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West Seattle Crime Watch: Possible serial burglars arrested
March 15, 2012 10:57 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

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.”

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Spraypark, park, P-Patch, all @ Highland Park Action Committee
March 1, 2012 2:52 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(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

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West Seattle weekend scene: Pancake breakfast raises $2,300
February 26, 2012 3:11 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | How to help | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

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).

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Just in case you wondered: Highland Park fire call
February 25, 2012 7:50 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

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.

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Update: Fight, injuries bring police/fire response to Highland Park
February 23, 2012 5:23 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

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.

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‘Nickelsville’ fundraiser in West Seattle this Saturday
February 23, 2012 5:18 pm
|      41 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news

If you’re interested in helping the encampment that calls itself ‘Nickelsville’ pay for essential services – trash, portable sanitation, phone, generator fuel – here’s an easy way to do it: A pancake breakfast is planned this Saturday morning, 8 am-11 am, at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene, 4201 SW Juneau. The price is whatever you can afford to donate. WSB Forums member JoB shared the announcement and says there’s also a donor who has committed to matching the first $500 raised at the breakfast.

As for the camp’s status, it remains in a sort of official limbo – the city isn’t evicting them, but it’s not helping them access services such as utilities, either. The Highland Park Action Committee, neighborhood council for the area that includes Nickelsville’s HP Way/W. Marginal Way site, has been talking with the city about how long it intends to let the encampment stay and whether it plans to change city rules regarding encampments. HPAC leaders have published an update on their new webpage, and will likely have an update at their next meeting (7 pm next Wednesday, February 29th, at HP Improvement Club, 12th/Holden).

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Another police search: Driver walks away from Highland Park crash
February 21, 2012 2:18 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

Thanks to Pete for the tip on this (as well as an unsigned text message): Eastbound SW Holden should be open again at any time, since a tow truck was arriving at the scene where a white Jeep Cherokee crashed just east of 15th SW and blocked that side of the road. Its driver walked away (with a passenger, according to witnesses). No injuries reported.

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Coming up in Highland Park: P-Patch, spray park meetings
February 18, 2012 11:18 am
|    Comments Off on Coming up in Highland Park: P-Patch, spray park meetings
 |   Gardening | Highland Park | West Seattle news

Before month’s end, you’ll have a chance to get the latest on two projects in Highland Park. The first one is ready for you to dig into:

WESTCREST PARK P-PATCH: From Brian Greer:

West Seattle residents have an exciting opportunity right now to be a part of the creation of a P-Patch community garden at Westcrest Park. Recently, funds from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy have been awarded for this project, and the timeline to get it in the ground is relatively short. We need you to come out and voice your values for the garden.

Anybody who has ever experienced the joys of a community garden or has a desire to be apart of this great community feature should come to the orientation and design criteria meeting that will take place this Tuesday the 21st. You don’t need any experience gardening or community organizing, just an interest in being involved.

When: Tuesday, Feb 21st, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
Where: Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden St.
If you have questions about this meeting or want to help with the organization of this event please e-mail briancgreer@gmail.com.

SPRAY PARK: The third and final meeting about the project to convert Highland Park’s wading pool into a spray park (also including levy $) is once again combined with the monthly Highland Park Action Committee meeting – 7 pm Wednesday, February 29th. This time, Parks will present the final design, and discuss the construction timeline (at last report, the spray park is scheduled to be open for summer 2013). This meeting is also at HPIC (12th and Holden).

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Followup: Athena’s unveils truck mural; open tomorrow in Highland Park
February 16, 2012 1:24 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

Following up on her report from Tuesday (see it here) that Nick Parisi will open Athena’s in the former Zippy’s space at 16th/Holden, WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz photographed him and the newly painted truck today (the rolling mural is by Glenn Case). As Deanie’s story noted, Parisi plans to serve up Greek-themed food from the truck while the space is being readied – and she confirmed today that he’s planning to start tomorrow, serving 1-8 pm. She also reports that while the Athena’s truck usually will be closed Mondays, it will be OPEN on President’s Day.

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West Seattle restaurants: Athena’s taking over ex-Zippy’s space
February 14, 2012 4:38 pm
|      30 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

By Deanie Schwarz
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The foreclosure more than a year ago of the Seamart building in Highland Park had neighborhood folks wondering whether this “food desert” area would ever again see the life-giving sustenance and high-voltage energy of the previous tenants Zippy’s Giant Burgers (WSB sponsor) – since owners Blaine and Rahel Cook ended up moving to a larger space in White Center.

A bank took over the property at 16th/Holden, and for the year-plus since, anxious eyes have kept watch, wondering, hoping, waiting. Then, last weekend, eagle-eyed tipsters scrambled to let WSB know that apparent tenants were actively on site, so, we were asked, WHAT did we know? We dashed over and were lucky to meet one of two future tenants who will split a three-way triple-net on the property: Athena’s owner Nick Parisi.

Nick, his wife, and their two kids are Highland Park residents, and are stepping up to bat at the charmed former Zippy’s location to bring his road-proven, Greek-themed venture home to the people of West Seattle and beyond – and you will be able to get food there sooner than you think.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen car in Seaview; prowler patrol
February 9, 2012 1:55 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | Seaview | West Seattle news

Two reader reports to share this afternoon. First, from Kevin:

I’m writing to let you know that my 1996 Honda Accord was stolen off the street from in front of my house last night between midnight and 7 AM. I live in the 6000 block of 46th AVE SW between SW Graham and SW Raymond streets. It’s a four door Accord LX model. Maroon/Burgandy color. WA license plate 865 TZD. If you see it or have any information, please call the Seattle Police Dept.

(SPD suggests 911 if you see a stolen car.) Meantime, Jenni – who is a Block Watch captain in Highland Park – says they’re not taking car prowlers lightly in her neighborhood. This happened early Wednesday:

I went to check why my dog was barking& noted white male late 40s with graying facial hair trying to break into my neighbors SUV. I asked what he was doing and he fled via silver/gray 2 door sedan possibly ford no plate number obtained. I called 911 and some of our block watch went out on foot to patrol the surrounding streets. So, just another note about neighborhood block watch and calling police immediately.

She hasn’t heard whether an arrest was made, but notes that police arrived within five minutes of the 911 call. Meantime, Highland Park and other south West Seattle neighborhoods might be interested in this White Center event tonight: In case you missed the notice in our morning preview or on White Center Now, gang-activity trends, Metro Transit safety, and other topics are all on the agenda for the first in a series of Public Safety Forums presented by the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, all welcome, 7 pm tonight at North Highline Fire District headquarters (1243 SW 112th – here’s a map).

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Car hits pedestrian at 8th/Roxbury; no major injuries
February 6, 2012 10:55 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | White Center

Thanks to Eric and Kristen, who both sent word of what looked like a car-bicycle crash at 8th and Roxbury (map) earlier this morning – but was instead a case of a pedestrian hit by a car, according to King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West. (It’s their jurisdiction because it happened on the county side of the Highland Park/White Center line, though as you can see in the photo, which Eric sent, Seattle Police helped out.) Sgt. West says the driver was southbound on 8th, getting ready to turn left (eastbound) onto Roxbury, and was apparently “blinded by the sun” when she hit a 67-year-old woman who was walking northbound across the street. She was driving very slowly, Sgt. West says, so the pedestrian suffered only “very minor injuries.” The bicycle seen on the ground by passersby belonged to a witness who stopped to help, NOT to the victim, according to Sgt. West.

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Crews check out small fire reported in Highland Park home
January 26, 2012 5:51 pm
|    Comments Off on Crews check out small fire reported in Highland Park home
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

Firefighters are working to find out what led to a fire call in Highland Park this past hour. The original call to a home in the 8100 block of 6th SW was “fire in a single-family residence,” but WSB contributor Deanie Schwarz says there were no flames, and crews were investigating the possibility it was a small fire in a fan.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Fire-station car break-ins
January 21, 2012 12:56 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

From Bob:

2 cars were broken into at Fire Station 11’s (16th Avenue SW & SW Holden Street) secured parking lot sometime late Friday night/early Saturday morning. Unnamed articles were taken and some were found across the alley. SPD was notified and a report was taken.

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Helicopter over Highland Park
January 14, 2012 11:42 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | Highland Park | West Seattle news

11:42 PM: Thanks for the e-mails/texts. We’re checking. (LATER: Sorry, the fire sidetracked the investigation into what this was about. We still have inquiries out, though, and whenever we get an answer, we’ll post it here.)

SUNDAY MORNING: Southwest Precinct Lt. Alan Williams told us they did NOT have Guardian One (the area’s only law-enforcement chopper, owned/operated by King County Sheriff’s Office, but assists other agencies) out on anything. Was it a KCSO case? No word yet.

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Another holiday gift for Nickelsville: Volunteers’ visit
January 1, 2012 9:13 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

New haircuts to start the New Year. That’s part of what volunteers organized by Vietnamese Cultural Center director Lee Bui brought to the “Nickelsville” encampment in West Seattle today, along with donated food and clothing. Above, Renton hairstylist Van; below, Nga Ngo:

Volunteers promised they’d return, after a Thanksgiving visit with free flu shots as well as food (WSB coverage here). Here’s most of today’s group:

While there, we also found a second group of volunteers, who came to the encampment to offer a New Year’s Day barbecue:

What the New Year will bring for Nickelsville isn’t clear, as their status on this city-owned land remains tenuous. Though Mayor McGinn said after the encampment’s return last spring that he didn’t plan to evict them as his predecessor had three years earlier, the city also is not moving toward granting a request for utility hookups, as discussed at last month’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting (WSB coverage here).

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Video: Highland Park’s 3rd annual ‘Not-So-Silent’ New Year’s Eve
December 31, 2011 9:45 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Holidays | West Seattle news

Story and video by Randall G. Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

More than 90 participants of all ages kicked off tonight’s Highland Park New Year’s Blast (and Potluck!) by marching in the Not-So-Silent Night Parade.

Armed with assorted noise-making devices and papier-maché lanterns, children and adults set out from the Highland Park Improvement Club on a several-block march through the surrounding neighborhood, stopping traffic and bringing people out onto their front porches and yards to exchange shouted wishes for a “Happy New Year.”

Dan Mullins served as a sort of de-facto grand marshal of the procession, with tonight marking the third annual New Year’s Eve noise-making march, though he noted that the neighborhood has been gathering for community events on the last day of the year for 91 years.

Awaiting the group in the parking lot of the club afterward was another relatively new tradition for the holiday: the “Sage Comet.”

Former Cirque de Flambé member Chris Huson was joined by Rory Denovan in a fireball-twirling display, adding a bit of heat to the chilly evening air.

Wearing kilts as a nod to the tradition’s Scottish “Hogmanay” roots, the men spun flaming wire cages in large circles around them. Despite the name given the event, “Sage Comet,” it was bits of Christmas trees and rosemary set aflame by another Cirque alum, known only as “Tricky Bunny.”

Keeping with the family-orientation of the evening, Huson and Denovan were attended by their wives — Kristin Huson and Becca Fong –donning black robes and holding tall torches in front of the gathered crowd, lending an air of ritual to the proceedings.

Once the flames had burned out, revellers were invited back into the club for a potluck dinner and a night of live music from four bands, promising to carry the festivities securely into 2012.

With a solid attendance already on hand for the early part of the night, HPIC secretary Julie Schickling expected as many as 150 people might attend throughout the evening.

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West Seattle New Year’s Eve: Highland Park parade & party return!
December 22, 2011 10:29 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle New Year’s Eve: Highland Park parade & party return!
 |   Highland Park | Holidays | West Seattle news

Once again this year, Highland Park Improvement Club invites West Seattle friends and neighbors to come welcome the new year exuberantly – starting with the third annual Not-So-Silent-Night noisemaking parade through the surrounding neighborhood. (Our video is from last year’s parade, in which we counted at least 60 participants of all ages.) Just received the parade/party invite from Woody:

There will be a New Year’s Eve Party at the Highland Park Improvement Club in West Seattle. It’s an open party: Everyone is invited! We’re asking for a $5/person donation at the door ($10 for families).

There will be live music with four great bands performing: Garrett and Westcott, Rory James and the Majestic, The River Rust and Oddly Even.

This will be an all ages show – starting with The Not So Silent Night Parade, the return of the Sage Comet, and then music. This is a “Bring Your Own Party” party: if you can come, bring food and drink –and the Highland Park Improvement Club will have a no-host bar, with wine and draft beer available for a small donation.

Location:
Highland Park Improvement Club
1116 SW Holden
Seattle, WA 98106

Here are some details:
6:15 Assemble in parking lot for parade
(part of the parking lot will be cordoned off for the Sage Comet performance. There is lots of street parking, especially a block north of HPIC if there is no more room in the parking lot.)
6:30 Not-So-Silent Night Parade
7:00 Sage Comet
7:15 Doors open for potluck/entry to party
8:00 Music begins
12:00 Midnight celebration.
Open jam after midnight – bring your voice and an instrument to join in.

We’re collecting more West Seattle/White Center New Year’s Eve info for the Holidays page – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 3 in custody after burglary attempt – plus news of other arrests
December 20, 2011 3:47 pm
|      34 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

3:47 PM: Thanks to everybody who called/e-mailed about a major police response in Highland Park, in the 16th/Trenton vicinity. It started with an attempted burglary, according to officers at the scene – including today’s tweetalong-ing Officer Scott Luckie, who hadn’t even gotten a chance to put the news on Twitter yet. Three people in custody, and one vehicle under investigation (in photo above). If/when we get more details, we’ll add them here. (added – one of Officer Luckie’s later tweets, with a photo)

Also via Twitter, the officer says two of the suspects were found in that vehicle, one “hiding in the bushes” at the targeted house.

ADDED 4:15 PM: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen tells WSB the suspects in this case are “2 males, 1 female,” and are indeed suspects of which police were “aware.” Moments before we asked him about this case, he had sent this update on the overall burglary situation in West Seattle:

As I have stated previously, since Thanksgiving, the West Seattle community had experienced a significant increase in residential burglaries. The men and women of the Southwest Precinct have made apprehending the suspects in these crimes their major priority. Each time a suspicious circumstance call is dispatched, multiple officers have been dropping what they had been doing and rushing to the area.

In the past 3 weeks, we have identified 20 individuals as well as many vehicles. A number of these individuals have been committing burglaries in other Puget Sound communities. We have been collaborating with a number of police agencies who have experienced similar trends and suspects. Most if not all of the suspects are not from the West Seattle community. To date, we have arrested 8 in the past couple of weeks. Our residential burglaries have been reduced by half just within the past week. We will continue to locate and develop probable cause for the outstanding suspects.

Again, I would like to thank our West Seattle community for their assistance in reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods…Their observations and 911 reporting have had a tremendous impact in helping us apprehend these individuals which in return have made their neighborhoods safer.

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City won’t boot, or provide utilities to, ‘Nickelsville,’ Highland Park Action Committee told
December 8, 2011 2:56 pm
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

(September photo by Kevin McClintic)
Six months after its return to a city-owned site at West Marginal Way SW/Highland Park Way, the encampment that calls itself Nickelsville is in a sort of limbo – legal, and otherwise.

After the Highland Park Action Committee‘s meeting last night, following up on a discussion that began at its October meeting (as reported here), it seemed clear that the city does not currently intend to either:

*Evict the encampment
or
*Provide services (water/sewer/power hookups) that would make the site more habitable

You can watch the meeting yourself, if you’d like to see how it all played out:

Context for the meeting was a letter sent to the city by HPAC, as co-chairs Carolyn Stauffer and Billy Stauffer explained at the start of last night’s meeting. As the letter began, “In the past, our organization has been supportive of Nickelsville as a temporary situation. With news of this potentially becoming a permanent settlement, we have begun to hear a lot from our friends and neighbors.” HPAC says that the “burden of homelessness” should be shared with the rest of the city and suggests that this encampment, like others in the city, could switch sites every six months or so.

The issue drew a crowd to the meeting, including City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith, and Lisa Herbold from Councilmember Nick Licata‘s office.Read More

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West Seattle Reservoir Park design resumes after $ snag solved
December 6, 2011 12:49 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

More money is being moved to the West Seattle Reservoir Park project, which is creating new park space adjacent to Westcrest Park in Highland Park after the formerly open-air WS Reservoir was covered (top photo). But that does NOT mean more features – in fact, it means fewer feature reductions than the project had been facing because of an expensive, unanticipated twist, and it means, as Parks’ senior capital-projects coordinator Virginia Hassinger puts it, they now can “get back going on the park design” since they figured out how to cover the costs for street improvements:Read More

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West Seattle coyotes: Another double sighting
November 18, 2011 10:07 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | Highland Park | West Seattle news | Wildlife

From Kathleen just a short time ago:

It’s 9:43 pm and I just saw two adult coyotes go down Kenyon off 11th S.W. and then down the alley. All small animals better be inside!!! (Highland Park)

Note that they come out in the daytime too – the proof is in our ever-longer archive of coyote sightings (many with photos), which you can scroll through here.

ADDED 12:13 AM: More coyote news – Anna e-mailed to say, “My neighbor and I heard a group of coyotes howling at 9:45 pm tonight, Friday, coming from Schmitz Park. We live on 63rd SW & Beach Drive. I’ve never heard such a loud and long commotion like that before, it was very eerie.”

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Highland Park Action Committee: From Nickelsville to coyotes
October 26, 2011 9:57 pm
|      41 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle news

More than 30 people came to tonight’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting – a “full house and a full agenda,” as co-chair Carolyn Stauffer put it, starting with the encampment that is technically within HPAC’s coverage area, on a site once proposed for the potential city jail that HPAC fought ferociously three years ago. The 2-part Nickelsville discussion bookended the meeting:

NICKELSVILLE, PART 1: As the meeting began, four people from the encampment, including staffer Scott Morrow, presented an update to HPAC. They recapped its history and its rules, and its quirks – “we have one pet coordinator, which happens to be me,” said Mike Stahl, the longtime WSB Forums member who moved there shortly after Nickelsville returned to West Seattle in May. They hope to have a permanent encampment of about 350 people, they said, and discussed their “small, simple, sturdy structures,” built as possible. They hope to have kitchen, laundry, and office services on site – and they say they’ve been told the City Council will vote in March on whether they can stay permanently (the land is owned by SDOT).

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