day : 06/02/2016 9 results

Thanks to Meg Simmons for photos from the big game: In its first-ever postseason play, Westside School‘s 8th-grade boys basketball team has won the CYO championship, defeating St. Edward this evening, 54-39.

This season marked not only the first championship won by Westside, but also the first time it’s played in a championship game, and the first time it’s won a postseason game!

To get to the finals tonight at Bishop Blanchet, the Wolves defeated St Francis in the quarterfinals last Saturday 44-32, and then beat archrival Holy Rosary last Sunday, 55-46.

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VIDEO: West Seattle dog to compete at Westminster; searching for room to run

February 6, 2016 8:01 pm

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| Pets | West Seattle news

(WSB photos and video unless otherwise credited)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

One week from tonight, you might find yourself cheering for a West Seattle dog in a televised competition that precedes the legendary Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show in New York City.

Marcia Lyons tells WSB that she and Liberty, her 4-year-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, are the only team from our state set to compete in the club’s 3rd annual Masters Agility Championship.

After Marcia e-mailed us about Liberty, we asked if we could come meet her and see what she does. Marcia obliged, so there we were near their home on a sloped stretch of SW Juneau this morning:

In the original announcement we received from Marcia, the Agility Championship is described this way:

This event, which features some of the most talented K9 athletes in the country, will feature dogs and their handlers excitedly attacking an obstacle course of jumps, tunnels, weave poles, and more, racing against the clock. At Westminster, each dog will compete in two qualifying rounds. The ten dogs from each height class with the lowest combined scores will move on to the Championship round Saturday evening (February 13th), creating a field of 50 finalists competing for the coveted title of Westminster Kennel Club Masters Agility Champion. The Championship round will be televised on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 5:00 pm Pacific.

Liberty and Marcia also will be in the All-Breed Dog Show itself, which starts on Monday, February 15th, competing against other Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers – the smallest breed of retriever, Marcia explained. The evening finals will be that night 5-8 pm PT on CNBC and Tuesday, February 16th, same time slot, on USA Network.

(Photo courtesy Marcia Lyons)

But first, next Saturday’s agility competition, which starts with daytime runs before the televised evening finals. Liberty, she says, is already fastest runner in her class, and she feels good about their chances at the championship, “as long as we run clean” – no mistakes.

Liberty is the first dog with whom she’s competed; she says they’re also working on “competitive obedience.”

The full schedule for the Masters Agility Championship and All-Breed Dog Show is here.

P.S. There’s one way you can help: If you look at our video again, you’ll notice Liberty running on a planting strip along a busy street. Marcia’s backyard isn’t quite big enough for proper training. They’re looking for a space in West Seattle that is large enough for them to practice, especially before they take off for the competition.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Bus driver hit; package stolen

February 6, 2016 7:10 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight:

BUS DRIVER HIT: A texter asked about a police investigation at a Route 21 bus on northbound 35th SW just north of Morgan around dusk. The dispatch was for a report that somebody had punched the driver on the bus. No medic dispatch, so the injury apparently wasn’t major; we don’t know if anyone was taken into custody.

PACKAGE THEFT: A police report is now on file for a theft in the 8200 block of California SW in Gatewood. A neighbor tells WSB that they saw it happen around 4:30 pm Friday, describing a white male backing a gold KIA SUV into the driveway, grabbing the package, and tossing it into the hatchback before taking off.

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FOLLOWUP: Signs are up, speed limit’s down

February 6, 2016 4:32 pm

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| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

That sign along southbound Fauntleroy Way just south of Edmunds is one of the new signs SDOT has put up in the past few hours between SW Alaska and SW Morgan, along with radar-equipped speed-checking trailers like this one:

And with that, the speed limit on Fauntleroy between The Triangle and Morgan Junction is now uniformly 30 mph, down from 35. SDOT had announced yesterday that the signage changes were planned for today; the trailers were in place this morning, the signs followed this afternoon. It’s been almost exactly a year since the city announced speed-limit reductions for arterials including this stretch of Fauntleroy; some are still pending.

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West Seattle weekend scene: Chief Sealth Link Crew goes ‘late night’

February 6, 2016 3:11 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

That’s Amy Ly, one of this year’s leaders of Link Crew at Chief Sealth International High School, the program in which juniors and seniors mentor and partner with freshmen from literally day 1. That includes activities throughout the year, as the new arrivals get used to high-school life, and Amy invited us to stop by for a special “late night” event on Friday night. It included volleyball, soccer, and other games in the gym:

A video posted by West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) on Feb 5, 2016 at 6:47pm PST

Though the date had been set for a long time, the timing was perfect – a stormy night, wind and rain, the kind of night you’d want to spend inside. The event ran long enough for students to stop in and duck out – four hours, until 10 pm, with pizza and other treats alnog the way. And of course a photo booth:

The school year, by the way, is at its midpoint – the second semester is about to begin. This year’s midwinter break is two days – February 15th and 16th (here’s the calendar).

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ELECTION 2016: Ballot-dropoff vans today, Monday, Tuesday

February 6, 2016 12:00 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics | West Seattle schools

(WSB photo)

Haven’t sent in your ballots yet for Tuesday’s vote on two Seattle Public Schools levies? The King County Elections ballot-dropoff vans are at West Seattle Stadium (4432 35th SW) and Greenbridge Library (9720 8th SW) until 5 pm today, and again 10-5 Monday and 10-8 Tuesday. Above, we visited Daylin, Alana, and Lorenzo at the stadium spot around 11 am and they’d already received 34 ballots. Getting there is a little more of a challenge today because of the crane-removal lane closures just north of the stadium (see the photo in our daily preview), but it’s a fairly easy turn from and into the outside northbound lane. If you use the vans (or 24-hour dropboxes outside our area), it’s free, no stamp required, but if you are going to mail your ballot, be sure it has postage and that it will be postmarked by Tuesday.

ABOUT THE LEVIES: Both are renewals, though at higher amounts than the previous versions. The three-year, $750,000,000+ Operations Levy provides a quarter of the district’s day-to-day budget; the six-year, half-billion-dollar BTA Levy funds projects including capacity expansion and renovations. One big BTA project for West Seattle is renovation work at now-vacant E.C. Hughes Elementary in Sunrise Heights, which as first reported here last fall is expected to be reopened as the home for what is now Roxhill Elementary.

For the full text of the levies and other background info, go here (Operations) and here (BTA).

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Intruder awakens mom; suspect arrested

February 6, 2016 9:54 am

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| Crime | West Seattle news

9:54 AM: A terrifying close call for a Gatewood family early today: A woman tells WSB she was asleep with her 5-year-old child when a man broke into their home and tried to get into bed with them, attempting to molest her in the process. She is recovering from surgery. The intruder fled and the victim says police arrested a suspect. This happened after 3 am near 39th and Morgan. We’re working to find out more and will update with any further details.

10:26 AM: Police have just posted a few more details via SPD Blotter:

Officers arrested a man after a woman called 911 Saturday morning when she woke to a burglar in her bedroom.

The victim was sound asleep in her home in the 6500 block of 39 Ave SW around 3:30 this morning when she felt someone touch her face. The victim woke, and assuming it was her husband, asked what was going on. The the woman heard a reply that was not her husband and tried to turn on the nightstand light. The suspect fled out of the home, taking the woman’s cell phone with him.

Officers quickly arrived and found the suspect in an nearby alley. The victim confirmed that officers had arrested the correct person. Officers determined the suspect entered the home through an unlocked back door before making his way to the bedroom.

Officers booked the suspect into King County Jail for investigation of burglary.

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West Seattle Saturday: Chocolate, chili, ballots, beach, basketball, more …

February 6, 2016 6:52 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Male hooded merganser, photographed in High Point by Mark Wangerin – click for closeup view)

Happy Saturday!

FIRST, A TRAFFIC ALERT: Reminder that the tower crane at Aura (35th and Avalon) is scheduled to come down today, blocking four lanes of 35th SW most if not all of the day, as previewed here. We will be checking out the scene a bit later for an update.

(Added, with photo above: Traffic is using the two NB lanes.)

Now, from our calendar:

BALLOT DROPOFF VANS: Sent in your ballot for Tuesday’s school levies yet? If not, two King County Elections dropoff vans are in the area today – 10 am-5 pm at West Seattle Stadium (the crane takedown mentioned above might complicate things somewhat), 4432 35th SW, and Greenbridge Library, 9720 8th SW.

OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-2 pm, drop in to see the Community School of West Seattle (preschool). Adults only; details here. (9450 22nd SW)

FREE TAX PREP: 10 am-2 pm, another chance to drop in and get free tax-prep help via the United Way of King County @ West Seattle Food Bank – details here. (35th SW/SW Morgan)

SOUTHWEST LITTLE LEAGUE SIGNUPS: 11 am-2 pm at the Steve Cox Memorial Park Log Cabin in White Center:

All boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 16 are welcome. If your child lives or attends school between SW Juneau St. and 128th St. SW, you are probably within the Southwest Little League boundary! Divisions include T-Ball, Coach-Pitch, Minors, Majors, 50/70 and Juniors. Tryouts for Minor & Major divisions will be held Saturday, February 20th, 2016, at Steve Cox Memorial Ball Park. Please visit www.southwestlittleleague.org for more information about signing up for Southwest Little League.

(1321 SW 102nd)

VIETNAMESE STORY TIME: Stories, songs, and rhymes in Vietnamese, 11:30 am at Delridge Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

MERCADO AT HPIC: 1-5 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club: “Pop Up Mercado: Corazon Fuerte. … Music, Food, Art, Apparel, Handmade Gifts, and Jewelry. Buy something sweet for your sweetie(s) while supporting local artists and small businesses. This event is FREE and for all ages.” (12th SW/SW Holden)

WINE AND CHOCOLATE: 2-7 pm at Viscon Cellars‘ (WSB sponsor) tasting room, wines will be paired today (and next Saturday) with chocolates from Seattle’s own Intrigue Chocolate Co.. (5910 California SW)

HOME-BUYING CLASS: 3-5 pm, free but registration required – our calendar listing explains how. With HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) and RE/MAX Realty. (4727 44th SW)

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: As noted here on Friday, Westside School (WSB sponsor) has its varsity boys-basketball team in the CYO championship game at 4:30 pm today vs. St. Edward. The game’s at Bishop Blanchet. (8200 Wallingford Ave. N.)

NO CHILI LEFT BEHIND: Chili cook-off and auction fundraiser at Seattle Lutheran High School, 6 pm. Info in our calendar listing. (4100 SW Genesee)

LATIN JAZZ: Totiyo Y Amigos play C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

LOW-TIDE BEACH WALK: 8:30 pm, check out nighttime low tide at Constellation Park with Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists. Free. Look for the canopy. (63rd SW/Beach Drive)

MORE FOR TODAY/TONIGHT, AND BEYOND … on our complete calendar.

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FOLLOWUP: Donation-delivery day for Southwest Seattle Strings Project

February 6, 2016 12:28 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos @ Roxhill Elementary)

They asked for help – you gave it – and Friday was delivery day for some of the students in the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras‘ Southwest Seattle Strings Project: Donation-funded supply baskets with practical and vital items such as replacement strings, chin rests, shoulder rests, rosin, and method books.

Back in November, we published the call for donations to fund one basketfor each of the seven local schools with which SYSO partners – Arbor Heights, Concord, Highland Park, Roxhill, Sanislo, and West Seattle elementaries, and Denny International Middle School. The drive was a success, and today we were there as Roxhill got its basket.

Through SYSO, students can borrow instruments for free if needed, and they get expert coaching from professional musicians in free weekly lessons. But the supply baskets were just a bit above and beyond what the project could do, so the extra donations made sure the students can keep taking advantage of the gift of learning music.

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