Reader report: Truck scare in The Junction
Just out of the inbox from Doug (thank you!):
I just witnessed the strangest thing up at the Junction (at 11 am). A commercial truck totally cut the corner too sharp turning right off Calfornia onto Alaska, and the top of the truck banged into the neon Easy Street overhang.. leaving a big dent.
The truck then proceeded to back up– scraping it again. People caught in the middle of the “walk all ways” scramble had to dodge this guy– one lady was so scared she totally stopped in the middle of the intersection and stood there.
The guy drove off.. and parked about a block away. Several people (including me) walked over and got his license tag. Don’t know if he plans on going back over to Easy Street … but I’ve already called and given them my information.
We subsequently went down and got the photo you see above. Not major damage – a gash underneath the overhang. And it did appear the truck driver went back. 12:50 PM ADDITION: 2 more photos, these from WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, one with a different view of the dent, the second showing glass on the nearby crosswalk approach (which he mentions in the comments below):
Happening tonight: Middle School Info Night, Art Walk
WEST SEATTLE MIDDLE SCHOOL INFORMATION NIGHT: We’ve been talking here about the fact this is the “school decision” time of year for many families, particularly those whose children are entering school or moving between elementary and middle, or middle and high school. 
We’ve been listing school tours and open houses on the WSB Events page, and tonight is one unique night of particular value to parents of 4th and 5th graders: Representatives from the public and private middle schools of West Seattle will be at Gatewood Elementary, 6:30-8 pm. According to the info page on the Gatewood website, it’ll work like this: “At 6:30 pm each school representative will give a brief overview of their school’s programs, philosophies and activities. You will then have the opportunity to ask questions and speak further with the various representatives.”
WEST SEATTLE SECOND THURSDAY ART WALK: 6-9 pm, you can wander The Junction (and a bit beyond — from Ginomai – with its free parking lot – in the north, to C and P Coffee in the south) to see art, meet artists, and enjoy a closer look at some of West Seattle’s unique businesses and venues. Here’s the list of participating locations and artists.
Update: Red Cup Espresso open today to benefit owner’s son
Since we first reported Tuesday on the tragic death of Red Cup Espresso owner Angelia Paulsen, the comment area below that first report has become a touching board of tributes and memories. One of those came from her husband Sean O’Dea; we e-mailed him to ask him if there was any information he would want you to know about the shop’s future and how to help the family, and he wrote back late last night:
I have been thinking of renaming the shop to Angelia’s Espresso and keeping it open as a tribute to her. As you can probably guess, I have a lot on my plate right now, and am not too sure of when that will happen, but I will let you know. Angelia’s brother, sister and nephew want to open the shop tomorrow [WSB NOTE: that’s today, 1/10] and offer coffee for whatever donations patrons would like to make for our son Julian’s education, and Viking Bank has set up a fund for him as well.
As reported previously, her memorial service is 11 am tomorrow at St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Renton (church website here), and friends plan a candlelight vigil at 7 pm Saturday night outside Red Cup (on California north of Oregon, next to Pagliacci).
West Seattle crime watch: Sticker vandalism hits home
From Cendi:
I live on Gatewood Hill at California & Holden. Twice in the past two weeks, someone has come into my yard and put [well-known local business] stickers on my windows. It surprises me, because we are in such a highly visible area and the stickers were put on the two most visible sides of my house. Could this be working up to a break-in?
Don’t know if it’s a precursor to that, but it’s certainly vandalism. Police non-emergency number: 625-5011 (always on the Crime Watch page).
Denny-Sealth: Too late to turn back now?
What we heard from Seattle Public Schools administration at the end of the school board’s Denny-Sealth shared-campus project work session tonight boiled down to something a lot like what we heard at a meeting about it that we covered here in West Seattle last summer — Yes, we know, we didn’t get a whole lot of public input before roaring forward with this plan, but really, we’re in it too deep now to pull back, though we’ll get you a little more information on what it would cost to change course, if you really, really want it. The majority of the board members, of course, have been elected since the project was approved last year — 4 of the 7 school board members are brand new — and even though board president Cheryl Chow warned them not to get bowled over by the “freshman rush” of project opponents hitting them up, they asked for a chance to reconsider anyway.Read More
Denny-Sealth work session: New option, sort of
First top line from the school board’s just-concluded work session – maybe the Chief Sealth HS community’s concerns about the consolidation project would be alleviated if the district added at least $5 million to the Sealth renovations, for items such as a new roof and a new gym floor? District administration wants to focus on either that option or the current plan; the newer school board members want some more financial facts on the “rebuild Denny at Denny” third option too, before discarding it entirely. More details shortly; the work session wrapped up at 5:41, and the board is now about to launch into its regular session.
Reader reports: 2 wildlife sightings
Thanks to Pete R, who says he got that photo near Don Armeni with “awesome zoom” – he says he has seen this pup before, and saw its mom swim by a few times while he was watching. Meantime, word of a daytime coyote sighting also landed in the inbox, from SH:
I wanted to let all the cat and dog owners know that I saw a coyote loping down the middle of Northrop Pl SW at noon yesterday. He was a beautiful animal, looked well-fed. I thought that the cats would be safe out during the day, but I am having second thoughts about that now. Thought I would let my neighbors know about it too.
Northrop is a short street here in the Upper Fauntleroy/Gatewood border zone (its south end is at the top of the Thistle Street stairs); here’s a map.
Traffic alert: California south of Fauntleroy
Police, fire and medics are converging on California near the southwestern entrance to Thriftway. Looks like “a guy down in the street,” according to our witness; more when we find out more. 2:25 PM UPDATE: Call closed, scene clear. Apparently a medical problem rather than an accident.
New details on Metro RapidRide, with opinions needed NOW
More than 2 weeks before the Metro RapidRide public open houses in West Seattle, the Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO) got a detailed preview of the future service last night, including even the buses’ likely red/yellow color scheme:
The buses will look different and so will their main stations and stops, so people will know the difference between a RapidRide bus and a regular bus. But before you get anywhere near riding one in 3 1/2 years, Metro’s looking for your thoughts on decisions to be made in a time frame that’s more like the next 3 1/2 months – decisions that might ultimately affect you even if you are sure you’ll never board a bus:Read More
West Seattle crime watch: Break-ins, sheepish vandal, more
Among the latest police reports filed at the Southwest Precinct, here are some of the most notable: In the 4500 block of 56th SW, at least four vehicles were broken into Sunday night-Monday morning. An SUV owner told police that a window was smashed and a GPS was taken; another owner said someone got into three of his vehicles, breaking the window of a truck and stealing a camera and gas card, then looking through the 2 other vehicles without damaging or stealing anything. More ahead:Read More
Red Cup Espresso owner’s death: Message from her family
In case you missed it in comments below our original coverage, Erin Thomsen has left this on behalf of Angelia Paulsen‘s family, after reading all the memories and tributes in those comments:
To all of you who have left such wonderful memories of Angelia, we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. Reading about the love and kindness and laughter she shared with everyone of you has meant the world to all of us. Her smile and radiance will live forever in every life she touched.
10:50 PM ADDENDUM: Thank you to Angi’s longtime friend Krissi for sharing the photos we just added above.
Update: Candlelight vigil for Red Cup Espresso owner
As we first reported this morning, a car crash on I-5 early Monday killed Red Cup Espresso owner Angelia Paulsen, and her memorial service is this Friday. Now there’s word of a tribute Saturday night outside her shop – this just in from Patty:
There will be a candlelight vigil to celebrate the life of Angi outside of Red Cup espresso on Sat at 7 p.m. All are welcome to join us. Angi was a very dear friend to us all. She will be truly missed.
Red Cup Espresso owner Angelia Paulsen killed in I-5 crash
EVENING UPDATE: Please see other coverage higher up the WSB home page (here and here) for additional info; we did, however, just add the photos seen above, sent by friend Krissi. AFTERNOON UPDATE: Just checked the Red Cup door; the service for Angelia Paulsen is this Friday morning, 11 am @ St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Renton. Here’s the note that’s on the door:
ORIGINAL 9:23 AM REPORT: Meredith just e-mailed to say that Red Cup Espresso in The Junction is closed and a note on the door says its owner has died. 9:28 AM UPDATE: Another reader e-mail says the owner died in a traffic accident yesterday morning and services are this Friday. 9:40 AM UPDATE: Washington State Patrol public information officer Trooper Jeff Merrill just confirmed to WSB that 36-year-old Angelia Paulsen, Red Cup’s owner, is the woman killed when her car crashed on I-5 in South Seattle early yesterday. Citywide media covered that crash; thanks to “k” for finding a short mention in the middle of this Times “digest.”
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