day : 05/02/2009 10 results

Southwest District Council toplines: Parking, park, P-patches …

February 5, 2009 11:59 pm

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| Gardening | Junction parking review | Junction Plaza Park | Southwest District Council | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Updates constituted most of the highlights from Wednesday night’s Southwest District Council meeting — representatives from neighborhood groups and other key organizations dealing with the section of West Seattle that the city calls the SW District (map). In the photo above is Dante Taylor, who’s traveling the West Seattle meeting circuit to remind everyone that the city’s Junction parking review is getting under way (all our coverage is archived here). Regarding the big question, whether pay stations will be the result, Taylor stressed nothing is settled – the study is supposed to determine whether they would be needed anywhere to keep cars moving and create a steady flow of people through the business district. One of his previous appearances (WSB coverage here) was at the January meeting of the Junction Neighborhood Organization, whose president Erica Karlovits is co-chair of the SWDC; she reiterated concerns her group wants to keep on the front burner – “park and hiders,” who drive to Junction neighborhoods and leave their cars while catching buses to downtown, and construction workers parking in neighborhoods. Ahead, another Junction item – the latest on the 42nd/Alaska park – and more SWDC notes:Read More

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West Seattle student’s invitation to you: Remember This Benefit

February 5, 2009 9:19 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

High-school students have a lot more responsibilities these days than we recall from way back when. Community-service requirements, and senior projects, among them. We’ve heard lately from a couple students with amazing-sounding projects – including this: The photo above shows Emily Meyer with her mom Betsy Meyer, who died last fall after years of battling early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, chronicled in a remarkable Seattle Times series (linked from this story about her death). Emily, a senior at Seattle Lutheran High School, e-mailed us this week to say that she’s planning a benefit to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association in her mom’s memory, and even though the event isn’t happening in West Seattle, she wondered if we could announce it here:

Remember This Benefit
Friday, February 27th, 2009
Doors open at 7:30pm; Show starts at 8:00pm
At The Vera Project
Located on the corner of Warren & Republican Ave N, next to the Key Arena in Seattle Center
Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 day of show
All ages are invited
www.myspace.com/rememberthisbenefit
Join us for a benefit concert with incredible musical performances by Kids and Animals, On the Last Day and more! Proceeds go to the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of the late Betsy Meyer, Seattle Times memorable person of the year. For more information contact the benefit coordinator, Emily Meyer, Betsy’s 18-year-old daughter, at 206.719.7188.

It’s in the WSB Events calendar, too. Meantime, we’re working on a story about two of Emily’s classmates, who announced their senior project recently in the WSB Forums, and are looking for help – look for that story tomorrow.

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Another celebrity visit at Roxbury Safeway: “Oprah’s trainer”

February 5, 2009 7:02 pm

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| West Seattle news

Still wondering “why Roxbury Safeway?” (No other grocery stores around here seem to have celebrity appearances.) Anyway – First, it was American Idol finalist Chris Richardson last March (WSB coverage here), now, “Oprah’s trainer,” Bob Greene, will be at Roxbury Safeway 11 am-1 pm tomorrow. Thanks to the non-West Seattle tipster who kindly let us know.

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West Seattle wildlife (sort of): Horse training; bird watching

February 5, 2009 5:17 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle police | Westwood | Wildlife

Sorry, no goat reunions today, but we do have two animal photos to share, and one in fact DOES involve police: That first photo – which we snapped by cameraphone during an afternoon errand at Westwood Village – is in desperate need of a caption. Just can’t think of it. Suggestions? Police told us they took these horses to WV to help them get used to car traffic. (The Seattle Police Mounted Patrol, by the way, is based right here in West Seattle, in Westcrest Park.) Meantime, traveling Beach Drive just north of Me-Kwa-Mooks, we had to pull over and admire this big bird, more than three times the size of the crows that were harassing him/her:

Peregrine falcon? UPDATE: “K” suggests, in the comment section, that it might be a young bald eagle. Photos like this seem to verify that possibility (and of course eagles ARE often seen around Alki/Beach Drive).

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Update: West Seattle Lotto winners’ rep picks up check

February 5, 2009 4:28 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

As mentioned in our previous post, the representative for the group with the $6.8 million winning Lotto ticket sold at Admiral 7-11 (original WSB report here) has claimed the check. He declined an interview but the Washington State Lottery sent the photo above and this news release with info:

This past Monday was not just another typical Monday for the members of Josal Partners. While reading the morning paper over a cup of tea, they realized they had won the $6.8 million Lotto jackpot.

“Incredulity would sum up the reaction,” joked John Gose, the group’s managing partner. Gose, who spoke on behalf of Josal Partners, is an attorney and an ex-marine. The partners’ reactions were clearly incredulous.

“Lottery is a daydreaming game and daydreams change from day to day,” said Gose about why the group plays. Whatever their daydreams were that day, they are a reality now.

The winners, who were skeptical about their “incredulous” situation, were sure to check additional sources to confirm the win after initially seeing their numbers in the Seattle Times. “I’m not good with numbers!” joked Gose. So one of the partners took the ticket to a “very accurate” accountant, who instantly proclaimed, “No #@%$, you won!,” after giving the ticket a good look.

“The win has provided funds that would not have otherwise been available,” explained Gose. “The money will be going toward paying off debts and providing education for children and grandchildren.” Another member of the partners added there has also been some talk of shopping for a new truck.

The winners said that this was their first time experiencing a big Lottery win. The same can’t be said of the store that sold the ticket. The West Seattle 7-Eleven where the winning ticket was purchased has sold a big Lotto jackpot before. A Federal Way man won $11 million in 1994. As part of the Lottery’s retail program, this 7-11 will be receiving a retail bonus of $68,000.

Gose had some interesting logic to share for all potential Lottery winners out there about picking numbers, “A five is cuter than a three, and fours are different.” Keep that in mind next time you play.

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Lotto winners step forward (but decline interviews)

February 5, 2009 12:31 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| WS breaking news

We just got a call from the state lottery office. Someone has claimed the $6.8 million prize we reported on last weekend. The winners are said to be a group of people and we’ll have an interview with the group’s representative this afternoon. The lottery folks say the representative is from West Seattle and that’s why he bought the ticket at the Admiral 7-11. 4:14 PM UPDATE: The representative changed his mind about doing interviews (even by phone) but the lottery reps say there will be more information in a news release … later. We’ll add it when we get it.

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West Seattle biz notes: Chocolate beer, to realty growth, to …

February 5, 2009 11:48 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

CHOCOLATE BEER: Noticed this on the Elliott Bay Brewing blog that’s one of the 100 automatically and continuously tracked by the WSB Blogs page. Seems EBB is pouring a West Seattle-brewed “chocolate porter.”

FEEDBACK LOUNGE: Got an e-mail question about this a little while ago so you might be wondering too. We checked recently with Jeff Gilbert to see about the progress on Feedback Lounge, which is moving into the old Beveridge Place Pub space (between the ex-Corner Inn/future Zeeks Pizza and the “new” BPP). He’s hopeful they’re down to a matter of weeks; you can read more details in this recent update on the Feedback Lounge MySpace site.

REALTY GROWTH: Tough economy for almost everyone, but that’s not keeping local real-estate firms down. We were first to report the Prudential Northwest consolidation into Jefferson Square two weeks ago; today, we got word from John L. Scott/Westwood co-owner Cynthia Reid that their staff has added three new members: Jennifer Cross, Gwen Fraser, and Steve Brissenden. (5:26 PM UPDATE: And two more agents today, they have since written to say: Jan Campbell and Corky Burr.)

AND A WSB REMINDER FOR ALL LOCAL BUSINESSES: Our busy (46,000+ posts) WSB Forums have a West Seattle Jobs Offered section where you can post a job opening FREE. Our only requirements are: (A) The job must be physically located in the West Seattle-White Center area, and (B) the post must be clear WHO is hiring – no blind ads, please. And there’s one other area in the Forums that might be of interest to local businesspeople — Freebies, Deals, Sales is open to anyone to post, FREE, about freebie/bargain offers in the West Seattle area — two ways we’re trying to help youget out information that can help us all make it through tougher-than-usual times.

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West Seattle school tours update: Superintendent at Lafayette

February 5, 2009 11:28 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Earlier this morning, we mentioned it’s a busy day/night for school tours and open houses around West Seattle (see the list here). Within the past hour, the tours at Lafayette Elementary were joined by a high-profile guest – Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson (whom we photographed above with Lafayette principal Virginia Turner in the planter-box area outside). Dr. Goodloe-Johnson also visited nearby Madison Middle School before the Lafayette stop, and was headed back to district HQ in Sodo next. (Just three days ago, she was at West Seattle High School for the health-center celebration we covered here.)

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Think Summer Fest: Junction street festival applications

February 5, 2009 9:44 am

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| West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Click To Play

That’s a quick clip of one of the hottest tickets at last year’s West Seattle Summer Fest, Green Pajamas, and we’ve pulled it out of the archives to let you know that application forms are now available online for bands that want to play in this year’s Summer Fest. So are applications for prospective food and craft vendors. The forms are all linked from the Summer Fest home page, which you can find here; the festival’s set for July 10th-12th. (We got first word of this at last night’s Southwest District Council meeting; more headlines from SWDC are coming up a bit later.)

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West Seattle school search: Lots of tours today

February 5, 2009 6:03 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Fall seems far away – unless you are in the process of deciding where your child(ren) will go to school next September. Today’s a busy school-tour day around West Seattle, so here are the highlights:

Denny Middle School tour: 8:15-9:15 this morning
Lafayette and Schmitz Park Elementaries’ tours: 9:30-11 am today
Arbor Heights Elementary tours: 9:30-11:30 am today
West Seattle Montessori (WSB sponsor) tours: 6-8 tonight
Chief Sealth High School‘s open house/Choices Night: 6:30-8:30 tonight (here’s the flyer)

The master list of all upcoming Seattle Public Schools tours is linked from atop the WSB Events Calendar; other tours/open houses are listed on the calendar; and you can check individual schools’ websites from the WSB Schools page. P.S. As Oliver points out in comments, many tours require/prefer advance sign-ups, so call the school first.

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