West Seattle Christmas lights: More music and movement

Ken Iverson e-mailed to let us know about the lights we’re featuring tonight (in video instead of a still photo, because they’re about music and movement):

I am pleased to announce that our holiday light show is up and running. We are located at 4120 38th Ave SW between Genesee and Dakota. [map] We’re only about 3 or 4 blocks south of the Helmstetler Family Christmas Spectacular and while not quite as ‘Spectacular,’ we do have over 5,000 lights controlled by computer through over 2,700 channels set to music.

We have scheduled two shows of about 25 minutes running on the hour and half hour from 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM Sunday through Thursday, 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM Friday and Saturday and will run until about midnight on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

The music is fairly quiet if you stand on the sidewalk to watch, but a sign on the gate says it’s simulcast at 101.9 FM, same frequency as West Seattle Lights.

Gatewood power outage – but not a surprise this time

If you have noticed while driving California SW south of Morgan Junction that a section of Gatewood is in the dark – it’s planned, according to a note we received from Lee, who says a notice was distributed saying the power would be out starting around 8 pm, for up to 11 hours. It’s not on the city’s outage map, so we don’t know how wide the area is, but this is part of the zone still served by some of Seattle City Light’s oldest equipment, which is scheduled for replacement.

10:19 PM: Power is back on!

West Seattle holidays: Local Girl Scouts’ gathering, giving

‘Tis the season to give. That’s what two local Girl Scout troops have done in recent days; their leaders shared this report and photos:

Sunday evening, we held our 4th Annual West Seattle Girl Scout Christmas Cookie Exchange. It was a wonderful success! 23 Junior Scouts (5th Graders from Troop #40890 and #40699) hosted 60 Brownie Scouts (2nd/3rd Graders) at this event.

The Scouts celebrated Christmas by singing songs, enjoying Christmas treats, and exchanging Christmas Cookies. The Junior Scouts mentored the younger Scouts in practicing several Girl Scout traditions.

While having all this fun, they also thought about our homeless neighbors in downtown Seattle who go to the UNION GOSPEL MISSION for food, shelter and supplies.

On Monday, we delivered 83 dozen cookies and 60 handmade Christmas cards to the Union Gospel Mission.

The Girl Scouts also donated a trunk-load of much needed toiletries which will be delivered to the Union Gospel Mission this week.

These Girl Scouts had a wonderful time celebrating together and spreading some Christmas cheer to our neighbors at the UNION GOSPEL MISSION.

Happy Holidays!

Rosina Geary, Troop Leader #40890
Deyette Swegle, Troop Leader #40699

Even if you’re not involved with organized giving like this, there are plenty of opportunities on the list that is part of the WSB West Seattle Holiday Events/Info Guide – just scroll through (and keep checking back – we’re adding more daily)!

Skin Butik: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor

(8/14 note: To check whether a business is still a current WSB sponsor, please go here)

Today, we welcome a new WSB sponsor: Skin Butik. New sponsors are invited to introduce themselves to you, so here’s what they would like you to know:

(From left, Skin Butik’s Donna Mansfield and Sara Lowe)
Skin Butik offers you European skin care, without leaving West Seattle. Clients are happy to choose Skin Butik for reasons such as our absolutely gorgeous and private space with convenient parking in Morgan Junction. We cater to one client at a time here; they are delighted to find the entire spa all to themselves and enjoy private, and very personal, one-on-one, first-class service at Skin Butik. Also, we are enthusiastically connected to the West Seattle community and a great resource for referring people to other fantastic local businesses in the area!

We often hear from clients how happy they are that they discovered us, some of them as many as 15 years ago! Skin Butik clients are so happy they don’t have to travel downtown, pay for parking, pay too much money for only a mediocre experience and deal with a large staff; they love the European quality of the services we provide. The majority of our business happens through word of mouth, and we could not be more grateful for our referrals! The best part of our job is that we are as much inspired by our amazing clients as they are by us. We discuss everything here, from overall health, diet, and lifestyle, to the latest trends in fashion, to worldwide travel. Our clients keep coming back for the ultimate relaxing experience and optimum aesthetic services and care, including the best European facial Seattle has to offer. Seriously.

Our community involvement includes being part of the WestSide Professionals BNI organization in West Seattle, a BNI organization that meets every Wednesday morning to network, and grow each other’s businesses in our community. We look forward to growing our business and want to thank all of our amazing clients for their support all these years! Here’s how to contact Skin Butik, including online appointment requests, or call 206-938-7714.

We thank Skin Butik for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

West Seattle – We Have That! 10 reasons to shop offline

EDITOR’S NOTE: Earlier this year, WSB started a series of stories about independent local businesses and why they matter more to a community like ours than you might realize. Then, the West Seattle: We Have That” campaign launched at midsummer. Now, we’re continuing to publish stories as part of the series – and inviting you into the conversation. Many of the reports are being underwritten by the West Seattle Junction Association, but not as ads – it’s their contribution to an issue of importance from Alki to Admiral to Westwood, Fauntleroy to Highland Park to North Delridge, and all over WS.

By Keith Creighton
Special to West Seattle Blog

Tomorrow night is the next Shop Late Thursday in The Junction, one of many ways West Seattle shopkeepers – outside The Junction, too – are hoping to attract your shopping dollars this holiday season. As we have noted before in the ongoing series of West Seattle: We Have That! stories, they are also very aware that competitors are literally at your fingertips. So here are 10 reasons to consider shopping in person instead of/in addition to online:

#1 – Super-cute shops, great personalities

Shopping alone in your pajamas has its benefits, but there’s nothing like the personal connection you get in a boutique. Independent local retailers are your neighbors and they really know their stuff. They’ll answer your questions, serve as your personal shopper, tell you about the latest trends and offer a second opinion whenever you need one.

#2 – Seeing is believing

Read More

Floragraph in Rose Parade to honor West Seattle boy

Tomorrow at Forest Lawn (WSB sponsor) in West Seattle, you are invited to a special event in honor of organ donors, including a boy who died 20 years ago. Joshua Thomas Waleryszak was just 12 when he lost his life to complications related to developmental disabilities. His parents donated his kidneys and liver. Joshua’s father Tom died this past October and was also an organ donor.

At the event tomorrow, Joshua’s mom Judy Waleryszak of West Seattle will finish a floragraph in his honor that will be part of the Donate Life float “Light Up the World in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day 2014, and you’re invited to come show your support. Never heard of a floragraph? It’s explained as “a portrait representation of an individual, made of seeds and other organic material.” Joshua is one of 81 donors to be honored by the float, which will feature riders and marchers including 30 organ/tissue transplant recipients and 12 living organ donors.

The event tomorrow (Thursday, December 12th) will be at Forest Lawn’s funeral home at 30th/Sylvan, 5-7 pm. It will be followed by another event with an open public invitation, Forest Lawn’s annual holiday remembrance ceremony, a chance to honor those who died in the past year, featuring grief expert Dr. Darcie Sims.

Mayor-elect Murray announces ‘winning team’ – from deputy mayors to acting SDOT director and more

An acting director for SDOT is one of the appointments just announced by Mayor-elect Ed Murray, in a lineup he declared “a winning team.” He has also announced three permanent department heads, one other acting department head, his executive-leadership team – including two deputy mayors – and their salaries, as well as some restructuring, and creation of a new Office of Policy and Innovation, which will include a “project lead for transportation and transit issues” among others. Here’s the news release in its entirety – (added 2:59 pm) followed by an announcement it did not contain, that of Parks leadership:

Seattle Mayor-elect Ed Murray today announced key staff roles and hires within the Office of the Mayor, outlined three major ‘staffing innovations’ and named several new City department head appointments.

“My administration, as with any administration, will be judged on how we serve Seattle residents, and my standard will be one of excellence,” said Murray. “To me, excellence means an administration that functions with a high level of inclusiveness, transparency, responsiveness and collaboration – and that brings innovation to solving problems for the people of Seattle.”

At a press conference today, Murray was flanked by his selections for his executive leadership team, his newly-created Office of Policy & Innovation, and his proposed appointments for interim and permanent department head positions.

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West Seattle Transportation Coalition: What it’s already done, what’s next, and how you can merge into the action

That’s the new all-peninsula, all-transportation-modes logo unveiled last night by the West Seattle Transportation Coalition, designed by interim-board member Amanda Kay Helmick, who started the board meeting by lauding WSTC’s “tremendous amount of progress.”

Atop the list: Less than three months after forming, the group has endorsements representing 68.4 percent of the peninsula – almost to the 70 percent goal it had set for reaching by next May. (The endorsements stretch slightly off-peninsula too, with the South Park Neighborhood Association on the list.)

Also on the list: The WSTC’s November 18th rally regarding bus-cut concern, with not only the support of but participation by three local elected officials with influence in the coalition’s topic of focus.

And, something vital to any group: The creation of WSTC bylaws, which recap its roots as well as its rules.

Now the WSTC is getting ready for a pivotal January 14th event to which you are invited – and beyond that, for its first elections, with your involvement welcome too:

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West Seattle restaurants: Cassis menu preview, chef choice, construction plan

The buildout starts next week at 2820 Alki SW, future home of French restaurant Cassis, according to proprietor Jef Fike, who just shared this update, including a menu preview and news of his choice for chef:

Construction of Cassis begins this Monday the 16th. We are projecting opening within the first two weeks of February.

Although I’m sure there will be some changes between now and then, I am attaching the opening menu to give you an idea of what we’ll be doing. Our hours to begin will be Wednesday-Monday, closed Tuesdays. In April or May we will open for Saturday and Sunday brunch and in June open 7 days and nights through the Summer months. We will also be doing a happy-hour menu daily from 4-6.

My Chef is Andy Dekle, a neighbor in West Seattle, formerly Head Chef at The Ruins, Local Vine, and currently at Portage Bay through the end of the year.

I encourage folks to like our Cassis page on Facebook. I’ll be doing updates on our progress as we chug along towards the opening.

Cassis’s previous incarnation was on Capitol Hill a decade ago; the Alki plan has been in the works for almost a year, but the location – formerly home to Alki Arts (which still has its Harbor Steps gallery downtown) – wasn’t finalized until this fall.

West Seattle (& a bit beyond) Wednesday: Mudhoney & Mudhoney; ‘Little Women’; holiday parties…

(Ruby crown kinglet, photographed near a backyard feeder last week by Robin)
Most – but not all – of tonight’s highlights are from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Events and Info Guide, which we continue to update daily, both removing what’s already happened and adding new events we get word of – so please keep sending them (editor@westseattleblog.com), and keep checking the guide, including the list of giving opportunities. Now, on with tonight:

HOLIDAY POP-UP SHOP AND FOOD DRIVE: Tonight at Bird on a Wire Espresso, 6-9 pm, with locally made merchandise, plus a food drive for the White Center Food Bank. More info here. (3509 SW Henderson)

‘WATER BLUES, GREEN SOLUTION’: Documentary premiere at South Park Community Center, 6 pm event including kids’ activities and more – details in our calendar listing. (8319 8th S.)

COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS PARTY: 3rd annual Christmas Party for the West Seattle community from 6 pm-9 pm at Mars Hill Church. From the announcement: “We’re going to have live music, crafts, caroling, Santa’s Workshop for kids, hot chocolate, dessert buffet, tree lighting, and free pictures with Santa!” (35th/Ida)

POLITICAL PARTY: 34th District Democrats‘ Holiday Party, 6:30 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy. Get the latest at 34dems.org. (9131 California SW)

MUDHONEY AND MUDHONEY AT FULL TILT: As first reported here last week, Mudhoney the music legend will perform at Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s White Center store tonight during the premiere party for its Mudhoney flavor. Party at 7, music at 8. (9629 16th SW)

‘LITTLE WOMEN: THE MUSICAL’: Third week of performances at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction begins at 7:30 tonight. Buy tickets online here. (4711 California SW)

Be the first to know! Browse ahead – days, weeks, months – via the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar!

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Wednesday updates

(More area traffic cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to Wednesday! No major incidents in the commute zone so far.

Now that it’s Wednesday, a weekend reminder – 99 north of downtown is closing again this weekend as part of the Mercer project, so from late Friday night until Monday morning, northbound 99 traffic will be detoured off at Western.

West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen truck; traffic-circle hit-run

Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes – first, a stolen car that Tina hopes you will watch for:

My friend’s bronze 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck was stolen from the (Junction parking lot at 44th SW/SW Oregon) last Sunday. It was taken sometime between 12:30 pm and midnight. The license plate number is B33192Z.

My friend needs it to work; she is self-employed, and if she doesn’t have it to get to appointments, she doesn’t make any money. The truck has a camper shell, and the back is full of flooring samples. The gas tank was pretty much on empty, so whoever took it probably didn’t go very far.

Tina sent an update saying the truck was seen on SW Holly near Fauntleroy (map), where two men took the camper shell off and dumped it by a house. One more note: The truck has a faded American flag sticker on the back above the bumper. Call 911 if you see it, and then notify Tina, dohertym@gmail.com.

Second note: Late Tuesday night, an apparent hit-and-run at 39th and Raymond (map); a neighbor who wants to remain anonymous says a silver Acura crashed at the traffic circle and “four occupants fled the vehicle heading west toward Fauntleroy.” We are checking with police to see if the car turned out to be stolen and whether any suspects were found.

High-school basketball: West Seattle boys’ 1st conference game

December 10, 2013 11:57 pm
|    Comments Off on High-school basketball: West Seattle boys’ 1st conference game
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

High-school basketball season has begun in earnest, and the boys of West Seattle High School hosted Lakeside tonight. The Lions left with the win, 57-48, though the Wildcats had been on top at halftime, 28-25. Our partners at The Seattle Times have the stats; Ruslan Burduzha led West Seattle scoring with 18 points, while DeAndre Love and Malachi Cain had 12 each. (That’s Cain in our top photo, #21, with Spenser Elder, #10.) This was the first Metro League game of the year for head coach Keffrey Fazio’s 2013-14 WSHS varsity squad; its first game, non-conference, was a home-court win over Kent-Meridian, 72-58. Next up, the Wildcats visit Rainier Beach on Friday.

West Seattle Christmas lights: From Seola to Spruce

Now that it’s two weeks until Christmas Eve – we’ll be showing West Seattle Christmas lights nightly unless pre-empted by big breaking news. We welcome your suggestions (with or without photos), and we’re out looking around too. Above, Jeff and Ardith Burns shared the photo of their home in the Seola area:

We have decorated our home with lights and would like to share them with our West Seattle neighbors. There are over 18,000 lights and include 31 blowmolds, 3 fence scenes, and 5 standing/sitting deer. Our address is 3216 SW 114th St. [map] The lights are turned on from 5 pm to 10 pm each night through Christmas.

Next, another view from the crane-borne Christmas lights at West Seattle development sites; we noticed tonight that yet more lights have been added to the crane over Spruce (the former “Hole” at 39th/Alaska/Fauntleroy) – blue lights over the lower half of its vertical structure, punctuated by this:

More lights tomorrow! editor@westseattleblog.com if you have suggestions and/or a photo. To find them after we’ve published them, you can look in the archive or the WSB Holiday Guide as well as our Pinterest gallery of West Seattle Christmas lights, which includes an extra view of the Burns home.

Update: Chimney fire at condos across from Seacrest

5:33 PM: A condo building fire response across from Seacrest in the 1600 block of Harbor has slowed traffic in the area. The call originally went out as a chimney fire.

6:11 PM: The incident commander confirmed at the scene, that’s what it was. No major damage, no injuries, no unit(s) left uninhabitable. It was spotted by someone passing by, SFD says, who saw sparks and called it in. Harbor was blocked both ways when we got there around 5:25 but reopened a few minutes later. Thanks to those who texted us about it – the response didn’t look as big on the 911 log as it did at the scene, so we wouldn’t have gone without those firsthand reports.

Traffic alert: Crashes on southbound I-5, WS Bridge

5:04 PM: Heads up if you are heading home: 3-vehicle crash on southbound I-5 right at West Seattle Bridge exit.

6:19 PM: That crash is reported to have been cleared – though SB I-5 has been backed up six miles or so because of that and other problems. However, new trouble: Crash reported on the westbound high-rise West Seattle Bridge.

West Seattle Crime Watch: WSHS student grabbed, hits, escapes

1:58 PM: Seattle Police are searching for a man reported to have jumped out of the bushes near the east side of West Seattle High School, in the Walnut/Stevens vicinity. Police say the man was reported to have grabbed the arm of a passing female, who hit him and ran into the school. Police were not able to tell us if she is a student. She was not hurt. The man was described as white, 30s-40s, medium build, shoulder-length brown hair, about 5-11, in a blue zipup jacket and black pants.

2:06 PM UPDATE: Right after we talked with SPD media-relations Det. Jeff Kappel about this incident, which we had heard on the scanner, SPD mentioned it on Twitter and described the victim as a student. (Added: The SPD Blotter version pulls back on that but says she’s 16.)

2:43 PM UPDATE: Here’s principal Ruth Medsker‘s note just sent to WSHS families, forwarded to us by a parent:

Today, one of our students was off campus during lunch when she was grabbed by a male stranger. She was able to break away and ran back to school, where she immediately reported it to our school administration. We called 9-1-1 and the police responded quickly.

Please be assured that we are committed to keeping our students safe while they are at school. We will continue to remind students to report these types of incidents to us immediately, and we also encourage you to discuss personal safety with your student.

Update: SDOT tells council committee that double-rate de-icer caused Dec. 2 crashes; Friday’s backup also somewhat explained

(Dec. 2: De-icer-slick, closed-to-traffic bridge; photo by Christopher Boffoli)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

In a briefing before the City Council Transportation Committee, SDOT has just admitted what really caused the de-icer debacle eight days ago, when multiple crashes happened on the de-icer-slickened West Seattle Bridge, subsequently shut down until it could be sanded (WSB as-it-happened coverage here).

It was NOT the fault of possible driver error, NOT the fault of too-warm temperatures, both of which were cited by an SDOT spokesperson afterward, but instead: The magnesium-chloride de-icer liquid was applied at twice the rate it should have been. (We had asked about operator error, too, that day, asking SDOT spokesperson Rick Sheridan via e-mail: “So there was nothing different in the formula or the amount?” His reply: “Not that we are currently aware of.”)

The discussion about the de-icer problem was followed by a shorter exchange about last Friday morning’s 2 1/2-hour lane blockage on the Viaduct (WSB as-it-happened coverage here) – why that couldn’t be cleared sooner, and why Metro didn’t reroute sooner, given the massive resulting backup:

The answer to that last matter was a “facepalm,” as one person put it on Twitter – the city’s Traffic Management Center is usually staffed at that hour by interns, and on Friday morning, an intern who had not worked there before was on duty. Which apparently explains the first, belated SDOT tweet about the lane blockage:

Just before 8, Metro finally texted word of a reroute, as we tweeted:

(STORY CONTINUES BELOW, WITH MEETING VIDEO ADDED AT THE END, AND POST-MEETING FOLLOWUP)Read More

West Seattle Tuesday: Holiday concerts; Transportation Coalition meeting; more

December 10, 2013 10:55 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Tuesday: Holiday concerts; Transportation Coalition meeting; more
 |   West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

From the year-round WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and seasonal Holiday Events/Info Guide, highlights for today/tonight:

CITY COUNCIL TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE: Meeting under way right now has a beefy agenda including a discussion that chair Councilmember Tom Rasmussen promises will include last week’s bridge problems, as well as the proposed Bicycle Master Plan Update. Here’s the agenda; it’s live via Seattle Channel cable or website.

WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: Last week’s bridge problems are also part of the agenda for tonight’s West Seattle Transportation Coalition board meeting, 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center. See the full agenda here. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)

FIND OUT ABOUT FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION: The group Families Like Ours welcomes you to an informational meeting, 6-8 pm at Tibbetts United Methodist Church (WSB sponsor), to learn more about placement agencies, types of adoption, the process, the cost of adoption/foster care, and how to get started. (3940 41st SW)

ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Tonight the ANA looks back at 2013 and ahead to 2014 – via a visioning exercise – along with celebrating the holidays, and planning next Saturday’s Adopt-A-Street cleanup. The meeting (with coffee and hors d’oeuvres) is NOT at the usual location – 7 pm at the city-landmark The Sanctuary at Admiral. (2656 42nd SW)

EXPLORER WEST OPEN HOUSE: Last open house of the season at Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor) – details in our calendar listing. 6:30-8 pm. (10015 28th SW)

HOLIDAY CONCERT #1: The West Seattle Debut and Intermediate Orchestras with Endolyne Children’s Choir invite you to share an evening of adventure near and far. Then sing in the holidays with traditional carols and Jingle Bell Rock! 6:30 pm at Chief Sealth International High School Auditorium. (2600 SW Thistle)

HOLIDAY CONCERT #2: Seattle Metropolitan Glee Club, based in West Seattle, presents its annual Holiday Concert at 7 pm at the Alki Masonic Center. Admission is by donation. There will be treats after the concert, and rumor has it that Santa will make an appearance. The Glee Club is also collecting gently used or new clothing items (coats, underwear, socks, etc.) for Mary’s Place, a shelter for women and children in need. (4736 40th SW)

West Seattle traffic alert: Next construction-related closure

Another road-closure alert for The Junction as two major construction projects continue. This is just in from Compass Construction, general contractor for the apartment/retail building at 4730 California SW:

Compass Construction will pour the garage parking slab on December 16th.

Northbound California Avenue SW will be closed during the pour from SW Edmunds Street to SW Alaska St. Uniformed police officers will direct traffic around the closure. Due to the size of the pour and our desire to get the street open for business as soon as possible, we are starting the setup at 5:00 AM and will start pouring at 6:00 AM.

We cannot control traffic to and from the area so our times are approximate. We anticipate the last concrete truck at approximately 11:30 AM and opening the street to northbound traffic and parking by approximately Noon. The midblock crosswalk will remain open during the pour.

We’ll also have a reminder about this when it gets closer, and this notice will remain linked in the “Big Stories” list atop the WSB sidebar, as with other noteworthy traffic alerts.

Metro-cuts timetable: West Seattle faces not just deepest cuts, but also first ones

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

West Seattle won’t just be the hardest hit if Metro has to carry out its plan for cuts – it will be the first hit.

So if you have something to say about the routes proposed for reductions/eliminations, it’s time to say something if you haven’t already. You have another chance to do that today, if you work downtown, with Metro’s next public meeting at Union Station at noon.

Metro’s been making the rounds, including a stop last week in West Seattle. That came almost a month after Metro GM Kevin Desmond had summoned news media to a meeting room downtown (WSB coverage here) to warn again that service slashes loom, outlining which ones were on the endangered list and how the process would roll out.

There was some hope then of a breakthrough in the Olympia-centered battle over transportation funding, including money for roads as well as transit. But it hasn’t happened yet, and most recently, while briefing the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council last Thursday, two of our area’s state legislators reiterated the lack of a deal.

So absent a major U-turn, you might say, the first batch of cuts for our area is approaching the onramp – detailed in a plan that is being drawn up right now, to go to the County Council within weeks, since these cuts would take effect in June.

Read More

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday on the bridges, roads, paths…

(More area traffic cams on the WSB Traffic page)
We start again today with both bridge cameras, to give you the best views currently available.

BIG-PICTURE TRANSPORTATION NOTES: Remember last week’s bridge troubles on Monday and Friday? Who could forget! They’re expected to come up in this morning’s meeting of the City Council Transportation Committee, chaired by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen; you can watch live at 9:30 am on seattlechannel.org. The proposed Bicycle Master Plan Update for the city is scheduled for presentation during the meeting too. … The West Seattle Transportation Coalition invites you to its board meeting tonight – perfect time to get involved; 6:30 pm at Neighborhood House’s High Point Center (6400 Sylvan Way).

6:20 PM: Evening commute trouble – details here.

Memorial on Wednesday for Fern Baer Freeman, 1923-2013

December 10, 2013 4:00 am
|    Comments Off on Memorial on Wednesday for Fern Baer Freeman, 1923-2013
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle people

A memorial service is planned tomorrow (Wednesday, December 11th), for Fern Baer Freeman, who lived for many years at the Island View Apartments in West Seattle and served as their manager for much of that time, according to her daughter Lois, who shares this remembrance:

Fern Baer Freeman was born December 23, 1923 in the Aberdeen, Idaho, area to Edward and Katherina (Friesen) Baer, who were part of that German Mennonite farming community.

Fern went first to the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA later) and in 1946 completed her RN at Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton, Kansas. After various nursing work assignments (one in Berkeley, California) and more studies, Fern moved to the East Coast to attend the King’s College. She met and married New Yorker (Queens) Robert Franklin Freeman in Wilmington, Delaware on March 4, 1951. Fern com- pleted a BSN degree.

They had six children over the following eight years and had relocated to the Pacific Northwest by the time their second child (John) was born. They lived in Pocatello, Boise, and Mountain Home before leaving Idaho to move to Seattle in 1969. The Seattle area was Fern’s home from 1969-1974 and from 1985 to the present. The family lived in Ephrata, Washington, 1975-1985 when the two younger girls (Ruth and Linda) were in high school. Fern worked for a dentist there and learned to craft teeth.

Fern, Bob, and Ruth moved back to Seattle in the mid-1980s. Fern consecutively became the manager of two apartment buildings. She remained back-up manager at Island View in West Seattle from age 75-85. Fern and Bob were both members of West Side Presbyterian Church in West Seattle.

She is pre-deceased by a daughter, Ruth Laurel Freeman, in 2007, and her husband Robert in 2008. She has five living children [Daniel Freeman of Avon Lake, Ohio (near Cleveland), Lois Easley of Glen Ellyn, Illinois (near Chicago), John Freeman of Bellevue, Washington, Glenn Freeman of Kent, Washington and Linda Freeman of Edmonds, Washington], three children-in-law (Brenda in OH, Dan in IL and Susan in Kent), and nine grandchildren, (Julie, Amy, Sarah, Benjamin, Christopher, Katherine, Alison, Anna, and Joseph).

Mrs. Freeman will be buried this afternoon at Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery near Northgate; her memorial service will be at 1 pm Wednesday at West Side Presbyterian (3601 California SW). More details at bartonfuneral.com.