West Seattle, Washington
09 Saturday
SDOT‘s weekly list of what’s happening Friday/Saturday/Sunday has arrived – and it includes a reminder of WSDOT‘s all-weekend Alaskan Way Viaduct/Highway 99 closure (11 pm Friday-5 am Monday); note that the southbound Aurora Bridge is getting work done this weekend too. The roundup does NOT mention high-school graduations at Memorial Stadium, but there are several, including Chief Sealth International High School at 1 pm Saturday and West Seattle High School at 5 pm Saturday. To see what IS on the list, read on!Read More
(Click image for larger view)
West Seattle photographer/pilot Long Bach Nguyen shares that recent view of the South Park Bridge construction site – note the western approach to the new bridge, at lower right. If you’re interested in the project, there’s a presentation in SP tonight – more in our list of what’s up for the next 13 hours or so:
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AT CHAMBER LUNCH: As noted here earlier this week, it’s your chance for Q/A with City Council President Sally Clark, who’s speaking at today’s West Seattle Chamber of Commerce Lunch, doors open 11:30 am at The Kenney (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW; WSB sponsor). Do RSVP first – here’s info on that plus the lunch cost.
HYDROPLANE LAUNCH: As previewed here yesterday – the Schumacher Racing hydroplane that’s been getting refinished and painted at South Seattle Community College will be “launched” from the shop today, with owner (and ’60s-’70s driving legend) Billy Schumacher on hand. Public’s invited, 2 pm on the north side of the SSCC campus.
SENDOFF FOR KIKI WATSON: The longtime Schmitz Park Elementary teacher is retiring after more than two decades, and families past/present are invited to her sendoff, 3-4:30 pm at the school today.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK, JUNE EDITION: 37 places to visit, from Alki to Admiral to The Junction and beyond, during tonight’s monthly Art Walk, 6-9 pm. See the walking map/venue list here; the official Art Walk website with artist highlights is here. And it’s all FREE, including snacks/beverages at many stops along the way.
COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF WEST SEATTLE AUCTION: 6 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd/Lander). This year, it’s raising money for the scholarship fund – the school says it provides $6,000 in scholarships every month.
DESIGN REVIEW FOR 9051 20TH SW: The Vesseliye project is now one building, not two – as explained in this WSB report last week – so it’s up for another Early Design Guidance meeting, 6:30 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).
SOUTH PARK BRIDGE UPDATE, IN PICTURES: This is not a community-meeting type of update, but rather a presentation of photos and info about how the bridge construction is going – 6:30 pm at the South Park Community Center (map and other details in the listing on our partner site thesouthparknews.com).
GENESEE-SCHMITZ NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: General meeting tonight at 7 at West Side Presbyterian Church – map and agenda details here.
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL CONCERT: Lots of great music from local schools lately, and tonight it’s West Seattle HS’s turn to show off for a crowd (details here). 7:30 pm, school theater.
P.S. Happy Flag Day!
(Thanks to Tony for the photo – taken before police/fire arrived)
8:58 AM: If you haven’t left yet, avoid Avalon Way – at Genesee, traffic is going one direction at a time in the aftermath of a crash involving a motorcycle.
9:04 AM: All lanes now back open. At least one person is hurt; a private ambulance was just leaving as we got there (which indicates non-life-threatening injuries). We’re checking on their condition.
10:33 AM: Seattle Fire spokesperson Kyle Moore tells WSB the injured person was the motorcycle rider, “sitting and conscious when (firefighters from Ladder 11) arrived. They examined him and found no obvious major injuries. The rider, who was in his 30’s, was wearing his helmet. AMR transported him to Harborview as a precaution.”
10:33 PM: Just got a note from Ray, who identifies himself as the motorcycle rider hurt this morning. He says he left the Harborview trauma center with “a few dozen stitches and 3 fractured toes.” He wanted to thank the witnesses who helped him; from what he knows of what happened, Ray says, the van driver “did not see me coming and pulled out onto SW Avalon (left turn) and hit me on the right side (I was heading northbound toward the bridge, down the hill).” He recalls that the driver seemed “apologetic.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: When this school year began, we covered the first meetings of both the West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School PTSAs; now that it’s ending, we are circling back to cover their final meetings. Here’s our WSHS PTSA report from last week; ahead, our report on Sealth’s final meeting, Tuesday night.)
(Incoming and outgoing CSIHS PTSA presidents: Ted Reed, Amy Daly-Donovan)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Not only did the final Chief Sealth International High School PTSA meeting of 2011-2012 look back and ahead, it also included a presentation of information that no one in attendance could ever have hoped to use – what teens need to know about the law.
But first:
PRINCIPAL’S FIRST-EVER YEAR-END UPDATE: First-year principal Chris Kinsey said he believes Sealth is “on the tipping point of going from good to great … in the coming years we are going to transform what it means to be an urban high school.” A crowded one, at that – enrollment for next year is now projected at 1342, a hundred more than the start of last year, and four portable classrooms will be arriving before next year begins. (9th-grade language arts and history teachers will work in them, according to Kinsey.)
We don’t know if they have a Block Watch, but what CJ‘s neighbor did for her epitomizes how they’re supposed to work:
I just wanted to pass on what happened (Wednesday). I came home to a story from my nanny. Late (in the) morning a neighbor (who I have not met) who lives in the apartments across the alley came over to tell us that she had seen a man in our backyard looking around there and into our next-door neighbor’s yard. Our backyard is enclosed by a high fence and the gate is always closed. You have to reach over the fence to open the gate. The neighbor told our nanny that she asked the man what he was doing and that he then asked her for money. She called the police who came soon after.
We live on the 2100 block of 42nd Ave SW. If you pass this on to your readers, would you please thank my neighbor for her concern and actions?
You just did! P.S. Registration has just opened for the annual event in which you can get together with your neighbors to celebrate and enhance prevention, awareness, and just plain neighborliness – Night Out on August 7th. The updated SPD webpage is here.
Thanks to Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark for sharing photos from Wednesday night’s third and final spring concert by musicians from Denny and adjacent Chief Sealth International High School. (Above, the Denny Beginning and Junior Band.) He declared the well-attended performance “a resounding success”:
The Denny International Middle School and Chief Sealth International High School Band concert was a resounding success this evening! I was very impressed by the 6th graders all the way up to the graduating seniors. Music is thriving at Denny and Sealth. Thank you to Mr. Pimpleton and all of our families–congratulations to all of our scholars!
Three more photos, ahead!Read More
Noting Seattle Times (WSB partner) coverage of an eagle family elsewhere in the city, West Seattle photographer Gary Jones checked in on Lincoln Park’s own bald-eagle family this week – that’s Mom and Dad “making a bunch of noise in a tree not far from the nest,” he notes, while back in the nest …
No official count, but eagles certainly seem more numerous in our area this year – at least we’ve seen them a lot more often than years past!
Next year, Jack Menashe‘s Junction business, Menashe and Sons Jewelers (WSB sponsor), will mark 40 years in The Junction. Today, as he and his family accepted the “Everyday Hero” award from the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle, he said he’d learned a lot over the years, and that it’s been a remarkable experience. It hasn’t just been decades of business, but also decades of community support – his wife Linda Menashe described him as the most generous guy she’s ever known, with charity donations, youth-sports sponsorships, and gifts to schools (just last February, the Seattle Lutheran High School gym was formally christened the Menashe Family Gymnasium), as well as their legendary Christmas lights. Linda was there to join in today’s celebration, along with their daughter Joanna and visiting relative Paul from California:
The weekly Kiwanis lunch meeting at Be’s in The Junction, not far from the Menashes’ store, also heard a special presentation on salmon from 11-year-old Alex Lee:
Alex, photographed with the Kiwanis Club’s Dr. Steve Leifheit, is homeschooled but studied salmon through Roxhill Elementary School.
More big events ahead for the Kiwanis include their Charity Motorcycle Poker Run and Classic Car Show on June 23rd and participation in the Seafair Pirates’ Landing activities on July 7th; more info on their website at kiwaniswestseattle.org.
As reported here last month, there’s a youth sport here in West Seattle that hasn’t gotten as much buzz as field sports like soccer and baseball, but has athletes achieving big things: Riflery. Tonight, we have an update from coach Joe Matter on a team that’s just gotten word of major national success, and will be off to a championship event later this month:
The West Seattle Thunderbirds have had a busy junior season. These four girls: 9th Graders Lily Voynick, Corinne Blair, Juniors Emma Carey and Lauren Phillips, are one of only a few all girl teams competing nationally.
These girls won the NRA National Junior Sectional – Indoor Conventional Position Smallbore Rifle team title, shooting an 1573/1600. Lily Voynick placed 2nd with a 398/400. They are also awaiting confirmation of breaking the National Women’s Team record for metallic sights, last set in 1969.
They further went on to win their age group, Intermediate Junior, and finish 4th overall in the NRA National Junior Sectional – Precision Air Rifle Position team competition. Lily Voynick finished 11th in the Intermediate Junior Division, shooting a 581/600.
And finally, they took 2nd in the Intermediate Junior division of the NRA National Junior Sectional – Indoor Metric Position Smallbore Rifle, shooting a 2203/2400. Lauren Phillips led the team with a 566/600 and finished 6th in the Intermediate Junior division and 15th overall. They are also awaiting confirmation of 2 more National records: The Intermediate Junior Team Record and the Women’s Team Record in this event.
The team is heading south to Anniston, AL to compete in the NRA Jr. 3P Air Gun Championships and the CMP 3P Air Rifle Championships at the end of June.
A High Point resident who wants to be anonymous found what they described as:”45 bike keys, 2 house keys & 1 Nissan car clicker” near their house this week. We usually point lost/found to the WSB Forums, but this one was just too weird; the finder wondered whether it might be crime-related, and planned to turn it in to police, so if you know whose these are, contact them at 206-625-5011.
A guilty plea today for 20-year-old Angelo Felice, who, 16 months ago, was arrested and charged with the Fauntleroy stabbing murder of a man best known by his vaudeville name, Hokum W. Jeebs. Felice was arrested while spotted walking in eastern West Seattle after someone saw him climbing out of the Kilbourne Park ravine near Jeebs’ home the morning after the murder – as detailed in this WSB comment – and reported the sighting to police. Today, Felice pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of 2nd-degree murder, which carries a potential sentence of 10 to 18 years, but court documents say prosecutors will recommend a sentence of 140 months – just over 11 1/2 years. Felice had moved to Seattle less than a month before killing Jeebs; he had juvenile convictions for burglary and assault. (2011 photo by Jill Schmieder of Altena Photography, for WSB)
There are actually three public high schools in West Seattle – though one is much smaller than the two you could probably name off the top of your head. It is Middle College High School, based at South Seattle Community College for 15 years, but about to move. Seattle Public Schools spokesperson Teresa Wippel explains that “the college recently informed us that they received two large grants and need to re-occupy the space currently used by Middle College students” – who currently number 70.
Tonight, during their monthly meeting, the 34th District Democrats will be asked to consider a resolution asking SSCC and SPS to work it out for another year. Supporters also have spoken about the situation at school-board meetings; the resolution expresses concern that the program stay in this area, rather than moving to a possible spot east of downtown.
But SPS appears to have found a new home for the school, and it’s in what Wippel describes only as “South Seattle.” She tells WSB, “We have been looking for a new South Seattle location, and will be announcing a move to a new facility in the next few days, after we have had an opportunity to make final arrangements and notify our Middle College families.” She says they’re not expecting any changes to the curriculum for the program, described as “a college prep and dropout prevention program aimed at students who have the ability to go to college but because of life circumstances don’t always see a postsecondary education as an option.” Supporters say that’s been an advantage of having MCHS based at SSCC – the potential to move right into college at a familiar location.
Metro invites you to take a survey to answer that question. Here’s the news release they just sent:
Construction of the State Route 99 tunnel on the Seattle waterfront will continue to affect bus service for the next few years. When the Columbia and Seneca street ramps are closed in 2016, it could change access to downtown Seattle for many King County Metro Transit routes.
Metro is planning ahead on how buses will be routed through downtown Seattle in the long-term and during construction once the SR 99 tunnel project is complete and the city of Seattle begins works on the Central Waterfront project. It is starting by soliciting feedback from the public via an online survey, and would particularly like to hear from current riders of routes: 15, 15X, 18, 18X, 21X, 54, 54X, 55, 56X, 113, 120, 121, 122, and 125.
The survey can be found online.
Survey respondents will help Metro look at potential pathways to connect transit from south of downtown along Alaskan Way to the Third Avenue transit spine in the Central Business District. Two possible pathways are Columbia Street, or a combination of Main and Washington streets.
If you have questions or need the survey in an alternate format, please call 206-263-9768 or email haveasay@kingcounty.gov.
(Photo courtesy SSCC)
Remember our story last week about the Schumacher Racing hydroplane getting paint and refinishing work courtesy of the Automotive Technology program at South Seattle Community College? It’s almost done and tomorrow, you are invited to the event “launching” the hydro. Just in from SSCC:
The public is invited to the “launch” of the No. 37 hydroplane owned by legendary Billy Schumacher as it departs the South Seattle Community College campus at 2 pm, Thursday, June 14. It will be the first time the boat’s 2012 racing season colors and sponsor graphics will be revealed. Owner Billy Schumacher, former driver, will be on hand.
The boat has been housed at the college while Automotive Collision Repair students have given it a complete make-over, including stripping the old paint, and applying the new color and clear coat. At the same time, Heavy Duty Diesel and Automotive Technology students have performed major maintenance on the truck that will tow the No. 37 across the US during the racing season.
The boat is owned by legendary Billy Schumacher (“Billy the Kid”), the former unlimited champion driver who won 17 races from 1967-1976, and is perhaps best known for his unprecedented string of wins with the Miss Bardahl team. Schumacher Racing has paid a shop fee and materials costs for the student project.
The newly-painted and refinished boat will carry the South Seattle Community College name and logo on its side as it competes throughout the U.S. and in Qatar this season.
The automotive program is just south of the north parking lot on campus, accessible from the north entrance at 6000 16th SW on Puget Ridge.
11:43 AM: If you’re seeing a big police response, they’re heading for the 6700 block of 37th SW – conflicting reports of what might have happened, but possibly a shot or shots fired – we’ll have more as we get it.
11:47 AM: Still no confirmation of shots – scanner traffic has even indicated they’re checking out whether “a transformer blew because of a bird.”
11:50 AM: Lt. at the scene confirms the bird scenario. No shots. All’s well.
One month till West Seattle Summer Fest begins in The Junction – July 13, 14, and 15, those magic days/nights when the streets in the heart of “downtown West Seattle” close for the neighborhood’s biggest party of the year. Today, you can preview the official list of Summer Fest vendors – see the list here. Once you’ve found a vendor that interests you, you can cross-reference their number with their location by zooming in on the map you’ll find here. (WSB, a Summer Fest co-sponsor, will again this year be assisting fairgoers and reporting live from the Information Booth.) The eagerly awaited music list is expected soon; as reported here last week, we know Caspar Babypants will be back, on Friday 7/13 at the community stage on SW Alaska (which is where community performance acts such as dance troupes will be found).
ADDED 1:50 PM: One more local act has announced via Facebook that it’s playing Summer Fest on opening day, too: Branden Daniel and The Chics (2 pm 7/13, they say), featured here back in March because of the West Seattleite-led band’s “Mor Yay” video featuring mostly WS scenery.
(County rendering of Cove Park, after the Barton Pump Station project)
From last night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting: The latest timeline for the start of major work for the Barton Pump Station upgrade project – which will close Cove Park north of the ferry dock for about two years – plus, neighborhood traffic/parking concerns related to school commuting via ferry – read on:Read More
Christine shared this photo of Canada geese and goslings by the West Seattle Water Taxi, saying, “Made my kids smile this morning.” Now, on to our slightly delayed daily sample of calendar highlights:
TONIGHT’S TRAFFIC ALERTS: Southbound Alaskan Way Viaduct/Highway 99 is scheduled to close again tonight, 9 pm-5 am, but there will NOT be a Spokane Street Viaduct closure, per the city’s cancellation notice yesterday. Here’s our updated list of closures ahead as the week continues.
KIWANIS CLUB PRESENTS AWARD: At their lunchtime meeting at Be’s Restaurant in The Junction (noon), the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle will present Jack Menashe with their “Everyday Hero” award. All welcome; you don’t have to be a member.
‘IN MOTION,’ THE SEQUEL: King County is working on another “In Motion” campaign for this fall after declaring the transportation-information effort (co-sponsored by WSB) last year as “quite successful,” with more than 1,200 participants. If you would like to talk with county reps about how to make the program – which offers incentives to participants for trying various ways of getting around – come to Youngstown Cultural Arts Center at 6 pm tonight.
K-5 STEM AT BOREN MEET-AND-GREET: Those who are enrolled, or even just interested, in the new West Seattle public school K-5 STEM at Boren are invited to a meet-and-greet event tonight at Madison Middle School (45th/Spokane), 6-8 pm.
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: Monthly meeting at 7 tonight, The Hall at Fauntleroy (agenda info here).
SEALTH/DENNY BAND CONCERT: The last of three consecutive Wednesday concerts for musicians at Chief Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School, with band performances planned tonight, 7 pm, Sealth auditorium.
From a report just published on SPD Blotter:
Last night at around 8:30 pm, Southwest Precinct officers responded to a “shots fired” call in the 8100 block of 9th Avenue Southwest [map]. The call stated that a neighbor heard 3 gun shots and then a car speeding away. Officers arrived and contacted a resident. He told officers that he was alone in the house sleeping when he heard a noise at the front door, followed by a loud crash at the back door of the house. The victim walked out of the front door to investigate, and he saw three Asian males, and a black male, all in their teens, running from behind his house. The victim told officers that he yelled at them. One of the males turned around and pointed his arm at the victim. The victim stated that he could not actually see a gun, but saw 2-3 flashes and heard gun shots. According to the victim, the group of teens then ran southbound on 9th Ave SW and then west on SW Thistle Street.
The victim returned to his house and found that the back door had been kicked in. Officers conducted an area search but did not locate the suspects. Officers did, however, locate two shell casings in the area where the victim stated the suspects fired the gun.
Police say they don’t have any additional descriptive information; nobody was hurt.
(WSB photo from 2011 Relay for Life, after participants had been going all night)
Just two days now till the cancer-fighting all-night fundraising Relay for Life at West Seattle Stadium. This morning, Jilyan Perry shares a reminder – and also a request for some volunteer help to set up on Friday afternoon, before it all begins:
West Seattle’s Relay for Life is taking place this Friday at the West Seattle Stadium starting at 6 pm. Relay for Life is an overnight, community based fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. West Seattle’s Relay raised nearly $60,000 last year to help in the fight against cancer. Please come join us for an evening of celebration and remembrance.
Remember – we always need day of volunteers and we welcome anyone in the community to come down and help. Committee members will be arriving at the stadium at 12 pm on Friday. Anyone willing to help is encouraged to just show up.
For more information regarding Relay for Life contact Jilyan.Perry@yahoo.com or visit relayforlife.org
The official West Seattle webpage says more than 240 people are signed up to participate this year. Even if you’re not among them, you’re welcome to stop by the stadium and cheer them on; the event always begins with a “survivors’ lap” on Friday night, and a few hours later, around 10 pm, luminarias are lit around the track in honor of both cancer survivors and those who are being remembered.
One year ago this week, Steve John and family in West Seattle raised money to help his aunt and uncle who were affected by the May 22, 2011, tornado that killed more than 150 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Joplin, Missouri; two of Steve’s neighbors organized a benefit garage sale, and many friends and neighbors donated items to sell. This week, Steve e-mailed WSB to say he wanted to publicly thank everyone again: “I’ll never be able to repay everyone, both here and at my place of work, who pitched to help far away strangers in their time of need” – and to share then-and-now photos of his relatives’ neighborhood. Above, their house post-tornado; ahead, their house now, plus the then-and-now views of their neighborhood:Read More
At left is Lafayette Elementary‘s incoming principal Shauna Heath, with assistant principal Karmen Nordhougen. We photographed them toward the start of tonight’s meet-and-greet event for Heath. It was her first official chance to mingle with the school’s community since her hiring was announced three weeks ago (three months after current principal Jo Lute-Ervin had announced she wasn’t coming back for a second year). As Heath told WSB during a followup interview, she is an Admiral resident, looking forward to biking to work, after two years of commuting to Kent to lead an elementary school there. Her letter to the Lafayette community, looking ahead, is in the newest PTA newsletter (viewable as a PDF, here).
Thanks to April Long for sharing her photo of a rainbow over the West Seattle Water Taxi a little while ago. That led us to check the forecast, which brings good news – the weekend is looking better: “Partly sunny” is now the forecast for both days, starting with Saturday, which is the day of the Westwood Village Street Fair, 10 am-7 pm, including live music, kids’ activities, and more (see you there!), as well as graduation day for both local public high schools. Here’s the latest forecast.
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