SCHOOLS: Denny IMS hosts community conversation about Families, Education, Preschool, Promise Levy just passed by voters

Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Local school families, parents, students and education advocates gathered on Thursday night at Denny International Middle School (2601 SW Kenyon) to learn and share ideas about positive impacts made possible by the Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) levy, which Seattle voters approved for renewal/expansion in the November election.

The 6-year $1.3 billion levy was overwhelmingly approved by 80% of voters (the highest margin in the 35-year history of Seattle education levies) and is now in “implementation planning” mode through next summer (the Seattle City Council will vote on the plan in June 2026), followed by “year one” implementation beginning in fall 2026 and running through 2032. For more details, see this PDF fact sheet about the levy renewal and the “Every Child Ready” initiative (announced in April).

Organizers on Thursday night expressed gratitude to voters and described the levy as “the biggest education levy in the history of the city and the state,” noting that Seattle is the only city in Washington that provides this type of supplemental funding for the local public school system.

Back in June, we reported about mayor Bruce Harrell (who is in office until the end of this year, before incoming mayor Katie Wilson takes office) signing the bill to send the FEPP levy (aka Proposition 1) to the November ballot. As we reported when Harrell proposed the levy in April, it’s projected to cost the median-assessed-value Seattle homeowner $654 each year. The expiring 2018 version of the levy was described as costing the median-value homeowner $249 each year. Later in June, the City Council considered the FEPP levy proposal and voted to approve the ballot measure, which was then approved by voters in November.

The event on Thursday, held in the “galleria” area that Denny shares with Chief Sealth International High School, was the third of four public meetings about FEPP that were organized by the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL), whose director Dr. Dwane Chappelle welcomed attendees:

Two members of the Seattle City Council were in attendance at Denny on Thursday night and were also invited to give opening remarks. First up was District 1’s own Rob Saka:

As well as Maritza Rivera from District 4 (northeast Seattle) who serves as chair of the council’s Libraries, Education & Neighborhoods Committee and worked closely with Harrell as part of the select committee for the FEPP levy:

The evening’s emcee was longtime local educator and advocate Manuela Slye, who is also a member of the levy oversight committee:

Also in attendance was Seattle School Board member Vivian Song, who formerly served on the levy oversight committee and said she welcomed the opportunity to listen and learn from the community:

After the opening remarks and overviews of the levy, attendees divided into discussion groups to dive deeper into the three key areas that the levy funding is intended to support in 2026-2032. Per the DEEL website and information sheets, these three areas (and their respective “share” of the levy funding) are:

Ready to Start: ($658M) High-quality preschool for three- and four-year olds, with free tuition for low- and middle- income families, child care co-pay support, supports for families with children prenatal to age three, and direct payments to childcare workers.
Ready to Learn: ($510M) Free expanded learning supports for Seattle youth including school-day, afterschool, and summer academic, enrichment, and mentorship programs; funding for five new School Based Health Centers bringing the total citywide to 34; and expanded school safety and student mental health services.
Ready to Launch: ($84M) Tuition-free college at Seattle Colleges accessible for all Seattle public high school graduates through the Seattle Promise program, supported transfer pathway to University of Washington-Seattle, and scholarships to grow a diverse workforce in high-demand careers such as education, trades, and the public sector.

Attendees interested in these topics on Thursday gathered for about 45 minutes of discussion, then shared notes back with the larger group, which we’ll summarize below.

The Ready to Start group talked about issues and opportunities for our youngest scholars:

The group shared family and provider experiences with childcare programs and after-school programs including CCAP (Child Care Assistance Program) and preschool. Some families said they felt they had access to the financial support they need for childcare, but improvements are needed to expand subsidies for middle income families who may not qualify yet and are cost burdened; need to “broaden access overall. Also discussed was the idea of earlier workforce opportunities for high school students to support the child-care workforce by assisting experienced adults, and overall to help providers get certified to offer childcare and preschool services.

Family priorities when choosing child care and thinking about key logistics included:

Core priorities across ages: Quality, trust in providers, cultural and linguistic match (especially for infant and toddler care), reliability, and safety.
School-age priorities: After-school programs that actively engage students in learning.
Logistics and flexibility: Need for flexible hours (including before-school and after-school care, sometimes as early as 5 AM), and provision of food and transportation where needed.

The largest discussion group on Thursday night was Ready to Learn, focusing on K-12 experiences and needs:

Participants talked about the need to support students and families both academically and with a “whole-child” approach, to ensure that needs are met, including:

Academic and enrichment support: After school and outside-of-school enrichment that boosts academics, offers hands-on learning, culturally relevant programming outside the school-day curriculum, and opportunities for youth to learn new skills and try new things.
Whole-child mental health: Holistic mental health that is integrated into daily school experiences and other activities, not solely reliant on youth seeking standalone services. Doing this right requires a range of caring adults who build relationships to reach and re-engage youth.
Meeting community needs and family engagement: Services reflecting whole-community needs, including workforce support and multi-generational involvement (including grandparents and older extended family. Making this work requires explicit, clear invitations for parents and family members to be involved, treating parents as true partners in youth well-being and education.
Community partnerships: Sustained, consistent partnerships bridging in-school and out-of-school supports to provide a stable set of adults ready to respond to academic, social learning, and other needs. This also requires schools and partners that are connected to each other, and to youth and their families.

One of the participants in this group was Denny Middle School principal Mary Ingraham, who talked about the importance of “needs assessments” to identify ways that student and family support can have the most impact.

The final group was Ready to Launch, focusing on preparation and paths to careers and college opportunities after high school:

The group included several high school students who shared their stories and experiences, as well as Councilmember Saka and Chief Sealth principal Hope Perry.

Insights and discussion points from the group included:

Financial assistance navigation and access: Desire for clearer support through applications and access to higher funding amounts, and to involve more people to make processes easier for youth.
Program experiences that shape careers: Group members shared personal experiences and observations with program services (such as school-based health centers) influencing interests in a positive way, including driving artistic careers and sparking interest in fields like psychology (through working with a therapist).
Exposure to careers and education pathways: Need for more exposure in schools to diverse careers and colleges to help youth identify their interests.
Information access challenges: Limited, hard-to-find online information for scholarships, funding for business needs, and internships. One participant noted it is hard to identify the best opportunities online because “the internet is so big,” and others strongly agreed.
Career exploration: More job shadow opportunities and real-world exposure to see what jobs look like “in the real world.”

As the evening at Denny wrapped up, organizers encouraged attendees to stay involved and stay in touch. DEEL also hosted meetings last week in Magnuson Park and Ballard, and are in Columbia City next week on December 16 (details here) to wrap up the 4-meeting series.

Also, if you’re interesting in diving deeper and getting involved with the levy oversight process, the team is now accepting applications for the levy oversight committee which will help with the implementation evaluation plan and review and advise on legislation and related work for the next levee. Applications can be submitted here.

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WEST SEATTLE WEEKEND SCENE: Santa Claus at Menashe Family Lights 2025

December 13, 2025 6:18 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

(WSB photo)

It’s the ultimate Santa photo opportunity – tonight’s the one night every season Santa Claus makes an early visit to the Menashe Family‘s legendary Christmas-lights display, so kids can get those special seasonal photos with him. He brought reindeer too, and Mrs. Claus!

They’re at 5605 Beach Drive SW until about 9:30 pm.

Bring a nonperishable donation for the West Seattle Food Bank.

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FOLLOWUP: About the sea-lion sightings at Don Armeni Boat Ramp

December 13, 2025 3:01 pm

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Our featured photo atop Friday’s West Seattle event list was that of a California Sea Lion hanging out at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, photographed the previous day by Jan Pendergrass. As we always do when we get a report and/or photo about a marine mammal ashore, we asked if Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network had been notified, and she assured us they had. Today, Seal Sitters’ David Hutchinson provides us with more photos and the backstory on what happened:

(Photos by David Hutchinson, Seal Sitters MMSN)

The Seal Sitters Hotline received a call Thursday afternoon concerning a sea lion on one of the docks at the Don Armeni Boat Ramp. A responder was sent to assess the situation and additional volunteers were contacted.

While sea lions commonly do use docks to rest, it’s unusual for them to haul out at this location, so our NOAA network partner SR3 was contacted for assistance with a visual health assessment. SR3 operates a marine mammal hospital in Des Moines, south of Seattle, and Seal Sitters always appreciates their expertise when questions come up about a marine mammal’s condition. The consensus was that this animal, while a bit thin, at this time was just using the dock to rest. Seal Sitters maintained a presence, monitoring its condition.

A few hours later, the first sea lion was joined by a second one. We want to thank the boaters for their cooperation in giving these animals space to rest by launching and retrieving their boats from the other dock. In our urban environment, there are limited areas where marine mammals can safely rest. Both of these animals returned to the waters of Elliott Bay later in the evening.

Seal Sitters had some questions about a possible brand on the first sea lion and some circular marks on the second one. After a study of photographs taken at the site, KC Scofield, SR3’s Response Program Coordinator, determined that they were familiar with the first sea lion on the dock. He was nicknamed “Oscar” by locals in the Des Moines marina, where he resided for some time last winter. He was “treated in the field” for what appeared to be an infected jaw injury. That injury is still visible in Thursday’s photo but no longer appears infected. SR3 provided us with the following links to learn more about Oscar’s story: here and here.

KC also felt that the circular marks on the second sea lion were likely bite marks from a “Cookie Cutter shark.” She mentioned that “Marine mammals are often the favorite snack of these little sharks and while the bites may look bad, they recover quite well from them.”

Seal Sitters and SR3 are members of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Seal Sitters covers the West Seattle shoreline from Brace Point through Harbor Island and the Duwamish River. Our Hotline is staffed from 8 AM – 8 PM every day of the week. Please report any marine mammal you come across on the beach, alive or dead, or if you feel that an animal in the water is in distress. You can leave a voice mail if calling during other hours.

The hotline number is 206-905-SEAL – that’s 206-905-7325.

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VIDEO: B-Sharp Studio musicians busk for food-bank support

December 13, 2025 2:05 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Holidays | West Seattle news

If you were in the heart of The Junction at midday today, you might have caught some of the holiday music by buskers from B-Sharp Studio. Again this year, they set up on the corner of California/Alaska to gather donations for the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks. We recorded part of their performance:

Busking musicians today were Judy, Tim, and Travis. B-Sharp musicians will return next Saturday – 11 am to 1 pm December 20th – for more food-bank fundraising!

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PHOTOS, VIDEO: Wandering along Admiral’s ‘Winter Wonderland’ for treats, activities, photos, more!

December 13, 2025 11:11 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

(WSB photos and video)

11:11 AM: Santa is under the disco ball at West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor) as the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s “Winter Wonderland” begins. You can stop here for photos with Santa in the coolest suit he might wear all season. This is one of more than a dozen stops on the stroll – activities and treats await you at various local businesses along a mile, from North Admiral to South Admiral – find the map/list here. We’re off to another stop – this is on until 2 pm.

11:34 AM: Need a holiday pic of your pet? Anna is behind the camera at Mud Bay Admiral (2611 California SW), where we photographed her as Henry posed. Steps away, co-proprietor Bill – in festive Christmas sweater – is serving up free cocoa outside Circa (2605 California SW; WSB sponsor):

Near the corner of California and Admiral, the Admiral Church carolers were offering holiday faves:

And now we’re at Brookdale Admiral Heights, where West Seattle High School art students are selling handmade ornaments in the lobby (look for the sign outside):

Face-painting is available here too. We’re off to a few more stops!

12:33 PM: We can guarantee you that Winter Wonderland is the only holiday celebration with an Official Penguin (that’s what The Penguin’s badge says, honest). To complete our tour, we wandered up to the two participating independent North Admiral coffee shops, both with craft stations – here’s a young visitor making an ornament at West Seattle Grounds:

At Current Coffee, ornament-making involves paper coffee filters that you can hang in the shop window or take home!

The sun has even appeared – Winter Wonderland can mean wonder-ful weather, after all. Here’s the map/list again – some activities are stretching beyond the official 2 pm end time; pet photos at Mud Bay continue until 4, and there’s an afterparty of sorts at Welcome Road Winery (3804 California SW; WSB sponsor), starting at 3 pm. The Admiral Neighborhood Association organized Winter Wonderland as a chance to celebrate the community and introduce you to some of the great local businesses you might not have visited before.

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WEST SEATTLE SATURDAY: Admiral’s Winter Wonderland plus many more holiday happenings, and a non-holiday event list too

December 13, 2025 6:03 am

| 0 COMMENTS

| Holidays | West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Friday’s sunset, photographed by Yvonne Frankovich)

Happy Saturday! We present to you another two-part event list – first, seasonal happenings today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide:

SELFIES WITH SANTA: 8:30 am-11 am Saturday and Sunday mornings in December, DIY photos with Santa at CAPERS Home (4525 California SW; WSB sponsor), donation requested for West Seattle Food Bank.

VIVA HOLIDAY ART STUDIO TOUR ON VASHON: 10 am-5 pm both days this weekend – take a self-guided tour of Vashon artists’ studios. Info and locations at vivartists.com. (WSB sponsor)

WESTWOOD ART STUDIO HOLIDAY ART SHOW & SALE: Group show and sale continues this weekend, 10 am-6 pm today, more info here. (9042 31st SW)

WINTER WONDERLAND IN ADMIRAL: Presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, multiple venues, 11 am-2 pm:

Join the Admiral Neighborhood Association (ANA) and our incredible Admiral business community as we spread some holiday cheer. Businesses throughout Admiral will be hosting festive family-friendly events/activities and offering specials during our third annual Winter Wonderland. Join the Daytime Disco Party with Santa at West Seattle Realty, sing your heart out with carolers from Admiral Church, and be on the lookout for the ANA penguin wandering the neighborhood! Find our map of participating locations here. Join the ANA as we celebrate our Admiral community while shopping small this winter!

BUSKING IN THE JUNCTION: 11 am-1 pm today and next Saturday, local musicians will perform carols and winter-themed music, raising money for the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks, on KeyBank corner at California/Alaska.

ARTIST POP-UP AT CAPERS HOME: 11 am-4 pm, you’ll find jewelry and ceramics artists today at CAPERS Home (4525 California SW; WSB sponsor).

PET PHOTO BOOTH: Mud Bay in Admiral is hosting a holiday pet-photo booth 11 am-4 pm, free but nonprofit donation encouraged. (2611 California SW)

UGLY SWEATER SOCIAL: Noon-3 pm at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW), including a 2 pm contest with prizes!

PHOTOS WITH SANTA AT CURIOUS KID STUFF: Pics at Curious Kid Stuff‘s Santa Land, 1-3 pm. (4740 California SW)

ALASKA JUNCTION SANTA PUB CRAWL: 4-10 pm, starting at Shadowland (California SW and SW Oregon). 21+.

(Photo by Margaret – new holiday touches set up for Astra Lumina)

ASTRA LUMINA: Celestially inspired light show on the grounds of the Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, times vary. Tickets and info here.

WEST SEATTLE BIG BAND @ WS EAGLES: Second chance to see them in less than a week:

WSBB will be the featured Saturday night dance band at the West Seattle Eagles on December 13th. A dinner of Baked Zita will be available for purchase at $15 prior to the show at 5:30 PM. First come, first served. All proceeds of the dinner will go to the Music Boosters at James Madison Middle School. Space is limited. No reservations will be taken for the meal. The evening of music starts at 7:00 PM with 3 sets concluding at 10:00 PM. Music will include some Christmas favorites as well as big band swing and jazz. There is no cover charge for the event, but a tip jar will be available with 100% of the proceeds of the evening going to the Madison instrumental music program. The event entrance is off the alley behind the Eagles Building at 4426 California Ave SW.

JACKBOX HOLIDAY PARTY AT FOURTH EMERALD GAMES: Play games and support charity, starting at 5:30 pm. (4517 California SW, upstairs)

SANTA AT MENASHE FAMILY LIGHTS: West Seattle’s brightest lights host Christmas’s jolliest old soul – with reindeer! 6-10 pm. (5605 Beach Drive SW)

CHAMPAGNE EVENT #2: West Seattle Wine Cellars (6026 California SW) hosts another champagne event – this one at 6 pm – details and registration link here.

BELLS OF THE SOUND: 7 pm concert with Puget Sound’s premier handbell choir at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (3940 41st SW) – “Let Your Heart Be Light” is this year’s theme. By donation, at the door.

CHRISTMAS TREES: As noted here, every place that sells them in West Seattle is up and running! Scroll through the Holiday Guide any time for the list.

And here are the non-holiday-season events for today, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:

SWEAT TESTING: 7:50 am at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) – preregister here.

SATURDAY GROUP RUN: Also at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor), regardless of whether you’re getting sweat testing, you can join the Saturday 8 am free group run!

FREE! HEAVILY MEDITATED: Free 9 am community meditation at Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska) – register here.

STORY TIME WITH CRAFT ACTIVITY: 9:30 am at Highland Park Corner Store (7789 Highland Park Way SW), free.

INTRODUCTORY WALK and WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: 9:30 am, walk a mile as a prelude to the 10 am well-being walk (or just show up for that one). Both start from 47th SW and Fauntleroy Way SW.

SSC GARDEN CENTER: The Garden Center at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW, north end of campus), is open 10 am-3 pm – one more week until its holiday break!

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: In session again this week, 10:30 am, info in our calendar listing.

FAMILY STORY TIME: 10:30 am at High Point Library. (3411 SW Raymond)

GRIEFSHARE: Newest session continues, 10:30 am at Grace Church, no charge (10323 28th SW)

FAMILY READING TIME: At Paper Boat Booksellers, 11 am family reading time. (4522 California SW; WSB sponsor)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: The home of West Seattle’s history is open noon-4 pm on Saturdays. (61st SW and SW Stevens)

VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)

VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open for you to enjoy 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 is OPEN Thursday-Saturday 1 pm-6 pm until December 20th! Back by popular demand: We are featuring our 2016-2019 varietals for a mix and match $62 case! Stop by for a tasting and a case for the holidays! Thank you for a beautiful year of supporting our students!

Enjoy student-produced wines and affordable eats at the Northwest Wine Academy Tasting Room and Wine Bar at South Seattle College, with proceeds benefitting student learning and the Wine Studies Program. NWWA is located in the North Parking Lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th Ave SW) in the Puget Ridge neighborhood of West Seattle.

FREE MASSAGE: 3-5 pm walk-in clinic offering short, specific massages at Nepenthe. (9447 35th SW)

2 ‘PENELOPE’ PERFORMANCES AT ARTSWEST: West Seattle’s playhouse offers something different this holiday season – the folk-pop musical “Penelope,” with a 3 pm matinée and 7:30 pm evening performance today/tonight; get tickets here. (4711 California SW)

LIVE IN-STORE AT EASY STREET RECORDS: Stephanie Anne Johnson performs at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW), 7 pm, free, all ages.

LIVE MUSIC AT MR. B’S: 7 pm, Angelina Adams at Mr. B’s Mead Center (9444 Delridge Way SW), no cover.

REVELRY ROOM DJ: Saturday spinning starts at 9 pm – tonight it’s DSoul Focus FM at Revelry Room. (4547 California SW).

KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: Our Saturday list concludes with 10 pm karaoke 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!

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Tragic history, new hope, and celebrating a devoted duo @ The Whale Trail’s 2025 Winter Gathering

December 12, 2025 10:20 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | Whales

(Maya Sears showing a photo of the new Southern Resident Killer Whale calf)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The newest Southern Resident Killer Whale – the K-Pod baby born just days ago – is looking good.

That was the word last night from two of the researchers who have seen the calf up close, Mark Sears and Maya Sears, the West Seattle-based father-and-daughter team who were guest speakers at The Whale Trail‘s Winter Gathering.

The heart of the event hosted by Whale Trail founder/executive director Donna Sandstrom at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) was a celebration of Mark’s half-century of work with the orcas; the Sears family has had a front-row seat for Puget Sound, whales and more, as multigenerational resident caretakers for Colman Pool on the shore at Lincoln Park. When the Southern Residents are in central Puget Sound, they head out too, partnering with other organizations to gauge the health of the endangered 74-orca population.

How the Southern Resident population dwindled so low was part of the discussion, revisiting the painful years in the 1960s and 1970s when Puget Sound’s orcas were allowed to be rounded up and captured to be put into captivity at commercial aquariums and amusement parks. Mark explained that knowledge and understanding of the giant marine mammals was woefully lacking – there was a prevailing misconception that the population numbered in the thousands, when in reality it was only hundreds. At least four times the current number, he said, but that was decimated soon enough – and the indignity and injustice was compounded by the deaths of many during, or shortly after, capture operations … and the anguish of the family members left behind, some of whom followed boats transporting orcas out of the area. Some of the whales fell prey to the capturers because they didn’t want to leave their families, he added. The captures “completely short-circuited the entire Southern Resident community” for a generation.

Speaking of generations – Mark’s been involved with the orcas since 1976; Maya became a NOAA-certified researcher in 2018. She was described as “known far and wide as the best identifier of the whales” – she can see a patch, a dorsal fin, and know which whale it is.

Mark explained that he got involved by being “a reliable reporter of whales” when the movement to protect them grew to include the need for information on when they were present in Puget Sound. He laughed at the memory of a hotline that people often called “collect” (back when it cost extra for phone calls depending on how far away the caller was from the person or place they were calling; if you didn’t want to pay the extra charge, you could make a “collect” call asking the recipient to be charged instead).

His many memories over the years included the honor of naming a whale – J35, Tahlequah, who has gained sad fame in recent years as the mom orca who swam for days while carrying her dead calves. She was born in 1998 and named after the South Vashon community that held a lot of importance for the orcas.

Also on the subject of Vashon, he told his side of the story of rescued Northern Resident orca Springer, the historic rescue that brought Sandstrom even more deeply into the world she had shared with whales for 20 years by then, and that she had recapped at the start of last night’s event (she’s published an award-winning book about it too, Orca Rescue). Mark said a friend of his who worked for Washington State Ferries would call him when WSF became aware of orcas in the area. His friend told him about this lone young whale; Mark verified its presence and “then started making calls … this animal just glued itself off North Vashon for weeks.”

When he yielded the stage to Maya, she shared some of her secrets about identifying which whale is which – with patches and fin shapes. And she talked about the work they do gathering mucus and fecal samples – not glamorous, but vitally important: “We’re really trying to understand what is going on inside a killer whale,” such as whether they’re absorbing nutrients. They partner with researchers/veterinarians from the San Diego Zoo and Sea Doc Society in this work, as well as with NOAA, and what they learn about what the whales are eating helps advocates push for protection of species on which the whales rely to stay alive. Largely, Maya said, they’re eating chinook salmon, chum salmon when they come down here in the fall (because they’re “big and numerous,” she explained). She also had a whimsical aside explaining how the orcas like to play with their food and might toss a big salmon around for a bit before dining on it.

Maya and Mark said the new baby orca in K-Pod, which visited the area this week, looks “promising” – so many calves don’t survive, and some look borderline from the beginning, but this one seems healthy so far. They showed a photo of the baby, whose sex is not known yet, with other older females from the pod. Its mom is K36, Yoda, 22 years old.

Sandstrom had pointed out earlier that this birth brings the Southern Resident orca population to 74, and that’s important in a glass-half-full way – rather than dwelling on “only 74,” she contends, it should be noted that the population includes 11 calves under six years old, seven of the female: “The future is here now.”

But keeping it a hopeful future, she said in her opening remarks, will require ongoing advocacy. Growing the Southern Resident population has been by no means just a matter of not capturing any more; the population built back to almost 100 when the captures stopped, but then other trouble intensified – noise, lack of fish, pollution, and more. She ticked off a list of action that’s helping, much of it springing from the Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery Task Force formed by former Gov. Jay Inslee (Sandstrom was part of that group). Action you take to lessen thse pressures doesn’t have to be herculean, Sandstrom noted – help the salmon by watching what you put down drains, for example. And whale-watching from shore instead of from sea. And then, as the actions of so many compound and the Southern Residents pull back from the brink, Sandstrom told attendees, “You can say ‘we did that’.”

After some Q&A for Mark and Maya, they were honored with a toast – to the years they’ve worked with and for the whales, and to hopefully “many more to come.

LAST CALL FOR ‘WELCOME THE ORCAS’: The Whale Trail’s “Welcome the Orcas” activities – including a Pod Passport and a special menu item at Arthur’s in Admiral – run through Monday; read about them here.

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UPDATE: Amber Alert canceled; two children taken in Burien found

December 12, 2025 8:03 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news

8:03 PM: If your phone gets Amber Alerts, this is the poster for the one that just sounded a few minutes ago, regarding two children taken in Burien:

According to police radio, officers are checking out a report of what might be the car in the alert, seen speeding near Highland Park Way and West Marginal, a short time ago, If you have any information or a possible sighting, call 911.

11:57 PM: As noted in comments, the alert is canceled because the children were found.

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WEST SEATTLE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Fun fence

December 12, 2025 6:48 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle Christmas lights | West Seattle news

Tonight’s West Seattle Christmas-lights spotlight is a location we showed last year – with a completely different look. Last year the fence at 34th SW and SW Cambridge had big snowflake shapes; this year, it’s lights in light, as shown above. The photo is from Stephanie, who happened onto the display, and sent this photo from the same area:

If you’ve seen particularly lively lights – or have your own – tips welcome, with or without photos, at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you! Scroll this WSB archive section to see what we’ve already shown.

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FOLLOWUP: SDOT sets date for Alki Point Healthy Street’s 63rd/Beach Drive crossing additions

December 12, 2025 4:20 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Access during construction)

Last month, when SDOT announced it would proceed with additions promised for its Alki Point Healthy Street (Beach Drive and Alki Avenue west of 63rd), it didn’t have a date beyond “as soon as later this year.” This afternoon, SDOT sent an update saying work will start “as soon as the weekend of December 20,” for the 63rd/Beach Drive crossing features. Here’s the plan for the 63rd/Beach work:

As soon as the weekend of December 20th, we’ll begin installing intersection upgrades at 63rd Ave SW and SW Beach Dr. Crews will install new accessible curb ramps and a new flashing pedestrian crossing sign. Work is expected to occur over a three-week period, with some pauses between phases like demolition and pouring new concrete. We plan to work on one side of 63rd Ave SW at a time to minimize traffic impacts.

During the work, you can expect:

-Primary work hours from 9 AM – 3 PM, Monday-Sunday. Crews may set up or take down equipment outside of these work hours. Crews will not work on December 25 or January 1.
-Temporary sidewalk, crosswalk, and lane closures.
-Access to Beach Dr SW at 63rd Ave SW will be closed while crews are working. Local access will remain open via 64th Ave SW. Access will re-open outside of working hours.
-Traffic shifts around the work area on 63rd Ave SW. Traffic will remain open in both directions with the assistance of flaggers.
-Relocated pedestrian crossing across 63rd Ave SW north of the work area.
-Signed detours for pedestrians and protected pedestrian walkways around the work areas.

Other planned additions won’t be installed until next year, according to today’s SDOT update, because they need drier weather.

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WEEKEND PREVIEW: Spend part of your Saturday in Admiral’s ‘Winter Wonderland’

December 12, 2025 3:39 pm

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| Holidays | West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

That’s the map of businesses participating in Saturday’s “Winter Wonderland,” organized by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, 11 am-2 pm. Choose your stops and choose your activities, from a disco dance party with Santa at West Seattle Realty (2715 California SW; WSB sponsor) to free cocoa at Circa (2605 California; WSB sponsor) and beyond – stretching across a mile of the Admiral business district, from crafting at West Seattle Grounds in the north (2139 California SW) to shopping specials at WEND Jewelry (3278 California SW) in the south – here’s the list (which you can also get by clicking the top-left icon nn the map):

Crafts
Brookdale Admiral Heights
Current Coffee
West Seattle Grounds
Seattle Yarn
Pizzeria 22

Food and Drink
Circa Grill & Alehouse
My Necessitea, LLC
Arthur’s

Entertainment
West Seattle Realty
Admiral Church Choir Carolers
Admiral Theater

Photo Ops
Mud Bay
Welcome Road Winery

Specials
West Seattle Runner
WEND Jewelry
Ella and Oz Salon

It’s a chance to have big fun while shopping small, 11 am-2 pm tomorrow!

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Another crash on westbound West Seattle Bridge

December 12, 2025 2:04 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

No camera in the area so we don’t have a visual, but a driver is reported to have gone off the road toward the southwest end of the West Seattle Bridge a short time ago and hit the “Welcome to West Seattle” sign. We’re mostly just noting this one for the record, as SFD upon arrival noted that no one was hurt and the crashed vehicle – reported to be a pickup truck – was out of the flow of traffic.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: DUI suspect jailed after driving into Fauntleroy yard, walking away

December 12, 2025 1:44 pm

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| Crime | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

A 29-year-old man is in the King County Jail this afternoon on suspicion of DUI, negligent driving, and interlock violation after an incident in Fauntleroy late last night. The pickup above ended up in a yard near 45th SW and SW Director, Its driver got out and walked away; police made the arrest a short time later near Lincoln Park. The neighbor who sent us the photo says the driver:

… came down 45th headed north from Wildwood Market area, sideswiped multiple cars and hit a moving car and then turned abruptly over the turtle and onto SW. Director St. headed toward the ferry terminal. He clipped a house right after the turn in their driveway ran over their rocks and landed in the yard of the next-door neighbor. His truck got stuck there and while he was revving to try to get it going again everybody came outside to try to stop him from leaving the scene. He was noticeably impaired.

According to the jail register, the suspect’s bail has been set at $10,000 after a Municipal Court hearing this morning. But we couldn’t find out from court files/documents any information on prior case(s) which led to the existing interlock order. If you think your car might have been damaged by the sideswiping the neighbor mentions above, you can contact SPD and refer to incident number 2025-362980.

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BIZNOTE: When to shop at South Seattle College’s Garden Center before holiday break

December 12, 2025 1:09 pm

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| Gardening | West Seattle news

Another holiday-greenery advisory, this time from the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Garden Center:

South Seattle College Garden Center dates and Hours for the Holidays!

Garden Center is open until December 20th! We have Holiday Swags, Poinsettias, and beautiful blooming Christmas Cactus! Plus BUILD YOUR OWN WREATH FOR THE HOLIDAYS! All new indoor plants will brighten any home or office and make a wonderful gift! Open Thursday-Saturday from 10 am-3 pm until December 20th! We will reopen January 8th! Thank you for a wonderful year supporting our students!

The Garden Center at South Seattle College provides Landscape Horticulture students the opportunity to increase their knowledge of plants while gaining real-world retail experience. Plants available for sale are selected, propagated, grown and presented by Landscape Horticulture students. Additional plants are brought in from local growers. Proceeds benefit Landscape Horticulture Program projects.     Visitors can also enjoy refreshments from the Otter Pup truck, offering a variety of coffee drinks and fresh pastries. It’s a great place to grab a treat while exploring the Garden Center and supporting student-driven horticultural work.

Cash and electronic payments accepted.   
 
The Garden Center is located in the North Parking Lot at South Seattle College (6000 16th Ave SW) in the Puget Ridge neighborhood of West Seattle. There is ample paid parking in the north lot, and visitors can generally find free parking along 16th Ave SW with a short walk to the Academy from there.  View our campus map for more details.

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Final weekend for West Seattle’s only nonprofit-benefiting tree lot

December 12, 2025 11:11 am

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| Holidays | How to help | West Seattle news

If you plan on getting a Christmas tree but don’t have it yet, the Holy Rosary School Tree Lot wants you to know this is its final weekend – here’s the announcement we were asked to share:

While we are open through December 16th, this is the last weekend of the Holy Rosary Tree Lot. Located behind the school [map], enter through the alley off Dakota. Freshly cut trees (2-10′), wreath and garland available.

Not only does the Tree Lot benefit Holy Rosary School, but a portion of the proceeds are donated to the West Seattle Food Bank and Salvation Army Hickman House. New this year, the lot is also collecting new and gently used coats for our neighbors in need at Union Gospel Mission.

Come support Holy Rosary School and local charities by purchasing your tree and greenery at the oldest, continuously run tree lot in West Seattle!

The tree lot will be open at 9 am both days this weekend, closing at 9 pm on Saturday, 8 pm on Sunday. It’s on the list of West Seattle Christmas-tree sellers you can find any time in our West Seattle Holiday Guide.

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Music, movie, theater, art, ‘jump rope for parents,’ more for your West Seattle Friday!

December 12, 2025 9:45 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(California Sea Lion photographed at Don Armeni Boat Ramp on Thursday by Jan Pendergrass)

Here’s what’s happening today/tonight as we head toward another holiday-season weekend! Listings are from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:

TOY DRIVE FOR SALVATION ARMY FAMILIES, LAST DAY: Three dropoff locations for toys and gift cards to be provided to families during a “Holiday Market” to obtain gifts for children up to 17. Details here.

TOYS FOR TOTS AT HIGHSTREET INSURANCE, LAST DAY: This longtime local insurance agency has a new name but the same annual Toys For Tots collection, drop off 8 am-4:30 weekdays. (5431 California SW)

WINTER WANDER SCAVENGER HUNT: Alice Kuder is organizing this again and you can still register to participate in its final weekend!

The Winter Wander Scavenger Hunt is a free community event designed to bring friends and families together for holiday fun. Wanderers download instructions, a Bingo-style clue sheet, and a map, then scour West Seattle to identify the locations that solve the clues, and upload selfies in front of those locations to qualify for prize drawings. Open to everyone of all ages! Winter Wander concludes at 7 PM, Sun., Dec. 14th, 2025. Sign up by registering at wondersinaliceland.com.

FREE INDOOR PLAY: “Stay and Play” is open 10 am-11:30 am at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd), with toys for the little ones and coffee for their chaperones.

SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE GARDEN CENTER The center is open for plant-shopping Thursdays-Saturdays 10 am-3 pm, north end of the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus.

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Visit the Log House Museum (61st/Stevens) to learn about local history – open noon-4 pm today.

QI-GONG: Natalia‘s Friday sessions are 12:30-1 pm at La Choza (10401 47th SW).

TASTING ROOM AND WINE BAR: Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) is open 5-9 pm Fridays. Stop in to sip, or buy by the bottle.

HOLIDAY TEEN ART JAM: 5-7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), presented by Arts Corps.

COFFEEHOUSE MUSIC: 6-8 pm, Songwriters’ Showcase at C & P Coffee. (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor)

FREE TEEN SWIM: 6-7 pm at Southwest Pool (2801 SW Thistle), free swim session for ages 13=18.

PARENTS LEARN TO JUMP ROPE: It’s not just for kids! Learn with a world champion, 6:30 pm at West Seattle Health Club (28th/Andover).

FREE CHRISTMAS MOVIE: All welcome to come watch “Home Alone,” 7 pm, West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).

CLASSIC BINGO: 7 pm at Admiral Pub. 21+. Free to play. (2306 California SW)

‘PENELOPE’ AT ARTSWEST: 7:30 pm curtain for the musical tonight – info and ticket link in our calendar listing! (4711 California SW)

SEATTLE GIRLS CHOIR: 7:30 pm at Holy Rosary (42nd/Genesee), Seattle Girls Choir presents “Carmina Angelorum: Songs of the Angels.” (Follow that link for concert and ticket info.)

COMEDY AT MR. B’S: Comedy on Thin Ice show at 8 pm, Mr. B’s Mead Center (9444 Delridge Way SW).

HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Chief Sealth IHS girls and boys host Franklin, games at 7 and 8:30 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)

SPINNING: DJ Hershe at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), 9 pm.

‘MAKE IT LOUD’ SKATING:Tonight, skate to live music during the – 9 pm at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW). 21+. $20 cover/$5 skates.

If you have something to showcase on our event lists or calendar, please email what/when/where/etc. info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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