May 2013

The 7900 block of 35th SW got a major shot in the arm with the arrival of Locöl Barley and Vine 2 years ago. It quickly became a neighborhood favorite and then its appeal grew. Owners Kyle Duce and Shane Whitall crafted the space, and food and beverage offerings, tailoring them to suit West Seattle tastes.

Recently Whitall announced plans to open a sports bar called The Westy just down the block. But Duce, who moved to Denver for family reasons 15 months ago, retained both his interest in Locôl and in West Seattle. Now he and Locöl Manager Charlie Worden are building something new.

Right on the corner of the block, at 7900 35th Ave. SW in the former Westwood Florist location they are building something they call Tap Station. The idea is simple. People love craft beers, and high quality local wines but there are many times when enjoying them at home or at a party is preferable to buying them by the glass in a restaurant.

After a devastating loss to Bainbridge Island to open the post season, the West Siders team game, that had eluded them against Bainbridge, showed up and the Wildcats put together a seven run inning against Ingraham and moved on with a 11-7 victory for the right to meet Eastside Catholic on Friday.

With a pitching duel apparent, and the Crusaders holding on to a one run lead coming into the top of the fifth Graham French #25 singles to bring Tim Adams in to tie the game 1-1. RBI’s by Sam Hellinger and Tim Adams in the sixth make the score 3-1 West Seattle. In the seventh Morgan McCullough’s single added another run getting #28 Ben Wexler across the plate and the game ended in a 4-1 West Seattle win. That left Seattle Prep Panthers on Saturday.

Prep got here by losing to Bainbridge Island on Wednesday. The Panthers had two days rest while the Wildcats needed to battle through the week. Sharpening their skills could be a way of looking at it. Getting comfortable with winning may be another.

By Sam Reed
Athletic Director/Activity Coordinator
Chief Sealth International High School

Following a 3-0 win over Ingraham last Thursday in the Metro League tournament, the Chief Sealth International High School boys soccer team is headed back to the WIAA 3A State tournament for the 2nd straight season.

Reigning 2-time Coach of the Year Ron Johnson will lead the Seahawks back to the tournament after their 2nd consecutive undefeated Metro Sound Division season and as one of the true favorites to fare well in this year's tournament.

The Seahawks, ranked in the top 5 in State all season long, will travel north to play Glacier Peak High School on Wednesday, May 15th at 6pm at Veteran's Memorial Stadium (on the campus of Snohomish High School).

Victoria McMullen was a happy 22-year-old woman with a six month old daughter who had been married to her husband for a year, living near San Diego, CA. Friends and family said she was good about keeping in touch through Facebook and phone calls, and her father, Kenny Castille, said the two rarely went a week without talking.

So when a week went by in early September, 2012, without even a text message from his daughter, Castille said he knew something was wrong. He called his son-in-law, who said they had gotten into a fight on Sept. 2 and that he drove her to the airport. Leaving behind her phone (police believe as it was never recovered and no calls were made from Washington) and bringing only a small bag of clothes, she bought a one-way ticket to the SeaTac Airport. Castille called the El Cajon, CA Police Department and asked them to do a welfare check. They confirmed that a fight had occurred between the young couple, that Victoria had boarded a plane from San Diego to Seattle. Her husband stayed behind with their child, police said.

City of SeaTac press release:

The SeaTac City Council received a proposed petition from an independent group known as the SeaTac Committee for Good Jobs, in order to collect signatures for an initiative entitled “Setting Minimum Employment Standards for Hospitality and Transportation Workers.”

Committee representatives are in the process of seeking the required 1,541 signatures, which is 15% of the registered voters from the November, 2011 City elections.
While the City will follow through on the initiative process as required by State Law and City Code, the Initiative was filed by the independent group.

It has come to the attention of the City of SeaTac that members of the public may attend upcoming Council Meetings to comment on the proposed initiative. While the City understands that members of the public may have strong opinions on either side of this issue, it is imperative that City facilities not be used to either promote or oppose any current or proposed ballot measure.

By Gwen Davis

BLRB architects reported to roughly 15 neighbors Wednesday evening that plans for the new Schmitz Park Elementary at Genesee Hill were soundly underway, with 3D full-scale diagrams. Principal architect for the project, Lee Fenton told the West Seattle Herald he’s pleased with how the process is going, and that after this current schematic design stage, BLRB will get a cost-estimate for the plans.

“It’s been great working on one of the first projects in a program that got approved by voters,” he said.
Architects announced they hit a big milestone.

“We’re right on schedule, are making great progress and are looking forward to taking the next step of the design process, which will be a more detailed design, and begin to do detailed cost estimates.”
“We’ll also get construction documents compared, too.”

Architects have gone into neighbors’ homes to determine how the new building would affect the views of those home owners.

“We’ve been invited in their houses to talk with them about what’s important to them,” regarding different views and sunlight.

With her sturdy, yet angelic voice, evocative of Joan Baez, combined with her many no holds barred lyrics, Alki-raised singer/songwriter, Allecia Clemons presents an intriguing dichotomy.

For example, in her 2007 release, "My F@?#ING THUNDER" (Not our edit. That is how she spells it) she forcefully, but pleasantly croons the track called "Hitler", an anti-war song, a response to Pres. George W. Bush stealing the 2000 election away from Sen. Gore, as she sees it, and the worry and grief mothers of soldiers experience. She said the song is also a response to the wrath the Dixie Chicks suffered in 2003 when their music was pulled from numerous country stations following reports that lead singer Natalie Maines said in a concert in London she was "ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas" as a criticism of the war in Iraq.

Clemons' CD was played on over 500 college radio stations in America.

Her most recent CD, "working shift joan" is about our struggling economy and working for low wages. The CD reads, "...All songs were done with just one take. It's raw, uncut, and wonderful. There are mistakes. There is also magic."

Monday, May 6
Baseball
Eastside Catholic 4, Chief Sealth 3
The Seahawks took a one-run loss as they dove into Metro League playoff action Monday.

Tuesday, May 7
Mixed tennis
Metro League tournament
West Seattle's duo of Lee and Carow teamed to capture the mixed doubles title at the Metro League tournament that concluded Tuesday.
Lee and Carow took the championship match by a 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-1 score over Seattle Prep.

Wednesday, May 8
Boys soccer
Lakeside 5, Chief Sealth 2
Chief Sealth traveled to Interbay Stadium and took a 5-2 Metro League playoff loss.

Fastpitch
Holy Names 18, West Seattle 0
West Seattle was knocked around by Holy Names, 18-0, in Wednesday Metro League tournament action.

Thursday, May 9
Fastpitch
Bainbridge 15, Chief Sealth 5
Bainbridge battered the Seahawks by 10 runs as the Metro League tournament continued Thursday.

Boys soccer
Chief Sealth 3, Ingraham 0

It’s been around five years since big earth movers have been sighted in “The Hole,” an infamously stalled West Seattle project at the northwest corner of Fauntleroy and Alaska, but signs of life showed up the week of May 6.

Madison Development purchased the property at 3922 S.W. Alaska St. in 2011 for $32 million after it had sat dormant since 2008, when developer Bluestar ran into financial difficulties and pulled the project plug. Madison’s plan is to build a seven-story mixed use building with one and two bedroom apartments and an L.A. Fitness Center at street level.

Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development bypassed the design review process for the building because it will eventually appear very similar to the original concept that was supposed to house a Hancock Fabrics and Whole Foods. That original plan passed the design review process.

For more information, please see our prior coverage found here.

Monday, May 6
Baseball
Life Christian 3, SCS 0
The Warriors were shut out by Life Christian in a Nisqually League game this past Monday.

Tuesday, May 7
Baseball
Olympic 14, Foster 4
Foster's season came to an end with a 10-run Seamount/South Puget Sound League 2A playoff loss to Olympic at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds Tuesday.
Fastpitch
SCS 9, Orting 6
Seattle Christian battled its way past Orting in Nisqually League action Tuesday.
TJ 6, Mount Rainier 5
Thomas Jefferson slipped past the Rams in an SPSL 4A North Division tiebreaker game on Tuesday.
Boys lacrosse
Nathan Hale 19, Highline 2
Nathan Hale outgunned the Pirates in boys lacrosse action Tuesday.
Kennedy 18, Seattle Prep 0
Maxwell Arrington scored five goals for Kennedy Catholic in its 18-0 victory over Seattle Prep this last Tuesday.

Wednesday, May 8
Boys soccer
Kennedy 4, Decatur 0
Kennedy Catholic shut out the Gators of Decatur High School in Federal Way in a Seamount/SPSL 3A playoff at Franklin Pierce High School in the Tacoma area on Wednesday.
Puyallup 2, Mt. Rainier 0