West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Two more quick West Seattle Crime Watch notes tonight – From LS:
I just discovered my car was stolen from my driveway in Highland Park (police report was just completed) either last night or this AM. It’s a teal 1993 Honda Civic EX coupe. Please post to the WSB so that if someone sees it they can contact the police.
And from Gretchen:
I found the face of a Mercedes radio/navigation system on the corner of 18th and Thistle. I contacted police and they came to pick it up. Incident number 14-244731.
P.S. Is your block signed up for a street-closing Night Out party? If not, go here. The big night – Tuesday, August 5th – is only a week and a half away.
Gates are open for tonight’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies event in the courtyard by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) and a lot is going on, long before “Spice World” hits the screen at dusk.
(WSB photo, substituted for Instagram snap originally posted here Saturday night)
Free slices from Pagliacci (a WSOM sponsor, as are we), free photobooth [above], and after 8 pm, a fashion show. All free. You just bring a chair/blanket and if you can, a few bucks for nonprofit-benefiting raffle items and concessions. 4410 California SW, right next to The Junction’s Post Office.
We’ve showcased some of West Seattle’s wonderful, and sometimes whimsical, Little Free Libraries in recent years, and we know many more are out there. If you’ve built one or are getting ready to build one, you might be interested in a competition that the local chapter of Architects Without Borders is having – with the entry deadline less than a week away! Find out about “Libraries on the Loose” here. (Yes, you CAN enter an already-built library – we asked John Putre, who pinged us about the contest, and he said, “Submissions can be both existing and new Little Free Libraries, as long as they meet the requirements, which are pretty lenient – located in Seattle, hold at least 20 books, protected from weather.”) Entry fees benefit AWB’s work.
2:55 PM: Thanks to Alex for the photo – she says this lemonade and cookie sale at California/Portland in Gatewood (map) is raising money to help the Red Cross help fire victims in our state. (We’re waiting to hear back about how long they’ll be there.)
ADDED: If you didn’t already see the comment – congrats to the lemonade-and-cookie sellers for raising almost $200, which will be multipled by matching donations. If you missed the stand but would like to help, here’s what the Red Cross is doing in the fire zone, and how to donate.
Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch today.
First, police have arrested a suspect in connection with one recent West Seattle indecent-exposure incident. We’d been trying for several days to find out more about this case – the third in less than two weeks – since a reader mentioned it in this comment last Tuesday night. The commenter wrote of giving police license plate/description information after the incident that night on Beach Drive, and that officers said they had matched the information to a sex offender. Finally, after multiple inquiries, we got confirmation of an arrest today; Southwest Precinct commander Captain Steve Wilske confirmed a suspect in that case is in custody. He’s 37 years old and being held for investigation of indecent exposure and failure to register. No charges filed yet – but we’ll be checking first thing Monday, along with trying to find out more about whether he’s suspected in any of the other cases.
(SUNDAY NOTE: According to the jail register, the suspect has posted bond on $50,000 bail and got out of jail Saturday night, after a little more than one day behind bars.)
(back to original Saturday report) Second, Margaret reports her home in the 5200 block of 18th SW (map) on Puget Ridge was broken into during the day on Friday, with two specific stolen items she’s asking you to watch for:
… Sometime between 9:30 am and 7 pm. They smashed the back bedroom window, ransacked the house, and took a Sentry-brand putty-colored fire proof plastic lock box full of irreplaceable family papers, an array of electronics, and a wooden earring box with a leather inset of Raven stealing the sun, about the size of a business envelope and an inch high. It was full of cheap, craft-fair costume jewelry of great sentimental value. They did not get the key to the lockbox and I’m hoping they may not be able to get inside and may dump it. If the lock box or wooden box turn up anywhere, I’d be anxious to hear.
Third, TJ reports from Gatewood, “Two suspicious males were attempting to open car-door handles for the second night down Holden Street. Police were called at 1:30 am.”
Crime Watch info to report? If it’s breaking news, text or call 206-293-6302; otherwise, editor@westseattleblog.com – but not until after you’ve reported it to police! Thanks!
Thanks to Sharonn Meeks for sharing that scene from the Walking on Logs area along the southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge. Shown are members of the Chief Sealth International High School Key Club, part of today’s volunteer cleanup crew at the sculpture site, including Sharonn and Nancy Driver from the Fairmount Community Association just east of the nearby Triangle area. (P.S. In case this makes you wonder – to date, no word on the fourth sculpture’s fate.)
West Seattle Totems team member Alec Patajo, 14, goes to Colorado this week to compete for the 3-Position Air Rifle National Championship – weeks after winning another national championship, in his first national final. That’s part of this Totems update from coach Joe Matter (who also provided the photo above):
The West Seattle Totems recently returned from their trip to the National Air Rifle Championships. Ten members of the team travelled to Camp Perry Ohio which is the home of the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). The CMP hosted two national championships: The Junior Olympic 3 Position Air Rifle Championships and the CMP National 3 Position Air Rifle Championships.
Each Championship consists of a 60 shot qualification process and a final. Team scores are computed using the qualification score. Those individuals who finish in the top 8., compete in a 10 shot final. The scores from the final are added to the qualification score to determine the final placing.
The first competition was the Junior Olympic Championships. The Thunderbird squad of Alec Patajo, Corinne Blair, Sierra Avril, Casey iwamoto and Tanner Venturi finished in 8th place. The Chiefs squad of Katelynn Bacon, Katelynn Brown, Owen Yeasting, Nick Young and Vic Yeasting finished in 36th place. Alec finished in 5th place after the qualification round. Alec shot well in the final and finished in 4th place after the final was completed. This was Alec’s first national final.
The second day of competition was the CMP National Championships. The Thunderbirds improved their scores on the second day and finished in 7th place. the Chiefs finished in 35th place. Alec won the qualification round shooting a 595 out of 600 points. He went into the final with a 2 point lead over the previous days National Champion Sarah Osborne, who has won 6 national championships in the last 2 years.
Alec shot well, but Sarah started closing the distance. By shot number 7, Alec’s 2 point lead was down to 1/10 of a point. Alec 8th shot was critical and he shot a perfect 10.9 while Sarah shot a 10.6. The 9th shot, Alec widened his lead back to a full point and in the 10th and final shot he finished with a 1.7 point lead and won the CMP National Championship.
Alec will be competing in the American Legion National Championships at the end of July. The American Legion match will be held at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The rest of the Totems will be back in competition this fall.
The American Legion events begin on Tuesday and offer college-scholarship money to the winners. (Read more about the Ohio competition in this story, which features a photo of Alec.)
(Mid-July low-tide photo by Trileigh Tucker)
Last weekend, it was wall-to-wall events around West Seattle. This weekend, not so much, but Seafair’s big Torchlight Night has West Seattle ramifications too. So we’ll start there:
TORCHLIGHT TRAFFIC ALERT – VIADUCT CLOSURE TONIGHT: We’ve been reminding you for a week; now it’s here – the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct closes 5:30-7:45 pm (times approximate, and we know the SDOT readerboards say until 8 pm) for the Torchlight Run. If you’re going downtown, remember 4th Avenue closes tonight for the parade itself – all the traffic effects are detailed in this citywide roundup.
TORCHLIGHT FANFEST: Starting at noon, you can go to Seattle Center and get an early look at the floats (participants include the award-winning West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival float, of course) starting at noon – details here.
TORCHLIGHT PARADE: Starts near Seattle Center at 7:30 pm and heads south on 4th Avenue (till almost the end) – the lineup and map are here. Scheduled West Seattle participants include the aforementioned Hi-Yu float (toward the end of the order) and County Executive Dow Constantine. (Are you in the parade too? Please let us know so we can watch for you – editor@westseattleblog.com)
Now, as for what’s happening in West Seattle today/tonight:
BENEFIT CAR WASH: West Seattle High School‘s 2014-2015 Cheer Squad is washing cars again today at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor) 10 am-3 pm to help pay for uniforms and camp. (35th/Webster)
LOW TIDE WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Though the tide is not THAT low today, it’s still low enough for exploration – -0.8 at 11:19 – and you’ll find volunteer beach naturalists at Constellation Park and Lincoln Park beaches 10:30 am-1 pm.
CATS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU … at the Friends of the Animals Foundation cat/kitten adoption event, 11:30 am-3:30 pm at Next to Nature in The Junction. (4543 California SW)
WSHS ALUMNI BASKETBALL GAME: The first-ever West Seattle High School alumni basketball game and showcase starts at noon and runs through 5 pm – details in our Friday preview. (3000 California SW)
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Just a few more chances this summer to tour Alki Point Lighthouse – no tours next weekend because of Seafair, so it’s this weekend 1-4 pm both days, and then a scant few weekends in August. (Alki SW/Beach Dr. SW)
SALSA ON ALKI: 5:30 pm lesson, 6:30 pm dance, by Statue of Liberty Plaza; details in the calendar listing. (61st/Alki SW)
WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES, WEEK 2: Spice up your Saturday night with “Spice World” – yes, the Spice Girls‘ mid-’90s movie is feature #2 in this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies series! Gates open at 6:30 pm at the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard; preshow fun long before the movie splashes onto the screen at dusk (still 9-ish). Free, but bring a few $ for charity-benefiting raffle and concession if you can. WSB is media sponsor for the series and we’ll see you there! (4410 California SW)
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: Tonight, Greenstage presents “Love’s Labour’s Lost” in Lincoln Park, 7 pm. Free! (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, look for the signs)
MORE! Just check the calendar directly.
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