West Seattle, Washington
15 Thursday
Congratulations to Barbara Lisko and Alex French, newlyweds after their wedding tonight at Hope Lutheran Church in West Seattle. Both are graduates of nearby Seattle Lutheran High School. Thanks to the bride’s family for sharing a photo for this announcement, and best wishes to Barbara and Alex for a long and joyful life together.
For almost four weeks, we’ve been covering the aftermath of citywide nonprofit Senior Services‘ decision to fire longtime Senior Center of West Seattle director Karen Sisson (WSB file photo at left). While the center has its own board of directors, they don’t have hiring/firing power over staff, but the board voiced their support for her leadership, days after learning of her firing.
Now community supporters are launching a campaign, telling WSB that tomorrow, a community petition drive will kick off to urge Sisson’s reinstatement. Volunteers are gathering at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market at 10:30 am Sunday to ‘share information and collect signatures and support for bringing back Karen Sisson as director of the Senior Center of West Seattle,” according to a note we received today from Cindy, who adds, “Any volunteers are welcome to join us. We are also setting up a Facebook page, ‘Bring Karen Back,’ for people to start their own petitions and upload information.” That page is here. Sisson led the Senior Center for a quarter-century, with her accomplishments and the center’s growth detailed and celebrated in the center’s newsletter earlier this year.
Meantime, the West Seattle center’s board president David Robertson told WSB this past week that they “continue to work on this issue.”
4:42 PM: Police are closing all lanes of southbound Highway 99 because of a crash reported to be parallel with Holgate, not far north of the West Seattle Bridge exit. No details yet; a witness texted to us that they believe a motorcycle rider was involved. Medics are headed northbound in the southbound lanes to reach the victim(s).
4:53 PM UPDATE: Tweeted by Seattle Fire: The patient is a 61-year-old man who was riding a motorcycle that collided with a car. He is being taken to the hospital with head trauma, and CPR is under way. Meantime, since the injuries are life-threatening, that means the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad is likely to be summoned, and the road will be closed for some time. Police are working right now to get other vehicles off southbound 99, which they describe as “completely gridlock” – here’s the latest image from the south end of the elevated structure:
5:07 PM: Metro confirms via Twitter that it’s working on rerouting buses.
5:29 PM: SFD has confirmed the rider died. Police are continuing to clear traffic off southbound 99 but also advise it will be “difficult” in the area for some time.
6:08 PM: SPD also confirms southbound 99 will remain closed – from Battery St. Tunnel southward – until investigators have finished, likely a few more hours. No official report from police yet but the other vehicle involved is reported to be a RapidRide bus. A KING 5 journalist tweeted this photo:
Motorcycle accident involved this King County Metro bus. pic.twitter.com/3tN2kEYqQv
— Ted Land (@TedLandK5) August 10, 2014
8:11 PM: Southbound 99 has reopened.
9:09 PM: That was according to this SPD tweet – but commenters say it is NOT fully reopened, only to Atlantic. We are hoping SPD will clarify. As of right now, this traffic camera south of the crash scene does seem to verify the stretch from stadiums to West Seattle Bridge remains closed.
9:23 PM: That camera now shows traffic moving across the last southbound stretch, indicating SB 99 has now fully reopened.
Here’s a reason for you to come visit one of West Seattle’s semi-hidden treasures – the Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival continues until 6 pm.
We just left the garden; it’s breezy and beautiful. It’s just past the horticulture zone on the northernmost end of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge.
Admission is free; bring your own kite or buy one at the garden – also, as noted on the SCG home page, you can enjoy “kite flying demonstrations, displays, and kite painting.”
(Festival music/activities schedule here)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 11:20 AM: As of the top of the hour, Delridge Day is on – with cool people ready to meet you, and to entertain you, on the north side of the park by Delridge Community Center (Genesee/Delridge). Not just people – check out Olive the goat:
And a Seattle Police robot, converted for the moment into a Tootsie Pop dispenser:
“Picnic at the Precinct” is instead happening here in the park concurrent with Delridge Day again this year. We’re told new SPD Chief Kathleen O’Toole is expected here around noon, so if you’d like to meet her, be here. But first, come meet all your neighbors, here with various organizations and activities. And tell them what you want to see in your community – there’s a big blackboard ready for your thoughts, as part of the North Delridge Action Plan kickoff.
Also here: Seattle Public Library:
Miss Bea says "Come see us at the @SPLBuzz booth #DelridgeDay!" pic.twitter.com/n6efMWJ3UJ
— Beck Be (@BeaucoupBeck) August 9, 2014
Commenters asked earlier if any food trucks are here. Yes, Outside the Box is here again this year, up near the Delridge CC entrance.
Where, we’re also told a Seattle Fire engine is expected around noon.
(Photo added: From left, Pete Spalding, Dorsol Plants, Michael Taylor-Judd)
12:19 PM: Shoutout to the festival organizers – a small group of local community advocates put it together this year, including Dorsol Plants, Pete Spalding, Michael Taylor-Judd, Ron Angeles, and music by Chas Redmond, who is tune guru for more than a few local events:
Ellis Bros in stage at Delridge Day Festival pic.twitter.com/pE6sDp6zDU
— chas redmond (@chasredmond) August 9, 2014
12:38 PM: In addition to community groups/nonprofits – North Delridge Neighborhood Council, which is screenprinting its (Heart) Delridge logo onto T-shirts you bring, or bags they have…
….Also: West Seattle Food Bank (whose board member Rev. Ron Marshall pointed out they have a fundraising raffle going on):
Also: Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council, West Seattle Transportation Coalition, 34th District Democrats, Seattle Neighborhood Group, Nature Consortium …
… and more – local businesses are here too, including Skylark Café and Club and Mode Music Studios, neighbors in the 3800 block of Delridge Way SW:
12:49 PM: SPD Chief Kathleen O’Toole is here, as promised. We photographed her with Karen Berge and Deb Greer from the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network:
SFD Engine 36 was here for a while but had to rush off on an aid call a few minutes ago. (added) SPD Mounted Patrol horses were the center of attention:
If you missed the horses today – the Mounted Patrol Unit’s next open house at its Westcrest Park-adjacent headquarters will be 11 am-5 pm on Saturday, September 20th.
2:30 PM: Half an hour left until Delridge Day wraps up – such a beautiful afternoon. Hard to think about rain in the midst of the sun, but RainWise is here, to help you envision a raingarden at your home:
In some areas of West Seattle, you can get a rebate to install raingarden and/or cistern-type “green stormwater infrastructure” to cut down on how much of your stormwater runoff goes into the sewer system – find out more here.
2:54 PM: Moments to go and booths are folding up. SPD Chief O’Toole was here for a couple hours but departed a short time ago. We’ll be adding a bit more to this coverage in the hours ahead, but also wanted to mention an event for which we just got a flyer – mark your calendar for the North Delridge Tree Walk, starting near the boulders at Greg Davis Park 10:30 am Saturday, September 13th, five weeks from today. As for the rest of today – there’s more going on around West Seattle, and here in the park, the wading pool is open for almost four more hours!
(Moonrise over Brace Point, by Laura James; sun/moon times are always on the WSB Weather page)
If you haven’t already browsed the full Saturday lineup on our calendar – here’s a quick list of highlights:
HPIC RUMMAGE SALE: It’s big, it’s quirky, it’s happening now through 3 pm (and again 9-2 Sunday if you can’t get there today), it’s the Highland Park Improvement Club rummage sale. Also go admire how the HPIC parking lot has evolved into a courtyard/raingarden since last time. (12th/Holden)
ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR: Now through 3 pm, unique creations are on sale at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – go browse and meet the artists! Like Machel Spence, who sent the photo of her shell-box display:
(5612 California SW)
LOW-LOW TIDE: 10:16 am, tide’s out to -2.2 feet, and that’s excellent for exploring. Do it with expert advice from volunteer beach naturalists at Constellation and Lincoln Parks, now until 12:30 pm, details here.
SOCCER SHOE SALE: Big event with small prices – new soccer shoes/cleats for as little as $10/pair – and all for a good cause – the West Seattle Soccer Club wants you to know about this sale 10 am-4 pm at Grace Church – full details are on the WSSC home page – just scroll down a bit. (10323 28th SW)
INCOMING GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY KINDERGARTENER? Come to today’s playdate with your child’s future classmates (and your fellow future Gatewood families), 10:30 am-12:30 pm. The playground’s on the north side of campus.
DELRIDGE DAY: 11 am-3 pm in Delridge Community Center Park, with live music, activities, community info/vendor booths, plus SPD’s “Picnic at the Precinct” activities – see last night’s preview for the schedule. (Delridge/Genesee)
BENEFIT BARBECUE: 11 am-4 pm at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), today’s benefit barbecue is part of the Dog Days of Summer – details in our calendar listing. (California/Morgan/Fauntleroy)
KITE FESTIVAL: 2-6 pm, the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north edge of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus welcomes you to come celebrate these wind-powered wonders. Details in our preview. (6000 16th SW)
‘BLUES BROTHERS’ AT WS OUTDOOR MOVIES: Gates open at 6:30 pm, movie at dusk, with the 1980 classic “The Blues Brothers” as tonight’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies feature presentation on the big screen in the courtyard at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor). Free; preshow entertainment, too. Details in our preview. (4410 California SW)
NIGHT 2 FOR ‘HELLO, DOLLY!’: Twelfth Night Productions presents “Hello, Dolly!” again tonight at West Seattle High School Theater, 7:30 pm. In addition, they’re having a diaper/clothing drive for WestSide Baby – get $3 off the price of an adult ticket if you bring a diaper/kids-clothing donation. (3000 California SW)
MORE NIGHTLIFE! Music all over town – see individual venue/event listings for tonight (and beyond) by going directly to our calendar!
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