West Seattle, Washington
30 Thursday
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:28 AM: Good morning! So far, no incidents in/from West Seattle.
BRIDGE CLOSURE TONIGHT: Final closure of the week for the Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-cushion work, 9 pm-5 am; the next one after this will be Sunday night into Monday morning.
7:31 AM: Still nothing out of the ordinary.
SDOT has finally officially announced the September 25th Seattle Summer Parkways (aka “car-free day”) West Seattle event, more than two months after we brought you first word it was on the way.
A few hours after Wednesday’s announcement, Seattle Summer Parkways coordinator Jordan Adams briefed the Southwest District Council, during its June meeting. The plans sound bigger than any of the previous “car-free days” in the area held 2008-2014.
One key point he mentioned: While Alki Avenue will be closed in its entirety between 63rd and 56th during the event (see the map above), the closure will be only one lane from 56th eastward (the water side of the street). Otherwise, the lineup for the 11 am-4 pm street party is taking shape; he told SWDC, “We have a few food trucks participating, and we’re opening the event with a 10K run … a bunch of groups already have signed up to organize events, we have a bike parade, a full music stage on Alki Beach, also up at the boat ramp.” (The run is the Orca Half, first reported here last week.) Also part of it: A fun way to work on emergency preparedness – cargo-bike trials in conjunction with the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs.
Adams is also inviting other organizations to be part of the Summer Parkways event (technically on the first Sunday of fall, as someone pointed out during the SWDC discussion), promotionally and/or offering an activity, no fee required- here’s the application.
9:15 PM: Lafayette Elementary in Admiral is getting its wish – an earlier schedule next year. Thanks to the parents who pointed us to today’s announcement, which is posted on the school website as well as having been sent home on paper. When the district announced new “bell times” last fall (WSB coverage here), mostly to try to get older students onto later schedules, Lafayette was the only elementary school in West Seattle that was left in late-start “Tier 3” – and its 9:30 start time was even scheduled to move five minutes later. But today, Lafayette leadership announced that the request to move to Tier 1 had been granted, one of only two of the 11 districtwide requests that the district was able to honor, according to this letter from assistant superintendent Pegi McEvoy. Next school year’s start time and end time at Lafayette will be 7:55 am and 2:05 pm. (Lafayette file photo from SPS website)
ADDED 4:16 PM THURSDAY: Thanks to the commenters who provided additional information. Here’s the official district reply to our request for the list of the 11 schools that asked to be moved up and which school besides Lafayette had the requested granted:
The district was able to move Bailey Gatzert and Lafayette to Tier 1 while keeping transportation “budget neutral”:
1. Bailey Gatzert
2. Orca K-8
3. Thurgood Marshall
4. K-8 STEM at Boren
5. Lafayette
6. Laurelhurst
7. Adams
8. John Hay
9. View Ridge
10. Catherine Blaine K-8
11. Cascadia@ Lincoln
6:10 PM: Weeks after equipment showed up for clearing the site, work started today on the mixed-use project at 4505 42nd SW in The Junction, across the alley from the Senior Center of West Seattle. This project got final Southwest Design Review Board approval early last year after four meetings over the course of a year. It is set for 7 stories including 40+ residential units, ~6,000 square feet of lodging, and ~4,500 square feet of retail, with 14 offstreet parking spaces; owner Leon Capelouto has said that tenants interested in parking beyond that will be able to access it in the garage for his Capco Plaza building less than a block south at 42nd/Alaska. The “lodging” was described during Design Review as nine furnished units to be offered for “minimum one-week, maximum one-month” use, expected to appeal to “corporate types.” (Thanks to NLB and Eddie for the tips that site work had begun.)
ADDED 7:55 AM THURSDAY: Thanks to NLB for this clip of demolition work continuing this morning:
@westseattleblog today the house comes down pic.twitter.com/oLdg2xSrSC
— NLB (@g7on) June 2, 2016
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tonight, the Southwest District Council‘s June meeting includes a discussion of an in-progress city review that could eventually determine whether the SWDC and the city’s other 12 district councils continue to exist.
One of the arguments for district councils is their advocacy for their respective jurisdictions getting their fair share of city attention and money, in programs like the Neighborhood Street Fund.
Since their last monthly meetings, members of both SWDC and its eastern West Seattle counterpart, the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council, have decided which five community-proposed NSF projects they’re forwarding to the city for consideration.
1st-through-5th-ranked by the Southwest District Council (western West Seattle):
1. Improvements at Harbor Ave SW & SW Spokane Street
2. Improvements at 39th Avenue SW and SW Oregon Street
3. Rapid Ride Bus Stops, Morgan Junction
4. Improvements on Fauntleroy Way
5. Traffic Circles, Sidewalks, and Safety Improvements in Arbor Heights
1st-through-5th-ranked by the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council (eastern West Seattle):
1. Modernize the Intersection of 16th Ave SW & SW Holden Street (Highland Park)
2. (tie) Complete SW Barton Street
2. (tie) Roundabout for Highland Park Way/SW Holden St
4. Brandon St Sidewalks (Delridge to High Point)
5. Safety Improvements to 26th Ave SW and/or 25th Avenue SW (Connecting Chief Sealth HS and the Westwood Village Bus Hub)
Both sets of decisions followed project-proposers’ presentations at the respective district councils’ meetings, and review of written applications – this document explains the criteria for evaluation.
No project is guaranteed funding just because the district council supports advancing it; the city’s pot of money is finite, and the Neighborhood Street Fund is citywide, opening for applications every three years, available for up to $90,000 $100,000-$1,000,000* for a project making it all the way through the process. But sometimes even projects that don’t get NSF funding land on SDOT’s radar. If you’d like to know more about any or all of the 10 aforementioned proposals, scroll ahead (or jump from the home page) for more details on each, excerpted from the community proposers’ applications – sometimes brief, sometimes detailed: Read More
Thanks to Marco for sharing the scene from Admiral Way, when a mallard mom and ducklings got some help making it across the street just west of 42nd SW. Marco adds, “Props to the guy who was keeping them safe in traffic!” A closer look:
(We can’t quite guess where mom was headed – Hiawatha? – or coming from, for that matter – can you?)
That’s the clearest image of the truck shown on security video, entering and leaving South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) in a span of less than 10 minutes, before and after Tuesday morning’s smash-and-grab ATM theft at Brockey Center (here’s our original report; here’s our followup on the damage done). While tracking technology led police to the ATM safe in an Arbor Heights backyard within a few hours, they have not yet found the truck or made arrests. SSC provided the video to WSB – here are the two sections showing the truck arriving and departing (at a time when the main-campus entrances on 16th SW are gated):
SPD describes the truck as a “white Chevrolet pickup truck with a crew cab” and asks that anyone with information about it, and/or anything else related to the theft, call the Southwest Precinct burglary unit at 206-233-2623.
A new move today in the city’s attempts to address the affordable-housing crisis: New rules proposed to crack down on alleged abuse of the new technology-enabled short-term-rental market. Here’s the announcement, just out of the WSB inbox:
Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Tim Burgess today announced a proposal to prevent long-term rental units from being converted to short-term rentals, while still providing residents the flexibility to earn additional income by renting out their homes.
The measure focuses on commercial operators who use platforms, such as Airbnb and VRBO, to rent multiple properties year-round. Approximately 80 percent of existing short-term rentals in Seattle will see no new regulations.
“Property owners are shifting hundreds of homes from the long-term residential market to short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, and in doing so dangerously reduce our housing supply,” said Councilmember Burgess, chair of the Council’s Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee. “At the same time, Seattle homeowners offering short-term rentals in their own homes earn valuable supplemental income. These proposed regulations focus narrowly on the commercial operators that take advantage of home-sharing platforms to exacerbate our housing crisis.”
Under the proposed rules, any property may be provided as a short-term rental for up to 90 nights in a 12 month period. Only properties that are the primary residence of the short-term rental operator will be allowed to rent past the 90-night threshold. The primary residency requirement will curtail the growing year-round commercial operation of these platforms.
“We must protect our existing rental housing supply at a time when it is becoming harder for residents to find an affordable home in Seattle,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “This proposal ensures that apartments and houses are not being used exclusively as short-term rentals, while still providing a means for homeowners to earn some extra money by occasionally renting out their property.”
Consistent with current City rules, all short-term rental operators must secure a City business license tax certificate and pay all applicable taxes.
“Our communities are facing steep rent increases and having difficulty staying in their homes, and the fast growing short-term rental industry is making it worse,” said Rebecca Saldaña, Executive Director at Puget Sound Sage. “The Mayor and Councilmember Burgess have started an important conversation about how short-term rentals should help, and not hurt, people who want to stay in Seattle.”
The small percentage of operators renting their primary residence for more than 90 nights will be required to also obtain a City regulatory license. This license will require proof that the unit being rented is the operator’s primary residence, proof of liability insurance that covers the short-term rental use, a local contact number for guests, a signed declaration that the unit meets building and life safety codes, and basic safety information posted for guests in the unit.
Under the proposed regulations, all short-term rental platform companies will also need to obtain a new regulatory license with the City. The platforms will be required to give the City limited data on a quarterly basis necessary for enforcement of the proposed law.
More information on the proposals can be found in these documents:
· One-page summary
· Frequently asked questions
· Detailed policy brief
The proposal is due to get its first council review before the Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee two weeks from today, 9:30 am Wednesday, June 15th.
(American Goldfinch – the state bird of Washington! – photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Brand-new month, and here’s how it starts – with highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICTS VS. COUNCIL DISTRICTS: A City Council committee talks this morning about the draft report resulting from last year’s council request that the Department of Neighborhoods look at realigning the city’s 13 “districts” with the 7 new council districts. 9:30 am, live on Seattle Channel if you won’t be at City Hall.
TODDLER STORY TIME: For ages 1-3, 10:30-11 am at Southwest Library. (35th SW/SW Henderson)
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Another warm, sunny day, so we’re reminding you that HP Spraypark – the only spraypark in West Seattle – is open 11 am-8 pm daily through Labor Day. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
NETWORKING MEETUP: Noon-1:15 pm, you’re invited to visit our area’s only coworking center, West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor), and meet your fellow nontraditional workers/entrepreneurs/etc. at this week’s networking meetup. (6040 California SW)
THE GREATEST MOVIES YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF: Wednesday-afternoon series continues at Senior Center of West Seattle, 1 pm, with Paul Newman and Patricia Neal in “Hud.” $1 members/$2 nonmembers. (California SW/SW Oregon)
ULTIMATE FRISBEE: 6 pm Wednesday is “coed,” at Fairmount Playfield – more info here. (5400 Fauntleroy Way SW)
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm at the Sisson Building/Senior Center, the Southwest District Council’s agenda this month includes an update on the Alki “car-free” event planned September 25th for Seattle Summer Parkways and a discussion of the future of neighborhood districts vs. council districts – same item a City Council committee is discussing this morning. (California SW/SW Oregon)
JIM PAGE, LIVE: Singer-songwriter at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
TRIVIA AT TALARICO’S: Never been to popular Wednesday night trivia at Talarico’s Pizzeria? Maybe tonight’s your night. 8:30 pm. (4718 California SW)
WONDERING WHAT ELSE IS UP? Just browse our complete calendar.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:28 AM: Good morning! No incidents in/from West Seattle so far. Today’s updates:
*Another Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-cushion work bridge closure tonight, 9 pm-5 am.
*Seattle Public Schools are out two hours early today
*Sewer-repair work is scheduled to continue on 35th between Juneau and Raymond.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: SDOT plans to install 80 signs on the West Seattle Bridge this weekend, marking it off in “zones” in hopes that will help emergency responses get to the right places.
DRIVE-BY CAR PROWLING: Shaun reports:
At roughly 1:28 am my wife witnessed this van driving down our street and stopping and opening car doors. Driver didn’t get out of van, just reached out of window to check if doors were open. We called it in, and followed at a distance. Once it stopped we got a picture of the van.
The License plate is: 01508 or 10508 – it was a specialty plate.
Shaun didn’t mention what part of West Seattle this happened in – we’re following up. (Update – Shaun says this was in Morgan Junction, and that they’ve since been told by police that the van was found and impounded, but no arrests so far.)
BROKEN WINDOW: In Admiral, two people reported seeing a broken window on a Jeep parked in the PCC Natural Markets-West Seattle (WSB sponsor) parking lot this morning, and “some contents” strewn outside.
And in the day’s biggest broken-glass incident:
ATM-THEFT AFTERMATH: We followed up with South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) about the considerable damage done by the ATM theft early this morning. SSC spokesperson Ty Swenson told WSB that the thief/thieves “seriously damaged” an external and internal set of entrance doorways made of glass. The north entrance of the Jerry Brockey Student Center was closed for several hours, and the missing sections of glass and door frame were boarded up:
By late morning, Swenson said they “were able to open the undamaged set of doors at the north entrance, so people can access the Brockey Center from the north. Load bearing pillars at the entrance were not damaged. Our facilities department is currently assessing the damage and working with a local glass supplier to get a bid. We do not have a solid timeline on the repair or cost at this time.” While they don’t have surveillance video of the actual theft, he said, they do have video of the truck that was involved, and we hope to have that for a Crime Watch update tomorrow.
(In photo: Students Katia Oliva, Clarissa Perez, Brandon Edwards; Sealth grad & former Green Team president Jessie Dirks; teacher Noah Zeichner; YMCA Earth Service Corps instructor Tyrell Dozier)
Thanks to Nicole Sipila from the Chief Sealth International High School PTSA for sharing the news that the CSIHS Green Team has been “recognized as a 2015-16 Conservation Champion for their work to get water-bottle-filling stations installed in our school. We should have quotes for the work (this) week and we hope to see them in place before the 2016-17 school year. Great job!” Teacher Noah Zeichner, who provided the photo above from a school-board meeting last month, says the project has been in the works for two years, “when members realized they could reduce the use of plastic water bottles in their school if students had the ability to fill up reusable water bottles. … Not only did they get the green light to purchase filling stations at Chief Sealth, additionally they convinced the school board to pursue a $200,000 grant for filling stations in every single Seattle Public School.”
Nicole also shared this district-produced PDF with photos and profiles of other schools recognized around the city this year, including, from our area, Alki Elementary, Arbor Heights Elementary, Concord International, Pathfinder K-8, and West Seattle High School. Congratulations to all!
6:52 PM: We hope you won’t need this info, but in case you do, just tweeted by Seattle Police: “We are currently experiencing technical difficulties with the nonemergency line. Please call 206-583-2111 or 911 if you need assistance.”
11:18 PM: As of about an hour ago, the problem is fixed, SPD tweeted, so you can use the non-emergency line again – 206-625-5011 – if you need to. But if something is happening NOW, police always urge, call 911.
Though the old location of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) preschool has been demolished as the Y gets ready for Thursday’s groundbreaking on its expansion, it’s still offering preschool, and has announced an expansion. The new location for the Y’s preschool is the former E.C. Hughes Elementary in Sunrise Heights, and the Y is adding four classes of “quality and affordable halffull-day, year-round child care for children ages 2.5 to 5 years old between the hours of 7:00 am and 6:00 pm.” The program is described as “values-based with an emphasis on building self-reliance through our core values: Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility.” Teachers are experienced and professional, and the curriculum includes enrichment activities such as Spanish, swim lessons, cooking classes, and music time. Open enrollment is under way, including tonight during an open house that starts shortly, 5 pm-6:30 pm. EC Hughes is at 7740 34th SW; if you can’t stop by tonight, contact Sissi Kamalii at 206 201 0696, skamalii@seattleymca.org, or Emilia Varga at 206 399 5704, evarga@seattleymca.org.
(UPDATED 4:26 PM with information we requested on project’s cost)
1:12 PM: If you got into trouble somewhere on the West Seattle Bridge – would you be able to clearly describe your location to a 911 dispatcher? SDOT is about to install signs that it hopes will help more people answer “yes,” resulting in most incidents clearing more quickly: The bridge will be broken into nine “zones,” each with signage that will be installed this weekend. Read the full announcement ahead:Read More
It’s going to be a West Seattle Outdoor Movies season to remember! As reported here recently, the mega-popular series of free Saturday night movies is moving at the end of this summer, so you’ll watch the first five movies in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (California/Genesee; WSB sponsor) courtyard as always, and then the sixth in the new Triangle Festival Street by the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), where the movies all will be shown next year. Now … this year’s lineup! Thanks for your suggestions. Drumroll … it all starts a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away:
July 16th: “Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens” (featuring pre-show Star Wars trivia)
July 23rd – “Monty Python and The Holy Grail”
July 30th – “School of Rock”
August 6th – “Skyfall” (featuring pre-show James Bond trivia)
August 13th – “The Lego Movie”
August 20th – “Princess Bride” (first movie in the Festival Street by the Y)
(The titles are linked to the movies’ trailers.) More soon about what to expect each night – but the basics are: It’s free, though you’re encouraged to bring money for concessions and raffles benefiting local nonprofits; the movies start at dusk, which means a different start time each week. The movies are made possible not just by presenters and volunteers’ hard work but also by the support of many local businesses who sign on as sponsors, including us at WSB. See you at the movies!
Nine months ago, we reported that the proprietors of Capitol Hill’s 
Chungee’s Drink ‘N Eat were seeking to rezone and remodel their Morgan Junction home in order to convert it into another branch of their popular restaurant and bar. Rezoning requires City Council approval, and today’s Land Use Information Bulletin brings word that the official comment period on this part of the project is now open for two weeks – here’s the official notice. The rezoning proposal for the site, 6921 California SW, is the same as it was last August – seeking a “contract rezone” from Lowrise 2 to Lowrise 2 – Residential Commercial, the same zoning as parcels to the south, as noted in our report last August. “Contract rezone” means it’s related to a specific proposal, not just a general designation change. If you’re interested in commenting, you can use this form linked from today’s notice; deadline is June 13th. (King County Assessor’s Office photo)
(Recent view of West Seattle and beyond by Long Bach Nguyen)
Quick look at what’s on the calendar for today/tonight:
FREE LEGAL HELP: Two sessions at the Senior Center of West Seattle – 2-4 pm (info here) and 7-9 pm (info here) – both require appointments and each has a different number to call, so follow the respective links to get it. (California SW & SW Oregon)
JUSTIN KAUSAL-HAYES: Live music at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), “acoustic hits of the last 4 decades.” 5-8 pm, no cover. (1936 Harbor SW)
BILLY JOE & THE RC’S: Live at Parliament Tavern every Tuesday, 8 pm, featuring Billy Joe Huels and Robin Cady of The Dusty 45s, along with Rod Cook. No cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
SINGER-SONGWRITER SHOWCASE: 9 pm every Tuesday at Shadowland. (California SW/SW Oregon)
THERE’S MORE … on our complete calendar.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:39 AM: Good morning! Welcome to the first day after the long Memorial Day weekend and the last day of May. We’re launching a bit late because we’ve been out covering the case of the stolen-and-recovered ATM. In terms of getting around, here’s what you need to know for starters:
*The Fauntleroy Expressway seismic-cushion work bridge closures resume tonight, 9 pm-5 am, with westbound traffic exiting at Delridge and eastbound traffic detoured to entrances other than 35th/Fauntleroy.
*Starting today, sewer repairs will block part of 35th SW between Juneau and Raymond, as announced last week.
*Starting today, Washington State Ferries is changing the “process” it implemented to try to speed things up at Fauntleroy. The new plan is explained here.
*Also scheduled to start today, Seattle Parks work to fix the handrail along a stretch of Constellation Park/Charles Richey Viewpoint on Beach Drive – the work isn’t in the road but vehicles and crews could cause some congestion.
(UPDATED 11:38 AM with new info from SPD)
(WSB photos. Added: ATM-theft scene outside SSC’s Brockey Center)
5:19 AM: As day breaks, police are following the trail of a stolen ATM. The cash machine was taken from South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge a few hours ago.
5:29 AM: The investigation has led police to a north Arbor Heights neighborhood where they have just recovered it.
5:45 AM: Police have pointed us to the backyard of a house at 39th SW and SW 97th, regarding where it was recovered – they say it’s the large white item in the background of our photo. And if you’re in AH, that’s a TV helicopter. No arrest(s) reported so far.
6:09 AM: Just talked to SPD spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson, who says officers are waiting on a search warrant before going in and actually taking possession of the stolen ATM. He says he can’t yet confirm what led police to the house; discussion we’d been monitoring for hours via scanner indicated it was a satellite tracking device, relatively new technology developed as ATM theft started to spike.
6:53 AM: Apparently at least one TV helicopter also has been over the theft scene on Puget Ridge, too. We expect a bit more information from police later this morning and will update when that’s in.
11:38 AM: And here’s that information! Just posted to SPD Blotter by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee:
Police recovered a stolen ATM from the backyard of a West Seattle home Tuesday after a thief in a pickup truck smashed his way into a college building and made off with a safe filled with cash.
Officers responded to South Seattle College in the 6000 block of 16th Avenue Southwest just before 2 AM after receiving reports of a break-in. At the scene, they found someone had broken through locked gate and driven a pickup truck through a glass door on campus to get to an ATM. After dismantling the cash machine, the thief loaded the ATM’s heavy-duty cash safe into their truck and fled.
Police found the unopened safe in the yard of a home in the 3900 block of Southwest 97th Street, where robbery detectives later detained and interviewed one male resident. Detectives released the man and continue to investigate the case.
Detectives are still looking for a white Chevrolet pickup truck with a crew cab, believed to have been used in the break-in at the college.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the SPD Southwest Precinct Burglary Unit at 206-233-2623.
Here’s a closer look at the item in the yard that we now know was the ATM’s safe:
Thinking about a block party for this year’s Night Out, now two months away (Tuesday, August 2nd)? The city Department of Neighborhoods invites you to apply for a grant from the Small Sparks Fund. Community groups can ask for up to $1,000 to pay for “Night Out activities such as outreach materials, cultural entertainment, music, food, and kids’ activities.” You need to register in the city’s application system, and then you have until July 1st to apply. Find out more here.
Story, video, and photos by Tracy Record and Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
“Americans must remember that freedom isn’t free.”
That reminder from American Legion Post 160 commander Keith Hughes, at this afternoon’s West Seattle Memorial Day ceremony at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) in High Point. Here’s our video of the entire ceremony, unedited:
Hughes, an Army veteran, exhorted the 50-plus on hand also to remember that those who gave their lives for our freedom “are not just statistics – they are real people … with real names … real faces … real people.”
All around the site of the half-hour ceremony near the cemetery’s flagpole, the “real names” were there to see, on plaques atop graves marked with flags and crosses placed by members of Boy Scout Troop 284, who also assisted in the ceremony. We stopped to take note afterward:
The half-hour ceremony urged not only honor for the dead, but help for the living – the veterans who made it home alive: “Join us, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and many other groups … help us make a difference,” exhorted Hughes. “Remember our fallen once a year is just not enough. Consider what you can do to help those who have come home.” (The West Seattle Veterans’ Center recently reopened at Post 160’s hall in The Triangle.)
Both Hughes (above) and VFW Post 2713 commander Ray Fairbank (below), who described himself as a Navy veteran from Vietnam and an Air Force veteran from Desert Storm, spoke of Memorial Day’s history, going back to its origins as Decoration Day a century and a half ago, finally taking its current name in the ’60s.
Fairbank, also the VFW’s state chaplain, urged people to behold the American flag and consider what it represents – “white for purity … red stripes of courage … blue for tranquility … the sacred symbol of freedom.” And he drew audible cries from some in the crowd as he read a wrenching essay from Reader’s Digest, “A Fallen Soldier’s Final Salute.”
Hughes recalled a U.S. Marine lost in Okinawa in the 1940s, and an Army specialist lost in Afghanistan this decade – different hometowns, different genders, same courage, he observed.
Along with their words, Ross Hauck sang stirring renditions of the National Anthem as well as “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America” – you can hear for yourself in our video of the ceremony, which concluded after echoing “Taps,” a release of white doves, and Troop 284 retiring the colors.
Though they were said toward the ceremony’s start, words from the invocation by chaplain and veteran Kelly Wadsworth (above) also seemed fitting in conclusion, a reminder that “cessation of war is not the same as enduring peace.”
After the somber observance, everyone was invited to a reception at Post 160’s Triangle headquarters; some headed out, some lingered, with a spirited song by the Duwamish Jazz Band:
The flags continued to wave in the breeze, honoring those “real names, real people” who had gone before.
One more state high-school championship to note: Just across the water, Vashon Island is celebrating its high school‘s first-ever 1A baseball state championship. Islanders are so excited, they welcomed the team with a parade, seen in the video above, shared with WSB by West Seattle resident Joel Schoenberg, whose son Sam Schoenberg (in the photo below) is a VHS player and was a star of the championship game:
Joel recaps: “Sam (former West Seattle Pony and Peewee player), is the leadoff hitter and outfielder for Vashon, went 3 for 3, with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI on a triple and 2 singles (and a steal to boot) in the championship game and was named Player of the Game.” The Vashon Pirates took the title by beating defending state champ Hoquiam 10-6 on Saturday in Yakima.
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