Arbor Heights 553 results

Thanks for the report on what the sender calls a “record-breaking summer at Arbor Heights”:

e Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club 12 and under Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay for a record setting race against Kent (Tuesday night). The girls finished 2:07:27 breaking the 1997 Arbor Heights record of 2:09:86. Congratulations, ladies!! [Dior Webb (backstroke), Katie Trainor (butterfly), Amanda Trainor (freestyle), and Caroline Arthur (breaststroke)]

UTILITY WORK ALERT: SPU plans ‘smoke testing’ in some West Seattle sewers

| Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

Seattle Public Utilities is about to start a round of testing in the Arbor Heights area that might look startling. Here’s the notice sent to us to share with the wider community:

SEWER INSPECTIONS WITH NON-TOXIC SMOKE

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Seattle Public Utilities is using a testing method called “smoke testing” to find sewer leaks and/or pipe connection problems. A contractor, Pro-Vac, will be in your neighborhood blowing a colorless water vapor or “smoke” into sewer pipes via maintenance holes; the “smoke” is non-toxic and non-staining but may have a distinctive odor. “Smoke” or its odor is not anticipated to come into your house or building if your plumbing is in good working order and your “p-traps” (the U-shaped pipes under each drain) are filled with water.

SCHEDULE
This work is scheduled for late July through end of August. You will receive a door hanger notice 24- to 48-hours before the inspection. Prior to the testing, consider running water for 30 seconds in all your sinks, baths, and showers and pouring water in exposed floor drains.

LOCATION
The testing uses maintenance holes within the public right-of-way throughout the Arbor Heights Neighborhood. The “smoke” may travel up to 1,500 feet within the sewer pipe.

IMPACTS
Homes and businesses will continue to receive normal sewer services during the inspection.
 You may see or smell the “smoke” coming from maintenance holes in the street or right-of-way, sewer vents from roofs or coming out of the ground. This is normal and you do not need to do anything. You may talk with the on-site workers conducting the inspections if you have questions.
 If you see or smell “smoke” in your house or building, open doors or windows to increase ventilation. The
vapor should clear within a few minutes.
 If smoke continues to remain in your building for more than 5 minutes, talk with the field representatives or
on-site workers conducting the inspections. You may also contact SPU’s emergency Operations Response
Center (ORC) at (206) 386-1800.

“Smoke” may have entered your building due to issues with your building’s sewer pipe vents and/or p-traps under sinks, tubs or other drains. If “smoke” came into your building that did not stop when you put water in a drain, please consider contacting a plumber to investigate possible issues with your plumbing.

Here’s the notice in PDF.

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UPDATE: Tree falls, causes power outage for 300+ homes in south Fauntleroy/Arbor Heights

| Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

6:26 PM: Thanks for the tips. Power’s out for more than 200 homes in south Fauntleroy/Arbor Heights. One reader says an “explosion” preceded this; the SFD log shows a “wires down” call at 101st/Marine View Drive.

7:03 PM: One of our original tipsters, Andrew, says a tree fell on a line at that location; crews are there now. Here’s a neighbor’s photo, shared via Andrew:

7:35 PM: City Light now says 338 homes are out.

8:14 PM: Map is back to 204 homes. A note if you’re paying attention to the “estimated restoration time” – which has moved from 1 to 2 am – it’s not based on anything much, SCL has admitted in the past, so it could be back on much sooner … or later. Most important advice: Don’t open your fridge/freezer, so the cold air lasts longer.

9:22 PM: City Light says all but 28 homes have power back.

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Brown water in southwest West Seattle

May 25, 2025 1:19 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Fauntleroy | Utilities | West Seattle news

For a second day we have a brown-water report – Gatewood on Saturday, further south today. Rebecca reports, “We’ve started getting brown water at our home in north Arbor Heights, lower Fauntleroy.” The Seattle Public Utilities water-woes map doesn’t show any emergency incidents in that area, so it might be more hydrant testing, but always report problems like this to SPU’s 206-386-1800 hotline just in case.

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WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Arbor Heights Elementary gets new principal for 2025-2026

May 16, 2025 1:59 pm

| Comments Off on WEST SEATTLE SCHOOLS: Arbor Heights Elementary gets new principal for 2025-2026

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

This week Seattle Public Schools announced another group of principal appointments for next school year, and a new principal for Arbor Heights Elementary is among them: Lauren Porto will take over the school as of July. The announcement on the AHES website didn’t say much about her, aside from:

Principal Porto was selected through a formal interview process that included participation of staff, students, parents, and community. What stood out to the Arbor Heights interview team was her collaborative vision for Arbor Heights that is reflective of what the community has named as priorities, along with her expertise with inclusionary practices and special education.

Nooria Miskell has been serving as interim principal of AHES this year, after the departure of Christy Collins, who led the school for more than a decade. Future principal Porto is currently assistant principal of an elementary school in the Renton School District.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Online sale turned robbery; pedestrian assault

April 14, 2025 6:50 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Crime | Seaview | West Seattle news

Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports from the weekend:

ONLINE SALE TURNED ROBBERY: We heard fragments of this on Saturday but not enough information to report until we could obtain the police narrative today. After setting up an online sale of clothing items via Instagram, an Arbor Heights teenager told police the “buyers” showed up and robbed him of the items at gunpoint. This happened at a house near Arbor Heights Elementary, according to the police narrative, around 1 pm Saturday. The robbers were described as Hispanic, male, in their teens or 20s, one “with a high fade haircut with curly brown Afro type hair on top,” another with “black/brown curly Afro style hair,” another with a black ski mask, no other descriptive factors for the fourth. After arranging for the sale, one person came to the victim’s door, he told police, and asked the victim to gather all the items – five hoodies, three T-shirts, and one pair of sweatpants – and bring them to a car outside. When the victim did that, he said, the other three robbers got out of the vehicle with handguns and pointed them at the victim. demanding he hand over the items. After he did so, the report says, they ordered him to go back in the house and get more clothing to give them. When he got back outside, the robbers were gone. Police note that the Instagram account through which the sale was arranged was “blocked and deleted … shortly after the incident took place.” The report says the robbers’ vehicle was captured on at least three nearby security cameras but redacts the description; though as we noted the incident audio is fragmentary, it did describe the vehicle as a red or maroon Escalade with darkened windows. While investigating this, police note, a King County Sheriff’s deputy contacted them to say, according to the SPD report, “they were investigating a very similar robbery involving selling items on Instagram, with a similar vehicle description and suspect description.” That happened just before 4:30 pm Saturday. The SPD report # is 25-097663; the KCSO case # is C25-011252.

STREET ASSAULT: This reader report involved an incident reported on 51st SW around 10 am Sunday.

Person in this (video) assaulted a female pedestrian in Seaview at 10 AM. Stayed on site harassing bystanders and witnesses for ~10 minutes. SPD arrived too late to confront him. Riding kids’ purple BMX bike. Notify SPD if you see him.

Both the reader and the incident audio indicate the victim did not need medical attention; incident audio described the suspect as “grab(bing) her.” If you have any information, the incident number is 25-98420.

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UPDATE: Water break in Arbor Heights (more info added Tuesday)

January 27, 2025 8:39 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

8:39 PM: Thanks for the tip and photo! A reader reports a water break on 35th SW just north of SW 108th has left “all of 35th covered in water down the hill.” A Seattle Public Utilities crew has arrived, they report (though the break is not yet on the SPU water-trouble map). Reminder that breaks may stir up sediment (rust) in nearby lines, so if you’re in the area you might notice “brown water” – call SPU at 206-386-1800 if you do, to be sure they’re aware that’s happened.

8:54 PM: Update from our tipster: “Looks like they may have isolated it, and turned off the water for that location. SPU has left. Though 35th is covered in water from 108th to around 112th. Could get icy overnight.”

12:56 PM TUESDAY: We followed up with SPU spokesperson Brad Wong, who tells WSB, “The SPU crew determined it was a small water main break and made repairs. What caused the main to break remains unknown.”

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Arbor Heights community mailbox ‘trashed’

December 26, 2024 5:47 pm

| 11 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Crime | West Seattle news

5:47 PM: We photographed that mailbox on 40th between 102nd and 104th in Arbor Heights after a call from a reader who reported it “trashed.” He said it happened sometime in the past 48 hours, as he’d obtained mail from the box on Christmas Eve. He said he’s reported it to postal authorities and that anyone who regularly receives mail there will instead have to go to the Westwood Village post office, where it’ll be held until it’s deliverable again.

ADDED 10:50 PM: A nearby resident just sent this pic taken a few hours earlier than ours, and noted it appears the box was partly burned:

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UPDATE: Summit Atlas closed for heating-system problem

December 5, 2024 8:41 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

8:41 AM: Thanks for the tip. Families of Summit Atlas, the charter middle/high school at 35th/Roxbury, have been notified that school is closed today because of a “facilities emergency” – described as “the HVAC system is not operational.” There was a four-unit SFD response at the campus for a while this past half-hour, but the last two units have just been dismissed. Parents have been told that offcampus electives are still happening today but “with optional attendance”; students that were on buses just arriving at school are being offered the chance to take the same bus home since school is closed. We’re following up to find out more.

9:09 AM: Families have received this update from the school, also forwarded to us:

A little after 8am a staff member discovered what looked like water vapor or smoke coming from the ceiling.

We immediately called 911 and evacuated the staff in the building.

The Fire Department arrived and confirmed that there was no smoke or fire.

The Fire Department determined issue was with the HVAC system and there was water vapor coming from the system.

The system must be shut down until it can be repaired, leaving the building with no heat.

We will update the community later today about school tomorrow, 12/6.

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READER REPORT: Is this mystery trailer yours? (update: resolved)

October 17, 2024 9:06 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news

Lindsey reports this is on her planting strip at 31st/104th in Arbor Heights:

She says the trailer has a watercraft and unsecured paddles plus “various things wrapped in tarps that I’m too afraid to unwrap.” It’s been there since last week. She’s reported it but also hoping posting it might reach the owner(s).

FRIDAY UPDATE: Lindsay commented below that the owner has been found.

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UPDATE: Power outage in southwest West Seattle

September 27, 2024 8:32 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

8:32 PM: Thanks for the tips. Power is out for 106 homes in the south Arbor Heights/Seola area. The City Light map says they’re “investigating”; we’re checking if there’s any obvious cause.

9:10 PM: Outage over, per commenter and SCL map. Likely cause seems to be a tree branch that fell on a power line in the 11600 block of Seola Beach Drive, per archived SFD dispatch audio.

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Here’s why Summit Atlas briefly evacuated

September 9, 2024 11:37 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS breaking news

Thanks for the tips. Seattle Fire responded to Summit Atlas, the middle/high school at 35th/Roxbury, for an incident that led to a brief evacuation; we went over to find out what happened. We’re told the furnace came on for the first time and that led to an alarming odor, so SFD was called to ensure there was no fire.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen pewter Yukon

September 2, 2024 1:23 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Crime | West Seattle news

Sent by Meg:

Sad to report that my 2001 Yukon XL was stolen from in front of our house in the 10200 block of Marine View Drive SW at 2 am this morning.

The sound of the engine starting (it’s a 3/4 ton) woke me, and I went to the kitchen window to lock my other car, which I think I’d left unlocked. Didn’t notice the Yukon was missing.

If anyone sees a pewter-colored 2001 Yukon XL with body damage on the back seat passenger side door and running board, plate 924YBP, please call 911. Police report filed, 24-248543.

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UPDATE: Another ‘rescue extrication’ callout, this time for car-on-side Arbor Heights crash

August 23, 2024 2:09 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | WS breaking news

2:09 PM: Seattle Fire is headed to another “rescue extrication” callout, this one for the 10200 block of 32nd SW [map] in Arbor Heights, where a one-vehicle car-on-side crash is reported, with at least one person trapped. Updates to come.

2:19 PM: That person is reported to now be safely out of the vehicle (a Honda CR-V). They’re dismissing all but three units.

2:29 PM: Added photo from our crew. No serious injuries reported.

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UPDATE: Fauntleroy incident leads to Arbor Heights arrest

June 19, 2024 3:52 pm

| 28 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Crime | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

(Texted photo)

3:52 PM: Lots of questions about this. Police have converged on a car in Arbor Heights, near 35th/Ocean View, to investigate whether it’s linked to an incident in Fauntleroy involving someone in a car with a gun. They’re questioning two people. So far as we’ve heard in monitoring, they’re still trying to sort it all out; the resident who sent the photo says officers told him it started as a domestic-violence incident. The car that was stopped was reported to have two children in it.

(WSB photo)

4:19 PM: One man has been arrested, police tell us at the arrest scene. The original incident, in which a gun was brandished, happened near 45th/Wildwood in Fauntleroy. We don’t know whether a gun was found but officers were bagging various items as apparent evidence. The aforementioned children’s mom was brought to the scene earlier so they are OK.

ADDED THURSDAY 11:18 AM: Here’s the brief initial SPD summary of the incident:

Multiple bystanders in the 9200 block of 46 AV SW attempted to intervene in an in-progress assault. The suspect assaulted the bystanders, then produced a handgun, pointed it at multiple people, and fled in a vehicle with the original victim. Officers located the vehicle and detained all occupants. The suspect was arrested and booked …

The suspect is 21 years old and remains in jail this morning, under investigation for assault and unlawful gun possession, the latter because of an assault conviction – we’re still looking into court records but the docket says he was charged in 2021 and resolved the case with a guilty plea in 2022. As for Wednesday’s arrest, there will likely be a probable-cause hearing this afternoon that would determine whether he remains in custody (an initial decision on charges would be later this week); we’ll be checking with prosecutors on what happens next.

ADDED 11:38 AM: The suspect has an extensive record going back to juvenile cases when he was 15 years old. The 2022 conviction involved a gunfire case in Kent, but he has other gun-related convictions, leading to this passage in the charging documents from that case, in a passage arguing for bail (which at one point in that case was set at $1 million):

The Superior Courts of King and Pierce County have repeatedly ordered the Defendant not to possess firearms and he has violated that order with impunity. There is no expectation that he would follow such an order if released. He not only possesses firearms, he endangers the public by his wanton use of them.

He was sentenced in January 2023 to almost five years in state prison for the Kent case, but that included credit for time already served in county jail. We’ll be checking with the Department of Corrections to see when he was released.

ADDED 12:56 PM: DOC says he was released from prison six weeks ago (and is on “community custody” aka parole currently).

ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: We haven’t received documents from today’s hearing yet, but the jail docket shows his bail was set at $100,000.

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Brown water in Arbor Heights

June 19, 2024 11:11 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

Reported by AKM: “My neighbors and I are seeing brown water. We live in Arbor Heights on/near SW 106th and 40th Ave SW. My neighbor reported seeing the fire department at the fire hydrant on 106th, so this is likely fire hydrant testing. I saw no outages on the SPU map. I am running the tap, still seeing brown water. Hopefully, this will dissipate soon, but glad the fire hydrants are being tested.”

If you notice discolored water, it’s not always hydrant testing – it can also be the result of a pipe break or other system problem, reported or unreported, so it’s important to notify Seattle Public Utilities (the 24/7 number is 206-386-1800).

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UPDATE: Power outage in The Arroyos/south Arbor Heights

June 12, 2024 4:35 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

4:35 PM: Thanks for the tip! Power’s out for 147 customers in south Arbor Heights and The Arroyos, per the Seattle City Light map, which attributes the outage to “bird/animal contact.”

6 PM: It’s resolved, per the map, which had described it as starting just before 4:30; our tipster, however, says the power went out around noon.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire in Arbor Heights

June 10, 2024 12:24 pm

| 18 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

12:24 PM: Police are in Arbor Heights investigating a report of gunfire. Dispatch told officers that a 911 caller reported seeing three people “shooting into a pond” near 32nd Place/32nd Avenue SW. Police have taken two possible suspects into custody and reported finding a gun as well as casings. No injuries are reported.

12:35 PM: One suspect was found near 30th/Roxbury. We’ve gone to both scenes but police are still busy talking to people and no additional information is available yet; we’ll be following up later.

4:56 PM: The only additional thing police could tell us when we followed up is that one of the detained teenagers was booked into juvenile detention for investigation of unlawful gun possession.

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UPDATE: Another West Seattle car-on-side crash

June 2, 2024 7:14 pm

| 14 COMMENTS

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news

7:14 PM: Thanks to JC for the photo. For the second consecutive day, emergency responders have been called to a car-on-side crash in West Seattle. This one was at 41st/100th in Arbor Heights around 5 pm. It initially drew a “rescue extrication” callout, but that was downsized so quickly, we missed the dispatch. Archived audio indicates two vehicles were involved, a Toyota 4Runner and Nissan Maxima. No medic unit dispatched, which indicates no major injuries, but we’re checking with SFD to be sure.

8:16 PM: SFD tells us the vehicle that went onto its side had one person inside who got out by themselves and “declined medical attention.”

9:44 PM: A commenter has posted this link to home-security video showing the collision.

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READER REPORT: Is this ‘super-cute cross-stitch kit’ yours?

April 20, 2024 2:38 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle news

Is this yours, or do you know whose it might be? Just sent by Lindsay:

I found this super-cute cross-stitch kit either lost or stolen/ditched in the greenbelt behind my house in Arbor Heights. It looks very special to someone, so hoping to find the owner!

Email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – and we’ll connect you.

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YOU CAN HELP: Superstar-signed item highlights Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA auction – everything open for your bids!

April 11, 2024 9:00 am

| 1 COMMENT

| Arbor Heights | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photo courtesy Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA)

Even if you don’t attend the gala dinner/auction events that benefit local nonprofits, you often can help their fundraising anyway by bidding in the online auctions that precede the galas. Right now, the Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA is welcoming your participation in theirs, for items from local-business gift cards to the superstar-autographed musical instrument shown above! Here’s the announcement:

It’s that time of year again – the Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA‘s online silent auction is officially underway! From now until April 19th, you have the chance to bid on an array of incredible experiences and items, all while supporting our beloved school community.

There are so many incredible items and we are so grateful for all of the donations. However, we are very honored to offer a ukulele signed by Eddie Vedder.

This auction is vital to our school. The funds raised provide critical support for music, art, classroom materials, transportation for field trips, 5th-grade camp, and other essential elements that make school fun and engaging for our students.

So, let’s come together as a community and make this year’s auction a resounding success! Bid early, bid often, and help us continue to provide enriching experiences for our Arbor Heights students.

Thank you for your support and happy bidding!

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Cloudy water in Arbor Heights

January 20, 2024 6:01 pm

| Comments Off on Cloudy water in Arbor Heights

| Arbor Heights | Utilities | West Seattle news

The report is from Beth. The Seattle Public Utilities map doesn’t show any current problems, but there have been several repairs in Arbor Heights in recent days. This too is a problem to report, if it happens to you, to SPU’s 24-hour line at 206-386-1800.

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WEST SEATTLE ART: Rain City Clay’s 5-day holiday show/sale begins

December 1, 2023 5:24 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Arbor Heights | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

From whimsical – like Kayla Jackson‘s creations, above – to ethereal, like Doris Anderson‘s work below, a wide range of art comprises Rain City Clay‘s holiday show and sale, which opened tonight and continues through Tuesday.

Some of the artists are there too for tonight’s opening party – including Kate Hoffman:

Rain City Clay is in Arbor Heights, at 4208 SW 100th. You can check out the holiday show/sale until 8 pm tonight, 1-5 pm both days this weekend, and 2-7 pm Monday and Tuesday! Other art shows/makers markets are happening tonight and tomorrow too – see our West Seattle Holiday Guide for the full list.

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