West Seattle, Washington
22 Monday
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!
(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!
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.
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.
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.
(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.
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)
(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.
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, 2018Full 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)
(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.
As reported here a week and a half ago, the second of three levels of light-rail-route review has concluded and what’s known as the Golf Course/Alaska Junction/Tunnel proposal is under the microscope. A big part of the decisionmaking process involves station siting – and that’s a focus of a walk-and-talk tour you’re invited to join tomorrow. In case you haven’t already seen it on our calendar or heard about it some other way, we’re publishing this reminder tonight. The tour organizers at Feet First describes the plan as follows:
Join King County Council Chair Joe McDermott, Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, Sound Transit officials, and community leaders for a walking tour of proposed Sound Transit Link light rail station sites in West Seattle.
This event, sponsored by the pedestrian-advocacy group Feet First, will visit Link light rail station site alternatives at West Seattle Junction, Avalon, and Delridge.* Sound Transit is currently evaluating and gathering public input about station siting alternatives at these locations.
Sound Transit’s final selection of where the stations will go has big implications for how West Seattle will evolve over the coming decades, hopefully fostering the development of vibrant and walkable communities. On this walk, we will discuss trade-offs between the various site alternatives and how to ensure good walking access to the Sound Transit light rail system.
* the Delridge portion of the walk is optional.
You can RSVP here – the walk starts at Junction Plaza Park (42nd/Alaska) at 4:30 pm and if you’re along the whole way to Delridge, discussion is planned afterward at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW).
Every year, Seattle University oversees the citywide Public Safety Survey about crime, safety, and policing, with findings that are then reported to SPD – and you. If you’d like to take this year’s survey, it’s now open – go here to start (and note the variety of language options). Want to know more first? Here’s the announcement published when results of last year’s survey were released.
P.S. If you want to talk about crime/safety in a more immediate manner – remember that tomorrow (Tuesday, October 16th) brings the last West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting of the year, 7 pm at the Southwest Precinct (2300 SW Webster).
You might recall our report last Friday about a power outage at West Seattle Stadium – forcing O’Dea, which plays home games there, to move its homecoming game to its opponent’s field at Rainier Beach HS. The outage was resolved at some point late Friday night/early Saturday morning, but with no announcement of the cause, so we followed up today with Seattle City Light. Spokesperson Scott Thomsen tells WSB that the stadium outage “was caused by the failure of a piece of underground equipment called an elbow. This is a connector for an underground cable and another piece of equipment that bends at an angle, like an elbow.”
A local business has moved, and that’s a springboard to a development update. Salon West has cleared out of 7009 California SW, and according to what’s posted on the window, is moving to the former Tiffany’s salon at 2738 Alki SW (the space actually fronts 61st SW, behind B’s Po Boy and north of the Homestead). This is happening as development plans for the south Morgan Junction site proceed; we first reported back in May that a four-townhouse development was proposed for part of the block starting at the dog-care corner (formerly Stella Ruffington, now Good Dog). The newest site plan in the city’s online files shows five townhouses proposed for 7001-7009 California SW (the latter was Salon West’s address). If you’re wondering about the southernmost business on the block, Caffe Ladro‘s Bob Ohly told us last time we checked in, “We are staying in our current building with a bit of a size adjustment, removing the old Bakery space. There will be a building facelift inside and out. We will at that time take ownership of the building.” This site-plan document covers that part of the project. All this is continuing to move through the permit system. It’s not the first redevelopment proposal for the site, but the first we’ve seen get anywhere near this far.
Above and here (PDF), you can see the proposed new schedule for the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route of Washington State Ferries. WSF has just released the draft for public comment, a week before starting a round of community meetings about the proposal. The accompanying message, via WSF spokesperson Hadley Rodero:
Over the past two years, WSF has engaged in a robust community process and has worked with the Triangle Task Force, local FACs, and the public to develop a draft schedule that considers customers’ needs and priorities. The result of these efforts is a draft sailing schedule that focuses on the afternoon peak commute westbound from Fauntleroy and adjusts eastbound sailing times in the morning from Southworth to better serve commuters. The draft schedule also aims to provide reliability, increase capacity, and regularly fill all sailings when a third 124-car Issaquah Class vessel begins serving the route.
In response to feedback from community members, King County Metro and Kitsap Transit staff, and WSF vessel and terminal employees on the timing of a schedule change, the new schedule will be implemented on March 31, 2019 at the beginning of the spring schedule. This will allow our transit partners to better align their schedules with ours and it will allow us to start the new schedule before the busy summer season.
We hope to hear from you or see you at a public meeting!
The first meeting is at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) one week from tomorrow – 5 to 7 pm Tuesday, October 23rd. You also can comment via e-mail – WSFPlanning@wsdot.wa.gov – deadline November 9th. It’s been two months since the Triangle Task Force got a look at two draft-schedule options (WSB coverage here). That group isn’t scheduled to meet again until next month, and will get a look at the feedback that’s starting now with the release of this proposal.
This year’s official West Seattle Junction Christmas-tree-lighting event is December 1st – still seven weeks away, so some people did a double-take when they noticed the tree all lit up this past weekend, including Melissa, who sent the photo. We recalled early installation and testing last year, and verified today with Junction Association executive director Lora Radford that the same thing is happening this year – easier to get it done before the fall rains arrive. (Although the forecast suggests they’re not likely to get going any time soon!)
Thanks to Tom Stoner for the photo. That was the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) headed northbound past West Seattle earlier today. It’s been back at Bremerton a little more than a month after the latest stint at sea getting ready for deployment. After deployment, it’s scheduled to relocate to Norfolk, Virginia, and the carrier USS Carl S. Vinson (CVN 70) will be moved to Bremerton for maintenance.
Saturday night, in the span of less than two hours and 4 blocks, police investigated two incidents that sent people to the hospital. What exactly had transpired wasn’t clear in the early going, so we requested and obtained both SPD report narratives this morning:
8800 BLOCK OF DELRIDGE: Here’s our Saturday coverage. The police report says the initial call to 911 was from someone saying she’d been called by her sister, who said her boyfriend had been stabbed and the suspects were “still there.” Police went to the apartment and found no one there – but they did find blood and broken glass. Outside the building, they found the girlfriend’s mother.
While they were talking to her, they found out that medics had been called to treat an injured man a short distance south, at Delridge/Henderson. He turned out to be the man who the girlfriend had said stabbed the victim, according to her mother. The man at Delridge/Henderson claimed his wounds were from trying to defend himself. In the meantime, the K9 team investigating near the original scene finally found the victim, who flagged them down. He was described as intoxicated and uncooperative, and made various claims about how he became injured. Then police found the girlfriend, who told police she used to date the alleged attacker, who is a longtime friend of her current boyfriend, and that the two men started arguing about the relationship. It turned violent, she said, with the former boyfriend breaking a bottle over the head of the current boyfriend, then stabbing him with a piece of broken glass, and trying to strangle her. The 35-year-old ex-boyfriend was eventually arrested and is in the King County Jail for investigation of assault.
9200 BLOCK OF 17TH SW: Here’s our Saturday coverage. According to the police report, a man knocked on the apartment door of a woman he knows in this building and said he had been shot. Police found him lying on her couch with a bullet wound to the left hamstring. The report said he was uncooperative, refusing to answer questions about the circumstances or location of the shooting. The acquaintance said she hadn’t seen anything but did hear a gunshot that seemed to have happened in the building’s parking lot; another person later told police he had been outside at the time and saw a group of five or six people who scattered after what sounded like a shot; a “light-colored mid-sized SUV” left the area shortly afterward. Police did not find any shooting evidence in the area. The report notes the Gang Unit is investigating.
(Harlequin duck, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Five options for your Monday:
AFTERNOON BOOK GROUP: 2 pm at Southwest Library. This month’s book is “State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett. (9010 35th SW)
MACRAME MEETUP: 6:30 pm at Bird on a Wire:
Macramé is a making a comeback! With the changing of seasons, what better way to cozy up inside than with some new friends and create some functional art? This is a great way for people to come together and along the way learn a new skill. The host will have some basic materials for the first mini-project (a small plant hanger). If you’ve got any materials you’d like to use, bring them!
Discussion about follow-up Macramé Meetups will be discussed – donations for the next project will be accepted as well as any ideas for what you’d like to make next! We’re looking to make this a monthly event happening at Bird on a Wire.
(3509 SW Henderson)
‘LIKE’: First area showing of this movie about social media and its effect on our lives. 7 pm at Seattle Lutheran High School – all welcome. (4100 SW Genesee)
WEST SEATTLE QUILTERS: Into quilting? Get/share advice and be part of group projects! 7 pm meeting at the Senior Center/Sisson Building. (4217 SW Oregon)
PUB QUIZ: 8 pm trivia at Shadowland in The Junction – info here. (4458 California SW)
LOOK AHEAD via our complete calendar and newly launched Halloween (Etc.) Guide!
Whatever your age – you can be afflicted by anxiety. The film “Angst“ seeks to raise awareness about it and what you can do – and this week you’re invited to a free local screening, 6:30 pm Thursday (October 18th):
Join Denny International Middle School for a special screening of Angst: Raising Awareness Around Anxiety, a film created to break the stigma around anxiety and open up the conversation around mental health.
Filmmakers believe there is power in watching as a community; power to change and permission to talk about it. The fifty-three minute film will be followed by a moderated discussion with mental health and school professionals.
This film will be sub-titled in Spanish. Appropriate for ages 10+. Childcare will be provided for children 4 to 10 years old.
Everyone’s invited, not just students and families. The auditorium is on the west side of the campus, at 2600 SW Thistle.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning! No transit alerts or incidents of note so far this Monday morning.
The first version of our 2018 West Seattle Halloween (Etc.) Guide is up – find it here! If you’re planning a seasonal event/activity/show that’s open to the public, free or fee, and you haven’t sent us the info yet, please e-mail the what/when/where to westseattleblog@gmail.com – we’ll be updating the guide daily as new info comes in. P.S. If you spot cool Halloween decorations, we’re interested in those too – please send the location and we’ll go look!
(WSB photos/video)
It didn’t have to be nighttime for the lanterns, and smiles, to shine brightly during the Children’s Moonlight Festival today at the Vietnamese Cultural Center in West Seattle. We arrived just in time for the lantern parade:
That was the culmination of today’s three-hour event at the center, the traditional autumn celebration known as Tết Nhi Đồng, featuring activities, games, and treats including moon cake.
Group photos are a tradition at center events.
The center’s longtime director is Lee Bui:
If you’ve never visited, the center is often open to visitors on Saturday afternoons (2236 SW Orchard).
| Comments Off on West Seattle schools: Highland Park Elementary Move-A-Thon in the fall sunshine