day : 10/01/2014 10 results

Hours till game time … and we’ve collected some West Seattle scenes from “Blue Friday.” First – from left, Sue, Ardeen, and Doree are the “Lunch Ladies” of Denny International Middle School, and they rocked the ‘Hawks spirit – personally as well as decoration-wise:

In true Seattle-sustainability spirit, they made decorations out of old pizza boxes during winter break. For as far as the Seahawks get this season, they’ll keep it going – and by the way, they have a wish list, maybe Russell, Marshawn, or Richard visiting the Denny lunchroom? Of course, other West Seattle schools sported spirit too. Josh shared this photo from Westside School (WSB sponsor):

From K-5 STEM, here’s 7-year-old Brooklyn, whose mom Stacey explains, “She put this outfit together on her own……even painted her nails! Takes after her mom. . Go Hawks!”

Also at STEM, Robin Graham from the K-5 STEM PTA shares this link – kids spotted around Boren today who instead of Owls were “Hawks for a Day.” Meantime, you might call these kids “Hawklets”:

Mindi shared the photo from Munchkin Junction. In The Triangle, The Grove-West Seattle Inn added the Seahawks flag to their roster:

And we have to take one more look at the downtown skyline – from the Russell building’s #12 to the CLink color:

Thanks to Craig Young for the photo. And just as we were about to hit the “publish” button, we received this unique alternative view of the building:

Those are twins Eudora and Guthrie Itano Parson, age 7, whose granddad Steve shared the photo and noted, “This is how we ‘Do’ in Seattle: Our kids learn to live in the rain, they read ‘Books’ and cheer for the Seahawks.” Kickoff is 1:30 pm Saturday.

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Development, preservation on one site: 2141 California SW

January 10, 2014 8:14 pm

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| Development | West Seattle news

One night after we reported on a 1920s-era California SW brick building that is facing demolition again, we have an update on one that apparently is not.

Some interior work that has just begun at 2141 California SW (map) is drawing lots of attention – a half-dozen people pinged us about it today alone. You’ll recall this was the longtime home of Admiralty House Antiques, closed last summer when owner Fred Dau finally retired. He brought in an estate-sale expert to sell off its quirky contents, and told us in an interview that he then hoped to sell it quickly. Within a month, we reported that a sale was pending and a development proposal had emerged – leaving the former store intact while building three residential units behind it, facing SW Walker. We have kept watch on public records since then; there was briefly another proposal, to tear down the store and put up a mixed-use building, but that then was superseded by yet another plan, back to keeping the commercial building and adding three units behind it, two townhouses and one live-work. A sale finally closed in December, with the site bought for $775,000 by an LLC registered to West Seattle-based financier/developer Dan Duffus, who has built other projects nearby, including the live-work units that are home to Mind Unwind and Caffé Fiore one block south. The workers who were on site today said that the building’s being split into two commercial spaces; we don’t know whether tenants are already signed up.

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West Seattle road-work alert: Sylvan Way repairs Tuesday

January 10, 2014 7:38 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Announced by SDOT: Weather permitting, paving crews will work in the 2300 block of Sylvan Way SW next Tuesday (January 14th), 8 am-5 pm: “One lane will remain open and traffic flaggers will assist alternating directions of traffic through the construction zone.”

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‘The Whittaker’ chosen as name for 4755 Fauntleroy project, in honor of West Seattle native Jim Whittaker

January 10, 2014 4:27 pm

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| 4755 Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The largest development currently planned for West Seattle now has a larger-than-life name:

The Whittaker.

The name chosen for 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW is a tribute to the West Seattle native who first made history as the first American to summit 29,028-foot Mount Everest, Jim Whittaker (right).

The legendary outdoorsman was, typically, outdoors when he talked with us about it – near the sea, not far from the mountains, standing in the rain at a spot where he could get a cell connection. Exactly one month shy of his 85th birthday, Whittaker says he has never had a building named for him before, jokingly telling us, “That’s usually something that happens after you’re dead.”

We also talked with spokespersons for project developers Lennar and Weingarten about the name choice and the status of what until now was just nicknamed “the Whole Foods project,” after its first announced tenant.

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New West Seattle Bridge lights already out; City Light investigating

January 10, 2014 3:03 pm

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| Utilities | West Seattle news

(Screengrab from Wednesday night – note the unlit section on the left)
Several people have asked us in the past few days about a string of streetlights that have gone dark on the westbound high-rise West Seattle Bridge. It’s particularly noticeable because the bridge lights were changed to LEDs just a few weeks back, and if anything, those bulbs are supposed to last a lot longer than old-fashioned ones. We checked with Seattle City Light today, and spokesperson Peter Clarke says they’re working on it: “We have a crew assigned to check the lights out tonight when it’s dark so they can ID exactly which lights are out.” We’ll follow up again next week to see what they found out and what will be done about it.

P.S. We drove this stretch mid-evening Friday and noted that the lights are out on the north side, starting at the exit from SB 99 to the westbound bridge, until the peak of the high-rise.

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Morgan Junction murder trial: Still in ‘pre-trial motions’ phase

January 10, 2014 2:02 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Following up on our report from last weekend that the trial was about to begin for Lovett Chambers, charged with shooting and killing Travis Hood in Morgan Junction two years ago: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says pre-trial motions continued throughout this week and will continue next week, so the trial is not expected to get to opening statements until week after next. Those motions decide matters large and small, from what evidence will and won’t be admitted to how often the defendant can get a haircut during the trial (answer: weekly). Both sides have laid out their cases in trial briefs as well as motions, hundreds and hundreds of pages worth – some documents so big, we can’t get them to download through the online system. We’ve reported before that Chambers’ lawyers are expected to focus on self-defense as well as post-traumatic stress disorder; one recent document contends that the latter is due to what he went through in prison when he was much younger. According to court documents, his record has been clean for more than 30 years. Chambers is on trial for second-degree murder, reduced last summer from the original first-degree charge.

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West Seattle Green Space Coalition’s next meeting Sunday

January 10, 2014 12:54 pm

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| Utilities | West Seattle news

If you’re interested in the community coalition that’s asking the city to slow down with its project to decide within months what to do with former substations that have sat idle for decades, this Sunday is your next chance. The West Seattle Green Space Coalition will meet at 3 pm Sunday (January 12th) at Delridge Branch Library (5423 Delridge Way SW). Last weekend, the coalition raised concerns about tree-cutting and other work under way at some of the sites even before Seattle City Light has taken its suggestions to the City Council. The sites are listed here. A few days after this Sunday’s meeting, WSGSC will be talking with the utility, so if you have any comments to share and can’t make it Sunday, e-mail co-chair Mary Fleck at maryfleckws@gmail.com.

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All-woman team to represent South Seattle Community College at Aerospace Maintenance Competition

January 10, 2014 11:07 am

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| Puget Ridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

For the first time ever, South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) is sending a team to the national Aerospace Maintenance Competition,coming up in Las Vegas this March. The team’s members are all women, points out CrystalRose Hudelson, who thinks it’s particularly exciting as interest in STEM studies and professions grows among women and girls:

Hudelson spoke with us at the team’s first meeting on Thursday. She is vice president and founder of the SSCC chapter of the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance; her teammates are Jennifer Lesher, Melissa Wang, Sarah McKenna, and Agnes Choung, and their coach is SSCC instructor Mary Hadley – Hudelson says they’re all donating their time and energy to make this happen. The school’s two-year Aviation Maintenance Technology program has more than a half-century of history – read about it here – and it’s hoped this will attract more female students, who currently comprise four percent of the project’s 200+ enrollment.

The Vegas competition, by the way, isn’t just for students – it includes professional categories too, and features 16 scheduled events, each allotting up to 20 minutes for completion. We’ll check back with the SSCC team as the competition draws closer!

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West Seattle Friday: Go Hawks! – the early edition – and more

January 10, 2014 9:36 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

The wind was already kicking up when we photographed the #12 flag flying with Old Glory at Alki Lumber on Thursday. That’s one sign of Seahawks spirit already in … and then we just received this photo from Al, taken on board “a school bus somewhere in West Seattle”…

And visible from outside the bus:

Signs of spirit at your business/workplace/school/house? Share a photo (or let us know where to go take one)! Along with game anticipation, a few things are happening today/tonight:

INDOOR GYM FOR TODDLERS: Got a little one who needs to burn off some energy, despite the fact this isn’t really playground weather? It’s indoor-gym time at Southwest Teen Life Center, 11 am-2 pm – just show up. $2 drop-in fee. (2801 SW Thistle)

HIGH-SCHOOL SPORTS: Here’s who’s competing “at home” today – Chief Sealth IHS swim meet vs. Eastside Catholic, 3:30 pm at Southwest Pool (2801 SW Thistle) … West Seattle HS gymnastics meet vs. Holy Names Academy, 4 pm at WSHS (3000 California SW) … All three local high schools’ basketball teams are on the road tonight.

JONNY WOODS: Acoustic pop at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

FLAT 5: Live tonight at the Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 9 pm. Says the Feedback, “We pretty much told THE FLAT 5 that since they’re the all-time most requested band here … that they should just move in.” (6451 California SW)

SPEAKING OF SEAHAWKS SPIRIT: Russell Investments says its building will display #12 in lights facing Elliott Bay – visible from anywhere in West Seattle you can see downtown – again tonight. (See the Wednesday night photo here.)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday on the move

January 10, 2014 6:03 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Latest bridge and Viaduct views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Morning is dawning after a blustery night – whatever your method of transportation, watch out for tree branches and other blown-about debris. And hang on for another round of windiness tonight into tomorrow. Speaking of which, here’s the SDOT advice for the 12s.

FERRY SCHEDULE CHANGING: If you use Washington State Ferries, note that its new seasonal schedule kicks in on Sunday; it has fewer runs on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route.

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