August 2011

The Seattle Police Department's North Precinct was temporarily evacuated on August 10 after a suspicious package was delivered to the North Precinct office via a US Postal Service Mail Carrier.

The package was a legal size, white padded envelope. The envelope did not have a return address and was stamped “Special delivery from Santa” with eight postage stamps affixed across the top.

The North Precinct Duty Officer intercepted the package and immediately notified SPD communications and North Precinct Commanders.

Out of an abundance of caution, the precinct was evacuated and surrounding streets cordoned off.

The Arson and Bomb unit responded to the scene. The package was x-rayed deemed harmless.

The North Precinct reopened for routine business.

The third annual PhinneyWood Summer Streets is being held on Friday from 6-9 p.m. along Greenwood Avenue N. from N. 67th to 87th streets. The event will close Greenwood Avenue N. to cars and everyone is invited to come and play in the street and support local businesses.

It will be a chance to catch up with friends, stroll the neighborhood and ride a bike free of motorized traffic.

Dozens of local businesses are having special art shows, children’s activities, aerial acrobats, live music, and much more including:

- A Coffee Taste-Off near the Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church

- An art fair with 20 artists selling their handmade wares in front of Tasty

- Extended hours for Phinney Farmers Market until 8 p.m.

- The construction of Seattle’s Largest Canned Food Pyramid—donate a can for the food
bank

- A giant piano in front of A-1 Piano

- Mural painting near Urban Light Studios

- Seattle City Light’s energy saving obstacle course for the kids

- Dining on Greenwood Avenue

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has sent a letter to the Seattle City Council expressing the group's wish that the Council give the proposed ordinance regarding paid sick leave more analysis and resist the pressure to get any measure passed quickly.

August 5, 2011

Richard Conlin, Council Chairman
Nick Licata, Councilmember
Seattle City Council 
PO Box 34025


Seattle, WA 98124-4025

Re: Paid Sick Leave Ordinance

Dear Councilmen,
On behalf of our members, the WS Chamber of Commerce is writing to formally request that the Paid Sick Leave legislation being proposed be more vigorously analyzed prior to placing this before a council vote.
A majority of our membership in a survey taken two weeks ago oppose this legislation. Our Board of Directors, in studying the proposed legislation, feels strongly that the Council has not studied the ramifications of this legislation thoroughly enough and should not enact it in the time frame outlined.

The following are issues we believe the Council should consider in more detail:

Outreach


SeaTac has taken a “legal time-out” from allowing medical marijuana facilities in the city.
The SeaTac City Council unanimously passed a moratorium on Medical marijuana dispensaries and collective gardens after concerns over the conflict between new state law and federal law were raised.

According to City Attorney Mary Mirante Bartolo, SeaTac has not received any applications for a license nor does the city currently have zoning to accommodate such an operation. Bartolo also pointed out that the approval or denial of a license could result in legal repercussions for the city, as the state and federal laws currently conflict.

Bartolo therefore suggested a moratorium until the state Legislature has a chance to revisit the existing laws.
"Most districts I've looked at so far have taken the moratorium. Doing the moratorium puts us in a legal time-out," Bartolo explained.

We think public officials have created a sense of false urgency about replacing the Alaska Way Viaduct.

Over the last couple of years we have watched and studied the debate and now believe further consideration must be given to this important  project.

(There is a familiar pattern here. Over time, entrenched private interests  and politicians have managed to hornswoggle voters here and used our money to force feed us projects like the Kingdome, Quest Field and Safeco Field. In our view, none of those projects should have been located downtown. Why not? Each of those projects have contributed to maddening traffic congestion at various times of the day and week to principally benefit private organizations. We have been asked to subsidize wealthy sports team owners time and again.)

Now, we are being asked to pay for a road in a tube for which the financing is indeterminate, the potential likely cost overruns must be borne by taxpayers (the Metro tunnel digging device was broken and had to be dismantled and removed, with a delay of nearly a year to the project. Guess who pays for that) and using the tunnel will cost $9 a day in tolls.

Outwest, West Seattle's only LGBTQ bar will open tomorrow, Aug. 11 at 4:00 pm even though aspects of the bar are not quite complete. As the West Seattle Herald previously reported, Outwest hopes to become as oasis of sorts for the gay and lesbian community in West Seattle.

Joe Allen and Josh Trass will be the bartenders on duty in addition to owner Bob Lunke for most hours.

Outwest will be open six days a week , Tuesday through Sunday from 4pm to 12 am. It is located at the corner of California Ave. s.w. and s.w Brandon at 5401 Calfornia Ave. s.w.

The opening marks the end of a two year process for owners Bob Lunke and Chad Gabelein who confess to being, "tired but elated that we're finally going to be open."

I do leave Ballard. At least once a week I drive underneath the Ballard Bridge, southeast on Leary Way and then up onto Highway 99. I move to the middle lane southbound, having vowed to never ever drive in the far left “head-on” lane. I’m only going to the Denny exit, but it feels like I’m holding my breath the entire time until I’m safely off the highway.

Last Friday I was making that drive under cloudless skies, Mount Rainier still impossibly huge after 25 years in this town. I watch for unsecured loads, the dramatic slowing of cars ahead that signal the speed patrols are on duty. News of the bicyclist hit at Dexter and Thomas Street, the afternoon before, was on my mind. I was thinking there should be a national campaign: Our Streets Shouldn’t Be Deadly.

After exiting on Denny, I always take the first left onto Dexter and then a right at the intersection of Thomas. When I heard about the hit-and-run, I could picture the spot exactly. I have been meeting a former co-worker just two blocks east for seven years.

Coming to Jefferson Square at 4700 42nd s.w. in October is La Vida Massage and the franchise location brings a new business model with it, offering lower cost massage services through a membership plan.

Being built by Paul Silver and designed by Bo Miller the facility will offer 8 massage rooms (including couples massage), in a space designed to be, "A little flashier and a little more Seattle and a little less Minnesota," Miller said. It will feature stone and tile decor, with very darkly tinted windows on the west side, to provide privacy. The north windows will be covered by walls inside and outside will feature super graphics -- photos of people and the services the company provides.

The facility will feature a "quiet room", a waiting area where clients can wait for their appointment.

Monster Costume, the Alki based touch screen software developer who last year had a major hit with children's title "Bartleby's Book of Buttons Vol. 1 : The Faraway Island" is on the verge of releasing the followup. But the new title, Bartleby's Book of Buttons Volume 2: The Button at the Bottom of the Sea has been delayed as the company works to deal with explosive growth and the development and release of their "book engine" a tool that will enable non programmers to create their own interactive titles.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE MORE

Kyle Kinkade is the barefooted brain (he seldom wears shoes) that heads the company that the West Seattle Herald reported previously was growing rapidly as they explored the possibilities for bringing new clients their brand of touch screen expertise.

West Seattle Garden & Nursery Center press release:

August 14, 2011
Dog Days of August Beerfest

Please join us for complimentary beer and hot dogs to celebrate the beginning of our Annual Fall Sale. We’ll take donations throughout the day match them for the Furry Faces Foundation. This wonderful organization facilitates the adoption of stray cats and dogs into loving homes throughout the community. For more information visit www.furryfaces.org.

Furry Faces Foundation adds this:

We are very flattered to be selected as the benefitting local non profit for this event—thanks West Seattle Nursery’, say Tammy Lyly, Furry Faces VP. She explains, ‘The Beerfest includes both Georgetown Brewing Company’s famous Manny’s and Big Al Brewing’s ‘It’s A West Seattle Thing-Lowman’s Brau’, plus hot dogs galore.’