KING 5 broke the story tonight: An assistant manager at the Admiral Jack in the Box is now charged with robbery in connection with the early-morning holdup at the restaurant last February. The station reports that police say 33-year-old Michelle Miesner confessed to having the robbery staged but claimed the “robbers” then made off with all the money, though she reportedly admitted she’d stolen more than $2,000 from the restaurant before. According to the King County Jail Register, Miesner was arrested last Tuesday afternoon and released from jail 25 hours later. (Thanks to Diane for the tip about the KING story.)ADDED 8:56 AM TUESDAY: We have the charging documents now. Read on for a few more details: Read More
Last fall, we reported that the city was moving toward an official planning process for the West Seattle area east of The Junction known as The Triangle, bounded by Fauntleroy/35th/Alaska. A senior planner is now assigned to the project and an advisory group has been assembled, with its first meeting planned this Wednesday, 6 pm, at the Senior Center of West Seattle. According to the meeting information sent by planner Susan McLain, the first gathering will include an introduction to the project and discussion of “land uses, connections, public-realm designs.” This is the first major city-facilitated Triangle discussion since the one at Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) in November 2008 (WSB coverage here). The Triangle planning process has a city webpage, which also includes notes from that November 2008 meeting. A lot has changed in The Triangle since then, including the start of construction on Link and the arrival of new businesses including Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor), Cycle University, 37th Shoe Repair, and The Wax Bar. But it hasn’t been an idle time – last fall, leaders of the neighboring Fairmount Community Association led walking tours of the area, including this one we covered in November with City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. Meantime, the new advisory group is expected to meet at least four times between now and June.
The Admiral Neighborhood Association has just sent out one more reminder about its Crime Prevention Summit tomorrow night, with two Southwest Precinct reps in attendance – Community Police Team Officer Adonis Topacio and Crime Prevention Coordinator Benjamin Kinlow. In preparation for the meeting, ANA president Katy Walum has just sent out a document police sent in advance – a list of notable crimes in the area so far this year (through March 15th). Here’s that document; as for what area it covers, here’s a map. Tomorrow night’s event is at 6:30 pm at Hiawatha Community Center (map).
Northbound West Marginal Way SW near Terminal 107 Park should be clear soon, now that a tow truck is moving that wrecked semi cab. Police tell us the semi hit a utility pole. Its driver has been taken to the hospital.
With so much support having come from West Seattle, we thought you’d like to know that the official signing ceremony for HB 1679 – the “Jason McKissack Act” – is now set. Law-enforcement advocate Renee Maher sent word that it will be one of more than a dozen public-safety-related bills that Governor Gregoire will sign at Lakewood (Pierce County) Police HQ starting at 3 pm Wednesday. A version of the bill stalled in the Legislature last year, but this year, it was renamed for, and supported by, the former West Seattle police officer who was seriously injured in an attack while on duty in June 2008 but lost his (and his family’s) health coverage when the city ended his employment. He testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in January (WSB video coverage here), as did his wife Kim McKissack, who then testified again when the bill was heard in the same Senate committee four weeks later (here’s our story). We are told the bill’s provisions will cover the McKissack family, as well as a Seattle firefighter critically injured on the job several years ago.
From the King County Ferry District, which runs the Water Taxi (whose West Seattle-to-downtown run resumes a week from today, April 5, with a celebration on April 11) – a new KCFD executive director has been chosen. Read on for the official announcement:Read More
(Photo courtesy Shirley Enebrad)
If you know someone who’s been procrastinating about applying for the Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu Scholarship Program – tell her it’s now or never! Just two days till the deadline, which is coming up this Wednesday. Scholarship money for the Queen is $2,000, and $1,000 for each Princess – plus you get to hang out with pirates, mingle at events, ride on a float, representing West Seattle around the region … a one-of-a-kind role, since no other Seattle community has its own traveling parade float any more:
(West Seattle Grand Parade 2009 Hi-Yu Float photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Miss Hi-Yu eligibility is outlined in our original publication of the announcement, which also includes links to the application form (see the announcement, with links, here), but if you have a question, you can e-mail misswestseattle@hiyu.com.
Just wanted to let you know that we are aware that our Tollycraft 26 broke loose from its mooring in the high winds this morning and ended up on the beach just south of Lincoln Park. We are working on a solution to get it back in the water.
We’re checking to see if they’ve had any luck yet. Meanwhile, the latest forecast says it’ll continue to be blustery into the evening, still with a chance of thunderstorms. 12:21 PM UPDATE: Deborah says they’re hoping to be able to get it back in the water with the next high tide at 5:30 pm.
7:52 PM UPDATE: With Coast GuardVessel Assist help, the boat is back out at sea again (warning, video as choppy as the sea):
We’ll be adding more services and brunches, but since the first egg hunt is tomorrow morning (Toddler Eggstravaganza at High Point Community Center), version 1.0 of the West Seattle Easter page is now up and running, with the updated list of egg hunts from tomorrow through Saturday. You can find it here (or from its own tab under the sunset header). Got something to add? Please send it (or comment here) – thanks!
At the two pump stations that bookend Lincoln Park, King County Wastewater Treatment has to cut down the number of times that large quantities of wastewater flows into Puget Sound because the system’s overtaxed. They’ve chosen three options for each of the areas (“basins”) feeding those two stations. A week and a half ago, they presented the three options for the Barton (by the ferry dock) “basin” (WSB coverage here); tonight, it’s the presentation for the three options for the Murray (Lowman Beach) “basin,” three different underground-storage options (explanatory links at bottom of this page), one involving the station site (county photo at left), Lowman Beach Park itself. The county says it’s got to choose one within a few months, so this may be your last best chance to ask the experts your questions. 6 pm, Southwest Community Center (map). Side note: The county has an online map showing the status at its “combined sewer overflow” spots like the 2 by Lincoln Park, and it suggests there’s been an overflow at Murray in the past 48 hours; we’ll check on that.
As forecasters warned, heavy rain is now teaming with gusty wind. The forecast revision from early this morning now says gusts could pass 40 mph; they were at 33 mph when the 5 am reading was taken at Alki Point (K91S on this hourly table). There’s a chance of thunderstorms later this morning, too. We’ll be watching as usual for any reports of power, road or other problems; let us know if you have info to share.
The Admiral Neighborhood Association has just sent out one more reminder about its Crime Prevention Summit tomorrow night, with two 
With so much support having come from West Seattle, we thought you’d like to know that the official signing ceremony for 
From the 
At the two pump stations that bookend Lincoln Park,
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