January 2013

By Cassandra Baker

2:44 p.m., January 5. 17th Ave NW and NW Market St

A man called police after problems with a shopping cart led to an assault. The responding officer found the victim sitting on the curb in a parking lot. The victim said that a black male had pushed his shopping cart of belongings around the corner of a nearby store. When he went to get his cart back, the suspect pushed him from behind, causing him to fall to the ground. The victim said that he would recognize the suspect if he saw him again. He also said that he drinks a lot and, and he had a hard time describing the incident. H said that the suspect had stolen a beer from his cart. A clerk inside the store said that he saw the two men arguing and that he recognized the suspect as a regular. The suspect was not found in the area.

5:14 a.m., January 4. 24th block of NW 80th St

The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods set up the Neighborhood Matching Fund to get small, simple projects done in your part of the city. Things like traffic circles, certain kinds of plantings, drain improvements and more can all be accomplished through applying for the money. The city even makes it easy to learn the best way to do it.

The Neighborhood Matching Fund Small and Simple Projects Workshops will teach you:

• The application process and guidelines
• What makes a project eligible
• How to apply using the online system

The application deadline for this year is March 4 so to get more in the system, a workshop in West Seattle is being held Thursday, Jan. 17 from 6 to 7:30pm at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center at 4408 Delridge Way SW. It is being held jointly with the Technology Matching Fund.

The maximum amount granted in the program is $25,000.

For more information visit the website http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/smallandsimple.htm

UPDATE Jan. 19
The Chief Sealth High School Band has won their division though they came in second (to Lake Stevens High School) in the KJR 95.7 FM Battle of the Bands competition whose first round closed on Jan. 18. They now advance to the second round where the video they submitted will be judged on the quality of the performance and not on the votes collected.

Band Director Marcus Pimpleton shared this update via Facebook:
"As the winner of our division we win a $500 prize and advance to the next round. $500 is about 10 new marching band tunes, 10 new pair of mallets for the percussion section, or 2 busses to a local parade... so it is good money and we are thankful for your support. Hopefully the judges will view our performance favorably and we will win even more money in the next round."

Original Post Jan. 10
The Battle of the Bands competition sponsored by KJR 95.7 FM is on again and the Chief Sealth Band is once again participating. The band won $5000 in last year's contest and are hoping to make it into the top ten to be included in the second round.

The timing couldn’t have been worse.

Two days before a gunman killed 20 students and six adults at a Connecticut elementary school, the Highline School Board held a work/study session to review a new security plan that could include disarming school security officers.

At the study session and the following regular meeting, security officers say a few board members gave the impression that they discounted the danger that security officers face in Highline schools. Board president Angelica Alvarez implied there is a connection between armed security guards and the number of student suspensions and expulsions.

The officers’ union, Teamsters Local 763, has filed an unfair labor practice claim against the district stemming from a subsequent meeting with assistant superintendent Susan Smith Leland. The union said she threatened security officers over their testimony before the school board.

District spokesperson Catherine Carbone Rogers said Leland’s intent was to request respectful behavior. Rogers noted the district doesn’t challenge the right of employees to present their opinions to the school board.

UPDATE for Jan. 11
The day after Seattle Police released surveillance footage of a young man pulling a gun on a West Seattle 7-11 clerk in an attempted robbery, a tip came in leading authorities to Kent where they arrested a 15-year-old and booked him into the Youth Service Center for robbery.

SPD said detectives recovered a BB gun likely used in the stickup during their investigation.

They are no longer looking for the other two males pictured in surveillance footage, "as it appears they were not involved in the robbery," SPD said.

Original post on Jan. 10
SLIDESHOW: Cops need help identifying West Seattle 7-11 robbers
Seattle police are asking the public for help in identifying three young men (estimated between 18 and 20 years old) who robbed a 7-11 clerk at gunpoint in West Seattle last month, and they have released pretty clear surveillance photos to bring these guys to justice.

Press release from King County:

Inquest ordered into death of West Seattle man with sword after struggle with police
Fact-finding hearing is routine to determine causes and circumstances of
any death involving a member of law enforcement while in performance of duties

King County Executive Dow Constantine today ordered an inquest into the death of Mike Chen, who died on or about September 10, 2012 following a confrontation with police outside his West Seattle apartment four days earlier.

The 34th District Democrats met on Jan. 9 to elect new officers and committee chairs for 2013-2014, according to their website.

The photo above and following information on officers and committee chairs was shared by the group:

Seated are:
Marcee Stone-Vekich, Chair;
Ted Barker, First Vice-Chair;
Tamsen Spengler, Second Vice-Chair and Chair of the Legislative Action Committee;
Marlene Allbright, Secretary;
Karen Chilcutt, Treasurer.

Standing in back are:
Steve Butts, Outreach;
Brian Earl, By-Laws;
Lisa Plymate, State Committeewoman;
Phil Tavel, Communications;
Layne Batista, King County Committeewoman Alternate;
Les Treall, PCOs;
Maria Ramirez, King County Committeewoman;
Jackie Dupras, Newsletter Editor;
Chris Porter, State Committeeman;
Aileen Sison, Diversity;
Jimmy Haun, King County Committeeman Alternate and Parliamentarian; Carol Frillman, Fund-raising;
Michael Heavey, Hospitality;

And in the far back:
Michael Arnold, King County Committeeman;
Joy Pakulak, Membership;

Named Junction Flats, developer BCK Investments and architects Nicholson Kovalchick are proposing a 71-unit apartment complex on the 4400 block of 42nd Ave S.W., just east of California Ave. in the West Seattle Junction.

As a first step in getting the city’s blessing to tear down or relocate three homes and start building, the design team will present their early designs to the Southwest Design Review Board and Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development at 8 p.m. on Jan. 10. The meeting takes place at the West Seattle Senior Center at 4217 S.W. Oregon St., which is within eye-shot of the proposed project’s footprint.

The footprint ranges from 4433 - 4441 42nd Ave S.W., where three residences currently sit.

According to the developer’s early design packet, the 55,000 square foot building will likely be comprised of 71 residential units, potentially including two to three live/work units along 42nd Ave., and underground parking for 57 vehicles. Drawings show the building coming in at four stories tall.

UPDATE Jan. 19

Daniel Sullivan via Facebook shared these announcements:
"Thus far we have 2 separate, public events happening to honor Jerry, the first is at the Chelan, Sunday Jan 27th @ 3pm-ish. The second will be Tuesday Feb 5 @ 6:30pm-ish at Christos on Alki, or as we know it: The Joint. He was a beloved fixture at both of these spots and the owners/operators of each are kindly hosting these events separately, for the community. Its pretty awesome if you ask me; there's no better spots for this, than these. We'll be ringin' those bells, the only way we know how. Load the re-post/share cannons and fire at will, help spread the word. See you all there."

Other memorials are in the works and will be posted when we get the information. You can find many tributes to Jerry Ceis on the Facebook page for his high school class, West Seattle High School Class of 1966.

Original Post Jan. 10
Jerry Ceis, well known to many people in West Seattle as a larger than life

From the West Seattle Lion's Club:

The West Seattle Lions club is pleased to announce the upcoming dedication ceremony of their mural located on the corner of Roxbury and 17th Ave SW. The ceremony will occur on Sunday, January 20, 2013 at 1:00 PM. All members of the public are welcome to attend.

The artist of the mural, Xavier Lopez Jr, will be signing the work and will speak concerning its meaning and connections to the White Center community. Hot coffee and hot chocolate for those attending.