West Seattle, Washington
02 Monday
As we head for a new week, a few things you need to know:
AVALON SHIFT: Reminder from Friday’s update on the Avalon/35th/Alaska project – this starts tomorrow:
Crews are scheduled to begin work on the west side of SW Avalon Way from SW Manning St to SW Charlestown St (Zone A) on Monday, May 20. During construction, we will maintain access to SW Orleans St. SW Manning St will be closed starting Monday through the next few weeks. Local access will be maintained to the alley.
For the rest of what’s up, read the full update here.
SPEED HUMPS: Looks like the Beach Drive speed humps, which SDOT promised to replace after removing them in January, are about to return. The curbs adjacent to those specific sections of Beach Drive (south of Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook) are signed as “no parking” for work starting tomorrow. Just before the repaving work north of the park last month, SDOT noted it was working to schedule the replacement.
Also an alert if you haven’t encountered this already:
NO (BIG) TRUCKS: Two readers noted there’s new signage attempting to keep big trucks from trying to use the narrow route where there’s a sharp curve at 20th/21st east of Delridge. You might recall that a truck got stuck for hours there recently. There’s new signage on the east end of the route too.
Even with ~800 people all participating in one event, today’s 11th annual West Seattle 5K on Alki was highlighted by personal stories. Like the runners who were all Schmitz Park Elementary classmates and now high-school seniors:
The 5K is about high school, in fact – West Seattle High School‘s PTSA presents it. As the WS5K starts its second decade, it has a brand-new race director, Katie Hudson:
The top finishers, meantime, included spouses from Vashon Island. First to cross the finish line, Brian Folts, in 16:36:
Monica Folts was the second female finisher, 19:00:57.
Other top finishers in a bit – but first, here’s everybody leaving the starting line at Alki at 9:20 this morning:
At the start of our video, you hear the voice of Eric Radovich, who has emceed the WS5K most years. The sendoff for the runners and walkers also included WSHS principal Brian Vance, declaring “Westside is the Best Side!”
Now, the other top finishers – first and third female, Adrienne Glasheen (18:56, bib #5) and Jennifer Santoyo (19:19, bib #742):
Second and third male finishers, Victor Ordaz (17:00, bib #653) and Tao Norsen (17:03, bib #655):
Tao is just 14 years old! Lots of other young participants, some running, some not:
Finishers of all ages got a cowbell greeting from this spectator:
Cowbell for the West Seattle 5K finishers! pic.twitter.com/KqIyvVJuUV
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 19, 2019
One more note: The West Seattle 5K is dog-friendly, too:
Full results are here.
ADDED 11:20 PM: John Saalwaechter again made a time-lapse video along the route:
4:29 PM: Thanks to Jim Edwards for the photo! Again this year, West Seattle High School musicians are in British Columbia for Victoria Day weekend – show above are band members performing outside the Parliament buildings. Tomorrow, they’re in the Victoria Day Parade.
ADDED 8:28 PM: Two more photos, sent by WSHS music director Ethan Thomas, who notes that the WSHS orchestra also made the trip as well as the band:
The band had several performances over the weekend including two pep band performances in front of the Parliament Building, the annual Parade of Bands, Drumline Battle, and finishing with the 121st Victoria Day Parade Monday morning.
Our Orchestra (directed by Taylor Fritts) had a 2-hour workshop at the Victoria Conservatory of Music and also performed in front of the Parliament Building.
Full house at Highland Park Improvement Club last night for the centennial edition of HPIC’s annual wine-celebration fundraiser Uncorked.
The event has grown – not only in attendance (it sells out every year) but also in scope – used to be the attendees brought the wine; this year, the wine was all provided, from 10 wineries. Eventgoers enjoyed a spread of appetizers, too:
And more opportunities to support HPIC – a community-owned-and-operated venue that hosts countless events and classes every year – were available via a silent art auction and basket raffle:
Community sponsors (including WSB) supported the event too. HPIC was incorporated in November 1919, originally the Dumar-Outland Improvement Club (read more history here). Next monthly event is the Corner Bar on Friday, June 7.
The Mariners are playing another home game against the Twins this afternoon and if you’re at the game, there’s somebody special to root for – the 2019 Honorary Bat Girl, who’s from West Seattle. The photo and news release are from the team:
A West Seattle woman who credits her interest in the latest technology for discovering her breast cancer at an early stage has been selected as the Seattle Mariners Honorary Bat Girl for 2019. Dianne Munroe will be recognized on Sunday, May 19, and throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mariners take on the Minnesota Twins.
The Honorary Bat Girl program was created by Major League Baseball in 2009 to raise awareness and support for the annual “Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer” initiative. Starting this year, MLB is partnering with CrowdRise to host a fundraising contest for each Honorary Bat Girl to raise money to benefit Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) and Susan G. Komen. The winning Bat Girl will receive a trip to the 2019 World Series. All funds raised through the initiative will be donated to SU2C and Komen. More information is available at HonoraryBatGirl.com, and the Mariners Honorary Bat Girl’s fundraising page is at this link.
Mariners Honorary Bat Girl
Dianne Munroe spent much of her 34-year career in health care designing treatment and care facilities. In the 1990s, as her work focused on spaces for women’s breast health, she became an advocate for regular mammograms. With a Masters in Engineering Management, it made sense to her to take advantage of the latest technology, too.
So when she had the chance to undergo new 3D imaging at the Franciscan Breast Center in Burien in 2016, she opted to wait a few months past her normal mammogram schedule to use the new equipment.
“And they found something. I guess that’s the blessing in the whole thing. Had I not done that, I probably would have had the (2D imaging) and I probably would have gone 14 or 15 months with nothing. I would never have detected mine. It was small and very deep and the machine is what picked up my cancer,” said Munroe.
Because her cancer was detected early, the tumor was small. Munroe underwent a lumpectomy and radiation therapy at Highline Cancer Care Center. She is now cancer-free, and her physician, Dr. Ani Fleisig, a CHI Franciscan surgical oncologist, says early detection often leads to a good outcome.
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Neighbors and community leaders gathered Tuesday night at the Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting to talk about neighborhood outreach, music, the local library, emergency preparedness and other topics.
The ANA meeting, held at The Sanctuary at Admiral, was the group’s first meeting since March, and was led by president David Hancock. Highlights below:
COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT & ADMIRAL UCC CHURCH SITE: Hancock gave an update on efforts that have ramped up in the past 4-6 weeks to do a full “community needs assessment” of Admiral residents and business owners, the goal being to identify ways to make the area a better place to live and work. Hancock said the approach would be to do a “deep dive” survey, likely a combination of doorbelling and tabling at events along with an online survey, throughout the neighborhood including the Admiral urban village (where there is a higher percentage of renters and businesses) as well as homes across the area (see more about the neighborhood on ANA’s website and the city’s 2018 Admiral Snapshot.) Hancock said the idea was prompted by discussions with Pastor Rev. Andrew Conley-Holcom, whose Admiral Congregational UCC Church is in the midst of evaluating options for its own future as it relates to how the 27,000-square-foot property could best serve the community, as we reported from ANA’s December meeting.
We start with the event that will fill the street along the shore with hundreds of runners and walkers:
WEST SEATTLE 5K: The first big run/walk of the year takes off from 61st/Alki just after 9 am – remember that Alki Ave. will be closed for a few hours because of the 5K. Starting at 8 am, you can register by the Alki Bathhouse if you’re not already signed up. Proceeds benefit the West Seattle HS PTSA; community sponsors include WSB. (2701 Alki SW)
SPEND YOUR MORNING RESTORING: Friends of Lincoln Park would love to see you 9 am-noon.
Join this hardy group to show some love to the park. All ages welcome. Details here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
PEONY AND BAMBOO FESTIVAL: 10 am-4 pm at Seattle Chinese Garden again today. The garden is on the north end of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus. (6000 16th SW)
(Lincoln Park on Saturday, photographed by Anjanette Nelson-Wally)
LOW-LOW TIDE: Another beach-walking opportunity! Today, the tide is out to -2.2 feet at noon.
COLMAN POOL’S 2ND PRESEASON WEEKEND CONTINUES: Again today, noon-7 pm, you can swim in West Seattle’s only public outdoor saltwater pool, on the shore at Lincoln Park. See the schedule here. (8603 Fauntleroy Way SW)
JAMTIME: 1:30-4 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). No cover. All ages. (5612 California SW)
SKYLARK ART MART: 3-7 pm, things to see, buy, listen to! More info in our calendar listing. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
‘OFFICE HOUR’ AT ARTSWEST: 3 pm matinée for Julia Cho‘s drama at ArtsWest; tickets available online here. (4711 California SW)
QUEEN CITY FUTSAL: This indoor-soccer league is wrapping up its season in style:
5 PM ALL-STAR GAME
The All-Star game will consist of 2 players from each of the 6 teams that played during the spring season that did not make it to the final.5:50 PM RAFFLE TIME!
Any human being that comes to support will automatically be entered into a raffle for some cool prizes and Queen City swag!6 PM FINAL
At 6 PM, come watch Megalodon and Nomads go head-to-head to see who will take the throne and be named Queen City’s Spring Season QUEEN CHAMPION.
Salvation Army gym in South Delridge. (9050 16th SW)
DRUNKEN OWL THEATER: Monthly event at Parliament Tavern, 7 pm. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
YES, THERE’S MORE … on our complete calendar.
…it was apparently fireworks. Police have been out looking around after multiple reports of possible gunfire in east West Seattle; texts we received speculated the location to be anywhere from West Marginal Way to Roxhill Park. According to radio communication, they didn’t find evidence of gunfire anywhere but they did find one person who saw fireworks, and they subsequently found fireworks debris at 27th/Elmgrove.
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