March 2015

Gang of female robbers on S.W. Holden
On Mar. 8, just after 1 a.m., officers in a patrol vehicle were flagged down by a man who informed them he had just been robbed by three women on S.W. Holden St. Just minutes earlier, before making contact with the victim, these officers had seen three people running along 12 Ave. S.W. They were unable to locate these potential suspects later.

The victim explained that he had gotten off the bus at 9 Ave. S.W. and Holden St. and was walking home when the three suspects approached him. One of the women ordered him to give them everything he had. The victim refused and began pleading with them and asking why they were doing this to him.

At that point the three women began grabbing and punching the victim, ripping items out of his pockets and off of him at the same time. One suspect grabbed and held the victim while another one punched him in the face. The third suspects pulled his backpack off and pulled belonging away what she could while he was being beaten. Once they had gotten everything the three women ran away northbound on 12 Ave. S.W.

By Kyra-lin Hom

There is a modern, 'tried and true' narrative of addiction. It involves chemicals, brain structure, something called the reward circuit, maybe another thing called the pleasure principle – and quite simply it's all very neurologically technical. But what if the story isn't quite that complicated? Or rather, what if the important, complicated bits aren't the ones we think they are?

A reexamination of a classic rat experiment asks just these questions. And it isn't a modern reexamination either. The initial experiment is one you might be familiar with thanks to 1980's adverts by Drug-Free America. A researcher put a lone rat in a sterile, blank cage with two water bottles. One bottle contained regular water, the other water laced with cocaine. The rat eventually drank the drug-laced liquid until it died of an overdose. The conclusions seemed clear and overwhelming.

By Pat Cashman

There is a rest stop near Ellensburg that we always seem to stop at when traveling east of the mountains. I don’t know who planned the location, but it seems to be positioned exactly in the right place at the right time. And the right time usually comes after a tall coffee or two.

There is nothing particularly interesting about the men’s lavatory---but the female facility has a spectacular juxtaposition of two small signs affixed to the door. Together, they make for an unwitting and provocative statement: WOMEN. SLIPPERY WHEN WET.

It’s fun discovering things like that---little glints of gold that sometimes emerge from an unlikely pan of sand.
Someone recently sent me a link to such splendid mis-signage---and here are just a few of the gems:
TOILET ONLY FOR DISABLED EDLERLY PREGNANT CHILDREN. That particular toilet must not have many qualified users.

Bathrooms seem to be hubs for weird signs. Like this one:

By Anastasia Stepankowsky

West Seattle pitcher Gabby Wenn only allowed one run and kept the strikeouts coming as the Wildcats took a 5-1 win over Kennedy Catholic in a short preseason jamboree Saturday at Southwest Athletic Complex.

While Wenn pitched with mid-season sharpness, the Lancers’ hurler Sofie Wimer struggled with the strike zone. She walked several batters, threw several wild pitches and struck a batter. The walks put the Wildcats in good scoring position throughout the afternoon.

West Seattle plays at Bethel at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Kennedy Catholic plays at Holy Names at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

By Ed Shepherd, SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
03/14/2015

And, they're off!

Local, high school, soccer teams kicked off its playing season with the 2015 Highline Public Schools Jamboree Saturday.

The Tyee Totems were the only team to win both its games, but, the Evergreen Wolverines did respectable, getting a loss, but, also, a comeback tie, in action at Highline Memorial.

Of teams there, Highline, Mount Rainier, Tyee, Evergreen, each team only played two of the other teams. And, that's fine, this was not a tournament of any sort, the crown, for first, is very little, even, more of a hat than anything else, as the Totems coach knew by calling this 'a good test,' afterward.

And, that's justit, this is just a primer event, a feel-out process, for coaches to experiment with line-ups, and, players to play in a game-like situation. Games are 20 minutes long, not, 80 minutes, like regular season soccer games. And, there are no halves in jamboree.

By Gwen Davis

A call-to-action meeting on Sat. morning addressed the future of undeveloped land in southeast West Seattle. The public spaces are in the process of being sold to developers. The facilitators, including Cass Turnbull of TreePAC are against the proposal, and want the land to become a public Myers Park. The meeting informed participants about the nature of the acres and how they can stop the city.

Approximately 10 people attended the meeting, located at the multi-use 201 S. Hudson St. building.

There are other environmentally sustainable uses for the land, Turnbull said, including turning them into open spaces, with community vegetable gardens and providing places for kids to play. There could be an ordinance that makes open spaces a public utility.

“Do you want commercial development or these sustainable solutions?” Turnbull asked.

The Alki Homestead is hopefully on its way to being restored. At a press conference held at West Seattle's Log House Museum the announcement of the sale of the historic building was made on March 14.

New owner Dennis Schilling said he bought the building from Tom Lin because it's interesting and challenging. "Why do something that's mundane or boring?"

The sale of 1904 log building, first known as Fir Lodge and for the past 65 years as the Alki Homestead restaurant, was closed on Friday, March 13.

Schilling, who does not know how long restoration will take, is consulting with a structural engineer before taking the first hands-on steps at restoration, and he is studying a variety of uses for the Alki Homestead, including reopening a restaurant there, once it is habitable. "I've had suggestions that it be an event center and other things so we shall see. You don't want me running a restaurant," he said. If it does go ahead as a restaurant it would be leased to another operator for that purpose.

"I may hit some roadblocks along the way," said Schilling who was surprised at the turnout for the press conference, "so don't call me a hero yet."

Over six Seattle Police squad cars are parked in front of a home at 10500 block of Dayton Avenue North in North Greenwood after a home invasion that sent one victim to the hospital with serious injuries.

Officers have secured the north and south areas of the street and are not allowing press or motorists close to the scene. Sirens and a helicopter can be heard overhead as officers secure the area.

No details have been released as to where the suspect is, and officers would not speak to the press about the incident.

Look for the Ballard News-Tribune for details as this story develops.

The long dormant Alki Homestead, after some touch and go negotiations, and on again, off again plans, looks like it's ready to be restored. A press conference to make the official announcement is set for 9am on March 14 at the Homestead by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.

The historic structure has sat boarded up and unoccupied since a fire ravaged it in 2009. In recent conversations with owner Tom Lin he indicated that a deal was imminent with developer Dennis Schilling, who previously rebuilt the Shoremont Apartments on Alki.

That deal was based on Schiling's ability to get the support of the the Landmark Preservation Board, the Historical Society and others. Schilling said he planned to first work on the southeast corner of the 1905 building, something the board decided fell under the definition of repair and not restoration work.

Lin and Schilling were unavailable for comment.

Back again to tempt you is the Taste of West Seattle on May 21. Over 50 restaurants, breweries, and bakeries are expected to take part. Last year 600 came to the Hall at Fauntleroy 9131 California Ave SW to enjoy tastes from around the peninsula all in support of the West Seattle Helpline.

The event runs from 6 to 9pm.

Each restaurant will offer at least 300 tastes.

There will be a Best Taste contest, allowing attendees to vote on their favorite Taste.

VIP Tickets: $95- Includes early entry at 6:00 pm, VIP seating, entry in a VIP raffle drawing, and more.
General Admission: $50- Includes unlimited samples of food and beverages at the Taste.
Must be 21 and over. Bring ID! All IDs will be checked at the door.

Tickets available now available.

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1228817