WEATHER ALERT: Lower temps on the way; possibly snow too
(The Olympics on Christmas Day, photographed by Long Bach Nguyen)
In the three weeks since we last saw notable snow, the forecast has hinted repeatedly at more, but it hasn’t materialized. Now there’s word of possible snow, as well as subnormal temperatures, starting New Year’s Eve. The National Weather Service sent out an alert tonight (thanks to @westseawx for the heads-up):
… Confidence is fairly high about the large-scale weather setup, which shows cold Canadian air spreading south on Saturday night, nipping at the heels of exiting showers later Saturday night and on Sunday morning. So the main forecast issues to resolve will be knowing where showers will focus and be heaviest, when a transition from rain to snow will occur, and how soon showers exit the area.
Depending on these timing and coverage details, it appears most of the interior lowlands will get a Trace to 3 inches of snow.
From the Seattle area on north to the Canadian border, there is a high likelihood of many places exceeding one inch of snow. The most likely time for snow near Bellingham is early Saturday evening, then later evening further south in the Seattle area. …
The New Year is set to start with at least a few days of highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s.
CHARTER SCHOOL: Work about to start at Arbor Heights site of Summit Atlas
Almost exactly two years after we broke the news of West Seattle’s first charter school planned in an ex-church/ex-supermarket in Arbor Heights, site work is about to start. The middle/high school to be called Summit Atlas is planning to open with sixth- and ninth-grade classes in fall of 2017, one year later than originally planned, after charters lost and then regained state funding. James Heugas of Washington Charter School Development, which purchased the site in 2015 for $4.75 million, tells WSB that they expect to start work by mid-January on the first phase, interior remodeling for the first phase. They also have “submitted drawings” in the land-use-permit process for the second phase, which will involve a two-story addition – that’s why the new notification signs (including the one in our photo) are up. A formal city notice will likely be out soon, opening a comment period for that application. (See the “preliminary site plan” here.)
We asked what neighbors will see on the sprawling site once the remodeling work begins; Heugas says it depends on whether they will be able to keep the building’s existing roof, which they are currently discussing with the contractor. Because there’s so much room on the site, he expects that the crews and materials will be largely kept within its confines, minimizing disruption to neighbors. (For more on what’s planned at the Arbor Heights site, see our August report.)
FERRY UPDATE: South Vashon route expected to resume Saturday
Washington State Ferries says it’s now expecting the South Vashon-Tacoma (Tahlequah-Point Defiance) route to resume service on Saturday, after a weeklong shutdown:
Due to ongoing dock repairs at the Point Defiance terminal, the Point Defiance/Tahlequah route is now expected to remain out of service through Friday, December 30, and reopen Saturday, December 31. Our crews are working as quickly as possible to restore service, and we will provide updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, please use alternate routes, Southworth and Fauntleroy, for travel to and from Vashon Island.
The Point Defiance dock was damaged while the crew was dealing with a medical emergency involving the captain of M/V Chetzemoka. Yesterday’s WSF update said the captain is expected to fully recover.
WEST SEATTLE NEW YEAR’S EVE: Free overnight parking in The Junction
This year’s West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays (with sponsors including WSB) wrap up Saturday night with New Year’s Eve celebrations. If you are planning to celebrate in The Junction, and getting there via your own vehicle, the West Seattle Junction Association is covering overnight parking in its lots:
The West Seattle Junction merchants feel it’s important to stay safe while celebrating incoming 2017. On Saturday, December 31st, from 7 pm through Sunday, January 1st, 10 am, we invite you to leave your car overnight in one of our FREE Junction parking lots. Please pick up your car by 10 am, though, so we have plenty of parking for the January 1st brunch crowds. Happy New Year from the merchants!
Those are the lots marked “free 3-hour” on this page of The Junction’s website – at 44th/Oregon (southeast side of intersection), 44th/Alaska (southeast side of intersection), midblock on the east side of 44th between Alaska and Edmunds, and 42nd/Oregon (southwest side of intersection). WSJA also is spotlighting some of the Junction venues with special NYE events, here.
SDOT replaces vandalized no-parking signs on Alki Avenue SW
Earlier this month, someone called to say they had seen a driver going down Alki Avenue SW, stopping and spray-painting multiple no-parking signs. We advised calling 911 if they hadn’t already, and we mentioned it on Twitter, but we neglected to follow up until Ken sent the photo at right this week, asking if the painting had been done by SDOT to signal a change in parking policy. Short answer: No. After the holiday, we asked SDOT spokesperson Sue Romero if and when the city planned to clean or replace the vandalized signs (we counted 10), and today she tells us a crew was out this morning to replace them.
WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 7-11 ‘shooting’ followup; stolen skateboard
Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, starting with this followup:
CHRISTMAS MORNING INCIDENT WAS STABBING, NOT SHOOTING: In the first hour of Christmas Day, we reported briefly on someone found at the Junction 7-11 with what medics initially described – in transmissions monitored via scanner – as two gunshot wounds. We were finally able to get followup information just now from Seattle Police. The report says it was eventually determined that the victim, 17 years old, had been stabbed, not shot. The original call was a report of a suspicious person outside the store, appearing high or drunk, “staring up at the sky.” The officer started talking to him, noticed blood on his hands, asked about it, and the response was that he punches walls when he gets mad. His hands, however, didn’t look injured; the officer then noticed the teen’s clothes were bloody, and eventually the victim lifted his shirt and the officer saw his wounds and called Seattle Fire. The victim overall was uncooperative, police say, including identifying himself with a name that actually was that of his brother. That name came up with a felony arrest warrant – and so did the victim – so he was going to be booked into juvenile detention once out of the hospital. How – and even where – he got stabbed remains a mystery; the 7-11 clerk said the victim had been in the store for a while about half an hour earlier and he didn’t notice anything wrong.
STOLEN SKATEBOARD: Kevin reports his son’s Christmas present was stolen “right in front of him” last night at Jack Block Park – this skateboard:
He sat his longboard down and walked over to his cousin. A car pulled up and a young man jumped out, grabbed his board and sped away. Two males, early twenties. Older white American sedan. The board is brand new and is made by Omen. If you know of a guy that has recently come into possession of a similar board…please let me know. 206-650-2214.
4 options for your West Seattle Thursday
(Great blue heron, photographed by Don Brubeck)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, four ways to spend your between-holidays Thursday:
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Noon-4 pm, visit the home of West Seattle’s history, headquarters of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
‘STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS,’ FREE: 3 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, all are welcome to the branch’s “family movie” screening of Episode VII. (2306 42nd SW)
HORSE AND TIGER: “A night of funky improv” at Parliament Tavern, 8 pm, 21+, no cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
THE W LOVERS: Live at Whisky West, 8 pm, 21+. (6451 California SW)
LOOKING AHEAD TO NEW YEAR’S EVE/DAY? Check the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide. And please let us know if you have something to add!
TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Thursday watch
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:25 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far.
EARLY REMINDER: Since New Year’s Day, like Christmas, falls on a Sunday, next Monday is again the “observed” holiday. (School doesn’t resume until Tuesday.)
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