Here’s an update on a Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) project that the Urbanist and Wallyhood described last October.

The project, shown in greater detail below, would improve pedestrian safety and bicycle access along NE 45^th between Wallingford and the newish light rail station in the U District. When we last reported on this in the fall, SDOT had dropped the project from its plans for transit improvement along the corridor, citing concerns about traffic and transit impacts, as well as cost. This prompted a letter to the Seattle City Council (SCC) from the Urbanist, the Transit Riders Union, …

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more depressing than Betty White not making it to her 100^th…then today (4 January) this happened to the Guild 45^th Theatre:

The end, or more accurately, the latest low point in a long and steady decline for the Guild 45^th since it closed “for renovation” in 2017, came unexpectedly for most of us in the neighborhood.  While it had sat dark, forlorn, and tagged for quite some time, there was no advance (public) notice of a pending demolition activity.  I was running errands and drove past this afternoon …

Situated just outside the eastern border of Wallingford on the “other” side of the freeway, Ladd & Lass Brewing is about to re-open in the space formerly occupied by Floating Bridge…and before that, the Rainbow Tavern.  New owners and husband-and-wife team Nick Ladd and Jessie Quan are doing a soft opening beginning on Wednesday, December 22^nd (that’s today!) and continuing through the holidays.  Their hours during the opening are here.  Wallyhood wishes them the best!…

I took advantage of a seemingly rare break in our recent nasty weather to get out to the southern border of the ‘hood.  That welcome excursion provided a few observations and insights—not enough to warrant individual articles, but this being a slow news weekend, I thought I would lump them into a rambling post for you.

Oil Spill on Lake Union

In my recent former life, I responded to oil spills for NOAA.  When I heard through the grapevine that there was one in my own back yard here in Wallingford, of course I had to go have …

We recently reported on the violent altercation that took place outside of Murphy’s Pub in the heart of Wallingford, along with the subsequent arrest of the accused perpetrator in Meridian Park. While these kinds of incidents in our neighborhood make all of us uneasy, it occurred to the editors at Wallyhood…well, one of them, anyway…that it also provided an opportunity to learn about the process of criminal justice in Seattle, and how it (literally) is prosecuted.

My original idea was to follow this case from beginning (the confrontation and arrest in the heart of the neighborhood) to end (resolution in …

Just in time for the darkest days of the year:  Historic Seattle is hosting a free holiday light experience at the Good Shepherd Center for the duration of December.  This is a partnership with Alliance Française and the Meridian School (two tenants in the building, which Historic Seattle owns).  Go get a little light therapy while we count down the days to the solstice and the new year!…

On Friday afternoon, 3 December, an altercation occurred outside of Wallingford institution, Murphy’s Pub. According to the Seattle Times, a 61-year-old man was stabbed by another man.

An eyewitness to the incident, now under the Wallyhood Witness Protection Program, provided this account:

“I walked from my home to CVS, crossed the street at Meridian and 45th and didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. There were lots of kids walking around at this time. Maybe school had recently gotten out? I went into CVS and was inside for 1-2 minutes, came out to walk to Bartell’s. At that time, two …