Big callout for a crash on Fauntleroy Way alongside Lincoln Park. Northbound traffic – as in, coming away from the ferry terminal – is being diverted onto SW Kenyon. We’re told it involved a car pulling in front of a bus, but nobody was hurt; what was an “automobile rescue” call has already been downgraded and closed since it turned out not to be as bad as it apparently initially sounded. 6:26 PM UPDATE: Added photo of the vehicle hit by the bus. Jeff, who was on the bus (a Sound Transit 560), confirmed nobody was hurt.
Need a nice warm hat for the cold snap ahead? That’s part of what you’ll find at Fauntleroy Church till 8 pm tonight, 11 am-4 pm tomorrow, and 11 am-1 pm on Sunday, during this year’s expanded Fine Art Show and Holiday Gift Faire. The arts/crafts show sale includes 15 artists “displaying and selling work in a variety of media and prices, including fused glass, photo collage, felt, watercolor, and cast stone,” according to the church, which is at 9140 California SW (map).
Still two and a half hours to bring your tote bag(s) to the Fauntleroy Church fellowship hall and stock up on gently used toys as the annual CoolMom Toy Swap ‘n’ Sale continues – they’re spotlighting some items that are too big for your tote bag, too – toddler-size cars on the stage in the background, and baby/child furniture in the foreground:
Fauntleroy Church is across from the historic schoolhouse, at 9140 California SW – that’s not a continuation of the long stretch of California, but rather a bend in the road if you are either heading up Wildwood south of the ferry dock, or heading down Barton west of 35th. The sale continues till 1 pm, with proceeds benefiting WestSide Baby as well as CoolMom. Never know who might just jump into your tote bag!
12:57 PM: Got a text that in the waning moments, everything is half price.
From tonight’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting: Topic A remains the recently surfaced suggestion that the south parking lot of Lincoln Park might be the best place for a storage facility to reduce combined-sewer overflows (CSO) from the Murray Pump Station at Lowman Beach. As noted in previous coverage, the idea came from a citizens’ advisory group made up mostly of people who live outside Fauntleroy, which already is in line to get a CSO-reduction project for the area feeding the Barton Pump Station next to the ferry dock. Tonight, FCA members decided they’ll seek to meet with King County Wastewater Treatment Division‘s Linda Sullivan to talk about their ongoing concerns, many of which were expressed at last week’s community meeting about the proposal (WSB coverage here, including video of the entire meeting). They also want to talk about what might be done to mitigate the effects if the site is chosen. The comment deadline is November 15th, and King County – according to what spokesperson Annie Kolb-Nelson told us a few days ago – expects to decide on its “preferred alternatives” for Murray and Barton in mid-December, so there’s some urgency. Main issues for the FCA regarding the parking lot: Where would people park during construction? How would local businesses be affected? (For more information on the CSO proposals, go here for the Murray process, and here for the Barton process.) One other item of business tonight: March 15, 2011, is the date chosen for the FCA’s annual Food Fest membership-drive event.
The FCA meets the second Tuesday of each month, 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy(in the schoolhouse).
A crowd estimated at more than 100 people came to The Hall at Fauntleroy on Monday night for King County’s briefing on the latest development in the quest to reduce Combined Sewer Overflows from the Murray Pump Station at Lowman Beach. First – we put the entire meeting on video, with the first hour (the county’s presentation) in the top clip, the second hour (attendee discussion) in this next one:
Toplines: The newest option under consideration was chosen by the Citizens’ Advisory Group convened at the behest of Murray “basin” residents concerned about all three of the original potential options, especially one that would dig up the park to bury a big holding tank to reduce overflows. But the option preferred by the group after a summer of work – which at one point had 17 options under consideration (here’s their final report) – is not technically in the Murray basin area; it would involve most of the storage going under Lincoln Park’s south parking lot, which is in Fauntleroy (where a separate pump station, Barton, does not have an overflow-reduction plan chosen yet).
Many Fauntleroy residents who spoke at the meeting voiced concerns about traffic trouble if this latest proposal was chosen by King County – not just from the loss of the parking lot during years of construction, but also because it could overlap with other projects in the area. There also was widespread concern that the group settled on this option without input from area residents; Fauntleroy had one representative on the advisory group, Vlad Oustimovitch, who had voiced those same concerns while the group was making its decision a month ago. Advisory group member Donna Sandstrom said last night that they had tried to be as fair as possible.
One attendee wondered about the status of possibly using private property near Lowman Beach for the storage, which was envisioned in one of the first three options the county had brought forward last spring; area property owners who were at the meeting indicated they had no intention of voluntarily selling.
What’s next? The county has the final say on choosing one potential option for further study, and is not bound by the advisory group’s preference. It’s still taking public comments, so if you have something to say, they want to hear from you by November 15th – here’s how.
(Video from November 2009, when last year’s first returning coho were sighted in the creek)
The forecast for tomorrow still looks soggy and blustery, and that’s led Fauntleroy Creek steward Judy Pickens to make this call:
The forecast for late Sunday afternoon is such that we are wise to cancel the annual salmon drumming on Fauntleroy Creek, scheduled for 5 PM at the fish-ladder viewpoint. Parents with young children will keep them home in the face of rain and wind, and we don’t want any instruments getting wet.
Thanks to all who had planned to come and participate in this seasonal ritual. The salmon watch will start on Monday, and we can only hope that the spawners will come in on their own this year!
The citizens’ advisory group set up at the suggestion of neighbors upset about the possibility of a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) control facility digging up Lowman Beach Park has finished its months-long work to suggest and review other options. At its last meeting three weeks ago, the consensus was that its preferred alternative would be a storage facility under the south parking lot at Lincoln Park. It didn’t come without controversy – that’s technically outside the Murray Pump Station-feeding “basin,” for which the county had originally proposed three other options, and the advisory group rep from Fauntleroy, Vlad Oustimovitch, removed himself from the voting, saying his area wasn’t truly represented, with everyone else who was voting living outside the area they were targeting. The county doesn’t have to accept the recommendation, but wants the community to hear about the proposal, so a meeting is now set for November 1st. Read on for the official news release, which also mentions the group’s four runners-up:Read More
A beautiful day to be out by a creek, in a forest, and that’s exactly what students from Little Pilgrim School got to do today. They’re part of a first-of-its-kind program with EarthCorps trainees from several states and countries, installing 400 native plants along the restoration area at Fauntleroy Creek’s last degraded segment.
According to Fauntleroy Creek neighbor and steward Judy Pickens, the $52,000 project is funded by the City of Seattle, King County, the King Conservation District, and Fauntleroy Church, which owns the site. Little Pilgrim School is headquartered in the church; EarthCorps is based in North Seattle, and its team members talked with the kids in their classrooms just before they came out to plant (one group this morning, one group this afternoon).
P.S. You have a chance to lend a hand to Fauntleroy Creek this weekend – 5 pm Sunday at the creek overlook across Fauntleroy Way from the ferry terminal, it’s the annual gathering to drum, chant, and sing to call the coho home. Everybody welcome.
(More photos, video added since this was first published in mid-afternoon)
ORIGINAL 3:12 PM REPORT: They’re standing tall in Fauntleroy this afternoon – even without the stilts on which that roaming performer is perched. Under the clear blue sky, the annual Fauntleroy Fall Festival continues at two sites across the street from each other, Fauntleroy Church and co-located Fauntleroy YMCA plus the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, till 5:30 pm. Many free activities for all ages – including, of course, autumn art, and at this table, birdhouse-making:
And tasty treats (bring some $ for those), including creations cooked up by new WSB sponsors Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Events and Catering, which is headquartered at the Hall at Fauntleroy in the historic schoolhouse, though the crew’s mostly outdoors today:
We’re going back over to check in again shortly – music, dance, and more are on the schedule (see it here). Not sure where the church/Y/schoolhouse are? 9131/9140 California SW, but don’t try to head straight down California from points north, because this part doesn’t connect – here’s a map.
7:01 PM NOTE: Huge turnout this afternoon; we have more photos and video to publish later. ADDED 9:58 PM:Chief Sealth International High School‘s Jazz Ensemble 2 – described as a “non-auditioned group” that had only been playing together a few weeks; could have fooled us! – performing “Shake and Bake” in the Fauntleroy Church sanctuary:
Also performing, bands including Let’s Get Lost – whose keyboardist had a four-footed assistant:
Then there was a festival visit from this walking-upright “dog” – there to promote picking up after your canine companions:
Lots of other critters on view – and check out the line for the petting zoo – the nearby pony rides were popular too:
First thing this morning, volunteers were at work in the Fauntleroy Church parking lot, one of the venues for the annual Fauntleroy Fall Festival tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon. So far, the forecast looks perfect – brisk fall sunshine. The festival happens at multiple spots around the church/co-located YMCA (WSB sponsor) and the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse across the street, 2 pm-5:30 pm, with a long list of activities – we published the full schedule a week ago (you can see it here). There’s environmental learning for kids and adults, music and dancing, food (bring $) from purveyors including Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering and Events (WSB sponsor), tours of the renovated church, pony rides for the youngest kids, a climbing wall for the older ones – even a chance to see the West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival 2010 float up close and personal. Again, the list’s here; the addresses are 9131 and 9140 California SW – here’s a map – but at this point, California is more like a bend in SW Barton, headed downhill from 35th SW toward the Endolyne business district, and the ferry dock.
News just down the block from WSB HQ right now. Somebody made a deafening racket crashing a VW Jetta through the DO NOT ENTER sign at California/Thistle (map), heading southbound on California (the dead-end direction in which you’re not supposed to enter), and ending up against the front steps of a house at California/Sullivan. Nobody hurt, but the driver, according to neighbors, took off, apparently northbound on California; the only description is male, in a white shirt. Police have been called. The car is still there in the stairs, DO NOT ENTER sign against its hood, smoking; chunks of debris, including the concrete that held the sign, litter the street. 3:48 AM NOTE: An officer arrived within minutes of a neighbor’s call; another one headed out in search of the runaway driver. First question some (including us) had – was it a stolen car? Responding officer checked and says it’s not reported as such.
4:51 AM UPDATE: Police found the suspect, brought him back to the scene for witness ID (we weren’t the witnesses, we only heard the crash; the driver had bolted before we went out to see what had happened), and took him away. The car’s being towed, and SDOT has arrived to clean up the street debris and mark the suddenly signless “wrong way” street end; the car pushed/dragged the DO NOT ENTER sign more than 100 feet.
Just received a note about an apparently thwarted case of animal cruelty involving beach birds known to many in the Fauntleroy area (featured on WSB back in August). The person who e-mailed us did not want to be publicly identified:
I called 911 on 3 youths today who were using a sling shot to sling rocks at the white geese that have taken up home near the front entry of Lincoln Park.
The youths were yelling, “kill them†when a lady stopped and asked them to leave the geese alone. I was walking my dog and told them to stop and leave them alone. At this point they had something in their hand and it looked like they were trying to put it around the geese’s neck. They yelled at me and asked what I was looking at. They made threatening remarks to me and the other lady. I called 911 and gave a detailed description to them. I couldn’t stay for the police to arrive as I had to leave to pick up my own son from after school care. This was about 4:30 today.
Description (I should have taken a picture with my phone, but was intimidated):
3 youth male between the age of 15-16
One Caucasian, very thin, dressed all in black with spiked blonde hair
2 others who looked like brothers, husky build, mixed race, definitely some islander, one was wearing a red t-shirt with jeans and the other a red hoodie with jeans. The one with the hoodie was yelling “kill themâ€. The one with the red t shirt was saying the threatening remarks.
I hated to see those innocent geese that are so beautiful tortured. Not sure if you want to post or not. The police dispatcher said a car would come patrol the area as soon as possible
(One of the more than 60 people who gathered last year to call Fauntleroy Creek’s salmon home)
It’s a West Seattle tradition – gathering to drum, chant, and sing to call coho spawners to Fauntleroy Creek. Judy Pickens just sent word that this year’s event is set for 5 pm Sunday, October 24th, with the singing and drumming to be led by Bron Edwards-Cryer and Kevin Finney, at the fish-ladder viewpoint (SW Director and upper Fauntleroy Way SW, across and up the embankment from the ferry dock – here’s a map). Judy adds, “Old Man Rattlesnake will be a special guest! Bring a drum of any kind, or just yourself.” All ages welcome. (Find out more about Fauntleroy Creek here.)
From the Chief Sealth International High School Jazz Band to the Endolyne Children’s Choir, from Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes Catering and Events (WSB sponsor) with pretzels and cider to Guadalajara Restaurant with tacos, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival‘s full lineup of activities, performances, food vendors and community participants is out. The festival is still a little more than a week away – a week from Sunday, 2-5:30 pm on October 17th – but so you can plan, we’re sharing the info here now (thanks to the organizers for providing it!) – click ahead for the full list:Read More
Out of the WSB inbox tonight, two events for this weekend:
TWELFTH NIGHT PRODUCTIONS CABARET AND AUCTION: It’s the event that yields much of the funding for community-theater troupe Twelth Night Productions, and it starts at 6 this Friday night at South Seattle Community College‘s Brockey Center – dinner, drinks, appetizers, silent/live auction (items including a Leavenworth getaway and “instant wine cellar”), and entertainment, $55/person, tickets available online through Thursday.
AT COVE PARK, HELP OUT, AND LOOK AHEAD: A work party this Saturday at the mini-beach park north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock will be followed up by a chance to talk about what’s ahead for the park, according to this note from Mardi:
Saturday, October 9th, Tom Jay, lead artist, and Kirk Hackler, lead landscape architect, will be at Cove Park to talk to any interested community members about ideas for the restoration of the space after the Barton Street Pump Station is expanded and restored. All are welcome to help maintain the park from 10 to 1, and then meet with Tom and Kirk at 1 pm.
It’s been the hottest topic before the Fauntleroy Community Association board for months – the originally proposed design of the RapidRide bus stops by the Fauntleroy ferry dock, and concern the design could choke traffic — and it looks like there’s finally some progress. Tonight at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, FCA saw a new proposal presented by Metro’s Paul Roybal and Jack Lattemann, incorporating some of the group’s counterproposals. This one only has a curb bulb on the water side, only affecting northbound traffic – but it would also remove some of the parking in the park-and-ride lot. The revised plan would try to preserve the existing artwork at the bus stops, add a bike locker, and try to keep the traffic lanes more open. In discussion after an hourlong presentation, the FCA board decided they’ll draft a letter to Metro and King County Executive Dow Constantine saying they’re in favor of the revision and against the original plan (which was thoroughly explained on page 2 of FCA’s summer newsletter). FCA’s Susan Lantz-Dey got props for taking on a traffic study to make sure the county was dealing with accurate numbers – board members including Vlad Oustimovitch and president Bruce Butterfield thought that had helped move toward the changes.
The meeting also included an update on another long-thorny topic, a disputed path to lower Laurentide, and ongoing struggles over right-of-way access; a South Brace Point rep said their lawyer had found a 1945 easement filed by Ken Colman that covers the path, so the two sides are now in talks. Last but by no means least, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival is just one month away, 2-6 pm October 17th (with a fundraising pasta dinner this Friday); in addition to food, fun and festivities, nurses from Swedish will be there offering flu shots.
Fauntleroy Church‘s second recycling event of the year had an even bigger response than the first one – that’s the first of two Fauntleroy updates from Judy Pickens:
Sunday’s Recycle Roundup sponsored by the green committee at Fauntleroy Church relieved West Seattle residents of 20+ tons of recyclables. A steady stream of donors filled five large trucks with everything from computers to bicycles and dishwashers. 1 Green Planet will disassemble everything responsibly for use in making new products.
Now, a look ahead to a big event later this fall:
Judy continues:
Photographer Mark Morgan, shown here with a prospective customer, found last year’s art show at Fauntleroy Church well worth his time. Be among the West Seattle artists and crafters at the 2010 Fine Art and Holiday Gift Faire Nov. 19-21! Details and application form at www.fauntleroyucc.org. Deadline is Sept. 30. (Photo courtesy Enid Havens)
Just checked in on the scene at the Fauntleroy Church parking lot (map), where 1 Green Planet is back with trucks ready to be filled with recyclables – electronics and more (list here) – free dropoff. They had a steady stream rolling up to unload when we were there about an hour ago – and they’ll be there till 1 pm. (You can also park afterward and go inside the church to check out the final hours of the “Second-Time Sale,” 11 am-1 pm.) West Seattleites are clearly devoted recyclers – the 1 Green Planet folks told us that their last event at Fauntleroy UCC, this past February, was their most successful event of its type ever – we’ll see how today winds up!
Been looking for an … outboard motor? That’s one of the more unusual items we spotted when dropping by the first day of the Second-Time Sale at Fauntleroy Church. As we noted here the other day, donated merchandise filled the Fellowship Hall even before volunteers were done sorting and pricing. You can even get ready for Christmas, now that it’s just, well, three and a half months away:
The sale’s on till 3 today, with an encore 11 am-1 pm tomorrow – and if you go tomorrow, bring along recyclables for 1 Green Planet, which will have trucks standing by – this is a free chance (9 am-1 pm Sunday) to recycle electronics and other hard-to-get-rid-of items (here’s the list of what they will take). Not sure how to find Fauntleroy Church? Here’s a map. P.S. If you’re looking for other garage/yard sales, we’ve got some listed in the WSB Forums (post yours free, any time).
Earlier this week, we mentioned this weekend’s big sale at Fauntleroy Church – but had no idea just how big it was, till we stopped in this afternoon for a sneak peek at the stacks of stuff that volunteers are sorting and pricing. Lots of kid stuff:
Plus housewares, clothes, even a whole wall stacked with art, some of it donated by home stagers. Among those sorting, pricing, and inspecting this afternoon – Pastor David Kratz, Carol Karlstrom, and Pat Gedney:
The sale runs 9 am-3 pm on Saturday and 11 am-1 pm to Sunday; also on Sunday, you can bring all sorts of recyclables to the church (here’s a map) for free recycling via 1 Green Planet, 9 am-1 pm – here’s the list of what they’ll take.
(WSB photo from February recycling event at Fauntleroy Church)
Thanks to Fauntleroy’s Judy Pickens for sharing information about what’s happening during “reuse/recycle weekend” next Saturday and Sunday:
The 15th annual 2nd Time Sale and the second Recycle Roundup constitute a “reuse/recycle weekend” coming up in Fauntleroy.
The much-anticipated sale will be Saturday, Sept. 11, 9 AM – 3 PM, and Sunday, Sept. 12, 11 AM – 1 PM, in and around Fellowship Hall at Fauntleroy Church, 9140 California SW. Expect bargains on a wide variety of clean, workable, and well-organized stuff, including furniture, toys, books, linens, kitchenware, and “Cut Above” treasures, plus a bake sale on Saturday.
That’s the reuse part of the weekend. The recycle part – a community-wide recycle roundup organized by the church’s Green Committee – will be Sunday, Sept. 12, 9 AM – 1 PM in the church parking lot. 1 Green Planet will accept and recycle a wide variety of items (see www.fauntleroyucc.org for the list), all for free. You bring it and, within minutes, it’s out of your life forever!
When 1 Green Planet came to Fauntleroy last February (photo above), they took away 4 truckloads of recyclables!
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli)
We mentioned this as a postscript to the morning preview – today’s the day for the date-never-published Isle of Vashon vintage-motorcycle rally – then Christopher Boffoli headed over to Fauntleroy and caught some of the motorcyclists ready to head over via ferry:.
More photos later if we receive some from the events on Vashon (here’s how to share!).
Adding a couple of reader-submitted images. These are from “Todd”:
And thanks to “Scott”for the cameraphone image of this canine motorcycle enthusiast:
Residents and visitors at The Kenney got a summer serenade on the northwest lawn tonight – that’s Ed Hartman on the marimba, during the retirement center’s annual summer barbecue party. Here’s the view looking over the roses and dahlias:
As reported here earlier this month, The Kenney is currently revising its redevelopment plan – two years after announcing the expansion project – and promising to have a new one out for community consideration within a month or two, before the official review process resumes.
From tonight’s 
It’s been the hottest topic before the 
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