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Satterlee House development dispute: The final witness
March 19, 2008 2:12 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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As of 1 o’clock this afternoon, the testimony’s over, and paperwork is what’s next in the fight over what can be built on the big front lawn of the landmark Satterlee House (the “Painted Lady” at 4866 Beach Drive, photo above). The city called one last “rebuttal witness” this afternoon — someone who almost wasn’t called to testify, as the city legal team explained while closing hearing-room proceedings with an official protest following the testimony:Read More

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More biodiesel coming to West Seattle
March 19, 2008 10:54 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Transportation | West Seattle news

From the city’s Daily Permit Issuance report: The Exxon station at 35th/Barton just got a permit that says it’ll be adding a “5,000-gallon above-ground biodiesel tank.”

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 3-part update
March 18, 2008 11:59 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Going to get this all out in one long 3-part report: First, details on an incident last night that several people e-mailed us about today. Second, news from tonight’s West Seattle Community Safety Partnership meeting. Third, the police reports we reviewed at the Southwest Precinct yesterday afternoon but never got around to posting before all sorts of other news (missing girl found, etc.) started breaking. All ahead:Read More

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Fauntleroy Food Fest goes green
March 18, 2008 10:48 pm
|    Comments Off on Fauntleroy Food Fest goes green
 |   Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

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Big crowd tonight at the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s annual Fauntleroy Food Fest. And as had been discussed while we were at last week’s FCA meeting – this was carried off as a virtually waste-free event – if it wasn’t edible or drinkable, it was recyclable or reusable. Reminder, the next big Fauntleroy event is one week from tomorrow — the community open house with updates on the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse situation (as reported here), 6:30-8 pm March 26th, The Hall @ Fauntleroy.

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Bulletin: Charlestown Cafe WILL repair and reopen
March 18, 2008 8:58 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Charlestown Cafe | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

ccfiresmall.jpgSix weeks after the Charlestown Cafe fire – six weeks with plenty of uncertainty – the news is just in from restaurant owner Larry Mellum:

I wanted to pass along to you the good news that we are moving forward with our repairs from the fire we had on Feb. 4th. Our Landlord has agreed to get our Hood System fixed and upgraded to meet necessary codes so we are “officially” on the mend. I would expect it to take at least four weeks to get the doors back opened. I want to thank everyone who contacted us regarding the fire, wished us well and inquired if they could help us in any way!! This is an amazing community of which we are honored to be a part of. We will keep you updated with our progress and with any luck we will see everyone in a month.

In the meantime, if you didn’t already know this, Larry also owns Pike Place Chowder, with two downtown locations – Pike Place and Pacific Place – so you can get a chowder fix if you’re downtown, till Charlestown reopens.

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Hizzoner to declare war on potholes
March 18, 2008 7:47 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

From a city news release issued late today:

Mayor Greg Nickels will declare open season on potholes at a press conference tomorrow morning, kicking off a campaign by the city’s Pothole Rangers to fill a record number of the axle-bending offenders over the next week.

The mayor will issue a pothole hunting license to all drivers and bikers to flush out the worst potholes in the city and report them to 684-ROAD. He will then join the Rangers as they fill the first pothole in their record-setting attempt.

The press conference is going to be in — no, not West Seattle, our kindred spirit across the bay, Ballard. Which of course means we must hereby show you the best “Almost Live” clip ever:

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Satterlee House development dispute: Testimony almost over
March 18, 2008 6:53 pm
|    Comments Off on Satterlee House development dispute: Testimony almost over
 |   Development | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

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Now in its third (partial) week before city Hearing Examiner Sue Tanner, testimony in the Satterlee House (above) case is almost over, with no more than 2 additional witnesses expected tomorrow afternoon. It wasn’t supposed to continue into this week; property owner William Conner, who is appealing a city Landmarks Board decision about what he can do with the house’s huge lawn, isn’t even sitting in on the proceedings any more as of today:Read More

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Neighborhood meeting set for Admiral teardown-to-townhomes
March 18, 2008 4:14 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

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This 4-plex at 1716 California (map) is proposed for teardown-to-townhomes (four duplexes on the drawing board). That fact itself is not where the controversy lies here — it involves both the height of the proposed buildings and the fact that the property includes former city land with an open-space requirement, and the neighborhood is concerned about whether the development will live up to that requirement. A meeting with neighbors is planned for Thursday night, but even the purpose and scope of that meeting are in dispute:Read More

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Concerned about crime? Here’s the place to be tonight
March 18, 2008 12:42 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

The Southwest Precinct team always has a major show of force at the West Seattle Community Safety Partnership meetings — with crime updates, crimefighting tips, and more — plus the WSCSP leaders have plenty of updates on community concerns. We’ll have a report, of course, but that’s no substitute for being there yourself and asking questions about what you and your neighbors specifically want to know – it’s a casual meeting and there’s always plenty of chances to have your say. 7 pm tonight, Southwest Precinct meeting room (map) — with special guests tonight from the Parking Enforcement division!

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Taco truck sighting in West Seattle
March 18, 2008 10:30 am
|      44 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

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Thanks to Lillie for the tip that this taco truck has turned up at the Orchard/Sylvan road fork west of Delridge (map), across from the northwest corner of Home Depot. We previously hadn’t noticed any taco trucks closer than White Center/Burien, as discussed in this WSB post (and ensuing comments) a year ago.

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Crime Watch: Keep an eye out for stolen Cafe Rozella signs
March 18, 2008 8:34 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | WS beverages

This just out of the WSB inbox from Cafe Rozella owner Ricardo Guarnero:

We had two sandwich-board signs stolen last night. One was on Roxbury and Delridge, the other one was on Delridge next to Center Tool Rental. They both say Cafe Rozella and have a cup logo and an arrow on them. One was 4 feet high and the other was 5 feet high. I know that this is small potatoes compared to what other crime victims encounter but for a small business like ours it really hurts. I’m hoping some punks just dumped them by the side of the road and hope that somebody sees them.

Cafe Rozella’s address/phone info is at the bottom of its home page. (It’s on the southeast edge of West Seattle, shortly before Delridge meets Roxbury.)

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West Seattle paving plans: City update
March 18, 2008 7:19 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Genesee Hill | Transportation | West Seattle news

Noting that the Alki Ave paving wasn’t completed by last Friday as per the original city announcement (previous coverage here), we checked with SDOT to ask about both the new schedule and any other near-future West Seattle paving plans. Here’s what SDOT spokesperson Marybeth Turner replied:

The Alki paving was delayed due to the weather and an equipment breakdown last week. The new completion date is March 24, weather permitting.

The plan is to also pave the following two segments this year, depending on how far the available money stretches:

-SW Genesee St from 51st Ave SW to 47th Ave SW

-16th Ave SW from SW Findlay St to SW Brandon St

Looks like my fellow Fauntle-rut Way drivers and I are out of luck for now – but keep reporting individual potholes to 206/684-ROAD, or online by using the form here.

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Amazon Fresh adds more West Seattle turf
March 17, 2008 9:10 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online

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(photo by Jerry from JetCityOrange)

4 months after Amazon’s home-grocery delivery service Amazon Fresh expanded to West Seattle, with zip codes 98116, 98126, 98136 (original WSB coverage here), Amazon’s Vincent Chu sent word tonight that it’s now added 98106. Sorry, no word yet on a timetable for 98146!

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West Seattle Crime Watch: More burglary suspects nabbed
March 17, 2008 5:41 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Besides the missing 14-year-old being found safe and sound (see below), this is the other big news we found out about while at the Southwest Precinct this afternoon: handcuffs_2.jpgThree suspects are under arrest for investigation of charges including burglary after a wild scene that began with a break-in in the 4500 block of SW Austin (map) – not too far from the general Gatewood/Upper Fauntleroy area that’s been the scene of quite a few daytime burglaries in the past week-plus. Even before seeing the report, we heard about this when 2 of the burglary victims came to the precinct while we were there, to pick up some of the recovered loot. Stand by – we’ll add full details here as soon as we write them up. 6:07 PM UPDATE: That update’s going to take a bit longer than we hoped because we just got even more info from police – bottom line is that there have been three general “patterns” of burglaries in West Seattle lately and police believe they’ve made significant progress in two of them, with some key leads in the third. ADDED 6:50 PM: OK, here are full details and the “big picture”:Read More

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Breaking news: 14-year-old Jordan King found safe
March 17, 2008 5:02 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police | WS breaking news

This just e-mailed to WSB from the Southwest Precinct.

The missing 14 year old autistic female was located 5 minutes ago when the librarian from the White Center Library 11220 16th Avenue SW recognized the missing juvenile from the photo from the westseattleblog. The juvenile has been recovered safe and sound.

5:12 PM ADDITION: That update came in via e-mail (and Patrick posted it) while your editor here was elsewhere at the SWP going through reports – there’s more big news today that we will post about shortly – an officer had just mentioned to us moments earlier that they were checking out their “second possible Jordan King sighting today” at a library, after an earlier report closer to her Admiral home didn’t pan out. Hooray for the eagle-eyed reader who recognized her from the photo, and we’re happy for the family who did a thorough job getting the word out. We had just actually seen the original report while at the precinct – Jordan had been gone (original coverage here) since about 1:45 pm last Friday, three long days ago.

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Feed the need to read: Free books for “West Seattle Reads”
March 17, 2008 11:58 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

One of West Seattle’s smallest elementary schools has a big event for all West Seattle families this week: Sanislo Elementary (16th/Myrtle; map) is one of just a few schools to win a “One Book, One Community” state grant, thanks to the successful proposal sent in by Sanislo librarian Maryann Horsley. Your part in this starts 6:30-7:30 pm Wednesday, when you’re invited to Sanislo for emperorkite1.jpgthe kickoff of “West Seattle Reads” — including free books! Kites are the theme, appropriately enough for this time of year. Two books will be offered — a picture book for kindergarteners through 3rd graders, “The Emperor and the Kite” by Jane Yolen and Ed Young, kitefighters.jpgand a chapter book for older kids, “The Kite Fighters” by Linda Sue Park and Eung Won Park. The school says the Drachen Foundation is also providing a temporary installation of Drachen kites. (Besides free books, kite-making kits will be distributed during Wednesday night’s event.) As a followup to Wednesday, discussions about these books are planned at local libraries including Delridge (7 pm 4/14) and Southwest (7 pm 4/15) library branches, and then a community kite celebration at Sanislo is set for April 27th.

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More Fauntleroy frontage up for sale – less than $1,000,000!
March 16, 2008 10:08 pm
|    Comments Off on More Fauntleroy frontage up for sale – less than $1,000,000!
 |   Development | West Seattle news

fauntleroyfrontage.jpgThat photo is from the listing we just saw for yet another parcel in the “Triangle” zone between Fauntleroy, Alaska, and 35th east of The Junction — 4450 37th, just west of the Diva Espresso building, two buildings on 4,200 square feet for $700,000, a small lot with big visibility (and C1-65 zoning); as an aside, the “comparables” listed on the last page of its flyer include the sale price for 4550 38th, site of the future Harbor Properties development — $3.1 million.

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Admiral family searching for missing autistic daughter
March 16, 2008 3:50 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

(5:30 PM MONDAY UPDATE: Police say Jordan has been found – more info here.)

missinggirl.jpg(ORIGINAL SUNDAY NIGHT REPORT) That’s a photo of missing West Seattle 14-year-old Jordan King, sent to WSB by her mom Paula, who has been handing out flyers near their Admiral home. Paula says Jordan has been missing since Thursday. In addition to being autistic, Paula says of Jordan, “She is homeschooled and has no memory for phone numbers so she could be very lost.” The family asks that you call 911 — they of course filed a police report, so there’s a record in the system — if you have any idea where Jordan might be. (Her description: 5-2, 138 lbs., dark-brown hair, hazel eyes, last seen in light-pink pants, black tank top, black tennis shoes, black hoodie.)

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Happening now: “Handbags for Hunger”
March 16, 2008 2:30 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Quick photos snapped just before the official start of the West Seattle Food Bank-benefiting festivities. Beveridge Place Pub, now till 4 pm. Full details here (or scroll two posts down if you’re on the home page).

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West Seattle retirees got game: Wii at The Mount
March 16, 2008 1:14 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle video

We saw it in the Providence Mount St. Vincent newsletter that landed in the WSB postal-mail box one day: Wii bowling at The Mount. So much for the old image of retirees sitting around playing canasta, or maybe, just maybe, shuffleboard. They were kind enough to let us drop in to see for ourselves:

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As you can see, they’re doing pretty well. Resident assistant Ken Howard told us that it’s really just a matter of, if you can’t get out to play the games, this is a new way to bring the games in to them:

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By the way, if you’re not familiar with Providence Mount St. Vincent, it’s the huge complex on the west side of 35th along the big rise south of Alaska, nicknamed “The Mount,” and it’s been around longer than some of its residents – more than 80 years. It’s even home to a unique child-care program that brings together the oldest and the youngest members of the West Seattle community. As for the Wii — it’s also being used at local libraries, with occasional how-to’s for adults, and the Delridge Library is offering teens open play with Wii and Dance Dance Revolution this Wednesday, 3-5 pm.

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Today’s the day: “Handbags for Hunger” @ Beveridge
March 16, 2008 10:17 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Ever heard the phrase “the Seattle process,” as in, propose something, talk it to death over a long, arduous period of time, and then maybe in the end nothing happens anyway? NOT the case with this. Over the course of barely a week, a group of WSB Forum members has hatched this idea, expanded it, and this afternoon — with your help too — is making it happen. Join them at Beveridge Place Pub in Morgan Junction (map), 2:30-4 pm, for good times on behalf of a good cause – here’s the full announcement one more time:

Members of the West Seattle Blog Forums got together to create a fundraising social for the West Seattle Food Bank… 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 didn’t expect; some of them top-end designer handbags.

All donated handbags will be up for sale at the auction… some of them will simply be for sale for $5… 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 didn’t sell, has created another opportunity for donations. We will be donating any bags that don’t sell to the Seattle Dress for Success program and will also collect donations of quality used women’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.

If you’ve got any last-minute questions, the latest forum thread is here.

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A shutdown that’s good news, for once
March 16, 2008 7:06 am
|    Comments Off on A shutdown that’s good news, for once
 |   Highland Park | Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

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Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area steward Steve McElhenney reports West Seattle’s only official off-leash park area will be closed for two days next month — April 2-3 — for maintenance work, and that’s GOOD news! Here’s how he announced it to users:

Finally, after many years of complaining, my persistence is paying off. On Wed. and Thurs. April 2nd and 3rd. Westcrest will be completely closed! Parks will be trenching a water line from the entrance to the main area to replace my garden hose. They’ll also be repairing the fences and other maintenance issues. They are bringing in heavy equipment and have requested for full closure so we don’t interfere with their work. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.

Again, that’s the off-leash area, not the rest of the park. Looking for an alternative OLA those two days? Here’s the city Parks Department’s full list.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Sunset (North Admiral) burglary
March 16, 2008 5:04 am
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

E-mailed to WSB by Scott:

Home broken into on Friday morning between 9:30-11 am (3/14). Two attempts to throw rocks through windows of doors on back side of house. First unsuccessful, second successful in shattering 2nd floor window. Took TV, computer, and loose coins. Magazine solicitor came to door Monday prior at 3:30pm (late 20’s, African-American, 5’10”, 200 lbs [muscular], clean cut, nice guy, very talkative).

As has been discussed in other threads, we all want to be careful not to assume all door-to-door solicitors are potential burglars casing our homes. However, the recent wave of daytime burglaries coincides with an increase in solicitor reports, so as my mom always said, “better safe than sorry” — and always ask solicitors for ID/license. Here’s the city code governing solicitors.

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