April 2012

In the auction of 167 state run liquor stores held last friday two local stores, one just opened last August at 4100 Alaska Way s.w. Store 143 sold to West Seattle developer Leon S. Capelouto for $225,445.00.

Capelouto also successfully bid on and won Store 99 at 1175 NE Gilman Blvd, Issaquah. bidding $251,000. Capelouto, who owns the building which also houses QFC, Petco and the Altamira Apartments, said he plans no major changes for the business. The "5 or 6 employees" have all been offered jobs when he officially takes over on June 2. There may be some minor signage changes but otherwise he "Just bought the right to continue doing business as a liquor store there," he said. Capelouto said he has plans to offer high quality customer service, the ability to order specialty products and plans to offer a wider selection than conventional stores, "There's plenty of business for everyone," he said.

The Issaquah store, "is a little bit different, since I'm not the landlord there," he said but his plans there too are to make very few changes. It's a very good store, great employees out there and most of them want to stay. I've talked to them."

Thomas Jefferson scored early and fended off Mount Rainier the rest of the way for a 1-0 win over the Rams Friday.

Mount Rainier head coach Zach Taylor felt good about the match against the perenially powerful Raiders in spite of the loss, however.
"It was a good game," said Taylor, whose team fell to a hard luck 1-7-4 in South Puget Sound League North Division action. "Our record absolutely does not reflect the character of this team. They're starting to play hard and starting to see results."

TJ, meanwhile, ran its record to 8-2-1.

Raider head coach Dave Hanson -- a Mount Rainier graduate and former Rams coach -- was not particularly happy.

"We're not playing good ball," he said. "We lost to Kentwood and Tahoma, and we're doing it with everyone on the team. I don't think our level of play is where it needs to be."

Friday's match at Federal Way Memorial Field was a back-and-forth physical affair, but Thomas Jefferson was the only team to find the back of the net for a goal.

Press release:

Are there really more than 125 eateries in Burien? On May 27, you're going to get a chance to try a few you may not have visited. Burien Bites participants will enjoy the experience and diversity of flavors and people in our community as restaurants fling their doors open for guests to sample some of their delights. Walk the red carpet, get your celebrity photos in the special event social photo station and enjoy the best food and drinks in Burien, May 27.

Registration fee is $10. Restaurants will have $5 or $10 sample plates. Watch for the special Burien Bites "Punch Stations" located at 20 restaurants around town. Visit three or more and you may enter to win dinner free for a year. Proceeds benefit local charities.

When you register, you will be given a list of participating restaurants you may visit in your choice of a random or organized order. Track with others on the Burien Bites mobile app designed to allow rating and ranking of the restaurants. Return to HomeTask to enter the drawing enjoy the after party and to watch the results tally on the big screen.

The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) successfully auctioned the rights to apply for a spirits retail liquor license at the 167 state-run liquor stores statewide.

Online bidding ended in a flurry of bidding on its final day on April 20, 2012, and the sum of individual bids totaled $30.75 million, with rights awarded to 121 individual successful bidders.

“Business Enterprise Director Pat McLaughlin and his team executed this highly successful and historic feat in the midst of so many other pressing activities related to the transition to private liquor sales,” said WSLCB Chair Sharon Foster in a press release.


Initiative 1183 directed the WSLCB to auction the state store properties at their current location.

Winning bidders earned the exclusive right to apply for a liquor license at the current location within its current footprint. All state store properties are below the 10,000 square foot threshold established by the initiative.

Press release from the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains' Network
Do you think of crime prevention in terms of deadbolts on doors and locks on windows? There are more far-reaching options, such as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

What is CPTED? Pronounced “sep-ted”, it refers to a group of strategies intended to reduce the fear of crime and the opportunities to commit crimes such as breaking and entering, assault and vehicle theft. The principles of CPTED are used by police, landscape designers, architects, city planners and many others to make parks, properties and neighborhoods more crime-resistant.

Come learn about the principles of CPTED and how to apply them to your building, property or neighborhood. Community Police Team (CPT) Officer Jonathan Kiehn, who conducts CPTED training will offer specific strategies to make your neighborhood less crime-friendly; he’ll share some success stories that have resulted from the implementation of CPTED principles.

Hello, Kyra-lin,

I agree with everything you wrote in the column except the last sentence could be more clear and specific. You wrote "with unemployment, war, mind-boggling debt and the energy crisis, don't US policy makers have better things to do?" The issues noted with abstinence, birth control, abortion, ... comprise the "war on women by one political party and that happens to be the Republican Party. Democrats have other issues, but they are not waging a war on these issues.

The last sentence would be better phrased as "with unemployment, war, mind-boggling debt and the energy crisis, doesn't the Republican Party have better things to do?"

I realize journalists like to "play fair," however, this is not about fairness, it is about the truth, which is something we don't see in the media very often.

Keep on writing, you bring up good topics that need discussion.

David Gould
West Seattle

By Kyra-lin Hom

For most college students, the school year is about to come to an end. And unfortunately, blocking that glorious if temporary exodus are the finals. Papers, tests, projects – they're all due soon. Now, speaking from experience, some colleges like to suck in naïve, well-meaning parents with pre-made 'care packages.' The college or the food companies in charge of bundling these kitschy parcels give them cute names like 'Chocolate Lovers' or 'College Survival.' Don't be fooled. Not a one of these actually has the stuff necessary for those final hell weeks. So here's a bit of advice from recent college graduates on what college students can really use.

Tribute to Elvis
Senior Center of West Seattle
4217 SW Oregon St.
Friday, April 27, 6-7 p.m. Elvis’s favorite foods, Showtime 7:30 p.m. Bret Wiggins, the West Seattle winner in 2011 Seattle’e Best Amateur Elvis Invitational, performs in fundraiser to benefit the Senior Center. $20/prepaid (932-4044x1) or $25/at door.

Catsino Silent Auction Benefits Animal Rescue Groups
Beveridge Place Pub
6413 California Ave. S.W.

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Yes, it is that time of year—when you wake up sweating under the down comforter and after storing it in a closet have the urge to launder the mattress cover and consider spring cleaning. You have already decorated your front porch with little potted primroses you couldn’t resist as you entered the super market. Even the walls look like they need cleaning. You know it is that time when you collide with the first new spider of the season scurrying underfoot. Now I know that you are supposed to trap that spider and carry it outdoors to allow it another day in the spring sun but don’t look now. I am not about to get that near to a spider even if I am an environmentalist. I know. Dr. Schweitzer never believed in killing. However, he did admit to killing the germs in his operating room before cutting into a patient. It is all relative, right?

Details from Det. Mark Jamieson with Seattle Police:
On April 22nd, just before 7:00 pm, a Southwest Precinct officer working as part of the Alki Emphasis, was flagged down by a motorcyclist at Alki Avenue Southwest and Marine Avenue Southwest. The complainant stated that just moments earlier a man driving a white Hyundai had intentionally struck his motorcycle as he was attempting to park it in the 2300 Block of Alki.

The victim stated that after intentionally striking his motorcycle, the suspect got out of his car and went to the trunk of his car, where he pulled out a backpack. As the victim was asking the suspect why he struck his motorcycle, the suspect pulled a handgun out of the backpack. The victim told officers that he asked the suspect, “Do you really want to go there with your gun?” to which the suspect replied, “Yes, I do.”

The victim later told officers he was afraid he or someone else might get hurt, so he got back on his motorcycle and left southbound on Alki, until he saw the officer and reported the incident.