West Seattle, Washington

27 Tuesday

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day : 10/09/2018 10 results

Here’s how you can help West Seattle firefighters ‘Fill the Boot’
September 10, 2018 10:03 pm
|    Comments Off on Here’s how you can help West Seattle firefighters ‘Fill the Boot’
 |   Health | How to help | West Seattle news

ladder11boot(September 2016 WSB photo)

For the next four days, you’ll see firefighters in The Junction … on a special call: Collecting donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. California/Alaska is one of five spots around the city where the annual Fill the Boot drive will be happening 9 am-7 pm Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (September 11th-14th). More info is on SFD’s Fireline website; if you choose to donate, here’s what your dollars will help do.

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West Seattle restaurants: Alki Homestead to become Italian eatery Il Nido
September 10, 2018 6:27 pm
|      73 COMMENTS
 |   Alki Homestead | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

(WSB photo, 2013)

Almost 10 years after a fire shut down the Alki Homestead, its food future has been announced. Not fried chicken. Just out of the WSB inbox:

Mike Easton and his wife Victoria are expanding their Italian reach to West Seattle. The couple has taken over the old Alki Homestead and is turning it into an Italian dinner destination near the shores of Elliott Bay.

Il Nido, which means “the nest” in Italian, will join the Easton flock, complementing the brisk lunch service at Pioneer Square’s Il Corvo (“the crow”) with a more substantial sit-down, family-friendly dinner experience in a historic log cabin that has been feeding the West Seattle neighborhood for generations. “It’s going to be sort of our permanent, home-base restaurant,” says Easton. “The nest just seemed to make perfect sense.”

The iconic Alki Homestead was initially built as a residence in 1903. It transitioned into a family restaurant in the 1950s and earned landmark status in 1995. In (January 2009), a fire shut down the old structure, which remained untouched until 2015 when it was purchased by Dennis Schilling, who began the long restoration process.

“We really want to try to bridge the gap between the 100-year-old feel with a little bit of the 21st century,” says Easton. That includes beautiful live edge, chunky full slab tables supplemented by more modern chairs and fixtures throughout the 3,000 square-foot space.

The signature river rock fireplace in the main dining room is getting rebuilt to its original standards. And an intimate bar with half a dozen seats will be added to the front lounge area. At Il Corvo, we tried to create a space that wasn’t stuck in any time period,” says Easton. “Il Nido should also have that timeless feel.”

In addition, the original neon art-deco Alki Homestead sign will be reinstated atop the restaurant after a successful refurb by Western Neon (this Thursday).

The menu at Il Nido will be absolutely Italian, driven by market produce. “I really like to create a menu that makes vegetables truly shine,” says Easton. It’ll also be a place that will allow Easton and his crew the opportunity to create a bit more of the delicate, intensive handmade pastas that they just haven’t had time to make. “You don’t see tortelli or ravioli on the menu at Il Corvo very often because it would take an army of people to make enough to put it on as a lunch special. Thankfully, we’re so busy, we don’t have the time to do that.”

As for when Il Nido will be open for business, Easton says it all depends on the restoration process. “I’d love to see it open in time for spring, but that’s a pretty ambitious goal.”

Il Nido will be open for dinner five nights a week, along with weekend brunch.

Our archive of Alki Homestead coverage is here. That includes coverage of the 2009 fire, the subsequent changing of ownership, celebration of the building’s history including the 2015 “group hug” photo, and the removal of the aforementioned sign for restoration two years ago.

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TRAFFIC ALERT UPDATE: Deadly collision at 2nd/Spokane
September 10, 2018 4:34 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

4:34 PM: SPD has just warned that 2nd/Spokane and roads “in the area” will be closed for hours – a pedestrian died after being hit by a train, and detectives are investigating.

5:42 PM: Still closed – the image above was taken a few minutes ago from the nearest SDOT camera, showing where Spokane is taped off at 2nd.

6:54 PM: The road has now reopened.

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VIDEO: Police use backhoe to rescue man from West Seattle Bridge ledge
September 10, 2018 4:01 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police

If you saw police under the West Seattle Bridge around 4 pm Thursday afternoon – they were involved in a rescue just detailed on SPD Blotter, with the body-cam video you can watch above. Here’s how Det. Patrick Michaud tells the story:

Some jobs call for a ladder, others call for 13 tons of steel, 127 horsepower (net, of course) and a quiet, but powerful hydraulic system.

Witnesses called 911 Thursday afternoon to report a man on a ledge in the 2600 block of SW Spokane Street.

Officers found the man standing on a ledge that they estimated to be six inches wide, occasionally slipping. Fearing for the man’s safety, Officer Morgan Irwin, whom you may remember from the time he commandeered a jetski, spotted a nearby backhoe driving down the road. Officer Irwin ran over to the driver and asked him for help.

The driver was able to position the machinery below the 48-year-old man, allowing him to safely jump inside it.

Once he was on the ground, medics took the man to the hospital for a medical evaluation.

Officer Irwin could not be reached for comment about what he planned to commandeer next.

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Fighting hunger: West Seattle Food Bank’s ‘Grand Affair’ days away; plus, roadside results
September 10, 2018 3:09 pm
|    Comments Off on Fighting hunger: West Seattle Food Bank’s ‘Grand Affair’ days away; plus, roadside results
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Food Bank updates:

‘A GRAND AFFAIR’: Just four days to go until the WSFB’s fall fundraiser cocktail party at The Sanctuary at Admiral. We just checked with the Food Bank and yes, tickets remain for the Roaring ’20s-themed (costumes encouraged but not required) Friday night party. You can get yours online through Thursday or at the door Friday, starting at 6:30 pm. $85 gets you a night of casino-style gaming (“$10,000” in chips, with a chance to win prizes!), hosted beer, wine, and “heavy appetizers,” and more. (Themed cocktails, too. And did we mention Husky Deli ice cream? Jack Miller will be there with Praline Swirl?) The Sanctuary is in a city-landmark former church a 42nd SW/SW Lander in The Admiral District. P.S. Co-sponsors of Friday night’s party include WSB.

VERITY’S DONATION DRIVE: Last Thursday, we mentioned the Verity Credit Union (WSB sponsor) roadside collection in The Junction for the WS Food Bank.

How generous were passersby? Very! Verity’s Pete Spalding sends the photo of West Seattle branch manager Jaime Gonzalez and this update: “We were able to raise $1,565.70 during the two commute drive times that our employees were out in West Seattle last Thursday.”

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Moving Minds Dance: Welcome, new West Seattle Blog sponsor!
September 10, 2018 1:21 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Today we welcome Moving Minds Dance as a new WSB sponsor! As with all new local sponsors, they get the opportunity to tell you about who they are and what they offer to the community:

Moving Minds Dance is a recreational dance program shaped by the teaching philosophy “we can learn all things through dance” and a mission to create a world that encourages creative thought and joyful curiosity. The company, directed by Ciara McCormack Greenwalt, began offering classes in Queen Anne in 2014 and made its way to West Seattle and Youngstown Cultural Arts Center just a year and a half ago. Ciara first came to Youngstown as an instructor for Flourish Dance Project, and she fell in love with its vibrant and welcoming community. When Flourish ended in March 2017, she knew she had to step in and continue its legacy nurturing joy, artistry and community through dance.

This year, Moving Minds is excited to be presenting new curriculum-integrated dance classes. Just like at other dance studios and after-school programs, young dancers will learn different dance techniques and prepare combinations for performances. But these classes stand apart by applying real-world topics to technical training, encouraging students to become more curious and truly think creatively about their world. Each season, all classes will focus on one guiding theme to discover through dance. This year’s themes will include social-emotional skills and inclusive communities in the fall, physics and anatomy in the winter, and storytelling and literacy in the spring. With classes offered for students as young as 18 months (Dance Together) up to 9 years (Formative Level), families can be assured that each topic will be presented at a developmentally appropriate level for each child.

One overarching goal at Moving Minds Dance is to develop dancers who are humans first, with a deep capacity for joy, wonder, strength, intelligence, poise, and kindness. This goal is achieved through the program’s unique classes, where every moment is an opportunity to learn both about dance and being human, and through a friendly network of students, parents, and teachers. Families frequently remark on how much their kids enjoy Moving Minds Dance classes, the positive rapport the teachers have with students, and the significance of a warm, personal approach to doing business. The mark of success for Moving Minds is simply seeing students light up – eyes bright, minds open, and bodies moving expressively. Students’ growth into confident, helpful, passionate humans is the heart of this program.

Ciara McCormack Greenwalt, director of Moving Minds Dance, has been training in multiple styles of dance for over 23 years and holds a BFA in dance from Stephens College. She began teaching in 2008, moved to Seattle in 2013, and has since taught all over the metro area, including spending two years as a teacher and administrator at Sweet Pea Cottage Preschool of the Arts. In addition to running Moving Minds Dance, Ciara teaches for the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Community Education Department, Spectrum Dance Theater, and Evergreen City Ballet. She also performs with Intrepidus Dance and serves as Vice President for the Dance Educators Association of Washington.

For more information about class offerings and schedule, visit movingmindsdance.org or contact Ciara directly for more information by emailing movingmindsdance@gmail.com or calling 206-504-1138.

We thank Moving Minds Dance 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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West Seattle Crime Watch: Junction arrest after guns-drawn search
September 10, 2018 11:55 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Junction arrest after guns-drawn search
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

In West Seattle Crime Watch:

Saturday night, we received a few messages about a police search, guns drawn, near California/Alaska in The Junction, including the photo above. We weren’t able to find out at the time what the search was about, but we found an incident number and requested followup information today. SPD tells WSB that a man with a gun was reported to have threatened a group of people. No shots fired, no one hurt, but officers found and arrested a suspect. The 40-year-old man remains in jail, under investigation for potential charges including unlawful use of a weapon for intimidation.

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What’s up for your West Seattle Monday
September 10, 2018 10:35 am
|    Comments Off on What’s up for your West Seattle Monday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Sanderlings, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Welcome to Monday. We begin with a holiday:

ROSH HASHANAH: Jewish New Year celebrations are under way and we have two listings of events in West Seattle:

–Kol HaNeshamah (WSB sponsor), here
–Torah Learning Center of West Seattle, here

Also on our calendar for today/tonight:

WEST SEATTLE YMCA REOPENS: The facilities-improvement week is over and it’s back to regular schedule for the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor)’s main branch in The Triangle. (3622 SW Snoqualmie)

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: If you can donate blood, consider visiting today’s mobile blood drive at Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Walmesley Center, 1 pm-7 pm (closed for a break 3-4 pm). More info here. (35th SW/SW Myrtle)

SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE CAMPUS TOUR: Thinking about studying at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), where the next quarter starts in just two weeks? Take this afternoon’s tour! 1:30 pm – details here. (6000 16th SW)

ATTENTION, WOULD-BE ENTREPRENEURS: If you’re considering starting your own business, there’s a lot you need to know. (Trust us.) Experts and mentors will be at Delridge Library 6-8 tonight to tell you all about it. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

EVENING BOOK GROUPS: Tonight at 6:45 pm, the groups at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) and at West Seattle Library (2306 42nd SW) meet. SW is reading “The Sisters” by Mary Lovell; WS is reading “Tender at the Bone” by Ruth Reichl. All welcome.

Something to add to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Can you host a teacher?
September 10, 2018 9:45 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Chief Sealth International High School hopes someone has room and time to host a visiting teacher. Principal Aida Fraser-Hammer explains how it would work:

As in years past, Chief Sealth International High School is looking for a host family for the guest teacher from China for all or a portion of the 2018-2019 academic year. His name is Wenyi Tang and he has already begun working directly with students in the Chinese classes – from 1st year to the highest level of IB Chinese 6th year. He will introduce these students to traditional, contemporary, and innovative instructional strategies practiced in Chinese classrooms while he learns about our methods, culture, and ideas. He will also participate in cultural, educational, and social interactions within the school and community. Wenyi will help the CSIHS community to become more familiar with the Chinese culture and vice versa, and we are excited to welcome him to our school.

Should you choose to host Wenyi in your home, your family will enjoy a unique cultural experience – fun and exciting for both kids and adults! If you cannot host for the entire year, it is possible to co-host with other families. Possible share times are September- December, January-March or April-June. Host families are only asked to provide a bedroom for Wenyi as well as breakfast and dinner. Transportation costs, insurance, and general expenses are paid for by SPS or the sister school in China.

Thanks for considering this opportunity to host a guest teacher by offering Wenyi a place in your home; this can be a great experience for practicing Chinese and learning about the culture. The Chinese Guest Teacher Exchange Program is an excellent experience for the guest teacher, the school and the families that host.

Please contact us at 206-252-8550 or aifraserhamm@seattleschools.org, with any questions about the program or about being a host family.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday watch
September 10, 2018 7:06 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

7:06 AM: First full week of school, last full week of summer … no incidents reported so far in/from West Seattle.

SMALLER BOAT ON WEST SEATTLE WATER TAXI RUN: As announced last week, the Spirit of Kingston is filling in today for Doc Maynard.

99 CLOSURE NEXT WEEKEND: As announced last week, SB Highway 99 is set to close between the Battery St. Tunnel and West Seattle Bridge from late Friday night until early Monday.

7:45 AM: If you are near the bus stops by Easy Street or on a C Line bus, keep an eye out for a stuffed Curious George monkey lost by a child on the spectrum. 206-681-7309

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