day : 13/04/2011 13 results

(THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE, 7:16 AM: Seattle Police says the motorcyclist did not survive)

9:49 PM: Traffic is blocked right now in at least one direction on 35th SW in the Findlay/Juneau area (map) for a medic response at a crash scene. Initial scanner reports said a car and motorcycle were involved. More shortly.

9:56 PM: 35th SW is currently blocked both ways at the scene, and SW Juneau is being blocked as well. And the scanner indicates the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is responding, which means both that someone is apparently seriously hurt and that the road will be at least partly closed for some time.

10 PM: We are at the scene. A wrecked motorcycle and vehicle are in view. The scanner indicates one person is receiving CPR while being rushed to Harborview Medical Center. Some traffic is getting through southbound, but northbound 35th and westbound Juneau are being taped off. Avoid the area TFN.

10:08 PM: Authorities at the scene confirm the person taken to the hospital is the motorcycle rider. The driver of the car (photo just added, above) was not hurt seriously, if at all. Given the hour, we may not have significant updates on the crash’s cause/victim’s status before morning, but we’ll be checking, and we’ll also check back on the road-closure status.

11:56 PM: Adding that clip from the scene, before the investigation team arrived – a little bit of perspective to where the motorcycle and car ended up. We drove through the area about 15 minutes ago; the northbound lanes remain blocked while investigators work, as does westbound Juneau east of 35th, and 35th traffic is being allowed through the southbound lanes, with northbound and southbound alternating.

1:34 AM: Police just announced (relayed via scanner) that 35th SW is fully open again at the scene.

7:16 AM: Seattle Police have just confirmed what a WSB commenter has posted – the motorcyclist died. Det. Mark Jamieson says he does not know the man’s age, nor that of the woman driving the car with which the motorcycle collided. He says the motorcycle was traveling northbound and the car traveling southbound, turning left (eastbound) onto Juneau, when the two collided.

7:33 AM: Det. Jamieson has published the police summary to SPD Blotter; it adds that witnesses told police the motorcyclist was traveling “at a high rate of speed.” Meantime, we are checking WSB archives for the last deadly crash in West Seattle; so far, we aren’t finding one more recent than this March 2010 incident at 37th/Admiral.

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Coming to The Admiral: Longer SIFF run; Liz Taylor tribute

April 13, 2011 9:45 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Admiral Theater | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Big news from The Admiral tonight – not only is SIFF returning, it’ll have showings throughout the festival’s three-week run May 19-June 12, not just a one-week stop. Plus, Admiral manager Dinah Brein has announced an Elizabeth Taylor tribute later this month. Read on for the official announcement of both:Read More

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Followup: West Seattle’s next medical-marijuana provider explains

April 13, 2011 5:44 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Dozens of comments and questions ensued when we broke the news Monday that a medical-marijuana business is moving into the former Payday Loans space on the northeast corner of 35th/Roxbury. John Davis, owner of the forthcoming Northwest Patient Resource Center, told WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz that day that it will be a “facility,” not a “dispensary.” WSB’ers asked, what’s the difference? So that’s part of our followup:Read More

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West Seattle businesses: Green Home Renovations to ex-On Safari

April 13, 2011 5:03 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | Westwood

(From left, Jim Klossner, Keith Schiller, Matthew Flaph)
WSB contributor Bill Hutchison just discovered that another new tenant has opened an office in the former On Safari storefront in Westwood, at 9007 35th Ave SW. We reported earlier this month that a collectibles/gifts shop was moving into a third of the space, leaving two other vacancies, and now we know one has been taken by Green Home Renovations, a partner-owned business that began three years ago down in Portland. “Now we’ve set our sights on Seattle,” says president Keith Schiller, with whom Bill spoke along with partners Ryan Brooks and Matthew Flaph. They’re offering window replacement, siding, “living roofs,” and kitchen and bedroom remodeling, as what they call “green solutions” to boost homes’ energy-efficiency (among other factors).

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Community meeting set for Walt Hundley Playfield turf project

April 13, 2011 3:23 pm

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| High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Two days after the City Council finalized $1 million for synthetic turf at High Point’s Walt Hundley Playfield, the date’s been announced for a community meeting: April 27, 6:30 pm, Southwest Library (35th/Henderson). The project now has its own webpage, too.

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Tunnel tussle: City attorney going to court over I-101, too

April 13, 2011 3:06 pm

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| Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news

Latest twist in the tunnel tussle, just in from City Attorney Pete Holmes‘ office: As with the referendum petition drive seeking a vote on the City Council’s approval of tunnel-related items, Holmes is also going to court over anti-tunnel Initiative 101, which he believes is “probably beyond the scope of our local initiative power.” News release after the jump:Read More

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New state ferry Salish on sea trials, spotted off West Seattle

April 13, 2011 2:00 pm

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| Fauntleroy | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Just a few hours after Washington State Ferries sent a news release announcing that its new Todd (Vigor) Shipyards-built Salish is out on sea trials, before joining its sibling Chetzemoka on the Port Townsend run, it’s been spotted off Fauntleroy. Dan Jessup shared photos and this report:

The new ferry Salish just sped by the Fauntleroy area quite close to shore. The picture (with the crow) shows how fast the Salish was moving as it passed close in front of the ferry Sealth, which was approaching the Fauntleroy ferry dock. The second picture of the Salish was a few minutes later as it had passed Brace Point into the Endolyne area. This occurred about 13:05 today.

The third ferry in the Salish and Chetzemoka’s Kwa-di Tabil class, Kennewick, is under construction at Todd/Vigor right now.

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Duwamish Alive! this Saturday: Where your help is still needed

April 13, 2011 1:30 pm

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| Environment | How to help | West Seattle news

That’s an advance look (click the image for a larger version) at the interpretive sign that will be dedicated at T-107 Park on the Duwamish River in West Seattle this Saturday afternoon, as the multisite Duwamish Alive! work party wraps up. As previewed here earlier this month, there’s a lot going on at that site on Saturday, but it’s still in need of more volunteers, according to Cari Simson from the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition. We asked her where help is still needed, and she said about 20 more people could still be used at the adjoining Herring’s House and T-107 park sites, as well as several volunteers each at Longfellow Creek (Brandon Street Natural Area) and Roxhill Bog. If you would like to RSVP for T-107, e-mail contact@duwamishcleanup.org; for the other two, adam.jackson@kingcd.org. If you can’t join in the work parties but would like to go to T-107 for the dedication ceremony (which also will mark the opening of a new hand-carry boat launch), it’s at 1 pm Saturday (with dignitaries scheduled to be on hand including Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen, King County Executive Dow Constantine, and City Council President Richard Conlin).

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West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day Update: 90 sales so far!

April 13, 2011 10:52 am

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| Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

Spring may not have made up its mind about weather consistency just yet, but – flashing forward one month and one day – May 14th is looking brighter all the time. Nine days into the registration period, the 90th sale has just signed up for the seventh annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (coordinated and presented by WSB)!

When we announced last week that registration had opened, we forgot to tell you when it closes – end of the evening, April 27th. That’s two more weeks, but why procrastinate? If you want to be part of the city’s biggest garage-saling day of the year (200+ sales big and small last year), just go here and sign up now. While it’s fun to shop and/or sell, what we have also heard from participants over the years is that it’s great to meet more West Seattle neighbors in person, as you either host a sale or visit the ones nearest you. (If you don’t have enough space for a sale, but you have stuff to sell, group spots offering space so far include: Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor – 2010 photo above), lora@hotwirecoffee.com – C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), candpco@comcast.net – VFW Hall in The Triangle, call (206) 935-4352 – and if you are looking to sell bikes/gear, check with Cycle U in The Triangle; you can also stop in at any of those venues to ask about space.)

On May 14th, sale hours are 9 am-3 pm, all over the peninsula – we’ll have the maps (online and downloadable/printable) available one week in advance so you can plot your path! And again, to sign up YOUR sale – individual or business/group/school/organization/block – just go here (it’s all online). If you’re on Facebook, keep an eye on the WSCGSD page here; and be sure you have “liked” the semi-new WSB page (we moved a few weeks ago), at facebook.com/westseattleblog.

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40 wineries join for sold-out FareStart fundraiser in West Seattle

April 13, 2011 10:03 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS beverages

Story and photos by Stephanie Chacharon
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Wine enthusiasts and FareStart supporters filled Salty’s on Alki last night for the 10th annual “Sexy Syrah” benefit. The lineup of more than 40 Northwest wineries included West Seattle-operated McCrea Cellars, represented by Bob Neel, operations manager and chief engineer (top photo).

The sold-out event, produced by sommeliers David LeClaire of Seattle Uncorked and Tim O’Brien of Salty’s, is a popular benefit for FareStart, a local organization devoted to training and placing homeless and disadvantaged people in the culinary field (among them, the late Swinery co-owner Joseph Brewer):Read More

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Admiral Neighborhood Assoc.: Union promise; Rasmussen; more

April 13, 2011 9:14 am

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“It’s been quite a meeting,” observed Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum as her group’s monthly session concluded last night.

That, it had – with a promise and a presentation from a labor union that recently drew ire for its noisy protest, a briefing from a city councilmember, and pride over a regional magazine feature, among other highlights. Toplines ahead:

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West Seattle Wednesday: Bees, gardens, jobs, unions, schools…

April 13, 2011 8:32 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo of the Olympic Mountains’ “The Brothers” by Long Bach Nguyen; click photo for larger version)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

ABUZZ ABOUT BEES: Curious about beekeeping? Come to the April CoolMom meeting, 7 pm at C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor).

JOIN THE WEST SEATTLE GARDEN TOUR COMMITTEE: 6:30 pm, West Seattle Garden Tour Committee meeting and potluck – you don’t have to be an expert gardener to volunteer to help with the tour! E-mail for location: info@westseattlegardentour.com.

JOB-SEARCH WORKSHOP: Free workshop “The New Job Search in the New Economy” at South Seattle Community College WorkSource, 4:30 pm – see full story here.

34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS LOOK AT LABOR: In light of the Wisconsin fight and other developments local and national, the 34th District Democrats’ meeting tonight is centered on a look at the history of labor organizing and “defense of the middle class.” 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.

Q/A WITH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD REP: Informal discussion with Steve Sundquist, president of the Seattle School Board, Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW), 11 am -12:30 pm.

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Preparedness Month, report #11: What to do AFTER a quake

April 13, 2011 1:46 am

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| Preparedness | Safety | West Seattle news

Disaster Preparedness Month continues, as does our almost-nightly focus on earthquake readiness. You’ve likely heard what to do before an earthquake, to enhance your readiness … and what to do during one (stop, drop, hold) … but how about what to do afterward? The natural reaction is to be stunned. If you have a list of things that are vital to check on and attend to, though, your survivability likelihood will rise in a big way. Here’s that list – from a California source, but thorough (they’ve been through it more often than we have). Meantime – know your nearest hub (and make sure your family/neighbors know it too)!