West Seattle, Washington
21 Thursday
Two cat-adoption notes tonight. First, an update on the five kittens that Wendy and Stephen Hughes-Jelen have been fostering in their High Point home, chronicled on Facebook via Kitty Cornered: Two weeks after our first story, your editor here and WSB’s in-house Young Photographer dropped by on Wednesday night, procuring a few photos, including the floor-level view above. At that point, two of the kittens already were spoken for, including Purrl, seen here with Wendy:
They went home with their new family the next night. Now, via Kitty Cornered, we see two of the remaining three were expecting prospective adopters to visit tonight, likely heading off to their “forever home” tomorrow. That would leave little striped Legacy, photographed frolicking with feet:
Wendy and Stephen are fostering through West Seattle shelter Kitty Harbor (3422 Harbor SW), which means if Legacy is indeed the last of the quintet to go, she has to go to a home that already has at least one cat (or could be adopted with another Kitty Harbor kitty – they’re open Saturdays and Sundays, more info, and lots of cat photos, here). They’ll clearly miss their young charges, and still hope to try it again sometime – maybe next year – but they note that foster families should be ready for one thing: Raising a big group of kittens can be a bit costly, in terms of milk and food!
SIDE NOTE – CITY FOSTER-CAT-ADOPTION EVENT IN WEST SEATTLE: The cats you’ll see at Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW) tomorrow, noon-3 pm, have been cared for by volunteers who have been helping the Seattle Animal Shelter by providing foster homes. More details here.
All three local high-school varsity-football teams lost tonight. At Southwest Athletic Complex in Westwood, the final score was Rainier Beach 31, West Seattle High School 8. WSHS’s lone touchdown came from sophomore DiAndre Johnson, who ran the ball 21 yards for the score:
At Memorial Stadium downtown a few hours earlier, it was Franklin 38, Chief Sealth International High School 0. And Seattle Lutheran High School was on the road in Skagit County, where they lost to La Conner, 21-9.
(9/28 photo of Mr. Padilla’s truck at the GT yard on Harbor Avenue, decorated as a tribute)
More details tonight on the memorial procession tomorrow in honor of the driver for West Seattle-based GT Towing who was killed on the job two weeks ago, 51-year-old William “Tony” Padilla: The procession, already planned to start at 2 pm at the Bellevue Park and Ride at 14200 SE Eastgate Way (map), will end in Seattle, at 2960 4th Avenue South (map). That update comes from the Washington State Patrol, which included this reminder:
The move over law is in effect in Washington State. The purpose of the law is to protect all emergency zone workers. Motorists are required to move over and away from the emergency worker when approaching in the lane closest to the worker. If traffic volume prohibits moving over then the motorist is required to slow down significantly when approaching emergency personnel on the road. Starting in January 2011 the law becomes even more restrictive by making it a violation to exceed the speed limit within 200ft of an emergency zone even after moving over. The fine for failing to move over is $124. Drivers are also subject to a charge of reckless endangerment to emergency zone workers if it is determined that their actions are likely to endanger an emergency zone worker. A conviction will result in a 60 day license suspension.
The driver charged with vehicular homicide in Mr. Padilla’s death, 20-year-old Shavelle Lewis, remains jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail.
Some kids have lemonade stands. Here’s one who had a worm-compost stand (the sign reads, “Meet the Worms”). Dorothy shared the photo from the sale her nephew Zachary (that’s his hair, to the left of Dorothy’s visiting friend, Officer Krista) had today in the Admiral area. The proud aunt explains that Zachary “got a worm farm for his birthday in April. He spent all summer composting to get his worm compost and worm tea.”
That’s the final design for the long-awaited Delridge Skatepark, for which groundbreaking was anticipated soon, since bids came in two weeks ago (as reported here), with two bids below the original $505,000 estimate. The second-lowest was $502,000 from the West Seattle company that designed it (as a subcontractor), Grindline. But the low bidder, TF Sahli Construction ($413,000), may not meet the qualifications – and therein lies the controversy. West Seattle skatepark advocate and city Skate Park Advisory Committee (SPAC) member Matthew Lee Johnston has been covering this closely on the citywide website he keeps, SeattleSkateparks.org. On Tuesday, Johnston wrote this item openly critical of the low bidder and the construction process for the Seattle skatepark Sahli recently built, Lower Woodland. Today, he wrote a followup, suggesting that Parks has determined that Sahli did not meet the qualifications but would seek to re-bid the project instead of giving the contract to the 2nd-lowest bidder. That report drew concern from one North Delridge neighborhood leader who has long helped marshal support for the project, Nancy Folsom, who wrote a letter to Parks Department manager Kevin Stoops (as have Johnston and 2 other SPAC members) saying in part:
I urge you to reconsider. I’m sure you have only the best interest of the budget in mind, but a contract that seems cheap up front can end up costing far more in the long run. This will be a major city feature for many years. I will have to leave across the street from it. Let’s make it something that we’re all proud of. I don’t want to regret encouraging my neighbors to support the park and process.
We checked with Parks to see if the re-bidding report is true. Project manager Kelly Davidson was unavailable, but spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad tells WSB that Sahli has been given “until close of business today” to submit “additional documentation” regarding its qualifications – in particular, she mentioned, having to “have built six 15,000-square-foot or larger skateparks in the past six years.” So what happens if Sahli does not submit documentation confirming that? we asked. Parks has the discretion, according to Hammerstad, to either give the contract to the next lowest bidder (Grindline) or to re-bid. Since Monday is a furlough day for the division working on the project, we won’t know anything more before Tuesday – but this issue is certain to come up at SPAC’s next monthly meeting, which happens to be Monday night at Parks HQ downtown, 7 pm.
From the Chief Sealth International High School Jazz Band to the Endolyne Children’s Choir, from Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering and Events (WSB sponsor) with pretzels and cider to Guadalajara Restaurant with tacos, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival‘s full lineup of activities, performances, food vendors and community participants is out. The festival is still a little more than a week away – a week from Sunday, 2-5:30 pm on October 17th – but so you can plan, we’re sharing the info here now (thanks to the organizers for providing it!) – click ahead for the full list:Read More
Just in from Greg Whittaker at Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor):
We are holding a Ski Swap and Haunted House at the VFW Halloween Weekend, benefiting the West Seattle Snowsports Council (WSSC). Many different manufacturers’ reps will be bringing sample product, so great deals on some of the best new gear in the NW.
We will be holding a WSSC planning meeting Wednesday, October 13th, so anyone interested in helping with the Haunted House or Ski Council is invited to attend.
Ski Swap and Haunted House
October 29th – Gear Drop Off 4-7 PM, Haunted House Setup
October 30th, Ski Swap and Haunted House 10-6
October 31st, Haunted House and Ski Swap 10-4, Gear Pickup 4-6pm
At the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall (VFW), 3601 SW Alaska St (across from M2S)WSSC Planning and Haunted House Meeting: Wednesday, October 13th @ M2S, 6 PM
Think snow!
During our most recent round of check-ins on local in-progress projects, from the Wing Dome (opening Tuesday) to the future Trader Joe’s, commenter “rw” asked about the planned Jonny Bostons Sandwich Shop just north of The Junction. (Here’s our story from mid-August.) While driving by this morning, we saw the door open at the 4151 California SW storefront, so we checked to see if owner Dan Atherton was around – and indeed, he was. He told us that he’s now hoping for an early November opening – as you can see from this photo, they’re still doing major work inside (permits took quite a while, as is often the case):
But in a week or so, Dan says, they should be able to move on to drywalling, among other work. As noted in our previous story, Jonny Bostons will be open lunch and dinner, Mondays-Saturdays, for starters.
(Photos added 11:58 am – thanks to Lynn for sharing them! Top, CSIHS girls & boys; bottom, all participants, boys & girls, WSHS in yellow, Franklin in Green, Ingraham in blue, Cleveland in red)
Just received results of Thursday’s multi-school Lincoln Park high-school cross-country meet from Jason Glover, cross-country coach at Chief Sealth International High School:
Here are the results from the metro 3A cross country meet held @ Lincoln Park 10/7.
In the boys’ race, CSIHS had 4 runners in the top 10, led by senior Daniel Perrine in second place with a personal best of 17:49. WSHS had 3 boys in the top 10, led by M. Wicklam with a time of 19:39.
Out of five teams, CSIHS won with a score of 39 points, while WSHS was second with a score of 47 points.
In the girls’ race, CS freshman Kenaia Neumann won with time of 22:57, followed closely by WSHS’s N. Broten @ 23:16.
Chief Sealth won the girls’ team race with a score of 27 points.
Chief Sealth, West Seattle, Ingraham, Cleveland, and Franklin were the teams involved.
We just went over to see how the Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) rummage sale was going in the first hour of its two-day run. So much stuff, some of the big, sturdy items are outside, like those bikes. And inside …
… that’s just the first of three rooms (plus a hallway, plus the stage) of stuff — clothes, dishes, decorations, books, vinyl, appliances (at least 2 sewing machines), furniture, luggage … The sale’s on at 41st/Andover (map) till 4 pm today, again 9 am-3 pm tomorrow.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“This is not just about The Viaduct,” as Linda Thielke from the King County Department of Transportation puts it.
But Alaskan Way Viaduct work is a major reason why Metro has some big changes coming up, especially for West Seattle and SODO riders, early next year. WSB was there as Thielke and Metro’s Jack Lattemann outlined them in an informal briefing downtown Thursday afternoon.
Because of construction projects – also including ongoing utility work – Metro is revising more than 30 routes when the February 5, 2011 service change takes effect.
You might not be able to tell the problem from a quick look at that photo, but those are two of the old car seats that WestSide Baby CAN’T give to new owners – because of moldy components like straps. However, we learned during a Thursday followup on WS Baby’s car-seat-collection drive announcement (published here Wednesday night), non-reusable car seats are not destined for the landfill – a different kind of recycling is in store, according to Katie Salinas from Waste Management, which is partnering with WestSide Baby for two upcoming collection events:
Katie, by the way, is a West Seattleite. She and WS Baby’s Nancy Woodland met with media on Thursday to answer questions about the upcoming collection drive, which has two dates in two locations, covering much of the metro area: You can bring your old car seat to WestSide Baby HQ in White Center (10027 14th SW – map) at 10 am-2 pm on October 16th, and tell your North Seattle friends to drop theirs off at the CoolMom booth at the Sustainable Ballard Festival by Ballard Viking Bank (2237 NW 57th – map) this Sunday, 10 am-4 pm. Bottom line, as explained in the WestSide Baby newsletter:
Any car seat will be accepted at these events. We’ll figure out if they can be reused or must be recycled. To be reused, car seats must be less than 6 years old, never been in a car accident and never been washed with harsh chemicals.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
No classes for Seattle Public Schools (calendar here) and some independent schools … High-school football is on as usual, though, with Chief Sealth International High School vs. Franklin at 5 pm, Memorial Stadium downtown, West Seattle High School hosting Rainier Beach, 7 pm, Southwest Athletic Complex, and Seattle Lutheran HS at La Conner, 7 pm … Don’t plan on taking the day-off crowd to Southwest Pool or local community centers (except for child-care programs): It’s a furlough day … The doors ARE open at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor) for the renowned Fall Rummage Sale – 9 am-4 pm Friday, 9 am-3 pm Saturday. More details here. … Bowl tonight in Pins for Pennies to benefit Family Promise of Seattle, x pm, Roxbury Lanes … Going-out options tonight include the Twelfth Night Productions gala at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center, 6 pm … FLAVOR, concert/comedy/art show to benefit OneAmerica, 7 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, and An Evening of Cabaret with Sylvia and Tor, 8 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (more info here)
A nearby project needs your help today, and/or tomorrow, and/or Sunday:
This coming Friday / Saturday / Sunday (Oct 8,9,10th) from 10 am to 4 pm, Concord International Elementary School is looking for volunteers to help assemble their new Play Structure. … We have a new play structure for the school body and local community that we will be assembling this weekend under the supervision of the structure manufacturer. All tools will be provided. Volunteers are much appreciated. Please e-mail concordplay@live.com if you think you can help us out.
While Concord is in SP, the district considers it part of the West Seattle “region,” and Concord feeds into this area’s other two international schools — Denny and Chief Sealth.
From Sacha, news of a memorial service this Saturday for West Seattle resident Aidan Bigliardi, and his obituary:
Aidan Christopher Bigliardi passed away October 2, 2010 peacefully at home after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Seattle, Washington on January 17, 1955. He spent his childhood on Mercer Island, where his father was the priest of Mercer Island Episcopal Church.
Aidan received his degree in nursing and worked as an RN in the operating room his entire career. He served the patients, surgeons and staff at Highline Medical Center for 30 years.
Aidan loved fishing, hiking, hunting, gardening, reading, the Seattle Times Sunday crossword puzzle and entertaining family and friends at “the trailer” in Eastern Washington.
He was preceded in death by his father Matthew Paul Bigliardi, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Oregon. He is survived by his mother Jeanne Bigliardi, Rachel Bigliardi, his children Nicole White, Mia, Matthewm Lucas and Ali and granddaughter Julie White.
Aidan, you are loved dearly and will forever live in our hearts.
Aidan Bigliardi’s Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at 1:00 pm at Hope Lutheran Church (4456 42nd SW). All are welcome to attend.
(If you have an obituary to share, we are glad to publish these types of tributes, free of charge.)
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