(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
And two more incidents police are working right now: In the 2300 block of California, there was an attempted stabbing. Nobody cut, the scanner clarified before we could even head out the door. They’re searching for a suspect. Then in the 5500 block of Delridge (map), police are looking for armed robbers who are reported to have held up the Super 24. 12:08 AM: Adding a photo. No indication of any arrests so far.
That photo’s just in from Aaron, who says it happened about an hour ago at 17th/Graham, which is a block west of where the bicycle crash happened this afternoon (one of the four crashes in this roundup). He says it’s believed that “(a) driver lost her brakes in a car, drove backwards down the street, and ended up on a utility pole support cable.” Instantly brought back memories of this one we covered (with photos and video) in Fauntleroy in December 2007. No word of injuries in tonight’s mishap – one engine was sent out, but the call’s already closed.
Last time we covered one of these special events at High Point Neighborhood Center (photo above is from Jan. 8), which has been working with Seattle Public Schools to help local families get more closely connected, there were concerns that word hadn’t gotten out widely in advance. This time, the notice arrived three weeks in advance, so organizers hope even more people will hear about the event and be able to attend. Here’s the official invite:
Making Your School Better
A Night for Parent-School Advocacy with Seattle Public Schools Administration
Tuesday February 23, 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
*MEET Seattle Public Schools Representatives
*HEAR about school Improvement Plans
*YOU Influence Quality Schools
Limited Childcare – Please Make Alternate Plans
The Neighborhood Center
High Point Family Center
6400 Sylvan Way SW
206.371.4319
The announcement we received mentioned that “school improvement plans” for West Seattle Elementary will be part of the agenda.
This one’s gotten big enough it’s moved off the Pets page (like Bridge Dog a while back) … We’ve received multiple reports of two small poodles, one light-colored, one dark-colored, that have been on the run on and around 35th SW, from High Point to The Triangle, for the past several hours. This WSB Forums post from less than half an hour ago says one has now been hurt as they continue dodging traffic. We know some folks have tried to catch them but been unable to; sharing this news here on the main page both to warn you to be careful while driving 35th and to say, if you know someone looking for them, that’s where to search. Hope there’s a happy ending.
(WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Thanks again to our friends at Central District News for catching this on the scanner – we have just confirmed with SPD Media Unit Det. Jeff Kappel – there was an attempted bank robbery at the Chase branch in West Seattle Thriftway about 10 minutes ago. (That branch is usually open till 7 weekdays.) No word yet of a description. 6:37 PM: Police have detained someone in the parking lot – WSB’s Christopher Boffoli is talking with police at the scene and so far they still think the suspect is on the loose – he’s asking about a description. 6:49 PM: Police at the scene say so far, the only description information they have is that the would-be robber was female, African-American, wearing a stocking cap. 7:14 PM: A little more description info that Christopher got from police – “in her 20’s or 30’s with a white knit cap and a polar fleece jacket.”
First we were talking about it on Twitter, after a military-sounding helicopter went right over WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy. Now we’re hearing that chopper activity is continuing in the Alki area. Checking to see what’s going on. (On Twitter, those who saw the chopper before dark said it was a Chinook, and at least two people have mentioned a pole protruding from it.) 6:31 PM: Nothing that Seattle Police know about. Checking with other agencies. 7:09 PM: Got an answer from the US Coast Guard. Someone reported a possible “surfer in distress” – instead, it turned out to be “logs and debris.” (And if you saw the water mid-afternoon, you would have seen lots of those afloat today; we noticed it while in the Alki area mid-afternoon.)
Just out of the inbox – Triangle Pub owner Geoffrey McElroy says he has filed to run for State House Position 2 in the 34th District this fall. That’s the seat now held by Rep. Sharon Nelson. The news release we received doesn’t stipulate a party, but his Facebook page says “independent.” (Nelson is a Democrat.) ADDED WEDNESDAY: Seattle Weekly’s Mike Seely (a West Seattleite) interviewed McElroy after the announcement; here’s his story (including details of the Friday night kickoff event).
Everything mentioned below unfolded between about 2:30 and 4 pm (see the 911 log):
ORIGINAL 3:43 PM REPORT: Just got e-mail from Megan, a text from Sue and a tweet from Rasmus – a crash at Fauntleroy/Dawson (north of Fairmount Playfield – here’s a map) has closed Fauntleroy in both directions. No other details so far – except that Megan saw no obvious signs anyone was hurt. 3:52 PM: There’s also a “heavy rescue” call – flipped car, according to a comment below this story – at 37th/Juneau. En route to check it out. (added 5:50 pm, Tony Bradley sent a shot of that, no serious injuries reported):
And WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli has checked out an earlier call at 48th/Dakota, which he says is sending at least two people to the hospital (added 5:37 pm, video of that scene):
… should be clearing soon, though. Christopher reports, “SPD tells me that an SUV full of tourists (who only arrived in Seattle today) heading west on Dakota failed to yield and struck another SUV that was crossing on 48th. Two being transported to HMC. Firefighters had to use the jaws of life to extract one of the victims from the black SUV.”
4:26 PM: Just drove through Fauntleroy/Dawson – all clear now. Here’s one of Christopher’s photos, showing the debris in the road just before it was cleared:
We’re heading to doublecheck 37th/Juneau scene. 4:40 PM: The car here is about to be towed – 37th is still blocked (residential street) a few houses south of Juneau but should reopen as soon as the tow truck moves on. 4:48 PM: Tow truck’s headed out, 37th open again. So all three crash scenes are clear for your afternoon drive home. 5:22 PM: One more to add to all that – there was a medic call at 16th/Graham we were going to check out, but the call closed before we got there; KIRO flew its chopper over – says a bike rider suffered minor injuries.
5:43 PM UPDATE: Tony Bradley sent that photo of the 16th/Graham incident and reports, “Talking to witnesses, a male bicyclist in his late teens or early twenties was riding his bicycle southbound on 16th in front of the community college and for some reason rode into the back of a small SUV that was parked on the west side of the street. The witness said there was no other vehicle involved. The bike rider fell off the bike and landed in the middle of the southbound lanes of 16th. His injuries appeared minor and he was transported to the hospital in an AMR.”
(Mid-January photo contributed by anonymous WSB’er)
We already had a request out today to SDOT for an update on the slide aftermath in the 6000 block of Beach Drive (map), when a note came in from Harold saying that crews are drilling in the road’s center line today. While SDOT’s Marybeth Turner is checking on the drilling, she has replied with information about what’s happening overall:
SDOT hired a geotechnical consulting firm to conduct a preliminary study of the slope and recommend a temporary measure that would enable us to reopen the full width of Beach Drive SW. We expect this study to be final within a week. The recommendation will help the city determine a time line for opening the road and for working toward a long term solution for the slope.
(Meantime) DPD and SDOT are working with the property owner to provide a long-term plan for slope mitigation just east of 6033 Beach Drive SW. At this point the City has not received a formal application from the owner of the sloping property, but are hoping to receive one shortly and will work to keep neighbors immediately west of the slope informed throughout the review process.
We first reported the slide early January 13th, after tips about the road closure; it happened sometime the previous evening. After some initial cleanup, the road’s been restricted to one lane at the slide spot.
Received a couple of nice notes today that were really about YOUR response to requests for help, so we didn’t want to keep them all to ourselves. So often, if there’s a fundraiser, we report the money numbers – but we don’t always hear the numbers in terms of people who volunteer their time (among other things). First one is from Kim at Puget Sound Blood Center, re: their Bloodmobile drive outside Admiral Safeway last Saturday (previewed here):
There was a great turnout with 38 people registering to donate. Of these, our staff was able to collect 30 units of volunteered blood. We had 6 first time donors! Since each donation can go to three separate patients, this drive went towards saving or dramatically improving the lives of up to 90 sick patients in the Puget Sound area. In a matter of days/weeks, the volunteered blood will be in a local hospital saving someone’s life.
I just wanted to say thank you for helping me make this Recruit-A-Mentor Challenge campaign at Neighborhood House a success. This campaign helped us get 11 new mentors in a span of just one month … The majority of our new mentors came from reading the post on WSB and in turn, we have mentors who live in the very community where our mentees come from. Couldn’t have been any better!
Thank you all for reaching out to help your neighbors in so many ways, big and small. Please keep sharing the requests for what’s needed and how people can help (here’s all the ways to send the info); we’ve got a few more in queue for later today.
We were just going to cobble together a reminder from previous reports, when Seattle Public Library sent its official news release reminding all that tomorrow’s the day schedule changes kick in. For West Seattle, the most dramatic changes are at the High Point and Delridge branches, which will now be closed on Fridays as well as Sundays. Read on for the citywide list, including the new hours of all 4 West Seattle-area branches:Read More
If you haven’t seen it in the SPDBlotter feed on the Crime Watch page already: A West Seattle robbery solved by fingerprints on a thrown beer can. The SPDBlotter report says it happened at “a convenience store in the 6300 block of 35th SW” (map) on December 12th; two people who tried to buy beer but were turned away for lack of ID started throwing beer cans at the clerk, then hit him, and one made off with the register in the meantime. They got away but prints were lifted from the beer cans and one was traced about a week ago to a 19-year-old man; turns out he’s i the King County Jail on an unrelated warrant, and has now confessed to this crime; the other suspect’s still being sought. Read the full SPDBlotter story here.
Our clip from July 10, 2009, captured the iconic moment of last year’s West Seattle Summer Fest – Dow Constantine talking about his eventual-landslide King County Executive campaign as he introduced Mudhoney, who performed for thousands in the heart of The Junction. Now the dates are set for this year’s Summer Fest – July 9, 10 and 11. And the five months between now and then will go fast, so Susan Melrose at the West Seattle Junction Association has an announcement to share:
I know it’s early, but we’re already planning for Summer Fest. There has been a steady stream of phone calls all month from regional craft and food vendors wanting to apply to this event. The good news is that West Seattle businesses get top priority!
In order to have a stronger West Seattle event, we are offering West Seattle businesses priority over non-West Seattle businesses if they apply by March 15th. If you’re a West Seattle business and want to apply for Summer Fest, visit www.westseattlefestival.com, download the appropriate application and write “West Seattle Local” in the comment section to be given priority. Applications received after March 15 will be handled like any other applicant.
CONCORD ELEMENTARY OPEN HOUSE: It’s in South Park but aligned with middle and high schools: Concord International Elementary is having an open house tonight including information on its dual-language immersion program and the new Student Assignment Plan. 6:30-8:30 pm, 723 South Concord (map).
SENIOR CENTER OF WEST SEATTLE: Two series start today – “Painting Poetry,” helping people reveal and express a personal story over the course of four weeks, with its essence becoming a poem and painting. 1-2:30 pm. Same time period today, the Senior Center also will start an 8-week Great Decisions 2010 discussion group. Call (206) 932-4044 for registration information on either one.
KENYON HALL: Tonight and tomorrow, Nigerian-born British actor Tayo Aluko presents “From Africa to the White House: A Journey of Resistance, Triumph and Spirituals…a musically illustrated talk,” with Kenyon Hall’s Lou Magor at the keyboard, 8 pm. More info at kenyonhall.org.
MISSION’S 5TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY: We took a closer look at the Admiral District restaurant/bar in this story published Monday; tonight, help its owners celebrate their milestone 5th anniversary, 7 pm.
OTHER NIGHTLIFE: Open turntables at Skylark Cafe and Club at 6 pm (which is offering special Valentine’s Day deals if you haven’t heard), rock trivia at Feedback Lounge at 8 pm (both are WSB sponsors).
Spring is just around the corner — that means West Seattle Girls Softball registration has begun. Through February 21st you can sign your daughter up for this year’s season. More details can be found at westseattlegirlssoftball.com The cost of registration includes one ticket for the player to the UW Huskies Softball game on May 2nd, a uniform for your daughter to keep and a trophy at the end of the season. For scholarship details please contact Shawn Herrera at wssshawnp@yahoo.com. See you on the field!
First we were talking about it on 
A West Seattle robbery solved by fingerprints on a thrown beer can. The SPDBlotter report says it happened at “a convenience store in the 6300 block of 35th SW” (
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