West Seattle, Washington

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day : 24/11/2015 10 results

West Seattle Crime Watch followups: Court notes in arson, robbery cases
November 24, 2015 11:28 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch followups: Court notes in arson, robbery cases
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two court updates in recent West Seattle cases:

ARSON SUSPECT LOSES BAIL-CUT BID: When serial-arson suspect Jacob Kokko was arraigned on Monday, he pleaded not guilty and asked for a bail reduction. Both are fairly routine at this stage in a case. Judge Dean Lum said no to the bail-cut request, so Kokko remains held in lieu of $300,000 bail. Two weeks have passed since prosecutors charged the 22-year-old High Point resident in connection with three October fires.

ROBBERY SUSPECT NOT CHARGED: The $100,000 bail first set for an Arbor Heights man suspected in the recent holdup at the Westwood Village GameStop store is no longer in effect – prosecutors have not filed charges, saying the investigation is still ongoing. But he’s still in jail because of a $10,000 failure-to-appear warrant in a domestic-violence assault case.

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Former Chief Sealth International HS principal Chris Kinsey dies
November 24, 2015 9:58 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Family and friends are mourning former Chief Sealth International High School principal Chris Kinsey, who died last weekend at just 43 years old. No details are available, and there’s no word yet of a memorial service. Mr. Kinsey was an assistant principal at Cleveland High School for three years before taking over at Sealth in the fall of 2011; he led CSIHS for two school years before announcing in June 2013 that he had decided not to return for a third year. He did not disclose his future plans at that time, and all Seattle Public Schools could tell us today was that he was not an SPS employee at the time of his death. According to biographical information from the district provided when he became Sealth’s interim principal in August 2011, Mr. Kinsey started his education career in 1999 as a teacher at Meany Middle School. (WSB photo, 2011)

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City Councilmember Lorena González takes office: West Seattleite makes history
November 24, 2015 9:17 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

(Seattle City Council photo, via Twitter)

Tonight, West Seattle resident Lorena González became the first Seattle City Councilmember to take the oath of office after the certification of the November election. As noted in the city announcement below, her election itself represented a long-overdue first:

Councilmember Lorena González received the Oath of Office, following certification of election results by King County Elections. Before her friends and colleagues and a packed-Council Chambers, González reflected on her election, plans for her forthcoming Council term, and shared what it means to be the first Latina/o to serve the Seattle City Council in a speech clocking-in at less than ten minutes.

(Added Wednesday: Seattle Channel video of ceremony and speech)
“Mayor Murray, Council President Burgess, friends and family, sisters and brothers, I stand before you today with sincere appreciation for the opportunity I have to represent our community in our state’s largest city as the first Latina sworn into the Seattle City Council.”

Citing her experience as a civil rights attorney and community advocate, González also acknowledged her service as legal counsel to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, and as a partner at Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, representing workers in wage theft and anti-discrimination cases and representing victims of police misconduct as formative experiences. She also recognized and thanked her parents for “…(believing) the American dream was achievable.”

Born and raised in Washington’s lower Yakima Valley to a Spanish-speaking migrant farmworker family, González – who earned her first paycheck at the age of 8 – reminded the audience “…I don’t have the background of a typical politician. Mine is a lived experience rooted in the reality of overcoming poverty and injustice. I am living proof that access to opportunity, coupled with hard work, is a recipe for success. I graduated high school in the face of overwhelming odds. I worked in a food plant, a bank, a retail store, a fast food chain, a day care, and a hotel.”

González conjured memories of picking cherries as a child, spending as many as three hours a day before the start of the school day, and “Often in an environment where I was sprayed with pesticides, or working without access to a bathroom or water…. it’s these formative moments and experiences that inspired me to want to be an advocate, a champion, for those people who I see myself in — even to this day — and especially for those who haven’t had a strong voice in government. They live in the shadows, and I did too – until I saw a path and climbed my way out.“

González went on to outline her intentions to draw on her extensive experience standing up for progressive values and the underrepresented to her work serving the people of Seattle as one of two at-large (citywide) representatives.

In her final moments in Chambers, González turned her attention to future Council colleagues. “My word is my deed,” said González. “I have dedicated my life’s work to defending workers’ rights and will continue this fight – in the name of wage theft on behalf of a cook, or defending men and women against retribution in all its forms. I’ll continue my quest to stand up for dignity in the workplace, and in my work here at city hall on behalf of workers…I will not back down from tackling tough issues or seeking solutions that build a stronger community.”

Born and raised in Central Washington in a Spanish-speaking migrant farmworker family, Councilmember González relied on need-based grants and scholarships to attend community college and later Washington State University. She moved to Seattle in 2002 to attend Seattle University Law School. González has served on various local, regional and national non-profit boards, including OneAmerica, OneAmerica Votes, National Council of La Raza, Northwest Area Foundation, and Washington State Association for Justice.

Councilmember González won the Position 9 race with 78 percent of the vote. If you’re downtown or able to get there, Councilmember González is having an open house in her new office at City Hall tomorrow morning, 9:30 am-11:30 am

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YOU CAN HELP! White Center Food Bank needs turkeys, volunteers tomorrow
November 24, 2015 7:02 pm
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP! White Center Food Bank needs turkeys, volunteers tomorrow
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | White Center

One more day to make sure hundreds of local families can celebrate the holiday with a traditional meal … First, the White Center Food Bank needs more turkeys, and you can bring them by 8:30 am-7 pm on Wednesday. If you can spare some time, they also need help distributing food Wednesday afternoon/evening:

Volunteers needed Wednesday, 4:30-8 pm. It’s holiday distribution time again at the White Center Food Bank and we are currently short volunteers for the afternoon/evening of November 25 to pass out food to clients. We get set up at 4:30 pm. We distribute food from 5:00 to 7:30 pm and then clean up. Families welcome. If you can help, please call Audrey at 206-762-2848 or e-mail audrey@whitecenterfoodbank.org

WCFB is at 10829 8th SW.

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ELECTION UPDATE: Herbold over Braddock by 39 in ‘final’ count; hand recount required
November 24, 2015 4:52 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

4:52 PM: The election is certified but the Seattle City Council District 1 race still isn’t settled. The “final” count has Lisa Herbold over Shannon Braddock by 39 votes, 12,459 to 12,420, and that’s close enough to require a recount by hand. King County Elections says that will start December 3rd and be completed December 7th.

ADDED 5:23 PM: KC Elections has clarified the recount process after announcing two start dates:

The recount process will begin on Monday, Nov. 30 and be completed on Monday, Dec. 7. The first few days of the recount process will involve staff and observer training and ballot sorting in order to obtain the votes specific to this District No. 1 race. Ballots are not stored by district. Actual counting of the ballots is scheduled to begin on Thursday, Dec. 3 and is expected to continue through Friday, Dec. 4 and possibly the morning of Monday, Dec. 7. After the manual hand count and reconciliation is complete the Canvassing Board will meet to certify the recount on Monday, Dec. 7 at 3:00 p.m. Final results will be announced by 4:30 p.m. that day.

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West Seattle weather: King tide and north wind indeed make a splash on Alki; ‘coastal flood advisory’ alert; Water Taxi canceled
November 24, 2015 1:42 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(SCROLL DOWN for updates – including video, photos added late Tuesday night)

(Added 3:45 pm, WSB photo by Patrick Sand)

ORIGINAL REPORT, 1:42 PM: Thanks to David Hutchinson for photos from Alki showing north-wind-fueled waves against the seawall well before the 2:40 pm high “king” tide (previewed here last night).

He also shows us that Alki Bathhouse has sandbags out just in case:

This isn’t even the highest “king tide” of winter – but of course, without the wind, higher tides can be far more sedate. Updates to come.

2:54 PM: Just back from the totally swamped Alki boardwalk – water over the walkway, and the Bathhouse certainly needs the sandbags. This :15 Instagram video clip is only a taste:

And we do mean “taste” – if you are anywhere within a block of the water, you’ll taste salt spray. Felt like stronger wind/waves than the corresponding “king tide” + north wind event last year. Downloading more images when everything dries out. (Also – We were live on Periscope for about four minutes until conditions shut down our phone; the archived video is visible for 24 hours at this link.)

3:39 PM UPDATE: The National Weather Service has a “coastal flood advisory” in effect through 5 pm because of the overflow in areas like Alki.

4:15 PM: The West Seattle Water Taxi run is “temporarily suspended” until this calms down, according to text/e-mail alerts.

4:42 PM: And if you use Marine View Drive, beware of a tree hanging over 46th SW, according to Meg, who says it’s been reported to 911.

4:55 PM: King County Water Taxi service is canceled for the rest of the night, per the newest alert.

ADDED 10:21 PM: Video from “Diver Laura” James, “up close and personal” with the waves, as she put it:

From Kersti Muul:

And from Long Bach Nguyen, the next three beautiful scenes as blustery day gave way to night:

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Another “king tide” tomorrow – but without the wind.

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YOU CAN HELP! Crowdfunders spring into action to foot the cost of a floor for local high-school gymnasts
November 24, 2015 12:14 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Local high-school gymnasts finally have a place to practice – but it has to be paid for – so a crowdfunding campaign is under way. From West Seattle High School athletic director Trevor Leopold:

The West Seattle High School gymnastics team lost their practice facility when West Side Gymnastics Academy closed its doors this year. Because of the closure, we had to purchase a Spring Floor so the team could practice at the high school. The cost of the Spring Floor is approximately $21,000 and we are trying our best to raise the money. Currently we have about $5000 but are ending up short at this time. West Seattle is also helping the Chief Sealth team by allowing them to come practice at WSHS and use the spring floor as well. This is something which was a must-purchase; we need help. This is the link for SNAP fundraising where people can donate and help the team.

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From the Holiday Guide and calendar for your West Seattle Tuesday
November 24, 2015 10:30 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Gulls on Alki Bathhouse roof – photo courtesy anonymous first-time contributor)

We’ll be publishing the list in two sections all season, so first, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

HOLIDAY GREENS – LAST DAY TO ORDER: Today’s the deadline to place your order for holiday greens benefiting Seattle Lutheran High School. They’ll be available for pickup Saturday, December 5, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, in the SLHS Gymnasium at 4100 SW Genesee.

And from our regular year-round calendar:

FIRST ‘KING TIDE’: As previewed here last night, 2:40 pm brings a high tide, and north wind is forecast, so it *might* get a bit wild along the Alki Beach promenade.

LORENA GONZALEZ SWEARING-IN: 5 pm at City Hall, swearing-in ceremony for West Seattle resident Lorena González, who makes history as the first Latina/Latino member of the Seattle City Council. If you can’t be there, you can watch live via Seattle Channel – online or cable 21. (600 4th Ave.)

TRIVIA: Parliament Tavern‘s the place to find it tonight, 8 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

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West Seattle Crime Watch: One stolen car; two found bikes
November 24, 2015 9:04 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

In West Seattle Crime Watch this morning – one stolen car and two possibly stolen, abandoned bicycles. First, just out of the WSB inbox, from Grace:

My blue 1997 Geo Prism was taken from in front of our house on 11th Ave SW in Highland Park in the last few hours. If anyone should see it around, much appreciate their contacting SPD (case # 15 410052) so I might be able to retrieve it. License plate ANC 4242. Thanks.

Two bicycles have turned up, abandoned and likely stolen. First, Gary found this one left outside his garage door – “Body is painted over in blue and black. No sign of brand name.”:

And Patrick says the next one was abandoned in the 3200 block of Benton Pl. SW sometime last week:

Something for Crime Watch? Once you’ve reported it to police, e-mail us – editor@westseattleblog.com – unless it’s breaking news, in which case, please text or call 206-293-6302 – thank you!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Pre-Thanksgiving Tuesday updates
November 24, 2015 7:40 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:40 AM: No incidents through/from West Seattle so far this soggy morning.

7:56 AM: Since it’s quiet so far, we’ll take a moment to preview transit plans for Thursday-Friday – The West Seattle Water Taxi will be out of service both days; Metro buses will be on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving, “reduced weekday” on Friday; Sound Transit Route 560 will be on the “weekend” schedule on Thanksgiving, “weekday” on Friday; Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run, regular schedule.

8:23 AM: We’re at 50th/Alaska checking out a collision that involved a school bus and a car. Some kids were on board but no one was hurt and another bus has already picked them up to continue their trip to school (they won’t say what school, so we’ll have to check with SPS).

The (short) bus’s front end is a bit mashed up (photo added), as is the car’s right front end. (added) The district – for whom First Student is a contractor – says four students were on board, confirms none were hurt.

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