West Seattle, Washington
16 Wednesday
About 250 people filled the biggest room at The Hall at Fauntleroy this afternoon to celebrate the life of Ron Richardson, the historian/retired teacher/political activist (and so much more) whose cancer battle ended earlier this month at age 75.
“Continue on,” he had exhorted his daughter Carrie Lynn Richardson in a recent note, she recalled. Continue on, life did – with every chair filled, and dozens standing around the edges of the room, even as snow fell intermittently outside, and orcas swam by just off the Fauntleroy shore. Ron’s son Dan Richardson looked out over the crowd from the front of the room as the memorial began, and marveled, “Unbelievable.”
The man known for honoring the fact that everyone had a story to tell was paid tribute with a multitude of stories, from not only family members, but also from former colleagues from his years as a schoolteacher and sports coach, and from his former fellow board member at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, Judy Bentley, who observed of Ron’s involvement with so many of its endeavors, from preservation campaigns to walking tours: “He just kept showing up.”
Ron’s own history yielded tales of all manner of achievements, from his multiple road trips during his son and daughter’s childhood – Carrie Lynn said she had been to all 48 continental states by the time she was 15, before she ever took a plane trip – to his 1970s work to get a school built in the jungles of Ecuador.
Speaking again at the end of the memorial’s formal program, her brother Dan recalled their father as a “hero” for keeping a positive attitude during his 16-month fight against the disease that ended his life. It was clearly not just a chin-up positive attitude, but one even with humor, as a Steve Goodman recording was played before those in attendance were invited to share food and stories with each other (and in composition books around the room), the classic “A Dying Cub Fan’s Last Request.”
Then there was an unspoken tribute few might have noticed – revealed by the presence of this car in the parking lot behind The Hall:
We heard Spc. Dickison’s story from Ron the first time we met him, almost three years ago. The famous sign in his front yard (which we had first noticed a year earlier), charting the tolls of the ongoing war in the Middle East, picked up a new number, in honor of Pfc. Dickison, after his mother knocked on the front door one day. After meeting him, we published Ron’s story about that in May 2008.
To that point, a eulogizer today noted that Ron’s many qualities included embodiment of Joseph Campbell’s exhortation to “Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world.” Those who gathered to remember him today, amid that particular sorrow, were invited to participate joyfully in the celebration as well.
(WEDNESDAY MORNING NOTE: The storm warning was slightly amended late last night but is still in effect; see the new version here.)
(Photo taken 6:25 pm, sleet/hail/ice pellets/etc. still on the ground outside Southwest Precinct)
5:23 PM: As another brief shower of sleet/hail/ice pellets/snow/etc. passes through, the major transportation agencies are ending the day with advisories to be ready for anything tomorrow. Here’s the Metro advisory; here’s the Sound Transit advisory. But at this point, those are mostly intended for tomorrow morning; we’re not expected to get major snow in West Seattle tonight (we’ll update, of course, if that changes, and thanks in advance for sharing news of what you’re seeing where you are). The National Weather Service has raised the alert level to “Winter Storm Warning,” though, with this declaration:
A DEEPENING UPPER LEVEL LOW COMBINED WITH ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE THAT WILL BE MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH WILL GIVE SNOW LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY TO ALL OF WESTERN WASHINGTON… INCLUDING THE LOWLANDS.
5:40 PM UPDATE: From the mayor’s office:
The latest weather forecasts call for snowfall of 2 to 6 inches beginning Wednesday afternoon, followed by freezing temperatures through the end of the week. That pattern is very similar to the snowstorm that hit Seattle during Thanksgiving week last year. While we learned a lot and made improvements following that storm, it’s impossible to predict exactly where and how this week’s storm will hit hardest.
With that in mind, we are activating the city’s snow and ice plan. The Seattle Department of Transportation began by pre-treating streets with anti-icing solution today. Crews will go to 24-hour work shifts beginning Wednesday morning. Because Wednesday afternoon’s commute is expected to be difficult, it may be a good day to work an alternate shift, telecommute or make other travel arrangements if possible.
5:48 PM UPDATE: And SDOT is out with its own statement, including snow-plan specifics:
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is gearing up for snow expected to arrive in the Seattle area on Wednesday, February 23. As of 4 a.m., ten snow plows will hit the streets in the north sector of Seattle and eight plows will move into action in the south sector. Starting at 9 a.m., SDOT will go into a full 24-hour response plan to keep roads open, buses moving and critical emergency services accessible.
The response plan calls for deploying 30 trucks with plows, which will be prepositioned throughout the city in key locations such as elevated structures and certain trouble spots on major arterials. The department starting pre-treating major roadways with salt brine this afternoon in preparation for the storm. Additional details concerning SDOT’s response will be forthcoming as more information about the impending storm becomes available.
Motorists are advised to use caution when driving in snow and ice, especially on Seattle’s many hills and bridges. For up-to-date information on the City’s response and roadway conditions, please visit: http://Seattle.gov/transportation/. Motorists can also check on current traffic conditions and roadway images on SDOT’s Traveler’s Map.
As a reminder, property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their properties after a snowstorm. SDOT encourages residents and businesses to have snow shovels and materials on-hand to keep walkways clear and safe for pedestrians.
(2/16/2011 photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has announced it has charged 19-year-old Angelo Felice with first-degree murder in last Wednesday’s stabbing death of the 60-year-old Fauntleroy entertainer best known as Professor Hokum W. Jeebs (birth name Robert Stabile). He is scheduled to return to court March 8th to answer the charge. (Update: His bail has been raised to $1 million.) The charging documents allege that Felice killed Jeebs “while committing and attempting to commit the crime of robbery.” They also say that blood found on Felice’s shirt and on a knife found on the back deck of the house matched Jeebs’s DNA. The story of how the two were acquainted with each other, and what allegedly preceded the murder, is a complicated one – we will transcribe the court documents, minus names that aren’t those of the suspect and victim.
4:14 PM UPDATE: We’re transcribing the documents and updating every paragraph or so, after the jump.
5:03 PM. Transcription is finished. (Be forewarned that the narrative is graphic in spots.):Read More
(Photo added 6:20 pm, taken by Jon from state ferry near Southworth – more to be added)
ORIGINAL 1:27 PM REPORT: From Orca Network, a report that the Bainbridge-Seattle ferry spotted “a lot of orcas” off Alki Point less than half an hour ago, heading south. Looking waterward, we see a big group of small boats in mid-Sound off South Bainbridge/North Blake Island – can’t tell if they’re following whales, though. Let us know if you see ’em! (P.S. And if you love orcas, don’t miss The Whale Trail‘s special event @ Duwamish Longhouse this Thursday night – details here.)
6:21 PM: Jon shared photos he took from near Southworth – THANKS!
ORIGINAL 12:33 PM REPORT: The National Weather Service has us under a Winter Storm Watch as of midmorning (read it here), and weather analyst Cliff Mass is just out with his take, which begins ominously (or cheerily, if you are a snow fan): “Folks, this is serious.” Unsettled weather is continuing as we speak – watching Twitter, brief sleet/hail/snow-type showers have cropped up this past hour from Ballard to Silverdale – but the major snow threat kicks in tomorrow morning, according to the NWS. Updates to come!
1:37 PM UPDATE: A few flakes are flurrying here in Upper Fauntleroy at the moment. (And a few minutes later – it’s picking up a bit.)
Dawnelle just shared this photo, explaining:
Someone planted spring flowers in our long-term pothole here on Seola Beach Drive SW! I doubt that the pothole patrol will ever fix it, it’s been there for a couple of years now. Looks nice, huh?
We’re not sure whose jurisdiction the planted pothole’s in – Seattle, Burien, and unincorporated King County all have shares of that general area – but, for those within city boundaries, here’s the latest on the pothole-repair picture.
ADDED 12:56 PM: Heard back from Dawnelle, who says this is on the city side.
WEDNESDAY MORNING NOTE: Dawnelle says in comments that the pothole-repair crew showed up this morning.
We had been planning a reminder story about this anyway, given that next Monday is the 10th anniversary of the big Nisqually earthquake, but New Zealand’s deadly quake brings the point home again, and an immediate reminder seems in order: Quakes strike without warning; they strike big cities as well as small villages. Don’t put off preparedness thinking you’ll “get around to it.” Do realize that the official agencies, like police and fire, will be so busy/overwhelmed, it’s not wise to expect they will reach you immediately and/or be able to tell/show you what to do. (This page explains that further.)
In West Seattle, we are lucky to have dedicated volunteers who, as reported here over the past three years, are working to help make sure we’re all able to help each other, and ourselves, in some semblance of an organized manner even in case of mega-catastrophe. A key component of the effort: The West Seattle Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hubs – now nine in number, and located on the Google map above (which is taken from the West Seattle Be Prepared website). If you’ve missed previous coverage – these are nine places (and yes, they’d love to have more, but more volunteer power is needed) around West Seattle where you will be able to go to get and share information in case disaster takes out all the regular channels. Know your nearest hub; make sure your family does, too. And have your disaster kits ready – at home, in your car (note that the New Zealand quake struck in the middle of a busy workday, as did, for that matter, the Nisqually quake). Here are some hints from 3 Days, 3 Ways. You can also go to this WSB archive to browse our coverage (newest-to-oldest) of local preparedness efforts – drills, and the daily tips we ran during Preparedness Month last April (more ahead this year, but don’t wait till April to be ready!).
P.S. Preparedness efforts for yourself and your family are priority 1 – but if you can devote time/effort beyond that, get involved with West Seattle Be Prepared; contact info is here.
(Photo by Pye42, from the West Seattle Blog Flickr photo pool)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar – Bikes? Buses? Trains? Cars? Feet? Or? Tonight, Sustainable West Seattle‘s monthly community forum tackles transportation, and where it’s going. And as previewed here last week, the panel includes SDOT’s director Peter Hahn and the West Seattle-residing City Councilmember who chairs the Transportation Committee, Tom Rasmussen. Be at the Senior Center of West Seattle (enter off Oregon, east of California), 7 pm … Also tonight, another perennially hot topic: Calling 911 – when to call, what to say, what if it doesn’t sound like you’re being taken seriously? The West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network hosts guests from King County 911 and SPD, and reiterate that ALL are invited, not just blockwatch captains/participants – be at the Southwest Precinct meeting room (off Webster west of Delridge), 6:30 pm … Historian and community advocate Ron Richardson will be remembered at 2 pm today, The Hall at Fauntleroy (9141 California SW) … A brown-bag talk on “developing personal safety nets” is set for 11:30 am today at Alki Arts (2820 Alki SW); call 206-659-0665 to register … Enjoy writing/telling stories? Tonight is Writers and Tellers night at two venues in White Center/West Seattle – full details here … Free live music at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW; WSB sponsor) tonight, four acts starting at 8 pm, listed on the Skylark calendar … More on our calendar!
Every so often, we hear a “shots fired” report – sometimes it’s bullets, sometimes fireworks. But we can’t recall hearing about someone discovering an arrow, till now: A Beach Drive-area resident (5400 block of SW Edmunds; map) found a “full-size arrow” in the backyard on Monday morning. “Not sure what the deal is and we’re not concerned that we were targeted but we have two small dogs and that arrow would have definitely injured them as well as one of us had we been out in the backyard at the time it arrived. Don’t know when it was shot but suspecting it was after dark.” Main concern here is that “there are a lot of little kids and animals in our neighborhood,” so of course it’s been reported to police.
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