day : 24/05/2014 8 results

Following up on the American Legion Post 160/Auxiliary Unit 160 announcement of Memorial Day weekend poppy availability, we stopped by West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) at noontime. There we found, above, two veterans who just wanted to be identified as Mac and Bob offering poppies and accepting donations. Mac served in the U.S. Coast Guard and Marine Corps; Bob, in the Army. The poppies, each labeled as “handmade by veterans,” both “honor the dead and help the living,” as explained here. Volunteers will be back outside Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan) 10 am-3 pm tomorrow. You can also honor a Memorial Day tradition by attending the 2 pm Monday ceremony at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) – details here; Mac and Bob promise you’ll see them there.

SCAM ALERT: Fake ‘City Light’ disconnection-threat calls, again

May 24, 2014 8:01 pm

| 6 COMMENTS

| Crime | Utilities | West Seattle news

Don’t be fooled if you get a call from someone claiming to be from Seattle City Light and that you need to pay money NOW to avoid power-service disconnection. Last November, we wrote about this scam hitting local businesses. And tonight, West Seattle’s Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) says somebody just tried it on them today – they weren’t fooled.

A guy calling himself James from Seattle City Light called the Feedback and got our manager. “James” said we were due to be disconnected for non-payment. He said there was a technician in the area and would arrive within about 30 minutes so we needed to act quickly. He wanted her to go to Rite Aid and get a Money Pack for $260 then call back (to a different number than he was calling on) to process the payment. Fortunately (the manager) was sharp enough to call me and we determined it was a scam. Here were the clues:

*We had just paid our bill and had reference numbers to prove it. James said the payments didn’t show on our account. When I asked what account number he was looking at, he wouldn’t tell me.

*James called from a number that didn’t have a city-type prefix (usually 684).

*The number at Feedback is not the contact number we have on file at City Light. When (the manager) tried the number James gave her to make the payment, James answered. When he recognized her voice he hung up.

*The amount ($260) bore no relation to any of our bills. Anyone who has dealt with disconnection knows that balances have to be paid in full to stop the disconnect.

*Anyone from City Light that calls about a disconnection has the ability to take a payment. There is no need to call another number.

*Most telling, there is no way City Light is paying anyone on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend to go out and do power disconnects.

*I called police and reported this and they told me it is a currently running scam around town.

Also of note – when this scam went around exactly a year ago, City Light explained on its website that it does NOT cut off power for one late payment – you would get at least two written notifications. This kind of scam is a crime, so if someone tries it on you, call police, as the Feedback crew did.

Share This

Baseball playoffs: West Seattle High School’s season ends in extra-innings state-tournament game

May 24, 2014 7:38 pm

| 1 COMMENT

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

(Pitcher Ben Wexler gave up only 2 runs, throwing all 11 innings)
At Mount Vernon this morning, the West Seattle High School Wildcats played what became their last game of the season, losing 2-1 to Shelton HS in 11 innings. The photos and summary are by Greg Slader (thank you!):

(Jimmy Mai‘s 7th-inning single brought in the Wildcats’ lone run)

The Wildcats fell behind early 0-1 in round one of Regionals against Shelton. Their pitching and defense kept the game at 0-1 until the seventh inning, when returning WSHS player Jimmy Mai produced a pinch-hit single and came around to score on a sac fly. Game tied 1-1 and would stay that way thru 10 innings before Shelton won with a sac fly of their own in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Congratulations to head coach Velko Vitalich, assistant coaches Scott Meaker, Bryan Tupper, and Kerry Tupper, and all the players, families, and other supporters on another season of making it to state.

Share This

From Seal Sitters: Alki cleanup ahead; downtown benefit

May 24, 2014 4:09 pm

| Comments Off on From Seal Sitters: Alki cleanup ahead; downtown benefit

| Environment | How to help | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Two ways you can help West Seattle wildlife via Seal Sitters:

(WSB file photo from one of the previous Seal Sitters-co-sponsored cleanups)
JUNE 14 CLEANUP: Get trash off Alki Beach, before it gets into the water and into/onto seals and other marine life. Join Seal Sitters and co-sponsors for a beach cleanup 9:30 am-12:30 pm three weeks from today, Saturday, June 14th. One of the co-sponsors, PAWS Wildlife Center, will talk about the threat wildlife faces from beach debris, and the difficulty of rehab for rescued wildlife. This cleanup is in honor of Sandy the seal pup, rescued and rehabbed by PAWS and then found dead in abandoned netting, and of the gray whale that died in The Arroyos, then was found to have a stomach full of plastic debris. Bring your own gloves if you can, and meet at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza (61st/Alki Ave SW) at 9:30 am June 14th – RSVP via the link in this announcement on Seal Sitters’ Blubberblog.

HOIST A MUG WITH A HELPING HAND: Seal Sitters has also announced that Rock Bottom Brewery downtown (1333 5th Avenue) has offered to raise money via donating all proceeds from $2 pints of a specific ale fold next Tuesday night (May 27th), 5-8 pm – if you’re downtown, stop by! Details on Blubberblog.

Share This

First day of second year for West Seattle’s only spraypark

May 24, 2014 1:50 pm

| Comments Off on First day of second year for West Seattle’s only spraypark

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Cloudy and 60s when we stopped by, but that wasn’t going to keep these two from being among the first to visit the Highland Park Spraypark this morning when it opened for the first day of its second year in operation. (They weren’t the only early visitors, either – the grownup keeping an eye on them told us that youth baseball players came over to run through the water after a morning game nearby!) The spraypark is scheduled to be open daily 11 am-8 pm through September 1st; it’s at 1100 SW Cloverdale. (As noted here earlier this spring, wading pools don’t start opening for another four weeks.)

Share This

West Seattle scene: Former ferry Annabelle, on Elliott Bay

May 24, 2014 11:52 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks to Trina for the photo of the Annabelle, which she reported seeing near Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor). An info search reminds us that we’ve shown the Tacoma-based former Herron Island ferry here before, in 2010, at which time commenters surfaced lots of info about both its history and its rebirth as a floating home.

SIDE NOTE FOR SEA-WATCHERS: Checking the Coast Guard’s latest Local Notice for Mariners, looks like west-facing water watchers will see a yacht race one week from today – the annual Blake Island Race (see the course map on page 23, here) on May 31st.

Share This

Followup: Seen a damaged ‘light metallic blue’ vehicle? Possible clue in low-bridge hit-run

May 24, 2014 9:53 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(Thursday night WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
New information from Seattle Police might help solve the Thursday night hit-run that injured a bicycle rider at the east end of the “low bridge.” It was added to the original SPD Blotter post last night; we added it to our original story but in case you didn’t go back looking for an update, here are the new details:

Detectives have reason to believe the suspect vehicle is light metallic blue and is missing the right-side mirror. The vehicle should have damage to the front bumper as well as heavy damage to the windshield. The suspect’s vehicle had been traveling westbound at the time of the collision and likely continued over the lower bridge and into West Seattle. Detectives are asking anyone with information to please call TCIS Detective Andrew Norton at (206) 684-8934.

Please do call that number with ANY information – don’t post it in comments; thanks. (In case it helps with time frame, the original SFD dispatch to the incident scene was at 9:17 pm Thursday night.)

Share This

West Seattle Saturday: The holiday weekend begins!

May 24, 2014 6:34 am

| Comments Off on West Seattle Saturday: The holiday weekend begins!

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Michael for sharing that photo from Friday via the WSB Facebook page. Highlights for the first day of the holiday weekend, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEST SEATTLE HS BASEBALL TEAM @ STATE: 10 am in Mount Vernon, the West Seattle High School Wildcats face Shelton HS as state-tournament play begins. It’ll be tweeted live at @wseattlestate. (Winner faces the winner of Bonney Lake-Glacier Peak later in the day; here’s the bracket.)

SEATTLE LUTHERAN HS BASEBALL TEAM @ STATE: Also at 10 am, state-tournament play begins for Seattle Lutheran High School. The preview is from Joe Puckett:

On Saturday, Seattle Lutheran will continue the quest for its third 2B state baseball championship in the last 5 years. The first game is at 10 AM in Adna against Toutle Lake. If Sealu prevails, they will face the winner of the game between Napavine and Tri-Cities Prep later in the afternoon. A win in the second game would mean that the Saints would move on to the 4-team finale on May 31. Here is a link to the entire bracket for the 16 teams remaining in the hunt for the championship.

GET YOUR POPPY: “Honor the dead and help the living” by getting your poppy from American Legion Post 160/Auxiliary Unit 160 this weekend, starting 10 am-3 pm today at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), as previewed here. (Fauntleroy/California/Morgan)

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK’S FIRST DAY OF 2014: Today’s temperature is likely to break 70, so that means there’s a good chance the Highland Park Spraypark will open for its second season, 11 am-8 pm today, as scheduled. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

COLMAN POOL’S FIRST DAY OF 2014: The outdoor pool on the shore at Lincoln Park opens for the season – well, the first pre-season weekend – today at noon. Details here.

(added) PICNIC FOR ‘LOLITA’: 4 pm at Alki Beach, supporters of the campaign to free the last Puget Sound orca surviving in captivity, Lolita/Tokitae, are gathering in solidarity with events elsewhere in the country. Vegetarian potluck. Specific location (and other) details in this Facebook event page.

‘HAIR’: 7:30 pm, let it all hang out with the classic musical at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction. More info in our calendar listing. (4711 California SW)

PIANO & ‘SILENT MOVIES’: Pianist Donald Sosin accompanies silent-movie shorts at Kenyon Hall, 7:30 pm. (7904 35th SW)

KAZOKU! IMPROVISED GAME SHOW: 8 pm tonight is the final night for the first run of “Kazoku!” at Pershing Hall in The Triangle – details in our calendar listing. (3618 SW Alaska)

LIVE MUSIC AND MORE … in all the other listings you’ll see on our calendar.

Share This