SeattlePI's 2019 Photos of the Year

Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez waves to the King's Court as he takes the mound for what is likely his final start in their game against the Oakland Athletics, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

People wave from their cars as others walk around on the Alaskan Way Viaduct as it is closed for the final time before its demolition, Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. Hundreds continued to mob the viaduct, honking and yelling out car windows long past its scheduled 10 p.m. closure time. Some even drove around DOT trucks and barriers to get onto the road. "I haven't felt this sense of community, culture, history, and civic pride in this city in a long time," wrote Dr. Bunso on Twitter. "And now the game changes...like when the Kingdome was imploded, light rail opened up...lots of changes and can't say I've liked them all but at least I can say I've been alive to see em."Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Twenty-nine thousand people participate in the Tunnel to Viaduct 8k, which allowed runners and walkers to travel south through the new SR 99 tunnel and north over the lower deck of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Many runners stopped to take photos along the route, capturing what would be their last chance to walk along the viaduct before it is demolished later this month. The 8K is part of a weekend-long celebration marking the opening of the new tunnel, which 100,000 people were expected to attend. (Genna Martin, SeattlePI)Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Several hundred people gathered outside of City Hall, Tuesday, as part of a national day of action protesting the strict abortion laws that have been making their way through the legislatures of various states, May 20, 2019. Speakers at the event, organized by NARAL Pro-Choice Washington, included Seattle city council members Lorena Gonzalez, Teresa Mosqueda and Kshama Sawant, Mayor Jenny Durkan and state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Long-time Central District resident, activist and current Seattle City Countil District 2 candidate Omari Tahir-Garrett grasps the fence surrounding the Midtown Center lot at the corner of 23rd Avenue and East Union Street, as he watches the demolition of Earl?•s Cuts and Styles barbershop and the rest of the complex, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. Midtown Center was the final holdout of the four corners of the busy Central District intersection that was once populated by many Black-owned businesses. Over the past few years businesses were bought out by developers and transformed into trendy, high-price apartment buildings, an Uncle Ike's pot shop and trendy hipster bars. Earl's will be replaced with a seven-story, 429-unit apartment building. Tahir-Garrett has lived just down the road from Earl's for 73 years and his father worked to build the post office that once stood in that complex.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Jennifer Fuentes smudges people gathered for the 3rd annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman's candlelight memorial vigil, Thursday, at w???b?altx? Intellectual House on University of Washington campus, Feb. 14, 2019. Over 100 attendees wore red, prayed and sang together, spoke about their loved ones who are missing or have been murdered and joined together to light candles and hold space for their absent loved ones.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Runners are costumed as the SR 99 tunnel as they and twenty-nine thousand others participate in the Tunnel to Viaduct 8k, which allowed runners and walkers to travel south through the new SR 99 tunnel and north over the lower deck of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Many runners stopped to take photos along the route, capturing what would be their last chance to walk along the viaduct before it is demolished later this month. The 8K is part of a weekend-long celebration marking the opening of the new tunnel, which 100,000 people were expected to attend. (Genna Martin, SeattlePI)Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Gail and Ron Thompson look at the facsimile of their old mailbox from their house on Steelhead Drive that is part of a new sculpture, unveiled Friday, as around 150 friends, family, survivors and first responders gathered at the site of the Oso mudslide to remember the 43 loved ones lost five years ago in the deadliest landslide in U.S. history, March 22, 2019. In 2014, mud and debris from the slide destroyed the Steelhead Haven neighborhood, including 49 houses.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Supporters of Seattle City Council District 3 incumbent candidate Kshama Sawant react as the 8pm election night numbers drop is revealed, putting Sawant several points behind her challenger Egan Orion with 27% of the vote in, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. As remaining votes were counted over the following week, Sawant came from behind to beat Orion and retain her seat with 51.8% share of the final tally.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Andria Bilich, holds her kids, Oscar, 6, and Thea, 3, during a Climate Strike Rally at Cal Anderson Park. An estimated 10,000 demonstrators, led by students and youth, rallied at Cal Anderson Park and then made their way to Seattle City Hall, meeting up with a second group of protesters--mostly tech workers coming from the Amazon Spheres--along the way, as a part of a global Climate Strike, and calling for local and national leaders to do more to address climate change, Friday, September 20, 2019.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

"You don't have to pay, just run!" Pho Big Bowl owner Duke Nguyen told his customers yesterday as smoke from the fire began to fill his restaurant. Unfinished bowls of pho were still sitting on tables a a day after diners were forced to evacuate due to a three-alarm fire that ripped through businesses on the 2300 block of NW Market Street in Ballard, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Big Bowl was the least affected of the five damaged businesses on the block. Officials estimate a total of $3 million in damage to the complex.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Tim Eyman, front right, listens to arguments during a hearing where a coalition of counties, transportation agencies and the city of Seattle argued in front of a King County Superior Court judge for a motion to block Eyman's Initiative 976 from taking effect Dec. 5, saying there would be irreparable harm, that it was unconstitutional and violated the single-subject rule, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

People wave and take video from their cars as others walk around on the Alaskan Way Viaduct as it is closed for the final time before its demolition, Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. Hundreds continued to mob the viaduct, honking and yelling out car windows long past its scheduled 10 p.m. closure time. Some even drove around DOT trucks and barriers to get onto the road. "I haven't felt this sense of community, culture, history, and civic pride in this city in a long time," wrote Dr. Bunso on Twitter. "And now the game changes...like when the Kingdome was imploded, light rail opened up...lots of changes and can't say I've liked them all but at least I can say I've been alive to see em."Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

A crowd fills City Hall Plaza as an estimated 10,000 demonstrators, led by students and youth, rallied at Cal Anderson Park and then made their way to Seattle City Hall, meeting up with a second group of protesters--mostly tech workers coming from the Amazon Spheres--along the way, as a part of a global Climate Strike, and calling for local and national leaders to do more to address climate change, Friday, September 20, 2019.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

Community outreach specialist for Guide Dogs for the Blind Jake Koch looks out the emergency exit door with his guide dog Fourly after practicing opening the door during a training event hosted by Guide Dogs for the Blind and Alaska Airlines where guide dogs, puppies-in-training and people with disabilities, including visually impaired, hearing impaired and those reliant on wheelchairs, were able to explore mock airplanes and learn various safety measures in a controlled environment, Monday, Oct. 21, 2019 at the Alaska Airlines Flight Operations Building. "This sort of thing is helpful because when you can't see, it's hard to conceptualize flying. Something like this where you can actually feel everything increases safety and helps make it less mystical. It helps people feel more comfortable with flying," Koch said who has limited vision.Genna Martin/seattlepi.com

As we look back through the SeattlePI's 2019 coverage, the year seems marked by both loss and communities coming together.

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The year began with the closure of the city's beloved Alaskan Way Viaduct, a prominent waterfront landmark for the past 65 years. Hundreds of Seattleites took to social media to express their anguish at the loss of the concrete structure. Even more mobbed the viaduct on the evening of its final closure, cruising up and down, yelling out car windows, stopping to get out an walk around, taking in -- one last time -- the particular view and perspective of the city the vaulted road provided. We watched for the next 11 months as the two mile long highway was dismantled piece-by-piece and traffic patterns were altered to accommodate the replacement tunnel.

February saw record-breaking snow storms that left many stranded in their homes and prompted others to organize and impromptu snow day dance party, complete with a DJ, at Cal Anderson Park.

Some cheered as our Governor Jay Inslee embarked on a climate change-focused presidential campaign that fizzled out after six months in a crowded field.

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Communities mourned the loss of missing and murdered indigenous women, members of the homeless community and the victims of the Mercer crane collapse and the Lake City carjacking rampage which left four and two dead, respectively.

Two Seattle icons, Mariner's pitcher Felix Hernandez and long-time King5 news anchor Lori Matsukawa, took their final bows.

June brought a month of celebration and pride as the LGBTQ community continues to evolve and expand into new corners of city.

Seattle celebrated victories on the sports field, with league championship victories from the Seawolves rugby team, the Sounders FC and a recently locked-in playoff berth for the Seahawks.

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As we move into a new year that will surely bring more change to our city, take a look back at the moments that defined 2019 through the lens of SeattlePI photographer Genna Martin.