West Seattle, Washington
06 Sunday
Bail is now set at $2 million for the 20-year-old White Center man arrested Saturday (WSB coverage here) on suspicion 
he killed 46-year-old Nga Nguyen in her High Point home in December. Probable-cause documents identify him as the ex-boyfriend of Nguyen’s daughter, and say he has a history of “stalking” her. He was interviewed shortly after the killing, the documents say, and denied having been in the home recently – but investigators say fingerprints and DNA evidence at the scene matched his. The documents say that after being arrested Saturday and being read his Miranda rights, he confessed to breaking into the Nguyens’ home on High Point Drive on December 14th and killing his ex-girlfriend’s mother, who the Medical Examiner said died of blunt-force head injury and strangulation. Prosecutors have until Wednesday to file charges.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
James St. Clair‘s niece choked up as she struggled with saying her uncle “was” rather than “is.”
But her words were clear and plaintive as she wondered aloud “what could happen in another seven years if it’s going to take that long to make changes?”
“Seven years” referred to the time elapsed between the death of 27-year-old Susanne Scaringi, who lost her life bicycling at 35th and Graham in September 2006, and the death of Mr. St. Clair, 69, hit and killed while walking across 35th at that same intersection last month.
Darlene Saxby spoke about her uncle, and her fears, during the community meeting that followed Saturday’s community-organized Memorial Walk on Saturday. (She also spoke during the memorial, as seen in our first report, with video, here.) After words and song in his honor, yards from where he died, about 20 participants walked on to Neighborhood House’s High Point Center for that conversation.
For Darlene, this was new. For some in High Point, it was achingly familiar. In April 2011, after the death of a motorcyclist at 35th/Juneau, a roadside memorial:
A roadside rally:
Some extra enforcement:
And a discussion of safety.
Flash back across another two-and-a-half-year span before all that. In September 2008, a teenager was hit and seriously hurt crossing at 35th and Juneau:
Soon after that, local youth joined in a safety rally along 35th:
And that in turn was less than a year after a previous plea for safety improvements, days after 85-year-old Oswald Clement was killed crossing at 35th/Othello. Between his death and the teenager’s injury, yet another person had died on 35th – Gregory Hampel, a 39-year-old hit by a car while trying to get his dog out of the road near their home.
Five lives, seven years. The challenges had not changed, but some of the faces and names had changed:
(December 29th photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
69-year-old James R. St. Clair, hit and killed while crossing 35th SW at SW Graham on December 29th, was the fifth person in seven years to die along what some call “I-35.” Seattle Neighborhood Greenways and local safety advocates are organizing a Memorial Walk as a tribute to Mr. St. Clair and a reminder that 35th still has its dangers. Cathy Tuttle from SNG is working with High Point reps to plan the event, most likely for the weekend of January 18-19. It will likely begin with a memorial gathering at the collision site, followed by a walk to a meeting place in High Point for lunch and a meeting with city officials to talk about the ongoing concerns.
We haven’t learned much about Mr. St. Clair since the crash, but Tuttle’s group says they found out he had moved to High Point from elsewhere in the city a short time before his death, so he hadn’t yet formed many connections here. They would like to invite family and friends to participate in the memorial walk; SNG’s contact info is here. We’ll publish an update when the event’s date and time are finalized.
Movies can be fun, frightening, inspirational, educational – and the latter two are the key qualities for the West Seattle Meaningful Movies series that kicked off this fall. If you haven’t been to a WSMM screening/discussion yet, consider making it a New Year’s resolution; it will be one you can fulfill quickly, because, on the first Saturday of the New Year, January 4th, WSMM will screen “Dirt: The Movie” (trailer above). From the official announcement:
Time: 7:00 PM
Come early, at 6:30, for (free) dessert and a chance to meet your neighbors.Where: Neighborhood House High Point Center, 6400 Sylvan Way SW
Bus numbers 21 and 128No charge, but donations gratefully received.
There will be refreshments and discussion.
Help us minimize waste — bring your own mug.Local gardeners and restoration workers (including you, we hope) will report on how they are caring for soil (and more) in West Seattle. They will answer questions about caring for the “dirt” in our neighborhood and in our own backyards. We can learn from each other, join together, and preserve this aspect of our local environment.
The full winter quarter of monthly WS Meaningful Movies is listed here. Find out more about the series’ genesis here.
New information tonight in the High Point murder investigation. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has officially identified the victim, 46-year-old Nga Thi Nguyen. The Medical Examiner’s announcement says her death was caused by “blunt force head injury and strangulation.” No new information from police on who might be responsible or what the motive is. Ms. Nguyen was found dead inside her residence on High Point Drive around noon Saturday (here’s our first report); police announced hours later that it was a homicide investigation, the first one in West Seattle since the as-yet-unsolved Beach Drive killing of Greggette Guy in March of last year.
If you have any information for police, the Homicide Tip Line is at 206-233-5000.
While new incidents took precedence as Monday unfolded, we did follow up on the homicide investigation that followed the discovery of a High Point woman’s body in her home on Saturday afternoon (here’s our 
first report).
The King County Medical Examiner has yet to announce the 46-year-old woman’s cause of death and identity. Police with whom we spoke Monday morning and late afternoon were also still remaining relatively mum, aside from one telling us the crime scene was “processable” – suggesting useful evidence was found.
We also talked with a spokesperson for the Seattle Housing Authority who said SHA is working closely with Seattle Police and “hoping for a resolution as soon as possible” to the “terrible tragedy.” Though police described the victim as a “homeowner,” the unit actually is owned by the SHA, she said, but as of our conversation, was still being “held by police as an investigation scene.” She added that High Point security has not changed as a result because “we asked SPD specifically if they think there is a threat to the community and their response was ‘no’.”
Tomorrow at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) in West Seattle, you are invited to a special event in honor of organ donors, including a boy who died 20 years ago. 
Joshua Thomas Waleryszak was just 12 when he lost his life to complications related to developmental disabilities. His parents donated his kidneys and liver. Joshua’s father Tom died this past October and was also an organ donor.
At the event tomorrow, Joshua’s mom Judy Waleryszak of West Seattle will finish a floragraph in his honor that will be part of the Donate Life float “Light Up the World“ in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day 2014, and you’re invited to come show your support. Never heard of a floragraph? It’s explained as “a portrait representation of an individual, made of seeds and other organic material.” Joshua is one of 81 donors to be honored by the float, which will feature riders and marchers including 30 organ/tissue transplant recipients and 12 living organ donors.
The event tomorrow (Thursday, December 12th) will be at Forest Lawn’s funeral home at 30th/Sylvan, 5-7 pm. It will be followed by another event with an open public invitation, Forest Lawn’s annual holiday remembrance ceremony, a chance to honor those who died in the past year, featuring grief expert Dr. Darcie Sims.
(May 2013 photo by WSB’s Katie Meyer)
So what do you do for an encore after you launch a brand-new educational garden with a parade and festival AND win the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Westsider of the Year award? West Seattle Bee Garden founder Lauren Englund sends word that even bigger things are ahead for the WSBG in the new year – and recaps some of what else happened along the way:
Guess what, the West Seattle Bee Garden (WSBG) crew made a last-minute decision to apply for another Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund grant this year, and was awarded $18,000! Fantastic news!
This year has been great; not only did West Seattle come together and create the space from scratch in less than three months, but eleven field trips took place there, including a spectacular Seattle Public Library reading event which packed the place with eager learners.
The garden has also had a constant stream of visitors from near and far – really need a guestbook!
Also, local companies including Shipwreck Honey and Seattle Bee Works helped out by building the hives and hosting beekeeping classes at the space. Interested in beekeeping? Keep an eye out for more opportunities down the road!
Here are a few changes you can expect to see at the WSBG, and educational opportunities we hope to share beyond our Bee Garden borders:
Thanks to Lawrence for the tip: 30th SW between North Delridge and High Point is closed about a block south of the turn at SW Brandon (update: 30th/Findlay, to be specific – here’s a map) while Seattle Public Utilities works on a water break. The crew at the scene told us a few minutes ago that they will likely be out there for a few more hours. No word on what caused the problem, but one possible effect to be aware of overnight and tomorrow morning: The road’s wet in spots and could ice over. (The SPU crew was in fact throwing some salt onto the road when we were there.)
West Seattle Elementary School now has a big new banner to tell the world about its progress. We recently published an update from WSES on continued test-score growth, and on Tuesday, principal Vicki Sacco and her staff welcomed visitors including Washington Education Association president Kim Mead (above left), Seattle Education Association president Jonathan Knapp (above right), and State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, and received a special recognition banner. Mead and Knapp are touring federal School Improvement Grant-receiving schools in the city, and WSES is one of the stops; WEA says our state’s grant recipients have outperformed those in every other state.
WSES students and staff are also proud of their anti-bullying campaign, shown off for the distinguished visitors:
Pink is the signature color for the no-bullying campaign (previously reported here last March). The hand-raising in our photo shows students/staff affirming the pledge to be kind to each other.
We know more tonight about the current plan for part of the highest-profile vacant site in High Point.
(Seen from the east side of 35th in today’s late-afternoon shadows/sun)
We mentioned it in yesterday’s roundup of development notes, after discovering a plan to build 9 houses and 18 duplexes on part of the site at the northeast corner of 35th/Graham. The documents in city files online raised some questions, and today we have some answers, thanks to Seattle Housing Authority spokesperson Laura Gentry.
To a point that is often raised, she says there IS a plan for some commercial development on the site:
As you know, and as was reported by WSB back in January 2011 following a community meeting, we’ve been unable to attract a mixed-use residential/retail developer for the entire parcel. The market just hasn’t supported that type of large-scale residential/retail development. However, we are still looking at options for bringing retail to 35th. SHA intends to continue to own and maintain the corner plot of that parcel (the 35th/Graham corner) and we are in the concept stages of developing a commercial building for that plot which would include retail space, office space and an open street-level plaza. Again, that building is in early concept stages, so there are no site or development plans I can share with you at this time.
Gentry says Lennar has not yet closed on the rest of the property, where the houses/duplexes – which she describes as “all market-rate for-sale housing” – are planned, but “we have a sale agreement with them and they are expected to close sometime in 2014.” And she adds:
We’re also still looking at the remainder of that land on 35th, the piece located between the corner plot I just mentioned and the neighborhood health clinic. SHA is investigating options along with Lennar for residential uses with the potential for small retail uses on the ground floor. Both portions of that strip of land (the plot we will continue to maintain and the remainder that we hope to sell), will go through the city’s Design Review process, so the public will have a say in any plans put forth for any residential or retail development done on 35th.
The 2011 reference involved a previous proposal for the site that fell through – backstory and links here.
The WSB West Seattle Event Calendar includes recurring listings for story times at local Seattle Public Library branches – but we just found out there’s a special guest at High Point Library‘s Family Story Time tonight: Seattle Storm player Temeka Johnson, the WNBA’s 2005 Rookie of the Year, will read from her book “Temeka’s Choice.” Autographs too! Story time starts at 6:30 pm; HP Library is at 35th/Raymond.
We took that photo Saturday near High Point’s Bataan Park, after a tip about a sizable police response – but didn’t have enough information for a story until now. Police at the scene told us they were trying to sort out a report about someone with a gun; no one had been shot or otherwise victimized. Now, the rest of the story, from SPD Blotter:
Two men were arrested for felonies and a stolen handgun was recovered following a citizen who called 911 to report “a man with a gun” in a park in West Seattle.
On Saturday, August 10th at approximately 4:22 p.m. officers responded to High Point Drive SW and SW Bataan Street for the report of a group of males in a park to the east with a handgun. Officers arrived on scene and detained eight subjects while they investigated further. The officers recovered a handgun that upon further investigation turned out to be stolen.
A 21-year-old male suspect was subsequently booked into the King County Jail for being a convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm and also for possession of stolen property (the handgun).
A second suspect, a 20-year-old male, was booked into the King County Jail on an active felony warrant for escape.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
More than 100 people packed a room at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center for a meeting about community “safety issues” – heavy on concerns but light on specifics.
Opening last night’s meeting, Heather Hutchinson from High Point community management described the reason behind it as a “diverse set of issues” – from car egging to “definitely more big parties happening in Commons Park” with disturbing debris afterward to “larger groups of teens wandering and really sort of engaging in … (behavior including) knock-down-drag-out fights” to “drugs, people seeing drug sales, people thinking they’re seeing drug sales,” to “some real sense that maybe there’s gang colors being worn …”
But before opening the floor to comments and questions, she asked attendees not to get specific about units or addresses.
“It’s not a homeowner or a renter issue,” stressed Seattle Housing Authority community builder Shukri Olow from SHA. “it’s an ‘everybody’ issue.”
In addition to peninsula-wide groups such as the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council and West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network, individual neighborhoods’ councils and associations are tackling crime and safety concerns too. That’s why the High Point Neighborhood Association is inviting area residents to a meeting next Monday that HPNA vice president Deborah Vandermar says will include:
Senior SHA Property Management staff, members of the High Point HOA Board, Trustees from the High Point Neighborhood Association, High Point Community Police Team Officer Kevin McDaniel, and SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon
The meeting is set for 6:30 pm Monday (July 8th) at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center, 6400 Sylvan Way SW.
(High Point Market Garden; WSB photo from July 2011)
Starting next Thursday, a new season of organic produce will be available via the High Point Market Garden – and the easiest way to get your share is to subscribe. Here’s the announcement we received:
The Seattle P-Patch Market Gardens CSA (community-supported agriculture) program is accepting subscribers for its farm-fresh organic produce. Each week subscribers receive up to 15 items of seasonal produce grown at the High Point Seattle Market Garden, a city of Seattle program that helps to establish safe healthy communities and economic opportunity in low-income neighborhoods.
The cost ranges from $15 to $25 a week based on size of the share with prorated shares available.
The pick-up location (in West Seattle), dates, and times:
High Point Market Garden (32nd Avenue SW and SW Juneau Street): Thursdays from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., June 6th through October 17
Community members can subscribe now by completing and mailing an application or contacting Julie Bryan, P-Patch Coordinator, at 206-257-8257.
Here’s the application form, which includes the mailing address. If you can’t or don’t want to commit to a subscription, the HP Market Garden also offers a weekly farm stand with on-the-spot sales – we’re checking to see when that will open for the season.
If you are looking for a way to get gradually, gently active, health-care worker and neighborhood advocate Miranda Taylor has a recommendation: There’s space in the Saturday morning “Be Active Together” classes at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Center, taught by instructor Calvin Jones from the Austin Foundation. Miranda describes it as “light activation of (the) body, with one or two exercises and stretches for each muscle group, 80 minutes on Saturday AM. Calvin leads a five minute meditation at the end where many of us take a rejuvenating catnap. Calvin learned from the best, our beloved late Willie Austin. If people are athletic types or already taking classes at a health club, this class might seem easy for them. However, many people are intimidated by the intensity of gym classes, and this is the perfect entry into movement from just above the couch.” She says the classes have room for about 10 more people; bring your own yoga mat or use one that’s provided. The classes are 10:30 am-noon on Saturdays, $5, at 6400 Sylvan Way SW – if you have questions, Miranda would be happy to answer them via e-mail at eastasianmedicinepractitioner@gmail.com.
(1st two photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 11:42 PM: Avoid the intersection of 35th and Morgan if you happen to be heading out any time soon – we’ve received two messages about a crash there. No major injuries reported, but an ambulance has been called for one person, and one person in the area says it appears traffic headed northbound is being detoured onto Morgan.
12:29 AM: The crash involved two vehicles – and one, which is in the shrubbery by the gas-station sign on the northeast corner of the intersection, is a Seattle Police car. The east side of Morgan is blocked off but 35th is completely passable as of a few minutes ago.
(Photo shared by Mary – note the fence the SPD car crashed through; black SUV at left is other vehicle involved)
12:53 AM: Just went back to try to find out more. The second vehicle, an SUV, has been towed, and the SPD car was about to be. Officers on the scene would say only that two people went to the hospital but neither seemed to have major injuries – we don’t know if either is an officer. The first of the photos we’re adding show that the officer whose car was involved had a shockingly close call – a wooden post went through the windshield on the passenger side.
11:59 AM: The only additional information we’ve been able to get from police so far is that the officer whose car crashed was taken to a hospital and released shortly thereafter.
ADDED TUESDAY MORNING: We checked back in hopes of more information – SPD media-relations Officer Renée Witt says the report is “being transcribed and not yet available.” So we’ll check back again.
(September 2012 WSB photo)
Middle College High School will be based at Neighborhood House‘s High Point Centerfor at least another year, reports teacher Alonzo Ybarra. This is the small high-school program focused on social justice and community engagement that lost its longtime home at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) and finally found space at the center for this school year; we last checked in with MCHS in September. Ybarra shared the news via a new blog-format website with updates about the school, which links to a letter with the district announcement. The website also notes that MCHS helped with the West Seattle Bee Garden, launched yesterday with a parade and festival (WSB coverage here), and that its 2013 graduation ceremony is set for June 11th.
The West Seattle Bee Garden is officially launched! As you’ll see in our video, Seattle Police motorcycle officers, the Sounders’ Sound Wave musicians, City Council President Sally Clark were part of the parade bringing the bees to the garden from West Seattle Elementary at midday today – along with lots of kids, from Roxhill Elementary as well as WSES:
(Photos by WSB’s Katie Meyer)
It was all part of a festival celebrating the start of the garden at High Point Commons Park, with a demonstration-beehive enclosure, a pollination garden, and more.
As with all of today’s big events, we have more photos of this one to add here later when this busy day calms down – check back!
ADDED 8:38 PM: As promised, more photos – starting with this one:
Viewing ensued after the beehives arrived in the back of the pickup truck seen at the end of our parade video, above. And then – on to their new home!
(Saturday photo courtesy West Seattle Bee Garden)
One year in the making, and one week remaining until the celebration of the new West Seattle Bee Garden, at next Sunday’s WS Bee Festival (May 19th). This weekend, writes Lauren Englund – whose dream, reported here in May 2012, started it all – the beehive enclosure is being finished, and you are welcome at a Sunday work party (starting at 10 am). And after that, it’s festival preparations. From Lauren:
For those who may not know, the High Point Neighborhood Association is hosting the West Seattle Bee Festival next Sunday, May 19th, to celebrate the opening of this space. It will include a picnic and parade! Here are some of the details:
Picnic Time: 11 am to 3 pm
Picnic Location: Commons Park at 31st Ave SW and SW Graham St
Parade Start: 11:30 am
Parade Start Location: West Seattle Elementary – 6760 34th Ave SW
Parade Route: North on 31st Ave SW from the WSE parking lot, across Morgan St, past the Bee Garden and into Commons Park. The total route is 0.5 miles.Want to join the parade? Fantastic! Everyone is welcome. Set-up will ‘open’ at the West Seattle Elementary parking lot at 10:30 am. There will be face painting and an opportunity to make a flower for the parade. Look for a friendly face carrying a helium ballon for answers to questions. The Sound Wave marching band will be leading the way. Fun!
The picnic! Holy smokes some amazing people want to come hang out!
6:46 PM: Thanks to those who asked about a significant police presence in High Point – turns out a Seattle Police car is one of two vehicles involved in a crash at Sylvan and Lanham. WSB’s Katie Meyer reports that the scene is clearing; no serious injuries reported – the officer is being checked out after reporting getting bumped around a bit.
7:47 PM UPDATE: Added Katie’s photos from the scene. As you can see, both cars ended up off the road – and, Katie adds, while both had significant damage, both were driven back onto the road. A tow driver helped clear debris:
Officers at the scene say the crash circumstances remain under investigation.
If you’re wondering about a large Seattle Fire Department call-out in the 6300 block of High Point Drive SW, all units are being dismissed from what has now been reported via the scanner as “Food on the Stove.”
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