July 2016

Officials investigate single locomotive derailment in Tukwila
235 Amtrak riders traveling north between Portland and Seattle were delayed just after noon on June 26 after a derailment in Tukwila. According to Amtrak officials, the train was traveling at 5 miles per hour or less as it passed through Tukwila. Upon examination of the derailment, emergency responders found that no fuel was lost and that the derailment was limited to the single lead locomotive. Passengers were transported to King Street Station in Seattle via bus. At time of publication, investigators have yet to determine the cause of the derailment. No passengers or crew reported injuries as a result of the derailment. 

Bystanders rescue 12-year-old girl at SeaTac’s Angle Lake

While attending Ballard High School, John McCants never thought that paying attention in math class would one day help him succeed in real estate investment, but he found out knowing the numbers is the foundation to making good real estate decisions.

McCants was born in a Ballard and grew up at Olympic Manor. When he was young he delivered the Ballard News-Tribune in the Loyal Heights and North Beach area. He worked for his father’s independent insurance company and eventually saw the office close. Then McCants found himself in real estate.

“Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, I noticed a difference in people who owned small apartment buildings and commercial properties. It’s just a different mindset. They run their own business, and I saw that is what was paying them. And then my high school buddies did the same thing and became contractors or property owners. That caught my interest – having property working for them instead of punching a clock,” said McCants

By Peggy Sturdivant

At 10 a.m. on a Thursday morning a librarian unlocked the new White Center Library where I was attending a meeting. A bit stunned by the glass, vaulted ceilings and bold art and glass I was delighted to see something familiar…a stack of the just delivered Westside Weeklies with my column on the back page.

In my insular focus on Ballard I never gave much thought to the paper’s other neighborhoods. In a new library where I felt like a stranger I realized my ignorance of the larger community, one that is glorious and challenging in its ethnic diversity. White Center, Burien/Highline, SeaTac, Des Moines, West Seattle…by dint of cutting printing costs in an effort to keep publishing we’re now linked in old-fashioned newsprint.

“I used to read you,” say people in Ballard, many unaware the Ballard News-Tribune still exists. But in the last 20+ months I’ve been hearing from new readers like Carol Ellis and West Seattle subscriber Karl Krull who shared that he is still waiting for a response from Governor Inslee’s office with the simple question, “Are you committed to buying local?”

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

West Seattle broke out its bats and clobbered Renton, 12-2, in the winners bracket final of the District 7 Major Little League baseball all-star tournament Tuesday.

The Westsiders now advance straight to Friday's 6 p.m. provisional championship at their own Bar-S complex.
They will need to be defeated twice to be derailed in their quest to take the title and advance to the state tournament in Bellevue.

Should West Seattle lose Friday the if-necessary second game would be at 10 a.m. Saturday.

State action opens July 23 at Hidden Valley.

A 29-year-old convicted felon was arrested by Seattle Police late on July 4 after he reportedly fired an assault rifle into the air near Delridge Way SW.

Officers were in the area near the 4100 block of 25th Avenue Southwest around 11:30 PM when they heard the sounds of gunfire. They began driving through the neighborhood and were subsequently flagged down by several people in the 4200 block of Southwest Dakota Street.

They were told that a group of men had emerged from home on the block and fired a rifle into the air before going back inside the house.

According to the Seattle Police Blotter:
"Officers went to the home, contacted 10 people inside, and arrested the 29-year-old resident. He admitted he had fired his AK-47-style assault rifle in the air following a celebratory round of fireworks at his home.

Police found the gun stashed behind a washing machine in the home and booked the man–who is a convicted felon and unable to legally possess firearms–into the King County Jail for unlawful possession of a firearm. No one was injured in the incident."

Salty's on Alki is the host for Cancer Pathways — formerly Gilda's Club — a fundraiser on July 12, 2016.

Cancer Pathways offers programs of education, support and community options for men, women, teens and children living with cancer along with their families and friends. Programs are offered in Seattle and throughout the State with collaborating partners in varied locations such as hospitals, community centers and schools.

Originally named in honor of Gilda Radner, who, when describing the emotional and social support she received when she had cancer, called for such places of participation, education, hope and friendship to be made available for people with cancer and their families and friends everywhere.

information from City of Seattle

Trees for Neighborhoods is the City of Seattle's residential tree planting project. Since 2009, Trees for Neighborhoods has helped Seattle residents plant over 6,300 trees in their yards and along the street. That's 6,300 more trees working to clean our air and water, make our streets more walkable, and our neighborhoods healthier! Learn more about the benefits of neighborhood trees here.

Trees for Neighborhoods participants receive:

• Free trees (up to 4 per household, lifetime max of 8).
• A watering bag & mulch for each tree
• Training on proper planting and care
• Assistance applying for street tree planting permits
• Ongoing care reminders and future pruning workshop opportunities

Check out some photos from past years to learn more about the process.

How to Apply

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Little League
All-Star Tournaments
Major Little League all-star baseball District 7 tournament action is being held at the Bar-S complex in West Seattle this week.

West Seattle was set to play Renton in the winner's bracket final at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with the winner advancing to Friday's 6 p.m. provisional championship needing to be defeated twice to miss state.

The loser falls into the losers bracket final at 6 p.m. Thursday and plays the winner of Wednesday's 6 p.m. game between Seattle Central and Rainier District. Thursday's winner goes to Friday's championship play.
If the undefeated team loses Friday, the if-necessary game takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday.
The South Highline National Intermediate team will host state tournament action at the Underwood complex this weekend and plays its first game at 11 a.m. Sunday. The winner plays again at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and the loser plays at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

From King County Sheriff

July 4 around 11:30pm King County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of two women shot near S. 112th St. and 1 Ave S.

The women were with a group of people lighting off fireworks at that location. Witnesses said a white car was driving erratically back and forth in between the area where the group was lighting fireworks. When the vehicle stopped nearby a man from the group approached the vehicle to yell at the driver to stop driving recklessly.

An altercation occurred between the man and two people in the car. During the altercation shots rang out and two women in the group were shot. It is unknown at this time if the shots came from the occupants of the car.

The woman who was shot in the back is a pregnant, 24 year old Burien woman. She was taken to Harborview and is in serious but stable condition. The other woman, 46 from Seattle, was taken to Highline Hospital with a gunshot wound to her foot.

From King County Sheriff

July 4 around 11:30pm King County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of two women shot near S. 112th St. and 1 Ave S.

The women were with a group of people lighting off fireworks at that location. Witnesses said a white car was driving erratically back and forth in between the area where the group was lighting fireworks. When the vehicle stopped nearby a man from the group approached the vehicle to yell at the driver to stop driving recklessly.

An altercation occurred between the man and two people in the car. During the altercation shots rang out and two women in the group were shot. It is unknown at this time if the shots came from the occupants of the car.

The woman who was shot in the back is a pregnant, 24 year old Burien woman. She was taken to Harborview and is in serious but stable condition. The other woman, 46 from Seattle, was taken to Highline Hospital with a gunshot wound to her foot.