West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
West Seattle’s first community-council meeting of fall was on the second night of fall, as the Admiral Neighborhood Association held its every-other-month gathering at the Admiral HUB (formerly church) this past Tuesday. We’ve already featured two news items from the meeting; here’s the full story:
SOUTHWEST PRECINCT POLICE: This briefing was presented by Lt. Wes Collier, the second-watch (dayside) commander, relatively new to the Southwest Precinct, after a variety of roles in the department – “I’ve been around for a while.”
He brought an update on the 27th SW shooting, as noted here, and also talked about Admiral-specific crime trends. Robberies are up 44 percent – a category of crime covering more than you think – could be a shoplifter making a threat or using violence. There’ve been four more in Admiral this year to date compared to last year. “That is a cause for concern.” He also said Southwest Precinct response times are slower than the – minute goal – currently 10 minutes, even for highest-priority calls (“if you tell me someone is here right now”). He said he’d be addressing that at a gathering Monday, the next day most of his officers are on duty because of an overlap. He declared he’s “no stranger to holding people accountable.” An attendee asked, “What’s the vibe about the end of the consent decree?” Reply: “A weight off our shoulders.” Another question: What about staffing? (As noted in our story on the mayor’s proposed budget – more hires, fewer departures than expected.) What about planning for next year’s World Cup matches? Planning began last year, Lt. Collier said. “We treat all the (big sporting events) as practice runs” for that, plus they’ve had a lot of drills – they’ve also sent police and POET (protest-focused team) members to London “to see how they handle it.”
Lt. Collier also noted the Traffic Unit has two motorcycle officers day shift who can do, and are doing, traffic enforcement. One attendee had words of praise for officers who were on Alki on the Fourth of July; another attendee said the Don Armeni Boat Ramp nighttime closures have been helpful: “It kept things nice and calm.” Lt. Collier said he’s going to dedicate two officers to an “09” car – emphasis patrol (which has been done on Alki and Westwood), taking orders directly from the watch commander rather than dispatchers (unless of course there’s a major emergency). He hopes to dedicate them to vehicle thefts, among other things. He also gave a short introduction to Matt Brown, who’ll be filling in for Jennifer Satterwhite as Crime Prevention Coordinator during her upcoming maternity leave. (Brown is South Precinct CPC right now.)
SCHOOL BOARD: Board president and West Seattle (and vicinity) director Gina Topp (who’s also a local small-biz owner, as a partner in Admiral’s Mission Cantina) was the next guest.
Enrollment is steady, finances are not – they’re facing an $80 million deficit, she noted, out of a $1.3 billion budget for a 49,000-student district. She said they’re trying hard to “protect what students need most.” Then there’s the superintendent search. They’ve heard from families, students, other community members, and they have a “leadership profile.” As noted in our Tuesday story, they have 41 qualified applicants for the job. “That is great – we are super excited about that number.” First review as a board is this Friday, she said. And as we recently reported, Alki Elementary remains on (revised) schedule to open in September of next year. One man noted that 43 percent of his property taxes go to education; Topp agreed it’s regressive taxation. Another attendee noted that West Seattle HS’s student body count – more than 1500 – is larger than last year, so how’s the district count now? Holding steady (100 more than last year, per figures presented to the board this week), although the graduating class is larger than incoming kindergarten, Topp said. “Looks like we may be plateau’ing a bit.”
An attendee who identified herself as a late-career SPS nurse said she’s one for 1,600 at her (non-WS) school, and before that 1,100. “We saved this community during COVID.” She talked about the effects of the lunch split – today she had two suicide threats, a dozen diabetics, and the idea of one nurse handling 1200 students is almost impossible. She seldom gets lunch and says it’s an impossible job for one person to handle. “You need to look at Health Services” and related areas, she implored. Another attendee mentioned that 2026 graduation dates are right up against the local FIFA World Cup matches and that’s going to make things difficult. “I hope there’s been some thought about moving the ceremonies early.” The attendee also talked about his child’s school using PTA fundraising for a school nurse and counselor, and he hoped that would be allowed where it’s possible so that district resources could be freed up to cover such services at schools that don’t have a fundraising capacity. He also suggested the district could be making more money off some of its facilities, like Nino Cantu Douthwest Athletic Complex. Overall, he said, “I’d like to see a new focus on fundraising.”
In wrapping, Topp noted that the next night’s board meeting – which also tackled the high-school lunch issue (WSB coverage here) – was planned in work session format, so no in-person public comment
EVENTS: President Joanie Jacobs sang the praises of volunteers. First, the two new coordinators of the Fourth of July Kids’ Parade … the organizers of the AMP concert series … and everybody who helped with the Admiral Block Party. Now it’s fall and it’s time for more fun, including Trick or Treating. Volunteers will be needed for the October 24 trick-or-treat event, as well as December 13 business event Winter Wonderland. Trick or Treating will go from Avamere in North Admiral to Charlestown/California in South Admiral. It’ll go back to 3 pm to 6 pm this year. Also ahead, 7 pm October 7 at West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor) is a gathering for prospective volunteers, for both the trick-or-treating event and Winter Wonderland.
ADMIRAL EMERGENCY HUB: Hiawatha is a gathering spot in case of catastrophe, with a big box full of emergency supplies. There’s a new hub captain, and the outgoing one spoke to the group, explaining what would happen there in case of trouble – the communication that would happen because regular channels would be down. Lt. Collier was asked about police readiness; he said they’d of course do what it took to help keep people safe, but also advised that people sign up for Alert Seattle, and mentioned that many more officers are trained as EMTs now.
NEXT ANA MEETING: November, which will include board elections. Possibly November 18, since the second Tuesday is Veterans’ Day and they don’t think that’s the proper night for a community council meeting. Watch the website for updates.
Just one week after Washington State Ferries announced a date for their fall online-only system-wide community meetings, they’ve changed it: The meetings are now set for 1 pm and 6 pm Tuesday, October 14. If you’d already registered for the original date, you’ll have to re-register for the new one; you can register for one or both (WSF promises duplicate content) right now by going here.
Back-to-school season isn’t entirely over in West Seattle. For South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), the fall quarter starts Monday (September 29). We asked SSC spokesperson Ty Swenson what’s new this year, and he gave us a list including these three items. First, more students can plug into EV-related training:
The Automotive Technology program is jump starting electric and hybrid vehicle training this year. Toyota donated a Prius to the program for students to practice hybrid maintenance and repair and the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges awarded the program a competitive workforce development grant to develop electric vehicle training. our Senior Director of Workforce Education Dalia Sherif at the Seattle Colleges District Office has engaged with the Washington State Auto Dealers Association and Western Washington Toyota Dealers over the past year to bring this donation to fruition, and future vehicle donations are in the works.
Second – classes you can take even if you’re not looking for a new degree or certificate:
South’s Continuing Education program is back with a full lineup of new and returning classes for personal enrichment and professional development — available both in-person and online. Whether you’re looking to pick up a new hobby or boost your career skills, there’s something for everyone.
Third, a special area of growth for SSC:
We are excited to see a 45 percent increase in students joining us this fall for college transfer pathways compared to last fall. Our college transfer students traditionally take freshman and sophomore classes at South for a fraction of the cost of four-year universities and colleges, earn their associate degree and then transfer to a four-year university or college with the skills and confidence to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
SSC’s main campus is at 6000 16th SW on Puget Ridge and includes several spots also open to non-students, such as the retail Garden Center and Northwest Wine Academy tasting room/wine bar (both open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays). More on the new quarter tomorrow!
(One of the M’s hats here at HQ, decorated with a prized parade pin)
Thanks to the texter who pointed out this is among the systemwide alerts that Washington State Ferries has sent so far today:
At 5 p.m. today, all ferries underway will sound their horns to salute the Seattle Mariners on winning the American League West title — their first in 24 years! Congratulations to the team and fans as they head into the playoffs.
While they haven’t won a division title since 2001, the M’s have been to the playoffs more recently – here’s the Mariners’ full playoff history. As for this year, the brackets aren’t full yet, but they’ll give you an idea of dates.
(Center for Active Living’s HQ, Sisson Building, photographed by Holli Margell)
A little volunteer power goes a long way, and the Center for Active Living in the West Seattle Junction could use a little more! Here’s the people-power wish list we received from Danny Perez:
The Center for Active Living (formerly the Senior Center of West Seattle) at 4127 SW Oregon St is currently in need of volunteers to fill various positions. Volunteers can enjoy connecting with fellow volunteers and seniors in a friendly, relaxed environment. The Center is seeking to fill the following volunteer positions:
Critical need: dishwashers on Tuesdays from 10 am-2 pm, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 am-2 pm; rinse and load a commercial-grade dishwasher
Café Attendant: Wednesdays 8:30 am-12 pm, or Thursdays from 11 am-2 pm, take customer orders and prepare sandwiches and salads in The Center’s onsite café
Dining Room Attendant: Thursdays from 10 am-1 pm; Serve beverages and prepared meals to seniors participating in our Community Dining program
Retail Sales Clerk/Cashier: provide general customer assistance in The Center Thrift Shop
Westside Friends: provide companionship and support to seniors in their home location in West Seattle
Must be 18 years of age or older, and shifts are generally weekdays during the day, and can be two to three hours in duration. Flexible scheduling options are available. To apply, click the following link to complete a volunteer application: Volunteer – The Center for Active Living or email dannyp@wscenter.org
West Seattle has a multitude of options for people who love to play trivia, as evidenced in our Event Calendar and daily highlight lists. One of the peninsula’s dedicated, talented hosts, Will, sent this report and the accompanying photos:
West Seattle has a new trivia champion! 2023 champion team “Good Enough Society” took back the trophy at last night’s 2025 West Seattle Trivia Championship. Hosted by Beveridge Place, with hosts from Beveridge Place, The Good Society, and Talarico’s contributing questions-
Good Enough Society bested teams from 5 other bars to take home the trophy!
(Sunrise photo sent by Al)
Here’s what’s happening today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where. you’ll find even more):
KNIFE SHARPENING: Kneighborhood Knives is back for another pop-up at Hotwire Coffee (4410 California SW), 10 am-5 pm, today and tomorrow.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Explore options for your fall gardening! The center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
TODDLER STORY TIME: 10:30 am at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), free.
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30 am at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), free.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome at this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today.
YAPPY HOUR: Bring your dog to Arthur’s patio (2311 California SW) for fun! 3-6 pm.
KIKI’S CLOSET POP-UP SALE: Shop for fashion – and enjoy $5 glasses of wine – at Welcome Road Winery (3804 California SW; WSB sponsor) – details in our calendar listing.
DROP-IN CHESS: High Point Library‘s weekly event is back today, 4-5:30 pm for players under 18. (3411 SW Raymond)
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 Levantine Cuisine.
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!
TASTE OF WEST SEATTLE: There might be NO tickets available at the door at The Hall at Fauntleroy (9131 California SW) for this food and drink festival (with music!) benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank – 5:30 pm VIP entry, 6 pm general entry – sold out, WSFB says thanks!
CHAMELEONS LIVE AT EASY STREET RECORDS: 6 pm in-store show, free, all ages. (4559 California SW)
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: “Come out for an All-Ager Rager with Daughters of Venus, Vagabond, and As You Wish. Doors at 6:00. Music at 7:00. All Ages. $10.” (3803 Delridge Way SW)
DUSTY 45s FT. SPECIAL GUESTS: In White Center tonight: Free live music 6-9 pm at Tim’s Tavern (16th/98th, White Center) with The Dusty 45s featuring Tropical Itch.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: 6 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), it’s the Westies Run Club‘s Thursday night community run.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Prefer to walk? Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.
‘THE ROOMMATE’ AT ARTSWEST: Opening night! 7:30 pm. Our calendar listing has info including the ticket link. (4711 California SW)
DJ NIGHT: Extended-weekend spinning starts tonight at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Sherman, 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!
Family and friends will gather November 1 in West Seattle for a casual meetup to remember Chris Witwer, and are sharing this remembrance with the community now:
Former West Seattle resident Chris S. Witwer, CIP (56), aka Chris the Writer, as she loved to be known, shrugged off the confines of her failing body after a long battle with cancer on Dec. 3, 2024. She passed peacefully in her sleep at her home in Rockville, MD, held in the arms of her wife, with her beloved kitty Stella in her lap. She is now free to ride the wind & waves she always loved alongside the beloved whales, dolphins, orcas, & seals she adored photographing at any opportunity.
Devastatingly, Chris has left behind her shattered but endlessly grateful wife of 11 years & love of 22 ½ years, or 8193 days & forever, Shiloh Blue (formerly known as L. A. Vess). Chris was also forced to say goodbye to her two precious fur babies, Stella & Molly. Chris is also survived by her parents, John & Joyce Witwer, & sister Kathy. She is preceded in death by her sister Cindy, paternal grandparents Lee & Polly Witwer, whom she cherished, & maternal grandmother Ruth Granade. Along the way, she also lost three other beloved fur babies: her childhood kitty Boots, her boon companion Mozart, & her sweet baby Dolce.
Chris enjoyed a 20+ year storied career in medical research human subjects protection that spanned across the country, including Quorum Review IRB (now Advarra) & the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. She was also proud to serve many years on the CIP Council of PRIM&R before proudly being named co-chair in 2023. Chris gathered an enormous community of colleagues, friends & chosen family from all over the world; too many to name. Still, her wife wishes to give special thanks locally in Seattle to Barbie, for her boundless love & joy, to Jo, Marianne, & Linda for helping to ensure Chris was cared for in the best possible ways imaginable in her last months, & to Jill, for taking care of Chris’s favorite person ever besides her wife, & making sure she is happy & thriving.
More than just a beloved wife & amazing colleague, Chris was also a beautiful piano player, a singer, previously with the Austin Tapestry Singers, & she was passionate about photography, especially of beautiful landscapes, wild beaches, & magnificent marine life. Chris also loved to travel whenever she could – especially if art museums were involved – or just pick a direction nearby to go adventuring. You could also find her volunteering for causes she believed in whenever she had the chance, including several years with Seattle’s Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network (SSMMSN). Above all things, however, Chris loved to write, including for the Wallyhood blog for several years. Her favorite author, Eudora Welty, greatly inspired her, especially the short story “A Worn Path.” In addition to penning numerous articles & essays over the years, Chris published two bucket list books in the last year of her life: A Deafening Absence, a collection of short stories, & Rubbings, a travelogue about backpacking through Europe before the advent of cellphones & the Internet. The best way to honor her memory is to read them; they are available through her Amazon author page. Particularly while enjoying an Old Fashioned if you imbibe, or a nice slice of cake, as she was very fond of both.
As those who knew Chris would likely understand, she wanted no fanfare or fuss at her passing. She was sent back to stardust at a simple cremation with her loving wife as witness. Such a good, honest, & genuinely kind soul should have had a forever of tomorrows, but instead, can now only hope to be remembered for the incredible human being she was, the devoted & caring wife she was, & the loyal & kind friend she was. She made lasting impacts, great & small, on so many, personally & professionally. She lives on in those beautiful ripples she sent out into the world, making it a more wonderful place for every moment she was in it, & for long after she is gone.
Anyone who might wish to remember Chris at one of her favorite places, Alki Beach, with one of her very favorite guilty pleasures, tacos from Marination Ma Kai, please feel free to meet up there with her wife, Shiloh – who recently moved back to their beloved West Seattle at the gentle urging of her wife’s last wishes, at 1660 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle, on November 1st, 2025 from 2 PM to 3 PM.
Full memorial can be read at hiltonfh.com/december. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to SealSitters.org or HappyWhale.com.
(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)
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, September 25, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Partly sunny and only into the 60s today. Sunrise will be at 7 am; sunset, at 7 pm.
(Fall’s third sunset, photographed by Hana Alishio)
ROAD WORK & NEW ALL-WAY STOP
-As reported here last night, Oregon/44th is now an all-way stop (previously the stop signs were just in the north/south direction).
–59th SW in Alki is closed for at least two and a half more weeks by the school-construction zone.
-“Natural drainage” construction toward the east end of Sylvan Way is under way.
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 Issaquah, and M/V Sealth. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where.
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; summer/early fall schedule, with later runs on Friday and Saturday nights through October 10.
STADIUM ZONE
The division-champion Mariners‘ final regular-season homestand continues, with one more 6:40 pm game vs. Colorado.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the view looking west. Also note, opening info is again available via X (ex-Twitter):
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!
By Torin Record-Sand
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
As we first reported earlier this month, Seattle Public Schools sparked controversy with an abrupt announced that all comprehensive high schools (including West Seattle and Chief Sealth) must have two separate lunch periods. The announcement made a week and a half into the school year led to a districtwide walkout protest at district HQ on September 15th. But the district is moving ahead with the change, it was clear after a short discussion at Wednesday night’s special meeting of the School Board, and all schools must have split lunches in place by October 6.
The justification was simple. “We serve more lunches if there are multiple lunch periods.” said superintendent Fred Podesta. He provided statistics such as a case study from Cleveland High School that showed splitting the lunch period led to 31 percent more lunches being served to students, addressing the district’s persistent concerns about ood access. Other justifications were reiterated, such as the need for staff to take their own breaks in accordance with contracts, which were noted in the slide deck posted beoore the meeting.
Nonetheless, acknowledging the community backlash, the district plans some “mitigations” and will seek community engagement. Many complaints were from students feeling that the change would split personal availability and time to use for either extracurricular or personal matters: the ability to schedule a club meeting, meet with a teacher, do homework in advance of a class, or to be able to see friends. Some possibilities include a scheduled advisory time between students and teachers, more flexible choices for students in the time of their lunch period, and shifting club meeting times
It was noted that meetings are under way with student leaders from affected schools to ask them for feedback. Coordination with school principals on the implementation of the plan was promised too. Here’s a slide showing the status of that:
Associate superintendent Dr. Rocky Torres-Morales noted there are many different approaches on how to deal with the change, and these will be left to each respective school implementing the change. “Each school is their own school, there is no one size fits all decision.” he said.
Also discussed: The school lunch change as part of thei overall plan to re-evaluate the high school day this year and next. A task force will be dedicated to the re-evaluation, working on options for equitable access to credit-earning opportunities, protecting time for extracurricular activities, and reviewing school start and end times, among other goals.
The school board’s hope is that this upcoming process will be more transparent than what led to the lunch announcement. “This [the upcoming changes] is a serious topic, we won’t unwrap it like a Christmas gift in April, people need to hear about it along the way.” said superintendent Podesta. The recommendations on revisions to the high school day will be due from the task force in spring 2026.
Note the “all-way” on that stop sign. That’s the new status of Oregon/44th in The Junction. A texter tipped us about it this evening, saying they “almost drove through it” (and we saw someone else do that shortly after we snapped the pic). Many of the added all-way stops recently have been along routes to schools; we’ll check with SDOT tomorrow to see if that’s the rationale for this one (Tilden School [WSB sponsor], Hope Lutheran, and Holy Rosary are within several blocks, and Genesee Hill Elementary is a bit further) or something else.
Three weeks ago, a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson told us the long-gone West Seattle Junction Post Office drive-up/ride-up/walk-up mailbox was finally close to being replaced. And now, it has been; thanks to Lauren for the tip and photo (thanks also to Gregg, who sent word of it too). The Junction mailbox’s predecessor was stolen more than a year and a half ago. Crime also took out the Westwood Village Post Office outdoor mailbox, damaged in what was described as a break-in earlier this month (we haven’t been to WWV today but will go by this evening to see if that box reappeared too).
More than 10 months after its historic lodge was ravaged by fire, Camp Long remains open as a park and environmental learning center, but the lodge is years away from full restoration. A reader suggested a followup this week. The newest online update on what’s being done right now details the stabilization work and “pre-design study.” But the update concludes:
Our current estimate is that the renovation construction would begin in 2031.
That’s 3+ years after the early estimate we reported a little over a month after the fire. Part of that might be related to the funding issue mentioned by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, whose newest newsletter includes his report on a Camp Long site visit:
(Photo from Councilmember Saka’s newsletter)
I recently joined Seattle Parks Superintendent AP Diaz at Camp Long to tour the site and see the stabilization work underway following last year’s brazen arson attack that caused significant damage.
Camp Long is truly a community treasure. While the historic lodge remains closed as repairs move forward, many other parts of the park remain open and accessible for neighbors to enjoy. Camp Long continues to be a special place in the heart of West Seattle.
I’ll keep working closely with the Mayor’s Office and Parks Department to ensure the site is fully restored to its former glory – and that it remains a place where community can gather, learn, and connect with nature for generations to come. We will build back better! In the near term (2025-26), we believe that we can fund initial planning and design costs associated with this restoration project by using insurance proceeds. After that, we’ll need to look for other funding sources, with a potential renewal of the Metropolitan Parks District Fund being the most viable candidate (assuming this Fund ends up being considered for renewal upon its expiration in 2027).
But again, Camp Long remains open as a park and offering events; just this morning, in fact, we published a call for organizations to join this year’s “Trail or Treat” event by stepping forward to decorate the park’s also-historic cabins for visitors on October 25.
The chillier, soggier months ahead mean prime time for reading, among other things. We’ve heard lately from several West Seattle authors publishing new books. This week, writer/professor/journalist Bob Wyss is out with “Black Gold: The Rise, Reign, and Fall of American Coal,’ and will be at a local bookstore for a reading in two weeks. Here’s the announcement he sent us to share with you:
West Seattle Author’s New Book; Book Talk Set for Paper Boat Booksellers Oct. 9
A new book by West Seattle author Bob Wyss, “Black Gold, The Rise, Reign, and Fall of American Coal,” was released this week by the University of California Press. Wyss will give an inaugural talk about the book on Oct. 9 at Paper Boat Booksellers, 4522 California Ave. SW, at 6:30 p.m.
Black Gold is an environmental history of a product that was once familiar in every West Seattle home. Coal not only warmed winter’s chill it was the spark that powered railroads, the mighty steel and other industries, and it was the primary source that eventually created the American empire. However, America paid a price for burning coal – it was dirty and dangerous, and today it threatens to dangerously overheat the planet at a time when an American President wants to revive it. In West Seattle that means not only dangerously higher temperatures but rising sea levels on our Puget Sound coastline, increased toxic smoke as forest fires become more frequent, and possible droughts as glaciers disappear and winter snow decreases in the mountains.
Black Gold and its message has already drawn some press attention including a national interview at Sea Change Radio on its August 19 broadcast that can be found here. Natural History magazine is publishing an excerpt in its October issue. More information about the book can be found here.
About the Author
Bob Wyss has been a West Seattle resident for seven years. Previously, he was a reporter and editor at the Providence Journal for thirty years, a journalism professor at the University of Connecticut for fifteen years, where he is currently Professor Emeritus. He is the author of three previous books, The Man Who Built the Sierra Club, A Life of David Brower, Brimfield Rush, and Covering the Environment, and edited the anthology How I Wrote the Story. His work has appeared in the The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, Smithsonian, and Rhode Island Monthly.
Thanks to all the local authors who send announcements of new books, local readings, and other news – West Seattle is a hotbed of reading, with several thriving book clubs whose meetings we routinely list in our West Seattle Event Calendar. Much of our book-related coverage is archived here, newest to oldest.
Tomorrow’s the night – the Taste of West Seattle, raising much-needed money for the West Seattle Food Bank and giving you the chance to sample dozens of local restaurants, caterers, wineries, breweries, and cafés’ specialties! We just checked in with WSFB’s Robbin Peterson for the final word in the final hours of advance ticket sales:
Pre-sale tickets are still available for the Taste of West Seattle — but only until midnight tonight! A limited number may be available at the door, but with nearly sold-out attendance, the safest way to secure your spot is to grab tickets now.
This year’s Taste is more than a food festival —it’s a West Seattle neighborhood celebration. Local restaurants, breweries, and bakeries are stepping up to share the best of our community. Here’s the map showing who will be where at The Hall at Fauntleroy:
On top of incredible bites and sips, guests can Have Fun & Do Good with community-powered games:
Plinko for Prizes
and
Raffle baskets loaded with gift cards from favorite West Seattle businesses and restaurants.
All proceeds benefit the West Seattle Food Bank’s programs — from groceries and home delivery to rent and utility assistance—keeping our neighbors and neighborhoods strong.
VIP entry is at 5:30 pm, general entry at 6 pm. You can also see the list of participating venues on this page, where you can get your advance ticket(s) until late tonight. WSB is a community co-sponsor this year; we’ll see you there!
(King County photo, 2024 cleanup season)
The second of three seasons of in-water Duwamish River cleanup is about to begin. This is for the removal of contaminated sediment, in the works for decades, involving Boeing, the City of Seattle, and King County. Here’s the overview:
Construction in the upper reach, the southernmost two miles of the site, is scheduled to occur from October to February for three years, ending in February 2027. In-water construction activities are restricted to these months to protect certain fish species. LDWG completed in-water work for the first construction season from November 2024 – February 2025, with the second season beginning October 1, 2025.
Beginning October 1, the construction contractor will begin dredging contaminated sediment near the South Park Bridge and Duwamish River People’s Park.
Compared to the first construction season, cleanup activities this season will be more visible as the work moves closer to the South Park Bridge, homes, parks, and marinas. The community can expect multiple barges and equipment working on the water, lights for safe work during dark hours, and typical construction equipment noise.
Season 2 construction hours will be weekdays and Saturdays and will occur during both the daytime and nighttime. Work hours will vary based on factors, such as tides and the type of work being conducted (e.g., dredging or placing clean material). Work will be coordinated with Tribal fishing. During the first three weeks of October, in-water construction work is not currently planned for Mondays and Tuesdays when Tribal fishing is most active.
The dredged sediment goes by barge to a landfill on the Columbia River. More background on the contamination and cleanup are here. Cleanup-work updates will be on this website, including upcoming dates – not yet finalized (we’re told the ones currently listed online are likely to change) – for South Park Bridge closures.
P.S. For backstory, see our report from last year, before the first season of this work began.
Heads-up – we mentioned this in our recent report on the Board of Park Commissioners meeting, but in case you missed it, many Seattle Parks facilities will be closed tomorrow for a training day:
Many Seattle Parks and Recreation facilities and programs will be closed Thursday, September 25, 2025, due to a Recreation Division staff training day.
These facilities and services (will be) CLOSED:
All recreation programs
Community centers and teen life centers
Environmental learning centers
Indoor swimming pools
Amy Yee Tennis Center
Green Lake Small Craft Center
Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing CenterThese facilities (will be) OPEN on regular schedules:
Parks
Volunteer Park Conservatory and Japanese Garden
Boat ramps
Golf courses and ranges
Then on Friday, it’s back to regular schedules.
(This morning’s sunrise, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s what’s happening for fall’s first Wednesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (and if we’re missing something – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thanks!):
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 10 am Wednesday walks leave from 47th/Fauntleroy (this is a last-minute reminder, so would-be walkers can set their calendars for next Wednesday morning!).
TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at the bookstore. (4522 California SW)
RESTAURANT OPENING: In Pizza We Crust plans to open at 11 am. (3207 California SW)
NO AMERICAN MAH JONGG TODAY: Afternoon meetups are still on hold until The Missing Piece reopens in its new West Seattle Junction location.
FREE KIDS’ ART WORKSHOP: With Rec’N The Streets at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW), 3 pm.
FUNDRAISER AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The Morgan Junction restaurant donates part of its proceeds on the last Wednesday of every month to a chosen nonprofit/school/group – today, Aviation High School. Open 3 pm-9 pm. (6503 California SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL SPORTS:
SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETING: 4:30-7:30 pm with an agenda including the high-school-lunch issue. (3rd/Lander HQ and online)
ROCK BAND GAMING AT MR. B’S MEAD CENTER: 5-10 pm, new weekly event in South Delridge! (9444 Delridge Way SW)
HOW TO GET RAINWISE: Eligible for subsidized rainwater-handling infrastructure at your home or business? Get your questions answered at tonight’s webinar at 5 pm.
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Fix your broken item instead of throwing it out! 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, drop in and create! If you want some inspiration, this month’s spotlight project is a kitchen sponge holder. (3400 Harbor SW)
FREE ART CLASS: 6-8 pm, pay what you can, all levels invited to explore watercolors at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW).
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).
CRIBBAGE NIGHT: 6 pm at West Seattle Eagles (4426 California SW), membership not required, come play!
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUN: An energetic way to mark the middle of the week – the weekly 6:15 pm group run with West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) – all welcome, regardless of pace!
HPAC IS BACK: The community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge reconvenes tonight at 6:30 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW). Go here to read about what’s planned for discussion, including public safety and the West Duwamish Greenbelt.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer lineup. (7902 35th SW)
MUSIC BINGO x 2: Weekly music bingo at at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
KUNDALINI YOGA: 7 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska). $35.
TRIVIA x 4: Four West Seattle trivia spots on our Wednesday list: Admiral Pub (2306 California SW) at 7 pm … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) has Wednesday trivia at 8 pm … Quiz Night also starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and it’s an 8:30 pm start for trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW), all ages until 10 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: West Seattle’s longest-running open mic – 7:30 pm signups for the weekly event at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
KARAOKE AT ADMIRAL PUB: You’re invited to sing at the pub starting at 8:45 pm. (2306 California SW)
Planning something 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!
(WSB file photo)
The start of fall means Halloween season is nearing too, and we’re starting to receive announcements about this year’d events. Among them, one month from tomorrow, Camp Long will again host Trail or Treat – and right now it’s looking for organizations to host and decorate cabins! From Camp Long’s Matt Kostle:
Right now we are looking for organizations to volunteer to host cabins at the event as this event happens in collaboration with public and private organizations. The way it works is each organization “hosts” a cabin by providing some volunteers/staff and treats to hand out while we set up the lighted trails and pathways along with some interactive activities! This is a family-friendly event and has been quite popular the last two years we have done it, bringing in around 1000 people each time! Here’s a link for organizations to sign up to host cabins! Once we get a better idea of how many organizations are participating this year we will send out an updated flyer and map of the event with organizations logos as available. Organizations are also able to decorate the cabins in whatever festive ways they like (keeping in mind that it is family friendly so not too scary) and can hand out/provide whatever info they want about their organizations to the public visiting for the event!
strong>6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny and in the low 70s is the forecast again today. Sunrise will be at 6:59 am; sunset, at 7:02 pm.
(Fall’s second sunset, photographed by Tony Tschanz)
ROAD WORK
-Repair work on California SW’s Fauntleroy Creek culvert hadn’t moved into the street by end of day yesterday, so no traffic effects yet.
–59th SW in Alki is closed for at least two and a half more weeks by the school-construction zone.
-“Natural drainage” construction toward the east end of Sylvan Way is under way.
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 Issaquah, and M/V Sealth. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where.
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; summer/early fall schedule, with later runs on Friday and Saturday nights through October 10.
STADIUM ZONE
Mariners‘ final regular-season homestand continues tonight, 6:40 pm vs. the Rockies.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the view looking west. Also note, opening info is again available via X (ex-Twitter):
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!
Three items in West Seattle Crime Watch:
27TH SW SHOOTING FOLLOWUP: Southwest Precinct dayside watch commander Lt. Wes Collier was at tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, and his briefing included an update on the most significant reccent incident in West Seattle, the shooting of a 31-year-old man outside apartments on 27th SW on Monday. He said it’s believed to have been “targeted” so even though the person who shot the victim isn’t in custody yet, they don’t believe the general public is in danger. He said the victim was outdoors with his girlfriend; she went inside, and that’s when the man was shot. He sai officers found evidence of 23 rifle rounds, plus “eight rounds of return fire that hit two vehicles” that happened to be in the line of fire.
CAR BREAK-INS: Manny was hit two days in a row in the 800 block of SW Trenton:
I recently had my car broken into on 9/22. Both windows on the passengers’ side were smashed. I was home all day and did not hear my car alarm go off and none of my neighbors let me know.
Then this morning at around 5:20 am my car alarm went off and someone tried to break in again.
The SPD incident # is 25-277973.
MAILBOX FOUND: Via text, we received this photo:
Anybody reported a mailbox missing? Corner of SW Cambridge and Kelsey Lane SW.
We’re at the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s every-other-month meeting, where one of tonight’s guests was Seattle Public Schools board president Gina Topp (who also happens to be an Admiral entrepreneur, as co-proprietor of Mission Cantina). Among many other updates, Topp said that the application time for district superintendent closed September 15th, and as of right now, they have “41 qualified candidates” and she says “we are super excited about that number.” She says the board will start reviewing the candidates on Friday. (Previous superintendent Dr. Brent Jones has departed, and interim superintendent Fred Podesta has said he is not interested in the permanent job.) Lots of other news from the meeting too – we’ll have a full report later.
The proposed $9 billion 2026 budget presented by Mayor Bruce Harrell today is contingent on a variety of things, not just the City Council’s review, revision, and approval process. As noted by city budget director Dan Eder in a media briefing before the mayor’s proposal went public, the plan’s status as a “balanced budget” depends on approval of some proposed taxes, like the so-called “Seattle Shield” tax and the expanded Families, Education, Preschool, Promise levy, both of which go to voters on the November ballot, plus the one-tenth of a cent “public-safety sales tax” the Legislature gave local governments the authority to charge.
The city had already done some belt-tightening when financial forecasts looked ever-gloomier, Eder said:
While almost half the full $9 billion plan goes to utilities, transportation, and environment spending, as per the pie chart below, Eder says much of that is mandated:
And if you pull out the $2 billion general fund, half of that goes to public safety:
Eder said the budget for police staffing is growing because they’re hiring more officers than expected and losing fewer than expected:
Meantime, funding to expand the major teams comprising the CARE Department – crisis responders and 911 dispatchers/calltakers – will be heavily dependent on the aforementioned “public safety sales tax”:
In another area of interest, Parks and Recreation would get funding to add three more park rangers, for a total of 31, and would get $1 million more to fight graffiti vandalism. The department’s own summary also mentions increased restroom maintenance.
There’s a lot more to say about the budget, but those are a few notes for now. You can see the entire 702-page budget proposal, with department-by-department breakouts, here (PDF, 20 MB). Here’s the agenda for the council’s first all-budget meeting at 9:30 am Thursday; public hearings are currently planned for October 7 and November 6, with the budget to be finalized before Thanksgiving.
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