West Seattle, Washington
01 Monday
4:50 PM: SPD has confirmed that the missing teen was found safe.
ORIGINAL 10:44 AM POST:Read More
If you have a young reader in the family who’s reading – or has read – the Louisa May Alcott classic “Little Women” (now the subject of a new movie), here’s a chance to talk about it. Next Thursday (January 2nd), local educator Julia Douthwaite Viglione, Ph.D., is leading a “‘Little Women’ Book Discussion Club” for ages 8+ at Paper Boat Booksellers. It’s free; Dr. Viglione explains, “We will engage in spirited and well-focused discussion of “Little Women” … You will read the book before coming, and you will write down your favorite quotes to share during the discussion.” It’s happening 11 am-12:30 pm next Thursday; Paper Boat is at 6040 California SW.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7 AM: Good morning! No incidents or alerts reported in our area so far.
1:06 AM: In case you wondered about the sirens: A Seattle Fire response that started small at Springline (3220 California SW) was briefly upgraded to a “full response,” but moments after the extra units arrived – per the incident log – it was downgraded again and most were dismissed. We’ll follow up later this morning.
9:54 AM: SFD spokesperson Hilton Almond tells WSB it was a kitchen fire, “quickly extinguished.”
Two car-prowl reports tonight in West Seattle Crime Watch, starting with this one from Erin in Upper Fauntleroy:
My car was ‘broken in to’ sometime between the evening of Friday, December 20 and the evening of Wednesday, December 25. They must have a fancy way of getting in to keyless cars because the driver door and trunk were in the closed position but not latched and there was no broken window or anything. Same thing happened to my parents a couple of weeks ago right across the street from me. They stole my prescription sunglasses and prescription regular glasses. Unfortunately, they also stole a teaching curriculum called Crucial Conversations out of my trunk that I forgot was in there. It’s a gray bag with red accents and either says VitalSmarts or Crucial Conversations on the bag… If anyone finds this bag around West Seattle, I would love to get the curriculum back!
And from Sarah:
Car break-in at around 5:30 tonight in the upper lot at Lincoln Park: it was the main parking lot, north end of park … nothing of value in the car. We would love to know if anyone saw it happen, though!
The report on that one has a preliminary tracking number of T19014495.
(WSB photo)
Meet Alex and Lauren. They’ve just announced they’re opening The Missing Piece – a café, game lounge, and community space – on the northeast corner of 35th/Roxbury. The space has been empty since Northwest Patient Resource Center closed 3+ years ago. Here’s how they announced it:
The epicenter of all hangouts, activities, and games; The Missing Piece is your home away from home. We are a community space that feels warm and inviting, where you can relax with friends and family while enjoying a game and bite to eat. Local craft coffee, tea, beer, and wine are offered along with ample event space, including private rooms available for rent for any activity and occasion.
The Missing Piece is the perfect utility gathering place. Ideal for coffee lovers, evening hangouts, study sessions, quick bites, you name it. The other piece that we’ve yet to elaborate on is that The Missing Piece is for board/ tabletop gamers as well! We offer a variety of board games via our free game library, additionally a vast retail section which is home to a massive assortment of your favorites games and more! Ample areas to play and private by reservation rooms provide the perfect place for casual board gamers or battle-hardened veterans.
Alex used to work at the former Uptown Espresso Gameporium in North Delridge. We met him and Lauren late this afternoon when we went over to check out the future Missing Piece space after a tip from Gina (thank you!). They told us they hope to be open in spring.
Thanks to Sue for the tip! The latest business to move from south Morgan Junction is Be Pilates. The fitness studio announced via its eemail list that it’s moved from 6701 California SW to a space in the mixed-use building Aura at 4435 35th SW. It’s been in south Morgan for 6+ years and expects to reopen in the new space in early January; as shown in our photo, its now-ex-space has FOR RENT signage up. This follows My Three Little Birds‘ (WSB sponsor) move to The Junction and the displacement of several businesses by the townhouse project at California/Frontenac.
If you’re seeing discolored water in Arbor Heights, it’s likely related to an earlier problem: George mentioned it early this afternoon; by the time we checked with Seattle Public Utilities, they said the water was back on. But just now we heard from someone who’s seeing brown water on Marine View Drive. It’ll likely clear after you run it for a while, but just to be sure it’s not a new issue, if you’re seeing it, be sure to report it to 206-386-1800.
Thanks tp Jan Pendergrass for the late-afternoon photo! Here’s a list we would have published much earlier if not for our tech troubles … but the night has just begun:
TAMBOR E CORDAS FT. NADINE WALDMANN: 6-9 pm at Pacific Room (WSB sponsor) on Alki – “World rhythmic music with a Brazilian jazz twist.” No cover. All ages. (2808 Alki SW)
‘GET FIT WEST SEATTLE’ INFO NIGHT: 7 pm at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), learn about the next free training program to get you from couch to half-marathon. (2743 California SW)
SID LAW: “Covering a century of music from the 1920’s to the present,” at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
CEPHALOPOD: 9 pm at Parliament Tavern. “Improv funk superstars return to make you groove and move! Charlie Akeley, Thaddeus Turner, Joe Doria, Brad Gibson and special guests.” 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
IT’S ALL IN THE CALENDAR … look ahead here!
(WSB photo)
3:55 PM: Our apologies that we weren’t able to report this here sooner due to site trouble (we did update in realtime on social media) – an attic fire brought a large response to the 8300 block of Fauntleroy Way, across from Lincoln Park, about an hour ago. It was extinguished quickly. No injuries reported.
6:35 PM: SFD says the fire “was ruled accidental with $20,000 damage to structure.”
We’re not suggesting you rush it out the door, but make sure your tree doesn’t stay up so long that it’s in danger of this …
When you’re ready to part ways with it, here’s the city announcement for this year’s schedule, and more:
Seattle Public Utilities encourages Seattle residents to compost their Christmas trees and other holiday greens for free through January 31, 2020. Residents should place trees or bundled greens next to their food and yard waste cart on their collection day. Apartment residents may place two trees next to each food and yard waste cart on each collection day. Trees must be cut into lengths of four feet or less and all decorations, lights, tinsel, and other decorations must be removed.
In addition to curbside collection, Seattle residents may drop off trees and other holiday greens for free at SPU’s north or south transfer stations through January 31. Stations will accept up to three trees per vehicle.
Recycle Your Holidays: Composting Christmas trees is just the beginning when it comes to holiday recycling. Many common holiday items can be recycled or reused. Customers can find out how to cut down on the amount of holiday waste that ends up in the landfill by checking SPU’s Where Does It Go Tool: www.seattle.gov/util/myservices/wheredoesitgo.
The photo is from a recent tree-safety demonstration presented by SFD (who provided the image) and other departments. While your tree is still up, follow the safety advice!
P.S. If you have Wednesday-Friday trash/recycling collection, remember it slides a day this week and next. (Mondays/Tuesdays remain on schedule.)
(WSB photo from 2016)
At 8822 9th SW, that former substation’s saga is getting closer to development, four years after it was declared “surplus” by the city in the same group of properties that included:
-5601 23rd SW, becoming a park under DNDA stewardship as the Delridge Wetland
-50th/Dakota, which a community group wants to buy ($650,000 current asking price) and turn into the “Dakota Homestead” (here’s our update from last week)
-2100 SW Andover, sold for $185,000 and redeveloped into 8 rowhouses
-4520 SW Brace Point, sold for $352,000 in 2017 but still vacant (with a proposal for a house)
-16th/Holden, still vacant
8822 9th SW has changed hands already since the city sold it for $279,000 in 2017; records show a subsequent 2018 sale for $158,000. Now 12 townhouses and two “accessory dwelling units” are proposed, a change from the 9 units planned when a community Early Design Outreach site tour was offered a year ago (there’s still a project website at the9seattle.com); the proposal includes 14 offstreet parking spaces. Today, the official application has opened a two-week comment period. You can download the notice from this page; it explains how to comment.
(WSB file photo)
From the Highland Park Improvement Club Not-So-Silent-Night Parade (above) and Corner Bar, to Space Needle fireworks-watching, we’ve already got some West Seattle New Year’s Eve fun in the WSB Holiday Guide – but we can add more, so this is just a friendly reminder: If you’re having a community party, bar party, champagne toast, run/walk, or … please send info! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning! Foggy and icy conditions reported on this post-holiday morning. One incident: A crash response has blocked all lanes of southbound 99 at the West Seattle Bridge.
7:48 AM: Still blocked, WSDOT says.
8:26 AM: Cleared.
We wrap up this year’s series of Christmas-lights spotlights with a Christmas greeting on a roof. This house is in view once you start heading west on SW Stevens from California. It’s also the house that transformed into haunted “Meeds Manor” two months ago for Halloween. Thanks again for all the tips this season – see our past spotlights by scrolling through our archive.
Beautiful sunset as Christmas Day gives way to night – thanks to Don Brubeck for the photo! Cold night ahead, according to the newest forecast, and sunshine tomorrow.
(WSB photos)
Volunteers of all ages – and multiple faiths, including Judaism and Islam – spent part of this Christmas Day providing food and warmth to neighbors in need
They served Christmas lunch in White Center, in the parking lot between 14th and 15th SW, just south of Roxbury. Volunteers from local congregations and other groups usually serve a meal there on Saturdays, but this was special for the holiday.
We heard about this from Kate at Kol HaNeshamah, who said they were also distributing “gift bags comprised of donated socks, hats, blankets, snacks, hand warmers,”etc., collected and assembled by the congregations that are part of the Westside Interfaith Network.
1:24 PM: Thanks to Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail as well as Kersti Muul for the tips – resident orcas from J-Pod should be in view off West Seattle soon – they are southbound off Discovery Park on the north side of Elliott Bay. Donna will be at Constellation Park just south of Alki Point shortly to assist would-be whale-watchers. Let us know if you see the orcas!
1:45 PM: The whales have turned around so you WON’T be seeing them unless you’re north of Elliott Bay. We’ll update if that changes!
Looking for someplace to enjoy a Christmas dinner? The Christmas People have holiday volunteers standing by, serving a free buffet at Alki Masonic Center (4736 40th SW) until 4 pm. Local volunteers like Jen and Mike Shaughnessy are spending their Christmas afternoon helping out:
All are welcome!
(Thank you to the person who decorates the Admiral Way bridge with red bows every year!)
Welcome to Christmas Day, with Hanukkah’s fourth night at sundown. It’s our holiday tradition to present information you might find helpful:
COFFEE SHOPS OPEN TODAY: Our list of coffee shops that planned to be open for at least part of today is in the Christmas section atop our Holiday Guide. (Did we miss anyone? Let us know!)
GROCERY STORES OPEN TODAY: Also in the Christmas section atop our Holiday Guide.
RESTAURANTS (AND BARS-WITH-FOOD) OPEN TODAY AND/OR TONIGHT: Here’s the list, always subject to last-minute change without notice to us. Please let us know if you find discrepancies or omissions – thank you!
FREE HOLIDAY MEALS: Two options – The Christmas People are offering a hoiiday buffet noon-4 pm to all at Alki Masonic Center (4736 40th SW); local Jewish and Muslim community members are serving an outdoor meal at noon in the parking lot between 14th and 15th SW, south of Roxbury, in White Center.
CHRISTMAS DAY TRANSPORTATION INFO:
*Metro is on the Sunday schedule
*No Water Taxi service
*Sound Transit light rail and buses on the Sunday schedule
*Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run is on its regular weekday schedule
*No charge for parking today on city streets in neighborhoods with pay stations
*Traffic cameras: West Seattle-relevant ones here; citywide views are available via this SDOT map
OTHER INFO:
*No trash/recycling/etc. pickup today – Wednesday pickups will happen Thursday; Thursday pickups on Friday, Friday pickups on Saturday
*Seattle Parks closures for today
*Seattle Public Libraries are closed today
*West Seattle’s Log House Museum is closed today
*The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center is closed today
*The Admiral Theater (2343 California SW) is open this afternoon/evening – schedule here
If you see/hear news, please text/call 206-293-6302 – we appreciate your tips 24/7/365!)
(Lime bikes, photographed at Seacrest March 2018)
Once upon a time, it seemed like the bright-green Lime bikeshare bikes were on every corner … and between corners, to. Tuesday, after hearing that Lime is pulling its bikes out of the city for now, we went looking around West Seattle and didn’t see a single one. The company says its Seattle departure is no big deal, and temporary at that – here’s their statement:
As we head into the winter season, we have already reduced our operations based on demand. We are committed to working with the City of Seattle to create a robust mobility program that includes free floating scooters and improved bike options beginning in the spring. In the interim, we are removing our bike fleet.
Lime says December 31st is its last official bike-share day in Seattle. (The red Jump bikes will be your only option after that.) As for scooters, whether Lime’s or somebody else’s, here’s a recent city update; they’re planning to call for proposals early next year.
In the summer, these Alki bungalows are known as the Flower Houses, with numerous planters full of flowers. This season, the houses are still colorful, thanks to the lights. We’ve been meaning for a while to stop for a photo and finally got a chance tonight. Lots of other lights to see on Alki, but most are on condo/apartment balconies. These houses, by the way, are in the 1300-1400 block of Alki SW.
See all the lights we’ve featured this season by scrolling through our archive. Thanks for all the tips and photos!
Three West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
MAIL TRUCK THIEVES ON VIDEO: Thanks to Deb for the tip on this – she first reported:
… Our awesome postal carrier out of Westwood Village said his colleague’s mail truck was stolen from around Seaview Methodist Church today and dumped blocks away with undelivered and collected mail taken out of the truck. Police and the Post Office were alerted. The people who dumped the mail truck were observed by a neighbor in the 6500 block of 49th Avenue SW who said they got into a silver 2 door Audi, License ADT—-
We were trying to get the report from police today when the US Postal Inspection Service tweeted this:
🚔🚨🚨Reward🚨🚨🚔
Do you know who these people are?? If you know who stole this mail 🚐 in West Seattle yesterday please call our tipline 206-748-5430💰up to $1,000 reward (suspect used unknown device to enter and start 🚐) @Q13FOX @KING5Seattle @komonews @KIRO7Seattle @catchwmw pic.twitter.com/jDWVkXwOGO— USPIS Seattle Division (@USPIS_Seattle) December 24, 2019
SPEAKING OF AUDIS: From a texter in the Belvidere area:
Let me know if you see our silver S4 Audi wagon around. It was stolen at 6:30 am in front of our house. They left another West Seattle stolen blue Audi. Both have They tried to returned in a third Audi to get the blue one.
We don’t have the plate #’s but we do have an incident # – 19-474605.
STABBING FOLLOWUP: We were finally able today to obtain the report from Sunday night’s stabbing incident in which two teenagers turned up in the Admiral Safeway parking lot with knife wounds that were reported to have happened elsewhere.
(Sunday night photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
The person with minor wounds to his hand told police he was cut trying to grab the knife from the attacker who had stabbed his brother. Both said it was an unprovoked attack by someone who ran up to them and a group of friends shortly after they left Hiawatha Park. The only description the most seriously injured victim could offer was “an unknown race male, 6 ft tall, medium build, last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants.” The victims weren’t sure exactly what street they were on when attacked, but the report mentions that, as we reported Sunday night, a passerby saw it happening at 46th/Stevens.
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