day : 14/11/2013 12 results

By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog

This edition of the WSBeat contains summaries written from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers – generally cases 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?”

*A woman walking with an offleash dog at Lincoln Park berated a citizen for “not being friendly” when he stepped between his own leashed dog and hers. He walked away but the woman kept yelling. He turned and told her to follow the rules and leash her pet. She walked toward him, pushed him in the chest, and took a swing with a dog chain, hitting him in the arm and leaving his shirt sleeve blood-soaked. Several strangers intervened and separated the two, but no one called 911. The victim asked some nearby teens to call but they refused, saying they didn’t want to get involved. The victim notes that the teens were drinking alcohol. The suspect is described as white, in her 30s, about 5’8″, with a heavy build. In addition to her small black dog, she was walking with a child, about seven years of age.

*On the evening of the 12th, a man became angry after being “yellow carded” during a league soccer match at Hiawatha Field. He began shouting and punched a member of the opposing team. When all of the team members joined in with the yelling, the ref stopped the game.

*Early on the 10th, a man cocked a handgun and threatened to “smoke” two men leaving a Junction bar. One said, “Go ahead and shoot me in the back,” and walked off. He turned around and saw his friend get hit in the jaw and crumple to the ground. The victim ended up at Harborview with fractures of both the left and right jaw bones. The suspect is described as black, in his early 30s, with dreadlocks and a light goatee. He drove a dark plum or navy-colored Audi A8.

Seven more summaries ahead:

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Service Dog Academy to close storefront, expand medical-alert training

November 14, 2013 9:45 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Pets | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Mary McNeight, proprietor of Service Dog Academy, has announced she’s closing her storefront at 6040 California SW while expanding another line of her dog-training enterprise:

On World Diabetes Day, Service Dog Academy announces its upcoming pet dog training program closure on December 31st and expansion of Diabetic Alert Dog Training program.

I started Service Dog Academy after being frustrated with the Puget Sound region’s lack of qualified trainers to help me train my own service dog. Unfortunately numerous factors including the death of my father, the loss of a marriage, a business model that gave too much back to the community to my own financial detriment, a 26% increase in rent in one year, and numerous health crises that landed me in the hospital have resulted in a company that never made enough to allow me to draw a salary.

Despite winning two national dog-trainer awards and being a featured speaker at the 6,000+ member Association of Professional Dog Trainers conference this year, it was not enough publicity to keep our doors open in this economic climate.

Service Dog Academy will be closing our pet dog training location so that we may focus on raising and training medical alert dogs for Diabetes, Seizures, Narcolepsy, Migraines and Asthma.

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You can help! Followup cleanup on West Seattle bike trail Saturday

November 14, 2013 8:01 pm

| Comments Off on You can help! Followup cleanup on West Seattle bike trail Saturday

| How to help | West Seattle news

When Dave Winters from Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor) put out a call for volunteers to help him clean up part of the bike trail just north of the West Seattle Bridge Saturday before last, he didn’t know a windstorm would hit that day. Nonetheless, as reported here, he and other volunteers picked up more than half a ton of trash and debris just the same. There’s still work to do – so Dave’s heading back out this Saturday (November 16) and hopes you will too. The official announcement:

The cleanup on November 2nd went so well that we will spend another two hours this Saturday to finish the job! Please join Dave Winters of Swedish Automotive for another impromptu cleanup under the West Seattle Bridge! The bike path from the bottom of Avalon Way near Luna Park Café heading east alongside and under the bridge toward downtown was greatly improved two weeks ago. The next section is still trashed with litter, styrofoam packing pellets, and other debris. It needs to be cleaned up! Dave will be there with the old yellow Swedish Automotive Van, garbage cans and bags from 9 to 11 am this Saturday, November 16th. His goal is to clean the area near the Chelan Café working back toward West Seattle and the area of the last cleanup.

If you find yourself with time and desire to help this Saturday, please stop by with gloves, rakes and brooms, and we’ll get it cleaned up! Look for the yellow Swedish Automotive van parked under the West Seattle Bridge just west (toward Avalon & Admiral) of the Chelan Café. Let’s clean up Seattle! Hope to see you there!

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Found in West Seattle: Bottle, with message. Yours?

November 14, 2013 7:00 pm

| 16 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

After two days of items falling out of the skies, tonight, something that washed up. Brenda found the wine bottle shown below – message inside, Beringer label outside – on a West Seattle beach, and hopes to find out who cast it out to sea and where/when:

I was out with some dogs on a private beach area near the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock in West Seattle when one of the dogs went out to the tide line and showed me a bottle floating in the water. I picked the bottle up and saw it had a note in it. The note got a bit wet and dried it out so could get out of the bottle. Unfortunately, it is really hard to read the note but can make out some of it along with a small surprise within the bottle. I would like to tell whomever where their bottle ended up. If anyone recognizes their treasure, please respond. I can read enough of the note to know if it is you or not. This was an exciting find and will look forward to letting the person know. I do know it is from the US & within the last year from what is on and in the bottle. If this is someone from West Seattle, this will work…..otherwise, it will remain a mystery. Thanks.

Yours? Or someone you know? Brenda will be checking the comments.

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West Seattle biznote: The Bridge sets final day at original location

November 14, 2013 5:50 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants | WS beverages

(FRIDAY UPDATE: The “epic photo” has changed to Sunday, December 1st, at 3 pm)

(Photo added Friday morning, courtesy of The Bridge)
Just in from Jenny Almukhtar of The Bridge, which is just a few weeks away from opening its new location at the overhauled former Chuck and Sally’s Tavern in Morgan Junction:

We are very excited to announce that we have finalized when our last day at The Bridge’s current location at 4439 35th Ave SW will be, which is Monday December 2nd.

In Bridge style, we will be showing the Seahawks hosting the Saints, starting at 5:40 pm with sound. ~~There will be a photo op under the reader board before the game begins, and we invite all our guests to join us for this epic shot.~~ *SEE BELOW* This will be a great way for us to capture all the amazing energy and love we have received from West Seattle and bring it with us to our new location at 6301 California Ave SW that will open shortly after our closure on the 2nd.

(Friday update: The “epic photo” day/time has been changed to Sunday the 1st at 3 pm)

(back to original story) It’s been a fast-moving renovation – less than six months have passed since we broke the news of the move. The Bridge has to leave its current location because of the revived mixed-use project in the works for the site.

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Chaco Canyon Café celebrates anniversary, award, Art Walk

November 14, 2013 3:05 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Tonight during West Seattle Art Walk, Mackenzie Berg and Miguel Cornelio are featured artists at Chaco Canyon Organic Café (3770 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) – read about them and preview their work here.

Chaco Canyon is also celebrating two big achievements: An anniversary and an award. (And read through to the end to learn about an expansion!) The announcement from proprietor Chris Maykut:

Fresh off celebrating our 10th anniversary on September 1st, the Chaco Canyon Organic Café received its biggest accolades to date, winning the 2013 Green Washington Award in the Food and Beverage category of the annual event put on by Seattle Business Magazine.

Being recognized in the same forum as such luminaries as Fred Hutchinson, Microsoft, and the University of Washington, we are truly honored that our small business was recognized for the one thing that our mission and outright existence are built around: creating a more sustainable planet and enrolling our community in this.

Excerpts from our award acceptance speech, which we were told by the host of the evening was the “best of the night”:

“First off, I want to thank Seattle Business Magazine for this award and for celebrating the concept of business taking a leadership role in the concept of community sustainability. This award is dedicated to the hundreds of former and current employees that we have had through our 10 years of existence. It wasn’t always like this, as you all know. I graduated from Berkeley in the ’90s with a business degree and the clear message that the concept of sustainability and profit were mutually exclusive.

“Much has changed in the last 20 years, in both curriculum and practice, but disparity still reigns in our society. In founding the Chaco Canyon Organic Café 10 years ago, I’ve been driven to prove the messaging I received wrong, and to create a business that can succeed by being completely unreasonable with regards to our green practices: Namely, putting sustainability first at almost any cost. We’ve done pretty well with that, and I couldn’t be prouder of all of my incredibly hard-working staff that have come together to collaborate and make us who we are over the last decade, culminating with this award tonight.

“I’ll leave you all with a call to action. In the course of your businesses over the next decade, push the envelope with this ethic. Be unreasonable. Choose a green strategy not because you think it will save you money or bring you more business, but simply because it’s the right thing to do. What we do as innovative business leaders can create a ripple effect throughout our community, and who knows what we can change together?”

Opened in a tiny 800sf space on Brooklyn Avenue in 2003, Chaco Canyon Café has grown to 2 locations and 53 staff in our 10 years. We are obsessed with sustainability, and have built into our mission statement that the more we grow as a company, the closer we will adhere to our values. We plan on opening our third location in Ballard by the fall of 2014.

P.S. Rejoining the WSB sponsor team recently, Chaco Canyon has a new coupon on the WSB Coupons page – 10 percent off your ticket – get it here.

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Phone-scam warning: Another West Seattle business gets the call

November 14, 2013 2:12 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Another West Seattle business has received the “your power’s about to be cut off and you need to pay us now” scam call. Last week, a WSB reader tipped us that a local business had received the call, in which someone claims to be from Seattle City Light and claims the business’s power bill is overdue and that service will be cut off unless money is provided immediately. Here’s our ensuing story. Authorities have made it clear these are scams – you wouldn’t ever get that kind of call from the city-run utility, which also would not cut you off for being one month overdue, and would provide multiple written warnings before a shutoff. Donna at Stuffed Cakes in Westwood called us today to say she received the scam call, and warns that the callers are very insistent – don’t let yourself be bullied! As SCL’s earlier alert exhorts you to do, please call police if you think you’ve received this (or any other scam) call.

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West Seattle development: New sign of planned memory-care facility on Junction site

November 14, 2013 12:13 pm

| 21 COMMENTS

| Development | Health | West Seattle news

(Photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
A sign has just gone up at 4515 41st SW in The Junction, announcing “Quail Park Memory Care Residences of West Seattle” is on the way – here’s a closer look:

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
This is the same long-vacant site (map) mentioned in a WSB report from October 2012, noting that a city Department of Planning and Development webpage featured an early-stage filing “proposing construction of a new 50-60 unit Alzheimer’s care community …” with the would-be applicant inquiring about any similar projects in West Seattle. The North Seattle address on that filing is the same one listed for Living Care Lifestyles, the company on the new sign; its website does not mention the 41st SW plan, nor does the DPD webpage include any new filings, but we have an inquiry out and will update whenever we hear back. The site (which has had multiple previous proposals that didn’t go through) is adjacent to the 41st/Oregon townhouse plan reported here two months ago; at least one other senior-care project is expected to be on the local drawing boards soon, since as we reported last week, Aegis Living is buying the former Life Care Center site at 47th/Admiral.

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Six day/night highlights for your West Seattle Thursday

November 14, 2013 11:29 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

In our photo from Wednesday afternoon is one of the SDOT crews planting 100 trees from Morgan Junction to Fauntleroy; we found them on California, south of Myrtle. Their work continues today. As for what else is up today/tonight, six highlights ahead from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

CARMILIA’S ANNIVERSARY PARTY: Proprietor Linda Sabee‘s fashion shop in The Junction is celebrating its 11th birthday today – drop in 4 pm-9 pm for champagne and other revelry. (4528 California SW)

‘EXPERIENCE MIDDLE SCHOOL NIGHT’ AT WESTSIDE SCHOOL: 6-7:30 pm tonight. From the official announcement:

Westside School will be hosting an interactive Middle School Open House tonight. Students will participate in hands-on activities throughout the school and parents will have an opportunity to join an information session with school administrators. The Middle School at Westside is now accepting applications for students entering grades 5-8.

Westside School (a longtime WSB sponsor) is at 7740 34th SW.

WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: 6-9 pm, it’s the November edition – not just a fab time to see art, but also to do early holiday shopping. You can preview venues and artists on the official West Seattle Art Walk site; here’s the venue list/map:

Among this month’s featured artists: Frances Smersh, co-proprietor of Click! Design That Fits (longtime WSB sponsor), is known for her jewelry, but tonight is showing paintings; at Twilight Gallery and Boutique, Willow and The Embers perform at 7 pm, while the exhibit is Holiday Miniature Art.

SOUTH PARK BRIDGE: Want to get the latest on the new bridge’s progress, months before completion? This isn’t a formal public meeting, just a fun “slideshow” presentation at Napoli’s Pizzeria, 6 pm. (14th/Cloverdale, South Park)

‘DINGO’ FUNDRAISER AT WSHS: Dessert plus bingo equals “Dingo”! West Seattle High School junior-class fundraiser, 6:30-8:30 pm (“it’s OK if you’re late,” say organizers), details in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)

ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY PTA: Big meeting tonight, 6:30-8 pm – from the official announcement:

Special Guests: Marty McLaren (West Seattle School Board Director) & Israel Vela (Executive Director of Schools, SW Region) will be in attendance to answer questions about how boundary changes will effect Arbor Heights and the transition plan to an interim site during construction of our new school.

Location: Arbor Heights Cafeteria
***Free childcare is provided in the library**

Arbor Heights Elementary is at 37th/104th.

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Other side of the Seattle Police surveillance cameras: Why the ‘wireless mesh’ is on but about to be turned off

November 14, 2013 9:52 am

| 20 COMMENTS

| Seattle Police surveillance cameras | West Seattle news

(UPDATED 10:21 am with information on when City Council’s likely to get proposed surveillance policies)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

When last we checked in on our area’s seven Seattle Police surveillance-cameras-in-waiting five months ago, which was four months after observant WSB readers helped bring their existence (and that of more than 20 other cameras) to light, they were awaiting a mayor/City Council green light.

Before that, policies had to be drafted and approved, by order of the council.

As we have been told every time we’ve asked since then, they’re not ready yet (but – see the update at story’s end – apparently will be, by early December).

But questions and concerns about the system have just resurfaced – this time, not because of the cameras themselves, but because of the “wireless mesh” wi-fi-type network that they are linked to, and its potential for a different kind of surveillance/tracking. The gear for this is visible next to each of the camera housings, though in some areas of the city, it is installed without a camera. This is what it looks like:

(61st/Alki; WSB photo taken Wednesday)
It’s part of a wi-fi-type communications network called “wireless mesh,” and its existence as part of the SPD setup was no secret. Here’s an SPD-presentation graphic shown here in February:

We reported it multiple times during our coverage of the cameras and the attendant controversy over their reach beyond funding obtained from the federal Department of Homeland Security in what was described last year only as a “port-security grant,” without a mention that it would include cameras to be installed in residential/recreational areas, with views of much more than “the port.” Similarly, the discussion of the “mesh” focused previously on public-safety personnel’s ability to use it without being reliant on public networks, without much sunshine on its capability to track non-public-safety devices.

That was the focus when the “wireless mesh” came up again in a new report by The Stranger (see the story here) which also noted that the “wireless mesh” is active – visible in plain sight, if you happen to check the wi-fi ID’s displayed near the installations. While The Stranger’s story focused on the downtown installations, the wireless-mesh setups are adjacent to the cameras here and active as well, part of what SPD said in February was intended to be a ~160-access-point network citywide (described in this document prepared for last spring’s Council briefing). We checked the visible West Seattle ID’s firsthand on Wednesday morning.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Police checking out stolen car, searching for suspected thieves

November 14, 2013 9:28 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

Thanks to Wendy for the photo and West Seattle Crime Watch report:

Just wanted to get the word out that there was a stolen car left in our alley this morning around 7:30 am and we saw a man and woman (20s-30s, woman had long, brownish-red hair) get out with backpacks on. Our neighbor saw them walking down 39th Ave SW, near Hanford. They are on foot and could be in the North Admiral/Belvidere area.

There is a lot of stolen goods in the car so they might be out stealing again so it would be good to let people know to keep an eye out for this couple and watch out for their cars and garages. The police are here now looking through the car.

It’s a Plymouth Sundance, and Wendy says it’s listed on the SPD stolen-car Twitter feed @getyourcarback. If you think you see the suspects, call 911.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: What’s happening Thursday

November 14, 2013 7:15 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(East-facing camera on the West Seattle Bridge; see other cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Routes through/out of West Seattle are “normal” (always a relative term) right now, so far as we’re seeing/hearing.

METRO ALERTS FOR DOWNTOWN: Eastbound Seneca is closed between 2nd and 3rd until the 25th; here’s that alert (and the bus-stop version is here). The westbound Columbia stop east of 2nd is closed through this Friday – here’s that alert.

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