West Seattle, Washington
04 Tuesday
The low-low (below -3 feet) tides are gone till an encore early next month, but we have a few more community-contributed photos to remember them by. Above, Tracey Spenser‘s view of an anemone amid glistening greenery; next, Lura Ercolano shows us a moon snail has quite the infrastructure beneath the graceful shell:
Also out on the beach, “Diver Laura” James – but look very carefully behind her, around the center of the photo:
The great blue heron was apparently too intent on fishing to mind the people nearby:
Thursday’s low tide will still make for decent beachwalking – -2.6 at xx – but if you are hoping to get out while the beach is at its widest, mark your calendar for late mornings Monday 7/2 through Wednesday 7/4 (here’s the July chart). Thanks yet again to everyone who shared their photos during this “wave” of low-low tides!
For the second time in less than a year, a deadly heart attack has felled a youth-sports coach on the sidelines of a field in West Seattle. Last October, it was 38-year-old West Seattle Soccer Club coach Ed Kingston, at Riverview Playfield; last Thursday, KIRO TV reported today, 34-year-old baseball coach Ian Holding died on a field at the Southwest Athletic Complex. The KIRO report links to a memorial website for Coach Holding, which says family and friends are gathering tonight in Normandy Park to remember him. The tribute website says he was a coach for the 15U team of the Burien-based Washington Brewers, part of the Seattle Elite Baseball League, and that his 15- and 7-year-old sons were there when it happened. A memorial fund has been set up; donation information is here.
“I’m not a veteran, but I value their contribution and want to do something that helps them out,” local entrepreneur PJ Glassey explained, when we asked him about an upcoming benefit he’s promoting for a new veterans-assistance group. “Veterans are the reason we are still a free country. While we all may not agree with all the various wars we get involved with, we can all agree that our soldiers are serving us to the point of risking their lives and that means a lot to me.”
The show Glassey – son of a Vietnam veteran as well as owner of X-Gym on Harbor Avenue- is promoting is coming up June 16th at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in North Delridge, a “hypnosis/comedy” performance by Joe Black. Glassey says, “This event is kind of a ‘kickoff’ for the brand-new organization One Less Mountain, which helps veterans when they get home so they can cope, make the transition to civilian life and find the resources needed to make that switch.”
There’s no website for OLM yet, but board member Mark Pollek, a Vietnam veteran, explains that OLM is inspired by Hope for Heroism, a veterans’ peer-helping-peer group based in Israel. Pollek and others including Governor Gregoire’s husband Mike visited Israel to see how it works, and have since been talking with veterans’ and military groups to “see how we could best benefit vets recently discharged from the military.”
Pollek says OLM is starting with a “veteran-transition case-management program” and a “veteran connect program” involving activities “to bring vets together to tell their stories, hear what each other may be going through, validate each other’s concerns, and share methods of success.” The organization also is developing an education program to help corporate human resources people deal with “fear, concern, cultural differences” that may keep them from hiring veterans.
You can find out more at the June 16th comedy/hypnosis show. Tickets are $20, available through Brown Paper Tickets; the show is at 6:45 pm.
(Hi-Yu royalty past and then-present at 2011 White Rose reception; photo by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
The West Seattle Hi-Yu Festival has just announced one of its signature summer events, the White Rose Reception:
The 2012 West Seattle Hi-Yu White Rose Reception will take place from 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at Fauntleroy Church, UCC, 9140 California Ave SW in West Seattle. This event is for women only and is a celebration of past and present Hi-Yu royalty. Come and share your Hi-Yu memories and learn about this year’s plans for our community festival. Past royalty are encouraged to wear or bring your crowns and memory scrapbooks. Tickets are available at the door for $10 and every ticket comes with two raffle tickets. For more information about Hi-Yu past and present: www.westseattlehiyu.com
E-mail from the Seattle Neighborhood Group calls our attention to a plan in the works for a citywide moment of silence on Sunday. The idea comes from the group Compassionate Seattle, not just because of the shooting rampage that ended here last Wednesday afternoon, but because of other recent deadly violence around the city. Compassionate Seattle is calling for “3 minutes of silent contemplation, prayer, reflection or meditation” at noon this Sunday (June 10th), following “the ringing of bells everywhere – including church towers and individuals in the streets” at 11:45 am). The group’s Facebook event page for this can be found here.
Meantime, the lone survivor of last Wednesday’s shootings, Café Racer employee Leonard Meuse, has been upgraded to satisfactory condition, report our friends at KING 5.
(Photo via WSDOT’s Twitter feed)
The WSDOT media alert on Tuesday called it a ring, but we agree with those who say it looks more like a hoop (or even an echo of the new waterfront ferris wheel!) – 57 feet in diameter and shown off during today’s ceremonial groundbreaking for the Highway 99 Tunnel “launch pit.” It represents the diameter of the tunnel, which is scheduled to be bored starting next summer. Here’s the lineup of (mostly) politicians past and present at the ceremony:
(Photo via the Seattle City Council’s Facebook page)
West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen is at the mike in that photo; locals King County Executive Dow Constantine (behind Rasmussen in the photo) and former mayor Greg Nickels (who was still in office when the state’s tunnel bill became law three years ago) were also there. Today’s groundbreaking represented the start of digging south of the remaining Viaduct, for the spot where the tunnel-boring machine will get started, heading underground and northbound.
SIDE NOTE/REMINDER: Speaking of the remaining Viaduct, the Highway 99 stretch from downtown to the West Seattle Bridge is scheduled for a full-weekend closure later this month, 11 pm June 15 through 5 am June 18, as first noted here last week.
West Seattle Garden Tour volunteers are starting to deliver WSGT ticket books to the places you’ll be able to buy them … to give you plenty of lead time to buy yours for the July 15 tour (co-sponsored by WSB). Yes, that’s Sheila Lengle‘s winning poster art on the cover (here’s our coverage of the ceremony honoring her during last month’s West Seattle Art Walk)! WSGT’s Jane Watson tells WSB the first places to get ticket books will be Metropolitan Market (WSB sponsor), West Seattle Nursery, ArtsWest, and Junction TrueValue; the deliveries will continue with Village Green Perennial Nursery (WSB sponsor), and three nurseries outside West Seattle/White Center: Furney’s, Swanson’s, and Wells-Medina. (You can reserve a ticket book online by going to this Brown Paper Tickets page.) Garden Tour tickets are $15, and proceeds benefit local nonprofits.
(WSB photo of Morgan Junction Park as the 2010 festival began)
Summer-festival season is about to start – and the lineup for the biggest June event, the Morgan Junction Community Festival on Saturday, June 23rd, is now finalized, put together again this year by Chas Redmond, who says, “This should be a great year; we’ve got some outstanding music lined up.” (Plus one non-musical fave – the eternally effervescent Bubbleman.) Here’s the lineup:
(The Ellis Brothers, photographed by WSB at The Kenney in April 2012)
10:30 am
Ellis Brothers
swinging kid jazz trio
(WSB video from Bubbleman’s 2011 Morgan performance)
11:30 am
The Bubbleman
amazing things with soap bubbles
(P.S. from the WSB Forums – seems the Bubbleman wants to move to West Seattle! Can you help?) The rest of this year’s Morgan festival lineup, ahead: Read More
Congratulations to the recipients of 2012-2013 scholarships announced by the West Seattle High School Alumni Association, whose Tom Friberg shares information about the recipients and the scholarships – seven new and five returning – for a total of $76,500. Read on for details of the scholarships awarded to, and the studies planned by, Christian Carpio, Raymond Carter, Gabriela Flores, Haily Hage, Lauren Jeglum, Tessa Jinneman, Karen Lowe, Nahn Nguyen, Arlene Orbino, Megan Ormsby, Randall Stefanovitch, and Michael Swanson:Read More
(Seen at low tide; photo by Tracey Spenser – thanks!)
Wednesday begins with sunshine! Here’s the forecast – and here’s some of what’s on the schedule for today/tonight:
TUNNEL GROUNDBREAKING: Though the actual tunnel-boring machine won’t be at work till next year, there’s a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Highway 99 tunnel this morning in SODO, 9:30 am. Not a public event, but watch for coverage.
FINAL LOW-LOW-LOW TIDE: This is the last of four days with a low tide below -3 – it’ll be -3.4 just before 1 pm; and the Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are out again too, 11 am-2:30 pm, Constellation Park (south of Alki Point) and Lincoln Park, near Colman Pool.
LIBRARY STORY TIMES: From the Seattle Public Library Calendar of Events: It’s Toddler Story Time at the Southwest Branch (35th/Henderson) at 11 am and Somali Story Time at the High Point Branch (35th/Raymond) at 5 pm.
(added) PARTY AT LINK: The apartment complex at 4550 38th Ave SW sends word they’re “hosting a Stella and Dot jewelry party tonight from 5pm-8 pm! Stella and Dot offers stylish jewelry pieces for women. Anyone can attend this event, and everyone is invited! Sugar Rush will be supplying cupcakes for the party and refreshments will also be served.”
K-5 STEM AT BOREN DESIGN TEAM: Another meeting for the committee with community and school reps shaping Seattle’s new public school (here’s our report on their meeting last week, with topics including curriculum discussions for reading and art, and possible uniforms). They’ll meet at 6:15 pm in the library at Madison Middle School. The public’s welcome, and there’s usually a spot for audience comments.
SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: Reps from community councils and other organizations around western West Seattle gather at 7 pm for their monthly meeting in the board room at South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW). The agenda’s part of our calendar listing.
SEALTH/DENNY CONCERT: The schools’ orchestra and choirs perform tonight, 7 pm at the Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium (2600 SW Thistle).
Led by music director Clark Bathum, that’s the Madison Middle School Senior Band performing Robert W. Smith‘s ‘Encanto,’ one of the selections from the school’s high-scoring recent trip to the Music in the Parks festival in Idaho. We recorded the video last night during the spring band concert, which also included the Junior Band:
On Thursday night – 7 pm in the Madison Commons – the school’s jazz band and orchestra perform their spring concert; free, and you’re invited.
For those hoping to glimpse a never-again-in-this-lifetime sight, the sunbreak Tuesday afternoon was almost a miracle. As Jamie Kinney, who shared the photo above, put it, “With all of the clouds, I thought it was unlikely that I could capture a photo of Venus passing between Earth and the Sun … Fortunately, there was a sun break for about 30 seconds and I was able to capture the photos which I have published in my web gallery.”
The official West Seattle viewing event, meantime, was of course at Solstice Park, with NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen.
(Photo by Jason Ayres Gift Enevoldsen)
She says, “We got three sun breaks.The first two were very short. The last was almost 10 minutes long, and quite rewarding. Almost 30 people came, and all but about 5 managed to be there during one of the sun breaks.” Above, part of the crowd – see more on her website, Alice’s Astro Info. The next “Venus transit” is not due until 2117.
(Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand)
34th District State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon had ample reason to smile tonight. Not only did other local political leaders including King County Executive Dow Constantine turn out for his re-election campaign kickoff at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center tonight, Rep. Fitzgibbon, a Burien Democrat, is running unopposed, since no one else filed for the position. (Our area’s senior State Rep. Eileen Cody does have an opponent this time around, Vashon Democrat William Giammarese; the primary this year is August 7th, and the general election is November 6th.)
10:55 PM: We’ve received a few reports of a loud explosion-type sound within the past hour; fire crews went to the Ercolini Park area but cleared out fairly quickly, and now they’re in that area again. (minutes later) The second crew has not found any signs of a fire or other problem, so they’re clearing out too.
11:13 PM: Our crew went to the areas that fire crews responded to – no fire, no police, nothing going on. (added) We’re checking with the precinct, but in the meantime, commenters here and on Facebook say it appears to have been something set off in the Ercolini Park porta-potty.
11:31 AM WEDNESDAY: Confirmed by SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore – “At 9:48 p.m. Engine Company 32 responded to reports of port a potty fire in the alley near the park at 48th Avenue SW/ SW Alaska Street. The firefighters did not find a fire but discovered fireworks set off inside the port a potty. At 10:50 p.m. Engine Company 32 responded to 4500 block of 48th Avenue SW to reports of an explosion at the park near the port a potty. A caller said it sounded like an M80. There was no fire at this scene. The Fire Investigators were notified of both incidents.”
Today’s low-low tide brought some great noontime sights – we’ve received some excellent photos and took a few ourselves (plus we have a few awesome WSB’er-contributed holdovers from yesterday). We’ll be adding to these a little later in the evening but are starting with three from Gary Jones – wildlife catching, or seeking, lunch!
Today’s tide was the lowest, but tomorrow will still be fairly low, at -3.4 just before 1 pm.
More photos to come – and thanks again to everyone who has shared. ADDED 7:42 PM: The next two photos are by WSB’s Patrick Sand – we were out on the beach by Luna/Anchor Park:
The pilings beneath the park overlook – where the former Luna Park amusement park’s swimming pool used to be:
Laurie shared a photo of the Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists mustering by Constellation Park:
(They’ll be out at Constellation and Lincoln Parks again tomorrow, 11 am-2:30 pm.) And from Jim Clark, taken on Monday – a mystery creature (do YOU know what it is?):
As noted in comments, Jim has a gallery here. And more of others’ low-tide photos are in the WSB Flickr group pool (tidepool?) – see them here. (
More proof that apartments are the hot building trend right now. We just learned the Southwest Design Review Board is scheduled to meet June 28th to review a proposed 3-story, 30-unit apartment building at 3829 California (map). The site now holds the two one-story brick multiplexes you see in our photo above; last summer, it was sold for $1,000,000. The design-review meeting is set for 6:30 pm Thursday, June 28th, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).
2:45 PM, FIRST REPORT: We’re en route to a crash scene in Highland Park – a vehicle rollover reported at 15th/Holden, just east of the central HP commercial zone at 16th/Holden. No injuries reported so far. More to come.
2:56 PM UPDATE: As you can see from the photo we added, it’s actually on its side, on the sidewalk, along the eastbound side of SW Holden, closer to 14th SW. The driver was not seriously hurt, we are told. It’s a bit of a traffic distraction, eastbound, but a tow truck should be there soon.
Several news notes about the Duwamish Tribe, whose Longhouse is in West Seattle – It’s announced two upcoming benefits, one this Sunday afternoon (June 10) for its participation in this year’s “Paddle from Seattle” (details here), and a big dinner/art auction gala on June 30th (details here). Plus, a performance group of Duwamish youth, TilibSedeb (Singing Feet), is one of the 10 recipients of the 2012 Mayor’s Arts Awards, announced today. The full news release about that – also featuring the other nine recipients – is ahead:Read More
12:01 PM: Thanks to the WSB’er who just called to let us know about this crash – a car off the road, and pole knocked down, by Walking on Logs along the west end of the westbound West Seattle Bridge. Fire units have responded; we don’t know yet about injuries, but this is likely to cause some backup on the bridge, so if you are just about to leave downtown or other points east, heading this way, use the Admiral exit instead.
1:48 PM NOTE: The SDOT camera was frozen at 12:12 pm so we can’t tell what’s up at the scene right now – but traffic was getting by, albeit slowly, when we were in the area shortly afterward – here’s the view from the pedestrian overpass, looking north toward the scene:
Information isn’t available yet on whether anyone was hurt.
4:11 PM UPDATE: After hearing a report that the pole knockdown could affect streetlights beyond the one at the pullout, we checked with Seattle City Light. Spokesperson Scott Thomsen says crews won’t know for sure till after dark tonight, so they will be out looking. Meantime, members of the volunteer group that recently installed landscaping at Walking on Logs will be investigating to see if the crash damaged any of their work.
ADDED TUESDAY NIGHT: SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore tells WSB that firefighters checked out two women “who were out of the car by the time firefighters arrived … they declined treatment or transport.”
Today WSB welcomes a new sponsor, RN Patient Advocates of the Pacific Northwest.
The health-care system has become a difficult place to navigate and few know that better than nurses. Debra Nicholls, RN, has been providing expert nursing care and advocacy in hospitals, home care and hospice throughout the Seattle area for more than 25 years and with her new business would like to empower you and your family with the knowledge and resources you need. Locally owned and founded by this Westwood area resident, RN Patient Advocates of the PNW is a affiliated member of RN Patient Advocates, your health-care safety net™, the dynamic national network of independent trained clinical nurse advocates. A skilled RN advocate can act as a vital instrument in the optimal delivery of safe, patient centered care. Advocates provide crisis intervention, timely support and resources when and where you need them for yourself or a family member. Whether you are caring for an elderly family member, dealing with an acute or chronic illness, planning a surgery, or various other medical situations, you may benefit from the services of an RN Advocate. An advocate can protect your rights and safety, research and educate you about all your treatment options and advocate in your behalf with all your medical providers, making sure they all have the same, complete and timely information they need.
Debra has a broad clinical background, from her early years in neonatal, pediatric and adult intensive care, but found her most favorite roles in home health and hospice due to the more patient and family focused care. She is passionate about informed choice and empowerment, health care should not be one size fits all. She can serve clients at all walks of life, from children to seniors. As a mother and a caregiver for her parent, she knows well the health-care system from both sides. To round out her years of bedside advocacy, she completed RN Patient Advocate training to develop her own independent practice. Debra is also actively seeking to partner with other members of the health-care community dedicated to wellness and holistic care.
RN Patient Advocates of the Pacific Northwest, PLLC serves the greater Seattle area. The first step is a free phone consultation to see if the service would be a fit for you – call 206-429-5243. RN Patient Advocates of the PNW is a member of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, an affiliated member of the National Network of RN Patient Advocates, and a member of Advoconnection.
We thank RN Patient Advocates of the Pacific Northwest 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.
(WSB photo of last year’s ‘Best in Show’ at the West Seattle Junction Car Show)
An update from Liberty Bell Print and Design‘s Michael Hoffman, organizer of the West Seattle Junction Car Show (co-sponsored by WSB) – this year’s information is now online, along with the application for those who would like to be part of it. Remember that, as reported here back in April, this year the eligibility expands – including the addition of motorcycles! The show is set for 8 am-4 pm on Sunday, September 16th; find the application and other information on the official WSJCS website.
Fauntleroy Creek‘s 2012 salmon-fry-release season is over – already! (Seems like just yesterday we were there for the first one of the season.) The photo is courtesy of Tara Slinden, forwarded by creek steward Judy Pickens, who explains:
West Seattle Elementary fifth-grader Eqra Mahamed took great delight in feeling the coho fry in her cup during a field trip to Fauntleroy Creek in May. She helped rear the fish, from eggs to fry, through the Salmon in the School program. Volunteers with the Fauntleroy Watershed Council led 16 field trips during which 560 students, preschool through seventh grade, released 2,500 fry to cap their study of salmon, habitat, and stewardship.
Each spring, volunteers also track the outbound salmon smolt, and expect to have this year’s final report soon. Then in the fall, the salmon are welcomed home – most years, with a special ceremony (here’s our 2011 coverage).
Though the weather is gray, local gardens are bright – so here’s the orange peony blooming in Paul Francis‘s West Seattle backyard, which he and his wife found so striking, they wanted to share the photo. (Thank you!) On with the rain-or-shine daily highlights – after one more photo:
LOW-LOW-LOW TIDE: Even lower than yesterday (which is when Monty photographed those mussels – thanks!) – today, it’s down to -3.8 at 12:05 pm; beach naturalists will be out at Constellation and Lincoln Parks starting at 10 this morning.
TRANSIT OF VENUS VIEWING: If the sun gives a hint of appearing, so that we’d be able to see Venus crossing (but don’t look AT the sun!) you should be able to find NASA Solar System Ambassador Alice Enevoldsen at Solstice Park – details are on her website.
TUESDAY NIGHT VOLUNTEER FRENZY @ WESTSIDE BABY: 5:30-7:30 pm tonight – our recent story on WS Baby’s added volunteer opportunities includes info on how to pitch in.
LIVE ART BASH: At Mind Unwind in the Admiral District. 6-9 pm – don’t work on your project/idea alone, come collaborate/co-conspire!
DELRIDGE PRODUCE COOPERATIVE TRIVIA NIGHT @ SKYLARK: $5 suggested donation to help DPC work toward a healthy-food store on Delridge. And of course, the trivia topic is … food! 6:30 pm at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW).
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL PTSA: Last meeting of the year for the WSHS PTSA; join them for a look back and ahead, 7 pm, school library.
MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCERT: Madison has two concerts this week – first up, the band performs tonight in the school commons (45th/Spokane), 7 pm.
Even more (for today/tonight, and beyond!) on the calendar.
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