Two West Seattleites have been working on a plan to help the demonstrators who are gathered with the Standing Rock Sioux, 1,200 miles from here [map], trying to change the route of an oil pipeline. They are planning to travel to the site next month and collecting community donations if you are interested in helping. Here’s their message and plan:

BE A PART OF THE STANDING ROCK PROTEST AND HELP THE WATER PROTECTORS IN NORTH DAKOTA.

Standing between poisoned water and the people living from the Dakotas to New Orleans are a few hundred tents on the prairie. It gets very cold on the prairie in North Dakota.

THE PROBLEM:

The proposed path of the Dakota Access Pipeline goes under the Missouri River just a half mile from the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, threatening the water of the entire region, from the Dakotas to New Orleans. The DAPL company expects construction to be complete in January, with highly explosive oil from the Bakken region ready to flow.

THE SOLUTION:

Move this “safe” pipeline back to its original route north of Bismarck and away from the water. This is the only thing the Sioux tribe and their supporters are asking for. This is why they are camping on the prairie in the direct path of the pipeline.

OUR PLAN:

We are driving from West Seattle, hopefully with a truck or trailer full of supplies, to the Standing Rock Sioux at Sacred Stone Camp for Thanksgiving to show our support for their cause and sacrifice in protecting the water. We would like to give you the opportunity to show your support and gratitude as well.

There are two ways you can support this.

1. We will be taking donated items (see list) at the following locations for the next 3 weeks.
2. You can make a direct financial contribution to those protesting. (see links)

MATERIAL DONATION SITES:

Saturdays: November 5th, 12th, and 19th, between 8 a.m. and noon.
Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 7141 California Ave SW.

Weekly: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (until the 19th)
Duwamish Tribal Services at 4705 West Marginal Way SW

*Please note that we are not a 501c3 charity and any donations are non-tax-deductible. Any financial donation should be made through the suggested links.*

SUPPLY LIST:
(as requested by the Sacred Stone Camp)

Warm Winter Clothes (good condition only please)

****Gloves, Wool Hats, Socks and Sweaters
****Insulated Coats and Pants

Sleeping Bags / Blankets for subzero temperatures
Thermal Bed Rolls
Winter Tents / Heavy Duty Canvas

DIRECT DONATION LINKS:

sacredstonecamp.org
standingrock.org
democracynow.org

We welcome any suggestions and comments from our community and will do our best to reply to WSB posts.

Giles Stanton and Cathy Morgan

WEST SEATTLE HALLOWEEKEND: ‘Werewolf’ night at Meeples

October 29, 2016 10:01 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

Halloweekend continues, with more big events tomorrow (Harvest Festival!) but in the meantime, tonight …

As the slogan goes, every night is Game Night at Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) at California/Charlestown. But this is not just any night … dozens of players are gathered right now for the Halloween edition of “Werewolf,” led by legendary moderator Hank (top photo).

Getting ready for Halloweekend 'Werewolf' at @MeeplesGames pic.twitter.com/PZazlPvVs2

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 30, 2016

Not familiar with this role-playing game? Here’s how it works. The game began with a costume contest. The winners:

From left, #3 is Greg from “Over the Garden Wall”; #2, the Black Canary; #1, Lucius Malfoy from “Harry Potter.”

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NPR today, updated book release ahead for ultimate Cubs fan Steve Goodman’s biographer Clay Eals

October 29, 2016 7:49 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Tonight in Chicago, the Cubs are playing Game 4 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians – the Cubs’ first World Series since 1945. If you’re a Cubs fan, you likely are familiar with the late Steve Goodman‘s songs “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request” and “Go Cubs Go.” The man who literally wrote the book on Steve Goodman (photo at right by Bob Sirott) is West Seattleite Clay Eals, and that landed him on NPR this morning, as several WSB readers mentioned to us. If you missed it, the audio clip of his interview with NPR’s Scott Simon is above.

Eals’s award-winning book “Steve Goodman: Facing the Music” was first published in 2007 but has just been updated for a fourth printing that ECW Press will release in mid-December. You can pre-order a copy here.

SIDE NOTE: You almost certainly know Eals as executive director of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. Its annual benefit brunch happens to be exactly a week away – tickets are still available, here.

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2 events at local salmon creeks: Fauntleroy tomorrow, Longfellow next weekend

October 29, 2016 7:05 pm

| Comments Off on 2 events at local salmon creeks: Fauntleroy tomorrow, Longfellow next weekend

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Fall is salmon homecoming season. There are two ways in the next week that you can celebrate, and learn, at two West Seattle salmon-spawning creeks:

(Spawners photographed by Dennis Hinton in 2011)

FAUNTLEROY CREEK: Tomorrow at 5 pm, join West Seattle neighbors at the Fauntleroy Creek overlook (SW Director and upper Fauntleroy Way SW, across and upslope from the ferry terminal) for the traditional singing and drumming gathering to call the coho home. All welcome, all ages, bring your own drum or just bring your voice.

LONGFELLOW CREEK: Next Saturday (November 5), 11:30 am-1 pm, you are invited to Longfellow Creek in North Delridge for this event:

Join us as we walk a section of Longfellow Creek in West Seattle to investigate the health of one of our local salmon runs. Longfellow Creek, which flows from Roxhill Bog to Elliott Bay, provides spawning habitat for a population of coho salmon every year.

A group of dedicated volunteers is working with Soundkeeper to monitor whether the coho in Longfellow reproduce successfully or succumb to stormwater pollution in the river and die before spawning (a phenomenon known as pre-spawn mortality). Every day for the duration of the salmon run, teams are documenting their observations of live coho and dissecting the carcasses to check spawning condition. Come join our Saturday group of volunteers and see them in action!

Also at the event will be groups from the Nature Consortium, Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, King County Conservation District, and the City of Seattle to talk about wetland recovery, native plants, rain gardens, and what Seattle is doing to reduce the effects of toxic stormwater runoff on salmon populations and other wildlife.

This is a great way to observe one of nature’s most amazing migrations, get a taste of scientific field work, and learn more about what you can do to restore the health of our local waterways. Be prepared to get dirty. Wear athletic clothing and shoes that can get wet. We will be walking along the creek through some muddy areas.

Meet at Dragonfly Pavilion (4107 28th SW); RSVP to kerry@pugetsoundkeeper.org or 206-297-7002.

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UPDATE: Bicycle rider hurt in collision at 35th and Barton

October 29, 2016 4:09 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts | WS breaking news

4:09 PM: Thanks for the tips. Another traffic incident – this time at 35th and Barton. Texters say a bicyclist is hurt. A reader photo (above) shows the incident on the southeast corner. We’re on the way to check.

4:24 PM: Medical discussion monitored via scanner indicates the bicycle rider, hit by a driver, is a 40-year-old man with leg and shoulder injuries. SFD tells our crew at the scene the injuries are not life-threatening. He’s being taken to Harborview Medical Center. No one in the car was hurt.

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COMMUNITY GIVING: Play basketball, help people

October 29, 2016 3:45 pm

| Comments Off on COMMUNITY GIVING: Play basketball, help people

| How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Play, and help, one week from today:

Contact Fred Lisko to sign up by Tuesday. Here’s more about the program he’s fundraising for (and leading).

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UPDATE: Driver unhurt after going off west end of West Seattle Bridge

October 29, 2016 12:58 pm

| 45 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)

12:58 PM: The response to an incident toward the west end of the West Seattle Bridge has just upgraded to “heavy rescue.” Texters are telling us a vehicle apparently went through the railing and onto Manning. So avoid the westbound bridge after Delridge, and avoid Harbor/Avalon/Manning on the surface.

1:12 PM: We’ve just arrived in the area. The Harbor/Avalon intersection is not affected – it’s the stub of Manning under the bridge. Firefighters tell us the driver is not hurt.

1:18 PM: Photo added. It’s a 4 x 4 pickup, our photographer reports. (added) Seattle Fire’s technical rescuers are trying to strategize how the vehicle can be removed.

1:27 PM: Above, photo tweeted by SFD showing their rescuers on the scene. They describe the drop as about 20′. Meanwhile, SDOT is up on the bridge:

Not sure how this is affecting the Fauntleroy end of the westbound bridge right now but we’re headed over to look.

Bridge is fully open; red tape strung where truck took out railing pic.twitter.com/82g96X4ftp

— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 29, 2016

3:01 PM: We went by the scene again a short time ago, status quo, truck still perpendicular. But we’ve since received this photo showing the tow truck working on pulling it out:

And thanks again to everyone for all the tips/updates.

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VIDEO: Running in the rain @ 2016 West Seattle Monster Dash

October 29, 2016 12:01 pm

| Comments Off on VIDEO: Running in the rain @ 2016 West Seattle Monster Dash

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

No sun? No problem! Smiles were bright as the 2016 West Seattle Monster Dash 5K runners got Halloweekend going this morning at Lincoln Park. It’s a fundraiser for local Cooperative Preschools. First, this group gathered for warmups and a photo:

Tony’s Market was there to offer mini-pumpkins:

It’s not the Monster Dash without The Monster:

The event also features a fun run for kids and a costume contest; this is its fifth year!

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TRAFFIC ALERT: 2 Delridge Way incidents

October 29, 2016 10:49 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

10:49 AM: Two problems on Delridge Way right now:

A truck hit a utility pole at Hudson – thanks to Michelle for the photo above – and there’s another crash response at Oregon. We are headed out to check on both.

11:02 AM: Just passed the Hudson/Delridge scene. City Light and SPD are there. The southbound lane is blocked but traffic is getting through both ways.

11:04 AM: And a minute later, we passed the Oregon/Delridge scene. No traffic lanes blocked here – looks like three damaged cars on the southbound shoulder. Police are there.

11:17 AM: Headed back the other way, the southbound lane is now blocked at the Oregon/Delridge crash, so the center lane is being utilized there too. We talked with police, who confirmed that no one was hurt. Photo added.

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West Seattle Saturday: Hallo-weekend continues, from WS Monster Dash to Werewolf @ Meeples

October 29, 2016 6:52 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Carved creations @ Brookdale Admiral Heights, photographed Friday afternoon)

Welcome to Saturday! First, from the WSB West Seattle Halloween (etc.) Guide:

MONSTER DASH: 5th annual West Seattle Monster Dash in Lincoln Park to benefit South Seattle College Cooperative Preschools. 9 am 5K, 10 am kids’ dash, 10:30 am awards ceremony and costume contest. Registration info here. (Fauntleroy/Cloverdale)

PCC PARTY: Kids’ pumpkin-decorating at PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor), 9-noon. PCC provides the pumpkins, decorating supplies, and a healthy snack. (California SW & SW Stevens)

THRIFTWAY PARTY: Annual kids’ Halloween party at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), 11 am-1 pm. (Fauntleroy/Morgan/California)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM PARTY: Family Halloween on the Porch at the Log House Museum, with “cool crafts, spooky stories and special treats.” 1-3 pm. (61st SW/SW Stevens)

KENYON HALL PARTY: Family Halloween Party at Kenyon Hall, 3 pm.

Fun for the whole family, featuring a Silent Movie Comedy accompanied by Bob White at the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ and a Costume Parade and Contest, with age-appropriate prizes. We’ll serve Free Popcorn and Pirates’ Brew Punch, and we’ll reserve room for kids to cut a rug on the dance floor. Tickets for adults are $8 ($5 if you wear a costume and are accompanied by a child). Elementary, middle, and high school children pay $5, and pre-school children are free. We accept cash and checks at the door, and doors open at 2:45 for the 3:00 party.

(7904 35th SW)

OLG CARNIVAL: 4-8 pm, Halloween Carnival at Our Lady of Guadalupe School in the Walmesley Center. (35th SW & SW Myrtle)

LIGHT SHOW: Halloween Light Show by the folks who bring you West Seattle Yuletide. 5-10 pm, maybe a bit later tonight and Halloween. New zombies this year! (38th SW between Genesee and Dakota)

HOLY ROSARY HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION: “Holy Rosary’s first Halloween Celebration is in the School Hall from 6:15 p.m. (right after Mass) to 8:00 p.m. This event is for kids preschool age on up, and is open to the West Seattle community so please invite your friends! The event is put on by the Holy Rosary Youth Group (grade 6-8 students and high school). There will be Halloween games! photo booth! face painting! fun and spooky house! treats! Cost is only $2 and all proceeds will go to the Youth Group.” (42nd/Genesee)

PUB PARTY: Admiral Pub Halloween Party, 7 pm-close. “Costume contest, prizes and giveaways all night long,” according to poster. (2306 California SW)

GHOST GAME X: The Cabiri in “Ghost Game X: For Life Eternal” dessert-theater cabaret at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 7:30 pm. Ticket info and other details in our calendar listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

COME AS YOU AREN’T: Skylark Café and Club‘s 10th Annual “Come as You Aren’t” battle of the bands, starting at 8 pm, $10 cover, 21+ – see the latest lineup here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

HALLOWEEN ‘WEREWOLF’ AT MEEPLES: Spend the night playing Halloween Werewolf – costumes encouraged! at Meeples Games (WSB sponsor). 8:30 pm:

Join Hank as he guides the Townsfolk and Werewolves through an evening of fun and adventure.

Cost: FREE!
Registration: None, nada, zipola
Costumes: YES! Recommended, but not required

One minute you’re a Villager, defending your theoretical home with every fiber of your being. The next, you’re a Werewolf, framing your friends and accusing them of wanting to destroy your village, when really it’s you who’s been infiltrating it all along. Each game becomes an epic phenomenon, designed to test your personal judgment and moral character.

(3727 California SW)

And from our year-round West Seattle Event Calendar:

MAHONIA RESEARCH: Be part of a first-of-its-kind research project at the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Arboretum, as explained here. 9 am-noon, north end of campus. (6000 16th SW)

FINAL WEEKEND FOR SOUTHWEST LIBRARY ART SHOWCASE: It’s time for artists to come pick up their work at Southwest Library if they’ve been part of this month’s community showcase, and also your chance to take a last look at what’s on display! 10 am-6 pm today. (35th SW/SW Henderson)

WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL PLAY: The WSHS Drama Club presentation of “A Bright Room Called Day” continues its first weekend with a 7:30 pm performance at the WSHS Theater (photo courtesy WSHS):

We’re told, “With our current political climate, this show couldn’t be more timely or relevant.” (3000 California SW)

RYEGRASS: Kenyon Hall hosts this popular bluegrass band, 7:30 pm. (7904 35th SW)

Finally, two transportation notes:

EAST MARGINAL WAY/DIAGONAL CLOSURE: If you’re planning to use Highway 99 south of the West Seattle Bridge, be aware of this weekend-long work. One note: Contrary to the alert, it appears from the SDOT live-video cam, that the West Seattle Bridge exit from SB 99 is in use.

LAST WATER TAXI WEEKEND OF THE YEAR: After this weekend, the West Seattle Water Taxi switches to its five-day-a-week, mornings/afternoons-only schedule for the rest of fall/winter.

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