News: June 2009 Archives

Considering the 2008 elections occurred, oh, nearly eight months ago, it's hard to believe that some outcomes still aren't determined. Decision 2008 came a little closer to the end today when the activist judges Minnesota Supreme Court, in a 5-0 ruling, ordered that Democrat Al Franken be certified as the winner of last fall's Senate race. Of course, current Senator/sore loserman Norm Coleman is threatening to keep fighting the not-so-good fight and taking an appeal to federal court, but we kindly suggest that Norm just pull an Uncle Ted and give up now. Or start his campaign for Governor in 3...2...1.... Update: Coleman has conceded.

Last night a motorcycle carrying two people (apparently driving a bit too fast) were screaming down Greenwood Avenue around 8:48 p.m., when they collided smack-dab into a car turning left onto 102nd Street. The cause of the crash has not been confirmed, but it did result in both riders being thrown a great distance from the bike, causing serious life-threatening injuries. It's a sad but strong reminder that summertime begs us to be extra careful, especially when more bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles are back on the road.

Yesterday afternoon the City Council was all ayes when it came to the Bell Street Park Boulevard. Design is to finish up this fall, and by next spring, it's all top hats and tails on Bell from First to Fifth. Who's paying? We already agreed to; the P-I point out that the project "which would add 17,000 square feet of new green space, is part of the 2008 Parks Levy." Now, because you're curious, check out the Belltown blog's rundown of what exactly the Bell Street Park Boulevard is. A lane vanishes, the sidewalk fattens 30 feet, and voila! it's fun to walk between Denny Park and the waterfront. If people actually turn out to want to get to Denny Park, this will be worth every goddamn penny.

Ouch! TechFlash reported this morning that Microsoft has hired Morgan Stanley to unload digital ad agency Razorfish, possibly on some unsuspecting French ad giant. TechFlash theorizes that the Razorfish layoffs of late have been prep work, to get the firm into auction-block shape. One place Razorfish laid-offs can skip applying at is Wongdoody, which just cut its staff by 17 (or 10 percent). This is what they get for colorizing penguins.

As if one cancelled fireworks show this year wasn't bad enough. One unpatriotic son-of-a-gun and environmental activist is suing the City of Seattle to stop this year's Fourth of July celebration and fireworks show at Gas Works Park. Don't you want to see the Chase Family 4th try to top the now defunct WaMu's past shows? His rant: the city's alleged failure to do an environmental assessment. The city's rebuttal: no need, for a one-time event on city property. May we suggest another tactic: LEAVE. Here is a far-from-Seattle firework-free weekend retreat.

In addition MvB's weekend traffic warning, we must also warn you about Critical Masshole's evening plans. They, being the enormous dick-splashes that they are, will start this evening's ride at 5:30 p.m. at Westlake Center. Route undetermined. For a more thoughtful opinion of Critical Mass, we urge you to read Charles Redell's post from last July.

None of Michael Jackson's solo tours stopped in Seattle. The closest he came was the 1984 Victory Tour, which played three dates at BC Place. As a member of the Jackson 5, Jackson performed at the Seattle Center Coliseum (now KeyArena) on December 8, 1979, as part of the Jackson 5's Destiny Tour. This photo gallery shows how Jackson would've appeared during that performance.

The Seattle Times says Lake Forest Police Sgt. Jason Becker found the 27-year-old woman, who has bipolar disorder, outside of Lake Forest Park Market on Ballinger Way Northeast. She was under the impression her car had been stolen from the ferry. Amy Story's car had been found on the 3 p.m. Bainbridge-to-Seattle ferry on Monday, and she was sighted around Seattle a few times before being reunited with her family.

The M's finished the homestand with their highest-scoring game in two months. Ichiro started it off with a leadoff homer, Rob Johnson had a three-run double, and the M's chased Padres starter Wade LeBlanc by the 2nd. Jarrod Washburn pitched six strong innings to get his fourth win of the year. M's 37-35, 2 GB. Box score. Next game Friday @ L.A. Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.; Vargas vs. Kershaw.

As is all over the news, Michael Jackson died earlier this afternoon. Seattle's legendary Quincy Jones says goodbye to Michael in this statement: "I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words. Divinity brought our souls together on The Wiz and allowed us to do what we were able to throughout the 80s. To this day, the music we created together on Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad is played in every corner of the world and the reason for that is because he had it all--talent, grace, professionalism and dedication. He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

Even the subtle gesture of hanging a rainbow pride flag won't get past the eyes of those who maintain the integrity iconic look of the Pike Place Market. Recently, the Market-based Daily Dozen Doughnut Company had their hands slapped by the image freaks of the Pike Place Preservation and Development Authority and Historical Commission, mainly because the small doughnut stand had hoisted--without the market's historical commission's approval--a 2'x3' rainbow flag to support Pride Week. The flag has since been taken down and we too question, why such a big ol' fuss? Until we find out more, we'll go with "rainbow" isn't a part of Pike Place Market's approved color schematics.

"Boeing stock takes a beating" as engineers work out how to reinforce the spot where the carbon-fiber composite wings meet the fuselage. Not only are people saying it'll delay a first 787 flight by months, but Boeing engineers are hanging their heads low...or privately trash-talking management that ignored the problem for on-time promises: "Although the issue popped up during tests last month, Boeing initially didn't think it would affect the first flight," reports the Everett Herald's Michelle Dunlop.

An 18-year-old California man believed to be in town visiting relatives was the victim of last night's drive-by shooting at the intersection of 140th Street and Military Road South in SeaTac. His four male friends, all in their late teens and 20s, were in the car when the bullet struck the victim in the backseat. Immediately after, they rushed him from the SeaTac intersection to Highline Community Hospital in Burien, where the shooting victim died from multiple gunshot wounds. So far the King County Sheriff's Office is stumped. The darkly lit area didn't allow for any witnesses to see the suspected second car before it turned off at South 140th Street. However, officers are still investigating and trying to determine whether or not there was a motive behind the shooting.

Franklin Gutierrez' solo homer in the eight breaks a 3-3 tie, as the M's are victorious for the first time in a Brandon Morrow start. The bullpen pitched four scoreless; Aardsma saves it, starting the ninth by striking out Adrian Gonzalez swinging on a mid-90s fastball. Russell Branyan's 18th homer provided the other three runs. Bad news: B'court left the game with an apparent muscle strain. M's 36-35, 2.5 GB. Box score. Next game Thu vs. SD, 1:40 p.m., Washburn vs. LeBlanc.

Local Thai restaurant chain Thai Ginger is at the center of an immigration fraud conspiracy. Restaurant owner Varee Bradford was arrested yesterday for assembling "sham marriages" between four Thai nationals--three of which were her relatives--and Thai Ginger employees. Bradford had offered $10,000-$20,000 to select restaurant workers with U.S. residency that could move up the chain's corporate ladder, simply by agreeing to marry her relatives until death green card do they part. Now Bradford is looking at a maximum prison term of five years on the conspiracy charge and ten years for each of the document fraud counts.

This time it took only 330 feet of digging a 13-mile tunnel for King County's $1.8 billion waste water treatment plant before a second tunnel boring machine was sacrificed seized up. Earlier this month, the first machine broke down 340 feet under Bothell and is still out out of commission. The failed equipment has stalled not only the project, but resulted in nearly 70 layoffs too. Yet the county said the project is still planned to open fall 2011. And in case you weren't keeping score, that makes constructions crews 0 and King County dirt 2.

After putting on one of the worst offensive performances we've ever seen through the first seven innings, striking out 11 times vs. 5.98-ERA-having Chad Gaudin, the M's stormed back in the final two innings, getting the winning run to the plate with one out in the ninth. T'wasn't to be, as Griffey and Gooters both made outs. M's 35-35, 2.5 GB. Box score. Next game Wed vs. SD, 7:10 p.m.; Morrow vs. Geer.

The PSBJ was just explaining "debtenfreude" to us--the delight you take in another's real estate misfortune. Now we have a word for how we feel after reading this headline: "Economy eats into funds for Thunder arena project." The AP says "the tax approved by voters as a way to lure the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics to town--where they were renamed the Thunder--has produced $4.2 million below projections." Seattle leadership has gotta be happy they're not knee-deep in a Key Arena renovation right now.

...depending on your subscription. Business Week is bullish about Seattle burning off its excess housing inventory, while Forbes says that foreclosures are gonna keep prices in the tank. Meanwhile, Seattle Bubble is building a Google map of construction projects that have stalled out. (The Weekly's Damon Agnos beat us to the "dueling national pubs" angle. We admit it. But what if you don't read the Weekly? What then?!)

Say goodbye to Washington's once-trusty fleet of steel ferries, the Klickitat, Quinault, Illahee, and Nisqually. Announced on Monday, the eighty-something-year-old Steel Electric-class vessels were sold off to California's Eco Planet Recycling for $200,000. The four ferries, launched in the 1920s, have led a good life, having carried many generations of commuters, travelers, and cars. Retired in 2007, those four ferries have had one of the best views watching the city and its skyline grow into what it is today. Now they are off to Mexico to be scrapped. Bon voyage! Err...adios?

The SR 520 reopened to traffic this morning, after a weekend closure for transportation crews and the floating bridge's annual inspection. Visitors saw firsthand the impact of 120,000 daily vehicles after peering into the big, hollow concrete pontoons that are holding up the aging bridge. While crews patched 520's cracks, the question continues to loom over the bridge's longevity, especially in the event of an earthquake. If anything, this inspection solidified the need for the new bridge, which is expected to open in 2014--although it will come at the cost of pricy tolls on the 520, expected to begin next fall.

The Storm tie Phoenix atop the Western Conference in an entertaining, fast-paced game reminiscent of last year's Pac-10 men's UW/Arizona battles. The Storm jumped ahead early behind Swin Cash's ten first quarter points, but the Mercury came back to grab the lead in the second half. Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson took over in the fourth, with Bird scoring 7 unanswered to open the quarter, and Jackson hitting a game-clinching three. Storm 5-2, T1st. Box score. Next game Friday vs. LA Sparks.

D-Backs' 1B Tony Clark inexplicably dropped a routine throw to first with two outs in the ninth, giving the M's a walk-off win. Felix Hernandez kept the Mariners in this one, and held a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning before surrendering a two-run homer. The M's won with a lineup of mostly backups and AAA starters, as six regulars were unavailable due to injury or family illness. M's 35-34, 2.5 GB. Box score. Next game Tues. vs. SD, 7:10 p.m.; Olson vs. Gaudin.

A terrific individual play saved the Sounders from a loss. Fredy Montero stole the ball from a defender in the corner, dribbled toward goal, and unleashed a game-tying shot. It was Montero's 7th goal of the year. The Red Bulls goal came on another mind-boggling defensive lapse, a clearance ricocheted off a Sounder right to a Red Bulls striker. Sounders 5-3-7, 22 pts., 8 pts. behind 1st place Houston. Match report. Next game Sunday vs. Colorado.

Jason Vargas had one of the best starts by an M's pitcher this year, allowing one run over seven innings and retiring 17 consecutive batters at one point. A Mike Sweeney sac fly put the M's ahead in the seventh inning, and Yuni Betancourt's two-run doubled iced it. Wlad Balentien had two hits, including a homer, in his re-debut as the regular leftfielder. M's 34-34, 3.5 GB. Box score. Next game Sun vs. ARI, 1:10 p.m.; Hernandez vs. Davis.

One of Ken Griffey Jr.'s most dramatic homers -- a pinch-hit, two-run blast to right-center on a 97 mph Tony Pena fastball -- tied this game in the eighth inning, and sent an already standing crowd into hysterics. (Who says Griffey can't get around on a heater?) After recent callup Chris Woodward singled and stole second, Rob Johnson tripled him home to put the M's ahead. Batista gets the win, though Washburn deserved it after throwing 7 innings of 3-hit ball. Aardsma struck out the side in the ninth for his 13th save. M's 33-34, 4.5 GB. Box score. Next game Sat. vs. ARI, 7:10 p.m.; Vargas vs. Buckner.

Think twice about your weekend road-tripping plan of attack, especially if your map requires you to take either SR 520 or I-90 bridges. The 520 floating bridge will be undergoing its annual bridge inspection this weekend so tonight, WSDOT crews will close down 520 from Montlake Boulevard E. to 92nd Avenue NE at 11 p.m. It is set to re-open on Monday, June 22 at 5 a.m. Now here's the clincher: come Sunday morning, the I-90 express lanes will also be closed from 6:30-9:30 a.m. (Oh, noes!) for the cyclists riding in the LIVESTRONG Challenge. Good luck with any rerouting so you can see dear ol' Dad. And if that's not enough, expect traffic congestion from Mariners games, the All Nations Cup Parade, and the Fremont Summer Solstice Parade Festival and Street Fair.

Whoever keeps flashing their laser lights into the cockpits of airplanes approaching SeaTac, will you please STOP ALREADY? Another pilot reported seeing the mesmerizing green lights last night. They estimate the laser show started around 10:15 p.m., coming from four miles north of Husky Stadium. Port of Seattle police and federal agencies have been investigating, and to date, nearly 30 planes have been lit up with laaazer beams.

A school field trip to Seattle's Carkeek Park went wayward, after two 10-year-old boys discovered a loaded Glock 9mm pistol lying on the beach. Naturally curious, the two North Beach Elementary School fourth graders picked up the weapon, believing it was a toy gun. Much to their surprise, it was real--and loaded. At that point, they proceeded to bring the loaded gun to their teacher. (Umm, may we suggest taking gun safety classes this summer.) Police were called shortly after and later determined the gun was not stolen. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

The M's finish their nine-game road trip 4-5 after letting the Padres only decent hitter, Adrian Gonzalez, record a four hit day and score the winning run after a two-out double. Brandon Morrow pitched respectably, throwing four innings and walking only one hitter; but this was the Padres. Gooters had two homers, the first multiple HR game of his career. M's 32-34, 5.5 GB. Box score. Next game Fri. vs. ARI, 7:10 p.m.; Washburn vs. Garland.

University of Washington senior-to-be Quincy Pondexter is one of 12 top collegiate basketball players who'll make up Team USA in the World University Games. The 6'-6" Pondexter, who blossomed into the Huskies' best all-around player last season, joins Purdue's Robbie Hummel and Mississippi State's Jarvis Varnado on the team. The 26-team basketball portion of the World University Games in Belgrade will run July 2-11.

Seattle's Intiman Theatre is beginning to see some big artistic changes. They have named Kate Whoriskey as the theater's new artistic director, succeeding Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher, who will become the resident director of New York's Lincoln Center Theatre. As for Whoriskey, she's moving to town from New York, where she recently directed the Pulitzer Prize-winning Ruined. Whoriskey will take over the role entirely in 2011; until then, the two artistic directors will be working together on programming for the duration of the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Garrett Olson gives the M's six strong innings, and the bullpen throws scoreless relief -- in all, the Padres had just five hits. Half the offense came on Jose Lopez' 10th homer of the year. Griffey had a RBI double. The go-ahead run scored on a Padres' error, a wild pickoff throw to third by catcher Nick Hundley. Mike Carp walked in his first MLB at bat. M's 32-33, 5.5 GB. Box score. Next game Thursday @ SD., 12:35 p.m.; Morrow vs. Geer.

The fastest-paced and most entertaining game of the season ends in a tie, after the Sounders cough up a late two-goal lead. The game featured 14 shots on goal, and some beautiful and creative passing. Credit DC United keeper (and former Portland Timber) Josh Wicks, who three times saved one-on-one opportunities by Sounder players. Sounders 5-3-5, 3rd place, 7 pts. back. Match report. Next game Saturday @ NY Red Bulls.

Indeed, we mean bankruptcy. As previously predicted, the 89-year-old Bellevue-based outdoor retailer Eddie Bauer Holdings Inc. has finally thrown in the flannel after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today. For some time, it hadn't been looking good for the "original outdoor outfitter," who lost nearly a half billion dollars over the past three years. Today, they've found themselves with $476.1 million in total assets and $426.7 million in total debt. In part of the filing agreement, the local retailer will sell off its remaining assets to a private equity firm, who plans to keep a majority of the retailer's employees and operate a majority of its stores while under court protection. The bankruptcy of Eddie Bauer makes them the third national retailer and high-profile Washington company to file for bankruptcy.

Sworn in yesterday, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels earned the profiled position as the 67th President of the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM). What that means: Nickels will lead the assembly of mayors from cities with populations of 30,000 or more to discuss and debate policy issues impacting urban America and metropolitan areas. This is one of the organizations that has encouraged his environmental gun-ho attitude and projects. And now in his first full day on the job, Nickels will be schmoozing with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He'll be chatting her up about the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, where he'll push for Congress to consider the mayors' recommendations to save the world.

How many City of Seattle dollars will it take to screw in 40,000 light bulbs--LED, to be exact? Only about $6 million. The city will use some of its federal stimulus money to begin replacing the city's incandescent streetlights for the long-lasting, cost-saving, and eco-friendly LED streetlights. Folks in Capitol Hill have already begun seeing street life post-LED lights, and from the sounds of it, life is good. However, not every neighborhood will be as lucky as Capitol Hill. The City of Seattle estimates the full switch-a-roo will take four to six years. Guess that's one way to keep the stimulus money lasting longer.

King Felix was amazing, throwing a two-hitter for his third career shutout. Sure, it's San Diego, but this is still the major leagues, folks. Padres starter Kevin Correia wasn't much worse, allowing two hits over eight innings -- but those hits were homers, to Gooters and Beltre. The M's tacked on three more in the ninth, two on a Griffey single. M's 31-33, 5.5 GB. Box score. Next game Weds. @ SD, 7:05 p.m.; Olson vs. Gaudin.

Capitol Hill was certainly not the place to be yesterday, if you were a little old man pushing into your 90s. Seattle police reported that a 90-year-old man was hit by a car as he was crossing an "unmarked crosswalk" on East Republican. He was taken to Harborview to be treated with a life-threatening head injury and possible fractures. The driver of the car was an 89-year-old man, who was maneuvering through the intersection of 17th and Republican. If these two old guys turn out to know each other, it's like the Seattle version of a scene from Grumpy Old Men.

Yesterday at the Southwest Community Center in West Seattle, a 12-year-old girl filled up her backpack with rocks, and then proceeded to haul off and beat a 12-year-old boy over the head. Understandably, times have changed. But we thought young crushes still resulted in the scenario: girl likes boy, girl would playfully kick or punch a boy to let him know she likes him--but not stone or beat him to death. We hope the police reiterated that after they released the young girl to her parents. As for the boy, he suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was later taken to Harborview Medical Center.

We'd like to take credit for this, but we didn't plug the King County Water Taxi until last week. The West Seattle Herald (and @westseattleblog) are reporting ridership between downtown and West Seattle was up 20 percent in May compared to last May, a total of 31,557. To plan your sailing schedule, click here.