West Seattle, Washington
20 Sunday
(Photo courtesy Momentia)
You might have noticed the newest decorations at Walking on Logs near the southwest end of the westbound West Seattle Bridge, but not recognized the name on the banner: Momentia. We just heard from the people behind it, with an explanation:
Momentia Seattle is a grassroots movement empowering people with memory loss and their loved ones to stay connected in the community! You can visit the community website to learn more about the movement, our community partners, and to see a full calendar of programs and events throughout the Greater Seattle Area: www.momentiaseattle.org
Part of it is Camp Momentia, happening next Saturday at West Seattle’s Camp Long, a day-camp experience for 48 people with memory loss. Cayce Cheairs with Seattle Parks tells us the camp is fully enrolled, but if you are interested, you can connect to get on the list for next year’s camp and other “dementia-friendly recreation” in the meantime – e-mail cayce.cheairs@seattle.gov – one of the upcoming events is a community gathering here in West Seattle next month “to hear from the West Seattle memory loss community about what programs you’d like to see in your community. Hosted by community partners – including the UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center, the Senior Center of West Seattle, Providence Mt. St. Vincent, Full Life Care, and Seattle Parks and Recreation – this gathering will offer an opportunity for people living with memory loss and their loved ones to have their voices heard and to help create more creative and social engagement opportunities for people living with memory loss in West Seattle.” More details soon – we’ll have it on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar once we get them.
Family and friends will gather next Saturday (September 17th) to celebrate the life of Charles Rhett Richards. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing with the community:
Charles Rhett Richards, 28, passed away July 30, 2016.
Born on February 6, 1988 in Seattle, he lived a very full and engaging life, always on the go. Son of Pat and Paula, brother to Emmett (Becky) and Wes (Shay), and uncle to CeeCee and Clara. He moved to Bellingham in 2009, where he graduated from WWU with a Bachelor in Business.
After college he traveled Europe, Australia, and the United States to visit friends, family and to live life on the go. He lived life in a matter most wouldn’t dare, always seeking something new to experience, see, or do. He filled every life he touched with love and joy, finding worth in all, resulting in countless friendships. A warm and wonderful man, he brought enthusiasm to every endeavor. You will forever be in our hearts and thoughts, Rhett; please watch over us all until we meet again.
Celebration of Life: Our Lady of Guadalupe, 7000 35th Avenue SW, on September 17th at 1:30 pm. Memorials can be sent to Catholic Community Services in Rhett’s honor.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
(Male Spotted Towhee – photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Here’s what’s happening for your West Seattle Saturday, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and inbox:
CAR WASH FUNDRAISER: 10 am-3 pm, Seattle Lutheran High School cheerleaders plan a fundraising car wash at West Seattle Autoworks (WSB sponsor). Weather should cooperate. (35th SW/SW Webster)
ART SALE: 10 am-4 pm, multiple artists combining for a studio show and sale – including the work of Jennifer Carrasco, Genna Draper, Ricardo Duque, Simona Foggitt, Beata Metzelaar, Scott Parker-Anderson. The studio is in the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene building. (4201 SW Juneau)
WALK-A-THON AT THE KENNEY: 10 am-1 pm, drop by The Kenney to help its residents and friends raise money for the fund that helps people stay there beyond the exhaustion of their funds. If you can’t walk or support walkers, you are also welcome to bid on silent-auction items. (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW)
CONFIDENCE-BUILDING WORKSHOP FOR KIDS: 10 am-noon at Elite BJJ of Seattle (WSB sponsor) in North Delridge, a free workshop for kids 6-13, accompanied by parents, as previewed here – call first to be sure there’s space! (5050 Delridge Way SW)
CAMP LONG CELEBRATION: 11 am-5 pm, celebrate the 75th anniversary of Camp Long during a daylong party including its Mountain Fest celebration of climbing – details in our preview. Flag ceremony at 1:30 pm. (5200 35th SW)
(Added 7:23 am – this morning’s sunrise, from Seacrest, photographed by Tom Milne)
RALLY MODEL HOME GRAND OPENING: 11 am-5 pm, visit Rally (WSB sponsor) – the townhome/live-work community between Admiral and The Junction – for the grand opening of its model home. (California SW/SW Charlestown)
DELRIDGE DAY OF DANCE: Noon-4 pm, a multicultural celebration featuring West African dance at Delridge Community Center/Playfield – details here. (4458 Delridge Way SW)
SECOND TO LAST DAY FOR COLMAN POOL: Noon-7 pm, it’s the second-to-last day this year that you can swim at Colman Pool on the shore at Lincoln Park, as it opens for a post-season weekend. (8603 Fauntleroy Way SW)
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SEMINAR: September is Preparedness Month, and you can get in the spirit by participating in a free SNAP (Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare) seminar at the Breath of Life SDA Church, co-presenting with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, 4 pm. (9807 26th SW)
SALSA ON ALKI, THE FINALE: 5 pm at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, the last “Salsa on Alki” session of the year starts with a lesson; 6-10 pm, dancing. Cover charges and other details here. (61st SW/Alki SW)
‘UNMASK THE NIGHT’ FUNDRAISER: 7 pm at Duos Lounge, a fundraiser to help Chad’s Legacy Project sponsor a mental-health summit, as explained in our report published on Thursday. Check ticket availability here. (2940 SW Avalon Way)
CONCERT TO HELP WEST SEATTLE HELPLINE: 7 pm at Alki UCC, it’s the latest in a series of concerts to raise money so the West Seattle Helpline can continue providing emergency assistance. Tonight, the Olympia Chamber Brass performs – details in our calendar listing. (6115 SW Hinds)
BON-FULTON @ C & P: 7 pm, C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) presents live music for your Saturday night. (5612 California SW)
LIVE AT PARLIAMENT TAVERN: 9 pm, Maurice & His Thing, no cover. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
West Seattle High School is 2-0 after a big win last night at Southwest Athletic Complex.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
The Wildcats’ first home game of the season ended with a 43-7 victory over Ingraham. The scoring was spread around: #84 Colin Roman (below, celebrating with #85 Andrew Burggraff) got the first touchdown with 8:17 to go in the first quarter.
Five minutes later, Ingraham tied the game at 7-7 … Read More
The first road game for Chief Sealth International High School ended with the Seahawks’ second consecutive loss – final score Nathan Hale 48, Sealth 6 at Northeast Athletic Complex. Dontae McMillan scored the lone Sealth touchdown. Next Friday, the Seahawks are on the road again, at Sammamish.
(June photo contributed by Claudia, weeks before two of the goslings were killed)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Fauntleroy’s white geese are gone.
Early this summer, their numbers were up to five – parents and three goslings.
Then in early July, a driver hit and killed two of the goslings.
In recent days, we had received a few notes from worried West Seattleites, saying the remaining adult male gosling seemed to be missing too, and they were seeing only the female and the surviving gosling.
As of hours ago, those two are gone – but still alive – and their whereabouts are no mystery.
We found out through two calls today from a Lincoln Park-goer who told the story of what he considered an unauthorized capture: He said he was at the park early this afternoon, the two white geese nearby, when two people suddenly swooped in with carriers, put blankets over the geese, stuffed them into the carriers, and departed. Before they left, he said, another concerned outlooker found out that they were being taken to an animal sanctuary on Vashon Island called Baa Haus.
The caller said police were called and given a license plate number, but couldn’t catch up with the goose-capturers before they ferried away.
We hadn’t heard of Baa Haus before but looked it up online and left messages via voice-mail and e-mail. This evening, we got a call back.
Yes, Baa Haus has the geese, said the caller. They had received numerous calls from people worried the geese were in danger and needed to be rescued, before Baa Haus finally got the chance to intervene today via “a good Samaritan,” she said. She referred to the geese as having been “dumped in a park” and didn’t know much about their history, except to say Baa Haus understood “their numbers were dwindling.”
The two geese, she said, are “settling in quite happily” tonight at their new digs on the nonprofit’s six acres on Vashon, where they have about 30 geese in all. They will be “in quarantine” for a while, she said, until Baa Haus can get them checked out by a vet, and then they’ll work to integrate them with the other geese. But so far they seem to be in good spirits and condition, she said, adding that they’ve been vocalizing – “trash talking” as she put it with laughter – with the other geese.
Our conversation was brief, and we’ll be following up. Before we learned where the geese were, we had put in a call, unreturned, to the Seattle Animal Shelter, which had some involvement with the birds over the years, particularly in cases where the geese had been attacked by dogs.
We recall seeing white geese like these on the beach at Lincoln Park and nearby Cove Park going back more than 15 years; the question is whether anyone ever actually owned them, and whether Baa Haus needed anyone’s permission to remove them from the park. The spokesperson said her organization, which has been around for 20 years, has worked with numerous other groups, organizations, and entities.
Thanks for the texted photo and tips. When we started hearing about a police presence at the east end of the West Seattle Bridge an hour or so ago, WSDOT would only describe it as “an incident” and said the ramp had cleared. Then scanner traffic indicated searching was continuing/had resumed. The Guardian One helicopter was involved for a while and described it as an SPD search for a possibly armed person. From what we’ve heard most recently, the officers were also looking at the hillsides by the I-5/Columbian/WS Bridge interchange. No word if anyone is in custody yet.
One week ago, thanks to tips, we reported on SDOT‘s preparation work for restriping Admiral Way west of California SW, a project that’s been in the pipeline for a year and a half, with the final design announced in July. Today, SDOT announced the work schedule:
Work to restripe SW Admiral Way between California and 63rd Ave SW will occur the week of September 26. We expect construction to take about one week, depending on the weather. During this time on-street parking will be restricted on both sides of the street between 7 AM and 5 PM for the entire length of the project. This allows the street to be restriped while keeping a travel lane in each direction open. “No parking†signs will be in place for 72 hours prior to the start of the restrictions. We’ll work to reduce impacts as much as possible and appreciate your patience during this work.
Here’s the mailer that SDOT says will go out to residents and businesses next week; it says SDOT is drafting “Phase 2” of the project, based on suggestions from the August walk-and-talk meeting (WSB coverage here).
But first – as reported here last night, project reps will be at next Tuesday’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting (7 pm Tuesday, September 13th, The Sanctuary at Admiral, 42nd/Lander), for updates and community Q/A on the work that’s about to start.
The family of longtime West Seattleite Sylvia Ann Mickelson is sharing this remembrance with the community:
Sylvia Ann (Alger) Mickelson passed away peacefully on August 14, 2016 at the age of 88.
Sylvia was born to Milla and Thomas Alger, who immigrated from Norway. Sylvia was born and raised in West Seattle and preceded in death by Earl M. Mickelson, her husband of 65 years. Sylvia graduated from West Seattle High School in 1946 and attended the University of Washington.
Sylvia’s spirit is carried on by her three children, Susan Scott (Daniel), Chris Mickelson (Kimberly), Bart Mickelson; four grandchildren, Shawna Clark (Steve), Christiana Mickelson-Bigsby (George), Trine Mickelson, Tristen Mickelson; great-grandchild George Bigsby V; sister Beverly Alger; many nieces, nephews, and friends. Sylvia’s family was very important to her, and the grandchildren put a sparkle in her eye until the very end.
Sylvia lived 50 years in the same home and neighborhood in West Seattle where she had made many lifelong friends whom will miss her greatly. Sylvia was a longtime member of the West Seattle Eagles, and the West Seattle Yacht Club. She was a dedicated volunteer for the American Heart Association.
We want to thank Sylvia’s many caretakers over the years, most recently Maricris and Paul, in whose home Sylvia resided, who took exceptional care of her the past year, along with her dedicated caretaker Fely Tugade. Services will be private. Remembrances may be sent to the American Heart Association.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)
3:10 PM: Got a call pointing out the black smoke visible across Puget Sound. The Kitsap Sun reports via Twitter that it’s a structure fire in Tracyton [map], north of Bremerton.
3:57 PM: The Sun has a story online, with a photo. The building that caught fire is described as a two-story workshop; no injuries reported.
(Photo courtesy South Seattle College)
You could call this a massive donation of school supplies: When classes start for the fall at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) in a little over two weeks, one college program will have more than 30 tons of new material to work with, thanks to a business donation. SSC shared the photo and announcement:
This summer, Nucor donated approximately 65,000 pounds of steel to the college’s Welding Fabrication Technology program, which will help students hone their skills and prepare for welding careers for several quarters to come.
“To get a few pieces of steel here and there is one thing,†Welding Instructor Rick Baker said. “To get a whole truckload is a whole different story!â€
“It’s a huge help to our program,†Welding Instructor Doug Rupik added, saying the steel bars will be used for classwork, unique building projects, welding booth improvements and “to help us get students prepared for the Washington Association of Building Officials welding certification test.â€
South Seattle College and Nucor Steel have forged a strong relationship over the years, with several welding students earning their internship credits at Nucor and, in some cases, going to work for the West Seattle industry staple after graduation. South’s welding program also takes students on Nucor tours for a deeper understanding of metallurgy as part of their curriculum.
Nucor also supports South Seattle College’s Foundation by funding student scholarships, and Nucor’s Plant Controller Walter Reese serves on the Foundation Board.
“We want to give back to the communities in which we live and work, and supporting the college really fits well into that mission of ours,†Reese said, adding that the steel donation not only benefits South students in their education, but may well benefit Nucor with talented graduates coming to work for them one day.
The fall quarter starts at SSC on Monday, September 26th. Here’s how to enroll.
12:47 PM: BT reports an overnight car prowl:
My 2013 Jeep Wrangler was broken into last night by cutting through the soft top window at (4800 block) 38th Ave SW [map]. Various personal items including a yellow and black striped (like a bee) Disccraft golf bag with all of my discs and a blue and gray gym bag with boxing gloves were taken.
If anything fitting that description turns up dumped in your neighborhood, please comment.
ADDED 1:19 PM: We have received another report of a car prowl that netted sports gear, this one in the 3900 block of 37th SW:
In total they took 16 golf clubs, a discover pass, and the vehicle registration. Hope that these items turn up as I was planning on donating the clubs to Goodwill.
(Kingfisher on the lookout – photographed by Dan Ciske)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar for your Friday afternoon/evening:
FRIDAY AFTERNOON MOVIE: 1 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle, Terry’s “Greatest Movies You’ve Never Heard Of” series features “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” from 1991. $1 members/$2 non-members. Free popcorn! (SW Oregon/California SW)
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: Molly Ringle is tonight’s featured author in the monthly Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented series. Here’s the SWSHS video featuring Ringle inviting you to tonight’s event:
5-7 pm at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village, she’ll talk about her novel “Immortal’s Spring,” third in a trilogy of novels based on Greek mythology. (2800 SW Barton)
‘A NIGHT IN SPAIN’: Paella and flamenco! 6 pm benefit at and for the Senior Center of WS. Check ASAP to see if they still have tickets. (SW Oregon/California SW)
HIGH-SCHOOL FOOTBALL: West Seattle High School (1-0) has its first home game tonight, 7 pm vs. Ingraham at Southwest Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle) … Chief Sealth International High School (0-1) is on the road, 7 pm vs. Nathan Hale at Northeast Athletic Complex (10750 30th NE).
TX TRUMBO @ C & P: 7 pm at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), singer-songwriter Tx Trumbo performs live. (5612 California SW)
3 BANDS @ SKYLARK: Stuporhero, Lazy Animals, and Green Cross, 9 pm at The Skylark, $7 cover. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
School can be tough – not just academically. Tomorrow, Elite Brazilian Jiu-jitsu of Seattle (5050 Delridge Way SW; WSB sponsor) is offering a FREE workshop on confidence-building and how to handle bullying. It’s for students 6-13, and their parents, 10 am-noon on Saturday (September 10th). Elite BJJ explains, “Most of this session will be an honest discussion about the mental preparation required to handle and defuse situations,” and parental presence is required so the info can be “reinforced and re-communicated” afterward. Go here ASAP to RSVP. Again, this is free, but if you can help, Coach Sonia Sillan reminds us that “Elite BJJ of Seattle is always in support of New Beginnings. Every event, we ask for donations (gift cards – Fred Meyer/Target/Visa; check; full-sized toiletries).”
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:39 AM: Good morning! One incident reported on an outbound route right now – at 4th and Lander in SODO, a crash is blocking one northbound lane.
WEEKEND REMINDER – LIMITED ACCESS TO HARBOR ISLAND: Ramps to Harbor Island will be closed this weekend because of railroad-crossing work – here again are the details.
WEEKEND LANE CLOSURES ON EB I-90, SB I-5: Road work will affect traffic on eastbound I-90 just east of I-5, and southbound I-5 in South King County – read the alerts if your weekend plans will take you onto either of those freeways.
WEEKEND EVENTS, CITYWIDE: Here’s the weekly SDOT look at major potentially traffic-affecting events, including Sunday’s Seahawks home game.
7:02 AM: SDOT says the 4th Avenue crash has cleared. But now there’s a northbound I-5 problem on this side of downtown – WSDOT says the right lane is partly blocked by a crash “just south of” Seneca. (Added a few minutes later – WSDOT now says there are TWO crashes in that same area.)
7:12 AM: Both NB I-5 crashes are now cleared, WSDOT now reports.
8:53 AM: It’s been incident-free since then, at least in our general area, but here’s a traffic note: We’re on the high bridge right now, on the way to an interview off-peninsula, and the bridge is stop-and-go … more stop than go.
9:01 AM: Two other notes – we’ve received multiple reports of a water problem on California SW by West Seattle High School – checking with Seattle Public Utilities to see what they know. Also, if you are headed for surface Spokane St. in SODO, there’s a fire-alarm call with multiple SFD units at an address that checks to just west of 1st Avenue South.
9:23 AM: We might have a separate story about it later, but for now, we’ve confirmed that SPU is aware of the break – it’s a “service line,” not an actual main line – and will have a repair crew out later.
9:42 AM: Our photographer reports the crew is actually there now. This is on California SW near the south entrance to WSHS:
Thanks again for the tips – there’s no outgoing center of information about SPU problems, unlike Seattle City Light, which has an outage map, so we appreciate tips when you see something happening. (As with crime, report it to the authorities first, then let us know – 206-293-6302 text or voice if it’s happening now!)
As reported here one week ago, SDOT has started marking Admiral Way for forthcoming changes a year and a half in the making. That’s one of two major topics just announced by Admiral Neighborhood Association president Larry Wymer for next Tuesday’s meeting:
*Dawn Schellenberg and Sam Woods from SDOT will be returning for their 3rd visit to our group to provide their latest update – and Q&A session – on the SW Admiral Way Safety Project. They both conducted an on-site ‘Walk & Talk’ session on August 20 which some of you were at, and are now involved in “preparatory work†including marking the roadway for upcoming lane changes as part of the final design. Construction should begin within a matter of weeks, with the exact schedule announced prior to our meeting.
*Jesse Robbins is doing research across Seattle to learn if and how noise pollution from, among other things, cars and motorcycles with loud mufflers is a problem among residents. He has been visiting neighborhood organizations throughout Seattle as part of this research project, and is now focusing on neighborhoods throughout West Seattle to make sure our voices are heard. He welcomes any insight Admiral residents can provide towards his research in proving that vehicle noise pollution is still a problem, and working towards resolving with the right prioritization of focus and resources among city officers.
The ANA meets at The Sanctuary at Admiral, at 2656 42nd Ave SW. Our monthly meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
I love you.
Chad
Those words are tattooed on the inside of Laura Crooks‘s left wrist:
Her son’s last written words.
Chad Crooks died by suicide last January, at 21. (You might have read his obituary here.)
Within weeks, Laura and husband Todd found themselves turning their grief into action.
“For his service, people wanted to have a way to donate to something. We couldn’t really find anything that that people could donate to for psychiatry” – so they found themselves setting up a foundation, Chad’s Legacy Project.
This Saturday night (September 10th) at Duos Lounge in West Seattle (2940 SW Avalon Way), you are invited to be part of the foundation’s first fundraiser “Unmask the Night,” which has a very specific goal – to fund a summit next year to bring together people who can make a difference on the issues the Crooks family has prioritized, from “ideas about what should change because of the care Chad received, or didn’t receive.”
You see – suicide isn’t what you might think it is. It is seldom simply a decision someone takes because of a life crisis. It is far more often a deadly symptom of mental illness. For Chad, that illness was schizophrenia, which is often first diagnosed just as a person is coming into young adulthood – already a vulnerable and challenging time. He was diagnosed less than a year before his death.
“There’s so much to be done,” Laura said. They want to support education to end the stigma of mental illness, better care for people living with it, research to find cures. Mental illness can be curable, not just treatable, she says – “we just haven’t studied it (enough) yet.” Read More
Another milestone in West Seattle Nursery‘s expansion project – as you might have noticed if you have gone by along California SW, the greenhouse is now going up. WSN’s Marie McKinsey sent the photo and tells WSB, “The office building is pretty much complete and now the greenhouse is being built. We hope to see the carbonite ‘glass’ panels added within the next couple of weeks.” Ventana Construction is building the expansion, and the architect LD Arch Design (both are WSB sponsors). As reported here last year, the expansion on the existing nursery’s north side is also expected to include a new classroom, gift/house-plant shop, and coffee bar.
(Empty Terminal 5, steps away from site of today’s lunch – WSB photo)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tough questions for Port of Seattle/Northwest Seaport Alliance leadership at the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce lunch meeting that just wrapped up at port-owned Jack Block Park.
Top topics: The proposed Terminal 5 expansion – and whether it would go forward without a tenant being signed – and the Hanjin bankruptcy.
(WSB photo, L-R: Commissioner John Creighton, deputy CEO Kurt Beckett)
First to speak, Port Commissioner John Creighton, who made note of the recent one-year anniversary of the teaming of Seattle and Tacoma in the Northwest Seaport Alliance. He said that from a variety of standpoints, “it’s really worked wonderfully. … We had to change what we were doing, to remain relevant …”
As for the Port of Seattle itself, Creighton declared it to be “at a good place … we still have a lot of challenges, but they’re good challenges,” such as “growing like gangbusters at the airport.”
It’s West Seattle Art Walk night! That tops our quick look at calendar highlights. As always, the Art Walk runs 6 pm-9 pm, and this month’s venue list/map is above. Note that Art Walk night is always special at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor), whose tasting room is usually only open on Fridays and Saturdays, but you can stop in on Art Walk night too and sit down for a glass of award-winning wine. That and other venues are highlighted on the official Art Walk website.
Also today/tonight:
DELRIDGE GROCERY FARMSTAND: 4-7 pm next to the Delridge P-Patch, visit volunteers with the Delridge Grocery Coop and see what fresh-picked fruit and vegetables they’re selling this week. (Delridge Way SW/Puget Boulevard)
SECOND THURSDAY OUT! 6-8:30 pm – “Inviting the LGBTQ community and their friends and neighbors for social hour, light meal and in-house movie, ‘4th Man Out,’ and popcorn! Everyone is welcome to attend – no membership or sign up is required.” At Senior Center of West Seattle. (SW Oregon/California SW)
FISHING SEMINAR: 7 pm at Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor), find out about “Getting Into Spey Casting.” Free, but RSVP is requested – our calendar listing has the info. (42nd SW/SW Oregon)
LOTS MORE … see many more listings on our complete calendar, for today, tonight, tomorrow, this weekend, and beyond.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
If Mayor Murray expects that cutting city support – $500/year and some staff time – to Neighborhood District Councils will cause them to fold, West Seattle’s district councils will be proving him wrong.
The Delridge Neighborhoods District Council has already displayed defiance by hosting the first citywide gathering of DC reps to follow the mayor’s announcement that he wanted to cut off the councils and find different means of “engaging” citizens. And last night, the Southwest District Council formalized its intention to continue on, with or without city support. Here’s how things unfolded at the SWDC’s September meeting at the Sisson Building/Senior Center:
DISTRICT COUNCILS’ FUTURE: SWDC co-chair David Whiting from the Admiral Neighborhood Association led this discussion, on behalf of the SWDC executive committee (in which he is joined by co-chair Eric Iwamoto from the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council and Vicki Schmitz-Block from the Fauntleroy Community Association). He says the SW District Council executive committee wants to continue on, regardless of whether the mayor’s plan to cut off official city support goes forward. A vote was subsequently taken – and everyone present agreed with that plan. (Besides the aforementioned executive-committee members, other reps at the SWDC meeting were from Alki, Genesee-Schmitz, Morgan, and the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs.)
First point of discussion, how to make up the $500/year that the city has provided as financial support, all of which had been covering the cost of renting a room at the Senior Center for 11 meetings a year. Participating groups will be asked to chip in. Deb Barker from Morgan Community Association suggested lower-cost meeting space could be found, too. Whiting also had attended a recent City Neighborhood Council meeting and said other groups’ reps were in varying degrees of frustration and anger, but also most of them “want … to continue forward in some capacity.”
Also mentioned: The Seattle Neighborhood Coalition‘s “mini-summit” on the same topic coming up this Saturday, with participation from around the city invited – details here.
As for the city’s efforts to figure out where to go with future community engagement, the ongoing city survey was mentioned too – if you haven’t taken it yet, go here.
Also at last night’s meeting: Read More
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
6:34 AM: Good morning! For Seattle Public Schools, it’s the second day of classes, so we will remind you one more time that schedules have changed, with most elementaries starting at 7:55 am – the full list of local start times is here.
EARLY-MORNING FERRY TROUBLE: Some cancellations on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth early this morning because of “necessary repairs.” WSF says the Cathlamet will be back in service with the 6:40 am sailing from Vashon, but keep an eye on their site.
WEEKEND REMINDER: Ramps to Harbor Island will be closed this weekend because of railroad-crossing work, as announced earlier this week.
7:31 AM: Tweeted/texted 20+ minutes after the fact:
Transit Alert – Route 57 to downtown Seattle due to leave the Alaska Junction Bay 5 at 7:06 AM did not operate this morning.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) September 8, 2016
8:26 AM: Some trouble out there. Texter says Admiral is backed up. We’re not seeing any obvious reasons – no crashes on 911 log or in Seattle DOT Twitter feed (which often includes crashes that don’t make the 911 log because SFD isn’t called out) – but maybe it’s related to the Avalon clog shown in this tweet:
I'm confused @SeattlePD and @kcmetrobus Thought "Bus Only" on Avalon is bus only. @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/p2WuZOttXe
— Maverick (@smyliegrl) September 8, 2016
8:37 AM: Texter says police have been out by the new Genesee Hill Elementary this morning with what appears to be a speed-emphasis patrol. Two cruisers and a “radar gun,” the text noted.
9 AM: SFD log reports a crash response at 35th and Avalon. The SDOT camera doesn’t show anything blocking.
9:14 AM: That response is now “closed.” And via comments and e-mail, there’s word of a problem on eastbound Alaska at Fauntleroy. The e-mail says it appears something from The Whittaker construction site has fallen onto a car. We’ll be going over to look soon as we can.
9:38 AM: Everything is clear at Alaska/Fauntleroy, our photographer reports. Thanks again to everyone for reports/comments about incidents this morning – we and our usual information channels seem to have been at least a step behind, and firsthand reports (again, as long as you’re not the driver!) make a major difference.
3:52 PM: One other Metro cancellation texted/tweeted today after the fact:
Transit Alert – Route 21 Express to Westwood Village due to leave 3rd Av and Virginia St at 3:34 PM did not operate this afternoon.
— King County Metro (@kcmetrobus) September 8, 2016
Recognize that bicycle? It turned up “abandoned,” likely stolen, behind a Harbor Avenue condo. The finders have it in a safe place and hope to find its rightful owner – if that’s you, or you know who might be, you can contact them directly at ckcarman@msn.com – thanks!
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