West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
This time, though, arrests are reported, thanks in part to alert neighbors. The report comes from Scott, who was away from home when the burglary happened on Sunday, but says he’s just across the alley from this burglary (7300 block 35th SW) reported here 3 days earlier:
So, from what we’ve heard someone (4 of them) attempted to break into our house today.
They backed their vehicle up our driveway and went around the back to break into a door on the backside of the house, first attempting to get into the side garage window first. While this was happening -3- of our neighbors were already on the phone calling 911 !
The police caught 2 of the guys, both in their early 20s. Obviously our house is being watched!
I’m really surprised that they attempted to hit our house; it’s a lot more open than the house across the alley from us! No trees to block the view of our house, wide-open driveway, and obviously LOTS of neighbors watching!
Polar bear loose in The Junction! Well, not so loose, really – Sustainable West Seattle unleashed the bear as a reminder of its first-ever Sustainable West Seattle Festival next Sunday, 10 am-3 pm in the Wells Fargo parking lot @ 44th/Alaska (here’s the WSB in-depth preview from earlier this week). Other less-furry members of SWS were working the crowd at the nearby West Seattle Farmers’ Market, including Gary Lichtenstein, who’s the person you can e-mail (energy@sustainablewestseattle.org) to find out how to help at next weekend’s festival (they’re still looking for more volunteer assistance). Two more West Seattle weekend scenes ahead — sports and scenery:Read More
First, an “after” photo of the Ercolini Park playground-building work this weekend (here’s our report from Day 1) — thanks to William Leaming for sending this Day 2 pic:
Also — a school playground project that could use some help: Back on MLK Day, we showed you Seattle Works (and others) in action at West Seattle Elementary in High Point; next big step there is a one-day work party to build the new preschool playground, 9 am-2 pm May 17, and they need some person-power — no special skills required; e-mail wsesbuild@yahoo.com or call 206/252-9464. (We also just learned Seattle Works will be in action another May weekend at Pathfinder K-8; more on that here tomorrow.)
Found out about this one because they’ve just posted job listings in our West Seattle Jobs Offered section in the WSB Forums: Snap Fitness, on its way to Jefferson Square. Looks like a US/Canada chain – corporate website here.
Just in from Pam of Nerd’s Eye View:
We were walking back from the Farmers Market today and saw a swarm of bees in the hedge along California in front of the church at Cali and Othello, right here in Gatewood. I figured if anyone knew of a West Seattle beekeeper, this would be the place to find them – the keeper, not the bees.
The bees are placid enough. I don’t know much about bees, but they showed no interest in us and look to be of the fuzzy honey making variety, not the waspy kind that built a nest in our friends’ house.
Beekeepers, go get ’em. Those allergic might want to walk on the East side of Cali at Othello in Gatewood.
Bzzzz.
Anybody have expertise in this? Leave ’em … bee? (P.S. If the woodpecker reference in the headline seems out of context, look here.)
We’re mentioning this because someone just texted us about it and it’s a route many people use to or from West Seattle: Major crash in South Park, 5th S and S Cloverdale (map), described as “multiple casualty incident” on the 911 log. Avoid the area for a good long while.
Yes, there was even clowning around at the Elliott Bay Water Taxi’s opening-day celebration at Seacrest earlier this afternoon – there you see the guest clown creating not a balloon animal, but a balloon flower, in about 20 seconds. We showed you the Water Taxi’s first arrival earlier this morning; ahead, more of this afternoon’s festivities, including the crowd, the shuttle, the band, the speech (and remember, rides are free all day long):Read More
That’s your first look at Myrtle, the Shar-Pei that won the “Most Beautiful Pet” contest at the West Seattle Junction Association’s first-ever Pet Fest about an hour ago. We have a lot more to show you from the contest, including video, a little bit later, but wanted to post this as a reminder that Pet Fest continues till 4 pm in the Wells Fargo lot at the NE corner of 44th/Alaska. (Don’t miss the pet-adoption area featuring Homeward Pet, run by West Seattleite Steve Siadek, who regularly contributes adoption candidates to the WSB Pets page.) ADDED EARLY MONDAY: Still working on a longer compilation of video from the contest, but here’s a clip of Myrtle with the runner-up, another Shar-Pei, named Buddy (his owner Michelle says he’s 1 1/2; Myrtle’s owner Ryan says she’s a rescuee and about 8):
We got that photo from Seacrest less than an hour ago as the Elliott Bay Water Taxi headed over from Pier 55 on its first official run of the season. Upon arrival, a loudspeaker announcement from the crew thanked their inaugural group of passengers — five in all (you can hear the announcement in this clip:
As mentioned earlier, the kickoff ceremony, emceed by West Seattle’s King County Councilmember Dow Constantine and featuring music by West Seattle’s Bronwyn Edwards Cryer, is happening noon-2 pm. Water Taxi rides are free all day (here’s the schedule), and remember the free shuttle is now back in business too (here’s its schedule) – taking it will be a really good idea today, given the limited parking at and around Seacrest. The Water Taxi’s season is set to continue all the way through Halloween this year, with the full 7-day schedule all the way till the end.
Check the West Seattle Weekend Lineup for more local events today; here are 3 highlights:
FIRST DAY FOR THE ELLIOTT BAY WATER TAXI: The big celebration is noon-2 pm; rides are free all day; the first sighting of the Water Taxi at Seacrest should be around 8:40, going by the Sunday schedule.
FIRST-EVER “PET FEST” IN THE JUNCTION: 10 am-4 pm in the Wells Fargo parking lot, NE corner of 44th/Alaska. More info here, more on the newly added “Most Beautiful Pet” contest at noon (we’ll be showcasing the winner!) on the Next to Nature site here (or in this previous WSB post).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: As always, we bring you the weekly “fresh sheet” for what you’ll find on the SE corner of 44th/Alaska, 10 am-2 pm – plus word of some special events (and a giveaway) today:Read More
If this was widely reported in Seattle media, we missed it; just happened onto the story at the Vashon Beachcomber site – the baby born last fall (as reported here) to the orca family group known as J-Pod, one of three resident pods in Puget Sound (often seen in West Seattle/Vashon waters) apparently didn’t survive. (Looks like it was reported earlier this month by this Kitsap Sun blog, too, based on this Center for Whale Research report – with pictures – of J-Pod appearing in the San Juans this month.)
Just west of The Junction at midday today, those kids played in a space that is taking shape as their future neighborhood playground, at Ercolini Park, while dozens of adults labored just feet away to install the playground equipment that just arrived:
Here’s video of both aforementioned groups in action:
The volunteers’ work at Ercolini continues 9 am-3 pm tomorrow, and is a major milestone in a transformation that’s been years in the making. Around this time last year, the park site was still a large grassy lot – former family homestead, sold to the city Parks Department:
In the ensuing months, neighborhood volunteers received a city grant — matching funds for cash and volunteer-time commitments that they worked hard to procure; now they’re cashing in on that volunteer help – and looking forward to a grand-opening celebration within a matter of weeks. By the way, if you live in any of the areas around The Junction, stop by Ercolini tomorrow to not only see what’s happening, but also to familiarize yourself with the site’s new status as your neighborhood gathering place in case of disaster – between 10 am and 2 pm, a table with safety info will be set up like the one last weekend in Morgan Junction (and other events that have happened in Alki and Pigeon Point; check the map in this post for other upcoming events – we’ll have updates soon for additional neighborhoods).
Michael at Liberty Bell Printing in The Junction mentioned this situation when we dropped by the other day on other business — we told him it sounded like news to us. Lots of hard-working animal-advocacy groups in West Seattle; this one, Friends of the Animals Foundation, is a week away from a fundraiser but hampered by a crisis related to a recent fire — read on to see what Michael wants you to know:Read More
Finally, an excuse to show a photo of our favorite flower … currently at its peak bloom … the tequila-sunrise orange/pink Darwin’s Barberry, seen above as hedging on the east side of Don Armeni, and used in a similar manner at the Fauntleroy Creek fish-ladder overlook across from the ferry terminal. The excuse is that we have garden news: The West Seattle Garden Tour is just a few months away and its committee would really dig ::ducking:: some help — read on:Read More
Just checked out the “fire in single-family residence” call in the 8800 block of 14th SW — a woodstove that got going a little too well, according to what firefighters told us — water took care of it.
Thanks to everybody who signed up to participate in the 4th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day coming up two weeks from today — 9 am-3 pm May 10 — the semifinal registration total (depending on how many last-minute mail-in forms arrive today/Monday) is 142 sales!!!! – including some group/business/school sales and block sales, too! Now the big job ahead is to make sure EVERYONE in West Seattle knows about the garage-sale-shopping opportunities that await that day, and also folks in surrounding communities who can head this way to enjoy great shopping and spectacular scenery. We’re plowing the registration $ back into promotion and printing, but beyond that, we’d like to ask your help in spreading the word outside WS … if you get a chance to tell friends, relatives, co-workers that May 10 is THE day to head this way; you can even use the “Share This” feature under this post to e-mail it to someone. (Maps will be available May 8 online and at locations we will list soon at the WSCGSD site, westseattlegaragesale.com, as well as on a new round of posters you’ll be seeing around town!)
Tons going on today; much of it is in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup list, but not everything:
No idea what those City Light crews were up to along Fauntleroy just west of 35th, but we couldn’t resist a picture. Next, something else we happened onto – a line outside the Westwood Village post office, where a passport fair is under way:
Last but not least, a quick pic from the West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club Hi-Yu Fishing Derby at Seacrest this morning, as a participant gets help bagging the fish he caught:
(We have video too, which we’ll include in a later roundup, but more Saturday events to cover first!) EARLY SUNDAY UPDATE: Here’s the clip, as promised:
That photo, and report #1, from Arbor Heights Elementary teacher Mark Ahlness:
It’s finally happening! The sidewalk on the south side of SW 104th next to Arbor Heights Elementary School is almost finished. Many thanks to the Arbor Heights PTSA, who have worked for several years with the city to make this happen!
The Arbor Heights sidewalk project was first mentioned here last November.
Report #2: As Manuel noted in his e-mail, the issue he is following isn’t technically in West Seattle, but certainly affects a lot of WS drivers “who use South Spokane Street to go to Costco or work.” He continued:
I wrote SDOT inquiring about the poor condition of the concrete panels at the railroad crossings down there. Over time they sunk several inches, and drivers had to slow way down. They have since fixed the eastbound panels, but the westbound panels are currently pretty bad. Anyway, just passing along a well-thought-out response from our city.
Read on for the full text of the response that Manuel received and forwarded:Read More
For the second time in less than 12 hours, a vehicle has hit a building in West Seattle. WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli is out on the “heavy rescue” 911 call in the 4400 block of 55th SW (map) and texted us with the description “truck vs. house.” 1:05 AM UPDATE: Police on the scene tell Christopher nobody is hurt; the truck’s driver fled before fire/police arrived and will face a hit-run charge if/when found.
This just in, as a comment on the original report. Can’t say for 100% certain this is really “The Perp,” as he signed the comment, but we can say that one bit of only-available-to-site-admin info does seem to corroborate vicinity …
Ok. I’m the guy that shot the bird. A couple comments:
1. Bravo Seattle Police. My house was surrounded by a SWAT team (not kidding!) in less than ten minutes from the murder. My wife awoke to 6 cops with assault rifles in our yard. Sorry to my next door neighbor btw, you didn’t actually need to hit the bricks when the cop gave you the ‘get low’ hand sign.
2. I have sinned. I do feel really feel bad about putting a cap in that horny pecker/flicker. I realize a 28 foot tall version of the pecker/flicker may be standing at the gates with St. Pete upon my demise. All I can say is that I will do everything possible to rebuild my pecker/flicker karma. May you rest in peace Woody.
3. That bird had it comin. We’ve spent $300 bird proofing the side of our house (grates, hole filler, etc.). The horny pecker/flicker punched holes in our siding, pecked us out of bed at 6 am daily and pooped on our house (a lot). I gave him a number of warning shots. To no avail.
4. To the lady that narced on me. Thanks for the wine and flowers. You don’t have to move out of the neighborhood. I would like to suggest a quick check up at the eye doctor or an NRA primer on gun types.
5. To my wife. You’re welcome! Cops with assault rifles, the ire of our neighbors, the sight of our son huddled over the dead bird’s body…all worth it. You’ll thank me when you wake up at 8 am instead of 6 am tomorrow. And no you don’t get ’spa time’ for your troubles today.
Short coyote-sighting report just in from Brian: “Today while playing golf at West Seattle Golf Course, we witnessed a coyote run across the 10th fairway and enter the woods behind Camp Long.”
Maybe it’s the sunshine; lots of folks are getting in the mood for garage sales in this final day of signups for the 4th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, which WSB is presenting this year — taking the baton from the late great Megawatt — on Saturday, May 10. 11:59 pm tonight is the registration deadline, so if you were registering by mail, we hope you’ve already sent it off; the online form is good till the last minute (find it at our WSCGSD site). 
Please be aware of something we should have made clearer earlier (we promise to streamline it next year) – the online registration/payment is a two-step process; first you fill out the form, and when you click send, it takes you to PayPal. You will get a confirmation e-mail regarding your registration after that first click, and your info goes to us then — but you’re not officially signed up till your fee is received — PayPal would have sent you a separate receipt confirming you’ve paid. If you signed up in the first week and didn’t get a PayPal receipt in addition to the confirmation e-mail from us, you should have received a followup e-mail from us offering you the PayPal link again OR the option to send a check; we’re going through the second week registrations tonight and will send e-mails to those for whom that seems to have happened in recent days. Anyway, thanks for your patience and your decision to be part of this fun community event; if you’re not selling but you plan to be shopping, we’re excited about that too – we have just finalized the list of where maps will be available, but we do encourage you to print out your own copy from the online link, which – along with preprinted ones – will be available May 8. And be sure to keep an eye on the official WSCGSD site at westseattlegaragesale.com, where the registration talk is about to end and the promoting/buying/selling fun talk is about to start, with more than 130 participating sales so far!
That’s the temporary “pond” set up at Seacrest with the hatchery trout that arrived this afternoon in advance of tomorrow morning’s West Seattle Sportsmen’s Club Hi-Yu Kids’ Fishing Derby. It’s happening much earlier in the season this year (last year it was in July) — 8 am-11 am tomorrow, to be specific, free to kids under 14, gear provided. But first – club members will be on fish watch all night tonight, guarding the pond and its contents – if you stop by Seacrest on this lovely night, you can’t miss ’em. Then in the morning, when the Derby begins, club members and fish will be joined by Hi-Yu junior and senior court members and candidates; kids get to keep their catch, and get goodie bags regardless of whether they catch anything.
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