That photo shared by Greg Whittaker of Alki Kayak Tours earlier this week is one of several we’ve received showing one or more seals on a raft off western Alki. After publishing another one of those photos, we received an unexpected note. Turns out, there’s quite a story behind the raft, and Guy Smith wanted to share it, hoping that when we mention it in the future, we will use its official name: The Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft. No, it’s not a memorial – instead of in tribute to Joy D. Smith (Guy’s wife), it was meant “for” her – in this photo, she checks it out with its proud builders after they assembled it last year:
Read on for the story, and more photos that Guy shared:Read More
Curious about Segways? Ride one at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, continuing till 6 tonight outside Fauntleroy Church/YMCA and Fauntleroy Schoolhouse across the street (here’s a map). Another adventure – kids can climb one of those portable walls:
Crafts too:
It’s not all fun and games – you can find out more about what’s happening in Fauntleroy these days – like the deal to purchase the schoolhouse and part of its site, which Fauntleroy Community Services Agency‘s Kevin Wooley will be happy to discuss with you at his table:
And if you live in Fauntleroy, the Fauntleroy Community Association would love to have you in its membership ranks – look for the balloons, where we found Gary Dawson and Marty Westerman nearby:
Even if you can’t get there till the last hour or so, there are music and dance performances on tap too, plus bratwurst for dinner. Although we’re not sure if the dancing stilt-walker will appear again – we did get some video:
Another West Seattle aerial shared by Gatewood pilot Long Nguyen – click here to see a bigger version on his gallery site. The line down the middle is of course California SW, looking south. (The remaining West Seattle greenbelts always catch our eye in his photos – here’s an archive of the others we’ve shown. Here’s a map with inventory of our greenspaces.)
One week after they staged an impromptu, handwritten-signs-and-all counterdemonstration when a Referendum 71 opponent showed up outside the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, this contingent of Referendum 71 supporters is “back in action” today, as the subject line in a note from Corianton, sent along with that photo, put it. He says there’s been no sign today of anyone on behalf of the opposition, but pro-71 clergy members were planning to join them. (If you’re just catching up – a vote to approve Referendum 71 means the domestic-partnership-rights bill passed by the Legislature will take effect.) Here’s more info in the state voters’ guide; once again, we are voting entirely by mail now, so your ballot needs to be mailed or dropped off – here’s the list of boxes, including one in White Center – by Election Day (Nov. 3). ADDED 9:09 PM: We received photos of the interfaith pro-71 demonstration too, thanks to Kari Kopnick from Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation:
Mr. Gelvin was a Vietnam War combat veteran; the Patriot Guard Riders join in memorials when families invite them, according to their website.
Leaders tell us they are about to leave Delridge Community Center heading to “the next phase of the memorial,” so you may see them heading south through West Seattle this afternoon. Here’s Mr. Gelvin’s obituary; he was a lifetime member of the Cossacks, who perform on vintage Harleys – like this one parked at the memorial, with the Cossacks’ uniform hat and boots:
NATIVE PLANT SALE: Fall is the perfect time to plant – and natives are the perfect choice. You can buy some 10 am-4 pm today at a plant sale that the West Seattle Wildlife Habitat Project is helping to host, with a portion of the proceeds going toward the group’s purchase of plants for the wildlife garden at Seacrest. The sale site is near West Seattle PCC (WSB sponsor), at 3223 47th SW (map).
The Alaskan Way Viaduct gets all the attention, but the South Park Bridge poses an even-more-urgent problem, with no guaranteed solution – yet. Here’s where things stand now.
By Jack Mayne
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
The crumbling 78-year-old South Park Bridge across the Duwamish is dangling by a $99 million federal grant thread as to whether its future will be a closed bridge or a brand new span.
The bridge carries almost 20,000 passenger vehicles and 3,000 trucks a day across the river from an unincorporated King County sliver in South Park to the City of Tukwila and beyond.
The bridge’s closure would mean traffic would have to be diverted to the already crowded First Avenue South Bridge across the river.
County Council Chair Dow Constantine, a candidate for county executive, says he is pushing particularly hard for the $99 million TIGER grant, or Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant, a federal bailout program Congress approved to help states with shovel-ready construction projects. The decision on that grant is expected by mid-February.
This discussion in the WSB Forums about the 20th anniversary of the big Bay Area quake reminds us that we have news to share about the most recent test of the neighborhood-preparedness radio system, plus a reminder about preparedness information you can access any time. First, the radio test. To recap, the West Seattle Communication Hubs is a project setting up nodes around the peninsula where volunteers will spring into action in case of a disaster that takes out the usual communications channels. In addition to keeping this list of “hubs,” the volunteers also have set up a radio network that would get information to authorities off-peninsula if needed. That’s what was tested again successfully last weekend, with West Seattle volunteers joined by two reps from the Auxiliary Communications Service, which is in turn linked in to the city Emergency Operations Center. One was Curt Black, shown in the photo above, who, as Morgan Community Association‘s Cindi Barker puts it, was “working in true disaster mode off the top of his car. He was specially equipped” with a digital setup, which can transmit data from a computer across the radio frequencies. The city and community reps dealt with a theoretical scenario, and requests for help dealing with potential scenario effects including a car in a sinkhole. So what can YOU do to help? First, familiarize yourself with the nearest Communication Hub location – where you’ll be able to go to get information and relay calls for help, if needed. It’s all on this website – worth a bookmark.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, today and every Sunday, 44th/Alaska. 
The crumbling 78-year-old South Park Bridge across the Duwamish is dangling by a $99 million federal grant thread as to whether its future will be a closed bridge or a brand new span.
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