January 2014

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda announced that Fairmount Park Elementary which has been in the process of a major $20 million overhaul, adding 10 classrooms and more than 19,000 sq. ft. The school is scheduled to re-open this fall.

Banda made the announcement in a letter to the community:

Dear West Seattle community,
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Breidenbach as the new principal of Fairmount Park Elementary School, effective immediately.

By Kyra-lin Hom

By age 12, we all know Hollywood is fake. We’ve learned about wires, prosthetics, and special effects. If you’re like me, you’ve converted hours of behind the scenes footage into hours of messing about with friends and a handheld camera. Ironically, it is our sheer confidence in being ‘intelligent’ viewers that blinds us to how ridiculous the media we consume really is.

Because it isn’t our ready consumption of computer graphics, convenient plot twists, overdone emotional angst, or scientific nonsense that is Hollywood’s crowning achievement in makebelieve. That award goes to something much subtler: the total subversion of our understanding of reality.

Looking for a great way to keep that New Year’s fitness resolution and help West Seattle High School?

Register for the 2013 West Seattle 5K Run/Walk.

This years’ race will take place May 18th at Alki Beach. Take advantage of early discount registration fees! The first 100 participants are automatically entered in a drawing to win a new pair of running shoes from West Seattle Runner.

Register at www.westseattle5k.com

Wellspring Family Services has launched an outreach effort called Sweet Dreams, to help ensure that homeless children in King County have everything they need for a good night's rest.

Sound sleep plays a key role in building a solid foundation for proper mind and body development. For children experiencing the negative effects of crisis and trauma, this healthy sleep is especially important.

The first step is to provide parents with everything they need to provide a structured bedtime routine for their children - cozy pajamas, clean underwear and socks, a warm bed and bedding, and a bedtime story.*

Between January 15 and March 31, community members are invited to give the gift of Sweet Dreams by:

Making a financial contribution – When you make a gift to Wellspring, $0.87 of every dollar goes directly to supporting children and families experiencing crisis, and provides access to the essential items all children need for a good night's sleep.

Twelfth Night Productions is presenting Private Eyes by Steven Deitz which they describe as "a comedy of suspicion and intrigue, where nothing is ever quite what it seems. Is Lisa having a torrid affair with Adrian, her British theatre director? Or is her husband Matthew making it up so that he has something wicked to report to his therapist? In the final act we meet Cory, the mysterious woman who brings this twisted story to its penultimate conclusion. Or is she also just a figment of Matthew’s vivid imagination?

The audience itself plays the role of detective in this hilarious "relationship thriller" about love, lust and the power of deception."

Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.

Playing at Youngstown Cultural Center, February 14, 15, 21 and 22 at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets, or at the box office an hour before showtimes.

The week of February 9 brings Neighbor Appreciation Day in groups, businesses, and residents across Seattle come together to celebrate each other.

Among the many events set for the day are local fire station open houses including:

• West Seattle Fire Station from 11a.m to 1 p.m. 7700 35th Ave. S.W.
• Highpoint Fire Station from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 1514 S.W. Holden Street
• West Seattle Junction Fire Station from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 3715 S.W. Alaska Street

The City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods has some special tips on the event to help you participate:

• List of Ideas on how you can celebrate
• Plan an event using our templates and tools
• Add your event to our events calendar or participate in one listed
• Share your story of a “Great Neighbor"

The second design review board recommendation meeting for the project proposed for 3210 California Ave. S.W. is set for Feb. 6 at the West Seattle Senior Center at 8 p.m.

The project which has been through several changes already will be five stories, containing 143 residential units, six live-work units and 4,220 sq. ft. of commercial space. Unlike many other recent projects in West Seattle the proposal calls for parking for 168 cars both above and below ground. The existing structures would be demolished.

The project has been controversial in the Admiral District neighborhood since it would have an obvious impact on traffic in the area and because the building is on a slope parts of it will rise substantially higher than nearby buildings.

69 year old James St. Clair was struck by a car and killed Dec. 30 as he crossed at the intersection of SW Graham Street and 35th Avenue Southwest.

He had lived at High Point less than one month.   Susanne Scaringi, 27 years old was struck at the same intersection while riding her bicycle in September of 2006.
 
A memorial walk for St. Clair is set for Saturday, January 18 at 1 p.m. in front of the High Point Branch Library, 3411 SW Raymond Street.

In a press release the organizers said:
"We will walk one block south to the crash site to pay our respects to the family and friends of James St. Clair, and then we will walk another two blocks to Neighborhood House at 6400 Sylvan Way SW for juice and snacks and a brief discussion with City of Seattle officials about the tragedy and how to make safer streets for everyone in the High Point area. These tragedies don’t need to keep happening.
 

In the Northwest region of Seattle there are five new land use applications in the works and two decisions made. To get a first look at these announcements, readers should go to the DPD bulletin and sign up: http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/Default.aspx

Information provided by the Department of Development.

The application for 10521 Meridian Ave. North is to allow a new two story 41,000 sq. ft. medical services structure (Meridian Center for Health). Surface parking on site for 19 vehicles, additional parking to be available on proposed lot to the south. Project includes 3,300 cu. yds. for grading. Pending short plat (3015969)

The zone for this location is NORTHGATE OVERLAY DISTRICT, LOWRISE-3, ARTERIAL WITHIN 100 FT., SPECIAL GRADING REQUIREMENT, URBAN VILLAGE OVERLAY, SALMON WATERSHED

SEPA approval is required

The application for 5601 20TH AVE NW is to allow a 6 story, 35-unit residential building with 3 live-work units (3,222 sq. ft.) and retail (1,884 sq. ft.) at street level. Parking for 19 vehicles will be located below grade. Existing structure to be demolished.

Thirsty Thursdays has been redefined by Reuben's Brew's. These days many thirsty patrons know that night before the weekend as Thank You Thursdays.

Jan. 16., Reuben’s Brews announced that their Thank You Thursdays program has raised more than seven thousand dollars for local non-profit organizations since it launched last May.

“We created Thank You Thursdays as a way to give back to the community,” wrote co-owner and head brewer Adam Robbings in the announcement.

Reuben’s Brews hosts a different non-profit organization every Thursday and donates one dollar from each pint, growler or set of three tasters sold that night.

The brewery invites representatives from the each organization to talk about their work and raise awareness of their cause.

Sustainable Ballard, Ballard Boys and Girls Club and Seattle Children's Hospital are just a few of the non-profits Reuben’s Brews has hosted.

But this is not just a humanitarian endeavor, the Thank You Thursday program hosts environmental and animal non-profits as well. For example, the donation made to MEOW Cat Rescue will cover 20 spay/neuter surgeries for animals in their shelter.