West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
Early Friday in North Delridge, police pulled over a car for a burned-out headlight. In the process, they found out it was stolen – a “company vehicle” taken from the West Seattle Golf Course parking lot last Saturday afternoon. We heard a bit about the arrest while it was happening, and requested the report narrative from SPD. We received it today. Here’s what the officer wrote:
On 12-19-2025, I was working uniformed patrol as unit 3W31 within the city of Seattle. At about 0151 hrs., I was traveling northbound in the 4600 block of 26 Ave SW when a vehicle, WA XXXXXXX, passed me in the same block with only one functioning headlight during hours of darkness. I turned around and got behind the vehicle at 29 Ave SW/SW Brandon St, facing southbound. I activated my emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop for the defective headlight.
I broadcasted the stop location and vehicle information to dispatch. Prior to me making contact with the occupants of the vehicle, dispatch informed me that the license plate was coming back to a stolen vehicle. Once additional units arrived, the driver was taken out of the vehicle and placed under arrest for Inv. of Possession of Stolen Property. … Two additional passengers were taken out of the vehicle as well.
I observed that the vehicle was running with no keys in the heavily damaged ignition. This ignition was easyyily observable by all passengers in the vehicle and was not covered, or obstructed by view. Officers were not able to turn the vehicle off at the scene. I verified that the VIN # of the vehicle matched that of the license plate information in WA DOL. The vehicle was searched, per the request of the registered owner and then impounded by Lincoln Towing, per the owner’s request as well. … (The suspect) stated that he “found” the vehicle in Burien earlier that evening, but could not give any further details about the vehicle. (The other two) were released from the scene.
The suspect, who’s 30, was booked into the King County Jail and is still there right now. His record includes misdemeanor convictions for an incident at the Delridge Home Depot in October, where he
“threw (palm) trees around” and threatened to kill an employee; he was sentenced to a suspended year in jail and given credit for the three weeks he served before pleading guilty. He also has felony convictions for a plea-bargained case last year in which he walked into a Highland Park house in 2023, took car keys, and stole a car; for that, he was sentenced to three months.
Thanks to Ana for sending tonight’s photo: “Lights and giant Santa at 29th SW and Findlay.” And Santa’s not alone on the roof – lots of lights up there too! Four more nights until Christmas – see what we’ve spotlighted by scrolling here – and if there’s someplace great that we’ve missed, send the location and/or photo(s) to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
7:01 PM: Reported by a reader:
#1: Truck with ~30 ft long boat on trailer is turned around wrong way but stationary on the West Seattle Eastbound to the right side of the shoulder at the WA99 exit. Emergency vehicles signaling to move around.
# 2: White Jeep off-road (at least the passenger side airbag went off) right after Admiral off-ramp from West Seattle Bridge Westbound. While emergency crews are onsite, the accident has closed the right lane, making a dangerous exit off of the West Seattle Bridge at Admiral.
So far, emergency-radio exchanges indicate neither resulted in a serious injury.
(SDOT image via X.com)
9:54 PM: Police are still having trouble getting an appropriate tow rig for incident #1, according to radio discussion between officers and dispatch.
10:47 PM: Officers just told dispatch they’re closing the eastbound bridge ramp to 99 “for a bit” to “get this boat out of here” – after four hours.
11:09 PM: Now they’re going to have to shut down the eastbound bridge in its entirety.
(December 2024 photo by Jason A.G. Enevoldsen)
At 7:03 am Sunday – almost an hour before sunrise – winter officially arrives, at the solstice moment. That means tomorrow night brings a West Seattle change-of-seasons tradition – sunset watch at Solstice Park with expert skywatcher/educator Alice Enevoldsen. She’s been leading solstice-sunset gatherings for more than 15 years, and it’s a fun, informative way to welcome the new season. She’ll be at the park (uphill from the tennis courts and P-Patch, 7400 Fauntleroy Way SW) starting around 3:45 pm; official sunset time is about half an hour later, but because of the trees and mountains, the sun tends to disappear around 4:05 … assuming it appears at all (by the way, Alice will be there even if it doesn’t, barring steady drenching rain).
See that spot on the bench next to The Grinch? It’s open for photo ops until 8 pm. This is part of Lacey‘s “Whoville” display, spotlighted here earlier this week (and in previous years). She says the weather in north White Center is not too bad so far tonight – a little showery, but no wind, so she’s welcoming visitors for photo ops. Bring a food-bank donation if you can! This is on 18th SW between SW 98th and Roxbury.
(WSB photo, October)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
It costs about $26,000 a month to run West Seattle’s only overnight shelter, Westside Neighbors Shelter in The Triangle.
That covers not only regular operational costs like utilities, but also security – insurance requires one overnight watchperson for every 24 people staying overnight, and they’ve been hosting 36.
So the shelter board has voted to reduce overnight operations to cold-weather-emergency-only as of December 31 – unless they can raise enough money to keep going at full overnight operations.
All this is according to a conversation we just had with Laurie Utterback of the shelter board, who we contacted for clarification after multiple people told us word was circulating in the community that the shelter would be shutting down.
Earlier this fall, the shelter made a deal with a Burien church to provide administration and security help. But that isn’t free, and Utterback said they’ve got a bill to pay that will take almost all the money the shelter has. They were going to have to cease overnight operations – except for very cold weather – as of tomorrow, Utterback says, but now that’s been extended to the end of the year, thanks to donations from a religious congregation that got word of their dilemma. After that – again, unless they can raise enough money to cover costs – they will only accept overnight guests in very cold weather, which is the only service they get some government funding to cover. The daytime warming center will continue, Utterback says. Costs including security add up to about $26,000 a month,
The shelter is in American Legion Post 160’s building at 3618 SW Alaska in the West Seattle Triangle. The agreement with Highline United Methodist Church followed discussion of community concerns including street disorder surrounding the shelter, which has been run for years virtually single-handedly by the Post 160 commander, Keith Hughes. In addition, they’ve been talking with Seattle Police and now have a trespass agreement with SPD making it easier to remove troublemakers.
ADDED: For anyone wondering how to help, that information is in this news release sent just after we published this report.
(Photos courtesy Brenda Hatley)
By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Dozens of youth robotics teams from elementary and middle schools across the district gathered on December 6 at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School for this year’s FIRST Lego League qualifier. By the end of the day, three teams from West Seattle – Madison Middle School, Lafayette Elementary School, and Alki Elementary School – emerged triumphant, with their sights set on the next round of the tournament.
Of the schools who competed that day, nine were from West Seattle, including Genesee Hill Elementary, Fairmount Park Elementary, Gatewood Elementary, Arbor Heights Elementary, West Seattle Elementary, and the aforementioned teams that are moving up to the next round.
A local parent tipped us about the students’ achievement, so we set out to get details. We spoke with Brenda Hatley, a coach for Madison Middle School, the only West Seattle middle-school team to advance to the next round, and she says the turnout at the qualifiers was impressive. Hatley first became a coach for her son’s 4th-grade team and was one of the founding parents for Lafayette Elementary’s Lego Robotics team.
She says the program, which pairs engineering with LEGO, coding, and real-world projects, is a fantastic program for students who are less interested in athletics but still want to capture the excitement of a pep rally.
“It’s not a sports team, but they’re still getting so hyped up. The kids were cheering for each other, and the pressure was there; coaching through that was an incredible experience,” Hatley said.
Madison’s team, the Madbots, will play their next match on December 26th, at a to-be-determined location. The teams that do well this month will move on to the city-wide competition in Downtown Seattle, before moving to the regionals at Washington State University, and beyond to the international finals. Regardless of how they perform, Hatley says she and the other parents are planning to travel with their team to the city-wide and regional competitions.
“I’m really proud of the team,” Hatley said. “Last year, the fifth graders didn’t move on, and we had lower expectations; we just went in to learn more and get better. This year, we get to move on and see what the next level looks like.”
Sent this morning by Karen:
Sorry and angry to report I discovered this morning my mailbox on the east side of 35th SW just south of the 7-Eleven was broken into and severely damaged. Hoping no valuable mail was stolen. Mail recipients, beware!
Not to say that any of these would have helped in this case, but the >U.S. Postal Inspection Service does have advice for customers.
Happy Saturday! We have another two-part event list for you – first, seasonal happenings today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
SELFIES WITH SANTA: 8:30 am-11 am this morning (and Sunday), DIY photos with Santa at CAPERS Home (4525 California SW; WSB sponsor), donation requested for West Seattle Food Bank.
HOLIDAY MUSIC AT THRIFTWAY: 10 am-1 pm Alex Baird, 3:30 pm-5:30 pm Gary Benson, performing at West Seattle Thriftway (4201 SW Morgan; WSB sponsor).
(WSB photo, B-Sharp Studio trio caroling last weekend)
BUSKING IN THE JUNCTION: 11 am-1 pm, local musicians will perform carols and winter-themed music, raising money for the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks, on the KeyBank corner at California/Alaska.
ARTIST POP-UP AT CAPERS HOME: 11 am-4 pm, you’ll find artist Wendy Hathaway of Torch Song Jewelry at CAPERS Home (4525 California SW; WSB sponsor).
HOLIDAY GRIEF CIRCLE: Listening to Grief hosts this chance to gather, 11 am-12:15 pm at Mama Be Well Healing Studio (4034 California SW).
VINTAGE GOODS + GOOD FOODS POP-UP: Shopping 1-6 pm (5001 Delridge Way SW).
WINTER SOLSTICE SPIRAL: 1 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio & Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska).
SANTA AND GRINCH PHOTOS: Benefit for Stephanie’s Lifeline Holiday Gifts of HOPE, 1:45-5 pm at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW).
NORTHWEST FIRELIGHT CHORALE: 2 p concert at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (3050 California SW) – this year’s theme is “Ring Out Ye Bells.” Ticket info here; note – sold out except for video-viewing tickets!
GRINCH SELFIES AT WHOVILLE: Lacey‘s setting up a life-size Grinch at her Whoville display for photo ops:
I’ll have one of my full-size Grinches set up in Whoville so people can take some Christmas photos from 4:30 pm- 8 pm. For those who are able, we are accepting non-perishable food donations for White Center Food Bank.
(On 18th Ave SW, between Roxbury and SW 98th)
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, first admission 4:45 pm. Tickets and info here.
(The Salmon Tree at Fauntleroy UCC’s Festival of Trees)
FAUNTLEROY FESTIVAL OF TREES & CHRISTMAS CONCERT: 6 pm at Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall (9140 California), visit the decorated trees; bring nonperishable food-bank donations to place beneath your favorite(s) if you can. Then at 7 pm, it’s the Christmas concert! (Admission free.)
CHRISTMAS MOVIE NIGHT @ SUPER DELI MART: The neighborhood hangout at 35th SW and SW Barton wants to see you for Christmas Movie Night – wear your ugly holiday sweater, enjoy popcorn (etc.), win prizes! It all starts at 7 pm.
And here are the non-holiday-season events for today, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:
SATURDAY GROUP RUN: At West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor), you can join the Saturday 8 am free group run!
(WSB photo by Oliver Hamlin, from last Saturday’s CSIHS-WSHS flag-football game)
FLAG FOOTBALL: Full day of games at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) – West Seattle HS plays Cleveland at 8:30 am, Rainier Beach at 9:45 am; Chief Sealth IHS plays Garfield at 11 am, Seattle Prep at 1:30 pm.
FREE! HEAVILY MEDITATED: Free 9 am community meditation at Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska) – register here.
INTRODUCTORY WALK and WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 9:30 am, walk a mile as a prelude to the 10 am well-being walk (or just show up for that one). Both start from 47th SW and Fauntleroy Way SW.
SSC GARDEN CENTER: The Garden Center at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW, north end of campus), is open 10 am-3 pm – last day before its holiday break!
KNIFE SHARPENING: Kneighborhood Knives is back, just for one day, 10:30 am-5 pm at Hotwire Coffee (4410 California SW).
MORNING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Info about Marco’s music is here.
FREE WRITING GROUP: In session again this week, 10:30 am, info in our calendar listing.
FAMILY STORY TIME: 10:30 am at High Point Library. (3411 SW Raymond)
FAMILY READING TIME: At Paper Boat Booksellers, 11 am family reading time. (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor)
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: The home of West Seattle’s history is open noon-4 pm on Saturdays. Holiday ornaments and gifts available, too. (61st SW and SW Stevens)
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open for you to enjoy wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY TASTING ROOM, WINE BAR, STORE: On the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus:
The Northwest Wine Academy Tasting Room is OPEN Thursday-Saturday 1 pm-6 pm until December 20th! Back by popular demand: We are featuring our 2016-2019 varietals for a mix and match $62 case! Stop by for a tasting and a case for the holidays! Thank you for a beautiful year of supporting our students! Enjoy student-produced wines and affordable eats at the Northwest Wine Academy Tasting Room and Wine Bar at South Seattle College, with proceeds benefitting student learning and the Wine Studies Program. NWWA is located in the North Parking Lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th Ave SW) in the Puget Ridge neighborhood of West Seattle.
FREE MASSAGE: 3-5 pm walk-in clinic offering short, specific massages at Nepenthe. (9447 35th SW)
2 ‘PENELOPE’ PERFORMANCES AT ARTSWEST: West Seattle’s playhouse is in the final weekend for its folk-pop musical “Penelope,” with a 3 pm matinée and 7:30 pm evening performance today/tonight; get tickets here. (4711 California SW)
SUPER SMASH SATURDAY AT FOURTH EMERALD GAMES: Come play, 6:30-10 pm. (4517 California SW, upstairs)
REVELRY ROOM DJ: Saturday spinning starts at 9 pm – tonight it’s DJ Tomás at Revelry Room. (4547 California SW).
KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: Again this week, our Saturday list concludes with 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria. (4718 California SW)
Got a West Seattle event coming up? If community members are welcome, your event is welcome on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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