July 2011

KCSO Captain Joseph Hodgson said crime in North Highline/White Center over the last couple of months is a “good news/bad news scenario” during a North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting last week.

The good news, he said, is that (with the exception of residential burglaries and assaults) crime is down looking over an eight-month period.

Residential burglaries are up
“Generally, … things are down but we have seen a significant spike in residential burglaries," Capt. Hodgson said. "I talked to the detectives today … and right now there is very little information. They are doing their best to develop some evidence and trying to find something that points them in the right direction but right now there’s not much.”

“The typical MO on these has been to knock on a front door and upon getting no response kicking in the front door,” or going around back to gain entry.

Capt. Hodgson recommended turning on lights, a radio or TV to make it seem like someone is home and recommended cutting back landscaping so neighbors can see suspicious activity at a house.

Drug activity and public intoxication in White Center

Ballard Organics will be closing doors at the end of this week, owner Ben Busby-Collins announced.

Despite their fundraising efforts earlier this year, and the downsizing of the company, Ballard Organics cannot survive.

At the start of February, Busby-Collins announced that Ballard Organics is in trouble and needed community support to stay open. The plea for help received a great response through customers buying soap or stock. In three weeks, Ballard Organics made an equivalent of four months in sales but it wasn't enough to stay in their manufacturing site.

In a phone interview at that time, Busby-Collins aid, "I'm definitely nervous. I started this company six years ago in my kitchen. I love my product and want the company to succeed."

By Gerardo Bolong

Offensive outbursts were major themes during West Seattle's unbeaten march to the 2011 Washington District Seven Little League Majors 11-12 year old All-Star baseball championship.

On Friday, July 8, West Seattle used its bruising bats to subdue Rainier 12-3 for the title, avoiding an additional provisional championship game. With the win, the West Siders completed a four-game tournament sweep and qualified for the state championship which begins July 23 in Vancouver.

"Today was very exciting," admitted veteran West Seattle manager John Coats. "You never know what's going to happen. The team stayed mentally focused. All the kids worked hard and earned it. It was fun to play at home. For state we have more hard work. There's a few things on defense that we need to check. We'll have to keep our focus and take our mind set to state. We can't let state intimidate us. They'll also need to remember to have fun."

Someone broke the cable lock to gain entry into a secured construction site on S. Kenyon St. on July 5. Once inside the unknown suspect(s) apparently used the front bumper of a white 2007 Lexus ES to break through the doors of several storage boxes on site. Pipes and fittings were stolen and the Lexus’s front bumper, along with a license plate, was left as evidence. Police ran the license plate and records show the Lexus was an insurance owned “total loss” with a report of sale in April 2011.

The annual Hi-Yu breakfast for 2011 will be held Saturday July 16 at the Admiral Congregational Church Hall, 4320 SW Hill Street. Breakfast will be served from 9:00am to Noon, prices are $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for kids under 12, all money raised supports the Scholarship Program for Women.

On the Breakfast Menu: Eggs, Bacon, muffins, juice and coffee.

Breakfast prepared by Sheryl Bogie and served by volunteers from the West Seattle Mars Hill Church.

2011 Junior and Senior Court will be speaking and Junior Court will be performing a dance at 10:00am

1st appearance of the Newly Crowned 2012 Junior Court (Jr Court Coronation is Friday 7/15/11 at Hiawatha Kids Festival).

2011 Button will be available for purchase.

They will be accepting donations for Westside Baby and West Seattle Food Bank at the door.

West Seattle Hi-Yu is a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers and relies on the support of the West Seattle community to fund our Scholarship Program for Women and to construct and transport the float that represents West Seattle in parades throughout the Pacific Northwest.

2011 West Seattle Hi-Yu Community Breakfast
West Seattle Hi-Yu invites the Community to Breakfast! Our annual breakfast will be held Saturday July 16th at the Admiral Congregational Church Hall, 4320 SW Hill Street. Breakfast will be served from 9:00am to Noon, prices are $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for kids under 12, all money raised supports the Scholarship Program for Women. Please join us to learn more about West Seattle Hi-Yu and to meet this year’s royalty. West Seattle Hi-Yu will also be accepting donations for Westside Baby and West Seattle Food Bank. We hope to see you there!!!

Discovery Shop
4535 California Ave S.W.
206 937 7169
50% OFF Men’s wear: Sundays in July. 50% OFF blue -tagged items: thru Wednesday, July 20.The American Cancer Society Discovery Shop is open Sundays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m, All other days 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m

High School or College-age Mentors Needed for Summer Science Club
High Point Neighborhood House
6400 Sylvan Way S.W.
Contact Shuby at 206-588-4900 ext. 613

Summer Science at High Point Neighborhood House
6400 Sylvan Way S.W.

On Friday, July 8, at approximately 11:35 p.m. an officer on patrol in the 300 block of Northwest 95th Street noticed smoke emitting from the front cab of a parked vehicle.

After trying to determine if anyone was inside the truck, the officer used her patrol car’s fire extinguisher to put out most of the flames. SFD responded and totally extinguished the fire. The Fire Marshall responded to the scene and made a preliminary determination of arson.

The owner of the truck was located and interviewed.

Nobody was injured as a result of the fire and there are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of any suspects is asked to call 911 or Seattle Police and refer to this incident.

Brian Allen, Chas Redmond and Jeff Upthegrove are behind a new effort in West Seattle to reject Referendum 1 on the deep bore tunnel. They hope to raise money for the campaign with a house party on Friday, July 15 but are urging those opposed to the referendum and the tunnel itself to help with any size donation.

Allen writes in his inviation, "We'll have snacks & drinks, and I'll have the grill available if you want to bring your favorite foods to cook up.  

Please RSVP by replying back to this message or calling me at (206) 973-7374.
This FRIDAY July 15, 7-11pm Brian's place: 6750 35th Ave SW

You don't have to wait for the party to donate however, just visit http://protectseattlenow.org/donate to help the campaign right now (every bit counts).

If you'd like to get even more involved in the campaign as a volunteer, go to http://protectseattlenow.org/volunteer and fill out their handy volunteer form."

They share their mission statement:

It was a sunny fun- and food-filled weekend in downtown Ballard as thousands converged on Ballard for some delicious seafood and live entertainment.

Some of the highlights included the Lutefisk Eating Contest, Stan Boreson and other musicians on the main stage , a salmon BBQ cooked by the maritime industry, Viking spirit, Canadian jugglers in the streets, bacon-wrapped scallops, and a packed beer garden.

The SBX Marine Radar dome, in port at Harbor Island since mid May, has about another 30 days worth of work to be done before it is redeployed. But for the time being, on summer evenings it resembles either the moon come down to earth or the biggest golf ball ever made as it resides, bathed in light in it's berth at the Vigor Shipyards.

The view from Salty's on Alki, always the best view of Seattle in Seattle has been altered this spring in summer by the dome's presence on the skyline.

The West Seattle Herald covered the SBX when it arrived here last May.