West Seattle, Washington
13 Friday
(WSF photo via X)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The sight of M/V Wenatchee out on Elliott Bay today was one reason why Washington State Ferries boss Steve Nevey opened today’s online systemwide community meeting with optimism: “I’m really positive about the direction the ferry system is heading in. … We’re not just trying to get better, we are getting better.”
M/V Wenatchee is getting close to the end of its longer-than-planned hybrid-conversion work at Vigor on Harbor Island, and its return to service will help return the fleet to enough of a size that, among other things, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route will be able to return to a three-boat schedule June 30 (as first announced last month). “I’m really proud that almost-full service (systemwide) will be restored this summer.”
That also was partly enabled by Governor Bob Ferguson‘s order to delay the hybrid conversion of other ferries, but Nevey insisted WSF was not wavering in its commitment to electrification. A major next step, for example, is to build infrastructure so ferries will be able to recharge at terminals and run entirely on battery power; until that infrastructure is available, for example, Wenatchee will be running in hybrid mode “for a couple years,” Nevey noted.
He also showed the system “by the numbers” for this year’s first four months:
The most important numbers – like fleet size – played into remarks from the next speaker, John Vezina. Though, he warned, the system will have only 21 boats when it should have 26, service restoration will be possible:
For Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth, Vezina also said, there’ll be a few weeks this spring where it’s back to “two boats plus the ‘bonus boat’.” And what happens if unexpected circumstances bring the fleet strength down further? He showed the WSF decisionmaking matrix:
His final key point was that ferries have been added to the list of transit types aboard which various types of “unlawful transit conduct” can get you in trouble, thanks to SB 5716.
Next up from the WSF executive team was Todd Lamphere, who had the most numbers of anyone in the lineup, because it fell to him to explain how the state allocates funding to WSF and what happened in the just-concluded legislative session. Among the many notable numbers was $4 million for continued supplemental foot-ferry service provided by Metro‘s Vashon Island Water Taxi and Kitsap Transit. WSF is also now “directed” by legislators – without a dollar amount attached – to get back to exploring what it would take to provide reliable wi-fi service on ferries and in terminals. He also explained how ferry fares are decided, and during the meeting, participants got the chance to participate in two fare-related polls. (79 percent supported extending expiration time of prepurchased ticket books, from 90 days to 120 days; 65 percent supported a five percent “peak season surcharge.”
For more input into the process of setting the next round of fares, an online open house starts soon:
44 minutes into the meeting, they launched into a full hour of questions and answers (the asking was done via a Zoom feature – no live speaking by attendees). We took notes only on the ones of potential local interested, such as an early question about staffing; Beth Stowell said they’d just had four classes of 16 new employees, with two more soon, so they’re “fully staffed up with new folks for summer.” Other questions included how would WSF measure electrification success, once it’s actually happening; the answer – the amount of time the boats are running on battery power. Someone else was perturbed over people “skipping the line” if they have a medical exemption; Vezina noted there are three groups of people that can skip the line – those with medical exemptions, those on motorcycles, and those on bicycles. The medical exemption requires a note from a doctor – they don’t just take your word for it.
Got a question? A second session of the same meeting, ostensibly also featuring an hour for Q&A, starts at 6 pm Thursday; you can get the link by registering here.
Thanks to James Bratsanos for the photo from tonight’s sunset. The warm colors seem like a promise of the warmer weather to come – forecast currently projects 70s this weekend, a bit cooler on Memorial Day.
Story and photos by Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Thanks for the tip about activity in the Fauntleroy retail space that was most recently Bel Gatto after many decades as The Original Bakery. We’ve learned it will open this summer as an expansion of a Pilates studio in the same building. Along with the same programming already happening around the corner at Lagom Studios, there will be new saunas and classes, all by appointment.
“Community building is the whole purpose,” says owner Melina Moore. She bought the studio in 2022, when it was called Innate Vitality. At 435sf, the studio, tucked into the north side of the Endolyne building, can only accommodate 4 clients at a time, so Moore had started to look for a larger space. Poised to sign a lease in the Admiral District earlier this year, she found the bakery space suddenly available. “It felt very kismet,” she says, and allowed her to keep the business in the Fauntleroy neighborhood, which she came to love a number of years ago while teaching at the Cottage School at Gatewood Elementary.
With 2,000 additional square feet, Moore says there is enough space to have private sessions and group classes, including Yin yoga, at the same time. She envisions a “community wellness space,” with saunas and shower in the back and a “cozy corner” with tea where the bakery had its pastry case.
She plans to keep the current studio for community events, including sound baths, women’s circles, reiki and breath work, and astrology workshops.
Clients at a Pilates class Tuesday morning were thrilled about the larger space. “I’m super excited that she is expanding,” said one. Another described the Lagom space as a sanctuary in the city — “a neighborhood healing space.”
Moore says the Swedish word Lagom is about moving your body in balance and appreciation, something that is a guiding principle of her studio, along with a requirement that clients practice kindness in the space, where, “everyone is welcome.” Moore has 5 instructors working out of the current studio and will be hiring more for the expansion. Likely hours when she expands in July will be 7 am to 7:30 pm, depending on appointments.
Two recurring tours offer you the chance to learn about West Seattle history:
(WSB file photo)
ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: The free tours led by the US Coast Guard Auxiliary are returning on Sundays starting this weekend. No reservations – first come, first served, with the site open for tours starting at 1 pm and the last tour starting at 3:45 pm. These will continue every Sunday through Labor Day weekend, except for July 27 and August 3.
ADMIRAL DISTRICT TOURS: New two-hour, 1 1/2-mile Admiral walking tours have just been announced by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, whose Alki walking tours have been popular. They’re offering four this summer, 10 am-noon Saturdays, June 21, July 26, August 16, and September 20. Go here for more details and registration.
(Texted reader photo)
We’ve been hearing from people about police-boat activity seen off West Seattle shores, involving various commercial boats (Kitsap Transit, Victoria Clipper among the sightings reported). Turns out that the type of drill we got warning of for tomorrow, involving the Water Taxi, apparently are happening with other agencies today, although the time frame in this representative tweet is a little off.
Thanks to Amy for the tip on this – repaving work is under way toward the south end of 35th SW in Arbor Heights. We hadn’t heard/seen about this in advance, nor apparently had some in the area, but here’s what SDOT told us when we inquired:
SDOT crews are repairing worn pavement by replacing the top layer of asphalt on 35th Ave SW between SW 106th St and SW 108th St. Construction hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the road will be fully open at other times. During construction, 35th Ave SW is reduced to a single lane with flaggers to control traffic in alternating directions.
If we continue to experience good weather, there is a good chance that the work will be completed by 4 p.m. today. If crews do not finish today, then they expect to complete the project tomorrow.
We’ve asked SDOT if any other repaving projects are coming up soon in West Seattle; with the weather warming, we’re going into road-work season.
Thanks for the photos and tips. For the third time in a week, someone has crashed, then abandoned, a stolen car on SW Alaska west of The Junction, at/near 47th SW. And neighbors want to see police presence to increase the chance of catching someone next time. This time it happened just after 2 am today. A nearby resident – who says their partner owns the car hit two days ago – sent the top photo, and explains:
My partner’s Jeep was the hit and run on the 19th. This morning … another vehicle did it again. Didn’t swipe any of our vehicles this time, but lots of property damage on the hill on the way day, car ditched right by our house again. They did it also a week ago, destroying street signs and bushes down SW Alaska. This has suddenly become a joyride hill … We’re asking they station a cop at the bottom of the hill. This will happen again.
We listened back to the dispatch audio, which only included a mention that the occupant of the abandoned car got out and “left in another vehicle.” Another nearby resident sent us this video of that vehicle, described as a Mazda:
The crashed-and-abandoned vehicle was a Hyundai Elantra, finally towed at 5:30 am, according to some info we have since obtained from SPD – this is a reader photo of that:
The SPD info does not include confirmation it was a stolen car but does note it was likely an “unreported” one – meaning its owner wasn’t yet aware their car had been taken and so hadn’t reported it – as it had ignition-wiring damage.
(Photo by Javier Fosado)
Thanks for the photos! As noted in our WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – because we finally remembered THIS year to check in advance – today is a big day for fishing in the waters off West Seattle. It’s the one-day, four-hour “season” for recreational spot-shrimp fishing, 9 am to 1 pm.
(Photo by Mark Bauschke)
We haven’t been to Don Armeni Boat Ramp for a look but on this day every year it’s usually full of trailers, and the area will be busy once the closing time is past this afternoon. The state says spot shrimp are the largest shrimp in Puget Sound and can grow to nine inches long.
(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at the bookstore’s new location. (4522 California SW)
CHAIR YOGA: 10:30 am at Dragonfly (3270 California SW):
Gentle Chair Yoga
Wednesdays 10:30 AM
Class is recurring weekly.
45 minutes, $20 drop-in
Please register in advance.
Use this LinkWASHINGTON STATE FERRIES COMMUNITY MEETING: Online at noon, get updates from WSF staff, plus Q&A. Register here. (If you can’t attend this one, there’s one more session, 6 pm Thursday.)
REJUVENATE YOGA: Weekly class at Viva Arts, 1:30 pm. Drop-in. $20. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)
AMERICAN MAH JONGG: All levels welcome, 2-4:30 pm at The Missing Piece (35th/Roxbury).
HOMEWORK HELP: 4-7:30 pm drop-in help at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), free.
HIGHLAND PARK WALKING TOUR: Where should SDOT build new sidewalks/walkways? Join a walking tour today, 5-6:30 pm, starting from Highland Park Elementary (1012 SW Trenton).
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Got something broken? Fix it instead of discarding it! 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, $40, details and registration here. (3400 Harbor SW)
VINYL NIGHT: DJ Depeche Mike at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), celebrating his birthday with a set mixing of the ’80s, ’90s, more, 6-9 pm.
WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: All are welcome at the group’s weekly meetup, 6-8 pm at Great American Diner & Bar. (4752 California SW).
FREE GROUP RUN: All runners, all levels, are invited to join the weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run – meet at the shop by 6:15 pm.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer lineup. (7902 35th SW)
KUNDALINI YOGA & GONG BATH: 7 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska), $35.
MUSIC BINGO x 2: Play at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm. … Also, monthly MINGO at Three9 Lounge (39th/Oregon), 7:30 pm.
TRIVIA x 3: Three West Seattle trivia locations on our Wednesday list: Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm … Quiz Night also begins at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW), all ages until 10 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: Ready for the stage? 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Got something coming up that’s open to the community? Please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
One year after closing his Jefferson Square framing shop, Tom Sweeney has died. His family is sharing this remembrance:
Thomas J. Sweeney
February 11, 1951 – May 14, 2025Tom died in his sleep after an eleven-year battle with cancer. He fought the good fight right up to the end and we are so very proud of him.
Tom grew up in Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, the oldest of four brothers. As a child, young Tom would take the ferry to Seattle alone on Saturdays to go to the YMCA and walk up and down First Avenue looking into the army navy stores, G.O.Guy, and all the old institutions of Seattle. His family moved to Bellevue in his teens and he was in the first graduating class of Interlake High School in 1969.
After attending college for a few years (WSU and BCC), Tom was a long-haul trucker across the Southern United States in addition to working harvests in Eastern Washington. One day on a whim he answered an ad for U-Frame-It and found his true calling, picture framing. He managed the UFI shops in Bellevue and Ballard before opening his own shop in West Seattle in 1992, where he created beautiful art for his customers until retiring in 2024.
Tom’s love of family was evident in everything he did. He and his wife Merrilyn raised their daughters to respect all human rights and to strive for equality. He was so proud of both of his daughters for dedicating their careers to social justice.
Tom loved watching the Mariners with his girls, and was a Seattle Sonics season ticketholder; after their sale, he never again set foot in a Starbucks. He was an avid skier and marathon runner. He was a voracious reader and music lover, enjoying genres of all kinds. He was interested in everything and, most importantly, he was an honorable man.
Tom is survived by wife Merrilyn, daughters Lily and Julianna (James), brothers Matthew, Jay and Kent, their families, and countless friends who meant the world to him.
Family was everything to Tom. He will be so very missed.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
Story and photos by Tracy Burrows
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
In the opening round of the 3A State Tournament, the West Seattle High School baseball team notched a 4-3 victory over the University High School (Spokane Valley) Titans Tuesday night at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex. On a chilly night, neither team looked exceptionally sharp, but the Wildcats did just enough to advance to the next round of the State tournament.
With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the second inning, starting pitcher Seth Rutman pitched out of a bases loaded jam. In the bottom half, the speedy Dex Pudduck beat out an infield hit and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice.
Ryan Typpi followed with a line-drive double, scoring Pudduck and giving the Wildcats a 2-1 lead. West Seattle added to their lead in the third when Cole Williamson drove in a run single.
Moments later, Clay Pecore capitalized on a Titon error, dashing home on a passed ball that got past the Titans’ catcher to put the Wildcats up by a score of 4-1.
Oliver Heltzel came on in relief in the fourth inning and, after a rocky start, silenced the University bats over the final three frames, including striking out the side in the top of the 5th.
The Wildcats advance to play #2 seed Gig Harbor this Saturday (May 24) at 1 pm at Tacoma’s Lincoln High School field.
6:05 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Mostly sunny, a bit warmer, high in the low 60s. Today’s sunrise was at 5:24 am; sunset will be at 8:48 pm.
ROAD WORK
-Road work is apparently ahead for Beach Drive by Lowman Beach – a reader sent a photo of no-parking signage, placed by an asphalt/concrete company, for restrictions today through June 4 (we’re checking with SDOT this morning).
-In South Alki, street work for the Alki Standby Generator Project is in its next phase, centered at 64th/Beach Drive – details and maps are here, along with what’s next.
TRANSIT TODAY
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; spring/summer schedule, with later-evening sailings Fridays and Saturdays. Note that the West Seattle Water Taxi WILL sail on Memorial Day.
Metro buses – Regular schedule today.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas and M/V Cathlamet. M/V Salish serves as the “bonus boat”. WSF’s online community meetings are today (noon) and tomorrow (6 pm).
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
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!
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