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Highland Park 1153 results

Highland Park Spraypark update: Problem fixed; it’s open
July 5, 2013 11:20 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

11:20 AM: The new Highland Park Spraypark has had a few technical glitches since opening a week ago, as we’ve been noting, and Seattle Parks just sent word there’s another today:

Highland Park Spraypark has mechanical problems with the backwash system. It cannot open until repairs are made. Tom Dunning, (project manager) Kelly Goold and Contractor are on site, but it will not open at 11:00. There is no estimate for the time.

We have updated the Wading Pool Hotline.

Of special note, people in the community brought their own brooms to help clean up the spraypad to remove fireworks garbage.

We’ll post an update when we hear (or see) that it’s fixed. Parks spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad, who sent the announcement, says, “We do expect to get it open today. We just don’t know when.”

ADDED 11:44 AM: We asked if this is related or similar to the earlier problems. Parks says no – the first-day glitch involved nearby grass-mowing just before the spraypark opened, and cut grass repeatedly clogged the system; today, it’s “an electrical problem on the automatic backwash system.”

3:26 PM UPDATE: Seattle Parks confirms a commenter’s report – it’s open!

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Update: House-fire callout in Highland Park, most units canceled
June 30, 2013 2:34 pm
|    Comments Off on Update: House-fire callout in Highland Park, most units canceled
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

2:34 PM: If you saw all the Seattle Fire crews, they were responding to a possible house fire in the 7700 block of Highland Park Way SW – but most have just been canceled. We’re en route and will check at the scene to see what happened.

3:22 PM UPDATE: Couldn’t get anything definitive at the scene – just one engine left (photo) and not easy to pull over on the busy street – but whatever it was, it was being extinguished with a garden hose in the front yard.

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Update: Highland Park Spraypark will open tomorrow!
June 27, 2013 1:02 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Seattle Parks photo from spraypark testing earlier this month)
Less than an hour after we last checked with the Seattle Parks project manager for the new Highland Park Spraypark, Kelly Goold, he’s written back with big news: They JUST got approval from King County Public Health, and the spraypark opens tomorrow – just in time for the heat wave! It’s at 11th and Cloverdale (map).

2:11 PM UPDATE: Just checked on the hours: 11 am-8 pm. An official community celebration is expected later this summer, probably August, when a nearby art project is complete. The spraypark has been four years in the making. We had first word in July 2009 that the old wading pool would be converted. Then in early 2010, Carolyn Stauffer (now co-chair of Highland Park Action Committee) circulated a proposal to seek more Parks and Green Spaces Levy Opportunity Fund dollars to add to the functionality and sustainability of the spraypark. It eventually won approval; community meetings began in May 2011, and the spraypark was built this year.

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West Seattle coyotes: 2 seen in Highland Park
June 25, 2013 12:34 am
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | Highland Park | West Seattle news | Wildlife

We’ve been asked a few times lately, what happened to all the coyotes? We haven’t heard of any sightings for a while, but that by no means suggests they’re not still out there. And in fact, Tiann just reported moments ago:

Just saw 2 coyotes between Webster and Holden on 14th. … They must be lost. That’s a very odd area for coyotes to be seen.

Not that unusual, actually – coyotes have been discussed before at the Highland Park Action Committee‘s meetings, just a couple blocks from Tiann’s sighting, with a brief appearance this spring by the federal hunter whose rounds made a stir last year (his advice about ensuring we and they keep away from each other was the same you’ll find here).

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Change in plan for city’s Longfellow Creek challenges: Greenway options added
June 19, 2013 3:46 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Environment | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Last fall, city reps came to eastern West Seattle for three meetings on plans for reducing sewage overflows in Longfellow Creek, including potential raingardens and other types of “natural drainage.” The plans have evolved since then, Seattle Public Utilities is announcing this week, and they want your input on the next decisions that have to be made. For starters, SPU’s Susan Stoltzfus tells WSB, “further modeling and analysis” has shown the city that “the sewage overflows can be mostly controlled by making improvements to the existing storage tanks along Delridge Way and diverting some of the flow to King County’s system.”

That said, they are still pursuing “natural drainage” to help protect the creek “from polluted stormwater runoff which, even without sewage in it, can be more harmful to the health of the creek and the creatures that live in it.” And the new plan is for this to be installed along the route of a future greenway – a road improved for pedestrian/bicycle safety – that has yet to be chosen. If you live in the area – the city wants to hear from you.

(Click image for larger version you can zoom in on)
The map above shows the alternatives. SPU says everyone along the potential routes will get a survey in the mail asking what they think about the idea of a greenway and raingardens in their neighborhood – and a public meeting is planned, July 9th at Highland Park Improvement Club. (HP Action Committee has already announced that this meeting will be a substitute for what otherwise would have been its regular monthly meeting in late June.)

Information about the new proposals will be up on the city website within a few days, we’re told. In the meantime, if you live on one of the greenway routes, watch your mailbox – and if you have any interest in the project, plan to be at the July 9th meeting.

P.S. One greenway already is in the works, in North Delridge – SDOT published an update this week – and the city says it might be a candidate for after-the-fact natural-drainage projects.

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Waiting for the Highland Park spraypark? Quick update
June 18, 2013 10:38 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news

(Seattle Parks photo, taken during spraypark testing)
School’s out, the sun’s out (despite forecasts to the contrary), and West Seattle families are anxiously awaiting the opening of our area’s first-ever spraypark, in Highland Park, five years in the making. As reported here a week and a half ago, construction is done – but they can’t open just yet. First, they were awaiting a part; now, an inspection. After a reader e-mailed to ask for an update, we checked with project manager Kelly Goold, who replied: “We are now waiting on final King County Health approval. Not sure when this will occur, hoping in time for this weekend, but could be next week.”

P.S. City-run wading pools start opening this weekend – the first in our area is Lincoln Park, where the season starts Saturday (weather permitting). Here’s the full citywide schedule.

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West Seattle traffic-alert update: West Marginal Way reopens after one-car crash
June 17, 2013 2:54 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

2:54 PM: Heads up if you’re headed to or from Highland Park, among other affected areas: A crash at West Marginal Way SW and Highland Park Way (map) is leading police to close West Marginal at the scene and for at least a few blocks north.

3:18 PM: Our crew at the scene says a car hit a pole and hydrant (though there’s no water flowing from the latter) on the west (southbound) side of the road a short distance north of Highland Park Way. While the car will be towed soon, the pole and resulting suspended wires have to be taken care of by City Light. P.S. Just added a cameraphone photo but because of the sun and tree cover, the pole hit by the car is hard to see – we’ll substitute clearer photos when our crew gets back. The driver was not seriously hurt.

3:35 PM: Via radio, police are saying City Light can’t get there for another hour or so because it’s shift change.

Meantime, the closure is requiring semi-trucks to turn around as well as smaller vehicles, since they are heavy users of this road. So we do advise avoiding the area entirely TFN.

4:01 PM: Substituted a clearer photo. West Marginal at that spot is still closed off, be forewarned.

5:20 PM: Open both ways, but City Light repair crew has outside southbound lane blocked.

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Highland Park Spraypark sneak peek: Opening ‘very close’
June 7, 2013 4:06 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Thanks to Kelly Goold, Seattle Parks‘ project manager for the Highland Park Spraypark, for the sneak-peek photos taken while it was being tested. We’ve been checking with him on the spraypark’s status; he tells WSB this afternoon that opening day is “close,” but right now, they’re waiting on a part:

Construction is complete, and the spraypark is fully functional (and very cool). However, there are some minor problems with the water quality system, and we need to be overly cautious in dealing with this. The manufacturer is supplying a new part and it will be installed as soon as we get it … we are very close.

The Parks and Green Spaces Levy-funded spraypark replaces the old Highland Park wading pool, which has been closed for five years. Sprayparks are considered more economical and sustainable – no staffing required; less water evaporation.

Speaking of wading pools – their season starts two weeks from tomorrow; here’s the citywide schedule.

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Update: Crash in Highland Park; 7 taken to the hospital
June 2, 2013 4:10 pm
|      38 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(Photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
4:10 PM: Multiple ambulances are being called to 12th and Holden in Highland Park for a crash. We’re on our way to find out more.

4:16 PM: Per radio communications, 2 vehicles, 7 patients, at least two seriously hurt. Large emergency response in the area so stay clear TFN.

4:30 PM: Our crew on the scene says the vehicles are a van and an SUV. Multiple SFD medic units and private ambulances there. Photo added. The wrecked vehicles are on the south side of Holden, about 100 yards west of 12th.

4:45 PM: Seattle Fire’s public-information officer is on scene, so we’re expecting some additional information from our crew shortly. The 12th/Holden area has long been flagged by the Highland Park Action Committee and other area advocates/neighbors for safety concerns.

4:56 PM: The Traffic Collision Investigation Squad will be coming to work on this, which means the area is likely to be closed at least a few more hours. If you are heading west on Holden, you will have to detour onto 12th; if you are heading east on Holden, you will have to detour onto 13th.

5:11 PM: SFD spokesperson Lt. Sue Stangl confirmed to us and other media at the scene that seven people were taken to Harborview Medical Center – two of them children – but none is believed to have life-threatening injuries. In all, she says, the first crews arriving at the scene were told that 10 people in all were in the two vehicles; one had to be extricated (cut out) of the wreckage.

Though some at the scene reported smoke, neither car caught fire, she said.

5:32 PM: Briefing video added (and shortly afterward, two more photos). We’ll check on SW Holden’s status in a few hours – please let us know if you see it reopen sooner (via comments here or text/voice 206-293-6302, our 24/7 line) – thank you.

9:37 PM: Drove by to be sure SW Holden had reopened – it has.

ADDED 8:16 AM MONDAY: Seattle Police have published a summary on SPD Blotter. The only information beyond what we’ve already reported includes the vehicles’ directions and the fact neither driver is believed to have been impaired:

… At about 3:52 pm on Sunday, it is believed that a Hyundai Santa Fe was travelling westbound on SW Holden. At the same time, a Dodge Caravan was travelling eastbound on SW Holden. For reasons still to be determined, while the cars were mid block, they collided head on.

Seattle Fire responded and treated the three adults and two small children that were in the Santa Fe. All the occupants were transported to Harborview Medical Center. Two of the adults suffered serious, but non life-threatening injuries. The two adults (one man and one woman) in the Dodge Caravan were also transported to Harborview, one with serious but non life-threatening injuries. The three young children in the Caravan were evaluated at the scene by Seattle Fire, but they did not have to go to the hospital.

As is routine in serious collision investigations, a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) officer responded to the hospital and evaluated both the female driver of the Caravan and the male driver of the Santa Fe for any signs of impairment. It was determined that neither driver had any signs of impairment from drugs and/or alcohol.

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West Seattle weekend scene: HPIC’s new rain garden
June 1, 2013 4:11 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Highland Park | West Seattle news

What was long just another stretch of asphalt in the Highland Park Improvement Club parking lot is now a brand-new rain garden, after today’s planting party gave it the finishing touches. As explained on the HPIC website (where you also can see the Rain Dog Designs vision for the garden), “every little bit helps” to get toxic runoff water out of the drains that run right into the Duwamish River and Puget Sound. (You can find out about possibilities for your own little corner of West Seattle, by checking with RainWise.)

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City action on ‘Nickelsville’ encampment? Two key dates ahead
May 30, 2013 3:29 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Since last week’s City Council discussion of possible next steps regarding the “Nickelsville” encampment now in its third year in West Seattle (WSB as-it-happened coverage here), we’ve been following up regarding what’s next. So far, there are two public meetings of note, both at City Hall downtown: One, as mentioned in last week’s coverage, is 5:30 pm June 25th; that’s the formal public hearing on Councilmember Nick Licata‘s proposal to expand the areas of the city in which encampments would be allowed; here’s the official notice with details. Before that, however, Licata staffer Lisa Herbold confirms to WSB that the committee he chairs – Housing, Human Services, Health, and Culture – will take up the overall issue of Nickelsville’s future during the committee’s next regular meeting at 2 pm Wednesday, June 12th. That will include the alternative proposals suggested by the mayor and by the encampment’s own Central Committee, in hopes the discussion will reveal which way councilmembers are leaning, though no final decisions will be made.

Meantime, as noted in a followup discussion at last week’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting, community members are urged to contact the mayor, councilmembers, and other decisionmakers with their opinions and ideas; HPAC’s website has more details, including contact information.

ADDED FRIDAY: Just noticed that, minutes after we published this update, Slog published a picture of a flyer that turned up posted in Crown Hill, equating HPAC – whose leadership met with the mayor last week, though no notable progress is reported – with NIMBYism. Anyone seen the flyer around here?

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Another chance to help plant a West Seattle community garden
May 29, 2013 9:46 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Gardening | Highland Park | West Seattle news

If you have passed Highland Park Improvement Club along SW Holden lately, you probably noticed some of the asphalt lot dug up, close to the sidewalk. This is the long-planned HPIC rain garden, close to completion, as part of a partnership with Sustainable Seattle and King County. This Saturday (June 1st), you are invited to join in finishing and planting the new community-designed garden, which will help keep toxic stormwater runoff from making its way into local waterways. The official event announcement adds that it’s a chance for you to get inspired to do something similar:

On that day, HPIC will also be the host to many other ways that you can get involved at home. Join us for the Yards in the Neighborhood Tour:

• Take part in the planting of the rain garden
• Embark on a short, self-guided walking tour to learn about rain gardens and see demonstrations of green infrastructure
• Meet RainWise contractors learn about incentives and reimbursements for installing rain gardens and cisterns
• Visit booths and see demonstrations
• Learn five easy take-home actions to help the Duwamish River!

This is all happening 10 am to 1 pm Saturday at 12th/Holden, free of charge, everybody welcome, no minimum time commitment – stop by for a few minutes or all three hours, help plant if you can (or just cheer everybody on!).

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Update: Highland Park’s new spraypark closer to opening
May 23, 2013 9:13 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

9:13 AM: Busy night and morning since this announcement was made at last night’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting (details on other items later) but we wanted to share before too much more time passed: Highland Park’s new spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) might open as soon as this weekend! The news came from Pete Spalding, the West Seattleite who chairs the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee. The spraypark is on the site of the former Highland Park wading pool; at one time it was proposed for a very simple spray feature, but Highland Park neighbors led by Carolyn Stauffer, now co-chair of HPAC, campaigned three years ago for a share of the levy’s first Opportunity Fund round, and the city eventually secured the funding for a more extensive project. Sprayparks are considered desirable not just because they’re fun but also because they conserve water better than wading pools and don’t require staffing. We’ll continue checking with Parks regarding the spraypark’s status for this weekend – Saturday is the date when sprayparks citywide are scheduled to start operation for the season; currently it’s forecast as cloudy and showery. (Our photo was taken through the fence after last night’s HPAC meeting.)

ADDED 10:21 AM: The spraypark area also is likely to get some money from the next round of Opportunity Fund spending. We just talked with Parks’ Rick Nishi for details of other items mentioned by Spalding at HPAC last night: The Oversight Committee is recommending funding for better pedestrian access to the spraypark/playground area, and the art project involving the small building at the site is in the plan too. Final approval will have to come from the City Council, but the committee made its recommendations at a meeting this past Monday night. Funding was freed up, Nishi explained, when a project involving improvements for Camp Long cabins had to be removed from the proposal because of logistical/bureaucratic challenges.

12:57 PM: Karen O’Connor from Parks e-mailed to say that while the spraypark is close to completion, they still need inspections that could take up to 2 weeks, so don’t get too excited yet. She adds that its dedication is likely in late July-early August, after artwork is complete at the spraypark.

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‘Nickelsville’ updates: HPAC petition; Food Lifeline status; proposed encampment ordinances
May 17, 2013 2:12 pm
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

(UPDATED 5:20 PM FRIDAY with ordinances to be reviewed by council committee next week)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

We have two three followups today to the “Nickelsville” developments first reported here last Tuesday, one day after the second anniversary of the encampment’s return to West Seattle.

Those developments centered around a letter from Mayor McGinn to Council President Sally Clark a letter (read it here) suggesting two options for the site’s future: Sell it to Food Lifeline as that agency has sought, provided the council passes a bill allowing more encampment sites at “non-religious” locations – or vote to allow the site to become a “semi-permanent” encampment.

Today’s developments (editor’s note – third development, added 5:20 pm, is at the bottom of this story – the two ordinances to be reviewed next week, including the mayor’s alternative proposal for the Nickelsville site):

HPAC PETITION AND MEETINGS: The Highland Park Action Committee, which says its area has hosted the encampment for long enough – 2 years – and is demanding a move-out date, has started an online petition. The petition calls on the city to either move it before summer, or start a public-review process for HP and Riverview immediately. Find the petition here. Here’s the statement we received along with that link:

Please pass this link on to anyone you know who owns property in the city, or to anyone that supports a better solution for the homeless. The Mayor’s actions to date have repercussions for everyone. We appreciate all the support we’ve gotten on this, we have a lot of irons in the fire right now. We are working on legal papers to file and are focusing the next few weeks on a more political route while all this legislation is coming to a head in City Council.

We are meeting with Council President Sally Clark’s aide this afternoon, and plan to meet with the Mayor at his office next Friday. We hope to have as many signatures as possible by Wednesday, May 22nd. That day there is (a) meeting of Nick Licata’s Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee at Seattle City Council from 2-4 where he’ll be presenting encampment legislation. Anyone who can make it to that, it would be great to try to have some community to encourage a change to the current situation. That night we have our regularly scheduled HPAC meeting, where we will discuss next steps. Join us at 7 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club on 12th and Holden.

FOOD LIFELINE: As mentioned in the mayor’s letter published here on Tuesday, Food Lifeline already has commitments from the encampment site’s other two owners to sell their parts of the parcel to FLL.

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Sustainable West Seattle to debut new garden next weekend, growing food to feed those in need
May 12, 2013 8:06 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Gardening | Highland Park | How to help | Sustainable West Seattle | West Seattle news

A day before the West Seattle Bee Garden debuts with a celebration in High Point next Sunday, another new local community garden will debut in Highland Park on Saturday – a section of the new Westcrest Park P-Patch dedicated to growing food for the White Center Food Bank. The “Presto Garden” project is being led by Sustainable West Seattle, incorporating donations from local businesses and organizations listed in this update on the SWS website. Here’s where you come in: Many hands, light work. Be there on Saturday (May 18th) 1-5 pm for the planting party that will help make it happen. Westcrest is at 9000 8th SW (for those not familiar with the park, we’re tracking down specific directions to the planting site, and will add them here).

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Highland Park spraypark update: Just weeks away!
May 6, 2013 5:21 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

With this record-setting heat, we’ve been getting questions about when the city’s wading pools open. Schedule’s not out yet, but the short answer: Not till next month. The questions, however, inspired us to check in on the new addition to West Seattle’s outdoor aquatics scene this summer – the Highland Park Spraypark, going in at the site of the wading pool that’s hasn’t been open since 2008. Seattle Parks project manager Kelly Goold says the spraypark is currently on track for completion by the end of this month, and shared construction photos with WSB:

The top photo, he explains, “shows concrete being poured in one pad and forming for the next – concrete for this project is part of the final phase.” The second photo shows “the very cool bronze inlays that tie to the planetary theme of the spray-park.” As he notes, most of the work has been “in-ground; a lot of piping for the spray-park equipment.”

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Highland Park Uncorked wine event: Less than one week away!
May 5, 2013 2:53 pm
|    Comments Off on Highland Park Uncorked wine event: Less than one week away!
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | WS beverages

This year’s wine-tasting event/fundraiser at Highland Park Improvement Club has gone totally uncorked. So much so, that’s what they’re calling it now – “Highland Park Uncorked.” It’s less than a week away – next Saturday, May 11th, doors open 6 pm, tasting at 7 – so time is running out for pre-registration, which carries a lower “suggested donation” rate – $15, otherwise $20 at the door, and a $15-or-under bottle of wine for the tasting event. You can sign up here (and read more about how the event will unfold, and why you’re bringing a bottle of wine).

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West Seattle coyotes – and other urban wildlife – on Highland Park Action Committee agenda Wednesday night
April 23, 2013 6:19 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | Highland Park | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Video sent by Bob Mohr, recorded by son Jack, in Genesee Hill around sunset Monday, between 55th/54th/Genesee/Dakota)
While that short clip of a coyote on the run in a West Seattle neighborhood – watch the sidewalk at :25 and :40 – isn’t from Highland Park, that neighborhood’s plan to talk about coyotes and other urban wildlife tomorrow night would seem to be of interest to all. A federal wildlife biologist is on the Highland Park Action Committee‘s agenda, 7 pm Wednesday at HP Improvement Club (12th/Holden), and all are welcome. Also on the agenda: The proposed Duwamish River cleanup plan, and why, with a month left for public comment, it should matter to you.

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Home-invasion robbers in Highland Park awaken woman, steal car
April 10, 2013 11:13 am
|      45 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Police are looking for three men who they say kicked in the door of a Highland Park residence this morning, overpowered the woman who was asleep inside, and robbed her of items including her car. They say it happened around 7 am in the 7900 block of 9th SW (map). The robbers are described only as “three young black males, light-skinned”; they demanded the woman’s car keys and made off with her purse and some cash as well as her 2006 white 4-door Chevrolet Malibu, which has a magnetic cat’s-paw print on the passenger-side door. The robbers did not show a weapon, police say, and the victim was not seriously hurt, but did suffer a bloody nose because one of them put his hand over her face to keep her from screaming. She ran out of the house right after they left and saw them driving away in her car; police were nearby and say they arrived quickly but were not able to find it. If you see the car, call 911.

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‘Nickelsville’: Highland Park Action Committee gives mayor, council a deadline for move-out date
April 2, 2013 10:35 am
|      41 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

After almost two unsanctioned but unchallenged years at the West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way site where it was founded, the encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” is coming under increasing scrutiny, particularly after its open admission of turmoil last month, first reported here. After again discussing the encampment at its last meeting (WSB coverage here), followed by a letter to the city, the Highland Park Action Committee community council has just sent a formal letter to Mayor McGinn and the Seattle City Council with a deadline:

To Mayor McGinn, his staff, and members of Seattle City Council,

The Highland Park Action Committee (HPAC) would like to request a move out date for the homeless encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” at 7116 West Marginal Way at the base of Highland Park Drive. HPAC represents the Highland Park and Riverview Neighborhoods in Southwest Seattle. It has come to our attention that it has been difficult for the residence of Nickelsville to keep order in the camp and the management technique used to try to restore order recently included the “Show of Force Team” removing the Porta Potty Service. As the residents of Nickelsville wrote:

“The reason for this decision (to remove the Porta Potty Service) was our inability at Nickelsville in preventing the overrun of our community by meth dealers and barred, violent former campers. Progress was made yesterday, but the situation is still teetering on the brink.”

A new letter has been released from the encampment stating that things are “returning to stability.” The intent of their letter was to express dismay with the Seattle Police for not helping them with security. The Seattle Police are in a bind because the entire encampment is squatting illegally, so they cannot enforce one group’s illegal presence there over another group. The situation at Nickeslville has gotten out of hand, we have noticed a shift in the population from what was originally there, and this has been verified by campers living in Nickelsville. We were surprised, however, at the threatening management technique. As we have continued to hear stories of how the camp is currently being run, we were struck by the realization that there really is no oversight whatsoever for this encampment- it is illegal after all, and we have a lot of concerns with how it’s being managed at this point.

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‘Nickelsville’ updates: No Food Lifeline decision yet; federal sentence in 2012 eviction firebombing
March 29, 2013 7:22 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

Two updates in our ongoing coverage of the West Seattle encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville”:

FOOD LIFELINE SITE DECISION DELAY? Though some word from the city was expected any day now by both Food Lifeline – which wants to buy the public land that currently houses the encampment – and the Highland Park Action Committee, which says the encampment has overstayed its welcome and wants a move-out date (as first reported here Thursday), Mayor McGinn‘s office says the next move may still be a few weeks away. Spokesperson Aaron Pickus answered our query this morning with: “We expect to have a report from our Finance and Administrative Services department in early to mid-April regarding the possible property sale to Food Lifeline.”

SENTENCING IN APRIL 2012 ‘FIREBOMBING’: It’s not in our coverage archives, but the U.S. Attorney reports that not only was there a firebombing at the encampment almost exactly a year ago – related to an “eviction” – but the repeat offender arrested for it and another crime two days later has just been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office sent a news release about it today – saying 37-year-old Shane Anello had pleaded guilty to charges stemming from having thrown a Molotov cocktail at the car of someone who had evicted him from Nickelsville on April 1 (a “car fire” is shown on the 911 logs for that day at 6:10 pm), and to shooting at a car in Beacon Hill on April 3rd. Read the full news release here.

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15th and Holden ‘resolution’ soon? Neighbors face police @ West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting
March 28, 2013 2:48 am
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

(March 19th photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
Police are often heard to exhort neighbors to get involved – because they ultimately can have more effect on the crime situation in their neighborhood than can police. And so, neighbors from Highland Park’s 15th/Holden vicinity (map) came to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting on Tuesday night to show their intensifying concern about a neighborhood trouble spot.

Ongoing problems started coming to something of a head on March 19th, when the big police response shown in our photo responded to what Lt. Pierre Davis told us at the time was a case of cell-phone theft – but at Tuesday night’s meeting, pressed for information by neighbors, precinct commander Capt. Joe Kessler admitted it was something more: “Ten police cars don’t show up for a stolen cell phone.” (Toplines in the police-report system later indicated the call also involved “threats.”)

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Followup: Mayor orders more police patrols for Nickelsville
March 25, 2013 11:09 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | Safety | West Seattle news

“The current situation raises serious concerns about Nickelsville’s ability to protect the health and safety of its residents.”

That was part of Mayor McGinn‘s response to WSB today, after we requested comment on the situation reported here on Sunday – centering on the encampment’s Central Committee declaring that it was having trouble “preventing the overrun of our community by meth dealers and barred, violent former campers,” blaming police for not supporting camp decisions to evict such people. Our story, meantime, included an incident one week ago in which the SPD report indeed quoted police saying that people on public land had no right to tell others to get off that public land – while also including a would-be evictee claiming they were getting booted for going to police about an alleged crime.

The mayor, meantime, says more police help is in order; the second and final sentence of his reply to us was, “The immediate next step is to increase our police presence through the use of directed patrols from the Southwest Precinct.” We hope to hear something about that when precinct commander Capt. Joe Kessler speaks to the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network on Tuesday night (6:30 pm, SW Precinct, Delridge/Webster); then on Wednesday night, the Highland Park Action Committee, the neighborhood council closest to the encampment, plans a Nickelsville update during its regular monthly meeting (7 pm, HP Improvement Club, 12th/Holden).

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