West Seattle, Washington

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year : 2008 3941 results

West Seattle Crime Watch: Citizen crimesolver, and more
March 11, 2008 11:30 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Now the rest of the latest report highlights from the Southwest Precinct (which also included the vignette we posted earlier): We start with a suspected teenage drug dealer, spotted on local school grounds by a watchful school employee. handcuffs_2.jpgHe called police to say he saw what looked like 3 boys engaged in drug transactions right by West Seattle Elementary in High Point – atop the stairs connecting the campus with the nearby community center. With the detailed descriptions he provided, police stopped two suspects at 30th and Othello. While patting them down, an officer detected an odd crackling sound near one boy’s ankle; “that’s just cough drops,” the boy insisted — till the officer pulled out a cellophane cough-drop bag containing marijuana “packaged for sale.” The boy, 15, also had $120 in cash kept separately from a few dollars walking-around money (the police report notes it is typical dealer behavior both to separate cash that way and to keep the merchandise in an unusual spot like, your shoes/socks). He was arrested. Next: The case of the thirsty burglar(s), among other incidents:Read More

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From tonight’s FCA meeting: Schoolhouse-discussion date
March 11, 2008 10:20 pm
|    Comments Off on From tonight’s FCA meeting: Schoolhouse-discussion date
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

As announced at tonight’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, schoolhousefoto.jpgthe next step in the future of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (photo left, from The Hall @ Fauntleroy‘s website) is a community gathering there March 26 to talk about the general progress of plans to purchase the site, and discuss its future. The Fauntleroy Community Services Association has to have everything together by July, and so far, we heard tonight, it’s all moving forward and they say they’ve done the necessary paperwork to show Seattle Public Schools they’re serious about acquiring the site. (We recapped some backstory last weekend – the district has now declared the schoolhouse as “surplus property” which means it’s ready to sell the site, as the school board votes this month to revise its policy on handling surplus sites.) Also part of the March 26 meeting — finding out from the public how much change would be acceptable for the site, and continuing to encourage citizen involvement in the process of determining its future. A community discussion held last year is recapped on this FCA webpage. It was also noted tonight that the Fauntleroy contingent has the purchase agreement from the old Colman School (where the Northwest African American Museum opened last weekend), for use as something of a template.

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From tonight’s JuNO meeting: Fauntleroy Place‘s new look
March 11, 2008 9:11 pm
|      44 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(image removed at request of developer — see forthcoming post higher atop the page for new information, will be linked here when posted)

Update on the following – Eric Radovich from BlueStar explained the origin of the artwork that led to this post – he says it’s for massing, not colors or design – separate post to come atop the page.

One of the headlines from tonight’s Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO) meeting — Brian and Katie Tucker, JuNO members living adjacent to the Fauntleroy Place (aka “the Whole Foods project”) site, received and shared this new rendering from developers BlueStar, who don’t even have it on their own website, which still shows this one (FP changed architects a few months ago):

The Tuckers were told the latest plan is for these to be apartments, not condos, and that they will have fancy interior touches and rent for higher than the current WS average. More first thing in the am from the JuNO meeting, where a city rep talked more about the upcoming Junction parking review, and also from the Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, where the other half of the team is getting the latest on the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, among other things.

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West Seattle Crime Watch vignette: Clean & not-sober
March 11, 2008 6:17 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

handcuffs_2.jpgJust back from reviewing reports at the Southwest Precinct – the big roundup writeup must wait till we’re back from the major community meetings happening in the next few hours (as previewed here last night), but thought we’d mention this one quickly — Of all the shoplifting incidents that police handled in the past few days, this one stood out: Saturday night, 7 pm, a man was seen heading out of QFC @ Westwood Village with a cart full of “unpaid-for” merchandise, consisting of the following, according to a witness: Several large containers of Tide laundry soap, several six-packs of Heineken beer, and “numerous single cans of 211 beer.” He is described only as white and driving a 1990s Honda or Toyota, and got away before he was caught.

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Parks and police reps visit Westcrest for a safety check
March 11, 2008 4:21 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

sunnywestcrest.jpg

As you can tell from the photo, a lovely afternoon to visit Westcrest Park in southeastern West Seattle (home to the only WS off-leash area; here’s a map) — the occasion, a chance for Parks Department and Police Department to review citizen concerns about public-safety issues. Officer Brian Ballew from the Southwest Precinct Community Police Team was there, as were three Parks employees — Carol Baker, Steve Langley, and Cheryl Fraser. They say that Westcrest safety concerns are definitely high on their radar, thanks to ciizen concerns, particularly “inappropriate behavior” at the “comfort station” as well as the poisoning concern involved in the “Mo” case, though there have been no similar reports since that one. They also urge community members to continue to keep close watch, even to organize citizen walkthroughs if they’re so inclined (if you’re interested in talking more with them about that, their e-mail addresses are linked to their names above). Also a key group to get involved with if you are a Westcrest user, since these folks already are closely involved with taking care of the park, is the Westcrest Off-Leash Area group; find its Yahoo! e-mail group here, and park steward Steve McElhenney is reachable through the group, which we wrote about last year.

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A matter of size: Satterlee House lawn-development dispute
March 11, 2008 2:32 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

satterleelawn.jpg

We reported briefly yesterday (morning update here; afternoon update here) about the start of proceedings before the city Hearing Examiner over what the owner of the “Satterlee House”/”Painted Lady” at 4866 Beach Drive will be allowed to build on the huge front lawn shown above. Testimony continues Thursday morning on the 40th floor of the Municipal Tower downtown; before too much time passed, we wanted to post a more complete wrapup of what we saw and heard while covering the proceedings yesterday:Read More

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Goats: Not just for clearing brush
March 11, 2008 12:52 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle Farmers' Market | West Seattle online

Every weekend, when we publish the “fresh sheet” for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, we note in passing that its more unconventional offerings include goat meat. Anybody buying it, you wonder? Unequivocally, yes – here’s here’s an anecdote from the relatively new blog for Earth Ministry, posted by its West Seattle-based executive director.

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Out of the inbox: Trash trucks too early?
March 11, 2008 11:10 am
|      25 COMMENTS
 |   Neighborhoods

Just out of the inbox, from JBC (who has since further elaborated in the comments section that this is happening DAILY):

I wonder if anyone else is bothered by these trucks in the alleys between the businesses on California and the residences on 44th or 42nd. I live in a condo and our whole alley is lined with condo buildings, and we get these trucks banging and clanging through our alley before 7 AM, our usual rising time. I’ve been working with David George of the Noise Abatement Office of the City of Seattle and I do have to credit him with making huge improvements for us. When we first moved into our condo 4.5 years ago, the trucks were coming at 4:30 AM!! Now they hold off, much of the time, till after 7 but still sometimes come at 6:30. I know they wouldn’t dare show up before 8 AM at our old residence at 51st and Edmunds so why is this residential area any different? Most of the businesses don’t open before 10 so they can’t really justify on the basis of trying to get out of the way before the area gets congested.

Any other readers bothered by this and interested in banding together to . . . not sure what, but bring pressure to bear in some way?

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Three road-work alerts: 2 on Alki, 1 on Beach Drive
March 11, 2008 10:14 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

In addition to the two Alki Ave projects we’ve been telling you about, we just happened onto rod work that’s got flaggers in action on Beach Drive too, just south of Lowman Beach. Along Alki, the heavy equipment for this week’s paving work was just getting into gear in the 1700 block, and just a few blocks past the end of the paving zone at Bonair, the 53rd SW Pump Project crews have flaggers too – with equipment like this taking up one full lane:

roadwork.jpg

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Alki paving scheduled to start today
March 11, 2008 7:05 am
|    Comments Off on Alki paving scheduled to start today
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Unless the weather changes the city’s plan, the Alki Ave paving work announced last week (full details here) from the 1700 block to Bonair is scheduled to start this morning.

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West Seattle weather watch: Wind advisory
March 11, 2008 6:22 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle weather watch: Wind advisory
 |   West Seattle weather

In effect till noon. Southwest wind 25-35, could see some gusts up to 45.

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Happening Tuesday: Four hot topics, all in 1 night
March 10, 2008 10:17 pm
|    Comments Off on Happening Tuesday: Four hot topics, all in 1 night
 |   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

junctioncrash.jpg

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 ….

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 Bank… 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 didn’t expect; some of them top-end designer handbags.

All donated handbags will be up for sale at the auction… some of them will simply be for sale for $5… 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 didn’t sell, has created another opportunity for donations. We will be donating any bags that don’t sell to the Seattle Dress for Success program and will also collect donations of quality used women’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
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   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
|    Comments Off on “Painted Lady” development appeal hearing: Mid-afternoon update
 |   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

shoremontdoomed.jpg

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):

pbproject.jpg

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
|    Comments Off on Possible risks to your pet’s life: Reminder from the city
 |   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
|    Comments Off on Beach Drive “Painted Lady” hearing under way
 |   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

waslsealthsign.jpg

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:

parkmap.jpg

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:

morganparkschematic.jpg

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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Egg vandalism: Not so victimless
March 9, 2008 11:07 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Seaview | West Seattle news

Bernie posted this over the weekend as a new comment on an old report, so we’re reposting here:

This is a week after the events. Last Friday Feb 29 and Saturday March 1 our house was egged. After Saturday evening that makes the 5th time in just over 4 weeks of being egged. We live in the Seaview neighborhood. I have a cedar sided house and I can say at this point we are not able to undo the damage. Our back door is destroyed. Is there any easier way to remove it without taking the paint and the wood?

Most events have happened while there were 3 day weekends and an occasional 2 day weekend. We are not the occasional hit but rather this target of a bitter person or someone playing a ‘joke.’ I realize that having two boys 11 and 15 makes us even more of a target. We have had several ‘come to Jesus’ sessions about this and no clues as to who. What I find absolutely frustrating is that every kid in the ‘hood’ is accounted for at the time of the event.

I called the police to report the event. They are not much interested in reporting eggings but I think we’re beyond the one in a blue moon event. They suggest just leaving all the yard lights on. The other thing that has happened along with this is someone has opened our gate and walked through the yard at 3:00 – 4:00 a.m. The only clue I have to this is that the gate opens and then closes (We have wind chimes attached the yard gate and we can hear the latch) – then when jumping up from bed we find the yard motion lights all on.

I am happy to share any other info that I may have discounted with anyone who has other info or similar events happening to them.

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