West Seattle, Washington
06 Sunday
Just out of the WSB inbox, from Karen:
I wanted to let you know that there was a burglary in our Blockwatch area today, in the 5000 block of 35th Ave SW, mid-block, on the west side of the street. It occurred sometime between 7:00 AM & 5:30 PM while the owners were gone. The burglars entered through a window & took small electronics & other things that are easy to carry.
Our Blockwatch area covers a two block area just south of Providence/Mt. St. Vincent, between Dawson & Hudson streets. It is called the Hansen View neighborhood, which is part of Fairmount.
Thanks for getting the word out!
At center, it’s R.E.M. co-founder Peter Buck, flanked by West Seattle residents David Belisle (L) and Corianton Hale (R), at the launch party for their new book R.E.M.:HELLO tonight at Easy Street in The Junction. (Read more about it in our original report.) Here’s some video looking over their shoulders at the crowd for the signing during the first hour of the party:
With the 4th of July just a week and a half away, it’s high time to start thinking about it. A lot. So we’ve finished the WSB West Seattle 4th of July page and you can find it now from the row of page-navigation tabs atop every WSB page — or just click here. It’s your one-stop shop for everything from the Alki traffic-restrictions plan we first published here a week and a half ago (important info so read it now if you didn’t read it then), to holiday events such as the Admiral Kids’ Parade and the High Point Commons Park celebration, to Water Taxi, ferry, and bus info, and even all the details we can find about the fireworks shows you’ll watch from West Seattle — or elsewhere (we’ve got the statewide list linked on the page too). If there’s some other Independence Day info you’re looking for – or if you have an event to add to the page – please e-mail us, as we’ll keep updating it till the holiday’s over.
BERRY DELAY: This afternoon’s weather is picture-perfect typical June, but we all know what a weird year it’s been otherwise. As a result, the Rotary Club of West Seattle won’t get the first delivery for its berry sale — the strawberries — till next month, so the pickups originally set for this Friday and Saturday are postponed till July 11-12 – when raspberries will be available too. You can order berries through the Rotary Club’s website.
BOAT TRIP: If the forecast holds out, this is going to be spectacular: The Northwest Environmental Education Councill and Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition have a two-hour boat trip on the Duwamish this Saturday, 10 am-noon. It’s $20/person and you can sign up online here.
SHOE DRIVE: If you have any “gently used shoes” you’re thinking of getting rid of, save them for next month – Edie’s Shoes in The Junction sends word of a drive to benefit Soles 4 Souls – they’ll offer $10 discounts to customers who bring in “gently used shoes” to donate to the drive during July.
COFFEE TALK: Every Thursday night starting this week, 6-8 pm, special “coffee hours” are planned at Cafe Rozella as part of the King County Food and Fitness Initiative — looking for your thoughts about the availability of activity opportunities and healthy food in Delridge and White Center. Read on for more info:Read More
Perhaps timing this announcement with perfect sidewalk-cafe weather, the office of West Seattle’s Most Famous Politician (gotta use that term every so often just to keep the search results high) just sent this:Read More
Thanks to the many people who have sent messages of support to Officer Jason McKissack, recovering at home after being attacked last week while trying to break up a fight. We have now added some of them to the page where you can send your own message if you haven’t already (or just revisit the same page to read some of the messages) and will be adding more through the afternoon – provided the senders gave permission for us to publish them (you can also send a private message and tell us not to publish it). The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council’s leadership committee came up with the idea and is working with the Southwest Precinct to be sure Officer McKissack sees your messages; we’ll keep this going till at least the end of the week. Thanks again!
Just out of the WSB inbox from “k” (thank you!) – we are en route to check it out:
just returned from safeway at jefferson square. 3 car accident right in front of the starbucks in the lot. close call for them! the cars were on the curb. not sure what happened, but police are there directing traffic and tow trucks are on scene. saw one fender on the ground and a lot of damage.
this lot is truly a mess always. this just made it even worse.
1:25 PM UPDATE: Don’t worry about trouble if you have to go to J-Square – the scene is now clear.
Just out of the WSB inbox from Kendall:
I feel somewhat silly reporting this. It seems so trivial compared to the serious crime reported on the blog, but my wife and I both had flat tires this morning. Apparently, we have some “harmless” vandals in the neighborhood-the north Admiral neighborhood. This is the second time it has happened in the last two months. The perpetrators flattened one tire per car and were even so kind as to replace the valve stem caps before scurrying off into the darkness. We do not know if these have been random acts or if we are the targets of someone’s ill will.
The first time it happened, my wife assumed (as anyone would) that it was a flat tire and not merely a deflated tire. She took it to Barnecut’s to have it repaired. Of course, they could find no leak. The young man working that day mentioned that there had been other people in the neighborhood with the same problem and suggested that it was some bored kids. Other than his saying so, we have no idea if this is the case.
The first incident happened several weeks ago and we imagined it an isolated event. This morning we were surprised to find both of our cars with flat tires. We park in the alley behind our house. Although it is just one block off California Avenue, it is a quiet, dead end alley. To the best of our knowledge, our nearby neighbors are not experiencing this problem.
It’s not the end of the world, but it is not fun to come out to your car in the morning and find a flat tire. Luckily, we have an air compressor so the vandals are not creating as much trouble for us as they imagine. I am sure our neighbors don’t appreciate my need to run the compressor at 7:00 AM, but at least we can solve the problem without putting on a spare.
Of course, we are thankful that they are not puncturing the tires, breaking into the cars, or engaging in some more seriously damaging activity, but it is a nuisance.
We don’t really have a clear understanding of whether the architects of this annoyance are targeting us directly or if this is a rash in our neighborhood. We’d like to think that we are random victims. We’re nice people and have done nothing to warrant this kind of special attention.
We are just wondering if anyone else in the neighborhood has experienced the same problem.
4 PM TODAY: Your editor here has been invited to discuss West Seattle this afternoon on Rain City Radio, a new audio interview “show” that the founder of popular Seattle real-estate blog Rain City Guide, Dustin Luther, recently launched. His post about it explains how to listen and/or call in to join the conversation.
7 PM TONIGHT: As reported here last week, two members of legendary rock band R.E.M. — Peter Buck and Bill Rieflin — will join West Seattle authors Corianton Hale and David Belisle for a launch party to celebrate their photography book “R.E.M.: HELLO,” 7 pm @ Easy Street in The Junction. (Party goes till 10; signing is 7-8.)
7 PM TONIGHT: The next big West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival event — the White Rose Reception — happens tonight at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) – here are details from Hi-Yu’s Danette Carufel:
West Seattle Hi-Yu cordially invites you to the 2008 White Rose Reception. This event is for women only and is a celebration of past and present Hi Yu royalty and candidates. All are invited; festivities will begin at 7 pm tonight at Fauntleroy Church (UCC), 9260 California SW. Come and share your Hi-Yu memories or to learn about our community festival. Past royalty are encouraged to wear or bring their sashes and memory scrapbooks. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $5.00. For more information please call (206) 935-6517.
Per this TV story, West Seattleite Tom Milne kayaks to work – 13 miles each way. Sounds like he saw the same humpback JoB reported in the WSB Forums the other day. P.S. Kayakers and would-be kayakers may want to check out the annual Eddyline Demo Day this Saturday at Alki Kayak Tours at Seacrest (9 am-3 pm)
Thanks to Chas Redmond for that photo and word that the shelter on the southwest corner of California/Alaska in The Junction is back. When it was removed nine months ago (WSB report here), the county said it was going away so KeyBank could do some work on its building. (That same post had a long list of other shelter changes that were in the works at the time.)
| 9 COMMENTS