West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
11:28 PM: What started as a “car fire” call is now upgraded to a full response, headed for the north tip of Harbor Island [map]. The fire is described on SFD radio as an RV fire within a few feet of a warehouse building.
11:38 PM: The RV fire itself is reported to be under control; firefighters are checking inside the warehouse to be sure it hasn’t spread.
11:46 PM: Some of the units are being dismissed. SFD’s investigator, meantime, is on the way.
Four items in West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:
MORGAN JUNCTION ARREST: Several people asked about an arrest near West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) on Wednesday afternoon. We finally got information on the case today – it had nothing to do with the store. It started with a 911 call just before 1 pm Wednesday about a man who was reported to be looking into cars near California/Mills and had allegedly stolen a helmet from under the cover on a motorcycle. Police say a resident pursued the suspect and after officers arrived, the suspect tried to run. Their report says he dropped a black garbage bag, a backpack, and two cell phones while trying to get away, and that after he was in custody, he was found in possession of methamphetamine. The trash bag, meantime, was found to contain “various mail addressed to various persons, and an Amazon package.” And the police report lists debit cards and ID that wasn’t in the suspect’s name, as well as a pellet gun, burglary tools, and shaved keys. The 25-year-old Puget Ridge man was booked into jail for investigation of stolen property and drug possession. Tonight, he got out of jail, after a judge ruled he could be released on personal recognizance. We’ll keep watching to see if and when he is charged; online files show he has a property-crime record.
ALSO OUT OF JAIL … the 30-year-old man arrested for investigation of vehicular assault, which encompasses possible DUI, after the North Delridge collision that seriously injured a woman on Monday by Delridge Skatepark.
A commenter identifying herself as the 36-year-old victim’s aunt posted an update saying she is still in the ICU; also commenting, a detective who is asking for any witnesses to the incident to please come forward – call Det. Parker at 206-233-0059, and refer to incident #2018-062040.
CAR-PROWL LOOT TO LOOK FOR: Posting in the WSB Forums this afternoon, a reader who says her son’s hockey gear was stolen in a car prowl last night near 36th/Trenton.
CAMERA THIEF: This video from a security camera shows the person who was in the process of stealing it:
The sender says it happened last Friday morning just after 5 am in the 5000 block of 49th SW:
The guy came onto our front porch and stole our Arlo camera. He then got into a dark colored Subaru Forester (appears to have tinted windows) and went into our alley and stole two of our neighbors’ cameras who is behind us across the alley. Another neighbor was walking her dog and saw the guy get into a Subaru Forester right about the same time this happened. We were not able to get a license plate number. He had on a North Face rain jacket with the hood over his head and dark sunglasses. Both my neighbor and I have filed reports with the police and I gave them a copy of the video.
PREVENTING CRIME: Early mention that next Tuesday’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meeting will feature a presentation on Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) – all welcome.
Almost six months ago, we told you about a West Seattle family’s plan to open Brass Knuckle Bistro in the former 3.14 Bakery space on the north end of downtown White Center (9602 16th SW). Now they’ve announced that March 6th will be the opening date. BKB will focus on sandwiches – see the menu online. (Thanks to Gill for the tip!)
6:01 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent that beautiful panoramic view of the Olympics at the height of today’s sunshine. Much of the snow that fell last night is gone, and aside from the shadiest spots, roads are dry. But the National Weather Service‘s newest forecast says snow is likely Friday afternoon, and possibly Friday night too. SDOT, meantime, says it’s ready: “With a goal of achieving wet and bare street conditions on arterials for residents and travelers, SDOT snow crews are prepared to deploy this evening to pretreat arterials with additional emphasis on public transit routes before Friday’s morning commute.” And its media advisory says the “SDOT snow team is on standby for Saturday and Sunday” just in case. We of course are always on standby too and appreciate the heads-up (206-293-6302) when you see snow start to fall (and other newsworthy sights).
8:51 PM: Just in from Metro:
While transit is currently operating normally throughout Metro’s service area, Metro Transit and other agencies are monitoring weather forecasts and conditions in the event that a predicted midday Friday snowfall could cause traffic or travel challenges in Metro’s service area.
Metro encourages all riders to be prepared in case of a weather event.
Snow & ice
If there are significant or widespread transit reroutes or other service impacts due to weather or road conditions, information will be posted on the ‘Snow, ice & flood alerts’ page on Metro’s website, and Transit Alerts will be sent to subscribers of affected service.If there are just a few minor or scattered impacts, Metro will send Transit Alerts to subscribers of affected routes.
Transit riders are encouraged to sign up for Transit Alerts for the routes they ride, however, it is also easy to see recent alerts by visiting Metro’s RSS page and selecting the desired route.
We will again launch the morning traffic/transit/weather watch earlier – by 5:30 – even if it isn’t snowing (yet), just so you can check in, whatever the conditions.
Need someplace for your cat(s) to stay while you’re away? Cat Sitting Hotels is a new WSB sponsor, and here’s what they want you to know about what they do:
Cat Sitting Hotels was established in 2011 in Bothell, relocated to West Seattle in January of 2017, and in October of 2017 expanded into the space next door and doubled the size of the Hotel (now there’s the West Side and the East Wing). In West Seattle, we’re on the way to and from the airport for most of our previous customers (as they typically leave their kitties with us when they’re traveling) and also can fill a very big need in the Seattle area for really great luxury cat boarding with loving care from a staff who all have cats of their own and truly love them.
Cat Sitting Hotels began several years ago when the founder / owner needed to travel and looked into having his 4 cats boarded, and found that what was available was mostly smallish cage-like accommodations. Knowing he couldn’t leave them locked up in a small space for a week, he built the first 4 kitty suites in his living room for his own 4 cats. They were huge 4′ wide and 4′ long wood frame enclosures where they’d have plenty of room to move around plus a table and shelves to jump up and down from or sleep on. After returning, then procrastinating for a few months about taking them down, the idea came to care for other people’s kitties in these nice big comfy enclosures. It soon became a cat lover’s dream and his business building in Bothell was converted into the first Cat Sitting Hotel.
Quickly realizing he wasn’t the only one who was so deeply concerned about leaving their precious companions out of their own care, a webcam system was created so feline parents could see their kid from anywhere in the world where they could get internet access. Other recent high-tech options have recently been added such as the Petcube which allows our guest kitties’ parents to both view them and play laser light with them from the screen of a mobile device, or for those whose kitties aren’t into laser play, the Petzi includes the webcam and can dispense treats by touching your tablet’s feeder control. There are also available food bowls which only open for the kitty with that bowl’s tag on the collar, which keeps the food fresher and ensures that only your kitty can eat your kitty’s food. They can be especially helpful for guest cats from the same home but who have different / special diets.
Cat Sitting Hotels is at 3513 SW Alaska. See more photos and info at catsittinghotels.com or call 425-442-1941.
We thank Cat Sitting Hotels for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
Ever wonder what you can do to make a difference, even just a bit? Set aside a little time for a Monday meetup that can answer the question in some memorable ways. Here’s the announcement from Sustainable West Seattle‘s Stu Hennessey:
Sustainable West Seattle would like to hear from our neighbors on a variety of subjects that we can have a lasting effect on. If you would like to be part of the solution, we would like to work with you. We will be hosting a public meetup on Monday, February 26th, at the West Seattle Senior Center, 4217 SW Oregon St, Nucor Room. The meeting will start at 7 pm.
Come to this meetup and take a Virtual Puget Sound underwater tour with diver Laura James, West Seattle’s famous underwater videographer. Find out which “Pesticide-Free” playgrounds in West Seattle are using increasing amounts of glyphosate toxic Roundup where your kids are playing. Learn how you can be a part of the 11th year of Sustainable West Seattle and the GreenLife Festival contribution to the West Seattle Summer Fest street fair.
You’ll also find out about helping our region’s endangered orcas.
The photo montage is courtesy of The Nook in The Admiral District – where, as of today, they’ve added daytime hours so you can stop in for coffee … and more. The announcement:
It’s been one year since The Nook opened!
And we’re expanding our hours as a “Café By Day” where kids are welcome until 2 pm. We are proudly serving Vivace Espresso, a local and beloved coffee roaster, as well as tasty pastries and hot breakfast sandwiches. As far as the espresso machine goes, we are sticking to The Nook’s old school and traditional ways by using a spring lever machine – the only one you can find in West Seattle! The machine, made by Londinium (based out of London), highlights all the subtle notes of coffee, capable of extracting the smoothest and tastiest espresso shot!
Cafe hours are Tuesday-Friday 7 am until 1:30 pm, with Saturday & Sunday 8 am until 1:30 pm. Cocktail hours will remain the same, still opening at 5 pm.
The Nook is at 2206 California SW.
We first told you back on Tuesday that Mayor Jenny Durkan is coming to West Seattle for a public event on Saturday. We’ve obtained a few more details about the event via the mayor’s office and local community organizations:
-The mayor will be joined by representatives of city departments including SDOT, Seattle Public Utilities, Department of Neighborhoods, the Office of Economic Development, Parks, Office of Housing, Seattle Housing Authority, Office of Planning and Community Development, Seattle Police, and Seattle Fire “with information about city-wide programs, and projects specific to West Seattle”
-The mayor plans to “discuss her vision for building a more affordable, inclusive Seattle” as described in her State of the City speech on Tuesday
She’s also expected to visit several local businesses before the public event, which is scheduled for 1 pm to 2 pm Saturday at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon).
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the photo taken in Lincoln Park this morning. Snow photos welcome at editor@westseattleblog.com or texted to 206-293-6302 … meantime, here’s a quick look at highlights for the day/night ahead:
TODDLER STORY TIME: 11 am at High Point Library. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 5-6 pm at West Seattle’s only charter school Summit Atlas, which is enrolling 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th grades for next year.(9601 35th SW)
WESTSIDE NEIGHBORS’ NETWORK MOVIE NIGHT: Members and non-members, all welcome. 5:30 pm potluck dinner (entree provided), 6 pm movie (chosen from suggestions). More info in our calendar listing. (4707 36th SW)
ART OPEN HOUSE: Art by Lauren Olson, and free massage, during 6-9 pm open house at Nepenthe Massage. (9447 35th SW)
WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House High Point, see the presentation of the Junction Neighborhood Organization Land Use Committee’s proposal for undergrounding part of the West Seattle light-rail line, as previewed here; also hear from County Council President Joe McDermott about transportation issues including light rail – he co-chairs the Elected Leadership Group for the West Seattle-to-Ballard light-rail line and is a member of the Sound Transit board. All welcome. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE … via our complete calendar!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
5:22 AM: Good morning! It’s cold enough that most of last night’s snow is still around, though the next round isn’t due until tomorrow. This morning, your sidewalks and side streets will be the biggest challenges. Some links to check:
Metro – on regular routes
SDOT – winter-weather-response map shows where crews have been working
More traffic cameras – here
SCHOOL CHANGES (updated 8:05 am)
Highline Public Schools – 2 hours late
Holy Family School – 1 hour late, BASS available at 8, school starts at 9
Holy Rosary School – 10:30 start, no am BASE, no am preschool
Hope Lutheran School – 2 hours late, doors open 10:15, school begins 10:30
Kennedy Catholic HS – closed today; freshman retreat activities postponed to Friday
Our Lady of Guadalupe – 2 hours late
Seattle Lutheran High School – will start at 10:30 am
Tilden School – Open as usual for families and staff who can get there safely
Info to add? Text or call our 24/7 hotline – 206-293-6302
7:03 AM: Still no official trouble reports or transit alerts, but in comments below, Steven reports, “Route 56 is stuck on Admiral Way coming out of Alki” and Sam reports, “The 37 that runs by Alki Beach around 6:35 never showed.”
7:20 AM: Thanks for the updates on what you’re seeing, once you get to where you’re going (or if you’re a passenger – bus or otherwise). As for us, here’s the video view from a few minutes ago at California/Thistle:
Our two-arterial look around. Breezy now too and a bit of blowing snow. pic.twitter.com/BFI5JH8EWV
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) February 22, 2018
8:27 AM: If you drive surface Spokane St., be advised there’s a vehicle-fire response at Colorado, which is just west of 1st Ave. S. Haven’t heard which direction. (update) Per scanner, it’s a “small RV fire” partially extinguished by the RV’s occupant.
8:41 AM: 2-car crash reported at 30th/Brandon.
10:19 AM: Police are responding to a downed-wire report at SW Raymond and High Point Drive.
10:25 AM: Also from the scanner, reports of debris on the eastbound bridge from 35th SW – wood on the road.
10:30 AM: Thanks again to everyone who has provided info via comments this morning, in longstanding WSB tradition. Sarah reports, “The police have taped off 30th Ave just North of Juneau all the way to Brandon due to road conditions and the earlier accident at 30th and Brandon.”
THURSDAY AFTERNOON NOTE: Except for side streets in the shade, roads have cleared up – first the snow melted, then it dried in the breeze. No new snow expected for the remainder of today – but stand by for a forecast update later, and SDOT’s plans.
One power outage so far – 181 customers along 62nd SW in Alki lost electricity just after 1 am. No cause listed but just as we were typing this, our tipster says it came back on.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
With the scheduled guest out sick, this month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting was all about questions and concerns brought by those in attendance – from tagging to harassment to park problems.
First, the regular update from Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Pierre Davis, who as usual lauded community members for “seeing something and saying something.” Property crime remains West Seattle’s biggest problem – “always has been” – right now, all categories are spiking, and he says police suspect that’s because some “prolific offenders” are out of jail again. He vowed “to get back out there and … round them all up,” noting that police circulate weekly, sometimes daily bulletins about particular suspects, “especially if they have warrants.” If they suspect they know where specific offenders are re-offending, they “saturate the area.”
Sometimes they can get “more time for these individuals” if they can be linked to multiple crimes. “That can be the difference between having a safe and sane six or seven months and a chaotic six or seve months.” He said he knows car prowls for example “are a pain in the butt” and once they get people arrested, they see what they can do to get them kept in custody. He mentions the value of letters from individuals about defendants facing sentencing, saying those letters can be “hell on wheels,” impressing judges.
Then he opened the floor to questions.
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