West Seattle, Washington

16 Tuesday

79℉

day : 22/07/2014 8 results

West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 car prowls, with stolen items including ‘unmistakable’ skateboard
July 22, 2014 10:19 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Thieves took Eron‘s skateboard in one of two car prowls for which we have reader reports tonight. Eron says it happened “in front of my house at 11th and Kenyon and my dog woke me up but not in time. … they took a lot of things; most of it was recovered by walking just around my block. The big score was a set of keys to nothing in this county and my custom longboard that I made from a vintage kids’ water ski. It is unmistakable. Yellow with red swirls and blue wheels. It is largely a sentimental loss and has very little ‘street’ value, as it is easily identified from any distance.”

Further south on 11th SW, in the 8800 block, Darcey reports: “Someone went thru my car last night. I left the door unlocked accidentally. Didn’t take anything- but we had nothing worth taking. Just threw stuff around, searching.”

P.S. Though local crime-prevention groups don’t meet again until September, you are now two weeks away from a prime chance to get together with your neighbors in support of safety and community – Night Out is Tuesday, August 5th, and you can sign up your block party by going here. (As always, we’ll be stopping by parties around West Seattle, and thanks to those who’ve already sent word of theirs without us even asking – editor@westseattleblog.com.)

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Election 2014: No minimum-wage referendum on November ballot; meantime, 2 weeks left to cast your August vote
July 22, 2014 7:55 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgTwo election-related notes tonight:

First, King County Elections announced today that both proposed referendum measures related to the Seattle minimum-wage law have failed to make the ballot. 16,510 valid signatures were needed to make the ballot; the petitions by a group called Forward Seattle had 14,818, while another petition drive, by (corrected) Save Our Choice, had fewer than 500 valid signatures.

Second, ballots are due in two weeks for the August 5th election. Yours should have arrived by now – check with the county if you haven’t received it. It’s not just a primary – there is one major ballot measure, the proposal to create a Seattle Park District with permanent taxing authority for city-parks funding beyond the annual general-fund spending. The most recent forum on the measure in our area was at July’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting; here’s our coverage.

P.S. If you don’t want to spend postage money to send in your ballot, there are other options, including ballot-dropoff vans in West Seattle and White Center on August 2nd, 4th, and 5th.

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Updates: President Obama’s four-and-a-half-hour Seattle visit
July 22, 2014 3:00 pm
|      55 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

3 PM: President Obama is expected to land at nearby Boeing Field around 3:15 pm, according to regional media; if you recall, the Boeing Field advisory linked here Monday opened the window at 3 pm. There’s widespread confirmation today that he’ll be headed to two Democratic Party fundraisers. First one’s in Madrona, which means I-5 traffic stopdowns (including exits from the West Seattle Bridge to I-5); second one is in Hunts Point – The Seattle Times (WSB partner) even published the invitation. Then he is expected to fly out by about 7:30. We’ll add updates here.\

(Tweet from Times political reporter Jim Brunner)
3:07 PM UPDATE: Air Force One has just landed, per live TV streams. (Here’s the link to KING 5.)

3:17 PM UPDATE: A prominent West Seattleite is at Boeing Field to help greet the president, according to KING’s Linda Brill on the live feed linked above – King County Executive Dow Constantine.

3:26 PM UPDATE: Motorcade is on the move now, after the President spent a few minutes shaking hands at Boeing Field.

Here’s more info on the not-public party-fundraiser dinner that will be his second stop.

3:46 PM UPDATE: The presidential motorcade has arrived in Madrona.

His second event, dinner in Hunts Point, is scheduled to start at 5 pm, so we’ll update when we hear that move is on. His return to Boeing Field is likely ~7-ish.

5:04 PM UPDATE: That next motorcade move is reportedly about to start – Madrona to Hunts Point.

5:39 PM UPDATE: Apparently the preparedness starts way in advance. TV people on the ground are tweeting that the trip between locations is under way *now*. (Added: He is reported to have arrived in HP around 5:50 pm. Next leg of the motorcade will be back to Boeing Field in an hour or so.)

7:11 PM UPDATE: Per regional media, the motorcade is either on the move again or about to be. (Added: Now departing:)

7:32 PM UPDATE: The motorcade has arrived at Boeing Field.

7:43 PM UPDATE: And Air Force One is off, headed for San Francisco. As outlined in the Boeing Field advisory published Monday, he was on the ground here for four and a half hours.

9:42 PM UPDATE: For details of what the president said at his first stop, there’s a full report up on The Seattle Lesbian by its founder, West Seattle journalist Sarah Toce.

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Daystar Retirement Village: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor
July 22, 2014 2:16 pm
|    Comments Off on Daystar Retirement Village: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Daystar Retirement Village has joined WSB as one of our newest sponsors – and here’s what they would like you to know!

Welcome to Daystar Retirement Village! We are a locally-owned-and-operated retirement community with independent and assisted living apartments located in the south end of West Seattle.

Independent living at Daystar does not mean you have to “go it alone”! Our independent residents have amenities you might find in a fine hotel included in the monthly rent at Daystar. Things like scheduled transportation, zero maintenance apartments, full appliances in independent units (including washer and dryer), and well-being checks throughout the day, are some of the services our independent residents benefit from.

For those residents who need a little extra assistance to maintain their independence, we can provide Personal Assistance Services that include numerous medical and non-medical tasks for an additional monthly fee. For all residents, we have 24-hour staffing, flexible meal plans, housekeeping, free parking, emergency call system, locked front doors with surveillance cameras, and we’re pet-friendly!

Daystar offers a variety of diverse activities. It is your choice whether you want to participate but we truly have something for everyone. Art and history classes, trips to tourist sites and local shopping, Tai Chi, ice cream socials, movies, barbeques, and wellness classes are just a small sample of what you’ll find here.

Our location is another great advantage. We are just across the street from Westwood Village, which offers multiple restaurants, a gym, a US Post Office, Starbucks, Rite Aid, Target, and numerous other amenities. We have been a member in this community since 1988; we hope you will come visit us. We have someone here to give you a personal look around Daystar every day of the week. After your visit you will understand why the folks who live here often say: It’s so good to be home! Call 206-937-6122 and/or send a note here to schedule a visit.

We thank Daystar Retirement Village for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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West Seattle scene: Do you know where YOUR ‘hub’ is?
July 22, 2014 12:01 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Preparedness | West Seattle news

In case of catastrophe – there’s likely a Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hub near you, a place where you can go to get and share information about what’s happening and how to get help. Pigeon Point has a new hub location – 20th/Genesee – on the West Seattle Be Prepared Emergency Communication Hubs roster, and Jim Sander has created signs to help get the word out:

Thanks to Pete Spalding for sharing the photos. P.S. So where’s YOUR nearest hub, you ask? Check this map from westseattlebeprepared.org:


View West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs in a larger map

Don’t see one near you? Here’s how to change that.

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West Seattle Tuesday: Four calendar highlights for tonight
July 22, 2014 9:49 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Mark Wangerin for sharing that photo of a brightly colored bird on this gray (so far) day – he explains, “House Finches are common yard birds in WS, often seen at seed feeders.” Today’s calendar highlights include four options for tonight:

KURT LINDSAY, LIVE: 5:30 pm, Kurt Lindsay is tonight’s featured musician at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) – no cover, no minimum, yes view. (1936 Harbor Ave. SW)

FAMILY STORYTIME: Delridge Branch Library has a tale to tell you at 7 tonight; details in our calendar listing. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

BLUES TO DO, LIVE: Tuesday = Blues-day at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), as Blues To Do continues, tonight featuring Jr. Cadillac Mini, 8 pm. (6451 California SW)

STARLIGHT SONGWRITER SHOWCASE: 9-11 pm at Shadowland in The Junction; details in our calendar listing.

MORE … on our calendar!

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Fauntleroy Schoolhouse’s future: See what’s next, as nonprofit opens arms to community investment
July 22, 2014 9:00 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fauntleroy | How to help | West Seattle news

Since becoming a community-owned facility four years ago, the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse has made major progress toward taking care of necessary repairs and other upgrades. Now there’s one more hurdle to cross – and the schoolhouse’s managers are doing it via crowd-loaning, which will cost less, and enrich community connections more, than the traditional method of money-borrowing. You are invited to come find out about it tomorrow night (Wednesday, July 23rd) in The Emerald Room at The Hall at Fauntleroy on the south side of the schoolhouse:

The Fauntleroy Community Service Agency invites you to hear about a groundbreaking, socially minded investment opportunity while learning about plans for updates to our Schoolhouse.

We have partnered with Semble, a Washington-based business that is helping non-profits significantly lower the cost of capital projects by calling on their own communities to become investors, rather than using more traditional financing
sources. Come learn how you can become an investor in the future of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and preserve its rich heritage. (This is not a donation but rather an investment that will earn you a rate of return.) We hope to see you!

For a preview, browse the schoolhouse project’s Semble page. That’s 7 pm tomorrow, with light refreshments, at 9131 California SW.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; presidential visit this pm
July 22, 2014 7:02 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; presidential visit this pm
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Northbound I-5 is reported to have some slowdowns downtown because of a crash near the Seneca ramp. That’s what’s up as we start the morning watch, and for later:

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT TODAY: Still no exact routes/times but as reported here on Monday, the advisory issued by Boeing Field, which Air Force One will use, suggest his quick visit for a Madrona fundraiser (possibly also Hunts Point) will be in the 3-7:30 pm vicinity. Especially in the I-5 corridor, prepare for possible motorcade stops/slowdowns.

The big transportation news, in case you missed it:

BUS-CUT PLAN CHANGE: The County Council and County Executive have agreed to go ahead with this September’s Metro cuts as previously announced, and the same amount of service cuts next February as planned – but not necessarily the same routes – and then before they get anywhere near September 2015, when the worst West Seattle cuts were supposed to happen, they’ll revisit the whole thing in the budgeting process.

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