West Seattle, Washington

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Spotlight Stories


  • Festival

    SUMMER FEST COVERAGE: Scroll here!

  • Teacher

    STAR HONORS TEACHER: WSHS educator’s big win

  • Charged

    SERIAL ROBBERIES: 24-year-old suspect charged

VIDEO: See inside SPD Mounted Patrol’s West Seattle home
August 25, 2023 2:36 pm
|      12 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

A dozen years after saving the SPD Mounted Patrol, the Seattle Police Foundation has saddled up a special fundraising campaign for the unit, which is based here in West Seattle – in a barn next to Westcrest Park.

This time, it’s not in danger of shutdown, but the SPF funds “gaps” not covered by the basic SPD budget, so to get the word out, they invited media to visit the barn.

Riding McLovin – a name bestowed by the horse’s previous owner – in our video is Sgt. Brandon Caille, who along with one officer comprises the entirety of the Mounted Patrol’s permanent unit staff – supplemented if necessary, he says, with temporarily reassigned officers from elsewhere in the department. You must of course be trained to ride. Among those who are – SPD Chief Adrian Diaz.

When we visited during the “open barn” event on Wednesday, we had just missed the chief taking a turn around the indoor riding ring. The unit currently has six horses, plus Li’l Sebastian, who is wildly popular during community appearances:

Community appearances is what the unit focuses on, in fact, says Sgt. Caille – “relational policing” is the formal term. They might visit areas, for example, where data shows there’s been an uptick in crime. A common misconception is that they do crowd control work; Sgt. Caille says actually, they don’t.

The SPF calls its campaign “Adopt-A-Horse” – donations might even eventually fund a replacement for one of the current horses, which can cost up to about $20,000. (McLovin was one of the two most-recent purchases, in 2021.) SPF stepped up to save the unit when budget cuts threatened it in 2011; three years later, the city started covering its basic funding again, but the SPF has been covering “gaps” as it does for some other units in the department. If you’re interested in donating, go here.

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FOLLOWUP: Here’s where Highland Park Improvement Club rebuild project stands as city announces permit-comment period
August 25, 2023 12:35 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | How to help | West Seattle news

(Rendering by Wittman Estes)

The nonprofit Highland Park Improvement Club‘s plan for replacing its fire-ravaged building is now in an official comment period with the city. The process was announced in Thursday’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin. It’s been more than two years since the fire and more than a year and a half since HPIC started working with local architects Wittman Estes. So where does it stand now? HPIC board president Rhonda Smith answered our questions.

Timeline for permit process? “We are in the MUP [Master Use Permit] process, which SDCI says will take 5-7 months. Providing the city gives us the permit to do the project, we most likely will see that permit coming [first quarter of] 2024.”

How long will the rebuild take? “The architect, Wittman Estes, and general contractor, Metis Construction, have stated it will take approximately 15 months to do the rebuild. This means that providing we have the funding in hand when the project is ready to start, the new building will reopen in 2025.”

Insurance on the old building only covers part of the cost of a new one, so HPIC has been fundraising. Where is that at? “We have effectively raised $1.7 million. We are working with RJZ Connections, LLC to develop a fundraising plan that can be executed in stages. We need to raise $2M more to rebuild the building. We have launched the HPIC Building Booster campaign to give our community the opportunity to help us raise funds. We are building a case statement that will help tell the story of HPIC to be shared with future private donors, foundations and agencies. We have applied for many grants, some of which we have received. We will continue to do this as we identify the grants that match our needs and purpose.”

Smith says there’s another way to get involved in addition to contributing cash: “We are looking for new community partnerships. We are building a business model for the future through the development of new community partnerships that will keep HPIC independent and self-sustaining. We will still keep some of the favorite things people loved about HPIC while adding new programming that will reach a broader community audience. If there are non-profit organizations that are seeking a home and think HPIC could be a great partner, please send an email to HPIC at hpic1919@gmail.com with the header PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY.”

Smith adds, “This has been a challenging project and we are working hard every day to make this rebuild a reality but we can’t do it alone. We need everyone’s help.” Here are more ways to get involved.

As for the city’s permit-review process, this notice explains how to comment; the deadline is September 6th.

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CRIME WATCH: Guitars, bikes stolen; car break-in
August 25, 2023 11:20 am
|    Comments Off on CRIME WATCH: Guitars, bikes stolen; car break-in
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two reader reports:

GUITARS, BIKES STOLEN: That security-camera image is from a theft in which Drew says he lost $10,000 worth of guitars and bicycles. It happened in his storage unit at 125 SW 112th but he’s casting a wide net, including West Seattle, hoping someone might spot some of the items. Here’s a full list – with more photos – of what was stolen, including contact info for Drew and for King County Sheriff’s Office investigators, if you have any information.

CAR BREAK-IN: From Cynthia: “I wanted to report my vehicle was broken into in front of the Grove on 36th overnight (Tuesday) night. They stole my car charger and didn’t even look through anything else. I filed a police report.”

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WEST SEATTLE FRIDAY: 13 possibilities
August 25, 2023 10:07 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Late-summer flowers, photographed by Jerry Simmons)

Here’s what’s happening today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar!

SPRAYPARK OPEN: 11 am-8 pm daily, Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open daily.

SUMMER MEALS FOR KIDS: Last day for local sites where free food has been available for kids on weekdays this summer, 11:30 am-1 pm lunch, 2-3 pm snacks.

LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL OPEN: Noon-7 pm – this is the only West Seattle wading pool that stays open through Labor Day – assuming it’s a warm, mostly sunny afternoon, which is expected today. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

COLMAN POOL OPEN: Noon-7 pm on the shore at Lincoln Park; session schedule here.

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

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: 1-6 pm on the north side of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), student-produced wine by the glass or bottle.

LIVE AT EASY STREET RECORDS: In-store radio broadcast by Marco Collins, 3-7 pm, “with a special appearance by Citizen Cope.” (4559 California SW)

TROLL GOES PUBLIC: The giant troll that’s been under construction in Lincoln Park will debut at an “exclusive media unveiling” at 4 pm, and should be publicly visible after that.

VISCON CELLARS: Tonight’s your next chance to visit Viscon Cellars (WSB sponsor) for wine by the glass or bottle, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW).

KIDS’ NIGHT OUT: Outer Space Seattle (2820 Alki SW) offers a three-hour drop-off, ticketed event for kids 3 to 12, starting at 5:30 pm – more in our calendar listing.

COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: Jim Page performs at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm.

SUMMER SUNSET SOUND BATH: 7:30 pm at Solstice Park (7400 Fauntleroy Way SW), $35.

LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: Blade Palace, Crazy Eyes, Long Shorts, doors 8 pm, music 9 pm at The Skylark, $10 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW).

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

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YOU CAN HELP: WestSide Baby welcomes donations and volunteers
August 25, 2023 9:13 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

WestSide Baby, the nonprofit that has long helped kids and their families in this area, wants you to know it welcomes donations and volunteers. From interim executive director Laura Skelton asked us to share this announcement:

WestSide Baby is back to regular donation and volunteer hours.

Donation Hours:

We are happy and grateful to accept donations on Tuesday (9 AM-7 PM), Wednesday (9 AM-5 PM), and Thursday (9 AM-4 PM). More info about donating items here: westsidebaby.org/donate-items

Volunteer Hours:

We have volunteer shifts on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays. More info and a sign-up link here: westsidebaby.org/volunteer

We ramped up our bulk diaper program in the past year, which is a new way to meet community needs. We are distributing pallets of diapers to about 35 partners on a monthly basis.

In the first half of 2023, we fulfilled about 450 orders each week. These represent specific requests from our community partners, on behalf of their individual clients.

WestSide Baby is best known for distributing diapers but that’s by no means all they handle, as you’ll see by following the donation-info link above.

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Friday notes + weekend alerts
August 25, 2023 6:02 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, August 25th.

WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Chance of rain today before sun takes over, with a high around 80. Today’s sunrise will be at 6:18 am; sunset will be at 8:03 pm.

WEEKEND ALERTS/CLOSURES

–California SW between Admiral Way and SW College will be closed most of Saturday for the Admiral Funktion street party, scheduled for 11 am-10 pm (but setup will start earlier and breakdown will last later).

-In White Center, 16th SW will be closed most of Saturday between Roxbury and SW 100th for the WC Block Party.

-From 9 pm tonight until early Monday, Highway 518 eastbound, east of Burien, will be closed again (so if that’s your route to the airport, Southcenter, I-405, etc., you’ll need to find another way).

-One other major regional closure this weekend – Highway 520 between Seattle and Bellevue, 11 pm tonight until early Monday.

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro – regular schedule – check here for advisories.

Water Taxi – regular schedule.

Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service. Check Vessel Watch to see where the boats are.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, 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 cam:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate 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 Twitter feed shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire in North Delridge
August 25, 2023 12:50 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Police have found shell casings near 26th SW and SW Brandon, after 911 calls from that vicinity reporting what sounded like “dozens” of shots. Officers have told dispatch they’ve found “quite a few” casings. No word of any injuries or property damage so far. … If you have any information for police, the incident # assigned to this is 23-244852.

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WEST SEATTLE COYOTES: Two pair sightings
August 24, 2023 11:56 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Two of the latest reader-reported coyote sightings were pairs:

FAUNTLEROY: A texter reported tonight, “Coyote spotting…10:30 p.m. Two full-sized on Tillicum Rd across the street from Lincoln Park near Cloverdale.”

GENESEE HILL: Tim reported that on Tuesday night, “I believe I saw two coyotes crossing 55th Ave SW near Andover St about 9:30 PM … It appeared the coyotes were coming up the power line right of way that goes down the bank. That same night, in that same area, Rob saw this one, and sent us the photo via Twitter/X:

If you haven’t read up on coexisting with coyotes yet – especially how to avoid unintentionally feeding them – here’s the state Fish and Wildlife Department‘s advice.

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Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa to sail past West Seattle on Saturday and Wednesday
August 24, 2023 8:53 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

That video is about the current voyage of Hōkūleʻa, a 49-year-old replica of an ancient Polynesian voyaging canoe that’s been traveling the world for decades and is due to arrive in Seattle on Saturday. If you’re looking out at Elliott Bay on Saturday morning, you might see it on the way in, so we’re publishing this heads-up. From the announcement:

Seattle’s Tribal Nations, Native Hawaiian residents, city officials and community members are planning a special welcome for Hōkūleʻa and her crew as the Polynesian voyaging canoe sails from Suquamish and enters Elliott Bay at approximately 8:00 am on Saturday, August 26. Tribal Nations protocol will open the way for a flotilla of outrigger paddling canoes, the City’s fire boat, and other vessels that are planning to give Hōkūleʻa a water welcome before escorting the canoe toward the Seattle Waterfront.

If you go downtown, you’ll have the chance to tour Hōkūleʻa between 1 and 4:30 pm on Saturday. It’s the first day of a four-day visit; the voyaging canoe is scheduled to move to Bell Harbor Marina (2203 Alaskan Way) for 1-3 pm tour opportunities Sunday and Monday – hokulea.com will have updates. On Wednesday (August 30th), Hōkūleʻa and crew will head past West Seattle again, including the west-facing shores, journeying to Tacoma for a noon arrival there. Their current voyage is described as a “four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific” that started up in Juneau on June 15. They expect to “cover an estimated 43,000 nautical miles around the Pacific, visiting 36 countries and archipelagoes, nearly 100 indigenous territories, and more than 300 ports … to ignite a movement of 10 million ‘planetary navigators’ by developing young leaders and engaging communities around the world to take part in navigating earth toward a healthy, thriving future.”

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SMOKE WATCH: Hazy now, but no alerts
August 24, 2023 6:50 pm
|    Comments Off on SMOKE WATCH: Hazy now, but no alerts
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

6:50 PM: If you have a westward view like the one we photographed from Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook, you know the Olympics have gone temporarily missing again behind a smoky haze. This time, it’s smoke drifting down from British Columbia as the wind blows out of the north. Air-quality readings (like these on PurpleAir) show the results, but nothing like the last round, and so far, this time it’s not expected to get to alert level, and there’s even a chance of showers tomorrow morning.

8:58 PM: Another sign of smoke – the sunset. Here’s how Theresa Arbow-O’Connor caught it from Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza:

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GET READY: Next Fauntleroy Church Recycle Roundup less than a month away
August 24, 2023 4:54 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

If you’re ready for some pre-fall cleaning, you can start getting ready for the next Recycle Roundup dropoff event at Fauntleroy Church. It’s set for 9 am-3 pm on Saturday, September 23rd, and the list of what Recycle Roundup partner 1 Green Planet will and won’t take is available already – see it here. Then just be ready to drive up, walk up, ride up, and drop off your recyclables, free, that day. The church’s Green Committee coordinates this twice a year – last one was on Earth Day (April 22nd), with 450 people dropping off 14+ tons of recyclables.

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Portable classrooms in place at West Seattle High School
August 24, 2023 3:07 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photo)

Thanks to Clay for the tip. In time for the new school year’s start in two weeks, the long-planned portables are in place in the West Seattle High School parking lot. We first wrote about the plan back in January, when the city sought feedback on the zoning exceptions needed for approval, primarily involving parking, as the portables were projected to cover 30 spaces. According to the slide deck originally presented with the plan, the school already has fewer spaces than zoning requires – 191 compared to 238. and this is a further reduction from that. The presentation also cited a survey from two mornings in May 2022 showing that the lot is not fully used during an average school day. Another exception (“departure”) was sought for providing less covered bicycle parking than required. According to district enrollment reports, WSHS had more than 1,300 students enrolled at the end of last school year, 200 more than fall 2019.

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UPDATE: Brush fire southwest of 1st Avenue South Bridge
August 24, 2023 1:35 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

1:35 PM: Thanks for the tips. Some traffic interruptions continue on southbound 99 just south of the 1st Avenue South Bridge, and near Highland Park Way/2nd SW, because of what’s logged as a brush-fire response. Avoid the area for a while.

2:33 PM: Officers have just told dispatch that they’re reopening northbound West Marginal at the scene.

2:43 PM: And now they’re reopening everything else that was closed.

ADDED FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Readers wondered if this was related to an encampment, as some other nearby fires have been. According to SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo, who spoke with crews who were on scene, “There was not sufficient evidence that this brush fire was related to an encampment. The brush fire involved an area approx. half an acre in size. No injuries were reported.”

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BIZNOTE: New chapter on tap for The Beer Junction
August 24, 2023 12:22 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS beverages

Thanks to Dave for the tip. A beloved West Seattle Junction business is entering a new chapter, with a change of ownership – though you could say it’s staying in the family. The Beer Junction‘s longtime proprietor Allison Herzog announced the change via email this morning (we’re excerpting it with permission):

(Photo courtesy The Beer Junction)

Yesterday was my last day as the Owner of The Beer Junction. I’m very happy to say that Corey, our General Manager, and his wife, Shanel, purchased the business and are the new Owners effective today. The store will open a little late today (we’re targeting 4:00 pm, but maybe earlier!) to finalize a new Point of Sale system and The Beer Junction will continue under new leadership.

If you’ve followed our story, you’ll know I have a lot of love and memories at The Beer Junction. It has been part of my life for thirteen years, through good and bad times. The bad times: losing Morgan to cancer and learning to run the store without him. That was the hardest. But also: Fear of going bankrupt in the early years. Fear of going bankrupt again during Covid shutdowns. Fixing broken fridges. Losing internet service (why does it always happen on a busy Friday?)

But those are outweighed by the good times: the West Seattle community, who was here with me through it all. The friendships and relationships I’ve made that I will carry with me. You know who you are. Brew day for our anniversary beer each year. Inside jokes with employees and customers (too many to list!). And the amount I’ve learned—about beer, about business, and about myself.

To be clear, this is not goodbye. I still live in West Seattle. I still plan on visiting The Beer Junction for a pint or two. I’ll just be on the other side of the bar.

After I made the decision to sell the store, it was important to me that it continue much as it is today, under someone with beer knowledge and experience running a bottle shop/beer bar. It didn’t take long for me to find that person—it was obvious that it was Corey. If he’s ever given you a beer recommendation or if you’ve attended one of the recent tasting events he’s hosted, you’ll know how knowledgeable he is. Like me, he is a Level 2 Certified Cicerone, but I must admit his beer knowledge far surpasses mine. And before he worked at The Beer Junction, he was the General Manager at the well-respected Teku Tavern. Corey has already made positive changes since he has taken over as General Manager here, and I am grateful that The Beer Junction is in good hands.

Allison’s late husband Morgan Herzog opened The Beer Junction in July 2010 in a small commercial building that was demolished for the construction of Junction 47, leading to the shop’s move to 4511 California SW less than two years later.

Meantime, new proprietor Corey says in the announcement, “I am thrilled to continue the legacy and the great work that has been done at The Beer Junction. … I can’t wait to continue to provide our community with great beer, excellent service and a place to feel at home.” He explains that he had long dreamed of opening a beer bar, before coming to work at The Beer Junction, and so this now makes that dream come true. You can read the entire announcement, and see photos from the shop’s history, by going here.

Also – you’re invited to a sendoff celebration for Allison on Wednesday, September 6th starting at 5 pm. And in the short term, as mentioned above, the shop is opening late today for some point-of-sale-system work – they’re hoping for 4 pm-ish.

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YOU CAN HELP: Summer party to benefit Fauntleroy Fall Festival
August 24, 2023 12:15 pm
|    Comments Off on YOU CAN HELP: Summer party to benefit Fauntleroy Fall Festival
 |   Fauntleroy | How to help | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

If you haven’t already seen this in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar: You’re invited to a Neighborhood Night Out next Tuesday to benefit the Fauntleroy Fall Festival. It’s a 21+-only event on Wildwood Market‘s rooftop deck at 9214 45th SW with wine, beer, and neighborhood merch, 4-8 pm. All proceeds will go to this year’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival, which is planned October 15th, free to the community as always, powered by fundraising like this as well as other community donations and volunteer help, No need to RSVP for the event – just show up Tuesday (August 29th) at Wildwood (which is a festival sponsor)!

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SITE NOTE: Sorry for the delay
August 24, 2023 12:09 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle online

Usually we’ve moved on to other news and information by 10 am at the latest, but today the traffic roundup has been stuck at the top of the WSB front page for a few extra hours because of technical trouble that’s kept us from publishing anything new for the past few hours. Thanks to our tech team for sleuthing and fixing the problem so we can resume publishing!

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Thursday begins
August 24, 2023 6:03 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, August 24th.

WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Sunny today, smoky haze moving in later, with a mid-70s high. Today’s sunrise will be at 6:17 am; sunset will be at 8:05 pm.

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro – regular schedule – check here for advisories.

Water Taxi – regular schedule.

Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service. Check Vessel Watch to see where the boats are.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, 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 cam:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate 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 Twitter feed shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!

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BACK TO SCHOOL: More start dates for West Seattle and vicinity
August 23, 2023 11:56 pm
|    Comments Off on BACK TO SCHOOL: More start dates for West Seattle and vicinity
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB file photo)

By two weeks from today – Wedmesday, September 6th – most local students will have returned to school. One West Seattle school has already begun the 2023-2024 school year – Summit Atlas, the charter middle/high school. For students at Kennedy Catholic High School in Burien, the nearest parochial high school, today was Day 1. The rest of the planned first days that we found via online calendars start next week – here’s the list:

August 30 – Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School
August 30 – Vashon Island School District
September 5 – Tilden School (WSB sponsor)
September 5 – Hope Lutheran School
September 5 – Holy Rosary Catholic School
September 5 – Holy Family Bilingual Catholic School
September 5 – The Bridge School
September 6 – Seattle Public Schools (1st-12th grades)
September 6 – Highline Public Schools (1st-12th grades)
September 6 – Westside School (WSB sponsor)
September 6 – Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor)
September 6 – West Seattle Montessori
September 11 – Seattle Public Schools (kindergarten/preschool)
September 26 – South Seattle College (WSB sponsor)

(Anyone to add? Let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!)

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gas-chugging suspect charged in home burglary; police release arrest video
August 23, 2023 7:43 pm
|      50 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

A 40-year-old man is charged with residential burglary for a Friday break-in north of Westcrest Park at a home where a teenage girl was alone. Police released information and video from the incident today via SPD Blotter; we researched the suspect’s status and found that he’s still in jail and has been charged.

The narrative in the charging documents begins with the girl, home alone, texting her father wondering if he’d hired someone to do work at their home, because a man was trying to get in. The father subsequently called 911. In the meantime, police say, the man broke in, while the girl hid in a closet, from which she called 911 too. Officers arriving in the area were flagged down by a neighbor who said a man had been seen in the area carrying a ladder and gas can. This, the neighbor said, was on video (a frame grab from the charging documents is at right).

Police meantime went on to find a broken window at the house from which, and about which, 911 had been called, and officers forced open the door to get in. They say they found Christopher M. Abbott sitting in a car in the closed, locked garage. From there, the document says:

Abbott noticed the officers and immediately started yelling that he was not going to be taken into custody. Abbott then began chugging gasoline out of the gas container that he had with him.

Officers instructed Abbott to open the driver’s door, or they would be forced to break the window to extract him from the car. Abbott refused again and continued chugging gasoline out of the container. Due to the hazard that Abbott was creating for officers and himself, officers broke the driver’s side window of the vehicle and removed Abbott while he continually attempted to grab onto items inside of the vehicle to prevent from being extracted from the car.

Here’s the SPD video showing their arrival at the house and apprehension of Abbott:

After they took him into custody, they found the 17-year-old girl, who came out of hiding and told officers she was unhurt. Her father arrived in the meantime and went through the house with officers to see if anything was missing, It appeared Abbott had eaten some pizza and chips; nothing else seemed to be missing. Abbott was medically evaluated at Harborview and then booked into the King County Jail. According to charging documents, he has no permanent address, and no local record, but has several convictions in Texas, mostly for domestic-violence assault. His bail is set at $20,000 and he will be arraigned next month.

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COUNTDOWN: 3 days until Admiral Funktion street party. Here’s who you’ll see in the booths
August 23, 2023 6:36 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

This Saturday, the second annual Admiral Funktion street party, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, will take over California SW between Admiral Way and College Street. You’ve seen the music lineup. Today, we have the vendor lineup – the businesses and organizations you’ll see in booths along the street:

Alair
Southpaw Barber Shop
Inner Alchemy
Seattle Dive Tours
SW Historical Society/Save the Stone Cottage
West Seattle Food Bank
Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce
Admiral Church
Pearsall Properties
The Little Merle
Hawthorne Massage and Self Care
CrossFit West Seattle
Seattle Yarn
Row House West Seattle
Admiral Neighborhood Association
Honey Girl Books
Ma’ono

ANA says Seattle City Council District 1 candidates Maren Costa and Rob Saka will have booths too. And the year-round local businesses in the festival zone, and nearby, will be happy to welcome you, both during the Admiral Funktion and afterward.

The forecast looks sunny and warm as the festival starts at 11 am Saturday (August 26th); it will continue until about 10 pm. The festival is free, but if you can afford to support it – permits and production are costly – the ANA is crowdfunding, with wristbands good for discounts at local venues if you donate $25 (or more) – go here. (The ANA is an official nonprofit, so your donation is tax-deductible.) See you in Admiral on Saturday!

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BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Junction plumbing repairs almost done
August 23, 2023 5:39 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Utilities | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

It’s been almost two weeks since we first reported on sewer-line repairs affecting Elliott Bay Brewing and then Talarico’s Pizza in The Junction. The work got ever more complicated, Tim O’Neill of O’Neill Plumbing Company (WSB sponsor) explained, as they dealt with, among other things, a century-old line. He sent an update today explaining that you’ll see his crews in the area a little while longer:

Both Elliott Bay Brewery & Talarico’s Pizzeria are open for business.

The EBB pipe-lining project from inside the building’s basement to the main on California Ave ha been completed.

We then moved over to Talarico’s to make similar repairs and have found additional pipe separations near the curb line that will require some equipment that is not readily available until early next week.

We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to have everything, including the cement repairs, completed by 8/31.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen red Dodge pickup
August 23, 2023 4:24 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Reader report:

Our 2000 red Dodge Dakota was stolen Monday night or early Tuesday morning from in front of our house on 42nd SW SW between Juneau and Findlay.

License number B45084N
SPD case number 23-241959

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Two more business burglaries
August 23, 2023 2:25 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Early this afternoon, we learned of two business burglaries in the Junction area:

EMERALD WATER ANGLERS: Burglar(s) broke a window on the north side of West Seattle’s only fishing-focused store (a WSB sponsor), which is on the southeast corner of 42nd/Oregon.

(WSB photo)

Proprietor Dave McCoy says the burglar(s) stole high-end jackets. He’s going through security video for more on what happened, including the time. This isn’t the first time Emerald Water Anglers has been hit; Dave posted on social media, “I didn’t realize this is what being a community-minded advocate for clean, cold water and wild fish was going to look like, but here I am and here I will stay!”

TAILS TO ASTONISH: On the south edge of The Junction, burglar(s) broke into West Seattle’s only comic-book store overnight too. No visuals from this one (yet) so we don’t know if there’s any chance it was related. Co-proprietor Shaun Duff tells WSB the list of comic books they know the burglar(s) stole totaled more than $20,000:

Amazing Spider-Man #129 First Punisher
Amazing Spider-Man #13
Amazing Spider-Man #14 First Green Goblin
Amazing Spider-Man #3
Amazing Spider-Man #129 Signed by Jerry Conway, First Punisher, CGC 8.5
Amazing Spider-Man #13 First Mysterio, CGC 4.5
Amazing Spider-Man #9 CGC 3.5
Avengers vs. X-Men #1 Mid Town Comics Edition Variant Cover by Skottie Young, CGC 9.8
Detective Comics #34 Restoration, CGC 5.0
Fantastic Four #46 First Black Bolt, CGC 4.0
Infinity #1 Skech by Jim Starlin Signed Signed by Jim Cheung, CGC 9.8
X-Men #9, CGC 3.0
Batgirl #37, CGC 9.8
Raphael Mini Series High Grade
Raphael Mini Series Low Grade
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 3rd Printing
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 1st Printing High
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #3 1st Printing Low
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4 1st Printing

The shop at 4850 California SW is closed today “to get as much of this sorted out as we can.” (added) Police incident # is 23-243112.

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