West Seattle, Washington
10 Wednesday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“We’re back to it now,” as Southwest District Council co-chair Sharonn Meeks said, launching the SWDC’s first meeting since July. The marquee guest for last night’s meeting: New SDOT director Scott Kubly, about 15 minutes late because he “had a problem with the reliability of the transportation system.”
He noted he’s lived in Seattle all of six weeks, “so I’m very very new to the city” and “learning a lot about it … One of the things that has been really apparent from my first moment on the ground … is that we have a pretty fragile transportation system.” As an example, he mentioned recent incidents, including, locally, the Highway 99 offramp fuel spill. Regarding West Seattle, “there’s very very few ways to get over here,” he observed, “a really challenging geography to work with,” while also acknowledging “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist” (to figure that out).
“I’m sure you guys are going to hit me with a lot of hard questions,” he concluded his introduction, adding, “We all need streets to work for everyone.” First question was from Chas Redmond – who brought a handout to accompany his.
Tomorrow night is the next edition of “Words, Writers & West Seattle,” 5-7 p.m. Friday (September 5th) at Barnes & Noble Westwood Village, sponsored by the Southwest Seattle
Historical Society. Featured author this time is Molly Ringle, whose work includes the young-adult fantasy novel “Persephone’s Orchard.”
The event is free; 10 percent of any purchase you make during it will benefit SWSHS. More info is on the official flyer.
P.S. Your next chance to find out about volunteering with SWSHS is coming up on Saturday at SWSHS’s Log House Museum, 61st/Stevens. Says SWSHS executive director Clay Eals, “Attendees will learn about how to turn desires and skills into meaningful tasks that will help preserve and promote the heritage of West Seattle and the greater Duwamish peninsula.” He’ll be leading a local-history primer, too.
(WSB photo, 2012 Harvest Festival)
Shopping, trick-or-treating, more shopping, costume parade, more shopping, kids’ activities … plan to be in The Junction on Sunday, October 26th, for the third annual Harvest Festival, officially announced today by the West Seattle Junction Association. Created in 2012, this event moved the Sunday Farmers’ Market out into the street, folded in the annual business-district trick-or-treating, and added a costume parade as well as games and other activities for kids, and it’s been a fun-filled four hours each time, rain or shine. The hours again this year:
*Festival runs 10 am-2 pm
*Costume parade at 11:30 am
*Trick-or-treating at noon
If your business, group, or organization would like to offer a Harvest Activity as part of the festival, find the application here. If you can volunteer at the festival, please e-mail Junction Association director Susan Melrose at susan@wsjunction.org
Two West Seattle scenes, with game time a little over an hour away:
THE 12TH FLAG, FLYING: Yes, the 1,500-square-foot, Tacoma-made “12” flag went up at Delridge/Andover a few hours ago, as planned (here’s the backstory), with spectators, in the sunshine:
12TH FANS SAIL AWAY: A smaller flag is flying from the West Seattle Water Taxi, which tends to be a hot ticket for big games. We spotted it pulling away from Seacrest about an hour ago with 12s out on deck in the sunshine:
Go, Hawks!
(Rendering of new vessels – reflecting size/shape/configuration, not final color/paint/trim)
Instead of the Spirit of Kingston, when the new West Seattle Water Taxi arrives next year, you’ll be riding the Doc Maynard. Just announced by King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, who chairs the county Ferry District Board:
After this summer’s public process, the King County Ferry District’s new boats have been named. Doc Maynard will serve the West Seattle run, and Sally Fox will bring riders from Vashon Island to Downtown Seattle.
“I want to thank everyone who got involved whether it was nominating names or voting for their favorites. The names reflect our community’s awesome history,” said Ferry District Chair Joe McDermott.
Doc Maynard was a Seattle pioneer and doctor.
(Added: Public-domain image of Doc Maynard, via Wikimedia)
As one of the primary founders of Seattle, Maynard’s friendship with Chief Sealth inspired him to propose the name of the city be named after his Duwamish friend.Sally Fox fought tirelessly as a passionate advocate for passenger-only ferry service to Vashon. She organized the community and fought at the forefront of the movement to protect and expand this valuable service. Fox passed away in 2007 from esophageal cancer, but her spirit lives on through the results of her activism.
While Cobain Watertrain was a popular vote for the West Seattle run, it was determined there was too much licensing risk involved.
Mostly funded by federal grants, the new boats will start operating in 2015.
We’re asking about the actual numbers and will add whatever we find out.
P.S. Here’s Doc Maynard’s biography, via HistoryLink.org.
ADDED 3:51 PM: Thanks to Councilmember McDermott’s office for the top three voting results for each vessel – first, West Seattle, then, Vashon:
Cobain Watertrain-32.75%
Doc Maynard- 22.75%
Princess Angeline- 18.74%Sally Fox- 38.46%
Betty MacDonald – 29.29%
Lisabeula- 21.52%
The Seattle Public Library offers a lot of help and resources that students and their families might not be fully aware of – so three area branches have special events coming up to fix that! From Nathalie at SPL:
The West Seattle branch libraries will be hosting “School Your Parents” nights, where families can learn about library resources that help children succeed in school. This includes in-person and online homework help, an introduction to our online research resources and a meet and greet with their neighborhood library staff. Children and teens who attend will receive refreshments and prizes. The event is free and everyone is welcome. Events will be held at the following locations:
High Point Branch
September 9th 4-6 pm
3411 SW Raymond St.
206-684-7454South Park Branch
September 9th 5:30-7 pm
8604 Eighth Ave. S.
206-615-1688Delridge Branch
September 15th 5:30-7 pm
5423 Delridge Way SW
206-733-9125
The biggest event on any calendar for miles around is tonight’s Seahawks game. And we have one big event for local fans, as well as other highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
(Thanks to Sha’ari for the photo of the Metropolitan Market [WSB sponsor] booth at “12th Flag” celebration!)
THE 12TH FLAG: Party starts at 11 am outside West Seattle Corporate Center, and then the huge “12th Flag” – 1,500 square feet – goes up at 12:30 pm. Newest details are in this preview. (Delridge/Andover)
HOTWIRE’S 12TH ANNIVERSARY: Happy 12th anniversary to WSB’s inaugural sponsor, Hotwire Online Coffeehouse in The Junction! They’re offering a special drink for the occasion – mixing in 12th Man excitement – $1.20 for a 12-ounce white chocolate, blueberry, and mint mocha. (4410 California SW)
CARMILIA’S REOPENS: After a two-week closure for “freshening,” Carmilia’s in The Junction (which celebrates its 12th anniversary later this year!) reopens at 5 pm tonight. Proprietor Linda Sabee shared this photo of the new seating area in her shop:
She says Carmilia’s will be open until 9 tonight, 11-8 tomorrow, then resuming regular hours starting Saturday, with fall clothes and new brands in the store as well as the “freshened-up” decor. (4528 California SW)
DESIGN REVIEW FOR CLINIC PROJECT: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, the Southwest Design Review Board takes a second “early design guidance” look at the eye clinic proposed for 7520 35th SW. The “packet” is linked in our most recent development roundup. (Oregon/California)
‘COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE – ABRIDGED’: Come cheer youth performers/producers (and donate to a local nonprofit they’re raising money for), 7:30 pm in the Seattle Lutheran High School gym, first of three performances, details in our calendar listing. (41st/Genesee)
Four reader reports to share – we’re not calling them all Crime Watch because the bicycles might not be stolen, but often when found in circumstances like these, they are. First, have you seen Nyle‘s stolen motorcycle?
My motorcycle was stolen out of apartment parking garage on upper Avalon Way between midnight and 8am on 9/3/14. 1999 Red Honda CBR 600 F4. Plate #690065. Police called and report filed. Keep your eyes open!
FOUND BICYCLE #1: Christine and Jeff both sent photos and word of this bicycle that’s been up against a signpost in Morgan Junction for a few days:
Christine described it as “a pink and purple Magna Misty bike with a few iridescent streamers on the handlebars.”
FOUND BICYCLE #2: Dana found this one, described as a purple girl’s Specialized Hotrock:
We’ve advised the bicycles’ finders to report them to police, but do comment if you know whose they are.
CAR PROWL: From Sarah:
My car was broken into again some time between 11:30 pm 9/2 and when I went out again this afternoon 12:30 pm 9/3. Police report has been filed, but I want to warn neighbors. My car was locked up tight abd all doors were unlocked, including the hatch, which requires a key, so I think they may have one of the Subaru dummy keys. It was an older Subaru Legacy Wagon (1992) and the only thing I noticed missing besides the cell phone charger was some loose change. This happened on the 7700 block of 31st Ave SW.
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Today is the first real full-strength morning of back-to-school week, since some schools that started back yesterday had special schedules. (If you missed our list of West Seattle school-zone and start-time changes, see them in our Wednesday coverage.) You can give today the added label of “back-to-football,” with the Seahawks’ first game of the year tonight at CenturyLink Field, and earlier events expected to complicate traffic in the south end of downtown starting hours earlier, with “Gameday Village” in Pioneer Square and a free pregame concert in the stadium (gates opening at 2:30 pm) – this SDOT alert explains how the day is set to unfold, including transit reroutes (no West Seattle routes involved at this point). Kickoff is just after 5:30, which means even if you’re just leaving early to watch it at home or your favorite bar, pm-commute traffic will start early today.
BRIDGE TWEETS: SDOT reminds us that it’s launched a new Twitter account for bridge-open/close tweets around the city – follow it here.
For a few often-rowdy hours on the first morning of the new school year Wednesday, Chief Sealth International High School‘s Class of 2018 had the school to themselves.
Well – except for the upperclassmen volunteers and staffers leading them through those hours via the nationally renowned transition/mentoring program Link Crew.
This is Sealth’s third year with the mentoring program (we reported on student leaders’ preparation the first year, in 2012) meant to get freshmen off to a successful start. It mixes inspiration with goofy icebreakers – like this relay involving hugs and balloons:
On the inspirational side, Luke Azinger told the new arrivals that there are three types of people – those who make things happen, those who watch things happen (both of whom, he stressed, were important in their own ways) and – those who wonder, “What happened?”
In this case, what happened is … they all woke up one day and found themselves in high school. (It was a later wakeup, with Sealth’s bell time later this year, 8:40 am.) But this is one way to start off in a team mode, instead of wandering the halls feeling alone.
Link Crew goes beyond the first-day activities; on Friday, for example, freshmen and their mentors have a barbecue planned and then the first football game of the year (across the street at Southwest Athletic Complex).
P.S. Thanks to student leader Lincoln Vuong for inviting us to visit! He’s pictured below with a faculty Link Crew leader, Kim Dinh:
Lincoln was so organized, he first messaged us two months ago! Other program leaders include assistant principal Andra Maughan as well as Sarah Martin and Carrie Syvertsen, plus Azinger, who emceed the warmup activities happening while we were there at the start of the day. After that, the freshmen were to break up into crews of a dozen or so, with two student leaders for each, finishing the morning with a school tour and wrapup assembly before classes started for the entire school in the afternoon.
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