(Satang Sallah, the first girl to receive a Kona AfricaBike, sets off from Medina Wallom to her village five kilometers away. Sallah starts school this month. Photos in this story by Lori Hinton and Barbara Trenary) Story by Lori Hinton
Special to West Seattle Blog
“Hand me that pedal wrench,” smiles Sandy Murray of West Seattle, wiping her brow while assembling one of 225 Kona AfricaBikes in 110-degree heat at a remote school in The Gambia’s upcountry village of Medina Wallom.
Murray, an emergency room nurse and Medical Teams International volunteer, and industrial hygienist Barbara Trenary have traveled to this West African country on multiple occasions for humanitarian work, but this year marked the beginning of an incredible ride.
What brought these women and a handful of volunteers from Seattle all the way to The Gambia some 8,000 miles away? A chance to help break the cycle of illiteracy in Gambian girls.
How? By assembling hundreds of ultra durable Africa-specific bicycles for kids to use as transportation to school—thanks to fundraising efforts from local non-profit HopeFirst Foundation and Kona Basic Needs.
(Toy Swap photo from 2009)
Once again this year, CoolMom is planning its annual Holiday Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale, a chance to recycle what you don’t need and pick up something you want that somebody else doesn’t need. The sustainability-focused group is planning two versions this year, both on November 13th, including one in West Seattle (the other’s in Wallingford). It’s set for 9 am-1 pm that day at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW). Proceeds benefit WestSide Baby and FamilyWorks as well as CoolMom. From the CM announcement:
There are 2 ways to participate:
1. Donate items before the sale & receive a $5 credit toward your purchase the day of the sale.
2. Nothing to donate? Show up and shop to your heart’s content.
Please don’t forget your reusable bags to collect your treasures. Cash and Check only.
Bag up donations – toys, sports clothes and products, baby gear, but no clothing or car seats (got any of the latter? take ’em to WestSide Baby this Saturday). To get your $5 credit, make sure your name is on or in your donation bag, so you can redeem the credit on sale day. Here are the West Seattle donation locations, which CoolMom’s Terri Glaberson tells WSB are set up now:
PCC West Seattle [WSB sponsor]
Gatewood Elementary School
Arbor Heights Elementary School
Community School of West Seattle
Pathfinder School
C&P Coffee [WSB sponsor]
Small Clothes
CoolMom is a Washington State Not-for-Profit 501(c)3 – organized to unite families to take action on climate change through education, lifestyle change, and advocacy. The West Seattle group meets the first Wednesday of every month, 7 pm at C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California SW.
Tis the season for spookiness. And tomorrow night – the question of whether the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum is haunted, or not, may be laid to rest. It’s getting a visit from the paranormal investigators of PIHA (Paranormal Investigations of Historic America). This isn’t Ghostbusters, mind you – PIHA, according to Vaughn Hubbard, is a registered nonprofit organization doing this for free. And he acknowledges part of the visit is to “support the upcoming annual Halloween fundraiser for the museum” (a brunch at Salty’s, October 30th). But PIHA doesn’t just visit any old – we emphasize, old – historical site; they need proof of the potentially paranormal. So we asked him, what’s the haunting haps here? Reply: “About any paranormal activity at the West Seattle Museum, according to Sarah Frederick, Collections Manager, Log House Museum, she has stated that there has been numerous stories about strange things happening there for years now but they just don’t talk about it. I have to believe what she is telling me is fact, otherwise we wouldn’t spend the time and money required by us for an investigation. We are very selective about where we schedule investigations because of our cost and time invested.” So how do they investigate? We’ll find out tomorrow night, once the PIHA “Grey Team” shows up in its “Command Central Van” (as seen in the promotional clip above). (P.S. We asked SWSHS about the brunch – $65 adults; $25 kids 13/under; free for kids 4 and under; RSVP to 206-938-5293, costumes encouraged.)
Two photos shared this afternoon – obviously taken before the weather turned. First, Tom sent the top photo, taken at 12:45 pm in his backyard at 21st and Holly (map), observing, “That’s one healthy-looking coyote! He’s looking at our chicken coop…..” (Here’s info on coexisting with coyotes.) Next, from Gary Jones:
In the distance, looking over the top of Alki Lighthouse, Gary believes that was a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser under tow northbound, coming out of Rich Passage from Bremerton. Closer look:
We’re still researching in hopes of figuring out exactly what that ship was.
The Admiral District space that Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor, now in The Junction) vacated at 2210 California SW didn’t stay empty for long. Meet Monica Skov (and daughter) – Monica is going to open a fabric store there, something West Seattle has been without since Hancock Fabrics closed two years ago to make way for the now-tied-up-in-lawsuits 39th/Alaska development. Monica tells WSB that her store, West Seattle Fabric Company, will carry fabrics and notions like thread and needles. While the notions will be fairly basic, she’s planning on a variety of fabrics including special vintage-inspired fabric and brands such as Amy Butler/FreeSpirit, Michael Miller,Kona Cotton/Robert Kaufman. She also hopes to eventually have classes for people who are new to sewing, and quilting groups. She’s expecting to open the shop within the next two months – as you can guess from the photo, remodeling is under way now.
(Added 3:10 pm, KING 5 video of orcas in the North Sound)
West Seattle-based whale expert Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Talescalled with a report of a large number of orcas heading south from Edmonds not too long ago – and we’ve since heard from Krista that Orca Network is reporting this too (keep an eye on their Facebook page). No way to know if they’ll make it this far south, but we’re sending out the early heads-up just in case. Let us know if you see any! 5:06 PM: Just got a call from Donna with The Whale Trail, orcas visible from Alki area. We’re off to check. 10:12 PM NOTE: By the time we got there, they’d turned from Alki Point toward the Kitsap Peninsula, where they put on quite a show for a while in the early evening, north of Blake Island (we caught a glimpse thanks to binoculars loaned by Donna and Jeff, who were both there). According to the Orca Network‘s nightly report, they were last seen heading south down Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island, so keep a look out in the morning just in case they stayed in the South Sound overnight!
We just got more information about the police presence Wednesday morning at a home near 49th SW and Stevens (here’s our previous report; the actual location turned out to be closer to 49th than 50th) – police are able to share a few more details. According to Det. Mark Jamieson in the Seattle Police media unit:
Detectives served a warrant at that location and arrested a 19-year-old man. He was booked into King County Jail for Investigation of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. They also seized items from the house of evidentiary value.
He says the investigation is ongoing but they’re not looking for any other suspects. As for what the “evidentiary value” items might be – the city’s crime-report map shows a report filed yesterday in that vicinity described only as “pornography”; the full report is not likely to be available for a few days. We’ll continue to follow up, including checking with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office on whether the man who was arrested will be charged.
In our daily election countdown coverage this time around – on the same day King County sent out ballots, the two candidates in this area’s most closely watched race joined the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle for lunch. From left, Joe Fitzgibbon, club president West Niver, and Mike Heavey, with tokens of the Kiwanians’ appreciation – certificates, and books for One Page Ahead. It was a cordial forum for the two finalists in the 34th District State House Position 2 race – perhaps the strongest point of differentiation between the two Democrats that could have been drawn by someone with no prior knowledge of the race is that Heavey’s a West Seattleite and Fitzgibbon is not. Both were offered seven minutes for an opening statement, and were asked to focus on the jobs crisis – Fitzgibbon took almost the full allotment, Heavey ran about four and a half – we recorded both on video, minus a bit of their respective introductions (Heavey mentioning his father had been a Kiwanian, Fitzgibbon detailing his work with Rep. Sharon Nelson, whose seat they’re running for):
After each presented his statement from the front of the Kiwanis Club’s usual meeting place (back room at Be’s Restaurant in The Junction), the floor was open for Q/A. Among the questions – whether the state had squandered federal stimulus money. Both acknowledged that, instead of creating “new” jobs, much had gone to existing programs, but, as Heavey summarized it, “a job loss prevented is a job created.” Their answers more or less also dovetailed on a question about cuts in occupational training – they agreed on its value; Fitzgibbon noted, “We get stuck in a trap if we say ‘every kid needs to go on to college’.” Asked about liquor privatization, Heavey noted they both are on the record as opposing both current ballot measures; he said he’s morally opposed to anything that might mean young people have more access to alcohol, while Fitzgibbon allowed that while he’s not in favor of scrapping the state-run system, there are things that could be done better. In their closing statements before the one-hour lunch meeting ended, they both alluded to the grueling campaign, with Heavey saying, “It’s been a tough election, but a journey worth taking,” and Fitzgibbon acknowledging it’s “not an easy choice” between the two. The next candidates’ forum for these two in our area is a week from today, Oct. 21st, sponsored by the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council at Greenbridge YWCA, doors open at 6 pm.
NOTE: With a few visitors on hand for the candidates’ forum, president Niver prefaced that part of the program with an overview of the many community efforts with which the Kiwanians are involved – you can check out their upcoming programs and events at their website, kiwaniswestseattle.org.
Brian Fenskeshared that photo with the note: “A beautiful, sparkling afternoon [Wednesday] to go kayaking off Alki. Will it be our last of the year?” Whatever the weather looks like by tonight, it’s time to get out for the West Seattle Art Walk, with more than 40 venues from Alki in the north to Westwood and Fauntleroy in the south. We mentioned a few notable points in this preview yesterday – others include the annual bazaar at The Kenney during Art Walk, and a combination of photography, live music, and Wine Club at C & P Coffee. Art Walk hours overall are 6-9 pm; here’s the walking map … 3:30 pm at Merrill Gardens-West Seattle (WSB sponsor), you’re invited to an Oktoberfest Celebration with live entertainment by The Bonnie Birch Duo and seasonal refreshments; RSVP to (206) 932-5480 … In-progress screening of “Oil and Water” – previewed here earlier this week – at the Duwamish Longhouse tonight, 7 pm … That’s also the start time for a book fair at Bloom Preschool, which welcomes families to come check them out while shopping … Want to talk about the county budget? Countywide Community Forums is organizing a discussion 7-9 pm at Freedom Church of West Seattle, 9601 35th Avenue SW – free dinner with Dick’s Drive-In burgers and shakes, but you need to RSVP online or by calling (206) 937-1417 … And the city budget gets another airing tonight – specifically, its potential effects on Parks facilities and programs – when the citywide Parks Board meets at 7 pm at department HQ downtown (100 Dexter N., agenda here).
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen)
Right in the middle of homecoming/spirit week, a big nighttime event at Chief Sealth International High School – with three sports teams teaming up to raise money for the athletics program. In our top photo, that’s Sealth athletic director Sam Reed with members of the volleyball team, one of the three – also front and center in the effort, boys’ basketball:
Football players, here with volleyball-team friends, too:
But the teams couldn’t do it alone. Friends and families joined them at Wednesday night’s spaghetti dinner:
From a platform above the crowd, Principal John Boyd opened up the bidding for a silent auction:
Items listed included a Mariner-autographed baseball and a “Two-Hour Work-Crew Party” donated by six Sealth basketball players and their coach. Another unique fundraising element, the dessert dash, won by (making the highest donation) table 19:
For their $300 total, they got first pick at the dessert table — choosing a pumpkin pie. P.S. You can find Sealth teams’ schedules here.
At 31st and Henderson (map), neighbors who fought for a traffic circle finally got it … and now they’re putting on the final touches. The circle was obtained in hopes of making their street, on a busy route between the Southwest Library and Westwood Village, a little bit safer. And now, they’re making the circle itself a little lovelier. Teresa Christianson shared photos, explaining that after the circle construction was complete in mid-summer, neighbors decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to put in plants and risk having them wilted by August heat. That “heat” never arrived, but time passed, and this week, in the autumn sunshine, they had a planting party:
Top photo is Tess Severns; immediately above, that’s Darci Severns and Lilah Christianson; and in the next photo, Pablo Lambinicio:
Other neighbors helped out too. So, how DO you get a traffic circle? you ask. Answers can be found on this city webpage.
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