West Seattle Gas Price Watch: On the up-and-up
After seeing this article warning this time we really might be on the way to $4, we thought it was high time to survey the West Seattle stations again. Current range: from $3.05/gallon for regular at Arco on Delridge (photo at left) to $3.26/gallon for regular at the 35th/Holden Chevron (which back in May had this year’s highest-posted price for regular, $3.49/gallon). Both of those stations are up 22 cents/gallon since our last check 2 1/2 weeks ago.
Another graffiti-vandalism problem, and a question
Just out of the WSB inbox, Betsy writes:
Someone sprayed graffiti on the end of the guard rail on the beach side of the road at the corner of Alki Ave. and Beach Drive recently, and today I discovered that they’d also tagged the slope of the retaining wall on the beach just down the sidewalk of the boat landing area. I really hate this stuff. It’s Seattle Parks property, but if I call them will they just come out with some gray paint and cover it? That’s just as ugly and attracts new taggers just as the original graffiti does. Do any of your readers know if paint remover will work on metal and concrete?
Torch rally on Alki
Pic from the torch rally on Alki this afternoon — featuring a symbolic Olympic Torch that’s making its way around the world to raise awareness about what activists want China, host of the next Olympics, to do to help end the genocide in Darfur (detailed explanation here about why it goes on; info here on how to take action):
9:30 PM UPDATE: Info about the man in our photo, thanks to Ruth from Save Darfur/Washington State:
His name is Marial Nhiel – he is from Yirol, Sudan, and is 27 years old. He arrived in Seattle as a refugee in August 2007. Marial’s leg was deliberately shot off by a Northern Sudanese soldier when he was a seven year old boy. He is married with twin children, age 5 years, one boy and one girl, who are currently living in Kenya. He was brought to us by Maury Clark, a local Sudanese advocate. Marial was here to carry the torch for his countrymen and women, to show his support for their safety.
Congratulations to Holy Rosary’s 7th-grade girls’ soccer team
Frank Coluccio just e-mailed this update on the Gators’ championship game, played today and mentioned here last Tuesday night:
After a very well played game that went into overtime, the final score, after regulation and the two overtime periods (a total of 70 minutes), was 2-2. CYO doesn’t have a penalty kick shootout after the overtime period so Holy Rosary and Sacred Heart will be Co-Champions for this year’s CYO 7th grade girls division. Holy Rosary jumped out to a 1-0 lead and Sacred Heart tied it up 1-1. Then the Gators went up 2-1 on a corner kick. Sacred Heart tied the score on a penalty kick with about 10 minutes to play. Both teams played their hearts out.
Tree talk
Yes, already. New lot coming to the West Seattle shoreline, according to this CL post. We’re planning Christmas-tree price checks again this year, by the way. 8:10 PM ADDENDUM: Just noticed the organization for one of West Seattle’s best-known tree lots, run by Holy Rosary School in the parking area south of Admiral Safeway, is well under way.
Ways to get in a wintry mood
TONIGHT: Another indie movie is having its Seattle premiere at Admiral Theater – with a bonus offer: Admiral manager Steve Garrett says every paid admission to “Sentimental Values,” a snowboarding movie, gets a free lift ticket to Stevens Pass. Tickets for tonight’s show at 10 pm are available online in advance ($8; go here) or $10 at the door.
TOMORROW: With only 7 1/2 weeks till Christmas, you can start stockpiling decorations at the various bazaars around WS (check our Weekend Lineup for the latest) and by stopping at the West Seattle Kiwanis booth on the east side of the Farmers’ Market tomorrow. WSB reader Bonnie e-mailed to let us know they’re selling ornaments to benefit the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival, best known for all sorts of summer fun from The Parade to Concert in the Park and a whole lot more.
The ornaments are $25 each and, as supplies allow, will be sold at the Kiwanis booth for the next two Sundays, as well as at the West Seattle Moms’ Holiday Bazaar next Saturday (11/10), 2 pm-5 pm (address is on the WSB Events page).
One last act by “Art Attack”
Hands down the most memorable story we’ve had the privilege of telling you this week has been that of “West Seattle Art Attack,” an anonymous local glass artist who, while working on creations for nonprofit-benefit sales, decided to plant the not-quite-perfect productions in local yards. (Previous reports here, here, here, and here). WSAA’s heartstrings (ours too) were tugged by one comment below the 1st post, from Barbara, who wrote that she longed for a pumpkin in honor of her anniversary, Halloween, because her husband’s been in Iraq for their last two anniversaries. Well, as of tonight, she has one:
WSAA contacted WSB to ask if we could mediate a pumpkin delivery for Barbara. So we did; then she sent photos, as well as thanks for the pumpkin and for the anniversary card included by WSAA (in the bag seen below) — it wished Barbara and husband a happy anniversary, on behalf of everyone in WSB-land.
All aboard, one last time
Last call for the Elliott Bay Water Taxi … it’s started the afternoon/evening runs, and when it heads from Seacrest back downtown at 11 pm tonight (in a scene likely to resemble the lovely photo above that WSB reader DQ sent earlier this month), that’s it till 2008. But remember that next Thursday is your chance to have a say in making sure the WT has a strong future — or do it online if you absolutely can’t be there in person. (We’re awaiting the proposed King County Ferry District operating/funding plan to be discussed at next Thursday’s hearing, and will post details here as soon as they’re available.)
More Halloween vandalism
Angela e-mailed WSB to ask if what happened to her happened to anyone else:
I don’t have photos yet, but someone sprayed our neighborhood on 59th between Alki Ave and Admiral with graffiti. Our garage was hit Halloween night, and now there’s a giant silver crown on the garage door. The same crown was painted across the street at the playground as well.
I’m curious to know if anyone else “got tagged” Halloween night?
I just moved here a month ago thinking this was a great area to live in, and I still feel that way, despite the murder that took place at the end of our street and recent vandalism.
Not just another accident victim
In the six days since a longtime West Seattle resident was hit and killed on 35th near Fire Station 37, we have learned more about the victim, 85-year-old Oswald Clement, and we wanted to highlight the fact that those organizing a memorial service for him are hoping to hear from others with memories:Read More
34th Dems recommend Nelson to succeed McDermott
Just in from the 34th District Democrats‘ website: Sharon Nelson of Maury Island, chief of staff for West Seattle’s King County Councilmember Dow Constantine, was chosen tonight as the 34th DDs’ recommended choice for State Representative. (Photo at right, courtesy 34th DDs.) If the King County Council goes with the recommendation to appoint her, Nelson would succeed Joe McDermott, appointed to the State Senate last month after Erik Poulsen quit. Read more about Nelson here. The 34th DDs say the KC Council’s decision could come as soon as Monday.
Thursday afternoon notes
-Some especially excellent comments today, and we want to call your attention to them in case you don’t usually read the comment sections of WSB posts. Below our report about the Northwest Art & Frame broken window, we just heard from “TR,” the early-morning dog-walker who spotted the damage and called authorities. And after this post updating the “West Seattle Art Attack” pumpkin surprises, we heard from people (Randie and Ben) at two of the houses “hit” by WSAA. Thanks to everybody for coming to WSB and adding new information!
-Several people e-mailed us yesterday about a mysterious sign near “Walking on Logs,” close to the relentlessly patrolled area where political signs have been turning up, and coming down. Last night we did pull over to check out that sign — it is a printout of the city sign ordinance, with the relevant section highlighted in a marker color that we can’t help describing as “angry red.” We’ll see shortly if they have gone after the signs just put up by a certain City Council candidate who seems determined to let us all know she (hearts) The Viaduct. (Including in-person sign-waving at 35th & Fauntleroy this morning.)
-If you’re interested in acupuncture, a reader e-mailed us recently suggesting that more people might want to know about a community acupuncture clinic at The Mount on Monday afternoons, run by Angie Hughes. “Reasonable price and an underutilized resource,” according to the reader, so we’re tacking it up on our equivalent of the virtual bulletin board, with this post.
Bail reduced for 59th/Admiral shooting suspect
At the court hearing we reported on last week, the lawyer for the 17-year-old suspect in the October 13th fatal shooting at 59th/Admiral said he would argue for his client to be set free on his own recognizance, released to “home detention,” or at least for his bail to be reduced. Then, earlier this week, we told you the lawyer’s rationale for that request — he contends his client was sexually abused for years by the man he is accused of shooting, has no history of violence, and would not be a danger to the community. Today, we have just learned from court documents posted online that King County Superior Court Judge Michael Trickey did grant a bail reduction earlier this week — cutting the amount of bail the suspect would have to post to get out, from the original $500,000, to the new amount of $200,000. However, according to the online jail roster, he is not out yet. He’s due back in court next Wednesday.
Bad break, followed by a Good Samaritan
If you’ve been through The Junction today, you may have noticed the broken front window at Northwest Art & Frame. Manager Debbie just told a WSB team member that they don’t know when or how it happened — obviously sometime Halloween night — but they do know this: Somebody out walking their dog very early this morning noticed the broken window. Nobody of course was at NW A & F at that hour, but the dog-walker found somebody to tell, next door at Bakery Nouveau. They in turn called the Seattle Fire Department, which sent a crew, who cleaned up the broken glass, and put up some temporary covering (Debbie says Bakery Nouveau gave them treats in appreciation). Whoever the dog-walker was, NW A & F is very appreciative.
Update on how to show your support for the Water Taxi
As we reported earlier this week, a hugely important date in the Water Taxi’s future comes next Thursday (11/8), 2 pm @ the county courthouse, when King County Councilmembers — 
meeting as the King County Ferry District board — have the one and only public hearing about what the KCFD should be doing in the year to come. In-person testimony is the most impressive, but if you absolutely can’t be there, the online form for your Water Taxi “testimony” is now ready, as promised by West Seattle’s KC Councilmember Dow Constantine. Find it here. Councilmembers will be especially interested in hearing your personal Water Taxi stories and why you support it, as well as affirmation for the positive effects of using boat transit to get traffic off the roads (and, in the case of the Vashon foot ferries that KCFD also will run, getting traffic off the state ferries from Vashon and therefore off already-busy WS arterials like Fauntleroy). P.S. Two things — remember tomorrow’s the Water Taxi’s last day of the year; also, check back here for more on the proposed operations/funding plan for the Ferry District, once it’s made public later today.
Bye-bye, Thai?
Someone e-mailed us a few weeks ago saying they had heard Thai on Alki (1325 Harbor Ave, next to Alki Tavern) was going out. So we’d been keeping an eye on it; drove by last night and, for the first time, noticed the interior looked fairly empty except for people doing some work; went by this morning to try to find out more — the signage is gone (as shown at left), the place looks cleaned out. No permit applications for anything at the site, no note on the door; the phone is answered with an announcement that sounds like business as usual, but it didn’t allow message-leaving. Looking up the corporate registration for the company that holds the business license, we found the name is the same as someone who had a Craigslist ad up a few weeks ago (pointed out to us at the time by a reader) selling restaurant items (the ad’s not cached in Google but one line of text from it that is, includes the Thai on Alki number). Another tidbit noted during research: The parcel has been owned since 2004 by “Salty’s Properties.”
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