day : 28/03/2014 11 results

Dan Engel shares that video he recorded today as a house in his Seaview neighborhood was torn down – 6008 44th SW, one of the demolition permits mentioned in our roundup last Saturday. Dan says the 96-year-old, 1230-square-foot house took less than 20 minutes to take down; his video is at six times real time, so the entire demolition (minus cleanup) is shown in about 3 minutes. The house’s planned replacement is shown here.

West Seattle development: See the design packet for 1307 Harbor SW, ex-Alki Tavern site, before next week’s Design Review

March 28, 2014 9:42 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

(From cover of Miller-Hull Partnership design packet for 1307 Harbor SW, showing project outline)
Both design packets are out now for next Thursday’s Southwest Design Review Board doubleheader. The first meeting (6:30 pm Thursday, April 3rd) is for 3210 California, and we reported eight days ago on its revised design. Now, the packet is out for the second project of the night (8 pm Thursday), 1307 Harbor SW, the site including the former Alki Tavern. We showed an early rendering here back on March 3rd; the official packet can be seen here. One feature that stands out: A potential hillclimb between California Way and Harbor Avenue. The packet also lists the toplines:

Development Objectives:
• 100,000 square foot mixed-use structure containing approximately:
– 21 residential apartments, totaling about 25,400 square feet
– 11,800 square feet of commercial office space
– 7,500 square feet of light manufacturing
– 6,700 square feet of ground floor retail
– 4,200 square feet of restaurant
– 41 parking spaces below grade, totaling approximately 14,400 square feet

Because of the varying grade on the site, it would rise 70 feet from ground level at Harbor Avenue, the packet says. Review for yourself, and if you have something to say about the design – this is the early stage, where height/size/shape are the focus – say it during the public-comment period at the meeting, Thursday, April 3rd, 8 pm, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).

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Ready for spring break? 4th-8th graders invited to local music camp

March 28, 2014 6:38 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

Just two weeks until Seattle Public Schools‘ spring-break week – and if you have a West Seattle-area 4th through 8th grader interested in music, this might be the perfect way for her/him to spend that week:

Denny Sealth Performing Arts is once again sponsoring a Spring Break music camp this year, for 4th through 8th graders. Here’s the invitation from the Denny and Sealth music director Marcus Pimpleton:

The camp is a fun and laid-back way for students to spend the break exploring music with other youth from the West Seattle area. The camp will operate April 14th-18th from 9 am – 2 pm and be held in the music rooms at Chief Sealth International High School, 2600 SW Thistle.

Students spend two hours of each day specializing on their primary instrument in an ensemble (band, orchestra or choir) plus 45 minutes of sectionals with their primary instrument. They have another 45 minutes each day to explore a secondary interest (steel drums, guitar, drumline, color guard, choir or jazz band). The rest of the time consists of games and lunch. A suggested donation of $120 is requested, but families are welcome to give as much or as little as they can afford. For more information, please contact mjpimpleton@seattleschools.org.

The registration form is available here.

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West Seattle scene: Beach art rocks!

March 28, 2014 3:57 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Seen around town | West Seattle history

Thanks to Judy Bentley for sharing photos of the rock art near the north end of Constellation Park, south of Alki Point. Earlier in the week, Patricia O’Connor‘s photo of the sun/star formation was shared on the WSB Facebook page; today, Judy’s photo showed patterns beyond the sun/star:

As Judy put it – “artist unknown.”

(P.S. Judy didn’t mention this when writing to us but we happen to know she too is an artist – with words – and one week from today, on Friday 4/4, she’s the next featured author in the Words, Writers, West Seattle series – details here.)

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Take a few minutes to help make sure Seattle’s ready for anything

March 28, 2014 2:01 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Preparedness | West Seattle news

As the Snohomish County slide disaster reminds us, lives can be changed or ended in an instant, without warning. In some cases, preparedness wouldn’t have made a difference. But in many, it can. If you can spare five minutes right now, for starters, you can make a difference – West Seattle community advocate Mat McBride, who also happens to be a private-sector preparedness professional, explains:

While Oso has our collective attention, there’s a local preparedness initiative happening. I’m part of the team updating Seattle’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, and the public feedback portion is underway. This is an important process, as it helps the Office of Emergency Management identify the priorities from its key stakeholders – us. There are two opportunities at present:

* Take the online survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SeaHazMitSurvey. It takes all of 5 minutes to lock in West Seattle concerns and priorities.

* Attend the public meeting: April 8 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Rainier Community Center, 4600 38th Ave. South Seattle

Interpretation and accommodations are available upon advance request to Donna Voss, Project Manager, at (206) 233-5089 or by email at:
HazardMitigationPlanUpdate@seattle.gov

The survey took us just four minutes – its centerpiece is a list in which you can rate your level of concern about types of disaster both natural and man-made.

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West Seattle-wide WS4OSO benefit updates: Sunday’s the big day; events tonight, Saturday too

March 28, 2014 11:56 am

| 14 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

This pup’s helping in the aftermath of the Snohomish County slide …

Compelling photo of a muddy search dog at the scene of the fatal Washington mudslide. NA-66FR pic.twitter.com/7tbUvjx4Pc

— CNN Newsource (@CNNNewsource) March 28, 2014

…can you?

You don’t even have to head 65 miles north to Oso to do so. The WS4OSO – West Seattle for Oso – benefit just keeps growing. Proposed by West Seattle community-builder/fundraiser Tracy Dart on Wednesday night and formally launched shortly thereafter to give West Seattle businesses and residents a way to reach northward with a helping hand, it now includes events tonight and tomorrow as well as various opportunities on the main day, Sunday. Highlights:

*Tonight, West Seattle Bowl is donating part of the proceeds from its bowling/cider event (details here)

*Saturday night, the West Seattle Eagles will host a fundraising dinner, open to the public, 5:30-7 pm: “Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes, corn, and dessert for $9.”

*Sunday, at least 27 West Seattle businesses are signed up for various types of participation – you’ll want to check with any individual participating business you visit, to be sure, but the list so far is in a couple spots on the Facebook page – mostly here, with additions here and here.

*Cash donations will be collected in the Farmers’ Market vicinity on Sunday.

If you’re interested in participating, contact info is in the original announcement published here Thursday.

ADDED 2:58 PM: By request, especially for those who don’t use FB, here’s what we’re seeing on the official page so far, in terms of participants. Again, this is VERY grass-roots, and participating businesses/organizations are doing what they can and choose to do, so if info is not listed in terms of what percentage of proceeds (etc.), please inquire when you stop in tomorrow – thanks!

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West Seattle Friday: Garden Club; book event; WS Community Orchestras concert; development meeting; more

March 28, 2014 10:39 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Myrtle for the Thursday afternoon view of clouds and sun, looking eastward from SW Dakota. Here in the midst of a thoroughly gray Friday morning, we look ahead to the rest of the day, via highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEST SEATTLE GARDEN CLUB: Under way now until 2 pm at Daystar Retirement Village. The club says you’re welcome to drop in for all or part of the meeting, which concludes with a 1 pm presentation about container gardening. More details in our listing. (2615 SW Barton)

ZARNI AT SALTY’S: Singer/songwriter Zarni De Wet performs at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), 5:30-8:30 pm. (1936 Harbor SW)

AUTHOR READING: Christopher Anderson reads from, signs, and sells his new book titled “Alki“ – read more about it here – tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

JUNCTION DEVELOPMENT MEETING: As reported here on Thursday, a new community group is organizing to oppose plans for a 40-apartment building at 4139 41st SW and it’s meeting at 7 pm tonight at the Holy Rosary School Hall. (4142 42nd SW)

GRIEVES, LIVE AT EASY STREET: 7 pm at Easy Street Records, Seattle rapper Grieves performs live in-store. (California/Alaska)

‘THE PASSION ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE’: Live performance by Leonardo Defilippis at Our Lady of Guadalupe; details in our calendar listing. 7 pm. (35th/Myrtle)

WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS: 7:30 pm, Kim Roy conducts WSCO in a “Concert of Classics.” Free (donations appreciated), Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium. (2600 SW Thistle)

VIDEO/YOGA: Yoga and video art, side by side, Center Studio (WSB sponsor), 7:30-9 pm – read about it in our calendar listing. (9611 16th SW)

Lots more on the calendar!

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Highland Park Action Committee: HPIC ‘greening’ update; more

March 28, 2014 9:18 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Environment | Highland Park | West Seattle news

The “de-paved” lot outside Highland Park Improvement Club was a major topic at this week’s meeting of the Highland Park Action Committee, which convenes at HPIC. As work continues on greening the HPIC grounds following last Saturday’s work party (WSB coverage here), two events are ahead: Boeing employees will volunteer at a work party on April 19th; a week later, on April 26th, the site will be a Sustainability Stop on the annual Northwest Green Home Tour, with co-hosts including Sustainable Seattle and Stewardship Partners, and a chance to look at nearby RainWise installations too. Find out more about the tour here (scroll way down that page to see HPIC, “stop #11”; two West Seattle homes are on the tour too).

Two more toplines from HPAC’s meeting, ahead: Read More

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Rainy Friday

March 28, 2014 7:07 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Rainy Friday commute ahead. Above, the eastbound West Seattle Bridge view; below, the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct view:

7:07 AM: You can see more cameras, and other info, on the WSB Traffic page. Looking ahead to the weekend, no major projects on the routes through/from/to West Seattle, but if you’re heading off-peninsula, check out SDOT‘s citywide weekend preview here.

8:01 AM: Still no major incidents. WSDOT reports most major routes are slower than usual.

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Memorial planned April 5th for Mary Jane Holtan, 1938-2014

March 28, 2014 6:59 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

The family of West Seattleite Mary Jane Holtan shares this remembrance and announcement of her upcoming memorial:

Mary Jane Holtan, 75, passed away on March 20th, 2014.

A Memorial will be held on April 5th at 4 pm at Alki United Church of Christ, 6115 SW Hinds.

Mary was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, to Ralph and Alice Platt, on April 27, 1938. She went to school at Mt. Si High School in Snoqualmie.

She married Oryland (Bud) Holtan on May 7th, 1960. Mary is preceded in death by her husband, her parents Ralph and Alice Platt, and her two Brothers James Platt and David Platt.

She is survived by Dean Holtan (son), Sheila Holtan (daughter-in-law), Janice Platt (sister-in-law), and several nieces and nephews.

Donations may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Mary’s name online (here).

(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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Morgan Junction murder trial: How the shortened week ended

March 28, 2014 2:03 am

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| Crime | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

After an abbreviated Wednesday session in which the ailing defense team “powered through” the proceedings, as Judge Theresa B. Doyle put it, she granted their request to put the Morgan Junction murder trial into recess Thursday for an extra day off, so it resumes on Monday.

The defense is likely to rest its case next week after calling witnesses including defendant Lovett “Cid” Chambers‘s wife Sara Chambers.

Wednesday’s testimony started with vocabulary and ended with testing

The former Rocksport bartender who says she clashed with shooting victim Travis Hood over his use of the N-word was back on the stand as the day began.

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