West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
(Added: Reader video by Tracy. Alert, ambient sound includes profanity)
9:55 PM: In case you’re hearing the sirens: What we tuned into as King County Sheriff’s Office deputies followed/pursued a car into Arbor Heights has ended in a “car fire” call at California/106th [map]. Before that, a deputy had reported that the car’s driver tried to ram her at some point east of there. The driver has apparently bolted, as a K-9 team is being summoned to help search.
10:12 PM: Added reader video of the burning car. No report yet of an arrest. We aren’t sure yet what started this – except that it started somewhere east (25th/106th was the first location check we heard over the sheriff’s frequency).
10:30 PM: Tracy, who sent the video, says the fire is out but the search continues. Meantime, this photo also has been sent to us:
(Photo courtesy Robin)
10:47 PM: KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Ryan Abbott tells WSB the car involved was stolen car and that it indeed “rammed a Deputy,” who is OK. Meantime, a commenter reports seeing how it all started near 16th/107th in White Center. And nearby resident Tracy says SFD has departed – here’s the car, post-fire:
11:33 PM: Haven’t heard any updates for a while.
ADDED 12:10 PM MONDAY: Followed up today with Sgt. Abbott of KCSO. He confirms that the suspect has NOT been found. We also asked about the circumstances of the original car theft. He says it was taken in White Center – 1200 block of SW 107th – two weeks ago: “The victim had started his car to warm it up in the morning of 03/11 and when he returned to it, the car was gone.” It’s a 2007 Chrysler 300.
After seeing an online discussion about trash-can changes in Beacon Hill – some customers getting a larger can without increased capacity – Scott wondered if the same swapout is going to happen here. So we checked with Seattle Public Utilities spokesperson Sabrina Register, who says yes, in fact, it is, and the new cans/carts either are about to start arriving or already have. If you have a 20-gallon solid-waste container, Waste Management wlll replace it with a new one that has, Register explains, “the same dimensions as the existing Rehrig-brand 32g-service garbage cart, but will have a tan-color insert (screwed in) that reduces the cart’s capacity to 20-gallons.The inserts are not designed to be removed or added (again, screwed in/permanent). The new carts are better for drivers and customers because they roll and have attached lids.” This shouldn’t be a surprise; Register says affected customers should have received postcards (like this one) that were sent in late January.
P.S. Register also reminded us that, unrelated to this, SPU’s garbage rates are going up next month. This chart shows the change.
(WSB photos/video)
Almost two months after announcing she would run for re-election, City Councilmember Lisa Herbold became the third candidate in the race to hold a campaign-kickoff event.
Supporters gathered at Highland Park Improvement Club this afternoon to hear Herbold recap her first term and explain why she wants a second:
Herbold said she had kept promises to fight for renters’ and workers’ rights as well as for small-business protection. She also vowed to keep focusing on issues including transportation and displacement – reiterating that she sees the latter as continuing to contribute to homelessness, which she said can be “economic,” not just physical. She also described taking joy in “the constituent work that my team and I do … I work for you, and together we can get things done.”
She also spoke of working with other elected leaders; the 30 people listed on the event as co-hosts included Herbold’s colleague Councilmember Lorena González – a Junction resident – and State Senator Joe Nguyen:
They didn’t take the stage to speak but a few other co-hosts did, including West Seattle entrepreneur Tana Yasu:
She lauded Herbold for being “not pretentious” and for having “an ear and a heart to listen.”
PREVIOUS KICKOFF COVERAGE: Phil Tavel‘s launch at Easy Street Records is part of our February 1st report; Jesse Greene held a kickoff event at Talarico’s in late January. Brendan Kolding hasn’t announced a kickoff event yet; we interviewed him last month. Isaiah Willoughby hasn’t had a kickoff yet either and we’re still awaiting an acceptance of our repeated interview offer. All five candidates were at the season’s first forum last Thursday; here’s our coverage, with video. The field won’t be finalized until the official filing period in May; the top two in the August 6th primary will advance to November.
Congratulations to West Seattle BMX racer Hudson White, who’s qualified – again! – for the world championships! The report, photos, and video are from his dad Gil White, who’s been updating us on Hudson’s accomplishments now and then for a long time:
Hudson White – recently back from a qualifying race in Albuquerque, NM – punched his ticket to represent Team USA at the 2019 UCI World BMX Championships in Belgium this summer. He will compete in the 12 boys Challenge Class against 100+ other 12-year-old boys representing their respective countries.
Hudson has qualified for the BMX World Championships in each of the past three years – attending
Rock Hill, SC in 2017 and passing on Baku, Azerbaijan in 2018.
If this looks fun, grab a bike and come join Hudson at the North SeaTac BMX track.
1:22 PM: Police are reporting via radio communication that Harbor Avenue SW is closed both ways in the 2100 block because of a crash. This has drawn a heavier-than-usual police response because people were reported to have fled the scene after crashing into parked cars. Officers say they have two people in custody. They’re calling SFD medics because one may be hurt. Avoid the area.
1:26 PM: Also per radio communication, the car that was being driven in the crash is reported to have been stolen, in Tukwila.
1:56 PM: Photo added atop the story. The car in the foreground, which is about to be towed, is the stolen car; the one in the background is the one it hit. This is right by the entrance to Jack Block Park. Police tell us both people in custody are “adult males”; this happened after the car already had attracting their attention and they were trying to get the driver to pull over – he instead hit the other car and he and a passenger bolted, but were quickly taken into custody. They hope to have the street cleared and reopened within a half-hour or so.
3:28 PM: SDOT says Harbor cleared around the too of the hour.
MONDAY UPDATE: We followed up with SPD. The driver, 18, remains in King County Jail for investigation of stolen-property possession and attempted eluding. The passenger, 17, was questioned and released to his family.
MONDAY NIGHT NOTE: The driver’s bail was set today at $20,000
Until 1 pm, Hate-Free Delridge and friends are in The Junction, as announced, at the south end of the block that’s closed every Sunday for the West Seattle Farmers’ Market.
The group planned the rally to show opposition to Islamophobia in the wake of the New Zealand mosque massacres.
Hate-Free Delridge is in its third year.
A reminder today from Washington State Ferries, for people who use the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route:
Starting in ONE WEEK, the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route will be operating on a brand new weekday and adjusted weekend schedule! Be sure to make your plans by picking up a green Spring 2019 sailing schedule or going online (here).
Meantime, the Triangle Route will be back to the regular three-boat schedule tomorrow.
(Saturday scene on Elliott Bay, photographed by Lynn Hall)
For your first Sunday of spring:
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm in the street in the heart of The Junction – first WSFM of spring! (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)
RALLY AGAINST HATE: 11 am-1 pm, stand with Hate-Free Delridge and friends in The Junction to stand against hate, as announced earlier this week. (California/Alaska)
ARTISAN SUNDAY: Canna West Culture Shop invites you to its first Artisan Sunday, featuring local artists Cat McCadden and Laura Boos. 11 am-4 pm. (5435 California SW)
CLOTHING SWAP: At Nepenthe, noon-4 pm: “Bring clothes, take clothes or just come and hang out.” (9447 35th SW)
‘ON BEING GENDERED’: 1 pm at Admiral Church, you’re welcome at a free workshop that’s explained here. (4320 SW Hill)
BIKE RIDE: 1:15 pm, meet up with West Seattle Bike Connections at Starbucks in The Junction to get ready for this ride downtown and back, with an extended stop at Seapine Brewing in SODO. (California/Alaska)
INTERSECTIONS FESTIVAL FINALE: 2 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, one more show by exceptional entertainers – lineup and ticket info here. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
CAMPAIGN KICKOFF: City Councilmember Lisa Herbold‘s official re-election-campaign kickoff is 2-4 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club. (1116 SW Holden)
BRENDAN McGOVERN QUARTET: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), “a genre-bending group that fuses elements of classical and jazz music.” (5612 California SW)
NORTHWEST BOYCHOIR: 7 pm at Holy Rosary, it’s the fifth season for the choir’s Choral Tradition series. Details are in our calendar listing. (42nd/Genesee)
PREVIEW THE WEEK AHEAD … by browsing our complete calendar.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Street robberies remain a top crime concern for the Southwest Precinct.
That’s what attendees heard at this past week’s monthly meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, which also featured a Q&A opportunity with a manager for the SPD 911 center.
The robbery trend has continued since the meeting – with officers dispatched to three more robbery reports this weekend, one in The Junction, one in North Delridge, one on Harbor Avenue. We have no details on the latter but we know the first was for a purse and the second for a phone, which is what police say most victims are being targeted for. Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis and operations Lt. Steve Strand told the WSCPC that more than two dozen such robberies had been reported since the start of the year, often teens robbing other teens.
One attendee then spoke up to identify herself as the mother of a victim of a phone robbery and assault.
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