August 2013

In a new series of advertisement short films called WeAreSteadfast, Caffe Vita tells the story of Edith Macefield, and the people who remember and have been inspired by her.

If you don't know the story, Edith Macefield gained worldwide fame when she turned down $1 million to have her house sold off to the Ballard Blocks development. She passed away in June of 2008 and willed the house to the development's construction superintendent, Barry Martin, who befriended and took care of her during her last days. He sold the property in 2009.

The plans for the house are to raise it to the height of the surrounding building and remodel the interior. However, nothing has happened yet.

Anchor Tattoo owner Curtis James developed a tattoo in remembrance of Edith, which is featured prominently in the film.

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The man who committed the rape of a disabled woman in Crown Hill last month is not unfamiliar with the law.

Jeremy D. Ondracek has a long history of crimes, including assault, burglary, domestic violence, theft, alcohol and drug offenses, obstructing a police officer, driving offenses and juvenile offenses.

But perhaps most telling is that in April of 2012, he was charged for a different rape. In that incident, he asked a 16-year-old if she wanted to to smoke marijuana. He then took her into an alley, threw her on the ground and proceeded to rape her in different locations for several hours.

In the most recent case, which took place on July 28, he raped a woman who is diagnosed with epilepsy and Turner Syndrome.

According to charging documents, Ondracek and the victim met the day of the incident, shortly after noon, at the bus stop on 15th Ave NW and NW 85th St. He had attempted to befriend the four-foot-seven, 100-pound woman, but when he asked if he could join her in getting something to eat. She said "No."

SPSL Volleyball
2013 schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 10
Decatur at Mt. Rainier, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 12
Holy Names at Mt. Rainier, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
Mt. Rainier at Bethel, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
Mt. Rainier at Aub.-Mtn. View, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 19
Todd Beamer at Mt. Rainier, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
Mt. Rainier at Federal Way, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 26
Kentwood at Mt. Rainier, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 1
Mt. Rainier at Aub.-Riv., 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 3
Mt. Rainier at Tahoma, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 9
Kentlake at Mt. Rainier, 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 16
Auburn at Mt. Rainier, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Mt. Rainier at Kentridge, 7:15 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 24
TJ at Mt. Rainier, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Mt. Rainier at K-M, 7:15 p.m.

Sustainable West Seattle's annual potluck picnic at Lincoln Park Aug. 19 had the group name well known diver Laura James as Volunteer of the Year for her efforts to clean up Cove 1 at Seacrest Park and for leading the efforts of www.Tox-ick.org, the environmental awareness and restoration organization.

Also honored for their efforts this year was the West Seattle Bike Connections Team.

West Seattle Bike Connection's award was based on the group's efforts during 2013 to raise bicycle safety awareness throughout West Seattle by staging several "bike by" events where they handed out information and took comments. The group has been instrumental in working with the city's Bicycle Master Plan group and with SWS's existing West Seattle Spokespeople to research, identify, and help develop greenways here in West Seattle. The West Seattle Bike Connection has also partnered with West Seattle Spokespeople and Cascade Bicycle Club to co-host a series of rides here in West Seattle and across the Duwamish. They also participated and helped with education at this year's West Seattle SummerFest GreenLife exposition.

Story by Matt Wendland, Burien Daily

A four-year-old Burien boy is still in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after being struck by a moving vehicle in a hit and run accident in north Burien Thursday evening, August 15.

According to Detective Jason Stanley of the King County Sheriff's Department, a vehicle traveling north on 4th Ave S.W. near the intersection of S.W. 126th St. struck the victim around 8:25 p.m.

Police said the victim was attending a family gathering at a home on the 12400 block of 4th Ave S.W. in the care of his aunt and uncle. Moments before the accident, the victim's uncle was transferring a carseat from a vehicle parked in front of the house on the east side of the road to another parked vehicle on the west side of the road in order to drive his nephew to meet the boy's parents. The saw seen his uncle across the street and ran from the yard into oncoming traffic where he was struck. Witnesses told police the boy was thrown into the air and flipped several times before landing on the pavement.

SPSL Girls soccer
2013 schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 10
Mt. Rainier at TJ, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 12
Mt. Rainier at Kentlake, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
Kentwood at Mt. Rainier, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 19
Aub.-Riv. at Mt. Rainier, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
Mt. Rainier at Tahoma, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 26
K-M at Mt. Rainier, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 3
Auburn at Mt. Rainier, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 5
Mt. Rainier at Kentridge, 12 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
TJ at Mt. Rainier (Valley Ridge), 5 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 10
Kentlake at Mt. Rainier, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 15
Mt. Rainier at Kentwood, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 17
Mt. Rainier at Aub.-Riv., 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Tahoma at Mt. Rainier, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 24
Mt. Rainier at K-M, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 29
Mt. Rainier at Auburn, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 31
Kentridge at Mt. Rainier, 7:30 p.m.
--Mt. Rainier home games are played at Highline Memorial unless otherwise noted.

If you love to play flag football, or girls volleyball, registration is now open at the Alki Community Center. 5817 SW Stevens Street.

If you have any experience coaching they are seeking volunteer coaches for those two sports too.

To register online go to seattle.gov/parks or come in at Alki C.C. and register in person.

The Metro League has released the girls soccer schedule for 2013. Here are the games, times and opponents for the West Seattle teams. The tournament begins Halloween night, Oct. 31. The cross neighborhood matchup between Chief Sealth and West Seattle happens at 4pm Sept. 24 and again Oct. 15 at 3:30pm.

Metro League Girls soccer 2013 schedule

Thursday, Sept. 12
Roosevelt at Chief Sealth, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 17
Chief Sealth at Nathan Hale, 3:30 p.m.; West Seattle at Ingraham, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 18
Chief Sealth at Highline, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 19
Chief Sealth at Cleveland, 3:30 p.m.; Nathan Hale at West Seattle, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 24
West Seattle at Chief Sealth, 4 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 26
West Seattle at Franklin, 3:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27
Chief Sealth at Franklin, 3:30 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 30
Cleveland at West Seattle, 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 1
Rainier Beach at Chief Sealth, 4 p.m.

The Metro League has released their 2013 Volleyball schedule. Here are the game days, opponents and times for West Seattle teams. The Metro League Tournament starts Oct. 29.

Metro League Volleyball 2013 schedule

Tuesday, Sept. 10
Chief Sealth at Rainier Beach, 7 p.m.; West Seattle at Franklin, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 12
Franklin at Chief Sealth, 7 p.m.; Rainier Beach at West Seattle, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 17
Chief Sealth at Ballard, 7 p.m.; West Seattle at Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 19
Cleveland at Chief Sealth, 7 p.m.; West Seattle, TBD.

Friday, Sept. 20
Holy Names at Chief Sealth, 7 p.m.; West Seattle, TBD.

Tuesday, Sept. 24
Chief Sealth at Nathan Hale, 7 p.m.; West Seattle at Ingraham, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 26
Ingraham at Chief Sealth, 7 p.m.; Nathan Hale at West Seattle, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 27
West Seattle at Eastside Catholic, 7 p.m.; Chief Sealth TBD.

Tuesday, Oct. 1
West Seattle at Chief Sealth, 7 p.m.

One small step for turtle. One giant leap for all turtle-kind.

Or, well, at least for the Western pond turtle.

Working in conjunction, the Woodland Park Zoo and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife released more than 100 endangered Western pond turtles into the protected ponds of Pierce and Mason Counties and the Columbia River Gorge.

The once plentiful Western pond turtle -- which was common from Baja Calif. to the Puget Sound, including the Columbia River Gorge -- has seen major losses in recent decades. In 1990, only about 150 of the turtles remained in the wild in Washington. Many fell victim to the non-native bullfrog, disease and habitat loss.

The Western Pond Turtle Recovery Project was established in 1991. The Western pond turtle was listed as endangered in 1991. Today, primarily through head starting and habitat acquisition, the turtle population has jumped from 150 to between 1,200 and 1,500. They are found in Washington wetlands at six sites in Klickitat, Skamania, Pierce and Mason Counties.