West Seattle, Washington
25 Friday
(Photos courtesy Cookie Couture, who’s in the foreground above)
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Cookie Couture, founder and hostess of the longest-running drag show in West Seattle, is being bid a fond adieu this Saturday, in what will be her last show — “for a while.” What will happen to the show? Where-oh-where is Cookie Couture headed next? What about her Belle of the Balls bingo night, which she has also hosted to the delight of Skylark crowds? Will the Westside still be the Best Side without Cookie Couture on stage? We asked her to dish on all the deets.
First, she confirmed the West End Girls show will continue with hostess Fraya Love through June. The show, often billed as “A Drag Extravaganza,” has been a monthly staple at The Skylark for more than 8 years, and as Cookie Couture – a West Seattle resident – recalls, “I reached out to them on a whim … I was tired of having to go over to Capitol Hill every time I got booked for a show. At the time, not a lot of LGBTQ stuff was happening in this neck of the woods. I had no expectations of what it was going to be like.” The first show sold out and the momentum never stopped.
West End Girls will at minimum take a hiatus over the summer when Jizzuhbelle Johnson‘s Kenyon Hall Cabaret drag show will take over the Skylark stage during the months when their home stage at Kenyon Hall will be undergoing renovations. The longer-term plan is still up in the air because of the Skylark’s location in the planned path of light rail, but Cookie Couture says she’ll be doing what she can behind the scenes, “…making sure they will continue and thrive regardless of whether I’m involved.”
The Belle of the Balls Bingo night will also continue, with Kimme Kash joining a second host Tuesday nights at 7 pm. Cookie Couture hosted her final bingo night on Tuesday of this week. She recalls collaborating with the Skylark’s bartender Sara when the venue reopened after the pandemic. “We went from 2-3 people [when we started] to [this] Tuesday night, when there was nowhere to sit.”
As Cookie Couture steps away from the show she created, she is celebrating 10 years as a performer, and a drag presence that’s spanned not just her work in West Seattle, but locations citywide where she either performed or produced shows, from Pony on Capitol Hill to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” viewing parties and library story hours for kids to countless appearances for Pride events.
(Cookie and friends from the first West End Girls night in 2017)
That first West End Girls show is still one of her best memories. “The first one we did… I didn’t know what I was doing, A standard show has 5 or 6 performers, and we had 10 or 11. We all walked away with like $30.”
Since then, she’s honed her skills as a producer, and attracted a following that she hopes will continue to show up for the venue that has made it all possible. “I really want people to continue to support The Skylark during these weird uncertain times. There’s really nothing like it in West Seattle: punk rock one night, drag the next. It’s more important than ever to get queer art and things on the fringe out there. [There’s an effort] to minimize people like us and what we do. A “like” and a share online is amazing, but there’s nothing that’s more impactful than directly supporting the businesses.”
So where in the world is Cookie Couture going next? She admits her answer is purposely vague, but she dropped the hint that it does involve the aviation industry. “I’m taking my glamour all over the world in my new position,” she says, adding, very generically, “I’m taking some time off to explore some new opportunities.”
Those opportunities are likely to take her away temporarily, but after living in practically every neighborhood in Seattle, there’s no question where she’ll come back to. “West Seattle will always be home. Regardless if I’m gone for 6 months or 2 years, my heart and home will always be here in West Seattle.”
Cookie Couture is expecting to make appearances here and there in the coming months, particularly during Pride. She says her Instagram page at @cookiecouturequeen is where she’ll post updates. “At this point, I am scraping the bottom of my makeup kit,” she said, but, “Even though I’m putting the wig on the top shelf, it’s never too far out of reach.”
As of this writing “a few tickets” remain for Cookie Couture’s West End Girls “last show, for a while” at 8 pm Saturday (April 26), available here.
P.S. Thanks to the reader who tipped us about Cookie’s impending hiatus and suggested an interview!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Back when the Sound Transit Board first learned the price tag for West Seattle light rail could pass $7 billion – the original combined estimate for the West Seattle and Ballard extensions – some showed signs of nervousness.
A new round of nerves has erupted this month, continuing into today’s full-board meeting.
First hint came at the System Expansion Committee considered proposals earlier this month to spend tens of millions more on early-stage work for the West Seattle and Ballard extensions. The committee sent the proposals to the full board without a recommendation to pass (or not). One of the city of Seattle’s two current board reps, City Councilmember Dan Strauss, warned his council colleagues at their weekly “briefing” meeting that “tensions” were showing on the ST board, particularly regarding the West Seattle costs.
Despite those tensions, the proposals to spend $68 million more – 90 percent of that for the West Seattle project, which is projected for completion seven years before Ballard – were unanimously approved today by the 16 board members at the meeting. (The full slide deck with the proposals’ toplines are in this slide deck; the individual resolutions are linked from the meeting page.) But that was only after a discussion in which those “tensions” were definitely on display. “A lot of us are nervous,” said board member Kristina Walker, a Tacoma City Councilmember.
First, the proposals were presented by an ST team led by Brad Owen, who’s currently in charge of the West Seattle project. “This is needed work,” he contended, to get to the heart of the cost-saving measures that staff has contended they could deploy to shrink the cost and shorten the timeline of the projects approved by voters back in 2016. In essence, the contention was that they’d have to spend money to figure out how to save money. And the contention is that what they learn about cutting costs for the West Seattle project will make it “a vanguard” for savings that can be applied across the entire ST3 plan.
Some board members said that’s the main reason they’d vote to authorize the spending. Board member Christine Frizzell, Mayor of Lynnwood, wondered: Since there had already been previous conversations about “exit ramps” if they decided West Seattle (or any other) project was just too expensive, could this possibly be a case of throwing good money after bad – forcing them eventually to say, they’d spent so much, there was no choice but to plow forward? Other board members’ concerns included the possibility that so much would be sunk into this, it would affect the rest of the ST3 project list and timeline. (With today’s vote, as the slide above shows, they’ve now authorized spending a third of a billion on the West Seattle extension.) Another board member, Fife Mayor Kim Roscoe, was assured by staff that this work also would show them what “pieces” of projects would be possible, if they couldn’t afford to build what was originally proposed.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: New cost estimates are scheduled to be brought to the board this fall, and then they’d decide whether to spend more money – or not.
EARLIER IN THE MEETING: West Seattleite Marilyn Kennell, who’s involved with the light-rail-skeptic Rethink the Link group, repeated a request the group has made, for a new community meeting with ST reps to listen to the information they proposed at their own forum in January (WSB coverage here). Board member Frizzell later said she’d be interested in “meeting with the people from West Seattle.”
Registration for getting your sale on the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2025 map has been open all month, since April 1, and now we’re down to the final hours – registration closes at 11:30 tonight.
5:26 PM: Thanks to everyone who’s signed up already, this should be an incredible day of what we sometimes call person-to-person recycling – Saturday, May 10, 2025 is sale day, and more than 540 sellers are on the list already, all over West Seattle (and a bit further south too). Once registration closes, our work as WSCGSD coordinators moves immediately into putting together the map and guide with the full list of sale locations and descriptions so we can make that all available one week in advance of sale day. WSB has been coordinating WSCGSD since 2008; it was founded in 2005, so this is the 20th anniversary! Want to be part of it? Go here before 11:30 tonight!
EARLY FRIDAY: Closed! More than 570 sales registered … a new WSCGSD record. Full update later today.
(Reader photo)
Thanks for the texted photo and tip! A month and a half ago, the “leased” sign went up in the windows of the former Wells Fargo branch at California/Admiral, but the future tenant was not announced … until now … aside from leasing broker Jason Miller telling us it was a “local business.” As shown in the photo above, that business has revealed itself via sign in the window to be pet-supplies store Mud Bay, which has its current West Seattle store a short distance away, at 2611 California SW. The sign says the move will happen “this fall.” The West Seattle store isn’t commenting; we have an inquiry out to the regional mini-chain’s corporate headquarters in Olympia. We don’t know how/whether this factored into the move decision, but the building where the Admiral store is a current tenant has been listed for sale for some months.
First they asked for nominations … then they made their decision … and this afternoon, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has announced who’s receiving this year’s Westside Awards, plus two other special honors:
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce honors local businesses for their leadership at its annual Westside Awards in May. Also in 2025, the West Seattle Chamber will present Lifetime Achievement Awards to two remarkable community leaders: Patrick Sand, co-founder of West Seattle Blog, who will be honored posthumously, and Dawn Leverett, whose lifelong service has left a lasting imprint on West Seattle.
“The Westside Awards celebrate not only success but also reflect the unique spirit of our West Seattle communities,” said Rachel Porter, Executive Director of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. “These honors spotlight the remarkable leaders and businesses whose creativity, dedication, and vision keep our businesses connected and moving forward.”
Westside Business of the Year: West Seattle Runner
West Seattle Runner is more than a specialty running store—it’s a hub for fitness, local events, and neighborhood connection. Their commitment to personalized services and building a supportive running community has made them a standout business in West Seattle.Westside Emerging Business of the Year: Deeds Health
Deeds Health is redefining health-care access in West Seattle with a mission-driven approach to primary care. Led by Dr. Stefie Deeds, the practice is rooted in affordability, transparency, and compassion.Westside Not for Profit of the Year: WestSide Baby
WestSide Baby fills critical gaps by providing diapers, clothing, and gear for local children and families. Their impact is wide-reaching, ensuring that basic needs don’t stand in the way of a child’s safety and development.
Westsider of the Year: Cleveland King, YMCA
Cleveland King of the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA is recognized for his deep commitment to mentorship, youth development, and equity. His leadership creates spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and empowered.Award winners and all nominees will be recognized at the Annual Westside Awards Breakfast on Wednesday, May 14, 7:30 am-9 am, at The Hall at Fauntleroy. Early Bird Pricing for tickets is $55/65 per person through April 30, and $65/75 April 30 onward. Get your tickets here or wschamber.com.
To see lists of the Westside Awards’ previous winners, you can go here.
A reader report in West Seattle Crime Watch – Nikkie sends video of an apartment-lobby package prowler:
It occurred at an apartment complex located on Avalon, closer to Genesee. Happened around 12:58 pm (Wednesday). It is a secure building, and I was told he came in through the garage.
Reported to police, but we don’t have the report number yet.
(October photo courtesy Aimee Owenz)
The sister-and-brother team who operate the Aimee Owenz food truck at 35th/Barton have sad news: “We wanted to let the West Seattle Community that we are unfortunately closing. Our last day will be Saturday, April 26th, unless we run out of food before.” Jenn and Zach opened Aimee Owenz about half a year ago, but it’s been a tough time, not just the kinds of challenges facing any new entrepreneurs – we asked Jenn if there was more that she could say, and she replied: “We lost our mom and grandma during this time and need to focus on ourselves. Bad timing too, with the economy being uncertain and the cost of food rising, it is too risky.” Their truck is for sale, too, she added: “If anyone wants to purchase the truck, they can email us at ai**********@***il.com.”
(WSB photo, looking toward Vashon Island from Upper Fauntleroy)
Another sunny spring day! Here’s what’s happening, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BELGIAN BEER WEEK: Special event continues at The Beer Junction (4511 California SW), open today noon-10 pm.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Spring planting season continues. The center is open Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30 am at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), geared toward kids 3-5.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome to this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email we***************************@***il.com to get the latest on where they’re playing today.
SOUND TRANSIT BOARD MEETING: 1:30 pm, with items related to West Seattle light rail on the agenda (find it and other meeting documents here), which explains how to attend either in person or online. First full board meeting since Dow Constantine became CEO.
SPORTS: One local high-school game on the schedule today – 4 pm, West Seattle High School plays softball vs. Nathan Hale at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
DROP-IN CHESS: Play at High Point Library! 4-5:30 pm. All skill levels. (3411 SW Raymond)
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of three regular Thursday night events tonight here – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Delfino’s Chicago-Style Pizza.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: This is also an every-Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
HIGHLAND PARK RUN CLUB: HPCS is also the starting point tonight for running 3 miles, or walking a shorter path, in the neighborhood near HPCS with the Run Club, leaving from the store at 6:30 pm, returning for beverages – 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!
(added) FREE MENDING WORKSHOP: 5-8 pm at KAVU (9064 Delridge Way SW), explained in our calendar listing.
SUMMIT ATLAS OPEN HOUSE: The charter middle/high school in Arbor Heights is open for prospective families to visit, 5-7:30 pm. (9601 35th SW)
WESTIES RUN CLUB: This group’s 6 pm weekly Thursday run departs from The Good Society in Admiral (California/Lander).
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Again this week, more good weather for walking – meet at 6 pm at 47th/Fauntleroy for tonight’s group walk – details in our calendar listing.
LIVE MUSIC IN THE JUNCTION: 6-9 pm, Patrick Rifflin performs Thursdays at Pegasus Pizza in The Junction (4520 California SW).
‘THE SHAPE OF THE NIGHT’ IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE: Opening night, two shows, 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm at Georgetown Steam Plant (6605 13th Ave. S.) – details in our calendar listing.
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: DUK, The Slurps, Concrete Island, doors at 6, music at 7. All ages; $10 at the door. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA: 7 pm at Burger Planet, hosted by Good Old-Fashioned Local Trivia (9614 14th SW).
DJ NIGHT: The weekend starts spinning early at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ Kingblind, starting at 7 pm.
‘ATHENA’ AT ARTSWEST: Third week of the run begins, 7:30 pm at ArtsWest Playhouse (4711 California SW), for “Athena,” by Gracie Gardner – get tickets here.
Are you planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to we*************@***il.com – thank you!
This Saturday (April 26) brings a long list of events in West Seattle – you can preview most of them via the listings on our West Seattle Event Calendar. We’ll be shouting out some of them in advance, too. That includes Healthy Kids Day at the West Seattle YMCA (36th/Snoqualmie; WSB sponsor). 10 am-1 pm, families are welcome to enjoy free fun activities – no membership required. The list this time around includes:
-Kayak races in the pool
-Glow in the dark yoga and Zumba classes
-Bouncy House
-Basketball mini hoop challenge
-Photobooth
-Face painting
-Hoola hoops
-Wood cookies crafting
-Trail Mix making
-Food samples from Distinguished Foods vendors
-Forgotten Dogs Rescue
No need to preregister – just show up! And if anybody in your household is looking for volunteer hours, the event runs on people power – go here to see what’s available!
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Thursday, April 24, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Another sunny day,, high in the upper 60s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 6:03 am and 8:12 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; spring/summer schedule, which means later-evening sailings Fridays and Saturdays.
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Salish is serving as the “bonus boat”.
ROAD WORK
-The Admiral Way Bridge’s outside lane on the eastbound/southbound side remains closed.
-With the sunny weather, more work crews are out – please let us know if you see a project affecting traffic.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
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!
For those who wondered how a walking tour starting at Westwood Village would address pedestrian safety in South Delridge, here’s how:
(Digital image from SDOT substituted Thursday for previous photo of paper map)
That was the planned route for tonight’s SDOT-coordinated tour, meant to give people a chance to suggest how/where to build “at least 10 blocks” of sidewalks and/or walkways in the area, with money from the billion-and-a-half-dollars-plus Seattle Transportation levy that voters approved last year. The longest stretch of the road, uphill on Barton toward Delridge, actually had sidewalks, but a northward turn, west of Delridge, put participants on a street that did not.
About half of the ~20 people who participated were city employees. SDOT project leaders stressed that the walking route was by no means predetermined as the future-sidewalk route. The community members who participated had some specific suggestions about making walking safer – including the small children they brought along. Participants got to experience a variety of walking conditions.
That included the Barton Place hill where an encampment sprawls across the sidewalk close to the top of the stairway down to 22nd (which has a foil-wrapped railing):
(One walker recalled a Find It Fix It Walk in the area nine years ago, and the goat deployment that followed.) The block north of there was again without sidewalks, and the participating families had a lot to say about that since that was their neighborhood. (They expressed interest in upgrading the 22nd/Trenton crossing, too.)
We left the tour on 22nd to get to HPAC‘s 6:30 meeting; it didn’t appear to be resulting in any particular to-do list- the SDOT reps promised a report would be forthcoming; whatever project area(s) they settle on, they expect to get to “10% design” before year’s end, and construction could start as soon as next year – or as late as 2029. If you have suggestions – crosswalks, lights, and other safety measures, not just sidewalk sites, you can email this team at le***********@*****le.gov.
OTHER AREAS: They’ve already done a tour in North Delridge, and said tonight they’ll be announcing one for Highland Park on May 21.
A texter just told us, “No photo but just saw a coyote in North Admiral at 35th and College.” That’s the second one today, both from the north half of the peninsula, after a long string of sightings mostly in Gatewood and Fauntleroy. Here’s one we received from Fiona near The Junction this morning:
We had a coyote visit our front yard today. We are at 41st between Oregon and Genesee. The resident crows alerted us and eventually ran him off. He/she was very healthy looking.
This also provides us the opportunity to mention researcher Dr. Sam Kreling, previously known for studying Seattle’s urban coyotes. She’s hoping to start a nonprofit “that focuses on helping people live with wildlife, so she’s running a study to find out “what YOUR community needs/wants to live with wildlife and what you might want to learn about the wildlife in your neighborhood.” To respond to Sam’s survey, follow this link.
West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2025 is just two and a half weeks away – Saturday, May 10 – and we’re just about to hit 500 registered sales. We’ve been making lists of the unusual items and descriptions we’ve seen while reviewing listings, but what always strikes us the most is what a wide variety of interests is represented in the items for sale – music, camping, snow sports, water sports, other sports, games, baby gear, kids’ toys, vintage clothing, antique items, and that’s just a start. But right now, the main focus is getting to the end of the three and a half weeks of registration so that we can finalize the list and make the map and listings packet so they’re ready to publish by Saturday morning, May 3. The form is open until 11:30 pm tomorrow (Thursday, April 24) – if you haven’t registered your sale yet, go here ASAP!
On Monday, as news of Pope Francis‘s death spread around the world, we tried to reach local Catholic churches to see if any memorial were planned in our area. Today, we’ve learned of two: On Tuesday, April 29th, the West Seattle Catholic Community – Our Lady of Guadalupe and Holy Rosary – plan a memorial service together at 6 pm, at OLG (7100 35th SW). It will also be livestreamed -find the link on the OLG website. Then a week from tomorrow, on Thursday, May 1st at 8 am, Saint Bernadette Parish in Burien plans a dedication mass, at 1028 SW 128th St.
What started as a city levy to fund preschool (announced in West Seattle), and expanded to add other levels of education including free community-college tuition (a program with roots here), would grow again if it goes up for renewal this year and gets voter approval. Mayor Harrell announced the proposal today. From the official announcement:
… Some highlights of Mayor Harrell’s proposal include:
–Child Care Expansion: More thandoubling access to affordable child care slots to 1,400 a year and providing direct payments to support the retention of 5,000 child care workers citywide.
–Nationally Acclaimed Preschool Program: Expanding the Seattle Preschool Program to 3,100 seats, improving access for families across the city.
–Youth Mental Health and Safety: Bolstering youth mental health services for Seattle students through new school-based health centers, expanded staffing, and telehealth support.
–Seattle Promise: Free tuition and expenses for up to two years at Seattle Colleges, available to all Seattle public school graduates.
–Apprenticeships and Workforce Development: Creating a new Path to Trades program to help graduates enter careers in skilled trades.To renew the expiring FEPP levy, Mayor Harrell is proposing to levy a $1.3 billion property tax over six years, costing the median assessed value Seattle homeowner $0.61 per $1,000 assessed value, totaling about $654 a year. Research continually shows that investments in early learning and education have long-term economic, health, and social benefits for children and society.
The expired six-year levy, which passed with 68% approval in 2018, was described in our coverage that year as costing the median homeowner $249 a year. The mayor is sending it to the City Council, which will decide whether to send it to voters in November. That’s also when King County plans to ask voters to renew the Medic One/EMS levy; before then, the King County Parks Levy is up for a renewal/expansion vote in August, as we reported earlier this year.
It’s not a big project, but 5617 California SW (across from C & P Coffee [WSB sponsor]) will redevelop the last site of its kind on its block, so it’s worth noting. We last reported a year ago about the nine units planned to replace that 113-year-old bungalow, most recently used by a counseling service – six townhouses, three live-works, four stories, four off-street parking spaces. The city has announced a key approval for the project, which opens an appeal window through May 1; here’s how to file one. County records show the 7,500-square-foot site sold earlier this year for just under $1.2 million.
Even if you’re not going to the Lafayette Elementary PTA‘s fundraising dinner and auction this Saturday, you can still give students a boost by bidding in the online auction, open now through Friday:
Lafayette’s Silent Auction is now live and open for bids through Friday. We have many great packages from local businesses, including Alki Bike & Board, Meeples Games, Fit4Mom, West Seattle Arcade, and more! You can browse our silent auction packages and place your bids here: lafpta2025.ggo.bid/bidding/package-browse
You can bid 24/7 through Friday!
(Photographed on Genesee Hill by Janelle Otterholt)
Here’s our list of your possibilities for the rest of your Wednesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
OPENING DAY: As previewed again yesterday, the new Alki Coffee Co/Ben & Jerry’s (2742 Alki SW) opens today – coffee sales started at 7 am, ice cream starts at noon, both continue until 9 pm.
DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: All day/night again today, The Westy (7908 35th SW) is donating part of the proceeds to Chief Sealth International HS baseball and softball – details in our calendar listing.
TODDLER READING TIME AT PAPER BOAT: 10:30 am at the bookstore’s new location. (4522 California SW)
REJUVENATE YOGA: Weekly class at Viva Arts, 1:30 pm. Drop-in. $20. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)
AMERICAN MAH JONGG: All levels welcome, 2-4:30 pm at The Missing Piece (35th/Roxbury).
TODDLER STORY TIME AT SW LIBRARY: 3-3:30 pm, come enjoy story time with your toddler(s)! (9010 35th SW)
SPORTS: Two baseball games on local fields – Chief Sealth IHS plays Roosevelt at 4 pm, West Seattle HS plays Nathan Hale at 7 pm, both games at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle).
HOMEWORK HELP: 4-7:30 pm drop-in help at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), free.
SOUTH DELRIDGE WALKING TOUR: Join city reps in looking at/talking about possible future locations for new sidewalks/walkways, 5-6:30 pm. Meet at Westwood Village (2600 SW Barton) just south of Daiso’s storefront.
FIX-IT WORKSHOP: Fix it instead of discarding it! Weekly event, free (donations appreciated), 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle Tool Library (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center).
WEST SEATTLE URBANISM: You have an open invitation to the group’s weekly meetup, 6-8 pm at Great American Diner & Bar. (4752 California SW).
FREE GROUP RUN: All runners, all levels, are welcome in the weekly West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) group run – meet at the shop by 6:15 pm.
‘RIDGE TO RIVER’ AT DPAC: Hiking season in the West Duwamish Greenbelt has begun, and the Ridge to River Coalition will be at HPAC‘s monthly gathering tonight to present a “vision and concept plan” for the area. All welcome! 6:30 pm, Delridge Library (5423 Delridge Way SW)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE LOCOL: 6:30 pm. 21+. Rotating performer slate. (7902 35th SW)
KUNDALINI YOGA & GONG BATH: 7 pm at Inner Alchemy Studio/Sanctuary (3618 SW Alaska), $35.
MUSIC BINGO: Play at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7 pm.
TRIVIA x 3: Three Wednesday trivia locations on our West Seattle list: Larry’s Tavern (3405 California SW) hosts Wednesday-night trivia starting at 8 pm … Quiz Night also starts at 8 pm at Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) … and at 8:30 pm, trivia with Phil T at Talarico’s (4718 California SW), all ages until 10 pm.
SKYLARK OPEN MIC: Ready to step up to the mic? 7:30 pm signups for West Seattle’s longest-running open mic. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
If you are planning an open house, reading, tour, fundraiser, sale, discussion, show, meeting, presentation, etc., that’s open to the community, please send us info so we can add it to West Seattle’s only comprehensive event calendar! we*************@***il.com – thank you!
Teen(s) in the household? This announcement from the Rotary Club of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) might be of interest!
Apply Now for RYLA 2025 – A Free Leadership Experience! Deadline 5/1
The Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) 2025 application is now open!
This exciting, four-day leadership camp (June 5–8 at YMCA Camp Colman) is for high school sophomores and juniors ready to grow as leaders and make a difference in their communities. Students will participate in team-building activities, workshops, and hear from inspiring speakers.
Sponsored by the West Seattle Rotary Club, attendance is completely free and transportation is available. High school students meeting eligibility criteria will be nominated to attend the conference.
Eligibility: Students must be in 10th or 11th grade and under 18 at the time of the event.
To apply: Email Ron Palmer at Ro***********@********nk.com and CC ry***********@***il.com to request an application.
Deadline: May 1st, 2025
See attached flyer or visit rylanw.org for more information.
9:28 AM: Police are checking out a reported stopped/stalled vehicle on the eastbound bridge at the exit to northbound I-5.
Earlier:
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Another sunny day,, high in the low 60s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 6:05 am and 8:10 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; spring/summer schedule, which means later-evening sailings Fridays and Saturdays.
Metro buses – Regular schedule.
Washington State Ferries – Regular service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas and M/V Cathlamet, plus M/V Salish is serving as the “bonus boat”.
ROAD WORK
-The Admiral Way Bridge’s outside lane on the eastbound/southbound side remains closed.
-With the sunny weather, more work crews are out – please let us know if you see a project affecting traffic.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Spokane Street Viaduct – This view usually looks westward, with eastbound lanes at left and westbound lanes at right:
Low Bridge – Looking west:
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!
(WSB photo – worker at High Point ballot box holding stickers offered to voters)
The voting is over and the vote-counting has begun in the April “special election.” The only measure on ballots in our area was the renewal of the levy that has funded the Automated Fingerprint Identification System for almost 40 years, starting at a rate lower than the just-expired version. The first vote count shows it passing with almost 60 percent approval:
KING COUNTY PROPOSITION 1
Approved – 151,495 – 59.72%
Rejected – 102,189 – 40.28%
17 percent of ballots were in by the time KCE did its first count. As of the latest ballot-return count, they’d received 20 percent. Next count will be out tomorrow evening.
(WSB photo, September 2023, tour of Myers Way encampment with then-Gov. Inslee)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Three Seattle City Councilmembers and three King County Councilmembers came to West Seattle this afternoon with a message intended for an audience in Olympia:
They gathered at Arrowhead Gardens to implore state leaders to fully fund the Right-Of-Way Encampment Resolution Program (explanation and stats here), which paid for the much-publicized 2023 cleanup across the street in the Myers Way woods, as well as others including one beneath the First Avenue South Bridge. They want the state to fully fund the program’s $75 million cost, instead of the proposed $45 million, which they say would only cover the cost of maintaining housing for the hundreds of people the program has taken off the streets so far.
Speaker after speaker emphasized that this is a program that works – and it’s not cheap, because it takes outreach workers a lot of time to develop relationships with clients and get them to “come inside.” First speaker, Carolanne Sanders Lundgren of Purpose.Dignity.Action, observed that “relationship is our special sauce.” Those who followed her included King County Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda, Girmay Zahilay, and Claudia Balducci (the latter two are also running for County Executive) and Seattle City Councilmembers Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Cathy Moore, and Dan Strauss. Here are the speakers in their entirety:
Mosqueda stressed that local leaders “need to have the antidote to what’s happening on a national level … (where) chaos is raining down on us,” and this program is “the gold standard … The way we get people inside is by maintaining those trusted relationships.” She said 91 percent of the people living in encampments taken on by the program left the streets, and that three-fourths of them “stayed housed.”
“This is not just another government initiative,” insisted County Council Chair Zahilay. “It’s one of the most effective programs in the nation.” Yes, he acknowledged, there’s a budget crisis at every level of government, “but when we’re talking about an effective program (that has) built trust and saved lives … let’s fund what works.”
One of the non-governmental speakers was Diane Radischat, president of the Arrowhead Gardens resident group. She talked about how difficult it was to initially get help for the campers in the woods across the street – where even now a new tent has popped up, with RVs nearby too – but “we cannot afford to give up on them … do we just think everyone will be fine? The state can’t just say no.”
If the ROW ERP program winds down, warned Balducci, “people will go (back) into the revolving door.” She said the program is “the win win win we all want … we cannot accept the (results) of failing to fund this program.”
“I hear from people who don’t want to see people go away, they want to see people get housed,”said Councilmember Mercedes Rinck.
Her council colleague Moore, who chairs the Housing and Human Services Committee, then explained that this is actually the second time the Legislature proposed reduced funding for the program, but the first time, they found other money to cover the gap – this time, they’re out of options. “If this budget is not restored, the. program will effectively end this summer, but we still have time to fix this problem – we can’t afford to slide backward.”
The third Seattle councilmember to speak, Strauss, agreed, saying hundreds of people have been brought inside and families reunited: “We have to keep this program running.”
A King County Regional Homelessness Authority rep with whom we spoke after the briefing said they’re working at a site in Ballard now but already making plans to ramp down in case the funding can’t be restored.
We asked organizers what they want constituents to do. The reply: Contact Gov. Ferguson, your local legislators (in our area that’s Sen. Emily Alvarado and Reps. Joe Fitzgibbon and Brianna Thomas), and three leaders in particular: Senator June Robinson, Representative Timm Ormsby, and Senator Jamie Pedersen. The budget goes to a final vote by April 27 – this Sunday.
The 15-year-old suspect arrested after last night’s 29th/Graham gunfire – with the help of a bystander – will remain in juvenile detention until at least his next hearing. King County Superior Court judge Joe Campagna presided at today’s hearing for the suspect, who is under investigation for possible charges including first-degree unlawful firearm possesson, unlawful weapon discharge, and reckless endangerment. Above is one of the photos sent to us by a nearby resident whose home was struck multiple times during last night’s gunfire. As updated here earlier today, police say they found 20 casings at the scene. We mentioned that investigators said the 15-year-old already had a conviction record; we obtained more on that from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. He pleaded guilty in February to being one of four people who held up three convenience stores in Tukwila and Renton last July 18; he and other suspects were arrested in a stolen Kia Soul after a two-county pursuit that ended in Pierce County. He was ordered into a behavioral-health program as the main part of his sentence by the same judge mentioned above, Campagna. Documents say he was due for a check-in hearing in about two weeks. Instead, he’ll be back in court this Friday, answering any charges filed in this new case.
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