West Seattle, Washington
22 Wednesday
5:56 PM: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson says the King County Regional Homelessness Agency can’t account for $13 million in “public funds,” according to a review of the agency commissioned by the city and county before she took office, Here’s her statement:
The City and County launched a forensic evaluation into the KCRHA in August 2025 in response to ongoing operational and financial issues at the agency, including leadership turnover, delayed payments, State Auditor findings, unverified accounting of cash advances, persistent cash flow challenges, and overspending on administrative resources.
The City of Seattle has received the results of a forensic investigation covering the period from the agency’s inception through July 2025 which identifies serious failures of KCRHA’s internal controls, fiscal management and accountability. The investigation found that the agency is unable to account for $13 million in public funds, and the City will be pursuing immediate corrective action.
“Addressing homelessness is my highest priority, and I have serious concerns about KCRHA’s management of city funds,” said Mayor Katie B. Wilson. “We need to take swift action to protect public dollars. All options are on the table.”
The agency is supposed to be handling contracts with service providers, including the $3 million contract for the planned new West Seattle tiny-house/RV-lot site Glassyard Commons. Some Seattle councilmembers are reacting with anger; Councilmember Maritza Rivera says the agency should be dismantled, while Councilmember Bob Kettle says the review surfaces “systemic issues that can no longer be ignored.” (He cites the amount of missing money as $8 million; as of this writing, the actual report by Clark Nuber P.S. hasn’t yet been released to media. We’ll link it when we get/find it.)
6:33 PM: Here’s the report, forwarded by the mayor’s office.
7:03 PM: As the cover letter, also provided by the mayor’s office, notes, KCRHA has until May 8 to provide a response, then must provide a corrective plan later in the month.
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Just south of Highland Park, Greenbridge has a place for brunch again, and for lunch and dinner, or just coffee or a cocktail. Zoco Cafe and Wine (9901 8th Ave SW) aims to be a neighborhood gathering spot that just so happens to have excellent food and a menu with local wines. “We want everyone to feel like they can come here and stay–catch up with friends and family,” says Amador Coyantes, who soft-opened the restaurant early this month with his sister and co-proprietor Silvia Camarillo and plans a grand opening starting May 1. Coyantes says he’s attended church just down the street for years, so this location just felt right.
(Server Nicole Macias with her uncle, Zoco co-owner Amador Coyantes)
The response has been far beyond what they expected. “Amazing! We didn’t do any marketing. It was a soft opening with all the neighbors around.” Camarillo’s daughter Nicole Macias says the first days serving guests made it clear how much the community needed a new restaurant after the Greenbridge Cafe closed last November after 14 years. “They’re seeing everyone, bringing their friends. It’s really welcoming. People say they’re super excited to have lunch and dinner here.”
The only thing obviously missing during the first couple of weeks of Zoco Cafe and Wine’s soft open was the wine. “We finally got the liquor license last week,” Coyantes says, and that means they are now polishing up a list of Washington state wines to feature along with their cocktail menu. That also means they’re ready to put on a grand opening celebration, scheduled for May 1st, 2nd and 3rd. “We want to bring some music, have gift cards and other surprises,” he says.
The brunch menu is a mix of traditional American and Mexican dishes, and for dinner, many American and Italian options, a natural choice given Coyantes and Camarillo’s 30 years of restaurant experience, much of it with Italian food. The options are tantalizing. For brunch, options include a Dulce de Leche french toast with a Mezcal sauce, walnuts and caramelized banana; a gluten-free Avocado toast with eggs, and a fried chicken and waffle dish. But it’s the Chilaquiles Verdes with a house-made poblano sauce that they say has some customers coming back daily to order. For dinner, there are appetizers, burgers, salads, pastas and even a ribeye steak. Coyantes says the Italian dishes in particular have been a hit. “People love the pastas. We want to keeping going in that direction,” he says. “Eventually we want to do homemade fresh pasta.”
For those who come in regularly, Zoco is offering a loyalty rewards program to earn discounts off future meals. Food can be ordered to go through Toast, Uber Eats and DoorDash. While their website is being developed, they are keeping customers up to date on Instagram. Zoco Cafe and Wine serves their brunch menu 8 am-3 pm Tuesdays-Sundays and stays open for dinner until 9 pm Thursdays-Saturdays. They are closed Mondays.
The drug-abuse problem is huge, but you can take small steps to make a difference. Here are two West Seattle events to know about:
KEEPING YOUTH SAFE: This community conversation is set for tomorrow night at Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon):
SW Seattle Youth Alliance and Westside HEY is inviting you to join us for our annual Key Leader event called Community Connections: A Dialogue in Prevention. This Thursday, April 23rd, from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm at Denny International Middle School.
We will have a panel with our key leaders from our community, will have a training on vaping and marijuana youth prevention, and have discussions around health and safety in our community. We will have light refreshments and important conversations. We hope you can join us!
SAFETY AT HOME: Keeping unneeded, unwanted, and/or expired medications around your home is also a danger to people of all ages. If you need a convenient way to get rid of them, this Saturday (April 25) brings the semiannual Drug Take-Back Day dropoff event at the Southwest Precinct community room (2300 SW Webster), 10 am-2 pm – bring them in, throw them in the provided receptacle, and move on, no questions asked.
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society is getting the word out about a major award for the environmental historian who developed part of its closing-soon exhibit about the West Duwamish Greenbelt.You can see her work even without visiting the museum. Here’s the announcement:
Lisa Meoli, Senior Environmental Historian with the environmental consulting firm Floyd|Snider, has been awarded the David Douglas Award from the Washington State Historical Society for developing the interactive StoryMap, Trails Through Time: Contamination and Restoration in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. Meoli will be presented with the award at the Washington State History Awards this Saturday, April 25.
The David Douglas Award recognizes the significant contribution of an individual or an organization through projects, exhibits, digital presentations, or programs that inform or expand appreciation of Washington State history.
Trails Through Time tells the story of contamination and restoration of the Greenbelt, a culturally rich 500-acre forest that spans the Duwamish Peninsula from Puget Ridge to Westcrest Park, through an interactive website. Meoli compiled research gathered by the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails Group, helicopter footage, geological surveys, environmental studies, interviews, photographs, on-foot videos, and additional resources to tell a new story about the Greenbelt. Visitors can explore the pre-colonial history of the lower Duwamish, view the dredging of the river in the 1890s, pinpoint locations of historic industry, identify cement kiln dust (CKD) contamination areas, and track Superfund clean-up sites.
The project was supported by the West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails Group and the Southwest Seattle Historical Society as part of the Seattle Forest: the West Duwamish Greenbelt exhibit co-curated by WDGT and SWSHS. The exhibit was installed at the Log House Museum in the fall of 2024 and will close at the end of next month. Meoli was a guest speaker for SWSHS’s Words, Writers, Southwest Stories free virtual speaker series in September 2025. You can watch her program here.
The StoryMap is viewable here and on the WDGT and SWSHS websites.
Today, the Duwamish Tribe, Ridge 2 River, West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails Group, among others, continue to advocate and caretake this forest. WDGT leads free guided hikes through the Greenbelt every third Saturday, April through November. Learn more and sign up here.
You can also find out about West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails at tonight’s HPAC meeting! And you can see the exhibit during the Log House Museum’s newly expanded hours, noon-4 pm Thursdays and Fridays, 10 am-4 pm Saturdays.
With the recent serious incidents, passersby might be wondering about the emergency response listed currently as 35th SW/West Seattle Stadium entrance. It was dispatched as a pedestrian hit by a driver. The 35-year-old man who was hit was described as not seriously injured.
(Tuesday photo by Bob Burns, before the rain)
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:
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE FUNDRAISER: 10 am-10 pm at Panda Express (Westwood Village or any other location), use WSLL fundraiser info and part of the proceeds go to the organization.
REMINDER – WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 10 am Wednesday walks start from 47th/Fontanelle (so if you didn’t see this in the calendar and missed it because of our late list today, here’s your reminder for next week, when the weather might be better anyway).
TODDLER READING TIME: 10:30 am at Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor).
FREE SHREDDING: As previewed here, today’s the day you can bring up to three boxes of shreddables to Village Green West Seattle (2615 SW Barton; WSB sponsor) and get free shredding, 1-4 pm.
PLAY AMERICAN MAH JONGG: 2-4 pm, join players at Missing Piece (4707 California SW).
MYSTERY CLUB DROP-IN: 2:30-3:30 pm at Southwest Library (9010 California SW)
ART WITH REC’N THE STREETS: 3-4:30 pm, free art activities at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW).
HIGH-SCHOOL SPORTS: If weather permits, here’s what’s on the Metro League schedule today: Two tennis matches, both at 4 pm – at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), Chief Sealth IHS teams vs. Nathan Hale, and at Lincoln Park, West Seattle HS teams vs. Seattle Prep. … Also at 4 pm at NCSWAC, West Seattle plays softball against Seattle Prep.
DROP-IN HOMEWORK HELP: 4-5:45 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
ROCK BAND GAMING AT MR. B’S MEAD CENTER: 5-10 pm, weekly event in South Delridge! (9444 Delridge Way SW)
NO FIX-IT WORKSHOP: The free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center), is canceled as WSTL prepares for its Saturday sale, but the library is open for borrowing.
WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: Discuss our city’s growth, present and future, at the weekly 6 pm meetup at Great American Diner/Bar (4752 California SW).
CRIBBAGE AT WEST SEATTLE EAGLES: 6 pm, all welcome to play, membership not required. (4426 California SW)
KUNDALINI YOGA: Do it at 6 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska). $35.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUN: Your chance to get moving at midweek – join the weekly 6:15 pm group run with West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) tonight – all welcome, all paces!
HPAC MEETING: The community coalition for Highland Park, South Delridge, and Riverview meets at 6:30 pm at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW) – see our agenda preview here.
MAD CRAFTY: Bring your project to Revelry Room (4547 California SW), 7-9 pm.
HUM-IN PROTEST: Protesting via sound vibration, 6:30-7 pm Wednesdays at Junction Plaza Park (42nd SW and SW Alaska).
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer lineup. (7902 35th SW)
MUSIC BINGO: Weekly music bingo at at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
TRIVIA x 4: Four West Seattle trivia venues – 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW), free to play, cash prizes … 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: Take the stage at 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! 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 8:45 pm, after trivia. (2306 California SW)
Planning something that’s open to community participation/observation? Please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Saturday, May 9, is this year’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day, and today (Wednesday, April 22) is the deadline for registering your sale to be on the map. After registration ends at 11 pm tonight, we won’t be able to add any more sales to the map/list (which have just hit 600 sales for the first time in WSCGSD’s history). So if you’re intending to have a sale but haven’t registered yet, please go here now! We’ll announce when the map and sale list are ready, aiming as always for one week before sale day – this year, that means map day is Saturday, May 2. Then get ready to sell (and/or shop) 9 am-3 pm Saturday, May 9! (Some sales start earlier, some end later, some plan extra days – watch for that in their up-to-20-word descriptions as provided during registration.)
8:45 AM: “Traffic is exceptionally terrible going toward the 1st Ave. bridge,” reports a texter.
8:58 AM: According to police radio, a tree has fallen across the 9800 block of 51st SW.
9:11 AM: Crash reported on East Marginal Way northbound, just north of the 1st Ave. S. Bridge.
9:30 AM: That’s cleared off the roadway.
9:46 AM: Car-on-side crash reported on Delridge offramp from westbound West Seattle Bridge. Might break this out separately when we get more info about it. Reported as a single-vehicle spinout, vehicle on its side.
10:39 AM: The scene has cleared and the ramp has reopened, police just told dispatch.
Earlier:
6:02 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Wednesday, April 22, 2026.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
Rainy, breezy, high in the upper 50s. Sunrise at 6:07 am; sunset at 8:09 pm.
MAJOR CLOSURE ALERT FOR SATURDAY
We’re continuing to remind you all week that the Cascade Bicycle Club (WSB sponsor) Emerald City Ride will keep motor-vehicle traffic off part of southbound Highway 99 and the westbound West Seattle Bridge for a few hours Saturday morning (April 25) – details here (and registration is open until Thursday).
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – Regular schedules.
West Seattle Water Taxi – Now on “summer” schedule, with extra Friday/Saturday/Sunday runs including later-night runs Fridays and Saturdays.
Washington State Ferries – Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route still on a two-boat schedule with a third, unscheduled boat. Check WSF’s alert page for last-minute changes.
STADIUM ZONE
Mariners conclude this homestand, with a day game vs. the A’s, at 1:10 pm.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge (25 mph speed limit):
Delridge cameras: In addition to the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
“Coming soon” signs are up and work is finally under way at the former Midas location at 4457 Fauntleroy Way SW, where Sherwin-Williams is planning to double its presence in West Seattle by later this year. As we first reported in January, the store has been many years in the planning process. Sherwin-Williams is the only specialty paint store in West Seattle, though some other businesses, like Home Depot and Junction Hardware, have paint departments.
The current Sherwin-Williams location, at the intersection of Sylvan Way and Delridge, opened in 2013 and has 6 employees. We’re told by staffer Todd that they sell to a mix of homeowners and contractors, and that the second location is sorely needed. “Our back room is overflowing with the volume that we do,” he said. In addition to selling paint products and supplies, their store takes a variety of old and leftover paint products for recycling, though they have a limit on what they can take. The new store will mean more space for that program too.
Todd says the Fauntleroy Way store is expected to open in the fall with a staff of 4 and be, “focused more toward individual homeowners,” though he expects it will also be the new store of choice for some West Seattle-based contractors who live in the Admiral and Alki neighborhoods. “That store is going to be a game-changer for a lot of upper West Seattle contractors.” He also said to expect some opening-celebration events in the fall.
Two days before a man died of a drug overdose at Rotary Viewpoint Park, another man was arrested for alleged drug dealing there, and has been in jail ever since. SPD’s weekend summaries, released today, included a brief mention of this arrest just after 2 pm Saturday, saying it started when officers “were conducting a premise (check) in an area known for the sale and use of illegal narcotics.” Probable-cause documents identified the area as the park at 35th/Alaska. The officer who wrote the report began by explaining that he’s usually on proactive crime-prevention detail and added: “Prior to today’s incident, I have personally been a part of numerous narcotics-related contacts and arrests in the immediate vicinity. Many within the park at the above intersection …”
He and another officer watched the park from a marked patrol car parked nearby, he wrote. They arrested the 49-year-old suspect after seeing him sit down on a bench and smoke with others from “a large device (that) later field tested presumptive positive for having fentanyl residue …” They also said they saw the suspect approached by “multiple people,” one of whom they saw “giving him a significant wad of cash” in exchange for a piece of foil that man was later seen using to smoke. The officers said they watched a few more exchanges before moving in on the suspect, who they say responded by attempting to flee; they say they later found “multiple knives” in his possession, a well as “several separate bags of what he admitted was methamphetamine” plus $94 and 2 Euro in cash and various items of “narcotics paraphernalia.” They also discovered he had a $5,000 warrant for failing to appear in a stolen-car case filed in early 2024. We haven’t looked up his full record yet but court files show the warrant was issued last June, and that he had a previous stolen-car case on his record almost a decade ago, resolved in a plea bargain.
8:31 PM: A parking-enforcement officer is reported to be one of two drivers involved in a collision currently blocking California SW and SW Graham in Morgan Junction. According to another responding officer, no one is hurt, but neither vehicle is driveable, so this might not clear quickly.
9 PM: Police just told dispatch that the street has been reopened.
Thanks for the tips. SDOT crews are about to start work on curb ramps at 45th SW and SW Charlestown. That’s not necessarily remarkable, as they’ve been working on installing those all over the city, but some wondered if the work would be accompanied by more traffic calming, given that, for example, other intersections in the area have been converted to all-way stops. We asked SDOT and they said no, the scope only involves curb ramps, along with adjacent concrete repair.
For those asking about the big police response in The Junction, near 42nd/Alaska – this was called in as a woman who had a hatchet being chased by a man. Initial reports of weapon involvement always mean a larger response, at least until things are sorted out (as was the case, for example, in an unrelated response in the Luna Park neighborhood a few hours ago, which turned out to be a person in crisis). In this case, nobody is injured, and police have just told dispatch that “both parties are being uncooperative,” so at this point it does not appear anyone will be taken into custody for any alleged crime.
A commenter wondered why Space Age at 35th/Holden – one of the cheapest and newest gas stations in West Seattle – is closed and taped off. We sent a team member over to ask; the employee he found said the problem is “technical difficulties” and they’re hoping to be able to reopen “later this week.” Space Age is an Oregon-based regional chain and as far as we know, this is their only station in Seattle (though after a year-plus, it’s still not listed on their website).
ADDED: We don’t know whether this is related, but online city files show a permit was obtained yesterday for work at the station to replace two electrical panels.
(Photo courtesy WEND Jewelry)
One of the thriving businesses in South Admiral is celebrating a milestone … five years! WEND Jewelry is having a party on Saturday (April 25) to celebrate. In the meantime, WEND founder Wendy Woldenberg says, “WEND is feeling especially grateful for this milestone. In a world where so many small businesses never make it to year five, reaching this moment feels like a real testament to the support, trust, and care of our community.” The 2-6 pm party on Saturday will include shopwide discounts, a raffle, ceramics pop-up, bites and beverages, and a maker’s station to make your own pendant. WEND adds, “Our neighbors Sebastiano’s Natural Wines and MyoSpace of Seattle will be participating as well!” WEND is at 3278 California SW.
(May 2024 photo)
We’ve been including this reminder in our weekday traffic/weather notes, but for those who don’t check them, we wanted to remind you again that because of the Emerald City Ride, the westbound West Seattle Bridge and southbound Highway 99 will be closed to motor-vehicle traffic for a few hours early Saturday (April 25). The ride starts in the stadium zone downtown, goes onto SB 99, then onto the WB bridge (EB will remain open), and around West Seattle via Alki and beyond, before heading back eastward over the low-bridge path. The full rundown of what neighborhoods along the route should know is in this official notification infosheet. (And if you’re interested in joining the ride, Cascade Bicycle Club [WSB sponsor] is still accepting registrations.)
Though the Southwest Precinct is next door, the major police response at the Delridge Home Depot this past hour was big enough to catch a reader’s attention. Here’s what we found out: It started as a shoplifting attempt, with the would-be shoplifter threatening to kill someone who tried to stop him. The police officer who responded decided to search the “wooded area” behind the store – a known encampment site – and asked for backup units. A suspect was found and taken into custody. (Thanks again for tips if/when you see notable police responses – text 206-293-6302 any time.)
Planning a sale on West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day – this year on Saturday, May 9 – but haven’t registered yet to be on the map? Don’t wait – once we close registration at 11 pm tomorrow (Wednesday, April 22) we can’t add sales. Just go here to register! As of moments ago, we’re past 520 sales, with the most-recent creative sale descriptions including “midlife refresh” and “KitchenPalooza,” plus a seller whose entire description is in Dr. Seuss-style verse. Notable items from recent signups include curtains, a pickleball net, camping space heater, raspberry freezer jam, and a 1992 Mustang (yes, most years there are a few people selling cars on WSCGSD). If you’re planning to shop on WSCGSD – a springtime tradition since 2005, coordinated by WSB since 2008 – you can look for the map and sale list announcement here on WSB starting the morning of Saturday, May 2, one week in advance, so there’s time to plan – even if you’re just looking to see whose sale is closest to where you live, so you can walk over and meet a neighbor! Get ready for a day of person-to-person recycling, 9 am-3 pm Saturday, May 9.
Thanks to Theresa Arbow-O’Connor for the sunrise photo. As the day continues, here are event notes/reminders/listings for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE PLAYSPACE AT CHURCH OF NAZARENE … reopens today, now through noon, drop in with your little one(s). (42nd SW and SW Juneau)
KALEIDOSCOPE PLAY & LEARN: Open today, 10 am through 11:30 am at The Bridge School Cooperative Elementary (10300 28th SW), just drop in!
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.
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon Tuesdays, lunch meetings at West Seattle Golf Course, today: “Ally Baehr, Executive Director of Elizabeth Gregory Home Day Shelter, will share information about transition housing and support programs for women. Elizabeth Gregory Home provides refuge for women who are experiencing homelessness, trauma, or economic insecurity.” (4470 35th SW)
(added) FIREFIGHTER STORY TIME: Just got late word – it wasn’t on the SPL calendar – that firefighters will be at Southwest Library (9030 35th SW) for story time at 1 pm!
CHESS CLUB: All levels welcome to play! 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon). Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.
OTHER EVENTS AT THE CENTER: Dozens every week! Go here for the full Center for Active Living calendar.
CITY COUNCIL: At City Hall, at 2 pm, the council holds its main weekly meeting. Today’s agenda explains how to comment and/or watch.
DROP-IN HOMEWORK HELP: Resumes this week, 4-5:45 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
HIGH-SCHOOL SPORTS: No home varsity games on the Metro League schedule for today/tonight.
DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-8 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $15 fee, $5 off with bottle purchases.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t bring your own.
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)
UNPLUGGED – A MUSICAL GATHERING: 6-8 pm gathering of acoustic singers and musicians at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), all ages, no cover.
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.
OPEN CHOIR REHEARSALS: 6:30 pm Tuesdays at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW), come sing with the Boeing Employees Choir, even if you aren’t a Boeing employee – email to RSVP.
NEW! FREE ARTS WORKSHOP: 7 pm at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), new monthly all-ages event.
WEST SEATTLE PFLAG MEETING: Now starting at 7 pm. Register here to get location info.
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: Weekly lessons continue, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), details in our 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 places you can play trivia tonight – 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, prizes. (2306 California SW).
If you are 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!
(Tibbetts UMC photo from first Drag Tea in 2023)
This Saturday (April 25) has an amazing array of West Seattle events on our calendar. Among them, the second-ever Drag Tea at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW), with tickets still available – here’s their preview:
At Tibbetts United Methodist Church, “the table” is usually a quiet and contemplative place, serving a modest meal of communion bread and juice. But on April 25, 2026, that will all change, as dozens of volunteers join forces to hang decorations, bake hundreds of treats, and meticulously place pieces of fine china.
Because on that day, Tibbetts is hosting its second Drag Tea.
According to Betsy Wharton, the church’s volunteer coordinator and a lifelong member, Tibbetts hosted a tea from 2015 to 2019 before halting operations during the COVID-19 lockdowns. As restrictions lifted, the church was looking for a way to reach beyond the regular attendees, and to host an event that would support and center the local queer community.
“We wanted to do a drag event,” Wharton said, “and we said ‘well, we know how to do a tea, so let’s do that!’”
The first Drag Tea took place in April 2023, and Wharton detailed the many logistics that went into the event, from working with a local drag queen to calculating bites-per-person to coordinating bakers and servers. To Wharton’s surprise, the event sold out quickly, with the majority of tickets going to the larger community, not just church members. After six weeks of tireless work, it all came together.
“The day itself was just magical!” Wharton said.
A church might seem like an unexpected place to host a drag event. According to Reverend Sarah Casey, the church’s pastor, Tibbetts joined the Reconciling Ministries Network in 2006, which made full queer inclusion part of the church’s official policy. However, queer inclusion did not become the larger Methodist denomination’s position until 2024. To Casey, this only makes it more important to use the church to uplift and celebrate queer people.
“We do this not because we have it all figured out … ” she said. “It is a way of making space where voices that have been silenced and pushed aside by the institutional church are centered, celebrated, and received as the gifts that they are.”
This is especially important to members like Lindsey Johnson, who wants to raise her two young children with values of “inclusivity, love, [and] connection.” The first Drag Tea carries special significance for Johnson.
“The initial phases of motherhood were very isolating,” Johnson said, whose daughter, Cecily, was born during the COVID-19 lockdown. “[Drag Tea] was the first time that Cecily ever went to church… this [was] me showing [her] what’s actually out there, not just isolation. There’s community, there’s joy, there’s laughter, there’s fun, there’s performance, there’s diversity.”
Tibbetts hopes to make Drag Tea an annual event. In the face of an epidemic of loneliness and increasing anti-queer and anti-trans legislation, Johnson, Casey, and Wharton all expressed a desire for the church building to become a more widely used community gathering space, beyond religious events.
“This space is for you,” Johnson said. “This building … regardless of where you come from or where you live or anything to do with identity or status, this is your space.”
Drag Tea will take place on Saturday, April 25th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. This event is family-friendly and features Jezebel Johnson. Tickets are pay-what-you-can and available at this link.
6:00 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
Cooler, mostly cloudy, rain likely, high near 60. Sunrise at 6:09 am; sunset at 8:07 pm.
MAJOR CLOSURE ALERT FOR SATURDAY
We’ll be reminding you all week that the Cascade Bicycle Club (WSB sponsor) Emerald City Ride will keep motor-vehicle traffic off part of southbound Highway 99 and the westbound West Seattle Bridge for a few hours Saturday morning (April 25) – details here (and registration is still open).
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – Regular schedules.
West Seattle Water Taxi – Now on “summer” schedule, with extra Friday/Saturday/Sunday runs including later-night runs Fridays and Saturdays.
Washington State Ferries – Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route still on a two-boat schedule with a third, unscheduled boat. Check WSF’s alert page for last-minute changes.
STADIUM ZONE
Mariners are playing at home, with a 6:40 pm game vs. the A’s.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge (25 mph speed limit):
Delridge cameras: In addition to the one below (Delridge/Genesee), cameras are also at Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, Delridge/Oregon, and video-only (so you have to go to the map), Delridge/Holden and Delridge/Thistle.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here (including links to live video for most); for a quick scan of West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras, see this WSB page.
See trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
It’s student diplomacy in action. This past weekend downtown, the West Seattle High School Model United Nations group participated in its fourth conference of the year, KingMUN. The head delegate of the group, WSHS sophomore Lars Norman, sent this report for us to share with you:
KingMUN stands for King County Model United Nations, and is one of four MUN conferences hosted by the student-led organization, Model United Nations Northwest. For more context, at MUN conferences, delegates are assigned to represent a specific country, organization, or individual. Delegates serve on committees with different focuses, topics, and sub-topics. Debates are held between delegates. The overarching goal of the event is for delegates to come to an agreement on resolutions. This year, the WSHSMUN delegation included 11 students: Lars Norman, Hannah Haskel, Iris Christian, Manon Coffinieres, Kat Andes, Azalea Geoghegan, Yaphet Etana, Eden O’Donnell, Josephine Mangelsen, Larssen Landers, and Francesca (Franki) Breznau Foster.
Lars tells WSB, “This was the last conference of the year, but we will be attending a conference Lakeside High School is hosting later this year. We are also excited to get started with more conferences next school year!” The group was advised for the conference by Christina Dahms.
… some of your West Seattle neighbors did!
Above is a photo sent by Chris Frankovich; below, from Wyatt:
Today’s official high was 72 degrees, and tomorrow’s forecast to be at least a dozen degrees cooler, with the possibility of rain returning.
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