West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
Seattle Public Schools and its teachers union, the Seattle Education Association, resume contract talks tomorrow. The union has set a deadline for voting on either a contract or a strike: September 3rd, which is less than a week before the new school year starts on September 9th. The vote date was set at a union membership meeting downtown tonight. A union news release says that after 20+ negotiating sessions:
… The two sides remain far apart on:
Professional pay
Guaranteed student recess
Fair teacher evaluations
Reasonable testing
Student equity around discipline and the opportunity gap
The district’s proposal to make teachers work more for free
The district’s most-recent update was a news release on Friday, addressing some of those points. Excerpts:
Higher Standards
…The district is proposing to add thirty (30) minutes of instructional time to the school day for students, to support higher standards and state mandates. …
Equity and the Achievement Gap
Both the district and SEA care deeply about these issues. I am confident we will find common ground to address equity issues to close the achievement gap. …
Salary
…SEA has proposed a salary increase of 21% over a three year contract period. SPS has countered with a salary increase of 7% over the same three year contract period.
See the full district release here. The teachers’ current contract expires on August 31st.
(WSB photo from Friday night)
Bail is set at $500,000 for the man accused of shooting his brother in their Junction apartment just before midnight Friday night. The 19-year-old suspect appeared in court this afternoon for the first time since his arrest shortly after the shooting at the San Juan Apartments. According to probable-cause documents we obtained from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office after today’s hearing, the victim was found by a neighbor, who called for help and did what he could to try to stop the bleeding. The neighbor told police that the victim had said his brother shot him and that they were the only two people in the apartment when it happened. He also is reported to have told that to officers as well. They say the suspect, arrested when he emerged from the apartment, later confessed to shooting his brother with a .25-caliber pistol. There’s no mention of a motive nor of what preceded the shooting, but police describe the shooting as having happened “at point-blank range.” We asked Harborview Medical Center today about the victim’s condition; the hospital says no information will be released about him, as he and/or his family has requested, citing privacy laws.
(WSB file photo)
This Thursday night, you have a chance to find out all about Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in the historic Frank B. Cooper School building, courtesy of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s monthly “After-Hours” event, which this month is open to everyone, not just Chamber members. The announcement:
Typically, After Hours is a members-and-their-guests-only event. However, in August, the event is open to non-members interested in learning more about the WSCC. Join us for drinks and appetizers and find out what all the buzz is about at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.
Founded by the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (DNDA) in 2006, the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center is an inclusive, contemporary multi-arts space that incubates and inspires new arts participants, art-makers and organizations from our multicultural, intergenerational communities to engage in civic dialogue and meaningful community transformation.
Youngstown is home to groundbreaking arts education and is a hub of cultural vibrancy in Delridge. Youngstown provides office space for seven outstanding nonprofit organizations (Arts Corps, Nature Consortium, the Service Board, Reel Grrls, Totem Star, Twelfth Night Productions, and the West Seattle Tool Library) as well as a second-chance alternative public high school serving some of Seattle’s highest-need students. DNDA partners with Youngstown tenant organizations and others to drive forward collaborative programming for local youth and adults.
Rentable spaces at Youngstown include the Theater, Movement Studio, Kitchen, Recording Studio, and Classroom spaces, perfect for corporate events, weddings, performances, workshops and meetings. Rentals directly support programming. 36 affordable housing lofts for artists occupy the facility’s top three floors. The building is in the national register of historic spaces and hosts more than 30,000 participants annually.
The event is 5:30-7:30 pm on Thursday (August 27th); Youngstown is at 4408 Delridge Way SW.
Monetti Landscape Design and Construction, LLC, is reopening in West Seattle, and has rejoined the WSB sponsor team. Here’s how they’re sharing the news:
As some of you know, Mitch Monetti, owner of long-time West Seattle Blog sponsor Monetti Landscape Design and Construction, LLC, moved to Vermont two years ago with his family. While they all agree that it was an interesting adventure, Mitch says West Seattle is home and he is thrilled to be back with his family. Two cross-country moves (in two years) is enough for a lifetime, and he is ready to focus on helping West Seattleites transform their yards into outdoor living spaces.
If you dream of a water feature, a planting bed, a fire pit, a deck, a wall, a fence or a patio, we can do it all. With 15 years of experience, you have likely seen some of our projects in your neighborhood. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 206-938-5400 to discuss your landscaping needs.
The photo and report are from Tami:
My car was prowled last night in Seaview neighborhood in alley parking space off 46th Ave SW between Juneau and Findlay (5600 block). Nothing taken, but glove and other cubbies opened and rifled through. Reported for statistics to police.
This case isn’t on the map yet, but here are six that were reported in West Seattle over the preceding six days, going back to August 18th:
(There were none shown for the WS areas north or south of what’s on that screengrab from the SPD police-reports map.)
That’s the trailer for “Girl Rising,” an acclaimed documentary you’re invited to watch at either of two screenings planned this week at Fauntleroy UCC Church, with teenage advocate Alina Guyon hosting. The announcement:
“Girl Rising” is a groundbreaking documentary about the power of girls to change the world. The film journeys around the globe to witness the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to eliminate extreme poverty.
It tells nine short but powerful stories of nine ordinary girls from different countries. They overcome nearly impossible odds to pursue their dream of education and a better life.
Why educate girls? Educating girls can break the cycle of poverty in just one generation. In the poorest countries, education has a tremendous impact. It has been shown that for every extra year a girl is educated, she earns an additional 10-20 percent as an adult. An educated girl is less likely to be married as a child; she is healthier and less like to fall prey to human trafficking. She will value education for her children and create a better standard of living for the generations after her.
Around the world, millions of girls face barriers to education that boys do not. Removing these obstacles not only creates a better life for girls, it also creates a safer more prosperous world for all.
Alina Guyon will give a short talk about the film and her work with the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up. 100% of all profits will benefit adolescent girls through Girl Up.
DATES: August 26th (Wednesday) AND August 28th (Friday) 6:30 – 8:30 pm
WHERE: Fauntleroy UCC Church, 9140 California Ave SW
ADMISSION: $ 2.50
RESERVE TICKETS:
AUG 26th: brownpapertickets.com/event/2143134
AUG 28th: brownpapertickets.com/event/2143778RATING: PG-13 A parent is suggested to attend for girls under this age.
P.S. Movie snacks will be available.
If you’ve been southbound on the Alaskan Way Viaduct recently, you’ve probably seen the Highway 99 tunneling machine’s repaired/reassembled front end sitting by the “access pit,” as WSDOT’s contractor Seattle Tunnel Partners prepared it to be lowered into the pit for reattachment. This morning, WSDOT says STP has started the process, which could last at least 14 hours:
Contractor crews will use the super crane next to the Alaskan Way Viaduct to:
-Lift Bertha’s repaired cutterhead and cutter drive unit from its surface-level platform
-Move the entire piece horizontally over the access pit
-Rotate it into a vertical position
-Slowly lower the cutterhead and drive unit on to a platform inside the access pit
“Lifting more than 2,000 tons is a long, slow process,” notes WSDOT in its announcement. If you want to check in from time to time, here’s the link to the webcams, whose images update frequently. It’s been five months since the machine’s front end was brought out of the pit to be fixed.
That was part of the courtyard-filling crowd at this year’s last West Seattle Outdoor Movies event this past Saturday night, featuring the classic “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” replete with costumes, talkbacks, tossed birdseed (standing in for rice), and more. Here’s our preshow Instagram, featuring the gartered guest host:
Now that the six-show series is a wrap for 2015, movie-team leader Lora Swift from Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) has shared the scoop on how fundraising efforts went each year. While the movies are free to watch, if you bring a bit of cash, you can help local nonprofits by buying concessions and/or raffle tickets, with different organizations benefiting each week. The tally:
We raised a total of $1,990 through raffle and concession sales for many of our neighborhood non-profits including: WestSide Baby, White Center and West Seattle Food Banks, West Seattle Helpline, Furry Faces Foundation, Log House Museum/ Southwest Seattle Historical Society [concessions], Rainier Roller Girls, and the Northwest Center.
The West Seattle businesses and organizations that signed on as sponsors (see the list on the right sidebar of the official WS Outdoor Movies website) also get a hearty round of thanks. (WSB was proud to be on the sponsor team again this year, too.) So now the projector and the popcorn machine and the rest of the setup goes into storage until next year – watch for the traditional call for suggestions, sponsors, and charities in spring 2016, and thanks again to everyone who spent one or more of their Saturday nights in the courtyard – from the preshow entertainment to the applause as the credits roll, the audience is a big part of the fun.
WSB’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies coverage is archived here, newest to oldest.
(Tern, with catch, photographed by Trileigh Tucker)
The air’s clearer, the week’s brand new, the month’s almost over. Here’s what’s up for your Monday, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: 1-7 pm, mobile blood drive at Our Lady of Guadalupe, walk-ups welcome. Closed 3-4 pm for break. (35th SW & SW Myrtle)
FAMILY STORY TIME: 6:30 pm – bring your kids of all ages to the High Point Library for Family Story Time. (35th SW & SW Raymond)
TWIN SHADOW, LIVE AT EASY STREET: 7 pm, free in-store concert at Easy Street Records, with Twin Shadow. All ages. (California SW & SW Alaska)
PUB QUIZ AT SHADOWLAND: Show what you know. 8 pm at Shadowland. (California SW & SW Oregon)
SEE WHAT’S UP TOMORROW, NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH … by browsing our full calendar.
SIDE NOTE: For those who track local government – no City Council meetings this week or next, full council or committees. They’re on hiatus until Tuesday, September 8th, the day after Labor Day.
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Good morning! Uneventful commute so far, both in West Seattle and on the major outbound routes.
FERRY CHANGES: From Washington State Ferries:
Starting (today), customers are advised to prepare for at least a week of longer-than-usual wait times due to a temporary vessel downsizing on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route. The temporary downsizing is needed to maintain a full, system-wide sailing schedule while the Tokitae and Elwha are out of service for necessary repairs and maintenance. The F/V/S route will be served by the 124-car Issaquah, 87-car Tillikum and 87-car Evergreen State.
4:52 PM: Thanks for the messages about some kind of bus delay downtown. Apparently a bus was stalled at 2nd and Columbia. SDOT says it’s cleared.
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