day : 24/07/2015 7 results

SATURDAY NIGHT: Go retro with ‘Singles’ at West Seattle Outdoor Movies, featuring ‘Bucket of Grunge’ raffle

July 24, 2015 10:31 pm
|    Comments Off on SATURDAY NIGHT: Go retro with ‘Singles’ at West Seattle Outdoor Movies, featuring ‘Bucket of Grunge’ raffle
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

Saturday night, we’re co-sponsoring the West Seattle Outdoor Movies screening of “Singles,” the 1992 movie set and filmed in then-grungy Seattle. (At least one West Seattle scene, a commenter pointed out after our last preview.) WSOM events feature raffles to benefit a featured nonprofit, with sponsors rounding up raffle prizes; at right, we’ve decorated a “bucket of grunge” stuffed with mega-local items … thanks to donors including Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor and movie host), Zippy’s Giant Burgers, West Seattle Bowl, Full Tilt Ice Cream, and the West Seattle Junction Association. This week’s beneficiary is Northwest Center, headquartered just east of West Seattle. Gates open at the Hotwire courtyard (4410 California SW) at 6:30 pm – bring your own chair/blanket; movie’s at dusk (9-ish), with preshow entertainment. Concessions are a nonprofit benefit too – presented by and benefiting the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. See you there!

VIDEO: Musicians on the march @ Band Jam 2015

7:13 PM: The Junior All-City Band (above) is on the field right now at Southwest Athletic Complex as an hour and a half of marching-band music gets under way @ Band Jam 2015.

All welcome – free! See the WSB Instagram feed for video clips as it continues.

9:13 PM: The jamboree is over – another high-energy show! – and the bands are off to get ready for their next gigs, including tomorrow night’s Seafair Torchlight Parade, the lineup for which features two of tonight’s featured bands, the All-City Band and Sumner Spartans Marching Band (below):

We’ve added a few of our Instagram clips, while downloading photos and video to publish/substitute in this story later.

11:44 PM: More photos! A drill team joined the lineup this year, the Washington Diamonds:

You might have seen their award-winning performance in the West Seattle Grand Parade a week ago. Tonight, they performed alone and with the All-City Band.

The ACB, of course, is the host of Band Jam, and the stars of the show, for their moves as well as their music:

The ACB program is directed by Marcus Pimpleton, who also has long led other programs including Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School across the street from tonight’s venue:

The other sizable band in the show, Sumner:

Bands don’t have to be big in size to have a big sound. The Rainbow City Marching Band strode onto the field and proved that:

As announced, and as described online, this Seattle-based band is part of a community-based program promoting LGBTA inclusivity.

Smaller still, but also spirited, the Ten Man Brass Band:

They’re also Seattle-based and describe their style as “riot jazz”:

And then, raucous as ever, comes the Chaotic Noise Marching Corps:

The self-described “renegade marching band” rocked the stadium again this year:

All the acts drew vigorous applause from spectators – cheers and whoops too. Band Jam dates back to 2009 as a Torchlight Parade-eve tuneup opportunity; it moved to Memorial Stadium downtown for a few years but came back here last year.

Alki Art Fair this weekend: Art, music, food, and a new shuttle route!

(WSB photo from 2013 Alki Art Fair)
Another full weekend of summer fun ahead – with highlights including the Alki Art Fair, on the boardwalk tomorrow and Sunday. Along with artists/vendors under canopies, you’ll find live music on three stages, two by the Bathhouse and one on the boardwalk. The schedule is still being finalized, festival organizers tell us, but some acts/times are listed here. You can also visit Seal Sitters at the Alki Art Fair, and they tell us Spud is giving their group $1 of each chowder sale during the festival. Speaking of food, here’s what the festival says about its vendors:

Lemongrass Restaurant will be offering a variety of Asian food, David and Sons Kettle Corn – Pop! will be offering Kettle Corn, mini donuts and slushies, Baskin Robbins will be offering ice cream, JJFROYOGO will be offering a variety of soft serve yogurt and ice cream products.

The festival runs 10 am-6 pm both days, with music until 9 on Saturday and 8 on Sunday, so you have the opportunity to have dinner at the beach, too – you might consider making reservations at our two WSB sponsor restaurants at the beach, Phoenecia and Cassis.

Back to what’s offered at the fair: Check out the silent auction and a children’s art activity area for make-and-take arts and crafts. And if you aren’t already planning to walk, run, bus, bike, or paddle to Alki Art Fair, here’s another option – the shuttle bus – different route this year:

A free shuttle bus will be running both days 9:30 – 6:30 from the Park and Ride area under the SW Spokane Street bridge up Admiral stopping at California to the Alki Art Fair and circling back about every 1/2 hour to expand our parking options.

A few more details are on the festival website.

ELECTION EXTRA: 11 days to vote. 9 candidates on your ballot in Seattle City Council District 1. Take one last look if you’re still deciding.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Back in February, when campaigning for this year’s history-making City Council elections was just stirring to life, we presented a “First Look” forum featuring what were, at the time, four candidates in the race for the new District 1 (West Seattle and South Park).

Two of them are still in the running, with seven more who have since joined. Along the way, five others were in the race for a while. Now, phase one of the numbers game is almost over. Nine candidates are looking for your vote by August 4. When the votes are all counted, two will move on to the November 3rd general election.

Ballots were mailed last week. If you’re a typical voter, yours is still sitting on a table or shelf, unopened. You might be planning to sit down this weekend or next to take some time before voting.

That’s why we decided to bookend our coverage with a “Last Look.” Not another forum – you’ve had plenty of chances to go watch one of those, and if you couldn’t go in person, we’ve videotaped most of them (here’s the one that featured all 9).

Instead of a forum, we sat down with each of the nine candidates, with the goal being a conversation – not all “where do you stand on X?” nor “if you could be a tree, what kind of tree would you would be?”, but something inbetween. We recorded each candidate on video for the entirety of our conversation, and have written a story to go along with each video, including some other links that might help you, if not make up your mind, at least ratify – or re-evaluate – your choice.

The interviews were all done in West Seattle in the past two weeks; thanks to West Seattle Office Junction and Swift Media Solutions for providing quiet conversation spaces.

One candidate told us they don’t get the chance to “be ourselves” enough during the campaign, to show a little personality. This has a little of that. Because they were more conversation than interview, we didn’t ask everyone the same questions – this is not meant as a comparison guide so much as a chance to gut-check your decision/leaning/etc.

Click any candidate’s name (they’re listed in first-name-alphabetical order) to read, watch, listen.

Arturo Robles

Brianna Thomas

Chas Redmond

Jody Rushmer

Karl Wirsing

Lisa Herbold

Pavel Goberman

Phillip Tavel

Shannon Braddock

P.S. There’s been one forum in South Park – we have it on video via our partner site The South Park News.

P.P.S. Remember you’ll also be voting for at-large Positions 8 and 9. Wish we had had time to check in with all of those candidates too. Here’s our coverage of the at-large-candidates forum in nearby Georgetown back in May (with video), which also featured two local School Board candidates.

P.P.P.S. Not registered yet? Hurry! You can still register but you have to do it in person, today OR by 4:30 pm Monday – info on the King County Elections website.

Voting deadline is the evening of August 4th – get your ballots in the mail ASAP or to a van/dropbox by 8 pm that night.

West Seattle Friday: Band Jam! Plus music, movies, Shakespeare, bowling benefit to fight cancer …

That’s Chaotic Noise Marching Corps at last year’s Band Jam – they’re back tonight, with seven other bands! Info below, along with other highlights for the approaching-fast Friday night in West Seattle:

DAVE HOLO TRIO AT SALTY’S: Start your weekend at 5 pm on the water at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor) with the New Orleans-style jazz sounds of the Dave Holo Trio. (1936 Harbor SW)

DAVID JOHNSON @ ADMIRAL BIRD: 6:30 pm, “folk-driven alternative pop” guitar/songs by David Johnson. (California/Admiral)

BAND JAM: As previewed here earlier this week – 7 pm at Southwest Athletic Complex, it’s the annual “tune-up” event featuring bands getting ready for tomorrow night’s Seafair Torchlight Parade, hosted by the parade-fave All-City Band, directed by West Seattle’s own Marcus Pimpleton. He shared the scheduled lineup, which also this year includes a drill team:

7:00 – Junior All-City Band
7:10 – Washington Diamonds Drill Team
7:20 – Ten Man Brass Band
7:40 – Chaotic Noise Marching Corps
8:00 – Sumner High School Marching Band
8:20 – Rainbow City Band
8:40 – Seattle All-City Band

Admission’s free. (2801 SW Thistle)

BOWLING FOR BOOBS: Jennifer Suemnicht invites you to join in her bowling fundraiser to raise money to fight breast cancer, 7-10 pm at West Seattle Bowl – details here. Raffle, auction, fun – wear pink if you feel like it! (39th/Oregon)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: A weekend of free Shakespeare in the park, courtesy of Greenstage, begins tonight with “Much Ado About Nothing,” 7 pm at Lincoln Park. Follow the signs from the central parking lot. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

‘DUWAMISH REVEALED’ MOVIE NIGHT: 8 pm at The Estuary (east side of the river), the next public event in the ongoing summerlong art installation/celebration Duwamish Revealed is Movie Night with a screening of “Princess Angeline” – details in our calendar listing. (4651 Diagonal Ave. S.)

TRIBUTE TO THE CARPENTERS: “Rainy Days and Mondays” with special guest TV Dinner, 9 pm at Feedback Lounge. (6451 California SW)

MOVIES IN THE PARK: Next up in “the park” south of (and presented by) the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene, “How to Train Your Dragon 2.” 9 pm, free, with complimentary hot dogs, popcorn, soda. More here. BYO chair/blanket. (42nd/Juneau)

WHAT ELSE? See for yourself (including a sneak peek as far ahead as you want to look) on our calendar.

Signed up your Night Out block party yet? Clock’s ticking

July 24, 2015 9:00 am
|    Comments Off on Signed up your Night Out block party yet? Clock’s ticking
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(From 36th/Findlay/Brandon, one of the Night Out parties we visited last year)

Having a block party for Night Out this year? It’s only a week and a half away, and if you want to close your street, you need to make sure you’re signed up via Seattle Police – getting on the list also puts you in line for a potential police/fire visit during the festivities. Night Out originated as a celebration of neighborhood unity, safety, and preparedness, and while some parties are simply casual potlucks, we’ve covered some over the years with music, games, even bouncy houses. Tuesday, August 4th, is the night; 6-9 pm is the official time window (some start and/or end earlier); here’s how to sign up.

P.S. Team WSB is always out on Night Out covering West Seattle block parties, so if you wouldn’t mind us stopping by for a photo or two, please e-mail us the location/time – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you. (And extra thanks to the party point people who already sent word of theirs, even before we asked!) We also welcome YOUR photo, same address, during/after your party, to include in WSB coverage.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch; Saturday Seafair notes, including Viaduct closure

July 24, 2015 7:11 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch; Saturday Seafair notes, including Viaduct closure
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
So far, no incidents this Friday morning.

SATURDAY NIGHT VIADUCT CLOSURE: Here’s the latest from WSDOT – the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct will close 6-9 pm tomorrow night for the Seafair Pirate Run.

SATURDAY TRANSIT ALERTS: For the run and the Seafair Torchlight Parade downtown, road closures will affect transit service mid-afternoon through late evening.

CITYWIDE WEEKEND NOTES: Here’s SDOT‘s roundup of events that might affect traffic, including a mention of the Alki Art Fair on Saturday/Sunday – no road closures; shuttle-bus service is available.