West Seattle, Washington
17 Saturday
A few days after this Silver Alert was issued, 67-year-old Soloman is still missing, and a WSB reader who is a friend of his family says they’re trying to get wider awareness in hopes he will be found. He was last seen at Seattle’s VA Hospital on Beacon Hill and lives in Poulsbo. Call 911 if you see him.
6:02 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
The forecast predicts a partly sunny day, high in the mid-50s. Sunrise at 7:54 am; sunset at 4:42 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service, fall/winter schedule.
Washington State Ferries – According to WSF’s alerts page, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route will be back to three boats tomorrow:
After successful repairs and boat moves, three-boat service will be restored at the start of service on Wednesday, Jan. 14 on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route.
Tuesday, Jan. 13: Two-boat service with the third, unscheduled vessel. Around mid-day, the Sealth will swap with the Salish and run as the third, unscheduled boat.
Wednesday, Jan. 14: Three-boat service resumes. The Sealth will run as the #3 vessel.
Some upcoming days have other changes, though, as the alerts page explains. P.S. If you’re wondering about the crane barge at the Fauntleroy dock, here’s what WSF told us about that.
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule and routes today.
ROAD WORK
*In White Center, the final phase of work on 16th SW between 100th and 107th is under way.
*On Highway 99, WSDOT says, “the left lane in both directions will close at Alaskan Way/Dearborn Street (milepost 30) for maintenance work nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.” both tonight (Tuesday) and Wednesday night.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: In addition to the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
10:25 PM: A three-car crash at 16th/Elmgrove is reported to be the result of a King County Sheriff’s Office pursuit following a robbery somewhere in KCSO jurisdiction. A search for at least one suspect is under way, and Seattle Police are being asked to help with a wider search area. Updates to come.
(Reader photos sent by John)
10:30 PM: According to the SFD medical dispatch for the crash scene, one of the vehicles is “on its side.” The vehicle originally being pursued was described as a “black Subaru.”
10:38 PM: Added photos sent by John (thank you!). According to ongoing radio communication, at least one person is already in custody (but they’re still looking for at least one other). A K-9 team is involved with the search.
10:57 PM: Added another photo from John, showing the black Subaru (a Crosstrek); we still haven’t traced the original robbery circumstances, but deputies were reported to have started tracking the car as far south as Burien, kicking into pursuit mode somewhere around White Center. Meantime, the search continues with deputies chasing residents’ tips about people possibly shown running through yards; they now have reported taking a second person into custody, near 19th/Austin. (For anyone wondering why the Guardian One helicopter isn’t being used for this, it was requested, but is not in service tonight; a drone operator was apparently called in, though.)
11:27 PM: The K-9 team has run out of leads to track, so the search will be scaling back.
11:44 PM: Finally found the original KCSO radio exchanges about what led to all this. They got a report just after 9:30 pm of a fight at the Red Roof Inn near the airport; upon arrival, they found an injured woman who said she’d been assaulted and robbed of items including her car keys – to the black Subaru Crosstrek – and phone – which was at least initially used to track the car.
11:56 PM: Deputies have asked KCSO dispatch to send four tow trucks to the 16th/Elmgrove scene. Some parked cars apparently were damaged too.
ADDED 9:12 AM: An SFD spokesperson says one person needed to be taken to the hospital, a 25-year-old woman who was in stable condition when transported by AMR ambulance.
Two notes about Seattle City Light electric-vehicle charging in West Seattle:
(WSB photo, one of two current chargers on 39th SW, shown in October)
TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF JUNCTION STATION: Starting tomorrow (Tuesday), the two-charger station on 39th SW near West Seattle Bowl will be closed for about a week, according to this announcement we received from SCL:
City Light will replace the two existing 50 kW DC fast chargers with newer 62.5 kW ChargePoint chargers beginning January 13 with anticipated closure of at least 1 week. This projected timeline may change based on weather and site conditions. Please plan for alternative charging during this time as both charging stations will be unavailable.
The project website says this is a prelude to a full-site replacement later this year, to “change the current site layout” and further upgrade the chargers. The station was built in 2020 and has had recurring problems with theft/vandalism in the ensuing years.
(November photo of Morgan Junction site)
MORGAN JUNCTION EV LOT STATUS: Meantime, City Light has not yet started work at the eight-charger EV lot site in Morgan Junction. Last fall, City Light revised the expected start date of construction multiple times. It’ll likely be a topic at the upcoming quarterly meeting of the Morgan Community Association on January 21st, so we asked SCL spokesperson Jenn Strang if there’s a chance it’ll be under construction by then. Her reply:
The current status of the project is that we are in the pre-construction submittal phase with the contractor. This process includes reviewing and approving requirements such as the safety and environmental plans. It is vital to ensure public safety before starting construction. The official start date of construction will be set once all the required approvals have been obtained.
When we first reported on the charging-lot plan in 2022, the utility was saying construction could start by the end of that year.
This week brings the first community meetings of 2026. Among them: The Alki Community Council, 7 pm Thursday (January 15), at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds). After another year of events (did you get to Alki Holiday Lights?), they’re asking Alki residents about their neighborhood priorities, in advance of Thursday’s meeting. The questions are linked in the email update the ACC sent out today. As noted in that update, a member of Mayor Katie Wilson‘s transition team is coming to the meeting to listen to neighborhood priorities, too.
You didn’t have to be by the water to see tonight’s pastel-pink sunset. Bob Burns took the top photo from near Admiral Safeway. But we did get water views too, this one from Carol Ann:
And this one from Chris:
Thanks as always to everyone who sends photos – westseattleblog@gmail.com unless it’s breaking news, in which case you can text us at 206-293-6302. The sunset show comes at the start of a warmer week, with highs near or above 50 in the forecast every day. (Today’s high was 52, four degrees above tomorrow; tomorrow is expected to be in the mid-50s!)
4:02 PM: Since taking office two years ago, District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka has chaired what was simply called the Transportation Committee. Now, as he starts the second half of his term, Saka’s committee has expanded its scope and has become the Transportation, Waterfront, and Seattle Center Committee. Saka talked about it during his turn at the first Council Briefing meeting of the year, which wrapped up less than an hour ago. (He starts 17 minutes into the Seattle Channel meeting video below:)
Musing on what the three topics have in common, Saka said he believes “safety” ties them together. The reworked committee – of which citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck is now vice chair – has its first meeting of the year at 9:30 am Thursday (January 15); its agenda isn’t out yet (watch for it here), but Councilmember Saka told his colleagues at this afternoon’s meeting that he’s expecting a safety report from SDOT, including Vision Zero progress.
SIDE NOTE: During his turn at the briefing meeting, Saka also recapped his visits – with council colleagues – to two big high-school basketball games last Friday night (both of which we covered – the Regina Rogers-Wright tribute at the Chief Sealth IHS girls’ game here, the West Seattle HS boys’ game vs. #1 nationally ranked player Tyran Stokes and Rainier Beach here).
9:44 PM: Thursday’s committee agenda is now available on the council website.
(WSB photo, this morning)
On New Year’s Eve, we reported on the death of a beloved figure in the South Delridge/White Center community, Lee’s Produce owner Nam Suk Nasatka. Readers had noted the produce market has been closed at times in recent days and wondered about its status. We went over today and found it was open again; they tell us they’re going to do their best to keep it open, in her honor. Meantime, cards at the store have the time, date, and place for her Celebration of Life:
The 1-5 pm gathering on Sunday, February 1, is planned at The Cove in Normandy Park (1500 SW Shorebrook Drive). Ms. Nasatka had worked at Lee’s for more than 40 years, and after the first 10 years, became its owner. She was 75 years old.
1:49 PM: We reported last night on the planned 2 pm-ish Boeing Field arrival of Blue Angels jet #7, carrying two members of the U.S. Navy‘s aerial-demonstration team to meet with Seafair officials to talk about this summer. In case you’re watching for it, an update – we just got word from a local Seafair spokesperson that the arrival is postponed until tomorrow. Time TBD; we’ll update this story when we hear.
10:22 PM: The jet’s arriving at some point before 9:45 am Tuesday.
7:44 AM: They arrived overnight.
10:06 AM: Seafair’s spokesperson sent this photo taken after the arrival:
Lt. Ronny Hafeza (Blue Angel #7, usually the narrator) and Cdr. Lilly Montana (Blue Angel #8, usually the event coordinator) are expected to fly back out later this morning.
Thanks to the texter who sent that photo, wondering what’s up with the crane alongside the Fauntleroy ferry dock. We took the question to Washington State Ferries, and a spokesperson replied:
The crane at our Fauntleroy dock is part of a planned maintenance project at the terminal.
Manson Construction towed a derrick barge, a material barge, and a small tug to the site to begin repairs that started (today) and are expected to last about a week. The work includes driving two steel H-piles at the north and south edges of the timber trestle to replace deteriorated timber piles, adding structural steel, making repairs to the bridge seat and replacing damaged rub timbers along the south wingwall.
Most of the work won’t affect customers. However, there may be brief impacts when a new steel beam is installed, including possible single-lane vehicle loading on the transfer span or temporary vehicle weight limits.
We’ll keep a close watch on the work and coordinate with the contractor to limit any disruptions to service.
The old dock has to be kept in good working condition at least five more years; the current timeline for design and construction of its replacement is 2028-2031.
If you have dreams, big or small, for something that will improve your neighborhood or enhance the lives of your neighbors, you might be able to get money from the city to help make those dreams happen. The Neighborhood Matching Fund has been around for more than 35 years and made more than 5,000 grants for everything from block parties to investments in community buildings and organizations. There are workshops starting this week to help applicants prepare.
The least-complicated ask is for a Small Sparks Fund grant, which is for up to $5,000. In 2024, those grants were given to a variety of events in West Seattle, from a summer festival for Vietnamese elders to the Alki Community Celebration and concerts by West Seattle Community Orchestras. In other parts of the city, grants have gone to art walks, parades, beautification of utility boxes and the purchase of plants so that neighbors can landscape traffic circles.
(WSB photo, 2024)
The Community Partnership Fund awards up to $50,000 for larger projects like big cultural events, along with long-lasting improvements like public art, supporting community buildings and community organizing. West Seattle area projects that received CPF support in 2024 included exterior improvements at the Duwamish Longhouse, demolition of the Highland Park Improvement Club building after a fire damaged it beyond repair, and supporting Hometown Holidays in the West Seattle Junction.
(WSB photo, 2024)
The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods administers the funds, and is having online workshops with tips on submitting a successful application. Having the workshops now is timely because the CPF fund has a nearing deadline for 2026, at 5 pm on March 10th, for the first round. Second-round applications are due in September. The Small Sparks Fund works on a rolling basis so that 2026 funds can go to events happening this year. The final deadline for SSF is October 30th at 5 pm.
The first of the virtual workshops is this Thursday, January 15th at 10 am. The SDN website has all the info for the workshops and applications.
(Weekend photo by Bob Burns @ Weather Watch Park)
Here’s what’s up for today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BABY STORY TIME AT SW LIBRARY: At noon, Southwest Library hosts Baby Story Time for 0-18-month-olds. (9010 35th SW)
INTERESTED IN ATTENDING SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE? 1 pm in-person info session today at the college on Puget Ridge (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) – details and map in our calendar listing.
HOMEWORK HELP AT HIGH POINT LIBRARY: 4-5:45 pm, free drop-in help with volunteers is available to K-12 students. (3411 SW Raymond)
D&D: Long-running weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, first-time players too!
‘LISTENING TO GRIEF’ SUPPORT GROUP: 6:30 pm, ongoing weekly group gathering for people experiencing grief – participate once, weekly, or occasionally. Fee; RSVP here. (4034 California SW)
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA X 4: Four venues for trivia/quiz tonight! Starting with Music Quiz at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 6:30 and 7:30 pm … Then, 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander) … 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW), 21+ … 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW).
ALKI MEDITATION: Monday night meditation at Alki UCC is back this week, doors open at 6:45, meditation at 7. (6115 SW Hinds)
CHESS NIGHT AT MISSION CANTINA: 7-9 pm, all levels of players welcome, upstairs mezzanine. (2325 California SW)
POOL TOURNAMENT: Pool players are invited to enter The Corner Pocket‘s weekly tournament starting at 7 pm. $10 buy-in. (4302 SW Alaska)
FAUNTLEROY MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
JAZZ AT THE ALLEY: Monday night music with The Westside Jazz Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
MONDAY KARAOKE 9 pm Mondays, sing karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Thanks as always to everybody who sends info for our calendar; if you have something to add or cancel (or otherwise update), please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
If you resolved to do more singing in the new year, the Boeing Employees Choir might be the opportunity you’re looking for! And you do NOT have to work for Boeing. Here’s the announcement we were asked to share:
Singers Wanted!
Gershwin? Brahms? Whitacre? If you love to sing or want to discover your talent, we invite you to join the Boeing Employees Choir (open to all), performing everything from Bach to Broadway.
Open Rehearsals
Starting January 20, 2026
Tuesdays @ 6:30PM
Tibbetts United Methodist Church
3940 41st Ave SW, West SeattleFor more info: www.boeingchoir.org
Please let us know by email if you are coming!
Email: President@boeingchoir.org
6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, January 12, 2026.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
The forecast predicts the rain will stop by midday, breezy, high in the low 50s. Sunrise at 7:55 am; sunset at 4:40 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service, fall/winter schedule.
Washington State Ferries – The Triangle Route remains on a two-boat schedule through today (and maybe beyond), with a third “bonus boat” added, according to WSF’s alerts page.
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule and routes today.
‘REVIVE I-5’
If you use northbound I-5, you need to know about the work that resumed this past weekend and is scheduled to continue for months.
WHITE CENTER WORK RESUMING THIS WEEK
Today, the final phase of work on 16th SW between 100th and 107th is scheduled to start.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: In addition to the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
Last but not least, the oddest photo to cross our virtual desk today. Tom Trulin spotted these “Whale Spa” brand chairs seemingly dumped on SW Director Street in Fauntleroy, near 44th. Whether stolen or unwanted, strange place to dump big items like these. Maybe you have the solution to the mystery.
ADDED SATURDAY: Tom reports they were reported and have been taken away.
10:23 PM: Around 9:45 pm, a loud crashing sound rang through the California/Thistle vicinity on the Upper Fauntleroy/Gatewood line. Our photo shows the aftermath. A driver went through what was a fairly elaborate DO NOT ENTER barricade, over the raised concrete island, into the stub of California SW south of it, then turned around quickly and went back to the intersection. Too dark for us to see but someone called it in to SPD as a red Honda SUV that subsequently headed eastbound on Thistle. No injuries that we know of
11:02 PM: Someone already reported the damage to SDOT; a crew just showed up.
9:38 PM: SPD is arriving at the scene of another incident repoorted near “the curve” by the Walking On Logs/Welcome to West Seattle pullout, on this rainy night. We haven’t seen a visual but emergency radio describes a 1996 Ford Crown Victoria “in the grass” off the road. Apparently no injuries, as SFD has been canceled. No pole or other damage this time, police told dispatch.
10:23 PM: Officers just told dispatch they’ll be blocking both westbound lanes for a bit while the tow truck driver does their work.
10:50 PM: Both westbound lanes have reopened.
Ashlee reports “very brown water” in Seaview, near 50th and Hudson. No incidents on the Seattle Public Utilities map, no major SFD incidents in the area, so we offered the usual advice – report to SPU at 206-386-1800.
Though the Southwest Precinct has postponed the community meeting originally planned for this Tuesday, a key precinct staffer will be at the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s every-other-month general gathering that might. If you have questions about local crime/safety issues, Matt Brown is on the agenda for the 7 pm Tuesday (January 13) meeting, happening at the Admiral HUB (former church’s adjacent gathering space, 4320 SW Hill). All are welcome to be there to talk/hear about other Admiral-area happenings/issues too.
(August 2023 photo by Jamie Kinney)
Less than seven months until Seafair‘s biggest weekend – and a blue-and-gold reminder of that will be seen and heard over Seattle tomorrow. Blue Angels jet #7 is bringing in the U.S. Navy demonstration team’s advance reps to start planning for this year’s Seafair Air Show, July 31-August 2. The jet is expected to arrive at Boeing Field – just east of West Seattle – around 2 pm Monday (and the forecast suggests the rain may pause by then). The advance team is expected to be here for two days; they are USN Cdr. Lilly Montana, who also was one of last year’s winter visitors, and newly joined Blue Angels pilot USN Lt. Ronny Hafeza.
MONDAY NOTE: The arrival has been postponed until tomorrow, time TBD.
As noted in our calendar/event list, the regular Sunday protest by West Seattle Resist at California/Alaska expanded today to incorporate the “ICE Out for Good” of protests nationwide sparked by the shooting death of Renée Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. The traffic-cam screen grab above is from 11 am; watching the live feed, we saw demonstrators standing at corners and along the Farmers’ Market street-closure barricades until the intersection opened periodically for pedestrians, at which time some marched back and forth. About an hour and a half later, we had a photographer there for a bit:
(WSB photos, this and next)
This was a “satellite” protest, as one texter put it, as West Seattle Indivisible was a co-sponsor of what was expected to be the largest demonstration in the city today, at midday at Cal Anderson Park. Meantime, we received some photos of the West Seattle demonstration from local texters, including these:
The protest was scheduled to conclude around 1:30 pm, and the live traffic camera verifies it’s over (as is today’s Farmers’ Market, though California north of Alaska remains closed for market breakdown).
12:44 PM: Thanks for the tips and video. This past hour, firefighters were called to the center of the main Jefferson Square lot to put out that car fire. Here’s our photo of the aftermath:
Firefighters wouldn’t comment to our photographer regarding the suspected cause – they had to move on because the department is currently crunched citywide with two building fires in other neighborhoods, one of which has gone to two alarms. However, the fire appeared to have started in the engine compartment, and there were no police on scene or any other indication of anything suspicious.
ADDED 1:08 PM: Thanks to Josh for this video showing the fire and SFD as Engine 36 rolled up and started work:
He says he spoke to the car’s owner and loaned her his phone so she could call a friend for help.
(WSB photo)
Roman and Perla have already run out of their last batch of tortillas at Milpa Masa on what will be the last day of business for their Sunrise Heights tortilleria for a while. Thanks to Christopher for sending the link to Milpa Masa’s announcement that they’re closing indefinitely after today. An excerpt:
…As some of you may know, we were forced to shut down our wholesale business at the end of 2024 due to equipment limitations and space capacity issues. Wholesale was the backbone of our operation, and losing it had a significant financial impact on us. Transitioning to a retail-only model and opening three days a week helped to some extent, but ultimately kept us from moving forward.
Our current space is not equipped with the infrastructure needed to cook and serve hot food, something that would have made a meaningful difference. However, we were hesitant to invest further in a space we knew we would quickly outgrow. With that in mind, we turned our focus toward finding angel investors who shared our long-term vision and values. Unfortunately, we underestimated how challenging it would be to find the right kind of partners aligned with what we are building.
While we will continue that search, we’ve reached a point where, without securing the necessary funding, we can no longer afford to keep the business open. Our hope is to pause, and not end Milpa Masa until we can raise the capital needed to grow into the next stage of the company.
If you know someone who may be interested in investing in a values-driven food business centered on heirloom corn, craft, and long-term impact, we would be incredibly grateful for an introduction.
We went right over to Milpa Masa’s 3416 SW Webster HQ after getting the tip today; they told us they’ve already sold out of tortillas and just have some salsa left to sell, so they might not stay open until their usual 2 pm closing, but expected to hang around a while for goodbyes.
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