West Seattle, Washington
14 Friday
The second wave of snow showers was even shorter than the first, but some nearby areas are experiencing – and/or expecting – weather wintry enough that they’ve announced school changes for Monday. Here’s what we have so far:
HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The district that includes White Center and points south will start 2 hours late on Monday. Full details here.
VASHON ISLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The district with hundreds of students from West Seattle will start 1 1/2 hours late on Monday.
SUMMIT ATLAS: We haven’t reached the school to confirm this yet but a parent says the charter middle/high school in Arbor Heights is starting 2 hours late on Monday.
(added) KENNEDY HS: Also starting 2 hours late.
(added) HOLY FAMILY BILINGUAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL: Closed today.
(added) SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE: Just received at 5 pm:
South Seattle College Alert: Due to winter weather, all classes and activities starting at 6 PM or later on Monday, February 3 are cancelled. We will also have a late start of 10 AM on Tuesday, February 4. All classes and activities prior to 10AM are cancelled.
Got a school change or closure? Please text or call us, 206-293-6302.
6:59 PM: Thanks for the tips. Avoid the eastbound high bridge for a while; there’s a major police response blocking lanes, reported to involve a person in crisis.
(Added: Cropped screenshot of 35th/Fauntleroy camera showing SPD blocking EB side)
7:14 PM: Police are telling dispatch they will be shutting down the entire eastbound bridge because traffic noise is preventing them from talking with the person they’re trying to help.
7:38 PM: Police just told dispatch they have brought the person safely out of danger and they’ll be taken to a hospital for evaluation. The bridge will be reopening.
7:56 PM: Eastbound bridge now fully reopened, officers told dispatch.
If you are, or someone you know is, contemplating self-harm, the 988 hotline is available 24/7.
After a showerless afternoon … the snow’s back, at least here in Upper Fauntleroy. Still no advisories for the city in general, West Seattle or otherwise, but the forecast has snow showers possible in every daypart for the next few days, and temperatures are not expected to get out of the 30s.
(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)
2:36 PM: Hundreds of protesters are marching along the Alki Trail right now, demonstrating against the ongoing ICE raids around the country. Word of a Sunday afternoon Alki protest circulated on social media, a reader told us, but we couldn’t confirm until this sighting.
They’re marching east/northbound in one large group (which we pulled over to photograph) and a few smaller groups, all on the trail, none in traffic lanes.
One police car was on the other side, apparently monitoring; we had heard an FYI broadcast on SPD radio, at the time described as “about a dozen.”
Some demonstrators are in cars, hoisting Mexican and American flags, and signs – one just went by with a sign, NO HUMAN IS ILLEGAL ON STOLEN LAND.
(Added: Video sent by Stewart L.)
3:12 PM: Just caught up with demonstrators’ rally at the north/west end of Don Armeni. The message was pro-immigrant; signs included SEEKING SAFETY IS NOT A CRIME. Now some of the protesters are marching back, on the trail, to the beach. Thanks to those who’ve sent photos and video; we’re headed back to HQ to add more.
(Added: Photo by David Hutchinson, near marchers’ starting point at Alki Beach)
3:20 PM: Pulled over at Harbor Ave 7-11 to report that an even larger group is now marching back west/north along Harbor. Some are in the parking lane. Signs include IMMIGRANTS BUILT AMERICA.
5:40 PM: Readers report that some of the marchers went back to Alki, and photos/video show them marching in the street in the business district:
(Video sent by David Hutchinson)
In David Hutchinson’s video, you can hear a car revving loudly – he says that’s what factored into this car fire he photographed at 59th/Alki (we listened back to archived scanner audio, and SFD reported the fire out before they got to it):
The next three photos are from Bucky Hayes-McQueen, who was on Alki Avenue between 3:30 pm and 5:10 pm:
ADDED 9:11 PM: We asked SPD, since they had been monitoring the march/rally, if they had any reports of trouble. Here’s the summary we just received:
At 1341 hours, patrol officers responded to reports of a small demonstration at 59th Avenue Southwest and Alki Avenue Southwest. Officers and a Sergeant responded to the scene to monitor. The demonstration grew to 200-300 people and more than 50+ vehicles. The demonstration was peaceful, and no crimes of violence or property damage occurred. There were just noise nuisances and minor traffic disruption. The on-duty LT responded to the scene and monitored the demonstration.
Just in case you wondered – there was a short-lived water rescue callout a short time ago, this time off Lowman Beach. Turned out to be a false alarm; all responders now canceled.
Thanks to Sarah Chadd in Fauntleroy for the first two photos just in time for the bird-pic gallery we were already planning for today – two “snowbirds” photographed this morning, a Dark-eyed Junco above, Townsend’s Warbler below:
The bird photos below were received over the past few weeks. First, you might be noticing many American Robins out lately – Rainer Klett photographed this one in the Alki area:
At Alki Point, Gary Jones photographed this juvenile Bald Eagle:
A juvenile gull caught Megan Wood‘s eye along Elliott Bay:
Two waterbird views from Steve Bender – a family of Barrow’s Goldeneyes:
And a Great Blue Heron, dining:
Thanks again to everyone who sends photos – whether birds, breaking news, sightings, or … ? – westseattleblog@gmail.com is the best way if it’s not urgent; text 206-293-6302 if it is.
If you need an excuse to think about spring on this semi-snowy Sunday, here’s one: The University of Washington beach-volleyball team’s 2025 schedule has been announced, and it includes two events at Alki Beach: A doubleheader on Saturday, March 22, against Portland and Northwest University, and a tournament Friday and Saturday, April 11-12 – the Husky Invitational, hosting Long Beach State, FIU, and Oregon. You can see the full schedule here. This year marks nine years since UW played what was billed as its first-ever home match at Alki.
(INFOLINKS: West Seattle traffic cams … SDOT’s citywide camera map … SDOT’s winter-response map … Metro advisories)
9:41 AM: Serious snow shower right now in Upper Fauntleroy. That’s what the forecast is suggesting for our area today – still no official weather alert for Seattle, though, and no major accumulation is expected, but this one is heavy enough that the dusting is already sticking on the ground.
And on the roads, at least in the higher areas!
9:56 AM: And elsewhere. Sam from Sylvan Way says drivers are already getting stuck on the hill east of The Home Depot (she sent the photo above). … And moments later, the snow stopped, for now.
10:58 AM: Metro has sent alerts that Route 125 is routed off 16th SW between Austin and Oregon because of road conditions. We’re adding the Metro status link to our infolinks atop this story – though we’re in a break now, radar suggests more on the way.
11:23 AM: Metro says the 125 has resumed regular routing.
“Snow whales” is what Kersti Muul dubbed the orca sighting she just texted us about – at least five killer whales headed southbound past Alki Point Lighthouse. Let us know if you see them (despite the murky/snowy weather) too!
(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are highlights for your Sunday:
SKI SHUTTLE: Shuttle to Crystal Mountain now picks up at 7:15 am Sundays at Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3602 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor).
KING TIDE: One of three times for the highest predicted tide of the year – 12.9 feet – is at 7:42 am.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet for today’s run at 9 am at West Seattle Grounds in North Admiral. (2141 California SW)
AMERICAN MAH JONGG: Meet up with other players – all levels – 9:30-11:30 am at The Missing Piece (35th/Roxbury).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Open 10 am-2 pm, with winter produce (root vegetables! greens! cabbage! apples!), plus beverages, flowers, cheese, fish, meat, prepared hot food, baked goods, nuts, candy, condiments, more. (California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)
MAKERS’ MARKET: While you’re in The Junction, also visit Jet City Labs (4547 California SW), 10 am-2 pm, for their first Makers’ Market of the year.
DUWAMISH TRIBE LONGHOUSE & CULTURAL CENTER: The longhouse is open for visitors, 10 am-5 pm. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Need a tool to get your project going, or to finish assembling a holiday gift? Borrow it from the Tool Library, open 11 am-4 pm on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
MUSIC WORKSHOPS: Five-workshop series starts 12:15 pm at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (3050 California SW) – details in our calendar listing.
YOGA SERIES STARTS: At 1 pm, first of eight weeks for Yoga with Miche in The Admiral District – our calendar listing has details.
AT KENYON HALL: Beethoven string quartets, performed by Seattle string quartet Pure Flavor, 2:30 pm. (7904 35th SW)
MUSICIANS FOR THE WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), enjoy the music and do a good deed by bringing nonperishable food and/or cash for the West Seattle Food Bank.
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, 6:30 pm and later admission times. Tickets and info here.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Sunday nights bring music with the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW) – 8-10 pm.
Are you planning, organizing, and/or publicizing something that should be on our community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basic details – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
ORIGINAL SUNDAY REPORT: About the same time police were dispatched to the flipped car on the bridge, they got word of a carjacking and assault. The victim is reported to have been carjacked near Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW) and assaulted in the process; he went to the Harbor Avenue 7-11 and SFD medics treated him there. The stolen car is described as a 2006 black Porsche Cayenne. No other info so far.
ADDED EARLY TUESDAY: We obtained the police-report narrative. Police say they got “various conflicting accounts about the circumstances” from the man who said he was carjacked. They say he wouldn’t give descriptions, he gave two different locations for where it happened, and though he said he’d been hit on the head, police found no “obvious signs of injuries.” He also didn’t know his license plate number and police couldn’t find anything in the system registered in his name. No witnesses or video either, according to the police report.
12:07 AM: SFD ad SPD are on their way to the Fauntleroy end of the westbound West Seattle Bridge, where the live traffic camera shows a flipped car.
12:12 AM: According to emergency radio, whoever was in the car got out safely. A texter just sent this ground-level view:
The one SFD unit originally sent was canceled quickly, indicating no serious injuries.
12:31 AM: There’s also been no indication of another vehicle involved. Police remain on scene awaiting a tow truck.
12:43 AM: The tow truck has arrived, and they’re expecting to have to block traffic for a bit while the tow crew gets the car hooked up and righted.
1:02 AM: The car’s been towed and the scene is cleared.
8:11 PM: We followed up with SPD today and heard back tonight that the driver was arrested for investigation of DUI and reckless endangerment.
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