West Seattle, Washington
20 Wednesday
As summer approaches, so do reunions – including some that span multiple years, like the annual West Seattle High School All-School Reunion, set for next Saturday. From the WSB inbox:
Calling all WSHS students and faculty, current and former, to join us at the first Saturday in June (6/6/15) annual All-School Reunion. 2-3 pm sign-in, 3-5:30 individual class reunions and program including honoring Hall of Fame inductees, Scholarship recipients and more. Renew your membership and receive a beautiful alumni license plate frame (while supplies last)! Sign up in advance for a group photo of family/friends/classmates by student photographers in their studio, just drop an email to wshsaa.98116@gmail.com for scheduling. AND HELP US SPREAD THE WORD BY SHARING THIS EVENT WITH ALL YOUR ALUMNI CONTACTS!
You can see a photo of the license-plate frame on the All-School Reunion’s Facebook event page.
Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole spent about an hour with students at Denny International Middle School this afternoon. It ended with that group photo, following a bouquet presentation and an exchange of warm words of thanks, but the message the chief heard before all that was clear and unmistakable: Students want more help staying safe.
That’s just one of the “Youth Ambassadors” who spoke to the chief; others showed her a student-produced video showing some of the area concerns, including Roxhill Park, and recapping some of the incidents targeting students earlier this year. (Added: We captured most of the short film on video, but hope to get/find a direct copy to substitute eventually:)
O’Toole promised to step up patrols, but also spoke of prevention and intervention; she advised the students to stay watchful, telling the story of what she learned, working as a decoy officer, right after mentioning she’d been discussing the area with former Southwest Precinct commander, now Assistant Chief, Steve Wilske:
The Youth Ambassadors told the chief they’re seeking a $2,500 “Small Sparks” grant from the city Department of Neighborhoods for their safety project – that’s related to the Block Watch-style effort the Denny PTA told us about earlier in the year. Their class, as explained by the event announcement from Seattle Public Schools, is facilitated by Lori Markowitz and Denny staffer Matthew Riippa, and “emphasizes peer mentorship, leadership and compassion.” They explored “issues of student safety” as part of their “acts-of-compassion projects”; part of that involved surveying about 150 eighth graders. More photos to come.
One student suggested to Chief O’Toole that schools should be included in the new SPD Safe Place anti-hate crime campaign; the chief mused aloud that Denny might be a good site to try a pilot version of that.
P.S. Lots of citywide media covered this event, so if you’re seeing TV trucks in the Denny/Sealth area (one person has already called us to ask), that’s what it’s about.
Most of our reports on development are about individual projects – from buildings with hundreds of apartments, to lots where an old house is torn down and replaced with several new places for people to live. The latter type is what comprises much of what’s happening in West Seattle right now – especially in zones known as “low rise,” especially along major streets such as California Avenue SW. (That’s the light-olive-green shading in the map above – see the map full-size here.)
Once in a while, there’s a big-picture issue – like this: Tomorrow, a package of potential rule changes for development in low-rise zones goes before the City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability (PLUS) Committee for a public hearing, and neighborhood activists around the city want to be sure that you know about this before it’s too late to have a say, whether pro or con.
The changes known together as the Low-Rise Multifamily Code Corrections have been in the works for more than a year, starting as an attempt to fix “unintended consequences” of changes made to low-rise zoning in 2010. Those changes in turn had resulted from concerns tracing back two years further, to 2008, mostly centered on what was then the prevalent design for townhouses.
City Councilmember Mike O’Brien leads the PLUS Committee now. You can read his summary of the current proposed zoning changes by going here. Toward the end, he mentions what didn’t make it into the final revision of the proposal, and one of those points is key for neighborhood leaders who have been working on this issue: An extra 4′ of height for buildings with a floor that’s partly underground. Their concerns about the allowable size of buildings also include wanting those “partially below grade” levels not to be exempt from a project’s “Floor Area Ratio” – explained by the city as “the amount of floor space developed on a parcel compared to the size of the property.” They also want FAR exemptions removed for “unenclosed stairs, hallways, and breezeways.” And they are concerned about how the changes will calculate out to how many units are allowed per lot – again, we’re not talking about single-family zoning here, but about multi-family zoning, so this is already land where townhouses and rowhouses are allowed, so the question is, how many units will be allowed.
One citywide group called Seattle Speaks Up collected signatures in various neighborhoods to help kickstart the revision process but now says in this letter about tomorrow’s hearing that what’s coming up for a hearing tomorrow is “a hollowed-out shell in lieu of genuine substantive legislation,” blaming lobbying by developers. The developer/builder-supported organization Smart Growth Seattle has sent its own letter asking that the entire package be scrapped, calling it “unnecessary from the beginning, born mostly of red herrings from angry neighbors.”
And then all this is also being viewed through a prism that wasn’t much of an issue during the 2010 round of low-rise zoning changes: The city’s shortage of affordable housing. The proposed zoning changes also have been reviewed by a subcommittee of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) advisory group; HALA was convened by the mayor to come up with recommendations for how to build more affordable housing. Here’s their letter about the code changes, supporting some and opposing others (the attachment it mentions is here).
If you are interested in any aspect of development, growth, and housing, and aren’t already up to speed on all this, take a look – here’s the entire text of the Council bill – and tell the City Council what you think. If you can’t be at tomorrow’s 2 pm public hearing during the PLUS Committee’s meeting (second floor of City Hall downtown), you can e-mail Councilmember O’Brien at mike.obrien@seattle.gov. The committee isn’t expected to vote before its subsequent meeting on June 16th.
Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:
CAR BREAK-IN: From Yvonne:
I just wanted to report a car prowl incident that happened today in the North Admiral district off of SW Waite Street.
Today when I entered my car parked in front of our house on a residential street, I noticed that the contents of my glove box was emptied out onto the floor and my old iPhone was stolen out of my center console.
They also stole a Quickbooks 101 book from my back seat. Nothing of real value was taken and no damage was done to my car but I wanted to alert the WS community in case anyone else experienced a car break in/theft/prowl last night or this morning.
She filed a police report – which SPD urges, even if “nothing of real value” (or nothing at all) was stolen. You can even file online by going here.
CRIME CONCERNS IN SOUTH WEST SEATTLE? Be at the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting tomorrow night. From co-chair Amanda Kay Helmick:
Please join us as we welcome Seattle Police, Department of Planning and Development and the City Attorney’s Office to discuss crime in the Westwood/Roxhill/Delridge Triangle area. We have been working with SPD for over three years on theft, drug use/dealing, prostitution, squatting, assault, and gun violence. Our area needs an update on what is being done to address our challenges. No formal agenda – all are welcome.
WWRHAH’s meeting runs 6:15-7:45 pm Tuesday at Southwest Branch Library (35th/Henderson).
Will the Seattle City Council move ahead with an attempt to annex White Center and the rest of unincorporated North Highline?
(Potential annexation area is in green)
The topic will come back before the council’s Education and Governance Committee, chaired by Councilmember Tim Burgess, this Wednesday morning, largely because time is running out for a specific notice to be filed, if the city wants to keep its options open for accessing a tax credit that would make annexation more financially viable. Details are on our partner site White Center Now; we’re also putting the question “annex, yes or no?” out to all nine City Council District 1 candidates.
(Male Anna’s Hummingbird, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTOR’S COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: 6-7:45 pm at Southwest Branch Library, it’s the last community-conversation meeting of the school year with the Seattle School Board director for West Seattle/South Park, Marty McLaren. Drop in for Q/A. (35th/Henderson)
WEST SEATTLE BOOSTER CLUB: 7 pm at the West Seattle High School library, last meeting of the year for the organization that works to support student athletics at WSHS; all welcome. (3000 California SW)
MONDAY NIGHT MEDITATION: 7:30 pm at Sound Yoga (WSB sponsor), wrap up the first day of your week, and the first day of the new month, with drop-in meditation. (5639 California SW)
PUB QUIZ: Monday night is usually low-key in local nightlife but the Monday night pub quiz is a fixture at Shadowland in The Junction, starting at 8 pm. (California/Oregon)
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:02 AM: Good morning. Nothing out of the ordinary through/from West Seattle so far.
9:31 AM NOTE: And it stayed that way. The rain’s back, though.
(WSB file photo, teacher Alonzo Ybarra and MCHS High Point students in fall 2012)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Supporters of Middle College High School‘s West Seattle program are fighting to save it, and asking for community support.
We first reported nine days ago that Seattle Public Schools had abruptly announced it would cancel the alternative high-school program’s longtime West Seattle branch, which moved to Neighborhood House’s High Point Center three years ago after more than a decade and a half at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor). The district now says that even after three years, that “was a temporary lease while SPS assessed transition to other Middle College sites.” The three that remain are all in North Seattle.
The district blamed the closure primarily on low enrollment. In response to one of the questions we asked last Friday, asking for elaboration on that, the district responded:
Enrollment projections are generated by Enrollment Services and the second round of projections (for the 2015-16 school year) for all SPS schools are currently being finalized. These projections (went) out to principals on May 29th. High Point ended the 2013-14 school year with 58 students. The 2014-15 projection for High Point was 60 students and they were staffed with 2.2 core teachers. On October 1st, enrollment had dropped to 50 students. In the beginning of February 2015, the enrollment dropped again to 36 students. Enrollment numbers stayed at high 30’s until the High Point staff was told to stop enrolling students.
The district seems to be blaming teachers for the enrollment trouble: “Many students enroll through word of mouth but this year we have had much fewer due to the poor climate at High Point this school year. Teachers have been unhappy with the schedule and have communicated their discontent to students.”
MCHS-HP teacher Alonzo Ybarra, who sent first word of the impending closure, has said that MCHS’s principal Cindy Nash “forcefully imposed an arbitrary schedule that severely diminished our abilities to deliver exciting and creative curriculum and instruction.”
He says the staff has yet to hear directly from her. He is circulating this letter outlining what can be done to show support for MCHS-HP; it was shared with us by a West Seattle resident who received it and asked us to publish it:
On the MCHS blog-format website, Ybarra has published some of the letters of support that have come in so far – you can read them here. One letter is from a former MCHS student who is the parent of a current student; he writes in part, “It makes absolutely no sense shutting this program down. These teachers and this program should be the gold … no, platinum standard for our school district. I’d go as far and say that all Seattle Public High School teachers should job shadow the teachers at Middle College. This program should not be reduced, it should be expanded, and publicly promoted.”
West Seattle’s school-board rep Marty McLaren, though, told WSB she “couldn’t make a strong case against” closing MCHS-HP. Her response to our request for comment last week:
I had been briefed by Alonzo and visited the SSCC site in 2012, and have regularly visited and/or maintained contact since the move to HP, and have advocated for MCHS in the southwest area ever since. There have been various issues in the last two years that have indicated to me that the strength of our program was in question by district. My main way of addressing this has been to make absolutely sure that district leaders were hearing all sides — to facilitate communication. At various points, MCHS staff members maintained that they had not been given adequate chance to meet with leadership; although I couldn’t force meetings, I did make sure, with MCHP staff permission, that their communications were seen by district leadership, and did repeatedly remind our leaders of the value the community places on the program. I think I’ve heard of a recent meeting between MCHP staff and district leaders, but am not sure.
As far as the closure announcement: I learned over a month ago, I think, that staff had been told not to enroll for MCHP for next year. I was told that enrollment had been down, but I don’t have figures. At that time, I pushed with inquiries about the future of the program; there were enough issues that I couldn’t make a strong case against the impending decision to close the site. Staff knows that I am adamant that SPS needs to find a way to serve the kinds of students who have thrived at MCHP.
SIDE NOTE: Some wondered what Neighborhood House plans to do with the space that MCHS-HP has been using. (The district says it was paying $28,000/year to lease the space.) From NH’s David Johnson:
. The “classroom” is really a couple of shared spaces, Middle College successfully used a large partitioned area for their main classroom, and another space, designated as a Teen Center for an office and secondary classroom. Both are in shared hallways, amidst the many offerings from Neighborhood House and other providers.
. SPS leased the space through SHA, which is a traditional and strong partner of NH, both in the operations of the building and in its support of the construction of the building. NH is the owner and leases space to SHA in a long-term relationship, that benefits the entire HP community.
. There are currently no plans as of this date for another tenant or agreement on the uses of those spaces. There are discussions happening with SHA and our other partners about the best uses of these spaces.
. I would also say we were happy to host Middle College, that the students and staff brought a liveliness to our space and community that will be missed.
WHAT’S NEXT? Ybarra says they are asking supporters to turn out at the next School Board meeting, this Wednesday (June 3rd) at district HQ in SODO; public comments start at 5 pm (advance signup is required and starts this morning, as shown on the agenda). That happens to conflict, though, with the MCHS-HP graduation ceremony, 5:30 pm the same night. But, he vows, “we will have a presence” at the board meeting. Meantime, if you have any questions about this for School Board rep McLaren, her last community-conversation meeting of the year – open to any SPS topic – is tonight (Monday, June 1st), 6 pm, at Southwest Branch Library, 35th and Henderson.
In case you’re wondering, as are some who’ve messaged us – police are checking on reports of possible gunshots heard between High Point and Delridge. One texter said it sounded like six to eight shots in the Home Depot area; the area officers are investigating is west of there, near 27th and Shinkle (map). No report of anyone or anything being hit so far; often it’s impossible for officers to know whether it was gunshots or fireworks unless they find shell casings and/or property damage. We’ll update if we find out anything else.
If you can spare a few hours on June 12th, you can help with a Highland Park Elementary tradition. From HPE teacher Kevin Schmidt:
Highland Park’s annual field day is June 12th from 8:30-3:00. We are running short on volunteers and are hoping the community could help us out. Volunteers would help run events like shoe kick, Bat Spin and Noodle tag. All stations would be staffed by school personnel with the assistance of volunteers. Volunteers could help in the morning from 8:30-11:30, in the afternoon from 12:00-3:00 or all day. All volunteers must be background-checked and cleared through Seattle Public Schools.
If you’re available/interested, e-mail krschmidt@seattleschools.org or 206-252-8240.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
Congratulations to Kelly Crum, West Seattle Hi-Yu‘s new Senior Court Queen. Kelly is at right in our top photo, crowned by her predecessor Lorelei McFadden, during this afternoon’s Hi-Yu Tea and Silent Auction at The Hall at Fauntleroy.
Queen Kelly has just graduated from Holy Names Academy and is going to Gonzaga University this fall. She is the lone member of the new Senior Court after a last-minute withdrawal by the other candidate, Aislyn Crane, citing family reasons. Watch for Queen Kelly and the Hi-Yu Junior Court at upcoming events and on this year’s traveling Hi-Yu float, themed “Sound Respect,” at this summer’s parades, including the West Seattle Grand Parade along California Avenue from The Admiral District to The Junction on July 18th.
Thanks to Michael Katz for the photo and report on these Our Lady of Guadalupe students’ big achievement on Saturday:
The Chess Team from Our Lady of Guadalupe competed in the Chess Wizards tournament held at the downtown headquarters of Facebook. Teams from around the area competed and OLG’s team finished 2nd! The team consisted of Sophie and Matthew Nguyen and Eleanore Katz. Matthew also brought home a First Place trophy in the individual competition.
If you approach the Alki Bathhouse‘s east side while on your way to Flipper Fest – which continues until 5 pm – you’ll see that life-size inflatable orca, representing, according to a sign and to the trading card that volunteer Laura gave us, J-26, aka “Mike,” a Southern Resident Killer Whale born in 1991. Inside the bathhouse, lots more to learn at this event presented by Seal Sitters with many collaborators and partners:
It’s fun, with a lesson – how to be mindful of, and protect, the creatures with which we share our shores and waters. Even the art has something to teach:
Those images of seals (the one at right, by Denise Hughes from a photo by Seal Sitters’ Robin Lindsey are made from bottle caps, as is a jellyfish outside:
They are reminders that if you use plastic bottles, be sure to dispose of them safely so they don’t find their way into our waters, where they can do so much harm to sea life. A simple outdoor display also suggests you might want to think twice about Sky Lanterns:
They look beautiful in flight, but fall into the water or onto the ground as dangerous trash. Speaking of trash – at Flipper Fest, you can find out more about Seal Sitters’ beach cleanup coming up on June 13th, which is also the date they’ll be training more volunteers – who are needed for everything from protecting seal pups on local beaches, to helping at events like this. Find out more at blubberblog.org and at Alki Bathhouse until 5 pm today – free, but you can donate to SS by buying $1 tickets for raffles with cool donated prizes listed here.
Sent this afternoon by Seattle City Light:
On Thursday, May 28, Seattle City Light discovered that certain customers who were billed on May 27 accidentally received incorrect billing statements through the eBilling online payment service. No Social Security number, bank account, credit card, or debit card information was involved, and this will not result in any disruption of service to customers. Any payments customers made were applied to the correct accounts.
The problem was caused by an internal, technical error. We are investigating and working with a team of specialists to determine what happened. We will provide an update when further information is available.
Until this technical error has been resolved, the eBilling system has been taken offline. However, customers may still make an online payment through the “one-time payment” system on our website, which has not been affected. Our call center staff will be available to answer questions on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., and during normal operating hours Monday through Friday.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this might cause our customers. We appreciate our customers’ patience as we work to resolve this issue.
We asked SCL spokesperson Scott Thomsen how many people were affected; he says they don’t know yet, but “It was limited to some customers within the May 27 billing run” – (added) an average daily billing run could have 30,000 customers – and if they determine your bill was involved, you should get e-mail (updated) OR postal mail from City Light – depending on what kind of contact info they have for you.
Two West Seattle Junction notes:
BRAND-NEW BANNERS: It’s magic! Overnight the faded old West Seattle Junction banners disappeared and these new ones materialized.
It was planned, of course, and happened very early this morning (sometime between 1:15 am, which is when we drove through The Junction, wondering if the installation was under way yet, and 9:30 am, when we took these photos).
West Seattle Junction Association director Susan Melrose explains the banners’ inspiration:
The colorful series of five designs is meant to inspire neighborhood pride for all of West Seattle. Design elements include the Alki Lighthouse as a symbol of our strong connection to water, the West Seattle Bridge, a salute to history with the streetcars, our weekly farmers market, and The Junction’s iconic Walk-All-Ways. We hope the neighborhood enjoys this addition to The Junction.
The artist is Jeff Rodriguez of Horsepower Design, who also designs other art used by the Junction Association, from posters to advertising. The banner spotlighting the West Seattle Farmers’ Market brings another reminder:
Today’s market (continuing until 2 pm as usual) is the second-to-last time you’ll find it in its longtime spot at 44th/Alaska. Two weeks from today – June 14th – is the day the WSFM moves out into California SW between Oregon and Alaska. Market management is reminding people that means a change in parking, if you drive – no parking on the market block 7 am-4 pm (flyers are under windshield wipers of cars parked on that block right now) but 45 spots will be open in the lot the market is vacating. And if you bicycle to the market – Bicycle Benefits continue. The market move means “new local Washington State farmers (and) more non-profit community groups ” every Sunday. (WSFM is sponsoring WSB for the next month to help get the word out about the big move.)
Thanks to the tipsters who messaged us this morning with word that passers-by had spotted broken glass and signs of a break-in at Café Osita in Sunrise Heights. They had alerted police but were worried the owner might not know. We went over to the shop at 7349 35th SW and found out owner Andrea had already been alerted by the building manager; the shop indeed had been burglarized, and the laundromat next door had been broken into recently as well. Café Osita isn’t usually open on Sunday anyway; Andrea and her husband are cleaning up the aftermath and told us the shop will be open tomorrow as usual. They estimate the damage and losses will total at least $500.
(Photo by Lisa Stencel)
Here’s what you need to know for your West Seattle Sunday:
TRAFFIC ALERT: SDOT announced at week’s end that work today would affect West Seattle Bridge ramps in both directions. Details here; we’ll be checking shortly whether the work is indeed as described or if there’s anything else you need to know.
SANISLO RUMMAGE SALE: 9 am-3 pm at Sanislo Elementary School, on the playground. (1812 SW Myrtle)
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, it’s the second-to-last Farmers’ Market in the current location/format, before the market’s move out into California SW on June 14th. (44th/Alaska)
PLANTS FOR PETS: Second day of the famous Furry Faces Foundation fundraising plant sale, 11 am-4 pm, more info here! (3809 46th SW)
LITTLE PILGRIM SCHOOL ALUMNI … are invited to a gathering at Fauntleroy Church Fellowship Hall, 11:30 am-1:30 pm – details in our calendar listing. (9140 California SW)
NORTHWEST GARDEN OF EDEN: Noon-4 pm, the next edition of “Duwamish Foods, Now and Then” at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse in West Seattle – details in our calendar listing. (4705 W. Marginal Way SW)
FLIPPER FEST: 1 pm-5 pm, visit Alki Bathhouse to celebrate and learn about the creatures who share our shore (and the waters just off it). Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network is presenting the event, with partners from marine-mammal researchers to beach naturalists; it’s free, but bring a few $ and get a chance at raffles with cool prizes – find them listed here along with more info about Flipper Fest. In addition to those drawings, there’s also a free drawing for kids to enter. You can also talk to SS about a June 13th volunteer-training session, and about seal-pupping season, which is just beginning, as also noted on their Blubberblog website. (60th/Alki)
FYI: NO ALKI LIGHTHOUSE TOURS: Reminder again today – the Coast Guard Auxiliary, which leads Alki Point Lighthouse tours this time of year, says it didn’t have enough volunteers to run tours this weekend.
WEST SEATTLE HI-YU TEA/SILENT AUCTION: 2 pm-4:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy, tea, treats, bidding, and the crowning of this year’s Hi-Yu Queen. Didn’t buy tickets in advance? Our preview includes the number you can call to check if any tickets remain. (9131 California SW)
CELEBRATION OF WESTSIDE MUSIC: 4 pm at Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, five of the church’s ensembles perform at a benefit for the church’s Food First social-justice initiative – details in our calendar listing. (7141 California SW)
WHAT ELSE IS UP? Check our calendar, for today/tonight/beyond!
Just found out late tonight about another local athlete to congratulate: Three days after graduating from O’Dea High School, West Seattle resident Dylan Ledbetter won the state 3A championship in shot put today. He’ll be playing football this fall for Eastern Washington University. Thanks to Cami MacNamara for the report; the photo is by Dylan’s proud mom Cheryl Orint.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
At sites along the Duwamish River, from West Seattle to South Park and beyond, a huge four-month art project is about to “open.” And you might already have seen signs of it … in one case, literally, signs:
When Jonathan tweeted a photo of that sign and called it to our attention Friday morning – with the backdrop at Port of Seattle-owned Jack Block Park, within view of the Shell oil rig Polar Pioneer – we had a hard time imagining that kind of sign could have been guerrilla-installed without port security noticing. Then WSB reader “Grayson Girl” texted us about it this morning and we went over to see for ourselves. She also mentioned another sign out on the pier – and that’s where we found the key clue.
A small label near that sign attributes it to Jack Daws and Duwamish Revealed.
Daws is a Seattle artist; Duwamish Revealed is the name of the big art project that is about to officially open at locations from West Seattle to Tukwila. And we do mean big: More than a dozen sites, and dozens of collaborators. Here’s the program with details (including Daws listed as one of the Jack Block Park artists):
Sarah Kavage and Nicole Kistler are the artistic directors for Duwamish Revealed, a project of the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle, as explained here. (Kavage confirmed to WSB tonight that the Jack Block signs are part of DR, installed with authorization just two days ago.) We recorded them talking about their grand project at last month’s Duwamish Alive! opening ceremony:
Last summer, we published their call for artists – mentioning at the time that it wasn’t just intended for people who already consider themselves artists.
And indeed, the participants are from a range of backgrounds – including students from West Seattle’s Pathfinder K-8 School, whose work at T-107 Park on this side of the Duwamish involves “a sculptural interpretation of a Coast Salish fish trap,” in collaboration with Jennifer Bennett.
Back at Jack Block Park, as noted on the program shown above, you’ll see the Duwamish Lighthouse by George Lee – some of which he’s chronicling on Instagram – plus Jordan Monez‘s work Plant 2015: “To-scale replicas of the ersatz neighborhood built on top of Boeing Plant 2 during WWII are a tribute to the river’s wartime history and the act of revealing, and concealing, history.” Other West Seattle locations on the Duwamish Revealed roster include Terminal 105 and 107 Parks, Lafarge, and Harbor Island (if you can’t see the program embedded above, see it here as a PDF).
Ongoing performance-related art includes free workshops by Ballet Folklorico Angeles de Mexico, weekly in White Center and South Park.
In the photo provided by Duwamish Revealed are Ballet Folklorico’s Aurelia Ramos and Jose Antonio Malagon Garcia.
The grand-opening celebration for Duwamish Revealed is next Friday (June 5th) with soundscapes and sculpture at the installation site called The Estuary on the east bank of the river, 4651 Diagonal Avenue South – details and map here.
Other day/time-specific events along the way include the Water Festival in South Park, August 15-16, and “Revealing Coast Salish Cultures,” with canoe families landing at T-107 Park for an event there and across the street at the Duwamish Tribe Longhouse on September 12th. Even sooner than all that, check out what’s on the calendar.
And for all you’ll find there, it’s just a drop from the river of visual art, performance art, and more that will comprise Duwamish Revealed – browse the official website to sample more.
Thanks to Lisa Brody for the photo and report:
Congratulations to the Chief Sealth International High School Girls 4x100m relay team. They placed 5th in the state at the Washington State Championships at Mt Tahoma High School in Tacoma today. They had a PR of 49.79 sec. Here they are with their Coach, from left to right: Imani Carey, Assa Kaba, Coach Billy Hairston, Chloe Myers, and Quinn Wiley. Chief Sealth’s Ronnie Parker also placed 5th in State in the Triple Jump!
Thanks to Tom Warnke for the photo and report:
Congratulations to Seattle Lutheran High School sophomore Ally Warnke (Class of 2017) for finishing 17th this year at the Washington State Golf Championships in Richmond, Washington this week.
For the first time since Emerald Water Anglers (WSB sponsor) opened its West Seattle Junction shop almost a year ago, its annual Fly Fest is happening at Lincoln Park, continuing one more hour, until 4 pm. While browsing and testing gear is certainly the star of the show, including casting tests in the not-yet-open wading pool …
… the fun also included food, to prove that fishing-trip cuisine doesn’t have to be dull.
The EWA guides‘ Gourmet Cookoff included proprietor Dave McCoy, above, making salmon tacos and melon salad; below, store GM Reid Curry making barbecue chicken sandwiches:
And Abbie Schuster with ceviche/shrimp tacos.
We’re checking back to see who won. Fly Fest is on until 4 at Shelter 5 in the upper park.
Four years ago after we published this note about then-West Seattle High School senior Nick Barnecut‘s acceptance to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, he has just graduated. Thanks to WSHS’s Shelley Yeigh for sharing the photo of Nick shaking hands with President Obama, who spoke at the academy’s 134th commencement ceremony on May 20th; the USCG says that presidents “traditionally address the graduating class at one of the federal service academies on a rotating basis. President Obama addressed the U.S. Military Academy Class of 2014 at West Point last year.” Now-Ensign Barnecut majored in civil engineering. (A gallery of USCG photos from the ceremony is on Flickr.)
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