West Seattle, Washington
16 Sunday
Perhaps the most striking feature of tonight’s smoke-red sunset was – if you were within sight of Puget Sound – the red reflection. Above is Mike Tyler‘s photo from Lincoln Park. The Air Quality Alert for wildfire smoke from around the region continues until 5 pm Thursday; the Heat Advisory will be in effect 10 am tomorrow until 10 pm Thursday.
That’s one of the King County ballot drop boxes in West Seattle that we visited in the final hour-plus of voting – lots of last-minute dropoffs. Now, the first results are out – here’s the full list; we’re adding breakouts below:
SEATTLE PROP. 1, LIBRARY LEVY
Yes – 67565 – 71.71%
No – 26656 – 28.29%
KING COUNTY COUNCIL, DISTRICT 8
Teresa Mosqueda* – 17984 – 62.78%
Nick Duda – 7876 – 27.49%
Mia Jacobson – 2655 – 9.27%
U.S. HOUSE REP., DISTRICT 7
Pramila Jayapal* – 83539 – 82.98%
Nirav Sheth – 10824 – 10.75%
Gwen Kirkland – 3440 – 3.42%
David W. Blomstrom – 2446 – 2.43%
STATE HOUSE REP, 34TH DISTRICT, POSITION 2
Joe Fitzgibbon* – 14529 – 73.62%
Mary Anito – 4891 – 24.78%
The next round of results will be released tomorrow afternoon.
6:44 PM: Thanks to Dan Jacobs – who you might know from the Admiral Neighborhood Association – for being the first to send photos from one of tonight’s Night Out parties, on a stretch of 44th SW. This one even has music:
We expect to have some more Night Out scenes to share. If you have a photo to send – group shot? fun moment – text 206-293-6302 or email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
7:25 PM: Thanks to Joseph for the photo above, from 42nd/Juneau.
ADDED 8:46 PM: A WSB Night Out tradition – we visit JoDean‘s block party in Arbor Heights!
(WSB photos by Jason Grotelueschen from here down)
That’s JoDean, fourth from left in front. She says the group was smaller this year because several households decided to stay in rather than go out in the smoke. … Also inviting us to stop by, Rosalie Miller in Admiral:
Rosalie’s a volunteer with Washington Bee Atlas, so we weren’t surprised to see a hive at the party:
9:54 PM: 34th and Kenyon:
44th/Wildwood/Brace Point:
Charlestown/Belvidere:
ADDED: Reader video/photos from here down – starting with one of the All-City Band’s Night Out stops, in North Delridge – thanks to the texter who sent video:
One of the musicians’ other stops was in Upper Alki – thanks to Lindsey Pearsall for the photo:
Plus one more block-party group photo – Allison‘s neighbors on 36th SW:
If you participated in Night Out, you’re part of a tradition going back more than 40 years!
Two restaurant notes:
MORGAN JUNCTION POP-UP: If you missed it in our Event Calendar – tonight’s another one of the periodic pop-ups at The Neighborhood (6503 California SW) – the restaurant is usually closed on Tuesdays but the pop-up is a takeover by Mariscos Panda, “Every other Tuesday at The Neighborhood featuring Ceviches, Poké, Tacos and more. 5 pm-8 pm.”
ALASKA JUNCTION BRUNCH: One of the newest entrants into the ever-growing West Seattle brunch scene is Phoenecia (4717 42nd SW), which sent word they’re now serving brunch 10 am-2 pm Sundays, and planning to add Saturdays soon too. Here’s the menu, which leads off with Baklava French Toast!
That bird-enhanced view of the smoky sunrise is from Theresa Arbow-O’Connor. Along with the ongoing Air Quality Alert throuh 5 pm Thursday, we now also have a Heat Advisory headed this way, 10 am Wednesday to 10 pm Thursday. Forecast highs are only in the 80s – but last time that was coupled with a heat alert, the actual highs turned out to be in the 90s.
(CARE Department photo)
Starting tomorrow, the crisis responders who are part of the city’s CARE public-safety department are expanding their hours citywide. Here’s the announcement:
Effective tomorrow, August 5, the Seattle CARE Department’s Community Crisis Responders (CCRs) will operate from 6:30-1:00 AM daily, citywide. Current citywide service is from 12:00-10:00 PM daily.
This expansion into the early morning and late night hours addresses a significant need for community support during windows of time when our call data shows the highest volume of calls that crisis responders can support, including welfare checks, requests for resources, and assistance with people who are experiencing a crisis. Approximately 84% of the responders’ most common call types come in between 6:30-1:00 AM.By sending highly trained and unarmed mental health professionals to these events, the CARE Department helps the City of Seattle address underlying needs and connect people in need to long-term solutions. So far this year, crisis responders have responded to 6,279 calls, compared to 7,136 for all of 2025.
The public can continue to call 911 or the City’s non-emergency line (206-625-5011) to request the CCRs, including for welfare checks, referrals, and resources. Call-takers will determine the appropriate response based on the scenario.
1:11 PM: Thanks for the tip. 16th/Holden is partly blocked by a crash and the resulting medical response. Avoid the area for a while.
2:15 PM: By the time we went through the area less than an hour later, the scene had cleared.
Thanks for the tips. A tagger has vandalized the community-painted mural at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook. You can’t tell it from our photo – and we do our best to not give taggers more exposure by showing their “work” full on anyway – but the longest stretch of the mural has one huge tag across it, outlined rather than solid, in white paint. After going there to see it first hand Monday following multiple reader reports, we contacted artist Nalisha Estrellas, who led the mural painting last year. Here’s what she told us via email when we asked if she was aware of the vandalism and if the mural had a “graffiti-resistant coating”:
David, a local resident and the person who hired me to install it, let me know. He’s aware of my plans to repaint
Graffiti-resistant coating is very expensive – for that size wall it would cost approx $2,000 and according to my experienced mural Artist community it’s a waste of money because any time a mural with on it gets tagged, removing the spray paint leaves a “halo effect”. Not only that but it takes a lot of effort to scrub off the graffiti unless someone has a power washer. It takes less energy to repaint and I am working on that. … Please express my thanks to the community.
She is working to schedule when she’ll be able to repaint. As shown in our coverage last year, a multitude of community members helped paint it, including Lafayette Elementary students.
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: The artist says she’ll be repainting today, after creating some time in her schedule.
10:59 AM: A large group of transient orcas is passing through the Bainbridge ferry lanes, southbound, reports Kersti Muul, which means they’ll be in view off West Seattle before long if they don’t change direction.
ADDED 8:59 PM: Thanks to Rick R. for sending that photo of some of the whales, with the whale-watching boat Saratoga in view.
(Smoky sunrise – photo by Stewart L.)
Here’s our list of event notes/reminders/listings for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
VOTE! As noted later in the list, you have until 8 pm.
FIREFIGHTER STORY TIME: 10:30 am at South Park Library (8604 8th Ave. S.), a chance for preschoolers to learn about fire safety and to see firefighters and their gear up close in a non-emergency situation.
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.
SPRAYPARK SEASON: Daily operations continue at the Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) – free, scheduled 11 am-8 pm daily.
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon at West Seattle Golf Course (4470 35th SW; WSB sponsor); today’s speaker is Daniel Nye of Schmitz Park Creek Restore.
KEEPING A NATURE JOURNAL: Today’s Summer Quest project is at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), noon – learn about recording plants and animals in your journal.
WADING POOLS OPEN: With sunshine and warm weather, West Seattle’s regular wading-pool lineup will be open – noon to 7 pm at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way, upper park near the north lot) and at EC Hughes (2805 SW Holden).
COLMAN POOL: Noon-7 pm, daily sessions continue at the outdoor saltwater pool on the shore at Lincoln Park – see the schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
(added) ALL-CITY SWIM MEET: Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club is hosting an all-city meet today and expects increased activity in the neighborhood as early as 1; the meet starts at 4 pm.
CHESS CLUB: All levels! 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
OTHER EVENTS AT THE CENTER: Dozens every week! Go here for the full Center for Active Living calendar.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Regular weekly 2 pm meeting; here’s the agenda, which explains how to participate, in person or remotely.
NIGHT OUT: Tonight’s the annual night for neighborhood block parties around the city nation, most generally 5-9 pm – even if you’re not participating in one, be aware of side-street closures for the duration.
DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-7 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $15 fee, $5 off with bottle purchases. French wine is in the spotlight tonight.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
TUESDAY NIGHT SUPPER CLUB: Alki Kayak Tours and Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) are presenting this weekly event for stand-up paddleboarders – details here – 5:30 pm. (1660 Harbor SW – we’ll check later if the smoke alert has changed the standing weekly plan for this.)
INTERFAITH FREEDOM VIGIL: Weekly, 5:30-6:30 pm at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza candlelight vigil open to all. (61st SW and Alki SW)
STORY TIME IN THE GARDEN: 6 pm at Delridge P-Patch (5078 25th SW), story time for kids, followed by a garden activity.
OPEN MIC: 6:30 pm signups, 7 pm music at the open mic hosted by Levi Said at Tim’s (16th SW and SW 98th) in White Center.
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. (We’ll check later if the smoke alert has changed the standing weekly plan for this.)
PAST, PRESENT, & ELSEWHERE: Album-listening sessions at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), every Tuesday night, 7-9 pm.
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: Weekly lessons at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), 7 pm – lots of info in our ongoing calendar listing.
WOMEN’S MEDITATION CIRCLE: Weekly small-group meditation 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 4: Four Tuesday trivia venues – 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, 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 to play, prizes. (2306 California SW).
VOTING DEADLINE: Get your ballot to an official county drop box by 8 pm – no grace period. They’re all mapped here (including the four in West Seattle).
KARAOKE AT POGGIE TAVERN: 9 pm Tuesdays, until 1:30 am, your turn to sing! (4717 California SW)
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!
6:29 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
BRIDGE INCIDENT
Multiple texters have reported at least one person on foot in the outside lane of the eastbound bridge. It appears an SFD rescue-standby response was called but quickly canceled. The traffic camera system is down currently so we don’t know yet where this stands. (6:38 AM: Catching up through radio archives, police got to the person – a woman in crisis – and called an ambulance for them. Two outside lanes were blocked while they awaited it. … 6:50 AM: The cameras are back up and the bridge is back to normal. If you or anyone you know is experiencing thoughts of self-harm, the 988 hotline is available 24/7.)
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
The air quality alert continues for smoke. Meantime, the forecast says you can expect sunshine and smoke with a high in the upper 70s. Sunrise was at 5:50 am today; sunset will be at 8:39 pm.
NIGHT OUT
Tonight is the annual night for neighborhood block parties and West Seattle has 200+ registered, so watch for side-street closures tonight, 5-9 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule.
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular summer schedule, with extra Friday/Saturday/Sunday runs including later-night schedule Fridays and Saturdays.
Washington State Ferries – Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route is on the regular three-boat schedule; check the alert page for last-minute changes.
BRIDGE TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Here are four bridge views from the SDOT map:
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:
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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