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Crime Watch reader report: Admiral firewood thieves
March 5, 2008 6:45 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Just out of the WSB inbox:

I would like to report the following incident that occured around 5:10pm today:

I noticed 2 cars speeding down our alley between Lander & Stevens while I was working in the backyard. I looked up and saw the male driver of the first car (not sure if there were others in that car) who evidently noticed me. The second car was driven by a female and had 4 people in it.

I heard the cars stopping by my neighbor’s house. I looked to see what was going on and saw the people taking firewood from a stack by the garage and throwing it into their cars.

I told them to stop stealing the wood and they just stared at me. When my husband came around the corner, they got back into their cars and left.

One car is a white sedan, the other one is is a beige sedan with a license plate number (ending in) TQW. I’d guess the age of the people high school age to early 20’s.

The SW precinct told me to call 911, which I did.

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“Tree massacre” brings neighbors’ questions
March 5, 2008 5:38 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Environment | Gatewood | West Seattle news

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The removal of a whole row of big evergreens along two lots lining the east side of 41st between Rose and Southern (take your pick whether this is south Gatewood or north Upper Fauntleroy) had several people e-mailing us today — one calling it a “tree massacre” — to ask “can they DO that?” We checked it out and the answer appears to be “yes,” since the trees were on private, already-developed property with older houses – if that defines your property, you can cut down trees without a permit. Both lots on the block appear to be real-estate listings no longer on the market; the site shown in the photo still has an aerial-photo map that gives you an idea of how many trees were there before. The parcel now likely has a major view, as it’s on the west-facing slope, looking toward the Sound, Blake, Vashon, Olympics, etc. No development permits filed for either lot so far.

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Crime Watch reader report: Car window shattered on Alki
March 5, 2008 4:04 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

E-mailed by Mark, who then promptly headed off to get the glass replaced:

At around 1:30 this afternoon, I was driving down the 3000 block of 61st Ave. near Alki when my car’s front passenger-side window exploded. Apparently it had been struck by a really fast rock, or else shot with a pellet gun or something similar. I phoned in a police report on the spot, and they responded quickly by showing up and taking down details. Didn’t see the %$#*$@ who did it, although after I pulled over and went to the impact spot to see what I could find, I caught a glimpse of at least two people running behind the houses there, with a male voice shoutingsomething as they ran. The two police officers who responded mentioned that four youths have been caught in connection with the recent similar incidents in the Admiral neighborhood, and although the punks have some little bit of time in juvenile detention coming up, they are currently not being held anywhere. Whether or not this incident is connected to them is anyone’s guess, but the officers did say they were going to check out the nearby streets to see if they could find out anything more.

So that’s that. The good news is that neither my wife nor anyone else was in the passenger seat, otherwise they would have been sprayed with glass.

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Update: Progress reported on low-bridge restrictions
March 5, 2008 11:03 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

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8 o’clock sharp this morning, we took that photo from Spokane/Marginal, with truck traffic backed up three ways while the low bridge was open about a mile ahead. Two days ago, we told you West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen was intensifying his push to restrict bridge openings during AM and PM rush hours, in hopes of cutting down on situations like the one you see above; today, there’s word of progress on the proposal — according to the Times, the regional U.S. Coast Guard district plans to publish a notice that will start a 60-day period for comment from the marine industry, after which another 30-day review period would be required before the restrictions (7-9 am and 4-6 pm) would potentially take effect. We have a call out to the USCG to find out more.

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Good luck tonight to the West Seattle High School Wildcats
March 5, 2008 8:53 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

The state boys’ basketball tournament starts tonight, and West Seattle plays Squalicum (from Bellingham) at KeyArena at 9 pm. (Here are the brackets.) If you can’t go to the game but you want to follow closely online, it appears that’s possible through this site ($10 for tournament-long access).

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Late-night followup file: Fauntleroy Place status
March 4, 2008 10:06 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

For everyone who wonders when construction will finally start on Fauntleroy Place, aka “the Whole Foods development” at the current east-of-Junction site of Schuck’s/Hancock Fabrics, we check in periodically with its developer, BlueStar Management. Today, BlueStar’s Eric Radovich told WSB it’s looking now like groundbreaking will be in “late April or early May” — a little later than last estimate — “due to a handful of minor details being wrapped up this month.”

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West Seattle Gas Price Watch: First $3.50-plus regular
March 4, 2008 7:03 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   Gas prices | West Seattle news

351gas.jpgThat’s the sign at 35th/Holden Chevron, about an hour ago. This may not be the only West Seattle station where regular is posted at $3.50 or higher, but it’s the first one we saw (and we did pass about half the other West Seattle stations in the 20 minutes before this sighting). We’re not planning another full roundup till the weekend — in the “baseline” one we did two nights ago, this station was at $3.46/regular, $3.69/super (the two grades for which we noted prices at all WS stations) — but we did want to make note of first $3.50 (higher than regular ever reached in WS during last year’s spring run-up).

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West Seattle Crime Watch: School-zone patrol progress
March 4, 2008 3:41 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Gatewood | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

From the Southwest Precinct Public Safety Newsletter just sent out by SWP Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow – don’t miss the last paragraph:

The T9 Traffic Squad focuses on aggressive drivers. They drive the Dodge Charger Police cars. The T9 Squad, along with other members of the Traffic Section, issued the following school zone citations between September 01, 2007 through February 11, 2008:

* Arbor Heights – total – 94

65 Speed, 1 Pass School Bus, 28 other –

* Highland Park – total – -540

363 Speed, 4 Pass School Bus, 1 R/W Ped, 172 other

* Holy Family – total – 245

189 Speed, 1 Pass School Bus, 55 other

* Sanislo – total – 56

47 Speed, 9 other –

* Total – 935

Last week the T9 Squad started working the school zone at Gatewood Elementary in 7000 block of Fauntleroy. Yesterday Officer Cavin stopped a driver traveling 45 mph while using the center turn lane to pass 6 other cars in the 20 mph school zone. The driver said he was late getting to the Ferry Terminal. He was cited for Reckless Driving.

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Give to local food banks now, and it counts for more!
March 4, 2008 2:53 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

For the next two months, donations to either or both of the two food banks that serve areas of West Seattle — the West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank — will bring the agencies and their clients an extra boost. This news release explains why:

$1 MILLION FEINSTEIN CHALLENGE TO BENEFIT LOCAL Food BankS

March and April donations to West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank will qualify for Feinstein Challenge

The West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank are encouraging community members to make donations between March 1st and April 30th so they can be submitted for matching funds from the Feinstein Foundation’s $1 Million Challenge.

For the past 11 years Rhode Island philanthropist, Alan Shawn Feinstein, has made $1 Million available to help anti-hunger agencies. For every cash and food donation received by the end of April the Feinstein Foundation will add a financial contribution.

“It may be hard for many to believe,” said Fran Yeatts, executive director of the West Seattle Food Bank, “but more than 3,200 families visited the West Seattle Food Bank in 2007. That’s 10% more than the year before. And the White Center Food Bank served 3,812 families, a 16% increase from 2006. So it’s obvious that the threat of hunger is very real in both our communities.”

“The more we receive during the challenge period,” said Ms. Yeatts, “the greater the match we’ll get from the Feinstein Foundation, which will help us provide for the babies, teens, adults and seniors who depend on our two organizations .”

For the West Seattle Food Bank, donations may be mailed to 3419 SW Morgan, Seattle, WA 98126. For information about the West Seattle Food Bank’s programs benefited by the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.westseattlefoodbank.org or contact Fran Yeatts at (206) 932-9023, or email wsfb@teleport.com.

For the White Center Food Bank, donations may be mailed to 10829 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98146. For information about the White Center Food Bank’s programs benefited by the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.whitecenterfoodbank.org or contact Rick Jump at (206) 762-2848, or email wcfb@drizzle.com.

Information about the Feinstein Foundation and the $1 Million Challenge, visit www.feinsteinfoundation.org

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First-of-its-kind home shown off in Brace Point
March 4, 2008 12:25 pm
|      54 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

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At least we hope that’s the right neighborhood description for this new home at 10012 47th SW. It drew a crowd today as part of a media-and-industry-invited event touting it as the first West Coast home certified as “Fortified … for safer living” by the Institute for Business and Home Safety (an insurance industry-supported group), a certification that means it’s “disaster-resistant.” Among other aspects of the house (listed for sale for $1,695,000, by the way) that make it disaster-resistant — strong enough to withstand 130-mph winds and big earthquakes — is the fact it’s framed with insulated concrete forms rather than wood. We’ll be adding some video and more info to this report in the next hour or so, but in case you were in that area and wondered what all the fuss was about (one neighbor stopped us to ask, in fact), here’s the baseline. ADDED 12:51 PM: Since we promised in the comments – here’s the first clip, the view (main-floor deck):

Video thumbnail. Click to play.
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Next: less visual but more central to the disaster-resistant concept, the concrete forms:Read More

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Viaduct briefing for City Council: A few more details
March 3, 2008 9:19 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle news

This month marks one year since the Viaduct Vote. Some things have happened in the ensuing year, perhaps most notably SCENIC_Alaskan_Way_AWV1.jpgGovernor Gregoire declaring what’s left of The Viaduct will come down by 2012 (if not sooner). Second most notably, the state, city, and county agreed to work together to figure out what to do in the wake of the city vote that said no to a tunnel and no to an elevated replacement. Details of that ongoing work have emerged recently at a meeting here and a meeting there, like the briefing the Seattle City Council got today from key city, state, and county leaders. No discussion of what happened this morning — this was all about what’s to come — but there’s no denying that traffic mess was a clear reminder of what traffic nightmares could be in store if dramatic, creative action isn’t taken before and during the upcoming construction projects. Here are some of this afternoon’s highlights:Read More

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Crime Watch reader report: Car burglars ignore fence
March 3, 2008 5:59 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

From TLR, a car break-in last week that isn’t in one of our roundups, but carries an important reminder:

I wanted to report to my neighbors in the 6500 block of 37th Ave SW that my car was broken into sometime last Tuesday night (02/26/08) or Wednesday (02/27/08) morning, which was parked in our completely fenced backyard. My iPod Touch and radio tuner were taken when I forgot to take them inside. Just a reminder to everyone to make sure you take everything inside, even if you have a fenced yard.

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Update: Bridge-blocking bus cleared
March 3, 2008 4:28 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

Rhonda from Beach Drive Blog phoned to say the Metro express is stalled out in the westbound lane of the WS Bridge just past Walking on Logs. 5:14 PM UPDATE: We drove through there a couple minutes ago en route back from downtown and the stalled bus has just been cleared – may take a bit for the backup to clear.

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Timely topic: Councilmember pushing for bridge change
March 3, 2008 1:38 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

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(photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)

During commutes like this morning, when something goes wrong with The Viaduct or the high bridge, many eastbound West Seattle commuters flock to the low bridge. Just one glitch with that: It sometimes opens for vessel traffic during peak-commute hours. That’s a sore spot for drivers such as WSB’er Jennifer, whose question about the situation was featured here last November. West Seattle-dwelling City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen has been pushing for rush-hour restrictions, especially as traffic-affecting work on the Spokane Street Viaduct section of The Bridge gets closer, and talked to WSB about where this stands:Read More

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Update: Owner of shot pit bulls faces $1,000-plus in fines
March 3, 2008 10:54 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | Safety | West Seattle news | Westwood

We just talked with Don Jordan, executive director of the Seattle Animal Shelter, to find out what will happen to the owner of the two pit bulls shot by police in Westwood last week, as well as what will happen to the one that survived. Jordan confirms the dogs’ owner has a history with animal-law enforcement, but not involving the same two dogs from this incident. At the very least, though, the owner will be given citations that Jordan says will total more than $1,000 in fines — for violations including allowing a dog to menace/bite, allowing a dog to roam, and expired tags (neither of the dogs had a current license). Once the city investigation is concluded within a week or so – Jordan says they have two witnesses left to interview – the case will be sent to prosecutors for review to see if any criminal charges are warranted. If not, Jordan says he still has an “administrative process” he can trigger to determine whether or not the surviving dog would have to be returned to the owner. (Previous coverage: Original report the night it happened; followup with more details from the police report; update last night from the man who was attacked, along with his Chihuahua.)

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Traffic alert: Viaduct accident closes 1 northbound lane
March 3, 2008 6:33 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

Thanks to Eddie for the tip, which is verified by Traffic.com: Accident on northbound Viaduct near Seneca. One lane’s closed. 6:49 AM ADDITION: Adding the camera showing the eastbound bridge at the Viaduct exit, so you can check how things look before you leave (the Viaduct remains cameraless). 7:23 AM UPDATE: We can see northbound 99 traffic from the eastbound bridge, and it’s definitely crawling. 8:04 AM UPDATE: No change as we looked onto 99 while heading back on the bridge westbound. 1st and 4th said to be busier than usual but not too bad. Radio traffic report says repairs might keep that Viaduct lane closed all day (we’ll check with SDOT later). 8:20 AM UPDATE: We’re heading downtown ourselves for a while; will leave this item atop the page so you can share comments and check cameras (find more on our Traffic page). Damage photo and original crash info here. 10:25 AM UPDATE: We’re just back from downtown. Traffic still looks sluggish northbound; heading in, we took 1st and 4th to get to the south edge of downtown, and it took half an hour to get from the 1st offramp to 5th/Cherry! Will post a separate update when we find out from SDOT what’s expected for the rest of the day.

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West Seattle Gas Price Watch: Time for a baseline check
March 3, 2008 5:49 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Gas prices | West Seattle news

76prices.jpgWest Seattle gas prices are now as high as they ever got during last spring’s price pump-up — the top posted price for regular is $3.49 (Lincoln Park 76, photo at left), which is where it peaked in WS (at that station and 35th/Holden Chevron) last May. The top posted price for premium is $3.83 (Admiral Chevron), and the top posted price, period, is $3.95 for diesel at two Shell stations (Delridge and Roxbury, photo at right). The lowest posted gas price in WS is $3.25 for regular (Delridge Arco, photo at left). All this is from our survey late last night; with prices now matching last year’s high, we thought it was time to take baseline checks of the price range at all WS stations:Read More

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Update on Chihuahua attacked in Westwood
March 2, 2008 10:01 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | Westwood

Unless you are following the heated pit-bull debate on the comment thread for our followup on last Tuesday’s officer-shoots-pit-bulls incident in Westwood, you will miss this, so we’re reposting this note from the man who was walking his Chihuahua when those dogs attacked:

dear wsb.com readers, I am the person who along with my little dog was attacked tuesday evening. I like the officer who was forced to shoot felt that I and my 7lb. dog were in real danger. To those who wished to donate for help with vet bills the good news is that my little Rosie, while sore had no bad injuries. (I still can’t believe that I prevailed in that battle.) perhaps those who still wish to help could help a family license a pet so some child in a family going through tough times won’t be forced to lose a beloved animal. That kind of karma can move a long ways forward.

Thanks dwr&Rosie

We are now sending a note to “dwr” to ask how HE is doing.

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City councilmember blogs about Schwartz sentence
March 2, 2008 8:09 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

One of the city council’s newest members, Tim Burgess, blogged tonight about the light sentence given to West Seattle rabbi Ephraim Schwartz for the November 2006 47th/Admiral crash that killed Tatsuo Nakata — who worked as chief of staff for the then-councilmember that timburgess1.jpgBurgess defeated a year later, David Della. In his blog post, titled “Wrist Slap for Traffic Death,” Burgess (left) — a former detective — recaps our city’s pedestrian-vehicle crash stats, as well as calling the Schwartz sentence “inappropriate.” (Side note: Before publishing this, we looked to see which other city councilmembers blog; looks like only Sally Clark. Her newest post is mostly about Burgess’ blogging, which she seems to be saying he does too often; not sure what that’s about, since if you scroll down his main page, you’ll see he doesn’t even post daily.)

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Where do your tax dollars go? New itemizing on the way
March 2, 2008 2:58 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

Just announced at the end of the week – if your property taxes are paid by your mortgage company, meaning you don’t get an itemized statement showing exactly where the money goes, the county’s going to send you one anyway; they’ll start showing up in the mail in a few weeks. (Hmmm, wonder if the county could find a way to save paper and postage and e-mail it instead?)

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High-school basketball updates
March 1, 2008 7:40 pm
|    Comments Off on High-school basketball updates
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Per the Times, the West Seattle High School boys’ basketball team fell short in their game against Seattle Prep this afternoon. And the Seattle Lutheran High School boys and girls didn’t make it to the final rounds of the tournament in Spokane. Nonetheless, we want to send out a hearty “congratulations” for the kids, their families, coaches, and supporters; good job! SUNDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Here are the brackets for the tournament WSHS is in; thanks to David for pointing us to that site where the Wildcats can be tracked through the next rounds. They play Squalicum at 9 pm Wednesday, KeyArena.

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Transportation updates: Bus fares, ferry changes
March 1, 2008 3:51 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

BUS FARES: The Metro adult-fare increases kicked in today. Full details here.

FERRY CHANGES: 3 boats on the Fauntleroy run next weekend; this explains why.

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Saying goodbye: Tim St. Clair memorial today; 2 other notes
March 1, 2008 12:49 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Reminder that you are invited to the Alki Bathhouse 4-7 pm today to help celebrate the life of longtime West Seattle Herald reporter Tim St. Clair, who died earlier this week after battling cancer. Two other notable passings have come to our attention in the past few days: WSB regular Jan reports that well-regarded guitarist and West Seattle native Rick Novito died this week (he played most recently with Leroy Bell, whose MySpace site has a few tributes); Jan says Rick’s memorial is set for Thursday at Holy Rosary (Sunday night update: 4 pm, according to this published obituary), and there are efforts to organize a jam in his honor afterward. Here’s a photo of Rick sent by his family:

novitophoto.jpg

Last note, Cafe Rozella is remembering a longtime patron known as Panchito; the CR blog pays tribute here.

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