Seattle, WA
Homeless man Steven Irwin builds cabin in Seattle public park months after digging up site with stolen excavator
A Seattle homeless man built a “ticking timebomb” cabin — featuring a washing machine and a treadmill — at a public park months after he allegedly stole an excavator to tear up part of the site in his pursuit of gold.
Steven Irwin, 41, claimed he had permission to build the structure in Dr. Jose Rizal Park, despite the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department recently paying $15,000 to repair the damage Irwin had done when he illegally dug up the land in Oct. 2023, according to KOMO News.
Irwin was arrested for the rogue construction and charged with theft of a motor vehicle only to reclaim the space with some interesting upgrades.
The illegal cabin now features fireplaces, propane heaters, a washing machine, multiple generators, and a treadmill.
“He is digging into the slopes, building structures, tearing down trees, undoing thousands of dollars in repairs,” Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle, a homeless outreach group that has offered assistance to Irwin, told the outlet Friday.
“There’s also a risk for him being in that environment. There are smells of kerosene, propane, and gasoline – there are three different forms of fuel down here, wires everywhere,” Suarez shared — adding the spot is “a ticking timebomb.”
Irwin’s cabin goes beyond wanting just a cozy place in the park, Suarez explained.
“He’s dreaming up that this is a gold mine, that he’s mining for diamonds, and that he is going to find gold and strike it rich,” Suarez said.
In October, Irwin was busted after multiple 911 calls flooded in from concerned neighbors about destruction at Dr. Jose Rizal Park — which is about 3 miles away from the iconic Seattle Space Needle.
“He was driving a little crazy with this heavy piece of machinery,” said park steward and volunteer Genevieve Courtney last year, who just happened to come across Irwin while he dug up the land.
He would later admit to police that he cleared the space for his cabin with the excavator, still holding strong to his belief he had permission to change the face of the land for his cabin.
Since his release and return to his encampment, Irwin has been using power and hand tools to clear away areas in the park, according to the outlet.
The danger of the situation has also dawned on neighbors living near the park, who have tried tirelessly to get the city’s attention on the issue.
“This guy is just getting away with it, and I don’t understand that. We are absolutely frustrated. We need some civility here, we need police action,” Brian Hartman told the outlet.
Suarez, who wants the situation resolved due to the potential danger Irwin may unintentionally inflict on himself and others, says the homeless man has no plans to stop his building.
However, she said that could only be achieved if the city steps up to the plate and enforces the law.
“This is a call to action by law enforcement and Seattle Parks and Recreation to do something,” Suarez told the outlet.
“I’ve even offered to pay for his first six months of housing, and he said, ‘That’s great. I’m still going to keep my cabin in the woods.”
Seattle, WA
Hannah Murphy makes 37 saves as Seattle Torrent beat Victoire 2-1
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 17: Hannah Murphy #83 of the Seattle Torrent tends net against the Ottawa Charge during the third period at Climate Pledge Arena on December 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
SEATTLE – Julia Gosling scored the game-winning goal early in the third period, and Hannah Murphy made 37 saves as the Seattle Torrent beat the Montréal Victoire 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Gosling broke the 1-1 tie just 3:26 into the final period on a questionable goal that was upheld after review. Murphy then helped Seattle survive a late Victoire power play chance to close out the win.
With an extra skater on the ice with a delayed penalty call set to go against the Victoire for a tripping infraction, the puck leaked into the offensive zone onto the stick of Seattle captain Hilary Knight. Gosling was left unmarked across the crease and fired a one-timer that beat goaltender Ann-Renée Desbiens for the go-ahead goal.
However, replays appeared to show Marie-Philip Poulin touch the puck for Montréal right as Knight won the battle for the puck. It was also close to having Knight offsides on the play as well, but the goal stood after replay review.
A penalty on Megan Carter for holding with 2:43 left to play gave the Victoire a prime chance to tie as Montréal went six-on-four with their net empty. Murphy made four saves on the power play – including a save against each member of the Victoire’s top line – as Seattle closed out the victory.
The Torrent have earned all three of their wins with Murphy in goal.
Seattle controlled play through most of the opening period, but the Victoire still managed to strike first. Despite trailing 12-8 in shots in the first, Montreal’s top line of Marie-Philip Poulin, Laura Stacey and Abby Roque combined to give the Victoire a 1-0 lead.
A nice passing play from Poulin and Stacey set up a half slap shot from atop the left circle that beat the glove of Murphy to grab the advantage with just 1:03 left in the period.
The second period played out in the opposite way to the first, with the Victoire creating more offensive chances but the Torrent finding a goal to tie.
A two-on-one rush for Seattle caught Kati Tabin in a pickle. Gosling’s shot rebounded hard off the pads of Desbiens as Alex Carpenter cleaned up the loose puck to tie it at 1-1.
Meanwhile, Murphy was terrific in goal for Seattle. She made 15 saves in the period as a power play fueled Montréal’s attack.
Gosling’s goal gave Seattle the lead early in the third as Murphy had to shine to get the victory across the finish line. Fifteen more saves followed in the final period with Montréal unable to crack Murphy, despite a few dangerous chances.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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Seattle, WA
Windstorm possible on Christmas Eve in Seattle
Seattle weather: Driver conditions on Tuesday
If you are traveling over the passes the next few days, here is a look at the forecast. Snow overnight through early Tuesday, with several new inches for Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. We will see drier conditions Tuesday and then a mix of rain and snow for Wednesday.
SEATTLE – Strong winds are sticking around Western Washington into Christmas Eve, but Christmas Day is looking quiet.
There’s a low chance of high-impact windstorms around the region tomorrow. There’s still a considerable amount of uncertainty in the wind speeds due to extreme differences in the various weather models.
Be prepared for possible tree damage and power outages by Wednesday evening. Otherwise, you can plan on occasional scattered lowland rain and mountain snow tomorrow.
Possible windstorm on Christmas Eve
What’s next:
There’s a high wind watch posted for many locations around Western Washington for Wednesday morning to evening. The first round of winds is likely to happen in the morning (however, stick with us for updates as to the timing) with east/northeast gusts to 30 mph.
In the morning, the strongest winds will likely be focused over the Cascade gaps (e.g. North Bend and Enumclaw).
By the afternoon, there’s a chance for more forceful winds — this time, coming from the south. The second period of winds will have a higher impact with gusts potentially reaching 50-60 mph. Should this forecast pan out, there would be widespread tree damage and power outages.
Big picture view:
However, it’s important to note that the various weather models we analyze are presenting a broad range of possible outcomes on Christmas Eve. It’s rare to have this level of uncertainty about a forecast barely 24 hours in advance. Some suggest an intense windstorm while others indicate winds would barely reach 10 mph.
Keep in mind: there’s an elevated ‘bust potential’ for this forecast — meaning, the winds could be a dud, barely blowing — or gusts could be highly damaging. I recommend preparing for the worst-case scenario and being pleasantly surprised if conditions are quieter.
What you can do:
As a meteorologist, this is what I recommend you do with high winds possible:
- Don’t spend time outside during this windstorm if at all possible (in the event that weak trees or tree branches fall).
- Limit time on the roads during the peak of the in case trees fall! With this particular windstorm, I’d recommend traveling in the morning (unless the timing changes) before winds peak in the afternoon and early evening.
- First, make sure you keep your phone charged in the event of a power outage.
- You can also download the FOX Local app on your phone so you can watch our weather coverage and forecast. Remember to keep the fridge shut during a power outage to maintain the cool air there.
The weather models are split as to the path of this storm: the impacts of this system depend on where it moves. You better believe our weather team will be watching how things develop. If the low pressure moves over the coast and the Olympic Peninsula, the winds would be more damaging. However, if it moves into Eastern Washington, the winds would likely be weaker.
This storm serves as a reminder as to the importance of humans as meteorologists — because most weather apps can’t express the range of possible outcomes and various scenarios.
River flood threat decreasing
Except for the Skokomish River in Mason County, the threat of river flooding is over this week. Even the risk of river flooding next week has decreased substantially. Stay tuned in case anything changes!
There may be minor coastal flooding at times this week.
Local perspective:
Beyond the winds on Christmas Eve, you can expect scattered lowland rain and occasional minor mountain snow.
On Christmas Day itself, the morning will be about the aftermath of any tree damage and outages. Quieter weather is expected on Christmas.
Take good care,
Meteorologist Abby Acone
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Seattle, WA
Where Seattle Seahawks’ No. 1 seed odds stand after Week 16
The NFC West is a crowded mess, with three of the NFL’s best teams vying for both the division crown and the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
And it just got messier.
The 49ers’ win over the Colts on Monday night improves their record to 11-4, tying them with the Rams and putting both teams one game behind the 12-3 Seahawks.
Are Seahawks now the NFC favorite? Sheil Kapadia’s take
What does it mean for Seattle? I’ll be using The Athletic’s 2025 Playoff Simulator to navigate through the next two weeks…
First, the basics. What’s next for these three teams?
The 49ers have two at home. They host the 11-4 Chicago Bears (the league’s leader in takeaways and coming off back-to-back wins) for Sunday Night Football and then host the Seahawks. The date and time on that one is TBD, usually settled late Week 17, but it’s a favorite to be another primetime matchup.
The current NFL playoff picture
The Seahawks have two on the road. They head to Carolina to take on a hungry 8-7 Panthers team, also coming off a win, that can clinch the NFC South for the first time in a decade with a victory and a Bucs’ loss to the Dolphins. Then the Seahawks head to Santa Clara to face the 49ers.
The Rams have the easiest slate, facing two teams already eliminated from the postseason. They head to play the 6-9 Falcons and then host the 3-12 Cardinals in the regular-season finale.
What are the Seahawks’ current odds of clinching the No. 1 seed?
The Seahawks entered Monday with 53% odds to clinch the No. 1 seed. There’s not a big hit from the 49ers’ win: Seattle’s odds dip to 48%, but are still the highest of the three (49ers at 27% and the Rams at 11% before games are played this upcoming Sunday).
The only thing eliminated by virtue of the 49ers’ win was the Seahawks’ ability to clinch the top seed this Sunday.
If all three NFC West teams win in Week 17, the Seahawks’ odds are right where they were: 53%. That’s how monumental Week 18’s game against the 49ers is.
Best-case scenario in Week 17: Easy. The Seahawks are the only team of the three to win this Sunday. Their odds would jump to 74%. They get the No. 1 seed one of two ways after that: beat the 49ers, or lose to the 49ers + a Lions win over the Bears.
Worst-case scenario in Week 17: The Seahawks lose, while the Rams and 49ers win. Seattle’s odds would drop to 7%. But they’re not done; in this scenario, they could still get the top seed with a win over the 49ers + a Cardinals win over the Rams.
How would the Rams clinch? The Rams’ loss to the Seahawks last Thursday night took L.A. out of the driver’s seat. The Rams’ simplest path is to: win out + the Seahawks and 49ers lose one game each + the Lions beat the Bears. The Rams need the Seahawks to lose to make up for the one-game lead, and need the Bears to lose to win a tiebreaker (conference record).
What else should we know?
Oh, that’s right, the Bears.
There’s another team here still fighting for the top seed. Chicago’s Saturday night comeback win over the Packers wasn’t just a thriller; it also added some new playoff implications.
The Bears are currently the No. 2 seed. But they have a better conference record than both the Rams and the Seahawks, so keeping a game ahead is massive.
Again, all Seattle has to do is win out. It doesn’t matter what any other team does if that happens. But things become tricky if Seattle drops a game.
In that case, if the Seahawks lose to the Panthers, root for the Lions and Cardinals. And always root against your NFC West foes.
More on the Seattle Seahawks
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