West Seattle, Washington
24 Saturday
9:04 PM: For some it flickered – others are out. Nothing on the SCL map yet. More info to come…
9:12 PM: Now on the outage map: 3,000+ homes/businesses.
9:22 PM: Unofficial suspicions point to the Delridge Substation, source of several problems this year and one just a week ago. There’s a ‘wires down’ call near there.
9:32 PM: Our photographer went to 26th/Juneau to check on that “wires down” report. So far no wires found down, per emergency crews. City Light says on Twitter that they think a “cable” is to blame and that power should be back “soon.” If you have to drive, note that some lights are out – that means it’s a four-way stop.
9:59 PM: SCL has updated the cause to “equipment failure.” Though the current “restoration estimate” is just before midnight, keep in mind that those are just guesses and it could be sooner … or later. Please let us know (comment, or text 206-293-6302) when you’re back on – our HQ only had flickers so we won’t know when the outage ends otherwise, and the SCL map has something of a lag … thank you. Meantime, some backstory – that widespread “momentary” outage last Friday night, also traced to the Delridge Substation, was also around 9 pm. We followed up with City Light on Monday and they thought it might have been a branch hitting a line, but they weren’t sure; they did explain that a “boom” heard that night was the sound of “breakers opening.” (As you can see in comments, many reported hearing “booms” again tonight.)
10:35 PM: Thanks for the texts! Sounds like at least some have power back.
10:49 PM: The SCL map has now updated to show all but a handful of customers are back on.
Thanks for the texts/tweets about a sizable emergency response by the bus stops on the SW side of California/Alaska. Here’s what we found out at the scene: Two men got into a fight at the bus stop (which is why KC Sheriff’s Transit Police are handling). One man is going to the hospital; the other was arrested.
Even on a rainy night, the annual Holiday Open House at Husky Deli draws a crowd. There’s live holiday music while proprietor Jack Miller and staff serve up samples to their fans.
The open house at 4721 California SW continues until 9 pm. Lots of other holiday events this weekend, in The Junction and beyond – see the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
Some cool creations by crafters of all ages are awaiting gift buyers right now in the Lafayette Elementary cafeteria (California/Lander). It’s the school’s holiday bazaar (with a book fair in the library). You can even get your gifts wrapped by students, raising money for a special cause:
From left, Elsie, Maddi, Ethan, Mia, and Maggie are at the wrapping table by the stage – one of their schoolmates, Thea, had e-mailed us to explain, “We are raising funds to buy 100 pairs of socks and shoes by grade level for kids in need.” 100 because this is Lafayette’s centennial. The bazaar continues until 7:30 tonight.
In West Seattle Crime Watch this evening:
LURING SUSPECT CHARGED: 25-year-old Tamir S. Mohammed was charged today with luring, three days after he was arrested on Puget Ridge. Court documents say the 14-year-old victim got on the 128 bus in the 3200 block of California SW; Mohammed boarded by 35th/Morgan. She got off the bus on 16th near SW Holly and he followed her, asking her name and saying “I’m lonely and I need someone to be with me.” He walked ahead of her at one point and she thought he was gone until he appeared in a driveway, telling her she should come down the driveway to see some Christmas lights, then grabbing her hand and trying to drag her with him. She tried to get him to stop by saying she was only 12 and that her father was waiting nearby; she said police cars started to arrive in the area and he let her go and fled. The house with the driveway had surveillance video that allowed officers to later recognize and arrest Mohammed at the 16th/Holden 7-11. He remains in the King County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Two reader reports:
LAWN MOWER STOLEN: The video is from Greg:
He says his lawn mower was stolen around 8 pm this past Monday, and his car was prowled the next night. He’s near 42nd/Dawson, south of The Junction.
JEWELRY BOX, JEWELRY, CURRENCY COLLECTION TO WATCH FOR: From Dawn:
My house at 12th SW and Henderson was broken into over Thanksgiving weekend while I was out of town (not sure if it was Thursday or Friday).
They stole a vintage jewelry box (black painted with an Asian theme). It had 2 of my grandmother’s opal rings, my son’s baby teeth, lots of jewelry that doesn’t mean much, but has sentimental value.
They also stole my son’s bank and coin/money collection. He had a lot of bills and coins from all over the world. If anyone sees anything discarded, please let me know!
That’s the note on the door at what had been the home of In Tandem Midwifery at 4522 44th SW. As of this afternoon, the midwives have delivered themselves (well, with the help of friends and fans) to a larger new location in Burien, at 14924 8th SW. In Tandem was West Seattle’s first midwifery-only practice when Taylor Hamil and Christine Tindal opened their original Junction location in early 2012.
(Photo by Kersti Muul: Mark and Maya Sears in boat, permit number 16163-01)
12:43 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip: Resident orcas are back in the area (just in time for tomorrow’s Welcome the Orcas event!) and headed this way. K Pod members were seen northbound off Normandy Park and are currently resting off Burien’s Three Tree Point, Kersti says. Let us know if you see them!
12:50 PM: Now an update from Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales: They’re back on the move, off The Arroyos, and closer to this side of the Sound, so a good viewing opportunity if you can get to the shore!
1:25 PM: Update from Jeff – they’re now off Lincoln Park, still northbound.
2:05 PM: Visible from Constellation Park, according to updates from Jeff and from Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail (which is co-presenting tomorrow’s event).
4 PM: No further reports, and no remaining pods of whale-watchers in view. Photos added!
While checking the jail register for an unrelated case, we discovered a suspect had been arrested and charged in two armed robberies last Saturday, one of which happened in West Seattle. 21-year-old Seth C. Tapaka is in the King County Jail in lieu of half a million dollars bail, charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of unlawful gun possession, since he’s a convicted felon who wasn’t supposed to have a gun at all, because of a 2015 robbery conviction for which he cleared probation just a month ago.
He is accused of holding up the South Delridge 7-11 around 5:20 am Saturday, an hour after holding up a Circle K store in South Seattle. At both stores, court documents say, he got away with cigarettes as well as hundreds of dollars in cash. Police reviewing security video from buildings near the 7-11 found that Tapaka’s girlfriend was waiting in his car nearby. Detective Michael Magan noted distinctive features of the green 1997 Honda Accord – particularly a wheel rim that was different from the rest. When the detective returned to the South Delridge area this past Tuesday in hopes of finding more video, he instead spotted that same green Accord, with Tapaka and his girlfriend inside. Det. Magan called for patrol units to stop the car, which they did, at 15th and Roxbury. Subsequent questioning led police to find the handgun used in the holdups, a 9mm semiautomatic Ruger that belonged to a former girlfriend of Tapaka’s, who lives with their child at Tapaka’s mother’s house on Beacon Hill. The report says the former girlfriend also noted, when shown video from the South Seattle holdup, that the gray backpack that Tapaka used was their baby’s diaper bag.
(Thursday night sunset photo by Jen Popp)
Before we get to the non-holiday highlights for today/tonight, here’s the Friday lineup from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
HOLIDAYS WITH ELVIS: This show is at 3 pm at Bridge Park. All welcome. (3204 SW Morgan)
WEST SEATTLE ARTISTS’ STUDIO TOUR: This free holiday-season tour starts 4-9 pm and multiple West Seattle studios are participating – map and info here.
LAFAYETTE ELEMENTARY CRAFT AND BOOK FAIR: Everybody’s welcome!
You’re invited to an evening of shopping & selling at the Lafayette Elementary Annual Winter Craft & Book Fair! On Friday, November 30th, at 5:30 pm, our cafeteria will transform to a Winter craft bazaar with tables of home-made and local crafts for sale created by students, parents, and community members. Craft fair open 5:30-7:30 pm. Food & Hot cocoa for sale. Support our school Library by shopping at the Book Fair, open 5:00-6:30 pm in our library.
(California/Lander)
GIFT WRAPPING: Get your gifts wrapped during Lafayette Elementary Craft Fair. A fifth-grader explains: “We are raising funds to buy 100 pairs of socks and shoes by grade level for kids in need. During our craft fair, we are wrapping holiday gifts by donation. Our school turned 100 this year and that is why we picked 100 items.” 5:30-7:30 pm. (California/Lander)
HUSKY DELI OPEN HOUSE: Always a hot (free) holiday event! Tonight’s the night for the Husky Deli holiday open house, 6-9 pm. (4721 California SW)
‘LIGHT UP THE NIGHT’ – TREE TOO! Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish & School invites you to “Light Up the Night,” with Christmas caroling, hot chocolate, and of course, lights! The tree-lighting is back this year, too! Bring nonperishable food donations to fill the sleigh in the Walmesley Center, then gather in the closed-off street for the lighting and singing. 7 pm. (35th SW/SW Myrtle)
MENASHE FAMILY LIGHTS: The brightest Christmas lights in West Seattle are set to officially start the season tonight. We went by while they were doing setup and testing earlier this week:
We’re checking to see the planned start time and will update here. UPDATE: Around 5 pm. (5605 Beach Drive SW)
Now on to what else is up:
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL COURT OUTREACH EVENT: Happening through 4 pm at Delridge Community Center. Get help handling tickets, warrants, social-service searches – more details in this preview from earlier this week. (4501 Delridge Way SW)
A NIGHT FOR AYDIN: Today/tonight at Arthur’s in The Admiral District, a silent auction and raffle are benefiting the family of Chef Ian Welch as they deal with the sudden loss of their son. Arthur’s is also donating an amount matching today/tonight’s sales. More info here. (2311 California SW)
BOBCAT BOB: Ever-popular Bob “Bobcat Bob” Rice performs tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
PIANO JAZZ: At Kenyon Hall, 7:30 pm, it’s the Seattle premiere of an award-winning documentary about Ray Skjelbred, described as “a national treasure,” produced by West Seattle’s John Ochs, followed by a live performance by the artist on the KH Steinway. Ticket info in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)
‘JANE EYRE’: The musical continues at 7:30 tonight at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor). Check here for tickets. (4711 California SW)
More for today/tonight/beyond on our calendar and in our holiday guide!
(Tree and donation box at Northwest Insurance Group)
December is about to start and that means it’s peak time for holiday donation drives that have to wrap things up a bit early so they can deliver your gifts! We have three Toys for Tots reminders – where and when to donate new unwrapped toys for kids:
SATURDAY: West Seattle Kiwanis pancake breakfast, 7-11 am (December 1st) at the Masonic Center (4736 40th SW)
THROUGH DECEMBER 10TH: Northwest Insurance Group (WSB sponsor) is collecting new, unwrapped toys in their office on weekdays. (5431 California SW)
THROUGH DECEMBER 11TH: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate (WSB sponsor) – details here. (4700 42nd SW, Suite 600)
ALSO: Harbor Insurance Services is a drop site again this year. (3922 California SW)
Throughout the season, these and other donation opportunities are listed in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – please let us know if you have a donation drive this season too!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:08 AM: Good morning. No incidents or traffic alerts in/from West Seattle so far this Friday morning.
WEEKEND ALERT: SW Alaska will be closed between California and 42nd tomorrow afternoon/evening for the West Seattle Junction Hometown Holidays Tree Lighting (6 pm) and Night Market (3-7 pm). Bus reroutes are linked here.
Police are finding shell casings in the 12th/Trenton vicinity, per radio communication, after multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunfire in the area. One caller is reported to have seen someone firing a gun from a car that was seeing going northbound on 13th, then southbound on 12th. No reports of any shooting victims so far.
| 145 COMMENTS