West Seattle, Washington
15 Sunday
We’ve noticed his handle in WSB comments now and then … but didn’t realie till today that Metal Jesus is a West Seattle-based video personality/producer with a much-subscribed YouTube channel, “dedicated to all things retro video games and music,” that’s drawn 1.6 million-plus views. MJ’s real name is Jason and his channel Metal Jesus Rocks releases a new original video every week – above, today’s edition is a retrospective on the ’90s Seattle music scene – the sleepers as well as the superstars.
Jason, er, Metal Jesus describes himself as “a long-haired West Seattle rocker dude who used to work in the video game industry back in the 90′s at Sierra On-Line (Bellevue publisher of PC classics like Quest for Glory, King’s Quest, Leisure Suit Larry and much more),” later becoming “the editor of a professional video-game-review website, and (dabbling) in audio & video production.” You can join his channel’s 13,000+ subscribers (or just browse through the archives) here.
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 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?”:
*Attempted break-ins galore early Monday: Someone tried to disable the alarm systems at three California Avenue businesses (two in the Alaska Junction; one in Morgan Junction). Suspects gained access to only one, where they ransacked the interior and stole a case of liquor.
*On Monday afternoon, a stranger went down the 3200 block of 44th SW, banging on doors and yelling, “Which neighbor reported on me?†One home on that street is well known to both officers and firefighters. Although the owner no longer lives at that residence — and the water and heat have been turned off — he is reported to be allowing others to camp out (which might explain the odd, “foul†odors that firefighters were sent to investigate recently). The angry stranger was a white male with a stocky build, and he drove off northbound in a silver pickup truck.
Seven more summaries ahead, including two involving for-sale homes:
That banner just went up this afternoon, for a brand-new business we first heard about only hours earlier – Morgan Junction CrossFit, opening Monday in the California/Juneau space that previously was home to Seattle Wushu Center. Its owner is Zach Filer, a coach/trainer already well-known in West Seattle – his seven years as a coach includes three years at CrossFit West Seattle in The Admiral District.
WSB researcher Katie Meyer talked with Filer by phone this afternoon and reports that he just got the keys to the place a week ago and has “really been doing a lot of work” inside since then, including putting in new flooring and adding walls, with painting ahead this weekend as well as bringing in equipment. He is also a Kettlebell Sport coach and leads seminars and competitions (here’s his bio), and recently coached a world-record-setter. Filer told Katie he’s planning 7 classes a day, between 5:45 am and 8 pm, but hasn’t yet settled on which days of the week, though next Monday is definitely Day 1 – as he wrote on his own website. The business website’s a work in progress but you’ll find info soon at morganjunctioncrossfit.com.
Congratulations to Chief Sealth International High School cross-country team member Kenaia Neumann, #1058, who is headed to state competition after yesterday’s district meet, in which Sealth’s girls’ and boys’ teams both competed. Thanks to Lynn for the photo, which also includes coaches Jason Glover and Greg Adams. Lynn also notes that this will be Kenaia’s second consecutive year of going to state – which is set for November 3rd in Pasco.
That’s “Molly the Bubble,” we were informed, in the washing machine outside Wiseman’s Appliance and TV in The Admiral District, one of the places we stopped in the first hour of Admiral Treats and Treasures. Some businesses away from Admiral Junction set up tables there to catch more trick or treaters, like Life Care Center of West Seattle (WSB sponsor):
The trick-or-treating-and-more event continues till 6 pm – here’s the list of participants, along with a reminder to go to Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (2326 California SW; WSB sponsor) before you’re done, for a chance at the “treasure”! More photos in report #2 later tonight.
(8/14 note: To check whether a business is still a current WSB sponsor, please go here)
This afternoon, we welcome our newest WSB sponsor – Fresh and Ready Meals. Here’s what they would like you to know about their business: ‘FARM‘ is West Seattle’s fresh new take on dinner! A dream first hatched 5 years ago by Matt and Becca Bay 
has become a reality (2 kids later). They offer weekly 3-Packs of hearty and delicious meals delivered directly to you on Monday evenings or Tuesday afternoons.
Fresh and Ready Meals take minimal preparation (5-15 minutes) and are ready anytime you need them. They use all the best ingredients available, from butcher-shop meats sourced from local producers to market fresh veggies. All meals are made right here in West Seattle, and gluten-free options are available.
They craft their meals with families in mind, but are excited to serve singles and couples as well. Says Matt: “Recently after we prepared a Fresh and Ready Meal, our 3-year=old asked why we didn’t have to cook dinner. We had walked in the door at 5:30 and there we were sitting down to a delicious, wholesome meal at 5:38. That is what we’re doing with FARM!” Their heavily discounted monthly plans and delicious “homemade”-style food are intended to make fantastic dinners accessible to everyone.
Whether you want to save time, eat fresher, or you just want to put great meals on the dinner table, FARM is a great value! Find them online at freshandreadymeals.com. You can like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter at @FARMSeattle for weekly menu updates. You can also call them at 206.569.8075. Fresh and Ready Meals. Eat Real. Quick.
We thank Fresh and Ready Meals 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.
Today we’ve received media alerts about two upcoming local multi-agency drills that MIGHT catch your eye – so we’re mentioning them briefly and inviting you to file the info away just in case: Sunday afternoon near First and Holgate in SODO, a drill is planned to simulate terrorism targeting a passenger train. All day Monday, it’ll be a drill simulating response to a threat onboard a state ferry, which will be somewhere between north Vashon Island and Edmonds as it all unfolds (with both helicopters and boats involved in that one). So now you know.
As Halloween approaches, we’re sharing a special request made on behalf of a local family by the relatives, friends, and volunteers who are working to get the word out about their situation:
A 2-year-old West Seattle girl, Evelyn, will be receiving a much-needed kidney this Halloween.
The living donor is her father, Keith, a local small-business owner (he owns Evergreen Window Cleaning).
As you might imagine, this is a real hardship for the family, so a team of volunteers has formed to help the family raise funds for transplant-related expenses through the Children’s Organ Transplant Association.
We are asking the community to join us on Transplant Day, Halloween, to put a smile on this family’s face as we “Trick or Treat for Transplant!” People can help by doing any of the following:
-Print Trick or Treat for Transplant flyers (viewable/printable from here) and pass them out with your Halloween candy
-Make a donation to COTA for Evelyn S to help the family with transplant- related expenses (all donations are tax-deductible and can be made via cotaforevelyns.com). Every little bit helps!
– Leave Evelyn a message on her website (www.cotaforevelyns.com) or Facebook page (Friends of Evelyn S)
Thanks to E for the tip that police were called early this morning to check out tagging vandalism on a water tower at Myrtle Reservoir. (We’ve blurred the tags in our photo at right.) The report came from a security officer just after 5 am, according to Det. Renee Witt in SPD media relations; the officer discovered the chain-link fence around the tower had been cut, and then noticed the tagging on the east side of the tower. We’re checking with Seattle Public Utilities to see how soon it’ll be painted over (ironically, they are a lead agency for the city’s graffiti-vandalism-fighting efforts), and will add that update when we get it.
ADDED 11:56 AM: And here’s the update from SPU spokesperson Ingrid Goodwin:
SPU crews are onsite now making repairs on the vandalized fence and tower. Weather permitting, the graffiti will be removed and the tower will be repainted today. If the rain becomes a problem, crews may need a few extra days to complete the work. We’ll know more later this afternoon on how quickly they are progressing on the repairs.
(back to original 11:38 am report) Another Crime Watch note:
MAILBOX PROWLING: From Becky:
We live in a complex in the 3600 block of Beach Drive SW. We have a locking mailbox and the postman has confirmed that it appears someone tried to pry it open. Please make other residents in the area aware of this recent mailbox prowl and to keep their eyes open for any strangers around their mailboxes.
P.S. Just added to the West Seattle Crime Watch page – a scrollable “widget” showing the latest tweets from the recently launched Seattle Police Tweets by Beat accounts that cover West Seattle (six accounts plus the main SPD Twitter account). These are short descriptions of location/type of incident, about an hour delayed (and note that SPD does not tweet certain types of responses). So now you can browse them without having a Twitter account or going to Twitter’s website, if you’re interested.
That’s Andrew Borracchini of Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) in The Admiral District, at the national grocery-bagging finals in Las Vegas this past February; we’ve just learned he’ll be in the finals next February too. For the second consecutive year, he’s won the state title for “Best Bagger.” Here’s the official announcement we received this morning:
Andrew Borracchini, an 18-year-old grocery bagger from West Seattle’s Metropolitan Market, just bagged the championship in the Washington State Best Bagger competition for the second year in a row. Andrew competed and won against 11 other contestants from across the state for the $1500 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to compete at the national Best Bagger taking place in Las Vegas in February 2013.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
Voting is a daily event through November 6th; thanks to Beth for the tip that friends were up waving Approve R-74 signs on the Fauntleroy walkover, to support marriage equality. Meantime, Hallo-weekend begins! From the WSB Halloween page AND our West Seattle Events Calendar:
ADMIRAL TREATS AND TREASURES: 3-6 pm, trick or treat in The Admiral District and then bring your treasure map to Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor) to go for the treasure! Here’s the list of participants (and check that link for other details).
METROPOLITAN MARKET COSTUME CONTEST: Come by the Pumpkin Patch 3-6 pm today while you’re enjoying Admiral Treats and Treasures to enter the costume contest.
HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS: 5 pm tonight, Chief Sealth International High School plays two post-season games vs. Seattle Prep – one is girls’ soccer at the Ingraham High School field in North Seattle, the other is football at Memorial Stadium downtown. At 6 pm, Seattle Lutheran High School plays post-season volleyball against visiting Chief Leschi.
GLASS JELLYFISH DEMONSTRATION: 6-8 pm tonight at Avalon Glassworks with artist Justin Bagley – more info here.
HIGH POINT COMMUNITY CENTER FALL FESTIVAL: 6-8 pm tonight, for ages 3 and up – details and map, here.
HALLOWEEN CARNIVALS: Seattle Parks is also hosting Halloween Carnivals tonight – games, treats, and prizes, plus food for purchase. Costumes are encouraged but optional. Ages 12 and under; 25 cents per ticket:
*Hiawatha Community Center, 6-8 pm
*Delridge Community Center and South Park Community Center, 6:30-8 pm
HALLOWEEN FAMILY SWIM AND FALL CARNIVAL: Halloween Family Swim and Fall Carnival at Southwest Pool. The carnival is 25 cents per ticket and runs from 6-7:30 pm. There will be games, a penny dive, bobbing for apples, and other fun activities. The free Family Swim is from 7-8 pm. Bring the entire family! Anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied in the water by an adult.
ALSO ON THE WSB HALLOWEEN PAGE: Costume contest parties tonight at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) OutWest Bar, Bamboo – scroll down the page for details.
(Live view from the only WS Bridge camera currently in operation; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:10 AM: Happy Friday! This is the last weekday before the West Seattle Water Taxi switches to its fall/winter schedule; the last weekday before Metro adds buses to Routes 120 and 55; and the first full day that westbound lower Spokane Street is now fully open, after years of Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project work. Thanks in advance for sharing your reports from the roads, paths, buses, etc.
1:34 PM UPDATE: WSDOT reports a crash has closed southbound 99 at the Battery Street Tunnel.
2:30 PM UPDATE: It’s clear.
3:38 PM: Crash on the 911 log for northbound 99 at Western.
4:39 PM: It’s cleared. Reminder – the heart of The Junction will be closed for the Harvest Festival Sunday morning into mid-afternoon – same basic “footprint” as other big street-closing events.
Thursday night’s spotlight local match in high-school-sports playoffs – volleyball, with Chief Sealth International High School up against Eastside Catholic in the Sealth gym, host to the division tournament. Sealth came out strong – here’s our video of the first game, which the Seahawks won, 25-19:
But EC took three consecutive games after that, and won the night – 25-20, 25-18, 25-16.
Sealth stats are here; they play again Saturday morning.
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