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Spotlight Stories


  • Arrest

    GUNFIRE ARREST: South Admiral scare

  • Teardown

    DEMOLITION: Alki redevelopment

  • Blue Angels

    BLUE ANGELS’ RETURN: When they’re flying

Followup: 5th graders’ benefit bake sale/donation drive a success!
August 3, 2014 11:15 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

One of the benefit events we spotlighted this weekend was the second annual bake sale by two young West Seattleites working to help the Humane Society and the animals it cares for. Carey, who sent word of the sale in advance, shares the wrap-up and photos:

Thanks to the WSB and the West Seattle community for sponsoring Gwen and Muriel’s bake sale to benefit the Seattle Humane Society! With your support the barrel was filled with food and toys for cats and dogs and the proceeds were TWICE what they were last year. We are so thankful for our community and their generosity!

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Speaking of ships … about that empty Port of Seattle space north of the bridge
August 3, 2014 10:19 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Apparently the Port of Seattle‘s now-empty stretch Terminal 5 north of the west end of the high bridge is really starting to draw notice; though we reported on the reason almost two weeks ago, we’ve received a flurry of inquiries about it this weekend. So in case you missed the story too: Terminal 5 is empty because it’s closed. Its last ship arrived on July 23rd – here’s the story we published that day. Port commissioners have approved some funding to plan a modernization project, but completing it will require nine-figure spending and they haven’t started to discuss where that might come from. Meantime, the line that used T-5 is now sailing to and from Tacoma, while other cargo operations that were using it have been consolidated where the port had room.

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Why two cruise ships departed Seattle today & then came back
August 3, 2014 8:04 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

8:04 PM: Some questions came in this evening about two cruise ships that turned around and came back after leaving Seattle this afternoon. The Grand Princess, according to Princess Cruises via Twitter, returned for a “technical issue” but the cruise line hopes it will be able to leave tonight. MarineTraffic.com shows it still at Pier 91 in Magnolia as of this writing. The Norwegian Pearl, which had spent the day at Pier 66 downtown, had to deal with a medical emergency, according to this tweet by KIRO, and is already back out to sea, heading through north Puget Sound.

10:23 PM: The Grand Princess is under way again – MarineTraffic.com shows it off Shilshole, northbound.

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AAA-Washington presenting bicycling benefit Ride Around The Sound on September 13th
August 3, 2014 4:52 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Exercise your lungs – while fighting lung disease. You can do that in six weeks by joining Ride Around the Sound, part of which will go through West Seattle and White Center. Though you might associate WSB sponsor AAA-Washington mostly with cars, it’s excited about this big bike ride, and here’s why:

AAA Washington is proud to announce that we are the presenting sponsor of the American Lung Association Ride Around the Sound this year. This event features three scenic routes between Seattle and Bremerton that range from 38 to 92 miles, making it perfect for both beginning bikers and experienced cyclists.

Your AAA West Seattle store employees invite all West Seattle Blog readers to join us in supporting this great organization, either by riding in the event itself or pledging your support for a rider. All AAA members get a 20% discount off the registration fee. In addition, we’d like to throw down a friendly challenge to our fellow WSB Sponsors to put together a team and ride with us! There are also opportunities to help promote the event by placing a poster in your window or linking to the ALA Ride Around the Sound website

Let’s help the ALA have a record fundraising year so they can continue to improve the health and wellbeing of our community.

Not an AAA member? You can fix that here. To see the three course alternatives for Ride Around The Sound, go here for the 92-mile version (which goes through Highland Park and White Center), go here for the 73-mile version, and here for the 38-mile version. To form or join a team, go here.

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Eyes on the sky again next Saturday: Kite Festival in West Seattle
August 3, 2014 2:19 pm
|    Comments Off on Eyes on the sky again next Saturday: Kite Festival in West Seattle
 |   Fun stuff to do | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

This weekend, planes and helicopters hold the spotlight. Next Saturday, a simpler, nature-powered form of flight will be celebrated here in West Seattle, during the Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival. In case you haven’t seen it in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar yet, here’s the invitation:

Come fly a kite at the Garden’s ridge-top site! Bring your own or buy one at the festival for a fun afternoon with family or friends. Activities for all ages include kite flying demonstrations, displays, and kite painting. Put your own creative stamp on one you paint yourself — materials provided. The festival also includes music and dance performances, Chinese painting demonstrations — and a dim sum booth by Hong Kong Café.

Admission is free. The Chinese Garden is on the north edge of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, on Puget Ridge at 6000 16th SW.

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Happening now until 2 pm: Honey harvest with Seattle Bee Works at WS Produce
August 3, 2014 12:55 pm
|    Comments Off on Happening now until 2 pm: Honey harvest with Seattle Bee Works at WS Produce
 |   West Seattle news

(WSB photos by Katie Meyer)
Honey doesn’t just go from bee to jar. It has to be harvested – and that takes some skill. Right now, you can see how it works, by going to West Seattle Produce (4722 Fauntleroy Way SW) and checking out the “honey harvesting” that Krista Conner from WS-based Seattle Bee Works is leading.

If you have harvestable honey – bring it on over!

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Update: USS Constellation now reported to be leaving Thursday – on its decommissioning anniversary
August 3, 2014 12:45 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(US Navy photo of USS Constellation decommissioning ceremony, 8/7/2003)
Thanks to JanS for spotting an update this weekend on the expected departure date for the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Constellation: The Kitsap Sun reports it now looks like Thursday, postponed from last Thursday, which in turn was later than a previously announced date. The KS story says this will be the biggest shipbreaking job ever for a yard in Brownsville, Texas, to which a tug from Seattle’s Foss Maritime will tow the “Connie” via a route all the way around the southernmost tip of South America, since it’s too big to fit through the Panama Canal. We’re watching this because it will be visible from West Seattle once it leaves Rich Passage and heads north into the open Sound. It’s been mothballed in Bremerton for more than a decade.

P.S. We found this webpage dedicated to “the Constellation’s final journey,” which in turn points to this San Diego report from last year with memories of Constellation veterans. And something else we discovered while researching to add to this – Thursday will be the 11th anniversary of the carrier’s decommissioning ceremony in San Diego.

TUESDAY NOTE: Kitsap Sun now reports it’s pushed back to a 5 pm departure Friday.

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What’s up for the rest of your West Seattle Sunday
August 3, 2014 10:03 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Barred owl, photographed by Mary Metz at Camp Long on Saturday night)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and beyond:

BLUE ANGELS AND SEAFAIR: Please see our preview published overnight. If you’re going to watch the hydros, note that one of the first round of winners spent time in West Seattle recently:

Listening to Channel 7 coverage this morning with awards from Saturday racing, we heard that a heat was won by the Les Schwab Tires/Red Dot hydro on display in The Triangle this week – at which time Stephanie Halcomb brought over her charges from Bright Horizons for the photo above. (And don’t forget, I-90 across the lake is closed one more time, 12:15-2:40 pm.)

BENEFIT BAKE SALE: Two local students are raising money for the Humane Society and the animals it cares for; read about them here. 10 am-3 pm. (36th/Dakota)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, and market management says via Facebook that some vendors are having “sales” today. (44th/Alaska)

LIVE MUSIC IN THE AFTERNOON: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), Keith Cook plays. (5612 California SW)

FIRST-QUARTER MOON: At and before dusk, that’s tonight’s skygazing highlight, from the latest edition of Skies Over West Seattle.

OPEN-MICROPHONE JAM: Every Sunday night in August at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), hosted by Lynn Sorensen – just show up with your voice and/or instrument – details in our calendar listing.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Gunfire investigation
August 3, 2014 4:40 am
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

We’ve had several reports of what sounded like rapid gunfire in the past half-hour somewhere near High Point/Sunrise Heights/Gatewood. Police had been investigating for a while before one officer finally reported (as monitored via scanner) finding a shell casing. This was after a dispatch to go check out an alley off the 7300 block of 35th SW, but we don’t know for sure if that’s where it turned up. No reports of anyone having been hit/hurt, so far.

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One more time: Blue Angels’ Seafair 2014 finale this afternoon
August 3, 2014 3:49 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

While the Blue Angels‘ Seafair show – performed one final time today – is staged for viewers in the main festival zone on Lake Washington, you don’t have to go that far to catch glimpses and flybys during the show. On Saturday, JayDee photographed the majestic view above from the same place he caught this one:

Yes, those are the 4th Avenue South Costco gas pumps. The “warehouse” parking lot is a decent viewing zone. Of course, Costco is right in the Boeing Field approach. On the west side of BFI’s runway, you’ll get this view as they take off – quick clip courtesy of Lise Thivierge:

And this view as they land (our short iPhone Instagram clip)

Watching from Boeing Field (parking lot on the west side of the runway, just north of the tower) on Saturday afternoon, we noticed more aircraft than years past, in part at least because of Marine Week. The Blue Angels take off at about 1:30 pm; they’re preceded and followed by other aerial acts – listed here – and if you do watch from Boeing Field, facing east, where you can see many of their maneuvers, especially the really high ones, you can follow along with the kirotv.com live stream via your smartphone (though we noticed a significant delay – seemed like at least 10 seconds, which in TV time is forever). Seafair-wise, today is also the final day for ship tours – schedules/locations here.

P.S. Remember the airshow brings one last I-90 closure – 12:15 pm to 2:40 pm.

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West Seattle scene: Spectacular Saturday sunset
August 2, 2014 8:50 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks for the sunset photos, concluding a day that started with a “sun-derstorm”! Top, from Greg; next, from David Schneider.

More in the works.

ADDED 11:07 PM: From Kevin Callahan:

(Those are the “crepuscular rays.”) From “Seattletimebandit,” who noted, “Wires or not, still spectacular”:

And from Michelle Riggen-Ransom, a wider view with the aforementioned crepuscular rays:

Thanks again!

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Tomorrow: West Seattle girls’ benefit bake sale – 2nd year in a row!
August 2, 2014 6:33 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news

After great community support for their first benefit bake sale last year, these two local girls are doing it again tomorrow and hope you’ll stop by. We received this announcement with the photo:

Gwen and Muriel, Schmitz Park 5th graders, are putting their love for animals to work again through their second annual Humane Society bake sale! Delicious cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and more! They’ll be back at the corner of 36th and Dakota this Sunday, August 3rd, from 10-3. The girls are also sponsoring a barrel from the Humane Society to collect cat or dog food (wet or dry), animal toys, or new scratching posts. Cash and check donations are very welcome; all proceeds go to Seattle Humane Society.

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West Seattle summer: One week until the Delridge Day festival!
August 2, 2014 4:00 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle summer: One week until the Delridge Day festival!
 |   Delridge | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

One week from today (on August 9th), it’s West Seattle’s next big summer festival – Delridge Day, in the park next to Delridge Community Center (Delridge/Genesee). Here’s the schedule for the day, just made public by organizers:

And remember the free outdoor screening of “The Lego Movie” in the park the night before (9 pm Friday, August 8th) – here’s our preview of that.

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Local runner Clark Gilbert joins coast-to-coast MS-fighting relay
August 2, 2014 12:33 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Clark Gilbert, a local runner and coach, has headed east to be part of a coast-to-coast relay raising money to fight MS. He left Friday for Brooksville, Pennsylvania, where he will start running the 17th segment of the annual MS Run the US Relay. He shared this info:

This relay started in April from LA with 17 different runners running various segments across the United States to finish in New York City. Each runner basically runs a marathon (26.2 miles) per day for 5 to 7 days as part of their segment. The Relay is a 3,000-mile relay run across America to help raise awareness and funds to help CURE multiple sclerosis (MS).

After finishing the 17th Segment, from Brooksville, PA to Sunbury, PA, Clark will continue running the Relay route along with Segment 18 runner, Valerie Olberding (from Bozeman, MT), to Fort Lee, NJ. At Fort Lee, they will be joined with other relay runners and supporters for the final 14-mile leg into New York City on August 16. August will be the final event, ending this year’s Relay.

In 2013 (photo at left), Clark ran two segments, #6 from Vernal, UT and then 18 from Mahoney City, PA, to New York City. Clark and his wife Shelly live and run in West Seattle. Besides running, Clark works at West Seattle Runner and is a running coach working with P3|Running. For information on donating, please visit: coachclarkruns.com/ms-run-the-us-relay.html

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Update: 1 hurt in SUV/motorcycle collision at 35th/Trenton
August 2, 2014 10:50 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

10:50 AM: 35th northbound is blocked at SW Trenton right now because of a collision; scanner indicates it involves a car and motorcycle. Details as we get them.

11:12 AM: One person was taken to the hospital via medic unit, which was just leaving as we got to the scene. One lane of traffic was moving in each direction.

11:17 AM: And now they’re fully opening northbound. We don’t have any info on the condition of the person who was hurt, but the fact that traffic is reopening suggests it wasn’t life-threatening, or else they would be calling out the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad.

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West Seattle Saturday: WS Outdoor Movies get ‘Sleepless’; outdoor Shakespeare; indoor music; Seafair airshow with Blue Angels…
August 2, 2014 9:13 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Tiffani Rivera, taken from the Water Taxi on Friday)
After a startling start to the morning, with what you could call “sun-dershowers,” the weather is supposed to make way eventually for a sunny, warm afternoon. First, the Seafair info:

SEAFAIR, INCLUDING BLUE ANGELS AND SHIP TOURS: The Blue Angels are expected to fly around 1:30 pm (could be earlier, though, the airshow times are approximate), with the I-90 closure scheduled for 12:15 pm-2:40 pm. If you are planning to watch their takeoff/landing from the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field, which has other special activities scheduled too as part of its “Need for Speed” festival, note that its adjacent parking lot is closed today and tomorrow – this page on the MoF site has parking info. Interested in touring the ships seen in the “parade” back on Wednesday? Here’s that info.

Also from the calendar:

RIPS BREWERS YOUTH BASEBALL RECRUITING SHOWCASES: All day today and tomorrow, and again next weekend, at Southwest Athletic Complex – see the flyer for age breakout; open to players 10u through 18u. (2801 SW Thistle)

BALLOT DROPOFF VAN: Voted yet? It’s not just a sleepy primary – Proposition 1, asking if you want to create a permanent Park District for extra Seattle Parks funding, is a major issue. Tuesday is the deadline to get your ballots in; there are dropoff vans at West Seattle Stadium and in Greenbridge 10 am-5 pm today, as well as 24-hour dropboxes elsewhere in the county – see the list here.

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION: 11 am-1 pm at the Log House Museum, it’s your next chance to find out about volunteering with the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which appreciates help in a wide variety of specialties – read about it here. (61st/Stevens)

WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: The SW Seattle Historical Society is involved with this too! They’re tonight’s spotlight sponsor for “Sleepless in Seattle.” Movie’s free. We hear Quadrato is bringing pizza. Gates open 6:30 pm – bring your own chair/blanket to stake out early (there’s preshow music, too) and money for nonprofit-benefiting raffles/concessions – also for West Seattle Bridge 30th anniversary T-shirts and commemorative coffee, as SWSHS’s bridge-i-versary celebration concludes. Show starts at dusk, 9-ish depending on how clear the sky is by then. Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard. (4410 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Alan Ehrlich performs, 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: “Othello,” presented by GreenStage, free! At Camp Long, 7 pm. (5200 35th SW)

WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIES: “The Economics of Happiness” screens at 7 pm at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center – details here. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE CASK: Jude performs, 9 pm. (2350 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT POGGIE TAVERN: Pick a song from the hat as Mad Hatterz perform, 9 pm. (4717 California SW)

AND MORE … on our calendar.

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West Seattle weather alert: Thunderstorm moves through
August 2, 2014 8:02 am
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

8:02 AM: If you didn’t hear the thunder just now – forecasters are warning that despite the sunshine, a thunderstorm is about to move through, bringing heavy rain. Past that, though, the forecast says sunny and 80s for the afternoon.

8:15 AM: It’s been raining for going on 10 minutes now. Still partly sunny out there, and more thunder in the distance. (added) Commenter DTK offers the real-time radar link.

9:11 AM: More thunder – so it’s not over yet (as the radar suggested) …

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Saturday with SW Seattle Historical Society: Volunteer orientation in the a.m., WS Outdoor Movies in the p.m.
August 1, 2014 10:10 pm
|    Comments Off on Saturday with SW Seattle Historical Society: Volunteer orientation in the a.m., WS Outdoor Movies in the p.m.
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

Make it a historic Saturday:

VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION: 11 am-1 pm tomorrow (Saturday, August 2nd) at the Log House Museum, it’s the next orientation for prospective Southwest Seattle Historical Society volunteers. No, you don’t have to know all about WS history to help – learn some along the way, and put a variety of skills into action. Read about it here, then show up at the LHM, 61st/Stevens.

WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: SWSHS is sponsoring tomorrow night’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation of “Sleepless in Seattle,” which you probably know includes a famous – and contextually infamous – West Seattle scene. It’s also a wrapup event for this summer’s celebration of the West Seattle Bridge’s 30th anniversary; Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), adjacent to the WSOM screen/courtyard, still has anniversary T-shirts and commemorative coffee on sale. Gate opens 6:30 pm, movie at dusk (9-ish), free but bring $ for benefit raffle tickets/concessions.

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West Seattle day care’s license suspended after baby’s death
August 1, 2014 7:24 pm
|      26 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Westwood

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The state Department of Early Learning (DEL) has temporarily suspended the license of a West Seattle in-home day care after the death of a baby this week.

We have been looking into this since a reader asked about a major medical response at a home in Westwood at midday this past Monday; later, two other readers e-mailed to ask about rumors they had heard of a death at a local day care. This afternoon, we confirmed with three local and state agencies that an investigation is under way.

Read More

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Why the street trees by Fairmount Playfield are being cut down
August 1, 2014 4:42 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

‘
The trees in the planting strip along Fauntleroy Way by Fairmount Playfield have caused some trouble in recent years – we can think of at least two cases of branches falling on the sidewalk/cars, like this one last September.

Still, some were concerned to see that all but a few have been removed this week. It’s partly related to the impending reopening of Fairmount Park Elementary, according to the response we received from Seattle Parks, and partly in advance of an impending sidewalk project:

The trees were removed for hazard. The species and growth of the tree (have) made them unreliable. They were pruned to mitigate hazards and slated for removal as part of the sidewalk replacement program in 2015 in cooperation with SDOT. We are removing the current trees to assure that the new grade-school-bus loading zone is safe this year. A plan is in development to replace similar-size trees in a manner that will not disrupt the new sidewalk.

Two trees had been taken down previously. Parks also recently put in a path along the south side of the park, leading from the sidewalk to the school.

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If you notice someone taking pictures in your neighborhood …
August 1, 2014 3:25 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news

… it MIGHT be the real-estate site Zillow. We got a note from Michael in Gatewood this afternoon, saying someone suspicious was taking photos of houses along his street. A neighbor, he told us, asked the person what they were doing; they said they were with Zillow. After we tried contacting the company via Twitter just to ask, they called us to confirm yes, it’s a project they’re working on, to “improve the images on (their website)” comparable to what you might see on Google Street View. However, the spokesperson assured us, they aren’t taking photos with people in them, and if you tell the photographer not to take a picture of your house, they’ll honor the request. Just thought we’d share what we found out.

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Video: Blue Angels’ Friday practice for Seafair airshows
August 1, 2014 2:38 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

Thanks to Doug B. for the video of the Blue Angels‘ takeoff from Boeing Field this afternoon. Their practice performance – in advance of this weekend’s Seafair airshows – is over as of just before 2:30 pm. That means Sea-Tac Airport jet routing is back to normal, too. If you were outdoors during the practice, you might have seen/heard a Blue Angel or two – Fox saw the diamond formation in the distance from Hiawatha and sent this photo:

I-90 will be closed 12:15-2:40 pm each of the next two days – the Blue Angels’ show will be during that window, likely the back hour, but it could start sooner.

ADDED 3:55 PM: Two more views from today!

Thanks to Jim Clark for the photo above, and Chris Clark for the photo below.

Thanks to all!

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ArtsWest announces Mathew Wright as its new artistic director
August 1, 2014 12:57 pm
|    Comments Off on ArtsWest announces Mathew Wright as its new artistic director
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Just announced by ArtsWest: A new artistic director, Mathew Wright (AW-provided photo at right). According to the news release – which you can read in full here – “Mathew is familiar to ArtsWest’s audiences as both the Director of ‘Little Women’ and the Music Director of ‘HAIR,’ two of the most loved and successful shows of the 2013-2014 season. … Mathew will begin his tenure at ArtsWest on September 1, following the departure of Annie Lareau, ArtsWest’s Interim Artistic Director. ” Wright has been working full time as education-programs coordinator at The 5th Avenue Theatre downtown. He’s joining ArtsWest one year after the departure of Christopher Zinovitch, whose thirteen years with the organization concluded with two as its artistic director.

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