(WSB video: Urban Homestead Foundation vp Kristen Corning Bedford announcing grant news)

Leaders and supporters of the Urban Homestead Foundation‘s vision for the ex-substation on Genesee Hill had big news to celebrate today. As you can hear in our video clip above, they’ve been recommended to receive a King County Conservation Futures $281,000 matching-fund grant that would get them to half of what they need to buy the land and transform it into a community learning and gathering place and urban-agriculture demonstration zone.

The grant recommendation was announced during a block-party potluck at the site. They’re also celebrating gifts of all sizes – earlier in the day, Girl Scout Troop 44428 stopped by with a $350 donation:

(Photo courtesy UHF president Katie Stemp)

While the grant recommendation is big news, the group is racing the clock, as they were given until the end of this year to raise the money they need before City Light sells the site on the open market; the utility is in the process of getting a new appraisal (the previous one put the site’s value at $530,000). Later this summer, UHF plans a Farm Dinner fundraiser at the site, 5 pm August 13th – more details to come but you can save the date now.

BACKSTORY: The site at 50th and Dakota, just north of Genesee Hill Elementary, is one of the six former substations in West Seattle that Seattle City Light declared were no longer needed, putting into motion a process to sell or otherwise dispose of them. Three of them – on Pigeon Point, in south Highland Park, and in Fauntleroy – have been or are being sold for housing; one in north Highland Park is proposed for mixed-use rezoning at the community’s request; and then there’s the one becoming the Delridge Wetlands Project. The UHF plan is described in detail in the application for the just-announced grant.

Share This

UPDATE: Crash at 41st SW/Fauntleroy Way

June 24, 2017 10:40 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

10:40 PM: Thanks for the tips. A crash at 41st and Fauntleroy [map], in Morgan Junction, is reported to have traffic down to one lane – a driver is reported to have hit a power/light pole. We’re headed down to find out more; avoid the area TFN.

10:54 PM: This was a one-car crash. Driver taken to hospital by private ambulance for evaluation. City Light is here – eastbound side of Fauntleroy is blocked because wires are down.

11:16 PM: Thanks for the update – one of the original tipsters says Fauntleroy is now back open both ways, though police are still on the scene.

Share This

@ West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network on Tuesday: Learn about return of the Community Service Officer program

June 24, 2017 9:36 pm

| Comments Off on @ West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network on Tuesday: Learn about return of the Community Service Officer program

| Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

On Tuesday night, the West Seattle Block Watch Captains Network meets at the Southwest Precinct for the final time before summer break. The 6:30 pm meeting is another chance to hear about crime trends and bring up community concerns with local police. And this month’s special guest, as just announced by WSBWCN co-leaders Karen Berge and Deborah Greer, will talk about the impending return of SPD’s Community Service Officer program:

City Council set aside funding to re-implement the Community Service Officer program in 2018. Our guest speaker will be Angela Socci from the Finance and Planning Section of the Seattle Police Department. She’ll talk about the plans for reinventing the CSO program. They are in the early stages of the program development process, so we have an opportunity to offer feedback. How would you like to see the new program take shape?

You don’t have to be a Block Watch captain – or even a Block Watch member – to be there; all are welcome. The precinct is at 2300 SW Webster (east of Home Depot) and the meeting room is right off the public parking area by the entrance.

Share This

SUNDAY: Highland Park book swap to help turn the pages for campaign to save tutoring program

June 24, 2017 7:54 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| Highland Park | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

That short video by Dina Johnson tells the story of how supporters are hoping to save the Reading Partners one-on-one-tutoring program at Highland Park Elementary. We first mentioned it here last weekend; their next event is a book swap tomorrow (Sunday, June 25th) afternoon at Highland Park Improvement Club (1116 SW Holden). It’s free – bring books, for kids and/or adults! – and also a chance to find out more about the program and how volunteers are trying to save it. Their main fundraiser is a GoFundMe page that has now passed $6,000 but has a long way to go to the $30,000 needed by July 15th to keep the program from being dropped at HPES.

Share This

HAPPENING NOW: See and hear what amateur-radio operators are up to as Field Day continues until 11 am Sunday

June 24, 2017 5:00 pm

| Comments Off on HAPPENING NOW: See and hear what amateur-radio operators are up to as Field Day continues until 11 am Sunday

| Fun stuff to do | Preparedness | Puget Ridge | West Seattle news

It’s more than a hobby … amateur radio is vital to emergency preparedness in our area and many others, too. So – both to practice their skills and to offer a public view into how amateur radio works – International Field Day is under way right now, with local operators gathered in the south field on the South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) campus on Puget Ridge through about 11 am Sunday.

You are invited to stop by any time before then (kids welcome too!) to see and hear how it works. While we were there, solar-power demonstrations were under way:

Just look for the antennas rigged in the field, and the tents nearby:

Lots more info here.

Share This

TRAFFIC ALERT: Tree down on West Marginal Way

June 24, 2017 4:08 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

Thanks to Deborah for the photo – the tree is down across West Marginal Way just north of Highland Park Way. SDOT is aware, per this tweet.

Share This

UNTIL 6 PM: Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival on Puget Ridge

June 24, 2017 2:11 pm

| Comments Off on UNTIL 6 PM: Seattle Chinese Garden Kite Festival on Puget Ridge

| Puget Ridge | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

A decent north breeze is sweeping through the Seattle Chinese Garden on Puget Ridge, just in time for this afternoon’s Kite Festival, continuing through 6 pm.

Bring your own kite or buy one at the garden, which is on the north side of South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor). This is the festival’s fifth year; suggested donation for entry is $3; youth 17 and under are free.

Besides kite-flying, you’ll see demonstrations and entertainment; the latter is highlighted by the International Wudang Internal Martial Arts Academy, scheduled to perform 3-3:30 pm.

Share This

West Seattle weekend scene: Low-low tide

June 24, 2017 12:12 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

12:12 PM: That was the view looking north across the street from Me-Kwa-Mooks a short time ago, as today’s low tide ebbed to a very, very low -3.6 feet. Lots of people out exploring the shore; if you weren’t able to join them, maybe tomorrow? Another -3.6 low tide is expected Sunday at 12:25 pm.

ADDED 3:28 PM: Thanks to Peter Commons for sharing a few views from shore level:

We appreciate photos – editor@westseattleblog.com if it’s not breaking news, text 206-293-6302 if it is!

Share This

Ways you can enjoy the first West Seattle Saturday of summer

June 24, 2017 7:29 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(River otter – photographed by Mark Wangerin)

Lots of ways to enjoy the warm sunshine during this first weekend of summer!

(added) PACIFIC NW JUNIOR OLYMPIC TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2nd of 3 days at Southwest Athletic Complex, with competition scheduled 8:30 am-4:20 pm. Scroll down this form for the schedule. (2801 SW Thistle)

MORGAN JUNCTION LITTER CLEANUP: Meet at 9 am by the ATM in the New Teriyaki & Wok/Domino’s parking lot. All ages welcome. Cleanup scheduled to continue until 10:30 am. (6540 California SW)

WEST DUWAMISH GREENBELT HIKE: 9 am guided hike – details here. Meet in Riverview parking lot. (12th SW/SW Myrtle)

WEST SEATTLE LINUX USERS’ GROUP: 9 am-10:30 am, every-two-weeks meetup at Fauntleroy YMCA. (9140 California SW)

FREE TAI CHI ON ALKI: 9 am, by Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza. All welcome. Taught by Lao-Shi Caylen Storm. (61st SW/Alki SW)

SUMMER SHOWDOWN: High-school basketball on two courts at West Seattle High School, 9 am-9:30 pm. Schedule highlights in our calendar listing. (3000 California SW)

CLEAN UP ALKI WITH SEAL SITTERS: 9:30 am-noon, it’s the “Sentinels of the Sound” cleanup to help protect wildlife from beach litter. Meet at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza. (61st SW/Alki SW)

LOWER FAUNTLEROY TREE WALK: Join Tree Ambassador Al Rouyer, 10 am-noon. Meet at the Fauntleroy Creek fish-ladder overlook. Details here. (Upper Fauntleroy Way/SW Director)

LINCOLN PARK WADING POOL OPENS: 11 am-8 pm, first day of the season for West Seattle’s 7-day-a-week (provided temps are 70+) wading pool, by the play area in north upper Lincoln Park. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)

(added) HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK OPENS: Seattle Parks just confirmed this morning that Highland Park Spraypark WILL open today as announced, though not at 100 percent, and although work at the park around it isn’t entirely done yet. 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)

FIELD DAY: At the south end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus, it’s all about amateur (ham) radio for 24 hours:

Two local groups — the Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service, and the Puget Sound Repeater Group — will be joining up again this year and conducting operations from 11 AM Saturday June 24 continuously through 11 AM Sunday June 25. The public is invited to come see the event, learn about amateur radio and emergency communications, and even try their hand at making contact with another radio operator — perhaps in a remote part of the world!

Just stop by! (6000 16th SW)

LOW-LOW TIDE: At 11:38 am, the tide bottoms out at an EXTREMELY low point: -3.6 feet. Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be at Constellation and Lincoln Parks 10 am-2 pm if you have questions. (Look for the signs)

COLMAN POOL SEASON CONTINUES: Noon to 7 pm, the outdoor, heated saltwater pool on the shore at Lincoln Park is open. Here’s the schedule. (Walk or bike from either end of the park)

NO ALKI LIGHTHOUSE TOURS TODAY: Saturday tours are canceled again this week, but you’ll be able to tour tomorrow.

KITE FESTIVAL: The Seattle Chinese Garden at the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus invites you to today’s annual Kite Festival, 2-6 pm. Bring your own kite or buy one there. 3 pm martial-arts performance. Suggested admission donation $3 for adults, youth free. Details here. (6000 16th SW)

URBAN HOMESTEAD FOUNDATION BLOCK PARTY: 3-5 pm at the future Dakota Homestead property, the Urban Homestead Foundation invites you to “bring a dish to share, meet your neighbors and learn more about the exciting progress our community is making in purchasing this land. We’ll have activities for kids and urban agriculture information for adults.” (50th SW/SW Dakota)

LIVE MUSIC AT SALTY’S: Harrison B performs at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), 5-9 pm. (1936 Harbor SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT WHISKY WEST: Triangular Jazztet, 9-11 pm at Whisky West, no cover. 21+. (6451 California SW)

LIVE MUSIC AT PARLIAMENT TAVERN: “A psychedelic liquid light show” with Infinite Flux, Sower, & Sabertooth at Parliament Tavern, 9 pm. $8 cover. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

LIVE MUSIC AT THE SKYLARK: Skullbot, Green River Thrillers, and The Grindylow, 9 pm. $7 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

WITH ALL THAT, THERE’S *STILL* MORE … check our complete-calendar page.

Share This