Thanks to a CHS reader for the New Year’s image

We made it. Welcome to 2024. If you tuned out during the past few weeks of holiday and New Year’s festivities, here’s a CHS primer on the news and information from around Capitol Hill and the nearby you might have missed.

• BLACK LIVES MEMORIAL GARDEN CLEARED: Seattle Police and city workers were met with little resistance as they locked down the southeastern side of Cal Anderson the Wednesday after Christmas to clear the unauthorized community garden created by activists during the 2020 protests. City Hall reports homeless encampments were also cleared — again — during the work.
• SALVATION ARMY STREET TEAM: CHS reported on a first for the faith-based Salvation Army — a new street team working on Capitol Hill as part of the county’s sprawling contractor army of homeless outreach efforts.
• TRANSIT: Plan for a “major disruption” to light rail service this month due to downtown tunnel work. Meanwhile, Metro says it still has not made a decision on Summit/Bellevue bus service as part of changes around the planned 2024 start of RapidRide G service on Madison.
• BUILDING FIRES: A First Hill building known for problems with squatters burned again in a massive 3-alarm blaze. There were no injuries in this 12th Ave apartment building fire. And a fire in an under-construction 13th Ave apartment development was being investigated.
• HOMICIDES: What part did Capitol Hill and the Central District play in Seattle’s record year for murders? CHS looks at those who were killed here in 2023 for answers.
• PEDESTRIAN DEATH: A man struck by a driver while crossing 23rd Ave in November later died of his injuries, CHS learned.
• SAD CLOSINGS: With slices and hopes of a new location, fans mourned the sudden passing of Blotto’s 12th Ave pizza shop while vegan Jewish deli Ben and Esther’s closed its E Pike expansion as the small Portland-based chain blamed Seattle’s high rents and expensive labor.
• LOOKING FORWARD: Chef José Garzón is bringing Bad Chancla’s Latinx street food to E Olive Way later this year.
• LOOKING BACK: Catch up here with Capitol Hill’s most important stories of 2023 and let us know what stories were most important to you — and how you are feeling headed into 2024.

CHS asked readers to pick the most important stories of 2023 and tell us how you are feeling about everything from your street to your planet. You can take the survey here.

Here’s a Timelapse of the whole light show, drone show, fireworks and big fog and smoke show from last night in #Seattle. Happy New Year 2024!!! #spaceneedle pic.twitter.com/Ey0zyxQvlq

— Sigma Sreedharan (@sigmas) January 1, 2024

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