West Seattle, Washington
12 Tuesday
(July 3 photo: Child playing hide-and-seek while opponents led tour of the potential Go Ape course zone)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Seattle Parks employees who have been working on the proposed Go Ape zipline/tree swing “treetop adventure” attraction in West Seattle’s Lincoln Park will make their first public presentation tomorrow night, 11 months after the city decided to explore a potential partnership with the company.
Fauntleroy Community Association president Bruce Butterfield confirms that Rebecca Salinas and Charles Ng from Parks’ Partnerships division will be at his group’s July board meeting (7 pm Tuesday) – which he has moved to a larger space at The Hall at Fauntleroy, to accommodate all those interested in hearing/speaking about it. (ADDED TUESDAY: He says Go Ape‘s Chris Swallow will be there too.)
Butterfield (above, standing) also joined a pre-meeting tonight, billed as an “informal gathering” of people who are opposed to/concerned about the proposal. More than 30 people showed up for an organizational/strategy session at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). They say that will help them be ready for tomorrow night (more on their discussion a little later in this report).
FCA contacted Parks about the proposal after we asked Butterfield what if anything he and his group had heard about it, while we were working on the research that led to our original June 28th story about the plan, which this “project summary” document says has been in the works since last August. (Last Thursday, in his first public statement on the proposal – read it here – Parks’ longtime acting superintendent Christopher Williams described to the process so far as “internal due diligence.”)
Ahead – what’s happened so far, what we’ve learned about Go Ape’s basic course design and construction process, and toplines from tonight’s meeting:
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
South Seattle Community College‘s hangar at Boeing Field was the setting this afternoon for an education-and-jobs roundtable featuring visiting Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden. Aviation Maintenance Technology students work and learn at the hangar, making it the perfect setting for roundtable’s topic: “Community Colleges and Jobs” – one that’s close to Dr. Biden’s heart, since she is a community-college teacher and advocate (here’s her bio). Among the participants, Boeing employee and graduate Jason DeBuys (next to Dr. Biden, center right) was among those who took a turn with the mike:
While the discussion proceeded, Dr. Biden’s husband, Vice President Joe Biden, was a few miles north at the Westin Hotel downtown, helping raise campaign cash for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, who herself visited SSCC’s West Seattle campus last October (with fellow U.S. Sen. Patty Murray) to announce a job-training program (WSB coverage here).
At right in that photo is Vatrone Vann from Vaupell, a commercial-aerospace supplier (also listed in the program as representing corporate training at North Seattle Community College). More from today’s event, ahead:Read More
An accomplished musician who lived in West Seattle is mourned tonight by family, friends, and colleagues. Chelan County authorities say 43-year-old Monty Carter drowned on Sunday after wading into the Wenatchee River to cool off after a day of hiking. The Seattle Times (WSB partner) reports on the drowning, and on some of Mr. Carter’s background, including his work at The Northwest School, coaching basketball and teaching music over the years, which is also mentioned in this Wenatchee World story. Paul Dolejsi, pastoral assistant for music at Holy Rosary in Seattle, tells WSB that Mr. Carter worked for him as an accompanist until 2006, and remembers him as “an incredibly gifted pianist (who) was always kind and helpful with our singers and musicians.” He adds, “It is a terrible tragedy that someone so kind and talented should slip from our grasp at such a young age. He will be greatly missed.”
AUGUST 5th NOTE: Received word today:
His students and friends are getting together to pay tribute to him at 3 pm today(Aug. 5).The service and reception will take place at St Nicholas Hall at the upper campus of Lakeside School.
A judge has set bail at $30,000 for the 37-year-old West Seattle man arrested Sunday morning after four 
Seattle Police cars were rammed during a pursuit along Alki/Harbor Avenues (WSB coverage here). That’s according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which has until Wednesday to decide on charges against the man, who’s being held for investigation of assault and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. As we reported on Sunday, the man has a criminal history that in recent years included charges of domestic-violence assault and speeding in a school-crosswalk zone; court documents made public this afternoon add that he has a “history of progressing assaults and using his car as a weapon.” The documents also have more details on his arrest last Thursday, for which, as we also reported Sunday, he spent a day and a half in jail; he is alleged to have “purposely rammed a civilian’s car 4 to 5 (times) repeatedly …” The documents also say he told officers, after being advised of his right to remain silent, that he “has been off his medication.”
(PHOTO UPDATE: Dr. Biden with SSCC president Gary Oertli; photo by Nick Adams for WSB)
FIRST REPORT, 4:01 PM: As noted here this morning, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden are in Seattle this afternoon/evening for events – he’s headlining a fundraiser downtown for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell; she’s participating in an education roundtable hosted by South Seattle Community College at their Boeing Field aviation facility. That’s why you’re seeing helicopter(s) over eastern West Seattle (thanks for the texts). And the motorcade is temporarily closing I-5 – you can expect that in the other direction around 7 pm, according to SPD.
4:28 PM UPDATE: The event with Dr. Biden is under way; we’ve substituted a new photo atop this update. More coverage to come!
6:59 PM UPDATE: One more round of eastbound bridge backup as the vice president heads back to the airport (thanks to Neil for the photo). We’ll have a separate story with more on the SSCC-hosted event in a bit.
Two weeks after our first report about a federal coyote hunter dispatched to Seola Beach in southwest West Seattle after two dog deaths, no official update yet on the U.S. Wildlife Services‘ “fact-finding mission” (as a regional manager described it) there – we just checked back and learned all the local managers are out of state this week. However, we did get a coyote-sighting report from that same area this morning, sent by Jamie:
My husband came across coyotes in mid-hunt early this morning, about 5 am, while walking out of our house and to his car. He saw them snatch a small animal; he was pretty sure it was a cat.
We live right at the top of the Seola Beach ravine/greenbelt at 35th and 108th. The exact spot when the coyotes confronted the woman and her dog last fall. Thought I would report it in case anyone in the area misses their cat today…
It’s been a busy day for lost-and-found pet reports, but we haven’t heard anything from that area. Meantime, the state’s Living With Wildlife – Coyotes informational page includes info on what other animals coyotes eat – and important advice on what to do if you see one (in short: scare it away).
Two weeks ago, a West Seattle mom named Megan e-mailed a Crime Watch report (read it here): Somebody had stolen the little red wagon that she used to transport her toddler son, and groceries (they are carless). Along with the general outrage came multiple offers of a new wagon for them, both in comments and via e-mail. Megan gratefully accepted the offer of a West Seattleite who was first to e-mail us, minutes after we published our story, asking to buy a new wagon for her anonymously. We in turn asked Megan to consider sharing a photo when the new wagon arrived; this morning, she sent the photo, with this update:
Good morning. I recently received the new wagon (at the end of last week), and it’s great! It is all-terrain and very easy to control.
My dad set it for me yesterday, and brought me a bike lock which should at least deter thieves. I’ve attached a picture of a very excited little boy!
I never heard a thing about what happened to the stolen wagon.
Please send our thanks to the donor. We really appreciate the genorosity! Please also send our thanks to the honorary donors. We’d also like to thank you, the West Seatle Blog Editors!
Best Wishes and Many Thanks,
Megan and Dylan
We did hear from someone last week who said they thought they had seen the stolen wagon in The Junction. We couldn’t find Megan’s contact info at that moment to pass it on to her. Anyway, we’re grateful, too, for the caring and generosity expressed in this instance and so many others.
If you’ve driven Fauntleroy Way SW through Fairmount Springs in the past day-plus, you might have noticed that green bus labeled Free Range Mercantile. Kaela did, and sent a note wondering if we knew the story behind it. We had only just noticed the bus ourselves hours earlier, but after a little sleuthing overnight, we tracked down the info: You’ve heard of food trucks? Meet a retail truck! West Seattle entrepreneur Mary Summers, who you might know from CAPERS, is launching a mobile store. Reached via e-mail, Mary told us, “I’ll be selling sustainable goods, domestically sourced and fairly traded. Still filling in a few categories, but all useful items: brushes, brooms, tools, laundry soap, dish towels — home and hardware. This was my first weekend off after having worked at Capers for 16 years. A whole new adventure.” Mary hasn’t set an opening date yet for Free Range Mercantile – she just got the bus painted and found that “parking space” – but she expects to announce the date soon.
“A small piece of guerrilla art that should be appreciated” is how Laura describes the flags you see in the photo she shared – maybe 100 or so, each one reading simply “LOVE,” placed at Luna (Anchor) Park on Duwamish Head. Anyone know the story? Let us know! Meantime, after a stunning sunset and a thunderous night … a busy day ahead. Here’s what’s on the schedule:
WONDERING ABOUT THE BRIDGES? NO PLANNED CLOSURES THIS WEEK! The master list of regional closures – see it here (scroll way down to “West Seattle”) has nothing for 99 *or* the Spokane Street Viaduct this week. (Just the West Seattle Summer Fest closures in The Junction from Thursday night till Sunday night.)
WEST SEATTLE COOKING CLUB: This week’s theme, “15 Minutes or Less” – though the meeting will likely last longer! – bring your easy-to-make creation to Beveridge Place Pub (6413 California SW) at 3 pm.
DR. JILL BIDEN VISITS SSCC FACILITY AT BOEING FIELD: South Seattle Community College‘s aerospace facility at Boeing Field gets a high-ranking visitor today. It’s not a public event, but here’s the announcement, as an FYI:
Dr. Jill Biden, Second Lady of the United States, is visiting Seattle as part of a national Community College to Career tour, highlighting successful industry partnerships that are preparing students to succeed in the workforce. Dr. Biden, a longtime educator and community college teacher, will join Seattle Community College leaders, industry leaders in aviation-aerospace, maritime and manufacturing, along with successful graduates, in a roundtable discussion about jobs in our region.
Her event at 4:30 pm is scheduled while her husband, Vice President Joe Biden, is in Seattle for a Sen. Maria Cantwell fundraiser at the Westin downtown.
LINCOLN PARK ZIPLINE OPPONENTS’ INFORMAL MEETING: With the first public presentation of the Seattle Parks/Go Ape proposal (first reported here June 28th) planned at Tuesday night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, those opposed/concerned about the plan have announced an “informal meeting” tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor; 5612 California SW), 5:30 pm. Read more about the meeting on the Preserve Lincoln Park website.
NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: This month’s agenda is here – and it includes a discussion of concerns at Delridge Skatepark, which is the planned location for the meeting (Delridge/Genesee), 6:30 pm.
There’s more on the calendar …
From Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey this morning:
Seal Sitters and Alki Community Council will be sponsoring a cleanup of Alki on Saturday, July 21st from 9 am-noon. Peggy Foreman from NOAA will speak about the dangers of trash and derelict marine debris shortly after we assemble at the Statue of Liberty (61st Ave SW and Alki Ave SW). This event will be in honor of West Seattle seal pup Sandy, who was found dead, entangled in derelict fishing line off the Edmonds pier earlier this spring. You can read Sandy’s story on Seal Sitters’ blubberblog.
Countless thousands of marine animals (including seals and sea lions, whales and other cetaceans, sea birds and turtles) die each year from trash and marine debris in our waters. Plastics and storm runoff contaminates our waterways and all creatures (from the smallest of plankton to the majestic orca) that lives there. We encourage everyone to join us and protect our sea life.
A copy of the flyer is posted on the website for download if anyone would like to print out and post a copy at their school or place of business.
You can find the download link in this story on the Seal Sitters site – where you’ll also find a link to RSVP, which is requested so they know how much cleanup equipment to have on hand.
If you were reading the comment sections after the sunset photos we published last night – here and/or on Facebook – then you saw local meteorologist Patrick K‘s alerts about thunder/lightning and this was no surprise! Thanks to those who sent photos – top, from Timothy Olson; next, from Rob A. Johnston of Walkabout Wolf Photography:
Both those photos were taken in Arbor Heights. Lauren tweeted this one from “over Beach Drive”:
While we first noted thunder at 11:41 pm, via Twitter, the big show wasn’t till more than an hour later. As for today’s weather? Sunnier later, says the forecast.
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