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Spotlight Stories


  • WS5K

    WEST SEATTLE 5K: See & hear how it went

  • Sports

    PLAYOFF TIME: 2 local teams head to state

  • Salmon

    SO LONG, SALMON: Halfway through the season

Sorry for the slowness
June 21, 2007 10:45 am
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle online

We thought it was just happening as we tried to add content to the site … but now we’re getting e-mail from WSB readers about difficulty getting to the site or going page to page. Please forgive us; we’re on the phone right now with the hosting company trying to figure out what the problem is.

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Four places to be, & when to be there
June 21, 2007 8:31 am
|    Comments Off on Four places to be, & when to be there
 |   WS miscellaneous

–Click! today or tonight: Click! is donating part of today’s sales to the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, then hosting a short presentation @ 7 tonight about what DNDA is up to.

-West Seattle Stadium: Tomorrow night, the cancer-fighting Relay for Life takes the field, 6 pm Friday all the way to noon Saturday. Drop by to show support and/or give $.

-Alki Masonic Hall (which is actually east of The Junction): Saturday morning, the Freemasons of the Alki Lodge invite everybody to their fundraising pancake breakfast, 8 am-noon, $5 adults/$4 kids.

-Lincoln Park beach: Sunday afternoon, the Paddle for PAWS swimmers make their journey. Be there to cheer them on; you can give $ online, too.

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Last sunset of spring ’07
June 20, 2007 10:38 pm
|    Comments Off on Last sunset of spring ’07
 |   West Seattle beaches

From Alki tonight — so long, spring:

lastspringsunset.jpg
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WS Gas Price Watch: Too many ups & downs
June 20, 2007 10:05 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Gas prices | Transportation

Or at least you would have to assume that’s why yet another station — 35th/Avalon 7-11, in this case — just swapped out its manual priceboard for something electronic:

711avalonelectronic.jpg
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WS Emergency Preparedness event countdown: Reason #4
June 20, 2007 9:45 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   WS miscellaneous

Tonight’s reason why you’ll want to be at this event Saturday: Our neighbors.

poster_emergency_preparedness_event_r2_generic1.jpg
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Honor for High Point
June 20, 2007 7:21 pm
|    Comments Off on Honor for High Point
 |   High Point | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

You don’t hear the word “cottage” around here much, unless it’s deployed as spin on a dinky house’s for-sale listing, but tonight it’s part of an honor for High Point — Cottage Living magazine has chosen HP as one of its Top 10 Cottage Communities for 2007.

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Caffeinated Charger
June 20, 2007 7:11 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | Triangle | WS beverages

Yeah, we know not everybody loves ’em (comments). But the new SPD cars sure photograph well. Christopher Boffoli caught this one outside Diva:

divachrischarger.jpg
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What’s next for Ovio space
June 20, 2007 4:31 pm
|    Comments Off on What’s next for Ovio space
 |   West Seattle businesses

The Times quotes Ovio’s outgoing owners as saying another restaurant will definitely take over the space. City files show a construction permit application for “seating and bar alterations at existing restaurant,” dated this past Monday, and lists the applicant as Robert Coburn. That’s where our intel trail goes cold, for now. (Anyone else?)

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TONIGHT: Speak now or for a decade hold your peace
June 20, 2007 1:21 pm
|    Comments Off on TONIGHT: Speak now or for a decade hold your peace
 |   West Seattle politics

Like the way King County government runs? Maybe not, you say? You’re in luck. Its every-10-years charter review is under way, and you can put in your 2 cents tonight, 6:30 pm, The Hall @ Fauntleroy.

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2 more WS school board candidates make their case
June 20, 2007 10:19 am
|    Comments Off on 2 more WS school board candidates make their case
 |   West Seattle politics | West Seattle schools

Following in the pixelsteps of Dan Dempsey and Edwin Fruit, two more candidates for our open school board seat are taking their “guest blogger” turns at Educating Mom today: Maria Ramirez and Steve Sundquist.

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Cool coverage
June 20, 2007 9:31 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

What better time than a sunny day — on the brink of “official” summer — to contemplate “the region’s hidden ice-cream shops” — that’s what the UW Daily does in this article, with Husky Deli featured prominently.

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Got $32m ‘n’ change?
June 20, 2007 5:31 am
|    Comments Off on Got $32m ‘n’ change?
 |   Delridge | Seen around town

Back on Flag Day, our photo post featuring the megaflag at the SGA building on the north end of Delridge generated a side discussion about the building’s fate. Just looked up its for-sale listing: $32,500,000. (Maybe when Paul runs out of property to buy on the other side of the city? WS needs a streetcar too!)

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WS Emergency Preparedness event countdown: Reason #5
June 19, 2007 10:03 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   WS miscellaneous

Remember the Inauguration Day windstorm? (Here’s a refresher.) The things that make WS so beautiful also make us vulnerable. Send at least one delegate from your family or business to Saturday’s event; you’ll still be done in time for afternoon fun.

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And we’ve got one proposed addition
June 19, 2007 6:36 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Transportation

… to this: “Thou shalt not blaze through a four-way stop without giving all due respect to everyone else at/in the intersection.”

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Got crime? Do this!
June 19, 2007 12:55 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Gatewood

Lots of WS worries lately – from Westwood vandalism to Gatewood burglaries to break-ins further north. If you have neighborhood crime concerns, you are invited to voice them tonight at the West Seattle Community Safety Partnership meeting, 7 pm @ the SW Precinct. On a related subject, a WSB reader e-mailed us asking for help with a hit-and-run that crunched his car; click ahead to read his note:Read More

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More on the WS Bridge death
June 19, 2007 11:08 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   WS miscellaneous

A new comment on our original item about the Saturday night WS Bridge suicide is worth home-page exposure. As we wrote in the original item — we all need to talk more about preventing suicide, which kills more people in our area each year than murder. And to the point raised in this case, King County’s website points out that LGBT youth are at especially high risk. Here’s the comment in full (late afternoon update, we have removed the name at the request of someone who voiced confidentiality concerns, until and unless we hear otherwise):

(posted by “The Gay Curmudgeon”)

The young man was a volunteer at Lambert House, “a center for Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth and their allies”

If only we were more accepting of our youth, if only we could do more
to tell them we care, if only we could do more to protect them from
diseases like HIV, if only…

FROM: Ken Shulman, Lambert House Executive Director
TO: Lambert House Volunteers

Dear Lambert House Volunteers:

I am deeply saddened to tell you that [name deleted for now by WSB], a long-time Lambert House youth, committed suicide on Saturday night by jumping off of the West Seattle Bridge. [name], who was 21, first came to Lambert House when he was 15. He considered Lambert House to be very important to him and for other LGBTQ youth.

[name] gave an HIV-prevention education presentation to the Lambert
House Boys Group two weeks ago based on his personal experience becoming infected with HIV. It was [name]’s hope that he could educate other gay males to avoid becoming infected. On his physician’s advice, [name] started HIV anti-retroviral medication last Saturday. He reported having immediate side-effects including a rash and severe nightmares.

On Saturday, June 30, at 4:00 p.m. at Lambert House, [name]’s friends,
including Lambert House graduates, current youth, and others, will hold
an all-ages memorial celebration of [name]’s life. Any Lambert House
youth and anyone who knew [name] is welcome to attend.

I cannot express how saddened I am by this loss.

-Ken

~The Gay Curmudgeon

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Coffee for a cause
June 19, 2007 10:57 am
|    Comments Off on Coffee for a cause
 |   West Seattle online | WS beverages

As Rhonda reminds us at Beach Drive Blog, part of the money you spend at Tully’s today goes toward the J.P. Patches statue that will help raise money for Children’s Hospital. (Two Tully’s in WS: Alki and Morgan Junction.)

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Support your local authors
June 19, 2007 6:30 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   WS culture/arts

We’ve noted before that WS is awash in authors. Here are updates on two:

–Eilis Flynn notes that her latest book, Festival of Stars, is partly set in WS.

–Clay Eals has gotten a lot of press for his Steve Goodman biography, Facing the Music. This Saturday, 1 pm @ the outdoor courtyard of the Log House Museum, he tops the bill for what the museum calls a “combination music/reading event.” (P.S. One of Eals’ other credits: editing the definitive WS history book — through its 1987 publication — West Side Story.)

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WS Emergency Preparedness event countdown: Reason #6
June 18, 2007 11:22 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   WS miscellaneous

Tonight’s reason why you need to be there Saturday: WS is in the tsunami zone.

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Progress for the other WS megaproject
June 18, 2007 5:58 pm
|      27 COMMENTS
 |   Development | Triangle | West Seattle businesses | WS miscellaneous

Four days after the 41st/42nd/Alaska megaproject (with QFC) cleared a city hurdle, the Fauntleroy Place megaproject just a couple blocks to the east (with Whole Foods) has cleared one too. The company in charge of the project, Blue Star Management, says city council members unanimously approved the “alley vacation” today, and explains the alley’s future: “The alley running north to south from SW Oregon Street to SW Alaska Street between 40th Ave SW and 39th Ave SW will be relocated into an L-shaped alley, running from SW Oregon Street south and then exiting west at about three-quarters block on to 40th Ave SW, instead of continuing toward SW Alaska Street.” Blue Star reiterates that it hopes to start construction early next year; below is the latest rendering of what Fauntleroy Place is supposed to look like.

fauntplc.jpg

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TONIGHT: “Sustainable West Seattle” meets
June 18, 2007 4:11 pm
|    Comments Off on TONIGHT: “Sustainable West Seattle” meets
 |   Environment | Transportation | West Seattle people

6-8 pm @ Southwest Library – all are welcome at the next meeting of SWS, which describes itself as “a newly-formed group of West Seattle citizens who want to make a difference locally, working within our neighborhood to become more self-reliant while using fewer natural resources.”

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Bulletin: Ovio reportedly closing
June 18, 2007 12:28 pm
|      35 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle restaurants | WS breaking news

E-mail just forwarded to us. Working to confirm (8:30 PM UPDATE: it’s now posted on the Ovio website).

Dear Friends & Fans of Ovio Bistro,

They say all good things must come to an end, and so it is with sadness that we must tell you that after nearly 5 years in West Seattle, Ovio Bistro will be closing at the end of June.

It was a very difficult decision to make, but one that we feel will be best for our family at this time.

As you know, we have worked very hard and put a lot into this restaurant…we have no managers and one of us is here all the time, but our sons are older and involved in school and sports, and it is heartbreaking to not be there for them.

We have been fortunate to work with amazing people – our staff has been incredible from the beginning. The original Ovio would never have been so successful without Chef Eddie Montoya, Tony LaVelle, Michael Tinsley, Janae Hawkins, EBO Ottens and Lisa Lovering.

Others joined us at the old location – Darcey Wijsenbeek, Emily Garner, Ben Adlin, Rickey Story, Mike Bond, Bubba Schultz – and quickly became part of the Ovio family. When we decided to expand and relocate, our old staff found our new staff by inviting their friends to join the party – and Dennis McMahon, Will Green, Julie Johnson, Evan Beilke, Michael Nelson, and Will Waterstraat came to stay. The new Ovio was built on the hard work of everyone, literally! We demolished, we rebuilt and we opened with a bang! It was an incredible experience to be a part of. We have been lucky to add talented people along the way – Chef Brenda Rodriguez has been invaluable in putting Ovio back on the culinary map. Alongside her in the kitchen, we have been fortunate to have Angela Emery and Ben Pickett, and Michelle Manning. They have all done amazing things for Ovio.

We were also blessed to have so many wonderful regular customers – and you know who you are! You have been through the highs and lows of Ovio and you still come back, week after week. You have gotten to know all of us and introduced us to your families and friends. You have shared special occasions and private moments with us. You dealt with the devastation of Eddie’s death alongside us. We can never thank you enough.

We know that this is sad and shocking news to everyone, but hope that you will be supportive of us through the end. We would love to see EVERYONE in the next two weeks, and we especially look forward to a big party on Saturday, June 30th. Please join us. We will miss you all very much and can never thank you enough for being part of our Ovio family these past 5 years.

Much love,

Shing and Ellie Chin

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Three traffic alerts
June 18, 2007 12:21 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation

First – flagging on Alki today, because of some utility work across from Duke’s:

alkiflagging.jpg

Second – checked out the Morgan/Sylvan shutdown; on the west, as our photo shows, it’s closed just a block east of 35th; on the other side, it’s not closed till the cemetery.

morganblockedoff.jpg

Third – posters are popping up all around WS to heighten the alert about the I-5 Project From Hell coming up in August. We even got a ping from a WSDOT person recently asking if we’d discussed it here; they promise all sorts of online resources to help people cope, but note that it’s going to hit us pretty hard since it’ll be happening right where we all pour out onto I-5.

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