Update: 2 cars through fence across from Chief Sealth IHS
8:53 PM: Emergency crews are handling a crash across SW Thistle from Chief Sealth International High School. Our crew says that’s blocking eastbound Thistle at the scene. The crash originally was dispatched as a “heavy rescue” situation, but many of the crews were subsequently canceled. Our crew says it looks like two cars went up over the sidewalk and through a fence at an apartment complex. A private ambulance is there, which suggests the injuries are not life-threatening. Avoid the area.
9:11 PM UPDATE: In addition to going through the fence, it looks like at least one vehicle hit an apartment, breaking a window, and firefighters are helping clean up the glass inside.
As for how it happened – police were still sorting that out.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Neighbors help police catch burglary suspects
If you noticed police activity in the 16th and Holden area of Highland Park earlier today, here’s what it was about: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams says two neighbors called police after seeing four people break into a house in the 7700 block of 15th SW and run away. Two suspects were stopped at 16th and Holden, two at 15th and Holden; all were juveniles, and Lt. Williams says some “had property on their person that was later identified by the victim as their property.” One had a “loaded semi-automatic ammo clip on his person,” but a K-9 searching the area didn’t find a gun. He says three suspects were booked, one interviewed and released.
West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Latest on ‘carjacking’
After the Tuesday night multi-location investigation described as involving a possible carjacking (WSB coverage here), police promised they would have followup information once they sorted it out. They still haven’t entirely sorted it out, but an update just appeared on SPD Blotter – read it here. Bottom line: It all may have had something to do with stolen auto parts that someone was trying to buy back; the later locations involved police trying to find a suspect who had called them. While two people were briefly in custody at one Highland Park location, as we noted in a followup comment Wednesday, nobody was actually arrested; two vehicles were impounded, though.
West Seattle Crime Watch: ‘Priceless’ flag stolen from Beach Drive home
Many places display flags on the 4th of July and other patriotically themed holidays. The West Seattle home of Sharon and Duff Kennedy is among them. Or – has been. The flag they hang every 4th of July was stolen last night; the photo above shows where it had been displayed. This is not just any flag, Sharon explains:
We hung the flag that was given to my husband when his son Roger was laid to rest.
It was the flag presented to him at (Roger’s) burial; he was a Vietnam War casualty.
We hang it every 4th of July, and this year we hung it in a new spot, and after our company left late the night of the 4th, we forgot to take the flag down.
It is a very large flag and we hung it so proudly each year.
The thief took it down carefully, and all the hangers we used are still in place.
We want our flag back, we will buy a replacement flag for the person who stole ours, not ask any questions, no bad feelings.
The flag is about 10 feet wide and about 5 feet long.
The sentimental value is priceless.
Perhaps the thief can simply return it – the Kennedys are at 4234 Beach Drive SW.
West Seattle Summer Fest countdown: One week away!
You might not be counting the days yet, but we are – West Seattle’s biggest festival of the year, the Junction Association-presented West Seattle Summer Fest (co-sponsored by WSB), is now exactly one week away – Friday, Saturday, Sunday (July 12-14). Or you might say it’s six days away, if you count what we call Summer Fest Eve, Thursday night, July 11th, when California and Alaska close in the heart of The Junction starting at 6 pm and Summer Fest setup begins, concurrent with the July edition of the West Seattle Art Walk, and featuring street performances (we’ve already mentioned Bret Wiggins bringing his award-winning Elvis styling to the street outside La Romanza Bistro Italiano [WSB sponsor] that night).
Quick links and notes:
*Summer Fest music lineup
*Summer Fest vendors/exhibitors directory (use the column titles to sort alphabetically or numerically)
*Summer Fest vendors/exhibitors map (PDF; we’re not listed because you’ll find WSB in the Information Booth again this year)
*Summer Fest kid zone is on Alaska WEST of California, where the food used to be
*Summer Fest food zone is on Alaska EAST of California (sort the vendor list by “location” and click ahead to the pages starting 151 and 176 for the “F” as in “food” entries – earlier in the list, note a few “Sidewalk Cafes” too)
*Other specialty areas – GreenLife is back on the south side of the festival area; Art Dive is back on the north side
*West Seattle Farmers’ Market will be ON during Summer Fest, 10 am-2 pm as always
Festival hours will be 10 am-8 pm Friday and Saturday (with music running later) and 11 am-5 pm on Sunday. More details to come as our countdown continues in the days/nights ahead! And if your business/organization has something special to spotlight, please let us know ASAP so we can include it in countdown coverage – editor@westseattleblog.com.
West Seattle Little League All-Star teams make championship games
(9-10 team Wednesday night, congratulating Reece McAllister after his double allowed Spencer Burgess to score from 2nd for the win)
Big day for Alki tomorrow – not just the Seafair Pirates Landing, but also, the championship games for the Little League District 7 All-Star tournaments that have been under way since last weekend at Bar-S Playfield. And, Laurie Rasmussen tells us, both teams from the hosting West Seattle Little League are in their respective championship games!
Both the 9-10 and 11-12 year old West Seattle Little League All Star teams will be playing tomorrow in the District 7 championship games beginning at 10:00 at Bar S fields.
*The 9-10 year old team will face the winner of tonight’s game, PAC West vs. South Highline National. The 9-10 year old team beat South Highline National on Wednesday night in extra innings by the score of 9-8.
*The 11-12 year old team will face the winner of tonight’s game, PAC West vs. Renton. The 11-12 year old team beat PAC West on Wednesday night in a shutout, with a score of 17-0.
Both teams go into the championship game undefeated in tournament play. The winner of the District 7 tournament will move on to the State tournament.
The 10-11 year old tournament and Juniors tournament begin tomorrow also at PAC West fields in Burien. We wish them luck! Go Westside!
And remember, you are welcome to go watch and cheer the players on. There’s more information, including scheduling, on the WSLL website.
‘If These Walls Could Talk’: SWSHS to spotlight 1913 Admiral home
During the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s 4th of July membership picnic, executive director Clay Eals rolled out a long list of events SWSHS has in the works, including a series of monthly author talks in partnership with South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), a 9/11 commemoration on September 8th at Alki Arts, and the annual fundraising gala in November, spotlighting the Alki Point Lighthouse‘s centennial. But first up will be the August event that SWSHS is formally announcing today – centered on another centennial, that of a well-known couple’s home:
(Photo by Jean Sherrard)
The event August 18th at the North Admiral home of Sharon and Greg Nickels will be both a celebration of history and inspiration for homeowners considering renovating their own classic homes. Here’s the official announcement from SWSHS:
What do you do when the house you live in turns 100? Former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and his wife, Sharon, have a ready answer: Throw a community celebration and make it a fundraiser for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.
To be held Sunday afternoon, Aug. 18, 2013, the event is called “If These Walls Could Talk: The Centennial of Hizzoner’s Home.” It will take place at the Nickels home in the Admiral neighborhood of West Seattle.
Sponsoring the two-tiered event is the 29-year-old Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which also will be the beneficiary.
Read More
Highland Park Spraypark update: Problem fixed; it’s open
11:20 AM: The new Highland Park Spraypark has had a few technical glitches since opening a week ago, as we’ve been noting, and Seattle Parks just sent word there’s another today:
Highland Park Spraypark has mechanical problems with the backwash system. It cannot open until repairs are made. Tom Dunning, (project manager) Kelly Goold and Contractor are on site, but it will not open at 11:00. There is no estimate for the time.
We have updated the Wading Pool Hotline.
Of special note, people in the community brought their own brooms to help clean up the spraypad to remove fireworks garbage.
We’ll post an update when we hear (or see) that it’s fixed. Parks spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad, who sent the announcement, says, “We do expect to get it open today. We just don’t know when.”
ADDED 11:44 AM: We asked if this is related or similar to the earlier problems. Parks says no – the first-day glitch involved nearby grass-mowing just before the spraypark opened, and cut grass repeatedly clogged the system; today, it’s “an electrical problem on the automatic backwash system.”
3:26 PM UPDATE: Seattle Parks confirms a commenter’s report – it’s open!
West Seattle Friday: Scooter rally; Corner Bar anniversary; live music; more
(Click image for larger view)
“Our island at 9,000 feet” is how pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen captioned that view shared with us this week. Here are highlights for today/tonight on “our island,” from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SCOOTER INSANITY: Red Cup Espresso in The Junction is hosting this big scooter rally for a brunch stop, 11 am until 3 pm – here’s the rally schedule, in case you wonder what they’re up to before/after.
BLOOD DRIVE: The Puget Sound Blood Center Bloodmobile is at Westwood Village until 3:30 pm, and walk-up donations are welcome – holiday weekends are too often a time when the supply runs low. Details in our calendar listing.
MAYOR AT SOUTHWEST PRECINCT: Not a public event, but FYI, the mayor’s tour of Seattle Police precincts, with media updates on the Safe Communities Initiative, brings him to the Southwest Precinct at 1:30 pm today. We’ll of course be there and report here.
CORNER BAR CELEBRATES A YEAR: One year for the pop-up “first Fridays” bar at Highland Park Improvement Club! To celebrate, tonight’s theme is “reunion” – explained here. 6-9 pm it’s all ages, then at 9 it’s 21+. (12th/Holden)
LIVE MUSIC AT SKYLARK: 8 pm, Knut Bell and the Blue Collars, Sourmash Stevedores. Details on the Skylark calendar. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
FLAT FIVE AT FEEDBACK: R&B, soul, rock, and funk, live at 9:30 pm at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) with the Flat 5. (6451 California SW)
More on the calendar!
West Seattle Crime Watch: 4×4 truck stolen early today
Michale e-mailed to ask that you keep an eye out for this truck stolen from the 9800 block of 25th SW, just south of the city/county boundary:
Just wanted to report that last night around 4:30 am our 2012 Black Nissan Frontier 4×4 was stolen out of our driveway at 9808 25th ave sw 98118. License plate B88732x. If anyone see this truck they can contact the King County (Sheriff’s Office) or us at 206-310-2661.
West Seattle 4th of July 2013: Fireworks view – and smoke
Thanks to Mike Scharer for sharing photos of the Lake Union 4th of July fireworks as seen from the Admiral Way Bridge over Fairmount Ravine.
If you missed the (sanctioned) show, you have two more chances to see fireworks displays in our area this month: July 17th at Steve Cox Park as part of White Center Jubilee Days, and July 20th off Beach Drive as part of a private event (but the fireworks will be publicly visible.)
Meantime, Mike sent an additional photo taken before Thursday night’s fireworks – showing, if you look very closely, black smoke billowing from the same general area:
Having listened to the scanner throughout the evening, we’re fairly sure that was related to this boat-storage yard fire on Lake Union, not far from Gas Works Park, main viewing area for the fireworks show. SFD says via Twitter that $1.5 million in damage is estimated for 14 boats.
| Comments Off on Short survey: The city wants to know what YOU want to know …