(we’ve added additional info to this story later Wednesday)
ORIGINAL 10:50 PM REPORT: For anyone heading toward West Seattle soon from downtown or points north of there – the Alaskan Way Viaduct is shut down southbound because of a complicated crash that’s being sorted out – reportedly involving two cars, one of which is reported to be upside down on southbound 99 around Holgate, another of which is upside down on railroad tracks. At least three “patients” reported, between the two cars, per scanner traffic.
(Photo by CLIFF DESPEAUX/Seattle Times, used with permission of the Times, added Wednesday afternoon) 11:05 PM UPDATE: Just heard the full rundown via the scanner. 4 people involved in the 2 vehicles, both of which are described as totaled, both having “barrel-rolled” multiple times. The driver of the car that “left the Viaduct” was a 30-year-old man, driver of the car that rolled on 99, a 34-year-old man, and two men in their mid-20s were in the back seat of the car that stayed on 99. The worst of the injuries is described as the driver of the second vehicle possibly having a broken arm. They all got themselves out of the wrecked vehicles and are all going to the hospital.
11:59 PM: Per the scanner, police expect to keep southbound 99 closed for “several hours” – traffic has to get off at the 1st So. offramp by the stadiums.
7:29 AM: 99 southbound reopened a few hours, and SPD has published an update saying the Civic apparently was racing another car – NOT the one it hit. Here’s the update.
With what winter we had (didn’t have) indisputably fading, springlike beauty keeps cropping up. The field of primroses was photographed by WSB’er “westseattledood” at Westwood Village QFC. Along for the walk – the faithful companion, checking out the daffodils:
Also out and about this afternoon (as usual) – Chas Redmond, who caught the beauty of Alki even as the afternoon clouds started crowding out the sun:
East of there, Chas says he asked workers what’s up with the 53rd Avenue Pump Station work – which’ll be discussed at Thursday night’s Alki Community Councilmeeting – and they told him the pedestrian path should be open within a week or so; then there’s still work to do on the outside traffic lane. ADDED 12:33 AM: Two more MUST-SEE photos – West Seattleite Alice Enevoldsen shares husband Jason Gift Enevoldsen‘s photos of the Tuesday night crescent moon on her website, here.
I had a suspicious solicitor come to my door this afternoon around 3 pm in the 5200 block of 25th Ave SW. He was holding pamphlets and I believe he mentioned something about Seattle Public Schools. He looked very unprofessional and raggedy dressed. When I cut him off in the middle of his pitch to tell him I had no money, he replied “it’s just a penny” and looked upset. I said sorry but I had nothing for him and he took the pamphlet back that he had handed to me and walked away. As he was leaving I saw him closely look into a parked car on the street as he went up to another neighbor’s house. He continued down the street skipping some houses but hitting others in no clear order that I could put together. It left me with enough of a negative impression that I called 911 and reported him.
This is about as wild as it gets on Fat Tuesday in West Seattle – at least, before the sun goes down. For the second year in a row, Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) stores from around the area sent reps to the Admiral store for a celebration of paczki – filled-donut-type pastries that are Fat Tuesday traditions. That celebration included a 3-minute paczki-eating contest – our clip above shows the first half (or so) of the contest, and below, the announcement of the winner!
Same as last year, the winner was the rep from Queen Anne Metropolitan Market. Spectators were “winners” in their own way, treated to free paczki and coffee. And you can still buy paczki in the Metro Market bakery, four options for fillings – chocolate, vanilla, lemon or raspberry.
The latest issue to get a round of public meetings organized by the city: “Creating a Great Central Waterfront.” One of the four meetings will be in West Seattle. Read on for the news release that just came in:Read More
Quick followup to last week’s reports/discussion about the closure of a section of 23rd SW southeast of Youngstown Arts Center, starting next Monday, related to nearby homebuilding. Many people wondered about the rerouting plan for Metro’s Route 125. Today we’ve received it from King County’s Rochelle Ogershok – it’s way too complicated to cut and paste here, so take a look at the PDF. She adds, “We will also be sending out an alert to Route 125 subscribers when the details are posted online” (sign up here for alerts) – and suggests anyone affected check the Metro website a day or two ahead of time, in case of last-minute revisions.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports. First – a tough start to the year for West Seattle Cellars, and this didn’t make it any better: They’re cleaning up this afternoon after an overnight break-in, less than a month after store co-proprietor Bear Silverstein was laid to rest. After receiving tips via phone and e-mail (thanks), we just went to the shop (map) to find out about the reported burglary. Tom DiStefano tells us somebody broke through the glass door overnight, cut themselves in the process – police are getting DNA samples from the blood – and upended the cash register, but it was empty. In the end, he says, all the burglar(s) made off with was, he says, “a couple bottles of French wine.” Tom stresses that they’re OPEN for business, all’s well, you’ll just have to go in the side door while they’re cleaning up. Now, the second case: You’re asked to be on the lookout for this stolen bicycle:
We live in the 11400 block of Marine View Dr SW [map] … The 50’s vintage bike was red, white and blue and had a metal basket with a white primrose planted in a clay pot. (which they smashed on the driveway) The bike had sat there at our gate for 3 years and brought joy to me everyday. Walkers would stop and take pictures and folks were always telling us how much they liked it…
She says it was stolen sometime this morning. Meantime, we’ll mention it again: If you have concerns/questions about local crime and safety issues, TONIGHT is the monthly meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, a citizen-volunteer-led group but always attended by local police who answer questions as well as updating the latest cases and trends, 7 pm, meeting room at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster; there’s parking on the SW side of the building, enter off Webster).
SWINERY UPDATE: When we reported their “remodeling shutdown” plan last week, they were planning to be open through this Friday before closing for a few weeks. Instead, their pre-closing sale was so successful, proprietor Gabriel Claycamp reported via Facebook, they’re closed now (except possibly for a TBA “bacon sale”). Meantime, another hot West Seattle food business added something special at lunchtime today for Fat Tuesday:
BAKERY NOUVEAU TUNES: Thanks to Michael at Liberty Bell Printing across the street for the tip: Outside Bakery Nouveau, patrons and passersby were serenaded by members of Swamp Soul (seen here last August during the inaugural Admiral Neighborhood Association Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series). (1:40 pm) Thanks also to Meryl atSleepers in Seattle and Edgar from Captive Eye Media for sending pix – we just substituted Meryl’s photo for our original on-the-run BlackBerry snap. BN’s Fat Tuesday fare includes paczkis, the filled donuts that also were celebrated in a competition at Metropolitan Market/Admiral (WSB sponsor) today (video of that coming up – but [added] here’s a photo shared by Pam, two of the kids she took to watch the festivities):
Story and photos by Mary Sheely
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
A guy walks into an empty storefront and gets asked about perfume.
It sounds like a joke, but it’s actually what happens when Mike Ross stops to ask what new business is going in at 4536 California SW (map) in The Junction.
“How do you feel about perfume?” he’s asked.
“I don’t,” is his reply.
Christen Cottam is out to change that.
This April, she’ll be opening a perfumery, Knows Perfume, in that space (formerly home to Westside Alterations).
(scroll down for newest info – adding fire cause at 2:47 pm)
(top photo courtesy Aimee, added 8:07 am; photo below, our original cameraphone pic from 7:01 am)
ORIGINAL 6:49 AM REPORT: Checking on house fire call in 5600 block of 25th SW (map). In e-mail, Aimee says the house was at one point “fully engulfed in flames.” According to the scanner, “one occupant of the house has received some injuries” and is getting help from the Medic 32 crew at the scene. 7:01 AM: Fire reported “knocked down … with hot spots and heavy debris.” Our crew has just arrived – added cameraphone photo above. From the front, house appears pretty much gutted. 7:17 AM: On scene, SFD tells us that five people got out safely (we’d heard on the scanner that was “one male, four females”). The fire is not believed to be “suspicious” but the cause is still under investigation. Still checking on the status of the person who’s being treated in Medic 32 at scene. (update) We’re told that the “one male” they were trying to check for smoke inhalation, refused treatment. 7:55 AM: In the media briefing at the scene, deputy chief Jessie Youngs said two of the people were in the basement and a neighbor was slightly hurt getting them out. Here’s our video of his 2-minute briefing:
And here’s a clip of firefighters inside the house once the fire was out (except for hot spots):
10:03 AM: Just checked with SFD; investigators are still working to figure out how this fire started. 2:48 PM UPDATE: Seattle Fire has just announced the fire’s cause – accidental, started by “unattended candles.” Damage estimate: $200,000. More info on SFD’s Fire Line site – including candle-safety information.
MID-WINTER BREAK MUSIC CAMP STARTS TODAY – and there’s still room at this camp for 4th-8th grade musicians, held at Denny International Middle School, according to this comment from leader Marcus Pimpleton on our original announcement. Be there, 9 am. Details here.
CITY FURLOUGHS – The city’s spreading its money-saving furlough days around – today, Neighborhood Service Centers (including The Junction and Delridge) are closed, and some SDOT workers are on furlough.
STATE OF THE CITY – Not a furlough day for Mayor Mike McGinn; he’s giving his first State of the City speech at 2 pm. If you can’t be at City Hall to see it in person, watch live on Seattle Channel, online or on cable 21.
FAT TUESDAY #1 – PACZKIS GONE WILD: It’s Fat Tuesday, and the second annual edition of a wacky tradition at Metropolitan Market/Admiral (WSB sponsor) – an intracompany competition involving the filled Polish donuts called paczkis (pronounced POONCH-keys). You’re welcome to watch (and we’re told paczkis and coffee will be handed out to spectators), 11 am. (Here’s our story from last year.)
FAT TUESDAY #2 – MATADOR HAITI FUNDRAISER:Matador‘s donating all its profits today/tonight, all locations including West Seattle, to Haiti quake relief.
FAT TUESDAY #3 – BRIDGE PARK PARTY: For Mardi Gras at Bridge Park in High Point, Southern dinner & dancing, 5:30 pm, call to RSVP: 206-938-6394.
WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL AND SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE TONIGHT:As previewed here.
Monday in Olympia, supporters of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition were among those joining environmental and education advocates who rallied to raise concerns about the state budget (as explained here, with rally photos here). While DRCC is an advocacy group that also makes the rounds of neighborhood groups and festivals), much of their awareness-raising happens on the river itself. “Yes, it is a river,” as group leaders reminded during a recent tour. They pointed out the good, the bad, and the ugly – perhaps the best example of the former, the wildlife in our video above that’s found a way to co-exist with the industrial development: Two eagles (our video shows one) perched on the heavy equipment atop a barge. The river tour co-sponsored by ARCADE was meant to highlight the “built environment” as well as nature – ahead, more of the sights in both categories:Read More
Quick followup to 
A guy walks into an empty storefront and gets asked about perfume.
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