day : 01/02/2018 12 results

Junction Neighborhood Organization focuses on HALA and Sound Transit, after pre-meeting Fauntleroy Boulevard news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

When a meeting room at the Sisson Building/Senior Center filled to overflowing last night for the Junction Neighborhood Organization‘s quarterly meeting, the biggest news was already a couple hours old – SDOT‘s announcement that the Fauntleroy Boulevard project is on hold.

For those who hadn’t already heard, JuNO director Amanda Sawyer recapped it at the start of the meeting. (SDOT did not send reps to talk about it, as had been the original plan before the suspension was announced.) She and West Seattle Junction Association executive director Lora Swift both stressed that since SDOT is saying it will reallocate the project funds – last described as $15 million to $18 million – to other WS projects, feedback to Councilmember Lisa Herbold is important. (Send yours to lisa.herbold@seattle.gov.)

So that left the meeting devoted to two other big topics affecting The Junction – the HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability upzoning proposal that has just gone into City Council review, and Sound Transit planning for West Seattle light rail, which is just starting its formal community-outreach process.

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FOLLOWUP: See the design packet for the 4807 41st SW microapartments

February 1, 2018 8:45 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

In our development-notes roundup last weekend, we mentioned the Streamlined Design Review comment period was about to start for the microapartment project planned at 4807 41st SW – three stories, 22 units, no offstreet parking. Tonight, the official notice is out, setting the comment deadline as February 14th, and the “design packet” is now posted on the city website for public review. It’s embedded above, and also visible in PDF here. If you have comments on the plan, the notice explains how to send them to the city (and notes that this is the only opportunity for public comment; the Streamlined Design Review process does not include public meetings).

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SIGN OF IMPROVEMENTS: Peace Lutheran Church’s new RainWise sign

February 1, 2018 7:32 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Environment | Gardening | Gatewood | West Seattle news

A new addition to the RainWise-enhanced grounds of Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood – a new permanent sign explaining the stormwater-diverting program and the congregation’s commitment to it. In the photo sent by Pastor Erik Kindem is congregation president Michael Truog, who is also chair of the church’s Green Team. So next time you walk or ride by 39th SW/SW Thistle, take a look! You can also take a look at this PDF showing what’s on the sign. (The church celebrated its RainWise improvements at an event we covered last year.)

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SCHOOL-BUS STRIKE UPDATE: Some service possible Friday, district says

February 1, 2018 5:22 pm

| Comments Off on SCHOOL-BUS STRIKE UPDATE: Some service possible Friday, district says

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The strike by drivers for First Student, which has the contract for Seattle Public Schools yellow-bus service, is expected to continue tomorrow. The district has just posted this update – note the second and third paragraphs:

First Student bus drivers are on strike, and we do not know how long it will last. This means there will be no yellow school bus service until further notice. You will need to use your family’s plan to get your student to and from school. We will remind families of bus-riding students by phone and email each evening until the strike is over.

Some bus routes may be provided during strike. First Student anticipates they will be able to serve some bus routes during the strike. First Student will prioritize special education routes whenever possible. Not all drivers are qualified to drive these specialized routes, so it will depend on availability.

If a driver is available for your student’s route, the district’s transportation office will call you the night before.

The update continues, with the district’s strike FAQ, here. The drivers’ union says the issues are health-care and retirement benefits; no word yet on new negotiations/offers.

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Trendy Crafts: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor, with summer camps and more!

February 1, 2018 3:33 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Today we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, Trendy Crafts. New local sponsors get the chance to tell you about their business, and here’s what Trendy Crafts would like you to know:

It all started in 2004, when two friends discovered a shared passion for crafting. As new mothers, the hours for creating were limited. Eventually, with children in school, Julie Rasmussen and Elizabeth Chapman decided to share their love of crafting as an afterschool class at their children’s school. It wasn’t long before requests came in from other schools to teach Trendy Crafts, and a business was born. Over the last five years, Trendy Crafts has continued to expand to many of the elementary schools in West Seattle.

Trendy Crafts inspires children to think creatively, to believe in their artistic vision and to support and encourage each other. We also love to share the joy of crafting in our community and are always looking for opportunities to bring people together to create! We are very excited to bring 5 sessions of summer camp to West Seattle families this summer.

If you have a child that loves to create and craft, a Trendy Crafts afterschool class or summer camp is the place to be. We focus on crafting in a social environment, and the results are projects both kids and parents want to keep! We often have parents tell us that their child loves to craft and they just don’t have time to do it at home (or don’t want the mess). We are passionate about keeping the American Arts and Crafts movement alive and thriving in the next generation.

We see so many transformations through crafting – children boost their self-confidence, and we work hard to foster an environment that is socially supportive for all kids. Adults who craft with us are looking for a social and creative outlet, and we often hear about how they were looking for a way to add more creativity into their lives. A night out with friends that ends with a creation you love is a positive experience.

In the five years that Trendy Crafts has been part of the West Seattle community, we have built relationships with so many families through craft projects. Adults and children alike are looking for creative outlets and we love to provide options. We host birthday parties, adult evening crafting events, and of course our afterschool enrichment classes and summer camps. In the past we have partnered with other West Seattle businesses to host adult craft parties.

Trendy Crafts‘ founders are active in the community, with organizations including CARE.org – to support and empower children around the world – and Girl Scouts of Western Washington, to encourage and inspire girls in our community (you might remember this WSB story). In addition to the very crafty Girl Scout troop that Elizabeth leads, they also volunteer as Cabin Leaders at Camp Chinook every summer.

Interested in Trendy Crafts summer camp? Here’s the registration page. Links about everything Trendy Crafts offers can be found on their home page. Questions? Contact info is here.

We thank Trendy Crafts for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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Missed midday open house for West Seattle Junction park design? Here’s why you’ll want to go tonight

February 1, 2018 2:02 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

That’s Karimah Edwards from Seattle Parks, holding a tablet to show us the “fly-through” renderings of the three design concepts for the future West Seattle Junction park in the 4700 block of 40th SW [map]. We checked them out at the first of today/tonight’s two “open house” sessions, to show you what you’ll find if you stop by the site tonight for the second drop-in event, 5:30-7 pm. You’ll see the three concepts on easels, too:

GGLO worked with Seattle Parks to create the concepts, using the 10 features that were most popular in last year’s feedback (hundreds of people took the online survey and/or visited the drop-in Farmers’ Market meeting). All three concepts have some things in common – like lots of seating, and garden-style plantings – but otherwise, some dramatically different central features, like a boardwalk in Option 2 and a 6-foot climbing wall in Option 3. The open-house location, by the way, is at the site but fully covered, inside the big tent that was used as a temporary fire station there for more than a year, so don’t worry about the weather:

Refreshments are from the indie coffee and wine bar that’s literally next door to the park, Sound and Fog:

If you just can’t stop by tonight either, a survey will be available online soon – watch the official project website for that. The city bought the 2/3-acre park site five years ago for $1.4 million and has had it “landbanked” until money ($1.9 million) was available for developing it; that’s coming from the Seattle Park District levy.

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BIZNOTE: Giannoni’s Pizzeria plans temporary closure for maintenance and updates

February 1, 2018 12:01 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

If you go to Giannoni’s Pizzeria in Westwood Village sometime between next Sunday (February 4th) and the following Sunday (February 11th), don’t panic if you find it closed – Giannoni’s proprietor Donna Burns tells WSB that they’ll be closing for eight days for maintenance and updates: “After 10 years, it’s time to do updates including new floors and painting.” But until then – they’re open, and as a bonus, Donna says, “Pizza deals on Saturday – everything must go!” The closure officially starts at 9 pm this Saturday and is scheduled to end Monday, February 12th, with an 11 am reopening.

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West Seattle Thursday: From ‘Have a Heart’ to ‘tour a school’ to ‘design a park’

February 1, 2018 10:43 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Northern flicker, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

‘HAVE A HEART’ MONTH @ ILLUSIONS: Starting today, Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) is launching its annual “Have a Heart” community-nonprofit fundraiser, but this year it’ll last an entire month. You’re invited to “buy” a paper heart at the salon for a $1, $5, or $20 donation that will go to Southwest Youth and Family Services – and your paper heart will help deck the walls at Illusions, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Plus, Illusions is matching donations, up to $1,000! (5619 California SW)

WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION PARK DESIGN MEETINGS: Two chances today to stop by the future site of a new West Seattle Junction park and check out design concepts – 11:30 am-1 pm and 5:30 pm-7 pm. Here’s our preview. (4721 40th SW)

KNIFE SKILLS: Chef Kim O’Donnel starts a new class series at the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle, 4:30 pm – info and registration details here. (3622 SW Snoqualmie)

SUMMIT ATLAS OPEN HOUSE: West Seattle’s only charter school invites prospective families to an open house 5-6:30 pm tonight. Summit Atlas is enrolling 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th grades for next school year. (9601 35th SW)

LOUISA BOREN STEM K-8 EVENING OPEN HOUSES: Back-to-back open houses tonight – prospective elementary families are invited 6-7:30 pm, prospective middle-school families 7:30-8:30 pm. (5950 Delridge Way SW)

ALKI ELEMENTARY EVENING OPEN HOUSE: Prospective families are invited to visit Alki Elementary School at 6 pm tonight for this year’s evening open house. (3010 59th SW)

PATHFINDER MIDDLE-SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: Interested in grades 6-8 at Pathfinder K-8? 6:30 pm open house tonight. (1901 SW Genesee)

LIVE/WORK IN WHITE CENTER? The North Highline Unincorporated Area Council has its first community meeting of the year tonight at 7 pm at North Highline Fire District HQ. The agenda’s on our partner site White Center Now. All welcome. (1243 SW 112th)

PUNK ROCK AEROBICS: 7-8 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club – info here. (1116 SW Holden)

‘PEERLESS’: ArtsWest‘s acclaimed production continues with 7:30 pm performance tonight. Written by Jiehae Park, directed by Sara Porkalob. (4711 California SW)

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YOUTH SPORTS: Southwest Little League signups are on the next 2 Saturdays

February 1, 2018 9:23 am

| Comments Off on YOUTH SPORTS: Southwest Little League signups are on the next 2 Saturdays

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Continuing our series of youth-sports registration announcemens, with spring approaching, here’s what we received from Southwest Little League:

Southwest Little League is holding its annual signups these next 2 Saturdays in February: Saturday, February 3rd from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the little Log Cabin at Steve Cox Memorial Ball Park, and Saturday, February 10th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm (same location).

All boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 16 are welcome. If your child lives or attends school between SW Juneau St. and SW 128th St., you are probably within the Southwest Little League boundary. More information about signing up for Southwest Little League is available at our website.

Steve Cox Park is at 1321 SW 102nd in White Center.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch, as February begins

February 1, 2018 6:55 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch, as February begins

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

6:55 AM: Welcome to a new month. No incidents reported currently in/from West Seattle, but here are other transportation notes/reminders:

SCHOOL-BUS STRIKE: Day one. Remember that this means more personal-vehicle traffic near schools, especially elementaries.

REMINDER – FAUNTLEROY/WILDWOOD CLOSURE STARTS MONDAY: The intersection just south of the Fauntleroy ferry terminal will close Monday for up to two weeks of road-panel replacement and curb-ramp building. Metro has now announced its reroute plan affecting the C Line and Route 116.

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SCHOOL-BUS DRIVER STRIKE: Picketing begins

February 1, 2018 6:05 am

| 22 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Added: Picket-line photo from South Park, sent by Al)

The strike by hundreds of First Student drivers, whose company provides school-bus service for Seattle Public Schools, has begun. Their union Teamsters Local 174 reports that drivers are picketing at the First Student bus yards in South Park and Lake City as of about an hour ago. As announced earlier this week, this is NOT a one-day walkout like the November strike – this is an “until there’s an agreement” strike. But school IS open and the families of students who would usually take the bus are expected to make arrangements to get their kids to school; the district’s answers to other questions can be found here.

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BASKETBALL: West Seattle HS girls take tenth in a row

February 1, 2018 12:19 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Tenth consecutive victory Wednesday night for the West Seattle High School girls-varsity basketball team, 61-51 over visiting Cleveland, but it wasn’t easy. The Eagles led at the end of the first quarter, and that wasn’t their only lead of the game.

Three double-digit scorers helped bring in the win, though – #11 Jasmine Gayles and #32 Meghan Fiso each tallied 16 points.

#20 Grace Sarver had 15.

And the Wildcats kept fighting, with intense defense winning the day in the second half.

The win leaves the West Seattle girls undefeated in the Metro League, with one regular-season game to go – another home game, 7 pm Friday night vs. crosstown competitors from Chief Sealth International High School.

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