West Seattle, Washington
09 Monday
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning! No incidents or transit alerts in/from West Seattle so far.
WEEKEND ALERT: WSDOT is planning to close the NB I-5 exit to the West Seattle Bridge from Friday night through early Monday.
(UPDATED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON with decision delay)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
At least a million dollars has to be sliced from the budget for South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), says its interim president, who has until tomorrow to decide whether to kill one of its signature programs to save some of that sum.
Just days ago, faculty and students in that program, Pastry and Baking Arts, were told it was on the chopping block. This afternoon, dozens of them crowded into the board room at SSC – along with culinary luminaries from around the region, including the founders of Bakery Nouveau, Macrina Bakery, and Essential Baking Company – to plead for it to be spared.
SSC interim president Peter Lortz and his cabinet gathered for the informal meeting that he described as “impromptu,” intended to “give everybody who wants to speak a chance to speak.”
In addition to singing the praises of the well-regarded, decades-old program, some speakers also decried the lack of notice that ending the program was a consideration.
(August 8th WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)
Three months after a judge ordered him to Western State Hospital, Gatewood stabbing defendant Ryan Cox is still waiting for a spot there to open up. As we reported in January, a judge ordered Cox to the state hospital for up to 90 days of treatment to attempt to restore competency to stand trial. He is charged with second-degree assault in an incident that left a man seriously injured last August. A status hearing for Cox was scheduled for this week; a court document filed yesterday says the hearing is postponed until July 16th. We checked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to find out why, and they tell us he is “still waiting for admission,” which is currently expected to happen around April 30th. The up-to-90-days treatment clock won’t start until he is admitted. WSH has long been reported to have backlogs leaving patients waiting,
(SDOT camera image of crash scene)
4:57 PM: If you’re headed this way, avoid the low bridge for a while – it’s still blocked by a westbound crash, according to the live camera accessible via the SDOT map. (Thanks to Patrick for the tip.)
P.S. This is advice for motorized-vehicle drivers – it looks like the bicycle path remains open.
5:53 PM: Per scanner traffic, the bridge has reopened both ways.
Heads up if you will be south of here at any point this weekend – WSDOT has rescheduled the closure of the northbound I-5 exit to the West Seattle Bridge exit for 9 pm this Friday night (April 13th) through 5 am Monday morning (April 16th). It’s part of a busy spring/summer of work dubbed “Revive I-5”; you can read the backstory here, and you can go here to see the list of other work planned on area state highways in the days/nights ahead.
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
Sixth-grade science students from Our Lady of Guadalupe School, with teacher Jackie Ellis, descended on lower Fauntleroy Creek this morning to do the annual stonefly exoskeleton count and learn about other research on the creek.
Stonefly larvae are a major food source for juvenile salmon and an indicator of water quality. This is the time of year they take wing, leaving their exoskeletons behind.
Teams counted a total of 42 exoskeletons on trees, bridges, fences, and the ground in the study area. Last year’s count, done nearly a month later, was 28. Torso size averaged a typical 4 cm.
Environmental analysts with Seattle Public Utilities were on hand to summarize the city’s ongoing bacteria study in the creek, which is monitoring electrical conductivity and temperature to help identify sources of water pollution.
“In terms of what we’re sampling, Fauntleroy Creek has some of the cleanest water in all of Seattle’s urban creeks,” analyst Chapin Pier said. “This student research provides additional data, from another perspective.”
Dennis Hinton and Pete Draughon told the class about the spring out-migration study that’s been going on since 2003. Using soft traps in the upper and lower creek, these volunteers have caught and released 18 smolts so far as they head to saltwater, compared to 15 this time last year. Monitoring will continue through May.
Next up on Fauntleroy Creek will be Salmon in the Schools releases involving at least 750 students. The first of 20 releases in Fauntleroy Park will be April 26.
The watershed council’s Fauntleroy Stewardship Fund has received $4,275 in donations since March 1 to enable timely work to keep this outdoor classroom safe for students and healthy for aquatic life. The fund’s initial goal is $30,000.
80 sales and counting as the first week of registration for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2018 wraps up (with two more weeks to go, so you still have time to think about having a sale, but don’t procrastinate too long!). Sale day is Saturday, May 12th. From North Admiral to North Shorewood, Arbor Heights to Sunrise Heights, South Delridge to Seaview, Alki to Highland Park, just about every neighborhood is represented already. Some shoppers tell us they enjoy just walking to the nearest sales, meeting neighbors they don’t know already, while of course, there are the super-shoppers, who use the map/list (which will be available a week in advance as always) to plot a route looking for treasures. If you’re selling and ready to sign up – have your up-to-20-words “ad” written in advance! – just go here.
P.S. We also want to remind you that Stamp Out Hunger, letter carriers’ door-to-door, mailbox-to-mailbox food drive – is the same day as WSCGSD again this year (both are always on the second Saturday in May), so whether you will be shopping or selling, set out your bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox/door/etc. first thing that morning.
Just found out about this event set for tomorrow afternoon at Bethaday Community Learning Space in White Center:
The Racial Equity Team (RET) – a People of Color-led group of lobbyists of color and community organizations focused on helping communities of color – invites you to our Tribal Lunch and Learn where Native leaders will speak on Native issues in Washington.
Many folks have taken for granted the original people of this land. The genocide of Native peoples continues through widespread discrimination and systematic lack of resources. As we strive to help our brothers and sisters in the Native community, we must first better understand their communitywide needs from those who have firsthand knowledge.
Who:
Senator John McCoy (left), one of the few Native American legislators currently serving
Former Senator Claudia Kauffman (right), first Native American woman in WA legislature
Aren Sparck, Cup’ik, Government Affairs Officer of Seattle Indian Health Board
Eir Cheeka, Early Native Learning Coordinator, WCCDAWhen: April 11, 12-1:30 PM
Where: Bethaday Community Learning Space, 605 SW 108th St
This legislative session, the RET watched several bills pertaining to Native communities: HB 2267 – Indigenous Peoples Day; SB 6384 – Wanaput Band at Priest Rapids; SB 6131 – Providing tuition waivers equal to 50% cut to students who are enrolled members of a federally recognized Tribe; $150k budget request for Native Action Network; and HB 2761 – Improving child placement stability that includes Indian Child Welfare Act.
It is tremendously important that we work together to better understand and serve our Native communities in Washington state. Hearing from Native leaders is the first step in this process. We hope to see you there.
Thanks to Mark Ufkes for forwarding the announcement.
(Northern Flicker, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Here are the highlights of what’s happening around West Seattle for the rest of today/tonight:
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE SPECIAL MEETING: As we reported on Monday, South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) is proposing cancellation of its Pastry and Baking Arts program. A special meeting of the president and cabinet is planned at 2 pm:
South Seattle College’s president and cabinet are holding a special meeting from 2 to 3 p.m. on April 10 in the President’s Boardroom (RSB 30) to hear from Pastry & Baking Arts faculty, students, alumni and supporters. The meeting is open to the public. That feedback will help inform the president’s decision on making a closure recommendation to the chancellor.
(6000 16th SW)
SPRING BREAK PROJECT? Maybe the West Seattle Tool Library has what you need. It’s open 5-8 pm on the northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
SOUTH DELRIDGE COMMUNITY GROUP: Everyone who lives and/or works in South Delridge is welcome at the monthly South Delridge Community Group meeting, 7 pm at Two Fingers Social. And even if you can’t make it to the meeting, SDCG would love to see you at Saturday morning’s community cleanup. (9211 Delridge Way SW)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Everyone who lives and/or works in Fauntleroy is welcome at the monthly Fauntleroy Community Association board meeting, 7 pm at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (meeting room right inside the front door). This month’s agenda is in our calendar listing. (9131 California SW)
‘PARKS AND RECREATION’ TRIVIA NIGHT: 7 pm at Ounces: “How much do you know about the gang from Pawnee, IN? Trivia is FREE to play! Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd!” (3809 Delridge Way SW)
FREE LEGAL CLINIC: Call this morning to see if there’s an appointment available during the free community legal clinic offered at the Senior Center of West Seattle, with appointments starting at 7 pm. (4217 SW Oregon)
SEE OUR FULL CALENDAR for more of what’s up (including library activities)! And let us know what’s going on with your organization/school/business/etc. – e-mail event info to editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
Three weeks until May 1st, your chance to start the day by cheering for this year’s Westside Awards winners – and to hear from restaurateur Joe Fugere, just announced by the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce as the keynote speaker for the awards breakfast. He’s also an advocate for Seattle’s small-business community, currently co-chairing the mayor’s Small Business Advisory Council. Fugere founded Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria in Columbia City in 2004 and now has five locations around the Seattle area, along with the Hollywood Tavern in Woodinville. He received White House recognition in 2010 for contributing to economic recovery. The Chamber says he will talk about “the importance of values and purpose when running a successful business” as well as “leaning forward … the power of getting outside your comfort zone as a business owner.” (Read more about him and Tutta Bella here.)
If you missed the announcement – this year’s winners are Husky Deli as Business of the Year, Alair as Emerging Business of the Year, Senior Center of West Seattle as Nonprofit of the Year, and Lora Swift as Westsider of the Year. The awards breakfast starts at 7:30 am May 1st at Salty’s on Alki (1936 Harbor SW; WSB sponsor). Here’s how to get your ticket(s)!
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:52 AM: Good morning. We start with a crash on the NB 1st Avenue S. Bridge, reported to be blocking the left lane. No transit alerts. Weather-wise – the rain is back.
7:22 AM: some progress on the 1st Ave S. Bridge – tow truck on scene.
7:45 AM: All clear.
A few notes on what’s planned where:
ADMIRAL TOWNHOUSES: The photo is from Graham, who says his neighborhood has long been watching to see what will happen with 2329 48th SW, where the sign has now gone up for a project that will replace a 59-year-old house with seven townhouses – one 5-unit building, one 2-unit building. The site is zoned Lowrise 1. This address hasn’t yet shown up in the city’s Land Use Information Bulletin, which is usually the announcement of a 2-week comment period.
PIGEON POINT TOWNHOUSES: A notice of application that was published today in the aforementioned LUIB opens a comment period for a 6-townhouse, 6-parking-space project at 3850 22nd SW. The notice explains how to comment by the April 23rd deadline. This is one of multiple development proposals on the block, as we mentioned last month.
SOUTH DELRIDGE TOWNHOUSES: A demolition permit is being sought for 9025 17th SW, which went through Streamlined Design Review (the no-meeting type of DR) for the 4-townhouse, 2-parking-space plan.
MORE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MEETINGS AHEAD: The formal notices are not out yet but here’s what’s been added to the online schedule: The Lam Bow Apartments building to replace the one demolished after the 2016 fire will go to the SW Design Review Board on May 3rd. Here’s the “design packet”:
Then on May 17th, the board is scheduled to take another look at 1250 Alki SW, the downscaled SolTerra project, where one house was moved offsite and 4 remain, facing demolition. The project is currently proposed for 40 units and 76 offstreet parking spaces; that’s fewer units and more parking than when the revised project went before the board for Early Design Guidance last May.
Family and friends are remembering Robert J. Ross, Jr., and sharing this with the community:
Robert J. Ross Jr. 2/05/1955 – 4/01/2018
Beloved son, brother and uncle.
Rob graduated from West Seattle High School in 1973 and worked for several years before attending college. He graduated with a double major from the University of Washington. Rob worked with at-risk youth in Seattle at SEAMAR. An avid snow skier, bicyclist, soccer and baseball player in his younger years, Rob had lots of friends. Later in life he liked his solitude, but still attended Mariners games as well as local high-school games. He lived in and around West Seattle all of his life, coining himself “The Mayor of Alki.” Rob was a funny, kind, sensitive man who will be missed by all who knew him.
Rob was preceded in death by his father Robert J Ross. He is survived by his mother Frances Ross, sisters Kris Peterson and Megan Ross, niece Brynne Kelly (Pat), and nephew Sean Donovan. A celebration of life will be held in his honor this summer. Friends and family will be notified of date, place and time. RIP Robbie. We miss you.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
Recent sightings off our shores:
Gary Jones photographed FVF Chenega, fast-ferry catamaran from the Alaska Marine Highway System, this afternoon as it was under tow northbound in Puget Sound. Online research reveals it’s been docked at Vigor‘s Tacoma facility for a year and a half. Earlier this year, Alaska sought bids for towing it to Ketchikan by the end of this month.
Speaking of Vigor, the company is involved with another passenger ferry sighting from a week and a half ago:
Carolyn Newman sent that photo on March 30th, but we didn’t get to share it at the time. She spotted it off Vigor, which has been building new foot ferries for the San Francisco Bay fleet and is scheduled to deliver two this year – building the hulls at its Ballard yard, the rest on Harbor Island.
(March photo courtesy South Seattle College)
You might remember that creative cake we featured last month, a commissioned creation of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) Pastry and Baking Arts program. This month, students, instructors, and supporters of the program are dealing with some not-so-sweet news: The program may be on its last legs. After getting word of this a few days ago, from a student who said, “The chefs told us … and it was a room full of crying people. A program that has been around for decades will be gone.” We sought confirmation from the college and received this statement today as confirmation:
After completing a program viability process, South Seattle College’s Vice President of Instruction (VPI) has made the recommendation to close the Pastry & Baking Arts program.
The VPI’s recommendation is based on low enrollment and high costs to administer the pastry program as the college addresses a challenging budget environment. The recommendation is not a reflection of the quality of the program or instruction provided to our students.
If the decision is made to close the program, the Office of Instruction’s main focus will be supporting currently enrolled students. Options to be considered include running the program until current students are able to complete their degrees or certificates, and transferring students to similar programs in the area. Human resources will provide support to impacted faculty and staff.
The VPI’s recommendation is made to the college president, who then makes the decision on whether to recommend program closure to Seattle Colleges’ chancellor. The chancellor makes the final determination.
Special Cabinet Meeting on April 10
South Seattle College’s president and cabinet are holding a special meeting from 2 to 3 p.m. on April 10 in the President’s Boardroom (RSB 30) to hear from Pastry & Baking Arts faculty, students, alumni and supporters. The meeting is open to the public. That feedback will help inform the president’s decision on making a closure recommendation to the chancellor.
A program graduate who contacted WSB says supporters plan to be there en masse to make the case for keeping the program. This is not the only manifestation of budget challenges at the college – before spring-quarter enrollment, some planned classes in unspecified areas were canceled, the college confirmed to us. Communications director Ty Swenson had told WSB at the time, “Looking at the big picture, South and many other community colleges have seen declining enrollment over the past several years with a strong economy and low unemployment (which typically drives potential and current students into the workforce instead). At the state level, funding for the community and technical college system has steadily declined. Locally, we’ve seen the cost of living rise dramatically in our service-area neighborhoods, causing lower and middle-income families we traditionally serve to move out of the area (which can also impact enrollment).”
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip – the transient killer whales that have been in the area today took a turn into Elliott Bay! And, she says, a TV helicopter is over them right now. Let us know if you see them!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
While the decision on another year for Camp Second Chance at the Myers Way Parcels is pending, sentiment is swirling about changing the city rules that currently limit encampments to two city-sanctioned years.
That was one of the notable side issues that arose during the monthly meeting of the C2C Community Advisory Committee on Sunday afternoon.
The camp, you might recall, is currently waiting to hear from the city on whether its permit to be at the city-owned Myers Way Parcels will be extended for what the city will consider a “second year,” though the first year didn’t start until the camp had already been there nine months. The one-year-with-one-possible-year-of-renewal was a promise made before the city funding was finalized last year, and it’s the current rule for all of the city’s sanctioned encampments.
When Sunday’s meeting got to open-discussion time, a resident of Arrowhead Gardens – the senior-living complex where the committee meets, a few blocks north of the encampment – asked who “absorbs the expense” if and when the camp has to be relocated.
(Cooper’s Hawk, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
A few things you might want to know about, before the day’s much further along:
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE PRESIDENT FINALIST FORUM: The first of four public forums with finalists for the presidency at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) is today, 1:30 pm-2:30 pm in the Olympic Hall auditorium on the south end of campus. Today’s forum features Dr. Tod Treat, currently Executive VP for Academic and Student Affairs at Tacoma Community College. (6000 16th SW)
TINKERLAB: School’s out for many and it’s a good time to dive into the spring Tinkerlab STEM-themed-craft series at Delridge Library, 4 pm. Free, all ages. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
EVENING BOOK GROUPS AT 2 LIBRARIES: At Southwest and West Seattle (Admiral) branches, it’s Evening Book Group night, 6:45 pm start for both. At WS (2306 42nd SW), this month’s book is “The Bookseller of Kabul” by Asne Seierstad. At SW (9010 35th SW), this month’s book is “Etta and Otto and Russell and James” by Emma Hooper.
FREE IN-STORE CONCERT: 7 pm at Easy Street Records in The Junction, all the way from France, it’s Les Lullies in concert, all ages! (California/Alaska)
FAUNTLEROY DOCK PAVING PROJECT BEGINS: We reminded you during the morning traffic coverage but here’s one more reminder – 6 weeks of what’s expected to be noisy nighttime work at the Fauntleroy ferry dock starts tonight, 7 pm-4 am, as previewed here.
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE … on our complete calendar page, covering days, weeks, months ahead!
9:25 AM: Thanks to Josh for the tip! We just confirmed via a trip to the Westwood Village post office that its drive-up/ride-up mailbox is being reinstalled, almost four months after removal last December. The removal came more than a week after it had been taped off, with a handwritten sign declaring it “broken and unsecure.” Its last removal, in 2015, also lasted about four months. As you can see in our photo, it’s just arrived, so don’t go rushing off to use it just yet.
10:36 AM: Just went back to the post office to check; the mailbox is operational.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:49 AM: Good morning! No traffic incidents or transit alerts reported in the area so far this morning.
SPRING BREAK: Seattle Public Schools and independent schools that follow its schedule are out all week.
FAUNTLEROY DOCK PAVING: Six weeks of work, scheduled to start tonight and continue Mondays-Thursdays, 7 pm-4 am.
Thanks to Craig Page for the photo and report:
We’d like to share with our community that the Highline Premier FC Girls ’02 team won the Gold Division Washington Cup this weekend. Several players live in West Seattle and attend West Seattle, Chief Sealth, and Kennedy High Schools. The team will go on to play regionals in Idaho in June. This group of young ladies has been together for several years and worked hard all season to accomplish this goal. We’re very proud of the players, the dedicated coaching staff (John and Abraham), and this local soccer club!
The final match was this morning at Starfire in Tukwila.
The weekend weather improved just in time for one of the last spotlight events of the day – this afternoon’s planting party at Puget Ridge Edible Park (18th/Brandon – map).
Stu Hennessey (above center, standing) and other community members pitched the plan to Seattle Parks 8+ years ago, and the city bought the site with levy money. We reported on the site’s history back in 2011.
Today, volunteers were planting lettuce today; other greens planted earlier in the year are coming in. You can get involved both with tending PREP and sharing in the harvest – monthly work parties are always the second Sunday this time of year, 4-6 pm, so the next one is Sunday, May 13th – bring tools and seeds if you have them!
Thanks to Sarah Blum for the report and photos from one of the events spotlighted here on Saturday:
Saturday night, April 7th was the seventh annual Duwamish Rowing Club FUNdraiser and not only was it a fun event that drew in a crowd of supporters, but it offered many prizes.
From a day on the King Gustav yacht owned by head coach Mike Merta and his wife Sherry Toy, to an Island Escape on Bainbridge Island that included a two-hour sail and dinner + a basket of wine and other goodies, and many other prizes in the raffle and silent auction.
Thanks to Sherry for the amazing chili and cornbread, Flying Fish for the great beers, and the youth team for the scrumptious desserts.
One of the highlights of the night was the interview done by Marcie Sillman of KUOW with Bill Tytus, from his rowing and coaching days to designing rowing shells to his ownership of Pocock Racing Shells. One memorable moment was his focus on finding the magical “swing” while rowing.
As advertised, it was a fun event that raised much needed monies to support the club’s growing youth and learn-to-row programs. Contact the club through duwamishrowingclub.org
DRC is based on the Duwamish River in South Park; the Saturday night event was held just up the hill at Highland Park Improvement Club.
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