West Seattle news 62518 results

Just out of the WSB inbox, from Cindy McComish:

West Seattle YMCAâ€™s Dolphin Swim Team Wins BIG!

34 swimmers, ages 7-18, representing the West Seattle YMCA won the First Place trophy for mid-sized YMCAs in the Northwest Division Swim Championship last weekend, Friday March 7th through Sunday, March 9th. The West Seattle Dolphins traveled by chartered bus to compete in Gresham Oregon at the Mt. Hood Community College Aquatic Center. The swimmers are coached by Rod Rombauer, Jen Parker, and Sarah Heerhartz. This meet against swimmers from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington state precedes the National Meet being held in Ft. Lauderdale in April. The West Seattle YMCA Dolphins will be sending 5 qualified swimmers with high hopes for fast strong races.

Cheered on by families and friends, a partial list of our swimmersâ€™ medal counts (those achieving first, second, and third place times) include: 6 by Amanda Thach, 5 by Melissa Oishi, 5 by Tommy Thach, 4 by Sarah Ameny, 4 by Maddy Morgan, 3 by Gabby Hanna, 2 by the relay team of Amanda Thach, Melissa Oishi, Maddy Morgan and Mariah Crocket, 1 by Jordy Hanna, 1 by Karen Woodworth, 1 by Lindsey Hage, 1 by Sean Tento, 1 by TJ McComish, and 1 by the relay team of Lindsey Hage, Karen Woodworth, Angela Gagliarda, and Elsa Luthi.

As an integral part of the aquatic programs at West Seattle YMCA our team sponsors for this year are Zatz Bagels, Charlestown Street CafÃ©, Renaissance Desserts, Morgan Street Builders, Millennium Kids Creative Center, Merrill Gardens of West Seattle, and Staithe Marine Services.

The West Seattle YMCA Dolphins Swim Team seeks to provide a quality competitive swimming experience to the youth of the Seattle area and is USS sanctioned. We serve over 80 youth swimmers from 17 schools. We value swimmers of all skill levels and abilities and work toward developing each swimmer’s potential. While many of our advanced swimmers compete at regional and national events, the majority of our swimmers are at the intermediate and beginning levels. For more information on our programs please contact coachrod@swyswimteam.com.

Our standard disclosure: the West Seattle Family YMCA is a WSB sponsor. By the way, you can find out more about the Dolphins at their website here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Citizen crimesolver, and more

| Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Now the rest of the latest report highlights from the Southwest Precinct (which also included the vignette we posted earlier): We start with a suspected teenage drug dealer, spotted on local school grounds by a watchful school employee. He called police to say he saw what looked like 3 boys engaged in drug transactions right by West Seattle Elementary in High Point – atop the stairs connecting the campus with the nearby community center. With the detailed descriptions he provided, police stopped two suspects at 30th and Othello. While patting them down, an officer detected an odd crackling sound near one boy’s ankle; “that’s just cough drops,” the boy insisted — till the officer pulled out a cellophane cough-drop bag containing marijuana “packaged for sale.” The boy, 15, also had $120 in cash kept separately from a few dollars walking-around money (the police report notes it is typical dealer behavior both to separate cash that way and to keep the merchandise in an unusual spot like, your shoes/socks). He was arrested. Next: The case of the thirsty burglar(s), among other incidents:Read More

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From tonight’s FCA meeting: Schoolhouse-discussion date

March 11, 2008 10:20 pm

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

As announced at tonight’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, the next step in the future of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (photo left, from The Hall @ Fauntleroy‘s website) is a community gathering there March 26 to talk about the general progress of plans to purchase the site, and discuss its future. The Fauntleroy Community Services Association has to have everything together by July, and so far, we heard tonight, it’s all moving forward and they say they’ve done the necessary paperwork to show Seattle Public Schools they’re serious about acquiring the site. (We recapped some backstory last weekend – the district has now declared the schoolhouse as “surplus property” which means it’s ready to sell the site, as the school board votes this month to revise its policy on handling surplus sites.) Also part of the March 26 meeting — finding out from the public how much change would be acceptable for the site, and continuing to encourage citizen involvement in the process of determining its future. A community discussion held last year is recapped on this FCA webpage. It was also noted tonight that the Fauntleroy contingent has the purchase agreement from the old Colman School (where the Northwest African American Museum opened last weekend), for use as something of a template.

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From tonight’s JuNO meeting: Fauntleroy Place‘s new look

March 11, 2008 9:11 pm

| 44 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

(image removed at request of developer — see forthcoming post higher atop the page for new information, will be linked here when posted)

Update on the following – Eric Radovich from BlueStar explained the origin of the artwork that led to this post – he says it’s for massing, not colors or design – separate post to come atop the page.

One of the headlines from tonight’s Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO) meeting — Brian and Katie Tucker, JuNO members living adjacent to the Fauntleroy Place (aka “the Whole Foods project”) site, received and shared this new rendering from developers BlueStar, who don’t even have it on their own website, which still shows this one (FP changed architects a few months ago):

The Tuckers were told the latest plan is for these to be apartments, not condos, and that they will have fancy interior touches and rent for higher than the current WS average. More first thing in the am from the JuNO meeting, where a city rep talked more about the upcoming Junction parking review, and also from the Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, where the other half of the team is getting the latest on the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, among other things.

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West Seattle Crime Watch vignette: Clean & not-sober

March 11, 2008 6:17 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Just back from reviewing reports at the Southwest Precinct – the big roundup writeup must wait till we’re back from the major community meetings happening in the next few hours (as previewed here last night), but thought we’d mention this one quickly — Of all the shoplifting incidents that police handled in the past few days, this one stood out: Saturday night, 7 pm, a man was seen heading out of QFC @ Westwood Village with a cart full of “unpaid-for” merchandise, consisting of the following, according to a witness: Several large containers of Tide laundry soap, several six-packs of Heineken beer, and “numerous single cans of 211 beer.” He is described only as white and driving a 1990s Honda or Toyota, and got away before he was caught.

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Parks and police reps visit Westcrest for a safety check

March 11, 2008 4:21 pm

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| Highland Park | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

As you can tell from the photo, a lovely afternoon to visit Westcrest Park in southeastern West Seattle (home to the only WS off-leash area; here’s a map) — the occasion, a chance for Parks Department and Police Department to review citizen concerns about public-safety issues. Officer Brian Ballew from the Southwest Precinct Community Police Team was there, as were three Parks employees — Carol Baker, Steve Langley, and Cheryl Fraser. They say that Westcrest safety concerns are definitely high on their radar, thanks to ciizen concerns, particularly “inappropriate behavior” at the “comfort station” as well as the poisoning concern involved in the “Mo” case, though there have been no similar reports since that one. They also urge community members to continue to keep close watch, even to organize citizen walkthroughs if they’re so inclined (if you’re interested in talking more with them about that, their e-mail addresses are linked to their names above). Also a key group to get involved with if you are a Westcrest user, since these folks already are closely involved with taking care of the park, is the Westcrest Off-Leash Area group; find its Yahoo! e-mail group here, and park steward Steve McElhenney is reachable through the group, which we wrote about last year.

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A matter of size: Satterlee House lawn-development dispute

March 11, 2008 2:32 pm

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| West Seattle news

We reported briefly yesterday (morning update here; afternoon update here) about the start of proceedings before the city Hearing Examiner over what the owner of the “Satterlee House”/”Painted Lady” at 4866 Beach Drive will be allowed to build on the huge front lawn shown above. Testimony continues Thursday morning on the 40th floor of the Municipal Tower downtown; before too much time passed, we wanted to post a more complete wrapup of what we saw and heard while covering the proceedings yesterday:Read More

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Three road-work alerts: 2 on Alki, 1 on Beach Drive

March 11, 2008 10:14 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Transportation | West Seattle news

In addition to the two Alki Ave projects we’ve been telling you about, we just happened onto rod work that’s got flaggers in action on Beach Drive too, just south of Lowman Beach. Along Alki, the heavy equipment for this week’s paving work was just getting into gear in the 1700 block, and just a few blocks past the end of the paving zone at Bonair, the 53rd SW Pump Project crews have flaggers too – with equipment like this taking up one full lane:

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Alki paving scheduled to start today

March 11, 2008 7:05 am

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| Transportation | West Seattle news

Unless the weather changes the city’s plan, the Alki Ave paving work announced last week (full details here) from the 1700 block to Bonair is scheduled to start this morning.

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Happening Tuesday: Four hot topics, all in 1 night

March 10, 2008 10:17 pm

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

PARKING: One of the city Transportation Department managers who briefed WSB for the first report on impending Junction parking changes will be at the Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO) meeting Tuesday night. 6:30 pm, Ginomai (SW corner of 42nd/Genesee).

DENNY/SEALTH AFTERMATH: That’s just one of the items on the agenda as the Westwood Neighborhood Council meets 7 pm Tuesday, Southwest Library.

FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE’S FUTURE: The Fauntleroy Community Association will discuss the latest — one night before the School Board gets its first look at “surplus properties” policy changes — 7 pm, in the schoolhouse boardroom.

ADMIRAL SAFEWAY REDEVELOPMENT: We mentioned here that Safeway has contacted the Admiral Neighborhood Association; members will talk about it during their meeting tomorrow night, 7 pm, Admiral Congregational UCC.

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“Handbags for Hunger”: Join WSB Forum friends Sunday!

March 10, 2008 6:23 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

A group of WSB Forum members who’ve been getting together F2F have just hatched a great plot to do a good deed while having a good time — and this Sunday, they’re making it rapid reality. Here’s their official announcement, including a way you can help ahead of time:

Handbags for Hunger

Silent Auction
Sunday, March 16, 2008
2:30 pm to 4 pm â€¦.

Beveridge Place Pub
6451 California Ave. SW (Morgan Junction; map here)

Members of the West Seattle Blog Forums got together to create a fundraising social for the West Seattle Food Bankâ€¦ and another local charity, the Seattle Dress for Success program.

What began as a few local members cleaning out their oversupply of quality handbags and donating them to charity as an excuse for a good party has attracted local attention and we are getting donations we didnâ€™t expect; some of them top-end designer handbags.

All donated handbags will be up for sale at the auctionâ€¦ some of them will simply be for sale for $5â€¦ some of them will be up for bid with a $5 minimum and $25 maximum.

We will also be collecting non-perishable food items and cash/checks for the West Seattle Food Bank. Every donation will be matched through the current $1 million dollar Feinstein Foundation donation challenge (read more about it here). This will be a great opportunity to make your dollars count and help out one of our more important local resources.

What began as a problem; what to do with handbags that didnâ€™t sell, has created another opportunity for donations. We will be donating any bags that donâ€™t sell to the Seattle Dress for Success program and will also collect donations of quality used womenâ€™s business attire and cash/checks for their program. They especially need plus size clean and ready to wear clothing.

We expect participation from local representatives from both organizations and will have information on both organizations for those who would like to know more.

So if you are 21 or older (Beveridge Place is a pub), this is a great chance to drop by, have some fun, drink a little beer, drop off some of what you just cleaned out of the closet, do some good, find a great handbag at a really reasonable price and get to meet some of the more infamous West Seattle Blog Forum members. We will be wearing nametags with our sign-in names so you can identify us.

We are accepting donations of all types of quality bags; we hope to have something to offer those males who are brave enough to attend. If you would consider selling it at a consignment shop; we want it. You can show up at 2 pm when the pub opens to drop off donations, or contact JoB to arrange drop-off prior to the event. All unclaimed bags will be donated to Dress for Success.

You can e-mail JoB at joanne (at) brayden.org; you can also join the chat about this event, and a multitude of other topics, in the WSB Open Discussion Forum.

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Five weeks after the fire, Charlestown Cafe still waiting

March 10, 2008 5:06 pm

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| Charlestown Cafe | West Seattle news

Quick check-in with Charlestown Cafe owner Larry Mellum, five weeks after the fire that shut down his restaurant: Still waiting for word from the landlord whether they’ll proceed with costly repairs required by the city; hoping for word within a few days.

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“Painted Lady” development appeal hearing: Mid-afternoon update

March 10, 2008 3:04 pm

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| Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

Just a few running updates (see earlier coverage further down the page) — In addition to the Landmarks Board witness who testified at midmorning, she was followed by the supervisor of the city’s Landmarks Preservation program, Karen Gordon. She reaffirmed the unusual nature of this hearing – saying she’s worked for the department for more than 20 years and only seen a few cases like this where applicants have challenged the board’s decision on economic grounds. (House owner William Conner’s contention is that he has to build larger houses on the site because that’s all that makes economic sense.) More on the afternoon testimony later. This is all moving slowly and general chatter is that it’s going to be difficult getting all the testimony done in the day and a half allotted before the Hearing Examiner. ADDED 4:09 PM: It’s looks like beyond the prescheduled time on Thursday, this may continue Friday morning as well, and possibly March 18 all day if needed. Those who are here, by the way, include Conner and his lawyer Richard Hill at the table across from the two city lawyers, and a few spectators, here in the Hearing Examiner’s chambers on the 40th floor of the Municipal Tower. Some of this afternoon’s testimony has included details about the condition of the Satterlee House itself – more on that in our full writeup later.

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Shoremont update: Building may be moved instead of demolished

March 10, 2008 12:53 pm

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| Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

The design/build firm that recently bought the Shoremont at 57th/Alki (map) — and the neighboring house, which it’s reselling — is looking into saving and moving the building. That’s according to Chris Pardo at Pb Elemental. He tells WSB, “We have been in discussions with two building-moving firms; one is looking at the possibility of moving the existing building to Whidbey Island. The Shoremont has a brick facade rather than structural brick, so it seems feasible for them to move the building.” Pardo says that’s what Pb Elemental would prefer to do, but if the move doesn’t work out, he says, “We also have a few firms, including ourselves, interested in reusing the brick on the new project and nearby developments.” In addition, he sent us this rendering of the five-unit development they’re proposing at the Shoremont site (more details in this previous report):

Pardo says his firm hopes to start construction by “late spring” and finish by early next year.

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Beach Drive “Painted Lady” hearing under way

March 10, 2008 11:11 am

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| Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

We told you last week about the first testimony in the hearing about whether the owner of the Satterlee House, aka the “Painted Lady” of Beach Drive, can build three houses on its expansive front lawn. Since the property is a city landmark, the Landmarks Board had to grant a Certificate of Approval – but last December said no, and this hearing is about the property owner’s appeal of that ruling. Last week’s testimony involved the previous owner of the property, David Satterlee. Today, both sides are presenting the bulk of their case, with time scheduled on Thursday for continuation. The major witness so far this morning has been the staffer for the Landmarks Board, who revealed one reason this is significant beyond West Seattle:Read More

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Countdown’s over: High-school WASL, Day 1, is here

March 10, 2008 8:21 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

When we interviewed Chief Sealth High School principal John Boyd two weeks ago, that sign and others were displayed prominently around campus, and there was even a countdown clock on the Sealth home page. Now, for CSHS and West Seattle HS and other high schools, the countdown’s over and the big test is here – reading/writing this week, math/science in April. The testing window for lower grades starts in mid-April.

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Do we need another Pro Parks Levy? (and other park issues)

March 10, 2008 6:03 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | West Seattle politics

As the P-I reminds us this morning, the Pro Parks Levy is about to expire, and the mayor and council disagree on whether to ask us if we want a new one. What did Pro Parks do, you ask? Here’s the city map of the West Seattle parks projects the money’s gone toward, for starters:

The clickable version of that map, and the list of specific projects, can be found here. It’s all unfolded over the 8-year life of the levy, passed by Seattle voters in 2000, and some of the West Seattle projects aren’t done yet — Junction Plaza, Myrtle Reservoir, Ercolini Park, and Morgan Junction, which incidentally has a public meeting this Wednesday for comment on this final schematic design:

Back to Pro Parks in general: Are these all the parks we need, or is there more to be done, meriting a new Pro Parks Levy? Some councilmembers say yes; the mayor says no, focusing instead on proposals to bolster Pike Place Market and Seattle Center; public meetings on both are coming up shortly, including two West Seattle gatherings (Seattle Center, this Thursday @ Youngstown Arts Center; Pike Place, 3/18 at West Seattle Library). The council’s Parks Committee is chaired by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who is quoted in the P-I as saying:

“We really have to gauge what the public wants and what they would be willing to accept.”

Sounds to us like that means, speak up now. The council’s contact info is here; the mayor’s contact info is here. (Last side note, uncovered as we researched links for this post — remember the meetings last year working toward a Strategic Action Plan for the Parks Department? Another round of meetings is coming up in April and May, including half a dozen in West Seattle, all listed here and also added to the WSB Events page.)

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Egg vandalism: Not so victimless

March 9, 2008 11:07 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| Crime | Seaview | West Seattle news

Bernie posted this over the weekend as a new comment on an old report, so we’re reposting here:

This is a week after the events. Last Friday Feb 29 and Saturday March 1 our house was egged. After Saturday evening that makes the 5th time in just over 4 weeks of being egged. We live in the Seaview neighborhood. I have a cedar sided house and I can say at this point we are not able to undo the damage. Our back door is destroyed. Is there any easier way to remove it without taking the paint and the wood?

Most events have happened while there were 3 day weekends and an occasional 2 day weekend. We are not the occasional hit but rather this target of a bitter person or someone playing a ‘joke.’ I realize that having two boys 11 and 15 makes us even more of a target. We have had several ‘come to Jesus’ sessions about this and no clues as to who. What I find absolutely frustrating is that every kid in the ‘hood’ is accounted for at the time of the event.

I called the police to report the event. They are not much interested in reporting eggings but I think we’re beyond the one in a blue moon event. They suggest just leaving all the yard lights on. The other thing that has happened along with this is someone has opened our gate and walked through the yard at 3:00 – 4:00 a.m. The only clue I have to this is that the gate opens and then closes (We have wind chimes attached the yard gate and we can hear the latch) – then when jumping up from bed we find the yard motion lights all on.

I am happy to share any other info that I may have discounted with anyone who has other info or similar events happening to them.

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Fauntleroy Schoolhouse future: District policy-change vote

March 9, 2008 7:19 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

At its first meeting after the big Denny/Sealth vote, the Seattle School Board has something else of West Seattle (and beyond) interest on next Wednesday’s agenda: Changes in its policy on how to deal with what the district now considers “surplus properties” no longer being used as schools. The Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (1951 photo @ left), home to Fauntleroy Children’s Center among other businesses/facilities, is now on that list, and many people have been working hard to figure out how to keep the district changes from resulting in dramatic neighborhood changes. The proposed new policy is now posted online as part of the Wednesday school-board agenda (find it here), spelling out details such as the plan to end the renting of these properties at “below-market” rates and a multiyear transition in certain cases to the full charging of the new rent, while also making some provision for reduced rates at sites like this that are home to “youth education” programs. The new districtwide policy is scheduled for introduction this Wednesday and a final vote two weeks later; as always, the district takes sign-ups for public comment (on any topic, not just what’s on the agenda) starting first thing Monday morning – the online agenda explains how to sign up. Also, the Fauntleroy Community Association is scheduled to discuss the situation at its Tuesday meeting, one day before the school-board meeting; its webpage about the schoolhouse effort, including last April’s gathering, is here; West Seattle State Senator Joe McDermott briefly outlined the situation here – but of the bills he mentioned, neither one appears on this list of bills that survived the most recent cutoff before the Legislature ends its regular session this week.)

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On the West Seattle horizon: Fashion, passion, lashin’

March 9, 2008 2:24 pm

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

FASHION: Four days to go till what one organizer dubbed “The Catwalk Meets The Art Walk” — wearable art from Clementine, Sweetie, and Carmilia’s, modeled at Twilight Art in The Junction as part of the next monthly West Seattle Second Thursday Art Walk. This month’s list of participants hits another new record high — 23, stretching from Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) to the north, to West Seattle Nursery in the south! See the map here.

PASSION: One of the city’s most passionate musical and humanitarian leaders will spend four nights in West Seattle during a unique showcase starting a week from tonight at Kenyon Hall. Total Experience Gospel Choir leader Pat Wright (TEGC photo right) will be there March 16-19, getting ready to open a new chapter in her post-Katrina humanitarian efforts. Each night includes a choir performance and more; this page on the KH website has full details including an “open rehearsal” March 18 with the choir joined by Pearl Jam (and ex-Soundgarden) drummer Matt Cameron. Just a few days after the KH events, Wright and the choir will travel to Mississippi; the Kenyon Hall events are free of charge, with donations accepted for the relief effort.

LASHIN’: OK, so we’re stretching for the rhyme, but you could take that a couple of different ways with regards to “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” That wild classic, with the Vicarious Theater Company, usually screens at the Admiral Theater the first Saturday night of each month, but there will be midmonth madness April 18-20 as NW Rockypalooza — the Northwest regional convention of “RHPS”ers — time-warps over to West Seattle for two screenings/shows. (The rest of the convention will be HQ’d at the Quality Inn on Aurora. Not like we really have a hotel over here anyway.)

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Review set for Beach Drive teardowns-to-townhome/houses

March 9, 2008 11:13 am

| 7 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

On the same date (4/10) that the newly revealed California/Alaska megaproject gets a Southwest Design Review Board hearing, the project on the site of those old Beach Drive waterfront homes will also get an “administrative” design review. The proposal calls for two new single-family homes and one duplex townhouse. The project pages are filed on the city site under the street numbers 4143, 4145, and 4147. (The architects listed for the project built this, next door at 4141 Beach Drive, as well as this Alki house and these Alki condos.)

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West Seattle reps split on store beer/wine-tasting bill

March 9, 2008 1:17 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

The State House has given thumbs-up to the grocery-store beer/wine tasting bill, discussed here last month after e-mail from concerned Admiral resident Liz Wilhelm. At the time, she wrote “thank goodness none of our 34th District legislators support this bill” — but in addition to State Sen. Joe McDermott having voted for it in the State Senate (before Liz’s note), one of West Seattle’s two State House members, Rep. Eileen Cody, voted for it Friday. The other one, Rep. Sharon Nelson, voted no; roll-call links are on the bill’s official status page. A few interesting excerpts from the legislative staff report on the bill:

The pilot project is for 30 stores with at least six tastings (but no more than once per month) at each location between October 1, 2008, and September 30, 2009.

The pilot project locations must be equally allocated between independently-owned and chain grocery stores. To be eligible, the primary activity of the store must be the retail sale of grocery products for off-premises consumption and the store must have a fully enclosed retail area of at least 9,000 square feet. …

Control of sampling will be by hand stamps. Tastings will not be a party event.

P.S. If you’re wondering about another bill discussed here — the speeder-cam bill – it doesn’t appear to have moved out of State House committee-land.

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