West Seattle, Washington
24 Tuesday
Stefanie reports finding stolen mail, some opened and some not, dumped in her trash bin – just before it was scheduled for pickup today. At least some of it was from the north side of High Point, not far from her neighborhood. So if you’re in that area, be aware a mail thief has been busy.
3:20 PM: No word yet on whatever inspectors found that led to the closure of two lanes across the 1st Avenue South Bridge overnight, as reported here. We asked WSDOT for details; a spokesperson told us, “Our bridge engineers are on site today doing further assessments, after which we should be able to provide an update.” They also have opened the HOV lane to all traffic, in hopes that will reduce the potential for backups, though at “reduced speeds of 25 MPH over the bridge.” The bridge is a state-owned structure that was put to use as the major bridge across the Duwamish River during the two and a half years the West Seattle Bridge was out of service 2020-2022. It’s actually two bridges of different ages – the northbound side is older, built 70 years ago (lots of background in this story we published in 2020).
4:35 PM: More info just in from WSDOT. What the inspectors initially found, they tell WSB, was “concerns with the steel grid bridge deck. … Bridge engineers are on site conducting a more detailed assessment. It is too early to outline a repair plan or timeline, but crews are actively working to determine next steps and will share updates by March 6th.” The update we received in response to followup questions also says:
Like many structures across the system, it requires ongoing maintenance and targeted repairs to remain in service. The last significant repairs to this bridge occurred in 2020, when 14 deck panels were replaced. This lane reduction closure highlights the critical need for investment in preservation of our transportation system. Governor Ferguson proposed a $2.1 billion investment in preservation including $1.1 billion for bridges.
As for what this means if you use the bridge, WSDOT reiterates:
To protect public safety, two right lanes are closed and speed in the open lanes has been reduced to 25 mph. The HOV lane is open to all traffic until further notice to help maintain capacity. The bridge remains open and operational, including for maritime traffic, and vessel openings will continue as needed.
People traveling through the area should expect significant and ongoing delays, especially northbound into Seattle. These impacts come on top of existing lane reductions on I-5, which continue to affect regional travel.
6:31 PM: WSDOT has now issued a news release with more details on what we reported above, and a bit more background on the bridge’s most-recent challenges.
Starting Monday (February 23), you’ll be able to use more than just an ORCA card on most regional transit services if you want to “tap to pay.” Here’s the announcement we received today:
On February 23, ORCA is launching a new Tap to Pay feature allowing riders to use credit and debit cards, and digital wallets, to pay for transit across the Puget Sound region.
Riders can simply tap their contactless Visa, Mastercard, Discover® Network, or American Express credit or debit cards, or cards in digital wallets, using Apple Pay™, Google Pay™, or Samsung Pay™ to ride. This new feature expands access to public transportation and supports seamless travel experiences for both daily riders and visitors alike.
This new feature also comes as Seattle and the Puget Sound region prepare to host several large events in 2026. With many international visitors expected to travel across the region, Tap to Pay simplifies transit and aligns with global expectations for convenient payment options. …
How the new Tap to Pay feature works:
Riders can pay for transit with most contactless-enabled credit or debit cards with a contactless symbol, or with digital credit or debit cards via Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay, by tapping their cards or smart devices on ORCA card readers.
ORCA cards will still be issued and accepted across the region on buses, trains, and ferries. ORCA cards continue to provide the most cost-effective, convenient benefits for many riders across the region, especially those enrolled in free or reduced fare programs such as ORCA LIFT, Senior RRFP, Disabled RRFP, Youth, and those with employer or organization sponsored ORCA cards.
Contactless payments through ORCA are not accepted on:
Seattle Monorail
Washington State Ferries
King County Metro DART, Community Vans, Metro Flex
Community Transit DART, Zip Shuttle
Pierce Transit SHUTTLE, Pierce Transit Runner
Everett Transit ParatransitSome of these services may offer other ways to pay using contactless payments outside of the ORCA system. Tap to Pay will soon be available on Kitsap Transit Fast Ferries, Foot Ferries, and King County Water Taxi.
Riders paying with contactless credit or debit cards are charged an adult fare and will still receive the ORCA 2-hour transfer window benefit, allowing for seamless transfers across Puget Sound, as they do today.
Riders cannot receive discounts (Senior, Youth, ORCA LIFT, Disabled) or passes. Riders with ORCA cards that receive discounts are encouraged to keep tapping their existing ORCA cards.
Customers will not be able to pay for multiple riders or groups using one card or device. Every rider will need their own payment method.
Cards need to be tapped directly on the ORCA card readers. Riders should remove physical cards from their wallets before tapping to avoid unwanted charges on other cards or tap failures.
If you have both an ORCA card and a credit or debit card in Google Wallet™, the card reader should default to charging your digital ORCA card when tapped. If you wish to use a digital credit or debit card, select that form of payment on your smart device before tapping.
For Apple Pay users with Express Mode enabled, riders can simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near a card reader to ride transit across the Puget Sound Region — without having to unlock or wake up their device. And with power reserve, if their iPhone needs to be charged, they can still use it to ride transit.
Riders who tap with a contactless payment method may be subject to fare inspection on some services. Fare inspectors will not scan credit or debit cards; however, they will ask Tap to Pay riders to share the last 4 digits of their card number to confirm fare was paid. This allows fare inspectors to input the last 4 digits of the card used to confirm that the fare transaction occurred. More information on how fare inspection will work can be found here: https://info.myorca.com/contactless/#fareinspection
ORCA cards remain the best option for many, but this enhancement to the ORCA Product suite makes riding transit easier than ever for all types of riders.
Learn more at info.myORCA.com/contactless
11:59 AM: Thanks to Gregg for the report – the Admiral Way protected-bike-lane upgrade work on the hill north of the West Seattle Bridge is under way today. Less than a week ago, we reported SDOT‘s confirmation of what’s being done here:
The existing bike lanes on Admiral Way between Spokane and Lander will be upgraded with concrete pre-cast curbs to provide physical separation between people biking and vehicle traffic.curbs to provide physical separation between people biking and vehicle traffic.
We are not proposing to change the current lane or curb space configurations. The upgrade is intended to improve safety for people biking uphill and reduce instances of vehicles parking in the bike lane.
We’ll check in on the progress later this afternoon.
2:59 PM: WSB’s Macey Wurm went to the work zone for photographs, and reports that the crew wasn’t expected to finish the work today (above, see the pre-cast curbs that are being installed) but is likely to finish up this weekend. In the meantime, while they’re there, be aware of temporary lane reduction in the work zone.
(Olympics early this morning, photographed by Mark Erskine)
Here’s what’s on our list for the hours ahead, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you’ll find even more – thanks again to everyone who sends events for us to list!):
FREE PLAYSPACE, CANCELED: West Seattle Church of the Nazarene is NOT hosting playspace today, because of school break.
GATHERING AT THE VOID: Escape your home office for a few hours! “Work, Game, Craft, or Chat! At The Void” hangout at The Void, 10 am-noon Thursdays. (5048 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY RUN/WALK: New free, fun gathering, 10 am, starting from Lincoln Park parking lot #2. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Whether you’re planting or planning – the center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm – north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
ROXHILL BOG CELEBRATION: Learn about and tour the pilot project aimed at saving the wetland and Roxhill Park, 10:30 am-noon, with art projects and more fun for all. (29th/Barton, look for the canopies) More info in our calendar listing!
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME IN ADMIRAL: West Seattle Library story time (2306 42nd SW), 10:30 am.
(added) SCONES AT THE STORE: Metropolitan Market at 41st/Admiral is hosting the Fisher Scone Wagon again today, 11 am-4:30 pm.(Thanks to Margaret for the tip!)
NEW YEAR’S AT VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: Special open hours, noon-2 pm, again today. (2236 SW Orchard)
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: From newbie to pro, all levels welcome at this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today. (Even if you just want to know so you can go listen!)
DROP-IN CHESS: High Point Library‘s weekly event is on today, 4-5:30 pm for players under 18. (3411 SW Raymond)
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of two regular Thursday night events at HPCS – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Asian Crazy .
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Another regular Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 5-8 pm for your tool-borrowing needs. (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center)
VISCON CELLARS: This West Seattle winery’s friendly tasting room/wine bar is open Thursdays, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor), for wine by the glass or bottle!
LONG DISTANCE ADVOCACY: Write postcards with Postcards 4 Democracy at Great American Diner (4752 California SW), monthly “happy hour” event, 5-7 pm.
(added) LOCAL BIZ BINGO AT WELCOME ROAD WINERY: 6 pm:
Featuring prizes from: RowdyBox, Artist & Muse Salon, Public Shop, the West Seattle Junction Association, and fabulous Kraken gear courtesy of a West Seattle neighbor!
BINGO NIGHT TONIGHT
Thursday, 2/19
Starting at 6 pm
Book a table to guarantee your seat! Bingo is a midweek treat!Join us for a night of fun, good company and delightful prizes from West Seattle businesses and light snacks while you sip $5 glasses of your favorite pour!
(3804 California SW)
POKEMON LEAGUE: 6 pm Thursdays at Fourth Emerald Games (4517 California SW, upstairs) – bring your own console.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: 6 pm, starting from Future Primitive Beach Bar (2536 Alki SW), you’re welcome to join the Westies Run Club‘s Thursday night community run!
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: If you’d rather walk, meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fontanelle for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.
WSBLI FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: Help the Washington State Black Legacy Institute celebrate its first anniversary in its Admiral District home, 6:30 pm – our calendar listing has details and the registration link, (2656 42nd SW)
ADMIRAL PUB TRIVIA: 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
CONSCIOUS CONNECTIONS: Fight the loneliness epidemic with this monthly gathering, 7:15 pm at Revitalize Spa – our calendar listing has registration information. (8142 15th SW)
‘TOPDOG/UNDERDOG’ AT ARTSWEST: 7:30 pm, third week for this ArtsWest production, “Topdog/Underdog.” Online tickets are sold out for the rest of the run, but check with the theater box office! (4711 California SW)
TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE VOID: Newest West Seattle trivia night! 7:30 pm, with prizes, at The Void (5048 California SW).
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Spinning happens tonight at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Marvelette, starting at 8 pm. 21+.
DJ NIGHT AT EASY STREET: Also at 8 pm, DJ Depeche Mike spins iconic vinyl from 1986 at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW). All ages.
Are you planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
More local high-school swimmers headed for state, starting tomorrow! Here’s the announcement about West Seattle High School athletes:
Congrats to the West Seattle Boys Swim & Dive team – after a nearly undefeated dual meet season, the Wildcats recently finished 4th overall at the Metro League Championships, where they were also awarded the team Sportsmanship Award.
Thirteen Wildcats made Districts cuts during the season, 11 of whom competed at 3A Sea-King District Championships last weekend: Nate Boehmer, Enzo Conte, Luca Conte, Mason Duffy, Brisan Hruska, Casey Laplante, Lars Norman, Jeremy O’Keefe, Mac Rysemus, Ben Wrenholt, Tom Wrenholt.
Of this group, 10 athletes are headed to State this upcoming weekend, qualifying to compete in all three relays: 200 Medley Relay, 200 Freestyle Relay and 400 Freestyle Relay, as well as select individual events: Tom Wrenholt (500 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle), Ben Wrenholt (200 IM), and Mason Duffy (100 Fly, 100 Back).
Congrats to the whole Wildcat Boys Swim & Dive team and their amazing coaches — Karen Boehmer (Head Coach), Logan Rysemus & Ryan O’Donnell — on an awesome season, and good luck, State swimmers!
State competition is at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
6:00 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Thursday, February 19, 2026, with mid-winter break continuing for many schools.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
As it’s been all week, possible rain/snow mix is in the forecast for today, but we can also expect some sunshine. High in the low 40s. Sunrise at 7:07 am; sunset at 5:39 pm.
(Wednesday evening photo by Bob Burns)
CLOSURE ALERTS
*WSDOT issued this alert for the NB 1st Avenue South Bridge late last night.
*Survey crews on West Marginal and just to the northwest are scheduled to close lanes again tonight and Friday night, as explained here.
TRANSIT TODAY
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service, fall/winter schedule.
Washington State Ferries – Check WSF’s alert page for any changes to the 3-boat schedule.
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule and routes.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge (see the alert above):
Delridge cameras: In addition to the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
If you travel on the northbound 1st Avenue South Bridge, you need to know about this late-night alert from WSDOT:
The right two lanes of the northbound State Route 99 First Avenue Bridge in Seattle are closed beginning Wednesday night, Feb. 18 until further notice.
Washington State Department of Transportation bridge maintenance has closed the lanes and reduced the speed on the northbound bridge to 25 MPH following a routine bridge inspection.
WSDOT bridge engineers will be on site again Thursday, Feb. 19, to continue their assessment. More details will be shared as they are available.
By Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The Rotary Club of West Seattle hosted West Seattle’s highest-ranking elected official at this week’s lunch meeting.
U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who lives in West Seattle when not in D.C., has represented Washington’s 7th Congressional district since 2017. District 7 encompasses the majority of Seattle and the neighboring communities of Shoreline, Vashon Island, and Lake Forest Park.
Jayapal arrived after the Rotary’s lunch had concluded on Tuesday to speak about the current state of national and local politics, as well as welcome questions from members. She began by saying that her favorite part of the job is being home in order to engage with people residing in the district she represents. She wanted to highlight the work that she does on a hyper-local level to the Rotary because she felt that so much of the public focus otherwise is on higher-profile issues that she works on – like immigration and the Epstein Files.
The congresswoman said she has secured around $18 million for projects across District 7 in the past year dealing with transportation, arts and community, food banks, and housing. She said with regret that the current administration has only allowed these funds to support government projects and not nonprofits. She also said she has delivered 22 acres of new “parkland and community gathering space” to the district.
Regarding the Epstein Files, she said she has been working on exposing “powerful rich predators who were part of a massive global sex trafficking ring and have not been brought to justice.” Rep. Jayapal has collaborated with Epstein survivors, interviewing four of them for her podcast “The Power You Have,” which has another episode coming out this Friday. “It troubles me so much, it sickens me, really. It’s just a level of depravity that I’m finding it hard to find the words to express.” Jayapal gave immense credit to the survivors for “shaking the earth,” and is hoping that the resignations happening with prominent figures involved globally will soon begin in the United States.
Immigration reform was mentioned as well, with Jayapal describing the violent detention of both American citizens and undocumented immigrants as “bipartisan horror.” She noted that more than 76,000 people are currently incarcerated in for-profit immigration-enforcement facilities, or “jails” as Jayapal calls them because of what she describes as horrific conditions. She also mentioned how the partial government shutdown is affecting the Department of Homeland Security, saying she is pushing for significant reforms to be required if funding is to continue.
On the topic of bipartisanship, Rep. Jayapal pointed to her co-sponsorship of the Restore Trust in Congress Act. The bill would effectively ban members of Congress from owning or trading stocks, but is competing with a recent bill announced by speaker Mike Johnson which addresses stock trading, but doesn’t ban it entirely. She wanted to mention bipartisanship in a couple additional lights – the collaboration for humanitarian efforts in Sudan, and work in Syria to bring a true democracy.
After these notes, Jayapal opened it up to questions from Rotary members, of which there were many, but time only allowed for five.
Question 1
“If you could spur the citizens to do something to help the current situation, what would that be?”
“Speak out,” Jayapal replied. She urged listeners to use whatever platform they had access to to speak on important political issues, and importantly, to bring “as much legitimacy to what you are saying as possible.” She also advised people to get involved with organizations such as the ACLU and the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, as well as to participate in mutual-aid assistance for Minnesota. “Hopelessness and powerlessness are tools of an oppressor,” she warned.
The congresswoman polled the room for individuals who had taken her Resistance Lab training. The training is aimed at giving the public precise tools and tactics to help resist against a dictatorship.
Question 2
“What is your solution to the homelessness situation?”
Jayapal talked about her bill, the Housing is a Human Right Act, and explained her belief that “everything starts with having a home.” She said the federal government has disinvested in housing over the years, and that affordable housing is essential to combatting the crisis. Specifically in Seattle, she brought up that private equity investors are contributing to the growing number of empty units, by purchasing units that were previously available for rental. “Poverty and homelessness are failures of policy, not people,” she said.
Question 3
“What does the restoration of public health look like?”
Jayapal explained the consequences of the destruction of data sets at the federal level. “Federal data sets that track epidemiology of a disease emerging no longer exist, they have been scrubbed. Rebuilding is going to be a very difficult and long process, long after RFK Jr. is out of office.”
She emphasized that building public trust is the most important aspect of public health, and that currently, trust has not been established between the United States government and its public.
“How do you rebuild from a place of complete destruction, not only in the infrastructure but in the basic ethos of ‘the government is here to help me’?” she mused.
Question 4
“How do we keep the midterm elections safe and secure? How do we make sure the outcome is respected?”
Jayapal started by mentioning last week’s vote on the SAVE Act, saying she considered it an “attack on our voting system and an attempt to forward Trump’s push for nationalizing elections.” She has been fighting to keep elections safe and secure by helping to file lawsuits against states that are trying to ban mail-in voting. She urged the importance of “walking the line” between taking these risks seriously, versus taking them so seriously that voter turnout would be depressed by the belief that one’s vote wouldn’t count. Lastly, she wanted people to turn their attention to investing in voting infrastructure and workers.
Question 5
“What is the winning strategy in Congress to assure that we have free and fair elections this midterm and in the next presidential election?”
“Do you want the bad news first?” Jayapal joked. She outlined that the “founding framers” didn’t give Congress enough power in comparison to the president, and that Congress will never really be able to control the executive. “Framers assumed that the majority party would care more about the Constitution and their constituents than about one cult-figure person.”
She urged the audience to organize, and truly think about who they vote for, saying the public needed to continue to elect people who are actually going to make things move, and are in politics to contribute to the public good.
The Rotary Club of West Seattle (a WSB sponsor) meets at noon most Tuesdays. Information about attending as a guest can be found here.
Two community-center notes tonight:
(Photo taken through the construction fencing)
ALKI COMMUNITY CENTER’S FUTURE: Chad asked about whether Alki CC will reinstate any recreational programming once it reopens along with the adjacent school; it’s been child-care-only for a few years now but previously had more-typical programming. We’ve reported before that Seattle Parks has declared it to be permanently child-care-only, but we asked again, Spokesperson Karen O’Connor replied with a reiteration that it is, and will continue to be, child-care-only. The center will reopen in fall, as a site for Seattle Preschool Program classes (applications for 2026-27 SPP open March 16) and after-school care, she added.
NEW CITYWIDE BROCHURE: Meantime, the community centers that are continuing – or resuming, in the case of Hiawatha CC – recreational programming have listed spring offerings in the newest combined brochure. See it here now and get ready for registration – for programs that require it – starting March 3.
5:56 PM: A two-car crash west of 15th/Roxbury is reported to be blocking the westbound lanes of Roxbury. Avoid the area for a while.
7:19 PM: Now SPD is responding to a collision at California/Raymond, blocking southbound, reported to involve two cars plus a parked car.
4:30 PM: Lots of reports of a dark helicopter circling over east West Seattle. It’s not on radar and we have no correlating reports of ground activity so far, but we’re driving around looking.
4:43 PM: We are in High Point and have eyes on the helicopter but no ID and not seeing anything unusual on the ground.
4:50 PM: Multiple readers say it’s a Guardian 1 chopper (King County Sheriff’s Office but they support multiple local law enforcement agencies).
4:52 PM: Now out of our sight – sounds like it’s headed west. We are checking with KCSO.
5:05 PM: Commenters now report a helicopter sighting over Admiral (still no radar ID).
5:43 PM: Still trying to find out what the circling was for, checking archives of a variety of radio channels, but haven’t found a clue yet. Didn’t see any ground law enforcement when we had the helicopter in view overhead in High Point vicinity. Will update this story if/when we get info.
10 PM: Commenters are discussing the tail number seen by those who got a clearer view of the helicopter, and it does not appear to have been Guardian One; we’ve heard back from KCSO, too, and our contact said they weren’t aware of anything working in our area.
Thanks to Tom Trulin for the photos and info! Tom reports that today is the first day that Sunfish, the fish-and-chips restaurant at 2800 Alki SW, is back open after its traditional winter break.
Tom is usually the first Sunfish fan to report in on their late-winter reopenings, which we appreciate!
(WSB photos by Jason Grotelueschen)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
It’s easy for community meetings to get stuck on one particular issue or hotspot, if the facilitator(s) let them.
To avoid that last night at the quarterly Southwest Precinct Advisory Council community meeting, SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Matthew Brown and SWPAC’s community lead Ella McRae stressed focusing on issues with “West Seattle-wide” or even citywide effects, and how the community can collaborate on solutions.
The two-dozen-plus people in attendance at the precinct took that mostly to heart. First, here’s our video of the meeting so you can see/hear it all for yourself:
In addition to the incident updates we reported late last night immediately after the meeting, SPD precinct leaders provided updates on ongoing areas of concern:
PLANNING FOR SUMMER SAFETY ON ALKI (AND ELSEWHERE): SW Precinct commander Capt. Krista Bair said summer-safety planning is starting early this year, as it didn’t begin until May last year and it was agreed, that was too late. They’re working with “partner agencies” again this year – it “can’t be just (SPD)” tasked with safety. But so far, she said, she’s “impressed and encouraged by this group of people” and notes the results will be “measured and tracked” a lot more than last summer.
Unique this summer will be the FIFA World Cup games; Capt. Bair said some resources will definitely be “reallocated” from the precincts but “most officers” will remain. She’s expecting an influx of tourists to West Seattle and side effects such as possibly increased Water Taxi runs.
Speaking of staffing, an attendee asked her about it. SPD overall is still up 90+ officers after last year’s hiring outpaced departures; she said their recruiting is much more visible outside Seattle than it had been. Precinct staffing, she said, remains at the same level since she took over more than a year and a half ago.
CRIME TRENDS: SW Precinct Lt. Wes Collier took over for this update. He cited the same citywide stat as heard at community meetings since the start of the year, that crime dropped almost 20 percent overall. Though this area had no homicides last year, he said it’s noteworthy that citywide, 86 percent of all homicide cases were cleared last year, compared to about 50 percent for the preceding year. West Seattle violent crime is down 9 percent, property crimes down 20 percent, Collier said.
WESTWOOD VILLAGE: This remains a “property crime” hotspot in West Seattle. But police say they’ve been collaborating more closely with center security and that’s been leading to arrests like the ones mentioned here: “We’re trying to change the environment over there.” If you’ve noticed red signs in windows at WWV businesses, that’s part of a “trespass warning” program, and Lt. Collier said 90 percent of the businesses there have signed up. “We have a great relationship with the security guards over there,” he added. And they’ve been working with prosecutors to “be sure cases get the proper attention” and to provide them with the information needed to file charges.
WESTSIDE NEIGHBORS SHELTER: The shelter in The Triangle was a major topic of last fall’s SWPAC meeting (WSB coverage here). Lt. Collier said the shelter and police are continuing to collaborate to try to “deter some activity” – drug use, etc. – in the area, and that shelter management has made some changes too. SPD has an “emphasis car” there when possible, he added. Later in the meeting, Chris Mackay, who represents the West Seattle Junction Association (of which she is executive director), said the shelter remains a major concern for merchants who believe some of the street disorder continuing in The Junction is a spillover effect. Conrad Cipoletti, vice president of the Morgan Community Association, mentioned the trouble at bus stops; Lt. Collier noted they’re the purview of the King County Sheriff’s Office Transit Police, and encouraged online reporting of non-urgent situations (otherwise, 911 when something is happening now)
SECURITY CAMERAS: During the incident updates, Lt. Collier mentioned the Connect Seattle program through which residents and businesses can register their cameras. Charlotte Starck, the Alki Community Council president who represents ACC on SWPAC, asked for more details. Brown noted that this area has the most registered cameras so far. “We’re not reaching into your house, not looking at your stuff,” Capt. Bair emphasized – the program is voluntary, and when you register, you’re in a database so that if something happens nearby, police can more easily find out who might have had cameras that might have recorded something. Also, signing up does not obligate you to turn over your video. That led to a question about whether city-owned cameras are part of the program, and from there, the issue of whether city anti-crime cameras might be removed. That’s when newly elected City Attorney Erika Evans was announced as in attendance:
Evans noted that it’s up to the mayor to make that decision (as Mayor Katie Wilson had noted in her State of the City speech earlier in the day).
CRISIS RESPONSE: The meeting also heard from a Crisis Response Team officer, explaining where they differ from the CARE Team and Community Service Officers as well as social workers who respond to certain crisis calls too. A CSO explained that mental-health responses are not their specialty – helping access resources for people “who just might be having the worst day of their life” is.
ICE RESPONSE: Brown said that if you think you see ICE activity, don’t try to interrupt “because that’s a crime” but do “be a good witness” – with your camera if you can – and call 911 because SPD “can make sure everyone’s safe” by responding to the scene.
REPORTING CRIME AND SAFETY CONCERNS OVERALL: Here’s the list Brown put on the whiteboard in the precinct’s community room:
But if you’re not sure, Brown said, call 911 and they’ll help guide you to the right place.
OTHER COMMUNITY CONCERNS: Mackay mentioned business break-ins (The Junction has been heavily affected as well as Alki) An attendee asked whether drug use in public is now legal (there was confusion several weeks back); Evans said no, but the law still favors trying first to get people into treatment and “we’ll prosecute if that’s not progressing.” Kay Kirkpatrick from HPAC said the burned van was only one of at least seven vehicles in seven weeks in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, but at least the gate at the bottom of Highland Park Way hill has been replaced and its lock fortified. Kirkpatrick said that the upcoming Glassyard Commons RV/tiny-house site was also likely to draw more trouble to the nearby greenbelt areas.
NEXT MEETING: The SWPAC will reconvene in May (if you have concerns for SPD in the meantime, there are usually reps at other regular neighborhood-group meetings including Admiral, Alki, Fauntleroy, Highland Park/Riverview/South Delridge, and Morgan). When Brown asked last night’s group what topics/guests they would like to see considered for the May meeting, suggestions included SDOT to talk about traffic, King County Sheriff’s Office to talk about how they and SPD collaborate, and security for the World Cup games, which will be just a few weeks away by then. If you have suggestions – or crime-prevention-related questions – Brown is reachable at matthew.brown@seattle.gov. And Capt. Bair had a final request: If crime happens, “please don’t NOT report.”
Another West Seattle business burglary to report. Alki in particular has been hit disproportionately, and that’s the location of the report we just received from proprietors Erika and Jorge, with security video:
We’re reaching out to share that our restaurant, Fire Tacos, was broken into early this morning at approximately 4:30 AM.
Two individuals were captured on our security footage forcing entry into our establishment . one tall and one shorter, both appearing to be white. They broke into our cash registers, stole several tablets and laptop used for our point-of-sale system, and took cash boxes used for our food truck operations. No money was stored in those boxes.
This is our first break-in. As a small, family-owned business, this is especially difficult during the slower season. Situations like this are very disheartening, and it’s hard. A police report has been filed, and we are handling the matter appropriately.
We appreciate our community’s continued support.
The placeholder SPD incident # is T00051452. You can see other recent reports by scrolling through our Crime Watch coverage archive.
10:19 AM: Thanks for the tips – multiple readers say Xfinity has confirmed an outage in north West Seattle affecting, at last report, up to 2,000 customers, reported to be affecting internet and TV, with the cause listed as “network damage.”
12:44 PM: Commenter “Onion” says below that their service resumed about 10 minutes ago.
(Tuesday sunshine, photographed by Jerry Simmons)
Lots of possibilities today including Ash Wednesday events – here are highlights, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 10 am Wednesday walks leave from 47th/Fontanelle (so if you didn’t see this in the calendar in time, here’s a reminder for next week).
TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at the bookstore. (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor)
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE & COMMUNITY ASH WALK-BY: Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) has a noon Ash Wednesday service and, whether you attend that or not, a comunity “walk-by” 1-2 pm where you can walk up to the church exterior and be marked with ashes. Info on both here.
PLAY AMERICAN MAH JONGG: 2-4 pm, play at the new location of Missing Piece (4707 California SW).
FREE MOVIE: All ages movie, 2:30 pm at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), “Gabby’s Dollhouse.”
ART WORKSHOP: Drop-in art for kids withRec ‘N The Streets at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW), 3-4:30 pm.
BRICK BUDDIES: 3-4:30 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), drop-in building with Legos, Picassos, other building sets.
DROP-IN HOMEWORK HELP: Canceled this week because of school break.
ROCK BAND GAMING AT MR. B’S MEAD CENTER: 5-10 pm, weekly event in South Delridge! (9444 Delridge Way SW)
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Repair your broken item instead of throwing it out! Weekly event, free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
POTTERINGS OPEN STUDIO: 6-8 pm, drop in and create at this cozy pottery studio. (3400 Harbor SW)
POETRYBRIDGE AT C & P: The poetry community gathers at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) at 6 pm.
ASH WEDNESDAY AT ADMIRAL CHURCH: As reported here Tuesday, tonight’s 6 pm Ash Wednesday service at Admiral Church‘s temporary location (3050 California SW, enter at 42nd/Hanford) is the first service that will be led by the church’s new pastor Rev. Jermell Witherspoon.
WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: You’re invited to this 6 pm meetup at Great American Diner/Bar (4752 California SW).
KUNDALINI YOGA: Now at 6 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska). $35.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUN: Get moving at midweek on the weekly 6:15 pm group run with West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) tonight – all welcome, all paces!
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer lineup. (7902 35th SW)
ASH WEDNESDAY EVENING LITURGY: 7 pm at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (4105 California SW; WSB sponsor).
LISTENING PARTY AT EASY STREET: Be among the first to hear Mumford & Sons‘ “Prizefighter,” 7 pm, free, all ages. (4559 California SW)
MUSIC BINGO: Weekly music bingo at at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
TRIVIA x 5: Five West Seattle trivia venues on our Wednesday list: at Future Primitive Beach Bar (2536 Alki SW), 7 pm, free to play … 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), free to play … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) has Wednesday trivia at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, it’s trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW), all ages until 10 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: West Seattle’s longest-running open mic! 7:30 pm signups for the weekly event at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
KARAOKE AT ADMIRAL PUB: Sing at the pub starting at 8:45 pm, after trivia. (2306 California SW)
Planning something that’s open to community participation/observation? Please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Also looking ahead to the state championships, Chief Sealth International High School swimmers! Here’s the update we received to share with you:
Chief Sealth Boys Swim & Dive had an outstanding performance at the Sea-King District Championships this past weekend!
The team finished 3rd overall with 160 points, competing against schools from across the district. Our swimmers posted 21 personal records throughout the weekend, demonstrating the hard work and dedication they’ve put in all season.
Most exciting, we’re sending athletes to the State Championships:
• Two individual events qualified for state. (Theo Franzen)• Our 400 Free Relay team secured their spot with a thrilling 0.54-second victory over Renton in the final event. (Cole Peloza, Theo Franzen, August Truman, Dominic Melanese, David Ohta, and Nico Balducci)
Thank you to all our swimmers, families, and supporters. Best of luck to our state qualifiers as they prepare for the championship meet this Friday!
The championships are happening at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
8:58 AM: Per police radio, there’s signal trouble at Delridge/Myrtle.
Earlier:
6:03 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with mid-winter break continuing for most schools.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
Rain/snow mix is again possible, according to the forecast for today. High in the low 40s. Sunrise at 7:09 am; sunset at 5:37 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service, fall/winter schedule.
Washington State Ferries – Check WSF’s alert page for any changes to the 3-boat schedule.
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule and routes.
NIGHTTIME LANE CLOSURES
Survey crews on West Marginal and just to the northwest, continuing nightly through Friday night, as explained here.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge:
Delridge cameras: In addition to the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Far beneath the bark chips, the reason for Thursday’s Roxhill Bog celebration is literally dug in and doing its job.
It’s a vinyl barrier, about 300 feet long, installed last fall as a test, to see if it could help keep water in the part of the historic peat wetland, which has been a source of concern over the years as it’s run dry. Now, the simple sight of standing water thrills those who’ve worked on the problem for years. Through a tangle of branches, here’s what we saw Monday on the south side of Roxhill Park:
This water is evidence the test barrier is working. And the rain that fell Monday brought more water to the wetland, while dousing us during a mini-tour with Sharon Leishman of the Duwamish Alive Coalition and Danielle Devier of Seattle Parks. They were two of the key participants in a 2021 online meeting we covered laying out the plan for “fixing the bathtub via blocking groundwater from leaving it, with a barrier – not just to save the bog, but to save the park, where trails and bridges have been sinking as the bog dries out.
They explained how the vinyl barrier was deemed to be the least damaging way to block it – they wouldn’t have to tear up so much of the bog in the process. Leishman stressed the collaboration that led to the plan, including Natural Systems Design and the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, which has been organizing volunteer restoration-work parties in the park – look closely at this photo and you’ll see a tiny starter clump of grass planted during one of those events:
Bog restoration projects are more common outside the U.S., we learned during the mini-tour, and they also serve an educational purpose – to teach people about peat’s role in carbon sequestration. All the harvesting of peat that’s sold or gardens is releasing a lot of it. So what’s happening at Roxhill Bog is just a start – more of the bog could be restored, and an outdoor education lab could follow, for example. Past surveys have shown area residents have an intense interest in access to more natural areas, and they hope to see some of them at the celebration Thursday, 10:30 am to noon, which will include art, speakers, and most importantly, guided bog tours so you can see and hear about all this firsthand,
Clouds staged a double feature this afternoon, both dark and bright. The first two photos are from David Hutchinson – the very dark wall of clouds to the east, eventually followed by a thinner dark line to the west:
At sunset, they also made room for a burst of color – Brooke Gosztola is one of the photographers who caught that:
Penny photographed this pink breakthrough:
And April K caught the colors fading:
Following all that, we’re already in the 30s, and a rain/snow mix remains a possibility until early afternoon, the forecast says.
Just back from the Southwest Precinct Advisory Council meeting; we’ll publish our full report tomorrow, but tonight we wanted to bring you two updates of note from the meeting, presented. by SW Precinct Capt. Krista Bair and Lt. Wes Collier:
HIGH POINT GUNFIRE: Police said the incident January 14 that involved at least 60 shots was determined to have been “targeted.” But the woman who was injured was not an intended target. They added that enough people in the vicinity had security cameras – registered with Connect Seattle – that investigators have been able to identify some of those involved. Arrests were not mentioned, though.
(Reader photo, last month)
WEST DUWAMISH GREENBELT ‘ARSON’: They said the early January fire that gutted a van in the greenbelt, first categorized as “arson” due to a suspected “incendiary device,” was not. It turned out that the stolen van had been started “in a creative manner” and whatever was involved in that is what was mistaken for a fire-starting “device.” The city’s Unified Care Team helped coordinate getting the burned-out van removed before it attracted further activity.
(SPU file photo of a compost giveaway event)
The next event at the past-and-future Highland Park Improvement Club site is one week from Saturday – pick up free compost – 10 am-2 pm February 28. HPIC’s announcement says, “In partnership with Seattle Public Utilities, we will be offering free compost from Lenz Enterprises for members and neighbors to pick up. Bring your shovels and buckets to the HPIC parking lot to swap seeds, share extra plants, load up on compost, and help your plants and neighbors thrive! There will be free coffee on-site. One load per household, please.” RSVPs not mandatory but appreciated – go here!
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