West Seattle, Washington
07 Monday
Received tonight from a longtime reader:
Tonight around 8:15 I left Easy Street, walked along Alaska, said goodbye to my friend, and headed North up the alley to my car that was parked in the Northernmost lot behind The Beer Junction.
A man with a black kn95 mask, dark gray cap, dark/gray nondescript clothing, came at me perpendicularly from the first parking lot. I walked confidently, looked at him, and had that creepy feeling. I’m guessing he was 5’8-5’10, taller than me but not by much.
He followed me up the alley, keeping several paces behind me. A woman was walking toward me down the alley. We had a conversation, and after I headed quickly to my car. He followed, and stopped about 6 cars away, semi hiding at the back of a car.
I started my car, and intended on taking a photo of him, but he disappeared.
It was still daylight, and on an Art Walk night!
I just wanted to make people aware that someone is looking to be a jerk, and looking for victims.
Seems like a good time to remind you of two more free SPD-led personal-safety classes coming up:
Thursday, July 17th
6 pm – 8 pm
At the SW Precinct – Community Meeting Room – 2300 SW Webster St
Register here : wsjunction.wufoo.com/forms/r1okt4zf1moho5sMonday, July 28th
6 pm – 8 pm
Virtual – Teams link to be provided before event
Register here : wsjunction.wufoo.com/forms/rus05xi17w2lnw
Learn more about the class here : https://www.seattle.gov/police/crime-prevention/personal-safety-training
Two followups tonight:
POLICE LOOKING FOR VIDEO: Late last night, we reported on gunfire incidents in Alki and Fairmount Park. Tonight, Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite has sent out investigators’ request for video evidence in one of them:
Yesterday evening (6/11/25) around midnight – there were multiple locations of shots fired.
Multiple vehicles were struck, and a few locations of property damage were located.
We are requesting all community members in the North Admiral & Alki area to please review their camera footage.
If you have any footage of a dark colored vehicle (possibly a Mercedes), driving at a high rate of speed, shooting from their vehicle – please contact me. I can provide a link to upload the footage into our evidence system.
jennifer.satterwhite@seattle.gov is her email address.
CHARGE FILED IN SEACREST GUN ARREST: The man arrested at Seacrest last Sunday morning after allegedly threatening to shoot another man is now charged. 19-year-old Jose Romero-Coto of Renton is charged with first-degree assault. The charging documents tell basically the same story as the narrative we obtained on followup, saying the incident happened in the overflow lot east of Salty’s and that Romero-Coto allegedly threatened the victim – sticking a gun against his abdomen – just for looking at him, which happened while the victim and his girlfriend were walking to the waterfront seating area in the lot to watch the sunrise. As previously reported, police eventually caught up with Romero-Coto at Seacrest and found a Glock handgun, stolen from Federal Way, in his car. No charge has been filed in connection with that yet. The narrative also mentions the victim’s girlfriend allegedly being assaulted by a woman who was with Romero-Coto; that case was referred to the City Attorney’s Office as a misdemeanor, so we’re researching it separately. Romero-Coto remains in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
5:17 PM: That’s the official list of participants in tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk, happening right now in business districts from Alki to Morgan Junction! Artist receptions are previewed here, and most go until at least 8 pm. You have extra options starting at 6 – The Art of Music mini-concerts, and the Junction Pride celebration. We’re headed out to visit some of tonight’s stops – updates to come!
5:55 PM: Our first photo is from the West Seattle HS student exhibit at West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor):
West Seattle High School Media Arts Program reception until 8 pm. Student work from West Seattle High School, about 40 students represented. In this exhibition, we are proud to showcase many student artworks from both Beginning and Advanced Photography and Graphic Design classes, as well as projects from Technology Student Association State competition. Please enjoy just a sampling of the talent and dedication our students have to the Media Arts including Digital and Analog photographs, Fashion Design, bookmaking, and more!
6:14 PM: Above and below, seen at VAIN as the 6:30 procession to Walk All Ways nears.
Closer to California/Alaska, Compass Real Estate is showing work tonight by Beverley Hill, this quarter’s official Art Walk poster artist.
And you’ll find multiple artists/vendors inside Jet City Labs:
This is on until 8 pm – read about it here!
7:02 PM: More than 40 people have been marching across Walk-All-Ways for the Pride rally organized by VAIN. They were joined by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka:
“Honk if you love gay people!” one rally leader hollered at drivers stopped for the signal after one crossing, and several obliged, as did passing drivers before and after the bullhorn-amplified invitation. Right now, bonus fun at the intersection – Better As Brass is about to perform in front of KeyBank.
8:11 PM: It was a beautiful night for The Art of Music performances too – curator John Redenbaugh sent this photo of My Real Job at Soprano’s Antico Pizza & Pasta Restaurant:
Next Art Walk will be the Summer Fest Eve edition on July 10th, when you’ll be able to stroll the closed-to-traffic Junction streets as festival preps proceed!
3:58 PM: The Morgan Community Association is again kicking off festival season with its short-and-sweet Morgan Junction Community Festival, now just two days away, 10 am-2 pm Saturday (June 14) in and around Morgan Junction Park (west side of California SW, north of Fauntleroy Way). The entertainment schedule is in our most-recent preview – starting with longtime festival fave The Bubbleman at 10 am. Businesses and community groups are part of the festival too, including booths behind the Zeeks Pizza/Whisky West building. From the MoCA festival-preview newsletter, here are more lineups:
In Morgan Junction Park, you’ll find:
MJAWA – Morgan Junction All Wheels Association: @mjawa_ws
34th District Democrats – https://34dems.org/
West Seattle Blog – https://westseattleblog.com/
Morgan Community Association (MoCA) – morganjunction.orgBehind Zeeks/Whisky West you’ll find:
CraftLab Seattle – https://www.craftlabseattle.com/
Westside Neighbors Shelter – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550536740459
A Cleaner Alki – https://www.facebook.com/groups/acleaneralki
Seattle Police Department and SDP Community Service Officers – https://www.seattle.gov/police/about-us/police-locations/southwest-precinct, https://www.seattle.gov/police/community-policing/cso
Seattle Emergency HUBS/West Seattle Be Prepared – https://seattleemergencyhubs.org/, http://westseattlebeprepared.org/
West Seattle Nursery with Sierra Shea Real Estate – https://www.westseattlenursery.com/, https://sierrashea.johnlscott.com/home
West Seattle Food Bank – West Seattle Food Bank
MODE Music – https://www.instagram.com/modemusicandpa , https://www.instagram.com/modemusicws/
Sunshine Arts and Crafts – mgsschramm@gmail.com
Nepenthe Massage – https://iworkforlove.com/
Edward Jones Financial Advice – dominic.hernandez@edwardjones.com
Lumina Vascular Health & Laser Clinic – Lumina_seattle
Gatewood Elementary PTA – https://www.gatewoodpta.org/In Beveridge Place SW you’ll find:
Schmitz Park Creek Restore: SchmitzParkCreekRestore@gmail.com
Hot Tip: Zeeks will be selling individual pizza slices beginning at 11 am.
WSB is a community co-sponsor for the festival – see you there Saturday!
8:15 PM: And as Michael from MoCA reminds us in a comment, if you need parking for the festival, O’Neill Plumbing (WSB sponsor) on the northeast corner of California/Graham is opening up its lot.
By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Madison Middle School has unveiled two new community-led murals, as part of a push by the district to increase the number of murals in schools.
(Photo courtesyMadison PTSA)
The first mural is located in the main hallway. It was painted by student volunteers and coordinated by two Madison parents, Brian Peters and Royce Bixby. The project wasn’t just a chance to spruce up the school; it was also an opportunity for the students to exercise creative freedom, according to Audrey.
She is a student at Madison Middle School and helped work on the entryway mural. “I thought it was a really good environment. We got to work on the mural, and spend a lot of time together as friends.” The mural was painted over four 4-hour shifts, and each student volunteered time outside their class schedules, sometimes working until 9 pm.
(WSB photo)
Audrey was particularly proud of the whales in the sky and the mermaid template, both of which she suggested. It was a challenging process (especially painting the Ferris Wheel, which, according to her, took forever), but one she said felt incredibly rewarding.
The sentiment was shared by Bixby, an architect and Madison parent. He and graphic designer (and fellow parent) Peters, the two helped simulate a professional creative environment, planning and collaborating with the students to help realize their vision. Bixby said he was constantly impressed by the students. “We’re helping train the next generation of designers, and I was really impressed. It’s important to bring art to the schools.”
(Photo courtesyMadison PTSA)
“It’s so exciting to see these murals finally come together,” said Madison PTSA Co-President Amber Zeddies. Both murals were funded by the PTSA.
The second mural was painted by West Seattle-born artist Desmond Hansen, who first came to fame from his murals on the side of SDOT signal boxes, many in WS, some scattered across the city. This mural, located in the Madison Middle School Gym, sought to add more life the the building.
(Photo courtesy Madison PTSA)
Working with flexible hours, Hansen focused on Madison’s mascot, the Bulldog. “I’m honored that (the school) reached out to me,” Hansen said. “My son went to Madison, and now he’s moving up to West Seattle (high school). It feels like leaving a Hansen mark on the school, for me and my son.” (To see more of Hansen’s work, check out his website here.)
12:47 PM: Lots of questions about this response, as it’s in such a visible place and the police/fire turnout had some fearing the worst, so we’re mentioning it in case you wondered too. This was initially dispatched as a “motorcycle vs. pedestrian” collision but then described by police as involving a “moped” (ebike or scooter). One person was reported hurt, apparently the rider, as a tow was ordered for the bike; we’re checking on the rider’s condition.
5:02 PM: SFD says the rider, a man in his early 30s, was in stable condition when taken to the hospital. The pedestrian was not hurt.
The West Seattle Junction’s annual Pride Month display of rainbow flags is happening today. The West Seattle Junction Association told us they chose the date because of the celebration that VAIN is leading during tonight’s Art Walk – meet up at the shop (4513 California SW) 6-6:30 pm, then head south to California/Alaska for celebratory dancing.
The Junction’s first rainbow-flag display was in 2019, after an “adopt-a-flag” fundraiser.
(WSB photo by Dave Gershgorn from last month’s Peony Festival)
Events like last month’s Peony Festival bring many visitors to the Seattle Chinese Garden on West Seattle’s Puget Ridge, on the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. But you might not be aware that it’s more than an event venue – it’s a cultural touchstone, and it’s embarking on a new fundraising campaign announced at its annual banquet last weekend. Today the Garden shares this announcement about what happened at the banquet and what it’s raising money for:
At a time when tensions between the national governments of the U.S. and China have been escalating, three hundred people came to the Chinatown-International District last weekend to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Seattle Chinese Garden and to reaffirm our people-to-people ties with Seattle’s Sister City of Chongqing. “With the rise in international tensions and anti-Asian prejudice, there has never been a more important time to educate people about the beauty and importance of Chinese culture and to increase public understanding of Chinese communities locally and around the world,” said Evelyn Yenson, a member of the Chinese Garden board.
Former Governor Gary Locke was even more passionate in his remarks to those in attendance, “We need to finish the Chinese Garden to show our pride in Chinese culture and heritage and to fight back against current efforts to brand everyone of Chinese heritage as somehow a potential spy for the People’s Republic of China or un-American. We are proud of our Chinese heritage, and we are loyal Americans.”
During the evening, the Chinese Garden board honored Jerry and Charlene Lee for their long service to the community and for their steadfast support for the garden. Representatives of the City of Seattle and King County read proclamations in honor of the Chinese Garden and the Lees.
Paige Miller, a Chinese Garden board member, announced a bold plan to raise over $30 million to build out the Central Garden including a teahouse, four-story tower, scholar’s studio, and multiple smaller buildings, ponds, and Mirror Lake. Last year the City of Seattle put $5 million in its budget for the capital campaign. Combined with Chongqing’s commitment to provide Chinese building materials and skilled artisan labor and the other pledged gifts from individuals, the campaign has reached $15 million in pledges, nearly halfway to its goal. “We are so excited to be nearly halfway to our goal as we publicly announce this campaign,” said Lincoln Ferris, president of the board. Jerry Lee, in his remarks, urged the community to rally to support the garden. “Now is the time to make it happen,” he urged.
The Seattle Chinese Garden was conceived in the mid-1980s as a joint project between Seattle and Chongqing, a city of thirty three million people in a mountainous region of southwest China. The garden is located on the campus of South Seattle College in West Seattle, high on a ridge with a view over the harbor toward downtown Seattle. The first construction began in 1999. The garden’s mission is to celebrate classical Chinese culture through the activities in the garden and to serve as a living bridge of friendship between the people of Chongqing and the people of Seattle.
Proclamations from the City of Seattle and King County were presented in honor of the garden’s 35th anniversary. For more information about the Chinese Garden and the campaign visit the website at seattlechinesegarden.org.
(From WSB files, reader photo of fireworks debris collected post-Fourth at Walt Hundley Playfield)
Though the Fourth of July is still three weeks away, Seattle Parks has gone public with this year’s plan for keeping lights on at some fields to try to deter fireworks use. This year’s plan includes lights for July 3 and 4 at the same four West Seattle fields as last year, but this time the lights at the three synthetic-turf fields on the list will stay on an extra four hours. Here’s the announcement – we’ve excised the non-West Seattle locations:
Two of West Seattle’s artificial-turf fields, Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex and Madison Middle School, are owned by Seattle Public Schools, which has not announced its plans (we’re checking). NCSWAC had last year’s most significant fireworks-related damage.
(Photo by Susan Whiting Kemp)
Big day and night! Here are our Thursday highlights, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you can look ahead any time – this daily list is just a reminder):
Q&A DROP-IN FOR OVERFLOW-CONTROL PROJECT: 10 am-noon, visit Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW) to talk with project-team members about the new Combined Sewer Overflow project proposed to include a 7-million-gallon storage tank off West Marginal Way SW.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Spring gardening season continues! The center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
ALL ABOUT THE FIFA WORLD CUP: One year away from the mega-tournament that will include matches in Seattle! What do you need to know? The guest at today’s noon West Seattle Chamber of Commerce lunch at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW) will explain.
DESIGN YOUR WORK LIFE: Free presentation at noon at West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW).
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome at this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to get the details of where they’re playing today.
DROP-IN CHESS: 4-5:30 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), youth up to 18 years old are invited to drop in and play.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK, JUNE EDITION: Some events start as early as 4 pm; the major window is 5-8 pm. Here’s the preview we published on Wednesday including this month’s venue list for art and food/drink specials.
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of three regular Thursday night events here – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Swagg-N-Wagon.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Another regular Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: Last but never least, HPCS is the starting point for running 3 miles, or walking a shorter path, in the neighborhood near HPCS with the Run Club, leaving from the store at 6:30 pm, returning for beverages – info here.
SOUTH PARK SAFETY: Walking tour with SDOT exploring future pedestrian possibilities. Meet at 4:30 pm at 7th Avenue South and South Henderson.
VISCON CELLARS: This West Seattle winery’s friendly tasting room/wine bar is open Thursdays, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor). Stop in for wine by the glass or bottle! And it’s a West Seattle Art Club venue tonight, too!
DENNY IMS POETRY SLAM: 6 pm at the Denny International Middle School Galleria (2701 SW Kenyon), see and hear dozens of student poets perform their work. Community members invited!
JUNCTION PRIDE CELEBRATION: 6 pm, meet up at VAIN (4513 California SW), then at 6:30 pm, head to Walk-All-Ways to dance and celebrate!
DUWAMISH CEMETERY HISTORY: Join Invisible Histories for tonight’s Words, Writers, Southwest Stories, online at 6 pm, to learn about this almost-forgotten history. Register here to get the link.
LEARN ABOUT SENIOR LIVING OPTIONS: As previewed Wednesday, 6 pm panel discussion/Q&A at Village Green West Seattle (2615 SW Barton) – free to attend, RSVP requested if you can.
THE ART OF MUSIC: Three performances tonight to complement the Art Walk, all running 6 pm-7:45 pm – one in Admiral, one in The Junction, one in Morgan Junction. See the lineup here.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: This group’s 6 pm weekly Thursday run starts at The Good Society in Admiral (California/Lander).
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Prefer to walk? Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.
LIVE MUSIC IN THE JUNCTION: 6-9 pm, Patrick Rifflin performs Thursdays at Pegasus Pizza in The Junction (4520 California SW).
WEST SEATTLE MEANINGFUL MOVIE: 6:30 pm at Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation (7141 California SW) – details in our calendar listing.
SEA LEMON AT EASY STREET RECORDS: 7 pm performance, free, all ages. Signing too, if you’ve bought the album! (4559 California SW)
DJ NIGHT: The weekend starts spinning early at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Lady Coco, 9 pm.
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!
(WSB photos by Oliver Hamlin)
~300 of our area’s young adults are waking up today for their first full day as high-school graduates. They are the Chief Sealth International High School Class of 2025, whose commencement was celebrated last night at Memorial Stadium downtown. With the school band playing “Pomp and Circumstance,” faculty and about-to-be-grads made their grand entrance, with Sealth principal Hope Perry and School Board president Gina Topp leading the procession:
(WSB video by Tracy Record)
This was Perry’s first graduation ceremony as CSIHS principal.
She spoke of how proud she is of her students, for their questioning, their advocating, her certainty that their “resilience will create a community of leaders,”
Questions were at the heart of the speech given by featured student speaker Ryan Tran – “who am I? … who am I supposed to be, who am I meant to be … who are we?”
He also told the parents and guardians looking on from the Memorial Stadium stands, “As much as you are proud of us, we are proud of you.”
The featured staff speaker, teacher Angelia Thornton, told the Class of ’25, “You can pave your own way – you don’t have to follow.”
Then, what those on the field and in the stands had been awaiting – the reading of names as the seniors streamed onto and off the stage:
Emma Haynes led the tassel move:
Shortly thereafter, after some engaged in the ceremonial cap toss, it was time to bid farewell to the faculty as the new grads exited the stadium on the way to the next chapter of their lives.
P.S. The Sealth ceremony included a bonus performance by the band, directed by Joey Roberts:
If you want to see the entire ceremony, here’s the recording of the district’s stream. SPS is streaming all ceremonies, including West Seattle High School‘s upcoming graduation, set for 5 pm Tuesday (June 17).
6:01 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Thursday, June 12, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy, then clearing, high near 70. Today’s sunrise was again at 5:11 am (as early as it gets, and staying there a while); sunset will be again at 9:07 pm.
ROAD WORK
-The Admiral Way Bridge is now one lane each way on the north side, with the south side closed for the ongoing strengthening/refurbishing work.
SCHOOL SCHEDULES
Many local independent/parochial schools conclude their school year tomorrow (Friday, June 13). Seattle Public Schools‘ last day is next Wednesday. For neighboring districts – Vashon Island gets out June 24, Highline Public Schools on June 25. Already out: Summit Atlas (charter middle/high school) in Arbor Heights.
TRANSIT TODAY
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; spring/summer schedule, with later runs on Friday and Saturday nights, plus weeknights with Mariners’ home games (and some other events). More info here.
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
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”. Three-boat service is still expected to relaunch on June 30th.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
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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