West Seattle, Washington

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month : 02/2012 311 results

Greg Nickels makes it official: Running for Secretary of State
February 23, 2012 10:17 am
|      42 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

After exploring non-elected roles in the 2 years since he left the Seattle Mayor’s office, West Seattle’s Greg Nickels is going before voters again. It’s just been announced he is indeed going to run for Secretary of State. Here’s the news release:

Former Seattle Mayor and King County Councilmember Greg Nickels, a Democrat, will run for Secretary of State. Nickels’ entry ends weeks of speculation and resets the fields in the race to replace retiring incumbent Sam Reed.

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West Seattle schools: 2nd info meeting for K-5 STEM at Boren
February 23, 2012 10:03 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photo from February 15th meeting)
Eight days after a standing-room-only crowd attended the first informational meeting about West Seattle’s new public elementary opening this fall, K-5 STEM at Boren (WSB coverage here), the district has kept its promise to set a second meeting. Just in:

Families interested in the new K-5 STEM at Boren in West Seattle have a second opportunity to learn about this new school at an informational meeting 7-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 1 at Denny International Middle School, 2601 SW. Kenyon St. Interpreters will be available.

STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These subjects are an increasingly popular focus for elementary students.

Seattle Public Schools will be opening the new elementary program for fall 2012 in response to strong enrollment growth in West Seattle. The STEM program will be housed in the Boren building (5950 Delridge Way SW.). It will be a K-5 option program and open in September 2012 offering all six grade levels.

After a strong turnout at the first Family Information & Input night on Feb. 15, Seattle Public Schools is holding this second information meeting. It will be identical to the previous meeting, featuring a short presentation and a question-and-answer session.

Because STEM at Boren is an option program, it is open to any student in Seattle entering kindergarten and Grades 1-5 in September 2012. Bus transportation will be provided for students who live within West Seattle. Families who wish to apply to K-5 STEM at Boren can do so during the District’s Open Enrollment process from Feb. 27 through March 9, 2012. Families can also apply after Open Enrollment through Sept. 30. School Choice forms will be available at www.seattleschools.org beginning Feb. 27.

To learn more about K-5 STEM at Boren, visit http://bit.ly/K5STEM or send an email to K5STEM@seattleschool.org. Want to help shape the future of STEM? Applications for the Design Team are available at http://bit.ly/K5STEMdesignteam and due by Friday, March 2.

We are checking to find out (a) where at Denny and (b) which languages they’ll offer interpretation for.

ADDED 11:20 AM: From district spokesperson Lesley Rogers – (a) TBD, (b) Spanish, Somali, and Vietnamese, and an additional question we asked on behalf of commenter “String Cheese” – seeking the status of the promised answers to questions posed by attendees last week: “We hope to have an online FAQ by February 29th.” (Open enrollment starts Feb. 27th.)

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West Seattle Thursday: Start with nature walk, end with burlesque
February 23, 2012 6:07 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Thursday: Start with nature walk, end with burlesque
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Eagle perched over the Alki boardwalk on Wednesday; photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Notes for today, from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar and other sources:

NOTE – DESC FINANCING HEARING POSTPONED: For those following the DESC Delridge homeless-housing project, there is one public hearing left regarding its financing. Though an online “notice of public hearing” indicated it would happen today, Washington State Housing Finance Commission staffers confirmed late yesterday that the Delridge project will NOT be taken up by the commission today.

EARLY MORNING NATURE WALK: West Seattle naturalist Stewart Wechsler is leading a Lincoln Park walk at 7 am – details here.

VISIT THE MUSEUM: Running out of midwinter-break ideas? Noon-4 pm, you’re welcome to tour the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens).

ASHOKA YOUTH VENTURE SHOWCASE: As previewed here last night, teams from West Seattle’s 2 major public high schools are competing in this “social entrepreneurship” program, 5-7 pm – details, including non-WS location and how to RSVP, here.

WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER ‘AFTER HOURS’ AT EASY STREET: WS Chamber of Commerce members are invited to this month’s “After Hours” mixer, 5:30-7 pm tonight at Easy Street Records. But you need to RSVP online – go here.

WINE TASTING: West Seattle Cellars tasting, 5:30 to 8:00 – French Wines, from Bourgeois Family Selections, a small, family-owned importer of wines from small, family-owned estates in France. From the announcement: “All of the producers they select for their portfolio farm sustainably (often organically and/or biodynamically), and are truly passionate about their winemaking. Franck Mossenta, of Click Imports, will be joining us to pour the wines, many of which are new vintages of past favorites.”

COMMUNITY SAFETY COALITION: Live in the South Delridge area? You’re invited to the White Center/South Delridge Community Safety Coalition meeting, 6 pm in Greenbridge – details here.

COOKING CLASS: “Dinner for 2” cooking class with Amber from Freshy’s, 6:30 pm, at Mind Unwind (mindunwind.org – contact for registration info)

KNOW WHEN TO HOLD ‘EM: At The Bridge: free poker on Thursdays (generally two games, 6:30 pm & 9 pm).

BURLESQUE: “Anti-Valentine’s Day” burlesque tonight at Skylark Café and Club, 9 pm – ticket info here.

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Update: State trooper killed; ‘possible suspect’ also dead
February 23, 2012 4:13 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news

4:13 AM: The Washington State Patrol is getting the word out around the region about a truck they’re seeking this morning – as they try to catch the man who shot and killed a state trooper in Kitsap County:

The shooting happened around 1 am in the Gorst area, along Highway 16 between Port Orchard and Bremerton. The Kitsap Sun says it was on the eastbound side (map), and since that’s not far from the Southworth side of the ferry run that ends in Fauntleroy, all the more reason to keep a eye out over here (though there’s no run from Southworth between 1:40 am and 4:30 am).

4:41 AM UPDATE: According to tweets from TV crews covering this in Kitsap County, the truck has been found near Port Orchard, but no one was inside.

2:53 PM UPDATE: Regional media, as well as the Kitsap Sun, have been updating this all day, but just in case you happened onto this story first – a man described as a “possible suspect” is dead, after, according to investigators, shooting himself. The murdered trooper is identified as 44-year-old Tony Radulescu.

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West Seattle love story: 70th anniversary for Kermit & Faye Franks
February 23, 2012 3:59 am
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

That’s Kermit and Faye Franks on their wedding day 70 years ago. Preparing to help them celebrate the milestone with a party this weekend, their family shared that photo as well as this one taken in 2008:

And here’s the announcement they sent us to share with you:

Dr. Kermit Franks and his wife Faye, both 94, are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary Sunday (Feb. 26) with a reception from 2 – 4 pm at The Kenney.

Kerm and Faye have been West Seattle residents since immediately after World War II. Kerm was a teacher, activities coordinator and the vice principal at West Seattle High School from 1945 until 1968. He retired from Seattle Public Schools as a central office administrator in 1975.

Kerm and Faye were married on Feb. 21, 1942, at her parents’ house in Clinton, Kansas. The war took Kerm to service in Alaska. When the war ended, the couple decided against returning to Kansas, and instead made their home in West Seattle, where their four children were born. All four of their children graduated from WSHS. West Seattle also is the home of two of the Franks’ granddaughters and three great-grandchildren.

Kerm and Faye together managed the Seabeck Conference Center from 1961 until 1975. Both have been members of Tibbetts United Methodist Church since 1960. They enjoy spending time at their Lake Cushman cabin with their extended family, including all seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Congratulations!

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Local teens to compete Thursday as ‘social entrepreneurs’
February 22, 2012 10:35 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Mid-winter break continues all week for Seattle Public Schools students – but they’re not all taking the week to relax. Tomorrow night, for example, students from West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School will be part of the first-ever Youth Venture Community Showcase presented by Ashoka Seattle, whose Chris Kosednar describes it as “more than 30 high-school social-entrepreneur teams … pitching their ideas for a chance to be named ‘Top High School Social Entrepreneur‘ in King County.” Those who attend will vote for teams and their projects by “investing” pretend cash. The WSHS teams’ projects include gaming tournaments to raise money for an orphanage in China and selling bracelets made by LBGTQ youth; the CSIHS teams’ projects include staging plays/skits at assisted-living facilities. You are invited to attend the showcase tomorrow – not in West Seattle, but if you can go (not far – 843 Hiawatha Place South), it’s a chance to cheer on local youth! There’s an online RSVP form here.

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Web comedy series ‘Local Brew’ pours local humor
February 22, 2012 8:23 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Heard of the new Seattle online comedy video series “Local Brew“? We hadn’t till a week ago, when their clips were used between presentations at the Seattle Metro Chamber of Commerce‘s “IN-NW” conference. Just before a panel including your editor here was introduced, a bit of peninsula-aimed humor turned up on the conference stage’s bigscreen. We asked the “Local Brew” folks if it were available online so we could share; it wasn’t then, but it is now, as part of their “third episode.” We’ve coded the clip above to start with the short-short segment. You can see more of the team’s work (a bit in the spirit of “Almost Live!” though we suspect they hear that ALL the time) at localbrew.com. (We can’t find their “about us” page but Crosscut wrote about them last month.)

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Bridge milestone: ‘No more Fauntleroy Expressway closures’
February 22, 2012 4:22 pm
|    Comments Off on Bridge milestone: ‘No more Fauntleroy Expressway closures’
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(January 2012 photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
Last week, SDOT said this would likely be the last week of nighttime Fauntleroy Expressway closures as part of the earthquake-safety work that’s been under way for months. Today – it’s official:

The contractor working for the Seattle Department of Transportation on the Fauntleroy Expressway, the raised roadway at the west end of the West Seattle Bridge, completed nighttime work on Tuesday … No further closures of the raised roadway are expected for this project.

The contractor has been strengthening the structure to make it more likely to withstand the force of a major earthquake. Upgrades to the structure have included strengthening the columns with steel jackets, strengthening the pile caps, adding additional longitudinal restrainers and replacing the bearing pads. The latter work item is what required the nighttime closures.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: ‘Happy ending,’ and 4 other reports
February 22, 2012 4:08 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

This afternoon’s West Seattle Crime Watch notes include a “happy ending” to a car theft reported here, plus 4 other reader reports, all ahead:Read More

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West Seattle diving-accident victim: Award-winning volunteer
February 22, 2012 2:45 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Thanks to Diane for sharing the word that the American Red Cross‘s local Facebook page had featured 29-year-old Tareq Saade, who died in a diving accident Sunday off Seacrest. We published his name and a little bit about him yesterday, after the King County Medical Examiner’s Office publicly identified him, but now we have learned more: Stephanie Schoo at the American Red Cross’s local office gave us permission to republish their photo of Mr. Saade, and explained, “The photo was taken last year at a Red Cross volunteer recognition event where Tareq was one of several volunteers recognized for outstanding service.” His Red Cross volunteer work also had been mentioned in comments on an earlier WSB story; Jessica wrote that he had trained to be a first responder. He also was a ham-radio operator, remembered by members of the Capitol Hill Prepares group as an “active member … participating in radio trainings and drills” (thanks to Karen from West Seattle Be Prepared for pointing us to that information). At the end of our Tuesday followup, one of the volunteers who found his body after the official search ended told more of her story; in e-mail correspondence with Johanna Raupe, we had asked her why she and Patricia Gunderson went down after police/fire teams called it off for the night, having searched for more than five hours, after first word that Mr. Saade had disappeared while surfacing after some kind of problem happened during a deep dive with an advanced class. She replied in part, “I’m a diver and a mother. I have both a son and a daughter that are divers as well. … I know how many divers have been lost and never recovered or found maybe years later. The conditions were prime to find him before the marine life came in and before the big exchange happened. I wouldn’t want my children left behind. I could not leave him behind, not if I had the skills to locate him.”

ADDED THURSDAY AFTERNOON: We received a note pointing us to a memorial page set up on Facebook for tributes to, and memories of, Mr. Saade. It also mentions that his memorial is set for this Saturday at Salty’s on Alki.

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West Seattle Chamber’s Westside Award winners: AmericanWest Bank, The Grove, WS Garden Tour, Pete Spalding
February 22, 2012 11:57 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Just in from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce – this year’s Westside Award winners, who will be celebrated at an April 18th breakfast:

The results are in! Thank you to all who submitted nominations for The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Program.

From a pool of over 40 submissions, the committee has selected AmericanWest Bank (formerly Viking Bank) as the WestSide Business of the Year for 2011. Many nominators mentioned “friendly, personal, and professional” but it was AmericanWest Bank’s community involvement and support of local non-profits that earned them the title. All the nominees represented the quality West Seattle businesses which make us proud, including: Mashiko, Ola Salon, Click! Design That Fits, Clementine Shoes, Max and Quinn’s Atomic Boys, Link Apartments, Tony’s Market, Nurturing Expressions, and Ventana Construction.

To honor new ventures, an award in its second year is WestSide Emerging Business. Congratulations to The Grove West Seattle Inn for being the 2011 recipient and a strong addition to our business community.

As West Seattle’s only full-service inn, The Grove brings safe, convenient, clean and friendly lodging to our peninsula. Some other new businesses are already making a great impression. Nominees for WestSide Emerging Business of the Year, for those in business less than three years, included: Highline Medical Center Urgent Care, West Seattle Produce Co., The Cove School, Eldercare Consulting, and Les Schwab.

Also in its second year is the Not-For-Profit category, for which The West Seattle Garden Tour has been chosen WestSide Not-for-Profit Business of the Year. A major fund raiser for many non-profits, the West Seattle Garden Tour attracts scores of tour-goers to enjoy our neighborhoods each July. West Seattle is home to some other hard-working Not-for-Profit organizations. Nominees for this award included Transitional Resources, West Seattle Helpline, Sustainable West Seattle, WestSide Baby, Sports in Schools, Westside School, and West Seattle Food Bank.

Finally, the third-annual WestSider of the Year award which honors an individual who has made a lasting impact on our community, goes to Pete Spalding, tireless advocate and civic leader for West Seattle. Pete has been an active member of the West Seattle Food Bank Board, serves on the Southwest Precinct Advisory Council, the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council, and many other community groups.

Please join us in honoring these recipients at the WestSide Annual Awards Breakfast sponsored by Nucor Corporation at Salty’s on Alki on April 18, 2012, 7:30-9am. The Awards Presentation is the premier event of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, a community gathering to recognize and celebrate excellence in business and the vibrant sprit of West Seattle. This year’s special guest speaker is Matthew Gardner of Gardner Economics. Tickets are $50 each available at http://www.wschamber.com or call the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, 206-932-5685.

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‘First Citizen Award’ for Rotary District 5030, led by West Seattleite
February 22, 2012 11:48 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Rotary Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

This time yesterday, your editor here was honored to be the monthly speaker at the Rotary Club of West Seattle, talking about covering news in West Seattle. Since then, there’s big news involving club members and more than 3,000 of their fellow regional Rotarians – Rotary International District 5030 is the first organization in 68 years to receive the Seattle-King County First Citizen Award. West Seattle is one of 53 clubs comprising District 5030, and is home to its district governor, Ann Liberato, at right in our July 2011 photo below, with club president Sue Lindblom:

The news release we just received from the First Citizen Award’s sponsoring organization, Seattle-King County Realtors, quotes award-committee chair Roni Strupat: “Rather than single out an individual, we are delighted to honor an organization with remarkable dedication – and results — in meeting the challenges associated with hunger, poverty and illiteracy.” District 5030 will officially receive the award at a Seattle Sheraton banquet on June 13th. Read on for the district’s accomplishments, listed in the announcement:Read More

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West Seattle Wednesday: Story time, and not just at the libraries
February 22, 2012 8:57 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

(“First sign of spring!” says West Seattle photographer Machel Spence)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

TONIGHT’S BRIDGE WORK: No closures announced so far, but lane closures for the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project continue – listed here.

IN CASE YOU HEAR PLANES: A WSB’er calls our attention to a NORAD alert about exercises over the region – might have already happened (or not), but in case you see/hear military aircraft (the latter’s more likely today), this might explain it.

LIBRARY STORY TIMES: From the Seattle Public Library Calendar of Events – Preschool Story Times at 10:30 am (West Seattle/Admiral branch) and 11:30 am (Southwest branch), Somali Story Time at 5 pm at the High Point branch.

WEST SEATTLE FIRMS AT SEATTLE HOME SHOW: The annual Seattle Home Show continues at the CenturyLink Event Center, noon-8 pm, with West Seattle participants including WSB sponsors Ventana Construction, Potter Construction, and NCompass Cottage Company.

MOVIE TIME AT SENIOR CENTER OF WEST SEATTLE: 1 pm, “Heart and Souls” (1993). California/Oregon. (from Twitter)

TEEN ZUMBA: Fourth Wednesday of the month means Teen Zumba at the Southwest Teen Life Center, open to anyone between the ages 11-19, 5 pm, free. (2801 SW Thistle)

DAYSTAR CHAT: Open conversation with Daystar Retirement Village (WSB sponsor) residents and families, 5 pm, full details here

POEMS AND STORIES: Poetry Bridge‘s 4th Wednesday Poems & Tales at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 5612 California SW, from 7-9 pm. Featured readers are Noel Parkinson and Beau Pritchard, followed by open mike (signup starts at 6:45 pm); free and open to all ages.

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Video: Advisory committee hears fury, worry over DESC in Delridge
February 22, 2012 1:09 am
|      51 COMMENTS
 |   DESC Delridge project | West Seattle news

It’s been eight months since first word that the Downtown Emergency Service Center planned to build a “supportive housing” project at 5444 Delridge Way – downsized slightly to 66 units, each one to become home to a formerly homeless person living with mental illness and possibly substance abuse. Tuesday night, a new advisory committee met for the first time, expressly to listen to whatever community members wanted to say about the project, even if they had said it somewhere before.

The results are in our video clip, unedited, recording all 13 speakers, who comprised almost half the crowd. (There would have been more, suggested one speaker, if the community had any reason to trust DESC would truly listen and act on the concerns voiced.) They voiced concerns and criticisms, some with fury, some with disappointment, some with skepticism, some with scorn. While understanding the need for the work DESC does, this just isn’t the right site, many said – in one speaker’s words, putting an at-risk community on top of an at-risk community.

DESC director Bill Hobson is co-chair of the new committee, along with longtime community activist/advocate Pete Spalding of Pigeon Point. But this hearing wasn’t for back-and-forth discussion, or even for DESC to respond to concerns – it was meant to be 100 percent for anyone who wanted to speak, to do so.

Meantime, the project still has hurdles to clear – as reported here earlier this week, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission has a public hearing downtown at 1 pm Thursday for projects seeking Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, including this one; on March 8th, it’s the second Design Review Board hearing for the project. Other key dates and input opportunities are detailed here.

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Property-crime ‘ka-powie’ and more, @ West Seattle Crime Prevention Council
February 21, 2012 9:49 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Crime | Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

(From left, Melissa Chin from Seattle City Attorney’s Office, Cheryl Bishop from ATF, Jill Otake from U.S. Attorney’s Office)
From tonight’s meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council at the Seattle Police Southwest Precinct, toplines on topics from the latest property-crime rate, to last fall’s White Center-area raids, to an impromptu primer on the criminal-justice system, with three guests (above), all ahead & more:Read More

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West Seattle schools: Chief Sealth dinner/auction approaching
February 21, 2012 9:44 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle schools: Chief Sealth dinner/auction approaching
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Two announcements from organizers of the third annual Chief Sealth International High School dinner/auction benefit, coming up in a week and a half – you can still get tickets, and they’re still rounding up auction items. Here’s an updated announcement:

3rd Annual Seahawk Spirit Dinner & Auction!
Co-Sponsored by Chief Sealth PTSA, Chief Sealth Performing Arts, and Chief Sealth Athletics

Saturday March 3, 2012
Doors Open at 5 pm ~ Hall at Fauntleroy
Tickets are $60 and include sit-down dinner and big fun!

Entertainment includes performances by Chief Sealth High School student musicians as well as local group Choro Tocanda, performing Brazilian choro music. Taking elements ranging from European dance forms to African-rooted beats, this popular music was the first to express the many cultures that meet at the crossroads that is Brazil.

We are still gratefully accepting sponsorships from local businesses as well as item donations for both the silent and live auctions. Ticket sales, item or cash donations, and sponsorship opportunities can all be handled online:

https://csptsa.ejoinme.org/?tabid=326316

Contact chiefsealthptsa@gmail.com for more information.

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National award for West Seattle Soccer Club coach Jean Robinson
February 21, 2012 8:11 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Huge congratulations to Jean Robinson, a West Seattle Soccer Club coach who has just won a 2011 Coach of the Year award from the U.S. Youth Soccer organization (details here). WSSC’s Tim McMonigle tells WSB that he nominated Coach Robinson after the 2010 season, “and it has taken this long to get to the national level” – he coached a boys’ U-18 team with her that year (going 12-0), and then, he says, “She went back and started with a girls’ U-7 team last spring, and last fall coached a girls’ U-8 team. She is starting over. And the parents love her.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen truck to watch for
February 21, 2012 6:45 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen truck to watch for
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Todd hopes you might be able to help him find his stolen truck:

This white Mazda B2600i 4×4 truck, with silver-gray canopy, was stolen from 4215 SW Myrtle st – one block east of California – sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning (2/19-2/20). The canopy rear window, shown in one picture, is now broken and covered with black plastic. In the other picture you can see a silver American Automobile Association sticker on the canopy front window. There are roof racks, with a bicycle holder on the passenger side, and on the rear of the truck is a towing insert, instead of a bumper. License plate is WA B89770H.

Call 911 if you see it.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Windy, with a rescue callout
February 21, 2012 4:10 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
Gusty winds are in the forecast, and they’ve led to some high surf, as you can see at Beach Drive Blog. Meantime, there’s a rescue callout along Beach Drive right now – WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli is there and says that somebody reported a sailboarder possibly in trouble, though they’re believed to be OK.

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Followup: Up-for-sale former Fire Station 37 now has a website
February 21, 2012 3:57 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Sunrise Heights | West Seattle news

One more postscript to the process, now in high gear, of selling the 87-year-old former Fire Station 37 (Othello/35th). Last Friday, we published an update with photos from a brief tour with broker Arvin Vander Veen – how about that mega-garage, above!? – plus the dates set for open houses and submittal of offers. Today, the brokerage, Colliers International, has announced the website for two ex-fire stations they’re representing, including 37, is live – seattlefirestations.com (with more photos). Again – the open houses are 10 am-2 pm March 10th and April 7th, with offers due by 5 pm April 20th.

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Another police search: Driver walks away from Highland Park crash
February 21, 2012 2:18 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

Thanks to Pete for the tip on this (as well as an unsigned text message): Eastbound SW Holden should be open again at any time, since a tow truck was arriving at the scene where a white Jeep Cherokee crashed just east of 15th SW and blocked that side of the road. Its driver walked away (with a passenger, according to witnesses). No injuries reported.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Home invasion robbers sought
February 21, 2012 1:46 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

1:46 PM: Police are searching right now for two armed men who are reported to have broken into a residence in the 4300 block of 30th SW. The only description they have of the intruders is, black men, late teens, with hoodies pulled up over their faces. More to come.

1:56 PM: Additional description information: The armed man had a silver .45 handgun, and was wearing a black windbreaker and blue jeans. (If you saw a helicopter in the area, by the way, it wasn’t a law-enforcement chopper – tipster Mary says it was a news chopper, though we’re not seeing it now.)

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Seen satellite-tagged Sandy? Seal Sitters say she’s in the area
February 21, 2012 11:21 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

If you happen to spot the seal pup in the photo – no, it’s not in trouble, and the unusual item by her head is nothing to worry about. Robin Lindsey from Seal Sitters says Sandy (the rehabbed, tagged pup mentioned here 3 weeks ago) may just turn up in West Seattle:

Sandy, the satellite-tagged seal pup, has made her way back to our area, according to the most recent satellite hits. Yesterday, she was hanging out on Vashon’s West side in Colvos Passage. This morning the data reveals that she is at the north end of Vashon, near the Port Orchard/Southworth ferry run. We are asking folks to keep an eye out for her – and to stay back (of course) and call our hotline at 206-905-7325 (SEAL) if you spot her. Sandy’s homing instinct may well be sending her back to West Seattle and we’ll be waiting with open arms and lots of yellow tape!

It is incredibly exciting to watch this little pup we rescued from West Seattle back in August and her progress back in the Salish Sea; and, thus far, she seems to be successfully adapting to her new lease on life after a very long rehab at PAWS. People can follow her on SeaDoc Society’s “Sandy” page and receive almost daily e-mails of her travels.

We want to assure folks that her satellite tag was applied with glue and will fall off as she molts her coat in a few months, if not sooner. The tag does not impair her in any way and provides invaluable data for research that will help other seal pups. Here is a link to the blog posts about Sandy, including a video of her release.

P.S. Want to be a Seal Sitters volunteer? A training session is coming up March 3rd. We have a separate story in the works on that, but you can find out more right now by going here.

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