West Seattle, Washington
08 Sunday
21-year-old Dion (aka Deon) Fillmore, charged with murdering his 70-year-old grandmother Lavon Barrett in her Fauntleroy/Dawson apartment February 13th, appeared in court this morning to answer the second-degree murder charge against him. Dan Donohoe of the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says Fillmore pleaded not guilty and is due back in court March 19 for a “case-setting hearing.” Fillmore remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail. As we reported when the charges were filed, investigators say Barrett died after having been beaten, strangled, stabbed, and “stomped on.”
This Saturday, 10:30-noon, is the second of two “design workshops” for potential changes at California Place Park in North Admiral. After the contentious first workshop (WSB coverage here), the landscape architect whose services are funded by a $15,000 Neighborhood Matching Fund grant has come up with proposals to display, according to a new post on the project website that’s maintained by Friends and Neighbors of North Admiral, the group that procured the grant:
Karen Kiest has done a wonderful job representing the feedback from the community and has created several beautiful options that contain ideas for the neighborhood to review and provide input. We are very excited about what she has to share. There are no plastic playstructures, no climbing walls on the church, no holes or giant sand pits and the trees are all intact! The design options are natural, open, welcoming and timeless – a perfect compliment to the Admiral neighborhood.
If you are closely interested in this project, check back here at WSB tonight Friday, when we will be publishing a longer story including the claims that have been made by park-change opponents and responses from FANNA. In the meantime, we wanted to get out this reminder, since the project has been so closely watched, and the workshop is day after tomorrow (Alki Community Center, 10:30 am-noon Saturday; past coverage is archived here). ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: We asked FANNA’s Ann Limbaugh about the format planned for the workshop; she says it will be similar to the last one – landscape architect Kiest will make a presentation, people will discuss in small groups at tables.
Spring is in sight – and that means time to green up. One of our newest sponsors, Clean Air Lawn Care, brings a new meaning to that term, and here’s what they want you to know about their business: “Do you know that 5-10% of the nation’s air pollution is attributed to small engines like the ones used in gas-powered lawn-care equipment – mowers, blowers, edgers and trimmers? Or that gas lawn mowers consume some 580 million gallons of gasoline annually, of which 25-35% escapes unburned – that’s on top of the 17 million gallons that are spilled annually by people filling up gas mowers?
Clean Air Lawn Care of West Seattle is ‘Changing the Way America Mows the Lawn’ by using only battery- and electric-operated equipment powered by renewable energy sources. The solar panels on their trucks are used to harvest the solar energy and recharge their equipment throughout the day. Adam Werner, owner of Clean Air Lawn Care, has been a Seattle resident since 1995 and a West Seattle resident in the Riverview Neighborhood since 2004. He has been involved with his Riverview Neighborhood group to help save the Sound Ways property from private development. He is also a member of the Highland Park Improvement Club and a new member of Sustainable West Seattle.
In 2008, Clean Air Lawn Care was able to reduce air pollutants by 2289 pounds or the equivalent of 70,158 vehicle miles driven. According to the EPA, in 1 hour, 1 gas mower: 1) pollutes the same as 40 late model cars, 2) emits the amount of hydrocarbons as a SUV driven 23,600 miles and 3) contributes 93 times more smog-forming emissions than 2006 cars. Another huge advantage of the electric equipment is the lack of noise – 50-70% quieter than traditional lawn equipment. So not only do you not have to smell the gas burning you don’t have to hear it either. This is great for working from home, napping children, and not disturbing your neighbors on a nice sunny afternoon. We’ve had several customers tell us that they did not even know we were at their house.
Adam and his crew are knowledgeable, professional and courteous. They provide all of West Seattle (and beyond) spring and fall cleanups, mowing, blowing, edging, trimming, weeding, mulching, hedge trimming (up to 7 ft) and other hourly work as required. Outside of the electricity generated by the solar panels, Clean Air participates in the Seattle Green Up program and all additional electricity used is purchased from a renewable energy broker. The windpower they purchase is used to power the lawn equipment and offices, qualifying the entire organization as carbon neutral.
Be sure to stop Adam, Josh, or Chelsea when you see them in your neighborhood to get a look at the truck with the solar panels. Josh would love to talk you about his photography and Chelsea would be more than happy to show you some of the jewelry she makes or even teach your kids to play the piano. Help your neighborhood become clean and quieter and help Clean Air Lawn Care “Change the Way America Mows the Lawn.” Call 206-941-4180 or e-mail adam@cleanairlawncare.com. Thanks to Clean Air Lawn Care for joining the WSB sponsor team, just in time for lawn-care season to get into full swing (remember, Daylight Saving Time starts this Saturday night)!
Just in from the King County Council, following up on the Feb. 26 troubles:
For the second time this winter, public transit throughout King County was brought to a standstill by snow. On February 26, Metro Transit passengers were left out in the cold, stranded by late bus service. The Metropolitan King County Council’s Physical Environment Committee, the panel responsible for Council oversight of Metro Transit, will be taking public testimony regarding the disruption in transit services:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
9:30 a.m.
King County Council chambers
10th floor, King County CourthouseCommittee members will receive a briefing from committee staff and will also hear from Metro Transit staff on the agency’s reaction to the morning snow.
We know that’s not the most convenient time – you can e-mail the council your thoughts too, if you haven’t already. Their contact info is all here.
Whatever term you want to use, this invitation’s for you: TEAM Delridge, latest push for neighborhood efforts in the King County Food and Fitness Initiative, invites you to a get-together at 6:30 pm March 23rd. Food for thought, from the official invitation:
Does any or all of the following apply to you:
___ I live in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I learn in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I work in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I play in the Delridge neighborhood.
___ I care about the Delridge neighborhood.Do you have ideas or thoughts on the accessibility of healthy food for your family or others’ families living, working, learning and playing in Delridge?
We’ve heard a thousand times before that Delridge needs a grocery store. Is that true? Would a farmers’ market be best? You tell us!
Join other community members just like yourself who are striving to eat healthier, practicing collective action and moving more!
Topics for discussion and prioritization:
What kinds of businesses, organizations, and programs will make a more vibrant Delridge?
What are our largest community concerns, and how can they be addressed?For more information on the exciting initiative or to RSVP for the community meeting, please contact Phillippia Goldsmith at (206) 923-0917 x 116 or via e-mail at phillippiag@dnda.org
If you haven’t seen this on the WSB Crime Watch page, which includes the direct feed from the Seattle Police SPDBlotter site, SPD is reporting an early-morning “home invasion” type break-in in the 3000 block of Harbor Ave (map) early today – for starters, here’s the SPDBlotter report:
On 3-5-09 at 1:13 a.m., three people entered a residence in the 3000 block of Harbor Av SW., stating they had a gun. They then took multiple items including a laptop, flat screen tv, a purse and a set of vehicle keys. The suspects fled in a black Nissan with a temporary plate in the rear window. Officers quickly spotted the vehicle and followed it southbound on I-5 until eventually stopping it at exit 154. All three suspects were taken into custody and the property was recovered from the vehicle. The suspects were transported to the Southwest Precinct and later booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Robbery.
We checked with police for more details – turns out this was NOT random: One of the three people arrested is the victim’s son, who’s in juvenile custody, according to Officer Renee Witt in the media unit, so his status isn’t available, but the other two were adults, a man and a woman, and both are still in jail, according to current listings on the King County Jail Register.
That’s the trailer from “The Mummy,” which you can see free this Saturday night in the first presentation of the first-ever West Seattle Junction Winter Movies on the Wall, on the big screen inside West Seattle Christian Center‘s new activity center. And Lora Lewis of Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) sends a reminder this morning that it’s not just a movie – for one, they’re looking for teams for a pre-show contest:
Our pre-show activities will be the mummy ‘wrap- n-race’. The idea is we’ll have 3 teams of 2-3 people who will wrap a person from head to foot in two rolls of bathroom tissue and then race to a finish line.
And while there’s no charge for admission, just like the Summer outdoor Movies on the Wall, donations will be collected for the West Seattle Food Bank (and for the next two months, those donations count for more than face value, because of the Feinstein Challenge) – and there’ll be a raffle, with entry proceeds benefiting a local nonprofit. You’ll even find treats at the concession stand. Just bring your family, friends, chairs, and be ready for fun – doors will open at 5:30 – the center’s on 42nd SW just south of Genesee (map) – movie’s at 7. (And as for the following two Saturday nights, the “season slate” is in this WSB report and on the official Movies on the Wall site; WSB, we should note, is proud to be among the movie series’ co-sponsors. If you’re on Facebook — where we’re WS Blog — you can go here for a link to share about the movie series, or use the “Share This” feature under this item to share it via FB, Twitter, e-mail, or several other services.)
During this gusty early-early morning, we’re checking on the forecasts to see if that hint of possible, potential, maybe, could-happen, theoretical snow is still there. Cliff Mass‘s late-night update says yes, it’s possible. So does the late-night “forecast discussion” from the National Weather Service.
From Wednesday night’s meeting of the Southwest District Council (WSB sponsor): Busy agenda including not only updates on West Seattle projects, but also guest appearances by City Council President Richard Conlin, Alaskan Way Viaduct team reps, and a Seattle City Light spokesperson. But first: A followup on a story we brought you at this time tonight, the kickoff of the Friends of Junction Plaza Park‘s efforts to collect pledges of volunteer time and money to get the park finished this year. Susan Melrose of the West Seattle Junction Association told the SWDC that just since the Tuesday night meeting, 22 signed pledges have come in, representing 400 hours of volunteer time, and organizations are volunteering too – nearby West Seattle Christian Church has pledged 200 hours of volunteer time. Patti Mullen of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce said she had spoken with Lafarge Cement, who, she told Melrose, “wants to know if they can offer any labor and product that can support you.” Volunteer pledges circulated through the room before the meeting ended; here’s a form you can print, sign, and send in – also, as mentioned before, look for park volunteers at this Sunday’s West Seattle Farmers’ Market. Listening to the park update, Councilmember Conlin said, “It’s great to see Junction Plaza Park moving forward,” and that segued right into his update – which, along with Viaduct and City Light points, is just ahead:Read More
Tough night for the Seattle Lutheran High School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams at the state 2B tournament in Spokane – the boys lost 68-42 to Napavine, the girls lost 62-26 to Colfax. They both have games against North Beach tomorrow in the consolation round: the boys at 12:30 pm (full tournament bracket here), the girls at 2 pm (full tournament bracket here). THURSDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: The girls won today’s game, 55-47, and play Orcas Island tomorrow at 12:30; the boys lost today, 66-51.
(J45 photo added Thursday am, republished courtesy of Center for Whale Research – other whales in the photo: J14 and J1 in the background)
Just got tonight’s edition of the Orca Network e-newsletter, and it includes a report that J-Pod has another new baby – the second one this year. Ken Balcomb from the Center for Whale Research in the San Juans is quoted by the Orca Network as saying a new calf, J45, was spotted with J14, not far from the new calf reported in February, J44, who’s with J17. The newsletter includes a photo, which we’ll add IF we can get permission – or we’ll link it if we find it online. J-Pod is one of Puget Sound’s three resident “pods” – groups of orcas – but it’s not the same one that passed through West Seattle waters last month; as reported here, that was L-Pod. Members of J-Pod DID pass this way in December (as noted here).
Sarah Bonzer e-mailed today to ask if we’d share a request that she in turn is sharing on behalf of her friend and co-worker, Katie Hogan; both of them live in West Seattle – that’s a candid photo of Katie at left, sent after we asked Sarah for one to go with this story. Before reading Katie’s request, you should hear what Sarah has to say about her friend Katie:
Katie was diagnosed with advanced cancer three years ago and I’ll never forget the day she made the announcement in our conference room at work. You don’t wish something like this on anyone, let alone a woman in her thirties with a young daughter and husband who has survived his own bout with cancer. Katie is one of the gentlest, most caring, considerate and hard working individuals you’ll ever meet. My life is better for having known her during this time, if that is at all possible. Sadly, Katie likely won’t live a full life like the rest of us. Yet in her final years, she stays committed to organizations such as the one she describes below which have supported her during this journey.
The organization is called the Young Survival Coalition; its Seattle branch has less than $40 left in its “Sunshine Fund.” Sarah says even $10 would be a big help – but you don’t have to take her word for it; read Katie’s note, by clicking ahead:Read More
Just in from the Department of Ecology, word that the state’s investigating a diesel spill of unknown size in Duwamish waters near Harbor Island – read on for the full news release:Read More
That video by WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli captures what happened on the day last November that 4532 42nd SW (map) — a huge house with a lot of history, including time spent as one of West Seattle’s original hospitals — met its demise. The newest date written onto the Southwest Design Review Board‘s calendar is for the next review of the project that will replace it, seen here in a rendering from its last SWDRB review last June:
4532 42nd SW is now the second project on the SWDRB agenda for April 9, 8 pm – location TBD – first one that night, at 6:30 pm, is 2922 SW Avalon (featured here yesterday). But there’s a West Seattle Design Review meeting *before* then, too – a week from tomorrow, at 6:30 pm March 12 at High Point Library, the Conner Homes Junction project gets its next look (and part of that project, its “alley vacation” request, has a third hearing before the Seattle Design Commission at City Hall downtown tomorrow). Side note: We cover the Design Review scheduling, reviews, and votes closely because this is a rare step in the development process, for some projects, when the public gets a chance to speak out at a public hearing. For details on how that works, you can check out the Community Guide to Design Review.
Word just in from Olympia (thanks to Sharonn Meeks for the forward) that Senate Bill 5768, to confirm the deep-bore tunnel as the Alaskan Way Viaduct Central Waterfront replacement and look into the possibility of tolling to raise some of the money, has just passed the Senate, 43-6 (West Seattle’s State Sen. Joe McDermott voted ‘yes’). Here’s its official status/information page.
The next semi-annual inspection shutdown weekend for the Alaskan Way Viaduct is March 21-22, according to an e-mail update that just arrived from WSDOT. Here are the specifics: Closed 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, with the Battery Street Tunnel scheduled for continuous shutdown 11 pm Friday 3/20 to 5 am Monday 3/23. They’re also offering walking tours of The Viaduct on Saturday morning 3/21, by reservation – e-mail viaduct@wsdot.wa.gov, or call 888–AWV–LINE (first-come, first-served).
WEST SEATTLE COOL MOMS MEET TONIGHT TOO: They’re inviting one and all to their monthly meeting, 7 pm at C and P Coffee. For more on what they’re about, go to coolmom.org.
TOMORROW NIGHT – SUMMER CAMP INFO! Also got a note from Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School making sure you know they’re having a Summer Camp Information Night tomorrow, and everyone’s invited to that too, not just members of the school community – representatives of several camps will be there to share information, answer questions, and even take reservations. 7-8:30 pm Thursday in the OLG Parish Hall (34th/Myrtle).
SWAP ON SATURDAY: Home accessories “swap” event at Youngstown Arts Center — more info here (note, there is an admission fee in addition to requiring that you bring at least five items to participate).
“MORNING VISITOR”: That’s how Rick C in Westwood titled the e-mail with this photo:
He says he zoomed in as close as he could; he lives near Delridge/Thistle and saw the eagle from his backyard.
If you’re heading southbound on California SW through the 3300 block – south of Prost, The Bohemian, Spiro’s, and the almost-complete Madison Heights townhouse project – it’s slow going because of those four huge cherry-picker trucks working on trimming tree branches away from power lines. City Light has had major tree work going in West Seattle for almost a year now; SCL’s Scott Thomsen just confirmed to WSB that this is city work — “JTS Inc. is working there for us with a city arborist. They’ve been out in West Seattle for the past three weeks. They’ll be working in that area for about another month.”
You may recall Admiral Theater entertainment director Dinah Brein McClellan putting out the call here on WSB for a couple to get married onstage during the upcoming singalong showing of “Mamma Mia.” At least one citywide media source read about it here and in turn, that brought forward Melodie Anderson and John Babcock, whose relationship has stretched across several years and two states (they originally met in San Diego; John followed Melodie when she moved up here) – as well as a cancer fight (Melodie is a survivor, and John’s been by her side all the way). We photographed them last night when they came to The Admiral to meet with Dinah, and today Dinah’s sent word that they are The Ones. The big event is a week from this Saturday – 7:30 pm March 14th, right before the movie. Now Dinah’s thinking it might be a great idea to “give John and Melodie a great sendoff.” The new Luna Park Italian restaurant Cafe Revo already has donated a celebration dinner for 4, and Dinah says Sugar Rush Baking Company/Coffee to a Tea‘s chipping in with a wedding cake and mini-cupcakes . Anybody else want to get in on this with something else for the lucky couple (in addition to attending the showing, not just to cheer on John and Melodie, but also to sing along with your ABBA faves)? Could be the West Seattle media event of the month, and you’ll be in the spotlight too (plus, who doesn’t love a love story?). Give Dinah a shout – dinah@admiralentertainment.com. She says John and Melodie weren’t the only ones to contact her, but she sees “something magical” about their story – love will conquer all, which is the theme of the “Mamma Mia” movie too.
We’re at the end of a two-part media event this morning put on by Seattle Public Utilities and the mayor’s office to start intensifying the reminders that the way you handle your trash/recycling is changing in a big way at month’s end. Rates are rising, pickup dates are changing, weekly food/yard-waste collection is happening, and you’ll be able to recycle more items (and you won’t have to separate the glass any more). First part of the media event is in the photo above – on a Beacon Hill streetcorner, the mayor and a neighborhood family used plastic props to demonstrate the new push for more food recycling. Second part, we’ll be adding video in a bit – we and the other media reps were taken inside the gigantic recycling-sorting facility at 3rd/Lander in Sodo …. (photo added 4:48 pm)
… for a look at what happens AFTER your recycling is picked up, BEFORE it’s sent off to whoever’s buying the “raw” materials. Loud, smelly, fascinating. Clips to come.
Here’s more info on the upcoming changes. Specific info on your new collection day should arrive in your postal mail. ADDED 4:14 PM: 1st video clip and some extra info:Read More
(Photo by WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli)
The Seattle Police SWAT team was in West Seattle briefly this morning. According to SPD spokesperson Renee Witt, the police received a call about a family member threatening another family member with a gun in a home near the intersection in the 4700 block of 26th SW (map). Witt says the situation ended when the suspect surrendered shortly after the SWAT team arrived and that suspect is currently in custody.
(“History Boys” photo by Matt Durham, mattdurhamphotography.com)
OPENING NIGHT: Three nights after we brought you first word of their 2009-2010 season, ArtsWest continues the current season with the first performance of “History Boys,” 7:30 tonight in The Junction.
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT IN WEST SEATTLE: Council President Richard Conlin is scheduled for a guest appearance at the Southwest District Council‘s (WSB sponsor) monthly meeting, 7 pm, board room at South Seattle Community College.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORS: If you live in the North Delridge area, meet your neighbors and see how you can help work on neighborhood issues as the North Delridge Neighborhood Council meets tonight, 6:30 pm, Delridge Library.
FAUNTLEROY SERIES: “Re-creating Community in Our Day” continues with leadership expert Bill Grace, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Church (after 6 pm “simple supper” by donation).
Congratulations to the Chief Sealth High School boys’ basketball team for beating Cleveland 76-66 last night (the game for which your votes won the channel 7 “Game of the Week” web poll) – that means they play Seattle Prep tomorrow night — 6:30 pm, Bellevue Community College — with the winner going to the state playoffs. When Sealth faced Prep on January 13, it was a close game, with Prep winning 45-41.
| Comments Off on Fauntleroy/Dawson murder update: Suspect in court