West Seattle, Washington

18 Thursday

57℉

month : 01/2009 365 results

Trash pickup catch-up: What’s SUPPOSED to happen today
January 3, 2009 9:28 am
|      36 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather


Just a reminder, since some people apparently missed previous word about this: If you have Friday trash pickup, it’s supposed to happen TODAY — this was the plan long before Snowmare ’08; originally Thursday was a holiday for trash/recycling crews so the plan for a while has been for Thursday pickups around the city were to be made Friday and Friday to be made Saturday. (Some worked on Thursday anyway, catching up on missed Monday-Wednesday homes; if you are Mon-Wed pickup and were missed this week, call the city ASAP; if you are Friday pickup, you’re not supposed to call unless it gets to be late in the day today and you’re still waiting.) One twist – we’ve received a couple reports of Friday homes that DID get picked up yesterday. The graphic above is the one that was handed out at the mayoral briefing we covered at City Hall on Wednesday (click the graphic to see a larger version). No details yet about the “rebates” he mentioned for those who missed two trash pickups during the weather woes.

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Belated update: West Seattle soccer teams finish 2nd in state
January 3, 2009 6:03 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | WS & Sports

There’s a chilly memory from mid-December – that’s Sami MacKenzie of the West Seattle Cheetahs soccer team scoring a penalty shot during their state-championship game in Tukwila on December 14. Before the snow and ice forced almost everything else onto the back burner, we had brought you a few updates on the Cheetahs and two other West Seattle-based soccer teams playing in the championships that weekend (archived here, below this post). The evening of 12/13 was when the first wave of snow rolled in, but it didn’t stop these intrepid athletes. Though none of the three teams (the GU13 Cheetahs, the BU17 Xtreme, and the BU18 Eagles) won their title games, that still means they’re each in the state’s top two in their class, reason to celebrate. Here’s the photo and story that Cheetahs coach John MacKenzie sent after their big game 12/14, unpublished here at the time because of Snowmare ’08:

Frozen Coaches left to right: Eric Klapperich, John MacKenzie, and Cori Roed. Frozen Back Row, left to right: Julia Denison, Kelsey Klapperich, Charli Elliott, Sam Tanzer, Maddy Winter, Annalisa Ursino, Abby Tuthill, Sami MacKenzie. Frozen front row, left to right: Tatum Dahl, Anne Jorgenson, Julia Nark, Laura Jetland, Ali Campagnaro, Danielle Nielsen, Nicole Roed, and Gabby Rivera

Braving the snow and cold with the wind chill in the teens, the West Seattle Cheetahs fought to a 1-1 tie through regulation and 2 overtimes, only to lose a heartbreaker 3-2 in a shootout.

The field was frozen and covered with a layer of snow, the ball was frozen and the feet were frozen, but the competition was hot! The Cheetahs scored early in the first half on an excellent cross and tap in, but the Tornadoes came back with a great shot to tie the game just before the half. The second half saw many attempts, some missed opportunities, and some great goalkeeping to end regulation time tied 1-1. The 2 ten-minute overtimes saw much of the same, so a shootout was needed to determine the winner.

Both teams made their first 2 shots, then both teams missed their next 2, but the Tornadoes made their 5th shot to win the game 3-2 and take the title as #1 GU-12 recreational soccer team in Washington. It was the most incredible game we have ever been involved in. With the weather, the overtimes, and the shootout, it was an emotional roller coaster. “I was so drained, I slept for 16 hours afterward,” said Coach MacKenzie. “I am very proud of the girls and how hard they have played all year, and rightfully so – we are 1 of the 2 best teams in the state.”

“The Tornadoes were a worthy opponent and gracious winners, and you could hardly ask for a more exciting finish to the tournament,” said Coach Roed. The Cheetahs promise, “Wait till next year!”

The Cheetahs players and coaches would like to thank all the supportive West Seattle soccer fans who braved the below-freezing temperatures to come and cheer for us in the finals of the President Cup. You mean the world to us!

Congratulations again to the Cheetahs, the Xtreme, and the Eagles. They all are part of the West Seattle Soccer Club, which has spring leagues as well as fall; find out more about WSSC at its website.

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Inauguration Day: Schedule released; West Seattle event
January 2, 2009 11:07 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   2009 Inauguration | West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

(January 18 note: We now have an INAUGURATION INFO page – click here to go there)

obamabarack.jpgA few national-news sites have posted the Obama/Biden Inauguration Day schedule of events in the past few hours, so it seems to be relatively new news – if you haven’t seen it, here’s the Inauguration Week/Day schedule on the official Inaugural Committee website. From that site, we discovered the Inaugural Committee has its own Twitter feed at @obamainaugural (see/follow it here). Meantime, the first open-to-the-public Inauguration Day events to cross our radar have been on the WSB Events calendar for a few days – here’s the announcement we first published there:

INAUGURATION DAY, will be busy for the WEST SEATTLE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN, as in the morning they will be having a Breakfast/Inauguration Viewing and later in the evening hosting an Inaugural Dinner/Gala. You need not be a member of WSDW, a female, or even a Democrat to attend either function, simply want to celebrate President-elect Obama’s inauguration and the CHANGE it will bring! The BREAKFAST/INAUGURATION VIEWING will be from 7:00 A.M. to approximately 10:00 A.M. at the West Seattle Golf Course. A big screen TV will be provided so to watch the Inauguration and Parade. Please contact WSDW via Karen at (206) 935-3216 or e=mail wsdwomen@yahoo.com to make a reservation.

The WSDWomen’s INAUGURAL DINNER/GALA begins at 6:00 P.M. at The Hall at Fauntleroy with a no-host beer and wine social hour followed at 7:00 P.M. with dinner and a dessert run showcasing absolutely scrumptious desserts. State Sen. Joe McDermott will be the Master of Ceremonies. Dancing and other frivolity will top off the end to a spectacular day! Please contact WSDW via Karen at (206) 935-3216 or e-mail wsdwomen@yahoo.com to obtain tickets to this event.

Reservations are required for both.

Other West Seattle Inauguration Day events open to the public? Let us know – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

ADDED SATURDAY AFTERNOON: First one that we’re adding to the calendar – Dave at West 5 sends word that his Junction establishment’s a fine place to celebrate afterward: “No TVs to watch the event but we will celebrate with Happy Hour pricing all day 11-6, with $4.00 bloody marys & mimosas.”

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UPS delivery delays – the saga continues
January 2, 2009 9:07 pm
|      54 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

UPS PR didn’t respond to our inquiries today about how much progress they have, or have not, made in catching up in our area post-snow, and why the Web information still appears to be inaccurate for those awaiting deliveries. However, a UPS spokesperson quoted in this P-I story posted tonight says they will be making some deliveries tomorrow. Meantime, the comments continue rolling in on our previous UPS update from pre-New Year’s, and this one from “xxx” may be of immediate interest if you are still awaiting a package:

These guys have no clue where the package is – 404-828-3219 is the corporate number. SOmeone from there assured me the package will get delivered today. guess what – it wasn’t. He also gave me the local number 425-882-4111 in issaquah, and i called them and they said that the trailer is inaccessible until Monday and all they know is that it is not in the truck. Bottomline – a very frustrated me is still waiting on the package, and UPS has no bloody clue where it is and are useless. He said they were doing their best – absolutely not. Biggest bunch of insincere and useless people. I have put the numbers here so everyone can call and complain and give them a piece of your mind.

In a subsequent comment, “xxx” said the 425 number is supposed to be answered until 10 pm tonight – so if your package hasn’t arrived yet, it may be worth a try. 10 PM UPDATE: They’re working late tonight — a UPS truck just went by our house, further uphill and eastward on the nearby side street.

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West Seattle business notes: 3 quick update, from coffee to cars
January 2, 2009 7:21 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

COFFEE AT THE HEIGHTS: An e-mail inquiry reminded us we hadn’t checked on this in-the-works coffee shop (next to the laundromat at 35th/Webster) since this update last fall. So we asked the proprietors of PB&J Textiles, who are putting in the shop (and also operate the laundromat). After slowing the project down for a while, they say, it’s about to rev up again, with electrical work next week and cabinets after that – so opening day shouldn’t be TOO far away.

AND ACROSS THE STREET … from where Coffee at the Heights is brewing, county records confirm a recent tip we got that the former Carosello Coffee space (which had many names before it closed more than a year ago) at 7350 35th SW finally has been sold. Multiple sources say a salon is going in. The new owner has the same name as the operator of a salon on Delridge; we’re checking both locations for a link (although someone may beat us to confirmation while we’re out driving around!).

WEST SEATTLE MOTORS DRIVES INTO THE SUNSET: Thanks to Lora at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) for pointing out that the sign on this Triangle business along Fauntleroy Way has switched its blazing-red scrolling message from “Liquidation Sale” to “Gone Out of Business.” This was West Seattle’s last remaining car-sales business; we reported in May 2007 about its name change from Bob Ochsner Cars.

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Return of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup: First of 2009!
January 2, 2009 2:19 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | WS culture/arts | WS Weekend Lineup

wswllicon3.pngThe snow woes forced a two-week hiatus for the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, but now that wintry weather is down to its usual dull roar (knock wood), we’re ready to resume. From Twelfth Night Productions‘ (WSB sponsor) “Amahl and the Night Visitors” (read more here) to work parties tomorrow in three local forests to the Duwamish Tribe‘s longhouse dedication, to free yoga, in all, more than two dozen West Seattle Friday-Saturday-Sunday events are listed ahead:Read More

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A West Seattle year-end reflection you might otherwise miss
January 2, 2009 1:15 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle online | WS culture/arts

This one’s still on the WSB (Other) Blogs (in West Seattle) page, but will fall off soon since 100 sites feed into that page and this update’s a few days old. If you haven’t read it already, and you’re interested in the arts — or philosophy — or just plain thoughtful writing — it’s worth a look: ArtsWest executive director Alan Harrison‘s 2008-ending thoughts. (And we couldn’t resist calling attention to it, since he opens by implying only 4 people, or so, will see it.)

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Somber anniversary: Firefighters’ memorial/benefit at Holy Family
January 2, 2009 12:09 pm
|    Comments Off on Somber anniversary: Firefighters’ memorial/benefit at Holy Family
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

We mentioned this a few days ago on partner site White Center Now but want to share it here too: Next Monday night at Holy Family School (20th and Roxbury; map), a benefit dinner will be held to raise money for the Randy Terlicker Endowment Fund. He was one of the four Seattle firefighters who lost their lives in one of the most tragic incidents ever to rock our city’s public-safety community, the Pang warehouse arson (also memorialized by the Pioneer Square sculpture shown at left, which pays tribute to the four and to all firefighters killed in the line of duty). The night of the dinner marks exactly 14 years to the day since the 1/5/95 fire that killed Terlicker – a Holy Family alumnus – along with Lt. Walter Kilgore, Lt. Greg Shoemaker, and firefighter James Brown. The dinner event will also serve as a memorial for the four, with the Seattle Fire Department Pipes and Drums Band scheduled to take part, as well as presentation of colors by the Walter Kilgore Memorial Honor Guard, and remarks by Randy Terlicker’s family and friends. The endowment fund provides HF scholarships to families who need financial assistance to attend the school. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 pm (after a 6 pm social hour); call HF at (206) 767-6220 to check on ticket availability.

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West Seattle school-closure fight: Online petition drive
January 2, 2009 9:21 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle school closure | West Seattle schools

Next Tuesday, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson is scheduled to announce her “final recommendations” for which school programs and buildings should be closed in the current closure process; a final round of meetings and hearings will ensue, with a final School Board vote projected on Jan. 29. As previously reported, the current form of the proposal calls for closing the Genesee Hill Elementary building (shown at left) that’s housed Pathfinder K-8 for more than a decade, and closing the Cooper Elementary School “program” — dispersing its students to other West Seattle elementaries — so Pathfinder can move into that building (shown at right). This morning, we’ve received word of a new online petition drive opposing all proposed closures citywide (latest full list here). To see the petition (with a “signature” option for anyone interested), go here. To send your thoughts on the proposed closures/changes (or any other SPS-related topic) directly to the School Board, which has the final say, e-mail schoolboard@seattleschools.org (individual members’ info is here). The district’s official info page for the closure process is here; archived WSB coverage (newest to oldest) is here. ADDED 11:29 AM: Thanks to Forest for reminding us of something we should have added: The school district computer system is going down for major maintenance/power-supply upgrade starting at 5 pm tonight. The full notice is published at saveseattleschools.blogspot.com; it says the closure-info pages will be available elsewhere via a redirect, but e-mail to district addresses will not be delivered between Friday night and Monday morning.

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Friday morning commute update: Bridge ramps all open again
January 2, 2009 6:25 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

ORIGINAL 6:25 AM POST: We’re off to see which ramps, if any, are still closed on The Bridge as the up-to-eight-hour period of city drain-cleaning goes into its final stretch and eastbound “rush hour” approaches – the image above is the latest “live” picture from the city camera that looks eastward toward the ramp to 99. First word of what we find will turn up in the turquoise Twitter box (headed “What am I doing …”) on the right sidebar. Meantime, looks like some frosting on the cars outside – some potential rain-snow mix had been predicted overnight; nothing on the ground or road though, at least up here. 6:59 AM UPDATE: Just drove both directions; all ramps open, looks like the work’s all done. We saw one last city crew working on a drain in the inside westbound lane parallel with the Admiral exit when we were heading eastbound at 6:30, but even they were gone when we headed back west.

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New WSB sponsor: “Amahl and the Night Visitors” opens tonight
January 2, 2009 1:23 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | Holidays | WS culture/arts

For everyone who missed out on some of the usual pre-holiday fun because of Snowstorm ’08 — tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday, you have four chances to make up for it, with four performances of Twelfth Night Productions‘ “Amahl and the Night Visitors” at Youngstown Arts Center here in West Seattle. Twelfth Night is sponsoring WSB through the weekend to get the word out — here’s its announcement of the show, which it has presented annually for more than a decade:

Twelfth Night Productions celebrates Twelfth Night with its twelfth annual performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors, a short opera by Gian Carlo Menotti.

This fully orchestrated production of Menotti’s brilliantly scored opera tells the story of a poor young shepherd and his mother who receive a visit from the Three Kings on their way to Bethlehem: “Amahl’s mother welcomes the royal sojourners, who rest in the small, bare house where love and faith work miracles during the night.” (Publisher’s Weekly, 1986)

“Our production has become a tradition for many families in the Seattle area. It is a beautiful way to close the holiday season,” says artistic director Mary Opland Springer. Each year many cast members, musicians, and dancers return to recreate the magic of this beautiful opera.

Twelfth Night Productions is a non-profit performing arts organization located in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. This production features several artists from the West Seattle community as well as the greater Seattle area.

Amahl and the Night Visitors runs in a special limited engagement at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, the former historic Cooper School, in West Seattle. Showtimes are: Friday, January 2nd, and Saturday, January 3rd, at 7:30 PM, with matinees at 3:00 PM on Saturday (1/3) and Sunday (1/4). Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students & seniors, and are available through Brown Paper Tickets (www.brownpapertickets.com), and at the Youngstown Theater on performance days.

Due to the popularity of this production and limited seating availability, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Amahl and the Night Visitors is produced through special arrangement with G. Schirmer Publishing Inc.

Here’s the direct link to the Brown Paper Tickets page for “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” We thank Twelfth Night Productions for supporting WSB with this sponsorship, and we hope you’ll support the local performing arts by enjoying “Amahl and the Night Visitors” this weekend!

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 3 more notes
January 1, 2009 10:12 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Alki Statue of Liberty | Crime | West Seattle news

ALKI TAGGING VANDALISM: We have chosen to subscribe to law enforcers’ belief that publishing photos of graffiti vandalism in its entirety does more harm than good, so the photo you see at left shows only the edges of two fluorescent-pink tags (picture’s left and bottom edges) scrawled on the new Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza pedestal last night. David Hutchinson from the Statue of Liberty Plaza Project has reported the vandalism to the Parks Department, saying, with hope, “This may be a good test of the anti-graffiti coating,” while adding, “This is just the latest incident in a recent outbreak of this type of activity at Alki.” He also included in his report to Parks four photos taken a few days ago showing even bigger tags painted on and around the Alki Bathhouse (on its siding, inside and outside restrooms, and on a utility box). We will follow up tomorrow on cleanup plans. By the way – here’s how to report graffiti/tag vandalism on public property.

1 WEST SEATTLE MURDER IN 2008: The statistic is official now that the year is over. 49-year-old Tracey Creamer, a Highland Park resident killed by her husband before he killed himself (first reported here May 5 though the Medical Examiner ultimately determined she was killed in mid-April), was the only West Seattle murder victim last year, among 28 citywide (each one catalogued in this P-I article today). In 2007, three murders happened in West Seattle; all three resulted in convictions, with the killers now serving time in prison (the last ’07 WS case was closed with a sentencing we covered just four weeks ago).

THEFT REPORT: The police report is of course the most important report you can make if crime happens to you, but we also publish reports here on WSB to help neighbors keep track of what’s happening where – and better to hear about it late than never – Scott in the 6000 block of 42nd SW (map) sent this note:

Week of December 8: Yakima bike rack with 3 bike trays, including an ATOC topper, was stolen off my Toyota Camry. The rack was 10 years old and probably worth less than $200. Unfortunately, the thieves also damaged the car’s rain gutters because two of the four rack towers were locked. Probably an $800 loss. Our first incident since moving to the neighborhood

Once we have posted crime reports here on the main page, we link them to the Crime Watch page, where you also will find the latest major Southwest Precinct reports posted on the Seattle Police SPDBlotter site, as well as some handy resource links about crime prevention and reporting. If a huge story is taking up the home page (as was the case during Snowmare ’08), you will see some crime reports appear on the CW page first.

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Reminders for Friday: From bridge to buses to trash to gov’t
January 1, 2009 8:18 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | Utilities | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

BRIDGE RAMP CLOSURES: This is more like tonight/tomorrow: The high-bridge ramp closures for drain cleaning start at midnight tonight, continuing up till 8 am tomorrow (at the latest; one sign says 6 am but the city has repeated “8 am” so 6 may just be a typo). Here’s our original story, including a list of what’s closed/open during this work.

BUS SCHEDULES: Metro is on the “partial holiday” schedule one more day.

TRASH COLLECTION: Here’s the Seattle Public Utilities explainer. If you’re usually Thursdays, they’re getting you picked up tomorrow. If you’re usually Fridays, they’ll get you on Saturday. If you were missed again Mon-Wed this week, call.

COUNTY OFFICES/FACILITIES: Most are closed tomorrow – it’s a “furlough day.”

CITY OFFICES/FACILITIES: Open tomorrow.

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From the WSB Forums: Restaurants open for New Year’s dinner
January 1, 2009 5:49 pm
|    Comments Off on From the WSB Forums: Restaurants open for New Year’s dinner
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Thinking about going out to dinner? We just finished a quick drive-by tour of most West Seattle restaurant zones and can confirm the ones that are open greatly outnumber the ones that are closed. It started with this WSB Forums thread; we posted “open” sightings on Twitter (you can see them here) from the roadside, and WSBF members are adding what they’ve seen, too – if you know of one that’s not mentioned, please add it there! For pizza delivery, by the way, looks like everybody’s open (big pizza holiday, what with the bowl games on TV, as Pagliacci‘s home page notes).

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West Seattle Christmas tree recycling options
January 1, 2009 2:33 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Holidays | Utilities | West Seattle news

Thanks to Courtney for e-mail that reminded us, we haven’t provided much information about Christmas tree recycling so far this year. We’re almost out of the post-snow-coverage daze, and heavens, we don’t want to let the scene above happen in YOUR house (or ours), so we’re rounding up the scoop. First, here’s the official city info:

Between December 26 and January 11, Seattle residents can recycle their trees and greens for free. All residents can recycle up to three trees at Seattle’s Recycling and Disposal stations. The tree sections must be cut to eight feet or less in length, and the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. Only trees without flocking or decoration may be disposed of free of charge.

Seattle food and yard waste subscribers can also recycle trees and greens for free. Trees should be cut into sections, six feet long or shorter, with branches trimmed to less than four feet to fit into the collection trucks. Bind with string or twine (non-plastic). Trunks should not exceed four inches in diameter. Flocked, plastic, or trees with tinsel will be collected as extra garbage at a rate of $6.00 per item.

Your next question, we know, will be “When will the yard waste get picked up, after all the Snowmare ’09 trouble?” From the latest city update: “Yard waste service — including Christmas tree pickup — will be resumed next week for residential customers. Check your schedule for your next yard waste pickup date. Extra yard waste will be collected at no additional charge, through Friday, Jan. 16.” If you prefer the less-cutting option and go to the Recycling/Disposal Station, the nearest one is in South Park. The city has a map here but it doesn’t address getting there from WS, so here’s a map you can use (choose the “get directions” option). Meantime, we know of one group offering tree recycling as a fundraiser – from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

The West Seattle Rainbow Girls will hold their second annual Christmas tree recycle fundraiser Saturday, January 3, 2009 at the Alki Masonic Hall, 4736 40th Ave. SW (map) from 11:00 – 3:00. Suggested donation $5.00. No flocked trees please. For more information, please contact Jan Hunter at 206-849-7906. Check out the Rainbow Girls by going to www.gorainbow.org

If you know of another tree-recycling fundraiser in West Seattle (or White Center), please let us know so we can help spread the word – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

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A different way to “chill out”: 2009 Polar Bear Swim at Alki
January 1, 2009 1:39 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)

Really, this needs no explaining. Just listen to the whoops and hollers as West Seattle Polar Bear Swim participants emerged back onto the sands of Alki from the chilly shallows of Puget Sound at midmorning today. (It’s a tradition; here’s our report from last year.)

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New Year’s Day notes: Lost/found pets; food foam; bike theft
January 1, 2009 10:53 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Bag fee battle | Crime | Environment | Pets

LOST/FOUND PETS: If you are among the many people who found WSB for the first time during the recent snowstorm coverage — you may not be completely familiar with how the site works and everything that can be found here besides the news and features on the main page. So we wanted to remind you in particular about our Pets page — which for more than a year has been the only West Seattle-specific place to find information about (and photos of, when provided) lost and found pets. There’s been an uptick in activity these past few days, unfortunately, with about half a dozen people currently working hard to find either lost pets (even a missing goat!) or the owners of pets they found. The Pets page is here. We post the information and photos – same address as everything else – editor@westseattleblog.com

FOOD FOAM BAN YES, BAG FEE NO (FOR NOW): A note we just received suggests there may be a bit of confusion out there somewhere, even in some areas of the old-media world, about what took effect today regarding what was originally a two-part city ordinance passed last year — banning foam containers for takeout food/drink, and adding a fee for people who wanted disposable plastic shopping bags. Because enough signatures were gathered for a referendum vote, as reported last September, the bag fee is on hold till a vote later this year (expected to be during the August primary), but the foam ban takes effect today – read more about it at this page of the Seattle Public Utilities website. To see some of the “commercially approved” alternatives you might be getting with your food/drinks, go here.

STOLEN BIKE WITH “SENTIMENTAL VALUE”: DP’s had this bike since the ’60s — and now it’s gone — per this note sent to report …

… a stolen bike at corner of SW Trenton St & 32nd Ave on Monday morning 12/29. A thief took my 41 year old 10-speed (sentimental value = high) right next to two much finer bikes, which are now triple locked. Description: 10 speed with drop handlebar, bad silver paint, parcel carriers front and rear, old Huret Allvit deraillier, broken generator, new gumwall tires.

If you spot that bicycle, please alert police. EARLY FRIDAY UPDATE: In comments, Maria posted a POSSIBLE sighting not far from the theft location – DP went to check, and indeed, it was the stolen bike!

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Whole lotta lava: West Seattle’s hottest webcam wins an honor
January 1, 2009 10:03 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle people | WS culture/arts | WS miscellaneous

Jerry Whiting from West Seattle-based JetCityOrange created that clip of his Lava Lamp Webcam, suggesting that’s how a Lava Lamp might look “on espresso” (java lava?) – and now the camera itself has won an international honor: It made EarthCam’s list of the 25 Most Interesting Webcams of 2008. The camera focuses on two Lava Lites — with one in action at all times — and updates its image every 10 seconds; you can see it on this JetCityOrange page anytime (optimal viewing 8-8:30 pm, when Jerry says both are usually on). The full EarthCam Top 25 list is here (with cams from an Australian station in Antartica to the National Corvette Museum).

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Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza: ’09 wishes from ’08 newsmakers
January 1, 2009 7:33 am
|    Comments Off on Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza: ’09 wishes from ’08 newsmakers
 |   Alki Statue of Liberty | Holidays | West Seattle parks

From Alki photographer extraordinaire David Hutchinson, a photo of the Statue of Liberty Plaza‘s first New Year’s Eve — though we never got around to drawing up the traditional “Top Stories of ’08” list (too busy covering NEW news!), certainly the plaza’s construction and September 2008 dedication (WSB coverage here) would have been on it. With the photo came this message from the Plaza Project Committee:

New Year’s has arrived and the “Final Sale” of inscribed bricks for the new
Plaza is over. The Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project would like to thank all of you who have made this great addition to Alki Beach possible. The order for the new bricks will be sent to the engraving company by the end of this month and we will notify donors when their bricks will be installed as soon as Seattle Parks and Recreation sets a firm date.

We wish all a Happy New Year!
Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project

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Happy 2009!
January 1, 2009 1:18 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle people

There’s still time to change the road you’re on — Led Zeppelin (“Stairway to Heaven”)

A good line for this day of renewal, of starting fresh. We heard it while driving back from going downtown to see the Space Needle fireworks up close ‘n’ personal (viewing spot, 6th/Denny, shown at left in ’08’s final moments) after a decade-plus of watching them on TV after stepping out the front door to holler HAPPY NEW YEAR! while half the neighborhood did the same). Took the long way home; amazed to see eastbound traffic on Harbor/Alki backed up all the way to Duwamish Head, still, at quarter till 1 — having cocooned for so many years, didn’t realize that many people watch the Needle fireworks from West Seattle shores. Anyway, before the New Year gets too old, and the Old Year gets too far in the rear-view mirror, we want to thank you for being part of WSB in 2008, and for being here to start what we truly believe cannot help but be — for so many reasons — the best year yet.

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