day : 09/03/2009 13 results

We’re tracking city and county politics here, since it’s a major election year, with 4 City Council seats plus mayor and county executive also on the fall ballot. New developments tonight, including: Nick Licata says he’ll run for council re-election, NOT for mayor; so that means two council seats with incumbents running (Licata and Richard Conlin) and two open (Jan Drago and Richard McIver aren’t running again), with a long list of declared candidates already, and two of them are going to appear at tomorrow night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting (7 pm, Admiral Congregational Church basement meeting room): Dorsol Plants (former Highland Park Action Committee chair) and David Bloom (who spoke at the Southwest District Council meeting last Wednesday). One question continuing to generate speculation: With so many having said they will NOT run against Mayor Nickels this fall, who will? Two have filed so far (Norman Sigler and David Wolbeck), and e-mail is circulating pointing out that former councilmember Peter Steinbrueck hasn’t ruled out a run yet, and in fact, has messaged the founder of a Facebook group titled “Peter Steinbrueck, for the love of Seattle, RUN FOR MAYOR!” to say “What three things … would people like to see changed?” (His note was excerpted over the weekend at Seattlest.) So we’re throwing out the question here too: Whether Hizzoner is re-elected or whether someone else takes over – what, if anything, would you like to see changed in Seattle?

Remember the fake Seacrest explosion? See the finished product

March 9, 2009 10:30 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

You may remember back in January, when a new MTV show called “The Phone” shot a sequence at Seacrest, including a staged car explosion. Now we have a clip of the finished product. If you are a Jimmy Fallon fan, you saw it a week ago. But this just came to our attention now – courtesy of Seacrest neighbor Adam, who also provided the inset photo (and others in our original coverage) – the clip was played during Fallon’s interview with Justin Timberlake, who is executive producer of “The Phone” (the video below is coded to start just as he introduces the clip):

The show is set to start airing April 21, 10 pm, on MTV, according to this article that also includes the official “trailer” (with a bit of the Seacrest sequence and other Seattle scenery).

ADDED 3/31: The clip originally featured above has been removed from YouTube – as of this moment, the official trailer is still there:

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West Seattle Weather Watch: 2 cold nights ahead

March 9, 2009 10:07 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo by Brian Presser – Junction construction worker during midday snow shower today)
The chance of snow showers is supposed to run out soon, according to the latest forecast, but the big weather news will be VERY cold overnight lows – 20s tonight, maybe even into the teens tomorrow. ADDED EARLY TUESDAY AM: An ode to this endless winter, by West Seattle poet Carol Smith – read on!Read More

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Update: Out-of-control pickup hits cars in Junction, driver hurt

March 9, 2009 7:02 pm

| 29 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
ORIGINAL 7:02 PM REPORT: On the way to check out a crash at California/Alaska – Leighellen reports via Facebook that the medic response has blocked the intersection, so if you’re heading that way, try 42nd or 44th till there’s word the scene’s clear.

7:09 PM UPDATE: We’re getting closer and – as GenHillOne also notes in comments – this apparently is in the block of California between Alaska and Oregon. More shortly.

7:18 PM UPDATE: See comments for an eyewitness report. The wrecked pickup has been cleared now and one lane of traffic is getting through southbound on that block, but half the road between Alaska and Oregon is still blocked by investigating officers (and there’s some cleanup that’ll need to be done on the streets too). Police confirm that the pickup driver has been taken to the hospital to be checked for possible head and back injuries, though they won’t say officially what may have caused him to hit other cars – how many other cars, we don’t have a total, though comments and e-mails have described anything from 5 to 20 – they’re on the east side of California. Thanks again to everyone who has e-mailed, Tweeted, and FB’ed with info about this – as well as those continuing to add eyewitness reports to comments.

7:50 PM: Adding photos above and below from WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli:

The northbound lane is still blocked by the investigation. We also got a call from Amy T, who had an incredibly close call – she was in her just-bought car at the California/Alaska intersection when the driver passed her apparently just before hitting the cars in the next block. In addition to the witness reports in comments below, via e-mail, Karla says, “I can NOT get that noise and smell of the smoke out of my head! It was truly the most incredible accident I have ever witnessed. I’m still shaking!” And we talked at the scene with Friends and Company owner Doris Goulet, whose car was among those hit; she echoes that it’s amazing nobody else was hurt – most stores were still open when this happened, and the pickup could just as easily have plowed into a store.

8:20 PM UPDATE: Yet another eyewitness report from Mark, via FB:

I was just there and saw it right after it happened. It looked like the driver of a Dodge 4X4 lost his right front wheel right just north of the intersection of California & Alaska. The truck kept going north smashing into at least eight cars parked at the curb – some with minor damage, some undriveable. It skipped some and hit others as it apparently swerved right again and again due to the missing wheel. The truck stopped at California & Oregon, where I saw the ambulance workers pull out the driver, who looked to be a middle-aged man, and load him onto a gurney. He was alive and moving when they loaded him into the ambulance.

LATE-NIGHT NOTE: We will check with police first thing in the morning to see what updates are available regarding the driver’s status and the total number of damaged vehicles, among other questions.

TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Official final total from Officer Mark Jamieson in the SPD media unit: 13 vehicles damaged, in addition to the 35-year-old driver’s truck:

(photo by Mark Ammann, added Tuesday)
The official summary of the incident doesn’t mention a possible medical problem as was being investigated at the scene last night as a possible factor, but focuses on suspected “impairment,” for which a blood sample taken last night will be tested. The driver of the first vehicle he hit also was treated at a hospital for possible back pain. As for official charges/citations, the decision on that will come later – once the collision investigators’ report is finished, it’s usually forwarded to prosecutors for that official decision on charges/citations, which might take weeks or months.

TUESDAY MIDDAY: Here’s how the police media unit tells the story at SPDBlotter.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Car break-in

March 9, 2009 4:04 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Out of the WSB inbox, from Amy:

We live on 37th Ave SW near the Hanford St intersection [map] and wanted to alert other West Seattle residences that our car was broken into, sometime early this morning, we believe. They stole our Garmin unit as well as an MP3 player.

As we hear time and time again at West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meetings (next one, 3/17, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct), these thieves are particularly keen on GPS’s, so even if you take yours inside at night but leave suction cups visible in the car, your car may be an attractive target.

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CFL bulb recycling: Councilmembers suggest library dropoffs

March 9, 2009 2:46 pm

| 17 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle news

They save a lot of power – but you can’t just toss ’em. So what if you could take CFL light bulbs to your nearest library for recycling? That’s the idea two city councilmembers are floating – read on:Read More

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Monday afternoon updates

March 9, 2009 12:51 pm

| 32 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(new info and photos added below as the afternoon goes on)

Hailing now – the ground is covered. The weather folks say the next round of nasty weather is moving southward toward us – and it’s been seriously wintry up north, as evidenced by this photo Scott C just sent from his workplace in Everett:

1:08 PM: Hailstorm’s over. For now. As noted in a comment on our morning weather post, the afternoon is expected to be unpredictable too; the assessment from Cliff Mass — “If it is going to snow significantly in Seattle … it will be later this afternoon …” Also just in – thanks to Sharonn Meeks for an amazing photographic look from downtown as the storm moved in:

And here’s a few seconds of video from when the hail was falling here:

1:41 PM: Snowing now. Wish we had a time-lapse camera just rolling on the whole day.

2:26 PM: Traffic alert that may or may not be weather related – Sylvan Way through High Point is currently closed at SW Holly, near Forest Lawn (map) – we haven’t heard back from police yet but a nice person at FL tells us it appears to be some kind of accident; nothing on 911 log so we can only hope that means no medics because no injuries.

3:01 PM UPDATE: Police say it’s a jackknifed semi. We’re headed over to check the status of the scene. Meantime, OUTSIDE West Seattle but possibly affecting your commute, Metro is starting to report some bus trouble on the Eastside as well as “hilly areas” in Rainier Beach; here’s the “adverse weather” page.

3:16 PM UPDATE: The truck (photo above) has been pulled off to the side of the road – traffic’s been getting around, albeit slowly. One more update to share: Elementary and middle-school afterschool activities have been canceled for this afternoon/tonight throughout Seattle Public Schools (per schoolreport.org).

4 PM NOTE: Just mentioned this in comments – our Traffic page doesn’t just have the West Seattle-relevant traffic cameras, it also includes two links you can use to check for traffic incidents around the metro area – one goes to Traffic.com’s “latest incidents” for the Seattle area, the other goes to the WSDOT Twitter bulletins about the Seattle area. Both are at the top of this page.

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From land-use land: Alki application, Delridge decision

March 9, 2009 12:12 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Delridge | Development | West Seattle news

View Larger Map

Two West Seattle items in the city’s latest Land Use Information Bulletin: On Alki, immediately south of Cactus on 63th SW, a land-use application has just been filed for two 3-story buildings totaling 7 units. Here’s the notice, which has links for comments to be submitted, through 3/22.

Second: In South Delridge, a decision is in approving a land-use application to build two 4-unit townhouse buildings on a 9,500-square-foot lot at 8605 Delridge (map) that currently holds one house. Read the decision here.

SPEAKING OF TOWNHOUSES: The proposed changes to the Multi-Family Code (zoning), involving townhouse design and more, will be the subject of a briefing this Wednesday, 9:30 am at City Hall, before the City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Neighborhoods Committee. Here’s the committee agenda (which also includes a rezoning request for some High Point Land); here’s our report from January.

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Check your can: Trash/recycling pickup-change notices arriving

March 9, 2009 10:33 am

| 12 COMMENTS

| Utilities | West Seattle news

Thanks to Bob Loblaw for sending word – and pic – of the notice taped to his trash can after this morning’s pickup: In his Fairmount Park neighborhood, at least, Monday pickup will move to Tuesday as of the week of March 30th. We have Monday pickup here in Upper Fauntleroy too, but have NOT received any such notice, so we’re not assuming everyone with Monday pickup is switching to Tuesday – just wanted to remind you to start checking your receptacles (the city says you should get a notice no later than March 23). This is all part of the package of big changes including weekly yard waste/food waste pickup (other recycling will remain every-other-week), no more glass separation for recycling, additional materials allowed in recycling (like aluminum foil) etc. — all detailed here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Not just mail theft – mailbox theft

March 9, 2009 9:41 am

| 15 COMMENTS

| Crime | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

We usually don’t publish exact addresses of crime victims, but in this case, the address matters because it’s part of what was stolen: At 8424 46th SW near Lincoln Park, someone made off with the address sign you see at left AND the mailbox. Chris e-mailed the photo along with the report that the theft happened sometime between noon Saturday and 9 am today, and is most concerned about getting back the mail. The sign is lettered in stainless steel and matches a nearby trellis.

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Denny-Sealth construction work: Next alert for neighbors

March 9, 2009 9:17 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Denny-Sealth | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

That’s the doorhanger that people living around the Chief Sealth High School (permanent) campus will get this week, according to managers for the project that includes both Sealth renovations and the construction of the new Denny Middle School on the Sealth campus. It includes major digging for gas and water lines. As we reported last week, the district changed its mind about a big “groundbreaking” celebration for this phase, but the work proceeds, with the goal of Sealth moving back in fall of 2010, and Denny opening in 2011.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Monday morning updates

March 9, 2009 7:47 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(newest image from the city’s “live” cam on The Bridge, looking east)
Another round of light snow just started where we are, so it’s time to start a new update. No major problems reported with the commute so far. Countywide, Metro only has one route on the “disrupted” list.

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Monday miscellany: Make It Workshop, Toastmasters, rummage x 2

March 9, 2009 2:11 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

MAKE IT WORKSHOP: A sad note from the sewing-instruction business in The Building, the art/craft studios just west of Seattle International Church in Gatewood (Othello west of California; map), seen here in Google Street View:

View Larger Map

Make It Workshop proprietor Joey sent this e-mail announcement headed “Can’t make it work” and asking that it be shared “far and wide”:

As great of an idea as MIW seems to be -So sad to say- I am not attracting enough students to stay in business… Maybe the economy or busy schedules. I dunno?? But for the time being- MIW will have to be on hold…after April maybe..?? If you are signed up for a class, don’t worry, I’ll be here for it- bring a friend if you can!! On another BIG note- I *need *to find an artist or crafter to take/rent my gorgeous space. I ambitiously signed a 2-year lease and cannot get out-until there’s another renter. It’s such an incredible work environment that we put a lot of work into- if you know anyone looking for a space or 2 people?? write me for my landlord’s number/info..

Joey’s contact info is on the Make It Workshop webpage at makeitworkshop.com.

TALK WITH THE TOASTMASTERS: One of the listings for today on our West Seattle-wide WSB Events calendar (which now stretches into fall – is YOUR event on it? editor@westseattleblog.com) is from the Daystar Dialoguers Toastmasters, who invite you to their open house, noon-1 pm today at Daystar (across SW Barton from Westwood Village). Find out more about them online at daystarclub.freetoasthost.us.

RUMMAGE X 2: Early heads-up if you relish rummage sales: Two West Seattle churches have big ones planned this Friday and Saturday. West Side Presbyterian Church (3601 California SW; map) plans theirs 9 am-5 pm Friday, 9 am-2 pm Saturday; Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW; map) is at 9 am-4 pm Friday, 9 am-3 pm Saturday.

SPEAKING OF RUMMAGE SALES: The 5th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, presented again this year by WSB, is two months from today – May 9, 2009. More details on this year’s registration, etc., by this time next week.

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