day : 19/02/2017 8 results

ORIGINAL REPORT, 9:54 PM SUNDAY: Thanks to David for the report and photo – brown (discolored) water from his taps in the 3000 block of 62nd SW in Alki: “I called the City and they say it’s safe — supposedly testing hydrants in the neighborhood is causing rust in the water.” If you have brown water – tonight or any other time – be sure to report it to Seattle Public Utilities at this number – 206-386-1800. Sometimes it’s testing; sometimes it can be a sign of a water break or other problem, and that number will get you to someone around the clock. Last year, you’ll recall, SPU was flushing areas of the water system in West Seattle in hopes of clearing out some buildup; we haven’t had an update on that in a few months, so we’ll check on its status after the holiday.

TUESDAY FOLLOWUP: From SPU spokesperson Ingrid Goodwin: “SPU crews were conducting fire flow tests Sunday night, which caused some customers to experience temporary discolored water. These tests require crews to run water from a hydrant to test the volume coming out of the pipe to ensure there is adequate fire flow protection. Most of these tests are conducted at night to minimize the impact to customers. SPU received 5 calls from customers about discolored water (3 Sunday night and 2 Monday morning). Our on-duty water quality inspector spoke directly to those customers who had questions or concerns about the discolored water.”

We also asked if any further flushing operations were happening; Goodwin said no: “At this time, SPU is not conducting water main flushing in West Seattle. However, we continue to monitor water quality issues in West Seattle to determine if, when and where flushing might be beneficial.”

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YOU CAN HELP: Golf tournament benefiting West Seattle High School boys’ basketball

February 19, 2017 8:56 pm

| Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Golf tournament benefiting West Seattle High School boys’ basketball

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

Imagine a sunny spring day … golfing to help local high-school athletes. Whatever happens from here, the West Seattle High School boys’ basketball team (headed next for regional/state play) has had a great year. Along with cheering them on in the stands as the playoffs continue, you’re invited to support them this spring via the third annual Wildcat Golf Fundraiser, April 8th at Riverbend Golf Complex in Kent.

This is a shotgun start, scramble tournament fundraiser for the West Seattle High School Boys Basketball Program. Handicaps will be used in addition with team final score to determine the champions, as well as the 2nd & 3rd place finishers. There will be a men’s and woman’s long-drive contest, plus a closest-to-the-pin contest. Also, the use of mulligans are strongly encouraged and can be purchased at the clubhouse before the tournament begins. With this fundraiser, we the basketball program hope to supply our athletes with quality basketball instruction, as well as equipment to perform at the highest level. We appreciate your support. Go Wildcats!

Tee time is 7:30 am, after check-in starting at 6:45 am, with entry including green fees, power cart, range balls, prize fund, and meal ticket. You can buy your ticket(s) now by going here.

P.S. The boys’ next game is set – a regional match vs. Timberline, at Bellevue College, 2 pm Saturday (February 25th)

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The Whale Trail’s Orca Talk on Thursday tells ‘rare firsthand story of an orca rescue’

February 19, 2017 7:16 pm

| Comments Off on The Whale Trail’s Orca Talk on Thursday tells ‘rare firsthand story of an orca rescue’

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo courtesy David Bain)

Thursday night, West Seattle-headquartered The Whale Trail presents its next Orca Talk – this time, Dr. David Bain tells the story of the Barnes Lake Killer Whale Rescue. 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), here’s what you’ll hear about::

In 1994, nine offshore killer whales became entrapped in a large tide pool at Barnes Lake, Alaska. A film crew sought help for the whales as NOAA determined how to address the life-threatening situation. Dr. Bain was recruited to help, and led the attempt to return the whales to open water.

Join us to hear this rare, first-hand story of an orca rescue. Dr. Bain will also discuss prior events that made the rescue effort possible, and the implications of this effort for the subsequent rescue of Springer (A-73).

This is the first Orca Talk of 2017, hosted by The Whale Trail and Seal Sitters in West Seattle.

Buy tickets now to reserve your seat. And hurry! This will likely sell out.

About the Speaker

Dr. Bain has been studying killer whales since 1978. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and did post-doctoral fellowships at UC Davis and the National Marine Mammal Lab. His work has addressed many aspects of their biology and behavior. In recent years he has focused on the effects of disturbance.

Dr. Bain is a co-author of Canada’s Resident Killer Whale Recovery Strategy under SARA. In addition to his research, he is active in protecting and restoring habitat for killer whales and their prey.

In 2002, Dr. Bain was a scientific advisor to the Orphan Orca Fund, a coalition of non-profits that supported the successful effort to return Springer, an orphaned orca, to her pod.

About The Whale Trail

The Whale Trail is a series of sites around the region where the public may view orcas and other marine mammals from shore. Our mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment. Our overarching goal is to ensure the southern resident orcas don’t go extinct.

Through our current sites and signs, including two on every Washington State ferry, we reach more than 30 million people each year. The Whale Trail is currently adding new sites along the west coast, from California to British Columbia, throughout the southern resident orcas’ range and beyond.

The Whale Trail is led by a core team of partners including NOAA Fisheries, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Seattle Aquarium, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the Whale Museum. Our BC team is led by the the BC Cetacean Sighting Network. Many members of the Whale Trail teams met when they worked together to return Springer, the orphaned orca, to her pod.

The Whale Trail is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, registered in Washington State. Join us!

Get your tickets in advance – go to this Brown Paper Tickets page. $5 suggested donation; kids are free. C & P is at 5612 California SW, between The Junction and Morgan Junction.

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UPDATE: Rescue response on 54th SW

February 19, 2017 4:08 pm

| 33 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(WSB photos)

4:08 PM: Big Seattle Fire “rescue” response is arriving in the 4000 block of 54th SW between Charlestown and Genesee Hills. We’re on the way to find out more.

4:17 PM: Via scanner, this is a special operation to get someone in need of medical assistance out of a house described as a possible “hoarder situation.” They are planning to evacuate the person from an upper floor of the house.

4:39 PM: The woman has been removed from the house. Some of the units at the scene are being dismissed.

4:43 PM: Our crew has talked with an SFD supervisor on scene. The patient is a 65-year-old woman with “various medical issues,” and they confirm she’s been successfully taken out of the house, via a window and ladder, sliding a special gurney down the ladder.

They also confirm that a “hoarding situation” inside the house made the passageways too narrow to bring her out any other way. She’ll be taken to Harborview Medical Center.

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VIDEO: See 11 ‘Page to Stage’ performances by Chief Sealth International High School students

February 19, 2017 2:20 pm

| 1 COMMENT

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

So much is happening at our local schools, both during classes, and before/after … Earlier this month, we were invited to cover the culmination of a month of work by 9th-grade classes at Chief Sealth International High School, with teaching artists from Book-It Repertory Theatre. As explained here, the program is a “synthesis of literature and theater.” And indeed, that’s what we saw inside the Sealth auditorium – poetry, not presented by a reader standing static in front of a microphone, but performed, in small ensembles, with movement, sometimes matched to the words, sometimes just adding emphasis or flair.

The students were from the freshman classes of Luke Azinger and Heather Griffin. The teaching artists from Book-It, who introduced themselves to the audience before the program, were Kelly Kitchens and Samara Lerman. As explained in the program for the performance:

This semester, Ms. Griffin worked with students to write original poetry. After the writing process, Book-It worked with Mr. Azinger’s classes to analyze and adapt student and professional poems into scripts for the stage in the Book-It Style. Then, the students collaborated to create live plays out of the poems – taking them from page to stage.

With small ensembles trading places while two students drummed interstitially, 23 poems were performed. We recorded them on video from mid-auditorium; all were excellent, but our audio had its shortcomings, so we are featuring the 11 that are clearest in our recordings. We were asked not to publish the authors and performers’ names, but we do have the poems’ titles.

“Fear”:

“Bullets”:

“Wake Up”:

“Once a Friend, Now an Acquaintance”:

“Gloves”:

“Constellation Nights”:

“The Hole”:

“Silenced”:

“Border Justice”:

“Anger”:

“Age”:

Speaking of the passage of time – as did that last poem – this is the 17th year of collaboration between CSIHS and Book-It. Congratulations to the writers, performers, teachers, and teaching artists – and to the students’ families, many of whom were there that night to cheer them on. (The program also was performed earlier in the day during school hours, so other students could see it.)

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen urn; found bicycle

February 19, 2017 1:13 pm

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| West Seattle news

Maybe you’ll be able to reunite stolen property with its rightful owners. Two reader reports:

STOLEN URN: The photo is from Kayla, who says that urn was stolen when her friends home was broken into. The top of the urn was found nearby, at Delridge Way and SW Brandon. If you see or have seen the rest of it, call Kayla at 206-853-8706.

FOUND BICYCLE: Kimberly found a dumped bicycle near her home in the Alki area and would like to get it back to its owner. It’s a blue-and-red men’s bicycle, and that’s all she wants to say, so if that might be yours, contact her at kimktodd (at) hotmail (dot) com.

And while we’re talking crime …

WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL REMINDER: 7 pm Tuesday (February 21st), the WSCPC meets at the Southwest Precinct. This is your monthly chance to bring crime/safety concerns to local police, and to hear about crime trends. This month, WSCPC also has rebooked the guest who was unable to be there last month, an SPD expert on “active shooter” situations. All welcome. (2300 SW Webster)

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FAUNTLEROY BOULEVARD: West Seattle Transportation Coalition update Thursday

February 19, 2017 10:56 am

| 40 COMMENTS

| Transportation | Triangle | West Seattle news

The concept of transforming Fauntleroy Way SW into a “boulevard” through The Triangle (between 35th and Alaska) has been kicking around for many years. But now there’s money in the city budget and construction could start before year’s end, as announced last fall. We’ve shown general concepts many times … the renderings above and below are the newest ones SDOT has made public, from the “60% design” phase:

(Cross-section from city project page)

So what about the details, such as how access will change for businesses and side-road users, for example? This Thursday is your chance to hear firsthand, and to ask questions, as an SDOT rep from the project will be featured at the West Seattle Transportation Coalition‘s monthly meeting. “WSTC has been expressing concerns (about the plan) since 2013 – within West Seattle, and with successive (project) teams, SDOT management, the mayor, and City Council,” says WSTC co-chair Martin Westerman. “Concerns include, but are not limited to, issues around project design and cost, and coordination between successive (project) teams and SDOT-Move Seattle, Seattle City Light, Sound Transit, and West Seattle stakeholders.” The meeting starts at 6:30 pm Thursday (February 23rd) at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW). Westerman also notes, “All are welcome — from community associations, interest groups, businesses, and members of the public.”

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On the list for your West Seattle Sunday

February 19, 2017 7:02 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(1st of three photos by Kersti Muul, offshore @ Lincoln Park – this one’s from Friday)

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

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Shop in the street, 10 am-2 pm, and see what’s fresh. (California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)

SOUTH DELRIDGE COMMUNITY GROUP MEETING CANCELED: No SDCG meeting today – but you’re invited to the March meeting – watch the SDCG website for info.

GREYHOUNDS! Meet and greet the gentle hounds of Greyhound Pets Inc. 11 am-1 pm at Mud Bay in The Admiral District. (2611 California SW)

(This photo and next are by Kersti Muul, from Saturday – river otter and seal)

PLAY GAMES! See the Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) home-page sidebar for details on the groups that meet there today, starting at noon. Or, just go play! (3727 California SW)

BENEFIT CONCERT: Local musicians perform at Admiral UCC to raise money to renovate its pipe organ. Lunch at noon, music at 1 pm, admission by donation. (California SW & SW Hill)

JAMTIME: Old-time, bluegrass music with Jamtime at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 1-4 pm. (5612 California SW)

WSB, YEAR 10, AT SOUTHWEST STORIES: 2 pm at High Point Library, your WSB co-publishers are this month’s guests at SouthWest Stories, the speaker series co-presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society and Seattle Public Library. The occasion: This year, WSB turns 10 – we became a commercial, 24/7 news publication in 2007. The format: A conversation with SWSHS executive director Clay Eals, a longtime journalist. As always @ SW Stories (go to the official webpage for the series to see our video invitation and the videos of those who’ve been featured before), no admission charge, and seating is first-come, first-served. (35th SW & SW Raymond)

PREVIEW THE WEEK AHEAD … via our calendar.

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