West Seattle, Washington
22 Friday
(WSB photo, 35th SW between Graham and Morgan)
5:03 PM: Two traffic alerts as the heart of the evening commute approaches – one, a crash reported at 35th and Morgan; second (thanks to Roxy for the tip), police activity has closed 4th Avenue South by the I-90 ramp. More as we get it.
5:24 PM: The crash on 35th is blocking southbound lanes just south of Graham, which is where police are diverting traffic westbound on Graham – 36th SW, south of Graham, southbound, is jammed as a result. No serious injuries in the crash, SPD tells us. Meantime, the 4th Ave. S. situation continues – not a crash, but some kind of police activity – and is backing up alternate routes including 2nd, says SDOT.
5:47 PM: And here’s what SPD says the 4th Avenue S. situation is about:
Three teenaged suspects in custody near 4th Ave S in connection with 1/26 greenbelt homicides and shootings. More details to come.
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) February 2, 2016
SPD says they’re 13, 16, and 17 years old.
5:49 PM: And now there’s a crash at Highland Park Way and Holden. (added) Reported to be “3 or 4 vehicles.”
6:04 PM: Texter says the crash is stopping traffic headed uphill; SPD says Holden is subject to closure until it’s cleared.
6:22 PM: We are at the HP scene.
(photo added) 2 people have been taken to the hospital, police tell us. Uphill traffic has to go right onto westbound Holden.
6:48 PM: On our way back from HP Way, we doublechecked 35th/Graham; that scene is clear, and SDOT says two lanes have reopened on 4th Avenue S. at the earlier arrest scene. As for the current West Seattle incident – please let us know if you go through HP Way/Holden and it’s clear, as we won’t be able to get back there to check any time soon – thank you.
7:28 AM: Thanks to Sage K. for reporting in comments that HP Way is now clear too.
(UPDATED 8:01 PM with information about 2011 personal-expenses benefit)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Puget Sound Susan G. Komen Foundation says it is confident that all the money raised for its breast-cancer-fighting efforts in the name of West Seattleite Tracy Dart and her local associates went to the foundation.
We inquired with Komen today after receiving numerous inquiries over the weekend about this report by the West Seattle Herald quoting an unidentified source as saying Dart may have fabricated some part or all of her reported three-time, seven-plus-year cancer fight.
Senior public-relations manager Christi Ball Loso told WSB via e-mail:
Komen was notified of the situation last week and has been in contact with Tracy’s family. We have not been contacted by law enforcement.
Our records show that Tracy personally raised $28,541 for Komen starting in 2006, and that her Seattle and California teams raised more than $414,000 since 2006. This money has been used as intended – for Komen’s research and community health programs. And, we can assure the community that Tracy did not receive any funds from Komen. The organizations that receive Komen funding go through significant vetting to assess their program impact.
The biggest question people asked us: Is the fabrication allegation true?
As we told those who contacted us in various messaging channels this weekend, that question so far has not been answered on the record by anyone. But today, the Komen Foundation discussed the fundraising questions on the record.
(WSB photo)
1:18 PM: Police are converging on Westwood to look for a black 4-door Mercedes sedan reported to possibly have an armed person inside making threats about shooting someone. There is no report of anyone having been hurt, or actual gunfire, so far, but if you are seeing an increased police presence in the area, that’s what it’s about. The car may have up to six people inside; the person with a gun was described as a black man in his late teens or early 20s, and was last reported to have been seen near 26th SW and SW Barton. We’ll update with anything more we find out about.
1:37 PM: We’ve talked to police at the scene. So far, their investigation indicates this started as a dispute in the McDonald’s parking lot, with the threat stemming over jealousy related to a romantic relationship. They’re still looking for the car and suspect(s).
If you need a haircut soon – heads up:
Next week brings the 23rd annual “Have a Heart Day” at Illusions Hair Design (WSB sponsor) – Saturday, February 13th.
This is the annual day when Illusions opens for haircuts – at reduced prices for women’s and men’s cuts (teens/kids at full price) – with every cent of the proceeds benefiting local nonprofits.
Proprietor Sue Lindblom (left) says this year’s edition will help the West Seattle Helpline – which provides emergency assistance to people in need – and Pencil Me In For Kids, which provides school supplies to local public-elementary-school students in need.
“Everyone donates their time,” Sue explained when we sat down for a quick chat in Illusions’ lobby at 5619 California SW. She had already been in business for 16 years when she came up with the idea in 1994. “We thought, gosh, we wanted to give something back to the community, so we’ve been doing this (and other community-benefit campaigns) ever since, because that’s what makes you part of the community.”
Sue is part of the West Seattle community through and through – even “born in The Junction,” half a mile from her salon, she points out.
“Have a Heart Day” isn’t just a chance to do a good deed while getting a good haircut. It’s also something of a party. “We’ll have some treats for the customers who come in, and it’s just kind of fun – several of us will be hanging around.” You’ll get a chance to learn about the beneficiary nonprofits, too, and “you just walk away with a real good feeling,” as Sue puts it. It’s fun for them too – “we meet a lot of nice people we’ve never met before.”
But they have a limited number of appointments that day, so call Illusions ASAP – 206-938-3675 – if you want to “Have a Heart” on this special day.
Next school year is seven months away but decision time is now, and more school tours are ahead this week, including:
TUESDAY – HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY KINDERGARTEN TOUR: Tomorrow night, Highland Park Elementary principal Chris Cronas hosts tours for prospective kindergarten families. (1012 SW Trenton)
WEDNESDAY – ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY TOUR: 9 am, with principal Christy Collins. Please RSVP – our calendar listing explains how. While AHES moves into a new building on its permanent location this fall, the tour will be at its current location at the Boren Building. (5950 Delridge Way SW)
WEDNESDAY – WEST SEATTLE ELEMENTARY TOUR: 9 am – please RSVP – the school website explains how. (6760 34th SW)
WEDNESDAY – SANISLO TOURS: 10 am and 6 pm tours of Sanislo Elementary with principal Bruce Rhodes. (1812 SW Myrtle)
THURSDAY – MADISON TOUR FOR STUDENTS/PARENTS: 8:30-10 am, prospective students and families are welcome to tour Madison Middle School, no RSVP required. (45th SW/SW Spokane)
THURSDAY – LAFAYETTE KINDERGARTEN TOUR: 1:15 pm, for prospective Lafayette Elementary parents. (California SW/SW Lander)
THURSDAY – DENNY OPEN HOUSE: 6:30 pm, prospective families are welcome to come find out more about Denny International Middle School. (2601 SW Kenyon)
Find more tours/open houses on our calendar – and if yours isn’t there, please send info ASAP (editor@westseattleblog.com) so we can add it – thank you!
(Great Blue Heron, photographed by Mark Wangerin – click image for larger view)
Happy February! From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:
FAMILY STORY TIME: 6:30 pm, bring the kids to High Point Library for a fun way to wrap up the day. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
WEST SEATTLE HI-YU: Get involved with the volunteers behind the city’s last traveling community parade float and other events – come to this month’s West Seattle Hi-Yu meeting, 7 pm at Admiral Congregational Church. Also note applications are being accepted now for the Youth Ambassador program and Senior Court! (California SW/SW Hill)
TRIVIA NIGHT: 7:15 pm on Mondays is trivia night, with prizes, at Christo’s on Alki, hosted by Emerson. (2508 Alki SW)
ALL-AGES QUIZ NIGHT: Monday nights at The Skylark, it’s all-ages quiz night, free, with cash prizes. 7:30 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
PUB QUIZ NIGHT: Monday is also quiz night at Shadowland, starting at 8 pm. (California SW/SW Oregon)
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE … via our complete calendar, with events listed days, weeks, even months ahead. Something to list? Please e-mail the info – editor@westseattleblog.com – the earlier the better so we have time to get it into the calendar, and it has time to be seen – thank you!
(Click any view for a close-up)
6:25 AM: Welcome to February! We start with a road-work note looking ahead to tonight:
NIGHTTIME CLOSURE IN THE JUNCTION: If you’re driving in The Junction tonight or any night this week, approximately 8 pm to 6 am, be aware that road work related to the new crossing coming in with The Whittaker will close a block of SW Alaska west of Fauntleroy Way, same thing that happened multiple nights last month.
8:01 AM: WSDOT says a shortlived stall that was backing things up on the ramp to NB I-5 has cleared.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The West Seattle Transportation Coalition issued a “call for action,” and the call was answered.
Its January meeting focused primarily on sorting out what people here want to see in Sound Transit‘s upcoming ST3 ballot measure – with the “candidate projects” being reviewed for a draft plan that’s expected in March, followed by a final plan in June and a regional vote in November.
They’re planning to organize the feedback – and collect even more soon, via an online poll.
After gathering that feedback, the meeting took one side trip, into an update on the Fauntleroy Boulevard project, and another call for opinions.
But first, about light rail:
7:20 PM: Reader report from Ron:
Sunday afternoon 1/31. someone had target practice with my back window of our car. We heard the car alarm sound and when we checked our car, there were BB-sized dents around the window. Unfortunately the back window was gravely shot and is not expected to recover. Amazing that this took place in broad daylight. That takes a special kind of person. We are located on the 6700 block of 37th Ave SW in Gatewood [map]. Hopefully we are the only ones who were victimized by this type of idiocy.
10:37 PM: In comments, Ryan reports a similar incident, 7700 block of 32nd Avenue SW.
MIDDAY MONDAY: And more reports in comments. We’re working on a followup.
(Reminder – most WSB photos now can be clicked to open larger views)
Congratulations to the ten Chief Sealth International High School students who participated in the third annual Washington State High School Ethics Bowl at the University of Washington on Saturday. Teacher Noah Zeichner shares the photos and report:
The two Chief Sealth teams went undefeated (6-0) during the first three rounds. They matched up against teams from Seattle Academy, Bush School, Lake Washington High School, Nova, and Rainier Beach. Only Chief Sealth, Seattle Academy, and Lakeside made it to the semifinals. One of the Chief Sealth teams took third place.
On February 23rd, the top three teams (including Chief Sealth) will get to spend the day in Olympia, which will include attendance at oral arguments and a private reception with the justices of the Washington Supreme Court, a private tour of the Governor’s Mansion and meeting with senior staff members, and a visit to the state legislature and private tour and meetings with various legislators.
If you follow the link to the Ethics Bowl site, you’ll find a link to the 13 cases that were prepared for this year’s competition – covering topics including voting, breastfeeding, and the Ice Bucket Challenge.
A celebration of life is planned on February 13th for Gary Elliott, whose family is sharing this remembrance:
Gary “G-Man” Lee Elliott, 54, of West Seattle, passed away unexpectedly and much too young, Saturday, January 16, 2016 at his vacation home in Sunset Beach, CA.
Gary is survived by his wife and best friend of 37 years, Camille, daughter Tanya Gardiner, son Terry Elliott, son-in-law Hamilton Gardiner, sister Dee Strecker, brother Steve Elliott, mother/father in-law Jean and Don Duncan, and many loving nephews, nieces and extended family. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Willis and Marie Elliott, and brother, Kevin Elliott. Gary was a loving father, husband, and best friend to all he met.
Gary provided inspirational adventures while working to check items off his bucket list: captaining his Chris Craft yacht, retro motor home trips, leading the Tahuya Parade with his fire truck, riding his Harley at Sturgis, homes at Sunset Beach, Hood Canal and Lake Washington, owning a tractor, the West Seattle Junction Court art piece, and daily hot tub-coffee-walks around the island with Camille.
Gary loved remodeling and fixing his homes (and the homes of his many friends and family) and worked as a painter for his entire life after being given a paintbrush by his father at an early age. He also enjoyed managing the EPM apartments with his kids, traveling, and trying anything once because “Life is full of experiences and they all can’t be good!” Gary was a fun-loving and immensely creative individual, one of the most generous persons you would ever meet, always willing to pick up a tab, and always there to help friends with house projects or whatever else they needed. Gary was most proud of his kids, who will miss him and carry on his inspirational legacy.
A celebration of life will be held at Rainier Golf & Country Club, 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 13, 2016. Gary’s ashes will be laid to rest at two of his favorite homes, Lake Washington and Sunset Beach. Donations in memory of Gary can be made to the West Seattle Fraternal Order of Eagles (Auxiliary #2643), where he was proud to be a long-standing member.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
A new month is about to begin – and with it a new lineup of literary events, starting with Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented Words, Writers, and West Seattle:
Shorewood-on-the-Sound author Sonja Anderson is the star next Friday night (February 5th) at Westwood Village Barnes & Noble, 5-7 pm. Her book is “Sophie’s Quest,” for ages 8-12, in which a mouse and an owl find themselves together aboard a ship headed for the Holy Land. Drop in this Friday night to meet Sonja and see and hear her read from “Sophie’s Quest.” (Purchases made that night, and for five days after, will see part of the proceeds going to SWSHS.)
So it’s brunch time more than breakfast time now, but – as previewed in our West Seattle Sunday list – you can still get pancakes and fixins at Hiawatha Community Center until noon.
The money raised goes to the scholarship fund to help cover the costs of programs so everyone can participate regardless of whether they can afford it.
This is on until noon. Hiawatha is at 2700 California SW.
Two car-prowl reports and a bicycle theft in West Seattle Crime Watch:
BEACH DRIVE: Kevin reports, “On my run this a.m around 8 or so I came across a black Mercedes convertible with a smashed window and CDs all over the ground.” He says it was in the 5600 block of Beach Drive. He tried reporting it to 911 but they explained the policy that the victim has to make the report – so if you’re in that area with a vehicle parked on the street, you might want to take a look.
GENESEE: Anna reports a car break-in on 45th SW between Andover and Dakota on Friday night: “They took two DVD players and two pairs of sunglasses. They also left a bunch of stuff on our stairs that wasn’t ours including A fire extinguisher and what looked like a car safety kit. The police took those items as evidence.”
BICYCLE THEFT ON VIDEO: Not far from there, Donnie caught a bicycle thief on video, on the west side of California/Andover early Thursday:
Pt 2 @westseattleblog heres video and the direction he went pic.twitter.com/ZW6anaytUY
— Donnie B (@DAB80p) January 29, 2016
If you’ve seen a silver Redline bicycle with a green/black seat, that might be Donnie’s.
Something for Crime Watch? Report it to the police first – then you can e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com. If breaking news, after alerting 911, text/voice 206-293-6302 – thank you!
(Male Barrow’s Goldeneye, photographed near Jack Block Park by Mark Wangerin – click image for larger view)
Good morning. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, options for this last day of January:
HIAWATHA PANCAKE BREAKFAST: The annual benefit for Hiawatha Community Center‘s scholarship fund is this morning – pancakes and more, 8 am-noon, as previewed here.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: See what’s fresh and local today, 10 am-2 pm in The Junction. (California SW between Oregon and Alaska)
SCHOOL OPEN HOUSES: All three of our area’s Catholic schools have open houses today – Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th/Myrtle) 9 am-1 pm (info), Holy Family Bilingual School (20th/Roxbury) 11 am-1 pm (info); Holy Rosary 11:30 am-1:30 pm (info).
WEST SEATTLE HISTORY: Enjoy and learn about it noon-4 pm at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s Log House Museum, just a block inland from Alki Beach. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
OPERA PREVIEW: Look ahead to the Seattle Opera‘s “Mary Stuart” with a free lecture 2 pm today at the West Seattle (Admiral) Library; details in our calendar listing. (2306 42nd SW)
FOLK/ROCK MUSIC … with singer/songwriter Andy Brucia at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)
ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: Sign up at 3, music at 4, all ages, at The Skylark, with full 16-track recordings of your performance available for purchase. Info here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
GO BACK IN TIME: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall – itself historic – you can go back to a century, as “theatre organist extraordinaire Dennis James and ebullient songsters Connie Corrick and Hugh Hastings return for a new three-show monthly series celebrating 1916 in sight and sound. January’s show features Charlie Chaplin in three of his greatest short comedy films from 1916—the Mutual Studios classics “Behind the Screen,” “The Pawn Shop,” and “The Rink,” artfully illuminated by Dennis at the Kenyon Hall Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ.” (7904 35th SW)
EVEN MORE … on our complete calendar.
They’re next door … yet currently, they are officially treated as if they are a world apart: The Westwood/Highland Park Urban Village (WWHPUV) in the city, and White Center in unincorporated King County. This Tuesday night, city and county reps will join the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council to talk about it all together, including the potential of WC annexation and the Seattle 2035 “comprehensive plan.” If you’re interested in either or both sides of the line, be in the upstairs meeting room at Southwest Library, 6:15 pm Tuesday (February 2nd).
The westbound bridge is backed up to I-5 from a crash around 1st Avenue before 9:30 pm, almost an hour ago but the good news is, according to a texter who just sent a photo (added above), tow crews appear to be finishing up at the scene. The residual backup might take a while to clear.
A touch of sorcery on the track tonight at Southgate Roller Rink, during the Harry Potter-themed “House Cup” bout between Southside Revolution Junior Roller Derby and visiting Cherry Bomb Brawlers.
Good crowd at the rink as the skaters faced off – as is a roller derby tradition, the names on their shirts (and the refs’) were not to be missed:
On the sidelines, baked goods and raffle tickets were sold to raise money for the medical bills of the Brawlers’ beloved “Coach SmartAss,” who died recently after battling cancer.
We will update later when we get the results.
Here’s how local teams did in last night’s high-school basketball, as we get closer to the end of the regular season:
SEATTLE LUTHERAN HS: Both teams won at home last night over Quilcene, girls 47-45, boys 71-11 (thanks to Mike Jensen for the scores).
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Garfield, where the WSHS girls remained undefeated, 62-40; the boys fell 86-32.
CHIEF SEALTH INTERNATIONAL HS: Played at Roosevelt, which took both games – girls 54-41, boys 69-57.
1:28 PM: If you’re heading out of West Seattle shortly, be aware that a big Seattle Fire response is arriving at a “heavy rescue” call that’s now reported to be on northbound I-5 just north of the West Seattle Bridge. More as we get it.
1:31 PM: Now that’s changed again to just south of the WS Bridge, and everyone is reported to be out of the crashed vehicle, so the “heavy rescue” response is being downsized.
1:54 PM: The crash is now reported to be blocking three lanes. So this is more an alert if you’re headed this way on NB I-5 toward the bridge.
2:22 PM: The crash and resulting backup have cleared.
West Seattle is the first stop on the city’s tour of briefings about the next housing levy. Mayor Murray has said he wants it to be much bigger than the last one, a $145 million, seven-year levy expiring this year, as a piece of the puzzle toward easing homelessness. While full details aren’t out yet, they apparently will be by Wednesday (February 3rd), because that’s when the tour starts here:
Todd Burley from the city’s housing office is the guest at Wednesday’s Southwest District Council meeting, 6:30 pm at the Sisson Building in The Junction (California/Oregon)
(WSB photo)
10:30 AM: Police are searching for a burglar in Upper Fauntleroy. He was interrupted while going through a garage in a house on California SW south of SW Sullivan – this is near WSB HQ and we found out about it when three SPD cars arrived down the street. Officers told us the burglar bolted eastbound between houses to the north of the break-in location and dropped some of what he had stolen. No description yet.
2:35 PM: According to neighbors, there’s a partial description – 20s, 5’7″, stocking cap with snowflakes or stars on it.
(North shore of Lincoln Park, photographed last weekend by Jim Clark)
Weekend time! Your options for today include:
WEST DUWAMISH GREENBELT TRAILS WORKSHOP: 9:30-11:30 am, you’re invited to a workshop at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) “to discuss what the future trail system in the West Duwamish Greenbelt might look like,” including “potential connections to destinations such as South Seattle College, the Duwamish Longhouse, Pathfinder School, Riverview Playfield, and others.” The workshop will be at the Chan Center on the north side of the campus, next to the Arboretum – all welcome. (6000 16th SW)
COMETA PLAYSCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-noon, open house at Spanish-language-immersion preschool Cometa Playschool. (4402 SW Walker)
FIRE STATION 29 OPEN HOUSE: 11 am-1 pm, come see the recently completed upgrades to the North Admiral firehouse, as previewed here. (2139 Ferry SW)
WEST SEATTLE MONTESSORI OPEN HOUSE: 1-3 pm, prospective families are invited to the West Seattle Montessori School & Academy (WSB sponsor) open house for “a chance to meet our staff, teachers, and tour the facilities. You’ll be able to view samples of student work and pick up application materials.” (11215 15th SW)
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM: 2-7 pm Saturdays, the tasting room is open at Viscon Cellars (new WSB sponsor) – find out more about the winery here. (5910 California SW)
SOUTHSIDE REVOLUTION JUNIOR ROLLER DERBY: 5:45 pm at Southgate Roller Rink, come cheer for Southside Revolution during its second bout of the season – a Harry Potter-themed doubleheader, with the SSR Cadets and Friends mixup at 5:45 pm, the SSR Rebels and Cherry Bomb Brawlers mixup at 7:10 pm. Admission $10 adults, $5 children 6-12, free 5 and under. All proceeds, including 50/50 raffle and bake sale, go to a medical-funds benefit for the Brawlers’ coach, who lost her fight with cancer days ago. (9646 17th SW)
NOT DEAD YET: West Seattle favorites! Not Dead Yet is live tonight at The Skylark, 9 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SCOTT M.X. TURNER: West Seattle’s Scott M.X. Turner “is joined by bluesman Zach Rourke for a night of rousing tunes” at Parliament Tavern in The Admiral District, 9-11:45 pm. No cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
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