West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
Last month, at the annual auction for West Seattle’s Holy Rosary Catholic School, attendees not only raised money for their own school’s needs, they also reached deep down to lend a hand to White Center’s Holy Family School – as reported here the next day, courtesy of journalist Gregg Hersholt, who emceed the HR auction that night. Now, a followup: Last night, Holy Family’s principal Frank Cantwell was invited to the Holy Rosary Parents Club‘s meeting for a check presentation. And as you can see in our clip above, it turned out to be not just the $20,000 announced the night of the auction – but a total of $25,000.
The Parents’ Club event also provided an introduction to Holy Rosary’s new principal, Michael Cantu, who is coming here from St. Francis School in Sherwood, Oregon. Current principal Dr. Randal Peters explains to WSB:
I’m leaving at the end of the school year to become a professor in the School of Education at my alma mater, Drake University, in Des Moines, Iowa. It’s been an extremely difficult decision to leave Holy Rosary and West Seattle, as I’ve really come to love both the school and community, but my wife and I have aging parents and large, extended families in the Midwest and moving back seemed to be the right thing to do at this point in our lives.
An FBI agent was in the area near Viking Bank on the eastern edge of The Junction (40th/Alaska) earlier today, according to WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli, continuing to search for evidence in yesterday afternoon’s robbery (WSB coverage here), and showing surveillance photos. We had sent a request to FBI’s local media unit this morning, hoping such photos would be made available; they have just arrived in the inbox.
There’s no additional descriptive information today – just From the FBI news release: “A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered to anyone with information leading to the identification and capture of these subjects. Anyone with information regarding these subjects is asked to call 1-800-222-TIPS, the 24/7 anonymous tips line of the Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound.”
By the way – unless we’ve missed something, our archives indicate this was the first West Seattle bank robbery in almost nine months, since one at Westwood Village last August. The bank hit yesterday was also robbed in June of last year. (The June 2010 Viking Bank stickup was believed to be the work of the so-called “Mrs. Doubtfire” robber, so dubbed because authorities weren’t sure whether it was a man dressing as a woman; earlier this year, 54-year-old Kristen LeClaire was arrested in connection with that robbery spree, and we just looked up her status – she remains in jail, now charged with 9 counts, with her next status hearing set for May 31st.)
From an end-of-week e-mail sent by WSDOT:
Thank you, drivers. We’ve reduced SR 99 from three to two lanes between the West Seattle Bridge and Seattle’s sports stadiums. While drivers using the West Seattle Bridge in the morning can expect to add an average of 15 minutes to their commute, we have yet to see any significant backups southbound on the viaduct.
Drivers on the West Seattle Bridge looking to avoid traveling on the viaduct should consider using the Fourth Avenue S. off-ramp. WSDOT contributed funding to this project in order to keep people and goods moving during south end construction. This ramp provides eastbound drivers on the West Seattle Bridge with direct access to downtown Seattle.
How does the “15 minutes longer in the morning, but afternoon comparable” (our paraphrase) compare with your experience?
It’ll be a sea of orange along Alki on Sunday morning – at left, it’s this year’s official T-shirt for the West Seattle 5K, organized by and benefiting the West Seattle High School PTSA, coming up Sunday morning. Denise Lathrop e-mailed to remind you that, “You can still register for the 5K and pick up your bib, shirt and timing chip in person on Saturday [tomorrow] between 1 PM and 4 PM at West Seattle Runner, 3727 California Ave SW, Suite 2A (map). Packet pick-up and registration is also available on the day of the event, starting at 8:00 AM.” You’ll find that registration form here. Questions? E-mail Denise at delathrop@comcast.net or Andy at pandrewnorton@comcast.net. (And yet another reminder – the race closes Alki Avenue from 63rd SW to Don Armeni from 9-11 am Sunday, and then it’s closed only from 56th SW to 63rd SW, a change from past years, 11 am-5 pm for the Seattle Summer Streets party.)
Another update today as the new owners of West Seattle’s only motel (36th/Alaska) continue working to renovate it and leave its troubled past behind: Spokesperson Lynn Sweeney tells WSB they have chosen a name: “The Grove, West Seattle Inn.” She adds, “The name was chosen in part to reflect the rejuvenated location as a peaceful, comfortable and friendly environment, and over time, our goal is to enhance and grow the natural landscape as well.” They announced the renovation plan five months ago and are aiming to reopen in early summer. You might recall that while at one point they had hoped to stay open while renovating, the SWAT-team incident in late March accelerated matters, and they closed shortly thereafter. The Grove has a website already too, with a logo and some hints at what they’re aiming for – grovewestseattle.com.
Last Friday, we published the story of a dog hit by a driver who didn’t stop, and the helpful people who did stop or in some other way help. 
Much discussion ensued in the comments, including information from the owner’s mom, who identified the Lab as Asia and later reported the dog had a dislocated hip. We don’t have a new update from Asia’s family, but we do have something that might help other pets and people in the future, courtesy of one of the people who assisted last Friday, Doug. He offered to compile a list of resources in case you need to find emergency care for an animal, so that we could link it from the WSB Lost/Found Pets page. We wanted to let you know that it’s at the top of that page now; Doug’s list includes clinics around the metro area, north to south. (If you have anything to add, we will do our best to keep it updated – e-mail the information to editor@westseattleblog.com. Thanks!)
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Shortly after the encampment that calls itself “Nickelsville” returned to West Seattle a week ago, two longtime WSB Forums members e-mailed with news that another longtime member and WSB site participant, whose many comments have provided humor and history, Mike aka “miws,” was among its newest residents; they helped him get set up there after he was evicted from his Morgan Junction apartment. We have met Mike several times over the past few years; we knew he was struggling, but didn’t know he had become homeless. We were glad to hear they wanted to tell his story, provided he gave his permission, which he did.)
Story by Joanne Brayden
Photos by Kevin McClintic
Special to West Seattle Blog
On Monday, Mike, who posts on the West Seattle Blog Forums as miws, became a resident of Nickelsville, the tent-city encampment that recently made news as it moved out of a city-provided shelter at old Fire Station #39 and back to an empty field in the industrial area along the Duwamish River at the eastern base of West Seattle, without the city’s blessing.
By Wednesday, Mike had already worked one shift as Security and voted in camp meetings that will determine the future of his new home. He hasn’t just settled in, he has become part of the community, and can’t stop telling everyone how lucky he was that Nickelsville moved back to West Seattle so there was space for him when he needed them.
Perhaps a good-weather phenomenon – we’re getting more than a few car-prowl reports. One from Arbor Heights on the WSB Facebook page, mentioned in passing, then another from AH just came in via e-mail – that’s after the jump, along with reports from other West Seattle areas (NOTE – 1 “suspicious person” report, added 12:04 pm):Read More
SIFF AT ADMIRAL THEATER: Though the festival technically started last night, the first Seattle International Film Festival screenings at the Admiral Theater are today/tonight, starting at 4:30 pm (today’s schedule here) – with West Seattle’s venue on the schedule for all three weeks this year!
SEE A MOVIE IN HIGHLAND PARK: Movie night at Highland Park Improvement Club (1116 SW Holden), doors open at 6:30 pm, movie at 7pm.. Free admission. We will be selling snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. There will be folding chairs for seating, or feel free to bring blankets and pillows or non-floor-scratching chairs. Our movie copyright license does not allow us to advertise the movie title so here’s this month’s hint: Michael J. Fox does a little time travel in this 1985 sci-fi comedy.
RAINBOW BINGO: Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon Street) presents Rainbow Bingo. “Fiesta!” is the theme. Doors open 6 pm, Bingo starts 7 pm.
FINAL NIGHT FOR ‘OKLAHOMA’!: After a special benefit last night, West Seattle High School‘s spring musical “Oklahoma!” closes tonight at the WSHS Theater. More info at westsidedrama.com.
SECOND-TO-LAST NIGHT FOR ‘SHIPWRECKED’: 7:30 pm, catch “Shipwrecked! An Entertainment …” at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor).
GET OUT IN THE FOREST THIS AFTERNOON: Nature Consortium‘s monthly eco-hike, 1 pm, meet at 14th and Holly. Free, but if you can, RSVP to nancy@naturec.org.
GET OUT ON THE BEACH THIS AFTERNOON: Not as low as earlier this week, but still a significantly low tide around 1:40 today (here’s the chart).
GATEWOOD BENEFIT: Friends of Gatewood Elementary are hosting a concert at The Alki Tavern (1321 Harbor Ave SW). The music is being performed by parents of Gatewood students, who also happen to be in bands. There will be a casual Jam session starting around 6:30 PM. The actual sets will begin around 8. Suggested donations of $10 will be taken at the door and the hat will passed throughout the night. All proceeds from the night will be donated to the school.
ONSTAGE AT KENYON HALL: Northwest Blues, Funk, and Folk icons Alice Stuart and Anne Weiss in concert. Kenyon Hall (7904 35th Ave SW), 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 general admission, or 2 for $25. To make a reservation e-mail kenyonhall@earthlink.net indicating show and number of seats.
RUMMAGE SALE: Didn’t get enough shopping done during West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day last Saturday? St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church‘s famous rummage sale continues, 9-3 today and tomorrow. Held in Parish Hall at 3050 California Ave SW and SW Hanford.
DANCE AT PEACE: Support the youth of Peace Lutheran Church (8316 39th Ave SW), 5:30 – 8:30 pm and dance the night away (or watch and eat dinner, if dancing isn’t your thing). We’ll have a wide variety of dances, from swing dancing to chicken dancing to Scandinavian folk dancing, and everything inbetween.
STORYTELLING TONIGHT: Storytelling event at the White Center Cultural Center (9421 18th Avenue SW) at 5:30 pm. Marwa Sadik from Iraq will be featured tonight.
JUMPIN’ JAMBOREE: From Hiawatha Community Center: “Jumping Jamboree for ages 3-12! Get ready for an action-packed event with our jump toy extravaganza. Youth will enjoy a multitude of jump toys! Light snacks and refreshments will be served. This event is sure to get everyone jumping! The event is from 6-8 p.m. The cost per person is $5!”
At the west end of the “low bridge,” as part of the citywide Bike to Work Day (previewed here yesterday), BECU is sponsoring West Seattle’s “commute station” for bicyclists to check in. We stopped by for a photo in the early-morning sunshine; better weather than last year, and seemed busier as a result. Like the other “commute stations” around the city, this one is scheduled to be open till 9 am.
More than a month has now elapsed since Zippy’s Giant Burgers closed in Highland Park, hoping to reopen in White Center a week and a half later. We’ve updated you on the challenges they’ve faced with permits and upgrades. This morning, Blaine Cook from Zippy’s shared an update: “Well, yesterday we thought would be the last day for all of these last-minute details to be ironed out… But wait, no burgers for you. The radio system for the fire alarm calls for a permit and, yes, another inspection. Like all permits, this one will take a few days to be reviewed by the proper officials. Both the tech and the guy we deal with at the alarm company were both surprised that this last thing needed a permit.” But he feels hopeful that once this is past, “there should be no more hidden surprises/gremlins waiting for us.” In case you’ve lost track, the new location is at 9614 14th SW (map), and we’ll share the news immediately once there’s word it’s cleared to open.
Arbor Heights Elementary‘s principal Dr. Carol Coram is leaving to become assistant principal at Denny International Middle School, as reported here Thursday afternoon, after her letter to the school community was circulated. Thursday night, her departure was discussed at the Arbor Heights PTSA meeting, along with what happens next; Katie Meyer was there for WSB:
She reports that Dr. Coram received a bouquet after PTSA president John Christensen read a statement thanking her for “10-plus incredible years as our principal.” (He tells WSB there will be a more-official farewell/thank-you event toward the end of the school year.) Later in the meeting, the Seattle Public Schools official who manages West Seattle schools, Aurora Lora, talked to the PTSA about the “open hiring process” for new principals. She says the pool of candidate includes some “already in the district, some outside the district who’ve been principals in other districts and are hoping to move to Seattle.” Lora said they hope to make the hire before this school year ends, and laid out a timetable including a “paper screening” of applications next Monday, resulting in a list of five or six people to come to AH to meet the Interview Team. They’ll be called May 24th and invited for interviews the following week with a team including four parents and four staff members. That will winnow the field to three finalists, who will meet with interim Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield as well as Lora.
(Photo from ‘Disparity,’ published here in 2008)
You may know Christopher Boffoli best for breaking-news photographs here on WSB, over the past three-plus years – like the ones from today’s bank robbery (after he spotted two of the apparent robbers fleeing down his Junction alley). But tonight, readers in the U.K. have learned about him as the photographer who’s introduced tiny figurines to food (among other things), in shots like the one above. His ongoing series “Disparity” has just been showcased by both the Daily Mail (here) and The Telegraph (here). We asked Christopher how the UK found him; he explained, “I was recently approached by some editors from a newspaper/magazine syndication company in Europe who saw the image on a professional photography website called 500px. They did an interview a couple of weeks ago and asked for a bunch of images. I didn’t really know what would come of it. But then today a friend in the UK saw it and sent me the link.”
For the hundreds who came to tonight’s Taste of West Seattle, it provided a chance to sample dozens of food and beverage providers from around WS/White Center. But the photo above is what it was really about – raising money so the West Seattle Helpline can keep offering a lifeline to people in need. Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) presented a $5,000 check to outgoing Helpline executive director Anna Fern (she’s retiring) and her team – and they’re thrilled; it was just a few days ago they put out an emergency challenge to help cover unexpected expenses. Now, on to the sightings, starting with the Full Tilt Ice Cream family:
That’s Justin Cline, Ann Magyar, and son. More sightings – including first-time appearances for some of our area’s newest eating/drinking spots – ahead:Read More
Earlier this week, a note came in, suggesting we look into a pattern of thefts. The anonymous tipster wrote in part:
3 students have reported having their cellphones stolen from them while waiting at bus stops in West Seattle. All 3 students have filed police reports accordingly. The first one happened during the last week of March, the most recent happened within the last week. Each of them happened at different bus stops, but all have happened in West Seattle.
Each student was approached by a young person they did not know, who either asked to use the student’s phone for an emergency or simply asked to see the time. If the student resisted, they were bullied by the stranger & the stranger’s friends. When the students did take out their phones, the stranger grabbed the phones and ran away with their friends.
Two of the victims also were assaulted, wrote the tipster. But before we could finish investigating this to write about it – we found out that the Southwest Precinct has a break in the case. After we saw Lt. Pierre Davis at the Alki Community Council meeting tonight, he shared this exuberant report:
While conducting surveillance, the SW ACT Team watched one of the possible suspects steal a cell phone from a victim. They did a stake-out on the suspect’s residence and arrested the suspect when he exited. A search incident to the arrest located the stolen cell phone. Our SW ACT Team also located the other involved suspects and arrested them as well. Crime spree over!!! Winning!!!!!
Next step – we’ll be seeking to find out who the suspects are and what happens to them in the jail/court system.
Big stuff at the beach, starting with Sunday’s big events – read on for toplines from the Alki Community Council meeting just concluded:Read More
That’s “Our Grass Is Always Greener,” a film by Lafayette Elementary fifth-grader Luca Rose, one of three youth-category wnners in the SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival) Three-Minute Masterpiece competition. The grand-prize award will be presented at 10 am this Saturday (May 21st) at Seattle Center, during a special screening event (call 206-324-9996 for free tickets). Luca’s dad Tim Rose wrote the song; the cast includes three of Luca’s classmates – Olivia D’Amico, Johnny McConaghy, and Kenny Arnold. (Want to know more about the competition? Here you go.)
SDOT announced late today that crews will be “filling in a missing section of sidewalk SW Barton Place at 22nd Avenue SW [map]. They will start installing the new sidewalk on Monday, May 23, and expect to complete the work in about one week. The parking lane at this location will be closed. The crews will work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.”
(6:07 PM UPDATE: Seattle Police have released their official summary. Adding that, and more photos, below)
ORIGINAL 3:50 PM REPORT: Police are at Viking Bank in The Junction – and nearby – looking for bank robbers. Seattle Police say three people robbed the bank. According to Officer Renée Witt in the media-response unit, they were described as possibly armed, three Hispanic men in their 20s, medium build, one wearing a red bandanna, black or dark hoodie, with black sweat pants.
3:57 PM UPDATE: Just added a photo. And yes, that’s what the helicopter is doing over The Junction.
4:30 PM UPDATE: The FBI is on scene as well as Seattle Police, since they have jurisdiction in bank robberies. Multiple witnesses report that some evidence was found, but there is no word of arrests. No injuries either, in case you were wondering.
(This photos and others below, all by Christopher Boffoli for WSB unless otherwise credited)
4;49 PM UPDATE: There have been anecdotal reports that some area schools’ afterschool programs sheltered in place while the search was on. We’re having trouble getting anyone on the phone to confirm this – but in case you are worried, know that NO INJURIES ARE REPORTED ANYWHERE as a result of the robbery or the search. Meantime, according to what Christopher Boffoli photographed, they left significant evidence behind:
5:05 PM UPDATE: Teresa Wippel from Seattle Public Schools confirms that Madison Middle School did decide to have the students who were still on campus “shelter in place” – some were outside when the school heard about the robbery, and the school decided – it was a unilateral decision, not a police order – to bring them in. Wippel says they also called the parents of students who would usually go home by themselves, and they escorted students to school buses.
6:07 PM UPDATE: Police have just published their summary of the robbery at SPD Blotter. Click ahead to see it in full, along with more of our photos:Read More
Tracy this needs a jazzy intro
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