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    SEEKING STABILITY: The Kenney’s new status

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    BLUE ANGELS: They’ve arrived in Seattle

  • Box

    BOX WITH BACKSTORY: New tribute portrait

Crime Watch update: More information on Admiral robbery arrests
January 4, 2009 5:21 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

The Seattle Police media unit has just provided an update on the three robbery suspects whose North Admiral arrests we reported this morning (after overnight coverage here):Read More

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Pres.-elect Obama issued the call, West Seattle couple answered
January 4, 2009 3:24 pm
|    Comments Off on Pres.-elect Obama issued the call, West Seattle couple answered
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

One week ago today, on a rainy post-snowstorm Sunday afternoon, Sarah and Tas Philp of West Seattle welcomed about a dozen people into their home — not for a holiday party, but for a discussion to help the incoming White House administration decide how to handle an issue that truly touches us all: Health care.Read More

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Another West Seattle trash and recycling pickup-catchup update
January 4, 2009 12:17 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Just heard back from our Seattle Public Utilities contact, Andy Ryan, answering the question we sent last night — what if you have Friday pickup, which therefore meant you were supposed to be picked up YESTERDAY (Saturday) because of the New Year’s schedule, but they missed you? Answer: The call center is open 1-5 PM TODAY – 684-3000 – call!!!! Also important: As some people are all too well aware, Andy acknowledges that they have not caught up on recycling, but hope to have THAT all caught up by end of day tomorrow, so also be sure to call if you had trash picked up but not recycling – and ***keep your recycling out*** since they’re still making catch-up runs. Last but not least: What about yard waste? Seattle Public Utilities says it will be picked up on your regularly scheduled day. Lost track of when that is? We did too. So here’s the online link to your calendar – put in your address, it’ll give you the answer. Yard waste for us, which means the Christmas tree too, so out it goes — yard waste includes holiday greenery through mid-month; here’s our recent report with details on the rules for that. Hope this info helps, but if not, again, (206) 684-3000, 1-5 pm today. (Reminder: If you want to let your elected representatives know what you think about how this all played out – the hearings/briefings we mentioned previously are starting this week – here’s the full city lineup.) ADDED 12:35 PM: As a followup to this update, the city has also issued an official news release on where yard waste/trash/recycling stands – says the same thing, but click ahead if you want to read it in its entirety:Read More

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Crime Watch update: Three arrests after 7-11 robbery attempt
January 4, 2009 10:41 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Very early this morning, we reported here on an Admiral District robbery incident and subsequent search. Before we even picked up the phone this morning to call Seattle Police to find out more about what happened, we received an update from Lt. Steve Paulsen at the Southwest Precinct: It was actually an attempted holdup at the Admiral Way 7-11 — according to a police summary, a “Hispanic male with bandanna concealing his face, black jacket with hood, armed with a handgun” tried to hold up the store, but the store clerk ran and hid, and the would-be robber ran out. Police responded quickly, set up “containment in the area,” called in K-9, and found a car with three “Hispanic males and a handgun” in the 4400 block of SW College (map). Police have not yet confirmed whether these three were also involved in the recent spree in West Seattle, White Center, and South Seattle (here’s our most recent report, with video and photos), but they acknowledge the same thing we observed last night – looks possible – we will be following up when more information’s released.

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Happening today: West Seattle Farmers Market; “Amahl” finale
January 4, 2009 7:02 am
|    Comments Off on Happening today: West Seattle Farmers Market; “Amahl” finale
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle Farmers' Market | WS culture/arts

(12/28/08 West Seattle Farmers’ Market photo by JayDee)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Some vendors didn’t make it out last week because of the snowstorm’s aftermath, but the Farmers’ Market is expected to be back to full strength today, 10 am-2 pm, 44th/Alaska. Here’s today’s fresh sheet; among other things, it says tulips are back (we photographed them this time last year).

ONE MORE SHOW FOR “AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS”: Last chance to get your delayed-holiday entertainment on! (Or, to simply see a good show.) Twelfth Night Productions (WSB sponsor) has one more performance of “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” 3 pm today at Youngstown Arts Center; tickets are available online or at the door. (To see what else is happening today/tonight, see the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.)

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Happening now: Robber search in Admiral District
January 4, 2009 1:50 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

From the scanner: Police are looking for an armed robber in the Admiral District right now. Suspect reported to have fled toward 44th SW. Not sure whether the holdup target was 7-11 or Admiral Chevron – locations we’ve heard could indicate either. K-9 unit is out helping search. Suspect described as 5-6 Hispanic male with slim build, at least one article of clothing is black, bandanna over face, possibly a shotgun-type weapon. Sounds similar to the robberies in south West Seattle/White Center/South Seattle recently (see our recent update with photos and video). Continuing to monitor. UPDATE: “Containment” was called off. No obvious word whether an arrest was made; we’ll check with police later today.

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Update: I-5 southbound fully open again near bridge exit
January 4, 2009 1:09 am
|    Comments Off on Update: I-5 southbound fully open again near bridge exit
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

We hear some West Seattleites got stuck in this backup earlier tonight: At one point, three lanes of southbound I-5 were closed just before the West Seattle Bridge exit because of what WSDOT’s alert called “a police investigation.” According to KING5‘s 11 pm newscast (though we’re not finding this replicated online yet), someone standing or walking on the freeway was hit and killed. In e-mail asking about the incident, after spending time in the resulting backup, Tracie wrote, “We saw a pair of tennis shoes on the pavement with a spray-painted circle around them, and a forensic unit on site.” WSDOT just sent an update saying all lanes are open again. 2:33 AM UPDATE: Washington State Patrol has sent the incident report to media; two cars hit the 44-year-old Shoreline man who was killed (his relatives have not yet been notified so his name isn’t to be made public at this point) who was “walking (on) southbound I-5 just north of 6th and Forest … attempted to cross south lanes of travel … struck by (both) vehicles.” No word so far why he was walking on the freeway.

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Update: “Small house fire” on 18th SW
January 4, 2009 12:22 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news | West Seattle video | WS breaking news

ORIGINAL 12:22 AM POST: Just belatedly saw word of a fire call (thanks to Aaron and Edith) that’s been open since just before 11 pm in the 5200 block of 18th SW (map). No indication of Fire Department media unit alert, which usually means not too big, but the call isn’t closed so we’re heading over to check it out. 12:55 AM UPDATE: Two fire units were still there when we rolled up (Engine 11 and Ladder 11). Fire out. Firefighters told us it was a “small house fire,” nobody hurt, and investigators were trying to figure out how it started. Adding a brief bit of video shortly.

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Duwamish Longhouse report #2: “This is our home now”
January 3, 2009 9:07 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle video | WS culture/arts

In 1851, when the first European-Americans arrived at Alki Point, the Dkhw’Duw’Absh occupied at least 17 villages, living in over 90 longhouses, and 6 Potlatch Houses (centers of spiritual and social gathering), along Elliott Bay, the Duwamish River, the Cedar River, the Black River (which no longer exists), Lake Washington, Lake Union, and Lake Sammamish. By 1910, nearly all of the Dkhw’Duw’Absh longhouses were destroyed by Non-Native arson.

–From “The Life of Si’ahl, ‘Chief Seattle’,” by Thomas Speer (read the story online here)

Nearly a century later, a historic event in West Seattle today, as our area’s First People opened their new longhouse to visitors:

That two-minute video clip follows singers, drummers, and other community members into the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse and Cultural Center immediately after today’s ribbon-cutting. Earlier, we published a quick update, with a few photos and a brief clip of the ribbon-cutting itself. But as we wrote then, there is so much more to show and tell you, if you were not able to be there. Click ahead for more video, and other highlights:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Another catalytic-converter theft
January 3, 2009 5:52 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Seaview | West Seattle news

Another crime report just in – these types tend to happen in waves, so listen/watch extra-closely for anything suspicious around the cars in your neighborhood, even alarms you might consider ignoring:

Sadly more thefts to report: The catalytic converter was stolen (cut off) from beneath our 15 year old SUV in the Seaview neighborhood overnight. Beware since the thief can get them in just a couple of minutes if they know what they’re doing, and they really like the SUV’s due to their higher clearance.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Criminals targeting cars
January 3, 2009 3:27 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two reports to share – first, from Dave:

Just a heads up for other West Seattleites that someone smashed in the passenger side window on our car last night/early this morning. We’re in the Westwood neighborhood on 34th Ave SW near Barton [map]. The perp was either bored or not very bright, as nothing appears to be stolen. He/she also clearly knows nothing about music, as our Pearl Jam Live at the Gorge CD set was moved, but not taken. Total pain on our time and budget to get this fixed, but it’s a good reminder not to leave anything of value in our cars overnight.

Second, from CCW:

31st and City View (the funky little neighborhood just east of Admiral on your way up the hill) [map]: On the night of 1/1/09, someone got into our Honda CRV, which was parked in our driveway, and ripped the brand new TomTom GPS off the windshield. The doors weren’t locked, and nothing else was taken (the stereo and 10-15 CDs were untouched). This was clearly a crime of opportunity. The only reason it’s even worth reporting is that our driveway is quite private. You don’t go past our house randomly. This was either a local kid or a drunken hoodlum who wandered off the beaten path.

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Duwamish dedication, report #1: Longhouse open, fight not over
January 3, 2009 12:57 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle video | WS culture/arts

Back from a two-hour event with many amazing moments, as the Duwamish Tribe opened its new Longhouse and Cultural Center, on the eastern edge of West Seattle (4700 block of West Marginal Way; here’s a map), to the public – Duwamish chair Cecile Hansen and major donors Arlene and George Wade cut the ribbon, as this brief video clip shows:

(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)

It is open until 4 pm today, so you are welcome to go visit for yourself. Much of the building is the high-ceilinged longhouse meeting space, but the Cultural Center displays are in a cozier space that opens from the door (which is on the west side of the building):

There’s a gift shop too:

The ceremony and presentations included so many emotional moments – reconciliation of the Natives with descendants of Seattle’s first white settlers – but also included news, with word of a performance series for which season tickets are now on sale at the gift shop, and a lawyer’s somber warning that the fight for formal federal recognition of the Duwamish Tribe remains an uphill battle, to say the least. Many more details to come in our later report, and more video of those moments.

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Trash pickup catch-up: What’s SUPPOSED to happen today
January 3, 2009 9:28 am
|      36 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather


Just a reminder, since some people apparently missed previous word about this: If you have Friday trash pickup, it’s supposed to happen TODAY — this was the plan long before Snowmare ’08; originally Thursday was a holiday for trash/recycling crews so the plan for a while has been for Thursday pickups around the city were to be made Friday and Friday to be made Saturday. (Some worked on Thursday anyway, catching up on missed Monday-Wednesday homes; if you are Mon-Wed pickup and were missed this week, call the city ASAP; if you are Friday pickup, you’re not supposed to call unless it gets to be late in the day today and you’re still waiting.) One twist – we’ve received a couple reports of Friday homes that DID get picked up yesterday. The graphic above is the one that was handed out at the mayoral briefing we covered at City Hall on Wednesday (click the graphic to see a larger version). No details yet about the “rebates” he mentioned for those who missed two trash pickups during the weather woes.

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Belated update: West Seattle soccer teams finish 2nd in state
January 3, 2009 6:03 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | WS & Sports

There’s a chilly memory from mid-December – that’s Sami MacKenzie of the West Seattle Cheetahs soccer team scoring a penalty shot during their state-championship game in Tukwila on December 14. Before the snow and ice forced almost everything else onto the back burner, we had brought you a few updates on the Cheetahs and two other West Seattle-based soccer teams playing in the championships that weekend (archived here, below this post). The evening of 12/13 was when the first wave of snow rolled in, but it didn’t stop these intrepid athletes. Though none of the three teams (the GU13 Cheetahs, the BU17 Xtreme, and the BU18 Eagles) won their title games, that still means they’re each in the state’s top two in their class, reason to celebrate. Here’s the photo and story that Cheetahs coach John MacKenzie sent after their big game 12/14, unpublished here at the time because of Snowmare ’08:

Frozen Coaches left to right: Eric Klapperich, John MacKenzie, and Cori Roed. Frozen Back Row, left to right: Julia Denison, Kelsey Klapperich, Charli Elliott, Sam Tanzer, Maddy Winter, Annalisa Ursino, Abby Tuthill, Sami MacKenzie. Frozen front row, left to right: Tatum Dahl, Anne Jorgenson, Julia Nark, Laura Jetland, Ali Campagnaro, Danielle Nielsen, Nicole Roed, and Gabby Rivera

Braving the snow and cold with the wind chill in the teens, the West Seattle Cheetahs fought to a 1-1 tie through regulation and 2 overtimes, only to lose a heartbreaker 3-2 in a shootout.

The field was frozen and covered with a layer of snow, the ball was frozen and the feet were frozen, but the competition was hot! The Cheetahs scored early in the first half on an excellent cross and tap in, but the Tornadoes came back with a great shot to tie the game just before the half. The second half saw many attempts, some missed opportunities, and some great goalkeeping to end regulation time tied 1-1. The 2 ten-minute overtimes saw much of the same, so a shootout was needed to determine the winner.

Both teams made their first 2 shots, then both teams missed their next 2, but the Tornadoes made their 5th shot to win the game 3-2 and take the title as #1 GU-12 recreational soccer team in Washington. It was the most incredible game we have ever been involved in. With the weather, the overtimes, and the shootout, it was an emotional roller coaster. “I was so drained, I slept for 16 hours afterward,” said Coach MacKenzie. “I am very proud of the girls and how hard they have played all year, and rightfully so – we are 1 of the 2 best teams in the state.”

“The Tornadoes were a worthy opponent and gracious winners, and you could hardly ask for a more exciting finish to the tournament,” said Coach Roed. The Cheetahs promise, “Wait till next year!”

The Cheetahs players and coaches would like to thank all the supportive West Seattle soccer fans who braved the below-freezing temperatures to come and cheer for us in the finals of the President Cup. You mean the world to us!

Congratulations again to the Cheetahs, the Xtreme, and the Eagles. They all are part of the West Seattle Soccer Club, which has spring leagues as well as fall; find out more about WSSC at its website.

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Inauguration Day: Schedule released; West Seattle event
January 2, 2009 11:07 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   2009 Inauguration | West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

(January 18 note: We now have an INAUGURATION INFO page – click here to go there)

obamabarack.jpgA few national-news sites have posted the Obama/Biden Inauguration Day schedule of events in the past few hours, so it seems to be relatively new news – if you haven’t seen it, here’s the Inauguration Week/Day schedule on the official Inaugural Committee website. From that site, we discovered the Inaugural Committee has its own Twitter feed at @obamainaugural (see/follow it here). Meantime, the first open-to-the-public Inauguration Day events to cross our radar have been on the WSB Events calendar for a few days – here’s the announcement we first published there:

INAUGURATION DAY, will be busy for the WEST SEATTLE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN, as in the morning they will be having a Breakfast/Inauguration Viewing and later in the evening hosting an Inaugural Dinner/Gala. You need not be a member of WSDW, a female, or even a Democrat to attend either function, simply want to celebrate President-elect Obama’s inauguration and the CHANGE it will bring! The BREAKFAST/INAUGURATION VIEWING will be from 7:00 A.M. to approximately 10:00 A.M. at the West Seattle Golf Course. A big screen TV will be provided so to watch the Inauguration and Parade. Please contact WSDW via Karen at (206) 935-3216 or e=mail wsdwomen@yahoo.com to make a reservation.

The WSDWomen’s INAUGURAL DINNER/GALA begins at 6:00 P.M. at The Hall at Fauntleroy with a no-host beer and wine social hour followed at 7:00 P.M. with dinner and a dessert run showcasing absolutely scrumptious desserts. State Sen. Joe McDermott will be the Master of Ceremonies. Dancing and other frivolity will top off the end to a spectacular day! Please contact WSDW via Karen at (206) 935-3216 or e-mail wsdwomen@yahoo.com to obtain tickets to this event.

Reservations are required for both.

Other West Seattle Inauguration Day events open to the public? Let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

ADDED SATURDAY AFTERNOON: First one that we’re adding to the calendar – Dave at West 5 sends word that his Junction establishment’s a fine place to celebrate afterward: “No TVs to watch the event but we will celebrate with Happy Hour pricing all day 11-6, with $4.00 bloody marys & mimosas.”

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UPS delivery delays – the saga continues
January 2, 2009 9:07 pm
|      54 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

UPS PR didn’t respond to our inquiries today about how much progress they have, or have not, made in catching up in our area post-snow, and why the Web information still appears to be inaccurate for those awaiting deliveries. However, a UPS spokesperson quoted in this P-I story posted tonight says they will be making some deliveries tomorrow. Meantime, the comments continue rolling in on our previous UPS update from pre-New Year’s, and this one from “xxx” may be of immediate interest if you are still awaiting a package:

These guys have no clue where the package is – 404-828-3219 is the corporate number. SOmeone from there assured me the package will get delivered today. guess what – it wasn’t. He also gave me the local number 425-882-4111 in issaquah, and i called them and they said that the trailer is inaccessible until Monday and all they know is that it is not in the truck. Bottomline – a very frustrated me is still waiting on the package, and UPS has no bloody clue where it is and are useless. He said they were doing their best – absolutely not. Biggest bunch of insincere and useless people. I have put the numbers here so everyone can call and complain and give them a piece of your mind.

In a subsequent comment, “xxx” said the 425 number is supposed to be answered until 10 pm tonight – so if your package hasn’t arrived yet, it may be worth a try. 10 PM UPDATE: They’re working late tonight — a UPS truck just went by our house, further uphill and eastward on the nearby side street.

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West Seattle business notes: 3 quick update, from coffee to cars
January 2, 2009 7:21 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

COFFEE AT THE HEIGHTS: An e-mail inquiry reminded us we hadn’t checked on this in-the-works coffee shop (next to the laundromat at 35th/Webster) since this update last fall. So we asked the proprietors of PB&J Textiles, who are putting in the shop (and also operate the laundromat). After slowing the project down for a while, they say, it’s about to rev up again, with electrical work next week and cabinets after that – so opening day shouldn’t be TOO far away.

AND ACROSS THE STREET … from where Coffee at the Heights is brewing, county records confirm a recent tip we got that the former Carosello Coffee space (which had many names before it closed more than a year ago) at 7350 35th SW finally has been sold. Multiple sources say a salon is going in. The new owner has the same name as the operator of a salon on Delridge; we’re checking both locations for a link (although someone may beat us to confirmation while we’re out driving around!).

WEST SEATTLE MOTORS DRIVES INTO THE SUNSET: Thanks to Lora at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) for pointing out that the sign on this Triangle business along Fauntleroy Way has switched its blazing-red scrolling message from “Liquidation Sale” to “Gone Out of Business.” This was West Seattle’s last remaining car-sales business; we reported in May 2007 about its name change from Bob Ochsner Cars.

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Return of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup: First of 2009!
January 2, 2009 2:19 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | WS culture/arts | WS Weekend Lineup

wswllicon3.pngThe snow woes forced a two-week hiatus for the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, but now that wintry weather is down to its usual dull roar (knock wood), we’re ready to resume. From Twelfth Night Productions‘ (WSB sponsor) “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (read more here) to work parties tomorrow in three local forests to the Duwamish Tribe‘s longhouse dedication, to free yoga, in all, more than two dozen West Seattle Friday-Saturday-Sunday events are listed ahead:Read More

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A West Seattle year-end reflection you might otherwise miss
January 2, 2009 1:15 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle online | WS culture/arts

This one’s still on the WSB (Other) Blogs (in West Seattle) page, but will fall off soon since 100 sites feed into that page and this update’s a few days old. If you haven’t read it already, and you’re interested in the arts — or philosophy — or just plain thoughtful writing — it’s worth a look: ArtsWest executive director Alan Harrison‘s 2008-ending thoughts. (And we couldn’t resist calling attention to it, since he opens by implying only 4 people, or so, will see it.)

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Somber anniversary: Firefighters’ memorial/benefit at Holy Family
January 2, 2009 12:09 pm
|    Comments Off on Somber anniversary: Firefighters’ memorial/benefit at Holy Family
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

We mentioned this a few days ago on partner site White Center Now but want to share it here too: Next Monday night at Holy Family School (20th and Roxbury; map), a benefit dinner will be held to raise money for the Randy Terlicker Endowment Fund. He was one of the four Seattle firefighters who lost their lives in one of the most tragic incidents ever to rock our city’s public-safety community, the Pang warehouse arson (also memorialized by the Pioneer Square sculpture shown at left, which pays tribute to the four and to all firefighters killed in the line of duty). The night of the dinner marks exactly 14 years to the day since the 1/5/95 fire that killed Terlicker – a Holy Family alumnus – along with Lt. Walter Kilgore, Lt. Greg Shoemaker, and firefighter James Brown. The dinner event will also serve as a memorial for the four, with the Seattle Fire Department Pipes and Drums Band scheduled to take part, as well as presentation of colors by the Walter Kilgore Memorial Honor Guard, and remarks by Randy Terlicker’s family and friends. The endowment fund provides HF scholarships to families who need financial assistance to attend the school. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 pm (after a 6 pm social hour); call HF at (206) 767-6220 to check on ticket availability.

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West Seattle school-closure fight: Online petition drive
January 2, 2009 9:21 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle school closure | West Seattle schools

Next Tuesday, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson is scheduled to announce her “final recommendations” for which school programs and buildings should be closed in the current closure process; a final round of meetings and hearings will ensue, with a final School Board vote projected on Jan. 29. As previously reported, the current form of the proposal calls for closing the Genesee Hill Elementary building (shown at left) that’s housed Pathfinder K-8 for more than a decade, and closing the Cooper Elementary School “program” — dispersing its students to other West Seattle elementaries — so Pathfinder can move into that building (shown at right). This morning, we’ve received word of a new online petition drive opposing all proposed closures citywide (latest full list here). To see the petition (with a “signature” option for anyone interested), go here. To send your thoughts on the proposed closures/changes (or any other SPS-related topic) directly to the School Board, which has the final say, e-mail schoolboard@seattleschools.org (individual members’ info is here). The district’s official info page for the closure process is here; archived WSB coverage (newest to oldest) is here. ADDED 11:29 AM: Thanks to Forest for reminding us of something we should have added: The school district computer system is going down for major maintenance/power-supply upgrade starting at 5 pm tonight. The full notice is published at saveseattleschools.blogspot.com; it says the closure-info pages will be available elsewhere via a redirect, but e-mail to district addresses will not be delivered between Friday night and Monday morning.

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Friday morning commute update: Bridge ramps all open again
January 2, 2009 6:25 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

ORIGINAL 6:25 AM POST: We’re off to see which ramps, if any, are still closed on The Bridge as the up-to-eight-hour period of city drain-cleaning goes into its final stretch and eastbound “rush hour” approaches – the image above is the latest “live” picture from the city camera that looks eastward toward the ramp to 99. First word of what we find will turn up in the turquoise Twitter box (headed “What am I doing …”) on the right sidebar. Meantime, looks like some frosting on the cars outside – some potential rain-snow mix had been predicted overnight; nothing on the ground or road though, at least up here. 6:59 AM UPDATE: Just drove both directions; all ramps open, looks like the work’s all done. We saw one last city crew working on a drain in the inside westbound lane parallel with the Admiral exit when we were heading eastbound at 6:30, but even they were gone when we headed back west.

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New WSB sponsor: “Amahl and the Night Visitors” opens tonight
January 2, 2009 1:23 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | Holidays | WS culture/arts

For everyone who missed out on some of the usual pre-holiday fun because of Snowstorm ’08 — tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday, you have four chances to make up for it, with four performances of Twelfth Night Productions‘ “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at Youngstown Arts Center here in West Seattle. Twelfth Night is sponsoring WSB through the weekend to get the word out — here’s its announcement of the show, which it has presented annually for more than a decade:

Twelfth Night Productions celebrates Twelfth Night with its twelfth annual performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors, a short opera by Gian Carlo Menotti.

This fully orchestrated production of Menotti’s brilliantly scored opera tells the story of a poor young shepherd and his mother who receive a visit from the Three Kings on their way to Bethlehem: “Amahl’s mother welcomes the royal sojourners, who rest in the small, bare house where love and faith work miracles during the night.” (Publisher’s Weekly, 1986)

“Our production has become a tradition for many families in the Seattle area. It is a beautiful way to close the holiday season,” says artistic director Mary Opland Springer. Each year many cast members, musicians, and dancers return to recreate the magic of this beautiful opera.

Twelfth Night Productions is a non-profit performing arts organization located in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. This production features several artists from the West Seattle community as well as the greater Seattle area.

Amahl and the Night Visitors runs in a special limited engagement at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, the former historic Cooper School, in West Seattle. Showtimes are: Friday, January 2nd, and Saturday, January 3rd, at 7:30 PM, with matinees at 3:00 PM on Saturday (1/3) and Sunday (1/4). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students & seniors, and are available through Brown Paper Tickets (www.brownpapertickets.com), and at the Youngstown Theater on performance days.

Due to the popularity of this production and limited seating availability, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Amahl and the Night Visitors is produced through special arrangement with G. Schirmer Publishing Inc.

Here’s the direct link to the Brown Paper Tickets page for “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” We thank Twelfth Night Productions for supporting WSB with this sponsorship, and we hope you’ll support the local performing arts by enjoying “Amahl and the Night Visitors” this weekend!

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