” an hour.

7:48 AM: Thanks to Jana for first word of a crash on the bridge – multiple ensuing sources say it’s in the left lane, near the crest of the eastbound high-rise. And this is backing things up into the approaches, multiple commenters say. Here’s the camera showing Fauntleroy headed eastbound toward the bridge:

8:02 AM: If the Water Taxi is an option, here’s the view from the dock a short time ago, thanks to Lise Thivierge:

The camera that usually faces west to show the eastbound bridge WOULD show the crash if it were pointed that way, but every time we check it, it’s pointed somewhere else:

8:24 AM: Commenter CB has gone through the crash zone and reports from the other side that it appears cleaned up, and that once you’re actually on the bridge, things move fast.

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High-school sports: West Seattle HS golf players to state
October 30, 2013 1:26 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

For some fall sports, the playoffs are just beginning. Golf is ahead of the game; the Metro League golf tournament was last week, reports parent Kristin Gibson, who says two West Seattle High School boys-varsity players finished in the top 23, Bailey Fuentes and Zach Gibson (shown above in the photo she shared), and qualified for the state tournament May 28-29 of next year at Tri-Mountain Golf Course in Ridgefield. She also reports that Tony Flores finished 37th and Joe Mitchell 45th. Congratulations to the WSHS golfers!

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