By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Back in May, the call went out for a new West Seattle Art Walk director, to transform the year-round, peninsula-wide event – from a volunteer-powered WS Junction Association side project into a standalone nonprofit.

Now, the new director is in place: Mia Manzulli. And you can meet her during the September Art Walk tomorrow night. In advance of that, we sat down with her to talk about what’s ahead.

The West Seattle Art Walk dates back at least 17 years – we found a mention of “revived” art walks organized by Junction businesses in fall 2006. The basic current premise is simple – businesses stay open late on the second Thursday evening each month, hosting an art display, often with the artist there to talk with visitors. The Art Walk is enhanced by participating food/beverage venues offering specials that night. Participating venues sign up quarterly.

The longtime West Seattle Art Walk coordinator is Reeve Washburn, who will join Mia at Thursday night’s meet-and-greet. They’re working together until September 30th, and then Mia goes solo.

She’s an East Coast native who’s lived in West Seattle for a year, moving here with her husband because of his job. They have family on the West Coast and have settled in comfortably. “It feels like we’re finally home!”

Her background is in teaching, writing, and editing, but she has art chops, working as an art coordinator at schools, working with visual-arts programs. Having enjoyed that kind of work, she thought the Art Walk role “looked really interesting.” It’s an opportunity to not only make that transition into a nonprofit organization happen, but also potentially to fold in other events under the same umbrella, for example, the West Seattle Art Hop.

During their transition work together, Mia and Reeve have met with other Art Walk organizers around the city, and she says that was enlightening in an unexpected way – they learned that the West Seattle Art Walk already has more organizational strengths, such as the “library” of artists that businesses can contact as potential exhibitors, rather than constantly launching their own searches. That also results in an array of potential poster art from which to choose each quarter. “Other art walks don’t have that.” And the West Seattle Art Walk doesn’t have to scrounge for participants – businesses often reach out to them, expressing interest in being part of it. “That says a lot about the community here,” Mia observed. “So many artists here, so much potential.”

What’s she going to tackle first, on the path to Art Walk transformation and growth? “Signage and wayfinding – people don’t necessarily know who’s where, or even that the Art Walk is happening.” So consistent signage for participating venues will be a step toward that. Rethinking the Art Walk map will be another step. Right now there are paper maps printed well in advance, not reflecting last-minute changes. “We’ve got to think about the map as an app – get it to be more useful, interactive, tech-savvy.” A bit of website streamlining is likely, too.

Going back to her roots in education, she would like to see more youth involvement in the Art Walk, from student exhibitors to improved connections with schools. She welcomes new volunteers, too – roles include photography and neighborhood coordination. (By the way, as noted when recruiting began, her job is a volunteer position for starters, too.)

And she would love to hear your ideas. Thursday night’s meet-and-greet is one opportunity – you’ll find Mia and Reeve at Verity Credit Union (4505 California SW) 5 pm-8 pm. If you can’t catch up with them then, you can email Mia with your thoughts, volunteering inquiries, etc. – mia@wsartwalk.org.

Most importantly – she hopes you’ll just get out on Art Walk night and explore! The new director says the Art Walk’s value is in supporting artists and getting people into local businesses, “making supporting businesses part of your daily experience.”

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NEW ACTING PRESIDENT: Dr. Sayumi Irey now leading South Seattle College

September 13, 2023 6:06 pm

| Comments Off on NEW ACTING PRESIDENT: Dr. Sayumi Irey now leading South Seattle College

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The fall quarter starts in two weeks at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), and SSC has an acting president in place. Here’s the announcement we received today:

Dr. Sayumi Irey, an educational leader committed to antiracist and sustainable educational transformation with over 25 years of experience, became South Seattle College’s acting president on Sept. 1, 2023 and will serve in this role during the 2023-2024 academic year. Dr. Irey was named to the position by Seattle Colleges Chancellor Dr. Rosie Rimando-Chareunsap, and steps into the role after the retirement of Dr. Jean Hernandez, who served as interim president at South during the 2022-2023 academic year.

“I believe that Dr. Irey is the best fit to ensure leadership stability through this coming year,” Dr. Rimando-Chareunsap said. “She brings to the role deep knowledge of the priorities and directions in which South Seattle College is already actively engaged.”

A national search for South Seattle College’s next permanent president will start this fall.

Prior to becoming acting president, Dr. Irey served as vice president of instruction at South Seattle College since 2019. She has also been a longtime equity and social justice leader in our state, having founded the statewide Social Justice Leadership Institute (SJLI), a non-traditional leadership program to train historically marginalized staff and faculty of color in Washington State to succeed in leadership roles. Under Dr. Irey’s continued leadership, over 200 staff and faculty have taken part in SJLI from across the state’s community and technical college system.

Dr. Irey started her higher education as a student in the Washington state community and technical college system, and holds a master’s degree in Library & Information Science and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership & Policy from the University of Washington.

“As a first-generation TRIO student, I started my community college experience in Washington State,” Dr. Irey said. “As a student, I met faculty members who changed my life in many positive ways and met staff members who were kind, caring, and supportive. I see that vital mission carried on today at South Seattle College, and I continue to be proud of our staff and faculty members and grateful for the care they show to our students, community and each other. I know our work changes people’s lives.”

South Seattle College is headquartered on West Seattle’s Puget Ridge at 6000 16th SW.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 2 stolen vehicles, 2 ‘found’

September 13, 2023 4:48 pm

| 8 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

First, two stolen vehicles to watch for:

STOLEN DODGE VAN: Reported by Denise: “My dark blue Dodge Grand Caravan was stolen last night near 34th and Roxbury. Distinct paint oxidation on hood.” We’re awaiting the plate and police-report numbers.

STOLEN KIA: Reported by a texter: “I’m currently renting a home (near 32nd/Kenyon( and woke up to shattered glass and no car. It was a 2013 silver Kia Rio with Oregon plates 057GXF.”

Next, two “found,” possibly stolen, Kias – we got these reports this morning, so their location/status might have changed since then:

‘FOUND’ KIA #1: Reported by Rachel:

We found a stolen probable Kia on our walk. It’s missing the back inside windows and the steering column. I have also reported it to the city is a stolen and dumped vehicle. It’s on Thistle as it approaches 16th. If it’s yours, I’m really sorry. We had a car stolen last year and dumped and ditched as well and it stinks.

The plate on it is CFP3006.

‘FOUND’ KIA #2: Reported by Cindy:

This car has a smashed back passenger window, though there is no glass on the ground so it seems that part happened somewhere else. The car has been sitting on 44th near the corner of Graham (southwest part of the street) for a couple of weeks now. Wondering if the car has been dumped.

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WEST SEATTLE WATER TAXI: Runs added for Thursday night’s Beyoncé concert

September 13, 2023 3:17 pm

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| King County Water Taxi | West Seattle news

Going to see Queen B at Lumen Field on Thursday night? Metro has announced extra West Seattle Water Taxi runs for the Beyoncé concert, as it did when Taylor Swift was in town:

The water taxi is scheduled for six trips from Pier 50 at starting at 7:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and 12:15 a.m.) The water taxi will also have five trips from West Seattle starting at 8 p.m. (8 p.m., 9 p.m., 10 p.m., 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.)

Again, that’s tomorrow night (Thursday, September 14th). Metro also says it’ll add “a handful of trips” on unspecified bus routes “to help meet rider demand after the concert.”

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Here’s what police and the City Attorney said about crime/safety @ Admiral Neighborhood Association

September 13, 2023 12:55 pm

| 37 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

As community organizations resume regular meeting schedules for fall, the Admiral Neighborhood Association had public safety high on the agenda last night.

The meeting at Admiral Church, facilitated by ANA president Joanie Jacobs, had two major guests – the Southwest Precinct‘s new third-watch commander, and City Attorney Ann Davison.

POLICE: Lt. Joe Hadley now oversees the 7 pm to 5 am shift (“third watch”) and said he most recently worked with the Office of Police Accountability. He said they’re bringing back the Community Police Team (an officer with that assignment accompanied him). Lt. Hadley opened the floor quickly to Q&A.

First question: How’s the staffing? “It’s rough,” he replied. The goal remains to hire about 100 officers a year “but I don’t thin we’re going to make that this year.” The 4/10 schedule change has made SPD more attractive for “laterals” – trained officers coming from other police departments. “Our previous schedule was horrible” (four days on, two days off). “The chief has made it a priority to improve morale, improve retention, entic(e) folks to come work here.” The recent consent-decree announcement isn’t going to change anything short-term, he said.

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RETURNING: Southwest Library back to ‘regular’ hours starting today

September 13, 2023 11:43 am

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| West Seattle libraries | West Seattle news

Thanks to Thomas for sending the tip and photo.

Southwest Library (9010 35th SW) returns to regular hours starting today. It was one of four Seattle Public Library branches around the city that had special summer hours these past three months “to reduce heat-related closures and provide more cooler morning open hours for patrons by opening and closing these branches two hours earlier two days a week.” The highlight of the reinstated regular hours: The branch is open until 8 pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: 3 more business burglaries, including third-time crash-and-grab

September 13, 2023 9:47 am

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| Crime | West Seattle news

Three business burglaries to report this morning – two early today, one a day earlier:

THIRD-TIME CRASH-AND-GRAB: Global Smoke and Vape at 35th/Roxbury has been hit with its third crash-and-grab burglary in less than three weeks:

This was reported just after 2 am, when remotely monitored video showed a “silver sedan” backing into the store. We went over for this photo and they hadn’t yet tallied what was taken – they were just busy cleaning up. The other crash-and-grabs were August 26th and September 6th. SPD incident # for this one is 23-265197.

CANNA WEST CULTURE SHOP: Thanks for the tip on this. Also hit by crash-and-grab burglars early today, Canna West Culture Shop (5435 California SW):

Staff told us they believe the burglars crashed into the store between 4 and 5 am (added: archived police-radio audio indicates the car, a red Hyundai Elantra, was still in the store when police arrived – the burglars may have gotten away in a “black sedan.”) This is NOT the cannabis shop – that’s Canna West Seattle (WSB sponsor) across the street.

Here too, they are still focused on cleanup and taking stock of what was taken, so the Culture Shop will be closed today. Police incident # for this burglary is 23-265255.

KIZUKI RAMEN: This break-in happened early Tuesday; the shop emailed us about it early today:

(Early Tuesday) at approximately 12:45 am, Kizuki Ramen at 42nd and Alaska was burglarized. A white/fair complexion male, 5’10”-6′ with a slight build, was able to enter a secured hallway to my business through an open loading dock bay. He proceeded to shatter a safety window in our fire exit door. He was able to steal our safe, cash register drawer as well as all of our third-party to-go order tablets. (Doordash, Uber Eats, GrubHub etc). Upon reviewing camera footage from Junction 47 management, we were able to determine that this individual had at least one to two “lookouts.” One heavy-set white male in all white, including shoes and baseball cap and a taller male wearing the same clothes.

After entering my business, he proceeded to go back and forth between Kizuki and The Lodge for nearly 6 hours! The register drawer they took was full of maybe $20 in loose coin change and the tablets are now worthless thanks to our awesome IT department. I’d say that’s instant Karma!

We’ll add the police report # when we get it. (Added: 23-264528.)

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WHALES: Southern Resident orcas in the area

September 13, 2023 9:02 am

| 6 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Whales

9:02 AM: Southern Resident Killer Whales have made their customary fall return. Kersti Muul tells us that orcas from J-Pod are in outer Elliott Bay, “spread across (the bay) from south of West Point,” generally headed southbound. Comment if you see them!

9:42 AM: Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail just called and said they’re southbound from Alki Point.

10:03 AM: Donna says the whales are now moving slowly northbound.

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Celebration of life September 30 for Dr. Robert T. Fraser, 1946-2023

September 13, 2023 9:00 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Obituaries | West Seattle news

Family and friends will gather September 30 to celebrate the life of Dr. Bob Fraser, and they’re sharing this remembrance with his community:

Dr. Robert (Bob) T. Fraser, 76, passed away at his West Seattle home on May 12, 2023. Bob was a loving husband, father, son, brother, and grandfather and dedicated advocate for people with disabilities. Bob was the first born of four children to Hugh and Mary Fraser; July 9, 1946, Staten Island, NY. After graduating Lemoyne College with a BA in English, he served in the US Army as a decorated Sergeant in Vietnam.

He then returned to further his education, earning a MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from University of Southern California, a PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a Master of Public Administration from Seattle University. He was a certified rehabilitation counselor and certified life care planner.

Bob’s distinguished professional academic career began at the University of Washington in 1976 as consultant for the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. In 1977, Arthur A. Ward MD hired him as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery, where he established the vocational rehabilitation program. This program grew to become the non-profit Neurology Vocational Services Unit within the UW Epilepsy Surgery Program and now treats people with various neurological conditions. In 1991, he was promoted within these two departments to Professor, and eventually Professor Emeritus.

He has served on the Boards of numerous professional organizations. His scholarly work includes authoring more than 140 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His leadership, competence, and abilities have been recognized by numerous federal grants that span the National Institutes of Health to the Veterans Association to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Not only a scientific scholar, but Bob was also very active in the Seattle community. He was a long-time member and past President of the Emerald City Rotary, as well as contributor to Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, and a beloved and well-known local in West Seattle.

He lived life with gusto as an ardent lover of food and culture, especially the language, art, and food of Italy. Most of all, he loved his friends and family, all of whom have been deeply touched by his kindness, modesty, compassion, enthusiasm, wit, humor, drive, and humble dedication to improving the lives of others.

Bob is survived by his wife Nora Gibson (West Seattle), daughter Simone Bruyere Fraser and husband Miles Forgette and grandson Fraser Forgette (West Seattle), stepdaughter Anne and husband Stewart Moore and children (Ethan and Isla) (Edmonds, WA), stepson William and wife Shannon Stabler and son (Christopher) (Portland, OR), brothers John Fraser (Brooklyn, NY) and Tom Fraser (Seattle), and sister Virginia Fraser (Chicago, IL).

Commemorative services for Bob will be held September 30th at 11 AM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in West Seattle. If you would like to make a donation in memory of Bob, you can do so to the Neurological Vocational Services within the University of Washington Rehabilitation Medicine Department (nvsrehab.org) or the Foundation for Rehabilitation Psychology (rehabpsych.org).

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)

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