September 2013

The West Seattle Shaw brothers, charged with criminal mistreatment for alleged shortcomings in caring for their father in his Alki home, were set to start their trial on Sept. 18, but court documents show it has been pushed back to Nov. 13, 2013.

Ken Shaw, 57, and Keith Shaw, 54, were charged in November of 2012 for allegedly failing to take care of their father, Kyle Shaw, who passed away in 2010 shortly after paramedics took him from the home with bleeding ulcers, rotting feet and many other health problems.

Prosecutors contend the Shaw brothers - who lived with their dad - decided to save their father's money for their own coffers rather than spending it on his health care.

Court documents state the delay is due to a defense request, but does not go into greater detail.

Here is our story from Nov. 19, 2012, detailing the charges:

West Seattle sons charged with neglect in father’s care
By Ty Swenson

Today, the Seattle Weekly asked an important question: Should the Ballard Bridge remained closed longer during peak commuting hours? (At least a wee bit longer?)

Well, "asking" might not be the right word. Seattle Weekly writer Ellis Conklin's opening is as brilliant as it is aggressive:

"On an unseasonably warm summer evening last week, the traffic creeping north on 15th Avenue is horrific, per usual. And it will only grow more maddening, for at 6:03, the alarm blasts, the gates come down and slowly the Ballard Bridge groans upward. Forty-four feet below, two sailboats gingerly make their way under the up righted structure. Lucky devils. By the time the time 96-year-old bridge makes it merciful descent, our merry pleasure-seekers, the wind in their hair (a life without care) are happily on the way toward Puget Sound. For the rest of us, it is pure unadulterated gridlock."

In a letter sent to area residents and posted online Steve Sheppard with the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods requested volunteers to sit on an advisory committee that will recommend whether to grant zoning modifications needed to allow the construction of the new elementary school.

In the letter Sheppard writes:
The Seattle School District is requesting a waiver (departure) from some City zoning regulations for the construction of a new Genesee Hill Elementary School. The District plans to demolish the existing school and construct a new one to accommodate 650 students at 5012 SW Genesee Street. The School District is requesting modifications for greater than allowed height, and continued on-street bus loading. The process for considering this request includes hearings before an advisory committee composed of neighbors and School District and City representatives.

The inactive City LIght substation at 50th SW and SW Dakota Street (4918 SW Dakota) is being surplussed and at the request of the Seattle City Council, City Light is studying the most appropriate disposition for it and 7 other surplus properties in Southwest Seattle.

A public hearing on the property is being held at the High Point Community Center 6920 34th Ave. SW, Oct. 2 from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

Comments can be submitted via e-mail to SCL_surplusproperty@seattle.gov or via the City Light web page http://www.seattle.gov/light/surplus/formalHearing.htm

You can also send comments via postal mail through Oct. 18 to Seattle City Light, Real Estate Services, P.O. Box 34023 Seattle, WA 98124-4023.

Information from King County

As many as 25,000 acres of King County’s farms and forests will receive protection from development under an innovative partnership proposed by King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and approved today by both the City and the County Councils.

“This is an historic day and an historic agreement with Seattle that will sustain the production of fresh, local food for generations to come,” said Executive Constantine.

"This is a great win for the environment and supporting sustainable growth in Seattle," said Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn. "Today's vote means that growth in our urban neighborhoods will be directly tied to new public benefits while protecting our region's forests and working farms. I thank Executive Constantine, the Seattle and King County Councils, Forterra and everyone who made today's great news possible."

With landlords like these, who needs enemies?
On Sept. 7 a man called police from the 1700 block of S.W. Graham St. to report his landlord had tried to drive over him. The victim said he’s been renting from the landlord for three years, and the landlord has been consistently delinquent in taking care of his lordly duties. The most recent case was a broken refrigerator that fizzled out a few weeks prior. After prodding his landlord, the victim said someone delivered a used fridge that did not work. He was promised a new fridge would be coming sometime soon, but complained to police that during that time medications and foods for him and his family obviously went bad. On the 7th, the landlord finally showed up with a dorm mini-fridge instead of the full size option and allegedly threw in down on the steps while “rudely” saying “Here is your fridge.” The victim followed the landlord back to his car and demanded to know when a real fridge would arrive. During that confrontation he told police the suspect lurched forward twice, nearly running him over in his 90s GMC Yukon SUV. Police are reaching out to the landlord for his side of the story.

"Press Release"

Highline Music4Life™ has issued an urgent public appeal for the donation of flutes and clarinets by adults who no longer need them.

“School is just starting and many more young people than expected are telling us they would like to participate in the school district’s instrumental music programs,” says Stefan Nelson, Cultural Arts Specialist for Highline Public Schools. “Our greatest need is for flutes and clarinets, but all musical instruments are welcome.”

Highline Music4Life is the local organization that acquires “lovingly used” musical instruments, gets them repaired if needed, and provides them free of charge to Highline Public Schools for use by students of low income families. The program was created two years ago by the school board and is sponsored in-part by the Rotary clubs of Des Moines, Burien-White Center and SeaTac. “You don’t have to be a Rotarian to support Music4Life,” says David Endicott, the organization’s Chair / CEO. “All that’s necessary is that you understand the unique value that instrumental music plays in the life and education of a child.”

Valley View Sewer District recently completed installation of a 9.6 kW (40 panel) solar energy system on its new maintenance garage located at 14816 Military Road South inside the City of Tukwila. An additional 32.4 kW (120 panel) solar energy system was cooperatively installed by the sewer district and the water district at their joint administration building located at 3460 S 148th St, also in Tukwila. The 32.4 kW system is in addition to a 1kW (6 panel) system installed in 2006 during construction of the joint administration building. The combined 43 kW system is the largest solar energy system in the Seattle City Light service area south of the City of Seattle. The two newest systems, designed and installed by Sunergy Systems, will produce enough electricity each year to offset the electricity used by four typical single family residences.

The Ballard Greenway showed a sustained spike after the grand opening celebration on Sept. 7, according to Seattle Neighborhood Greenways.

The day before the event, Sept. 6, had 101 users. The day of saw a predictable explosion in greenway users, with 220 users. But the day after also saw a lot of users, 163, which is nothing to scoff at.

The previous average before the greenway was installed, measured from late March to early April, hovered around 65 users.

Tom Fucoloro of Seattle Bike Blog sums it up neatly: "Clearly, more data is needed to know how long such growth in use is sustained, but it’s certainly promising. Growth like this after a release celebration suggests two things: A: Neighborhood greenways work and people like to use them and B: Public events and celebrations are effective at teaching people about using new ways to get around."

Last April, police busted a man who sold marijuana to Ballard High School and Whitman Middle School students repeatedly.

Now that man, Alejandro Antonio Castillo, 51, will be in U.S. District Court in Seattle today at 2 p.m. He will be facing charges for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, two counts of distribution of marijuana and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, which are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

“The Department of Justice priorities on marijuana are very clear – and one of the highest priorities is preventing the distribution of marijuana to minors,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “The sale of marijuana to these teenagers not only impacts their ability to learn, it disrupts the educational experience for other students. This conduct is the reason we have stronger penalties for those who distribute drugs within 1,000 feet of schools, parks and other places where children congregate.”