West Seattle, Washington
24 Sunday
When last we checked in with Panda Express regarding their yet-to-open Westwood Village restaurant, they were hoping for an early August opening, barring construction delays. That’s come and gone, so we asked about their revised timeline. A company spokesperson replied, “Our opening date keeps shifting … The newest Seattle location now has a tentative opening date sometime the week of Sept. 8.” It’s been in the works for almost two years.
Last month, we reported on the still-idle Morgan Junction Park expansion site on California between Graham and Fauntleroy, a fenced-off pit awaiting the resumption of cleanup work so it can have an interim use before park development. Deb Barker, president of the Morgan Community Association, reports tonight – with the photo above – that signage has gone up indicating that the work is finally about to resume. The signs announce parking restrictions from next Monday (August 25) through September 19, for construction staging by Holt Services. Barker tells WSB that the company confirmed to her that the window is so it can finish Phase 1 work at the site: “This includes backfilling the hole to grade, removing the top four feet of the steel and wood from the shoring support, removing all of the remaining hard surfaces, installing erosion control as needed, bringing in topsoil and blowing in grass seed. The site will remain fenced during and after the work.” The work to actually turn the site into a park isn’t expected to start before late next year, and the issue of whether it will include a community-requested “all-wheels area” has yet to be settled. The city bought the expansion site, which previously held a market and dry cleaners, 11 years ago.
(WSF photo)
Announced in Washington State Ferries‘ weekly newsletter, as well as a rider alert, WSF is testing a new policy of allowing dogs in more places on its boats. In the newsletter, WSF second-in-command John Vezina wrote:
Steve [Nevey] and I are happy to share news about dogs on our ferries. Based on feedback from customers and employees, and to align with partner transit agencies, we began a six-month trial of an updated pet policy yesterday. During this trial, dogs on leashes are allowed in all passenger areas, except galleys. All other pets must stay in a crate or carrier. Big dogs should stay on the floor. Small dogs should be on a lap or in a carrier. Owners must control their pets and clean up after them. Crew members may direct pets to be moved to an outside deck or vehicle if needed for safety or behavior reasons. As always, service animals are welcome everywhere, as required by law. Livestock must stay in appropriate enclosures at all times. This trial will help us decide if the new rules should become permanent. Your feedback is welcome.
Here are ways to provide feedback to WSF. You can read more about the WSF policy here.
(SDOT camera image, Wednesday)
As reported here, the West Seattle low bridge was closed to surface traffic for about four hours on Wednesday. It already was scheduled to be out of service this coming weekend for repairs; we asked SDOT today what went wrong yesterday and whether that will affect the weekend plan. Here’s how spokesperson Mariam Ali explained it:
Yesterday, a driver attempted to maneuver around a closed gate, which led to a circuit breaker being tripped and temporarily affecting the gate system. The issue was quickly resolved, the Coast Guard was notified, and electricians are completing final repairs today. There will be no impact on work scheduled for this weekend, and bridge operations are proceeding normally.
This weekend’s closure is set to start at 7 am Saturday and could last as late as 10 pm Sunday.
Thunder Road Guitars (6400 California SW; WSB sponsor) has an upcoming end-of-summer sale with a twist – actually two: It’s donating part of the proceeds on Saturday, August 30, to the West Seattle Food Bank, while putting TRG proprietor Frank Gross in a dunk tank! Here’s the announcement, in video and text:
Announcing the Thunder Road Summer “Dunk Frank in the Tank” Event. Join us Saturday, August 30th, for amazing one-day-only deals and your chance to win a FREE Gretsch ’57 Duo Jet courtesy of our friends at Gretsch Guitars.
We decided to partner with the West Seattle Food Bank for this event and will be donating 10% of our sales on the 30th to the food bank. We are also going to have Frank in a dunk tank all day…. Just how do you dunk Frank in the tank, you ask? Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the West Seattle Food Bank or purchase a guitar, amplifier, or pedal. Either one of those gets you 3 throws at our fearless leader and a limited TRG shirt for the event (while supplies last). So join us August 30th, 12-6 pm, for a day of insane deals and help us raise some money for the WS Food Bank.
Information from readers led us to inquire with the city’s Unified Care Team about two West Seattle encampments:
PUGET RIDGE: The reader photo above shows 21st SW just north of SW Myrtle [map], along the west side of the Sanislo Elementary campus (not in view because of a tangle of overgrowth). The reader who sent it expressed concern that the encampment is “growing” and seemingly unaddressed though school starts in less than two weeks. We asked UCT spokesperson Kate Jacobs if the site is on the city’s radar. Her reply: “Parking enforcement officers have visited the site and are scheduled to return this week to take appropriate next steps. Specific actions will depend on circumstances at that time. While parking ordinances apply equally to all vehicles, state and federal laws provide additional protection for people living in them.” We just went by the site before publishing this story, and two Parking Enforcement vehicles are in fact there now.
FAUNTLEROY PARK: Fires in the park have been among longrunning issues of concern to neighboring residents (from the park’s south/Arbor Heights side), who told us that notices were up for city action this past Monday. We asked Jacobs about that too, and she said, “The Unified Care Team completed a resolution at Fauntleroy Park on August 18. Outreach workers are connecting the two individuals who were residing at the site with case managers to support their transition to permanent housing.”
For the second consecutive day, we have a report of a stolen vehicle in the Westwood Village area, this time from a residential driveway across the street from the center:
Stolen black 1995 Dodge Ram 1500 Truck
2 Wheel Drive, Cab High Canopy, Fiberglass step below doors
Stolen Tuesday night (Aug 19th-20th) 2500block SW Barton St.
License # B48372V – if seen call Don, 206-661-4856
Incident has been reported to Seattle Police. # 25-239499
(Sunflower photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Many ways to enjoy the hours ahead! Here’s our list for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Still lots of time left in gardening season! The center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30 am at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW).
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open today and every day through Labor Day, 11 am-8 pm. Free. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
WADING POOL: Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW, near north lot) will be open noon-7 pm. Free.
COLMAN POOL: Also at Lincoln Park, the heated salt-water pool on the shore is open with sessions noon-7 pm – see the schedule here. Fee.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome at this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today.
DROP-IN CHESS: Teens are invited to come play at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), 4-5:30 pm.
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of two 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 Thai-U-Up.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Another regular Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
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!
RAT CITY ART AND FOOD WALK: It’s the third Thursday of the month, so, starting at 5, it’s the Rat City Art and Food Walk! You can wander South Delridge and north White Center business districts – more than 100 artists at 30+ locations, listed here.
POSTCARD HAPPY HOUR: Extra monthly session for Postcards4Democracy long-distance advocacy, 5-7 pm at Great American Diner & Bar (4752 California SW).
DUSTY 45s WITH ROXBURY SAINTS: West Seattle music 6-9 pm at Tim’s Tavern (16th/98th, White Center).
WESTIES RUN CLUB: 6 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), the Westies Run Club‘s Thursday night community run.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Rather walk? Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.
STEELHEAD CONSERVATION: That’s the topic tonight at 6:30 pm at Emerald Water Anglers (4707 California SW), with John McMillan. Call the shop to see if there’s room left to attend.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE SKYLARK: It’s All Happening, Mason Derleth, Oscar Warnersmith, 7 pm, all ages, $10 at the door. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MUSIC BOOK TALK: Live, free, all-ages event at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 7 pm, Duff McKagan moderates discussion of “Tearing Down The Orange Curtain: How Punk Rock Brought Orange County To The World” by Nate Jackson and Daniel Kohn.
’70S DANCE PARTY: Get a leather-fringe vest and bell-bottom pants and go boogie at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon), 7-9 pm. 21+.
REIKI GONG BATH IMMERSION: 7 pm at Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska).
DJ NIGHT: Extended-weekend spinning starts tonight at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Silk Safari, 8 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 photo, Hiawatha Playfield, Wednesday)
Visiting the Hiawatha Community Center work zone on Wednesday (story later today), we noticed the West Seattle High School football team on the field. That’s another reminder that the new school year is approaching – most local schools start a day or two after Labor Day – and WSHS athletic director Corey Sorenson has asked us to remind athletes’ families that it’s time to register, if they haven’t done so already. This document he provided includes information on how, as well as start dates for the fall sports (Wednesday was Day 1 for football, while other sports start tryouts next Monday, August 25) and a must-attend info night for families on September 2nd.
6:01 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Thursday, August 21, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
A Heat Advisory alert will be in effect Friday morning through Tuesday morning. Today, sunny, mid-70s. Today’s sunrise will be at 6:13 am; sunset will be at 8:10 pm.
ROAD WORK, INCLUDING WEEKEND PREVIEWS
-Overnight Highway 99 tunnel closures for resurfacing are scheduled to continue tonight – details here.
-That’s just part of a BIG slate of state highway work announced for this weekend – including lane closures Saturday morning on the 1st Ave. S. Bridge. (Afternoon update: WSDOT has postponed the 1st Ave. S. bridge work.) Speaking of bridges ….
-The low bridge is scheduled to close this weekend, starting at 7 am Saturday, continuing as late as 10 pm Sunday; we’re checking today to see if its Wednesday pm trouble changed those plans.
–Admiral Way Bridge seismic work continues.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – On regular schedule and routes today.
Washington State Ferries – WSF has three-boat service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas, M/V Cathlamet, and M/V Sealth. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where.
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; summer schedule, with later runs on Friday and Saturday nights, and on other weeknights with Mariners home games.
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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