West Seattle, Washington
11 Wednesday
The first fall meeting of HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – tonight lasted less than 40 minutes, as one guest was a no-show. But the online meeting’s first scheduled guest was there – on behalf of the Southwest Precinct, second-watch commander Lt. Grant Ballingham. He answered a variety of questions from attendees.
One was whether there’s anything new in the search for Jim Price, the 86-year-old Pigeon Point man who’s now been missing for nine days.
Lt. Ballingham said officers had responded to a few possible sightings, and in two of those cases, they found and talked with the person who was the subject of the sighting, but it wasn’t Jim. Otherwise, he said, all officers have the bulletin flyers with them and are on the lookout.
The Kia/Hyundai thefts aren’t slowing down, he said, though he didn’t have numbers. He said the cars often are stolen where others are dumped. The most-concerning trend, he said, is the “bump-and-rob” carjacking attempts. He said both people who were targeted for those in West Seattle one day last week escaped by simply driving away. He echoed the advice about driving to a safe place rather than getting out of your car.
As we’ve already added to our earlier story, he said Junction TrueValue had to deal with two incidents today, a “robbery by force” and then later the harassment/death threat incident we reported. He said a suspect had been arrested in the latter. And while he acknowledged there are many serious incidents, he said that judging by the number of Significant Incident Reports he sees from around the city each day, the Southwest Precinct has the least amount of violent crime in the city. He also voiced optimism about city leaders’ plans to supplement police with alternate responders. And finally, he thanked community members for their watchfulness and for reporting things (like all those stolen/dumped cars).
ALSO AT HPAC: Next month, HPAC will again join with Highland Park Improvement Club and Highland Park Corner Store for a combination tree giveaway and Halloween event (with a pet-costume contest!), Trick or Trees, noon-4 pm at the store (7789 Highland Park Way SW). … HPIC will soon have another Town Hall to update the community on the rebuilding project and the fundraising to facilitate it.
NEXT MEETING: HPAC usually meets online, fourth Wednesdays, 7 pm – watch hpacws.org for updates.
8:59 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “scenes of violence” response to California SW in the Zeeks/Whisky West/Beveridge Place Pub area for a report of a stabbing. Police have already detained two people and recovered a knife. More to come.
9:04 PM: Police have told dispatch that the victim’s injuries are minor. We are headed to the scene to try to find out more.
9:19 PM: SPD and SFD at the scene tell us they’re still trying to sort out what did, and didn’t, happen.
9:23 PM: So far, here’s what police tell us they have: A man saw two juveniles tagging in The Junction. They followed him to Morgan Junction (by bus) and a confrontation ensued outside Whisky West. “Somebody” pulled a knife, apparently one of the two teenagers are who police detained, at least one of whom is being taken to the precinct. The reported victim has left the scene, and SFD told us they didn’t wind up treating anyone.
ADDED 1:59 PM: Commenters who were there have added much to the story. As for police, here’s the summary they provided us today:
-Police responded to reports of a stabbing in the 6400 block of California Ave SW yesterday at approximately 8:53 pm. The incident began some time earlier when a witness saw the two suspects vandalizing a mural several blocks away. The suspects saw the witness watching them and then proceeded to board the same bus as the witness. The suspects verbally engaged with the witness on the bus and attempted to spit on him. The witness disembarked from the bus and the suspects followed him, throwing beer bottles toward him.
The suspects followed the witness (now a victim) into a bar, entered the bar and started a verbal altercation with staff. The altercation quickly escalated to a physical fight. One suspect used brass knuckles and a knife to assault two people and was arrested for those crimes. The second suspect was arrested for misdemeanor assault and misdemeanor harassment (making threats).
SPD said someone WAS treated for non-life-threatening injuries, which hadn’t happened while we were at the scene, so we’re circling back with them.
Thanks for the tip! Saturday is set as opening day for Burger Planet, going from food truck to bricks-and-mortar at 9614 14th SW in White Center, former home of Zippy’s Giant Burgers. After hearing about a note on the door announcing the date, we stopped by this evening and found owner Marco and chef Marco, who invited us in for a look:
The decor is “Star Wars”-themed, in keeping with the “planet” name. There are games, as there were in Zippy’s.
They’re planning to open 4-11 pm and promise “new menu items” in addition to what their truck has offered (you might remember it from a stint at the 30th/Roxbury gas station in 2017), along with local beer on tap.
As noted when we reported three weeks ago on the seasonal shutdown of Tony’s Market, proprietor Joey Genzale told us he’d be reopening as usual for pre-Halloween pumpkin sales. And we noticed this afternoon that a sign’s up outside the canopied market at 35th/Barton: Open for pumpkin sales September 29th (this Friday)!
If your home is among the 650+ Seattle Public Utilities customers that will be affected by a planned overnight water outage next week – first reported here yesterday – watch your postal mail for the official notice. (We’re affected and received ours this morning.) Notification is one of the things we asked SPU’s Sabrina Register about when following up on the announcement of the outage, scheduled to start at 9 pm Thursday, October 5th, ending by 4 am Friday, October 6th, affecting 650+ customers in Morgan Junction, Gatewood, and Fauntleroy. The notice said crews would be replacing three valves, so we asked where and why, and whether it was related at all to the frequent brown-water reports earlier this year. First answer: The work will be done at California/Frontenac. As for the rest, it’s explained as mostly preventive maintenance:
The valves are additions to the existing system and do not replace old equipment. This won’t alter pressure or increase capacity, and the work is unrelated to discolored water occurrences. The purpose of the valve installation is to increase flexibility for how we send water through the distribution system. Additionally, the valves will reduce the number of customers impacted during future outages, whether during emergency repairs or planned shutdowns such as the one that will occur on October 5. Specifically, this work will allow for isolating the feeder main in California Ave north or south of the intersection. Generally, we are working to add valves throughout the system where we have long stretches of main with valves spaced far apart.
The official notice – most of which we featured in yesterday’s report – is here.
In Crime Watch this afternoon:
STORE INCIDENT: If you noticed police in The Junction – they are investigating a report of what was first reported as a shoplift-turned-robbery at Junction TrueValue but is now described as a case of felony harassment/threat to kill. It happened after 1 pm. The suspect is reported to have said he had a gun. According to what officers told dispatch, was described in part as Hispanic, late teens to early 20s, around 6 feet tall, thin, carrying a black skateboard, headed southeast toward the nearby 7-11.
7:20 PM UPDATE: At tonight’s HPAC meeting (still under way), second-watch commander Lt. Grant Ballingham said that suspect had been found and arrested. He also said it was the second incident of the day at TrueValue, after a “robbery by force” earlier – no arrest in that one.
(back to original report) We’ve received several reader reports since last night:
CAR BATTERY THEFT: Sent by Dustin:
Just wanted to report a car battery theft at 42nd and Genesee last night! I haven’t seen this happen before in this neighborhood. Jeep Wrangler, no damage to the exterior of the vehicle. Just a popped hood.
SLASHED TIRES: From A: “Two tires slashed on my SUV Tuesday, 8-11 pm – parked east side of Avalon, bridge-side of the Rapid Ride stop.”
ABANDONED CAR: A texter spotted what appeared to be another dumped Kia near Hanford/California this morning:
Reminder that the Southwest Precinct is giving out steering-wheel locks again tonight, 5-7 pm, for people with Kia/Hyundai cars.
NEW TACTIC? Last but not least, this alert from Dan, who sent it late last night – what happened wasn’t a crime but he is concerned it might be a new tactic for setting people up:
Last week you reported the rear-end attempted carjackings and now it looks like they have evolved into a new method. I just had a van pull up beside me and honk their horn at me. The guy pointed back and I rolled my window down. He told me my tail lights were out. He was in a van and seemed to have a passenger or 2 in back. I got an uneasy feeling and when I looked in my mirror I could see the red glow in the car behind me of my tail lights working. Wonder what would have happened if I got out to check them. Please advise our community to watch out for this move.
Just unveiled this morning – the new look for the new electric buses Metro puts into service. According to the announcement:
… The new design is the first major change for the look of Metro’s fleet since 2004 and is intended to be a visual reminder of the transition away from Metro’s hybrid (diesel-electric) buses to the zero-emission fleet. There will be two separate designs: a color mix of blues, yellows, and greens across the top of Metro’s standard fleet, and the color purple joining the familiar red that represents Metro’s RapidRide fleet across the top of those buses. Metro’s original zero-emission fleet, the electric trolleys, will continue sporting purple. … The new liveries will be phased in as the new battery-electric buses start going into service, which is scheduled to begin in 2025. The new design will be painted at the factory for new vehicles as they replace the hybrid fleet.
This is just for new buses – it will NOT be painted on any of the ones already in the fleet, Metro’s Al Sanders confirms.
If you are, or someone you know is, headed for the westbound Fauntleroy end of the West Seattle Bridge any time soon, be forewarned – there’s a slick of some kind, and it’s reported to have caused some drivers to lose control. No injuries reported so far, according to police/dispatch exchanges, but some have hit the barrier. SDOT has been dispatched for a cleanup.
(Osprey in The Arroyos, photographed by Mark MacDonald)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead – nothing on the list affected by the power outage or weather so far, but we’ll update if that changes later:
TODDLER READING TIME: 10:30 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (6040 California SW).
FALL-PREVENTION WORKSHOP: 1 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon) – check in advance to be sure there’s room.
STEERING-WHEEL LOCKS: If you have a theft-risk Kia or Hyundai vehicle and want one, the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster) is giving more away 5 pm-7 pm tonight.
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Don’t replace it – repair it! Weekly event, 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
INJURY SCREENS FOR RUNNERS: 6 pm at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor).
TRIVIA x 5: Five places to play tonight. At 6 pm, Locust Cider (2820 Alki SW) now offers trivia … there’s 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska); trivia starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW); Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm … at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).
FREE GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for the weekly free group run at 6:15 pm – this week it’s a birthday run – if you have a September birthday, you’ll be celebrated!
RAINWISE WORKSHOP: Perfect time to talk about how you can find an alternate way of dealing with rainwater – a raingarden? cistern? An in-person RainWise workshop is set for Peace Lutheran Church (39th/Thistle) tonight at 7 – RSVP here.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
HPAC’S FIRST MEETING OF FALL: The community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge meets online tonight at 7 pm – all are welcome! Connection/agenda info is here; topics with guests include crime/safety and the recent Myers Way encampment outreach/clearing.
(added) HIGH-SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: Both local teams (both of which have 5-1 records) have home matches tonight, both at 7 pm: Nathan Hale @ Chief Sealth IHS (2600 SW Thistle) and Bishop Blanchet @ West Seattle HS (3000 California SW).
LIVE PIANO MUSIC: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks. (4210 SW Admiral Way).
MUSIC BINGO: Play weekly at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: 7:30 pm signups @ West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – no cover to watch. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
If you’re planning a presentation, meeting, performance, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, etc., and it’s open to the community, please send us info for West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
6:49 AM: Thanks for the tips. 4,500+ customers are out of power in West Seattle. More info to come …
6:55 AM: Here’s a screengrab of the Seattle City Light map showing who’s out. No word yet on the cause – let ud know if you see SCL crews near you. (Jay texted to say “wires were popping and flashing down in Delridge again,” so that may be a clue. Avalon Way residents report hearing what sounded like “transformers blowing,” too.)
7:06 AM: Multiple commenters in and near North Delridge also report “three booms” preceding the outage. The footprint is slightly different from previous outages traced to a similar cause.
7:16 AM: Zooming in on the map, it appears to be skipping the schools that are in/near the affected areas, but please let us know if you hear anything from school leadership.
7:26 AM: Readers note that the 35th/Fauntleroy and 35th/Avalon signals are out. Remember – if a signal’s out, that intersection becomes an all-way stop. … Texter reports Avalon/Genesee and Genesee/Delridge signals also are out.
8:10 AM: Some are back on – the map shows the outage down to 2,580+ customers. … A commenter mentions that Tilden School on the north edge of The Junction (WSB sponsor) is affected and planning a late start as a result.
8:25 AM: Here’s the updated outage map with the remaining 2,580+ customers who are still out:
8:42 AM: Allison noted low water pressure in the Admiral area. She reports SPU (always report water trouble to 206-386-1800) told her a pump station is affected by the outage, and that’s caused the pressure problem.
9:18 AM: City Light says on Twitter/X, “Crews are still working to determine the cause of the outage to make necessary repairs.”
10:39 AM: A few hundred more customers are back on, as commenters note. Map says it’s now 2,329 customers (each home/business/etc. equals a customer, regardless of how many people are served there).
10:59 AM: Thanks again for the updates. SCL map now shows everybody else back on. (If you’re not – be sure they know – 206-684-3000.) … Per SCL on Twitter/X, “The cause was determined to be a tree branch that fell on a line along California Avenue.”
7:40 AM: Just a note that multiple signals – including 35th/Fauntleroy, 35th/Avalon, Avalon/Genesee, and Delridge/Genesee – are reported to be out as part of a sizable power outage we’re covering here.
7:50 AM: Outside the outage zone – SFD and SPD are responding to a report of a 45-year-old woman hit by a driver while on foot at 35th/Barton. Minor injuries reported.
8:50 AM: The dark signals are helping contribute to a backup getting to the eastbound bridge. Meantime, Mel reports that Seattle Public Utilities has unclogged “the storm drain that was causing big puddle near Public Storage by Home Depot.”
Earlier:
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, September 27th.
WEATHER AND SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Rainy, breezy, possible thunderstorms, high near 60. Sunrise today is at 7:03 am; sunset, 6:57 pm.
(Monday rainbow over Admiral Way – photo sent by Jackie)
ADVANCE ALERT
We’ll be reminding you daily that the low bridge will be closed to surface traffic October 7-14, SDOT announced Monday.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Water Taxi – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use Vessel Watch to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low-bridge cam:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on Twitter/X shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!
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