May 2019

Seatlle police performing a welfare check in the 8800 block of 35th encountered what turned out to be a death and hazmat investigation on Friday, May 10. 

The person had not been heard from for more than two months so entry was made into an apartment but two Seattle Police officers were made sick by something in the room but was able to verify the person was dead. They were forced to withdraw and were taken to Harborview Medical Center but only as a precaution. 

Seattle Fire sent a HazMat response team in the event there was in fact a hazardous substance in the apartment.

Hazmat determined that the odor that drove officers out was a mixture of bleach and ammonia which can generate chlorine gas, an extremely toxic substance.

West Seattle's Amanda Knox whose story of wrongful conviction for murder in Italy gripped the media will return to that country for the first time this June. She will speak at an Innocence Project event June 14-15 in Modena. She will speak on the role of the media in judicial errors on the last day of the conference.

Writing on Twitter she said, "The Italy Innocence Project didn't yet exist when I was wrongly convicted in Perugia. I'm honored to accept their invitation to speak to the Italian people at this historic event and return to Italy for the first time."

She has been working with the Innocence Project for the last few years, traveling the country and speaking. Knox also announced her engagement to Chris Robinson last November.

A new "Welcome to West Seattle" sign, located on the West Seattle west bound freeway was unveiled on Wednesday. A small group of community organizers was on hand for the event.

It was made possible by Adah Rhodes Cruzen who provided a gift of $100,000 for the sign and a sustainable maintenance plan.

Adah made the donation on behalf of the estate of her late husband, Earl Cruzen, who died Jan. 23, 2017, at the age of 96.

Earl is recognized for bringing three groups together, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, the Junction Merchants Association and the West Seattle Trusteed Properties, as the Junction Development Committee.

 The Seattle Police Department is holding a public outreach event dubbed "Cop-i-Con", a nod to other cultural 'con" events. The event will give the public a chance to learn more about police operations, crime prevention, and meet the officers involved. A family oriented event Cop-i-Con will feature food, a kids bicycle obstacle course, photo booth, bouncy house and more.