West Seattle, Washington

09 Saturday

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month : 04/2012 332 results

West Seattle Thursday: Story times; wine; Alki council…
April 19, 2012 8:31 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Thursday: Story times; wine; Alki council…
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous


(Thanks to Michael Brophy for the aerial photo taken as he flew over WS last Sunday; click pic for larger image)
Highlights for today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:

3 LIBRARY STORY TIMES THIS MORNING: They happen several days a week, every week, but every so often we like to remind you here in the daily preview, too. Today’s story times at West Seattle library branches are Toddler Story Time at Southwest Branch, 11 am (35th/Henderson); Preschool Story Time at Delridge Branch, 11:15 am (Delridge/Brandon); Toddler Story Time at High Point Branch, 11:30 am (35th/Raymond).

WEST SEATTLE CELLARS’ WEEKLY TASTING: Austrian wines are in the spotlight tonight at the free weekly tasting at WS Cellars (WSB sponsor), 5:30-8 pm. Full details are in the calendar listing (6026 California SW).

LIVE MUSIC AT C & P COFFEE: Sid Law performs 6-8 pm. From the C & P (WSB sponsor) event calendar: “Real-time (no loops) one-man band of original arrangements from the 1920s to present day (as well as my own originals), all styles.” (5612 California SW)

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Monthly meeting, 7 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) – agenda highlights here.

A GLASS OF WINE, A TUBE OF PAINT, AND THOU … Painting on the Vine is offering a class tonight at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 7 pm. Details/link in the calendar listing (4408 Delridge Way SW).

NIGHT 2 AT ARTSWEST: Second night for “Exit, Pursued by a Bear,” 7:30 pm; ticket info on the ArtsWest website (4711 California SW).

Explore the calendar for more – including previews (like the VERY BUSY Saturday ahead)!

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Cupboard runneth over? Sustainable WS collecting mugs, glasses
April 19, 2012 7:31 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Sustainable West Seattle | West Seattle news

Spring cleaning? Sorting through things in preparation for WSCGSD? Maybe you have mugs and/or glasses you never use, just cluttering the cupboard. Sustainable West Seattle would be happy to put them into service:

Sustainable West Seattle is excited to announce that we are creating a reusable dish collection. Our goal is to create a large collection that can be used for events, like parties, so that disposables will not need to be used. We are currently accepting donations of mugs, drinking glasses and wine glasses. Donations must be in good condition and not have any chips or sharp edges. Our current goal is to collect 100 mugs, drinking glasses, and wine glasses.

Donations can be left at the following locations:

*West Seattle Tool Library – 4408 Delridge Way SW – Thursdays from 6-9 pm, Saturdays from 9 am-2 pm and Sundays from 1-5 pm
*Think Outside the Car event on Saturday, April 28th, from 10 am-2 pm at Westside School playground – 34th and Holden Street
*Sustainable West Seattle table at the West Seattle Farmers Market on May 6th

After the collection has been established, we hope to lend it out to other groups in West Seattle to reduce the amount of disposables used in West Seattle.

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Parks’ leader talks safety @ West Seattle Crime Prevention Council:
April 19, 2012 1:47 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Parks boss Christopher Williams, left, and WS Crime Prevention Council president Richard Miller)
How safe are West Seattle’s parks, and can they be made safer?

Those questions – stirred by last month’s unsolved murder of Greggette Guy, who police have said they believe was killed at Emma Schmitz Viewpoint – led the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council to invite acting Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams to its April meeting. (Here’s our separate update on the murder case itself.)

Williams, who grew up in West Seattle and is a Chief Sealth graduate, spoke and answered questions – as did two Parks managers who accompanied him – for more than 45 minutes in the Southwest Precinct meeting room on Tuesday night.

No big announcements, no “aha” moments, not even any extensive discussion of (nor questions about) Schmitz Viewpoint – but here’s how it unfolded (including video, if you would like to see and hear for yourself): Read More

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Local travel writers’ global charity gets boost from Expedia
April 18, 2012 11:15 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online | West Seattle people

Story and photos by Keri DeTore
West Seattle Blog contributor

Did you notice the lights and cameras set up at Cupcake Royale in The Junction on Monday?

That was a crew from Bellevue-based Expedia, interviewing local travel writers who have applied their storytelling and outreach skills to fundraising for international projects.

West Seattleites Beth Whitman (photo left) and Pam Mandel (photo right), along with Debbie Dubrow (center, from Mount Baker), are longtime travelers and writers who publish blog-format sites where they share their experiences, and their tips and tricks for smarter, easier travel. Along with Michelle Duffy (not pictured), they found each other through their writing, and began meeting regularly at Cupcake Royale to share stories and support.

At one point, they wondered, “What MORE can we do?” They wanted a way to bring together the travel-blog community, and unite it around a cause. After doing some research, realizing that others in that community wanted “something to latch onto,” and finding other groups with strong fundraising models, the four women created Passports with Purpose.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Neighbors’ open call for partnership
April 18, 2012 10:29 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Neighbors’ open call for partnership
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

With the Sunday night attack/robbery – and then last night’s chase/crash – Becky says her neighborhood wants to reach out to join forces with those nearby:

The Block Watch community of 18th Ave SW & Trenton … met to discuss the events of (Monday) night concerning a young woman being assaulted in our alley. This act of random violence is not only scary, but completely inconsistent with who we are as a community. We are families, friends and neighbors who want the simple peace of feeling safe on our street and in our homes. We want to be able to feel safe with our children playing outside. And we want to be empowered, as a community, to address this horrible event that has shattered that perspective for us.

We realize that the best way to heal the neighborhood impacted by such random violence is to work with our sister neighborhood Block Watches (or neighbors- we are not exclusive!). We have discussed some idea of how we can watch out for each other and be more vigilant. We tossed around ideas like offering to walk our neighbors home if they work the late shift in pairs. And we want to coordinate with the other neighborhoods and get some more ideas on how to prevent this from happening in our community. So if folks are interested in working with the Block Watch of 18th Ave SW & Trenton, please contact the SW Precinct for details on getting a hold of us. We have been coordinating with the Community Police Officer and appreciate the efforts of SPD to address this incident.

Along with publishing her message here, we also suggested that Becky reach out to the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network (which isn’t just for BW captains), which has been working to connect neighborhoods for crime prevention and safety. Their next meeting, by the way – open to all – is next Tuesday, April 24th, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, with “crime prevention through environmental design” the scheduled topic – helpful hints that you can use to reduce the chances your home will be targeted.

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West Seattle wildlife: Bird with a view
April 18, 2012 10:17 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle wildlife: Bird with a view
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather | Wildlife

No one can resist the downtown-skyline view from West Seattle – not even the noble and ever-busy crow. Thanks to Darren Pilon for sharing the photo. P.S. While rain is on its way back, the forecast includes some weekend sun.

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The ‘other’ RapidRide-related work: SW Alaska rechannelization in May
April 18, 2012 9:16 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

The next major “rechannelization” in West Seattle is now just weeks away, according to SDOT. The timetable for SW Alaska changes in The Junction and Triangle came up during a briefing at tonight’s Morgan Community Association meeting, mostly about RapidRide-related road work (though RapidRide is a county Metro Transit project, the road/sidewalk/signal changes are being done in association with SDOT). SDOT’s RapidRide project manager Mike Ward told MoCA that the work is now expected to be done next month – no date firmed up yet, but they’ll plan on making it happen over a period of about four days – starting on a Monday, wrapping up Thursday. As reported here last year, the rechannelization will include these changes:

· Install an eastbound business access and transit Lane (BAT) between 42nd Avenue SW and 40th Avenue SW

· Install a westbound BAT lane between Fauntleroy Way and 42nd Avenue SW

· Remove parking on the north side of SW Alaska Street between California Avenue SW and 42nd Avenue SW and north side of SW Alaska Street between 41st Avenue SW and Fauntleroy; remove parking on south side of SW Alaska Street between 42nd and Fauntleroy

· Install a westbound left turn pocket at California Avenue and SW Alaska Street

· Install an eastbound left turn pocket at 42nd Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street

· Install a westbound bicycle lane between Fauntleroy Way and approximately 30 feet west of 41st Avenue SW

We’ll have the rest of the RapidRide discussion in our full report on the MoCA meeting, but wanted to get this news out sooner. For the city’s renderings of how the rechannelization will work, scroll down this page.

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Seattle Green Home Tour this weekend – with five area stops
April 18, 2012 5:50 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Just a few days till this weekend’s free, self-guided Seattle Green Home Tour (with WSB among the co-sponsors), which – as the clickable map above shows you – has four West Seattle stops this year, plus one not too far away (and 25 stops in all, around the metro area). Read on for more details on the West Seattle sites:Read More

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West Seattle Thriftway: Welcoming a new WSB sponsor
April 18, 2012 3:33 pm
|      38 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

This afternoon, we welcome a new WSB sponsor – locally owned West Seattle Thriftway! Here’s their message to you:

You know their faces and you know their names, and it’s most likely because the staff members at West Seattle Thriftway have been working there for more than a decade, if not two. “A passion for what they do” doesn’t even begin to describe how they feel about their workplace. A building is merely an empty shell until you give it a soul – and something we believe strongly in is that it’s the people who work somewhere that make a place special.

At West Seattle Thriftway, the goals are simple and straightforward: To offer exceptional quality and diversity of products, even more exceptional customer service, and to create strong ties to the community through non-profit support, events, and fundraising. “In a way, we feel like we have grown up with our community and have been woven into the fabric of what makes West Seattle so special, which is strong community connections.”

More importantly, in a world of “big box” stores, we feel extremely proud to be considered one of the little guys. Aside from being totally awesome, being an independent grocer and being locally owned and operated gives us the power to be able to bend over backward for our customers. Please come visit us April 20th – 22nd (4201 SW Morgan, at California/Fauntleroy) for a community appreciation event that includes a free grilled sausage lunch as a thank you for all of your support!

We thank West Seattle Thriftway for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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West Seattle businesses: ‘Cash mob’ planned for Curious Kidstuff
April 18, 2012 3:23 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Our area’s second planned “Cash Mob” is set for this Saturday – though it’ll actually be a week BEFORE the first one announced for our area. Confusing? Here’s the deal: The latest announcement is for 4 pm this Saturday, April 21st, during The Junction’s “Tax-Free Day” multi-merchant all-day sale – a “cash mob” (show up and spend!) at Curious Kidstuff. The one that was announced earlier (first reported here two weeks ago), April 28th at Village Green Perennial Nursery, is still on, too. A “cash mob” is meant to be a gathering of people, “flash mob” style (though usually well-publicized), to show up at a specific business and spend at least $20. (We hope you will “cash mob” ALL your favorite local independent businesses as often as you can, though!)

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West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day countdown: 1 week to register
April 18, 2012 2:46 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day countdown: 1 week to register
 |   Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

120 sales now on the map for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2012 – the six hours (9 am-3 pm the second Saturday of May, garagesaledaysmalllog5.jpgwhich this year is May 12th) when our peninsula turns into Garage/Yard/Rummage Sale Paradise. We are now exactly a week away from the official registration deadline – 11:59 pm next Wednesday (April 25th) – that cutoff gives us just enough time to make the maps (which will be ready a week before WSCGSD) and launch the final round of promotion with something resembling an accurate total.

**Registration form’s here**

And we have two more notes:
**NOT ENOUGH ROOM OR STUFF FOR YOUR OWN SALE? Hotwire Online Coffeehouse and C & P Coffee Company (both WSB sponsors) are once again offering courtyard/yard space for small individual sellers. Inquire at either coffee shop (4410 California is Hotwire, 5612 California is C&P) or by e-mail – info@hotwirecoffee.com or candp@comcast.net.

**DON’T WANT TO SELL, BUT HAVE STUFF SOMEONE MIGHT WANT TO SELL? The Rainbow Girls will be on the map again this year:

Cleaning out your closets? West Seattle #18 International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is seeking donations for our third annual garage sale Saturday, May 12th, 2012. If you have any small working appliances, furniture in good or better condition, tools and other household items that you would like to donate, please call Natalee Vroman 206-399-7748 or Jan Hunter 206-849-7906 and we will be happy to come and pick them up! Your donations are tax-deductible and we will provide you with a charitable contribution receipt. Rainbow Gets Girls Ready for Life! Check us out at www.gorainbow.org

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West Seattle Whale Watch: Orcas make a splash!
April 18, 2012 1:09 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to Gary Jones for sharing photos of the orcas that put on a show between Alki Point and Bainbridge Island late this morning!

We heard about it via Facebook, went down to the water to see if we could see them, and no luck (again), so Gary’s photos are much appreciated. Expert watchers say all this leaping is because they’re feeding.

We also got a call from a nice person who said he could see them via telescope from his home over Beach Drive (and offered us the chance to use it), but at the time – 12:30ish – they were “way on the other side.”

According to the Orca Network‘s latest Facebook update, these are likely “transients” – orcas that eat mammals (seals, sea lions, whales) instead of fish, which is the staple of Puget Sound’s resident orcas.

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West Seattle Chamber of Commerce honors winners, hears economic optimism
April 18, 2012 11:47 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers

“Are we out of the recession? Yes, we are,” declared local economic Matthew Gardner in his keynote speech at this morning’s West Seattle Chamber of Commerce annual awards breakfast.

Emceeing the event, Chamber board chair Dave Montoure, owner of West 5, declared that to be “a good message for us to hear today,” on behalf of the 120 people gathered at Salty’s on Alki to hear.

More on Gardner’s economic insights later – but first, the awardees!

(From left, WS Garden Tour’s Jim Reid, The Grove’s Lynn Sweeney Pedersen, Pete Spalding, Dave Montoure, AmericanWest Bank’s David Kim)
They were announced back in February (WSB coverage here), but the breakfast celebration is always an occasion for the business community to gather and not only give the awardees well-earned applause, but also to celebrate the community’s ongoing growth.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
AmericanWest Bank

Junction branch manager David Kim – who also chairs the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee – accepted the award, noting that AWB (a new name for what had been Viking Bank, before last year’s merger) is a “business-focused community bank.”

EMERGING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
The Grove/West Seattle Inn

Montoure introduced owner Lynn Sweeney Pedersen after recalling that when the Chamber polled members in 2010 about what West Seattle needs most, there were two answers – a hospital and a hotel. The Sweeney family made the latter dream come true last year.

Sweeney Pedersen recounted the property’s makeover last year, from rundown motel to “comfortable, friendly, affordable lodging,” saying their work isn’t over yet – they’re working on “continuous improvement.” She also mentioned that this weekend they will celebrate the complex’s “50th birthday,” since it was built for the Seattle World’s Fair half a century ago (as the Mar-Lyn, after original owners Martin and Evelyn).

NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR
West Seattle Garden Tour

President Jim Reid accepted the award, talking about the WSGT’s roots in the mid-1990s, founded by community advocate Irene Stewart. Since then, he said, it was raised and donated nearly a quarter-million dollars to causes in the community, facilitating the community’s “stepping up to make up for the decline in government funding” of some of those services. It’s an all-volunteer organization, and its planning is in high gear for this year’s tour, July 15th (more info here), and Reid said, you have one more week to sign up as a sponsor (WSB is among them again this year).

WESTSIDER OF THE YEAR
Pete Spalding

Montoure quipped that when he asked Spalding for his bio, it was a page and a half long. Just a few toplines of what he’s up to currently – West Seattle Food Bank board, Southwest Precinct Advisory Council, Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council, Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee … Spalding, no stranger to awards but clearly moved by this one, said with his trademark Southern-accent humility and humor, “I think there are a lot of people who do a lot more in the community and are more deserving, but I’m not going to give (the award) back!” He closed his remarks by quoting the exhortation he features in his e-mail signature, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Ahead – toplines from the keynote, what’s next for the Chamber, and our video from this morning’s event:Read More

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West Seattle schools: Roxhill Elementary ‘Night for the Stars’
April 18, 2012 10:28 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle schools: Roxhill Elementary ‘Night for the Stars’
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Many other West Seattle schools have had their fundraising auctions, as reported here earlier this spring – and now we have one more to tell you about: Roxhill Elementary‘s second annual fundraiser, “Night for the Stars,” coming up May 4th at 415 Westlake in South Lake Union. They’re selling tickets AND accepting donated items/services for the event, says Michelle Lehman:

This event is going to be tons of fun, with great items up for auction, food catered from the fabulous Joanie’s Catering (a West Seattle business), a wine toss, live music and more!

Tickets are $35.00 in advance, and $40.00 at the door. They can be purchased at the school, from your favorite Roxhill teacher, or online (go here).

Your ticket price includes a complimentary glass of champagne, appetizers provided by Joanie’s Catering, and access to all of the fabulous items donated from businesses all over the Greater Seattle area. Curious about what we have to offer? Check out our auction blog (go here) to see some of the incredible items we will be auctioning off.

So come on down to South Lake Union, bid on some fabulous items and support a wonderful cause!

We are still accepting donations, so if you would like to donate a service, item, dessert or wine to the event, please contact me at mllehman@seattleschools.org, or bring it by the school. Thanks for supporting West Seattle students!

“The Stars,” by the way, refers to Roxhill’s official symbol/mascot.

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West Seattle Wednesday: Chamber awards; ‘Exit,’ night 1; community meetings in Delridge, Morgan
April 18, 2012 7:59 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Wednesday: Chamber awards; ‘Exit,’ night 1; community meetings in Delridge, Morgan
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Don Brubeck photographed picnickers on Alki in the rain!)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:

PARTIAL VIADUCT/99 CLOSURE OVERNIGHT: Once again tonight, southbound Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed 10 pm-5 am for reinforcement work.

WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARDS BREAKFAST: Happening right now at Salty’s, till about 9 am; coverage to come. (Here’s the list of winners!)

SAVVY SEATTLE WOMEN: Their “Wine and Wisdom” networking event is at 6 tonight, Prudential Northwest Realty offices in Jefferson Square.

DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: 7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, with guest presentations including the downtown waterfront/seawall project and Community Power Works (WSB sponsor) energy-assessment program.

MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Quarterly meeting at 7 tonight, downstairs meeting rooms at The Kenney. The agenda (see it here) includes an update on the Murray Combined Sewer Overflow project to put an underground storage tank across from Lowman Beach Park.

OPENING NIGHT AT ARTSWEST: ‘Exit, Pursued by a Bear’ opens tonight, 7:30 pm.

Even more on the calendar!

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Memorial this Saturday for longtime West Seattleite George Carfrae
April 18, 2012 3:01 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Services are planned this Saturday for George Carfrae, whose family shares this remembrance:

George Carfrae, 77, of West Seattle, passed away from complications related to Parkinson’s disease April 9, 2012. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family. George was born in Seattle January 2, 1935.

He graduated from West Seattle HS in 1953 and received an Associate’s degree from South Seattle Community College.

George married Joyce Thomason April 23, 1954. He worked as a cost estimator at Todd Shipyards and Foss Maritime and served in the US Army from 1957-1965. He enjoyed gardening, traveling and playing cribbage.

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Delridge Produce Cooperative: What’s next, after Monday meeting
April 18, 2012 1:50 am
|    Comments Off on Delridge Produce Cooperative: What’s next, after Monday meeting
 |   Delridge | DESC Delridge project | How to help | West Seattle news

The Delridge Produce Cooperative board is about to take the next step toward potentially running a food store in the future Delridge Supportive Housing building: Next week, it’s expecting to submit a Memorandum of Understanding to DESC. That was one headline from Monday night’s DPC meeting at Delridge Library. Representing the co-op were board members Ariana Rose Taylor-Stanley and Ranette Iding; they were careful to say that the MOU is not a lease, nor a guarantee of one, but it will enable architects to move forward with planning the development of the ground-floor commercial space they’re likely to occupy in the building. DPC is hoping to find a community volunteer who can help them with the MOU.

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Beach Drive murder: Detectives pursuing ‘leads,’ West Seattle Crime Prevention Council told
April 17, 2012 9:33 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Beach Drive murder | Crime | Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Council | West Seattle news

First update from tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting: Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis had wrapped up his crime-trends update without mentioning last month’s Beach Drive murder, but during open Q/A afterward, he was finally asked about the case. Still an active investigation, he said, adding that detectives are following up “specific leads,” though he had no details to share. Five weeks have now passed since 51-year-old Greggette Guy of Kent was found dead in the water south of Cormorant Cove Park, a half-mile south of where she had apparently left her car the night before to go for a waterfront walk; we checked with key figures in the case at the one=month mark (here’s our April 11th story). The case was a major reason acting Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams spoke to the group tonight; nothing revelatory in his remarks, but toplines and video are coming up in our full meeting report.

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Update: 2 hurt in Highland Park crash, including King County Sheriff’s Office deputy
April 17, 2012 6:07 pm
|      46 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Doug, scene at Henderson)
6:07 PM: We’re at the scene of a crash in Highland Park at 15th and Henderson that is reported to have involved a police pursuit, apparently northbound from the White Center area, as King County Sheriff’s Office units are reported to be involved. More shortly.

(Scene at Trenton, where stolen car was found – this photo and next one by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
6:12 PM: Our crew at the scene has been told so far that a stolen car was being pursued and collided with the KCSO unit; the stolen car continued another block or so north to SW Trenton and was abandoned. Seattle Police are at that scene and have talked to a “person of interest” who is reported to have admitted being in the stolen car; officers are still looking for the driver and possibly one other person. We’re not sure yet about injuries.

6:39 PM UPDATE: Just past the damaged KCSO car, there’s a truck up on a lawn in the area but KCSO at the scene won’t comment on how it got there. SW Henderson is still blocked at the scene and according to Metro, that’s diverting Route 23 buses.

6:45 PM UPDATE: Kyle Moore from Seattle Fire says a 57-year-old woman, “not an officer,” was taken to the hospital by private ambulance with minor injuries.

7:50 PM UPDATE: We’ve now heard from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West, who says it all started in White Center, when a “deputy spotted a stolen vehicle near SW 98 and 15 SW. The vehicle fled northbound. At 15th and Henderson the deputy’s car collided with a truck that was not involved in the pursuit. The deputy and the woman in the truck both had minor injuries. The 57 year old woman was taken to Harborview, the deputy went to Highline Hospital. The suspect vehicle continued northbound for a block or 2 and the suspects (2) fled. The female passenger was apprehended and we are still looking for the driver who is described as an Asian or Hispanic male, possibly in his teens. Our Major accident response unit is investigating the accident.” Here’s a wider view of the main scene:

9:10 PM UPDATE: The county investigators have finished their work at the scene and SW Henderson is open again. The stop sign on the northwest corner of 15th/Henderson was taken out, so a temporary one is in place for now.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Vandals damage P-Patch shed
April 17, 2012 5:39 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

(Photo by Holli Margell)
A comment following Sunday’s report of burglaries at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center mentioned vandalism at Delridge P-Patch. We don’t know if it’s related, but we do know more about the P-Patch problems tonight, thanks to this firsthand report from Valerie:

The storage shed at the Delridge P-Patch (5078 25th Avenue SW, at 25th Ave SW and Puget Blvd SW) has been vandalized , with holes chopped into the walls from the outside and both doors badly damaged, twice in the past five days. So far nothing has been stolen, but both times the damage has required considerable effort to repair. Police reports have been filed for both attempts, but of course after the fact there’s not much to be done except make the repairs.

People garden here through the city’s P-Patch program, which not only provides individuals with a space to garden in the city, but P-Patches also donate a significant amount of fresh, organic produce to food banks around the area. All P-Patch maintenance and improvements are done on a volunteer basis by people who garden there, and it’s dispiriting to have to make repairs after pointless acts of vandalism.

We’d appreciate it if people would keep an eye out, and if anyone sees anything suspicious at the Delridge P-Patch, or any P-Patch, please report it to Seattle Police.

And if you see this before 7 pm, one more reminder that tonight is the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster).

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Video: West Seattle’s only Neighborhood Service Center dedicated in its new shared home with SW Teen Life Center/Pool
April 17, 2012 2:47 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Story by Tracy Record
Photos/video by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers

Seven months after they came to West Seattle for an announcement including big changes for what was then the Southwest Community Center, City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams were back today to dedicate the result.

The reconfigured building at 2801 SW Thistle now is home to Southwest Teen Life Center as well as West Seattle’s only Neighborhood Service Center, newly relocated from Delridge, a move that was such a side note in last fall’s announcement, the Department of Neighborhoods didn’t even have a representative there. But today, DON director Bernie Matsuno was on hand too, and Bagshaw pronounced the end result “fantastic” – she’s one of the speakers in a short (11 minutes) round of speeches:

Those also on hand for the dedication were two of the three Neighborhood District Coordinators who are now based out of the SW offices, after moving from the shuttered Delridge site:

That’s Steve Louie on the left and Yun Pitre on the right (fellow coordinator Ed Pottharst wasn’t in), with, at center, Laurie Ames.

And in the top photo, Southwest Advisory Council president Tom Foley – who had fought for months to save the community center – helped cut the ribbon. The building continues to rent space to some private programs, such as EuropaKids International Preschool (WSB sponsors), whose young students sang for the visitors:

All of the changes are among the latest results of city budget cuts. The city is saving money by co-locating the NSC – where you can pay bills, renew passports, and find out about city services – and district coordinators in a building it owns.

Less than a year ago, it not only operated an NSC on Delridge, in privately owned space, it also paid rent for an NSC in The Junction (vacated last summer and not replaced). And in addition to repurposing SW Community Center as SW Teen Life Center, other centers around the city were organized into geographic zones with centralized staff – the High Point Community Center, where all this reorganizing was announced last September, is the hub of the West Seattle/South Park “geo.”

One facility in the SW building that hasn’t really changed is Southwest Pool, which reopened yesterday after a three-week maintenance closure. It’s part of today’s celebration too; we photographed assistant aquatic coordinator Matt Richardson before the day’s special free swims got started:

The next free swim is for teens, 3-4 pm, part of an afternoon of celebration detailed on the Parks Department’s Parkways website. And superintendent Williams will be back in West Seattle tonight; he is the scheduled guest at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting tonight (7 pm, Southwest Precinct at Delridge/Webster)

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The WSBeat: Back from the ‘dead’; 2 am ‘test drive’; more
April 17, 2012 12:42 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle police | WSBeat

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block (whenever)?”:

*Medics declared a North Admiral resident dead after finding him in his apartment face down, without pulse. Per routine procedure, an officer was dispatched to survey the scene. Finding no signs of foul play, he lifted the victim’s arm and heard a sudden expulsion of air from the man’s mouth. The officer alerted the medics, who reiterated that not only had there been no pulse, but that rigor mortis had started to set in. But to placate the officer, they lifted the victim onto a nearby bed. As the cloth covering the “deceased’s” face slipped off, everyone was startled to see his eyes blinking rapidly. Medics quickly provided life-saving treatment and transported the man to the Harborview emergency room.

*Early Tuesday, officers pulled over a van in the 3200 block of Harbor Ave. SW. It had originally been spotted on Murray Ave. SW, and the occupants were thought to be casing the area. The driver, a Port Orchard resident, claimed he was in the middle of a pre-purchase 2 a.m. scenic test drive along Beach Drive. He refused to let officers search the vehicle, which was lined with racks and shelves and bags of items. A records check showed the driver was a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history (burglary, auto theft, theft, vehicle prowling and property damage) and that two women had active anti-harassment orders against him. He has been known to assault officers and to own illegal weapons, handguns, rifles, knives and grenades. He also had a history of substance abuse. His female passenger (who waved and called one of the officers by name) is also a convicted felon with a similar criminal history. There was a large knife at her feet. She had two warrants, one for misdemeanor assault in Burien ($7,500) and failure to appear on a theft charge ($5,050). Thinking that the van contained stolen property, the officers decided to impound it. The driver was released and walked away southbound on Harbor Ave. The woman was driven to Tukwila and transferred to the custody of the King County Sheriff’s Office.

10 more summaries ahead:Read More

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Got 2 hours? And muscles? Beautify West Seattle’s gateway!
April 17, 2012 12:06 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

West Seattle is THE most spectacular part of the city. We all know that! But if you drive in via the Fauntleroy end of the West Seattle Bridge, that’s not always apparent. Some aspects of the “gateway” stretch will take time to change – but the greenspace around the Walking On Logs sculptures (city webcam at right) only needs a few hours of your time, one or both of the next two Saturdays. Updating the plan for new landscaping in that area (as published here a week and a half ago) – thanks to a lot of volunteer work that’s already been done – Nancy Driver of the Walking On Logs Landscape Restoration Group is hoping a few more people will step forward to help, particularly this Saturday, for two hours between noon and 4, they need some muscle-power for the two-person “augurs” to be used to dig holes for new trees and shrubs going in a week later. She says “more volunteers to take out blackberries” are on the wish list too, particularly for this Saturday. Any shift you sign up for is only two hours – we know there’s a LOT going on this Saturday, but c’mon, you can fit it all in. Read more about the project here; e-mail ruth.hoover@comcast.net to get on the volunteer list – and know that thousands will see the result of your work every single day.

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