Design reviewers say 5020 California needs a “fresh start”
First headline from tonight’s Southwest Design Review Board meeting on Spring Hill, the mixed-use building proposed for 5020 California and adjoining parcels: This was a textbook case of why it’s vital to participate in public meetings if you really want to affect the outcome — dozens of concerned neighbors showed up, many of them spoke up, and board members took their key concerns to heart in telling the architects and developers to try a “fresh start” and come back for a second “early design guidance” meeting. Biggest concern – the fact that the 3 early design alternatives (above; larger images are shown later in this report) presented by architect David Hewitt for this 65-plus-foot-high building all put its tallest, most imposing side against the alley that borders a line of single-family homes along 42nd. Board members want the architects to come up with alternatives incorporating a less abrupt the transition from this building to those homes. FULL REPORT AHEAD, ADDED 2 AM:Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch: 11-year-old robbed; tree hit-run
From the files at the Southwest Precinct: 
We start with a robbery yesterday afternoon that targeted a very young victim — an 11-year-old boy. He told police he was at the 16th SW/SW Holden bus stop after 3 pm yesterday when three men walked up to him and began “throwing him around,” demanding his iPod Shuffle, then finally knocking him to the ground, pulling it out of his pocket, and taking off. He tried to chase them but stopped when he found a crossing guard at 16th/Myrtle; she called 911 after he told her what happened. The robbers are still on the loose at last report, described as 3 “very dark-skinned” men 18-20 years old, all about 6’tall, all wearing blue jeans. (11 PM UPDATE: A reader tells WSB a note went home today to parents at the victim’s school, telling them what happened and suggesting they remind kids to keep a low profile with valuable items and to walk to and from school in pairs or groups.) Several more notable incidents ahead:Read More
Thursday afternoon odds & ends
JOIN US AT CAPERS FRIDAY NIGHT 1/18: The time and place is finally set for the first get-together announcing the first quarterly West Seattle Community Recognition Awards — the good folks at Capers have agreed to play host, 7 pm Friday 1/18. Hope to see you there. And in the meantime, you have till Saturday to nominate somebody for the awards (here’s how) — this is a grass-roots thing that we’re starting small (with the original idea from Divina proprietor Julie Mireille Anderson; read the original announcement here) and hoping to keep growing as a way of honoring some of the many people who really make West Seattle click.
NEW WSB FORUM – SCHOOL TALK: Find it here; thanks to Karen for the idea. We’ve been talking about this being school-choice season, and she suggested that it would help to have a place where West Seattle parents could share experiences and ask questions about schools. If you are a parent with child(ren) in local schools, public or private, or a school staffer, even if you don’t have a question or issue, please consider checking in on the forum as time goes by just in case someone has a question about the school(s) you’re most familiar with.
UPDATES ON CRIME WATCH AND PETS PAGES: We’ve added some new material today to these two new WSB pages — the Crime Watch page is where you will find links to crime-prevention resources as well as the latest police reports from the files at the Southwest Precinct; the Pets page is where we’re posting pet pix as well as lost-and-found announcements and resource links — we’ve created the West Seattle Blog Pet Photos Flickr group to gather local pet pix (you’re welcome to join!), and we’ve added a couple of them to the Pets page today for a special spotlight.
Reader report: Truck scare in The Junction
Just out of the inbox from Doug (thank you!):
I just witnessed the strangest thing up at the Junction (at 11 am). A commercial truck totally cut the corner too sharp turning right off Calfornia onto Alaska, and the top of the truck banged into the neon Easy Street overhang.. leaving a big dent.
The truck then proceeded to back up– scraping it again. People caught in the middle of the “walk all ways” scramble had to dodge this guy– one lady was so scared she totally stopped in the middle of the intersection and stood there.
The guy drove off.. and parked about a block away. Several people (including me) walked over and got his license tag. Don’t know if he plans on going back over to Easy Street … but I’ve already called and given them my information.
We subsequently went down and got the photo you see above. Not major damage – a gash underneath the overhang. And it did appear the truck driver went back. 12:50 PM ADDITION: 2 more photos, these from WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, one with a different view of the dent, the second showing glass on the nearby crosswalk approach (which he mentions in the comments below):
Happening tonight: Middle School Info Night, Art Walk
WEST SEATTLE MIDDLE SCHOOL INFORMATION NIGHT: We’ve been talking here about the fact this is the “school decision” time of year for many families, particularly those whose children are entering school or moving between elementary and middle, or middle and high school. 
We’ve been listing school tours and open houses on the WSB Events page, and tonight is one unique night of particular value to parents of 4th and 5th graders: Representatives from the public and private middle schools of West Seattle will be at Gatewood Elementary, 6:30-8 pm. According to the info page on the Gatewood website, it’ll work like this: “At 6:30 pm each school representative will give a brief overview of their school’s programs, philosophies and activities. You will then have the opportunity to ask questions and speak further with the various representatives.”
WEST SEATTLE SECOND THURSDAY ART WALK: 6-9 pm, you can wander The Junction (and a bit beyond — from Ginomai – with its free parking lot – in the north, to C and P Coffee in the south) to see art, meet artists, and enjoy a closer look at some of West Seattle’s unique businesses and venues. Here’s the list of participating locations and artists.
Update: Red Cup Espresso open today to benefit owner’s son
Since we first reported Tuesday on the tragic death of Red Cup Espresso owner Angelia Paulsen, the comment area below that first report has become a touching board of tributes and memories. One of those came from her husband Sean O’Dea; we e-mailed him to ask him if there was any information he would want you to know about the shop’s future and how to help the family, and he wrote back late last night:
I have been thinking of renaming the shop to Angelia’s Espresso and keeping it open as a tribute to her. As you can probably guess, I have a lot on my plate right now, and am not too sure of when that will happen, but I will let you know. Angelia’s brother, sister and nephew want to open the shop tomorrow [WSB NOTE: that’s today, 1/10] and offer coffee for whatever donations patrons would like to make for our son Julian’s education, and Viking Bank has set up a fund for him as well.
As reported previously, her memorial service is 11 am tomorrow at St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Renton (church website here), and friends plan a candlelight vigil at 7 pm Saturday night outside Red Cup (on California north of Oregon, next to Pagliacci).
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