day : 28/03/2015 11 results

7:53 PM: WSDOT says the Alaskan Way Viaduct not only has reopened for tonight, it will NOT have to close again tomorrow – the inspection work is all done. But that *only* affects the stretch between the West Seattle Bridge and the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel; north of the tunnel, it remains closed until Monday morning, so if you head northbound on 99, you’ll have to exit by Western. Read the full announcement here.

9:55 PM: As of a short time ago, the “Viaduct Closed” lights are still flashing on signs approaching the bridge – but the road really is open.

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VIDEO: Time to ‘Thrive’ at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center

March 28, 2015 7:52 pm

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| Delridge | Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

7:52 PM: Youngstown Cultural Arts Center is celebrating its ninth birthday tonight with the “Thrive 9” party, on until 9 pm. We visited in the early going, and watched a Seattle Balloon Arts creation in progress. Next door, Eli Rosenblatt was singing:

(ADDED: Video, with audience participation:)

Other scheduled performers: Eduardo Mendonca and the Dogg Pound dance crew (born from the Vicious Puppies, featured here on Delridge Day 2009).

ADDED SUNDAY MORNING: Thanks to Megan Snow from Flourish Dance Project for a quick clip from the Dogg Pound Crew’s performance:

Youngstown’s calendar is full of regular classes, youth programs, and special events; but it’s worth just stopping by during the day for a look – you’ll find the hallway full of art displays as well as interpretive information and photos explaining the history of the building (the original Frank B. Cooper School) and the surrounding area.

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VIDEO: M/V Sally Fox, the first of two new King County Water Taxis, christened

March 28, 2015 5:58 pm

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| King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

The first of two new King County Water Taxis was christened on Vashon Island today. Above, breaking mesh-covered champagne bottles onto the M/V Sally Fox, that’s County Executive Dow Constantine, Ms. Fox’s daughter Kelly Fox Violet, and County Councilmember Joe McDermott. Big turnout at the passenger-ferry dock on north Vashon:

Here’s a better look at the boat, whose twin, M/V Doc Maynard, is coming to West Seattle this fall.

Executive Constantine talked about the growth in Water Taxi ridership – 445,000 trips last year, taking cars off the roads:

He also mentioned seeing people at the ceremony whose involvement with the county’s foot-ferry efforts goes way back. We noticed one of them – his predecessor, former County Executive Ron Sims:

During Sims’s tenure, the county took over Vashon foot-ferry service, which was formerly run by the state. Meantime, 80 percent of the $11 million cost of the two new boats – both built at All American Marine in Bellingham – was covered by federal grant money. Another financial point, brought up by County Councilmember Joe McDermott – savings realized by merging the King County Ferry District into the county Department of Transportation:

He talked about the Vashon boat’s namesake, Sally Fox, who died in 2007; her widower, retired Judge Michael Fox, also spoke at the event. Here’s the plaque that will honor her onboard:

One more look at the boat!

With room for 250 passengers and 26 bicycles, the Sally Fox officially goes into service next month. Go here to read the official county news release about the boat and today’s event.

P.S. It’s not affected by this, but in case you wondered – the West Seattle Water Taxi’s seven-days-a-week spring/summer schedule starts on April 6th, one week from Monday.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen car? Plus, hit-run mystery

March 28, 2015 5:16 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Two cars to show you in West Seattle Crime Watch. First:

SEEN IN HIGHLAND PARK: Laura sent us that photo, and before we got the chance to publish it, Gretchen sent a note about the same car, a Nissan Sentra GXE, abandoned at 18th and Cloverdale (map), described as “entire engine block … missing and had four spare tires. No license plates.” And a gutted interior. It’s been reported to SPD.

HIT-AND-RUN MYSTERY: This happened to Brian‘s car early today:

He writes:

I live at 48th SW and Oregon [map]. Last night right before 2:30 am, a red SUV with a black roof and chrome extended grill smashed into my car. I heard the collision and saw the SUV take off heading west on Oregon from my bedroom window but didn’t get the plate.

Any idea whose SUV that was? A report’s been filed with police – case #100658.

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TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE: Crash cleared on eastbound bridge

March 28, 2015 3:45 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

3:45 PM: Thanks to the texter who just alerted us to this (206-293-6302 any time), noting that it’s compounded by the fact 99 is closed: A three-car collision is blocking two lanes on the eastbound bridge, described by SDOT as “west of 4th Avenue S.”

4:02 PM UPDATE: Adding the WSDOT camera that’s currently pointed westward, looking at the collision scene. Here’s the view looking eastward over the upper and lower bridges – the latter seems a better option right now.

4:44 PM: SDOT says the crash has cleared. The backup will take a while longer.

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West Seattle weekend scene: Three Tree Point yacht race

March 28, 2015 3:36 pm

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| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(Photo by DLBJ)
Thanks to everyone who’s shared photos of the yachts seen today off West Seattle’s west-facing shores … it’s the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle‘s Three Tree Point race.

(Photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: More photos.

(Photo by Gary Jones)
Couple more to come. Results from today’s race are linked from this page on the club’s website.

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Mayor Murray’s 2 1/2-plus-hour West Seattle visit, report #1: Roll call, walking tour, coffee chat

March 28, 2015 2:23 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(WSB photo: David Groves of Seattle Logo Pro presents the mayor with a hometown T-shirt)
2:23 PM: Within the past half-hour, Mayor Ed Murray wrapped up more than two and a half hours in West Seattle – including second-watch roll call at the Southwest Precinct, a walking tour of The Junction and Triangle, and an open-to-all coffee chat that drew more than 20 people. Talking with WSB for a few minutes after all that (we were along for the walking tour and coffee chat), the mayor said he was inspired by the “positive, can-do attitude” of the people he talked with – the “most upbeat … neighborhood” he’d visited. We’ll be adding more photos and the full story over the next few hours.

MIDNIGHT: Took longer than we had hoped. Here’s how it unfolded:

(Photo courtesy Mayor Murray’s office)
The mayor’s visit to the precinct wasn’t pre-announced to the media, unlike the walking tour, so we don’t know what was said – we heard about it from an officer we were talking to about something else, somewhere else, then asked mayoral communications director Viet Shelton if a photo were available. The walking tour started from Elliott Bay Brewing, where Murray checked out EB’s new reusable takeout containers:

Meeting up with the mayor there were four community advocates – René Commons of the Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO), Susan Melrose of the West Seattle Junction Association, Josh Sutton of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), and Vlad Oustimovitch.

/CONTINUES/
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VIDEO: The Whale Trail’s first Orca Talk of 2015, with researcher Brad Hanson

March 28, 2015 11:34 am

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| West Seattle news | Wildlife

The Whale Trail‘s first Orca Talk of 2015 drew a good-sized crowd to C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) on Thursday night – but in case you couldn’t be there to hear Brad Hanson from the NOAA Fisheries Science Center talk about the Southern Resident Killer Whales and his recent research trip – which included the discovery of the newest SRKW orca calf – we recorded it on video. Two parts – above (with TWT’s Donna Sandstrom introducing Hanson) and below.

Watch TWT’s website for word of the next event!

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Six weeks until West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day on May 9th; registration starts next Wednesday

March 28, 2015 9:31 am

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

On this springtime Saturday, thoughts turn to … garage/yard/rummage sales. We call it “person-to-person recycling.” Six weeks from today, for six hours, sellers and shoppers will turn the peninsula into an epicenter of that activity, during the 11th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – 9 am-3 pm on Saturday, May 9th. We’re coordinating it for the eighth year; this is another alert that registration opens this Wednesday (April 1st).

If you’re new to West Seattle and/or WSB – this is NOT one big garage sale, but instead, many sales of all sizes, all over West Seattle. If you don’t have enough room for your own sale, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) proprietor Lora Swift has announced they’re again offering courtyard spaces (including the lot at Ginomai across the alley to the east of her shop, which is at 4410 California SW).

Again, registration will open on Wednesday – we’ll link the form from WSB and from the official WSCGSD site at westseattlegaragesale.com when it’s ready to go!.\

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West Seattle Saturday: Viaduct/99 closure reminder, and what you can do without that being a problem

March 28, 2015 7:33 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

We start with a traffic/transit reminder:

HIGHWAY 99 CLOSURE: It’s a two-phase closure – from the West Seattle Bridge to the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel, 99 is closed until 6 pm tonight (and then scheduled to be closed again 6 am-6 pm Sunday) for the twice-yearly inspection; from the tunnel north to Valley Street, it’s closed until Monday morning. Also, westbound I-90 has lane closures that will likely slow I-5 just north of the West Seattle Bridge, too. It’s all summarized by WSDOT here. Looking for bus-reroute info? It’s on the Metro website.

Now, highlights here on the peninsula:

FAIRMOUNT RAVINE CLEANUP: Meet at 8:30 at Fairmount/Forest south of the ravine, and give whatever time you can to this annual cleanup along a route used by many to get between Alki and Admiral. Here’s our original preview with more details.

GOOP BREAKFAST: If you know what that means, you’ll want to be there. 9 am-noon at Fauntleroy Church. (9140 California SW)

COFFEE CHAT WITH MAYOR MURRAY: 12:30 pm at Chaco Canyon Organic Café in The Triangle. Here’s our original preview. (38th/Alaska)

WSHS BASEBALL AT SAFECO FIELD: You can get there without the Viaduct, and the weather’s looking better than forecast, so go cheer the West Seattle HS Wildcats in a FREE game ($5 garage parking is all you’ll be out, or take the bus) at Safeco Field vs. Sedro Woolley in the annual High School Baseball Classic – preview here. (1250 1st Ave. S.)

WATER TAXI CELEBRATION: You can also get to this without the Viaduct – just walk onto a Washington State Ferry from Fauntleroy, and when you get to Vashon Island, walk next door to the foot-ferry dock. 1-4 pm, the new Water Taxi, M/V Sally Fox, will be dedicated/celebrated, with King County Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember Joe McDermott on hand; Sally Fox is a twin to the under-construction West Seattle Water Taxi, M/V Doc Maynard. (10800 N. Vashon Highway)

THRIVE 9: Youngstown Cultural Arts Center‘s don’t-miss-it birthday party! 5-9 pm – details here. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

KIDS’ NIGHT IN: Part of the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) Annual Campaign – drop off your 4-10-year-old at 6:30 pm, pick her/him up on Sunday morning, details here – check to see if there’s still room! (36th/Snoqualmie)

‘A NIGHT TO REMEMBER’: 7:30 pm, performed by the Olio Players at Westside Unitarian – details here. (7141 California SW)

MARKET STREET DIXIELAND JASS BAND: 7:30 pm at historic Kenyon Hall – details on the KH website. (7904 35th SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT WEST SEATTLE EAGLES: Members and guests are invited – live music at 8:15 pm (doors open 7:15), $5 cover. Tonight, it’s Quarter Past 8.

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High-school baseball: West Seattle Wildcats over Cleveland

March 28, 2015 7:29 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

As they look ahead to today’s High School Baseball Classic game at Safeco Field, the West Seattle High School baseball team is celebrating a win. Thanks to Caryn Johnson for the report on Friday’s game:

Under beautiful skies at Hiawatha Field, the West Seattle Wildcats hosted the Cleveland Eagles Friday afternoon. West Seattle started Junior Jamie Maples on the mound. He pitched two full innings, striking out 5 of the 7 batters he faced. Freshman Cameron Paskett and Senior Daniel Kemp came in to pitch the rest of the game holding the Cleveland batters to just 2 hits and 5 runs.

Junior Morgan McCullough started the West Seattle bats will a Home Run blast to center field. He would continue to pile up the hits with another Home Run in the 2nd, a triple and a double. Jamie Maples and Sophomore Jack Page each had three hits. As a team, West Seattle had a total of 18 hits, producing 15 runs, 9 of which were earned.

In the end, West Seattle won in 5 innings, 15-5. Next game is this afternoon at Safeco Field at 12:30. Come on out to cheer on the boys at this free event. The next conference game is scheduled for Monday, vs. Nathan Hale at Meadowbrook, at 3:30.

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