West Seattle, Washington
25 Saturday
Thanks to Max for the photo looking out over downtown late last night. The clouds haven’t brought those rumored snowflakes so far, but the chance remains in the forecast. From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
WEST SEATTLE GARDEN CLUB: Monthly meeting, 10 AM to 2 PM at Daystar Retirement Village (WSB sponsor), 2615 SW Barton St., Building #1. Registration and social time first, then business and the morning study program at 10:30 AM, Julie Gramm will share a collection of Basket Weaving Projects made by her mother Barbara Gramm. Commentary on the design and horticulture exhibits will follow. Lunch is at noon, brown bag with dessert and beverage provided by the club. It will be “Coming up Roses” for the afternoon program at 1 PM, when “consulting rosarian” Margaret Harris shares her love of roses. She will also touch on “Shakespeare in the Garden”. Visitors are welcome. Donation $5.
AFTERNOON DANCE: Dance to the music of Lauren Petrie at Delridge Community Center, 1:30-3:30 pm
MENASHE AND SONS JEWELERS’ EVENING EVENT: Event at Menashe and Sons Jewelers (WSB sponsor) tonight. You’re invited into their Junction store (4532 California SW) in for hors d’oeuvres, bubbly, and Bakery Nouveau cake, 5-9 pm.
FAUNTLEROY ART/GIFT FAIR BEGINS: The 2011 Fauntleroy Fine Art & Holiday Gift Fair takes over Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California Avenue SW) for the weekend with something for everyone by West Seattle artists. 5-8 pm tonight (continuing tomorrow and Sunday); more details here.
STORYTELLING: Storytelling event at White Center Cultural Center (9421 18th Avenue SW), 5:30 pm, “Stories from a Filipino Life” with Chris Genese, an organizer with Washington Citizen Action Network.
TASTE SPANISH WINES: Bin 41 weekly wine tasting: Spanish wines from Frontaura y Victoria.
3 MORE CHANCES TO SEE ‘BEAN’: The original musical “Bean: The Musical Fruit” – for kids of all ages! – continues at 7 pm tonight, and 2 and 6 pm tomorrow, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Come early to meet, and take photos with, the characters!
MUDPIES AND LULLABIES: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall, 7904 35th Ave SW: (trio) lexicon presents — Mudpies and Lullabies: a guide to growing up. (trio) lexicon is a collaboration between Madeline and Richard Bersamina (vocalists) and Christina Bach (piano). Drawing on songs by Leonard Bernstein, Mozart, Mister Rogers and Sesame Street and poetry by Shel Silverstein and Lewis Carroll, this evening of singing and stories chronicles childhood and coming of age.
DONKEY BASKETBALL: Fundraiser tonight at West Seattle High School gym, 7 pm, adults $9/students $7, kids (K-6) $5. Teacher team vs. student team.
(October photo of Nickelsville, by Kevin McClintic)
On a cold morning, with possible snow showers looming, people are still sleeping outdoors all over the city – including more than 100 in the West Seattle encampment that calls itself Nickelsville. Nichole, the Active Living Director at Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor), says residents choose a community service project this time of year, and they’ve chosen to adopt Nickelsville, but they need YOUR help to really make it big. She is planning an event to gather donations – with collections starting immediately, and a “Stuff the Bus” day on December 3rd, 10 am-4 pm. She toured the encampment this week and has this list of needs so far:
Tarps
Tents
Firewood
Wool socks
Female hygiene supplies
Blankets
Camp Stoves
Propane for Camp Stoves
Canned food
Before the actual “stuff the bus” event, you can still drop off items 7 days a week, 8 am-8 pm. Nichole also hopes to put up a giving tree, so that on December 3rd, you can pick up a tag and bring back a gift. She says, “My residents are 100% behind this and very excited to have a project where they can make an impact on the homeless community.” She’s still collecting information about other needs at the camp, and we’ll add it when available. Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights is at 2326 California SW.
2:05 AM: That’s the aftermath of the second of two car fires in two hours in eastern West Seattle tonight. There’s no official information on the two fires, not even whether they’re potentially related, but we do know that police and fire investigators were sent to both scenes. Our photo is from 28th/Brandon, an undeveloped street north of eastern High Point, where the burning car was found after midnight. About two hours earlier, another car fire was investigated at 18th and Myrtle, a mile and a half away (as this map shows). We hope to find out later this morning if arson is suspected in either or both.
9:37 AM UPDATE: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore says their investigator determined both fires to be arson: “There are no witnesses and no suspects. It is under investigation whether the two car fires are related or not.”
2:48 PM UPDATE: More information just in from SFD’s Moore: The 18th/Myrtle fire involved a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and did $6,500 in damage. The 28th/Brandon fire (as shown in our photo above) involved a 2005 BMW, with damage estimated at $16,000. Both fires are currently under investigation by SPD.
(Photo by Janet Sherwood)
This weekend, you just might see film crews out and about, as West Seattle’s Corwood Productions shoots its next production at six locations, including five in West Seattle, over the next three days. Here’s the official announcement:
Corwood Productions, creators behind the Seattle-based TV pilot “The Divine Marigolds,” is gearing up to shoot a new film, titled “All My Presidents,” Nov. 18-20th in West Seattle. All My Presidents is a short film created by West Seattle resident and executive producer Sarah Mackay as a tribute to her grandfather. All My Presidents is about a young boy who, after losing his father, grabs ahold of the only thing left, the ideology of US Presidents. The film is set in 1954 through 1992 and explores the coming of age in a political world and finding your own voice.
Nathan Gamble, the star of movies such as “Dolphin’s Tale,” “Dark Knight” and “Marley and Me,” lives in Washington State and will star in All My Presidents. “We are excited to have Nathan on board. It is a testament to our Northwest star talent giving back to the local film community,” says producer/actor Lisa Coronado. “We are focused on bringing heartfelt, creative films that break the mold and are of high production value with top notch talent and crew,” says producer/actor Alder Sherwood.
All My Presidents is directed by Connor Hair, co-produced by Lorraine Montez of Abundant Productions, co-produced by Jeremiah Kaynor of Corvus Eye Productions. Director of Photography is Ryan Purcell and Rick Walters is 1st AD. Also starring David Hogan, Riley Donahue, Brian Sutherland, and other Seattle talent.
Tomorrow’s filming is happening in the Lake Union area, but the five West Seattle location shoots are set for Saturday and Sunday, in and around Admiral-area homes on Saturday, and in the Holy Rosary and “south end of California” areas on Sunday. Of course the movie has its own Facebook page and Twitter account.
From tonight’s meeting of the Southwest Design Review Board: One project on the agenda, 3261 SW Avalon Way, six stories and about 120 units, not too far east of 35th (in the image above, that’s the not-entirely-finished 35th/Avalon building at right). This was the second Design Review meeting for the project, and the meeting concluded with the board recommending approval, with conditions. As was the case in the previous review, they are still concerned about the neighbors on either side (West Seattle Stadium is downslope on the south side), since the building is proposed to take up most of the lot; the only member of the public to speak at the meeting was a resident of a neighboring meeting, concerned about the proximity. Traffic challenges were mentioned too; the building is proposed for two parking entrances off Avalon, and will have about one space for each unit. The project site spans five lots, four of which currently hold single-family homes.
Though West Seattle artist Debbie Numoto is gone, her art lives on – and it’s back at Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) for the holiday season. Here’s the announcement from Illusions:
They’re Baaaaack!
Illusions is proud to announce that we are again featuring the “Snowman” artwork of West Seattle resident (the late) Debbie Dawn Numoto. Debbie was a long time client and friend of Illusions, and for over a decade she has been our featured artist on our art walls during the holiday season. Many knew her because of her many years of employment at NW Art and Frame.
Realizing that her artwork is one of the most highly anticipated showings each year, her family has graciously offered to loan us some of her favorite pieces and framed originals belonging to friends & family. These will not be for sale but will be featured for the public to come and view during regular business hours through the end of December. Fortunately her family has also provided a LIMITED number of her SIGNED prints from her collection available for $25 each.
If you never saw her work please stop by. If you have pieces hanging on your walls, this will be a great opportunity for one last time to admire the incredible life she gave to her many other paintings. Illusions has been honored to be able to showcase her paintings and are thankful for what Debbie has brought to our community as an artist and as a friend.
Ms. Numoto died of cancer three months ago at the age of just 49; here’s the obituary published on WSB.
For those concerned about the big cuts looming in the state budget, Su Docekal sends word of “West Seattle Neighbors Against the Budget Cuts” gathering this Saturday “to do flyering to let people in this neighborhood know about the inhuman cuts that are being proposed for the upcoming special legislative session and about the protests that they can participate in.” The gathering is at noon Saturday at Salvadorean Bakery, 1719 SW Roxbury. She says they are looking ahead to “Occupy the Capitol,” a week of protests planned November 28-December 2. She says the demand will be:
— Oppose all cuts to jobs, services and education!
— Restore services, jobs and benefits by taxing corporations and the rich!
— Pressure the federal government to end U.S. wars and redirect military spending to the states!
If you want to find out more, you can contact Su at sudocekal@comcast.net or 206-953-5601.
The newest forecasts say snow showers are likely somewhere in the metro area tonight and tomorrow morning … but exactly where, they’re not sure. One WSB’er on Twitter claims to have seen a few flakes in this afternoon’s rain, and the National Weather Service backs that up. Here’s their newest “special weather statement.” The city also has issued its traditional “we’re ready” statement. Let us know if things get flaky where you are. As for right now, going into the evening commute – we’ve got a bit of a cloudbreak, so your drive/ride home just might be OK!
Though the plastic-bag fee/tax eventually got bagged, a new City Council move to get plastic bags out of the local waste stream is right around the corner. You’ve probably heard about it already; today we have a sneak peek at the proposal, thanks to a “Determination of Non-Significance” that landed in today’s semiweekly Land Use Information Bulletin. This is expected to be introduced in the City Council next week. The language in today’s notice would ban plastic and require stores to charge at least a nickel per paper bags – that would not be a tax, but would be kept by stores to help defray the cost of those bags. According to a story from the Seattle Times (WSB partner), people in our state city use almost 300 million plastic bags a year.
FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: The proposed bag-ban ordinance (read it here) is scheduled for its official unveiling at a news conference Monday afternoon.
Our previous report listed free dinners in West Seattle on Thanksgiving. Now, here’s YOUR chance to help people in need. Two local food banks are accepting turkeys and other food donations this weekend. First, from the West Seattle Food Bank:
Frozen turkeys and other food donations will be gratefully accepted at the West Seattle Food Bank on Saturday from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM and on Monday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Pull into our parking garage off Morgan St. just east of 35th Ave. SW [map]. Contact us at 206-932-9023 for additional hours for donations on site.
Also, donations can be accepted during the Turkey Bowl on Saturday from 5:30 PM-8:00 PM at West Seattle Bowl, 4505 39th Ave. SW.
We published the White Center Food Bank turkey-drive announcement earlier; they’re requesting frozen turkeys and chickens this Saturday, 9 am-7 pm, at their HQ, 10829 8th SW [map]. Here’s our original announcement, which also includes contact information if you want to find out about other dropoff hours.
One week till Thanksgiving, and we have word of three FOUR free dinners that day in West Seattle. Even if you don’t want/need to go, maybe someone you know does – so help get the word out! Note that one of these is asking both for advance RSVP, and also for volunteers:
YOUNGSTOWN CULTURAL ARTS CENTER: Philippia Goldsmith says they’re looking for “families who have no other place to go for the holidays and need/want to join other local families for a good meal.” Families, please RSVP ASAP to Renée at renee.hipp12@gmail.com. This dinner has some needs, too:
Volunteers to donate a side dish
Volunteers to help with set up and teardown of the space
Entertainment (mostly music and/or board games for the kiddos)
If you can help with any of those, e-mail Phillippia at phillippiagoldsmith@live.com. (Youngstown is at 4408 Delridge Way SW.)
THE HALL AT FAUNTLEROY: Once again this year, Tuxedoes and Tennis Shoes Catering is putting on its famous free community Thanksgiving meal. And as usual, they say they already have plenty of volunteers – BUT they welcome pies and cookies to be donated for dessert. You can start bringing them down the day before Thanksgiving, or that morning. The dinner will be noon-3 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California SW. Questions? 206-932-1059.
ST. JAMES ANNEX: On the south end of West Seattle – considered by some as the north end of White Center – Good News Christian Fellowship plans to offer a free Thanksgiving dinner, 1:30 to 5:00 pm, at St. James Annex, 9421 18th Avenue SW. All welcome, and they’re also welcoming “donations of food, cash, and clothing.” Contact Michael Spann at 206-854-2245 or michaelspann206@gmail.com to contribute (or inquire).
(added) WEST SEATTLE EAGLES: Just got word that the WS Eagles will again be having a free community Thanksgiving dinner: “Come and enjoy a mouth-watering homemade feast with your fellow West Seattleites. Dinner served from 2-5 PM. Everyone is welcome. Please use the door nearest the alleyway.” Their aerie is at 4426 California SW; call (206) 938-4426 with questions.
Any others? Let us know ASAP as our West Seattle Holidays page is almost ready to go up, and this information will all be there, along with other giving – and enjoying! – opportunities throughout the season. (editor@westseattleblog.com)
Just got word from Greg Whittaker at Mountain to Sound Outfitters/Alki Kayak Tours that his other enterprise is about to start its season:
The Seattle Ski Shuttle will be launching its 2011-2012 Season in coordination with the Crystal Mountain opening tomorrow.
This will be the 3rd year we have made the season opener at Crystal Mountain, and we have room for a limited number of riders to join us.
Call Mountain to Sound Outfitters @ 206-935-7669 to book your space on the ski shuttle, or sign up online @ www.seattleskishuttle.com.
How much snow is there at Crystal, you ask? Check their webcams!
(6/28/2011 photo courtesy Kathryn)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One of our periodic peeks into various court files to check on ongoing cases has just yielded news: There’s been a plea bargain in last June’s arson/domestic violence case in Gatewood. It happened three weeks ago, but we just spotted it now, and it does not appear anyone else has reported this yet. The fire happened on June 28th; the only person hurt was the defendant and home co-owner, 40-year-old John C. Siegel, whose injuries were later described as self-inflicted. He was found sitting outside the home as it burned.
The case drew extra citywide attention because Siegel had just gotten out of jail a month earlier after a plea bargain in a domestic-violence case that also yielded a charge of threatening a judge (as reported by Seattle Weekly). He is a lawyer and has been representing himself in this case, as he did in that one; the list of files in the four-month-old arson case is longer than many lists from cases that have been going on for years, and full of documents he wrote by hand while in jail (where he’s been since the fire). Here’s what we found out about Siegel’s plea bargain:Read More
Darlene shared the photo, writing, “How windy was it last might? The street light in front of our house fell over on our fence.” (She’s on the western side of Charlestown Hill.) Wind speed got into the 30s overnight, and it’s still a bit blustery now, but the weather focus is turning to the cooldown. Latest weather alert, issued early this morning, says tomorrow could bring a bit of snow in showers, but there’s more concern about low temperatures Saturday and Sunday mornings, and icy roads.
(Photo by Steve Mohundro, via the WSB Flickr group pool)
One week till Thanksgiving! From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
BANK PARTY: Umpqua Bank (WSB sponsor) in the Admiral District has been open a few weeks, but officially celebrates its grand opening today, 9 am – 6 pm, with local food and drink.
DELRIDGE DESC FUNDING: Joint Recommendations Committee considers Delridge DESC project’s county funding, 9:30 am, Mercer Community Center on Mercer Island (more information at delridgeforum.blogspot.com)
WEST SEATTLE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN: Want to learn how the “redistricting” of our state will change its political climate? Tim Ceis, Senate Democratic Appointee to the State Commission, speaks at the West Seattle Democratic Women luncheon meeting today at West Seattle Golf Course. Registration is from 11:15-11:30 am; program from 11:30 am-1 pm. $12/members; $15 nonmembers (or the minimum fee of $5, which includes coffee/tea and dessert). Call (206) 935-3216 to check on space availability.
GOT A BAND? MEET THE SKYLARK BOOKERS: From Skylark Café and Club: “Bands cancelled (tonight) so Skylark is doing a Meet & Greet with Jessie and Mackenzie, the booking agents. Bring your press kit and tell them about your band. 5-7 pm. Afterwards we will play vintage vinyl on the turntables and you will drink beer.”
COMMUNITY SAFETY COALITION: South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition meets to discuss crime and safety issues in the area, St. James Annex, 9421 18th SW, 6 pm.
UNDERSTANDING LONG TERM CARE OPTIONS: Seminar hosted by Merrill Gardens at West Seattle (WSB sponsor), 4611 35th SW, 6 pm. Having difficulty understanding which long-term-care option is best for you or your loved one? You are not alone! Local experts will be on hand to help you better understand the difference between retirement living, assisted living, adult family home and skilled nursing facilities. Check availability – call Colleen at (206) 932-5480.
METRO CHANGES: Second and final scheduled meeting to talk about Metro’s future and “restructuring” the route system in West Seattle, 6:30 pm, Madison Middle School (details here). Note that this is scheduled to be open-house format, as was the first meeting last week (WSB coverage here), so there is no presentation – Metro managers are taking comments and answering questions on a one-to-one basis.
DESIGN REVIEW: Southwest Design Review Board’s second meeting to consider 3261 SW Avalon Way, 6:30 pm at WS Senior Center (California/Oregon) – here’s our report about the first meeting back in July.
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Monthly meeting at 7 pm, Alki UCC (6112 SW Hinds).
‘BEAN’: Original family musical “Bean: The Musical Fruit” continues at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) tonight at 7. Tickets: Adults: $7; $5 student (present ID at will-call); $5 children 12 and under. Tells the tale of a character who just doesn’t quite fit in, finding her way in the world.
SHOP LATE THURSDAY: Happening Thursday nights in The Junction through the holidays. Till 9 pm; participating merchants are listed here.
AT CLICK! DURING ‘SHOP LATE THURSDAY’ TONIGHT: Poppi jeweler Dawn Benedetto and “Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook” author Kim O’Donnel at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. 6-9 pm.
Remember “Viadoom” week, when Seattle Police cited a couple dozen drivers for bus-lane violations on the West Seattle Bridge? According to the latest roundup on SPD Blotter, they were out looking again today, and cited 8 more. Speeders too – including 76 mph in the bridge’s 45 mph zone – and some school-zone citations elsewhere in West Seattle. Details here.
Two updates related to the “Delridge Supportive Housing” 75-apartment project that Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is seeking to build in the 5400 block of Delridge Way SW:
COUNTY FUNDING MEETING TOMORROW: While the city and state have committed funding to the project, the county’s final decision isn’t in yet. Tomorrow, the advisory group that makes recommendations to King County Executive Dow Constantine, the Regional Joint Recommendations Committee, will meet on Mercer Island. They were scheduled to decide last month, but deferred the decision after hearing from Delridge residents who came to their meeting to voice concerns. Tomorrow’s meeting is at 9;30 am at the Mercer Island Community Center, 8236 SE 24th Street. 10 people will be allowed to speak, according to North Delridge Neighborhood Council‘s Kirsten Smith.
NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL DISCUSSION: The project was a major topic of discussion at NDNC’s meeting on Monday night. Patrick Baer recapped the first Delridge Community Forum, last month’s big gathering about the project, saying it had “successes and failures,” amid “logistical issues we never expected,” but overall met the goal of providing information to the community.
As he noted, he and other DCF volunteers have continued in that role, posting copious quantities of material online at delridgeforum.blogspot.com – and if you’ve been looking into the issue and have come across information to share with the community, e-mail him at delridgeforum@gmail.com.
Meantime, NDNC’s Smith says they’re trying to set up a meeting shortly before the project’s first Design Review Board meeting (6:30 pm December 8th at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center), to provide community members with information on how the process works. Since there’s “limited public comment” at those meetings, Vonetta Mangaoang suggested a “letter-writing campaign.”
A gift from one school community to another is something that might not have become common knowledge – but in this case, the recipients let the Seattle Council PTSA and the district know about it, and that’s how we heard about it – we are publishing it with permission:
Last Thursday, November 10th, Roxhill fourth graders were treated to a Living Voices performance of Native Vision. Lisa Gladstone, a Blackfoot Indian from Browning, Montana did a remarkable job of engaging our students in the story of Alice, a Navajo girl sent to a government run boarding school in the 30’s and 40’s. Alice became a nurse in the Pacific during World War ll, struggling to keep true to her native culture in a changing world. Before the performance, Roxhill students had read about and discussed how native children fared in the boarding schools and had also learned about the contributions of the Navajo Code Talkers. Their rapt attention during the performance and perceptive questions afterward spoke to how valuable this performance was in enhancing their knowledge of a very complex subject.
I am writing to you because this performance was a gift to Roxhill, a gift from the PTSA of a neighboring West Seattle school, Schmitz Park. With more than 80% of our students on free and reduced lunch, Roxhill does not have the resources to pay for performances of this type. The Schmitz Park PTSA paid for the Living Voices performance at their school and gifted us with an additional performance. We at Roxhill would like to acknowledge this generous gift and applaud the Schmitz Park PTSA members for their dedication to the educational welfare of Seattle children who live beyond the boundaries of their own school.
We are deeply appreciative,
Pat Bliquez
Roxhill Teacher/LibrarianCarmela Dellino
Roxhill Principal
Thanks to Melissa for the tip: Via Facebook, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt has just announced that its Admiral store will open next Monday, November 21st. We first reported in July that Menchie’s was planning to take one of the new retail spaces on the northwest side of the new Admiral Safeway site.
We’ve obtained a 37-page federal court document related to Tuesday’s DEA search at GAME Collective in White Center (one of a dozen-plus medical-marijuana establishments searched around Puget Sound) – and they reveal that federal authorities obtained search warrants for GAME Collective locations in West Seattle and North Seattle as well, along with the West Seattle home and car of its owner, and vehicles belonging to others associated with GAME.
The documents reiterate what statements from federal authorities said last night (as included in our Tuesday story), saying that they are not targeting “medical marijuana providers that comply with the letter and the spirit of existing state law,” though marijuana of any type is illegal under federal law. But they allege that five people associated with GAME Collective are suspected of federal crimes including conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distribution of marijuana , and unlawful possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The documents allege that constitutes a “drug-trafficking organization.”
The court documents also show a tie-in between the GAME investigation and the recent “Operation Center of Attention” raids, as well as detailing a series of undercover buys, and even mentioning a mysterious anonymous letter. The investigation of GAME Collective began in late July, at which time, an investigator writes:Read More
You can be forgiven for blocking out the Fauntleroy Expressway Seismic Retrofit Project updates back when Viadoom was looming/semi-happening – but now that it’s over, it’s time to refocus on the work under way on the half-mile southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge. Quick refresher: This project has been under way UNDER the west end of the high bridge, without much effect on traffic, but its next phase will involve lifting sections of the bridge deck – and the ensuing closures (promised to be only at night, and some weekends) WILL affect traffic. When consultant Josh Stepherson was making the rounds of community-group meetings to talk about this, the most recent timeframe he had for these closures to start was “mid-November.” Now that’s here, so we asked him for an update:
The contractor’s plan to lift segments of the Fauntleroy Expressway and replace the bridge bearing pads, as well as, the traffic control plan for the expressway closures has yet to be finalized. As a result, the first expressway closure will take place sometime in December and not November as discussed earlier. Though this work is beginning a bit later than we had originally expected, we do not anticipate it will affect our overall schedule. … In the meantime work continues out on the site to repair some of the expressway’s columns and footings. This is the work that can be seen now if you were to drive by the site.
The project has been in the works for more than two years (here’s what we wrote about it in 2009).
They’re new to the WSB sponsor team but a longtime fixture in West Seattle: Menashe & Sons Jewelers.
Just as the holiday season gets under way, Menashe & Sons invites you to a special evening sale event at the store this Friday, 5-9 pm, with refreshments. More on that later. Here’s what they would like you to know about their business:
Menashe & Sons is the premier fine jeweler in West Seattle, specializing in custom creations and unique jewelry pieces. Since opening our doors in 1973, we have served our Seattle community with an enthusiastic commitment to selling beautiful and quality jewelry pieces. Our full-service store strives to provide all your appraisal and repair needs for jewelry, watches, and clocks. Our dedicated staff will take the time to work with you to ensure you are satisfied in every possible way. (Meet them here.) Menashe & Sons also is proud to offer you the opportunity to create your own unique custom masterpiece. We will work with you to turn your dream jewelry into reality. (Read about the custom-jewelry process, and see photos, here.) Menashe & Sons also is proud to have one of the largest estate jewelry inventories in the state of Washington (as detailed here).
You can follow Menashe & Sons Jewelers on Facebook (here) and Twitter (here). Please also feel free to browse our website and see what we can offer you.
Now, more about the Friday 5-9 pm: Along with “a little bubbly and good cheer,” they’ll be serving hors d’oeuvres and Bakery Nouveau carrot cake. You’ll find Menashe & Sons Jewelers at 4532 California SW; by phone, 206-932-4272.
We thank Menashe & Sons Jewelers for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
10:55 AM: Proposed rezoning for the West Seattle Triangle – and adjacent areas – is going before the City Council’s Committee on the Built Environment during the meeting that’s under way right now (the meeting started at 9, but they had a big agenda). You can watch the live video feed here – click “play”:
Here’s the presentation they’re being shown about the proposed rezoning, which would rezone some parts of the Triangle/east Junction area to allow 85-foot-high buildings, as well as changing an even-larger area from “commercial” to “neighborhood commercial” zoning, which doesn’t change the height but does change expectations at street level, for example. The Triangle Advisory Committee did not endorse the upzoning, as council staffers are noting in the briefing, but DPD council staff is recommending expanding that upzoning beyond what had previously been discussed. You can read their extensive memo here. It mentions a bombshell dropped recently by the Seattle Planning Commission, which suggested that the concept of a “single iconic tower of 160 feet or more” be considered for the Fauntleroy/Alaska vicinity. That is NOT currently part of the rezoning proposal, but something to keep an eye out for. We’ll add some notes once the meeting is over.
11:51 AM: Meeting’s over. Council staff will draft a bill to be voted on by the committee on November 30th if possible (the sentiment expressed was that they would “like to get this wrapped up by the end of the year” – watch the agendas here). West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen expressed concerns about zoning in the area of 40th/Oregon, where he expressed appreciation for old bungalows that have townhouses built behind them; he thought that was a more appropriate and “pleasant, unique” use of the land than changing the zoning so those bungalows are all facing demolition and replacement with what he called “schlocky townhouses.” Council President Richard Conlin said he wanted to be sure the “canyon effect” – taller buildings, both sides of the street – wasn’t going to result from changes here. Councilmember Sally Clark (the committee’s chair) said she favors DPD’s proposal and appreciated the firsthand look she got during a recent Triangle walking tour (WSB coverage here). Conlin and Councilmember O’Brien said they’ll probably come out this way for their own firsthand looks.
One other thing discussed, the issue of “hide and ride” parking – Clark said that was raised during the walking tour, and she supports the proposal to have SDOT study the area for potential parking regulation to reduce that possibility.
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