Street notes: Highland Park crash; Alki work; Viaduct reminder
We reported this in the WSB Twitter stream when it happened but just got a bit more info now: Two children were slightly hurt when their school bus was involved in a crash on westbound Highland Park Way just east of West Marginal Way (map) at midday today – the bus and a minivan both had front-end damage; still checking on circumstances of the crash. Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen says the kids did NOT have to go to the hospital. Meantime, at Alki Point, the first week of work on the sidewalk-extension project now has an alert sign up at 63rd/Alki (by Cactus), noting the westbound road is for “local access only.”
The actual work is beginning at the Beach Drive/Alki Avenue end, with survey work for starters:
And of course, the biggest traffic alert of all – remember, the Alaskan Way Viaduct is scheduled to be closed 6 am-6 pm both Saturday and Sunday this weekend for its half-yearly inspection, and the Battery Street Tunnel is to be closed around the clock from Friday night till Monday morning. (Plus, if you see this before Thursday evening and plan to drive through Sodo/Pioneer Square, remember the huge crowd expected for the Seattle Sounders‘ debut rally/march/game.)
Update: Status of future parkland @ West Seattle Reservoir
That photo was provided last year by Dina Johnson of the Highland Park Action Committee, before work began in earnest on the project to underground West Seattle Reservoir (surrounded by Westcrest Park). Eventually, part of the resulting greenspace is to become more parkland; at this week’s HPAC meeting, chair Dan Mullins said he’s working to get an official Parks Department presentation on the project lined up for a future HPAC meeting (as he’s since noted the levy passed last year; here’s an update from Parks spokesperson Dewey Potter:
It is a named project in the 2008 Levy, and as such will take place within the next six years. Parks will not have any levy funding in hand until King County collects first quarter 2009 property tax receipts, so we will have our first dollars in April … Mayor Nickels is working to speed up some projects under the banner of “Seattle Jobs Forward” consistent with the stimulus. To that end, Parks is moving forward on “shovel-ready” levy projects with funds from the Cumulative Reserve Subfund and will reimburse it with Levy funds when they are in hand.
We are also working on the levy implementation plan the City Council has asked for, and it will include needed staffing (very little, since some staff people who worked on 2000 Pro Parks Levy projects are still on board), a plan for going out to all neighborhood district councils to present what’s in the levy, public workshops, getting the citizen Levy Oversight Committee up and running, and creating a timeline for the named projects over the life of the levy. (As you probably know, with a bond issue the City borrows all the money up front and pays it back over the life of the bonds, and with a levy the money comes in quarterly over the life of the levy).
So, we don’t yet know when the reservoir project will take place, and we have not yet assigned a planner to it. We will have the community workshops in the upcoming months, and we will publicize them widely. Folks can also keep an eye on the fledgling 2008 Levy web page: www.seattle.gov/parks/levy/default.htm, which will be updated constantly.
2 for your calendar: Highland Park tonight, tunnel tomorrow
HIGHLAND PARK ACTION COMMITTEE: If you live in southeastern West Seattle (map), come meet your neighbors and get involved with your neighborhood. Tonight’s monthly HPAC meeting is open to all, at 7 pm at the Highland Park Improvement Club (11th/Holden).
VIADUCT TO TUNNEL? One month after the new plan to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct‘s “mile in the middle” Central Waterfront section was announced, many questions remain – and your best chance to get in-person answers, right here in West Seattle, is tomorrow, 5:30-7:30 pm, Madison Middle School. This is an “open house,” NOT a sit-down-for-two-hours meeting, so any time you can drop by during that time frame, reps from the state, city, and county will be there to talk with you. That includes questions about transit and other projects, as well as the tunnel itself. (Disclosure: The Viaduct project is currently running a paid ad on WSB to promote this meeting.)
West Seattle Crime Watch: Shooting semi-update; attack near park
JUNCTION SHOOTING INVESTIGATION: We just checked with Seattle Police, and Officer Jeff Kappel says there’s no new information in the search for the men who shot 26-year-old Steven Bushaw as he crossed the street in The Junction night before last (Sunday night coverage here, Monday morning followup here, Monday afternoon followup here). As for his family, we have exchanged e-mail with his sister Tanya, who says she will let us know when there is information to share about his memorial service. (As of this afternoon, the temporary memorial set up outside Talarico’s [left photo] was gone; people who knew Steven are continuing to leave comments remembering him in this thread.)
ATTACK NEAR PARK: Police also released information regarding an incident we checked out last night but at the time were unable to verify: The “assault with weapons” call near Riverview Park around 9:40 last night turns out to have been a stabbing. Officer Kappel says a man in his 50s was out for a walk in the 7200 block of 12th SW (map) and was attacked by a man who got away. There’s no information on how the victim is doing. His attacker is described as “a black male, 5-7, 130 pounds, large front teeth, dark coat, light T-shirt, light pants, fled in a white subcompact car.” 9:24 PM UPDATE: From the WSB Blogs page (thanks to “d” for the tip), Highland Park Action Committee chair Dan Mullins‘ blog has more information about the victim, identifying him as David Skinner and saying he’s still in the hospital with injuries including a punctured lung.
Highland Park Action Committee: New leaders; jail deadline
That’s the Highland Park Action Committee‘s new chair Dan Mullins, presiding for the first time at HPAC’s first meeting of the year tonight. (New vice chair Nicole Mazza and treasurer Shawn Mazza couldn’t attend, but you can see them in this photo on the HPAC website; as we reported following the last HPAC meeting, the previous officers decided not to run again — former chair Dorsol Plants is about to kick off his City Council campaign – website in the works here.) Dan’s first report as chair revolved around plans to have a brainstorming session for the community to looking into getting city matching grants for various projects – such as replanting parking strips, doing cleanup in the greenbelt, maybe a kiosk in the Highland Park Improvement Club parking lot to distribute info about HPAC, the HPIC building, and the neighborhood. He also mentioned that Habitat for Humanity is doing a build-a-thon in September and they’re looking for people to sit on a steering committee (more info to come on that). On the hottest HP topic of the past year, Becca Fong says THIS FRIDAY is the deadline for comments on the potential environmental impacts of sites proposed for a new regional misdemeanor jail – including the West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way site. More info on that at the jail-project website. Becca says any citizen concerns about air, water, soil effects will have to be followed up on by the city, so if you have them, send them. (She’s willing to answer questions about the process, highlandparkparadise@gmail.com.)
West Seattle pet alert: Watch where your dog’s drinking
That’s Metro in happier times; he’s sick right now, according to his human companion Abby, who wanted to share this info with other local dogs and their people:
Our dog Metro has just been diagnosed with Giardia. While
we cannot be certain where he picked it up, we were recently at the Westcrest dog park (Sun. 1/11, Sat. 1/17 and Sun. 1/18) – his most favorite place in the world.
It is possible that my backyard or a puddle we encountered on a walk is the source of the offending parasite, but we wanted to remind the great folks at the dog park to be alert, especially to your puppy’s drinking sources. We’ll keep our puppy away from your dogs for a few weeks (much to his dismay). Just another important reason to clean up after the beasts we love and help prevent the spread of a yucky parasite to some unwitting and likely adorable dog. Happy walks–See you in a few weeks!
Abby also has posted this alert to the Westcrest Off-Leash Area mailing list, where one respondent has noted that the park’s water is off for the winter so “many dogs have been drinking from the drainage pipe next to the big tree.” Again, there’s no proof that Westcrest is where Metro got this parasite, but Abby wanted to suggest that dog owners be extra watchful. We’ll be checking with local health authorities to look for more information on how common this is and how best to take precautions.
West Seattle jail-site fight: “Scoping meeting” at SSCC
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We mentioned on Tuesday morning that five notable meetings were happening in West Seattle last night. Between your two co-publishers and three of the very good reporters we are able to tap on an as-assigned basis, we covered them all, including the second West Seattle meeting held as part of the regional jail-site-selection process, with one WS site (Google Street View above) now remaining in the running. Many of the same people who spoke at the first one last June (WSB coverage here) were at this one too, as was David Whelan, reporting for WSB – here’s his story:Read More
Non-snow news: Highland Park/White Center robberies update
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A West Seattle Crime Watch update before we top the main page with evening updates on the weather, looking ahead to tomorrow: We have new information about law enforcers’ search for robbers who are believed to have hit at least three stores in the south West Seattle/north White Center area in the past week — stickups at Gas Depot and Lucky Seven last Thursday, and at the Country Deli this past Tuesday (WSB coverage here; map above shows the three locations). According to information forwarded by Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen, investigators reviewing surveillance video — which has not yet been publicly released (though we have requested any available images) — say “the suspects can be seen … milling about outside for a while prior to the robberies, checking to see if any customers inside.” Investigators want to get this information to local businesspeople: If you see suspicious-looking people hanging around outside your business, call 911. Until we get visuals, all we can tell you regarding a description is what little police have shared — “possibly” Hispanic men in their “late teens/early twenties” — they have been described as wearing bandannas over their faces, and toting at least one shotgun.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Highland Park robbery search
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Just in from Tony, and scanner traffic confirms the search:
… SPD currently have containment around the 7700-7800 block of Highland Parkway SW. It appears that there was another robbery in the area. Scanner traffic from the police seems to indicate that the same suspects in several robberies may be involved in this one also. From what I heard the call came out at just before 6:30 for an armed robbery in front of 7789 Highland Parkway. The police arrived very soon after and set up containment to keep the suspects within a specific geographic area. They are described as two males late teens early twenties wearing white bandanas over their face and hoodie type sweatshirts. One of the males had a shot gun. There were a couple of witnesses to the incident and have provided directions lasted traveled. There does not appear to be a car involved. An SPD K9 unit is responding from the north end of Seattle and expects to be on the scene in the next few minutes. It is likely the road closures will be in effect for a little while. At this time I would suggest that people in the area remain inside and make sure their doors are locked.
More as we get it. Regarding those “several robberies” that happened earlier, there were two last Thursday night (discussed on WSB in the context of a helicopter sighting – here’s the post): one at Gas Depot on South Delridge, one at Lucky Seven in White Center; we had asked both investigating agencies to let us know if any surveillance photos were available to show, but hadn’t received any to date. 8:07 PM UPDATE: Per scanner, a K-9 officer lost the scent somewhere on 10th SW so some units have left that part of the scene. 9 PM NOTE: After that, the scanner traffic dwindled to nothing – so there’s no additional information; our original tipster relayed that officers left that area too. Not sure if we will get more information tonight but we will pursue it. WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: This robbery has appeared on the SPD Blotter website, but even less info than we had in this post; we’re checking directly with the Southwest Precinct for any additional details. WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON: The only additional detail that Lt. Steve Paulsen has is that the suspects are “possibly (2) Hispanic males teens/20’s.” He says “we have a lot of folks citywide working on this” and also working in tandem with King County Sheriff’s Office, since one of the stickups last Thursday was in White Center, but no arrests yet.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Two people “violently mugged”
We’re checking with the Southwest Precinct for any more info on this, including whether anyone’s been arrested. But we didn’t want to wait any longer to share the original reader report, from Zack:
Two of my neighbors were violently mugged last night in Highland Park as they were walking home. The mugging took place at the intersection of 14th and Cambridge [map] around 7:30 pm. The muggers worked in tandem. One approached the couple asking where the closest bus stop was, while the other hid out of sight. The first mugger wrestled one of the victims to the ground, using a blade of some kind to cut open the victim’s pants and remove his wallet. The other mugger stepped out from behind a car and flattened the second victim, ripping her purse and handbag from her. The muggers fled in a vehicle heading south. The muggers made off with both of the victims’ wallets, a lap top computer, and various personal items (including house keys). Within minutes, the criminals had attempted to use the victims’ credit cards at a gas station with a 98116 ZIP code.
The victims described the assailants as Asian Pacific Islanders or Samoans in their early 20s. The muggers did not have any distinguishing features or marks. They were both large men.
The victims are friends. My wife took them to the hardware store last night to buy replacement locks. Needless to say, we are all shaken up over this. The violent nature of the crime is particularly disturbing. The police who responded said that as the economy worsens, they are seeing a rise in these types of snatch and grab crimes.
Please alert your readers to call the police the first moment they notice any suspicious looking vehicles or people in their neighborhood.
Happening now: Highland Park, Southwest CC bazaars
Made it over to Highland Park Elementary (10th and Trenton; here’s a map) to check out the holiday bazaar – lots on sale, plus kids’ activities too – a chance to “fish”:
The Highland Park Elementary bazaar continues till 3. Under way till 4 pm, it’s the Southwest Community Center bazaar (on Thistle a few blocks east of 35th; here’s a map); another reminder, all the rest of what’s happening today/tonight, and tomorrow, is in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup!
West Seattle Crime Watch: Noisy arrest
Thanks to those who e-mailed to ask about a loud boom near 16th/Kenyon (map) around 6:30 this morning, followed by “police” sightings. Ralph had the most vivid description of what he saw at a house he identifies as being in the 7900 block of 16th SW:
I heard a loud ka-boom and thought it was a bomb. (About a year or so ago, someone did pipe-bomb neighbor’s back yard.) I thought that I should call that one in.
But first I looked out the window, and everything was quiet. Then I looked out the other window and realized that I didn’t have to call this one in – the lights were already flashing. Then a floodlight illuminated the entire front of the house … And there were numerous SWAT (or whatever) team folks there, armed and wearing helmets. … Turns out it was King County sheriff – no SPD, which surprised me. The ka-boom must have been the flash-bang used by the assault team.
Before Ralph’s note came in, we had been checking with the Southwest Precinct, and indeed, it wasn’t an incident with which they were involved – so we moved on to King County Sheriff’s Office, where Sgt. John Urquhart tells us an arrest warrant was being served – no details on what the person was wanted for, but the person is in custody.
Highland Park Action Committee chair to run for City Council
First of two reports from tonight’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting: 
The group’s fireball chair Dorsol Plants (left; 8/08 photo courtesy Dina Johnson) announced he’s not running for re-election — because he’s going to jump into another election: He’s planning to run for one of the four Seattle City Council seats that will be on the ballot next year. Plants tells WSB he hasn’t decided which one — he wants to be an advocate for “the south end,” which he says has been represented thus far (though council members are elected “at large,” NOT by district) by Richard McIver, who’s not expected to run for re-election. (The other three whose terms expire next year: Nick Licata, Jan Drago, and council president Richard Conlin.) Plants has served as HPAC chair since this past spring, when the announcement of two possible city jail sites (now down to one) near Highland Park forced the group to rise to a new level of activism – though at the time, it was without a chair. While Plants has not previously held elected office, he notes that in addition to serving as HPAC chair during a time of intense lobbying and multiple public-speaking appearances because of the jail-sites fight (check our coverage archive for examples), he also has leadership experience as a veteran of the U.S. Army. The formal filing isn’t till next June, but Plants says he’s already doing paperwork, forming a committee and obtaining a campaign manager, and will have a website up soon.(HPAC’s other three officers also indicated tonight that they will step aside for new leadership; the group received some nominations and will keep that process open till elections at the next HPAC meeting January 26th – more on that in our second report later.)
Anti-jail ballot initiative? Citywide jail-site-fight strategy session
(sign on kiosk in South Delridge Triangle area)
Dorsol Plants, chair of the Highland Park Action Committee — which not only has led the fight against two proposed city-jail sites in HP, but also is involved in a citywide effort to make the case that a new jail’s not needed at all — forwards word of a strategy session tomorrow, and anyone interested is invited: It’s being led by Real Change, and the invitation notes that RC “continues to organize around the principles that a new jail is an expensive, unnecessary, counterproductive and inhumane investment for Seattle to make. The budget process is ending. The next step being considered for this campaign is the possibility of launching an initiative against the jail to go on the ballot next November.” That’s part of the strategy that will be discussed 5:30-7:30 pm tomorrow (Monday 11/10) in Hall 6 of the Seattle Labor Temple in Belltown (2800 1st Ave.; here’s a map). The invite adds: “This will be a time for leaders from the service providers, advocacy groups, and neighborhood organizations opposed to or concerned by a new jail to come together and strategize.”
West Seattle Halloween ’08, report #2
Yes, Halloween is for grownups too. Those are some of the hard-working Highland Park Action Committee leaders who set up a Halloween haunt for all ages at the HP Improvement Club building tonight — replete with fog machine:
Over in The Junction, a couple parties are under way, including the Ghostly Gala at Twilight:
That last photo reminds us, Twilight’s Mary Enslow still doesn’t have her stolen motorcycle back – stay on the lookout. Meantime, one more scene from Admiral businesses’ trick-or-treat extravaganza this afternoon – big stream of families drawn to Atomic Boys, its first year to share in the tradition:
Lots more Halloween pix to come, including yours (e-mail us!).
Got a few notes very early Sunday about the area’s law-enforcement helicopter, 
Last night, a WSB Forum member 
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