The abrupt end of Amazon Fresh leaves uncertain future for groceries at 23rd and Jackson

The Jackson Apartments (Image: Vulcan)

Amazon’s latest maneuverings in its ongoing disruption of the nation’s grocery industry will bring an abrupt end for a key store in the Central District.

The future of grocery shopping at 23rd and Jackson is uncertain after the retail giant announced Tuesday it is shutting down every single one of its more than 60 Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh groceries across the country. Most stores are set to close February 1st.

Amazon has said it plans to open more than 100 new Whole Foods stores including some that will take over its previous Amazon Fresh and Go locations but it has not provided specifics of which stores will be replaced and when the transition would happen. Continue reading

2026 Capitol Hill and Central District James Beard semifinalists: Cafe Suliman, Temple Pastries, Ramie, and Surrell

(Image: Cafe Suliman)

(Image: Cafe Suliman)

The talented food and drink creators behind a Levantine flavored cafe inside Melrose Market, a Central District bakery, elevated Vietnamese on 14th Ave, and an E Madison house dedicated to “modern Pacific” fine dining have been honored as semifinalists in the annual James Beard Awards.

The announcement of the semifinalist lists is the first step in what has grown into an expanded process for the foundation’s awards. Final nominees will be announced in March with winners celebrated in June.

By then, you will have hopefully paid a visit or two to these Capitol Hill and Central District honorees. Continue reading

Here is where Seattle mayor and police want new ‘Real Time Crime Center’ cameras on Capitol Hill and in the Central District

The mayor’s office has revealed details of its proposed expansion of the Seattle Police “Real Time Crime Center” surveillance camera system to include the Capitol Hill nightlife core and a major swath of the Central District from E Cherry to Jackson it says it necessary to prevent gun violence near Garfield High School.

Maps and details of the proposed expansions were presented last week to the Seattle City Council’s public safety committee as the mayor’s office hands off legislation to expand the existing Real Time Crime Center camera pilot currently operating along Aurora Ave, 3rd Ave, and in the International District.

“Analysts are supporting ongoing investigations by pushing video and incident data directly to
patrol units and detectives,” a city council analysis of the proposal reads. “Analysts can also provide live updates and still images of suspects, a capability SPD says helps support its ‘precision policing’ model.” Continue reading

12-year-old victim in deadly Washington Middle School crash — Arsema Barekew remembered

A funeral service for Arsema Barekew was held Sunday at Tukwila’s Riverton Crest Cemetery.

The parents of the 12-year-old who was hit and killed by a runaway SUV outside the Central District’s Washington Middle School in early March are seeking answers.

The Seattle Times spoke with the Yesler Terrace couple Berihun Mekonnen and Tigist Yitna — and their lawyer.

“The way (Seattle police) approached them, explained things, was like, ‘Move on. This is an accident. Accidents happen,’” attorney Daniel Ajema told the Times. “But for me, there’s criminal negligence. There’s recklessness.”

No lawsuit has been filed. Continue reading

911 | SPD investigating armed robberies at Domino’s and Chevron market

See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt/Signal (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS 911 coverage here. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out reports from @jseattle or join and check in with neighbors in the CHS Facebook Group.

  • Domino’s hold-up: Police are investigating a series of armed robberies across the city this weekend including a hold-up at the Domino’s pizza on S Jackson Friday night that netted the bandits $300 in cash. According to the SPD brief on the incident, two suspects wearing masks entered the shop around 10:30 PM. One suspect armed with a handgun demanded cash. “As the manager came out from the back, one of the suspects walked behind the counter and held the gun to the side of the manager until he opened the register,” SPD reports. “The suspect grabbed the cash in the drawer and the two suspects ran out of the store eastbound.” Police say the King County Sheriff’s Guardian 1 helicopter and a KCSO K-9 unite assisted with tracking but the suspects could not be located. There were no reported injuries.
  • 12th Ave market hold-up: SPD says another area store was held up hours later. Around 4 AM, police were called to the 24-hour Chevron market near 12th and Jefferson to a reported armed robbery. Two suspects wearing masks and gloves reportedly entered the store with one of the suspects displaying a handgun and demanding cash from the register. “The suspects grabbed the cash in the drawer and tobacco products from behind the register,” SPD reports. The suspects fled a short distance on foot and then got into silver in color sedan last seen heading towards northbound. There were no arrests.
  • Central District gunfire: SPD investigated early morning gunfire on Sunday along 27th Ave —
    At 0655 hours, East Precinct officers responded to shots call and located evidence in a nearby intersection. The caller met with officers and provided additional evidence showing an unknown vehicle driving into the area and firing multiple rounds at the house located in the 1800 block of 27th Avenue. No people inside the residence were injured or were aware of the incident.
    SPD says it found no damage to the home or other nearby properties and the motivation for the shooting remains unknown.
 

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Man dies in S. Jackson apartment shooting

Police say a 44-year-old man was shot and killed in an altercation inside a S. Jackson apartment Saturday morning in the Central District.

SPD says it responded to the reported shooting just before 11 AM, Police say an altercation could be heard in the background during a 911 call.

According to police, officers arrived to find the victim unresponsive inside the apartment, He later died at the hospital, police say.

SPD says there were no immediate arrests and that detectives were working to determine what led to the shooting.

 

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Seattle Children’s picks new location for Central District Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic

(Image: Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic)

As it hopes to emerge from criticism about a legacy of racism in the city’s healthcare, Seattle Children’s has announced the location for its planned future location of a new Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic in the Central District.

The hospital says it has lined up land at the southwest corner of 18th and Jackson for a new clinic to “serve area patients and families with robust mental health and behavioral health services, nutrition, acute and well-child medical visits, labs, violence and injury prevention support and addiction related resources, which are unique to OBCC and not offered elsewhere.”

Odessa Brown’s previous E Yesler clinic location has been shuttered for more than a year as Children’s said the building is in need of major repairs. Continue reading

Eldest of Capitol Hill and Central District’s modern crop of beer makers, Standard Brewing turns 10

(Image: Standard Brewing)

(Image: Standard Brewing)

This weekend, Standard Brewing turns 10 making the S Jackson brewery the eldest of the modern class of Central District and Capitol Hill beer makers.

Standard is celebrating with a “10 year banger” —

How did this happen?! Most of you never got to see us incubate in the back corner of our building. It seems pretty wild now to think about how we got our start, with a bunch of ramshackle equipment and duct tape. For those of you that remember our building being yellow and purple, with double deep parking spaces and a bar with space for 8, it seems like a lifetime ago. For all of you, and for everyone that has been a supporter over this hectic decade, March 18th and 19th is for you!

The weekend will include live music and special releases including a bourbon barrel-aged stout with Broadcast Coffee, a “Bee’s Wine” ginger beer, and a special “fermented pineapple” tepache beverage, along with guest bartenders and more surprises. Continue reading

With condolences to 29th and Jackson regulars, Central Pizza is changing hands

29th and Jackson, where Frink Park meets the Central District, isn’t the first place you think of in Seattle’s food and drink scene but Ellie Rose says the neighborhood’s regulars made it the best even as the challenges of running a Seattle restaurant have added up:

I will miss everyone so much and have been so grateful to meet so many amazing people and be apart of your lives. Watching children grow up, seeing people get married, divorced, remarried. Witnessing young couples starting families. Being there for people who lost loved ones. Surviving a pandemic together. My heart is heavy and I feel so lucky to be apart of everyone’s life and a part of this community. I wish I could do it forever but it’s taking a toll on me and I need to start a new chapter.

Rose is ready to move on and Central Pizza is changing hands. After a decade of Central District and Leschi pizza business, new owners are taking over. Pizza will possibly stay on the menu. But the rest is up in the air. Continue reading

Low Income Housing Institute and New Hope Community Development Institute team to purchase S Jackson apartment building

(Image: Low Income Housing Institute)

The New Hope Community Development Institute’s work to preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement in the Central District will include the acquisition of a S Jackson development in a $15.3 million deal.

The Low Income Housing Institute and New Hope Community Development Institute announced the acquisition of Squire Park Plaza late last month from Jonathan Rose Companies.

“The purchase of Squire Park Plaza will ensure that it’s 60 apartments are preserved for long-term affordability. Currently many of the existing households are struggling to pay their rent during the pandemic,” LIHI executive director Sharon Lee said in the announcement.

According to the announcement, more than 75% of the residents at Squire Park Plaza are people of color.

“We are delighted to partner with the Low Income Housing Institute to purchase Squire Park Plaza as affordable housing,” New Hope’s Rev. Robert Jeffrey said. “The goal of New Hope Community Development Institute is to prevent the displacement of people of color from Seattle’s Central Area and to acquire properties to preserve long-term.” Continue reading