West Seattle, Washington

06 Sunday

49℉

month : 06/2008 315 results

Proposal to speed up permits – for sidewalk cafes
June 24, 2008 2:49 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

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Perhaps timing this announcement with perfect sidewalk-cafe weather, the office of West Seattle’s Most Famous Politician (gotta use that term every so often just to keep the search results high) just sent this:Read More

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Update on your messages for Officer McKissack
June 24, 2008 1:54 pm
|    Comments Off on Update on your messages for Officer McKissack
 |   West Seattle people | West Seattle police

Thanks to the many people who have sent messages of support to Officer Jason McKissack, recovering at home after being attacked last week while trying to break up a fight. We have now added some of them to the page where you can send your own message if you haven’t already (or just revisit the same page to read some of the messages) and will be adding more through the afternoon – provided the senders gave permission for us to publish them (you can also send a private message and tell us not to publish it). The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council’s leadership committee came up with the idea and is working with the Southwest Precinct to be sure Officer McKissack sees your messages; we’ll keep this going till at least the end of the week. Thanks again!

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Reader report: 3-car crash in Jefferson Square parking lot
June 24, 2008 1:15 pm
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

Just out of the WSB inbox from “k” (thank you!) – we are en route to check it out:

just returned from safeway at jefferson square. 3 car accident right in front of the starbucks in the lot. close call for them! the cars were on the curb. not sure what happened, but police are there directing traffic and tow trucks are on scene. saw one fender on the ground and a lot of damage.

this lot is truly a mess always. this just made it even worse.

1:25 PM UPDATE: Don’t worry about trouble if you have to go to J-Square – the scene is now clear.

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Crime Watch reader report: Where the rubber meets the vandal(s)
June 24, 2008 12:08 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Just out of the WSB inbox from Kendall:

I feel somewhat silly reporting this. It seems so trivial compared to the serious crime reported on the blog, but my wife and I both had flat tires this morning. Apparently, we have some “harmless” vandals in the neighborhood-the north Admiral neighborhood. This is the second time it has happened in the last two months. The perpetrators flattened one tire per car and were even so kind as to replace the valve stem caps before scurrying off into the darkness. We do not know if these have been random acts or if we are the targets of someone’s ill will.

The first time it happened, my wife assumed (as anyone would) that it was a flat tire and not merely a deflated tire. She took it to Barnecut’s to have it repaired. Of course, they could find no leak. The young man working that day mentioned that there had been other people in the neighborhood with the same problem and suggested that it was some bored kids. Other than his saying so, we have no idea if this is the case.

The first incident happened several weeks ago and we imagined it an isolated event. This morning we were surprised to find both of our cars with flat tires. We park in the alley behind our house. Although it is just one block off California Avenue, it is a quiet, dead end alley. To the best of our knowledge, our nearby neighbors are not experiencing this problem.

It’s not the end of the world, but it is not fun to come out to your car in the morning and find a flat tire. Luckily, we have an air compressor so the vandals are not creating as much trouble for us as they imagine. I am sure our neighbors don’t appreciate my need to run the compressor at 7:00 AM, but at least we can solve the problem without putting on a spare.

Of course, we are thankful that they are not puncturing the tires, breaking into the cars, or engaging in some more seriously damaging activity, but it is a nuisance.

We don’t really have a clear understanding of whether the architects of this annoyance are targeting us directly or if this is a rash in our neighborhood. We’d like to think that we are random victims. We’re nice people and have done nothing to warrant this kind of special attention.

We are just wondering if anyone else in the neighborhood has experienced the same problem.

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Happening today/tonight: R.E.M., Hi-Yu, plus WSB on “radio”
June 24, 2008 10:26 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival | West Seattle online | WS culture/arts

4 PM TODAY: Your editor here has been invited to discuss West Seattle this afternoon on Rain City Radio, a new audio interview “show” that the founder of popular Seattle real-estate blog Rain City Guide, Dustin Luther, recently launched. His post about it explains how to listen and/or call in to join the conversation.

bookcover.jpg7 PM TONIGHT: As reported here last week, two members of legendary rock band R.E.M. — Peter Buck and Bill Rieflin — will join West Seattle authors Corianton Hale and David Belisle for a launch party to celebrate their photography book “R.E.M.: HELLO,” 7 pm @ Easy Street in The Junction. (Party goes till 10; signing is 7-8.)

7 PM TONIGHT: The next big West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival event — the White Rose Reception — happens tonight at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) – here are details from Hi-Yu’s Danette Carufel:

West Seattle Hi-Yu cordially invites you to the 2008 White Rose Reception. This event is for women only and is a celebration of past and present Hi Yu royalty and candidates. All are invited; festivities will begin at 7 pm tonight at Fauntleroy Church (UCC), 9260 California SW. Come and share your Hi-Yu memories or to learn about our community festival. Past royalty are encouraged to wear or bring their sashes and memory scrapbooks. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.00. For more information please call (206) 935-6517.

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How to get to work with no gas, no bike, no bus
June 24, 2008 9:53 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Gas prices | Seen at sea | West Seattle people

Per this TV story, West Seattleite Tom Milne kayaks to work – 13 miles each way. Sounds like he saw the same humpback JoB reported in the WSB Forums the other day. P.S. Kayakers and would-be kayakers may want to check out the annual Eddyline Demo Day this Saturday at Alki Kayak Tours at Seacrest (9 am-3 pm)

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Junction coverup: Bus shelter finally back
June 24, 2008 8:52 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

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Thanks to Chas Redmond for that photo and word that the shelter on the southwest corner of California/Alaska in The Junction is back. When it was removed nine months ago (WSB report here), the county said it was going away so KeyBank could do some work on its building. (That same post had a long list of other shelter changes that were in the works at the time.)

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Jail-sites fight: Highland Park strategy session
June 23, 2008 11:59 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle jail sites | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

With three nights to go till the first of two city-organized public forums on the two potential city-jail sites that are in southeast West Seattle, the Highland Park Action Committee got together again tonight to strategize in advance. Part of their plan is to research and counter some of the documents the city is citing as reasons why a jail wouldn’t be detrimental to this community (or either of the other two with potential sites). In particular, they are poking holes in this study posted on the city’s jail-info website, taking issue in particular with whether that federal study has any relevance to effects a jail might have here:

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That’s HPAC’s Kathleen Voss, saying that trying to apply the findings of that study to the situation here is a real case of apples-and-oranges. HPAC chair Dorsol Plants also noted that even where there might be economic activity tied to a jail, the money from jail workers buying lunch in Highland Park, as he put it, would not outweigh the money lost by families that wouldn’t buy homes in HP because of a jail nearby. HPAC continues its activism on a variety of fronts, including an online petition that’s linked from its jail-info page, but the next big focus is Thursday night’s city forum, 6-9 pm at 9125 15th Place S. in South Park (map). HPAC will hold its next monthly meeting July 21 (7 pm, HP Improvement Club), so members will have a chance to confer before the city’s second public forum (July 26, 9 am, South Seattle Community College). But as Plants warned tonight’s 50 or so attendees, “It’s going to be a long fight.” To catch up with all WSB coverage on the jail-sites fight, check out the newest-to-oldest archive page here.

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T(ee) for the Y: Nucor’s tourney makes WS YMCA the winner
June 23, 2008 11:47 pm
|    Comments Off on T(ee) for the Y: Nucor’s tourney makes WS YMCA the winner
 |   West Seattle people | WS & Sports

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Josh Sutton from the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) sends that photo with a big thanks to Nucor — it’s from the company’s annual golf tournament for about 150 staff, vendors and customers, over the weekend at Washington National in Auburn. “This year, they decided to make it a fundraiser, and chose the YMCA as their charity,” Josh explains — with more than $30,000 raised. “We’ll be using funding to support our various youth programs like child care, day camp, academic support, and teen programs.” The photo shows the winning foursome: Weylin Thompson from Mulvanny G2 Architects, Nucor summer Metallurgical Engineering intern Anthony Perugini, and Nucor’s Craig Anderson (who organized the tournament) and CJ Shin. The foursome had a 9-under-par 63, and there’s a P.S. from Josh: “2 Y execs won the longest drives – Sue Camou Arrant and Marcia Isenberger. Must be the power of a good workout.”

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Pulling an all-nighter that could help save your life
June 23, 2008 9:04 pm
|    Comments Off on Pulling an all-nighter that could help save your life
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

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At center stage in that photo from a few summers ago is Kevin Wooley (with Jim Dever and then-Hi-Yu Court members). You may know Kevin and wife Tammy Wooley, who are Fauntlee Hills residents – among other things, he chairs the Fauntleroy Community Services Agency, currently working to save the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, and she volunteers at local schools. This Friday night into Saturday morning, we know where you can find them, and hundreds of others – at West Seattle Stadium, during the Relay for Life of West Seattle. It’s different from some of the other “walkathon” type fundraisers that happen each summer (like last weekend’s Race for the Cure) – and there are a variety of ways you can be part of it, with or without becoming an official participant. Read on to hear how Kevin and Tammy – a 10-year cancer survivor – describe it:Read More

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Attacked police officer: Take a moment to wish him well
June 23, 2008 5:38 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle police

Six days after Southwest Precinct police officer Jason McKissack was attacked while trying to break up a fight in High Point, he is recovering at home, but probably won’t be back at work for a while. Meantime, as reported over the weekend, charges are filed against the three teenagers arrested that night. But there’s one other aspect to this story: Many people have been wondering how to send a message to Officer McKissack. The leadership committee of the newly renamed West Seattle Crime Prevention Council had the same thought, and asked if we would set up a special page here on West Seattle Blog that you could use to get a message to the officer. We did, and here it is. A short form on that page will send an e-mail to a special box, and the WSCPC leaders will make sure Officer McKissack gets your message — in addition, if you tell us on the form that it’s OK to publish your message, we’ll post it on that special page too. Click here to go to that page now.

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West Seattle Summer Fest music lineup: See it here!
June 23, 2008 3:31 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

Just in from the West Seattle Junction Association — the program for West Seattle Summer Fest, coming up July 11-12-13 — and it has first word of the music acts you can expect to see. It’s not on the Summer Fest website just yet, so download it here (the music lineup is on page 7, with performer info starting on page 10). The program has other Summer Fest details too; click ahead for a few additional notes of interest:Read More

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Charlestown Cafe: Sneak peek inside, pre-grand reopening
June 23, 2008 2:07 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Charlestown Cafe | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

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Tama and Sacha are two of the Charlestown Cafe team members working hard today to get the beloved restaurant back in shape for its grand reopening, now just days away, as first reported here last Thursday. It’s been a long and bumpy road to get the restaurant reopened after the February fire that at first left cafe co-owners hoping they’d only be closed for “days”; here’s one reason it took so long:

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That’s the new hood system required as a condition of reopening. But as our photo shows, it’s in place and ready to go, and the place was abuzz with work when we stopped by earlier today:

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Our Charlestown Cafe coverage — not just the fire, but also the development controversy that unfolded in preceding months — is all archived here.

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Crime Watch reader report: Watch for would-be-burglars team
June 23, 2008 12:59 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

Just out of the WSB inbox, from BG:

Yesterday (6/22) an attempted burglary was successfully thwarted on the 9000 block of 13th Avenue SW [map]. At approximately noon on Sunday, I was in my home office when I noticed three youths engaging in suspicious activity across the street in my neighbor’s driveway. With one youth serving as a lookout, the other two removed the screen from our neighbor’s kitchen window and attempted to enter the house. The neighbors were away for the weekend.

I immediately called 911 and police arrived in time to apprehend one of the suspects. Two suspects escaped and were not apprehended. I was shocked by the brazen attempt to burglarize our neighbor’s home in broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon. These three juveniles have been recently observed by others in the area looking into cars and appearing to case houses. I urge you to keep an eye out for them in your neighborhood. Their physical descriptions are as follows:

1. Female, juvenile (14 – 17 yrs. old), African American, approx 5’ 5’’, stocky build. Short hair, worn in a bun in the back of the head. Last seen wearing tight blue jeans, and a tight black top.
2. Male, juvenile (14 – 17 yrs. old), African American, approx 5’ 8’’, muscular build. Last seen wearing baggy shorts, a dark oversized coat, and an orange knit stocking cap.
3. Male, juvenile (14 – 17 yrs. old), African American, approx 5’ 10’’, muscular build. Last seen wearing baggy shorts, a dark oversized coat, and a red baseball cap.

These three juveniles work as a team. The female has been observed walking in our neighborhood on the more than one occasion, and serves as a lookout for the male juveniles. Vigilance made the difference on our block yesterday and the West Seattle Blog deserves credit for making us all more aware of suspicious activity in our neighborhood.

And in turn we hat-tip to West Seattle’s police force at the Southwest Precinct, which is trailblazing for the whole city by aggressively advocating this kind of watchfulness and repeatedly reminding us all not to hesitate calling 911 for ANY kind of suspicious activity as it happens. If a life’s not at risk, the response time depends on what else is going on, but as we were reminded in a recent chat with precinct leaders, thorough and complete crime reports at the very least help them decide where to best deploy their people when they’re planning schedules and emphasis patrols.

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From the permit files: Station confirmation; townhouses
June 23, 2008 12:44 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

STATION CONFIRMATION: Yesterday, we showed you the long-closed Roxbury 76 station getting fueled. Today, the state liquor-license-application site shows “Roxbury Gasoline” at that location applying for a store license to sell beer/wine. So a mini-mart’s on the way too.

FUTURE TOWNHOUSES: The city’s latest Land Use Information Bulletin includes the decision approving a five-lot “subdivision” at 4009 California, currently home to this:

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A permit to build five townhouses here was issued earlier this month.

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Happening tonight, Thursday: Meetings on West Seattle jail sites
June 23, 2008 11:42 am
|    Comments Off on Happening tonight, Thursday: Meetings on West Seattle jail sites
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle jail sites | West Seattle news

TONIGHT: The Highland Park Action Committee meets tonight (7 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club, 11th and Holden) to continue strategizing opposition to the two HP-vicinity sites (map) on the city’s “final four” list of potential jail locations. THURSDAY: The first of two city-organized public meetings focusing on those two sites — this one’s in neighboring South Park (6 pm @ 9125 15th Place S., map here); the second meeting is July 26 at South Seattle Community College. More on all planned city forums here; city info page on jail-site search here; HPAC jail-sites info page here; all WSB coverage on the jail-sites issue is archived here.

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“Hang up and drive”: Enforcement starts next week
June 23, 2008 9:41 am
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Safety

Not West Seattle-specific but worth a reminder: The State Patrol is launching publicity this week to remind all drivers that troopers plan to start enforcing the “hands-free law” July 1st (one week from tomorrow. Drivers holding cell phones to their ears could face $124 fines – unless you were calling 911 to report “a highway emergency.” WSP will be partnering with at least one mobile-phone company at a media event this week to point out that it’s easy to set your phone up so you can talk “hands-free” while you drive, if you need to.

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West Seattle Gas Price Watch: Pump-jump slowdown
June 23, 2008 5:40 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Gas Price Watch: Pump-jump slowdown
 |   Gas prices | Transportation | West Seattle news

76expensive.jpgThe highest price in this week’s West Seattle Gas Price Watch — our weekly survey of posted regular and premium prices at all West Seattle stations (checked during late-Sunday-night drives and posted early Monday mornings) — is only two cents over last week’s highest price: It’s $4.45/regular at Lincoln Park 76 (photo left). More than half the other 19 West Seattle stations have the same price for regular, a rare sort of consensus – some are even unchanged from last week — one station is actually cheaper! See the latest prices, on our map and text list, ahead:Read More

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West Seattle scenes: More weekend sunset shots
June 22, 2008 11:30 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle weather

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Thanks to Dan E for that view of tonight’s sunset – color breaking through the gray in the northwest sky. And thanks to Pam from Nerd’s Eye View for this Saturday shot from Solstice Park:

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Fauntleroy tree update: Notice posted, comments solicited
June 22, 2008 11:03 pm
|    Comments Off on Fauntleroy tree update: Notice posted, comments solicited
 |   Environment | Utilities | West Seattle news

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Thanks to Jenny for sending new photos including that one showing the notice posted a few days ago on the 45th/Trenton tree we wrote about last month – marked for removal by agreement with the city, after the latest round of city-contracted trimming to try to create clearance around power lines just didn’t work out (near another tree that was botched in a way that led to one crew’s removal from the city contract). This is what’s currently left of the to-be-removed tree itself:

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Jenny also sent a view we didn’t have before, this tree “in happier times” – she knows it as “the candelabra tree”:

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As the notice says, it’s to be replaced with two “power line-appropriate” trees. The notice also says comments will be accepted by the City Arborist until June 28th (next Saturday) – here’s the phone/e-mail/postal-mail info.

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Crime Watch reader report: Time to put up a sign for car prowlers?
June 22, 2008 8:51 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Just out of the WSB inbox, from Tiffany D:

Just wanted to put the word out. Someone broke into one of our vehicles (again!!) which was parked in our driveway on 41st Ave. SW (near the high school) They started rummaging, but I think may have been scared off. Nothing appears to have been taken. This same vehicle was stolen (and recovered) about two years ago. Another car of ours has been repeatedly broken into over the years.

We’re thinking of printing up signs and put in the cars that say “Aren’t you bored of us yet? Nothing new here.”

Anyway – keep the doors locked and aware.

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West Seattle breastfeeding moms’ project needs your votes
June 22, 2008 6:30 pm
|      36 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle people

breastfeedinglogo.jpgAs the West Seattle La Leche League breastfeeding-support group prepares for its monthly meeting tomorrow (10:30 am at Seaview Methodist Church, map here), leader Betsy Hoffmeister sends word of a group project that could use your help: They have posted a proposal online and are in the running for a $10,000 grant to write a children’s book “that would contain positive depictions of moms breastfeeding” – which, as you know if you are or have been a nursing mom, are not easy to find. Read on for Betsy’s explanation and how you can help:Read More

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Myrtle Reservoir park: See the latest plans
June 22, 2008 2:42 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

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While reporting on the Parks Department‘s latest Myrtle Reservoir park-plan presentation before the city Design Commission last Thursday (WSB coverage here), we mentioned we would check with project manager Virginia Hassinger for electronic copies of what she and architect Jim Nakano showed, so we could share them with you. She has sent them, so we’re sharing. What you see above is the latest “schematic” (click the image to see a PDF of the full-screen version) that won the commission’s approval on Thursday, with a few comments as noted in our report. Here are two other new visuals from the presentation: the play structure, and a cross-section of the park. Seattle Public Utilities continues its work on the reservoir site (which has recently been grass-seeded); actual park construction is scheduled for next year – the city’s project page doesn’t have these new images as of this writing but probably will soon.

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