Seattle police increasing their presence along Beach Drive SW

March 27, 2012 by 4 Comments

By land and by sea, Seattle police are keeping their word regarding increased visibility along the Emma Schmitz Memorial Park.  This cruiser was spotted off the park Monday afternoon…

SafeParks

Is this show of force making you feel safer? According to Captain Paulsen of the SPD during his report to concerned residents on March 20, he stated:

One of the things I have done is thrown some extra patrol cars down in the area, it’s not so much going to catch somebody or anything, but … this type of crime causes a lot of fear and we want to subside that fear by having this presence down there for you all. … Trying to think what else I’d like to say in regards to that. (watch video on West Seattle Blog) 

According to many of the neighbors within a stones throw of Emma Schmitz, shedding some light on the park would help the nerves a whole lot more.  A little digging has uncovered a successful attempt to light up a nearby park just north named Cormorant Cove (just so happens that Greggettes body was recovered at this park).

ParkLighting

When asking Seattle City Light what needs to happen to get the same treatment for Emma Schmitz, a representative responded…

The flood light on the pole by Cormorant Cove Park is being paid for by HARBOR WEST CONDO HOA which is the condominiums right next door. The light is actually angled toward the condo's although it is illuminating the park area too. If you'd like a flood light at Emma Schmitz Park my advice is to contact and get approval from Sea. Parks & Recreation at (206)684-4075. The monthly fee for a 400 W flood is $17.64. 

Well, I can tell you that this particular light is squarely focused on the park. There's another light on the pole just to the south that illuminates the condos parking lot. Less than $20 bucks a month?… I'll bet 2 months of park lighting that other Beach Drive neighbors would kick into a fund for lighting the lower section of Emma Schmitz for years to come. 

 Scupper for Beach Drive Blog

Filed Under: Crime, In the News, Parks, Safety Tagged With: ,

Practice makes more perfect for various rescue agencies

March 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Blakely Rock off the northeast of Bainbridge Island is the scene of several public agencies working on polishing their on- shore & near-shore rescue techniques and procedures.  Among the participating agencies include the Coast Guard, various city fire departments, police, and the Washington State Fish and Wildlife.

  RescueExersises

The recent coverage from the Bainbridge Island Review mentioned that this is not the first year for these rescue exercises at Blakely Rock (a popular destination for Puget Sound divers & kayakers at low tide).  Corey Williams, technical trainer for Northwest Maritime Rescue was quoted…

“We are going to be running a couple different scenarios based on some search and rescues from last year; panicked swimmers and divers, … A lot of agencies have no problem getting the kayaker out of there, but they don’t know what to do with the kayak,” Williams said. “If they leave it there, will they go through the proper procedures of reporting the kayak?”

Given warmer weather approaching and the popularity of personal sized paddle craft, this is time well spent by these agencies. You never know when one those guys trolling for salmon from a paddle board actually catches something and gets yanked off their boards!

Scupper, for Beach Drive Blog

Filed Under: Dives, Events, In the News, Puget Sound

Four Beach Drive homes turn 100 this year! (…and another one bites the dust)

March 21, 2012 by 1 Comment

Happy 100th birthday wishes go out to four homes spread out along the Beach Drive strip. Here they are in all their vintage glory from south of Lowman Beach to north of Mee-Kwa-Mooks…

Happy100_1

Happy100_4

Happy100_2

Happy100_3

While all these homes are reported to have been built sometime in 1912, King County records may not exactly be the end-all in accuracy. Case in point comes from a fabulous publication "Celebrating 150 Years, Architectural History of West Seattle's North End" (which the owners of the most senior abode of the entire drive graciously lent to me). The assessor's office reports their 4701 Beach Drive home to have been born in 1900 yet research gathered for the book states…

Originally part of a 140-acre tract of land homesteaded during the 1860's by Leonard Oulet and his brother George, who were loggers, two structures at this location were mentioned in the Homestead Certificate from October 1869.

King county records listed several other homes with birthdays prior to 1912. Here's belated birthday wishes to two homes built in 1904, one in 1906, two in 1908, one in 1909, and  seven uh… make that six still hanging around from 1910…

2012-03-21_16-15-16_424

Note: There are great houses in the neighborhoods just off the main drag as well. If you are the owner of a 1912 beauty, let us know. You just may find a Beach Drive Blog Gnome sitting somewhere in your front yard!  

Scupper, reporting for BDB

 

Filed Under: Beach Drive Homes, Historic Homes

Beach Drive neighbors organizing a vigil and walk tonight at Emma Schmitz

March 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We received word this morning from a Beach Drive neighbor that a vigil and walk has been planned tonight, March 18th at 7:00 PM to remember Greggette Guy and to claim the parks as safe public space.

We'll gather at the north end of Emma Schmitz Park on the waterfront side of Beach Drive and walk the length of the park, carrying candles and flashlights as needed.  We'll accompany anyone who needs company on the walk home.

A warm thanks to our community for organizing this event! 

Filed Under: Crime, Current Affairs, Safety

Making our Beach Drive area parks safer

March 17, 2012 by 10 Comments

In light of the recent unsolved murder along Beach Drive, we're hearing from several neighbors that would like to make the Emma Schmitz Memorial Viewpoint/Mee-Kwa-Mooks park a safer area for both visitors and residents.

The most obvious area of concern is the lower, out of sight walkway that runs along the beach.

KidsandWalker

This section of Emma Schmitz Memorial park is known for it's drug scene, costly graffiti and now the likely scene of a second murder. For years, we have warned our kids to never walk down there when headed out towards Alki.

ViewFrmAbove

The first improvement should be better lighting… or any lighting at all given that there isn't any at this time. Another idea we're hearing (and totally behind of) is a permanent surveillance camera along with a few posted signs making people aware of it. A little less privacy is a small price to pay for being able to safely stroll on our sidewalks.

Beach Drive Blog is asking for help from any of you that have connections with the City or Parks Department to find out what it would take to make these improvements a reality. Several folks have already mentioned that they would chip in if necessary. 

God bless and rest in peace Greggette Guy

MemorialFlowers

Filed Under: Safety

Cause of death just announced for woman found in water off of 3800 block

March 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

We tend to leave these types of stories for the larger media circles but… the lack of information regarding the facts behind the body found off the 3800 block of Beach Drive was making us a bit uneasy. For the last 3 days, only rumors and here-say had going around about this unfortunate event. Some of it spooky, all of it sad. 

The Seattle Police Department just released:

Seattle Police are asking the public for assistance in an active homicide investigation.  On March 12th at approximately 7:30 a.m. a citizen reported seeing a body floating in Puget Sound approximately 30 feet off-shore of the 3800 block of Beach Drive SW.  Officers and detectives responded to the scene and have since determined that the deceased, a 51-year-old female from Kent, was murdered.

 

Homicide detectives believe the victim parked her car (see attached photo) in the 4400 block of Beach Drive SW on Sunday night, March 11th.  The victim had planned to take a walk along the beach but was found deceased just offshore the next morning.  The suspect(s) remain at large.

 

If you have information about this incident or if you saw any suspicious activity, vehicles or persons in the area on the evening of Sunday, March 11th, please call 911 or the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line at (206) 233-5000. Anonymous tips are welcome.

 

You can also call Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS.

 

The Seattle Police would like to remind everyone to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings anytime you are outdoors and especially in the hours of darkness.

This remains an active and on-going homicide investigation.


The King County Medical Examiner's media line identified the woman's name as Gergette Renee Guy out of Kent WA. Our deepest sympathy is with her family and to all that know her. 

Note: This stretch of Beach Drive has had it's share of tragedy. In August of 1993, a fatal shooting took place on a park bench just inside Mee-Kwa-Mooks park. 

 Scupper

Update 7:17PM

Spoke to some neighbors that have been interviewed by police and learned that the victim used to reside here in West Seattle & loved taking walks along the shoreline when it was stormy.  Also heard that the detectives received some pretty good tips from their interviews.

We are all hoping for a quick arrest.  

2012-03-15_18-20-07_790

 


Filed Under: Crime, In the News

Beach Drive octopuses taking a beating lately…

February 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Today marks the fourth cephalopod fatality I've witnessed in a year. I find it pretty odd given I haven't even seen a sign of one for the previous 5 years we've lived here. 

The latest victim was found today as we were walking along Emma Schmitz Memorial View Point

 2012-02-15_12-44-04_429

When searching the web for the arch enemy of the Puget Sound octopus, I found this revealing clip of a wrestling match between a seal vs octopus

 

or could it be the work of…

PusRasslers

Skin Diver Magazine, Puget Sound

 

Scupper, for Beach Drive Blog

Filed Under: Uncategorized

The best Fish & Chips in Beach Drive history?

February 3, 2012 by 1 Comment

Every now and then we run into people that remember a great little restaurant located just down the street on Beach Drive and Jacobsen. I've always wondered what the house looked like back in it's "eatery" days but haven't been able to locate any photos… until now! These pics were recently scanned by the Seattle Municipal Archives Photograph Collection from a folder containing an appealed variance application back in 1961.  

BeachDriveHistory1
props to Seattle Municipal Archives #76903

QuisnelsStreetView
Seattle Municipal Archive Photo #76902

QuisnelsSidewalk
Seattle Municipal Archive Photo #76904

If you'd like to learn a little more history about this quaint 12 table restaurant, West Seattle Blog posted a fabulous article along with reader's memories of the restaurant's owner/chef that had recently passed away. I also hear that Quesnel's is mentioned in the book Memories of Southwest Businesses that can be found at the Log House Museum off of Alki.

My next quest for photos is to get some choice shots of Sans Souci, the old Schmitz mansion that used to adourn what is now Mee-Kwa-Mooks. If you have any leads on photos, please share!

 

Scupper, for Beach Drive Blog


Filed Under: Beach Drive Homes, Historic Homes, Restaurants

…and I go by it everyday, where am I?

February 2, 2012 by 3 Comments

BeachDriveHistory

Scupper for Beach Drive Blog


Filed Under: Beach Drive Homes, Historic Homes

Concerned Beach Drive resident hounds City to repair eroding park

January 12, 2012 by 1 Comment

Gotta love our Beach Drive neighbor that's responsible for prompting today's repair work along the vulnerable section of Emma Schmitz Memorial View Point.

IMG_0101

It's been very noticeable for all who frequent this narrow sliver of park that the soil has been slowly eroding away year after year just above the concrete sea wall. 

IMG_0105

This "super neighbor" (who prefers to be un-named but for this article's sake, we'll refer to her as Mrs. Frack) started her interaction with the City of Seattle back in the middle of December. She quickly learned that the responsibility of maintaining the bulkhead and adjoining landscape belongs to the Seattle Parks Department, the sizable sewer line located directly underneath is responsibility of King County and the City of Seattle maintains the adjoining sidewalk and newly paved street:) 

When a more permanent type of solution was brought up, i.e. extending the existing bulkhead type rockery located just north of where the park narrows, a representative from the parks department replied…

"any change to the existing seawall would need to be done with the approval of various environmental regulatory agencies. Note that extending the existing "bulkhead rockery", while perhaps the lowest-cost construction solution that could be pursued, is also a measure that is considered environmentally detrimental by such agencies, and might be difficult or impossible to get approved."

Well, for now, I'm happy for the temporary maintenance to this narrow section of the park and ecstatic that when Mrs. Frack locks on to a cause, there's just no saying no! 

Hmmm, I wonder if she had something to do with these public work orders… 

Historic

Historic3

Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog

Filed Under: Bulkheads
« Previous Page
Next Page »