West Seattle, Washington
04 Saturday
Four West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports in this roundup – including one case of suspicious activity that wasn’t what it seemed to be. First, two burglaries (plus where police reports say others have happened) and a car prowl:
HIGHLAND PARK BURGLARY: From Cam:
7700 block of 17th Ave SW. Wednesday, Dec. 9, i came home to find back door ajar and the power turned off. the house was ransacked and discovered a number of apple electronic items and camera equipment missing. keep your eyes peeled and report any clues.
GATEWOOD BURGLARY: Vanessa says this is the getaway car used by burglars who hit a home near 39th SW & SW Kenyon in Gatewood on Sunday afternoon.
She says the red SUV was parked in her neighbors’ driveway and that a man ran from the side of the house “with the TV in hand.” Police were called and arrived quickly; a door and window were damaged, she says.
OTHER BURGLARY REPORTS: Though we’ve only found one since Monday on the SPD Police Reports map – – early Wednesday morning, a nonresidential break-in in the 4400 block of Fauntleroy – Tweets by Beat, collected on our Crime Watch page, reveal 11 others reported since Sunday (no details available in SPD’s online records, just times/locations, which is why reader reports are so helpful – editor@wsb.blackfin.biz):
-Tonight, 7300 block 16th SW
-Tonight, 4800 block 21st SW
-This morning, 39th SW/SW Elmgrove
-Wednesday night, 7700 block 17th SW
-Wednesday night, 3000 block 52nd SW
-Early Wednesday, 37th SW/SW Oregon (commercial)
-Early Tuesday, 2500 block SW Trenton (commercial)
-Monday night, 4700 block 41st SW
-Monday night, 1700 block California SW
-Monday afternoon, 8500 block 14th SW
-Early Monday, 7200 block Detroit SW
CAR PROWL: From Kristiana:
Our car was rifled through last night at Spokane and 48th SW. Nothing of value to steal and no damage, but stuff was strewn on the seats and a door was left cracked open.
Yes, it’s been reported to police – even if nothing (or “nothing of value”) is taken, it’s important to file a report, and you can even do that online.
WHAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS MIGHT NOT ALWAYS BE: From a reader:
A package was delivered to our front door just after dark, and I wasn’t able to get to the door for a couple of minutes. When I went outside to retrieve the package, a young couple was walking down the sidewalk, shined a flashlight down the front walkway to my house, got into a Budget rental truck parked nearby and drove away relatively rapidly without saying anything.
Having received a recent SPD SW Precinct report concerning car prowls and package theft, which stated “Thieves will often follow or watch for FedEx, UPS, US Mail and other delivery trucks and then target a home after a delivery is made,” I was suspicious so I stood there watching what they were doing.
I started to call the SW Precinct’s non-emergency line (feeling like I was maybe be overly cautious) and then saw the same Budget truck drive by under a streetlight on the next block behind our home and heard them stop. So I called 911, thinking this was now too suspicious to not report immediately. The 911 operator took all of the information and said an officer would be sent to the area. I opted to not have an officer follow up, however, I had a call back from an officer within about 15 minutes.
They had stopped the truck, and it was a Budget rental truck being used by UPS as they had run out of vehicles for delivery. The officer verified their info and left a message for me per this.
It was such a relief to know how this ended, but it was also a good wakeup call on being careful with deliveries and reporting suspicious activity if something doesn’t seem right.
I’m also extremely impressed and very thankful with how quickly the SW Precinct followed up on this and reported back. Kudos to them!
ADDED: After reading this, @SudsyMaggie shared this photo of a UPS-deployed Budget truck she’d seen recently:
@westseattleblog Spotted a UPS-rented budget truck on First Hill this week. Took a picture it was so unusual! pic.twitter.com/kCAJjlSp8K
— SudsyMaggie (@SudsyMaggie) December 11, 2015
You’ll be able to find out this Saturday (December 12th) at Southgate Roller Rink in White Center, when Southside Revolution Junior Coed Roller Derby hosts a “Star Wars“-themed bout just days before Episode 7 premieres. Doors open at 5:30 pm; tickets at the door will be $10 adult, $5 ages 6-12, kids 5 and under free. From the announcement:
Bout one is Southside Revolution’s Cadets battling it out with the Kitsap Derby Brats Rawkettes. The second bout will find the Southside Revolution’s Rebels facing off with the Kitsap Derby Brat’s Bomb Squad.
The game of roller derby is played on quad roller skates with “jammers” scoring points by passing the opposing team’s “blockers.”
Come in costume for a chance to win two opening day tickets to the movie “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
Southgate is at 9646 17th SW.
7 PM: In our Instagram video, those are The Silver Belles, with Christmas-carol parodies – making the rounds in The Junction during tonight’s holiday edition of the West Seattle Art Walk. You have two more hours to get out to Art Walk venues – here’s the map:
(Click image to see larger version of the map/venue list)
Our first stop was Wallflower Custom Framing (WSB sponsor), where it’s the seventh annual Puny Picture Show:
Wallflower is across from Jefferson Square, on the lower level of Mural, at 4735 42nd SW.
(added) Among the artists – photographer Michelle Smith Lewis:
If you don’t get there tonight – as is the case with many Art Walk displays – you can check out the art later in the month; many come with puny prices, too, lots of double-digits, so they would make great gifts.
More to come!
7:15 PM: Open for Shop Late Thursday and the Art Walk tonight, VAIN (WSB sponsor) at 4513 California SW – which is a shop as well as a salon, if you aren’t already aware! Sandra Farmer is here for the opening of her ceramics show “Polarity“:
The 4500 block of California SW is an epicenter of Art Walk creativity, on both sides of the street. It’s also where you’ll find local authors tonight at Merryweather Books (4537 California SW):
In our photo is Alice Ann Kuder, holding her book “Since I Last Saw You,” which she describes as “a novel which conveys an inspirational message within a heartwarming story about love, loss, and gratitude.” And steps away at CAPERS, we found Chief Sealth International High School teacher Heather and daughter Sparrow helping with sales of the student-program-benefiting West Seattle Wildlife Calendar:
The calendar features wildlife photos by retired Sealth teacher Mark Wangerin – whose beautiful bird photos are often seen here on WSB.
7:37 PM: More music on tonight’s Art Walk – Red Jacket Mine Duo just started their set moments ago at Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor):
Thunder Road is at 4736 California SW and just celebrated its fourth anniversary. We’re off next to see artist Mark O’Malley at Basin Pacific Insurance (4210 SW Oregon, in the building immediately east of Shadowland), who sent us a handwritten invite to come check out his art depicting West Seattle scenes.
8:22 PM: That’s Mark, above, with some of his work, painted on old jigsaw puzzles – which you wouldn’t know unless you turned them over. His show will be up at Basin Pacific past tonight, and many of his pieces are for sale, including whimsical depictions of many local businesses – all with one extra touch (hint: meow). He doesn’t have a website but you can reach him via e-mail at markostudio@aol.com.
Meanwhile, photographer Mark Wangerin had arrived at CAPERS when we peeked in again on our way back south along California:
Follow the calendar link above if you missed this but want a copy for a holiday gift, or your own wall … it’s a limited run, so don’t wait too long.
We then made one last stop, Twilight Gallery and Boutique (immediately west of Easy Street Records), where the artists included Su Laing, with work fusing comic-book heroes to religious icons/stories:
Twilight’s ongoing displays and collections also include jewelry, wallets, and wearables, among other items. Always so much to see on the Art Walk – every month, second Thursday, 6-9 pm, and many of the venues keep the work up through the month.
In case you’ve been in an office all day – yes, it’s been stormy! Even some mid-afternoon thunder. And, with some blasts of ferocious wind, more tree trouble:
@westseattleblog My Madrona Tree vs My House (Fauntleroy & Graham) Ugh. pic.twitter.com/FMoqPL8nQ1
— Lara G (@LaraG123) December 11, 2015
Lara adds that she’s found it almost impossible to book a tree-removal service. (Any tips?)
Linda says she came home to find a car on her street in Morgan Junction with apparent tree-branch damage, and sent these photos:
Meantime, we went to the shore to see what would happen around late-afternoon high tide, what with the “coastal flood advisory.” South of Alki Point, wind-fueled waves brought salt water up over the seawall again:
Another advisory is in effect for early tomorrow morning; 5:37 am brings an 11.6-foot high tide in this area.
West Seattle’s newest paid-parking lot is also the first one, so far as we can tell, that’s not in one of the Junctions. Thanks to WSB commenter WSince86 for the tip about the change for the lot behind Spiro’s Pizza at 3401 California SW. We asked Spiro’s for comment; their reply only confirmed that the lot is free to Spiro’s patrons during the hours the restaurant is open. You’ll find that in the fine print on the sign, but the rest of the time, it’s pay to park, and payments must be made by phone – no pay station, no money box. This neighborhood, like other parts of the West Seattle core, is densifying; the lot and restaurant are in the area that was part of the 2007-initiated rezone that among other things facilitated the development of Springline, the block-long apartment building now under construction to the north in the 3200 block of California SW.
Pier 1 Imports confirms to WSB that it’s closing its Westwood Village store, its last one within Seattle city limits. We inquired after two reader tips, including one pointing out a listing seeking a new tenant for the Westwood space. Here’s what company spokesperson Melissa Simon told us:
Pier 1 Imports will close our West Seattle location in late February 2016. Pier 1 Imports continually reviews new and existing store locations to make sure we’re operating as efficiently as possible. Where necessary, based on that review, we make the strategic business decision to close certain locations on a case-by-case basis. We care about our shoppers in Seattle and have enjoyed serving them over the years. We look forward serving them at our other area locations in East Bellevue and Tukwila on Southcenter Parkway.
The Texas-based company had said earlier this year that it would close about 100 stores, leaving it with around 1,000, but did not release a closure list at the time.
1:07 PM: Thanks to the texter who just sent word of wires down on the road at Lincoln Park Way and 47th SW (map), as almost-continuous storm bursts blow through. They called 911 and as verified on the online log, Seattle Fire is on the way.
1:21 PM: Handled quickly – by the time we got there to look, SFD was leaving and the road was clear.
The forecast suggests the weather will calm down by nightfall – as it did yesterday – so keep that in mind as we preview what’s coming up for the rest of the day and tonight. First, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, it’s the WS Art Walk, holiday edition!
(Click image to see larger version of the map/venue list)
HOLIDAY ART WALK HIGHLIGHTS: Preview artists and venues at wsartwalk.com. 6-9 pm, all over West Seattle. Here are some of the highlights:
CERAMICS AT VAIN (WSB sponsor) – Opening night for “Polarity” by Sandra Farmer – details here. (4513 California SW)
‘PUNY PICTURE SHOW’ AT WALLFLOWER: Always a favorite, the “Puny Picture Show” returns to Wallflower Custom Framing (WSB sponsor) for a seventh year – biggest one yet! And it’s a benefit, as explained here. (4735 42nd SW)
AUTHORS AT MERRYWEATHER BOOKS: Buy and read books by West Seattle authors – and meet some of them tonight at Merryweather Books during Art Walk! (4537 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE CALENDAR AT CAPERS: You’ve seen many wonderful wildlife photos by Mark Wangerin here on WSB, like this one:
Tonight, the West Seattle Wildlife Calendar featuring his images will be sold by students from Chief Sealth International High School – for whom it’s a fundraiser – at CAPERS, during the Art Walk. And we’re told Mark will be there too! (4525 California SW)
MUSIC AT THUNDER ROAD: Red Jacket Mine Duo plays live at Thunder Road Guitars (WSB sponsor) during tonight’s Art Walk. (4736 California SW)
HOLIDAY SMALL WORKS SHOW AT TWILIGHT: Here’s what you’ll find at Twilight Gallery during tonight’s Art Walk.
‘SANTA AL’ IN THE JUNCTION … Don’t be surprised by Santa sightings during tonight’s Art Walk!
GROWING VISIBILITY OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS: Featured exhibition at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Gallery tonight. (6000 16th SW)
In addition to the Art Walk, tonight’s holiday events include:
‘SHOP LATE THURSDAY’: Late hours (open until 9 pm) at participating Junction stores listed here.
CRAFT FAIR AT LAFAYETTE: Craft Fair and Art Show at Lafayette Elementary, 5:30-7:30 pm. Students and adults selling homemade goods to the community. (California SW & SW Lander)
MIX, MINGLE, & JINGLE: 5:30 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral, it’s the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s annual holiday party – register ASAP. (42nd SW & SW Lander)
And from our regular year-round calendar:
GET FIT, WEST SEATTLE – INFO NIGHT! 6:15 pm at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), you’re invited to find out about the next Get Fit, West Seattle series, free sessions to get you from couch to half-marathon. Details in our listing. (2743 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL INFO NIGHT: For incoming 9th graders and their families – next fall will be here before you know it! Find out everything you need to know, and get your questions answered. Starts at 6:30 pm in the WSHS Theater. (3000 California SW)
EXPLORER WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 6:30-8 pm, families interested in Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) are invited to an open house – details in our listing. (10015 28th SW)
THE DEEP CUTS WITH DJ KINGBLIND: 7 pm at Maharajah Cuisine of India in The Junction – details in our listing. (4542 California SW)
WINE TASTING AND MUSIC: 7 pm on second Thursdays, it’s wine tasting and Brazilian music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – details in our listing. (5612 California SW)
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We thank Skin Care by Casey for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 9:30 AM: We’ve been following up on a situation brought to our attention by a Roxhill Elementary School parent – a water shutoff at the school yesterday. We didn’t hear about it until after school was out for the day, but contacted the district immediately, and they couldn’t find any reports of water problems at the campus while checking around last night. First thing this morning, Seattle Public Schools staff started investigating, and here’s what spokesperson Stacy Howard tells us happened: The city was doing water testing/work in the area, and that led to some water discoloration. Instead of following the usual protocol to put up signs marking the faucets as temporarily off-limits until the city finishes flushing the system, Howard says – a process that would usually just take an hour or two – a staff member turned off the school’s water entirely, and unnecessarily. At one point, apparently, a parent learned of this and went to Target to ask if they would donate bottles of water for the kids. Today, the misunderstanding and the water are both cleared up, the water is back on, and fine, according to Howard. We still have a message out to Roxhill principal Sahnica Washington to ask if there’s anything else parents should know about what happened, and we also are checking with Seattle Public Utilities to see what kind of work was being done.
UPDATE, 9 PM: SPU said it wasn’t doing any work. Principal Washington attributed it to a hydrant replacement nearby in the short letter she was planning to send to families – here’s the copy (PDF) we received from SPS.
(Six WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
6:47 AM: No incidents so far this morning on routes through/from West Seattle.
8:44 AM: Wrapping up what’s been an incident-free commute. Thanks again to everyone who shares the news when something does happen (as long as you can safely text or call – from the passenger seat or when you get to where you’re going) – 206-293-6302 any time.
A day that began in tumult – lightning, thunder, rain, wind – ended peacefully and tunefully, in calm weather, on the Harbor Island shore, as the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship made its first West Seattle stop of the 2015 season, at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsoor). A cozy crowd watched from inside, while other spectators stood on the shore. Here’s some of what they heard from Choir of the Sound, singing on board, amplified for those ashore to enjoy too:
Two more West Seattle stops are ahead for the Christmas Ship, both on Saturday night (December 12th) – Lowman Beach 4:20-4:40, Alki Beach Park 5:10-5:30, with The Dickens Carolers singing; see our WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide for other events happening on Alki before/during the visit. If you want to experience the Christmas Ship from on board, schedule and booking information can be found here.
The Senior Center of West Seattle‘s end-of-year pitch for donations isn’t your everyday end-of-year pitch.
This year, the center is trying to make up for $60,000 it’s not getting from United Way of King County.
That was the West Seattle center’s share of $700,000 that UWKC gave Senior Services last year.
Next year, SS isn’t getting that at all, because UWKC has decided not to fund general-purpose organizations – instead, a spokesperson told us, they’re focusing on a new strategic plan with missions such as helping end homelessness and raise graduation rates.
General funding of services for senior citizens, for example, just doesn’t fit, explained United Way of King County spokesperson Jared Erlandson when we called to ask the reason for the cuts. He said the organization is focusing on spending that can have a direct effect on problems and challenges, rather than spreading the dollars thinly. But Senior Services points out that the elder population is swelling, and, SS spokesperson Karen Bystrom points out, seniors are also a vulnerable population. (SS is not the only organization affected – in all, $1.7 million in funding that goes to 30 organizations is being redirected by UWKC, and they’re not all senior-focused organizations.)
In the meantime, the West Seattle center is trying to raise $25,000 for starters by year’s end. The theme is “keeping the Senior Center thriving.” Center executive director Lyle Evans says WSSC is “responsible for raising 75 percent of the nearly $800,000 annual budget. This loss hits hard since we have counted on this stable income.”
The center is a 501(c)3 organization, so contributions are tax-deductible. Its programs include feeding dozens of local seniors every day in the center’s “Junction Diner.” The center also offers programs that help seniors deal with challenges such as finding affordable housing. And they offer fun, too, from dances to bingo to movies. Right now, they’re just hoping to rustle up the funds to keep all that going.
6:35 PM: A crash response on the eastbound bridge has closed the exit to Highway 99, according to scanner traffic, a reader report, and an SDOT tweet, which adds that the right lane is blocked at that spot too. Metro says Routes 120, 125, and the C Line are routed off the Viaduct as a result.
6:56 PM: Haven’t heard yet if that has reopened – Seattle Fire units have cleared – but now there’s word of a crash on the westbound bridge by the Delridge exit.
7:17 PM: SDOT says the eastbound crash scene is now clear.
7:20 PM: Also just checked out a report that a police car had blocked off 17th SW and SW Henderson. We talked to the parking-enforcement officer who is with that car; utility lines are down in the area and they’re waiting for Seattle City Light to come determine if they’re power lines or some other utility, but they don’t want to run the risk in the meantime that a passing vehicle might snag the lines.
6:33 PM: We don’t know if these two events are related, but just in case one affects you, we’re mentioning them: Kevin asked via Twitter about a lack of water service near 36th/Edmunds, without notice. One reply came in from a 36th SW resident who said their building had been notified the water would be off 6-8 pm tonight “for repairs.” Meantime, we have heard via Twitter from someone near 35th/Charlestown that their water is discolored and Seattle Public Utilities told them it’s an emergency-repair situation.
7:13 PM: Though there was no original tweet about a “water-main break,” SDOT tweeted this a short time ago:
UPDATE: The water main break on 35th Ave SW at SW Avalon Way has been repaired. All lanes are open now.
— seattledot (@seattledot) December 10, 2015
UPDATE, 2:41 PM THURSDAY: Seems the shutoff and the “water-main break” were one and the same. From SPU’s Ingrid Goodwin:
SPU did not have any planned work yesterday near 35th and Avalon. However, there was a water main break yesterday afternoon near 4435 35TH AVE SW. As a result of this break, water was shut off for a couple of hours between about 6 pm and 8 pm to repair the pipe. Customers in the surrounding area experienced some discoloration in their water throughout the evening and night as a result of sediment being stirred up when the water was turned back on. Sometimes when working an emergency repair, our crews are able to verbally tell customers in advance when they will need to turn off the water. If they have time and crew resources to provide customers with a verbal warning that their water will be shut off soon, they will do so and will seek out businesses and multi-family buildings first as a courtesy.
4435 35th SW is the address of Luna, the mixed-use building under construction across from the stadium.
After this morning’s lightning, thunder, wind, and rain (WSB coverage here), you might wonder: What’s next? Answer: Another alert, this time a “coastal flood advisory” for tomorrow, 2 am-6 pm (read it here). As explained by the National Weather Service, “High tides augmented by unusually low atmospheric pressure will likely flood very low-lying areas next to the inland waters. Flooding is expected to be minor and will last only a few hours around the time of high tide.” Here’s what the approaching “unusually low … pressure” looks like:
Stunning Suomi NPP #VIIRS view of the powerful "hurricane force low" approaching the U.S. Pacific Northwest coast. pic.twitter.com/J6GymIf7Ak
— UW-Madison CIMSS (@UWCIMSS) December 10, 2015
As for the times of possible flooding – tomorrow’s high tides in our area (see the chart here) are 11.2 feet at 5:05 am and 10.8 feet at 3:14 pm.
P.S. Since the storm that passed through in the 6 am hour, we’ve received two reader videos recorded as it happened. Molly caught the hail that left an almost-snowy-looking aftermath in some spots:
Al was bicycling to work when the storm hit – distant lightning flashes and not-so-distant hail is part of what his helmet-cam recording captured:
And if you’re missing a rainbarrel – this one went astray near 46th and Hanford, and Chris sent a photo:
Chris has checked with nearby residents already and says it’s not theirs.
Baby boom = business boom for these West Seattle entrepreneurs/health-care providers. From left are Christine Tindal, LM, CPM, MSM, and Taylor Hamil, LM, CPM, MSM, co-proprietors of In Tandem Midwifery, “thrilled” to have just moved into a bigger new location in The Junction. It’s not far from their old one but it’s at streetfront, street level, three times the space, at 4522 44th SW. They’ve just settled in and we were able to catch them for a photo this afternoon. They’re adding something new, too: Childbirth-education classes will be offered at the ITM office soon, with Alise McAllister and Beth Doyle from There’s No Place Like Home Birth Services. “Both were our clients and are great about teaching our families about home and birth-center birth,” Hamil says.
A development note from South Delridge: The second Early Design Guidance meeting for the proposed apartment building at 9021 17th SW now has a date – January 7th. That will be less than three months after the Southwest Design Review Board took its first look at the building on October 15th (WSB coverage here), sending it back for a second round of EDG after saying it seemed too much like a “fortress” . The building is still proposed for four stories and 31 units, according to the city website, which shows that a revised design “packet” for the next meeting is not yet available. The review meeting is set for 6:30 pm January 7th at the Sisson Building (California/Oregon) in The Junction.
Though Christmas is still more than two weeks away, some donation/gift drives have to wrap up early so there’s time to get gifts and other items to the people who will have happier holidays because of your generosity. Among them – the kids who will be helped by the Giving Tree at Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW). The photo is from Tiffani on the center’s staff; as the poster says, they’re collecting unwrapped gifts until this Friday at 6 pm – just two days away – and they’re hoping to have something for all the kids under 17 who will be at the South Park Community Center holiday party on Saturday.
Your chance to be a real-life Santa continues past then, of course – please scroll through the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide for a long list of giving opportunities, including many local businesses where you can drop off a toy or a coat or other items, large and small.
(No, it didn’t snow! Hail/slush on stairs – shared by Gina via the WSB Facebook page)
As post-storm cleanup continues – we look ahead to the rest of the day/night. First, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:
BAZAAR AT ADMIRAL BIRD: 5-8 pm, second and final night of local arts/crafts holiday-gift bazaar at Admiral Bird. (California/Admiral)
GINGERBREAD-HOUSE MAKING: 6 pm at Delridge Community Center – details in our calendar listing. (4501 Delridge Way SW)
CHRISTMAS SHIP AT SALTY’S: The Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship makes its first West Seattle visit of the season, as previewed here a few nights ago. 9:15-9:35 pm, it’ll be serenading Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), with Choir of the Sound on board. (1936 Harbor SW)
And from our year-round West Seattle Event Calendar:
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY BOOKFAIR: 6-7:30 pm at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village, you can support Highland Park Elementary during its Bookfair. Readings and other activities are planned, and a percentage of purchases benefits the school. (2800 SW Barton)
BENEFIT WINE TASTING: 6-7:30 pm at Bin 41, to benefit Cara, a co-worker of co-proprietor Jon, in her fight against a rare cancer. Details in our calendar listing. (4707 California SW)
‘FINDING KIND’: Film screening for Madison Middle School parents as MMS embarks on its “Choose Kind” program, as previewed here. 6:30 pm. (45th SW & SW Spokane)
AWARDS PRESENTATION: 7 pm annual awards are part of the 34th District Democrats‘ annual holiday party at The Hall at Fauntleroy – not a business meeting. (9131 California SW)
ROO FORREST & FRIENDS: 7-9 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), “an eclectic mix of originals and covers.” (5612 California SW)
If you’re planning to, or thinking about, sending an incoming 9th grader to West Seattle High School next year, they would love to see you there tomorrow (Thursday) night – both parents and students. The Information Night will start with staff/student panels at 6:30 pm in the WSHS Theater, continuing with student-led tours at 7:30, and Q&A at 8. Our calendar listing has the specifics.
(SCROLL DOWN for newest weather/traffic/power info)
(Above: 2 live cams; you’ll find more on the WSB Traffic page)
6:17 AM: Lightning and thunder are accompanying the next storm band headed this way – so we’ll be tracking that as well as watching the roads and buses. If you’re headed out on foot/bike, obviously, wait a bit! Wind is roaring through with this, too.
Lightning and crazy rain from @wsferries Hyak @ScottSKOMO @NWSSeattle pic.twitter.com/nBxe4QnskP
— zargoman (@zargoman) December 9, 2015
(Added: Lightning from ferry Hyak, video tweeted by @zargoman)
6:36 AM: The lightning/thunder/wind appears to have moved on, for now. Left some hail behind in spots too – thanks for this texted photo from an Alki alley:
Michelle sent this closeup look:
(added) WSB’s Christopher Boffoli said some of what fell at his house was even nickel-sized:
6:48 AM: The City Light map shows one pocket of power outage, 114 homes/businesses in Westwood (added – also 25 in Fairmount Springs, near Fauntleroy/Raymond). If you have power and/or road trouble, please let us know (once you’ve notified authorities!) – comment here or text/voice to our 24/7 hotline 206-293-6302.
7 AM: Via Twitter, @janaobscura says bridge traffic is worse than usual for this hour, too.
7:29 AM: Breezy but at least here near Lincoln Park, the rain is taking a break. Keep in mind that after all that rain, trees can be at risk – Peter sent the photo of this one down against a house in Seaview:
We’re checking out one in Arbor Heights too. No reports of road blockages so far.
7:46 AM: That may be changing – we’re off to check out a possible tree-over-road near Lincoln Park. Meantime, if you have to report a road emergency such as a tree, as explained here earlier this fall, SDOT says THE number is 206-386-1218.
8:03 AM: The aforementioned tree is across 44th SW south of Southern – and a couple of guys were working to clear it, but if you use the “switchbacks” between California and Fauntleroy, that might be a trouble spot for a bit.
8:46 AM: Another post-storm hazard for drivers/bike riders/walkers in neighborhoods – lots of branches, small and large, blown off trees. We noticed this on 41st SW west of Fairmount Park, from which Peter sent this updated photo of tree vs. house:
If you haven’t been out yet – still breezy but lots of blue sky; if we didn’t have the photographic evidence (thanks to everyone who has contributed!) you’d never know how this day began!
9:39 AM: More storm aftermath – thanks for the tips! Another toppled tree – this one in Arbor Heights:
And on 41st, not far from the house shown above, a big branch is down on the street, taken off this tree, which has a blackened spot almost as if it had a lightning strike:
Thanks also to G for the info that the Westwood-area outage mentioned earlier is affecting some (but not all) of the businesses at the center – you might want to call ahead if you’re heading that way.
10:08 AM: Some branches brought down this morning are themselves the size of trees.
Joe Szilagyi shared the photo of an 18-foot branch down at his house in Arbor Heights.
Meet Boden, William, and Whit. They are part of the only Seattle Parks cross-country team in the city, based at High Point Community Center, and they are off to the national championships in Albuquerque! The photos and info are courtesy of their coach, Eric Linxweiler, who explains:
We started training in September at Lincoln Park, and have competed in races all across Western Washington. We have one particularly special set of runners, our 7- and 8-year-old boys. The team took second or third in all their races, including the Western Washington region of USA Track and Field’s Junior Olympics championships. That bought them a ticket to a Regional meet held on 11/21 in Pasco, including runners from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. There, they placed 5th in their age group, getting them a ticket to the National Championship on December 12th in Albuquerque.
We have three boys who will be representing our team going. Whit, Boden, and William. All three are students at Schmitz Park Elementary, and are really excited to be a part of this team, representing all of West Seattle at the national championship. Their race, as all have been, are 2,000m (about 1.2 miles).
They’ve been continuing their training, right on up to this week’s travel to Albuquerque.
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