West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Next Thursday, if you can spare a few midday hours, you’re invited to a party of sorts – a work party and birthday commemoration in honor of West Seattle’s highest-ranking elected official. Monica Thomas from the WS-headquartered Nature Consortium explains:
Nature Consortium will once again celebrate (County Executive) Dow Constantine’s birthday by restoring his favorite park. Join us on Thursday, November 15, 10 am-2 pm, at College Street Ravine in West Seattle for a Nature Consortium-style birthday party complete with live music by Dan Pearson.
Dow Constantine is a West Seattle local who got involved in politics through his environmental work with the Friends of the College Street Ravine many years ago. Before becoming King County Executive, Dow worked with his local community to save the 5 acre green space from threats of development. It’s a story that we at Nature Consortium can relate to. (Check out the full story here.)
So to celebrate Dow’s environmental leadership, we’re throwing a party NatureC-style. There will be music, the outdoors, great community, and maybe a few party hats. Rather than giving gifts, we’re giving back. Sometimes that’s the best gift of all.
When Dow took office as County Exec, he asked Nature Consortium to continue the work he started at College Street Ravine. We’re calling on the West Seattle community, especially our neighbors in North Admiral and Alki, to help us fulfill his wish. With enough volunteers, we can clear invasive plants that have encroached on the park and start replanting the next generation of trees and shrubs.
Since 2010, we’ve been celebrating Dow’s birthday, and sometimes half-birthday, this way – with music and community service. In addition to Dow’s birthday, join us at College Street Ravine on the first Tuesday of every month. To sign up to volunteer, visit www.naturec.org.
Want to have your birthday party with Nature Consortium? We’ll provide the eco-volunteering fun and live music, you bring the cake. Contact Lili@NatureC.org to learn more.
Here’s our coverage of last year’s November 15th party.
Big weekend at the Museum of Flight, and not just because of the Space Shuttle Trainer grand opening today. We just heard from Beverly Harding Buehler, who shares the video above, and this news:
My son, Asa Buehler, and his friend Kyle Jensen, two 9-year-old West Seattle kids, have been working for the past six months on an international robotics competition called “MoonBots.” The competition is about future robotic missions to the moon. The boys submitted a proposal, including the video (above), to MoonBots in June. About 300 teams submitted proposals from all around the world. Thirty teams made the first cut, including Kyle and Asa’s team, The Penguin Men.
The boys received a Lego Mindstorms robotic kit from which they have designed a robot that can carry out several missions on a lunar landscape that they also designed and built (with a little parental help). Matt Jensen, Kyle’s dad, has been an amazing teacher and coach for the boys. The Penguin Men will be doing a public presentation of their MoonBot at the Museum of Flight (tomorrow), Sunday, November 11, at 2 pm. The presentation will also be webcast live at the following website:
ustream.tv/channel/the-penguin-men
If you have a chance, tune in or come by to cheer Asa and Kyle on.
We just watched Asa and Kyle’s video – take four minutes and check it out! It’s history, humor, and more. They also have been updating a blog-format website about their project; tomorrow’s presentation is part of the judging. Congratulations to them and good luck in the next round of MoonBots!
You still have till 3 pm to get to one of the first holiday open houses of the season – the always-popular event at West Seattle Nursery (California and Brandon). Though it’s a spectacularly sunny day, the biggest draw, during our stop, was the wide array of holiday decor inside:
Along with free espresso and snacks, WSN also has had a slate of presentations – including cider-making with Matt Pope from CityFruit.
Once again this year, Eastridge Church – 39th and Oregon, across from West Seattle Bowl – is giving away turkeys and groceries. Lori from Eastridge sent the announcement; it’s happening at 9 am next Saturday (November 17th):
It is our 10th year of giving away 500 turkeys and bags of groceries (potatoes, vegetables, gravy packet & stuffing) to families that are in need for Thanksgiving, for FREE. We don’t ask that they show us anything or fill out anything; they just need to come.
Thanks to Wendy Hughes-Jelen for the photo from Adams Hall at West Seattle’s Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), where she is there as part of an apple-pie-making marathon: “184 apple pies for Thanksgiving dinner at Union Gospel Mission, and about 400 more for supporters of the premier handbell ringing group Bells of the Sound, whose holiday Christmas concerts start in December.”
Know any first-through-eighth-grade boys and/or girls who are interested in basketball? One week from today, they are invited to a pre-season Skills and Drills Clinic presented by the West Seattle High School boys’ basketball team – here’s the announcement:
Now is the time to get a tune-up on your HOOP skills before the upcoming basketball season!! Drop your kids off for THREE HOURS of HOOPS and have them bring a friend!
Special guests: WSHS Head Coach Donald Watts, and SEATTLE SONICS LEGEND “SLICK” WATTS
Who: Boys and Girls, Grades 1st-8th
When: Saturday, November 17th, 2 pm-5 pm
Where: West Seattle High School Gymnasium: 3000 California Ave SW
Cost: $45 – register at: wsbasketballboosters.comPlease contact our WSHS Basketball Booster President Pierre Newsome at 206-227-5386, e-mail jpnewsome@comcast.net, for any questions!
(Friday sunrise, by the Jack Block Park tracks: Photo by Don Brubeck)
Welcome to the weekend! Multiple opportunities today to get going with your holiday shopping – bazaars, bartering, open house, big sale … from the WSB West Seattle (and vicinity!) Events Calendar:
NORTH DELRIDGE CLEANUP: Go help brighten the neighborhood before fall weather gets REALLY serious. 10 am-noon. Meet at Delridge Community Center.
CAFFE DELIA’S BIRTHDAY PARTY: As previewed here on Friday, Caffé Delia, the coffee shop co-housed with White Center’s Proletariat Pizza, a WSB sponsor, is celebrating its first birthday! The party is happening now till 2 pm, 9622 16th SW.
CURIOUS KIDSTUFF SALE: The Junction’s toy shop rejoined WSB as a sponsor to make sure you get word about today’s 15 percent off pre-holiday sale, 10 am-6 pm. 4740 California SW.
(added) FIRE STATION 11 OPEN HOUSE: Upgrades are in the works for Highland Park’s Fire Station 11 (explained here), and you can find out more about them 10 am-noon today. 16th/Holden.
COWORKING MEETING: The founders of WS Office Junction – the in-the-planning-stages coworking site – are inviting anyone who’s interested to meet up at Uptown Espresso in The Junction at 10 am.
OPEN HOUSE FOR NEW SCHOOL: The brand-new Taproot School is having an open house (adults only) 10 am-noon at the Community School of West Seattle (22nd/Roxbury).
BAZAAR AT ‘THE MOUNT’: As announced:
Please join Providence Mount St. Vincent at the annual Auxiliary Holiday Bazaar, from 10 am – 4 pm in the lobby. Browse the selection of collectibles, toys, Christmas items, jewelry, household items, quilts, and a bake sale! The Bazaar will also feature special items from Emilie’s Treasures (The Mount’s onsite thrift store) and “The Sewing Ladies.” Most items available for sale are gently used, though some are new. The Sisters from St. Joseph Residence will also have two tables where they’ll sell items they’ve made. All proceeds raised at this event support the programs and residents of Providence Mount St. Vincent through the PMSV Foundation.
The Mount is at 4831 35th SW.
SHOREWOOD BAZAAR: 10 am-4 pm, the annual Shorewood Elementary School Holiday Bazaar features 60 vendors from around the region – just south of West Seattle, 2725 SW 116th.
WEST SEATTLE NURSERY OPEN HOUSE: The annual holiday open house is 11 am-3 pm, with free espresso and hors d’oeuvres. California/Brandon.
SPACE-SHUTTLE TRAINER GRAND OPENING: The Museum of Flight isn’t in West Seattle, but it’s close, and so we’re noting that today’s the first day the new space shuttle trainer exhibit at the museum goes on full public display.
KAREN ROBBINS AT CHICO’S: The award-winning West Seattle children’s-book author is at Chico’s in Westwood Village, 1-5 pm – details here.
SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE BARTER FAIR: 2-4 pm at Camp Long Lodge, it’s a potluck and an opportunity to work on your holiday gifting “through exchanging services or items made from raw materials (jams, birdhouses, quilts, etc.),” according to the announcement on Sustainable West Seattle‘s website.
ALKI ELEMENTARY AUCTION: School-fundraiser season continues with Alki Elementary‘s “Blue Hawaii” auction, 5:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy.
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS GALA: Dinner and auction at 5:30 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club, to help WSCO with their musical mission, including free participation for young musicians of all abilities. Details in the calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE HELPLINE GALA: The fall fundraiser will allow the Helpline to “Give the Gift of Warmth and Light.” It starts with dinner, 6:30 pm at the Duwamish Longhouse (4705 W. Marginal Way SW).
BLUEGRASS AT KENYON HALL: The Convergence Zone Bluegrass Band performs tonight at Kenyon Hall (7504 35th SW) – ticket info on the calendar.
CANDYLANDIA DANCE PARTY: The monthly shake-it-don’t-break-it event at the Benbow Room (4210 SW Admiral Way), 9:30 pm.
DOWNTOWN EVENT-TRAFFIC: If you’re heading off the peninsula this weekend – here’s the SDOT alert about several big events.
Even more on our calendar …
A high-profile visitor at Chief Sealth International High School today, on the last day of school before the three-day Veterans Day weekend: State Supreme Court Justice Steven González. In our short video clip, he introduces himself to Sealth 9th graders, whose visit was scheduled as part of their studies of free speech, according to teacher Luke Azinger – he arranged the visit along with fellow Language Arts teacher Heather Griffin:
Justice González was appointed to the Supreme Court this past January, and was unopposed on last week’s ballot after winning more than 50 percent of the vote in the August primary.
Some have asked how to help those hit hard by Superstorm Sandy on the East Coast. This is the first West Seattle-organized relief project we’ve heard of. Jen Boyer explains:
I love to knit and have been going to Seattle Yarn for their free Wednesday night knitting sessions. Last Wednesday a group of us decided to do something in response to the devastation of Sandy and then the snowstorms hitting in the aftermath
From now until Nov. 19, Seattle Yarn is accepting any hats, gloves or scarves folks want to make or buy and donate. They don’t have to be knitted. The store will give a $1-off Seattle Yarn certificate for each item donated (a pair of gloves counts as one item) as an incentive to encourage folks to donate.
In addition, the store will host a Knit for the Cause Knit-In on Sunday, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. During that time, folks are welcome to come in and knit, crochet, or sew items for the donation. We’re working with a few local eateries to see if they’d be willing to partner and donate some food and drink for those working that day. Seattle Yarn owners are also welcoming West Seattle Fabric Company to partner with us, so we’ll be able to have folks creating in both the new Stitch & Sew Studio and Seattle Yarn that day.
On Monday, Nov. 19, we’ll be sending the box(es) of donated items to a contact of one of the store customers who has been involved in relief efforts on the East Coast.
Seattle Yarn is at 5633 California SW; Stitch & Sew is at 5910 California SW.
(October 28 photo by Nick Adams for WSB)
Going to the downtown parade the day after Thanksgiving? More local participants to cheer for! From the brand-new edition of Westside Weekly, the online newsletter for West Seattle High School:
On Friday, November 23rd, come cheer on the WSHS Band as they march in the Macy’s Holiday Parade in downtown Seattle. The parade begins at 8:45 am. What a great way to start the holiday season!
That’s the latest high-profile gig for the newly resurgent band, which also led the costume parade at the first-ever West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival (photo above). P.S. If you’re going to be in the Macy’s parade, please let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – so we can be on the lookout for even more West Seattleites!
The Google Street View car’s been here before – our most recent report was in July of last year – but we’ve never before had a sighting report from a park pathway! Betsy shared that photo taken this afternoon at the south end of the Lincoln Park waterfront. The list of counties where Google Street View is collecting new imagery does indeed include King.
Metro is out with a reminder of the additional RapidRide trips it’s adding next week, plus details of other changes and a summary of what it’s tweaked in the six weeks since the RR launch and other route restructuring. Here’s the news release:
Another boost in the number of evening RapidRide bus trips starts next week as King County Metro Transit continues to improve reliability and address growing ridership between downtown Seattle and West Seattle.
Two additional RapidRide bus trips will carry evening commuters starting Tuesday, Nov. 13, totaling six added evening trips since RapidRide launched Sept. 29. Metro added two evening trips on Oct. 8 and Nov. 5. Together, the added trips target full buses and gaps in bus service when buses are delayed between 4:15 and 6:45 p.m.
Metro’s news release continues with more details on changes taking effect next week:
Read More
Less than two weeks till Thanksgiving, and the holiday season is shaping up nicely – we have added a sleighful of events to the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar already, and the Holiday Events page will debut within days. Today, the schedule is out for the always-festive West Seattle Junction Association-presented Hometown Holidays – you can see it here. The Junction Tree Lighting is set for December 1st; Santa photos are back December 2/9/16; mule-carriage rides on December 2/16; and something new – free gift wrap for Junction-bought gifts on December 15th and 22nd, featuring the West Seattle High School music program (performances too).
(Matt, Delia, and Eric – photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
You could call Caffé Delia (WSB sponsor) our area’s first co-housed coffee shop.
Or, pop-up coffee shop, as its proprietors dubbed it.
It opened one year ago in the downtown White Center space that, by night, is Proletariat Pizza.
As with Proletariat, Caffé Delia’s proprietors are a married couple – Delia and Matt. And they say Proletariat’s Stefanie and Mike had the coffee-cohousing idea in the first place – stemming from a mutual-admiration society when Delia worked at Bird on a Wire Espresso and referred people to “the fun pizza place in White Center.”
We sat down with Delia and Matt to talk about their shop and its milestone anniversary, which will be marked with a party during Caffé Delia’s regular hours tomorrow (8 am-2 pm Saturday).
West Seattle’s newest public school has chosen its mascot, colors, and hoped-for name. The K-5 STEM PTA shares the news that principal Dr. Shannon McKinney made the announcement this morning: Their mascot is the owl; their colors, blue and green; and they will ask the district to approve the name West Seattle STEM Elementary. In the photo from the PTA website report, that’s Dr. McKinney at right with Heidi Baughman, the parent who designed the new logo she and the principal are holding.
This fall, we’ve already had multiple times to see and talk about Puget Sound sealife – orca visits, salmon runs, seal pups, even the Seacrest octopus controversy. There’s new information today about something that affects them all, and more, and us: Puget Sound pollution. One visualization is in “Diver Laura” James‘s photo above, pointing out cigarette butts strewn on the seafloor; she took the photo near the Fairmount Creek stormwater outfall off Harbor Avenue, in about 20 feet of water. Discarded cigarette butts are washed off sidewalks and streets when it rains, go into storm drains, and wind up here, leaching toxic chemicals into the Sound. Just one source of pollution, of course – one among, unfortunately, many. To help understand what’s happening in and to the Sound, the state has just launched a new website – described in this news release:
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has boiled down a 300-page report into a new, user-friendly website that explains what we currently know about toxic chemical pollution in the Puget Sound region.
The website links what’s known about toxic contamination in Puget Sound to ongoing efforts to keep the contaminants out of the nation’s second-largest estuary. The site draws attention to actions that individuals, businesses, community groups and federal, state, tribal and local governments can take to help reduce toxic threats to the sound.
Need your windows and/or gutters cleaned? Any pressure-washing needs? We’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor today, and here’s their message for you:
West Seattle Window Cleaner is proud to make West Seattle our home! We are a full-service window-cleaning, pressure-washing, and gutter-cleaning service based just off the West Seattle Bridge. After starting our original business on Mercer Island, we moved to West Seattle 2 years ago and we love to serve our local customers here in West Seattle.
This time of year we are keeping busy mostly with gutter cleaning and getting homes clean and ready to host guests at the holidays. We also can do limited holiday-lighting installation (you provide the lights, we provide the ladders and labor!) It’s also a great time to get your slippery walkways and stairs pressure washed.
We feature fair, up-front pricing and fast quotes. Just fill out the Quick Contact Form on our homepage westseattlewindowcleaner.com or give us a call at 206-453-3936. West Seattle Window Cleaner: Enjoy the View!
We thank West Seattle Window Cleaner 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.
(Lincoln Park & Colman Pool – photo by Long Bach Nguyen; click image for larger view)
Welcome to Friday! A few things of note for today/tonight:
CITY COUNCIL BUDGET VOTES: If there’s anything you’re watching closely, keep an eye on the meeting that’s under way now (watch at seattlechannel.org). We spotted some items of interest on the agenda – including design money for improving the lower-bridge bike trail and construction/design money for the Delridge Neighborhood Greenway (they are on this budget sheet).
LAST DAY FOR COMMUNITY ART SHOWCASE: Have you seen the community-art show at Southwest Library yet? Today’s your last chance! The library at 35th and Henderson is open 10 am-6 pm today.
SPEAKING OF LIBRARIES – they’re closed Sunday for Veterans Day.
SPEAKING OF VETERANS DAY – USO BENEFIT TONIGHT: Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor; 2326 California SW) is hosting a benefit for the USO tonight, 7-10 pm, with “heavy appetizers,” beer/wine, games, and more. Admission is a $10 minimum donation. Full details in our calendar listing.
CHIEF SEALTH ‘PASSPORT TO EXCELLENCE’: They’re not selling tickets at the door, so this is just a reminder that if you have a ticket to the school’s annual fundraising dinner/auction, tonight’s the night, 6 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.
‘LEND ME A TENOR,’ LAST CHANCE TO SEE IT! West Seattle High School‘s fall production will be performed one last time, 7:30 pm tonight at the WSHS Theater – details on the Westside Drama website.
LIVE MUSIC TONIGHT – 5 venues! The listings are all on the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar list for today’s date – click the “plus” sign on the right side of any calendar line to expand that listing, and then “read more” for even more info, as well as a map to the venue.
The West Seattle Art Walk really isn’t a one-night event – for most venues and artists, it’s part of a month-long exhibit. “A Feast for the Eyes: Food in Art” at ArtsWest – which includes some of longtime WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli’s internationally enjoyed “Big Appetites” work – opened the day before Halloween, but the reception highlighted last night’s Art Walk festivities. That’s Christopher above; also part of “A Feast for the Eyes,” Kristen Reitz-Green:
Jere Smith‘s work is featured as well. Along with ArtsWest, WSB’s Katie Meyer made two other Junction stops last night – photos ahead (and a reminder about the big holiday-season Art Walk!) … Read More
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:35 AM: Nothing to report as the day gets going – except that, as forecast, it’s in the 30s right now, 35 degrees at Boeing Field (usually comparable to West Seattle temps) at 6 am.
7:32 AM: Just went out to see if that meant ice on the windshield – and yes, there’s a light coat of ice on ours, so you might need the scraper today.
9:49 AM: There’s been a snag on the eastbound bridge for a while, with a semi blocking the right lane at the 99 overpass – but the city says it’s cleared.
12:09 PM: A note from Washington State Ferries:
There will be a temporary capacity reduction on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route starting after this evening’s commute and prior to the beginning of service tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 10. The 90-car Sealth will replace the 124-car Issaquah for approximately one week while larger vessels are out of service for routine maintenance. The galley on the Sealth will be closed Friday, Nov. 9 and will re-open on Sat., Nov.10, at 7:00 a.m.
Here’s a different way to raise money while running/jogging – not a 5K, but an ongoing event. West Seattle High School PE teacher Sylvia Hahn explains “Monday Runday”:
Every other Monday, students participate in a twenty-minute jog that serves quite a few purposes. It contributes to the recommended 60 minutes of activity per day for a person. It helps to build upon cardio respiratory endurance, which in turn can create healthy habits for the future and help prevent cardiovascular disease. Yet, in our classes, we have another purpose related to this 20-minute jog.
For each lap that each student runs, they have chosen to fund a non-profit entity within our West Seattle community that helps animals. I have chosen the non-profit Kitty Harbor as our recipient of the funds raised throughout this semester. For each lap I will donate ten (10) cents out of my pocket to Kitty Harbor.
So far, students have raised over $183. I am rounding that number to $200 and will be making our first donation this weekend, November 10th. My hope is that parents/guardians and other community members will be willing to donate, along with these hard working students, to Kitty Harbor. You can do so by visiting their website at www.kittyharborseattle.org. Thank you so much!
Next Monday, as part of the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) party for the new Soundgarden album release, a guitar autographed by Soundgarden will be raffled – with ticket sales benefiting the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival. It was explained at this week’s general Hi-Yu meeting that the guitar was donated by the brother of Hi-Yu’s new treasurer, Susan Stanley-Jones. Raffle tickets are only $5, available from Hi-Yu (contact info’s on their website at westseattlehiyu.com) or during the party Monday night at the Feedback. Also keep an eye out for Hi-Yu Junior Court members selling tickets in The Junction this weekend – times TBA.
More big news from Hi-Yu – they have chosen next year’s theme: Alki Deep – An Undersea Adventure. That was one of more than half a dozen theme suggestions at the meeting:
Now that a theme is set, float ideas are next – you’re invited to the December 3rd holiday open house; bring yours, and/or be there to vote. Speaking of the holidays, it’s benefit ornament time:
They have 60 to sell, at $20 each, for starters. P.S. November 30th is the deadline for Senior Court candidates to apply – scholarship money up for grabs! The application is here.
We’ll have separate full-length reports later on both parts of tonight’s Design Review Board doubleheader, but since it has just wrapped up after more than 3 1/2 hours, we have toplines: The board gave its final blessing to 4724 California, the building planned for the ex-Petco site in The Junction, and allowed 4755 Fauntleroy Way – the megaproject that we now know will include Whole Foods – to move on to the second phase of Design Review. 4724 California still has other parts of the permit process to go through, but now that this stage is complete, they’re expecting to start construction – with demolition first – around April 1st. A fair amount of public comment was provided on both projects, mostly positive for 4724 California, some negative for 4755 Fauntleroy Way – “South Lake Union next to West Seattle” was one vivid phrase. Again, full coverage coming up later.
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