day : 31/01/2014 10 results

(TOPLINE: Suspect in custody, 2 1/2 hours after crashing stolen vehicle and breaking into his former home)

(Thanks to commenter Koleah for the photo)
9:11 PM: Just in case you’re wondering … we’re hearing it right over us but not sure yet what it’s up to.

9:21 PM UPDATE: Sounds like the search involves a suspected stolen car.

9:27 PM UPDATE: As noted by commenters, this is centered southwest of The Junction. From scanner, sounds like the vehicle’s been found.

9:34 PM UPDATE: Also sounds as if they believe they know where the suspect is. A K-9 team is joining the search.

9:51 PM UPDATE: No word of arrests yet. But the helicopter is moving on.

10:01 PM UPDATE: This isn’t resolved yet but might go on a while. We have a crew back in the area to see if they can find out anything more.

10:19 PM UPDATE: We talked to police in the area. Despite some neighbors believing they heard a shot, police said there have been no shots fired – the sound was likely the crash through a fence from the start of all this, which is centered in the 4800 block of 47th SW. Here’s how Guardian One describes it via Twitter:

Located stolen car in west Seattle. It ran from SPD and crashed. Suspect ran into a house.

— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) February 1, 2014

In response to a question, the Guardian One tweeter followed up with “drove through a fence trying to back away from officers.”
10:45 PM: Here’s the stolen vehicle, a Tahoe – thanks to the neighbor who pointed us to it:

(This and subsequent photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
You can see the fence through which it crashed – beneath the vehicle.

11:25 PM UPDATE: We’re back in the area to check on the situation. The block where this is happening (4800 block of 47th) is now blocked off with yellow tape. A K-9 officer is in the area.

11:38 PM UPDATE: Just talked again with police – lots of new information. They say the suspect is in the house – and that he used to live there. He broke a window to get in tonight after driving the stolen car to this neighborhood; the people who were inside, who know him but are no longer on friendly terms, according to police, got out safely. Police also confirmed something we thought we’d heard in scanner traffic earlier – that the stolen vehicle turned up via signal from Lojack. One more thing – contrary to what we were told at the scene earlier, now they ARE investigating what they describe as the possible accidental discharge of a gun, but no one has been shot and no one is hurt. Still a developing situation.

11:42 PM UPDATE: Police report they have the suspect in custody.

8:50 AM SATURDAY: This is now on SPD Blotter – but nothing new beyond the information we learned at the scene just before the arrest.

10:54 AM: Thanks to Lola for pointing in comments to the video posted from Guardian One – what was happening while this coverage was starting last night. Will post it separately shortly but for starters, see it here.

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Video: 14-month sentence for Kalameu Paulo, drunk driver who seriously hurt 2

January 31, 2014 7:33 pm

| 23 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

(Paulo at right, with her lawyer, and prosecutor Amy Freedheim at left)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“You took his life – the life Logan had.”

That’s what the family of 29-year-old Logan Wicker, one of two people critically injured when a drunk driver T-boned his car in South Delridge last June, told that driver, 25-year-old Kalameu Paulo of Seatac, in a tearful King County Superior Court sentencing hearing this afternoon.

Logan, who spent more than three months in the hospital, spoke too: “My life was really good before … it’s been changed (forever) … I hope she can never do this to anybody again.” He begins our 23-minute unedited video of all who spoke at the hearing, including, at the end, the judge:

Though she chose not to speak, the other victim in the crash was in the courtroom too. After hearing about the effects of what he acknowledged was a “shattering … tragedy,” Judge Dean Lum formally sentenced Paulo to the recommended 14-month term, though he wondered aloud, “Is this justice? I don’t know.”

As reported here last month, Paulo struck a plea bargain, pleading guilty to two counts of vehicular assault, with prosecutors dropping a third charge of hit-and-run.

But that was the crime, as the deputy prosecuting attorney told Judge Lum, that disturbed Logan’s family the most – “disgust(ed)” them, as Logan’s stepfather put it; the night of the crash, according to the police report, she and her passengers got out of her van after she ran a stop sign and crashed into Logan’s car at 17th and Cambridge.

(WSB photo from June 23, 2013; victims’ car is out of view, blocked by the van)
They were stopped by police as they walked westbound across Delridge Way.

Paulo spent two and a half weeks in jail after being arrested last June and has been in the day-reporting CCAP program since, while undergoing alcohol treatment, her lawyer said. She was taken into custody at the end of the hearing, to start her sentence immediately, and the King County Jail Register confirms she was re-booked as of midafternoon. When she is released from jail, she will be in “community custody” – probation – for more than a year; she also faces a long list of other sanctions and conditions, including restitution payments to be determined later.

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West Seattle Super Bowl spirit: Friday afternoon quarterbacking

January 31, 2014 4:56 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Greg shared two photos, explaining:

Living on Manning Street is not fun this weekend …

So, we made a little adjustment …

Much better!

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West Seattle Super Bowl spirit: 12th Man on campus!

January 31, 2014 3:26 pm

| Comments Off on West Seattle Super Bowl spirit: 12th Man on campus!

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Lots of spirit around town – especially at schools. Our photo roundup starts at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor):

Big group photo outside the library at noontime. And yes, even SSCC president Gary Oertli is in 12 Mode:

Of course there was a flag – as you’ll see in our video:

Student Services team members who helped rally everyone included Christie Williams:

Other schools in Fan Mode – Alki Elementary (photo taken Thursday, since school’s out today):

(Thanks to Hominee for the photo)
Hope Lutheran School – this is also a Thursday photo but school IS in session today and we’re told it’s Blue Friday all the way:

(Thanks to Sally for the photo)
And from West Seattle Montessori (WSB sponsor), a tailgate party for the young fans:

(Thanks to WSMS for the photo)
Still adding to our Super Bowl page … if you have news of anything from Super Bowl viewing parties to special takeout deals for Sunday to businesses closing early (or all day) to Seahawks gear … let us know! we’re continuing to update through early Sunday. editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!

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Southwest Design Review Board doubleheader, report #2: First proposal for former Charlestown Café site sent back for another try

January 31, 2014 12:16 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

Does that look to you like three different size/shape options?

It didn’t, to the Southwest Design Review Board, which told the project team for 3824 California SW – the site that’s been vacant since the Charlestown Café‘s 2011 closure – to go back to the drafting board and try again.

Last night’s review was the first one for the plan first reported here last June – 30 townhouses/live-work units filling the site between Charlestown, California, Bradford, and an alley lined with single-family homes on 42nd SW. (Here’s the design packet as presented to the board; this project’s developer is Intracorp, which also is behind 3210 California SW, the block-long mixed-use building that returns to Design Review next week.)

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Highway 99 tunnel update: A few more feet, then too much heat

January 31, 2014 11:27 am

| 17 COMMENTS

| Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle news

Another notable update this morning from WSDOT regarding the Highway 99 tunneling machine: It did go a few more feet this week – and then “above-normal temperature readings in part of the machinery” led to a decision to stop it, again. So now what? Says the update: “Over the next week, outside tunneling experts brought in by WSDOT will meet with the WSDOT and STP project teams to review the situation and determine the best path forward.”

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West Seattle Super Bowl spirit: Ferries ‘renamed’ for Seahawks

January 31, 2014 9:40 am

| 11 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(M/V Tillikum, aka Michael Robinson, with Seahawks-fan flags in September; photo by Paul Brannan)
Washington State Ferries is honorarily and temporarily renaming its vessels after Seahawks on Super Bowl Sunday, according to this news release. The big names go to the boats on the big routes, like Seattle-Bainbridge; for the three vessels currently on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route, you will be traveling Sunday on:

M/V Issaquah: “M/V Russell Okung”

M/V Klahowya: “M/V Bruce Irvin”

M/V Tillikum: “M/V Michael Robinson”

(Full list here.) We will be adding this to the WSB West Seattle Super Bowl page – where we’re collecting a variety of Big Game-related info (and updating until game day – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!).

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West Seattle businesses: The Westy hits one goal, aims beyond

January 31, 2014 9:15 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle businesses: The Westy hits one goal, aims beyond

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

It’s not ready for game-watching this time, but when the Seahawks return to the Super Bowl NEXT YEAR … viewing venues are likely to include The Westy Sports and Spirits, under construction at 7908 35th SW. Its crowdfunding campaign – loans, not donations, as reported here four weeks ago – just passed its first goal and is still in play, as co-proprietor Paul Ritums explains:

It has been an exciting month for Seattle Sports fans and it all culminates with the Seahawks playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday. While we are all anxiously awaiting kickoff on Feb 2nd, scoping out the prime spots at the bar or preparing our cheering section, The Westy Sports & Spirits is finishing its scoring drive. As of this printing we have scored a touchdown and reached our minimum goal of $20,000 through our Community Sourced Capital campaign. We want to thank all of our friends, family, and the community for participating and helping us to get closer to opening our doors.

It has been a privilege to be CSC’s first brand-new business and see the whole process unfold before us. With reaching our minimum we have guaranteed that the loan will be fulfilled, but we aren’t done yet. We are entering overtime, as our campaign ends just before the Seahawks storm the field. Our maximum target for our campaign is $40,000 and it would be great to see how close we can get in the remaining few days. The Seahawks and their fans wouldn’t settle for a tie, but go for the big win, and we aim to do the same.

This crowdfunding campaign is different from the rest, as with this campaign, whatever you contribute, you get back 100%. And all of our supporters will be rewarded for their efforts. So please take the time to check out the campaign page.

With everyone’s continued support, this time next year, West Seattle will have another prime location for the 12th Man to scope out a spot at the bar and cheer on the soon to be defending Super Bowl Champions.

Go Hawks!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates; low-bridge closure tonight

January 31, 2014 7:21 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Friday updates; low-bridge closure tonight

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

7:15 AM: Good morning! Nothing out of the ordinary reported so far on the outbound-from-West Seattle routes. Here are the two main bridge cameras:

And the northbound view onto the south end of the Alaskan Way Viaduct:

You can see more cameras, and other info, on the WSB Traffic page. Now to the bridge reminder:

LOW BRIDGE CLOSED TONIGHT: SDOT has updated its alert about the low bridge’s closure 8 pm-midnight tonight for dredging. Motor vehicles can use the high bridge instead, but since that bridge cannot be used by bicycles or pedestrians, the city has added some information about alternatives.

NO CLASSES TODAY @ SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: It’s the “day between semesters” and SPS students are out, so take that into account as you travel around today.

REMINDER FOR *NEXT* WEEK: Highway 99 SOUTH of the West Seattle Bridge will be closed in both directions 10 pm Friday, February 7th, to 7 am Saturday, February 8th, for one of the final major phases of the “Timber Bridge” replacement project.

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Anybody have anything to say about who should run SPD? Hello?

January 31, 2014 1:30 am

| 12 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle police

It’s a question almost no one in West Seattle wanted to answer in public, apparently: What do you want in a new Seattle Police Chief?

Thursday night, the citywide tour seeking answers to that question made its West Seattle stop, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. We counted one member of the general public. The participant wanted a chief who will support the officers, and who will talk about the positive things police do in the community, on and off the job. All duly noted:

The community advisory committee helping with the search has a high-profile cast. Former King County Executive Ron Sims is a co-chair; at the Youngstown meeting, he declared the new chief should be the best police chief in America. Former City Councilmember Tina Podlodowski, appointed by the mayor to lead police-reform work, was there too, explaining the process.

Right now, Harry Bailey is serving as interim chief, but not a candidate for the permanent job – he came out of retirement to do it temporarily. Mayor Murray has said he wants to hire a permanent chief fast – by April. Missing the meeting doesn’t mean you missed a chance to have a say, though – you can answer survey questions here.

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