day : 13/05/2018 9 results

Nine years ago, in a WSB series on “shop cats,” we featured the story of Seth, who lived at West Seattle Nursery. This past week, WSN’s Marie McKinsey tells us, Seth passed away, at what you might call his retirement home:

No one here ever set out to have a nursery cat, but Seth wandered into the nursery one day, took a look around, and decided that he belonged here. Since it was clear that he wasn’t going to leave, the nursery staff adopted him. He had a good career at the nursery and became friends with a lot of customers. Working in retail took its toll, though, and after 12 years on the job, he was ready to retire. Ingrid Nokes, our gift and houseplant buyer, took him home to live with her and her husband. They made a comfortable home for him to live out his remaining years. Ingrid says, “He was a great mouser and became quite the love kitty in his later years. We will miss him greatly!” Seth passed away peacefully (Wednesday) morning at home, curled up on his favorite pillow.

UPDATE: Hundreds gather to help thousands @ West Seattle Food Bank’s 2018 Instruments of Change

May 13, 2018 8:19 pm

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| How to help | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news

(UPDATED MONDAY with fundraising tally from Saturday’s event)

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

“Tonight we are here to be sure all our friends and neighbors in West Seattle have enough to eat.”

That’s how auctioneer/emcee Ian Lindsay summarized things for about 250 people who gathered last night for the West Seattle Food Bank‘s annual Instruments of Change dinner and auction.

The celebration at the Seattle Design Center honored a job that can’t go undone – but, the WSFB’s 17-year executive director Fran Yeatts (above), acknowledged, would ideally be unnecessary. “I am really sorry that we have to do this work,” she began, while explaining that it will make a difference for about 10,000 people in the community this year – some, just once; some, over and over again. Ten thousand also is how many people in West Seattle live below the federal poverty level, according to a video shown at the event.

The stats are eye-opening:

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SUMMER CAMP: Seattle Audubon camps in West Seattle still have room

May 13, 2018 6:07 pm

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| West Seattle news | Wildlife

Still looking for summer camp? Seattle Audubon says it still has room in camps it’s offering this summer in West Seattle:

Nature Camp is for children entering grades 1-9, and all children in this age range are welcome. Our camp will be based at Explorer West Middle School, with two off-site field trips each week. Though there is a fee to attend, we have a generous scholarship fund so that all children may have a summer camp experience.

Nature Camp emphasizes experiential outdoor activities that instill an appreciation of nature for children and teens. Each week is a different theme, from Tide Pool Treasures (grades 1-3) to Habitat Restoration Rangers (grades 4-6) to Young Birders for middle schoolers. Sessions range from $210-$295 and includes two off-site field trips each week. Regular camp hours are 9 am-3:30 pm, with morning and afternoon extended care available.

The sessions are in July and August. You can register at seattleaudubon.org/sas/naturecamp.

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Reinforcement reveals history at Fauntleroy YMCA

May 13, 2018 4:23 pm

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| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

A project at the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) gym has opened the door to revisiting history involving a window. Judy Pickens shares the story:

Anyone who’s played basketball at the Fauntleroy YMCA knows that a forceful throw could cause noticeable movement of the west wall of the gym. Now that structural weakness is being rectified through a joint project of the Y and Fauntleroy Church. (In the top photo, the boarded-up window framing is visible behind scaffolding as Potter Construction works to reinforce the west wall of the Fauntleroy gym.)

Large windows to let in natural light seemed like a good idea in 1914 when the community built the wood-frame facility to provide young people a place for sports, meetings, and manual training. This illustration showing the fully exposed windows appeared in a 1944 edition of the “Little Brown Church News” to keep service members from Fauntleroy up to date on local basketball activity.

The windows stayed until 1950, when more stability was needed for the building’s move to its present location to make way for a new sanctuary.

Full use of the gym is expected to resume by June 1.

(Image credits: Top photo by Monika Lindman; other two, from Fauntleroy Church archives.)

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PLAN A MURAL! Friends of Roxhill invites kids to upcoming workshops. P.S. Playground builders needed too!

May 13, 2018 3:04 pm

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| Nickelsville encampment | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

As Roxhill Elementary prepares to move to EC Hughes, it’s time to ramp up the community mural project at the new site. From Jenny Rose Ryan of Friends of Roxhill Elementary, a special invitation for kids (and read through to the P.S. for adults):

Friends of Roxhill Elementary (FoRE) is pleased to announce the selection of Henry Luke as the artist to lead our community mural project. To kick off the project and help develop our community’s vision, Henry invites youth ages 7 to 13 to a series of workshops in the upstairs meeting room at the Southwest Branch of the Seattle Public Library from 4 to 5 p.m. on three upcoming Friday afternoons: May 18, May 25 and June 1. All kids are welcome — not just those from Roxhill.

Our goal is to create a long-lasting piece of art that truly represents the history, culture, and aspirations of the people in the neighborhood who will see it every day. We are excited to work together with Henry to create a mural that reflects our hopes, dreams, and visions for the future while making connections with each other.

The mural will be located at the concrete retaining wall at the corner of 32nd Avenue SW and SW Holden Street, along the street side of Roxhill’s new home at the historic E.C. Hughes Elementary. If you are an adult interested in participating in the mural design or volunteering to help paint the mural, please contact us at friendsofroxhill@gmail.com. It will be painted this summer, after installation of our new playground.

P.S. Friends of Roxhill will also be hosting a community build day for our new playground at our new home at the renovated and restored E.C. Hughes, where Roxhill is moving in the fall. Volunteers will be supervised by our selected playground firm, PlayCreation, on June 2 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details are coming very soon — if interested now, you can sign up here. We have morning and afternoon shifts.

Both the mural and the playground have been made possible by a Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Neighborhood Matching Fund grant.

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TUESDAY: SPD, SDOT, and Sub Pop @ Admiral Neighborhood Association

May 13, 2018 1:12 pm

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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

The Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s every-other-month meeting is set for this Tuesday (May 15th), 6:30 pm, and ANA president Larry Wymer sends word of three major agenda items:

Officer John O’Neil – Community Policing Officer with the Seattle Police Department – will update the neighborhood on the state of policing in Admiral, with an open Q&A session to listen to any of our concerns and answer any questions we might have.

Mitch Lloyd will discuss, and obtain our feedback, on the planned extension of SDOT’s ‘West Seattle Neighborhood Greenway’ northward from Junction into Admiral to provide connections, and enhance safety of those walking and biking in West Seattle.

Kara Mattaini with Sub Pop Records will return to follow up on their March meeting presentation with additional details of their ‘30th Anniversary Party At Alki Beach’ on Saturday, August 11.

We will also get updates and discuss a summer full of fun activities including the Summer Concert Series, 4th of July Parade, the Float Dodger/Grand Parade, and Adopt-A-Street Cleanups; and get updates from our various committees.

The ANA meets at The Sanctuary at Admiral, at 2656 42nd SW. Our meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of every other month from 6:30-8:30 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

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ELECTION 2018: Lois Schipper announces run for 34th District State Senate seat

May 13, 2018 12:01 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Though five people participated in this past Wednesday’s State Senate candidates’ forum at the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting, we had only received official candidacy announcements from two. Now we have a third:

Public Health Nurse Lois Schipper formally announced she is running for the Washington State Senate. Schipper is a lifelong Democrat.

Schipper said, “Sunday is Mother’s Day. I want to serve in the Washington State Senate because I want to use my decades of experience as a public health nurse to give every mother the gift they most want on Mother’s Day – safe and healthy children.”

This Mother’s Day, Schipper reflects that her priorities in Olympia will always revolve around children and families: fully funding K-12 education, with an emphasis on special education and closing the achievement gap for low income kids and kids from communities of color; fighting the NRA to ban assault weapons and high-capacity clips; and cleaning up our upside-down tax system. “My work in our community has let me see that too many families are struggling,” says Schipper. “I want to take my expertise to Olympia to craft working solutions to these issues.”

Throughout her career, Schipper has led the fight to solve these needs and challenges, managing the King County Public Health Center that serves White Center and Burien. Earlier, Schipper was the first nurse in the 1980s supporting HIV-positive mothers and babies. Now, at Seattle Children’s Hospital, she leads a team helping non-English speaking families navigate the health care system.

“I think what I would bring to Olympia is my on-the-ground experience here in the 34th and in King County; working in the community, implementing programs, looking at what works, building teams across agencies,” said Schipper. “That’s the kind of work that’s necessary. I know how to bring diverse people – who often disagree – together to solve problems.”

Lois Schipper has deep ties to White Center – one of the most economically disadvantaged areas of King County. “Schipper deeply cares about underserved communities of color” according to Sili Savusa, executive director of the White Center Community Development Association. “Schipper understands what underserved communities need and she will deliver results in the legislature!”

In addition, Schipper served as PTSA president in both the Seattle and Highline School Districts, successfully leading school levy campaigns and serving as a PTSA legislative representative in Olympia.

John Welch, the former superintendent of the Highline School District, saw Lois’s efforts first-hand. “Lois got results through collaboration, perseverance and commitment,” says Welch, “I can’t imagine a more qualified and dedicated person to represent the 34th District.”

Schipper, who was a nurse in the Peace Corps, received her nursing degree from the Ohio State University and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Minnesota.

Schipper has been married to Mark Ufkes for 27 years and they have two sons who are both Eagle Scouts.

In Schipper’s own words, “As a public health nurse, I have dedicated my 30-year nursing career helping families and children live better lives. I want to bring my experience as a children’s health expert to represent you and your family in the State Senate in Olympia. The safety and health of children and families will always come first!”

The weeklong official filing period opens tomorrow. The two candidates from whom we previously received announcements are Shannon Braddock and Joe Nguyen. The seat is open because Sen. Sharon Nelson has announced she is not running for re-election.

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SPORTS: West Seattle High School athletes’ success at Metro track and field championships

May 13, 2018 10:30 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Thanks to West Seattle High School head track and field coach Will Harrison for the report:

West Seattle Boys 4th, Girls 10th among 16 Seattle Metro League Schools

It was a great showing for West Seattle HS athletes at the Seattle Metro League Championships at Southwest Athletic Complex, May 9th and 11th. The boys’ team compiled 51 points to tie defending champs O’Dea for 4th; the girls earned 34 points for 10th. Photos courtesy of Erik Bell.

The boys’ team was led by:
-Senior Cass Elliott defending his 300 hurdles title, winning in 37.76 seconds. He also placed 3rd in the 200m dash in 22.81 to score 16 points total.

(Elliott holds the state No. 1 mark this season in the 300m hurdles)

-Junior Rylee Farrison came up 3rd in the boys 400m in 51.28 and 4th in the 200m in 23.21 and to grab 11 points. Elliott and Farrison capped off the meet teaming with Seniors Jackson Delaney and Alec Maroon to place 3rd (worth 6 points) in a thrilling 4x400m relay in 3 minutes 27.6 seconds, dangerously close to the school record of 3:27.41 seconds from 2016 (Elliott and Farrison were on that team as well).

(Rylee Farrison)

-Senior Joe Kirk-Woodbury went out with a fantastic senior Metro performance, achieving personal bests for 2nd place in the discus throw (149 feet, 7 inches) and 4th in the shot put in (47 feet, 1.5 inches) to score 13 points. With two weeks left in the season, the discus school record of 150 feet, 6 inches (Jay Morgan in 2003) could be in jeopardy.

(Senior Joe-Kirk Woodbury was Metro Runner-Up in the discus throw Friday)

-The boys 4 x 100m relay team of seniors Abdifatah Jeylani and Lucas Bower and sophomores Tom Nguyen and Kahlel Kelley placed 5th in the 4×100 meter relay (44.63) to score 4 points. Jeylani also placed 8th in the 100m dash for an additional point.

Girls’ team highlights included:
-Junior Chloe Cunliffe defended her pole vault title by going 13 feet even. She also placed 6th in the long jump in 16 feet, 5.25 inches to score 13 points altogether.

(Cunliffe has the top mark in Washington this season)

-Senior Symmone Davis had a breakout meet which saw her advance to districts in 4 events (top 8 in Metro advance to that meet, next Wednesday/Friday at SWAC). She placed 2nd in the 100m hurdles (16.19), and 7th in the 300 hurdles finals in 50.53. seconds – though the big breakthrough came in the prelims for that race, in which she earned the 2nd overall time with a 47.73, an oh-so-close .03 seconds off Grace Sarver’s record from 2017. Davis’ efforts added 10 points for those events.

(Davis advanced to district in 2 individual events and helped 2 relays advance)

-She also helped 2 relays advance – the 4x200m relay of Davis, sophomore Madison Kipley, senior Sierrah Bettin, and sophomore Katherine Long placed 5th in a season-best 1:48.54 (4 points); the 4x 100m of Davis, C. Cunliffe, Bettin, and sophomore Marissa Rackner placed 4th (5 points) in 51.36 seconds.

(Sophomore Madison Kipley was a key member of 2 relays)

-Sophomore Sophia Cunliffe placed 7th in long jump (2 points) with a leap of 16 feet, 5 inches.
-The 4x400m relay of Kipley, Bettin, freshman Evelyn Hootman, and sophomore Melody Potratz placed 9th in 4 minutes, 15.78 seconds, and sophomore Malia Proctor threw 77 feet, 4 inches, also for 9th- thus earning spots as 1st alternates for the district meet next week.

The Nathan Hale Boys won the meet with 86 point (by ½ point over Bishop Blanchet) and the Holy Names Academy girls won with 83 points (by 2 over Seattle Prep). Full results can be found here.

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West Seattle Sunday: Happy Mother’s Day!

May 13, 2018 6:07 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Whether or not you’re spending part of this day with your mom, here are highlights of what’s up:

(Lion dance at the Peony and Bamboo Festival on Saturday, photographed by David Hutchinson)

SEATTLE CHINESE GARDEN PEONY AND BAMBOO FESTIVAL: 10 am-4 pm, it’s the second and final day of the festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. (6000 16th SW)

WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: Produce, products, flowers, plants, beverages, ready-to-eat food … lots available at the WSFM, 10 am-2 pm, in the street in The Junction. (California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: Noon-4 pm Thursdays-Sundays, you are invited to visit the home of West Seattle’s history. (61st SW/SW Stevens)

‘BROKEN BONE BATHTUB’: Two West Seattle performances today – 2 and 4 pm – for this “strange, comforting, and magical” show. Make a reservation and they’ll tell you where to go. Our calendar listing explains.

MARC SMASON: Live music at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 3-5 pm. (5612 California SW)

PREVIEW THE WEEK AHEAD … via our complete calendar!

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