West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
7:01 AM: Emergency response at Delridge/Juneau.
7:48 AM: Most of that response has cleared; no traffic effects. Meantime, a Seattle Fire truck has responded to a bus shelter at 35th/Avalon (which side of 35th, we don’t know) for what’s described as a small “rubbish fire.”
7:59 AM: A rider tells us the fire was on the east side of 35th and that it was a “pretty good-sized fire,” with the burning materials including cardboard. SFD put it out quickly, though, and has already closed the call.
Earlier:
6:00 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, January 16th. Schools and government offices are open again after the holiday, and we should be done with below-freezing temperatures, for now, later today – but beware of icy patches again this morning.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
After another night in the 20s, the forecast says we’ll get back into the mid-to-upper 30s, with increasing clouds, and possibly a rain/snow mix later. Today’s sunrise will be at 7:52 am, sunset at 4:46 pm.
TRANSIT NOTES
Water Taxi today – Back to regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you’re wondering where the boat is.
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Washington State Ferries today – 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
(The video options on SDOT‘s camera map are working again.)
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 (unless SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera elsewhere):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here; 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/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if applicable). Thank you!
(Photo by Stephen Nielsen, from Lowman Beach)
According to the National Weather Service, tonight’s painted-sky sunset ushered in our final below-freezing night – until the next time Arctic air gets this far south. But until there’s been some time to thaw, be careful on the streets and sidewalks – we noticed numerous ice patches while out this afternoon. Ice was even plaguing this hummingbird, photographed by Ashley B. Harrison as it tried to scratch an icicle off the underside of its beak:
Tomorrow is expected to start clear enough that we might get one more look at mountain views like these before the clouds start taking over:
(This photo and next, by James Bratsanos, from Alki)
There’s still talk in the forecast of some snow or freezing rain mixed in with regular rain starting tomorrow night, but the NWS’s forecast discussion warns that’s not a sure thing. Meantime – today’s high was 38, low 21, respectively 10 and 17 degrees below normal for this date.
(Photo by Michael Burke, from Fauntlee Hills)
This week brings a multitude of meetings of note in West Seattle. The newest one announced is Highland Park Improvement Club‘s Wednesday night online town hall. A major topic: Progress report on the reconstruction plan for HPIC’s building at (corrected) 1116 SW Holden, gutted by fire in June 2021. Our last major update on the project was back in August; it’s still moving through the permit system, and nonprofit HPIC continues fundraising to cover what insurance won’t. HPIC also has openings for more community involvement. The meeting is at 7 pm Wednesday (January 17) and you’ll find the attendance link and phone options by going here.
(WSB photos)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is more than a holiday – it’s MLK Day of Service for thousands of volunteers all over the country. Dozens of them spent today at Denny International Middle School, doing work to “revitalize” the school, much of which involved art:
Some of the art celebrates Dr. King and his words:
These fish will hang in a hallway:
Marine themes are a big part of Denny decor, since the school mascot is the dolphin:
Outdoor work was part of the plan too; many of the volunteers were on a well-deserved lunch break when we stopped by:
Today’s work was organized by City Year, which has AmeriCorps members working at Denny throughout the year.
(Added: Photo by Susie Saalwaechter)
3:45 PM: A Seattle Fire engine crew sent to investigate a report of smoke from a house in the 1700 block of Alki SW [vicinity map] has called for a “full response.” Updates to come.
(Added: Photo sent by Gene Pavola)
3:51 PM: Firefighters report flames showing from the house. Alki Avenue will be closed to traffic at the scene.
3:59 PM: They’ve searched the house and so far found no one inside, so there’s no report of injuries so far.
(WSB photo)
4:17 PM: Our crew is there now; we’re adding photos. The fire has just been declared out (“tapped”). The incident commander tells us no one was home and they’re trying to reach the owner.
(WSB photo)
4:33 PM: SFD’s investigator is there to try to figure out the fire’s cause. Some units are being dismissed as the operation winds down.
5:17 PM: Just in from SFD: “Investigators ruled the fire was accidental. Likely caused by a baseboard heater igniting nearby combustible materials. Safety tip: please make sure you leave 3 feet of space between heating units and any furniture, curtains and clothing.”
Want someone else to do the cooking? Here are two ways to do that this week while helping local schools:
ROXHILL ELEMENTARY @ THE WESTY: Friends of Roxhill Elementary will benefit from a share of the proceeds, dine-in or take-out, at The Westy (7908 35th SW) today, Tuesday, and Wednesday (January 15-17), 11 am-11:45 pm. If you dine in (21+), tell your server you’re there for the Roxhill fundraiser; if you order take-out online, use the promo code ROXHILL.
WEST SEATTLE ELEMENTARY @ MOD: This Wednesday, the Westwood Village MOD Pizza (2800 SW Barton) will donate part of its proceeds for dine-in and take-out customers who mention they’re supporting West Seattle Elementary – if ordering online, use the code MODGIVES20. Here’s the flyer. The restaurant is open 10:30 am-10 pm
Thanks to Tom Trulin for the photos. A week and a half after Seattle Parks confirmed that the long-awaited Lincoln Park South Play Area replacement was about to begin, crews from contractor LW Sundstrom are there today.
We’re still awaiting the promised update from Parks on the expected schedule for this project and the Westcrest Park play area that was bundled with it for bidding (Sundstrom’s winning bid was just under $1.2 million). Parks had previously said March is the expected shipping timeframe for the new play equipment, which – as designed with community input six years ago – is supposed to have a marine theme. The Lincoln Park play area has been out of commission since July 2017; Westcrest, since May 2021 – both because, Parks said, wooden components had become damaged and unsafe (termites were blamed).
Dave Newman State Farm Insurance Agency (WSB sponsor) is expressing gratitude for all the generous people who donated to this year’s coats/warm clothing donation drive during the holiday season: “Thank you, West Seattle! Our 10th year was the most successful yet.” In the photo is local resident Rodger Tanner with the final load of donations – which totaled four car/truckloads this year!
(If you have coats/warm clothing in good shape that you didn’t get a chance to donate during the holidays, the West Seattle Food Bank‘s Clothesline accepts donations, and the Westside Neighbors Shelter often needs them too – here’s their most-recent request.)
From the inbox this morning:
MYSTERY TRAILER: From Corey:
This trailer made its way to our block this morning. We will submit to Find-It-Fix-It but wanted to give someone a chance to pick it up it it’s theirs. It’s located at 18th Ave SW and SW Trenton Street in Highland Park. Close to the north end of 18th and Trenton.
AFTERNOON UPDATE: Corey says in a comment below that the trailer is now gone.
BAG OF BELONGINGS: From Jennifer:
This looks like it belongs to someone. Dumped near the Murray (Wet Weather Facility) at Lowman Beach. Hope it finds its way home.
Good morning. It’s Monday, January 15th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day – here’s info for this holiday:
WEATHER
Today we might see a high temperature above freezing. *The forecast is for sunshine and a high in the low-to-mid-30s.
TRANSPORTATION
(SDOT’s West Seattle Bridge camera)
*Metro: Regular weekday schedule
*No Water Taxi
*Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth state ferry route on usual 2-boat schedule – check for alerts here
*Here’s the service plan for Sound Transit
*Free parking today in areas of the city with on-street paid parking
*See citywide traffic cams here, West Seattle-relevant cams here
OTHER SERVICES/FACILITIES
*Schools and most government offices are closed
*No USPS services except Priority Mail Express
*Banking holiday
*Libraries are closed
*Most Seattle Parks facilities are closed
*Solid-waste service in our area remains on a normal schedule this week (some parts of the city served by a different contractor have changes, but NOT West Seattle)
HAPPENING TODAY/TONIGHT
*See the list on our West Seattle Event Calendar.
Got news? Text us at 206-293-6302,or email westseattleblog@gmail.com if non-urgent – thank you!
Though most government offices are closed tomorrow for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the State Legislature will be in session. This year is the “short session,” so legislators have two months to get everything done. Our area is part of the 34th Legislative District (here’s a map), represented by State Sen. Joe Nguyễn and State Reps. Joe Fitzgibbon and Emily Alvarado, all West Seattle residents, though the district stretches beyond, including White Center and Vashon and Maury Islands.
The delegation has notable clout this year, as Sen. Nguyễn is now vice chair of the Ways and Means Committee, which writes the budget, while Rep. Fitzgibbon is House Majority Leader; Alvarado is vice chair of the Housing and Local Government committees. You can keep track of what they’re doing in Olympia via the Legislature website, though it’s a somewhat daunting task – Sen. Nguyễn, for example, is sponsor or co-sponsor of 354 bills, including 21 for which he is the primary sponsor; for Rep. Fitzgibbon, those numbers are 171 and 18; for Rep. Alvarado, 123 and 15. You can use the lookups on this page to research bills in a variety of ways. Combing through the lists of bills, you’ll find a wide variety of topics; for example, Rep. Alvarado’s bills include renters’ rights (HB2114), pedestrians’ rights (HB1428), and gift-card reforms (HB2094). Most of the measures listing Rep. Fitzgibbon as the main sponsor are procedural because of his role. Sen. Nguyễn’s bills include establishing an AI task force (SB5838), reducing the drunk-driving threshold to .05 blood-alcohol level (SB5002), and lifting the state ban on local governments making gun laws (SB5446). To send a legislator a message, whether to support/oppose a specific bill or about something else, you can use the links on this page.
After multiple 911 calls about suspected gunfire heard in Fairmount Ravine, police went to the area, and officers have just told dispatch the gunfire is confirmed – they’ve found casings. They’re “just past the Admiral bridge,” which dispatch calculates is in the 2500 block of Fairmount Avenue [map]. No word of injuries so far.
5:06 PM: We did get into the 30s today – but the temperature’s below freezing again already, and that’s still causing trouble. Thanks to the readers who’ve reported weather-related problems – for example, the sign up on the door at Spud Fish and Chips on Alki, closed because of broken pipes. We’ve also heard from a reader who reports:
We live on 35th between Brandon and Findlay. There seems to be some kind of water leak nearer Findlay that is running down the street and is now just a sheet of ice.
We pointed them to Seattle Public Utilities (206-386-1800). More weather notes to come.
6:25 PM: Though the weather was very cold, the views were beautiful again today. Above, Lynn Hall‘s photo of the Olympics early this morning; below, Kanit Cottrell‘s photo of the sunset colors and moon at day’s end:
We’ve also received yet another report of pipe trouble – a reader who says an apartment building in the Fairmount Park area is dealing with flooding after a break. And SPU’s water-outage map shows emergency repairs are under way in the 7700 block of 20th SW, with an outage affecting more than 70 homes. (The map also says the situation on 55th SW reported here last night was repaired by 12:30 am.) Today’s official high was 31, official low 19; normal would be 48/38.
7:30 PM: A commenter reports service has been restored in the 7700 block of 20th SW. A new problem has popped up – a reader emailed to say that water is flowing from the northwest corner of California/Juneau (former fitness studio) and down the street, so beware of possible road ice in that area.
Sent by a reader:
My family and I live in Schmitz Park neighborhood. At 3:55 [am] our doorbell rang and we got up cautiously, dogs barking loudly. I looked out the shades and a large man was pressed up against our front door (very well lit front area raised home). I could only see his arm and hand. My husband looked out the peephole and saw a flat top haircut very close to the door. We called 911 and told our kids to get under their beds. He stayed at least 10 minutes, at which point one of our kids said they saw a shadow move.
The resident says that despite multiple calls, police didn’t arrive for two hours: “Police came 6:01. Big response and great guys but understaffed and couldn’t get to us because of another incident.” Listening to recorded dispatch audio, we heard the call mentioned over the air by the dispatcher a few minutes after 4 am, but no officer is heard acknowledging it; an increasing amount of communication takes place off-air, screen to screen, so it’s not clear what else was happening at the time. Meantime, we asked the resident if they found any signs later that the person they saw had tried to break in, and she said they did not, and that none of their neighbors reported anything similar.
(Ferry passing Alki Point last Monday, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Wednesday afternoon and Thursday evening (January 17-18), Washington State Ferries will host two online sessions of its next systemwide community meeting. WSF says they’ll “focus on systemwide topics like route service, ferry system electrification, and the latest from recruitment and workforce development (as well as) answering questions from participants.” The Wednesday meeting starts at 12:30 pm, the Thursday meeting at 6 pm, and registration links for both are on this WSF webpage. That’s also where you’ll find a link to send question(s) in advance. (If you’re interested in preparatory reading, the newest WSF “contingency plan” has plenty of it.)
Some community groups haven’t been able to return to in-person meetings since going online because of the pandemic – finding (free or low-fee) places to host an evening meeting with room for at least a few dozen people is more difficult than you’d think. The Morgan Community Association, which meets quarterly, is finally going in-person this Wednesday, and president Deb Barker sent this announcement:
First, there’s all this equipment you need to find – a functioning laptop, a projector, remote speaker, microphone, an auxiliary camera, and heavy duty extension cords. Then you need a public place to set it up. Then you send out invitations. Check, check, and check. What is going on??
It’s the first time in four years that the Morgan Community Association will meet in person. And not just in person, but with a HYBRID meeting.
We are grateful to the Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation for letting us use their Social Hall for our meeting on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 from 7 to 9pm. The address is 7141 California Ave SW, and the zoom link is us02web.zoom.us/j/89608491338. Be sure to enter the Social Hall off the small parking lot on California Ave SW. Please do not park in the lot before 6:40 pm.
The meeting features Seattle City Light’s update on the Morgan Junction EV charging station, Seattle Parks’ introduction of Morgan Junction All Wheels Association and their ideas for Morgan Junction Park, welcoming the owner of Alki Arts Gallery and Event Space (newly located in Morgan Junction), and picking the date of the Morgan Junction Community Festival.
Here’s the full meeting agenda.
Everyone is welcome at the Morgan Community Association Meeting on January 17, 2024.
For a snapshot of history, here’s our report on that last in-person meeting, in January 2020. (And here’s our coverage of MoCA’s most-recent meeting, last October.)
(Photo sent by Eric – rain-soaked trees at Lincoln Park last Wednesday)
Here’s what’s happening on this extra-cold Sunday in West Seattle, mostly from our Event Calendar:
KING TIDE: The highest high tide of the day is predicted to be at 13 feet or higher today through Tuesday – 13.0 feet today at 7:40 am.
UK FOOTBALL: Admiral Pub (2306 California SW) opens early so you can watch Manchester United vs. Tottenham at 8:30 am. English breakfast available, too.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at 9 am at rotating locations – today it’s Ampersand Café (2536 Alki SW).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual between SW Alaska and SW Oregon on California, offering early-winter vegetables and fruit as well as cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, candy, more! Here’s today’s vendor list.
DRAG BRUNCH: At Lumber Yard Bar in White Center (9630 16th SW), 11 am-2 pm (show at noon), hosted by Jolene Granby – info in our calendar listing.
FREE CLASSICAL CONCERT: The Ladies Musical Club presents a free concert at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), 3 pm. The planned program is in our calendar listing.
AT THE SKYLARK: Pageant to crown the National Pacific Northwest Bearded Queen, 7 pm. More info and ticket link here. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Triangular Jazztet plays The Alley (4509 California SW) as usual, 8-10 pm.
Something in the future for our calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Puget Sound Energy provides natural-gas service in our area (and electricity in many other areas outside Seattle). If you’re a customer, you probably got an email alert tonight, requesting conservation and saying in part:
This evening, we’re asking customers to set their thermostats at a lower setting and limit the use of hot water, such as dishwashing or clothes washing, dryers and other appliances.
What the notice didn’t mention is that a major gas-storage facility operated by PSE suffered an outage earlier today – Jackson Prairie Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility in Lewis County. After seeing this report, and a PSE quote here, we contacted the utility and received the same statement:
Jackson Prairie went offline around 2 p.m. today. It has steadily been coming back on since then.
Puget Sound Energy is asking customers to conserve natural gas and electricity use through the evening hours. Due to the extreme cold temperatures facing our area, regional utilities are experiencing higher energy use than forecasted, and we need to reduce strain on the grid.
PSE has not yet commented on what caused the facility to go offline.
Northwest rock legends visit Easy Street Records in The Junction on Tuesday (January 16th) – Sleater-Kinney will be signing their 11th studio album, “Little Rope,” three days before its official release date. Easy Street’s Matt Vaughan calls them “one of the most essential bands to ever come out of the NW … queens of the riot-grrrl movement.” To get in to the signing, Easy Street says, you have to buy the album – pre-orders are available here, and the store will sell copies of the album on the day of the event, which will start at 6 pm. The band is going on tour next month, including dates at The Showbox in April.
P.S. Even if you don’t know Sleater-Kinney, you might know one of its members, Carrie Brownstein, as co-founder and co-star of the award-winning parody series Portlandia, which ran for eight seasons last decade.
Tattoo Pizzazz, briefly located in north Morgan Junction four years ago, has moved back to that area. Co-proprietor Johnathan Fleming sent the announcement and photo:
Our West Seattle tattoo shop Tattoo Pizzazz has relocated to 6021c California Ave SW, just north of Morgan Junction.
Our shop “opened” in March 2020 on California Ave at Juneau Street, although we immediately were closed due to the 3-month pandemic closure. We were most recently in a unit at ActivSpace on Harbor Ave. My wife Shannon Perry and I are owners and also tattoo at the shop. We both have over 10 years of experience each, and our shop specializes in portraiture, traditional, realism, and coverups. We are available by appointment via an inquiry form on our website tattoopizzazz.com … People can contact us via email with any questions – tattoopizzazz@gmail.com
The artists’ individual direct links are on the shop website too.
(Photo by Jerry Simmons)
4:14 PM: The snow-covered Olympics have shown themselves today, bringing in some pretty pictures to go with this update on our continuing colder-than-normal weather. Some good news this afternoon – the National Weather Service‘s newest forecast suggests it will NOT drop into the teens again tonight; the temperature is expected to stay about where it is now, the low 20s, before “warming” into the low 30s tomorrow.
(Anonymously submitted reader photo)
Monday and Tuesday are expected to have highs in the mid-30, and a rain/snow mix is possible Tuesday and Wednesday. Meantime, no reports of major problems in West Seattle related to the mid-teens temperatures early this morning, though we did hear from someone whose pipes froze. That’s also been a problem today for Washington State Ferries, with a source telling us both terminals and boats have had trouble with frozen pipes; the official WSF alerts show the restrooms out of service at Vashon Island as a result.
4:20 PM: Moments after publishing this, we heard police report in to dispatch that SPU needs to be contacted about what appears to be a break beneath the 3800 block of 55th SW.
6:03 PM: Thanks to commenter SJ for posting the photo of what’s happening there:
Meanwhile, the day ended with a scenic sunset:
Thanks to Brooke Gosztola for that photo!
7 PM: Thanks to the texter who sent an update on the 55th SW water problem – and this photo:
As the sign shows, there’s a closure now at Charlestown/55th – both streets. (Added) And here’s video sent by David, showing the water bubbling up from road cracks:
1:35 AM: The NWS forecast proved a bit too optimistic – the temperature has fallen into the teens again after all. The Saturday early-morning low was 15 (not a record for the date – that was 11 in 1950) so we’ll see where this goes.
Last night at about 8:40 pm, SPD and SFD responded to a report of an assault at 35th/Henderson. Medics reported the victim was a man around 50 years old hit multiple times in the head with a golf club, according to archived audio we checked after a witness sent this reader report today:
I want to report an upsetting incident that happened last night. I witnessed a houseless man that was in front of the Southwest Branch library on 35th get attacked by a man with a golf club. I was walking my dog at 8:30 pm on 35th, saw the houseless man by the library when I first started my walk, and when I turned around to head back home there was a man dressed in all black (did not appear houseless) talking to him. The men started to argue and the victim was trying to shoo the other man away. The man in black then threw a bunch of liquid on the man’s face, the victim started running toward the Shell station on Henderson and unfortunately ran straight into the telephone pole. He hit the ground and the man and black who was chasing him started swinging the golf club at the victim’s head. I called 911 immediately and went into my apartment as the man with the golf club was also taking swings at cars that were passing by and honking.
With the 911 operator on the line I went back outside to see the victim being helped by another man who was out walking his dog and the Shell station employees. The police showed up quickly right as I returned to the scene. The victim had a bad head wound and was taken to the hospital. The man in black ran off, which is frightening because he truly came out of nowhere swinging and I’m convinced if a few of us hadn’t been walking our dogs on this cold night this would have resulted in a death. As far as I know this guy is still on the loose.
The only descriptive info we heard on recorded dispatch audio was: Black, male, about 5’8″, dressed – as the witness said – in all black, including a pulled-up hoodie. The dispatcher also mentioned a possible accomplice: white, male, black beanie and hoodie. We won’t have access to followup info from SPD until Tuesday; if you have information, the case number is 24-011199, and the violent-crimes tip line is 206-233-5000.
ADDED 3:35 PM: SFD says the victim was in stable condition when taken to Harborview Medical Center – by private ambulance, which generally means the injuries were not expected to be life-threatening.
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