| Dec ’09 |
| 20 |
| 3:00 pm |
A memorial for Luke T. Gullberg, the 26-year old Des Moines man who was killed on Oregon’s Mount Hood last week, will be this Sunday, Dec. 20th from 3pm to 6pm at Pacific Middle School, located at 22705 24th Avenue South in Des Moines.
Luke died on Saturday, Dec. 12th while climbing Mt. Hood with Anthony Vietti and Katie Nolan, who are still missing. His body was found on a glacier at 9,000 feet by searchers. Reports are that Luke may have fallen and experienced some trauma, then crawled a couple hundred yards before dying of hypothermia.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Memorial for Luke T. Gullberg
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 20th from 3-6pm
WHERE: Pacific Middle School, located at 22705 24th Avenue South in Des Moines.
INFO/RSVP: Here are some links to various pages created in Luke’s honor:
- Facebook tribute page
- Facebook page on the Mermorial here where you can RSVP and/or leave comments
- Tribute page from fellow climber Richard Lutz
And here’s a video of a press conference held at Mt. Hood about the incident:
Area native Tom Pfaeffle, who was tragically shot and killed in July, will be memorialized on the evening of Thursday, August 13th at The Moore Theater in Seattle.
Doors will open at 5pm, and everyone is welcome.
Pfaeffle, a 1979 graduate of Mt. Rainier High School, was an acclaimed 30-year veteran sound engineer who worked with bands like Nirvana, The Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Heart and many others.
According to a website set up as a tribute:
We’ll be celebrating the night in the only way Tom would’ve wanted. With great stories, music & friends
All proceeds from the evening will go to the Pfaeffle family. There will be no ticketing, we ask that you donate whatever you can.
We’d like to thank The Seattle Theater Group, Triamp Group and The Art Institute of Seattle for their generosity.
For those of you who are unable to attend, please feel free to use this site as a place to share memories, stories, songs and anything else you’d like to share in remembering Tom, his life and his work.
The site also gives this recap of Tom’s life:
On Friday, July 17th, a loving wife lost her husband, a family lost their father, students lost their teacher and friends lost a smiling face they could always count on. We all lost something that this world has far too few of… a generous, caring, sincere, heartfelt person who gave all he could to those who became a part of his life.
Tom was a great man to many people for many different reasons. We’ve put up this website to honor the memories we have of him and to come together to celebrate his life and contributions to our collective successes, creativity and happiness.
Anyone who knew Tom knew that the single most important part of his life was his family. A trust has been set up in their name to help provide some support. We ask that you give what you can.
Tom’s generosity knew no limits. This is our chance to show that not only was Tom a generous person but he knew how to surround himself with people of equal character and generosity.
We hope the trust not only provides the family with support now but will continue to provide for them in the future.
Here’s a poster with more info:
One year ago today (July 24, 2008) BTB Advertiser Airport/Burien Towing was changed forever when owner Mark Storer, 51 and his son Brian, 24, were killed when their floatplane crashed near Lake Nahwatzel, ten miles west of Shelton.
Lynette and Mark Storer
Mark founded and operated the towing business, and left behind his wife, Lynette, son Jared and daughter Teresa.
His son Brian was married, and left behind a wife and two small children.
Jared sent us this email Friday morning (7/24/09):
Mark Storer and his Model T Tow Truck.
At the Burien office our Airport Towing family is planning a day of remembrance for Mark and Brian. We are having lunch catered for them and leaving the days activities in the hands of long time Managers Colleen and Daryl.
My hope is that the Burien community remembers my dad for his hard work and dedication that he put into everything he was passionate about. He cared about his family, his church, towing, antique tow trucks, airplanes, and people. Mark loved children. He could not walk into the same room as a child without attempting to make them smile. It didn’t matter if he knew them or not. Whenever he saw his grandkids he would light up with joy and play with them for hours, even if he was at his desk and they were interrupting his work. He would make time. There are many things Mark may not be well known for because he did not brag about his accomplishments. He never announced that he would put $100 bills into the donation box at Burien Chevrolet when one of their employees was diagnosed with cancer. He never published that he faithfully gave more than 10% of his income to his church and other local charities. Mark paid back every loan he ever owed on. He enjoyed making a difference quietly and without praise.
Brian Storer
Brian was far from quiet. He was always making jokes and keeping the atmosphere light. His passions were his family, motorcycles, collectible firearms, music, and tow trucks. Brian met life’s challenges head on. He was the youngest of 3 kids and raising a family of his own with 2 sons. He bounced back from a motorcycle crash that broke his femur when he was hit by a drunk driver and his wife was 8 months pregnant with a 1 year old son at home. The now 3 and 2 year old boys miss their dad but continue to remember him through photos, videos, and stories that their mom and family shares with them.
Thanks for remembering them on this important day.
Jared
More from their website:
Mark worked hard every day to create good customer relations and to create a good work environment for his employees.
Brian Storer was one of those employees for most of his life. His playful attitude kept the atmosphere at the office fun and enjoyable.
Both men were an integral part of our business and lives and it has been a tremendous challenge to try and fill their shoes.
The tragic and unexpected loss of Mark & Brian sent a rift throughout the industry. Hundreds of professional tow truck operators knew them personally, as well as many local businesses who felt the pain, and several other friends and family members.
A large procession lead the memorial on 7/30/08.
Mark and Brian were very well connected throughout the industry and the community, which resulted in a Memorial Service of an estimated 800 people in attendance with less than 1 week of notice, several television news broadcasts, and many other articles written about the pair in the B-Town Blog and other publications.
Read more at Jared’s blog here, or learn more about Airport/Burien Towing here.
One year ago today, on June 29, 2008, not long after midnight, hell erupted in a very small place in Burien. At 12:42 a.m., a 911 dispatcher received the first alarm. Seconds later, someone inside the Tara Apartments, at SW 155th Street and 5th Ave SW, yelled “Fire!” The complex was burning, flames already engulfing a stairway. Within a minute, a second 911 call reported the fire.
The June 29th, 2008 Burien arson fire at the Tara and Jenny Marie apartments claimed the lives of three.
Less than two minutes after the first call came in, Engine 28 of the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department rolled out the door of the fire station at SW 151st Street and 8th Ave SW, arriving at the Tara Apartments exactly five minutes after that alarm was received.
By the time the first firefighters got there, “it was already fairly involved,” Burien/Normandy Park Fire Marshall Bill Harm recalled last week. The complex was engulfed in flames, which quickly spread to the adjacent Jenny Marie Apartments and threatened nearby structures, forcing fire crews into a defensive strategy from the outset.
Despite the rapid response, 8-year-old Edgar Cisneros, his grandfather, Ramon Cisneros Sanchez, 76, and Lindy Kunimoto, 49 – whose bodies would be discovered later by investigators inside the charred Tara Apartments – were probably dead by the time Engine 28 arrived. Another 14 people required medical treatment, five of whom were hospitalized with serious burns.
A shrine was built to honor the youngest fire victim, Edgar Cisneros, 8, who attended Gregory Heights Elementary.
This was Burien’s worst residential fire in nearly 20 years – and when King County Sheriff’s Office arson investigators determined that it was intentionally set, this became a case of murder.
One year later, the triple homicide and arson remains an unsolved mystery. But, King County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said last week, “This is not a cold case. It is not on the back shelf.” The case remains “under active investigation” by KCSO homicide detectives.
Urquhart said they have “at least one person of interest,” but could not comment further because the criminal investigation is open and ongoing. A man who had been heard shouting, “You can all burn in hell!” to a resident of the Tara Apartments a few days before the fire was interviewed by detectives during their initial investigation and released.
Arriving a minute after Engine 28 that deadly Sunday morning was a battalion command vehicle. One minute later, Ladder Company 29 pulled up. Engine 18 and Engine 19 and the first Medic One to respond were close behind. Over the next 20 minutes, multiple alarms summoned additional Burien firefighters and crews from the North Highline (Fire District 11), SeaTac, Tukwila, Port of Seattle, and Renton fire departments, South King Fire & Rescue (Des Moines/Federal Way), and Kent Fire & Life Safety.
“We had a very rapid response. You can’t get a much better response time, especially to a fire in the middle of the night,” Harm noted. “It was a chaotic scene … we did a good job.”
Part of the incident report details what the scene was like.
Despite their best efforts, the fire, which was burning out of control by the time the first firefighters arrived, destroyed the eight-unit Tara Apartments and heavily damaged the Jenny Marie Apartments.
Both buildings had smoke alarms but no sprinklers. Still, witnesses said later, they were shocked at how quickly the fire moved through the two adjacent complexes. Some 50 low-income residents were left homeless. The total loss, including personal property, was about $1.75 million.”
Agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) joined the Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and King County Fire Investigators in the investigation.
Today, both the Tara (above) and Jenny Marie apartments have been rebuilt and are ready for occupancy.
A $10,000 reward is still being offered for information leading to the arrest of whoever is responsible. Anyone with information about the arson can call the Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311.
“This was a trying fire for all involved,” Harm recalled. “We got good assistance from the public afterwards.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- 3-Alarm Fire Kills Three, Leaves 50 Homeless
- Fire Victim Gets Surprise Gift Thanks To Local TV Station
- Burien Fire Victim Checks In With The B-Town Blog
- Fatal Apartment Arson Fire Was One Month Ago Today
- Fire Victims Donation Center Closed + Some Shout Outs
- Burien Fire Apartment Victims Suing Landlord
- Some Auction Items For Wed. Fundraiser At Mick Kelly’s
- Burien Fire Victim Fundraiser Coming July 16th
- How You Can Help Burien Fire Victims, Phase 1
One year ago Wednesday (May 6th), Ben Laumea, a father of six, passed away from injuries he suffered after being shot in the head with an AK-47 at the then-MVP Sports Bar in Burien.
A BTB Reader emailed us, asking why flowers had been placed on the doorstep of the establishment, now called Twigg’s, so we went over and took these photos:
As you can see in the closeup photo, candles were lit in the shape of a heart on the porch, along with about eight flower bouquets.
The shooter, Bruce Sivao Matagi, remains in jail on a first-degree murder charge.
Also, here are some Comments left on The B-Town Blog about this tragic incident:
I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY PPL JUS WANT TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT. MY UNKO WAS A GREAT MAN WITH A BIG HEART…HE WAS THE BABYY IN THE FAMILY. AND TO THE GUY WHO SHOT MY UNKO YOU BETTER BE VERY THANKFUL THAT LAW ENFORcEMENT GOT YOU 1ST……MAY YOU REST IN LOVE UNKO BEN ALWAYS IN OURS HEARTS AND ON OUR MINDS. I LOVE YOU FOREVER UNTIL THAT DAY WE MEET AGAIN. IA MANUIA LOU MAGALA. I LOVE YOU UNKO B……………………..
i’m going to miss you unko B. You were everyones favorite and you will never be forgotten. To you monk i hope you get released early on good behavior. when you get out i’ll be waiting for your punk ass.
iiM MiiSSiiN yOOh LiiKe Crazy uNko beN yOoh Was LiiKe a father to everyone but yea who eva did that to yooh will pay the priCe but its all good your in a better plaCe now unko ben muCh love to yooh Rest in harmony…
Here’s a video we found of Laumea’s memorial service:
http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=35283795
61 years ago today – Nov. 30, 1947, at around 2:25pm – an Alaska Airlines airplane with 25 passengers and three crewmembers on board crashed while trying to land at Sea-Tac Airport, killing nine and injuring 17.
One of the dead was Stella Pearl Jones, 44, a blind passenger in a car struck by the airplane on Des Moines Road (now Des Moines Memorial Way) near 180th:
Crash victim Virginia Stitsworth, 33, was also known as "Virginia Grafton."
Another victim was Mrs. Virginia Stitsworth, 33, an entertainer whose stagename was “Virginia Grafton” (her field of entertainment is unknown).
Most people who remember this tragic incident have either passed away, or perhaps their memories have faded. However, that does not diminish the impact of such a terrible crash that took the lives of nine, which, if it happened today, would surely be a major news event.
The doomed flight had many problems en route to Sea-Tac, including two days’ delay in Alaska for bad weather and mechanical problems. Once in Seattle, heavy fog obscured the landing strips at both Paine and Boeing Fields. The unsuccessful landing at Sea-Tac was the third attempt to land under poor visibility, and one can’t help but imagine the potential worry its passengers may have been going through at the time.
The four-engine Alaska Airlines craft, a Douglas C 54-A, descended from the northeast, then (according to some reports) touched down 2,748 feet beyond the approach area to Runway 20. It then careened over an embankment onto Des Moines Road, where it collided with an automobile, killing a female passenger. It then burst into flames as passengers tried to escape.
Six persons were dead at the scene and three more died in the hospital. The victims included:
Virginia Stitsworth, 33, aka Virginia Grafton, Seattle- Jonas E. Johnson, 44, Palmer, Alaska
- Gordon Johnson, 21 months, Palmer, Alaska
- Stella Pearl Jones, 44, Seattle, passenger in an automobile struck by the airliner
- Leslie Howe, 33, Spokane
- Fred Smith, 20, Tacoma
- Olie Raing, Anchorage
- Reba Monk, 22, Stewardess, Seattle; Monk was burned while leading passengers to safety through the flames
An investigation by the Civil Aeronautics Board found that the pilot approached the runway too high and was not correctly lined up for proper landing.
The pilot, who survived, was assessed a penalty of $1,000 for violations of Civil Air Regulations.
Here’s text taken directly from the archives of the Daily Sitka Sentinel Alaska, dated Dec. 1, 1947:
ALASKA PLANE CRASHES AT SEATTLE.
BRAKES FAIL CAUSING PLANE TO JUMP BANK.
Seattle (AP) — The pilot of a four engined Alaska Airlines transport plane which crashed and burned at the Seattle-Tacoma airport blamed the crash today on failure of the hydraulic brake to “take the slightest hold.”
Eight passengers died and three others were critically injured as a result of the accident late yesterday.
The pilot Capt. JAMES E. FERRIS, 37, of Seattle, told the Seattle Times that the DC-4 plane landed at a speed of approximately 100 miles an hour, rolled like “it was on a bed of ball bearings” until it leaped a 60 foot embankment at the end of the airport runway. It crashed into an automobile on the highway below, killing a blind woman in the car.
The plane was flying from Anchorage to Seattle. It had 28 persons aboard, 25 passengers and a crew of three.
Three passengers were reported in critical condition at the New Renton hospital and two were listed as unsatisfactory at Harborview County hospital.
The others had been released after treatment or were recovering from minor burns and bruises in the hospital.
Twenty-six of the 28 aboard the big plane scrambled from door and emergency exits or were pulled from the flames by rescuers. All, however, were seared by the gasoline fed flames that flashed through the fuselage. Four of the rescued died later.
The latest casualty was the plane’s stewardess, MISS REBA MONK, of Santa Monica, Calif., who was credited by survivors with having led many of the passengers to safety.
The other dead are:
- MRS. VIRGINIA STITSWORTH, 33, Tacoma, entertainer known professionally as VIRGINIA GRAFATON.
- GORDON JOHNSON, 21-month-old son of MR. and MRS. J. E. JOHNSON, of Palmer, Alaska.
- The list of dead climbed to eight when 44 year old JONAS E. JOHNSON, of Palmer, died of burns. His 21-month-old son, GORDON, died in the plane wreckage yesterday. MRS. JOHNSON was released from a hospital after treatment for burns.
- MRS. PEARL STELLA JONES, 43, Seattle, blind woman trapped in the car which the big transport smashed as it careened off the field onto the intersection of the Des Moines highway and 158th St.
- LESLIE HOWE, listed of Seattle and Spakane, died in hospital.
- OLE RIUG, Anchorage, died in hospital.
- REBA MONK, Santa Monica, died in hospital.
- FRED SMITH, Tacoma, died in hospital.
The injured crew members:
- Capt. JAMES E. FARRIS, Seattle, the pilot; formerly a Matson line pilot, San Francisco; injuries not serious.
RICHARD F. WHITTING, co-pilot Anchorage; fractured arm, burns, possible internal injuries.The passengers injured:
- ANE PLEYM, Los Angeles.
- MRS. LESLIE HOWE.
- WILLIAM RANDALL, Nenane, (also listed as OLIVER RINDAHL); critical.
- MARY B. KELLY, Seattle; condition unsatisfactory with neck and back injuries.
- JOHN A. LATHANAN, JR., Fairbanks; critical.
- MRS. LATHANAN, treated and released.
- MRS. J. K. (CHRISTINE) TRASS, Seattle.
- H. M. KOCH, Snohomish, Wash.
- MRS. FLORA HUNTER, Anchorage.
- RICHARD JONES, Palmer.
- MRS. SELMA OLSEN, Anchorage.
- MR. and MRS. ROWLANA SMITH, Terrabonne, Ore., MRS. SMITH, an expectant mother, hospitalized, her husband treated and released.
- EUGENE MARTIN, Seattle.
- ZENA LOUISE FELTRIN, Anchorage.
- LES M. GREENING, Anchorage and Seattle.
- MR. and MRS. RALPH TRACY, McGrath.
- MRS. J. E. JOHNSON, Palmer.
Ten others of the plane’s passengers and crew were in critical condition at Seattle and Renton hospitals. Several were not expected to live.
Bodies of two of the dead were not recovered until nearly four hours after the crash because of the intense heat emiting from the wreckage.
The plane, a DC-4, crashed only a few minutes after it had been turned back from an attempted landing at Seattle’s Boeing field by fog. Two airport employes in the control tower at the Seattle-Tacoma field said the ceiling radioed to pilot JAMES EVAN FERRIS, Seattle, as the plane settled through the overcast was 600 feet with a quarter mile visibility. Three minutes after the crash a special reading showed the ceiling at “400 feet with three-quarters of a mile visibility.”
HAROLD K. PHILIPS, chief of the maintenance division for the Civil Aeronautics Administration, sped to the scene for official inquiry and said:“Apparently the pilot ground hopped when he saw he was going off the runway.”
MRS. JONES, a widow and mother of a 9-year-old boy, was riding with a neighbor, IRA VON VOLKENBURG when the plane came plunging down a steep bank and swept the car across the road. VON VOLKENBURG said he escaped by kicking out a window and then groped in the smashed car without finding MRS. JONES. He was driven away seconds later as the plane burst into flames and then was wrecked by an explosion.
Eye-witnesses said the plane had made an apparently safe landing when it suddenly turned and went broadside over the bank at the end of the runway.
An outboard engine struck the bank as the plane sagged and watchers at the control tower said it “popped into flames.” Then it again as it flattened VON VOLKENBURG’S automobile and finally was sheathed in flame as the fuel tanks exploded.
The liner had been dogged by bad weather since it took off from Anchorage last Thursday. During its flight from Alaska it was delayed at Yakutat and Annette Island, near Ketchikan. It had taken from Annette at 9:30 a.m. yesterday.
Do you love local history as much as we do? If so, consider joining or donating to the Highline Historical Society, which is holding an online auction through Dec. 15th at this website.
You can join at this link, or donate directly to the HHS by clicking here.
We’re proud to say that The B-Town Blog is now a member, so you can look forward to many more obscure local history stories on this here website…
SOURCES FOR THIS STORY/PHOTOS:
A shooting inside Tukwila’s Westfield Southcenter Mall Saturday afternoon left one man dead and another seriously injured, the gunman still at large, and the mall locked down for a while before being evacuated.
We know you don’t read the B-Town Blog for this kind of news, but we had to post it anyways since Burien is less than five miles away.
Here are two videos related to the incident – the first taken on a cell phone by someone who walked up to and near the victim, and the second from two young women stuck in traffic trying to get to the mall:
For full coverage of this terrible incident, we recommend reading:
by Mark Neuman
A refreshing phone call came in to the B-Town Blog offices from Burien fire victim David Baggott.
You may recall that David, along with his wife Elizabeth, are among the more than two dozen survivors of the fatal June 29th arson fire which destroyed the Tara and Jenny Marie apartment buildings on SW 155th Street in Burien.
Their roommate, Lindy Kunimoto, age 49, died in the fire. Two other people, tenants on the floor above them (including an 8-year old boy), also died tragically, and as of today, the arsonist still remains at large despite a $10,000 reward.
David is now back at work. He and Elizabeth have settled in to a new apartment near Highline High School.
“I just want to say how very much we appreciate all the help that everyone has provided,” David said. “We are overwhelmed with what the community has done for all of us.”
David says his parents, who lived with them at the Tara, are doing much better now, too.
David and Elizabeth, along with his parents and about a ten other survivors, attended the Fire Victim’s Fundraiser (co-sponsored by the B-Town Blog along with Discover Burien) held at Mick Kelly’s July 16th.
“We loved it,” he said. “Thank you very, very much to everyone for the turnout.”
The Fundraiser, featuring silent, live auctions and a 50/50 raffle, raised over $10,500, which went directly to a fire victims fund set up at Sterling Savings Bank.
David says he will stay in touch and keep B-Town Blog readers informed as to how life is going.
Meanwhile, David is a strong advocate for planning and rehearsing a fire drill in the home.
“Knowing exactly how you are going to get out in case of a fire is a very, very good thing to know.”
Jared Storer, son of Mark Storer and brother of Brian, both of whom died last week when their floatplane crashed, wrote the following message about yesterday’s memorial service on his blog last night:
Thanks to everyone who attended Mark & Brian’s Memorial Service today. It really meant a lot to the entire family to see so many supporters of our loved ones.
Both men would be extremely proud of the service.
Thanks to all volunteers of Church by the Side of the Road, John Knox Presbyterian Church, Normandy Christian Church, Maars Hill, Riverview Community Church, and all other groups for helping organize the service and reception.
As for the procession, a special thanks to North Highline Fire District, Bellevue Fire Department, Burien/Normandy Park Fire, Washington State Patrol, King County Sheriff’s Office, Port of Seattle Police, all towing companies in attendance, as well as security agencies, and other friends that drove in the procession.
Your overwhelming support is appreciated by the Storer family and was a true honor to Mark & Brian.
We estimate approximately 700 people in attendance at the service and 150 vehicles in the procession, primarily emergency vehicles.
Memorial Service Coverage:
Donations to the family of Brian Storer are currently being accepted at Sterling Savings Bank locations. The Storer Family Memorial Fund will benefit the 2 & 1 year old boys who lost their father.
More info at http://jaredstorer.blogspot.com/
TUKWILA – Burien Towing’s Mark and Brian Storer, killed last week when their floatplane crashed near Shelton, were honored today with a memorial service here.
The procession was highlighted by dozens of tow trucks (several vintage ones that Mark collected) in a procession that started at the Burien Towing offices on SW 149th, along with an honor guard and hundreds of mourners in the Church by the Side of the Road at this afternoon’s service.
More info:
| Aug ’08 |
| 7 |
| 2:00 pm |
Dan Packer, the East Pierce County Fire Chief who was tragically killed last Saturday while surveying a forest fire in Klamath National Forest in Northern California, once worked for the Burien/Normandy Park Fire Department.
Packer, 49, worked for the local fire department from 1981 through 1994, when he left to work for Bonney Lake as Battalion Chief; he was soon promoted to Fire Chief for East Pierce County.
Packer’s quick rise through the ranks of B/N.P.F.D resulted in being promoted to Lieutenant, then being named “Firefighter of the Year” in 1992.
Many of his old co-workers and friends in the area are very saddened at the loss, and we here at the B-Town Blog wanted to make sure that everyone knew of his local ties, as well as the upcoming memorial service.
According to Doug Luedeman of the B.F.D., Packer was instrumental in the development of the “Children’s Fire Safety House” trailer which was ironically displayed at the Burien Strawberry Festival June 28th, where a young 8-year old boy named Edgar Omar Cisneros Velazquez visited it the day before he was tragically killed in the June 29th arson apartment fire.
Packer leaves behind a wife, four daughters and two grandchildren.
Memorial for Fire Chief Dan Packer
- When: 2 pm Thurs. Aug. 7
- Where: Christian Faith Center, 33645 20th Ave. S., Federal Way. The public is invited to the service.
- Memorials: In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made at any Washington Mutual location to the Fire Chief Dan Packer Memorial Fund. Checks can also be mailed to:
East Pierce Professional Firefighters
PO Box 7500
Bonney Lake, WA 98391
According to Jared Storer’s blog, a fund has been set up to support the family of Brian Storer, who was killed last Thursday in a floatplane crash near Shelton along with his father, Mark.
Brian and Christy Storer were married three years and have two young children, Toby & Sam, ages 2 and 1 (pictured at left).
The “Storer Family Memorial Fund” is accepting donations at all Sterling Savings Bank locations.
| Jul ’08 |
| 31 |
| 11:00 am |
As we reported Friday, Burien Towing’s Mark Storer, 51, and his son Brian, 24, were killed in a floatplane crash near Shelton, WA.
A memorial service for both has been scheduled for this Thursday, July 31st at 11am at the Church by the Side of the Road, which is located at 3455 S 148th Street in Tukwila (map below).
According to the Burien Towing website:
- Mark and Brian took the afternoon off work to spend some time together in Mark’s amphibious airplane.
- The two were last seen enjoying the day on Lake Nahwatzel, before the plane’s engine failed shortly after taking off. Both died in the crash.
- Mark was a dedicated father and husband. He loved his family and will be missed by many.
- Brian was married and was a father of 2 young boys, ages 2 and 1. He also loved his family very much and will be missed.
- Both Mark and Brian dedicated much of their lives to the family business. Airport Towing mourns their passing and supports the families they have left behind.
- Any gifts or cards for the families are currently being collected at the main office:
Burien Towing
817 SW 149th Street
Burien, WA 98166
- All who knew Mark and Brian are invited to attend the service.
- Prior to the ceremony, a procession will lead the family to the Church from the Airport Towing office at 817 SW 149th Street in Burien. The lead car will leave the office at 10am.
- If you would like to join the procession, please arrive prior to 9:45am at the Airport Towing office for staging.
- All law enforcement vehicles, fire apparatus, tow trucks, and motorcycles are welcome in the procession.
- For more information on the procession, fill out the Contact form and Jared will respond to your inquiry.
- Following the service will be a reception at the Church. All are welcome to attend.
- A fund is currently being set up to benefit Brian’s family. Brian leaves behind a wife of 3 years and two sons, ages 2 and 1. Information on the Storer Family Memorial Fund will be posted when available.
- More information is available at jaredstorer.blogspot.com
SHELTON, WA - Burien Towing’s Mark Storer, 51 and his son Brian, 24, were killed Thursday when their floatplane crashed 10 miles west of Shelton.
Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the crash that left the two area residents dead.
Mark Storer founded and operated both Burien and Airport Towing, and leaves behind his wife, Lynette, and a surviving son and daughter.
His son Brian was married with two small children.
According to witnesses, the plane struggled to reach altitude after taking off from Nahwatzel Lake before vanishing behind some trees, crashing then exploding.
From the Burien Towing website:
Airport Towing began as a sole proprietorship in March of 1988.
Mark and Lynette Storer purchased their first tow truck and began running calls out of their house.
Within six months they located a storage lot in the Burien district of unincorporated King County. The lot was up for lease, so an office trailer was built and the property was occupied. The storage lot was necessary to meet Washington State Patrol and King County Sheriff Office requirements for towers.
Many updates were needed in order to meet the high standards of the local police agencies. The couple worked diligently to improve the company far beyond state and local standards.
As the company expanded, other police and government agency contracts became achievable.
Airport Towing has since performed services for the Washington State Patrol, King County Sheriff’s Office, Tukwila Police, Port of Seattle Police, Des Moines Police, Seattle Police, Normandy Park Police, the United States Postal Service, and others.
According to the Seattle P-I, members of a family that lived at the arson-burned Tara Apartments in Burien are suing their landlord, claiming they did little to prevent the fire that destroyed the building and killed their 8-year old child and two other people.
Former residents Jamie Cisneros and Martha Velazquez lost their 8-year-old son, Edgar Omar Cisneros Velazquez, in the June 29 arson, which also killed Cisneros’s father, Ramon Cisneros Sanchez. Resident Lindy Kunimoto, 49, was also killed.
Now the couple has sued building owners Eric and Ruth Johnson. contending that they failed to maintain required safety equipment or provide residents with adequate escape routes in case of fire. The Johnsons have yet to file a response in King County Superior Court, where the suit was filed July 8.
No specific allegations of wrongdoing were made in court filings.
Fire investigators determined the fire was caused by arson, and put out a $10,000 reward for the arsonist.
However, no arrests have yet been made.
SOURCE:
| Jul ’08 |
| 16 |
| 6:00 pm |
Be sure to mark your calendars for Wed. July 16th, as there will be a major Burien Fire Victim fundraiser with live music, silent and live auctions and much more at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub at 435 SW 152nd in downtown Burien.
Further info will be coming soon, so stay tuned to the B-Town Blog for exclusive information.
In the meantime, if you’d like to donate, look at the right sidebar of this page and you’ll see what appears to be a new “Ad,” but is actually a call to action for all our faithful and generous B-Town Blog Readers to donate to the American Red Cross’ “Burien Apartment Fire Fund.”
All donations will go directly to the victims of last weekend’s tragic fire that killed three, injured six and left dozens homeless.
Latest news developments:
- On Monday, the King County Sheriff’s Office declared that the fire that destroyed the eight-unit Tara Apartments and heavily damaged the identical Jenny Marie Apartments in the 400 block of Southwest 155th Street was arson. Investigators aren’t releasing what specifically led them to conclude it was arson, said sheriff’s spokesman John Urquhart.
- The fire is being investigated by King County Fire Investigators and the Major Crimes Unit of the Sheriff’s Office.
- A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of whoever is responsible. Anyone with information about the arson should call the Sheriff’s Office immediately at (206) 296-3311.
- According to the Sheriff’s Office, the fire caused about $1.75 million in damage. But for many of those left homeless, the fire consumed belongings that will be difficult to calculate in dollar amounts.
If you’re interested in helping out (either with donations to the upcoming auction event or your assistance in helping get the word out), please email us ASAP.
Teams from the King County Fire Investigation Unit are scheduled to return this morning to the site of Sunday morning’s fatal fire that killed three, injured six and left over 30 homeless.
Fire investigators have not determined a cause for the fire which destroyed the Tara Apartments at 455 SW 155th, and badly damaged the neighboring Jenny Maria Apartments at 429 SW 155th shortly after 12:30am Sunday.
Officials with the King County Sheriff’s Office have said the fire appears suspicious.
The Red Cross has set up a shelter at the Burien Presbyterian Church, where they are assisting dozens of tenants displaced by the fire .
The B-Town Blog is planning on doing both a physical and an online fundraising campaign to help the victims, so stay tuned.
If you’re a local business or resident interested in helping out, please send us an email.
After manning our booth at today’s beautiful, hot final day of the Strawberry Festival, we took a very deep breath, then drove solemnly by the remnants of last night’s tragic, fatal fire (Burien’s worst in two decades) that left three people dead, six injured and 31 homeless:
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
We then went over to Lake Burien Presbyterian Church, where the Red Cross has set up a shelter for the 31 displaced people and talked with volunteers there. Out of respect for the families, we opted not to take photos, as the survivors gathered had just been informed of the three deaths (and several were related or very close to the victims).
It’s sad whenever a tragedy like this hits a community, and this one hit hard, as the following comment by an eyewitness posted on Craigslist attests to:
We were woken by sirens about 12:45 am. This is so incredibly sad. The entire complex was engulfed before fire fighters arrived. Three confirmed dead now (Go to KIRO’s website for pictures and story). One of whom is an 8 year old boy whom was a former classmate and friend of my daughter. His Grandfather also died and one other person. It also moved to the apartments next door and damaged 3/4 of that building as well. We could stand in our front parking lot..see and feel the flames….that close to us.
No one knows what happened yet. Fireworks? Electrical? (Loud bang could have even been the water tanks exploding. Even if it was due to someone being stupid, the loss of lives is horrendous. I saw a woman sobbing, and I was told by a man who knows them, that she is the mother of the young boy. So she lost 2 loved ones.
Please be kind no matter what the outcome is, and hold the familys close. Good thoughts, prayers, chanting, lighting candles….what ever you do.
Thank YOU “B-Town Blog” for the story I know you’ll do with excellence. I’m only sorry your stories aren’t all full of ’strawberry festival’ happiness.
Thank you.
A very saddened neighbor who knew the child personally. (Telling my child she lost her friend was so damned hard to do.)
Rest assured that the B-Town Blog plans on doing whatever it can to help those in need, so stay tuned for some positive, uplifting events soon…
UPDATE 4pm 6/29/08: Officials say that last night’s fatal apartment fire that killed three may have been deliberately set.
Neighbors said the dead included an 8-year-old boy and his grandfather, but officials would not confirm that.
Emergency officials confirmed that the three dead were found in two units, one above the other, in one of the apartment buildings.
Here’s two raw video clips of the fire we found today apparently taken by a neighbor from across the street:
If you have any photos or video of this tragedy, please email us at tips@b-townblog.com.
TUKWILA – Two shootings in Tukwila within about a mile of each other over the weekend left one man dead.
An 18-year-old man was fatally shot Sunday morning on North I-5 near the Boeing Access Road, Tukwila police reported. The shooting occurred around 2:30am when the man was driving northbound with friends, who were not injured.
Tukwila police said it appears the driver was specifically targeted and was not the victim of a random shooting.
His friends rushed him to Harborview Medical Center, where he died, police spokesman Mike Murphy said. As of early Sunday morning, detectives did not have a description of the suspect or that person’s vehicle.
Earlier, on Saturday evening, Tukwila police learned of shots fired less than one mile away from the fatality in the 10700 block of Beacon Avenue South. While the shooter did not hit any of the intended victims, who are teenage men from Seattle, bullets did hit their car.
Police later found the suspect’s car and the Seattle police gang unit also investigated.
Tukwila police did not say whether the two shootings were related.
SOURCE:
DES MOINES – Tragedy struck Friday night when an elderly woman drowned after the car she was a passenger in plunged into Puget Sound at the Des Moines Marina.
Police and fire officials said an elderly couple was driving in the parking lot of the marina when the male driver accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brakes, causing the SUV to drive off of the road, crash through the fence and plunge into the cold water.
Rescuers pulled out the 86-year-old man rather quickly through his open window, but his 76-year-old wife wasn’t rescued in time.
By the time divers got the woman out of the water, she had been under for 28 minutes and was unconscious. Medics performed CPR on her, but she could not be resuscitated.
The man’s condition is not known.
The couple’s names were not released.
SOURCE:
As we reported late last week, yesterday was the day that the White Center Park was be re-dedicated as Steve Cox Memorial Park, in memory of the late Deputy Steve Cox, a true community leader who inspired many with his dedication and hard work in the community.
Here is a Flickr slideshow from the event:
Quick update on the Buckley Family, who lost everything they own in a fire when their house burned down exactly one month ago (March 4th), directly from Hal Buckley:
We are doing OK, all things considered.
The community and my coworkers have been very generous, we have most of the items that we need when we get our own place.
That is our biggest need right now, a three bedroom place for no more than $700/month.
We haven’t had much luck finding a place to live in Burien that we can afford.
There are not many vacancies now because people usually wait until the weather is better before moving.
So…does anyone out there have a rental house for around $700/month? Or know of anyone?
Please email us and we’ll connect you with this needy family!
Don’t forget, you can still donate directly to the Buckley Family Fire Fund set up at Sterling Savings Bank:
| Apr ’08 |
| 5 |
| 11:30 am |
This Saturday, April 5th, White Center Park will be re-dedicated as Steve Cox Memorial Park, in memory of the late Deputy Steve Cox, a true community leader who inspired many with his dedication and hard work in the community.
Naming this park in his honor is a fitting tribute for the officer who was shot and killed while investigating an assault outside a White Center home back in December 2006.
His murder stunned the community, who revered Cox as a Superman, a larger-than-life prosecutor-turned deputy.
News video:
The park will include:
- Area: 12 acres
- Hours: Dawn to dusk
- Amenities: White Center Community Center, Mel Olson Stadium, children’s play area with play structures, tennis courts, picnic tables and barbecues, picnic shelter, baseball fields, racquetball courts, restrooms.
- Rentals: For information on renting facilities, please call 206-205-5275.
More info here.
A Burien woman pleaded guilty today of driving drunk the wrong way down I-5 before slamming into a pickup truck, killing an 18-year-old woman and badly injuring her boyfriend.
Cerrissa Christensen will likely face 6 1/2 years in prison when she is sentenced April 25 in King County Superior Court.
The 27-year-old woman pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault for the Oct. 9 crash, which killed Bawny McQuistin, who was riding in the passenger seat as her boyfriend, Eric Hillstrom, 19, drove toward downtown Seattle.
Hillstrom suffered broken bones in his legs and back and was left with serious brain injuries.
Christensen had been drinking at a Seattle bar before the crash. Several of her friends told her she was too drunk to drive and offered to give her a ride, but she managed to sneak away and get behind the wheel, Deputy Prosecutor Amy Freedheim said.
She entered the freeway’s northbound lanes headed south. She was speeding — 100 mph at times — in the car pool lane when she saw a state trooper and slowed down, “not even comprehending that she was going the wrong way,” Freedheim said.
The trooper and others tried, unsuccessfully, to get her to stop.
Her blood-alcohol level was 0.25 percent — more than three times the legal limit — according to court documents.
Christensen would have faced roughly 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 years for the charges, but she had a previous drunken-driving conviction that added two years to her sentence range. Prosecutors and her lawyer agreed to the top end of that range.
She also has a previous drug charge and various driving tickets and convictions, including ones for reckless driving and hit-and-run.
SOURCE:
We just got the PayPal “Donate” button up online, ready for all those generous B-Towners to help out the Buckley Family, who were burned out of their home last Tuesday.
Simply click the “Donate” button below and you’ll be re-directed to PayPal, where you can donate as much as you want.
All donations go directly into The Buckley Family Fire Recovery Fund, set up by the fine folks at Burien’s Sterling Savings Bank:
| Mar ’08 |
| 9 |
| 11:00 am |
Last week, I stumbled upon an interesting “Call for Help” ad on Craigslist, and decided it was worth investigating further.
Last Tuesday, a double-wide trailer burned nearly to the ground behind Sylvester Middle School here in Burien. The family that lived there basically lost everything (including the family pet) but the clothes on their backs, and had no insurance.
They are a family of five – Hal and Deana Buckley, and their three children – a nine-year old daughter who attends Gregory Heights Elementary School, a two-year old and a six-month old.
The story goes that on Tuesday, Deana took the two babies and went to pick up their daughter at school at about 2:30pm. When she returned home, the house was totally engulfed in flames.
Hal returned at about 3:20 just in time to see the fire department trying to put out the fire. No one was home and they have no idea how it started.
This family needs our help.
The Red Cross has helped them with three days of support, but they are in dire need of cash, gift cards, furniture, a cheap place to live…everything.
I spoke with Deana Buckley on the phone Saturday morning and she’s very grateful for the help they’ve received so far. She mentioned that they need two sets of bunk beds now, and also asks that anyone who wants to help try to either go to Sunday’s fundraiser (11am-4pm at Thi Salon), buy cookies from their daughter or donate cash or gift cards (ie: Target, Fred Meyer, etc.), as they have enough clothes for now. They need to get back on their feet and find a place to live, as they’re now staying with friends in Renton.
Here’s how you can help out this weekend:
Sunday (3/9) from 11am – 4pm at Thi Salon Services (in Big 5/Big Lots Complex @ 125 SW 148th St Burien • 241-9984) an all-day fundraiser for the Buckley Family. Salon owner Thi will be donating all proceeds to the family from all salon services, so go get your hair done, a manicure, pedicure, your back waxed, scalp massaged or whatever other services they offer. Rumor has it also that Thi will stay “until the last person leaves” and will donate all monies collected directly to the family. There’s also a Fundraising Jar (see photo at left) where you can just donate cash. There will also be food available (hot dogs, etc.) donated by the local Safeway across the street.- Sunday (3/9) from 2-4pm at the Burien Safeway (on 148th near First Ave South, conveniently located just across the street from Thi Salon), daughter Morgan will be selling Girl Scout Cookies near the front door (she lost all of her cookies in the fire but is out selling again – way to go Morgan!). So go show off your new ‘do to her and buy a bunch of cookies!
Eventually we’ll set up a PayPal donation button on the site that will deposit funds directly into a Buckley Family bank account, but until then, to donate cash you can contact Lynda Isernio at Sterling Bank at 243-6869 for more information.
For additional information on how you can help this family call Kathy Vallade 243-9595 or Gregory Heights School at 433-2323.
The Kiwanis plan to rebuild, but this will take some time.
If you have any ideas on other ways to help (perhaps hold your own fundraiser?), please don’t hesitate to email Scott at the B-Town Blog. We’re here to do whatever we can to help as well.
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| Feb ’08 |
| 23 |
| 11:00 am |
Nicholas Francisco hasn’t been seen since leaving his workplace at Publicis USA in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood on February 13 at 6 p.m.
The 28-year-old told colleagues he would be heading to a local Safeway and the Southcenter Costco before going home to his pregnant wife and two children.
Francisco’s 1992 Toyota Paseo was found at a Federal Way condominium complex on Monday, but King County detectives say they found nothing to help locate Francisco.
A reward for information leading to Francisco’s whereabouts is up to $15,000.
There is also a public service announcement for him that’s made its way to YouTube and has been viewed over 4,200 times in less than 48 hours:
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 immediately.
Saturday’s search party will start Saturday at 11 a.m. at Francisco’s place of work, Publicis in the West at 424 2nd Avenue West in the lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle:
View Larger Map
Nicholas Francisco, 28, was last seen around 6 p.m. on February 13 as he was leaving work in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.
His red 1992 Toyota Paseo hatchback was found at the Heritage Condos at 123 S. 340th Street in the Panther Lake area of Federal Way at 10:20 a.m. Monday.
Family members plan to start searching that area and hand out flyers.
Federal Way Police say, as far as they know, Francisco has no connection to the Heritage Condos.
Francisco is about six feet tall. He was last seen wearing a light-blue or off-white button-down short, a black jacket and blue jeans.
There’s a $5,000 reward in the case.
“We just need him to come home,” said Christine Francisco, wife of Nicholas Francisco, who disappeared after leaving his Queen Anne office.
“I am begging everybody, begging everybody to please, please help me find my husband because I cannot live my life without him,” she said.
Deputies also have been pinging his cell phone, but have gotten no response. Nicholas’ co-workers say his cell phone batteries were dead on his last day at work.
Just before he vanished, Nicholas called his wife and promised his 4-year-old daughter, Zea, he’d make Valentine’s Day cookies with her, but never showed.
The Franciscos also have a son, Noah, age 2 1/2, and Christine is pregnant with their third child, due in early October.
“If you can’t find him, these kids won’t have a daddy then,” Christine said in an interview, breaking into tears. “This unborn baby won’t have a daddy.”
In their last phone conversation, from Nicholas’ work phone, he told his wife that he was “signing off on something,” then planned to head home after running an errand at Costco for her.
“He told me he loved me,” she said.
Francisco’s co-workers on Friday combed the streets around Francisco’s work and retraced his route home, hoping to find some sign of the missing man.
“Literally there is no place to search,” said King County sheriff’s spokesman John Urquhart. “What we have to do is our investigative work and try to track him either through cell phone or bank records.”
“It’s not normal for him to make stops, have hangouts or go visit anyone else,” said one co-worker. “He’s a man who comes home after work.”
Christine Francisco said there has been no activity in Nicholas’ e-mail or bank account since he vanished.
Francisco stands about 6 feet tall and was last seen wearing a light blue and white button-down shirt, a plain black jacket and a pair of blue jeans.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged call 911 immediately.
SOURCES:
