West Seattle, Washington
15 Sunday
11:33 PM: Police are checking out reports of possible gunfire heard in High Point, possibly south of 31st SW and SW Graham. We’ve heard from one person who says 911 tells her – as we’ve also heard via scanner – that others reported it, too. No word of any victim(s) so far.
11:36 PM: Also via scanner, police report finding shell casings in the 6500 block of Sylvan Way, potentially related to a call in the area in which someone reported being threatened (by someone they knew). They’re looking for two women reportedly seen leaving the area. We haven’t heard a description.
12:19 PM: Police now are being called to another nearby address, on 32nd SW, where someone is reporting finding a bullet hole.
Two weeks until this year’s West Seattle HS All-School Reunion, set for 2-5:30 pm Saturday, June 4th, this year. This announcement includes news of a raffle to raise money for scholarships – and you can buy tickets at tomorrow’s West Seattle 5K as well as at the All-School Reunion:
Please join West Seattle High Alumni for our yearly walk down memory lane at the annual All School Reunion (ASR), on Saturday, June 4, from 2:00 – 5:30 p.m. All who attended (or still attend) as students or staff are invited to show up in celebration of our school and our shared roots.
The ever-popular car show kicks off the afternoon. Photography students roam the halls to shoot formal and candid shots; many other students help to crew the event. Keep your Class Rep company in your year’s assigned class room. Check out the new War Memorial display, and drop in to the formal program in the Auditorium, recognizing Hall of Fame and Scholarship recipients.
Join our fundraiser benefiting our Scholarship fund: buy raffle tickets for a custom garden bench with built-in planter boxes. Thanks to alumnus Spencer Weglin, a recent Scholarship recipient, for organizing the raffle, and for crafting the beautiful piece. Local delivery included! Tickets for sale at the West Seattle 5K on Sunday, May 22, as well as at the ASR.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Questions? Reunion contact is Jim Biava, jim@jimbiava.com – raffle contact, wshsaa.98116@gmail.com.
(Photos courtesy West Side Presbyterian Church)
West Side Presbyterian Church is announcing the retirement of its senior pastor – who will be preaching just a few more Sundays – and inviting the community to a celebration:
June 12th will mark the end of 45 years of service and vocational ministry for Dr. Paul R. Smith of West Seattle. He has been the senior pastor at West Side Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) since 1981, when he moved with his family from Pennsylvania to Seattle.
In the 35 years since arriving in the NW, he has served as the senior pastor of West Side Presbyterian Church. A recent tally showed he had officiated 180 wedding ceremonies, led 256 memorial services, and baptized more than 430 children and adults. He has also been active in renewal ministries with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and has served the church both locally and nationally in promoting and equipping churches for evangelism.Â
Born November 25, 1945, Paul is the son of a banker and one of six children. He grew up in a small ranching town in Western South Dakota near Badlands National Park. He graduated with honors from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, before marrying his wife, Carreen Armerding and earning an MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, MA,
For the first ten years of his ministry, Dr. Smith served as Assistant Pastor and then Senior Pastor of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in McKeesport, PA.
He completed his Doctorate of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School shortly after arriving in Seattle. And in the years since, he’s written four books: Jesus, Meet him again for the First Time; Close Encounters: Knowing the Savior; Enjoying God Forever; God’s Plan for our Good. He has also traveled extensively throughout Israel and Jordan and has co-led a half-dozen tours, in Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and Greece.
Paul and his wife, Carreen are the parents of four children: Lucian, Taleigh, Lindsay, and Miriam, and grandparents of seven.
Following retirement, and a long-awaited trip to Africa, the Smiths will return to Seattle, where Paul plans to continue his writing and looks forward to spending more time with his family and grandchildren.
Â
A retirement celebration for Dr. Paul Smith will be held:June 12, Open House 1:00-4:00
(Special program begins at 2:00)
West Side Presbyterian Church
3601 California Avenue SW
The public is welcome.
More information about the celebration is on the WSPC website.
We heard it again at community meetings this past week – “car prowls,” aka car break-ins, remain the major crime category in our area. We don’t get incident details unless you share info with us, though, so thanks to Matt for this reader report:
Just in case you wanted to add it to the list, we had 2 of our cars broken into Thursday night on the 4400 block of SW Graham St.
Purse stolen from one of the cars and….. 4 tennis rackets, what a score!
P.S. Next crime prevention/safety meeting will be Tuesday, 6:30 pm, when the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meets at the Southwest Precinct – all welcome, whether you are part of a Block Watch or not!
A little help can make a big difference. That proved true this morning in Gatewood, where resident Jill Boone decided to organize a spring cleanup once she found out nobody else had something planned for the area. Despite the chilly rain, a small, stalwart group got the job done:
We had three families for our Gatewood litter clean-up out in the rain this morning, picking up litter from the water tower Park to Holden, especially the bus stops. Two big bags of trash were picked up. If you are a smoker, please dispose of your cigarette butts somewhere besides the ground!!
Here are a few photos of the Morelands and the Boones. Many thanks to the City for Spring Cleanup support. We hope to do this again on a day when it’s a bit drier to be out and about.
Not too late for your own community cleanup!
4:15 PM: Seattle Fire is headed for an address in The Junction that cross-references to Husky Deli.
4:22 PM: We’re en route; scanner says “occupant” put out the fire, but SFD is checking to be sure everything’s safely extinguished.
4:33 PM: Added a photo, as SFD goes up on the building’s roof to do that checking. Some of the responding units already have been dismissed.
4:38 PM: Husky Deli owners tell us their coffee roaster overheated and that’s what led to the small, quickly extinguished fire.
No injuries, no major damage; right now they and SFD are continuing to check to ensure there are no hotspots before reopening the store.
6:23 PM: Yes, they are open and will be until tonight’s usual 9 pm.
2:32 PM: One group of young West Seattleites had an important job to do before arriving at the West Seattle Bee Festival in time for this morning’s parade: Volunteer work at the West Seattle Food Bank a few blocks away. Marco – who shared the photos (and is at left, below, with WSFB operations manager Lester Yuh at right) – says Girl Scout Brownie Troop #40146 bought 100 pounds of rice with the earnings from their cookie sales, and came to WSFB to put it into family-sized bags. (They also had some left over for a bit of fun, Marco says – an afternoon at Southgate Roller Rink.)
Marco is a regular WSFB volunteer, by the way, during food distribution on Thursdays, and the food bank always welcomes help – volunteering, donating food, and/or donating money.
11:11 AM: The West Seattle Bee Festival is on! And this year it’s indoors AND outdoors – inside Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way SW), at the West Seattle Bee Garden on the north side of High Point Commons Park, along the street on the west side of the park between those two points … live music, food trucks, kids’ activities, just come wander! We’re reporting “live” from the Vendor/Info Fair, which continues until 2 pm, while the festival runs until 3.
11:29 AM: Added video from the Bee Festival parade, which just went by. Many of the young participants had their faces painted inside HP Center:
Just west of HP Center is where you will find the food!
And if you were/are a fan of a certain Northwest-set TV series that’s about to make a comeback, this menu will be of interest:
12:01 PM: Excellent soundtrack so far – DJ Ron (below center) is the man to thank:
We also just talked with Bee Garden founder Lauren Englund (here’s our original story about her dream, back in 2012), who mentions that while it’s a little damp today (the rain has stopped, though) she’s had 20 field trips at the garden so far this year and the weather’s been spectacular.
12:27 PM: Festival organizer Karen Berge stopped by to tell us that Lauren is giving a demonstration over at the Bee Garden – which is home to hives – right now!
1 PM: Still two more hours of festival to enjoy! Live music (bluegrass with Ricky Gene Powell and band) is happening, activities in HP Center – Sherry Lankston from Woodland Park Zoo and “Up Close: Ninja Pollinators†program until 1:30 – (added: That’s Juliette the Jungle Nymph:)
Plus, food, the plant/seed/tool swap at the north end of the Vendor/Info Fair (until 2 pm) row … Put on a jacket and come say hi!
1:50 PM: The Vendor/Info Fair is wrapping up – just, of course as the sun starts to show signs of breaking through. Still a beautiful day at High Point Commons Park – where the Bee Garden alone is worth the visit! We’ll be adding more festival photos later. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hi (or in one case, we got high-fives)! And remember … respect the bees … where would we “bee” without them?
ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: A few more photos as promised. Here are Scouts from Troop #42553:
And more young festivalgoers – this photo’s from Tamsen Spengler, who leads the West Seattle Timebank, part of the Vendor/Info Fair at the festival:
(WSB photo: If you go to The Junction this weekend, you’ll see the hanging flower baskets, which arrived Friday)
Rain or shine, here are the highlights of our West Seattle weekend, day 1. First, a few notes:
TRAFFIC ALERTS: **No** bridge closure tonight – next one is Sunday night. If you’re going to/through SODO, note that Sounders FC hosts Colorado tonight at CenturyLink Field, 7 pm. And if you’ll be on Alki late tonight, remember the Sunday morning parking restrictions/road closures for the West Seattle 5K.
HELICOPTERS: Might be some unusual sightings today because of the American Heroes Airshow at the nearby Museum of Flight – it’s on our calendar because aviation draws so much interest here!
Now, as for what’s happening in West Seattle and vicinity …
TAI CHI AT THE BEACH: 9 am-10 am by Alki Bathhouse, with Lao-Shi Caylen Storm. (61st SW/Alki SW)
WHITE CENTER LIBRARY DEDICATION: White Center’s brand-new King County Library System branch is finished and ready to open. Party starts at 9:30 am today. When you visit, look for WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli’s image “Octopus Survey” in a conference room – it was still wrapped up and awaiting installation when he photographed it on Friday:
(1409 SW 107th)
WEST SEATTLE BEE FESTIVAL: 10 am festival, 11 am parade, and much more! See our Friday night preview. Come visit us at the Vendor/Info Fair! High Point Commons Park (including the West Seattle Bee Garden) and Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
LEARN TO PAINT MINIATURES: 11 am at Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) – as explained on the Meeples website – all ages but a parent must accompany anyone under 12. (3727 California SW)
(update – rained out) BARBECUE BENEFIT: Another benefit barbecue lunch at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor), 11 am-4 pm. Today, it’s burgers and hot dogs, benefiting Northwest Harvest. (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
FRIENDSHOP POP-UP: Friends of the Seattle Public Library will have a pop-up shop on the front steps of the West Seattle (Admiral) Library today, 11:30 am-3:30 pm – here’s what it’s all about. (2306 42nd SW)
PACKET PICKUP AND REGISTRATION FOR WEST SEATTLE 5K: Noon-6 pm at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), you can pick up your packet for Sunday morning’s West Seattle 5K if you’re already registered, or register if you’re not! (2743 California SW)
CATIO TOUR: Two West Seattle “catios” are on the map for today’s noon-4 pm self-guided tour – details in our calendar listing.
BIRDS OF THE DUWAMISH VALLEY: 1-3 pm at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse, presentation and walk – details in our calendar listing. (4205 W. Marginal Way SW)
WRITE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD! With Seattle’s Civic Poet (and West Seattle resident) Claudia Castro Luna, 1-3 pm at High Point Library, a “fun and interactive afternoon reading and writing poetry.” Free but first-come, first-served. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
HIGHLAND PARK UNCORKED: Sold out, so this is just a reminder if you’ve signed up – the Highland Park Improvement Club‘s annual wine-tasting benefit is tonight, 5:30 pm doors open, 7 pm tasting begins! Co-sponsors include WSB. (12th SW/SW Holden)
LAFAYETTE’S ‘THE LION KING’: All are welcome to enjoy Lafayette Elementary‘s “The Lion King” tonight, 7 pm, at West Seattle High School. Performances are by kids in grades 3rd through 5th who attend Lafayette. Free admission; concessions on sale. (3000 California SW)
ROO FORREST AND FRIENDS: Originals and covers at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
MADELINE BERSAMINA & FRIENDS: 7:30 pm at Kenyon Hall, “soprano Madeline Bersamina (has) put together a program of American and British songs with mezzo soprano Erin Calata, flutist Brian Fairbanks, and pianist John Stuntebeck.” Ticket info and other details in our calendar listing. (7904 35th SW)
SEE THE CALENDAR … for even more.
(WSB photo: WSHS sophomore Beryl Syltebo, scoring the Wildcats’ first run)
The West Seattle High School softball team finished district-tournament play on Friday night by taking 4th place, and will be the only Seattle school advancing to the state 3A tournament in Lacey. The Wildcats lost to Eastside Catholic at Southwest Athletic Complex, 6-3. It was the Wildcats’ second consecutive loss after opening district play with a win over Bainbridge, following their first-ever Metro League championship.
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