West Seattle, Washington
18 Thursday
ORIGINAL 10:41 PM REPORT: If you are noticing a large police response in southeastern West Seattle: According to scanner traffic, police are responding to a report of a man with a gun following a woman from a bus stop and sexually assaulting and robbing her. Again, this is a preliminary report, as monitored by scanner, but police have rushed to the area to look for the reported attacker; the early description is not too detailed – black man, wearing all black, orange bandana over his face, walking north on 18th SW from the 8800 block. We’ll add any additional details that become available.
UPDATE, 12:20 PM MONDAY: Just talked with Det. Mark Jamieson of SPD media relations, who will soon publish an update on this incident on SPD Blotter. He says police have not arrested anyone yet. The victim told police the attacker came up behind her as she walked east on SW Trenton after getting off a bus on Delridge and that he pulled her into an alley and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint before stealing her phone and taking off. She called 911 from a friend’s home; police rushed to the scene (as we noted at the time), including a K-9 team, and searched extensively but didn’t find the man. A few additional description details besides the ones in our original report: Mid-to-late 20s, dark complexion, medium height, possibly under the influence of drugs, and had a “foul body odor.” If you have any information, call detectives at 206-684-5575.
(Photos courtesy SDOT)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tomorrow starts the first full week of realigned traffic on the Spokane Street Viaduct – the official name for the easternmost section of the West Seattle Bridge, between Highway 99 and I-5.
After two weekdays with the SSV’s newly built north side handling all four lanes of bridge traffic, during the final phase of three years of work to widen the bridge, project-team leaders promised “tweaks” to the signage for one aspect of the realignment that caused more upheaval than expected – the new restrictions on the eastbound onramp that deposits vehicles on the bridge right before 99.
Those vehicles are now only allowed to go to northbound 99, rather than onto the SSV, but as WSB commenters noted, some semi-trucks, either out of surprise or defiance, were running through the upright lane markers on Thursday. SDOT asked the contractor to bring in some “double-collared” orange barrels on Friday, but that didn’t deter everyone, acknowledged project manager Stuart Goldsmith; project engineer Darin Stephens even got video of one truck driving on through.
We talked with Goldsmith, Stephens, and community-relations rep Paul Elliott during the second meeting of a community task force that’s getting periodic briefings on where the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project stands in its final months. Friday afternoon’s meeting was scheduled before SDOT knew it would be making the lane switch on Thursday, but the timing proved fortuitous for discussing the changeover, as well as other updates.
Management at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge says this has never happened before – and they hope you can help make sure it doesn’t happen again:
Hello Neighbors – I am sad to say that your neighborhood Cultural Arts Center, Youngstown, has been the victim of two break ins in the last week. The SW Precinct officers have responded to our calls quickly and dusted for fingerprints while taking our statements.
Youngstown is the home to several well known and respected non-profit organizations, two of them, Power of Hope and Nature Consortium, both have been broken into this week.
In the six years since Youngstown opened we have not experienced anything like this. As anyone who has been a victim themselves understands, our sense of security has been shaken.
We suspect that these break-ins have happened between midnight and 5 am. If anyone living or working in the neighborhood noticed anything out of the ordinary recently, especially the nights the break-ins occurred (Monday night into Tuesday morning and/or Friday night into Saturday morning) please report it to the SW Precinct immediately.
Thank you.
Margaret Way, DNDA @ Youngstown
And if you see anything suspicious *in progress* – there or elsewhere – call 911.
Northwest gardening guru/broadcast personality/author Ciscoe Morris drew more than 100 people to Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor) this afternoon, which meant big smiles all around, especially for him and Village Green’s Vera Johnson:
In our 8-minute clip below, Vera introduces him by explaining how they met, and then after showing off prizes he planned to give away during his talk, he explained his trademark phrase “Oh-la-la”:
The quiz questions that netted attendees the prizes, by the way, centered on hummingbirds. We’ll have video of his entire talk linked on partner site White Center Now later; one major topic, the trouble these past three winters have caused with many Northwest gardens, including his own.
This is spring break week for Seattle Public Schools, but we have news from two local schools:
PATHFINDER K-8 WORLD TRAVEL PROGRAM: Amy Daly-Donovan shares the report and photo:
This group of 17 Pathfinder middle-school kids, and chaperones (teachers Ami Pendley and Patrick Wildermann, principal David Dockendorf, and parents),
left this morning for a trip to Belize! Attached is a photo of the group at Sea-Tac at 4 am. The itinerary include excursions to learn about and experience ancient Mayan culture, explore the natural wonders of the area (jungle hikes, snorkeling, wildlife sanctuaries),and complete a service project in the village of La Democracia. Pathfinder’s World Travel Program requires participants to attend a weekly after school class to learn about the history and culture of the destination and to conduct an extensive research project, which will be completed and presented upon their return.
GATEWOOD’S FIRST-EVER ‘SCIENCE FAIR-PALOOZA’: On Thursday, Gatewood Elementary had two sessions to show off the projects from its first-ever event:
(Photos courtesy Sheree Fantz-Gut)
Gatewood principal Rhonda Claytor explained, “Every student in grades 2 through 5 (contributed) some scientific writing for display, and about 50 students (chose) to present their findings from a home science project.” In this next photo, for example, Marlee researched “The Veins of Flowers”:
When spring break is over, the school year will have two months to go.
Of all the volunteers who helped make this afternoon’s Democratic precinct caucuses happen around West Seattle and beyond, they might have had the best job – hanging out in the sunshine to help people find their way into the Chief Sealth International High School Galleria. Inside, it was a little lonely – one woman asked the check-in-table volunteers, “Am I the only one?” She wasn’t the only one there – we counted more than 30 before the caucusing officially began at 1:30 pm – but she might have been the only one from her precinct. Each precinct had a table, and some tables were empty. But that made it a convivial gathering – Chris Porter rallied everyone around as he read the introduction and rules:
As is usual for caucuses, this was the first step in a process that could lead a determined delegate all the way to the Democratic National Convention in September in Charlottesville. Unlike 2008, when the caucuses were packed because the party hadn’t settled on its nominee yet – today was more about trying to rally the party to look ahead to November, including a pitch for support, monetary and volunteer. “What a difference four years makes,” someone observed, looking around. The bright side of low turnout: High odds of getting elected as a delegate; Porter extolled the virtues of moving on to higher-level caucuses and making an impact on the party platform.
Things were buzzing at our second stop, West Seattle High School:
Most balloon-festooned tables had lively conversations going on – the official business part of the caucus was scheduled to “start no sooner than 1:30, and end no sooner than 2:00,” per the rules. 34th District Democrats chair Tim Nuse was circulating; former State House candidate Mike Heavey told us he had counted about 100 people on hand, and our informal count tended to agree. And while at Sealth, we’d seen just one candidate sign – for President Obama – as well as an advocacy table (for marriage equality), WSHS had campaign signs galore, not just Obama/Biden, but also for governor candidate Jay Inslee and U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott. WSHS also is where West Seattle Republicans caucused on a gray day six weeks ago (WSB coverage here), with a packed house, but that was their sole spot for the entire peninsula (today the D’s also caucused at Madison Middle School, West Seattle Elementary, and Highland Park Elementary). Next step for the Dems: The district caucuses on April 28th.
On the WSB Facebook page, we shared the Orca Network‘s report of orcas between north Vashon Island and West Seattle, closer to the Vashon side, but hadn’t heard any other reports – till FB commenters confirmed the sighting. They’re reported to be southbound past south West Seattle (but of course that means they’ll eventually have to head back this way).
At the West Seattle Farmers’ Market today, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is back in its booth on the KeyBank side of the market site, getting the word out about two big things – first, the Eliminate Project:
With The Eliminate Project, Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined forces to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT). This deadly disease steals the lives of nearly 60,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women each year. … To eliminate MNT from the Earth, more than 100 million mothers and their future babies must be immunized. This requires vaccines, syringes, safe storage, transportation, thousands of skilled staff and more. It will take $110 million – and the dedicated work of UNICEF and every member of the Kiwanis family.
Members of the West Seattle Kiwanis has pledged support for more than 600 vaccines and will be collecting contributions at the West Seattle Farmers Market to help get closer to the goal to eliminate maternal/neonatal tetanus.
And they’re also reminding you about their One-Day Food Drive next Saturday to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank – you’ll see Kiwanis and Key Club volunteers at grocery stores around the area 9 am-3 pm on April 21st, including WSB sponsors Metropolitan Market, PCC Natural Markets, and West Seattle Thriftway. Their announcement notes, “These activities are being held as part of Kiwanis ONE Day, a global volunteer action day uniting the entire Kiwanis family, including Kiwanis, Circle K, Key Club, Builder’s Club, Aktion Club, K-Kids and Kiwanis Junior.”
The family of longtime West Seattleite Angelina Marie Fuda shares this remembrance, on the eve of her memorial:
Angelina Marie Fuda passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and close friends, on 4-8-2012 of a cancer-related illness. Memorial Services will be held on Monday, 4-16, 10:30 am at Holy Rosary Parish in West Seattle. There will be a private burial at Calvary Cemetery in Seattle.
Angelina was born 1-21-1930 in Brookside, Colorado, to James and Mary Madonna. She moved to Seattle in the early 1940s, went to St Mary’s grade school, and on to Immaculate Conception for high school. While there, she met the love of her life, Felix Fuda, who she married in 1951. She left her job at the Mission Macaroni Factory in the early 1950s, when she was expecting her first child.
As the family expanded, they moved to West Seattle, to the same residence that they’ve been in for the past 56 years.
During last month’s World Water Week at Chief Sealth International High School, students and staff worked on a campus garden project; one of our photos showed a KING 5 crew there to cover it. This morning, CSIHS teacher Noah Zeichner, who coordinated World Water Week again this year, sends word that KING’s story has just appeared online, as one of the newest clips for “Gardening with Ciscoe“; the show’s namesake (who’s in our area today) narrates.
(Reflections on Longfellow Creek; photo by “old desolate” via the WSB Flickr group pool)
Happy Sunday! (The sun IS expected to appear later.) From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Langley Fine Gardens from Vashon Island is scheduled to return today with their popular plants; Grain Expectations is a new vendor with baked goods. 10 am-2 pm (44th/Alaska)
ANNIVERSARY SALE: Third and final day for the second-anniversary sale at West Seattle Runner (3727 California SW; WSB sponsor), open 10 am-5 pm. (And while you’re there, register for the new West Seattle Float Dodger 5K, coming up July 21st.)
WEST SEATTLE ULTIMATE FAMILY FRISBEE: The WSUFF season begins! You’re invited to join in at Fairmount Playfield, 11 am. (Fauntleroy Way SW/SW Brandon)
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUSES: Local Democrats are invited to gather at 1 pm with others from their precincts at locations around the 34th Legislative District; the 34th District Democrats‘ website has a special page with information including a lookup to find where your precinct is meeting.
CISCOE AT VILLAGE GREEN: The famous Northwest-gardening guru comes to Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor) today, 1-2 pm. As noted in our Saturday preview, the nursery is also hosting a beekeeping seminar and Master Gardener clinic. (10223 26th SW)
DUBSEA BIKES: White Center’s ongoing program for free minor repairs to get bicycles back on the road has its next session today, 2-4 pm, White Center Food Bank (8th SW/SW 108th)
LIVE MUSIC: At C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Jamtime plays, 1-4 pm; at Skylark Café and Club, all-ages show with God-des & She and Clutch Douglass, 4 pm (3803 Delridge Way SW).
More on the calendar!
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