West Seattle, Washington
17 Monday
(WSB photo)
Seattle Fire medics are about to take a 12-year-old boy to a hospital to be checked out after he was reported to have been hit by a driver on northbound Fauntleroy Way at SW Rose, across from Lincoln Park. Emergency personnel at the scene tell us the child was not seriously hurt and is being transported as a precaution. We don’t know anything more about the circumstances, but the scene is expected to clear shortly.
10:35 AM: Just in from Washington State Ferries – after two days on a 2-boat schedule, the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run will return to 3 boats today, now that M/V Issaquah has been cleared to return to service. WSF says it’s not yet certain exactly when the regular schedule will be restored but promises an update, which we’ll add here when we get it.
1:49 PM UPDATE: WSF says the route returned to the 3-boat schedule as of the 1:25 departure from Fauntleroy.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When a citywide coalition of community groups announced they would appeal the Environmental Impact Statement for HALA Mandatory Housing Affordability upzoning, three West Seattle groups were part of it. Now, a fourth has decided to join the appeal – the Fauntleroy Community Association. That decision happened during last night’s FCA board meeting, which as usual included a wide range of topics:
STOLEN CAR FOUND: Thanks for the text about a sizable police presence at 16th and Henderson this past hour. Officers were questioning someone after finding a stolen car.
Two reader reports:
CAR PROWL: From Cheryl:
Wanted to let you know that I filed a police report on 12/12 regarding a break in of my car parked in front of my apartment building (in the 3500 block of) SW Ocean View Drive, Arbor Heights. They took several personal items including leather gloves (which were in a compartment), my phone holder, CDs (in the trunk) and my handicap parking permit (in the side compartment of my door). Other silly items taken as well.
ABANDONED BICYCLE: Lisa says this has been on a Fauntleroy corner for almost two weeks:
Yours? Let us know.
11:22 AM: Just in from Washington State Ferries:
The Issaquah has been taken out of service to repair a water pump seal leak in the #1 engine. Repairs have been scheduled between the morning and afternoon commutes to minimize impact to our customers. Two-boat service will continue on the regular schedule with the Cathlamet and the Sealth until repairs to the Issaquah are completed. The Cathlamet departed Vashon for Southworth at 10:45 am and the Sealth departed Vashon for Fauntleroy at 10:15 am to begin temporary service modifications.
We’ll update when this changes.
2:44 PM: Repairs aren’t done yet; WSF continues 2-boat service with Cathlamet and Sealth: “The Cathlamet runs the #1 position with the following departure schedule … 2:50pm SW-Va-Fa, 3:35pm Fa-SW, 4:05pm SW-Fa. The Sealth remains in the #2 position with the following departure schedule … 3:00pm Fa-Va-SW, 3:45pm SW-FA.”
3:24 PM: Back to three boats – details here.
Thanks to the reader who sent that photo and asked what the crane is doing at Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy dock. We asked WSF, and spokesperson Ian Sterling replied that it’s there for “routine annual maintenance work that we’re doing at a bunch of terminals and it just happens to be Fauntleroy’s turn.” He says the crane is expected to be at Fauntleroy for about a week and a half and its work is not expected to affect dock operations. The WSF website describes the work as “Landing Aid Repairs, Steel Pile in trestle, Hanger Bar Replacement.”
Thanks to Judy Pickens for the report and photo:
The concept of giving donations in lieu of more stuff for Christmas gained momentum during the second annual West Seattle Alternative Giving Fair.
(Bill Zoellner, who chairs the church’s homelessness task force, took donations for gift cards to help low-income families of local elementary students)
Hosted last Saturday and Sunday by Fauntleroy Church UCC for 19 local, national, and international programs, the fair brought in $11,291 to strengthen families and communities, support elders, care for creation, and respond to hunger and homelessness. Thanks to generous area residents, this “giving from the heart” represents a 37% increase over last year.
P.S. Still many opportunities for holiday giving – in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide, you’ll find a list of donation drives – including giving trees – and volunteer opportunities that we’ve heard about so far.
Until 2:30 pm, the West Seattle Alternative Giving Fair welcomes you to experience education as well as generosity during its second and final session. From Judy Pickens:
The second annual West Seattle Alternative Giving Fair got under way Saturday evening at Fauntleroy Church with 19 local, national, and international nonprofits represented. In addition to explaining what they do, each is welcoming donations in the name of family members, neighbors, teachers, and others this holiday season.
Alina Guyon is selling African crafts and soliciting donations to pay school fees for refugee children in Uganda. It’s the same agency for which she built a library and stocked it in July with books donated by West Seattle residents.
Rhiannon Wolfe-Jones, special education assistant at West Seattle Elementary, is at the fair to build a scholarship fund to enable low-income students at the school to attend Islandwood nature camp.
The fair continues until 2:30 pm in Fellowship Hall at the church (9140 California Ave. SW).
Two unique ways to shop for holiday gifts in Fauntleroy tomorrow, right across the street from each other:
FAUNTLEROY SCHOOLHOUSE HOLIDAY MARKET: This continues 9 am-3 pm Saturday in the halls of the historic schoolhouse at 9131 California SW; we stopped by tonight to see what the artists and crafters are offering. We found everything from knit caps to Sophisticated Slime:
That’s Jordyn, who makes the “slime,” which is something like Silly Putty – something to keep your hands busy, at the very least. $4 for 4 ounces, with color, glitter, and/or scent added at no extra charge. Then down at the end of the south hallway, we found Tab with Fun Times Too – a variety of found items converted into clocks:
Only place you’re going to find a bowling-bag clock, among other things, Tab assured us. Those are just two of the vendors – lots more at the schoolhouse, 9 am-3 pm tomorrow. Then across the street at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW) on Saturday evening, 6-8:30 pm, and Sunday between 11:30 am and 2:30 pm, it’s the West Seattle Alternative Giving Fair – where you can give to local nonprofits on behalf of those on your gift-giving list. Here’s who you’ll find:
Thanks to Judy Pickens for providing the list. Those are just two of many holiday-season events around West Seattle this weekend – see many more in our frequently updated Holiday Guide!
(Photos by Dennis Hinton. Above, volunteer Pete Draughon watching the Fauntleroy fish ladder)
By Dennis Hinton and Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
Last year about this time, “Big Wally” closed the spawning season by hanging out in lower Fauntleroy Creek for two weeks. The 7-to-8-pound male coho was likely waiting (in vain) for a mate.
This year, the last of four spawners spotted in the creek was “Little Jill,” a small hatchery-released female. Collectively known as “jacks,” these immature coho come back to fresh water after only one year at sea instead of the standard two.
(“Little Jill” is in this photo – but hard to see)
At about 15″ long, Jill was first thought to be a cutthroat in to feed on fresh salmon eggs. But after she zipped up and down the fish ladder for a few days, volunteers saw that her adipose fin was clipped – the way hatcheries mark smolts when they release them. Watchers last saw her November 2nd, showing signs of deterioration common to spawners.
Volunteer watcher Mark Ahlness claimed the first spawner sightings October 27 – a 3-to-4-pound female and a smaller, red-sided male. The little one was soon a carcass fluttering in the flow. A third fish came in before Jill; at least one other was spotted at the mouth, but watchers didn’t find it in the creek. No fish were seen venturing farther upstream than the fish ladder (just across Fauntleroy Way SW from the beach). Watchers saw no indication of spawning.
Given favorable high tides and creek conditions, watchers continued their surveying until yesterday (Sunday, November 19th), with no further sightings.
The watch involved a dozen volunteers this year. About three dozen visitors stopped by to check out the fish and habitat.
Previous five years’ totals: 7 in 2016, 0 in 2015, 19 in 2014, 0 in 2013, 274 in 2012.
The Fauntleroy Community Association board just wrapped up tonight’s monthly meeting at its usual location, the historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, where more than 15 people crowded into the conference room, several drawn by the biggest topic on the agenda – this site about a block west:
REZONE PROPOSAL: We broke the news two weeks ago about an early-stage proposal to rezone and redevelop 9250 45th SW in the heart of Fauntleroy’s Endolyne business district. Since then, two FCA board members have talked with the site’s owners to find out more.
The Fauntleroy Fine Art and Holiday Gift Show is on! Until 8 pm tonight, you can visit the Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall (9140 California SW) to browse and buy from what 17 artists (listed here) are offering. We stopped by late this afternoon for a quick preview – including garden art by Dee Miller:
Underwater images by Jen Vanderhoof:
And fiber art by Mary Anderson:
If you don’t get there tonight, the show continues 10 am-4 pm Saturday and 11 am-2 pm Sunday.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Triangle Route Task Force is at a crossroads – should it continue or wrap up?
It was created early this year with the expectations its members would commit a year to tackling some of the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route’s challenges.
But now Washington State Ferries says it’s time to tackle a big one – revamping the Triangle Route’s schedules – and thinking the task force might want to hang around and help.
That was one big topic at tonight’s meeting, which started 15 minutes late because the ferries were running late, not because of a Fauntleroy backup like the ones that have caused so much past trouble, but because of what WSF alerts described as an “offloading problem” on Vashon.
First – the group’s executive “sponsor” from WSF is now John Vezina, because the scope of its work has moved away from how things work at the dock. Several other WSF managers were present today; facilitating again was WSF’s Hadley Rodero, supported by Justin Fujioka, also from the WSF Communications team.
CHANGING THE SCHEDULE: The WSF reps now say this will happen – it wasn’t voiced in such certain terms earlier this year. The numbers reviewed included these:
(WSB photos)
The West Seattle Helpline‘s new executive director Erin Dury Moore and her predecessor Chris Langeler were at The Hall at Fauntleroy tonight along with a big roomful of people supporting the Helpline mission: Emergency assistance for thousands of neighbors in need.
The “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” began with beverages, and then, along with dinner and live/silent auction bidding, was headed toward a dessert dash:
And if you bought at least $50 in raffle tickets, you got to light up the night with a blinking ring:
Tonight’s guest speaker was Gregg Hersholt, a longtime local radio journalist and West Seattleite who served as the Helpline’s first board president in the ’90s, a few years after wife Maureen Hersholt co-founded the nonprofit.
P.S. Didn’t get to go to tonight’s event? You can still support the Helpline any time.
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
New in the city-permit files: An early-stage proposal to rezone a site in Fauntleroy’s Endolyne business district and demolish the building that’s there now, replacing it with a new 5-story mixed-use building. The early documents were filed last week for 9250 45th SW (photo above), the site also known as 4412 Brace Point Drive and bounded by Wildwood Place on the north side, just uphill from the Fauntleroy ferry dock [map]. Notes from an early conference with city reps say the building would be ground-floor “retail,” four floors residential, with 32 units proposed, no offstreet parking. (It’s on the RapidRide C Line.) The site is currently zoned NC (Neighborhood Commercial) 1-30 (for up to three stories), and the owners are proposing a rezone to NC3. Working title for the project, as shown on one early-stage sketch, is “The Fauntleroy.” Again, this has just appeared in city files, no formal application yet, but we’ll be watching for official comment periods and other parts of the process that would be required for rezoning – which ultimately requires City Council approval – as well as redevelopment. (This is the same area where traffic flow was reconfigured a little over a year ago, with the Brace Point Drive side changing to one-way eastbound.)
Less than a week after this year’s gathering to call the coho home to Fauntleroy Creek, two have shown up. Creek steward Judy Pickens says Mark Ahlness‘s photo above shows the first one, seen yesterday afternoon: “It reverted to the culvert and appeared again this morning.” She adds, “Then another, with full color, came in this afternoon. That’s a firm two now, perhaps a pair.” So you are invited to come to the creek tomorrow afternoon (Sunday, October 29th) – volunteers will be at creekside 2 pm-3:30 pm. They can’t guarantee you’ll see one but you can take a look and ask questions. As Judy says, “People interested in taking a chance on seeing spawners will be welcome. Children should bring a parent and dogs should stay safely at home.” Come to the fish-ladder viewpoint (SW Director & upper Fauntleroy Way SW, across from the ferry terminal) and a volunteer will invite you down.
Though the annual gathering along Fauntleroy Creek is billed as singing and drumming, today, the messages resonated most – messages written by participants of all ages, to tie to the fence at the creek overlook across and upslope from the ferry terminal.
Some were simply notes of welcome. One even carried an apology. And of course there was also singing and drumming, led by Jamie Shilling:
The songs urge the salmon to return:
And the singing/drumming begins. Volunteer watchers counted 7 coho spawners in Fauntleroy Creek last year. pic.twitter.com/NgFIZNisoU
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 23, 2017
And then there’s an urging of environmental respect, “Habitat,” to the tune of the half-century-plus-old “Lollipop.” Some wore salmon hats, decorated during the Fauntleroy Fall Festival a week earlier:
Leading the activity then, and emceeing the gathering today, was creek steward Judy Pickens, who noted that the welcoming event goes back to 1994:
She provided updates including the explanation that volunteers will now be watching for coho spawners, likely into mid-November, since the prediction this year is that they’ll arrive late. She also says a UW researcher will be studying pre-spawning mortality in the creek and will be waiting for word of any fish in obvious distress – less of a problem on Fauntleroy Creek than Longfellow Creek in eastern West Seattle, which has more of a runoff-pollution problem.
With Judy’s help, we’ll have updates during salmon-watcher season – and she says they’re hoping to organize another weekend event where you can come to the creek and talk with volunteers; we’ll let you know as soon as we get word of that.
(WSB photos)
4:20 PM: Thanks for the texts – we’re on our way to check out a police response near Fauntleroy Park. Checking with Seattle Police media relations in the meantime, this apparently started as a report of a possible burglary at a home on the north side of the park, along Barton. More to come.
4:27 PM: Police are outside a house on the south side of Barton at Director.
They think a burglar might be inside, so they are using a bullhorn to tell anyone inside to come out before they send a K-9 in to search.
4:41 PM: The K-9 has gone in and come out.
4:47 PM: The house is empty but police found a hole in the fence. Now the Guardian One helicopter is flying around the area looking for any signs of a possible burglar at large.
5:40 PM: The helicopter has long since departed after doing what it could; no word of an arrest yet but last we heard, police in the Fauntleroy area were still on the lookout.
8:18 PM: We checked with SW Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith at tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting; no arrest. The K-9 tried tracking from the hole in the fence that might have been used for entry/exit but couldn’t pick up a trail.
2:24 PM: If you’re not already here, you have until 5 pm to get to this year’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival – an awesome autumn all-ages celebration that’s under way on both sides of the 9100 block of California SW (around Fauntleroy Church and Schoolhouse). Above, Ladybird the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is one of the birds here as part of a new festival participant – The Falconer – find her and the other birds with their handlers in a garden area behind The Hall at Fauntleroy‘s courtyard. Here’s the schedule of everything that’s happening:
(Or see it here in PDF.) The Cake Walk (and cake-decorating judging) inside The Hall is not to be missed. Just a few entries:
You can vote until 3 pm, when the winners will be announced; then the Cake Walk is 3:15-4:15 pm, with your chance to win a cake! Back outside, over in the church parking lot – music, bouncy toys, birdhouse-making, salmon-hat making, pumpkin-painting …
Seattle Fire and Police are there too:
2:44 PM: This is a festival with something for the very littlest visitors, too. Like “Baby Dino Lake” for 4 and under:
And for those bringing babies/toddlers, there’s a diaper-changing station inside Fauntleroy Children’s Center on the north side of the schoolhouse. It’s not all kid stuff, though. We’ve been enjoying awesome jazz by the Jump Jazz Trio behind the schoolhouse:
Jump Jazz Trio behind the historic schoolhouse @ Fauntleroy Fall Festival (which is on until 5) pic.twitter.com/nWeo6RORag
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 15, 2017
And the West Seattle Big Band plays inside The Hall starting at 3.
3:11 PM: Bronwyn Edwards‘ ferry cake won the “experienced” category in the cake judging. And now, the cake walk is under way:
Speaking of food, vendors (all listed here) include Endolyne Joe’s (WSB sponsor) with sliders:
Back over in the church lot, you still have time to paint a pumpkin:
4 PM: Final hour of the festival has just begun. Still lots of people having lots of fun. Music outside…
And more Fauntleroy Fall Festival music… pic.twitter.com/Xg5aFNXVp9
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 15, 2017
…where it’s mixing with the hammering of birdhouse-makers. Inside, it’s the big sound of the WS Big Band:
And now @wsbigband at Fauntleroy Fall Festival pic.twitter.com/c8NCozSv0G
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) October 15, 2017
Jim Edwards directs the WSBB, and the vocalist in our short clip is Sarah Ackers. As you arrive/leave, you might notice the donation stations … this is an all-volunteer, all-community event, and if you can spare a few $, those donations help it stay free and fun every year. They’re also collecting socks for people in need:
That bin is by the walkway up to Fauntleroy Church on the south side of the lot.
5:04 PM: Festival’s over! Spectacular afternoon. We expect to add a few more photos later. (added) From the back lot – the ponies and the petting farm:
We couldn’t leave without one more look at the birds:
(WSB file photo of birdhouse-building at Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
This weekend’s biggest event is the Fauntleroy Fall Festival, 2-5 pm on both sides of the 9100 block of California SW [map], in and around Fauntleroy Church and Schoolhouse. We published some preview notes back on Wednesday, in our Fauntleroy Community Association coverage; today, courtesy of festival organizer Debbie Kerns and Fauntleroy information coordinator Judy Pickens, we have the full festival activities/entertainment schedule, followed by the food lineup:
If you can’t scroll through those, here’s the schedule and the food plan (both PDF). See you Sunday!
P.S. Bring socks to contribute to a donation drive for those in need.
(WSB photo from 2016 Fauntleroy Fall Festival)
Sunday (October 15th) brings the Fauntleroy Fall Festival – and a preview was the centerpiece of last night’s Fauntleroy Community Association board meeting, including:
NEW THIS YEAR: You’ll find a raptor display in the garden area behind The Hall at Fauntleroy, between the building and the open area where you’ll find the pony rides and petting zoo. Also new, an inflatable obstacle course and some extra activities for the littlest festivalgoers.
RETURNING FAVORITES: Birdhouse-building in the Fauntleroy Church parking lot, visiting vehicles from Seattle Police (the Mobile Precinct is expected) and Seattle Fire. Lots of live music around the festival grounds!
FOOD: Vendors will include Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering with brats and squash soup, plus pretzel sticks … Fauntleroy’s new Wildwood Market will be there … Endolyne Joe’s (WSB sponsor) too … and “the tamale guy.”
CAKE WALK AND DECORATING CONTEST: It’s a highlight every year and cakes are needed – from the festival announcement:
There are three categories: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. To enter, bring your decorated cake to the Vashon Room at The Hall at Fauntleroy on Sunday 10/15 between 12 noon and 1 pm. Voting takes place from 1:30-3 pm. Prizes will be awarded for each category! The Cake Walk follows and continues until all the cakes are gone. Cakes can be any shape or size. They should have an autumn, Halloween, or West Seattle theme.
The festival is 2-5 pm Sunday on both sides of California SW in the heart of Fauntleroy – around Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW, east side of the street) and The Hall at Fauntleroy/Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW, west side).
Also at last night’s meeting:
CRIME TRENDS: Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Ron Smith said the Fauntleroy area is seeing an increase in car prowls and auto theft and as often happens, police suspect it’s related to a repeat offender’s recent release, with some new accomplices, and Southwest officers/detectives are on their trail. Asked how best to thwart them, Lt. Smith repeated the most-important advice – leave absolutely nothing in your vehicle, and keep it locked.
FERRY BRIEFING: Gary Dawson, who’s on the Ferry Advisory Committee for Fauntleroy as well as the Triangle Task Force, updated the FCA board on the ongoing travails related to trying to reduce backups – including the recent meeting on Vashon (WSB coverage here).
The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets second Tuesdays most months, 7 pm at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse.
(WSB photos and video by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
~60 people sang, prayed, and pondered in a candlelight circle tonight outside Fauntleroy Church, during an emotional vigil that went beyond mourning the 59 lives lost in the Las Vegas massacre.
Leading them, above, were West Seattle’s three United Church of Christ pastors, from left, Rev. Diane Darling of Alki UCC, Rev. Leah Atkinson Bilinski of Fauntleroy UCC, and Rev. Andrew Conley-Holcom of Admiral UCC. Their voices rang clear in the night with grief and anger – and even a prayer of confession, that “I confess I believed things would get better on their own, and I confess that I was wrong.”
There were questions – including those raised in Bob Dylan‘s “Blowin’ in the Wind,” the first song led by Bronwyn Edwards and Leann Conley-Holcom, with readings between the verses:
As the names of those who died in the massacre were read – “so many lost” – there were a few words about each. Someone celebrating their 23rd wedding anniversary. Someone celebrating their 28th birthday. A father there with his four grown children. Off-duty law enforcers. The mother of a 6-week-old baby. A 67-year-old woman. And when Seattle resident Carrie Parsons‘ name was read, Rev. Atkinson Bilinski noted that Ms. Parsons was the “close friend of the granddaughter of a Fauntleroy Church parishioner.”
A chime sounded after each name and description … and the last name read was that of the killer, noting that he left behind his family, as well as a nation “confused and heartbroken.” And it was noted that the massacre took the spotlight from others around the world who are in pain and suffering, from hurricane and earthquake victims to those in our country experiencing racism and other social injustice daily. Gun-violence statistics were read, including the fact that “most gun deaths are suicides.”
Ultimately, however, the vigil’s message was that of hope, with the candles representing “the light of love” – hope that with action, with collaboration, change can be made. In that spirit, the final song was “Somewhere to Begin” by T.R. Ritchie:
As the vigil ended, participants were invited to continue lighting candles and to write notes of appreciation to local first responders.
We are told the notes will be taken to a local fire station on Sunday.
(“Wally,” a 2016 Fauntleroy Creek coho photographed by Mark Ahlness)
Another call today for salmon-creek volunteers in West Seattle – this time, it’s Fauntleroy Creek that can use your help watching for spawners starting later this month. From creek steward Judy Pickens:
Salmon Watch 2017 will start on Sunday, October 15, on Fauntleroy Creek and new volunteers are welcome. Watchers monitor the lower creek after daytime high tide to record any spawner activity. Sign up as often as you want, with training during your first watch. Contact Judy Pickens at judy_pickens@msn.com for details.
Seven coho were counted last year – which was seven more than the year before.
P.S. Whether or not you plan to volunteer as a watcher, you’re invited to the fish-ladder overlook (upper Fauntleroy Way and Director, across from the ferry dock) for drumming to welcome the salmon home at 5 pm October 22nd.
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