day : 02/06/2016 11 results

In the chapel at Providence Mount St. Vincent tonight, worldwide celebrities drew a crowd. They are the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, best known for a documentary titled “Landfill Harmonic.” As the website about the documentary explains, they are a “Paraguayan musical group of kids that live next to one of South America’s largest landfills. This unlikely orchestra plays music from instruments made entirely out of garbage.” Like this violin, made from paint cans, kitchen baking pans, wood from pallets, and a fork:

And this cello, also made from pallet wood and an old oil can:

Here’s video with an introduction, translated, from their leader, followed by tango music starting at about 2:45 in:

If you missed the Recycled Orchestra in West Seattle tonight, they have two Seattle performances tomorrow – 3 pm at the Royal Room in Columbia City, and 7 pm at Hearthstone in Green Lake.

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YOU CAN HELP! Two Saturday-morning community cleanups

June 2, 2016 7:56 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle news

Two ways to do a good deed this weekend and leave your community a little cleaner – both happening this Saturday morning (June 4th):

SEAL SITTERS ‘SENTINELS OF THE SOUND’ CLEANUP AT ALKI: As first mentioned here almost two weeks ago, a very-low tide will enable Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network and friends to get out on Alki Beach for a 10 am-noon cleanup. Everybody’s welcome – find out more on the Seal Sitters website, and RSVP if you can, though Seal Sitters stress that you also are welcome to just show up.

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ADOPT-A-STREET: Meet at 9 am at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) in Admiral to be part of this quarterly cleanup. Incentive: Treats beforehand, sack lunch afterward – just spend a few hours helping clean up your community. The Admiral Neighborhood Association also invites you to its upcoming monthly meeting, says president Larry Wymer – Tuesday, June 14th, at 7 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd SW/SW Lander), with the agenda featuring HALA (Housing Affordability and Livability).

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REMINDER: Admiral Theater ‘Group Hug’ tomorrow morning

June 2, 2016 4:25 pm

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| Admiral Theater | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

In case you missed our original mention and are going to be in The Admiral District at midmorning tomorrow (Friday), a reminder that almost a thousand students will be there too, for the “Group Hug for The Admiral” event. As reported here last week, it’s a big photo op to commemorate the soon-to-start major renovations at the historic Admiral Theater, organized by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which did the same thing for the Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge on the first Friday of June last year. SWSHS executive director Clay Eals says neighbors in the area all have received a notice; students will start arriving, on foot, around 9:30 am, from Alki, Lafayette, and Schmitz Park Elementary Schools. The ceremony/photo is set for 10 am; former mayors Norm Rice and Greg Nickels (an Admiral-area resident) are scheduled to speak to them briefly. No streets will be closed but a few parking spaces in front of the theater will be off-limits for the duration of the event.

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City tries again for gunfire-detection system

June 2, 2016 2:09 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

(Click for full-size PDF version)

That map shows confirmed shots-fired incidents around the city so far this year. We obtained it from Mayor Ed Murray‘s office in connection with this afternoon’s announcement that the city is again seeking “acoustic gunshot detection.” This comes four years after his predecessor announced a plan to budget for a gunfire-detection system – a plan that never came to fruition. Back then, part of West Seattle was suggested as ripe for such a system; today’s announcement focused more on other areas of the city including South Park – you can see the map above includes clusters there and in North Delridge.

The mayor was joined by Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole in making the announcement on Gun Violence Awareness Day. The announcement also says he will “work with the Seattle City Council to require that all surplus firearms from the Seattle Police Department are only sold to other law enforcement agencies.”

Regarding the potential detection technology, the announcement says:

Gunshot locators actively listen for gunshots and detect the exact location where guns are fired. Unlike reports from nearby residents who may be uncertain, these systems’ advanced technology reliably report when and where the shots were fired. A video camera attached to the system is activated to capture the incident. Law enforcement authorities are notified immediately and a police officer can be dispatched to the vicinity without delay. …

… Community feedback will be critical to designing the system, deciding where it is deployed, and defining how it functions. Working with the community, the City will to use its race and social justice toolkit during the assessment of the pilot program. The City will engage with civil liberties advocates and ensure that it complies with the City’s existing privacy policy.

A federal grant would pay for a pilot system, says the announcement, which you can read in its entirety here. It also says that while the number of confirmed shots-fired incidents to date this year is smaller than last year – 144 this year, 154 a year earlier – they’re deadlier, with five shooting deaths this year, two last year.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has issued a Request for Proposals to gather interest from potential contractors who could construct the system. The city says the system would be paid for with a federal grant.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Bellevue Police in Highland Park again

June 2, 2016 1:21 pm

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| Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(WSB photo)

Thanks to the texter who tipped us about police with “armored vehicles” in the 8800 block of 14th SW. We got there just as they were wrapping up; turned out to be Bellevue Police again, saying they could only tell us they were “serving a warrant.” You might recall our report about BPD at another Highland Park location (9400 block of 9th SW) back in April; two days later, they announced that was linked to an “ID theft ring.” We just talked to BPD’s PIO and he said he does NOT believe this investigation is related to that one, but he can’t comment further than to say it was a “search warrant … safely completed” by Bellevue SWAT officers and “investigators.”

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West Seattle development: 5 notes from Pigeon Point to Morgan Junction

June 2, 2016 12:20 pm

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| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Five development/construction updates:

COMMENT TIME FOR 3856 21ST SW: Another West Seattle project going through “streamlined design review” has just opened for comment. According to the notice in today’s city Land Use Information Bulletin, you can comment through June 15th on a three-story, 2-unit townhouse building proposed for 3856 21st SW on Pigeon Point. The notice explains how to comment.

COMMENT TIME FOR 4505 23RD SW: This is another three-story, 2-unit townhouse building. This one, however, is not going through design review; it’s being built behind 4506 Delridge Way SW, where the existing structure will NOT be torn down, the city website says, but it’s open for comments on potential environmental effects, as the notice explains.

FORMAL APPLICATION FOR 5908 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: We first reported last September that a six-townhouse “rowhouse” building is planned for this once-commercial site northeast of Morgan Junction:

The formal application has just been filed, so watch for an official notice soon.

BLOCKS AWAY, AT 6311 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: Another “rowhouse” project, four units this time, is in the early stages for this site that currently holds a 72-year-old single-family house (but is zoned Lowrise 1).

4505 42ND SW UPDATE: NLB, who sent the original tip yesterday about site-clearing work for this Junction project, tweeted this video of the house coming down this morning:

@westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/bdZ19KkpEe

— NLB (@g7on) June 2, 2016

As noted again in our update last night, this is a mixed-use project with residential units, commercial space, and lodging.

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WEATHER ALERT: Hottest temps of the year possible this weekend

June 2, 2016 10:40 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

You’ve probably already heard it’s going to be very warm this weekend – but you should also know that the National Weather Service says it could get very *hot*. It’s issued a “special weather statement” warning that the hottest temperatures of the year are possible this weekend, maybe into the mid-90s.

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VIDEO: ‘Change the world’ projects presented at Explorer West Middle School

June 2, 2016 10:08 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The end of the school year is in sight, and that means Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) eighth-graders are looking ahead to their new beginnings as high-school students next year. On Wednesday, they presented their “Change the World” projects, an annual assignment by teacher Tim Owens. We stopped by and recorded one team talking about their project, advocating for healthy, sustainable, affordable food for people experiencing poverty. In the photo above are Zach Carver, June Oto, Ainsley Yukawa, and Bijan Zavareei, who is speaking in our clip below:

Owens says the students have been working on their projects for five months. Their presentations were made over the course of about an hour and a half. Read more about this year’s projects here.

P.S. Explorer West is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an alumni reunion tomorrow (Friday, June 3rd), 4-7 pm, starting at the campus, 10015 28th SW, with appetizers and faculty visits; at 5:30 pm the reunion moves to nearby Roxbury Lanes for bowling, hosted by EWMS.

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West Seattle Thursday: YMCA groundbreaking; Delridge farmstand; more…

June 2, 2016 8:59 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)

What’s happening today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:

SOUND TRANSIT 3: The Sound Transit board follows up last week’s announcement of revisions to its light-rail-expansion plan (including moving up West Seattle light rail to 2030) with a special meeting this morning, under way now until noon at the ST board room downtown. Here’s the agenda. You can watch live here. (401 S. Jackson)

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30 am-11 am at Southwest Library, for ages 3-5. (35th SW/SW Henderson)

DELRIDGE GROCERY FARMSTAND: Starting today and every Thursday all summer long, 4-7 pm, the Delridge Grocery Farmstand is back at the Delridge P-Patch with fresh produce for sale. (Delridge Way and Puget Boulevard)

WEST SEATTLE YMCA EXPANSION GROUNDBREAKING: 4:30-6 pm, you are invited to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) for a groundbreaking celebration as its expansion revs up. Bounce house, face-painting, games, photo booth, more, free for all! Brief program at 5 pm. (4515 36th SW)

SPIRITS FOR SPORTS: Join the West Seattle Booster Club in raising money at tonight’s “pub stroll” fundraiser, 6-9 pm in The Junction, various locations – details here.

LANDFILL HARMONIC ORCHESTRA: Free concert at 7 pm at Providence Mount St. Vincent. The Landfill Harmonic Orchestra from Paraguay includes musicians who live next to a giant landfill; their instruments “are made entirely out of garbage.” (4831 35th SW)

NORTH HIGHLINE UNINCORPORATED AREA COUNCIL: Live/work in White Center, Top Hat, Boulevard Park, or somewhere else in unincorporated North Highline? 7 pm at the NH Fire Station, your community council meets tonight. The agenda is previewed on our partner site White Center Now. (1243 SW 112th)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch; last bridge closure of the week tonight

June 2, 2016 6:28 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:28 AM: Good morning! So far, no incidents in/from West Seattle.

BRIDGE CLOSURE TONIGHT: Final closure of the week for the Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-cushion work, 9 pm-5 am; the next one after this will be Sunday night into Monday morning.

7:31 AM: Still nothing out of the ordinary.

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West Seattle ‘Summer Parkways’ update @ Southwest District Council

June 2, 2016 2:22 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

SDOT has finally officially announced the September 25th Seattle Summer Parkways (aka “car-free day”) West Seattle event, more than two months after we brought you first word it was on the way.

A few hours after Wednesday’s announcement, Seattle Summer Parkways coordinator Jordan Adams briefed the Southwest District Council, during its June meeting. The plans sound bigger than any of the previous “car-free days” in the area held 2008-2014.

One key point he mentioned: While Alki Avenue will be closed in its entirety between 63rd and 56th during the event (see the map above), the closure will be only one lane from 56th eastward (the water side of the street). Otherwise, the lineup for the 11 am-4 pm street party is taking shape; he told SWDC, “We have a few food trucks participating, and we’re opening the event with a 10K run … a bunch of groups already have signed up to organize events, we have a bike parade, a full music stage on Alki Beach, also up at the boat ramp.” (The run is the Orca Half, first reported here last week.) Also part of it: A fun way to work on emergency preparedness – cargo-bike trials in conjunction with the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs.

Adams is also inviting other organizations to be part of the Summer Parkways event (technically on the first Sunday of fall, as someone pointed out during the SWDC discussion), promotionally and/or offering an activity, no fee required- here’s the application.

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