West Seattle, Washington

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Spotlight Stories


  • Closure

    LOW-BRIDGE CLOSURE: Starts on Saturday

  • New

    NEW BUSINESSES: Coffee and wine moving in

  • Sale day

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

Three West Seattle school notes: Lafayette, Sealth, WSMS
November 25, 2008 9:40 am
|    Comments Off on Three West Seattle school notes: Lafayette, Sealth, WSMS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY: No heat today, according to a note sent to parents, after an apparent boiler breakdown. They were planning to bring in 30 space heaters “for the coldest areas.” School’s out early today for parent/teacher conferences (1:05 pm). We’ll check later on how repairs are going.

CHIEF SEALTH HIGH SCHOOL: The music program is raising money with a poinsettia sale. $15 for a 12-inch plant, to be delivered Dec. 8th; call 206-243-4081 to order one (or more!).

WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI SCHOOL: It’s still looking for donations for its December 5th fundraising auction, which is particularly crucial this year because WSMS is renovating its new White Center space (its landlord sold the site to Harbor Properties, which is building Link on that parcel and the ex-Huling site to the east) in hopes of making the move during winter break – read on to see what Sandra Kutz-Russell tells us they are looking for (including help with some of the move – they even need to move a special tree!):Read More

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Alki Homestead update: Owner says he’s found a buyer
November 25, 2008 3:01 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Alki Homestead | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

We reported back in March that the Alki Homestead restaurant was on the market – the restaurant, not the building. Now, there’s word from owner Tom Lin that he’s found a buyer:

I believe we have found the right buyer for Alki Homestead Restaurant. It is a husband and wife team who live near Fauntleroy Ferry in West Seattle. They were voted as one of the up and coming chefs in Seattle by Seattle Magazine. If the deal goes through, they will take over the restaurant early next year and close it down for few months during the remodeling.

The name will still be Alki Homestead Restaurant and the tradition will be kept alive. It has been very challenging for me the past few years as I am not a restaurateur. My general manager Chris Long has done a tremendous job at maintaining the family-style dining at Alki Homestead.

The potential new owners are now working on the architectural drawing. Alki Homestead will be getting a facelift next year. I truly believe it will be a better place after all (is) said and done.

Lin posted that to the Alki Beach Community Yahoo! Group earlier this morning, and since his note to that group ended with a question about how to post it here, we have taken the liberty of going ahead and re-posting. We also have a followup question out to him, seeking more information about the prospective buyers – online research shows one Seattle chef couple getting a lot of media attention as up-and-comers, but so far we haven’t found any indication of West Seattle residency, so it may not be them. The other followup question – whether the sale is indeed for the business and not the century-old building, which is how it was originally listed (the building itself is an official Seattle city landmark; Lin bought it two and a half years ago, a year and a half after longtime owner Doris Nelson died. Back in April, the Homestead sold off some of its art, crystal, and other items (WSB coverage here). 9:54 AM UPDATE: Just got a note back from Tom Lin – he explains he wants to “keep the buyer’s name anonymous as the deal is not totally sealed yet,” but he wanted to get the word of an impending deal out so that people could enjoy the Homestead for the holidays, before the aforementioned temporary closure next year, and he reiterates the prospective buyer “intend(s) to keep the name and style of food.”

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Happening tonight: Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership
November 25, 2008 1:26 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

Because we publish in “blog format,” always the newest item on top, breaking news sometimes pushes other important stories down the page (a lot like our former work in TV news, where a certain story may be an upcoming newscast’s planned “lead” till something big happens just before news time, and suddenly that former “lead” doesn’t see air till five minutes in). This happened on Saturday – we had just published this item about the Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership and the survey it’s hoping all West Seattle parents will take, when we found out – via a Twitter message from a West Seattleite – about the Southcenter shooting, which dominated the news here and elsewhere the rest of the night. So we want to remind you about that survey again (take it here, right now) — part of a unique effort to fight childhood/teen drinking — and reiterate the invitation to a meeting tonight: The Southwest Healthy Youth Partnership needs more people power to help West Seattle kids stay booze-free; bring your ideas and interest to the Southwest Library branch tonight (Tuesday), 6-8 pm (or if you can’t go but would like to find out more, e-mail Renae Gaines, rtgaines@seattleschools.org).

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West Seattle scene: Two kinds of night lights
November 24, 2008 11:56 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea

(photo copyright Eric Shalit)
Thanks to Eric Shalit for sharing that photo he took around 6:20 tonight while bicycling home past Seacrest.

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Highland Park Action Committee chair to run for City Council
November 24, 2008 9:36 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

First of two reports from tonight’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting: The group’s fireball chair Dorsol Plants (left; 8/08 photo courtesy Dina Johnson) announced he’s not running for re-election — because he’s going to jump into another election: He’s planning to run for one of the four Seattle City Council seats that will be on the ballot next year. Plants tells WSB he hasn’t decided which one — he wants to be an advocate for “the south end,” which he says has been represented thus far (though council members are elected “at large,” NOT by district) by Richard McIver, who’s not expected to run for re-election. (The other three whose terms expire next year: Nick Licata, Jan Drago, and council president Richard Conlin.) Plants has served as HPAC chair since this past spring, when the announcement of two possible city jail sites (now down to one) near Highland Park forced the group to rise to a new level of activism – though at the time, it was without a chair. While Plants has not previously held elected office, he notes that in addition to serving as HPAC chair during a time of intense lobbying and multiple public-speaking appearances because of the jail-sites fight (check our coverage archive for examples), he also has leadership experience as a veteran of the U.S. Army. The formal filing isn’t till next June, but Plants says he’s already doing paperwork, forming a committee and obtaining a campaign manager, and will have a website up soon.(HPAC’s other three officers also indicated tonight that they will step aside for new leadership; the group received some nominations and will keep that process open till elections at the next HPAC meeting January 26th – more on that in our second report later.)

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Thanksgiving forecast update
November 24, 2008 8:02 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to WSB’er “Hopey” for sending that photo of tonight’s sunset. The latest forecast suggests we may not see such nice weather for a few more days – Thanksgiving is now projected as cloudy with a chance of rain; as you know if you’ve lived here more than 5 minutes, it’s a tough place to forecast – so we checked to see what’s been written by the often-right-on-the-money meteorologists with whom we used to work at Channel 13 – tonight Walter Kelley writes (halfway down this page) “a few showers near the mountains or coast but no storm.” For the official kickoff to shopping season Friday, “mostly cloudy but pleasant” (the Holiday Happenings page will have the latest on early store openings, etc.; we’ll have that info finalized by tomorrow).

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Stopping the violence: One councilmember’s thoughts
November 24, 2008 5:52 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle politics

The Seattle City Council and King County Council both took final budget votes today (city news release here, county news release here); no last-minute drama – that was all worked out last week. Many of those councilmembers also send out newsletters, and one of them, Seattle City Councilmember Tim Burgess (left), followed up his budget note with his thoughts on what should be done to help stop the youth violence that flared in a particularly ugly, and deadly, way this past weekend – in several incidents including the Southcenter shooting. We wanted to share what he has to say – his voice is particularly loud in this matter, as he chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee:Read More

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From partner site White Center Now: Jim Diers has advised Obama
November 24, 2008 5:33 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle people | White Center

(WSB video from Jim Diers’ speech at May 4, 2008, Sustainable West Seattle Festival)
One of our fellow contributors at White Center Now, Ricardo from Cafe Rozella, reports he’s learned that Seattle neighborhood-activism guru Jim Diers — who he says is a Rozella regular — has consulted with President-Elect Obama‘s administration on urban affairs. Here’s Ricardo’s report. (Edited Tuesday to clarify that Diers has met once with the incoming administration.)

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White Christmas already: Tony’s is 1st to open (flocking and all)
November 24, 2008 3:59 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news | Westwood

That’s the legendary Tony, of Tony’s Produce and – this time of year – Tony’s Christmas Trees, applying flocking to one of said trees. We went by after Sandra e-mailed the tip (following up on our earlier mention of tree lots in progress) that they were open (1st one in West Seattle that we know of). Tony says they’re there 9 am-9 pm daily, starting now (35th/Barton, here’s a map). We also have updates on two of the Christmas tree spots we mentioned earlier: “West Seattle Bros” on Alaska west of Fauntleroy will open Friday, and West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor) will start selling trees Friday too. ADDED LATER: Skyline Secure Park will have “Christmas Trees on Alki” again this year, entrance across from the Harbor Ave 7-11, also opening Friday.

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Fauntleroy Creek salmon watch wrapup: One lone coho
November 24, 2008 3:19 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | Wildlife

cohosalmon.jpgHere’s the Fauntleroy Creek fall coho watch wrapup from Judy Pickens, who also just reported these results to government agencies for their tracking purposes:

We closed Salmon Watch 2008 today with a grand total of one coho spawner (code name “Hillary”), who appeared on Nov. 8 in the fish ladder and waited in vain for a mate. We didn’t see any cutthroat or pesky river otter.

During this return season, fishers reported seeing a few coho in the cove but also sea lions and seals, plus tribal purse seiners along the West Seattle peninsula. Creek conditions were excellent (at least .7′ of water at the gauge), and rains were periodic and generous.

Our watch ran Oct. 27 to Nov. 24 and involved 16 volunteers. They recorded some 35 visitors at the fish-ladder viewpoint or creekside.

As we reported this time last year, the 2007 salmon watch counted 90 — the 2006 salmon watch, zero. Here’s hoping for a better year in 2009.

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West Seattle scenes: Crunched car; new tree lot
November 24, 2008 12:52 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | Transportation | West Seattle news

Fauntleroy Way has its radar speed signs … and it has other reminders of the perils of the road, like this car with a smashed-in rear end. We spotted it along the south-of-Alaska stretch (the one proposed for repaving and reconfiguration) a few days ago but don’t have the story behind it (yet); Scott M suggested it was worth a photo, so here it is. Will be checking again shortly to see if it’s been towed yet. Not far away, Mike J spotted this new Christmas tree lot getting set up on Alaska, between Howden-Kennedy and Bank of America:

Once the lots are all up and running this weekend, we’ll bring you the annual WSB Christmas tree lot list (and price check). Other lots where we’ve seen setup include the legendary Holy Rosary Christmas Tree Lot, which opens this Saturday behind Admiral Safeway, and the lot at Tony’s Produce (35th/Roxbury), which shut down fruits and veggies a few weeks ago to get ready for the Christmas focus.

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Why the 16th SW repaving hasn’t happened yet
November 24, 2008 10:32 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

16thrut.jpg

Last August, while we were at City Hall to cover another story, an SDOT manager told us the badly needed repaving on 16th SW (photo above) was scheduled within two months. In this past weeks, it’s been pointed out — at the Delridge District Council meeting and in WSB comments — that the paving work has yet to begin. We promised to follow up; here is the explanation we have just received from Marybeth Turner at the city Transportation Department (SDOT):

SDOT was planning to pave the 5400 block of 16th Avenue SW (from Findlay to Brandon, at north end of South Seattle Community College) last summer by adding it to another paving contract that we already had in place. In the end we did not receive approval to add 16th Ave SW to the existing contract, and we were instructed to seek competitive bids for the project.

The 16th Avenue SW project is now out to bid as part of a package that includes Second Avenue and Fourth Avenue paving. We must now wait and see what amount contractors will bid for this work. We expect to know this spring whether or not we have sufficient funds to proceed with 16th Avenue SW paving.

The complication with the paving of 16th SW is that it is not just a simple asphalt overlay, but requires more extensive work. The plan is to install a new storm drain and also street drain inlets. The road will be regraded and widened a bit. The asphalt path on the west side of the street will be improved. And of course the street will be repaved.

Paving funds are in shorter supply because of city budget changes last week in advance of the final vote expected today; as we reported last Thursday, the city is now trying to figure out how much money it will have to get repaving done on Fauntleroy between Edmunds and Alaska. We will keep checking on this one too.

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Happening this week: Non-holiday highlights
November 24, 2008 9:46 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle jail sites | West Seattle schools

TONIGHT: Highland Park Action Committee meets for the first time since the new list of potential misdemeanor-jail sites was announced last Thursday (WSB coverage here), with the Highland Park Way/West Marginal Way site still on the list (though now it’s one of six possible locations). But that’s far from all that HPAC is up to; read this WSB Forums post for reasons why you should join in. 7 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club building (11th/Holden; here’s a map).

TOMORROW: Seattle Public Schools‘ preliminary list of proposed school closures will go public. We know for sure that they will be presented and discussed in detail at a School Board workshop tomorrow night (6 pm, district HQ: here’s a map) – but we’re still awaiting final word on whether any sort of media briefing will be held to make the list public earlier in the day. The chances at least one West Seattle school will be on the list are considered to be fairly high for a variety of reasons including “excess capacity” and building age/condition (here’s our most recent coverage, including dates for “workshops” to talk about the closures). The last round of building closures less than 2 years ago led to the shutdown of Fairmount Park Elementary.

WEDNESDAY: The closures – whichever schools are on the list – are likely to be a major topic as West Seattle’s school-board rep Steve Sundquist has his monthly “coffee hour,” open for anyone to drop in and discuss district/education issues, 9 am at Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in The Junction. (Added later Monday: We have word he also plans an extra community availability at the Delridge Library from 3-5 pm Saturday 12/6.)

As for the holiday – you’ll find lots of new information and events added to our Holiday Happenings page — including info we’ve compiled so far about what happens on Thanksgiving, from free morning workouts to grocery store/coffee shop hours – that info will be complete by tomorrow but we’re adding it to the list as we get it.

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West Seattle Gas Price Watch: Some below $2, not all
November 24, 2008 6:07 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Gas Price Watch: Some below $2, not all
 |   Gas prices | Transportation | West Seattle news

gas-pump.jpgFour West Seattle gas stations are selling regular for less than $2, as of our weekly survey a few hours ago. (We’re still over the national average detailed in this report.) Read on for our full list (with posted prices for regular and premium), including comparison numbers for previous weeks/months:Read More

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Fundraiser for Amanda Knox held in West Seattle
November 24, 2008 12:02 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Wasn’t on our radar, but the University of Washington Daily was there Friday night as friends and family of Amanda Knox — whose mother lives in Arbor Heights — gathered at the Holy Rosary School Hall to raise money for Knox’s defense against the murder charge that has made international headlines. The family also recently set up a fundraising website that includes personal photos from Knox’s younger years; it’s at amandadefensefund.org.

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West Seattle beverage buzz: Prost update; ex-Sleepless
November 23, 2008 9:12 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS beverages

That’s the new sign up outside the future home of Prost West Seattle, on California SW just south of The Bohemian and Spiro’s (here’s a map). Not only is the sign up, so is the Prost West Seattle website, with the promise that Prost is “opening really really soon”; this page elaborates that Prost expects to open in December, with hours 3 pm-2 am 7 days a week (same thing proprietor Chris Navarra told us in the interview for this story we published two months ago).

One more West Seattle beverage note: The Harbor Ave drive-thru coffee shack where we got the photo at left almost exactly a year ago (we’re showing Christmas lights again this year, by the way; send us addresses!) has a new look and a new name. We noticed repainting under way last week – from the former red, to a latte-like beige with tan trim – but didn’t think anything of it till we saw one of their coffee cards over the weekend and noticed the name has changed, from Sleepless Coffee to West Bay Espresso.

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Seals on Alki: Life and death, side by side
November 23, 2008 5:51 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online | Wildlife

As posted on Creighton Space (with photo) — a seal pup on Alki (which, Creighton wrote, was being guarded by Seal Sitters), close to a dead seal. (Perhaps the same dead seal that someone posted about in this comment last night on an old post?) Overall, it’s been a fairly slow season for the Seal Sitters, but they had expected the recently arrived chum run to bring along more seals.

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Another proposal from the “work out before you pig out” file
November 23, 2008 3:01 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | Holidays | WS & Sports

We told you Tuesday about the free “Gobble Stomp” exercise classes being offered Thanksgiving morning by the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) at the Junction and Fauntleroy locations. Now, another option for pre-turkey exercise — just out of the WSB inbox:

Hi, I’m hoping to find some sportin’ folks of all ages and both sexes for a little pre-gorging two-hand-touch football on the athletic field at Madison Middle School. Very inclusive, get-everybody-involved, size-doesn’t-matter kind of fun. Approximately 9 am-10:30 (Thanksgiving morning). Gavin Layton, 206-937-5478

You can also e-mail Gavin if you’re interested – gavin@gavinlayton.com

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Kenyon Hall event: Help a filmmaker finish telling an untold story
November 23, 2008 11:03 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

From our West Seattle Weekend Lineup, a one-time-only event happening tonight – a chance to see a work in progress, telling a story that so far has gone untold, as the storyteller seeks help to finish her project. That storyteller is Seattle filmmaker Jen Marlowe, and her work is “Rebuilding Hope,” documenting three of the so-called “Lost Boys” of Sudan as they returned home to the country they had to leave because of civil war. West Seattleites Charlene Robins and Steve Dresang decided to help Marlowe by organizing an event at Kenyon Hall – this is part of the letter that they sent to friends:

Steve and I first saw the film about two months ago, and were deeply touched and moved by it. Steve spent almost a year in Angola witnessing and caring for the suffering that was inflicted on a nation by a long and drawn-out war. I had the unique and inspiring opportunity to medically care for some of the “Lost Boys” when they first arrived in Seattle about 7 years ago. So it was no wonder that this film pulled at our heartstrings and made us hopeful for Change …

The film is about 80 minutes long and Jen will be at Kenyon Hall to answer any questions you have after the film. We will have some drinks, snacks and popcorn as well. We plan to start the film at 7:30. I think the film will be a great learning experience for anyone who is grade-school age or older.

Charlene added in her note to WSB, “The public is welcome. The screening is free, but we encourage donations toward the cost of making this impressive documentary. The making of the film is a non-profit venture and donations are tax-deductible.” Kenyon Hall is at 7904 35th SW (east side of the street; here’s a map). You can find out more about “Rebuilding Hope” at rebuildinghopesudan.org.

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Thanks, and questions, from Community Harvest of SW Seattle
November 23, 2008 9:40 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Gardening | How to help | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle, showing volunteers picking apples)
Thanks to community interest and generosity, Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle is growing even faster than the fruit trees and gardens that local neighbors have “loaned” them, to share the bounty. So founder Aviva wanted to post a note of thanks – with questions for you as well, to see if there’s interested in some of what the group has on the table:

Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle would like to thank all our generous
volunteers and tree owners for making the harvest of 2008 such an overwhelming success. We picked and donated more than 4,200 pounds of delicious local organic fruit and 800 pounds of vegetables. Volunteers harvested more than 65 trees, including a fig tree and some grape vines, planted two vegetable gardens, and started a few young fruit trees. At a time when food banks are experiencing increased need, we are grateful to make use of the abundance in our backyards for sharing with others.

As we are planning for 2009, we have a few new projects we are considering. We would like to gauge community interest.

Are you a food-gardener-wanna-be? Do you wish you could walk out your door and pick fresh veggies for your dinner or lunch? Are you looking for a little help to develop your green thumb? CHOSS is contemplating a garden-mentor project, pairing experienced food gardeners with beginners so that more people can experience the joys of turning Lawns into Lettuce. If you are an experienced food gardener with a desire to share your art, or a novice who wants to get started, contact info@gleanit.org and let us know.

Our other potential project involves fruit. Yes, there are still lots of unharvested apple trees dropping fruit, and some would say, “why plant more trees?” But imagine a neighborhood orchard, planted anew with easy-pick disease resistant varieties, perfect for this climate. Imagine a neighborhood getting together for pruning parties, harvesting parties, community canning kitchens, cider making, with plenty left over for donation. Want to make this happen? Get in touch with us at info@gleanit.org.

We are also actively recruiting new board members, with skills, time and energy to share, especially in the areas of fund raising, event planning, and working with youth. Contact us at info@gleanit.org for more specifics.

CHOSS board member Mary Ellen Cunningham spoke about some of this at the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council earlier this week, and also mentioned a project next year to turn more of the fruit into preserves if it’s not otherwise usable. The group did a lot of teaching this past year as well as harvesting; here’s just one example.

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West Seattle Farmers’ Market, pre-Thanksgiving edition
November 23, 2008 6:34 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Farmers’ Market, pre-Thanksgiving edition
 |   West Seattle Farmers' Market | West Seattle news

Four days till Thanksgiving; unique ingredients await you at today’s West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm. Click ahead to see the list of what’s new today, and what else is fresh:Read More

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Thanksgiving sun forecast
November 23, 2008 1:28 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle weather

We use that beautiful photo – Saturday night’s sunset from the Duwamish Head vicinity, shared by David Hutchinson (thank you!) – as an excuse to mention that the latest forecast calls for Thanksgiving Day sunshine, highs in the upper 40s (and Friday sunshine too – great for West Seattle shopping, as well as for downtown parade-going, which is on our agenda).

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West Seattle weekend scenes: Open the doors; deck the halls
November 22, 2008 11:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

A few things we didn’t get the chance to share earlier because of everything that was happening: First, just in time for West Seattle Junction holiday shopping, the renovated Stop and Shop opened today on the street level of the Senior Center of West Seattle. Among the eclectic offerings, a $25 Santa suit:

Stop and Shop is now open 10 am-4 pm, seven days a week. Also in holiday mode today, the Camp Long Lodge, where a festive crowd turned park tree trimmings into wreaths:

At the center of that photo is Camp Long’s Gretchen Graber, who reminds you NOT to get your own trimmings at city parks – these were salvaged from work crews — but you can certainly make wreaths out of greenery from your own yard. In fact, your next chance to learn the art of wreathmaking is this Wednesday (11/26) at West Seattle Nursery (WSB sponsor), with a free wreathmaking class at 10 am (and more later in the holiday season – see the Holiday Happenings page).

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