day : 30/01/2011 14 results

(Photo tweeted by @hopeseattle showing part of what was donated)
“We didn’t realize it could be so fun helping others.” That’s what Mike Jensen quotes his daughters as saying after they spent Saturday volunteering during the Hope Lutheran School donation drive to fill a school bus for West Seattle Food Bank. (Mike tells the story, from volunteers’ perspective, here.) The unofficial tally as of tonight is 40 boxes full of food donated from morning till night on Saturday outside the Jefferson Square Safeway; the official weigh-in is scheduled for tomorrow, so we’ll know then how many pounds of food were donated. More pix are on the Hope Lutheran Facebook page. (Missed the food drive? You can donate to WS Food Bank any time – here’s how.)

MONDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Mike sends word that the final tally was more than a ton and a quarter – more than 2,500 pounds of donated food!

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Chelan Café benefit tonight in memory of Jeremy Peck

January 30, 2011 10:33 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

(Photos by Deanie Schwarz for WSB)
One week after the candlelight memorial to remember Jeremy Peck, friends, family, and other community members were at the Chelan Café tonight for a potluck/karaoke/Jello shots fundraiser in his honor. WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz reports more than 75 people were there in the early going, with more continuing to arrive, and a spirit of camaraderie prevailing. Raffles were added to the night’s schedule, all to help pay for arrangements to lay Jeremy to rest. The questions about his disappearance and death are still weeks away from anything resembling answers; Deanie talked tonight with family spokesperson Cheryl Perry, who says she checked again with the King County Medical Examiner this week “and asked if they have anything they can tell us, because everybody wants to know. They don’t. They won’t even begin to have an answer for another seven weeks. … So many people, especially the younger people, want an answer. They want justice. But we can’t hurry the ME. They are going to do what they need to do. It’s due process and turn it over to the police, if there is something to turn over. We don’t know what the cause of death was.”

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Update: Alki Tours group leaves Egypt; 12 from West Seattle

January 30, 2011 8:26 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

ORIGINAL SUNDAY 8:26 PM REPORT: As KING 5 reported tonight, a local tour group is trying to get out of Egypt, among the ongoing anti-government protests there. What the TV report (embedded above) didn’t mention is that the company that set up the group, Alki Tours, is based in West Seattle, with offices on Fauntleroy Way in Morgan Junction. We talked tonight with Alki Tours’ founder/president Claire Nolan, who says the tour manager whose phone interview you heard in KING’s report, Tyson Verse, is doing an amazing job keeping everyone safe and comfortable. The 35-member tour group includes 12 people who live in West Seattle, according to Nolan, who’s run the travel/tour company – now with clients worldwide – for 18 years.

She tells WSB the group’s 10-day tour was wrapping up when they got to Cairo, after activities including a cruise on the Nile, and found themselves caught in the heart of the protests, with “riots” around the station where they got off a train. No one was threatened or injured; after armed guards escorted the tourists to their hotel, Nolan says, “We were able to get everybody to the airport, and they’re in a secure location” – but they’ve been waiting to find out when the airport, closed because of the political upheaval, will reopen. Most recently, they’ve been told by the U.S. State Department that flights will be chartered to get Americans out of Cairo, and that those flights will start at 2 pm tomorrow Cairo time (about 4 am tomorrow morning our time) – they’ll be taken to Europe, and will connect to US-bound flights from there.

So with all the news about communications being cut off, you might wonder how Alki Tours has stayed in touch with its tour and manager. According to Nolan, incoming phone calls are working, but not outgoing. She says they send “about 100 people a year” on tours to Egypt (here’s next year’s itinerary), from among their 35,000 annual clients, and while they’ve had to deal with unpredictable situations before, having people “actually holed at the airport” is a new situation. She has words of praise for their tour manager, who has been handling “provisions and blankets for everyone.” They’re not sure how soon everyone will be home – depends on what happens once those evacuation flights begin.

1 AM MONDAY UPDATE: It’s now 11 am in Cairo, and that’s the time American travelers interested in those flights, including the local travelers, had been told to gather at a particular terminal (4) at the airport (here’s the State Department advisory). Alki Tours management here said their group was planning to move to that terminal ahead of time to beat the rush.

10:07 AM MONDAY UPDATE: We just stopped by Alki Tours, where they say everybody on their tour is headed out of Egypt, either via Lufthansa or Delta.

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Followup: Zippy’s Giant Burgers close to a new home?

January 30, 2011 7:32 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

(Video from inside Zippy’s kitchen last month, by Deanie Schwarz for WSB)
Some new information tonight, more than a month after our first report about the unsettled situation at the Highland Park corner that is home to Zippy’s Giant Burgers. You may recall that, after the 16th/Holden building was foreclosed on, forcing its owner to close his store SeaMart last month, followed by the shutdown of neighboring JoJo’s Fine Espresso, leaving Zippy’s as the last business open at the site.

After hinting today in the WSB Forums that a breakthrough may be near, Zippy’s owner Blaine Cook confirmed to WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz that they’re working on a deal for a new “turnkey” location. They should know by the end of the week if it’ll work out. Otherwise, he explained, negotiations for a potential new lease at the current location are not yielding a “reasonable” solution, and talks about a possible purchase aren’t advancing at all. So where’s the potential new spot? Somewhere in the general West Seattle area – that’s as specific as he’ll get right now. One important note for customers in the meantime: Zippy’s will be CLOSED ON MONDAYS starting tomorrow and continuing through February (they’ll also be closed next Sunday, 2/6).

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West Seattle scenes: Eagle family goes fishing off Alki

January 30, 2011 5:44 pm

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| West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Click photo to see larger version)
New photos in from Guy Smith, Alki wildlife watcher, who reports:

This am we saw 2 parent eagles and their yearling, fishing just off our stretch of beach. We noticed that the seagulls didn’t harass them as they normally do. We are guessing that when there is only one eagle, they can harass it from the back without fear. But with two other eagles close by, the gulls or crows become fair game themselves.

(Click photo to see larger version)
The eagles swooped down many times but never attempted to get a fish. Finally they made their way toward the bathhouse.

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Weekend scenes: West Seattleites @ City Hall open house

January 30, 2011 5:41 pm

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| Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Among those crossing The Bridge to get to Saturday’s open house at Seattle City Hall – Holli Margell and Amanda Leonard from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council. Holli gave us permission to share her photos. Above, the aerial view of West Seattle’s own Caspar Babypants performing in City Hall’s huge open-space lobby; next, visitors gathered to hear Mayor McGinn speak – Holli says he told the crowd, “We need you to help us meet our vision for the city,” and urged everyone to be engaged:

And his office upstairs was open for tours, too – this is Amanda next to a whiteboard where visitors were encouraged to leave messages:

To the mayor’s theme of getting engaged – if you live in North Delridge, check out the NDNC meeting on Monday, February 14th, 6:30 pm at Delridge Library – here’s the agenda, from Holli:

The Feb. 14th NDNC meeting will provide free cookies! Our meeting will start promptly without the usual introductions to accommodate a presentation from the Fire Station 36 – looking at their Seismic and Expansion upgrades. This presentation is timely since our March meeting will focus on Emergency Preparedness.

The February meeting agenda will also include:
– A short discussion by Co-Secretary Kirsten looking at the Delridge Neighborhood District Council’s goals
– Discussion by neighbor Connie on “What Makes a Community”
– Reports from Chairs

NDNC is online at ndnc.org.
ADDED EARLY MONDAY: Holli has written more about their City Hall visit here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Car vandalism; garage break-ins

January 30, 2011 3:55 pm

| 45 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports from the WSB inbox today. First, what appears to be a random case of car vandalism (though the victim’s wondering if it happened to anyone else in the area); second, a report of garage break-ins. Both after the jump – plus a third report that *might* involve a stolen car:Read More

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West Seattle High School’s new fastpitch-softball coaching team

January 30, 2011 3:10 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Changes for softball at West Seattle High School, with details from parent volunteer Denise Liftin:

With the departure of Coach Carrie Burr at the beginning of the school year to take on other opportunities as Athletic Director and Activities Coordinator at Ballard High School , WSHS Wildcats Fastpitch had to say goodbye to their very successful coaching staff (also including Chuck Albany, Gordon Hessel and Alicia Hill, who had assisted Coach Burr).

Although the former staff will be missed, the team is excited that stepping in to take over the Wildcat Fastpitch tradition are new Head Coach Jim Perkins and Assistant Coach Deavonnie Spadoni, both of whom were involved with John F. Kennedy High School Fastpitch (Deavonnie as a catcher and Jim as an Assistant Coach)

Photos, and some words from the new coach, as Denise’s report continues after the jump:Read More

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Fauntleroy Expressway: The next notable West Seattle road project

January 30, 2011 12:06 pm

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| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

The city has just put up its brand-new info-page about a road project that’s been in the works for a while but hasn’t been discussed much lately: Seismic retrofitting for the Fauntleroy Expressway, which is the southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge. Some earthquake-safetyproofing work was done in 1994; 17 years later, this is the followup. (This section of the bridge itself was built in 1963.) SDOT says work will start this spring; here’s how it’ll affect traffic:

The project is expected to be advertised for competitive bids in the spring 2011. The seismic work will largely require occasional lane closures to traffic, bicycles, and pedestrians during construction.

During the installation of the new bearing pads, traffic is expected to be impacted on some nights and weekends. Closure of the Expressway will occur intermittently and detour routes around the work will go into effect. For traffic going Fauntleroy Way SW to West Seattle the detour will be to SW Avalon Way either by the Delridge Way SW ramp or Harbor Ave SW/SW Avalon Way ramp. Traffic from SW Admiral Way is expected to be detoured either thru 38th Ave SW or further north.

The project cost is estimated at $2.7 million.

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West Seattle Sunday: Preschool open houses, Farmers Market…

January 30, 2011 7:42 am

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| West Seattle schools | WS miscellaneous

Holy Rosary‘s preschool teachers shared that photo along with an invitation to interested families to check out their open house today, 10 am-1 pm, northeast corner of 42nd and Genesee. And another preschool open house today is literally steps away – West Seattle Christian Preschool, right across Genesee, 1-3 pm. Also today: The first week of “Emilie” at ArtsWest continues with a 3 pm performance (tickets available online) … And one more event in The Junction: The West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm as always, 44th/Alaska (here’s what market managers say you’ll find) … Two remembrance events today: The celebration of life for Christy Tyson (see this WSB story), 3-6 pm at Camp Long Lodge (5200 35th SW), and the Jeremy Peck memorial and benefit potluck dinner, Chelan Café, 6-10 pm (3527 Chelan SW; more information on this Facebook event invite page).

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From peninsula to Phinney: West Seattleites @ Home Fair today

January 30, 2011 6:03 am

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| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Remember all the talk about “backyard cottages”? Now that they’re legal in Seattle – this city webpage explains the concept – local builders are starting to add them to their repertoire. In the photo above, you see the first one built by West Seattle-based NCompass Cottage Company. The cottage is in Ballard, but NCompass is West Seattle’s first specialist. And today, they are one of three WSB sponsors participating in an event that’s a must-visit for anyone considering not only a cottage but any other type of home project, even though the event’s not happening in West Seattle: It’s the 14th annual Home Design and Remodel Fair at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Avenue North (here’s a map), 10 am-4 pm. The three WSB sponsors among the 90 exhibitors are NCompass Cottage Company and Ventana Construction, as well as the landscape specialists of WEdesign. Detailed information is available here, including full lists of exhibitors and workshops (WEdesign is presenting a workshop on sustainable landscaping at 2:20 pm). There is a $9 adult admission fee.

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Seattle Lutheran sports: Soccer coach honors; Saturday basketball

January 30, 2011 3:26 am

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Two sports notes from Seattle Lutheran High School:

(November 2010 photo courtesy Bil Hood)
First, belated congratulations to the SLHS soccer program for more honors following their state-championship season: In statewide voting, coach Jeff Norton (above) was chosen State Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year (2B/1B), Ashley Shaw won Player of the Year and All-State First Team selection, and Sam Depew and Natalie Pimblett were chosen for All-State Second Team.

Second – our coverage of Saturday night’s varsity basketball games with Seattle Lutheran hosting Bear Creek, ahead:Read More

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The WSBeat: Fire followups; abandoned tween; more

January 30, 2011 3:24 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle police | WSBeat

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

It’s been a busy week for real-time coverage, so this week’s WSBeat publication is a bit delayed. But there are still a few things to share from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:

*Followup to a case reported on WSB earlier this week: Administrators say that a 16-year-old student suspected of setting two fires on Monday, several hours apart, in two West Seattle High School bathrooms, will be placed on long-term suspension.

Five more summaries ahead:Read More

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Fire call in 2600 block of 47th SW

January 30, 2011 2:29 am

| Comments Off on Fire call in 2600 block of 47th SW

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

In case the sirens woke you up: Scanner traffic indicates this fire call in the 2600 block of 47th SW (map) involves an electrical problem in an appliance, and crews have not so far detected “extension” into the house itself; part of the initial full response has been canceled. A medic crew is treating one person for what was described as a problem “not believed to be related to smoke inhalation.”

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