day : 10/03/2008 11 results

Happening Tuesday: Four hot topics, all in 1 night

March 10, 2008 10:17 pm

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

PARKING: One of the city Transportation Department managers who briefed WSB for the first report on impending Junction parking changes will be at the Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO) meeting Tuesday night. 6:30 pm, Ginomai (SW corner of 42nd/Genesee).

DENNY/SEALTH AFTERMATH: That’s just one of the items on the agenda as the Westwood Neighborhood Council meets 7 pm Tuesday, Southwest Library.

FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE’S FUTURE: The Fauntleroy Community Association will discuss the latest — one night before the School Board gets its first look at “surplus properties” policy changes — 7 pm, in the schoolhouse boardroom.

ADMIRAL SAFEWAY REDEVELOPMENT: We mentioned here that Safeway has contacted the Admiral Neighborhood Association; members will talk about it during their meeting tomorrow night, 7 pm, Admiral Congregational UCC.

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Crash tonight in The Junction

March 10, 2008 9:35 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| WS breaking news

Just in from WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, after he checked out a motor-vehicle-accident callout in The Junction. Christopher says he saw one woman getting treated by paramedics, but no major damage to her car.

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“Handbags for Hunger”: Join WSB Forum friends Sunday!

March 10, 2008 6:23 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

A group of WSB Forum members who’ve been getting together F2F have just hatched a great plot to do a good deed while having a good time — and this Sunday, they’re making it rapid reality. Here’s their official announcement, including a way you can help ahead of time:

Handbags for Hunger

Silent Auction
Sunday, March 16, 2008
2:30 pm to 4 pm â€¦.

Beveridge Place Pub
6451 California Ave. SW (Morgan Junction; map here)

Members of the West Seattle Blog Forums got together to create a fundraising social for the West Seattle Food Bankâ€¦ and another local charity, the Seattle Dress for Success program.

What began as a few local members cleaning out their oversupply of quality handbags and donating them to charity as an excuse for a good party has attracted local attention and we are getting donations we didnâ€™t expect; some of them top-end designer handbags.

All donated handbags will be up for sale at the auctionâ€¦ some of them will simply be for sale for $5â€¦ some of them will be up for bid with a $5 minimum and $25 maximum.

We will also be collecting non-perishable food items and cash/checks for the West Seattle Food Bank. Every donation will be matched through the current $1 million dollar Feinstein Foundation donation challenge (read more about it here). This will be a great opportunity to make your dollars count and help out one of our more important local resources.

What began as a problem; what to do with handbags that didnâ€™t sell, has created another opportunity for donations. We will be donating any bags that donâ€™t sell to the Seattle Dress for Success program and will also collect donations of quality used womenâ€™s business attire and cash/checks for their program. They especially need plus size clean and ready to wear clothing.

We expect participation from local representatives from both organizations and will have information on both organizations for those who would like to know more.

So if you are 21 or older (Beveridge Place is a pub), this is a great chance to drop by, have some fun, drink a little beer, drop off some of what you just cleaned out of the closet, do some good, find a great handbag at a really reasonable price and get to meet some of the more infamous West Seattle Blog Forum members. We will be wearing nametags with our sign-in names so you can identify us.

We are accepting donations of all types of quality bags; we hope to have something to offer those males who are brave enough to attend. If you would consider selling it at a consignment shop; we want it. You can show up at 2 pm when the pub opens to drop off donations, or contact JoB to arrange drop-off prior to the event. All unclaimed bags will be donated to Dress for Success.

You can e-mail JoB at joanne (at) brayden.org; you can also join the chat about this event, and a multitude of other topics, in the WSB Open Discussion Forum.

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Five weeks after the fire, Charlestown Cafe still waiting

March 10, 2008 5:06 pm

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| Charlestown Cafe | West Seattle news

Quick check-in with Charlestown Cafe owner Larry Mellum, five weeks after the fire that shut down his restaurant: Still waiting for word from the landlord whether they’ll proceed with costly repairs required by the city; hoping for word within a few days.

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Music video starring West Seattle scenery

March 10, 2008 4:06 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| WS culture/arts

West Seattle-based producer Mike Gaston says you’ll see WS scenery in this new video for Minus the Bear (a Seattle band whose official website is here).

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“Painted Lady” development appeal hearing: Mid-afternoon update

March 10, 2008 3:04 pm

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| Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

Just a few running updates (see earlier coverage further down the page) — In addition to the Landmarks Board witness who testified at midmorning, she was followed by the supervisor of the city’s Landmarks Preservation program, Karen Gordon. She reaffirmed the unusual nature of this hearing – saying she’s worked for the department for more than 20 years and only seen a few cases like this where applicants have challenged the board’s decision on economic grounds. (House owner William Conner’s contention is that he has to build larger houses on the site because that’s all that makes economic sense.) More on the afternoon testimony later. This is all moving slowly and general chatter is that it’s going to be difficult getting all the testimony done in the day and a half allotted before the Hearing Examiner. ADDED 4:09 PM: It’s looks like beyond the prescheduled time on Thursday, this may continue Friday morning as well, and possibly March 18 all day if needed. Those who are here, by the way, include Conner and his lawyer Richard Hill at the table across from the two city lawyers, and a few spectators, here in the Hearing Examiner’s chambers on the 40th floor of the Municipal Tower. Some of this afternoon’s testimony has included details about the condition of the Satterlee House itself – more on that in our full writeup later.

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Shoremont update: Building may be moved instead of demolished

March 10, 2008 12:53 pm

| 63 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

The design/build firm that recently bought the Shoremont at 57th/Alki (map) — and the neighboring house, which it’s reselling — is looking into saving and moving the building. That’s according to Chris Pardo at Pb Elemental. He tells WSB, “We have been in discussions with two building-moving firms; one is looking at the possibility of moving the existing building to Whidbey Island. The Shoremont has a brick facade rather than structural brick, so it seems feasible for them to move the building.” Pardo says that’s what Pb Elemental would prefer to do, but if the move doesn’t work out, he says, “We also have a few firms, including ourselves, interested in reusing the brick on the new project and nearby developments.” In addition, he sent us this rendering of the five-unit development they’re proposing at the Shoremont site (more details in this previous report):

Pardo says his firm hopes to start construction by “late spring” and finish by early next year.

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Possible risks to your pet’s life: Reminder from the city

March 10, 2008 12:32 pm

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| Pets | Safety

We hadn’t heard of all the risks mentioned in this city news release out today in advance of Poison Prevention Week – you might want to doublecheck, if you share your home with one or more pets.

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Beach Drive “Painted Lady” hearing under way

March 10, 2008 11:11 am

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| Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

We told you last week about the first testimony in the hearing about whether the owner of the Satterlee House, aka the “Painted Lady” of Beach Drive, can build three houses on its expansive front lawn. Since the property is a city landmark, the Landmarks Board had to grant a Certificate of Approval – but last December said no, and this hearing is about the property owner’s appeal of that ruling. Last week’s testimony involved the previous owner of the property, David Satterlee. Today, both sides are presenting the bulk of their case, with time scheduled on Thursday for continuation. The major witness so far this morning has been the staffer for the Landmarks Board, who revealed one reason this is significant beyond West Seattle:Read More

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Countdown’s over: High-school WASL, Day 1, is here

March 10, 2008 8:21 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

When we interviewed Chief Sealth High School principal John Boyd two weeks ago, that sign and others were displayed prominently around campus, and there was even a countdown clock on the Sealth home page. Now, for CSHS and West Seattle HS and other high schools, the countdown’s over and the big test is here – reading/writing this week, math/science in April. The testing window for lower grades starts in mid-April.

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Do we need another Pro Parks Levy? (and other park issues)

March 10, 2008 6:03 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | West Seattle politics

As the P-I reminds us this morning, the Pro Parks Levy is about to expire, and the mayor and council disagree on whether to ask us if we want a new one. What did Pro Parks do, you ask? Here’s the city map of the West Seattle parks projects the money’s gone toward, for starters:

The clickable version of that map, and the list of specific projects, can be found here. It’s all unfolded over the 8-year life of the levy, passed by Seattle voters in 2000, and some of the West Seattle projects aren’t done yet — Junction Plaza, Myrtle Reservoir, Ercolini Park, and Morgan Junction, which incidentally has a public meeting this Wednesday for comment on this final schematic design:

Back to Pro Parks in general: Are these all the parks we need, or is there more to be done, meriting a new Pro Parks Levy? Some councilmembers say yes; the mayor says no, focusing instead on proposals to bolster Pike Place Market and Seattle Center; public meetings on both are coming up shortly, including two West Seattle gatherings (Seattle Center, this Thursday @ Youngstown Arts Center; Pike Place, 3/18 at West Seattle Library). The council’s Parks Committee is chaired by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who is quoted in the P-I as saying:

“We really have to gauge what the public wants and what they would be willing to accept.”

Sounds to us like that means, speak up now. The council’s contact info is here; the mayor’s contact info is here. (Last side note, uncovered as we researched links for this post — remember the meetings last year working toward a Strategic Action Plan for the Parks Department? Another round of meetings is coming up in April and May, including half a dozen in West Seattle, all listed here and also added to the WSB Events page.)

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