day : 29/04/2008 11 results

So acknowledged City Councilmember Sally Clark this afternoon during her Junction walking tour (first brief WSB report here) with nearby resident Sue Scharff, who invited the Planning, Land Use, and Neighborhoods Committee chair to come see a neighborhood on the brink of major change. Here’s what else Clark had to say — plus video, including Scharff’s thoughts after the tour:Read More

Be a Master of Disaster: More neighborhood check-ins ahead

April 29, 2008 10:16 pm

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| Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news

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Our state’s official Disaster Preparedness Month may have only one more day to go but the West Seattle neighborhood readiness campaign we’ve been telling you about will continue a few more weeks. To refresh your memory, the map above shows the West Seattle locations already designated as neighborhood gathering places for information and help in case of disaster — somewhere you’d be able to go, if the regular lines of communication weren’t working — and it’s important to memorize where your nearest one is, and to make sure your loved ones know too. (Some areas of south West Seattle are still a work in progress.) To help make it easier for you to know your gathering place, and to get info about how to be ready for the unthinkable, each area has set up a time for a drop-in event — Alki, (Alaska) Junction, Morgan Junction, and Pigeon Point have had theirs already; Olympic Heights (1-4 pm Saturday @ Hughes Playground) and Admiral (1-5 pm Sunday @ Hiawatha, new time) are coming up this weekend; the Fairmount event is coming up in 2 1/2 weeks. Click the spots on the map above for exact locations plus event dates, and keep watching here for updates. One more important thing we want to mention again: a checklist of supplies you can purchase right now to have on hand “just in case” – it has helpful specifics, not just the generalized lists you often see. We’ve uploaded it here so you can take a look and print it out for yourself for use in building a kit you can get to if you need it (and if you don’t have MS Word — here’s a PDF version).

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UPDATE: Crime Watch reader report, Admiral home cased

April 29, 2008 6:52 pm

| 24 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news

ORIGINAL REPORT FIRST, THEN SEE 9:40 PM UPDATE BELOW
This just out of the WSB inbox:

Just to let you know that I think my house just got “cased.”

While I was upstairs rocking out with my headphones on, my dogs went nuts (which would usually happen in response to the doorbell, but I didn’t hear it). I didn’t go downstairs, but I looked out the front deck from the second floor.

About ten minutes later it happened again. This time I saw a white guy climb into a cream and darker tan colored older Monte Carlo type of vehicle parked in front of my neighbor’s house. It was being driven by another white guy. I think they were both wearing bandana-style headgear.

I went downstairs and found a (pizza) flyer on my “no solicitors” porch and, more disturbingly, discovered that a large plywood board (that keeps my dogs blockaded into the back yard) had been moved and not put back in place. To get to this board, someone would have had to walk clear alongside my house–between my neighbor’s house and mine. If they DID come into the back yard they would have seen the open door to the house proper, and that might have made them skedaddle, realizing that someone likely WAS home.

In any case, be on the lookout.

This happened around 5:50 tonight, around 37th and Admiral.

A reminder that the Southwest Precinct has reiterated repeatedly, if you see or hear anything suspicious, don’t hesitate to call 911. 9:40 PM UPDATE: The original e-mailer just sent an update saying it was a definite casing – read on to see why:Read More

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Think your leaders aren’t listening? Invite ’em over!

April 29, 2008 6:41 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Development | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

That’s what Junction-area resident Sue Scharff (left) did. The intense wave of development proposals currently rolling through The Junction has her so concerned, she called the City Council to see who she could talk with. She was pointed toward the office of Councilmember Sally Clark, who chairs the Planning, Land Use, and Neighborhoods Committee. And today, at Scharff’s invitation, Clark (photo center) and assistant Dan Nolte (right) came to West Seattle to walk The Junction with her and her friend Andie Nauss, and listen to their concerns, while taking a realistic look at how this all fits into the city’s big picture. What did Clark say, and what did Scharff think afterward? We’re working on detailed coverage to publish later tonight.

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Crash blocks part of northbound 35th near Dawson

April 29, 2008 6:02 pm

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| WS breaking news

Another crash on 35th — this time blocking the outside northbound lane between Dawson and Hudson (map). At least one person is hurt and is being put on a stretcher. No other info but it’s worth avoiding that area for a while if you can. (Photo above added 7:13 pm; we don’t have any details on what caused the crash. Trivia point, the fire truck seen in our photo is the same one we photographed at the James Apartments fire earlier today – busy day for Ladder 11.)

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Alki Homestead antique sale under way

April 29, 2008 3:41 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Alki Homestead | West Seattle businesses

17 years in West Seattle and we’ll confess we have never been inside the Alki Homestead (on 61st SW, just south of the Alki Bakery building). Curiosity about what came down out of storage for the forum-announced antique sale (continuing through 7 pm tonight) finally changed that, less than an hour ago — we dropped in right as the doors opened at 3 pm. Resisted the impulse to scoop up this entire table of $1-each servingware:

There’s furniture, paintings, silverware, crystal. And a bake sale with elegant offerings. We asked Homestead management if they might do this again if everything doesn’t sell; they said probably not in this format — whatever’s left over when this sale ends at 7 pm today will likely go back upst

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After a long fight, signs of victory: Parking limits on Barton

April 29, 2008 1:51 pm

| 19 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | Transportation | West Seattle news | Westwood

Two things about that photo of the south side of Barton, alongside Roxhill Park across from Westwood Village, are notable — what you see, and what you don’t see. What you do see: Shiny new “4-Hour Parking” signs, as promised to the Westwood Neighborhood Council and other activists (here’s our report from earlier this month; there also had been an update last month when we covered the West Seattle Community Safety Partnership meeting). What you don’t see, as a result of the new signs: The makeshift used-car-sales lot (and RV park) eyesore and safety risk that this stretch had been (note the empty space in our photo – we pulled over just past the Metro bus parking zone on the west edge of the block).

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Update: Small fire at Admiral District apartment building

April 29, 2008 12:26 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| WS breaking news

A small fire at the James Apartments (on California north of Walker, map) is now out, nobody hurt, but about two blocks of California were closed for a while because of the huge response (thanks to those who called/texted/e-mailed us about it). The incident commander told us at the scene that the fire may have started in a ground-floor unit’s kitchen; that unit may be damaged too badly for its resident to return immediately. Investigators were on the way a short time ago to work on finding the official cause, as firefighters mopped up:

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Update: Low-bridge-restrictions proposal close to going public

April 29, 2008 11:19 am

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

(photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
We just checked in with Austin Pratt — regional bridge commander for the U.S. Coast Guard — to find out why the proposal to ban most openings of The Low Bridge during rush hours still hasn’t gone to official publication, and therefore public comment. We first told you about this last month — West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s push for the restrictions to ease traffic troubles (March 3 WSB report), then the Coast Guard’s role in proposing and reviewing it (March 6 WSB report). As Pratt explained at the time, the proposal must be published in the Federal Register, and that launches a 60-day formal comment period and 30-day review period before a decision can be made; he was hoping that comment period would have started by now, but getting to the FR publication stage (which also will be reported in the USCG’s “Local Notice for Mariners“) required a series of approvals, and he told us a few minutes ago, “It’s on the Admiral’s desk today.” Barring any further delays, that means the comment period should finally open within a couple weeks; we will keep watch and let you know when it starts and how to make sure your voice is heard (which, as we reported last month, will require including the official “docket number” in your comment).

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West Seattle Movies on the Wall – by (your) request!

April 29, 2008 10:11 am

| 13 COMMENTS

| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

THIS IS A 2008 POST – FOR INFO ON 2009 MOVIE SERIES, GO HERE

We’ve talked about Hi-Yu, we’ve talked about The Parade, we’ve talked about Summer Fest, and now, another West Seattle summer tradition is getting ready for its closeup: Movies on the Wall next to Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor). This summer, it’ll be outdoor movie night every Saturday, July 19-August 23, with WSB as a co-sponsor; as part of that, we’re teaming up right now with Hotwire proprietor Lora Lewis to gather suggestions for what movies you would like to see shown! You’ll find ballot boxes at Hotwire and other Junction spots, and an online voting option right here on WSB – find it from the Cinema tab across the top of all pages – or just click here. You have till May 15 to get a suggestion in; we’ll post periodic updates on how it’s going and whether we’re seeing any trends!

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Happening today/tonight: Two restaurant events

April 29, 2008 5:35 am

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| Alki Homestead | Neighborhoods | West Seattle history | West Seattle restaurants

ALKI HOMESTEAD: A post in the WSB Forums brought first word of an “antique” sale there 3-7 pm today. (By the way, the business – not the building – is still for sale; this listing was renewed just yesterday.)

ENDOLYNE JOE’S: Part of tonight’s proceeds will benefit the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s Fauntleroy Fall Festival. (More here.)

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