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  • Closure

    LOW-BRIDGE CLOSURE: Continues today

  • Comeback

    DOUGHNUT COMEBACK: West Seattle return

  • Sale day

    WS GARAGE SALE DAY 5/11: Register by Thursday 4/25!

Magazine spotlight for West Seattle’s own Hotwire Coffee
September 27, 2009 4:24 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

The latest edition of Costco Connection features an article on the book whose author Robert Spector spoke in The Junction this past week, “The Mom and Pop Store.” And the big photo that goes with the article shows one of the West Seattle entrepreneurs mentioned in the book, Lora Lewis from Hotwire Coffee (WSB’s 1st-ever sponsor), who says it’s her first-ever national spotlight! See the story here.

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From West Seattle waters: A crabby mystery
September 27, 2009 2:44 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

That photo is from “Kona” Greg, who works at Alki Kayak Tours (different Greg from the boss), and wants to know what a king crab was doing in 3-foot deep water off Duwamish Head – or, if that’s not a king crab (which usually roam Alaskan waters), what was it? he wonders:

I was out on a tour Friday Sept 18th and spotted this critter near the Duwamish Head channel marker. I had a guest from Penn. with me. We were in about 3 feet of water and she spotted a crab and asked me what kind it was? I could not believe my eyes when I looked down. It sure looks like a King crab to me. I am wondering if anyone has ever seen a King in Elliott Bay, or has information on what this is if it in fact is not a King. I am in, on, or under water here ALL the time and have been for the last 5 years. I have never seen anything like this. Plus as a PADI divemaster I have over 200 dives right here in West Seattle.

Here’s the other photo he sent:

The only kind of “king crab” that’s supposed to be in Puget Sound is this one – pretty but doesn’t resemble Greg’s photos at all.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Musician/entrepreneur’s car broken into
September 27, 2009 2:21 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

(Saturday photo by Kevin McClintic)
On our way into the “Nickelsville” homeless encampment at T-107 Park yesterday afternoon to cover its “1st anniversary” open house, we met Jason Douros, co-owner of Revolution Coffee, which also had a big event yesterday – its re-grand-opening as a nonprofit. While talking with Jason, we admired the small battery-powered amp he was carrying, and he told us he’d been bringing it to the encampment weekly for music/church events. Then today, this note:

Just wanted to let you know, ironically, that my car was broken into this morning at my home here in West Seattle in the alley of 48th ST. [Admiral District] They broke my rear window out and stole the Bass and Amp I use to play down there (red Yamaha Electric Bass with a missing D string and a Roland Microcube RX amp).

No insurance to cover the window or the guitar. Dumb luck I guess, but at least I don’t have to replace the string.

Kevin McClintic happened to have sent us a photo of the musicians playing at yesterday’s event — that’s Jason, with the amp, second from left.

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Side note to developer Mastro’s bankruptcy: Investors’ losses
September 27, 2009 12:47 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from August 2009)
One month ago, we noted that the owner of that idled 35th/Avalon (map) development, Michael Mastro, had been forced into Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Today, the Seattle Times (WSB partner) reports on other casualties in the situation: His “Friends and Family” investors. Here’s the story. Proceedings in Mastro’s case continue later this fall; his West Seattle holdings also include the LLC that owns a parcel near the south end of Harbor Ave (proposed for a development called Aqua Bella) and the parent company of the West Water apartment-condo-apartment complex in Morgan Junction.

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Update: Search ends in Highland Park
September 27, 2009 11:56 am
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

(Photo added 12:07 pm)
On our way to the 9000 block of 11th SW (map), where police and fire have responded to an “assault with weapons” call. More details as soon as we get them. 12:03 PM UPDATE: We’ve arrived in the area and police are looking for a suspect so we’re being kept back. Still working to get details on what happened. Huge police presence, at least half a dozen cars. 12:07 PM: Just heard via scanner that it’s a “GSW” (gunshot wound) – they have just let paramedics past the police line. No official word on the circumstances, so far, and we will add the caveat that information does evolve and change. 12:19 PM UPDATE: And in fact, the information has evolved: We’re told at the scene that they’re no longer looking for anyone – they have found a victim of what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Still working to make sure no one else was involved and will add whatever else we find out.

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Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run 2009, report #1: The first finishers
September 27, 2009 10:42 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Those are the top male and female finishers from this morning’s Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run, benefiting Northwest Hope and Healing, which helps newly diagnosed breast-cancer patients. (The official results aren’t online yet but via loudspeaker, he was identified as Brett Kapels, who finished 3rd last year, and she’s Regina Joyce.) This is the second year for the 5K, which previously had been a half-marathon; the West Seattleite who is NWHH’s executive director, Shari Sewell, told us they’d counted 1,298 signups by race time – up 30% from last year’s 1,000 participants. Brisk but beautiful morning. We’re processing our traditional video clip of EVERYONE at the start of the race and will publish that separately later. But first, a few more photos – first, right after the starting horn sounded:

A big group rounds the first bend onto the Alki bike path:

HUGE amount of volunteer help makes this happen – from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle volunteers with the stop signs:

… to the volunteers in the water booth, bundling up against the chilly breeze:

More later! (P.S. Thanks to Facebook friends – find us at facebook.com/westseattleblog – for pointing out that first finisher Brett Kapels is Hope Lutheran School‘s athletic director.) PPS – Here’s our video of everybody taking off – will feature it as an embed in the followup report when results are available.

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Happening today: Alki Beach 5K; Farmers’ Market; Tibbetts
September 27, 2009 6:03 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle Farmers' Market | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

ALKI BEACH 5K WALK/RUN: More than 1,200 people are signed up, we hear – and you can still do same-day registration if you get to Alki Bathhouse at 8 am. The run (from the Bathhouse to Anchor Park, and back) benefits Northwest Hope and Healing, which supports newly diagnosed breast-cancer patients as they struggle to continue the practicalities of life while dealing with their new fight for survival. (We’ll be tweeting pre- and during-race photos at @westseattleblog – you don’t have to be on Twitter to see a Twitter feed, just click that link.)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, 44th/Alaska, and watch @NFMASeattle on Twitter for tidbits once the market opens. (No Ripe and Ready list online today, sorry!)

TIBBETTS CENTENNIAL SERVICE: It’s been a big year for West Seattle churches celebrating 100th anniversaries, and the big party for Tibbetts United Methodist Church is today: Regional Bishop Grant Hagiya will preside at the 10 am service, during which former pastors will be recognized, and a gala banquet will follow the service. More here (including the latest on plans for the church’s next big rummage sale, in early October).

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Site note: Testing Bing “site search”
September 27, 2009 12:33 am
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle online

The Google site-search feature we’ve been using for a while is far from perfect – though we’re still Google fans in general, it seems that Microsoft‘s Bing is on the ascendancy, so we’re testing its site search instead. What you’ll notice if you try the new (unlabeled – that’s how MSFT coded it) search box (top of sidebar) is that your search will open a popup that stretches across the center of the WSB page you’re on, with two tabs – the default is the WSB search for your term, and if you click the WEB tab, it’ll show you web-wide results for your search. Let us know what you think; it’s an easy switch back if you think the Google box worked better. (And if you’re looking for something you’ve seen in our forum, including the keyword forum in your search will help find it.)

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Road-rage report – from bicyclist towing 2-year-old daughter
September 26, 2009 11:54 pm
|      43 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | West Seattle news

Just out of the WSB inbox, a road-rage report – from a bicyclist who was towing his 2-year-old daughter uphill in the new California SW bicycle lane in Gatewood. Read on:Read More

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Fall chill in the air – can you spare a coat for a foster child?
September 26, 2009 11:10 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Even when the days are warm, the nights are now cool, and you’ve probably at least thought about bringing your sweaters and coats to the front of the closet. Maybe you can take it a step further – and get a coat to somebody who can’t afford one. At Sleep Country USA in Westwood Village, the annual Coat Drive for Foster Kids is under way now through November 1st. As the official announcement from Sleep Country puts it, “many foster kids arrive with only the clothes on their backs.” You can donate “new coats in every shape and size” at any Sleep Country USA store; the one at Westwood Village is in the section of the center anchored by Bed Bath Beyond. Or, you can donate through PayPal and Sleep Country will use the $ to buy coats (here’s the link). Want to know more? 888-88-SLEEP.

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Community Harvest: 1 house, 306 pounds of donated grapes
September 26, 2009 9:23 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

You’ve no doubt heard by now about Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle, which has been harvesting local produce, particularly fruit, with volunteer help, for donation to local food banks. One homeowner made what turned out to be a really big donation, and shared this note she got from Aviva at Community Harvest after 11 volunteers stopped by to pick grapes two days ago:

“I just dropped off the grapes at the food bank. 306 pounds!! Can you believe it? I would have to say that it is the highest yield/house this season, not to mention that the tree owners (kids included!) were the most fun. This has been a great way to end (well, almost end) the season – and puts us at 6400 pounds – just 100 away from our goal.”

The homeowner/grape donor (who also shared these photos, including that one of a volunteer with a big box of the grapes) added:

So, if your yard has some fruit that you aren’t going to use, please contact Aviva so they can reach the 6500 pound goal! Speaking as the homeowner who donated grapes yesterday, I can personally attest that these people are wonderful– they come to your place, pick and bag the fruit, then take it away. That is about as easy (for the homeowner, lol) as it gets! No more wasted fruit, no nasty mush in the yard, and best of all, lots of good fruit for the food bank.

Contact info for Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle is online at gleanit.org.

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SODO traffic alert: 4th Avenue repairs update
September 26, 2009 7:40 pm
|    Comments Off on SODO traffic alert: 4th Avenue repairs update
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Transportation

If you heard about emergency repair work on 4th Avenue S. and worried that it would affect going to tomorrow’s football game, or commuting beyond, there’s good news tonight – read on:Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stadium scare
September 26, 2009 5:43 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Thanks to Brenda for e-mailing to ask what we knew about an incident at West Seattle Stadium earlier today, reported to her by a witness; we just checked with the Seattle Police media unit and here’s what they found out: A man in the stands at noon today during a youth football game spotted a man “with whom he had an ongoing disagreement,” as Det. Mark Jamieson put it, and pointed a gun at that man. Others apparently tried to intervene. No shots were fired and nobody was hurt; police were called, but the two men were both gone before they arrived. Witnesses had a description of the car in which the man with the gun left; Det. Jamieson says a car matching that description was stopped in the 6900 block of Delridge (about 2 miles away; map), but the suspect wasn’t in it. Nobody arrested or hurt, and police didn’t find the gun, but Brenda says the witness told her game was stopped for a while as all this played out.

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West Seattle High School Class of 1999 reunion tonight!
September 26, 2009 5:06 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle High School Class of 1999 reunion tonight!
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Just got a reminder note – West Seattle High School Class of 1999 (yearbook photos above) reunion is tonight at Mission, 8 pm. FREE to WSHS grads and family/friends. It’s a time/location change from the original plan, so they want to be sure everybody got the word.

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Happening now: Open house/1st anniversary at “Nickelsville”
September 26, 2009 4:17 pm
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news

Dozens of visitors – many also with cameras and notepads – are at the West Seattle homeless encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” right now (Terminal 107 Park), for a “1st birthday” open house presented by its residents and sponsors, also intended as a fundraiser – a rep from the sponsoring organization Veterans For Peace told visitors it takes $1,000/month just for the portable toilets they rent. (We’ll add video later.) You can see them in the background of this photo we took today:

After a few speeches, including reminiscences about the past year since more than two dozen people were arrested at the encampment’s original site on city property at Highland Park Way/West Marginal Way, there was a slide show with photos and newspaper clippings telling the same story:

The encampment has been at T-107 Park, which is port property, for two months (here’s our story about their arrival). The port says time’s run out and they need to clear out by Wednesday; encampment organizers say they won’t go. Perhaps as a hint of what’s to come, we saw two port officers walking the periphery just as we arrived a few minutes after 3:

As far as we could see, they stayed outside the orange webbing that surrounds the encampment; we didn’t see them in the group that gathered to listen to speeches and watch the slide show. The event is expected to continue for the next few hours if you want to go see the encampment for yourself.

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WSB Extra: A south-downtown project to watch
September 26, 2009 2:00 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway

By Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Any West Seattle resident who commutes past the baseball and football stadiums probably keeps track of home-game schedules to avoid sitting in the thick of a traffic jam.

So what’s the traffic going to be like when Nitze-Stagen adds nearly 1,000 apartments, condominiums and row houses, offices and shops on the north half of the parking lot at Qwest Field?

Where are you going to park when you go to a game?

And what happens to the tailgate parties?

Read More

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Alki Beach 5K tomorrow – register today at CAPERS
September 26, 2009 12:27 pm
|    Comments Off on Alki Beach 5K tomorrow – register today at CAPERS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Online registration is closed for tomorrow’s Alki Beach 5K Walk/Run (WSB sponsor) to benefit breast-cancer patients through Northwest Hope and Healing – BUT if you’re not already signed up, you can do it at CAPERS in The Junction till 2 pm. (Same-day signups start at 8 at Alki Bathhouse tomorrow; the 5K starts at 9 am.)

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Attention, artists: Last call to “Have a Seat at the Table”
September 26, 2009 8:01 am
|    Comments Off on Attention, artists: Last call to “Have a Seat at the Table”
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

With the White Center Food Bank‘s annual Harvest Dinner/Auction less than a month away, it’s “last call” time for artists who can decorate chairs to donate in the “Have a Seat at the Table” portion of the auction. Lynne Ingalls says, “There may still be some chairs available free for artists to decorate, otherwise, choose your own … they must be completed and submitted by October 10.” You can contact her at btrees@comcast.net or 206-933-2547 to get a chair (and more information). And regardless of whether you’re an artist, you are welcome to attend the October 17th event and support the food bank, which serves part of West Seattle as well as all of White Center: Call 206-762-2848 for tickets, or go to www.whitecenterfoodbank.org.

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West Seattle CoolMom searches for gardenable spot for 350.org
September 26, 2009 6:07 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Gardening | How to help | West Seattle news

That’s a simulation of what West Seattle CoolMom and other area environmental groups hope to muster enough people to create at Seattle Center in a month, as part of the 350.org Day of Action. And CoolMom’s Terri Glaberson says her group is looking for the perfect spot to do something smaller, closer to home, too:

In recognition and support of 350.org International Day of Action taking place on October 24th, West Seattle CoolMom is trying to locate a plot of land that could be home to 350 square feet of garden. The idea is to create a new garden space for a local business, school or church so that the community can benefit from an ongoing working garden. Instead of CoolMom trying to locate this land by searching ourselves, we thought of asking the community for help.

What we would like is to have the community raise their hand in offering this plot of land to CoolMom so that we may establish a garden, but with understanding that this land would be maintained after October 24th by the owners of the land.

If you can suggest a site for this garden, e-mail Terri at admin@coolmom.org. And she invites you to make plans to be part of the big “350” at Seattle Center, 2 pm October 24:

The event includes exhibitors, speakers, live feed of neighborhood action events, the cities new carbon calculator-created to be user friendly for families, and a large photo op of a “three”, “five” and “zero” near the fountain. We are going to need a lot of folks to come out to form these numbers, but more importantly we want people to get involved and learn about climate change and what each individual can do to make a difference in his or her community.

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Tonight’s high-school football: All three West Seattle schools win
September 25, 2009 10:12 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle video | WS & Sports

After scoring its first win in two years last week, Chief Sealth High School (2-2) has now won two games in a row, winning at Ingraham tonight, 21-14. West Seattle High School (3-1) won big over Nathan Hale at Southwest Athletic Complex, 40-7, and Seattle Lutheran (2-2) beat Concrete on the road, 25-12. We’ll add details, and video from the in-town games, shortly.

ADDED 11:35 PM: First, the Wildcats (covered by Patrick): West Seattle shook off last week’s loss to O’Dea and defeated Nathan Hale 40-7 on a night that saw lots of big plays. The Wildcats had an explosive second quarter, running up 28 points before the half. In that quarter, running back Nikko Emm had 78 of the 97 yards he’d finish the night with. Hale’s only drive before halftime was disrupted by Markeem Adams, who came up out of his defensive back position to intercept Hale quarterback Travis Wilson and take it down to the 12-yard line, which led to Danny Phan scoring on the next play. It was not Adams’ only big play of the night — here, just after the start of the third quarter, he scores on a 52 yard pass play.

After the game, West Seattle coach Davis Lura talked about how his team came together tonight.

On the night, WSHS had 178 yards rushing on 20 carries, with 221 yards passing. Markeem Adams finished the night with 122 yards and two touchdowns, while Nikko Emm had nine carried for 97 yards and one touchdown.

From the Sealth game (covered in part by Tracy): We hadn’t originally planned to go up to Ingraham but changed our mind and headed north to see how the Seahawks were doing in the followup to last week’s win over Cleveland. When we arrived in the second quarter, the score was 14-13 Ingraham, but it wasn’t long before Sealth took the lead with a touchdown followed by a 2-point conversion – we caught the TD on Flip video, from a distance:

With that, the score was 21-14 Sealth, and that’s how it remained for the duration of the game. Stat highlight: Senior quarterback Daniel Davis had 1 TD passing, 1 TD rushing. As for the SLHS game – here are some game stats from our partners at the Seattle Times.

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Well-known West Seattle DJ Marty Riemer out at The Mountain
September 25, 2009 7:15 pm
|      144 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Radio’s a rough business. Your editor here spent a few years as a DJ long ago and experienced the classic case of getting fired after your show, with no good explanation except “we’re making a change.” According to this story published tonight at seattletimes.com (WSB partner), that’s what happened today to well-known DJ Marty Riemer, a West Seattleite, along with his on-air partner Jodi Brothers, who told The Times, “”The Marty Riemer Show has temporarily relocated to Alki, where Marty and I will be drinking coffee in the morning.” On his Facebook page, which is full of comments from outraged fans, Riemer replied to one of them, “You are so right about Facebook being able to soften the blow of a radio ending. There was a time when from one day to the next a radio personality would disappear and you’d never know what happened to them. Silver lining :-)” He’d been with the station a dozen years, which is a remarkably long tenure in radio.

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4 new West Seattle traffic cameras, plus bridge cams explained
September 25, 2009 6:54 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle online

Several people have e-mailed us recently to ask why the city’s West Seattle Bridge cameras – including the one we’ve had linked in our sidebar for a long time – just don’t seem to show the traffic any more (example above). We in turn asked SDOT‘s communications chief Richard Sheridan, and also threw in an inquiry about the status of additional cameras that had been in the works for West Seattle. Here’s his reply, including news of 4 new cameras on the way (we had reported plans for 3 more in May but looks like one’s joined the list):

The (bridge) structure’s north and south side cameras are controlled using wireless operation and have proven to be unreliable. The south side camera will be upgraded with a fiber optic control system as part of a larger project that starts next week. So your readers will be able to see bridge images shortly. We also want a fiber optic system for the north side and are trying to find money in this year’s budget for it.

With the work underway next week, we will install two other West Seattle cameras beyond the south bridge camera. They will be at Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Cloverdale (near Lincoln Park/Fauntleroy Ferry) and at the West Seattle Bridge near the pull-out by the [Walking on Logs] sculpture (east of the pedestrian overpass.)

Two other cameras will be installed in early- to mid-October and will be operational in November (along with several other locations not in West Seattle.) Those cameras will be located at SW Alaska St and 42nd Ave SW, and SW Alaska and California Ave SW.

So we’ll take the bridge-cam link out of the sidebar till SOMETHING is working – and will keep an eye out for those extra cameras. Here’s the city page where you can find all SDOT cams; the state cams (I-5 etc.) are separate, and can be found here; the county’s cams are here. We’ll also update the WSB Traffic page when those new/fixed ones come online.

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Got popcorn? Buy it from West Seattle Boy Scouts!
September 25, 2009 5:03 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

From left, that’s Callan (5th grade) and Trent (3rd grade) from West Seattle’s Boy Scout Troop 284 (celebrating its 94th anniversary this year!) stationed outside West Seattle Thriftway till 6 tonight, selling popcorn and trail mix. We went over to check out the sale after Suzanne e-mailed WSB to let everyone know it’s time for this fundraiser (which will be happening for the next few weeks all over West Seattle):

It’s that time again. You’ll see a whole bunch of Scouts selling popcorn, caramel corn, chocolate covered popcorn, cheese popcorn, unpopped popcorn (both airpopper/stove top and microwave varieties) and trail mix at various grocery store locations throughout West Seattle. Don’t like popcorn or can’t eat but still want to support your local scouts? You can make a donation to buy popcorn for the troops and have your popcorn sent to those serving our country. Popcorn sales last for the month of October. Thank you West Seattle for your support.

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