West Seattle, Washington
22 Friday
Four items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR TRACKED, SUSPECT ARRESTED: Officers were looking for a stolen vehicle “that was being tracked by the victim via an app.” First time they caught up with it, “it had fled.” Officers had taken a picture, though, and shared it with the next shift. Then around 2 pm it turned up at 25th/Trenton. Nobody was inside but police headed to the scene spotted a suspect who matched the photo. They caught up with him in an alley in the 8600 block of Delridge Way SW. He tried to run but was taken into custody, the report says, via a “Type II Use of Force” (here are examples). Police say the suspect assaulted an officer in the struggle. He eventually was booked for investigation of possession of a stolen vehicle and third-degree assault.
GROCERY-STORE ASSAULT: This happened last Thursday but the victim decided after a few days to send us her story so others could watch out:
On 8/11 morning at 9:55 am, I was walking out the doors of Morgan Street Thriftway, when a woman (white, 40s, approx 5’4”, brown hair [bangs and pulled back into a low bun], wearing a black Stussy long-sleeve tee with a eight ball, black running shoes with a yellow marking) started yelling at me, calling me the B word claiming I was the wife of a Arabic/African man (a very long name she kept repeating. Unfortunately, I was shaken and just trying to get away that I cannot remember it). She kept following me and yelling. I started to run. She ran after me and shoved me from behind with both hands. Luckily I wasn’t hurt. If this had been someone older, they could have ended up on the ground – she was small, but used force, clearly intending to push me down.
She says she reported this both to the store and to police; the store caught the incident on video and told her they recognized the woman as a former employee, so they provided a name that the victim gave to police. The victim says the officer later told her there had been another incident reported with the same person. The incident number in her case is 22-211362.
STOLEN TRAILER: The photo and report are from Diane:
On 8/11/22, our Tilt Trailer was stolen from our jobsite at 7745 Holden Place SW, Plate #09574AH. A police report has been filed, case #22-211269. Please report [to police] if seen: 206-733-9800.
WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: The trailer’s been found, in the 5600 block of 23rd SW.
SUSPECTED CAR THIEF CHARGED: Here’s one of the most recent West Seattle cases in which the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed charges. 37-year-old Jesus R. Perez-Flores is charged with one count of possession of a stolen vehicle. The charging documents say police stopped him June 21st on Airport Way in a Ford Ranger stolen from a Puget Ridge woman almost two weeks earlier. The vehicle caught their attention because it had no plates. Perez-Flores has no criminal record but even before this charge was filed, he’s been in jail since August 3rd in connection with another stolen-car case.
(WSB photo, Monday)
On the day after that massive water-main break at 24th/Kenyon cut water service to thousands and flooded half a dozen apartments (WSB coverage here), we asked Seattle Public Utilities some followup questions. This evening, we received the answers from SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register. So here’s what we’ve learned:
What caused the break? SPU says they don’t know yet. We mentioned that a construction project’s been under way in the area – the Natural Drainage Systems-related work reported here in June – but Register says that crew was working half a block away when the main ruptured.
How old is the main, and why did the break result in such a geyser, when many breaks don’t? Register says SPU records show the main was installed in 1925 and re-lined with cement-mortar lining in 1983 “to extend its life against internal pipe corrosion.” The average age of SPU pipes, she says, is about 70 years. As for why the water erupted with such force: “The water main that broke is a 24-inch diameter pipe, which has a much greater carrying capacity than our typical 8-inch or 12-inch diameter pipes. Additionally, the pipe is under more pressure than many other pipes in the water system. The added pressure in the pipe has to do with the area of the city the pipe serves and the pipe’s elevation relative to the area served. The pipe serves water at around 130 pounds per square inch, compared to more typical pressures in many water pipes of under 80 pounds per square inch.”
Any recent leaks reported (as a commenter had suggested)? “Since 1983, there have been a handful of small (called pinhole) leaks, consistent with a pipe of that age, but no major leaks have been reported. Construction inspectors on the site reported no leaks observed during the construction project.”
How much water was lost before it was shut off? SPU estimates about two million gallons.
(WSB photo, this morning)
What happens now? “SPU has been on site to determine when and how to best replace the section of pipe. SPU temporarily has taken the water main off-line, which does not impact customers’ service. Only a handful of residential customers were connected to the main and crews have been able to provide temporary service to these customers.” To be specific, she says, four houses were connected directly to this main and those were the last to get their service back, restored today.
Repair logistics? “With an active construction site just feet away, close coordination is needed for the complicated work. It may be several weeks before crews are able to replace the broken section of pipe. We are still assessing the pipe and developing a plan to fix it, but crews will have to replace at least a ten-foot section of pipe.” The repairs are expected to be complicated because “the break is extensive and horizontal, which often requires crews to cut out a section of pipe and replace.”
What’s being done for the people whose apartments were flooded? “SPU staff are reaching out to the handful of customers who were displaced yesterday when the water main broke, working with them on the claims process.”
Two weeks after the primary election, King County certified the final results this afternoon. No changes in the way these six races turned out, but for the record, here are the final percentages (rounded) for the top two in each race – click the race titles to see the full results:
34TH DISTRICT STATE HOUSE REP. POSITION 1 (no incumbent)
Emily Alvarado (D) – 54%
Leah Griffin (D) – 31%
34TH DISTRICT STATE HOUSE REP. POSITION 2
Joe Fitzgibbon* (D) – 84%
Andrew Pilloud (R) – 16%
34TH DISTRICT STATE SENATOR
Joe Nguyen* (D) – 83%
John Potter (R) – 10%
DISTRICT 7 U.S. HOUSE REP.
Pramila Jayapal* (D) – 85%
Cliff Moon (R) – 8%
U.S. SENATOR (statewide)
Patty Murray* (D) – 52%
Tiffany Smiley (R) – 34%
WASHINGTON SECRETARY OF STATE (statewide; no incumbent)
Steve Hobbs (D) – 40%
Julie Anderson (NP) – 13%
Turnout in our area’s legislative district – the closest gauge of West Seattle turnout (the district also includes some surrounding areas such as Vashon/Maury Islands and White Center – was 41 percent. Countywide, it was 39 percent. (Here’s the KC Elections overview.) The races above are just part of what you’ll find on the November 8th ballot – here’s an unofficial preview of ballot measures (both the city and county have proposals on election changes); candidate lineups are yet to come.
Since this brief mention last night, we’ve been waiting all day for Seattle Police to reply to our request for additional information in last night’s reported sexual assault near 26th/Juneau. Here’s the entirety of what they just released via SPD Blotter:
SPD detectives are investigating after a woman reported she was sexually assaulted Monday evening in West Seattle.
Around 6:15 p.m., officers responded to the Delridge neighborhood for a report of an injured woman.
Officers and a K9 team searched the area for the suspect but were unable to find him. Medics transported the victim to the hospital for treatment.
Police obtained information about a person of interest in the case, a man who was seen in the area wearing a black Air Jordan hooded sweatshirt, a yellow medical mask, black athletic shorts, and slide sandals.
Sexual Assault Unit detectives continue to investigate.
If you have information for detectives, the Sexual Assault Unit is at 206-684-5575.
(WSB file photo)
As noted here last weekend, this is the final week of operations this year for three of our area’s city-run wading pools – South Park closes after tomorrow, Delridge after Friday, E.C. Hughes after Sunday. Lincoln Park will be open through Labor Day. That was supposed to be the last day for Highland Park Spraypark – but in an aquatics update today, Seattle Parks announced two extra weeks for West Seattle’s only spraypark, which will now be open through Sunday, September 18th. (Never been? It’s at 1100 SW Cloverdale.) The announcement also says, “Next summer, Seattle Parks and Recreation hopes to resume summer aquatics at our pre-pandemic schedules” and says they’re hiring for indoor-pool jobs – go here to find out more.
>small>(Before this morning’s short-lived fog, sunrise colors – photographed by Stewart L.)
By this time tomorrow, we’ll be under another Heat Advisory alert, decreed by the National Weather Service with two days of 90s expected instead of one. The alert is for noon Wednesday through midnight Thursday night. If we really do see two days in the 90s, that’ll tie the record for 12 90-or-more-degree highs in a year (set in 2015),
Because of the forecast, the Seattle Public Library is already planning to open the two A/C-lacking local branches – West Seattle (Admiral) and Southwest – early on Wednesday and Thursday, at 10 am. (Early closure is likely but not yet announced – watch this page.) Anybody else with planned changes (businesses, etc.), please let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Photo by Mike Burns, as this morning’s fog receded)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BLOCK DROP DIY CLEANUP: Equipment is available until 6 pm today for your neighborhood cleanup – today’s Block Drop location is Holy Rosary School (42nd SW north of SW Genesee).
DONATE FOOD: Admiral Church‘s summer food drive is accepting donations again today, 11 am-1 pm (4320 SW Hill)
WADING POOLS & SPRAYPARK OPEN: Though it’s been cloudy this morning, warm sunshine is expected this afternoon, so the city is opening its wadding pools. EC Hughes (2805 SW Holden) and Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW); both will be open noon-7 pm. Also, Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open 11 am-8 pm.
COLMAN POOL: The outdoor pool at Lincoln Park will be open to the public today as its 7-days-a-week schedule continues, noon-7 pm.
(Photo by Stewart L.)
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Hybrid meeting (online and in-person at City Hall) at 2 pm; here’s the agenda, which explains how to comment. Watch live here.
ADOPT-A-STREET WALK: Meet at 3 pm at 53rd/Admiral to help clean up!
ROCK CLIMBING AT CAMP LONG: 4:30-7:30 pm at Camp Long (5200 35th SW),
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Longstanding weekly 4:30-6 pm sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
STORYTIME IN THE GARDEN: Bring your kid(s) for a story followed by a garden activity, at the Delridge P-Patch, 6 pm (5078 25th SW).
strong>SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you are invited to come play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Meeples Games (3727 California SW) welcomes families 6-8 pm to this weekly hosted game-playing night.
CAMP SECOND CHANCE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: The CAC reconvenes after a leadership change. This is your opportunity to get updates on, make comments on, and/or ask questions about West Seattle’s only city-sanctioned tiny-house encampment. 6 pm online – here’s the link.
TRIVIA X 3: Three of the venues where you can play tonight – 7 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), 7:30 and 8:30 pm at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).
BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with Cookie Couture at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm. Free, all ages!
See more on our calendar – and if you have something to add for the future, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
If you’re looking for work, new local jobs can be found in our West Seattle Jobs Offered section (local businesses can post there for free). Prospective employers are having job fairs, too – and tomorrow, you’re invited to one at Daystar Retirement Village (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor). The job fair 10 am-2 pm Wednesday (August 17th) is your opportunity to find out about full-time jobs with what Daystar describes as “great benefits.” You can also call to inquire – 206-937-6122.
9:32 AM: 5-car crash on West Marginal at Holden (by the transfer station) is reported to be blocking most of Marginal. One person reported injured,
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6:04 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, August 16th.
WEATHER
Sunny and warm again today, with a high around 80 (Monday’s high was 84). 90-degree heat could arrive as soon as Wednesday.
FERRIES, BUSES, WATER TAXI
Ferries: WSF remains on the 2-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
Metro buses are on their regular weekday schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule.
ROAD WORK
Watch for spot repaving work on California SW north of Admiral Way.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
877th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. 33 days until the day SDOT expects to reopen it, September 18th.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use until the high bridge reopens; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
1st Avenue South Bridge:
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
All city traffic cams can be seen here, many with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
(WSB photo, West Seattle Bridge work platform, late July)
When SDOT announced last week that the West Seattle Bridge is expected to reopen Sunday, September 18th, WSB commenters had some follow-up questions. Among them: Will there be a weight restriction on the bridge? We asked, and today we got the answer: No. SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson says, “We are not planning any weight restrictions for vehicles on the bridge. Vehicles would still need to follow the statewide laws governing maximum weight limits to drive on public roads.” (Find those here.) There are weight-limit signs on the bridge now, as we noticed when visiting last Tuesday, but Bergerson explains that they “were placed for construction crews before the post-tensioning work was completed. Now that that work is done, the bridge is much stronger and those signs will be removed by the time the bridge opens.” He also reiterated the plan – noted again in our report last week – for load testing before the bridge reopens, “in which we will drive heavy equipment over the bridge to simulate traffic and let engineers monitor the structure’s response in real-time and confirm that the repairs are working as expected.” If the closure ends on September 18th as currently planned, that’ll be just five days short of 2 1/2 years since its sudden closure on March 23, 2020.
7:10 PM: We don’t have full details on this but several people have asked about it so we’re making note of what we do know – police have been searching near 26th/Juneau for what was reported as a suspect in a sexual assault. No info yet on circumstances nor even victim description but police have been using at least one K-9 team to search (that’s why you’ve heard short siren bursts – those are part of the warning that a search dog is out). We’ll add anything more we find out.
7:55 PM: SPD spokesperson Valerie Carson says the only information they’re releasing tonight is that they searched the area but so far have not arrested anyone.
TUESDAY NOTE: Still awaiting information from SPD; hoping to have a followup whenever we get it.
4:18 PM: We’ve just heard from several people in Gatewood and Sunrise Heights who are suddenly without water. Nothing’s on the Seattle Public Utilities outage map so far. We’re checking with SPU; in the meantime, here’s the number to call if it’s happened to you – 206-386-1800 (although we’re being told people are having trouble getting through).
(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand unless otherwise credited)
4:34 PM: Highland Park is affected too. Our crew has just confirmed there’s a broken line at 24th/Kenyon – and describes the water going up from it as a “geyser.” Photo added.
4:40 PM: Another angle:
(Video added:)
There’s also word of some nearby apartments being flooded. This is the same area where “natural drainage system” work has been under way, as reported here in June.
4:55 PM: Yet another view added above. We’re waiting to hear from SPU on how long it’s expected to take to get water service back. So far this is believed to be a 24″-wide water main.
5:06 PM: From SPU spokesperson Sabrina Register: “Crews are on the scene to shut down water at the site of the break (SW Kenyon and 24th Ave SW) with the goal of restoring service to customers who are temporarily without water, but I don’t yet have a estimate of when service will be restored.”
5:31 PM: Per commenters, at least some water is back, and the geyser’s been shut off. (added) Here’s a texted photo – thank you!
6:08 PM: We’ve just confirmed at the scene that what’s ruptured is indeed a 24″ line:
No word yet on exactly how this happened. The outage is now shown on the SPU map but the information is incomplete – it doesn’t show the full area affected, and it attributes the problem to “planned outage,” with a restoration estimate of 10 pm (though as you know if you’ve been with us for power-outage coverage, those estimates seldom bear any resemblance to what eventually happens – sometimes much earlier, sometimes much later).
6:41 PM: No further updates from SPU so far. Some commenters are reporting that they have water but it’s brown – disruptions of even much smaller size tend to cause that, stirring up “sediment” (mostly rust) in the lines. Here’s some SPU advice on how to handle that.
7:30 PM: As noted by SFD, residents of at least six apartments were forced out by flooding. This video by Ben Rupp of MKH.MFG shows how the water battered the apartments like waves in a winter storm:
Also received: This photo from a texter showing how Longfellow Creek’s water level rose because of all the spewed water:
8:32 PM: Update from SPU:
SPU has restored service to most if not all of the customers in West Seattle who were without water late Monday afternoon. A 24-inch water main break at SW Kenyon and 24th Ave SW caused hundreds of customers to temporarily lose service.
If customers experience temporary water discoloration as their service is restored, we recommend they wait until it clears before drinking it. They can run the cold water for a few minutes to see if it clears. More tips can be found on our website.
SPU is working on a plan to repair the 24-inch water main. We don’t know what caused the break but are looking into it.
9:13 PM: Revised estimate from SPU: They now believe about 2,000 customers (homes/businesses/etc.) were without water during the peak of the outage.
(WSB photo, July 27)
Tomorrow morning’s City Council Transportation and Public Utilities Committee meeting begins with the formal introduction of Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s nominee for SDOT director, Greg Spotts. We covered the announcement three weeks ago. This is only the first discussion, with other meetings/hearings leading up to an expected confirmation vote in early September, around the time he is expected to start the job. The packet attached to the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting includes more information about Spotts, who’s been working in the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Services. His resume says he’s been in that department for almost 10 years, after three years in the L.A. Mayor’s Office, two years with the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, and 17 years as founder and president of what his resumé describes as an “entertainment company managing the careers of record producers and engineers.” In his past 10 years at the city, his projects are listed as:
• Founding member of citywide Vision Zero Executive Steering Committee. Launched pedestrian refuge island program constructing 10-20 islands per year
• Launched Great Streets, Biodiversity Medians + Streets Along Park Edges programs
• Launched bikeway inspection, cleaning, maintenance and repaving program
• Launched Street Tree Inventory project including public-facing online tree map
• Launched Cool Pavement initiative + obtained $30M Cooling and Mobility Grant
• Tech & Innovation:
o Purchased agency’s first Plug-In Vehicles including an all-electric sweeper for zero-carbon sweeping of downtown’s protected bike lanes. Led agency’s deployment of GPS vehicle locators and GIS mapping of sweeping routes.
o Optimized completion times for pothole repairs and tree emergencies by deploying tablets to crews and supervisors. Member of winning team for 2015 GovTech.com “Outstanding IT Project” award (for MyLA311 launch)
The packet notes that his starting salary will be $252,000. Tomorrow’s meeting is at 9:30 am; the agenda explains how to attend/comment, online or in-person.
Thanks for the tips! The renowned breakfast/lunch/brunch restaurant mini-chain Portage Bay Café is expanding to West Seattle. In the past few days, we’ve heard from multiple readers who were dining at one of their existing locations (Ballard, South Lake Union, on Roosevelt, on 65th) and saw printed evidence (one example above) of the plan to come here. However, nothing indicated where in West Seattle they’d be opening. So this morning we reached Portage Bay Café president/co-founder John Gunnar by phone. He confirmed the West Seattle plan and said they’re not ready to announce the location – though he had a hint: The Junction area. They could go public with the location in a week or so, and if all goes well, they could be open in October. Gunnar said customers have long been suggesting they expand to West Seattle, and with the bridge expected to reopen soon, the time is right. If you haven’t been to Portage Bay Café, here’s the current menu. Their motto is “Eat like you give a damn” and they opened their first location (Roosevelt) 25 years ago.
One more gunfire incident to report from last night – this time from the SPD report summaries: Around 11:30 pm in the 7500 block of 35th SW, 911 callers reported “hearing 4 shots and a vehicle speeding away,” according to the summary. Police found a driver who told them he was heading southbound on 35th SW when a black Mercedes came up to pass them in the turn lane, and shot at them while doing so. No injuries but, the report says, the “victim’s vehicle was struck one time, incapacitating the vehicle.” Officers found evidence of gunfire and also a Metro bus driver who saw what happened; investigators were checking to see if the bus camera(s) recorded anything related.
(Cooper’s Hawk, photographed in Arbor Heights by Mark)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:
BLOCK DROP: Today’s Block Drop spot to pick up and return equipment for a DIY community cleanup is the north play area at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), until 6 pm.
WADING POOLS: Three local city-run wading pools will open today, EC Hughes at 2805 SW Holden noon-7 pm; same hours for South Park at 8319 8th Ave. S. And Lincoln Park at 8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, noon-7 too. (The Highland Park spraypark continues its daily schedule, 11 am-8 pm, 1100 SW Cloverdale.)
COLMAN POOL: Colman Pool on the Lincoln Park shore is also open noon-7 pm.
(added) COMMUNITY SUP PADDLE: 6-8 pm with Alki Kayak Tours (1660 Harbor SW) – details here.
CRAFTING AND CREATIVITY NIGHT: 6-10 pm at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), explained in our calendar listing.
CHIEF SEALTH ALL-SPORTS OPEN HOUSE: All incoming Chief Sealth International High School students interested in playing one or more sports this school year are invited to an open house tonight at the school’s galleria, 6:30-7:30 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)
COMEDY: Get your laughs tonight at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way), 7 pm, with Susan Rich headlining. Past comedy shows at OOTR have sold out – so hurry to see if tickets remain. Link’s in our calendar listing.
MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation event at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm.
PLAY PINBALL, FREE! The Admiral Pub‘s 16 pinball machines are open for free play 7-10 pm Mondays. (2306 California SW)
PLAY TRIVIA! Three scheduled options tonight for trivia players – 7 pm at Best of Hands (35th/Webster), 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Have something to add to our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
A little over three weeks till the new school year, and some are looking ahead to starting school for the very first time. One mom is hoping to start connecting with other families in advance, and asked us to help get the word out:
Hi neighbors! We have a soon-to-be kindergartener at West Seattle Elementary School and would love to meet some more students and make connections before the school year starts. To start us off, I’d like to invite families with soon-to-be kindergarteners at West Seattle Elementary School to come play with us at Walt Hundley Playground on Sunday, August 21st from 10 am-12 pm. If you can’t make this time but are interested in getting together at a different time, please contact me. lisaharper918@gmail.com
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, August 15th.
WEATHER
Sunny and warm again today, with a high around 80 (Sunday’s high was 82).
FERRIES, BUSES, WATER TAXI
Ferries: WSF remains on the 2-boat schedule for Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth. Check here for alerts/updates.
Metro buses are on their regular weekday schedules; watch @kcmetroalerts for word of reroutes/trip cancellations.
The West Seattle Water Taxi is on its regular schedule.
ROAD WORK
Spot repaving on California SW north of Admiral Way could start this week.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
876th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. 34 days until the day SDOT expects to reopen it, September 18th.
Low Bridge: Automated enforcement cameras remain in use until the high bridge reopens; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
1st Avenue South Bridge:
South Park Bridge (camera’s back!):
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way (camera’s back!):
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable city bridges opening for vessels? Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed; 1st Ave. S. Bridge openings are tweeted by @wsdot_traffic.
All city traffic cams can be seen here, many with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are also on this WSB page
Trouble on the roads/paths/water? Please text or call us (when you can do so safely) – 206-293-6302.
(Added: SFD photo)
2:17 AM: Seattle Fire is at the scene of another “full response” – this time a house fire in the 4000 block of 35th SW [vicinity map]. Updates to come.
2:20 AM: Firefighters told dispatch this apparently started as an electrical fire and they think they have it pretty close to handled.
2:25 AM: Or not. They’re telling dispatch that the fire has spread to the attic.
2:32 AM: They’ve declared the fire to be under control.
2:39 AM: No injuries reported so far.
2:57 AM: The Red Cross, which assists fire/disaster victims on request, is being summoned. Meantime, several of the support and medical units sent to the fire are being dismissed.
3:11 AM: Firefighters are still working toward fully extinguishing the fire.
3:31 AM: From the original 20 units at the scene, they’re down to five – two engines, one ladder truck, a battalion chief, and investigator.
ADDED TUESDAY NIGHT: Finally got the cause from SFD: “Ruled as ‘accidental,’ caused by a charcoal grill on the deck that had been in use earlier that evening. Total estimated loss is $195,000.”
The weekend’s ending, so it’s time for our regular Sunday night check of local COVID numbers from the Public Health – Seattle/King County dashboard:
*15 percent fewer cases countywide in the past week than the week before
*Currently averaging 542 new daily cases countywide (down from 631 when we checked a week ago)
*4 percent fewer hospitalizations countywide in the past week thab the week before
*Currently averaging 16 new hospitalizations daily (up from 14 a week ago)
*8 percent more deaths countywide in the past two weeks than the two previous weeks (the dashboard doesn’t offer a one-week increment)
*Currently averaging 3 deaths daily (up from last week’s two-week average, 2)
For West Seattle, we have two-week comparisons (these are the combined totals from two “health reporting areas,” labeled West Seattle and Delridge, together comprising the entire peninsula):
*479 cases between 7/25 and 8/8, down from 614 between 7/10 and 7/24
*11 hospitalizations between 7/25 and 8/8, down from 14 between 7/10 and 7/24
*5 deaths between 7/25 and 8/8, up from 2 between 7/10 and 7/24
VACCINATION: Checking vaccination rates:
*82.1 percent of all King County residents have completed the initial series (up .1% from a week ago)
*86.7 percent of all King County residents ages 5 and up have completed the initial series (up .1% from a week ago)
*52 percent of all King County residents have had the initial series plus a booster (up .1% from a week ago)
*In West Seattle, here are the vaccination rates by ZIP code for ages 5 and up (reminder, 98106 and 98146 are not wholly within WS):
98106 – 89% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 56.2% have had a booster (up .2%)
98116 – 93.8% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 68.3% have had a booster (up .1%)
98126 – 84.6% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 58.2% have had a booster (up .1%)
98136 – 94.6% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 71.5% have had a booster (up .2%)
98146 – 83.8% completed initial series (up .1% from a week earlier), 50.4% have had a booster (up .1%)
GETTING VACCINATED: A vaccination pop-up is scheduled for August 31st at Delridge Library, all ages … Look for other options here.
TESTING: If you want to get tested and don’t have – or want to get – a home kit, West Seattle still has two public testing sites: The city-supported site at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle, 9 am-5:30 pm Monday-Saturday this week) and the Curative kiosk at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1220 Harbor SW, 9 am-3 pm Monday-Friday this week). … To report self-test results, this page explains how.
10:58 PM: Seattle Fire has just upgraded a response to the 9400 block of Delridge Way SW – it’s now a “full response.” Original dispatch was a report of people possibly setting “rubbish on fire next to a building.” Updates to come.
11 PM: They’ve just downsized the response, after arriving units discovered what they told dispatch was a “tapped rubbish fire.”
8:09 PM: Seattle Fire and Police are responding to a reported shooting at Hamilton Viewpoint Park. Dispatch says a man in his 30s was shot in the shoulder (at) the outlook.”
8:14 PM: Police are reported to be looking for two vehicles. No descriptions yet.
(WSB photos)
8:17 PM: Officers have told dispatch the shooter was on the right passenger side in an “older” silver Honda, armed with a “long gun.” It and an “associated vehicle,” described as “similar type” but black, were believed to have been last seen headed downhill toward Harbor Avenue.
8:37 PM: Added a photo above. Our crew says police have been examining the vehicle in the foreground but we don’t know yet if it’s related at all to the victim (as noted earlier the suspect vehicle[s]’s long gone).
8:44 PM: Police at the scene are not commenting. Meantime, we’re checking with SFD regarding the victim’s condition when transported to the hospital.
9:18 PM: SFD tells us the victim – now described as “approximately 29” – was in stable condition when taken to Harborview. (Archived audio adds the extra detail that he was shot in the left shoulder with a shotgun.)
9:31 PM: One additional detail from SPD spokesperson Det. Valerie Carson – “Sounds like the victim and the suspects had a confrontation/altercation before the shooting.”
11:07 PM: From the SPD Blotter post about this shooting and another (apparently unrelated) shooting elsewhere in the city tonight:
According to the victim and witnesses, a group of several men approached the victim in a car and confronted him. Then, as the suspects left in their car, one of them fired out the window at the victim. Police recovered 12-gauge shotgun shell casings at the scene.
(Photo sent Saturday by David White)
We might see 90-degree weather again this week. No alerts yet but the newest National Weather Service forecast suggests the high on Thursday could reach the lower 90s. Every other day this week has 80s as a possibility. “Normal” high right now would be upper 70s. The NWS says record number of 90+-degree days in a year is 12, set in 2015; if Thursday does get to 90 or higher, that would be the 11th this year.
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