WEST SEATTLE GIVING SPIRIT: ‘Find joy, build empathy … make magic’ with ArtsWest, celebrating its first quarter-century

Another one-of-a-kind local nonprofit is in our spotlight tonight so you can demonstrate the West Seattle Giving Spirit: ArtsWest. We’ve been bringing you this special holiday-season opportunity to learn about, and support, some of our area’s nonprofits, in partnership with the Learning Communities Foundation, and tonight, West Seattle’s playhouse and gallery tells you its own story:

ArtsWest is a nonprofit theater located in West Seattle’s Alaska Junction. This season we proudly celebrate our 25th anniversary! Since opening our doors in 1999, we have been producing live theater experiences that celebrate our shared humanity, invite us to ask questions of one another, and imagine a better future together. We firmly believe that theater is for everyone, and by joining us you are automatically a member of our community.

We are the only professional theater between Seattle and Federal Way. We program and produce five thoughtfully crafted and innovative productions per season that invite audiences to explore the human experience with us. When we present beautifully specific stories like Sanaz Toossi’s ‘English’ or John Cameron Mitchell’s ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch,’ we explore universal questions we all have like “Who am I?” and “Where do I belong?”

Last season at ArtsWest we…
– Provided our community with over $22,000 in free and reduced tickets
– Employed over 70 local artists
– Increased our audience by 43% and welcomed 2,000 new audience members

At its best, live theater helps us find joy, build empathy, and in Joseph Campbell’s words, have an experience of being alive. That kind of magic can transcend what happens on stage and impact each of us for a lifetime.

It’s no secret that arts organizations across Seattle and the nation are struggling. Live theater is an expensive business and less than 35% of our revenue comes from ticket sales.

A donation to ArtsWest, no matter the size, makes a tremendous impact. The magic we make in the theater is only possible with support from artists, crew, staff, and most importantly you!

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We have one more West Seattle Giving Spirit spotlight for you on Monday. Learn about all the nonprofits we’ve already featured by scrolling through this archive!

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FOLLOWUP: The Christmas People say thanks for all those cookies!

December 27, 2024 3:10 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle news

(Added: Some of the cookies Andrea & kids baked)

Earlier this season, we shared The Christmas People‘s request for homemade cookies to distribute at Christmastime – and many bakers stepped up again this year! We received this report with words of gratitude to share with you:

Through the tremendous generosity of West Seattle residents, The Christmas People collected more than 8,000 home-baked cookies during Christmas week. The cookies were put up in assortments of 120 per box and distributed to 15 shelters, centers, tiny-house settlements, and tent encampments.

(Photo courtesy The Christmas People>

We also provided 1900+ meals and 1000 lbs. of bulk provisions. Thank you to Ross at (cookie dropoff spot) West Seattle Coworking and all volunteers who helped us, help others.

Fred Hutchinson, co-founder and president

P.S. If anybody who baked cookies has a photo to share (of your cookies, your baking day/s, anything relevant), please send – westseattleblog@gmail.com – we’d love to add to the story and have it for our archives (and promotional use next year)!

ADDED: Kim sent this baking pic:

And Bonnie showed us her finished cookies:

Thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Incidents at Harbor Ave. and 35th/Avalon 7-11s, Triangle mini-mart

December 27, 2024 1:18 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Just before going off watch around 3 am, we heard a flurry of possible robbery calls. The police-radio traffic about them ebbed, so we asked for report narratives. SPD says two resulted in reports:

HARBOR AVE 7-11 ROBBERY: This was reported as “three young males” running into the store “yelling ‘This is a robbery’.” The clerk said they demanded that he open the register; no weapons were seen or implied, “but they were aggressive, and he felt fear,” the officer wrote in their report. Two started taking money while the third collected tobacco products; all three subsequently grabbed food items too. The report says security video reviewed by police showed two were dressed in all black, the third in a hoodie with blue jeans. They apparently waited “for the newspaper run to be delivered” and took the opportunity to run into the store just as the clerk was about to lock the door.

35TH/AVALON 7-11 THEFT: SPD said this did not result in a full report but the dispatch was for a report of theft from the 35th/Avalon 7-11 while the clerk had taken refuge in a locked area in the back.

FAUNTLEROY SHELL ROBBERY ATTEMPT: Police were called to the station/mini-mart in the 4500 block of Fauntleroy Way SW. The clerk said that less than 15 minutes earlier, a black four-door sedan pulled up and someone described as “male, in black clothing, black ski mask, approximately 5’8″” got out and tried to enter the mini-mart – but the clerk had already locked the door, which the person then tried, and failed, to force open. The clerk said he saw “another male in black clothing waiting next to the vehicle.” Both then got into the car and left. Police found more than 20 “tobacco products” outside the mini-mart door that might have been loot from one or both earlier incidents.

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South of the West Seattle Bridge, Ash Grove Cement now offering community tours

December 27, 2024 11:38 am

| 24 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Ash Grove Cement)

The industrial facilities on the Duwamish River often evoke a great amount of curiosity, and sometimes concern. Unless you work at one, they tend to be a mystery. One plant is offering to lift the veil a bit; we heard from plant manager Andy at Ash Grove Cement, just on the other side of the river and south of the West Seattle Bridge, asking if we could let you know they’re offering community tours starting next month:

When: Thursday afternoons from 1-2 pm. Starting January 2025.
Who: Anyone (above the age of 12) who is interested in learning more about what Ash Grove Cement does. Anyone under 18 needs to be accompanied by an adult. We can accept up to 15 people per tour.
What: Depending on age, a full tour of the plant, including brief presentation on the cement-making process.
Why: Ash Grove Cement is the only cement plant in Washington state that takes the raw materials to produce cement. There has been a cement plant n the location for almost 100 years and the company would like to spend time with the community to allow them to see what we do firsthand.
How to RSVP: Reply to Allen Block, Environmental Manager, at allen.block@ashgrove.com. We’d like around 1 week’s notice.

Like other industrial facilities in the area, Ash Grove (3801 East Marginal Way S.) is regulated by a variety of agencies. One of them, Puget Sound Clean Air, has just extended the public-comment period for a requested change in how Ash Grove operates, involving the burning of tires as part of its kiln fuel (an industry alternative to fossil fuels) – you can read about it here.

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The list for your West Seattle Friday

December 27, 2024 9:54 am

| Comments Off on The list for your West Seattle Friday

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Another quiet list for today/tonight, in the stretch between holidays, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and year-round West Seattle Event Calendar:

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Closed today and tomorrow (otherwise open Fridays/Saturdays).

SSC GARDEN CENTER & NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Both also closed until January.

QI GONG AT VIVA ARTS: 12:15 pm-12:45 pm Fridays. More info in our calendar listing. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)

AFTER-SCHOOL MAGIC: School’s out but this longrunning event is still on 4-6 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW).

HOLIDAY LIGHTS AT OUNCES: Nightly after dusk till close (closing times vary; see Ounces hours here):

This Holiday Season, experience the magic of the Holidays every night at Ounces with Holiday Lights, Christmas Music, a 20 ft Santa, Festive Inflatables & Decor, Holiday Beer & Cider on Tap, FREE Candy Canes and more festive fun for all! Stop in any Tuesday-Sunday from dusk till close to experience the holiday magic!

(3809 Delridge Way SW, through January 5)

VISCON CELLARS: Season’s just right for the ambience of this tasting room/wine bar, back open tonight for wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm – at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).

ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, timed entries start at 5 pm. Tickets and info hereLIVE AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: At C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Art Frankel, Gordon Assadi on violin, and Tim Moran on mandolin, 7-9 pm. No cover, all ages.

AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.

THE SKYLARK: Closed tonight but back open tomorrow for this month’s West End Girls show.

REVELRY ROOM DJ: 9 pm, DJ Topspin tonight! (4547 California SW)

Are we missing anything? If you have something else to add to our event lists, calendar, and/or (last call for New Year’s Eve/Day!) Holiday Guide, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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UPDATE: SFD, SPD response for stabbing in 3200 block Avalon Way

December 27, 2024 8:32 am

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| Crime | West Seattle news

8:32 AM: SFD is sending a “scenes of violence” response, with police accompanying, to the 3200 block of SW Avalon Way for a call described as a “man with a stab wound to the arm.”

8:36 AM: They’re looking for a suspect described as a white woman in her 50s, 5’2″, wearing a beige beanie and black sweater.

8:43 AM: This happened in an apartment that officers are now approaching, they’ve told dispatch.

8:50 AM: No word yet on the status of the reported victim.

8:59 AM: Police just told dispatch the victim is declining SFD medical attention, so they’re canceling the responders who’ve been standing by.

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TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Last Friday of 2024

December 27, 2024 6:03 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC CAMS, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Last Friday of 2024

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Friday, December 27th.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

No weather alerts today. Periods of rain are in the forecast, high in the upper 40s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 7:57 am (the latest sunrise of the season) and 4:24 pm.

TRANSIT, INCLUDING HOLIDAY-SCHEDULE PREVIEW

Water Taxi – Regular service today.

Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route with M/V Issaquah and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Sealth as the “ghost boat.” Check here for last-minute changes. Note that the winter sailing schedule starts this Sunday (December 29).

Metro buses today – Regular schedule today.

3 ROAD-WORK UPDATES

*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project has paused work this week; next Tuesday (December 31), the traffic flow is scheduled to shift again.

*The strengthened Delridge pedestrian bridge is open again.

*Beach Drive gas-pipeline work continues into January, PSE tells us – here’s our update.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:

Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:

Low Bridge – Looking west:

1st Avenue South Bridge:

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!

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