West Seattle, Washington
06 Tuesday
(Photos courtesy Tim Hinthorn)
A few days ago, Susan G. Komen for the Cure volunteer Meg Paynor e-mailed WSB to share the story of a Holy Rosary School class running in the Race for the Cure today to honor their beloved teacher, who’s fighting breast cancer. She explained that they were chosen to start the Kids’ Race because of their touching story; we published that report on Friday night. This morning, they ran in the rain – and Tim Hinthorn just sent a note to share photos along with this report:
Over twenty students and their families from Holy Rosary School didn’t let summer rain drown their spirits as they participated in the Susan G Komen “Race for the Cure” this morning.
The students wore “Running for Robel” t-shirts to express their love and support for Second Grade teacher Karen Robel. Willie McGaughey, Cory Hinthorn, and Ethan Grassley finished the kids’ race first, second, and third respectively, and all participants finished the race with enthusiasm, love, and hope that Mrs. Robel recovers soon!
Though the race is over, the Komen organization accepts online donations year-round – go here.
The date’s official, as announced on the card distributed at the Camp Long table during Saturday’s ReFRESH Southwest festival in Delridge (WSB coverage here and here) – 5 months after the Camp Long Lodge closed for a $1 million renovation project, funded by the Parks and Green Spaces Levy, its grand-reopening party is set for 4-7 pm July 31st: “Tours, activities, cake,” promises the card. The celebration will precede one of GreenStage‘s free “Shakespeare in the Park” shows (their full season calendar is here – thanks to JanS for that tip). If you haven’t been to Camp Long lately, please note that the park itself remains open, and its trademark environmental-learning programs are still happening (see the latest list here) – only the main lodge is closed.
Pongo Teen Writing Project founder Richard Gold of West Seattle is scheduled to get a big-screen showcase during this afternoon’s Mariners-Angels game at Safeco Field. As reported here last Tuesday, Gold is a finalist in the national All-Stars Among Us competition (with voting under way now). After getting word of that from the Mariners, we contacted him to find out more about Pongo and its West Seattle connections beyond the fact he lives here:
The Alki Bakery is Pongo’s office. That’s where I meet with volunteers, collaborators, and supporters. I love to walk along Alki afterward. But in terms of Pongo’s work, what I’ve found is that the process of healing through poetry is profoundly powerful, so I seek the youth who are institutionalized in county-wide and state-wide agencies. Our principal sites are King County juvenile detention and the state psychiatric hospital for children. Of course, I’ve worked with West Seattle youth along the way. And in the community, Pongo appears at Folklife and Bumbershoot where we speak to 500 people over a weekend and give readings, and talk to our West Seattle friends. FYI, one of Pongo’s recent volunteers is Mike Hickey, a West Seattle resident, professor at South Seattle CC, and current Seattle Poet Populist.
So why enter the nationwide contest?:
…I hope to do more good through our Pongo website, which contains free writing activities that serve abused and neglected youth. We have writing activities that address addiction, letter to a missing parent, feelings of invisibility, etc. It’s my hope that through the “All-Stars Among Us” balloting more teens, counselors, and teachers will discover and use the Pongo website.
He adds, “My primary message at the baseball game is this… For abused and neglected teens, like struggling baseball teams, you can’t undo the past. But the best first step is honesty, figuring out your truth, followed by effort and the support of caring teammates.” So if you’re going to today’s game, watch the big screen for the Richard Gold shoutout; in the meantime, you can vote for him by going here (click on the Mariners logo). June 20 is the voting deadline. Each Major League Baseball team has three finalists in the competition, and each will send one to Anaheim for recognition during the All-Star Game on July 13. (Photo courtesy Richard Gold)
Much quieter today – but there are still a few things of note on the WSB West Seattle Events calendar, including: The renowned Music Sunday at Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) is today, 10 am … one more performance for “Fool for Love” in Easy Street Café, “pay what you will,” 8 pm tonight … cherries make their debut at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm (here’s the Ripe and Ready list) … and the Furry Faces fundraiser plant sale/adoption event continues at 3809 46th SW (plant sale 10 am-4 pm, cat/dog adoptions noon-4).
(First three photos by Mark and Carrie Hewitt)
How does a queen cross a mud puddle? Very carefully! That’s the current Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu, Georgia Mitchell, leaping over a lingering puddle on Saturday in Shelton, where the Hi-Yu float had another award-winning day:
The “Dreams Do Come True” float was in Shelton for the Mason County Forest Festival Parade, where West Seattle Hi-Yu won the Governor’s Award – here’s your Hi-Yu royalty with the plaque and fellow parade-participant clowns:
Reporting the big win – on the heels of the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival Parade Mayor’s Award last month – Hi-Yu Summer Festival President Tim Winston adds, “The float ran great, the girls did a great job representing West Seattle, and there was SUN!” Also along for the trip, two of the current Miss Hi-Yu candidates, Kelsey Bills and Melanie Frey:
(Photo by Carol Winston)
The candidates have several big events ahead before the July 26 coronation reveals who will be the next Queen and Senior Court – first one, the candidates’ reception at American Legion Post 160 this Wednesday night.
Right in the middle of West Seattle’s bright beautiful Saturday morning, its headquarters for history – the Log House Museum – got some love from a small but dedicated cleanup crew – below, that’s Southwest Seattle Historical Society president Judy Bentley and a young volunteer in the next photo, checking out the “to do” list.
For the latest roundup of what the Historical Society is focusing on – including a current pledge drive – you can check out their most recent newsletter (PDF) here. And expect to hear more soon about the Alki Homestead awareness event announced by board member Jim Del Ciello at this past week’s Southwest District Council meeting. Meantime, the museum’s open Thursdays-Sundays, noon-4 pm, 61st/Stevens (map), and well worth a visit.
(Photo by David Rosen from SlickPix Photography)
Though the solstice isn’t till June 21, you have to agree today felt like summer. Finally. So even with the clouds that moved in by the end of ReFRESH Southwest (our coverage is here and here), this was the perfect sunset. (The forecast still suggests the return of rain tomorrow.)
From Sarah:
Hello,
Around 8:30 p.m. Saturday, my husband and I came home from a day downtown and observed a young man – black, early 20s-ish – attempting to act nonchalant while trying car door handles along Avalon Way SW between 35th and SW Genesee. Specifically, he tested a late-90s silver Honda Accord twice (crossing the street and testing others between attempts). I did report the activity to police, who were dispatching a car to check things out. He was wearing an oversized black t-shirt and black shorts, red baseball cap, and red backpack. Keep an eye out! This is obviously a heavily-traveled street, and it’s still light out, but this guy didn’t seem fazed at all.
Out of the WSB inbox, from Crystal:
I noticed that the coyote sightings are being posted on the blog so I just wanted to mention that we saw one tonight. We were walking through the Pigeon Point neighborhood toward the school there and we saw one behind the fence, near the Duwamish trail. It ran away from us because we were walking our dogs, but looked pretty big.
If you missed it – our previous coyote-sighting report included a photo. And as always, we don’t publish these because they’re cause for major alarm, but because some still aren’t aware they’re among us; here’s the “coexisting with coyotes” link frequently shared here.
(Photo courtesy West Niver)
Westcrest Park Off-Leash Area is the only off-leash park in West Seattle, and the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle is going to make it an even better place for dogs and their people – with your help. 9 am to noon next Saturday, June 12th, they’ll be there for a community-service project – installing hand-built (see photo!) cedar dispensers for “doggy bags,” and clearing overgrown vegetation. Want to help? Just show up! Got questions? E-mail West Niver at westseattlekiwanis@live.com.
We’ve been enjoying music drifting over from the Delridge Day main stage, into the Sustainable West Seattle Festival exhibition area, here at ReFRESH Southwest (grounds of Delridge Community Center till 5 pm). Above, drumming and dancing early in the afternoon. Right now, the Vicious Puppies Crew – breakdancers that rocked the festival (Delridge Day) last year too – are over at the main stage. 4:05 PM UPDATE: Final hour – here are more of the scenes – City Council President Richard Conlin dropped by, wearing the I (Heart) West Seattle T-shirt we remember from his visit to the Morgan Junction Park dedication this time last year (the Morgan Festival is coming up hext Saturday, in and around the park, 11 am-6 pm):
4:24 PM UPDATE: It’s been an afternoon full of workshops, too – here are some of the stars – urban ilvestock!
We also caught up with the Highland Park group that we mentioned in a separate story earlier – as they joined in Delridge Walks, heading to the festival on foot:
Again, this is on till 5 – performances by the Delridge Community Center building, sustainability exhibits (and other ‘tablers’ like us) in the parking lot. (video added 6:26 pm – there were also workshops inside, like this one)
5:07 PM: It’s all wrapping up, and we’re packing up. Lots more going on this weekend, of course – and next weekend, two festivals: Morgan Community Festival on Saturday, the West Seattle Junction Health Fair on Sunday (both of which we’re co-sponsoring). We’ve got some more video and photos to add to coverage of ReFRESH Southwest – once we’re back at HQ. Thanks to everybody who stopped by to chat, and everyone who worked hard to make this happen! ADDED: A few more pix, as promised – you saw the chickens above – here’s the chicken workshop!
The year-old Delridge Community Center Playground was a big draw:
West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen stopped by in the festival’s final moments:
And for even more photos – digital pix from Usnaps, a portable, rentable, digital photo booth created by West Seattle-based entrepreneurs – Usnaps’ Kim Schwarzkopf stopped by the WSB table to say hi; they’ve traveled the country with Usnaps in recent months. See the ReFRESH SW Usnaps pix here.
All over West Seattle, so much happening today – The Kenney has welcomed people of all ages to its ‘Family Reunion’ festival – we dropped by for some of the indoor activities, on a quick side trip from tabling at the Sustainable West Seattle Festival section of ReFRESH Southwest. Above, the Raining Sounds sang for the crowd; below, face painting was a hit
Still time to get over to the grounds of The Kenney – and bring some disposable diapers for the WestSide Baby diaper drive, till 4 pm in the main lobby.
We’re here in the bright sunshine at Delridge Community Center, with a rainbow-striped cloth over our table, across from ZipCar, next to the North Delridge Neighborhood Council (selling their (Heart) Delridge T-shirts! as seen in our photo above), southeast side of the parking lot (which is where all the tents are set up), kitty corner from the West Seattle Food Bank (whose past board president Pete Spalding is walking around handing out (No) Hunger stickers). There’s “street food” too – we’ve heard about a taco truck and a hot-dog truck so far. See you here – free workshops, performances, family fun till 5.
2:10 PM UPDATE: So sunny and gorgeous, we’re just sitting here talking with folks – right behind us is a bike booth, with Stu Hennessey from Alki Bike and Board showing off “e-bikes” among other things. We’ve taken some more photos, too:
King County Executive Dow Constantine stopped by a while ago … Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association director Derek Birnie’s here:
Lots of sustainable businesses – here’s Adam from Clean Air Lawn Care (WSB sponsor):
In our morning preview, we mentioned the Bucket Brigade, a project of Urban Land Army – Highland Park’s Becca Fong is here:
More to come! Look for the info booth on the south side of the parking lot – you can get a map that also has a schedule of performances and workshops – an electric-vehicle demonstration is about to begin. If you’re driving (and of course you’re encouraged to bike, walk or take transit), note that since the parking lot has festival booths, you’ll park somewhere on the periphery of the Delridge Community Center grounds – side streets have parking too.
2:39 PM: Want a free ticket to the Green Festival downtown? Drop by our table – or the Sustainable West Seattle table – we just got a batch. If you can’t make it there today, you can go tomorrow!
As a prelude to this afternoon’s ReFRESH Southwest mega-event (full listing of performances/workshops/tables/booths here), people were invited to walk to Delridge Community Center – perhaps taking photos and/or cleaning up along the way – and we caught up with part of the Highland Park group doing the latter. (By the way, that’s 34th District State House candidate “Mac” McElroy in the background – we’ve seen him at the last few Highland Park Action Committee meetings, along with many of the other community-council meetings we routinely cover. Any candidates coming to today’s festival, be sure to come see us at table 26 – as we did last year during the summer of city campaigns, we’ll photograph everybody who stops by!)
We want to stress that we have no other reports on this and it will be difficult if not impossible to confirm with authorities – but given the nature of what Kim Petram says she saw/heard in Lincoln Park this morning, we agree with her that it should be passed along:
I was just walking our dog in Lincoln Park and Animal Control was there looking for reported raw meat that had been left somewhere in the south end of the park. He stated that they had a call about poisoned meat w/ the intent to “poison the dogs.” He didn’t find anything, nor did our dog, who is a cairn terrier with a pretty good sniffer. It was unclear about the report and how they knew dogs were the intended victim.
I think it may be worth a posting though to warn other dog owners in the park to be aware as well as concern for the wild animals in the park.
One day after staffers described as “union members” at Schmitz Park Elementary School voted “no confidence” in Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson – as noted here – their counterparts at another West Seattle school are reported to have done the same thing. This vote was at Sanislo Elementary, according to this item on the Save Seattle Schools website (a noncommercial, volunteer operation that provides thorough coverage/discussion of district issues). The site says at least two other schools in the district have had similar votes. ADDED EARLY SUNDAY: A group calling itself the “Seattle Shadow School Board” says it’ll be rallying before the 6/16 School Board meeting to show opposition to renewing the superintendent’s contract. 5:30 pm outside SPS HQ in SODO.
(Photo added 10:30 am: Admiral Adopt-A-Street crew as they started to gather around 9)
The promised sunshine is really here! And so’s a HUGE list of events/activities. In chronological order:
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM CLEANUP: 9 am-noon, West Seattle’s own history museum gets some TLC, and you are invited to help. 61st/Stevens; here’s a map.
ADMIRAL ADOPT-A-STREET CLEANUP: Meet 9 am, Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), and join the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s quarterly street patrol. Coffee/pastries first, sack lunch afterward.
NORTHWEST SENIOR GAMES: 9 am, West Seattle Stadium (off 35th SW south of SW Avalon), it’s the track-and-field portion of this annual regional competition.
CLEAN & GREEN CLEANUP: 9 am, Southwest Youth and Family Services, a prelude to the afternoon’s festival; here’s a map.
DELRIDGE WALKS: Groups start walking to Delridge Community Center for this afternoon’s festival – there’s no public list but we know you can join the Highland Park group by meeting at HP Improvement Club at 9:45 am (here’s a map to HPIC).
FURRY FACES PLANT SALE/ADOPTION EVENT: Plants on sale 10 am-4 pm, cat and dog adoptions noon-4 pm, 3809 46th SW (here’s a map).
(added) JUNCTION TRUEVALUE ‘GRAND REOPENING’: They called at noon to make sure everybody knows it’s Grand Reopening Day, now that the renovation work’s done – special events till 2 pm.
COLMAN POOL’S 2ND PRESEASON WEEKEND: Lincoln Park’s outdoor swimming pool is open again today/tomorrow, starting with laps at noon.
BUCKET BRIGADE! Container gardening with West Seattle-based Urban Land Army, 11 am-3 pm at the Duwamish Environmental Health Fair in South Park, Delridge Day/ReFRESH Southwest 1-5 pm at Delridge Community Center.
GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY FAMILY FUN FAIR: Inflatables and more, noon-3 pm, 4320 SW Myrtle (here’s the official flyer; here’s a map).
REFRESH SOUTHWEST – SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE FESTIVAL AND DELRIDGE DAY: 1-5 pm in and around Delridge Community Center. Here’s the list of activities – here’s the map of exhibitors. See you there – we’ll be covering it “live,” based at table 26 outside.
THE KENNEY ‘FAMILY REUNION’ FESTIVAL: Everybody’s welcome – family activities, treats, lots more, 1-4 pm, details on The Kenney’s website.
KITTY HARBOR OPENS: The nonprofit cat-adoption facility on Harbor Avenue just north of The Bridge opens for the season, 1-6 pm – new website this year, too.
AFTERNOON WINE TASTING: This afternoon at Bin 41 (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, Greg FInger leads a tour of France’s wines, 2-4 pm.
DIAPER DRIVE AND FREE PLAY FOR THE KIDS: Help A Mother Out event at The Little Gym (WSB sponsor), just bring disposable diapers for WestSide Baby! 2-4 pm
WEST SEATTLE PRODUCE ‘GRAND OPENING’: The outdoor produce stand (and more) on Fauntleroy south of SW Alaska has been open more than a month, but is finally ready to celebrate with special events all weekend.
ARBOR HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY CARNIVAL: 3-6 pm, lots of family fun, 3701 SW 104th (here’s a map).
DUWAMISH LONGHOUSE GALA: The Duwamish Tribe‘s annual gala dinner and art auction at the West Seattle longhouse; starts at 4 pm with a wine reception. Tickets here; here’s a map.
ARTSWEST FUNDRAISING GALA: Starts at 5:30 pm at Herban Feast‘s SODO Park (here’s a map).
DINNER AND A MOVIE AT TIBBETTS: “Summertime” is the movie, and the night starts with dinner, 6 pm, more info at www.tibbettsumchurch.org (WSB sponsor)
KENYON HALL MUSIC: Casey MacGill’s Blue 4 Trio, 7:30 tonight – more on the Kenyon Hall website! 35th/Kenyon.
SKYLARK PROM: Skylark celebrates its fourth anniversary, 8 pm, 3803 Delridge Way.
HELL’S BELLES: They’re playing West Seattle Summer Fest next month, but you can see them even sooner – Rocksport tonight, 10 pm.
‘FOOL FOR LOVE’: 2nd of three shows for Damaged Actors Productions‘ version of the Sam Shepard play, 10 pm at Easy Street Café, “pay what you will.”
Two West Seattle school successes to share! First – on Friday, Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark got to show some waterborne solidarity with his school’s mascot – the dolphin. The always-dapper principal went into a dunk tank, suit and all, to celebrate his student body “demonstrating their brilliance through substantial increases on several academic assessments.” The ‘after’ photo:
He says some other staffers braved the water too. Next, north to Holy Rosary School:
That’s the Green Elective Class at Holy Rosary, showing off the award certificate and $500 they got for winning a Terry Husseman Sustainable School Award (a state program, explained here) According to the state website, Holy Rosary was honored for:
Establishes and implements a variety of sustainable programs within the school and community from composting to “no idle zones”. Their overall goal is to encourage a lifestyle that embraces responsible green behaviors.
The same document also reveals that Gatewood and Roxhill Elementary Schools in West Seattle won Husseman Awards too!
Lists courtesy of Square One Books
Looking for something to read, and/or wondering what’s hot? Every week, courtesy of Gretchen Montgomery @ Square One Books (WSB sponsor), we bring you her independent West Seattle bookstore’s 5 best-sellers in each of 4 key categories:
Hardcover:
1. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
2. 61 Hours by Lee Child
3. The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
4. War by Sebastian Junger
5. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca SklootPaperback:
1. Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese
2. Tinkers by Paul Harding
3. In the Shadow of Gotham by Stefanie Pintoff
4. Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl WuDunn
5. The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz ZafonChildren/Young Adult:
1. Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
2. Perfect Piggies! by Sandra Boynton
3. Warriors/Battle of the Clans by Erin Hunter
4. Star Wars/A Scanimation Picture Book by Rufus Butler Seder
5. The Lightning Thief Series by Rick RiordanTeen:
1. Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
3. Bloodhound/Beka Cooper #2 by Tamora Pierce
4. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
5. Burned by P.C. Cast
At West Seattle High School tonight, the WSHS Alumni Association‘s annual All-School Reunion included even more special moments than usual. This is the centennial anniversary of the first WSHS graduating class in 1910 (12 seniors, per a WSHS history summary) – in their honor, the half-centennial-anniversary class of 1960 appeared together onstage with emcee Gary Smith (Class of ’66; photo above). Then, there were three Hall of Fame inductees:
The trio included WSHS’s highest-ranking current alumnus, King County Executive Dow Constantine (Class of ’80), shown above with Karen Seamens Dobbs (Class of ’71), current WSHS Alumni Association president. The other inductees are internationally accomplished photographer Harald Sund (Class of ’61) and retired business executive Wendell Hurlbut III (Class of ’49). Hurlbut couldn’t be there, but Sund was on hand:
Another big part of the program – presenting scholarships; this year, the first-ever Tim Brenton Scholarship, in honor of the WSHS-alum Seattle police officer killed in the line of duty last year, went to Genneva Machmiller:
That’s Genneva with the WSHSAA president. She’s planning to major in nursing at UW. Other scholarship recipients from the Class of 2010:
*Korinne Ainsworth (Friedline, WSHS Alumni scholarships), planning to major in English at UW
*Sam Ameny (WSHS Alumni scholarship), planning a business law/sports agent major at UW
*Raymond Carter (Duke/Radar scholarship), planning a chemical enginering major at UW
*Triston Endreao (Blauert scholarship), planning an environmental-studies major at Whitman
*Karen Lowe (WSHS Alumni scholarship), planning a biochemistry/medical research major at UW
*Carl Swenson (WSHS Alumni scholarship), planning a nursing major at Gonzaga
*Biniaim Woldehaimanot (Bacas Delimitro scholarship), planning a law major at Western Washington
Before the award ceremony, attendees got to “roam the halls” and admire classic cars displayed along SW Stevens before joining in one of more than three dozen by-class reunions assigned to various WSHS classrooms. The West Seattle Big Band then played a set in the theater before the award announcements got under way.
When the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure hits Seattle streets this Sunday, it’ll be a new location – around Seattle Center, instead of on the Alaskan Way Viaduct – but some things will be the same: The love, emotion, and determination, of those who both are there to support a cure for breast cancer, and those who have survived it. One special story has come to our attention, thanks to Komen volunteer Meg Paynor, who shared a letter written by an 8-year-old Holy Rosary School second-grader:
My name is Anne-Louise Lorentz. I am 8 years old and attend 2nd grade at Holy Rosary School in West Seattle. Recently, my teacher, Karen Robel was diagnosed with breast cancer. She will not be able to finish the school year with us because she will be undergoing surgery. My classmates and I are running to support my teacher and help raise funds and awareness for this disease. Your support and contributions are a blessing. If you are not able to make a monetary donation, I ask that you please say a prayer for our beloved teacher, Karen Robel.
Meg says, “Cherie Skager, the director of communications at Komen, who reads all the
story submissions, was so moved she contacted Anne-Louise¹s mother and asked
her if Anne-Louise would be the ‘Official Starter’ of the 1k Kids Race on Sunday. Anne-Louise was so thrilled, she asked if her entire class could lead the Kids’ Race. On Sunday at 8 am, the 20+ students of
Karen Robel will start the Kids’ Race, with Anne-Louise leading the group.” Meg adds that they will be obtaining a group photo to frame as a “Get Well” gift for their teacher, who had her surgery this week. They will all be
wearing t-shirts that say “Running for Robel.”Last year, the Kids’ Race also had a West Seattle flavor – Adam Westerman was grand marshal, after helping raise thousands in honor of his mom, breast-cancer survivor Eddie Westerman. Even if you’re not planning to join Sunday’s Race for the Cure, you can donate online here.
It’s been a tough few months at Hegge Chevron in Sunrise Heights; first, the sudden death of owner Mark Hegge this past March. Today, the staff is dealing with news that one of their co-workers was killed in a car crash. 
It was a one-car crash in Des Moines, discovered late last night (here’s a KIRO TV report); today, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victim as 20-year-old Sam Backman, and the folks at the Chevron station tell us Sam worked there. They say he was a Seattle Lutheran High School graduate and played ‘multiple sports’ there (here’s a 2007 story noting his football accomplishments; a school newsletter has him on the SLHS Honor Roll the same year). Lately, he had been in the automotive program at South Seattle Community College. According to the tv report, his Honda Accord crashed through a rail and plunged down a ravine near South 216th/Marine View Drive. SATURDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Seattle Lutheran has announced that Sam Backman’s memorial is set for Saturday June 12th at 3 pm, at Grace Church, 10323 28th Avenue SW, just south of Roxbury. ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: Also from SLHS: There will be a viewing Thursday 4-8 at Howden-Kennedy in The Junction. The family asks that in place of flowers, donations be made to the Seattle Lutheran Sports Department. (Photo added Sunday, provided by Sam Backman’s family)
(May 24th photo by David Rosen from SlickPix Photography)
A followup this afternoon on car-theft cases, including the one that yielded the May 24th photo above, as well as the one discussed in this recent comment thread. Charges have just been filed against Ronald E. Thompson, a Gatewood resident who turns 20 on Monday. He is charged with three counts of auto theft and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle, all happening over the past month and a half, starting with one theft in Queen Anne on April 16th. We just obtained the documents from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The vehicle stolen in QA was found in West Seattle, while the other three were stolen from, and found in WS – the one in the photo was taken from, and found in, the 5400 block of 46th SW. A Lexus stolen in the 6000 block of 44th on May 30th is the one in which Thompson was found two days later, when police arrested him in Gatewood, a few blocks from his house. After the arrest, the charging papers say, Thompson told police about “an assault rifle” at his home; police found a Sturm-Ruger Mini-14 .223-caliber rifle loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition; he told them he’d bought the rifle, but it was listed as stolen in a King County burglary. Thompson remains in jail and is scheduled to answer the charges June 14th; the documents say he not only has a juvenile record, but also is still awaiting trial on a different auto theft case, in which “he told police that he stole a vehicle from West Seattle and drove it to Bothell, where he was trying to sell a laptop computer.”
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