day : 19/12/2023 11 results

24 hours ago, we were reporting on the arrests of three teenagers near Boeing Field, pursued there by police after a three-incident crime rampage in West Seattle. This afternoon all three had their first court appearance, and we just received the toplines from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Two of the suspects are 14 years old; the third is 16. Probable cause was found to hold all three for investigation of two counts of attempted first-degree robbery. All three were ordered to remain in secure detention, at least until their next hearing on Thursday, which is also the deadline for rush-filing charges. And assuming they’re charged, that’s when we’ll find out more about them, such as whether any of them have records.

HOLIDAY GIVING: West Seattle’s only shelter gets a gift from HomeStreet Bank. Here’s what you can do

December 19, 2023 9:31 pm

| 9 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

Those are some of the cots on which people slept last night at the Westside Neighbors Shelter. The volunteer-and-donation-powered shelter has 38 cots … but last night had 44 people in need of a place to sleep, so some slept on the floor.

That’s why a gift from HomeStreet Bank (WSB sponsor) is so welcome. The bank is funding four more cots, thanks to the initiative of Kamarie Wilson, who manages HomeStreet’s branch in the Pierce County town of Lakewood, who visited today to check in with shelter manager Keith Hughes.

Kamarie met Keith at a networking event, and was so impressed to hear about his work running the shelter at the West Seattle Veteran Center/American Legion Post 160 building that she says, “Keith is like a miracle.” Her enthusiasm for the shelter’s work has also resulted in a fundraising drive at all HomeStreet branches (including the one in West Seattle, at 4022 SW Alaska) – you can make a donation there and the money will go directly to shelter operations. Here’s another way you can help: Keith tells us they’re short on “single-size blankets,” L/XL coats (but not larger – they have plenty of those), and socks – they go through 40 pair a week, and that’s what they have on hand right now. You can just bring donated items there – 3618 SW Alaska.

Share This

TONIGHT’S LIGHTS: Whoville and starshine

December 19, 2023 7:14 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Two displays to show you tonight:

First, Lacey just sent photos: “We have our Whoville/Grinch-themed display up again this year. Lots of lights to enjoy at night, but also fun to see during the day! We are at 9643 18th Ave SW, just off Roxbury.”

Next, Janet recommended 56th SW north of Spokane, so we went there for a look and found this star-topped, light-laden tree:

Some other nice lights on that street too. … Thanks again for all the tips and pics – scroll through this WSB archive to see everyplace we’ve already shown, and if you have a suggestion, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Share This

‘Be brave!’ You’re invited to the 2024 West Seattle New Year’s Polar Bear Plunge at Alki Beach

December 19, 2023 4:36 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(2022 photo by Robert Spears)

It’s back for 2024 – the New Year’s Day tradition that lines Alki Beach with hundreds of people ready to at least briefly submerge themselves in the chilly water of Puget Sound! We just received the announcement from organizer Mark Ufkes:

Optimists unite! Make no mistake about it; Life continues to get better! Our nation continues to get better! Remember, the glass is always way more than half full.

Alki Beach, West Seattle, again this year. We go into the water at 10:00 am sharp on January 1, 2024. Don’t be late. Over 1,000 participated last year, so plan for a crowd. We line up and down the quarter-mile beach, hold hands, and we start counting down from 10, 9, 8 . . . We yell “Happy New Year” and, together, rush wildly into the 47-degree water, screaming with joy! Holding hands and wearing bright colors seems to help. And we are only in the water for a short time. Yes, it’s a form of mild insanity, but a lot of fun too. And the hundreds of smiles before and after is the best part.

In our home, we have a candle service every Winter solstice (December 21), generally considered the end of the year by many ancient cultures. We blow out a candle to leave behind the complexities from last year, and then light the candle again, asking the Universe, in all her infinite wisdom (because God must be a woman after all) for more opportunities to be a better person.

Since our White Center home is too small for 1,000 of you, this year, we encourage all Polar Bear participants and guests to try this;

On a small piece of paper, write down what you want to leave behind from 2023 and what you want from the New Year for you, your family, and for our great nation. There will be a giant jar on a table at Alki beach, with a sign, and lots of pens and pads of paper, so that you can write and then insert your unsigned dreams and wishes list into the jar. We will save the contents for next year’s 2025 announcement.

Life is a clean slate on January 1. Be Brave. Take a deep breath of fresh mountain air. Inhale! Exhale!! Come share the joy of being alive here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Bring your friends and family. This is your year!

Requirements; be an Optimist, be in good health, bring a towel, good water shoes, a change of warm clothes and your hopes and dreams for 2024. 10:00 am sharp. And remember, how can we believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself?

While the crowd stretches quite a ways along the beach, Mark usually shouts the countdown from the vicinity of 57th/Alki.

Share This

UPDATE: About the beached sailboat at Lincoln Park

December 19, 2023 4:25 pm

| 25 COMMENTS

| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Photo sent by Mike Munson)

4:25 PM: Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos of that sailboat on the beach at Lincoln Park this afternoon. Several also noted that SPD officers were there. So we asked them about the situation, and they forwarded a Coast Guard statement:

The Coast Guard boarded a 25-foot sailing vessel this morning around 11:15. The owner/operator stated he was moving the boat from Tacoma to Shilshole Marina to sell it. The USCG boarding crew noted that the individual had all required safety gear aboard (i.e. lifejacket, sound producing device, etc.). There was no concern from the USCG at that point, so the man was allowed to continue his voyage. Sometime after 1 p.m., he ran into some rocks near the Fauntleroy area.

The USCG did not plan another response as no one was hurt and there’s no danger of pollution, as the boat has no engine. SPD says its officers were just there to “assist the boater.” We don’t know yet how – whether – the grounding was resolved; next high tide is just after 10 pm, but it’s a much lower high tide than the 12-foot-plus high tide expected at 11 am tomorrow.

8:53 PM: Thanks to Rick Rasmussen for that photo of the sailboat getting the aforementioned USCG visit earlier today. It’s apparently still there – dispatch tried sending officers again this evening, until informed that it had already been “dealt with” and that the boat’s occupant indeed was awaiting high tide.

Share This

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Large apartment complex hit by mail theft; another apparently abandoned Kia; more car break-ins

December 19, 2023 2:48 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

MAIL THEFT AT THE WHITTAKER: The big apartment complex at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW has sent this alert to its tenants:

We are writing to inform you regarding a recent theft incident that occurred within our community. It has come to our attention that a male individual gained access to the North building mailroom early Saturday morning and committed mail theft. This individual appeared to have the postal office’s master key and opened the mailboxes. He gained access to about half of the North building’s mailboxes.

We are actively working with local authorities and the Postal Office to investigate this matter. In the meantime, we urge you to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the local authorities immediately…. We understand the concern this may cause and want to assure you that we are taking the necessary steps to prevent any recurrence. If you have any information related to this incident, please contact Seattle PD or Postal Office.

Management also has offered advice to residents such as “retrieve your mail promptly after delivery” and to call 911 about suspicious activity in the mailbox area or parking garage. They’re also reminding residents to “remain at the gate until it closes behind you” when driving into the garage, to “prevent anyone from slipping past the gate and entering the residential space.”

ABANDONED/POSSIBLY STOLEN KIA: Dave sent this report:

At 9:45 pm last night I saw a gray Kia with its lights off taking a right onto Barton street from 36th. I thought the car was acting strange because it was going so slow and when I tried to signal the lights were off the person was clearly trying not to look at me. At 9:48 as I was walking back home I saw the car take a left back onto 36th but from Cambridge so it circled the block. The car stopped on the corner and parked the wrong way. I was waiting for my dog to go to the bathroom and saw the car’s interior lights turn on and then someone exit 2 minutes later walking up Cambridge toward 35th. I checked on the car this morning and it’s still there with its license plate gone, driver-side window broken, steering column messed up, and it had been rummaged through.

Dave was having trouble reporting it; since it was parked the wrong way, we suggested he try Parking Enforcement, 206-386-9012.

MORE CAR BREAK-INS: Kiera sent this report:

We live in the Fairmount Park area and came out (Monday) morning to find a foreign jacket in the front seat of our car. Apparently, we had accidentally left the doors unlocked. Luckily, there was nothing of value inside, but still a bit unnerving. My husband was about to throw the jacket in the trash bin when our neighbor said it belonged to him and his truck was broken into as well. Unfortunately, his window was smashed but he got his jacket back so I guess it could’ve been worse. As a 5th generation West Seattle-ite, I am so heartbroken about the ever-increasing crime that is plaguing our beloved community. It’s not something I will ever get used to. We need to do something, it needs to stop.

Share This

DEVELOPMENT: New mixed-use building proposed for 4700 36th SW

December 19, 2023 1:03 pm

| 22 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

(King County Assessor website photo)

That former medical building is at 4700 36th SW [map], a corner site in The Triangle, planned for replacement with a six-story mixed-use building. It’s been working its way through early stages of city review for a while but has now entered the design-review process, which means it’s time for “public outreach.” The city website summarizes the plan:

The proposed project is to construct a new 6-story building with 34 apartment units, 2,200 sf of retail space at ground level, and 7 parking stalls. The street-level floor will be the main access to commercial uses, and elevated entry from 36th Ave SW will have access to residential units through open-air walkways, providing daylight and equal access to fresh air for all residents alike.

The architect is Sazei Design Group, which also worked on the new-ish mixed-use building at Delridge/Henderson. The 4700 36th SW project is going through Administrative Design Review, which means public feedback but no public meetings – watch for official notices soon on how to provide that feedback.

Share This

Washington State Black Legacy Institute finds a home in West Seattle and prepares to present first Business Festival During Kwanzaa

December 19, 2023 11:02 am

| 18 COMMENTS

| West Seattle history | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The city-landmark building at 2656 42nd Avenue SW is now home to history beyond its own.

The former Christian Science church and ex-Sanctuary at Admiral is the new home of the Washington State Black Legacy Institute.

You’re invited to one of WSBLI’s first public events, the Business Festival During Kwanzaa, Friday, December 29, through Sunday, December 31. (More on that later.)

We visited the building to talk with WSBLI’s curator Roger Evans about what’s taking shape. The goal is to unearth the stories of Black Washingtonians whose successes go back as far as the 1800s, not just to ensure those stories aren’t lost in the mist of time, but also to present them to new generations that can be inspired to take action when they see what these people achieved.

The WSBLI will be more than a place where you can go and look at exhibits, Evans explains, saying he and those working with him were drawn to the building because it has so many spaces where visitors can engage with materials and stories interactively. What he’s working with includes a 1926 copy of Who’s Who in Washington State, “centered on the Black community,” including businesspeople who comprised “a hidden Black Wall Street.” Evans is eager to “retell the story … to empower people to be contributors, not disrupters … to let them know they are valued.”

The WSBLI has its roots in the Seattle Griot Project, documenting Black history, and in a trip Evans took to Tulsa last year that reminded him and his traveling partner of the urgency of historic preservation.

They’ve already worked on some displays, portraits, and framings spotlighting historic figures – people like James Shepperson, who recruited Black miners to move to the Roslyn area in the 1880s, and Dr. Nettie Craig Asberry, an activist and founder of the Tacoma NAACP.

Evans has so many people to talk about – there’s also William Grose, “one of the richest Black men in Seattle at the time,” a wealthy landholder.

And there’s a historic figure on his own family tree, his uncle Willie Craven, who in the ’70s became the first African-American elected mayor in Washington State, leading Roslyn, where his grandfather had come to work in the mines.

There have been other efforts to assemble this history, Evans notes, such as the African-American Museum founded in Tacoma in the mid-’90s, lasting about a decade.

(WSBLI has clippings and other materials from its heyday.) Now it’s time, he says, with technology like a touchscreen kiosk in the works for the WSBLI entryway, to “bring our history into the 21st century.”

In addition to developing programming and exhibits for the West Seattle building, including a Hall of Pioneers, they plan to develop traveling materials.

In the new year, Evans says, WSBLI will also be working on a funding campaign to complete their purchase of the building (which is bringing in a bit of income for starters, with a church meeting there weekly). But first – the Business Festival During Kwanzaa. It’s planned for 2-7 pm Friday, December 29, 11 am-7 pm Saturday, December 30, and 11 am-5 pm Sunday, December 31. The goal is “to empower, inspire entrepreneurship, bridge educational gaps, and foster collaboration.” Evans shared some of the workshops that are planned:

The festival and workshops are free, but WSBLI requests RSVP through Eventbrite – here’s the Friday link; here’s the Saturday link; here’s the Sunday link.

Evans promises the festival is just the start – watch for more from WSBLI as they work to remember and honor the past while empowering and inspiring the future.

Share This

Meat market, bingo, lights, trivia, running, more for your West Seattle Tuesday

December 19, 2023 10:35 am

| Comments Off on Meat market, bingo, lights, trivia, running, more for your West Seattle Tuesday

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Not all berries are red this time of year! Seen in Upper Fauntleroy)

Here’s what’s happening today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:

CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)

LADY JAYE MEAT MARKET: Wagyu beef! Beverages! Santa photos! 4-8 pm. More info in our calendar listing. (4523 California SW)

DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration continues at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.

ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, times vary. Tickets and info here.

SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).

FREE TRACK RUN: Run with friends old and new on these long nights! Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 pm.

TOASTMASTERS 832 PARTY: 6:30-8:30 pm gathering at Whisky West (6451 California SW) – our calendar listing has RSVP info.

THE CLAY CAULDRON: 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance or drop in to work on your project(s).

NEW TIME FOR BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with guest hostess Holli B. Sinclair at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), now starting at 7 pm. Free, all ages!

TRIVIA X 4: Four places to play Tuesday nights – 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW); also, 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).

You can look into the future any time via our event calendar – if you have something to add to it (or to our Holiday Guide), please email the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Share This

Memorial service Thursday for Robert E. Bruck, 1932-2023

December 19, 2023 9:00 am

| Comments Off on Memorial service Thursday for Robert E. Bruck, 1932-2023

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather Thursday to remember Bob Bruck. Here’s the remembrance that’s being shared with the community:

Born July 20, 1932, Robert Eugene Bruck died in his sleep on December 11, 2023.

Born in Spokane and raised in West Seattle, Bob was an apprentice cabinet maker and avid golf player. After serving in the Navy during the Korean War, Bob attended Seattle University on a golf scholarship. His 1957 team was inducted into SU’s hall of fame in 2014. He lived his dream life: a house and membership at Sahalee Country Club. Bob kept to his values (simplicity, serenity, and sincerity) through a career in computers, starting at General Electric and later at People’s Bank. He played a key role in the early ATM project, “The Exchange.” Father, stepfather, and grandfather, Bob is survived by Vicky, his wife of 46 years and his caregiver since a diagnosis with Parkinson’s.

A graveside memorial service will take place at Seattle’s Evergreen Washelli at 2 pm Thursday, December 21. Enter on 125th across from Lowe’s and stay to the left. There will be a tent after a short walk over grass and stones. No reception planned.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

Share This

TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Tuesday info

December 19, 2023 6:01 am

| Comments Off on TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Tuesday info

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:01 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, December 19.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

More rain, high near 50. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:53 am, and the sun will set at 4:19 pm.

TRANSIT UPDATES

Water Taxi – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you’re wondering where the boat is.

Metro – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Washington State Ferries – 2-boat service on the Triangle Route. Check alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, 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:

1st Ave. S. Bridge – another 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 X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!

Share This