May 2010

The first visible sign of the arrival of Cirque du Soleil and its latest live production KOOZA in the city of Seattle, is the raising of the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big Top) and the set up of the Cirque du Soleil Village. This event took place at King County's Marymoor Park this afternoon where a team of 60-plus men and women hoisted more than 100 steel poles from the ground up.

About the white Grand Chapiteau and the Cirque du Soleil Village:

• The Grand Chapiteau stands 56 feet high and is 164 feet in diameter.
• The 4 masts stand at 82 feet tall each.
• 550 pegs are required to hold the Grand Chapiteau firmly to the 180,000 square feet of asphalt.
• The Grand Chapiteau can accommodate more than 2,500 people.
• The entire site set-up includes installation of entrance, hospitality and rehearsal tents, box office, administrative offices, kitchen and school.
• Just like a village the site is completely self-sufficient for electrical power and relies only on a local water supply and telecommunication facilities to support its infrastructure.

Possible murder-suicide in motel

Investigating police found the bodies of a man and a woman inside a SeaTac motel room. A police spokesman reported that there was a great deal of blood in the room. Police plan to investigate the situation as a murder-suicide. Last month, a man was arrested for another killing that occurred at the same hotel.

Robbed for jacket

Deputies responded to a robbery at gun point which occurred at S.W. 160th and Sylvester Rd. S.W. The suspect pulled a gun on the male victim and demanded he remove his jackets. The suspect fled on foot with both jackets and had not been located at the time of this report.

Gym Bag Stolen

A guest at a hotel located on International Blvd. reported that his gym bag and its contents were stolen after he left it in the hallway outside his room. He went back into his room to gather more items, and when he returned, the bag was missing.

Locker vandalism at middle school

The School Resource Officer at Chinook Middle School reported the vandalism of two lockers. The doors of the lockers were removed.

Mail Theft

Highline's valiant bid to survive until second day action in the Class 3A West Central/Southwest Bi-District fastpitch tournament was only three outs away from being realized, but Auburn Mountainview snatched away the chance with a two-run bottom of the seventh inning rally for a 5-4 victory.

Making their first district appearance in 10 years, the Pirates performed admirably in defeat.

"The girls played really well and did a great job," exulted first-year Highline head coach Julie Young. "They fought hard and the girls had a fantastic season. I'd take them all over again. I'm really proud of them. We weren't expected to be here."

On Saturday afternoon at the Sprinker Recreation Center fields, Highline took the lead in the top of the second inning. Tyler Sanchez reached first base on an infield error with only one out. One strikeout later, Miriam Santana drove a long fly ball triple down the left-field line for a 1-0 Pirate lead. Rayna McElwain followed with a single and Highline led, 2-0.

In the third inning, the Rams' Samantha Erben torched a leadoff single. Then came the big blow.

After two days of rain, the West Central District 4A fastpitch softball tournament finally began with Thomas Jefferson displaying strong elements in all areas with an 11-1 six inning demolition of Bellarmine Prep on Monday, May 24, at the Sprinker Recreation Center.

"This win really gives us confidence going into the rest of the games," Cassidy DeWaele enthusiastically intoned.

Jefferson showed all the confidence of a team primed for a state berth from the opening innings.

In the second inning, Christi Bruin led off with a single and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt. DeWaele walked and one ground out later Alyssa Keyes doubled two runs home.

For the Raiders, this was just a warm up for greater dividends as the game continued.

Hannah Kiyohara's lead off, inside the park home run triggered a three-run, five-hit inning. Jefferson kept up the offense, scoring three runs in the fifth inning and an additional five in the sixth for the early dismissal of the Lions.

"When I saw the left fielder bobble the ball slightly, I decided to go for home," recalled Kiyohara.

Todd Beamer recovered from a morning loss in the Class 4A West Central District fastpitch tournament to stay in contention for a state placing by draining Spanaway Lake, 15-0, at Sprinker Recreation Center on Monday, May 24, to gain a loser-out match up against Jefferson on Tuesday.

Bringing bludgeoning bats to the field, the Titans slammed out 17 hits in six innings, including a seven run sixth inning. Emma Blauser's run-scoring double keyed a two-run Titan first inning before TB scored on an error in the second inning.

Sarah Petosa had a single and stolen base while Blauser slammed home one run on a single to join Taylor Winton's RBI triple in a three-run Titan fourth inning. A three-run fifth inning was a mere prelude to the singing sixth for the Titans.

"I came in thinking that as a senior this could be my last game," said Emma Blauser, who pitched a three-hitter along with eight strikeouts.
"I wasn't about to let that happen. Our bats really came alive for this game."

Todd Beamer recovered from a morning loss in the Class 4A West Central District fastpitch tournament to stay in contention for a state placing by draining Spanaway Lake, 15-0, at Sprinker Recreation Center on Monday, May 24, to gain a loser-out match up against Jefferson on Tuesday.

Bringing bludgeoning bats to the field, the Titans slammed out 17 hits in six innings, including a seven run sixth inning. Emma Blauser's run-scoring double keyed a two-run Titan first inning before TB scored on an error in the second inning.

Sarah Petosa had a single and stolen base while Blauser slammed home one run on a single to join Taylor Winton's RBI triple in a three-run Titan fourth inning. A three-run fifth inning was a mere prelude to the singing sixth for the Titans.

"I came in thinking that as a senior this could be my last game," said Emma Blauser, who pitched a three-hitter along with eight strikeouts. "I wasn't about to let that happen. Our bats really came alive for this game."

Federal Way athletes scored big at the June 21-25 West Central District -- and scored state tournament berths as a result.

Kayla Adams of Thomas Jefferson led the local pack, winning the shot put with a 43-00.50 effort and taking the discus with a throw of 133-01.

Maurice McNeal of Federal Way won the boy 400-meter dash in a time of 48.78 seconds, edging out his brother Ezekiel's second place effort of 49.33. Michael Tate of the Eagles took eighth in 53.05.

Robert Shelby won the boys 300 hurdles for the Eagles in 38.31 with TJ's Scott Sanford third a 39.01. Shelby was also seventh in the boys 110 hurdles with a time of 16.24.

Federal Way took first in the boys 1,600 relay in 3:20.49 and Todd Beamer was eighth in 3:27.44, while Federal Way placed second in the girls 400 relay in 49.02 with Todd Beamer eighth in 50.10.

Federal Way's Trenton Pinson took the boys 100-meter dash in 11.02 and Eagles teammate Jaleecia Roland won the high jump at 5-04.

Moriah Bentley of Todd Beamer was eighth in the high jump at 5-00.

Maurice McNeal of the Eagles captured second in the boys 200 in 22.25 and teammate Pinson placed fourth in 22.50.

From a press release:

The first general meeting of the new Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council (GSNC) will be held June 10 at 7PM. The neighborhood will gather at Westside Presbyterian Church, Howell Auditorium at 3601 California Avenue.

This first general meeting will officially establish the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council with ratification of the boundaries and bylaws recommended by the organizing committee and election of officers. Neighbors will be asked to share their issues and help set priorities for the GSNC efforts. Information will be presented and discussion held in regard to “what’s next” for Genesee Hill school property. City officials will give background and listen to local input about the school property, crime prevention, and emergency preparedness.

On May 27th at approximately 9:30 PM, officers responded to a domestic violence assualt call in the 8800 Block of 11th Avenue Southwest. The report was that a 40 year old man had been staying in a detached garage behind the house where his sister lives. While the suspect was inside the house, he assaulted his juvenile nephew and his nephew’s friend, and then punched a hole in a wall. Following the assault, the suspect retreated to the garage.

Officers resonded and were informed that the suspect had guns inside the garage. The suspect refused to come out of the garage, despite the repeated commands by officers and attempts to call him on the phone.

SWAT was called out, as well as negotiators. After attempts to establish any sort of dialogue with the suspect failed, chemical irritants were deployed in the garage and the suspect came out and surrendered to officers shortly after 1:00 AM. The suspect was later booked into the King County Jail.

At approximately 10:15 p.m. on May 27, officers responded to a disturbance in the 2400 block of Northwest 57th St. The victim and suspect reportedly resided together.

The couple got into some sort of domestic dispute and the suspect beat the victim with a hammer and possibly other objects, mortally wounding her.

The suspect then jumped to his death from the south windows of the sixth-floor apartment. The victim was treated at the scene by Seattle Fire Department and taken to Harborview Medical Center, where she died.

Homicide and CSI were called out to the scene. The area was canvassed and CSI processed the scene for evidence.