‘Nightlife Initiative’ update: Still pursuing ‘flexible’ liquor hours
In a week with few other official government events, Mayor McGinn briefed the media tonight on the status of the “Nightlife Initiative“ he announced in July. The full status report is here (PDF). Many of the components only affect other parts of the city, but of note citywide, the proposal to pursue “flexible liquor-service hours” – such as later cutoff times – is still in play. Discussing the results of 2,400 comments tallied on the initiative, the mayor’s report says “… more than 80 percent of online respondents agreed or strongly agreed that, ‘Extending service hours will make our streets safer.'” The city acknowledges it would need to develop a proposal to present to the state, and says that the guidelines for “exploring” the idea would include:
Conditional license
1. Privilege for bar owners
2. Started as a pilot
3. Use of data throughout the process
4. Reduces police resources
5. Resolution of City Council needed for adoption
As for existing rules, the report includes an update on what the city’s interdepartmental Code Compliance Team is finding. Citywide, the number of businesses where sales/consumption of alcohol is allowed rose 18 percent in 2010, the report says, from 1,497 in 2009 to 1,766 in 2010. Fewer than 1 in 7 had “noncompliance issues”; of those, the Southwest Precinct (West Seattle/South Park) area had the smallest number – 10 – and the report says 9 of those fixed the problems, with 1 still a work in progress. Meantime, the report also notes a new law that’s about to take effect:
The Nighttime Disturbance Ordinance was passed by the City Council on August 2, 2010. It creates a new civil infraction for loud noise, threats or fighting that occur in a public place in a commercial or industrial zone between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. The noise provisions of the ordinance were approved by the Department of Ecology in November and SPD is currently conducting officer training on the ordinance. Enforcement will begin in January 2011.
Again, you can read the entire Nightlife Initiative report here.
New development proposal for just-cleaned-up High Point site
(Photo courtesy Marco via Twitter)
After a few months of digging and hauling, most of the cleanup work is done at 35th/Graham in High Point (map), and as the photo tweeted Monday by Marco shows, right now it’s something of a lake. In the process of checking out “what happens next?”, we discovered a new development proposal for the site – two years after a flurry of activity for the previous proposal.
The new proposal turned up at the site’s official page in the city’s Department of Planning and Development system: 90 townhouses and live-work units. That’s dramatically different from the previous mixed-use proposal, last seen at a Design Review meeting more than two years ago. That plan had included 200 apartments and 16,000 square feet of retail. Regarding the new proposal,site owner Seattle Housing Authority‘s spokesperson Virginia Felton tells WSB they’re not ready to discuss it in depth: “We are in negotiation with a developer … I can’t provide details yet – we need to have the actual agreement in place first. We hope to have that accomplished in a month or so. We are excited at the prospect of seeing development move forward on this site and think this will be a very positive addition to the neighborhood.”
As for what’s happening on the site in the near future, following the stimulus-funding (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) cleanup of old petroleum contamination (as first reported here), Felton says, “The excavation will be filled in shortly – leaving a shallow depression to collect water so that the street is not flooded during heavy rains.”
West Seattle Weather Watch: SDOT, Metro, WSDOT plans
ORIGINAL 12:48 PM REPORT: Just in from SDOT:
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is carefully monitoring weather forecasts for Seattle and planning for snow and ice response accordingly. The forecast is for temperatures just above freezing overnight with up to one-half inch of wet snow possible, and an additional one inch of snow possible tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.
After 10 p.m. tonight SDOT crews will proactively apply salt brine in roadway areas where frost or black ice is prone to develop, especially on bridges and other elevated structures around the city.
Starting at 4 a.m. tomorrow morning (Wednesday), SDOT spreader trucks will be prepositioned throughout the city, ready to spread rock salt on major arterial streets (primary snow routes, Levels 1 and 2) for the morning commute if conditions warrant.
The snow plan calls for plowing when there is more than one inch of accumulated snow on the roadway, which is not in the forecast at this time.
SDOT will continue to monitor the weather conditions carefully and respond accordingly.
For more information on Seattle’s winter weather response plan and to view a map of snow routes, please see SDOT’s website.
2:07 PM NOTE: Meantime, the National Weather Service’s “forecast discussion” is still downplaying the likelihood of some snow – another update should be out within the next two hours; whatever happens, they say, would be overnight into the early morning. And WSDOT has announced it’ll open the I-5 express lanes southbound at midnight, just in case.
ADDED 3 PM: Metro has weighed in:
With snow showers in the forecast for Wednesday morning, King County Metro Transit is urging bus riders to prepare by making sure they are signed up for Transit Alerts and that they know the snow routing for the buses they will ride tomorrow.
Then before traveling, riders should check kingcounty.gov/metro/snow for the most current status of Metro service. Updates to the online information will begin at 4 a.m. each morning.
Remember, Metro is operating with a reduced schedule this week, which means some commuter and school-oriented routes do not operate, and other routes have individual trips canceled. This is indicated by an “H” in the timetables.
Current weather forecasts indicate if snow falls Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in the lower elevations of King County, it should be mostly in the form of snow showers with no significant accumulations. But, the snow could be heavier at higher areas in east King County or if a convergence zone sets up inside the county. Bus operations could change rapidly.
We’ll be on early/late watch too, as always, including 1st word from Metro in the morning re: their plans.
Update: 1 hurt in West Seattle house fire on 12th SW
(Photo added 10:40 am)
10:30 AM: On our way to check out the house-fire call in the 8100 block of 12th SW (map) – scanner reports flames seen by firefighters who’ve arrived in the past few minutes. We can see the smoke, while en route, from about a mile away.
10:36 AM UPDATE: Via scanner, crews report the fire is “knocked down” – they’re ventilating and searching the house.
10:44 AM UPDATE: As you can see in our photo added a few minutes ago, the ventilation work is happening on the roof. Firefighters report everyone got out OK. No injuries reported. We don’t have information on the circumstances/cause yet. Police are now being sent to the scene to help with traffic control along this section of 12th SW.
11:03 AM UPDATE: New information from the incident commander – two people who were in the house when the fire started are being checked by medics, one for a possible burn injury. The fire damaged a structure on the side of the house as well as the house itself:
11:35 AM UPDATE: Added a few more photos. According to SFD, one person did indeed suffer a facial burn. No word yet on the fire’s cause, but we’ll keep checking back.
12:35 PM UPDATE: SFD has announced the cause as “food on the stove.”
Video: Muddy mess on 47th SW south of Fauntleroy
(Scroll down for newest info/photo/video)
(Photo added 7:06 am – this is what’s covering the road)
6:02 AM: Checking on the chopper that seems to be hovering in the Lincoln Park area, not far from WSB HQ. It seems to be searching over the water and is sweeping to the south, too. 6:25 AM UPDATE: Apparently a TV chopper checking on a reported slide. 47th SW is closed south of the 10200 block (map) – our roving crew just spotted the sign.
6:55 AM UPDATE: The actual slide starts in the 10400 block (map). This is at or near a spot that had been reported to the city a week ago, according to e-mail we had exchanged at the time with area resident Tony: He had spotted signs of an impending slide on December 19th; two days later, he said, SDOT “came out … and cleaned the road and coned off half of the sliding road.” No sign of a city crew yet this morning, but sunrise isn’t till 8 am.
7:20 AM UPDATE: From another neighbor, Mary, in comments:
I live on 47th street just a few houses down. It seems that the slide was caused by a tree that fell; that tree broke a sprinkler system that was NOT turned off or winterized. The water came gushing out and caused the slide. The mud is about a foot deep and the street sewers are backed up and clogged by the mud. The other slide area mentioned by Tony is down a few houses and is a different section. The area is still closed off and we are all waiting for the City to do something so that folks can get to work.
8:07 AM UPDATE: Looks like cleanup help is on the way. Our crew is headed back now that it’s light – and just called in to say they’re “behind a backhoe.”
8:23 AM UPDATE: Adding a photo of backhoe in action – will have video shortly. SDOT crew at the scene tells us it’ll take an hour or so to clean up.
8:50 AM UPDATE: And there’s the video. Neighbors tell us this may have happened 2:30-3 am – they heard something loud about that time, and woke up to mud.
10:17 AM UPDATE: Just went back to check on the situation. Not clear yet, but crews are making progress. Along with equipment to scoop and move the mud, they also have a vacuum truck to clear the clogged drains mentioned above.
West Seattle Tuesday: From nightlife to storytelling
First, the transit-rider reminder: Metro’s on “reduced weekday service” again today … A citywide event bound to be of interest here too – Mayor McGinn plans an update on the “Nightlife Initiative” at 6 pm tonight (Washington Hall in Squire Park) … Speaking of nightlife, a few notes – the ReKonstruction show with West Seattle-raised comedian Adam Cozens, mentioned in this WSB story, is tonight at Comedy Underground in Pioneer Square, 8 pm (hosted by West Seattle’s Alex Meyer) … Nightlife *in* West Seattle includes “Writers and Tellers Night” at 9 pm, Mac’s Triangle Pub (9454 Delridge Way), with the “Big Fat Liars Club” competition … At the other end of Delridge, it’s Caffeine, live on stage at 9 pm, at Skylark Café and Club, and 8 pm rock trivia at Feedback Lounge (both WSB sponsors) … For the much-much-younger set, there’s afternoon entertainment: Toddler Story Time at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson), 2 pm (more info here) … And looking ahead, we’re continuing to add to the West Seattle New Year’s Eve list on the Holidays page.
West Seattle (-ish) scenes that aren’t what they seem
(Photo by Guy Smith; click for larger version)
Two photos to share tonight that are both optical illusions of sorts involving water. Top, from Guy Smith, who explains (be sure to click the photo for largest version):
From Alki Point, December 26, 2010:
For those who like to contemplate our watery West Seattle horizons, the recent very high tide of 12.9 feet was a good time to do it. This photo taken from Alki Point shows the West Point lighthouse 6 miles north. The curvature of the earth coupled with the high tide makes the light house look half submerged; even though it sits way above water at high tide. The land at left center in the far distance is the only part of Whidbey Island we can see from this angle that sits above the horizon. It’s the tall part of Whidbey at Double Bluff; about 30 miles from Alki Point.
On the goofy side – this screengrab that Paul caught today from a WSDOT traffic camera:
He wrote:
I was just checking traffic cams before heading out to run errands and saw this image on the Spokane cam. I know it is just a raindrop or dirt but it startled me at first!
West Seattle Crime Watch: Hit-run crash
Just out of the WSB inbox from Jennifer, regarding a hit-run reported in The Junction:
We are looking for a burgundy VW van with black ski equipment on the roof – it just rear-ended my boss’s Toyota Camry at the corner of California and Erskine, just around 3:15pm today.
If anyone knows the license plate or saw what happened, we’d appreciate it if you could contact the Seattle PD…as you can imagine, my boss was a little shaken up and didn’t see the license plate number.
Much appreciated for any help!!
Biznotes: Avalon opening date, West Seattle Autoworks sign, Garlic Jim’s reopens
AVALON: Less than 2 months after we first reported on Avalon, the new restaurant going into the ex-Café Revo space in the Luna Park business district, it’s set its opening date: According to Avalon’s Mary Palmer, they will open next Monday, January 3rd, “for happy hour and dinner service only (no dinner on Sundays). Happy hour is from 3-6 pm weekdays, dinner service will start at 5 pm. A couple weeks after we open we will have brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.” There’s more info about Avalon at avalonws.com.
WEST SEATTLE AUTOWORKS SIGN: Thanks to Todd Ainsworth at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) for sharing the photo of their brand-new sign:
He and co-proprietor Chris Christensen are proud to have the big bright sign officially up after a bit more than two months in business. They’re at 7501 35th SW (map), and online at wsautoworks.com.
GARLIC JIM’S PIZZA: As promised, the Junction location reopened today after a weeklong shutdown:
We stopped in to photograph new owners Jeff and Page Taylor, shown with Kelsey and Devon, who came from their Edmonds location to help out for starters. We reported on the ownership change in this story last week.
Update: 4 snowshoers, including 2 West Seattle women, found safe
1:17 PM REPORT: Thanks to Nicole for the tip on this: According to a kirotv.com report, a West Seattle woman is among four snowshoers who are being sought by searchers at Snoqualmie Pass right now. The report says 53-year-old Venetia Runnion of High Point is one of the four, who went snowshoeing yesterday afternoon and called for help four and a half hours later. Reports say all four are in phone contact with rescuers but the visibility’s poor so they’re having trouble narrowing down their location but hope to reach them soon. One of the other three snowshoers is identified by KIRO and by the Seattle Times (WSB partner) as 50-year-old Marynell Matt of Vashon Island, but no names or hometowns are reported for the other two.
1:37 PM REPORT: Good news – all four found safe, per multiple sources including seattletimes.com.
ADDED EARLY TUESDAY: Jennifer had mentioned via Facebook that the group actually included 2 West Seattle women; according to the Times, the other one is 51-year-old Sandie Davis, featured in their update.
Casting call for West Seattle filmmaker’s new project
(Photo by Christopher Nelson)
West Seattle/Los Angeles filmmaker Jamie Burton Chamberlin is shooting a new rock ‘n’ roll film – explained here. He shared the photo from a shoot last week at Morgan Junction’s own Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), adding, ” We will be shooting around West Seattle and downtown over the next several weeks.” In fact, you could find yourself part of it, if this announcement he included sounds like you:
CASTING CALL:
LOADED feature film shooting Wednesday 29th in Seattle. Looking for interesting characters in unique attire. If interested, e-mail:
theloadedproject@gmail.com
Though the film centers on rocker Duff McKagan‘s current group Loaded, it’s not a documentary – Chamberlin shared his synopsis, and you can read it after the jump:Read More
West Seattle Monday: Welcome to ‘the week between’
(Sunday photo by Chas Redmond)
The week between Christmas and New Year’s is admittedly usually fairly quiet – though the “s” word remains in the forecast for later this week – but there are a few things to share: First, for transit users, remember that Metro continues “reduced weekday service” between the holidays … From the WSB Forums, there’s a La Leche League meeting this morning, 10:30 am at Seaview Methodist Church (4620 SW Graham) … Tonight, families are welcome at Pajama Story Time at High Point Library (35th/Raymond), 7 pm … C & P Coffee (WSB sponsor) doesn’t usually have live music on Mondays, but tonight, regular performer Bob “Bobcat Bob” Rice is scheduled to play, 6-8 pm … Monday night means that Scrabble‘s the word, raising money this time for Books for Prisoners, tonight at Skylark Café and Club (WSB sponsor), 7 pm registration, 7:15 pm game (details here). … And if you feel like dancing, you’ve got the floor at Kenyon Hall during Balorico‘s Family Holiday Dance Party, 4:30-5:45 pm (details here).
Local comic Adam Cozens home for the holidays, show on Tuesday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
He’ll be the first to tell you he’s still not a star.
Might never become one.
But West Seattle-born-and-raised, New York-dwelling comedian Adam Cozens met a goal this year – to earn enough money from comedy to pay at least one month’s rent.
Dare he set a goal of two months, for next year? Too soon to tell. But his longterm goal remains that of turning comedy into a career, rather than a “glorified hobby,” and he is working as intensively at it this year as he did when last we spoke.
Right now, Adam is home for the holidays, presenting and starring in a Comedy Underground show this Tuesday – as he did at this time last year – so it seemed like a good time to sit down and find out what’s happened over the past year. (Here’s our story about Adam from this time last year, which goes into detail about his background, summarized on his own website here.)
Obvious first question for an interview like this: What’s the biggest thing that’s happened in the past year?
Read More
West Seattle Crime Watch: Egg vandals strike again, and again
Back in early November, Amy reported two nights of egg-throwing hitting her condo building in The Junction near 44th/Oregon (map). Tonight, she says it’s happened again – twice in the past three days – and she’s frustrated and angry enough to offer a reward for catching the culprits, if that would help:
The first day was Friday, Christmas Eve, and the other time was tonight about 30 minutes ago (8:10 pm, 12/26). The police are on their way to interview us again.
Here’s what happened:
We were sitting in our living room and saw the eggs hitting our sliding glass door on the balcony.
My husband, Tim, then ran outside to see if he could see anything. Outside Tim talked to a neighbor, who was taking out his trash, and asked him if he had seen any activity outside (in the dark) of our building. Our neighbor said he saw two boys/young men run past him through the alley between the townhomes next to our building. Tim then hurried into the alley to look for signs of the boys. When he arrived in the alley, Tim saw a car (dark blue) driving south down the alley toward SW Oregon Street (near the corner of 44th and Oregon). When Tim approached the car, it sped off down the alley, turned west onto Oregon, and sped away.
I don’t know if you post these kinds of activities on the blog, but it has been four or five times now that we’ve been egged and I’m sure you can imagine how frustrating this is to the homeowners of this building, many of whom are elderly, having to clean up eggs night after night on our balconies.
In the Junction business district, several business owners had to clean up after the same type of vandalism a week ago, according to Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor)’s Twitter feed.
West Seattle property owner claims tree poisoning, hangs banner
Story and photos by Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Kaly Cook says someone poisoned trees on her Harbor Avenue property five years ago, at which time she called the state for advice, but was unsure what else to do. Now, saying that more trees have been poisoned, Cook has taken her complaint to the public in a very visible way.
You might have seen the banner she hung this fall on the slope over her home near Seacrest, reading “Trees Poisoned For View”; WSB has received a few notes asking “what’s the story?”
Read More
West Seattle Christmas-tree-recycling options – and lights, too!
Today’s a little too blustery to haul your tree out to the curb, but in case you’re thinking ahead to the post-Christmas cleanup, here are your options for tree recycling, from the West Seattle Holidays page – plus an opportunity to recycle old holiday lights, too:
FREE TREE RECYCLING VIA THE CITY: For Seattle Public Utilities solid-waste customers, they’ll pick up ornament-free/flocking-free trees curbside on your regular collection day provided you follow the rules, or you can take yours to the transfer station in South Park (slightly different rules), both options available through January 9th – full details/rules here. (If you live in a multifamily building, your recycling rules may vary, so check with management if applicable.)
TREE-RECYCLING FUNDRAISER: If you want to drop off your tree without leaving West Seattle, but with the knowledge it’s helping a local youth organization, here’s an alternative. On January 8th from 9 am-2 pm, the West Seattle Rainbow Girls will be collecting trees in the lot outside the Alki Masonic Hall in The Junction, 40th/Edmunds, $5 suggested donation.
RECYCLING YOUR OLD HOLIDAY LIGHTS: West Seattle-based Fleming’s Holiday Lighting is collecting used (or unused/unwanted) holiday lights through mid-January to raise money for the Moyer Foundation. This is a regional effort with three local dropoff spots are Wyatt’s Jewelers (WSB sponsor) in Westwood Village, The Artistic Framers, and McLendon Hardware in White Center.
Shopping? Here are some West Seattle after-Christmas sales
Last night, we mentioned today’s “Boxing Day” sale at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market (with Market Bucks available at the info booth while they last), which continues till 2. Here’s what else we’ve found regarding after-Christmas sales around West Seattle and vicinity. First, from WSB West Seattle Holiday Shopping Guide sponsors:
*Funky Jane’s Consignment: 25% off everything in the store, through January 2
*Wyatt’s Jewelers: $25 off in-store purchase with WSB Holiday Shopping Guide coupon, good through this Friday (12/31)
*TouchTech Systems: Also through Friday, $50 off MSRP for MacBooks
*Budget Cuts: 12 prepaid haircuts for $99 – deal available through Friday
(Also from the guide, salons Illusions Hair Design and Envy on Alki have New Year’s Eve hours in case you need last-minute pre-party hair help.)
Other sales we’ve found:
*West Seattle Fabric Company (per Facebook): Noon-4 pm Sunday, 30% off all holiday flannels, cottons and Minky.
*CAPERS (per website): 11 am-5 pm Sunday, ornaments half-price
*West Seattle Cellars (per promotional e-mail): Starts noon today, runs through Friday. 15% off everything (20% for club members).
*Many Moons Trading Company (per Facebook group mail): Noon-5 pm Sunday, 50% off
*3.14 Bakery in White Center (via Twitter): All frosted Christmas Cookies 50% off today and Monday.
(added 3:11 pm) West Seattle Nursery (via Twitter): All Christmas merchandise 50% off “while supplies last.”
Having an after-Christmas sale, or know of one, not already mentioned here? Add a comment or e-mail us – thanks!
Followup: Family Promise of Seattle approaches decision date
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
In these final moments of a holiday whose backstory stars a family seeking shelter, a West Seattle-based organization continues to work toward its dream of once again helping families find shelter.
Family Promise of Seattle has not yet reached its $90,000 goal – but that’s all they need to resume helping homeless families stay together, safe, and warm.
It’s been four months since Family Promise of Seattle put its sheltering operation on hold, as first reported here. The organization’s leaders decided they would reopen as soon as they raised $90,000 to fund adequate staff and resources for the intensive job of offering newly homeless families not just shelter, but also assistance in finding employment.
We sat in on Family Promise’s most recent fundraising committee and board meetings, back to back on a rainy night earlier this month. They had progress to celebrate, but a ways to go to the goal – and in less than a month, the board says it will decide whether to soldier on, or call it quits.
Read More
They’re not creating new buildings on the site, as noted in 
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