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Spotlight Stories


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    WEST SEATTLE 5K: See & hear how it went

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    CAR IN THE PARK: Film crew spotted

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    SO LONG, SALMON: Halfway through the season

New Year’s Eve-Eve and what else is up for 2023’s last West Seattle Saturday
December 30, 2023 6:16 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Hydrangea blooming in winter – photographed by Jerry Simmons)

Our three-day weekend begins with these notes, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

FREE GROUP RUN, NEW YEAR’S EVE-EVE EDITION: Start your Saturday with this weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run! “Come for our last group run of 2023! We have had quite a year. We will have sparkling cider and champagne for toasting afterward, as well as pastries.” All levels welcome. Meet at the shop by 8 am.

HEAVILY MEDITATED: Arrive by 8:50 am for community meditation at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska). Free event.

FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am in West Seattle, registration required – see full details in our calendar listing.

BUSINESS FESTIVAL DURING KWANZAA, DAY 2: 11 am-7 pm, workshops and vendors at the Washington State Black Legacy Institute (2656 42nd SW), as previewed here. See today’s event lineup on this RSVP page.

FAMILY READING TIME: Every Saturday at 11 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).

VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2234 SW Orchard)

VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor). For New Year’s, you can try their first-ever sparkling wine.

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM CLOSED: The home of West Seattle history is on holiday break, reopening next Friday (January 5).

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar open 1-8 pm, north end of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.

ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show starts at 5 pm on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. Admission prices vary – tickets and info here.

BURGERS & BEATS: Saturday night food and music at Revelry Room – burgers start at 6, DJs at 9. (4547 California SW, alley side)

LIVE MUSIC @ C & P COFFEE: Jared Mitchell & The Wingtips, “a singer/songwriter show featuring 4-5 Seattle artists,” 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). No cover, all ages.

‘MAFIA’ WITH COMEDIANS: “Laugh Until You Die” is a gaming and comedy event for New Year’s Eve-Eve, 7 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). A few tickets left as of early today!

ALL-AGES OPEN MIC: 7-10 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way)

WEST END GIRLS’ YEAR-END SHOW: West Seattle’s drag extravaganza – hosted by Cookie Couture – wraps up 2023 at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), doors at 7, show at 8, tickets online or at the door.

Planning a concert, open house, show, sale, event, meeting, seminar, reading, field trip, fundraiser, class, game, or ? If the community’s welcome, get your event on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Man shot in North Delridge
December 30, 2023 12:17 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

12:17 AM: Police are investigatng a reported shooting at Delridge/Findlay. One man is reported wounded, “shot in the back” per SFD dispatch. No suspect description yet except “male in a red shirt.” Updates to come.

12:26 AM: Police believe the shooting happened in front of the Shell station (which is closed for the night); they told dispatch they’ve found a casing. They’re also closing Delridge Way at the scene.

12:34 AM: The victim, a 20-year-old man, is being taken to Harborview by SFD medics. Police, meantime, now believe they’re looking for two suspects; a K-9 team is helping search.

12:47 AM: If you live in the area, you’ll hear police PA announcements and siren “chirping,” which is meant as a warning to possibly hiding suspect(s) that they’re nearby with a dog.

1:34 AM: So far, no success. Meantime, the street is open again.

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UPDATE: Burien carjacking suspects tracked to West Seattle; stolen vehicle then involved in fiery crash
December 29, 2023 6:22 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Helicopter | West Seattle news

6:22 PM: According to radio exchanges between dispatch and police, Guardian One is over the Don Armeni Boat Ramp area because it’s assisting King County Sheriff’s Office deputies with tracking suspects in a Burien-area carjacking. Avoid the area.

6:29 PM: King County and SPD units are now pursuing the vehicle, described as the gold Suburban that was stolen in the carjacking, southbound on Harbor.

6:31 PM: According to radio exchanges, the vehicle is still on the move but one suspect is in custody at or near Harbor/Spokane.

6:39 PM: The stolen vehicle is now reported to be stolen in a fiery crash at West Marginal Way/2nd SW. Law-enforcement officers and the helicopter were reported to have lost track of the vehicle before this happened. At least one person may still have been in the vehicle, which is now reported to be engulfed in flames.

(Image from nearest SDOT camera)

6:44 PM: SPD says SFD is telling them no one is in the vehicle. … The Suburban reportedly collided with a semitruck, though we don’t know if it was moving or parked. … And now police are saying the other suspect IS in the vehicle.

7:07 PM: One person is going to be taken to Harborview, per SFD. Note that streets are closed and buses (routes 131 and 132) rerouted in this area because of the crash investigation.

(WSB photo)

7:35 PM: Above, that’s the Suburban, in a photo sent by our crew just after they arrived. And this is the semi:

(WSB photo)

7:51 PM: We and a few other media crews are awaiting an SPD public-information officer. Meantime the officers and firefighters at the scene are awaiting an SDOT incident-response team to clean up an extensive fluid slick and other debris.

7:56 PM: The official briefing hasn’t happened yet but SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo is there too and has told us that the 53-year-old truck driver was checked out and OK, while the driver of the stolen car was in critical condition when transported.

8:44 PM: Both SFD’s Cuerpo and SPD spokesperson Officer Brian Pritchard have briefed us. The only major details beyond what we’ve reported above are that the first suspect, (updated) 21 years old, was arrested when he jumped out of the stolen vehicle at Harbor/Spokane; the person left behind in the vehicle, a juvenile, decided to drive off, and that’s the person who crashed the Suburban and was pulled from the wreckage.

10:31 PM: Police at the scene just told dispatch that the streets are cleared and reopened.

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UPDATE: Demonstration on westbound West Seattle Bridge
December 29, 2023 4:27 pm
|      209 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle protests

4:27 PM: Thanks for the tips. Flag-waving demonstrators are blocking the westbound lanes of the West Seattle Bridge at the crest. The only image we have so far is from a distance but it appears to be the Palestinian flag:

4:37 PM: It may have been a short-lived demonstration – 911 dispatch reports traffic is moving again. We can’t independently verify via traffic cameras as the video feeds remain broken (SDOT has no ETA on a repair). One reader says the demonstrators were in cars, not on foot.

(Added: Photo texted by Aaron)

4:42 PM: We’ve verified from the Fauntleroy end of the bridge that traffic is moving again, no further sign of the flag-wavers.

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CAN YOU HELP? West Seattle pop-up for blood donors starts next week
December 29, 2023 3:10 pm
|    Comments Off on CAN YOU HELP? West Seattle pop-up for blood donors starts next week
 |   Health | How to help | West Seattle news

If you can donate blood, Bloodworks Northwest hopes you will sign up for a spot in their West Seattle “pop-up” starting next week. Here’s the announcement they asked us to share:

The month of January is usually a period of critical blood shortages. People stop donating blood during the holidays and when they get sick during cold and flu season. Blood drives can also get snowed out during the winter months.

More than 50 years ago — on December 31, 1969 — the president of the United States signed a proclamation designating January as National Blood Donor Month. The new monthly observance was meant to honor voluntary blood donors and to encourage more people to give blood at a time when more blood is needed.

This January, the need has never been greater. 1 in 7 people entering a hospital will need blood and local hospitals are at capacity. In fact, blood is being transfused in local hospitals faster than it is being donated. Your donation this month is critical to health of our community.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in West Seattle (4001 44th Ave SW) is hosting West Seattle pop-up blood-donation days on Tuesday, January 2, Wednesday, January 3, Thursday, January 4, Monday, January 8, Tuesday, January 9, and Wednesday, January 10, in the gym. Please sign up to give blood! Appointments required. Bloodworks recently switched to a new appointment portal. If you need help booking your appointment, please e-mail schedule@bloodworksnw.org or call 800-398-7888.

All donors in January can enter to win a $2,000 spa and wellness gift card. For information about eligibility, recent FDA updates, and more, please visit Bloodworks website BloodworksNW.org

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UPDATE: Car-on-side crash in 1300 block Alki Avenue SW
December 29, 2023 1:12 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

(Reader photo)

1:12 PM: Thanks for the photos. Seattle Fire and Police are on the scene of a car-on-side crash in the 1300 block of Alki Avenue SW.

(Reader photo)

1:16 PM: SFD says firefighters have extricated one person from the crashed car.

(Reader photo by Rick)

1:24 PM: Firefighters just told dispatch that one person is going to the hospital by private ambulance, which indicates injuries are not life-threatening.

1:35 PM: We’ve confirmed at the scene that the driver, a woman, was transported. One lane of traffic has just reopened at the scene. … Two parked vehicles were damaged – one hit by the driver and pushed into the other one.

4:05 PM: SFD tells us the 77-year-old driver was in stable condition when she was taken to the hospital.

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CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: Guilty plea to reduced charge in deadly Alki shooting
December 29, 2023 12:06 pm
|      21 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

We’re catching up with the files in some long-running criminal cases. First: A reader tipped us that the case of a quadruple shooting at Alki Beach in June 2021, killing one person and injuring three others, has ended in a plea agreement.

(June 2021 photo by David Hutchinson)

Milton Arnold III of Des Moines, now 21, originally was charged with second-degree murder for killing 22-year-old Tilorae Shepherd of Federal Way and two counts of first-degree assault for wounding a man and woman (the fourth victim was a friend of Arnold, hit accidentally). The gunfire followed a confrontation over fireworks, as detailed in our first report on the original charges. At some point Shepherd reportedly displayed a gun but did not pull it. Arnold claimed he fired in self-defense, and prosecutors cited that as the reason for reducing the charges; he pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault. He had no prior convictions, and court documents show that last month King County Superior Court Judge Ken Schubert sentenced him to a total of four and a half years in prison. That will include credit for time served since his arrest two and a half years ago.

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9 for your West Seattle Friday afternoon/evening
December 29, 2023 11:11 am
|    Comments Off on 9 for your West Seattle Friday afternoon/evening
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Cormorants, photographed in mid-December by Steve Bender on the Duwamish River at T-107 Park)

The low-key week-between-holidays continues, but you do have some options in the hours ahead:

SCRABBLE CLUB: Play 12:30-1:30 pm at Margie’s Café inside the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar on the north end of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) is open 1 pm-8 pm.

BUSINESS FESTIVAL DURING KWANZAA, DAY 1: 2-7 pm, workshops and vendors at the Washington State Black Legacy Institute (2656 42nd SW), as previewed here. Today’s lineup is on this RSVP page.

VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open – wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor). Viscon’s first-ever sparkling wine is available in time for New Year’s!

ASTRA LUMINA: One more week for the celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus continues tonight, 5 pm. Timed tickets and pricing info here.

LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Art Frankel performs at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm.

SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.

LIVE MUSIC AT WEST SEATTLE BREWING: Mercury Black, 8 pm. (4415 Fauntleroy Way SW)

DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! Tonight’s DJ: Lady Coco. (4547 California SW)

Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Laughing for Leopards: Comedy show January 11 to benefit Lafayette Elementary PTA
December 29, 2023 10:23 am
|    Comments Off on Laughing for Leopards: Comedy show January 11 to benefit Lafayette Elementary PTA
 |   Fun stuff to do | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Cozy Comedy, run by two West Seattleites who produce shows here and around the region, has big news:

We have our FIRST charity comedy show coming up on January 11, 2024, benefiting the Lafayette PTA! Cozy Comedy will not be making a penny of profit from this show; all proceeds are going to the Lafayette PTA. Otter on the Rocks has graciously agreed to let us have an additional evening of entertainment in their business for this great cause!

Tickets are available at this link – eventbrite.com/e/laughing-for-leopards-comedy-fundraiser-for-lafayette-pta-tickets-759136446547
Date and Time – Thursday, January 11, 7 pm show start!
Where: Otter on the Rocks, West Seattle
Benefitting the Lafayette PTA

Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral) is one of the venues where Cozy Comedy – whose backstory we told last year – presents shows each

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FOLLOWUP: J-Pod’s new baby orca reveals gender
December 29, 2023 7:02 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales

(Photo by Maya Sears, NMFS Permit 27052)

Back on Tuesday, we published photographer Brittany Noelle‘s report about discovering a new baby orca with the Southern Residents’ J-Pod. Now whale advocates are excited about the calf’s relatively speedy gender reveal. He showed himself to West Seattle researchers Mark and Maya Sears, and The Whale Trail‘s Donna Sandstrom sent us their photos and details last night:

Mark and Maya Sears were out with J pod again (Thursday). They encountered J60, and confirmed he is a male! They encountered the whales near Point No Point on the north end of Bainbridge Island.

It can sometimes takes a while to determine gender of an orca – when they are young, the only way to tell them apart is by the markings on their underbellies. A whale has to roll over so the markings are visible – which J60 did (Thursday), twice!

(Photo by Maya Sears, NMFS Permit 27052)

J60’s mom is J40 (aka Suttles), a 19-year-old female. This is her first calf (that we know of). Maya said that J46, a 13-yr-old female named Star, spent a lot of time around the new calf too.

An interesting bit of history – Mark and Maya were the first people to spot J40 in 2004, when she was a newborn calf. The Sears encountered J40 and her mom J14 (Samish) mid-channel between Lincoln Park and Blake Island on December 21, 2004:

(2004 photo of then-newborn J40 and J14, by Mark Sears)

Nearly nineteen years to the day after they spotted J40, they spotted her first calf (J60).

There’s long been speculation that central Puget Sound is a calving ground for the southern residents. At least for J pod, that appears to be true!

(Photo by Maya Sears, NMFS Permit 27052)

There are now 10 calves under five years old in the southern resident population, and six of those are female. The future of the population is here! Whether they survive and thrive into adulthood is up to us.

Here’s how people can help:
-Give the orcas the acoustic space they need to forage, rest, and socialize.
-Watch southern residents from shore, and stay 1000 yards away from them at sea..
-Take the pledge at givethemspace.org and encourage your friends to take it too.
-Download the free app Whale Alert to learn when southern residents are near. Share any whale sightings with the app too..

This year Washington State passed legislation to establish a 1000-yard acoustic buffer around the orcas. The setback will become mandatory in 2025 – a welcome step forward. But the orcas need our help today. Take the pledge and help us give J60 a fighting chance!

J60’s birth brings the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales’ population to 76.

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Last weekday of 2023
December 29, 2023 6:00 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Last weekday of 2023
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:00 AM: Good morning. It’s Friday, December 29, and we’re headed for another three-day holiday weekend.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Mostly cloudy, chance of rain, high in the mid-50s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:57 am, and the sun will set at 4:24 pm.

TRANSIT UPDATES + HOLIDAY PREVIEWS

Holiday previews – Here’s the announcement about most transit services going fare-free on New Year’s Eve (until 3 am New Year’s Day) … On NY Day, Metro buses will be on a Sunday schedule; the Water Taxis will be out of service (despite the big hockey event at T-Mobile Park).

Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you’re wondering where the boat is.

Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

(If you’ve noticed that the video options on SDOT’s camera map don’t work, SDOT tells us they’re working on it, but no ETA for the fix.)

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 – another route across the river:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; 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/bay, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!

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GRATITUDE: Stranded driver’s note of thanks
December 29, 2023 12:33 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

David sent this as an open thank-you letter for Thursday evening help:

At around 5 pm, my old 1984 gray Chevy Cavalier station wagon’s transmission finally died while waiting to make a left-hand turn on 35th Avenue SW and SW Thistle westbound with a load of groceries from the White Center Safeway.

I’d like to publicly thank the unknown young lady and unknown female driver of a big white pickup truck who came to my assistance and gave me a “heavenly shove” out of the left-turn lane onto westbound SW Thistle so I could safely wait for a tow to my residence in Upper Gatewood.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire investigation
December 28, 2023 9:11 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

For a second consecutive night, police are investigating gunfire in Highland Park. They responded to a call from someone who reported seeing someone fire a gun out a car window in the 8100 block of 8th SW around 8:23 pm. The caller then said they found at least one shell casing while police were on the way. No injuries are reported; the only description so far is that the person fired toward a building from the passenger side of an “early model sedan” that was last seen heading west on SW Elmgrove. This is about half a mile south of where last night’s gunfire happened.

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FOLLOWUP: Delridge pedestrian-bridge retrofit project now open for bidding
December 28, 2023 6:42 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Transportation | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo)

New on the city’s bidding website, several earthquake-safety retrofit projects around the city – including the pedestrian overpass at Delridge and Oregon, between the south end of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center and the east side of Delridge Playfield/Community Center. This comes one year after the decision to keep and retrofit the bridge – after community opposition to proposed removal – was announced. Scope of the project is described as follows:

Seismic retrofit project that involves retrofit of superstructure, columns, and footings through section build up and/or use of CFRP wraps, as well as separating ramps from the structure and building up a lightweight fill support for ramps, adding new expansion joints at the ramps, removing and reinstalling handrails, and modifying the ends of handrails at new expansion joints.

In 2021, SDOT estimated the retrofit cost as ~$4 million; the estimate is now up to more than $5 million. It’s already retrofitted the area’s other pedestrian overpass, the SW Andover bridge over the southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge. The deadline for bids on the Delridge/Oregon project is January 17. The work could last up to a year, according to this slide deck from a briefing last year.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen scooter
December 28, 2023 4:02 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

If you happen onto an abandoned electric scooter, it might belong to Joel, who emailed to report: “I today had my Nami Burn-E 2 Max electric scooter stolen from the South side bike rack of the Admiral Junction Safeway across from Hiawatha park at approximately 12:40 PM. It is black and weighs about 100 lbs. There is a security code for starting it.”

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HOLIDAY GIVING: Two donation drives still welcoming gifts from you
December 28, 2023 2:14 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

Two opportunities for holiday giving are concluding shortly, so we’re reminding you one more time:

DAVE NEWMAN STATE FARM INSURANCE AGENCY WARM CLOTHING DRIVE: In conjunction with the West Seattle Food Bank/West Seattle Helpline, the agency (a longtime WSB sponsor) is collecting donations of clothes, coats, and shoes through the end of this week. (For undergarments and socks, please donate only new and unopened packages.) Please drop off your donations at 3435 California Ave SW. The office is open for donations today until 5 pm, tomorrow 9 am-5 pm.

GIVE JOY FOR WESTSIDE BABY: Through month’s end, the West Seattleite-founded, White Center-based organization helping babies and kids still has two ways to participate in their holiday “joy drive”:

*Donate dollars

*Send warm items our way through our Amazon Wishlist

WestSide Baby is organizing the drive to “ensure that children in our community have the basics they need, like diapers and safety equipment – and also that they have the opportunity to experience extra joy this season.”

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UPDATE: Missing man found safe
December 28, 2023 10:00 am
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

1:47 PM: The Mount tells us John has been found, safe, and is back home.

Earlier:Read More

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9 for your West Seattle Thursday
December 28, 2023 9:50 am
|    Comments Off on 9 for your West Seattle Thursday
 |   West Seattle news

(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

Here are the Thursday highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

PRESCHOOLER STORY TIME: 10:30 am at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW).

WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com for an update on where they’re playing today.

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Tasting room/wine bar at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) open 1 pm-8 pm – stop by if you’re going to the next event, which also is on the campus’s north end!

ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, starting at 5 pm. Timed tickets and info here.

VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) – get a bottle of their first-ever sparkling wine for your holiday celebration!

RAPIDRIDE ROAD-WORK QUESTIONS? The H Line construction team will be available for an hour one last time at 5 pm tonight, online or by phone, for Q/A. Our preview explains how to participate.

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at Future Primitive Beer Bar (2536 Alki SW) at 6:30 pm for a 3-mile run – more in our calendar listing.

BLUES NIGHT: 6:30-9 pm at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), every Thursday you can listen to the blues.

YOGA, BREATH WORK, GONG BATH, MORE: 7 pm at Move2Center (3618 SW Alaska), $35.

Planning something that should be on our calendar and in daily preview lists like this? Email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday info
December 28, 2023 7:02 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday info
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

7:02 AM: Good morning. It’s Thursday, December 28. We’re publishing the daily transportation notes later than usual today because of breaking-news coverage earlier.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Mostly cloudy, chance of showers, high in the mid-50s. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:57 am, and the sun will set at 4:24 pm.

(Wednesday photo by Curry Gibson)

TRANSIT UPDATES + HOLIDAY PREVIEWS

Holiday previews – Here’s the announcement about most transit services going fare-free on New Year’s Eve (until 3 am New Year’s Day) … On NY Day, Metro buses will be on a Sunday schedule; the Water Taxis will be out of service.

Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you’re wondering where the boat is.

Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Washington State Ferries today – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

(The state fixed its tech troubles after several hours Wednesday. If you’ve noticed that the video options on SDOT’s camera map don’t work, SDOT tells us they’re working on it, but no ETA for the fix.)

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 – another route across the river:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; 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/bay, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!

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UPDATE: House fire in Gatewood, cat missing
December 28, 2023 5:40 am
|      29 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

5:40 AM: Thanks for the tip. Seattle Fire is at a house in the 3700 block of SW Austin. The fire is described as under control. Updates to come.

(Reader photo via text)

5:52 AM: Firefighters have just declared the fire “tapped” (out). The call log indicates they’ve been on scene since about 5:25 am. We’re on our way over to check on injuries and extent of damage.

(WSB photo)

6:01 AM: Just as we arrived, firefighters told dispatch that reptile pets mentioned earlier as being in the house have been “extricated.” Meantime, SFD’s investigator has arrived to start looking into the fire’s cause. We’re waiting to speak with an incident commander.

6:16 AM: Firefighters tell us at the scene that no one was hurt, and the rescued pets – snakes – are OK. Since the fire is out, some of the responding units are starting to leave.

11:47 AM: Still missing from the house, Auzzie the cat:

The photo was forwarded by a neighbor who asks that if you find Auzzie, call Jeff (206) 612-9558. (We’re also adding to our Lost/Found Pets page.)

ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: According to SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty, “Investigators ruled the fire was accidental, likely caused by an overheated power strip. It’s important to remember to plug high powered appliances such as space heaters and toaster ovens directly into the wall outlet, never into an extension cord or power strip.”

ALSO: Here’s a crowdfunding page set up to help the victims.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire damages apartments
December 28, 2023 1:33 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

1:33 AM: After 911 calls reporting suspected gunfire near 12th/Holden about 15 minutes ago, police have found evidence in an alley. Officers have told dispatch they’ve located at least six casings. … A nearby resident also is reporting two bullet holes in their apartment. No injuries reported so far.

2:10 AM: SPD says “multiple units were damaged.”

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UPDATE: Helicopter helps search for missing man in West Seattle (Thursday update: found)
December 27, 2023 10:30 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Helicopter | West Seattle news

10:30 PM: The Guardian One helicopter is over West Seattle to help look for a missing man. He is described as white, 76, 5’9″ to 5’10”, white hair that’s balding on top, beard, last seen in a black coat and green or gray pants. He was last seen about 4:30 pm, in the 4800 block of 35th SW (at or near The Mount). If you see him, call 911. (We don’t have a photo or name – no official alert so far, but police asked for helicopter help since G1 is up tonight.)

10:50 PM: Helicopter crew discussion over radio with police indicates the man is missing from The Mount. The helicopter looked over areas such as the nearby golf course and greenbelt areas but absent any further leads, has told police that there’s not much they can do with surface streets, so they’re moving on. Police said the man is known to walk around the facility grounds or in nearby neighborhoods.

1 AM: No further updates heard, and still no official alert; we’ll follow up first thing in the morning.

9:28 AM: Both police and The Mount confirm that he is still missing; we will have a separate story with photo shortly. (Update: Here it is.)

1:50 PM: Just updated that story too – The Mount says John is back, safe, and well.

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UPDATE: Short-lived Seattle Fire response in 4700 block of California SW
December 27, 2023 10:11 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

10:11 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to the 4700 block of California SW – a water heater reported to be on fire in a back storage room at Talarico’s. Updates to come.

10:14 PM: The incident commander just told dispatch the water-heater fire is “mostly out.” They’re reducing the response.

(Added: Photo posted in comments by Matt B)

10:21 PM: Firefighters say everything’s handled, “all utilities secured” too, and they’re closing their response.

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