This will be the seventh year that we’ve put together an all-local (West Seattle/White Center/South Park) list for the annual GiveBIG donate-a-thon, which is happening next Wednesday, May 10th. We want to make sure we don’t miss anyone, though, so if your nonprofit is part of it this year, please send us the name and your special GiveBIG link as soon as you can – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

Motorcycle rider hospitalized after Admiral crash

May 6, 2017 9:31 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news

California and Walker are closed for cleanup after a motorcycle-car collision this evening. We just talked with police, who tell us the rider was taken to the hospital. They’re finishing cleaning up the intersection right now, and the damaged motorcycle is being towed.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Car vandalized

May 6, 2017 6:30 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

One reader report so far today, from Meredith:

Car window broken overnight on SW Austin St and 19th:

Broke my driver’s-side car window that was facing the street, sometime between 1 am and 11 am. No stolen property or other damage.

This is the second time this year. Neighbors across the street have had at least two car break-ins since August with stolen property but no vehicle damage.

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WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE DAY: 1 week away! See the map/list now

May 6, 2017 4:18 pm

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

In case you haven’t already seen it since we added the link to the WSB menu a few hours ago – the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day map/list for next Saturday (May 13th) is ready for your review! It’s here, along with the link to download the printable PDF guide.

300+ sales are signed up, some with their own nicknames/summaries, like the “2 geeks and a painter” sale, the “aging hipster and 10-year-old son” sale, the “I’m too lazy to sell it on eBay” sale, the “glass artist clearing inventory” sale … moving sales, including moving out-of-state sales and moving out-of-the-country sales … block sales, nonprofit-benefiting sales, business sales … Be sure to read BELOW the online map for tips on how to use it, including how to search it for a specific type of item you’re looking for.

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Reader report: Man hurt on Alki

May 6, 2017 3:17 pm

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| West Seattle news

If you saw the SPD/SFD response just west of the Alki Bathhouse, Marshall, the reader who sent the photo, tells us a man was unloading beach gear from his hatchback when a driver pulled up to drop someone off and rolled into him. Not seriously hurt, Marshall says; the “aid response” classification of the call would be consistent with that.

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Westside Plant and Garden Art Fair 2017, day 1

May 6, 2017 1:18 pm

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| Gardening | Gatewood | West Seattle news

1:18 PM: Sunshine got you in the mood to grow something? Check out this year’s Westside Plant and Garden Art Fair, on until 3 pm today (and again 10 am-2 pm Sunday) at WSUU, 7141 California SW, in Gatewood. You can do more than shop – right now, until 2 pm, for one, Kevin Pinnell, “The Balloon Man,” is there to make balloon sculptures for kids. Live music until 2:30 pm, too.

ADDED SATURDAY EVENING: Thanks to Jonathan Rawle for the next two photos:

Above, WSUU member Eileen Duffy was showing her young friend Binegar what’s in the raffle prize baskets. Below left, plant volunteer Rose Sheppard offered advice on plant selection:

Again, you can check out the second day of the fair 10 am-2 pm Sunday.

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BRIDGE WORK UPDATE: Westbound closure Sunday night/early Monday

May 6, 2017 11:52 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Quick note if you are a late-night/early-morning West Seattle Bridge user – the closures on the west end for streetlight work that started this past Monday night will continue on Sunday night (May 7th), according to an update from SDOT, and crews will be back to closing the westbound west end of the bridge this time. They’re scheduled to start detouring westbound traffic onto the Delridge exit at 8 pm Sunday, ending by 5 am Monday.

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PHOTOS: West Seattle/South Park open house for HALA rezoning, other city programs

May 6, 2017 10:12 am

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| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

10:12 AM: We’re at Westside School (WSB sponsor) at 10404 34th SW in Arbor Heights, where the city’s second “open house” centered on the HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability rezoning proposals has just begun. (Use this clickable/zoomable citywide map to see how your neighborhood would be affected.) Unlike the December open house in The Junction, there’s lots of room for lots of people at this one – it’s in the upstairs multipurpose room at the school – the staircase is right inside the main entrance from 34th.

In addition to HALA – with general information as well as a table for each of this area’s five Urban Villages (The Junction, Morgan Junction, Admiral, Westwood-Highland Park, South Park) …

… you’ll also find tables for SDOT, Metro, the upcoming May 25th Highland Park Find It/Fix It Walk, and Democracy Vouchers…

… among other things. And the HALA HoloLens “what it would look like under the rezoning” view is indeed being offered.

We’re off to explore some more.

10:35 AM UPDATE: Along with the HoloLens, here’s some of what else is new at this event, if you’ve already been to meetings and discussions about HALA rezoning. For one, we haven’t seen these boards, attempting to put faces and names to the affordable-housing shortage:

Also, a new timeline – the next big touchstone in the process, the draft Environmental Impact Statement, was due out this month. This board says it’s not expected until June, which means a comment period ending in mid-July:

And on the individual Urban Villages’ tables, we’re seeing sheets pointing out projects involved in the city’s previous program for below-market-rate housing in some projects – that’s the Multi-Family Tax Exemption project, in which property tax isn’t charged on the residential portion of projects for 15 years if they agree to rent a certain percentage of units to people making a certain level of income:

That project is unrelated to HALA and has been in place for many years – most of the newer, larger developments in West Seattle are participants. Meantime, back at the “so what would things look like if the rezoning happens?” area in the corner, along with the HoloLens 3D view, there’s also a monitor running a slideshow showing the difference between, for example, development zoned to 40′ currently, and what it would become if HALA adds a floor, to 55′.

So if you come to this (or are here already), don’t miss that in the corner on the right side of the stage.

11:02 AM: Half over already. Here’s the current crowd – still lots of room:

We have to move on, so that’s our last look at this event. If you couldn’t be here and haven’t commented on HALA MHA yet, you can still do that via halainfo@seattle.gov.

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See what’s up for your West Seattle Saturday!

May 6, 2017 6:57 am

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Golden-crowned kinglet, photographed by Mark Wangerin, who says it requires much time and patience to catch a view of these guys!)

Spring is really and truly starting to unfold … and you can tell from the long list of West Seattle weekend events … these are just some of what’s on our calendar for today/tonight!

TROOP 284 GARAGE & BAKE SALE: 8 am-4 pm at Admiral Congregational Church – just received this photo:

See what the troop’s selling to raise money for camp and outdoor activities. (4320 SW Hill)

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST RUMMAGE SALE: 9 am-3 pm, second and final day of the big “famous and fabulous” sale at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, in the parish hall. (3050 California SW)

DONATIONS FOR REST: 9 am-noon, women helped by Real Escape from the Sex Trade (REST) will benefit from your donations of new black leggings and undergarments, dropped off at Hope Lutheran Church. (4456 42nd SW)

FIND OUT ABOUT HALA REZONING AND OTHER CITY PROGRAMS … at the city’s open house this morning at Westside School (WSB sponsor), 10 am-noon. Here’s our most-recent preview. (10404 34th SW)

WESTSIDE PLANT AND GARDEN ART FAIR: 10 am-3 pm, day one of the Westside Plant and Garden Art Fair at Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation on Gatewood Hill. Including a balloon artist to entertain the kids, noon-2 pm today. Details in our calendar listing. (7141 California SW)

SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN PEONY AND BAMBOO FESTIVAL: 10 am-4 pm at the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north end of the South Seattle College campus, with today’s highlights including a lion dance at 11:30 am, Bubbleman at 12:30 pm, and a performance with Chinese Dance, Song, Shaolin Martial Arts, and Sichuan Face Changing at 2 pm. (6000 16th SW)

KAREN KONZUK AT CLICK! 10 am-6 pm, stop by Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in The Junction for a trunk show and new collection preview with jewelry artist Karen Konzuk:

The folks at Click! shared the photo and tell us, “The new collection is called Stellar Continuum and features diamond dust and concrete with stainless steel.” (4540 California SW)

COMMUNITY ORCHARD OF WEST SEATTLE: 10 am-2 pm, come find out about the orchard on the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, and lend a hand. Details in our calendar listing. (6000 16th SW)

VIETNAMESE STORY TIME: 11:30 am-noon at Delridge Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

FREE KINDERMUSIK: 12:30 pm at My Three Little Birds (WSB sponsor). (6959 California SW)

SASSAFRAS POP-UP LAUNCH PARTY: 5-9 pm, apparel, tea, lipstick, and more at Virago in The Junction. (4306 SW Alaska)

NUCLEAR-WEAPONS CONCERNS @ WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: “Command and Control” is this month’s film. See the trailer here. Doors at Neighborhood House High Point open at 6:30 pm; film at 7, followed by facilitated discussion. Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility will be represented. No admission charge, but donations are welcome. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

‘FIRST DATE’: Second-to-last chance to see Twelfth Night Productions’ “First Date,” 7:30 pm curtain at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.

THAT’S NOT ALL … you’ll find more for today/tonight/beyond on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar.

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