You might already have seen this in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar – PFLAG is expanding to West Seattle. Now we have the group’s announcement with full details:

PFLAG Seattle, an organization dedicated to supporting, educating and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them, is excited to announce that, starting in April, it will add a fourth monthly meeting to its roster with a group that will meet in person in West Seattle. With this fourth meeting, PFLAG Seattle now offers a meeting every week of the month.

PFLAG support meetings provide a comfortable and confidential atmosphere of openness where parents, families, friends, and LGBTQ+ individuals can share their experiences and support each other with love and pride.

Cori Luckenbach (above left) and Debbie Gordon (right) will co-facilitate the meetings. Andrew Conley-Holcom (above right), pastor at a North Admiral church, will host them.

“I have wanted North Admiral to have structured opportunities to discuss gender, sexuality, and intersectional liberation for as long as I’ve been here,” said Andrew. “I am over the moon excited to work with Cori to bring PFLAG to this wonderful neighborhood.”

Andrew identifies as a cisgendered heterosexual white man, who is seeking to build authentic relationships and shared power within North Admiral. His wife grew up in a queer family, and he has seen the impact groups like PFLAG can have on a young person’s sense of self, family, community, and worthiness.

The two facilitators of the West Seattle meeting are varied in their life experiences and backgrounds. This should work well to support the PFLAG community in West Seattle.

Cori Luckenbach lives and works in West Seattle. She is the owner of Bebop Waffle Shop and has spent the last 10 years employing and making safe space for all spectrums of genders and sexuality. Cori grew up queer in Seattle and has been married to her wife for the last seven years, raising their 9-year-old son. She is now looking for ways to work directly with her community. She lived in New York City for four years and was art director at GO NYC, a lesbian lifestyle magazine. She also co-created One Million Tampons where they raised menstrual products for people in need. Cori wants to give back, learn and “help others find love, acceptance, and celebration. All people benefit from the expansion of queer definitions and experience. What a beautiful time to grow up in the revolution of gender and who we are as humans.”

Debbie Gordon is an experienced PFLAG facilitator who will assist Cori and Andrew. Debbie is the mom of an adult transgender person. In the 10 years since her kid came out as non-binary, Debbie has learned that she is a pretty typical PFLAG mom. She loves her kid to pieces and wants to support them any way she can. She found PFLAG Seattle when she was looking for answers and community — she found both in PFLAG. She is happy to be working with Cori and Andrew in expanding the PFLAG community to West Seattle.

The first meeting of the West Seattle PFLAG group will be Tuesday, April 16, from 7:30 p.m to 9 p.m. and will continue every month on the third Tuesday. If you are interested in attending, go to the PFLAG Seattle website (https://www.pflagseattle.org/) and register. Registration is required for each meeting to ensure a safe space. Location details for the meeting will be provided upon registering.

Other PFLAG Seattle meetings occur in person in Renton on the first Wednesday of the month, online and in person in Capitol Hill on the second Monday of the month, and online on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

ORIGINAL WEDNESDAY REPORT: Just received – this West Seattle teenager is missing (updated flyer):

That’s all the information we have right now – will add anything more, including the police report #, when we get it.

ADDED THURSDAY: The police report number is 24-079360. We received an updated flyer today and substituted it for the original one.

SATURDAY: The flyer has been updated again.

One month after the passing of longtime West Seattleite and music-scene champion Susie Tennant, KEXP Radio plans a daylong tribute tomorrow. Here’s how KEXP’s website describes the plan for Susie Tennant Day, starting at 5 am Friday:

Join us Friday, February 23rd on KEXP as we celebrate the life of one of Seattle’s unsung heroes, the late Susie Tennant, who as a Promotions Director for Sub Pop and numerous other labels championed artists as varied as Nirvana, Beck, Hole, Mother Love Bone, Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, Supersuckers, Teenage Fanclub, Veruca Salt, and more. It will be a day filled with special guests and incredible music for all who loved her or were touched by the artists she helped bring into our lives.

KEXP is at 90.3 FM and online here.

ADDED: Thanks to Kerry for sending this – a proclamation of Friday as “Susie Tennant Day” in King County:

For many, Valentine’s Day is a chance to show your love to someone special. For West Seattle Girl Scout Troop 41843, their “someone special” was the entire community. Christine sent us this report on what they did for Valentine’s Day this past week:

Girl Scout Troop 41843 was out sharing some LOVE with our community. It was really sweet to see the smiles these scouts put on lots of faces with their Valentine’s. Several people told us that we made their day. The Troop started up at Dakota Place Park and walked down through the Junction passing out homemade cards, lollipops, smiles, and lots of love to those they passed on their way to The Great American Diner to end their mission with a delicious cup of hot cocoa.

P.S. In case you were wondering (we were, so we checked), this year’s cookie booths start in two weeks.

It’s a mandatory question when you interview someone who’s reached a milestone like their 100th birthday – any secret to your long life?

Gwen Bell thinks that in her case, maybe it’s “because I’ve lived a pleasant life.”

Gwen was two days short of 100 when we talked with her on Saturday at her home east of Fairmount Park. But the celebrating already had begun.

We recorded our chat on video – it’s in two parts below. In the first, Gwen – NOT short for Gwendolyn, by the way (she says her parents decided to be efficient) – talks about her travels and her gardening, and you might even hear a few longevity tips after all.

In the second part, we talk about her jobs and her life in West Seattle – where she lived in Gatewood before she and her late husband (married 66 years, with a wedding three weeks before World War II ended) moved to a neighborhood that felt “rural” when she arrived:

As she told us toward the end of our chat, Gwen’s birthday plans included a celebratory dinner and a “Happy Birthday” serenade from her neighbors. One of those neighbors, in fact, is the person who tipped us to Gwen’s milestone birthday (thank you, Ryan!).

(WSB photo)

Four days after 15-year-old Mobarak Adam died of a gunshot wound at Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center, no further information has emerged about the circumstances. But messages of community support abound outside the center, and the PTSA at <strong>Chief Sealth International High School – where he was a student – has a message too:

(Photo courtesy CSIHS PTSA)

As you may have heard, our community suffered an unimaginable loss when a Chief Sealth student, who was also a former Denny student, tragically lost his life near campus. The school teachers and staff, students, and entire extended Chief Sealth and Denny community are still reeling from this event, and have deeply appreciated the support from West Seattle and beyond.

Some kind folks hung signs on the football field fence across from the school to share their love and encouragement, and it has made a real impact in helping us to feel both empathy for our grief and love for our student during this truly difficult time. Students, friends, and family have also started a memorial in front of the community center.

If additional members of the community are moved to do so, we’d like to invite you to hang signs, notes, or other remembrances on the fence across from the school. Every word and gesture helps our students, faculty, staff, and parents feel supported, and the fence is something we see every day.

On Friday, Chief Sealth Principal Morales sent an update to all Chief Sealth families emphasizing help being made available within the school and throughout the community. You can learn more here.

Thank you again to everyone who has reached out. Our hearts go out to our student’s family and friends as we all work together to grieve and heal. He was so loved, and will be forever missed.

– Chief Sealth International High School PTSA

MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Her family confirms she’s been found.

Earlier:

Read More

David sent this as an open thank-you letter for Thursday evening help:

At around 5 pm, my old 1984 gray Chevy Cavalier station wagon’s transmission finally died while waiting to make a left-hand turn on 35th Avenue SW and SW Thistle westbound with a load of groceries from the White Center Safeway.

I’d like to publicly thank the unknown young lady and unknown female driver of a big white pickup truck who came to my assistance and gave me a “heavenly shove” out of the left-turn lane onto westbound SW Thistle so I could safely wait for a tow to my residence in Upper Gatewood.

1:47 PM: The Mount tells us John has been found, safe, and is back home.

Earlier:Read More

The photo and report are from West Seattle VFW Post 2713 commander Steve Strand:

The West Seattle VFW held their annual holiday celebration. The veterans and community came together to celebrate our student essay contestants on their patriotic themes. Bill Dwyer is the chairman of the student essays and coordinates with our local schools for entries. Chief Sealth International High School and Our Lady of Guadalupe were especially well-represented this year.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars handed out certificates and cash prizes to the winners. The delicious turkey, stuffing, and fixin’s were catered by West Seattle‘s very own Jack Miller and the Husky Deli.

Essay contest:

James McDonald
High School Teacher coordinator

Juliana Agudelo Ariza
Voice of Democracy winner

Harper Gilbert
1st place Patriots Pen

Mimi Katz
2nd place Patriots Pen

Evelyn Jane Satwicz
3rd place Patriots Pen

Alex Tsada
1st place Youth Essay

Miguel Santos
2nd place Youth Essay

Fiona Howell
3rd place Youth Essay

Lila Dacanay
3rd grade winner

Zykx Sotero
Honorable mention

10:24 AM: Reported by Rose:

Sad to say, a neighbor who has dementia is missing.

Jim left Pigeon Point and typically walks to the Senior Center in the Junction. But he did not get there.

He is wearing a blue jacket and jeans.

He is hard of hearing.

Rose says Jim was last seen last night. The report number is 23-271803. (Call 911 and refer to that SPD case number if you see him.)

ADDED 12:38 PM: More info, from SPD: Jim is 86, 5’10”, 124 lbs, gray hair, glasses, blue ski jacket, blue or black jeans. “Last seen on 9-18-23 between 6:30-7:00 p.m. in the 3600 block 22nd Ave SW.”

The West Seattle Church of the Nazarene in Morgan Junction is hoping to get opinions from families with young kids but says the topic is “not about religion.” Here’s the message they asked us to share:

Are you a parent in our community with young kids? We want to hear from you!

A small group from our church is working on a neighborhood improvement project, and we need your input. We’re applying for a grant to make our community more family-friendly, and we believe your perspective as a parent is crucial.

We’d love to chat with you for about 30 minutes over a cup of coffee (our treat!) to discuss what it’s like to be a parent, the challenges you face, and what improvements you’d like to see in our neighborhood. This interview is not about religion; it’s about understanding your experiences as a parent.

Our focus is intentionally a bit vague. Our hope is that these conversations with the community will guide us in identifying the best ways we can positively impact the West Seattle community.

We are open to new possibilities, but current areas that could benefit from these conversations include Play Space (an indoor play area for children and their caregivers), a future coffee shop within the church building, Maarten Park (a green space being developed for neighborhood use), Movies in the Park, Open Mic Nights, and a Community Vegetable Garden.

Your participation is confidential, and any information shared will only be used for our grant application. If you’re interested, please email us with your availability. Let’s work together to create a better place for families to thrive! Thank you for being a part of our community’s growth!

You can contact associate minister Sarah Emerson; her contact info is here.