6:09 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, June 26, 2026, with Seattle World Cup match #4 tonight.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET

The rain is here, but expected to taper off later this morning, with some sun, high in mid-60s. Sunrise was at 5:13 am; sunset will again be at 9:11 pm (latest of the year).

SEATTLE WORLD CUP MATCH #4

Egypt vs. Iran, 8 pm at Lumen Field (“Seattle Stadium”). So starting this afternoon, this area near the stadium will again be off-limits to motor vehicles:

TRANSIT TODAY

Matchday overview – Here’s the rundown courtesy of Metro Matters.

Metro buses – Reroutes in the no-motor-vehicles zone shown above, otherwise, regular weekday schedule.

West Seattle Water Taxi – Adding a second boat to facilitate extra matchday runs (which may throw off the schedule) plus later service tonight, an update from what was previously announced:

The West Seattle route will have extended late-night service on Friday 6/26 after the 8 pm FIFA match. The final sailing will depart Pier 50 at 12:15am. Sailing times may vary from posted schedule.

Estimated Pier 50 departures:
11:05pm
11:15pm
11:35pm
11:45pm
12:15am (Sat 6/27)

Estimated Seacrest departures:
11:20pm
11:30pm
11:50pm
12:00am (Sat 6/27)
12:30am (Sat 6/27)

Washington State Ferries – Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route is on the regular three-boat schedule. Check the alert page for last-minute changes.

WATCH PARTY STREET CLOSURE

Downtown White Center is closing 16th SW for the “Gather for Goals” outdoor watch party 11 am-7 pm.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

The city cameras’ updating-framegrab feature is back, per a the SDOT map, so we’ve returned them to the morning lineup:

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 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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PHOTOS: Scenes from West Seattle Rhodies FC home finale, Junction FC’s cross-bay faceoff

June 25, 2026 11:56 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Both of West Seattle’s pre-pro soccer teams played on Wednesday, and photojournalist Oliver Hamlin photographed both for WSB.

RHODIES FC WINS HOME FINALE: West Seattle Rhodies FC won their final regularly scheduled home match of the season. 1-0 over FC Olympia at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex. The lone goal was scored by Kunie Hirai, seen above in a stepover move before getting past the defender to shoot that goal. Below, a cross sent in by Mariah Biegaj:

Olivia Shih takes a shot:

Crosses by Ali Monroe and Sophie Blake:

Jadyn Holdenreid challenges for a header:

Nora Patterson goes up for a header:

The Rhodies end the regular season at noon Sunday at the Tacoma Galaxy.

Hours before their match, their sibling club was in action:

JUNCTION FC FALLS: West Seattle Junction FC played earlier in the day at Ballard FC, which took the win, 3-1. Ballard opened up the scoring in the 13th minute and again scored in the 30th minute. Then early in the second half, they made it 3-0:

West Seattle’s best chance in the first half came went Marcos Bravo almost got past the Ballard FC goalkeeper who had come off his line:

West Seattle scored in the 78th minute when Osato Enabulele shot from just outside the keeper’s box:

Other scenes from the match: Pedro Monge Munoz sends in a cross.

Tasei Iida shoots:

Richard Conces shoots on goal:

Shaun Brun heads the ball near midfield:

Lucas Martin sends the ball down field.

You can see Junction FC at 7 pm Wednesday (July 1) at home vs. Bigfoot FC.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Business burglary; two thefts

June 25, 2026 10:09 pm

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Three reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:

BUSINESS BURGLARY: Just a few weeks before their anniversary celebration, West Seattle’s only comic-book store Tails to Astonish (5633 California SW) was hit by burglars again. The shop shared the three short security-video clips above and below, and this note:

It happened about 4:40 am on Wednesday. Still checking inventory but as of now they took:
-Batman trading cards
-Yamaha small body acoustic guitar
-Custom Fender Telecaster with Spider-Man design and out name and logo on the head.
-A fake machete

The Seattle Police incident # is 26-182157.

Also:

ITEMS STOLEN: A simple plea from Rowena – “While loading my truck 30th and Holden someone stole a life jacket and a gray bag with a black day planner. I imagine the items would be of little value to someone and likely dumped. Would be very grateful if someone finds them and can return them.” If you find anything like that, let us know, and we’ll connect you.

PACKAGE TAKEN: Grace sent this report from 20th SW & SW 98th:

I know that this is a common event in our community. A package from my front steps was taken and I’m attaching the person caught on my front camera. Too late for me to recover my package but maybe you can consider posting the perpetrator’s photo.

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PREVIEW: Seafair Pirates sail toward Alki landing Saturday. Here’s who’s in command

June 25, 2026 8:23 pm

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| Seen at sea | West Seattle beaches

(2025 photo by David Hutchinson)

By Macey Wurm
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The Seattle Seafair Pirates will be sailing in, and storming Alki beach’s shore this Saturday, June 27th. Marking the commencement of Seattle’s Seafair festivities, the pirates at Alki will land ashore in search of the “key to the city”, playing into Seafair’s decades-long mythology.

The pirates expect to hit the beach between 1:00 and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, amid cannon fire and sword-wielding, and led by Captain Kidd, a role filled this year by Chris Lange. Another notable pirate, Davy Jones (Kyle Walderhaug), will be accompanying him. The two pirates provided us with bios in anticipation of taking on these prominent roles this year.

Chris Lange (Captain Kidd):

I was born and raised in North Seattle, and now live on a hill in Broadview where I can keep an eye on the Salish Sea for enemy ships and other pirates. My mum was kidnapped at the Torchlight Parade when I was three years old, but no worries, that story ended well. Later I took my own boys to the parades to make sure they had the experience of seeing the pirates and hearing the cannons. Then I joined the Seattle Seafair Pirates and climbed aboard the Mighty Moby Duck way back in 2015, and I’ve served as the Liaison, Public Relations Officer, Secretary, and now the 77th Captain Kidd.

Kyle Walderhaug (Davy Jones):

Kyle was born and raised in Washington. He’s spent his entire life living around Seattle and never straying too far from the salt water. He roots for all the hometown teams, especially the Washington Huskies “WOOF!”
He’s grown up with Seafair and is always looking forward to kicking off summer with the Seafair Pirates Landing at Alki Beach. Now he’s honored to join the crew, share some mischief, and help keep this uniquely Northwest tradition alive for the next generation of Seafair fans.

Once the pirates and their crew have landed ashore, the festivities will have only just begun. They will be greeted on Alki by Seafair Royalty — Queen Alcyone (Bookda Gheisar) and King Neptune (Sidney Rice) who were each chosen based on their “philanthropic contributions to the Puget Sound region and ability to inspire the communities in which they live,” according to Seafair’s website. Also present will be Seafair Community Hero Abubakr Abdulkadir and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.

A ceremony knighting the pirates will be performed by Seafair Royalty, accompanied with a brief ceremony involving Mayor Wilson planned to take place at 2:00 p.m. The Pirates Landing is expected to take place near the Alki Beach Bathhouse (2701 Alki Ave SW).

According to this year’s Captain Kidd, the pirates will move down to Christo’s and El Chupacabra on Alki after the main festivities conclude to enjoy some food and beverages. That evening at 6:30, they will be appearing in the Greenwood Seafair Parade. It will be a long day of fun and laughs, says the captain.

(Speaking of parades, the Pirates will sail Moby Duck in the July 18 West Seattle Grand Parade, too.)

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BIZNOTE: Miss Bebop Waffles? Mini-comeback!

June 25, 2026 5:41 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

A year and a half after Cori Luckenbach closed Bebop Waffle Shop at California/Admiral, she’s relaunching a mini-version next door, and it’s about to open:

Bebop Waffle Shop Grand Opening – Saturday

BEBOP is opening a new walk-up waffle shop, and we are celebrating its grand opening this SATURGAY, 8 AM-3 PM, FOR PRIDE. Bebop is serving our signature classic Belgian waffles to-go and WAFFLE DOGS — waffle batter wrapped around a hot dog and griddled to order. Bebop operates out of Baked, which is still up and running, serving custom cakes.

There will be free stickers and tasters, plus a full-on party atmosphere all day – HAPPY PRIDE. 2604 California Ave. SW

After receiving that, we asked Cori about the status of her former corner space’s metamorphosis into The Last Parlor. She says there’s one last round of inspections to go, and it’s a challenge because it involves renovations in a century-old building.

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FOLLOWUP: Sound Transit Board finalizes $400+ million spending installment for West Seattle light rail

June 25, 2026 4:09 pm

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| West Seattle news

Two weeks ago, we reported on the Sound Transit Board‘s System Expansion Committee recommending approval of actions to allot $406 million toward West Seattle light rail – the first big commitment after the ST3 plan revision that cemented ST commitment to WS. At this afternoon’s meeting of the full board, the actions all got final approval, as did a much-smaller installment of spending on Ballard light-rail planning.

(Here’s the full slide deck as presented at the committee meeting, also including the current WS light-rail cost estimate of around $5 billion.)

On the horizon, according to the most-recent ST email update, is work to advance the plan for the new cross-Duwamish River light-rail bridge, shown in this rendering:

(Sound Transit rendering)

That work on the south end of Harbor Island (in a parking lot at 1001 Klickitat, according to city docs) will see crews drill a test bridge shaft approximately 10 feet wide and 250 feet deep to better understand ground conditions,” ST says, to obtain “key information needed to finalize the bridge design.”

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DELAY: City councilmember leading Comprehensive Plan Phase 2 review says it’s on hold till next year

June 25, 2026 3:01 pm

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| Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

City Councilmember Eddie Lin, who’s chairing the committee reviewing Phase 2 of the city Comprehensive Plan – aka “Centers and Corridors” – says it’s on hold until next year because of legal action related to environmental appeals. Lin announced the delay in a news release, saying that “a handful of homeowners and business interests are weaponizing State Environmental Policy Act appeals to challenge proposed zoning and development legislation, including that which would help protect the environment.” His news release also notes he is proposing legislation to “limit the type of SEPA appeals that can be heard by the City’s Hearing Examiner.” The council’s Land Use and Sustainability Committee will have a public hearing on that proposal when it meets at 9:30 am next Wednesday, July 1. The full-council committee reviewing the Comprehensive Plan proposal, meantime, will meet July 30, Lin says, and then will be off the calendar for the rest of the year. We reported back in January on the zoning changes in “Centers and Corridors.” You can use this map to see what, if any, changes are planned for specific areas.

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BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: West Seattle updates for chicken chains Starbird, Dave’s Hot Chicken

June 25, 2026 2:20 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

As previous reported, two chicken chains are on the way to The Junction. We have updates on both:

STARBIRD: We noticed while passing by this morning that Starbird has put signage in the windows of its future West Seattle location, the spot where MOD Pizza abruptly closed two years ago, on The Whittaker‘s 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW frontage. The window signage spotlights its sides as well as its chicken.

Our report from April – when the construction permit was issued – had more about what this California-based chain will offer.

DAVE’S HOT CHICKEN: We first reported last year that Dave’s Hot Chicken and Gong Cha are going into the two-years-empty ex-Haymaker space in Junction 47 at California/Alaska. Building residents have just been notified that construction is about to start – here’s the notice they received:

The vacant commercial space on the ground floor of the West Building is officially coming to life. We’ll be welcoming a Dave’s Hot Chicken and a bubble tea café into the old Haymaker space, with plans to open later this year.

To make that happen, renovation work is scheduled to begin this coming Monday and is estimated to last approximately four months. We wanted to give you a heads up on what to expect.

Here’s what you should know:

There will be some construction noise as the space is reconstructed, including some core drilling. The good news is that the contractors have assured us the noisiest work should be limited to roughly the first month. There are several layers of concrete between the restaurant space and the second floor, so depending on where your home is, you may hear very little or nothing at all.

Work hours will be:
• Monday through Friday: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

We anticipate this process going smoothly, and we’ll keep you updated as we have new information to share.

Dave’s Hot Chicken has one Seattle location already, on Capitol Hill.

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Still looking for summer camp? Music-making options – plus pay-what-you-can possibilities – with Mode and MMPA

June 25, 2026 1:20 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Got room on the family schedule for summer camp? Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) and Mode Music and Performing Arts have news for you!

Mode Music Studios and Mode Music and Performing Arts are inviting West Seattle families to enroll in our summer music programs, with a commitment that finances shouldn’t stand in the way of art education.

Through our Pay What You Can program and grant-funded scholarships, eligible students can attend half-day and full-day camps at a reduced cost or completely free. We have scholarship funding available all summer and are hoping to connect with more families who could benefit from these opportunities.

Mode Music Studios also offers weekly Summer Rock Band camps for elementary, middle, and high school students. Each week, young musicians form a band, rehearse together with professional coaches, and wrap up the week with a live performance on the Tim’s Tavern stage in White Center.

Our Rock Band camp beginning July 6 will culminate with a special performance on the West Seattle Summer Fest Main Stage on Saturday, July 11.

Families can also visit our booth at West Seattle Summer Fest to learn more about lessons, camps, scholarships, and our nonprofit programs.

We’d love to help more West Seattle kids discover the confidence, friendships, and joy that come from making music and creating art.

–Sign up for rock bands at modemusicstudios.com/camps for ages 6-13 and 13+

–Sign up for half- and full-day pay-what-you-can music and theatre camps at modemusicandperformingarts.org/camps for reduced and free tuition

-Sign up for private music lessons at modemusicstudios.com/sign-up

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BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: West Seattle’s second Sherwin-Williams Paint store opens

June 25, 2026 11:56 am

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| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Most of the chain businesses that West Seattle has in multiplicity involve food/drink. Now you can add to the list … paint. More than a decade after a built-from-scratch Sherwin-Williams store opened in Delridge, the paint chain has opened its second West Seattle store in the former Midas space at 4457 Fauntleroy. Thanks to Ian for the tip; though they had told us two months ago that they were aiming for a fall opening, things apparently moved faster.

The plan for the space has been in the works for more than two years; Midas closed there in 2019. The new store’s hours are 7 am-6 pm weekdays, 8 am-5 pm Saturdays, 10 am-4 pm Sundays.

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Books, music, theater, more for your West Seattle Thursday

June 25, 2026 9:58 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Reader photo – Lorquin’s Admiral butterfly seen in High Point)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you’ll find even more – thanks to everyone who sends events for us to share!):

WORLD BEATLES DAY AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Music and more all day in honor of the Fab Four. (4559 California SW)

THURSDAY KAYAK CLUB: 10 am with Alki Kayak Tours at Seacrest (1660 Harbor SW) – details here if you want to set a reminder to join up next week!

SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Whether you’re planting or planning – the center is open to shoppers Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm – north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.

SPRAYPARK SEASON CONTINUES: Daily-splashing season at the Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), 11 am-8 pm, rain or shine.

COLMAN POOL: Also rain or shine – noon-7 pm, daily operation continues at the outdoor pool on the shore at Lincoln Park – see the session schedule here. Note that it’s closed to the public tomorrow and Saturday because of a swim meet. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

FREE CONCERT AT ALKI UCC: Noon in the sanctuary at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds), free concert with The Cascade Sounds Trio, all welcome.

WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: From newbie to pro, all levels welcome at this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today. (Even if you just want to know so you can go listen!) Often C & P Coffee, we’re told (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)

INTERGENERATIONAL IDENTITY BOOK CLUB: 2-4 pm at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW).

UNDERSTANDING PARKINSON’S: 2 pm free presentation at The Kenney (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW).

DROP-IN CHESS: For young players, drop in to play starting at 4 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).

HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of two Thursday night events at HPCS this week – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Original Philly’s.

WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Another regular Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.

HELP HARVEST FOOD: Puget Ridge Edible Park (18th/Brandon) needs volunteers to help harvest fresh food that will be donated to food banks (and you can take some home too). Just be there 5-7 pm!

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 5-8 pm for your tool-borrowing needs. (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center)

VISCON CELLARS: This West Seattle winery’s friendly tasting room/wine bar is open Thursdays, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor), for wine by the glass or bottle!

GRIEF IS CRAFTY: Monthly craft circle for people who are grieving. 6 pm, Bring your own project or try this month’s offered option. (5446 California SW)

POKEMON LEAGUE: 6 pm Thursdays at Fourth Emerald Games (4517 California SW, upstairs) – bring your own console.

WESTIES RUN CLUB: 6 pm, starting from Good Society (California SW and SW Lander), you’re welcome to join the Westies Run Club‘s Thursday night community run OR track workout.

WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Something for walkers tonight too! Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fontanelle for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.

DUSTY THURSDAYS AT TIM’S: 6-9 pm, The Dusty 45s preceded by All The Rain, outdoors, all ages, no cover, donations accepted for the musicians. (16th SW and SW 98th, White Center)

MORBIDLY CURIOUS BOOK CLUB: 7 pm at Jet City Labs (4547 California SW), This month’s book is “Still Life with Bones.”

WORLD CUP WATCH PARTY: 7 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), watch USA vs. Turkiye in all-ages watch party co-hosted by Rhodies and Junction FCs.

‘WISH YOU WERE HERE’: Third week for ArtsWest‘s new play, 7:30 pm curtain. (4711 California SW)

TRIVIA AT THE VOID: 7:30 pm, with prizes, at The Void (5048 California SW).

AT REVELRY ROOM: Tonight’s musical event at Revelry Room (4547 California SW) features DJ Nostalgia B starting at 8 pm.

Planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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YOU CAN HELP: Barton P-Patch pizza-and-bagels fundraiser Saturday

June 25, 2026 9:12 am

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| Gardening | How to help | West Seattle news

Before we get to today’s highlight list, a weekend preview – the Barton P-Patch invites you to visit during its tasty summer fundraiser:

Kick off summer at the Barton P-Patch! Join us for handcrafted bagels, woodfired pizza, and live music this Saturday. Now in our fifteenth summer at the garden, we are excited to once again welcome our neighbors, old and new friends, and fellow gardeners to our June summer fundraiser.

What: Bagels & Pizza at the P-Patch
Where: Barton Street P-Patch, SW Barton & 34th St SW
When: this Saturday, June 27th
Time: Bagels, 11 am – 1:30 pm; Pizza starting at 2 pm; Live music with starting around 4 p.m.

Donations are welcome; this give-as-you-are-able event supports ongoing operations of our beautiful community garden. All ages are welcome!

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TRAFFIC, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Cooldown Thursday

June 25, 2026 6:01 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, June 25, 2026. No Seattle World Cup match today – next one’s at 8 pm tomorrow.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET

The heat alert has ended; Wednesday’s high was 87. Today’s forecast is for clouds and a high in the upper 60s. Sunrise is 5:12 am today; sunset will again be at 9:11 pm (latest of the year, staying there until Tuesday).

(Another look at Wednesday’s spectacular sunrise, this time from Jen A)

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.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

The city cameras’ updating-framegrab feature is back, as shown on the the SDOT map, so they’re back in our morning lineup:

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:

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire in High Point, 1 person injured, officers find ‘automatic rifle’

June 25, 2026 12:58 am

| 25 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

12:58 AM: Police are investigating gunfire in the High Point area with one person reported injured and another person reported their building was hit by a bullet. Believed to be related to all this, a car was crashed near the Southwest Precinct, with its occupants fleeing toward Home Depot, and officers reporting an “automatic rifle” left behind in that car. Some of the 911 callers had reported what sounded like automatic gunfire.

1:07 AM: The main shooting scene – where the victim was reported found – was in the Sylvan/Morgan/Lanham area. Besides investigating there, police also are still searching for the people who fled the car. The shooting victim is being taken to the hospital by SFD medics; the original dispatch described him as an “adult male, shot in the hip.”

1:19 AM: Officers told dispatch they’ve found casings in the street on Sylvan. Another group of officers report finding what’s believed to be clothing ditched by the shooter/accomplices in the 2400 block of SW Webster, which is about a block west of the precinct. … “More casings found at 31st/Morgan,” also reported. The builiding with the bullet was reported to be in the 6500 block of 35th SW.

1:39 AM: In the 6400 block of 31st SW, officers have found at least three cars damaged by gunfire.

2:25 AM: Another building was found hit by gunfire too.

8:55 AM: Here’s the summary Seattle Police have provided, saying the victim turned out to be a teenager:

Seattle police are investigating a shooting that left a 17-year-old boy injured early Thursday morning, June 25, in the High Point neighborhood. At about 12:48 a.m., dispatchers received multiple reports of rapid gunfire near Sylvan Way Southwest and Southwest Morgan Street. Officers arrived and found a17-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound to the hip area. Officers provided aid until Seattle Fire Department arrived. Medics transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center in serious but stable condition. Before officers located the victim, they found a suspect vehicle that had crashed and became disabled near Sylvan Way Southwest and Delridge Way Southwest. Multiple suspects were seen running from the vehicle through a nearby Home Depot parking lot. Officers cordoned off the area and searched for the suspects with assistance from the K-9 Unit. Despite their efforts, officers were unable to locate them. Police recovered the suspect vehicle and impounded it for processing. During the incident, gunfire struck at least three vehicles and two buildings. No other injuries were reported. Officers process(ed) multiple nearby scenes and recovered evidence before clearing the area. Detectives with the Gun Violence Reduction Unit will be leading the investigation.

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FOLLOWUP: The poles are up. The lights are up. Now – rest of the timeline for 63rd/Beach Drive crossing

June 24, 2026 10:14 pm

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| Safety | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, Saturday)

Five months after the poles were put in place for a new flashing-beacon crosswalk at 63rd SW and Beach Drive SW, the lights were finally installed Saturday, as reported here after we happened onto the crew at work that day. THey told us the beacons wouldn’t be usable until final striping of the crossing, though, and the crew didn’t have the timeline for that. So we followed up with SDOT and got the reply today:

The crosswalk at 63rd Ave SW and Beach Drive SW will be moved about 15 feet to the south so it lines up with newly built curb ramps. The flashing pedestrian beacons cannot be activated until the crosswalk is moved and all related signs and pavement markings are installed.

The remaining work includes installing the crosswalk in its final location, adding lane markings and bike lane markings on the street, and installing pedestrian crossing signs.

At this time, the week of July 13–17 remains our best estimate for completing the remaining work and activating the beacons.

After the beacon poles were installed, the project experienced delays in receiving some of the materials and equipment needed to complete the crossing improvements and prepare the system for activation.

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BIZNOTES: Three West Seattle business anniversaries

June 24, 2026 6:07 pm

| 0 COMMENTS

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Three West Seattle businesses are celebrating anniversaries:

CAPERS HOME: All month long, CAPERS (4525 California SW; WSB sponsor) has been holding their 41st anniversary sale, but there’s less than a week left in June, so this is your last call to get in and shop!

THE BEER JUNCTION TURNS 16: The Junction’s beer shop is celebrating its 16th anniversary this Friday (June 26) with a special anniversary beer, 16:03 To Yakima, a West Coast IPA brewed by Ravenna Brewing. On that day, TBJ will be open noon to 11 pm, at 4511 California SW, with the party starting at 5 pm.

TAILS TO ASTONISH TURNS 5: West Seattle’s only comic-book store will celebrate its fifth anniversary during the Fourth of July holiday weekend and has announced a big anniversary sale:

Join us for our 5th Anniversary!! A different sale each day!

Friday, July 3: select back issues are 60% off sticker price or if not priced just $1 each or 10 for $4!!
Saturday, July 4: select back issues are 70% off sticker price or if not priced just $1 each or 10 for $3!!
Sunday, July 5: select back issues are 80% off sticker price or if not priced just $1 each or 10 for $2.50!!!! Plus, all kids get 1 FREE book!

Tails to Astonish is at 5633 California SW.

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UPDATE: Hazmat response at Delridge/Orchard

June 24, 2026 4:45 pm

| 0 COMMENTS

| Delridge | West Seattle news

4:45 PM: Seattle Fire has a hazardous-materials callout for an address cross-referencing to the Delridge Arco/AM-PM. Avoid the area.

4:52 PM: SFD says the problem turned out to be a “CO2 leak” which has been found and taken care of; they’re ventilating the building, which they had evacuated.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Mini-mart robbed for the second time in less than a month

June 24, 2026 3:51 pm

| 12 COMMENTS

| Crime | Delridge | West Seattle news

Checking the police logs from early morning, we found a robbery logged for a partial address (7100 block Delridge Way) that cross-references to the Chevron gas station/mini-mart on the northeast corner of Delridge and Orchard. The radio archives confirmed police were investigating what was reported as an armed robbery, so we obtained this report narrative from SPD:

On 6/24/2026 at approximately 03:20, I responded to an armed robbery at the XXXX located at 7XXX Delridge Way SW in the city of Seattle, county of King. Initial remarks stated, “J/O, 2 MALES ROBBED RP, HAD PISTOL”. Upon arrival, the suspects had left the area and officers began setting up containment in the area. I spoke with the reporting party, (XXXX XXXX), who was a staff member at XXXX. Of note, XXXX was the victim of another armed robbery at this location approximately one month prior.

XXXX showed me XXXX. Once XXXX two masked younger-looking males enter the store and one male pointed a black handgun towards XXXX. The suspects came around the back of the counter and forced XXXX to open two registers. While the armed suspect took money from the registers, the other suspect took tobacco products off the shelves and stuffed them into a bag. The suspect with the firearm grabs XXXX by the arm and pulls him toward the safe. The suspects then flee on foot out the front door.

The exterior XXXX shows a dark-colored sedan pull into the bus lane facing southbound on Delridge Way SW with its hazards on. The suspects run to and get into this vehicle which flees southbound on Delridge Way SW. The vehicle was XXXX. …

The armed suspect had a black handgun with what appeared to be a drum magazine. XXXX, XXXX, black gloves, and a XXXX. The other suspect did not appear to have a firearm XXXX. This suspect was wearing XXXX, black gloves, and XXXX. The suspect vehicle appeared to be a darkcolored newer model sedan with LED headlights.

Some merchandise had fallen out of the suspect’s bag and was recovered. …

XXXX told me that the suspects demanded that he open one register then the second register. XXXX said that the suspect then told him to open the safe but he was unable to open the safe because only his manager has the key. XXXX advised that the armed suspect pushed the firearm into the side of his stomach while making this demand. XXXX told me that he feared for his life. XXXX said that no threats to shoot him were made, but the firearm was pointed at him. XXXX did not know how much money had been taken from the registers, but he estimated approximately $300.00 was stolen. XXXX was uninjured as a result of this incident.

The XXX words are all redactions by SPD done before providing us with the requested narrative. The only descriptive information we heard in the archived radio traffic was that both robbers were believed to be male. Also of note: The narrative mentions that a store staffer said they were robbed about a month ago. This is likely the one they’re referencing.

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UPDATE: Fire response on 35th SW

June 24, 2026 3:07 pm

| 0 COMMENTS

| West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

3:07 PM: Thanks for the tip. Seattle Fire has a midsize response in the 5900 block of 35th SW, downgraded from an initial “full response.” Avoid the area for a while.

3:11 PM: Most of the responding units have been dismissed.

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FOLLOWUP: Beach/water warning lifted, one week after 13,000-gallon sewage leak in West Seattle

June 24, 2026 12:24 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(June 17 photo by Reiner Peery)

The last “stay out of the water” warning from a sewage leak one week ago has been lifted. We confirmed with King County Wastewater Treatment District spokesperson Akiko Oda that the warning for the Cormorant Cove area (3700 block Beach Drive SW) would end this morning as scheduled. Oda says the remaining “beach closed” signage will be removed this afternoon. The leak was blamed on equipment failure involving a flow gate at the 63rd Avenue Pump Station south of Constellation Park, and KCWTD estimates about 13,000 gallons of sewage had leaked into Puget Sound before the leak was caught and stopped.

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VIDEO, PHOTOS: ‘We think we can find solutions’ – but clarify the problem, Parks told at West Seattle meeting for tennis/pickleball ‘strategy’

June 24, 2026 11:38 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Torin Record-Sand
For West Seattle Blog

The first meeting in the second round of feedback on the Seattle Parks and Recreation draft “outdoor racquet-sports strategy” was far more cordial than you might have expected, given the “pickleball vs. tennis” narrative that’s collected around it.

The meeting inside the historic building at Dakota Place Park on the north edge of the West Seattle Junction drew almot 100 people.

Judging by T-shirts among other things, most were there in support of pickleball access. Pickleball players say the city’s proposal – including an end to dual-striping courts – will slash the number of places they can play.

Parks reps said repeatedly that attending the meeting was just one way to offer feedback. The meeting room, and the Dakota Place building’s foyer, were both ringed with posters including statements/proposals attendees could mark with dot stickers, a tradition at public feedback meetings.

Most of the meeting was comprised of a presentation by Parks and open-mic comments – we recorded that all on video:

The presentation was led by Parks’ Annie Hindenlang, with Jonathan Gardner.

They recapped what the department considered key points of previous feedback, including that dual use of courts wasn’t working and that courts’ neighbors were concerned about noise. Also noted were some positive points, such as the social, community, and health benefits of pickleball. They also noted concerns about data that was used previously, explaining that technology from Placer AI was used to collect “anonymized mobile device data for 16 of the 19 affected court sites.

Also included in the presentation were what Parks considers “collaboration topics”; Hindenlang also noted that an online survey – which opens next Tuesday (June 30) – will address those same topics.

More than 20 open-mic comments followed (a few people took two turns as there was time left over in what Parks had allotted). Most, but not all, identified themselves as from West Seattle; one person who spoke twice voiced concerns about Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill, where the courts are used for more than racquet sports (they were particularly concerned about losing access for dodgeball).

Whether from tennis or pickleball advocates, the comments didn’t center so much on the respective sports’ attribute as on the Parks process for proposing and implementing the “strategy.” Among those complaints, the proposal’s development without collaboration – it appeared seemingly out of nowhere, presented for feedback, rather than a process that cold have collected ideas. “We never felt listened to,” said John Rankin from the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association. He said pickleball players felt they had been presented with “your plan” and “had to mobilize” to slow it down.

Also voiced: What exactly is the problem the “strategy” is trying to solve? (The Parks reps didn’t answer any questions posed to them by speakers, insisting they were under strict orders to only listen rather than to reply.)

Big applause was given to another speaker who promised, “We think we can find solutions.” They were followed by someone who said it was imperative to “get out of this ‘us vs. them’ mentality … We can find ways to find that common ground.” A later speaker said the Parks proposal had left both tennis players and pickleball players “in an uproar” but “we’re going to fix this.”

Another speaker who wanted to know more about what problems the “strategy” was meant to solve said that they could certainly address specific concerns, such as guerrilla lighting setups. Other pro-pickleball commenters said the sport benefits the community, not just individual players (though one person had an individual testimonial, saying they had “discovered a new life as a pickleball player” and lost 58 pounds by playing).

The sport’s growing popularity is honored by other cities around the country, said a player who described themselves as a frequent traveler, so why not Seattle?

Though this meeting was the first in West Seattle – the first round of feedback only included “regional” meetings, and got no closer than South Seattle – there wasn’t much specific discussion or commenting about West Seattle sites, except the courts on the north side of Alki Playfield, which several people said they wanted to see remain accessible for pickleball.

The Parks reps did not offer a timeline for when – if – a revised “strategy” might be developed and presented, so the timeline for this second round of feedback remains what’s laid out on this webpage (including three more meetings in other part of the city), plus the forthcoming online survey, June 30 to July 14.

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Options for your West Seattle Wednesday!

June 24, 2026 9:58 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Tuesday sunset, photographed by Gene Pavola)

Here’s our Wednesday list, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – which you can preview any time – here’s what’s happening today/tonight:

SUMMER FOOD FOR KIDS: Some local sites open today – see our story from last night for locations and other information.

WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 10 am Wednesday walks start from 47th/Fontanelle – if you didn’t see this in the calendar in time to join, consider this your reminder for next week!

TODDLER READING TIME: 10:30 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor).

SPRAYPARK’S OPEN: Daily-splashing season at the Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale), 11 am-8 pm.

WORLD CUP WATCH PARTY AT YOUNGSTOWN: Noon at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), watch the third Seattle World Cup match, Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar, on a giant screen. Free.

SWIMMING POOL’S OPEN: Daily operations also continue at Colman Pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm.

PLAY AMERICAN MAH JONGG: 2-4 pm, join players at Missing Piece (4707 California SW).

FIX-IT WORKSHOP: The free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm workshop is happening at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center), and the library is open for borrowing.

WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: Talk about Seattle’s growth – current and future – at the weekly 6 pm meetup at Great American Diner/Bar (4752 California SW).

WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUN: Join the weekly 6:15 pm group run with West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) tonight – all welcome, all paces!

PRACTICE YOUR SPANISH SPEAKING: New local group of Spanish-language learners, dedicated to practicing it, gathers 6:30-8:30 pm at Mission Cantina (2325 California SW) – details in our calendar listing.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer lineup. (7902 35th SW)

RHODIES FC: 7 pm match at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex for the West Seattle pre-pro team, vs. FC Olympia, last regularly scheduled home match of the season. Ticket link is in our calendar listing.

MAD CRAFTY: Bring your project to Revelry Room (4547 California SW), 7-9 pm.

MUSIC BINGO: Weekly music bingo at at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.

TRIVIA x 5: Five West Seattle trivia venues – Seaside Grill (2820 Alki SW) now has 7 pm trivia on Wednesdays … Admiral Pub trivia at 7:10 pm (2306 California SW) … Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) has Wednesday trivia at 7:30 pm … Quiz Night at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … And trivia starts at 8:30 pm at Talarico’s (4718 California SW).

SKYLARK OPEN MIC: West Seattle’s longest-running open-mic night! 7:30 pm signups for the weekly event at The Skylark. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

SWING IT WEDNESDAY! Swing dancing and live music at 8:15 pm at South Park Hall (1253 S. Cloverdale).

KARAOKE AT ADMIRAL PUB: Sing at the pub starting at 9, after trivia. (2306 California SW)

Planning an event, class, workshop, etc., that’s open to community participation/observation/visitation? Please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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