More about new West Seattle liquor store, including opening date

June 23, 2011 9:50 pm
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 |   West Seattle news | WS beverages

After finding a few tidbits about the new West Seattle Junction liquor store in a state news release early today (here’s our resulting story), we took a few followup questions to the Liquor Control Board. First answer: The opening date IS already set: August 31st. LCB spokesperson Brian Smith says it’ll be an overnight transition – the old store in The Junction will close at its usual time August 30th, and the new one will open the next day (8/31 is a Wednesday). He also confirms the new store at Capco Plaza (41st/Alaska) will be one of the 30 stores in an experimental liquor-tasting program – the only location they know for sure will be part of the experiment. (The program was mentioned in the earlier news release, so we asked.)

Last but not least, he says there will NOT be a third (contract) liquor store in the Admiral area – we had reported in December that they were advertising for proposals. According to Smith, “Unfortunately we were unable to find an arrangement that met our needs and those of a potential contract store manager. Contract store managers are paid on commission. There were difficulties finding the right Admiral-area location with lease costs that fit the contract store model. Some locations were also too close to schools.”

At mayor’s Town Hall: New West Seattle Helpline executive director

We’re at Hiawatha Community Center, as the seats start to fill for Mayor McGinn‘s Town Hall meeting. Among the dozens of community-group reps who are tabling tonight: The new executive director of the West Seattle Helpline, Tara Byrne. Her appointment was just announced today; she follows Anna Fern, who retired this spring. Tara’s background is in education – she’s been teaching at the UW most recently.

Organizations from all over West Seattle are here – neighborhood councils, community-project reps, and more. Come welcome Tara, and meet many other West Seattle neighbors who are working day to day to make our community a better place. The Town Hall kicks off at 6:30 with youth performances, and then Q/A with the mayor and other city reps is scheduled to start around 6:40.

West Seattle Crime Watch followups: Suspects charged in 2 cases

Checking the court records, we have new information in 2 cases from the past week:

(June 17th photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
CHARGES IN JUNCTION STORE GUN THREAT: 20-year-old Chriss Arce, a Westwood resident, is now charged with assault for the incident last Friday that started inside West Seattle Computers. Court documents say the store’s owner asked him to leave after seeing him first checking his Facebook account on store computers and then seeing him open various merchandise boxes. The owner then followed him out of the store, concerned he would cause trouble elsewhere; that’s when, the court documents say, Arce turned around, demanded to know why he was being followed, and pulled out a gun. That’s when the owner called 911. Police eventually found Arce hiding in a yard-waste container in an alley a few blocks away, with a loaded 9 millimeter semi-automatic handgun. There were two arrest warrants out for him. He remains in King County Jail, in lieu of $10,000 bail.

BAIL UPPED FOR JUNCTION ASSAULT SUSPECT: One of two men arrested after two incidents in The Junction night before last – an assault on a Matador employee, and window-breaking at two businesses – is now jailed in lieu of $5,000 bail. 23-year-old Kyle Thornton of Burien pleaded not guilty today to misdemeanor charges of assault and obstructing a public officer. His next hearing is set for July 5th. His record includes a felony charge related to an attempt to rob the 16th/Roxbury Walgreens of oxycodone three years ago.

West Seattle summer: Molly Moon @ Alki; Junction ‘Shop Late’ reminder

MOLLY MOON TRUCK COMING TO ALKI: Another ice-cream truck is heading this way, according to a note from Diana @ Coastal Boutique – she e-mailed to announce that the Molly Moon’s truck will be outside their store 3-5 pm tomorrow, and varying times “every Friday in July.” (West Seattle is already being visited by the Parfait ice-cream truck on Saturdays, 11 am-2 pm, next to Marination Mobile at 35th/Graham.) Diana also says Coastal is having a trunk show tonight, 6-8 pm, with jewelry, drinks, and snacks.

SPEAKING OF SHOPPING: As evening draws closer, a reminder about the first West Seattle Junction “Shop Late Thursdays” night TONIGHT. The 19 participating stores are listed here; many are having specials/sales to celebrate, including longtime WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits, with a sale on Queen Bee handbags/wallets ONLY during the 6-9 pm “Shop Late” event tonight.

West Seattle development: Land-use approvals for Conner project

(WSB photo looking at the Conner site from QFC steps – it’s on Alaska’s south side, 42nd to California)
Another key approval is just in for the two-building Conner Homes project in the heart of The Junction – both of its buildings have won land-use approval. Here’s the notice for the California/Alaska building (7 stories, 70 apartments, 10,000+ square feet of commercial), and here’s the notice for the 42nd/Alaska building (7 stories, 126 apartments, 15,000 square feet of commercial). The decisions that triggered those two notices are both linked from the pages we’ve linked, as is information on how to appeal the decisions, which both finalize the reviewed design for the bulidings and the city’s determination of environmental non-significance. Anyone who wants to appeal either or both has to do so by July 7th.

The project roared back onto the front burner two months ago, when City Council votes were scheduled for an “alley vacation” needed to enable a single 271-space underground garage for both bulidings. For this story we published then, we spoke with site owner/developer Charlie Conner, who said they expect to start construction next year. One of the tenants on the site is vacating before then – as reported here on Monday, the city has decided to close the Neighborhood Service Center on June 30th.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Latest stolen car to watch for

The Seattle Police @getyourcarback Twitter feed doesn’t mention stolen-car locations, or else we’d just run that daily (you CAN find it on the Crime Watch page). But if you send us a message about your stolen car too (here’s how), we’ll publish its description so folks in this area can keep an eye out. Here’s a new one, from Shane:

Our car was stolen from the front of our house in Arbor Heights last night. Last seen locked and parked in front of our house at 11:30 PM on Wednesday, June 22nd. Please be on the lookout for a 1997 Silver Honda Civic LX, 4-door, license plate #436 VMY. There is a blue Hawaiian turtle sticker on the rear window & two car seats in the back seat.

A police report has been filed, but if you see it, please contact Greta at (206) 518-1201 or Shane (206) 518-1203.

(Here’s the SPD tweet about it.)

West Seattle (& beyond) traffic alerts: Citywide weekend roundup

June 23, 2011 11:40 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

It’s a Thursday tradition in the summer – the SDOT list of what around Seattle might affect your ability to get from Point A to Point B over the weekend. It includes, of course, the Alaskan Way Viaduct closure and others for Saturday’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon – but there’s lots more. (Note: Saturday’s Morgan Junction Community Festival here in West Seattle isn’t mentioned but you can expect it’ll be busier at California/Fauntleroy, as there are vendors on both sides of California this year.) Read on for the SDOT list!Read More

Peninsula participants in today’s one-day online-donation GiveBIG

Lots of buzz today about the one-day online-fundraising drive for hundreds of nonprofits around the region, through the Seattle Foundation. Their online list of who’s eligible is overwhelmingly long, but we reviewed it to cull the West Seattle/White Center-based names we recognized, in case you haven’t already found your favorite nonprofit to donate to. And yes, we know many, many, many more groups operate IN this area as part of regional operations – wherever you choose to donate, just donate, regional or local or wherever! Once you see a name, find it on this Seattle Foundation page to get the direct link for their page. List ahead:Read More

Morgan Junction Community Festival: Volunteer power, please!

June 23, 2011 10:32 am
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 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

Just two days till the Morgan Junction Community Festival, 10:30 am-7 pm Saturday in and around Morgan Junction Park (6413 California SW), with free music, food, kids’ activities, neighbors to meet (we’re co-sponsors and we look forward to seeing you there) … It’s presented by the Morgan Community Association, an all-volunteer community council, and they are looking for a bit more volunteer assistance to set up and take down. From Becky, the volunteer coordinator:

We need 1-2 strong bodies to assist with stage set-up at 6:45 – 8:00 am and stage take-down from 7:30 to 8:30 pm … 4-6 people to assist with traffic control between 10 am and 6:00 pm (assigning people to 1.5 hr shifts) and another 4-6 people to help with trash pick-up, and breaking down tables, chairs and tents between 6:00 and 8:00 pm.

Can you help with any of that – or think you might be able to, but have questions? Please contact Becky ASAP at beckbick@yahoo.com or 206-407-7618.

West Seattle Thursday: Mayor; candidates; Junction ‘Shop Late’

(Nucor, photographed from West Seattle Corporate Center)
Summer REALLY starts this afternoon, when Seattle Public Schools middle- and high-school students get out for the year. Here’s more from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

ART AT SSCC: Workshop and opening reception for artist Dahlia Elsayed at the South Seattle Community College Art Gallery (Jerry Brockey Student Center, 6000 16th SW). Workshop with the artist: 12 – 2 pm, reception 2 – 4 pm. More info on the Art Gallery website.

SEREVI RUGBY INTRODUCTORY CAMP: 4 pm at Hiawatha Playfielddetails here.

FIRST ‘SHOP LATE THURSDAY’: The West Seattle Junction Association lists 19 merchants as participating as “Shop Late Thursdays in The Junction” begins tonight, including WSB sponsor Click! Design That Fits. Shop till 9 pm.

MAYOR’S TOWN HALL: Mayor McGinn awaits your Q/A at a Town Hall meeting at Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW), 5:30 pm community info fair, 6;30 pm youth performance, 6:40 pm Q/A with mayor/staffers, more details in our preview from last night.

BOOK SIGNING: 40th anniversary celebration continues at Metropolitan Market-Admiral (WSB sponsor, 2320 42nd Ave SW), 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Fit By Nature book signing with John Colver

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES @ WSDW: Evening meeting for the West Seattle Democratic Women, 7 pm at the West Seattle Golf Course, with Seattle City Council Position 1 candidates Jean Godden, Maurice Classen, Bobby Forch, and Michael Taylor-Judd, and Position 9 candidates Sally Clark and Dian Ferguson. If you have a question or want to make a reservation, please contact WSDW ASAP at (206) 935-3216 or wsdwomen@yahoo.com.

SEATTLE FOUNDATION “GIVE BIG” DONATION EVENT: More than a few local nonprofits are part of a one-day donation drive through the Seattle Foundation, which is offering some matching/stretching donations for whatever you give between 7 am and midnight today. The full list is here – for a donation to qualify, you have to make it through your chosen recipient’s page on that site. We’ll have an update later with a full breakout on local participants.

New West Seattle Junction liquor store: ‘High-volume specialty’

When the state Liquor Control Board announced on Wednesday that it will expand and standardize store hours statewide, it also sneaked in a few words about the new West Seattle Junction liquor store. As first reported here in February, the store is moving from its California SW location to a new space in Capco Plaza (the QFC/Altamira Apartments building at 41st/42nd/Alaska). In the LCB’s Wednesday news release, the new West Seattle store is described as a “High-Volume Specialty Store,” which “will offer an upscale environment and an expanded and unique spirit selection complimented by regional wines and Northwest craft beers.” The state says it will open “later this summer.” Meantime, liquor stores’ hours will change July 1st to 10 am-9 pm Mondays-Thursdays and 10 am-10 pm Fridays-Saturdays (noon-5 Sundays for those that are open on Sunday, like this one).

Election 2011: West Seattle Chamber’s ‘networking’ event

June 23, 2011 4:58 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Two types of networking were in evidence at Wednesday’s monthly West Seattle Chamber of Commerce lunch, and the top photo is proof of one: Regional collaboration between business-advocacy groups. At left is Susan Davis, executive director of the Rainier Valley Chamber of Commerce, which teamed up for the event with the WS C of C, whose CEO Patti Mullen is at center, and those on hand included, at right, April Thanos from the Greater Seattle Business Association (which is having an event in WS soon – more on that later.)

With less than two months till the August 16 primary, the guests in the spotlight at West Seattle Corporate Center (Delridge/Andover – with the giant flag) were most of the candidates running for the five Seattle City Council seats on this year’s ballot, including all but one of the incumbents, on hand for what was billed as “speed networking.”

Read More

West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 hit-and-runs vs. parked cars

Two more hit-run crashes in the past several days – one in Admiral, one in Highland Park – read on:Read More

WSB Forums-organized potluck brings feast to ‘Nickelsville’

Before last weekend is too much further in the rear-view mirror, an acknowledgment of an event that WSB Forums members made happen: The potluck that wrapped up an open-house afternoon at the encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville,” now back on a previously vacant city-owned site on the southeastern edge of West Seattle. Forums member Kevin McClintic, who collaborated with member Joanne Brayden on three previous reports about the camp (here, here, and here), shares the photos, and this report:

Despite gray skies and intermittent rain, the Nickelsville Potluck was a great success thanks to everyone who helped make it happen. The camp had set up several open rain shelters, but they were not needed. The rain managed to stay away for the duration of the event.

This was no hot-dog-and-hamburger event. The food was first class. There were more than two dozen individual contributors who brought some outstanding homemade entrees. One generous contributor brought several dozen steaks, intended specifically for the residents.

According to Nickelsville resident/WSB Forums member Mike (miws), they were still eating leftovers on Sunday, and still snacking on homemade cookies and treats into the first of the week.

Pictured in the group photo from left to right (Scott and Peggy are Nickelsville staff. Everyone else, Nickelsville friends): Scott Morrow, JoB, Peggy Hotes, Linda, miws, the jamjets, EmmyJane, Rod Clark, angelescrest and her daughter, and Dennis Reilly (kneeling in front row)

Thanks to Kevin for the report/photos. Meantime, Nickelsville discussion, and lists of donated items the camp is seeking, can be found, ongoing, along with other topics, in the WSB Forums.

Second ‘Hands Across the Sand’ on Alki Beach this Saturday

(WSB photo from 2010 ‘Hands Across the Sand’)
Once again this year, “Hands Across the Sand” demonstrations are planned on shorelines around the country, including Alki Beach, where we photographed the inaugural local event a year ago. The Sierra Club says it’s intended “to champion clean energy solutions that will move us beyond oil — and protect our coastal economies and marine wildlife.” Alki’s “Hands Across the Sand” is scheduled for noon this Saturday, just east of Alki Bathhouse; more here.

Trailers at Boren for Denny’s move, with big event ahead at SWAC

June 22, 2011 8:44 pm
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 |   Denny-Sealth | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

No, the semi-truck trailers lined up in the parking lot at vacant Boren School on Delridge don’t mean anyone’s moving in. They’re staging for a move involving two other campuses – the big migration, starting tomorrow afternoon, from the old Denny International Middle School to the new one alongside nearby Chief Sealth International High School.

When we asked Seattle Public Schools about the truck trailers, suspecting they had something to do with the Denny move – which precedes abatement work to prepare for demolition, as explained at last week’s informational meeting – we learned something else: Boren, 2+ miles from Denny, is being used as staging because of a big sporting event at the Southwest Athletic Complex east of Denny this weekend, so that parking lot is off-limits. That’s according to SPS spokesperson Teresa Wippel, who says this notice went to Denny-area residents today:

Denny International Middle School will be relocating, beginning this Thursday, June 23rd. School District staff will be moving furniture and equipment to the new building, continuing into early next week. “No Parking” signs will be posted along the west and south sides of the building as well as along 29th AVE SW between SW Cloverdale St and SW Trenton St. and you will see moving trailers on these streets.

On Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, the Southwest Athletic Complex will be the site of the Pacific Northwest Junior Olympics Track and Field Championships. A large crowd is expected.

Information about, and the schedule for, the track/field meet is on its website.

Mayor’s Town Hall in West Seattle tomorrow: Who’ll be there

(Vicious Puppies Crew 2010 clip from YouTube)
Even if you’re NOT interested in asking Mayor McGinn a question or hearing what he has to say, you might consider going to his Town Hall at Hiawatha Community Center tomorrow (Thursday) night. For one – there will be a short entertainment break around 6:30 pm, with two West Seattle-based youth groups performing for a few minutes each: the breakdancing Vicious Puppies Crew and the synchronized dancers of Defined Movement. Before that, from 5:30 till 6:30 pm, the community-information fair will include your chance to meet people from, and find out about, a wide variety of groups and issues. As mentioned here yesterday, the West Seattle Triangle planning team will be represented – the two draft proposals for that area’s future have just gone public, including major zoning changes, and they’re seeking public comment, as well as ready to answer questions. Today, Ed Pottharst from the Department of Neighborhoods shared a list of other participants in the information fair:

Admiral Neighborhood Association
Alki Community Council
Whale Trail Project
Seal Sitters
Alki Wildlife Habitat
Alki Community Center Advisory Council
Barton P-Patch
Concord International Elementary School
Delridge P-Patch
Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council
Lincoln Park P-Patch
Morgan Community Association
Nature Consortium
Southwest Seattle Historical Society & Log House Museum
Sustainable West Seattle
West Seattle Be Prepared
West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network
West Seattle Chamber of Commerce
West Seattle Food Bank
West Seattle Helpline

(If you’ll be tabling there and aren’t listed, leave a comment!) Again – 5:30 pm info fair, 6:30 pm performers, 6:40 pm mayor/others Q/A. Hiawatha is at 2700 California SW, probably best to park at West Seattle High School’s California-facing lot if you’re driving, since Hiawatha’s own lot is fairly small.

West Seattle’s made-over motel The Grove gets ready to reopen

By the 4th of July weekend, The Grove/West Seattle Inn – our peninsula’s only motel – plans to reopen, two months after closing for the first phase of extensive renovations. We’ve been chronicling the renovation plans since the motel’s new owners, longtime West Seattleites, announced them back in December. They’re having a community open house next Monday, and they have reservations for their first guests, starting with the pre-4th of July weekend. But to put it bluntly, some wonder how they will keep out the seedy clientele that kept many legitimate visitors away in recent years. That’s one of the questions we asked Lynn Sweeney, spokesperson for the owners, who granted our request for a tour this week – read on:Read More

Midweek reminder: Saturday Viaduct (etc.) closure


View Dodge Rock ‘n’ Roll Seattle Marathon & 1/2 Marathon Interactive Road Closure Map in a larger map

It’s been atop our BIG STORIES list on the sidebar all week, just for easy reference, but in case you’ve missed it somehow, a midweek reminder: The Alaskan Way Viaduct is closed for much of Saturday because of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. And since the event starts in Tukwila, there are other road closures within miles of West Seattle that might affect you too (including, in SODO, part of 1st Avenue S.). The information is all on the marathon website, where we got the map shown above. Of course, with the Morgan Junction Community Festival and the Northwest Paddling Festival, you might not want to leave West Seattle on Saturday anyway – but if you do, consider yourself forewarned. Again.

‘The Hole’ court settlement: More details emerge

(WSB photo of ‘The Hole,’ taken last month)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Some details remain elusive, but new court documents reveal some of what’s in the settlement that canceled plans for another trial in the longrunning legal fight over the stalled West Seattle development site dubbed “The Hole” (fully excavated for a parking garage between a once-planned Whole Foods/Hancock Fabrics/apartment building, then fenced off when it became clear things had fallen apart and gone to court).

To recap: We first reported news of a settlement on June 3rd. No one would comment on its details. Last week, King County Superior Court Judge Susan Craighead‘s bailiff Jennie Cowan told WSB they were expecting some kind of documents to be filed in the ensuing week or so – and bit by bit, that is now happening.

Read More

Bike to dinner next Tuesday: 2 local Spoke & Food participants

Next Tuesday is this year’s Spoke and Food benefit event – to encourage people to bicycle to local restaurants. In West Seattle, Chaco Canyon Organic Café is participating, and in neighboring White Center, Proletariat Pizza is participating. 20 percent of that night’s proceeds from all participants go to the Seattle Tilth Children’s Garden. Both restaurants have bicycle racks, of course! It’s 5-10 pm next Tuesday (June 28).

West Seattle Wednesday: 5 quick highlights for tonight

June 22, 2011 11:13 am
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 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Five quick mentions (sorry, later than usual as we were caught up in following up on this):

HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: Monthly meeting, 7 pm, HP Improvement Club (12th/Holden). Speakers scheduled to talk about West Seattle Tool Library, Community Orchard of West Seattle, and September’s Delridge Day festival.

BITE AT THE POINT: All are invited to Bite at the Point, a free community potluck and family-fun event at High Point Community Center. Details here; 6-7:30 pm.

PEPS ORIENTATION AT BRIGHT HORIZONS: Interested in PEPS – the Program for Early Parent Support? Just got word that there’s an orientation tonight for people who aren’t signed up yet or who signed up for a group that’s not meeting yet. The meeting’s at Bright Horizons (WSB sponsor), 38th/Alaska, 7 pm.

OPEN MIKE: No featured readers this time – all welcome to the monthly Poetry Bridge gathering at 7 pm at C & P Coffee, 5612 California SW, including poets, story tellers, and musicians with a poetic message.

BACKYARD COTTAGES: Free one-hour workshop on building a backyard cottage or “accessory dwelling unit” put on by Ncompass Cottage Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm at Community School of West Seattle (9450 22nd SW) at 7 pm. Check to see if there’s room – contact Stefan at 206-933-5961 or stefan@ncompass-llc.com.

Design Review meeting set for Nova and new Avalon development

June 22, 2011 8:14 am
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 |   Development | West Seattle news

Just yesterday, we brought you news of a new project proposed on Avalon Way, a few lots east of 35th – six stories, 117 apartments, at 3261 Avalon. This morning, there’s word that it’s scheduled for its first Southwest Design Review Board “early design guidance” meeting. And the meeting on Thursday night, July 28th, will be a doubleheader – it also includes the second Design Review meeting for Nova, Harbor Properties‘ proposed 62-unit building at 4600 36th SW, adjacent to Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) and the motel now known as The Grove/West Seattle Inn. (Here’s our coverage of Nova’s first Design Review session.) The July 28th meeting will be at the Southwest Precinct meeting room, Delridge/Webster, with Nova at 6:30 pm, the Avalon project at 8 pm.

**7/21/11 NOTE – Since original publication, the meeting has moved to the Senior Center in The Junction, and the projects have reversed order, Avalon at 6:30, Nova at 8.**