West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
More love for the West Seattle Food Bank from rock ‘n’ roll superstar-land.
You’ll recall the WSFB’s announcement that it would be spotlighted during last night’s Bruce Springsteen concert at KeyArena.
They sent a few photos and then tonight posted the results, including the news that West Seattle’s own Eddie Vedder (who took the stage with The Boss) is helping too:
Thank you to all of the many Bruce Springsteen fans who came out last night and donated generously to the Food Bank. And yes, Eddie Vedder said he would match it! It was a great night for the food bank – just under $24,000 worth! Thank you to Bruce and the E Street Band for partnering with us and thank you to our volunteers who worked so hard to collect all the donations. We had fun and I hope you did too!
You can follow their example and help the WSFB too.
(WSB photo from last month)
We’ve reported repeatedly in the past few weeks (most recently, on Thursday) that the “RV safe lot” announced for Highland Park has been on indefinite hold. And now, Councilmember Lisa Herbold says the mayor’s office has confirmed to her that it’s officially not happening – because it would cost too much, for the 10 or fewer RVs it would serve.
As a result, Herbold’s office says, the two interim “safe zones” set up in SODO and Interbay will be “extended for an additional 60 days,” and the 39 RV residents that were waiting there will get help with making their vehicles operational so they can comply with 72-hour parking laws, or they will get help finding “secure housing.”
That doesn’t address what happens to the half-dozen or so RVs that we’ve reported are described by SPD as “staged” along Myers Way, awaiting the now-a-no-go Highland Park lot, so we’ll check on that next week.
It’s been two months since the mayor’s original announcement that the lot would be set up at West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way within a month, along with the one that did open in Ballard. Since then, we’ve made almost-daily checks of the site – a paved lot adjacent to the longtime site of an unauthorized encampment that was closed two and a half years ago – and the only sign of preparations has been a canvas-covered fence around the lot.
Though the Parks and Green Spaces Levy has been succeeded by the Seattle Park District levy, some of the P&GSL projects are still in progress – and one of them is getting extra $ from the district. That’s the Highland Park play-area plan (for the park at 1100 SW Cloverdale), and a postcard that showed up in the WSB mailbox brought word of your chance to get a look at, and have a say on, play-equipment options. It’s more than three weeks away – plenty of time to set yourself a reminder: Monday, April 18th – with an open house at Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton) 5:30-6 pm, and a presentation at 6.
P.S. Note that this is a different project from the one for the school’s play area, which also has an event coming up, as we reported in our coverage of this week’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting.
5 PM: Just got a phone call from a reader who says her 120 bus to downtown has a possibly lost child on board, a toddler-age boy who was on the sidewalk on the north end of Delridge. The driver brought the child on board and police apparently will meet them downtown. If you know of someone looking for a child in that area, be sure they call 911.
8:24 PM: Commenter and e-mail have confirmed that this is resolved, adding: “Child and family are fine. Thanks to SPD and and Metro for resolving this so quickly.”
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports today:
CAR STOLEN FROM THE GROVE: The photos above and below are from The Grove/West Seattle Inn, where the general manager’s vehicle was stolen around 6:45 this morning.
The missing vehicle is a “white ’89 Toyota 4Runner with gray graphics on the side. There are no major modifications or noticeable body damage. The license plate is Washington State and reads (B31-606V). The Police have been contacted and have made a report.” If you have any information about the whereabouts or knowledge of a possible suspect please call 911, and GM John at 760-709-0321.
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY AT MIDWIVES’ CLINIC: In addition to the burglaries we listed in last night’s Crime Watch, we’ve heard about one more, from the victims: Taylor at In Tandem Midwifery, 4522 44th SW, e-mailed to report: “Someone tried to break into our office the night before last. … Our incident occurred at our back door, from inside the secured apartment building. They didn’t get in, which is lucky for us as they would have been terribly disappointed and more likely to cause damage. … We don’t keep an patient data, meds or valuables in the office so we aren’t really sure why we were targeted.”
(Reader photo, courtesy Aaron: October arson outside Senior Center)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After 4 1/2 months in jail, West Seattle serial arsonist Jacob Kokko has pleaded guilty – and could go free as soon as he’s sentenced.
A plea bargain sent him to court on Thursday to admit to three crimes, one a lesser charge than the original ones filed, according to court documents we found during a routine check online early today.
(WSB photo: October arson outside Hamm Building)
Kokko, 22, was arrested last November and charged in connection with three October arsons – two in The Junction, outside the Senior Center and the historic Hamm Building (home to businesses including Easy Street Records, Twilight Gallery, and Alaska Street Tattoo Parlor), and one outside a house on the same block in High Point where he lives.
The charges at the time were second-degree arson (a Class B felony), and second-degree reckless burning and third-degree malicious mischief (both gross misdemeanors). In the plea bargain, the first charge – related to the Senior Center fire – was reduced to first-degree reckless burning (a Class C felony); the other two remained the same.
Kokko, who has no prior criminal record, was arrested after a series of arsons including those fires unnerved West Seattleites for weeks. He has never been charged in the other fires during that same time period – police say he confessed to one fire in which he was not charged, the bus-stop arson on Morgan south of 35th on October 12th (shown on the surveillance video that led to his arrest), but denied any involvement in the October 18th Sylvan Ridge car arsons, the October 19th High Point rental-office waste-bin fire that did more damage in a later flareup, or the October 21st 40th/Morgan recycling-bin fire.
As for the potential penalty:
The recommendation accompanying Kokko’s guilty pleas is for a sentence of “credit for time served” in jail, which will be almost five months by his scheduled sentencing date – that’s longer than the standard “up to 60 days” sentence for someone with no criminal record. Also recommended, a year in jail that will be suspended unless he fails to make it through a year of probation. He would also be recommended for 50 hours of community restitution work and to pay monetary restitution, determined at a future date, to the victims of the four fires to which he has confessed.
The documents give no further hint of a motive; last fall, Kokko was quoted as saying he set the fires because he needed help.
Kokko is scheduled to be sentenced at 1 pm April 1st by King County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ramsdell.
If you’re a Democrat and planning to caucus Saturday, but still not sure exactly how it works and/or where to go – here’s the full how-to, as just sent by the 34th District Democrats:
Democrats from across the 34th Legislative District will caucus on Saturday, March 26, in multiple locations. During the caucus Democrats will elect delegates pledged to either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. These delegates will attend conventions and caucuses to be held later in the year at the legislative district, congressional district, King County and Statewide level, where they will elect the 118 delegates to the Democratic Party’s national convention in Philadelphia in July. The 34th Legislative District includes West Seattle, White Center, North Highline, Vashon Island and the northern part of Burien. In this district, the caucuses will be held at schools. Here is a detailed list of precinct caucus locations in the 34th District:
34dems.org/sites/34dems/files/Caucus-Locations-2016.pdfAnyone can attend their caucus, but voting for presidential delegates is limited to registered voters who
publicly attest that they are Democrats. People who are currently 17 years old but will be eligible to vote in the Nov. 8 election also can vote in the caucuses. People can find their precinct on the King County website here:
Six weeks after we reported that Chopstix appeared to be closed for good, a report about the 5905 California SW space’s future has just appeared. Thanks to Desiree for spotting the story by Allecia Vermillion in Nosh Pit and sending the link: She reports that Ma’Ono co-proprietor Mark Fuller is one of the principals of what will be a “dive bar” with Chinese food under the name New Luck Toy – which, you’ll recall, was a Junction staple for decades until its closure 10 years ago. The report says it could be open as soon as June.
(Thanks to Kira B, a Madison Middle School student, for sharing her photo!)
Two sets of possibilities for the rest of your Friday. First, from the WSB Easter, Etc. page, where you’ll also find Good Friday service listings:
EGG-DECORATING: Go get some done at Mind Unwind/Treehouse Lounge – 4-8 pm, all ages, all supplies included, $10/half-dozen, $15 dozen. (2206 California SW)
LABYRINTH-WALKING: noon-3 pm and 6-9 pm at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), you’re invited to walk the labyrinth set up in Adams Hall. (3940 41st SW)
And from our regular year-round West Seattle Event Calendar:
MINI-POW-WOW: Third annual event presented by the Niksokowaak Community Pow Wow Association at Highland Park Elementary – all welcome – 6-10 pm; details in our listing. (1012 SW Trenton)
DINGO! BENEFIT FOR WSHS TEACHER: 7 pm at West Seattle High School, bingo and dessert dash to benefit teacher Charlie Ketler in his fight against pancreatic cancer. Details in our listing. (3000 California SW)
DUWAMISH ROWING CLUB BENEFIT MOVIE NIGHT: Another benefit tonight, 7 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse in West Seattle, raises money for the only rowing club on the Duwamish River. This year’s movie is “Man On Wire.” Details in our listing.
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Christopher Mitchell, Eric Dodd & the Kook Brothers perform tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
PREVIEW YOUR WEEKEND … via our complete calendar, here.
Before we get to our list of what’s happening today, one more mention, in case you haven’t seen it, that we again this year have a special one-page guide to egg hunts, Easter and Holy Week services, updated daily so you can check it without wading through outdated listings. Tomorrow is the big day for egg hunts – the 30,000-egg-stravaganza at West Seattle Thriftway (California/Fauntleroy; WSB sponsor) at 9 am, followed by the city-run community centers’ 10 am hunts, and more. Sunday’s Easter listings include West Seattle’s traditional sunrise services, both at 6:30 am – one at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) and one on Alki Beach with the local UCC churches. Whatever your plans, have a great weekend!
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:47 AM: Good morning – no incidents in/from West Seattle so far.
SODO RALLY THIS AFTERNOON: If you commute through the stadium zone, reminder that presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has a 4 pm Safeco Field rally, in advance of tomorrow’s Democratic caucuses.
METRO SERVICE CHANGE TOMORROW: One more reminder that Metro’s periodic “service change” is tomorrow, and this is the one that breaks up Rapid Ride C and D, with C going to South Lake Union from hereon out. Find the Metro info is here (and some additional info from the city here).
AVALON/YANCY/30TH PROJECT UPDATE: If you missed this update last night, work on the pedestrian-safety project for this multi-point intersection could start as soon as Monday.
7:32 AM: The Issaquah is out of service on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry run – repairs needed.
7:54 AM UPDATE: Thanks for the texts. The boat breakdown temporarily took the Fauntleroy dock out of service but WSF says it’s open again now.
8:03 AM: Also, as noted in comments, the F-V-S ferry run is down to 2 boats TFN.
11:14 AM: Update on the ferry status, from WSF: “The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route is on a two boat schedule for the remainder of the day. The next three sailings from Fauntleroy to Vashon are: 11:40 am, 12:25 pm, and 1:20 pm. The next two sailings from Fauntleroy to Southworth are: 11:40 am and 12:25 pm. The next three sailings from Vashon to Fauntleroy are: 11:50 am, 12:45 pm and 1:45 pm. The next two sailings from Southworth to Vashon and Fauntleroy are: 11:20 am, and 12:25 pm. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
12:47 PM: WSF says the run’s now back to three boats.
(WSB photo: Search area on SW Henderson)
12:26 AM: An “assault with weapons” response is headed for 17th and Henderson, where a man is reported to have been stabbed.
12:32 AM: The victim is being taken to Harborview Medical Center. No suspect in custody so far, nor do we have any information on the circumstances.
12:36 AM: Medical radio communications describe the victim as a 35-year-old man with a single stab wound to the upper chest.
1:11 AM: Police are still searching for the attacker at last report – possibly a woman in her 30s.
1:29 AM: Police confirm they’re looking for a female suspect and describe this as a case of domestic violence.
8:09 AM: SPD has just announced that the victim died at Harborview Medical Center. That makes this the first homicide case of the year in West Seattle. Via SPD Blotter, police have these additional details:
On March 25th, at approximately 12:20 am, officers responded to a 911 call of a domestic disturbance in the 9000 block of 17th Avenue SW. When officers arrived, they found the victim in his car parked in the alley suffering from a stab wound to his chest. Seattle Fire Department Medics rushed the victim to Harborview, where he died from his injury.
A witness told investigators that the victim and his girlfriend had been involved in a physical altercation inside their residence prior to the victim being stabbed. The suspect fled before officers arrived.
This is an active and ongoing homicide investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Seattle Police at (206) 233-5000.
The last homicide investigation in West Seattle was a shooting death in Delridge five months ago; an arrest was made but the suspect was released and to date has never been charged. A month before that, a toddler was kicked to death in a Morgan Junction apartment and his father’s girlfriend, Alicia Goemaat, was charged with murder; she remains in jail and her case continues proceeding through the system. That September 2015 homicide case was at the time the first in WS in almost two years, since the still-unsolved New Year’s Eve 2013 shooting death of Stephen Jeffries, Jr.
ADDED 11:03 AM: As noted in comments, the SPD Blotter item has been updated with this:
SPD detectives are seeking any information that could help them locate a woman involved in this morning’s fatal domestic violence incident in Delridge. Police believe Beverly Carr, 35, is six-months pregnant and may have sustained injuries during this morning’s incident. Detectives would like to get her medical attention and obtain her statement about the circumstances surrounding the incident. If you have any information about Carr’s whereabouts, please contact Seattle police at 684-5550 or call 911.
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