December 2016

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206.937.7169
Starting Sun., Dec. 11 We still have a good selection of holiday decorations and they are all half price starting Dec. 11, so it’s not too late to decorate your house, office or neighborhood. If you’re looking for gifts, we have fine china cups and saucers filled with treats that make great hostess gifts as well as tokens of appreciation for teachers, friends and others you want to acknowledge during the holidays. Also you’ll want to check our Antiques, Vintage and Collectible shelves for beautiful one of a kind treasures for those special people on your lists. The all volunteer run non-profit American Cancer Society shop is open every Sun. 11 a.m.–3 p.m., all other days 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Follow our blog at www.discoveryshopwestseattle.org.

Alternative Giving Fair
Fauntleroy Church
9140 California Ave. S.W.

Road rage on 16th Avenue S.W.

Around noon on Wed,, Nov. 30, police were dispatched to the 6000 block of 16th Avenue S.W. to investigate a hit and run case. They learned that two employees had loaded their work vehicle and were driving south on 16th Avenue, moving slowly due to the weight of their load. The suspect began tailing them and then started ramming their vehicle, pushing them forward several feet. The workers pulled into a parking lot and the suspect followed, yelling at them, before he fled. The victims did not want to pursue any charges.

Berserk after basketball

By Amanda Knox
 
I suppose it’s a privilege that I’ve never had to rely on Black Friday to do my Christmas shopping. I know some people get a thrill out of competing to collect big on the best deals, but I don’t like to feel rushed, herded through a crowd, or pressured to make a purchase. The only thrill I get out of Black Friday is the thrill of knowing a bunch of black cats are going to get homes that day, because the Humane Society waives their adoption fees. Nope, Black Friday comes and goes for me without much notice. I tend to stay home, digesting leftovers.
 
But that doesn’t mean I don’t get into the gift-giving spirit. Post-Thanksgiving, I feel silly with glee at the prospect of stumbling across perfect gifts for people I love over the next month—unexpected, clever, fun, thoughtful, useful gifts. Gifts that will be just what the recipient wanted, without realizing they wanted it. Gifts that are as satisfying as the end of a Sherlock Holmes novel, or a cup of hot chocolate spiced with chili. Gifts that say, “I love you AND I know you,” but which also give the recipient something new to sink their teeth into.
 

By Pat Cashman

By some accounts the verified world record holder for old age was a French woman who lived to be 122 years, 164 days (Jeanne Calmut, 1875-1997). Not verified were her last words: “Je suis si fatigue’”---French for “Man, am I pooped.”

122 years (and 164 days) is a long run. That’s older than some Hostess Twinkies. But just like every other “oldest living person in the world” before her, Jeanne’s reign finally ended. There is no precedent for anyone regaining the title.

Of all the records achieved by humans, ‘oldest person’ might be the hardest to train for. And even then, once you finally made it, anyone you might really want to impress wouldn’t be around.

You’d show up for your 100th high school reunion---and be the only one there. That means you’d be stuck paying for the entire keg. Plus, you’d have to dance with yourself.

By Lindsay Peyton

Realtor Don Bereiter says homeowners looking to sell at this time of year all have the same question on their minds.

“They want to know if it’s smarter to wait until the first of the year or not,” he said. “The downside of waiting is that so are a lot of other people. So your competition increases.”

In fact, there may be a few advantages for homeowners who decide to list now, Bereiter said.

“There may not be as many people looking, but of the ones coming to look in December, the percentage of people who are serious is higher,” he said. “The buyers are serious. The owners are serious. It just works.”

Bereiter, who is the branch manager at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, added that shoppers may have more time to look because of holiday vacations from work.

“And when you’re listing a home during the holidays, it’s usually decorated,” he said. “You’re kind of staging your house with those lights and decorations. It presents itself better.”

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory (and a Winter Storm Watch) though only the advisory is for conditions that will affect our area. The Watch is more aimed at the foothills of the Cascades and the mountains themselves).

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON PST
MONDAY...
...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

* TIMING...SNOW SHOWERS WILL INCREASE MONDAY MORNING BETWEEN 4 AM AND NOON. SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL CHANGE THE SNOW TO MOSTLY RAIN SHOWERS BY AFTERNOON. COLDER AIR ARRIVES MONDAY EVENING WITH A CONVERGENCE ZONE POSSIBLY PRODUCING SNOW SHOWERS DOWN TO SEA-LEVEL THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT.

* SNOW AMOUNTS...A TRACE TO TWO INCHES ABOVE ABOUT 500 FEET MONDAY MORNING. UP TO THREE INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN SNOHOMISH COUNTY.

The West Seattle Junction merchants put on a show in the junction Dec. 3 for their annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Junction Plaza Park. Approximately 300 people were on hand for the event.

The Emcee was West Seattle's Dolly Madison. Dolly (aka Derick) who began performing seven years ago, has performed in shows and fundraisers across the Seattle area.

Christmas music was provided by the West Seattle High School Band and Christmas Carols were performed by the Endolyne Children’s Choir
Also oh the bill was music from Sundae+Mr Goessl a husband/wife duo who play a mix of genres from an era long gone.
ArtsWest offered an excerpt from the play currentlyl in production called Peter and the Starcatcher
Finally the main event the tree lighting was done by Jack Menashe of Menashe and Sons Jewelers.

Nancy Woodland of WestSide Baby was the main speaker.

The annual West Seattle Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at the Masonic Hall was host to hundreds this year who enjoyed expertly made pancakes, coffee, juice and more during the fundraising event.

Proceeds of the breakfast will benefit Kiwanis Sponsored Youth Programs in West Seattle (high school Key Clubs, Boy Scout Troop 284, Venture Crew & more) as well as the Kiwanis Children's Cancer Program (to fund cancer research at Children's Hospital).

Marines from Joint Base Lewis/McChord were on hand to collect Toys for Tots and
Santa Claus was in the house to pose for photos with young ones.

Sponsors for the breakfast include:

• Alki Lumber
• At One Coaching
• State Farm Insurance

The West Seattle Rotary Club made good on their promise again for 2016 to help 100 disadvantaged children in our area get warm coats, shoes and more during their Shopping Spree event held at Westfield Southcenter.

Amy Lee Derenthal said "It's great this year, we actually almost have too many volunteers," referring to the dozens of people who showed up at 5:15 am to help unpack boxes of coats, paid for by donations largely collected at the annual luncheon in May.

Many of the volunteers were as always from area Fraternities and Sororities. Sponsors for the event also provided much appreciated support.

The event pairs children with volunteers who get a warm coat and socks but who also go on a shopping spree at Sears to get other necessary items like pants, shoes and more.

The volunteers and children (numbering 300) were also treated to a big breakfast by BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse who stepped up and took the place of the now closed Rainforest Cafe.

After the shopping was done, kids got to pose for a photo with Santa.

Volunteers came from:

• Grace Gospel church

information from King County

As the Puget Sound region braces for its first winter cold snap, travelers in King County should prepare for the possibility of snow and travel disruptions later this weekend and next week.

At the moment, the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures to begin dropping Sunday, with possible overnight freezing temperatures Monday and Tuesday. The King County Department of Transportation urges Metro Transit customers and water taxi riders, as well as people who travel unincorporated county roads, to monitor weather reports and connect to information available from King County, including travel alerts.

King County’s My Commute page is a resource for monitoring the status of roads, and information is available on the county roads’ snow response page.