West Seattle Crime Watch: 35th/Roxbury store robbed again
(WSB photo by Katie Meyer)
11 PM: Another armed robbery tonight, and according to scanner traffic, investigators will be looking to find out whether there is any link to the series of robberies just over the city/county line. Police are at 35th and Roxbury, and we are working to verify whether the business robbed tonight is the same one hit 3 weeks ago. Tonight, they are again looking for an armed robber and according to scanner traffic are trying to determine if there’s a link to a series of robberies on the other side of the city/county border. The only description we have so far is that the male robber was wearing a light blue bandana covering his face and a light blue windbreaker jacket. (Photos of the King County serial robber are in our report from last week.)
6:08 AM UPDATE: Police confirm the robbery was at the same business hit last month, the smoke/beverage shop.
Seattle Police surveillance cameras: Council committee to discuss Feb. 20
(The southernmost camera, by the Fauntleroy ferry dock)
The City Council committee that first approved receiving a federal grant for the surveillance cameras that are going up in West Seattle and elsewhere will take another look at it next week. That’s what Councilmember Bruce Harrell, chair of the Public Safety, Technology, and Civil Rights Committee (and a candidate for mayor), told WSB late today, as part of a lengthy response to our request for comment:
I have scheduled SPD to be at the Public Safety, Civil Rights, and Technology committee on February 20, 2pm to discuss this issue. The committee is currently examining legislation to prevent the cameras from operating in residential zones and disabling the 360 degree feature to prevent the cameras from viewing any residential buildings. I am requiring legislation to restrict its use and protect the public’s privacy before they can go online. I have always asked SPD to be proactive in its community outreach and SPD should have held meetings with the community adjacent to the proposed locations before any installations.
More to come on Councilmember Harrell’s plan. It’s been two weeks since we broke the news about the camera network, after WSB readers noticed two of the half-dozen cameras that by that time were clearly visible in the greater Alki area. Back on Monday, we reported Mayor McGinn’s first public comments on the cameras, including his promise of a “thorough public vetting” before they become operational. The 30-camera network is planned to stretch from Golden Gardens in Ballard southward to the camera you see in our photo, next to the Fauntleroy ferry dock.
West Seattle women crowdfunding to launch Tomboy Exchange clothing for women over 40
That’s the pitch video for a Kickstarter campaign launched this week by two West Seattle entrepreneurs, Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez:
Their brand Tomboy Exchange aims to make clothing and accessories geared to women over 40 (preview it here), with an “attitude that reminds us of our daring younger selves,” as Fran says in the video, adding in an interview on their website, “As we get older I think there are very few women who can actually pull off the same look that they rocked as younger women. They still want to look good but comfort and fit are key now.” Tomboy Exchange’s founders hope to raise $75,000 to get the business going in a big way – including making the clothes right here in Seattle – and they’ve given themselves a month to do it. After just two days, they’re already a sixth of the way there.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Five reader reports
Five reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight, starting with a stolen vehicle:
William writes:
Hy 94 Nissan Pathfinder was stolen last night from where I park at my gf’s house most nights. Photo attached. Seattle Police incident# 13-505070 First three license plate #’s are ACZ.
Heather from Seaview reports her home was broken into:
I wanted to let you know that my house was broken into yesterday afternoon around 5:00 pm. The thief broke open my back door and entered my bedroom where many valuable things were stolen – specifically an entire jewelry box along with other less valuable items. We believe the suspect was seen by a visitor at a neighbor’s house who saw him, one guy, leave in a black older Volvo with my jewelry box and a suitcase (which he filled with other stuff). Police were called and searched my home and tested for fingerprints. The individual was described as a white male with long face, unsure of age, driving an older black 5 door Volvo, wearing a black jacket and a hat. We are hoping one of the neighbors video surveillance may have captured the suspect.
Also of importance is that the thief broke in while my dog was there. She was not injured or stolen but surprised that they would hit a home with a dog (border collie pit bull mix – not aggressive at all).
An anonymous report of car prowlers in Upper Fauntleroy:
Please let the community know there have been a series of car break-ins over the last week just south of Thistle on Sullivan Street. Thieves rifled through cars and took small items. Our neighborhood watch is keeping an eye out, and yours should, too!
A package theft report from Jillian:
We had a package stolen off of our porch at 35th and Dakota. It happened yesterday between noon and 6:00 p.m. My boyfriend came home at 6:00 and noticed that someone had taken the package and replaced it with an empty Cabela’s box that looks like it was stolen out of a neighbor’s recycling bin. We are having all of our packages sent to our work addresses now, and I would advise our neighbors to do the same.
And Ray says someone is tearing up the grass at Hiawatha again:
Just got back from walking my dogs through Hiawatha by WSHS. Someone, for the second time in about 3 weeks, drove all over the lawn on the east side of the community center. Needless to say, the grass is all torn up. … I wish whoever is doing this to our park would get caught.
As noted here earlier today, park safety/security is the topic when the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meets next Tuesday.
Highland Park spray park on the way: Construction milestone
4:55 PM: Thanks to Beef and Mark, both of whom e-mailed notes and photos (that’s Beef‘s picture above) to let us know that demolition is under way at the old Highland Park wading pool, to make way for West Seattle’s first spray park, which will be built in its place. Back when the idea of converting the wading pool into a spray park was first proposed in 2009, construction was expected to start the next year, but there’ve been changes along the way, including extra Parks and Green Spaces Levy money to take the project beyond a bare-bones spray feature. The Seattle Parks project page says it should be done in mid-May and open this summer. That’ll be five years after the wading pool was last open; in late 2008, the federal government mandated safety retrofits that were never installed because Parks expected to redevelop the site. You can see the spraypark’s design plan on the Parks website.
6:39 PM UPDATE: After Beef and Mark sent word of the construction work, we sent an inquiry to project manager Kelly Goold at Seattle Parks, to look for a few more specifics. Kelly’s reply:
Yes, it is exciting news that we are finally breaking ground. Current schedule is to have construction complete and the spray-park operational by May 27th (the typical opening day for spray-parks and wading pools).
Also, the art installation project is moving forward. The artist Leo Berk is doing great work on the project you have described in WSB in previous posts.
The art project involves the building at the site; here’s our report, with renderings, from last November.
4 reminders for tonight: From crime to Cyrcus, DESC to Dems…
Four reminders for tonight, if you haven’t already checked the calendar:
DESC ADVISORY COMMITTEE: As the Delridge Supportive Housing project continues to go up, the community advisory committee set up to address concerns/issues continues to meet. Tonight at 6:30 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) is the next meeting.
CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN: That’s the topic of tonight’s second-in-a-series Highland Park community-safety meeting at Highland Park Improvement Club, 7 pm (12th/Holden), details here.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: From the online agenda: The featured program is about carbon taxes, with Dr. Yoram Bauman, the “standup economist,” plus resolutions to be considered including one about the Seattle Public Schools MAP testing controversy. 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW)
CYRCUS NIGHT AT SHADOWLAND: A free aerial arts/circus show at Shadowland in The Junction (California/Oregon), 9 pm – find out more at cyrcus.org.
Transit reminders: No Water Taxi on Presidents Day; Metro schedule mostly ‘regular’
Just in from Metro Transit, reminders for this Saturday’s service change and Monday’s Presidents Day holiday:
On Presidents Day – Monday, Feb. 18 – King County Metro Transit will operate a regular weekday schedule with some trips canceled because the University of Washington is not in session. Peak fares will not be charged. The King County Water Taxi service will not operate either the Vashon or West Seattle routes on Feb. 18.
These routes have designated trips canceled when the UW is not in session (as identified in timetables): 31, 32, 65, 67, 68, 75, 167, 197, 205, 271, 277, 372, 373.
As a reminder, Metro Transit also will change service beginning Saturday, Feb. 16, affecting several routes. Highlights include Metro’s response addressing concerns from transit customers about crowding and a lack of access to late evening buses. As a result, Metro is adding a late evening trip between Magnolia and downtown Seattle and eliminating a Route 216 stop to help address overcrowding during the afternoon commute. Metro also is testing a new style RapidRide printed timetable for the C and D Lines that shows departure times along their routes – a move that makes it easier to plan travel and make connections to other bus routes.
Fauntleroy Community Association: New wildlife-advocacy group’s debut; neighborhood survey; more
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Sixteen people filled the board room at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse last night for the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s monthly board meeting. One of the major items of business was something YOU can help with right now – if you live and/or work in the Fauntleroy area:
THE SURVEY: To find out more about how best to serve the community, among other things, FCA is conducting a survey right now. It was announced via their website and Facebook page, as well as via postal-mail postcard, and more than 180 responses have come in so far. As the group gets ready for its annual membership meeting (more on that shortly), they would love to get hundreds more – since it asks about a wide range of community issues and concerns. If you have ties to Fauntleroy, here’s where the survey begins.
Ahead – a new wildlife advocacy group debuted at the FCA meeting, and the group was briefed on two big King County Wastewater Treatment Division projects in the area:
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100th Day of School Food Drive: Holy Rosary collects 200+ cans
We’ve been reporting on local schools/classrooms taking Arbor Heights Elementary teacher Marcia Ingerslev and her students up on the challenge to collect at least 100 nonperishable food items, to commemorate the 100th day of school. For Seattle Public Schools, that’s February 20th; for some independent schools, it’s earlier, like Holy Rosary School, whose Lynne Crockett mentioned their kindergarteners’ food drive in a WSB comment yesterday; we subsequently requested a photo, and here it is!
We loved the idea of collecting 100 cans of food for the food bank. Between Mrs. Crockett and Mrs. Clarke’s classes, we collected over 200 cans of food for the White Center Food Bank. Attached is a photo of Reese, in the back of her family SUV among the bags of canned goods going to be delivered to the food bank. Again, thanks to the other schools who gave us this great idea!
The other schools participating have chosen to collect for the West Seattle Food Bank; as we frequently note, WC Food Bank serves part of West Seattle as well. Congratulations to everybody who’s joined in, and we’ll be happy to publish other progress reports/results too.
State Rep. Eileen Cody of West Seattle wins national award
(AMA photo from last night: Rep. Cody with (at left) Terry Moran of ABC News and AMA Board Chair Steven J. Stack, M.D.)
Congratulations to longtime State Rep. Eileen Cody of West Seattle, who chairs the State House committee overseeing health-care issues and is a nurse by profession – she just received a major award. Here’s the announcement:
The American Medical Association (AMA) honored Washington state Rep. Eileen Cody with the Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Outstanding Government Service, its top award for government service in health care. Rep. Cody was honored with the award last night at the AMA’s National Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C.
“Rep. Cody has led efforts toward improving health care access for low income individuals and transforming mental health services in Washington state,” said AMA Board Chair Steven J. Stack, M.D. “Her dedication to public health has also earned the state national recognition for its long term health care services and support system.”
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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Roxbury fire; Water Taxi out of service; more
Different format as we launch today’s traffic/transit tracker because we already have problems:
ROXBURY/25TH FIRE RESPONSE, TRAFFIC EFFECTS UPDATE:
6:05 AM – Crews are mopping up at the scene of the house fire we’ve been covering. Buses are being rerouted too, including RapidRide and Sound Transit 560, according to text alerts from Metro. (Update: Metro just texted at 6:32 am that Route 22 is back to normal on Roxbury. Waiting for word on other words.)
7:15 AM – Just checked back. WESTBOUND Roxbury is fine now. Eastbound still is blocked by fire/sheriff’s vehicles.
7:50 AM: Route 21, RapidRide, ST 560 also back to normal on Roxbury, per text alerts.
ONGOING: NO WEST SEATTLE WATER TAXI THIS MORNING: As announced last night; service is expected to be available this afternoon, but NOT this morning.
BRIDGE CAM: In case you’re looking for it:
(Live view from the east-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
Update: Fire at vacant house on Roxbury at 25th ruled arson
5:25 AM: A fire response on the county side is reportedly backing up traffic on eastbound Roxbury in the 24th-26th vicinity and affecting westbound to some degree as well. We are en route to check.
5:46 AM: Just back from the scene. A vacant home (photo above) caught fire on the south side of Roxbury, east of 26th. No one inside, no injuries, according to the North Highline Fire Department. No flames but still smoke, an hour or so after the first report. They don’t know yet what caused it, nor the full extent of the damage – we’ll check back later after it’s light. (P.S. If you’re hearing a helicopter – it’s TV, checking out the fire scene/traffic backup.)
7:17 AM UPDATE: Just back from re-checking the scene. Westbound Roxbury is now fully open; eastbound still is tied up at 25th with fire/sheriff’s vehicles. Investigators are checking the house:
We’ll check again on eastbound Roxbury after 8 am.
8:59 AM: Fully open again. Also, there’s now a sign on the house, including the word ARSON – we are checking with investigators.
11:43 AM: Sgt. Cindi West with the King County Sheriff’s Office confirms their investigators ruled it arson: “It does appear to be an intentionally set fire that started in the basement.As you probably saw from the sign on the house there is a reward for information leading to an arrest.”
Admiral Neighborhood Association talks money and more
Sometimes, neighborhood councils really have to get down to business – as in, finances. They are not funded by the city, or by anyone else for that matter; some don’t even collect dues. But invariably, they have to handle money, and that requires some decisions.
The Admiral Neighborhood Association, for example, spent a chunk of time at Tuesday night’s monthly meeting talking about the process of becoming a 501(c)3 nonprofit. One major decision: Hire a professional to deal with the paperwork, rather than trying to deal with it themselves. Advantages, as noted by president David Whiting, would include having the pro empowered to deal directly with the IRS as needed. Also discussed at Tuesday night’s meeting: Updates including ANA involvement with the upcoming Hiawatha Community Center egg hunt on March 30th, and collaboration with Admiral merchants to provide prize baskets.
The Admiral Neighborhood Association meets second Tuesdays, 7 pm, at Admiral Congregational Church.
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