day : 22/09/2023 10 results

UPDATE: Fire response in Arbor Heights

10:24 PM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” in the 10400 block of 41st SW in Arbor Heights. We’re on our way to find out more.

(Added: WSB photo)

10:40 PM: Our photographer just talked to SFD at the scene. This was a fire in a shed behind a house. It’s out now. No one hurt. Cause not yet known – the investigator’s on the way.

HULING BOWL 2023: West Seattle over Chief Sealth in down-to-the-wire thriller

9:37 PM: At Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex, West Seattle High School just won back the Huling Bowl trophy in the annual crosstown-rivalry game with Chief Sealth International High School. After WSHS went up by two TDs, CSIHS battled to a 17-17 tie with 1:18 left in the game; then a Wildcat field goal with :05 to go sealed the West Seattle win, 20-17. Full story and photos to come.

1:21 AM: Both teams went into the game undefeated – Sealth at 3-0, WSHS at 2-0. But the Wildcats had the upper hand on offense for the first quarter and half of the second. Here’s the moment they got on the scoreboard:

#3, Bo Gionet, ran that one in with 8:03 to go in the first quarter. He passed to #5, Gibson Aguilar, for West Seattle’s second TD at 3:22.

#34, Scott Bremen, landed both point-after kicks plus a field goal at 6:17 in the second quarter to boost WSHS to a 17-0 lead.

Then Sealth’s comeback began, starting with the first of two touchdowns by #3, Jeylen Pham-Arejaga, at 1:15 to go in the first half:

The halftime score was 17-7. The energy in the stadium kept rising. Both schools’ bands and cheer teams helped with that.

Almost four minutes into the second half, the Seahawks scored their next touchdown, bringing them to within three points of the Wildcats. And that’s where things stayed until less than a minute and a half remained. Running out of downs but within field-goal range, Sealth went for the three, and #26, Ogi Petronijevic, made it:

That tied the score 17-17. Was overtime unavoidable? As it turned out, no. The Wildcats marched down the field and got close enough for Bremen to nail another field goal with just :05 to go:

With that, West Seattle reclaimed the Huling Bowl trophy:

Among those in the stands tonight, the Huling brothers themselves, Steve and Tom – the backstory of why this annual game carries their name is in this 2012 WSB story.

They are Chief Sealth alumni, as is the man between them in the background – Mark Denniston, who was on Sealth’s undefeated 1968 football team. Even with tonight’s loss, the Seahawks and head coach Daron Camacho have much to celebrate at 3-1 on the season. And West Seattle, under head coach Anthony Stordahl, keeps its loss-less record, now 3-0. Here’s what’s next for both teams:

WSHS, road game vs. Roosevelt next Thursday (September 28th) at 7 pm

CSIHS, home game vs. Ingraham next Friday (September 29th) at 4:30 pm at NCSWAC (2801 SW Thistle)

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Two Thursday arrests

Here’s what happened after court appearances this afternoon for two people arrested in West Seattle Thursday afternoon/evening.

HELICOPTER SEARCH: The most notable arrest was that of a 33-year-old man who became the subject of an air and ground search for two hours after being spotted naked, possibly with a “knife or box cutter,” near the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. He was found in a brushy area between the 10200 blocks of 47th SW and Marine View Drive. (A commenter says the machete police reported finding near him was taken from their nearby yard.) He was released after today’s initial appearance. We haven’t yet seen the documents we requested from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, so we don’t know why, and whether he might still face charges. The jail docket shows he spent four days in jail last month after being arrested elsewhere in King County on suspicion of trespassing and resisting arrest.

ADDED 7:39 PM: Moments after publishing this, Casey McNerthney from the KCPAO explained what happened, saying he wasn’t even sent before a judge because the case was weak:

There was little information in the initial document we received that showed his intent to commit a crime or clearly steal something, which we need to clearly show in a probable cause argument before a judge. The house was not lived in. That and a detail that a worker at the construction site offered him a cookie and then he left works against our argument for probable cause for burglary on a felony matter (rather than criminal trespass).

In previous unrelated cases, courts have only found probable cause for criminal trespass when someone is in a space unlawfully but without a clear intent to commit a crime – and in Seattle that gross misdemeanor crime of criminal trespass has to go to the City Attorney’s Office.

But if more information emerges, McNerthney says, charges could still eventually be filed.

BURGLARY SUSPECT: As mentioned briefly in our coverage of that story – and by two commenters – another man was arrested on suspicion of burglarizing a house north of Fauntleroy Park. He is 30 years old and probable cause was found this afternoon to hold him for investigation of burglary. The court document says police who were “in the area on another call” saw him enter a residential garage and start “rummaging around.” The house’s resident was home at the time and said the suspect was a stranger who didn’t have permission to be there, so he was arrested on suspicion of residential burglary. The KCPAO’s office says bail wasn’t addressed today – that’ll be at another hearing. Records show the suspect has one prior felony conviction in King County, for assault, seven years ago.

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: ‘Life sentence’ for Robb Mason’s widow. 4-year sentence for his killer

(Courtroom image via Zoom. Claudia Mason at lower right, Mohamed Yusuf with lawyer at center table)

After an hour-long hearing in King County Superior Court, Judge Andrea Darvas gave the man who hit and killed Robb Mason a slightly longer sentence than prosecutors recommended in his plea bargain: 4 years. The recommendation had been just under 3 1/2 years, but the judge said that while she usually follows agreed-to recommendations, “it’s not enough in this case.” She sentenced 21-year-old Mohamed A. Yusuf – who pleaded guilty last week to vehicular homicide and hit-and-run – after hearing from Mr. Mason’s widow and her brother, and from Yusuf and a cousin. In opening the hearing (which we covered via Zoom), prosecutor Amy Freedheim lauded the painstaking investigation through which SPD Traffic Collision Investigation Squad detectives found Yusuf, enabling him to be charged, almost half a year after he hit and killed Mr. Mason just east of the low bridge, as the victim rode his bike home to Magnolia from his job as a West Seattle massage therapist. That is a career to which he changed in his 40s – 20 years before his death – his brother-in-law told the judge, a change he made because he “chose to care” about people and wanted to help them heal. “In the blink of an eye, this remarkable man was taken away from us.”

Claudia Mason told the judge that she has counted the days since her husband was killed – 434 so far – because “each day is another day of the life sentence” with which Yusuf’s actions left her. She said her husband was so healthy, he could have lived another 30 to 40 years and that’s time they could have spent together. “I believe Robb went directly to heaven, but I went straight to hell.” She called Yusuf, sitting in the courtroom feet away from her, “reckless, vicious, callous, cruel … a coward” and “a thief,” declaring that he “stole my life from me … nothing is the same.” She spoke not only of the ongoing pain but also of what happened that night – she didn’t know what had happened to him for hours – and days after, unable to see his “annihilated” body until the funeral. She told the judge that leniency would only do “more harm.”

But leniency is what Yusuf’s defense lawyer asked for, proposing a “first-time offender waiver.” Judge Darvas said that request was a surprise, as she hadn’t received the standard pre-sentencing report from the lawyer, who went on to say that her client had lost his jobs (security and food-delivery driving) while at home under electronic “house arrest” since the charges were filed in January. A cousin spoke briefly to vouch for Yusuf’s character, and then Yusuf spoke: “Please forgive me if you can – I was stupid and ignorant” and, he contended, so afraid afterward that “I didn’t know what to do.”

Facing a courtroom with more than 20 people in the gallery (another two dozen online) and photos of Mr. Mason on easels and benches, Judge Darvas then spoke, saying that Yusuf owed two things: To live a life that would make up for cutting Mr. Mason’s life short, and “a penalty.” She told Yusuf that what he did was “breathtakingly selfish and self-absorbed” and chided him for not taking responsibility “until the police found you.” The judge also acknowledged receiving many community letters and reading them.

It was noted early in the hearing that the 256 days which Yusuf has spent on electronic home monitoring will be applied to the 4-year sentence as “credit for time served.” He will also face a year of community custody (probation) after he is released. Once the proceedings ended, with various paperwork, he was handcuffed and taken out of the courtroom by deputies.

UPDATE: Delridge/Henderson blocked, then cleared

September 22, 2023 3:05 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Delridge/Henderson blocked, then cleared
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

3:05 PM: A bus “has gone sideways” at Delridge/Henderson and is blocking the intersection, according to emergency-radio exchanges. Avoid the area for a while.

3:56 PM: The live traffic camera shows everything’s moving again.

HOW TO HELP: Another search this afternoon for Jim Price, missing since Monday night

Just received from a family member via comment on a previous story: “There is a Search Group meetup again today at 2 pm to continue to search for Jim. Meet at the Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW) for quadrant assignments. Please show up if you are able! Thank you so much!” Jim Price, 86, has been missing since leaving his Pigeon Point home Monday night, on foot, possibly headed for The Junction. A community search Thursday afternoon yielded no new clues as to where he might be.

WALK-ALL-WAYS: Here’s why the signal sequencing changed back

(SDOT camera image, this morning)

Multiple readers messaged us earlier this week after noticing that the Walk-All-Ways intersection at California/Alaska in The Junction had reverted to its previous signal sequencing, almost half a year after SDOT changed it. We asked SDOT about it, and received this explanation today:

Our team at SDOT initially changed the sequence as part of our work to decrease overall delay at the intersection for people traveling into and through this part of the neighborhood. After giving drivers some time to adjust to the change, we observed the intersection performance and discussed the change with our partners at KC Metro. We learned that the original sequence worked better for bus reliability, so we changed the sequence back while retaining 5 seconds of additional time for pedestrians to cross the intersection. The walk time was increased by 2 seconds and the flashing don’t walk time was increased by 3 seconds.

P.S. Reminder that an extra block of California SW in The Junction will be closed for this Sunday’s Fall Festival, south of SW Alaska, which will remain open to traffic during the festival and Farmers’ Market.

WestFest, change-of-seasons sunset watch, theater, music, more for your West Seattle Friday

(Heron early this morning, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

In the hours before autumn arrives late tonight, you have many options! Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

STAY ‘N’ PLAY: Free drop-in indoor gym for kids 5 and under and their caregivers, 10-11:30 am at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd).

FREE BUSINESS TOOLS WORKSHOP: Noon at West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW; WSB sponsor).

SCRABBLE CLUB: You’re invited to play 12:30-1:30 pm at Margie’s Café inside the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: 1-6 pm on the north side of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), student-produced wine by the glass or bottle.

VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).

WESTFEST: Holy Rosary School‘s annual two-day “carnival of community” is back! WestFest starts 6-10 pm tonight on the campus (off 42nd SW north of SW Genesee) – here’s the entertainment schedule.

EQUINOX EVENT WITH ECLIPSE INFO: Join expert skywatcher/editor Alice Enevoldsen for not only her fall equinox sunset watch, but also info on watching next month’s solar eclipse – she’ll have free viewing glasses! Upper Solstice Park (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW), 6:30-7:30 pm (the sun sets around 7).

FOOTBALL: High-school season continues, with the annual Huling Bowl game tonight between West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School at 7 pm at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). Also at 7 pm, at West Seattle Stadium, Seattle Prep plays O’Dea.

COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: John Brazell and Mark Wagner at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm, no cover.

LIVE IN-STORE AT EASY STREET: Kitchen Radio performs at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 7 pm.

DANCE NIGHT AT THE SPOT: Fridays are DJ Dance Night at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.

‘MATT & BEN’: Third weekend for the acclaimed play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm. Check for tickets here.

LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: Shadow Pattern EP Release with special guests Denim Genie and Fragile Bloom, doors 7 pm, show 8 pm at The Skylark, $10 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! (4547 California SW)

Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

YOU CAN HELP: Get West Seattle Bee Garden ready for fall

(WSB file photo)

One of West Seattle’s unique treasures needs some autumn TLC this weekend, and you are invited to volunteer. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share:

Maintenance Day at the West Seattle Bee Garden:

This volunteer day will be this Sunday, September 24th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Tasks will include building raised garden beds, transferring soil into these built garden beds, cleaning the apiary, and pulling weeds. Please make sure to dress appropriately (gloves, rain gear, covered shoes) for the weather and bring any tools you think would be necessary for these tasks. The garden has a limited supply of tools.

Volunteers will get a chance to meet with WSBG founder Lauren to get to know the history of the garden. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to sign up using the following form to get a good head count to make sure there are enough refreshments.

Sign up here!

The Bee Garden is on the north side of High Point Commons Park, at Graham/Lanham.

TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Fall-arrival Friday

6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, September 22nd, and fall arrives at 11:50 pm tonight.

WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Sunny, high in the mid-70s. Sunrise today is at 6:56 am; sunset, 7:07 pm.

(Thursday night photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Water Taxi – Regular schedule.

Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use Vessel Watch to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Oregon.

High Bridge – the main camera:

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):

Low-bridge cam:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges Twitter/X feed shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!