South Seattle Community College’s historic Graduation Night
(The first South Seattle Community College students to graduate with a Bachelors of Applied Science degree in Hospitality Management: Heidi Engeset, Criselda Hermano, Andrea Kwok, Lisa Mantle, Jamilah McWilliams, Khin Naing, Marilyn Peredo, Jaimie Schutter, Soledad Strubhar ,William Schwartze, Celia Waddell. Their instructor and faculty adviser: Tom Mayburry)
Story and photos by Kathy Mulady
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
In the sea of deep blue caps and gowns at South Seattle Community College graduation ceremonies tonight, a small clutch of students stood out, wearing black gowns and waving a banner featuring a pineapple, the symbol of hospitality.
The 11 students are the first to graduate with bachelor’s degrees earned at SSCC – in this case, the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Hospitality Management.
The program that allows community colleges to award four-year degrees in specific subjects started three years ago.
The hospitality graduates included Soledad Strubhar, winner of one of just three President’s Medals awarded at South Seattle Community College this year.
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Delridge District Council: All 3 “remarkable projects” got some $
(WSB photo from May meeting of Delridge Neighborhoods District Council)
That group from Chief Sealth High School is one of three groups that pitched eastern West Seattle projects’ Neighborhood Matching Fund applications at the May meeting of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council – all described as “remarkable projects” (WSB coverage here). When the council met again last night, Neighborhood Services Coordinator Ron Angeles shared the word that all three projects got some of the money they were seeking. The Chief Sealth group proposed an online news network for underserved local ethnic communities; the other two were Youngstown Arts Center‘s All-Access seeking money for its popular but understaffed afterschool programs and the West Seattle Trails/Feet First wayfinding project seeking money to do in eastern West Seattle what it’s already got on tap on the peninsula’s west side. We don’t have the specific amounts of partial funding granted for two of the projects, but Chas Redmond, on behalf of West Seattle Trails, tells WSB the $54,000 granted for that project will likely be allocated after some more community conversations to figure out which locations would have informational/wayfinding kiosks funded with that money, and which additional spots might be funded by seeking a separate grant. Also at last night’s DNDC meeting: News that a different city grant program would be funding a requested traffic circle at 31st and Henderson; a presentation on the proposal to allow “backyard cottages” to be built citywide (right now they’re only allowed in Southeast Seattle – here’s all the city info on this proposal); and a presentation on the draft feasibility study from the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (a government/business coalition) regarding cleaning up the Duwamish – June 29 is the deadline for comments.
Followup: Which West Seattle schools had “recalled” teachers
After last night’s announcement at the Seattle School Board meeting (WSB coverage here) that the district would “recall” 57 of the teachers citywide who’d been told they would be laid off, we asked for specifics on which schools would see cut teachers restored. The district communications team has just provided a spreadsheet with numbers per school – while saying the district would do its best to restore the teachers to the positions they’d previously held. No names or teaching specialties attached, just current school names and numbers at this point, and these are the only West Seattle schools listed: West Seattle High School – 4 recalled; Lafayette Elementary, 1 recalled; Cooper Elementary (which closes after tomorrow), 1 recalled.
Commission: “Insufficient evidence” of ethics violations in snow
(WSB photo from Upper Fauntleroy, December 2008)
The city Ethics (and Elections) Commission issued a short letter to Mayor Nickels late today, saying that in his response for an investigation into whether any aspect of the snowstorm response constituted an ethics violation, “… there is insufficient evidence to charge anyone with a violation of the Ethics Code.” Accompanying that letter, their report on who they talked to and what they found out. See the report here; see the letter here. We’re checking the report now for any West Seattle specifics – you’ll recall, one of the allegations was that extra snow-clearing was done in north West Seattle, where the mayor, deputy mayor Tim Ceis and SDOT director Grace Crunican live. ADDED: Page 3 of the report is where the findings in those allegations begin – read on for our cut-and-paste if that’s easier:Read More
Good times=good deeds: Admiral Theater, Summer Fest updates
ADMIRAL THEATER: This Saturday night’s “Listening Room” show is also a benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank and White Center Food Bank (which serves West Seattle from SW Myrtle southward) — Admiral entertainment director Dinah Brein McClellan says one thing the WCFB really needs, for example, is bathroom tissue! More on what to bring, who’s performing and how to get tickets here. The show’s at 9 pm and includes live painting as well as music – full details here.
WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST: We’ve been updating you on all the plans for West Seattle’s huge three-day summer street festival (a WSB sponsor), coming up July 10-11-12 (most recent update here – another big-name addition to the music slate), including the fact that the beer garden at the Junction Plaza Park site will help raise money to finish the park project. Now Susan Melrose from the West Seattle Junction Association sends an update on that – the percentage has been finalized: 25 percent of the beer garden’s proceeds will go to the park. She’s also looking for volunteers to help staff the park’s booth at Summer Fest – susan@wsjunction.org if you can help.
100 Seattle homes sought for free environmental assessments
Out of the WSB inbox, here’s the announcement:
EOS Alliance is recruiting 100 Seattle homes for a free home efficiency pilot project called Green Blocks.
From July 6 through August 21, 2009, Seattle residents participating in this program will receive free home environmental performance assessments, recommendations for home efficiency improvements, and technical assistance implementing the recommendations.
Environmental performance measures installed as part of the Green Blocks program (pending home owner approval) may include smart electric meters, weather-stripping, door sweeps, gap sealant, low-flow sink aerators, low-flow showerheads, programmable thermostats, CFLs, hot water tank insulation, attic and wall insulation, efficient appliances, rain barrels, sheet mulching, drought tolerant landscaping, storm water infiltration swales, and vegetable garden beds. Once environmental performance measures have been installed, EOS Alliance will track (with homeowner support) energy, water, and fuel usage for at least one year to note the benefits and changes in home efficiency. Individual and household information will remain confidential and only generalized data will be used to assess the program.
You can apply online by going here.
Preservation of West Seattle “Soundway” property moves forward
That’s Mark Tomkiewicz from the Youngstown Arts Center-based Nature Consortium. Usually you’ll find him in the West Duwamish Greenbelt along West Seattle’s eastern slope, leading work parties that have planted tens of thousands of conifers and native plants in the city’s largest remaining greenbelt – but today, he was instead in the Boards and Commissions Room at City Hall, answering questions about a segment of the WDG whose future was once very much in question: The so-called Soundway property, 32 acres that are mostly south of South Seattle Community College. Decades ago, it was earmarked for road/highway development as part of a plan that even envisioned a bridge to Vashon Island; streets were mapped, but the bridge project never happened (here’s some online history). Then just five years ago, the city considered selling part of it to developers (here’s a 2004 story about community opposition and more here). That didn’t happen either – instead, neighbors and open-space advocates won the fight to see the site saved, and today’s Seattle Design Commission hearing was one step toward guaranteeing it will be protected as a greenbelt forever – read on for more on what happened today, and what happens next:Read More
Fauntleroy Park plant tour this Sunday (June 21)
Want to get outdoors but not just, oh, say, sit on the beach? Here’s a chance this Sunday to tour one of West Seattle’s greenspaces:
Fauntleroy Park Plant Tour. Co-leaders: Richard Drokar and Steve Richmond
Fauntleroy Park is 28 acres of urban forest in West Seattle, currently under
restoration through the efforts of neighborhood volunteers, Earth Corps, the Green
Seattle Partnership and a company of professional restorationists, Steve Richmond of
Garden Cycles. It is the watershed for Fauntleroy Creek, which has been stocked with
salmon fingerlings by local schoolchildren and has an annual run of coho salmon. The
Park is little known, but it may be one of Seattle’s most pristine natural areas.
Join Steve and Richard to hear about restoration efforts and the native plants,
lichens and bird life of the Park. As an urban forest, the Park has urban amenities.
There is a small, local bakery a block away (the Original Bakery) where Bernie’s
bearclaws and donuts are especially good. A bakery stop after the tour will give us
a chance to discuss the challenges of urban forest restoration.
Date & Time
Sunday, June 21, 2009; 12 PM
Location
Meet at 12:00 noon at the SW Barton Street entrance to the Park, between 40th and
41st Avenue SW, a few blocks west of the Fauntleroy ferry terminal.
Contact
For more detailed directions and to
sign up, contact Richard at drokoo@mac.com or 206-935-1769.
Want to be royalty? West Seattle Hi-Yu seeks Junior Court hopefuls
That’s the current West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival Junior Court – in a WSB photo from their coronation last July. Now that summer’s here again, it’s almost time to choose a new Junior Court – and if you know a girl who’d be interested, here’s the announcement Diane Szender just sent:
West Seattle Hi-Yu is seeking 2009-2010 Junior Court Candidates
Applications must be received by Tuesday, July 14th, 2009.
The West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival organization is seeking friendly, outgoing, community-oriented girls for the 2009-2010 Junior Court. Young ladies must be between 7 and 11 by Sept 1st of the year they run. The new court will represent West Seattle at many local events and travel with the float to other community parades and festivals.
You can download the Junior Court application by going here. And you can meet current royalty and Senior Court candidates at the upcoming White Rose Reception, June 30th at Fauntleroy Church, tickets on sale now (more info here).
Whole Foods site updates, and a tangentially related foreclosure
(photo taken Tuesday, looking east from the west side of the site)
We’ve received a couple notes in the past week or so inquiring about the status of what’s been dubbed the “Hole Foods” site at Fauntleroy/Alaska/39th – where construction on a proposed Whole Foods Market/Hancock Fabrics/residential building has been stalled for more than half a year now – like this note from Dorothy:
I don’t see the Whole Foods sign at the dig at (Alaska) and Fauntleroy. Does this
mean they no longer plan to be there? What is the status of that construction site?
First of all – the banner that used to be on the fence there disappeared the day after our most recent report of vandalism (someone cut the W out of the word Whole). But aside from that, we were overdue for a project check anyway; read on to see what we have found out – both about this site, and another site linked to the Whole Foods project’s original developers:Read More
Date set for city Landmarks Board hearing on The Sanctuary
As reported here last month, the 80-year-old former 6th Church of Christ, Scientist, now known as The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd and Lander; map), is nominated for city landmark status. And now, a date is set for the Landmarks Board to consider the nomination: 3:30 pm July 1st, on the 40th floor of the Seattle Municipal Tower downtown (here’s the official notice, which also includes information on how to comment in writing). Part of the info packet includes this note:
The owner is nominating this property for City of Seattle Landmark status as part of an application for a Conditional Use Permit to establish a non-conforming adaptive reuse of this historic West Seattle community church.
And this interesting bit of history from the church’s past (its congregation merged with the Fauntleroy Christian Science church before the building was sold in 2002):
The church’s first service was held on January 1, 1930. The total cost of construction was under $37,000. However, because Christian Science churches are not dedicated until they are free from debt, the Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist was not dedicated until February 8, 1942. There were initially fourteen charter members of the church.
You can see the entire nomination document, with tons of details about the building and its history (that’s where we found the 1937 photo at the top of this story), here.
Today/tonight: From “Dump the Pump” to “goodbye, grads”
“DUMP THE PUMP DAY”: Area transit agencies say today’s the day to take a bus, ride a bike, walk, carpool, anything but drive alone. Side note: Just looked up our D-the-P Day item from last year. It notes that gas at a certain station was about $4.33, while on the same date in 2007, it was more like what it is now, just under $3. (P.S. We just might see you today on the King County Water Taxi.)
SOUNDWAY “VACATION” TO DESIGN COMMISSION: Why the Water Taxi, you ask? We’re expecting to head downtown for a Seattle Design Commission review at 11 this morning at City Hall – seems terribly appropriate this one’s happening on “Dump the Pump Day,” because it involves greenbelt once targeted for roadbuilding that never happened, the “Soundway” property in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. For this to officially be preserved as greenbelt, its once-planned streets/alleys have to be officially “vacated,” and the SDC has to off on those. (Here’s the agenda.)
ALSO AT CITY HALL: The next big campaign forum is at 5 pm tonight, presented by the City Neighborhood Council. City Council candidates are in the spotlight this time.
SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS MAKE HISTORY: Tonight’s SSCC graduation at Brockey Center, 7:30 pm, includes the first 4-year graduates from its Hospitality Management program.
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