West Seattle, Washington

27 Tuesday

54℉

month : 07/2015 314 results

Proposed indoor-tennis center among West Seattle projects receiving Department of Neighborhoods grants
July 27, 2015 2:58 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(Rendering by Ryan Applegate)

The Department of Neighborhoods has just officially announced its latest list of “Small and Simple” grants, and one will give a boost to a group working toward building an indoor-tennis center on the former Denny International Middle School site west of Southwest Pool. First, the list of West Seattle projects receiving grants from among 28 citywide getting a total of $467,562 in matching funds:

… These awards are part of the Small and Simple Projects Fund, one of three funds offered by Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. It provides cash awards of up to $25,000 in matching funds to community organizations committed to fostering and building a better community. The 2015 June awards range from $4,000 to $25,000, and the organizations pledge to match the City’s $467,562 investment with $600,132 of locally raised money, donated materials and volunteer labor. …

West Seattle Projects

· $24,400 to Chief Sealth Indoor Tennis to conduct a feasibility study and develop a conceptual plan for an indoor tennis center at the former Denny Middle School site. (Community match: $14,720)

· $25,000 to South Park Area Redevelopment Committee to create a design with public input, construction documents, and cost estimates to improve Duwamish Waterway Park. (Community match: $45,575)

· $21,395 to the West Seattle Time Bank to host 20 community events and workshops to promote timebanking and increase participation in West Seattle. (Community match: $22,840)

· $15,000 to Circulo de Mamas Seattle to convene 20 Latina mothers and community members to further develop their community leadership through culturally relevant training. (Community match: $25,550)

… The Small and Simple Projects Fund opens again for applications in September with a deadline of October 5. To learn more visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/smallandsimple.htm.

Back to the proposed indoor-tennis center: The project has a Facebook page, with this note related to the grant: “This grant will pay for a feasibility study and concept design plan for the proposed Indoor Tennis Center. We’ll be selecting a design firm through a competitive process. Much research needs to be done on permitting requirements. When the design review is complete, we will be holding community meetings for input this fall.” A rendering on the page suggests it would be built in the area where outdoor tennis courts were built after the old school was demolished.

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ROAD-WORK ALERT: Klickitat Way SW work Tuesday-Thursday
July 27, 2015 1:50 pm
|    Comments Off on ROAD-WORK ALERT: Klickitat Way SW work Tuesday-Thursday
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Just in from SDOT:

Crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation will close the left southbound lane on Klickitat Way Southwest between Spokane Street and 11th Avenue Southwest for landscape maintenance. The left lane will be closed from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. each day from Tuesday, July 28 until Thursday, July 30. Some delays are possible; drive carefully.

Not sure about that location? Here’s a map.

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This summer’s Duwamish River kayak-tour series starts this week
July 27, 2015 1:14 pm
|    Comments Off on This summer’s Duwamish River kayak-tour series starts this week
 |   Environment | Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo)
Get out on the water and experience Seattle’s “river for all” firsthand – this summer’s series of Duwamish River community kayak tours is about to start. First one is at 6 pm this Wednesday night (July 29th), focusing on the river’s birds, fish, and other wildlife. Here’s how to RSVP – when you do, you’ll get details including whether they’re launching from West Seattle or South Park.

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LAST DAY! Voter-registration deadline for historic council primary
July 27, 2015 10:39 am
|    Comments Off on LAST DAY! Voter-registration deadline for historic council primary
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

One week from tomorrow, it’s the last day to vote in the first-ever primary for the newly reconfigured Seattle City Council – seven people elected by district, two at-large (right now all nine are elected at-large). If you’re not registered to vote in this state, TODAY is your last chance to sign up in time to be part of it – and you have to do it in person, by 4:30 pm. Two options:

*King County Administration building downtown, 500 4th Avenue (note they close for 1-2 pm break)
*King County Elections HQ, 919 Grady Way, Renton

Whether you’re a new voter or not, if you’re in West Seattle, your ballot features seven decisions to make, including Council District 1. They are:

*King County Elections Director (3 candidates)
*Seattle Port Commission Position 2 (3 candidates)
*Seattle Port Commission Position 5 (9 candidates)
*Seattle City Council District 1 (West Seattle/South Park; 9 candidates)
*Seattle City Council Position 8 (citywide; 4 candidates)
*Seattle City Council Position 9 (citywide; 6 candidates)
*Seattle School Board Position 6 (West Seattle/South Park; 3 candidates)

Voting deadline is next Tuesday night – get your ballot in the mail (you pay the postage) so that it’s postmarked by August 4th, or get it to a dropbox (open now) or ballot van (next Sat., Mon., Tues.) by 8 pm that night (no postage needed).

STILL MAKING UP YOUR MIND ON COUNCIL DISTRICT 1? Check out our nine “Last Look” interviews/stories (first published last Friday), one for each candidate, even if just to verify you’re voting for the one you think is best!

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Calendar highlights for the rest of your West Seattle Monday
July 27, 2015 9:31 am
|    Comments Off on Calendar highlights for the rest of your West Seattle Monday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Young male Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed over the weekend by Mark Wangerin)

Happy Monday! Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

ROUSTABOUT CIRCUS: 10:30-11:30 am performance at West Seattle (Admiral) Library “featuring juggling, clowning, acrobatics, music and magic. Audience participation encouraged! Ages 5 and up.” Free, as is always the case for library programs. (2306 42nd SW)

FAMILY STORYTIME: 6:30 tonight at High Point Library, bring kids of all ages. (35th/Raymond)

PRAYER FOR THE DUWAMISH TRIBE: In the wake of the federal-recognition denial, a series of prayer events continues. Tonight, 6-7:30 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, the community is invited to a gathering featuring Zenpeacemakers. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)

SUMMER CABARET AT ARTSWEST: Monday nights this summer, join ArtsWest artistic director Mathew Wright for one-night-only performances featuring some of Seattle’s leading ladies. Tonight, 7:30 pm, Jessica Skerritt performs. Check here to see if tickets are still available. (4711 California SW)

MORE … on our calendar!

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Blue Angels arrive, Parade of Ships off West Seattle on Wednesday: It’s Seafair’s big week
July 26, 2015 10:46 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

Even if you missed our alerts earlier in the weekend (here and here), you might have heard, if not seen, the Blue Angels‘ flybys tonight:

That photo is by from John Catalano – the clouds really were that amazing from Jack Block Park, where we watched the U.S. Navy’s demonstration team do its flyby earlier this evening, with a downtown-skyline photo op along the way. Another view from Monica Zaborac:

(We had a similar, though much-less clear, angle in our Twitter photo.) Monica’s closer look at the “delta” formation used for what the Navy said was a photo op:

And if you didn’t hear the roar, here’s a bit of video as they passed over. The pilots’ publicly announced schedule doesn’t include more flying until Wednesday, the day Blue Angel #7, a two-seater, goes up on flights during the day with “influencers” and media (Seafair says this year’s list includes soccer star Megan Rapinoe and Seahawks player Jimmy Graham). Then Thursday and Friday, the whole squad practices, with official airshows Saturday and Sunday.

Another reminder for this Seafair week, with West Seattle specifics:

PARADE OF SHIPS: You might see ships from the Seafair Fleet in Elliott Bay earlier in the week, but the official Parade of Ships – right past West Seattle shores on the way to the downtown waterfront – is on Wednesday afternoon. As previewed here, three U.S. Navy ships, one U.S. Coast Guard ship, and three Canadian Royal Navy ships are expected, and then they’ll be open for tours on the downtown waterfront Thursday-Sunday. Full details of that are here – but remember, on Wednesday, while 1:45 pm is the downtown “parade” time, the ships will be visible here earlier, usually around 1 pm.

P.S. I-90 BRIDGE CLOSURES: Thursday-Sunday, the Blue Angels practices/shows require the I-90 bridge across Lake Washington to shut down for hours at a time. This not only loads up 520, but also tends to cause I-5 backups approaching 90, which in turn affects the eastbound West Seattle Bridge. Memorize the times – we’ll also include them in our morning traffic/transit-watch reports EVERY day this week:

Thursday, July 30 – two separate bridge closures, during which pilots will practice maneuvers and become familiar with area geography – First Closure: 9:45 a.m.-12 p.m., Second Closure: 1:15 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.

Fri., July 31- 11:50 a.m. – 2:40 p.m. (practice show)
Sat., Aug. 1- 11:50 a.m. – 2:40 p.m. (full show)
Sun., Aug. 2 – 11:50 a.m. – 2:40 p.m. (full show)

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‘Raising Arizona’ next at West Seattle Outdoor Movies, after fun, slightly shower-splashed ‘Singles’
July 26, 2015 9:13 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

Next Saturday (August 1st) at West Seattle Outdoor Movies, it’s the Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter 1987 comedy “Raising Arizona“:

But before we spend too much time looking ahead – here’s the story of this weekend’s movie night, the slightly shower-splashed showing of the 1992 Seattle-set, grunge-rock-laden romantic comedy “Singles.”

First, there was the surprise guest in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard – a car. The courtyard is not a public parking lot, but somehow, a car was parked right under the movie screen as the gates opened in early evening, and no one came to claim it. So it became a part of the evening, including gathering the audience for a group “selfie” with it:

The pre-show entertainment, playing to stage left of The Car, was the movie-tune band Stay Tuned – we caught part of their version of “Gangsta’s Paradise” (from 1995’s “Dangerous Minds“) on phone video:

(Before they finished, people in the back row were waving lighters.) By then, by the way, as befitting the screening of a Seattle movie, one shower had passed through. And while some drizzle followed later, a determined core crowd remained, buying $135 worth of raffle tickets to benefit the night’s spotlight nonprofit, Northwest Center:

The movie itself was memorable for the rueful laughter when those of us who hadn’t seen it since the ’90s realized that one Seattle issue hadn’t changed: The male protagonist, played by Campbell Scott, was an engineer working on a plan to solve Seattle traffic – in hopes of getting hundreds of thousands of people out of their “single-occupancy vehicles,” he came up with something called the Supertrain. Politicians, represented by Tom Skerritt as the mayor of Seattle, told him no. Meantime, a running gag in the movie involved the status conferred by an apartment accessorized by its own offstreet parking space – rendering the presence of The Car (which was claimed by the time we returned to Hotwire for a coffee beverage late this morning) all the more apropos. And here we are still talking about parking, traffic, and transit almost a quarter-century later.

Also seen in the movie: West Seattle rock stars plus the crash scene filmed at California/Charlestown (though most of the rest of the movie featured scenery from Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and downtown). If you’ve never seen “Singles,” find it online (and if you’re interested, read director Cameron Crowe‘s diary of making it, here). Meantime, next Saturday is the third of six Saturday night West Seattle Outdoor Movies this summer – see the full schedule here.

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LETTER: Think before you honk – someone might need help
July 26, 2015 5:56 pm
|      43 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

The WSB Forums are the usual place for standalone first-person rants/raves/opinions not linked to WSB news stories. But Jeannette‘s e-mail troubled us enough on multiple levels that we decided to share it here on the front page:

I was in an accident on Friday July 24th around 9 a.m at the intersection of Admiral and California. My new car of 4 days was rear-ended by a big construction-size dump truck while I was stopped at a red light.

The truck pushed me out a bit and I was hit in such a way that it was hard to move the car right away, I tried to get it together to get the car out of the way, and pull to the side. In doing this I was shocked at how many West Seattleites honked their horn sometimes leaning on it for me to get it out of the way. I couldn’t move and couldn’t drive very well and needed help; my car was badly damaged so it was obvious it was bad. Not one person stopped to see if they could help me in some way. I would do that in a heartbeat.

I have lived in W.S for 16 years and thought of it as a community, not so much right now. I needed an ambulance to take me to the hospital and am still in shock over all the people’s reactions, that I seemed to have interrupted their day.

I was hoping I could post to remind people to think of others and stop for a few minutes to help those that need it. 5 minutes won’t kill anyone. I can’t imagine driving by an accident like that and not stopping to offer assistance.

(We asked Jeannette how she’s doing now: Out of the hospital, she said, but still with a lot of neck and back pain.)

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West Seattle weather: Yes, that was thunder. ‘Short-term forecast’ alert
July 26, 2015 5:24 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

5:24 PM: If you hadn’t noticed it’s been raining for the better part of an hour – the thunder might have startled you. The National Weather Service does have our area under a “short-term forecast” alert, including thunderstorms and possibly even “small hail.” (On the literally bright side, the forecast says sun returns Tuesday and continues through Seafair’s big weekend.)

5:57 PM: Added a photo shared by Lise Thivierge, who says the neighbors were out “celebrating the rain.”

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HAPPENING NOW: Beauty @ the beach, for Alki Art Fair 2015
July 26, 2015 2:23 pm
|    Comments Off on HAPPENING NOW: Beauty @ the beach, for Alki Art Fair 2015
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Colorful creativity lines the Alki Beach boardwalk until 6 pm today on this second and final day of this year’s Alki Art Fair.

Above, Salish Sea Designs‘ offerings include bells/chimes made from fire extinguishers recycled from the USS Kitty Hawk. The vendors include West Seattle locals you’ll recognize, like Fred Madrid:

Among Madrid Frame‘s specialties: Historic photos. Keep strolling west on the beach and you’ll find the busker stage:

Nolan Garrett was performing when we strolled the fair at mid-morning. You’ll also find music east of the Bathhouse; the schedule for both stages is here. Also close to the Bathhouse, don’t miss the Seal Sitters Marine Stranding Network‘s booth:

Volunteers John, Barbara, and Eilene were just part of the Seal Sitters contingent on hand as the festival’s day began. Take a close look in the booth to learn about seals and sea lions and their presence in the area, with pupping season just beginning. And ask them about signing up for the August 15th volunteer-training session!

Inside the Bathhouse itself – a silent auction. And right outside, food vendors including Lemongrass (Vietnamese food), ice cream, and fruit. The fair is on until 6 pm, with music scheduled until 8, so you have plenty of time to get there, and we do recommend the shuttle if you’re not already walking/biking/bus-riding – Alki parking already was full for blocks around when we visited in late morning.

P.S. Not an official part of the Art Fair, but, from the WSB Instagram feed, some creativity we spotted on the other side of the seawall:

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Blue Angels’ Seattle arrival update: Earlier time; multiple flybys
July 26, 2015 1:12 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

davidflyby.jpg

(Blue Angels’ delta formation; 2008 photo by David Hutchinson)
1:12 PM: Update from Seafair and the U.S. Navy: The Blue Angels are expected this evening an hour earlier than announced, and will make multiple downtown flybys, which should be visible from anyplace in West Seattle that you can see the downtown skyline. Just announced:

The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, are scheduled to conduct a flyover of downtown Seattle near the Space Needle for a team photo shoot, Sunday, July 26, 2015.

The Blue Angels will fly the squadron’s six-jet F/A-18 Hornet Delta Formation over downtown Seattle from south to north, then north to south at least two times. The jets will fly this formation on the west of the Space Needle, with a seventh jet flying alongside as a photo platform.

The flyover will be visible to the general public. The photo shoot is scheduled to take place at approximately 6:30 p.m. PST.

See our Saturday report for details of the Thursday-Sunday practices, shows, and related I-90 bridge closures.

7:17 PM: They arrived about half an hour ago. We watched the flybys from the Jack Block Park overlook:

Checking our video now to see if anything came out clearly enough to use; we’re planning a story later tonight looking ahead to Seafair week, including a reminder of Wednesday’s Parade of Ships.

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West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports: Vandalism; thieves caught on camera; more
July 26, 2015 1:07 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Six recent reader reports in this round of West Seattle Crime Watch. First, if you heard any of Friday night’s loud “booms,” here’s the result of one:

MAILBOX BLOWN UP: When we got a text asking about an explosion heard in Seaview Friday night, we had just heard the same thing at HQ east of Lincoln Park. Sounded like the typical summertime illegal “firework” explosive. Saturday morning, our tipster went out and found the remains of a mailbox along 45th SW and sent the photo.

Ahead, two more vandalism reports, a package thief and shoplifter caught on camera, and a case of suspected casing:

Read More

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West Seattle Sunday: Alki Art Fair; WS Farmers’ Market; more…
July 26, 2015 9:31 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Sunday: Alki Art Fair; WS Farmers’ Market; more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Red-breasted Nuthatch, photographed by Mark Ahlness, shared via the WSB Flickr group)

Good morning! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

FINAL DAY FOR EATS MARKET CAFE: As we first reported earlier this month, the long-running restaurant at Westwood Village is closing. Proprietor Toby Matasar reminds WSB that today is the final day, open until 4 pm. (2600 SW Barton)

ALKI ART FAIR, DAY 2: Second of two days for the fair on the boardwalk at Alki Beach. Vendors 10 am-6 pm today, music continuing until 8 pm (see the schedule here), free shuttle. Here’s our full preview. (59th-64th/Alki)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, in the street in the heart of The Junction. Special features today: Learn to make kombucha, 10:30 am. (California SW between Oregon and Alaska)

DUWAMISH NATIVE FOODS, NOW AND THEN: Noon-4 pm, free program at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, “Teachings of the First People” with storyteller Roger Fernandes at 1 pm and a shared meal at 3 pm – details here. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: While you’re at the beach for the Alki Art Fair, visit the home of West Seattle’s history, noon-4 pm. (61st/Stevens)

ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: 1-4 pm, with last tour leaving at 3:40 pm. Free. More info here. (3201 Alki SW)

PRAYER FOR THE DUWAMISH TRIBE: 3 pm at the Duwamish Longhouse, as explained here – today is a Native gathering. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)

KNIT AT THE COFFEE HOUSE: Bring your knitting to C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 5:30 pm. (5612 California SW)

BLUE ANGELS’ ARRIVAL: As mentioned on Saturday, Seafair says jets 1-6 are expected to arrive at Boeing Field around 7:30 pm, getting ready for next weekend’s airshow. They’re expected to approach from the north along the west side of the city; you can also watch from any public spot you find along the airfield (access changes year to year and we haven’t scouted yet, but the Museum of Flight is usually a good bet as that’s where they are based for the week).

ARE YOU VOTING BEFORE THE WEEKEND’S OUT? Don’t miss our “Last Look” at the nine City Council District 1 candidates, published on Friday – video conversations and more – start here.

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ALERT: ‘Noisy overnight work’ next week at Fauntleroy ferry dock
July 25, 2015 11:06 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

Thanks to the Fauntleroy ferry dock neighbor who shared a notice that’s just been circulated in the area: “Noisy overnight work” is planned four nights next week, Monday through Thursday, 7:30 pm to 5:30 am, to fix pavement problems on the dock. (If you live nearby, you are probably aware of some work this past week – we don’t know yet if that was related.) See the notice here; it says in part, “Existing asphalt pavement around deck drains is failing, exposing underlying timber deck to rain water and potential rotting.” No WSF website alert about this yet.

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FOLLOWUP: Seattle United team with 3 WS players goes for the championship tomorrow!
July 25, 2015 7:51 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Update from Nikki: The Seattle United B98 Copa team with three players from West Seattle – Akili Kasim (goalkeeper from West Seattle High School) and Abel Kidane & Miguel Macias Garibay (field players from Chief Sealth International High School) – won today and made it into tomorrow’s U.S. Youth Soccer Championships final in Tulsa!

The boys won today in the semi-finals against Pennsylvania. Winning 3-0 – giving Seattle United a shutout.

The boys are very thankful for all the support Washington is giving them.

Championship game is tomorrow at 8:30 am [6:30 am Seattle time] and will be livestreamed.

Thank you again, West Seattle, for all the support.

Here’s our Wednesday report – also courtesy of Nikki – about the team reaching the semifinals. As she pointed out, Seattle United club director Jimmy McAlister also is a West Seattleite. Their opponents tomorrow morning are from Baltimore.

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PHOTOS: Celebrating Westcrest Park’s expansion
July 25, 2015 5:45 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

More than six years ago, work began to “bury” West Seattle Reservoir in Highland Park, creating land for a Westcrest Park expansion. And now, the park work is finally done. A ribboncutting ceremony this morning kicked off the official celebration, two weeks after the fences came down to open the expansion to the public. See the man with the white beard helping cut the ribbon? That’s Marshall Dunston, who named the park Westcrest decades ago:

We’re told that was the result of a contest (update: see a 1976 photo on the Parks website). At the podium in the photo above is Brian Hawksford, who represented Mayor Murray’s office today; Michael Shiosaki from Seattle Parks represented Parks Superintendent Jesús Aguirre. Also represented in abundance: West Seattleites having fun at the 20-acre park expansion!

In addition to the newly built features including ziplines and play equipment, Parks brought in a bouncy house for today’s celebration:

Also invited, local food vendors, including White Center-headquartered Full Tilt Ice Cream, whose founder Justin Cline was staffing the truck:

If you haven’t checked out the park, the expansion end is near 8th/Cloverdale.

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West Seattle coyotes: Sunrise Heights sighting
July 25, 2015 4:50 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Our tipster in Sunrise Heights took this photo from a distance – which is good, as getting too close to a coyote isn’t good for them or you, not because of danger, but because you don’t want them to get acclimated to close human contact – so it’s a bit blurry, but they wanted you to know about the sighting earlier this afternoon, near 29th and Othello (map). To make sure you know what to do if you see a coyote, check out the coexistence advice from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Meantime, browse our coyote-report coverage over the years, newest to oldest, on these archive pages.

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More Seafair news: Blue Angels set to arrive Sunday night
July 25, 2015 2:20 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

(SUNDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: New arrival information – go here)

(2009 photo by David DeSiga)

With the biggest events of Seafair set for next weekend – the airshow and hydro races – you might be wondering when the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are arriving. We just received word from Seafair that they’re due in around 7:30 pm tomorrow (Sunday) night. According to the Seafair media alert, “The Blue Angels will fly over the west side of the Seattle coastline, passing the Space Needle, before landing at Boeing Field.” As usual, their practices are set for Thursday and Friday, with the official performances next Saturday and Sunday (August 1-2). More to come.

ADDED: The practice/performance/I-90 closure schedule for Thursday-Sunday, and other info, ahead:

Read More

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Caught in a backup this morning? Might have been the pre-parade
July 25, 2015 10:19 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(The view from inside the West Seattle Hi-Yu float during the Saturday move)
Around 9 am, someone texted us wondering about backups on Admiral and Avalon, trying to get to the bridge. We checked – no crashes, no stalls, and by the time we headed out for a firsthand look, all looked normal.

(Added: Photo courtesy Joy, as floats including Hi-Yu passed through downtown)
The mystery was solved, indirectly, shortly thereafter, when we saw local broadcaster Brian Westbrook‘s tweet about floats for tonight’s Seafair Torchlight Parade arriving downtown. That jolted our memory about a comment in discussion of last Wednesday’s daily traffic report: “Ex-Westwood Resident” mentioned that floats were stored at Terminal 5 this year and would be moving out Saturday morning, headed for the pre-parade Fan Fest at Seattle Center (noon-6 pm) and then, tonight, the parade. We failed to calendarize it for a later heads-up, or else we would have published an advisory (and photographed the floats! if you got a photo of them heading out, we’d love to see it – editor@westseattleblog.com). Meantime, as mentioned in our daily preview, the parade is tonight – lots of downtown road closures – followed by the Seafair Pirate Run, which will close the northbound Viaduct approximately 5:30-7:45 pm.

ADDED 5:04 PM: Thanks to Joy for sharing photos as the floats continued their journey northbound on 4th Avenue downtown after leaving West Seattle. The parade starts at 7:30 pm.

ADDED SUNDAY: Thanks to Thomas for sharing the view of the Saturday morning “parade” under the bridge from inside the Hi-Yu float!

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West Seattle Saturday: Alki Art Fair; Westcrest celebration; Recess Monkey; Valor Run; WS Outdoor Movies; evening Viaduct closure…
July 25, 2015 8:50 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Good morning! Saturday highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – so far we haven’t heard of any changes in outdoor events because of the weather (“chance of showers”), but we’ll update here if we do:

(Added: Alki Art Fair setup, 9:25 am)

ALKI ART FAIR: First of two days for the fair on the boardwalk at Alki Beach. Vendors 10 am-6 pm today, music continuing until 9 pm, free shuttle. Here’s our full preview. (59th-64th/Alki)

WESTCREST PARK EXPANSION DEDICATION: 11 am-1 pm, with ribboncutting at 11:15 am. Music (Correo Aereo), family activities, food vendors (What Up Dog and Full Tilt Ice Cream) – details here. (Northwest end of park, 9000 8th SW)

RECESS MONKEY: 11:30 am-12:30 pm “Tambourine Submarine” concert by Recess Monkey at Southwest Library – free! (35th/Henderson)

WSHS ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME: Doors open 11:30, game at noon at West Seattle High School – details in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)

VALOR RUN: As previewed here earlier this week, retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Bridget Guerrero is on a four-day, 160-mile Valor Run around Puget Sound to honor the 160 military women killed in the Middle East since 9/11. An “honor station” is planned at Westwood Village (near Carter’s) 12:30 pm-3 pm, the window during which Maj. Guerrero is expected to pass through the area. (2600 SW Barton)

LEGO ROBOTICS CHALLENGE: 1-4 pm at High Point Library – details here; call quick to see if there’s still room. (35th/Raymond)

‘SINGLES’ AT WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: Gates open at 6:30 pm, movie at dusk in the courtyard by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) – 1992’s Seattle-set “Singles,” co-sponsored by WSB. Tonight’s raffle beneficiary is Northwest Center; see our preview from last night for info on some of what we’re raffling. Concessions by and benefiting the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. (4410 California SW)

KOTO JAZZ BY CHRIS KENJI: At C & P Coffee Company, 7 pm tonight. (5612 California SW)

SEAFAIR PIRATE RUN & TORCHLIGHT PARADE DOWNTOWN, WITH VIADUCT CLOSURE: The northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed approximately 5:30-7:45 pm for the Seafair Pirate Run, southbound NOT affected, and multiple road closures are planned downtown for the big parade following the race. Here’s the parade lineup – West Seattleites/WS entries to watch for include the West Seattle Hi-Yu float, WestSide Baby “Stuff the Bus,” and King County Executive Dow Constantine.

GREGG CURRY & THE RAGGED GLORY: 9 pm tonight, live at the Feedback Lounge. (6451 California SW)

MORE ON THE CALENDAR … which you can browse any time, here.

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West Seattle youth sports: Seattle Pride 16U boys’ basketball team wins one championship in Vegas, going for another
July 25, 2015 2:56 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

The Seattle Pride Basketball 16U boys’ team is in Las Vegas for two national tournaments, and doing well, according to Coach Jason Vann:

The team has 10 West Seattle kids: 2 go to Seattle Lutheran (Josh Meyer and Roberto Duenaz), 2 go to West Seattle (Nate Pryor and Tyler Lenzie), 2 go to Shorewood Christian (JJ Young & Jovi Fevealaki), and then we finish out the roster with Jaxon Woodward (Seattle Prep), Matthew Sassanoff (Kennedy), Emilio Mancol (Kennedy), Evan Moe (Chief Sealth), Shea Carstens (O’Dea).

(On Thursday) they won the AAU championships in Las Vegas and they went 4-0, winning all 4 games by double digits. They beat teams from Texas, Hawaii, Canada, and California en route to the championship. This is coming off a loss in the finals in Bellevue last week (NW summer showcase) versus a very tough Maeko team (Oregon) who was ranked #23 in the nation and #5 in the west coast. However, we were the last Washington team standing.

Right after that, the boys started pool play in the Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic, which Vann describes as “the top 160 16U teams in the nation. They finished 3-0 and are now “the last Washington team standing to play in the top 32 platinum elite division for 16U. Loser out from here on out… Last 32 out of 160 teams! West Seattle kids hanging with national powerhouse programs!” The bracket shows their next game is 2:30 pm today against a team from Ohio.

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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!

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VIDEO: Musicians on the march @ Band Jam 2015
July 24, 2015 7:13 pm
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 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

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.

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