West Seattle, Washington

19 Friday

42℉

month : 12/2015 286 results

VIDEO: Noisy, fiery, fun New Year’s Eve 2015 at Highland Park Improvement Club
December 31, 2015 10:53 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | Holidays | West Seattle news

(WSB video and photos by Patrick Sand)
If you weren’t part of it, watch the video to see and hear the boisterous Not-So-Silent Night Parade as it headed out from Highland Park Improvement Club tonight, to kick off HPIC’s three-part New Year’s Eve celebration. Noisemakers, costumes, and lights were the order of the night.

The parade crossed SW Holden at the newly enhanced crosswalk just east of HPIC, walking and rolling along several blocks before returning to the historic community center – note the flashing beacons at left in the next photo:

Immediately afterward, everyone gathered in the parking lot for the Sage Comet Performance, a fiery farewell to the old year. First, torchbearers stood at the ready to light the sage:

Then, the mesmerizing twirling and whirling began – see it in our video:

And then, everyone headed inside for an early edition of HPIC’s popular monthly Corner Bar, usually on the first Friday night of the month.

The youngest revelers had a space of their own.

DJs and a costume contest are part of the fun, which is continuing into 2016.

Along with the monthly Corner Bar, HPIC also hosts activities including free Movie Nights, community meetings, classes, and more – it’s where we presented West Seattle’s first candidate forum in the District 1 City Council race back in February. Info’s at hpic1919.org.

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UPDATE: Police/fire response in Fairmount Springs
December 31, 2015 10:00 pm
|    Comments Off on UPDATE: Police/fire response in Fairmount Springs
 |   West Seattle news | WS breaking news

Police and fire units are at a home in the 5900 block of Fauntleroy Way SW. While the 911 log labels it an “assault with weapons,” there’s no confirmation so far of a victim. Information monitored via scanner suggested someone had called 911 to report a possible stabbing attempt. (One minute after publishing) We’ve just heard police tell the dispatcher, “nobody was stabbed.” So the SFD units will be dismissed.

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West Seattle New Year’s Eve scene: SRO at Admiral Bird
December 31, 2015 8:35 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle New Year’s Eve scene: SRO at Admiral Bird
 |   Holidays | West Seattle news

Stopped by Admiral Bird‘s kid-friendly New Year’s Eve party around 7:30 pm – moving toward watching the East Coast ball-drop at 9 pm our time – and it was already shoulder-to-shoulder, at kid height and adult height. Kind of like the Times Square experience! We ducked back out quickly so as not to take up space that could be used by the would-be partiers who were still showing up at the door. More West Seattle NYE coverage to come.

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Miss Charlestown Café? New home for some of its old favorites at White Center’s just-opened Taradise Café
December 31, 2015 4:26 pm
|      30 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants | White Center

Story and photos by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers

“Welcome to Taradise.”

That’s the greeting you’ll see when entering our area’s newest restaurant/bar.

“Tara” is for proprietor Tara Scott, who’s celebrating the grand opening today for her Taradise Café in what used to be Marv’s Broiler at 9808 16th SW in downtown White Center.

Here’s the special attraction for West Seattleites:

If you miss the Charlestown Café – which closed 4 1/2 years ago at the site where the Rally townhouse development is going up – you’ll find some of its legacy at Taradise.

Tara herself, for one, is a Charlestown alum, and has several others on staff.

She tells WSB she’s really excited to have the permission to use some of the Charlestown’s recipes. Her permanent menu is still being finalized, so we don’t have the full lineup, but she mentioned the curried chicken salad, the pancakes, and the clam chowder, for openers.

We asked about the Montana Potatoes, by the way, and she said she has plans for them too – likely under the name Idaho Potatoes, since that’s where she’s from. The restaurant will serve breakfast all day as well as a full lunch menu and rotating dinner menu.

While Taradise Café has a bar – and two pool tables! as well as darts and TVs for sports-viewing – the restaurant is open to all ages. The hours for starters will be 6 am to midnight Sundays through Wednesdays, then 6 am to 2 am Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Family factored into Tara’s decision to open a restaurant now. She explained that she has wanted to do it for a while but needed to wait until she could devote more time and attention to it – one key factor, her youngest child is now at an age where some self-sufficiency is starting to emerge.

So if you’re looking for some place to celebrate New Year’s Eve, the grand-opening/NYE Party is on until 2 am at Taradise. This date holds significance for the location, the proprietor adds, because Marv’s Broiler opened on New Year’s Day in 1976.

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11 WSB stories comprise the ‘top 10’ for most comments in 2015
December 31, 2015 2:08 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle news

Since WSB is more about “what’s happening now” and “what’s happening next” than “what happened,” we don’t do much looking back at the end of each year – except for what’s become a tradition: The top 10 “most-commented” stories. As we always note, the number of comments isn’t an indicator of how many people care about a story, how many people read a story, etc. – in some cases, there’s just nothing to say – but it’s a point of curiosity, so here we go with this year’s edition. It’s actually a top 11, since we had a tie at #8:

#10: ZATZ A BETTER BAGEL CLOSING, June 12th, 102 comments

#9: PORT TRUCK BACKUPS, September 15th, 106 comments

#8 (tie): SEATTLE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES STRIKE, September 8th, 108 comments

#8 (tie): SDOT TO REDUCE SPEED LIMITS, February 13th, 108 comments

#7: PETITION DRIVE LAUNCHED BY OPPONENTS OF 35TH SW RECHANNELIZATION, April 10th, 114 comments

#6: 116 SDOT’S FIRST ROUND OF POST-RECHANNELIZATION STATS, October 13th, 116 comments

Read More

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West Seattle coyotes: Another midday stroll, this time on video
December 31, 2015 1:07 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife


ORIGINAL REPORT, 1:07 PM: That’s video just tweeted by Dave from SW Spokane Street, another midday sighting. We’ve published several reports recently (archived with seven-plus years of coyote news on WSB), but video is relatively rare, even in this time of ubiquitous video capability. Our customary link: What you should know about coyotes, including how to increase the chances we and they can keep a healthy distance from each other. And if you want it a bit more bluntly – here’s our 2013 story on what a federal wildlife agent wants you to know.

P.S. Coyote reports often inspire us to check around online to see what’s happening in other cities. We just found this notable report from Los Angeles, where a federal researcher – described, however, as “unfunded” – has been using GPS collars to track urban coyotes.

ADDED 9:45 PM: Another clip – this time from Ted Johnson, recorded at a bluffside home in west Admiral at sunset:

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West Seattle whale watching: Orcas visit for New Year’s Eve
December 31, 2015 11:14 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle whale watching: Orcas visit for New Year’s Eve
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

11:14 AM: Just got a text from Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales that orcas are reported northbound between Lincoln Park and Alki Point – and per Ron‘s tweet, below, they are apparently toward the north end of that range:

Sometimes they change direction, stop or slow – let us know if you see them on this beautiful sunny last day of 2015! (206-293-6302, text or voice, is always the best way to reach us when something is happening *now*.)

11:42 AM: Update from Jeff – the aforementioned area is where he’s seeing them, between Alki Point and Bainbridge, headed north. But he advises viewing from a higher elevation; he’s been watching from the blufftop spot at Seattle/Sunset in North Admiral.

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West Seattle Thursday: Your New Year’s Eve highlights
December 31, 2015 10:30 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Before we get to the event list – the mountains, putting on another show as 2015 wraps up! Above, Wednesday evening’s sunset glow on the Cascades, from Monica Zaborac; below, this morning’s sunrise glow on the Olympics, first one from Chris Kanit:

And from G. Adams:

Thank you to everyone who’s contributed to another awesome year of community photography! Now, highlights for your West Seattle New Year’s Eve, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide (which includes New Year’s Day events too):

WHICH RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN? Here are the ones that answered our calls for information about New Year’s Eve and/or New Year’s Day hours.

LAST SWIMS OF THE YEAR: At Southwest Pool, two sessions today – adult/senior swim at noon, senior water exercise at 1:30 pm. (2801 SW Thistle)

NEW YEAR’S EVE WALK: From Emerald City Wanderers:

Walk with us to bid adieu to 2014 and welcome 2015! It’s a great way to enjoy New Year’s Eve and Day, walking with family, friends and other kindred spirits. We’ll have 5 and 10 kilometer walks on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, different routes each day. And there’ll be hot soup to chase away any chills.

Start any time between 4 and 7 pm, from St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church; no fee, noncompetitive. Bring a flashlight. (3050 California SW)

NOT-SO-SILENT-NIGHT PARADE: You’re invited to join in the classic neighborhood parade, starting at Highland Park Improvement Club at 6 pm. “Assemble in the parking lot at 6 pm. Bring noisemakers, flashlights, lanterns – whatever is necessary! Parade starts when everyone is ready!” Followed by the Sage Comet Performance in the HPIC parking lot. (12th SW & SW Holden)

AFTER THE PARADE – CORNER BAR, COSTUME CONTEST, MORE: Continuing at HPIC, “DJ Doctor Lehl and DJ Evan will host The Dance Extravaganza from 8 pm until 2016, administering to our needs. 9 PM Costume Contest! We encourage everyone to dress up or come in costume. There will be cash prizes ( for the best costumes: 1st Place: $100, 2nd Place: $50 and 3rd Place: $25! Results to be determined by our unimpeachable judges and popular acclaim. We are doing this early enough so that the kids can also participate. Keepsake photos by RL Carroll. Your favorite local beer on tap, wine by the glass and a Champagne Bar with liqueurs and fresh fruit. Non-alcoholic drinks also available.” (12th SW & SW Holden)

KID-FRIENDLY NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY: 7 pm-9 pm, ending with the East Coast ball drop, at Admiral Bird – details in our listing. (California/Admiral)

NEW YEAR’S EVE SERVICE: At Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Gatewood: New Year’s Eve Burning Bowl Service, 7 pm. “As the year draws to a close, we invite you to join in the long-celebrated ceremony of the Burning Bowl; an opportunity to come together in community, to release the closing year, and to set intention and create open space to welcome the New Year. A spiritual ceremony involving fire as a cleansing ritual, this service incorporates letting go of the negative and unnecessary while clearing space for new possibilities in our lives. The burning bowl ceremony will be held in a quiet, contemplative setting encircled with music, readings, silence, and chanting. Everyone is welcome!” (7141 California SW)

BAR PARTIES: We’ve heard from two venues (anyplace else? comment!)

The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
9 pm: Hostile Makeover, Smashing Flannel
21+
Buy your ticket here

Parliament Tavern (4210 SW Admiral Way)
NYE Spectacular with Parliamentality House Band, 9 pm, 21+. Ring in 2016 with the Parliamentality House Band featuring Bobby Heinemann (bass), Colin Higgins (guitar), Marc Fendel (alto sax), Kevin Nortness (tenor sax) and Olli Klomp (cosmic dust collector). They’ll be dropping the funk all night long as we welcome the New Year. No cover! Champagne toast included!

LAST NIGHT FOR WEST SEATTLE LIGHTS: Final night of this year’s schedule for the now-legendary music-synched lights. On until midnight! Don’t forget a nonperishable-food item to drop in the bin in front of the house for the West Seattle Food Bank – or go to the WSL website to see how to help. (3908 SW Charlestown)

AND ABOUT THE FIREWORKS … of course you have many spots in West Seattle with great views of the Space Needle fireworks across the bay. Just don’t wait until the last moment to go look, especially if you’re thinking of a sea-level spot … it can be gridlock on the road and shoulder-to-shoulder on the shore as midnight gets closer.

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Remembering West Seattle entrepreneur Margaret ‘Margy’ Fitzpatrick, 1947-2015
December 31, 2015 9:00 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Family and friends will gather on Sunday to celebrate the life of Margaret “Margy” Fitzpatrick. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing:

Margaret Ann (Hull) Fitzpatrick

Margy passed away on December 23, 2015, age 68, following a courageous battle with melanoma. Her tenacity and positive attitude throughout her illness were inspirational to those around her.

A native Seattleite, Margy attended Holy Names Academy and earned a BA in nutrition from Fort Wright College. Her company, Fitzpatrick’s Interiors and Upholstery, has been an established and very successful business in West Seattle for more than 40 years, and will continue to operate under the leadership of her daughter Tricia.

Margy was an avid skier, swimmer, and triathlete who loved the opera and Bernese Mountain Dogs. She was always looking for the next exciting life experience, and took full advantage of all opportunities presented to her. She is survived by her brother Bob (Lou) Hull; sister Kathy (Ron) Coulter; her four children, Bill (Christine), Tricia, Bridgett, John; grandson Spencer; dog Annie and cat Ally.

There will be a celebration of Margy’s life on Sunday, January 3. For more information, please contact Tricia Fitzpatrick, fitzpatricksupholstery@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to Holy Names Academy Class of 1965 Endowment, 728 21st Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98112.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Your last commute of 2015
December 31, 2015 6:25 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:25 AM: Happy New Year’s Eve! After another below-freezing night, be mindful of icy spots on some roads, as well as the potential need for windshield-scraping.

ANOTHER TRANSIT REMINDER: Metro continues on a “reduced weekday” schedule for one final day; tomorrow, New Year’s Day, it’ll be on a Sunday schedule. No Water Taxi tomorrow, either.

8:50 AM: WSDOT is using the quiet time to remind everyone of the Highway 99 closures that start in mid-January, north of the Battery Street Tunnel but likely to affect things on this side too. Details are here.

11:49 AM: Via e-mail, Chuck says, “Heads up, there is a motorcycle cop doing traffic enforcement right now on the Admiral Way hill from the WS bridge to the viewpoint park.”

12:33 PM: Beware of icy hills! We’ve been on Admiral and Highland Park Way hills in the past couple hours, still very frosty, and not likely to change much before nightfall, so avoid them tonight too.

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CRASH UPDATES: 1 hurt in Delridge crash; vehicle flips on icy California Way
December 30, 2015 8:30 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

ORIGINAL 8:30 PM REPORT: Two traffic alerts:

DELRIDGE/THISTLE CRASH: Thanks to the texter who sent that photo from a car vs. moving van collision on Delridge near Thistle. They report an ambulance was on scene (as well as SFD Engine 11, which has since cleared, according to the fire log). We’re off to check whether the vehicles have been cleared yet.

CALIFORNIA WAY BLACK ICE: Another texter wanted to warn others about black ice on California Way, which connects Harbor Avenue and California Avenue SW – slick enough that they briefly lost control and almost collided with another vehicle. The temperature’s expected to fall below freezing again tonight, so this could be a concern in other places overnight and tomorrow morning. (Note – Minutes after publishing this, we received another text reporting a crash in that area – nothing on the 911 log so we are off to check on that too.)

9:02 PM (UPDATE ON BOTH INCIDENTS): California is closed just north of Hamilton Viewpoint. Delridge should be clear by now – we stopped there while heading here and a tow truck was at work in the SB lanes. Police told us one man from the moving van was taken to the hospital.

9:34 PM UPDATE: While two people have mentioned a flipped vehicle on the California hill between Harbor Avenue and Hamilton Viewpoint, we could not get close enough to verify, with SPD also blocking the road just southwest of Harbor [map] and the reported flipped vehicle not in view from either end. Whatever happened, there’s been no medical callout. While heading away from the area on Harbor, we did see an SDOT sand/plow truck headed toward it. By the way, if you’re looking for an alternative between Admiral and Harbor/Alki, we wouldn’t recommend Fairmount Avenue – that’s what we tried, and it’s icy much of the way, even slushy toward the north end.

10:20 PM UPDATE: Deborah sent a photo of the flipped vehicle:

She says, “No injuries. Lots of nice people stopped to help or inquire. Great police and tow truck support. All clear now.”

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HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Not a full ‘winter break’ for some local teams
December 30, 2015 7:46 pm
|    Comments Off on HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Not a full ‘winter break’ for some local teams
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

(Photo by Teresa Wippel/MLTnews: From left, WSHS’s #1 Akili Kasim & #4 Chaaka Trahan, MTHS #23 Khyree Armstead, WSHS #1 Nate Pryor)

7:46 PM: School’s out until next Monday, but it’s not a full vacation for some local high-school basketball teams. This afternoon in Mountlake Terrace, the West Seattle High School boys’ varsity team had its first loss of the season, 49-43, to the host team in the MTHS holiday tournament. … The WSHS varsity girls remain undefeated, 9-0 after a victory over Olympic HS in East Bremerton earlier this week, 76-31 … Last night, the Seattle Lutheran HS boys beat The Northwest School, 51-26 (thanks to Mike Jensen for the score report) … The Chief Sealth International High School varsity basketball teams have been off since December 18th; while the girls don’t play again until next week, the boys are playing tonight at North Kitsap, and we’ll add the score to this story when it’s in.

ADDED EARLY THURSDAY: Final score – North Kitsap 72, Chief Sealth 58 … Plus, more on the WSHS boys’ game, courtesy of our friends at MLTnews.com – here’s their video of the game webcast (and we’ve added a photo atop this roundup).

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VIDEO/PHOTO: Recognize these West Seattle package thieves?
December 30, 2015 2:36 pm
|      44 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two more West Seattle Crime Watch package-theft reports just in, and both include visuals of the thieves:

GENESEE HILL THIEF: The photo and report are from Angela:

Around noon today, we drove around to retrieve a package from our neighbor’s house – they were out of town and had asked us to keep an eye out because they’d been informed the package was to arrive while they were gone. When we drove around to grab the package, we witnessed a tall white male, walking down the street with a similar package, and once we confirmed the package was no longer on their front porch, we drove up next to the individual and asked him where he was going with the package. He turned right back around and said he’d put it back. We got out of the car, took the package from him and he continued to walk toward SW Genesee – then headed west up Genesee Hill. We pulled around and confronted him, told him to leave the area, and took a picture of him. It’s likely that he’s still roaming the streets – he said he felt stupid and apologized, and would not attempt to do this again. We searched the area about 15 minutes later and couldn’t find him.

Description
White Male
Roughly 6′ 2″ tall
Wearing a paperboy-style hat – gray
Black flannel-material jacket
(Average) build
Blue water bottle in hand
Either blue or green eyes, not brown
Scruffy in look – probably early- to mid-30’s in age

If you know who this is, the police report to reference is 15-450056.

LINCOLN PARK THIEF: Near Lincoln Park, a Tuesday theft was caught on video shared by the victim:

That video starts with a blue car heading right to left; forward the video to 1:28, where you’ll see someone walking into the video from the left, going down stairs, running back up with packages, and hopping into that same car, which takes off. The package’s owner explains:

On Tuesday, December 29th, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, this video shows at around 2:25 pm a Blue CRV slowly drove past our house, looked at recently delivered packages and then dropped off a thief (out of view) who stole the packages from our porch and then jumped back in the Blue CRV. Be on the look out for this guy and the car around West Seattle! A police report has been filed and any information you may have, or if you see the car and/or the man in the video, please contact Officer Jenkins, referencing incident 15-449867.

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First don’t-miss West Seattle community meeting of 2016: What’s next for HALA, and what you should know
December 30, 2015 12:58 pm
|    Comments Off on First don’t-miss West Seattle community meeting of 2016: What’s next for HALA, and what you should know
 |   Development | Neighborhoods | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

It was one of the biggest Seattle-city-government stories of 2015 and it’s going to be even bigger in 2016: How will the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda – aka HALA – affect you, your neighbors, your future neighbors? What do you need to know? How can you be part of the discussions and decision-making? The Morgan Community Association is hosting a briefing geared for all interested West Seattleites, right after an abbreviated version of their group’s quarterly meeting on January 20th, and they’ve sent early word so you can get it on your calendar:

Our first meeting of 2016 starts off with a bang! We will have a short regular MoCA meeting from 6:00 to 6:45 pm to do normal business and officer elections. At 7:00 pm we will transition to a West Seattle-wide presentation on two topics which will affect all neighborhoods; the implementation of the HALA “Grand Bargain” and upcoming code changes governing Mother-in-Law apartments and back yard cottages. All West Seattle community people are invited to attend and learn more about these and how to stay informed and get engaged. It is expected that the Mother-in-Law/Backyard Cottages code changes will go before City Council in late February, so now is the time to learn more.

Here’s the agenda for the HALA briefing/discussion:

Special West Seattle-wide Meeting: “HALA” – What’s It All About ??

7:00-8:00 pm
HALA: An Overview, The Grand Bargain, Focused Outreach and Next Steps
Jesseca Brand, City of Seattle Planning

8:00-9:00 pm
Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADU’s or Backyard Cottages) and Attached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs or Mother-in-law Apartments)
Nick Welch, City of Seattle Planning

The meeting will be in the lower level meeting rooms at The Kenney (WSB sponsor), 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW.

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EARTHQUAKE AFTERMATH: Two maps you need to see
December 30, 2015 10:30 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Preparedness | West Seattle news

Even if you didn’t feel it, the Vancouver Island earthquake late last night is another wakeup call reiterating the message that we all need to be ready, because someday we’re going to shake in a big way. So here are two maps you need to see. First, from West Seattle Be Prepared:

KNOW YOUR NEAREST WEST SEATTLE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION HUB: Especially if you’re new to WS, this might be news to you. Preparedness volunteers in our area have been regional leaders in this unique aspect of preparedness – organizing “hubs” where you can go in case of catastrophe, to get information and seek help if the regular communication channels are down/damaged/unreliable. Click a spot on the map to get information on the location where volunteers plan to set up a hub if and when disaster strikes. If you don’t see one relatively close to you, that’s only because no one has come forward to lead the way in your area – here’s how you can help! And take some time to browse the WSBP website, which is an excellent resource packed with a variety of preparedness-related info.

Now, the second map you should see. You might have already taken a look, as this new city map was circulating in the days just BEFORE the quake:

SEATTLE NATURAL HAZARD EXPLORER: The city-produced map takes you through a variety of types of “natural hazards,” including earthquake risk, as explained in Seattle Times science reporter Sandi Doughton‘s story earlier this week. You can see the map (really, it’s more than a map) fullscreen by going here; in the condensed version above, you can use the arrows at the bottom to scroll through types of hazards. In each category, click the “i” at top right to open up a text box with information at the bottom of the map, including a tab that explains the map’s legend for that section. Among other things, the earthquake-risk view shows where the Seattle Fault travels through our peninsula.

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Options for your final West Seattle Wednesday of 2015
December 30, 2015 9:13 am
|    Comments Off on Options for your final West Seattle Wednesday of 2015
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

If you can do it, our top recommendation for your to-do list today is to enjoy our spectacular West Seattle scenery. Thanks to Chris Frankovich for the photo of the Olympic Mountains’ best-known peaks, The Brothers, fully visible and snow-covered on this sunny morning. Now here’s what else you might consider for your list, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

TECH HELP: West Seattle (Admiral) Library offers free one-on-one help with tech tools and services they have available, noon-3:45 pm today. Unlike most library events, you have to make an appointment in advance – our calendar listing explains how. (2306 42nd SW)

(added) BASKETBALL LIVE STREAM: If you can’t get to Mountlake Terrace High School to cheer on the undefeated West Seattle High School boys’ varsity basketball team vs. MTHS, you can watch the live stream at 3 pm – go here. (WSHS beat Marysville-Pilchuck in the MTHS Holiday Tournament on Tuesday, 60-43.)

WEST SEATTLE GET FIT: At 6:30 pm, it’s one more informational session for the free program at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) taking you “from couch to half-marathon” in the new year. Our preview has the details. (2743 California SW)

EXPRESS YOURSELF: Open-microphone night at The Skylark, one more time before it’s 2016 already. 8:30 pm (after 7:30 pm signups) – more info here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

PLAN YOUR NEW YEAR’S EVE/DAY: West Seattle options – from parties to parading to plunging, with workouts and walks (and more!) inbetween – are atop our West Seattle Holiday Guide. Still time to add anything we’re missing – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: New Year’s Eve-Eve Wednesday watch
December 30, 2015 6:21 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! Another between-holidays, no-school commute, but we’re on watch just in case. It’s been below freezing overnight, so be aware of potential iciness.

TRANSIT REMINDER: Metro continues on a “reduced weekday” schedule through tomorrow, and then will be on a Sunday schedule for Friday (New Year’s Day). Also on Friday, no Water Taxi.

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VIDEO: 2 boats burn, 2 others damaged, at marina in West Seattle
December 29, 2015 8:43 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(UPDATED NOON WEDNESDAY – scroll down)

(Photo courtesy Jim)
8:43 PM: A big Seattle Fire response is on the way to the 1300 block of SW Spokane [map], where a boat is reported to be on fire at an address that crossreferences to Jim Clark Marina. More to come.

8:57 PM: Avoid the area – SFD has even asked for the railroad track to be closed by BNSF.

(This photo and those below are by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli, added 10:28 pm)
They’ve had to lay hundreds of feet of hose to get to the burning boat(s), according to scanner traffic.

9:04 PM: The fire is reported to be under control. No word of any injuries. Our archives show it’s been five years since the last major fire at this marina.

9:18 PM: Media crews at the scene, including ours, are being kept behind a safety line; via the scanner, we’re hearing fire crews dealing with dock-safety issues too, and also a “small” flareup on the boat, which, a marina tenant told our photographer, is a 32-footer. We’re told Seattle Fire’s public-information officer is on the way.

9:36 PM: Two vessels are reported (monitored via scanner) to be “a complete loss.”

9:44 PM: The loss of two boats has just been confirmed at the scene by SFD, in a media briefing. (video added, with SFD spokesperson Corey Orvold)

(WSB video by Patrick Sand)
A third boat was damaged. Investigators are on the way to find out how the fire started; the Coast Guard and EPA also are en route to check on whether there’s been a fuel spill or any other environmental effects.

The dock will remain closed tonight, so other boat owners thinking of coming down to check on their boats won’t be able to reach them.

10:21 PM: SFD has just tweeted that the two boats that burned have sunk and that two others were damaged.

ADDED EARLY WEDNESDAY: More views of the fire and how it was fought, on the Duwamish and on the shore. The two photos below are by Aaron Bocchetti, the video by Michelle Edwards.

No announcement yet of how it started.

WEDNESDAY NOON UPDATE: SFD’s Orvold tells us there’s still no word on the cause: “The fire investigators are working with the marina’s owner to bring the boats to the surface so they can further their investigation. This process could take a while.” We were at the marina around 10:30 am and noticed a USCG helicopter circling to inspect the scene from above.

Some damage to the boathouse is visible. See this comment below for more information on one of the damaged boats.

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West Seattle weather: ‘Air stagnation advisory’ ahead
December 29, 2015 8:16 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle weather: ‘Air stagnation advisory’ ahead
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

No rain expected this New Year’s Eve, but the weather isn’t good news if you have respiratory challenges – the National Weather Service has issued an air-stagnation advisory for Seattle and vicinity, in effect 10 pm Wednesday through 10 am Monday. This means, as the advisory notes, that “due to limited movement of an air mass across the advisory area, pollution will increase to dangerous levels.” No burn ban so far, but that could change (you can check here or on the WSB West Seattle Weather page). It’ll be colder than usual, too – highs in the 30s, lows in the 20s.

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West Seattle Crime Watch followup: Video shows gunfire at busy intersection, as investigation continues
December 29, 2015 4:13 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | Highland Park | West Seattle news

“I can’t stand that this is happening in my neighborhood. We have kids walking around. Screw these guys.” So wrote Colton Lloyd in the WSB comment that informed us he had uploaded that surveillance video to YouTube, showing the December 15th gunfire outside Seamart at 16th and Holden in Highland Park. We reported on the incident that day, while police were searching; they found shell casings outside the store, and found a possible suspect vehicle in White Center, but we had few other details until now. After seeing the surveillance video that Colton, an employee, posted, we followed up with SPD and obtained the official report, which has more details, including what officers found at the scene besides casings:

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West Seattle development: 1118 Alki, 5448 Delridge plan changes
December 29, 2015 3:08 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle development: 1118 Alki, 5448 Delridge plan changes
 |   Development | West Seattle news

Our routine check of city files show two sites where plans are apparently changing – one on Alki, one in Delridge:

(King County Assessor’s Office photos)
MORE UNITS FOR 1118 ALKI: When a potential development plan emerged in September at 1118 Alki Avenue SW, it was proposed for five units. Now a new early-stage plan proposes to replace the single-family houses at 1118 and 1122 (95 and 73 years old, respectively) with a six-story, 11-unit building with 17 off-street parking spaces behind the building (which is described on a document as both “apartment” and “condominium”). No formal application yet but we’ll watch the files. Real-estate records show 1118 Alki, listed at $1.9 million, is in the process of being sold “pending feasibility.”

POTENTIAL LIVE-WORKS AT 5448 DELRIDGE: More than a year ago, we noted a plan for this site between Cottage Grove Commons and Martin’s Way – proposing a one-story office building with a “pre-fab metal frame.” Now, a document filed this month seeks “paid coaching” with the city regarding “setbacks, unit count, design review for live-work project.” In the meantime, city files also show the city’s been investigating work at the site allegedly beyond the scope of current permits.

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TOMORROW: West Seattle Get Fit info night to jump-start your 2016
December 29, 2015 1:58 pm
|    Comments Off on TOMORROW: West Seattle Get Fit info night to jump-start your 2016
 |   Health | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

On New Year’s Eve-Eve, you can jump-start your 2016 fitness plans with West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor). WSR co-proprietor Lori McConnell says they’ve scheduled another info night for their free West Seattle Get Fit couch-to-half-marathon program, tomorrow (Wednesday, December 30th) at 6:30 pm:

We will train participants to complete a half marathon in June (there are several to choose from). Participants will start with one mile on Saturday, January 2nd, at 8 am at West Seattle Runner. This is a program for beginners! It is free. Participants can run as a group on Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings and will get a plan to follow. We will also provide several free clinics along the way to increase knowledge for runners. We do have walkers do the program as well, so walkers and runners are welcome.

WSR is at 2743 California SW.

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NEW IN THE NEW YEAR: Field Trip Society coming to West Seattle
December 29, 2015 11:13 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Looking to learn more in 2016? The Field Trip Society sends word it’s headed this way for the first time. From “field tripper in chief” Cambria Cox:

We offer classes and adventures for curious grownups … a great way to kick off the new year is to learn about fermenting and probiotics at our workshop on January 10th at the Puget Ridge Co-housing Kitchen from 2:00 – 4:00. Hadar Iron from In Ferment will be teaching the class. You can learn more about us and see our winter schedule at fieldtripsociety.com.

P.S. More places you can find classes/workshops in West Seattle:
–WS Community Centers (WSB sponsor)
–Continuing Education at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor)
–Seattle Farm School

(Other suggestions?)

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