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3 days till Fauntleroy Schoolhouse celebration: Updated preview
May 30, 2010 11:47 am
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 |   Fauntleroy | Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

schoolhouse.jpgThree months after the purchase of the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and some of its surrounding land officially became final, the community celebration is just four days away – 6:30 pm Thursday (June 3) – and we have more details of how it will unfold. Kim Sheridan from schoolhouse-headquartered Fauntleroy Children’s Center says it will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring its founder Dr. Jack Pierce as well as Fauntleroy Community Service Agency – the nonprofit purchasing entity- board president Kevin Wooley, and Fauntleroy Community Association president Bruce Butterfield. The West Seattle Big Band is scheduled to perform 7-8 pm. And Kim says they’ve got RSVPs from city/state reps including State Sen. Joe McDermott and Rep. Eileen Cody, Department of Neighborhoods director Stella Chao, and former Mayor Greg Nickels (who has just returned from the East Coast). As noted in our first announcement of the event, schoolhouse-based Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering – which won the vote at the recent Taste of West Seattle – will provide treats. (Here’s the Facebook invite, if you’d like to track this event that way.) P.S. There just might be some other special “guests” nearby – a team of goats is due at the schoolhouse, possibly by midweek, to munch away weeds and invasives. MONDAY MORNING UPDATE: Kim Dinsmoor from Seattle Civic Dance Theatre, also headquartered at the schoolhouse, sent a note to make sure you know you’re invited to come downstairs on the building’s north side to see performers preparing for their next production, “The Tea Party” (they’re performing it at 2 pm next Sunday, June 6, at Highline Performing Arts Center).

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Salmon season! Arbor Heights Elementary at Fauntleroy Creek
May 22, 2010 9:26 am
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | Wildlife

(Photos courtesy Craig Harrold)
By the end of next week, more than a dozen groups (mostly from local schools) will have visited Fauntleroy Creek to release salmon, with guidance from creek steward Judy Pickens, in addition to the proud teachers and parents who accompany them. It’s an annual tradition, after the kids watch the fish grow from eggs, usually placed in aquariums in hallways or classrooms. One of the groups that released salmon this past week was from Arbor Heights Elementary School, and parent Craig Harrold shared a few of the scenes from their visit. Above, that’s Jesse inspecting one of the fry; next, Alec carefully pours water and fish into the creek:

With the students were Arbor Heights kindergarten teacher David Wilkie (below left) and 5th-grade teacher Ruben Gonzalez (below right):

According to the latest creek update on the Fauntleroy Community Association website, the groups participating this year are releasing about 1,800 fry to join the “home hatch” at the creek. This is also the time of year when smolts migrate toward Puget Sound, and the online update says monitors have seen 23 so far – up from last year’s 18.

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Fauntleroy Community Assoc.: CSO “proceed” letter, schoolhouse…
May 12, 2010 10:42 am
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 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

From last night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting, the final of four WSB reports from last night’s neighborhood-council meetings around West Seattle (newly expanded Admiral report here; Junction report here; North Delridge here): FCA has weighed in with its views on the Combined Sewer Overflow control controversy. While much of the recent attention has focused on the proposals for controlling overflows from the Murray Pump Station at Lowman Beach, north of Lincoln Park, three alternatives for CSO control also are on the table for the basin feeding the Barton Pump Station (county photo above) by the Fauntleroy ferry terminal south of the park, and FCA went public last night with the draft of the letter they want to send the county – including their hope that the Murray controversy will not delay the Barton project. Read ahead for the full text as well as other meeting toplines:Read More

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Another date just announced: Fauntleroy Schoolhouse celebration
May 5, 2010 2:39 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

schoolhousefoto.jpgMaybe it’s just a day for news about dates. We just heard from Kat Sparks-Jones, who explains that she’s the new property manager/tenant relations coordinator for the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse:

We are excited about the future and legacy of this great building; We would love to make
the community aware of our purchase celebration scheduled for June 3rd. … We would love to encourage the community to come out and view the building! It will be an open-house style event, with Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes providing treats. The Fauntleroy Community Service Agency founder will be cutting the ribbon.

Kat says more details will be available next week. The purchase of the schoolhouse and some of the surrounding property, previously owned by Seattle Public Schools, was completed in February, as reported here.

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Full house for West Seattle Food Bank’s ‘Instruments of Change’
May 1, 2010 3:42 am
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 |   Fauntleroy | How to help | West Seattle news

The Hall at Fauntleroy was filled with hundreds of West Seattle Food Bank supporters Friday night, for the food bank’s annual benefit “Instruments of Change.” Among those we saw – Pablo Lambinicio (left) from the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council and Ron Angeles from the Delridge District Neighborhood Services Center:

Besides enjoying a catered banquet by Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering and inspiration from speaker Robert V. Taylor, the crowd heard world music by the Miho and Diego Duo:

WSB is proud to have been among the sponsors of the event – the full list is here, along with other event details from “Instruments of Change.” You can find out how to help the West Seattle Food Bank and the thousands it serves by going here.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Boat stolen near Lincoln Park
April 24, 2010 3:18 pm
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 |   Crime | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

Out of the WSB inbox:

Our boat was stolen sometime in the middle of the night [Friday night/today]. It is a blue and white 20 ft SeaDoo Utopia Jet boat on a trailer.

The boat was stolen near Lincoln Park on 46th Ave. SW between Thistle and Rose streets [map]. Please report this if you see this boat on land or on or near the water. A police report has been made.

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Fauntleroy Community Association: Tonight’s notes
April 13, 2010 11:54 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

The first of three sets of notes from community-council meetings we covered tonight: The Fauntleroy Community Association board, meeting at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, was happy about the outcome of this year’s Food Fest/Membership Meeting. Not only was the March 23rd event’s turnout big (as shown in our coverage), board members were heartened by the night’s new memberships and renewals – overall, one of the best in a long time, they said. Also discussed: The county’s controversial list of three options (shown here) for controlling Combined Sewer Overflows at the Barton pump station by the ferry dock (here’s our March 19th report from the first major discussion of the proposals). The county’s still taking feedback; go here. Looking ahead: An update on The Kenney‘s redevelopment plan is expected to be on the May 11th agenda; before then, Endolyne Joe’s hosts a Fauntleroy Fall Festival fundraiser April 27, dinner 5-8 pm and live music/happy hour afterward.

The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets at 7 pm the second Tuesday of the month; more at fauntleroy.net or at the FCA’s Facebook page.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: 2 vandalism cases, 1 a church break-in
March 25, 2010 4:09 pm
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 |   Crime | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

CRIME WATCH REPORT #1: That window-repair work in the Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) nursery wasn’t originally on the church schedule today … until burglar(s) broke in overnight. That’s not all they did; church staffer Jackie Gould says they used the custodian’s tools to break off part of a door latch, ransacked chapel drawers, and opened a fire extinguisher to spray retardant foam all over the hallway, even in a resource room where kids’ art/craft supplies (and other items) were stored:

The burglar(s) also stole small electronics including an iPod belonging to the church’s wedding coordinator. As you might be able to tell from that photo, some footprints were left in the foam in that room; most of the other damage was cleaned up by the time we dropped by at mid-afternoon.

CRIME WATCH REPORT #2: The keeper of the “Ducky Reserve” at Lowman Beach, Ron Sterling, has surveillance video equipment trained on his whimsical display at all times. They’ve caught some unusual sights over the years. This time, they’ve caught an unmistakable case of vandalism destroying/stealing the St. Patrick’s Day display he hadn’t changed over yet. He’s posted about it in the WSB Forums, including a link to video of the incident.

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Full house for Fauntleroy Community Association’s Food Fest
March 23, 2010 9:36 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

More than 100 people ate, drank, talked and celebrated their neighborhood tonight at the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s annual meeting, aka Food Fest. There was a bit of business:

That’s Bruce Butterfield, who in addition to announcing raffle prizes, was re-elected as FCA president; other FCA officers were re-elected too. And he gave a quick shoutout to some of the neighborhood successes – leading a cheer for the recent completion of the purchase deal for Fauntleroy Community Services Association to own and operate the building that’s home to The Hall, the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (WSB coverage here). That’s good news for many, including Tuxedoes and Tennis Shoes Catering, which runs The Hall:

Tuxedoes and Tennis Shoes was one of the food providers tonight – others included The Original Bakery, The Kenney, Endolyne Joe’s, Bird on a Wire Espresso, and Giannoni’s Pizza. And inbetween bites, attendees got a chance to get informed, too,

Judy Pickens, whose volunteer work includes a lot of love and care for Fauntleroy Creek and its watershed, was offering information to help keep local water clean – simple action you can take like stenciling drains to raise awareness of their connection to open waters. And other local organizations were on hand, like the Morgan Community Association, whose past president Steve Sindiong is behind Judy in the photo above, and all the way from The Junction, ArtsWest (WSB sponsor):

Alan Harrison, who presided over a gala night last week unveiling next season’s lineup (WSB coverage here), says season-ticket sales are going well – you can get yours here. But the main point of the Fauntleroy event was to renew memberships and add new ones; if you live in the Fauntleroy area but couldn’t be there to sign up or renew, there’s info online. And as Butterfield reminded the crowd, everyone’s welcome to FCA board meetings, second Tuesday of the month at 7 pm, at The Hall.

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Reporting line-cutters, & other Washington State Ferries changes
March 23, 2010 9:43 am
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | Transportation | West Seattle news

(Fauntleroy ferry dock, photographed last week)
Two notes in an announcement from Washington State Ferries – first, this Sunday marks the start of the spring schedule, which means Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth is back to three boats; second, on that same day, WSF joins the State Patrol’s tipline service, so you can report line-cutters by calling a special hotline. Read on for the official news release with details of both:Read More

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Next generation of Puget Sound salmon: Fauntleroy Creek hatch
March 19, 2010 12:23 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Wildlife

The announcement posted by the Fauntleroy Creek overlook (across the street and up the embankment from the ferry dock) trumpets the happy news: Home hatch! Creek steward Judy Pickens mentioned this the other day and now we have details – volunteers who recently surveyed the creek spotted up to 200 coho fry resulting from last fall’s spawning (18 spawners were seen). As the flyer notes, they’ll have company soon: Local schoolchildren will release about 2,000 more baby coho into the creek this spring. This is a good time of year to visit the overlook, before all the bushes and trees grow their leaves back:

Big event in Fauntleroy next week, by the way – area residents are invited to the annual Fauntleroy Community Association Membership Meeting and Food Fest, during which they can either join FCA or renew their membership (all memberships expire at this same time each year). 6-8 pm Tuesday at The Hall at Fauntleroy; more details at fauntleroy.net.

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Naturally, a hit: Nature Consortium’s jampacked benefit brunch
March 14, 2010 12:54 pm
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 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | How to help | West Seattle news

12:54 PM: The Nature Consortium‘s celebrating its success and looking to its future right now at The Hall at Fauntleroy, during its second annual Benefit Brunch (co-sponsored by WSB). In the capacity crowd, we spotted King County Executive Dow Constantine, State Sen. Joe McDermott, and Seattle School Board rep Steve Sundquist. The Nature Consortium is a West Seattle-based nonprofit, headquartered at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge, and its main work involves restoring the West Duwamish Greenbelt – with lots of volunteer help! Their work parties are listed on greenseattle.org – lots of chances to help (including the upcoming Duwamish Alive! events in honor of Earth Day, April 17). 1:54 PM: Added photos – including, at right, NC board member Becca Fong.

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Fauntleroy Schoolhouse purchase finally a done deal
February 26, 2010 6:00 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

schoolhouse.jpgTwo years in the making, the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse purchase is complete, confirms the Fauntleroy Children’s Center, whom we’d contacted after getting this city news release at day’s end. As we’ve reported previously, it became a two-part purchase – first the schoolhouse and part of the site, then more of the site (as OK’d by Seattle Public Schools last month). Lauri from FCC tells WSB, “We will be toasting at our annual auction next weekend” – that’s the FCC annual auction on March 6 – and adds there’ll be a celebration scheduled at a later date. As the city news release notes, the money used for the purchase includes almost $2 million from the state and $1 million from the city; now the Fauntleroy Community Services Agency will have to raise millions more to fix up the building, which the school district had declared “surplus,” leading to it being put up for sale.

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Fauntleroy e-recycling results: 4 truckloads!
February 22, 2010 12:12 pm
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 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

When we stopped by the Fauntleroy Church electronics/appliances recycling event at midday Sunday, the crew from Issaquah-based 1 Green Planet already had filled one truck with recyclables. We checked with Judy Pickens to see if they had received a grand-total report; here it is – four truckloads (24-foot, two 16-footers, and a 14-footer), totaling between 15 and 20 TONS of recyclables. Judy says they’re talking about doing it again this fall; in the meantime, you can use E-Cycle Washington to find out how to recycle these types of items.

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Happening now: Electronics recycling at Fauntleroy Church
February 21, 2010 12:11 pm
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 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

An hour and a half into the five-hour recycling event at Fauntleroy Church, the 1 Green Planet crew already had filled a truck! We caught them during a brief lull before a couple more cars pulled up:

They are a relatively new, nonprofit operation, based on the Eastside. They recycle electronics and appliances for free – while some other recyclers still charge fees. They tell us that some aspects of the operation (taking apart old computers, which have myriad recyclable components) subsidize the others. If you miss this event, they say you can take recyclables to their facility in Issaquah – full info on what they take and where they are is on their website. But in the meantime, they’re scheduled to be at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) till 2 pm – and they had big props for West Seattleites’ obvious recycling zeal.

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Electronics, appliances to recycle? Here’s a date to save
February 6, 2010 10:03 pm
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 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

Thanks to Fauntleroy’s Judy Pickens for sharing word of this big recycling event coming up in two weeks:

The Green Committee at Fauntleroy Church is partnering with 1 Green Planet for convenient recycling on Sunday, Feb. 21, 9 AM-2 PM in the church parking lot. Bring washers, dryers, & other appliances; TVs & other electronics; computer equipment of all kinds; batteries & scrap metal of all kinds. Free; details at www.fauntleroyucc.org

Fauntleroy Church is at 9140 California SW: if you haven’t been there before, be sure to check the map, because it’s a stub of California SW that’s NOT connected to the multi-mile straightaway (so vividly visible in this photo).

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Fauntleroy YMCA drop-in child-care program to reopen sooner
January 25, 2010 8:35 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

Last November, with Fauntleroy Church construction looming, the Kids Corner drop-in child-care program at Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) closed on short notice. At the time, the Y told families they’d reassess “in the spring” before deciding when to reopen. That plan accelerated – and there’s word tonight that Kids Corner will reopen a week from tomorrow. The Y’s Josh Sutton shares the news that as of February 2, Drop-In Kids’ Corner will be offered Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 am, and Saturdays, 9-11:30 am. In a memo to families, he said, “We will keep this level of operations through the remainder of the remodel, talk about space with the church, and make longer term decisions later in spring.” The remodeling work’s still under way, so there’ll be a few changes, like entering through the back door.

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Fauntleroy Community Association: Park; pump; pamphlet
January 12, 2010 11:19 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

Busy night for neighborhood-group meetings. First of three reports we’ll have for you from meetings tonight: Fauntleroy Community Association. Among the topics at tonight’s board meeting: They’re supporting Gordon Wiehler‘s pursuit of an Opportunity Fund grant to extend the park at 46th SW and Brace Point (map); he’s looking at an adjacent parcel once used by City Light. Next step, he’ll write a letter to beat the process’s Feb. 1 deadline. Also at tonight’s meeting at The Hall at Fauntleroy, another update on the King County Wastewater Treatment Division‘s work in the area, including pump-station upgrades; Lynn Olson has been working with KCWT’s Martha Tuttle to plan a spring meeting to talk about the projects, and the FCA board is strategizing what format might be best, and how to boost turnout. And final topline – FCA is working on an upgrade to its membership pamphlet; look for it if you live in the area.

Fauntleroy Community Association’s board meets the second Tuesday of the month; the group has lots of updated community information online at fauntleroy.net.

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Next week: Learn about early literacy in Fauntleroy
January 8, 2010 7:26 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news

An announcement to share tonight from Fauntleroy Children’s Center at the old schoolhouse:

There will be a parent meeting on Early Literacy at the Fauntleroy Children’s Center on Wednesday, January 13th from 6-7 pm. This meeting is open to the public and free of charge.

Librarian and Early Childhood Specialist, Robin Rousu will be the guest speaker. The Fauntleroy Children’s Center is located in the north wing of the (former) Fauntleroy Elementary School building at 9131 California Avenue SW. The meeting will be held in the Satellite classroom (#12). Child care is available with advance registration. Call 932-9590 or e-mail fauntleroychildrenscenter@yahoo.com

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Future Fauntleroy fish: Special delivery for West Seattle schools
January 8, 2010 10:10 am
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 |   Environment | Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(West Seattle Elementary fifth-grader Precious Manning pours coho eggs into an iodine bath to disinfect them before putting them in the school’s aquarium)
By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog

Youngsters at eight West Seattle elementary schools, plus the Fauntleroy Children’s Center, will soon be the proud parents of 1,850 baby salmon destined for Fauntleroy Creek.

Volunteers Phil Sweetland and Judy Pickens delivered that many eggs on Jan. 6 to students eager to start the process. The state’s Soos Creek Hatchery provided the coho eggs for the Salmon in the Classroom program, which enables students to learn about the development and habitat needs of our Northwest’s iconic fish. The eyed eggs will hatch in just a few days and, if all goes well, robust fry will be ready for release in May.

These fry will join 500 additional ones being raised by volunteer Jack Lawless for preschoolers and others who don’t have their own fish to release (allotted on a first-come basis). Also, monitoring will start soon in the lower creek to see how many “home hatch” resulted from eggs left in November by 18 spawners.

Editor’s note: You can peek at Fauntleroy Creek any time by visiting the overlook across the street (and upslope) from Fauntleroy ferry terminal (map).

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Fire followup: At Fauntleroy Church, “the show must go on”
December 20, 2009 6:42 pm
|    Comments Off on Fire followup: At Fauntleroy Church, “the show must go on”
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

Thanks to Tom Dirks for sharing that photo – and headline – via Facebook. Less than four hours after a small fire in the Fauntleroy Church (WSB sponsor) sanctuary, the church’s Christmas concert is under way as promised, moved to the Fellowship Hall. Here’s our previous report on the fire; while we won’t likely have final official word on its cause till tomorrow, it was believed to be accidental, and investigators were examining both candles and a lighting display. Nobody was hurt, and while the sanctuary needs some repair and airing out, people were allowed back into the co-housed Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) within an hour, so everything’s OK there. As we noted in an update on the previous story earlier this hour, sprinkler-system installation is part of the major renovation work that’s just getting under way at the church.

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Updates: Small fire at Fauntleroy Church; road now open again
December 20, 2009 2:25 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle fires | West Seattle news

(photo added 3:07 pm)
2:25 PM: It started as an “auto fire alarm” but has just upgraded to a “fire in building” call and the road’s blocked off at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California; map) and more units are on the way. We’re headed down to find out more. 2:29 PM: Scanner says the fire is “tapped” – so it was small – and they’re canceling some of the units – but avoid the area TFN. 2:36 PM: We’re on scene. Some smoke visible on the roof, and firefighters are up there too. Don’t know yet where/how it started or how much damage but the church has just embarked on a renovation/remodeling project. It also was scheduled to have the Christmas concert tonight – we will be checking on its status. At the scene, firefighters are telling us that people ARE being allowed back into the YMCA portion of the building now. 2:51 PM: We don’t know the cause yet but we are told the fire was in the sanctuary, and that a window broke, or was broken – we hope to speak to church officials shortly – they’re said to be out getting plywood. Also, the roadblocks resulting from the fire call have just been removed, and traffic is going through again. ]

3:07 PM: Photojournalist Matt Durham from mattdurhamphotography.com is at the scene too and he and WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand have gathered this information from firefighters and church staff: The main damage is to the altar and to a “standard” window in the sanctuary. Investigators are looking at a lighting display and candles as possible causes. Fauntleroy Church pastor Rev. David Kratz says the main focus for them will be clearing the smoke smell out of the sanctuary in time for Christmas Eve services Thursday; as for tonight’s scheduled concert, it’s still on, and will likely move into the Fellowship Hall.

ADDED 6:07 PM: In that photo by Matt Durham, Rev. Kratz and Lyn Kratz were talking with Engine 26’s Lt. Bennet about how to secure the sanctuary right after the fire. Meantime, church volunteer Judy Pickens has reminded us since then about one key component of the church’s remodeling project that will be even more welcome now – a sprinkler system.

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Fauntleroy YMCA drop-in child-care program closing TFN
November 23, 2009 11:49 pm
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 |   Fauntleroy | Health | West Seattle news


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Two West Seattle parents contacted us to share this news: Parents who use the Kids Corner drop-in child-care program at the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor), which is based at Fauntleroy Church, got word today that the program is closing after this Wednesday. A letter from West Seattle YMCA branch executive Josh Sutton explains, in part:

You may know the church will be going through a significant remodel beginning in December and lasting through May. During this time some YMCA program spaces and access will be limited, and we expect overall use of the facility will likely decrease.

To promote child and staff safety, the Seattle Y has a 2-staff requirement at all times for children’s programs. While our staff and volunteers have done much work to improve the draw of the Fauntleroy Y’s Kids Corner, it does not sustain the number of visits per day that would keep it viable through the remodel. … Programs will remain closed for the duration of the remodel, and we will assess long-term decisions in the spring.

The letter also notes that for the duration of this, the West Seattle Y location in The Triangle “will be open to all Fauntleroy Local members at no additional cost,” and that the Triangle location offers 50+ hours of drop-in family programs. Sutton was at the Fauntleroy location much of today and plans to be there again tomorrow morning to answer questions. He told us the Y “weighed a lot of options, and came to this.”

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