West Seattle, Washington
06 Friday
After winning their division in the Metro League, the West Seattle High School girls-soccer team had their first playoff match this afternoon at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point.
The Wildcats had to win to get to the next round of the playoffs – and they did, triumphing over Ingraham, 5-2.
West Seattle’s goals were scored by Olivia Shih, Allie Bennett, and Cece Snyder in the first half, Ryann Craig and Brooke Swanson in the second. The first one came just three minutes into the match, and WSHS never trailed. Their next game is at 4 pm on Friday (October 28) at Magnuson Park in north Seattle, vs. Seattle Prep.
Another double spotlight of Halloween decorations tonight …
Thanks to Janet for that photo from 39th SW and SW Charlestown (a neighborhood long devoted to decorating for fall and winter holidays!), near the Charlestown water tower (technically “standpipe”) as shown. Also tonight, Nikki sent photos from 2752 38th SW:
Nikki explains that she was hired “to create and implement this year’s decorations” at this house via her “concierge” company Help is Here.
We still have more decorations to show you in the next few nights! Meantime, the event lists are getting longer in our West Seattle Halloween Guide, with busy days and nights ahead – if you have a public event happening and it’s not listed yet, hurry! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you.
Legal drugs can be a danger too – particularly when you don’t need them any more and they’re just taking up space in your medicine cabinet, where anyone from curious kids to burglars can find them. So once again this Saturday (October 29th) it’s National Drug Take-Back Day, and the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) is one of two SPD precincts where you can drop off unwanted/unneeded medications, 10 am-2 pm. (If those times/location don’t work for you, here’s the list of year-round drop sites, including QFC pharmacy in The Junction.)
(WSB photo. At the podium, Western Washington US Attorney Nicholas Brown)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One day after a wave of warrants for 14 locations brought out hundreds of federal and local law-enforcement officers and agents, their bosses briefed the media this afternoon downtown.
As reported here Tuesday, the activity was seen in at least four areas of West Seattle. However, those at today’s briefing said they couldn’t discuss specific locations not mentioned in indictment documents, and none of those refer to WS locations. Here’s our video of what they did say at the half-hour-plus briefing/Q&A in a conference room at the Federal Courthouse:
They’ve indicted eleven people who were arrested in what the federal and local authorities said was activity connected to drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs). It’s part of an ongoing investigation that they said traces back to early last year, primarily involving drug smuggling from Mexico up the I-5 corridor. Two of the locations named in indictments were RVs that were pulled over on I-5 in southern Washington. Some of the 14 locations were in California, and there are some Californians on the list of those indicted:
Jose Paleo, 29, of La Mirada, California
Octavio Guzman, 24, of Huntington Park, California
Glauco Guardado Rodriguez, 25, of Seattle
Araceli Salas, 30, of Maywood, California
Maria Rangel Aguilar, 44, of Huntington Park, California
Miguel Thomas, 33, of Tukwila
Tad Fulton, 48, of Seattle
Ryan Holmquist, 34, of Issaquah
Timothy Hursh, 38, of SeaTac
Ryan Terry, 44, of Duvall
Abel Cruz, 32, of Des Moines (WA)
What was seized around the region yesterday, according to the feds, totaled more than four pounds of fentanyl, 10 pounds of heroin, 10 pounds of meth, and 67 guns, plus “high-capacity rifle ammunition,” thousands of rounds of ammunition, two sets of body amor, and one “ballistic shield.” They showed a photo of the weaponry seized at one unidentified location in Ballard:
Prior seizures in the same investigation were listed as including 43 more guns, a million dollars in cash, more than half a ton of meth, 20 pounds of fentanyl powder, and more than 330,000 fentanyl pills. In all, DEA Seattle special agent in charge Jake Galvan said the amount of drugs seized was “staggering.” They also showed this photo of an identifying mark that they said traffickers had stamped on kilos of drug powder:
The deadliness of fentanyl was stressed time and time again during the briefing, as law-enforcement leaders not only touted what their operation had accomplished but also pleaded with the wider community to do their part by reducing demand. More treatment and counseling needs to be offered too, they said. Yes, this isn’t necessarily a crippling blow to the drug trade, but, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said, they’re saving lives by taking some of it off the street. Reducing demand and supply also would cut down on crime, he noted in response to a question, acknowledging that so much property crime is tied to users trying to get money for the next high.
And while the specific locations searched weren’t identified, regional US Attorney Nick Brown, who led the briefing, observed that so much of them were in “neighborhoods” and that it almost literally hit home for him – saying that one was about a mile from where he lives in West Seattle and “I read on the West Seattle Blog about people waking up to flashbangs,”
The agencies involved in the warrant operations were the fBI, DEA, SPD, Customs and Border Protection, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Homeland Security Investigations, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, described in a news release as a coalition that “identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.” The indictments announced in connection with this – 11 people whose indictments were unsealed after the warrant operations Tuesday, six people who were indicted last month – will proceed through the federal court system.
Thanks for the tips. 3 1/2 years after opening at 35th/Webster, Best of Hands Barrelhouse announced today that it will close as of November 30th. From the announcement made via social media:
As many of you know we were only open for normal operations for a year before the pandemic hit. Unfortunately, among other things, the toll of the pandemic, the slower than expected recovery, and the skyrocketing costs of everything from CO2 to raw ingredients has made it unsustainable for us to continue to operate even with our current skeleton crew. We’d like to thank everybody for their support and interest through the years.
If you have any questions or know of anybody looking for two talented brewers, please don’t hesitate to reach out to nicholas@bestofhandsbarrelhouse.com
Thank you West Seattle!
Best of Hands opened in the cow-topped former Corner Deli spot in March 2019.
Two West Seattle incidents from SPD summaries:
ROBBED AT THE BANK: This happened shortly after 11 am Tuesday inside the Westwood Village Chase Bank, police report. A woman in a wheelchair had just withdrawn money from her account when a woman walked up to her, “forcefully grabbed the victim’s money out of her hand,” then walked out of the bank.
No description included in that summary nor in this one:. The suspect walked outside the bank and left the scene. Officers arrived and conducted an area search for the suspect, but she wasn’t located.
WOULD-BE GOOD SAMARITAN ROBBED, ASSAULTED: This happened just after 10:30 Monday morning in the 9400 block of Delridge Way SW. A man saw two people beating someone up and tied to intervene. He instead got punched in the face, knocked down, and stomped on. One of the attackers, the report says, reached into the victim’s pocket, grabbed his wallet, and fled along with the other attacker.
As reported here Tuesday, the first salmon spawners of the season have arrived in Fauntleroy Creek. To give you a chance to see them, volunteers will host an “open creek” on Saturday. Here’s the announcement sent by Judy Pickens of the Fauntleroy Watershed Council:
Spawners in Fauntleroy Creek – and the public is invited
Salmon watchers on Fauntleroy Creek were rewarded yesterday (10/25) when they tallied five live coho spawners and one fresh carcass in the lower creek, likely the victim of predation. The five bright fish ranged between about three and five pounds. At least two had adipose fins, indicating they could have originated in this creek as “home hatch” from natural spawning or from fry reared by students and released here. Before nightfall, watchers witnessed one spawning pair. With more rain in the forecast and 11-foot or better high tides in the offing, spawners may continue to come in from Fauntleroy Cove.
The Fauntleroy Watershed Council will host an all-ages open creek on Saturday, noon-3 pm. Make your way to the fish ladder viewpoint at SW Director and upper Fauntleroy Way SW and a volunteer will invite you down to creek level. Come rain or shine to check out the habitat, get your questions answered, and maybe see a coho spawner. Children should bring a parent and dogs should bring a leash.
Watchers expect to continue on duty during the five hours after high tide until mid November.
(Photo sent by Ron – seen in Fauntleroy)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Halloween Guide:
IN-STORE SIGNING: Carly Rae Jepsen at Easy Street Records (California/Alaska), noon today.
SOUTHWEST ART SHOWCASE: Fourth-to-last chance to see the community show at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), which is open noon-8 pm today.
SOCCER PLAYOFFS: 4 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle), the West Seattle High School girls-soccer team plays Ingraham in the Metro League playoffs. It’s a must-win game – cheering section appreciated!
JOURNALING FOR MINDFULNESS: 11 am class at Senior Center of West Seattle. (4217 SW Oregon)
JAZZ AT OTTER ON THE ROCKS: 6:30 pm, duet! (4210 SW Admiral Way)
LIVE AT LOCOL: Locöl Barley & Vine (7902 35th SW) spotlights live music 6:30-8:30 pm Wednesdays, no cover, 21+, rotating artists.
HPAC: Community council for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge meets online at 7 pm – SDOT director Greg Spotts had to cancel his appearance but there’s lots more to talk/hear about – see the agenda and connection information here.
MUSIC AT C & P: Jim Page perfoms at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm.
MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
TRIVIA x 4: At 7 pm, you can play trivia at the West Seattle Brewing Mothership (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW); Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 7:30 pm; trivia starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW); at 8:30 pm, trivia is back at Talarico’s (4718 California SW) with Phil T.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
‘ROCKY HORROR’ AT ADMIRAL PUB: Do the Time Warp again at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW) with an 8:30 pm screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Have an event – one-time or recurring – to add to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar? Please email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The United Way is looking for local volunteers to help with its free tax-prep service. Here’s the announcement:
Looking to make an impact in your community in the new year? United Way’s Free Tax Preparation Campaign is one of the largest IRS-funded, volunteer-driven VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) programs in the state, and we’re looking for volunteers to help us tackle tax season! This year, the Campaign will have two local free tax sites – the West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Library — and we’re looking for West Seattleites just like you to join us for four hours a week, no tax experience required. Outside West Seattle, or have friends and relatives in other King County neighborhoods? We have many other opportunities across the county as well as remotely. For more information and to sign up, please visit our website, uwkc.org/taxvolunteer.
6:01 AM: Good morning. It’s Wednesday, October 26th.
WEATHER
Partly sunny, possibly more rain, high around 50.
TRAFFIC NOTES
-Vice President Kamala Harris‘s visit continues today, with events at Lumen Field and at Showbox Market before flying out of Boeing Field before.2 pm.
-Closure of the outer southbound lane on West Marginal Way between 17th SW and the Duwamish Longhouse continues, collecting data for the protected-bike-lane project
-The east end of Sylvan Way remains closed for a drainage project.
TRANSIT INFO
–Metro buses are on their regular schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for trip cancellations/reroute alerts.
-Still a 2-boat schedule for WSF’s Triangle Route (check here for alerts/updates).
-The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its fall/winter schedule (still daily, all dayparts, but no late Friday/Saturday runs).
SPOTLIGHT CAMERAS
High Bridge – here’s the camera at the top.
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (if SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way).
Low Bridge: Open to all.
1st Ave. S. Bridge: The alternate route.
Highway 99: Here’s the northbound side at Lander.
All functional city traffic cams can be seen here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page … Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed.
If you see trouble on the roads/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
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