West Seattle, Washington
19 Friday
As mentioned in our previous story, this weekend will bring a celebration of artists and their work during the West Seattle Art Tour. Every month brings a smaller opportunity to see local creativity during the West Seattle Art Walk, on second Thursdays. You might not know there’s also a monthly art walk in White Center – the Rat City Art and Food Walk, on third Thursdays. We explored it last night for partner site White Center Now, and you can see the story and photos here.
This is the first year the West Seattle Art Tour has expanded to two days, so you’ve got lots of time this weekend to go meet local artists and see their work in creative spaces around the peninsula. Here’s one last reminder from organizers of this year’s Art Tour:
West Seattle Art Tour is this Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21, from 10 am to 5 pm!
Visit 14 artist-hosted locations across West Seattle on this free, self-guided tour that showcases a unique array of art created by exceptional West Seattle artists in the spaces where artists create, live, teach and work. Each host artist has opened their space to guest artists who live, work, teach or contribute to West Seattle’s vibrant art community. This year the Tour has expanded to a two-day event, with sites open 10-5 on both Saturday and Sunday, allowing more time for visitors to see all of the locations.
This year’s tour information includes a printable map, an interactive online map and artist profiles to help guests customize their own adventure across the West Seattle Peninsula. Tour stops are organized in a loop, starting with Daniel Bernunzio’s Highland Park studio at Stop No. 1 and finishing with Lea Basile-Lazarus’s Admiral studio at Stop No. 14.
Not sure where to start planning your Tour? Head over to the West Seattle Art Tour website, where you can explore using the online map, print off a paper copy of the map, view a virtual gallery and artist directory, and even check mobility access for sites.
Past tour guests recommend previewing the tour stops and planning your route with a paper map ahead of time, then using the online map to navigate across West Seattle. You’ll be ready to head out to discover new work, meet the artists, and enjoy a weekend full of art! Printed maps will also be available at each site, and can be picked up in advance at Alki Arts Gallery, Viscon Cellars, and WEND Jewelry.
The West Seattle Art Tour is organized by local artists and art lovers with support from West Seattle Art Walk as well as in-kind sponsorship from West Seattle Blog, Viscon Cellars, and Alki Arts.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“It’s been a busy month so far,” observed Alki Community Council president Charlotte Starck at the start of last night’s meeting. That was no exaggeration, given the major topics the meeting spanned in the course of just an hour and a half. They included:
REZONING VOTE: Starck mentioned the results of the Comprehensive Plan amendment votes hours earlier, including the rejection of citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck‘s Amendment 34 proposal to add an area of Alki to be designated as a Neighborhood Center. She had circulated word of the proposal, made in an amendment just a month ago, and said she and the ACC weren’t advocating for or against it, just saying that there wasn’t enough notification about it compared to the many months of lead time for other proposed Neighborhood Centers. One attendee was concerned about how they’ll get word if the Alki Neighborhood Center idea is revived again in the future. (And in fact, Starck tells WSB today that an expected proposal at the council’s 2 pm meeting today would call for spending a year studying Alki and the other seven potential Neighborhood Centers that were in Amendment 34 – see page 6 here.)
PARKS UPDATE INCLUDING BOAT RAMP CHANGE: Jon Jainga from Seattle Parks, who’s in charge of Park Rangers among other things, presented department updates from what was dubbed the “Summer of Safety” plan. He said one big lesson learned involved city-operated boat ramps including West Seattle’s Don Armeni Boat Ramp – they were going to go back to 24-hour operation but now the gates will be closed at Don Armeni and Golden Gardens at 11:30 pm until further notice. Private security will close the gates and a ranger will be on until 12:30 am to check on them, until Park Rangers’ shifts will move up to a 10:30 pm end. Jainga noted, though, that he still has 19 rangers for the entire city.
Stats included that rangers have visited Alki 168 times, performed 142 customer-service acts, educated people aboard littering and drinking, and that off-leash dogs have been an ongoing problem. “We’re not police officers, we’re more of a park ambassador,” aimed at getting voluntary compliance. But if they have to escalate, they can cite – and/or call police for no-trespassing orders.
At Alki, he said, rangers gave 2,075 liquor violence warnings, 515+ offleash animal warnings, 600+ for urinating in public, 220 for smoking, 110 for unpermitted vendors on park property (they’re working to get right to enforce on sidewalk), 104 for litter, 2 for vehicles parked in unauthorized times, 666 for fires in unpermitted areas, 45 911 calls for police assistance, 18 calls to SFD for help, 6 people referred to the Unified Care Team. Jainga said they’re still analyzing everything, because it was a first summer for many things – but he said the ongoing concerns are the same at other major city parks.
SEATTLE POLICE: Precinct commander Capt. Krista Bair (photo above) and Officer German Barreto were there, as were Community Service Officers Jamie and Helene, as was Crime Prevention Coordinator Matt Brown, who will add the Southwest Precinct to his South Precinct duties when SW CPC Jennifer Satterwhite goes on maternity leave next month.
(WSB file photo)
Earlier this week, a WSB reader reported getting a message on Find It Fix It saying that the app can no longer be used for reporting parking complaints – those have to be called in. We’ve been trying for a few days to get more information from SPD, since Parking Enforcement is part of the department. While waiting, we’ve just received the memo sent to various groups around the city by the Parking Enforcement manager (CSR would stand for the city’s Customer Service Requests):
As of about mid-day 9/19 (sorry, that is the timeframe the CSR team gave me):
Parking Enforcement will no longer be doing customer service requests (CSR) for parking complaints via Find it Fix it (Abandoned vehicle CSR will remain via Find it fix it).
The intention is to improve safety, reduce response times, and eliminate the calls that are no longer relevant.
All calls requiring a Parking Enforcement response except abandoned vehicles should be referred to the care non-emergency line (206) 625-5011 #8.
They will then dispatch us to the call.
Abandoned Vehicles can still be reported to Find it Fix it as that process remains unchanged.
Clayton Harrington #9735
Parking Enforcement Manager
Two more quick weekend previews – both for events happening tomorrow (Saturday, September 20):
FAUNTLEROY CHURCH RECYCLE ROUNDUP: Those are the first big collection containers to arrive from 1 Green Planet (DTG is its parent company) for tomorrow’s Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW). 9 am-3 pm Saturday, ride up, walk up, drive up with items on this list for free dropoff. Organizers just have one request: Don’t wait till the last hour if you can possibly get there sooner!
ALKI BEACH CLEANUP: As part of the International Coastal Cleanup, volunteers will spend two hours cleaning up Alki – details here. To help, show up at Alki Bathhouse at 10 am Saturday.
(Lookout, public art at Joint Training Facility in SE West Seattle)
Here are Friday options, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
STAY ‘N’ PLAY: Free drop-in indoor playtime for little ones is back, 10 am-11:30 am Fridays at Arbor Heights Community Church. (4113 SW 102nd)
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER The center is open for plant-shopping Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
ANTIQUE MALL OF WEST SEATTLE SALE: First of four days, 11 am-7 pm (4516 California SW).
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Visit the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens) to learn about local history – open noon-4 pm today.
QI-GONG: 12:30-1 pm at Viva Arts (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW).
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: 2 pm, one more round of discussing/voting on measures related to the Comprehensive Plan. Here’s the agenda. (Watch live here.
DOG SWIM TIME AT ARBOR HEIGHTS POOL: The annual “Dog Days of Summer” returned this week! Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club (11003 31st SW) opens its pool for dogs-only swimming, right before it’s closed offseason cleaning. 4-7 pm today plus noon-5 pm on Saturday. $5/session per dog. (Here’s our story from day 1.)
OUTDOOR MOVIE AND FREE ROCK CLIMBING: Camp Long (5200 35th SW) is showing “Jumanji“ tonight, around 7:30 pm after free rock climbing 5-7 pm.
TASTING ROOM AND WINE BAR: Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) is open 5-9 pm Fridays. Stop in to sip, or buy a bottle: “We have wines for picnics, cookouts, hikes, camping, boating, and even just hanging out on the deck.”
WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION WINE WALK: 5-9 pm. Online ticket sales are closed but some tickets remain available if you show up at one of the check-in spots at 5 – details on the Junction Association‘s website.
HOLY ROSARY WESTFEST: 6-10 pm at the school, the festival begins! Music, games, food, more. See the schedule in our calendar listing. (42nd/Genesee/Dakota)
COMEDY AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 6-8 pm, Midnight Mystery Theater brings radio-style comedy to C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: 7 pm tonight at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), Chief Sealth IHS vs. West Seattle High School, in the annual crpsstown-counterparts match known as the Huling Bowl.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE SKYLARK: Live music with Johnny and the Moles, Fonkey Blues Time Machine, Contraband Contraband, doors 7, show 8, $10. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
REVELRY ROOM DJ: 9 pm, DJ Hershe tonight! (4547 California SW)
‘MAKE IT LOUD’ SKATING: Skating with live bands – tonight, Storm Boy, Dead Streets – 9 pm at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW). 21+. $18 cover/$5 skates.
If you have something to showcase on our event lists or calendar, please email what/when/where/etc. info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
8:25 AM: Southern Resident Killer Whales are back in the area this morning. Kersti Muul says it’s J-Pod again and that they are coming into view off Constellation Park, southbound. She also says one of them has a new calf.
8:36 AM: Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail says she’ll be at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook (across from Me-Kwa-Mooks) again this morning with binoculars to share.
8:42 AM: Kersti says the new calf is in view off Emma Schmitz/Me-Kwa-Mooks “with the J 16s” (family group).
9:26 AM: See comments for updates (and photos!). They’ll eventually head back north, and if we hear about that in the hours ahead, we’ll update this story.
Before we get to today’s highlight list, it’s time to start rolling out the weekend previews. We’re fairly sure “Nerdlesque Rises” is the liveliest entertainment experience on this weekend’s lineup. From pirates to … politics? … it’s a one-of-a-kind show set to take over the main theater at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center this Saturday. Here’s the preview with some bonus info from producer/performer Scarlett O’Hairdye, who is a West Seattleite too:
Nerdlesque Rises!
A nearly nude nerd revue!That’s right! Just like Godzilla rising from the deep, Unnatural Redhead Productions rises from a five-year slumber to bring its particular brand of nerdlesque back to Seattle! Join us this September at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle for an evening of nearly nude nerds celebrating their favorite fandoms and yours. ’80s cartoons! Gay pirates! Star Trek! A fully ADA-accessible theater! FREE PARKING! This show has it all!
You’ll get to see fandom faves live on stage from a diverse group of world-class burlesque performers, all in a beautiful theater with raked seating and great sightlines! Our cast will take you from the future of Star Trek to the swashbuckling seas of Our Flag Means Death, from the original ’80s She-Ra to cult classic Jean-Paul Gautier costumed The Fifth Element. It’s going to be fun! It’s going to be funny! It’s going to feature a live on-stage interview with mayoral candidate Katie Wilson! It’s going to be in your neighborhood!
Featuring burlesque performances by:
Scarlett O’Hairdye
Sin de la Rosa
Alexa Perplexa
Mx. Pucks A’Plenty
Ramona Rhapsody
Hosted by the incomparable Rebecca Mmm Davis!
Saturday, September 20th, 2025
$30 GA | $40 VIP | Season Tickets $100
18+
Doors 7 pm | Show 7:30 pmThe Thelma Dewitty Theater in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)0
Scarlett also told us, when we asked some bonus questions:
West Seattle used to host a monthly burlesque revue at the Skylark, and we have some occasional one-off shows here and there (as well as the Kenyon Hall Drag Cabaret), but there hasn’t been a regular burlesque show in this neighborhood in years. Unnatural Redhead Productions and the Stay Up Late Show are pumped to bring this art to the neighborhood, and I’m pumped to be a ten-minute drive from the venue so I can go to bed as soon as possible after the show! I’ve lived here for the last fourteen years! West Seattle is my home, and I love the art and music scene we’ve cultivated on our little peninsula.
My goal is to make the season a celebration of our neighborhood and local businesses. For NERDLESQUE RISES! we’ve teamed up with Ounces Taproom and the Revelry Room for pre and post-show drinks – the Thelma Dewitty Theatre doesn’t have a built in bar, which means we can produce an 18+ show instead of 21+, but if people want an adult beverage before they show they can show their ticket receipt at Ounces for 20% off their order, and after the show at the Revelry Room for a special custom cocktail.
Tickets for the Saturday night Nerdlesque show are available here.
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, September 19, 2025 – going into the final weekend of summer; fall starts Monday morning.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Sunny and in the low 70s today. Sunrise will be at 6:52 am; sunset, at 7:12 pm.
(Thursday’s smoky sunset, photographed by Aaron Brethorst)
WEEKEND PREVIEWS
-The Orca Half runs both days this weekend. No road closures, but be watchful for runners.
-Sunday morning brings the West Seattle Indivisible “Peace for All” gathering on Harbor Avenue’s Pier 1 property, so the blocks of Harbor south/east of Salty’s may be busier than usual.
ROAD WORK
–59th SW in Alki is closed for a month by the school-construction zone.
-“Natural drainage” construction toward the east end of Sylvan Way is under way.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – On regular schedule and routes today.
Washington State Ferries – WSF has three-boat service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas, M/V Issaquah, and M/V Sealth. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where. Note that the systemwide fall schedule takes effect Sunday.
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; summer/early fall schedule, with later runs on Friday and Saturday nights through October 10.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the view looking west. Also note, opening info is again 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!
10:03 PM: Seattle Fire has a “full response” headed to a possible fire in a “commercial building” at 20th/Henderson. Updates to come.
10:07 PM: First unit arriving at the scene says it appears to be an exterior fire, possibly originating in a vehicle. But another firefighter just told dispatch they need to check inside because it might have spread.
10:12 PM: Firefighters report “smoke in the hallway” on first floor. Adding reader photo above; we have a crew on the way. … According to the address SFD crews just gave, it’s a residential building.
(Photo by Tim Durkan)
10:20 PM: They traced the fire to a unit, firefighters have told dispatch, but still believe it started with a vehicle; it’s under control.
(Added: Texted photo)
But northbound Delridge Way is blocked by the large response, avoid the area.
(WSB photo by Torin Record-Sand)
10:23 PM: They now believe two units were affected.
10:31 PM: They’ve declared the fire tapped (out). No report of injuries. … Here’s the vehicle it’s blamed on; our crew reports being told this pickup truck’s engine seemingly “exploded”:
(WSB photo)
10:43 PM: The incident commandeer confirms to our crew at the scene that no one was hurt.
(Added: Texted photo)
11:19 PM: Delridge is now open all ways, police have told dispatch. Meantime, our crew has left the scene but photographer Tim Durkan is still there and tells us there’s now suspicion that the fire started in a portable toilet and THEN spread to the truck and on to the apartments.
ADDED 12:14 PM FRIDAY: Here’s what SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo says about the investigation:
The fire involved a portable toilet stall and a car, both located next to an apartment building. The fire extended to the building and caused significant damage to two apartment units. No injuries reported. Investigators ruled the cause of the fire as undetermined.
Thanks for the tips. The Guardian One helicopter circled for a while in southeast West Seattle after a report of possible gunfire off Detroit Avenue SW; no evidence found that we’ve heard so far, and the helicopter has moved on.
Westside Neighbors Shelter in The Triangle remains the only shelter in West Seattle. It runs on donations and volunteers, and here’s a list of what they need now:
Westside Neighbors Shelter opens every morning of the year to provide people with a hot breakfast, a place to shower, and other necessities. Even in the summer, we’ve been serving between 30 and 50 hungry people each day. Keith reports that we are out of almost everything, and consequently spending more money every week to keep going. Can you help? Here are the most-needed items right now:
Regular and instant oatmeal
Instant hot chocolate mix
Powdered coffee creamer
Ground coffee
Krusteaz pancake mix
Bisquick
Cup-o-Noodles and Ramen
Potatoes
White and brown sugar
12 oz paper hot cups (no lids)
16 oz paper bowls
10” paper plates
Paper towels and napkins
Men’s socks, underwear, t-shirts
Disposable razors, travel-size shaving cream and toothpasteYou’ll find these items (and more) at our wish list:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2M8BX6UMZBG4H?Or, toss a few of these items in your cart next time you go shopping, and bring them by the shelter between 7 and 11 am any day of the week!
Find out more about the shelter at westsideneighborsshelter.org.
Thank you so much!
Lots of hot topics for Washington State Ferries lately, including the restoration of three-boat service on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route. Got a question? Concern? Comment? That and many other topics are up for discussion at WSF’s fall system-wide community meetings, happening online at 12:30 pm and 6 pm Thursday, October 2. WSF boss Steve Nevey says, “Each meeting will begin with a brief presentation about this summer’s increased service, our new vessel build program and recent changes here at WSF. Most of the time will be dedicated to answering questions.” You can register for one or both (WSF promises duplicate content) right now by going here.
It’s been a month and a half since our last update on the case of 36-year-old Aren Oleson, arrested and charged after a July 31 barrage of gunfire inside his South Admiral apartment. The city subsequently sought and obtained an Extreme Risk Protection Order to keep the guns seized from him afterward from being returned to him any time soon. Oleson has remained in jail since then, charged with 10 misdemeanors, including unlawful gun discharge, drug possession, and six counts of reckless endangerment, for allegedly shooting without consideration for the neighbors inside their apartments when this happened. We got an automated notification today that he had been released from the King County Jail and looked into why. Court documents explain that he was released to inpatient substance-abuse treatment when a space became available at a facility on the Olympic Peninsula. He is still facing trial on the charges filed against him, with a tentative hearing date planned in October.
As noted, the City Council is voting today on dozens of amendments proposed as part of the every-decade process of updating the city’s long-term-growth plan, aka the Comprehensive Plan. Four of those amendments directly address specific West Seattle neighborhoods. Here’s how the votes went:
AMENDMENT 34: As its sponsor, citywide Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, described it, this was the “spicy” amendment, generating a lot of discussion, because it would add eight areas as Neighborhood Centers, enabling denser housing among other things. One of those would be in Alki; the other seven were elsewhere in the city. The amendment was defeated, with everyone voting no except for Rinck. But she said it may be brought back again in the future, after additional study following the current process. For now, though, the Comprehensive Plan Update will NOT include an Alki Neighborhood Center. (We had details of the now-failed proposal in this September 2 report.)
AMENDMENT 35: This was one of three amendments from District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka, changing the Endolyne Neighborhood Center’s name to Fauntleroy, and reducing its size a bit. It passed.
AMENDMENT 36: This was Councilmember Saka’s second of three amendments, adding some area to the High Point Neighborhood Center including the HP Library’s site. It passed.
AMENDMENT 37: This was Saka’s third Neighborhood Center amendment, reducing the size of the Morgan Junction Urban Center. It passed.
Another Saka amendment requiring more pedestrian improvements in new Neighborhood Centers, Amendment 53, passed. And one other transportation amendment of note, Councilmember Rinck’s Amendment 7 to “end parking mandates” – did not pass; Council President Sara Nelson said it was worth more discussion than just an amendment to a larger plan would get.
The council is currently in recess, after finishing work on the first overall bill to which all these amendments and others were made, and will reconvene at 12:30, with a lunch break set at 1 pm and resumption of work at 2 pm.
Looking for ork? Elle Loeppky with Friends of West Seattle Elementary tells WSB that their school is one of several on the peninsula with an urgent need for crossing guards:
West Seattle Elementary is in need of two crossing guards this year, and several other neighborhood schools also have vacant posts (see map and screenshot below — red darts mark openings). (Help spread the word) so these important roles can be filled and all students can walk or bike to school safely.
The job is part-time — just during school arrival and dismissal — and could be a great fit for a retiree, a college student, or a stay-at-home parent with older kids.
Crossing Guard Recruitment:
Pay: $20.76/hour
Requirements: Age 18+, high school diploma/GED (or equivalent experience), background check. Training provided by the district.
Schedule: Part-time, during school arrival and dismissal
Role: Safely assist students crossing streets and intersections in all kinds of weatherSee our map of open crossing guard posts to find opportunities in your neighborhood. See our map of open crossing guard posts to find opportunities in your neighborhood.
Questions? Apply here or contact SPS Field Staff Supervisor Stacy Roberts at sdroberts@seattleschools.org or call 206-252-0908.
UPDATE: The missing man has been found and the alert has been canceled.
Earlier:
(Traffic cam in the heart of The Junction)
Here’s what is happening today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where. you’ll find even more):
CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS REZONING/GROWTH PROPOSALS: The daylong meeting with major votes is under way now, with the first session having started at 9:30 am, and the second session at 2 pm. Watch live via Seattle Channel.
J.CREW FACTORY OPENING DAY: Today’s the day the new store in Westwood Village planned to open, 10 am. (2600 SW Barton)
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Explore options for your fall gardening! The center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
TODDLER STORY TIME: 10:30 am at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), free.
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30 am at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), free.
MIDDAY JAZZ: Alki UCC starts a midday concert series with Susan Pascal playing jazz at noon. (6115 SW Hinds)
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome at this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to see where they’re playing today.
DROP-IN CHESS: High Point Library‘s weekly event is back today, 4-5:30 pm for players under 18. (3411 SW Raymond)
DOG SWIM TIME AT ARBOR HEIGHTS POOL: The annual “Dog Days of Summer” are back this week! Arbor Heights Swim and Tennis Club (11003 31st SW) opens its pool for dogs-only swimming, right before it’s drained for the offseason cleaning. 4-7 pm daily through Friday this week plus noon-5 pm on Saturday. $5/session per dog. (Here’s our story from day 1.)
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of two regular Thursday night events here – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Five Hooks Seafood.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Another regular Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
VISCON CELLARS: This West Seattle winery’s friendly tasting room/wine bar is open Thursdays, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor). Stop in for wine by the glass or bottle!
RAT CITY ART AND FOOD WALK: From South Delridge southward, local businesses are hosting dozens of venues and artists tonight, 5 to 8 pm – see the map/list on our partner site White Center Now.
DUSTY 45s FT. SPECIAL GUESTS: Another attraction in White Center tonight: Free live music 6-9 pm at Tim’s Tavern (16th/98th, White Center) with The Dusty 45s featuring Tripp Rezac and The Champagne Cowboys.
WESTIES RUN CLUB ORCA HALF SHAKEOUT: 6 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), the Westies Run Club‘s Thursday night community run is the official “shakeout run” for this weekend’s Orca Half.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Prefer to walk? Meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.
SKUNK WORKS ROBOTICS OPEN HOUSE: 6:15 pm but you need to RSVP ASAP to get location directions and other info, as previewed here.
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: From safety issues to community-event plans, lots to talk about at tonight’s in-person-only 7 pm meeting at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds).
ADMIRAL PUB TRIVIA: Free to play; win prizes! 7 pm. (2306 California SW)
DJ NIGHT: Extended-weekend spinning starts tonight at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Marvelette, 8 pm.
Are you planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Photos courtesy Invest in Youth)
Local educational nonprofit Invest in Youth tells us that some of their best tutors come through WSB, so they’re again asking us to help with recruitment. If you can help, here’s how!
Are you interested in giving back to our community, narrowing achievement gaps for neighborhood students and promoting educational equity right here in West Seattle? Invest in Youth offers a unique opportunity to connect one-on-one with a local student for the entire school year beginning in October.
Tutors meet one day a week with the same student in the classroom with other student-tutor pairs, and work on math and reading fundamentals, all while serving as a mentor to foster lifelong academic success.
No experience is necessary; just a commitment to show up for one hour, one day a week. Tutoring starts in early October and launches with a training session to familiarize tutors on how to make the most of each tutoring session.
Roxhill Elementary at E.C. Hughes, Tuesdays 2:40 – 3:40 pm
Sanislo Elementary, Mondays 2:40 – 3:40 pmIn addition to these West Seattle Schools, Invest in Youth also serves Beacon Hill International School (Tuesdays from 3:40 – 4:40 pm) and Thurgood Marshall Elementary in the Judkins Park neighborhood (Thursdays from 2:40 – 3:40 pm).
Visit our website for more information or complete our tutor application to reserve your spot to begin tutoring this fall.
6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, September 18, 2025 – fall officially arrives in four days.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Partly sunny and in the upper 60s today. Sunrise will be at 6:51 am; sunset will be at 7:14 pm.
ROAD WORK
–59th SW in Alki is closed for a month by the school-construction zone.
-“Natural drainage” construction toward the east end of Sylvan Way has just begun.
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – On regular schedule and routes today.
Washington State Ferries – WSF has three-boat service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas, M/V Issaquah, and M/V Sealth. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where.
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; summer/early fall schedule, with later runs on Friday and Saturday nights through October 10.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the view looking west. Also note, opening info is again 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!
Seattle City Light says it’s working on plans to tamper-proof the West Seattle bridges’ electrical system, after the latest round of dark lights on both the high and low bridges, blamed on theft and tampering. City Light provided an update late today on the latest trouble. And spokesperson Jenn Strang says it’s not just lights:
We estimate approximately 71 streetlights of the more than 200 lights on the high-rise sections of the [high bridge] and approximately 15 streetlights on the [low] bridge east approach are affected. When crews investigated, they found that there were additional components including a streetlight cabinet and handholes that required repair.
Strang says crews first noticed the low-bridge lights out in early August. After research and mapping, they’re trying to restore the lighting, she added, but: “Because the damage is so extensive, we are discovering additional issues as we work to assess and fix. Further work is needed to make additional repairs and ensure the future tamper proofing of the system. This will likely include civil work and permitting to move forward.”
Some of the tamperproofing is fairly simple: “Temporary ecology block(s) are proposed to be placed in front of the electrical cabinet on the north side of S Spokane St to prevent entry and unauthorized tampering.” After that, it gets more complicated, both in terms of more complicated work, and figuring out how to deal with locations where criminals have plenty of privacy: “We have been actively securing our facilities wherever possible. However, certain areas continue to experience higher levels of streetlight wire theft and vandalism, particularly locations with lower public traffic where perpetrators have greater seclusion. As we discover these vulnerabilities, we’re adapting and developing preventative solutions.”
The utility also is trying to step up its game in getting a sense of how serious the wire theft problem is; Strang says SCL has “recently established an internal process to help us to better track when wire theft is the cause.”
Meantime, if you see suspicious activity near poles or other electrical installations, call 911. Strang suggests four ways to know if they are City Light employees:
-City Light employees will always be wearing hardhats and vests or jackets with the City Light logo.
-If asked, they will show their ID badges.
-They drive City Light vehicles, often the large yellow trucks.
-Line crews always work in teams. One exception is that an engineer may inspect a site alone, but only during regular business hours.
City Light has been dealing with bridge-light trouble for more than a decade, our archives indicate, including under-the-bridge light trouble blamed on thieves (here’s our 2020 report on that).
8:37 PM: Police and Fire are on the scene of a crash at 39th SW/SW Barton in Upper Fauntleroy [map] and have just told dispatch that Barton is completely blocked. The initial report was that a driver crashed into parked cars.
(Added: Reader photo)
8:39 PM: The driver was initially described as a man around 60 years old, and they’re now saying this was a “medically related collision.”
8:43 PM: Police say eastbound traffic on Barton has resumed but “westbound’s going to be blocked for a while.”
Quick recap of what happened when City Councilmembers met today to start voting on updates to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, particularly rezoning: They passed both “consent packages” of amendments, but they didn’t include any of the most-discussed amendments, such as the one rezoning part of Alki and other non-West Seattle areas as Neighborhood Centers with denser housing and businesses, and the ones changing the boundaries proposed for potential Neighborhood Centers including Endolyne/Fauntleroy and High Point, as well as the boundaries for the Morgan Junction Urban Center. Those are all likely to be discussed and voted on during the council’s meeting – again as the Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan – starting at 9:30 am tomorrow, with an afternoon session scheduled at 2 pm. As promised, today’s meeting included an hour of spoken comment, much of which advocated for tree-related amendments, but tomorrow’s meeting does not include spoken comment, so if you have any final words for councilmembers before they vote, email them. Documents for tomorrow’s meeting are all linked from the agenda.
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