West Seattle, Washington
20 Saturday
From our partners at the Seattle Times: Isaiah Kalebu has been found guilty in the 2009 South Park murder/rapes case. The woman he killed, Teresa Butz (right), had heroically taken action that saved her partner’s life, before losing her own. His sentencing in August is a formality, as the aggravated-murder conviction automatically means life in prison with no chance of parole, since the death penalty was not sought because of his mental-illness history. Details in the Times report here.
Just got word from Southwest Precinct that there has been an arrest in connection with the May 8th attack that left a Fairmount Springs woman badly hurt. The case raised so much concern, there was a special neighborhood meeting about it a few days later, with precinct commander Capt. Steve Paulsen and City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen in attendance (here’s our coverage). Precinct operations Lt. Pierre Davis tells WSB an arrest was made just before 5 pm yesterday: “Our detectives did a fantastic job with this case. The arrest warrant was served on the suspect without incident.” We are working to get more details about the arrest, the suspect, and the circumstances of the case, which were all something of a mystery back in May.
ADDED SATURDAY MORNING: Inquiries with police and prosecutors on Friday afternoon didn’t yield much, but overnight we did get a bit of extra information from SW Precinct Lt. Alan Williams, who says the information he could access shows that the suspect (whose name we still don’t know, so we can’t check his/her status through the jail register, and there are way too many people booked for assault/burglary type charges for anyone to stand out as the likely arrestee) “was located in the 1000 block of 4th (Avenue) South and taken into custody without incident.” Because of government closures for the Monday holiday, we don’t expect to be able to get more information before Tuesday.
Today, we welcome one of the newest WSB sponsors, Highline Medical Group‘s West Seattle Family Medicine.
As is a tradition, new sponsors get the chance to share what they would like you to know: First, you donʼt have to go downtown to get high-quality medical care – it is right here in West Seattle, as demonstrated by the fact that In 2010, Highline Medical Group was the only Family Medicine practice in the city of Seattle to earn the Premera Blue Cross Healthcare Quality Award for exceptional clinical performance on a variety of measures. Second, and perhaps even more important, weʼll treat you the way weʼd want to be treated. Weʼre committed to an open and relationship-focused approach that engages you in your own health. Finally, West Seattle Family Medicine is conveniently located in the Alaska Junction business district of West Seattle, open Saturday — and we accept walk-ins — all of which are helpful for working families. Some of what we have heard from patients: “I like that you take time to get to know me and our family.” … “You are really easy to talk to.” The number-one referral source for our practice is existing patients.
West Seattle Family Medicine is a member of the West Seattle Junction Association, and we support local events and organizations like the West Seattle Food Bank, the West Seattle Garden Tour, and West Seattle Summer Fest. West Seattle Family Medicine is at 4744 41st SW, east of Jefferson Square, 206-933-1041; its hours are online, here.
We thank West Seattle Family Medicine for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
(WSB video of Derek Birnie presenting a DNDA primer to Delridge Neighborhoods District Council last November)
After four years leading Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, executive director Derek Birnie is leaving, taking the same role at Washington CASH (Community Alliance for Self Help). An interim executive director already has been announced for DNDA – which helms a wide variety of projects, from community-building to housing development and beyond – consultant Jan Glick. More in the DNDA news release ahead:Read More
If you’re in The Junction around 7 pm tonight, be on the lookout for a parade. WSB contributor Katie Meyer reports that A Terrible Beauty‘s new West Seattle location is celebrating its official grand opening (though it’s been open since Tuesday) with a pipes-and-drums parade – the firefighter groups from Seattle and the Eastside will start at Alaska/California and march down the block to the new restaurant/pub, where the Irish flag will be planted. Spectators welcome!
Thanks to Rod for sharing the photo via Twitter and wondering about the fire that took out the portable restroom on Beach Drive at Me-Kwa-Mooks Park overnight. Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore tells WSB, “Our fire investigator determined it was a set fire. Unknown suspect or suspects set combustibles on fire inside the port-a potty. Damage estimate is $2000.” We’re checking with Seattle Parks regarding replacement plans.
ADDED 12:52 PM: Joelle Hammerstad with Parks says the Southwest maintenance/management crew is already on the case: “They’ve already called and are trying to get another one to replace it before the weekend. We’re not sure if we can get it replaced, being as it’s the Friday before the Fourth of July weekend, and our contractor is slammed busy getting port-a-potties out all over the city. If they don’t get a new one installed today, they’ll get one there ASAP — but it could be early next week. We’ve called the folks who have picnics scheduled there and told them the potty is gone.”
3:04 PM UPDATE: Original tipster Rod reports, also via Twitter, that a new one HAS arrived – but it’s in a different spot.
Late last night, Keith Ramsey sent us that link via Twitter.
If you can’t watch the video, here’s what it shows: He had noticed the sidewalk along the east side of Delridge, near the Southwest Precinct and Home Depot, so overgrown that it couldn’t be used. This is the same kind of overgrowth that can get the average homeowner a citation from city inspectors; Keith looked up the ownership and discovered at least some of the land is owned by SDOT. We asked if he had called to report it – he had – on Tuesday; no action yet. Good news this morning, though – SDOT spokesperson Marybeth Turner tells us, “SDOT’s Street Maintenance crews have it scheduled for next week.” And Keith just confirmed he’d been told that too. P.S. If you see a road or sidewalk obstruction, the hotline number is 206-684-ROAD.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports out of the WSB inbox. First, another stolen pickup to keep an eye out for – from Rachel:
Stolen 1994 4X4 Nissan pickup, dark gray, turquoise line detail on sides. License Plate: B66561E. American flag sticker in back driver window. Stolen from North Admiral neighborhood 6/30. Call Seattle Police with any information: 206.625.5011
After the jump – a car-prowl case that led to arrests, and the odd item the suspects left behind:Read More
Sunshine! A few notes for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar (reminder, the 4th of July has its own page):
WALKER ROCK GARDEN OPEN: As noted here earlier this week, we found rare advance notice of two dates with the Walker Rock Garden – whose owners put it up for sale earlier this year – open to the public, and one is today. Now till noon, 5407 37th SW.
SWIM! Colman Pool continues its 7-day-a-week summer operations (pool schedule/other info here); looks like a wading pool day too – today’s pools would be Lincoln Park 11 am-8 pm, Delridge noon-6:45 pm
FREE HEALTH TESTS: The AARP | Walgreens Wellness Tour at High Point Walgreens (6330 35th Ave SW), noon-6 pm, offers free tests for cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, bone density, body mass, and more.
ICE CREAM AT THE BEACH: Coastal on Alki had announced last week that the Molly Moon’s Ice Cream truck would be visiting on Fridays – but not a consistent time window; today, it’s noon-2 pm.
STORIES FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD: Crooked Trails Live presents a night of music, food, wine, photos and stories from the wild side at Alki Arts (2820 Alki SW), 7-9 pm. Join Maasai warrior Kakuta Ole Maimai on a journey to Maasailand! This is a personal story of a man who grew up in a village at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, southern Kenya, and with community support came to the U.S. to finish college – then went home and started schools, a health center, and a clean-water pipeline.
LOCAL TEENS PERFORM: Not in West Seattle, but with young performers from West Seattle (as explained in this Hollow Earth Radio report): The band 80 or Free plays The Lab, behind the Seattle Drum School, 15th NE and NE 125th, 7 pm tonight, all ages, $5.
Now that the latest forecast update is in … the 4th of July outlook is promising (70s!). So, here’s another reminder about the day’s biggest pre-fireworks event in West Seattle – the Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade.
It’s not just for Admiral residents – hundreds of kids from all over West Seattle (and their families) are part of it every year. It’s scheduled to start at 10 am Monday at 44th and Sunset (note, don’t expect to park too close), and after a few words from special guest King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, it’s off on a relatively flat trek winding through a few blocks of North Admiral till the conclusion at Hamilton Viewpoint Park (paraders cross with police help – and even if you’re not in the parade, note there will be some traffic delay on the north end of California that morning as a result). At the park, there are games (free, but parade organizers appreciate a small donation to help cover the costs of putting this on), and concessions. We have a concession update from Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum: Mini-cupcakes from Coffee to a Tea with Sugar, cookies from Little Rae’s Bakery, and – debuting this year – Manderin Cookie Company, plus popsicles, juices, chips, and bottled water. ANA will be selling its stylin’ Admiral-logo T-shirts and jackets, too. Get your 4th off to a fun start long before the fireworks. P.S. Our “all things Fourth of July” page is up and updated – see it here.
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
From reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers:
*Around 6:30 Friday night, a man entered a Junction business, grabbed a purse from a display, tucked it under his jacket and ran down the street. An employee gave chase, yelling at the suspect and finally catching him near California and Alaska. She was able to grab the purse back while the man kept traveling southbound. He was white, aged 30-49, approximately 5’8” and 140 pounds. Several teeth were missing; he wore a black t-shirt, and appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
*After visiting Alki a couple of weeks ago, a Kent resident packed up his beach gear and headed for home. One piece of gear inadvertently left behind was his gun: He assumes it fell from the edge of the truck bed where he had absentmindedly placed it.
10 more summaries (including a string of business break-ins, and the saga of how a dog helped a man get home) ahead:Read More
Both the big downtown parade on Tuesday (reported here yesterday) and West Seattle’s own Admiral 4th of July Kids’ Parade on Monday (here’s our latest preview) are on the SDOT citywide-traffic-alerts list for the next five days – read on to see where you’re likely to find a lot of vehicles and people (oh, and zombies too):Read More
Getting ready tonight for the new drive-through West Seattle Coffee House‘s grand opening tomorrow (Friday), that’s Helen and owner Janel. A few more things have happened since our Monday report about the impending opening of the stand at Hans VW Repair (35th/Graham): They’ve decided on Little Rae’s as their bakery provider, and will have some wheat- and gluten-free treats too. They’ll use Ghirardelli chocolate. “And REAL espresso milkshakes!” Helen pointed out. Other key points we noted earlier – Zoka is the coffee, and they have a credit-card machine. Though they plan to start off with their regular weekday schedule, 6:30 am-5:30 pm, don’t make a special trip right at 6:30 – there’s one small hitch for tomorrow only, according to Janel; the city is doing some work in the area overnight tonight, and will be cutting their power for a while, possibly until as late as 8 am. But she’s hoping they’ll finish early, so if you’re driving by anyway, look for the OPEN sign, and if you don’t see it, check back later.
With just a minute to go till 5 pm, one last visitor went into the city’s Neighborhood Service Center in The Junction, which then closed quietly, permanently.
We dropped by about 10 till 5 to see what was happening in its final moments.
The customer-service rep didn’t want us to take his photo. He’s one of the people losing his job because of the midyear budget cut that shut the center down, less than a year after passionate lobbying by neighborhood advocates saved from a previous budget ax.
At 4:50: “I didn’t know this place was closing down,” a woman said, aloud but to herself, in the lobby’s corner.
4:52, another woman walked in: “Where’s the nearest pay phone?” The customer-service rep told her she could use the phone on the wall right outside his window.
4:55, another woman came in to pay a bill. Maybe two.
Another employee entered the lobby. Maybe we can photograph you closing the door one last time? we ask. He pointed out the door is power-assisted and closes automatically. So much for the potentially poignant shot; the NSC – “linking city government to Seattle’s neighborhoods,” as its webpage says – was just going to unlink one neighborhood without fanfare. As of tomorrow, you can transact city business in the one remaining NSC on the peninsula, in Delridge, north of the library.
Patrick e-mailed that photo after his neighbors’ driveway along the east stretch of Harbor Avenue SW collapsed into a several-feet-deep sinkhole: “My neighbor’s driveway gave out beneath a truck, and what we found was that there is nothing …. NOTHING below the pavement. … I’m afraid the same thing is below my house/driveway.” We went by for a quick look. The residents are renters, so they were going to contact their management company to figure out what to do next – it’s on private property, not city right-of-way, unlike the 3-story-deep sinkhole (blamed on a pipe break) on not-too-far-away Fairmount a few months back.
The future of the vacant, recently cleaned-up High Point site at 35th and Graham (map) is again a question mark.
Last December, High Point-area residents were caught off guard to hear that the original plans for a mixed-use development on the northeast corner of 35th and Graham had been scrapped (WSB coverage here), and that a 90-townhome development (described in this story) was on the way instead. Seattle Housing Authority executive director Tom Tierney even came to High Point for a meeting at which he apologized for not letting homeowners know about it.
But this afternoon, we’ve confirmed that plan is dead. After getting a tip from Matt, we e-mailed SHA spokesperson Virginia Felton to ask about its status, and she replied: “The would-be buyer, Intracorp, decided that the project (90 townhomes) was not feasible for them at this time. Consequently, we are once again entertaining proposals for the site. Developers interested in the site may contact Frank Bosl at CB Richard Ellis.”
We’re just out of the King County Jail courtroom again, waiting for a potential appearance by Gatewood arson suspect John C. Siegel. Again today, he didn’t appear (no reason given, but suspects do have the right to waive an appearance), and the judge ordered that he continue to be held without bail. King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Dan Donohoe tells us that Siegel will only be slated to appear tomorrow if they have not filed charges by afternoon. If they do file charges tomorrow, his next appearance would be for arraignment. Here’s our original report on his arrest Tuesday night, which links back to our earlier coverage of the Tuesday morning fire that did $100,000 damage to the home he co-owns on 39th SW near Orchard Street Ravine.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
One week ago, a sizable police response at Admiral Chevron caught a few eyes, and brought in a few tips. Getting info on what happened wasn’t easy, even though the topline turned out to be fairly simple: Police spotted a car that turned out to have been stolen, and arrested the man they found at the wheel. But it turns out there’s a lot more to this story, because of who that man is.
You might remember the name Skyelar Hailey (February 2009 mug shot at right), who first made news here for a burglary case two and a half years ago in North Admiral, downgraded to a trespassing conviction, with sentencing in April 2009 that mostly involved community service. That was by no means his first or last brush with the law. He is in jail right now, status “bail denied,” on three issues. Besides the arrest last week, there is a probation hold that traces back to the trespassing case, and a White Center stolen-car case from May that’s still pending. Read on:Read More
(Photos courtesy Museum of Flight)
As noted before, the Museum of Flight is so close, we consider it almost an honorary West Seattle institution. (And many of its visiting aircraft fly right over us.) We’ll be virtually embedded there again in a month for the Blue Angels‘ annual Seafair visit. But in the meantime – a big production there today: The museum’s “Flying Fortress” B-17 – which has quite a history – is on its front lawn today after being towed from a Boeing Field hangar early this morning:
It’s front and center for the “Heroes of the Homefront” event on July 16th, which also will include fly-ins by a B-25 bomber and P-51 flyer, and an evening “hangar dance,” and also celebrates Boeing’s 95th anniversary. More details here.
(Photos by Rebecca Orton)
Before the next round of serious news rushes in, anybody up for a wildlife break? Rebecca Orton shared photos of a river otter (yes, the ones in Puget Sound are “river otters,” not “sea otters”) catching and enjoying its dinner:
Sunday evening, Mr. Otter was visiting our backyard and lounging under and on the deck. I rarely get to see the otters in the day time so I quickly ran for my camera and zoom lens.
Leaving his lounge area, he made his way to the water, so I followed him down to the beach where he quickly found himself a flounder. He devoured it at the water’s edge, heartily crunching through fish bones he had his flounder finished in 4 minutes flat. Then off he went for another one. His fishing skills proved expert as he came up in no time with another juicy flounder. This one, he apparently intended to gorge on in the back yard and began making his way up toward the house. Though I hadn’t moved a muscle, he finally caught sight or wind of me and stopped dead in his tracks, did a quick double take, then turned tail and ran to the water swimming away with his dinner. We both had a treat, dinner for him and wildlife-watching for me!
This reminds us of a note received recently reminding people to drive carefully near the water – including Fauntleroy, as well as Beach Drive and Harbor and Alki Avenues – otters like these spend time inland, and have to cross busy streets to get there.
Often, we only find out about passing ships – particularly US Navy sightings to/from Bremerton – after the fact. For those who keep an eye on the water, here’s advance word of something heading this way: Via Puget Sound Maritime, we learn that the decommissioned frigate USS Jarrett will be towed to Bremerton within the next week or so. According to its Wikipedia page, the Jarrett made history as the first US Navy warship commanded by a woman (Captain Kathleen McGrath).
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER’S LAST DAY: Last day for West Seattle Junction Neighborhood Service Center, 4205 SW Alaska, 9 am-5 pm, closing because of midyear city-budget cuts.
LAST DAY OF OPEN REGISTRATION FOR WEST SEATTLE SOCCER CLUB: After today, no guarantee of team placement, per WSSC – more details on their website, where camp info is available too.
SAFETY DAY AT LAFARGE: 10 am-2 pm, Lafarge‘s annual Safety Day includes tours (wear long pants and closed-toe shoes) and demonstrations, plus snacks and treats for the kids. 5400 W. Marginal Way SW.
SHOP LATE THURSDAY, SECOND EDITION: It’s the second week for Shop Late Thursdays in The Junction, till 9 pm – participating merchants are listed here, including WSB sponsors JF Henry Kitchen and Tableware (closes @ 8) and Click! Design That Fits.
ART ON DISPLAY: 35th Avenue Chiropractic invites you to an event showcasing the artwork of Stephanie Savidge, 6 pm, 9455 35th SW, Suite E.
‘RACE TO NOWHERE’: The much-discussed documentary about education in America will be screened tonight at Peace Lutheran Church (8316 39th SW), 7 pm. Tickets: $10 in advance or $15 at the door, available online here.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM West Seattle history is there for the viewing at the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens), noon-4 pm today (and all Thursdays-Sundays).
WINE IN THE WOODS: Nature Consortium fundraiser – wine, hors d’oeuvres, and music in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, 7 pm. Here’s our preview from earlier this week. RSVP ASAP, to theresa@naturec.org or 206.923.0853.
BURLESQUE: Westside Burlesque Review at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW). 21 and over. Doors at 9 pm, cost is $7.
Congratulations to the West Seattle Little League 10-11 All-Stars team for winning the District 7 All-Star Tournament, which sends them on to state-level play. WSLL president Mark Terao (who shared the photo) says that tournament will be in Cheney, July 16-24. The WSLL 10-11 All-Stars won the district title after beating PacWest 6-2; that followed their 12-1 win over Rainier and a tournament-opening 9-1 win over PacWest. Mark O’Neil manages the team and Terao coaches; players are Ethan Chen, Kevin Chen, Dylan Diggdon, Chris Drake, Austin Grambihler, Grayson O’Neil, Kai Osaka, Alex Pastrana, Gage Rowlands, Max Rubin-Stencel, Jacob Terao, Grant VanDerHijde. Between now and the team’s state-tournament games, WSLL has an 11-12 All-Star Tournament starting this Saturday at Alki’s Bar-S Playfield, and a Juniors/Seniors All-Star Tournament starting that same day at Rainier Playfield.
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