May 2016

Police are investigating after they found a man dead this morning in the alleyway between Umpqua Bank and Johnny’s Ballard Shoe Services on 22nd Avenue N.W.

The initial call was made at 8:36 a.m. The caller reported a man down in the alley and not breathing. Police and emergency units were dispatched and found the man dead.

The Ballard News-Tribune called Johnny’s Shoe Service and an employee said she hadn’t seen the body, but police were outside the shop when she opened.

Right now Seattle Police Department report the man was dead on arrival. They was no mention of foul play.

Look to the Ballard News-Tribune as the story develops.

The controversial 5-4 vote to disallow the street vacation to clear the way for a SODO Arena led to a lot of anger on the part of people who saw the vote as the way to bring the NBA back to Seatle and the NHL to have a home here too.

In an email to constituents and supporters Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold explained her position and the reasons behind it.

By Lisa Herbold

Many people have written me about the street vacation proposed for Occidental Avenue South. This was not an easy vote to cast—I have heard from many people that I respect on both sides of the issue. When Monday, from the dais, the direction of the vote became obvious, I felt no joy, nor victory. The disappointment of my colleagues and that of the fans in the room was palpable. I too felt a pang of empathy for the people who have been engaged in a four years long campaign to bring back to Seattle a sport they love.

A 17-year-old male was arrested by King County Sheriff's deputies after a teenage girl was shot to death just before 11pm Wednesday May 4 in Burien. He was booked into the Youth Services Center. According to the Sheriff's office the shooting took place at the Spring Creek Apartments located at 615 SW Ambaum Boulevard near Highline High School

People in the area, according to the Sheriff reported hearing one shot, followed shortly by two others, and could see a female lying motionless in the common hallway to one of the apartment buildings.

9-1-1 was called and paramedics and first responders tried to save her life.

Sgt. Jason Houck of the King County Sheriff’s Office said, “It’s likely that she knew or had contact with the person that shot her before this happened.”

VERGE ArtsWest's Annual Gala & Auction is set for June 11 at the Seattle Design Center, 5701 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108, Doors will open at 5:30pm.

The event will feature a silent auction.

Enjoy a full hosted bar, wine, and delicious hors d'oeuvres while you bid on fantastic auction items. Each ticket comes with your choice of one of three fabulous dinner entrees catered by Herban Feast.

Single ticket: $125

Guest Table: $1,250 per table of 10

Patron Sponsor Tickets: $150 per person, includes premium seating and recognition in auction catalog

Patron Sponsor Table: $1,500 per table of 10, includes includes premium seating and recognition in auction catalog

Buy tickets here: https://artswest.ejoinme.org/tickets

ArtsWest is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax-exempt to the fullest extent allowed by law. Fair Market Value of each ticket is $75.

The event is being sponsored by Lasher, Holzapfel, Sperry & Ebberson FLLC, The Johnsons at Windermere,
West Seattle Thriftway, Wiseman Appliance, Ventana Construction.

information from West Seattle Hi-Yu

Please join the Hi Yu royalty for an afternoon tea to be held at the Hall at Fauntleroy located at 9131 California Ave SW from 2-4:30 on May, 22, 2016.

This traditional event features sweet and savory treats, a silent auction, and, of course, tea. This event is the primary fundraiser for Hi Yu and raises scholarship and float funds so please join us! Each ticket is $25, and you may purchase tickets online at

westseattlehiyu.com. (Each $25 increment is one ticket, and we will contact you for further information.)

Any questions? Please email info@westseattlehiyu.com or call Christina at 206-938-2141.

Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the community to learn about the opportunity, and first step in a process, to expand Cove Park through a land swap with King County. This property, 8923 Fauntleroy Way SW, with 35 feet of beach front property, is immediately to the north of Cove Park in West Seattle, which lies just to the north of the Fauntleroy Ferry dock. Seattle Parks and Recreation planner, Chip Nevins, will present the proposed project, answer questions and gather community input about the proposed trade.

In 2015 King County Wastewater Treatment Division finished the upgrade to the Barton Pump Station, next to the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal, to accommodate West Seattle’s growing population. As part of the construction of the new pump station, King County acquired the property just to the north of SW Barton Street, which was used as their temporary construction offices. Now that the project is finished, King County no longer needs the property and is proposing to trade it to the City in exchange for the vacation of the portion of the SW Barton Street right-of-way where the pump station is constructed.

Information provided by SPD

Thanks to everyone who participated in Saturday’s National Drug Take Back Day . The unwanted/unused/expired drugs have been safely turned over to the DEA. The public turned in 1,032 pounds of drugs between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm Saturday.

This program happens twice a year, so there will be another opportunity in the fall. Here is a breakdown by precincts:

West Precinct: 57.6 lbs.
South Precinct: 82.0 lbs.
North Precinct: 398.64 lbs.
Southwest Precinct: 280.62 lbs.
East Precinct: 213.62 lbs.

North Seattle inventor, August Graube has been selected as the grand prize winner for Microsoft’s Small Business Contest and will be awarded $20,000 to go towards his business, Fort Boards, which makes large-scale construction toys for children.

Fort Boards was one of ten businesses selected from hundreds from around the U.S. in the second year of this annual contest. After the panel selected the ten finalists, the winner was decided by a public vote and the final standings were announced last Tuesday.

“It’s pretty exciting. I’m still trying to wrap my head around winning,” said Graube.

The top four businesses included an Ohio company making therapeutic bone broths, a Bothell business that connects customers with undiscovered artists, a Kansas City vintage décor store, and Fort Boards.

For this online voting contest the finalists all raced out to garner support across a variety of social platforms. Graube had already established a strong social media-marketing base since launching Fort Boards last summer. However, Graube said that some companies were way ahead of him, especially at the start.

information from the Burien Police Dept.

This morning a reckless driver sped by a State Trooper on SR 509 who clocked his speed on radar at 112 MPH. The driver exited at So. 128 and lost control, striking a large rock in someone’s yard. According to witnesses, he then jumped from his car and began to run away, before returning to his car to retrieve something…his pet monkey!

Burien officers found him and his partner- in-crime nearby and placed them both into custody for leaving the scene of an accident. Once we determined the monkey was not the driver, we released him to a family member since he was only engaged in monkey business.

Information provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses economically impacted by the Greenwood neighborhood natural gas explosion that occurred on March 9, 2016, SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet announced today. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster following a request received on April 29, from Gov. Jay Inslee.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Chelan, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Pierce, Snohomish and Yakima counties.

“The U.S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer‑focused response possible to assist Washington’s small businesses with federal disaster loans. We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of this disaster,” said Administrator Contreras-Sweet.