Wandering through the public notices that the Daily Journal of Commerce doesn’t have behind a paywall, we spotted this one: Police want to hear from whomever lost something described only as “CASH” that turned up in the 2700 block of 49th SW (map) three months ago. No hint as to how much.

(Friday photo by JayDee)
HIGHLAND PARK SPRING CLEAN: 10 am to 5 pm, help Highland Park Improvement Club spring into the new season:

We will be planting street trees, building a new kiosk/sign, cleaning tables and chairs and walls and more, plus we will have equipment and bags for picking up litter in the neighborhood. Please join us! Bring gloves and whatever gear might be appropriate. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

WSB SPONSOR EVENTS: Both start at 11 – SoundYoga offers free Sunday yoga, 11 am-12:15 pm, and there’s a gold-buying event at Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village in partnership with Northwest Gold Exchange/206.938.GOLD, 11 am-5 pm

LOOKING FOR A NEW FURRY COMPANION? A Seattle Humane Society Maxmobile pet adoption event is on the calendar for Next-to-Nature in The Junction, 11 am-3 pm.

WEST SEATTLE HI-YU SPRING TEA AND SILENT AUCTION: The Hall at Fauntleroy, 2 pm (more details here).

COMMUNITY ORCHARD MEETING TONIGHT: From Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle:

Planning is continuing on a Community Orchard for West Seattle, and it’s time to get more input from you – the West Seattle Community. We have found a site for our first orchard, have identified a potential funding source, and now we would like to hear your ideas – in person.

Come to a Community Orchard IDEAS meeting:
Sunday, March 21
7-8:30 PM
Duwamish Co-housing Common House, 6000 17th SW

This is an opportunity to learn more about the project (short term and long term) and share your ideas of what sorts of things to include in our plans. We welcome everyone to this meeting.join in the blossoming of ideas for growing an even greater abundance of local fruit.

Even more in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.

(44th SW, looking north from SW Spokane [map], photographed late Friday morning)
Spring officially arrives at 10:32 am. Some of what you can do today in honor of the new season’s arrival:

STREET SCRAMBLE: This “urban scavenger hunt” comes to Alki to open the 2010 season. If you’re not registered yet, too late to do it online, but you can do it in person at the site before the scheduled 9:30 am start – it’s suggested you download forms to get a head-start – read more about how it works here.

PLAYGROUND CLEANUP: 10 am, be at Delridge Community Center Playground to help neighbors, friends and community leaders shine it up – and tidy surrounding areas – for spring.

ROVING REPTILE MAN: 10:30 am at High Point Community Center: Fabulous Famliy Fun!

WANT TO TALK SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? Your School Board rep Steve Sundquist hosts one of his community chats, all welcome, 11 am at High Point Library.

BUY NATIVE PLANTS: Help the West Seattle Backyard Wildlife Habitat program by buying native plants at the gonatives.com sale, 3225 47th SW (map), 11 am-5 pm.

MARIONETTES AT ALKI BATHHOUSE: 1 pm, it’s the Shaver Marionettes with “Cinderella and the Bug Brigade.”

EQUINOX SUNSET: Join NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen around 7 pm at Solstice Park (east of north Lincoln Park)! Details on her site.

WHITE CENTER ART WALK: 6 pm – venues and artists listed here

That’s just a small sampling of what’s up … full list is in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup. Have a great day!

FAUNTLEROY PROTECTION: During the power outage two days ago, that truck was a reminder of what lies between millions of gallons of wastewater coursing beneath the peninsula, and the countless gallons of seawater out in Puget Sound: Not much. The truck took a generator to stop an overflow from the Murray pump station at Lowman Beach, one of two that are part of King County Wastewater Treatment‘s Combined Sewer Overflow projects. The other one is the Barton pump station area, by the ferry dock, and that’s the subject of a meeting TONIGHT, 6 pm, Southwest Community Center. The county still has to decide how to prevent overflows, and needs your thoughts on the 3 alternatives – which are detailed here (including a potential underground tank at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse site).

ALKI AVENUE LANDSCAPING: We’ve received a few recent questions about the new landscaping along part of Alki Avenue SW. If you’re curious about it, come hear about it firsthand from Seattle Parks’ Carol Baker, during tonight’s Alki Community Council meeting, 7 pm at Alki UCC Church at 6115 SW Hinds. Also scheduled: Seattle School Board rep Steve Sundquist (coming off an intense board meeting Wednesday night).

LATE ADDITION (11:23 am) – got word from C & P Coffee that student poets from Denny Middle School will read their work at the coffeehouse tonight at 6.

What else is up? The WSB Events calendar is here.

Sending that photo of last night’s rainbow, Edgar from Captive Eye Media wondered if leprechauns would be finding the pot o’ gold at that SW Dakota playground. No reports of that yet. But Frances at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor, with their Daylight Saving Time sale continuing till Sunday) did find the green line down the middle of 41st SW, north of Admiral:

Now, the highlights:

JAIL AGREEMENT ON SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA: You’ve probably heard about the “aggressive panhandling” law coming up for a public hearing at today’s meeting of the City Council’s Public Safety and Education Committee. But another item on the agenda might be of even more interest in West Seattle: The city’s planned extension of its jail-services agreement with King County – extending it till 2016 – which is part of what took a proposed new municipal jail (with a West Seattle site under consideration) off the fast track. The committee meets at 9:30 am and will be live at seattlechannel.org (cable channel 21).

BRING MORE “SEATTLE FREE SCHOOL” CLASSES OUT WEST: 6:45 tonight at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library branch, you can join a class on how to facilitate a Seattle Free School class to share your skills with the community; SFS is hoping to offer more classes here, but that means they need instructors to offer them! This class, of course, is free. Sign up here.

DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: 7 pm tonight at Youngstown Arts Center, reps from community groups and organizations around eastern West Seattle get together for their monthly meeting. Tonight’s agenda includes City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, an update on Camp Long Lodge renovations, and a presentation by White Center residents supporting annexation by Seattle (as Mayor McGinn proposes a vote in northern North Highline this fall).

More, with a few St. Patrick’s Day nightlife notes (including a big slate with food and drink specials at Feedback Lounge [WSB sponsor], plus the schedule at West Seattle’s only Irish pub), in the WSB Events calendar.

(Photo by Greg Wright – the unofficial WSB flagship flower, Darwin’s barberry, blooming at Don Armeni)
KING CONSERVATION DISTRICT: Today you can vote for one of five candidates (one, Kirk Prindle, is from West Seattle) to fill the open seat on the KCD’s Board of Supervisors – but you’ll have to go to one of the in-person voting spots, listed here; the closest one is downtown. (Wondering what the KCD does? It’s explained here.)

WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Joining forces with your neighbors for a Block Watch is a big topic planned for tonight, with Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Ben Kinlow as the special guest at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting. (And have you checked out the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network on Facebook yet?) Also be there to hear straight from police what’s up (and down) with local crime stats, and to ask them your questions. 7 pm at the precinct (Delridge/Webster).

WESTSIDE SYMPHONETTE: West Seattle’s community orchestra has a mini-concert at 7:30 tonight at Gatewood Elementary to raise money for the Gatewood and Roxhill music programs. Admission/donation $1 – they’d of course love to get more – and bring some $ for Gatewood’s bake sale, too. Here’s the full preview.

(Looking toward Mount Rainier from Genesee Hill; photo by Chas Redmond)
ORGANIZING MEETING FOR GENESEE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP: Tonight’s the big night for Genesee Hill (and environs) residents to come help organize a neighborhood council so the area’s voice will be louder, and so that neighbors can join forces to fight problems, address concerns and celebrate successes. 7 pm at PCC West Seattle (WSB sponsor).

LOVE AND LOGIC PARENTING: A 7-week class starts tonight at Arbor Heights Community Church; call Leah at 932-5045 for registration info. And finally:

ORCAS???? Christopher Boffoli got some of the West Seattle/Vashon visitors’ spouts on video Monday – check out the clip. Will they be back today? We’ll let you know if we hear anything. Other places to watch for occasional real-time alerts: The fabulous Orca Network‘s Twitter feed and Facebook page.

(Weekend photo by Eric Bell of fridgefoto.biz)

YOUTH/FAMILIES INITIATIVE WORKSHOP: Tonight’s biggest event in West Seattle – 7 pm, Denny International Middle School, Mayor McGinn expected to attend. See last night’s preview for full details.

SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE: Permaculture tops the agenda for SWS’s monthly meeting tonight – read all about it here. 7 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction.

ARTSWEST’S NEW SEASON: Also in The Junction – since Monday is an off-night for the current ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) production “Sunlight,” it’s the perfect time to unveil the 2010-2011 season – 7:30 pm in the theater. Free, but call (206) 938-0339 to RSVP.

SUMMER FEST DEADLINE: Less than four months now till West Seattle Summer Fest, and TODAY is the deadline for local businesses to sign up if they want to get special West Seattle priority as the festival is planned. Application forms are linked on the Summer Fest home page; here’s our original announcement about the special application period – be sure to write “West Seattle Local” on the form.

SCHOOL VISITS: Seattle Public Schools‘ “open enrollment” period continues till the end of the month. Most schools have scheduled “visits” (tours) continuing till then; this morning at 8:40 am, Pathfinder K-8 in Pigeon Point welcomes prospective K-5 parents. Here’s the full list of scheduled school visits districtwide.

(Melanie‘s photo of a nest-material-gathering eagle in Lincoln Park earlier this week)
Another day with lots to do! (First make sure you have the correct time, since Daylight Saving Time arrived overnight – 2 am was instantly 3 am)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: The newest additions include Zaw cook-at-home Pizza and more varieties of spring flowers; here’s the latest list. 10 am-2 pm at 44th/Alaska, as always.

NATURE CONSORTIUM BENEFIT BRUNCH: Did you RSVP? Might be a seat or two left. WSB is proud to be co-sponsoring this event to celebrate and raise money for the work of the Nature Consortium, which focuses on restoring the West Duwamish Greenbelt – a green West Seattle treasure. Noon-1:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy.

34TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS: 1 pm (signups start around 12:15 pm) at Mount View Elementary School in White Center (map) – all Democrats in the district (there’s a map in our original story at White Center Now) are invited to help elect county and state convention delegates, among other business. You’re asked to bring donations for the accompanying food drive.

BOARD GAME AFTERNOON: Friends of Southwest Branch Library are doing it again – in honor of “Pi Day” – 1 to 4:30 pm at the library (35th/Henderson).

TOUR DE FRONDS: An invitation from native-plant specialist Steve Richmond:

Join us for a walking tour this Sunday, March 14 at 2 pm – a “Tour de Fronds” in Fauntleroy Park. Trillium, Red Flowering Currant [photo] and Indian Plum are in bloom! See the good work of neighbors, volunteers, and Earth Corps in restoring native plants as they continue to battle invasive species. Meet at the Fauntleroy Church’s parking lot, 9140 California Ave SW (off SW Barton, not far from Fauntleroy Ferry Dock.

PERSISTENT PAIN? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT … like attending today’s free event at Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, 2-4 pm, with Stas Kudla, ND, L.Ac., to talk about options and strategies.

Even more in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup!

(Alki photo by Chas Redmond, taken last Wednesday)
From the West Seattle Weekend Lineup and from post-WSWL arrivals in the WSB inbox last night, some of today’s highlights:

WATERFRONT VISION: Mayor McGinn called four meetings around the city to invite citizens to help plan a “great central waterfront.” The third one is 2:30-4 pm today at High Point Community Center; the concept’s explained here.

PLAY BALL! Anthony sent word that Chief Sealth High School‘s baseball team will be in action at Southwest Athletic Complex (across the street from Sealth’s permanent home on SW Thistle) at 12:30 pm, including a free barbecue, and they’d love to see community support!

MADISON STUDENTS AT EMERALD CITY COMICON: Perhaps the biggest event in the city this weekend is the comics/pop-culture gathering at the Convention Center downtown (official website here), and Greg Hatcher will be there with Madison Middle School students he teaches. As he writes here, their afterschool program is partly funded by Partners With Youth from the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), and he says they’re collecting donations at Emerald City Comicon to help make sure the program continues.

CHURCH SALES: Turns out THREE local churches are having sales this weekend – got late word of one for the Westside Unitarian Universalists – it’s at 2008 California SW, Unit B, 10 am-4 pm today, 1-6 pm tomorrow (and will continue the next two weekends as well – watch the WSB Events calendar). Meantime, it’s day two for two churches’ rummage sales – we dropped in for the overviews to show you HOW big – here’s the Tibbetts United Methodist Church scene:

They’re selling from 9 am-3 pm today at 3940 41st SW (map); and the other sale’s a few blocks away at West Side Presbyterian Church:

WSPC’s rummage sale is 9 am-2 pm at 3601 California SW (map).

BOOK SALES: As per this reminder last night, the Sanislo Elementary used book sale is 10 am-2 pm at 1812 SW Myrtle. And Kristi Keithly has a used book sale 9 am-noon at Seaview Methodist (4620 SW Graham; map) to raise money for the Breast Cancer 3-Day.

SCHOOL INFO EVENTS: “Option schools” including West Seattle’s Pathfinder K-8 are represented at an info event at Seattle Public Schools HQ in SODO, 10 am-noon; Three Tree Montessori in Burien (WSB sponsor) has an open house this afternoon, 1-3 pm.

BUSINESS BIRTHDAY: Max and Quinn’s Atomic Boys Shop-O-Rama in the Admiral District marks its second anniversary today, with fun extras for shoppers. 10 am-6 pm.

MUCH, MUCH MORE … in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup . (And remember to set your clock ahead an hour tonight – Daylight Saving Time officially arrives at 2 am.)

By Randall G. Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Lots of updates at Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting – and some new business too – including the plan for a crime-prevention event:

Read More

PARKS PROGRAM REGISTRATION: Noon today marks the start of sign-ups for spring courses at local Seattle Parks facilities including community centers and pools. To browse and register online, go here.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) invites everyone to its celebration today, noon-3 pm at Brockey Center. Details here.

And now, those five neighborhood meetings, in alphabetical order, including one that’s outside West Seattle but of importance to our area because of the topic:

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Admiral Congregational Church basement meeting room, 7 pm (California/Hill)

FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, 7 pm (9131 California SW)

JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Ginomai at 42nd/Genesee, 6:30 pm. ADDED 11:23 AM: There’s a key item on the agenda, development design guidelines – Diane has added a letter from JuNO president Erica Karlovits in comments – read it here.

NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Youngstown Arts Center conference room by the main office, 6:30 pm (4408 Delridge Way) ADDED 10:13 AM: NDNC agenda info:

1) Update on the Brandon Natural Area
2) Streets Fund Projects Reminder
3) Update from the Transportation/Pedestrian Committee
4) Update on the Skate Park
5) Delridge Park Clean Up reminder, and P-Patch note

SOUTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Not usually on our list, but tonight it is, because this meeting will include an official King County update on the status of the South Park Bridge, which the county says it will have to close at the end of June unless testing shows it’s safe enough to leave open longer. The meeting starts at 7 pm, South Park Neighborhood Center, 8201 10th Avenue S. (map).

And if you’re looking for diversions …

EVERY TUESDAY: Regularly scheduled events at local nightspots includes rock trivia at Feedback Lounge, 8 pm, and open turntables at Skylark Café and Club, 6 pm (both are WSB sponsors), plus Starlite Singer Songwriter Night at Shadowland in The Junction, 9:30 pm.

HENDRIX PARTY AT EASY STREET: Still a little double-take-inducing to see the phrase “new Jimi Hendrix album,” but that’s what’s going on sale tonight, and the title track “Valleys of Neptune” is what you’re hearing in the video clip above. Easy Street Records in West Seattle plans a listening party starting at 9 tonight (free pizza, per the Easy Street site) and the album goes on sale at midnight.

NAVOS OPENS ITS DOORS: It’s been West Seattle General Hospital, West Seattle Psychiatric Hospital, and Highline West Seattle Mental Health; now it’s Navos, and it will be hosting an open house tonight at its main campus (2600 SW Holden), 6-7 pm. Besides a drop-in-and-visit component, Navos CEO Dr. David Johnson will speak, as will a client who the facility says “has made remarkable progress in his recovery.”

GET HELP WITH SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS “OPEN ENROLLMENT”: Need to get a child into the district, or want to request a school other than the one you’ve been assigned to? Get help tonight at Delridge Library, 5:30-7 pm (read more here).

YOUTH SUMMIT PLANNING MEETING: Another planning meeting for the next area Youth Summit is happening this afternoon, 3:30-5:30 pm, at Youngstown Arts Center – “food and service-learning hours provided” – all youth welcome.

B-I-N-G-O: Some of what’s in the WSB Events calendar happens this night every week – but you might not know it! For example, most Monday nights mean bingo at Alki UCC – doors open at 5:30 pm, games start at 6:30 pm (read more here)

Highlights from the WSB Events calendar:

*11:30 am at Daystar Retirement Village, First Thursday Democrats feature a WWII-era singalong with local Rosie the Riveters and a WAVE (here’s our original announcement)
*1 pm at City Hall downtown (map), the Seattle Design Commission reviews the design for Delridge Skatepark, to be built this summer
*5:30-8 pm, the regular Thursday tastings at West Seattle Cellars include Latin American wines (details here)
*6:30 pm, a trip to the state tournament is on the line as Chief Sealth High School boys’ varsity basketball team faces Franklin at Bellevue College (map)
*7:30 pm at Town Hall downtown (map), the League of Women Voters of Seattle presents “Women and Climate Change: Connecting Around the World” – with co-sponsors including West Seattle-co-founded CoolMom.

(Photo by Eric Bell from fridgefoto.biz)
From the WSB Events calendar: 11 am, join the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle at the Southwest Precinct as they present the Everyday Hero Award (explained here) to Captain Joe Kessler on behalf of all the SPD personnel who serve West Seattle. Carrot cake is promised too. … 4-6 pm at High Point Library, come join the conversation about the Seattle Public Library‘s future. Read more here … 7 pm, two events – West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen guests at the Southwest District Council’s monthly meeting (board room at South Seattle Community College), and our energy future is the focus of CoolMom‘s monthly meeting at C & P Coffee. … REMINDERS: Don Armeni Boat Ramp (including the parking lot) is scheduled to close this afternoon and stay closed for two days for paving work … Today’s an early-dismissal day for Seattle Public Schools.

(Photo from last weekend, by Eric Bell of fridgefoto.biz)
Highlights from the WSB Events calendar: Reminder that paving-prep work is supposed to start today at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, but it’s supposed to stay open till the actual paving begins; 7 pm tonight, Seattle Prep comes to West Seattle to play Chief Sealth in a boys’ varsity basketball district tournament game; Dream Dinners (WSB sponsor) has an open house tonight so you can sample its spring menu – go here to RSVP by clicking either 6 or 6:30 pm tonight; and it’s weekly fun at two other WSB sponsors – rock trivia at Feedback Lounge, 8 pm, and open turntables (bring your records!) at Skylark Cafe and Club, 6 pm.

(Photo by Randall G. Hauk)
We showed you the 30,000-box pickup … the decking-out of Walking on Logs … and now, Girl Scout Cookies are finally on sale. The photo’s from Admiral Safeway last night, where Troop #41504 junior Scouts were on duty; if you want to know for sure where and when to find cookie-selling scouts, any time between now and March 14, here’s the online Cookie Locator (put in your zip code and choose “within 5 miles” and you’ll get the whole West Seattle list). Also today: Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s Adopt-A-Street cleanup will gather volunteers outside Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) starting at 9 am (more here), and it’s a very busy day for work parties in parks and greenbelts (Green Seattle Partnership keeps the list). Then tonight, along with live music at Skylark Cafe and Club (WSB sponsor) and other regular nightspots, you have a few special concerts to choose from including Westside Blues and the latest Music Northwest presentation. Those are just the highlights; the full list is in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.

(Wednesday afternoon photo from west end of The Bridge)
This morning, we direct you to the WSB Events calendar for the rundown on what’s up today and tonight – including morning events such as two library branches with story times, City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw @ West Seattle Democratic Women, and tonight’s South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition meeting, plus a special boutique event in The Junction. More here!

(T-107 Park along the Duwamish River in West Seattle, photographed by Bill Bacon)
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: Tonight HPAC has its monthly get-together at the usual spot, Highland Park Improvement Club, 7 pm (or come a bit earlier and be part of the potluck). Agenda items include park trails, crime updates, and the proposed Seattle annexation of White Center and vicinity.

WORD! MORE LIKE … WORD(S): It’s a Poetry & Storytelling Event tonight at C & P Coffee from 6-8 pm. Free, all ages; this will be a monthly series with a featured reader followed by open mike. February’s poet: Leopoldo Seguel.

SCHOOL TOUR: Denny International Middle School is offering one at 8:30 this morning.

TALK WITH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: It’s the next community chat with School Board rep Steve Sundquist, 11 am at High Point Branch Library.

STORY TIMES FOR THE LITTLE ONES: All week long, it’s the return of Story Times at local libraries. This morning: Toddler Story Time at West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library, 10:30 am (details here), and Preschool Story Time at Southwest Branch Library, 11:30 am (details here)

Looking for more (oh, say, regular Wednesday night trivia at Skylark Café and Club [WSB sponsor])? Or trying to find out what’s happening weeks and months in the future? Check out the WSB West Seattle Events calendar page.

(Saturday photo from Alki, by Darren Pilon)
FREE MAMMOGRAMS: These health screenings in West Seattle at South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW), announced by YWCA, 9 am-3 pm – call to make an appointment and see if you qualify (and if there’s drop-in time) (details here)

LITTLE LEAGUE, LAST CALL: One last in-person registration event for West Seattle Little League, 6-9 pm tonight at the library of West Seattle High School (3000 California SW). Registration forms and information can be found at www.westseattlelittleleague.com – and if you choose to mail in the form, you have to have it postmarked by today.

CALLING ALL HIGH POINT FAMILIES: : Parent-School Advocacy Night at High Point Neighborhood Center (6400 Sylvan Way), 6:30 pm, following up on previous sessions (including this one) with families putting some tough questions to Seattle Public Schools leaders.

SCHOOL TOUR: Open-house season is winding down, but school tours are ramping up. Today: Highland Park Elementary (1032 SW Trenton), 10 am. Full districtwide tour list here.

PAJAMA STORY TIME: It’s back, at Delridge Branch Library (5423 Delridge Way), 7 pm (details here)

EVEN MORE … like the weekly open turntables at Skylark Café and Club (6 pm) and rock ‘n’ roll trivia at Feedback Lounge (8 pm), both WSB sponsors – here, on the WSB Events calendar page.

IN THE LEGISLATURE: At left, those are your 34th District state legislators – Sen. Joe McDermott, Rep. Sharon Nelson, Rep. Eileen Cody – during their Town Hall at High Point Community Center on Saturday. Today, they are back to work in Olympia – as they explained on Saturday, they’re now at the stage where more deadlines loom for bills to either advance or be declared officially dead for the year. Today the Senate Ways and Means Committee (of which McDermott’s a member) has a public hearing on one bill of particular West Seattle interest – HB 1679, to make sure catastrophically injured public safety personnel like former West Seattle police officer Jason McKissack don’t lose their medical benefits. Advocates are asking for a show of support like the one received in the House Ways and Means Committee last month (WSB coverage here); the hearing’s in Room 4 of the Cherberg Building on the Capitol campus, 3:30 pm.

ROAD CLOSURE REMINDER: East/southeast of Youngstown Arts Center in North Delridge, work is scheduled to start on the project that will close 23rd/22nd SW for up to six weeks – see our previous story for the latest.

WEST SEATTLE PRESCHOOL FAIR: School-choice season is now in full swing and more than a dozen of West Seattle’s preschools are hoping to meet prospective families and answer tonight at the first-ever West Seattle Preschool Fair, 5:30-8:30 pm at St. John the Baptist Church‘s community hall (3050 California SW).

AND IF YOUR LITTLE ONE’S TOO LITTLE FOR PRESCHOOL … maybe you’ll be interested in the debut of Baby Story Time at the Southwest Branch Library (9010 35th SW). 11:30 am today; details here.

SPEAKING OF SCHOOL: A reminder, midwinter break’s over and everybody’s back today.

PARKS AND GREEN SPACES LEVY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE: Want to find out how the money you’re paying because of the 2008 levy is being spent? Got something to suggest to the citizen volunteers who are reviewing that spending? Be at the committee’s regular meeting, 7 tonight, Parks HQ downtown (100 Dexter Ave. N.). Among the agenda items – an overview of the letters of intent received so far.

EVEN MORE … like regular bingo and trivia events … on the WSB Events page. Have a great day (it’s off to a great start, as this sunrise photo from John LaSpina shows) …

(Saturday sunset photo by Philippe Bishop)
Looks like yet another sunny day (maybe 2nd to last) … here are some of your options:

VIETNAMESE NEW YEAR: West Seattle’s Vietnamese Cultural Center invites you to its celebration at 1:30 this afternoon, 2236 SW Orchard (map).

ELECTRONICS/APPLIANCES RECYCLING: 9 am-2 pm, Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) parking lot is where to bring recyclables including electronics and appliances; details at fauntleroyucc.org. This is in partnership with 1 Green Planet.

ALSO IN FAUNTLEROY: Little Pilgrim School, which is at Fauntleroy Church, has an open house for 2-5-year-olds and their parents, 11 am-1 pm.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, 44th/Alaska. The online Ripe and Ready list is still in last weekend’s Valentine mode but still gives you an idea of some of what’s fresh.

(some of what was on sale Saturday)
ALSO IN THE JUNCTION: The office-furniture (etc.) sale to raise money for Haiti relief continues 10 am-2 pm today, outside Olympic Court (home to WSB sponsor Westside Dermatology), 4740 44th SW (just north of the Chase drive-thru).

CAMPAIGN KICKOFF: 5-7 pm at the ILWU Hall on Pigeon Point (2414 SW Andover), it’s Marcee Stone‘s campaign kickoff for State House, Position 2 (currently held by Rep. Sharon Nelson, who has said she’ll be running for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Joe McDermott, who is running for King County Council). Stone is State Committeewoman for the 34th District Democrats and announced her campaign at their February meeting (WSB coverage here).