July 2011

Isaiah Kalebu was today convicted of aggravated first-degree murder in the brutal rape and murder of South Park resident Teresa Butz in July of 2009, also of the attempted murder of Jen Hudson, Butz's partner, of rape and burglary.

Kalebu will most likely be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He was not in the courtroom when the verdict was read.

Kalebu entered the home of Teresa Butz and Ms. Hudson in the South Park neighborhood, raping and stabbing them during a two-hour attack. Hudson identified him and his DNA was found at the crime scene.

He is also suspected in an arson that killed his aunt and one of her tenants in Pierce County, but has not been charged due to a lack of forensic evidence.

You can read our related article from Wednesday's courtroom scene here:

It took the jurors less than two days to find him guilty. Hudson was present and became emotional as the verdicts were read.

Sentencing will be Aug. 12.

 Press release;
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews plan to perform maintenance work on several bridges next week, listed below.  This work is subject to change in the event that crews are called to another location for emergency work.
 
July 5
West Seattle Bridge
Crews will close the eastbound, right curb lane just east of the Andover pedestrian bridge from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. while they repair a rail that was damaged in an accident.
 
July 6
4th Avenue South, from Weller to Airport Way
Crews will keep at least one lane in each direction open while they repair expansion joints between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
 

West Seattle Herald photographer David Rosen received an email from a West Seattle resident on Beach Drive calling his attention to a particularly patriotic display.

He shares that it was, "7 pairs of combat boots with plants - and American flags in them, with a little sign that says, " Plants for Patriotism Happy birthday, USA". They're on a ledge in front of a home at 4205 Beach Dr. SW.

They are free for people to take for either their loved ones who are serving or a decoration for your home. "When I went back a short time later there were only 4 boots remaining so they are being picked up fast."

BN Builders has been busy tearing down the former Denny Middle School on 30th Ave. s.w. with only a few walls left standing as of Aug. 6. The grading work on the eastern section of the six acre site is underway and crews are preparing the area for the next step toward installation of the softball field and tennis courts.

You can see the full plan for the project at the link above.

If you haven't seen the replacement for the old Denny, the West Seattle Herald story with slideshow is here.

Gene Bartol, a resident of the neighborhood since 1953, was opposed to the merging of Sealth and Denny but "the tennis courts and softball fields, I voted for the monies for it. It'll be nice, but I still don't think they should have mixed the young kids with the older kids. That's my feeling." He and his daughters came for the "last look" in June and, "they had tears in their eyes because they had good times."

Meerkats, grizzlies, orangutans, hippos, and even sow bugs will be treated this Fourth of July to a picnic featuring a menu of star-shaped popsicles, watermelons, corn on the cob and other picnic fare.

Presented by Zookeeper and Columbia Pictures, Red, White & Zoo is part of the animal care program at Woodland Park Zoo and the zookeepers’ ongoing efforts to help enrich the lives of the zoo’s animals, promote natural animal behavior, keep animals mentally stimulated and engage zoo visitors.

Red, White & Zoo takes place Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2, from 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

The special treat schedule is as follows:

Willawong Station 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Ocelots 11:45
Sow bugs morning/afternoon
Otters noon
Anoas 10:00
Hippos 10:30
Tigers 11:00
Golden lion tamarin monkeys 11:00
Elephants 11:30
Wolves 11:30
Orangutans 11:30
Sloth bear noon
Malayan sun bears 12:15
Gorillas 1:00
Meerkats 1:30
Pigs 1:30
Grizzlies 1:30
Lemurs 2:30

Update 4: July 7
It's official: SDOT has cleared up the treacherous sidewalk on Delridge Way S.W. across from Home Depot.

West Seattleite Kieth Ramsey is the one to thank for taking the issue into his own hands and making a YouTube video chronicling the overgrowth of weeds that forced pedestrians to walk in the street at times.

Here is a note from Kieth:
The Seattle Dept of Transportation came back out for a second day of mowing along Delridge Way SW between SW Orchard St and 21st Ave SW, today. The sidewalk on the East side of Delridge is now clear and passable. Pedestrians no longer have to step into the street and risk being hit by oncoming traffic while walking down the road. It is a success for the neighborhood. I'm relieved this hazard has been removed.

-Keith

Update 3: July 7
Mary Beth Turner of SDOT said the work would be completed before the end of the day. She spoke to the supervisor in charge of the work and was assured it will be handled. "He said it definitely would be done today," Turner said.

Update 2 July 6:

Where are you watching the fireworks? Impressed by the fireworks? Share your fireworks pictures with us! Send them to anner@robinsonnews.com to be posted on BallardNewsTribune.com

By: Christy Wolyniak

Brain-hungry and merciless, Seattle was determined to beat the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of zombies, previously held by New Jersey in 2010 counting 4,093 undead. Seattle zombies exploded in number as a sea of 4,522 bloody bodies scraped through Fremont on July 2 in ruthless victory.

“Our goal is to eradicate all of the zombies from the Fremont/Seattle area,” said Nerf Cop, Cashington Richworth.

Though some geared up to fight against the hundreds of undead, they were sorely outnumbered. Whether participants had a fascination with zombies and horror, of if they just wanted to take the family out and have fun with crazy makeup and costumes, all seemed to have a good time, though you could not tell by looking at them.

“I’m surprised how good [blood] tastes,” said zombie Steve Ringer who drove (or walked) 800 miles from San Francisco to spend the Fourth with friends and became a zombie in the process. Zesty mint-flavored blood made sure any dribbling zombies were breathing fresh.

By Cassandra Baker, Intern

2:28 p.m. on June 27th. 1st block of NW 85th St

A man walked out of a Greenwood area store without paying for a large selection of clothing. A store security officer observed the suspect taking jeans, Under Armour, underwear, and T-shirts out of the store without paying for them. When the officer confronted the suspect and told him to return the items, the suspect threatened to shoot or punch him. The suspect then fled eastbound on foot and the officer called 911.

The suspect is described as a black male about 30 years old, 5’8”, with a thin build and teardrop tattoos under his left eye. He was wearing a Florida Marlins baseball cap, dark jacket, and black pants.

5:04 p.m. on June 26th. 5th block of NW 42nd St

West Seattle waltzed past another opponent Thursday, June 30 to continue on its way back through the loser's bracket of the District 7 age 9-10 Little League baseball tournament.

The Westsiders pounded the Rainier District team, 10-1, to reach Friday's 6 p.m. loser's bracket final against PacWest, with the winner going on to play South Highline National in the championship game at 10 a.m. Saturday. If West Seattle or PacWest beats undefeated National, a second championship will be played at 10 p.m. Sunday with a state berth on the line.

West Seattle hopes to join its age 10-11 team in winning a District 7 title this year.

The age 9-10 Westsiders were derailed in their second tournament game by South Highline National, 9-7, but rebounded for a 21-1 win over South Highline American and then the 10-1 victory over Rainier.
West Seattle opened with one run in the top of the first inning as Chris Frost hit into an outfield error, stole second, went to third on a base hit by Henry Muench and scored on a wild pitch.

Three more runs were tacked on in the second inning.Three errors, one walk and a Frost single combined with two stolen bases for the score.