April 2013

UPDATE 2, APRIL 6:

Last night before 7 pm King County Sheriff's Gang Unit detectives arrested Valdez. He was booked in the King County Jail.

He is the suspect from a shooting on Thursday in the 15600 blk of 4 ave S in Burien.

No word yet on where he was found.

Cindi West

UPDATE

Burien- Burien Police Officers and King County Sheriff’s Detectives are looking for a man wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred in Burien on Thursday.

Detectives said a warrant for Assault 1 has been issued for 26 year old Linley A. Valdez. Valdez is suspected of shooting an 18 year old man in the stomach.

On Thursday around 5:15 pm police responded to the 15600 block of 4 Ave S to the report of a gunshot victim. When police arrived they found the victim with a gunshot wound near the stomach. The victim was transported to Harborview and was treated and released later in the evening.

The victim told investigators that prior to the shooting he had arranged to meet with Valdez. The pair had made some type of deal involving electronics. During the meeting Valdez pulled out a gun and shot the victim.

Construction on the new SeaTac south-end terminus station for link light rail will begin next month.

Sound Transit will extend light rail from the SeaTac City Center/Airport station at International Boulevard and South 176th Street, south another 1.6 miles via elevated double track guideway along the east side of 28th Avenue South to South 200th Street.

On May 7, “little” 28th Avenue South in the triangle section where the parking garage will be built will be closed for three years. A month later the northbound two lanes of 28th will also be closed. The two southbound lanes will be converted to one lane each way for traffic during construction. Work on the guideways will also start next month.

Construction activity will generally move south to north.

The new “Angle Lake” station will straddle South 200th Street with entrances on both the north and south sides of the street. It will feature a 700-stall parking garage, interim surface parking, passenger drop-off area, bike storage, and bus connections.

The elevated station will include passenger platforms with covered waiting areas, public art and an adjoining plaza.

Seattle Public Schools press release:

Caroline Kennedy will be visiting the Sanislo Elementary School Library April 8 as part of her ongoing work as honorary chair of National Library Week. Local news media are invited to cover her visit to a class of Sanislo first-graders and her meeting with the school’s poetry club students.

Ms. Kennedy and poetry club students from Sanislo Elementary will also be appearing Monday evening at a public event: An Evening with Caroline Kennedy and 'POEMS TO LEARN BY HEART' from 7-8:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 pm. Location is the Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave., Seattle, WA 98122

More information is available here.

This program is free and everyone is welcome. Free advance tickets are required. Tickets are available from www.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 800-838-3006. Limit one ticket per order and two orders per household. Everyone must have a ticket to enter.

Update for April 6
The victim of a bungled robbery attempt in West Seattle who shot back at his attacker on April 1 is still at Harborview Hospital recovering from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, and has been identified by Capitol Hill Seattle Blog as Rick Powell.

CHSB reports Powell works as a driver for Black Crown car service and is "a well known character in the Capitol Hill music and nightlife scene..."

For more information, including links to fundraisers to help Powell pay for his medical bills, please check out CHSB's coverage.

Original post on April 4
Two men were sent to the hospital from West Seattle with multiple gunshots wounds on the night of April 1, and one of them is now in jail for first degree assault and violating his Department of Corrections supervision after just being released from a Yakima prison, according to Seattle Police.

Update, April 17

Gov. Jay Inslee just signed both SB 5488 and SB 5563 into law today.

Original, April 4

Life for human traffickers is about to get harder.

A pair of anti-trafficking bills were unanimously passed by the State House of Representatives yesterday, which would crack down on those who use the Internet to promote human trafficking and would help school personnel better recognize and prevent exploitation of minors.

The bills were also passed unanimously by the Senate earlier in the session. Now, the bills will go to Governor Jay Inslee to sign into law.

Under SB 5563, teachers would be trained to recognize when commercial sexual abuse and exploitation of minors could be happening. School employees would also be trained to report student physical abuse or sexual misconduct victimization.

A ‘UFO crash’ event, with a 3-D crashed flying saucer and special flash mob was staged in Olde Burien on April Fool’s Day – Monday, April 1 –at the intersection of Southwest 152nd Street and 10th Avenue Southwest.

The free public event honored the 1947 UFO conspiracy event called “The Maury Island Incident,” and will also serve as a celebration for the upcoming local shooting of a film of the same name.

A Sighting after party was held immediately after the unveiling of the ‘crashed UFO’ in the Tin Room Bar.

The after-party included a costume competition with cash prizes for the Best Man in Black, Best Woman in Black and Best Alien ($500 prize each). In addition, there was a photo booth and signature cocktails from the Tin Room Bar including the Maurytini and the Man in Black & Tan.

The winners were Best Woman in Black costume, Monica Chirko; Best Men in Black costume, Gary Reed and the Best Alien(s) costume, - Emily Hametner, Armella Salle and Stephanie Wraith. All four women who won work at the 909 Restaurant.

Press release:

It’s walking time again. Let’s head north from Burien Town Square to see
Chelsea Park. The last time we visited the neighborhood, we found these scenic gems: Dottie Harper Park, Burien Community Garden, white-painted tree trunks, Mortar House, Bird-House House, Stormwater Park, Green House, Purple House. What new things will we spot this time around?

Date: Sunday, April 7, 2013 (Yep. Rain or shine.)

Time: 2:00 meet-up. Walking starts at 2:15

Who: Walkers of every level and ability, plus four-legged friends

Place: Meet on the grassy knoll at Burien Town Square

Distance: About 2.5 miles, round trip. Mostly flat.


Update for April 5
A spokesman for the project at 4724 California Ave. S.W. said they hope to start demolition of the old Petco building in "early June" to make room for the building detailed below.

Original post on April 4
The final puzzle pieces are falling into place for a seven-story building planned for a central West Seattle Junction location at 4724 California Ave. S.W., where PETCO used to be.

Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development announced on April 4 that the project has passed its Land Use Application process. The decision is available for viewing here.

Developers Urban Evolution and The Wolff Company plan for 5,000 square feet of retail, 13 live-work units, 73 apartments and two floors of underground parking.

Demolition is expected to start this spring, and the Herald has reached out for a more specific timeline.

The DPD decision kicks off an appeals process with a deadline of April 18. For more information on that process, visit http://www.seattle.gov/examiner/docs/PublicGuide2_00001.PDF.

Unfortunately, the landslide that caused widespread destruction near Coupeville may soon be repeated in Burien if the Westmark Emerald Pointe project continues to move forward.

Westmark recently obtained from the city of Burien a permit to clear ALL but 8 significant trees from 9.62 acres of steeply sloped terrain directly above the Highline School District Puget Sound Skills Center, the Environmental Science Center and its fish hatchery and wetlands at the north end of Seahurst Park.

With hundreds of trees removed and less than 1 significant tree per acre, what will be left is sparse unprotected slopes unable to absorb rainwater and run off. This land in question is clearly marked as landslide area on the City of Burien's own Critical Areas map (http://www.burienwa.gov/?nid=717).

Every year slides occur on or within close proximity of the land in question. In the recent past there has been the Maplewild Avenue Slide, Cove Point Road Slide, Goat Hill Slide, and multiple Three Tree Point Slides. It is the structural and environmental soundness of the Westmark Emerald Pointe project that continues to concern citizens.

Press release:

The following web site is now live showing the videos from the TOP CHEF event.

The videos will also be shared with the restaurants so they can promote socially.

Thank you for your efforts in letting the community know about these amazing establishments in our community.

http://burienbites.com/Home/Videos

Part of the awards at Burien Bites on June 2nd will be awards for the videographers and film crews that shot, edited and created each of these videos.