day : 31/10/2024 10 results

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Lampshade-wearing package thief; repeat car prowls

From both ends of West Seattle, reader reports in Crime Watch:

THE PACKAGE THIEF WORE A LAMPSHADE: From Lisa:

I just arrived home to see that the Dyson headphones I ordered on Amazon were delivered and left on my front porch where the person in this video promptly stole it (three minutes after the delivery) I live on 14th & Trenton. I’ll be reaching out to Amazon to find out why they would leave something that expensive and will be filing a police report.

NORTH ADMIRAL CAR PROWL #1: Dave reports this happened early Tuesday: “Around midnight, a few cars on my block (SW Grayson between 50th and 51st) were rifled through. SPD responded pretty quickly and said that nearby blocks might have been targeted too. Thanks to two of my neighbors who heard noises, chased the people off, and called 911. SPD incident number is 2024-306519.”

MORE NORTH ADMIRAL CAR PROWLS: Then at least two more happened on Tuesday night. This is from Troy:


Over the past three weeks our neighborhood (Palm Ave SW) has been targeted by car prowlers and prowlers on foot. All of these thefts are extremely brazen and increasingly early and early in the evening (10:00 pm). We are trying to put together a neighborhood meeting to discuss hiring private security and or civilian watches throughout the evening hours.

ELECTION 2024: Three notes, with five days to go

checkbox.jpgElection Day is five days away. Three notes tonight:

HOW MANY HAVE AND HAVEN’T VOTED? We’ve been checking in on this stat. As of tonight, 43 percent of King County ballots are in – 56 percent via dropbox, 42 percent via USPS. (The city of Seattle is a little ahead of that, 44.6 percent.) If you go eight pages into the stats, you’ll find out how many ballots have been collected from each dropbox. The box in The Junction has the fourth-highest total – almost 9,000 – behind KC Elections HQ, Ballard, and Redmond.

ELECTION NIGHT PARTIES: So far, we have four on the list – The Skylark, Circa, Alpha Kappa Alpha graduate chapter at Brockey Center, and Pacific NW Black Pride at Youngstown Flats. We’re updating the list in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. Who else? Email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – or comment below.

PRE-ELECTION PRAYER VIGIL Pre-election rallies are fairly common. Pre-election prayer vigils, not so much, but Peace Lutheran Church in Gatewood is offering one before Election Day. You’re invited to visit the church (39th/Thistle) between 5 and 7 pm on Sunday (November 3) for a “safe, contemplative space for people to gather in anticipation of Election Day.” This is nonpartisan – the church stresses that “all are welcome.”

HALLOWEEN SCENE: Low-rider trunk-or-treating and more @ White Center ‘Halloweentown’

The first big event of the night has 16th SW closed to traffic between Roxbury and SW 100th, as White Center’s “Halloweentown” welcomes trick-or-treaters, among others – actually “trunk or treaters,” with decorated low-rider cars on the west side of the north block:

Go admire the decorated trunks and grab some candy.

Even well before dark, the ghosts and goblins were out marauding.

Individual venues have activities too – travel through the scary-clown inflatable arch at Big Mario’s Pizza/Alpine Diner (WSB sponsors) and you’ll find pumpkins to paint:

More grownup fun is part of the party later in the evening too – Halloweentown is in the spirit until 2 am.

WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Open house Saturday at Tilden School

October 31, 2024 3:56 pm
|    Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Open house Saturday at Tilden School
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

If the season has your family in school-shopping mode, you might be interested in an open house coming up Saturday. Independent West Seattle K-5 Tilden School (WSB sponsor) is opening the doors on Saturday afternoon, 1-3 pm, for prospective families to come visit. Tilden is just north of The Junction, co-housed with, but not affiliated, with First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (4105 California SW). You can RSVP for the open house by going here.

CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Murder charges filed in Shree’s Truck Shop shooting

(WSB photo, October 13)

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed a charge of second-degree murder against 26-year-old Donte E. Duran, the man arrested in the shooting death of 53-year-old Oton Garcia Ruiz at Shree’s Truck Stop in southeast West Seattle on October 13. The charging documents confirm that Garcia Ruiz and Duran didn’t know each other, and that Duran allegedly fired a gun toward the gas station aiming for people with whom he had been in a fight moments earlier – Garcia Ruiz just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Security video from a nearby business captured “seven clear gunshots”; Garcia Ruiz was killed by one that struck him as he sat in his car. After police released security images of what they described as a man “involved” in the deadly shooting, people who said they recognized Duran from his job in the warehouse at Food Lifeline in South Park. He then turned himself in. Prosecutors say he does not have a significant criminal history; he remains held on $2 million bail, awaiting arraignment on November 13.

FAUNTLEROY SALMON: ‘Open creek’ Sunday afternoon, now that spawners have shown up

Two and a half weeks after community members sang and drummed to call the coho into Fauntleroy Creek, salmon have arrived, Judy Pickens reports:

Veteran salmon watcher Dennis Hinton not only saw the first spawner of the season enter Fauntleroy Creek late yesterday (10/30) but also took the first photo (above). Volunteers report more spawners poised to enter from Fauntleroy Cove.

Sunday (11/3) the public can come have a look when the Fauntleroy Watershed Council hosts an all-ages “open creek” 1:00-3:00 pm. Dress for the weather and make your way to the fish ladder viewpoint at SW Director and upper Fauntleroy Way SW (on the bluff across from the ferry terminal). A volunteer will invite you down to creek level to check out the habitat, ask questions, and maybe see spawners. Children should bring a parent and dogs should be on leash.

WEST SEATTLE THURSDAY: Halloween happenings

(Photo courtesy Kristin)

That’s a 2023 photo of the Arbor Heights “Haunted Alley,” on SW 102nd between 35th SW and 36th SW. “It’s spooky but also family friendly,” says Kristin, who emailed us about it this morning. Here are other highlights from our Halloween list:

TODDLER PUMPKIN PALOOZA: Fun for little ones at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), 10 am-noon. Admission is a food donation for West Seattle Food Bank.

RON & BRIAN’S HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA: We’ve been previewing this one. See it tonight on 47th SW between Hanford and Hinds.

WHITE CENTER HALLOWEENTOWN BLOCK PARTY: Celebrate Halloween in the street! 16th SW between Roxbury and SW 100th, 4 pm-2 am.

MEEDS MANOR HAUNTED HOUSE: 5:30-9 pm, famous neighborhood haunted house, collecting donations for youth basketball. (3011 45th SW)

HENRY’S HAUNTED HOUSE: Around the corner from Meeds Manor, 11-year-old Henry has built a haunted house you can see 6-9 pm – 47th/Hanford.

‘NIGHTFALL’ CHARITY HAUNT: Annual spooky experience, 5:30-9:30 pm, with a “trick-or-treat trail” for the first hour. Private West Seattle residence – go here for more info.

NIGHTMARE ON 44TH: This might be the last year for David Williams‘ front-yard animatronics show, 6-9 pm on 44th between Charlestown and Andover.

REVELRY ROOM HALLOWEEN SOIREE: 8 pm-2 am, costume contest and more. (4547 California SW)

SKELETON SKATE: 8:30 pm at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW).

See other Halloween sights in our archive; for non-Halloween events, see our West Seattle Event Calendar.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Sunrise Heights search, with helicopter

9:28 AM: Police are searching in Sunrise Heights/Westwood for two people, at least one of whom bailed out of a vehicle that had two punctured tires. The Guardian One helicopter is joining the search. Police apparently know who they’re looking for because they say both have warrants. The person they know is on foot is described as a white man, tall, thin, dark clothing, in the company of a small dog. The vehicle they’re looking for is a 1988 black Chevrolet pickup. Call 911 if you’ve seen either the suspect or pickup.

9:47 AM: Guardian One hasn’t seen evidence of the truck or suspect(s), so it’s departing the area.

9:53 AM: Police just found the truck in the 7500 block of 24th SW, no one inside.

YOU CAN HELP: Local stylists headed to Cambodia to offer cosmetology education to at-risk youth

Local salon owner Karie Koltz (above right) and stylist friend Linda Turner (above left) are embarking on a trip to Cambodia to volunteer with Justice and Soul, whose founder Matthew Fairfax is also a West Seattleite. Karie explains, “The foundation provides cosmetology education to at-risk youth and sex-trafficked young men and women. We are going for 4-5 weeks to volunteer our services and teach workshops for the graduates.” The trip is explained here; they’re crowdfunding to help cover the cost and welcoming donations – go here to chip in.

TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday notes

October 31, 2024 6:00 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday notes
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, October 31st, three days to go until Daylight Saving Time ends (early next Sunday, we “fall back” one hour, into Standard Time).

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Cloudy with showers today, high in the low 50s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:53 am, while sunset will be at 5:52 pm. Watch out for trick-or-treaters tonight!

ROAD WORK

*The Admiral Way Bridge seismic project continues; traffic is expected to move from the south half of the bridge to the north half at the end of this week.

*The Delridge pedestrian-bridge earthquake-safety project also continues, with narrowing at Delridge/Oregon.

TRANSIT

Washington State Ferries today – Regular 2-boat service on the Triangle Route this morning; check here for last-minute changes.

Metro buses todayRegular schedule.

Water Taxi todayRegular schedule.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:

Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:

Low Bridge – Looking west:

1st Avenue South Bridge:

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call our hotline (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!