January 2009

A prayer was made. The sun came out.

The house once belonging to Edith Macefield that has stood empty in a cocoon of new development since her death in June will eventually be sold, according to its new owner, Barry Martin of Ledcor Construction.

Macefield willed the house to Martin, the superintendent of construction for the Ballard Blocks development that enveloped her home, after he befriended her during the final year of her life.

The New York Times reported Dec. 27 that Martin plans to sell the house to pay for his daughter's education.

But, Martin said he is not quite ready to let Macefield go, and selling the house will be the final step in that process.

Martin said he still misses Macefield and leaves the house's porch light on every night to feel like she is still there.

He said he has not yet taken steps to sell the property and has not had any offers. Martin will most likely wait until he is finished with his current construction project, he said.

At 3 a.m. Jan 9 officers from the North Precinct responded to a possible stabbing in the 6500 block of 24th Avenue Northwest, but the suspects whereabouts are currently unknown.

When they arrived, the victim's sister stated that she had received a phone call from the victim stating that she had been stabbed. The sister then contacted police but did not know the exact address of the victim’s apartment.

As officers searched for the correct location, the victim arrived and provided them with the address.

Two West Seattle restaurants are getting a boost this month with the "New Urban Eats" deal that's bringing an influx of new people to Ama Ama Oyster Bar and Grill and Spring Hill to enjoy three courses for $30.

With the economy down, restaurants have been more quiet than usual.

"We're definitely feeling the crunch,," said co-owner of Ama Ama Oyster, Rob Coburn.

But he is optimistic about the New Urban Eats.

"It really helps people come and see the restaurant and look over the whole menu," he said.

The promotion, sponsored by The Seattle Ti

At the Southwest District Council meeting on Jan. 7, King County Metro Transportation Planner Jack Lattemann said West Seattle could see Rapid Ride service by 2011.

Rapid Ride was first introduced in 2007 and has been designed to improve travel times through King County's most heavily used transit stations.

Current Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin will run for reelection to the Seattle City Council instead of making a run for mayor of the city, as some have predicted.

"Seattle works best when we work together," said Conlin in a statement released from his re-election campaign. "I have the experience, the commitment, and the knowledge to do the job. My task is to work with all of Seattle's communities to create and implement a positive vision for our future."

Conlin was elected to the City Council in November 1997 and reelected in 2001 and 2005.

Trendhunter.com just sent me their top 20 trends for 2009 and, you'll never guess that miniature gardening can easily be placed into a number of them.

With the economy driving our actions as of late, it's no wonder that such a neat garden idea can hit the mark on so many different levels, with so many different people.

The new trends that are not-so-new to us are: expressing yourself, do-it-yourself projects, urban gardening, living smaller, retro fads and modernizing the past.

Earlier this week police arrested three men who they believe were responsible for a string of robberies over the last month after the suspects attempted to rob the 7-Eleven convenience store near the corner of California Avenue Southwest and Admiral Way.

Police are continuing to investigate the incidents and expect that more suspects involved remain at large.

According to Lieutenant Steve Paulsen of the Southwest Precinct, the robbery occurred around 1:35 a.m. on Jan.

In response to recent incidents of violence, including a shooting on May 24 at Seattle's Folklife festival, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has recommended that all city departments consider a ban of all concealed weapons on city property.

The ban would make it illegal for anyone to carry a firearm on properties including the Seattle Center and City Hall, even with a concealed weapons permit.

At 3 a.m. Jan 9 officers from the North Precinct responded to a possible stabbing in the 6500 block of 24th Avenue Northwest, but the suspects whereabouts are currently unknown.

When they arrived, the victim's sister stated that she had received a phone call from the victim stating that she had been stabbed. The sister then contacted police but did not know the exact address of the victim’s apartment.

As officers searched for the correct location, the victim arrived and provided them with the address.