Tag Archives: madison park

A new flashpoint in Seattle’s concerns over crime and public safety, calls for resilience and change as hundreds march to remember dog walker slain in Madison Valley carjacking — UPDATE

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The carjacking murder of Ruth Dalton has become a flashpoint in Seattle’s concerns over crime and public safety. A memorial walk for the slain neighborhood dog walker Wednesday night included messages of resilience, anger, love, and politics as loved ones were joined by neighbors, city officials, and political candidates in the vigil and walk from where Dalton was dragged and killed in a Madison Valley carjacking attempt in August.

People streamed along E Madison Wednesday during the evening memorial walk for Dalton, an 80-year-old dog walker who was murdered in an August carjacking with her dog, Prince.

Leading the march were four people who helped Dalton during the aftermath of the brutal attack, holding a banner with a picture of Dalton and her pup, a cross and words that read: “We care—Be like Ruth. Change is coming.”

CHS reported here on the efforts to organize the march by the Friends of Madison Park community group and Dalton’s family.

The group trickled into Madison Park and posted up near the playground for the vigil. Melanie Roberts, Dalton’s granddaughter, said she’s been getting her strength from god, her grandmother and “little grumpy Prince dog,” who was Ruth’s defender, and spoke to each of the heroes holding the banner. Continue reading →

‘Justice for Ruth’ — Community organizes memorial walk for much-loved dog walker killed in carjacking as suspect faces first degree murder and animal cruelty charges

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(Image: Friends of Madison Park)

As the community is working to honor Ruth Dalton and raise funds for a memorial to the 80-year-old neighborhood dog walker slain in an August carjacking in Madison Valley, her alleged killer has been charged with assault, animal cruelty, and first degree murder.

Jahmed Haynes now faces charges of murder in the first degree plus second degree assault and a charge of first degree animal cruelty for allegedly killing Dalton’s dog in the Tuesday morning, August 20th carjacking.

CHS reported last week on his arrest blocks from his Capitol Hill apartment and early details in the case against the convicted felon.

The King County Prosecutor says the 48-year-old could be sentenced to life in prison under the charges. Prosecutors say Haynes’s criminal history is extensive and that he had been imprisoned for crimes including a 1993 vehicular homicide in Seattle and a 1999 armed robbery in Renton until recently following a conviction in 2003 during his incarceration that added 15 more years to his sentence through 2021 after Haynes attacked a Monroe prison guard with a crude knife fashioned from a 12-inch piece of metal. Continue reading →

Madison Park and Madrona part of ‘high bacteria’ beach warnings

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Health officials have issued “high bacteria” warnings for several area swimming spots including Madison Park Beach and Madrona Beach.

The high counts come from ongoing monitoring and follow a bout of unusually heavy June rains. Officials are also investigating the possibility of a related sewage spill, the Seattle Times reports.

Public Health currently recommends people should not enter the water at several Lake Washington beaches.

You can view the latest updates and alerts and a map of conditions at the area’s beaches here.

 

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Stupid cupids: Thieves fail to boost huge safe after smashing Valentine’s flower-filled truck into E Madison jewelry store

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(Image: Madison Park Jewelers)

Thieves nearly ruined Valentine’s Day as they smashed a flower-filled U-Haul truck into Madison Park Jewelers but had to leave the store’s massive safe behind in a messy getaway from police early Tuesday morning.

Seattle Police says a security alarm system and video showing the box truck and its flowery cargo repeatedly smash into the building brought officers to the scene just before 6 AM. Arriving officers reported the storefront destroyed and a group of suspects and the truck still at the scene.

As police moved into position, the suspects fled in the U-Haul, dragging a large chain behind it in a cascade of sparks as it sped west on E Madison. At the burglary scene, police also found the area strewn with Valentine’s flowers. Continue reading →

Seattle Parks to hold public meeting on Denny Blaine play area

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Seattle Parks and Recreation finally issued a press release this week announcing its planned public meeting this Wednesday night for citizens “to learn about and provide input for the Denny Blaine Park Play Area project.”

Last month, CHS broke the news on the meeting and the hush hush planning backed by an even more quiet private donor to squeeze a kid’s play area into the grassy public park popular with the many communities who have made the space a refuge for enjoying the multimillion-dollar shores of Lake Washington in the nude. Continue reading →

Madison Park’s community council is growing — Will there ever be a Friends of Capitol Hill?

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(Image: Friends of Madison Park)

By Cormac Wolf, CHS Intern

Friends of Madison Park, the area’s nascent community council, has been hard at work since its founding in April. In their first months, the group has focused on filling the community’s event calendar and their fledgling committees have proven a great alliance between local businesses and Seattle Police.

Vice-chair Mary Beth McAteer says Friends of Madison Park has revived community events such as the children’s bike parade and weekly live music in the park. Other events include a wine fundraiser and weekly TED talks; their website has events scheduled as far out as next spring.

“We think of ourselves as a start-up,” says McAteer, describing the fervor the board brings to event planning and neighborhood organization. McAteer works as a Virginia Mason medical librarian when not working on the board. Her husband owns the Hillside bar on E Olive Way.

The success of this group in one of the wealthiest areas of the city and an area mostly dominated by single family-style homes is a contrast with E Olive Way and Capitol Hill where community councils have faded away and neighborhood chambers of commerce, disintegrated. It also is taking shape after Seattle’s big push away from neighborhood councils over concerns about representation and equity at City Hall.

The Madison Park group was founded after the pandemic decimated the area’s existing community groups. Erik Wicklund, the group’s communications director, describes them as a merger of two pre-existing Madison Park institutions: the business association, which organized events, and the community council, which handled administrative matters. Wicklund owns a real estate firm headquartered in Madison Park’s central retail strip. Continue reading →

Ethan Stowell reviving Madison Park alehouse The Attic

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(Image: The Attic)

Madison Park won’t be connected to Seattle’s $134 million RapidRide G bus line but the neighborhood will get its watering hole back.

Liquor license paperwork reveals the revival of The Attic is ready to reopen on E Madison about a mile from the G line’s planned Madison Valley terminus.

Dating back to 1937 through a lifetime as a sometimes tavern, bowling alley, and, yes, shooting range, The Attic building is being overhauled for a new life under the wings of prolific Seattle food and drink entrepreneur Ethan Stowell. Continue reading →

With RapidRide G starting on Madison in 2024, Metro planning changes to Routes 10, 11, 12, and final elimination of the 47

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Metro’s plan is to keep the electrified trolleys of Route 12 and 10 rolling once RapidRide G comes along (Image: CHS)

With construction of the new line now at “50%,” officials are collecting feedback on proposals to alter existing bus routes that will connect with the Madison RapidRide G line when it begins service in 2024.

The new “Madison Street Area” network would alter Routes 10, 11, 12, and 47 in the Capitol Hill, Central District, First Hill, and Madison Valley neighborhoods to “improve public transportation connections and transfers,” reduce duplication with the new RapidRide G line, and “address service that was suspended since COVID began in 2020,” Metro says.

The new configurations could also fit better with the streetscape overhaul currently underway that will make Pike and Pine one-way between downtown and Bellevue Ave.

Metro’s plan is to roll the proposals out now and collect survey feedback through May before possibly revised revisions go out later in the year and are finalized in time for RapidRide G’s start of service in 2024.

Metro is promising “a final proposed bus route network that reflects community input from this survey, conversations with community members, and equity analyses” by fall 2023. Continue reading →

Targeted by protesters and graffiti, U.S. officials say Seattle’s Russian Consular Residence remains empty

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(Image: CHS)

Graffiti from a recent protest — thanks to a CHS reader for sharing video of the scene

Seattle’s Russian Consular Residence has been targeted by protesters and graffiti in the wake of the nation’s invasion of Ukraine though the U.S. State Department tells CHS the Madison Park neo-classical mansion remains shuttered and locked down.

“The facility is closed, and entry or access to the property will be granted only with permission of the Office of Foreign Missions,” a State Department spokesperson said.

Despite being empty for four years after the expulsion of the diplomats who called the E Madison mansion home, protesters have targeted the property with graffiti and messages of support for the Ukrainian people.

The office of Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov has not responded to CHS about the protests and the status of the historic multimillion Seattle property the Russians still claim to own.

In a statement to Capitol Hill Seattle in 2020, Antonov lamented the closure of what was the only Russian consulate on the West Coast and the lockout at the E Madison residence. Continue reading →

911 | Denny Blaine Park knife attack reported, recycling bin fires set in Montlake

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See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS 911 coverage here. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out Twitter reports from @jseattle or tune into the CHS Scanner page.

  • Denny Blaine knife attack reported: A victim suffered non-life threatening injuries in a reported knife attack inside Denny Blaine Park Tuesday night. Police and Seattle Fire were called to the Madison Park-area scene just after 9:30 PM to a report that a male victim had been stabbed or cut in an attack by a stranger as a large group gathered in the park. Police searched the area but made no arrests. Police say there were some conflicting details in witness reports. The victim was transported to Harborview and was reported conscious and alert, per radio reports.
  • Montlake fires: A man suffering a possible mental crisis was arrested after a string of garbage and recycling bin fires were set across an area of Montlake Tuesday night. Seattle Fire responded to the set fires starting just before 11 PM and reported finding more set along E Lynn not far from the 520 construction site and the former Hop-in Market. There was no significant damage. Police searching the area took a suspect into custody shortly following the Seattle Fire response. He was booked into King County Jail for investigation of reckless burning.