West Seattle, Washington
19 Tuesday
It’s student diplomacy in action. This past weekend downtown, the West Seattle High School Model United Nations group participated in its fourth conference of the year, KingMUN. The head delegate of the group, WSHS sophomore Lars Norman, sent this report for us to share with you:
KingMUN stands for King County Model United Nations, and is one of four MUN conferences hosted by the student-led organization, Model United Nations Northwest. For more context, at MUN conferences, delegates are assigned to represent a specific country, organization, or individual. Delegates serve on committees with different focuses, topics, and sub-topics. Debates are held between delegates. The overarching goal of the event is for delegates to come to an agreement on resolutions. This year, the WSHSMUN delegation included 11 students: Lars Norman, Hannah Haskel, Iris Christian, Manon Coffinieres, Kat Andes, Azalea Geoghegan, Yaphet Etana, Eden O’Donnell, Josephine Mangelsen, Larssen Landers, and Francesca (Franki) Breznau Foster.
Lars tells WSB, “This was the last conference of the year, but we will be attending a conference Lakeside High School is hosting later this year. We are also excited to get started with more conferences next school year!” The group was advised for the conference by Christina Dahms.
… some of your West Seattle neighbors did!
Above is a photo sent by Chris Frankovich; below, from Wyatt:
Today’s official high was 72 degrees, and tomorrow’s forecast to be at least a dozen degrees cooler, with the possibility of rain returning.
5:52 PM: Thanks for the tip about the big emergency response at Rotary Viewpoint Park, swept just last week. SFD has logged the call as an overdose response.
7:06 PM: A neighbor reports the Medical Examiner has responded, indicating a death. We’re following up with SFD.
7:52 PM: Archived radio exchange confirms the death.
9:11 PM: And so does SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo, who says the person who died was a man in his late 40s.
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: The victim was 47 years old, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office report released today, which says his cause of death was “Acute combined drug intoxication including fentanyl and ethanol.”
Thanks to Derek for the tip – an earlier crash toward the west end of the westbound West Seattle Bridge has cleared, but now there’s an apparently stalled truck blocking a lane, so beware if you’re headed that way.
HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – has just announced the plan for Wednesday’s monthly meeting:
Next HPAC Meeting Wed., April 22nd, 6:30 pm in person at the Delridge Branch Library
Plant a tree, and Celebrate Earth Day with your neighbors and friends at the HPAC April meeting!
As usual staffing permitting, we hope to have an SPD representative to discuss any concerns and safety updates from their Department.
Craig Rankin from West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails will tell us more about the upcoming season of guided hikes in the greenbelt and what you may expect to find along the way.
After a long and contentious meeting with SDOT in March, regarding the Highland Park Way Safety Project we intend to use this meeting to cover possible responses to the City and what HPAC can do to support concerns.
We will also bring more information about the proposed Glassyard Commons RV Safe Lot and Tiny House Village the Mayor proposes for 7200 W Marginal Way S and discuss our concerns, plus share what actions we have taken with the City on this so far. We have invited a spokesperson from LIHI to our meeting but have not yet heard back from them.
The library is at 5423 Delridge Way SW.
The results are in from the latest annual Seattle Public Safety Survey, conducted by Seattle University, which provides results – without personally identifying info/data – to SPD. Here’s how SU summarizes this year’s survey results (which included almost 1,300 responses from our area):
Results of the 2025 Seattle Public Safety Survey are in, with traffic safety, public-order crime, fear of crime, property crime, and laws, policies, and accountability among the top themes participants cited.
The Seattle Public Safety Survey is part of the Seattle Police Department’s Micro-Community Policing Plans, now in its 12th year, and has been administered annually by Seattle University’s Crime and Justice Research Center.
Traffic safety remains the top concern, continuing to rise in prominence in recent years. Participants frequently cited a sense of lawlessness on the roads and a lack of enforcement of safety violations across all types of vehicles, including electric bicycles and scooters.
One of the most significant findings this year is that community capacity rose to the second-highest concern, surpassing both police capacity and property crime for the first time in the survey’s history. This suggests that residents are not just concerned about police response to public safety issues, they are increasingly focused on whether the broader systems and services in place are able to respond effectively.
In addition to identifying top public safety concerns, the survey measures key public safety–related quality-of-life indicators including police legitimacy, social cohesion, informal social control, social disorganization, and fear of crime, at the citywide, precinct, and neighborhood levels. These measures allow community members, practitioners, and policymakers to assess the overall “public safety health” of the city and its 58 micro-communities and to use this data to inform and improve responses.Police legitimacy ratings — measured on a 100-point scale — declined in 2025 following a brief increase in 2024, which had marked the first improvement after a steady decline from 2020 to 2023. Ratings, which were above 60 in the early years of the survey (peaking at 64.4 in 2016), fell into the 40s and 30s in recent years, reaching a low of 38.7 in 2023, rising to 41.9 in 2024, and declining again to 38.8 in 2025.
Results of the survey will be presented in SPD Community-Police Dialogues on select Mondays from May through August via Zoom. Community members will have opportunities to engage with SPD personnel about the results and discuss public safety concerns at the precinct and neighborhood levels. Registration is available online, and full results can be found on the Seattle Police Department’s Micro-Community Policing Plans website.
The Seattle Public Safety Survey is one of the longest-running efforts in the country to systematically track community perceptions of public safety over time, providing a rare longitudinal view of how trust, fear, and public safety concerns evolve at the neighborhood level.
Southwest Precinct (West Seattle and South Park)-specific results start on page 56 of the results report.
SIDE NOTE: The Micro-Community Policing Plans mentioned above cover neighborhoods chosen because, at the time of this project’s inception, those are the areas that had active neighborhood organizations with which SU and SPD could partner. But the survey every year is open to all, and we (among others) usually announce it a few times to help get the word out when it’s open.
(Photo by Janelle Otterholt)
Here’s your Monday list of highlights, most (not all) from our West Seattle Event Calendar:
BABY STORY TIME: Noon at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW). For up-to-18-month-olds. Free.
NO CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: Regular 2 pm meeting is canceled today.
HIGH-SCHOOL SPORTS: Chief Sealth IHS has three varsity sports in action today at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) – 4 pm, in girls’ tennis and boys’ tennis, the Seahawks face Garfield; 7 pm in baseball, Sealth hosts Rainier Beach.
FREE HOMEWORK HELP RETURNS … drop-in assistance 4-5:45 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond)
‘LISTENING TO GRIEF’ SUPPORT GROUPS: 4 pm and 6:30 pm, weekly group gatherings for people experiencing grief – you can participate once, weekly, or occasionally. Fee. Before you go, RSVP/register here. (4034 California SW)
PUFF & STUFF: Celebrate the date 4-6 pm at Nepenthe (9447 35th SW).
LIVE AT TIM’S: Miguel Mejia: Operatic Flamenco Goth Balladeer, 5 pm during happy hour at Tim’s in White Center, no cover. (16th SW and SW 98th)
D&D: Long-running weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, first-time players too!
ALKI MEDITATION: Monday night meditation at Alki UCC, doors open at 6:45, meditation at 7. (6115 SW Hinds)
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA X 3: Three venues for trivia/quiz tonight! Music Quiz at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 6:30 and 7:30 pm … 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander) and 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW).
COMEDY AT OTTER ON THE ROCKS: Monthly laughfest in Admiral, 7 pm, headlined by West Seattle’s own Marcus Moreno – our calendar listing has ticket info. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
POOL TOURNAMENT: Pool players are invited to enter The Corner Pocket‘s weekly tournament starting at 7 pm. $10 buy-in. (4302 SW Alaska)
FAUNTLEROY MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
JAZZ AT THE ALLEY: Monday night jazz with The Westside Jazz Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: Close out your Monday with a song (or two) – karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Big thanks to everybody who sends info for our calendar; if you have something to add or cancel (or update), please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
With two months left in the school year, fundraising season is in high gear, and this week, you can bid online to help West Seattle’s most populous elementary school! Here’s the announcement from the Lafayette Elementary PTA:
Lafayette Elementary Silent Auction now open!
Lafayette PTA’s online Silent Auction is open through Friday (April 25) at 3:00 PM. The silent auction is open to the public — no event ticket required.
Items include student-created class art, teacher experiences, family outings, camps, and gift packages from local businesses.
Proceeds support programs and enrichment for Lafayette students.
6:01 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Monday, April 20, 2026. Seattle Public Schools are open today after a week of spring break.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
Clouds are expected today, but still warm, high near 70. Sunrise at 6:10 am; sunset at 8:06 pm.
(Weather Watch Park – photo late in the day Sunday by Bob Burns)
MAJOR CLOSURE ALERT FOR SATURDAY
We’ll be reminding you all week that the Cascade Bicycle Club (WSB sponsor) Emerald City Ride will keep motor-vehicle traffic off part of southbound Highway 99 and the westbound West Seattle Bridge for a while Saturday morning (April 25) – details here (and registration is still open).
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – Regular schedules.
West Seattle Water Taxi – Now on “summer” schedule, which means extra Friday/Saturday/Sunday runs including later-night runs Fridays and Saturdays.
Washington State Ferries – Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route still on a two-boat schedule with a third, unscheduled boat. Check WSF’s alert page for last-minute changes.
STADIUM ZONE
Mariners are playing at home, with a 6:40 pm game vs. the A’s.
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 (25 mph speed limit):
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 trouble 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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