West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
Just after opening Village Green Perennial Nursery for the season, owner Vera Johnson has a quick out-of-town trip ahead – way out of town. Eight months after her very public foreclosure fight with Bank of America, she is going to Washington, D.C. – and if you too have been through something similar, she would like to take your story along for the ride. Vera explains, “I was asked to go to D.C. to meet with the Obama Task Force next week. We have meetings scheduled with folks at DOJ, HUD, and other agencies involved in the newly created mortgage-fraud task force. We’re going to spend some time together talking about the work happening in our cities and states, AND there’s going to be a Senate Banking Committee hearing on “public and private solutions to the mortgage crisis” (ie. Principal reduction) on Wednesday 3/7 – perfectly timed for us! I was asked to collect personal stories with photos of people who are dealing with this personally.” She is representing WA-CAN (Washington Citizens Action Network) and asks, “E-mail me your story of any Fannie/Freddie nightmares. Include a family photo. By Sunday ….. vjvillagegreen7@gmail.com.” She heads out on Monday.
A little more than midway through the school year, Chris Kinsey is no longer interim principal of Chief Sealth International High School – he is its permanent principal, according to a letter sent to students’ families today:
Dear Chief Sealth International High School community,
Today I am excited to officially appoint Chris Kinsey as your permanent principal.
Mr. Kinsey stepped into the role in August – building on the momentum created over the past several years, while finding new ways to create student and staff success.
This school year, Chief Sealth won a Washington Achievement Award for improvement, honored one of its teachers with a Golden Apple Award, and increased the number of students taking International Baccalaureate classes. Under his leadership, the school expanded math and science offerings, kept more seniors than ever on track to graduate, developed more international education curriculum and is meeting the challenges of a growing student population.
With the Republican presidential nomination still undecided, the party’s precinct caucuses in our state tomorrow, 10 am-noon, are getting national attention. If you are interested in participating, our partners at the Seattle Times have put together a pretty good primer. There’s an FAQ on this party-owned site. And there’s a lot of good information from WSB’er JoAnne in new comments she has added following our caucus preview published last weekend. As she mentions, West Seattle High School (3000 California SW) is the major caucusing spot for this area – but if you are in south WS, your precinct may be caucusing in White Center, at the Evergreen Campus (830 SW 116th) – doublecheck your location here. We’ve checked in with 34th District Republicans chair Jim Clingan, who explains that results will NOT be announced at the caucus locations – they’ll go to the party’s county HQ, then on to the statewide GOP, which should announce statewide results tomorrow evening.
P.S. Democratic caucuses are NOT on the same date as the GOP this year; theirs are on April 15th.
An update from SDOT on lane closures and other traffic alerts related to the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project – some happening tonight. Read on:Read More
Outside West Seattle Thriftway in Morgan Junction, we spotted Morgan, Elena, and Bianca, as their cookie-selling season began. Theirs is one of the troops you’ll find listed via the online “Cookie Locator” we featured in last Saturday’s report on the cookies’ arrival at a local loading dock.
Continuing our series of announcements for local schools’ upcoming dinner/auction fundraisers – one week from tonight, it’s the Gatewood Elementary PTA‘s “Bids for Kids” (5:30-9 pm March 9th at The Hall at Fauntleroy):
We’re hoping for glamour, fun and a few “celebrity” appearances with this year’s silver-screen theme. All of the money raised goes directly to support the children in our diverse community of learners. Money raised at past auctions has been used to help start new arts, music, supplemental math and science programs over the past year and to provide scholarships for after-school enrichment programs. Gatewood is an all-inclusive community and we are committed to ensuring that all of our children thrive with access to enriching activities, support, and engagement.
At Gatewood we believe that changing the world is possible – especially with the support of our community. We welcome your support and everyone is invited. Our auction website includes a description of live and silent auction items and you can bid by proxy if you cannot attend! Check it out at http://www.gatewoodauction.org/home/
Live auction items include the opportunity to be a Top Gun fighter pilot for a day with Air Combat USA, family snowshoe package, Sounders ticket packages and signed memorabilia, getaways and more!
Before the Barton Pump Station expansion project takes over little Cove Park on the beach north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock (map) for about two years, the park’s plants need new homes – and you are invited to be part of the “adoption” effort. As Mardi Clements summarizes it, “”Free plants! Take them to a good home before they are bulldozed!” The plants fill border gardens along the pathway down to Cove Park’s tiny slice of beach. You dig ’em, you take ’em, 9 am-noon tomorrow (Saturday). Once the pump-station project is over, the park will be restored – the Fauntleroy Community Association has been working with the county for a long time to make sure that happens – with new art among other features (as reported in this story last September).
Thanks to Kevin McClintic for sharing a photo and toplines from last night’s Arbor Heights crime-prevention/Block Watch-formation meeting, which he says about two dozen people attended. Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon (next to the pulpit in Kevin’s photo) was the guest speaker for the meeting coordinated by AH residents Sherry Fullerton and Kathy Ward. Mark stressed what you have heard from police over and over – if you see something suspicious happening, call 911. If you see someone who looks unfamiliar – say hi, “let them know they’ve been seen,” as Kevin summarized the message. Interested in getting involved with Arbor Heights Block Watch efforts, but couldn’t get to the meeting? You can e-mail arborheightsblockwatch@gmail.com and/or join the new Facebook group Arbor Heights Block Watch.
The aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis, which has had a more-eventful-than-many deployment these past seven months, is in central Puget Sound right now, visible from West Seattle as it heads home to Bremerton. Thanks to Bob A in North Admiral for the photo. The Kitsap Sun, of course, is all over it – here’s their latest report on what’s been happening aboard as the carrier finished its deployment. (It stopped in San Diego this past Monday, before the final leg of the trip home.) The Navy is promising a live online video stream as the Stennis gets closer to Bremerton; here’s the link.
10:30 AM UPDATE: This photo’s from Gary Jones, with the tip of the Alki Lighthouse in the foreground:
(The Stennis is out of view now, from here – by the time we got down to the water for a firsthand look around 9:45, it was already rounding south Bainbridge.)
Happy Friday! From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES ON SALE: This afternoon starts the annual cookie-selling season; last Saturday, we brought you the story of tens of thousands of boxes of cookies delivered to West Seattle for troop leaders to pick up. To find out where you can buy yours – use the online “cookie locator” to see which troop is scheduled to sell where, and when.
WINTER GEAR ON SALE: Returning WSB sponsor Mountain to Sound Outfitters is having a “progressive sale” – through today, 30 percent off winter gear; starting tomorrow, 40 percent off. They’re at 3602 SW Alaska in The Triangle.
WINE TASTING: At Bin 41 in The Junction, 6-7:30 pm, focusing tonight on new French wines.
AT KENYON HALL: 7:30 pm, Duo Rubicund – flutist Erica Coutsouridis and guitarist Meredith Connie, presenting a feast of Latin American music. From the announcement: “From Argentina to Puerto Rico to Cuba, they present works that take you on a tour through the history of the Tango, evoke the cities of Havana and Buenos Aires, and deliver a tasty selection of dances and melodies. (Rubicund means optimistic, bright, cheerful.) Their program includes works by Piazzolla, Pujol, and Ravel, plus the famous Gypsy Tango Jealousy.” Please visit www.duorubicund.com for more information.
MORE LIVE MUSIC: “Bobcat Bob” at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm … George Tisdale Band, Kissing Potion, Down North at Skylark Café and Club, 9 pm … Dolly Rottens, Torch Burner at the Benbow Room, 9 pm
BARLEYWINE BACCHANAL, SECOND-TO-LAST NIGHT: 9th annual event continues through Saturday at Beveridge Place Pub.
| 23 COMMENTS