Two tiny girls, one big fight

| Health | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Before Mallory Carlson, a young mom of three, talked with us about the reason for our phone interview, she wanted to tell us about her love for West Seattle.

She moved here the first time at age 14, to live with an aunt and uncle. She attended Chief Sealth International High School.

The second time she moved here was the first time with her husband and their first child, a son who’s now 4 years old. They had to leave because her husband’s job search led them to California. “We’ll be back,” they promised each other. And this spring, they managed to return to what Mallory calls an “incredible community,” home to many members of her family.

It seemed like the first step into a warm, bright future. They had expanded their family with identical twin girls half a year ago.

And then, just weeks after their return to West Seattle … “this happened.”

That word, “this,” encompasses so much heartache … but also hope. Sisters Josie and Lucy were diagnosed with an aggressive type of leukemia that Mallory says affects only 100 babies a year – ALL. The girls are now two weeks into an experimental chemotherapy treatment that they will have to endure for nine months. And that’s if they’re lucky. That’s inpatient chemotherapy at the start of a two-year treatment plan, their mom explains.

“The girls are stable – but not doing well,” Mallory told us when we talked Tuesday afteroon. “At least, they’re not in danger of dying today. … For every day, we’re grateful, but this is truly terrifying.”

Mallory is a self-employed wedding photographer. She can’t work now for multiple reasons – not just the need to stay at Seattle Children’s Hospital with Josie and Lucy, but also because she has to limit her exposure to other people, for fear she’ll catch something and spread it to them. “If they catch a cold, it could kill them, so I’m trying to be incredibly careful.” Her husband has just started his new job and hasn’t accumulated paid time off, so he has to keep working so that they can cover mounting medical bills and keep the “fixer-upper” West Seattle house they’d bought before “this.”

So they are crowdfunding, painful in its own way for someone who says she’s never had to ask for help before, “but I have to put my pride away.” In addition to raising money, Mallory is also trying to raise awareness and end the stigma that invariably arises with the word “cancer.” If people don’t want to help her family, she says, maybe Lucy and Josie will inspire them to donate to a foundation researching childhood cancer.

Research has suddenly become a large part of the family’s life. The girls are part of a clinical trial right now – a trial that hadn’t begun when they were diagnosed, but, Mallory explains, was opened seven months early to admit them. It is a trial that expands the chemotherapy currently used to treat ALL.

How did they both get it? Because they shared a placenta, one spread it to the other, Mallory explains. Josie was the first diagnosed, and the double diagnosis drew researchers’ attention quickly, enabling them to get into the aforementioned trial. “It could save them, at least keep them in and no matter what happens to them, it could change medical history … (but) even if it doesn’t save them, I want to bring awareness to this awful, awful rare disease.”

Their care is estimated to cost $1 million per twin – per year. “We are doing everything we can, but this fight is bigger than us alone,” Mallory says. And bigger than two very little girls living in a hospital right now.

Here’s the crowdfunding/updates site set up by friends and family.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire investigation (updated Thursday)

July 2, 2025 10:51 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

10:51 PM: Though much of what’s been reported to police as “possible shots fired” in recent nights has been fireworks, one tonight actually was gunfire: Officers just told dispatch they’ve found casings at 27th SW/SW Cambridge, near Roxhill Park. No injuries reported.

5:19 PM THURSDAY: The police summary reaffirms that no injuries were reported; no property damage either. Officers wrote that they recovered 10 casings “in the middle of the road.”

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BIZNOTE: Fourth Emerald Games about to open in West Seattle Junction

July 2, 2025 8:47 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(WSB photos)

Tiara and Joshua Silas are about to open Fourth Emerald Games in the West Seattle Junction, upstairs from the breezeway, at 4517 California SW. The focus here is on electronic games, for sale (they buy games too), for rent, or to play on site in a lounge where you can reserve a spot – which they nicknamed “Emmies” – for $12/hour.

Tiara explains, “We have PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch installed at each Emmie, loaded with hundreds of games to play per console. People also have the option of renting one of our games from our retail area to try out (included in the price).” The space is new, but the business isn’t: “We initially began as an online store, and got tons of feedback from gamers saying how much they wish we were a physical location, so we had to give the people what they wanted! We really wanted to accommodate the late-night crowd as well.” The hours: 1 pm to 9 pm Tuesdays through Thursdays, 1 pm to 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, 11 am to 5 pm Sundays, closed Mondays. The name comes from a line in a Sonic the Hedgehog game, and you’ll see it – and Sonic – in this mural by the entrance:

The artist is Carlos Aguilar (@theydrift), who also has a mural downstairs at Rush Hour.

Tiara and Joshua have lived in West Seattle for two years, close to The Junction: “We fell in love with this community and when we started our business, we thought it would be the perfect location for not only proximity but a tight knit community as well. Being surrounded by other business, local restaurants, etc. just seems perfect for us!” This Saturday, July 5, is their grand opening; they’ll have a tournament under way, and are also planning one (Smash Bros.) for West Seattle Summer Fest the following weekend. P.S. Fourth Emerald isn’t a café or bar, but will offer “drinks and snacks.”

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Outdoor burning? Here are the residential fireplace/fire-pit rules

July 2, 2025 7:36 pm

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| Safety | West Seattle news

By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

With summer heat arriving, and short nights, fire pits are becoming increasingly common. However, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and accidentally cause trouble for neighbors, or even get hurt. A WSB reader suggested we spotlight the rules – so here’s what we found out.

Fortunately, the Seattle Fire Department and Puget Sound Clean Air Agency have put together a set of rules for outdoor fires.

Before we break down the rules, it’s important to check if there’s a burn ban in effect. Anyone caught burning while a burn ban is in effect may be ticketed, and even prosecuted, according to the Department of Natural Resources. (There has been a stage 1 burn ban in place since Monday for all of unincorporated King County, though that does not affect recreational fires.)

There are two types of common outdoor fires, the first of which is a recreational fire. According to the Seattle Fire Department’s Outdoor Regulations and Prohibitions guide, recreational fires are any fires “for cooking, pleasure, religious, ceremonial or similar purposes” where the fire is “not contained in an outdoor fireplace, grill or barbecue pit.”

If you’re planning to use a recreational fire, there are several things you have to consider. First, recreational fires must be located at least 25 feet away from any structure or combustible material, and any conditions that could cause the fire to spread should be removed before starting the fire.

Second, you must always have fire extinguishing tools on hand, including a shovel, buckets of water, and a hose or fire extinguisher. Finally, at least one adult should tend to the fire until it is completely extinguished.

(Using a 5-gallon bucket – available at most hardware stores – and sustainably sourced firewood for an outdoor fireplace)

The rules for what you can and can’t burn are the same regardless of what kind of fire pit you have. Any fires meant to dispose of debris or burn garbage are not considered recreational and therefore prohibited. Only charcoal, dried firewood, and manufactured firelogs are considered acceptable fuel sources, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.

The second type of outdoor fire is one inside a portable outdoor fireplace. Again, according to SFD’s guide, these “may be constructed of steel, concrete, or clay and may or may not be equipped with a short chimney.”

(The reporter’s own portable outdoor fireplace, made of steel)

Two things set this type of fire apart from a recreational fire. First, you must abide by any instructions given by the manufacturer of the portable fireplace. Second, if you live in a single-family home or a duplex, there is no minimum distance requirement for placing your fire pit, though you should always exercise caution and common sense.

(Here’s another example- an outdoor portable grill. You’d have to follow the same rules on fuel, placement, and safety for a grill that you would for an outdoor fireplace)

The summer is the perfect time to get outside, socialize, and throw parties, but as neighbors, it’s important to be considerate, which also extends to fires. Any fire that sends excessive amounts of smoke into a neighbor’s property, causes any type of property damage, or causes a nuisance should be swiftly put out.

If regulations are not being followed, the Seattle Fire Department can immediately extinguish a burn if it constitutes a fire hazard, and fines for illegal fires often start at $2,000, in addition to the cost required for SFD to extinguish the burn.

For more information about fire safety, including a full list of prohibited fuel sources and additional information about outdoor fires, check out SFD’s full Outdoor Regulations and Prohibitions guide.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Street robbery; murder case’s WS links

July 2, 2025 4:41 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Two Crime Watch notes this afternoon:

STREET ROBBERY: A woman was robbed in the 9000 block of 35th SW just after 8 pm last night, according to a police report. We obtained the narrative, which says the victim was outside an apartment building talking with several other people when a man walked up to her, demanded she give him money, then punched her in the head and threatened to kill her. A woman subsequently approached and kicked her in the ribs while trying to take her purse. The two left after stealing some cash from the victim, who did not want medical assisstance. The robbers are described as a Black man in his 50s, 6’6″, medium build, wearing a baseball cap and light-colored clothing, and an Asian woman in her 30s, 5’4″, heavy build. Police noted in their report that the nearby apartment building “does have video footage of the incident (but officers were told) by staff that they will only release video footage with a subpoena.”

MURDER SUSPECT’S WEST SEATTLE TIES: The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced today that it has charged a man with murder in an Auburn shooting death a little over a month ago. Skimming the charging documents – sometimes a non-WS case will have a WS link – we recognized the suspect’s name, Kyree-Brian A. Jackson; he was arrested in Arbor Heights a little over a year ago after allegedly pointing a gun at people who tried to intervene in a suspected domestic violence incident in his car along a Fauntleroy street. As we noted at the time, Jackson had an extensive record and had just gotten out of prison six weeks earlier. He is now charged in an Auburn shooting death in late May that prosecutors describe as related to a gang dispute. Reading all the way to the end of the documents, the police report from the new case reveals that Jackson was taken into custody last Friday in West Seattle – at or near the state Department of Corrections field office on 35th SW just south of Morgan. His residence is listed on the police report as at an address in Kent. The victim in the Auburn murder case, 21-year-old Keivon Bias, was described as having been killed in an “ambush.” As far as we can tell from online records, Jackson was never charged in the Arbor Heights incident; there could be a variety of reasons for that, so we’re following up to see if police ever referred the case to prosecutors. His bail in the Auburn murder case is set at $5 million.

(Wednesday 7:03 pm update: KCPAO spokesperson Casey McNerthney checked for us. Police indeed did not refer the case for a felony review. But it did go to the City Attorney’s Office, which filed two “unlawful use of weapons” charges. More than a year later, that case has yet to go to trial, with the next hearing planned later this month.)

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BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Sign’s up. So when is Do Si Korean BBQ opening on Alki?

July 2, 2025 2:43 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

We noticed while traveling Alki Avenue a few days ago that the awning signage was up for Do Si Korean BBQ, taking over the space vacated by Duke’s. So we’ve been working to reach the new restaurant’s operators to find out how soon they plan to open. We talked briefly this afternoon with managing partner Brian Hoang, who tells WSB that some “mechanical work” remains before they can get all the permits they need, so he is now expecting to open “late July, early August.” Do Si KBBQ already has a location in Kent. As we first reported three months ago, the menu will be similar to what Do Si offers there, but with a bigger beverage selection because this location has a bigger bar. If you haven’t had KBBQ before, it’s centered on grilling your own meat at the table

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WEST SEATTLE HISTORY: Log House Museum visit connects retired Bethlehem Steel worker to his Nucor successors

July 2, 2025 12:56 pm

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

The home of West Seattle’s history might be where you discover some of your own history.

Southwest Seattle Historical Society executive director Elizabeth Rudrud told us the story of Chuck Burtch‘s visit to SWSHS’s Log House Museum. While chatting with the 93-year-old, she learned about his history in West Seattle, including his years working at Bethlehem Steel – the mill that’s now Nucor (WSB sponsor). Elizabeth picks up the story:

Chuck started working at Bethlehem Steel in 1958. He lived just up the hill from the plant. In 1977, he became the chief metallurgist. He was sharing his story and memories with me when I suggested we look in our catalog for photos of Bethlehem Steel from that era. We found several photos of the plant, his neighborhood, and yes – even a photo of him from the year he became chief metallurgist! We talked for a long time about his work and the plant and when other visitors came in, he was able to share his story with them – including the fact that we found a photo of him from almost half a century ago in our collections!

That photo is in this collage –

That’s Chuck above the center, in dark-rimmed glasses. After his visit, Elizabeth told managers at Nucor about it, and though she hadn’t gotten his contact info while he was there, she managed to track him down. So they subsequently arranged for him to visit the mill. That’s now happened, and Samantha Hogan at Nucor tells us it was quite a special occasion – she shared photos:

The first picture is a keepsake our teammate (Mark Hanson) made on our waterjet cutting table.

The second photo is Chuck with Kenny Lyons, a fourth generation Nucor teammate. Chuck worked with both of Kenny’s grandfathers and his father.

The last photo, from left to right, is our General Manager Mark Davis, Chuck, and current Chief Metallurgist Erik Nissen.

As a postscript, Elizabeth notes that the Log House Museum has come into possession of some other West Seattle steel history: “Just a week or so prior, we received a donation of a tool box from a machinist who worked at the factory in 1917. We have his tool box, tools as well as correspondence about a die set the artifact’s owner helped patent for what was then Pacific Coast Forge” – preceding the mill’s Bethlehem Steel days. (Nucor took over in 2003.) Some of the photos already in SWSHS possession include this early-20th-century aerial:

And a photo of Bethlehem Steel workers after their 1937 Salmon Derby:

That’s just a tiny fraction of the historic treasures the museum has. Ultimately, Elizabeth says, all this is a reminder of the connections that can be made from the present and future through the past, with the help of an organization like SWSHS. Whether or not you have deep local roots like Chuck, you’ll probably find something memorable at the Log House Museum, usually open to visitors noon-4 pm Fridays and Saturdays, at 61st SW/SW Stevens, one block inland from Alki Beach.

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COUNTDOWN: Two days until West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade! What to know, even if you’re not going

July 2, 2025 11:54 am

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| Holidays | West Seattle news

The balloon animal in the logo for this year’s West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade is more than a graphic – it represents one of the activities that await kids at Hamilton Viewpoint Park post-parade! We are now two days away from West Seattle’s biggest Fourth of July event, which usually brings more than 1,000 people to North Admiral. The parade, now presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, starts at 10 am Friday from 44th SW/Sunset SW [map]. No pre-registration necessary, just show up! This is a non-motorized parade, aside from Seattle Fire Engine 29, a police motorcycle escort, and the “community pickup truck” that usually lead off. At the 44th/Sunset gathering point, the national anthem will be sung by 12-year-old Lola Orza, and with the ringing of a ceremonial bell, the parade will proceed west/southwest to Atlantic, east on Atlantic, across California – this is what even non-participants should know: Police block traffic for the parade to cross California, so you might experience a delay if you’re traveling through that area during the 10 am hour on Friday (although last year the officers brought the parade across in multiple groups, punctuated by passage for waiting vehicles). At the park, local businesses and organizations will offer activities, and other highlights include sack races and public-safety vehicle tours. This year there’s an expanded lineup of food/beverage/treat trucks and carts (listed here). The park activities will end by 1 pm, and then it’s off to the rest of the holiday. The parade and activities are offered free of charge, but it’s a big cost to the ANA (from permits to porta-potties), covered in part by sponsors (listed here) and donations (here’s how to help).

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The list for your West Seattle Wednesday!

July 2, 2025 9:58 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Hydrangea blossom, photographed by Janelle Otterholt)

Here’s what’s happening in the hours ahead, mostly as featured on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

PINT FOR A PINT: Blood drive today until 4 pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe (35th SW/SW Myrtle) with special gift – a pint of Seattle Sorbets – for donors. Check our calendar listing for link to see if spots are available.

SUMMER FOOD: As reported here Monday, there are multiple sites/times/days in West Seattle where kids can get breakfast, lunch, and/or snacks.

CITY COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: The meeting that just began includes items related to Sound Transit’s in-city light-rail projects, including West Seattle. Here’s the agenda, which has all the document links. You can watch via Seattle Channel.

WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 10 am Wednesday walks leave from 47th/Fauntleroy (this is a last-minute reminder, so set your calendar for next Wednesday morning if interested!).

TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at the bookstore. (4522 California SW)

CHAIR YOGA: 10:30 am weekly class at Dragonfly (3270 California SW): $20 drop-in.

HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open every day, 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

COLMAN POOL: The open-every-day season continues at Lincoln Park‘s outdoor, heated salt-water pool! Noon-7 pm; see the session schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

WADING POOLS: Open today – Delridge (4501 Delridge Way SW) will be open noon-5:30 pm; Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) will be open noon-7 pm.

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).

‘WILD ROBOT’ READ-ALOUD CLUB: 1 pm at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), starting today! Info here.

FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Got something that’s 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).

CRIBBAGE: New schedule for cribbage at West Seattle Eagles (4426 California SW), including 6 pm tonight.

CLASSIC SF BOOK CLUB: 6 pm at Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW) – this month’s book is “Inverted World.”

WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: All are welcome at the group’s weekly happy-hour meetup, 6-8 pm at Great American Diner & Bar. (4752 California SW).

OPEN STUDIO AT POTTERINGS: 6 pm, get creative at the studio! (3400 Harbor SW)

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUN: 6:15 pm group run with West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) – all welcome.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer lineup. (7902 35th SW)

SOCCER: West Seattle Junction FC home match vs. Midlakes United, 7 pm at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle). “Kick Cancer Night.” Get tickets here.

KUNDALINI YOGA & GONG BATH: 7 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska), $35.

MUSIC BINGO: at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.

REGULAR TRIVIA x 4: Four West Seattle trivia locations on our Wednesday list: Admiral Pub (2306 California SW) at 7 pm … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday trivia 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: Your chance at centerstage – 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

Something coming up 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!

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LAST CALL: Artists invited to apply for this year’s two-day West Seattle Art Tour

July 2, 2025 9:00 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

As we mentioned last month, the West Seattle Art Tour is doubling this year, to two days, and organizers are working on the lineup now. The final deadline, for artists, is just days away, so here’s one more reminder:

West Seattle’s community-wide arts event is back – now a two-day event! Save The Date for Art, September 20th & 21st!

The West Seattle Art Tour returns on September 20- 21, 2025 (10 am – 5 pm) for its fourth year, and its first year as a two-day event. This free, self-guided tour features a full spectrum of high-quality art, a chance to meet and talk with artists, and the opportunity to purchase exceptional works of art, all while exploring West Seattle’s beautiful neighborhoods. This year, sites will be open for two days, allowing more time for visitors to see all of the locations.

Artists interested in participating will want to act quickly. Artist applications are due by July 6th. Artists can review event details, artist criteria, how to host and submit their application at: wsartwalk.org/west-seattle-art-tour

The West Seattle Art Tour is organized by local artists and art lovers with support from West Seattle Art Walk. Individuals interested in supporting the West Seattle Art Tour can reach out to WSArtHop@gmail.com

WSB is media sponsor for this year’s West Seattle Art Tour.

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TRAFFIC, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Wednesday info, as holiday approaches

July 2, 2025 6:03 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:03 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Wednesday, July 2, 2025, with the Fourth of July just two days away.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Mostly sunny, high in the 70s,. Today’s sunrise was at 5:16 am; sunset will be at 9:10 pm.

ROAD WORK

-Gas work in Highland Park near Highland Park Way/Holden, according to Kay (we’ve received a notice of bus stop effects for the next 2 weeks too).

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro buses – Regular schedule today.

Washington State Ferries – WSF has resumed three-boat service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas, M/V Cathlamet, and M/V Issaquah. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where.

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) … including, again, tonight:

STADIUM ZONE

The Mariners continue their homestand tonight, with another 6:40 pm game against Kansas City.

REMINDER FOR FRIDAY

The Fourth of July Kids’ Parade crosses California SW near Hamilton Viewpoint Park, so there’ll be some waits there in the 10 am hour.

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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