day : 23/01/2017 10 results

West Seattle schools: Peak season for open houses, tours

January 23, 2017 9:05 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Now that we’re in the second half of the school year, many families are looking ahead to fall, and it’s peak season for open houses and tours, at Seattle Public Schools as well as local independent schools. The WSB West Seattle Event Calendar is one place to find tour dates – we add all the ones we receive (if you haven’t sent yours, editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!). For example, the dates are in for both of the SPS K-8 “option schools” in West Seattle:

*PATHFINDER K-8 (1901 SW Genesee) – Dates are listed here, including tours and two evening open houses, 6:30 pm January 31st for elementary, 6:30 pm February 2nd for middle school.

*LOUISA BOREN K-8 STEM (5950 Delridge Way SW) – Dates are listed here, including tours and the February 9th open house for all grades, in two sessions – 6-7 pm for elementary, 7:30-8:30 pm for middle school.

SPS open enrollment starts February 13th, and school-choice info is here.

Some of what else you’ll find on our calendar this week:

*Alki Elementary morning tours (Tuesday and Thursday)
*Seattle Lutheran High School evening open house (Thursday)
(added) *Genesee Hill Elementary morning kindergarten tours (Friday)
*West Seattle Montessori School & Academy (WSB sponsor) afternoon open house (Saturday)
*Our Lady of Guadalupe open house (Sunday)
*Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School open house (Sunday)
(added) *Holy Rosary School open house (Sunday)

Again, if you have tours/open houses to add to our calendar, editor@westseattleblog.com ASAP – thanks!

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FOLLOWUP: 2 suspects jailed in theft of West Seattle Junction US Bank ATM

January 23, 2017 5:08 pm

| 18 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from Sunday)

We have full details now on the arrest of two men in connection with the theft of the West Seattle Junction US Bank’s drive-up ATM early Sunday.

After we reported the theft on Sunday, a commenter from Lake City mentioned the arrest of two men and recovery of a vehicle – but we didn’t have the official information connecting it all until just now.

Bail was set at $200,000 for a 28-year-old Shoreline man and $75,000 for a 35-year-old Sammamish man.

Probable-cause documents say the theft happened just after 5 am, when a citizen called 911 to say a nearby building shook and that they saw a forklift being used to steal the ATM from the bank on SW Edmunds.

It was reported as stolen from a “nearby hardware store” – reportedly Junction TrueValue, a block away. We photographed it after a reader tip about police activity turned out to be the impounding of the forklift post-theft:

(WSB photo from Sunday)

The police report says that video shows three people stealing the forklift by using wire cutters to get into a secure area at the store. The ATM was torn away from its spot in the drive-thru and loaded into “a stolen cargo van,” police say.

Just after 1:30 pm, the stolen van was spotted in Issaquah by state troopers. As our commenter wrote, a significant pursuit followed – with the van going the wrong way on one-way streets along the way – and eventually it was located in Lake City, with the ATM still inside. The suspects tried to run, “stripping off clothing” as they bolted, according to the report, but officers eventually caught them. Here’s the photo the commenter says shows the stolen van:

(Reader photo from Sunday)

The probable-cause documents say the two suspects both confessed to at least some parts of what happened, including stealing the ATM. The 28-year-old man is reported to have told police that this was the 8th time he has stolen an ATM, and the report describes him as “an extremely active ATM thief”; the 35-year-old man claimed it was his first, and, the report says, “seemed proud he didn’t hit any other vehicles during the pursuit.” Both are reported to have confessed to trying to get into the ATM safe with a saw – but being unable to.

Both are due back in court on Wednesday afternoon. The third suspect shown stealing the forklift is apparently still on the loose.

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YOU CAN HELP: Six restaurants added to Wednesday’s Mission Cantina-led benefit for crash survivor Britt Russell

January 23, 2017 3:28 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

This Wednesday’s benefit for Britt Russell – who was on her way to work at Mission Cantina when a driver hit her two months ago – has expanded. In addition to what Mission’s doing – as previewed here – six restaurants elsewhere in West Seattle are also donating a portion of their proceeds that night. Mission co-proprietor Peter Morse sent word, with this poster:

Circa is at 2605 California SW
Peel & Press (WSB sponsor) is at 6503 California SW
The Westy is at 7908 35th SW
The Bridge is at 6301 California SW
Copper Coin is at 2329 California SW
West 5 is at 4539 California SW

And Mission, where the silent auction is planned 6 to 10 pm Wednesday (and where 20 percent of proceeds will be donated), is at 2325 California SW. Britt, meantime, was in the hospital for a month and a half but still has a lot of recovering to do.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 1 arrested after Arbor Heights car prowl leads to search

January 23, 2017 1:21 pm

| 15 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Crime | West Seattle news

For everyone who asked about the Arbor Heights police search early this morning – officers were gone by the time we got there in search of information, but we’ve just obtained details from the report, via SPD media relations. Around 6 am, a call about a car prowl in progress brought officers to the 3500 block of SW 112th. “Two car prowlers were said to have been chased off by one of the two victims,” Det. Mark Jamieson tells us. A K-9 team tracked the suspects to a nearby driveway, hiding “inbetween cars.” One got away; the other, a 28-year-old man, was arrested for investigation of car prowling and trespass.

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FOLLOWUP: Slide cleanup continues in Fauntleroy; city ‘green tags’ 1 house for limited access

January 23, 2017 11:58 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| Fauntleroy | Safety | West Seattle news

11:58 AM: Work continues today in the Fauntleroy neighborhood hit by a slide late Thursday night, which crews at the scene said had resulted from a water break, a 2-inch-line break that Seattle Public Utilities was still investigating when last we checked. Meantime, they’re the lead agency on the cleanup; the view above is looking east at the dead end of SW Cambridge, toward California SW (this vicinity).

Among the city departments with which we checked for our Friday followup was the Department of Construction and Inspections. They had sent inspectors to the area to check on houses by the slide, but the results weren’t in until this morning. Spokesperson Wendy Shark says they checked two houses; one in the 4300 block of SW Cambridge was found to have some structural damage, according to the “green tag” city posted to advise “limited access,” while the other, in the 9300 block of California SW, had “no structural damage found.” The specific condition placed on the Cambridge house is “entry limited in garage until slide has been removed.”

ADDED 2:43 PM: We have a cleanup update from SPU’s Andy Ryan: “SPU crews are currently vactoring excess mud from around people’s homes. A contractor is stabilizing the slide area. This should be done by end of the day tomorrow. The length and scope of full cleanup area is still unknown.” Asked about the latest on the investigation, he also says, “The cause of the slide is not known at this time, and may never be known. We know that when the slide was over, there was a broken main. We just don’t know which came first — slide or break.” What does someone with property damage do? “People who have had property damage should contact our Claims Office. … Visit our Claims website, http://www.seattle.gov/filing-a-damage-claim, or call our claims advisor Allison Micheli directly, 206-684-3124.”

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City inspecting more units at San Juan Apartments in The Junction, where water damage forced tenants to vacate one unit

January 23, 2017 11:10 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Safety | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

City inspectors are checking more apartments today at a Junction building where they ordered one unit vacated for health/safety concerns. Readers asked us Friday night about the posting on the door at the San Juan Apartments at 4840 California SW; we made contact this morning with Department of Construction and Inspections spokesperson Bryan Stevens:

Last week our code compliance inspector responded to a complaint from a tenant related to water damage in their unit. After inspection, it became clear that significant leaks were coming from the flat roof above. That specific unit is no longer habitable or safe to occupy, so our inspector notified the property manager informing them we’ve issued an Emergency Order to Close and Vacate. The tenants had already moved out most of their belongings before inspection, but this formal notice from SDCI now allows the tenant access to financial relocation assistance from the property owner. A low-income household will receive $4133; if not low-income, they will receive the equivalent of two months’ rent for relocation assistance.

Today, we’ve received additional complaints from two other tenants in the top floor and are scheduling inspections. At this point in time, the damage appears to be limited to portions of the top floor. We have not ordered the entire building to be vacated, but could see additional top floor units deemed unsafe to occupy, depending on the scope of the damage. The property owner has scheduled a roofing company to begin making repairs next week.

We asked Stevens for a copy of the full order that’s partly visible on the building’s door; read it here.

P.S. If you have concerns about conditions in any rental unit – here’s what the city says you can do.

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UPDATE: Bellevue Police arrest 2 in Alki area

January 23, 2017 10:03 am

| 23 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

10:03 AM: Thanks for all the tips about a police response near 62nd/Admiral. Turns out it’s Bellevue Police, who arrested two people, one in connection with a series of burglaries, one for alleged eluding, officers tell us at the scene. More info as we get it.

10:48 AM: The house where this happened is in the 3200 block of 62nd SW. Neighbors report hearing a loud noise as the police operation got under way – likely a “flashbang” or similar type of device. No injuries reported. We have a message out to BPD’s public-information officer seeking more info on the related case.

11:27 AM: BPD spokesperson Officer Seth Tyler says a news release is forthcoming but in the meantime, “I can confirm that Bellevue Police Detectives, assisted by the Bellevue Police SWAT team, were in West Seattle this morning and did arrest two individuals. The suspects are suspected in a series of home burglaries throughout the Seattle area, and were considered armed and dangerous. One vehicle was also impounded as a part of the investigation.”

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Possibilities for your West Seattle Monday

January 23, 2017 9:36 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks for the photos from the show the Olympic Mountains are putting on so far today! Above, Mark Dale‘s photo of Mount Constance. Below, a panorama from James Bratsanos:

Besides mountain-gazing, here are your other options for today/tonight:

COWORKING DEAL: West Seattle’s only coworking center, WS Office Junction (WSB sponsor), is celebrating its fourth anniversary this week by offering you a gift – a whole week of coworking for $99. Just grab your laptop/tablet/notebook/whatever and go! More in our preview. (6040 California SW)

MOBILE BLOOD DRIVE: Can you give the gift of life? 1-7 pm, a mobile blood drive is happening today at Our Lady of Guadalupe – walk-ins welcome but not 3-4 pm, when they’ll be on break. (34th SW/SW Myrtle)

RENTERS’ WORKSHOP: 6:30-8 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, free workshop for current and future renters and tenant advocates – details in our calendar listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

COTTAGE FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP CIRCLE: “Do you want to start a small food business at home? Are you interested in discussing how small food businesses can aid in food security for individuals and families?” This is for you. 6-7:30 pm, help get this launched, with a gathering at Delridge Library. (5423 Delridge Way SW)

BALORICO: 8 pm, new series of Afro Latin Jazz dance classes starts at Kenyon Hall – details in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)

CRACKER FACTORY: 8-11 pm at West Seattle Brewing Company in The Triangle, live music. No cover. 21+. (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW)

THERE’S MORE TO DO! See our complete calendar. And send your event/meeting/show/etc. listing as early as you can … with info in plain text, in the body of your e-mail … editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday updates

January 23, 2017 6:48 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

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

(Top left, looking west over the high bridge; top right, looking west over the Spokane Street Viaduct; below, looking SW toward the low bridge. Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:48 AM: Good morning. No incidents in/from West Seattle right now. If you use Sound Transit light rail, though, note that delays are expected as emergency crews handle what ST calls a “pedestrian injury” on the tracks at MLK/Othello.

7:43 AM SPD says the light-rail-track incident has turned fatal, so the investigation closure will last a while.

10:52 AM: Here’s the SPD Blotter update on the light-rail-track death.

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TUESDAY: West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meets

January 23, 2017 12:20 am

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| Crime | Safety | West Seattle news

Tuesday night at the Southwest Precinct, the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meets for the first time since before the holidays. You don’t have to be a captain – or even part of a block watch – to be there. Tentatively scheduled guest is the SW Precinct’s Community Police Team officer who focuses on homelessness-related situations, Ofcr. Todd Wiebke. The WSBWCN announcement explains there’s a chance he might be diverted – in which case, that will extend the meeting’s time for participants to talk with other SWP police and with each other. The meeting’s at 6:30 pm Tuesday (January 24th) in the meeting room off the precinct’s public parking lot at 2300 SW Webster.