February 2013

A few more details have emerged in the Jan. 31 estate sale robbery in West Seattle that resulted in a police manhunt for the suspect.

According to the police report released in the robbery, the man hired to execute an estate sale for a deceased property owner on the 3400 block of Belvidere Ave. S.W. called 911 after a white male wearing a black ski mask entered the home and robbed the place.

The witness told police a few customers and his staff were inside the home when the suspect charged in with a black handgun at 3:40 p.m. and yelled, “This is a robbery, get down!” He forced his victims to the ground at gunpoint and ordered them not to look at his face (which was also covered by a black ski mask). Fearing for their safety, everyone did as they were told and stayed down.

I don’t have time for this

Long trips paid big dividends for two West Seattle-area athletes this past weekend.

Mike Lakisa of Chief Sealth journeyed to Marysville-Pilchuck for regional wrestling action and came away with a berth into this coming Friday and Saturday's state Class 3A meet at the Tacoma Dome.

Della Norton of West Seattle High School, meanwhile, traveled to Sammamish High School for Sea-King District gymnastics action and qualified for state at the adjacent Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.

Lakisa qualified for state out of the 195-pound weight class and opens with a 12:50 p.m. match Friday.
Norton enjoyed a big day in the gymnastics competition, taking fifth place in the all-around with a total score of 34.4 points.

Norton took second in the uneven parallel bars competition with an 8.125 score and she placed fifth in the balance beam with an 8.6.

The 3A, 2A and 1A classifications will be combined for state gymnastics.

The individual march in is scheduled for 1:15 p.m., with the team, all-around and academic awards presented at 9:45 p.m.

A mini-van and First Student school bus with one student and a driver on board collided at the intersection of 26th Ave. S.W. and S.W. Roxbury St. shortly after noon on Feb. 11, but there were no reported injuries.

There were four vehicles involved in the accident that happened around 12:15 p.m.

The mini-van suffered the most significant damage.

The intersection is blocked (as of 12:30 p.m.) but is in the process of being cleared as police direct traffic.

The bus driver confirmed her student passenger was not injured and the girl's mother came to pick her up.

The bus was traveling westbound on Roxbury through the intersection when the silver mini-van hit her, according to the bus driver.

Dear Editor,
I keep thinking Jerry Robinson has to eventually run out of his endless, interesting and humorous anecdotes but he must be really really old and have a fantastic memory to recount so many stories experienced over the years. Georgie Kunkel can write on any subject you can think of and make it interesting and worth reading. Kyra-lin Hom's Take Two about tattoos reminded me of a long ago saying - "A tattoo is permanent proof of temporary insanity!"

Emil M Martin
West Seattle

By Georgie Bright Kunkel

Have you heard of the 60’s song Turn, Turn, Turn? It was sung by the five Byrds who reminded everyone of the dichotomy of life. I knew that there was a time to be born and a time to die. I knew that there was a time to plant and a time to reap. But when I heard the part about a time to kill I could not accept it.

But I look around the world and there is killing everywhere. Every creature either kills or is killed. But I could never accept that humans were included in this scheme of things. I never wanted my own children to own guns but I was not able to prevent my oldest son going hunting with his father. I seemed to shut out the knowledge that the meat that I eat once was part of a live animal. My mother raised a few chickens and I faintly remember that they had to be killed if I was to eat my favorite thigh meat. Once after my mother had cut off a chicken’s head that very chicken got away from her and ran around the yard. I tried to bury this memory over the years and finally was able to eat chicken without bringing this to mind.

By Kyra-lin Hom

Does viewing violence in media trigger violent action? In high school, I wrote a column on the correlation between violent video game play and violent behavior. I polled several of my high school peers (both genders) on their beliefs in regards to the topic as well. What I found was that, despite evidence suggesting that violent video games and violent behavior activate the same areas in the brain, my peers, who regularly played these kinds of games, did not believe that the two were related. An interesting little bit of self-blindness there.

It's now about six years later. New research has been done, new information is available, and I have a degree in film. Combine that with my online psychology class currently covering developmental psychology (including the influence of violent media) and I felt the sudden urge to revisit the topic.

West Seattle Artwalk Thursday, Feb. 14 6 to 9 pm

From Alki to Endolyne, the West Seattle Art Walk is brought to you by your local West Seattle merchants. Dozens of merchants in the West Seattle Junction, Alki Beach, Admiral District, Morgan Junction, Fauntleroy District and Delridge are displaying art and showcasing artists the second Thursday of EVERY month, 6-9pm!

West Seattle Lion’s Club February Events
Senior Center of West Seattle - 2nd floor
4217 S.W. Oregon St
Thursdays, Noon--1:30 p.m. for lunch & speaker unless otherwise noted.
Call Harvey Rowe at 206-762-1221 for reservations.
Feb. 14 ~ Tim Lane about the construction of the South Park Bridge
Feb. 21 ~ Oregon Street will be the “West Seattle Blog.”

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave. S.W.
206-937-7169

Trust between twins Brittany and Jordan McPhee lifted the No. 1-ranked Class 4A Mount Rainier Rams to a championship at the Les Schwab SPSL Shootout, otherwise known as the league tournament, at the ShoWare Center on Thurs., Feb. 6.

When the top-ranked Mount Rainier girls basketball squad needed a boost in the final quarter, the twins gravitated to each other as a natural feeling of their deep bond through the years. Connecting with each other for all 17 of the Rams' fourth quarter scores, the junior dynamic duo led Mount Rainier from behind to beat No.7 Todd Beamer of Federal Way, 57-56, and grasp the the SPSL championship.

After the game, Jordan who scored 10 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter with a game total of four steals, talked about the trust of the twins.

"If there's one person I trust with the basketball, it's Brittany," Jordan said. "I've played with her my whole life and trust her. I just know where she is the whole time on court."

Police are looking for a suspect who attempted to abduct a woman on Sunday, Feb. 10, according to the Seattle Police Blotter.

On Sunday night, shortly before 8 p.m., a white van pulled up next to the woman as she was walking eastbound back home from the Fred Meyer on NW 85th St and 3rd Ave NW. A passenger, described as a Hispanic male, said "hi," got out and walked around behind the woman.

He then attempted to force her into the van, putting on a black ski mask while doing so. Fortunately, the woman fought her way out of his grasp and the suspect got back into the van and drove off.

She sustained minor scrapes and scratches to her hand but is otherwise alright. Responding officers were unable to find the suspects in the area when they arrived.

The van is described as being white with the letters “XYF” spray painted in red on the side of the van. The victim called 911.

Anyone with information about this vehicle and or the suspects is asked to call 911.