West Seattle, Washington
17 Saturday
(2023 WSB photo from event showing off Harbor Island Studios and local film industry)
Two years ago, we reported on the grand opening of Harbor Island Studios, the new identity of the old flour mill that’s long been a landmark in view off the north side of the West Seattle Bridge. Then-county executive Dow Constantine had championed the project to turn it into a video/film-production facility. But when the King County Council got around to its final budget votes today, the studio was up for a possible funding cut, so, supporters tell us, a last-minute push was organized, and supporters converged on the council before they finalized the $20 billion two-year budget. The argument in an organizational email was summarized: “This is the only county-owned soundstage asset we have. Losing it dismantles workforce development, production capacity, and creative infrastructure that directly affects your teams, your work, and the future of filmmaking in this region.” Among the supporters was one local filmmaker, Matthew J. Clark, who told WSB tonight, “What is particularly impressive is that community support actually showed up to speak to council members and change their mind about cutting the Studios’ funding. It worked! Many of those that came to talk, wrote emails and made phone calls are from West Seattle. It is always so great to see people stand up and speak out. This time it made a change. We’ll see what happens in Q2 of 2026 when it comes back on the docket.” In a news release after the council meeting, County Councilmember Claudia Balducci explained this is far from settled:
When recent budget changes threatened to shutter Harbor Island Studios, King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci stepped forward Tuesday with an amendment to keep the film studio alive. Councilmembers unanimously supported the amendment to the next two-year King County budget during a vote that came after an outpouring of public support for saving the studio.
Following the passage of the amendment to save Harbor Island Studios from closure, Balducci issued the following statement:
“Since the end of the pandemic, Harbor Island Studios has been a hub for creativity, supporting local film and media production in King County. I’m grateful to my Council colleagues’ support to keep Harbor Island Studios open. To be clear, this is a stopgap measure, providing short-term funding to sustain operations and maintenance. We will need to work urgently to find a future, sustainable funding source to maintain this resource.
“This is about more than just a building—it’s about preserving opportunity, creativity, and the future of our local film industry. Today’s vote reflects a commitment to protecting spaces that nurture local talent and strengthen King County’s cultural identity, but the work to save Harbor Island Studios has just begun. I look forward to collaborating with our local film industry partners, funders, and others to find a path to create a sustainable funding model so that Harbor Island Studios can continue to grow and serve as a hub for our region’s creative economy.”
The amendment waives the first six months of rent, along with a request for analysis of the economic impact of the studio along with a determination of fair market rental value for the lease moving forward. Additionally, County Executive-Elect Zahilay said during debate that he would not propose any future general fund expenditures to maintain Harbor Island Studios.
(WSB file photo)
Last year, the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship visited West Seattle early in the season – before Thanksgiving. This year, it’s much later in the schedule – exactly one month from tonight, on Thursday, December 18. Its two stops, serenading those aboard and onshore, will be 5:50-6:10 pm outside Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW) and 8:35-8:55 pm near Alki Beach Bathhouse (2701 Alki SW). The singers for both stops will be Choir of the Sound. This year’s Alki Holiday Lights celebration, presented by the Alki Community Council, will be held the same night, so plan to spend your whole evening by the beach (for advance details, attend the ACC meeting this Thursday, November 20, 7 pm, at Alki UCC, 6115 SW Hinds). And if you lose track of all this – no worries, it’s also part of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
It’s trash/recycling day in Gatewood, and a truck is reported to have brought down a wire/cable across SW Elmgrove west of 35th SW [map]. Police are there until City Light can come tend to it, though officers believe it’s a cable, not a live wire, and there’s no accompanying outage.
2026 is six-plus weeks away, but the state Ecology Department just sent out this early alert:
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, a scheduled 4-cent increase in the price for plastic film carryout bags at Washington restaurants and retailers will raise their minimum cost to 12 cents per bag from the current 8 cents. The increase is part of a 2020 law meant to encourage shoppers to bring their own carryout bags. The minimum charge for a paper carryout bag will remain at 8 cents.
Washington’s single-use plastic bag ban was implemented in 2021 and prohibits thin, .5 mil disposable plastic bags. The law sets standards for thicker, 2.25 mil reusable plastic film bags and requires plastic and paper carryout bags contain a minimum 40% recycled content.
“Paper and plastic carryout bags impact the environmental at every stage of their production, transportation, and disposal,” said Peter Lyon, manager of Ecology’s Solid Waste Management Program. “Bringing your own bag is the easiest way to avoid the charge, reduce emissions, preserve resources, and prevent bags from becoming litter.”
To avoid the additional cost of carryout bags, Ecology recommends people store reusable bags in their cars, backpacks, purses, and other handy places where they can be easily retrieved when needed.
Resources designed to help businesses remind customers to bring their own bags are available on Ecology’s bag ban webpage, including printable “BYOB” signs and posters that can be hung in parking lots, on windows, and at checkout counters.
How bag fees work
When a customer chooses to purchase a bag from a grocery store, retailer, or restaurant, the law requires a minimum charge of 8 cents for paper bags or 12 cents for plastic bags. Businesses are allowed to charge more than the minimum fees to help recoup the higher costs of compliant paper and plastic bags. Bag fees are treated as taxable retail sales – the fee goes to the business. Customers using food benefits, such as WIC, TANF, SNAP or EBT, are not subject to bag fees. Food banks are also exempt from applying bag fees to paper or plastic bags.Learn more
Visit ecology.wa.gov/bag-ban for more information about the law’s requirements, frequently asked questions, and flyers and resources translated into 18 languages. Contact bagban@ecy.wa.gov with questions or requests for technical assistance.
Seattle had a “bag ban” for almost a decade before the state implemented its law – which pre-empted the city rules – in 2021.
We don’t know if this sign on the door at 16th SW and SW Holden has been up for hours, days, or weeks, but we just noticed it, pulling over after spotting it while passing by. Considering a huge WE’RE OPEN banner is hanging above the same door, it’s worth a mention. The up-and-down history of what started two years ago as Miso Chef Korea and then morphed to simply Miso seems to be in another down period; the handwritten sign says the restaurant is “temporarily closed due to difficult circumstances.” The restaurant had a temporary closure last year too.
As announced on Sunday, the 2025 WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide is launched (with daily additions and updates). The Thansgiving/pre-Thanksgiving section is of course currently right at the top, and we want to remind you, that includes options for holiday feasts/foods that somebody else will prep for you to heat up/cook at home -not just supermarkets, but local restaurants as well. The deadlines for ordering are coming up fast, too – some in the next day or two. Meantime, if we’re missing anyone else who’s offering pre-cooked and/or pre-prepared holiday food, please send the info and we’ll add it to the guide! (And if you don’t want to do any cooking at all, we of course will have our annual “who’s open” list – linked in the guide when it’s ready.)
(Droplets on a European Smoke Tree, photographed by Janelle Otterholt)
Our daily event reminders, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:
TOYS FOR TOTS: Drop off new unwrapped toys for the drive at Highstreet Insurance (5431 California SW; WSB sponsor), 8 am-4:30 pm weekdays.
FREE PLAYSPACE: Indoor play on (another) gray day! West Seattle Church of the Nazarene is opening its free community playspace, 9 am-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays. (42nd/Juneau)
POSTCARDS4DEMOCRACY: New postcard-writers as well as returnees are welcome at this weekly advocacy gathering, 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). Sign up here before you go, if this is your first time.
SSC FOOD TRUCK: Culinary students’ food truck open to the public, 10:30 am-12:30 pm by the clock tower on the South Seattle College campus (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor), today offering a Polynesian menu.
PEPPER’S PALS BLOOD DRIVE: Still a couple slots left for midday/afternoon during this one-day blood drive at Alki Elementary (Schmitz Park campus, 5000 SW Spokane) – go here to check.
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon lunch meeting at West Seattle Golf Course. Today’s program: Dr. William R. LeDoux and Dr. Glenn Klute from the VA Center for Limb Loss and Mobility. (4470 35th SW).
CHESS CLUB: All levels welcome! 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon). Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.
DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-8 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $15 fee, $5 off with bottle purchases.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t bring your own.
LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: 6-8 pm, “Unplugged: A Musical Gathering” at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), no cover, all ages.
UKULELE PLAYERS’ EVENING MEETUP: Monthly evening gathering open to all with ukuleles, 6 pm at Good Society (California SW and SW Lander).
TRACK RUN WITH WEST SEATTLE RUNNER: Meet up by 6:15 pm at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for WSR’s free weekly track run.
WESTSIDE DANCE WITH DEAN: All-ages dance lessons, no partner necessary, first lesson free! 6:30 pm at Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon)
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Last ANA general gathering of the year – come hear and talk about what’s happening in the neighborhood, including the holiday Winter Wonderland plan, plus an update from SPD, and electing next year’s leadership. Special location: West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor). Everyone’s welcome!
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: Classes continue, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW). Our calendar listing has details including how to check if they have space for you. Space allowing, newcomers are welcome, and the first class is free.
WEST SEATTLE PFLAG: 7 pm at location to be provided to RSVPers (4320 SW Hill).
WOMEN’S MEDITATION CIRCLE: Weekly small-group event at Mama Be Well Healing Studio (4034-A California SW), 7 pm. Our calendar listing has info on registering before you participate.
BINGO: Play free Tuesday night Belle of the Balls Bingo at The Skylark, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 5: Five locations for trivia tonight – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW), Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7 pm at Admiral Pub, free, prizes. (2306 California SW) … Trivia at Christos on Alki (2508 Alki SW), 7:15 pm.
If you are organizing an event, class, performance, gathering, etc., tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar and (if it’s seasonal) Holiday Guide, from which we draw our daily lists too – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB file photo)
West Seattle’s Puget Ridge Edible Park is one of a kind – community created, community maintained, community supported. It’s a place not only to grow food – but also to grow growers. Now a key component needs replacement, and PREP’s Stu Hennessey shares the call for support in making that happen:
Over the last decade of the volunteer run Puget Ridge Edible Park (PREP) we have met so many people from all over West Seattle that are interested in learning more about growing and harvesting locally grown vegetables.
The PREP seed money campaign has just started and will go on through December 15th.
This year we would like to raise $2800 to replace our aging polytunnel. The polytunnel makes a big difference in how much food we can produce for our open to the public food garden.
When you donate early it will go toward getting more funding awarded to the fastest starters in their campaigns.
Please consider donating to this, as it is our biggest fundraiser.
Never been there? Puget Ridge Edible Park is at 18th SW and SW Brandon.
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, November 18, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
The forecast for today: Mostly cloudy, more rain possible, high in the upper 40s. Sunrise will be at 7:19 am; sunset will be at 4:29 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Washington State Ferries – The Triangle Route is on a three-boat schedule, with M/V Cathlamet, M/V Kittitas (back from maintenance), and M/V Sealth. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where; ferry alerts will update with any changes.
Metro buses – On regular schedule and routes.
Water Taxi – regular West Seattle service, fall/winter schedule.
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, maritime-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!
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