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Water Taxi dock improvements win key approval in permit process
August 13, 2009 1:19 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   King County Water Taxi | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from June 2009)
Though the very existence of the King County Water Taxi has become a campaign issue in the County Executive race, its West Seattle and Vashon services continue chugging back and forth across Elliott Bay multiple times a day, and plans to make the West Seattle run year-round starting next year are still proceeding. As part of those plans, the dock at Seacrest is to be upgraded, with work to be done this fall – replacing the floating wooden dock (shown above) with concrete – and that work has just won approval for “shoreline substantial development” (scroll down to the second-to-last notice on this page); that decision is appealable to the State Shoreline Hearings Board, according to today’s notice. The project still needs construction permits, which are in progress, according to the official city page. Given the county budget situation, we checked with County Council Chair Dow Constantine‘s office – he also chairs the King County Ferry District Board. Reply: “At this point we are moving forward with all plans for service improvements to West Seattle and Vashon until otherwise directed by the Ferry District board. The board will be making several important decisions in the coming months in the budget process.”

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Video: 34th District Democrats talk health care, endorse Yes on 71
August 13, 2009 11:43 am
|      48 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics | West Seattle video

That short clip pans around to look at the overflow crowd inside The Hall at Fauntleroy last night, where West Seattle’s biggest political organization, the 34th District Democrats, opened their monthly meeting with the hottest national topic of the moment, health-care reform, featuring U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, who not only is Seattle’s longtime House of Representatives rep, but also a physician. (Here’s our first report, published last night as the meeting unfolded.) Before it began, sign-holders had lined the street outside the hall as well, with more conversation than confrontation:

McDermott’s appearance was arranged and introduced by Dr. Lisa Plymate of the 34th DDs, who is active with the reform-advocacy group Doctors For America (she’s at the center of this photo with McDermott and, at left, the 34th DDs’ newly elected secretary Michael Taylor-Judd):

(Photo by Dina Johnson)
The group set out its rules for last night from the start (and on its website even before the meeting) – this wasn’t a town hall, so if you weren’t a member, you were welcome to watch but not to speak. As the meeting began, chair Tim Nuse also asked those with signs to lower them once the meeting began. And the only real interruption came toward the end of this clip, after McDermott’s harshest words for the insurance and pharmaceutical industries that he claims are keeping health-care reform from passing:

The man who you hear yelling “THAT’S A LIE!” at the very end of the clip was escorted from the room. (Note: From comments after this story was published, here’s another account of what happened after the shouting.) But that was one brief moment; the meeting was raucous at times with applause and shouts of assent, but otherwise peaceful. As you heard in the clip, McDermott advocates so-called “single-payer” health coverage (explained here), as – suggested by volume and frequency of applause – do many who were in the room last night. Read on for more video and more details of the entire meeting – which also included an endorsement vote on a measure that isn’t even officially on the ballot yet:Read More

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Another traffic alert: The official citywide weekend roundup
August 13, 2009 11:15 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Transportation

Throughout the summer, SDOT has been issuing these roundups toward week’s end, to let everyone know where traffic might be affected around the city on Friday/Saturday/Sunday. We’ve been sharing them because we know you just might want to venture off the peninsula. No West Seattle events this time around (though plenty’s going on, as usual), but read on for the roundup:Read More

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Traffic alert: Crash has eastbound bridge at a standstill
August 13, 2009 9:57 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Emergency crews are at the scene of a crash on the eastbound side of The Bridge. No details except for one warning if you’re thinking of heading that way – DON’T. Our tipster hasn’t even made it past the Delridge onramp yet and traffic is at a standstill. 10:02 AM UPDATE: It’s a two-car crash. At least one person hurt, but being transported by private ambulance, which usually means “not life-threatening.” The cars are blocking the exit lane to 99 and the bus lane right at the top of the highrise. Everything’s moving smoothly once you get past it. 11:24 AM NOTE: As you can see in the “live” pic from the traffic cam, all’s clear now.

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Happening today/tonight: Memorial; Art Walk; Hiawatha concert
August 13, 2009 8:37 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle Art Walk | West Seattle news

HELEN SUTTON MEMORIAL: This afternoon at 2 pm, longtime West Seattle entrepreneur and community advocate Helen Sutton will be remembered and celebrated at the South Seattle Community College Arboretum, which she helped create. Here’s a map to the college; here’s a campus map showing where the Arboretum is located. Ms. Sutton was 95 when she died in June (here’s our original report); she was the longtime owner of La Grace in The Junction, and was the first woman president of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Everyone’s invited to the memorial.

WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: More than 50 venues all over West Seattle welcome your visit 6-9 pm to enjoy art (and treats at many stops). Not only is it an opportunity to see the artwork, but it’s also an open-house atmosphere where you can visit local businesses you might not just drop into otherwise. Many of tonight’s participating artists are listed on the official West Seattle Art Walk site. One unique event on tonight’s docket is STOP! COLLABORATE! at Twilight Artist Collective in The Junction (west of Easy Street), promising a DJ’ed dance party as well as a show curated by local artist Todd Karam. Here’s how Twilight describes it:

This is one-of-a-kind opportunity where 16 artists from Washington and California collaborated with each other. Of course there’s a twist. Each participating artist contributed one of their own “completed” pieces. After drawing names from a hat, another artist from the group then took the once completed piece to expand on it. You ask “..but, but will they respect the work of the other artist? Is this normal?” The answer is, “who knows.”

Get your printable Art Walk map/list here – there are venues from Alki to Delridge to Fauntleroy and almost everywhere inbetween (again, browse here for a sample of what you’ll see tonight).

SUMMER CONCERTS AT HIAWATHA, UPDATE – INDOORS TONIGHT! (this item updated at 9:34 am with new information) The fourth in the popular-from-night-one new, FREE concert series presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association is tonight at 6:30 at Hiawatha Community Center – and organizer Katy Walum says that because of the potentially showery weather, it WILL be held indoors at the Hiawatha gym. The jazzy Elizabeth Carpenter Trio headlines tonight; sample their music here.

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Back to school: Who’s helping, and how you can help too
August 12, 2009 10:58 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

First: Pencil Me In For Kids needs HUNDREDS OF GLUE STICKS before its volunteers finish putting together school supplies for kids in need – Sue Lindblom from Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) tells us tonight, “We are still taking donations and are SHORT 500 glue sticks!! Drop off at Illusions, 5619 California SW or Edward Jones, at 7354 35th SW before Aug. 31 … Staples at Westwood gives a great discount so cash or checks made out to Rotary of West Seattle really works well …Thanks for everyone’s support!!” Speaking of Westwood:

(Photos courtesy SPD media unit Sgt. Sean Whitcomb)
Above left, it’s Seattle Interim Police Chief John Diaz, and above right, King County Sheriff Sue Rahr, as they chaperoned two of 25 “Shop with a Cop” participants at Westwood Village Target on Tuesday. The Salvation Army was provided with thousands of dollars in gift cards to help kids from around the region have $100 shopping sprees at seven Target stores. Public-safety personnel chaperoned the kids – kindergarten through 6th grade – at each location. The Salvation Army has another event coming up, “Stuff the Bus” with school supplies this weekend (10 am-6 pm Saturday and Sunday) at Fred Meyer in Burien – they’ll take donated items (from backpacks to clothes) or cash. And if you’re picking up backpacks, there’s still room for LOTS more to be donated to West Seattle Helpline‘s backpack drive, with three dropoff locations: Capers in The Junction is working to “fill its window” with donated backpacks; Coffee at the Heights (WSB sponsor) in Sunrise Heights is taking dropoffs too; and you can also go to Helpline HQ at 35th/Morgan. Too busy to buy a backpack? Donate $25 to Helpline (you can do it online) and they’ll buy one on your behalf.

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Wednesday night notes: New survey deadline; vote reminder
August 12, 2009 9:16 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

First – the city has decided to extend the deadline for those neighborhood-plan surveys we’ve been talking about here. Now they’ll take surveys through Friday, August 21st. Take the survey here – where you’ll also see the latest neighborhood-vs.-neighborhood chart (Ballard-Crown Hill is singularly ahead but if you add the 5 West Seattle areas together, checkbox.jpgwe’re way out in front with 732 – think we can hit 1,000?). Second – five nights left to get your primary-election ballot into the mail or into a drop box. The county posted its nightly update on how many ballots have come back – it’s up to 11 percent countywide but almost 13 percent in the County Council district including West Seattle (now almost tied for “most votes counted” – just a hair behind the metropolitan Eastside). Still lots of time to prove the “low turnout” projection wrong.

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Happening now: Health-care forum jams 34th DDs’ meeting
August 12, 2009 7:07 pm
|      31 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

We are at The Hall of Fauntleroy along with a HUGE crowd. The buzz started as soon as the 34th District Democrats announced that U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott would join their scheduled forum on health-care reform, during the regular monthly meeting. Outside the hall and inside, we’ve seen sign-holding demonstrators touting various positions in the debate – from “single payer” to “government stay out.” So far, it’s been peaceful although spirited – including a loud ovation for Rep. McDermott as he walked in (some boos, but they were all but drowned out). We will post updates as this happens. Not only is this “standing room only,” it’s “sitting on the floor” room only. Dr. Lisa Plymate is introducing the Congressmember now. Follow our Twitter feed for in-a-flash photos and updates too.

7:25 PM UPDATE: Rep. McDermott is speaking. He says, “This is a war … a war over whether the American people can have health security and economic security.” He says the opponents are the insurance and pharmaceutical industries, and he says their profits are the reason why. Many people here in the hall are murmuring “Yes!” as he speaks, something like a rollicking evangelical church service. He says he believes a bill with a “good public option” will emerge from the House of Representatives (he supports what’s known as “single payer”). Now he’s taking questions.

7:43 PM UPDATE: Still lively but not too much tension. Rep. McDermott has blamed insurance and pharmaceutical companies for “the opposition you’re seeing around the country,” and one man in the back yelled THAT’S A LIE! He also said that the House may not abide by the “deals made in the White House” with those industries. One woman asked, “What can we do to get single-payer back on the table?” and McDermott said, “I wish I had a good answer for that.”

7:56 PM: Rep. McDermott is done speaking. Now a rep from Washington Public Campaigns is speaking about publicly financed campaigns. Some of the crowd is dispersing now that McDermott’s portion of the health-care discussion is over (we can hear much discussion happening out in the hall and spilling out onto the sidewalk outside the hall). McDermott says he’ll have an “open meeting” in the area in September. The public-campaign advocate is tying health-care reform to campaign-financing reform, saying publicly financed candidates can “stand up” to the pharmaceutical and insurance industries.

*The meeting continues – we will only update if anything major happens – otherwise, watch for our full writeup later.

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Video: Porterhouse is open for business in the Admiral District
August 12, 2009 5:51 pm
|      54 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants | West Seattle video

Things are likely hopping by now; we dropped in just before the new Porterhouse (north of Admiral Theater) opened its doors at mid-afternoon today. That video takes you on a tour of the interior, which we last saw when it was in the final throes of remodeling. Note the art (future participants in the ever-expanding West Seattle Art Walk, they say) and those bound-to-be-legendary 25 taps. The owners have said they’ll serve food 11 am-11 pm (with the bar open beyond that) for starters, considering adding brunch later. ADDED 6:26 PM: If you can’t get over there just yet but want a steadier look at the taps, here’s a pic:

Many of the offerings also are listed in this Washington Beer Blog post to which we linked earlier.

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Port withdraws “eviction” proceedings for T-107 Park campers
August 12, 2009 5:16 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Two updates this afternoon in the ongoing controversy over whether the homeless encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” will be allowed to stay on Port of Seattle land at Terminal 107 Park in West Seattle: First, a spokesperson for the encampment sent this short announcement:

The port has withdrawn request to show just cause for eviction of Nickelsville residents. Hearing tomorrow before King County Superior Court Judge Kallas is cancelled. Nickelsville looks forward to meeting with the port this week. Date and time pending.

Second, the port has issued its own, longer statement, posted on its website and republished here in full:

On July 23rd, the Nickelsville encampment moved onto the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 107 public park without permission. Port staff members believe that legally, the Port of Seattle has neither the authority to provide housing nor the ability to donate property for the encampment.

“We understand the difficult situation that many of the Nickelsville members are in, and share the concern of many in our community about the serious problem of homelessness,” said Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani. “But the port must consider not just our legal authority and our responsibility to create jobs and economic growth for the region, but the needs and wants of other residents in the region who live adjacent to and use port parks and facilities every day.”

Yoshitani has asked Washington State Auditor Brian Sonntag, Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna and Washington State Speaker of the House Frank Chopp to clarify the port’s legal authority to donate the property for housing. Yoshitani hopes the request for legal clarification can be expedited.

In a separate action, the port has withdrawn the motion for unlawful detainer filed before King County Superior Court. The motion was scheduled to be heard on August 13th. However, the port reserves the right to proceed with the Notice of Trespass given to the encampment on July 24th, and Yoshitani has instructed staff members to continue working toward the previously stated August 21st deadline for the encampment to leave port property.

“By withdrawing this motion and seeking additional legal clarity, the port continues to try to work through this issue collaboratively,” Yoshitani noted. “I also encourage Nickelsville members and community advocates to maximize efforts to identify a more appropriate site for the encampment.”

Tomorrow marks three weeks since the encampment moved from another West Seattle location, 2nd SW/Highland Park Way, state land where it had been set up for a month, following almost nine months at various locations elsewhere in the city.

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West Seattle wildlife: “Wollet, all grown up”
August 12, 2009 3:51 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Wildlife

That’s how Trileigh captioned this photo of the young Lincoln Park-born barred owl who was nicknamed “Wollet” during a rash of sightings that followed our first owlet report, which came from Kim and Jordan Petram and included this next photo, back in late May:

(Among other photo reports that followed, Minette contributed too.) Back to today’s top photo – Trileigh elaborates:

I found an owl in Lincoln Park on Sunday, but I wasn’t sure whether it was Wollet or one of his parents. He looked so freshly washed that I thought it was probably “our” baby. Then when I showed his picture to one of my owl-expert friends, she confirmed that it is indeed Wollet: apparently you can tell by his white tail feathers. Hooray! So glad to see that little guy one more time. My friend also tells me he’s likely to start searching for his own territory — so each sighting could be the last.

She has more photos at flickr.com/photos/trileigh. Meantime, we’ve received a few other beautiful West Seattle bird-sighting photos recently (thank you!!!!) and will share them soon too.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 1 followup, 1 new report
August 12, 2009 2:57 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

FIRST, THE FOLLOWUP: Early this morning we brought you Sue‘s report of a van stolen in Fauntleroy. She just e-mailed to say she has found her van, “in the Allstar (Fitness) area” of North Delridge, and that it doesn’t have much damage.

NOW, A NEW REPORT: Christie e-mailed word of a burglary at 48th/Hinds (map):

Sometime during the day yesterday – we were gone from 1030am until 7pm – someone broke into our home and stole some goods. My husband came home to find the stereo moved around, our iPod touch gone and our new Apple computer gone from the living room. Upon further investigation, we discovered our iPod Nano was missing from its dock in one of the bedrooms downstairs and our jar of change was missing from the bookshelf. No visible sign of entry, but the back door was unlocked when my husband arrived home.

The iPod Nano is the first generation Red (donates to the Aids Fund) 4 GB and is engraved with “always enjoy yourself” – The iPod Touch is first generation Silver with a black case and is engraved with “all the dark can’t extinguish the light.” The apple computer was purchased last year and has the fancy touch sensors in the mouse pad. It has a purple case with the bottom back tabs (that hold it on) broken.

The police have a full report and serial numbers, but if anyone finds anything on craigs list/ebay/etc., please contact Christie Voos at christie.voos@gmail.com

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Want a $100,000 discount on the price of your first home?
August 12, 2009 1:31 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | White Center

Prospective first-time homebuyers are invited to a Homestead Community Land Trust Q/A session in White Center tomorrow. The official flyer (see it here) focuses on help for first-time homebuyers in White Center, but Laura Evans with Homestead tells WSB, “We also can help with purchasing home in West Seattle or South Park or anywhere else in the City.” Homestead offers $100,000 to first-time homebuyers at certain income levels (listed on the flyer) in exchange for a commitment that, “when you sell your home, you will sell it at an affordable price to another homebuyer on their way to achieving their dream.” Tomorrow’s info-session is at 5:30 pm at the King County Library‘s White Center branch, 11220 16th SW; call 206.323.1227 to RSVP. If you can’t make it, Evans says there’ll be an informational session on Beacon Hill on August 23 (more info here).

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Looking for work? 2 new jobs posted in WSB Forums
August 12, 2009 11:20 am
|    Comments Off on Looking for work? 2 new jobs posted in WSB Forums
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

Employers are welcome to post their West Seattle-based job openings FREE in the WSB Forums‘ West Seattle Jobs Offered section, and two more just have – including one offering a meet-and-greet tomorrow night – go here to see what’s listed.

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Public meetings set for Washington State Ferries fare proposal
August 12, 2009 10:41 am
|    Comments Off on Public meetings set for Washington State Ferries fare proposal
 |   Announcements

From the state:

Proposed ferry fare adjustments are the focus of a series of public input meetings being held by the Washington State Transportation Commission. The Commission approved a new fare proposal at its July meeting and will hold public input meetings in late August and early September. Comments received will be considered prior to final adoption of the existing or a modified fare proposal, which would go into effect October 11, 2009. The entire fare proposal can be found on the Commission’s Web site at www.wstc.wa.gov.

The proposal includes these elements:

· Applying a 2.5 percent across-the-board general fare increase.

· Making the in-need organization discount permanent (now a pilot program).

· Allowing WSF to collect between 25 to 100 percent of the applicable fare as a non-refundable deposit for advance vehicle reservations on routes with a reservation system. This would be a pre-payment of a portion of or the entire fare and is not an additional fee.

· Eliminating the tollbooth surcharge for multi-ride fare purchases (which had not been implemented).

· Moving toward further implementation of tariff equity affecting San Juan inter-island fares by adding 5 percent on top of the 2.5 percent general increase.

· Allowing WSF flexibility to enter into agreements with fire districts for free passage when on emergency calls in lieu of payment for fire protection services at ferry terminals.

· Applying a 10 percent “peak summer surcharge” to only single-fare purchases (not applicable to multi-ride/frequent-user fares). The peak summer surcharge would be in effect between the end of June and the day after Labor Day.

Dates, times and locations of the public input meetings are as follows:

· Monday, August 31: San Juan Islands, on board the Sealth (interisland ferry), departs Friday Harbor at 11:35 a.m., Orcas at 12:30 p.m., Shaw at 12:45 p.m., Lopez at 1:05 p.m., and returns to Friday Harbor at 1:55 p.m.

· Tuesday, September 1: Silverdale, 6 – 8 p.m., Silverdale Beach Hotel, 3073 NW Bucklin Hill Road , Silverdale.

· Wednesday, September 2: Vashon Island , 6 – 8 p.m., McMurray Middle School, Multipurpose room, 9329 Cemetery Road, Vashon.

In addition, a formal public hearing will be held on Tuesday, September 8, from 1 to 5 p.m. in Seattle at the Puget Sound Regional Council, 1011 Western Avenue, Suite 500 .

The Commission will take no action during the public input meetings. Commissioners are however, expected to vote to either adopt or modify the fare proposal following additional input at the public hearing in Seattle . People who would like to comment, but cannot attend the public input meetings or the hearing in Seattle, can submit their comments to the Commission via letter, e-mail or telephone, no later than 5 p.m., Friday, September 4, 2009. Contact the Commission at:

WSTC

PO Box 47308

Olympia, WA 98504-7308

E-mail: transc@wsdot.wa.gov

Telephone: 360-705-7070

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Update: South Park murder suspect pleads not guilty
August 12, 2009 9:57 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | South Park

From seattletimes.com: The arraignment in King County Superior Court is over, and 23-year-old Isaiah Kalebu has pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated murder (for which the penalty could be death) and rape. He is accused of breaking into the South Park home of 39-year-old Teresa Butz and her partner in the early-morning hours of July 19 and attacking them; Butz did not survive. He was arrested less than a week later, after he was identified through DNA. He remains jailed in lieu of $10 million bail, and remains under investigation in a Pierce County fire that killed two people last month, including the aunt who had kicked him out days earlier.

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Traffic alert: Stretch of southbound 1st Ave. So. to be closed
August 12, 2009 9:23 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Transportation

Traffic alert for West Seattleites who use 1st Avenue South to and from downtown, just in from SDOT:

The southbound lanes on First Avenue South will be closed between South King Street and Railroad Way South from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Thursday, August 13 to Tuesday August 18 for operation of a crane on a private building. The sidewalk on the west side of First Avenue South will also be closed.

Here’s a map of that section. 2:07 PM UPDATE: SDOT has sent an update with more details, including a detour:

The southbound lanes on First Avenue South will be closed between South King Street and Railroad Way South from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, August 13 and 14, and Monday and, Tuesday, August 17 and 18. The sidewalk on the western side of First Avenue South will also be closed. A detour will be provided to South King Street and then to Railroad Way, back to First Avenue South. (Please note that Railroad Way is divided by a median, so traffic turning left from King Street to head south on Railroad Way must stay to the right of the median.) The closure is needed for the operation of a large crane working on a private building.

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Happening today/tonight: Court, campuses, Porterhouse, politics
August 12, 2009 6:43 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Fauntleroy | Genesee Hill | South Park | Sunrise Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics | West Seattle restaurants | West Seattle schools

COURT CASE: South Park murder suspect Isaiah Kalebu is expected in King County Superior Court at 8:30 this morning to answer charges including aggravated murder (which could bring the death penalty) in the July xx attack on two women who were asleep in their home when he allegedly broke in.

CLOSED SCHOOLS’ FUTURE: Also happening downtown this morning (9 am), the city Hearing Examiner is scheduled to hear an appeal of the June city decision determining that closed school campuses around the city – including Fairmount Park, Genesee Hill and EC Hughes in West Seattle – could be repurposed for various new uses without convening a School Use Advisory Committee.

PORTERHOUSE OPENING: The new restaurant/pub in the Admiral District (2329 California SW, just north of Admiral Theater) opens mid-afternoon. Lots of new food and beverage details in the West Seattle-headquartered Washington Beer Blog‘s review from the “soft opening” party Monday.

REP. MCDERMOTT TALKS HEALTH-CARE REFORM: Tonight, the long-hot topic gets its highest-profile West Seattle discussion yet, as the 34th District Democrats bring in Seattle’s Congressmember Jim McDermott in addition to other expert panelists. The agenda’s here, but also note the disclaimer on the group’s home page – this is NOT a “town hall meeting” and while everyone’s welcome to attend and listen, “only members may speak and participate,” per the group’s bylaws. The meeting starts at 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 1 car gone, 1 car hit
August 12, 2009 4:18 am
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports to share this morning, both involving cars – one stolen, one hit-and-run – read on:Read More

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Taproot Theatre offers “Improv(e) Your Business Skills”
August 12, 2009 3:30 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Announcements

Not in West Seattle, but potentially of interest, so we’re sharing this announcement:

Jobseekers can get ahead of the competition this fall by brushing up their interview and presentation skills with Improv(e) Your Business Skills, a brand-new class from Taproot Theatre’s Acting Studio. Taught by two of Taproot Theatre’s skilled improv actors, this class will encourage the students to think quickly and respond on the spot, while expert coaching will help them take control of expressions, mannerisms and other forms of body language. Improv(e) Your Business Skills takes place at Taproot Theatre on Mondays from September 21 through October 26 from 7-9 p.m.

Fall quarter at Taproot Theatre’s Acting Studio also includes a variety of other classes for children and adults of all ages and experience levels. Fall quarter runs September 21 through December 8. Registration is open now. Classes are held at Taproot Theatre (204 N 85th St.) and Grace Fellowship Church (410 NW 62nd St.) in Seattle. Registration forms and class descriptions are available online at www.taproottheatre.org, or contact Taproot’s Acting Studio at (206) 529-3668 or studio@taproottheatre.org.

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Archbishop to bless Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus in September
August 12, 2009 3:23 am
|    Comments Off on Archbishop to bless Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus in September
 |   Announcements

From the Archdiocese’s events page:

Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus Blessing

September 9, 2009
Seattle, Washington

Archbishop Alex J. Brunett of Seattle will bless Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus, 25 units of housing for formerly homeless families, at 2 p.m. The housing, located at 2429 S.W. Holden St. in West Seattle, is a program of the Archdiocesan Housing Authority.

For more information call 206-328-5786.

Here’s a map to that location.

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Election 2009 countdown: 1 week to send/drop off your ballot
August 11, 2009 11:53 pm
|    Comments Off on Election 2009 countdown: 1 week to send/drop off your ballot
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

checkbox.jpgWe promised nightly reminders; here’s a quick one. Next Tuesday’s primary is the first major election since King County went all-mail – so you need to mail or drop off your ballot by 8 pm that night (August 18th). Election authorities project a fairly low participation rate, but there’s no reason it HAS TO turn out that way – there are major issues/races to be decided, from Seattle Referendum 1 (deciding whether to approve the disposable-shopping-bag fee the City Council approved last year) to narrowing down big fields to two “finalists” in races including Seattle Mayor and King County Executive. You don’t actually have to mail your ballot – you can also put it in one of the 24/7 drop boxes around the county, including the Delridge Neighborhood Service Center (5405 Delridge Way; map) and the King County Library‘s White Center branch (11220 16th SW; map). The first results will be out shortly after 8 pm Election Night.

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Close call in Gatewood: Long-awaited rain brings big tree down
August 11, 2009 10:03 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

That photo comes with this report from Gatewood resident and West Seattle Internet business owner Bill Hibler:

This happened at 6:30 this morning. No one was hurt although my wife was pretty shook. The tree landed on the corner of the house where there is a bathroom. She was standing at the sink washing her hands when it hit, immediately causing the ceiling to sag and finally break through. I was upstairs and thought there was either an earthquake (the house shook pretty good) or lightning had just struck about 100 feet from the house causing the one of the loudest thunder claps I’ve heard.

There was NO wind. The root structure was rotten and just the weight of the rain on the very large leaves of a broad-leaf maple caused it to topple.

This is the kind of thing you want to have happen AFTER the West Seattle Garden Tour.

If you want a professional to examine the tree, call Mark Harman of Stonehedge at 206-937-7428.

Stonehedge is a WSB sponsor, we should note. As for the Garden Tour reference, Hibler’s garden was one of those spotlighted in our report during this year’s tour on July 19.

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