(Recent video of salmon spawners in Longfellow Creek by Betsy Bertiaux)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“Don’t be depressed, be optimistic.”

That was the advice of one panelist during a West Seattle discussion of Longfellow Creek – its status, its future, its challenges. He was only speaking about one of the latter, but his advice was an appropriate exhortation for all in attendance.

The attendance itself was cause for optimism – all the chairs set out in the Duwamish Longhouse‘s main hall, and some of the benches around the room, were filled with people there “to learn about and celebrate Longfellow Creek,” as Elizabeth Rudrud of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society said in her introduction. Its Log House Museum has been hosting an exhibit about the creek, and one of the reasons for the November 8 gathering was to springboard off that.

Sharon Leishman of the Duwamish Alive Coalition also said she was heartened “to see this many people interested in our wonderful creek,” one of only two salmon-bearing tributaries in the Duwamish River watershed.

Photojournalist Tom Reese began his presentation with an update on those salmon – that day, he said, Longfellow Creek had seen “at least 17 live adult coho spawners,” and he had also noted three dead ones, as well as “about 40 baby salmon living in the creek almost a year now.” He declared, with wonder, “There are salmon spawning in the city of Seattle less than four miles from the Space Needle!” But most of the salmon who make it into the creeik die before thy can spawn because they’ve been poisoned (more on that later).

Still, it’s better than the years in which Longfellow – which Reese imagined had once been a “magnificent salmon stream” – was a “ditch, an open sewer,’ barren of salmon for perhaps half a century. Now the creek is “back from the dead” and the salmon are arriving each year, even though, as Reese described, “to get to Longfellow Creek they have to choose to go into a pipe that travels 2/3 of a mile underground” before daylighting.

He held the audience in rapt attention as he showed photos and video of the salmon, other wildlife, and the human-made features along Longfellow Creek, like the fishbone bridge. If you haven’t been to the Log House Museum to see his images in the Longfellow exhibit, don’t miss it.

The human influence on the creek was at the heart of the next speaker’s presentation. Seattle Public Utilities‘ Katherine Lynch spoke of impervious surface covering more than half the Longfellow watershed – and that has resulted in overflows like this.

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Love where we live? Love the fact that orcas and salmon live in the waters around us? Worried about their chances of survival? You can spend a few hours taking action next Saturday during the fall Duwamish Alive! event. Here’s a reminder from the Duwamish Alive! Coalition:

The Duwamish River is alive with its returning salmon and wildlife. This is a year with one of the largest Pink salmon runs in recent history. In caring for the river, and all those depending upon it, communities will join together for a day of impact at the semi-annual Duwamish Alive! habitat restoration event on Saturday, October 21st. Starting at 10:00 am, community members will roll up their sleeves at multiple sites, to plant native plants, remove invasive plants, and mulch for critical restoration work in the ongoing effort to revitalize Seattle’s only river and its 5 species of salmon, especially its Chinook. which are important for the Southern Resident Orcas.

Efforts include caring for Duwamish Tribal Sacred Sites along the river, special salmon-habitat sites that are critical for juvenile salmon as they make their way to Puget Sound, a kayak river cleanup, creating pollinator-plant meadows, improving the river’s upland forested Greenbelt, and restoring Hamm Creek at a site that honors military veterans and John Beal, the person who started the immense effort in restoring the river’s health. This is a day of not only improving the health of the Duwamish Watershed but also connecting with community. All are welcome to join this effort. This is a family-friendly event, all ages welcome.

For more information and volunteer registration, go to DuwamishAlive.org

Four locations on the list of locations you can choose from are in West Seattle – the other two aren’t far.

(WSB photos/video)

This weekend, Elliott Bay is open to chinook-salmon fishing. So fishing boats were on the water this morning while activists gathered on land to demand action they say can keep the chinook from going extinct, along with another species of mammals that needs them even more than we do – the Southern Resident Killer Whales. Specifically, the Endangered Species Coalition and other groups want four dams on the Lower Snake River in Eastern Washington breached so chinook salmon can reach spawning grounds more easily. This weekend they hosted “Rally for the River” gatherings in six spots around the Northwest, and the rally spot in Seattle was just west of Seacrest. Some supporters came from afar:

Those two are members of the North Olympic Orca Pod, from Port Townsend and Port Angeles. The sign mentioning the Elwha refers to a dam removal project from last decade, considered a success. But that was just part of the puzzle for saving chinook salmon. Four hydropower dams on the Snake River in eastern Washington must be breached, advocates say, before it’s too late (read the backstory here). Time is ticking, with the presumed death of another Southern Resident orca K21. A moment of silence for him was part of the speaking program at the rally, featuring representatives of the Endangered Species Coalition, Duwamish Tribe, Environment Washington, and Orca Conservancy.

It’s not a matter of demolishing the dams, they contended – “All we have to do is move some gravel aside and let them run free.”

After speeches, some rally participants kayaked to Jack Block Park …

… while others walked.

They’re particularly looking for support from Washington’s U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and have a take-action webpage here. The politicians, for their part, have said that any plan for the dams must address other factors too, such as electricity generation and farmers’ needs.

Join Duwamish Alive! this Fall as our salmon are returning in our Duwamish River and Longfellow Creek, with this watershed wide effort in improving the health of our salmon by restoring their habitat which provides food, shelter and cool, clean water that salmon need. Volunteers will be restoring native habitat on in multiple urban parks and open spaces by removing invasive weeds, planting native plants, removing debris and learning about healthy habitat. This is a family-friendly event, all ages welcomed and encouraged.

To volunteer, visit www.DuwamishAlive.org to see the different volunteer opportunities and register for the site of your choice, or email info@duwamishalive.org

Presentation by Jeannette Dorner, Executive Director of the Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group

Discussion on Southern Resident Killer Whales’ status follows

Also get an update from Seal Sitters

Full details on The Whale Trail‘s website.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Puget Sound’s boundless beauty might be its ultimate undoing.

But it’s not too far gone – yet.

That was the message heard by and shared among more than 100 people during a recent boat tour that used the Sound’s beauty as a backdrop for a message that grows increasingly urgent: Restore more of its nearshore.

That’s the part you might not even think twice about as you gaze at the spectacle of the water, sapphire under sunshine, silver under showers.

We hear a lot about the water itself – pollution we can reduce, like combined-sewer overflows and toxic runoff. But what’s next to the water matters too. The beach, or what’s replaced it; the bluffs; those comprise the nearshore. So does what’s on the beach, the rocks, the bluffs … NOAA Fisheries Service explains it, plainly, here.

Another term that mattered on the tour: WRIA 9 – a zone you’re in, but might not ever have heard mentioned.

WRIA stands for Water Resource Inventory Area. Zone 9 is the Duwamish-Green Watershed … as in, the Duwamish-Green River, which runs south from West Seattle.

With that area of focus, those who were aboard (listed here) included elected officials from South King County as well as representatives from advocacy groups, businesses, and government agencies.

The slate of speakers began with Jay Manning from the Puget Sound Partnership Leadership Council opened with the dire warning that you can’t judge Puget Sound by its beauty: Read More

(WSB file photo)

If you’re concerned about Southern Resident Killer Whales – still languishing with historically low population numbers – here’s a simple way to help. The one-day volunteer event Duwamish Alive! is back at full strength this fall with the theme “Saving Our Salmon Saves Our Orcas.” Just clear your calendar for 10 am-2 pm Saturday, October 15th – even if you can’t volunteer. The announcement from the Duwamish Alive! Coalition explains:

With the latest news about our Southern Resident Orcas, saving our river’s salmon – especially chinook, which the orcas need – is critical to their survival. Join us for a day of restoring the health of our watershed and salmon habitat at sites from Seattle to Auburn. The Green-Duwamish Watershed will be alive with hundreds of volunteers working throughout it to improve the health of its habitat and water for salmon, orcas, wildlife, and communities . This collaborative effort brings together many organizations and municipalities to highlight the complexity of our watershed and its importance to our region in restoring its health and the salmon that depend upon it. We will be working in the upland forests, along and in the river, its tributaries, and wetlands from Seattle to Auburn.

Because our watershed is important to the survival of our Southern Resident Orcas, we are also partnering with Conservation Districts’ Orca Recovery Day event throughout the region. We will be hosting not only volunteering opportunities, but at many of our sites we will have community engagement/educational activities for the broader community to enjoy. This is a family-friendly event, with all ages welcome. Tools and instruction are provided. Contact: info@duwamishalive.org

For site information and registration: duwamishalive.org

As you’ll see on that page, six of the restoration sites are in West Seattle; you can join an on-the-water event on the Duwamish River, too.

(Images from meeting presentation – above, Roxhill Park and Bog)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Imagine you want to take a bath – but not only can you not draw enough water to fill the tub, the water you do get keeps draining out.

That’s the problem with Roxhill Bog, experts and advocates believe, and as unveiled at this week’s community meeting, they have a plan that might fix it.

“Might” is the important word here – so they’re going to try an experiment on part of the endangered wetland, which is all that’s left of a 10,000-year-old peat bog that once stretched far beyond the remnant that exists – dry as it is – mostly on the south side of city-owned Roxhill Park.

Wednesday night’s meeting had many of the same participants who gathered more than a year and a half ago – just before the pandemic shut down in-person meetings – to accelerate the effort to keep the bog from being lost forever.

This time, interested and/or involved parties gathered online to talk and hear about what’s been learned and what happens next.

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That Seattle Municipal Archives photo from 1961 shows some of the peat in the area of Roxhill Park – which holds the peat bog at the historic headwaters of Longfellow Creek. As community advocates have noted for years, it’s endangered – but finally there’s movement toward taking real action to save it. If you’re interested, you’re invited to a meeting Tuesday:

Roxhill Park Bog/Longfellow Creek Headwater Restoration Project
Tuesday, February 11th 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Lower Level, SW Teen Life Center, 2801 SW Thistle

In a collaborative effort of community, nonprofit organizations, county and city agencies to restore Roxhill Bog’s ecosystem and provide the community with a safe and engaging natural area for recreation and education you are invited to a stakeholder project meeting to learn about this effort, its importance to the health of Longfellow Creek, its salmon. and saving of one of the last peat fens in Seattle. Climate change and urbanization have caused Roxhill Bog to degrade to a critical tipping point if not addressed now, restoration of its natural functions may no longer be feasible.

A hydrology study being conducted by Natural Systems Design is one of the first steps to restore Roxhill Bog’s natural hydrology, enhancing its water quality, improving ecological resiliency and benefiting salmonid recovery in Longfellow Creek and the greater Green-Duwamish basin.

The goal is to revitalize this natural area so it can again contribute to the creek’s health, support one of the most diverse bird populations in the city, enhance environmental education, foster outdoor recreation, improve neighborhood health and safety.

Agenda

Overview of Roxhill Bog, its history, community, environmental & social challenges, opportunities
Connection to Longfellow Creek basin
Hydrology Study by Natural Systems Design
Discussion Breakout

(WSB photos)

Education is a vital part of saving Northwest salmon and the creatures who depend on them. Once again this year, Salmon in the Schools teachers and volunteers are making sure it happens. This year’s work began today, with hundreds of salmon eggs delivered to participating local schools.

We were there for two deliveries – West Seattle Elementary (top photo) and Highland Park Elementary (above photo). Volunteers Judy Pickens and Phil Sweetland delivered the hatchery-raised eggs and explained what happens next.

The schools each have a tank in which the salmon grow until the fry can be released into Fauntleroy Creek in the spring.

Salmon are being raised this year by 10 schools, from Alki Elementary in the north to Arbor Heights Elementary in the south. Roxhill Elementary is a new participant this year. At all of them, the students get a front row seat on delivery day:

Seven schools got their eggs today; Judy and Phil are scheduled to visit the other three tomorrow morning. P.S. Salmon in the Schools isn’t just a West Seattle program – here’s the most-recent annual report on citywide participation and impact:

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Between the first two waves of snow, the Southwest District Council held its February meeting. We were there, and just getting a chance to finish the report now that (what we hope is) the last wave of snow is melting. Two major guests at the February 6th meeting: Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail and City Councilmember Lisa Herbold:

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(Photo by Jim Borrow)

Many highlights as your first weekend of November begins:

GREEN SEATTLE DAY: Want to be part of this mega-work party? DIRT Corps would love to see you at Westcrest Park, 9 am-noon.

IS WEST SEATTLE READY? All the spots are filled so this is mostly a reminder to those with (free) tickets, today’s the day for the second round of this preparedness extravaganza. 9 am-noon at Hiawatha Community Center. (2700 California SW)

JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Games all day and into the evening at Southwest Athletic Complex. The West Seattle Wildcats Junior Football organization has teams playing in games at 1 pm, 3 pm, 5 pm, 7 pm. (2801 SW Thistle)

FIND OUT ABOUT CO-LIVING: Westside Neighbors Network invites you to come learn about – no obligation – its Co-Living Resource, as explained here. 9:30 am-2 pm at American Legion Post 160. (3618 SW Alaska)

TILDEN SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 10 am-noon at Tilden School (WSB sponsor) – “We invite interested families to our first open house of the school year; tour the classrooms, and chat with the teachers and specialists who make Tilden extraordinary.” Enter on west side of the building, as explained here. (4105 California Ave SW)

COPPER COIN ANNIVERSARY: First of three days of specials celebrating the Admiral District restaurant’s sixth anniversary: “10 am to 2 pm. Join us for Brunch this Saturday and Sunday to check out some tasty new items and spin the Prize Wheel! Every table gets to spin the Wheel and win a Deal, ranging from $5 off your meal to $25 Gift Certificates!” (2329 California SW)

SEE ART, MAKE ART: Seattle artist and educator Angelina Villalobos shows kids (10 and up) and adults how to paint self-portraits, 10:30-noon at Southwest Library. (9010 35th SW)

HISTORICAL SOCIETY CHAMPAGNE GALA BRUNCH: 11 am at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s big brunch fundraiser, featuring Paul Dorpat and Jean Sherrard being interviewed by Connie Thompson, and much more. (1936 Harbor SW)

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE & HEALING: 1-6 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, it’s the next session in DNDA’s “Let’s Talk Race” series. Details in our calendar listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

‘OPEN CREEK’ IN FAUNTLEROY: 1-4 pm, you are invited to visit Fauntleroy Creek and look for spawning salmon, as previewed here. But if it is too stormy this afternoon, they’ll have to cancel for safety reasons – check back here, one of the places we’ll update if that happens. (Meet at fish-ladder overlook at upper Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Director)

ACUPUNCTURE OPEN HOUSE: 2:30-4:30 pm, visit the Community Acupuncture Project‘s “Get Cozy” Open House for everything from cocoa to free ear acupuncture. (4545 44th SW)

SEE ART, E-ART: 4-5:30 pm at Southwest Library – “Paint your masterpiece but without the mess! Learn how to paint and sketch using “Artrage,” natural painting software for the iPad. Ages 10 and up.” Free. (9010 35th SSW)

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT: Kenya fundraiser @ St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 5-7 pm. (3050 California SW)

‘TRICKLE DOWN TOWN’ @ WS MEANINGFUL MOVIES: West Seattle filmmaker Tomasz Biernacki‘s new documentary about homelessness is in the spotlight at West Seattle Meaningful Movies, 6:30 doors and social time, 7 pm film, followed by discussion, at Neighborhood House High Point. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

MUSIC AT C & P COFFEE: Deb Seymour and Thaddeus Spae perform at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)

AT KENYON HALL: Double bill at 7:30 pm:

Opening the show, Bara Gwin will perform Fez Noz or Night Party music from Brittany, France. The group uses powerful instrumentation, complex arrangements, and ads a generous serving of original material to the Breton recipe.

Malke & the Boychiks, veteran klezmers Peter Lippman, Kim and Nancy Goldov, and Marc Smason are joined by the soulful, up-and-coming violinist Theodora Teodosiadis, to round out the evening.

Ticket info is in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)

‘NIGHTFALL ORPHANAGE’ FINALE: Your last chance to visit the spooky homemade show on Alki Avenue. Read about it at nightfall1031.wordpress.com. 7:30-10:30 pm.

Alert that it “might be too scary for younger children.” (2130 Alki SW)

BENEFIT FOR ROOM CIRCUS MEDICAL CLOWNING: Doors at 8, show at 8:30 pm, at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center: A night of music to raise money for this group that is “committed to alleviating the isolation and stress of hospitalized children and their families through the healing art of laughter and play.” You can get your ticket(s) online. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

FALL BACK! Tonight’s the night. At 2 am Sunday, we “fall back” an hour to 1 am, and Daylight Saving Time is over until next year.

SEE WHAT ELSE IS UP … today, tonight, beyond … in our complete calendar.

You know the Southern Resident Killer Whales are in trouble. Part of the problem: Their main source of food is in trouble too. But how much do you really know about where things stand, and how to – if you can – help? This Thursday, The Whale Trail invites you to an event that’s certain to educate and inspire you. The announcement:

Saving Salmon in Puget Sound
Presentation by Jeanette Dorner
Thursday, February 15, 7:00 – 8:30 pm.
C & P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW
$5 suggested donation; kids free!
Advance tickets: brownpapertickets.com

Puget Sound is an important producer of salmon for our endangered southern resident orcas (J, K and L pods). Fourteen Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups work with landowners and community partners around the state to identify and implement salmon habitat restoration projects. Join us to learn more about their ongoing work, especially in our own Seattle backyard.

Jeannette Dorner, Executive Director of the Mid Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group, will bring us up to date on salmon recovery efforts in this critical part of the orcas’ range.

The Mid Sound area includes the Green – Duwamish watershed, the Cedar/Sammamish/Lake Washington watershed, the watersheds of Eastern Kitsap County which drain into Central Puget Sound, and all the Puget Sound shorelines in the Central Puget Sound area in King County and Kitsap County.

With the survival of the southern residents at stake, it’s even more important to support and invest in local salmon recovery efforts .

This is the first Orca Talk of 2018, presented by The Whale Trail in West Seattle. The event will also feature updates from Seal Sitters.

Following the presentation, join us for a discussion about the southern resident orcas. Get up to speed about current issues and initiatives, and learn what you can do to help. With just 76 individuals in the population, it’s all hands on deck for the whales!

About the Speaker

Jeanette Dorner has a long history working to recover salmon in Puget Sound. She worked for 11 years as the Salmon Recovery Program Manager with the Nisqually Tribe, coordinating the protection and restoration of salmon habitat in the Nisqually watershed. She played a lead role in helping facilitate with partners major salmon restoration projects including the 900 acre restoration of the Nisqually Estuary. She then worked as the Director of Ecosystem and Salmon Recovery at the Puget Sound Partnership, supporting the work of hundreds of partners around Puget Sound to protect, restore and clean up their rivers, streams and Puget Sound shorelines. In 2017, Jeanette became the Executive Director of the Mid Sound Fishery Enhancement Group.

Jeanette is also the mother to two wonderful kids. Part of her passion to recover salmon habitat and to preserve and protect this beautiful place we call home is to try to pass on to her children a home where they can continue to enjoy the natural wonders of this place with their families – going to watch orcas swimming through Puget Sound, visiting salmon spawning in our local streams, and hiking in the majestic forests of the Pacific Northwest.

About The Whale Trail

The Whale Trail is a series of sites around the region where the public may view orcas and other marine mammals from shore. Our mission is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of whales and our marine environment. Our overarching goal is to ensure the southern resident orcas recover from the threat of extinction.

Through our current sites and signs, including two on every Washington State ferry, we reach more than 30 million people each year. The Whale Trail is currently adding new sites along the west coast, from California to British Columbia, throughout the southern resident orcas’ range and beyond.

The Whale Trail is led by a core team of partners including NOAA Fisheries, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Seattle Aquarium, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and the Whale Museum. Our BC planning team is led by the BC Cetacean Sighting Network.

Many members of the Whale Trail teams met when they worked together to return Springer, the orphaned orca, to her pod. Executive Director Donna Sandstrom was inspired by the project’s collaborative success to found The Whale Trail in 2008.

The Whale Trail is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, registered in Washington State. Join us!

We’ve had (and are having) some rain, and water-saving has topped the city’s request, but don’t stop now, the regional water utilities are imploring you in this update:

Fall has arrived, but consistent fall rains have not. Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma remain in the second stage of their drought response plans. The water systems rely on fall rains to fill the reservoirs so there is enough water for people and fish. Customers in the region have reduced their use over the past eight weeks by a total of 14 percent. The cities are asking their customers to continue to reduce their water use.

This time of year is critical in the salmon life cycle, as they migrate back from the ocean and travel up their native rivers to spawn. Both the amount and temperature of water in rivers affect their ability to conserve energy, avoid predators and successfully spawn.

… The total water level in SPU’s reservoirs is at 74 percent of what would be typical for this time of year.

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(Walk-ons boarding M/V Klahowya – photo by LB Bryce, via the WSB Flickr group)
Just some of what’s up today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

ARBOR HEIGHTS TOUR: Any family interested in attending Arbor Heights Elementary is welcome to tour the school 9 am-10 am today. (37th & 104th)

WEST SEATTLE DEMOCRATIC WOMEN: Today’s meeting looks at Initiative 1329 and more – details in our listing. 11:30 am, West Seattle Golf Course. You would have had to RSVP for lunch (watch our calendar and the WSDW website for advance notice of future meetings), but you’re still welcome to sit in. (4470 35th SW)

BLUE ANGEL VISITING: Yes, the Blue Angels really are returning to Seafair this year. Latest proof: The #7 jet visits Seattle today for Seafair’s winter meetings. It’s scheduled to arrive at Boeing Field between 1 and 1:30 pm. This year’s air show, Seafair reminds us, is scheduled for August 1st-3rd.

RETURN OF THE WIENERMOBILE: 2-5 pm, the iconic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile is back at Roxbury Safeway, where it was last seen back in December. Photo op!!!! (28th/Roxbury)

THE FRATELLIS, RESCHEDULED: 6 pm at Easy Street Records, The Fratellis perform the show that was rescheduled from last November. Free, all ages; details here. (California/Alaska)

THE WHALE TRAIL: Saving salmon is key to saving the orcas. Find out how salmon are doing, at tonight’s talk presented by The Whale Trail, C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7 pm. (5612 California SW)

PARENTING SEMINAR #1 – PARENTING WITH PAUSE, LETTING GO: Free parenting seminar presented by Renée Metty at The Cove School, 6:30 pm. Free child care if you RSVP – use this form, ASAP. (3430 California SW)

PARENTING SEMINAR #2 – GOODBYE, DIAPERS! Free parenting seminar for parents of kids who are making, or about to make, the big transition. Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), 7 pm – details in our listing. (3940 41st SW)

DELRIDGE GROCERY BENEFIT AT SKYLARK: Every Thursday, Skylark Café and Club has a benefit for a local nonprofit, and from here on out, the fourth Thursday will benefit the Delridge Grocery cooperative – details here. 7-11 pm, with music starting at 8. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

(Sanislo Elementary salmon-releasing visit** to Fauntleroy Creek last week; photo by Lisa Keith)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

This week, Fauntleroy residents Judy Pickens and Phil Sweetland will finish a busy schedule of assisting hundreds of local schoolchildren with salmon releases into Fauntleroy Creek, which runs steps away from their home.

But there’s no time to rest, if they are going to be back at creekside, doing it again next year.

One day before their schedule of salmon releases ends, the gavel is scheduled to fall on the special session of the State Legislature. And with that gavel, it will be official: No state money for the program that has facilitated the releases over the years, Salmon in the Classroom.

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Fisherfolk alert: The federal government has just listed Puget Sound steelhead as “threatened.”

A Celebration of Life is planned May 12th for Dick Warren and Vanetta Warren, who died five days apart after almost 60 years together. Their family is sharing their remembrances together, too. Here is Dick’s:

Richard (Dick) Eddy Warren passed away surrounded by family on Alki Beach the evening of October 29, 2022.

Dick was born in Seattle on 1/2/1932 to parents (Hetty) Margaret Warren (Richards) from Vashon and Eddy Arnold Warren, originally from Manitoba, Canada.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Vanetta Rae Warren (House), just 5 days before.

He is survived by children: Michael, Mark, John, Helen, and Bob; grandchildren: Brian, Michael, Bart, Sarah, Barbara, Erika, Patrick, and Paula; great-grandchildren: Coralie, Oakley, Freya, Tucker, Alessa; and first cousins who were very much like siblings: Fran, Charles (Buzz), Billy Anne, Charlotte, and Emma.

Dick grew up on Vashon Island, frequently visiting his maternal grandparents in Dockton, on Maury Island. Dick bought his first car at age 13 and with it delivered groceries from the Dockton General Store. He also piloted the passenger ferry, Yankee Boy, from Vashon to Tacoma. He became both the LifeGuard and swimming instructor at the Dockton State Park plus starting quarterback for Vashon High School’s football team and graduated in the class of 1949. He was accepted into medical school at the University of Oregon in Eugene but lacked the funds to attend. However, the University of Idaho in Moscow awarded him a 4 year swim team scholarship and together with his ROTC support he completed University there majoring in Civil Engineering. Dick served in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, stationed first at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, then later in France dismantling World War II bombs during the Korean War. He met and married his first wife, Maureen and settled in Idaho. In 1955 his eldest son, Mark was born, soon followed by John, Hellen and Bob. Sadly, his marriage did not last and Dick moved back to Seattle in 1963.

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A Celebration of Life is planned May 12th for Vanetta Warren and Dick Warren, who died five days apart after almost 60 years together. Their family is sharing their remembrances together, too. Here is Vanetta’s:

Vanetta Rae Warren (House) passed away surrounded by family at her home on Alki Beach the evening of October 24, 2022.

Vanetta was born in Bozeman, Montana 3/24/1934 to parents Edgar (Ed) J. House and Lucile M. House (Johnson). Her parents, older brother Wayne House, and younger brother Bruce (Pinky) House, preceded her in death. She is survived by her son, Michael; her grandchildren: Ben, Brian, Michael, Bart, Sarah, Barbara, Erika, Paula, and Patrick; great-grandchildren: Coralie, Oakley, Freya, Tucker, and Alessa.

Vanetta left Bozeman with her family at age four and moved to Vashon Island. She grew up on the Island and graduated from Vashon High School. In 1952 she married fellow Vashon native Mitchell (Mike) Plancich. They had one child, Michael (Little Mike). Sadly, their marriage did not last and Vanetta moved to Seattle to secure employment. She worked at a variety of secretarial jobs and studied at night school to become a dental hygienist, a career she followed for the next decade.

In 1964 she met an old high school boyfriend, Richard (Dick) Warren, who was recently divorced and had moved from Idaho back to Seattle. They married in 1965, then moved to central Alaska where they both worked at a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) base in Clear, Alaska. Vanetta worked as the executive secretary for the base director and Dick as an engineer. Vanetta was a good sport and frequently collected both husband and son from their many outdoor adventures in a weatherized four-wheel drive pickup truck. After three-years of careful saving, they moved back to Seattle and bought a small beach cabin on Alki Beach in West Seattle. With Michael’s help they remodeled the beach cabin, building a large back deck with a privacy fence. Vanetta hosted many happy parties with out of town guests sleeping outside on the deck on the waterbed from May through September.

Vanetta continued working and became bookkeeper then later vice president of Air Club International. She followed that career with one as a real estate agent specializing in area condominiums.

Although sad to see the little cabin go, they replaced it with a beautiful new home on the beach, designed by Dick but with features she specifically requested. Vanetta lived in that same location for nearly 54 years, cooking (especially French and Mediterranean cooking with Dick), and entertaining family and their many, many friends. She loved dancing and dining out, the Arcadians’ Dance Club, the West Seattle Book Club (she always enjoyed a good mystery), and playing Bridge with friends. Vanetta and Dick loved to travel and visit friends. Besides spending most Thanksgivings with friends in Hawaii, they traveled to French Polynesia, sailed to Fiji, made multiple trips to the East Coast and Europe (Vanetta especially enjoyed Denmark, France, Italy, and Greece). But, they always returned to their home, where she co-hosted an annual family gathering, ‘Camp Alki.’ She especially enjoyed having her home filled with the laughter of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and their dogs, beach fires, salmon bakes, children roasting hot dogs or marshmallows, and just playing on the beach.

Vanetta will be sadly missed by everyone who knew her and especially by her entire family. A Celebration of Life for both Vanetta and her husband, Dick, who sadly passed away just 5 days later, will be held at Salty’s on Alki on May 12, 2023. Please click on this link to RSVP to the Celebration of Life.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

UPDATE: Canceled/postponed because of smoke

Duwamish Alive! Saving Our Salmon, Saves Our Orca
Saturday, October 15th 10:00 – 2:00 pm Green-Duwamish Watershed

With the latest news about our Southern Resident Orca, saving our river’s salmon especially chinook which the orca need and critical to their survival. Join us for a day of restoring the health of our watershed and salmon habitat at sites from Seattle to Auburn.

The Green-Duwamish Watershed will be alive with hundreds of volunteers working throughout it to improve the health of its habitat and water for salmon, orca, wildlife and communities . This collaborative effort brings together many organizations and municipalities to highlight the complexity of our watershed and its importance to our region in restoring its health and the salmon that depends upon it.

We will be working in the upland forests, along and in the river, its tributaries, and wetlands from Seattle to Auburn.

Because our watershed is important to the survival of our Southern Resident Orcas, we are also partnering with Conservation Districts’ Orca Recovery Day event throughout the region. We will be hosting not only volunteering opportunities, but at many of our sites we will have community engagement/educational activities for the broader community to enjoy. This is a family friendly event, with all ages welcome. Tools and instruction is provided. Contact: info@duwamishalive.org

For site information and registration: duwamishalive.org
Hosted by Duwamish Alive Coalition

(Tuesday rainbow, photographed from Duwamish Head by Dan Ciske)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:

EAT PIZZA, SUPPORT FAIRMOUNT PARK ELEMENTARY: 10:30 am-10 pm today and tomorrow, dine at MOD Pizza‘s Junction location (4755 Fauntleroy Way SW), mention Fairmount Park Elementary, and the PTA will get a share of the proceeds, as explained in our calendar listing, including the code if you’re ordering online.

SEE SALMON: More salmon in Fauntleroy Creek – separate report coming up shortly. If you want to take a chance on seeing them, follow yesterday’s instructions after 2 pm.

DRIVE-UP FOOD DRIVE: Daystar Retirement Village (WSB sponsor) is coordinating the drive-through Friendsgiving food drive 3:30 pm-5:30 pm, with donations going to the White Center Food Bank. Drive or ride up to 2615 SW Barton with your donation,

ESTATE PLANNING: The King County Law Library invites you to a free online workshop at 6 pm exploring resources you can use for estate planning. Registration information is in our calendar listing.

SAVING ROXHILL BOG: 6:30 pm online, find out where the effort to save the historic headwaters of Longfellow Creek stands now, what happens next, and what you can do. Viewing/listening information is in our calendar listing.

KING COUNTY DISTRICT MAPPING: As reported here last night, the committee drawing new boundaries for the King County Council districts is concluding its work soon and meets again online tonight at 7 pm to continue melding two draft maps into one. Open to public viewing/listening – connection information is here.

Something for our calendar and/or upcoming Holiday Guide? Email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

Rallies are happening across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho on August 7 to call for a comprehensive solution to salmon recovery that invests in the Northwest and removes the lower Snake River dams. Background:

“The impacts of the NW heatwave continue to unfold. Right now, tens of thousands of endangered sockeye salmon are in the dangerously warm Columbia and Lower Snake rivers.

As the rivers get even hotter in August and September, many of these fish may perish. Water temperatures above 68 degrees are lethal for salmon and as they struggle to complete their epic migration— hundreds of miles upstream—water temperatures have already pushed above 70 degrees. Video footage has captured the fatal impact of hot water for cold-water fish. The threat led the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to authorize an emergency plan save endangered sockeye salmon—by trucking them the last 300 miles of their migration.

Saving salmon is an issue of critical importance across the Northwest, and we have an obligation to uphold our treaties with Northwest Tribes. Yet some of Washington’s elected leaders remain dangerously out of step with the realities of climate change and the cumulative, negative impacts of dams.

Scientists agree: Heat pollution is a problem that expensive dam upgrades simply can’t fix, and the climate change we are witnessing now is making it worse.”

Organized by: Endangered Species Coalition

When: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm PT

What: We will gather on the grass just north of Seacrest Park to hear from speakers and make posters. We’ll launch kayaks, canoes, and SUPs from the beach for a short paddle to Jack Block Park (we’ll have entertainment for those who prefer not to paddle).

Contact: Chris Connolly, cconnolly@endangered.org, (781) 367-1256

Here’s our nightly quick digest of what happened today, 20 days after King County reported its first COVID-19 case – some of which we’ve already reported, some of which we have not:

NEWEST KING COUNTY NUMBERS: From the daily Seattle-King County Public Health news release:

Public Health – Seattle & King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59 p.m. on 3/18/20.

693 confirmed cases (up 131 from yesterday)
60 confirmed deaths (up 4 from yesterday)

These additional deaths include:

A man in his 60s, who died on 3/18
A woman in her 80s, who died on 3/14
A woman in her 90s, who died on 3/17 at Overlake Medical Center
A woman in her 70s, who died on 3/17 at Overlake Medical Center

Of the 60 deaths reported, 35 are confirmed to be associated with Life Care Center of Kirkland.

For comparison, the King County numbers one week ago were 270 cases, 27 deaths.

STATEWIDE NUMBERS: 1,376 cases, 74 deaths; other state stats here.

WORLDWIDE NUMBERS: See them – nation by nation – here.

GOVERNOR’S NEW ORDERS: Today’s new restrictions – no non-urgent dental or medical procedures. The proclamation goes through mid-May and mentions that protection equipment must be conserved so that those who really need it can get it.

FIRST RESPONDERS IN QUARANTINE: A city website post about a new COVID-19 testing site for first responders ends with this information:

As of March 19, 24 SFD members are currently either in quarantine (if asymptomatic) or isolation (showing symptoms) as a precaution. There are 60 Seattle Police employees in quarantine, and one is in isolation. They remain on leave until 14 days from their initial exposure have passed. Those who develop symptoms can now be tested at this new designated location.

Since the beginning of tracking COVID-19 responses, 45 SFD members have been impacted; 21 have completed their 14-day quarantine and have been approved to return to work. The department wants to stress the importance of the public relaying if they have a cough, fever or difficulty breathing when calling 911 for something other than COVID-19 (i.e. fall or vehicle collision), to allow personnel to respond with the appropriate protective equipment.

METRO SERVICE CUTS: More details just announced, but the new schedules won’t be out until Saturday, Metro says.

HOW TO HELP – BLOOD DRIVE UPDATE: A March 27th blood drive that was going to happen outside West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) has been moved, and if you signed up for it, you need to reregister – here’s the explanation.

HOW TO HELP – WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK: This morning we published an update from WSFB, including a reminder that what they need most is MONEY. (And they’re grateful for everyone who’s helped already!)

HOW TO HELP – CHEER UP BRIDGE PARK RESIDENTS: Here’s a suggestion from the daughter of a resident at the High Point senior-living complex that’s had 3 COVID-19 cases.

LOCAL BUSINESS UPDATES: We continue updating and adding to the restaurant/beverage-business list. Today, we also had two roundups of updates from other local businesses – here and here. Meantime, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce has this business-resources webpage up and running.

SAVING THE SALMON: ff schools were open, hundreds of local students would be learning about salmon by raising fry to release in Fauntleroy Creek. Here’s what’s happening instead.

TOMORROW: So far, one local government official has a public event scheduled on Friday:

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Public Health – Seattle & King County Director Patty Hayes will join representatives from faith communities to call for unity while maintaining social distancing recommendations. Faith-based leaders will share their actions for modeling modified religious practices and gatherings in their communities while serving as critical sources of support in King County.

The 10 am event will be livestreamed here.

GOT INFO? westseattleblog@gmail.com or text/voice 206-293-6302, any time.