day : 16/10/2018 11 results

When Marcellus Turner, who leads the Seattle Public Library system, came to West Seattle for a community conversation earlier this month, we weren’t able to be there, but SPL told us they planned an online recap. That recap is now online, and if you’re among SPL’s thousands of local users, you might be interested. Along with a summary of what Turner told those in attendance at Southwest Library, you can also read how he responded to the following questions – on the recap page, each is followed by a plus sign you can click to see the response.

Are building renovations covered under the maintenance portion of the budget?

Is the Library allowed to pursue grants?

Do you approach local businesses to request in-kind services?

When I was growing up, librarians were strict. But now, kids are often noisy while playing games on computers, sometimes multiple people per one computer. It goes against what I feel is the proper use for the Library.

Different libraries seem to allow different levels of noise. Can we have a maximum noise level?

If there’s a group that gets consistent complaints, can they be removed?

I have inadvertently viewed material on the public computers at the Central Library that I didn’t want to see. What is being done to prevent that?

How is the Library addressing the needs of people who need quiet vs. people who need to make noise?

Can the Library have resources, programs and outreach focused on people with dementia?

Could we have more Young Adult titles in Peak Picks?

Can the Library loan more physical objects? For instance, a wooden shoe that kids could learn to tie shoes with.

If nobody is waiting for a book, why are we limited to only two renewals?

Please don’t shelve juvenile non-fiction with adult non-fiction – it makes it hard for me to find the kids books.

Is the Wi-Fi turned off at night?

I want to see book groups at every branch.

When we give our information to a third party company through the Library, like for streaming videos or e-books, is the info we give them protected by the Library’s privacy policy?

This was Turner’s only West Seattle stop in the current round of community conversations. SPL says about 30 people were there.

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West Seattle schools: Highland Park Elementary Move-A-Thon in the fall sunshine

October 16, 2018 8:33 pm

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| Highland Park | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Thanks to Highland Park Elementary PTA president Laura Olson for the photos and report:

The sun was shining for Highland Park Elementary’s second annual Move-A-Thon! Students wore their own individually tie-dyed spirit wear as they walked, skipped, and ran to the cheers of staff and parents.

A big thanks to our PTA volunteers who made this event possible and our sponsor Rain City West Screen Printing. While this was primarily a fitness celebration, it’s also a fundraiser. If you want to support the HPE PTA in it’s continuing good works, you are welcome to contribute!

Here’s how.

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DELRIDGE TRIANGLE: Interested in leading the next phase of its redesign?

October 16, 2018 6:40 pm

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| Delridge | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy WWRHAH)

With a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to help, local volunteers are ready to continue moving the Delridge Triangle into the future. Now, they’re ready for a partner. Here’s the announcement:

The Friends of the Delridge Triangle has now officially partnered with the Highland Park Improvement Club as our Fiscal Sponsor. We’ve now started the process of seeking a consultant or firm with expertise in planning, urban design, and/or landscape architecture to lead a series of public meetings to develop and deliver design concepts and cost estimates for the space located at 9200 Delridge Way.

If there are any local firms or consultants that are interested in submitting a response for consideration, the RFQ, support documentation and submissions process can be found at: delridgetriangle.org/rfq/

Submissions are due November 2nd. We hope to hear from interested professionals in the West Seattle community!

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FOLLOWUP: Admiral sidewalk section restored

October 16, 2018 4:20 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news

Thanks to Al and Andy for the tips! One week after we reported on the saga of the long-missing sidewalk section by the Admiral Way 7-11, it was finally restored today. Still closed for drying and finishing touches, of course.

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UPDATE: Car-on-side crash in Fairmount Ravine

October 16, 2018 3:24 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

3:24 PM: Thanks to Ben for the photo and word of that car-on-side crash in Fairmount Ravine under the Admiral Way Bridge. No SFD dispatch is logged for it, so apparently no injuries, and as shown in the photo, a tow truck was already on scene when he sent the photo a short time ago, but avoid the road – a popular cut-through from east Alki to Admiral – for a while.

3:52 PM: Just went through to check; the road’s clear.

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UPDATE: West Seattle gets second ballot dropbox

October 16, 2018 3:00 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

3 PM: Two years after getting its first permanent ballot dropbox from King County Elections, West Seattle is about to get a second one. Lora Radford of the West Seattle Junction Association has been working with KC Elections on a location for a dropbox in The Junction. She sends word that they expect “any day now” to install one on the south side of SW Alaska west of California SW: “I’m excited this box will be permanently located in the Junction.” The KCE website already shows it! West Seattle’s only dropbox until now has been along SW Raymond by the High Point Library, installed in 2016; that one will remain. General-election voting will start later this week, when ballots start showing up in voters’ mailboxes. If you’d rather drop your ballot in a mailbox, the new prepaid-postage program continues, too.

4:11 PM: Thanks to Angelo for noting in a comment that the box is now in place! Photo added above.

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Should the city spend a little more to keep Colman Pool open longer?

October 16, 2018 12:08 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(WSB file photo of Colman Pool)

Later this week, the Seattle City Council starts getting down to specifics in potential changes/additions to the mayor’s proposed budget plan. One group of West Seattleites thinks a little money could be spent to get a little more use out of a public asset in West Seattle: Colman Pool. If you agree, now’s the time to speak up. The 77-year-old, city-owned outdoor saltwater pool on the Lincoln Park shore is open less than three months a year – it opens for weekends from Memorial Day until mid-June, then daily until Labor Day, and usually a post-season weekend.

The photo above was shared by Venkat Balasubramani, one of a group of Colman Pool fans who gather for an end-of-season picnic and talked about campaigning to add some operating days to the pool as well as some funding to address its maintenance backlog. He says the issues brought up by pool users ranged from pump maintenance (you might recall that the pool was closed for four days this summer because of pump trouble) to the need for better, more thorough cleaning of dressing areas and pathways, as well as the restrooms, which the swimmers say also are desperately in need of toilet seats.

They’ve contacted our area’s Councilmember Lisa Herbold as well as Councilmember Debora Juarez, who chairs the committee that oversees parks and other public assets. Herbold’s staff told the swimmers that she has “submitted a ‘Form A’ in the budget process which requests additional funding to extend the use of the pool by one month every year and to add any funds necessary to fix the maintenance backlog.” But public support is required for changes to the budget, so if you’re interested in more use of/support for Colman Pool, there are two ways to show it:

-Send e-mail that goes to the entire council, council@seattle.gov
-Show up at the next major public hearing on the budget, 5:30 pm Tuesday, October 23, at City Hall downtown

For the request to move forward, Herbold’s staff told the swimmers, they need at least two other councilmembers to sign on as co-sponsors by the day after that hearing, October 24th.

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CONGRATULATIONS! Senior Center of West Seattle volunteer Jean Carroll honored doubly

October 16, 2018 11:00 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle people

Imagine getting a new award that is not only for your accomplishments but is also named in your honor for years ahead of honoring others! That just happened at the Senior Center of West Seattle, which shares the news:

The Senior Center of West Seattle held its yearly volunteer appreciation party to show our enormous love and gratitude to the more than 200 volunteers who donate their time, skill, and care that make it possible to do all that we do.

This year’s celebration was extra special in that we honored longtime volunteer Jean Carroll with the first annual Jean Carroll Extraordinary Volunteer Service Award. Jean has been a West Seattle resident for 86 years. Jean’s incredible dedication and commitment inspired us to create this award to recognize her 20+ years of volunteer service.

Not only are we honoring her this year, but this award will be given to a different volunteer each year who demonstrates these characteristics. Thank you, Jean, for the tens of thousands of hours of your time and expertise you have so generously given to the Center!

Jean was spotlighted in the center’s spring 2014 newsletter, which described her as helping with tasks from tracking hundreds of center memberships to leading prospective new members on tours to serving lunches in the center’s Junction Diner. Want to join her? Here’s how.

(Photo by Gail Ann Photography: Jean Carroll with the center’s executive director Lyle Evans)

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Highlights for your West Seattle Tuesday

October 16, 2018 9:31 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Fall colors on Admiral Way, photographed by Al)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, some of what’s up in the hours ahead:

FREE PLAY SPACE: Until noon, you and your kid(s) are invited to the free play space – with free WiFi and hot beverage(s) for you – at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene. (42nd SW/SW Juneau)

FOR THE LOVE OF TEA: 10 am at High Point Community Center: “A program sponsored by Seattle Parks & Recreation in partnership with the Seattle Chinese Garden offers a chance to experience a traditional Chinese gathering for making, serving, tasting, and sharing tea, plus a special poetry reading.” $12.50 program fee. (6920 34th SW)

HOUSING FAIR: 10 am at the Senior Center of West Seattle. Free lunch for those who visit at least four vendors; call to see if there’s still room. (4217 SW Oregon)

LIGHT RAIL WALK-AND-TALK: 4:30-6:30 pm, Feet First invites you to walk from The Junction to Delridge and talk about siting West Seattle’s future light-rail stations. Meet at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska). Optional post-walk discussion at Ounces. (3809 Delridge Way SW)

DEMENTIA CARE: 6-7:30 pm, Aegis Living of West Seattle (WSB sponsor) invites you to hear Lori La Bey talk about “Dementia Care; Shifting from Crisis to Comfort.” Details here. Free. (4700 SW Admiral Way)

‘PERFECT STORM: WHY TRUMP WON’: 6 pm at High Point Community Center, hear from Mike Purdy, presidential historian and the founder of PresidentialHistory.com. $7; get your seat by calling 206-684-7422 ASAP

EVENING BOOK GROUP: 6:30 pm at High Point Library. This month’s book is “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough. (3411 SW Raymond)

NEW GIVING GROUP: As previewed here, the new women’s giving group Impact West Seattle is launching tonight. 7 pm at South Park Hall. (1253 S. Cloverdale)

TALK WITH AND HEAR FROM POLICE: The last West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting of the year is tonight, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct. If you have neighborhood concerns, followup questions about local crimes, or anything else to ask police about it, this is your chance. Guest speaker too – the precinct’s Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner. (2300 SW Webster)

UNPLUGGED – A MUSICAL GATHERING: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), acoustic musicians and singers are warmly welcomed. (5612 California SW)

TRIVIA WITH GEEKS WHO DRINK: 8 pm at Whisky West (WSB sponsor), it’s trivia time! Here’s how last week went. (6451 California SW)

THAT’S JUST PART OF THE LIST! See our complete calendar here.

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2 memorial services planned for Joyce Carsten, 1930-2018

October 16, 2018 9:00 am

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| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends are remembering Joyce Carsten, and planning to gather at two memorial services scheduled later this month. Here’s what they are sharing with the community:

Joyce I Carsten
November 21, 1930 – October 2, 2018

Full of life, laughter and a dedication to community service, Joyce Carsten, 87 years old, passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 2.

Born in Tacoma to Floyd and Della Baker, she graduated from Stadium HS and obtained her teaching degree from WSU. Joyce enjoyed teaching third and fourth grade in the Highline School District and later worked as an audiometrist. She also volunteered through her church and community with many service projects such as refugee resettlement and local food banks.

Joyce met Walt, the love of her life, when she was student teaching, and they married in 1952. Joyce and Walt were blessed with 3 children and 59 wonderful years of marriage. She was also a mother to more than 20 Rotary and ICYE exchange students. Over the years, Joyce and Walt traveled around the world to visit these students, who were like their own children. As the grandchildren began to arrive, Joyce lovingly devoted a great deal of time to these 6 young people. The family will cherish the many special memories of family trips and time together with Joyce.

Joyce is survived by her children Christine Carsten (John Dickerson), Laurel Bushue (Christopher), and Bruce Carsten (Peri Young); grandchildren Toren Carsten, Laina Carsten, Conrad Chapman, Allison Bushue, Cara Chapman, and Emily Carsten. She was preceded in death by her husband Walter Carsten, her brother Floyd Baker, and her parents Floyd and Della Baker.

Services will be held at Fauntleroy Church UCC at 9140 California Ave. SW on Friday, October 26 at 1:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Fauntleroy Church Memorial Fund; Joyce was an active member for more than 50 years

There will be additional services at Judson Park at 23600 Marine Vw. Dr. S on Wednesday, October 24 at 2:00 pm. Joyce lived and loved her life at Judson Park for 10 years. Donations may also be made to the Judson Park Foundation.

(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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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch

October 16, 2018 6:52 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

6:52 AM: Good morning! So far this morning, no transit alerts or incidents of note reported outbound from West Seattle.

WEEKEND VIADUCT CLOSURE: Time to start reminding you that Highway 99 is scheduled to close in both directions next weekend (late Friday, October 19th, through early Monday, October 22nd) for the Alaskan Way Viaduct’s final planned inspection.

7:42 AM: Just crossed the bridge on a downtown errand. Standard pattern (backups in the 99 exit lane, and the leftbound lane starting before 1st). Sky’s absolutely clear this morning.

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