August 2011

Burien lawmakers raised concerns Aug. 15 about how the state sales tax credit could be used to address costs for roads, stormwater and parks if Burien annexes White Center.

City Manager Mike Martin said staffers are still trying to clarify what expenditures would be allowed for capitol costs using the state money. He noted that the funds cannot be used for new capitol construction but maintenance costs may be covered.

Berke, the city's consultant, has reported that annexing White Center would not hurt Burien's ability to balance its budget. The finding is dependent on receiving a maximum $5 million per year state sales tax credit for ten years.

Councilman Jack Block Jr. also said that King County and the King County Housing Authority should agree to more mitigation funding before Burien agrees to annex White Center.

"Much as I love North Highline it's a no-go if King County doesn't pay more," Block declared.

Councilman Gordon Shaw agreed it would be a "deal breaker" if the state does not allow Burien flexibility in using the tax credit.

"If they want us to take over (North Highline) let the city manage it the way we do," Shaw declared.

Beginning September 1, the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) will implement a year-long spirits tasting pilot in 30 state, contract and tribal liquor stores statewide and the liquor store on Alaska Street (recently moved from the Junction to 4100 s.w. Alaska Street Ste. A) is the site for four dates in September.

The pilot was established by Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1202 during the 2011 legislative session.

“We are excited to have this opportunity for our customers to taste new and interesting products in our stores,” said WSLCB Chair Sharon Foster. “With more than 1,100 spirits products available in state stores, customers can now enhance their product knowledge by trying something they may never have considered before and learn first-hand about the products from distillers’ representatives. ”

Pilot Details
• The pilot will take place between September 1, 2011 and September 1, 2012.
• Sampling will be limited to ¼ oz with four samples maximum.
• Only product sponsors, such as a distiller representative, may serve samples.
• Servers must have Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST) permit.

press release:
Drivers planning to visit downtown Seattle this weekend are encouraged to plan for extra congestion. In addition to a Seahawks home game and Hempfest, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) will close all southbound lanes on State Route 99 from the Battery Street Tunnel to the West Seattle Bridge from 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, to 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 22.

During the closure, WSDOT crews conduct various construction activities in preparation for the viaduct’s nine-day closure in late October.

Closure details:

11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19 – 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 22 - Southbound SR 99 will close around the clock from the Battery Street Tunnel to the West Seattle Bridge.
The weekend closure is part of a larger project to replace the south end of the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a side-by-side elevated highway.

Downtown Seattle events:

Seattle Hempfest on Friday, Aug. 19 through Sunday, Aug. 21. The event will be hosted at three locations: Centennial Park, Myrtle Edwards Park and Olympic Sculpture Park. Times vary.

Vintage jazz, pop and cabaret singer Cheryl Serio is the musical act at tonight's Concert at the Mount at Providence Mt. St. Vincent, 4831 35th s.w

Serio describes herself as a "Pop jazz vocalist, cabaret performer, master scuba diver, laugh riot, and friend to animals."

She will sing the classic “Rat Pack” pop jazz of Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole and Peggy Lee. You can expect to hear such classics as Mambo Italiano, Love Potion #9, Goin’ Out of My Head, L-O-V-E, The Way You Look Tonight, Cheek To Cheek, and tunes from her two CD releases.

She has been a featured headline performer at many concerts and showrooms, including The Edmonds Art Festival, the Skagit Valley Casino, Downtown Seattle Association’s Out to Lunch Concert Series, the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, and the Pacific Place Holiday Concert Series.

You can preview her music on CDBaby (or purchase it) here.

All are welcome and admission is free!

Dinner is available starting at 5pm and music starts at 6pm.

Some people say that a walk in the woods is worth a Sunday in church. There are many ways to worship and find the spirit of the universe. In fact, a sermon I heard recently spoke to that very statement. God (or the spirit) is everywhere, in all of us. To those un-churched folks who seem to be in greater numbers in the northwest there must be something beneficial in a climate that doesn’t stress one out too often and where real trees are still decorated at the Christian season of Christmas.

Click on photo for SLIDESHOW

Amid a melodramatic atmosphere evocative of a boxing match, the Wing Dome in the Alaska Junction tonight hosted the "2011 Lord of the Wings Road to Buffalo CHAMPIONSHIP WING OFF." If you think that's a mouthful, you should have seen the contest.

The center table was set up for four hungry, revved-up finalists, each representing one Seattle area Wing Dome where they'd won the semifinal round. Two uniformed "referees/hosts" kept a close on the quickly-consuming contestants to make sure they left no meat on the bones as they gnarled on the hot, 4-alarm wings. The winner would receive a $1,000 airline voucher and $25 Wing Dome gift card.

Referees included Q13's Lily Jang and former West Seattleite, Phil Warchol, Director of Operations for all WIng Domes.

"This is a manly men's contest, and we love manly men," said Jang. "And this is about grubbing, and we love it."

Statement by West Seattle musician Brent Amaker:

Dear friends and family,

My band Brent Amaker and the Rodeo has booked a tour in Europe next month and even with venues guaranteeing to pay us for shows, we still need help raising money for airfare and equipment rentals once we get there.

Normally we finance tours as a band but with high gas prices and a slow economy, we’ve lost money on every tour this year, even though our band is getting more and more attention from press and fans (it was featured in Rolling Stone!) This European tour is an amazing opportunity for us as we have been booked to play Berlin Music Week and a huge electronics trade show in Germany along with several dates in Germany and Denmark. We even got some publicity in a magazine that goes out to over 2 million households!

Elizabeth Gordon of Uncle Mike's BBQ in White Center shared this information today about some changes in the core community coming up.

The barricades/no parking signs going up on 16th Ave SW are for an asphalt overlay project going on between 112th & Roxbury

The grinding of curbs happens Friday (Aug 19), Mon, Tues starting at 112th on Friday. In sections, one side of the street will be closed and ground and then the other side. The crew will reach the stretch of 16th between 98th & Roxbury next Tuesday, probably, closing it down for the day or partially for the day.

Paving in the same way will happen Wed, Thurs & Friday of next week. The phone number for the traffic division at KC is 296-6596.

Gordon adds."The folks filming the movie on 16th - supposedly yesterday - moved it to next week Wednesday(?). It may not happen then either if they aren't aware the streets might be ground up & prepped for new asphalt."

Do you own any blue suede shoes? Have you ever stayed at the Heartbreak Hotel? The 1st Annual El-Fest "E meets West" an Elvis Karaoke event is set for Saturday night Aug. 20 at the Feedback Lounge in the Morgan Junction. That means, yes, you get to stand up and sing your favorite Elvis tune, thank you very much and enjoy Elvis movies Elvis music and Elvis drink and food specials.

An added bonus will be the Elvismobile, basically an Elvis museum on wheels, built by Jo David and his wife Marlow Harris.

Check the video embedded here for more on this amazing vehicle.

It starts at 8:00 pm and runs until 11:30pm

Feedback Lounge, 6451 California Ave. SW

Police report that on August 18, shortly after 9:00 a.m., Seattle Police and Seattle Fire responded to a call of a pedestrian struck by a train in Carkeek Park.

The fatal collision involved a woman believed to be in her fifties.

As the first responders were checking on the victim, one of them noticed a small explosive device lying near the body. This item looked like a small, homemade pipe bomb.

Out of an abundance of caution, detectives from the Arson Bomb Squad (ABS) responded, as did detectives from the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad (TCIS) to handle the collision investigation.

ABS detectives were able to examine the device and determined that it had been there for some time, possibly even left over from the Fourth of July. It is unlikely that the device would have done any damage to the tracks or train. ABS detectives removed the device and will examine and dispose of it.

There is no connection between the victim and the device. It was just a strange coincidence. TCIS detectives will handle the fatality collision investigation.