day : 11/08/2007 7 results

We knew Garlic Jim’s Pizza (now in its 5th month in The Junction) was among the sponsors for tonight’s Sidewalk Cinema outdoor movie next to Hotwire — but we didn’t know they were bringing free pizza! GJ’s owner Ryan Reese and his minions just kept the slices coming; smelled heavenly. And that was only part of the fun. The movie was “Raiders of the Lost Ark”; looked and sounded great with the Sidewalk Cinema projection & speaker system. At least 150 bundled-up people of all ages were there and there was still room for more. Awesome raffle prizes (no entry fee, you got a raffle ticket just for being there) from GJ’s (free & discount pizza) and the other two sponsors, WS Farmers’ Market ($10 certificates) and Viking Bank (free safe-deposit box for a year). Next Saturday night, the movie is “Monty Python & the Holy Grail”; sponsors are 4 West Seattle dentists (wonder what their giveaways might be).

Sharrow-minded

August 11, 2007 7:10 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Transportation

A few hours after Rhonda @ Beach Drive Blog posted an update/rant about the sharrows, we drove BD to check the progress ourselves.

The northbound lanes appear complete; the southbound lanes are done through the 5500 block of Beach Drive, some sharrows so fresh that orange cones framed them as of this afternoon (narrowing the lanes a bit precariously for a then-sunny weekend day). Lincoln Park Way does not appear to have been tackled yet. So how are they working (or not) for bicycle riders? Bike Hugger posted about his first try.

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Freeway Fright ’07: As Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy says…

August 11, 2007 3:16 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Freeway Fright '07 | Transportation

… don’t panic.

Those three images, by the way, are the latest images (as of when you arrived on this page) from the (left to right) city traffic cam for the WS Bridge, looking east from midspan; the city traffic cam pointing east at the I-5 ramps from high over 6th/Spokane; and the state traffic cam (direction varies) at I-5/Spokane. (Refresh this page for the newest images.) Meantime, we just took our first eastbound journey since this began 17 hours ago. No awfulness. We took the Costco loop – down Fauntleroy to The Bridge, off at 1st South & up to 4th, to Costco, then back up over the 1st Ave S Bridge to 509 to Myers and up through the north edge of White Center, to our south side of WS ‘hood. Of course we took pix.

Left to right below – looking east down the bridge after the post-Fauntleroy bend; looking east down the bridge after the high hump; top of the 1st Ave S ramp:

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Left to right below — sign on the south edge of the bottom of the 1st Ave S ramp; looking east down Spokane (surface) toward 4th; our only traffic hangup, a train (if you get off at 1st S hoping to use the new 4th S left-turn signal, remember you run the risk of train delay):
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WSDOT’s latest update on how the I-5 work is going (don’t forget the WS Bridge ramp to northbound 5 is completely closed all weekend) is here.

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Muscle beach

August 11, 2007 1:03 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Seen around town | West Seattle beaches | WS & Sports

Dropped by the Bench Press and Dead Lift Championships happening right now at Alki (between the Bathhouse and the sand). We caught a couple of the more senior lifters in action (their ages were announced with their names), lifting somewhere around 200 pounds. First, Richard, 75 years old, before and during his lift:

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This is Leroy, 67, before and during:

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Goodnatured crowd on hand, some sponsor freebies, and demonstrations between lifters’ “flights” — as we left, a group of young martial artists was about to show their stuff. ALSO HAPPENING IN WS RIGHT NOW: The first annual C & P Coffee arts & crafts fair, till 3 pm. One WSB reader already has written in with a rave review – “some great stuff.”

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What a way to start the weekend

August 11, 2007 10:16 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle online

A WS blogger woke up today to discover his old-ish truck gone. Got us wondering how much of this is going on. Seattle Police posts crime stats online by census tract; we for example are in #116, and the newest monthly report is for May, which shows 4 auto thefts in our census tract. (514 total for that month in the entire area served by the SW Precinct.) If you want to check your area — the citywide report is here; find your census tract number on this map.

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Sharp question

August 11, 2007 10:05 am

| 13 COMMENTS

| Reader recommendations

The latest WSB reader request for your recommendations (thanks to those who answered the cat-care question a week ago):

I am looking for a quality, old-fashioned knife/blade sharpening service here in West Seattle, if such a skilled person exists (or the closest neighborhood). I know about Seattle Cutlery in the Market, but am hoping there is another in a less problematic location.

Anyone?

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City to meld recycling and recreation

August 11, 2007 1:27 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle parks

Per 1 of 2 dueling press releases, WS will be in a pilot plan for recycling bins at beaches & parks next spring. (2 councilmembers suggest it’s their idea; Hizzoner says it’s his.)

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