West Seattle, Washington

04 Sunday

74℉

day : 08/10/2014 8 results

West Seattle biznotes: Chili x 9; first anniversary x 2; more
October 8, 2014 10:14 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle biznotes: Chili x 9; first anniversary x 2; more
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

A round of West Seattle biznotes tonight:

CHILI COOKOFF COMPETITORS SET: The Junction Association says it’s filled out the field with nine restaurants ready to face off in a cookoff, the Chili Competition that’ll be part of the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival (co-sponsored by WSB) on Sunday, October 26th:

The 2nd Annual Chili Competition has its official slate of contestants. Thank you for helping to make this West Seattle Food Bank fundraiser possible.

Easy Street Café
Elliott Bay Brewery and Pub
Feedback Lounge
Husky Deli
Quadrato
Shadowland
Terra Cole Butchery
The Swinery
West 5

Husky took the title last year; you can help choose this year’s winner by buying a flight of chili during the event 11 am-1 pm on festival day. (The festival itself runs 10 am-2 pm, including the Farmers’ Market moved out into California SW for the occasion, plus a costume parade at 11:30 am, trick-or-treating at noon, and kids’ activities for the duration. See you there!)

SPEAKING OF QUADRATO … the Junction sandwich/pizza shop at 4302 SW Oregon, owned by Cary Kemp (who also owns Pizzeria 22 in The Admiral District), celebrated its 1st anniversary this week.

AND SPEAKING OF FIRST ANNIVERSARIES … also starting Year 2 is Second Gear Sports in Morgan Junction. Their announcement:

Second Gear Sports is celebrating its first anniversary this weekend! We have been so mightily embraced and supported by the entire community and we feel incredibly fortunate! On October 11, starting at 10 a.m. we will have cake, giveaways, and special discounts. At 2 p.m., Joe Albert from Bellevue’s FiveLo will be bringing a host of Seahawks-inspired gear, including their popular 12th Man ArmSox.

Second Gear is at 6529 California SW.

WEST SEATTLE CYCLERY ON THE ROAD: Actually, on the path:

Tomorrow, Thursday morning, West Seattle Cyclery will be under the West Seattle Bridge with our tent serving a little coffee, snacks and providing on the spot service. We should be set up after 6 am. We will be there until around 9-ish. We know that bike winter commuting in Seattle can be tough so we will be doing this on Thursday mornings a few times a month.

They’ll announce future dates online.

Share This

West Seattle development: Abatement/demolition begins for The Whittaker; six other teardown/rebuild notes
October 8, 2014 6:40 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Seven West Seattle development notes:

ABATEMENT/DEMOLITION WORK BEGINS AT THE WHITTAKER: If you have driven past the site of The Whittaker (400 apartments plus retail including Whole Foods Market) at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW, you might have noticed the heavy equipment beginning work. A project spokesperson confirms that they have “officially started abatement work,” adding that the “auto body shop on 40th is scheduled to be demolished sometime tomorrow.” Major demolition is about two weeks away, if all goes as planned, and construction is set to start next month.

Six smaller demolition/construction projects of note, with permits granted or applied for in the past week or so:

4101 SW OREGON: In The Junction, the demolition permit has just been granted for a project first mentioned here almost a year ago; an 87-year-old house will be demolished and replaced with a 4-unit rowhouse.

4316 SW THISTLE: The application is now in for a “lot boundary adjustment” at this corner parcel, on the books as two lots, as mentioned here in July, though holding one house for more than a century. That house is planned for teardown, and replacement with two single-family houses including “accessory dwelling units,” which means four residences in all. (For “accessory dwelling units” to be legal, the city rules say, the property owner has to live on site, either in the main house or ADU.)

6540 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: In Morgan Junction, this 98-year-old house is proposed for demolition and replacement with a new single-family house.

9007 45TH SW: In Fauntleroy, this 71-year-old house is planned for demolition and replacement.

6047 47TH SW: In Seaview, this 71-year-old house is planned for demolition and replacement.

6470 MARSHALL SW: Also in Seaview, this 95-year-old house is planned for demolition and replacement.

Share This

You can help: Choose where you’ll be part of Duwamish Alive!
October 8, 2014 4:18 pm
|    Comments Off on You can help: Choose where you’ll be part of Duwamish Alive!
 |   Environment | How to help | West Seattle news


View Duwamish Alive! 2014 in a larger map

From West Seattle, south along the Duwamish River, and even to a few spots southeast of where our map ends, October 18th is the fall edition of Duwamish Alive! – 11 work parties to help the river, its watershed, and everyone/everything living in/along them. You only need to commit four hours that day – registration is at 9:30, then you’ll be helping out 10 am-2 pm. Here’s where to go to choose your site and sign up.

Share This

Update: Why police are at Gatewood Elementary
October 8, 2014 2:30 pm
|      41 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

2:30 PM: Police are at Gatewood Elementary right now investigating a report that a child threatened a teacher with a knife. No one has been hurt; we’re there and we have talked to staff. They don’t expect this to interfere with normal dismissal this afternoon. (And if you’re noticing a TV helicopter, this is the report they’re checking out.)

2:46 PM: The district has issued a short update via Twitter: “No injuries at Gatewood after teacher reportedly threatened w/knife. Special-needs student being taken to hospital for evaluation.” Per police-radio communication, the student is 9. As noted in our ongoing coverage of the Gatewood teacher-funding situation, the school has an inclusion program for EBD (emotional/behavioral disorder) students.

Share This

Road-work alert updates: 35th SW paving next two days; Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection closures October 18-19
October 8, 2014 12:26 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Two road-work alerts we’ve discovered since today’s traffic watch:

35TH SW: Big lighted signboard advises road work is scheduled for 35th SW between Cambridge and Roxbury tomorrow and Friday, 7 am-7 pm. No SDOT announcement otherwise, so we have a message out to find out more, and will add the details when we get them. 2:24 PM update: SDOT says it’s paving and is about to send out this announcement:

Paving crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation will work on 35th Avenue Southwest between Southwest Roxbury and Southwest Cambridge streets on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 9 and 10. They will grind and repave the asphalt part of the street. (The street is part concrete and part asphalt.) One lane will remain open in each direction. Work hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

SDOT tells us there is also a tentative plan, weather permitting, to pave 35th between Morgan and Juneau the week of October 21st.

(back to original report) ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT INSPECTION CLOSURES: Found in the fine print of the weekly Construction Lookahead, the next Alaskan Way Viaduct inspection closures are penciled in for 6 am-6 pm Saturday and Sunday, October 18-19.

Share This

‘We’re being held for ransom’: Anger voiced by Gatewood Elementary parents told to raise $90,000 to keep a teacher
October 8, 2014 10:19 am
|      49 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(1:44 PM UPDATE: SPS says in a statement that “Gatewood teaching staff will remain intact” because of the fundraising campaign – full statement is at the end of this story)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

They’re raising the money, but they’re angry about it.

While one group of Gatewood Elementary parents filled the chairs at School Board director Marty McLaren‘s regular community-conversation meeting last night, another led a fundraiser at a private home, toward their goal of raising $90,000 – described by some as “ransom” – to keep Seattle Public Schools from removing a teacher from their school.

Though they learned about the planned cut less than a week ago (here’s our original report), their fundraising campaign – including a hastily organized Saturday bake sale – has brought in $52,000.

That impressed McLaren, who opened last night’s meeting by saying, “I just want to acknowledge the extraordinary show of force that the Gatewood community has made … my sense is that many people from West Seattle proper have really invested in this. It’s really something.”

But also really something the parents can’t believe they have had to do.

“I am outraged,” declared one attendee. “I am just outraged that a major-city school district would try and pull a stunt like this … I cannot believe we are being asked to pay for a teacher salary. This is a major city, I cannot imagine this happening anywhere else in the country.” She drew applause.

“We’re being held for ransom for someone else’s mistake … and it feels precedent setting,” said another. “I don’t want a single dime of that money to go to the district that has a record of poor judgment and misuse … I feel it’s going to happen to another school.”

Read More

Share This

8 things you should know about your West Seattle Wednesday
October 8, 2014 9:00 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(West Seattle Water Taxi and wildlife, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEST SEATTLE/SOUTH PARK LIBRARIES CLOSED: Today only, it’s an in-service day for the staffs of Admiral (West Seattle), Delridge, High Point, South Park, and Southwest branches of the Seattle Public Library, so those libraries are closed; they’ll reopen tomorrow.

HOME OFFICE AND CO-WORKING MEETUP: Noon-1:15 pm, get out of the home office and come join a meetup with other nontraditional workers/entrepreneurs at West Seattle’s only co-working hub, WS Office Junction (WSB sponsor). More info in our calendar listing. (6040 California SW)

EARLY DAYS: Noon-2 pm, weekly drop-in support group for expectant parents and those with babies up to 1 year old, now meeting at Limber Yoga in north Morgan Junction. Details in our calendar listing. (6019 California SW)

GET YOUR FLU SHOT: 4-7:30 pm, Chief Sealth International High School hosts a flu-shot clinic, but it’s NOT just for people with ties to the school – everyone is welcome, says Sealth nurse Alison Enochs. Adults must have proof of insurance (they’ll bill yours) or the $28 cost, but no student will be turned away for lack of insurance. Our original preview is here, including information on another one coming up at WSHS if you miss this one. (2600 SW Thistle)

FEEL LIKE SINGING? 5-6:30 pm, it’s your monthly chance to do exactly that at the Senior Center of West Seattle. All welcome, as explained in our calendar listing. (Oregon/California)

SCHOOL-BOUNDARY-CHANGE MEETING: 6:30 pm in the lunchroom at Fairmount Park Elementary, tonight’s your chance to ask questions about the boundary changes next school year for some Seattle Public Schools. The district says all affected families should have received direct notification, but if you didn’t see our original story on this last week, you might want to check the maps just in case. (38th/Findlay)

34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy; the agenda includes an update from King County Executive Dow Constantine. (9131 California SW)

NIGHTLIFE, NIGHTLIFE, NIGHTLIFE! Lots of options tonight – see the individual listings on our calendar.

Share This

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Foggy (in spots) Wednesday; VP arrival tonight
October 8, 2014 6:47 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Foggy again in some spots, though the bridge/99 views look clearer today than they did at this time on Tuesday.

LANE CLOSURE REMINDER: Today’s the day SDOT plans to close the Spokane Street Viaduct‘s inside eastbound lane 10 am-2 pm, between 4th and 1st, for repairs.

VICE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to arrive this evening and stay through early tomorrow afternoon. The Boeing Field advisory indicates he’s arriving in the 6 pm hour tonight.

TRANSPORTATION NEWS: What’s happening with SDOT‘s proposal to change RapidRide C Line routing in the heart of The Junction? Here’s the latest …

7:44 AM: Regular user of the low bridge? Just another reminder that SDOT now has a separate Twitter feed for bridge closures around the area (and tweeted just a few minutes ago that the low bridge is closed) at @SDOTbridges.

Share This