June 2025

For years, JaK's Grill has been a familiar name in Seattle's dining scene, particularly in West Seattle. The restaurant, part of the 509 Hospitality group overseen by COO Jeff Kanzler, recently embarked on a significant change, relocating to 4209 SW Alaska Street, Seattle, WA 98116. While a physical move is notable, Kanzler suggests it's part of a much larger story about the evolution of the restaurant industry itself.

Getting around the region this summer is about to get easier and more rewarding. The popular “Bike and Scoot to Transit” program has returned for 2025, offering residents and commuters the chance to earn free bike, scooter, and transit trips. The program, a partnership between King County Metro, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), and Sound Transit, along with companies Bird, Lime, Siemens, and Velocia, has been expanded this year to include even more transit hubs in Redmond, Seattle, and Shoreline.

Information from Seattle Police Blotter

#2025-157181/Southwest Precinct/First Watch/W1:

At 5:22 am, officers were dispatched to a 911 priority 1 call for a felony threats/assault with a firearm in the 1600 blk of Harbor Ave SW.

The victim stated that the suspect was in an older white Mercedes sedan and a male subject was armed with a black handgun with an extended, translucent magazine. Officers arrived and did not locate the vehicle in the reported location.

After an area check, they located the vehicle parked a short distance away in the parking lot of Seacrest Park along with four subjects matching the description in or near the vehicle described. All four subjects were detained.

The next free admission Art of Music performances presented by the West Seattle Junction Association are coming up on Second Thursday Art Walk Evening June 12 at three locations:

ALASKA JUNCTION

District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka was apparently taken by surprise by the announcement by the Seattle Department of Transportation that in addition to converting back in angle parking at Duwamish Head to parallel parking, they planned to add an additional 150 waterside parallel spaces. Saka released a statement about this on Thursday.

"I want to clarify my position regarding SDOT’s recently announced proposed parking changes at Alki, that was attributed to work being done by my office.

For background: During last year’s Council budget review, I supported converting diagonal to parallel parking at Duwamish Head in response to ongoing community concerns about nightly street racing and loud gatherings that have disturbed neighbors year-round. The Council appropriated $175,000 for this change. I strongly support this first aspect of the project pertaining to Duwamish Head reconfiguration only.

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is inviting the public to attend an open house to learn more about the development of a new Off-Leash Area (OLA) at West Seattle Stadium. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 5, from 4-6 p.m. and will be held at the West Seattle Stadium, specifically in the overflow parking lot which is the site of the future OLA.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the project and provide feedback on a preferred schematic design. This design is based on input SPR has received so far from the community.

The development at West Seattle Stadium is part of a larger effort following the Off-Leash Area (OLA) Expansion Study, which SPR completed in early 2024. This study identified multiple suitable sites for future OLA development. Sites at West Seattle Stadium and Othello Playground were subsequently funded and are now underway.