January 2009

Jan. 18 at approximately 3:21 a.m., officers responded to the 1800 block of Southwest Dawson Street to a report that someone had just shot up a house.

The caller reported hearing several shots hitting his house and a car driving away from the scene possibly east bound on Dawson Street. The caller was unable to provide a description of the vehicle or of the possible shooter(s).

Officers arrived and immediately began securing the scene, and interviewing the occupants of the home.

With the holiday season behind us, gift giving is no longer the first thing on most peoples' minds. Unfortunately that means fewer donated items on the shelves of food banks this time of year.

Thanks to the Park West Skilled Nursing Center, 1703 California Ave., and Swedish Physicians-West Seattle Clinic, 3400 California Ave., a collection of food and money has been donated to the West Seattle Food Bank.

"We wanted to help replenish the West Seattle Food Bank after the holidays," said Park West administrator Brett Ottley.

After our article "A Half-Century of Happiness for the Olsens," appeared in our West Seattle Herald 12-29-08 issue, an Olsen family member contacted us to point out the following inaccuracies.

Jerry Olsen, Ken and Donna's son, is an electrician. Steve Hance, the husband of their daughter Virginia Hance, is CFO of Evergreen Vending, not the other way around as reported.

The Bremerton camera shop where Ken Olsen first worked was managed by Bill and Virginia LeBeau.

Several events are happening in West Seattle to celebrate the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States

West 5 is celebrating inauguration day with Happy Hour all day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and $4 bloody Mary's and mimosas. Warning; there are no TV's at West 5.

The West Seattle Democratic Women will host breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the West Seattle Golf Course, 4470 35th Ave. S.W. 6 p.m.

There's also an Inaugural Dinner/Gala at The Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 California Ave. S.W.

A local man took a trip to King County Jail after he punched his estranged wife so hard that he tore her spleen and bruised her ribs.

Concerned friends called 911 when they went to check on a friend they hadn't heard from in several days and found a suicide note taped to a TV. Officers did a more thorough check of the residence and found several knives on a bed and dried blood on a bathroom wall and on a bath mat.

Powder is a beautiful white German Shepard and at 8 years of age has seen her share of issues but is still very active and loves her life. James Hopper, her owner said, "Powder has had two 'Doggie ACL' operations on her knees and is a breast cancer survivor, she's pretty resilient." We caught up with them at the Hiawatha playfield next to West Seattle High School. "This is her favorite park," said James, "and she loves to come here and chase squirrels, though I never let off the leash." Powder also enjoys going out the boat and helps pick up crab pots.

The West Seattle and Fauntleroy YMCA would like to thank our members and community for once again supporting our Holiday Giving Tree project. The Giving Tree helps brighten the holidays for many families who struggle to meet basic needs like food and shelter.

In spite of the snow and ice, in spite of tough economic times, hundreds of YMCA members and West Seattle residents brought in gifts for kids, teens, and adults from 65 different families.

Have you heard? Have you seen? Basketball referees are "whistling pink" in January.

Through January 24, basketball officials throughout King County will blow PINK WHISTLES at all high school, junior high, and middle school games. The goal is to call attention to Breast Cancer... and to encourage students, parents, and fans of the game to make a financial contribution to organizations that support research to end this terrible disease.

The Seattle Officials'-Women's Basketball and Pacific NW Basketball Association comprise over 300 referees.

It's the third Saturday of the month and that means Seattle Animal Shelter's "Cool City Pets Day." Volunteer Critter Team members woo moms and dads of wide-eyed children to take home an equally wide-eyed rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, or rat, if it is a well-suited family, of course.

The shelter, housed in that nifty well-organized facility resembling a modern preschool with green awnings on 15th Avenue West, defines a "critter" as any adoptable animal other than a dog or cat.

The Seattle Parks Department plans to appoint a Citizen Oversight Committee at the end of February for the newly re-passed Pro Parks Levy and presented the Seattle City Council with actions and steps they've taken so far for the levy's implementation.

In February, the department is expected to forward legislation to the city council to appropriate funding for projects to be done and staffing changes they will have to make to administer the levy in 2009.

The staff chosen for the Citizen Oversight Committee will meet once a month and direct expenditures of the Opportunity F