West Seattle, Washington
11 Saturday
When we looked last month at bills that local legislators are sponsoring this year, one by 34th District State House Rep. Brianna Thomas of West Seattle turned a few heads: HB 2303, preventing employers from microchipping employees. Today the State House overwhelmingly passed Thomas’s bill, 87 yes, 6 no. From the news release we received tonight:
… “Microchips may seem like science fiction, but the technology is here,” said Thomas. “The concept is pretty simple. Don’t chip me, bro!”
If passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor, House Bill 2303 would make Washington the 14th state to pass legislation limiting or banning the use of microchips in work environments.
“It creates an opportunity for employers to track employees during work hours and at home. That is scary,” continued Thomas. “We recognize that the power dynamic between an employer and an employee makes true freedom of choice nearly impossible. This is a big step to help protect our employees from being microchipped by their employer.”
Next, the State Senate will consider the bill.
(Unlike many art walks, visual arts were just part of this one)
By Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The arts are alive and well at Chief Sealth International High School, showcased through Thursday night’s third annual CSIHS Art Walk. Originally proposed by Sealth’s choir director Katie Lenoue, the Art Walk is intended to cohesively showcase all of the school’s fine arts programs.
The event was open to the public, and began at 6:00 p.m. with a brief introduction, before guests were invited to explore the various rooms. Each room was home to a department – choir, jazz, orchestra, or poetry – which each put on three performance “sessions” throughout the night. Attendees were encouraged to continuously explore various rooms, paying no mind to performance starts, or end times. This created a well-rounded arts experience where attendees could linger as long as they wanted with programs they particularly enjoyed.
The choir department took over room 206, and showcased multiple soloists, a duet, and a quintet over the course of the three performances. Director Lenoue expressed her joy in the group, mentioning that one student had qualified as a state alternate in a recent competition on Jan. 31, and that she and a partner had qualified for state as a duet.
“We’re really proud of those kids, and we thought people would enjoy hearing them,” Lenoue said.
Jazz music filled the Little Theater, three different ensembles, each with at least 5 members, played for the audience in the span of an hour. This was just a snippet of the jazz program at large, which has seen recent growth at Chief Sealth, according to Joey Roberts, the band director. He mentioned that more than 50 students pursued the program this year, causing it to split into two stage bands and three combos. The program will be attending the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in Idaho again this year, in April.
Unique from the other rooms were the poetry readings held in 209. An ensemble labeled on the directory as “Addison Whited and Friends” overtook the space in what seemed like an organic, mostly unstructured slam poetry session. Students took turns reading famous works and mixed in self-written poems. The poetry branch is largely student run, with some help from Chief Sealth’s English department.
The main auditorium was home to the orchestra, with three consecutive performances by a chamber orchestra and a string quartet. At 7:50, attendees gathered back into the auditorium to observe a brief combined show by the choir, jazz band, and orchestra. The diverse body brought together a piece from “The Prince of Egypt,” followed by a sneak peek into the drama department’s upcoming musical “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Chief Sealth plans to bring its music programs to Disneyland in June, with the help of DSPA Parent Boosters, the booster group for arts at Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth IHS.
The Art Walk is typically DSPA’s most prominent fundraiser. “Performing arts programs are sorely underfunded, so we just do a lot of work throughout the year to try to raise as much money as we can,” said an officer of the booster group. Fundraising will ensure that all students would be able to go on the California trip. Consistently, funds go toward instruments, sheet music access, and other materials necessary to continue the livelihood of the arts. You can donate online by scrolling down this page to the “Direct Give” links.
Thanks for sending the sunset photos – a peek of pink on Valentine’s night – the top photo is by Bob Burns, the one below is from Greg Moore.
(added) This one’s via text from Arbor Heights:
This sunset was also notable as the first one after 5:30 pm (5:31, to be exact) as we roll toward spring, now less than five weeks away – Friday, March 20. Before then, the clock will “spring forward” when Daylight Saving Time returns in just three weeks, at 2 am March 8 (meaning, among other things, that the sunset that night will be at 7:04 pm).
Just a few months before the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, the Mariners won the Divisional Championship. Now this year’s season is in sight, with the M’s playing their first spring-training game in Arizona in six days. It’s also time to snap up a regular-season ticket deal that also benefits the West Seattle High School baseball team, if you haven’t already. Here’s the reminder:
West Seattle Day at T-Mobile Park – Support WSHS BaseballJoin all of West Seattle at T-Mobile park as the Mariners take on the Mets June 2nd at 6:40 pm. These are the best tickets in town at only $30 for lower level and $20 for the upper level!
Proceeds help support West Seattle High School Baseball and our opportunity to play at T-Mobile Park!
Each year, only 20 high school programs across the region are invited to participate in the Mariners Baseball Classic, an opportunity that allows student-athletes to play on an MLB field. West Seattle was one of the first schools ever included — and staying in the Classic is something our players must earn every year.
That’s where West Seattle Day at T-Mobile Park comes in.
The WSHS Baseball program is hosting a Mariners ticket fundraiser for the Mariners vs. New York Mets on Tuesday, June 2 at 6:40 PM. Ticket sales directly fund the program and secure West Seattle’s spot in the Mariners Baseball Classic which is free for the whole community to attend.
100 Level: $30 | 300 Level: $20
Can’t attend? Tickets can be gifted or donated to local organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, community centers, and youth baseball/softball programs (like WSLL and WSBB) — spreading the love and the game across West Seattle.
Let’s fill the stands in blue, cheer loud, and show the Mariners what West Seattle support looks like.
*Buy tickets here: WSHS Baseball – M’s Ticket Sales Fundraiser
*Share the link with friends, family, and coworkersSee you at T-Mobile Park.
Barbara sent the photos of a bin of what looks like personal photos and documents, dumped or misplaced near Lowman Beach:
If you think it’s yours, contact us and we’ll connect you.
(WSB photo, Hiawatha today)
One week until Hiawatha Community Center‘s grand reopening after a closure that’s lasted almost six years. In addition to the post-reopening programming we mentioned Friday, we have two more notes:
-The office of Mayor Katie Wilson says she plans to attend the 10 am reopening celebration next Saturday. This will be her first major public appearance in West Seattle since taking office.
–Seattle Parks has launched a survey to ask what programming you want to see as Hiawatha gradually reopens fully. You can answer it here.
Thanks to Desiree for the tip! That sign in the window of the former Row House space at the AJ Apartments (southwest corner of 42nd SW and SW Oregon) uncloaks the new tenant: Arthur Murray Dance Studio. If you’re of a certain age, you might recognize that as a name with decades of dance-teaching history worldwide. Here in West Seattle, the studio owners are Tina Marie and Gretchen Malone. Tina also co-owns the Downtown Seattle location; when we asked her why expand to West Seattle?, she replied, “We have a few students that currently live in West Seattle and have often thought that there must be more people that could use some dancing in their lives! We’ve come to find those people!” First lesson in the new space is Thursday (February 17). They’re teaching 30 styles of dance, with private lessons as well as group classes.
Those nine birds are featured in West Seattle writer Lori Kothe‘s book “Birds Near My Home in the City by the Sea” (and have been featured many times in photos here on WSB). Any sightings this weekend carry extra importance. Lori explains in this request she asked us to share with you:
I have an ask of everyone in West Seattle now through midnight Feb 16: Download the Merlin Bird ID app and participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (birdcount.org) for at least 15 minutes. See if you can find all nine birds featured in my picture book! The GBBC is a global citizen science annual event currently taking place (Feb 13-16, 2026) where people report birds they notice near them, and their data highlights in real time on a map.
As the author/illustrator of Birds Near My Home in the City by the Sea, this year, I am challenging all of West Seattle to participate to discover our bird neighbors and show the world what birds live here, and have added a virtual event to the map at bird count.org. It is super easy to use the app and honestly has opened my eyes and ears to all the birds around us. When I wrote the book, I pretty much only knew nine birds. Now I have 27 on my lifer list. Merlin enables someone to just tap the record button, and in real time it “hears a bird” and suggests what bird it is with photos and info, and the prompt to say “that’s my bird” and add it to your lifer list. That’s all you need to do to have your bird data added during the count!
And… Saturday, Feb 14 (today) from (now until) 2 pm, the Environmental Science Center’s Bird Fest is taking place at the Burien Community Center. I’ll be there with my book set up in the park as a story walk to play Bird Bingo and Trivia, and offering a bird suncatcher art activity. There will be live raptors and loads of info and activities for families. It’s a free event.
You can participate in the Bird Count without downloading an app, by the way – this page explains how. Lori adds, “I would love if people would send you their bird sightings from the weekend and any stories about birds so readers could share and compare lists of all the birds spotted near our home.” (Comments are great too.)
(Thanks to Janna for the Valentine’s decorations seen in Westwood)
Happy Saturday! This round of highlights includes some Valentine’s Day happenings too; it’s all mostly from the West Seattle Event Calendar:
SATURDAY GROUP RUN: At West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor), you can join the Saturday 8 am free group run.
FREE MEDITATION: Or, a quiet start to the weekend with Heavily Meditated, 9 am free meditation at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3620 SW Alaska).
INTRODUCTORY WALK and WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 9:30 am, walk a mile before the 10 am well-being walk (or just show up for that one). Both start from 47th SW and Fontanelle.
VALENTINE’S DAY SALE AT SSC GARDEN CENTER: 10 am-3 pm, 14 percent off, plus roses are available! North end of campus at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor)
SHREDDING AT DELRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER: 10:30 am-12:30 pm, fee. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
MORNING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Info about Marco’s music is here.
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am free, weekly, in-person, critique-free group – details in our calendar listing.
FAMILY READING TIME: At Paper Boat Booksellers, 11 am family reading time. (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor)
HEART-SHAPED PIZZA THAT HELPS: Valentine’s Day – and two more days afterward – is when to get heart-shaped pizza at Mioposto (2139 California SW; WSB sponsor) with part of the proceeds going to NW Immigrant Rights Project. Open 11:30 am-10 pm today.
VALENTINE’S BAKERY POP-UP: Mr. Bun’s Bakery is at WEND Jewelry (3276 California SW) with treats, noon-4 pm.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: The home of West Seattle’s history is open, noon-4 pm (61st SW and SW Stevens).
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm Saturdays, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)
RAT CITY VALENTINE’S MARKET: 12 pm-6 pm, browse vendors at various South Delridge and White Center venues including Mr. B’s Mead Center. (9444 Delridge Way SW)
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open, with wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
EV SHOWCASE AT ALKI: 1-3 pm, Seattle’s Rivian team is showing off these EVs near (updated location) Bonair/Alki, demo drives available.
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY TASTING ROOM, WINE BAR, STORE: Open 1-6 pm on north end of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus, with Valentine’s wine and chocolate tasting today.
OPEN MIC AT MR. B’S MEAD CENTER: 69 Love Spngs Open Mic, 1 pm-4 pm, no cover. (9444 Delridge Way SW)
FREE MASSAGE: 3-5 pm walk-in clinic offering short, specific massages at Nepenthe. (9447 35th SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 6-8 pm at C & P Coffeehouse (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Kelvin Killmon performs “soulful acoustic rock.” Free, all ages.
ASTRA LUMINA: Held over into late winter, the celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, first admission 5:45 pm. Tickets and info here; extended through February.
VALENTINE’S DAY AT CORNER POCKET: 8 pm bingo, 10 pm “newlyweds’ game” open to any duo. (California/Alaska)
REVELRY ROOM: 9 pm, Valentine’s Day special with Soul Focus FM. (4547 California SW)
SK8 PARTY: 9 pm-midnight at Southgate Roller Rink (9676 17th SW), with rotating DJs spinning old-school funk & hip-hop, $18 plus $5 skate rental.
KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: 10 pm karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria. (4718 California SW)
Have a West Seattle event coming up? If community members are welcome, your event is welcome to a listing on our calendar, free of charge, always! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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