West Seattle, Washington
13 Saturday
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The largest senior center in Seattle is in the heart of The Junction.
That’s one of the facts served up with breakfast today as Senior Center of West Seattle supporters gathered for its annual early-morning benefit.
The hundreds who filled the Masonic Center for the occasion also learned that SCWS served almost 4,500 people last year alone.
Those who benefit from it aren’t just seniors. It’s the only community center-type facility in The Junction, and that means it’s the scene of countless meetings, gatherings, and events – from Rainbow Bingo to mayoral town halls.
The annual breakfast – this year, themed “Joy Is in the Journey” – has grown so popular, it had to move to a larger venue. But the 11th annual fundraiser was full of the flavor that permeates the center. (Another fact: You don’t have to be a member to use SCWS services.)
Breakfastgoers were serenaded with piano classics as well as ukulele music by The Ukes (Unique Kinds of Entertainers), a Senior Center program. Vice chair Amy Lee Derenthal introduced The Ukes after welcoming guests on behalf of the board. (Apropos to the “journey” theme, they started with “Sea Cruise.”)
In case you didn’t get this via a text alert or see it elsewhere: Metro has an online survey under way, asking you to agree/disagree with statements in categories including: Availability (including “The bus service is usually reliable”), accessibility (such as “It is easy to move around inside the bus”), information (“It is easy to get up to the minute information on when my bus will arrive”), time (“The bus gets me to my destination in good time”), customer care (“Staff are helpful”), comfort (“The bus is clean”), security, environmental impact, and more. It’s described as for everyone even if you seldom use the bus. If you have a few minutes to spare, go here.
Three quick notes about spoken-for spaces in The Junction:
MOVING FROM MORGAN JUNCTION: We mentioned back in January that TouchTech Systems had moved out of 4517 California SW. As of May 1st, that’ll be the new home of the Farmers’ Insurance office that’s currently at 7007 California SW, according to a sign posted on the window at that building.
As we’ve reported previously, redevelopment is on the way for that Morgan Junction site.
ROW HOUSE: This national fitness chain is expanding into Seattle and is on its way to one of The Junction’s newest commercial spaces, 4203 SW Oregon, ground floor at the AJ Apartments. The chain’s website says it offers a “full-body, low-impact, high-energy rowing experience.” (Added 6:22 pm) They’re hoping to be open in August.
STARCYCLE: Just a block away, this too is a branch of a multi-state fitness company, specializing in indoor cycling. StarCycle is on the way to a commercial space at the Adell Apartments, almost complete at 4532 42nd SW.
We’ve learned more about a police and fire response that drew some attention along Avalon Way east of 35th early Monday morning. A 23-year-old woman is recovering from injuries and a 42-year-old man is in jail after what’s under investigation as a case of assault. The police-report narrative says multiple 911 callers reported a woman screaming and two other voices. The victim said she was sitting outside her apartment building when she saw the man and his girlfriend, who, she told officers, she often sees, as they live nearby. She asked him to return a lighter she had loaned him a year or so earlier; an argument ensued, and, she said, he punched her in the face five times, knocking her down. The man’s girlfriend tried to stop him, the victim said; finally they went back into their building. The report says police found the suspect’s apartment by following a trail of blood. He claimed what he did was in self-defense, saying he had been hit, but police found no injuries to confirm that. He is in jail, held in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Several West Seattle churches share their campuses with schools. One asked us to share this news as they search for a new tenant:
Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation in the Gatewood neighborhood is very sad to receive the news that our tenant of eight years, “Sweet Pea Preschool of the Arts,” will be closing their West Seattle campus in our building as of June 30, 2019. We have very much enjoyed sharing space with Sweet Pea and wish this group the best. Westside UU Church will have space available for a new non-profit organization to rent. If interested, please contact our administrator at office@wsuu.org.
We have a message out to the school, which also has campuses in other Seattle neighborhoods, to ask about their future plans. WSUU is at 7141 California SW.
Got a dog? Enjoy traveling? West Seattleite Brandie Ahlgren, founder/editor of CityDog Magazine, is getting ready to publish a book you might enjoy – but first, a bit of crowdfunding:
after 13 years of digging up the best places to sit, stay, and play with your pooch in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve compiled it all into one place, a 200-page, full-color guidebook called the Doggone Travel+Adventure Guide. As you can imagine, printing a full-color book is not cheap, but worth it with over 350 photos shot by Northwest professional photographers! Anyway, we recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to cover half of the printing and with just nine days to go, we are 50% to our goal. One of the pledge levels includes a photo of your dog in the book.
Here’s a sneak peek at the book; if you want to help with the crowdfunding, go here.
10:01 AM: Just in from Kersti Muul – orca alert! She says a small group, probably transients, is headed southbound, off Alki. Let us know if you see them!
11:11 AM: David Hutchinson saw them – from Constellation Park – and sent the photo we just added above.
1:55 PM: Kersti reports in comments that they are headed back northbound!
2:25 PM: Update from Kersti – they’re “just north of the Fauntleroy ferry, NB on the east side of the channel.” Research boat headed that way, too.
Remember the nest reminder last month, courtesy of Kersti Muul? She sent the photographic update above, showing baby hummingbirds that hatched almost three weeks ago. The reminder still stands … be careful with shrubbery/tree work! Now, on to a few calendar highlights:
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon lunch meeting at the Masonic Center. Guests welcome. Today’s scheduled program celebrates “Students of the Month.” (4736 40th SW)
KIDS CAFE: School’s out but the afternoon free meals continue for kids and teens, 2:45-3:45 pm at High Point Library. (3411 SW Raymond)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: The FCA‘s board meets at 7 pm; Fauntleroy Schoolhouse conference room, community members welcome. Agenda’s in our calendar listing. (9131 California SW)
FREE LEGAL CONSULTATION: Call before noon for an appointment, to see if there’s room at tonight’s 7-9 pm clinic at the Senior Center of West Seattle. (4217 SW Oregon)
(Monday evening photo by David Hutchinson)
J.D. HOBSON BAND: 8:30 pm at Parliament Tavern: “Groovy, soulful blues and Americana.” 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SEE WHAT ELSE IS ON THE CALENDAR! Go here.
Drum roll … 70 sales and counting on the last day of the first week of registration for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2019 (presented/coordinated by WSB). If you’re still contemplating whether to have a sale or not, you have time – two more weeks of registration. The sale day is Saturday, May 11th, 9 am-3 pm, with some starting earlier and/or ending later. As we do each year, we’ll have the map ready to go in clickable and printable versions a week in advance. Here’s where to register.
P.S. It’s also time for us to start reminding you that Stamp Out Hunger – letter carriers’ door-to-door, mailbox-to-mailbox food drive – is the same day as WSCGSD as usual (both are always on the second Saturday in May), so whether you will be shopping or selling, if you can donate, please plan to set out your bag of nonperishable food by your mailbox/door/etc. that morning.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/ Is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE/ West Seattle-relevant traffic cams HERE)
7:02 AM: Good morning. No traffic or transit alerts so far in our area.
7:43 AM: SDOT reports, “Collision on E Marginal Way S at 1st Ave S blocking NB right lane and SB right lane.”
8:37 AM: If you are a late-night/early-morning Highway 99 driver/rider, take note of these closures as the week continues – including an overnight closure of the SB Highway 99 tunnel overnight late Friday into early Saturday.
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