March 2012

Late night suspected burglar arrested
On March 5 around 11 p.m. a woman, her son and her sister were watching television in their 18th Ave S.W. home when they heard the kitchen door doorknob being turned loudly back and forth. The woman assumed her husband was home early from work, but when she looked to the window she saw a Hispanic male in his thirties wearing a black hat and black jacket. The unknown man beckoned with his finger for her to open the door. The woman quickly gathered her son and sister and they ran to the opposite side of the house before calling 911. When police arrived they found a suspect matching the victim’s description still standing very close to the house. He was positively identified by the victim and transported to the Southwest Precinct. Officers discovered the man had a felony Department of Corrections warrant (no additional details were given). A glass pipe used for smoking meth, a “hockey puck sized magnet,” box cutter and gloves were taken from the suspect and submitted as evidence.

Employee BBQ and irate driver don’t mix

Update for 9:15 am 3/12
Seattle Police Department said this morning:
"The victim is a white female, 30-50 years-old. The cause of death is unknown at this time. Homicide Detectives have responded to the scene out of an abundance of caution. This is all the information available at the time."

Update for 9 a.m., 3/12
Det. Renee Witt with the Seattle Police Department confirmed a body was spotted about 100 feet offshore around the 3700 block of Beach Dr. S.W. at 7:30 a.m.

The SPD Harbor Unit and Coast Guard responded to recover the body.

More details are expected from police shortly and we will update.

Original post
The Seattle Times is reporting this morning that a body was pulled from the water on Beach Drive s.w. this morning at approximately 7:30 am.

According to the Times report fire crews were called in and brought the body to shore then turned the investigation over to the Seattle Police Department.

This report will be updated as we get more information.

The movement that began on Wall Street and then spread worldwide has been in the process of re-inventing itself over the last few months and local meetings have been taking place to bring the movement's expression of protest and promotion of change directly to neighborhoods.

Locally Occupy West Seattle has been percolating for a few months now and on March 13th, 2012, the movement will deliver its first rally. Calling it their “birth,” the movement has chosen to introduce itself on March 13th for several reason all of them surrounding CHASE Bank.

In a press release the group said:

"1) This is the same day of national Occupy actions against CHASE, originally called for by Occupy Atlanta. Many newer Occupy Neighborhood groups all around Seattle, will be joining other groups across Washington & our nation protesting in solidarity. There will be a march through the West Seattle Junction to the local CHASE branch..

2) It’s JP Morgan CHASE CEO Jamie Dimon’s birthday. There will be a “celebration” for Mr. Dimon with cake, balloons, and music.

Beth Miller is currently in her 12th year as the Executive Director of the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, and has seen many changes in Ballard during that time. 

The number of residents and high rises have tripled, the economy tanked, commerce has changed, and what was once a quiet, independent neighborhood has become a trendy nightlife destination. 

Having been in the midst of it all, Miller says she remains hopeful about Ballard's future.

"A lot of people feel Ballard has changed so much, and that it's not the Ballard it once was," Miller said. "Yes, it has grown. Yes, it's getting more dense. But if we nurture that soul and community Ballard has, then it can still be the place we love. There is still that independent spirit and desire to make sure that where we live and work remains a great place."

Raised in Richmond Beach, Miller visited Ballard often growing up, and eventually settled down in East Ballard in 1994. 

She quickly got involved in the community, doing some neighborhood planning and organizing a summer festival. 

It seems that I may have upset the bike gods. Sunday was my first day back on a race bike since my crash two weeks ago and despite getting a flat in mile 4, I felt great. I returned from the race however to learn that the garage of my apartment complex had been broken into overnight and thieves had stolen numerous bikes, including my cyclocross bike.

Among the bikes stolen were a Redline, a Masi, a Cannondale, and a Fuji. The thieves who stole these bikes cut locks to get to them while ten other (and easier to grab) bikes were untouched. They knew what they were looking for: name brands that are easy to sell.

Below are descriptions of the stolen items. My neighbors and I would appreciate it if you will look out for them. (Click on image above to start slideshow).

- Redline Conquest. Silver with black lettering, blue handlebar tape, full fenders, spd pedals. Has a BikeWorks sticker on it.

- Cannondale Caad 4 Compact. Yellow with red and black lettering. Black handlebar tape. Fenders. Spd pedals.

Amanda Phillips, 17, Highline High School student, sings the country music song, "The House That Built Me", a hit by Miranda Lambert.

Phillips and other kids and teens performed Saturday, March 10, on stage in a tent set up in Burien Town Square during the Cove to Clover Talent Show.

CLICK ABOVE SLIDESHOW FOR MORE

St. Patricks Day seemed to be celebrated a week early during Buirien's Cove to Clover fundraising 5K and 10K races today as runners wearing wacky green outfits and accessories augmented the wooded streets of Normandy Park, and sparkled above the haystack at 20th by 152nd in Burien. Over 1.500 registered, and Ryan Prentice, 21, of Normandy Park came in first in the 10K race. Like a typical afternoon in Ireland, the sun burst briefly through the clouds, then was overcome by rain and wind, and then just a chill in the Eire, er, air.

And, as they say, everyone was a winner, even several dogs, some reluctant, slowing down their owners, others robust, pulling their human running mates up to help beat the snake.

Event organizer John Nelson, who seemed to be assisting at several places at the same time wore a green jacket and a smile when, at the end of the race, he told the Highline Times he was pleased with the turnout and weather.

Volunteers and founders of the Barton Street P-Patch, funded by the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces levy held a soft opening gathering on Sunday March 11 (see our previous story here). Plots have been assigned, based on work hours and some plantings are underway.

It was a potluck event, as community based events often are and even amid the occasional gust of wind and some persistent rain, people gathered to celebrate a truly homespun product of hard work, vision and determination.

"I love that this P-Patch is open to the community," said Maryann Petrocelli one of the original garden 'Mothers, "It's always been a space where people from this neighborhood come in and out to go to Tony's or go to the bus stop. So people who live on this side can still come in and out event if they are not gardening here. It's like a park, It's a hybrid to me." She and a neighbor answered the initial letter seeking comments from the city as to the fate of the land. "We were kind of the first people who got in touch with the Department of Neighborhoods and took soil samples."

By Kyle Howard

Chief Sealth opened their season against Seattle Lutheran on Saturday March 10, 2012. There was good fan support on both sides, even with the rainy weather. Seattle Lutheran was able to get a run early in the first inning, but Chief Sealth responded in the second with a three run rally in the second, that was started off by a solo home run to left field by Izach Bauer to tie the game at one. The Seahawks were able to play some small ball and advanced runners to get two more runs, one coming from a squeeze play with the runner scoring on a passed ball to make it 3-1.

Pitching was the key from then, a total of 15 strikeouts between the two teams. Seattle Lutheran was able to reach on an error in the top of the fourth inning which then lead to a run to pull their deficit within one. Down by one with the score 3-2 in the final inning Seattle Lutheran was able to get a rally going; with a single and two passed balls there was runners on second and third with two outs and with another base hit Seattle Lutheran took the lead 4-3.

Joining the growing ranks of businesses allied in the medical marijuana movement is CannaHealth, which opened on March 1 at 9477 35th Ave. s.w. The people behind the business are Chuck Haines, his daughter Allie Haines and Anthony Eigner.

Haines operates his own authorizing clinic in Tacoma called CannaPath, now in business for two years and CannaHealth is a "spin off" of sorts which Allie will run but she also runs another location in Olympia. Eigner is the managing staff for the West Seattle location.

The focus of the business is on promoting greater wellness through the use of medical marijuana. Clinics of this type became possible as Haines explained, "As of June, 10, 2010 they made an amendment to the RCW that not only MD's could sign the authorization but also naturopaths, nurse practitioners, and physicians assistants."