West Seattle, Washington
05 Saturday
(Bee Garden photo: Volunteers, earlier this year)
If you have some spare time on Sunday, the West Seattle Bee Garden could benefit! Here’s the announcement that Lisa asked us to share:
This Sunday the 6th is our July work party, 10-12 pm. Our big focus is weeding! Some areas of the garden have gotten pretty wild so I’m hoping we can make a big dent and give our intentional plants much needed space and sunlight.
In the spirit of the holiday weekend, I also encourage you to bring your social side and join us for a break with lemon raspberry cake (homemade! homegrown raspberries!) and sparkling water. If you’d like to bring something to share, you are welcome to, but no pressure.
As usual:
-dress for the weather: it’ll be warm and sunny – hats and sunblock encouraged
-wear close-toed shoes
-we have tools but bring a favorite if you have one
-no experience necessary, all levels of garden-curious folks are welcome
-this is a family-friendly event, kids are welcomeAdditional volunteer opportunities
In July and August, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 2-4 pm, a youth group from the High Point neighborhood will be gardening and stewarding in and around the Bee Garden. The group has leaders, extra hands are appreciated. If you have interest and availability in supporting this community work, please reach out to Abbie at: abbiec@nhwa.org.
The Bee Garden is at the north end of High Point Commons Park (Graham/Lanham).
Reader report sent by CW:
Around 7 am on June 21, 2025, someone with the master key broke into the USPS mail boxes for our townhome complex and stole everyone’s mail.
This incident was not the first time our cluster box unit (CBU) had been broken into. Around 6:30 am on November 27, 2024, someone with a master key broke into our CBU, but during that break-in, an image of the mail thief was captured by a door camera.
After the second incident, we decided to reach out to the U.S. Postal Service, to ask if our CBU could be re-keyed.
A supervisor at the West Seattle branch informed me that it would be impossible to re-key our CBU because all CBUs sharing the same zip code have the same master key, and all of the CBUs in our area would need to be re-keyed.
The supervisor recommended calling and filing a report with the US Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455, option 3.
There’s also an option of filing the report online at mail theft.uspis.gov
While searching the Internet for information, we learned why it’s important to report stolen mail to the US Postal Inspection Service.
There are over 139,000 mail collection bins and 16.5 million CBUs in use across the country, and the U.S. Postal Service is planning to strategically replace only 49,000 traditional locks with higher-security electronic locks, in areas identified as high postal-crime areas.
With USPS master key fetching $1,000 to $7,000 on the dark web, we don’t see mail theft going away any time soon.
We wanted to share the above information with the other residents of West Seattle so they would know whom to call if their mail is stolen.
If you have any tips for the USPIS, CW says the confirmation numbers they received for these two incidents are 38105618 and 38105621.
One week from today, we’ll be in the heart of the second day of West Seattle Summer Fest, the peninsula’s biggest party of the year, and it’ll likely be warm. This year, the festival’s zero-waste aspirations will bring back something that hasn’t been offered in years – free filtered water. The official festival map shows where:
You can support the water stations by buying a West Seattle-branded drinking container made by Seattle’s own MiiR, who’s providing the refill spots – two types of containers available; order yours now and pick it up at the festival! Summer Fest hours are 1-8 pm Friday, July 11, 10 am-8 pm Saturday, July 12, and 10 am-5 pm Sunday, July 13, with main-stage music until 11 pm Friday and Saturday. Preview the music, food/drink, vendor lineups, and more on the Summer Fest website.
This busy summer month’s highlights aren’t all outdoors. This one is about the outdoors – happening inside. You’re invited to the premiere of the film about “beaver detective” Pamela Adams!
Take a journey into the ecosystem of West Seattle’s Longfellow Creek with first public premiere of the film “Freelance Beaver Detective – Tracking Urban Wildlife” on Friday, July 18, 7 PM -9 PM, @ Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.
Learn about the local beaver population, and wild endangered coho salmon spawning, through the lens of local WS filmmaker Kay D. Ray, and featuring local beaver detective Pamela Adams, as well as photojournalist Tom Reese, who will be available for post film Q&A.
Tickets by donation. Kids under 18 are free.
We mentioned the film back in January when Adams spoke to the Highland Park Action Committee (WSB coverage here).
(Seen on Alki on Friday – photo by Lora Radford)
A bit quieter than many summer Saturdays since it’s right after a holiday, but we do have some options for today/tonight – maybe you can try something you don’t usually have time to! – mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SATURDAY GROUP RUN: Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) at 8 am for the free weekly group run. (And sign up for the WSR-presented Float Dodger 5K, now just two weeks out!)
ART ON THE CORNER: 8:30 am-3 pm art sale in Gatewood to raise money for nonprofits. (39th SW/SW Holden)
HEAVILY MEDITATED: Free 9 am meditation at Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska) – register here.
INTRODUCTORY WALK: First of two sequential weekly walking events – meeting at the same spot, 47th/Fauntleroy, first at 9:30 am for a flat-terrain 1-mile walk.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: That’s followed immediately by this walk in which you can participate even if you didn’t take the introductory stroll. Meet at 47th/Fauntleroy.
DELRIDGE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, Saturdays through October, at Hope Academy in South Delridge (9421 18th SW). Fresh produce, cooked-on-site food, body-care products, more!
COURTYARD YOGA: 10 am at WEND Jewelry (3278 California SW).
MASTER GARDENERS: Got a garden-related question? They’re ready to answer! Saturdays this summer, they’re at The Home Depot (7345 Delridge Way SW), 10 am-2 pm.
PARENT & PUP: Get creative at Rain City Clay (4208 SW 100th) in Arbor Heights, 10 am.
MORNING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), Marco de Carvalho and Friends perform. Info about Marco’s music is here.
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am – free weekly in-person group for writers of all levels. For location info, go here.’
ALKI HISTORY WALKING TOUR: Meet at 11 am at the Log House Museum (61st SW/SW Stevens) to learn what you didn’t know about the Alki area!
SPRAYPARK SEASON CONTINUES: Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) continues daily operations today, 11 am-8 pm.
FAMILY READING TIME: At Paper Boat Booksellers, 11 am family reading time. (4522 California SW)
MODE MUSIC STUDIOS STUDENT SHOWCASE: Noon-1:30 pm, live music with Mode Music Studios (WSB sponsor) students at Tim’s Tavern in White Center (SW 98th/16th SW), no cover!
WADING POOLS: City-run wading pools expected to be open in West Seattle today are Lincoln Park (12 pm-7 pm) and Hiawatha (12 pm-5:30 pm).
COLMAN POOL: Swim in the heated salt-water outdoor pool at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm – see the schedule here.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM OPEN: Explore the present and past at the home of West Seattle history, open for your visit, noon-4 pm – see the new exhibit about Seattle Teriyaki! (61st/Stevens)
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER OPEN: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open post-holiday – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY TASTING ROOM, WINE BAR, STORE: On the north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus:
The Northwest Wine Academy Tasting Room, Wine Bar, and Retail Store are open Thursday-Saturday from 1-6 pm. Come taste and purchase our student-produced wine! The Northwest Wine Academy features a large tasting room and retail store. While tasting one of our current releases, you can request a tour of our barrel room and bottling area. Come support our student winemakers and join us for a student tasting.
POSTCARDS 4 DEMOCRACY: Monthly noon Saturday gathering for advocacy-at-a-distance at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
GRAND OPENING: Starting at 1 pm, Fourth Emerald Games celebrates its opening day in The Junction, as previewed here. Upstairs at 4517 California SW.
FREE MASSAGE: Walk into Nepenthe (9447 35th SW) 3-5 pm for short, specific free massage.
SALSA ON ALKI: Waterfront dancing returns, starting at 4:30 pm – details here.
EVENING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Circle of Songs, monthly acoustic event, 6-8 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). No cover, all ages.
DUB SEA FISH STICKS: 6:05 pm home game vs. WP at Steve Cox Memorial Park‘s Mel Olson Stadium. (1321 SW 102nd, White Center). Go here for tickets.
‘THE EFFECT’ AT ARTSWEST: Third weekend for the new play directed by Mathew Wright, with a 7:30 pm performance tonight. (4711 California SW)
REVELRY ROOM DJ: Saturday spinning starts at 9 pm – tonight it’s Chloe Harris at Revelry Room. (4547 California SW).
SATURDAY NIGHT SK8 PARTY: 9 pm-midnight with DJ Josh, 21+, at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW, White Center).
KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: For Saturday night singers, 10 pm karaoke awaits you at Talarico’s Pizzeria. (4718 California SW)
Got a West Seattle event coming up? If community members are welcome, your event is welcome on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
10:08 PM: Every Fourth of July, right about now, we start live-chronicling what police/fire responders are handling. And as usual, it’s busy. For one, police have just implemented a traffic plan and are blocking Harbor/Alki to traffic beyond what’s already there. If you’re headed that way – don’t, until the Lake Union fireworks are over and things start clearing out 11-ish. More to come …
10:18 PM: The traffic-blocking was related to a felony incident they’re just wrapping up, also requiring a tow truck to impound a vehicle. The vast majority of Southwest Precinct activity these past few hours has been in the Alki area. And now there’s a foot pursuit near Duwamish Head involving possibly armed suspects, 1300 block Alki SW, “possibly a strong-arm robbery, six juveniles.”
10:33 PM: Now police have a reported juvenile suspect “barricaded in a bathroom” toward the north end of California SW (they’re trying to straighten out the location)…. Meantime, if you’re wandering, there’s been virtually no mention of fireworks, trouble or otherwise, over the air, for quite some time, though plenty are being set off here in Fauntleroy and certainly elsewhere. … The aforementioned California SW standoffresponse is described as inside an apartment building.
11:40 PM: Thanks to commenters who solved the standoff situation – 7100 California, not 1700. Not a juvenile. And lots of fireworks calls now. … “Car fire” SFD response at California/Oregon.
12:45 AM: Stabbing in 7700 block 17th SW, The victim is a 17-year-old girl.
5:00 AM: Here’s the SPD summary of last night’s major arrest on Alki:
At 2000 hours, Officers were flagged down on Alki Av SW by a victim. The victim stated that an unknown suspect brandished a firearm at the victim, and he felt fearful for his life. Officers quickly checked the area and located the suspect that the victim positively identified on Alki Av Sw. Officers placed the suspect into custody and recovered a firearm on the suspect. The suspect was transported to KCJ and booked for Felony Harassment.
We don’t have further info about the stabbing yet but will add it when we do.
5:13 AM: Just off the Harbor exit of the westbound bridge, police are trying to contact suspect(s) in a car after stopping it via PIT following a 90 mph-pursuit from somewhere east of West Seattle. Haven’t heard what they pursued for, but they’re calling for reinforcements. … Update: That’s the Harbor ISLAND exit, officers are telling dispatch, and they have one person in custody.
5:42 AM: The Harbor Island exits from the bridge and 99 will be blocked while this investigation – with a revised location, Spokane/Klickitat beneath the bridge – continues. One snippet of info, it involved a gun.
6:25 AM: The exits have reopened. And we’ve also heard it noted that this incident – which, again, started outside West Seattle – involved a burglary.
11:14 AM: SFD says the stabbing victim was in stable condition when transported. We don’t have police info on the case yet.
1:03 PM: Here’s what police just posted to SPD Blotter:
Seattle police detectives are investigating the violent stabbing of a 17-year-old girl in the Delridge neighborhood in West Seattle this morning.
At about 12:20 a.m., patrol officers responded to reports of a burglary and assault in the 7100 block of 17th Avenue Southwest. When police arrived, they found blood on the door and made immediate entry into the house believing the suspects were still inside.
Inside, they found the victim with multiple stab wounds all over her body and she had significant blood loss. Officers pulled her to safety, and the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) provided her with medical treatment. SFD transported her to Harborview Medical Center in serious, but stable condition.
Patrol officers set up a security perimeter around the house until the Hostage Negotiation Team and the SWAT team arrived on scene. Officers applied for a search warrant, and it was signed by a judge. Ultimately, SWAT searched the house, but they did not find the suspects.
While investigating, officers learned the teen suspects, a boy and girl, ran from the house before officers arrived. The circumstances leading up to the violent assault are under investigation. If anyone has information, they are asked to the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
Detectives in the Homicide and Assault Unit are assigned to this case.
Incident Number: 2025-187428
7:44 PM SATURDAY: Another SPD Blotter post tonightreveals an arrest for one of last night’s other incidents in the wider Alki area; most “suspected shots fired” calls last night were fireworks, but not this one:
On July 4, at about 9:00 p.m., patrol officers responded to reports of someone shooting out of the sunroof of a car in the 2400 block of Harbor Avenue Southwest. There, police located a shell casing and interviewed witnesses. There were no reported injuries or property damage.
While investigating, officers found the suspect driving nearby on Harbor Avenue Southwest and performed a high-risk traffic stop. Police detained all the occupants while they further investigated. Officers could see a bullet shell casing on the rear floorboard of the car.
Ultimately, police determined the driver to be the shooter, and they arrested him. The two passengers were investigated and released. Officers impounded the car to the Vehicle Processing Room for further evidence search.
Police booked the suspect (23 years old) into the King County Jail for Investigation of Drive-By Shooting.
9:55 PM FRIDAY: Kay Kirkpatrick and friends were plenty busy serving up bites of pie tonight at Highland Park Improvement Club‘s Fourth of July edition of First Fridays, and a community pie bake-off was the main event. 13 pies were entered!
Tasters got two votes each – though they could try more than two pies – to determine the winners. Meantime, the past-and-future HPIC site at 12th SW/SW Holden, still awaiting the rebuild, was hopping with other offerings from tamale sales to free games:
First Fridays are all-ages – watch hpic1919.org to see what’s next. P.S. We’ll update when we find out who won the pie bake-off!
11:03 AM SATURDAY: HPIC’s Galen Van Horn sent the update and photo:
Attached is a photo of Katie Weiss, the pie contest winner. She won with a ginger key lime pie with a Ritz crust.
Folks can get the recipe in the next HPIC newsletter.
(WSB photos)
The West Seattle Junction was decked with the Stars and Stripes today, thanks to volunteers recruited by the Junction Association. We were passing through The Junction on the way to cover the West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade in North Admiral when we saw the group gathered for their briefing:
Many of The Junction’s community events rely on volunteers – Summer Fest (one week away!) still has some openings, for example.
That’s our annual video tradition – everybody in the West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade as they start down the route, westbound on Sunset SW in North Admiral. Some differences this year – while SPD motorcycles led the parade, SFD Engine 29 and the famous blue pickup truck did not. Engine 29 did park at Hamilton Viewpoint post-parade for tours, and as for the truck, it was used as a stage at the parade starting point –
(Photo by Oliver Hamlin for WSB)
president Joanie Jacobs of the Admiral Neighborhood Association, which now presents the parade, explained why, before introducing a late addition to the event, Mayor Bruce Harrell, and 12-year-old anthem singer Lola Orza:
Harrell was one of two mayors present for the parade – neighborhood resident Greg Nickels (the last Seattle mayor to serve 2 terms) and wife Sharon Nickels were seen chatting with him:
(WSB photo by Jason Grotelueschen)
Harrell, running for re-election this year, declared, “Don’t tell other parts of the city I said this, but West Seattle is the best part of the city right now!” It’s certainly the only part of the city that has open participation like this one – show up and you’re in.
(This photo and next 6 by Oliver Hamlin for WSB)
Once the parade reached Hamilton Viewpoint, it was sack-race time:
Local lawyer (and dad) Imants Holmquist announced the races with a heavy helping of humor:
You can hear him in our short video clips – first one of the kids’ groups, then the, shall we say, older adults:
The Hamilton Viewpoint afterparty also had food trucks and activity booths, both in greater number than years previous:
(Photo by Andrew Vernon)
First-year parade coordinators were Becky Brownlee (left) and Erin Roubik (right), below with ANA president Joanie Jacobs (center):
(WSB photo by Jason Grotelueschen)
The ANA’s next big summer event is the Admiral Music in the Parks three-concert series, starting July 17.
2:45 PM: Almost exactly a year after Starbucks closed its Alki store, the corporation will close its West Seattle Junction store, according to employees. A reader emailed us last night to say Junction employees had just gotten the news; then today we heard from numerous readers (and two more just as we wrote this!) that they were getting the word directly from store staff. So we went there to ask – since corporate HQ is closed for the holiday – and staffers confirmed it to us too (in person but on condition of anonymity). They said the store will close at the start of August, and that they’ve all been told they won’t be laid off, they’ll be able to transfer to other stores. The Starbucks share of the West Seattle coffee scene is shrinking – besides this and last August’s Alki closure, the Starbucks-licensed stands in Jefferson Square and Roxbury Safeways closed recently too. Starbucks will still have five standalone stores in the area – Admiral, Avalon (drive-thru), Morgan Junction, Westwood Village, and White Center (drive-thru). If the early-August timeline holds for the Junction Starbucks, it will close 10 years after it opened as the first tenant in that space in the then-new two-building mixed-use development. Junction 47 has a vacant space next to Starbucks, the former Haymaker Restaurant, though the online listing for that suggests a tenant is “pending” (we’re checking with the broker).
3:55 PM: Broker Jason Miller, first vice president with Kidder Mathews, says a lease is already pending for the Starbucks space too.
Thanks to Steven Rice for the photo of the two fighter jets that flew over north West Seattle about an hour ago – F/A-18s as identified by the photographer, a texter, and image search. While we haven’t been able to find confirmation of this, it seemed likely to have been a Mariners flyover, since their game started just after 1 pm. (Anyone reading this at the ballpark who can confirm?)
Congratulations to the West Seattle Little League softball players who are on their way to state competition. Thanks to Ashley for sending the photo and report:
Just wanted to shout out the WSLL 10s All-Star softball team clinching their district title last night, sending them to the State Tournament in Vancouver. These girls were undefeated and allowed only 1 run over 3 games . The State tournament begins July 12 – let’s go, girls!
From left to right:
Bottom row: Ada Sten, Sosie Smutka, Molly Wintermute, Ainsley Fraser, Mackenzie Hart, Laurel Wharton, Edith Bonaci
Middle row: Marina Mattison, Norah Fox, Leona Hill, Emory Sizemore, Carmen Procopio, Maeve Saka
Back row: Coach Nick Sten, Coach James Fraser, Coach Brent Bonaci
(Photo by Stewart L. – one of many small American flags that appeared along Harbor SW recently)
Again this year, we start the (sunny! 70s!) holiday with an info list for you:
TRANSIT/TRANSPORTATION
Metro buses – Sunday schedules with extra late-night service
Water Taxi – West Seattle route is on a regular Friday schedule today, including later-in-the-evening runs; Vashon route is on regular weekday schedule
Washington State Ferries – Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth is on its weekend schedule
Sound Transit – Here’s the holiday plan
Parking – No charge for street parking today in neighborhoods where the city charges for it
Traffic cameras – Here’s SDOT‘s citywide map; here’s our West Seattle-relevant page
WHAT’S HAPPENING/NOT HAPPENING
West Seattle Junction flags – Volunteers are scheduled to be placing dozens this morning.
West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade – Starts at 10 am – details in this preview. Gather at 44th SW/Sunset SW. Reminder that the parade crosses California SW en route to post-parade funfest at Hamilton Viewpoint Park, so there will be some traffic effects for drivers.
Art on the Corner – 8:30 am-3 pm, artist Bonnie Bennedsen (featured here in 2023) sells her work at 39th/Holden to benefit the West Seattle Food Bank.
Avalon Glassworks’ Art-Glass Sale – 10 am-2 pm, legendary annual holiday sale. (2914 SW Avalon Way)
HPIC First Friday, Fourth of July edition – 5:30-8:30 pm, this month’s First Friday on HPIC’s past-and-future site is a neighborhood holiday celebration, with a pie bake-off (prizes!), Seattle dogs, DJ, and art – details here. (12th SW/SW Holden)
WHAT’S OPEN/CLOSED
Aquatics – Highland Park Spraypark (11 am-8 pm), Delridge and Hiawatha (12 pm-5:30 pm) and Lincoln Park wading pools (12 pm-7 pm), and Colman Pool (12 pm-7 pm) are all open today. (Note that Colman Pool’s slide is now open Fridays!)
Other Seattle Parks facilities – here’s the closed/open list
Businesses – Here’s who replied when we asked for info from anyone closing or changing hours today.
Log House Museum – Open today, regular Friday hours, noon-4 pm. (61st SW/SW Stevens)
Seattle Public Library – All locations closed
Post Offices and banks – closed
Also:
WATCHING SEATTLE’S OFFICIAL FIREWORKS SHOW: The Seafair Fourth of July fireworks are at 10:15 pm – over Lake Union, but much of it is usually partly visible from north-to-northeast-facing West Seattle, and crowds generally gather along Harbor Avenue, at Admiral Way and Hamilton Viewpoints, and certain street-end overlooks. These fireworks will be broadcast on KONG.
OTHER FIREWORKS YOU MIGHT SEE FROM HERE: If you’re in southwest West Seattle with a view toward mid-Vashon Island, tonight’s fireworks show there will be over Quartermaster Harbor. … Further south, you might glimpse Tacoma’s 10 pm show, and if you are in one of the east West Seattle neighborhoods with a view toward Bellevue, their fireworks are at 10:05 pm.
LOST/FOUND PET? Furry friends might bolt on the Fourth if fireworks spook them. If you need it, WSB has long had the only all-West Seattle lost/found-pets webpage – email or text info/pic (with your contact #), westseattleblog@gmail.com or 206-293-6302.
For years, it’s been an “if you know, you know” thing – the night before West Seattle Summer Fest begins, when the streets in the heart of The Junction close and the setup begins, locals flock to wander the streets and enjoy entertainment pop-ups as well as the first night of festival-only sidewalk cafés at your favorite year-round restaurants and bars, all coinciding with the July West Seattle Art Walk. The nickname “Summer Fest Eve” has taken hold in recent years and now, that Thursday night is practically opening night for Summer Fest, turning it into a 3 1/2-day festival. Most of the fun next Thursday (July 10) will be 5-9 pm, though setup starts sooner – here are some times to be aware of:
7 am Thursday – “no parking” enforced along California SW, Oregon to Genesee, for stage setup, which starts at 9 am
2 pm Thursday – California SW closed to traffic between Oregon and Genesee
3 pm Thursday – “no parking” forced on California SW between Edmunds and Genesee, and on SW Alaska between 42nd and 44th
4 pm Thursday – Those stretches of California and Alaska will be closed to traffic so street-fair setup can begin
6 pm Thursday – Food vendor load-in starts – remember this year the food zone is west of California and Alaska, not east
And some lineup highlights from the West Seattle Junction Association (which also provided the times above):
Five of the musical performances are part of The Art of Music – you can preview those here. Watch for the art preview linked here next week. And we’ll have daily festival previews from here on out!
Thanks for the tip! A reader told us about the message on the sign at the former Morning Star Market at 9th SW and SW Henderson. It’s been almost four years since we reported the mini-mart beloved for its barbecue was closing after the sale of the property. Now there are signs — and a literal one in the form of a marquee—announcing what might come next – coffee shop, perhaps.
We reached the owner, Ben Greene of Greene Information Systems, this week. He told us he initially intended to use property for office space – as we reported in early 2022 – but he ultimately opted against that. Greene has an IT and data-migration business with a location in the Alaska Junction. Because the Morning Star property had been used as a restaurant and convenience store, he circled back to that, but didn’t want to run those businesses himself. Now he’s looking for one or more businesses that would be interested in leasing space, or who might need a business partner. This could be a coffee shop, a restaurant, food trucks, or something else entirely.
Greene says he’s had a handful of calls so far with interest, and he looks forward to talking to more people about their ideas for the space, which he is calling “Backyard West” as a concept name. He calls the location an “underutilized space at a good intersection.” The marquee, as shown in our photo, has Greene’s contact information.
(File photo – Junction flags, which will fly on the Fourth)
We’ll have a full daily list in the morning as always, but in case you’re about to unplug, here are six things to know about the Fourth of July in West Seattle!
BUSINESS CLOSURES/CHANGES: Here’s the list we’ve been adding to after putting out a call for info earlier this week. Not too late to add to it – email westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302.
KIDS’ PARADE: 10 am, starting from 44th SW/Sunset SW in North Admiral, proceeding to Hamilton Viewpoint Park for sack races and other activities, details here.
ART GLASS SECONDS SALE: A Fourth of July tradition at Avalon Glassworks (2914 SW Avalon Way), 10 am-2 pm.
FIRST FRIDAY, HOLIDAY EDITION: Want to celebrate with friends and neighbors? Highland Park Improvement Club is continuing its First Friday events at the past-and-future HPIC site, 12th SW/SW Holden, (updated) 5:30-8:30 pm, this time including hot dogs and a pie bake-off!
FIREWORKS: The big show is over Lake Union at 10:15 pm (and shown live by KONG TV) and many will crowd north-facing West Seattle viewpoints to get a partial view of them. … If you’re looking for what else is visible from here, southwest West Seattle might have a view of the Vashon Island fireworks at dusk over Quartermaster Harbor. And the highest easternmost points in WS, with a distant view of Bellevue, might be able to see those 10:05 pm fireworks
LOSE OR FIND A PET? The noisiest night of the year tends to lead to more lost/found pets. Remember that WSB has for more than a decade and a half kept West Seattle’s original lost/found pets page – send info/photo to us at westseattleblog@gmail.com or via text 206-293-6302.
As we’ve noted, outdoor-music season is heating up, with West Seattle Summer Fest a little more than a week away (next preview later today!), but we want to take a moment to look a little further into the future: Two weeks from tonight, the Admiral Neighborhood Association presents the first of three free Admiral Music in the Parks (AMP) concerts! The lineup, as announced in late May:
6:30 PM July 17th @ Belvedere Park: Get your dancing boots ready for PNW country-tonk band Lookout Mountain Lookout
6:30 PM July 24th @ California Place Park: West Seattle’s fan favorite Michael Pearsall and friends return for a second year at AMP!
6:30 PM on July 31st @ Hamilton Viewpoint Park: Enjoy the music of John, Paul, George, and Ringo as we welcome The Flaming Pies to close out our 2025 season.
As with all “free” events, they’re not “free” to the organizers, so if you can support the music series, donations are welcome.
P.S. New this year, knitting circles at every concert, with Seattle Yarn!
If you’re within view of Elliott Bay, be on the lookout for a baleen whale. Kersti Muul says one was reported west of Colman Dock in the past hour – initial reports were a humpback, but she says it’s since been described as a gray.
Last weekend, we reported on The Row House‘s announcement it would close its West Seattle Junction location (4203 SW Oregon). The announcement mentioned another business taking the space in early August. We’ve been working since then to find out more about that; now we’ve received an announcement directly from the prospective tenant, NW Fitness Project, sent on behalf of co-founders Kyle Davis and Matt Holland:
After eight years of building community-centered fitness in Fremont, we’re excited to share that we’re in early discussions about bringing our personal and small group training philosophy to a second location in West Seattle. For those not familiar, we believe fitness should adapt to your life, not the other way around and want to help you train smarter and get stronger.
While nothing is finalized yet and lease negotiations are still ongoing, we’re thrilled about the possibility of serving the West Seattle community with the same sustainable, personalized training that has defined NW Fitness Project since 2017 at our flagship studio in Fremont.
We understand that West Seattle Row House members may be searching for a new fitness home, and should our expansion move forward (fingers crossed!), we’d love to assure that the community would be in very capable hands. Whether through our small (10 people max) group classes or one-on-one personal training, we focus on meeting each person exactly where they are while building relationships both in Fremont, and hopefully, in our new home in West Seattle.
We’re committed to taking the right steps at the right pace – growth that’s sustainable for our team, our values, and most importantly, for the community of clients we serve.
They promise updates at nwfitnessproject.com/westseattle and also are offering, if you’re interested, a free class at their current location in Fremont.
(St. John’s Wort blossom, photographed by Steve Bender)
With the holiday weekend almost here, we have a shorter-than-usual list for your West Seattle Thursday, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER: Clouds or sun, it’s the heart of gardening season! 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).
MEDICARE INFORMATION PRESENTATION: Get your questions answered, 11 am at Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open today and every day through Labor Day, 11 am-8 pm. Free. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
WADING POOLS: The city says it’s expecting sunshine and warm-enough temperatures this afternoon to open the wading pools, so that means Lincoln Park will be open noon-7 pm and Delridge and Hiawatha will be open noon-5:30 pm.
COLMAN POOL: The heated salt-water pool on the shore at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) will be open noon-7 pm – see the schedule here.
WEST SEATTLE UKULELE PLAYERS: All levels welcome at this weekly 1 pm gathering. Email westseattleukuleleplayerswsup@gmail.com to get the details of where they’re playing today.
DROP-IN CHESS: Teens are welcome to come play at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), 4-5:30 pm.
HPCS FOOD-TRUCK VISIT: First of two regular Thursday night events here – every Thursday, 4-8 pm, Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW) gets a food-truck visit. Tonight it’s Jeremy’s Chicken.
WINE TASTING WITH CLARK: Another regular Thursday event at HPCS, 5-7:30 pm – info here.
VISCON CELLARS: This West Seattle winery’s friendly tasting room/wine bar is open Thursdays, 5-9 pm (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor). Stop in for wine by the glass or bottle! (Closed for the holiday, so go by tonight for your wine needs!)
NO WESTIES RUN CLUB: With the holiday approaching, the Westies are skipping this week.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Want to walk? 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).
LIVE AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Maple Valley’s Lucia Flores-Wiseman, seen (and heard!) on “The Voice,” performs at Easy Street (4559 California SW), 7 pm, free, all ages.
‘THE EFFECT’ AT ARTSWEST: Third week begins for new ArtsWest production “The Effect“ at 7:30 pm. Check here for tickets. (4711 California SW)
DJ NIGHT: The weekend spinning starts early at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), with DJ B Max, 8 pm.
Are you planning an event that should be on our calendar and in our daily preview lists? Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Before we get to the rest of what’s happening today/tonight, a reminder that Seattle Parks plans to keep lights on at some local fields in hopes of deterring fireworks use. And at the synthetic-turf sites, the lights will stay on four hours later than last year. The lights will be turned on at these fields at 9 pm tonight and tomorrow:
Lights at the following synthetic fields will be turned off at 11 p.m. on July 3 and 3 a.m. on July 5 :
Delridge Playfield, 4458 Delridge Way SW
Hiawatha Playfield, 2700 California Ave. SW
Walt Hundley Playfield, 6920 34th Avenue SWLights will be turned off at the following grass fields at 11 p.m. on July 3rd and July 4th:
West Seattle Stadium, 4432 35th Ave. SW
In addition to turning on the lights, Parks says the fields will be “monitored” 9 pm-2 am.
6:03 AM: Good morning! Welcome to Thursday, July 3, 2025, the day before the Fourth of July.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Mostly cloudy, then clearing, high around 70. Today’s sunrise was at 5:17 am; sunset will be at 9:09 pm.
TRANSIT TODAY AND TOMORROW
Metro buses – Regular schedule today. Sunday schedule on the holiday, with “extra late-night service.”
Washington State Ferries – WSF has resumed three-boat service on the Triangle Route, with M/V Kittitas, M/V Cathlamet, and M/V Issaquah. Vessel Watch will show you which boat is where. The route will run on a “weekend schedule” Friday.
Water Taxi – Regular West Seattle service; spring/summer schedule, with later runs on Friday and Saturday nights, plus weeknights with Mariners home games (and some other events). Regular Friday day/night service on the holiday.
STADIUM ZONE
The Mariners continue their homestand tonight, with a 7:10 pm game against Kansas City, followed by fireworks.
HOLIDAY TRAFFIC ALERTS
-The Fourth of July Kids’ Parade crosses California SW near Hamilton Viewpoint Park, so there’ll be some waits there in the 10 am hour.
-Note that waterfront streets (Harbor, Alki Avenues) will be very congested late Friday night (the fireworks show from Lake Union is partly visible, and it’s at 10:15 pm).
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
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!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Before Mallory Carlson, a young mom of three, talked with us about the reason for our phone interview, she wanted to tell us about her love for West Seattle.
She moved here the first time at age 14, to live with an aunt and uncle. She attended Chief Sealth International High School.
The second time she moved here was the first time with her husband and their first child, a son who’s now 4 years old. They had to leave because her husband’s job search led them to California. “We’ll be back,” they promised each other. And this spring, they managed to return to what Mallory calls an “incredible community,” home to many members of her family.
It seemed like the first step into a warm, bright future. They had expanded their family with identical twin girls half a year ago.
And then, just weeks after their return to West Seattle … “this happened.”
That word, “this,” encompasses so much heartache … but also hope. Sisters Josie and Lucy were diagnosed with an aggressive type of leukemia that Mallory says affects only 100 babies a year – ALL. The girls are now two weeks into an experimental chemotherapy treatment that they will have to endure for nine months. And that’s if they’re lucky. That’s inpatient chemotherapy at the start of a two-year treatment plan, their mom explains.
“The girls are stable – but not doing well,” Mallory told us when we talked Tuesday afteroon. “At least, they’re not in danger of dying today. … For every day, we’re grateful, but this is truly terrifying.”
Mallory is a self-employed wedding photographer. She can’t work now for multiple reasons – not just the need to stay at Seattle Children’s Hospital with Josie and Lucy, but also because she has to limit her exposure to other people, for fear she’ll catch something and spread it to them. “If they catch a cold, it could kill them, so I’m trying to be incredibly careful.” Her husband has just started his new job and hasn’t accumulated paid time off, so he has to keep working so that they can cover mounting medical bills and keep the “fixer-upper” West Seattle house they’d bought before “this.”
So they are crowdfunding, painful in its own way for someone who says she’s never had to ask for help before, “but I have to put my pride away.” In addition to raising money, Mallory is also trying to raise awareness and end the stigma that invariably arises with the word “cancer.” If people don’t want to help her family, she says, maybe Lucy and Josie will inspire them to donate to a foundation researching childhood cancer.
Research has suddenly become a large part of the family’s life. The girls are part of a clinical trial right now – a trial that hadn’t begun when they were diagnosed, but, Mallory explains, was opened seven months early to admit them. It is a trial that expands the chemotherapy currently used to treat ALL.
How did they both get it? Because they shared a placenta, one spread it to the other, Mallory explains. Josie was the first diagnosed, and the double diagnosis drew researchers’ attention quickly, enabling them to get into the aforementioned trial. “It could save them, at least keep them in and no matter what happens to them, it could change medical history … (but) even if it doesn’t save them, I want to bring awareness to this awful, awful rare disease.”
Their care is estimated to cost $1 million per twin – per year. “We are doing everything we can, but this fight is bigger than us alone,” Mallory says. And bigger than two very little girls living in a hospital right now.
Here’s the crowdfunding/updates site set up by friends and family.
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