day : 04/11/2019 10 results

GUNFIRE INVESTIGATION: 911 calls about suspected gunfire along SW Roxbury – one report was near 35th, one near 23rd – have police out investigating right now. They told dispatchers they’ve found at least one shell casing, near 26th/Roxbury. No reports so far of any injuries.

Two reader reports:

STOLEN ART: From Flóra:

Sometime last week a Swiss Gear suitcase was lifted from my minivan parked in front of our house on 46th Ave SW. I thought the car was locked but apparently only the driver’s door was. I am a textile artist, and the suitcase was full of my work: hand-felted scarves, some vests and the dress in the picture:

I am hoping to get my suitcase and my inventory back as I have some shows coming soon. Any leads are appreciated!

You can reach Flóra at flora@florafelts.com.

MORE VANDALISM: In this morning’s Crime Watch, we had two reader reports of car glass deliberately smashed. Here’s another, from Kathleen:

My windshield was a victim last night as well (we live at 49th/Charlestown.) Our neighbor heard it happen at 4am – a loud smash, followed by tires screeching as the perpetrators sped away. Pretty lousy thing to wake up to on a Monday morning! Sorry to hear it happened to others as well.

Comments following the earlier report mentioned damage to two schools as well.

Share This

‘We need YOU!’ Chief Sealth IHS PTSA president’s plea

November 4, 2019 8:35 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photo from last June’s CSIHS commencement)

Getting to the goal of high school – graduation – isn’t just a long haul for the students. It takes a lot of work from everyone supporting them – teachers, family, and the community. Yes, fall is fundraising season and generous community members might have a bit of donor fatigue. But if you can sign up for one more good time for a good cause, the Chief Sealth InternationaL High School PTSA president Nicole Sipila has a message for you, looking ahead to their November 16th dinner/auction (5 pm at Brockey Center):

This is it. We are down to two weeks before the auction and we NEED YOU!

I’m going to be FRANK, we need 6-8 more tables of (10) to make this event pay for itself and raise $30,000, money enough for each group, Denny Sealth Performing Arts, Athletics and PTSA to have $10,000 to cover their year’s budgets.

This can seem like a lot of money, I know. But when you’re talking about 1150 students it doesn’t go very far. Did you know that we currently have 80 identified homeless students in our school? These are just the students who the administration knows about. It doesn’t count the others who are scraping by, surfing on friends and family’s couches. PTSA supports these students with our $10,000. Operating the Closet and food pantry. Giving money to teachers and department heads to buy supplies and other items that students need for success. Also, PTSA provides access to funds for ASB/Student groups and clubs that are also trying to make a difference in our school.

The Athletic department is always having to replace uniforms and equipment. Our scholar athletes use these things, hard! Five days a week with practices and games. Balls, bats, swimsuits, gym matts, uniforms don’t last forever, they must be replaced. And I hope you can understand how embarrassing it is for our kids to show up at events with mismatched uniforms. They work their tails off, and we need to support them. There is evidence that kids who participate in sports and other outside school activities do better in school, are more likely stay out of gangs and are less likely to use drugs & alcohol AND most importantly, more likely to graduate! Sports and activities are an important part of the high school experience. Athletics needs our support.

Music and Arts! This is what makes us truly human! The DSPA is an amazing organization that supports all the various music and performing groups at Denny & Sealth. Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Choir, Mariachi and hopefully soon, Theatre. These groups have excelled at Sealth and Denny. Winning numerous awards and traveling around the PNW to further the notoriety of our programs. And like sports equipment, music instruments need to be replaced and maintained. Hours of practice and performances take a toll. DSPA strives to offer scholarships to students who would not otherwise be able to afford an instrument, travel and perform. Because what is music & art if there is no audience to appreciate it?

So, this is it, Sealth. You’ve heard it, as plainly as I can state it. Please, please, please, show up for our kids. We are sweetening the pot so to speak. If you buy a table of ten, starting tonight, Friday Nov. 1st through Sunday, Nov. 10, you’ll get the early bird prices for your table and a bottle of red and white wine waiting for you and your guests.

This is really a fun event. Come in costume or not. It’s for the children but the adults get a great night out. Watch our amazing students perform and get to know other Denny and Sealth Parents.

GO Here NOW!

Share This

GREEN SEATTLE DAY: Love for Lincoln Park, and beyond

November 4, 2019 6:47 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Green Seattle Day 2019 – this past Saturday – was a shining success! So reports Lisa McGinty from Friends of Lincoln Park; she also shared the photos:
Just wanted to share our successful Green Seattle Day event, on November 2, 2019 and say THANK YOU to our awesome community.

Friends of Lincoln Park participated in a city-wide effort (Green Seattle Day) to plant native trees and plants in 17 Seattle Parklands. Lincoln Park had 40 volunteers and gave 400 trees and plants their forever home, in the north end of the park. City-wide, Green Seattle Partnership reported 1200 volunteers and nearly 9,000 trees and plants!

We had an absolutely perfect fall day for planting and a wonderful community to share the event with, including West Seattle’s Girl Scout Troop #45305, who were GREAT and planted a bunch of trees!

All that effort will help create healthy urban forests and healthy urban forests create healthy environments for the city and all that live in it.

Friends of Lincoln Park has frequent urban-restoration events – watch their website for word of the next one.

Share This

HEALTH: Pertussis reported in West Seattle; here’s what you need to know

November 4, 2019 4:00 pm

| 20 COMMENTS

| Health | West Seattle news

We have two reports of pertussis (whooping cough) in West Seattle. They could be the same case – we have no way so far to check, without hearing directly from someone involved.

First word came in this WSB Community Forums post, saying that “a vaccinated student at Madison Middle School just tested positive for pertussis. The parent was hyper-alert and had the test done when a ‘normal’ mild cold abruptly turned into a barking cough just four days after onset of symptoms.”

Then we learned that Fauntleroy Church was circulating a notice that a child who attended the Fauntleroy Fall Festival a week ago (on October 27th) has been diagnosed: “This child was contagious at the time, though the family did not suspect pertussis at the time. The family was at the bus stops, in the Fauntleroy Church/YMCA parking lot, and in several areas of the church building, including the sanctuary during the Endolyne Children’s Choir performance.” Here’s the full notice:

We contacted Seattle-King County Public Health, where spokesperson Hilary Karasz tells WSB, “We’ve had fewer cases in 2019 than in 2018 but yes, it remains a public health concern.” The newest stats:

-In September 2019 we had 5 cases of pertussis reported to us; in September 2018 we had 11 cases.

-Year to date (2019) we have had 33 cases reported; for the same time frame in 2018 we had 93 cases.

Karasz adds, “Infants are at biggest risk for severe illness or death from pertussis.” Here’s a fact sheet about the disease. If you have concerns about possible exposure, please contact your doctor.

Share This

FOLLOWUP: SDOT completes interim ‘Fauntleroy Boulevard’ changes

November 4, 2019 3:11 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| Transportation | Triangle | West Seattle news

(SDOT photo, island and ‘bike box’ at Fauntleroy/Alaska)

3+ months ago, SDOT announced it was finally about to start work on the “near-term improvements” promised while the Fauntleroy Boulevard project remains on hold, awaiting Sound Transit‘s light-rail routing decision. Today, SDOT says the work’s done.

(SDOT photo, painted curb bulb at 37th/Fauntleroy)

Project spokesperson Adonis Ducksworth said via email, “As you know, this year we’ve been working on designing and implementing minor improvements along Fauntleroy Way SW. While the full Fauntleroy Boulevard Project continues to hold pending Sound Transit’s alignment for light rail to West Seattle, we worked with key stakeholders to design near-term improvements that will improve safety and mobility on the corridor. I’m happy to say that these improvements have now been built! These changes included including painting new curb bulbs, creating a new bike crossing at SW Alaska St, installing a new traffic island, improving the crosswalk at SW Oregon St, and more.” The full list is shown here (PDF). The aforementioned stakeholder discussion was back in July 2018, half a year after the full project was put on hold.

Share This

ELECTION 2019: 30+ hours left to vote!

November 4, 2019 1:20 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Just arrived in the 44th/Alaska lot in The Junction – thanks to Lora Radford from the West Seattle Junction Association for the photo – signage for parking spots temporarily reserved for ballot drop-off. This dropbox is also next to bus stops. You have until 8 pm Tuesday to get your ballot into a dropbox (also nearby are ones outside the High Point, White Center, and South Park libraries – here’s the full countywide list). If you’re sending it by postal mail, don’t wait that long; it needs to be postmarked no later than tomorrow, and most mailbox pickups are earlier. As of today’s midday count, almost 80 percent of West Seattle/South Park ballots are still out.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Burglary search; car vandalism x 2; more…

November 4, 2019 11:53 am

| 20 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

We start West Seattle Crime Watch with the incident that led to a police search late last night:

AWAKENED BY A BURGLAR: We got a couple texts about a K9 search near Delridge/Juneau late last night and have now obtained the incident report with details. Around quarter to midnight, a woman called 911 to say she woke up to find an intruder standing over her bed. She told police she screamed and the burglar fled. She locked herself in her room and called 911. The burglar was described only as “an unknown-race male in dark hooded clothing.” He apparently entered through an unlocked sliding door; nothing was taken. A K9 team joined the search but didn’t find anyone.

One reader report so far today:

CAR VANDALIZED: Emailed by Mary, “Reporting property destruction – smashed car windshield, rock thrown through (it). Found damage this am, cross street 41st Ave SW & SW Hinds.” Police report filed.

(added 12:46 pm) Just received a similar report:

MORE CAR VANDALISM: Adrianne reports, “Parked car on Oregon and 48th Ave sw windshield was smashed with a brick. Car alarm and noise from driving vehicle woke us out of bed.” She sent this photo:

(back to original report) And a reminder:

PAWS ON PATROL: Second informational meeting for this new SPD program is tomorrow (Tuesday, November 5th), 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster). From crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner:

You can help prevent crime while you are walking your dog! Paws on Patrol encourages dog walkers to serve as extra eyes and ears for the Seattle Police Department. This program trains pet owners to prevent crime, as well as recognize and report suspicious activity.

Well-behaved dogs welcome. Meeting includes brief training and Q&A. No RSVP required. Free dog tags while they last. (Here’s our coverage of the first meeting in September.)

Share This

7 for the rest of your West Seattle Monday!

November 4, 2019 9:49 am

| Comments Off on 7 for the rest of your West Seattle Monday!

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Fall colors that fell. Photo by Robin Sinner, shared via WSB Flickr group. And don’t forget this!)

The first full week of November has begun! Here are some highlights:

SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE SPEAKER SERIES: Noon at Brockey Center on the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus – “Timothy Jacob Wise is an American anti-racism activist and writer. Since 1995, he has given speeches at over 600 college campuses across the U.S. He has trained teachers, corporate employees, non-profit organizations, and law enforcement officers in methods for addressing and dismantling racism in their institutions.” 50-minute talk followed by half an hour of Q&A. Community members welcome as well as SSC students and staff. (6000 16th SW)

HAM JAM: New and experienced operators are all welcome at this monthly West Seattle Amateur Radio Club-led gathering at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, 6-7 pm. (4217 SW Oregon)

OPEN HOUSE @ A CHILD BECOMES PRESCHOOL: Looking for preschool? 6:30-8 pm tonight, visit A Child Becomes (WSB sponsor) in North Admiral. Bring your child(ren) and your questions! (4320 SW Hill)

3 TRIVIA/QUIZ NIGHTS: Your Monday night options in West Seattle:
*Best of Hands Barrelhouse (7500 35th SW), 7 pm, $2/person, 21+
*The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 7:30 pm, free, all ages
*Parliament Tavern (4210 SW Oregon), 8 pm, $2/person, 21+

WEST SEATTLE QUILTERS: Twice-monthly meeting at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. 7 pm. All welcome. (4217 SW Oregon)

MORE AS ALWAYS … see our complete calendar!

Share This

WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Next location for Sound Transit soil testing

November 4, 2019 9:04 am

| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Next location for Sound Transit soil testing

| Sound Transit | Transportation | West Seattle news

The flyer from Sound Transit shows the next location their crew will be drilling for soil testing – 22nd SW on Pigeon Point. The flyer shows a map of the location, where work could start as soon as Wednesday. In the meantime, they’re working further east. Also a reminder that Sound Transit has a neighborhood-forum meeting coming up in West Seattle, 6 pm November 21st at the Alki Masonic Center (4736 40th SW).

Share This