West Seattle, Washington
24 Thursday
The decision is in for the appeal of the city’s approval of a proposal to expand a group of cell-phone antennas atop the Soundcrest Apartments (photo above) at 6609 SW Admiral. (WSB was the only news organization with a reporter at the daylong hearing last month at which neighbors argued their appeal of the decision – here’s our report from that day.) It’s a partial victory for the neighbors – deputy Hearing Examiner Anne Watanabe reversed the “conditional use” approval, saying the applicants didn’t present information to show if this was truly the “least intrusive” location possible for the antennas, consistent with city code. However, she affirmed the “determination of nonsignificance” under SEPA (a state environmental law). We’ll be reading through for further details; we’ll also be seeking opinion from the applicants as to what they plan to do next. Meantime, here’s the full text of the Hearing Examiner’s decision. ADDED 4 PM: Jim Borrow, the neighbor who led the appeal presentation in the Hearing Examiner’s hearing room at the Municipal Tower last month, tells WSB he’s still reviewing the decision.
That’s a video compilation with many more angles on the 4532 42nd SW demolition (see our first report here, including links to info on what’s coming to the site), shot and edited by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli. If you’re interested in checking it out in person, he says the teardown crew’s back at work after lunch break. (This is barely a block north of Alaska on 42nd, one house separated from the Capco Plaza [QFC/Office Depot] megaproject.) ADDED 5:05 PM: Went back just after sunset – nothing left but debris:
The company that launched wireless internet access on Washington State Ferries routes including Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth, Parsons, has just been acquired by Boingo, best known for wi-fi service in airports. Here’s the announcement. This excerpt indicates monthly subscriptions will be cheaper:
The Ferries Wi-Fi network will be moving to a Boingo-branded start page, where commuters and tourists will be able to purchase Boingo AsYouGo day passes for $7.95, as well as Boingo Unlimited for $21.95 per month. Boingo Unlimited is a monthly service that provides Wi-Fi access throughout the Americas and can be used at any Boingo location. For current subscribers to the Washington State Ferries Wi-Fi, the monthly subscription will be a decrease in price from $29.95, and will now include the ability to connect to any hotspot in the Boingo Roaming Network.
ORIGINAL 11:15 AM POST: Just started in the King County Council chambers. Live on cable channel 22 (and online). This is where they are to vote on approving the budget for, and reauthorizing the property-tax levy to run, 
the King County Ferry District, parent agency of the Elliott Bay Water Taxi (and Seattle-Vashon passenger ferry). 11:34 AM UPDATE: The Ferry District’s $19 million budget for next year has just passed – with councilmembers (sitting as Ferry District directors) noting that it’s reduced from the original plan, because it will include the same levy level as this year, instead of seeking the one percent increase allowable by state law. Adding a few more details shortly. 12:01 PM UPDATE: A full news release is expected shortly, at which time we’ll post separately. In the short run – King County Councilmember Dow Constantine‘s staff explains the tax-rate decision actually means a reduction from this year: The total amount to be collected is the same as last year, so with an increased amount of taxpayers, that means a small drop in the rate. Water Taxi fares will stay the same as this year, and the budget includes more than $2 million for dock improvements at Seacrest (which may not wind up costing that much), which will be discussed in the January 15th public meeting we first reported here a week ago.
(added noontime, photo by Christopher Boffoli)
ORIGINAL 9:14 AM POST: Just started a few minutes ago. More to come… ADDED 9:45 AM: iPhone photo:
10:33 AM UPDATE: Uploading video now. Big house, so the job’ll take a few hours. WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli took over at the scene so we could head back to HQ. For past coverage of this site, click here (archive of all mentions, newest to oldest – going back to 2006). A few people who stopped by to watch the demolition this morning in the early going had memories to share – one woman said she needed to go call someone who was born there 75 years ago, when it was a hospital. ADDED 10:48 AM: Video from the “first bite” (to be followed shortly by a clip from further along):
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
ADDED 10:56 AM: This clip is from about 20 minutes into the demolition work, as part of the upper story was torn away. As soon as this part was done, a massive cloud of paint etc. flakes wafted across the street to where we were watching, and beyond. Going to have to bring a mask to the next demolition.
(video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)
Here’s the rendering of the future project, from the last Design Review Board meeting June 13:
You can see the entire presentation from that meeting here. Meantime, though the passages marked by these types of demolitions certainly can evoke nostalgia, that’s not the case for everyone, particularly when structures like this are left to deteriorate and be vandalized: One neighbor who came by in the early going — who said he’d lived in the area a long, long time and pointed toward the homes further north in the block that will come down for the 42nd/Oregon project — grinned, looking at the demolition work, “It’s about time.”
Another week of double-digit price drops – with most prices about a full dollar lower than a month earlier. Read on for our list of West Seattle gas stations’ prices (for regular and premium) as of a few hours ago (with comparison numbers for previous weeks/months):Read More
From NG in the 6500 block of 44th SW (map), a cautionary tale — read on:Read More
Both the city and county are in the throes of budget discussions and decisions, and the coming week is pivotal. For those interested in the question of whether the city will build a new jail for misdemeanor offenders — potentially, on one of two southeast West Seattle sites that are on the current “final four” list — there’s word of a budget-related comment opportunity, from Danina Garcia of Real Change, which has been working with jail opponents citywide:
On Monday the city council will have a series of budget meetings to discuss and vote on the “green sheets” before coming to a final budget decision. One of the things before the council is a budget proviso. This proviso would put a hold on 3 million of the 4.5 the mayor requested to move forward on the jail in 2009. This 3 million could not be spent until a panel, which would include people from outside the government, investigated and reported back on whether and how a new jail could be avoided completely, while increasing public safety and public order, if investments were made into preemptive social services, pre-arrest diversion programs and pre-booking programs. There will be a brief public comment period available before the start of business at 9:30 am Monday morning in City Council chambers.
The budget decisions are pretty much all going to be made on Monday; the final vote by the budget committee and then by the full council later in the week are procedural and largely formalities. So this is a prime opportunity to put a stop on expenditures that we don’t need and that will damage neighborhoods and lives.
If you can’t attend the council meeting, there are multiple ways to comment on this issue (or any other) – you’ll find all the info and links you need, by going to the City Council‘s main webpage.
From Abby Suplizio with West Seattle CoolMom.org, via e-mail: The first-ever CoolMom Toy Swap/Sale at Camp Long on Saturday had an “amazing turnout,” according to Abby (WSB photo at left from our Saturday “happening now” report), and she adds: “The end of the day numbers were that we raised $475 (enough for 600 meals) specifically for the West Seattle Food Bank. We sold $2,000 worth of toys (initial estimate) AND dropped off nearly 25 boxes of toys to WestSide Baby. Nancy (Woodland, of WestSide Baby) was overjoyed that so many families were going to get Christmas this year! We all felt really good at the end of the day!” (More about CoolMom at coolmom.org)
From KSJ and the Beer Church via a comment on last night’s Turkey Bowl report (which included the food-donation photo at right): “We made just over $3,000 and while we didn’t have a scale big enough to weigh the food we filled a van. Thanks to everyone who came and bowled, particularly our local pubs and breweries: Georgetown Brewing, Big Al’s Brewing, Elliott Bay Brewing, Rogue Issaquah Brewhouse, Dog and Pony, West5, and Beveridge Place.” (More about Beer Church at beerchurch.com)
And a few days ago, we got a results report on last weekend’s cat adopt-a-thon at Southwest Community Center. Via e-mail from Megan with the Seattle Animal Shelter “Fabulous Felines” team e-mailed: “13 kitties, including two adults and one special needs cat, found their forever homes.” According to another message we received, that included the two whose photos were at the top of our “happening now” report that day.
SIDE NOTE: Whenever there’s an event (like the 3 above) lasting more than a couple hours, we try our best to get there to take pix and post “happening now” coverage, after sharing advance word via regular WSB features such as the Events calendar, the West Seattle Weekend Lineup, and (seasonally) the Holiday Happenings list. But we also welcome you to send photos during your event (and pix/success stories afterward) – cameraphone photos are often usable too – editor@westseattleblog.com (you can also share via Flickr – where we’ve set up a West Seattle Blog group – Twitter and/or Facebook — all our current contact info is on this page). Thanks!
As your official West Seattle Helicopter News Source – we just wanted to mention we just saw the four helicopters go by too (west to east, just north of us in Upper Fauntleroy). It’s Military Appreciation Day at the Seahawks game; the team’s website says the Blackhawks and Chinooks are doing a Qwest Field flyover.
From WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli:
Christopher reports:
Call went out as a “rescue automobile.” A vehicle driven by a single occupant apparently came down Andover at a high rate of speed, lost control and bounced off the curb before striking a parked van. The owner of the house said he was inside at the time and only heard the sound of the impact. They came out to find the driver trapped in his car with the airbags deployed. SFD responded and pulled the man out the passenger side before strapping him to a backboard and transporting him to the hospital. He was conscious as they loaded him into the ambulance.Police would not say if alcohol or drugs were a factor. Police were still on the scene at 9 a.m. waiting for a tow truck to remove the car.
To give you some perspective, here’s a photo from Nick (thank you!) who got the bird’s-eye view:
here’s a map of the area where this happened.
While freshening up the Blogs page overnight — its centerpiece is an automated digest delivering the newest posts from 100 blog writers around West Seattle — we added a few sites, including 13 in 12. This time, it’s not one we happened onto during, oh, say, a Google Blog Search (our usual means of discovering West Seattleites in the “blogosphere”) — we got a note from the author’s wife. Rachael e-mailed us to say, in part:
I’m not sure if this is WSB news-worthy, but I think it’s a pretty cool thing my husband is doing. He has participated in the Big Climb fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for 3 years, but recently our good friend was diagnosed, so he’s taking it one step (or many steps depending on how you look at it) further with this new challenge (13 races of marathon distance or more in 12 weeks).
Rachael’s husband, Nic, already keeps a personal blog — so 13 in 12 is an addition, and it just launched, including a list of the 13 events he plans to participate in, starting with one in Gig Harbor the day after Thanksgiving. Not only can you follow his progress along the way to achieving “13 in 12,” you can also make a donation (all money goes to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) from a link on the page (which also has a postal-mail address if you’d rather send $ that way). Good luck, Nic!
Brussels sprouts on the stalk! That’s one of the newest items you might find at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market today, according to the “ripe ‘n’ ready” fresh sheet (see the whole list here) – 10 am-2 pm, southeast corner of 44th/Alaska in The Junction.
They’re not just knocking down pins, they’re stacking up food for West Seattle Food Bank tonight at West Seattle Bowl, where the Beer Church has tapped quite the crowd for its 10th annual fundraiser/food drive Turkey Bowl:
Kendall from the Beer Church told WSB there’s no exact count yet but $ raised for WS Food Bank appears to have surpassed $2500.
This is going on till about 10 tonight – you are welcome to drop by with a food donation, or to just “hang out.” Find out more about the Beer Church at its website (which includes Beer News Headlines!). Also, you can help the two food banks that serve West Seattle any time, with an online $ donation — donate $ to WS Food Bank by going here; donate $ to White Center Food Bank by going here.
Two state playoff games today for Seattle Lutheran, and Bil Hood just sent word of the scores: The football team lost to Naselle 34-7, so their season is over; the Lady Saints soccer team beat Liberty Bell 6-0 and are in the state tournament’s final 4 – next game, next weekend. SUNDAY MORNING UPDATE: Thanks to the fan who provided a link to the brackets with the next game – Noon Friday in Sumner. The Lady Saints are 13-3-3, opponent LaSalle (from Union Gap, WA) is 16-1; the winner advances to the championship game, same place, the following day.
The fish “flag” is flying at the Fauntleroy Creek overlook – because the first coho spawner has arrived! The notice posted at the overlook is the same one you can read on this page of fauntleroy.net. It says: “Our first coho spawner (dubbed “Hillary” as a kind of consolation prize!) came in on Saturday, Nov. 8, and as of Monday is still awaiting a mate. Congratulations to watchers Ann Samenfink and Cathy Follis for making the first sighting.” So, “Hillary” arrived less than two weeks after the gathering to “call the salmon home” (WSB video coverage here); the fish ladder is marking its 10th anniversary this fall. Shortly after visiting the creek, we headed north to catch tonight’s glorious sunset from just south of Alki Point:
Just in from Nathan – read ahead for the report:Read More
Thanks to JenV for adding a comment to our previous post, pointing out that you can donate a turkey to the West Seattle Food Bank today by buying it for just $5 at Jefferson Square Safeway. Two other food drive/fundraiser events for WSFB are happening tonight in the general Junction vicinity — the Beer Church‘s annual Turkey Bowl, starting at 5:30 pm at West Seattle Bowl (the TB lanes are full but you’re welcome to drop by, bring food and/or money for WSFB, and hang out) — and at 8 pm, a live-music benefit, Serve It Up, at Rocksport, with the toplines as follows:
Features Fall from Grace, To the Glorious Lonely, Memphis Radio Kings, Down with People, Something Vital and unplugged sets from Owen Wright, Martin Chandler, Tom Gunn and Dudley Taft. Door goes to Food Bank. $10.00 cover. Bins to donate non-perishable foods as well as raffles for prizes!
It’s the ultimate multitasking — having fun while doing good. P.S. If you can’t join in any of the above, you can still help the two food banks that serve West Seattle, right now without even leaving your computer/tucking away your iPhone/whatever — donate $ to WSFB by going here; donate $ to White Center Food Bank by going here.
That’s the scene at the Camp Long Lodge, where the first-ever CoolMom.org Toy Swap/Sale is happening till 1 this afternoon (added later: everything’s been marked down till sale’s over!) — the “swapping” happened in advance with donations taken in exchange for sale credit, so today, just bring your $ – proceeds benefit WestSide Baby and West Seattle Food Bank as well as CoolMom. Not far away, it’s the second and final day of the Holiday Bazaar at Providence Mount St. Vincent:
You can shop the bazaar till 3 pm. Overall, it’s a great day to get a jump on holiday shopping – it’s also the final day of the Square 1 Books (WSB sponsor) everything-21%-off anniversary sale; another WSB sponsor, West Seattle Nursery, has its annual open house; Capers and Friends and Company have special events in The Junction; Snap Fitness on the 42nd SW side of Jefferson Square (run by longtime WSB’ers) has its grand opening; browse the West Seattle Weekend Lineup for the full list of EVERYTHING happening today — including playoff games for Seattle Lutheran‘s football (1 pm vs. Naselle) and girls’ soccer (4 pm vs. Liberty Bell) teams, both at Sammamish High School.
By Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publisher
West Seattle High’s seniors took to the field. The game had been over for half an hour.
By ones and twos, they came out of the locker room and all but one walked onto the field. The seniors walked past the clutch of parents, grandparents, younger siblings, and girlfriends who waited for them outside the locker room and onto the turf. This was it – the last time they would all be under the same lights, and on the same field.
Give SDOT credit for proactivity: After our report yesterday that the city’s proposing cutting down travel lanes on Fauntleroy Way between Alaska and California – from two each way to one each way plus a center turn lane, in conjunction with anticipated repaving – SDOT offered up a key interview before we could even ask: Eric Widstrand, the man who will recommend to SDOT leadership whether this should go forward. We talked this morning, and here’s what we found out:Read More
Another followup to the Fauntleroy arrest early Sunday, following one break-in, another attempt, and a helicopter search: Court documents obtained from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office list the charges now filed against 41-year-old Richard Lovejoy, the convicted rapist caught after that search. Read on for details of the charges, including more information about the evidence prosecutors say they have against him:Read More
That’s the final score, just in from WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand at Civic Stadium in Bellingham, covering the high-school-football playoff game in which the Wildcats (now 9-2) have just lost to the Ferndale Golden Eagles (now 11-0). Patrick says the stadium was jammed – more than 5,700 people (that’s about half the population of Ferndale, which is 11 miles north of Bellingham). Full report later.
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