West Seattle, Washington
27 Wednesday
Eight weeks from today, right about now, we’ll be wrapping up this year’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2024 – and registration starts soon. WSCGSD will be on Saturday, May 11, this year – always the second Saturday in May, with registration opening April 1. Watch WSB that day for the announcement and link. If you’re new, WSCGSD – coordinated by WSB since 2008, three years after it began – is one day with many sales of all sizes, all over the peninsula, in garages and yards and schools and courtyards and community rooms and parking lots and businesses and driveways and … (Here’s WSB coverage of last year’s WSCGSD, with a sample.) We provide a map/guide to all the sales, available a week before WSCGSD so shoppers can start planning. To recap those dates to remember – Monday, April 1, registration begins; Saturday, May 11, sale day! Official hours are 9 am-3 pm; some sellers start earlier and some wrap up later.
For the second day, orcas are in the area. Kersti Muul texted earlier this morning that they were southbound but already passing Arbor Heights; then another texter reported less than an hour ago they were northbound passing Vashon. Orca Network commenters are seeing them off west-facing West Seattle too. Let us know if you see them!
Per a text, discolored water is happening in the 6700 block of 41st SW. No incidents on the Seattle Public Utilities map so far, but if/when it happens to you, it’s always important to report it – SPU’s 24-hour number for this is 206-386-1800 – because your report might be first word of a problem. (Another common cause: Hydrant testing stirring up sediment, aka rust, in the pipes.)
Spirited student in the family? This announcement was sent by West Seattle High School head cheer coach Nadine Nguyen:
Are you ready to become a part of the State-Winning West Seattle High School Coed Cheer Team?
Now’s your chance. Tryouts will be held in person March 26th-March 29th from 4:30 pm-8:30 pm @ WSHS. To try out, you will need to fill out all online forms and provide a current Sports Physical.
*We will also be hosting Cheer Clinics on March 19th.
CHEER CLINICS – Learn the cheer basics to help prep you for tryouts!
*For those interested in trying out for our State Winning Competition Team, you are invited to attend our Stunt Clinics where you will learn basic stunt skills.
Stunt Clinics are on March 20th @ 4:30 pm-8:30 pm
To participate in tryouts on March 26th – March 29th, Stunt Clinics, and the Cheer clinics, please bring a printed and signed copy of the following items below to the first day of the clinics/tryouts.
-Student Athletic Registration Form
-Signed Parent Waver
-Up-to-date PhysicalThe Tryout application and required forms are available through the following link tree:
For tips and more information regarding tryouts, follow our Instagram @westseattlecheer
Good Luck and Go Wildcats!! For Questions email: nmnguyen@seattleschools.org
(Friday morning photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Cookies, beignets, music, massage, more … Welcome to the third weekend of March! Here’s what’s in our Event Calendar listings for today/tonight, right after a traffic note:
TRAFFIC ALERT IF YOU’RE GOING DOWNTOWN: Road closures are planned for the 12:30 pm St. Patrick’s Day Parade, 4th/James to Westlake. Further south, Sounders FC has a 12:30 pm match.
Now, the reasons to stay on the peninsula:
FREE! GROUP RUN: Start your Saturday with this weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW) group run! All levels welcome. Meet at the shop by 8 am.
FREE! HEAVILY MEDITATED: Arrive by 8:50 am for community meditation at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska). Free event every Saturday but please register.
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: Final weekend of cookie booths at various locations. Search here for your nearest locations and times.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS: Show some love to the forest at Westcrest Park (9000 8th SW), 10 am-1 pm, details in our calendar listing.
JET CITY BEIGNET’S LAST WEEKEND: Today, your second-to-last chance to get beignets from Jet City Beignet, which will be popping up at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), 10 am-2 pm or until sold out.
SSC GARDEN CENTER: Scheduled to be open 10 am-2 pm today: “The Garden Center at South Seattle College provides Landscape Horticulture students the opportunity to increase their knowledge of plants while gaining real-world retail experience. Plants available for sale are selected, propagated, grown and presented by students. Additional plants are brought in from local growers.” (6000 16th Ave SW, north lot)
MORNING MUSIC: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Info about Marco’s music is here.
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am in West Seattle, registration required – see full details in our calendar listing.
ALKI KAYAK TOURS: Open for tours and rentals, 11 am-7 pm, at Seacrest (1660 Harbor SW).
FAMILY READING TIME: Every Saturday at 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
POP-UP PLANT SALE: 11 am-7 pm, plants, holders, and more, at a big Puget Ridge pop-up. (6350 18th Ave SW)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM OPEN: The home of West Seattle history is open for your visit, noon-4 pm. (61st/Stevens)
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER, WITH SPECIAL EVENT: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. Today you’re invited to the 1-3 pm event honoring the memory of the Trung sisters, historic heroes of Vietnam. (2236 SW Orchard)
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar open 1-6 pm, north end of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
NEPENTHE’S WALK-IN MASSAGE CLINIC: 3-5 pm, show up at Nepenthe (9447 35th SW) with a specific problem to be addressed by massage, and you’ll get a free (gratuities appreciated) trial of their work.
VIVA LA GALA: Support Holy Family Bilingual School by attending their gala dinner/auction at 5 pm tonight in the school hall (20th/Roxbury) and/or by bidding in the online auction. Our calendar listing has links for both.
DICK’S AT LARRY’S: 5-7 pm, Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) has invited the Dick’s Drive-In burgers-and-shakes truck for Customer Appreciation Day.
(Friday evening photo by James Bratsanos)
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: The Hasslers and School of Rock House Band at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 6 pm, all ages, $15 at door.
LIVE AT C & P: 7-9 pm, Roo Forrest and Friends at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). No cover, all ages.
CAVORT AT KENYON HALL: 7 pm doors for this taste of Ireland in West Seattle. (7904 35th SW(
ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: 7-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way)
MUSIC FOR THE SOUL: That’s what the Northwest Symphony Orchestra (WSB sponsor) wants to give you during a concert tonight at Holy Rosary (42nd/Genesee), 8 pm, featuring a local composer’s world-premiere work as well as J.S. Bach, Brahms, and Schubert. Get your ticket(s) here.
BEATS: Saturday night DJs at Revelry Room – 9 pm. Tonight, DJ Sessions. (4547 California SW, alley side)
OUT AT THE BOX: 9:30 pm drag show at Box Bar (5401 California SW), no cover, 21+.
KARAOKE: Saturday night, sing at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW), starting at 10 pm, with Michael Van Fleet.
Planning a concert, open house, show, sale, event, walk, run, meeting, seminar, reading, field trip, fundraiser, class, game, or ? If the community’s welcome, your event belongs on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
12:16 AM: 911 is reporting multiple calls about a car into the water off the 1200 block of Alki Avenue SW [map]. Police are just arriving and SFD is on the way. A person is reported to be “standing atop the sinking vehicle.” Updates to come.
(Photo sent by Lynn Hall)
12:25 AM: So far responders on scene say it appears the driver was alone in the car and is indeed out. This is now said to be in the 1100 block of Alki. Police are blocking off the street both ways in that area.
12:31 AM: Firefighters have reported one person “extricated” and we’re not sure if that’s a reference to the driver or another person.
12:47 AM: Both SFD and SPD say just one person was rescued, the driver, who is reported to have only minor injuries. (Added: SFD says the driver is a man in his early 20s.)
12:52 AM: Police told dispatch they’re reopening Alki Avenue both ways.
ADDED 10:40 AM: Thanks to Janna for sending this video – the car is still submerged:
She says it’s a Nissan Versa. High tide was just over an hour ago; the next low tide is -0.2 at 4:41 pm.
12:06 PM: Charlotte Starck of the Alki Community Council reports city Park Rangers are at the scene.
(added) Another photo from Charlotte shows an apparent tire track, and a perspective of the scene, west of Luna/Anchor Park:
2:34 PM: Just heard over police radio … “The car … is now beached.” A texter sent this photo:
9:29 PM: Still there at sunset – Bob Spears sent this photo:
10:30 AM SUNDAY: Just pulled out – followup here.
(WSB photo, January 23)
A month and a half after the deadly shooting of a 15-year-old at Southwest Teen Life Center, the Seattle Parks-operated facility has working security cameras again, as announced by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka today in his weekly newsletter:
I am very happy to report that the security cameras are now installed and working at West Seattle’s Teen Life Center, the location of the tragic shooting of Chief Sealth International High School student Mobarak Adam in January – Seattle’s first homicide of 2024.
I want to thank Mayor Harrell and our Parks Department for their partnership in helping us deliver this new camera system at the center. We continue to monitor progress on the investigation into this tragic event. As more information becomes available from the SPD, we will share out. Mobarak’s family deserves answers. I will continue to partner closely with the Mayor and SPD to ensure that the City provides Mobarak’s family with the clarity about what happened at the facility that they so desperately need.
As for who monitors the cameras and how, that’s a followup question we’ll be asking. Meantime, three weeks after Parks Deputy Superintendent Christopher Williams said his department would be part of a community meeting regarding safety at school and Parks facilities in the area, a date is set: The Chief Sealth IHS PTSA tells WSB that the meeting, with city, district, public safety, and other reps expected to participate, will be at the school at 6 pm April 16th.
7:49 PM: Police are blocking SW Thistle both ways just east of Delridge because of an incident. We’re still working to find out more about the original callout – but they’re calling in negotiators and setting up a command post. Avoid the area.
8:05 PM: We’ve talked at the scene both with police and with a woman who says her boyfriend is the person police are after – this is described as a domestic-violence situation. The suspect is believed to be barricaded in an apartment in a building on the southeast side of the intersection.
9:12 PM: We’re continuing to monitor this; it’s not resolved yet.
(Traffic-camera framegrab showing closed streets north of response scene)
9:45 PM: Police just told dispatch they’re shutting down Delridge, too, and they’re calling for help directing traffic. Meantime, SWAT has arrived on scene. Radio exchanges indicate the suspect is wanted for two incidents involving guns.
10:10 PM: Police said the suspect told them by phone he would surrender – and they just told dispatch he has, and is now in custody. They’re checking inside the apartment just to be sure it’s now empty (others who were inside were reported earlier to be out), so the response won’t start winding down until after that.
10:34 PM: Thistle is still closed “until SWAT clears out.” … Per dispatch, the suspect has a warrant related to what was described as a “drive-by shooting” incident as well as the domestic-violence incident to which they initially responded.
10:53 PM: Thistle is reopening too.
A texter reports discolored water near Bar-S Playfields on Alki Point. No incidents are shown on the water-outage map. Remember to report it to Seattle Public Utilities at 206-386-1800 if it ever happens to you.
Updates from three West Seattle businesses:
(Alki Kayak Tours photo, 2022)
ALKI KAYAK TOURS: The watercraft-and-more rental business at Seacrest (1660 Harbor SW) will be open tomorrow: “With our first 70° weekend … We wanted to let you know that Alki Kayak Tours will be open for tours and rentals this Saturday from 11-7!” Find out more about AKT on their website.
PORTAGE BAY CAFE: Spring and summer hours have launched at this West Seattle Junction restaurant: “We’re back to seven days a week.” Their hours at 4725 42nd SW are 8 am-1:30 pm Mondays-Fridays, 8 am-2 pm weekends.
NEPENTHE: Proprietor Naomi Rivera is starting a walk-in clinic on Saturdays, 3-5 pm: “Short specific sessions. Great for that crick in your neck you woke up with or to sample my work before committing to a full appointment. No charge; however, gratuities are appreciated.” Nepenthe is at 9447 35th SW.
(WSB photo, March 6)
Metro has just gone public with its list of what’ll be different after the next semiannual “service change,” which takes effect two weeks from tomorrow (on Saturday, March 30). The full list is on this page; here are four West Seattle routes with changes, with links to their new timetables:
ROUTE 21 – adding one trip late Sunday nights
ROUTE 56 AND ROUTE 57: Changes (including three weekday deletions on 56) are planned to “align” these two routes “and provide service approximately every 20 minutes between routes 56 and 57.”
RAPID RIDE H LINE: “On Saturday and Sunday, between 6 am and 8 am, several trips will be added at the direction of the city of Seattle to better align Seattle Transit Measure service investment with the city’s goals.”
(WSB photos)
Five years after voters passed the levy that funded it, Madison Middle School‘s upgraded playfield was dedicated this morning in a short ceremony featuring an all-school photo.
Madison principal Dr. Robert Gary, speaking to his assembled students via megaphone, recalled, “This used to be a mud field with mud problems. It wasn’t healthy and-or safe.”
Now the field has turf and lighting; as first reported here in 2019, the ~$3 million project included widening the field by more than six feet.
It’s getting rave reviews – among the people we talked to was 8th grader Oliver Miller, who played soccer on the upgraded field earlier this week, and declared it “really nice,” recalling its previous near-unusability because of the damage done by neighborhood use as a dog park. Sheree Porter, who retired as Madison’s longtime PE teacher two years ago but was back today as a substitute, declared it “amazing.”
She laughed, “I retired too soon. This is the real thing.” Another PE teacher, Courtney Schiro, marveled, “This is going to be a game-changer.” Then in the bright-but-breezy sunshine, members of Madison’s student government cut a ceremonial ribbon.
Dr. Gary says the field will be reserved for school use during the day but then there’s an agreement in place with Seattle Parks for community use, such as sports teams, during other hours. Other major West Seattle projects in 2019’s BEX V levy included the West Seattle Elementary addition that opened last fall and the on-hold-for-another-appeal Alki Elementary rebuild.)
12:43 PM: Here’s an opportunity for Friday afternoon whale-watching: Kersti Muul just texted with a report that “a big group of transients” headed southbound just entered Elliott Bay off Magnolia. Let us know if you see them!
3:35 PM: In addition to the updates in comments, we now have video! Thanks to Jamie Kinney for sharing this:
(WSB photo, April 2023)
If you weren’t able to get shredding done at last weekend’s free event in West Seattle – today we have word of another one coming up. John L. Scott Real Estate Westwood (WSB sponsor) has announded the date and time for its annual free shredding event – 9 am-12 pm Sunday, April 28. They’ll be set up again in the northwest parking lot at Westwood Village, and accepting donations for the White Center Food Bank – food and/or cash. Last year, community donations totaled 1,250 pounds of food and $2,000, while more than two and a half tons of paper got shredded. So if you need to shred, set your calendar now for April 28!
(Harbor Seal sunbathing along the Duwamish River, photographed by Steve Bender)
Here’s our list of Friday highlights! They’re mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
STAY & PLAY OPEN GYM: 10-11:30 am at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd), free!
JAPANESE STORY TIME: Hosted by Sayoko at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), 10:30 am,
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Open 1-6 pm at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).
SENIOR LIVING TOUR: Visit Village Green West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor) 2-6 pm to see Parkview Senior Residences’ independent-living possibilities! Enjoy refreshments and entertainment while you’re there.
GIRL SCOUT COOKIE BOOTHS: Final weekend starts today. Go here for cookie booths’ locations and hours.
FREE TODDLER GYM: 3-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center (9050 16th SW).
HIGH-SCHOOL SOCCER: Two home matches – West Seattle HS hosts Nathan Hale, 4 pm at Walt Hundley Playfield (34th/Myrtle), while Chief Sealth IHS hosts Seattle Prep, 4:30 pm at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open tonight for wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
BIG BAND DINNER DANCE: Dine, dance, enjoy both student music and the West Seattle Big Band during this benefit for the West Seattle High School music program, 6-9 pm at WSHS (3000 California SW).
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS’ FREE CONCERT: 7 pm, WSCO’s second of two free almost-spring concerts, featuring a world-premiere work by Arthur Peiyaro Wang and highlighting music by other Asian composers, Chief Sealth IHS Auditorium (2600 SW Thistle).
BOBCAT BOB AT C & P: Tonight, you can enjoy a rare appearance by longtime fave Bobcat Bob at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm, all ages, no cover.
SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.
OPEN MIC AT KENYON HALL: 6 pm signups, 6:30 pm performances at Kenyon Hall Free! (7904 35th SW)
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: 7 pm, Hit It, Brother Wife, Yost. $10 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! Tonight: DJ Ryan Fresh. (4547 California SW)
MAKE IT LOUD! Skate to live music at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), 9 pm-midnight, this week featuring PR for Monsters, Sugar Bones, Tiny Monsters. $18 cover + $5 skate rental
LATE-NIGHT SINGING: 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends will gather next month to celebrate the life of Rob Gee. Here’s the remembrance being shared with his community now:
Robert (Rob) Allen Gee, Jr., 59, of West Seattle, passed away on January 15, 2024 following a sudden illness.
Rob was a lifelong West Seattleite, attending Genesee Hill Elementary, James Madison Junior High, and graduating from West Seattle High School in 1982. He served over 30 years as a dispatch driver for the Seattle Times. After his retirement in 2014, he continued to work as a ride-share driver, enjoying the flexibility in his schedule so he could be available to his family. In addition, Rob was an accomplished guitar player and shared his passion for classical guitar by giving private lessons and posting online videos.
From Rob’s earliest days, he was known and loved for his deeply kind spirit, his quiet yet strong presence, his love and commitment to family and close friends. He was a devoted and caring father to his young son Troy, taking great pleasure in spending time with him and watching him grow into the adolescent he is today. In earlier years, he enjoyed working on houses, road trips (by car or motorcycle), his Rhodesian Ridgebacks Zach and Eli, fishing, basketball, and could play a mean game of chess (even by snail mail in the pre-computer era). He attended Westside Free Methodist Church for many years.
Rob is preceded in death by his parents Robert and Beverly Gee, with whom he shared a lifelong friendship and partnership. He is survived by his son Troy, his sister Penny (Steve Oliver), close cousins Dale Robinson and Ron Moore, and other extended family.
A celebration of Rob’s life is planned for mid-April. Please visit this link to share a memory about Rob: emmickfunerals.com/obituary/RobertRob-GeeJr. Additional information on the celebration of life will be posted at the link as it becomes available.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Neighborhood Naturopathic West Seattle (5410 California SW; WSB sponsor) has added a new care provider, and wants to be sure you know:
Neighborhood Naturopathic West Seattle is excited to announce Dr. Brie Woodruff recently joined the practice. She is trained as a family nurse practitioner and is accepting new patients.
Dr. Woodruff offers:
-Integrative primary care including annual well visits, routine follow-up care, and acute care
-Diabetes management: Type I and Type II diabetes management including: nutritional and supplemental support, oral/injectable medication or insulin management, continuous glucose monitor (CGM) management, and insulin pump management
-Menopausal transitions: including hormone therapy, medication and supplement management, and nutrition and lifestyle support
-Gender-affirming hormone therapyYou can read more about Dr. Woodruff and her practice here.
Neighborhood Naturopathic has one more thing to tell you: “We would also like to let the West Seattle community know that we continue to offer same-day visits for acute and more urgent concerns; more information can be found here.”
8:55 AM: 35th/Juneau has cleared after a crash that blocked the southbound lanes. (Thanks for the photo!)
No serious injuries apparently, as only one engine and no medic unit was sent, but we’re following up with SFD.
9:24 AM: SFD says no one was hurt and its crew cleared the scene shortly after arrival.
Earlier:
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, March 15th.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Even warmer today! Mostly sunny, high in the low 60s. Sunrise will be at 7:21 am, sunset at 7:15 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Per WSF alerts, this is still in effect: “Due to some unplanned bridgework maintenance at the Fauntleroy terminal, single-lane loading and off-loading will be occurring until further notice.” Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
A new sign is up at 7617 35th SW – between Holden and Ida – because the project review for that site has reached a new phase. As announced in today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin, the developers have applied for a land-use permit, now that they’ve cleared the first phase of Design Review. (That happened in December – here’s our coverage of the meeting.) The project still has to go through the second phase of Design Review, but so far, city files say it’s proposed as “a 7-story, 126-unit apartment building with 3 live-work units and retail (with p)arking for 66 vehicles …” It’s also worth noting that this is at the heart of one of the “neighborhood centers” envisioned in the newly released Draft One Seattle Plan Update. Today’s permit-application notice opens a two-week comment period; if you want to comment, March 27 is the deadline, and this explains how.
(WSB photo, early Sunday)
“The facts of this case are terrifying.” That’s how the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office opens the charging-document summary for 29-year-old Ethan McConaghy, charged with first-degree burglary and fourth-degree assault, accused of breaking into a home near 48th/Charlestown early Sunday morning and attacking the family who lives there. (Here’s our original report.) Even more than the narrative in the charging document, that assessment is borne out by the family telling their story in their own words – including their children’s bravery. Here’s what they sent:
It was around 6:45 am and my husband and I had just woken up when we were startled by the sound of breaking glass. Thinking that our china cabinet shelves had collapsed, we went downstairs and were confronted by an intruder entering the house via our broken dining room window. We demanded he leave our house but he didn’t respond and instead, came at us. My husband stopped him physically and they began to wrestle. I yelled for our children to call 911.
I proceeded to help my husband by opening the door so he could force the intruder outside. Once out, he was again told to leave. He ignored us and came at my husband again; they wrestled, moving onto the lawn while I called out for help. The man then ducked out of his shirt and jacket, allowing him to elude my husband and run at me while I was standing in the doorway. I defended myself but was ultimately dragged down the front steps to the lawn. The man then ran back into the house; he made it to the foot of the stairs before my husband caught up with him.
I had followed my husband inside and we tried to hold the intruder back, but he was able to struggle up the stairs. He then managed to break free and enter our younger daughter’s room, but he came back out immediately. She was not there because she had locked herself in our bedroom and was on the phone with 911. He then broke down the door to our bedroom and rushed our daughter, knocking the phone out of her hand. At that point, my husband was able to stop him by jumping on top of him. I grabbed our daughter and took her downstairs, yelling to our older daughter to call 911 and that we needed to leave immediately. When we caught up with her, she was on the phone with 911, and we were all able to get out of the house together.
Our children ran for safety while I ran to the neighbor’s house to get help. When I returned to our house with my neighbor, my husband had the man pinned down. I then left to locate our daughters. While I was looking for them, the police arrived, and I directed them to the scene. Our daughters had hidden themselves safely out of sight and were soon found by the police. Eventually, the police brought the man out of our house, and he was taken away in their custody.
We appreciate the help and kindness of our neighbors and the police response. We are proud of our daughters. They reacted quickly and effectively; they got the police to our house, took care of each other, and found safety. My daughters and I are in awe of how my husband handled the situation. Through this ordeal, we are closer as a family. We can only hope that as we heal mentally and physically from this experience, the person who caused this trauma is also getting the help he needs so we all can grow from this terrible experience.
The suspect remains in the King County Jail, held in lieu of $50,000 bail. The charging documents list his “last known address” as several blocks south of the crime scene; the family had never seen him before. His only listed prior conviction is for DUI, 13 years ago; he also has a recent DUI case that is not yet resolved.
5:44 PM: Until 8 tonight – and beyond, at some venues – the West Seattle Art Walk is on!
That’s Rance Holiman, showing his paintings tonight at West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor), our first stop of the night.
6:40 PM: Second stop of the night – Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor), hosting painter Michael A. Knutson:
See his new work, “lone portraits of common natural creatures set to vast backdrops.” Also while at the winery – tasting fees are waived on Art Walk night!
7:20 PM: Continuing south, it’s a group show tonight at Alki Arts (6030 California SW; WSB sponsor):
Above, that’s Rob Roy Chalmers; below, Reeve Washburn:
If you don’t get out tonight, many of the venues (and definitely Alki Arts!) show art all month … find out about tonight’s displays by going here!
After 15 years at 3207 California SW, The Swinery is closing. Its proprietors asked us to publish this announcement:
Dearest customers, it breaks our hearts to announce that the Swinery will be closing March 24th, 2024.
The economy has made it impossible for us to continue.
Since 2009 we have had the pleasure of getting to know you, and watching your families grow.
We will not be leaving our beloved West Seattle, so hopefully we’ll see you around town.
Follow us on Facebook, you never know when or where the Swinery may pop up next for your Cassoulet, sausages etc…
Thank you all for everything,
Kim and Danny
The Swinery’s original ownership founded the butcher shop/eatery in 2009; it’s had much acclaim, and even national-TV spotlights – along the way. Kim – who has worked there since that first year – and Danny bought it in 2018. They’ve turned to community help in recent years, and have had The Swinery on the market, but have now decided to close their doors.
ADDED: Kim says she’d like to build an email list to notify people if they do a pop-up, community BBQ, etc. – if you’d want to be on that list, kimanneleveille@gmail.com is the address.
… it’s training, according to a notification given to dispatchers and heard on police radio a short time ago. They were planning to head into West Seattle from the southeast, toward Lincoln Park.
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