day : 17/05/2014 10 results

West Seattle weekend scene: Disaster drill at Ercolini Park

May 17, 2014 11:22 pm
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 |   Preparedness | West Seattle news

The volunteers of West Seattle Be Prepared are more prepared than ever after today’s emergency-communications drill at Ercolini Park west of The Junction. WSBP’s Karen Berge shared these photos, and reports, “Fortunately, the weather was nice and we had a great turnout of volunteers and people who stopped by to ask about what we were doing!” In case you missed the preview, they were acting out what might happen in the event of a major Mount Rainier ash/mudflow, and how the neighborhood “hubs” (explained here) would communicate and cooperate. Ercolini and North Delridge hubs “activated” at the park for the drill, but volunteers from elsewhere helped, including Gordon Wiehler, Fauntleroy hub captain, who served as a radio operator at Ercolini

Alki hub captain Tony Fragada also served as a radio operator. At left in the next photo, debriefing post-drill, is Ercolini hub captain Kris Buitrago ):

The hubs are set to activate in case of catastrophe – and you’ll want to know where the nearest hub is, since it’ll be a place to go to find information and seek help. Here’s the current West Seattle hub map:


View West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs in a larger map

Along with Karen, fellow WSBP leaders Deb Greer and Cindi Barker were there, along with North Delridge hub captain Jay McNally; the EC Hughes hub’s acting captain Shane Marr was “offsite in the role of Net Control,” Karen mentions. You can find out more about WSBP at tomorrow’s Seattle Summer Streets event on Alki, 11 am-5 pm – look for them toward the west side of the street-fest zone, between 61st and 63rd.

West Seattle weekend scene: Highland Park, Uncorked!

Thanks to Donna for photos from the early going of tonight’s Highland Park Uncorked! – the sold-out fundraiser at historic Highland Park Improvement Club. Note the decoration in the foreground of the top photo! It might be best described as a collaborative wine tasting event, as explained here – everybody brings a bottle of their favorite $15-or-less wine, and, under wraps, they’re distributed to the tables. Tasting, voting, noshing, and raffling ensue.

We’ll update later when the winners, and the fundraising estimate, are announced. If you haven’t been there – HPIC is both a community organization and an almost-century-old hall that serves as a community hub, and continues to avolve (the recent “de-paving” out front is just one example). This year’s HP Uncorked! sponsors included WSB.

High-school baseball playoffs: Seattle Lutheran update

May 17, 2014 7:21 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Thanks to Joe Puckett for the report on today’s Seattle Lutheran game:

In a game that determined the seedings for next week’s regional 2B baseball tournament, the Seattle Lutheran Saints lost to the LaConner Braves by a final score of 6 to 1. As the winner, LaConner will be the number 1 seed from the District 1/2 group and Seattle Lutheran will be the number 2 seed. Sealu will play on Saturday, May 24 in Adna and must win a double-header to move on to the 4-team state final on May 31.

Getting to school safely: West Seattle meeting next week

May 17, 2014 6:22 pm
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 |   Safety | West Seattle news

What’s in the works to improve safety along the roads and sidewalks leading to local schools – and what isn’t, but should be? Join a discussion this Tuesday night (May 20th) in West Seattle to help design the city’s School Road Safety Plan. Thanks to Cathy Tuttle from Seattle Neighborhood Greenways for sharing news of the meeting, which she calls “simply the most important road-safety meeting you can attend this year.” It’s one of three meetings around the city, and it’s set for 6-7:30 pm Tuesday at Southwest Branch Library (35th/Henderson); more details in this Facebook event invite.

Road trip – by sea! West Seattle High School Band in Victoria

(Behind the band, that’s the historic Empress hotel in Victoria)
If you happen to be visiting Victoria this weekend, be on the lookout for the West Seattle High School Marching Band! Parent Steve W shares photos and this report:

The WSHS Marching Band, under direction of Ethan Thomas, is spending the weekend in Victoria for the Victoria Day Parade and other events. We rode the Clipper up this morning and just finished our first performance at the Lower Causeway.

(And behind the band from this angle, that’s the Parliamentary building in B.C.)
The Victoria Day Parade is the provincial capital’s biggest parade of the year, and is coming up on Monday, the provincial holiday celebrated in honor of Queen Victoria’s birthday.

West Seattle scene: Mack Strong @ Thriftway benefit barbecue

May 17, 2014 3:09 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Getting to the goal lines of life requires help sometimes – and that’s what retired 14-season Seahawk Mack Strong‘s Team-Works Foundation is all about, helping hundreds of kids every year. We photographed Strong this afternoon outside West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), where the first official benefit barbecue of the season raised $ for the foundation, led by Strong and wife Zoe Higheagle Strong, founded more than a decade ago. As the poster next to him in the photo points out, the foundation’s biggest benefit of the year is coming up in mid-July, a golf tournament and dinner/auction (registration/tickets are available online). Next Thriftway barbecue, meantime, is coming up in two weeks (since next weekend brings Memorial Day, you’re probably having your own barbecue).

One day until Zumbathon benefit for Transitional Resources

May 17, 2014 1:35 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Let’s say you’re already set for the West Seattle 5K tomorrow morning, benefiting WS High School students through the PTSA. You have another chance to get moving for a good cause later in the day – Sunday afternoon, it’s the Zumbathon benefit for Transitional Resources, sponsored by an array of local businesses to assist TR in its work helping people living with mental-health challenges. Get dancing 1-3 pm Sunday with instructors Jennifer Cepeda and Annie Stilts, inside the spacious West Seattle Christian Church Activity Center at 4400 42nd SW; registration info is here.

West Seattle coyotes: Two sightings, three animals

From the WSB inbox, two coyote reports – first one sent this morning by Debbie:

Just saw a coyote heading east on 108th Street toward 35th [map] in Arbor Heights.

And this note from Russell is about a Wednesday morning double sighting:

Just wanted to warn our neighbors in Gatewood that my wife spotted two very healthy coyotes in the intersection of SW Monroe Street and 41st Avenue SW [map] at 3:45 am (Wednesday morning). After a few minutes they headed south on 41st.

Our standard footnote: We share coyote reports on occasion in the interest of being educational; believe it or not, we still hear from and about people who don’t realize coyotes live in the city, or think you’ll only see them next to greenbelts, or at night, or … It’s in the coyotes’ interests and ours that we keep a wary distance apart; this info from the state explains how (including this key advice: if you see one, try to scare it away).

More than a dozen options for your West Seattle Saturday, plus two traffic alerts

Thanks to whomever texted us the squirrel photo on Friday (more and more people are texting photos – 206-293-6302 – which is great, except we don’t usually know the # so we don’t know who to credit!). **Update: Thanks to Shelly Aaron of West Seattle BodyWorks for the photo!**

(back to original report) Now the weekend has arrived, and here’s the slightly-delayed-by-breaking-news preview for today, starting with two traffic alerts:

ONE LANE ON CALIFORNIA SOUTH OF THE JUNCTION … because of the crane-removal work we mentioned last night. We just stopped by:

Police are directing traffic. The work could continue as late as 6 pm.

TRACTION WORK ON OLSON: Road work is scheduled this weekend at the east end of Roxbury – details here. (Added 9:16 am: We just drove through the work zone. One lane is open each way.)

And now, event highlights:

BOOK SALE AT TIBBETTS: 10 am-2 pm, Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) welcomes you to come browse the huge array of books it has for sale.

The photo sent by Tibbetts shows just a few. (3940 41st SW)

BENEFIT RUMMAGE SALE AT HOPE: 9 am-3 pm, as announced: “Please stop by and support the Ensenada Christian Ministries and The Friends of Literacy at a huge sale at Hope Lutheran Church. Great items – kitchen, clothes, furniture. Everything but the kitchen sink.” (42nd/Oregon)

EMERGENCY-PREPAREDNESS DRILL: 9 am-noon at Ercolini Park west of The Junction, local Emergency Communication Hubs volunteers are practicing how information and help might be distributed if the region were dealing with a volcanic mud and ash flow. Here’s our preview. (48th/Alaska)

MORNING PERFORMANCE OF MADISON MUSICAL: 10 am, it’s the second and final performance of this year’s Madison Middle School musical, “High School Musical,” in the auditorium at West Seattle High School. See our Friday highlights for the plot summary. Tickets at the door, $15/adults, $10/students. (3000 California SW)

DAKOTA PLACE PARK CLEANUP: 10 am-noon, you’re invited to help with spring cleaning at the park built around the historic former substation – BYO tools! Details here. (California/Dakota)

MEEPLES GAMES OPENS: One of West Seattle’s newest businesses, a store/café to play and buy games, is celebrating its grand opening 10 am-10 pm today, as noted here. (California/Charlestown)

THRIFTWAY BARBECUE WITH MACK STRONG: Starting around 11:30 am outside West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), the retired Seahawks star will be at the grill for the first official benefit barbecue of the season (bratwurst!), with proceeds going to his TEAM-WORKS Foundation. (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)

WEST SEATTLE 5K SIGNUPS/PACKET PICKUP: Tomorrow’s the day – the West Seattle 5K (co-sponsored by WSB) along Alki, just after 9 am. If you’re not already signed up, you don’t have to get up extra early to do it before the race – you can go to West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) today, noon-6 pm. If you’re already signed up, that’s also when you can pick up your packet in advance. (California/Charlestown)

SUMMER CAMP OPEN HOUSE: Local nonprofit Unified Outreach invites you to Ginomai Art Center, noon-4 pm, to find out more about its cartoon-animation summer camp for youth – details here. (42nd/Genesee)

strong>LOW TIDE: -2.6 at 1:29 pm, and this is as low as it will go, this cycle. Find the tide chart any time on the WSB West Seattle Weather page.

BENEFIT FOR MUDSLIDE VICTIMS: “SOS for OSO” tonight at Skylark Café and Club, starting at 7 pm; details in our calendar listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

CHORAL CONCERT: 7:30 pm at Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation‘s Gatewood church; details in our calendar listing. (7141 California SW)

METAL MANIACS/AQUA NET REUNION: 9:30 pm, the title says it all for this live-music event at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) – an annual event! (6451 California SW)

And just for the record …

HIGHLAND PARK UNCORKED (SOLD OUT): Just in case you wonder what’s up at Highland Park Improvement Club tonight – it’s the wildly popular annual HPIC wine event, so popular it sold out in advance. Watch hpic1919.org for next year’s announcement!

EVEN WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE … there’s still more on our calendar.

Update: House-fire call in 4000 block SW Holgate

May 17, 2014 7:47 am
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 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
7:47 AM: Big Seattle Fire response for a possible house fire in North Admiral, in the 4000 block of Holgate (map). More to come.

7:50 AM: Small fire – it’s already reported tapped, and some units are being sent back.

8:07 AM: The fire was indeed small and was on the back porch, Seattle Fire is telling us on scene. Their investigator is currently trying to figure out how it started. No injuries.