West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Denny International Middle School social-studies teacher Tracy Gill has been honored as “Regional Teacher of the Year” – and that puts her in the running for the 2019 Washington State Teacher of the Year award. The Seattle Public Schools announcement also says:
At Denny International Middle School, Tracy is a member of their Racial Equity Team; responsible for developing the capacity of staff to adopt gap-closing strategies and build awareness of the impact of race and poverty on learning. She is knowledgeable at working with students from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Tracy has been an active leader of Seattle Public Schools’ Ethnic Studies Working Group and has worked to coordinate the development of curriculum pilots which will be the foundation for a future Ethnic Studies curriculum. Her activism also extends to the Race and Equity Center of the Seattle Education Association, and she has participated in events to help develop the knowledge and understanding of Seattle teachers.
She is a member of the Seattle-King County NAACP Ethnic Studies Resolution Committee, the group that wrote the resolution that spurred Seattle Public Schools efforts to expand and improve ethnic studies in Seattle’s curriculum.
Gill teaches social studies to sixth-graders at Denny. The state Teacher of the Year, for which she is one of 10 contenders, will be announced next month. (Thanks to the texter who tipped us to this!)
(Photos by Dr. Cindy Elliser)
Next week – it’s a marine-mammal two-fer as The Whale Trail resumes its series of Orca Talks. At 7 pm Tuesday, September 4th, at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), here’s what you’ll see and hear:
Harbor porpoises are one of the most abundant animals in the Salish Sea, yet little is known about them. Pacific Mammal Research is dedicated to understanding more about this poorly understood population, using techniques such as photo-ID surveys and passive acoustic technology. Learn more about this shy and elusive species, and the research that is shedding new light on them.
The speaker, Dr. Cindy Elliser, has conducted marine mammal research for over 15 years. She worked with Dr. Denise Herzing and the Wild Dolphin Project studying Atlantic spotted and bottlenose dolphins in the Bahamas for 10 years before moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2014 and founding Pacific Mammal Research to study marine mammals in the Salish Sea. She also is an adjunct biology/chemistry instructor at Skagit Valley College.
Whale Trail founder Donna Sandstrom will also give an update on Governor Jay Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force (of which she is a member) and how you can become involved in protecting the Southern Resident orcas.
Admission is a suggested donation of $5 (kids free) – advance tickets are available here.
6:06 PM: Thanks to Barbara for the tip: Colman Pool closed early today because of a problem. Seattle Parks says they hope to be able to reopen tomorrow. We’ll check in the a.m. and include the info in our daily highlight list. This is the last full week of operation this year at the outdoor pool on Lincoln Park’s shore; after Labor Day, it’ll be closed except for one postseason weekend September 8th-9th.
8:21 PM: Parks now says swim lessons are canceled at Colman tomorrow because of the pump problem. No official call yet on the pool status beyond that.
9:12 AM TUESDAY: Closed today.
While Mayor Durkan looks for a permanent SDOT director – 8+ months after Scott Kubly‘s departure – she’s announced a new interim director to succeed Goran Sparrman. That new interim SDOT director is a former head of the state’s Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, Linea Laird. The mayor’s announcement says that Laird’s appointment takes effect Saturday (September 1st) and that she will “focus on upcoming permanent closure of the Alaska Way Viaduct and realignment of SR 99.” The same announcement also mentions that the mayor is seeking City Council approval for making three interim department directors permanent:
Calvin Goings, Interim Director of Department of Finance and Administrative Services; Sue McNab, Interim Director of the Seattle Department of Human Resources; and Andrés Mantilla, Interim Director of the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
Mantilla is a West Seattle resident who became interim Neighborhoods director 3+ months ago.
If you’re apartment-hunting in West Seattle, there’s still room at the new 4801 Fauntleroy Apartments – but they’re going fast. This new mixed-use building is one of our newest WSB sponsors.
The 4801 Fauntleroy Apartments are on the southwest corner of Fauntleroy and Edmunds, what local builder Joe Paar calls “workforce housing” during our recent tour. Nice, but not “luxury.” Since it’s a corner building, there’s a lot of windows, and a lot of light.
They’re a mix of sizes – including 2-bedroom units – all with their own washer-dryer, so you don’t have to deal with taking turns in a laundry room.
The building has a rooftop deck (more furniture on the way! grill and sink in place too) as well as some units with private decks/patios. It’s pet-friendly, too. No car parking; there’s a room with bicycle parking right off Edmunds, at street level. And RapidRide C Line buses stop barely a block away.
Another amenity: Hard-wired high-speed internet (with Wave). And more businesses opening in the area – the ground floor of 4801 Fauntleroy is the new home to Barre Bohemian, Spa Phoebe, City Nails, Pure Vape – all locally owned – and Joe says he’s planning to moving his business there too.
As of this morning, only 17 apartments remain available for leasing at 4801 Fauntleroy -one is a 2-bedroom for those who qualify in the MFTE program – and a variety of move-in specials are available, including:
$500 of Amazon gift script for any tenant who signs a disclosure and pays a deposit on their first tour/visit to the property.
Free September rent for all leases regardless of length or type.
Developer will pay October rent for any one-year lease.
Studio special at $1,275 plus utilities plus internet – “real studio units, not SEDUs.”
Discounts on remaining one- and two-bedroom units.
Call 971-217-8768, e-mail fauntleroyapartments@gmail.com, or stop in the on-site leasing office at 4801 Fauntleroy.
We thank 4801 Fauntleroy Apartments 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.
Two notes from today’s city-circulated Land Use Information Bulletin:
(King County Assessor website photos)
NEXT COMMENT PERIOD FOR 3084 AVALON MICROAPARTMENTS: The 7-story, 37-microapartment (“small efficiency dwelling unit”), no-offstreet-parking project at 3084 SW Avalon Way has gone through Administrative Design Review, and now, four months later, there’s a land-use-permit application. You have two weeks to comment – the “notice of application” linked here explains how.
TOWNHOUSES FOR 3852 BEACH DRIVE: That century-old house will be replaced with 3 townhouses and three offstreet-parking spaces under this proposal. Because it’s close to the shoreline, there’s a longer comment period, four weeks – the notice linked here explains how.
(Moss and rock “hearts,” spotted near Colman Pool)
Last full week of summer break for everyone who’s not back in school already! As it begins:
WADING POOL OPEN: Last full week for Lincoln Park wading pool, and Seattle Parks says it WILL be open today, 11 am-8 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
FILM HISTORY CLASS: 12:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Led by Terry Holm. (4217 SW Oregon)
END-OF-SUMMER PARTY: Everyone’s invited to High Point Library for an end-of-summer party, 4-7 pm – details here, including an ice-cream sundae bar starting at 6 pm. (3411 SW Raymond)
QUIZ NIGHT: 7:30 pm weekly all-ages, no-cover quiz night at The Skylark. Prizes! (3803 Delridge Way SW)
Two thefts in West Seattle Crime Watch:
STOLEN CAR: From Michele:
My blue 2008 Ford Escape was stolen in the wee hours of the morning 8/26 from on the street in front of my home in West Seattle (Westwood area) and I would really like it back! License AGW4639, with a bumper sticker “I’m proud of my Eagle Scouts” on the back window and license plate frame “University of Washington Alumni.” They have a half tank of gas so hopefully will not go too far!
Call 911 if you see it.
STOLEN MOPED: From Joshua:
On Thursday 8/23, my 1980 Honda Express 50 moped was stolen. It was parked on the west side of Harbor Ave SW in front of Moonbeam Coffee shop, directly across the street from the Seacrest ferry dock. The moped was stolen between approximately 6:15am and 2:00pm. The moped is light blue with a brown and white seat cover, though the seat cover is removable and the original seat underneath is black and white. It has a Washington state collectors vehicle license plate, number 441X. This case is being investigated by the Seattle police department as a felony and the report number is #18-316024. If anyone finds the moped or witnessed the theft, please contact the Seattle police department using the emergency 911 line and reference the police report number.
This moped was a gift from my now deceased grandfather and has a lot of sentimental value for our family. We appreciate your help in finding our missing vehicle.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:25 AM: A stalled vehicle is blocking the center lane on I-5 NB “just north of Columbian Way,” per WSDOT. That’s it for current issues on outbound routes.
8 AM: That has cleared.
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