November 2012

West Seattle represented during a ceremony at Everett’s Paine Field Wednesday. Boeing delivered LOT Polish Airline's 787 Wednesday, one of eight it ordered. LOT was Europe’s first airline to purchase the Dreamliner.

On hand at the ribbon-cutting were John Golubiec, West Seattle resident, owner of Polyways Travel on Harbor Ave., and President of the Polish Home Association in Seattle, Paul Griffin, West Seattle resident and VP of Financial Planning for the Polish Home Association in Seattle, and Gail Ann Wodzin, also of West Seattle. She is President of the Seattle Gdynia Sister City Association. Many know her from her attractive storefront photography studio around the corner from Endolyne Joe's.

And while Gail Ann is best known for her portraits and weddings, she took some dreamy photos of the 787 as it readied for its maiden voyage to Warsaw.

On Tuesday, Nov. 27 at 7pm you'll have the chance to meet legendary Seattle radio broadcaster Pat O'Day at the Feedback Lounge at a tribute to Jimi Hendrix.

The occasion is the celebration of what would have been Hendrix's 70th birthday.
It's not well known but at one time O'Day was Hendrix's manager.

O'Day will bring his collection of rare and unseen photos from his personal collection for the event.

The Feedback Lounge is located at 6451 California Ave. SW

**Please note the design packet links at right will take a little while to load**

Two big projects in the works for West Seattle passed milestones earlier this month toward receiving master use permits from the city to start breaking ground.

Back-to-back design review meetings were held at the West Seattle Senior Center on Nov. 8, where five all-volunteer board members (representing the professions associated with development and design) work with architects, developers, and the community to guide projects.

4724 California Ave S.W.
The first was a final review for the seven-story project slated for the old Petco building at 4724 California Ave S.W. Developers Wolff Company and Urban Evolution and architects from West Seattle-base Weber Thompson presented the further evolution of their building that will be seven stories tall with 75 residential units, 13 live-work units on the second floor, retail space on the ground floor and underground parking for 74 vehicles. The design also creates a mid-block walking connection from California to 42nd Ave S.W.

Yesterday, Sound Transit agreed to commit up to $2 million for a study of possible high capacity transit on the Ballard-to-Downtown transit corridor.

This funding would be in addition to $800,000 provided by the city of Seattle. The study is scheduled to start in early 2013 and will be completed by mid-2014, according to Sound Transit.

No promises are being made on what the study will result in, but it does mean at least the possibility, finally, of gaining a light rail or a streetcar connection to Ballard in the future.

The corridor is identified in the Sound Transit Long Range Plan as a possible rail extension. The study will help update the Seattle Transit Master Plan, which seeks to expand the city's street car network.

Mayor Mike McGinn has described the Ship Canal crossing (currently the Ballard Bridge) as one of the most constrained choke points in Seattle. According to his office, the transit master plan estimated that rail will increase ridership by 12,500 people per day in the Ballard-Downtown corridor, for a total of 26,000 people per day. Rail is the only mode of transit which produced those gains, according to the Mayor.

Dignitaries including Mayor Mike McGinn and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce President Dave Montoure gathered beneath the Spokane Street Viaduct Nov. 16 and with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, completed the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project.

Originally projected to cost $164 million, the work is now expected to come in under budget by several million dollars.

“This project helps maintain our existing infrastructure for years to come, helping residents, businesses, and freight move more easily and safely to and from West Seattle,” said Mayor Mike McGinn.

SLIDESHOW: Click on photo for more

King County Executive and West Seattle resident Dow Constantine celebrated his 39th birthday, for the thirteenth time, at Kells Irish Pub downtown for his first re-election campaign fundraiser Thursday night, Nov. 15. He runs in 2013.

While many think he is as youthful as ever, this "39 years of age" business is a running gag, and at his 39th birthday party last year in the Paramount Theater lobby he acknowledge hitting the half-century mark.

Dow Constantine

"I really appreciate everyone coming out for my birthday," Constantine told the West Seattle Herald. "You know, when you're in politics and you're an elected official there is really no life event that doesn't turn into a fundraising opportunity (...) I like coming here to Kells because back in 1984 or '85 I tended bar right behind the bar over there, saving money for law school. It's nice they welcomed me back. I always offer to jump in and hone my bar tending skills just in case I need that as a back-up after my next election."

Cassandra Baker

2:30 a.m., November 11. 1300 block of NW 57th St

Police responded to a Ballard neighborhood after receiving reports of multiple shots fired in the middle of the night. The unknown suspect, in a dark vehicle, fired several rounds and then left the area. The rounds went through the living room windows of a duplex, but no one was hurt. The individuals living in the duplex said they did not hear a disturbance and did not have any ongoing problems with anyone.

12:14 a.m., November 11. 1st block of NW 85th St

Police responded to reports that a burglar alarm had been tripped at a Ballard-area marijuana dispensary in the middle of the night on November 11. The responding officers arrived at the scene to find the door forced open, the office area ransacked, and three individuals sitting in chairs in front of the counter. The subjects said they were friends of the victim, who was on his way. They said that they arrived after the burglary had occurred and hadn’t found anyone inside.

Many of our readers are familiar with the Alki Arts Gallery next to the Cactus restaurant on Alki. Owners Diane Venti and husband Tom Wyrick celebrated their grand opening of their second gallery Thursday night, Nov. 15, Alki Arts at the Harbor Steps, 55 University. Performing was the Latin jazz band Sonando. There was also a wine tasting by Waterbrook Winery. And of course there was art, lots of art, by local artists.

Wyrick told the West Seattle Herald that the same management in charge of their Alki space, formerly "All the Best Pets", also operates store spaces at Harbor Steps and invited Venti and him to open a gallery there. They get a discount, and are promised three months in the space. Wyrick said that may extend. If not, they are invited to relocate to a different Harbor Steps storefront.

The gallery is across the street from the Seattle Art Museum and down some steps. Contact them at (206) 681-9321 or (206) 432-9936.

By Christopher Duclos

Three players on the Beavers roster have succeeded in being awarded as one of the top players in the conference. This was not an easy feat considering that Kingco 4A is the hardest conferences in the state of Washington. Two of the three players listed below have captured honors on both sides of the ball -- Dominique Smith and Nate Rauda, both dynamos on offense and defense.

1st Team:

Offensive Specialist: Dominique Smith
Wide Receiver: Nate Rauda

2nd Team:

Quarterback: Johnny Verduin
Corner: Dominique Smith
Safety: Nate Rauda

Offensive Specialist (runningback) Dominique Smith did more than just fill in for injured power back Dominic King. The transfer from Franklin High School racked up 416 rushing yards, 530 receiving yards (946 total) scoring 12 total touchdowns for the season. Defensively, Smith made some throws difficult for opposing quarterbacks. He led the Beavers in interceptions with 4 (151 return yards after interception). He caused 1 fumble.

By Dusty Henry

In a dimly lit underground practice space off of Leary Way in Ballard, David Bazan and his band mates Alex Westcoat and Andy Fitts stand in a triangle formation with their instruments and a six-pack of beer in between them.

The room has a lot of history to it; they have practiced and recorded in it for over five years. Vinyl copies of Bazan’s latest solo record, “Strange Negotiations,” can be found sitting on shelves and in corners. Various instruments hang on all the walls.

Bazan and Westcoat discuss how they might want to tackle a drum part on one of their tracks.

“Don’t think twice, it’s alright,” Bazan says with a smirk, quoting Bob Dylan.

The band then starts playing “Magazine,” the sixth track off of Pedro the Lion’s 2002 album Control. The drum-centric track keeps a methodical and industrial-inspired rhythm as Bazan swirls vocal melodies.

“Oh look, you earned your wings,” Bazan sings. “Are you an angel now, or a vulture?”