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West Seattle development: Testing at 4755 Fauntleroy Way
August 29, 2012 2:46 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   4755 Fauntleroy | Development | West Seattle news

Anne at Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) tipped us to a work crew at 4755 Fauntleroy Way, past Huling Chevrolet and future proposed mixed-use development site (first covered here a month ago). In case you wondered too: We checked with John Wunder of Associates West, rep for the property owners, and he said it’s just “environmental testing” – the site’s prospective future owners doing “due diligence.” No additional information yet about this proposed development, but we’re continuing to follow up. It’s one of the sites on the map we debuted last week, showing active under- and future-construction sites in West Seattle:


View Major active/upcoming West Seattle development, August 2012 in a larger map

Nothing added to the map since its debut six days ago, but we’re monitoring these and other sites and will continue to update.

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West Seattle restaurants: Pica Border Grill transformation, with spice and art
August 29, 2012 12:06 pm
|      27 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Pica Border Grill in West Seattle

Story and photos by Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Pica Border Grill is open for business in The Junction at 4151 California SW (the former location of Jonny Bostons), offering “burgers, tacos, and more.”

We reported last month that new owner Miguel Govela planned to expand the menu and change the name and look of the establishment; he chatted with WSB Wednesday during the “soft launch” of the new menu. The restaurant has new art, too.

First, the food – Pica Border Grill now offers food from “both sides of the border,” retaining the menu of burgers and cheesesteak subs and adding a menu of Mexican fare that includes chicken, beef, pork and fish tacos, quesadillas, salads and a torta sandwich named the Tampiqueña: Beef or shredded pork on a bolillo (French roll) with mayonnaise, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, carmelized onions, homemade chorizo, avocado, Mexican cheese, green salsa, tomato, and cilantro. (This signature torta is named for Govela’s home city of Tampico, in Tamaulipas, Mexico.) There are vegetarian options for several of the dishes — and their variety of salsas and salad dressings are prepared fresh each day.

(Proud proprietor of Pica Border Grill, Miguel Govela)

Next, the art – after painting the building with a southwestern color palette, Govela was pleased to have West Seattle artist Joseph Brooks (seen in the West Seattle Art Walk, featured at Twilight Artist Collective) spraypaint the mural that glows on the south side of the building:

Mural on the wall at Pica Border Grill in West Seattle

Minor fine-tuning to the menu may occur going forward, but Govela looks forward to providing his “both sides of the border” menu to West Seattle.

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West Seattle Crime Watch (and more): Overnight ‘chase’; stolen and recovered bicycles; car prowls…
August 29, 2012 11:14 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Big roundup today for West Seattle Crime Watch and other police activity – with three notes related to bike theft (actual or suspected).

First one starts with an incident that several people asked about this morning on the WSB Facebook page – early-morning yelling in Morgan Junction, and eventually an ambulance. Nothing on the 911 log, so we checked with Det. Mark Jamieson of Seattle Police. He says one man thought he saw another steal a bicycle around 2 am – the second man was reported to be on one bicycle and pushing another, after having allegedly gone into the first man’s neighbor’s yard. The first man, police say, followed/chased the second man, who dropped the extra bike, and then, when the first man caught up with him near California/Graham, dropped the one he was riding. The first man “detained” him and the second one started yelling something like “Don’t hurt me.” That’s when multiple people called 911 – a passing ambulance even stopped, thinking they had witnessed an assault. Police could not prove that the bicycle was stolen, says Det. Jamieson, so there was no arrest, and nobody required hospitalization, so the final categorization of the call was simply “suspicious circumstances.” P.S. The bicycle was placed into evidence.

Whether related or not, we’ve heard more stories of bicycle thefts in Crime Watch reader reports lately. One is after the jump – along with the saga of a Crime Watch case closed when a bicycle-theft victim DID get her bikes back – via someone who saw the story here – and a few other WSCW notes:

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West Seattle Wednesday: Check the calendar!
August 29, 2012 10:07 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Check the calendar!
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

For today’s daily preview, just a quick note pointing you to the updated-for-months-to-come WSB West Seattle Events Calendar. The highlights are several Back-To-School events for individual local schools, including WSB sponsors West Seattle Montessori and Holy Family Parish School, plus a Community Health Fair this evening in High Point. For any WSB calendar event (today or beyond) you would like to know more about, click the “plus” on the right side of the listing line to expand the preview, then click “read more” on the lower right, and you will be taken to a standalone page with info, map, and more.

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Countdown to new Spokane St. Viaduct ramp: How to get onto it
August 29, 2012 7:51 am
|      62 COMMENTS
 |   Spokane St. Viaduct project | West Seattle news

By this time Friday morning, as SDOT announced last week, the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct‘s new 1st Avenue South on-/offramp will be open. Since it is a two-way ramp, you’ll drive southbound to get onto it, rather than westbound. And that led commenter “TK” to ask:

What is the recommended route for westbound traffic coming from the Georgetown/4th Ave S (Costco)/Spokane St. area going back to West Seattle via the 1st Ave onramp?

Once Spokane St is reopened, how do we access the onramp? Turn north on 1st Ave & pull a U-turn? (will SDOT put up signs allowing this like some places in Bellevue?) Or continue on 4th north to the old potholed non-arterial Holgate just to get south again?

There doesn’t seem to be any reasonable solution that comes to mind, and there is a lot of traffic which will have to deal with this daily.

As promised in the comment exchange, we took the question to SDOT. Ahead, the answer from project spokesperson Paul Elliott:Read More

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West Seattle scene: Somewhere under the rainbow
August 28, 2012 11:54 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Somewhere under the rainbow
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to Eric from Crossfit West Seattle for the rainbow view over Lafayette Elementary and its playground. We have more news stories in queue for you on Wednesday but nothing mega-urgent – for now! – so we’re going to close out the night with this. Might even be showers overnight, says the forecast.

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Update: Man shot along Roxbury – accidentally self-inflicted, investigators say
August 28, 2012 7:54 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | White Center | WS breaking news

7:54 PM: Just got a note about more than a dozen emergency vehicles on SW Roxbury. We believe this is related to the King County Sheriff’s Office reporting a possible shooting in the 9600 block of 11th SW. More when we get there.

8 PM UPDATE: KCSO Sgt. Cindi West updates that this apparently is an accidental shooting. She tells our crew that a man appears to have been walking with a gun in his pocket, and when he reached into his pocket, the gun went off. He shot himself in the leg; he’s been taken to the hospital. Traffic is still moving on Roxbury, and the scene will be wrapping up.

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Video & as-it-happened coverage: Mayor McGinn’s Town Hall at SW Teen Life Center
August 28, 2012 6:40 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

After a community resource fair and youth performance, the mayor has just taken the microphone. We’ll be updating live.

6:41 PM: “We’re starting to see things turn around in the city, economically,” he begins, adding that he believes the city has recovered “more than half” the 35,000 jobs believed to have been lost in recent years. Current Seattle unemployment is estimated at 6.5 percent, he says, while noting that’s “still historically high.” He recalls a time when the “biggest challenge” was to manage growth – and then things went downhill. He says he’s “worked hard to have a city government responsive to people and their needs.” (If that sounds a little like campaigning … we should note, his first term ends next year, though we don’t believe he’s announced whether he plans to run for a second one.) He runs through some of the budget-cutting measures he says have been taken by the city in the past few years, including a quick allusion to community-center cuts – which have affected the facility in which this event is being held; it was a full-fledged community center, and now it is a teen center, also co-housing a Neighborhood Service Center. “We have to focus on good, sustainable economic growth that everybody can share,” he summarizes – “… and focus on our strengths.”

REST OF THE AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE, PLUS VIDEO OF THE ENTIRE EVENT, AFTER THE JUMP:Read More

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Almost back-to-school time: Before-/after-school spots at Hiawatha
August 28, 2012 4:14 pm
|    Comments Off on Almost back-to-school time: Before-/after-school spots at Hiawatha
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

With most schools starting next week, a quick message from Tiffani at Hiawatha:

We have had a few spots for Hiawatha Community Center Before/After School program open up. This is for children attending Lafayette only. The Schmitz Park Program is still full. Call the center at 206-684-7441 or e-mail at Tiffani.Melake@seattle.gov, Hiawatha.Childcare@seattle.gov

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Extra West Seattle Water Taxi runs for the big football games
August 28, 2012 3:05 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

Announced by the county this afternoon:

The King County Water Taxi’s West Seattle route will be running its extended sailing schedules for this Thursday’s Seahawks game on August 30 and for Saturday’s Huskies game on September 1. In addition to the final scheduled departure at downtown Seattle’s Pier 50 at 10:30 pm, we will run one additional departure from Pier 50 at 11:00 pm each night. The final two departures from Seacrest Park those nights will be at 10:45 pm and 11:10 pm.

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Video: 1 arrested in West Seattle search, part of ‘Operation Pee-Wee’s Playhouse’ drug-ring bust
August 28, 2012 12:58 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

(TOPLINE: 20+ indicted in federal oxycodone drug-ring investigation, including 1 arrested in West Seattle)

(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
FIRST REPORT, 12:58 PM: We’re at FBI headquarters in the heart of downtown, where agencies and departments including the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Seattle Police are about to brief the media on the raids/searches this morning at locations including the one on which we reported (5400 block of 30th SW). We’ve just been handing documents that say more than 20 people were arrested in connection with a “significant narcotics trafficking ring” involving “distributing thousands of oxycodone pills in the Seattle area.” More to come.

1:03 PM UPDATE: The briefing has begun. 24 arrests executed this morning by 100 law enforcement officers, we’re being told. Operation was code-named “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse“; the alleged ringleader’s name is Herman. Speaking first with details: US Attorney Jenny Durkan:

She calls this “a tremendous investigation over a period of years. We are focused heavily on ending prescription drug abuse … As you know, it’s a growing epidemic in America … Last year, it was estimated the deaths … exceeded the deaths for motor vehicles.” She says there’s a direct “nexus” between drug dealing and violent crime, and lauds the joint efforts of SPD and FBI.

SPD’s Deputy Chief Nick Metz (above) is speaking now (1:06 pm) – he says “it’s no secret that in past six-plus months, we’ve seen an uptick in violence …”and he believes this will affect that. Now FBI special agent in charge Dean says that 16 locations were searched in our state and California in relation to this case. 19 people were indicted, he says. He says that agents came here from other states including Utah and Oregon to help, as well as other partners around the region. The investigation dates back to February 2010, he says. He says one particular gang was the focus of the investigation, and stresses again the partnership between law-enforcement agencies. “We’re going to continue our efforts to disrupt violent crime.”

1:10 PM: The operation is being called “unprecedented” in its scope and scale. “I think today’s efforts have made the region a little safer.” After just a few minutes, the news conference is being opened to questions. First question involves investigative techniques, on which they don’t want to specialize; electronic surveillance is mentioned.

Second question – “We took the head dog out,” says FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Steven Dean (above), responding to the role of Herman Roche, the first person whose indictment has been publicized. Roche is 43 years old and described in documents as a Kent resident. He says the investigation “disrupted” the organization and put most of its members in custody. “We think it’s going to make a dent.” Durkan says, “These operations rely on everything from (street cop undercover buys) to sophisticated surveillance … What the bad guys need to know out there is that state and federal authorities are going to cooperate .. We have a wide array of tools; we will use them all to stop crime in this community.” She says they wanted to make sure they “had the entire organization” so that when “we took it down, we knew what we were doing.” She talks about the organization members’ trips to California to get thousands of pills at a time. She says they seized 20 firearms, $40,000, and more that they are still inventorizing. “The next step is that all of these people have to make their appearance in federal court.”

1:15 PM: The news conference is wrapping up. Some of the suspects will be on the 2:30 pm court calendar. And the FBI spokesperson will tell us afterward about specific locations and how they figured into it.

1:29 PM UPDATE: 33 year old Brian M. Davis is identified as the person arrested at the home on 5400 block of 30th SW this morning. He is charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics, authorities say. He was the only person arrested in West Seattle, according to the FBI, and the 30th SW house is the only WS location involved. What exactly was seized there – and what role that location played – won’t be known, says the FBI, until the search warrant returns are made public, probably in a week or so. The closest arrest to West Seattle, besides Davis, was that of 45-year-old Thomas D. Lee, arrested in the 6100 block of 4th Avenue S (a WSB Facebook commenter mentioned that location). They will be among those making a court appearance in about an hour. Seattle Police also confirm that Davis was the victim in a shooting elsewhere in the city a month ago.

2:44 PM UPDATE: Back at HQ now and will add video of the briefing plus a few more photos – unlike some briefings of similar magnitude, there was no “show and tell” component of seized items, in case you wondered. (added – here’s our video – starting with an overview by FBI Special Agent in Charge Laura Laughlin)

Also, if you’d like to read the full news release, which lists everyone charged, as well as all the participating agencies, it’s after the jump:

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Happening now: Why a crane is at Seacrest Pier and Boathouse
August 28, 2012 11:56 am
|    Comments Off on Happening now: Why a crane is at Seacrest Pier and Boathouse
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Thanks to Kathy for sharing the photo of the work that’s under way today at Seacrest Pier and Boathouse. In case you missed it, here’s what it’s all about; the Parks Department warned last week that the Seacrest lot would be closed till mid-afternoon today (2:30 or so) because the crane was needed to replace the pier ladder.

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West Seattle Tuesday: Mayor’s Town Hall; WSHS Freshmen Family Night; Delridge Produce Co-op trivia…
August 28, 2012 10:38 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Tuesday: Mayor’s Town Hall; WSHS Freshmen Family Night; Delridge Produce Co-op trivia…
 |   West Seattle news


(Duwamish Head/”Anchor Park” photo by Long Bach Nguyen; click image for larger view)
Mayor Mike McGinn is back in West Seattle for another Town Hall meeting tonight, and that’s one of the highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar …

TONIGHT’S TRAFFIC ALERT: From our day-by-day/night-by-night list, southbound 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct is closed 9 pm-5 am, and 1st Avenue South northbound at (surface) S. Spokane St. will be closed 10 pm-5 am.

SEACREST PARKING LOT CLOSURE: As reported here last week, the lot at Seacrest is scheduled to be off-limits to parking until mid-afternoon while some dock work is under way.

NOT ENROLLED YET? Not in West Seattle, but all families who still need to enroll in Seattle Public Schools are invited to a fair – complete with giveaways – at district HQ in SODO, starting at 11 this morning – details here.

MAYOR’S TOWN HALL, PLUS COMMUNITY INFO FAIR: It’s not just a chance to tell the mayor what’s on your mind – it’s a chance to find out about local organizations (including ours), starting with a community info fair at 5:30 pm, then a Polynesian-dance performance at 6:30, and the mayor at the mike at 6:40 pm, all happening at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle). More info in our Monday night preview.

WSHS FRESHMEN FAMILY NIGHT: Families with incoming West Seattle High School ninth graders are invited for orientation, school tours, and snacks, 5:30-7:30 pm tonight.

DELRIDGE PRODUCE COOPERATIVE FOOD TRIVIA! at Skylark Café and Club, 6:30 pm:
Fun food trivia, $5 suggested donation, benefits DPC. Details on this Facebook event page.

TRIVIA THAT ROCKS: Tuesday night is Trivia That Rocks night every week at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), 8 pm.

Even more on the calendar!

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Federal agents search West Seattle home, ‘multiple locations’
August 28, 2012 8:08 am
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

FIRST REPORT, 8:08 AM: Thanks to everyone who texted and e-mailed to report federal agents searching a hillside home between High Point and Camp Long early this morning. At the scene, we saw FBI agents with unmarked vehicles, and a vehicle marked as belonging to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They wouldn’t comment, referring us to local FBI headquarters; we just talked with Ayn Sandalo Dietrich in FBI public affairs, and she could only tell us that it’s part of an operation at “multiple locations,” but they’ll have more to say later. We also checked with Seattle Police, where Det. Mark Jamieson said the same thing.

10:35 AM UPDATE: The FBI has announced a multi-agency media briefing at 1 pm today – we’ll be there. They’re describing what happened this morning as a “Seattle Safe Streets Task Force operation.” The task force is described on this page as working “to identify, disrupt, and dismantle existing and emerging violent criminal enterprises and gangs in King County, as well as other individuals and groups whose criminal activity negatively impacts the Puget Sound area.”

NOTE: Our story on the briefing – and what we’ve found out about the suspect arrested in West Seattle – is here.

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West Seattle schools: Chief Sealth’s Link Crew mentors in training
August 28, 2012 7:05 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The 300-plus ninth graders entering Chief Sealth International High School will have the campus all to themselves for the first half of the first day of school a week from tomorrow – well, except for their 70 or so mentors. Those students are who you see in our photos – all juniors or seniors, who will be back on campus today for their second day of training for the mentoring program known as Link Crew, which Sealth is using this year for the first time.

Last year, we covered Link Crew’s West Seattle High School debut; this year, it’s debuting at Sealth with the help of a grant the school obtained. That included covering the costs of training for the faculty who are in turn training the Link Crew mentors, who activities coordinator Sam Reed explains were chosen from about 120 applicants. This week, they’re spending two days practicing the sort of team-building exercises they’ll go through next week with the incoming Class of 2016:

As Reed put it, these students have been leading by example – and now, they will be leading by coaching. We talked with the Sealth senior who is serving as the group’s president, Frank Wenn (right). He told WSB that he applied to “help out” and to be “more involved” with what’s going on at school (not that he was exactly disengaged previously, as a football player [right tackle], baseball-team member, and International Baccalaureate program student). What message will he have for the freshmen next week? we asked. Frank said he’ll tell them not to panic about suddenly being in high school: “You’re not going to feel isolated. Everyone here is so friendly – it’s easy to make friends.” Frank and his dozens of fellow Link Crew mentors are working with five faculty members – along with Reed, they are Dean of Students Charlene Grisim, social worker Carrie Syvertsen, and teachers Kim Dinh and Luke Azinger. And even after that all-important first day of school on September 5th, the mentors will be touchstones for the freshmen throughout the year; maybe, a few years later, some of them will even sign up to be Link Crew leaders themselves.

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Face to face with the mayor, Tuesday night in West Seattle
August 27, 2012 11:56 pm
|    Comments Off on Face to face with the mayor, Tuesday night in West Seattle
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Something you think Mayor McGinn needs to know about West Seattle? Something you want to ask or say about the way his administration’s been doing things the past almost-three years? Something you want him to hear, even if you don’t think anything will be done about it? Tuesday night is your next chance, with his Town Hall at Southwest Teen Life Center, and getting a message to the mayor is only part of what it’s about. City department heads are usually on hand, and he might refer your problem/idea on the spot. Plus, you can come early and meet cool West Seattle neighbors who are with organizations such as West Seattle Be Prepared, Sustainable West Seattle, Nature Consortium, West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network, West Seattle Food Bank, several neighborhood councils … Talk with them at the Community Information Fair 5:30-6:30 pm, watch a special performance of the Samoan Siva dance La’u Hani by The West Side Polynesian Club till 6:40, and then it’s Q/A time with the mayor. SW TLC is next to SW Pool, 2801 SW Thistle. See you there.

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Checking: Helicopter(s) over West Seattle
August 27, 2012 10:30 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

10:30 PM: Getting various reports of one or possibly two helicopters over north West Seattle – Alki, Admiral – and hearing some closer to us, too. Don’t know yet what they’re doing – there is no obviously correlatory traffic on the scanner.

10:36 PM NOTE: We should note that we did hear a loud sound pre-chopper(s) here above Lincoln Park – and we now have a note from someone who says they called police about what they believed to be gunfire a short time ago on the north end of Lincoln Park. No reports of anyone having been shot anywhere, however.

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Arbor Heights fire 1 year later: 2 construction projects, soon
August 27, 2012 10:10 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

One year ago tonight, one of West Seattle’s most ferocious fires in years destroyed a home in the 10200 block of 41st SW in Arbor Heights.

We wouldn’t usually revisit a fire on its first anniversary. This one, however, affected the lives not only of the home’s owners and renters, but also of those who live in the surrounding area.

It revealed “fire flow” water-system shortfalls that left some of the firefighters helpless for many long minutes to stop the roaring flames destroying the home and threatening to spread. Photos like this one showed their lines, waiting to be filled:

The problems even resulted in a City Council briefing, and a plan for improvements.

So tonight, we look at what’s happened since. First: The immediate effects of the fire – a home, destroyed. What was left of the gutted house was torn down, and the lot remains empty to this day (as reflected even in the official county online records). We went by this morning:

This evening, we spoke by phone with Renée, whose sister was at the time of the fire renting the house, which is owned by their parents. She told WSB the family expects to build a new home on the site by the end of this year. Along with the water-main work that the city is planning, that means two construction projects are about to begin in the wake of the August 27, 2011, fire, that sent up black smoke visible for miles around:

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Update: Fire call near Westwood Village blamed on barbecue
August 27, 2012 8:48 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

8:48 PM: A “fire in building” call has sent a big response is en route to 22nd and Barton, just east of Westwood Village.

8:58 PM UPDATE: Nothing major – only one engine still left on the scene. A police officer says fire crews told him it was a kitchen problem; we’re waiting to confirm that directly with SFD.

9:01 PM UPDATE: SFD lieutenant says it was a case of ignition-fluid flareup with a barbecue on the third floor. No major damage from that, but they had to kick in a door to get into the unit. No one hurt. We’ve added our photo above showing smoke still hanging in the air (after something like this, one big job for firefighters is to help get the scene ventilated).

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West Seattle Rotary: Pencil Me In For Kids success; Wine & Chocolate Gala ahead
August 27, 2012 8:33 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Rotary: Pencil Me In For Kids success; Wine & Chocolate Gala ahead
 |   Rotary Club of West Seattle | West Seattle news

Two Rotary Club of West Seattle notes tonight:

PENCIL ME IN FOR KIDS: Rotarians and friends have collected, sorted, and delivered school-supply donations again this year for Pencil Me In For Kids. Our photograph is from the sorting party in Westwood last Thursday night. PMIFK is an all-volunteer program that helps kids at local schools; while this year’s donation drive has wrapped up, it’s never too soon to start looking ahead to next year, and you can find out here how to help.

WINE AND CHOCOLATE GALA AUCTION: It takes $ to support community projects like PMIFK. The Rotary’s next fundraiser promises to be a tasty one – the second annual Wine and Chocolate Gala Auction, less than two weeks away. Here’s the club announcement:

The Rotary Club of West Seattle will host its second annual Wine & Chocolate Gala Auction on Friday, September 7 at 6 PM at Salty’s on Alki. Enjoy an evening of great wine and an auction of wonderful items to support the club’s community projects. In addition to the auctions, there will be ample appetizers, food trays, wine tasting from boutique local wineries (10) and chocolatiers. Auction items run from trips to Sonoma, Caribbean, Kenya, and Orlando, to locally focused items like a “Bin 41 and Husky’s pair up appetizers and wine for 10.” For tickets, please visit the Rotary Club of West Seattle website at www.westseattlerotary.org

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From The South Park News: House fire on S. Trenton
August 27, 2012 5:27 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   South Park | West Seattle news

(Photo by Sarje Rao)
If you’ve driven by the west side of South Park on 509 or thereabouts, you might have noticed smoke, and/or the TV helicopters. Here’s what’s happening: There’s a fire at an abandoned house in the 300 block of South Trenton. We have a crew there, covering it for our partner site The South Park News – here’s the latest.

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Marination Ma Kai at West Seattle’s Seacrest Boathouse: New opening estimate – late September
August 27, 2012 4:43 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

The fence is up, the windows are covered, and intensive work is under way at the Seacrest Boathouse as Marination gets ready to open its first West Seattle bricks-and-mortar location, after three years of bringing its truck to the peninsula on Saturday. This afternoon we spoke with Marination co-owner Kamala Saxton for an update, six weeks after they announced the start of construction – and the official name.

Twists and turns in the permit and construction process have now pushed the expected opening date back to late September, Saxton says. “Progress is being made … not as fast as we wanted.” However, she and co-owner Roz Edison are still rooting for the round of summery weather that often happens in late September/early October, in hopes it will grace the West Seattle waterfront as they fire up the shave-ice machine (and the rest of the new Marination Ma Kai) for the first time. If you are a West Seattle Water Taxi rider, diver, kayaker/SUP’er, or other frequent Seacrest visitor, you will likely notice the roof-replacement work any day now (tomorrow’s parking-lot closure there, however, involves an unrelated ladder replacement on the pier); today’s highlights, she told us, included a new door. They’re also working on hiring – recruiting notices are posted on the boathouse windows – and Saxton says that’ll be finalized in a week or so; lots of West Seattle locals have applied, she says. They’re also excited about Marination Ma Kai’s potential as an event space, including its availability to local groups like PTAs.

It’s been five months since the revelation of a snag in the permit process – extra reviews required because, though the location had been run as a restaurant for more than a decade under previous concessionaire Alki Crab and Fish, it had never formally been approved to serve as one – and almost nine months since word that Marination had been chosen to take over the space. But, as the Marination owners wrote in another flyer that’s posted in the boathouse windows, “We are so in love with Seacrest and the incredible good times to come, we know every hoop, thorn, and fire we deal with will all be worth it!”

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Photos: USS John C. Stennis sails past West Seattle
August 27, 2012 3:06 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB, unless otherwise credited)
3:06 PM: We mentioned in today’s “West Seattle Monday” daily preview that the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) would leave Bremerton today for its next deployment. According to its Facebook page, the Stennis has just sailed, so it will be visible from West Seattle shores – particularly mid-Beach Drive to Alki Point – in a while.

4:31 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Linda for the tip that it had emerged rounding Bainbridge – the Stennis is now visible from West Seattle.

(Photo courtesy WSB reader Dave)
5:11 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Dave for the perspective from atop a building on California SW. We’re expecting a photo from the waterfront in a bit. The Kitsap Sun reports that the Stennis is headed to San Diego to pick up its air group, and then out to the Middle East for at least eight months.

6:04 PM UPDATE: WSB photojournalist Nick Adams was staked out as the Stennis sailed by; we’ve added four of his photos, including this one showing other vessels out as the carrier passed:

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