Seattle, WA
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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
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.”
Thanks to Carrie Brown for the westward view of our Saturday night sunset. The high today hit 68 at the airport – eight degrees above normal – but nowhere near the record for this date, which was 89 degrees back in 2016. The forecast suggests two more days of partly sunny, almost-70-degree weather, before the chance of rain returns.
CHICAGO (AP) — The struggling New York Mets placed former Seattle Mariners second baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a right wrist contusion.
Mariners Injury Update: Latest on Robles, Vargas and more
The move was made retroactive to Wednesday, a day after Polanco went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in a 2-1 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 32-year-old Polanco is batting .179 (10 for 56) with a homer and two RBIs in his first season with New York, which has lost nine straight.
“When doctors first took a look at him, it looked like he got hit by a pitch when he didn’t,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “In talking to him, it was just a couple of swings that he took that night. … He didn’t think much of it, but just got worse the following day.
“So you just got to let it calm down a little bit and then we’ll go from there. But we don’t have a timetable for how long this is going to last.”
Polanco, who signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Mets in December, also has been dealing with an ankle issue.
“He was trending in the right direction,” Mendoza said of the ankle injury. “It’s definitely going to help, obviously now with him being shut down. But the biggest thing now is that we’ve got to take care of that wrist.”
Polanco spent the previous two seasons with the Mariners, who acquired him in a February 2024 trade with the Minnesota Twins.
Polanco struggled during his first season with Seattle in 2024, hitting just .213 with 16 homers in 118 games while playing through a knee injury that didn’t become public knowledge until after the season.
But after the Mariners somewhat surprisingly brought him back for a one-year contract in 2025, Polanco rebounded to hit .265 with 26 homers and an .821 OPS in 138 games last season. He then added three homers during Seattle’s playoff run, along with a 15th-inning walkoff single in Game 5 of the American League Division Series that sent the Mariners to their first ALCS in 24 years.
Seattle Sports staff made additions to this post.
Mariners RHP Bryce Miller to begin rehab assignment
Seattle, WA
Brandon Nimmo hits leadoff homer, Jacob deGrom works 4 scoreless as Rangers beat Seattle Mariners 5-0
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – APRIL 17: Corey Seager #5 of the Texas Rangers tags out Dominic Canzone #8 of the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park on April 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
SEATTLE – Brandon Nimmo hit a leadoff home run, Jacob deGrom threw four shutout innings and Gavin Collyer earned his first career win as the Texas Rangers beat the Seattle Mariners 5-0 on Friday night.
Seattle lost its fourth straight game, and was shut out for the fourth time in 21 games, falling to 8-13. The Mariners were shut out six times during the 2025 season. Texas won its third straight game.
Nimmo led off the game with a 372-foot shot to right field off Mariners starter Logan Gilbert (1-3). It was Nimmo’s 16th career leadoff homer and second of the season. He also hit a leadoff home run on April 11 in a 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
DeGrom effectively maneuvered through Seattle’s lineup, and worked out of a one out, bases-loaded jam in the first inning. The two-time Cy Young Award winner recorded two of his three strikeouts after walking Josh Naylor to load the bases. Randy Arozarena fanned on a curveball, and Luke Raley swung through a fastball.
Texas added to its lead after Nimmo’s homer. Wyatt Langford’s single to left scored Corey Seager, who led off the third inning with a double. The Rangers stretched the lead to 3-0 on an RBI single from Jake Burger in the seventh.
The Mariners’ best scoring chance came in the sixth after Collyer (1-0), who worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings, left the game.
J.P. Crawford singled to left off Tyler Alexander with two out, and Mariners third base coach Carlos Cardoza sent Naylor from second base, but he was thrown out by Langford.
Texas added two more runs in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Andrew McCutchen and an RBI double by Josh Jung.
Seattle third baseman Brendan Donovan left the game early due to a left hip issue.
Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller, who started the year on the injured list with a left oblique injury, was at T-Mobile Park for the first time this season. He will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.
Up next
Mariners RHP George Kirby (2-2, 3.25) will face Rangers righty Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 5.40) on Saturday afternoon.
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