day : 23/02/2024 9 results

Money talk and more at West Seattle school-board rep Gina Topp’s second community chat

February 23, 2024 11:46 pm

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

The new Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors rep for West Seattle/South Park, Gina Topp, decided to try hosting her second community-conversation meeting online, after having her first one in-person. Result: Less than half the turnout. Could have been the day, time, the fact that many are on break since school’s out for conversation. Nonetheless, conversation ensued, though Topp and her attendees ran out of things to talk about after about 45 minutes, and the Thursday night meeting – announced for an hour – ended early. Like her first one (WSB coverage here), this was more of an around-the-table chance for everyone to bring up a question or comment, rather than an in-depth discussion of any one topic. School funding was a common thread for most, though, with SPS facing a nine-digit budget shortfall. Topp said the district needs to be able to show state reps that they’re being fiscally responsible. She also noted that principals have recently received their schools’ money information for the year ahead and will have to sit down with their Building Leadership Teams (as explained at the recent School Funding 101 event) to “make it work.” One attendee, West Seattleite Fiona Preedy – there though her children have graduated out of the district – spoke about the importance of funding for music, a program that keeps so many kids interested and engaged in school, yet has to fight for funding scraps and plead for donation.

Topp said the board doesn’t have a uniform policy for meetings like these – it’s up to individual directors whether to have them at all – but she intends to continue having them monthly. She also said she’s sharing feedback from her meetings with the rest of the board, so they know what she’s hearing. You can reach her other ways, too – her email address is here. She reminded those in attendance that the next board meeting will be March 6 (watch for more agenda details here). And when asked if she plans to visit schools, Topp said she’s already contacted all the schools in her district inviting them to let her know about occasions on which she can visit.

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WEEKEND PREVIEW: One more Lunar New Year celebration Saturday

February 23, 2024 8:37 pm

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| Puget Ridge | West Seattle festivals | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

(Full ‘Snow Moon’ setting this morning, photographed by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)

The arrival of the full “Snow Moon” brings an end to two weeks of Lunar New Year celebrations. Tomorrow (Saturday, February 24) you’re invited to the final community event announced for West Seattle – the Lunar New Year Lantern Festival at the Seattle Chinese Garden. The garden borders the north edge of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus at 6000 16th SW on Puget Ridge. The festival is set to start at 11 am and continue through 3 pm, with music, dance, crafts, story time, tea, and more – the full schedule is here. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

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FOLLOWUP: Here’s what’s happening one month after 15-year-old Mobarak Adam was shot to death

February 23, 2024 6:19 pm

| 35 COMMENTS

| Crime | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(WSB photos)

The memorial outside Southwest Teen Life Center/Pool lingers, one month after the January 23 shooting death of 15-year-old Mobarak Adam inside the center. Steps away from the memorial, a crew worked on the outside of the building today:

We believe, but have not yet confirmed, they were working on the new camera system promised for the center. Last night, Seattle Parks’ chief deputy superintendent Christopher Williams told the Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners that the new cameras would be in place within “a couple of weeks.” City records show an electrical permit was granted this week for installation of what the application described as “a CCTV system with 16 camera locations.” (The city website shows a similar permit was granted to a different contractor last June; we’ll be following up on why the cameras apparently weren’t installed then.)

Meantime, no new information from police; we had filed a public-records request four weeks ago for the initial report on the incident, and received a notice today that the request has been denied, with the explanation that “the records requested are associated with a case that is under active investigation and non-disclosure is essential to effective law enforcement.” (The reply invited us to try again in about six weeks.) But during Williams’ briefing at the Parks Board meeting last night, he said the city and Seattle Public Schools planned to participate in an upcoming meeting organized by the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA focusing on safety at the adjoining Chief Sealth and Denny International Middle School campuses as well as the center, pool, and stadium facilities across the street. He mentioned a tentative date in mid-March; we have checked with the Sealth PTSA and they say a date isn’t finalized yet.

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‘Our goal is to bring The Kenney back to its former status’: New management for West Seattle’s oldest senior-living complex

February 23, 2024 3:33 pm

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| The Kenney | West Seattle news

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The Kenney is under new management.

After nine years, East Coast-based Heritage Ministries has ended its operation of the 115-year-old West Seattle senior-living complex. Midwest-based SAK Healthcare is now running it, we learned this week.

“We’re quite excited about the prospects for renewal here,” SAK Healthcare’s chief strategy officer Rick Snider told WSB.

The state of The Kenney has been closely watched since an ambitious $150 million redevelopment plan announced a decade and a half ago, changed amid community scrutiny, and ultimately scrapped in 2011. In 2016, it announced a smaller-scale plan for change, but that too evolved, including a sale of some adjacent properties where The Kenney once planned to build apartments.

After learning about the management change, we asked Snider some questions via email. He says SAK Healthcare “is a leading national advisory specializing in distressed health-care facilities that require strategic redirection and turnaround management services.” The Kenney has not been sold, nor is it in bankruptcy or receivership, he said, though he said SAK Healthcare was hired last month “directly by the governing board for The Kenney in cooperation with the lender.”

Since then, he said, “We’ve been on-site every week since then to conduct assessments and staff training, inspect physical plant issues, work on resolving vendor accounts that are outstanding, and put together short-term plans to stabilize the operations and finances.” This is not likely a long-term relationship, though: “Our turnaround engagements normally do not specify an end date, and they may run anywhere from twelve to eighteen months typically. Our goal is to bring The Kenney back to its former status as the premier senior living community in Seattle.”

What does that mean in terms of operational changes? Snider replied, “Our focus is to improve all aspects of resident care including clinical services and nursing, dietary, aesthetics and physical plant. We are working to rebuild the resident census to enable us to accelerate our improvement plans. We have already begun extensive efforts to restore the beautiful grounds for which The Kenney is known, partnering with Devonshire Landscapes. Many other items of deferred maintenance are also being addressed including the HVAC systems, elevators, and lighting.” Snider says the change has not resulted in any staff cuts, “and we do not plan to reduce staff. We are looking for additional senior living professionals to join the team, including a marketer, and additional staff to support clinical services and resident care.”

We also asked whether residents and their families had been notified of the change: “Yes, our leadership including our CEO, Suzanne Koenig, and our consulting team has met with the resident council and with all residents and family members in a town hall held at The Kenney. We are continuing to send out communications to keep residents and families informed of progress being made.”

Snider says his compay has high hopes for that progress: “The Kenney is a hidden gem and has incredible potential. With the collaboration of residents and staff and our vendors along with the Board, we’re moving the community forward to a brighter future. SAK Healthcare is very proud to have been asked to work with the community and provide its knowledge and skills to address the many challenges that have plagued The Kenney for years.”

The Kenney’s campus at 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW, just north of Lincoln Park, includes independent- and assisted-living units, as well as memory care.

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NEXT WEEK: See ‘Screenagers Under the Influence’ in West Seattle

February 23, 2024 2:26 pm

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| Health | Safety | West Seattle news

“Practical solutions for keeping our teens safe in a changing world” is the focus of the newest film in the “Screenagers” series, and local families are invited to a free screening next Thursday at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW). In case you haven’t already seen it in our Event Calendar, here’s the announcement:

The fentanyl crisis is escalating. Kids are vaping in classrooms and school bathrooms. Dealers direct message teens on social media. And substance use among youth in West Seattle is a big issue. The Healthy Youth Survey in 2021 showed that one quarter of 12th graders at West Seattle High School used cannabis in the previous 30 days–almost 10 percentage points higher than the state average.

Parents and caregivers are looking for ways to protect their kids from substance use. But they’re up against some powerful industries that have literally copied the playbook of tobacco companies from decades ago and supercharged that strategy for our digital age. With the constant, 24-hour deluge of content pushing the normalcy of drugs, alcohol, and vaping on social media, TV, movies, ads, influencers, etc., the substance use culture has never been more appealing and accessible to teens than it is today.

Youth substance use prevention groups in West Seattle and White Center welcome parents, caregivers, and youth to watch the new documentary Screenagers Under The Influence: Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age. The screening is free and will take place at the West Seattle High School auditorium on February 29, 6:30 – 8:00 PM. Register at tinyurl.com/ScreenagersWSHS.

Screenagers Under The Influence is the third feature documentary in the Screenagers trilogy from award-winning Seattle-based filmmaker Delaney Ruston, MD. Trained at Stanford Medical School, Delaney has split her time over the past two decades creating documentaries and providing primary care. She has spent the past 11 years intensely researching the impact of screen time on youth and solutions for screen time balance.

She grounds her latest film in teens’ current reality of being flooded by images on social media, movies, and TV shows about vaping, drugs, and alcohol. Like the first two Screenagers films, Screenagers Under The Influence interweaves cutting-edge science with personal stories to create an informative and entertaining film experience for young people and adults alike. The documentary focuses on practical solutions for keeping our teens safe in a changing world.

The February 29 screening at West Seattle High School is hosted by:

–Westside HEY Coalition, a community group focused on youth substance use prevention in the Madison Middle School and West Seattle High School attendance zone;

–SW Seattle Youth Alliance, which is working to prevent youth substance use in the Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School attendance zone;

–Coalition for Drug-Free Youth, which works to keep youth off of substances in the White Center and North Highline areas;

–West Seattle High School PTSA

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SET YOUR CALENDAR: Mariner Moose plans pre-season West Seattle visit

February 23, 2024 11:56 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS & Sports

(2022 photo courtesy West Seattle Little League – Mariner Moose visiting WSLL at Bar-S)

The Mariners‘ first spring-training game is tomorrow – so baseball season is on the way. So is the Mariner Moose – scheduled to make a rare visit to West Seattle. The crew at Morgan Junction Starbucks (California/Fauntleroy) sent first word that their shop has been chosen as a stop on the Moose’s “March to Opening Day“ regional tour. You can meet the Moose there 9 am-11 am on (corrected) Thursday, March 14 for goofiness and giveaways, among other things.

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Roll on in! Eagle Scout leads pathway project for smoother access to Fauntleroy Park

February 23, 2024 10:21 am

| 5 COMMENTS

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

(Photos by Tom Trulin)

The main north entrance to Fauntleroy Park is a little easier to navigate now, thanks to a local Eagle Scout and helpers. The report is from Judy Pickens:

Visitors to Fauntleroy Park will notice something new at the SW Barton St. entrance: a crushed-rock path providing firm footing between the sidewalk and kiosk.

Eagle Scout candidate Kai Longmeier (above) rallied a crew from Troop 681 to strip the pathway of grass, lay and compact 7.5 yards of crushed rock, and put in 12 plants around the entrance’s rainbow sign.

The project started with interest by the Fauntleroy Watershed Council in improving access for those who rely on wheels to enjoy the park (strollers, walkers, wheelchairs). Council member Rosalie Miller worked with Amir Williams, trails program manager for Seattle Parks, to come up with the project and Kai ably took it from there.

Haven’t been there before? Here’s a map.

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10 possibilities for your West Seattle Friday

February 23, 2024 9:00 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Harbor Seal in the Duwamish River, photographed by Steve Bender)

Here are your Friday highlights, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

NORTHWEST WINE ACADEMY: Open 1-6 pm at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor).

FREE TODDLER GYM: 3-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center (9050 16th SW).

RECONNECT SOUTH PARK: Coffee chat to find out/talk about the concept of reconnecting South Park, bisected by a freeway, 3-4 pm at the Duwamish River Community Hub (8600 14th Ave. S., South Park).

VISCON CELLARS: Tasting room/wine bar open – wine by the glass or bottle – 5-9 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).

BLACK HISTORY SHAKES: That’s the centerpiece activity at 7 pm at Southwest Teen Life Center‘s late-night program. (2801 SW Thistle)

LIVE MUSIC AT C & P: Tonight, see and hear The Sound and The Fury at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm, all ages, no cover.

SHOWCASE AT THE SPOT: Fridays are Live Artist Showcase nights at The Spot West Seattle (2920 SW Avalon Way), 7-10 pm.

‘BORN WITH TEETH’: Final weekend for the current play at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7:30 pm – tickets here.

DJ NIGHT AT REVELRY ROOM: Music 9 pm-1 am on Fridays! Tonight’s DJ is Grizz. (4547 California SW)

MAKE IT LOUD! Skate to live music at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), 9 pm-midnight, this week featuring Tomo Nakayama, Betsy Olson Band, Echo Ravine. $18 cover + $5 skate rental

Something to add to our calendar? westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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TRAFFIC, TRANSIT, WEATHER: Friday + weekend info

February 23, 2024 6:02 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

6:02 AM: Good morning! It’s Friday, February 23, last weekday of midwinter break for many local schools.

WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Today’s forecast is for sunshine and a high in the low 50s (Thursday’s high was 56, five degrees above normal). Sunrise will be at 7:01 am, sunset at 5:44 pm.

WEEKEND NOTES

*The two right northbound lanes on the 1st Avenue South Bridge are scheduled to be closed Saturday morning (February 24) for road work, 6 am-noon.

*Alki will be busier than usual for this time of year on Saturday, with the Special Olympics Polar Plunge bringing a variety of vehicles including a lineup of food trucks.

TRANSIT NOTES

Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.

Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.

Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.

SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.

High Bridge – the main camera:

High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):

Low Bridge:

1st Ave. S. Bridge:

Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:

MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.

BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.

If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!

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