West Seattle, Washington

16 Tuesday

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month : 08/2014 293 results

Sound Transit light rail for West Seattle? Another discussion, this time @ City Hall
August 12, 2014 2:48 pm
|      73 COMMENTS
 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Cup-half-full version: West Seattle could have light rail as soon as 2026.

Cup-half-empty version: West Seattle won’t get light rail any sooner than 2026.

That was the bottom line of a briefing that was part of the City Council Transportation Committee‘s meeting this morning. Potential West Seattle light rail wasn’t the only topic – in fact, it was the last part of the Sound Transit guest appearance, which in turn was only part of a busy agenda (above is Seattle Channel‘s video of the entire meeting – the briefing starts 35 minutes in). The briefing followed the order of the slide deck. And however you view that potential date, it would depend on West Seattle being written into Sound Transit’s Long-Range Plan when it’s updated later this year; it didn’t make it into the plan previously, ST reiterated today, because of the since-scrapped plan for monorail service between West Seattle and downtown.

The slide deck itself didn’t contain the potential 2026 date – West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who chairs the committee, asked for a date, and all ST reps would give him was that 2016 would be the earliest a “Sound Transit 3” measure could go before voters. Perhaps a “board member” could speculate further, they said, with all eyes turning to Councilmember Mike O’Brien, a board member who happened to be right there at the table.

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Never too soon to plan! Next ‘Recycle Roundup’: September 21
August 12, 2014 1:44 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

For so many people with so many recyclables that can’t be put out for curbside pickup, the twice-annual Fauntleroy Church “Recycle Roundup” dropoff events are highly popular. That’s why we’re sharing mega-early news of the date for the next one: 9 am-3 pm Sunday, September 21st, church parking lot @ 9140 California SW. See the newly updated “what they’ll accept” list here.

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Three events ahead for your West Seattle Tuesday night
August 12, 2014 11:52 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

We might not see a rerun of last night’s sunset (thanks to Barry White for the photo), but here’s what IS on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

‘WALK-AND-TALK’ IN FUTURE RAINGARDEN ZONE: 6 pm, residents in the South Delridge “natural drainage” project zone are invited to meet with city reps for a walk-and-talk discussion about where it stands and what happens next. Details in our calendar listing (Starts at 17th/Elmgrove)

HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY MEETING: The Highland Park Elementary School PTA and HP Action Committee are co-hosting a meeting at HP Improvement Clubto talk about how the community can support the struggling school, 7 pm. (12th/Holden)

SCHMITZ PARK ELEMENTARY OUTDOOR MOVIE: We’ll update if there’s a change because of the weather; “Rio 2” is to be shown tonight at SPES as a fundraiser for the fourth-grade trip to Islandwood. Doors open 6:30; movie at 8:30; cost $3/person (kids under 3 free); concessions to include pizza, popcorn, candy, drinks. (5000 SW Spokane) Thanks to commenter “Mighty Moh” for word this is pushed back a week.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen car, bikes; hit-run leaves fender
August 12, 2014 9:58 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch today. First, a stolen car to watch for, taken from 18th SW in the Highland Park area:

We’d be grateful for any help the community may provide in locating the vehicle. It’s a black 2008 Mazda 3 4-door, license plate 863DWG (Oregon). There are some identifying stickers on the vehicle as well: a “Seattle U Law” sticker, and a “Boise State” sticker. It was stolen between the evening of Thursday 8/7 and the morning of 8/10, when we went out to look for it.

As noted in the SPD @getyourcarback tweet about it, call 911 if you see it.

Also keep watch for two bicycles stolen from Alki. From Ara:

Two bikes were locked to a bike rack at the east end of Alki on Saturday at about 5:15 PM. Bike racks on the water side of Alki Ave SW at 55th Ave SW. The lock was cut and the bikes were taken in broad daylight.

2010 Cannondale Synapse Road Bike – Blue Frame, Size 58:

2013 Cannondale Althea Hybrid Bike – Black Frame, Women’s size Tall:

The bikes have traveled with us from coast to coast. They are very loved and important to us. We would love to have them back. Reward and good karma available. Please contact andara13@hotmail.com with any information. Thank you.

Last but not least, a hit-run driver wound up in a yard in the 6300 block of 23rd SW early Sunday and damaged a “stock tank” planter that was growing lettuce and kale.

The planter’s owner says the car’s fender was left behind, “complete with blue-green paint.” It’s now with SPD as evidence, but if you know someone with a car or small SUV that suddenly showed up with a missing fender sometime Sunday (or later) … a police report has been filed.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday updates; Roxbury, Charlestown road work
August 12, 2014 6:12 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
As we start a new day of traffic-watching, remember that two of this week’s road-work projects are scheduled for today: The first of two days of SW Roxbury repaving, 25th SW to 27th SW. Also, the first of two days of hill-traction work, starting today with SW Charlestown, 45th SW to 47th SW. (Tomorrow, the crews are scheduled to move on to SW Genesee between Avalon and Delridge.)

ALSO TODAY: 2 big items on the City Council Transportation Committee‘s agenda this morning at 9:30 am – the confirmation process starts for SDOT director nominee Scott Kubly, and another discussion of Sound Transit‘s Long-Range Plan Update, both previewed here. If you can’t be at City Hall, you can watch live at seattlechannel.org.

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Memorial next Sunday for C.W. ‘Buck’ Thompson, 1931-2014
August 12, 2014 5:08 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Obituaries | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Next Sunday afternoon (August 17th) at West Seattle Golf Course, a memorial is planned for “Buck” Thompson, whose family shares this remembrance:

Clair Wallace “Buck” Thompson, 83, of Seattle, Washington, passed away on July 14, 2014.

Buck was born in Omaha, Nebraska to Clair and Ethel Thompson. He was a 1950 graduate of West Seattle High School. He went on to earn a degree at Washington State University in Business with a minor in Architectural Small Dwelling Construction graduating in 1954. In his early years, he worked in the hotel and restaurant management business, was a real estate agent selling recreational property in Eastern Washington, and later sold marine supply equipment with Obert Marine Supply. Buck belonged to the Society of Port Engineers of Puget Sound and held the position of President, Chairman of the Board, “Chicken of the Year,” and “Man of the Year”. He enjoyed travel, fishing, sports, and family.

Buck is preceded in death by his parents, Clair and Ethel, and his sister Judith Ann Campbell.

He is survived by his devoted wife Sharon Thompson; sons Paul (Kim) Thompson and Bryce (Eva) Thompson; daughter Dawn (Eric) Hodo; stepson Jamie (Beth) Trigg; stepdaughter Tracy (Mitch) Trotter; eleven grandchildren and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A memorial for Buck will be held at the West Seattle Golf Course on Sunday, August 17, at 3:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Medic One, without whose help Buck would never have been able to receive the care he did: Medic One Fire Department, 301 Second Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104.

(WSB publishes obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Thunderstorms arrive
August 11, 2014 9:18 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(Photo by Christopher Frankovich)
9:18 PM: As predicted, thunderstorms have arrived – coming up from the south/southeast right now, and you might even have seen lightning over downtown already. This follows a record-setting high temperature today, 96 degrees (it was still 85 at 9 pm). The thunderstorms are expected to stay in the area through at least tomorrow.

10:42 PM UPDATE: Rain arrived with the most recent cell. Also a reminder … we had one short-lived lost pet report, a dog spooked by the thunder and lightning, so make sure your pet is extra-safe. Meantime, just received, and added, an excellent lightning photo from West Seattle photographer Christopher Frankovich – thanks!

11:04 PM NOTE: And in case you’ve noticed this too – yes, that’s aircraft heading westward, likely because of the weather, in a different pattern than usual this time of night.

1:24 AM: Thanks also to Doug B for sharing a view of a bolt spotted from Hamilton Viewpoint in North Admiral. Things have calmed down since our last update – the air traffic shifted away, no further thundershowers – but they remain in the forecast for today (Tuesday) as of a late-evening update.

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Remembering Robin Williams: His West Seattle Food Bank benefits; also – how to get help if you need it
August 11, 2014 6:05 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Not WS but we're mentioning it anyway | West Seattle news

You have likely heard by now that actor/comedian Robin Williams is gone too soon, at 63, found dead in his San Francisco Bay Area home this afternoon, believed to be a victim of suicide.

Two things we wanted to mention here:

(Photo courtesy WSFB, added Tuesday: Mr. Williams in 2004 with WSFB volunteers Aaron & Laurie and then-operations manager Gretchen)
First, Mr. Williams had at least one West Seattle connection – a history of generous gifts to the West Seattle Food Bank, most notably, more than $50,000 in proceeds from downtown performances in 2004, 2007, and 2008.

Second, we wanted to again share the local hotline number that offers help to anyone thinking about suicide (or experiencing other crisis situations), the Crisis Clinic – 206-461-3222. The CC website also recommends reading this.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Beach Drive purse-snatching arrest
August 11, 2014 5:11 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news

Thanks to the tipsters who texted/e-mailed about police activity on Beach Drive this past hour. We checked with Seattle Police’s Det. Drew Fowler, who tells us that one “juvenile” suspect is in custody after a purse-snatching incident. Information is still preliminary, but the police log shows that a woman reported someone had stolen her purse and phone around Weather Watch Park (Beach Drive/Carroll; map), and she or someone else was in pursuit. One person was taken into custody.

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Election 2014: Despite (or because of?) park proliferation, Seattle Proposition 1 on losing side here
August 11, 2014 2:58 pm
|      35 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | West Seattle police

checkbox.jpgAt week’s end, King County Elections published the legislative-district-by-legislative-district breakdown of the first night’s results in the August 5th election. Though the citywide total has been in favor of Seattle Proposition 1 – creating a Park District with taxing authority for extra parks funding that has previously come via levy – parkland-rich West Seattle is in the “no” column. West Seattle has the bulk of in-city voters in the 34th Legislative District (map), and the district’s opening-night vote was 42 percent “approve,” 58 percent “reject.” That was the lowest “approve” percentage of any legislative district with some Seattle voters; next lowest was the 32nd District (map) in northwesternmost Seattle, at 43 percent “approve.” The strongest support, meantime, was 63 percent “approve” in the 43rd District (map), which includes downtown, Capitol Hill, and Green Lake.

If you’re interested in other King County races’ election-night district-by-district breakout, it’s all in this PDF. No precinct-by-precinct breakout yet; the final vote won’t be certified until next week. (And again, what’s reported above is from a breakdown of the first count, made public election night, and does not include ballots counted and reported since then. The “approve/reject” gap has widened a little citywide since that first round; as of Friday afternoon, “approve” was ahead with 53.2 percent, while on Election Night, it was at 52.4 percent.

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Next at West Seattle Outdoor Movies: ‘The Goonies,’ by demand!
August 11, 2014 2:07 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle Outdoor Movies

When we published the call for West Seattle Outdoor Movies suggestions this year, 10 commenters – from Al to WSResident – nominated 1985’s “The Goonies.” As announced in May, it’s on the schedule for next Saturday (August 16th) on the big screen next to Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor). It’s free – just bring your own chair/blanket as moviegoers do every Saturday night of WSOM; here’s part of last week’s crowd:

Big turnouts this year and this Saturday is bound to bring the same, so don’t wait until the last minute; gates open at 6:30 pm. There’s plenty to do before the movie; this week’s pre-show band is Layered System, promising blues and jazz. Raffles and concessions benefit a local nonprofit each week, and this Saturday it’ll be Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (which is getting ready for its big mural unveiling two days before movie night). The screen’s in the courtyard at 4410 California SW – see you there! (P.S. “Goonies” is the second-to-last WSOM show of the year; the finale on August 23 is “Frozen.”)

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You can help! Community support meeting Tuesday for Highland Park Elementary
August 11, 2014 11:51 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Highland Park | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The new school year is less than four weeks away, and there’s a push to muster support for one local school that needs it more than ever, Highland Park Elementary. If you can help – or want to at least find out how to – you can do that tomorrow night. For the basic story, here’s the invitation that Highland Park Action Committee co-chairs Carolyn and Billy Stauffer wrote to district, city, and other leaders:

(HPAC’s) role is to affect positive change in our neighborhood, and we have historically been active in bringing together a voice for our neighborhood, which has faced many challenges.

We hosted parent Peter Weiss at our May community meeting, who came to speak with us as a member of the Highland Park Elementary PTA. In discussing his ideas with us to organize a 5K as a fundraiser for the school, the community learned about the state of affairs for our local school – Highland Park Elementary is ranked last in the Seattle Public School System.

Some of our members were brought to tears with this news, exhausted by what feels like yet another blind eye turned towards our community from our leaders. We write to you in response to a request that night from the community to get some answers as to why our school is doing so badly and what the plan is for improvement. We have since discussed this idea with the PTA and have formed a partnership in our efforts. We, along with incoming PTA president Sol Mendez, would like to invite you to a meeting to discuss the school, and answer some questions from our community.

And that invitation is for you too. Come to the Highland Park Improvement Club (12th/Holden) tomorrow night (Tuesday, August 12th), at 7 pm. HPAC says the RSVPs so far include HPES’s new principal Chris Cronas, school-board member Marty McLaren, and City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen.

ADDED TUESDAY: HPAC co-chair Carolyn Stauffer says the school district’s executive director of schools for this area, Israel Vela, also has RSVP’d.

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West Seattle scene: Preparing to paddle across the bay to downtown rally
August 11, 2014 10:03 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks to Anne for the photo from Don Armeni Boat Ramp, where canoe paddlers are launching a trip across Elliott Bay to participate later this morning in a rally to show concern about environmental risks from increased oil/coal-carrying train/ship traffic in our region.
(Added 12:57 pm: Tweet with photo of Blue Heron Canoe‘s arrival:)

(back to earlier report) We received this announcement about that rally late last night:

(Today) at 11 am a ‘Protect Our Salish Sea’ rally will begin with a traditional Northwest Coastal canoe landing and kayak flotilla at the beach below the Olympic Sculpture Park, which is a traditional sacred gathering place of the Coast Salish Nations. The rally will include speakers such as Freddy Lane and Laverne Lane of the Lummi Nation, a traditional welcoming and protocol by Ken Workman of the Duwamish Tribe, Mike Evans of the Snohomish Tribe leading a traditional canoe ‘Paddle to Seattle,’ activists Carlo Voli of 350 Seattle, and Bill Moyer of Backbone Campaign. This is a family-friendly event that will include an inter-tribal jam session, a Water Blessing ceremony, and will be immediately followed by a procession to the tracks for a symbolic blockade of the BNSF Railroad at Alaskan and Broad Street in Seattle.

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West Seattle Monday: Weather alert; plus, what’s up today/tonight
August 11, 2014 8:55 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Sunday’s low tide on Alki, by Danny McMillin)
This will be a great day to get out on the beach (if you’re not stuck in an office) – but take note of the weather alert for tonight/tomorrow, before we get to highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

WEATHER ALERT: “Scattered to abundant lightning” is forecast for much of Western Washington, possibly even here in the metro area, tonight through tomorrow, and the National Weather Service has a wide area under a “red flag warning.” And before we get to that, it’s going to be even hotter today – possibly into the 90s.

Now, from the calendar:

APPEAL HEARING: The second appeal filed in relation to the project to rebuild Arbor Heights Elementary School is being heard today by the city Hearing Examiner, starting at 9 am; here’s our earlier report. (Municipal Tower downtown, 40th floor)

LAST DAY FOR BEACH NATURALISTS: With a low-low tide of -2.0 feet at 11:50 am, it’s the final day of this summer’s Seattle Aquarium volunteer-beach-naturalist program. On the shore at Constellation Park south of Alki and at Lincoln Park (toward the south end), look for the naturalists in red hats, 10:30 am-1:30 pm.

SCIENCE MAGIC! See how to use science for magic tricks – this is a library presentation for ages 5 and up – free! – but it’s at Delridge Community Center, 2:30 pm. (4501 Delridge Way SW)

…AND MORE SCIENCE! Celebrating science is the theme of tonight’s Family Story Time at High Point Branch Library, 6:30 pm, free as always. (35th/Raymond)

NORTH DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: No formal agenda for tonight’s monthly NDNC meeting, so if you have a community concern/question, bring it! Tonight will be another outdoor meeting, 6:30 pm in Delridge Community Center Park. (Delridge Way SW/SW Genesee)

WONDERING HOW TO SHARE AN EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT? The basics are on the WSB Contact page. Thanks!

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday updates; busy road-work week
August 11, 2014 6:16 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
As our traffic watch begins for a new week, a reminder of what’s ahead (the links each go to the previous stories with details on the work):

ROXBURY REPAVING: Scheduled for Tuesday/Wednesday, 25th SW to 27th SW.

CHARLESTOWN TRACTION IMPROVEMENT: Scheduled for Tuesday, 45th SW to 47th SW.

GENESEE TRACTION IMPROVEMENT: Scheduled for Wednesday, between Avalon and Delridge.

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West Seattle supermoon scenes: So close, and yet so far
August 11, 2014 2:40 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(From Harbor Avenue: Photo by David Hutchinson)
As Space.com put it, Sunday night’s full moon was the “superest supermoon” of the year – the closest one to Earth this year.

(Photo by Jim Clark)
Next month’s full moon (September 8th) will be almost as close.

(Photo by Craig Young)
As Alice Enevoldsen writes in the newest edition of “Skies Over West Seattle,” it’s only one of this week’s attractions for skygazers.

(Photo by Carolyn Newman)
How close *was* the moon, you ask? 221,765 miles. Or so. This calculator puts it a bit farther away.

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West Seattle sightings at Sounders FC match: WestSide Baby diaper drive; Terry Kegel honored as Community MVP
August 10, 2014 9:44 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle sightings at Sounders FC match: WestSide Baby diaper drive; Terry Kegel honored as Community MVP
 |   West Seattle news | WS & Sports

It wasn’t officially West Seattle night at the Sounders FC match tonight (they won over Houston, 2-0), but it might as well have been, for at least two reasons!

West Seattle-founded WestSide Baby had a diaper drive at tonight’s game, and we spotted WS Baby reps everywhere, including Stacy, in our Instagram photo above. The big screens around CenturyLink Field displayed calls to text a special number to donate diapers. Then at the half, Alki Elementary teacher Terry Kegel was honored on the field as the club’s Community MVP:

Terry, you’ll recall, gained regional fame for organizing the first-ever West Seattle Cup earlier this summer.

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Skies Over West Seattle, August 2014: ‘Supermoon’ tonight, meteors this week…
August 10, 2014 6:38 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Skies Over West Seattle | West Seattle news

(Saturday moonrise by Christopher Frankovich)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ever wish for advance alert of an upcoming meteor shower/eclipse/etc. – and/or wonder “What’s that bright ‘star’ up there?” This should help. It’s our periodic feature by West Seattle’s own Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen, famed for her solstice/equinox sunset watches, among other things.

By Alice Enevoldsen
Special to West Seattle Blog

It is time for the Perseid Meteor Shower… and another Supermoon! Let’s get started.

Hey, what’s that?

Mars, Spica, and Saturn — Last time I said you’d notice a pair of stars just after sunset, one of which was Mars (a planet, not a star) and the other, Spica. Tonight as you look up, Mars will have moved off to the South a bit and is now about halfway between Saturn and Spica. Toward the end of the month Mars will be even closer to Saturn, making a striking pairing of planets.

Morning people? Venus is a brilliant morning “star” this month, rising shortly before the Sun in the East. Wow. I saw it this morning for the first time this season (I am NOT a morning person. Just ask my Mom) and I thought it was an airplane it was so bright.

You may also have seen a few awe-inspiring shooting stars in the early evening or early morning. These are the earlybirds of the Perseid meteor shower, called earth grazers because of how they glance through our atmosphere making a long, bright trail.

Perseids!!!

The Perseid Meteor Shower is one of the brightest and most fun meteor showers to view, because it is on a comfortable summer night and is traditionally a fairly dense shower with lots of shooting stars (meteors).

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Fauntleroy milestone: Kilbourne Ravine restoration work begins
August 10, 2014 3:46 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

(Wednesday photo by Dylan Grace-Wells: EarthCorps crewmember beginning to blaze a path through intensive wild clematis and ivy)
Southwest of the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, a green but threatened treasure is finally getting long-planned TLC – not just a round of weekend work parties, but instead, the toughest restoration project in the Fauntleroy Creek Watershed: Work has begun in the Kilbourne Ravine, announces Fauntleroy Creek watershed steward Judy Pickens, the project coordinator. After the final permit was procured, EarthCorps crew members were booked to get going with the project during two work days this past week.

The work along the middle reach of Fauntleroy Creek, between California SW and 45th SW, will focus on getting rid of invasive vegetation – aka weeds – and restoring appropriate vegetation. This in turn will accomplish goals including controlling erosion, filtering runoff, and reclaiming the ravine as wildlife habitat.

It’s a 2 1/2-acre site that is a mix of private- and city-owned property, classified overall as an “environmentally critical area.” But it’s infested, as are many of our greenspaces, with invaders including Himalayan blackberry and English ivy, as well as wild clematis and other invasive shrubs/trees. Judy reports that the work plan for the first week included:

*Cutting all clematis, especially where growing up trees, to prevent flowering and seeding this season

*Cutting blackberry (where growing in larger patches without native plants) in preparation for future spray treatment

*Pulling clematis away from native plants in preparation for future spray treatment

*If time allows, begin cutting ivy off native trees (survival rings)

*If time allows, begin treating invasive trees (holly, cherry laurel) using injection lance

*Hauling out garbage and debris as needed.

Fighting the invasives benefits more than the ravine itself – it also reduces their spread to nearby property. According to the project FAQ, this is the start of six years of work. But that will honor a legacy that is many decades old; according to Seattle Parks, its part of the ravine was donated by Dr. Edward C. Kilbourne, who established the Washington Dental Association. (Perhaps, then, it is fitting that some of the extensive work just to get to the point where restoration work can begin, sounds to have been a bit like pulling teeth.)

But Pickens and other intrepid volunteers/advocates have been at it a long time, with achievements including the restoration of Fauntleroy Creek itself as a salmon creek, so they’ve been taking it milestone by milestone, including two years of fundraising work which has yielded $55,000+ so far. Pickens notes support from “the Puget Sound Stewardship and Mitigation Fund, a grant-making fund created by the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and administered by the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment.”

P.S. If you pass the ravine and notice rappellers – that’s what it’ll take for some of the work, given the steepness of the slopes!

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WSB reader report: ‘Gray-haired plant lady’ appreciates that ‘West Seattle loves green’
August 10, 2014 11:52 am
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Gardening | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Do you know “the gray-haired plant lady”? We don’t know her name, but she had a friend forward these photos and reader report expressing appreciation for West Seattle’s individual green spaces, so we are in turn sharing her words and pictures with you, which she sent under the heading ‘West Seattle Loves Green’:

With all the concrete and steel coming into our community, the citizens of West Seattle are creating their own green spaces. Have you noticed all the new plant containers in front of the local stores? The merchants also contributed to the beautiful hanging baskets. Even the new buildings are adding greenery in front of their buildings. In front of the stores you will find pots, boxes and even a wagon.

The old stump on the corner of California and Alaska has been replaced by a tree and a planter. A couple of days ago, I walked both sides of the street from Admiral Way to West Seattle Nursery. I found over 1,000 pots and planters and over 1,000 plantings. I didn’t count all the deck plants and patios.

I have been asked many times if I do the landscape in front of Hope Lutheran Church. A group of people help weed, mow grass and deadhead plants. The Loren Sommer family grows and plants the whole landscape. Loren, Rachel, and Bernadette spend many hours growing and planting. If you see them, say “thank you!” Omar Sommer, grandpa, helps with the watering system.

I just can’t resist adding that I was Loren’s and Rachel’s first-grade teacher.

‘The gray-haired plant lady’

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You can help! WestSide Baby needs volunteers @ Sounders match
August 10, 2014 11:09 am
|    Comments Off on You can help! WestSide Baby needs volunteers @ Sounders match
 |   How to help | West Seattle news

In today’s West Seattle Sunday calendar-highlights list, we mentioned WestSide Baby‘s big diaper drive at tonight’s Sounders FC match. WS Baby has since let us know they need volunteers to “fill in for some last-minute cancellations” assisting with the donation drive – you would have to arrive at the stadium at 5; most jobs would end at 8:30, and then you’d be able to watch the second half of the match. If you think you can help, e-mail shana@westsidebaby.org ASAP.

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West Seattle Sunday: From deals to diapers, music to moonrise …
August 10, 2014 7:02 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Thanks to Mark Wangerin for sharing his photo of a juvenile Black-Headed Grosbeak)
First, enjoy a very warm summer Sunday; then watch for the supermoonrise tonight. From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, some options for what you could do along the way:

HIGHLAND PARK RUMMAGE SALE: Second and final day of the summertime edition of the Highland Park Improvement Club megasale, 9 am-2 pm. (12th/Holden)

LOW-LOW TIDE: This month’s lowest low tide, -2.3, happens at 11:03 am; at Constellation and Lincoln Parks from 10:30 am-1:30 pm, it’s your second-to-last chance this summer to confer with volunteer beach naturalists as you explore the shore.

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always! (44th/Alaska)

(added) CAR WASH: Thanks to a tipster for letting us know about a car wash under way until 3 pm at the Filipino-American SDA Church across from Denny International Middle School. They shared a photo:

(2620 SW Kenyon)

(back to original list) TOUR THE ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: Just a few more chances this summer for free tours with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary at Alki Point Lighthouse, 1-4 pm. (3200 Point Place)

SOPRANOS! Vocal recital presented by Music Northwest at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle, 3 pm. (4105 California SW)

‘HELLO, DOLLY!’ MATINEE: Twelfth Night Productions presents “Hello, Dolly!” in a matinee performance at West Seattle High School Theater, 3 pm. Don’t forget the 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)

GOING TO TONIGHT’S SOUNDERS FC MATCH? Bring diapers for WestSide Baby! P.S. 7:30 pm game means extended Water Taxi service.

SUPERMOON: Watch the eastern sky around quarter past eight, right before sunset. (Moon/sun rising/setting times can always be found on the WSB West Seattle Weather page.)

OPEN-MICROPHONE JAM: Every Sunday night in August at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), hosted by Lynn Sorensen – just show up with your voice and/or instrument starting at 7:30 pm – details in our calendar listing. (6451 California SW)

YES, THERE’S MORE! … on our calendar.

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West Seattle skygazing: ‘Supermoon’ tonight; meteors soon
August 10, 2014 4:19 am
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 |   Skies Over West Seattle | West Seattle news

Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for that photo of the nearly full moon, on its way to what’s likely to be another beautiful morning moonset. It’ll be another “supermoon” when it rises again tonight (Sunday) at 8:13 pm, not long before sunset (the official sun/moon rising/setting times can always be found on the WSB West Seattle Weather page). And then Monday-Tuesday, as noted in the most recent “Skies Over West Seattle” report by WSB contributor Alice Enevoldsen, watch for the Perseid meteor shower – if clouds don’t get in the way.

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