West Seattle, Washington
21 Wednesday
(Dogwood tree, photographed in Fauntleroy by Phil Sweetland)
Here’s our list of what’s happening around West Seattle in the hours ahead, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar (where you’ll find even more – THANK YOU to everyone who sends events for us to share!). PLEASE NOTE: Since we’re still experiencing some technical instability today, we’re trying to include source links where possible so you don’t get hung up waiting for our server:
FREE INDOOR PLAY SPACE: 9 am-noon at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd SW and SW Juneau).
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: 10 am-3 pm, plant sales featuring and supporting students’ work. North end of SSC campus (6000 16th SW).
TODDLER STORY TIME: 10:30 am at Southwest Library (9030 35th SW).
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 be there to listen!)
NEW BEGINNER CLOGGING CLASS: Learn to clog! Join the class today, 1:30-2:30 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds).
WEST SEATTLE SOCIAL HOUR: Want to meet people – in person? Camp West (4539 California SW) is hosting a weekly “social hour” where you can drop in (21+) and do that! 4 pm.
DROP-IN CHESS: The regular High Point Library Thursday event is happening today – people under 18 can drop in 4-5:30 pm to play. (3411 SW Raymond)
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of two Thursday night events at HPCS – this week and every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) hosts a food truck. Tonight it’s Asian Crazy.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Another regular Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS: In girls’ soccer, Chief Sealth IHS hosts Nathan Hale, 4:30 pm at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) …In volleyball, the undefeated CSIHS team hosts Ingraham in the Chief Sealth gym, 7 pm (2600 SW Thistle).
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.
NEEDLE DROP AT THE SKYLARK: Monthly “community listening party,” 5-11 pm, sign up for a spot to play the album you bring to share! (3803 Delridge Way SW)
READY FOR A TSUNAMI? This rescheduled presentation at Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW), 6 pm, has what you need to know.
LEONARD COHEN’S ZEN LIFE: 6 pm presentation at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
POSTCARDING PARTY: 6-8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW), gathering to fill out postcards to encourage recipients to vote.
TALKING ABOUT REPARATIONS: Discussion series continues, presented by Admiral Church, held online via Zoom, 6 pm, info in our calendar listing.
POKEMON LEAGUE: 6 pm Thursdays at Fourth Emerald Games (4517 California SW, upstairs) – BYO console.
WESTIES RUN CLUB: 6 pm community run, starting from Good Society (California SW and SW Lander).
DUSTY THURSDAYS AT TIM’S: 6-9 pm, The Dusty 45s ft. Look Sharp Aim True, all ages, no cover, donations accepted for the musicians. (16th SW and SW 98th, White Center)
FREE CONCERT AT ALKI UCC: 7 pm, live jazz with The Susan Pascal Trio at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds).
(added) WEST SEATTLE BOOK CLUB: BYOB(ook) and read! 7 pm, various venues, listed here.
TRIVIA AT ADMIRAL PUB: 7 pm trivia at Admiral Pub. (2306 California SW)
‘THE CHINESE LADY’ AT ARTSWEST: 7:30 pm, third week begins for “The Chinese Lady” at ArtsWest (4711 California SW) – info including ticket link is in our calendar listing.
DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: 8 pm start. (Behind 4547 California SW)
KARAOKE AT THE PUB: 9 pm to close at Max’s Triangle Pub, your chance to sing! (9454 Delridge Way SW)
Working on an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily highlight list? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Family and friends will gather October 10 to remember Nancy Barker, and are sharing this remembrance with her community:
Nancy Lee Barker passed away on August 4, 2026, at the age of 84 in Seattle. She was born on February 23, 1942, in Denver, Colorado, to Malcolm and Margaret (Walker) Barker.
As a child, Nancy lived in Japan for several years with her parents and four of her siblings while her father was stationed there. She later attended Fort Lupton High School in Colorado, where she was a cheerleader. During high school, she lived with a neighboring family as a companion and caregiver for their daughter, who was paraplegic.
After graduating, Nancy moved to West Seattle at the invitation of her sister. Determined to find work, she went door to door in downtown Seattle asking for a job and was hired as a telephone operator at Pacific Northwest Bell. Over the course of her career, Nancy became a trainer and mentor, developing deep, lifelong friendships with many of the women she worked with. She continued working for Bell as a communications specialist until her retirement.
While working for the phone company, Nancy met and later married Walter “Walt” Sharp. Together, they purchased a small bungalow overlooking Puget Sound on the west side of West Seattle. They later expanded the property, building a beautiful, light-filled home above the original bungalow, which Nancy eventually used as a rental unit.
In 1978, Nancy and Walt welcomed their son, Keegan. He was Nancy’s whole world. Her fond memories of Japan remained with her throughout her life, and after Keegan grew up and moved away from home, Nancy hosted many Japanese exchange students, welcoming them into her home and her life.
Nancy was known for her great sense of style and regularly received compliments from friends and strangers alike. She closely followed politics and world news, hoping and praying for peace. She cared deeply about her family, especially her son Keegan, as well as Fauntleroy Church, her many friends, and her cats.
A three-time cancer survivor, Nancy never let illness keep her from enjoying the activities she loved, including gardening, hiking, walking, swimming, cooking, and hosting beautiful holiday parties. She enjoyed movies, music, and art of all kinds and enjoyed watching Real Time with Bill Maher. For many years, she participated in the Jingle Bell Run with friends and volunteered with NAMI. She also sang in the Fauntleroy Church choir for more than 18 years and was an active member of three fellowship groups: Sisters, Sojourners, and Solo Seniors.
Nancy is survived by her siblings Patricia Deatrich, Malcolm (Butch) Barker, Sherry Schmidt, and Barbara Loomis, many nieces and nephews, as well as her dear friends Sara and Sarah and their children, whom she regarded as family.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Malcolm and Margaret Barker; her siblings, Lawrence (Larry) Barker and JoAnn Windholz; and her beloved son, Keegan Sharp.
A memorial service will be held on October 10, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Fauntleroy Church, United Church of Christ, followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lifelong.org in loving memory of her brother Larry, or to the Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research in honor of Nancy.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
6:03 AM: Good morning and welcome to October.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
Partly sunny, high in the mid-60s. Sunrise will be at 7:08 am today, while sunset will be at 6:48 pm.
ROAD WORK
The second phase of SW 106th repaving in Arbor Heights is scheduled to conclude today – between 35th SW and 39th SW.
TRANSIT TODAY
Washington State Ferries – The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route is on the three-boat schedule (until next Monday, October 5, when it goes to two boats for a month). Check the alert page for last-minute changes.
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule today – any reroute/stop advisories will be here.
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular summer schedule, with later night runs Fridays and Saturdays through October 9th, one week from tomorrow.
BRIDGE TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Here are four bridge views from the SDOT map:
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view:
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!
Two weeks ago, we brought you first word of the Alki Community Council‘s crowdfunding campaign to fix the Alki Statue of Liberty‘s cracking pedestal. Tonight, ACC president Charlotte Starck tells us you’ve helped them achieve the goal:
On behalf of the Alki Community Council, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to our neighbors, ACC members, and West Seattle Blog readers who supported Alki’s Statue of Liberty repair campaign. In just one week, we reached our $5,000 goal! We simply could not have done it without you.
The response has been so encouraging that we’ll keep the fund open through the end of 2026, America’s 250th birthday year, to help replenish the statue’s diminishing annual maintenance fund. The responsibility for raising the funds to maintain this landmark rests entirely with citizens. We’ll keep the growing total transparent on our website, and transfer added donations to Seattle Parks and Recreation for management at year-end.
Our little Alki Statue of Liberty stands as a symbol of freedom and the liberties we value. As we plan repairs to begin in the spring, we as a neighborhood group of all volunteers want to thank donors for helping preserve it for generations to come.
Charlotte Starck
President, Alki Community Council
(Don Armeni file photo from seattle.gov)
As noted here three-plus weeks ago, Labor Day was not the end of earlier-for-summer closing time at Alki Beach and Don Armeni Boat Ramp. Tonight, however, is, as we first reported in March. Both park areas close at 10:30 pm one last time tonight; starting tomorrow, Alki’s closing time will be 11:30 pm, while Don Armeni is supposed to revert to 24-hour operation.
(WSB photo, west side of California south of Alaska, Tuesday afternoon)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Two months after we first reported that SDOT had launched a new review of whether to charge for street parking in West Seattle’s main district, the recommendation is in and it’s different from the last two:
This time, the city is recommending paid street parking in The Junction, and a bit beyond. This map shows exactly where:
The recommendation is going public right now, with a briefing for area businesspeople. We talked in advance with SDOT reps working on the project as part of the department’s Community Access and Parking Program.
They say the review has been under way since “early this year”; they decided to “revisit The Junction” to see how “10 years of development” had affected the parking situation: “The world has changd a lot since we last studied parking.” That includes more people visiting The Junction during the day, as the increase in people working from home meant more people with flexibility to do some local shopping or dining during the day. Pickups for food delivery also have affected curbspace usage.
They looked at the parking situation on a Thursday and Saturday in late April, between 8 am and 8 pm both days, and found that “parking was very full – above 85 percent.” On the same days, they did an “intercept survey … roaming around The Junction talking to folks,” speaking with more than 500 people. In July, they announced that the city was considering paid street parking and other changes, and released reports about what they’d found, That kicked off a feedback period including multiple versions of an online survey as well as conversations with dozens of local businesspeople. We reported results of that survey earlier this month.
“This project is rooted in a lot of data,” SDOT reps say. They also note that they heard a lot about the need for “pedestrian improvements” so some are part of the recommendations. Details on those are below, but first, more about the paid parking recommendation.
As shown on the map, here’s where you would be charged, Mondays through Saturdays, 8 am to 8 pm (except for citywide “parking holidays”):
*California SW between SW Dakota and SW Edmunds
*44th SW between SW Oregon and SW Edmunds
*42nd SW between SW Oregon and SW Edmunds
*On SW Alaska, the few free city-owned spots on the north edge of the lot behind KeyBank will become paid, possibly keeping one five-minute spot for ballot-box use
*SW Genesee between California SW and 42nd SW
*SW Oregon between 42nd SW and 44th SW
*Fauntleroy Way SW between SW Alaska and SW Edmunds
*SW Edmunds between 40th SW and Fauntleroy Way SW
A few other stretches will remain free but time-limited to 8 pm rather than the current 6 pm:
*South side of SW Genesee, 44th SW to California SW
*California between SW Erskine and SW Hudson
*40th SW and 41st SW between SW Alaska and SW Edmunds
There will be loading zones – 5-, 15-, 30-minute zones – but the locations have not yet been determined; that would be done in consultation with businesses.
SDOT says there would be pay stations that will accept cards and coins, as well as a pay-by-phone option. (Signs would be largely in the same spots as current signs.) You can choose options in 15-minute increments, up to two hours (unlike the Junction’s paid private lots). If you choose less than two hours and pay by phone, you’ll have the option to add more time by phone – but only up to two hours total. Since the rates would start at $1 per hour, that means the cheapest parking would be 25 cents, for 15 minutes in the morning. Here are the rate recommendations:
8 am to 11 am – $1/hour
11 am to 8 pm – $4/hour
Here’s how that compares to other parts of the city:
Rates are assessed periodically, SDOT says, to see if they’re working toward the desired goal of always having some spots available. After reviews, they could decide to lower, or raise, rates in 50-cent increments.
So where does the money go? “To the city’s general fund,” according to SDOT, not a specific fund. There’s no specific “revenue target.” And while they note that paid parking should make enforcement easier – parking-enforcement officers will have access to vehicles’ payment status – they also note that SPD isn’t adding any new PEOs to go with this potential paid-parking launch (they’ve been reviewing Queen Anne too and are making similar recommendations.) They also expect that paid street parking would be something of a traffic-calming improvement – “less circling” if more spots are available.
Speaking of street safety – we promised information on the “pedestrian improvements” that would be part of this plan. Nothing dramatic at this point, SDOT says, though its surveys showed interest in changes such as wider sidewalks and more permanent outdoor dining. Here’s what they do plan to do, or are considering, mostly on SW Oregon:
We learned while writing this story that one planned “pedestrian improvement” – a “hardened center line” adjacent to crosswalks at California/Oregon – is being installed today:
(Photo courtesy Chris Mackay, WSJA)
Here’s the full PDF from which the pages above are taken.
So now that the recommendations are out, what next? SDOT is accepting comments here. They’re also planning to table in front of the Junction QFC (42nd SW and SW Alaska) next Tuesday (October 6), between 10 am and 2 pm. Whatever the final decision is, it would take effect early next year.
(WSB photo, March 2025)
A local law firm has announced that it’s just filed a $30 million claim against the city on behalf of the family of the man shot and killed by police outside the Southwest Precinct a year and a half ago. Attorneys Mark Lindquist and Angus Lee allege in their news release that “Seattle police officers were negligent, used excessive force, and violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, among other state and federal causes of action arising from the preventable death.” The shooting happened on March 19, 2025, after 36-year-old Andrew Seay was encountered in the parking lot on the west side of the precinct. His wife had called 911 earlier to say he was in the area of The Home Depot next door and in crisis. According to the law firm’s summary, officers tried to get him to leave the lot, and he “would follow directions, and then turn and meander. … While meandering, Mr. Seay pulled out a folding pocketknife. He moved toward officers, then stepped back and away. Officers told him to drop the knife. Mr. Seay appeared confused, turned and moved around a patrol car. He continued to meander for more than a minute. A supervisor directed an officer to deploy (a “less lethal” device).” The law firm says that happened just seven seconds later, and while Mr. Seay moved away from that device, he moved toward the officer who subsequently fired his gun four times – the only officer to shoot – an officer who they say was 35 feet away, outside the “21-foot reaction-distance benchmark.” Attorney Lindquist is quoted as saying, “Mr. Seay’s death could have been prevented if officers had used a Taser, or used the less lethal launcher without delay, or followed Seattle’s own polices on de-escalation.” The news release also notes, “The King County Prosecutor declined to file charges, but the standards in a criminal case are far different than a civil action. ” What’s just been filed (see the document here) is not a lawsuit, but a potential step toward one – the city has two months to consider it, and if they deny the claim, a lawsuit could be filed.
Thanks to Kevin Stock for the photo. That’s the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), seen off West Seattle this morning as it headed out again, three weeks after it was last seen inbound, heading back to Bremerton.
Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to message and call us to let us know you’ve had trouble getting to our website. Please forgive us – we’ve been working since last night to deal with major technical trouble that’s defied our tech team’s attempts to remedy it, ultimately requiring some major emergency work. Our commitment for 19 years has been to provide 24/7 service and we apologize for the interruption in that. We are hopeful things are somewhat stabilizing now (though periodic problems might yet arise), so we’re working to catch up; please note for possible future reference that if need be in an extended outage, we would publish West Seattle stories on our small side site, whitecenternow.com, which runs on a different setup. Thanks again for your understanding, and if you have any questions (or news tips!) we are always at 206-293-6302, text or voice, 24/7.
– Tracy Record (editor/publisher)
The entire staff of the home of West Seattle history – the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s executive director Elizabeth Rudrud and program coordinator Oli Castañon Villa – visited Mechanics Bank in The Junction (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) this afternoon to accept a gift – a $5,000 grant from Mechanics. Vice president and branch manager Bob Livingston said it’s in honor of the SWSHS new Log House Museum exhibit “Beyond Alki” as well as the celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary. The museum at 3003 61st SW is open to the public noon-4 pm Thursdays and Fridays, 10 am-4 pm Saturdays. (Oli and Elizabeth are L-R in our photo’s center; Bob and banker Andrew Tento are flanking them.)
(Photo courtesy CraftLab Seattle)
Back in May, we told you about CraftLab Seattle‘s plan to open a studio on the north edge of The Junction, at 4411 California SW, more than four years after it was founded in a West Seattle home, with classes, workshops, and events around the city. At the time of our story, they hoped to open in mid-September. They’ve now set the date, and they’re not far behind that – this Saturday, October 3, they’re opening with a free community open house, 11 am to 5 pm, including a ribboncutting at noon. They’re offering studio tours, free crafting, and snacks. CraftLab Seattle founder Laura Duris says that “sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at CraftLab” – with projects featuring “upcycled, donated, and thrifted materials from our own community — giving fabric scraps, jars, tiles, paper, and other everyday items a second life as art.” All are welcome at Saturday’s open house, free to attend, but they’re requesting registration here.
Thanks for the tip. A two-car collision is blocking NB lanes at Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th. No injuries reported, according to the police dispatch, but traffic might be a bit snarled for a while.
If you have art to display, you’re in! Dropoffs start tomorrow for the Southwest Artist Showcase at Southwest Library – here’s what it’s all about:
The Southwest Artist Showcase is back for our 34th year in the neighborhood! From October 4 – November 1, this free, month-long event features artists from all over west and southwest Seattle, including White Center.
We welcome submissions from people of all ages and experience levels for our non-juried, non-profit showcase. Submit up to 3 pieces of art between tomorrow, Wednesday, September 30 – Friday, October 2 at the Southwest Branch during our open hours. You may have another person drop off art on your behalf. If you have an easel or display structure that you’d like us to use to display your work, please bring them along with your art.
The opening reception for the showcase will take place on Sunday, October 4 from 11 am – 12:30 pm! Please join the artists and community members for light refreshments and a first look at the art :)
Please note: we strive to display all submitted works, as space allows. Some works may not be included if their size or construction prevents their effective display in the library. Library staff will determine the placement and display of each piece, and artwork will not be moved once it has been placed.
For more information about the Southwest Artist Showcase, please visit spl.org/southwestartistshowcase or call the branch at 206-684-7455.
Southwest Library is at 9010 35th SW.
2:23 PM: We didn’t feel it but you might have – a reader tipped us to what was a 4.3 magnitude earthquake located 11 miles south/southwest of Bremerton, at 2:05 pm. See the map here.
4:58 PM: As you’ll see if you follow the map link, the magnitude has been revised oownward a bit, to 4.2.
We recently reported news of two West Seattle High School cross country athletes setting school records. The program is growing and hoping for some community help. From Circa (WSB sponsor) co-proprietor Gretchen Evans:
Circa has launched a fundraiser matching the first donated $1,000 for the WSHS cross country team. Coach Shelley Neal has grown the team from 7 to 120 boys and girls over the last 15 years. They’ve gone to state with an entire team and podiumed at their first invite last week. The best part is ANYONE can join. It only requires dedication and running your heart out. However, the costs are exorbitant. Coach Shelley buys shoes from her own pocket every year and tries to fundraise from families with the little bit of free time she has. We want to take this off her plate with a goal of at least $4,000 total.
Links for Circa’s matching fundraiser and other ways to donate can be found here.
Sorry this is late – we’re having technical trouble right now – doing our best to conquer it but in the meantime it’s slow going; please accept our apologies. So, here are highlights for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
FREE INDOOR PLAYSPACE: West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (4201 SW Juneau) welcomes little ones and their caregivers, 9 am-noon Tuesdays and Thursdays, free.
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.
CLEANUP: A Cleaner Alki and Puget Soundkeeper are teaming up to clean up the fishing bridge and bike lane at 3491 11th SW, 11 am-1 pm, help welcome!
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon lunch meeting at West Seattle Golf Course (4470 35th SW) – today’s featured speaker is Yuvika Tolani, Artistic Director of Union Arts Center (following the merger of ACT Theater and Seattle Shakespeare Company). .
CHESS CLUB: All levels! 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
OTHER EVENTS AT THE CENTER: Dozens every week! Go here for the full Center for Active Living calendar.
DROP-IN HOMEWORK HELP: 4-5:30 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).
DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-7 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $15 fee, $5 off with bottle purchases. Tonight’s spotlight is on the wines of Georgia.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
HOW TO GET RAINWISE: 6 pm, webinar offering info on the program that could get a raingarden and/or cistern into your yard.
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.
SING WITH THE BOEING EMPLOYEES CHOIR … even if you’re not a Boeing employee! Open rehearsals continue tonight, 6:30 pm, at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW), and our calendar listing explains how to RSVP.
TIM’S OPEN MIC: 6:30 pm signups, 7 pm music – weekly open mic hosted by Levi Said at Tim’s (16th SW and SW 98th) in White Center.
ALBUM-LISTENING AT REVELRY ROOM: 7 pm start for Past, Present, Elsewhere at Revelry Room (4547 California SW).
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: Weekly lessons at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), 7 pm – lots of info in our ongoing calendar listing.
WOMEN’S MEDITATION CIRCLE: Weekly small-group meditation at Mama Be Well Healing Studio (4034-A California SW), 7 pm. Our calendar listing has info on registering before you go.
BINGO! Play free weekly Belle of the Balls Bingo at The Skylark, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
SING WITH THE METS: The Seattle Metropolitan Singers rehearse in West Seattle, and they welcome new singers too. 7 pm – get the location by email (info in our calendar listing).
TRIVIA X 4: Four Tuesday trivia venues – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW), Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 pm and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free, hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia … 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink … 7 pm at Admiral Pub, free to play, prizes. (2306 California SW).
KARAOKE AT POGGIE TAVERN: 9 pm until 1:30 am, sing at The Poggie! (4717 California SW)
Organizing an event, fundraiser, class, performance, gathering, etc.? Tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
A year and a half ago, we reported on the “slow merger” of two West Seattle Catholic churches into one “parish family” as part of a regional consolidation. As that continues, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Holy Rosary have Mass schedule changes starting this weekend, and asked us to share the news:
This weekend, October 3rd and 4th we will begin our new mass schedule across the West Seattle parish family. As a reminder, our new mass times are as follows: Saturday, 5 pm at Holy Rosary, Sunday 8:30 am at Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sunday 10 am at Holy Rosary, and Sunday 11:30 at Our Lady of Guadalupe. We look forward to seeing you as we gather as a community in these new times!
6:02 AM: Good morning. We’ve arrived at Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
Rainy, breezy, high in the low 60s. Sunrise will be at 7:05 am today, while sunset will be at 6:52 pm.
ROAD WORK
The second phase of SW 106th repaving in Arbor Heights is scheduled to continue, though the weather might change that – details here.
BACK TO SCHOOL
(Photo sent by Margaret)
One more reminder that fall quarter has begun at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), so 16th SW is busier.
TRANSIT TODAY
Washington State Ferries – The Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route is on the three-boat schedule (until next Monday, October 5, when it goes to two boats for a month). Check the alert page for last-minute changes.
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule today – any reroute/stop advisories will be here.
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular summer schedule, with later night runs Fridays and Saturdays through October 9th.
BRIDGE TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Here are four bridge views from the SDOT map:
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view:
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!
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Dozens of landlords are telling the same story: They’ve been ghosted and unpaid by West Seattle-based property management company Dwellings Seattle, Inc. in recent months, struggling with the ensuing legal and financial mess, while most live out of state or even out of the country. They have banded together online, filing complaints that are spurring investigations by Seattle Police and other agencies into the principals of the firm that owners say has withheld more than $1 million from them.
By nearly all accounts, Dwellings Seattle Real Estate & Property Management had a stellar reputation for much of the last 10 years, with 5-star reviews and referrals from top real estate agents and word-of-mouth. Looking at online reviews, tenants didn’t always have nice things to say, but complaints from property owners didn’t snowball until 2026. Now the firm’s state real estate license is canceled, its designated broker has left, the balance of its client trust account is unknown, and the company has gone dark. A steady stream of tips from readers alerted WSB to the unfolding situation in recent weeks, some in an effort to recover their own money and others to inform remaining Dwellings tenants and owners, as well as the larger community.
From an office at 3806 California Ave. SW and a website (now essentially nonfunctioning, except for the “pay rent” icon) clients say, Dwellings’ owner and CEO Roland Gonzalez marketed the company as a specialist in higher-end rentals, coaching clients to make improvements that Dwellings in many cases would manage, markup, and charge back to property owners. “We actually put a ton of work into our house through working with Roland, like $80,000,” says Katie Drake. She and her husband own a 3-bedroom home in Seaview built in 1910. “Everything honestly went great. We had absolutely no complaints working with Roland. They really delivered what he promised us in terms of rent. Our money was just coming in like clockwork.” She says everything was fine, until it definitely wasn’t.
You’ve probably heard about the recent passing of former Seattle City Councilmember Dolores Sibonga, 95.
The Seattle Times published a story today looking back at Ms. Sibonga’s storied life as a history-making Filipino-American leader and advocate. Northwest Asian Weekly published this story about her earlier this month.
But what they didn’t mention is that she was also a former West Seattleite. (Thanks to West Seattle historian/journalist Clay Eals for pointing this out!)
Back when Ms. Sibonga served on the City Council, all seats were at-large. She was elected in 1979, to a seat vacated the previous year by West Seattleite Phyllis Lamphere. At the time, Ms. Sibonga lived on Beacon Hill. In 1984, she and her husband Martin moved to the peninsula.
While serving the entire city, Ms. Sibonga is said to have embraced her role as the lone West Seattleite on the council. Eals notes that this included assisting with the historic-landmark designation process that saved the Admiral Theater – you’ll see her at 6:35 in his video of theater supporters’ participation in the West Seattle Grand Parade in 1989:
Eals notes that “in early 1989, she contributed $10,000 from her councilmember fund to pay for Flo Lentz’ preparation of the nomination of the Admiral, which the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board designated a landmark the same month of the parade.”
He had visited her in August at the hospice where she died (that’s when the photo shown above was taken). Earlier this year, she published a memoir, “The Best Adobo in Town.” Plans for a celebration of her life are still pending.
SDOT tells WSB its crews did what they set out to do during this past weekend’s West Seattle low-bridge closure – replace a gate – but there’s more to be done, according to spokesperson Mariam Ali:
Crews finished the planned work around 7 p.m. Sunday. We have more closures planned as we continue work on the center and eastern tail lock. We hope to finish the planned closures by the end of the year and will share more information as dates are scheduled.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports with video today:
WOULD-BE BURGLAR: Sent by Serene in Arbor Heights:
I wanted to share that we had an attempted break-in last night. The man here broke out our back window before we caught on to his activity. We are on the 4200 block of 42nd in Arbor Heights.
CAR THEFT: Sent by Reid:
My daughter’s Volvo V60 was stolen from our driveway right after she got home last night. 2015 silver Volvo V60. 37th Ave SW was apparently hit pretty hard last night with robberies! This was (in the 4700 block). AYK5081 is the license plate, and police report 26-289160.
(We looked at the SPD map and saw one other 37th SW mention, a burglary report in the 4600 block.)
(WSB photos)
As the first Starbird Chicken in this state, the new West Seattle location (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW) opened this morning with plenty of pomp, and a line for freebies. We counted ~80 people in line just before the doors opened at 11 am, with a promise of free food for the first 200. Rachel Porter of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce emceed multiple iterations of the ceremonial ribboncutting:
The actual cutting was done by executives of the Mehta Investment Group, which owns this location and more than a dozen others to come (Capitol Hill among them), Vin Mehta and Rohit Mehta, with special guests including India‘s Consul General for Seattle, Prakash Gupta:
We have already shown you the interior – and the menu – so we didn’t go inside again today. Two of the selling points mentioned in the ribboncutting ceremony: Their chicken gluten-free, and they’re open later than many eateries (11 pm).
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