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Homeless man Steven Irwin builds cabin in Seattle public park months after digging up site with stolen excavator

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Homeless man Steven Irwin builds cabin in Seattle public park months after digging up site with stolen excavator


A Seattle homeless man built a “ticking timebomb” cabin — featuring a washing machine and a treadmill — at a public park months after he allegedly stole an excavator to tear up part of the site in his pursuit of gold.

Steven Irwin, 41, claimed he had permission to build the structure in Dr. Jose Rizal Park, despite the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department recently paying $15,000 to repair the damage Irwin had done when he illegally dug up the land in Oct. 2023, according to KOMO News.

Irwin was arrested for the rogue construction and charged with theft of a motor vehicle only to reclaim the space with some interesting upgrades.

The illegal cabin now features fireplaces, propane heaters, a washing machine, multiple generators, and a treadmill.

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Police are seen taking Steven Irwin into custody following the Oct. 2023 incident. Andrea Suarez/We Heart Seattle
Following his arrest, Irwin was released and returned to the same site to start building up his cabin. KOMO

“He is digging into the slopes, building structures, tearing down trees, undoing thousands of dollars in repairs,” Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle, a homeless outreach group that has offered assistance to Irwin, told the outlet Friday.

“There’s also a risk for him being in that environment. There are smells of kerosene, propane, and gasoline – there are three different forms of fuel down here, wires everywhere,” Suarez shared — adding the spot is “a ticking timebomb.”

Irwin’s cabin goes beyond wanting just a cozy place in the park, Suarez explained.

“He’s dreaming up that this is a gold mine, that he’s mining for diamonds, and that he is going to find gold and strike it rich,” Suarez said.

In October, Irwin was busted after multiple 911 calls flooded in from concerned neighbors about destruction at Dr. Jose Rizal Park — which is about 3 miles away from the iconic Seattle Space Needle.

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The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department recently paid $15,000 to repair the damage Irwin caused while digging up the land. Andrea Suarez/We Heart Seattle
The danger of the situation has also dawned on neighbors living near the park. KOMO

“He was driving a little crazy with this heavy piece of machinery,” said park steward and volunteer Genevieve Courtney last year, who just happened to come across Irwin while he dug up the land.

He would later admit to police that he cleared the space for his cabin with the excavator, still holding strong to his belief he had permission to change the face of the land for his cabin.

Since his release and return to his encampment, Irwin has been using power and hand tools to clear away areas in the park, according to the outlet.

The danger of the situation has also dawned on neighbors living near the park, who have tried tirelessly to get the city’s attention on the issue.

Andrea Suarez, executive director of We Heart Seattle, said the situation should serve as a wake-up call to local leaders in the crime-ridden city. Andrea Suarez/We Heart Seattle
Dr. Jose Rizal Park is about 3 miles away from the iconic Seattle Space Needle. KOMO

“This guy is just getting away with it, and I don’t understand that. We are absolutely frustrated. We need some civility here, we need police action,” Brian Hartman told the outlet.

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Suarez, who wants the situation resolved due to the potential danger Irwin may unintentionally inflict on himself and others, says the homeless man has no plans to stop his building.

However, she said that could only be achieved if the city steps up to the plate and enforces the law.

“This is a call to action by law enforcement and Seattle Parks and Recreation to do something,” Suarez told the outlet.

“I’ve even offered to pay for his first six months of housing, and he said, ‘That’s great. I’m still going to keep my cabin in the woods.”

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Man injured during stabbing attack in Seattle’s University District

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Man injured during stabbing attack in Seattle’s University District


Seattle police arrested a 40-year-old man after a stabbing in the University District on Monday morning that left another man wounded.

Officers were sent to the 5000 block of Brooklyn Avenue North just before 8 a.m. for a reported stabbing. Police arrived and found a 21-year-old man with stab wounds.

Officers provided aid until the Seattle Fire Department arrived and took over. The victim’s injuries were stated to be non-life-threatening

Police searched the area and located a suspect near Northeast 47th Street and University Way Northeast. The 40-year-old man was arrested and booked into the King County Jail.

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WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Graduation season begins Monday

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WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Graduation season begins Monday


(WSB file photo. No outdoor cap tosses this year!)

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Tomorrow (Monday, June 1) brings not only a new month but also the first graduation ceremony of the season for West Seattle’s three biggest high schools. And all are graduating at new venues this year. Summit Atlas, which after nine years remains West Seattle’s only charter school, will graduate 55 seniors in a ceremony at Highline Performing Arts Center in Burien at 6 pm Monday. West Seattle’s two major public high schools, Chief Sealth International HS and West Seattle HS, both have graduation ceremonies on Wednesday, June 17, at McCaw Hall (hosting graduations while Memorial Stadium is being rebuilt) – CSIHS at 5 pm, WSHS at 8 pm. The Seattle Public Schools webpage for graduation info also lists where and when ceremonies are planned for its alternative programs, some of which hold classes in West Seattle.





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Vikings stealing Nolan Teasley from Seahawks might be even worse than it appears

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Vikings stealing Nolan Teasley from Seahawks might be even worse than it appears


The Seattle Seahawks lost a key member of the front office to the Minnesota Vikings, as the NFC North team named Nolan Teasley its new general manager. The hire could change the fortunes of both teams in the immediate future.

Teasley will be taking over a Vikings team that isn’t far away from contending. One of the key reasons the team fired former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah wasn’t that he couldn’t build a collection of talent, but that he didn’t seem to understand how to get the best possible answer at the most important position in sports: Quarterback.

Vikings fans watched as former QB1 in Minnesota, Sam Darnold, signed with the Seahawks last offseason, and then followed that by helping lead his team to a Super Bowl victory. That was Seattle’s second title. Minnesota has never won a Super Bowl.

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Minnesota Vikings hire Nolan Teasley from the Seattle Seahawks

Teasley, though, has the experience and, clearly, the ability to create an environment in which a team will thrive. He has been working with general manager John Schneider in Seattle since 2013, and has worked in scouting and been the director of pro personnel. He has most recently served as Schneider’s assistant GM.

Schneider could very well be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day after leading the Seahawks to two Super Bowl wins. Still, with teams with two completely different rosters and coaching staffs (Schneider is the only GM to ever do that), Teasley would have learned at the knee of one of the best to ever perform general manager duties.

Nolan Teasley could also be entering a situation where his new team is already poised to make a deep run in the playoffs. Minnesota finished 9-8 last season despite the fact that its quarterback play was among the worst in the NFL. This offseason, the Vikings signed Kyler Murray.

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Murray underwhelmed or was injured throughout his career with the Arizona Cardinals, as Seattle Seahawks fans know well due to their favorite team counting on two wins every season against the NFC West brethren, but under the wise direction of Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, Murray could be coaxed into playing a much better form of football.

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As the Minnesota Vikings play in the NFC, and could potentially be a difficult obstacle for the Seahawks to repeat as Super Bowl champions, Teasley is already in a good spot. The issue for Seattle is that Teasley is smart enough to make moves to get Minnesota even better well into the future. A great rivalry between Seattle and the Vikings might be about to start.

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