In search of ‘sustainability,’ Admiral Congregational Church shows early concepts of its site’s potential future
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Five years after becoming pastor of Admiral Congregational Church, Rev. Andrew Conley-Holcom has to shepherd it through a process with much at stake: The church and its neighborhood’s future.
That’s happening not through sermons, but through conversations like the one he led last week, standing before dozens of people in the church’s living-room-esque gathering space, wearing not a collar but a beanie.
“You’re here on the ground floor,” he explained, as a preface to the presentation on Tuesday night (October 8th).
If that was the ground floor, then you could say the foundation for the conversation was laid last December, when the church hosted an Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, and the pastor told ANA the same thing: Not changing is not an option.
He began last week by putting it all in context, for those not familiar with the church’s operations and the role in the community. “Our goal is to be the neighborhood church of North Admiral.” And with the Jehovah’s Witnesses moving out, he said, “we kinda are.”
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COUNTDOWN TO VOTING: Here’s who else is on your ballot
Voting starts in two days, as King County Elections opens its vote centers Wednesday, the same day it mails ballots. Tonight we continue previews with a look at who else is on your ballot besides the City Council District 1 candidates (yes, we covered tonight’s forum; story and video tomorrow). Here are the contested races, with each link going to a page with info about the candidate (incumbents are marked by asterisks):
KING COUNTY ELECTIONS DIRECTOR – Julie Wise*, Mark Greene
KING COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8 – Joe McDermott*, Michael Robert Neher
SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION POSITION 2 – Sam Cho, Grant Degginger
SEATTLE PORT COMMISSION POSITION 5 – Fred Felleman*, Garth Jacobson
Though Seattle School Board members represent geographic districts, they are elected by a citywide vote in the general election, so these three are on your ballot (District 6 is West Seattle and most of South Park):
SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 6 – Leslie Harris*, Molly Mitchell
SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1 – Liza Rankin, Eric Blumhagen
SEATTLE SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 3 – Chandra Hampson, Rebeca Muniz
NOT REGISTERED YET? Our state now allows you to do it all the way through Election Day (November 5th) – but the deadline to do it online is two weeks away, and that’s the simplest way, so go here.
COMMUNITY GIVING: Day of service for two local credit unions
As discussed in our morning traffic coverage, this was a holiday for some – but also a day of service for these two local credit unions:
VERITY CREDIT UNION: Thanks to Pete Spalding at Verity CU (WSB sponsor) for sending the photo and report:
For the fifth consecutive year, Verity Credit Union employees have spread out across the areas served by our branch network. Employees spend their Indigenous Peoples holiday doing service projects. Our West Seattle project was doing some landscaping work at a couple of Transitional Resources properties along Yancy Street today.
Also today:
BECU: Employees spent today hosting “financial reality fairs” for students at 18 high schools around Puget Sound and in Spokane. One of them was West Seattle High School; the photo above was sent by BECU, which explains that students participating in the fairs “receive coaching while navigating the decision-making process to live within the means of their persona.”
WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 2 teens arrested after robbery attempt; car prowl
Two reports from the weekend in West Seattle Crime Watch:
ROBBERY ATTEMPT: Thanks for the tips about a police response at Lincoln Park Sunday evening. Police were gone by the time we heard, but we requested and received the report today. Two 17-year-old boys were arrested for allegedly trying to rob someone just outside Lincoln Park just after 5 pm. The report says the victim was “smoking a marijuana cigarette” while walking in the park with a friend. As they walked out of the park toward a bus stop near the north parking lot, the friend told police, they were approached by the two suspects who asked if they could buy marijuana from them. The victim said he didn’t have any more, but the suspects started threatening them, saying they would beat them up if they didn’t hand over their “weed.” They refused, said they were calling police, and “sought refuge” with someone in a parked car nearby. Police arrested the two 17-year-olds nearby and said they “admitted they asked … to buy marijuana” though it would have been illegal for them to possess. They were taken to the precinct and released into parental custody.
CAR PROWL: From PK: “Our vehicle was broken into between 10 pm (Saturday night) and 12 pm (Sunday) at the corner of 35th SW and SW Ida. Police report filed, fingerprints lifted and over $1500 in lost items from trunk, major damage to center console, and glove compartment rifled through.”
Can you help with this Seattle Animal Shelter investigation?
Seattle Animal Shelter investigators are hoping someone who reads this might be able to help with an investigation. They explain that “a man was bitten by a dog that was living in a vehicle with some folks parked at Solstice Park by the tennis courts.” So they’re “hoping to find anybody who may have interacted with the people and the dog, or seen the dog off leash or not under direct control, on or prior to 9/30/19.” They’ve already talked with neighbors and haven’t had any luck. “The vehicle is a silver 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, with one male and one female occupant, and a large tan and white pit bull. Anybody with information can contact the main Animal Control line at 206-386-7387.”
Work finally about to start on 49th/Admiral crossing changes
Work could start as soon as Wednesday on the long-promised crossing improvements at 49th SW/SW Admiral Way. That’s the word today from SDOT‘s Ching Chan, who says the work will “take up to 4 weeks to complete and have minimal impact to traffic. Here’s the official announcement:
To continue improving access and safety for all users who live, work, and play along Admiral Way SW, we will soon be constructing a crossing improvement at SW Admiral Way & 49th Ave SW. This project was planned in late 2017 and includes several elements to enhance the pedestrian environment at this intersection:
*Relocate the crosswalk at this intersection to the northeast leg
*Install new accessible curb ramps that meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards
*Construct a new median refuge island
*Provide new pedestrian-activated rapid flashing beacons at the crosswalk
These treatments will help to increase visibility at the intersection and provide a more comfortable and protected crossing for people who walk.
This project, minus the curb ramps, was supposed to be done two years ago.
WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Robbery, auto-theft investigation
1:18 PM: There’s a big police response right now in the Luna Park area after a reported robbery, and a K9 team is joining the search. We are still getting details but there was a report of a car theft as part of this. More to come …
1:25 PM: The search has expanded to include the greenbelt northwest of Avalon/Spokane. Only a partial description of the suspects – “three unknown-race males in their 20s,” one in a gray hoodie, one in a black hoodie, one with a red jacket. Multiple K9 teams are involved now.
2 PM: No one reported in custody yet. Police are talking to various people involved and still trying to sort out exactly what happened and where.
2:08 PM: In our photo above, that’s the recovered stolen vehicle (stopped by a flat tire), uphill in the Avalon/Spokane area, about to be towed. Police tell us this all began in North Delridge; it’s now being described as having started as a “home invasion” robbery, but they continue to sort out the circumstances.
FOLLOWUP: Why the dead sea lion is still on Seacrest shore – and word of another nearby
Saturday night, after several questions, we reported on a dead sea lion on the beach at Seacrest Park. It’s still there, leading to more questions today because it’s so visible from the Water Taxi dock, so we followed up with Lynn Shimamoto of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, who answered our weekend inquiry too: “I’m in contact with Fish & Wildlife and SR3 to see if they can do a partial necropsy. It will then be up to Parks to dispose of the carcass since it’s on their property but Parks can’t do this for a couple more days for logistical reasons. Seal Sitters posted a sign near the carcass warning people of the health hazards and asking them to stay away. Interestingly, we responded to another dead sea lion on Saturday. This second carcass is on Port property and we hope it can be examined as well.” Pending potential necropsies, what killed the sea lions is unknown. (Photo courtesy Keri)
HALLOWEEN/HARVEST EVENTS: Last call to get them in our guide
Almost time to launch the annual special guide for West Seattle Halloween events and this month’s other seasonal celebrations. Thanks to everyone who’s already sent listings for the guide and our calendar; we wanted to mention one more time in case you haven’t sent information about yours! As with regular event listings, we just need the W’s – what, when, where, who, weblink if you have one – emailed to westseattleblog@gmail.com. Thank you! Watch for the guide by midweek.
8 for your West Seattle Monday!
(One more look at Sunday sunshine, Lincoln Park photo by Anjanette Nelson-Wally)
Eight events in five previews – read on to see:
PHYSICAL THERAPY NIGHT: 5:30-7 pm at West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), Physical Therapy Night with free injury assessments. (2743 California SW)
2 EVENING BOOK GROUPS: 6:45 pm at both Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) and West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW). This month’s books: “The Spiral Staircase” by Karen Armstrong at SW, “LaRose” by Louise Erdrich at WS.
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 DEBATE: First of three this week – West Seattle/South Park City Council candidates Phil Tavel and Lisa Herbold answer questions at this Westside Interfaith Network/League of Women Voters-presented event, 7 pm (doors open at 6:30) at Our Lady of Guadalupe‘s Walmesley Center. (7000 35th SW)
DEVELOPMENT MEETING: As previously reported, the project at 6035-6039 42nd SW has an Early Design Review Outreach meeting at 7 pm tonight at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). The project website is here. (5612 California SW)
3 TRIVIA/QUIZ NIGHTS: Here are your Monday night options!
*Best of Hands Barrelhouse (7500 35th SW), 7 pm, $2/person, 21+
*The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 7:30 pm, free, all ages
*Parliament Tavern (4210 SW Oregon), 8 pm, $2/person, 21+
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