‘Service change’ day for Metro, and debut of 1st RapidRide line
If you only ride Metro on weekdays, you won’t notice till Monday, but today’s the day the latest round of “service changes” kicked in, as first mentioned last month. 
Several West Seattle runs have schedule changes, including deleted trips, as listed here. But the big news for Metro is the debut of RapidRide, with the A Line serving South King County, two years before we’ll see the RR branding on the C Line here in West Seattle (mostly along the current 54 route). Not all its features are in place, according to Metro’s announcement, but if you want to go take a look at the new buses (wi-fi!), rides are free all weekend.
‘For the joy & happiness they bring us’: Pets blessed at The Mount
Patty from Highland Park came to the Blessing of the Animals at Providence Mount St. Vincent this morning with her five furry friends, two of whom are regular volunteers at The Mount. They mingled with, and sometimes barked at, more than a dozen other dogs, till Father Lyle began the blessing:
After a prayer and reading paying tribute to pets “for the joy and happiness they bring us,” the Redemptorist priest led a procession through the building – first scheduled stop, the second-floor fish tank – to bless animals that hadn’t been brought down to the lobby. The ceremony is a tradition on or near the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi – which is coming up Monday – and there will be two others in West Seattle tomorrow, at Alki UCC (6112 SW Hinds) during 10 am service and outside St. John the Baptist Church (3050 California SW) at noon.
Update: Eastbound West Seattle Bridge reopens after crash
Avoid any onramp to the eastbound West Seattle Bridge – there is a crash near 4th Ave but it appears the bridge has been blocked off all the way on this end. We are in the middle of a big backup on northbound Avalon and are getting reports it’s blocked off at 35th and Fauntleroy. Admiral is reported to be backing up southeastbound too. 1:17 PM UPDATE: We are now seeing cars get on from 35th and Fauntleroy, so it appears the high bridge is open again.
Happening now: Prudential Northwest food drive (and more)
Larry and Gini – “half of The Johnson Team” – are just two of many Prudential NW team members volunteering today in a multi-location food drive, all over the area. We found them at Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor) just as the drive was getting under way at 10 am; other collection sites include West Seattle Thriftway, PCC West Seattle (WSB sponsor), Jefferson Square Safeway, and the White Center (16th SW) Albertson’s. You can drop off nonperishable food donations at any of those sites till 2 this afternoon. They’re collecting diapers for WestSide Baby, too. 1:53 PM UPDATE: We checked in with the volunteers at PCC around noon – Jeni Desmond, Tanya Edwards, Lisa O’Farrell – and they already had shopping carts full of donated food:
Also at PCC, we found another donation-drive effort – not related to the Prudential food drive, but just steps away – you can donate to the Northwest Burn Foundation for “Give Burns the Boot”:
2nd from left, by the way, is former North Highline Fire Chief Scott LaVielle (that district handles White Center and the rest of the unincorporated area south of West Seattle). The Burn Foundation fundraiser, they told us, will continue outside PCC West Seattle till 4 pm.
Dozens ‘walk and roll’ along Alki to raise money for ataxia research
After gathering at a picnic shelter along the Alki promenade, the participants in this morning’s Walk ‘n’ Roll for Ataxia (about 50 by our informal count) headed out eastbound along the beach, with these young banner-carriers leading the way:
Ataxia is a nervous-system disorder (explained here) that in some cases can turn deadly. Researchers are working on some studies that show promise, but as with all research, it takes money, so events like this one are geared toward raising some. You can donate to the cause any time by going here.
West Seattle Whale Watch: More photos of Friday’s orca visit
While we were covering Friday morning’s orca sightings between West Seattle and Vashon Island, as noted here, orca expert Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales turned up at the same small shoreline park where we were on the lookout – and he had his camera in tow. These are four photos he shared afterward – two of them including ID’s, like this one, J16, with a state ferry on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run:
And this one is J1, the oldest male among the “southern resident” orcas, believed to be in his fifties:
Jeff even got a photo of one orca breaching:
Whenever we get a tip about a nearby sighting, we publish it here (usually with running coverage ensuing) as well as to Twitter and Facebook – this is prime season for the southern resident orcas to come further south in Puget Sound to chow down on salmon, so we’ll likely be seeing more of them in the weeks ahead. One great way to get a daily roundup of regional sightings is through the Orca Network‘s mailing list – sign up here. Its leaders are based on Whidbey Island. Back here in West Seattle, in addition to Jeff’s Killer Whale Tales, there are other great orca-related resources, like Donna Sandstrom’s The Whale Trail.
West Seattle Bridge reopens after rollover, westbound closure
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
ORIGINAL 9:19 PM REPORT: Police are closing the West Seattle Bridge westbound right now at the scene of a one-car rollover, according to initial scanner reports. Via e-mail, Debra, who just drove past, says the rolled vehicle looked like an SUV: “Debris was strewn far … ended up on wheels.” No word yet on injuries – some of the initial responding units have been canceled – but again, the (high-rise) bridge is closed westbound right now.
9:30 PM UPDATE: Medics on the scanner have reported a 25-to-30-year-old woman with a suspected head injury, being rushed to Harborview Medical Center right now via Medic 10. Though the final determination will be up to Seattle Police investigators, the medic discussion included a description of the crash as “high-speed.”
9:49 PM UPDATE: Police have called for help to impound the wrecked car and also for an SDOT crew to come cleanup what was described as a 10′ x 10′ spill at the scene. As Diane points out on Facebook, the westbound side is actually open till everyone heading that way is detoured off onto the Admiral offramp. Via Twitter, Brad notes that the Mariners’ game just got out, which means more drivers heading this way.
10:22 PM UPDATE: Per the scanner, the bridge is now open again. Adding a photo atop the story, taken by Christopher Boffoli. He says the vehicle appears to be a Mercedes SUV. No word on the victim’s condition – according to one witness, it appears she was the driver.
Friday night hoops – at a dance studio! Seattle Civic Dance party
If you hear about “Friday night hoops,” a basketball court might come to mind. During Family Fun Night tonight at Seattle Civic Dance Theatre‘s headquarters in Fauntleroy, it meant hula hoops – for kids (above) and parents (below):
STAR 101.5 DJ Paul Thompson played the tunes and announced the action – the hula hoops were part of a “sock hop” at the event. There was a mini-basketball hoop in the hallway, too, one of several carnival-style games … and face-painting too:
Admission for tonight’s event was free, but visitors had the option of buying refreshments and/or bidding in a silent auction to raise money for the Seattle Civic Concert Dancers, whose fall performance schedule includes the upcoming Fauntleroy Fall Festival on October 17th. Other festival participants will include SCDT’s neighbors in the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, such as new WSB sponsor Tuxedoes and Tennis Shoes Catering.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Park assault reported
Out of the WSB inbox, from Katie – she sent this around 5:30 but our mail system didn’t deliver it till a few hours afterward:
My husband was in Lincoln Park dropping off our son for soccer practice. I am e-mailing you to report that a soccer coach in Lincoln Park was just assaulted about 20 minutes ago. The coach was hit by a man who appeared to be intoxicated.
Another dad pulled the man off of the coach. Other parents, along with my husband, stepped in to break up the scuffle. Police have responded and are looking for the man, who appeared to be intoxicated.
The man was Caucasian with dark hair and beard, wearing dark clothing and carrying a dark blue backpack. The coach is okay and currently conducting practice.
Please be cautious at this time as the man is still wandering the area.
We’re checking with police, but Friday night is often difficult for reaching anyone for official comment except in case of something huge.
Followup: Click! Design That Fits now open in The Junction
Just after 5 pm tonight, John Smersh pulled away the last of the brown paper covering the windows and doors, finishing the transformation of the former Friends and Company storefront at 4540 California SW into the new West Seattle Junction home of Click! Design That Fits (longtime WSB sponsor). John and wife/co-proprietor Frances Smersh were determined to open today, even if only for two hours, for “sentimental” reasons – October 1st is the date they opened their original store in Admiral, in 2004. Tonight, by 5:30, the browsers had begun to wander in:
The space will fill up a bit more between now and their official October 16th grand opening – but for now, you can stop in this weekend, try sitting in a Fatboy chair – beyond beanbag! – check out the jewelry and “home accents.” They’re online at clickdesignthatfits.com and on Facebook here.
Fighting hunger: 3 West Seattle ways, in the next 2 days
#1 – Prudential Northwest Realty agents are collecting nonperishable food at three West Seattle supermarkets 10 am-2 pm tomorrow (Saturday) – PCC and Metropolitan Market (both WSB sponsors) and West Seattle Thriftway.
#2 – SoundYoga (WSB sponsor) is having its 2nd annual FUNdraiser walk for West Seattle Food Bank 1-4 pm tomorrow, from Jack Block Park to Alki Lighthouse and back, about 3 miles each way per SY’s announcement. $10 suggested donation (plus bring baby food, pet food, or condiments), kids and dogs welcome. info@soundyoga.com if you want to pre-register.
#3 – The annual Seattle CROP Hunger Walk is this Sunday, leaving from Alki UCC (6112 SW Hinds), register at 1 pm, walk starts at 1:30 pm. It’s a flat route, 3 miles round trip.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Pharmacy robber sentenced
We are at the King County Courthouse downtown, where Judge Carol Schapira presided over sentencings this afternoon, including that of 24-year-old Tyler Ljubich, found guilty in August of robbing West Seattle’s Westside Pharmacy during its post-closure inventory a year ago (here’s our original story). The prosecutor recommended the high end of the “standard sentencing range,” 41 to 54 months in prison, pointing out that witnesses testified Ljubich had a gun, though none was found, and that 
he had previously served prison time for shooting at a parked car in 2007 (as detailed in our earlier coverage); the defense requested the low end, saying that Ljubich had strong family support in the community (his father and two aunts were in the courtroom – the defense lawyer told the judge his mother died a few months ago) and was conducting himself well in jail, including taking classes. Judge Schapira went with the defense’s recommendation and sentenced Ljubich (the photo at right is from his previous prison term) to “the low end” of the range – he also will get credit for the year he has been in jail since his arrest, which happened in an incident that made news when he ran from police and wound up on the Schmitz Park Elementary campus.
Walk & Talk Therapy with Geri Dube: Welcome, new WSB sponsor
Today we welcome a new WSB sponsor, Geri Dube, who offers a Walk and Talk counseling practice along Alki. Geri is a licensed psychotherapist 
who specializes in helping people tackling relationship issues, weight management, depression, and/or general stress. She believes that walking helps people tap into their own creative ways to deal with these matters, while at the same time getting exercise and connecting with nature and community. Geri says many clients have told her they have fond memories of insightful and even life-changing conversations they’ve had while walking with a friend. That’s why she believes that incorporating a walk into a session helps people get unstuck and move toward finding answers to questions and problems. Realizing the difficulties of finding babysitters and the usual need to multi-task, Geri invites new parents to walk with their baby strollers, and encourages pet lovers to bring “Fido” along, for outdoor sessions. She sees clients at her West Seattle home office as well, and would like to assure prospective clients that she is open as to how they would like to meet, whether indoors or out. She is covered by most insurance plans and offers a sliding-fee scale if necessary. Walk and Talk counseling, however, is not covered, so Geri provides 30-minute sessions when requested. Walk and Talk Therapy is an out-of-the-box approach that helps people find their own way through the difficult times, get unstuck and move forward. Geri has been written up in Fitness Magazine, Health Magazine and the Wall Street Journal, amongst other publications. She has been in practice almost 20 years on the Eastside prior to moving to West Seattle. For an appointment, call Geri at 425-358-0083; visit her website at gericounsels.org.
We thank Geri Dube for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
Update: Bicycle-car collision south of The Junction
(Photo courtesy Mary from Service Dog Academy, substituted at 2:12 pm for our previous photo)
After a relatively brief closure, California has just reopened south of The Junction after a car hit a bicyclist by Rite-Aid. The bicycle rider was taken to the hospital. Police were talking with the man driving the car (which isn’t shown in our photos); no details at this point about circumstances of the crash, nor the bicyclist’s condition – they were transported by medic unit, which tends to indicate the injuries were not minor.
West Seattle Whale Watch: Orca sightings!
(Photo from Beach Drive Blog, used with permission)
ORIGINAL 7:56 AM REPORT: Just got a text about orcas “between West Seattle and Vashon” – and a tweet in the past half-hour about orcas off Me-Kwa-Mooks. So if you’re along south West Seattle shores, keep an eye out! This is the prime sighting season. 8:25 AM UPDATE: Rhonda notes in comments that she has pix at Beach Drive Blog. Maggie is on the Vashon-Seattle water taxi and reports via FB that the crew says the orcas have been in the area all morning. We’re on a beach south of Fauntleroy and no luck yet. 9:41 AM: Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales showed up at our vantage point; we saw one orca thanks to his much-better binoculars. Much closer to Vashon than to the West Seattle side, though, but he got a call suggesting some of them are heading back north from Vashon. Jeff told us he’s just back from three weeks on a research boat in the San Juans – some of his reports are up on the KWT website, with photos. (KWT, which brings whale education to local schools, among other things, also has a benefit coming up – details here.) 10:36 AM UPDATE: We came back to HQ to recharge – but heading out again, as Jeff just called to say they’re now visible from Lowman Beach.
(Photo added 11:14 am, whale-watching from Lowman)
Also keep checking comments – we’ve got a Me-Kwa-Mooks sighting too. Thanks to everybody who’s sharing updates!!! 12:09 PM: Latest word – northward, in the Alki vicinity, plus we received a text from someone seeing them on the Bremerton-Seattle ferry run.
Seattle Public Schools promise to parents: ‘Gains this year’
The speeches were short, the community-mingle-and-chat time long, during the fifth and final Seattle Public Schools regional “Welcome Back” meeting last night at Chief Sealth International High School. Above, Sealth principal John Boyd (left) is with Gatewood Elementary principal Rhonda Claytor, Mohamed Roble from the district’s Family and Community Engagement team, and head teacher Chris from Roxhill Elementary. Boyd and Claytor were two of 11 principals announced as in attendance from West Seattle schools; those who weren’t, had events under way at their schools.
Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson was there, sharing a story she said she’d told at the previous meetings – about her kindergartener daughter wanting to choose her teacher, and hearing from Superintendent Mom that she couldn’t, but whomever she got would be “excellent.” She touched very briefly on several hot topics – saying that districtwide “curriculum alignment” was not the same as standardization, that the district has invested in its teachers through the recently approved contract, and that testing is vital – “it’s how we give formative data back to teachers about students.”
Her second-in-command, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Susan Enfield, spoke briefly, promising parents, “We will see gains [in student achievement] this year.” She also discussed the reorganization of the “executive directors” reporting to her and in turn directly supervising principals. Instead of being each assigned to manage a type of school, like elementary or middle or high school, they are now assigned regionally for “more tailored engagement with the community”; Aurora Lora, who’s in charge of West Seattle, spoke briefly, mentioning a “professional development” session earlier in the week in which she and the region’s principals gathered at Denny International Middle School. And there were other district leaders, such as Family/Community Engagement manager Bernardo Ruiz:
He told us that SPS families will see information sent home soon about what’s available for support through his department – with one major event coming up soon: a Family Academy and Early Learners’ Resource Fair, 10 am-2 pm October 16th at South Shore School (4800 South Henderson), featuring free workshops. The superintendent, meantime, is scheduled to return to West Seattle for another community event, one of her “coffee chats,” 6-7 pm October 25th at West Seattle Elementary.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Crash, helicopter search
If you’re in Westwood or Gatewood or Sunrise Heights and wondering about all the commotion – a search is under way after a crash. We’ve been listening to the search on the scanner – a K-9 is involved, and the Guardian One helicopter just joined in, too. According to Ken, one car hit two parked cars in the 7900 block of 30th SW (map), and the people inside apparently left the scene. 11:46 PM UPDATE: Scanner indicates police are still searching within a radius of at least a few blocks. 11:51 PM: The helicopter’s leaving but ground search continues.
Good food, good times at tonight’s sold-out Eat Local Now!
One day after we bumped into Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle founding director Aviva Furman between a cornfield and a future orchard, we found her again tonight at Eat Local Now! where she was honored with the Jeff Fairhall Local Food Hero Award. Aviva’s in our photo above with Bill Reiswig from Sustainable West Seattle, one of the groups that presented tonight’s 7th annual edition of the gala dinner/auction:
Though this year’s Eat Local Now! was in SODO, it had lots of West Seattle presence, not just because of presenting organizations like SWS and CoolMom.org, but also the food and beverages:
West Seattle-area flavors included Raven’s Brew coffee from Bird on a Wire Espresso, beer from Elliott Bay Brewery and Big Al Brewing, wine selected by Bin 41 (WSB sponsor), sustainable sushi by Chef Hajime Sato from Mashiko, sweet potato crab cakes by Fresh Bistro‘s Chef Dalis Chea, Red Beet and Butternut Squash Salad by Blackboard Bistro‘s Chef Jacob Wiegner:
And we could go on … those are just a few items from the menu (which even included Apple Honey Tarts by On Safari Foods‘ Pastry Chef Traci Knight, described as “local apples cooked with honey from the West Seattle Meadery”). Eat Local Now! also featured a silent auction benefiting SWS, CoolMom, and BALLE Seattle, with a long list of donations from three dozen businesses, many from West Seattle (as previewed here):
(As a co-sponsor of Eat Local Now!, we donated an item for the silent-auction too – a social-media how-to consultation.) One more note – when we caught up with SWS members promoting Eat Local Now! at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market last Sunday, they mentioned “the famous Eat Local Now! underwear” would be on sale too. We thought they were joking. Nope:
The Eat Local Now! gala also featured live music and speakers, and was sold out again this year – all 300 tickets gone by late morning today. Want to learn more about sustainable locally grown food? Check out the videos on the Eat Local Now! YouTube channel, produced by sustainability advocate Wendy Hughes-Jelen of High Point.
You’ve read her words; see her comedy! ‘Tea With Georgie’ Sunday
West Seattle writer Georgie Bright Kunkel doesn’t just have a way with words online and on paper – she’s a stand-up comedian, too, one decade short of a full century on Earth. Never seen a 90-year-old comedian? This Sunday’s your chance, during “Tea With Georgie” at the Admiral Theater. Georgie tells us she’s also thrilled to be able to show a big-screen clip during the event – from her appearance on “Oprah” in 1989 with husband Norman Kunkel (who died a year and a half ago), to whom she’s dedicating her Sunday show, calling him her “muse.” All seats in The Admiral are just $10 for the show (buy tickets online here), and she notes, “There will also be a surprise bit with a young improv comic friend of mine.” 2 pm this Sunday. (Photo courtesy Georgie Bright Kunkel)
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