Like pretty much everyone else, we will be continuing to watch the Japan earthquake situation throughout the day (and for many days to come), and we’ll have local information as relevant – relief efforts, etc. – but in the meantime, there is a lot of West Seattle information and news to continue to share. Here are the key events from today’s calendar:

CHURCH RUMMAGE SALES: It’s that pre-spring weekend when two local churches have their big rummage sales – Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW; WSB sponsor) from 9 am – 4 pm today, 9 am – 3 pm tomorrow; and West Side Presbyterian (3601 California SW) from 9 am-5 pm today and 9 am-2 pm tomorrow. Each of these sales has hundreds of people contributing, so you never know what you might find.

GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY AUCTION: Tonight at The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW), 5:30-9 pm, it’s the fundraising auction for Gatewood Elementary‘s PTA, “Bids for Kids.”

PET ADOPTION: Seattle Humane Society is at Pet Pros West Seattle (Westwood Village) with adoptable pets, 2-5 pm.

WINE TASTING : At Bin 41 wine: Wine tastings from around our state are spotlighted this month, tonight from Woodinville Winery, Patterson Cellars, with winemaker John Patterson, 5:30-7 pm.

FRIDAY NIGHT SKATING: Every week at Alki Community Center (5817 SW Stevens), it’s Friday Night Skate. Cost is $3 per person. You may bring in your own clean skates or borrow them from us. Time is from 6:45 – 8:45 p.m. For more information please call 684-7430.

GAME NIGHT: Uptown Espresso (4301 SW Edmunds) in The Junction, 6-11 pm, bring your own board games or try the ones on hand at the coffee shop.

(Photo of sea lions on barge buoy, taken from Water Taxi on Tuesday, by “expatom”)
We’ll be tracking the weather all day – good news is that it’s expected, so far, to calm down in time for tonight’s monthly West Seattle Art Walk. We’ll feature a few highlights in a preview later, but in the meantime, you can review featured artists and venues by going to the WSAW website at wsartwalk.com … Also tonight: The Holy Rosary Parents Club-presented screening of the documentary “Race to Nowhere” at Admiral Theater, 6:30 pm … Southwest Seattle Business and Professional Women has a movie screening tonight too, benefiting its scholarship fund – “Iron-Jawed Angels,” 6:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center … Afternoon events: All are welcome to say goodbye to longtime Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow, now days away from retirement, at a 1-3 pm party at the precinct (cake and coffee) … At City Hall, the Parks and Seattle Center Committee‘s 2 pm meeting today (agenda here) has items of interest to West Seattle, including updates on the citywide Golf Plan and the Parks and Green Spaces Levy (including purchase of the site for Puget Ridge Edible Park) … More on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar!

(UPDATED THURSDAY AFTERNOON with reply from the fire truck’s owner)

Don’t know yet how long it’s been gone or where it moved off to – we hadn’t traveled 44th SW in The Junction for at least a few days – but the semi-famous front-lawn fire truck is now gone, exactly one month after we published this story after hearing from owner Gary Elliott. He had said the city gave him a deadline of March 15th (city records confirm this) to either move it or get a permit – or face fees and fines – and that he intended to move it, and move it, he seems to have done. (He had told us it ran “perfectly” when he drove it from the northwestern Oregon that sold it to Seattle, 45 mph all the way.) We have sent him a note to inquire about its fate. We’ll update this story with any reply we get; meantime, here’s the truck as shown in our original December report:

THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Short reply from truck owner Gary Elliott just came in:

Removed the fire truck Tuesday, started right up and drove it to Belfair, where we are going to be in the Tahuya Day parade? I hope the city likes the brown lawn.

(Belfair is in Mason County in the South Sound; the parade is in July.)

(‘Distracted‘ cast members photographed by Michael Brunk for ArtsWest)
Feeling “Distracted“? The newest production at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) may be your antidote. The Lisa Loomer-authored play opens tonight, 7:30; ArtsWest in The Junction – details here … Tonight, the 34th District Democrats‘ monthly meeting is headlined by City Council President Richard Conlin, 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy; find the agenda here … “You don’t have to be a Master Gardener to join us,” say the West Seattle Garden Tour Committee‘s leaders – dig into this year’s planning tonight, 6:30 pm (e-mail info@westseattlegardentour.com for the location) … West Seattle CoolMom talks garden planning at 7 pm, C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor; 5612 California) … Feel like dancing? Balorico Studios has a new “spinning and styling” class for women starting tonight at 7 at Kenyon Hall, get info here … Or, like singing? Karaoke debuts at The Bridge tonight, 9:30 pm, with Tony B … If you’re looking for tips on how to look for work, another free job-search workshop is 4:30 pm today at South Seattle Community College‘s WorkSource center, focusing on interviewing basics … And we should also note, this is Ash Wednesday. LOTS more on the calendar – just go here.

(Crocuses photographed by Tina Doherty)
Welcome to a soggy Fat Tuesday (here’s the forecast). It’s also “second Tuesday,” which means community meetings – the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s agenda has a long list of items including a briefing on the Lafayette Elementary playground project, 7 pm at Admiral UCC Church (California/Hill), while the Fauntleroy Community Association board meets at 7 pm in The Hall at Fauntleroy (also site of the FCA’s March 15th Fauntleroy Food Fest annual meeting and membership drive next week), and the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Association has organized a Block Watch meeting for tonight – whether you are a Block Watch captain or you have a neighborhood that needs a Block Watch, you’re invited to meet with neighborhood reps, SPD reps, and West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network reps, 6 pm at Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster) … The Kenney has an open house for its Ballymena independent-living units tonight, with a tour and beverages, 5 pm (RSVP to Karmen, 206-938-6941) … At High Point Branch Library (35th/Raymond), 6-7:45 pm, members of Poetrybridge will be on hand to comment on poets’ works in progress – call to register (206-684-7454) … Capers Home in The Junction kicks off its new Design Department with free classes for customers, including one at 11 am today, “Divining Your Style” (register by calling 206-932-0371) … Also at midday today, another brown-bag talk on “Developing Personal Safety Nets,” Alki Arts (call 206-659-0665 to register) … More on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar!

Two warnings from the WSB inbox tonight: First, an odd telephone call that turns out to be a scam attempt that’s been going around a while; second, a Craigslist post for a West Seattle rental that yielded a bizarre reply. Read on for details on both:Read More

(Photo by Kenna Klosterman, from last week’s storminess; rain is forecast to return tonight)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: New Block Watch captains are invited to the last multi-neighborhood training session before longtime Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow retires this month – it’s at 6 pm tonight, Southwest Precinct meeting room, RSVP information on the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network site … The Little Pilgrim School at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) starts accepting registration forms for next school year today, with morning/afternoon classes for 2-5-year-olds (206-932-5600) … Local business owners are invited to check out Happy Hour at the new restaurant/lounge Avalon while networking with the Westside Professionals (WSB sponsor), 5-7 pm (2940 Avalon Way) … With construction of the new South Park Bridge starting soon, a community celebration is planned tonight, 6-8 pm at the Machinists Union Hall, 9135 15th Place S. (flyer here) … Monday night Karaoke with Kelli debuts at Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) tonight, 9 pm … More on the calendar!

The din of reminders probably won’t start up before tomorrow or Tuesday, so we’ll mention it tonight, since things are quiet: Daylight Saving Time begins next Sunday morning (already!). At 2 am March 13, you set the clock forward an hour. Then on November 6th, you’ll turn it back (“spring forward/fall back”). Some history, from NASA.

(Just 2 weeks to the spring equinox! Photo by Lisa Stencel)
Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

MAYOR VISITS WEST SEATTLE: Got something to ask/say to Mayor McGinn? Q&A at Southwest Library at 1:30 pm will conclude his Sunday afternoon West Seattle visit, which starts at Roxhill Park at 12:30 pm. (Here’s our preview from Friday.)

GET YOUR CAR WASHED, HELP SEND STUDENT SINGERS TO CARNEGIE HALL: 9 am-4 pm, rain or shine, Chief Sealth International High School Honor Choir members and friends are washing cars for donations to help fund their upcoming trip to sing at Carnegie Hall this Easter – you’ll find them at Alki Auto Repair (2504 Alki SW), $10 suggested donation.

RIDE YOUR BICYCLE WITH SPOKESPEOPLE WEST SEATTLE: Meet at Alki Bike and Board (2606 California SW) for the Spokespeople WS 11 am ride through West Seattle’s main business districts along California SW, including a stop at the WS Farmers’ Market. Details here.

SPEAKING OF THE FARMERS’ MARKET: Violinist Pasquale Santos is scheduled to serenade marketgoers today. There’s also a new farmer, Olsen Meat and Potatoes, per the West Seattle Farmers’ Market page on Facebook. The market’s at 44th/Alaska, 10 am-2 pm.

WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE TRYOUTS: Minors and Majors both try out today at Hiawatha Playfield – details in our preview and on the West Seattle Little League website.

SOCCER PICKUP GAME: The weekly adult/”big kid” soccer game, 10:30 am Sundays, is now on renovated Delridge Playfield – and it’s on Facebook, too.

VOLUNTEER AT THE SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN! There’s an orientation for volunteers today, 1 to 4 pm, including a 2-hour tour & presentation on Chinese gardens and 1 hour of volunteer training. Go to the Garden office at north end of South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW). To RSVP for the training and to learn about different opportunities, please visit this area of the garden website.

‘HARRY POTTER’ EVENT @ THE ADMIRAL: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” showing at Admiral Theater, 3:40 pm, with prizes for costumed moviegoers and a special Harry Potter-themed Mini Cooper on display (it’s for sale too) – details here

More on the calendar!

(Pileated woodpecker, photographed in Lincoln Park by Machel Spence)
Ready to be as industrious today as that woodpecker? Today’s the day for the Thistle Street Stairs community-organized cleanup on West Seattle’s longest stairway (meet at 10 am, 46th and Thistle) … if you’re in the early-learning field, the White Center Providers Group is presenting an all-day Early Learning Fair and Conference at WC Heights Elementary (first speaker at 9:15 am, details here) … Play Scrabble and help local nonprofits – new day! Charity Scrabble at Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) moves to 3:30 pm Saturdays starting today … Looking to liven up your cooking repertoire? West Seattle-based, nationally acclaimed food writer Kim O’Donnel is at the 4th Avenue Costco today with her “Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook,” 4:30-6 pm … Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) has its 2011 Chili Cookoff tonight, starting at 5:30 (votes by donation), followed by monthly Movie Night (“The Life of Brian” this time), suggested donations $5 person/$12 family, community welcome as well as congregation members … Our Lady of Guadalupe School has its annual fundraising auction tonight (this year’s theme: Beach Party), details here … Today is one of the periodic Free Women’s Health Exam days at West Seattle Community Clinic for women 40-65 who are uninsured or underinsured (call 206-937-9722 to see if any appointments remain, or to get information about next time) … The memorial for longtime West Seattleite Andrew Fife is today; details here. … Check the WSB West Seattle Events calendar for more listings.

(Kathleen says the eagle landed on her roof on Thursday, “posed for a few pictures, and flew away”)
Our look ahead to today/tonight starts in The Junction, where a new weekly Game Night is ready for another go-round at Uptown Espresso (Edmunds/Erskine/California), 6-11 pm, bring your own board/card/dice games or use the ones you’ll find there … Bin 41‘s next wine tasting is 5:30-7 pm tonight, kicking off Washington Wine Month with winemaker Marcus Miller from Airfield Estates … On Puget Ridge, the monthly “Meaningful Movies” series will screen “The Economics of Happiness” at 7:30 pm, common house at Puget Ridge Cohousing (18th and Myrtle) … In North Delridge, the Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor) live-music bill tonight includes My My Hey Hey‘s Neil Young tribute at 11 pm (more on the Skylark calendar) … Can’t wait for Southgate to reopen? No waiting required for weekly Friday night skating at Alki Community Center, 6:45-8:45 pm, BYO or use theirs ($3/person) … Peek ahead to the weekend (and beyond) on our calendar.

(Jumping spider photographed in Lincoln Park by Machel Spence)
Highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

THE DOG WHO SAVES ORCAS: Tonight is the rescheduled “Tucker and the Orcas” presentation at the Duwamish Longhouse (4705 W. Marginal Way SW), 7 pm. Presentation and ticket information on the website for sponsoring organization The Whale Trail.

CHIEF SEALTH’S BIG GAME: The Chief Sealth International High School boys’ basketball team plays in the Tacoma Dome tonight, as one of the final 8 teams in the state 3A tournament. 7:15 pm vs. Bellevue.

WSHS GRAD NIGHT FUNDRAISER: Fantasy Casino Blackjack at Pyramid Alehouse (1201 1st Avenue S. in SODO) to raise money for this year’s West Seattle High School Grad Night celebration, 5:30-9 pm, appetizers, prizes, raffles, $35 at the door if you haven’t bought your ticket already (5 and under free).

BRIGHT HORIZONS PARENT-INFO SESSION: Interested in the new child-care center opening in Link (WSB sponsor) this spring? The Bright Horizons team will be at Cupcake Royale in The Junction (4556 California SW), 4-7 pm – drop in Q/A, no formal presentation. (Here’s the official flyer.)

SCHOOL TOURS: Arbor Heights Elementary kindergarten tour at 9:30 am, Chief Sealth tour at 1 pm, Madison Middle School at 6:30 pm.

‘OPEN MIKE’ AT FRESHY’S: 1st and 3rd Thursdays are “open mike” nights at Freshy’s Coffee. Starts at 7 pm.

(WSB photo from Seattle Summer Streets “car-free day” on Alki last year, 5/23/2010)
Short list from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar for today/tonight: The Southwest District Council, which includes reps from community councils and other major organizations around western West Seattle, meets at 7 pm, board room at South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW). The agenda includes a briefing on this year’s Alki “car-free day” (aka Seattle Summer Streets), coming up May 22nd (as first noted here a month ago when West Seattle 5K registration began) … Also tonight at 7, the meeting at West Seattle High School for feedback on interim principal Ruth Medsker, as previewed here … 7 pm is also the starting time for the “project knitting” class at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor), 5612 California SW ($10) … Up early? Run your own small business? The Westside Professionals business-networking group (WSB sponsor) welcome you, 8 am, The Kenney, 7125 Fauntleroy Way (or find out about them any time on Facebook).

P.S. (added 7:17 am) – It’s an early-dismissal (2 hours) day for Seattle Public Schools students.

We have traffic alerts large and small, to start the day … reminder in case you missed our update last week, the Fairmount/Forest intersection continues to be a major digging zone, and Craig – who shared those shots from Monday – says they’re down about 25 feet. The emergency work to replace a broken sewer main (blamed for this sinkhole) is expected to continue at least another week. … On a larger scale, SDOT says the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct will be CLOSED AGAIN TONIGHT for the fourth time in the past week as part of the ongoing widening project – 10 pm-5 am, that’s the section of the bridge between I-5 and Highway 99. The Harbor Island offramp from the bridge will be closed those same hours tonight, tomorrow night, and Thursday night.

Also tonight:

SECOND P-PATCH DESIGN MEETING: Bigger plots? Smaller plots? Keep the tree? Remove the tree? Much still to be decided as the planning of the 34th/Barton P-Patch design continues – but this is the last community meeting at which it’s all still on the table. 6:30 pm, Southwest Community Center (2801 SW Thistle; here’s our coverage of the first meeting).

FAMILY STORY TIME AT DELRIDGE LIBRARY: Tonight, children’s librarian Amy leads Story Time at the Delridge/Brandon library branch, 7 pm.

‘TASTE OF DREAM DINNERS’ OPEN HOUSE: Sample the March menu at Dream Dinners-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) and see what it’s like to assemble a dinner – drop in at 5:30, 6 or 6:30 pm (call 206-938-5999 if you have questions ahead of time), 4701 41st SW on the east side of outer Jefferson Square.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TRIVIA: Tuesday nights mean rock trivia with cash prizes at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 6451 California SW, 8 pm.

More on the calendar!

(Male Anna’s hummingbird, photographed by Danny McMillin through his Alki living-room window!)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar for today/tonight: The westbound Spokane Street Viaduct (the bridge straightaway between I-5 and Highway 99) closes tonight (and tomorrow night), 10 pm-5 am, as part of the ongoing construction project … If you drive the 520 Bridge, you’re going to need a “Good to Go” electronic-tolling pass soon (or else you’ll pay higher tolls billed by mail), and you can buy one today at WSDOT’s booth at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm (44th/Alaska) … Enjoy organ music? A benefit recital is planned at 3 pm today at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle, 4105 California Ave SW, by Paul Richard Olson, organist/choirmaster at Grace Church in Brooklyn Heights, New York (suggested $15 donation for Lutheran World Relief) … West Seattle Rainbow Girls invite girls 9-13 to an afternoon of “royal treatment” – dressup, arts/crafts, and games – 2:30-4:30 pm at Alki Masonic Hall, 40th/Edmunds (more info? call Jan, 206-849-7906) … P.S. Haven’t heard of any big public Oscar parties in West Seattle but if you have, let us know!

Another West Seattle creation to check out if you go to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show (WSB sponsor) this weekend – Mari and Andrew Malcolm (whose home was on the West Seattle Garden Tour last year) have an award-winning display – their Seaside Succulents container display (above) won the award for Best Re-Characterization of Recycled Material. It includes “fantastic old crates and metal containers” from Admiralty House Antiques. Besides checking them out at the show, you can also check out their website. (Looking way ahead, they’re planning a sale on June 18 and succulent-container workshop June 25.)

Also happening today:

CLEANUP WITH FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH: Join the Admiral Neighborhood Association this morning for their quarterly Adopt-a-Street cleanup, and you get free breakfast AND lunch. Meet at 9 am, Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) – coffee and treats before the cleanup, sack lunch to take with you afterward.

SEOLA PARK WORK PARTY: EarthCorps volunteer event, 10 am-2 pm, Marine View Drive SW/35th SW, help pull invasives and plant natives. Full details here.

CHIEF SEALTH’S SECOND STATE-TOURNAMENT GAME: Since they won Friday night, the boys’ basketball team plays again today, 3 pm vs. Lincoln High School at Auburn High School.

BEER TOUR: Washington breweries’ open house, including Elliott Bay in West Seattle and Big Al Brewing in White Center, noon-4 pm (Google map here)

YOUNGSTOWN ARTS CENTER TURNS 5: As first noted here a week and a half ago, Youngstown Arts Center‘s fifth birthday party is today! 4:30 pm-1 am – full details here

CHILI COOKOFF 6 pm, Brickyard BBQ, first-ever chili cookoff – $5 to eat and judge all chili. Live music, beer specials. 206-933-3109 for more info.

FINAL FAREWELL: Funeral for Jeremy Peck, 4 pm at Alki UCC, followed by a wake at the Masonic Hall, 6:30 pm

More on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar.

Clear weather has arrived as the weekend approaches – clear and very cold, 20s this morning and not much warmer later – bundle up! From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: Tonight’s the first of three overnight closures ahead as part of the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project – the eastbound lanes (east of 1st Avenue South) will close 11 pm-5 am … Girl Scout Cookie sales begin around Western Washington (here’s our preview from last weekend, including a link to the list showing where and when) … The West Seattle Garden Club meets 10 am-2 pm today at its new location, Daystar (2615 SW Barton), including brown-bag lunch at noon followed by a program on irises … NEW GAME NIGHT! Kristy sends word that you’re invited to Uptown Espresso in The Junction (4301 SW Edmunds) 6-11 pm to play games – they’ll have board/card/dice games or bring your own. They’re hoping to do this every Friday; call her at 206-491-2769 with questions … Also in The Junction, it’s Mardi Gras Rainbow Bingo Night at the Senior Center of West Seattle – doors open 6 pm, bingo at 7, preregistration encouraged (call 206-932-4044, extension 4) … High-school basketball, boys’ state tournament: Chief Sealth vs. Foss at Auburn High School (map), 6 pm tonight … More on the calendar!

(Mushroom in the snow, photo by Machel Spence)
The weather’s expected to get colder but not much snowier (though it’s flurrying as we write this), which should mean all’s well in getting to at least some of the great things happening around here today/tonight, though we have one major postponement so far. Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

‘TUCKER AND THE ORCAS’ RESCHEDULED TO NEXT THURSDAY: Just got word from Donna Sandstrom at The Whale Trail that tonight’s talk at the Duwamish Longhouse is rescheduled to NEXT Thursday, March 3rd, 7 pm.

No other changes that we know of – but please call or e-mail if you know of something!

GRAND OPENING FOR ‘THE BRIDGE’: 4 pm, the new drinks/food place in the old Redline (etc.) opens its doors. Here’s our sneak-peek story from last week.

RON ANGELES CELEBRATION: 6-8 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, come wish the longtime district coordinator a happy “retirement” (though of course, he won’t be idle) – here’s the story we published last night about Ron’s thoughts looking back and looking ahead.

JEWISH KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: Challah Baking event, 3 pm at the West Seattle Torah Learning Center, ages 5-10. Call 206-852-6418 or gitifredman@gmail.com to see if there’s still room.

TALK TIME: New English conversation group for those learning English. It meets weekly on Thursdays at the High Point Library, free, call 206-684-7454 with questions.

‘THE CHANGING HOUSE’: Lidunn Øverdahl Cain at the Southwest Library, 6:30 pm, exploring the possibilities of modifying a home to meet your changing needs.

BURLESQUE AT SKYLARK CAFE AND CLUB: New monthly event – 9 pm!

More on the calendar; and check back for more weather updates and other news all day long.

(Refresh for latest pic from WS Bridge & 1st Ave. S. Bridge cams, more on the WSB Traffic page)
You never know when those snowy forecasts WON’T come true, so since it was a snow-free night, we’re starting the day by looking ahead to what’s scheduled as if everything will go on as planned. (If bad weather does arrive and you cancel something – PLEASE let us know, and we’ll help get the word out!) Topping the list: Highland Park Action Committee‘s monthly meeting, 7 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club (12th/Holden) …In The Junction, West 5 – which just celebrated its own 8th anniversary – hosts the 8th anniversary party for Georgetown Brewing Company, starting at 6 pm (full details here) … PoetryBridge.net has its monthly night of poems and stories tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 5612 California SW, with featured poets followed by open mike, 7 pm … Looking for work? Free job-search workshop at South Seattle Community College‘s WorkSource Center, 4:30 – 6 pm, focusing on “online job search basics” … Weekly “project knitting” class meets 7-9 pm at CAPERS (questions? 206-972-6945, Marguerite) … Two WSB sponsor notes: The Westside Professionals business-networking group meets at 8 am, The Kenney; and it’s the first day for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show (reading the list of exhibitors, so far we’ve found one from here – West Seattle Nursery is part of the Container Show) … Check in with us for weather/road updates and other news, all day long.

(Photo by Pye42, from the West Seattle Blog Flickr photo pool)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar – Bikes? Buses? Trains? Cars? Feet? Or? Tonight, Sustainable West Seattle‘s monthly community forum tackles transportation, and where it’s going. And as previewed here last week, the panel includes SDOT’s director Peter Hahn and the West Seattle-residing City Councilmember who chairs the Transportation Committee, Tom Rasmussen. Be at the Senior Center of West Seattle (enter off Oregon, east of California), 7 pm … Also tonight, another perennially hot topic: Calling 911 – when to call, what to say, what if it doesn’t sound like you’re being taken seriously? The West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network hosts guests from King County 911 and SPD, and reiterate that ALL are invited, not just blockwatch captains/participants – be at the Southwest Precinct meeting room (off Webster west of Delridge), 6:30 pm … Historian and community advocate Ron Richardson will be remembered at 2 pm today, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9141 California SW) … A brown-bag talk on “developing personal safety nets” is set for 11:30 am today at Alki Arts (2820 Alki SW); call 206-659-0665 to register … Enjoy writing/telling stories? Tonight is Writers and Tellers night at two venues in White Center/West Seattle – full details here … Free live music at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW; WSB sponsor) tonight, four acts starting at 8 pm, listed on the Skylark calendar … More on our calendar!

Beautiful moonset this morning – thanks to Lynne for sharing the view, with the Olympics (which are out in all their frosted splendor right now). And late last night, Booker shared a closeup of the full moon that graced the West Seattle sky through the night, including a spectacular moonrise for those facing the Cascades:

As for what’s up today – the full list is on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar as always, but here are a few highlights:

FAMILY FUN – MAGIC SHOW! Family-friendly magic show with Jeff Evans at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), 10:30 am, $5 per person.

‘PAINT PAST COAL’ AT ALKI: CoolMom, Sierra Club and others invite you to join in painting a mural during today’s event south of the Alki Bathhouse, 11 am-2 pm, to “highlight the need for a coal-free future for Washington” – event details here.

CAMP LONG ROPES COURSE WORK PARTY: 10 am-1 pm. Organizers say they’ll be “working primarily on removing logs and an old fire circle near cabin 2.” (Here’s the latest on the project.)

NATIVE PLANT SALE: 10 am-3 pm, 3225 47th SW.

HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Chief Sealth vs. O’Dea at Bellevue College (map), 11:30 am.

SEATTLE OPERA PREVIEW: 3 singers – all the main characters! – 6:30 pm at The Kenney. (Entertainment 2011 books for sale at $25 also, raising money to pay for the preview events.)

‘SOUL JAMBALAYA’ DENNY FUNDRAISER @ SEALTH: Benefit concert with Total Experience Gospel Choir, Septimus, other groups, in addition to student musicians, organized by Denny International Middle School as a benefit for student musicians’ travel, happening at Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium, 6:45 pm (full details here)

FINAL WEEKEND FOR ‘EMILIE’: Last scheduled evening performance at Arts West at ArtsWest in The Junction (tickets available online

‘THE NEW NEW NEWS’: The play about the changing world of journalism is performed again at 7:30 pm at South Seattle Community College‘s Olympic Hall (details here)