Maximum exposure

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One final reminder for our fellow low-tide fans – if you can manage to get to the shoreline just before lunchtime today, you get to see a low tide that won’t be equaled until the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

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Lucky to be alive

June 15, 2007 2:02 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Earlier this week, we grumbled to ourselves there just wasn’t much WS news to share with you; but tonight, it just won’t stop. Looks like WS is home to at least two members of this local family who survived a scare while hiking in Canada.

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Might as well go buy that generator if you haven’t already

June 14, 2007 11:52 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| December 2006 windstorm | Utilities

The ’06 Windstorm (preceded by mega-deluge) smacked us exactly six months ago. And the scariest line in this report about another assessment of Seattle City Light’s troubles in its aftermath is the part where SCL boss Jorge Carrasco is quoted as saying “I don’t want our customers to believe we will be at optimal level” before next storm season. Candles! Batteries! Firewood! Start stocking up now!

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WS Starbucks flavor drama

June 14, 2007 9:51 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| Westwood | WS beverages

While we compose our epic forthcoming post about tonight’s meeting on the ex-Hollywood Video-etc. Junction project (could keep us up all night), please enjoy this amazing tale centering mostly on two of West Seattle’s many Starbucks.

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Mayor’s son pleads not guilty

June 14, 2007 9:33 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle people

Jake Nickels faces a judge, as his lawyer confirms he’s indeed living at the family home here in WS, and therefore should be allowed to drink while awaiting trial (?); the judge is reported to have disagreed. (Perhaps he’d seen the motto on this cached version of the defendant’s MySpace.)

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Reintroduced to the wild (side of WS)

June 14, 2007 5:53 pm

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| Seen around town | WS culture/arts

More NTG (or at least, his style) creations sighted on our side of the bay — this time, on the approach to the low bridge. Thanks to sneakyfreak‘s Nick for the pic:

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Happy Flag Day

June 14, 2007 2:56 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Holidays

From the north end of Delridge, West Seattle’s mega-flag:

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Thousands if by land, two if by sea

June 14, 2007 12:21 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | Pets | WS miscellaneous

Lots of energy about to be put into two good causes:

-You have till noon tomorrowÃ‚Â to sign up online for the Race for the Cure on The Viaduct this Saturday morning. (And even if you’re not going to join us and thousands of other runners/walkers, keep in mind The Viaduct will be closed for a few hours that morning because of this.)

-One week from Sunday, sometime between 3 and 4 pm, two Eastside men will arrive on the beach at Lincoln Park after swimming 3 1/2 miles from Vashon Island. It’s their 8th annual “Paddle for PAWS” to raise money for that animal-assistance group. They’re hoping to raise $10,000, and they’re accepting donations online right now.

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Two for tonight

June 14, 2007 8:32 am

| 8 COMMENTS

| Development | WS culture/arts

-The monthly West Seattle Art Walk, 6-9 pm in The Junction. Including shoe paintings!

-Less revelry, more revelatory: The city Design Review Board convenes @ 6:30 pm @ the SW Precinct, with just one project on the agenda — the first WS megaproject proposal that’s gone to demolition already (4100 Alaska/ex-Hollywood Video, photo below taken this week).

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WS in the “weeklies”

June 14, 2007 12:42 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news

Seattle Weekly gets snarky about our lack of parking paystations, suggesting it’s ’cause Hizzoner lives here (but what is UP with the quote about “no kids with blue mohawks”?). Meantime, The Stranger includes two WS churches (#10 and #17) in this odd little roundup.

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Suitable for framing

June 13, 2007 6:34 pm

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| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle festivals | WS culture/arts

… or, at least for posting on your fridge; just tack it up someplace handy — we happened onto this downloadable version of the cool West Seattle Summer Events poster you may have seen in store windows and on bulletin boards around town.

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City Housing Authority buys apartments near Caffe Ladro

June 13, 2007 4:38 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| Gatewood | West Seattle housing | WS breaking news

We recently mentioned the Riviera West building at 7100 Cali, south of Morgan Junction and kitty-corner from Caffe Ladro, was up for sale, and described as a potential condo conversion. Then in the past half-day or so, we received a couple tips/comments that it’s been bought — by the Seattle Housing Authority. This afternoon, SHA communications director Virginia Felton confirmed the purchase. She tells WSB it will be part of the Housing Authority’s “scattered sites” portfolio, explaining, “The Riviera is a good addition to this portfolio because it has six two bedroom and two three bedroom apartments, along with four 1 bedroom apartments. There is more need for these larger apartments.” As for the people who live at Riviera West now, she says they will be evaluated to see if they qualify for subsidized housing; if they don’t, she says they will have one year to “transition,” and she promises that current residents will be getting a letter about all this soon.

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Back when street upkeep was so much simpler

June 13, 2007 4:09 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle history

Vintage Seattle today is featuring a century-old ad touting the joys of moving to WS — even “graded streets,” brags the ad! (Ah, if the ad-writer could see what’s happening with some of those streets now. FIVE YEARS?????)

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WS Gas Price Watch bulletin: Down into the $2s

June 13, 2007 2:14 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Gas prices | Transportation | WS breaking news

Just drove through Fauntleroy/Alaska and spotted both stations suddenly down below $3 for regular — $2.99 at 76, $2.98 at Shell (that’s more than a dime since our last driveby a few hours earlier). Will check the previous low-price leader, Admiral/Cali Chev, in a bit (sightings, anyone?).

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Farewell to Fairmount Park Elementary

June 13, 2007 12:45 pm

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| West Seattle schools

Yet another event on the WS docket tonight: Fairmount Park Elementary‘s big goodbye bash. You may recall, it’s one of about half a dozen schools that Seattle Public Schools leaders decided to close after this school year. Tonight, 6:30-8 pm, Fairmount Park puts a brave face on the whole thing with a closure celebration featuring food, music, and a look back at the school’s history. (The official last day for most SPS schools, however, isn’t till next Friday.)

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See what they stand for

June 13, 2007 9:44 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle politics

With our state’s earliest primary election ever (Aug. 21) just 10 weeks away, it’s not too soon to start figuring out who merits your vote. To that end, the 34th District Democrats welcome all to their candidate forum tonight, 7:15 pm at The Hall @ Fauntleroy (including nonpartisan offices such as school board). Here’s the list of who they’re expecting.

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Job cuts in West Seattle

June 13, 2007 8:24 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

We must admit we didn’t know this manufacturing business was here in WS (in the business-but-not-retail zone east of The Junction) till this story just turned up about 90 people losing their jobs there.

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Parade countdown begins

June 13, 2007 5:31 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle festivals

Lots of West Seattle summer fun between now and then, but our very favorite event, the Hi-Yu Parade, is now only 5 1/2 weeks away – and we just noticed there’s a photo of the 2007 official Hi-Yu Float (which appears in many other parades besides ours) at the festival site. Countdown’s on — lock up July 21 to join us in The Junction!

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Help wanted

June 13, 2007 1:07 am

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| West Seattle people | West Seattle religion | WS miscellaneous

-A WSB reader from the West Seattle Unitarian Universalists asked us if we’d mind mentioning that the WSUU congregation is looking for a music director. Full posting is on their site; or send an e-mail inquiry here.

-The school year may be almost over, but learning doesn’t stop when the last June bell rings. The Youth Tutoring Program needs volunteers for its summer reading program, right here in West Seattle. We heard about it from a WSB reader who says she’s been volunteering for YTP and loves it; she adds, “The long-term effects of this impact our neighborhoods and communities as a whole, as well as each individual child.” Click to read more about YTP and how you can help:Read More

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West Seattle’s award-winning wine – how to get some

June 12, 2007 6:01 pm

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| West Seattle schools | WS beverages | WS miscellaneous

After we posted about the award-winning wine made at SSCC, we got some questions about where to buy it. We checked with the college, and here’s the scoop: Nothing left from the first release of white wine, but a big party coming up in October will debut their first red wines — plus two chardonnays and one “late-harvest” sauvignon blanc. You can get your name on the list for an invitation to the Oct. 15 party by clicking here to e-mail SSCC’s wine-technology coordinator Regina Daigneault.

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Going out with the tide

June 12, 2007 3:01 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle beaches | Wildlife

Over the next four days (Wednesday through Saturday), we’ll see the lowest tides of the summer (yes, we’re aware summer technically is still about a week away) — all -3 feet or lower, with the absolute lowest a -3.8 on Friday morning (check the full tide chart here). Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists will be out on Friday (and over the weekend) at Lincoln Park and south of Alki Point; one of our favorite low-tide spots is Lowman Beach, one of the areas where submerged structures start to emerge, as seen this morning:

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Erskine/Dawson triangle’s future

June 12, 2007 12:26 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle housing

A WSB reader e-mailed us to ask if we knew what was going on with the triangular spot of commercial land along Erskine a little ways west of The Junction. We remember driving past for years and noticing what looked like an old gas pump, though now (barely visible in the left foreground below) there’s just a concrete pad.

County property records show the parcel was sold in April; city permit files show the “storage shed” will make way for a single-family house. The person who e-mailed us says this site used to house “Thor’s Towing”; any WSB oldtimers have stories to share?

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WS Gas Price Watch: Below $3 a gallon!

June 12, 2007 9:54 am

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| Gas prices | Transportation

OK, so it’s $2.99 diesel at Admiral/Cali Chevron, but that’s still below three bucks. And regular isn’t far behind — now down to $3.05Ã‚Â (left photo). At least two other WS stations are down to $3.09 for regular — Cali/Andover Exxon and Delridge Arco, where (right photo) the guy with the thankless job of fixing 12 sets of numbers with every price change was busy again, just moments ago. How low will it all go? Maybe not much lower, if you believe the national reports. But on the other hand, it’s worth noting that suddenly West Seattle gas prices are significantly below the Seattle average.