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West Seattle, Washington

08 Tuesday

50℉

Spotlight Stories


  • Pool

    LONGER SEASON: This year’s Colman Pool plan

  • Sign

    FINALLY A SIGN: One year after our first story!

  • Registration

    WS GARAGE SALE DAY: Registration continues!

WHALES: New calf for Southern Residents’ J-Pod
April 8, 2025 11:31 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales

A new Southern Resident orca calf! The Center for Whale Research just published this announcement:

The Center for Whale Research has some exciting news! We are pleased to announce the arrival of a new calf in J Pod!

On April 6, 2025, CWR Field Biologist Mark Malleson located J Pod as they traveled west past Victoria Harbour. During this encounter, he observed and documented a newborn calf swimming closely alongside J40. This is J40’s first known calf and the fourth born into the Southern Resident killer whale population in the past 12 months – a sign of hope for this endangered community.

Based on initial observations of the new calf, now designated J63, there are no immediate concerns. However, the first year of life is often a challenging time for young whales, particularly those born to first-time mothers.

We remain cautiously optimistic about J63’s survival and will conduct follow-up observations of the calf’s behavior and physical condition in the coming days and months, as opportunities allow. Each new calf is vitally important to this critically endangered population – every birth counts – and we’re hopeful that this young whale will continue to thrive.

More info to come.

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Still need to shred? John L. Scott Westwood announces your next chance!
April 8, 2025 11:24 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | Westwood

(WSB photo, April 2024)

Last year, John L. Scott Westwood Real Estate/The Madrona Group (WSB sponsor) shredded almost two tons of paper during their free shredding event at Westwood Village. We just got word they’re offering free shredding again this year, and again it’ll be part of a donation drive for White Center Food Bank. Just bring your shredding – and a donation of nonperishable food and/or money – to the northwest area of the Westwood Village parking lot between 9 am and noon on Saturday, April 19. (And if you have friends in the north/east metro area, take note that – as also shown on this flyer – they’re presenting a 1-4 pm shredding event in Kenmore the same day.)

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Pizza fundraiser, Fauntleroy Community Association, swing dancing, trivia, more for your West Seattle Tuesday
April 8, 2025 9:58 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(North Admiral – photo by Don Brubeck)

Here’s what’s happening on your Tuesday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: The West Seattle High School fastpitch-softball team benefits from part of the proceeds if you go to MOD Pizza at Westwood Village today/tonight and say you’re there for the fundraiser – 10:30 am to 10 pm – details, including the code, are in our calendar listing. (2800 SW Barton)

POSTCARDS4DEMOCRACY: Weekly advocacy gathering, 10:30 am at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). Sign up here before you go, if you’re a first-timer.

ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Weekly lunch meeting, noon at West Seattle Golf Course (4470 35th SW):

Program: Rotary Peace Fellow Linda Lo

CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)

SPORTS: Two softball games at 4 pm at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) – Chief Sealth IHS hosts Cleveland, West Seattle HS hosts Garfield.

HOMEWORK HELP: Students can drop in for free help, 4-5:45 pm at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).

DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-7 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $10 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.

FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 6 pm board meeting at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) – (update) here’s the agenda – community members welcome.

WEST SEATTLE RUNNER TRACK RUN: Lots of light in the evening as sunsets get later – 6:15 pm, meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for WSR’s free weekly track run.

FREE DANCE LESSON: At the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon), Westside Dance with Dean:

Tuesdays through April 15
Swing 1: Intro to East Coast Swing 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Swing 2: Dancing to the Blues (a traveling dance) 7:45 – 8:45 p.m.

Brush up on your dance skills with our next six-week dance series. Instructor Dean Paton leads these live partner-dance classes in Swing 1 & 2. No partner is necessary, both singles and couples are welcome. Join the fun and meet others in the community!
More information here.

MAKE POTTERY: Weekly 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance to work on your project(s).

WOMEN’S MEDITATION CIRCLE: Weekly small-group event at Mama Be Well Healing Studio (4034 California SW), 7 pm. Our calendar listing has details on signing up before you go.

BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Play – free! – Tuesday night Belle of the Balls Bingo hosted by Cookie Couture, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

TRIVIA X 6: If you’re a quiz whiz, tonight is your night – six trivia options for Tuesday night – 7 pm trivia with Amelia at Future Primitive‘s Beer Bar on Alki (2536 Alki SW) … The Beer Junction (4711 California SW) has Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7:10 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW) … and Trivia Tuesdays at Christos on Alki, 7:15 pm (2508 Alki SW).

Hosting an event, class, performance, gathering, etc.? Tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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Celebration of life planned Saturday for DeAnna Rose Piccini, 1971-2025
April 8, 2025 9:00 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather Saturday to celebrate the life of DeAnna Piccini. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with the community:

DeAnna Piccini was born January 10, 1971, and unexpectedly passed away February 19, 2025.

Born and raised in Seattle, DeAnna’s greatest joy in life was her family. She leaves behind her beloved son Brandon and his wife Laura, along with her three beautiful grandchildren Gianna, Nico, and Demi, who were the light of her life. She is also survived by her loving mother Roberta; her sister Julie and her husband Tom; and her brother Steve and his wife Hettie. In addition, she will be deeply missed by the many family and friends whose lives she touched with her kindness and unwavering spirit.

In her remembrance, we will be hosting a celebration of life at Hope Lutheran in West Seattle on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 12 PM-3 PM, 4456 42nd Ave SW, Seattle.

(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)

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TRAFFIC, ROAD WORK, WEATHER, TRANSIT: Tuesday info
April 8, 2025 6:02 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Your Tuesday forecast is showery and breezy, possible thunder, high expected in the mid-50s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 6:33 am and 7:49 pm.

TRANSIT TODAY

Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle servicen; spring/summer schedule, with later-in-the-evening sailings two nights a week, starts this Saturday.

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

-Delridge repaving work has wrapped up.

-Today in White Center, 7 am-3:30 pm, SW 100th will be closed between 15th and 16th for drainage work.

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: Besides 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!

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gun charge after 56 warrants; bag-toting bandit
April 7, 2025 11:58 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch:

GUN CHARGE: Those photos are from charging documents in a case stemming from an incident we noted three weeks ago. Police found three people inside a parked car on 35th SW that had been stolen in a carjacking on Airport Way three days earlier; our initial report focused on one of them, a man who was accused of violating an order to stay away from a woman who was one of the other two people in the car. Turns out that the most serious charge in the case so far was filed against the third person, a 52-year-old man with a significant criminal record, who police say was actually in the driver’s seat:. Jerry E. Legate (who’s described as having multiple aliases) is charged with first-degree unlawful gun possession because of what’s in the photo above. An excerpt from the charging papers filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office:

A review of the defendant’s Judicial Access Browser System (JABS) page shows that he has had 31 misdemeanor warrants and 25 superior court warrants since 1992.

Despite the defendant’s most recent felony conviction being for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree in 2022, the defendant was found in possession of a rifle with what was ostensibly a home-made suppressor duct taped to end of the barrel. Of even greater concern than the defendant’s inability to abide the numerous orders prohibiting him from possessing firearms is the fact that this particular firearm matches the description of one used three days earlier to carjack the owner of the stolen vehicle of which the defendant was likewise found in possession.

As a result of all that, prosecutors asked for $150,000 bail, and that’s what’s listed on the docket for Legate, who was scheduled to be arraigned today.

BAG-TOTING BANDIT: One reader report – this video was recorded Sunday morning:

Please give folks the heads up that a porch pirate was caught on camera taking packages from our townhome complex on Admiral off Walnut. Fortunately, the items taken were of low value, but this person took things from 3 of 6 units. It happened April 6, just after 8:30 am. It’s likely that there were other victims in the area because the suspect had several bags with him.

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Pay-what-you-can spring break, summer camps & classes @ Mode Music and Performing Arts
April 7, 2025 8:47 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Spring break is close, and summer vacation isn’t all that far away. Fun, creative camps and classes await students at West Seattle’s own Mode Music and Performing Arts:

2025 spring break camps in songwriting and play creation are available for K-5 – go here to sign up.

For K-8, MMPA’s 2025 summer camps will run from June 23rd through August 29th. This year we are offering our standard Monday thru Friday week-long camps, with morning and afternoon options. We are also offering new camps for 6-8th graders this year! Middle school campers will meet two days a week in the afternoon for 4 weeks. Find out more here.

Tiny Modes (0-4) classes are in a new session now too!

As always, our programming is pay-what-you-can. Please take advantage of our 100% scholarships!

MMPA is sibling to Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor), headquartered in North Delridge.

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ONE MONTH TO GO: Much-delayed deadline nears for REAL ID compliance
April 7, 2025 7:35 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news

(REAL ID reminder that arrived with a car-tab-renewal notice)

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

With just a month left, the scramble is on for appointments to get enhanced driver licenses and other IDs that meet REAL ID requirements. Starting May 7, you’ll need identification that meets those federal standards if you want to board a domestic commercial flight or visit some federal facilities. US Passports will be accepted, as will Washington State-issued Enhanced Driver Licenses (EDL) and Enhanced IDs, as well as Tribal IDs and other documents (see the list here), but a regular driver’s license or state ID will no longer be enough.

We checked around, and found that West Seattle’s semi-new driver-licensing location at 2420 SW Dakota is booked up for the next two months worth of appointments for enhanced documents. A few other locations in the metro area have some earlier appointment dates, but still well after the deadline. The enhanced cards take a couple of weeks to process after the appointment, in any case. There are some occasional cancelled appointments that become available day-of, so if you can’t wait until summer for your updated documents, checking the site regularly may yield an earlier appointment. The Department of Licensing website allows you to check by location on availability, but does not show the West Seattle office on its default map. You have to put in your zip code to see available appointments there: dol.wa.gov/id-cards/real-id

REAL ID’s goal is to make sure all states use the same kinds of standards to confirm identity and citizenship before issuing ID cards, in much the way US passport standards work. The Act, which was a Congressional response to security concerns after 9/11, was originally planned to take effect in 2008, but that deadline has been pushed back time and again, for a total of 20 years. The most recent delays in 2021 and 2023 were blamed in part on state licensing backlogs created by the pandemic. The Transportation Security Administration is sticking with the deadline this time, but is planning a “phased enforcement approach,” giving it some flexibility if passengers arrive at the airport with a regular ID instead of an enhanced one. Just how they will handle those situations when they happen is not yet clear, but they do expect it to be an issue because so many Americans have yet to upgrade their identification to meet the standards. While US passports are another option, only a little more than half of Americans — 170 million people — have those.

Despite the standardization the act is aiming for, some states, including Washington, are putting their own mark on the IDs–literally. To denote a compliant ID, the majority of states have added a star in the upper right corner of their IDs, but some are black, others gold, and California has their star on a grizzly bear. Washington state has eschewed the star in favor of an American flag that overlaps the photo on the ID.

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BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Junction Hardware’s new sign finally up
April 7, 2025 5:26 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(Thanks to Clarence for the photo)

Half a year after Junction Hardware (44th/Edmunds) changed alliances and joined up with the Ace Hardware co-op, its biggest sign is finally reflecting the change! The new sign went up this afternoon, not long after the old one was taken down:

(Thanks to Greg for the photo)

In case you missed our earlier stories, this is NOT an ownership change – Junction Hardware is still West Seattle–owned, by Bruce Davis and family. We spoke to him for this update in February, at which time he explained that the sign installation was lagging while they waited months for a city permit; he also explained some other changes, additions, and improvements facilitated by the alliance with Ace. True Value had stopped being a co-op when it was sold to a private-equity firm, and Junction Hardware is glad to be part of one again.

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WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: Coyotes seen at Riverview
April 7, 2025 4:09 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to the Highland Park-area neighbor who sent these photos and the brief report that they were seen at “Riverview Playfield by the tennis courts.”

We have published coyote sightings for 15+ years not for alarm, but for awareness. Learn how best to co-exist with them by following the links here.

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HAPPENING NOW: Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s online auction open to all, days ahead of gala
April 7, 2025 2:43 pm
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 |   How to help | West Seattle history | West Seattle news

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society launched its online auction today, and you don’t have to have a ticket for Friday’s gala to bid in this! Though the in-person auction will have some unique items/experiences, you’ll find cool stuff up for online bidding right now – here’s the announcement:

Bid to support local history! The Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s online auction is open now through Thursday, April 10.

The annual online auction is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year and brings in critical revenue for the historical society and museum to provide free museum admission and free public programming year round.

This year’s auction features vacations and staycations (once again you can bid on a three-day stay at the Lodge at Erik’s Ranch and Retreats outside Yellowstone National Park in Paradise Valley, a nonprofit vacation rental that provides employment opportunities for adults with autism living in rural areas, gift cards to local services and businesses, local art, and one-of-a-kind West Seattle experiences including coffee with local historians, guided tours of Schmitz Preserve Park, season tickets to WS Football Clubs, dinner for two at Il Nido, and much, much more.

This year’s live auction, held during Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s annual Spring Gala, includes priceless experiences. Select items only available in person include creating your own Husky Deli Ice Cream flavor; a private guided tour of the West Duwamish Greenbelt with Ken Workman, descendant of Chief Sealth; a private music tour of West Seattle music history (in a classic car); a private speakeasy/karaoke/pizza party; and a private wine tasting for six at photographer and conservationist Art Wolfe’s private garden.

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society owns and operates the Log House Museum at Alki Beach, cares for a unique collection of artifacts, provides free museum admission and public programming (like Alki History Walking Tours and Words, Writers, Southwest Stories), and relies on grants and contributions to keep its doors open. This year, the historical society is raising funds for its multi-year interpretive planning initiative supported by Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, which will result in a permanent, interactive exhibition that will transform how people experience the Log House Museum.

Organizations like the historical society are also reliant on support from partners like Humanities Washington, and others, who are experiencing direct cuts in federal funding and uncertain futures. Humanities Washington supports the historical society’s long running speaker series and allows the organization to bring in speakers on diverse topics, including last month’s talk on Black Women Civil Rights Workers in Washington State.

Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s annual Spring Gala will be held at Salty’s on Alki next Friday, April 11 from 6-8:30 pm. The event will also feature music from local band The Potholes, delicious food from Salty’s, and dessert from Bakery Nouveau.

Special guests include exhibit designer and contractor Chris Fiala Erlich, partners at Seattle Housing Authority whose youth Video Club is helping the historical society capture oral histories of High Point, and a high school intern who is researching Seattle Teriyaki for an upcoming pop-up exhibit at the museum.

The online auction closes at 8 pm on Thursday, April 10. Information and registration for both events is at loghousemuseum.org

WSB is media sponsor for this year’s auction.

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Longer season for West Seattle’s outdoor Colman Pool this year, and rental reservations start tomorrow
April 7, 2025 1:08 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks


(Colman Pool, photographed in 2017 by Long Bach Nguyen)

Thanks to Jimmy for the tip! Colman Pool – the heated outdoor salt-water pool at Lincoln Park – is opening sooner and closing later this year, with more pre-season and post-season weekends than last year. Here’s what’s on the pool’s website so far:

Preseason Weekends: May 10 – June 15, 2025

Colman Pool will operate Preseason Weekends from May 10 to June 15.
Saturdays, Sundays, and Memorial Day (May 26)
Each day will have 4 swims:

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
1:45 pm – 3:15 pm
3:45 pm – 5:15 pm
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Each swim will have 4 lap lanes (50 meters) and 1/2 open pool for recreational use. The 1-meter diving board will be open.

The “main season” will be June 16 – Sept. 1, and the postseason weekends will be September 6-7 and 13-14; no scheduling specifics for those yet. If you’re interested in renting the pool for events/parties, those bookings open tomorrow (Tuesday, April 8) according to the website, and usually go fast.

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WATER TAXI: Spring/summer schedule starts Saturday. Here’s the plan for later night runs
April 7, 2025 11:42 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo)

Metro says the West Seattle Water Taxi‘s spring/summer schedule will start this Saturday, April 12. As in recent years, the major change will be the addition of later-in-the-evening runs on Fridays and Saturdays, until 11 pm; you can see the full schedules for those days/nights by going here. So what about big events that aren’t happening on those two nights? We asked Water Taxi spokesperson Al Sanders, who replied, “Sailings for special events (such as concerts) will continue to be decided on a case by case basis.” The spring/summer schedule will be in effect through Friday night, October 10.

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12 possibilities for your West Seattle Monday
April 7, 2025 9:58 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Seen in Arbor Heights – photo sent by Mark and Angela Rhea)

Here’s our “what’s happening” list today, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

BABY STORY TIME: Noon today at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), geared toward little ones up to 18 months old.

CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: See City Councilmembers preview what’s ahead for the week and get briefed on current issues such as what’s happening in the Legislature, 2 pm. The agenda explains how to watch (no public-comment period at this meeting).

SPORTS: Two baseball games at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) – Chief Sealth IHS vs. Nathan Hale at 4 pm, West Seattle HS vs. Seattle Academy at 7 pm.

HOMEWORK HELP: Drop-in time for students to work with volunteer homework helpers at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), 4-5:45 pm.

GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday is “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.

D&D: Weekly D&D at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW). All welcome, first-time players included!

LISTENING TO GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP: 6:30 pm at Mama Be Well Healing Studio with Listening to Grief. Registration/fee info here. (4034A California SW).

MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA: Four places to play tonight! … Music quiz at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW) at 6:30 and 7:30 pm, free, all ages (bar open for 21+) … 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)

MEDITATION AT ALKI UCC: Every Monday, doors open at Alki UCC at 6:45, meeting is from 7-8:30. (6115 SW Hinds)

MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: Another location for Monday night meditation – free weekly Zen sitting/meditation in the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.

MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: The Alley features music on Monday nights – jazz with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.

MONDAY KARAOKE 9 pm Monday nights, you can sing during karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).

Thanks to everyone who sends info for our calendar – if you have something to add or cancel (or otherwise update), please send the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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UPDATE: West Seattle low bridge closes ‘briefly’ to all users for repair work
April 7, 2025 9:02 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Latest image from SDOT camera – refresh page to update)

9:02 AM: We mentioned this in the morning traffic roundup but now have more details directly from SDOT:

SDOT will be briefly closing the Lower Spokane Bridge to all users, including people biking, starting at 9:30 a.m. today. This short-term closure is needed to safely install a missing bumper pad and make sure the two ends of the bridge line up properly when it closes (realign the bridge deck). We expect the work to take about an hour, but it could take longer depending on conditions. The bridge will reopen as soon as the work is safely complete. Thanks for your patience as we complete this important safety fix.

This follows an unscheduled hour-plus closure back on Friday evening (April 4).

9:51 AM: A check of the live camera shows low-bridge traffic moving again.

12:57 PM: SDOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson confirms, “Both closures were due to a worn-out bumper pad affecting the bridge’s alignment. We successfully replaced the worn-out bumper pad and corrected the bridge’s alignment this morning.”

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TRAFFIC, WEATHER, ROAD WORK, TRANSIT: Monday info
April 7, 2025 6:01 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

8:42 AM: According to an alert the NW Seaport Alliance has sent to truckers, the low bridge will close 9:30-10:30 am for repairs. It was out of service for an hour-plus this past Friday evening.

Earlier:

6:01 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, April 7, 2025.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Your Monday forecast is rainy and breezy, high expected in the mid-50s. Today’s sunrise/sunset – 6:35 am and 7:48 pm.

TRANSIT TODAY

Metro buses – Regular schedule.

Water Taxi – West Seattle service is normal.

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

-Repaving work continues on NB Delridge Way between Genesee and Dakota – original details here.

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: Besides 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!

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After the first 6 days of registration, 150+ sellers already for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2025!
April 6, 2025 11:21 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   Community Garage Sale Day | West Seattle news

After six days of registration, more than 150 sales are signed up for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2025 – the 20th-anniversary edition of the annual day for selling and shopping all over the peninsula. WSCGSD is always the second Saturday in May, 9 am-3 pm (you can also start earlier and/or end later if you want to), so this year it’s on May 10. WSB coordinates this event, and so far we have registrations from North Admiral to North Shorewood, Alki to Arbor Heights, Genesee Hill to Sunrise Heights, North Delridge to Upper Morgan, Fairmount Park to Highland Park, Seaview to Westwood, Fauntleroy to South Delridge, White Center to Alaska Junction, and other neighborhoods. Also multiple school groups, scout groups, apartment/condo buildings, and businesses!

If you don’t have room for a sale, the first site to register with spaces for multiple vendors is Hotwire Coffee in The Junction – please contact them directly to see if they have room for more sellers (and if you’re planning a site with room for multiple sellers, register it soon so we can mention it in updates – we always hear from would-be sellers looking for these types of sites).

Planning to be one of this year’s sale locations? You have 2+ more weeks to sign up but don’t procrastinate – you might forget – so draft your up-to-25-words listing and gp here to register! And if you’re planning on shopping, watch for the WSCGSD map to be available online one week before sale day.

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BIZNOTE FOLLOWUP: Checking in on future West Seattle Junction bar/restaurant Indofusion
April 6, 2025 7:14 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle restaurants

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Chicken tikka masala quesadillas.

That’s just one of the “fusion” concepts in the works for Indofusion, whose proprietors – the Virk family, who have long operated Maharaja Cuisine of India (and other non-West Seattle restaurants) – say they’re hoping to open within weeks.

We sat down with Shawn Virk (above right), son of Sam Virk (who joined us late in the chat), this week to talk a bit about the bar/restaurant – which, as you might guess from that description, will be a 21+-only establishment. It’s at 4719 California SW, in the space where Taqueria Guaymas closed three and a half years ago, after the Virks bought the building.

The final name for the Virks’ new venture appeared on signage in December, at which time workers on site told us they hoped to be open soon, but the family now tells us the delays have included waiting for specialized equipment, plus chef training. (Their head chef will be someone who’s worked as an Indochinese cuisine chef his entire career, they told us.)

But as much as food, they’ll be focused on beverages. The food, though, will incorporate some favorites from Maharaja, Shawn Virk told us – and those “fusion” touches, so in addition to the aforementioned quesadillas, you might find chicken tikka tacos and pandeer tacos. Garlic naan bread will be incorporated into a pizza-type flatbread. Some other possibilities under discussion include tandoori dumplings and Gobi Manchurian. “You won’t find these dishes anywhere else.” They’re also promising to satisfy diners with quantity as well as quality.

They’ve been focused on decor, too; it’s a fairly small space, and they have some special wood paneling on the way. They’re hoping overall for a somewhat upscale (“elevated”) ambience, which is the case with one of their other restaurants, rebranded as Clove, at Renton Landing. While the facade of the space has remained bleak during the 3+ years of vacancy, Sam Virk says they’re planning to upgrade the entrance and windows (which will open) to fix that.

Hours? Not finalized as of our chat but likely to be long days/nights as is the case with Maharaja, which has undergone some changes lately too – more on that in a future story.

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TRAFFIC ALERT: Crash near southwest end of West Seattle Bridge
April 6, 2025 4:05 pm
|      46 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Reader photos)

4:05 PM: Thanks for the tips and photos. There’s no SFD callout for it so far, but as shown, there’s been another crash near the Welcome to West Seattle sign toward the southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge.

The images show only that pickup truck, but someone called us saying it appeared two vehicles were involved. Yet another texter says the dividers are pushed out of place – something someone else had reported earlier this afternoon (we advised them to be sure and report it to 911 as that’s a safety hazard) – we don’t know whether that was fixed before this happened.

4:13 PM: We’ve received even more reader photos and reports just in the few minutes since publishing this. One person confirms, “This was the 2nd accident there in the last 2 hours as on the way out there was another van at the side of the road and Jersey Barriers pushed over to the eastbound lanes.”

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DEVELOPMENT: Five years in, is Mandatory Housing Affordability doing what it was expected to?
April 6, 2025 2:10 pm
|      19 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Six years into the city’s efforts to have developers help meet the need for affordable housing, things aren’t turning out exactly as expected. Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) laws, which the City Council unanimously made citywide in 2019, were supposed to both provide more income-restricted units in market-rate buildings, and fund the construction of additional low-income housing. While some of that has happened, the MHA is also being blamed for making it harder to build multi-family housing units in Seattle, according to a report released recently.

Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office commissioned the report by BERK Consulting and Heartland LLC to evaluate how well the MHA policies, which included select upzoning to increase density, met goals during the first 5 years. After giving latitude to construct taller buildings with more units because of the upzoning, the city asked developers to either commit to providing a limited number of low-income units in their buildings for 75 years or to pay a fee based on the building square footage. It might seem like a simple choice to make, but it’s complicated by market conditions, land costs and in the case of the period from 2019–2024, the turmoil caused by the pandemic. The report paints a picture of declining feasibility not just in Seattle but across 13 “peer” cities they examined, where higher interest rates and increasing construction costs made it difficult for projects to pencil out. “MHA requirements play a relatively small but important role,” notes the report, adding that even with better market conditions, the cost of complying with the MHA could well be the deciding factor for a developer to say, “No go.”

As bleak as that sounds, many thousands of new housing units have been built since MHA passed. Through 2023, developers paid $300 million in fees to the city. The report points to MHA funds supporting 4,702 new low-income units, but those funds were pooled with other financing, so it’s hard to tease out exactly how many units can be attributed solely to MHA funds. The developers themselves only built 404 income-restricted units in projects during that time. The stated goal was for MHA to be directly responsible for 6,000 new units over 10 years, with no specific goals for how much of that would be achieved through developer fees. It turns out that 95% of developers opted to pay fees for their projects, most of which were either low-rise or high-rise. Of the 5% who did not, the vast majority of the income-restricted units were built in mid-rise projects.

While the preference for paying fees has been consistent, the amount collected has varied significantly. Fees from developers made up almost half of the Office of Housing budget in 2021 by bringing in $74 million that year, but that is down to a projection of $22 million for 2025. The Office of Housing does have other revenue streams, including the Housing Levy and Payroll Expense Tax on companies with high earners. That means the opportunity to build many more affordable housing projects remains, but not because multi-family housing is booming generally.

In light of some of the challenges during MHA’s first 5 years, and knowing that the legislation was written based on much different economic situation than the current one, the BERK/Heartland report makes a number of recommendations to take that all into account and still encourage more affordable housing:

* Adjust MHA fees annually based on market conditions, housing type and location, rather than using a formula

* Allow fees to be paid later or over time (currently paid early in the process, which is an added financing cost)

* Raise fees or remove fees entirely as an option to ensure more income-restricted units in projects.

* Remove red tape: Streamline permitting and eliminate design review, adjust other miscellaneous policies

In a letter to the City Council last week, Mayor Harrell indicated he will look into the possibility of fine-tuning the MHA, saying the report, “…serves to confirm that MHA can be a useful tool, but it requires careful design and active management to ensure it does not result in unintended consequences for Seattle’s housing market.” Harrell’s Press Secretary Callie Craighead told WSB that a 5- to 7-person technical review committee will be convened to assess and provide feedback on the report. Craighead said the BERK/Heartland study cost $250,000 and was funded by MHA administrative fees collected by the Office of Housing.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Restaurant break-in attempt
April 6, 2025 1:01 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Thanks for the tip. Blue Moon Burgers on Alki is cleaning up after an apparent burglary attempt this morning. The store manager told WSB that the windows were broken alongside the entrance, as well as the glass panes of the front door.

Police got there while a juvenile suspect was still there; we aren’t able to reach police to find out other details of what they determined, but the suspect reportedly was assessed to be in crisis and was taken to a hospital by AMR ambulance.

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YOU’RE INVITED: Book group at The Mount discussing ‘Don’t Walk Away,’ about living with dementia
April 6, 2025 11:35 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle books | West Seattle news

If dementia care has touched your life or that of someone in your family, the next meeting of the book group at The Mount (WSB sponsor) might be of interest – and you’re invited. Here’s the announcement:

Book Group at The Mount, “Don’t Walk Away”
Join Us: Saturday, April 12

Free to attend
The first 25 to RSVP may pick up a free copy of the book in advance.
Coffee and Pastries
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Providence Mount St. Vincent, Assisted Living Lounge, 2nd floor
4831 35th Ave SW

Please RSVP via email lorrie.shamarin@providence.org or call (206) 938-6191

Join the Providence Mount St. Vincent Book Group discussion of “Don’t Walk Away,” a captivating exploration of living with dementia by author Marilyn Raichle, founder of The Art of Alzheimer’s and Executive Director of Maude’s Award for innovation in Alzheimer’s care . This book offers a dual perspective on the Alzheimer’s journey, intertwining Marilyn’s written insights with the vibrant artwork of her mother, Jean McFee Raichle.

Lauren Wolfe, Manager of Social work at The Mount will facilitate the discussion as we invite participants to share their thoughts and experiences with dementia care, and the role of utilizing the elements of art and community. Whether you have personal experience with Alzheimer’s or are simply interested in a moving and engaging conversation around dementia care, please plan to join us.

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WEST SEATTLE SUNDAY: 16 notes!
April 6, 2025 6:12 am
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Michael Reilly)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, here are highlights for your Sunday:

WESTIES RUN CLUB: Today’s run leaves from C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 9 am.

AMERICAN MAH JONGG: Meet up with other players – all levels – 9:30-11:30 am at The Missing Piece. (35th/Roxbury)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Open 10 am-2 pm, with spring produce (root vegetables! lots of greens! cabbage! apples!) plus beverages, flowers, cheese, yogurt, fish, meat, prepared hot food, baked goods, nuts, dried peppers, garlic, candy, condiments, more. (California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)

KINDIE WEST CONCERT: 10 am at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW), Eli Rosenblatt performs this family-music concert. Our calendar listing has ticket info.

KIDS’ MARKET: Sale to raise money for refugee families, 10 am-3 pm. (3513 SW Genesee)

WEST SEATTLE BEE GARDEN NEEDS YOU: Monthly work party 10 am-noon! (Lanham/Graham)

DUWAMISH TRIBE LONGHOUSE & CULTURAL CENTER: The Longhouse is open for visitors, 10 am-5 pm. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)

FREE NIA CLASS: 10:30 am Sundays, first class free if you pre-register. Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska)

WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Need a tool to get your project going, or to finish assembling a holiday gift? Borrow it from the Tool Library, open 11 am-4 pm on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

FEEL LIKE SINGING? Drop into the Alki Community Choir‘s open rehearsal 11:30 am-1 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) – info in our calendar listing.

WELCOME ROAD WINERY: Enjoy your Sunday afternoon at this West Seattle tasting room open 2-5 pm, kids and dogs welcome. (3804 California SW; WSB sponsor)

ADVANCED CRIBBAGE PLAY: Faster-paced cribbage at the West Seattle Eagles (4426 California SW), membership not required – details here.

LIVE AT KENYON HALL: 2:30 pm performance of “The Pigeon and The Dove: A History of Hatred & Love” at Kenyon Hall (7904 35th SW), details and ticket link in our calendar listing.

MUSICIANS FOR THE WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK: 3-5 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Heather Vic, Steffen Fanger, Kim Tuvim perform this month’s concert to encourage monetary and nonperishable-food donations for WSFB.

DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER: 4-8 pm, Community School of West Seattle is the beneficiary if you buy food from Chipotle (4730 California SW) – our calendar listing explains how to ensure your purchase counts toward the fundraiser.

LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: End your weekend with Sunday night music provided by the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW) – 8-10 pm.

Are you planning, organizing, and/or publicizing something that should be on our community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basic details – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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