December 2013

Sightline Institute just announced a study that reveals there is no such thing as “cheap” parking.

The researchers, Clark Williams-Derry and Jesse London, surveyed 23 recently constructed multifamily developments. They found that on average 37 percent of parking spaces remained vacant during the night -- peak time for parking demand. Of the 23 developments all had vacancies during the night and more than twice, four developments had twice as many parking spots as parked cars. Further still, 21 out of the 23 developments had more occupied apartments than parked cars in their lots.

“Nothing stokes neighborhood passion like parking, but a lot of that passion comes from the belief that parking is naturally free or cheap, but that’s not the case,” said Williams-Derry.

Williams-Derry said the goal of the study was to reveal that there are hidden costs in rent and that developers are actually losing money by building more parking than is needed.

The study sates that when developers build housing with parking areas, and especially with expensive underground parking, they plan to recoup these costs from high rents, but more than just tenants pay for it:

Twice Sold Tales Books opened last month, abutting Bauhaus Coffee at the corner of 20th Ave NW and NW Market Street.

John Watkins, owner, said that he is happy to be back after taking time off, acting as caregiver for his parents on Vashon Island.

With books lining the shelves they have still not unpacked all of their books.

“Its kind of a long process but we hope to be fully unpacked soon,” said Watkins.

Since 1992, Watkins has been partners with Jamie Lutton, who owns a store by the same name in Capital Hill. Watkins had a shop in the University District, but closed it after his parents become ill.

“I come from one of those families where everybody sits around and reads, and once in a while someone starts laughing and shares what they’ve read. ... I read pretty widely, some history, philosophy and a lot of different kinds of fiction,” said Watkins

A true military brat, Watkins traveled and lived all over the United States. He studied political science and earned a masters degree from Northwest University.

By Kyra-lin Hom

Blatantly eavesdropping during my lunch break today, I overheard two women discussing their decisions to be working moms and that whole issue in general. Both were high-powered go-getter types with, it seemed, the salaries to match.

The first mentioned her schedule was difficult and grueling, but at least she did usually get home in time to tuck her children – ages four and seven – into bed. Her husband, also a highly employed individual, was the main caretaker. The second cited her many friends who had chosen to forego their careers after having children, stating she couldn’t understand their frustrating traditional mindsets. On this point, they agreed.

Now, I take issue with this. Do I think women belong in the kitchen? Oh, (expletive) no. I gladly smack my guy friends upside their head whenever they crack the “Woman! Make me a sandwich!” joke. (If you haven’t heard that one yet, don’t worry, you’re not missing out.) Nor do I think a woman’s place is in the home. However, I completely support any woman or man who chooses to stay home part or full time with their children.

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206 937 7169
We're down to the wire on holiday decorations and clothing, which are 50% off and we still have many one-of-a kind gifts!  All green clothing is half-priced through December 21 and items with pink tags are reduced 75%.  Double stamps on customer appreciation cards every Monday from 10 to noon, seniors get 20% off their entire purchase all day Tuesday and high schoolers with student IDs all day Saturday, and all men's wear is 40% off every Sunday.  We will close at 1 p.m. Christmas Eve and wish you and your families a very happy holiday.  The all volunteer run, non profit American Cancer Society shop is open Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and all other days 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Christmas Concert and Bazaar
Breath of Life SDA Church
9807 26th Ave. S.W.
206-762-0333
Sat., Dec. 21, 3:30 p.m. Free concert. Join us, there is something for the whole family. Music, skits, crafts, baked goods and a raffle drawing. All donations go to help with church repairs. Help us celebrate the gift of the Savior.

Rainbow Girls Christmas Tree Recycle Fundraiser
Alki Masonic Hall

It was my first Christmas as publisher of the White Center News and I had this great idea for decorating the business district. I would go from store to store in downtown along 16th SW and get the merchants to help get the town in a holiday mood. I would place Christmas trees along the sidewalk curbs on both sides of the street from Roxbury to SW 100th.

It would be a silver painted tree in a hole in the curb with a spotlight shining on it from above the store's doorway. All for the cost of only $15. What a deal!

So I went door to door pitching my plan to merchants, most of whom I barely knew. Before I was through pitching the plan I figured I should think the glorious idea through. I had to get a hole in the curb, I had to buy a bunch of spotlights, buy a bunch of trees and somehow paint them.

What an idiot. I sold the goofy idea to about forty merchants. I checked my list: Trees, lights, paint and...Oh!, holes in the curb. Darn..it. Not all trees have the same trunk size. How big a hole can I make. How can I make the hole? It has to be the right size. I called county commissioner Ed Munro.

By Tim Clifford

Skipping the Checkout Line
At a store on SW Alaska St. on December 5th a robbery was attempted by two suspects for two bottles of Maker’s Mark Whiskey. Just before 9 o’clock the two suspects, described as two black males in their early 20’s with dark coats and hoodies, grabbed the bottles and were confronted by the victim who is a clerk at the store. One of the suspects attempted to push the victim out of the way, which resulted in a short struggle that ended with the exit door being taken off its tracks and a customer in the store holding the first suspect down while the victim called the police.
The second suspect fled as fast as possible. The First suspect managed to get out the helpful customer’s hold and fled before authorities arrived. The helpful shopper also left before police arrived and remains unidentified along with the suspects. After assisting the victim with fixing the exit door the police then took the two bottles of Maker’s to the evidence room to dust for prints later on.

Undercover?

By Cindi Rinehart

All of my life people have said to me, “Cindi, you’re so funny or Cindi, you’re crazy.” Well, not only have I been struck by lightening not once, but twice! That alone could account for why folks think I’m a little “off.” This next little ditty probably had something to do with my “oddness” because I was only six when they burned my damn diapers.

Our family was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas while my AF pilot Dad went off to build the Alaskan Pipe Line. One day, I remember going to school feeling really sick, but in our house you went school even if you were dying. No excuses. Sometime during that day the school nurse called my mom and told her to come get me because I was I had a dangerously high fever.

By Tim Clifford

For a few months now local divers have been seeing a disturbing sight below the surface: starfish wasting away and dying in mass numbers at local dive sites.

Described as a “wasting disease” the afflicted starfish, of which it now seems to be most adults up and down the west coast, will literally start wasting away from the inside out. “Sometimes you find just their arms, sometimes still in the shape of a sea star, other times you simply find a whitish disc of gelatinous goo” explained local dive instructor James Winger of what he had seen at dive sites Cove 1 and Cove 2 off of Alki Beach. “Around Thanksgiving we saw that it had spread to Redondo [Beach in Des Moines]” continued Winger.

By Jeremy Martin

Two Jamari Smith Steals, a Khaleef Griffin three pointer and pretty tip in by J. Kilgore all within the final two minutes of play weren’t quite enough for the Chief Sealth Seahawks to pull out of a twenty point hole against Cleveland during Saturday night’s 50-39 loss to the Eagles.

“I don’t see discouragement, not to make excuses for ourselves but we have three or four critical guys who are sick; people at work call in sick when their sick, but they didn’t call in sick today. I’m going to give them credit for stepping up and playing,” Chief Sealth head coach Colin Slingsby said.

Spurred on by an intense 2-3 trapping zone and plenty of fast break offense, the Eagles jumped out to a double digit first quarter lead and never looked back.

Despite matching up comparably in height, the Seahawks were none the less out rebounded 30-21 and gave up a significant number of second chance points to the host Eagles.

By Jeremy Martin

Fans of fast passed basketball were treated to a holiday feast Saturday afternoon when the Ladyhawks of Chief Sealth traveled to Cleveland High to face off against the Eagles.

The menu featured a steady dose of full court pressure, fast breaks and run n’ gun action as Cleveland knocked off a scrappy Sealth team 69-33.

After taking down Bainbridge Friday night, the Ladyhawks (2-1) ran into a hungry and extremely talented Eagles team that controlled momentum for the majority of the game.

“Coming in I knew this was going to be a battle. Cleveland is stacked beyond most metro teams, but this will be our toughest game this season I believe. My girls battled hard and that’s all I wanted from them,” Chief Sealth head coach Katie Jo Maris said.

If any of her team mates were intimidated by the surroundings, O’Shae Walker brought enough confidence to share, as the junior guard did all she could to keep the Ladyhawks in the game.