West Seattle, Washington
23 Sunday
Reported tonight by Jenny via email – this van was taken overnight from an apartment parking lot off Fauntleroy Way north of Fairmount Park:
It’s a white Chevrolet van, with ladders on top when taken; plates BFB7562, SPD report number 24-32912. Call 911 if you see it.
Lori wonders if this is happening to anyone else tonight: “Started noticing brown water at our house, near intersection of Erskine & 46th SW.” Nothing on Seattle Public Utilities‘ map so far; if you have water trouble, including discoloration, be sure to report to SPU at 206-386-1800.
Three biznotes:
MORE VALENTINE’S FOOD: The latest venue to send word of a special Valentine’s menu is Camp West in The Junction (4539 California SW). They’re offering a special three-course prix-fixe menu (see it here) for $60/person. On Valentine’s Day, 4-9 pm, that’s all Camp West will offer; it’ll also be an option for the subsequent four days, February 15-18. They recommend reservations, which can be booked online. (Anybody else with Valentine specials? Let us know!)
SEAFOOD SALES: Planning a home-cooked Valentine meal? Or Super Bowl or Lunar New Year or … hey, no special occasion necessary. WSB sponsor Seattle Seafood Center (717 S. Michigan in Georgetown) has extended sales on crab, lobster, and ahi tuna.
HOMESTREET SPOTLIGHT: Every month, HomeStreet Bank in The Junction (4022 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor) spotlights another local business/nonprofit, with a display and an invitation to customers to enter a drawing. Last month’s spotlight was on Sports Medicine Northwest:
(HomeStreet’s Joyce Leslie, center, with Sports Medicine NW’s Alicia Pond and Dr. Skylar Pond)
Sports Medicine NW’s co-proprietors stopped by HomeStreet on Friday for the monthly drawing. This month’s spotlight at the bank is on Mighty House Construction.
From bake sales to galas to levies to basic property taxes – how does public-school funding work, and how can parents, teachers, and others advocate for what their local school(s) need? Monday night (February 5) everyone’s invited to learn and talk at “Public School Funding 101,” presented by more than half a dozen local PTAs/PTSAs/PTOs, including the PTA at Genesee Hill Elementary, which is hosting the meeting (5013 SW Dakota). Scheduled guests for the discussion are Seattle Public Schools Board president Liza Rankin and Seattle Council PTSA advocacy/policy manager Vivian van Gelder. It starts at 6 pm and on-site child care will be available.
(WSB photos)
High-school softball season is still about a month away, but some of West Seattle HS‘s team members were on the field at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex this morning for a special event – mentoring younger players.
The clinic was for West Seattle Little League softball players in two groups – first the Rookies and Minors (League age 7-10 or for beginners), then Majors and Juniors (league age 11-14 or for advanced players):
Participants got to practice hitting, throwing, catching, fielding, and running:
The clinic was created three seasons ago by Kamil Ygnacio, now a senior, to help raise softball’s community visibility:
Clinic participation has doubled over the years – 60 players this time around. The clinic was free of charge for WSLL players but donations were welcome to help the WSHS softball program (you can chip in here – specify that it’s for softball).
Thanks for the tips! We just caught up with West Seattle artist Desmond Hansen finishing this new signal-box portrait, on the southwest corner of California/Frontenac south of Morgan Junction. It’s a portrait of Mike Starr, original Alice in Chains bassist, who died in 2011 at age 44. Hansen estimates he’s painted about 75 boxes – in and outside of West Seattle – since starting in 2018 with Jimi Hendrix at California/Fauntleroy. You can see many of them, and some of his other work, on his website. We asked him what’s next; nothing specific yet, but he said there’s a lot of maintenance to be done this spring.
A reader reports their home was broken into between 3:30 and 4:20 pm Thursday, February 1. It happened in the 2400 block of Myrtle, a block off Delridge. The victim explains, “Our neighbor’s security camera caught this footage of 3 men walking out of our driveway (his footage is about 28 minutes behind the actual time) … The gray/silver minivan was waiting for the 3 men, all dressed exactly the same.” They appear in the distance in the upper left of the video around :16 in:
The minivan then headed west on Myrtle toward Delridge. The victim adds, “They used a crowbar to open the front door and stole cash and jewelry, mostly family items not replaceable. I am usually home during this time and ran a random errand, so it seems like they were really watching as the window was very small, or they had a stroke of great luck with timing!” The SPD report number is 24-30292.
Family and friends will gather February 17 to celebrate the life of Tom Slattery, and are sharing this remembrance with his community now:
Tom Slattery, 74, died the morning of January 22, 2024, surrounded by family, following a courageous battle against lung disease.
For his children, grandchildren and community, Tom leaves a legacy of advocacy for children, education, racial justice, and nature preservation.
Tom was born December 4, 1949, to Joseph and Helen Slattery in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He grew up an active and curious kid in Columbus, Ohio developing an early love for books and cars. Tom attended and graduated from The Ohio State University in 1971 with a degree in education.
Following college, Tom moved to San Francisco, California. In San Francisco, Tom would meet his wife and best friend, Pat Reh, and they would welcome two of their three sons, Rob and Reed. Dale would arrive after the family settled in Washington state.
Tom enjoyed sharing music with others nearly as much as he enjoyed listening to it himself. Nothing would make him happier than turning someone on to a new favorite song or artist. He also had a gift with words and could easily evoke laughter through his quick wit and clever turn of phrase.
Throughout his adult life, Tom was never far from a camera. The result is literal volumes of photos of his family, friends, places he traveled, cars he admired, plants and birds. Oh so many photos of birds. He loved the minute details that differentiated them and the wide range of colors displayed on their feathers. He also felt this way about his four grandchildren that continuously delighted him and kept him young.
Tom spent the second half of his life in White Center with a backyard that yielded the many vegetables he would grow, sanctuary for the many birds he would photograph, and a place for his children and grandchildren to gather and play. It was in White Center that his commitment to community, specifically to the safety and wellbeing of children, would take root and grow. He served 16 years on the Highline School Board and worked for several non-profits toward these ends.
In retirement, he turned those countless photographs into books that he would gift to family and
friends. He would spend hours building intricate and different birdhouses he would display throughout the house. Together with his wife Pat, there were numerous trips to places such as Costa Rica, Belize, Palm Springs, San Miguel de Allende, and a final trip taken in the fall of 2023 on a riverboat cruise north on the Mississippi River, surely evoking the tales of his beloved author, Mark Twain.Tom is survived by his wife Pat; his sons Rob (Marissa), Reed (Roxanne), and Dale (Jean); his grandsons Isaiah, Marcos, and Lucas; his granddaughter Izzy; and his brothers Bill, Ed, and Joe. He was preceded in death by his parents and many dear friends.
A memorial gathering is scheduled for Saturday, February 17, at 3:00 p.m. at Mount View Elementary School. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his honor to Kubota Garden Foundation.
(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)
(Photo by Dan Stegner)
Sunday’s here, and our calendar has these 10 highlights for the hours ahead:
ANIMATED ANNIVERSARY, DAY 2: The Animated Café pink coffee-and-more trailer is celebrating two years in business all weekend, with balloons and “$2 off for anyone who comes dressed up in a fun animated-themed outfit.” Open 9 am-3 pm today. (4518 Fauntleroy Way SW)
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at 9 am at rotating locations – today it’s Caffe Ladro (7011 California SW).
WEST SEATTLE BEE GARDEN NEEDS YOU: 10 am-noon, help out as the Bee Garden looks ahead to spring! (Graham/Lanham)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual between SW Alaska and SW Oregon on California, offering winter vegetables and fruit as well as cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, candy, more! Here’s today’s vendor list.
SUNDAY SMALL BIZ POP-UP MARKET: While you’re at the Farmers’ Market, detour into Jet City Labs (4547 California SW) 10 am-2 pm to browse small local businesses selling their creations.
LOCAL COMPANY AT REMODELING EXPO: If you’re going to the Northwest Remodeling Expo downtown (11 am-5 pm at the Convention Center, 705 Pike), look for longtime WSB sponsor Potter Construction.
‘BORN WITH TEETH’: First matinee for the new play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 3 pm – tickets here.
MUSICIANS FOR THE WEST SEATTLE FOOD BANK: 3-5 pm, music at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) – bring money and/or nonperishable food to support their donation drive for the WSFB.
DRAG BINGO: 5:30 pm at The Locöl (7902 35th SW), free, 21+.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: See and hear the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8-10 pm.
Planning something that belongs on our calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the info – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
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