Update: Missing 21-year-old found, police taking him home
9:47 PM: The family of a 21-year-old man with Down syndrome says he is overdue from his usual walk around the block – he’s usually gone an hour or so but has been gone now for four hours – and they hope you can help find him. His name is Michael and he is 5’3″, about 190 pounds, dark hair, wearing a checkered “newsboy”-type cap, in a dark jacket and black shorts. He lives near 49th and Alaska and usually walks around the block a few times. He doesn’t have ID or money on him and his family is worried that even if he is lost, he won’t ask for help – also, he won’t be able to tell you his exact address. Police have been looking for Michael and haven’t found him – if you’ve seen him, please call 911.
10:50 PM: Just heard via scanner, police have found Michael (around 46th/Charlestown) and will be taking him home. (Added – his mom has confirmed this, too.)
Two weeks of night work ahead at Fauntleroy ferry terminal
If you use, and/or live near, the Fauntleroy ferry terminal, heads up: One week from tonight, two weeks of potentially noisy nighttime work will start at the terminal. It’s not a Washington State Ferries project; a contractor for Seattle Public Utilities will be doing cleaning work. Here’s the notice, forwarded to us by an area resident who received it this week and thought it might be of interest to people beyond the immediate neighborhood, too:
We contacted SPU for more information about this; Ingrid Goodwin confirmed that once the work starts, it’ll continue on weekend nights as well as weeknights, and she adds: “SPU’s contractor may decide to work consecutive nights or take some nights off – depending on the weather and other work conditions.” We asked if this was regular maintenance or response to some sort of problem; her reply: “This work is in response to a recent CCTV (close circuit TV) inspection performed on SPU sewer pipes that found concrete slurry partially blocking. There was an attempt to remove the slurry during normal business hours but due to the high tides, we decided to move the cleaning effort to off hours during lower tides. This will allow a broader window of opportunity for SPU’s contractor to clean, which will also reduce the number of job site setups and breakdowns needed to complete the work.” As for the source of the slurry – that’s another followup.
Happening now: Seattle Lutheran HS Alumni Basketball Tournament
Get out of the house and into the bleachers! In the Menashe Gym at Seattle Lutheran High School, the Saints’ Alumni Basketball Tournament is under way for a few more hours.
Five teams’ worth of players signed up for tonight’s tournament. There’s parking right across the street from the gym, 41st and Genesee on the north end of The Junction.
P.S. Next up for the current Saints basketball teams – they host Shoreline Christian on Saturday, January 3rd, with the girls-varsity game at 2:30 pm and the boys-varsity game at 4 pm.
West Seattle whale watching: Orcas headed this way
Orcas are headed this way, northbound, most recently seen off Vashon Island, roughly parallel with Burien’s Seahurst Park, according to commenters on the Orca Network Facebook page; we’ve also received general tips via Facebook and Twitter. They apparently are the “transient” orcas that have spent a lot of time in the South Sound lately. We’re off to look; please let us know if you see them off our shores – we have barely an hour of light left!
Update: Police find children missing in eastern West Seattle
(Added: WSB photo of SSCC parking lot by ravine where the girls were found)
1:56 PM: Police are looking for two girls, ages 4 and 10, in eastern West Seattle, and their family has asked us to get the word out too. The older girl has brown hair, wearing pink sweats and a pink orange jacket; younger girl has blonde hair, wearing a bright orange or blue (reversible) jacket and bright pink pants. They left their house without permission more than an hour ago and might be in the greenbelt behind Sanislo Elementary, their family says. If you see them, please call 911.
3:01 PM: Per scanner – just found, near South Seattle College.
3:26 PM: We have also confirmed with police in the area, that they are OK and safe. Medics were called to check them out just to be sure.
West Seattle restaurants: Pagliacci expansion; Bamboo’s new name; New Year’s Eve dining
Restaurant updates today:
PAGLIACCI PIZZA EXPANDING IN WEST SEATTLE: After spotting construction-permit applications, we confirmed with Pagliacci Pizza that its West Seattle location (4449 California SW) is expanding. Pagliacci’s Matt Galvin confirms, “We did just submit drawings to the City to expand our dining capacity. Our plan is to go into construction in the spring with a mid-June opening. We will offer slices, lots of new seating, and beers on tap. We will open at 11:00 every day.” The expansion will stretch into the Clementine’s-turned-Lika Love space next door, adding more than 600 square feet to Pagliacci’s current 1,800-sf space. (We asked Lika Love owner Malika Siddiq about her future plans. She tells WSB she’ll continue to be “out and about in the truck when the weather warms up” as well as looking for a permanent space and selling online via shoptiques.com.)
BAMBOO’S NEW NAME: One month ago, Bamboo Bar and Grill (2806 Alki SW) closed for an overhaul, confirming it’ll reopen as a sports bar. While checking out this morning’s “king tide” across the street, we noticed it’s announced the new name, Alki Huddle:
No word yet on timeline for opening; STS Construction Services (WSB sponsor) is on site working on the revamp.
SPECIAL NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNERS: While the WSB holiday restaurant list already shows who told us they’ll be open New Year’s Eve, we’re also compiling notes about any West Seattle restaurants with special New Year’s Eve dinners. For starters: The Cassis bistro on Alki (WSB sponsor) is taking reservations for its special prix-fixe menu – see it here. Cassis is at 2820 Alki SW. We’ve also heard from Blackboard Bistro (3247 California SW) – see its New Year’s Eve plan here. Anyone else with a special New Year’s Eve menu? Let us know.
Christmas tree recycling in West Seattle: Dates for this season
Not that we’re suggesting you de-decorate your tree and rush it right out the door right this moment, but the practical-minded West Seattleite might be wondering about this year’s treecycling dates, at the very least. Here’s what Seattle Public Utilities has to say:
Seattle residents who subscribe to curbside food and yard waste collection can put their trees and greens out on their regular collection day at no extra charge from December 26, 2014 through January 11, 2015.
Multi-family buildings can put out one tree next to each food and yard waste cart per collection day at no extra charge during this time.
Trees should be cut into sections of six feet long or shorter, with branches trimmed to less than four feet to fit into the collection trucks. Sections should be bundled with string or non-plastic twine. Metal, plastic and ornaments in trees and wreaths must be removed.
Trees that are flocked and/or have tinsel or ornaments will be collected as extra garbage. Customers will need to cut the tree into three-foot pieces and each piece will be charged as extra garbage. Each unit of extra garbage costs $10.20. Plastic trees are not compostable.
Seattle residents can also drop off holiday trees and greens for free at Seattle Public Utilities’ South Transfer Station from December 26, 2014 through January 11, 2015. The tree sections must be cut to eight feet or less in length and the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. The limit is three trees per vehicle. Only trees and wreaths without flocking or decoration may be composted free of charge. The station is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m, other than selected holidays.
If anyone is handling treecycling as a charity benefit this year, we haven’t heard about it yet (but we’re standing by for info as always – editor@westseattleblog.com). Meantime, we’re adding this and other post-holiday recycling info to the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, which stays up and running through New Year’s Day.
No ‘king tide’ drama on West Seattle shores this time around
As noted here last night, we’re in the midst of three days at which the morning high tides are part of this year’s “king tides.” So we went out today to see what that might bring. The photo above, from Seacrest, was about as dramatic as it got. (added) At nearby Don Armeni, the water was almost up to parking lot/drive-path level:
We checked Alki a few minutes later, and the water wasn’t even over the seawall – see for yourself in this video shared by Joe Szilagyi, who was also out investigating:
Nothing at all like the wind-fueled post-Thanksgiving sights on Alki (and no doubt waterfront residents are relieved!). Tomorrow morning’s high tide, just after 9 am, will also be 13 feet, and that’s it for the official “king tides” until a stretch in January.
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Post-holiday Friday; bridge lights
(WS high/low bridges and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! First note this morning – if you’ve driven the bridge after dark/before dawn in the past few days, you’ve probably noticed the light outage (visible in the top-left camera here, if you see this early enough). We’ve heard from multiple sources, including SDOT, that City Light is aware of it – we’ll be checking today on the repair timetable.
TRANSIT TODAY: Metro remains on the “reduced weekday” schedule today.
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