Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for sharing photos from tonight’s standing-room-only event presented by The Whale Trail at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). The cozy old home-turned-coffeehouse held 66 people for the presentation by West Seattle-residing orca researcher Mark Sears:
The Whale Trail’s founder/executive director Donna Sandstrom tells WSB, “It was a great night! Even better than we’d hoped,” with “great synergy between our groups” – referring to Laura’s participation on behalf of the Tox-Ick.org runoff-education campaign, and Seal Sitters joining in too. We asked Donna what’s up for the second in this new Whale Trail speaker series; she says Lynne Barrefrom NOAA Fisheries will be the featured speaker on February 21st, 6:30-9 pm, again at C & P.
We’ve heard from a few people wondering about two sites currently being readied for construction; here’s what we know so far:
The land west of the Arco station at 7301 Delridge Way [map] was up for lease for quite a while – and now, work is under way. City records show a permit granted one month ago for construction of a new 4,000-square-foot “retail building,” We have inquiries out to see if we can find out what sort of retail is planned, given that the existing station already includes a mini-mart; no reply yet.
In a policy published last year, the city listed characteristics and requirements for boarding houses, including private bathrooms for a “high percentage” of the units, and pathways inside the building leading more to the exterior entrance/exit rather than to common areas. County records say the 3266 Avalon site previously held an 87-year-old house.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
One month after Christmas – the holiday giving isn’t over yet. This morning at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) in Admiral, West Seattle Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts and (left) board member David Weld accepted an $11,000 check from store director Glen Hasstedt(right). Yeatts says it’s from what MM customers donated over the holidays.
P.S. The food bank is inviting you to come get a firsthand look at how it works, during a community open house/tour opportunity two weeks from tonight, 5-7 pm February 7th (3419 SW Morgan).
Two incidents in this afternoon’s West Seattle Crime Watch report: Fawn from Kinetic Physical Therapy is looking for information related to the vandalism attack against her storefront (which also houses other wellness professionals) in the 4800 block of California SW early today: “Someone threw a large rock at the window this morning at 3:15 am, according to an upstairs tenant who heard the sound. Any information if anyone saw this would be helpful.”
Second, though SPD doesn’t include locations on its auto-theft tweets, a friend of the victim in this theft of a purple Honda tells WSB it happened in Delridge:
COLOR: PURPLEYR: 1997 MAKE: HONDA MODEL: ACCORD BODY: 4 DRLIC: 050YBLST: WA***DO NOT MAKE CONTACT CALL 911***
Finally, another recently stolen Honda has been found – the tipster in this theft three weeks ago e-mailed to say it was found last week “about 5 blocks north of where it was stolen, on SW Orchard between 12th & 16th. … The car was fine but everything in the trunk and glove box was stolen; they even took the rubber floor mats.”
When multiple reports came in two days ago of the Seattle Police Mounted Unit riding up and down SW Barton through Westwood and Fauntleroy, we noted that we usually only heard about one sighting a year, though the unit is based in West Seattle, at Westcrest Park in Highland Park. Now, just two days later, they’ve turned up on Alki Beach. Thanks to Kate Kaemerle for the photo!
Following up on the 51st/Andover dog attack reported here last night – two large dogs attacking a small one, biting it and its owner – we spoke with the Seattle Animal Shelter‘s executive director Don Jordan a little while ago, and he says he needs the community’s help to figure out whose dogs they are and where to find them. An agent’s already been back out on patrol and couldn’t find them; they’re planning to try another search, but right now, he told WSB, what would help most is ANY tip about whose dogs they might be and where/how to find them: “We need people in West Seattle to put their eyes and ears to the ground and see if we can locate these dogs.” If you have any information, contact Jordan directly – e-mail is his preference, don.jordan@seattle.gov, but you also can call him, 206-386-4286.
In the absence of our regular daily preview, here are four events happening TONIGHT that might be of interest:
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE SIGN-UPS: If you would rather sign up in person than online, you’re welcome at the West Seattle High School library (3000 California SW) tonight, 6-8 pm – more info here.
THE WHALE TRAIL PRESENTS WHALE TALES: Orca researcher Mark Sears helps The Whale Trail kick off a winter series of speakers/events, 6:30 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW), with Seal Sitters and “Diver Laura” James from tox-ick.org on hand too – online registration is over so get there early to see if there’s room ($5 donation).
THE ART OF SOUP: Just found out from Krystal Kelley at Mind Unwind that Freshy’s proprietor and legendary soupmaker Amber is back from maternity leave and teaching the class for the first time tonight, 6:30 pm at M/U (2206 California SW), with a few spots still open! $50 includes food, wine, and recipes.
THE BIRDS, THE BEES, & KIDS: Got a kid who’s “that age” and looking for helpful advice on broaching The Subject? Amy Lang tackles the topic (how to talk to kids about love and healthy relationships, not just the s-e-x part) at Concord International School (723 S. Concord) in South Park at 6:30 tonight, presented by the Concord PTA. All welcome; Spanish translation available.
(From SPS administration, from left: Lucy Morello, Bob Boesche, Pegi McEvoy)
As ballots for the February 12 election, with two Seattle Public Schools levies totaling more than $1 billion, start arriving in mailboxes, a lineup of district officials came to Arbor Heights Elementary this morning to make the case to the media (turnout included four TV crews). They spoke in AH’s Room 19, in front of an old-fashioned blackboard. (Added: Unedited video of the briefing)
And there was news about Arbor Heights itself, which had been planned in the BEX IV levy to open a rebuilt school in 2018 (a year earlier than the once-tentatively planned 2019), replacing an aged, dilapidated facility with numerous problems: District officials confirmed what we heard at, and reported from, the West Seattle HS PTSA meeting last week – that SPS is taking steps to be able to move up the rebuild two years, to a 2016 completion.
More on that coming up – but first – the pitch for BEX IV and the operations levy:
(Photo courtesy Josh Sutton from the West Seattle/Fauntleroy Y)
When Mayor McGinn announced the recipients of the city’s summer-learning grants from the Families and Education Levy, multiple West Seattle recipients were on the list, and hundreds of local students will benefit. For one, the YMCA (WSB sponsor) plans a 9th-grade-transition program at Chief Sealth International High School and two other Seattle high schools. For two, Sealth’s neighbor Denny International Middle School received a grant too – principal Jeff Clark(in the photo above, second from left, with the mayor and Seattle Public Schools/Seattle Parks reps) shares details:
I am thrilled to announce that Denny International Middle School has been awarded a City of Seattle Summer Learning grant to increase the number of our scholars participating in our Westside Scholars Summer School program. Next summer, we will be able to serve 220 students entering grades 6th through 8th. The summer learning grant award of $73,363 will be focused on incoming sixth graders and will be augmented by other City of Seattle Families and Education Innovation Middle School funds to provide an exciting and rigorous program with core academics and enrichment activities during the six week program.
And North Delridge-headquartered Southwest Youth and Family Services also received a grant for a Young Writers’ Workshop in its education center. The official announcement was made Wednesday in Northgate; see the city news release here.
It’ll probably be quite a while before we forget what it was like to be UNDER all that stagnant air – but, courtesy of Long Bach Nguyen, we can see now what the inversion OVER West Seattle looked like, just before it went away earlier this week. As for the weather ahead – though we’re seeing some sunshine now, the forecast says rain will return tonight.
(Live view from the west-facing WS Bridge camera; see other cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
If you drive or ride on Avalon Way, remember that as reported here yesterday, the new stoplight at SW Genesee is in action. Only other traffic alert is the week’s final night of a scheduled southbound 99 closure between Battery St. Tunnel and the West Seattle Bridge for SODO overpass work, 10 pm tonight till 5 am tomorrow (and then one more week of Monday through Thursday nights). Be safe!
At the Chief Sealth International High School gym Wednesday night, it was the second night for the friendly rivals from West Seattle High School to visit – this time, for girls’ basketball. Above are Sealth and WSHS’s head coaches, Katie Jo Maris and Sonya Elliott respectively. Unlike the boys-varsity game the night before, the Wildcats went home with the win this time – 51-35.
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