West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Following up on last month’s joint meeting of Highland Park Action Committee and Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council, WWRHAH chair Amanda Kay Helmick invites you to a Tuesday meeting:
The Westwood / Highland Park Neighborhood Planning Committee is holding its first informal meeting tomorrow night at Big Al’s. 7:00 pm. We are starting the discussion on what a Westwood / Highland Park update would look like and what people see as the future of our area. The meeting is open to anyone who might be interested.
Big Al’s is in White Center, 9832 14th Ave. SW. Here’s the area covered by the 1999 WW-HP plan; see the full plan here.
(WSB photo: At left, a sheriff’s car that was on ‘containment’ earlier, on 106th at 26th)
FIRST REPORT, 7 PM: If you’re in Shorewood/east Arbor Heights, you might be noticing a major law enforcement presence: Sheriff’s deputies are getting help from SPD in their search for a suspect in a reported shooting near 10300 block 28th SW (map). No word on shooting circumstances/victim yet.
7:11 PM UPDATE: KCSO says the male victim is expected to survive. A K-9 team is helping search for the person who shot him.
7:38 PM UPDATE: KCSO says the K-9 track wasn’t able to find a suspect. They’re still sorting out the motive, possibly robbery.
9:40 PM UPDATE: We just checked in with KCSO spokesperson Sgt. DB Gates. She won’t have more information until morning but did say that as far as she knows, the shooting, while it happened near Grace Church (as discussed in comments), had no connection to the church.
TUESDAY MORNING, 10 AM: From Sgt. Gates:
There were four males in a parked car smoking marijuana when the suspect approached the car, opened one of the doors, displayed a handgun, and demanded their belongings.
For whatever reason, just a few seconds after the initial demand the victims felt the suspect was spooked by something outside the car. He then fired one shot into the car which hit a 17 year old seated in the driver’s seat. The suspect fled immediately on foot.
One of the males in the car also fled on foot, presumably because he had the marijuana. The other two (ages 19 and 20) remained with their friend and cooperated with responding deputies.
A K9 unit from Renton PD responded and a track was done but it was unsuccessful. Renton PD’s dog assisted as calling for an on duty dog is often quicker than calling out one of our K9 units from home. We also were assisted by Seattle Police.
The unknown suspect is described as a black/white mixed race male in his late 20s, approximately 5′ 10″ and medium build. He had short dreadlocks and tattoos on his neck and hands, last seen wearing a gray hoodie, red T-shirt and jeans. The victim vehicle was impounded for processing by detectives.
WSDOT is doing “emergency expansion joint repairs” on southbound I-5 at the West Seattle Bridge right now. According to a late-in-the-day alert, the center lane should already be closed, and then starting at 7 pm, crews will close three southbound lanes for about two hours, with the warning: “Drivers heading south on I-5 should expect significant delays or take alternate routes such as SR 99 or Airport Way.” (Thanks to Jann for the tip.)
(WSB photo: David and Vanessa at Moondrop Coffee and Tea)
One month ago, we mentioned that long-for-sale Alki Juice and Java at 1619 Harbor Ave. SW across from Seacrest had a new owner and a new name – Moondrop Coffee and Tea. After several weeks of closure for renovations and setup, Moondrop is now officially open. Proprietor David Livingood tells WSB they’ll be open 7 am-6 pm weekdays, 9 am-6 pm weekends for starters, during the fall/winter, likely opening earlier and closing later during the warm months. Before stopping by for a photo this morning, we had exchanged e-mail with him, and here’s how he explained Moondrop’s mission:
We offer an assortment of beverages (espresso, tea, milk tea, juices/smoothies) as well as breakfast, lunch, and snack/dessert items. Some of our food items include waffles (plain w/honey butter, salted caramel, chocolate banana), bagels, sandwiches (avocado tuna, chicken pesto, salami cream cheese, hummus lettuce tomato, PB&H), homemade banana/zucchini bread, vegan cheesecake, and parfaits (all-fruits, salted caramel, chocolate decadence).
Our roaster is a company called Grounds for Change. They are a certified organic coffee roaster specializing in 100% fair trade coffee that is also grown in shaded conditions.
They’re serving tea from The Art of Tea. Livingood is a 2013 UW graduate who explains, “I have lived in both the U.S. and Japan and have helped run/manage coffee shops, bars, and restaurants during my time(s) in Japan. I’ve also founded a couple of tech startups as a mobile applications developer which was primarily during the boom of the iPhone & iPad (2009-2013).” Moondrop’s website is in the works; for starters, they’re on Facebook.
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports today:
SUNRISE HEIGHTS ROBBERY: Just published on SPD Blotter – three men, one with a gun, broke into a home in the 7500 block of 32nd SW during the windstorm early Sunday “looking for drugs and robb(ing) a 35-year-old woman, threatening to kill her if she did not cooperate.” The SPDB report continues:
The woman told police someone banged on the back door of her home, in the 7500 block of 32nd Avenue Southwest, shortly after midnight. When she walked back to investigate, a man broke the glass and reached in to unlock the door. The victim headed toward the front door, but one of the suspects barged in, pointed a handgun and ordered her to stop. A second man, armed with a knife from the kitchen, pushed her to the floor and held the blade near her throat. The robbers told her not to look at their faces, and asked where her safe was. The victim told them it had been stolen several weeks ago. One man held her down at gunpoint while the others ransacked her house. The woman offered them her purse containing $100. The men took the purse and then saw several police cars arriving in front of the house. They fled through the back door.
The victim ran out the front door to alert officers. She was not injured. A neighbor had called the police a few minutes earlier because the men had apparently walked through the yard of a neighboring home. Detectives believe the suspects were looking for illegal drugs. A K-9 team was brought in to help search for the suspects, but no one was found. If you have any information about this incident, please contact robbery detectives at (206) 684-5535.
Also in Crime Watch:
STOLEN FOX: Pink Gorilla Games in Morgan Junction (6053 California SW) says somebody has made off with the store’s distinctive “Fox McCloud” statue, shown above. They reported the theft on Sunday. Please contact the store and SPD if you’ve seen it.
FENCE FIGHT: Police were called to the 4200 block of SW Donovan in Upper Fauntleroy last Friday to investigate a reported assault, as neighbors’ fight over a fence escalated. The report says one neighbor installed the fence for property separation and privacy more than eight years ago. The other neighbor, “thinking the fence is shared property,” according to the report, recently put up decorations. The fence owner said the decorations were damaging the fence. Three weeks of arguing over the fence ensued, according to the report. The neighbor who installed the fence finally put up “No Trespassing” signs facing the yard of the other neighbor, who subsequently “got a pair of wire cutters and attempted to cut the signs down,” at which time, police say, the sign-installing neighbor ran outside, yelled “Get off my fence,” and struck the other neighbor in the hand, repeatedly, with a Home Depot bucket. The victim declined medical attention. Police advised them to consult a surveyor if they’re not clear about the property line, and advised the fence owner to call police if they suspect trespassing, not to take matters into their own hands.
(Photo by Lise Thivierge, from Seacrest)
Before we get too much further into Monday, three highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (and two great photos from this morning’s sunrise):
FISHING IN CUBA: 6 pm at Emerald Water Anglers in The Junction, free talk about fishing in, and traveling to, Cuba, presented by Cuban Fishing Centers. (42nd/Oregon)
TEAM IN TRAINING INFO NIGHT: 6:30 pm, find out about joining the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society‘s Team in Training for upcoming fundraising runs in the region. West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) is hosting the info night, with refreshments and in-store discounts. (California/Charlestown)
DISCUSSING THE DEATH PENALTY: 6:30 pm, Our Lady of Guadalupe, you’re invited to a community discussion – details in our calendar listing. (34th/Myrtle)
(Photo by Colby, from Whale Tail Park)
MORE … for tonight, on the calendar! And our West Seattle Halloween Guide still has lots of listings for the nights ahead.
A sinkhole is blocking the northbound side of 45th SW between Alaska and Edmunds (map) west of The Junction. After two reader tips (thank you!) we arrived just as an SDOT worker was putting out cones and tape to block off the sinkhole. One neighbor says it happened, at a previously patched spot in the road, around 8 am. No repair ETA yet; the worker told us that, as you might have guessed, many crews are out dealing with downed trees right now. Though there’s enough room for a car to squeeze by in the southbound lane, that’s still very close to the sinkhole’s edge and we’d advise avoiding the road unless you live on that block and have to get to/from home.
ADDED MONDAY NIGHT: We went back to check on the sinkhole just as it was getting dark. A Seattle Public Utilities crew was there to do some investigating:
We’ll check in with SPU and SDOT tomorrow.
(WSB photo from last Thursday afternoon)
The community-built play area at Roxhill Park is closed for a fifth day, according to Seattle Parks, because removing its distinctive turret isn’t going to be as easy as hoped. That’s according to Parks spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad, who says an onsite meeting is planned with its artist tomorrow, to strategize. As first reported here last Thursday, the metal turret was noticed early this month as leaning significantly; after checking that out, a Parks structural engineer voiced concern that the turret’s tiles might be too heavy for the play structure to bear. They subsequently closed and fenced off the play area as a precaution. They had hoped removing the turret to take it away for reinforcement might be an easy job, but now have found its not. Other parts of the play area are closed; the fencing is just around the “castle” at the heart of the play structure put up in a community collaboration a year and a half ago.
On the second morning after Saturday night’s windstorm, some scattered outages persist. Seattle City Light‘s map shows 379 homes/businesses still without electricity around its service area. And while other types of utilities don’t have comparable maps that we know of, we know of at least one other outage – because we’re part of it; CenturyLink isn’t working yet in our area (a few blocks east of south Lincoln Park) and told us (inquiring as customers) that “repairs are under way.” Anyone else?
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning and welcome to the new week! Be mindful of possible lingering effects from Saturday night’s storm – not all fallen trees/branches might be cleaned up yet, etc. Meantime, three reminders as we begin:
WEST SEATTLE WATER-TAXI SCHEDULE CHANGE: Today’s the first day of the reduced fall/winter schedule, Mondays-Fridays, morning and afternoon/evening commutes. See it here.
CRANE ASSEMBLY AT MURRAY CSO PROJECT: As announced last week, crane assembly will block part of Beach Drive at the Murray Combined Sewer Overflow Control Project across from Lowman Beach today, 11 am-5 pm.
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS SATURDAY NIGHT (EARLY SUNDAY): Last week for Daylight Saving Time; at 2 am November 2nd, we “fall back” one hour.
(PREVIOUS REPORTS: #1, as-it-happened coverage; #2, Chili Challenge succe$$)
Just call that West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival-goer “Fire.” As for the next scene – how about “dog meets pumpkin”:
Take a minute and see 13 more views from the festival!
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