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Also: Mayor; movie; park cleanup; football, fire, Eagles fundraisers
August 7, 2010 9:25 am
|    Comments Off on Also: Mayor; movie; park cleanup; football, fire, Eagles fundraisers
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: We previewed both last night, but another quick reminder – you can tour Delridge with Mayor McGinn, starting 10 am from the Neighborhood Services Center at Delridge/Brandon; “Star Trek” is the scheduled West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation tonight at dusk in the Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) courtyard, but subject to rainout, so check here/Facebook/Twitter for the show’s status if the weather doesn’t improve. Also, two events happening now: A cleanup at West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park to get ready for next Tuesday’s rededication (volunteers welcome, just head over), and a fundraising sale for West Seattle High School‘s football team, till 3 pm in the school parking lot. Other fundraisers today/tonight include a benefit spaghetti dinner for the West Seattle Eagles Auxiliary – all welcome, nonmembers too – 5:30-7 pm – and the breakfast fundraiser happening right now, till 11, at 9800 8th SW for an area family recovering from a fire. What else is up? Calendar’s here.

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Video, photos: Blue Angels at Seafair 2010, plus today’s info
August 7, 2010 5:36 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

On assignment for WSB, Cliff DesPeaux‘s video tells the story of our favorite Blue Angels viewing choice – “on the fence” at the Museum of Flight (9404 East Marginal Way S.; map). As you can probably tell from the weather, he was there yesterday. If you decide to go today or Sunday, don’t be last-minute about it – though they didn’t fly Friday till 1:30 pm, which suggests the timetable may be similar this weekend, spots along the fences (both south side by the jets’ “parking” area and east side by the runway) will fill up much sooner. If the main MoF parking lot is full, the Boeing lot across East Marginal should be open for overflow this weekend (unlike weekdays, when workers need it). We watched takeoff, landing and flybys from a lot south of the control tower the past two days; other runway watchers got these great photos:

Above, that’s David DeSiga‘s view of two Blues peeling off shortly after liftoff (different angle from the one we caught in our Friday afternoon report). Next, Susan DuTemple‘s view of Angels support plane “Fat Albert”:

Jim Clark caught some of the other Seafair air show participants – the Bearcat and Tigercat (scroll down the Seafair air-show-info page for more)

Once again today, the I-90 bridge will close approximately 12:45-2:40 pm for the air show. And if you are going to go watch it on Lake Union, along with the hydroplane races – and/or tour the Seafair fleet docked along Elliott Bay – all the extra info can be found at seafair.com.

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Camp Long’s August 2010 activities, events, offerings
August 7, 2010 4:52 am
|    Comments Off on Camp Long’s August 2010 activities, events, offerings
 |   Announcements

From Sheila Brown at Camp Long:

Sunset Owl, Bats and Moths

Ages 1 and older

We’ll look and listen for owls, bats, and moths on a sunset hike. A bat detector will make the bats’ echolocation calls audible. Will juvenile Barred Owls be hissing their “feed me” calls? Please register by August 6 by calling 206-684-7434.

August 7 Sat 8 – 9:30 p.m.
Course #57658 Activity Fee: $7

Dragonfly, Butterfly and Bumblebee Chase
Ages 1 and older

We will provide nets and bug boxes. The bugs will donate their time. Learn the art of catching bugs from bumblebees (even a three year old can), to butterflies (intermediate) and dragonflies (the most challenging). Participants of all ages can share in the excitement while learning the story of each bug. With some luck we might find a garter snake too? Please register by August 6 by calling 206-684-7434.

August 7 Sat 3 – 5 p.m.
Course #57654 Activity Fee: $7

Pond Exploration
Ages 1 and older

Dipping in Pollywog Pond for all ages! Many Northwest salamanders, backswimmers and dragonfly nymphs live in our pond. Use nets to see what you can catch. We’ll share the excitement and stories of the critters we catch! Please register by August 6 by calling 206-684-7434.

August 7 Sat Noon – 2 p.m.
Course #57649 Activity Fee: $7

Beach Days!
Ages 5 and older

Beach life will be revealed during a low tide. Give yourself a chance to ‘sea’ the diversity of life forms created over millions of years. Bring a healthy lunch to munch after exploring! Please register by August 6 by calling 206-684-7434.

Location: Me-Kwa-Mooks Park (-2.3 tide)
August 8 Sun 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Course #56780 Activity Fee: $7

Beach Scrambles at Low Tide!
Ages 10 and older

Traverse the sandy, gravelly, slippery, rocky terrain between Constellation Park and Lincoln Park’s Lowman Beach, total of three miles one way. This will be a moderately paced hike on a variety of exposed tidal terrain. Bring plenty of water, food, waterproof sturdy shoes, sunscreen and binoculars. A shuttle will take participants back to Charles Richey, Sr. Viewpoint. Meet at Charles Richie Sr. Viewpoint, 63rd Ave. SW and Beach Dr. SW. This park is also known as Constellation Park. Please register by August 6 by calling 206-684-7434.

Location: Richie Viewpoint
August 8 Sun 9 – 11 a.m.
Course #56782 Activity Fee: $5

Feet First Community Connections
Ages 1 and older

Feet First is an organization that promotes walk friendly communities. We help people take simple steps to create better places to live, learn, shop, work, and play – a world that cares about health, community, and design. Neighborhood maps created by Feet First will be available to all participants. Learn how to use the maps and gain an appreciation of walk-friendly routes you may not know exist. Free to Feet First members, $5 donation is suggested for non-members. Please register by August 10 by calling 206-684-7434.

August 14 Sat 10 a.m. – Noon
Course #56785 Activity Fee: $5 for non-members

Twilight’s Nature
Ages 4 and older

Twilight is defined as the time between dawn and sunrise, and between sunset and dusk. What are the mythological and natural connections to this special time also known as the Blue Hour?

Location: Fire Ring
Course #56766 August 28 Sat 7 – 9 p.m.
Please register by August 26
Activity Fee: $8

Camp Long Owl Hoot
Ages 5 and older
Join us for a dusk-to-dark owl prowl through Camp Long’s woodland. Will there be babies! Dress for the weather and bring a flashlight. Please register by August 20 by calling 206-684-7434.

August 21 Sat 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Course #56789 Activity Fee: $8

Twilight’s Nature
Ages 4 and older

Twilight is defined as the time between dawn and sunrise, and between sunset and dusk. What are the mythological and natural connections to this special time also known as the Blue Hour? Please register by August 27 by calling 206-684-7434.
Location: Fire Ring

August 28 Sat 7 – 9 p.m.
Course #56766 Activity Fee: $8

Third Saturday Free Walks

Camp Long – what started out as a leftover unusable piece of land after the West Seattle Golf Course was created became Camp Long with cabins and a lodge. How did that happen? Walk the trails to see the work that the Works Progress

Administration completed during the Great Depression. Find out how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s daughter influenced the whole process. Each cabin is named after a Washington State mountain peak; if you can name 8 out of 10, you get a prize. The walk leader is Gretchen Graber. Please register by August 20 by calling 206-684-7434.

August 21 Sat 10 a.m. – Noon
Course #56787 FREE

Tot Treks
Ages 2-3

Explore the wonders of nature with your tots. Discover life in the pond, forest, and field and meet new friends. Please arrive 10 minutes early and wear weatherproof clothing. Up to two children can be registered with one adult. No strollers please.

$7 for one adult with one child. $3.50 for each additional person. Please register in advance by calling 206-684-7434.

Tide Pool Treasures
Course #56770 August 10 Tue 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Me-Kwa-Mooks

Busy Busy Beavers
Course #56771 August 17 Tue 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Cawing Crows
Course #56772 August 24 Tue 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Volunteer!

Third Saturday Work Parties FREE
All Ages

Begin a family legacy at Camp Long by restoring native habitat in the park. It’s a perfect time for restoration and cleanup. Make new friends while you preserve the future for yourselves, your children, and the animals and native plants.

For more information or to reserve your place call 206-684-7434 or 206-423-0762. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Care for new Native Plantings!
Water, weed and mulch in preparation for a hot summer.
August 21 Sat 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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West Seattle Bookshelf: August’s first best-seller lists
August 7, 2010 3:39 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news

Lists courtesy of Square One Books

Every week, courtesy of Gretchen Montgomery @ Square One Books (WSB sponsor), we get the lists of her independent West Seattle bookstore’s 5 best-sellers in each of 4 key categories:

Hardcover:

1. Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
2. The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman
3. Queen of the Night by J.A. Jance
4. The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
5. Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke

Paperback:

1. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
2. Border Songs by Jim Lynch
3. Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley
4. Tinker by Paul Harding
5. The Lost City of Z by David Grann

Children/Young Adult:

1. Warriors/Skyclan’s Destiny by Erin Hunter
2. Artemis Fowl #7/The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer
3. Aliens Love Underpants by by Claire Freedman & Ben Cort
4. The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary by Jeff Kinney
5. Big Nate: In a Class by Himself by Lincoln Pierce

Teen:

1. Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
3. Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce
4. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
5. Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Square 1 Books is in The Junction – in Jefferson Square.

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Mariachi at The Mount as its 2010 summer outdoor concerts begin
August 7, 2010 2:47 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
After a mostly cloudy day, the golden evening sunshine was a perfect complement to the first of four Outdoor Concerts at The Mount last night. The concertgoers’ soundtrack for The Macarena, above, was courtesy of featured musicians Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana, below:

Taking a elevated view of Providence Mount St. Vincent‘s south-side courtyard, you can see the sizable turnout:

Next Friday night, it’s Maia Santell & House Blend on stage (free), with jambalaya, burgers, and hot dogs available for dinner (purchase). And for kids – a bouncy house, face painter, and caricature artist. Gates open 5 pm, music at 6. Full 4-week lineup here. (Before Friday arrives, of course, it’ll be the third edition of Summer Concerts at Hiawatha next Thursday night, with Pearl Django and guest vocalist Greta Matassa, 6:30 pm, more info here.)

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West Seattle food: 2 truck updates – Marination and Buns
August 6, 2010 11:53 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

2 quick food-truck updates to share: Kamala from the fabled Marination Mobile e-mailed to say they will be closing early tomorrow (Saturday) during their regular weekly Saturday stop at 35th/Graham – 1:30 instead of 2 pm. Also, Amy of the new burger truck Buns on Wheels asked us to share the news that they’re now spending most of the weekend at Alki – Friday nights, Saturday all day, Sunday lunch. (We’re checking on exact hours.) They’ve been parking by Alki Auto Repair. Food trucks tend to send last-minute updates via Twitter, so if you want to keep close track of these two, MM is at @curb_cuisine and BoW is at @bunsonwheels.

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West Seattle Outdoor Movies beams up ‘Star Trek’ tomorrow
August 6, 2010 7:01 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

That’s one of the official trailers for last year’s “Star Trek” movie, which is tomorrow night’s big feature at West Seattle Outdoor Movies (co-sponsored by WSB) in the courtyard next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor). There’s music before the movie, Dream Date with Paul Fischer, “performing his original pop songs with the help of Steve Moore,” according to Hotwire’s Lora Lewis. Featured sponsors for the night: Martha L. Davis, Highline Therapy Services, and West Seattle Music Studio. The movie’s free, but bring a few dollars so you can buy tickets for the raffle benefiting forest-restoring Nature Consortium, with prizes donated by Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), Shadowland, Elliott Bay Brewery and Hotwire, and also for concessions, which also are nonprofit fundraisers. The movie’s at dusk – which keeps getting earlier, but you don’t want to show up at the last minute, anyway – the crowd’s usually pretty big; come stake out a spot sooner rather than later. One note: IF it rains or threatens to – there is NO indoor backup this year, so a rainout is possible; if the weather looks dicey, we will have the latest info here on WSB (as well as updates on our Twitter and Facebook pages).

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Memorial tomorrow for longtime West Seattleite Helen Damron
August 6, 2010 4:58 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Another longtime West Seattle businessperson has died: Helen Armfield (Williamson, Zaar) Damron, 94, who had lived in West Seattle for almost 80 years and was an active member of the business community for several decades. Her memorial service is set for tomorrow, starting at 1 pm at Grace Church, 10323 28th Avenue SW. In 1966, she and husband Clarence Zaar opened Clarence Zaar Real Estate in The Junction (it now operates under the name Keller Williams Realty). She had worked in the real estate business in West Seattle since 1935, starting out as an errand runner for E.H. Savage Realty. Helen was a 1932 graduate of West Seattle High School; her family moved to Seattle from LaCrosse, Washington, in 1931, so that her father could seek work. Read on for more about her:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Sentimental sculpture stolen; 4 more
August 6, 2010 2:49 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Five West Seattle Crime Watch reports this afternoon – starting with a theft that netted loot whose owners are hoping they’ll somehow get it back. They signed themselves “Disappointed in Alki“:

We live in Alki on Halleck Ave. SW just off 53 Avenue [map]. Sometime in the past 24 hours we had a few things stolen from the steps of our front porch. Now, it may sound insignificant but along with a few pots with herbs in them a small Indian statue was stole which has HUGE sentimental value to us. I’m guessing it was just kids being stupid but the fact that someone walked up our steps, were literally at our front door and stole something that that is very special to us and cannot be replaced feels awful and breaks our hearts. If this is posted and by chance the person who took is reading this post, can you do the right thing? Can you please bring back our little Indian sculpture… no questions asked, we promise, you would not believe how important it is to us. We have always felt so safe and comfortable in our little home on a dead end road, this is a sad wake-up call.

(In case you see something – we verified, that’s “Indian” as in South Asia, not as in Native American.) Four more reports ahead:Read More

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Seafair weekend: Blue Angels go up for ‘practice’ show
August 6, 2010 1:59 pm
|      52 COMMENTS
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news

ORIGINAL 1:59 PM REPORT: Clouds don’t keep the Blue Angels down, assuming the ceiling isn’t too low – so the Navy’s aerial-demonstration team is up right now over Lake Washington (and points beyond) for its “practice show,” before the “real” ones tomorrow and Sunday. As is usually the case, we’re at Boeing Field to watch the takeoff/landing, and whatever’s visible inbetween (more than you might suspect). Our current location south of the Boeing Field tower on the west side of BFI is close to where the jets lift off after taxiing away from the Museum of Flight further south, and while 1-4 took off in formation northbound, 5 and 6 peeled away almost immediately, and that’s how our iPhone – lens poked through opening in the chain-link, barb-wire-topped fence – caught the shot you see above. Reminder that the I-90 bridge is closed until they’re done, 2:45 or so. More later! 2:17 PM UPDATE: The Blue Angels have landed. For our fellow timeline fans, they were up approximately 1:33 pm-2:12 pm. (Other air-show acts are resuming their practices – like the gray fighter jet that just took off.)

ADDED 5:28 PM: One of the not-so-celebrated-but-memorable aspects of Blue Angels-watching involves their support plane, the C-130 known as “Fat Albert.” It goes up to scope things out before the six jets practice/perform; then it usually thrills the Boeing Field/Museum of Flight crowd with flybys and an extra-steep landing. Then, if you watch by the runway, you see “Fat Albert” taxi back with a crew member poking her/his head out of a top hatch, waving a flag. Today, look who was seen from the hatch:

Thanks to David DeSiga for the photo. ADDED EARLY SATURDAY: A different angle, from Jim Clark:

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From the WSB Forums: Target boycott; big yard-sale weekend
August 6, 2010 1:22 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online

In case you don’t regularly check the WSB Forums – which are close to the 100,000-post mark after 2 1/2 years in existence – we like to mention what’s going on in there from time to time – they’ve been particularly busy lately, and you’re welcome to join the discussion OR start one of your own. Today, for example, the Target political-donation controversy has sparked talk of a boycott, and longtime WSB Forums member JoB declared she would deliver her boycott notice to Westwood Village Target today. Also, you are also welcome to publish yard/garage-sale notices for free in the Freebies/Deals/Sales section, and a quick check reveals more than a few in the works for this weekend. Lots more going on – like the rest of WSB, the Forums are in business 24/7/365 – start here.

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Mayor visits Delridge tomorrow, and you’re invited to the tour
August 6, 2010 12:40 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

For the second consecutive Saturday, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn will visit West Seattle tomorrow – not for an event this time (he was here last Saturday to help celebrate the Camp Long Lodge reopening), but to find out more about our area, specifically the Delridge neighborhood. His tour guide: Ron Angeles, Delridge Neighborhood District Coordinator for the Department of Neighborhoods and longtime West Seattleite; the tour starts at Ron’s HQ, the Neighborhood Services Center in the same building as the Delridge Library (5405 Delridge Way), 10 am tomorrow, and will end about an hour and a quarter later at the Delridge P-Patch – all welcome – one of the first stops will be the Clean Greens produce-sales stand alongside Super 24, which is open 10 am-6 pm every Friday and Saturday this summer.

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Web upgrade for Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association
August 6, 2010 11:05 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

… and they’re asking for feedback. We spotted this about a week after its recent “soft launch”; now DNDA executive director Derek Birnie has published an item on the Delridge Grassroots Leadership site (one of 100+ featured on the WSB “Blogs” page) asking for feedback on the new dnda.org format, which offers more aggregation of Delridge-area news/info from multiple sources, as well as a bolder look at what DNDA itself is up to. Check out the revamped website here.

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‘Missing mural’ followup: ‘Press Day’ going back up right now
August 6, 2010 10:38 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thanks to Dave G for the tip – we’re just back from confirming, and photographing, the fact that the “Press Day” mural is going back up on the north side of the Terry Gangon Insurance Agency building in The Junction right now. We’ve reported on its “disappearance” the past two days – Ken Beres sent us a note wondering what happened; the agency told us it was removed so work could be done on their building, but promised it would be back – and this is even sooner than they’d said! The photo is also proof of something we’d heard but hadn’t been previously aware of – some of the two-decades-old West Seattle murals are on removable panels. The crew here says they’ll be done within a few hours. (Thanks again to Ken and Dave for sharing the news – here’s how to reach WSB any time.)

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Memorial service, procession Monday for PO2 Jarod Newlove
August 6, 2010 9:46 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Received from the family of West Seattle sailor Jarod Newlove, killed last week in Afghanistan:

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jarod Newlove’s memorial service will be held on Monday, August 9, 2010, 11:00 am at Holy Family Catholic Church, 9622 20th Avenue SW [map]. Following the memorial service there will be a procession to Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th Street, Covington [map], where committal service with full military honors will be given at 2:00 pm. There will be a reception directly after the committal service at Kent Civic Center, 10120 SE 260th Street, Kent [map], to honor and remember Jarod and all the joy he brought to our lives. All events are open to the public; please join his family and friends to honor PO2 Jarod Newlove.

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West Seattle Friday: ‘How to Succeed’; Mount music; Blue Angels
August 6, 2010 7:50 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Blue Angels | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

From the WSB Events calendar: West Seattle’s own Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) debuts its newest production tonight: “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” – a musical based on a Tony Award-winning show and Pulitzer-winning book. Besides getting entertained, you’ll also be doing a good deed, since part of the proceeds are benefiting FareStart. This is the first of three weekends for “How to Succeed” in the West Seattle High School Theater, with showtimes this weekend at 7:30 pm tonight and tomorrow, 3 pm Sunday – tickets available online here, in advance at Square One Books in Jefferson Square, or at the door. Also tonight: more outdoor music!

That’s Christopher Boffoli‘s WSB video from Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana performing at Providence Mount St. Vincent during last year’s Summer Concerts at The Mount series – and tonight, they’re back as this year’s four-performance series begins. Bring your own chair/blanket for music at and around the courtyard on the south side of The Mount (4831 35th SW) at 6 pm – the concert’s free, and dinner’s available for purchase around 5 pm (more details in this PDF). Last but not least, today’s Blue Angels schedule:

That spot along the west side of the Boeing Field runway is just one of the many places to watch them take off – as we did yesterday – but the best place is the Museum of Flight, where the famous blue jets are based during the Blue Angels’ annual Seafair visit. (Here’s our story from last year about the MoF timeline on a Blue Angels day.) Of course, you can also go to Lake Washington today and see the practice air show (and hydroplane time trials) for free, as a sneak preview of Saturday/Sunday, when you have to pay admission. But even if you have no interest in watching all this, you might need to know that the I-90 bridge will close again each of the next three days while the Angels are practicing/performing – 12:45 pm-2:40 pm is the schedule each day. And did we mention the Seafair Fleet tours on the waterfront? More at the Seafair website. (The drama as we write this, of course, is what the weather will do – if it stays cloudy but is not too murky, of course, they can have their “low show.”)

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Our Lady of Guadalupe seeks $4 million for ‘Next 50 Years’
August 6, 2010 1:26 am
|    Comments Off on Our Lady of Guadalupe seeks $4 million for ‘Next 50 Years’
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

West Seattle’s Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic parish has announced a community event for the end of this month as it revs up a fundraising campaign for a $4 million project. The rendering above shows what they’re hoping to build. Here’s the full text of the announcement sent by a PR rep for the church:

Our Lady of Guadalupe, an 800-family Catholic parish in West Seattle, will kick off Building for Our Future: The Next 50 Years Campaign with a community celebration at Noon on Sunday, August 29.

The event, which will take place on the parish campus at 7000 35th Avenue SW, will feature food, music and games for kids to mark the official start of an initiative to build a new Parish Gathering Hall/Gymnasium to serve Our Lady of Guadalupe’s church and school. The 10,000-square foot Parish Life Center/Gymnasium will include beautiful spaces for large events, a full kitchen, outdoor play areas, and a bright and modern gymnasium.

“More than a meeting hall, more than a gym, the building will benefit every person in our parish while also allowing us to better serve the greater good of our entire community,” said Father Jack Walmesley, pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

To learn more about the campaign, read our fact sheet or visit the website at www.olgfuture.org.

According to this breakdown on that website, OLG hopes to raise at least half of the $4 million through donations from individuals and businesses. (They’re accepting donations online, too.)

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Traffic alert for overnight drivers: Battery Street Tunnel closed NB
August 6, 2010 12:03 am
|    Comments Off on Traffic alert for overnight drivers: Battery Street Tunnel closed NB
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle traffic alerts

“The tunnel’s going to be closed for quite a while.” That’s what we just heard on the scanner, as police call in the major-incident investigators for a crash on northbound Highway 99 at the Battery Street Tunnel. We don’t have details of the crash, but in case you drive the Alaskan Way Viaduct northbound overnight, you should be aware. (“Quite a while” translates to “at least two hours,” according to more scanner traffic heard as we wrote this.) FRIDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: SPD Blotter has the story of what happened – motorcycle crash with two people hurt.

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Another reunion invite: West Seattle High School Class of 1980
August 5, 2010 10:20 pm
|    Comments Off on Another reunion invite: West Seattle High School Class of 1980
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle schools

The other night, we heard from the West Seattle High School Class of 1990 reunion organizers – and now, another milestone reunion – WSHS Class of 1980 alums are invited to the 30-year reunion tomorrow night and Saturday. Here’s the order of events: Friday night at Brickyard BBQ in the Admiral District, there’s a no-host bar/barbecue get-together, starting at 6 pm; then the big event is at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center on Saturday night – here’s the schedule, plus a message from reunion organizers:

5:00 pm Happy Hour
6:30 pm-8:30 pm Buffet Dinner
8:30 pm GROUP PHOTO
9:00 pm-midnight Band/Music/Dancing

Greetings, fellow WSHS Class of ‘80 classmates! Our reunion event is coming up fast and this is a last-ditch effort to reach those of you who we may have missed in connecting with. Our official party will be at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center where, in addition to live music brought to you by the 30 Year Itch band made up of fellow classmates, the evening will include beverages (beer, wine, soda), casual main dishes & dessert. All are invited to contribute a (optional) potluck appetizer or side dish!

A small crew of planners have tried hard to contact all of you, and invite your help in spreading the word to get folks onboard. Price is $40 advance or $50 at the door per adult, kids $10 and under 5 free.

Check out our Facebook sites, where you may also submit a casual pre-register to secure your $40 advance rate.

Facebook Group ‘West Seattle High School – Class of 1980’
Facebook Event ‘West Seattle High School 30th Reunion’
Facebook Event ‘WSHS 30 Reunion Friday Night No-Host Bar BBQ’

These events are open to faculty, and to classmates from surrounding years! Come check it out and party with the Class of ’80! Go Westside!

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West Seattle benefit for Jayme Miller, battling back from paralysis
August 5, 2010 8:10 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Health | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

That video clip is tonight’s KING5 story about Jayme Miller, a White Center woman, and 1994 West Seattle High School graduate, whose friends are working to get the word out about a fundraiser coming up in a little over two weeks. As you’ll hear in the story (here’s the full online version with text), she is fighting her way back from a rare neurological problem, transverse myelitis, that struck out of the blue three months ago and left her suddenly, terrifyingly paralyzed. Jayme’s friend Sydni Smith also sent WSB word of the fundraiser (and a photo), explaining:

… While in therapy Jayme surprised the doctors again and again. She pushed her herself harder and added new challenges each day. Walking 10 feet down the hallway last month, using a walker and with an aide behind her in case she fell, was a monumental victory. Every time she was told she might not be able to regain a function, she willed herself right through that obstacle.

Jayme went home on Tuesday the 20th of July. She still has many mountains to climb, but hopefully she will keep progressing and regain full function. At this point she’s able to walk short distances with the aid of a walker and a “spotter” behind her in case her legs suddenly give out.

She has medical insurance, thankfully, but with three months of hospitalization and being away from work, her medical bills are another mountain she’ll need to climb. The ten-day stay in the hospital cost $200,000. The Doctor visits while in the hospital were between $80 – $140 each. The ambulance ride cost nearly $900 and each day in Mount St Vincent she was charged $575 a day for the room alone.

We’re holding a fundraiser/birthday bash we’re calling Walk On, Jayme! which will be held at RockSport Bar and Grill August 21st. There will be a silent auction from 7:30 to 9:30. Bring cash or your checkbook and bid on items from local artists and businesses and follow it up with Karaoke and dance hits hosted by DJ Tony B.

You can also donate to help her right now – via PayPal (which works if you have a credit card – you don’t have to be a PayPal accountholder), click “Send Money” and send it to WalkOnJayme@gmail.com. Or if you can give something for the silent auction at the August 21st event, e-mail Sydni at heysyd@gmail.com. There’s a sharable Facebook event page for this too – find it here.

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Happening now: Second of six Summer Concerts at Hiawatha
August 5, 2010 8:09 pm
|    Comments Off on Happening now: Second of six Summer Concerts at Hiawatha
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
2 face painters – that’s Wild Smiles in action, above – are among tonight’s special features at the second Summer Concerts at Hiawatha show, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, co-sponsored by businesses including WSB. New tonight, they’re testing a different configuration for the stage – angled south instead of facing east:

That’s the PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor) Kid Picks van at right – PCC’s one of the series’s two major sponsors, along with The Johnson Team. On stage tonight: Back Burner with bluegrass:

(video added later)

Next Thursday night – also 6:30 pm on the east lawn of Hiawatha Community Center – it’s Pearl Django with guest vocalist Greta Matassa. (And if you want to enjoy more outdoor music sooner – be at Providence Mount St. Vincent tomorrow night for the first of their four Friday night freebies, starting with Mariachi Fiesta Mexicana, 6 pm.)

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Power problems: Junction stoplight out; Admiral trouble earlier
August 5, 2010 6:25 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

Thanks to MargL for the tip that the California/Oregon stoplight is out. (Also thanks to those who messaged us about it via Twitter.) No word at this point if it’s part of a larger outage; we’re checking. Earlier this afternoon, according to a note we received from Craig, there was a small outage in Admiral:

A crow got a little too close to the primary and secondary terminals on the transformer between Fairmount Ave SW and Walnut Ave SW alley close to Hanford St. There were about six customers that were without power for about 35 minutes. The Seattle City Light Crew was here in 28 minutes. That’s GREAT.

(Craig included a photo of the crow atop its final resting place; we’ll just let it be.)

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Seattle Race Conference coming to SSCC, needs volunteers
August 5, 2010 4:50 pm
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 |   How to help | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

Ron Angeles, Delridge Neighborhood District Coordinator for the city Department of Neighborhoods, just put out the call for volunteers for a big event coming here later this month: The 2010 Seattle Race Conference will be held at South Seattle Community College, 8 am-4:30 pm on August 28th. The theme: “Racism and Health Inequities: Eliminating Barriers and Healing Our Communities.” Registration is open at seattleraceconference.org, and since the event is “100 percent volunteer-powered,” they’re looking for help – if you can pitch in, contact Joyce at Tseng_joyce@hotmail.com or 206-579-5330. Read on for the list of volunteer opportunities:Read More

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