West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
7:18 PM: At Highland Park Way and Othello, a few trees came down – apparently concurrent with the downpour about an hour ago – and right now, one downhill lane is closed.
7:33 PM UPDATE: Cleanup crew is on scene. Photos added.
If you live near the Highland Park home where longtime community advocate Martha Mallett and son Brian escaped from a fire in early May, you’ve probably already seen this – but in case you were among those who came to the post-fire neighborhood benefit from other parts of West Seattle, a neighbor sent us this photo to share, to be sure everyone who helped knows they’re appreciated. (We haven’t heard how the fire survivors are doing now, but we’re checking.)
7:01 AM: At least one TV chopper is over Highland Park. There’s a crash at 15th and Holden. We’re en route.
7:11 AM UPDATE: A Toyota pickup has gone off the road and into a yard. Police have Holden shut down right now between 14th and 16th but the tow truck is already there so it might not be for too long. At least one person is hurt – a private ambulance is on scene.
7:26 AM UPDATE: Police at the scene tell us the truck’s driver was the one taken to the hospital – private ambulance generally means NOT life-threatening injuries – and was alone in the truck. We’re waiting for the tow truck to get the truck out of the yard to check on possible damage to the house, which neighbors say was unoccupied.
7:37 AM UPDATE: It doesn’t appear the house was hit; the damage looks to be confined to the fence the truck went through, and the grassy slope/yard. (Thanks to everyone who texted and e-mailed us about the chopper, which is what tipped us to the fact that what was only a medic call on the 911 log was actually a crash.)
8:55 AM: Went back to the scene a little while ago and SW Holden is completely clear again.
Today’s biggest Spring Clean event was in White Center, with hundreds of volunteers – many of whom gathered at the plaza in Greenbridge to celebrate afterward. We have more photos on our partner site White Center Now. Just a few miles north, in Highland Park, this was Spring Clean day too, with multiple locations – we photographed volunteer Craig at the SW Kenyon street end slope near 14th SW:
And north from there, on Puget Ridge, Tasha Mosher shares a photo, explaining, “Puget Ridge volunteers rocked the clean up today! Here is a picture from the clean up at the Myrtle Stairs. Ilah Mosher joined approximately 15 other volunteers to pick up garbage, clear storm drains, and prune back weeds and shrubs. Fun was had by all!”
Congratulations to everybody who joined forces today – and so many other days – to brighten up their neighborhoods.
Tomorrow you have at least three chances to get out and help clean up local neighborhoods! Spring Clean events are planned in Puget Ridge, Highland Park, and White Center. And we’ve just received a request to put out the call for volunteers on behalf of Puget Ridge – from Tasha Mosher:
Residents of Puget Ridge will be cleaning up the neighborhood as part of the City’s annual Spring Clean campaign tomorrow from 10 am to noon. Neighbors will meet at 5644 17th Ave SW to pick up supplies and form work teams at 9:30 am.
Other neighbors will be meeting at 10 am at Sanislo Elementary, including the team that will be cleaning and restoring the natural area at the school. There will also be a team cleaning the Myrtle steps as a combined effort with volunteers from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council.
If you can help tomorrow, just show up in one of those spots! As for the other two = White Center Spring Clean has ended registration for participants, but Highland Park is welcoming help, and you can get details here. Anybody else spring cleaning tomorrow?
(UPDATED Wednesday morning with additional information from Seattle Public Utilities)
(Click to see full-size map, as PDF)
ORIGINAL 11:56 PM TUESDAY REPORT: 200 homes in Highland Park will only get trash pickup every two weeks, for six months, starting in July. You might have heard about the city’s “One Less Truck” pilot program, to see if every-other-week pickup will work (explained here); tonight, we learned that part of West Seattle will be in the program. Carl Woestwin of Seattle Public Utilities made the announcement during the WS Crime Prevention Council meeting tonight (though trash pickup has nothing to do with the group’s usual scope). The area affected is bounded by SW Barton on the north, SW Roxbury to the south, 15th SW to the west, and 11th SW to the east.
Woestwin says homes from single-family through fourplexes in the area will be required to participate, and will get a $100 stipend for their trouble. All the affected homes have been notified via letters and/or flyers, he said. They can choose to get larger trash containers, or try to see if they can make it work, and that’s what the experiment is for. Woestwin said that the city estimates changing to every-other-week pickup could save $6 million citywide. This part of Highland Park is the only test area in West Seattle and one of only four citywide; a community meeting is planned in early June (he wasn’t sure of the date – we’ll seek confirmation Wednesday) and then SPU will come back to the neighborhood in September “to find out how they’re going.”
ADDED 11:25 AM: We followed up this morning with SPU, whose Brett Stav provided some information, including the FAQ they have put together (apparently, though, it is not on their website, because, he says, “We’re trying to keep the study as scientific as possible and avoid confusing our non-participating customers, so we haven’t broadly advertised this project outside of the participating neighborhoods”) and the rate card for participants – read on:Read More
Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Nick Parisi of Highland Park plans to open the doors to Athena’s restaurant today at 11 am.
We first told you three months ago about the plan for the newly designed Greek-themed spot (across from Fire Station 11 at 16th and Holden, in the original home of Zippy’s Giant Burgers, now in White Center) will also be the brick and mortar commissary for Athena’s food truck [reported here by WSB].
If you don’t know her already – that’s Martha Mallett. She’s the Highland Park resident who along with her son survived a fire at their home last Tuesday (WSB coverage here). On Saturday, she stopped by to see neighbors Lisa and Randy Leininger, who organized a benefit to sell hot dogs and lemonade:
Tonight Lisa shared these photos along with an update on the community’s outpouring:
We had an amazing turnout for our fundraiser on Saturday. It was great to see so many of you come out to show your support for Martha and Brian. Even some of the guys from Fire Station 11 showed up! Because of all your generosity, we were able to raise $1,452 the day of and have received two more donations since then bringing the total to $2000! I know the family is overwhelmed and so grateful, as are we. I feel so fortunate to live in a community that really supports one another. Thank you and big hugs to everyone who donated.
Here’s some of Martha’s family and friends:
We had mentioned on Saturday night that Highland Park Improvement Club‘s annual “Wine for Our Times” fundraiser was planning to donate raffle proceeds to Martha and Brian, since she has been their longtime “raffle queen.” One other donation – look again at the top photo – Lisa says Nicole from HPIC gave Martha the corsage to let them know they were thinking of her though she couldn’t make it to this year’s event!
At the Highland Park Improvement Club tonight, festive gift baskets await the raffle that’s yet to come at the popular “Wine for Our Times” celebration – and it has a special purpose tonight: It will benefit Martha Mallett, longtime HPIC member whom the club describes as their “raffle queen,” and her son Brian, who lost their belongings in the 20th SW house fire a few days ago. It’s just part of the outpouring shown to the fire survivors; earlier today, as previewed here, neighbors sold hot dogs and lemonade, and we are told Martha stopped by.
From this week’s monthly meeting of the Highland Park Action Committee: Mark your calendar for May 19th – the annual Spring Clean, at the HP Improvement Club and surrounding area. That was one of the major announcements, but much of the night’s discussion was dedicated to an update from Seattle Police, and concerns about illegal motorcycle-riding in the West Duwamish Greenbelt:Read More
Ready to garden? The Westcrest P-Patch is about to be built, and ready to build its gardener/volunteer team, too! Here’s the official announcement (along with the finalized design, shown above):
After two community garden design meetings, the Westcrest P-Patch community garden project is planning to start construction next month in Seattle’s Westcrest Park! (Located at 9000 8th Ave. SW) The plan is to create over 200 10′ x 10′ garden plots following the final design which will feature crushed rock and wood chip pathways that interact with existing park features, gathering and storage structures, an out-door “kitchen”, and lots of room for artistic elements and common spaces.
The plots will be open to both Seattle residents as well as residents living in nearby unincorporated King County such as White Center which is two blocks from the south border of the park.
If you are interested in a plot, your probability of getting a spot will correlate to the number of hours you donate to the project. The more you volunteer the higher your chances of getting a plot. The Steering Committee is currently trying to determine what portions of the construction will be performed by contractors and what we, as a community, are willing to take on. If we can keep costs below the $90,000 budget, we can use the surplus funds to enhance the project. There are innumerable ways that you can volunteer in both outreach and construction.
Please contact Phi Huynh if you would like to explore volunteer opportunities.
E-mail: phi.huynh@seattle.gov
Phone: 206-684-4531
That half-minute video clip represents the first time we’ve ever seen a uniformed Seattle Police officer demonstrate jump-rope moves. (Even after 30-plus years in the news business, there still are some firsts!)
But we’re getting ahead of the story.
SPD Community Outreach Officer Tomeka Williams was one of the visitors for a special assembly at Highland Park Elementary this afternoon, teaching about pedestrian safety and helping celebrate a new grant to make it a reality:
Right before the assembly, we photographed HP principal Ben Ostrom with SAFE Kids Seattle‘s Dr. Brian Johnston from Harborview Medical Center (bet you guessed that he’s the guy in the white coat!). The check says $25,000, and that’s being added to a different $75,000 grant. Pedestrian safety is REALLY important there because, among other things, the school has multiple arterials nearby – among them, Barton and Trenton. That’s why, besides jumping rope, Officer Williams offered advice including using the “stare face” to make sure a driver sees you, before you walk into the street:
Safety is part of the HPARK slogan through which the principal led his students:
The safety skills will be practiced with “Walking School Bus” events each Wednesday morning next month.
By the way – though she’s not in our visuals and tried to stay “behind the scenes,” it must be noted that one of the people instrumental in making all this happen is Highland Park Elementary parent Rachael Wright, who’s been working on pedestrian-safety issues surrounding the school, and getting grants to address them, in connection with a wide variety of groups and agencies. Congratulations!
(Photo courtesy Doug, scene at Henderson)
6:07 PM: We’re at the scene of a crash in Highland Park at 15th and Henderson that is reported to have involved a police pursuit, apparently northbound from the White Center area, as King County Sheriff’s Office units are reported to be involved. More shortly.
(Scene at Trenton, where stolen car was found – this photo and next one by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
6:12 PM: Our crew at the scene has been told so far that a stolen car was being pursued and collided with the KCSO unit; the stolen car continued another block or so north to SW Trenton and was abandoned. Seattle Police are at that scene and have talked to a “person of interest” who is reported to have admitted being in the stolen car; officers are still looking for the driver and possibly one other person. We’re not sure yet about injuries.
6:39 PM UPDATE: Just past the damaged KCSO car, there’s a truck up on a lawn in the area but KCSO at the scene won’t comment on how it got there. SW Henderson is still blocked at the scene and according to Metro, that’s diverting Route 23 buses.
6:45 PM UPDATE: Kyle Moore from Seattle Fire says a 57-year-old woman, “not an officer,” was taken to the hospital by private ambulance with minor injuries.
7:50 PM UPDATE: We’ve now heard from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West, who says it all started in White Center, when a “deputy spotted a stolen vehicle near SW 98 and 15 SW. The vehicle fled northbound. At 15th and Henderson the deputy’s car collided with a truck that was not involved in the pursuit. The deputy and the woman in the truck both had minor injuries. The 57 year old woman was taken to Harborview, the deputy went to Highline Hospital. The suspect vehicle continued northbound for a block or 2 and the suspects (2) fled. The female passenger was apprehended and we are still looking for the driver who is described as an Asian or Hispanic male, possibly in his teens. Our Major accident response unit is investigating the accident.” Here’s a wider view of the main scene:
9:10 PM UPDATE: The county investigators have finished their work at the scene and SW Henderson is open again. The stop sign on the northwest corner of 15th/Henderson was taken out, so a temporary one is in place for now.
ORIGINAL 10:41 PM REPORT: If you are noticing a large police response in southeastern West Seattle: According to scanner traffic, police are responding to a report of a man with a gun following a woman from a bus stop and sexually assaulting and robbing her. Again, this is a preliminary report, as monitored by scanner, but police have rushed to the area to look for the reported attacker; the early description is not too detailed – black man, wearing all black, orange bandana over his face, walking north on 18th SW from the 8800 block. We’ll add any additional details that become available.
UPDATE, 12:20 PM MONDAY: Just talked with Det. Mark Jamieson of SPD media relations, who will soon publish an update on this incident on SPD Blotter. He says police have not arrested anyone yet. The victim told police the attacker came up behind her as she walked east on SW Trenton after getting off a bus on Delridge and that he pulled her into an alley and sexually assaulted her at gunpoint before stealing her phone and taking off. She called 911 from a friend’s home; police rushed to the scene (as we noted at the time), including a K-9 team, and searched extensively but didn’t find the man. A few additional description details besides the ones in our original report: Mid-to-late 20s, dark complexion, medium height, possibly under the influence of drugs, and had a “foul body odor.” If you have any information, call detectives at 206-684-5575.
Amie e-mailed this morning not only to report that her car was broken into, but to share what she saw, in hopes it will lead to an arrest:
My car was broken into this morning at the Westcrest offleash dog park. I witnessed one of the suspects running away from my car, getting into the getaway car and driving away. I was walking up the lower hill with two friends and our dogs when I witnessed a suspicious-looking guy jogging away from my car. I immediately went to my car and saw that the window had been smashed. I definitely interrupted the burglary in process. The only things that were takes were an FM iPhone adapter and car charger.
My call to 911 was at 6:20 am, which was about 3-4 minutes after I witnessed him running from my car. The suspect is caucasian, early to mid 20s, tall (6′-ish) with sandy-blonde hair and a thin build. I’m less sure of what he was wearing but think it was jeans and a dark-colored sweatshirt.
There was a second person driving the car, but I did not see them at all. A woman at the dog park said she saw the car and occupants when she arrived at the park and that they were both caucasian males. The car is an older model red Japanese model (Honda Civic/Accord or Toyota Tercel) that has a black or gray-primed quarter panel over the driver’s side wheel. The SPD took prints and provided an incident # of 12-107322. If you see a car matching this description, please reports its location to the police immediately.
Story and photos by Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Highland Park’s Seamart convenience store will reopen at 16th/Holden Friday, with new property owners, more than a year after the former building and convenience store’s owner was foreclosed on (as reported here in December 2010), which led not only to the store’s closure but also to the shutdown of JoJo’s Fine Espresso and the relocation of Zippy’s Giant Burgers.
The new owners, partners Saejin Lee and Yungie Sun [above], say they saw a “unique” opportunity in the Highland Park business property. Lee’s family sold their previous Central District store on Jackson (Seven Star) to purchase here in West Seattle. They expect to attract both new and previous customers to their store, and to the new neighboring tenants, Athena’s Gyros (their plan to take over the ex-Zippy’s space was first reported here in mid-February), and an as-yet-to-be-determined coffee stand vendor.
Shown off at the Highland Park Action Committee meeting last night – HPAC’s new info-card, which you’ll see at events like the upcoming Gathering of Neighbors – a quick way to find out more about the group and the neighborhood. Also from last night’s meeting, a crime-trends briefing, a “greenways” discussion, and the Highland Park Huddle – read on for the toplines!Read More
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes today – the first, a reader report from Daniel:
This morning between midnight and 8 am, someone broke into my car and stole my briefcase that was sitting in the back seat. The cross streets I live near are 63rd Ave. SW and Admiral. I wanted to let you know just in case if anyone heard or saw anything suspicious. … Attached is a photo of the damage.
Also – after Lauren e-mailed us to ask about “heavy police presence” and medic crews at 16th/Trenton early this morning, we checked with SPD, and though it doesn’t appear to have been a big incident, in case you saw/heard it and wondered, here’s what police say: Officer Renée Witt in SPD media relations explains that it was a fight that started with an “unwanted guest” getting kicked out of a party around 5:30 am. Two men got into a fight; one got hit and fell down in the road at that intersection, and that’s where authorities came in. The victim was 20 and suffered only a “small cut above the right eye.”
Police think they have solved several burglaries with two arrests in West Seattle this afternoon. First, we heard from Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen, who says that a vehicle description provided by neighbors after a burglary in the 9200 block of 13th SW led officers to a car in the 1900 block of SW Brandon (here’s a map of the 2 locations), and the 2 suspects. And then, we got this report from Zach – whose home was the one broken into on 13th (he shared the broken-window photo above):
Thanks to a good neighbor and some fast-acting cops, the teenagers who broke into our home were nabbed and our belongings were recovered. One of our neighbors had noticed a suspicious car cruising the neighborhood earlier. Later, our neighbor noticed a stranger opening our front door and letting in another person who emerged from our backyard. In moments, the pair of teens left carrying our flat screen TV and a laptop. They dumped the items in the trunk of their car and drove off. … The car is a silver, four door sedan.
Our neighbor alerted the police, who were able to identify a partial plate using some of the photos our neighbor took using a cell phone. The police, Officers Thompson and Longley, were not only familiar with the owner of the car, but they were able to catch up with the suspect and recover our things. Granted, we’re out a window, but it could have been much worse.
He says one officer told him they believe the suspects “are affiliated with a network of thieving minors who are ‘hammering’ the greater Seattle area. And Zach added, “I only wish that our courts weren’t so lenient on minors. It seems like we’re making teenage crime a deal that’s just too good to pass up.” Following juvenile cases through the court system is difficult, because the documentation is not openly available as it is for adults, but we will do our best to followup. Meantime, Capt. Paulsen says police appreciate another case of “alert citizens calling 911 when they are observing suspicious circumstances in their neighborhood.”
(Courtesy SiteWorkshop – click for full-size PDF version)
The final design meeting for the Highland Park Spraypark was a big part of the agenda last night for the Highland Park Action Committee‘s second meeting of the year – but two other much-anticipated HP projects were discussed too: West Seattle Reservoir Park, and the new Westcrest P-Patch community garden (which has a design workshop coming up this weekend).
Toplines ahead:Read More
Thanks to Kevin McClintic for that photo from the “Nickelsville” encampment’s pancake-breakfast fundraiser Saturday morning at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene. The fundraising total is in: $1,800 plus a $500 pledge, wrote Peggy Hotes on Facebook, saying about 20 people from the encampment pitched in to make it happen. She also writes that’s two-thirds of their monthly expenses. If you’re interested in helping, ongoing requests for encampment needs are often posted by WSB Forum members who volunteer there.
The encampment has now been at a city-owned site in Highland Park for more than nine months, in a sort of legal limbo – it didn’t ask permission, but the city has said it won’t evict them, nor will it provide utility hookups. The Highland Park Action Committee community council has been pressing the city to take a stand one way or the other, with Nickelsville on the agenda for its last several meetings (including presentations by camp residents); HPAC’s next meeting is this Wednesday, 7 pm, at Highland Park Improvement Club HQ (12th/Holden).
The big fire response to the 8100 block of 15th SW this past half-hour was for a problem that turned out NOT to be a fire – we went to the scene just to verify, and fire crews told us it was a smoldering electrical wire. They’re canceling the rest of the units now.
5:23 PM: Police and fire have responded to a call listed as “assault with weapons/aid” in Highland Park, near HP Way/Holden. We’ve just arrived at the scene and are seeing one person, who appears conscious, being loaded into a private ambulance, and it appears one person is in custody.
5:35 PM UPDATE: Though this was reported as a potential “assault with weapons,” police tell us at the scene they can’t find any evidence of weapons – three people got into some kind of fistfight and at least one is hurt, though not seriously.
| 1 COMMENT