West Seattle, Washington
28 Wednesday
Just last Wednesday, it was announced that the federal drone survey of Puget Sound’s Southern Resident Killer Whales suggested more orca babies were on the way. And tonight, the Center for Whale Research shared news of one! This is the sixth orca calf reported in the three resident pods – J, K, and L – in less than a year, dating back to last December. As you can see in the Instagram post embedded above, they’re promising more info soon.
Thanks to Kristin Gibson for the photo and report:
Four members of the WSHS Varsity boys’ golf team qualified for the 3A Metro/King Co. District tournament after competing in the Metro League Golf Championship last week. Tony Flores, Bailey Fuentes, Alex Nguyen and Zach Gibson finished in the top 39 to earn a place to compete Tuesday at Riverbend Golf Complex in Kent. Zach Gibson medaled for the Wildcats with a 6th-place finish and a two-round total of 149.
Good luck to them next week! Sports reports are always welcome at editor@westseattleblog.com.
Our video shows the starting-line scene in just under a minute, as the annual West Seattle Monster Dash got going at 9 this morning in what was at the time the spooky, semi-foggy forest of Lincoln Park. Check out the costumes! Organizers say it was the biggest turnout ever for this family-friendly 5K – accompanied with a kids’ dash afterward – which raises money for the West Seattle Cooperative Preschools. Almost 200 people are listed in the official timed results. ages 6 to 65!
(UPDATING to add third West Seattle collision reported in less than an hour)
FIRST CRASH, 1:52 PM: Big Seattle Fire response on the way to 42nd and Findlay for an “automobile rescue” call.
1:55 PM: The response is being scaled back because, according to emergency-radio traffic, everyone’s made it out of their vehicles.
2:06 PM: Adding a photo. One person’s going to the hospital via private ambulance; injuries are not serious. The reason this originally was called out as a “rescue,” police tell us, is that the airbags deployed on one car and they were concerned about possible major injuries and getting the person out quickly and safely. This is the second crash at the intersection in three days; the previous one happened Thursday morning and was mentioned at the time in our morning-traffic coverage.
SECOND CRASH, 2:17 PM: Another crash – this time reported to involve 3 vehicles, at 35th SW and SW Thistle. SFD is arriving and SPD is on the way; we’d suggest avoiding the neighborhood for a while.
2:23 PM: Our crew reports this is actually south of Thistle on 35th, between Thistle and Cloverdale, and the northbound side is blocked by not just the vehicles but also the emergency response.
THIRD CRASH, 2:41 PM: Delridge and Henderson, just reported, partly blocking the intersection, injuries reported. On the way to check.
3:01 PM UPDATE: No major injuries here, either. Delridge traffic is getting through, albeit slowly; if you’re headed east on Henderson, you’ll have to divert for now.
3:29 PM: Let us know if you see any of these still blocking – we were able to check Thistle/Cloverdale/35th on the way back from Delridge/Henderson, and it was all off to the side.
Pumpkin-painting and face-painting are happening in the West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) Deli right now during the store’s annual Kids’ Halloween Party continues.
This is the first year for face-painting; your artist is Annie. Party’s on until 1 pm – costumes encouraged!
First, (update) THREE traffic alerts:
That’s the Fauntleroy end of the high bridge, where Seattle Public Utilities is scheduled to be doing road repair all weekend following recent sewer work. The second traffic alert is for the 5-way intersection just west of the low bridge, where crews are working this weekend and next on safety improvements, as described and shown here. (3rd alert added 9:27 am; thanks to Kim) Also – 34th SW is closed near High Point Community Center for paving work.
Now, on to the event highlights, in two sets, starting with WSB West Seattle Halloween Guide listings, as the first of this year’s two Hallo-weekends continues:
WEST SEATTLE MONSTER DASH: Get your costume on and get to the Monster Dash in Lincoln Park. 9 am 5K, 10 am kids’ dash, 10:30 am awards and costume contest. More info in our listing. (Fauntleroy/Cloverdale)
PCC PUMPKIN-DECORATING PARTY: 9 am-noon at PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor). PCC provides the pumpkins for the 12-and-under participants as well as and decorating supplies. (California SW & SW Stevens)
THRIFTWAY HALLOWEEN PARTY: Annual kids’ party at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), 11 am-1 pm. Ages 1-10 – decorate a mini-pumpkin, get the chance to win a treat bag, more! (Fauntleroy/Morgan/California)
OLG HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL: 4-8 pm, it’s the annual carnival presented by Our Lady of Guadalupe School in the Walmesley Center. Details in our calendar listing. (35th SW & SW Myrtle)
HAUNTED HOUSE: Haunted House presented by Clown Mania, 7-9 pm. (5007 Erskine Way)
Other highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
CLEANUP PARTY: Join Seattle’s Tree Ambassadors 9 am-noon to clean up the triangle at 36th/Genesee/Fauntleroy. Tools, gloves, training provided. Treats from businesses across the street – coffee and snacks from West Seattle Brewing; barbecue lunch afterward from Jones BBQ. More info here.
CARAVAN PACIFIC TRUNK SHOW: 10 am-5 pm at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) in The Junction: “Shannon Guirl, the designer / maker behind Portland-based Caravan Pacific, will be bringing her full collection of handmade lighting and home accessories for a one-day trunk show.” (4540 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE SKI/SNOWBOARD SWAP: Get ready for winter before it gets here. Day 1 runs 10 am-6 pm at the VFW Hall in The Triangle – details here. (3601 SW Alaska)
SEATTLE WRITES: GET READY FOR NANOWRIMO: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is eight days away. Get ready with a free class at 3:30 pm at the High Point Library – registration required, so check our listing ASAP. (35th SW & SW Raymond)
OKTOBERFEST X 2: Two West Seattle service organizations invite you to Oktoberfest fundraising dinner events tonight. 5:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California SW & SW Oregon), it’s the WS Lions‘ Oktoberfest; 6 pm at the Alki Masonic Hall (40th SW & SW Edmunds), it’s the Rotary Club of West Seattle‘s Oktoberfest.
PEGGY LEE TRIBUTE: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall. (7904 35th SW)
BAKELIGHT 78: 9 pm live music, no cover, 21+, at Parliament Tavern. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
(UPDATED 11 AM with confirmation of arrest)
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 5:19 AM: Two people were shot in West Seattle early this morning; one did not survive. It happened before 2 am in the 6900 block of 23rd SW (map). Multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire; police say officers found the victims lying in the street. One was dead at the scene; the other was taken to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. No arrests reported so far; homicide detectives ask that anyone with information call 206-233-5000.
This is the first deadly shooting in West Seattle since December 31st, 2013, when 40-year-old Stephen Jeffries, Jr., was killed in the 9200 block of 16th SW, a murder that remains unsolved.
5:46 AM UPDATE: Detectives are still at the scene (photo above), where we just spoke with Homicide Unit Capt. Steve Paulsen. He tells WSB the victims are both men in their 20s, and that investigators believe an “altercation” preceded the gunfire. They’re still looking for others who might have been involved.
11 AM: More than two hours after a SWAT operation at 26th and Holden – less than a mile from the shooting scene – that resulted in one man being detained, police are confirming that a suspect in the shooting is in custody. We’re still working to confirm details.
1:44 PM: As we noted in the comment discussion, we’ve since found via other court documents that the 25-year-old man in jail right now for investigation of homicide lives or has lived at the 26th/Holden house where police converged this morning. He does not have a felony record; he was charged in connection with a nearby street robbery in 2009 but the case was dismissed. We might not find out much more before Monday but we’re still looking.
ADDED LATE SATURDAY NIGHT: We have learned a little about the man who was killed. We don’t know whether next of kin have all been notified, so we aren’t identifying him at this point, but he was 24, had a culinary career – working at a downtown restaurant – and was an alum of West Seattle High School. We are also told the man who survived is 34, not in his 20s as police had told us, but we don’t yet know anything more about him.
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