West Seattle, Washington
27 Tuesday
Thanks to everyone who’s sent photos of the colors that blanketed the sky after tonight’s sunset! First, from Tim Courson @ Brace Point:
From James Bratsanos:
And from JayDee in Upper Alki:
Tomorrow’s sunset will be the first one of summer, and you can watch it from a prime viewing spot at Solstice Park during Alice Enevoldsen‘s 29th solstice/equinox sunset watch! Get there by 8:45 pm.
In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight, a painful reminder that even the trunk isn’t a safe place to leave valuables in your vehicle. Gabriel reports: “My wife’s car was broken into around 11 am at the larger Lincoln Park parking lot. They shattered the driver’s window and stole items from the trunk (purse, credit cards, etc.). There were a lot of people around, but if anyone saw anything, they ignored it. … Small black leather purse, small black wallet were taken. Credit cards and a birth certificate were the main items of value (out of town traveler) taken. Several charges in West Seattle (Big 5, gas station, Home Depot) were made before the theft was discovered.” Police have said that car prowlers in parking lots can move quickly and stealthily without others nearby realizing what’s going on.
P.S. Another reminder that your monthly chance to bring crime/safety concerns to local police is this Tuesday (June 21st), the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster). SPD’s chief operating officer Brian Maxey is the scheduled guest, focusing on SPD’s 911 system.
Last Thursday’s much-discussed Alki Community Council meeting wasn’t the only meeting of the week in which Seattle Police talked about traffic-safety concerns. A similar, albeit much shorter, conversation was part of the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meeting one night earlier , last Wednesday @ Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. Here are our toplines on that and what else came before the DNDC:
PUGET RIDGE SPEEDING AND OTHER SPD UPDATES: Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith had a followup on Puget Ridge’s speeding concerns, which were among the problems neighborhood reps brought up at last month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting. He said that motorcycle officers from the SPD Traffic Unit will be out for enforcement on Puget Ridge at random times during the summer.
In his crime-trend overview for eastern West Seattle, he told DNDC attendees that violent crime is down, and that car prowls remain the major area of concern, though “we’re starting to see a slight dip” in the numbers. Auto theft has increased in High Point, with five in the past month, but was down in the Westwood-Roxhill area, with three over the past month. An automated license-plate reader will be deployed to check more vehicles around all of West Seattle, he said.
MYERS WAY PARCELS: Instead of the Seattle Green Spaces Coalition, another advocacy group, TreePAC, was at the meeting to talk about the site, represented by Cass Turnbull. She recapped the site’s history (previously reported here) and the fact the city is now deciding what to do with it. (As reported here earlier that day, the city Finance and Administrative Service‘s preliminary recommendations have now been made public. Turnbull said she had not read it yet but had heard – as was our assessment – that it was largely the same as the draft recommendations unveiled last month.) She says the site could be many things – “but if they sell it, it can’t be anything but industry.” She would like to see it be an environmental learning center. “It’s a very degraded piece of property” – but, that said, it still has lots of potential, and is alive with even tiny wildlife like crickets. TreePAC’s position is to ask the city to simply not sell it.
DISTRICT COUNCILS’ FUTURE: The issue of the Department of Neighborhoods‘ response to last year’s City Council “statement of legislative intent” about possibly aligning neighborhood districts with council districts – among other things – came up again, with a recap of the recent Southwest District Council discussion (WSB coverage here). DNDC attendees were invited to talk about it. Michael Taylor-Judd from the North Delridge Neighborhood Council said he’s “angry” about how the DoN is rolling this out, acknowledging that yes, there is some truth to the concerns about the demographics of councils, but that they are trying to reach out further, and need the city’s help, not words of criticism, let alone suggestions that the councils will see some of their limited city resources removed. Christine Cole from the Greater Duwamish District Council was at the meeting – she had been at SWDC too – mentioning again that her DC and others in its area remain without a district coordinator.
Gunner Scott from the Highland Park Action Committee said he’s not in favor of the proposals (such as realigning neighborhood districts with City Council districts) right now. Pete Spalding from the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council said resources have been pulled away and have eroded over the past decade-plus, and now the councils are getting criticized for what resulted from those cuts and degradations. Nancy Folsom of NDNC said she supports the concept of finding different ways to reach different community members. District coordinator Kerry Wade said that in addition to working with the district councils, not only does the DoN want to get more people to the table, they want to reach people “who don’t even know the table exists.”
Scott suggested that meetings could be made friendlier for families – offer child care, perhaps – and for those who have transportation challenges – offer vouchers, maybe? Folsom suggested it’s not about reaching out and trying to pull people in as much as changing to be “more inviting” so that they will want to come in. Wade suggested that the kind of cultural-competency training that has been made available to city employees would be good to offer to neighborhood volunteers like council members/participants. Talk then turned to what to do next and how to discuss, and how to collaborate with the Southwest and Greater Duwamish councils on a meeting to talk with the city about what it wants to do and what the neighborhood reps want to do. They’re proposing possibly meeting jointly during the SWDC night the first Wednesday in July, and inviting a variety of people all the way up to the mayor.
Also noted at the DNDC meeting:
ROXHILL FIND IT FIX IT WALK: Still tentatively set for July 25th; Wade is helping organize it and hopes that people from all over eastern West Seattle will join in. 6:30 pm is the planned start time, start location TBA.
SEATTLE SUMMER PARKWAYS: Wade recapped the plans that are in the works for September 25th, which we’ve reported several times here. She added that neighborhood groups are invited to participate, free. Here’s how to sign up to be part of it.
Delridge Neighborhoods District Council meets 7 pm on third Wednesdays at Youngstown.
Back on Duwamish Alive! day in April, one of the events we covered was at the 23rd/Findlay site that the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association is turning into the Wetlands and Stewardship Project with the help of various partners. Among the beneficiaries and collaborators are local students, including those from the nearby Boren Building, where Arbor Heights Elementary is about to go into its final week. Teacher Angie Nall shared the photos and this report:
Wanted to send some pics along from a walking field trip my 5th grade students from Arbor Heights Elementary went on to Delridge Wetlands on Findlay St SW in West Seattle. The kids worked with folks from Delridge Neighborhood Association, Nature Consortium, and the City of Seattle.The kids were the 3rd class to visit the site.
They engaged in hands-on science, taking measurements of the run and rise of the water’s path on the property that eventually runs into Longfellow Creek. The wetlands are being restored to help clean the runoff naturally before it enters Longfellow Creek.
Two 4th grade classes and one 5th grade class from K-STEM also worked on the project! We all are in the Louis Boren building on Delridge so the wetlands are a block away from the school- WHAT a cool opportunity for students and a benefit to the community!
DNDA welcomes help with the Wetlands and Stewardship Project – contact Willard Brown at willard@dnda.org if you’re interested in joining in.
Thanks to Chief Sealth International High School assistant principal Scott Reisinger for the photo and report:
Chief Sealth senior Matt Floberg, of the Tlingit Tribe, was honored at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center on June 14th.
Huchoosedah (Seattle Public Schools’ Native Education department) hosted a community supper and recognition for all Native students from SPS. All students were recognized; however, Matt was honored for his academics, athletics, and kind heart.
This year Matt designed and created a carving in the wood shop at Chief Sealth and surprised his Šǝqačib (a Native Leadership class) teacher with the gift. His generous act will serve as an example of a giving spirit to future students.
At the ceremony Matt was presented with a hand drum, a paddle necklace, and a blanket designed by Coast Salish artist Louie Gong.
Congratulations to Matt! You can see his carving here. He and his fellow CSIHS seniors will graduate at 5 pm Tuesday at Southwest Athletic Complex.
SIDE NOTE: Since the report mentioned wood shop, we asked assistant principal Reisinger about its status, following the budget struggles reported here three months ago. He replied, “Chief Sealth will be offering 2 wood shop classes for next year. Although the funding is not at 100% as we all hoped, we were fortunate to receive some additional funding towards the end of the budget process and are making every effort to keep the program going.”
Thanks to Chris Frankovich for sharing the photo from today’s low tide – -1.3 feet just after 11 am – in The Arroyos. With tomorrow’s full moon, the tide will be out even further the next four days (see the chart here) and Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be at Constellation and Lincoln Parks daily through Wednesday (see the dates/times here)
Good morning and happy Father’s Day! The photo above is from Claudia, who says the famous white geese of Lincoln Park are new parents of three fuzzy little ones. Meantime, if your Sunday is not already all planned out, some possibilities:
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Thanks to Mike for the tip on this – the final day of the West Seattle Summer Showdown high-school basketball tournament has games on two courts in the West Seattle High School gym all day long, starting at 9 am, last game scheduled at 5 pm. More than a dozen teams from around the region are participating, including WSHS and Seattle Lutheran. (3000 California SW)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm as always, in The Junction. (California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon)
GLASS BLOWING: Avalon GlassWorks invites you to stop in and watch and/or shop, 11 am-5 pm. (2914 SW Avalon Way)
COLMAN POOL: The full 7-day-a-week schedule starts tomorrow, but you can also swim today in the outdoor pool on Lincoln Park’s shore, with sessions scheduled between noon and 7 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
TOUR ALKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE: 1 pm-4 pm – be there by 3:40 to be on the final tour. (Alki Avenue SW/Beach Drive SW)
BLUEGRASS & OLDTIMEY TUNES … with Jamtime at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 1-4 pm. (5612 California SW)
SOUTHWEST STORIES: As previewed here yesterday, you’re invited to hear Ron Tjerandsen tell “An Immigrant Family’s Story,” 2-4 pm, part of the SouthWest Stories series presented by the Southwest Seattle Historical Society and Seattle Public Library, at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)
SOLSTICE, FATHER’S DAY, & JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL: The Dragon Egg Inn is presenting a one-of-a-kind festival at Lincoln Park this afternoon/evening, 2-11 pm, starting with an update on the Duwamish Tribe‘s fight for recognition, continuing through an Afro Dance Party and Laser Frisbee until 11. Full schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
MUSIC FOR A SUMMER EVENING: South Seattle College Community Choir‘s free concert, 7 pm, Olympic Hall on the south end of campus. Includes a singalong! (6000 16th SW)
PIANO, JAZZ, POP STANDARDS … live, no cover, at Parliament Tavern, 8 pm. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
EVEN MORE … can be found on our complete calendar.
TRAFFIC P.S. Yes, the west end of the bridge is scheduled to close tonight (and Monday-Thursday nights) for Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-safety work, 9 pm-5 am.
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