West Seattle politics: 34th District Democrats’ endorsements
Though we’re still three months away from the primary election, six months away from the general, it was endorsement time tonight at the monthly meeting of the 34th District Democrats, our area’s biggest political group. We recorded the meeting on video and will add that here later, for those interested; if you just want to cut to the chase, read on for the list of who won what, including the group’s vote not to endorse the only West Seattleite running for statewide office:Read More
West Seattle schools: Arbor Heights students grow, sell, give tomato plants to learn, help
At Arbor Heights Elementary, a first-grade class isn’t just talking and learning about healthy food – they’re growing it, too, and ready to share their plants with you. Parent Krista Withers shares the news of a plant sale continuing through the end of the week, and a giveaway planned for weekend after next!
All year long our teacher, Marcia Ingerslev, has been focusing on building healthy habits for lifelong nutrition and good health. In addition to cooking in the classroom each Friday, the children from room 16 have been planting, potting, repotting, watering, and caring for many tomato plants.
These plants will be for sale (by donation) after school at the Arbor Heights Playground this week.
Mrs.Ingerslev explains how this will benefit the class, the school and our community here:
“In the cold days of February, the students of room 16 at Arbor Heights planted two flats of tomatoes. With 400 or more sprouts I figured we would get a couple hundred plants.
We are currently at 400 tomato plants, which confirms what I have always known, anything planted and nurtured by a child grows better than when planted by an adult. Some of the plants have been transplanted several times, others are still waiting for a larger home. We will be selling plants until none remain. On May 19th some of my students are going to be at Safeway on Roxbury to share what they have learned about nutrition. They will have a hundred tomato plants to give away. We want families to be able to eat healthy food. This is our small contribution to that end.
If you can’t wait until then or are interested in purchasing (for a donation) more tomato plants, please contact me at mmingerslev@seattleschools.org. 100% of the proceeds go to fund a native-plant garden and our school and to run Room 16’s nutrition program. All of the seeds, pots, and soil were donated. Manpower was provided by first-grade students.”
After-school sales this week are running from about 3:10-4:05 pm. On Saturday, May 19th, Krista tells us, the students’ visit to Roxbury Safeway (Roxbury/26th) will be from 9:30 am-1:30 pm.
Remembering 2 West Seattle business owners: Bob Ochsner, Gary Putman
Thanks to the WSB’ers who sent word of these two passings, both announced in the obituaries section of our partners at the Seattle Times:
BOB OCHSNER, 1920-2012: The funeral Mass for Mr. Ochsner is planned for this Friday morning, according to the Times obituary, which you can read in its entirety here. He grew up in West Seattle, graduating from WSHS, and owned Bob Ochsner Cars for 55 years at locations including WS, and was active in organizations including the Rotary Club of West Seattle. His surviving family members include his wife of 59 years. The Friday morning Mass is at 11 am at Our Lady of Fatima, 3218 W. Barrett. You can sign the online memorial guestbook here.
GARY PUTMAN, 1954-2012: It’s been about a year since Mr. Putman’s fight against cancer led to the closure of his West Side Import Repair in The Triangle. Now, this week, comes word that he passed away. According to his Times obituary, Mr. Putman moved to Seattle in 1978 and worked at West Side for 33 years, starting as a mechanic before taking over the business. No memorial service is mentioned; instead, “a gift to your favorite charity or to cancer research” is suggested.
Update: Donations save the day for West Seattle Grand Parade!
(WSB photo from 2011 West Seattle Grand Parade)
“Thanks, everyone, for your support of this wonderful West Seattle tradition!” says West Seattle American Legion Post 160 Grand Parade co-coordinator Jim Edwards, reporting good news today: They’re received enough sponsor pledges and community donations “to move forward with this year,” two days after putting out a last call for $ help. In addition to the barricade costs – $7,000, as previously reported – they also deal with an even-higher cost for other elements of producing the parade, including permits, trophies, and liability insurance; Jim notes, “At a time when our veteran community has grown smaller with the passage of the elder members of the American Legion, it will be wonderful to help reduce the burden on the Post.” Jim and the other volunteers who coordinate the parade are still catching up on tallying the donations and figuring out where things stand, as well as planning for the future to avoid a donation-drive panic EVERY year – so they don’t have a detailed update yet, but wanted to get this news out. Go ahead and mark your calendar for July 21st (and if you’d like to run/walk the parade route, register now for the first-ever Float Dodger 5K before the parade!).
P.S. Another reminder that one of the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (maps here) sales this Saturday is a benefit for the parade, at Legion Post 160 – sale #140.
New draft of school-levy proposal suggests two 650-seat elementaries for West Seattle
At 4 pm today, the Seattle School Board meets for another work session on the BEX-IV levy at district HQ in SODO – which will raise money to build and renovate schools throughout the city. A new draft proposal is on the district website for discussion at the meeting – see it here. Nothing dramatically new for West Seattle, but it does add new details to some of what’s been under discussion:
NEW SCHOOLS:
-The new Schmitz Park Elementary proposed for the old Genesee Hill site would be a 650-seat K-5, this draft says
-The new Arbor Heights Elementary would also be a 650-seat K-5, this draft says
REOPENED SCHOOLS:
-The old Hughes building, currently leased by Westside School (WSB sponsor), would be “upgraded” to reopen as a 304-seat K-5
-The old Fairmount Park building, closed five years ago, would be “upgraded” to reopen as a 304-seat K-5
INTERIM SCHOOL:
-The Boren building is listed as having a capacity as 760 and being “interim location for STEM K-5, Fairmount Park, Hughes, and Arbor Heights” – ostensibly while renovations/rebuilds are under way for each of those schools
Though Roxhill Elementary made its case at a meeting last week for needing renovations, if not a rebuild, or maybe even a move – WSB coverage here – it is not mentioned in the draft. There is a mention toward the end of the document that this proposal could result in a “potential elementary seat surplus in West Seattle.”
The document says that there will be one more round of community meetings in September before the board finalizes the levy plan later in the fall, to go to voters next February. One more note: If you want to talk with West Seattle’s school-board director Marty McLaren about this or any other issue – like the transportation (and therefore bell-time) changes – she has a community conversation meeting scheduled TODAY at Southwest Library (35th/Henderson), 12:30-2:30 pm.
West Seattle Wednesday, abbreviated edition
For today’s previews, we direct you to the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar, which changed formats semi-recently to be a true calendar, with individual listings for each event: You can click the “plus” on the right side of any event’s line and see an expanded description, then click “read more” to go to the full listing, usually including a map – or click the “minus” on the right side to close the listing so the calendar’s back in line-by-line view. Today’s events include a 12:30 pm community conversation with West Seattle’s school-board rep Marty McLaren; tonight’s major community meeting is the 34th District Democrats‘ endorsements meeting at 7 pm. Get the full list on the calendar.
West Seattle Water Taxi update: Rachel Marie back in service
ORIGINAL 8:50 AM REPORT: The West Seattle Water Taxi‘s 8:15 run was canceled because of mechanical trouble for Rachel Marie, and the boat usually on the Vashon run, Melissa Ann, is picking up with the run scheduled to leave right about now. More to come when we find out about plans for the rest of the day.
12:56 PM UPDATE: The county just sent word that Rachel Marie is fixed and back in service on the West Seattle run.
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