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year : 2009 4580 results

West Seattle Weather Watch: One more sunny day
December 26, 2009 9:42 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Weather Watch: One more sunny day
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to JayDee for the cloudless-sunset shot looking toward the Olympics. Newest forecast says we have one more sunny day ahead. Looking at New Year’s Eve, the new “forecast discussion” suggests rain starting “late” that night – how late, hard to tell till we get closer.

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West Seattle Water Taxi update: Permit granted for dock work
December 26, 2009 2:51 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   King County Water Taxi | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from June 2009)
As previously reported, the dock at Seacrest used by the West Seattle-to-downtown run of the King County Water Taxi needs major upgrade work before the service can go year-round. This week, the construction permit was granted for the dock and piling replacement project (here’s the notice on the city website), as outlined in this rendering shown at a meeting earlier this year:

While Seacrest is a city Parks Department facility, the Water Taxi service is run by the county, which is responsible for the dock-upgrade project. When government offices reopen next week, we’ll check to see when the major work is scheduled to begin. Meantime, there are still financial issues to settle before long-term year-round service is guaranteed, as the footnote on this King County Ferry District webpage underscores. The service is scheduled to restart “seasonal” operations in spring, no matter what (likely April 4, according to the “work plan” adopted with the Ferry District budget in November). As the county is now running the service instead of Argosy, the boat and dock are scheduled to change as well – with a leased vessel running between Seacrest and Pier 50, south of Washington State Ferries‘ Colman Dock.

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Got little ones? New schedule for Toddler Story Time at HP Library
December 26, 2009 12:26 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | High Point | West Seattle news

Just in from Amy:

The High Point Library’s Toddler Story Time hours are changing; story time will now be held at 11:30am on Thursdays. Bring your toddlers to enjoy stories, rhymes, songs and fun with the Children’s Librarian. Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome.

You can watch for Toddler Story Time events – and other events at local library branches (for adults as well as kids) – on the Seattle Public Library‘s weekly systemwide Calendar of Events; see it here (and also find a permanent link at the bottom of our West Seattle Events page). This week, by the way, all branches will close at 6 pm Thursday and reopen on Saturday.

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West Seattle Weekend Lineup, post-Christmas edition
December 26, 2009 6:30 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | WS culture/arts | WS Weekend Lineup

(“Plaid Tidings” photo by Matt Durham from mattdurhamphotography.com)
No need for the between-holiday blahs. Still lots going on this weekend, including your last 3 chances to see “Plaid Tidings” at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) – and while you’re there, you can chip in to help them recover from that costly pre-Christmas break-in. Several other ways to keep the post-Christmas giving going are among the more than 2 dozen events in the holiday-abbreviated-but-still-lively edition of the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, brought to you by Skylark Cafe and Club (home of tonight’s End of the Decade Party) – all ahead:Read More

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From the WSB Forums: Got bows (& other trimmings) to recycle?
December 25, 2009 10:31 pm
|    Comments Off on From the WSB Forums: Got bows (& other trimmings) to recycle?
 |   Environment | Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

Take your reusable bows and other package trimmings to Beveridge Place Pub – where Furry Faces Foundation is collecting them, as explained here. (We’ll have more post-holiday recycling info this weekend.)

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Update: Lights in the sky south of West Seattle = lanterns
December 25, 2009 8:52 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

8:52 PM: Two notes have come in on this, from Arbor Heights and Shorewood, so we’re posting them just in case anyone else (a) saw this and/or (b) knows what it was. First one was from Scott in Shorewood:

I live in Shorewood and about 7:45 I looked out my window and saw 3 orange/yellow flames in the sky. They kind of floated around for about 5 minutes and then slowly disappeared. Do you have any idea what this was or did anyone else see?

Second, from Matt in Arbor Heights:

My wife and I just saw three strange orange lights over Burien tonight around 7:45 pm. We live in the Arbor Heights area and were out back when we saw three orange lights in a line heading from the south to the west. They grew further and further apart to eventually going all different directions and then just fading away. Very strange. We just wanted to know if anyone else saw this. I tried to capture a video on my phone but nothing can be seen as they were to far away.

Flares? Fireworks? Airport-related? We might never know (though we’re checking around for corroboration and/or reports elsewhere), but at least if you saw them too, you’ll know it wasn’t necessarily a Christmas-night hallucination. 10:03 PM: In comments, Lesley has a theory – flying lanterns. 10:13 PM: And a more direct confirmation.

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Looking ahead to New Year’s Eve: Highland Park’s 3-part plan
December 25, 2009 7:47 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | Highland Park | Holidays | West Seattle news

Now that it’s Christmas night, thoughts turn to New Year’s Eve/Day (if they haven’t already). The list of events on our West Seattle Holidays page keeps growing – and the Highland Park neighborhood parade (first reported here in HP Action Committee coverage 2 months ago) is among the most intriguing. You have a chance to prepare for it at a workshop Sunday – but whether you can join in that or not, they hope to see you Thursday night – here’s the announcement of the workshop, parade and (right afterward) party, courtesy of Julie @ Highland Park Improvement Club:

Sunday, December 27th from noon until 6:00 pm

The Highland Park Improvement Club (1116 SW Holden) is hosting a luminaria (lantern) making workshop in preparation for our New Year’s Eve Neighborhood Parade! HPIC members, friends and families, and neighbors are welcome to join. Even if you are not making a lantern, please stop in and say hello to your neighbors!

Visiting artist Tricky Bunny from the Fremont Arts Council will provide instruction on how to make a papier mache lantern. To make a balloon lantern, please bring:

– Balloon(s)
– Tissue paper (colorful tissue paper looks especially pretty)
– Wire to attach your lantern to a stick or rod
– Tea candle (the kind where the candle is in a metal cup

Tricky Bunny will provide Elmer’s wood glue, dry wall paper paste, acrylic medium for paper mache, and a hot glue gun and hot glue gun sticks, along with demonstration. Wear clothing that you don’t mind getting glue or papier mache goop on. (Also, for gluten allergy sufferers, please note that wallpaper paste contains gluten.) Bring snacks to share! Children are welcome.

New Years Eve: Thursday, Dec 31 – Not-So-Silent Night Parade – meet at 6:30 pm, HPIC parking lot

Bring drums/pots & pans/tambourines/musical instruments
followed by the Sage Comet performance, HPIC parking lot after the parade, around 7:30pm

and then the Highland Park House Party at 8 pm

an electronic jukebox with playlists from the neighborhood: a guaranteed eclectic assortment that will dance us all into the New Year. Gourmet homemade food from the neighborhood foodistas! (byob) $15/person, $5/kids under 12 and bring dollar bills for the jukebox!

For more information on any of the above, e-mail HPIC1919@gmail.com or leave a message at 206-762-9825; HPIC is online at www.hpic1919.org.

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West Seattle Christmas 2009 scenes: In a tree; on the sea
December 25, 2009 4:56 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo and the story behind it:

While driving past Alki Point this afternoon, my wife and I noticed a bald eagle perched in the old madrone tree on the summit of the small hill just west of the lighthouse. After watching it for about 20 minutes, we were rewarded by being able to observe the arrival of its mate. After a couple minutes, they both flew off heading in the direction of Duwamish Head.

And thanks to Nick for sharing this photo from along the west-facing West Seattle shore:

He explains, “Saw this intrepid gentleman while at Lowman Beach with the kids.” Thanks to David and Nick for sharing those sights from this spectacular, sunny Christmas Day, and to everyone who’s shared photos, stories, news tips, event announcements, etc., via WSB – where our fifth year has just begun. We’re thrilled to hear from you any time.

ADDED 7:15 PM: As discussed in comments – a closer look at the unique Christmas outfit donned by the boarder, who turned out to be Lowman Beach artist/Ducky Reserve keeper Ron Sterling:

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Gift of life: West Seattle resident honors her journey to health
December 25, 2009 12:33 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Health | Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

Another story of holiday giving: We received a news release announcing that West Seattle resident Elaine Cornell won a statewide drawing held by her employer, Umpqua Bank, for a $500 donation to be given to a charity of her choice. She chose Northwest Kidney Centers, where she received dialysis treatment more than 20 years ago, while awaiting a kidney transplant, which came from her sister, RoseAnne Tobelaine of Snohomish (at right with Elaine in the photo below). Along with the news release came Elaine’s first-person story.

The gift I Received and why I want to give to the Northwest Kidney Centers:

Winning the first prize in the Associate Giving Campaign has given me a great opportunity to, in part, give back to an organization and foundation that was there for me during my greatest time of need and express my gratitude for the “Gift of Life” I received from my sister.

In 1986 I was in my third year at the University of Washington, when I learned, thanks to a very pro-active and thorough Navy doctor, that blood tests showed my kidney function was in the abnormal range. In addition to the blood tests, I had high blood pressure readings (which were not normal for someone of my age who was not overweight, in good physical shape and not a smoker) and I was weak.

Elaine’s story continues ahead:Read More

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Merry Christmas! Here’s what’s open in West Seattle today
December 25, 2009 5:31 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Admiral Theater | Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion | West Seattle restaurants | WS beverages


View West Seattle coffee shops open Christmas Day 2009 in a larger map

Happy Christmas Day! We’ve put this info out as lists over the past several days, but here it is on a map – coffee shops, grocery stores, restaurants in West Seattle (and a few in north White Center) that told our researchers (or posted on their websites) that they’d be open today – marked with cups, bags, forks/knives respectively (click each icon to see the business, its address, and its hours). If you happen onto something else that’s open in these categories, please post a comment so everyone else will know too! And if you’d prefer to see the lists in text form, here are the original links:

Grocery stores
Restaurants
Coffee shops

Also open today – West Seattle’s only moviehouse, Admiral Theater, with showings starting at 4 pm. Here’s the slate of movies today:
Where the Wild Things Are (PG) 4:00 7:00
The Fourth Kind (R), 9:00
Pirate Radio (R), 6:50
Law Abiding Citizen (R), 4:05 9:10

Last but by no means least, several West Seattle churches have services today, too:

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE (4105 California SW)
Festival Liturgy and Holy Eucharist, 10:30 am

HOLY FAMILY PARISH (20th/Roxbury)
Mass in English – 10:00 am
Mass in Spanish – 12:30 pm

HOLY ROSARY PARISH (42nd/Genesee)
Christmas Masses, 8, 9:30 am

HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH
10:30 am

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (35th/Myrtle)
Mass, 10 am

PROVIDENCE MOUNT ST. VINCENT CHAPEL
Christmas Mass, 10:30 am (music by Friends of Providence)

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (3050 California Ave SW, next to West Seattle High School)
10:00 am Holy Eucharist with Carols (*quieter celebration of Christmas with special music; a festive reception follows the service)

Hope you’re having a great holiday!

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More West Seattle restaurant news: Table 35’s grand opening
December 24, 2009 11:45 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

The new restaurant/lounge going into the ex-Ama Ama space in The Junction, Table 35 (previous coverage here and here), has set its grand-opening date: January 9th. New signs we noticed tonight in the windows at California/Edmunds (map) promise brunch, dinner and happy hour, 10 am-2 am; the Table 35 website is a work in progress – the “menu” page surprised us for a moment because it doesn’t jibe with the “Continental/Mediterranean” concept mentioned last month, but on second look it appears to be placeholder boilerplate – note the resemblance (we’ll be checking).

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West Seattle Christmas restaurants: 1st year for The Thaitan
December 24, 2009 8:01 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Not long ago, we got a note from “Chef Pop,” introducing himself as new owner of the former Boontin (and before that, Olarn) Thai restaurant across from West Seattle Nursery, saying he was new to West Seattle and trying to find out more about the community. His is one of the few restaurants open Christmas Day – list here – so it seemed like a good time to introduce you to him.

Story and photo by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

“Pop,” the owner of the new Thaitan Restaurant (formerly Boontin Thai), explains that the name of his restaurant is pronounced “Titan,” like the powerful mythological deities. This cross-cultural playfulness finds its way onto the menu as well, where Pop, whose wife is Vietnamese, offers pho along with the usual Thai dishes. He notes that offering pho has led to “a good combination for what people want.”

Pop came to the Puget Sound region in 1998 to study automotive technology at Lake Washington Technical College. He came to this area because his mother, who owns a restaurant in Thailand, had friends here. It didn’t take long for him to realize he really disliked automotive technology, and really loved working in restaurants. Taking his skills from working in his mother’s restaurant, he worked in a variety of Thai restaurants in Seattle, Bellevue and Ballard. His goal however, was to “cook my own food for people.”

When he found out the Boontin Thai restaurant was for sale, he grabbed the opportunity to become a restaurant owner.

Read More

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West Seattle scene: Santa traded in the sleigh? (2 sightings!)
December 24, 2009 4:49 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

From Rick R, a sighting off Brace Point this afternoon. Merry Christmas Eve! P.S. Our handy West Seattle holiday links again —

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day church services
Grocery stores’ hours for Christmas Eve/Day
Restaurants open Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day
Coffee shops that’ll be open a while on Christmas
Christmas Light displays we’ve featured

ADDED 6:17 PM: Another sighting!

Thanks to Cathy for the photo of Santa on 2 wheels.

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Those who receive, also give: White Center Food Bank holiday story
December 24, 2009 2:02 pm
|    Comments Off on Those who receive, also give: White Center Food Bank holiday story
 |   Holidays | White Center

We shared this link at White Center Now but wanted to point you to it from here as well: a touching tale on the White Center Food Bank site – a reminder that those to whom you give, are givers too. CHRISTMAS MORNING UPDATE: There’s a postscript to this – read it here.

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West Seattle holiday help: Pet Giving Tree’s final tally
December 24, 2009 1:06 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | Pets | West Seattle news

That’s Jessica at Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) with the last stack of donations to the Pet Giving Tree that’s been up for a few weeks to help West Seattle Food Bank clients take care of their furry companions – you can barely see the tree itself! Teri Ensley from Furry Faces Foundation says they’re making one last run to the food bank “and wanted to let everyone know how generous they have been.” She adds:

Including today’s delivery, the Grand total for people’s cats and dogs is:

220 lbs dry food
69 cans of food
17 toys
74 lbs of litter
12 bags/boxes of treats
1 big beautiful dog bed
1 adorable pink dog bed set with matching accessories.

A big thanks to Lora, her staff and all of the West Seattle folks that supported Food Bank clients’ pets.

Not too late to get in on more giving around West Seattle. Teri and Furry Faces are joining Animals First Foundation to offer fundraising gift-wrapping service at Beveridge Place Pub, 3-7 pm today (possibly a bit later if they’re busy at 7). And CAPERS in The Junction has its giving tree for the Hickman House domestic-violence shelter up through today (they’re open till 4) – lot of stars still on the tree last time we looked.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 break-ins – including one at ArtsWest
December 24, 2009 11:00 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two break-in reports this morning – one of them, from West Seattle’s best-known arts nonprofit, ArtsWest in The Junction. Executive director Alan Harrison writes:

I just wanted to report that at 6:00 Wednesday morning there was a break-in at ArtsWest. Someone (or perhaps more than one) broke the back door’s glass with a rock, ran in, and tried to steal the Lucite donation box. The alarm went off and the perpetrator smashed the box to the floor, breaking it and sending money everywhere before running away. We don’t think he/they took much money, but the new door is going to cost us $500 to fix. There was a police report on it. If anyone has any legitimate information about the break-in, they can report it to SPD.

$500 is a lot of money to ArtsWest. If anyone would like to donate money to help us fix the door and install a new security/camera system (an additional $1600), call us or click directly (here).

If they’d like (it’s optional), under the “Designation” box, they can type in “Back Door.” Maybe it’s a sign of the economic times, that someone would try to rob a nonprofit, but if you could spread the word, maybe we can continue to put our resources behind producing art instead of broken glass.

ArtsWest (a WSB sponsor for the run of “Plaid Tidings,” which continues with a show tonight at 5 and concludes this Sunday) can be reached by phone at 938-0963 (administrative) or 938-0339 (box office). The non-emergency number for reporting info to police is 625-5011. P.S. We asked about insurance:

We do have insurance, but there’s a $500 deductible. And the upgrade to the security system is not covered and was not budgeted for the year, so unless we can raise some specific money for that, we’ll have to decrease funding to one of our programs.

Meantime, our other break-in report is residential – burglars that moved fast while residents were out shopping – read on:Read More

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One more totem-theft case update: The alleged motive
December 24, 2009 10:34 am
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Rotary Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

Though as noted earlier, charges are not yet filed, a question that’s frequently discussed in comment threads (and elsewhere) is: What was the motive for the Nov. 30 theft of the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole (past coverage here, newest to oldest)? We have obtained a court document which may shine a little light – it’s the “probable cause” document filed in connection with this week’s arrest – read on:Read More

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West Seattle Christmas Eve 2009: The basics, and a bonus or 2
December 24, 2009 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Christmas Eve 2009: The basics, and a bonus or 2
 |   Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion | West Seattle restaurants

(Yet another video from the smash-hit music-synched lights at 3908 Charlestown)
Christmas Eve is here. (NORAD is tracking Santa Claus already!) Here’s some basic info to get things started:

NEED WRAPPING HELP?
Watch this WSB Forums item for update on last-minute fundraising gift-wrap service

WEST SEATTLE HOLIDAY INFO-LISTS
Christmas Eve/Christmas Day church services
Grocery stores’ hours for Christmas Eve/Day
Restaurants open Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day
Coffee shops that’ll be open a while on Christmas

OTHER NOTES
Metro Transit on “reduced weekday service” today
Most King County offices/facilities closed for furlough day today

LAST-MINUTE SHOPPING?
Consider the deals on the WSB Coupons page (improved printability – only center column of page will print)

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
If you haven’t seen the big displays we’ve featured this year, check our archives

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEW YEAR’S EVE?
The list on the West Seattle Holidays page keeps growing

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West Seattle door-to-door alert: Candy seller doesn’t check out
December 23, 2009 9:32 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Door-to-door alert | West Seattle news

Out of the WSB inbox, a door-to-door alert from Rich, who did followup research (as did we) – read on:Read More

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West Seattle shopping scenes: Festive extra touches
December 23, 2009 9:13 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

If you squint really hard at our iPhone photo, you’ll see the musicians up on the “balcony” at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) tonight – we dropped by for a few things and suddenly, loud and clear, live Christmas music resounded throughout the store. (Our checker said they had a harpist last night and there’ll be carolers tomorrow – they close at 6 pm – our Christmas Day grocery-store-info list is here.) We’ve also noted more than a few reports of Santa at West Seattle Thriftway (like this one in the WSB Forums) – and other merchants in extra-festive moods; in Northwest Art and Frame in The Junction, for example, during a busy time just before 6, cookies and skin-care samples were being handed out to people waiting in line to check out. Happy West Seattle shopping to all! (Some Christmas Eve shopping hours, just sampled from what was tweeted today on Twitter – Click! Design That Fits [WSB sponsor] in the Admiral District is open 11 am-3 pm tomorrow; Easy Street Records is open till 6.)

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West Seattle Holidays: A merry Admiral Christmas
December 23, 2009 4:24 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

What will Santa bring? If Stu Hennessey from Alki Bike and Board knows, he’s not telling. Not even the kids who stopped in and looked up at the “on-reserve” section in Stu’s Admiral District shop (2606 California SW) on Christmas Eve-Eve. AB&B is one of the Admiral merchants who banded together to sponsor WSB this season with an invitation to “Shop Local in the Admiral District” this holiday – here’s the whole group (you’ll find coupons on that page, and more WS coupons here) – also in the group, Linda’s Flowers and Gifts on the SE corner of California/Admiral:

That’s owner Linda Harader, back left; we dropped by as she and her team worked on more pre-Christmas orders. A bit further south – it’s not just retail merriment this Christmas week – think local for your services, too:

That’s longtime WSB sponsor John Moore, whose Northwest Insurance Group is at 3210 California SW, has one of the more unusual office trees in the Admiral District – he says it was salvaged from a Starbucks where it appeared to be destined for the trash one post-Christmas season. We asked him for a holiday message – and he offered some safety advice:

Happy Holidays to our existing clients and future clients from Northwest Insurance Group! Please be extra diligent this Holiday Season to keep gifts and personal belongings out of view in your cars as it is the season for car break ins. Let your Neighbors be aware to keep an eye on your place if you are traveling during the Holidays and be sure to install some inexpensive timer switches for lights to go on and off.

Make sure you double-check that your plumbing lines have been wrapped to protect against freezing weather, and you might consider shutting off the hot water tank if it’s older since they likely to cause the most damage on vacation weekends or holidays. If you are brave enough to deep fry a turkey, please exercise extreme caution and locate the deep frying device a nice safe distance from your house! … . We wish you all a Very Happy New Year!!

(Northwest Insurance Group represents more than a dozen A-rated companies.) More shopping check-ins tonight and tomorrow!

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Watch out for suspected metal thief
December 23, 2009 2:31 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Seaview | West Seattle news

Out of the WSB inbox, from BB in Seaview – a description of someone who appears to be searching for metal to steal – read on for her report:Read More

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West Seattle coffee shops open Christmas Day
December 23, 2009 1:18 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | WS beverages

Making your plans for Christmas morning? Here’s our final holiday list (joining West Seattle restaurants open Christmas Eve and/or Day, West Seattle grocery store hours for Christmas Day, and West Seattle Christmas Eve/Day church services). This time, we’ve canvassed the coffee shops, as per WSB holiday-season tradition, to see who’s open Christmas Day:

Cafe Rozella – 8 am-noon
Caffe Ladro – 7 am-noon
Diva – 8 am-1 pm
Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) – 8 am-2 pm (with staffers who volunteered, says proprietor Lora)
Pioneer Coffee – 7 am-1 pm
Starbucks/Morgan Junction – 8 am-3 pm
Starbucks/Triangle drive-thru – 7 am-3 pm
Tully’s/Alki – 7:30 am-3 pm
Tully’s/Morgan Junction – 7 am-2 pm

This also will be linked from the West Seattle Holidays page, and in the sidebar list of headlines. If you have additions/changes, please share that info – we’re also collecting notes on Christmas Eve hours (when your store’s closing, etc.) and you’re welcome to send those along. (Now, off to The Junction and Admiral and Triangle and Alki and Westwood and … clock’s ticking for last-minute shopping!)

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