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Spotlight Stories

West Seattle sale season: St. John’s rummage sale starts today
May 18, 2012 8:05 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Six days after the 8th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, garage/yard/rummage sale season rolls on – and there’s a biggie these next two days, at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church. We stopped by during prep work on Thursday and found, among other things, what you see above – a Wild West outfit made from duct tape. Many more-conventional items too, of course:

St. John’s is just south of West Seattle High School, at California/Hanford. The sale runs 9 am-3 pm today and tomorrow.

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West Seattle scenes: Bike to Work Day 2012
May 18, 2012 7:22 am
|      25 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

7:22 AM: Till 9 am, there’s a “commute station” on the west end of the low bridge, with Alki Bike and Board on hand (among others). Thanks to Shannon for the top photo; we’re on our way to check it out, along with new White Center B2W Day participants Caffé Delia and Dubsea Coffee, all with treats and more till 9.

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand, added 8:44 am)
ADDED 7:28 AM: Don Brubeck, a WS bicycle commuter whose photos have often appeared here, just called in from the station by the bridge. He told us, “Lots of bikers are going by; people are stopping at the Alki Bike and Board stop and getting their tires pumped up” – about 11 riders are there right now, and about half a dozen staffing the station. It’s cloudy, but no drizzle. We also talked for a moment to ABB’s Stu Hennessey, who says it’s been busy!

ADDED 9:04 AM: After finishing his bike commute, Don shared that shot from the road – actually, the bike/pedestrian path on the low bridge. His report (with a promise of a few more pix later):

Stu and Louie from Alki Bike and Board were helping people with air in tires, lube on chains, free tubes, and in one attached picture [below], Stu and Monica from SDOT’s bike program group were giving route advice to someone who wanted to know the best route to ride to Burien for her ride this morning.

Matt Johnson and Long Vo from BECU were there with schwag for riders and snagging potential customers. Matt is a West Seattleite.

Rob and Ray, who work at Nuun electrolyte drink company in the I.D., were giving out samples. They ride from West Seattle at least some of the time.

Car traffic was lighter than usual on the low level bridge. Could it be due to more people on bikes instead? Or, just Friday?


Our crew stopped at Caffé Delia in downtown WC – photos are on our partner site White Center Now.

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Memorial service Sunday for West Seattle native Mimi Feisst
May 18, 2012 2:26 am
|    Comments Off on Memorial service Sunday for West Seattle native Mimi Feisst
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

The family of Mimi Feisst says her memorial service is planned for 1:30 pm this Sunday (May 20th) at The Sanctuary at Admiral (2656 42nd SW). Here’s their remembrance of her:

Mimi (Marilyn Jean) Summersby Feisst passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, Washington, on the 29th of April after battling cancer for several months. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Annette and H. Samuel (Sam) Bartel, and husband Allan Feisst. Mimi is survived by son Scott Summersby and granddaughter Taylor of Florida, daughter Kristen Summersby, daughter Dana Brooks, son-in-law Jim Brooks, grandchildren Zachary, Zahn and Allyson, foster daughter Susan Tekola, son-in-law Fasil Tekola, grandchildren Tanesha, Sarra, Sophie and Nataly, sister Janet Deardorff and husband Jerry Deardorff, niece Molly, nephew Christopher, all of Washington, sister Susan Bartel and partner Lorraine Tarrant (of New Zealand), nephew Ian MacDonald (of Washington), and niece Sarah Bartel (of New Zealand).

Mimi’s first love was her family.

Read More

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Update: That Highland Park/White Center helicopter search
May 17, 2012 11:34 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

helicopterwatch.png11:34 PM: We’re checking on reports of a helicopter in south Highland Park/north White Center, after multiple texts and calls. Nothing obvious from Seattle Police over the scanner, but that could mean it’s in the county jurisdiction, or that it’s not a law-enforcement helicopter at all.

11:51 PM: So far no info – and the helicopter has left the area. If we do find out anything tonight or tomorrow, we’ll add it here.

ADDED 9:45 AM FRIDAY: Sgt. Rodney Chinnick of the King County Sheriff’s Office tells us Guardian One was helping search for assault suspects. We don’t have the incident location yet but he says, “A 40 year old male was assaulted. He suffered a broken jaw and ankle”; 1300 block of SW Roxbury.

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WS Helpline serves up biggest Taste of West Seattle ever
May 17, 2012 11:01 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

The main room at The Hall at Fauntleroy was just one of four spots around the grounds of the old schoolhouse filled by 51 food-and-beverage purveyors for tonight’s Taste of West Seattle. More attendees than ever, too, enthused Tara Byrne, executive director of the event’s beneficiary/organizer, West Seattle Helpline. And it wasn’t just the lineup – it was what they offered:

Jes and Sarah from Chaco Canyon Organic Café (WSB sponsor) offered sweet-potato samosas. And for the omnivore …

… the team from The Bridge had their famous bacon-wrapped dates. For West 5, of course it was their popular mac ‘n’ cheese:

Amber from Freshy’s is known far and wide for her soup:

“Chef Wade” – who’s just unveiled his newest menu at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) — had pulled-pork sliders:

The Hall’s resident Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering made asparagus quinoa salad and grilled citrus prawns:

Salad was also on the menu for Pizzeria 22 proprietor Cary – arugula salad with gorgonzola:

Your notetaker here wandered away while co-publisher Patrick was photographing Ere and Ani from Pan Africa Grill, so we didn’t catch what dish/es they were serving:

Of course, there was dessert. There must be dessert. Stuffed Cakes, for one:

Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s ice-cream bike was there – getting ready to turn around to an appearance at White Center’s Caffe Delia for Bike-to-Work Day Friday morning:

Speaking of coffee – Hotwire (WSB sponsor) was right by the front door – one of several coffee purveyors, including Heidi from Bird on a Wire Espresso:

And with 51 participants – Tara said they had to turn some aspiring participants away, in the process of locking in the lineup! – we didn’t get to photograph them all. Check the names out here. Oh, and cheese, courtesy of Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), which brought something even bigger than food, a $7,500 donation:

That’s Metro Market Admiral store director Glen Hasstedt with Kim and Laura from the cheese department (where cheese is also made, not just sold!).

Helpline doesn’t expect to have the night’s take tallied up for a few days; we’re also awaiting word on who won the votes for best taste. P.S. If you want more proof of how this event has grown – we looked up a WSB mention from three years ago; the number of participating food/drink providers was only about a third of what it is now!

1:08 AM UPDATE: From the Taste of West Seattle Facebook page – Fresh Bistro/Herban Feast Catering won “best taste,” Prost! West Seattle came in 2nd, Ma’ono Fried Chicken and Whisky was third.

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West Seattle youth sports: Totems mark shooting success
May 17, 2012 9:26 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
We often hear from youth sports groups including soccer, softball, baseball, football, swimmers, skaters … but until a tip from Larry two nights ago, we hadn’t heard from or about the West Seattle Totems. They are a very successful youth-sports group in our area – with a waiting list, we’re told. The Totems’ sport is riflery; they practice at the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club‘s Roger Dahl Shooting Range underneath West Seattle Stadium. We were invited to visit the Totems’ celebration last night of recent successes in statewide and other competition – note the medals and trophies – and took a group photo; speaking of photography, West Seattle photographer Machel Spence was there too – turns out she’s a Totem mom and helped round up information, including the fact that several of the team members will compete in the Air Rifle Nationals this year, and that West Seattle Totems shooters have achieved three national records!

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Transportation alerts: Bike-to-Work Day; Alaskan Way Viaduct closure; Alki ‘car-free day’; Spokane Street Viaduct
May 17, 2012 6:54 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

BIKE-TO-WORK DAY TOMORROW: For participating bicyclists, there’s the “commute station” by the west end of the “low bridge” plus, if you’re coming from White Center, or heading through there, two WC stops, Caffé Delia and Dubsea Coffee, all detailed in the preview we published earlier this week.

ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT WEEKEND CLOSURE REMINDER: 11 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, so WSDOT can keep working on reinforcing the section of The Viaduct that the tunnel will go beneath.

SUNDAY CLOSURES/CHANGES ON ALKI: Sunday starts with the West Seattle 5K (co-sponsored by WSB) benefit run/walk at 9 am, and at 11 am, Seattle Summer Streets (aka “car-free day”) – here are the Alki traffic changes you can expect as a result – note that even though the car-free events are on a limited section of the street, the rest of it is ONLY open to residents. Here’s how SDOT explains the plan:

•From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Alki Avenue SW will be fully closed from 63rd Avenue SW to the Don Armeni Boat Launch Ramp for the West Seattle 5K Run/Walk. All parking will be restricted from 63rd to 56th and along the waterside from 56th to the boat ramp.

•From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Alki Avenue SW will be fully closed from 63rd to 56th Avenue SW for the Summer Streets event. Parking will be restricted on both sides of the street during this time.

Access exceptions will be made for emergency vehicles and people with disabilities. After 11 a.m. local access to condos will be allowed from 56th Avenue SW to the Don Armeni Boat Launch Ramp. As in the past, SPD will detour those who do not live in the vicinity from Alki on to California Ave SW until 5 p.m.

(Added Friday morning: The citywide weekend event alerts, here.)

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND, SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT PLANS: A roundup of what’s ahead for the Spokane Street Viaduct section of the West Seattle Bridge includes two notes looking past next week, before next week’s closure schedule – the switch from eastbound 1st ramp open to eastbound 4th ramp open is not going to happen next week after all; plus, in early June there will be a full=weekend closure of the westbound SSV – read on for complete details from SDOT:Read More

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New mystery: St. Patrick’s Day stripe repainted, 2 months ‘late’
May 17, 2012 4:23 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news

The photo is courtesy of a North Admiral resident who doesn’t want to be identified but wrote, “Looks like the leprechauns finally woke up from their 2-month nap and refreshed the green stripe on 41st (behind Metropolitan Market) last night. They even did the shamrock at the end. Was it a special Irish saint’s day? Or just a delay due to rain? Either way, we’re glad it’s back!” We looked up Irish holidays; nothing. Today is exactly two months since St. Patrick’s Day – when the stripe usually turns up “refreshed” – perhaps May was confused with March? Or, someone decided to make it a Syttende Mai stripe instead?

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Followup: Last night’s airplane route/noise mystery solved!
May 17, 2012 3:05 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Mystery solved, regarding the unusual flight pattern – and noise – that many heard over north West Seattle last night (as reported here); we contacted Sea-Tac Airport‘s media officer Perry Cooper, who researched it and, along with the airport’s noise officer, just called back with what they found out: A quirk in the weather caused Sea-Tac and Boeing Field to be in opposite flows; almost always, they are landing/taking off in the same “flow,” according to Cooper, but a “weird wind” last night caused Sea-Tac to be in south flow, Boeing Field to be in north flow, “so in order to make sure there would not be any conflicts, the jets taking off from Boeing Field were being routed (over) West Seattle.” So unless the wind quirk happens again, it was a one-time thing.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen car; troubling encounter; Genesee followup
May 17, 2012 2:50 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three notes this afternoon: First, a stolen-car report from Thaddeus:

Our 1994 Dodge Caravan was stolen Sunday night from in front of our house in Puget Ridge. Dark green with purple decorative stripe, tinted windows. License # ACF0177. Apart from the usual hardships from losing a car, this van also served two handicapped individuals. Any info greatly appreciated!

Ahead, e-mail about a troubling encounter in North Admiral, plus a followup about an assault incident first reported by a commenter:Read More

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West Seattle ferry alert: 2 days with 2 boats on Fauntleroy run
May 17, 2012 1:30 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

Capacity on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run of Washington State Ferries will be down a boat next Monday and Tuesday because the Tillikum has to go in for its annual inspection and the Klahowya isn’t available to replace it – it’s still out of service for repairs. So WSF has sent an alert about this, as well as posting notices at terminals and publishing the 2-boat schedule on its website (see it here). The Tillikum actually will be out of service for the inspection starting Sunday, but WSF will be adding the Yakima on the route, just for that day, before it moves to another run.

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Video: Arbor Heights hosts superintendent-to-be José Banda
May 17, 2012 12:18 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

That’s one of the most personal moments we caught on video this morning as Arbor Heights Elementary School played host to José Banda – who starts work as Seattle Public Schools’ next superintendent July 1st, after the School Board voted unanimously last night to finalize his hiring. It might be a little hard to hear (with multiple camera shutters mixed in), but he’s speaking with a student about world geography, and mentioning that his son is currently working half a world away – as a teacher. Banda looked in on classrooms all over the school, as well as orchestra practice in the cafetorium, and gave short interviews to the panoply of media crews that showed up (this was his only official photo op as his Seattle visit continued today). But before the designated 10 am start time for the school tour, he was greeted by AH students:

Thanks to an AH parent for sharing that photo of Marcia Ingerslev‘s first-graders, who were dressed as farmers, since they presented the new superintendent with a plant – you saw their story here last week, as they are selling and giving away tomato plants, and will be at Roxbury Safeway this Saturday. (Watching the students, from left, are district communications director Lesley Rogers, executive director of West Seattle schools Aurora Lora; superintendent-to-be Banda; and AH principal Christy Collins; WS school-board director Marty McLaren was there for the visit too). We also took many photos, and more video, and are going through it all right now, to add more to this story later.

(And yes, the new superintendent said, the students did make sure he knows about the poor condition their building is in – rated worst in the district – the BEX IV levy currently proposes a new building for AH, but not to be completed until 2018, and the community is campaigning to have that timetable moved up before the levy plan is finalized this fall; its problems were amply explained during a BEX-related meeting at AH that we covered in April.)

ADDED 4:50 PM: More photos, ahead:Read More

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With Design Review next week, see the 4724 California concepts – and a citizen’s response
May 17, 2012 9:13 am
|      95 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news


By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

One week from today, the 4724 California development proposal goes before the Southwest Design Review Board for the first time.

Today, we have two views of the ex-Petco site’s potential 7-story future. One is in a set of sketches from the development team – to whom we spoke for stories published here on April 20th and April 30th, following up first word of the plan four weeks ago, as well as the latest version of the packet for next week’s meeting (see it here). Above is the project team’s “preferred” early-concept sketch.

We also have what you might call a packet of “alternative” concepts put together by one of the community members who recently previewed the early sketches in their first round of unofficial community meetings. He wonders what you think about HIS design guidelines.

Read More

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WS Thursday: Taste of West Seattle; WS Nooners; bridge alerts
May 17, 2012 6:03 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Danny McMillin, taken south of Alki Point, shared via Flickr)
WESTBOUND SPOKANE STREET VIADUCT CLOSURE TONIGHT – AND 1 LANE CLOSED EASTBOUND: After scattered shorter closures recently, the entirety of the westbound Spokane Street Viaduct is scheduled to be closed tonight, as part of the continuing work in the final months of the project to widen it, 10 pm-5 am. And this time, the eastbound stretch also is scheduled to be reduced to one lane, 11 pm-5 am. Details here, from SDOT.

AND REMINDER, ALASKAN WAY VIADUCT/99 CLOSURE THIS WEEKEND: 11 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, crews are scheduled to continue reinforcing the AWV in advance of the tunneling that will happen beneath it. (Full details here from WSDOT.)

PIZZA BENEFIT FOR SANISLO: 11 am-11 pm today, Red Star Pizza is donating ten percent to Sanislo Elementary, according to the school’s PTA.

WEST SEATTLE NOONERS’ MEMBERSHIP EXTRAVAGANZA: Local businessperson? The West Seattle Nooners group (WSB sponsor) is interested in meeting you at its Membership Extravaganza today, noon at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) – read all about it here.

WEST SEATTLE CELLARS WINE TASTING: In addition to pouring at the Taste of West Seattle (next preview), West Seattle Cellars (WSB sponsor) is having its regular Thursday night tasting too – 5:30-8 pm, full details here. (Don’t forget to check out the WSB coupon for first-timers.) 6026 California SW.

TASTE OF WEST SEATTLE: The 7th annual benefit for West Seattle Helpline is bigger than ever – with a long list of food/beverage providers participating. If online ticketing is closed by the time you check this link, there might be some left at the door – 6:30 pm is when the main event begins. The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW; remember it’s 21+ only)

FIRST PTA MEETING FOR K-5 STEM AT BOREN: The school opens in less than four months, and families are deciding now how to organize their PTA – as a PTSA affiliated with that larger group, or maybe as an independent smaller group. Be part of the launch, 6:30 pm at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson).

‘BYE BYE BIRDIE’ CONTINUES: It’s West Seattle High School‘s spring musical, and you can cheer the student actors, singers, and musicians tonight at 7:30 pm. Ticketing info and more on the Westside Drama website.

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Checking: Out-of-the-ordinary plane routing over West Seattle
May 16, 2012 10:49 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

In the past hour or so, we’ve received multiple notes asking why planes are taking an out-of-the-ordinary route over north West Seattle tonight; several people also brought it up in the comment section on today’s story about a Boeing Field alert for NEXT week. As far as we know, this has nothing to do with that alert; we are checking around to see what we can find out, but so far, all we’ve turned up is an alert about taxiway work at Boeing Field (see the right sidebar here) that doesn’t sound as if it would be related. If anyone “in the (aviation) know” is out there, either a comment or a note – editor@westseattleblog.com – would help! Thanks!

11:44 PM UPDATE: So far comment discussion has zeroed in on a runway closure at Sea-Tac that was scheduled to start two days ago – here’s their announcement.

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High-school sports: Season ends for Chief Sealth’s standout soccer team
May 16, 2012 10:45 pm
|    Comments Off on High-school sports: Season ends for Chief Sealth’s standout soccer team
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

An amazing season ended tonight for the Chief Sealth International High School boys’ soccer team – one in which they were ranked among the state’s top teams, ran up an incredible winning streak, and made it to the state playoffs. Shorewood, the state’s #1 team, edged the Seahawks 2-1 tonight at Shoreline Stadium.

At the end of the game, the team applauded and cheered those who had come to cheer for them. Toward the start, we photographed them in an on-the-road edition of the “Hawks Nest”:

The game was a draw through the first half, 0-0 at halftime – no scoring till the 49th minute, as our partners at the Seattle Times report. Led by Head Coach Ron Johnson, Sealth closes the season at 14-3-1; Shorewood is undefeated, with 20 wins.

In a comment on the WSB Facebook page, Sealth athletic director Sam Reed thanked the fans who made the trek to Shorewood, then writing, “So proud of our boys and especially the Seniors that worked so hard to build something special during their time as Seahawks.”

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School Board confirms new superintendent José Banda, who visits West Seattle tomorrow
May 16, 2012 9:16 pm
|    Comments Off on School Board confirms new superintendent José Banda, who visits West Seattle tomorrow
 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Tomorrow morning, Arbor Heights Elementary staff and students will be among the first community members to be able to congratulate José Banda on his new job as Seattle Public Schools Superintendent. The School Board voted 7-0 tonight to confirm him, and – as reported here Tuesday – his visit continues tomorrow with a 10 am stop at AH. Here’s the district’s announcement of tonight’s vote:Read More

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West Seattle door-to-door alert: ‘Brazen’ solicitor
May 16, 2012 8:41 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Door-to-door alert | Gatewood | West Seattle news

Just out of the WSB inbox from Andrea, who began, “Just wanted to get the word out about a brazen solicitor who stopped by today:”Read More

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Update: Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev visits West Seattle
May 16, 2012 5:13 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news

(Thanks to Babs for the motorcade photo)
ORIGINAL 5:13 PM REPORT: We’ve gotten a couple messages about a motorcade in the Alki area. We’re told it’s for the president of Bulgaria, who has indeed been visiting Seattle. Earlier today, first-year President Rosen Prevneliev was on Capitol Hill. While in the area, he’s also met with Bill Gates. He’s in the area to drum up U.S. interest in Bulgarian business and is also visiting the “other” U.S. tech hub, Silicon Valley.

8:07 PM UPDATE: President Prevneliev has moved on, according to a WSB’er who called to say the motorcade had (temporarily) shut down I-5. Commenter WS says he was visiting The Pacific Institute, which is on Harbor Avenue SW between Salty’s and Seacrest; we passed by briefly en route to another story and noted the motorcycle officers were parked right across the street from the Institute.

(Event photos courtesy FOCUS News Agency, used with permission)
ADDED EARLY THURSDAY: Thanks to Bulgaria’s FOCUS News Agency for sharing photos from the West Seattle event; their correspondent reports that President Prevneliev told members of Seattle’s Bulgarian community that he is working to build trust between citizens and their political leaders, and that he is working on a long-term development plan for the country, including a proposed technology park.

FOCUS reports that about 40 people met with President Plevneliev during his West Seattle stop, including Bulgaria’s Ambassador to the United States, Elena Poptodorova, and the U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria, James Warlick, who has been tweeting about the trip:

The president’s Silicon Valley itinerary Thursday includes a stop at Google HQ.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Beware of metal, package thieves
May 16, 2012 4:29 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes this afternoon. From Todd at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor), a suggestion that it’s time to step up the extra vigilance for catalytic-converter theft and other types of metal-stealing – he says their shop (35th/Webster) has been hit by thieves going through their scrap metal (last night, it was radiators), even in a fenced, locked yard. (They already lock up the scrap catalytic converters.) He notes that Toyota pickups and 4-Runners tend to be targeted most often, and “it only takes a few minutes for an experienced thief to get (the converter) off the vehicle.”

And from Larry:

I had two packages stolen from our front door stoop on the same day. Both were supposedly delivered on May 10th from two different companies. I live on 31st between near Thistle Street.

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Bring art to The Mount, for those who can’t go out to see it
May 16, 2012 3:22 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

This isn’t your usual “call for artists” – this is a request for artists to show their work where it’ll be seen by people who can’t go out to enjoy it elsewhere any more. The announcement:

Providence Mount St. Vincent is looking for Artists to display their work in our McAllister Hall Art Gallery.

The art gallery at Providence Mount St. Vincent displays local art on a monthly basis featuring a different artist each month. The main goal of this program is to provide enjoyment and artistic culture for our residents, since many of them are no longer physically able to visit art galleries. We offer artist the ability to sell her or his art with the request that 20 percent be donated to our Foundation. The gallery is located on the second floor entrance on the west side of the building–a high traffic area within the Mount. The art is viewed by residents, staff, families of residents, volunteers, and visitors. We insure the art while it’s on display to protect it from any possible damage and offer a reception in the artist’s honor.

The months of June, August, October, November and December are currently open in 2012. Please contact Anna Cronin at anna.cronin@providence.org or 206.938.6242 for more information.

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West Seattle development: Oregon 42 construction to begin
May 16, 2012 12:31 pm
|      55 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

(Tuesday evening photo by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
One year after a new plan was circulated for Oregon 42 – the mixed-use building at 42nd SW/SW Oregon in The Junction that’s been in the works for four and a half years – construction is about to begin. We confirmed that this morning with Mike Mahoney from ConAm, the San Diego company that is developing the 131-unit building; we called for an update after getting word that the construction fence had gone up around the site (photo above).

It’s a four-lot site; three houses will be demolished, probably starting next week, according to Mahoney. The fourth lot formerly held the house that was moved to another site in an operation that created something of a spectacle in summer 2010. (The site also made news here in March when one of the remaining houses was used for SWAT-team training.) Here’s one of the Oregon 42 renderings circulated last year, when the number of apartments was increased and the amount of retail decreased (now 3,000 square feet):

(That’s Hope Lutheran at the lower left, Capco Plaza – QFC & Altamira – at upper right.) Mahoney says the plan hasn’t changed since the revised version was made public last year. But now they’re ready to proceed. Once demolition begins, he says, “that’s really going to kick off the full construction – we will move right into excavation and shoring work.” He expects the construction crane to go up in about two months, and the project to be complete after about 16 months of work – which would mean fall of next year. SD Deacon is the general contractor; Junction-based Nicholson Kovalchick Architects joined the project before last year’s round of publicized changes, but was not involved when the project was first proposed back in 2008. This project, by the way, is among those in West Seattle granted the city’s Multi-Family Tax Exemption (see the agreement, finalized by the City Council last year, here), for agreeing that 20 percent of the units will have what the city deems “affordable rents” accessible to people slightly below the median income.

Two other major apartment projects are under construction in West Seattle right now – Youngstown Flats in North Delridge, and Harbor/Urban’s 62-unit Nova in The Triangle – and others are on the drawing board, including two within just a few blocks, the Equity Residential project at California/Alaska, and 4724 California, which has its first Design Review Board meeting one week from tomorrow.

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What’s that aircraft noise? Alert from Boeing Field
May 16, 2012 12:02 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Next week, through Memorial Day, events at the Museum of Flight just might make things a little noisier over West Seattle. So a community alert is being circulated by Boeing Field, which is run by King County – read on:Read More

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