BIZNOTE: West Seattle Pilates and Fitness now open
West Seattle’s newest business opened today. The announcement from proprietor Jenny Melville:
West Seattle Pilates and Fitness is a new woman-owned business offering private lessons and group Mat/Props classes. WSP works with people who have varying injuries and pathologies as well as those who want to strengthen their body and minds. The owner has been a resident of West Seattle for the last 8 years and teaching Pilates for 7 years. West Seattle Pilates is located in the ActivSpace building (3400 Harbor Ave. SW).
YOU CAN HELP! Give some time to West Seattle kids exploring urban nature
(Photo courtesy Seattle Audubon)
Lots of nature fans in WSB-land. If you’re among them, this volunteer opportunity from Seattle Audubon just might be something you would enjoy:
Help Sanislo and Lafayette students have FUN!
Finding Urban Nature (FUN) is Seattle Audubon’s free environmental education program in Seattle Public Elementary Schools. The program needs volunteers at Sanislo and Lafayette Elementary Schools for lessons in April and May.
FUN introduces 3rd and 4th grade students to the nature in their own schoolyard habitat, and examines how each organism depends on others to survive. Volunteers lead small groups of four to six students through a series of outdoor investigations, which teach kids to use their senses and scientific practices to discover the importance of urban biodiversity firsthand.
Volunteers devote about two hours a week for four weeks to lead 4-6 students through each lesson, with the support of the school’s FUN Team Leader and classroom teachers. No previous teaching or science background is necessary. Training is provided and a background check is required.
FUN trainings are held at the end of March and in early April. Contact Wendy at FUNvolunteer@seattleaudubon.org or call 206-523-8243 ext. 110 if interested.
ONLY 2 MONTHS AWAY: West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2018
Spring-like weather today, in the 70s … and we are still two whole months away from West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2018. Exactly two months, in fact, since this year’s sale date is May 12th (second Saturday in May every year). One day, hundreds of sales, and even if you’re not having one, it’s an awesome opportunity to get out and meet your neighbors. If you are planning to have a sale this year, watch for registration to open in three weeks – early April – we’ll announce it here and on the official WSCGSD website, westseattlegaragesale.com, as soon as signups start. Ten years now since we started coordinating WSCGSD – three years after it launched, so this will be the 14th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day!
WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Beware of tip thieves
From the scanner: Tip-jar theft reported this past hour in The Junction. We don’t have descriptions – the callout just mentioned two suspects – but thought it worth mentioning so other businesses with tip jars will keep close watch on theirs. The address mentioned on the dispatch checks to Pagliacci Pizza (4449 California SW).
WEST SEATTLE LIGHT RAIL: Sound Transit’s first toplines from ‘early scoping,’ and more
Updates on the process of planning Sound Transit‘s West Seattle (to Ballard) light rail:
FIRST TOPLINES FROM ‘EARLY SCOPING’: The slide deck above (also visible here) will be presented to the Stakeholder Advisory Group at its meeting this Wednesday (agenda here), and it includes toplines of what Sound Transit says it heard from commenters – in person as well as online – during the “early scoping” feedback period that wrapped up a week ago. It’s not the full “early scoping” report – that, ST says, will be out next month – but it’s important because public comment will be considered by this group before making its way to the Elected Leadership Group that in turn will, in about a year, make a “preferred alternative” recommendation to the Sound Transit board.
SPEAKING OF COMMENTS: This caught our eye when ST issued a reminder that “early scoping” is closed but that you can see the comments made on the map that was part of its “online open house” – note the number of West Seattle comments vs. everywhere else:
As you probably noticed in the slide deck atop this story, ST says it’s received 2,800+ comments in all for the West Seattle/Ballard extensions, so far.
ONLY ONE ‘NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM’ HERE: As we mentioned last week, ST now says the “neighborhood forums” will start in late April. Though the agency previously had suggested they would be deeper dives into individual areas, the list on the slide deck for Wednesday’s meeting notes only one West Seattle “neighborhood forum” is planned, out of the six locations listed (clarification: in the first round, ST notes).
LIGHT-RAIL DISCUSSION IN ADMIRAL: Tomorrow night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting will include an unofficial light-rail discussion, led by ANA president Larry Wymer, who is a member of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition board. ANA now meets every other month, and at an earlier time; tomorrow’s meeting is at 6:30 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd SW/SW Lander).
WEDNESDAY WALKOUT: Local students say they’ll be part of it
11:57 AM: One of this week’s big stories will be what happens on Wednesday, one month after the school massacre in Parkland, Florida. Students across the nation are planning walkouts in memory of the 17 people killed there, and to support gun-law reform. So far, we’ve heard from students at three area schools – Madison Middle School, Denny Middle School, and White Center’s Evergreen High School. This past Friday evening, some local students gathered at West Seattle Art Nest to make signs:
The walkouts are planned for 10 am Wednesday – local time, whatever the time zone – and planned to last 17 minutes. The Seattle Public Schools board is on record saying it encourages students to stay on campus if they choose to take part in a walkout; we are asking Highline Public Schools (Evergreen is in that district) if it has an official stance.
ADDED MONDAY EVENING: We’ve also heard from a Louisa Boren STEM K-8 student about a walkout plan there. Meantime, Highline tells us superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield sent students a letter last week, which included this:
… Some of you may be considering joining students in other districts and states in a 17-minute walkout on March 14 or in other actions to send a message to adults in power. If you are, I applaud you for taking action on an issue important to you. This is an opportunity for you to learn what it means to be involved in the civic and political life of your community and your world. An important part of that learning is understanding the laws and policies that apply to you if you should choose to participate in a walkout during the school day.
You have a constitutional right to free speech in school as well as outside of school. If there is a walkout planned at your school, you are free to participate or not to participate. If you choose to participate, you need to know that school district policy requires you to be in class or be counted absent. District policy is “the law” in our schools, and as educators we are obligated to follow it. If you are absent from a class period, you will receive an unexcused absence unless your parent or guardian contacts the school office to excuse it.
ADDED TUESDAY EVENING: A bit more information – here’s information on the Madison PTSA website; here’s information from a Chief Sealth IHS newsletter. (added) Police will be standing by at schools where walkouts are planned, Lt. Ron Smith from the Southwest Precinct confirmed. And while we still haven’t heard from anyone at West Seattle High School, Lt. Smith says his understanding is that WSHS is participating too.
LIST TIME! Got anything for the WSB Easter/Passover/etc. list?
(WSB photo, April 2017 egg hunt)
Easter (April 1st) and Passover (starting March 30th) are now less than three weeks away, so we’re working today/tonight on the next in the annual series of WSB holiday one-stop-for-everything infolists. If you have anything to include for this one – egg hunts or other seasonal events, religious services, special brunches – please send us the info as soon as possible (thanks to those who have e-mailed us already)! Our requested format is simple, same as our regular calendar listings: Plain text in the body of your e-mail, not in an attachment, no image/graphic/flyer needed, but please DO include website link(s) – send to editor@westseattleblog.com. Thank you!
Memorial service tomorrow for Richard A. Browne, 1948-2018
Family and friends will gather tomorrow to remember Richard A. Browne. Here’s the remembrance being shared with the community:
Richard A. Browne (Sept. 15, 1948 – Feb. 5, 2018) passed away after a long illness, leaving his wife of 43 years, JoAnn; his son, Adam (Erin); two granddaughters, Kailey and Brianna; his brother, Wayne (Char); as well as nieces and nephews.
Richard enlisted in the Air Force after high school and served in Vietnam. He loved fishing, woodworking and modeling, crafting many beautiful items over the years. He found the most joy raising his son and spending time with his grand girls, who he dearly loved.
Many thanks to the doctors and nurses at the Seattle VA Hospital and Providence Hospice for his care over the years.
Services at Tahoma National Cemetery on March 13, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. with a gathering after at Alliance Bible Church near the cemetery. Arrangements by People’s Memorial Co-op.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
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