King County Councilmembers are currently debating the future of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) after a forensic evaluation revealed severe financial mismanagement. The audit, released on April 17, uncovered that the agency was unable to account for more than $13 million in public funds and faced a negative cash position of $44.7 million.
South Seattle College (SSC) has announced a campus-wide event, "Tastes Like Home," scheduled for Thursday, April 30,. This daylong celebration of food, culture, and community is a collaborative effort between the college's Culinary & Pastry Arts and Nutrition programs and the King Arthur Baking Company. The event is open to the public and will feature live demonstrations, nutrition discussions, and a high-stakes pastry competition,.
Morning Demos and Nutrition Insights
The festivities begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Alhadeff Grill, located in the Culinary Arts Building (CAB), with a live baking demonstration hosted by King Arthur Baking Company. Following the demonstration at 9:45 a.m., SSC Nutrition Science Instructor Dr. Merri Manning will lead a session titled "Eat the Whole Kernel," which explores the nutritional benefits of whole grains.
As the 2026 paddling season arrives, Alki Kayak Tours is inviting residents to trade their view from the beach for a seat on the water. Highlighting the Puget Sound's history as the birthplace of modern sea kayaking, the organization has launched a comprehensive series of community events and technical training designed to turn novices into confident navigators of the nation’s second-largest inland sea.
The new season features a structured path to adventure, beginning with weekly social paddles and culminating in an ambitious overnight trip to Blake Island. To prepare for the crossing, participants can enroll in a series of specialized courses, including Intro to Sea Kayaking, Rescue and Recovery, and new classes focused on Navigation and Currents.
Information from Seattle Police Blotter
#2026-115043/Southwest Precinct/Third Watch/W3:
At 10:20pm Sunday officers were dispatched to a shots fired incident near the intersection of 35th AV SW and SW Morgan ST.
Officers located multiple shell casings in the intersection just east of 35th AV SW. One victim vehicle owner phoned 911 to report their vehicle being struck by gunfire by a male passenger of an SUV.
Victim also reported suspect SUV followed him from the Westwood Village Target. Officers located four bullet holes and one projectile inside victim vehicle which were collected for evidence.
A second victim vehicle owner who was traveling southbound on 35th AV SW near SW Morgan ST contacted Officers on scene to report bullet damage to their windshield.
The sidewalks along Alki Avenue’s bustling "restaurant row" are looking a lot brighter this week following the installation of 18 new pedestrian-scale lights aimed at boosting public safety. The project, a primary focus for Alki Community Council President Charlotte Starck, was completed just in time for the busy summer tourism season.
The new fixtures are "down lights" equipped with dusk-to-dawn sensors, meaning they automatically activate as darkness falls. Unlike the high-intensity LED streetlights that tower over the road, these are mounted much lower on existing wooden posts on the business side of the street.
"The idea is to illuminate the sidewalks," Starck explained. "Not only can people see, but they can also be seen. ... There’s a lot of science around lighting being a crime deterrent and that’s what we were hoping for".
Information from the City of Burien
The Burien City Council voted on April 20, 2026, to appoint Bob Larson as interim city manager. Larson’s first day with the City will be Tuesday, April 28.
An experienced municipal manager who has served in senior management positions in local government since 1986, Larson previously served the Cities of Snoqualmie and Gig Harbor before retiring in 2021. Since then, he has served in interim city manager roles most recently for the Cities of Newcastle and North Bend.
“I am excited to join the Burien city organization at this pivotal time to support Mayor Moore, Deputy Mayor Garcia and the city council,” said Larson. “I’m looking forward to working with the staff leadership team pursuing and achieving council's objectives”.
The Highline Heritage Museum is embarking on a significant new chapter, announcing plans to expand into an adjacent property to accommodate its rapidly growing collections and community programs. The museum, located at 819 SW 152nd St, has officially had an offer accepted for the purchase of the former rental unit at 15215 9th Avenue SW, situated directly behind its current space.
In the wake of a recent city-led sweep of a large homeless encampment at Rotary Viewpoint Park and the adjacent greenbelt by the West Seattle Golf Course, the "scorched earth" left behind has become the latest battleground for two prominent local volunteer organizations. While the City of Seattle’s Unified Care Team conducted the initial removal of residents and large debris, the fine-grain restoration of the landscape fell to a collaborative effort between Erik Bell’s A Cleaner Alki and Andrea Suarez’s We Heart Seattle.
A third-party forensic audit of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) has revealed that approximately $13 million is unaccounted for, sparking intense backlash from local officials and renewed calls to dismantle the agency entirely.
The audit, which examined KCRHA’s finances from mid-2021 through July 2025, identified several major financial discrepancies: 8 million in unreconciled receivables $4.26 million in administrative overspending, and $1.26 million in missing investment pool interest. Beyond the missing funds, the agency has struggled with a negative cash position that reached as high as $44.7 million in July 2025.
“Epic Failure” of Leadership
On the evening of April 22, the Highland Park Action Coalition (HPAC) gathered at the Delridge Branch of the Seattle Public Library for a community meeting focused on local safety, a new transitional housing project, and the future of the Highland Park Way roadway. The session, moderated by Kay Kirkpatrick, provided a platform for residents to question local officials and representatives regarding a series of pressing neighborhood concerns.
Crime and Public Safety: SPD Reports Rising Incident Rates
