West Seattle, Washington
11 Thursday
Remember the saga of the Sanislo Elementary auction, when the PTA put out a call for help because they had sold so few tickets, they were worried they wouldn’t be able to raise the money needed to fill some of the needs for Sanislo students? That call for help resulted in action – support from all over West Seattle, and as Rebecca Evans described it, “Our outstanding success at our school auction was a direct result of the community support that showed up to support us.” That led to an idea for an ongoing communitywide collaboration, Rebecca added: “I’ve long felt something should be done to narrow the gap between affluent and Title I schools and recently decided to assist that effort by creating the West Seattle PTA Collaborative.”
It started with online discussion and now a face-to-face meet-and-greet is planned for next week, 6:30 pm Tuesday, August 15th, at Southwest Library. Rebecca continues:
The concept of the group is to strengthen the PTA board of each West Seattle school by working collectively and collaboratively to support one another, helping to promote more educational and enrichment equity amongst our community schools. Some PTAs have barely enough members, some are standing room only. Many parents come into the PTA with little knowledge of what to do or how to do it; then there’s those parents who spent their child’s entire school career in the PTA, and of course there are many stops in-between. By bringing all levels together to solicit feedback, advice, tips and guidance, I believe we can improve experiences for parents willing to step into the PTA, and all students in West Seattle.
Any PTA member, or person interested in the PTA, is welcome at the August 15th meet-and-greet; Southwest Library is at 9010 35th SW. Beyond this event, Rebecca says, the group will likely meet monthly, to collaborate in person and to “discuss a particular topic such as fundraising or enrichment.”
Thanks to West Seattle High School track and field head coach Will Harrison for sharing news of what he headlines as “stunning summer performances for WSHS track athletes”:
West Seattle HS Track and Field athletes rolled from national class spring WIAA track seasons into sizzling summer track seasons:
After capturing the 300-meter hurdles crown at the 3A State Meet to cap off his junior-year spring track season, Cass Elliott took home another state title at the 46th Annual Washington State Combined events Championship, held at Lake Stevens High School on June 2-3. Elliott won the 10-event decathlon with a score of 6008, which included winning the 400, 110 hurdles, Javelin, and 1500 outright against the top 32 athletes accepted into the meet. He would later improve his decathlon score to 6235 in July.
He next competed in the prestigious USA Track and Field Junior (U-20) Championships in Sacramento, California. As a 17-year-old junior, Elliott was up against a loaded field of the nation’s best high-school seniors and college freshman competing for a chance to finish in the top 2 and represent the U.S. at the 2017 Pan American Junior games in Peru. Elliott wound up 9th with a stunning time of 52.07 seconds. For perspective, that time that would have placed 6th in the PAC-12 Championships this season.
Most recently, he competed at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships in Lawrence, Kansas, where athletes compete in 2-year age brackets. Elliott finished runner-up at the in the 17-18 category with a time of 52.14. He also took 2nd last year in the 15-16 division.
Cunliffe Regains Washington All-Time Sophomore Record
(Cunliffe with Coach Tim Reilly after the Junior Olympic Regional)
Sophomore star Chloe Cunliffe temporarily held the sophomore class, all-classification, all-time state record in the Pole Vault after clearing 12 feet, 9 inches back in April at the Pasco Invite before fellow sophomore, Eastlake’s Ellie Talius broke the record by jumping 13’1 at the 4A District II meet. By clearing 13’1.5 at the Junior Olympic Regional in Spokane on June 25th, Cunliffe narrowly regained the top spot in the record book.
Fortunately, the WIAA does indeed count summer marks for state records. And coincidentally, Cunliffe’s mark also would have placed 6th in the PAC-12 college ranks this year, like Elliott’s. She competed this summer with Seattle Speed TC and NW Pole Vault.
Also Notable
Other notable summer performances from West Seattle Track Athletes were junior Joe Kirk-Woodbury (above) placing 16th in the hammer throw (156’11) and 30th in shot put (44’7.5) in the 17-18 Division at National Junior Olympic Championships, and graduated senior Abdullahi Ali qualified for Junior Olympic Nationals by nationals by placing 7th at the regionals in Spokane in the 110 Meter Hurdles (15.74 seconds). Both athletes competed with High Voltage TC.
(WSB photo, August 7, 2016)
One year ago today – on August 7th, 2016 – it was a heartbreaking, yet enlightening day on the Fauntleroy shore just south of the ferry dock: A 39-foot-long juvenile female humpback whale came into the shallow waters early that Sunday morning, stranded and died. Volunteers worked to see if anything could be done to get her back out to sea, but within just a few hours, she took her last breath; then the situation became more of an investigation and finally a towing operation.
(WSB photo, August 7, 2016)
Some sampling/testing was done right on the beach after the tide went out, as noted in our 12 hours of coverage, but no formal necropsy report ever emerged. Humpbacks are no longer rare in Puget Sound – that was part of the education that this one left as her legacy, reminding those paying attention that they are increasing in numbers – up and down the entire West Coast, in fact. And since then, we have indeed had many humpback sightings (like this one off Fauntleroy in June).
One of the many experts, local and otherwise, who came to the scene a year ago (as shown in our photo gallery) was John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research Collective, well known for its whale research. We contacted him recently, looking ahead to the anniversary, asking if further information had become available. His reply:
We did get some information back but (it) did not add too much. Jessie Huggins, our stranding coordinator, indicated: “The necropsy observations of severe internal damage from the live stranding event, malnutrition, and parasitism were confirmed by histopathology. There were small amounts of biotoxins detected in the feces (both domoic acid and saxitoxin) but are considered incidental (not high enough levels to have contributed to the stranding event). The exact cause of the live stranding remains a mystery”
On the second morning after the whale’s death, West Seattle-based Global Diving and Salvage towed her carcass to a spot off Blake Island for a quiet burial in about 400 feet of water.
(WSB photo, August 9, 2016)
The humpback was the first whale to strand and die on a West Seattle beach since a gray whale in The Arroyos in April 2010.
Thanks to Lucian for the photo from West Seattle Stadium, where the $1 million track-resurfacing project is under way. Our last update was in mid-July, at which time it hadn’t yet begun and was running a few weeks behind the originally announced schedule, though Seattle Parks still expected to be finished by the end of this month. The track is closed while the work is under way; the project is funded by the voter-approved Seattle Park District.
1:42 PM: Thanks to Mark for the tip: A power outage on Alki is affecting 146 customers, according to the Seattle City Light outage map – all residential, given the area that’s shown as affected. The outage is attributed to “bird/animal”; Mark reports that “a crow shorted out high-voltage wire, according to a contractor.” SCL currently estimates the power will return around 3:13 pm, but as always, keep in mind that’s just an estimate – could be sooner or later.
2:37 PM: The SCL map shows the power’s back. If yours isn’t, be sure to call to let them know – 206-684-3000.
With the 2017-2018 school year just a month away, Seattle Public Schools has overhauled its website, and the new site has a major new feature: Online registration for families who are new to the district. It just launched today – you can start the registration process here.
Today, we welcome Rain Day Spa as a new West Seattle Blog sponsor. New local sponsors get the chance to tell you about what they do – and here’s what Rain Day Spa would like you to know:
When visiting Rain Day Spa, you will find yourself relaxed and pampered. Your spa experience begins with the aroma therapy of eucalyptus, lemon grass, and sweet orange, combined with the soothing sounds of wooden pipes and gentle rain, followed by spa owner Angela’s genuinely warm smile and a complimentary cucumber water.
Our massage and facial tables and our lash chairs are first rate, ensuring absolute comfort during your treatment. We have attracted superior talent to our spa; our masseur and masseuses, estheticians, and lash specialist are experienced and dedicated to the mastery of their craft.
We offer Swedish, therapeutic, and relaxation massages of varying durations, as well as custom European and microdermabrasion / microcurrent facials. Lash extensions and a variety of waxing and tinting services, in addition to LED light treatments, round out the menu. Be sure to add a honey sugar foot massage and scrub to your selection in order to maximize your experience.
Our goal is simple: To enhance your beauty and your enjoyment of life. Located on Harbor Avenue SW in between Salty’s and 7/11, we aim to serve the local community with highly competitive pricing, six days a week. Call 206-203-RAIN (206-203-7246). We look forward to serving you.
We thank Rain Day Spa for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
For nine years now, we’ve been hearing of wheel-stealers targeting Honda Fits here and there. This time, the photo and report are from Missy:
We’ve been having a high number of thefts happening in Alki recently. Just (Saturday) night my friend got all her tires stolen as she was parked between 62nd and 63rd Ave on Admiral Way … We’ve also had some mail stolen. Please put a warning out, if anyone sees any tires going for sale for a Honda Fit, to please let me know!
P.S. If you missed it over the weekend, Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Burbridge‘s newest newsletter is here – focusing on firearms, including a chance to get a free cable lock.
(Young crow begging for food – photographed by David Hutchinson at Don Armeni)
As the quieter section of summer arrives, here are highlights for today/tonight:
WADING POOLS AND SPRAYPARK: Scheduled to be open today are Highland Park spraypark, 11 am-8 pm; Lincoln Park wading pool, 11 am-8 pm; Delridge wading pool, 12 pm-6:30 pm. (Addresses are here)
LAUNCHING A BUSINESS? Free workshop at Delridge Library can help you with the next steps once you have developed your plans and are ready to go:
Attend this free workshop to learn about how to operate your business:
*Choosing vendors, investors, stakeholders and advisors
*Credit and collections
*Hiring, firing, and employment law
*Timely tax reporting sales and B and O
*Correct registrations and licensing
*Distribution channels
*Banking relationships
*Preparing, reading and interpreting financial statements
6 pm. Registration recommended. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
FAMILY STORY TIME: 6:30 pm at High Point Library: “Bring your children of all ages to enjoy stories, rhymes, songs and fun with our children’s librarian.” (35th SW/SW Raymond)
PUGET RIDGE COMMUNITY COUNCIL: 7 pm at Puget Ridge Cohousing. If you’re driving, you’re asked to “please park on 18th and enter through the trail entrance by the resident parking lot (by the mailbox).” Look for signs directing you to the Common House. (7020 18th SW)
QUIZ NIGHT: All-ages Monday quiz, free, with prizes, at The Skylark. Details in our calendar listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
THERE’S MORE … on our complete-calendar page!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:39 AM: Welcome to a new week! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far.
NO WATER TAXI SERVICE: Today’s biggest alert – this is the first day of up to a week without King County Water Taxi service. Both the West Seattle and Vashon runs are on hiatus until the new temporary dock on the north side of the downtown ferry terminal is ready to go – as recapped in our reminder published last night.
PAVING REMINDER: Both Beach Drive near Andover and 63rd SW north of Admiral have paving projects in progress. At week’s end, SDOT said that the 63rd project would continue through tomorrow.
STATE FERRIES: The M/V Issaquah, which had mechanical trouble yesterday and left the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route for a while, is repaired and back in service, WSF says.
8 AM: WSF now reports fog delays of up to 20 minutes on the route.
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