West Seattle, Washington
27 Friday
11:44 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a “full response” to a reported house fire in the 10000 block of 40th SW. “Smoke and fire coming from the kitchen” per multiple 911 calls, the dispatcher told firefighters. Updates to come.
11:48 PM: First units to arrive aren’t seeing anything yet.
11:50 PM: They’ve discovered it was a “food on the stove” kitchen fire, already out, so most responders are being dismissed.
12:09 AM: The last units on scene are leaving.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Mayor Katie Wilson vowed less than two weeks ago to “accelerate the expansion” of shelter capacity to get homeless people off the streets.
We just found a permit filing for a West Seattle site that might contribute space for almost 100 – a site identified more than a decade ago as a potential “transitional encampment” site.
This is state-owned property known as the “WSDOT Glassyard” site in southeast West Seattle, officially 7201 2nd SW [map], and it has a “site plan” on the drawing board for a combination RV safe lot and tiny-house village – up to 72 RVs and. 20 tiny houses. This area has been the site of unsanctioned encampments before, and is adjacent to the original location of the first encampment to draw widespread attention 18 years ago, the original “Nickelsville.”
The filing is very preliminary; it summarizes the proposal as:
WSDOT Glassyard RV Safe Lot
Establish a religious controlled emergency transitional encampment, per the land use code. Site will consist of (20) tiny homes and parking spaces for up to (72) RV’s on existing impervious surface. Construct decks and install buildings accessory to emergency transitional encampment, per plan.
What “religious controlled” means is not explained on the site plan, which bears the name of the secular Low Income Housing Institute, the nonprofit that operates other tiny-house villages, including the first and only one in West Seattle, Camp Second Chance on Myers Way. The site plan also has these notes:
1. All Offices, tiny houses, laundry buildings, check in offices, and family rooms are under 120 square feet in size and are considered wooden tents.
2. Site will be for resident and staff use only. No part of the site will be open to the public at any point during operation.
3. Finish height of the deck will not exceed 18″ at any point.
4. Storage will consist of an 8′ x 20′ metal storage container. Structure will be anchored to the ground.
5. The existing site surface is compact gravel. Land disturbance activities will be under 5000 SF. There will be no added impervious surfaces. There will be no clearing or grading activities.
6. The hygiene trailer, laundry room, and kitchen tent will be connected directly to new water and sewer
branch lines from 2nd Ave SW.
The site plan also carries fire-safety notes including the stipulation that RVs will be “drained of gas and oil before connecting.”
Checking WSB archives, we’re reminded that one of Mayor Wilson’s predecessors, Ed Murray, identified this site in 2015 as a potential “transitional encampment” site. In 2016, a proposal to put a small RV safe lot on a nearby parcel was shelved. Unsanctioned RV camping in the area was the subject of multiple sweeps just a few years ago. Also in the site’s history: City consideration for a new misdemeanor jail, a plan also shelved, after intense community pushback in the late ’00s.
We’ll follow up on this tomorrow with the city, state, and LIHI, to find out more, including a timeline, approvals needed, and whether any community briefings are planned. The site’s status as state-owned property would fit with the focus on public lands mentioned in the mayor’s executive order issued earlier this month.
By Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Since September, a small group of West Seattle volunteers has gathered multiple days a week at an undisclosed location where day laborers seek work. Their efforts are aimed at standing in solidarity with immigrant workers, and providing resources as needed.
The group formed as an extension of the nationwide Adopt a Day Labor Corner Campaign. With increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence and concerns that the agents’ aggression will spread here, they are looking for new volunteers to join their team, with an information session scheduled this weekend.
“You know, we’re just kind of there to be a presence because we hope that it will deter ICE from coming in the first place.” said Erin, a West Seattle volunteer. “In the fall, we just thought this was a good thing to do just in case, but it felt sort of theoretical at the time and now it feels very much not theoretical anymore.”
Volunteers often bring coffee, food, multilingual know-your-rights cards, and other resources available to day laborers to use while looking for work. They also share local and legal resources with anyone who approaches in need of help. But potentially witnessing or deterring ICE is what they value most about their volunteering.
“It was really important to us to get the whole project started before immigration enforcement was really ramping up in the Seattle area because it was important for us to have all of those connections before we needed to have them,” said Kate, another West Seattle branch volunteer.
She is one of the organizers who helped “adopt” West Seattle’s branch of the campaign, finding out about the opportunity over the summer while at a courthouse, supporting her neighbor who had been detained by ICE. A fellow supporter at the courthouse approached her and told her about it.
The Adopt a Day Labor Corner Campaign has more than 200 branches nationwide, set up through the guidance of the National Day Labor Organizing Network (NDLON), which existed long before the campaign. According to NDLON’s website, campaign volunteers work as , “allies, witnesses, neighbors, and friends.”
“We aren’t there for a charity purpose, we are there to be in community with people – that’s a really important part of the work,” Kate said.
Volunteers are looking to expand their network and provide a presence at the day-labor corner more than the current three days a week. Additionally, to cover afternoon slots. Currently, they are having trouble converting interest in the organization into joining chats and showing up, though interest has increased recently for obvious reasons.
West Seattle’s branch of the Adopt-a-Corner movement will host its first in-person information session this Saturday, January 31, from 10 am-12 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond). It’s a drop-in session for people with questions about the organization and its purpose, and how to get involved. New volunteers are required to participate in an hour of training before their first volunteer day; some members have also completed additional rapid-response training.
More information about the Adopt a Day Labor Corner Campaign and how to get involved can be found on this page; specific questions about the West Seattle group can be answered through the in-person session.
Two notes on this fourth night since the second Minnesota shooting death at the hands of federal agents:
VA VIGIL: The photos above and below are from Don Brubeck, one of the West Seattleites who went to the Seattle Veterans Administration medical center on Beacon Hill tonight for the vigil in honor of Alex Pretti, the. Minnesota VA nurse killed on Saturday morning.
The newest developments in Minnesota are here.
PASTOR’S PRESENTATION: A demonstration downtown last night featured speakers including Fauntleroy Church pastor Rev. Leah Atkinson Bilinski, who had been in Minneapolis days earlier with a delegation of clergy joining in community support and patrols. Tomorrow night she will speak to her congregation about her trip, and we’re told it will be streamed, Wednesday at 7 pm.
If you’re expecting a package in Admiral, take note of this reader report about another package prowler:
Images of a bald man on video wearing a large puffy jacket and driving a dark small sedan (we think a Prius) stealing packages off our front steps just before 11 pm.
He is actively prowling the neighborhood; images taken on the corner of Belvidere and Stevens, three blocks west of WS High School.
The reader says that’s as clear a screengrab as they could get, as the thief appeared to be deliberately keeping his head down to keep his face out of camera range.
If you’re familiar with the layout of the lot at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, you’ll notice something missing in the photo above: The long hedge that has long filled the median between the park’s northwest road and a row of parking. Stewart L. sent the photo, wondering why Seattle Parks had to remove that much foliage. He emailed us on Friday, we inquired with Parks, and got this reply today:
The hedge at Don Armeni Boat Ramp was removed as part of a long-planned project for several reasons:
Updated landscaping practices: Moving away from hedges to more natural, low-maintenance plantings that improve visibility and allow for greater plant variety.
Environmental concerns: Hedges often collect litter and debris, which is difficult to clean.
Safety improvements: Hedges created blind spots for vehicles and spaces for people to hide.
Plant management: The laurel hedge had invasive species like English Ivy and Himalayan blackberry growing within it, and the irrigation system was damaged and inaccessible for repair.
The new landscape will feature native, salt- and heat-tolerant plants, driftwood, and rocks, similar to other areas along Alki Ave. Public feedback on the removal to our grounds crews has been overwhelmingly positive.
We’ll keep an eye out for the replacement landscape, but also have to admit a bit of sadness because of an unmentioned part of the hedge that’s now gone too – the Darwin’s barberry bushes (considered invasive Down Under but uncommon up here) that bloomed vividly orange every spring.
(Mountain Madness photo: New owner Lisa Thompson with previous owner Mark Gunlogson)
Though West Seattle is home to hills and not mountains, it’s also home base to a variety of businesses tied to the latter. Among them: Mountain Madness in South Delridge, which has a long history, as the announcement explains:
Mountain Madness, a global leader in guided mountain adventures, was acquired by Lisa Thompson, founder of Alpine Athletics. Thompson will lead Mountain Madness as its new President and sole owner, bringing together Alpine Athletics’ expert coaching and training with Mountain Madness’ 40+year legacy of guiding transformative climbing, trekking & skiing adventures worldwide.
With nearly 20 years in the mountains, Lisa Thompson is an accomplished climber and coach. Among her achievements are the Seven Summits and becoming the second American woman to reach the top of K2, as told in her best-selling memoir, Finding Elevation. In 2018 she founded Alpine Athletics to prepare climbers of all levels for the physical, mental, and tactical requirements of mountaineering.
Mountain Madness was founded in 1984 by legendary climber Scott Fischer and partners. Fischer is widely known for his role in the 1996 Mount Everest expedition, chronicled in Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, which brought global attention to the risks and rewards of high-altitude climbing. Under Fischer’s leadership, Mountain Madness became synonymous with bold expeditions, but most importantly, a passion for sharing the magic of the mountains.
In 1997 the company grew under the new leadership of Christine Boskoff, one of the first prominent female 8,000-meter high-altitude climbers. Her vision took guests to new uncharted, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and strengthened Fischer’s dream to guide more 8,000-meter peaks. Longtime guide Mark Gunlogson, who began guiding for Mountain Madness in 1994, took the reins in 2008, expanding the company into a globally respected adventure travel leader while honoring its founding values of exploration, education, and empowerment. To honor Mountain Madness’s legacy and ensure its future thrives, Mark will remain onboard to guide and mentor the team.
Since 2021, Alpine Athletics and Mountain Madness have partnered on unique initiatives such as fundraiser climbs and all-women’s expeditions in the Pacific Northwest. This partnership continues with an all-women’s Ama Dablam expedition. With a shared vision to inspire and empower climbers to go beyond what they thought was possible, Thompson will further this by offering a fully integrated client journey — from the first training session to summit day — and everything in between.
Mountain Madness’s headquarters is at 9249 17th SW. That’s where you’re invited to attend Ski Film Night at 6 pm Friday, February 6, with screenings, beverages, and raffle. prizes including a drawing for a rescue course. Watch for more community events (we’ll add them to our calendar as we get them).
One year ago, SDOT announced “next steps” for the Alki Point Healthy Street, including an upgraded crossing at its south end, at 63rd SW and Beach Drive SW. Crossing work has been done, as shown in our recent photo above, but the poles have been in place, beaconless, for a while. So we asked SDOT for an update. The reply: “The RRFB equipment for the upgraded crossing at the south end of the Alki Point Healthy Street has been ordered and we are waiting for them to be delivered.” No timeline estimate so far.
If you don’t have tickets yet for Saturday’s Recess Monkey show at Westside School (10404 34th SW; WSB sponsor), we just checked and some are still available for this fun kid-music concert open to the entire community – it’s a fundraiser for the West Seattle Food Bank! As the original announcement notes, “Known for their clever lyrics, playful personalities, and upbeat sound, Recess Monkey delivers a lively, interactive musical experience that gets everyone — big and small — up and moving.”
Tickets are only $10 per family. The show starts at 10:30 am Saturday (January 31). Get yours here!
(This morning’s sunrise, photographed by Jen A)
Here are today’s daily event notes/reminders, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE PLAYSPACE: Indoor play at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene is open today, 9-noon -just drop in! (42nd SW and SW Juneau)
WEST SEATTLE ELEMENTARY TOUR: First of four chances this week to tour West Seattle Elementary (6760 34th SW), 10 am.
KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY & LEARN: Also open, 10-11:30 am free playgroup for kids 0-5 and their caregivers, at Bridge School Cooperative Elementary (10300 28th SW).
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.
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon Tuesdays, lunch meetings at West Seattle Golf Course, today featuring Meg Estep Woolf talking about Age Friendly Seattle (4470 35th SW).
NURSING PATHWAYS AT SSC – ONLINE INFO SESSION: 1 pm today, learn about studying nursing at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). Our calendar listing has info on how to RSVP and get the link.
CHESS CLUB: All levels welcome to play! 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon). Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS @ HIGH POINT LIBRARY: 2-5 pm, drop by and discuss! (3411 SW Raymond)
CITY COUNCIL: At 2 pm, the council holds its main weekly meeting. The agenda explains how to comment and/or watch.
DROP-IN HOMEWORK HELP: At High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond) – volunteers available to help K-12 students, 4-5:45 pm.
RESTAURANT POP-UP: “Tonight at The Neighborhood (6503 California SW), Crave returns with their Filipino street-fusion fare. 4 pm-8 pm or while supplies last.”
CRAFTING AT HARRY’S: 5-7 pm crafting event at Harry’s Beach House (2676 Alki SW) – registration link is in our calendar listing.
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.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: Monthly meetup, 6 pm monthly evening meetup, all ukulele players welcome – email for location.
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.
OPEN CHOIR REHEARSALS: 6:30 pm Tuesdays at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW), come sing with the Boeing Employees Choir, even if you don’t work for Boeing – email in advance to RSVP.
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: Weekly lessons continue, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), details in our calendar listing.
SOLD-OUT SHOW AT EASY STREET RECORDS: 7 pm, The Format performs in-store. This is just a reminder for those whose album purchase has already secured their spot! (4559 California SW)
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 go.
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 on Tuesday nights – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW), Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 pm 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 – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends are remembering Marilyn Henry and sharing this remembrance with her community:
Marilyn Margaret Henry, a sweet, sassy, and loving mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and aunt, passed away on January 10, 2026, in Seattle, at the age of 78.
Marilyn was born on February 3, 1947, in the Philippines, where her parents Edward (Ted) and Enriqueta (Katie) Lenton met/married during WWII. They moved to Seattle when she was 1 and where she spent the rest of her life. She had 3 younger brothers, Jim, Ron and David, whom she was very close to. She was a lifelong West Seattle resident having attended Jefferson Elementary, Madison Middle School, and West Seattle High School. She married Charles (Tom) Henry, and they raised two daughters, Tracey Hilton and Amey Nutter, in a house in the Riverview area of West Seattle. And, although she had a successful career supporting the finance operations of various auto dealerships in the area (Gene Fielder and Huling Bros.), the focus of her life was always her family, her friends, and her church. In addition to watching closely after her nieces and nephew (known to them as Auntie Mimi) over the years, Marilyn or “Lola” was a devoted grandma to her two grandkids Olivia and Ryan. Lola is Grandma in Tagalog, but she was called that by other friends and family because it just fit her. She was everyone’s grandma.
Marilyn did not travel much but when she did, it was almost always to visit family – grandkids in California, family in Missouri – you get the picture. That was what filled her cup. Learning about what other people were up to and spreading the word gave her great pleasure. For her, a life well lived really just involved being there for other people. Anytime anyone needed help with anything, all they had to do was ask – ride to an appointment, trip to the airport, dog sitting, babysitting for the weekend – you name it. Everyone knew that Marilyn had their back.
Over the years Marilyn was involved in a few different churches around the Seattle area. Although she was not deeply religious, she loved the routine and the fellowship. She also had close connections to her pastors over the years many of whom she stayed in touch with even after they had moved on. That was another display of her loyalty – once you were included in Marilyn’s world you were there for life.
Marilyn was also an avid reader and after retiring she spent much of her time doing just that. There was not a book that Oprah recommended that she did not read. She enjoyed her afternoon “stories” and doing the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle. She loved Dim Sum, Lumpia, Salmon Dip, and Chicken Adobo. She loved classic movies, golden age of Hollywood celebrities and music, in particular Frank Sinatra but also more modern crooners like Steve Tyrell. “Good wishes” videos she received from both Steve Tyrell and Smokey Robinson just a few weeks before she passed may have been a final highlight.
For the family and friends that Marilyn has left behind, it is difficult to picture a life without her. She was such a stable figure for so many people for so many years. But, while she will be deeply missed, she will always be remembered as our Lola.
The family is hoping to dedicate a bench plaque in her honor in the park located directly across the street from her house so that we can sit with her and enjoy the view of the Cascades.
In lieu of flowers, if you are interested in contributing, please send donations to @Amey-Nutter (Venmo – please include Marilyn’s bench in notes). A more formal memorial service will be held in the Spring and date and location will be shared as soon as set.
And, if you have your own memories of Marilyn that you would like to share, you can do so on her guestbook at emmickfunerals.com/obituaries/marilyn-henry
(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)
6:01 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
After two weeks without rain, today’s forecast says it’s likely to return in the pm, high in the low 50s. Sunrise at 7:41 am; sunset at 5:03 pm.
(Monday sunset photo by Bob Burns)
TRANSIT TODAY
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service, fall/winter schedule.
Washington State Ferries – Regular three-boat weekday service has resumed; check WSF’s alerts in case of last-minute changes.
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule and routes today.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is 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!
| 4 COMMENTS