West Seattle, Washington
25 Friday
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar: In addition to the Fauntleroy Church/YMCA dedication (previewed last night) at 2 pm, today’s list also includes free Sunday Yoga at Sound Yoga (WSB sponsor) 11 am-12:15 pm; Bowling for Bullies, a benefit to raise funds for, and awareness of, what organizers call “the amazing Pit Bull ‘breed'” and rescued dogs who need a second chance, partial proceeds to Bullseye Dog Rescue with rescue dogs on hand for adoption, 1:30 pm at West Seattle Bowl … and as always, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, 10 am-2 pm, The Junction (44th/Alaska), with apples and wild mushrooms among the new items on today’s Ripe and Ready list.
Thanks to Julie for the tip (which we just verified with a late-night drive) that 16th SW is now fully open again, after two months of a northbound detour for the latest round of road-rebuilding work. The original projected completion date was September 27th, and SDOT had reconfirmed for us this past week that they expected to be done “by the end of the month” – but it’s all open again now, a bit ahead of schedule. (We’ll check with SDOT Monday to see if there are still any final touches ahead.)
Today, you had the chance to see what’s new at Chief Sealth International High School and at Swedish Automotive (WSB sponsor) – tomorrow, Fauntleroy Church and the co-housed YMCA (WSB sponsor) invite you to come see what they’ve been working on for about nine months! Judy Pickens showed us around for a preview – she’s in this photo with pastor David Kratz:
The renovations come just two years after Fauntleroy Church celebrated its centennial:
Tomorrow’s dedication and grand-opening event at Fauntleroy Church/YMCA starts at 2 pm – everybody’s welcome. (9140 California SW – here’s a map.)
Two great photos just landed in the WSB inbox – first, Rolly Francisco shares the view of Mount Rainier as seen from 40th/Andover around 5 pm (you just never know how many more times this year we’ll see it!) – second, Trileigh was out star/planetgazing last night and captured multiple moons:
Trileigh explains:
Although in the photo you can see three moons surrounding Jupiter (the bright white spot near the middle of the picture), with a spotting scope you can actually see four.
And I don’t know what that funny blue thing is to the lower left of Jupiter. It was in each picture I took, several minutes apart, and appeared to move first further away to the lower left each time and then back closer. Could it be a satellite, I wonder?
Tonight should still be clear, I believe – people with binoculars or a spotting scope should get out and see five moons at once, including Earth’s!
Thanks for the photos!
While this morning’s community celebration of the Chief Sealth International High School overhaul was under way, we added a photo to an earlier story – now, a couple more: Top, Sue Daley and Lisa Sattler were at the Sealth PTSA table; the PTSA has its own website, by the way – with info including the date for this year’s fundraising auction (November 18th). Next photo – one of the true showpieces of the work on campus, the Galleria between the renovated Sealth and the in-progress Denny International Middle School:
Meantime, there’s another big event ahead at Sealth: This Thursday night, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson and other top district officials will be there for a “welcome back” community meeting – not just for Sealth families, but for all SPS families in the West Seattle area – that’s set for 6:30-8 pm Thursday (September 30th).
As noisy and dusty as demolition can be, it can sometimes lead to fleeting scenes you might even consider beautiful. Diane shared these photos from the Admiral Safeway site, taken last night – note the old clock suddenly front and center:
Also revealed, curving framework:
And then the newer facade, still standing:
Another look:
As we’ve noted the past few days, you can now check in on a webcam focused on the site – see it here. P.S. Looking further back into the week, Christopher Boffoli got this video as the major demolition began a couple days ago – coverage of other stories got in the way of publishing it till now:
Swedish Automotive owner Dave Winters is proudly welcoming everyone to this afternoon’s open house/housewarming celebration at Swedish’s newly completed, bigger location, 7901 35th SW (map). Above, that’s Dave at left with a longtime friend who’s also a big name in the West Seattle auto-repair/maintenance business, Tom Smith of Tom’s Automotive Service in The Triangle. (Both Swedish and Tom’s are WSB sponsors.) And what would a celebration of an automotive business be without cars? Swedish classics are on display:
And you may not be surprised to hear that the food being served up during today’s celebration includes Swedish meatballs:
Everybody’s welcome to stop by till 4 pm – not just for the food, fun, and fine folks, but also to see the green features of the new location – from drought-resistant native plantings, to the heating system designed to use waste oil, to the special nonpolluting car-wash bay (as noted in our sneak preview a few weeks ago).
Great day to get your car washed – and to help out the West Seattle High School volleyball team, which is having a fundraiser at West Seattle Produce (on Fauntleroy south of Alaska) – go shop, and get your car scrubbed. They’re scheduled to be there till 3 pm.
Thanks to Deanie Schwarz for that photo of The Wash Dog giving a free nail trim during the Pet Fest that’s under way right now, till 1 pm, at Arrowhead Gardens (WSB sponsor) – that’s David the Dog Walker helping out, Deanie explains, adding that he has a demonstration coming up around 12:15 pm. Lots of other pet-service providers there, people showing their dogs off in a dog fashion show, and if you don’t have a pet – Ginger’s Pet Rescue has 15 adoptable small dogs there too – like Betty Jane, a dachshund who’s not even 2 years old yet:
Arrowhead Gardens, by the way, is a pet-friendly retirement community, on the southeastern edge of Highland Park (2nd and Olson; here’s a map). More photos later!
(Added 10:12 am – photo from Sealth as the celebration begins outside the main entrance)
Two more notes about big events today in West Seattle: Both Chief Sealth International High School and Swedish Automotive are inviting you to come celebrate their shiny new digs – Sealth, as you know, has just gone through two years of renovations (with some new additions, like the Galleria that’ll be shared with the new adjacent Denny International Middle School campus when Denny opens next year), while Swedish has just built a brand-new location a few blocks south of its longtime site (here’s our recent sneak-preview tour). Sealth welcomes parents/guardians of students starting at 9:30 am, and everybody’s welcome starting at 10 am, continuing till noon (2600 SW Thistle; map). And noon is when the party starts at Swedish Automotive, 7901 35th SW (map), continuing till 4.
The forecast looks great. Here are five ways to do good today: Join JACK FM Radio for a beach cleanup 8 am-11 am, meet at Tully’s on Alki; West Seattle radio/Web personality Marty Riemer is hosting the event, and the first 50 people who sign in and then come back with a bag of beach trash each get a pair of tickets to the Jack Johnson concert in the Gorge … 2 West Seattle locations for National Drug Take-Back Day, 10 am-2 pm (full details here) … Go to West Seattle Produce for a Car Wash ‘n’ Shop event to benefit West Seattle High School Volleyball, 11 am-3 pm … Tonight the West Seattle Eagles host their first-ever Wild Game and Seafood Extravaganza to benefit the Sarcoidosis Foundation – $20/person for dinner, dancing, DJ, and silent auction – call (206) 938-4426 to check on ticket availability … Also tonight, a benefit at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center for Nepali women – details here; it starts at 6:30 pm … And that’s only part of what’s going on today – our full list of events and activities around West Seattle is here.
Sustainable local food is what Eat Local Now! is all about – and what you’ll enjoy during next Thursday’s 7th annual Eat Local Now! dinner – as long as you hurry up and get your tickets. WSB is proud to again be among the co-sponsors for this event that’s both delectable and educational, presented by Sustainable West Seattle, CoolMom, Herban Feast and The Seattle Good Business Network next Thursday (September 30th) at Herban Feast’s Sodo Park. Organizers have gone public with the final chef lineup, and the roster of local-food producers/providers – note West Seattle favorites new and old:
Ariel Bangs – Healthy Creations
Dalis Chea – Herban Feast (Fresh Bistro)
Marisa Lown – The Radical Cupcake
Traci Knight – Personal Chef
Hajime Sato – Mashiko
Jack Spiess – Seatown
Jacob Wiesberg – Blackboard BistroLocal food producers and providers include: Field Roast, Full Circle Farm, Bird on a Wire, Radical Cupcake, Mashiko, Spud, Elliott Bay Brewing, Thundering Hooves Farm, PCC, Platypus Breads, Seatown Snack Bar, Blackboard Bistro, The Grange Café, Blackboard Bistro, Alvarez Organic Farm, Big Al Brewing, Chef Tracy Knight, Chef Ariel Bangs, Salumi, Brian Allen, Charlie’s Produce, Willie’s Organic Greens, Hope Burundi Cooperative and the Somali-Bantu Farmers of Washington
Not only do you get dinner, you get entertainment, the chance to bid in a silent auction, and the opportunity to meet exhibitors providing information about growing and/or buying fresh local food. It’s at 6 pm Thursday, September 30th, at Herban Feast’s Sodo Park, with tickets available online now.
Tonight’s three scores are all in, and in each one, somebody got blanked: According to the scoreboard at the Seattle Times, it was Seattle Lutheran 44, Darrington 0. Meantime, we were at the WSHS-Franklin game (covered in progress via Twitter), final score Franklin 56, WSHS 0. And we’ve just received the Chief Sealth IHS score from Sealth, which lost to Rainier Beach 48-0.
We’ve reported before on Rebuilding Together Seattle‘s projects in West Seattle – part of their work all over the city handling repair/renovation work for people in need – and this week they were back out west to help WestSide Baby, thanks to a Pepsi Beverage Company grant.
Margie at RTS says 30 Pepsi volunteers pitched in to help WestSide Baby fix up the new space it’s using for more storage near its White Center headquarters; lots more photos on the RTS website
(Scroll down for statement from victims’ family, released by hospital this afternoon)
(Asst. Chief Jim Pugel’s remarks to the media from Seattle Police Headquarters)
2:02 PM: Police are now briefing the media on what they’ve learned about the shootings yesterday afternoon that left four people dead at a home on 14th SW in West Seattle. Here’s our original Thursday afternoon coverage.
BRIEFING NOTES, AS THEY HAPPEN: Police are circulating photos of the weapons they say were used. Here’s the 25 caliber handgun:
Here’s the 9 millimeter:
At least 20 rounds were fired inside the house, Assistant Chief Jim Pugel says. They are trying to figure out “the source” of the guns. They know they were not stolen, and that the woman “did not have a permit.” (They clarify that she would not have needed one just to keep them in the house.)
*They say they are going to play a recording of some of the 911 calls – they want to single out exceptional police work (they name Sgt. Tony Bailey).
*First, they are recounting how events unfolded after police got the call. So far, nothing has changed from the story that was disclosed yesterday. But they still don’t know the motive.
*2:10 PM: They’re playing recordings of communication between dispatch and officers. The tapes reveal the terse, precise, urgent communication between police who did not know initially where the suspect was and if there was still danger.
*2:16 PM: Police say they have heard that the 60-year-old alleged killer was suffering from mental illness, but they have not been able to confirm it independently. They say the lone survivor of the shootings “is expected to recover.” They do not yet know who was shot first.
*2:22 PM: Assistant Chief Pugel again singles out Sgt. Bailey for his exceptional work in keeping other officers from going into potential harm’s way when the reality of the situation wasn’t immediately clear – “he was very specific about getting what we call a contact team, properly trained and equipped one, before he let anyone get exposed – and he did it very fast.” Police were there when the last two shots were fired, he says: “You could actually hear the pops.”
2:27 PM: The briefing is over. We are still awaiting word on whether the Medical Examiner will officially identify the victims today – they usually update their daily media report after 3 pm. Meantime, the recording of police communication during the incident was played again after the briefing – here’s Media Unit Det. Mark Jamieson at the laptop:
Police tell us they likely will finish their work at the house later today.
3:09 PM UPDATE: A statement from the family, including information on how to help, circulated by Harborview Medical Center, where the shooting survivor is being cared for:
Statement from Phan, Harm & Sok Family
Yesterday afternoon’s horrible event cost us four family members. They will surely be missed by all of us.
We ask that the media please correct the currently published report. Saroeun Phan has been struggling with schizophrenia and depression for several years and has sought medical attention numerous times. She has been taking medication prescribed to her by physicians. It is not certain whether she has been properly taking her medication these past couple of months.
It is tough enough to grieve with the loss of family members, it’s even harder dealing with false reports. No arguments or fights took place the night before and no ill-will existed in the household. This has truly been an unforeseen, tragic event.
Our family would like to request solitude as we mourn the loved ones we lost. Thank you to all who have sent and continue to send their love, care & prayers. We will certainly need our friends in the coming weeks & months.
If you wish to contribute monetarily to costs of funeral & medical expenses, we have set up a benevolent account at BECU. That information is below. Deposits can be made at any BECU accepting deposits, by mail or electronically (for BECU Members only).
‘Phan/Harm Memorial Fund’
Acct # 3586082948BECU
PO BOX 34044
SEATTLE, WA 98124-1044BECU Members can call: (800) 233-2328
Thankfully,
Phan, Harm & Sok Family
7:23 PM UPDATE: Adding some more video from today’s press conference. This is the question and answer session with additional information:
The photo and report are shared by Kory Kumasaka from Chief Sealth International High School:
Chief Sealth International High School Senior Ebony Beauchamp was surprised in her third period class today when she was awarded the Nordstrom Diversity Scholarship worth $10, 000. Ebony’s family was also on hand to celebrate this great event. The good people at Nordstrom also brought cupcakes to share with her classmates.
(WSB photo from WSHS practice on Thursday)
All three of West Seattle’s high-school football teams lost last week – but none as visibly as West Seattle High School, which forfeited to O’Dea High School while down 48-0 at halftime, in pounding rain at West Seattle Stadium. We talked on Thursday with Coach Davis Lura, who says the team’s challenges include the fact they are going into tonight’s game against Franklin High School (7 pm, SWAC) with about 20 players dealing with some sort of injury: “(The number is) up, it’s down, it changes every day,” he told us, saying that’s been the situation since the season began with a non-conference match against Eisenhower HS (from Yakima). The emotional health of the team is good, though, according to Coach Lura, who says practice has been going well – he says no clear leader has emerged but about half a dozen of the players are sharing leadership roles, with spirits remaining high. The coach says Franklin has its best team in 10 years; last week, they beat Nathan Hale. And his players are aware they’re going in with a very limited squad – but they’re looking ahead to more players being able to come back in the weeks ahead, from academic probation as well as injuries, looking to the big Chief Sealth and Rainier Beach games later this fall.
This morning, police tape still ringed the Highland Park house where four people died yesterday afternoon (WSB coverage here) – when, police say, a woman opened fire on four family members – her son-in-law and two teenage granddaughters died, her daughter survived. They have not been officially identified yet, but a family member gave their names to our partners at the Seattle Times, saying the two youngest victims were 14 and 17 years old. We checked with Seattle Public Schools to see if they were currently enrolled in any area schools; the district tells us that while they were SPS students last year, they were not enrolled this year. Police have yet to release new information today but we expect to hear the latest when they brief media at SPD headquarters downtown at 2 pm. 1:38 PM NOTE: We expect to start a new story once the police briefing starts, with text highlights as well as a live stream (hopefully from the Seattle Times).
Two notes from local high schools: One more reminder of the Chief Sealth International High School community celebration tomorrow – parents/guardians are welcome at 9:30 am, everybody else at 10 am, get a chance to tour the newly renovated school, and be entertained by CSIHS students and staff. A tour also was offered for participants at last night’s Sealth PTSA meeting, which we hear had a big turnout. Earlier this week we invited other schools to let us know about their meetings and we’ve since heard from Lori with the West Seattle High School PTSA, who says their first meeting of the year is next Wednesday (September 29th), 7 pm in the WSHS Library: “Everybody is welcome and membership is not required.”
Thanks to Jessica (whose site Memoirs of a Weird Girl is one of the 100+ sites on the WSB Blogs page) for sharing that photo of demolition at the Admiral Safeway redevelopment site today – you can see the crews are proceeding toward the facade. As noted here yesterday, Safeway also now has a webcam you can check; we’ll add images later in the day as this proceeds. The new store – almost twice as big as the old one – is expected to be open by midsummer next year.
As the Seattle-area Susan Komen 3 Day for the Cure walk starts this morning, thanks to Glen Syvertsen for sharing that new video featuring Tracy Dart, the breast-cancer survivor who is namesake for West Seattle’s best-known 3 Day team, Team Tracy, with narration by Tom Hutyler, best known as the Safeco Field “Voice of the Mariners.” (Tom and Glen are both West Seattleites too.) Team Tracy did make the $40,000 fundraising goal mentioned in the video, by the way, and as Tracy mentions on her website, she’s carrying the “Courage” banner in the Survivors’ Circle. Team Tracy members and hundreds of others will leave Redmond this morning on an east/north route, concluding at Memorial Stadium downtown on Sunday. If you’d like to cheer the walkers along the way, “cheering stations” are listed on the 3 Day website. Good luck to all the walkers!
An employee of West Seattle’s GT Towing was killed in a hit-and-run overnight, according to the Washington State Patrol, which sent a news release saying two suspects are in custody, 31-year-old and 20-year-old men:
A tow truck driver was struck and killed on the entrance ramp from Spokane Street to southbound Interstate 5 at approximately 1:15 a.m. while securing a vehicle from an earlier collision. The driver, a 51 year old male working for GT Towing in Seattle, was kneeling down at the left front side of the disabled vehicle when a southbound 2000 Ford Explorer lost control while travelling in the HOV lane. The Explorer came across all 5 southbound lanes and struck the tow truck driver. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
After colliding with the tow truck operator, disabled vehicle, and tow truck, the Explorer spun back across all southbound lanes and came to rest facing northbound in the middle of the freeway. As the tow truck driver lay mortally wounded in the right lane, the driver of the Explorer turned the vehicle around and fled the scene southbound on Interstate 5. Alert troopers located the Explorer within minutes of the collision at the bottom of the Michigan Street ramp as one of the occupants was outside urinating. …
The cause of the collision is under investigation and detectives are working to verify who was driving the SUV. It is believed that both occupants were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the collision. Vehicular homicide and hit and run charges are expected as the investigation progresses.
Metro‘s next “service revision” has some changes for West Seattle and White Center riders – including some trips being dropped entirely – and late tonight, the details came in. Read on for Metro’s full announcement of which routes will be affected:Read More
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