“Conservation hero” vote update: Go, Judy (and EarthCorps)!
It’s not entirely clear how many days remain for voting in the Cox Conserves Heroes competition so we’re operating as if it could close at any time — just checked the results; Fauntleroy’s Judy Pickens is a VERY close second! If you or anyone you know hasn’t voted yet, vote now! Not just because of all the work Judy has done for helping bring Fauntleroy Creek back to life, but also because if she wins, EarthCorps gets $5K. Vote here. 9:02 PM UPDATE: Watch the comments – now a tie for first – keep it up! TUESDAY MORNING UPDATE: Just received word that the voting ends tomorrow (Wednesday 10/15) morning, 8 am.
Fire crews at Allstar Fitness
There’s a “3 Red” call at Allstar Fitness – one patron texted us that everybody was asked to leave because of a “smell of smoke.” So far the call has not escalated beyond the three units originally dispatched (lower level than a “fire in building” call); we’ll let you know if/when we find out more. 7:53 PM UPDATE: Call is now officially closed.
Satterlee House court arguments over; ruling later this month
Just concluded in King County Superior Court Judge Suzanne Barnett‘s courtroom: Oral arguments for and against Satterlee House owner William Conner‘s challenge of the city rulings against his proposal to build three homes, averaging about 3,000 square feet each, on the expansive front lawn of the city landmark also known as “the Painted Lady of Beach Drive.” Conner’s lawyer Richard Hill and the city’s lawyer Judy Barbour each spoke to the judge for about 45 minutes, Hill presented a few minutes of rebuttal, and then Judge Barnett set October 24th as the date she will announce her ruling. Full details of today’s proceedings later; this report includes backstory on the case (which is a followup to city Hearing Examiner proceedings we covered earlier this year, as Conner challenged the city Landmarks Board’s denial of permission to proceed with the development application – the argument isn’t whether he can build anything on the lawn, which is on the record as three separate lots, but whether what he wants to build would harm the characteristics for which the site was designated a landmark).
Opening day for Snap Fitness in Jefferson Square
That photo is courtesy Jim Flynn, taken before he and wife M.J. Benavente opened the doors to Snap Fitness in Jefferson Square (next to Subway, on the 42nd SW street side) just moments ago. We told you about their enterprise back in August (Jim’s a longtime WSB’er). From hereon out, he says, they’re open 24/7 to members; you can drop by for a tour 11 am-1 pm or 4-7 pm Monday-Thursday, 11 am-2 pm Friday, 10 am-3 pm Saturdays, or call 206/299-1597 if you want to arrange a tour for some other time. This is a “soft opening”; they’re planning an official “grand opening” celebration next month.
How to help your ‘hood: For starters — just show up!
Four major neighborhood/community group meetings this week, and really, it’s a huge first step to helping your neighborhood when you just show up. We go to as many of these meetings as we can every month and that’s what the groups’ leaders are dying to see (they’re all volunteers, by the way) … the more people the merrier. And you’d be surprised what you find out. Here’s your chances this week: TONIGHT – The Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council is having what’s been billed as its “most important meeting of the year,” 6:30 pm, Cooper Elementary (map). TOMORROW (TUESDAY): Admiral Neighborhood Association, 7 pm, Admiral Church basement meeting room (map); Fauntleroy Community Association, 7 pm, The Hall @ Fauntleroy (in the old schoolhouse, which itself is on the agenda, after last week’s big news). WEDNESDAY: Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meeting, 7 pm, The Kenney; Delridge District Council (wireps from eastern West Seattle’s community groups and other organizations), 7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room. See our right sidebar, under WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY GROUPS, for a list of other neighborhood associations who’d be thrilled to see/hear from you. MONDAY AFTERNOON ADDENDUM: One more neighborhood event this week where you would be more than welcome – the Junction Neighborhood Organization‘s quarterly cleanup (free treats!) is this Saturday morning. Help get the streets in shape before winter barrels into us. E-mail JuNO prez Erica Karlovits – erica@wsjuno.com – if you can help (or have a Q). TUESDAY AFTERNOON ADDENDUM: JuNO’s cleanup has been postponed – but e-mail Erica to get you on the list for helping when it’s rescheduled!
West Seattle Gas Price Watch: Down ~$1 from the peak
Though we’ve posted the occasional spot price check here and there in the last several weeks, it’s been 2 1/2 months since our last Sunday night drive-by survey of posted regular and premium prices at all West Seattle stations. As prices start to fall faster, we thought this would be a good time to get back in the game; discovered in the process that many WS stations are now down about a buck from their June peak — and one station’s currently out of the gas biz. The full price list, lowest to highest, ahead:Read More
For a West Seattle entrepreneur, everything’s just ducky
If you’ve ever walked to or from Lincoln Park via the south end of Beach Drive, you’ve probably seen a festively decorated garden featuring rubber ducks. Its owner contacted WSB some time back to let us know his legendary decorations were taking wing into a business. Sounded like a fun story rather than just a business blurb – so we asked the University of Washington News Lab, which offers help to small news organizations such as ours, whether one of its student journalists might be interested. Read on to see the results – the story behind the ducks, plus a message you can probably appreciate in these nerve-jangling times:Read More
Update: West Seattle contender’s in 2nd in “hero” vote
Have you voted yet in the “Cox Conserves Heroes” competition? Fauntleroy’s Judy Pickens is now in second, and there are just a few days left to vote — if she wins, EarthCorps (which works on greenspace restoration in West Seattle and elsewhere) gets a $5,000 donation. Judy is shown at left in the photo above with some of the many visitors young and old who come to Fauntleroy Creek, for which she has worked tirelessly (we won’t soon forget spending some time with her by the creek in March, when a few tiny salmon fry were clearly visible, fighting the current). Take a minute – go here to vote – tell your friends. Two weeks from today, by the way, you can join Judy and other friends of Fauntleroy Creek, drumming to call the salmon home, 5 pm 10/26 at the overlook across from the ferry dock. P.S. There’s a new creek update on fauntleroy.net – a grant application to restore “the last degraded reach of the creek” – read about it here.
Design Review updates: High Point details; board member’s hiatus
Every little detail of the development process may not be your cup of tea; we chronicle it so the information’s there when you do want to find it (you never know when one of those big city signs might go up in your ‘hood). As you may know, for big projects in our city, the Design Review stage of the process is often the only time there’s a public meeting about a project (usually at least two) where you can show up and have a say. Each area of the city has its own board; the Southwest Design Review Board looks at West Seattle projects, usually the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, if there are projects requiring review (no meeting if there aren’t; this is usually decided several weeks in advance, and you can watch this page for word of upcoming meetings). Next SWDRB meeting is October 23rd at Madison Middle School, with 4106 Delridge reviewed at 6:30 pm, The Kenney‘s “reinvention” project (previous WSB coverage here and here) reviewed at 8 pm. Following up on the SWDRB’s last meeting this past Thursday, we have two things to report: first, details on a prominent board member’s hiatus; second, details on what led up to the decision to advance the 35th/Graham High Point project on to the next stage. Read on!Read More
Next steps in privatizing West Seattle Stadium operation
We first reported September 30th that the city Parks Department is seeking proposals from private concerns that would be willing to make renovations at West Seattle Stadium — renovations the city estimates would cost at least $4 million and doesn’t have the money for — in exchange for an agreement to “operate and maintain the Stadium including the track and field areas, but not the parking areas … a multi-year contract that allows (the operator) to recoup its capital investment and support its own business.” Following up on that – this is scheduled for discussion at the Delridge District Council meeting this Wednesday, according to district neighborhood coordinator Ron Angeles (7 pm, Southwest Precinct meeting room, public invited). He also forwarded updates on how to formally comment on the stadium’s future and the forthcoming “request for proposals,” including the previously mentioned public hearing before the city Board of Park Commissioners on October 23rd, the board’s November vote, and various ways to send comments right now. Read on for full details, including a recap of the repairs the city wants the future stadium operator to make:Read More
Reader report: Alki no-parking signs may not tell the whole story
We told you a few days ago about the no-parking signs up along a long stretch of Alki and Harbor Aves, all the way to the heart of the beach, to facilitate painting crews (sharrows and the lane lines to the right of them) this weekend. Just got this note of caution that Andrew wanted to share from the Alki/Bonair (map) vicinity:
I just wanted to give a heads up that the no parking signage is a bit misleading. Be very careful where you park on Alki today as I saw the Seattle Police patroling for cars parked in areas where the new parking lines hadn’t been painted yet. Looks like some of the signage is incorrect and says Monday – Friday when it actually applies today on Sunday. I checked with one of the Officers and he said I was ok, but just beware!
This may include the area that’s been off-limits to parking because of the pump-station work. How to know? Look to see if the lane near the curb has been painted already. If it has, you’re probably OK. If it hasn’t, don’t park there before late afternoon.
Orchard Street Ravine dedication: A day years in the making
(left to right, Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Carol Schultz, Cindi Barker, Kay Thode, Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher and Mayor Nickels)
With a snip of the giant ceremonial scissors, Orchard Street Ravine in Gatewood was officially dedicated this afternoon. But this was no ordinary park dedication — it came after years of volunteer work and controversy, among other things — and just a week after Parks Department managers unveiled a new plan for a controversial connection through the ravine (WSB coverage here). All photos/video in the in-depth report ahead are by its author, WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli:Read More
Road notes: “Dumb detour”; more Alki/Harbor painting tomorrow
Two road notes tonight: First, Ian (who has an excellent Internet-marketing blog here, also included on the WSB Blogs page), sent us the link to that photo of a sign he spotted earlier today and wondered, “What genius put up this detour sign at the intersection of 35th and Fauntleroy, on the north side? 1. It sends you over the West Seattle Bridge. 2. It blocks people trying to get to Dakota, which IS open. 3. There’s a proper detour sign right after Dakota. If they don’t take it down soon I’m going to move it myself …” Meantime, today’s round of sharrow-and-stripe-painting is over on part of Alki/Harbor Aves; more is ahead for tomorrow (make sure you read those no-parking signs carefully – some were marked for 5 am-3 pm today, some for 5 am-3 pm tomorrow), so if you’re driving to Alki elsewhere, best to seek side-street parking during those hours.
West Seattle weekend scenes: From the ravine to the field
(Photo by Scott C.)
From the Orchard Street Ravine dedication this afternoon: The mayor and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, looking on as Cindi Barker of the Morgan Community Association (which has its quarterly meeting this Wednesday) says a few words. More coverage a bit later. Meantime, it was a great day for sports on fields all over West Seattle:
State Sen. Joe McDermott, a proud uncle, sends that photo of his nephew Aidan playing Holy Rosary first-grade soccer, while noting, “They don’t keep score, but they play hard and have a great time!”
we checked on 
As this weekend winds down, another reminder about next weekend: The
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