West Seattle, Washington
14 Sunday
ORIGINAL REPORT, 10:10 PM TUESDAY: Tonight, Seattle Public Schools teachers voted to authorize a strike if there’s no contract agreement before school starts on September 5th. One local school will be the site of informational picketing the next two days, according to this announcement just out of the WSB inbox:
This evening Seattle Education Association members voted to approve a strike, pending no tentative agreement by September 4th.
Genesee Hill Elementary School educators will be picketing Wednesday and Thursday from 3:30-4:30 outside of our building. We are calling on our district to bring us a fair contract that adequately compensates all educators in a city that has become increasingly expensive, fund full time counselors, nurses and librarians in all our schools and deeply develop our commitment to equity and racial justice, among other essential demands.
Our staff appreciates all support by family and community members. Please join us, bring your kids, and wear red for ed!
The district’s most-recent update was published yesterday. The teachers’ expired contract was reached three years ago after a strike that delayed the start of school.
ADDED 9:05 AM WEDNESDAY: Other schools’ teachers are picketing too. This photo was sent from outside West Seattle High School this morning:
We also were messaged about picketing this morning at Madison Middle School and Arbor Heights Elementary. And picketing is planned for an hour at Louisa Boren STEM K-8 starting just before 4 pm. And the district has updated its post on negotiations, noting that talks are scheduled to resume today.
8:42 PM: Tonight’s pink setting sun was a reminder there’s still smoke in the area – while not enough to hamper cross-Sound visibility, the Olympics were mostly out of view. The Washington Smoke Information website says you can blame BC fires for that, and the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency adds:
We may see some smoke from the Vancouver Island fires Wednesday morning, which could cause levels to briefly reach MODERATE or UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS. Rain and clouds are expected to follow that evening and into Thursday which should keep our long-term AQ in the GOOD to MODERATE through Friday.
ADDED: Thanks to Tiff Rivera for these views of the sunset and moonrise:
(Closure-alert sign at south Lincoln Park lot – thanks to Venkat for the photo)
Thanks for the tips! The phone recording for Colman Pool now says it will be closed again Wednesday. The outdoor pool on Lincoln Park’s shore has been closed since Monday afternoon because of mechanical trouble. This is the last week of the pool’s short summer 7-days-a-week schedule; after Labor Day, it’s scheduled to close until one last post-season weekend, September 8-9.
7:30 PM WEDNESDAY NOTE: Just checked web, Twitter, phone and not seeing/hearing anything yet on status for Thursday.
12:01 AM THURSDAY NOTE: We checked again, no update yet for the day ahead.
Still a few more days to give to the West Seattle Helpline‘s back-to-school clothing drive – we asked what’s most needed:
The Back to School Clothing Drive at C & P Coffee benefiting West Seattle Helpline is still in need of donations! Help us ensure every student starts school feeling confident and comfortable in their clothes! We are specifically looking for new clothing sizes 5-11, and husky sizes for boys. You can drop clothing donations off inside C & P Coffee Company at 5612 California Ave SW in West Seattle. Thank you!
Three road-related notes:
SCHOOL-BUS TEST RUNS: Thanks to local school-bus driver Al for pointing out that it’s test-run time for Seattle Public Schools‘s First Student drivers. We spotted the bus above making a test run through Highland Park and on to the Denny/Sealth campus. Al says drivers will be out tomorrow too. First day of school is scheduled for Wednesday, September 5th (assuming the teachers’ contract is resolved).
BRIDGE/99 PAINTING: SDOT says that if you have to drive the high West Seattle Bridge overnight tonight/early tomorrow, you might encounter a stripe-painting crew, 1-7 (corrected) *am*. Same thing for Highway 99, from East Marginal Way northward, early Friday.
(WSB photo: Picketers in Georgetown)
PROJECTS AFFECTED BY STRIKE: Determining which projects are and aren’t affected by the IUOE Local 302 construction workers’ strike is complicated, but SDOT’s LeAnne Nelson tells WSB that two of its worksites in West Seattle are among those involved so far: The Arbor Heights sidewalk project on 35th SW and the Chief Sealth Walkways project at 25th/26th north of Westwood Village. The union says it met briefly with employer reps yesterday but that no progress was made.
(WSB photo from 2017 ‘A Grand Affair’)
Less than a week until ticket prices go up for “A Grand Affair,” the annual cocktail-and-casino-style-games benefit for the West Seattle Food Bank. This year, it’s back in West Seattle – at The Sanctuary at Admiral, 6:30 pm Friday, September 14th. It’s a Roaring ’20s-themed cocktail party with casino-style games, hosted wine and beer, heavy appetizers, plus local favorites such as Husky Deli ice cream (served by Jack Miller himself) and specialty cocktails from Peel & Press and The Bridge. Get your ticket(s) here before the price goes up Sunday. (Event co-sponsors include WSB.)
The Swinery co-owner Kim Anne Léveillé wants to be sure you know the shop/eatery is taking a break starting this Friday: “We will be closed for vacation on August 31 and will re-open on September 7th.” The Swinery’s been open almost 9 years at 3207 California SW.
(Monday night’s sunset, photographed by Marc Milrod)
Quick look at what’s ahead for the rest of today/tonight during this pre-holiday week:
COLMAN POOL CLOSED: The pump problems aren’t fixed yet, so as previously noted, the outdoor pool at Lincoln Park remains closed today.
WADING POOL OPEN: The Lincoln Park wading pool is open, 11 am-8 pm. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
WEEKLY FARMSTAND: Delridge Grocery Co-op‘s farmstand with the Little Red Hen Project and ROAR continues today in the Shell parking lot, 3-7 pm. (5441 Delridge Way SW)
TALK ABOUT HIKING WITH KIDS: 3 pm at Lincoln Park‘s north play area, hear from and talk with Susan Elderkin, author of the just-published “Best Hikes With Kids: Western Washington” – details in our calendar listing. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT DEGREE INFO: Interested in a new career direction? Get info tonight about this program at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor):
South Seattle College’s two-year (six quarter) Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Hospitality Management degree program is specially designed to fit into the lives of Seattle’s busy working professionals and new graduates. Build on your two-year Associate degree, while learning the ins and outs of the hospitality industry…from marketing and sales, to management and human resources.
6-7 pm at the Northwest Wine Academy on the north end of campus. (6000 16th SW)
‘GEEKS WHO DRINK’ TRIVIA: 8 pm at Whisky West (WSB sponsor). What’s it like? Here’s the recap of how it went last week. (6451 California SW)
WHAT ELSE? Semi-quiet this week but things rev up for fall and winter soon and we’re continuing to add to our calendar daily – see it any time here, and if you have something to add, please e-mail us the info, westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photo from April’s Recycle Roundup)
Time to start getting your recyclables together for the fall Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church. Judy Pickens sends the reminder that it’s set for 9 am-3 pm Sunday, September 23rd – drive, ride, walk to the church lot (9140 California SW) with your recyclables and drop them off with 1 Green Planet. Here’s the newest list of what they will and won’t be accepting – free of charge (though donations are always welcome to help the church’s Green Committee continue presenting the twice-yearly Recycle Roundups).
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
7:06 AM: Good morning. No incidents outbound from West Seattle so far. But a texter says the signal at Delridge/Juneau seems to be malfunctioning – cycling through too quickly – and traffic there is backing up.
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