UPDATE: Short-lived house-fire response in 8800 block 12th SW

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| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

11:29 PM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” headed to a possible house fire in the 8800 block of 12th SW [vicinity map]. Updates to come.

11:32 PM: First units on scene say it was a small fire, “now out,” and most of the response is being canceled.

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TUESDAY: Block-party barbecue benefiting Fauntleroy Fall Festival

| Fauntleroy | How to help | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

This Tuesday evening (August 19), you’re invited to a block-party barbecue dinner on SW Henderson west of 35th SW to benefit the Fauntleroy Fall Festival! The free festival runs on donations and volunteers, and The Birdhouse is cooking up this dinner pop-up with 20 percent of the proceeds going to the festival. Just plan to drop by for dinner 5-7 pm that night – The Birdhouse isn’t usually open for dinner but has a special menu for the occasion; see it here – it includes vegetarian options as well as sides and desserts. Take-out if you prefer, but SW Henderson will be closed in front of The Birdhouse, with tables and chairs so you can dine on-site with your West Seattle neighbors.

P.S. This year’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival is set for 2-5 pm Sunday, October 19 – exactly two months after Tuesday’s fundraising dinner.

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CAN YOU HELP? Educator searching for West Seattle baker

August 17, 2025 6:30 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Cheyanne Chadwick, a STEM educator who is program manager for HEART at West Seattle Elementary, is looking for a community member to help with an upcoming project:

This fall, my students and I will be working on a science of baking project I’m lovingly calling The Great West Seattle Bake-Off. The goal is for students to learn about the chemistry behind baking by discovering what all the ingredients in cupcakes actually do.

I’m looking for a baker (preferably someone from the West Seattle area) who might be interested in coming into my classroom in November for an hour-long demonstration/lesson on baking. No teaching experience is needed, obviously. Bakers would provide the expertise in baking itself, and I’d lead the teaching elements. I can provide more specific details (the when, where, how, whatnot) to anyone who might be available/interested.

Potentially interested? Email Cheyanne at cheyanne.chadwick@stempaths.org.

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WHALES: Orcas passing west-facing West Seattle shores

August 17, 2025 4:36 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | Whales

Ready for Sunday whale-watching? Kersti Muul reports orcas are headed southbound “toward Lowman Beach,” mid-channel so binoculars are likely needed. Let us know if you see them!

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FOLLOWUP: Here’s what West Seattle High School’s Ethan Thomas plans to do with that grant from Barry Manilow

August 17, 2025 2:01 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photo courtesy Ethan Thomas)

By Hayden Yu Andersen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

When Ethan Thomas first learned he had been awarded a $10,000 grant, he didn’t believe it.

“One of the counselors saw it on the news and mentioned it to me in passing,” the West Seattle High School band teacher said, “I thought she was mistaken, but she sent me and my colleague Taylor Fritts the news article link. I was astonished when I found out I won.”

As we reported one month ago, the grant was awarded as part of the Manilow Music Project, a program organized by award-winning musician Barry Manilow. Last month, Manilow performed at Climate Pledge Arena for the last time, as a part of his final tour, titled “The Last Concerts.” At each stop along the tour, community members have been invited to vote for their favorite music teacher, with nominated teachers receiving grants to help support their music programs.

We followed up with Thomas to find out his plans for the grant.

$10,000 may seem like a lot, but according to Thomas, music programs are costly. “Depending on the year and the SPS budget,” he said, “my colleague and I receive around $300 from the district to run our entire music program.” Typically, this amounts to roughly one dollar per student. Instead, West Seattle depends primarily on community support through bi-annual fundraisers, which usually raise about $20,000. This money goes towards new music, instrument repairs, band trips, uniform expenses, and scholarships for all three band programs. For some context, the cost of a single Alto Saxophone ranges between $600 to $2,500, and a single High School band can consist of anywhere between 50 and 150 members.

Fortunately for Thomas, the Manilow Music Project has a deal with online music retailer Sweetwater, which gives them special pricing on instruments, and there are no spending or time stipulations on the grant. This means they’ll be able to spend it on anything they need. Currently, one of West Seattle High School’s most pressing needs is a new tuba, which can often cost upwards of $6,000. They’re also considering buying a new bass, which is similarly expensive.

“We want our programs to be equitable and accessible to all students, and owning an instrument can be a barrier for some,” Thomas said. “We want to be able to provide students with a quality instrument that they can borrow from the school for free. … Without that money from the Manilow Music Project, we would be responsible for raising all the money for those purchases on our own. We are certainly grateful to the Manilow Music Project for supporting music programs in the cities they visit.

“I am so very grateful to work in the WSHS community,” concluded Thomas, who has been West Seattle High School’s band director since 2012. “It is humbling to think that enough people voted for me to win this award. I am very thankful for my students, their families, and those in our community that voted for me and their faith in me as a Music teacher.”

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COUNTDOWN: Six days until Admiral Block Party 2025! Here’s the music schedule

August 17, 2025 11:15 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

Looking ahead past this weekend, next weekend’s biggest even is the third annual Admiral Block Party, a street festival on California SW north of SW Admiral Way. The street will close for setup (and advance revelry) on Friday night (August 22), and then the Block Party is all day and into the evening on Saturday (August 23). That includes main-stage live music; we’ve published the performer plan, but the times are now set too, as provided by Dan Jacobs from the Admiral Neighborhood Association – which presents the Block Party:

Justin Kausal-Hayes – 11 am
Sad Dad Autumn – 12:00 pm
School of Rock – 1:15 pm
Michael Pearsall – 2:30 pm
Potholes – 3:45 pm
Baby Crow Flight School – 5:15 pm
Six Killers – 6:30 pm
Sun King – 7:45 pm

Again, those times are all for Saturday, August 23. We’ll have vendor highlights in our next preview.

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Back-to-school swap shop, Makers’ Art Market, Sundays in the Alley, playground cleanup, more – here’s our list!

August 17, 2025 6:27 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Banded Alder Borer, photographed by Hilda Burton)

Good morning! Time to make the most of what’s left of summer, so here are our notes for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEST SEATTLE GLASS FLOAT HUNT: All floats have been released but as of early today, two are listed as not yet found.

WESTIES RUN CLUB: This week’s 9 am Sunday Funday run leaves from Ampersand Café (2536 Alki SW).

BACK TO SCHOOL SWAP SHOP: As previewed here, 9 am-1 pm at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) – 9 to 10 am, drop off swap items and help prepare, 10 am-noon swap and shop, noon cleanup and prepare leftovers for donation.

AMERICAN MAH JONGG: Meet up with other players – all levels – 9:30-11:30 am at The Missing Piece. (35th/Roxbury)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Find the market on California between Oregon and Alaska, 10 am-2 pm, still the heart of summer produce season (stone fruit, berries, cherries, greens), plus lots of baked goods, cheeses, meats, fish, prepared foods, condiments, flowers, more.

MASTER GARDENERS: They’re at the market today, also 10 am-2 pm, if you have a garden question/challenge/etc. that would benefit from expert advice.

SUNDAYS IN THE ALLEY: While you’re in The Junction, visit the alley behind Carmilia’s boutique (4528 California SW) for food, music, and fun, “a neighborhood party!”, 10 am-3 pm.

FREE NIA CLASS: 10:30 am, first class free if you pre-register. At Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska)

SPRUCE UP LAFAYETTE’S PLAYGROUND: As previewed here, community volunteers are needed to help spruce up the Lafayette Elementary (California/Lander) playground before school – (corrected, 9 am-11 am).

DONATION DRIVE – CLOTHING AND FOOD: 11 am-3 pm outside Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) – our preview has details on what’s most needed right now.

MAKERS’ ART MARKET: 11 am-5 pm outside Alki Bathhouse (2701 Alki SW), more than two dozen makers will be showing and selling today – see the list here.

SPRAYPARK: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) is open every day, 11 am-8 pm, through Labor Day.

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Need a tool but don’t need to, or can’t, buy it? You’ll probably be able to borrow it from the Tool Library, open 11 am-4 pm on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

WEST SEATTLE RESISTS: Sunday signholding in The Junction (California/Alaska), 11:30 am-1:30 pm.

COLMAN POOL: The heated salt-water outdoor pool at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) is open today as its 7-day-a-week season continues for two more weeks – noon-7 pm, with four hour-and-a-half swim sessions, each half lap swimming and half open swim – see the schedule here.

WADING POOLS: Also at Lincoln Park, a 70-degree-plus/partly sunny the wading pool is expected to be open (check after 9:30 am at 206-684-7796); same for the EC Hughes wading pool (2805 SW Holden) – hours for both today are noon-7 pm; this is the last scheduled day of the season at EC Hughes.

NO ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Reminder, no more tours this year (as explained here).

WELCOME ROAD WINERY: Kick back and enjoy your Sunday afternoon at this West Seattle tasting room (with a patio!) open 2-5 pm, kids and dogs welcome. (3804 California SW; WSB sponsor)

LIVE MUSIC AT TIM’S: 2 pm, Blues Afternoon with KornerBlues. (16th SW/SW 98th, White Center)

MAKE PINCH POTS: 2 pm class at The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW).

BOOK PARTY AND ‘WRITE YOUR STORY’ SIGN-UPS: 3-4:30 pm, upstairs at Curious Kidstuff (4740 California SW), celebrate the book of stories published by “Write YOUR Story” participants, and sign up for the next free sessions, for ages 7-11, explained in our calendar listing.

YOGA AND CREATIVITY CLASS: 5 pm at Limber Yoga (7901 35th SW).

LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: 8-10 pm, Sunday night music with the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW).

Are you planning, organizing, and/or publicizing something that we could feature on the WSB community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basic details – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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