month : 03/2009 366 results

First: From seattlepi.com – Six people have been indicted in connection with a prostitution ring, and they allegedly are affiliated with what’s described as a West Seattle-based gang. Read the story here.

Second, Derek P sent this photo, and the report that follows:

Just another FYI for West Seattle residents who believe that they may live on a quiet street. I returned back from work today passing my girlfriend’s vehicle parallel parked at SW Raymond St. & 30th Ave SW [map] What do I find? Gold paint running along the bottom of the drivers side (see photo). Reported to the SPD. No witnesses. Her vehicle happened to be one of two parked along the street at the time (4:30pm). Fortunately, the paint was still somewhat soft so I managed to remove most of it with some bug / tar remover plus some elbow grease. At first I assumed it was spray paint but I’m not so sure. I will probably go back out later to ask neighbors who may have been parked on the street earlier to see if their cars were hit.

Finally, Susan in Upper Fauntleroy sent this after reading about the stolen Buddha on Alki earlier this week:

Within the past week we had a large (4 foot) carving of a fisherman with a large fish stolen from our front poarch. I would love to get it back, it was rather unique, but I don’t have much hope. However, I wanted to let you know because there may be a trend and I want others in the West Seattle community to learn from our experience.

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Wanted by West Seattle church: Anyone have a donkey to loan?

March 25, 2009 5:31 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle religion

Thanks to Diane for spotting this on the West Seattle-sorted CL listings that cycle through the WSB More page: A West Seattle church, looking for a donkey for Palm Sunday. We sent a note to the blind-box e-mail address to find out which church: It’s St. John the Baptist Episcopal, next to West Seattle High School – which in fact offered a well-attended “Blessing of the Animals” last October.

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Delridge-area problem properties: Cleanup under way on 26th

March 25, 2009 2:44 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

In the past week, we have brought you two updates on Delridge-area problem properties (here and here), focused in particular on one vacant house at the far north end of Delridge, but also discussing a wider problem – junk and trash piling up outside some, transient/squatter problems at others. Today, we got word (thanks, Lisa!) that a cleanup crew is at 5424 26th SW (map), which she says is a vacant house that’s had a junk problem for a long time (note the photos above and below). The city-worker crew that’s there would tell us only that it’s a court-ordered cleanup; crossreferencing the parcel number in King County’s online-records system didn’t turn up that kind of court order, nor did any recent violation notices show up on the city website (though as a commenter discovered, it looks like one of last year’s violations did just wind its way through the system), but we did find a notice that the site is to be auctioned off on April 17th (10 am, King County Administration Building downtown).

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Alki Homestead’s future: An update from owner Tom Lin

March 25, 2009 12:16 pm

| 25 COMMENTS

| Alki Homestead | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

After both of the stories we published here the past two days about concerns regarding the Alki Homestead‘s future (here and here), we mentioned trying to reach owner Tom Lin for his comment on his plans for the landmark restaurant, two months after the fire that closed it. Here’s what he just sent us:

It has been 2 months since the fire at Alki Homestead and I appreciate everyone’s concern as to what to do with the property. Hopefully this will provide some insight as to what is going on.

My main concern is to find a place for my employees to work. It has not been easy due to the economic condition of the market. I have looked at over several restaurants that are for sale in West Seattle and finally found one that everyone likes. I presented the letter of intent yesterday and hopefully it will work out. The employees are thrilled to have the opportunity to work together as a team again — over 10 of them. It is not going to be named Alki Homestead. However, the spirit will be kept alive until Homestead reopens.

It will be a long road ahead to restore Alki Homestead. The insurance is still in the process of getting settled. I have to say that the insurance companies I am working with are professional and extremely helpful. They have a process that they have to go through in order to settle the claim. It just takes time and they are doing the best they can.

I called my insurance adjuster yesterday and asked them to release the property. They called back immediately with permission to go ahead with a modified cleanup. I can start cleaning up the place, but I should keep the contents intact until the insurance settles. Technically, the insurance companies own the property inside the building because they are paying for it.

Where do we go from here? I have been working with my architects and Mark Fritch of Mark Fritch Log Homes. Mark sent a letter to West Seattle Herald on March 24th. I hope you will have a chance to read it. Mark is the great grandson of the original builder, Anton Borgen, who helped build Alki Homestead and Log House Museum.

I met up with the board of Log House Museum a month ago. Their position is to restore the building regardless of the “use” of the building. They believe that as long as a viable business can pay the rent, then the building is saved.

I disagree with that view. The building is the shell, but the spirit is the Alki Homestead. To bring back the building without Alki Homestead is like visiting your grandmother’s house after she passed away, kind of empty. I have owned it for 3 years. I am the one who has seen:

1, Customers celebrating their 50th anniversary because that is where they had their wedding rehearsal.
2. The Ericksons, who have been coming every Friday night for the past 27 years.
3, The couple who celebrated their 75th anniversary, and they met at the beach when they were 16 years old.

The stories go on and on.

Maybe all of you can help me preserve the spirit of the property as well as the historical use of this great site. Maybe the Log House Museum can have their annual gala at Alki Homestead Restaurant in the future, instead of holding those events at other non-historic venues, as in the past 2 years.

I believe action speaks louder than words. If you would like to help with the project, then let’s be constructive. We need to stay positive and move forward. A lot of work needs to be done. Let’s bring Alki Homestead Restaurant back and let’s make this project something we can all be proud of.

Thomas Lin

(added 1:35 pm – We’ve just spoken with Lin by phone; he won’t elaborate on which restaurant he’s looking into – the two closed restaurants that have been for sale in West Seattle for months are the former Beato and Blackbird.) He also attached a WSB-addressed version of the letter he mentioned, from Mark Fritch, a great-grandson of the builder of the Homestead and the Log House Museum – read on to see it in its entirety:Read More

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Happening in West Seattle tonight: Jim Diers, “Idol,” school talks

March 25, 2009 9:04 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle video

At last year’s Sustainable West Seattle Festival (have you signed up for this year yet? 4/4’s the deadline), Jim Diers listed West Seattle – and elsewhere – examples of “Neighbor Power,” and tonight he brings that energy and evangelism to the Fauntleroy Church series about “Re-creating Community in Our Day.” It’s free at 7 pm; if you want to, you can go early and share a “simple supper” for which donations will be accepted, starting at 6 pm. Afterward, if you’re in the mood for music, “Junction Idol” is into the finals at Rocksport — one of the contenders recommended to us is Anders:

See the rest of the contestants on the Junction Idol YouTube page – then show up tonight at 9:30 to watch the finals.

CHIEF SEALTH MEETING: One other note – the Chief Sealth High School PTSA encourages Sealth parents to attend a meeting tonight, 7 pm, in the school library, to hear from principal John Boyd about how district budget challenges will affect the school.

(added 12:59 pm) PATHFINDER K-8 PTSA MEETING: Also just got word (thanks, Lashanna!) that Pathfinder K-8 has a meeting tonight too, for an update on the changes that are under way (as it prepares to move to a new location this fall) – 6:45 pm, school cafeteria.

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Discolored water? Here’s what to do

March 25, 2009 8:06 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Utilities

Susan e-mailed from Pigeon Point to ask if anyone else is having a problem with discolored water this morning. It happens in various places at various times, so we wanted to share the Seattle Public Utilities link advising what to do if it happens to you – see it here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Gatewood hit-run, carjacking attempt

March 25, 2009 5:07 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| Crime | Gatewood | West Seattle news

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Bizarre “series of events,” as Officer Jeff Kappel described it, late last night in Gatewood. Here’s how Kappel, who’s with the Seattle Police media unit, tells the story: It started around 41st and SW Monroe (blue marker in map above) just after 10 pm with a report of a hit-and-run crash. The car responsible for that crash, a silver 1999 Honda Civic, went on to California/Ida, five blocks away (red marker in map above), where the woman driving that car — which turns out to have been stolen — abandoned it and tried to carjack another woman. She didn’t succeed, and ran away. Police seached the area, but as of Kappel’s official report, filed around midnight, hadn’t found her. He describes her as “an Asian female in her 20s, in a gray and red sweatsuit, wearing a whistle,” apparently around her neck. The victim of the carjacking attempt was not reported to have been hurt; no word if the would-be carjacker had a weapon. We’re checking with police this morning for any more followup on this.

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It’s your $: Parks Levy overseers; Matching Fund recipients

March 24, 2009 11:08 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

KEEPING WATCH ON THE PARKS LEVY MONEY: The committee that’ll keep an eye on what’s being done with money from the $145 million Parks Levy approved by voters last fall includes three West Seattleites — Neal Adams, Cindi Barker, and Pete Spalding. Their appointments were approved by the council’s Parks Committee today; the committee’s first meeting is 7 pm March 30th at Parks HQ downtown.

MATCHING $: A city event tonight honored groups from all around the city that are getting money from the latest round of Neighborhood Matching Fund Small and Simple Awards — including, from West Seattle, $14,850 for Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle< to put on an Edible Garden Fair and Tour; $14,935 for Sustainable West Seattle‘s second annual SWS Festival; $14,700 for the Youth Media Institute to put on workshops to help young people “counter negative coverage of the High Point community” by telling their own, positive stories; $15,000 for Friends of the Duwamish and the Duwamish Tribe to produce “The Duwamish Diaries,” historical exhibits and multimedia presentations to be shown in Delridge and Greater Duwamish areas. These grants require applicants to get commitments of volunteer time and donated money matching at least the full sum of what they’re seeking from the NMF, which limits ‘Small and Simple’ sums to $15,000.

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Fauntleroy Community Association’s once-a-year event

March 24, 2009 8:46 pm

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| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

The Fauntleroy Community Association‘s annual meeting and membership drive is famous for treats from local food businesses – and tonight was no different. The 100-plus attendees got the chance to sample food from Endolyne Joe’s shredded beef to The Original Bakery‘s carrot cake. Some political heavyweights in the crowd, too, including City Council President Richard Conlin. Also at tonight’s event, FCA officers were re-elected, including president Bruce Butterfield, who talked about one of the group’s most recent achievements:

Some smaller changes may yet be in store for the dock, such as a covered passenger walkway, but the Legislature has not yet signed off on a plan for the ferry system’s future; while WSF has proposed Plans A and B, a citizens’ group based in Kitsap County has been advocating for a “Plan C” (read about it here).

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County Assessor Scott Noble breaks his silence

March 24, 2009 8:25 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Thanks to Jules for the tip that Beach Drive resident Scott Noble, now back to work as King County Assessor, has done an interview with channel 5 TV, and that media crews have been milling in the area all day. Here’s the first online version of the story – the video clip promotes a longer version to be shown on the station’s 11 pm newscast.

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Countdown continues to King County Water Taxi’s April 5 kickoff

March 24, 2009 7:33 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| King County Water Taxi | Transportation | West Seattle news

As reported here last Thursday, the Water Taxi is now the King County Water Taxi, no longer the Elliott Bay WT. With its April 5th season kickoff (remember – free rides all day!) now just a week and a half away, the county’s issued a new fact sheet with a reminder of some of the other changes – see it here.

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Update: Motorcyclist hit in The Junction, taken to hospital

March 24, 2009 4:46 pm

| 48 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(photos by WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, added at 5:28 pm)
ORIGINAL REPORT: We’ve just arrived at California/Alaska in The Junction — a motorcycle has crashed outside Cupcake Royale — the bike is up on the sidewalk; paramedics are taking care of one person and it looks like they’re about to transport him/her to the hospital. Stay away from the intersection, including Alaska just east of the intersection — it’s blocked at 42nd SW. 4:55 PM UPDATE: Still awaiting official word from police; in comments, Mary from nearby Twilight Artist Collective writes:

A motorcyclist got taken out in the Junction. Apparently the car that hit him was taking an illegal left and hit him hard sending him up into the air for a brutal fall on the pavement several feet away from his bike which ended up in front of Cupcake Royale on the sidewalk.

5:13 PM UPDATE: Police have confirmed the reported illegal left turn that is blamed for the crash – they say a Prius hit the motorcyclist, who has been taken to the hospital; police say the rider is male but won’t elaborate on his injuries. Alaska is still blocked just east of California, and the northbound lane of California is blocked, but tow crews are there and it should clear up before too long.

5:28 PM UPDATE: Added photos by WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli – two above, and this one:

We’ll check back with authorities later in hopes of getting an update on the motorcyclist’s condition.

5:47 PM UPDATE: The intersection is now clear.

8:15 PM UPDATE: While no official information on the motorcyclist’s condition is available, Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area steward Stevo has just provided firsthand info in the comment section:

I’m good friends with the rider who was hit. He’s at Harborview with a broken femur. I spoke with his girlfriend as he’s all doped up. He lives right near the Junction, and is a very good, cautious rider.

We did hear a snippet of scanner traffic about someone with that exact injury, minutes after this happened, but couldn’t confirm till now that it was the same case.

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Alki Homestead’s post-fire future: Two follow-ups

March 24, 2009 4:34 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Alki Homestead | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from January 16)
Two follow-ups this afternoon, the day after our Monday report about the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s announcement of concern regarding the fate of the Alki Homestead restaurant, an official city landmark, closed since fire heavily damaged its interior two months ago. We just talked with inspector Michael Griffin in the city Department of Planning and Development regarding the complaint filed last week about the building’s condition (noted online here). He tells WSB he has inspected the site and its only potential violations are that its roof and some windows are open to the elements, so building owner Tom Lin will be given a warning notice to take care of those problems. If he doesn’t, then a citation would follow. Aside from the roof/window openness, Griffin says, the property is “neat and tidy.” Meantime, we checked with the Historic Preservation division of the city Neighborhoods Department, to find out what role they might play, if any, in this situation. Landmarks coordinator Beth Chave tells WSB that she talked with Lin “about a month ago” to go over the review process required for repairs/changes on a landmarked property like this but hasn’t seen an application yet, so doesn’t have an “active file” about the Homestead site. (Meantime, owner Lin has not yet answered our requests for comment.)

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Also tonight: Book Fair, story time for Arbor Heights Coop Preschool

March 24, 2009 3:47 pm

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| Arbor Heights | How to help | Westwood

Late word of an event tonight that’s part of a fundraiser continuing the next few days: Arbor Heights Co-op Preschool is having a Book Fair at Barnes and Noble through Thursday – shop at any B&N and mention code 497941, and the school gets credit. Tonight, everyone’s welcome to a special storytime with crafts activities, 6-7 pm, at B&N in Westwood Village.

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9 West Seattle students win Mayor’s Scholars Awards

March 24, 2009 12:24 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

9 students from West Seattle middle schools are among 26 middle-schoolers citywide just announced as Mayor’s Scholars Awards recipients of $500 awards (to use for education or charity) – read on to see the news release with the entire list:Read More

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Meet the newest candidate for Seattle mayor: Michael McGinn

March 24, 2009 12:20 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| West Seattle politics

That’s the introduction video posted today by the newly announced mayoral campaign of North Seattle resident Michael McGinn. Here’s his official site; he’s not on the official city filing list yet (though it hasn’t been updated online since last week) – three campaigns are listed there so far: the incumbent, Norman Sigler, and the potential campaign of James Donaldson, who has said he’ll make his yes-or-no announcement this week.

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Update: Parks Committee OK’s Manning/Admiral parcel plan

March 24, 2009 11:53 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Followup on a report we brought you last weekend, that the Parks Department is likely to take over a city-owned parcel at SW Manning/Admiral Way, once was proposed for sale on the open market: Just got the official announcement that the City Council’s Parks Committee gave its approval this morning to the plan to seek public comment before going ahead with that change — read on:Read More

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Another park update: Myrtle Reservoir site schedule “on hold”

March 24, 2009 11:20 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(From last year, approved “schematic plan” for Myrtle Reservoir park)
Thanks to “jsrekd” for posing the question in the WSB Forums — what’s up with the park site at Myrtle Reservoir (map), where construction was supposed to be starting soon? First stop, the project’s official page on the city Parks Department website – where a new update revealed that the Myrtle park-construction schedule is “on hold” and that work may not start until this fall. That led to a call to project manager Virginia Hassinger, who says the delay is because Seattle Public Utilities work on the newly covered reservoir is taking longer than expected — the same crew that’s working on the Beacon Hill reservoir-covering project (remember this story, with underground video?) is working on Myrtle. Once park construction does start, Hassinger tells WSB, it should take about three months; she says she can’t wait to get going and get it done, but they can’t take control of the site till SPU’s work is done.

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Got something you’re wondering about? We have a few other followups in the works and are always ready for more – send a note or call any time (all our various contact methods are here).

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Groundbreaking set for ARK Park in Arbor Heights

March 24, 2009 8:52 am

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| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB photo from August 2008)
Last August, we brought you first word of the plan for ARK Park in Arbor Heights, on the site shown above, which is owned by neighboring Arbor Heights Community Church. Now the date for groundbreaking is set, as well as for another fundraiser – here’s an update from project leaders Loretta Kimball and Jan Seidel:

1. Our February 9th Benefit provided an enjoyable evening of music to those who attended and helped us establish a solid Development Fund for ARK Memorial Park. We appreciate Chad Kimball and cast members of Memphis for their part in making our first fundraiser a success as well as the generosity of our donors!

2. A Groundbreaking Ceremony will be held at the site (102nd and 42nd Ave SW [map]) on Saturday, March 28th at 3:00 p.m. in memory of baby Allexandra Ramona Kimball on her 1 Year Birthdate Anniversary. Refreshments will be served in the Fellowship Hall of Arbor Heights Community Church following the groundbreaking ceremony.

3. We are planning to hold our second fundraiser, a Spaghetti Dinner, on Saturday evening, April 18th in the Fellowship Hall at Arbor Heights Community Church. Dinner will be served between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. There will be family friendly activities such as a bouncy house, face painting, etc. Cost of the dinner is $5.00 for singles, $10.00 for couples and $15.00 for families.

You can read more about the park plan – which is a private/community-funded project, not a city park site – at this website.

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Happening tonight: Fauntleroy’s annual meeting; World TB Day

March 24, 2009 8:14 am

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| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

Two of tonight’s highlights from the WSB West Seattle-wide Events calendar: Live in the Fauntleroy area? The Fauntleroy Community Association would love to see you tonight for the annual meeting and membership drive. 6 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (in the old schoolhouse). Also tonight: It’s happening downtown, but it could help save ANYONE’S life – and high-school students from West Seattle and vicinity have been working hard to make it happen — the World TB Day event at Town Hall (map), 6:30 pm.

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At Easy Street tonight: Party for new editions of Pearl Jam’s “Ten”

March 23, 2009 11:55 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

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

The sidewalk stencils in front of Easy Street Records‘ front door in The Junction mark the spot where the party started at nine; the music — four new editions of Pearl Jam’s “Ten” — goes on sale at midnight. Inside, quite the crowd for a Monday night:

According to Easy Street’s party preview, free pizza and soda were part of the fare — and sale prices when the four new editions of “Ten” become officially available at midnight. If you are new to West Seattle, this location is particularly significant because (a) Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder is a West Seattleite and (b) one of the band’s other famous releases is from a 2005 show at the store.

ADDED 5 AM: At midnight, the counter was mobbed:

Here’s video from a few minutes before midnight – that’s Easy Street owner Matt Vaughan saying “God bless West Seattle”:

Of course, someone asked if Vedder was there; Vaughan said no.

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Highland Park Action Committee: A “banner night”

March 23, 2009 11:28 pm

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| Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

The debut of that new banner (designed by Dina Johnson) was just one of the reasons why tonight could have been called a “banner night” for the Highland Park Action Committee, with highlights including:

**Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Adonis Topacio said crime’s trended downward in the Highland Park area in the past 30 days; hearing complaints about late-night door-knockers, he advised calling 911.

**HPAC chair Dan Mullins said he’s been in touch with a Shoreline neighborhood group that, like HPAC, has been working to keep the possible future regional misdemeanor jail out of proximity to residential neighborhoods, and said they agree the jail belongs downtown. He also read a quote attributed to City Councilmember Bruce Harrell, saying the city should be building “castles for education,” not jails.

**Mullins also had an update on the Westcrest Park reservoir’s future park project; he says the Parks Department doesn’t plan anything definitive for the site until after the Seattle Public Utilities work to bury the reservoir is done next year – then public meetings will ensue. Rory Denovan suggested a neighborhood summit be held BEFORE then, so neighbors can create a plan for what they’d like to see.

**Highland Park Improvement Club – whose building houses HPAC meetings and much, much more — is celebrating its 90th anniversary this November, and planning fundraisers and work parties before then, starting with a wine-tasting event April 23rd.

HPAC meets the fourth Monday of each month; its info- and photo-laden website can be browsed at highlandpk.net.

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TEAM Delridge tonight: Food for thought – and action

March 23, 2009 10:02 pm

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| Delridge | How to help | West Seattle news

That was the turnout tonight at Southwest Community Center for TEAM Delridge – community members getting together to envision future neighborhood improvements, including healthier food – since it is, after all, part of the King County Food and Fitness Initiative:

Two more TEAM Delridge meetings are planned, April 20th and May 18th, locations to be announced.

2 more Delridge events to note this week — both potlucks, in fact. First comes the monthly FEEST Community Potluck at 5:30 pm Wednesday, Youngstown Arts Center, which, according to an e-mail alert, is “offering youth-prepared organic dishes, an opportunity to build community with youth members of the Food Education Empowerment and Sustainability Team, and a glance at King County Food and Fitness Initiative’s proposed Community Action Plan to improve and sustain resources in the Delridge and White Center neighborhoods.” Then Saturday, it’s the Community Potluck event organized by the volunteers working toward a Delridge Produce Cooperative, this Saturday from 11 am-2 pm, also at Youngstown (read more here).

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