West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
Thanks to Jason Bell for the Friday morning photos from Alki, less than an hour after the highest tide of the month, 13.0 feet at 7:07 am. A brisk wind brought spray as well as seawall slopover.
Saturday morning’s tide will be almost as high, peaking at 12.9 feet just before 8 am. If you go out to watch, bundle up – the temperature (already into the mid-20s as we write this) will be even lower than it was this morning.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One of those incidents in which someone fires a gun – not hitting anyone, but scaring nearby people who flood 911 with calls – is about to send someone to prison.
The repeat offender arrested in May after a gunfire incident in North Delridge is back in jail and awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to two of the three charges filed against him.
We reported May 11th on the gun and drug charges filed against 30-year-old Dale Hiller, days after his arrest. He was seen standing along Delridge near Genesee, firing a gun. Police heard the shots; neighbors called 911 to say they heard the shots; and a ride-share driver called 911 to report seeing the shots being fired. Officers subsequently found Hiller standing next to a backpack he claimed wasn’t his; inside it, police found a gun, drugs, and cash. They also found shell casings. They arrested Hiller – a convicted felon who couldn’t legally own a gun – and booked him into jail.
Less than two days later, he posted bond on $150,000 bail and got out. But before he pleaded guilty this past Wednesday to the gun charge and one drug charge, records show, Hiller was in and out of jail three more times.
The King County Jail Register shows Hiller was back in KCJ for a day in early July, related to an alleged drug offense; less than two weeks later, he was booked into jail again for DUI and for revocation of the bond from his May arrest. The incident number checks to an arrest on the Alaskan Way Viaduct; the jail register shows he remained in custody until October 5th. Less than two weeks after that, the jail register shows, he was back in for three days for a failure-to-appear warrant connected to the DUI case. He got out on October 18th and hasn’t shown up on the jail register since then.
As part of the plea agreement, he was taken back into custody after his guilty plea this past Wednesday, and is due to remain there until his sentencing on January 6th. Online documents show prosecutors plan to recommend a sentence of 7 years, 3 months.
That video produced by Seattle Public Schools features Mike Popelka, who’s been teaching at Roxhill Elementary in West Seattle for seven years. He’s being spotlighted on the district website right now for receiving a prestigious Fulbright Award, which will take him to The Netherlands:
… Popelka recently accepted a Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching grant. The longtime kindergarten teacher is one of only 45 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad this year through Fulbright’s teaching program.
While in The Netherlands, Popelka will study the Dutch educational system – specifically how the system supports minority and immigrant students. Later, he plans to translate his study into practice both at Roxhill and across the district. His goal is to help find a way to help eliminate opportunity gaps for his students and all students.
Popelka officially received the award in June. See the full SPS writeup about it here.
After one year as the West Seattle/South Park representative on the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors, Highland Park resident Leslie Harris has been elected vice president. Harris, a longtime advocate and activist before her election last year, has already spent a year on the board’s Executive Committee as member-at-large. The School Board chose its 2017 leaders as last week’s meeting, and the district sent an official announcement to media outlets this afternoon. Sue Peters is the new president, and Scott Pinkham is Executive Committee member-at-large.
P.S. Harris’s next community-conversation meeting is tomorrow (Saturday, December 17th), 1-3 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW)
Photo: Seattle Public Schools
From the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – Two helpings of holiday coolness at Easy Street Records this weekend:
SATURDAY – Caspar Babypants in-store, free, 6:30 pm! ESR says, “CB will perform songs from his new album ‘Winter Party!’, which features holiday standards like ‘Deck The Halls,’ ‘Joy To The World,’ and ‘Jingle Bells,’ as well as soon to be classics such as ‘Candy Cane’ and ‘Frozen Penguin.’ [And the song in the video above.] Free and all ages!
Then on Sunday, the Santa you’ve waited all year to see:
(WSB photo from December 2015)
SUNDAY – Holiday photos with Cocoa Cris Cringle, 4-9 pm, back again this year to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank: $20, or $15 with non-perishable food or toy donation, includes 3 photos sent to you and hard copy printed on the spot!”
West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold has “in-district office hours” today – 3:30-7 pm at the SP Community Center (8319 8th Ave. S.), “walk-in friendly” as described in her newest online update, just published/e-mailed. Also in that update is her report on this week’s council vote on capping move-in fees for renters. Since we hadn’t made note of the vote previously, we’re republishing what she wrote today:
On Monday, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to pass the Renters’ move-in fee cap legislation. This legislation will require property owners who rent to work with tenants needing an installment plan to help renters better afford the high upfront costs required to rent. Earlier this year, the Federal Reserve announced that 46% of adults could not cover an emergency expense costing $400 without selling something or borrowing money. Seattle’s high housing costs make it increasingly difficult to live in Seattle. Even middle-income households, especially families with children, struggle to meet the high prices of housing in most areas of the city.
I also understand property owners need to collect move-in fees to mitigate the risks arising from tenant damage to units and moving out without proper advanced notice. Some suggested an exemption from this legislation for property-owners who rent 4 or fewer units. In lieu of exempting small landlords, the Council did the following: (1) Exempted move-in fees that total 25% or less than one month’s full rent; (2) Exempted owner-occupied units; (3) Adopted language that allows the tenant and property owner to negotiate a different payment plan then the one required by legislation; and (4) Requires that reservation fees, also known as holding fees, be subtracted from the total move-in costs, thus reducing the total subject to an installment plan.
This legislation will be evaluated over the next 18 months and I have asked that the evaluation of this legislation include an analysis of how small and large landlords are impacted by the legislation.
The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections is charged with implementing the move-in fee legislation. If you have any questions, please contact Geoff Tallent by email at Geoff.Tallent@seattle.gov or by phone at 206-684-8452.
Councilmember Herbold’s full online update tackles a few other topics, too – read it in its entirety here.
(The Olympics this morning, by James Bratsanos. As with almost all photos on WSB, you can click to open a larger view)
Happy Friday! Many highlights for the rest of today/tonight. First, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
GIFT IDEAS @ HOMESTREET: HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) in The Junction will host vendors for a mini-bazaar: “Just a couple of locals selling some things that might make nice Christmas presents. We have one artist selling some cute little paintings, and we have someone else who will be selling essential oils. The event starts at noon and will probably go until about 5 pm or so. We’ll have cocoa and cookies also to enjoy while browsing.” (41st SW/SW Alaska)
HOLIDAY WINE RELEASE: Happening today (and tomorrow!) at Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor). Two new wines: “Our new Holiday wine release includes a 2014 Chardonnay called ‘The Betrayal’ and a 2013 Merlot called ‘Heart Box Red.’ Past vintages of these same wines have won several awards and these two new wines follow in their great heritage.” 5-9 pm tonight, 2-7 pm Saturday. (5910 California SW)
HOLIDAY MOVIES: Short at 6:15, main feature at 7 pm, at Highland Park Improvement Club. Free – bring $ for concessions. Full details, including movie hints, on the HPIC website. (12th SW/SW Holden)
BELLS OF THE SOUND: Sounds of the holiday! Bells of the Sound live at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor): This year’s holiday concert is “Holiday Special,” featuring songs from beloved holiday-season TV specials. Come see and hear Puget Sound’s premier handbell ensemble at 7:30 pm – “as we reminisce with songs from our favorite holiday television specials including ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ ‘The Year Without Santa Claus,’ and ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’.” show and ticket details here – suggested donation $10/adults, $8/youth and seniors. (3940 41st SW)
FESTIVAL OF LESSONS AND CAROLS: Northwest Boychoir‘s annual “Festival of Lessons and Carols” at Holy Rosary Church, 7:30 pm. Five singers are from West Seattle, the announcement says:
They include Jackson Cecil and Hayden Wainwright, both 15 and at Garfield HS and Northwest School respectively, and 14-year-old Washington MS students Claire Ellerwood and Livia Woelfle. 12-year-old Emilya Buck is at Madison MS. The talented boys worked their way over many years to the top Performing Choir, and graduated to Vocalpoint! Seattle, where they were joined by the girls. They perform these thrilling concerts alongside the Northwest Boychoir that have become a holiday tradition for thousands of families in the Puget Sound region and showcase the 90-member combined chorus.
More info, including ticketing, here. (42nd SW/SW Genesee)
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: 7:30 pm performance tonight for the Twelfth Night Productions presentation of “Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Radio Play” at Kenyon Hall. Buy your ticket(s) online at this Brown Paper Tickets link, or before the show at the box office. (7904 35th SW)
Lots more in the Holiday Guide, including ongoing light shows, donation drives, more …
Now, from the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
(Thursday sunset photo by Dan E)
YOUTH SPEAKS SEATTLE POETRY SLAM! Doors, food, signups at 6 pm; slam starts 6:30 pm. Part of “an annual poetry slam series to build community, showcase the next generation of Seattle’s poetic changemakers, and to decide the top 5 poets to rep Seattle at Brave New Voices.” Go slam, or go watch and listen! At Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. More info in our calendar listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: All four of the West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School varsity teams are home tonight – WSHS girls and boys hosting Bishop Blanchet, 7 pm and 8:30 pm respectively (3000 California SW); CSIHS girls hosting Holy Names, 7 pm, boys hosting O’Dea at 8:30 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)
SQUIRREL BUTTER: Live at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
‘MELANCHOLIC POP’ with three bands at Parliament Tavern. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
As we head into the final weeks of the holiday season, just a reminder that we are continuing to update, and add to, the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, which launched in mid-November with the annual goal of being the definitive list of holiday events in our area, through New Year’s. So if you have something coming up but haven’t sent it to us yet – not too late! Holiday hours for your business, Santa appearances, religious services, opportunity for holiday giving/volunteering … send the info as plain text in the body of your e-mail to editor@westseattleblog.com ASAP! We also use the guide (and our regular Event Calendar) as the main source for our daily-highlights lists here on the home page. And thanks to everyone who has already sent the many West Seattle/White Center events we’ve showcased so far this season!
The West Seattle Food Bank is planning a big change that will enable it to be open for more hours, among other things, and if you’re thinking about how to help others this holiday season, here’s a way. It’s part of WSFB’s announcement:
This February, the West Seattle Food Bank will change its method of food distribution from a “distribution line” to a “shopping model.” It will feel more like a grocery store [example at right] and offer several advantages for the 9,300 individuals that rely on our services.
“We want to change the stereotype of what a food bank is,” said Executive Director Fran Yeatts. The Food Bank will provide more flexible hours for the 9,300 clients and offer a more dignified experience for those that rely on our services.
While we currently are open eight hours per week over three days, when we change to the shopping model we will be open 20 hours over four days. Instead of having staff or volunteers “hand out” the food, families will come in, grab a shopping cart, shop at their own pace, and make their own choices. With this model, “shoppers” will have greater access to more choices, and each household can choose the food that is nutritionally and culturally relevant for their members, leading to a much better experience.
How Can You Help Make It Happen?
The Food Bank has a goal of $40,000 — for upgraded lighting ($10,000) to save on electricity for years to come, a commercial freezer ($20,000), and a commercial cooler ($10,000) to set up our new model. The freezer and cooler will allow us to offer the neighbors we serve more choices for dairy, meat and other products.
If you would like to help make a difference for our clients, you can make a tax-deductible donation – big or small – by sending a check made out to the West Seattle Food Bank at 3419 SW Morgan Street, Seattle, WA 98126 or going to donatenow.networkforgood.org/wsfbshoppingmodel.
We are very excited about this change as it will provide more flexible “shopping time” and a much more empowering experience for the families we serve.
(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)
7:02 AM: Good morning! Winter break starts this afternoon for local students; it’s one-hour-early dismissal for Seattle Public Schools. No incidents in or from this area so far this morning.
7:32 AM: It’s below freezing but no snow concerns – the newest “forecast discussion” says there’s a possibilities of flurries or “light snow showers” tomorrow but otherwise precipitation and low temps aren’t expected to collide.
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