Fighting with their feet
The fight against breast cancer will hit WS streets these next two Sundays. This Sunday morning, 7:40-10:15 am, an official cheering station is planned in the 1700 block of Alki Ave for the Breast Cancer 3Day Walk participants who started their journey this morning. (Among them is Courtney, whose site is featured on our Other Blogs in WS page.) The following Sunday (9/16), the Northwest Hope & Healing Half Marathon, plus new 5K run/walk, will take place in WS, starting at Lincoln Park and continuing along Alki (and other points for the half-marathoners). NW Hope & Healing helps newly diagnosed breast-cancer patients who need assistance with non-medical aspects of their life, such as child care and transportation. Find out more about the Half-Marathon & 5K, and get signup forms, here.
Statue sneak peek
Huge thanks to WSB reader Angela for sending us this photo she grabbed about an hour ago as the recast Lady Liberty made a brief cameo appearance ahead of Tuesday night’s event.
West Seattle’s newest pay-to-park lot
The north side of the big parking lot at the future site of Fauntleroy Place has turned into a pay lot. We asked Blue Star Management, which is developing FP, what’s up. Company rep Eric Radovich wrote back, “Having Diamond Parking manage the north side of the big parking lot greatly reduces our liability on the site. This also cleared out the Gee Motors vehicles that had been parking on the site without permission. The fee to park in the Diamond lot in the evening is just $2. There is still plenty of free parking for patrons of Schuck’s Auto Supply and Hancock Fabrics on the south end of the lot.” We also asked Eric about the FP retail status, given that we are frequently pinged about rumors of changes in megaprojects including that one; he says NO CHANGE – it’s still on for a 47,000-sf Whole Foods store and a 14,000-sf Hancock Fabrics store, and it now looks like demolition/groundbreaking should start next March/April.
What happened at Tervo’s
After a couple days’ closure without signage or explanation, the sign shown below is now on the door @ Tervo’s Mini-Mart (4415 Fauntleroy). Several people e-mailed us after seeing police, fire, and medical examiner vehicles there on Labor Day afternoon, worried there had been a crime of some sort. Today we found out what happened: Police say a 48-year-old man died in the store, apparently suicide. Our condolences to that man’s family; it’s always important to mention that the Seattle Crisis Clinic has a 24-hour suicide-prevention line at 461-3222.
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Final faceoff
Also speaking of schools – the primary election results have just been certified, and the Final Two for West Seattle’s school board seat are now official: Steve Sundquist (photo left) got 53.4% of the primary vote (5,624 votes), while Maria Ramirez (photo right) got 23.4% (2,467 votes). Although school board members represent certain districts, in the general election the entire city votes on all seats, so Sundquist and Ramirez (as well as the candidates in the other districts) will have to campaign citywide. Election Day: November 6th.
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Artful Junction
Two artful displays on Junction buildings — first, we’ve been meaning to post this for a while in case you haven’t taken a close look — the finished renovations on the Junction Post Office Hi-Yu mural are just gorgeous:
There’s more art just about a block south, as the facade of Shadowland (in the ex-Neilsen Florist building) takes shape (thanks to Christopher Boffoli for these pix):
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We asked Shadowland partner Joe about the artist who worked on those lovely touches along the overhang; he wrote back:
The artist working on the building is named Jaffey. He is a local West Seattle artist. People keep thinking that he did some sort of a print to get that design on there. Amazingly, he hand painted all of it. He has done signage at a lot of places in the neighborhood.
We also asked Joe to elaborate a little more on the plans for Shadowland’s menu. He says it will include some entree-sized dishes as well as the currently popular “small plates,” explaining:
The idea is that if you go out as a couple you would probably get two or three of them and share them with a glass of wine. I have found that I have really enjoyed places that offer that. You get to try more things on the menu and it usually opens up conversation at the table. It should give our chef some flexibility to allow the menu to change with what is available fresh that day and at the same time keep some of the customers’ favorites on the permanent menu.
Another door-to-door concern
From the inbox (our supplementary research follows the reader’s e-mail):
I live on 45th Ave SW and had a young man dressed well approach the house requesting funds for Omni-Horizons. I told him I’m supportive of helping out community groups but wanted to do some quick research about the company to be sure I approved of the place I’d contribute money to. He said it wouldn’t help him and left.
I contacted the local police, and they said it had to be a crime before they could respond (i.e., because I didn’t give them money, I didn’t have a crime to report). I just want to make folks aware – can you help?
Here’s what we found out about “Omni-Horizons.” Read More
Sign sagas
SIGN SAGA #1 — A medic call to Westwood Village around 6 pm tonight is explained by a reader as follows:
One of the main signs inside of Westwood Village Target fell on a lady’s shoulder earlier tonight. It was one of the main signs that say Bedding or Electronics that hang from the ceiling with two tiny strings. It fell on the lady and shattered on the floor. They called the medics for her. I asked her if she was okay right after it happened and she said I think so.
SIGN SAGA #2 — Yes, it’s illegal to hang banners on the Fauntleroy pedestrian overpass, but it’s a tradition anyway — apparently, a tradition someone is intent on stomping out, as any banner that’s gone up lately hasn’t been up for long, and here’s the latest example: A volunteer for a local nonprofit group desperate to get the word out about an upcoming event told us she went up with a banner today and left a note saying “we’ll be back for this on Thursday; if you need it taken down before then, please call (number).” The banner was up when we drove by at 7 pm tonight; gone at quarter past 9; the banner-hanger tells us no one called. Other prospective banner-hangers, you’ve been warned.
BULLETIN: Alki statue homecoming details, and more
Just in from the office of West Seattle resident City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen: When the recast Statue of Liberty returns home to Alki one week from tonight (as first reported here last month), it will not be going into the Bathhouse, but rather onto the old pedestal, temporarily. The event will happen at 6 pm Tuesday (9/11) and will be hosted by Mayor Nickels and Councilmember Rasmussen. Rasmussen aide Brian Hawksford tells WSB, “The statue will be temporarily placed upon the original pedestal until the new plaza pedestal is constructed in early 2008. There will be an announcement of additional new city money for the new plaza/pedestal project.”
As the new school year starts its second day, 
State Senator
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