West Seattle, Washington

24 Wednesday

51℉

month : 09/2016 302 results

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday alerts & updates
September 29, 2016 6:58 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:58 AM: One lane is reported blocked by a crash on the NB 1st Avenue South Bridge. And as promised, we’re off to check on the two lanes of NB 35th SW south of Avalon where torn-up pavement caused traffic trouble yesterday afternoon.

7:20 AM: Just checked. Yes, two lanes of 35th are still closed with torn-up pavement between Alaska and Avalon. This will be a bottleneck, albeit a relatively short one.

7:34 AM: The 1st Ave. S. Bridge crash has cleared.

10:53 AM: SDOT says the pavement work will continue into tomorrow. Separate update ahead.

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@ West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network: Prosecutor offers peek behind ‘revolving door’; police pursue repeaters
September 28, 2016 10:17 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Concerned about what can seem to be a “revolving door” for crime suspects? The guest at last night’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network offered some frank insight into it.

FROM THE PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE: Alex Voorhees, a senior prosecutor with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, was invited to offer insight into how the justice system works, and doesn’t work. She opened by explaining she’s worked in various units during her 14 years in the office. “One of the things I’m most proud about …is a program called CTI.” That dates back about a decade, when the late Norm Maleng, then KC Prosecutor, came up with a plan to tackle the fact that the county was among the nation’s top hotspots for vehicle theft. “We started working with a number of proactive law-enforcement groups around the county,” including Seattle Police. Participants had quarterly meetings and targeted suspects and cut the auto-theft rate in half. But, she said, a lot has changed since then.

The KCPAO handles felonies throughout the county as well as misdemeanors from the unincorporated area. It includes these units:

Special Assault Unit
Domestic Violence Unit
Homicide and Violent Crimes Unit
Property Crimes Unit

When someone is arrested for a felony property crime, they appear in front of a District Court judge within 24 hours, and “an initial bond is set.” That calendar has dozens of suspects on it some days. “We send a prosecutor to that hearing, and in cases involving burglary and auto theft, we ask that people be held. I hear this frustration about revolving doors …” Read More

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TRAFFIC ALERT: 35th SW narrowed to 2 lanes between Avalon and Alaska
September 28, 2016 7:42 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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Several people have pointed out the traffic snarl caused by a section of northbound 35th Avenue SW being torn up between Avalon and Alaska, near West Seattle Stadium. There was no advance warning of, nor alert about, this, so we don’t know (yet) exactly what’s being done here nor whether it’s related to the almost-complete mixed-use project nearby. But unless a crew returns sometime tonight, this could still be in place tomorrow morning, so this is a heads-up that you might want to avoid the area while outbound, if you can.

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We’ll check on it by 7 am for an update in our morning traffic coverage, so check for an update on whether it’s fixed by then.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Fugitive arrested; stolen pickup found; car prowl
September 28, 2016 5:59 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Crime Watch: Fugitive arrested; stolen pickup found; car prowl
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

In West Seattle Crime Watch:

FUGITIVE ARRESTED: What started as a Narcotics and Gang Unit “emphasis operation in South Park” last night wound up including the arrest of a fugitive wanted on a felony warrant from Oregon, according to SPD Blotter. The officers found a stolen pickup truck at 5th Ave. S. and S. Kenyon in South Park, then checked out a Jaguar parked nearby and found it “belonged to a wanted fugitive.” They “watched the vehicles until two men approached the vehicles and drove away. Detectives followed and SWAT officers made the stops at two separate locations. The stolen truck was stopped in the 5900 block of 1st Avenue South and the 35-year-old man was arrested for auto theft. Police stopped the Jaguar at 9th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury and arrested its 27-year-old driver, who had a felony fugitive warrant out of Oregon. Officers also recovered a loaded 9mm Glock handgun on the floorboard of the car. Detectives impounded both vehicles and booked both suspects into the King County Jail.”

Another stolen vehicle has been found, with a WSB reader’s help:

TRUCK FOUND: We reported on Sunday about the theft of Caleb’s truck. As noted in the comment section, Adam spotted it on Pigeon Point, reported it police, and mentioned it here. Caleb’s friend, who had sent in the report, confirmed it was recovered.

And a Crime Watch reader report today:

READER REPORT: Anonymous message: “Car prowl last night (in the 8800 block of) 36th Ave SW. Took a green wallet with all my credit cards, ID, etc. Police report done, but wanted neighbors to be aware. (Wallet fell out of my purse, apparently.)”

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FIRE FOLLOWUP: Heroes recognized at City Hall
September 28, 2016 3:05 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

3:05 PM: Almost 24 hours to the moment after the 3-alarm Lam Bow Apartments fire broke out in Delridge, more than a dozen people from the Seattle Police and Fire Departments and Seattle Housing Authority stood behind Mayor Ed Murray, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, and Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole at City Hall, as they announced honors for heroes.

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(Added: WSB photo of SPD honorees)

“These public servants saved a lot of lives,” said the mayor. At the top of the story is our phone video of what he and the chiefs said; we have more to add, including photos, names, and our conversation afterward with SHA’s Thaddeus Perry, who was working on a project in the main office when a tenant came running in yelling, “Fire, fire, fire” – he rushed into the building to get people out.

4:23 PM: Here’s SHA employee Perry, at center:

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He told us he just started working for SHA in the West Seattle area – assigned to several buildings/complexes including Lam Bow – as of about two weeks ago. After he ran into the building and discovered a “barrage” of smoke on the 3rd floor, he was soon joined by SPD Sgt. Britt and they went up and down the hallway, “banging on doors,” to tell people to get out. They all did, and as SFD said yesterday, everyone escaped without injury.

4:55 PM: Here are the names of the SPD personnel who were honored:

Sgt. Jim Britt
Officer Aaron Briggs
Officer Nick Meyst
Officer Garth Lindelef
Officer Nick Burk
Officer German Barreto
Officer Sandro Fleming
Officer Ryan Levens
Officer Jack Johns

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FIRE FOLLOWUP: Today’s developments in aftermath of Lam Bow Apartments fire, including how to help
September 28, 2016 1:28 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

1:28 PM: Here’s what’s happening so far today in the aftermath of the 3-alarm fire that displaced almost 50 people at the Lam Bow Apartments at 6955 Delridge Way SW (our Tuesday afternoon-through-evening coverage is here):

image

*Seattle Fire remains on “fire watch” at the site, in case of hotspots. We stopped by the scene this morning and that’s when the photos in this update were taken.

*No cause announced yet, but SFD spokesperson Lt. Harold Webb tells WSB the information should be available before day’s end.

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For everyone asking how to help the 47 people who are unable to return to their apartments:

*The Red Cross will have a shelter again tonight for residents who need it, at the Delridge Community Center. But a spokesperson tells us, “In terms of tangible needs, we have not heard any reports of unmet needs in the shelter.”

*They and the Seattle Housing Authority, which owns the Lam Bow, have not heard yet of organized donation drives, nor of a specific request for specific items.

*A commenter says Sanislo Elementary is organizing a food drive for two families. We’re awaiting details on that. (Today was a 2-hour-early dismissal day for Seattle Public Schools, so don’t go to the school now.) 6:24 PM UPDATE: They’re collecting items during tomorrow night’s Multicultural Potluck, as explained here.

*This afternoon at City Hall, the mayor, police chief, and SHA director will “formally recognize the heroic efforts of Seattle Police Department and Seattle Housing Authority personnel in responding to yesterday’s apartment fire.” We will be covering that separately.

More updates as we get information. For everyone who wants to help, please keep in mind that those who lost their homes and belongings will be affected for a long time, and it might take a while for “how best to help” to emerge, so be patient and keep that good energy going until we hear where best to apply it.

2:18 PM: We’re at City Hall for the aforementioned recognition event and have talked to the Seattle Housing Authority rep, Kerry Coughlin, who’s here. She said the Fire Department has just turned the damaged building – one of two that comprise the Lam Bow – to them, and they’re boarding it up; a long list of inspections and assessments is ahead. They’re also continuing to work, she confirms, on organizing a list of needs and who can coordinate donations.

3:02 PM: SHA director Andrew Lofton elaborated on that during Q&A after the ceremony. He said that they are working to identify a fiscal agent for donations, among other things, and hope to have some news on that “within 48 hours.”

6:25 PM: There’s lots of coordination going on between people who are trying to organize ways to help and we’re expecting to have a clearer picture tomorrow (Thursday).

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Why The Kenney is having a community meeting Thursday night
September 28, 2016 11:32 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   The Kenney | West Seattle news

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(WSB file photo of The Kenney)

Five years after shelving what was once a major redevelopment plan, and one year after finalizing a new “affiliation” and halving its debt, The Kenney is taking the next step into its future.

Tomorrow (Thursday) night, the retirement center at 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW is hosting a “community meeting” announced earlier this month with this description: “We want you to hear about changes that have taken place in our community over the last 18 months and to share with you some of our plans for the future.”

The meeting’s been listed in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar a while. In the past few days, The Kenney has distributed hard-copy invitations to nearby residents, prompting several to contact us about it.

This morning, we talked with Larry Foss, The Kenney’s executive director, to find out more about those “future plans.” First, we checked online files, and the only thing that’s in the city-permit system is for what he called some “internal renovations.” But, Foss said, there’s one potential project they’re considering, and want to talk with neighbors about: “Increasing the amount of independent senior housing” on The Kenney’s campus.

Right now, the “independent” housing on site is at the Ballymena Apartments on the west side of The Kenney. Foss says that 34-unit building has a waiting list, so that’s why they want to talk with neighbors as a “first step” toward a possible expansion. (In the original circa-2008 Kenney expansion plan, that building was to be demolished and new apartments were to be built around the campus. But The Kenney has gone through a lot of changes since then, including adding a memory-care unit in 2012.)

He added that the meeting is also a chance for community members to learn more about Heritage. It’s at 6:30 pm Thursday (September 29th) in the community rooms on The Kenney’s lower level, all welcome.

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West Seattle Hi-Yu says this might be the end after 80+ years, unless you care enough to help
September 28, 2016 10:27 am
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival | West Seattle news

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(July 2016 photo of what might be the last West Seattle Hi-Yu float – photo by Jim Edwards)

ORIGINAL REPORT, 10:27 AM: After more than 80 years, West Seattle Hi-Yu – the last Seattle neighborhood organization with a traveling parade float – might be history.

Hi-Yu’s been pleading for community support and warning that it can’t continue without some emerging.

It apparently hasn’t, according to this announcement that just arrived, which concludes with one last opportunity to get involved:

The newly elected West Seattle Hi-Yu, Inc. officers on the board have decided to not have the Hi-Yu float go to the Issaquah Salmon Days parade on Oct. 1st and discontinue attending the Fauntleroy Fall Festival and Alaska Junction Fall festival and not have any of the Jr. Court, Teen Ambassador or Sr. court scholarship programs this upcoming year.

Due to the lack of volunteers and West Seattle community and business financial support, the West Seattle Hi-Yu, Inc. will be taking a break from all activities for a year or more to reorganize.

Unless there is a lot of community support the West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival will have had its final year ending on Sept. 30, 2016, after 82 years of existence,

The archives of West Seattle Hi-Yu, Inc. history will be turned over to the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.

Thanks to all of the past Hi-Yu volunteers and court members for their involvement over the years. The scholarship programs will be discontinued. We know the experiences have been beneficial to those who have participated in the various community events and parades over the years.

We wish the best to the reorganizing team.

Jay Murray, West Seattle Hi-Yu president 2014-2016
Joanne Murray, West Seattle Hi-Yu historian, 2014-2016

The next meeting will be on Monday Oct. 3, 2016 at the West Seattle Library in the Admiral district at 7 pm in the community room on the lower level. If you are interested in the future of West Seattle Hi-Yu, come to the meeting and voice your opinion.

ADDED 1:32 PM: As discussed in comments, Hi-Yu does NOT produce the summer parade. But the reorganization could have effects on it. Here’s a statement we just received from Michelle Edwards on behalf of the parade committee:

Despite the possible reorganization of West Seattle Hi-Yu, the West Seattle Grand Parade will continue to be produced by the West Seattle Rotary Club Foundation and will be held on July 22nd, 2017 at 11am. The only impact to the West Seattle Grand Parade will be the possibility of losing visiting festival parade floats and entries, as there will no longer be a West Seattle float attending festivals around the region. This impact will be addressed by the West Seattle Parade Committee in 2017. We wish the best to the West Seattle Hi-Yu team. – West Seattle Parade Committee

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West Seattle Wednesday: Highland Park Action Committee; High Point farm-stand finale …
September 28, 2016 9:00 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

annashummer0916-01
(Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Five possibilities for your Wednesday:

CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP: 3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, caregivers are invited to come “share your challenges, frustrations, successes with other caregivers.” More in our calendar listing. (SW Oregon/California SW)

FARM-STAND FINALE: 4-7 pm today, it’s the last day of the season for the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand, fresh produce sold steps from where it was grown and harvested. (32nd SW/SW Juneau)

IRISH SET DANCING: At Kenyon Hall, lessons at 6:30 pm, dancing 7-9 pm, details in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)

HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: 7 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club, HPAC is back for the fall monthly-meeting season. Lots to talk about – see for yourself here. (12th SW/SW Holden)

MUSIC OF JERRY GARCIA: That’s what you’ll hear from tonight’s featured band at Parliament Tavern in The Admiral District, 9 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

MORE! on our days-and-weeks-at-a-scroll WSB West Seattle Event Calendar page.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates & alerts
September 28, 2016 7:25 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

7:25 AM: No incidents to report so far this morning, in West Seattle or on the major outbound routes from here.

TODAY’S ALERTS
*Seattle Public Schools get out two hours early today
*Work on the Admiral Way Safety Project starts today
*SODO alert: Sounders FC game @ 7:30 pm (vs. Chicago)

WEEKEND REMINDER:
*West Seattle Bridge west-end closure 12-9 am Saturday to replace damaged jersey barriers

8:02 AM: Trouble on northbound I-5 – a medic response in the Convention Center area. Left two lanes are blocked, according to WSDOT.

8:16 AM: That scene is reported to be almost fully blocked. And you know how morning NB I-5 backups compound quickly. So if you’re heading out soon, we’d advise not trying to get onto NB I-5 for a while.

8:47 AM: The NB I-5 crash scene is now down to one lane blocked. The backup, of course, will take a while to ease.

10:33 AM NOTE: We checked the Admiral Way project zone a bit earlier this morning – no signs of crews yet – we’ll check back later.

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FOLLOWUP: Beach Drive speed bumps installed along Constellation Park
September 27, 2016 10:12 pm
|      33 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news

speedbump

Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for the tip – the Beach Drive/Constellation Park speed bumps are in, a week and a half after we spotted the SDOT markings, which in turn was shortly after City Councilmember Lisa Herbold announced they were in the works. Neighbors had long been seeking traffic calming along this stretch, because of problems like this:

(May 2016 racing video)
The three bumps are installed on Beach Drive between the stormwater-treatment plant and 63rd SW.

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UPDATE: 3-alarm fire damages 20+ apartments in Delridge building, displacing 40+ people
September 27, 2016 2:42 pm
|      74 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(9:41 PM TOPLINE: SFD on “fire watch” all night at scene of 3-alarm fire. 47 people displaced; Red Cross helping. No one was hurt. No word yet on cause)

(Added: Video contributed by next-door neighbor Seth – read his story below in 5:10 pm update – that’s the back, west-facing side of building)

FIRST REPORT, 2:42 PM: A Seattle Fire “full response” is headed to the 6900 block of Delridge Way SW [map]. The first units arriving are seeing “heavy smoke.”

lambowroof
(WSB photo)

2:45 PM: SFD is calling out a second alarm. This is just north of the busy Delridge/Orchard/Sylvan intersection so avoid that area TFN.

jenniferphoto
(This photo and next are courtesy Jennifer)

2:53 PM: Via scanner, one person is reported injured, and this is described as a “significant exterior fire on several units.” Our crew is arriving in the area and confirms “serious smoke.”

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3:01 PM: The fire also is reported to be in the attic.

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(Photo courtesy @tantruong)

3:05 PM: For those asking about the helicopters, they are just TV. SFD does not have helicopters.

(WSB Instagram video – mouse over image to find and click play button)

3:15 PM: SFD is continuing to search the building. They also have called for more units.

crewinsmoke

3:27 PM: Via scanner, we hear they are calling for the Red Cross, which assists victims in situations like this – the number of units affected could be in the double digits. And we’ve confirmed this fire has now gone to 3 alarms (each “full response” group of units is one alarm, so this is roughly triple what would usually respond to a building fire).

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3:43 PM: Firefighters are focusing now on “hot spots.” Meantime, as mentioned in comment discussion, this is a Seattle Housing Authority complex. The SHA website says the complex has 51 units; we’re expecting an official briefing at the scene momentarily, to find out among other things how many units are affected.

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4:05 PM: More than three dozen SFD units remain on the scene – see the list here.

Just heard from our crew at the scene, after the briefing by SFD spokesperson Lt. Harold Webb. He says they have no information yet on how this started. (Added: Video of Lt. Webb’s entire briefing)

Contrary to an early report, no one has been hurt – it appears at this point that everyone got out OK. At least 20 units are damaged or destroyed – see the photo we added above, showing how much of the roof is gone in the building – so this is affecting a lot of families, and as mentioned, the Red Cross disaster response team is coming out to figure out how to help.

4:17 PM: Metro buses are being brought into the scene so that residents have someplace to go in the short run. And we’ve heard back from SHA communications director Kerry Coughlin, who says, “SHA has numerous senior property management and communications staff on the scene. We absolutely will make sure all affected residents will have housing until their units are safe and restored. We will work with the Red Cross and other community partners as needed and use emergency hotel vouchers or other resources as needed.”

5:10 PM: Some of the units are being dismissed. Please continue to avoid Delridge/Orchard TFN; Metro says Route 120 is still being rerouted. Meantime, we have added video at the top of this report, taken even before SFD arrived, shared by next-door neighbor Seth, who says, “I live next door. I saw smoke, ran around the side and saw flame and smoke and didn’t hear any alarms. I saw one cop run in the south entrance and up the stairs so I ran in the downstairs hallway to activate an alarm, which thankfully worked. I took the video right after. Pretty scary stuff. I went up the driveway to our house and grabbed our cat and car and headed out. I’m soooo grateful for SFD right now. I’m convinced they saved our house.” We are also adding, inline above, several more photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand taken during the peak of the firefight. He’ll be going back to the scene later this evening to follow up.

7:50 PM: Delridge Way has reopened.

8:14 PM: From our return to the scene – the Red Cross is there:

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47 people were displaced; 35 are accepting help from the Red Cross, according to spokesperson Jennifer Blackwood, who says a temporary shelter is set up at Delridge Community Center for tonight and maybe tomorrow night. Cots were being set up there and dinner was waiting for the residents, who were getting a Metro bus ride to DCC. It was stressed again, if you want to help, please do it via the Red Cross. (Commenter McBride made that point eloquently earlier.)

We also talked with Seattle Housing Authority reps at the scene. More on that shortly.

9:41 PM: SFD remains on “fire watch” all night, meaning at least one crew will be on scene in case there’s a flareup – this is fairly standard with major fires. No word yet on the cause; the investigation continues tomorrow.

SHA told us at the scene that they also have private security to help SFD keep the scene secure. They in the meantime are working with building managers on the next step. They’ll go in to assess the damage once SFD gives them the go-ahead, possibly as soon as tomorrow. That’s also when they will start working to find SHA housing for those who don’t have family or friends to stay with; they stress that they will do their best to keep families close to the schools their children attend and to ensure people are still able to get to their jobs.

They also wanted to thank their on-site managers, SFD, and the SW Precinct police for their quick response and getting everyone out safely after the fire broke out.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Updates on 3 repeat offenders, including a plea bargain
September 27, 2016 1:53 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three updates today on repeat offenders whose cases we have been checking on:

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(July surveillance photo, provided by burglary victim)

PLEA BARGAIN FOR JESSICA DETRICK: She is the repeat offender most memorable for surveillance video/photos showing her with her dog in tow at crime scenes. We reported in August that she was charged in two burglaries, June in Highland Park and July in Upper Fauntleroy. Now, checking back on her case, we discovered that Detrick, 36, has struck a plea bargain and pleaded guilty to three counts – residential burglary in the July case, criminal trespass and third-degree theft in the June case. Charging documents noted that Detrick had 38 warrants in King County since 2000, as well as arrest and/or conviction records in Illinois and Arizona; her first conviction was at age 15. Her sentencing is set for October 14th before King County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ramsdell, but she is not being recommended for prison time; instead, prosecutors write that she appears to be eligible for the residential version of the Drug Offender Sentencing Alternative (DOSA), and recommend 24 months of community custody (probation) provided she spends three to six months in residential drug-dependency treatment. If she doesn’t comply, she would face jail time beyond what she will have served at the time of her sentencing.

SEAN JEARDOE: The serial burglar with whom Detrick was arrested twice in 2013 (as summarized in this WSB followup last June) – though she was never charged in either case – is back in jail, we noticed while checking the roster today. Jeardoe (Department of Corrections photo at right) was released from prison earlier this year after serving a DOSA sentence that included mandatory treatment (here’s our report on the 2014 sentencing); then in June, he was arrested and charged in with drug possession. In July, a failure-to-appear warrant was issued, and as of this morning, he’s in jail in connection with that warrant and for investigation of possessing a stolen vehicle. We don’t yet know where the new arrest happened but we’re checking.

ALAN POLEVIA: We’ve reported on this 35-year-old serial burglar multiple times over the past several years. Polevia (Department of Corrections photo at right, from 2013 WSB story) has been in the King County Jail four times this year alone, according to the roster records, most recently getting out on September 1st after two and a half weeks. While checking the court files’ “new charges” list recently, we found a new case filed against him, unlawful gun possession, in connection with an April incident in West Seattle. According to the charging documents, Polevia was found unconscious in the 8600 block of 29th SW the morning of April 26th, face up, with a loaded .22 caliber handgun next to him and a box of 100 rounds of ammunition in a backpack next to him. When revived, he told police he had swallowed a half-ounce of heroin and that the gun wasn’t his; police checked, but it hadn’t been reported as stolen. He wasn’t booked into jail at the time, but instead taken to Harborview. The charges filed September 16th have resulted in a $25,000 warrant for his arrest.

P.S. One more reminder, a King County prosecutor who works on repeat-offender cases will be the guest at tonight’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting, 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) – as previewed on the WSBWCN website.

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Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup: Sunday’s results, and 2017 dates
September 27, 2016 12:31 pm
|    Comments Off on Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup: Sunday’s results, and 2017 dates
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

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(WSB photo from midway through last Sunday’s Recycle Roundup)

Another big harvest for the fall edition of the Recycle Roundup free-dropoff event in Fauntleroy this past Sunday. Judy Pickens has the numbers, and the dates for next year:

Sunday’s fall recycle roundup at Fauntleroy Church brought in 9.25 tons for responsible recycling. The crew from 1 Green Planet unloaded just over 400 vehicles. The church’s green committee will host the 2017 roundups on Sunday, April 23, and Sunday, September 24.

When April gets closer, we’ll remind you, of course, especially once the “what will and won’t be accepted” list comes in.

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7 possibilities for your West Seattle Tuesday
September 27, 2016 10:35 am
|    Comments Off on 7 possibilities for your West Seattle Tuesday
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

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(Mount Rainier, Seacrest, and Salty’s – one of tonight’s spotlight event locations – photographed Sunday by Robert Spears)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:

VOTER REGISTRATION DAY & BALLOT-BOX CELEBRATION: 4-7 pm at High Point Library, in honor of National Voter Registration Day, celebrate the new ballot dropbox (ready for its second election, next month) and register to vote if you aren’t already registered. (35th SW/SW Raymond)

BOEING FIELD MASTER PLAN OPEN HOUSE: What’s in the future for the airport closest to West Seattle? 5-7 pm tonight, you’re invited to an open house about the Boeing Field (King County International Airport) Master Plan. It’s at the airport’s South Arrivals area. (7277 Perimeter Road S.)

WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK: 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, WSBWCN’s featured guest is from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, talking about prosecuting repeat property-crime offenders. Here’s the preview on the WSBWCN website. You don’t have to be in a Block Watch to attend – all welcome. (2300 SW Webster)

JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION: Live/work in The Junction? See what’s up with your neighborhood organization. 6:30 pm at the Sisson Building/Senior Center. Agenda highlights are in our calendar listing. (SW Oregon/California SW)

TUESDAY TUNE-UP: Live music and awareness-raising at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), 6:30-8:30 pm, benefiting Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST), as explained in our calendar listing. (1936 Harbor SW)

SIGGIE THE VINTAGE MAN: Live music at Whisky West in Morgan Junction, 7-9 pm. No cover; 21+. (6451 California SW)

JOE ROSS & THE BIRD WATCHERS: Live New Orleans honky-tonk music at Parliament Tavern in The Admiral District, starting at 8 pm. No cover; 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

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FOLLOWUP: Seeking solutions to school-sports transportation trouble
September 27, 2016 9:00 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

West Seattle High School‘s athletic director says their Friday night football game vs. Cleveland HS at Southeast Athletic Complex might have to be canceled because of the ongoing transportation problem with away games.

That’s what AD Trevor Leopold told the 20+ people at last night’s community meeting called to strategize how to get Seattle Public Schools to address the ongoing problem, which is affecting other schools too.

Patrick Sand covered the meeting for WSB: Read More

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday alerts & updates
September 27, 2016 6:58 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:58 AM: No incidents to report so far this morning.

THIS WEEK’S ALERTS
*Spokane St. project continues east of the low bridge
*Work on the Admiral Way Safety Project starts tomorrow
*Seattle Public Schools get out two hours early tomorrow
*West Seattle Bridge west-end closure 12-9 am Saturday to replace damaged jersey barriers

7:42 AM: Crash reported at West Marginal S & Holden, which is the entrance to the NB 1st Ave S. Bridge.

7:48 AM: SDOT reports a crash in the bus lane on the EB West Seattle Bridge.

8:07 AM: Update on the W Marginal/Holden crash – WSDOT now shows it on SB 99 south of the 1st Ave S Bridge, not NB.

8:44 AM: SDOT says the West Seattle Bridge crash has cleared.

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SHOW YOUR WORK! Community art showcase @ Southwest Library
September 26, 2016 11:56 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

It’s time to show off your art at the Southwest Library – the 25th annual community showcase starts this week!

If you make visual art – sign up to display and drop off up to 3 pieces. Dropoffs are this Thursday (September 29th) through Saturday (October 1st).

If you make music – MP3 submissions are open starting now. Upload 3 songs to spl.org/southwestartistsshowcase for the branch’s new music listening station.

And then – show up for the artist reception on Sunday (October 2nd) at 2 pm at the library (35th SW/SW Henderson)! Your work will be showcased throughout October.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Grocery thief steals school snacks; dumped bicycles
September 26, 2016 9:58 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

STOLEN GROCERIES: From Ryan in Gatewood/south Morgan Junction:

Our Amazon Fresh grocery delivery was stolen from our front door this morning between 4 am – 6 am. We live on SW Myrtle St near Caffe Ladro. Unfortunately, it contained all of the school snacks we had ordered for our son’s preschool class. I confirmed with Amazon that it was delivered and our empty Amazon Fresh containers we left out had been taken.

DUMPED BICYCLE #1 Also in south Morgan Junction, this bicycle turned up, apparently abandoned, near the McDonald’s:

DUMPED BICYCLE #2: And Jason found this one in an unspecified location:

Recognize either of those? Let us know. Last but not least, another reminder:

WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS NETWORK TUESDAY NIGHT: 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct, WSBWCN’s meeting features a guest from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office talking about prosecution of repeat offenders. Questions about what happens after suspects are charged? Bring ’em. The precinct is at 2300 SW Webster, and you don’t have to be part of a Block Watch to attend.

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Meantime, during The Debate …
September 26, 2016 8:06 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

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Thanks to Jamie Kinney for the photo of the sculpted sky during tonight’s sunset less than an hour ago; you might have missed if you were among the estimated 100,000,000 people watching The Debate. We got to see it while out checking on an unrelated reader tip, but our phone photo does not compare. Forecast says those clouds might bring in a bit of rain tomorrow morning.

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West Seattle scene: Watching The Debate
September 26, 2016 6:39 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

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6:39 PM: Admiral Bird is among the West Seattle spots where people are gathered right now to watch the first Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump presidential debate. From TV to YouTube to Twitter, in the words of one anchor, this might just be the “biggest electronic event in history.” It’s scheduled to continue until 7:30 our time; if you missed this one and want to see rounds 2 and 3 – here’s the schedule – October 9th and 19th, with the one and only VP debate on October 4th.

7:41 PM: Debate’s over. Just in case you weren’t watching it, but were wondering.

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ROAD-WORK ALERT: SW Admiral Way project starts Wednesday
September 26, 2016 4:16 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

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SDOT had said that the SW Admiral Way Safety Project would start work this week; this afternoon, they sent word that it’ll begin on Wednesday:

The Seattle Department of Transportation advises travelers that work on the SW Admiral Way Safety Project in West Seattle will start on Wednesday, September 28, and last for about one week, depending on weather.

Starting at 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28, travelers can expect:

• No parking on both sides of SW Admiral Way between California Ave SW and 63rd Ave SW to keep a travel lane in each direction open

• Existing striping will be removed Wednesday; new striping will be installed Thursday and Friday

• Temporary lane closures and lane shifts around the work area; flaggers will be present to direct traffic

• Sidewalks will remain open during work; people biking on the sidewalk must yield to people walking at all times

• People biking should use alternate routes during construction

• Construction equipment, trucks, noise and activity will be in the area for about one week

Over the past year and a half, SDOT has worked with the community on a new street design for SW Admiral Way between California Ave SW and 63rd Ave SW. The project will create a comfortable and predictable bike connection between Alki and the business district at California Ave SW. The new design will reduce speeding and collisions, and accommodate on-street parking. SDOT would like to thank the public for its patience while this work is completed.

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FOLLOWUP: Power back on, SW Oregon open in West Seattle Junction
September 26, 2016 3:46 pm
|    Comments Off on FOLLOWUP: Power back on, SW Oregon open in West Seattle Junction
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news

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3:46 PM: Seattle City Light has just restored power to the Junction businesses/residences that have been out in the aftermath of this morning’s Junction construction-site crane-in-wires incident (WSB coverage here) that left two workers in critical condition. Some businesses had closed because of the outage, while we found at least three that were able to stay open. We had a crew in the area just before power came back on, and we’re heading back over momentarily for an update, and to check on whether SW Oregon has reopened.

4:41 PM: Yes, the road has reopened.

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