West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(WSB photos by Tracy Record unless otherwise credited)
11:38 PM: Just back from North Admiral, where another hit-run crash has left three cars with major damage, and police searching for suspects. It’s also closed California SW near SW Atlantic (map). The car at right apparently smashed into the parked vehicles at left – pushing them into and onto the sidewalk, with a tree taken out and underneath the minivan at left:
Then two people inside the car that wound up totaled in the middle of the street got out of it and ran. Debris was strewn everywhere – hood, bumper, lights, more (and a beer can) – and an SDOT crew was standing by for cleanup after the vehicles are towed.
A K-9 team was helping in the search (as you can see in our Instagram video clip).
A bystander told us a witness saw people get out of the car and run, and tried to chase them. Meantime, one nearby resident told us this stretch is often used for racing.
(Photo by unidentified texter)
12:21 AM: Via Twitter, Philip says the road is open again, though debris remains, and that the car that caused the crash has been towed.
(Photo courtesy Andrew, who says skid marks suggest a 3rd vehicle narrowly missed)
2 AM: We haven’t been able to find out yet if the suspected driver was ever found; will update whenever we do get that information. We did want to thank everyone who texted, phoned, e-mailed, messaged, and shared photos.
Close call in the Constellation Park area south of Alki Point this evening after a driver smashed this car up onto the sidewalk and into the railing. Shiy shared photos via the WSB Facebook page, saying the driver spun out and almost hit a stroller, then ran away. Southwest Precinct Lt. Paul Leung confirms it was a hit-and-run, adding that the car turned out to have been stolen, and that police believe there’s a “good possibility that the driver got picked up by another stolen vehicle.” Shiy said the driver appeared to be intoxicated – and shared this photo showing a beer carton in the car:
The 911 log says this happened around quarter till seven.
ADDED 10:30 PM: The photo above this line was shared by Larry – gives additional perspective about where this happened.
(Photo courtesy Laura Schneider)
Three months after we brought you first word of Meeples Games, a gaming café/store opening upstairs at Charlestown Center (3727 California SW), proprietor Laura Schneider is just a week and a half away from officially opening its doors. Here’s the official announcement with details, received tonight:
Meeples Games, a new tabletop game store and cafe, is hosting a family-friendly Grand Opening celebration on Saturday, May 17, 2014. Newly released board games and family favorites will be demonstrated by Meeples Games staff. Visitors can play or watch a Magic: the Gathering tournament which will be going throughout the day.
Meeples Games employees are all game players and enjoy sharing their favorites with customers. Special selections marked with “A Meeples’ People Favorite” showcase staff and customer selected games. “Game tables and a lending library are permanent features of Meeples Games,” says owner Laura Schneider. “We want to be a community store where people feel comfortable to come in, play games and hang out.”
Meeples Games stocks a variety of game types; tile-laying, role-playing, board games, card games, dice games, and miniatures. Space is available for drop-in, meet-up, and tournament play. The café offers espresso, sandwiches, pretzels, healthy snacks, and beer on tap.
The Grand Opening schedule runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on May 17th with raffles, game demonstrations, and tournament play throughout the day. The detailed event schedule is available on the Meeples Games’ website.
With grand opening just a week and a half away, Schneider has big milestones ahead, including sign installation tomorrow and continued stocking of the café and menu planning; their espresso will be from True North Coffee Roasters.
South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) celebrated its Honor Roll students’ achievement today – with a reception that featured a surprise guest speaker.
South Seattle College held its annual Honor Roll reception this afternoon recognizing students from the the President’s List (3.8 GPA and above) and the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA and above) for the Fall and Winter Quarter. Nearly 1200 students earned this recognition. The Brockey Center was packed with students, family, and supporters for their achievement.
Recently retired member of the Seattle Seahawks Marcus Trufant addressed the crowd and not only congratulated the students but also encouraged them to continue their success on their academic journeys.
You might have heard about a shoe that washed up on the downtown waterfront … containing a foot. Above, that’s a photo of the shoe, which the county is distributing in hopes of finding out whose foot that was. Since it was just across the bay from here, we’re publishing the photo here too:
To assist in identifying a missing person, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office is releasing a photo of a shoe found along Seattle’s waterfront on May 6, 2014. The shoe was on a human foot, and they were turned over to the Medical Examiner’s Office by employees of the Port of Seattle’s police department.
The shoe is a New Balance athletic sneaker, men’s size 10-1/2, white with blue trim. This model of shoe was first available for sale in April 2008. A black, cotton Hanes brand sock was also on the foot. The sex, age, ancestry, and stature of the individual are not known.
Anyone who is aware of a missing person known to have worn this type of shoe is asked to call the King County Medical Examiner’s Office at 206-731-3232, ext. 1. Additionally, anyone aware of a missing person who has not been reported is asked to file a missing persons report with the appropriate local law enforcement agency.
Ever think the wildlife photos featured on WSB might make a nice calendar? Turns out that one of the photographers who kindly shares his work here, Mark Wangerin, is making one! He has donated thirteen of his West Seattle wildlife photos, some of which you might have seen here, to be published in a 13-month calendar for 2015, with proceeds benefit environmental programs at Chief Sealth International High School, where Wangerin used to teach. Though 2015 seems far away, advance orders are welcome right now to jump-start the printing process. The calendar is 14″ x 14″, on heavy stock, wire-bound, shrink-wrapped, $14.99 from Mark House Publishing online (no relation, says photographer Mark). Above is the back page showing the photos featured in the calendar (which also is available at bulk rates, the publisher says).
11:40 AM: A sizable Seattle Fire response has headed back to the 10000 block of 39th SW, scene of two fires at one house in a little more than a week. (update) First crew on scene says “no fire, just smoke” – so they’re putting water on it.
11:52 AM: Our crew on scene says the smoke is mostly coming from the back of the house (added, photo showing new fencing in back):
No flames seen so far, as noted previously.
12:09 PM: For reference – the first fire was on April 29th; second one, early Monday morning. The cause of the first one has yet to be determined; one of the home’s two residents, both said to be in their 70s, was still in the hospital at last report.
4:42 PM: As AG notes in comments, SFD announced this afternoon that overheated wiring caused the original fire on April 29th and that “residual embers” were to blame for the flareups today and two days ago.
A quick West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day update, with a longer one in the works for this afternoon: This Saturday (May 10th) is THE day, 9 am-3 pm, with 280+ participating sales of all sizes, all over West Seattle, from Alki SW in the north to SW 110th in the south, Arbor Heights in the southwest to Pigeon Point in the northeast, the Log House Museum in the northwest to South Delridge in the southeast, and so many neighborhoods inbetween. The online map – each sale numbered and marked, clickable so you can read its “listing” – has been viewable/browsable here since last weekend; now, the printable edition is available too, a 17-page PDF (including nine pages with all 280+ sale listings in classified-ad style). Get it here (it’s also linked in the text above the online map). This is the 10th annual WSCGSD; we’re honored to have coordinated and presented it since the 4th edition in 2008, and your participation keeps making it better every year – this year with lots of giving opportunities, not just for sellers interested in donating leftovers, but also for shoppers who want to help out by purchasing and donating items on wish lists like this one and this one. More later!
P.S. Even if you’re not participating in WSCGSD, please remember that Saturday is also the Stamp Out Hunger food drive, also always on the second Saturday in May – please leave a bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox/mail slot for your letter carrier to pick up!
(Video and photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Group photos in bright West Seattle sunshine this morning for at least two groups of local Bike to School Day participants. Above, our video from 59th/Alki, where two “bike trains” met up before the final few blocks to Alki Elementary. One was led by (below right) Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda:
No casual biker, he:
Both Alki bike trains joined into one for the group photo (with, as you’ll hear in our quick video clip above, a shout of BIKE TO SCHOOL! before heading across Alki Avenue and up 59th to school:
Alki teacher Terry Kegel, who organized the day’s events, planned special student awards including Most Visible and Safest Biker.
About half an hour after the Alki “bike train,” Schmitz Park Elementary students who rode to school in four groups gathered at the flagpole for a group photo:
Their bicycles, temporarily parked nearby:
May is Bike Month in our area for all ages – and the next major event is Bike To Work Day on May 16th, one week from Friday, with “commute stations” that morning as always, including one in West Seattle and two in White Center.
Thanks to Lynn Hall for sharing the view of paddleboarders and a state ferry off Alki before dusk last night. Speaking of Elliott Bay, that’s where our daily calendar toplines begin today:
SHRIMP SEASON, DAY TWO: Today is the second of two days the state is allowing shrimp fishing on Elliott Bay, and it’s busy! It’s on until 3 pm, so note that it will be extra-busy around Don Armeni until and after then. (Thanks to Carolyn for the reminder.)
FREE CO-WORKING DAY: 9:30 am-5 pm at West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor)’s new location. Bring your laptop and lunch; enjoy good company, fast Internet, free coffee/tea – details here. (6040-B California SW)
TODDLER STORY TIME: Toddler in the house? Get her/him out of the house and into the library for today’s story time, 10:30 am at Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)
EARLY DAYS DROP-IN SUPPORT GROUP: Noon-2 pm, parents of babies are welcome to come talk about this unique stage of life, at Nurturing Expressions (WSB sponsor) – details in our calendar listing. (4746 44th SW, Suite 201, just buzz @ the door)
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY PTA: 5:30 pm in the school cafeteria, with the agenda including officer elections and a variety of year-end activities. (1012 SW Trenton)
DANCE! The ever-popular Lauren Petrie provides the music. You bring your feet. 6-8 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (California/Oregon)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm, the council with reps from community groups and orgs around western West Seattle meets at the Senior Center of WS. Agenda includes the latest on the West Seattle Land Use Committee that SWDC is shepherding, and an SDOT briefing on Safe Routes to School projects in the area. (California/Oregon)
MISCARRIAGE SUPPORT GROUP: A West Seattle woman is launching a group to talk about an experience shared by so many yet discussed openly by so few, meeting at her home at 7 pm tonight – details in the calendar listing.
Congratulations to Roxhill Elementary scholars who just did what no other students from their school had done before. Roxhill’s Jeanette Hitch shares the photo and report:
On Saturday morning, 12 fifth graders from Roxhill traveled up to Lake Stevens to participate in the Math Olympiad competition. The team was coached by Roxhill’s math-intervention teacher, Brent Hester. This was the first year that Roxhill students have competed. The student “mathletes” competed in teams of four students, against 26 other teams.
There were two parts to the competition — a long question which the students had one hour to work on, and several shorter questions. Our Roxhill Stars placed first in the long question category and placed third in the short question category.
More about the state-wide Math Olympiad competition can be found on the Washington State Mathematics Council‘s website here.
(WS Bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
As we keep an eye on this morning’s traffic and transit, midweek is when we usually would start reminding you about major road-work projects for the weekend. Nothing’s scheduled for West Seattle or adjacent routes, but if the Eastside is in your weekend plans, take note that the westbound 520 bridge will close all weekend for work on its under-construction replacement.
BIKE TO SCHOOL DAY: Today’s the day, and we know of at least two West Seattle schools organizing special rides to school. We’ve already mentioned the plan for Alki Elementary, which will have Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda along for one of its bike trains, both of which are scheduled to meet just before 8 am at 59th and Alki, so please be extra watchful in that area; we also got word that Schmitz Park Elementary is participating again, with multiple rides being led to school. Any other local schools participating today? Please let us know (editor@westseattleblog.com or 206-293-6302) – thanks!
8:10 AM: Added a photo of one of the Bike To School groups waiting for another one at Alki in the sunshine. By the way, Safe Routes to School (biking, walking, etc.) projects in West Seattle are part of the discussion at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting, 6:30 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle. (More later in a separate report on this morning’s Bike To School events.)
(Larry Jensen on the mound; photo by Greg Slader)
With a 5-3 extra-innings win over Bishop Blanchet on Tuesday, the West Seattle High School Wildcats varsity-baseball team is off to the postseason, reports Greg Slader:
The Wildcats offense was ready to go, but fell behind 0-3 in the first three innings as the Blanchet Braves took the early lead. Pitcher Larry Jensen toughened up and shut them down that rest of the way. Larry threw 113 pitches through eight innings, holding Blanchet to just those three runs as the defense made play after play. Meanwhile the offense heated up and the team keep adding runs until it was tied at the end of seven innings. In the top of the eighth with two base runners in scoring position, Spencer Elder (photo below) tripled down the line and West Seattle went on to win 5-3!
West Seattle Wildcats finish the season 10-4 in league play and will face the #4 seed in the Metro playoffs. Next game is Saturday, 10 am @ Steve Cox Field in White Center, The opponent will be decided (today) as Prep, Blanchet & Lakeside face a three-way tie for the final two spots in Metro.
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