West Seattle schools: 4 notes, from donations to celebrations
HELP MULTIPLE WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: This Wednesday, you are invited to stop into any Starbucks store in King County and get a free $10 gift card for DonorsChoose, provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. You can then take the card and, through the DonorsChoose website, make a $10 donation to any classroom project listed there; organizers say almost 300 Seattle projects are listed, and our quick check revealed multiple West Seattle projects among them. You can add personal donations too, but there’s no obligation. Here’s the link, if you want to check in advance whether there’s anything for which you’d want to use the card.
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL PTSA TOMORROW NIGHT: The fall round of PTSA/PTA general-membership meetings continues, and tomorrow night, it’s West Seattle High School‘s turn, 7 pm. (Agenda toplines are in the listing on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar page.)
WSHS GRAD NIGHT FUNDRAISER: Also from WSHS – this Saturday, there’s a car wash to raise money for the all-night, alcohol-free, chaperoned Class of 2012 Grad Night party, 11 am-3 pm at West Seattle Produce (Fauntleroy Way just south of SW Alaska). More details on this and other Grad Night fundraisers at facebook.com/pages/WSHS-Grad-Night-2012/234315233286143
ROXHILL TEACHER’S TWO BIG CELEBRATIONS:
That’s Roxhill Elementary fourth-grade teacher Teresa Klein. We reported recently on principal Carmela Dellino‘s announcement that Klein was chosen as a “Symetra Hero in the Classroom“; last Thursday, she was officially honored during a special event at Roxhill, and just yesterday, she got special recognition on the field during the Seahawks–Falcons game at CenturyLink Field (hence the jersey in the photo, shared by Symetra). She is one of two dozen K-12 teachers around the region who will be honored by this program before the Seahawks’ season ends. This also puts Roxhill in the running for one of three $10,000 grants that will be announced at season’s end.
West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 ‘well-known’ suspects arrested
ORIGINAL 2:49 PM REPORT: From WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz:
The big police response in Highland Park earlier this afternoon, including the blocking-off of the area around 13th/14th/Barton, involved a search for two burglary suspects. One was arrested relatively quickly, Deanie reports, while a K-9 search was used to help find the second. Police told her both are in custody. No details of the actual incident yet – we have an inquiry out to the precinct.
ADDED 4:59 PM: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen has more details:
Today, our officers responded to a citizen 911 call of suspicious activity in the Highland Park neighborhood. Our officers responded to the area and located an unoccupied vehicle in the area that we have been keeping an eye out for (other reports of suspicious activity the past couple of weeks – possible burglary suspects).
Officers watched the vehicle for a period of time and encountered 2 subjects (adult and juvenile). Both subjects fled the scene. Containment was quickly set up, with one being apprehended quickly and the other after a K9 was called in from home.
Great team work and communication by our officers and detectives as well as our citizens calling in the suspicious activity to 911.
We believe these two subjects are responsible for a number of burglaries in West Seattle and White Center. Our Detectives are conducting the followup investigation. Both subjects are well-known to our officers for extensive criminal histories.
Amanda Knox verdict: Conviction overturned, she goes free
(Photo by MIKE SIEGEL/Seattle Times, used with permission)
12:51 PM: Just in from Italy: Amanda Knox‘s conviction is overturned, per the live feed we are watching on KING. Sobs erupted in the courtroom. The slander charge, regarding something Knox said in the police interrogation regarding a bar owner for whom she had worked, is the only one that was not overturned. CNN is posting one-liner updates here. Perugia is nine hours ahead, so it’s already well into evening there; the day in court started with Knox, who grew up in West Seattle and has family here, and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito both pleading their case. Our partners at the Seattle Times have been tracking the developments overnight here, and are with the “Friends of Amanda Knox” group that had gathered at a downtown hotel to watch developments. “Amanda’s coming home, and that’s what we wanted,” a family friend has just told KING in a live report from that gathering.
1:01 PM: “We’re thankful that Amanda’s nightmare is over. She suffered four years for a crime she did not commit,” Knox’s sister Deanna Knox has just told the media in a news conference broadcast live. “…We now respectfully ask you to give Amanda and all of our family the privacy we need to recover from this ordeal.”
1:38 PM: Lots of comments from all over the region, nation, and world – including a statement from King County Executive Dow Constantine:
“Today’s acquittal is a dramatic vindication for Amanda and her family and friends here in West Seattle. I cannot be more pleased at this emotional outcome in the Italian court. Her family has been unrelenting in their pursuit of justice. After so much agony, their four-year ordeal can now come to an end.”
2:19 PM: Changed photos atop this story – the new one, also from the Times, is of the Seattle group that had gathered to await the decision, celebrating as it was announced. Meantime, there is word that Amanda Knox has just left the Italian prison and is now officially free.
5:24 PM: This account, among others, says she and her family will fly home from Italy tomorrow.
West Seattle holidays: Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale donation time
‘Tis the season for some holiday planning – and as of today, CoolMom is accepting donations for its 4th annual Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale, with proceeds also benefiting WestSide Baby. The actual event is 9 am-2 pm Saturday, November 12th, at Fauntleroy Church (our photo at right is from last year, same location); donating in advance not only helps CoolMom and WS Baby, it also gets you a $5 credit toward shopping at the sale! Read on for more details and the donation-dropoff spots:Read More
West Seattle Monday: What’s happening today/tonight
Thanks to Stacey who – after getting caught in the traffic jam like so many this morning – sent word of that banner on the Fauntleroy walkover (first one in a while, since the Great Crackdown of 2007 all but ended the practice). We subsequently headed out to take that photo from the frontage road (NOT from traffic). Yes, along with zillions of others, we will be watching for news of the Amanda Knox verdict, and we’ll publish an update here when it happens (currently not expected to happen before 11 am 12:30 pm our time, which is 8 pm 9:30 pm Perugia, Italy, time). Here’s what else is making news today/tonight:
REMINDER FOR BUS RIDERS: It’s the first commute day since Metro’s “service change” kicked in on Saturday.
NEW URGENT-CARE CLINIC: Today’s the day Highline Medical Center-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) opens its new Urgent Care practice.
NEW SCHOOL-ATTENDANCE CAMPAIGN: As noted here on Friday, the mayor and school superintendent will be at the new Denny International Middle School at 11:30 am today to launch the local version of a national campaign to boost school attendance.
SUBTLY SPICED: West Seattle Cooking Club meets at Beveridge Place Pub, 2 pm. This week’s ingredient: Saffron.
BINGO AT ALKI UCC! Bingo at Alki UCC Church, tonight and every Monday. Buy-in is $7 and payouts vary according to the number of players. Doors open at 5:30 and games begin at 6:30. Usually done by 8:30. 62nd and Alki.
HELP FOR PARENTS: New parenting lecture series debuts tonight at Admiral UCC Church, co-presented by A Child Becomes Preschool, 6:30 pm, more info here.
FAMILY STORY TIME: Mondays 7 pm, Family Story Time at the High Point branch of the Seattle Public Library.
WANT A FREE TRAIN TICKET? The Amtrak companion fare giveaway continues at PCC Natural Markets (WSB sponsor), while it lasts – more info here.
West Seattle Bridge traffic alert: Eastbound backup from crash
(“Live” image looking westward at the eastbound West Seattle Bridge – refresh for latest)
6:50 AM: Thanks to everybody who has called/texted/e-mailed with word of an eastbound backup on the West Seattle Bridge that’s worse than you’d usually find at this hour. The 911 log lists a crash that apparently did not have major injuries but, according to multiple tipsters, involved three vehicles, so it may take a while to clear. (Late-morning addendum: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore confirms no one was hurt.)
7:10 AM: The crash is described as “at Admiral,” which on the eastbound side means “parallel with.” You can check the various bridge and feeder views (we’re watching them too) from the WSB Traffic page. One WSB’er says via e-mail that the crash involves “two SUVs and one small sedan.”
7:36 AM: Via Twitter, we have a report about the feeder-street backup – half an hour from the Fauntleroy neighborhood and she hadn’t even reached SW Alaska (blocks BEFORE the 35th/Fauntleroy bridge entrance) yet. Adding a “live” bridge image atop this story – refresh the page for the latest view. The crash scene isn’t visible from the existing bridge angles, so if you get through and know whether it’s been cleared, please let us know (once you reach your destination!).
7:52 AM: Via Facebook, Margie says the crash scene itself has been cleared. Backups will take a while. Alex is trying to get to 509 via Holden – on the southeast side of WS – and he’s hit a backup too.
8:24 AM: Most reports say things are getting better, finally. But the hair-raising-commute stories are still coming in – via Twitter, @206SportsFan says, “One hour from Morgan Junction to Luna Park via bus. … New personal ‘best’ worst.” Jana also commuted by bus and tweeted the photo above, after finally reaching the Avalon turnoff on Fauntleroy.
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