West Seattle, Washington
23 Thursday
(First 2 WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
FIRST REPORT, 2:17 PM: Seattle Fire is on the way to a water-rescue call in the 1900 block of Harbor Avenue SW. We’ll be updating as we find out more.
2:23 PM: SFD tweets that the call went out as “swimmer in distress.” The person they’re trying to help is now reported to be near a barge off Jack Block Park. Via scanner: They are talking with him and he told them he would like some help.
2:26 PM: The swimmer is reported to be backpaddling toward the shore from about 100 yards out. U.S. Coast Guard has also been summoned to help.
2:28 PM: The swimmer, a man believed to be in his mid-20s, is now reported to be out of the water. A Coast Guard boat will be taking him to meet up with a medic unit at a nearby dock.
2:44 PM: Our crew says the swimmer is alert and conscious and now in a medic unit. SFD medics are now checking him out for possible early stages of hypothermia.
(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
POSTSCRIPT: WSB’s Christopher Boffoli reports authorities believe the man jumped into the water in the Salty’s (WSB sponsor) area – with his shoes on – and started swimming east, for reasons unknown.
As the City Council gets deeper into shaping the “Move Seattle” transportation levy proposed for the November ballot, the West Seattle Transportation Coalition has just announced its official statement on what it wants to see in the levy:
West Seattle has been working to resolve its transportation challenges for 125 years. We initiated Puget Sound’s first ferry service in 1888 and we built America’s first municipally funded commuter rail system in 1906. Today, that extensive rail line is gone, replaced by inadequate bus service and single lane choke points that hamper the mobility of our 100,000 citizens.
Seattle has not supported or expanded our historically great transportation ideas. Thanks to the lags and half measures the city has offered over the years, there’s widespread perception here that West Seattle and its transportation issues are not, and never have been priorities for the City of Seattle.
It took the City five years to re-build the South Park Bridge after significant lobbying efforts of citizens, six years to rebuild Seattle’s Spokane St. bridge after a freighter rammed the old one in 1978, and decades to re-start the seasonal cross bay West Seattle Water Taxi to downtown. After significant citizens efforts and pressure, the City is finally addressing safety and speeding issues on SW Roxbury Street and 35th Ave SW.
As our Peninsula population increases, traffic increases and further chokes ingress-egress. Our two bridges are gridlocked for hours every day now — with 93,000 vehicles crossing West Seattle’s high bridge, and 13,000 crossing the low bridge. Together, these bridges are Seattle’s busiest, non-freeway traffic corridor, carrying more human and freight volume than any other city bridge. By the time Move Seattle expires, West Seattle’s population in our Alaska Junction and Triangle areas alone will grow to equal or surpass that of Ballard.
Move Seattle fails to address West Seattle’s key issue — getting into and out of the peninsula, safely and efficiently. While the WSTC appreciates and supports the proposals West Seattle pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure improvements, we ask the Mayor and City Council to support and clearly define Council Member Tom Rasmussen’s amendment to Move Seattle. We would like the levy to:
Provide a fully funded, integrated, West Seattle Peninsula ingress-egress plan with a scope of work, timeline, and funding source. Its structure should be fully compatible with conversion to a future Sound Transit dedicated right-of-way, Light Rail or Bus Rapid Transit system.
In Sound Transit polling, more than 94% of West Seattle residents supported a dedicated solution for the people living in District 1. Currently, all of West Seattle’s transportation hopes and dreams seem to be bolted to the forthcoming Sound Transit 3 (ST3) proposal. Meaning, West Seattle’s transportation fate is now in the hands of Olympia legislators, the Sound Transit Tri-County Board, and competition from regional and local interests who also need ST3 resources.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking down for West Seattle as our population and development density increase, and the Port gears up with planned expansions on Terminal 5, where freight and industrial growth will further choke traffic flows to SR 99, I-5, I-90, Marginal and Alaskan Ways. It’s a perfect storm of adverse effects on our situation.
West Seattle and South Park need a solution today. We cannot wait for some future, theoretical ST3 or ST4 package. We expect our leaders and elected officials to do whatever it takes to move the people of District 1 now.
We wrote about Councilmember Rasmussen’s proposed amendment, mentioned above, back on Monday.
P.S. Haven’t shared your comments on the levy yet? This page on the city website explains how.
It’s West Seattle Art Walk night! That tops our quick look at what’s ahead for the rest of your Thursday. The Art Walk runs 6-9 pm – here’s the list/map of where you’re invited to come see art, and, at many stops, to meet the artists:
Make your plan by browsing the artist/venue previews on the official WS Art Walk website.
Also happening later today/tonight:
STORMWATER POLLUTION SOLUTIONS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD: Come to a community-planning workshop for pollution reduction in the Longfellow Creek Watershed, at the bioswale in the Denny International Middle School parking lot this afternoon! 3:30-5 pm. RSVP if you can to peterdonaldson50@gmail.com, or just show up! (2601 SW Kenyon)
POP-UP JEWELRY SHOW AT THE LONGHOUSE: 5:30-8:30 pm, stop by the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse for a pop-up jewelry show by Heidi Leonard. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
TOTEM CRUISE INFO/RECEPTION: All are welcome at the Log House Museum 6-8 pm tonight, not only to find out about the upcoming Totem Pole Cruise, but also to enjoy chowder and treats and hear about local history, as previewed here. (61st/Stevens)
CONGRATS, SLHS CLASS OF 2015! Seattle Lutheran High School‘s Class of 2015 graduates tonight at 7:30 pm in the Menashe Family Gym on campus. (4100 SW Genesee)
WINE CLUB AT C & P: 7 pm, wine, music, and art at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – more in our calendar listing. (5612 California SW)
MORE FOR TODAY/TONIGHT/TOMORROW/BEYOND … there for the browsing, when you visit our calendar.
Thanks to Clay Eals, executive director of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, for sharing the video and the following report as the first round of restoration work continues at the city-landmark Alki Homestead/Fir Lodge:
Alki Homestead owner Dennis Schilling and his crew, including his son, Matt, worked on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, to haul out no longer functioning kitchen equipment and other detritus and to build and test an outdoor wooden shelf or sling to hold new logs in position when rotted logs (with blue tape) on the southeast corner are replaced. (The kitchen is not part of the city-landmarked features of the building, and replacement of the southeast-corner logs was given administrative approval by city landmarks staff in January.) Restoration work on the 1904 city landmark began this spring and will continue steadily through the summer and beyond. The Southwest Seattle Historical Society will provide periodic video updates such as this one.
Schilling, who previously gained West Seattle fame for restoring the once-marked-for-teardown Shoremont Apartments on Alki three years ago, bought the Homestead in March, as first reported here. You can check out the SWSHS’s ongoing reports on this page of the organization’s website; WSB coverage of the Homestead, going back even before the 2009 fire, is archived here, newest-to-oldest.
By Randall Hauk
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
West Seattle High School has announced that Darnell Taylor will succeed Sonya Elliott as head coach of its girls-varsity basketball team.
“Coach Taylor lives in the West Seattle community and wants to see our Girls Basketball program succeed at the highest level,” WSHS athletic director Trevor Leopold tells WSB. “He will demand a lot of the players, and, by doing so, will be able to build relationships, not only with the girls on the team but the community, as well.“
Taylor, 36, spent the 2014-15 season as an assistant at Liberty High School in Renton, helping head coach Carly Fromdahl guide the Patriots to a district championship. Despite the success, Taylor tells WSB that the commute from his West Seattle home to the east side of Renton was forcing him to consider taking a break from high-school coaching, as he had prior to last season to be able to help at home with the pending birth of his son DJ, now 3 years old (with his dad in the photo, above right).
Thanks to the many people who’ve sent us this link – if you haven’t already seen it, data reporter Gene Balk at The Seattle Times (WSB partner) says people interested in getting out of the Bay Area are zeroing in on West Seattle – in a BIG way, at least according to one real-estate website. Doesn’t surprise us – when we got here from San Diego in 1991, we found more than a few other ex-Californians in WS. But that was pre-consumer Internet, so, no data-crunching possible! Any recent Bay Area arrivals within sight of these pixels, would love to hear how you wound up here – comments or editor@westseattleblog.com.
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
So far, nothing out of the ordinary reported in the outbound commute.
SATURDAY CLOSURE ON NORTHBOUND 99: Daily reminder that northbound Highway 99, including the Alaskan Way Viaduct, from south of West Seattle to lower Queen Anne, is one of the roads around the area Saturday that will be closed to vehicles during the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon/Half Marathon. The 99 closure is scheduled for 5 am-3:30 pm Saturday. See all marathon-related area closures here.
7:33 AM: The return of Traffic Throwback Thursday: Can you place this 1955 view described as “30th and Avalon slide”? Looks like an eastward view toward what’s now Nucor.
Click the picture to see a Seattle Municipal Archives page with a larger version of the image.
7:42 AM: If you’re heading this way from north of downtown soon – Southbound 99 has a problem:
Southbound Battery St tunnel is closed due to sprinkler activation. All lanes closed. pic.twitter.com/PvFT7UGsnz
— seattledot (@seattledot) June 11, 2015
A crash also is reported on northbound 4th Avenue S. at Spokane – the SFD response is closed so it might not be a long-running problem.
8:03 AM: SDOT just tweeted that the scene on NB 4th Avenue S. is clear and all lanes are open. The southbound Battery St. Tunnel is NOT, yet.
8:15 AM: And now the southbound Battery St. Tunnel **is** open again, per SDOT. The surface is wet, though. There was some confusion about whether the NB side had been affected; Marco tweeted that while signage suggested it was, it was NOT, and remained open through this.
8:24 AM – ANOTHER WEEKEND NOTE: Haven’t mentioned this yet but Sunday brings the summer-schedule change for Washington State Ferries.
8:25 AM: The “low bridge” has closed to vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians so that vessel(s) can pass. If you didn’t already know this – the closures and reopenings are all noted on the @SDOTbridges Twitter account, as is this one.
(WSB photos/video)
Lots of laughter Wednesday night at the Senior Center of West Seattle sendoff for now-retired longtime executive director Karen Sisson – a party with a nautical theme, as she and husband Doug Sisson were vowing to spend more time on their boat.
Before they could sail into the sunset, there was an acknowledgment of a big tribute on land – naming the Senior Center’s home the Sisson Building:
The rededication was officially proclaimed by County Executive Dow Constantine, preceding a champagne toast for Sisson, fitting given that her most-mentioned accomplishment was getting the law changed to create a specific class of liquor licenses for Senior Centers, though it could be argued that the now-renamed Sisson Building represented an even-bigger achievement, owned by the Senior Center in no small part thanks to Sisson’s effort during her quarter-century there.
Even more of Sisson’s accomplishments were recounted in the mayoral proclamation read at the party, declaring Wednesday “Karen Sisson Day” in Seattle:
Sisson herself spoke about the job she felt she was “born to do” – working with seniors – more than 40 years, in Walla Walla for 18 before her quarter-century in West Seattle:
She is considered both tough and fun; her long tenure at the center ended suddenly last summer in a clash with the citywide nonprofit that staffs it, but the center brought her back for a time as a consultant, and then a few months ago, planning began for this retirement party, featuring everything from hors d’oeuvres to The Ukes:
It was planned by a committee including board member Nancy Sorensen, who emceed.
10:41 PM: Big SFD response to a possible house fire in the 6000 block of 31st SW. More to come…
10:52 PM: The call closed before we even arrived.
While the shooting incident was unfolding elsewhere, two vehicles collided in Arbor Heights and closed 35th SW south of 98th for a while. By the time we were able to get there, both were on tow trucks – a convertible and an SUV, which a witness says was “flipped” when she went by earlier. One person was taken to a hospital, but her injuries were not life-threatening, so the major-crash investigation team was not being called out and the road was expected to reopen shortly.
ORIGINAL REPORT, 7:41 PM: Police and fire rushed to Admiral/California for an “assault with weapons” call. We’re still gathering information about what was reported.
7:49 PM: We are in the area and while SFD units are staged on California by Hiawatha and on California a block north of Admiral, we haven’t spotted police anywhere.
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli)
8:02 PM: Police and fire are now in the Admiral Safeway parking lot. The assault happened somewhere else and the victim showed up here. Responders are trying to sort it out. The victim will be taken to the hospital with a leg injury, we are hearing.
8:15 PM: The victim is female and her wound isn’t major, WSB’s Christopher Boffoli has learned. She was in the passenger seat, a man was driving, and a boy was in the backseat. Police are searching their car to see if they can find a bullet or shell casing.
8:41 PM: Adding photos, including a bullet hole in the car. Christopher says police at the scene will not confirm where this happened; when our Patrick Sand talked to firefighters before police arrived at the scene, they said the initial report had been that it happened under the West Seattle Bridge.
8:59 PM: Christopher has just talked again to police. They now say this is a suspected road-rage incident; the victims’ car apparently cut off a black sedan while westbound on Spokane near the 5-way intersection when someone in the sedan fired two shots into the victims’ car. Police have found two bullets, either 9mm or .380. The victims told police they followed the shooter’s car for a ways up Admiral but a 911 operator told them to stop. So far the only description of the people in the black sedan are black male driver and white female passenger.
9:09 PM: And just a moment ago, SPD Blotter published its own report. They say the 46-year-old woman in the passenger seat was unhurt; that is a change from the early reports, but sometimes information does evolve in situations like this. If you know anything about what happened or the person who fired at the victims’ car, call 911.
9:31 PM: Christopher elaborates that the woman *was* grazed by a bullet but it was such a minor wound that a band-aid took care of it. Very close call – he reports the bullet that went through her door was found on the console next to her seat.
(Ketchikan totems; photo courtesy SWSHS)
Something fun to start off your evening tomorrow – from Clay Eals at the Southwest Seattle Historical Society:
What do our area’s beloved totem poles, Duke’s chowder, New Orleans-style dessert “snoballs” and the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition have in common?
Come to the “Birthplace of Seattle” Log House Museum for a FREE reception at 6 tomorrow (Thursday, June 11) to find out!
Want a hint? Check out this six-minute segment from the Monday’s “New Day Northwest” show on KING-TV.
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society is offering a FREE reception at its museum from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 11, to provide information about — and a taste of — what participants on its seven-day benefit Alaska Totem Cruise will experience this September.
Featured will be an illustrated talk by Dan Kerlee, Seattle expert on the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition and the 1911-1914 Golden Potlatch (forerunner of Seafair), both of which presented Northwest Coastal Indian art and culture.
Kerlee will present programs aboard the Alaska Totem Cruise, set for Sept. 19-26, sailing from Seattle and visiting Juneau, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria.
Also aboard and providing cooking demonstrations will be Duke Moscrip and Chef “Wild Bill” Raniger of Duke’s Chowder Houses, sponsor of the cruise.
At the Thursday evening reception, Duke’s chowder will be served as well as a New Orleans-style dessert, “Seattle Snoballs.”
Of course, at the reception people can sign up for the cruise with just a $10 deposit. From each booking, $25 will go to the Southwest Seattle Historical Society.
(From city application for federal grant: Medium-blue shading is proposed expansion area; dark blue is “vulnerable population” area)
If you go downtown, you see them seemingly everywhere – racks of Pronto Bike Share bicycles, ready to be rented to get from Point A to Point B, in a program launched last fall. West Seattle would seem to have plenty of potential, but isn’t part of the bike-share zone.
Yet.
As first reported by Seattle Bike Blog, an expansion of the bike-share network, including part of West Seattle, is part of a city application for a federal grant. The application for a TIGER grant is titled Northgate Non-Motorized Access to Transit and Education; 60 percent of the $25 million sought would go toward a bike/pedestrian bridge in Northgate that’s long been on the drawing board. But the other 40 percent would go to expand bike-sharing service in other areas of the city, including bringing it to part of West Seattle, primarily toward the “Access to Transit and Education” part of the grant, to improve access to South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). From the full application document:
South Seattle College is situated on the far eastern edge of West Seattle on a bluff overlooking the Duwamish industrial corridor. It lacks direct east/west connections to the neighborhood’s primary transit corridor on Delridge Way. Significant slopes require out of direction travel for safe walking and bicycling connections to the college. The college is located 1.5 miles from the closest bus stop at Delridge Way and Juneau Street. This is a 28 minute walk that will be a 7 minute trip on bikeshare with this expansion. The 138’ elevation climb of this trip will also be improved with electric assist bicycles.
SSC, of course, does have closer bus stops, so that line should read, “from the closest DELRIDGE bus stop.”
The cost of the proposed system expansion is proposed at $10,075,000, with $10m from the requested grant and $75,000 from city funds. To buy the bikes – $5,125,000 city funds, $3,000,000 private funding (from Pronto’s operator) is proposed.
While the map excerpted atop this story, from page 6 of the application, shows (in medium blue) what area of West Seattle is proposed to be part of the bike-share expansion, the city documents make it clear that they won’t be able to get specific about stations and locations until they know whether they get the full grant. Overall, though, the application says:
The project will expand the bikeshare system to 250 stations with 2,500 bikes. The proposed bikeshare fleet will include electric drive, pedal assist bikes (e-bikes). The proposed expansion will increase the service area from 5 square miles of the city and 14% of the population to 42 square miles serving 62% of the population (Figure 10). E-bikes will help Seattleites and visitors traverse the many hills in the city and take longer trips…
You’ll find many more details in SBB editor Tom Fucoloro’s report, which says a decision on the grant request is due this fall. (P.S. And if you like to comb through documents – find them all on the city website.)
Welcome to a new WSB sponsor:
Karen Connolly, West Seattle, a Financial Representative for Modern Woodmen of America, has opened an office at 2409 SW Findlay St. The local office will serve Modern Woodmen members, their families, and residents in and around the Seattle Metro area.
Founded in 1883 as a fraternal benefit society, Modern Woodmen of America offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.
Connolly is a graduate of the College for Financial Planning and a 25-year 
resident of the Seattle area.
For more information about Modern Woodmen life insurance, annuities, investments*, retirement plans and member benefits, contact Karen Connolly at 253-770-6019 office, 206-459-0287 cell, and/or Karen.Connolly@mwarep.org
We thank Karen Connolly, Financial Planner, Modern Woodmen of America for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.
*Securities offered through MWA Financial Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Modern Woodmen of America, 1701 1st Avenue, Rock Island, IL, 61201, 309-558-3100. Member: FINRA, SIPC. Products are available in most states. Individual representatives may not be licensed to sell all products.
This Sunday, June 14th, is the day – the West Seattle Farmers’ Market moves out into California SW between SW Oregon and SW Alaska. Same hours, 10 am-2 pm. But the new location/new layout means more room for vendors and local nonprofits. We asked the WSFM – which is sponsoring WSB this month to help get the word out – to share the map of what you’ll see starting this Sunday; see it above (or here, as a PDF, if you can’t see the embedded version). Market managers were handing out paper versions of the map last Sunday, but by the time we got to the market in the final half-hour, they were already out!
Meantime, the celebration won’t just be within the booths at the market – we know of at least one Junction shop that’s planning to tie in to the festivities: Click! Design That Fits, longtime WSB sponsor, 4540 California SW (that’s on the same block where you’ll find the market), will have special sale items during market hours on Sundays – stop in and look for the signs with “happy, helpful beets.” Click! is also changing its hours for summer starting this weekend – 10 am to 7 pm weekdays, 10 am to 5 pm weekends.
P.S. If you are driving to The Junction for the market and/or other shopping on Sundays, please remember the changes – no motor-vehicle parking on the market block 7 am-4 pm, but the 45-space parking lot that used to house the market will be open again.
(Photo by Jason Ayres Gift Enevoldsen)
When you join West Seattle’s own NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen for her summer-solstice sunset watch on June 20th at Solstice Park – you might not see the distinctive granite markers that line up with the setting sun at solstices/equinoxes: The city has taken them away to refresh the faded engraved phrases that explain the markers’ purpose.
(2012 WSB photo)
At first, the markers’ absence was a surprise – no advance announcement, and Alice hadn’t even heard about it until a recent park visitor e-mailed her to ask about it; she subsequently asked us if we’d heard anything (no). Hoping it wasn’t a case of theft like the Rotary Viewpoint Park totem-pole saga, she and we launched inquiries, and finally found out what was going on.
The timing could have been better — apparently the city Office of Arts and Culture, which arranged for this, didn’t know that Solstice Park is used for Alice’s signature solstice/equinox educational events, so when we mentioned the upcoming solstice watch to a staffer we talked with on Tuesday, she promised they’ll try to expedite to get the markers back in time. Whether they do or don’t, you’ll want to be at the park (directions are on Alice’s website) 8:45 pm-9:45 pm on Saturday, June 20th, for Alice’s next quarterly viewing event. She points out that “the earthworks are still in place,” so, “It’ll be a great chance to talk about marker placement anyway.”
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports.
First, what’s NOT in that photo is the subject of this stolen-car report from Scott:
Stolen between 12:30 AM & 8:00 AM Tuesday from this spot in front of our home at Holden & Holden Place: 2011 silver Honda Fit with Texas plates. Belongs to a young man serving our church as an intern who is living with us. Car is frequently parked in this spot and never had any trouble before. Note large sodium light on corner of the house.
It’s been reported to police. So has this next incident; Dan says a hit-and-run driver did this damage:
We live on 26th Ave SW near Roxbury. About 3:15 AM (Monday) our car parked on the street was hit; the driver took off. They left some of their car behind.
Police subsequently seized the biggest piece – a headlight – as evidence, Dan says. If you have any tips, let them know.
P.S. Next Tuesday is the final West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting before a couple months of summer break. If you have crime concerns and/or questions for police – be there, 7 pm, Tuesday, June 16th, Southwest Precinct meeting room, which is right off the parking lot on Webster, west of Delridge, just east of the south side of Home Depot.
(Sunset, with geese! Photographed by Heather Gudmundson at Lincoln Park)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for today/tonight:
WEEKLY ENTREPRENEUR/HOME-WORKER MEETUP: At West Seattle Office Junction (WSB sponsor), our area’s only co-working center, today brings the weekly “informal brown bag lunch for freelancers, independent business professionals, creatives, and entrepreneurs working from home or coffee shops.” Noon-1:15 pm. (6040 California SW)
CELEBRATION FOR KAREN SISSON: You’re invited to the celebration tonight for the now-retired longtime executive director of the Senior Center of West Seattle, Karen Sisson, in whose name the building will be re-dedicated tonight. Thanks to board member Nancy Sorensen for this photo of the plaque that will honor her as well as the building signage we featured here earlier this week:
The party starts at 5 pm at the center with hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar plus live music by cellist Pam Bell, followed by pianist Larry Knapp, 5:40-6:15, and the Ukes, 6:20-6:55 pm. The program at 7 will last about half an hour, concluding with a champagne toast. Again – all welcome! (Oregon/California)
AMERICAN LEGION POST 160: If you have served or are serving in the US Armed Forces, you’re welcome at the monthly meeting @ Post 160 in The Triangle, 6 pm. (3618 SW Alaska)
WEST SEATTLE ULTIMATE FAMILY FRISBEE: 6:30 pm at Fairmount Playfield, all ages welcome! (Fauntleroy/Brandon)
PORT COMMISSION CANDIDATES @ 34TH DEMS: The 34th District Democrats‘ monthly meeting tonight includes a candidates’ forum for Seattle Port Commission Position 5, the spot that Bill Bryant is leaving to run for governor. Here’s the agenda. 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy. (9131 California SW)
NIGHTLIFE! Open microphone, karaoke, more – see tonight’s listings on our calendar.
We’ve heard two reports now of a certain area on the west side of The Junction where the crows are feistier than usual right now. This one’s from Laura:
I live in the Genesee neighborhood. I was walking to work (Tuesday) morning, and was on the west side of the street on Glenn Way SW that cuts a diagonal path between Genesee and Alaska on my way to the bus at about 6:30 a.m. The street has a few really large trees on it.
Suddenly I hear a couple crows start cawing really loudly. Then, one swoops down high from a tree and right over my head. Then lots more cawing from the trees. Then another swoop close to my head. I scream and put my purse over my head and start running. Then a third swoop over my head, more cawing. Finally, I get beyond the big trees and it’s over. Assume it’s a nest they’re guarding, or they don’t like white jackets, or…. anyway, pretty alarming and thought maybe you’d want to alert readers to at least walk the opposite side of the street.
As usual with something like this, we searched online to look for expert advice to add to the reader report – and found this KING 5 report saying it’s “crow-attack season.” Lots of other crow-attack tales turn up online too, but as for practical advice and explanation – the state Fish and Wildlife Department wins again, with this “Living with Wildlife” page.
More congratulations as the school year and sports seasons come to an end. Thanks to Ann Conway for the photos and report:
Congratulations to Holy Rosary School‘s 7th-grade boys’ CYO team (National League – predominantly 7th graders) who took first place. The game was played at Walt Hundley Playfield on Sunday the 8th. Go Gators!
During the game, the Holy Rosary Gator made an appearance and played a pivotal role while in deep centerfield.
P.S. Holy Rosary’s school year ends Friday after morning Mass; tomorrow is a short day, too.
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:12 AM: As the heart of today’s morning commute approaches, nothing unusual is reported in or from our area so far.
7:24 AM: Two notes – reminder that if you travel Delridge Way past the Boren Building next hour, you might see something related to SDOT director Scott Kubly‘s visit to promote safety. We’re not exactly sure yet what form it’ll take but we’ll be there to report. And another reminder that the northbound Alaskan Way Viaduct, from south of West Seattle to lower Queen Anne, is one of the roads around the area Saturday that will be closed to vehicles during the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon/Half Marathon. The 99 closure is scheduled for 5 am-3:30 pm Saturday. See the full area closure list here.
7:55 AM: Texter says a police officer on the bridge is “waving random people over.” Can’t help but wonder if it’s part of the aforementioned SDOT safety event … let us know if you were among the “random” people waved over. We’re in a backup on Avalon, in the meantime, checking something out while on the way to the event on Delridge.
8:05 AM: Never mind – via Twitter, people who’ve seen this say it’s just the usual patrol for bus-lane violators. No camera pointed in that direction right now. Meantime, we’re still heading eastbound, currently in the Andover-to-Delridge queue.
8:12 AM: SDOT’s camera on the five-way intersection isn’t working this morning, so we’ve just gone by to doublecheck the presumed absence of protesters. None in sight; today’s backups just seem to be “regular” backups.
8:18 AM: Headed southbound on Delridge, we stopped at a corner where a woman waited to cross with a baby in a stroller. **Ten cars passed by northbound, nobody stopped.** We waved our arms out the window trying to get the attention of the northbound drivers. Somebody southbound even went around us in the center turn lane. Why would you not stop for two minutes to let the woman and baby cross the street?
8:31 AM: Now at the Boren Building, where the event actually involves both schools housed here (the media advisory had only mentioned Arbor Heights, but STEM kids are here too).
They're handing out Vision Zero bags. @seattledot dir Kubly asking kids if they know the safety rules. pic.twitter.com/b5qSm9T2EO
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) June 10, 2015
They’re not actually stopping people on Delridge but rather in the parking lot pulling up to the south entrance of the building. Swag bags branded Vision Zero (which the advisory said are “grant-funded”) are being distributed. The $5 coffee cards mentioned in the original advisory are for Starbucks. We’re listening in as Kubly quizzes kids about safety know-how. Crosswalk refreshers seem in order. This school building will get two new crosswalks soon, by the way – one midblock going to the main entrance, one on the south end at Graham.
9:07 AM: Thanks to the texter who just sent word of a crash on Sylvan Way by Home Depot – blocking “uphill and the turn lane,” they report. One SFD unit just dispatched.
11:07 AM: Thanks to the texter who just tipped us that the 10:40 ferry from Vashon to Fauntleroy is running late because of a medical issue involving a passenger. Vessel Watch says it’s expected to dock around 11:13 am.
Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
The 220+ members of the West Seattle High School Class of 2015 are now celebrating the first night of the rest of their lives, after receiving their diplomas in the breezy sun and shadows of Southwest Athletic Complex, where family and friends filled the stands.
Graduation is a time of “mixed feelings,” as pointed out by valedictorian Tin Vo, who recounted some of the “life lessons” he and his classmates learned.
He closed by wishing them all the “best of luck,” drawing laughs by concluding “May the Force be with you.”
The class’s motto was “Our goal is to influence history, rather than merely observing it.” Toward that end, one of their class advisers, science teacher Jeff Ursino, asked, “What kind of history do you think is worth making?”
He suggested it wasn’t the kind you’ll find in a museum someday, saying that “history is made bravely, and in the company of people we love.” His advice: “Worry less about who you are, and ponder who you want to be.”
Their other adviser, Tom Burggraff, offered advice he suggested he’s known for, “Go out and be somebody.”
Principal Ruth Medsker warned that there will be times along the road that “you’re going to want to pack it up,” but, she said, just “persist … There’s only one you, and you will pass this way but once. Do it right.”
And stop to celebrate the successes, advised School Board director Marty McLaren, just before the presentation of diplomas, as joyful a ceremony as ever, with name-readers calling out each grad’s name loud and proud.
Then one final speaker, Sahra Ibrahim, who observed, “After today, life does not get any easier.”
But it gets different. And so off she and her classmates went, into that new life.
(Video to come – we’ll add it to the story as soon as it’s ready late tonight. P.S. 2 more local graduations to follow.)
ADDED 1 AM: Here as promised is the video – starting with the introduction of valedictorian Vo and continuing through the remaining 53 minutes of the ceremony:
Heads up for Seacrest users – here’s what’ll happen during some work next week:
Seattle Parks and Recreation will replace the small craft launch at Seacrest Park after more than 20 years of use. To help increase public safety, part of the park’s parking lot, the bike racks, and the outside seating area on the deck will be closed while work is being performed.
Seattle Parks anticipates the affected areas to be closed from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, June 15 and 16.
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