Police: Post-heist thrift shop stop undid Capitol Hill bank robbery suspect

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Police say a Capitol Hill bank robbery suspect’s clean getaway was stained when he took his loot for a shopping stop at the neighborhood Goodwill Friday night.

According to the Seattle Police Department, the suspect entered the Columbia Bank branch at Broadway and Mercer just before 5 PM and handed the teller a note reading, “This is a robbery; I have a gun no dye packs.”

Police say the teller complied and the masked suspect was reported fleeing the bank on foot with “a fair amount of cash,” according to East Precinct radio updates.

According to police, details of the Friday hold-up matched a similar heist the previous afternoon targeting a downtown BECU.

Officers collected evidence at the Broadway bank scene and searched the area but could not locate the suspect. There were no reported injuries.

Hours later Friday night, the watchful team at the Capitol Hill Goodwill called police to report they had found “a note from a bank robbery” in a changing room of the Belmont Ave thrift store:

Officers converged on the area and got video footage of the suspect who left the note. Officers on an area check located the suspect and took him into custody. The suspect was found to be in possession of money believed to be taken in the bank robbery

SPD says the suspect was booked into King County Jail for investigation of robbery.

 

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Video: Cops rallied with ‘here to fuck people up’ speech before crackdown on Cal Anderson demonstrators

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Bodycam video revealing an officer pumping-up cops with a “here to fuck people up” pep speech in the lead-up to last May’s Seattle Police Department crackdown on demonstrators against an anti-trans Christian group’s rally in Cal Anderson Park has drawn criticism from officials and calls for the city complete its review of the heavy-handed response.

In the video, the officer says, “We’re going in this time with guns blazing and all our pieces in place,” in one segment from the video’s clips posted to social media after the recording was obtained through public records and shared widely, Continue reading →

Ch-ch-changes as some of the last remaining parents of Pike/Pine hand over the keys to the Cha Cha — UPDATE

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(Image: Cha Cha Lounge)

Some of the last remaining progenitors of Pike/Pine cool are handing over a key neighborhood hangout to a new generation. New permits and state corporation filings show E Pike’s famed Cha Cha Lounge is moving into 2026 in new hands. Its street-level sibling Bimbos Cantina is apparently along for the ride.

“Viva La Cha Cha!,” is all owner Jeff Ofelt said in reply to a string of calls, texts, emails, and social media messages over the past week as CHS tried to pin down the Cha Cha’s iconic ownership group to learn more about the deal.

The business face and voice of Cha Cha and Bimbos over recent years, Ofelt first crafted the Mexican lounge and cantina vibe 30 years ago with its original location on E Pine with co-owners Rebecca Olson and future husband and Pike/Pine founding father Wade Weigel. Continue reading →

‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ the theme of 2026 MLK Day in Seattle

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Seattle MLK Day organizers have turned to the writings of Martin Luther King Jr. for the message behind this year’s workshops, rally, and march from Garfield High School.

From the volunteer-run MLK Jr Organizing Coalition:

This powerful question comes from Dr. King’s 1967 book Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?. In it, he warned that America stood at a dangerous crossroads—facing deep racism, poverty, militarism, and division. He challenged us to decide: would we descend into chaos, or would we build a community grounded in justice, democracy, and love? Nearly six decades later, we face a strikingly similar crossroads. Democracy itself is under attack—from voter suppression and political violence to laws rolling back hard-won rights. And even Dr. King’s own legacy is under attack, with his words often misused to silence the very struggles he gave his life to advance. That is why this year’s theme is so urgent. “Where do we go from here?” is not just history—it’s a question for us, right now.

The group’s 43rd annual celebration begins Saturday with a youth forum at Washington Hall followed by an opportunity fair and workshops Monday morning at Garfield High School before a 11 AM rally in the school’s gym and a march set to begin at 12:30 PM from the Garfield parking lot.

Around 4,000 people took part in the event last year.

Learn more at seattlemlkcoalition.org.

 

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Nope, even the World Cup can’t bring 24-hour light rail service to Seattle

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(Image: Sound Transit)

As Seattle ramps up to host hundreds of thousands of fans for the slate of six games it is hosting in this summer’s men’s World Cup, Sound Transit says it plans to have a test of new late night bus service every 30 minutes between downtown and the airport in place before the tournament.

“This overnight pilot will ensure 24- hour transit access from Seattle to the airport,” Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine said in the announcement. “While our proposed regional overnight bus network is still in development, adding this pilot now provides expanded flexibility for airport passengers and employees as we prepare to welcome the world during the FIFA World Cup.” Continue reading →

Whereas the 8 is pretty much always late, Seattle mayor calls for plan to speed up clogged bus route

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WHEREAS, Route 8 has such terrible on-time performance that they call it the L8, Mayor Katie Wilson is making a bid to improve the vital bus line’s performance with an executive order issued Thursday that calls for a dedicated bus lane and “other transit improvements” on Denny Way.

Part of two executives on the day including an initiative to speed the creation of new shelter and housing projects launched Thursday, Wilson’s Denny Way executive order is taking on a Seattle transit issue that has decayed for years.

CHS reported last summer as advocates said they were renewing their push — Can they ever really fix the 8?, we asked. The Transit Riders Union Wilson founded and Central Seattle Greenways said yes despite  King County Metro and SDOT’s failure across decades to arrive at solutions. Continue reading →

13 Capitol Hill food and drink joints to look forward to in 2026

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(Image: Fire Tacos)

(Image: CHS)

By CHS’s count, 35 new bars, cafes, and restaurants opened across the Capitol Hill area in 2025. There are, of course, plans for more in 2026.

A core of the Capitol Hill economy and a source of jobs and opportunities across the area, food and drink joints are also centers of their neighborhoods and, often, a big part of the connections we feel when we look at the streets around us.

After the challenging years of the pandemic, some of those connections might feel frayed with boarded-over windows and shuttered spaces. Here is a look ahead at 2026 where, hopefully, some of those papered windows are ready to open back up and re-connect you to the spaces in your neighborhood.

  • If you count months before opening, Fire Tacos Cantina on 15th Ave E will be the most highly anticipated food and drink opening of the year on Capitol Hill. CHS first reported on the project in September… 2024. Owner Erika Torres confirms the project is still a go more than a year later after the long path through small business growth and City of Seattle permits. Fire Tacos will put the former Coastal Kitchen space back into motion with an expansion of the food truck venture and Alki Beach-born original to bring birria tacos, margaritas, and more to the center of the 15th Ave E neighborhood. When? Expect Fire Tacos to finally fire up in February. Continue reading →

Wilson issues executive order on homelessness and shelter

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Neighborhood news site MyBallard has details on Mayor Katie Wilson’s decision to pause a planned encampment removal near NW 41st St and the Burke-Gilman Trail as the new mayor shapes her administration’s approach to homelessness:

The encampment is located at NW 41st St and the Burke-Gilman Trail, where 17 people are currently residing. On Monday, camp residents were given notice to vacate within 48 hours. Wilson visited the site on Tuesday to “understand in detail for myself what’s working and not working in our current approach,” Wilson said in a statement. A few years ago, the city installed large concrete blocks to discourage people from camping there, and it’s been cleared multiple times in the past.

In her Wednesday statement on the pause, Wilson said her administration “will soon be announcing concrete steps to expedite the expansion of emergency shelter and will move quickly to open new shelter space.”

Thursday morning, Wilson was scheduled to announce a “significant action on transit and homelessness” involving the city’s shelter resources at a meeting of her transition team.

Despite the Ballard pause, the city’s ongoing process around encampments has continued with more than 100 sites reported as “resolved” so far in the first weeks of 2026.

Near the stadiums, RVs and tents were reported cleared this week as the Seahawks are preparing to host the 49ers in the NFL playoffs Saturday night.

(Source: City of Seattle)

UPDATE 10:30 AM: Wilson has announced an executive order to speed up the creation of new shelter and affordable housing in the city with a new “interdepartmental team” tasked with identifying “options for financial incentives, permitting changes, and other policy changes.”

The order also calls for the process to identify city-owned public land “and other public lands” which could be used to site new emergency shelter and housing.

According to the order, the team is planned to complete its recommendations by March 2026.

Accelerating the Expansion of Emergency Shelter and Affordable Housing

Mayor Wilson is ordering immediate action to bring people inside by expediting the expansion of shelter and affordable housing.

Her executive order to accelerate the expansion of emergency shelter and affordable housing will:

  • Rapidly expand and expedite the provision of new shelter and affordable housing by immediately launching an interdepartmental team to identify options for financial incentives, permitting changes, and other policy changes.
  • Identify and prioritize city-owned public land and other public lands which could be used to temporarily or permanently site new emergency shelter and housing.
  • Coordinate with regional partners to identify shelter programs that have capacity to add units to existing programs.
  • Identify best practices working with organizations with expertise in behavioral health to support substance use disorder treatment and mental health counseling for housing and shelter programs.

The mayor’s executive order accelerating the expansion of emergency shelter and affordable housing is available here.

 

The order comes as sweeps and clean-up policies continue. According to the city, there have been more than 1,500 “open” encampment reports filed by residents in the past three months through services including the Find It, Fix It app.

 

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Meet Hollingsworth’s 2026 team: Altshuler, Harris, Park, and Yonan

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Team Hollingsworth: Hollingsworth, Altshuler, Harris, Park, and Yonan

As District 3’s representative Joy Hollingsworth tackles her first challenges leading the Seattle City Council, she has a new team backing her up.

A new hire for 2026 will bring strategic advising for community relations to Hollingsworth’s office.

Hollingsworth announced Karinda Harris has joined in the advisor role and remains the principal at The Harris Connection, “a venture focused on social capital, strategic connection and authentic engagement.” Hollingsworth says Harris grew up around Beacon Hill and the Central District and worked previously as a community relations manager at Vulcan Real Estate, New Seasons Market, and the City of Seattle.

Harris joins Hollingsworth veterans including Alex Altshuler who serves as director of operations, leveraging experience in civic engagement and non-profit fundraising. Her background includes conducting digital equity research for the Seattle Information Technology Department. Continue reading →

‘Shame on the arsonist!’ — SPD asks for public’s help tracking down suspect in Capitol Hill cinnamon roll shop fire

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The Seattle Police Department is increasing its efforts to track down the suspect from last month’s intentionally set Christmas Day fire that singed the E Pike building home to the Cinnaholic cinnamon roll chain.

Wednesday, SPD posted security images of the suspect and called for the public’s help in identifying the alleged arsonist:

The Fire Marshall determined the blaze was intentional; it started after cardboard outside the business was set on fire. First responders did not see anyone in the area as they arrived. SFD requested a police report documenting the suspected arson. Video surveillance cameras captured footage of the suspect, yet the quality of the images are low. If anyone recognizes the person in the photographs, they are asked to call the SPD Non-Emergency Line at 206-625-5011.

CHS reported on the holiday fire as it happened last month and Cinnaholic owner James Prop added security images to the CHS comments. Continue reading →