day : 12/10/2008 7 results

For a West Seattle entrepreneur, everything’s just ducky

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If you’ve ever walked to or from Lincoln Park via the south end of Beach Drive, you’ve probably seen a festively decorated garden featuring rubber ducks. Its owner contacted WSB some time back to let us know his legendary decorations were taking wing into a business. Sounded like a fun story rather than just a business blurb – so we asked the University of Washington News Lab, which offers help to small news organizations such as ours, whether one of its student journalists might be interested. Read on to see the results – the story behind the ducks, plus a message you can probably appreciate in these nerve-jangling times:Read More

Update: West Seattle contender’s in 2nd in “hero” vote

October 12, 2008 7:26 pm
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 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | How to help | West Seattle people

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Have you voted yet in the “Cox Conserves Heroes” competition? Fauntleroy’s Judy Pickens is now in second, and there are just a few days left to vote — if she wins, EarthCorps (which works on greenspace restoration in West Seattle and elsewhere) gets a $5,000 donation. Judy is shown at left in the photo above with some of the many visitors young and old who come to Fauntleroy Creek, for which she has worked tirelessly (we won’t soon forget spending some time with her by the creek in March, when a few tiny salmon fry were clearly visible, fighting the current). Take a minute – go here to vote – tell your friends. Two weeks from today, by the way, you can join Judy and other friends of Fauntleroy Creek, drumming to call the salmon home, 5 pm 10/26 at the overlook across from the ferry dock. P.S. There’s a new creek update on fauntleroy.net – a grant application to restore “the last degraded reach of the creek” – read about it here.

Reminder for NEXT weekend: Viaduct inspection shutdown

October 12, 2008 5:04 pm
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 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle traffic alerts

SCENIC_Alaskan_Way_AWV1.jpgAs this weekend winds down, another reminder about next weekend: The Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed 6 am Saturday-6 pm Sunday (10/18-10/19) for its semiannual inspection. (And if that in turns detours you to the 1st Avenue South exit for the first time in a while, remember that as of a month ago, you have to turn left – north – there.)

Design Review updates: High Point details; board member’s hiatus

October 12, 2008 3:51 pm
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 |   Development | High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Every little detail of the development process may not be your cup of tea; we chronicle it so the information’s there when you do want to find it (you never know when one of those big city signs might go up in your ‘hood). As you may know, for big projects in our city, the Design Review stage of the process is often the only time there’s a public meeting about a project (usually at least two) where you can show up and have a say. Each area of the city has its own board; the Southwest Design Review Board looks at West Seattle projects, usually the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, if there are projects requiring review (no meeting if there aren’t; this is usually decided several weeks in advance, and you can watch this page for word of upcoming meetings). Next SWDRB meeting is October 23rd at Madison Middle School, with 4106 Delridge reviewed at 6:30 pm, The Kenney‘s “reinvention” project (previous WSB coverage here and here) reviewed at 8 pm. Following up on the SWDRB’s last meeting this past Thursday, we have two things to report: first, details on a prominent board member’s hiatus; second, details on what led up to the decision to advance the 35th/Graham High Point project on to the next stage. Read on!Read More

Next steps in privatizing West Seattle Stadium operation

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We first reported September 30th that the city Parks Department is seeking proposals from private concerns that would be willing to make renovations at West Seattle Stadium — renovations the city estimates would cost at least $4 million and doesn’t have the money for — in exchange for an agreement to “operate and maintain the Stadium including the track and field areas, but not the parking areas … a multi-year contract that allows (the operator) to recoup its capital investment and support its own business.” Following up on that – this is scheduled for discussion at the Delridge District Council meeting this Wednesday, according to district neighborhood coordinator Ron Angeles (7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room, public invited). He also forwarded updates on how to formally comment on the stadium’s future and the forthcoming “request for proposals,” including the previously mentioned public hearing before the city Board of Park Commissioners on October 23rd, the board’s November vote, and various ways to send comments right now. Read on for full details, including a recap of the repairs the city wants the future stadium operator to make:Read More

Reader report: Alki no-parking signs may not tell the whole story

October 12, 2008 10:17 am
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 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

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We told you a few days ago about the no-parking signs up along a long stretch of Alki and Harbor Aves, all the way to the heart of the beach, to facilitate painting crews (sharrows and the lane lines to the right of them) this weekend. Just got this note of caution that Andrew wanted to share from the Alki/Bonair (map) vicinity:

I just wanted to give a heads up that the no parking signage is a bit misleading. Be very careful where you park on Alki today as I saw the Seattle Police patroling for cars parked in areas where the new parking lines hadn’t been painted yet. Looks like some of the signage is incorrect and says Monday – Friday when it actually applies today on Sunday. I checked with one of the Officers and he said I was ok, but just beware!

This may include the area that’s been off-limits to parking because of the pump-station work. How to know? Look to see if the lane near the curb has been painted already. If it has, you’re probably OK. If it hasn’t, don’t park there before late afternoon.

Wild times at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market

October 12, 2008 6:34 am
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 |   West Seattle Farmers' Market

Wild mushrooms are among the new items on the Ripe ‘n’ Ready “fresh sheet” for today’s West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm 44th/Juneau; you can see the full list here.