West Seattle, Washington

08 Friday

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month : 08/2017 316 results

PHOTOS: Lucha Libre Volcánica’s Duwamish River Festival afterparty
August 27, 2017 11:39 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   South Park | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(First 4 photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)

Never mind Mayweather vs. McGregor. Last night’s big local battles were in the ring at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park, as Lucha Libre Volcánica‘s luchadores put on a show following the Duwamish River Festival.

Above, the purple-costumed luchador is The Joker, who lost to the crowd favorite Peligro.

Below, El Dragon Dorado took on Milky Burrado (in beige):

El Dragon was the victor. Bonus photo if you missed it in comments on our Saturday daily preview – this one posted by Steve shows just how high-flying lucha libre can be:

Lucha Libre Volcánica is not only a lucha-libre troupe, it also is home to the only school in Puget Sound for lucha libre. The luchadores perform in South Park at least once a year, with shows elsewhere throughout the year.

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West Seattle Sunday: Festival Centroamericano, Arts in Nature Festival day 2, Cosmo run on Alki, more…
August 27, 2017 7:24 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Sunday: Festival Centroamericano, Arts in Nature Festival day 2, Cosmo run on Alki, more…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Pigeon guillemot, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Not as busy as Saturday – but busier than the usual Sunday! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

COSMO 7K ON ALKI: 8 am last-minute registration, 9:30 am race, 10:30 am kids’ run. Heed the parking and road-closure signs on Alki SW until it’s over! More info here. (60th SW/Alki SW)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, see what’s fresh this week. Plenty of bounty last Sunday, from berries to beets! (California SW between Oregon and Alaska)

… and while you’re there …

HENNA ART FUNDRAISER: Rifka Bahaman plans to offer henna art for hands/feet outside Many Moons Trading during the WSFM hours, 10 am-2 pm, today. Read her story here. (4461 California SW)

ARTS IN NATURE FESTIVAL CONTINUES: 11 am-6 pm, second day of art, music, interactivity, and joy at Camp Long, as the DNDA/Nature Consortium-presented Arts in Nature Festival continues. See the schedule here; see our Saturday photos here. Ticket info here. (5200 35th SW)

WADING POOL AND SPRAYPARK: The only West Seattle wading pool still open for the season is Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way); it’s open 11 am-8 pm today, as is Highland Park spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), both open daily through Labor Day.

FESTIVAL CENTROAMERICANO: Noon-7 pm at Westcrest Park, it’s the second annual festival celebrating the seven Central American nations’ culture, with entertainment, education, food, and more. Here’s our preview. (9000 8th SW)

ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: 1-4 pm, one of your last chances to tour the Alki Point Lighthouse this summer – be there by 3:40 pm to get in. (3201 Alki SW)

CAMP SECOND CHANCE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL: 2 pm, all are welcome at the rescheduled August meeting of the community advisory council for the lone city-sanctioned/funded encampment in West Seattle, scheduled for the community room at Arrowhead Gardens. (9200 2nd SW)

BYSTANDER INTERVENTION WORKSHOP: 2-3:30 pm at Admiral UCC – info here. (California/Hill)

ANDREA & JOSEPH … perform originals and covers at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)

SWING, JAZZ, R&B … with Monty Banks at Parliament Tavern, 7-10 pm. No cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

WATER TAXI ON EXTENDED SCHEDULE: Going to the Sounders FC match tonight? The >West Seattle Water Taxi is on its extended schedule tonight because of that.

PREVIEW THE WEEK AHEAD … and beyond, via our complete calendar.

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FOLLOWUP: Lauren Boilini and Jerome Leslie swim from Bremerton to Alki Point
August 26, 2017 8:46 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(Photos by David Hutchinson)

How did you spend YOUR Saturday? Jerome Leslie and Lauren Boilini spent most of it in 55-degree Puget Sound, swimming ten and a half miles from Bremerton to Alki Point, where they emerged just after 4 pm:

According to the Northwest Open Water Swimming Association, they completed the “Amy Hiland Swim” – named after the woman who made history doing it in 1959 – in six hours and 11 minutes. They are part of the group of distance swimmers who train in Alki waters, and they were all smiles after arrival:

Almost a year ago, you might recall, Erika Norris became the first person to complete the Amy Hiland Swim in half a century. Thanks to one of Jerome and Lauren’s fellow Alki swimmers, Andrew Malinak, for letting us know about today’s swim (as previewed here last night) – he says it’s the locals’ last big one this season.

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SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER: West Seattle Outdoor Movies 2017 finale
August 26, 2017 8:12 pm
|    Comments Off on SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER: West Seattle Outdoor Movies 2017 finale
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

We stopped by the SW Snoqualmie festival street next to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle just before sunset, as people gathered for the final West Seattle Outdoor Movies show of summer 2017, “Beauty and the Beast.” We even found these characters:

This was the first full season at the new location of the free movie series, presented by the Y and the West Seattle Junction Association, with community business and organization sponsors including WSB.

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PHOTOS: Arts in Nature Festival 2017, day 1
August 26, 2017 3:13 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB photos by Leda Costa @ Arts in Nature Festival today)

3:13 PM: It’s a festival in the forest … and the meadow … and the lodge … and the cabins. Day 1 of the Arts in Nature Festival, presented by Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association/Nature Consortium, is in its fifth hour at Camp Long, the spectacular park you can enter at 5200 35th SW in West Seattle. It’s on until 9 pm tonight – an evening highlight will be Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band, headline performance at 6 pm on the Nancy Stage. You can see the schedules for today and tomorrow by going here.

ADDED 9:31 PM: More scenes from the festival’s first afternoon, photographed by Leda Costa for WSB:

West Seattle artist David Johansson and Jade Wilkinson made those signs for the weekend; he’s live-painting Camp Long during the festival, at his booth.

Meantime, more music – Castletown was onstage early this afternoon:

Artists are in residence throughout the weekend – Lisa Parsons is at Cabin 3 with her installation, “Green River Gorge: The Power of Place.”

Outside her cabin, festivalgoers are invited to paint the river. (See the full list of cabins/installations here.) Interactivity also happens in the form of something as simple as writing messages of gratitude and tying them to a railing:

But the Arts in Nature Festival is not all low-tech:

That’s 7-year-old Reari Spurgin exploring Virtual Reality at Immersive Square‘s booth. Might be hard for that to compete, however, with the splendor of this installation:

That’s “Dream Hatching,” by Constance Mears. You can help build the next by adding elements to it and by creating an egg – write down your dream, and wrap the paper around a pinecone. Cecile Kummerer and Silas Hjelmstad contributed to the nest, while service dog Tali kept a watchful eye:

So much of the festival is ongoing – you just have to wander around and discover it – but for the outdoor Nancy Stage, the indoor Lodge, and the outdoor Pond performances, here’s the Sunday schedule; ticket info is toward the bottom of the festival website’s main page. See you at Camp Long!

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READER REPORTS: Know whose truck, bicycle these are?
August 26, 2017 2:34 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

The readers who spotted these are hoping for reunions or at least mystery-solving:

ABANDONED PICKUP?: Jeff sent the photo and says it “showed up on 46th St between Austin and Kenyon on Wednesday, Aug 16th. After 7 days of no movement it was called in. Hasn’t been tagged yet.” (SUNDAY UPDATE: Jeff says the pickup was gone this morning.)

ABANDONED BICYCLE: Missing a Mongoose-brand bicycle? Kersti says one was left in front of her house near Lincoln Park last night; she’s taken it in for safekeeping. Contact us if you have had one stolen and we’ll connect you.

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PHOTOS: Great Cross-Sound Race 2017 from/to Alki
August 26, 2017 1:53 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(WSB photo by Leda Costa)

1:53 PM: Beautiful Saturday all around Puget Sound, including the route for this morning’s Great Cross-Sound Race, which takes Sound Rowers competitors from Alki to Blakely Rock (off Bainbridge Island) and back. The solo racer at right in our top photo is Greg Barton, the Olympic gold medalist, who came in first, in 55:58; Kevin Olney and Paul Clement were 11 seconds behind. Here’s the full list of results – we’ll be adding more photos later.

ADDED 11:38 PM: #31, Evan Jacobs (58:30), and #32, Tyler Peterson (59:04), were fifth and sixth, respectively, overall:

Rowing together in 2006, they set the course record.

The top quad entry was #4, T. Batty, T. Silver, A. Storb, and R. Storb (57:40):

The rest of this year’s races are listed here.

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TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE: Crashes cleared on eastbound West Seattle Bridge, northbound Viaduct
August 26, 2017 11:56 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE: Crashes cleared on eastbound West Seattle Bridge, northbound Viaduct
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

11:56 AM: If you’re headed off-peninsula, be aware that a crash is blocking two eastbound lanes of the West Seattle Bridge before 4th Avenue. Thanks to Christian Harris from Sea-Town Real Estate (WSB sponsor) for first word. SDOT also reports a crash blocking a northbound lane on the Alaskan Way Viaduct before Western.

1 PM: Now there’s a second crash on the northbound Viaduct, so you really don’t want to head that way. The bridge crash was down to blocking one lane at last report. And you might not want to try 1st Avenue South as a backup – SDOT says it still has a lane closure at Lander from an earlier crash involving a utility pole, requiring repairs.

2 PM: The crashes have all cleared, per SDOT via Twitter.

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AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE: Blue skies, gleaming wheels @ 10th annual West Seattle Car Show
August 26, 2017 10:46 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

10:46 AM: Not a cloud in the sky this year as the 10th annual West Seattle Car Show cruises through its first hour on the north side of the South Seattle College campus (6000 16th SW). Reasons to visit:

-Cars of every color and size, spanning decades
-If you drive yours here, free leak and light checks – ask as you enter the campus
-Music – DJ with the classics right now, The Disco Cowboys performing live at 1 pm
–Double Up food-truck tent serving “vegetarian Trinidad street food,” next to the …
–Northwest Wine Academy, with award-winning beverages
–Seattle Chinese Garden, free admission for its open house starting at 11 am
-50/50 raffle – tickets at the info booth on the northeast side of the show (look for the bright blue canopy)
-Free raffle for a drone – get a “bingo card” and have the vendor booths check off the boxes for you
-Motorcycles on display too
-Applaud the winners at the awards ceremony (~2:30 pm, with the show wrapping by 3 pm)

The show is presented again this year by West Seattle Autoworks and Swedish Automotive (which, like SSC, are WSB sponsors – and we are one of the show’s co-sponsors). No admission charge – just come wander!

11:15 AM: Here’s a special group of cars at today’s show – Sunbeams!

And if you like pickles and jams, look for Broken Spoke Cannery from Beacon Hill, next to the orange VW camper. We asked what’s popular – it’s the hot dills:

Along with the raffle tickets at the info booth, also be sure to ask how to vote for your favorite show participant in the People’s Choice Award. Meantime, we just checked out what’s happening inside the Wine Academy building on the north side of the show grounds:

Wine, soda, coffee, snacks, and (not in our pic) an activity table for the kids. Back to the cars:

12:18 PM: Tours of the SSC Automotive Technology program – which car-show proceeds are supporting – are set for 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm. Meantime, the stream of spectators continues, gawking at classics like this one:

1:06 PM: Our portable hotspot is a little glitchy up here at the show, so we’ll add many more photos from HQ later, including the winners, now about an hour and a half away from being announced. And The Disco Cowboys are about to start playing!

1:35 PM: And there they are, in our video clip above, with a mashup of “Funkytown” and “Brick House.” If you’re more an Abba fan, part of their “Waterloo” cover is on our Instagram feed.

2:35 PM: They’re getting ready to hand out the awards – depending on how things go, we’ll either add the list and photos here, or publish a separate story (and we’d link to it here).

8:27 PM: We don’t have a simple list matching trophies to cars, so adding to this will take some time. But first – this 1960 Chrysler Imperial was a double winner – including the “people’s choice” trophy honoring the car show’s late founder Michael Hoffman:

This Nissan Figaro won “best Asian car”:

This 1973 F-100 won “best truck”:

Still adding more winning vehicles. And here’s a group shot of the winners after the trophy ceremony:

This was the biggest show yet since the move to SSC, where, it was announced, next year’s show is already set for Saturday, August 25, 2018.

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West Seattle Saturday: Car show; Arts in Nature & Duwamish River festivals; WS Outdoor Movies finale; much more!
August 26, 2017 6:03 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Western Wood-Pewee, photographed this week at Fauntleroy Park by Mark Wangerin)

The final mega-weekend of summer is here! So is a great forecast. Many ways and places to have fun today/tonight:

GUIDED TRAIL WALK: 9 am – Learn about lesser-known West Seattle trails in the West Duwamish Greenbelt – 1.5-hour, 3-mile-loop walk, all ages welcome, more info in our calendar listing. (12th SW/SW Myrtle)

GREAT CROSS-SOUND RACE: Sound Rowers‘ big race from Alki Beach to Blakely Rock and back, 9 am start. Go cheer them on! (60th SW/Alki SW)

LOG HOUSE TO LONGHOUSE BICYCLE RIDE: 9:15 am, join the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, West Seattle Bike Connections, and Cascade Bicycle Club on a ride from the Log House Museum to the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse. 10 miles round trip. Meet at the “Birthplace of Seattle” monument. (63rd SW/Alki SW)

WEST SEATTLE CAR SHOW: 10 am-3 pm on the north side of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), it’s the 10th annual West Seattle Car Show, presented by Swedish Automotive and West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsors), with not only cool vehicles to admire, but also: Inspections for your car (leaks, bulbs); visits to nearby SSC hotspots including the Northwest Wine Academy tasting room and the Automotive Technology program (which the show supports), plus an open house (11 am-4 pm) at the Seattle Chinese Garden next door. Also: Music with a DJ plus the Disco Cowboys, live; food truck; kids’ activities. Admission is free for spectators; if you want to enter your car, find the form here – load-in starts at 8. (6000 16th SW)

PARK WALK WITH AUTHOR LINNEA WESTERLIND: 10 am, West Seattle writer Linnea Westerlind, author of the new guidebook “Discovering Seattle Parks,” leads a free exploration of WS parks:

Come along on a tour of several of West Seattle’s best parks with Linnea Westerlind, author of Discovering Seattle Parks. Enjoy a scenic walk and hear some history and interesting facts about some of the neighborhood’s best parks. Walk will be approximately 3-4 miles and take 1.5-2 hours.

– Meet at north parking lot of Lincoln Park
– Bring comfortable walking shoes and water
– Walk will be mostly on unpaved trails and involve some hills

More info here. (Fauntleroy Way SW/SW Rose)

SWIMMING FROM BREMERTON TO ALKI POINT: At 10 am, as previewed here Friday night, swimmers Jerome Leslie and Lauren Boilini plan the fabled “Amy Hiland Swim” – starting their swim at Bremerton, headed for Alki Point, with arrival around 4 pm.

(Photo added: Taken this morning – thanks to NW Open Water Swimming Association)

You can track their progress here, and cheer their arrival on the beach.

ARTS IN NATURE FESTIVAL, DAY ONE: As previewed here, it’s day one of the Arts in Nature Festival (co-sponsored by WSB) at Camp Long, 11 am-9 pm. See the schedule here – headliner Clinton Fearon and the Boogie Brown Band performs at 6 pm on the Nancy Stage; don’t miss the cabins, too. Ticket info is here. (5200 35th SW)

WHITE CENTER FOOD BANK BLOCK PARTY: 11 am-5 pm, music, food, carnival games, White Center Food Bank tours – all ages welcome! (10829 8th SW)

WADING POOL AND SPRAYPARK: The only West Seattle wading pool still open for the season is Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way); it’s open 11 am-8 pm today, as is Highland Park spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), both open daily through Labor Day.

BENEFIT BARBECUE & MAXMOBILE PET ADOPTIONS: 11 am barbecue, noon-3 pm Seattle Humane MaxMobile pet adoptions as West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) continues “Dog Days of Summer.” (4201 SW Morgan)

… and also as part of that special event …

CITYDOG MAGAZINE COVER DOG MODEL SEARCH: Also during “Dog Days of Summer,” the 12th annual photo shoots for CityDog Magazine‘s Cover Dog Model Search are happening today at Thriftway, noon-2 pm. Bring your dog and a $10 fee to benefit Doney Memorial Pet Clinic. More here. (4201 SW Morgan)

DUWAMISH RIVER FESTIVAL: Noon-6 pm at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park, celebrate (and learn about!) our area’s only river, with free boat and kayak trips as well as entertainment and education on shore – more info in our preview. Free! (7900 10th Ave. S.)

CORNHOLE FOR CHARITY: Starting at noon, play at The Bridge to raise money for Shamrock Charities! (California/Graham)

NO ALKI LIGHTHOUSE TOURS today … but the lighthouse will be open tomorrow (Sunday)!

‘YAPPY HOUR’: Mutts ‘n’ Martinis is a party for people AND pooches, 4-7:30 pm at Cascade Heights Veterinary Clinic in White Center, presented by Furry Faces Foundation – full details here. (9832 15th SW)

LUCHA LIBRE VOLCANICA: Right after the Duwamish River Festival, go ringside and be part of the cheering crowd for Mexican-style masked wrestling courtesy of Lucha Libre Volcánica at Duwamish Waterway Park, starting at 6 pm. Free! (7900 10th Ave. S.)

WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES’ SEASON FINALE: It’s the sixth and final Saturday night West Seattle Outdoor Movies screening of the summer already! Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to the festival street south of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) for “Beauty and the Beast” – here’s the trailer:

The movie’s free, but if you can, bring some money for nonprofit-benefiting raffles and concessions! Movie starts at dusk, which this week shouldn’t be long after 8 pm. (36th SW/SW Snoqualmie)

PAUL JENKINS: Singer-songwriter serenades you at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

CASEY MACGILL & ORVILLE JOHNSON: 7:30 pm, swing, blues, and jazz at historic Kenyon Hall. Ticket info in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)

WEST END GIRLS – A DRAG EXTRAVAGANZA: Monthly show at The Skylark, hosted by Cookie Couture – details and tickets here. 9 pm. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

SEE WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING … today/tonight/beyond, by checking our full calendar.

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Gunshots? Police investigating sounds heard in Sunrise Heights, Gatewood
August 25, 2017 10:20 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | Sunrise Heights | West Seattle news

We’ve heard from multiple people about possible gunshots heard around 10 pm – and we heard them ourselves in the distance. People in Sunrise Heights and Gatewood say they called 911 and were told many others had. Monitoring the scanner, we haven’t heard about anything that would confirm gunfire – casings or property damage; please let us know if police are in your neighborhood and seem to be finding something.

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SATURDAY: 2 more swimmers to tackle ‘Amy Hiland Swim,’ Bremerton to Alki Point
August 25, 2017 9:00 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Last September, Erika Norris became the first swimmer in 50 years to complete the Bremerton-to-Alki Point “Amy Hiland Swim“ – named in honor of the woman who swam it in 1959. Tomorrow (Saturday, August 26), two more swimmers plan to take it on – Jerome Leslie and Lauren Boilini. Both are open-water swimmers who train off Alki, according to one of their compatriots, Andrew Malinak, who sent us first word of the plan. Jerome and Lauren plan to start from Bremerton at 10 am, and will be using the Northwest Open Water Swimmers Association tracker that you should be able to follow here once it’s activated. If all goes well along the 10.4-mile route, they expect to arrive at Alki Point by 4 pm or so.

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READER REPORT: Children approached
August 25, 2017 7:00 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

Just texted:

Two of our boys were approached by a gold Acura SUV just now in Arbor Heights and the man inside lowered his sunglasses asked our boys “if they wanted pizza” they said no so he took off. Right by 102nd & California

Police are here now taking a description, Caucasian male, late 30’s, black shirt and sunglasses.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Bicycle stolen; business burglaries; counterfeit cash; vandalism…
August 25, 2017 5:55 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

West Seattle Crime Watch reports:

BICYCLE STOLEN: Joe says this happened at California/Admiral:

My girlfriend’s bike was stolen sometime (Thursday) night or this morning. It’s a Kona Africabike. Black color, single speed, with a front rack and rear rack. Next to the bike shop – had a cable lock, and the bike has a rear wheel lock. So I imagine whoever took the bike must have had wire cutters and a truck. Or just took it on the bus. Just want to keep an eye out for it and warn others to remember. Keep your bikes inside.

BUSINESS BREAK-INS: Three are listed on Tweets by Beat (the Southwest Precinct automated tweets can be reviewed any time on our Crime Watch page) – We’ve learned that the 4700 block of 42nd SW break-in was at Season’s Salon on the ground floor of Mural. A business about a block away reported finding a cash drawer dumped by their recycling bin, and the possibility of a connection was being checked out. Meantime, we don’t know which businesses were hit in the other two break-ins – one was reported in the 4100 block of California SW, the other in the 6500 block of California SW.

COUNTERFEIT CASH: The West Seattle Junction Association is also warning businesses that a retailer got a counterfeit $50 bill on Wednesday.

TAGGING VANDALISM: Big ugly tags overnight on the wall by KeyBank in the heart of The Junction – cleanup is planned, if it hasn’t happened already.

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WEST SEATTLE SCENE: Leavenworth by the bay
August 25, 2017 4:25 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE SCENE: Leavenworth by the bay
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news

The photo is from Lynn Hall, who says the performance at Anchor Park is/was a promotion for Leavenworth. Given that liederhosen and mountain goats are not usual sights around here, we will take her word for it. Maybe we can set up an exchange program and offer them … a standup paddleboarder bearing fish ‘n’ chips?

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ALKI-AREA SURVEY: Your thoughts sought on 10 potential concerns
August 25, 2017 3:14 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

If you didn’t already see it via City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s weekly e-mail/online update, the city is circulating a short survey about 10 possible concerns in the Alki area, all involving vehicles/driver behavior. It asks your thoughts on those concerns, plus an open-ended question on whether you’re “concerned about anything else.” You can answer the survey by going here.

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SATURDAY & SUNDAY: Arts in Nature Festival @ Camp Long
August 25, 2017 1:12 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB file photo from past Arts in Nature Festival)

Only one of this weekend’s major events is happening both days – the Arts in Nature Festival presented by Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association/Nature Consortium at Camp Long! Art, music, participatory activities, food, fun … at a West Seattle park that is an attraction all its own. You can decide when you want to go on Saturday and/or Sunday by checking the schedule here – most of the festival is outdoors but don’t miss what’s happening in Camp Long’s historic lodge, or in its rustic cabins, where artists are in residence for the weekend. Don’t worry about getting hungry or thirsty – there’s a beer garden and food trucks. WSB is proud to be among the Arts in Nature Festival sponsors this year! Festival hours are 11 am-9 pm Saturday, 11 am-6 pm Sunday, and you can get your ticket in advance online. (Camp Long is at 5200 35th SW.)

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VIDEO: Community Involvement Commission launches after ‘long process’
August 25, 2017 11:59 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

(Meeting video, unedited. You’ll want to fast-forward through 1-on-1 conversation break, between 17 and 32 minutes)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

After thirteen months of gestation, the city’s Community Involvement Commission was born Thursday night.

It arrived on the second floor of City Hall, five floors below the conference room where Mayor Murray had announced the plan to create it by executive order.

“It’s been a long process,” acknowledged Department of Neighborhoods director Kathy Nyland, the highest-ranking city staffer in attendance at the commission’s first meeting. She said getting the right staffing in place was a major reason. Danielle Friedman is now on board as the program coordinator, and led most of the meeting – which you can see in its entirety in the unedited video above.

But first, Nyland offered the backstory.

The plan to create the Community Involvement Commission came in a surprise mayoral announcement we covered in July of 2016. The city’s 13 “neighborhood district councils” – groups of volunteers representing smaller community groups and organizations – knew the system was being reviewed, and were looking forward to a report on that review, when the mayor abruptly announced the system would be “replaced” by the new CIC. On elaboration – as Nyland again stressed last night – the councils were not disbanded or dissolved, but the nominal city funding they received (about $500 each per year, generally spent on meeting-room rental) was pulled, and the level of city-staff support was cut.

Read More

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SATURDAY: 11th annual Duwamish River Festival + Lucha Libre Volcánica
August 25, 2017 10:57 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   South Park | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo – Alki Kayak Tours @ Duwamish River Festival)

Another big Saturday event we’re previewing – the 11th annual Duwamish River Festival! The Duwamish runs along much of West Seattle’s eastern border, and this annual event presented by the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition celebrates not only efforts to improve the waterway, but also the cultures of those who live along it. The festival is headquartered at Duwamish Waterway Park in South Park, with free boat and kayak tours of the river, free food and entertainment, community environmental and health resources, and more. It runs noon-6 pm on Saturday (August 26th) and will be followed by an annual favorite – masked Mexican-style wrestling with Lucha Libre Volcánica at 6 pm in the park.

(WSB file photo – Lucha Libre Volcánica @ Duwamish Waterway Park)

DRCC’s latest update says the festival’s entertainment lineup includes:

Amigos de Seattle, Guatemala
Madcap Pusher Band of Georgetown
Bopha Lokei Cambodian Dance
Meshika Dancers,Danza Kalpulli Tlaloktekuhtli
Angeles de Mexico
Thai Classical Music and Dance
Northside Drill and Step Team
Chaotic Noise Marching Band
And the Duwamish Tribe opening the day!

Duwamish Waterway Park is at 7900 10th Avenue S.

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6 options for your West Seattle Friday
August 25, 2017 9:58 am
|    Comments Off on 6 options for your West Seattle Friday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Susanna from Niederberger Contracting (WSB sponsor) for the view of this morning’s bright and beautiful sunrise! Before we get to a weekend full of big events … a relatively quiet Friday (aside from Seahawks-watching!). From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WADING POOL AND SPRAYPARK: The only wading pool still open for the season is Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way); it’s open 11 am-8 pm today, as is Highland Park spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), both open daily through Labor Day.

COLMAN POOL: Time’s running out for your chance to swim at West Seattle’s only outdoor saltwater public pool, on the shore at Lincoln Park. Noon-7 pm; here’s the schedule.

(added) SUMMER CONCERTS AT THE MOUNT: 6 pm on the south side of the Providence Mount St. Vincent campus, Joey Jewell’s Tribute to Sinatra and Friends closes out this year’s concert series. Free; bring your own chair/blanket. Dinner/drinks available for purchase starting at 5:30 pm. (4831 35th SW)

JORDAN ZISKIN: Contemporary singer-songwriter performs at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

FREE TEEN SWIM: Youth 11-19 are invited to swim for free tonight at Southwest Pool, 8-9:30 pm. (2801 SW Thistle)

MUSICAL BENEFIT FOR LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY: Space Tractor performs at Parliament Tavern, to benefit nearby Lafayette Elementary, 9 pm-midnight. $5 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

PREVIEW THE WEEKEND … and beyond, via our complete calendar.

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COUNTDOWN: 10th annual West Seattle Car Show on Saturday at SSC
August 25, 2017 9:09 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

With a VERY big weekend ahead, we’re planning previews throughout the day today, starting with one more reminder about the 10th annual West Seattle Car Show, presented by West Seattle Autoworks and Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsors)! 10 am-3 pm tomorrow (Saturday, August 26th).

If you have a vehicle to show off – you can enter same-day – find the form (and fee info) here – load-in starts at 8 am on the north side of the Puget Ridge campus of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). Show proceeds support SSC’s Automotive Technology program.

If you’re planning on being a spectator, entry is free, and the show is more than just a chance to look at cars – there’s music – the Disco Cowboys, live! as well as a DJ – kids activities, vendors, the Double Up food truck (Caribbean cuisine), other adjacent attractions including SSC’s acclaimed Northwest Wine Academy and the Seattle Chinese Garden (which is having an 11 am-4 pm open house), and a chance to get your own car checked out for oil leaks and bulb safety (just mention it to the parking volunteers when you arrive).

We’re proud to be a co-sponsor again this year and look forward to seeing you there!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch
August 25, 2017 7:29 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday watch
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

7:29 AM: Good morning! No incidents so far in/from West Seattle. Here’s what you should know, looking ahead:

SEAHAWKS TONIGHT: The stadium zone will be busy this afternoon/evening – the Seahawks host the Chiefs at 5 pm.

COSMO RUN ON ALKI SUNDAY: The Cosmo 7K/5K – successor to the Alki Beach 5K – will bring a few hours of parking restrictions/road closure on Sunday morning; it starts from Alki Bathhouse at 9:30 am.

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2nd annual ‘Unmask the Night’ raising money for ‘awareness, care access, treatment of mental illness’
August 24, 2017 11:56 pm
|    Comments Off on 2nd annual ‘Unmask the Night’ raising money for ‘awareness, care access, treatment of mental illness’
 |   Health | How to help | West Seattle news

If you didn’t already know Todd and Laura Crooks, you might have ‘met’ them through our story last year, published as they prepared for their first ‘Unmask the Night‘ event to benefit their work with Chad’s Legacy Project, addressing issues related to mental illness. The project is named for their son, who died by suicide last year at age 21. From their loss was born action to address issues key to helping more people get more effective help for mental illness, and to maximize efforts that are under way by bringing together the people who are doing the work (read more about this here).

Here’s where you come in: The 2nd annual “Unmask the Night” is happening September 9th at Eden Seattle, in nearby SODO. It’s a masquerade party with food, drinks, auctions, and more. You can buy tickets online right now. (They’re also looking for more wine donations.) You’ll not only have a good time, for a good cause, but you’ll find out what’s happening, and what’s next, in advancing mental-health education as well as mental-health care.

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