November 2009

Craigslist and Caveat Emptor

Recently, I had a friend call me for help with selling some furniture.

I suggested using Craigslist, since I have had good experiences using the free online service, but I made sure to give her some tips and I oversaw the wording in her ads. If you think this story ends up with someone being ripped off, you’re right to be concerned, but you’re wrong in this case.

She had a number of emails, including at least one sketchy one, which she avoided and she successfully sold her items. But it is possible to have a bad experience on Craigslist, and so if you’re considering using CL to sell something, I will condense my comments to help you have a good result.

To begin, Craigslist is simply an electronic version of a classified ad that, in the past, was the mainstay of printed newspapers. With the advent of the internet, it was inevitable that electronic posting would lead to the selling and buying of things, and the experience is no different, except that you do it with a computer instead of a printed notice. Unscrupulous people are out there, however, and some have devised ways to part you from your money.

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School Board Unanimously Approves Student Assignment Plan Boundary Maps

On November 18 an important step in the new student assignment plan process was taken as the School Board voted unanimously to approve the New Student Assignment Plan boundary maps. The New Student Assignment Plan and recently approved boundary maps will be phased in beginning in the 2010-11 school year for students at entry-grade levels—usually kindergarten, 6th, and 9th grades.

The final maps will reflect the changes included in an omnibus amendment submitted by the School Board Executive Committee that outlines adjustments for the McDonald, Whittier, Loyal Heights, Alki and Lafayette attendance areas. Two additional amendments were also approved that will be reflected in the final boundary maps. These include an amendment submitted by Director Martin-Morris that amends the Bryant and View Ridge attendance area boundaries; and an amendment submitted by Director Sundquist that shifts an area from the Lafayette area to the Alki area. Links to all of these amendments are included at the end of this story.

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Wayfinding kiosk planning meetings set for Nov. 20th

The first of several planning meetings to help determine the location, content, and art for wayfinding kiosks to be installed in the Admiral neighborhood area will take place this Friday, November 20, at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

This meeting and others to follow will allow residents and other interested individuals to help define and create the content and art for two six-foot high, three-feet wide wayfinding kiosks which will be part of a West Seattle-wide wayfinding system.

The system already has three kiosks in various stages of development in the Fauntleroy area. The two Admiral kiosks will also be joined by three Alki-area kiosks. These five kiosks are part of the West Seattle Trails Wayfinding and Kiosk project which previously produced the West Seattle Trails map.

A fuller schedule of meetings is being developed.

The Admiral and Alki kiosks, five in total, are to be planned, designed, developed and implemented in the next four months.

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Garden as Metaphor: A Time to Heal

“How do you know the plant is established?”

That is one of the more common questions that I get asked when I teach beginner-gardeners about the joy of miniature gardening.

Did you know that plants can only do one thing at a time?

Have you ever seen a plant multi-task?

Visions of plants texting, doing the laundry, while simultaneously having a conversation and cooking dinner come to mind, but, that’s not what I mean.

Plants can only do one thing at a time. When they do that one thing, they put all their energy into it. They get it done so they can move on to the next thing on their agenda: rooting, growing leaves, flower and fruiting, going to seed, being dormant or dying.

While this is a very generalistic way of describing how plants grow, it’s basically what they need to do in order to survive.

Why don’t we do that?

When I fell sick late last week, I didn’t stop. I kept on going. Oh, sure, I felt okay, but I wasn’t getting better – I was maintaining. I was multi-tasking.

Then I got sicker.

“Alright,” I said to myself, “I’ll check out for a day.”

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Dow Constantine celebrates his tenth annual 39th birthday

Just six days shy of Dow Constantine becoming sworn in as the new King County Executive, he celebrated his birthday. The fundraiser party took place Wednesday night, Nov. 18, at Kells near Pike Place Market. The party was coined "Dow's 10th annual 39th birthday." His actual birthday is Nov. 15.

"I'm a much older 39 than I was a year ago," quipped Dow Constantine. "I appreciate everybody coming out."

"Ever since I moved to West Seattle five years ago Dow always took the time t talk with me, catch, up, ask about my family," said Jim Del Ciello, who attended the party. "I've worked with a lot of high-level politicians, and he breaks the mold. He's not egotistical. He's down to earth."

"I'm here to give Dow a big birthday hug," said Furry Faces Foundation's Teri Ensley of West Seattle, who stated she is 29 years old.

"I feel wonderful and I feel relieved," said Lois, Dow's mother of her son's political victory. "I think King County did the right thing."
"I still think of my sons as my Cub Scouts," she added, also referring to Dow's younger brother, Blair. "I got Dow an upscale sweatshirt for his birthday."

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Chief Sealth auditorium seats are up for sale

By product of the renovation

Second Use Building Materials has salvaged for reuse, hundreds of auditorium seats from Chief Sealth High School in the Westwood neighborhood of Seattle. The auditorium, which was originally built in 1957, is currently being renovated, and the school district and general contractor for the remodel worked with Second Use to save the approximately 600 seats. This salvage will ensure that the material stays out of the landfill and remains in the community.

The theater seats are now publicly available for purchase at Second Use, in banks of 2,3,4, and more. More information and photos of the seats are available on Second Use’s website: www.seconduse.com/catalog These seats are great for adding a bit of flair or history to home design projects, business settings, or even classrooms. For information about the material or the salvage project, please contact Second Use at 206-763-6929 or Patrick@seconduse.com

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Alki Mail & Dispatch celebrates 20 years in business

Alki Mail and Dispatch at 4701 SW Admiral Way had an anniversary party on Tuesday Nov. 17th to celebrate 20 years in business.

They began down on Alki itself where Don Wahl and his former partner Don Cavanaugh began in 1989, "When people were just starting to telecommute," explained Wahl, "In a little shack that was 400 square feet when computers and faxes were too expensive to come by and people needed the services of shipping and packing and faxing."

Wahl's partner had worked with this kind of business in Monroe so they took a look at other shipping companies like Pony Express and did some consulting with friends at Queen Anne Mail and Dispatch. "We loved their name so much we decided to borrow it so now there's Queen Anne Mail and Dispatch, Ballard Mail and Dispatch and Alki Mail and Dispatch," said Wahl, "We're all separate but we're all buddies and cohorts."

The company can do any kind of packing, shipping, mailing, faxing, black and white and color laser prints, copies, plus, "We have awesome coffee, Batdorf and Bronsons all organic fair trade and we have a selection of fine letter press cards and gifts," Wahl said.

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Suspect in Greenwood fires charged with 11 counts of arson

Kevin Swalwell has been charged with 11 counts of arson and one count of burglary for his alleged involvement in a string of fires that have plagued Greenwood since August, according to documents from the King County Prosecutor's Office.

Eight counts of second degree arson, an arson in which lives were not put at risk, have been leveled for a June 19 fire at the OK Corral, an Aug. 12 house fire, an Aug. 13 fire at O-Rings West, Nov. 5 fires at a Greenwood CPA office and Rosewood Guitars, a Nov. 8 fire at Moonphoto and Nov. 9 fires at Olive You and the QuickStop in Greenwood.

Three counts of first degree arson, an arson in which lives, including those of firefighters, are put at risk, haven been charged for an Aug. 13 house fire in which a resident was severely burned, the Oct. 23 fire at the Green Bean Coffee House that destroyed four businesses and damaged two others, and the Nov. 12 fire at a Shoreline warehouse at which Swalwell was apprehended.

Swalwell has been charged with second degree burglary for unlawfully entering the Green Bean Coffee House. According to Seattle Police Department documents, Swalwell stole a safe and file cabinet from the coffeehouse.

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Curriculum alignment meetings set by Seattle Public Schools

Focus is on raising student achievement

Seattle Public Schools is committed to providing an excellent education for every student and we are dedicated to preparing every student to graduate from high school ready for college, careers and life.

The District’s strategic plan, Excellence for All, focuses on raising student achievement by ensuring excellence in every classroom, strengthening leadership throughout the district and building an infrastructure that works well.

As part of Seattle Public Schools’ engagement process, the community is invited to four meetings designed to share information about curriculum alignment. One of the key strategies of our strategic plan, Excellence for All, is to align curriculum across the district to provide consistently high standards in every classroom.

The high school curriculum alignment projects will result in aligning high school Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and World Languages core classes to college-ready standards, revising course offerings in academic subjects to better prepare students for college, careers and life and providing professional development for teachers to support their delivery of the aligned curricula.

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Santa out of work

I have "played" Santa for many, many years. Last year I "played" Santa for a "high class" department store beginning with "N" for the four weeks of the holidays.

I was always early for my shift. I went in to work on treacherous snowy days (remember?) and was never late.

Other "N" stores with the same name called me on extreme short notice to see if I could "cover" a shift for another Santa. I always did.

I love kids, and get along extremely well with them and with the parents. I always try to get the parents involved in every way. I received many compliments from parents through the Human Resources department (Thank you!).

This year I received an email on Oct.12 from one store and one on Oct. 20 from another store, both raving of my service and wanting me back again.

I immediately emailed back with a definite, "Yes, I'd like to be there again this year." I emailed another three times afterward and left no less than four voicemails for each of these store's representatives.

Finally last week, I spoke with a real person. He proceeded to tell me I will not be working this year! Santa out of work!

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