(EDITOR’S NOTE: We’re one of many small local-news organizations that work with the student journalists of the UW News Lab. One assignment we offered this quarter: “Go tell the story of what the West Seattle-based Nature Consortium is up to in the West Duwamish Greenbelt.” The following video/photos/story comprise the result. P.S. You can see the greenbelt for yourself tomorrow afternoon, 1 pm, in the NC’s next free monthly eco-hike – RSVP to lisa@naturec.org)
Story, video and photos by Sara N. Reardon
University of Washington News Lab
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Early on a recent Thursday morning, a score of middle-school students, retirees, office workers and court-ordered volunteers gathered on an unobtrusive corner in residential eastern West Seattle. Armed with shovels, work gloves and plenty of bug spray, they ventured into the forest on a quest to annihilate the spiny blackberry bushes and other plant species that have invaded the West Duwamish Greenbelt and to replace them with native species.
“It’s been kind of fun, it’s a good opportunity,” said Sarah Hart (above left), a middle school student with the Summer of Service program, one of many organizations that are getting youth involved in environmental issues through participation in the Nature Consortium’s restoration project.
“The sheer number of people coming out to work has snowballed in the past couple of years,” said Nancy Whitlock, Nature Consortium executive director. “It’s amazing how many groups come knock on our door wanting to work for us.”
Six days a week, anywhere from one lonely participant to more than 400 volunteers (last Earth Day) are out pulling out invasive plant species, picking up trash and planting native plants to repopulate the area. “Sometimes it’s like wrangling kittens,” said restoration director Mark “Buphalo” Tomkiewicz.
(King County rendering of future South Park Bridge)
First – the Puget Sound Regional Council has just finalized its $15 million South Park Bridge replacement-funding pledge, bringing total commitments to $98 million of the needed $130 million, according to an announcement just sent by the county. (The recommended pledge was first reported two weeks ago.) Second – at last night’s Delridge District Council meeting at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, City Council President Richard Conlin was asked by Pigeon Point’s Pete Spalding how the city will rustle up the $15 million it recently pledged to the bridge-replacement project. Conlin replied that options included adding the money to what the city borrows, delaying some Bridging the Gap programs, or perhaps a car-tab fee of up to $20. ADDED 3:46 PM: In coverage of the PSRC vote, our partners at the Seattle Times also report that demolition of the now-out-of-service bridge’s drawspans is set to start next month.
(WSB photo from 2007 Alki Art Fair)
We’re on the brink of another big summer weekend. And this afternoon, we have new details about one of the marquee events – the Alki Art Fair at the beach Saturday and Sunday – courtesy of its director, Giovannina Souers, who shared the full music lineup too! The annual fair raises money for scholarships to students of all ages for art classes offered through the Alki Community Center and Alki Bathhouse. More than 70 artists will be selling their work: “We have a wide mix of artists: pottery, paintings, photography, metal work, fused glass, jewelry, and many crafts like hand made clothing, candles, soap and much more. Many are local West Seattle artists,” says Giovannina, mentioning a few: Mary Hollister, who sells her fused-glass mobiles all over the state, and Ester Chinn, “who took her first pottery lessons at the Alki Bathhouse (and) now owns her own studio and sells every year at the fair, find her in booth #50.” Giovannina adds, “Surrounding the Statue of Liberty will be a group of artists from the Seattle League of Arts and all the way at the end of the fair you will find some of our newer artists this year including Andy Hill a metal worker who makes amazing pieces for indoors or outdoors.” For kids, a special arts/crafts booth and bouncy toy are planned; food vendors will include barbecue, hot dogs, kettle corn, shave ice, cotton candy; and 14 bands will play live music – click ahead for the lineup and a little more Alki Art Fair info:Read More
Two West Seattle Crime Watch notes today about tagging/graffiti vandalism. First, just in from a resident southwest of The Junction who wants to be anonymous, this report and photo:
Reporting multiple graffiti tags around our house at the corner of Erskine SW and SW Hudson. Garage door and “Do Not Enter” sign (west side of Erskine/Hudson intersection at one-way of SW Hudson) was marked with [five letters starting with Z, ending with R]. The tag was done with a black graffiti paint marker sometime between July 20-21, 2010. Good news is the graffiti is removed and our immediate neighbors are on the lookout. Hope this helps!
Our general rule (there’s bound to be an exception now and then, such as a request by police) is that we don’t show tags/graffiti vandalism without blurring, nor publish the full tag. Police do ask that you photograph tags before you paint them over, and there may soon be a new way to get those photos to investigators more quickly and easily: Southwest Precinct Lt. Norm James told the Delridge District Council last night that SPD is working on yet another new online reporting feature (following the launch of the reporting system mentioned here yesterday) – they’re looking at a feature that would allow citizens to upload photos. That would enable use of a new software package that detects similarities between tags/graffiti photos, so police can gather even more information to use against anyone they arrest. (Right now, though, even the new online system tells you that you must call to report this type of vandalism: 206-625-5011.)
Just two days till the American Legion Post 160-presented West Seattle Grand Parade rolls, marches, dances and glides down California SW from the Admiral District to The Junction. In the video above, we ask this year’s Grand Marshals, radio-turned-webcast personalitiesMarty Riemer and Jodi Brothers (both West Seattleites), to demonstrate the “parade wave” – and of course, the discussion veers off course. (Hopefully their parade-day convertible won’t.) More than 75 entries are set for the annual tradition, starting at 11 am – just pick a spot along the route, from the north edge of Hiawatha southward:
The purple-blue marker along the route is SW Genesee, starting point for the Rotary Club of West Seattle-presented Kiddie Parade, which all kids are invited to enter – signups start at 10 am Saturday, and the parade proceeds through The Junction right at 11, ahead of the rest of the parade (so there’s time to get back to your seat and watch everybody else!). Still more parade “sneak peeks” ahead between now and Saturday morning.
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar for today/tonight: GreenStage‘s Shakespeare in the Park makes its 2010 West Seattle debut tonight with “As You Like It,” 7 pm at Lincoln Park (follow the signs from the north parking lot) … If you prefer indoor theater, this is the second night for “Side Show” at ArtsWest, 7:30 pm … South Delridge/White Center Community Safety Coalition discusses crime and other safety-related concerns at 6 pm at the White Center DSHS office (9650 15th SW) … And you’re invited to help out with the food garden at St. James Annex (9421 18th SW) with Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle‘s next round of “drop-in gardening,” 6:30 pm. … More of today/tonight’s events here.
With the latest commute challenges this week, planned and unplanned, we noticed more people than usual were consulting the WSB Traffic page. Then we noticed some broken links, and some newer cameras that needed to be added. So we’ve added those cameras, fixed the links, and enhanced the infolinks atop the page. Check it out and let us know if there’s something else that might help.
From tonight’s Delridge District Council meeting (more to come in a separate report), a sneak peek at something that hasn’t been officially announced yet: On October 9th, Delridge will be the locale for what’s being billed as “HP3 – Healthy Parks, Healthy People, Healthy Planet – Seattle’s First Environmental Adventure Race.” According to draft handouts circulated at tonight’s meeting at Youngstown Arts Center, this will be “an environmental adventure race crisscrossing the Delridge community, designed to create awareness and foster action on environmental issues throughout Seattle.” The flyer lists “elite” and “open” divisions – with the former involving no more than 50 two-person teams, limited to people who have completed either a half or full marathon in the preceding year, and the race including multiple events over 16 miles, including “pushing a wheelbarrow full of mulch 1 mile up the Soundway Trail” and “removing 50 pounds of invasive plants at Westcrest Park.” Separate from the race, there also will be an inter-neighborhood competition component involving picking up trash, collecting recyclables, and collecting compostables. This comes from a project that won a $20,000 city “Small and Simple” grant earlier this year.
Marra Farmin South Park – which grows tons of food for donations each year – recently got hit by tool thieves, and put out a call for donated replacements. We heard about it on the e-mail list that hundreds in South Park use to get and share news, and asked if it would help to share that call here. Robin DeCook from Lettuce Link said yes, they’re still looking for 2 donations: A gas-powered lawn mower and a gas-powered weedwhacker. If you can help, call Marra Farm coordinator Sue McGann at 206-694-6746, extension 1.
(Photo by Cliff DesPeaux)
The missing word on those T-shirts is “jobs” – as in, “Got Green Jobs?” For WSB and partner site White Center Now, Cliff DesPeaux covered an event today geared at showing the media – and as a result, you – what’s up with the Got Green? training program, which currently has 14 trainees working on weatherization techniques at a White Center home that will be demolished as part of the future Strength of Place Initiative Village development. See the full story at WCN.
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli)
The date is set tonight for the return of the West Seattle Rotary Viewpoint Park totem pole: Next Wednesday morning, just under two weeks before its planned August 10 re-dedication, and almost eight months after it was stolen. Last week, we took you to the Renton headquarters of art-restoration experts Artech for a peek at the pole, post-cleaning, pre-painting (here’s that story); today, photojournalist Christopher Boffoli went to Artech on assignment for WSB, to get a look at the painting in progress. In the photo above, Phil Roach is working on the pole; in this next pole, the brush is wielded by Roger Waterhouse:
Click ahead for more of a look at what’s been done so far:Read More
When you watch the Seattle Police Motorcycle Drill Team during the American Legion Post 160-presented West Seattle Grand Parade this Saturday, here’s something you might not realize: There are West Seattleites on the team! Cynthia shares this photo of Rob Blanco(left) and Drill Master John Bernasconi. As usual, the SPD motorcycles will be at the head of the parade – after the Rotary Club of West Seattle Kiddie Parade, and before the Vancouver, B.C., motorcycle squad – which starts at 11 am this Saturday. The parade route is along California SW from SW Lander (by Lafayette/Safeway) to SW Edmunds (end of the main Junction business district) – note that several side streets are part of the staging areas, with No Parking signs having been up for days now, and some buses will be rerouted that morning and part of the afternoon, too.
Even more online-services news today from the city: Seattle Police now have an online-reporting system for certain “low-level” crime categories. Read about it here. SPD cautions that this is just for certain “low-level” crimes – it doesn’t replace calling 911 for something urgent. Here’s the home page for the new service. (We have also linked this atop the WSB Crime Watch page, in case you need to find it fast.)
Two transportation-funding notes out of Senator Patty Murray‘s office this afternoon: $21 million for RapidRide bus service, scheduled to officially begin in West Seattle in two years (though service increases are expected to start sooner), is now part of a bill that just made it out of a subcommittee and goes on to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. And the same bill, THUD for short (Transportation, Housing and Urban Development), now contains $3 million for the South Park Bridge replacement project; Murray says she’ll support the county’s upcoming application for the federal grant known as TIGER II, which could provide most if not all of the remaining $35+ million the bridge project needs.
(EDITOR’S NOTE:We mentioned earlier that we had assigned a reporter to ride along on Councilmember Tom Rasmussen‘s open-invite bike commute today. Here’s his story, with photos along the way)
Story and photos by Johnathon Fitzpatrick
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Seattle Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, an eight-year West Seattleite, has invited the public to bike-commute in with him all week as part of Mayor McGinn‘s Walk-Bike-Ride initiative. He has been writing online about his experiences; this morning at 7 am, he stood at Weather Watch Park with his Univega (rain bike) waiting for traveling companions.
A low fog clung to the shoreline across the sound as a ferry horn bellowed and seagulls picked their way across the early-morning low tide along Beach Drive. A group of four cyclists rode along with Rasmussen in the slightly chilly morning he considered to be more like October weather. “I sure hope summer’s not done,” he muses.
There’s a brief moment of awkwardness as the group navigates around a trash truck and yet another as a cyclist shouts “on your left! ON YOUR LEFT… (Expletive)!” Yet these are minor annoyances as Rasmussen plays tour guide and discusses transportation issues.
(The story continues, with more photos too)Read More
The day after a celebration of West Seattle’s amazing volunteer power – a new request for you to be part of our community’s volunteer efforts, by pitching in to help with a big project. One month from today, the Arbor Heights Elementary PTSA will lead a project to paint the school playground – they provided the “before” photo and this call for help (which goes to the community at large as well as those already affiliated with the school) – the eventual “after” photo would include a big map of the states, among other things:
The PTSA is working on a project to paint the school playground. The painting project is to include some of the existing covered and outside play areas, but we will be adding some additional games. We are looking for volunteers to help in the process. Currently we need volunteers for 3 different days. We are open to any and all assistance, from parents, staff, and older students. Any day you would be able to help would be useful.
Day one (Saturday, August 21st, 9:00am-3:00pm)
We need help with cleaning, grass removal, sweeping, laying out new line work. We would need shovels, wheelbarrows, brooms, leaf blowers, etc. If a group of artistic volunteers could help with laying out some of the new line work, that would be greatly appreciated. We are adding some very fun, artistic, creative games for the kids.
Read ahead to see what they need for days 2 and 3, and how to sign up:Read More
Meet the latest recipients of the West Seattle Volunteer Recognition Awards – sponsored by the Southwest and Delridge District Councils and WSB – honored last night during intermission at the West Seattle Hi-Yu Concert in the Park (concert coverage here). On behalf of the councils, Cindi Barker from the Morgan Community Association (which meets tonight!) presented the awards, along with a summary of why the winners had been nominated – read on for individual photos and Cindi’s summaries of their volunteer achievements (and P.S., watch WSB for word of the next nomination cycle this fall!):Read More
(WSB photo from August 2007, watching the Blues’ takeoff from the Museum of Flight)
Almost that time of year when longtime WSB’ers know we go a little crazy for the Blue Angels during their Seafair visit. The not-too-far-away Museum of Flight is their home-away-from-home while they’re here – a great place to watch the takeoffs and landings (and you can glimpse some of the maneuvers too) – and they’ve just sent their official announcement of “Blue Angels Week” activities. Read on if you’re a fellow fan (or if you want to know when to get the earplugs out):Read More
Not sure if anybody’s reported that burned-out streetlight yet? Not sure how soon it’s going to get repaired? Seattle City Light just unveiled an online tracker (incorporating a Google Map) – which you can use to report one, as well as track one. It’s explained here.
West Seattle-residing City Councilmember Tom Rasmussenjust wrote about Day 3 of bicycling to work (as part of the Walk/Bike/Ride Challenge) – 2 people showed up to join him (as did reporter Johnathon Fitzpatrick, a transportation bicyclist we’d assigned to cover this morning’s ride). Rasmussen writes that as they pedaled along, somebody swore at them – NOT a driver! Read about it here (and look for Johnathon’s story on WSB later). P.S. The councilmember won’t be riding tomorrow, but will on Friday, and you’re welcome again that day to join him, meeting up at 7 am at Weather Watch Park (4035 Beach Drive SW).
(“Side Show” dress-rehearsal photo by Edgar Riebe from Captive Eye Media) OPENING NIGHT FOR ‘SIDE SHOW’: The newest production at ArtsWest in The Junction opens tonight: “Side Show” is a presentation of the Musical Theater Apprenticeship program (16-21 year-olds), described as a “beloved cult musical.” Read more here. It plays through August 1st.
CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT AT DELRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL: Tonight the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council‘s monthly meeting (7 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center) features Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin as its special guests. Besides opening remarks from him, there is always Q/A time for these types of appearances, so if you have something to bring up – no shortage of hot topics these days! – this is your chance. Also on the agenda, two Department of Information Technology reps talk about the city’s newest online/open-data initiatives. (Preceding this meeting is the 6 pm “Strategy Delridge” discussion, to which you’re also invited.)
PRODUCE AND SOCCER IN HIGH POINT! Two events this afternoon/evening in High Point – First, it’s the next weekly edition of the High Point Market Garden Farm Stand, 32nd/Juneau, 4-7 pm; second, Seattle Sounders FC defender Taylor Graham joins HP Community Center‘s “how to play soccer” session at 6 pm at Commons Park – and they’re inviting EVERYBODY to come out and play!
(“Live” eastbound West Seattle Bridge camera moved up from earlier stories)
As you know if you’ve already gone to work – it was even more of a mess this morning and not just because of the Spokane Street Viaduct lane closure: A crash on Highway 99 in the 4 o’clock hour shut down all northbound lanes for a while. One lane was open again by 7 am, and the whole thing was reopened as of about 20 minutes ago. If you haven’t left yet, here’s the eastbound West Seattle Bridge (high-rise, looking toward 99 and beyond) “live” camera for reference. ADDED 8:34 AM: Here’s the KING 5 story about the crash that caused the 99 trouble:
According to SPD Blotter, the 70-year-old man driving the overturned car is in the hospital with injuries described as “serious.”
Reporting multiple graffiti tags around our house at the corner of Erskine SW and SW Hudson. Garage door and “Do Not Enter” sign (west side of Erskine/Hudson intersection at one-way of SW Hudson) was marked with [five letters starting with Z, ending with R]. The tag was done with a black graffiti paint marker sometime between July 20-21, 2010. Good news is the graffiti is removed and our immediate neighbors are on the lookout. Hope this helps!
Even more online-services news today from the city: 
Two transportation-funding notes out of Senator Patty Murray‘s office this afternoon: $21 million for RapidRide bus service, scheduled to officially begin in West Seattle in two years (though service increases are expected to start sooner), is now part of a bill that just made it out of a subcommittee and goes on to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. And the same bill, THUD for short (Transportation, Housing and Urban Development), now contains $3 million for the South Park Bridge replacement project; Murray says she’ll support the county’s upcoming application for the federal grant known as TIGER II, which could provide most if not all of the remaining $35+ million the bridge project needs.
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