West Seattle, Washington
18 Monday
Six West Seattleites are back from one of the marathons that comprise what’s known as “the most prestigious distance running series in the world.” The achievement completed the series for two of them – including, for a second time, Joe Drake, who sent the report and photo:
Residents of West Seattle – from left in above photo, Des Lee, Sarang Shamshery, Patti Shuster, Joe Drake, Sokphal Tun, and Erik Nakich (not pictured) – trekked to Japan this month to run in the 2024 Tokyo Marathon. All of them are avid fans of our favorite running store, West Seattle Runner.
Tokyo is one of six cities that host the annual World Marathon Majors, the premier events for runners worldwide. Completing all six of them to earn the coveted Six-Star Medal is a bucket list item for many marathoners, a journey that often requires several years of planning and training to knock off. Patti Shuster earned her Six-Star Medal in Tokyo. She had been working toward it for the past two and a half years. Joe Drake took home a second one after picking up his first last year in Tokyo.
The others have some work to do to complete their missions. Erick Nakich has only London standing in his way. Sokphal Tun’s finale will be in New York City, someday, after she takes on Chicago later this year. Desmond Lee is halfway there and is strategizing as to which of his remaining cities – Berlin, London, or New York City – will make the best backdrop for his Six-Star Medal photo. (updated) Sarang Shamshery just began his journey with two majors (Chicago and Tokyo) and plans to enjoy the ride to collect the remaining stars as he and his wife are expecting a child in a couple of months and he will be a busy man. You may see him training with a stroller on Hiawatha track every Tuesday!
For more on the World Marathon Majors, see this link.
Last chance to nominate a business, nonprofit, or community advocate for the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s 2024 Westside Awards! 5 pm today is the deadline. From the announcement we published three weeks ago:
The Chamber is seeking nominations in the following categories:
1) Business of the Year
2) Not-for-Profit of the Year
3) Emerging Business of the Year
4) Westsider of the YearThe community is invited to submit nominations online here: loom.ly/qS8SmDE. The deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 12, 2024, by 5 pm.
The Westside Awards honor leadership in entrepreneurship, innovation, and community impact, highlighting the achievements and contributions of businesses, organizations, and individuals within our West Seattle community.
The winners will be honored at a community breakfast event May 22. (Past winners are listed here.)
Two events coming up tomorrow (Sunday, March 3) that you might want an advance alert about:
WEST SEATTLE BEE GARDEN: Lisa sent the photo and an invitation for volunteers of all ages to help out tomorrow, all or part of the three-hour period between 10 am and 1 pm:
Our next work party is full of opportunity to:
-plant native plants – a wide variety coming from the King Conservation District Native Plant Sale,
-move loads of compost for our new perennial pollinator pads,
-plant native flower seeds – blanket flower and globe gilia,
-make more temporary signs, and,
=relocate desirable plants.As usual, dress for the weather and bring a water bottle. We’ll have some light snacks. We also have an assortment of garden tools but if you have a personal favorite, you’re welcome to bring it.
We need lots of folks to make this all happen. Bonus points for those that bring a friend :) Thanks so much for your consideration and effort to help shape the West Seattle Bee Garden into a place of education, inspiration, and beauty.
The West Seattle Bee Garden is located at Commons Park – Graham St and Lanham Pl SW.
FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH: If you’ve been looking into your family history but reaching some dead ends, local experts might be able to help – they’re inviting you to this free event Sunday:
Join us for an afternoon of free Family History Research
Sunday, March 3, 2024
2:30 pm – 4:30 pmInterested in your family history? We have expertise! We’d love to help you discover the joy of family history! Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged. Email bevitaly@gmail.com to reserve a time slot.
Timed to coincide with this Thursday to Saturday event: RootsTech 2024 – The world’s largest family history event. (In Salt Lake City and online.) Then join us in person on Sunday afternoon!
The West Seattle Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – 4001 44th Ave SW
(‘Ghost bike’ memorial at crash site – WSB photo from December)
Two months ago, 66-year-old Steve Hulsman was riding his bicycle in Arbor Heights when a 53-year-old man driving a car made a left turn and didn’t see him in time to stop. It was less than two hours later, according to the police report, when Mr. Hulsman died at the hospital. Now his widow is dealing with the bills, saying their coverage has been exhausted, and that the driver was uninsured. A friend asked us to write about her crowdfunding page, so we also looked into the status of the case. King County Superior Court and Seattle Municipal Court files don’t show any charges filed, so far, in the incident, though the officer who wrote the initial report noted that the driver “operated his vehicle in a manner that endangered a person.” As was first reported by Seattle Bike Blog, records show the driver had a suspended license and a history of DUIs, but officers said that at this scene there was no indication he was impaired. Meantime, SDOT has told us in past cases that they evaluate sites of traffic deaths for possible modifications; we asked them about this location, and a spokesperson replied, “We conducted review of the site at Marine View Dr SW and 46th Ave SW as part of our fatal-review process. We will carefully assess the findings and engage in discussions to determine the most appropriate next steps for this location.” We’ll continue following up. Meantime, Mr. Hulsman’s widow is also hoping that crowdfunding will help with the costs of a memorial for her husband and for bike safety projects, which were a passion of his. Here’s the link.
One month after the passing of longtime West Seattleite and music-scene champion Susie Tennant, KEXP Radio plans a daylong tribute tomorrow. Here’s how KEXP’s website describes the plan for Susie Tennant Day, starting at 5 am Friday:
Join us Friday, February 23rd on KEXP as we celebrate the life of one of Seattle’s unsung heroes, the late Susie Tennant, who as a Promotions Director for Sub Pop and numerous other labels championed artists as varied as Nirvana, Beck, Hole, Mother Love Bone, Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, Supersuckers, Teenage Fanclub, Veruca Salt, and more. It will be a day filled with special guests and incredible music for all who loved her or were touched by the artists she helped bring into our lives.
KEXP is at 90.3 FM and online here.
ADDED: Thanks to Kerry for sending this – a proclamation of Friday as “Susie Tennant Day” in King County:
Just in from the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce – it’s nomination time for the businesses, organizations, and people you’d like to see recognized with this year’s Westside Awards. Here’s the announcement we received:
The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce presents the annual Westside Awards in May and the nomination process is now open for submissions. The Chamber is seeking nominations in the following categories:
1) Business of the Year
2) Not-for-Profit of the Year
3) Emerging Business of the Year
4) Westsider of the YearThe community is invited to submit nominations online here: loom.ly/qS8SmDE. The deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 12, 2024, by 5 pm.
The Westside Awards honor leadership in entrepreneurship, innovation, and community impact, highlighting the achievements and contributions of businesses, organizations, and individuals within our West Seattle community.
“The Westside Awards represent the heartbeat of our community’s resilience,” said Rachel Porter, executive director of the West Seattle Chamber. “The Awards showcase the extraordinary contributions of businesses and individuals who make West Seattle such a vibrant, thriving community.”
Mark your calendar for the annual Westside Awards Breakfast to be held in person on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. The West Seattle Chamber will honor the award winners as well as the awardee finalists at the Awards Breakfast — event details to follow at wschamber.com.
“Our Chamber has a long history of recognizing leadership,” notes Porter. You can take a look back at the previous Westside Award winners in each category online, by visiting wschamber.com/westside-awards.
For many, Valentine’s Day is a chance to show your love to someone special. For West Seattle Girl Scout Troop 41843, their “someone special” was the entire community. Christine sent us this report on what they did for Valentine’s Day this past week:
Girl Scout Troop 41843 was out sharing some LOVE with our community. It was really sweet to see the smiles these scouts put on lots of faces with their Valentine’s. Several people told us that we made their day. The Troop started up at Dakota Place Park and walked down through the Junction passing out homemade cards, lollipops, smiles, and lots of love to those they passed on their way to The Great American Diner to end their mission with a delicious cup of hot cocoa.
P.S. In case you were wondering (we were, so we checked), this year’s cookie booths start in two weeks.
It’s a mandatory question when you interview someone who’s reached a milestone like their 100th birthday – any secret to your long life?
Gwen Bell thinks that in her case, maybe it’s “because I’ve lived a pleasant life.”
Gwen was two days short of 100 when we talked with her on Saturday at her home east of Fairmount Park. But the celebrating already had begun.
We recorded our chat on video – it’s in two parts below. In the first, Gwen – NOT short for Gwendolyn, by the way (she says her parents decided to be efficient) – talks about her travels and her gardening, and you might even hear a few longevity tips after all.
In the second part, we talk about her jobs and her life in West Seattle – where she lived in Gatewood before she and her late husband (married 66 years, with a wedding three weeks before World War II ended) moved to a neighborhood that felt “rural” when she arrived:
As she told us toward the end of our chat, Gwen’s birthday plans included a celebratory dinner and a “Happy Birthday” serenade from her neighbors. One of those neighbors, in fact, is the person who tipped us to Gwen’s milestone birthday (thank you, Ryan!).
Four days after 15-year-old Mobarak Adam died of a gunshot wound at Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center, no further information has emerged about the circumstances. But messages of community support abound outside the center, and the PTSA at <strong>Chief Sealth International High School – where he was a student – has a message too:
As you may have heard, our community suffered an unimaginable loss when a Chief Sealth student, who was also a former Denny student, tragically lost his life near campus. The school teachers and staff, students, and entire extended Chief Sealth and Denny community are still reeling from this event, and have deeply appreciated the support from West Seattle and beyond.
Some kind folks hung signs on the football field fence across from the school to share their love and encouragement, and it has made a real impact in helping us to feel both empathy for our grief and love for our student during this truly difficult time. Students, friends, and family have also started a memorial in front of the community center.
If additional members of the community are moved to do so, we’d like to invite you to hang signs, notes, or other remembrances on the fence across from the school. Every word and gesture helps our students, faculty, staff, and parents feel supported, and the fence is something we see every day.
On Friday, Chief Sealth Principal Morales sent an update to all Chief Sealth families emphasizing help being made available within the school and throughout the community. You can learn more here.
Thank you again to everyone who has reached out. Our hearts go out to our student’s family and friends as we all work together to grieve and heal. He was so loved, and will be forever missed.
– Chief Sealth International High School PTSA
David sent this as an open thank-you letter for Thursday evening help:
At around 5 pm, my old 1984 gray Chevy Cavalier station wagon’s transmission finally died while waiting to make a left-hand turn on 35th Avenue SW and SW Thistle westbound with a load of groceries from the White Center Safeway.
I’d like to publicly thank the unknown young lady and unknown female driver of a big white pickup truck who came to my assistance and gave me a “heavenly shove” out of the left-turn lane onto westbound SW Thistle so I could safely wait for a tow to my residence in Upper Gatewood.
1:47 PM: The Mount tells us John has been found, safe, and is back home.
Earlier:Read More
The photo and report are from West Seattle VFW Post 2713 commander Steve Strand:
The West Seattle VFW held their annual holiday celebration. The veterans and community came together to celebrate our student essay contestants on their patriotic themes. Bill Dwyer is the chairman of the student essays and coordinates with our local schools for entries. Chief Sealth International High School and Our Lady of Guadalupe were especially well-represented this year.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars handed out certificates and cash prizes to the winners. The delicious turkey, stuffing, and fixin’s were catered by West Seattle‘s very own Jack Miller and the Husky Deli.
Essay contest:
James McDonald
High School Teacher coordinatorJuliana Agudelo Ariza
Voice of Democracy winnerHarper Gilbert
1st place Patriots PenMimi Katz
2nd place Patriots PenEvelyn Jane Satwicz
3rd place Patriots PenAlex Tsada
1st place Youth EssayMiguel Santos
2nd place Youth EssayFiona Howell
3rd place Youth EssayLila Dacanay
3rd grade winnerZykx Sotero
Honorable mention
Chas Redmond died this week.
If you’ve been active in civic life in West Seattle at any point over the past two decades, you’ve probably already heard.
If not, we want to tell you a little about why his passing is such a loss.
Chas, gone at 76, was someone who seemed to us like a strong candidate to make it to centenarianhood.
He was a prolific walker, notching miles at a time. In fact, the first of the 337 WSB stories in which he is mentioned was about the city’s plan to remove a crosswalk in his neighborhood, Gatewood. The third was about the first-ever West Seattle Walking Trails map. As part of his quest to make the peninsula more navigable for others on foot, he helped bring that map and these kiosks to life:
They were installed starting in 2009. Some are still standing. Transportation was a focus of Chas’s activism in those years. He was involved with the West Seattle Transportation Coalition from its start a decade ago and was on its board until relatively recently. He also served on neighborhood groups such as the Morgan Community Association. In the mid-2010s, he helped shepherd a historic-resources study ensuring that West Seattle would know more about its past before too much more was swept away by its future.
In 2015, Chas was one of nine candidates in the first City Council District 1 election – the first to declare, starting his run in late 2013. He didn’t make it out of the primary. He had $2,500 in campaign cash left – and donated it to two nonprofits, the West Seattle Food Bank amd Sustainable WS.
(2013 Sustainable WS holiday party)
Aside from the myriad projects in which Chas was involved with so many groups, you might have enjoyed the results of his volunteer work in another way and never realized it. He was the sound guy for countless local festivals and events, in some cases curating the music. He provided a soundtrack for West Seattle’s summers, including the Delridge Day festivals he helped produce as a key member of VIEWS (Visualize Increased Engagement in West Seattle).
This was all just part of what he did in his later years, after moving here in the early 2000s; earlier in life, Chas served in the U.S. Army and spent decades at NASA in public affairs (as noted here). His family promises a formal obituary at some point, and we trust that will run through the full details of a storied life. In a WSB interview during his City Council run, he said his strengths included “a lifetime commitment of honesty, integrity, and followthrough.” That accomplished much for West Seattle during his time here.
We’re awaiting word from his family on celebration-of-life plans.
–Tracy Record, WSB editor
If you got a Silver Alert tonight about a missing 78-year-old West Seattle woman, you’ll want to know that police have just reported she has been found safely and returned to her family.
Sadly, no such happy ending so far in the case of Jim PriceV, the 86-year-old West Seattle man now missing more than a month. His Silver Alert is still in effect:
Jim’s wife told WSB this week that there are still no clues as to what happened to Jim, last seen leaving his home on Pigeon Point the evening of Monday, September 18th. Various information related to the case and the search can still be found at jimpriceismissing.com.
(Photo by Jean Sherrard: At left, Clay and Meg Eals, with West Seattle-connected heritage activists Mike and Jen Shaughnessy, Susie and John Bennett, (front, from left) Dora-Faye Hendricks, Deb Barker, Kerry Korsgaard)
Thursday night, West Seattle historian/journalist/author Clay Eals was in the spotlight at Historic Seattle‘s 15th annual Preservation Celebration. We reported in June that the organization had chosen Eals to honor as a “Preservation Champion.” On Thursday, he accepted the award at the event at Washington Hall in the Central District kicking off Historic Seattle’s celebration of its 50th anniversary. He was introduced by emcee Feliks Banel as, among other things, “Mr. West Seattle History”:
Eals spoke of the moments dating back to childhood that made him fall in love with Seattle, and observed that emotions shape preservationists – particularly joy and hope. His work has brought joy to many others, too – with preservation efforts dating back decades, including the fight to save the Admiral Theater. (You can see him in this 1989 TV news story about that.) Eals’s current work includes the Sunday Seattle Times “Now & Then” column, on which he collaborates with Jean Sherrard.
It’s going on two days now since 86-year-old Jim Price was last seen on Pigeon Point. Since we first published word of his disappearance, he’s become the subject of a Silver Alert:
Family and friends are anxious for any leads and are circulating his photo and information far and wide. He was last seen 6:30 to 7 pm Monday night in the 3600 block of 23rd SW [map] and may have been headed for the Senior Center of West Seattle in The Junction. Call 911 if you see/find him and refer to the SPD case # on the poster, 23-271803.
ADDED THURSDAY: Just received, “A team will meet at Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW) at 2 pm for a coordinated search.” All help welcome.
10:24 AM: Reported by Rose:
Sad to say, a neighbor who has dementia is missing.
Jim left Pigeon Point and typically walks to the Senior Center in the Junction. But he did not get there.
He is wearing a blue jacket and jeans.
He is hard of hearing.
Rose says Jim was last seen last night. The report number is 23-271803. (Call 911 and refer to that SPD case number if you see him.)
ADDED 12:38 PM: More info, from SPD: Jim is 86, 5’10”, 124 lbs, gray hair, glasses, blue ski jacket, blue or black jeans. “Last seen on 9-18-23 between 6:30-7:00 p.m. in the 3600 block 22nd Ave SW.”
The West Seattle Church of the Nazarene in Morgan Junction is hoping to get opinions from families with young kids but says the topic is “not about religion.” Here’s the message they asked us to share:
Are you a parent in our community with young kids? We want to hear from you!
A small group from our church is working on a neighborhood improvement project, and we need your input. We’re applying for a grant to make our community more family-friendly, and we believe your perspective as a parent is crucial.
We’d love to chat with you for about 30 minutes over a cup of coffee (our treat!) to discuss what it’s like to be a parent, the challenges you face, and what improvements you’d like to see in our neighborhood. This interview is not about religion; it’s about understanding your experiences as a parent.
Our focus is intentionally a bit vague. Our hope is that these conversations with the community will guide us in identifying the best ways we can positively impact the West Seattle community.
We are open to new possibilities, but current areas that could benefit from these conversations include Play Space (an indoor play area for children and their caregivers), a future coffee shop within the church building, Maarten Park (a green space being developed for neighborhood use), Movies in the Park, Open Mic Nights, and a Community Vegetable Garden.
Your participation is confidential, and any information shared will only be used for our grant application. If you’re interested, please email us with your availability. Let’s work together to create a better place for families to thrive! Thank you for being a part of our community’s growth!
You can contact associate minister Sarah Emerson; her contact info is here.
Scouts from West Seattle traveled to Florida for summer adventures that included important lessons. Jay Brock sent the photos and report:
What an exciting and adventurous summer for West Seattle Crew 282 with members from Troop 282 (Boys), Troop 8282 (Girls), Troop 284(Boys) and Troop 22 (Girls – San Francisco) at Sea Base Florida! Here’s a closer look at their remarkable achievements:
Advanced Open Water Course: Completing the Advanced Open Water course is a significant accomplishment. It suggests that the members of both troops are skilled and experienced in scuba diving, having undertaken more than 10 dives in the Florida Keys, including night dives. These experiences allowed them to explore the mesmerizing underwater world and encounter a variety of marine life.
Scouting Centers of Excellence in Nature and Environment (SCENE) Project Award: Earning the SCENE project award demonstrates their commitment to environmental stewardship and nature preservation. It signifies that they have not only enjoyed the natural world but also actively worked to protect and conserve it.
PADI Project Aware Coral Reef Conservation Project: Participating in a PADI Project Aware Coral Reef Conservation project in Florida is an admirable contribution to marine conservation. Coral reefs are vital ecosystems that require protection, and the effort put into this project will help restore and maintain the health of these reefs.
This summer adventure was not only thrilling but also educational and environmentally responsible. It’s evident that the scouts are dedicated to both adventure and making a positive impact on the environment. This experience will likely leave a lasting impression on all the participants and inspire a sense of responsibility towards preserving our natural world.
Two months ago, West Seattleite James Boutin invited community members to join him for a “civic conversation” about artificial intelligence (AI), which has seemingly suddenly burst into the spotlight for so many industries and other facets of life. He’s doing it again tomorrow, so if you’re interested in talking about AI, join him at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor) 5-7 pm tomorrow (Wednesday, August 23). He explains, “Advances in artificial intelligence technology are occurring at lightning speed – much faster than the general public can keep up with. … I believe civic conversations about AI can help us practice democracy, build community, and improve our understanding and humane use of AI.” You can register to save a spot, free, by going here.
THURSDAY EVENING UPDATE: The missing teen mentioned here yesterday has been found safe.
Earlier:Read More
This year’s Alki Beach Pride is set for August 20th, but a big event in preparation for ABP is happening next Saturday. Here’s the announcement sent to us to share with you
Seattle PrideFest has shared their gigantic 130 ft by 70 ft Pride flag to be unfurled and held by 40+ LGBTQ volunteers on Alki Beach as a celebration of Alki Beach Pride, West Seattle’s biggest Pride event happening, later in August (Sunday, August 20th). Here is a video of the flag in Yakima so you can see how big it is!
This gigantic Pride flag has been used at Seattle’s Pride celebrations and has traveled to many Pride events throughout the state of Washington, including the Tri-Cities and Spokane, which were its most recent stops. This will be the first time the flag will be in West Seattle!
We’re looking for LGBTQ-identifying West Seattle residents of all ages to come and help us out! Meet at Alki Playground/Whale Tail Park at 10:30 am Saturday for a practice run and photo ops. Then we’ll fold it up and take it over to the beach for the ceremony. There will be drone footage and photos taken with the Seattle skyline in the background for this historic event.
-Saturday, August 5th at 10:30 am for practice at Alki Playground (59th/Lander)
-11 am to 12 pm for the ceremony on Alki Beach
-40+ volunteers needed that are LGBTQ+
-Post-ceremony celebration will be held at Arthur’s restaurant 1 pm to 3 pm
-Allies are totally welcome to come and celebrate!There’s no need to sign up, just show up!
The August 20th Alki Beach Pride celebration includes a street party and outdoor movie.
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