West Seattle, Washington
28 Tuesday
Thanks to Gary Jones for sharing photos of the orcas that put on a show between Alki Point and Bainbridge Island late this morning!
We heard about it via Facebook, went down to the water to see if we could see them, and no luck (again), so Gary’s photos are much appreciated. Expert watchers say all this leaping is because they’re feeding.
We also got a call from a nice person who said he could see them via telescope from his home over Beach Drive (and offered us the chance to use it), but at the time – 12:30ish – they were “way on the other side.”
According to the Orca Network‘s latest Facebook update, these are likely “transients” – orcas that eat mammals (seals, sea lions, whales) instead of fish, which is the staple of Puget Sound’s resident orcas.
Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
“Are we out of the recession? Yes, we are,” declared local economic Matthew Gardner in his keynote speech at this morning’s West Seattle Chamber of Commerce annual awards breakfast.
Emceeing the event, Chamber board chair Dave Montoure, owner of West 5, declared that to be “a good message for us to hear today,” on behalf of the 120 people gathered at Salty’s on Alki to hear.
More on Gardner’s economic insights later – but first, the awardees!
(From left, WS Garden Tour’s Jim Reid, The Grove’s Lynn Sweeney Pedersen, Pete Spalding, Dave Montoure, AmericanWest Bank’s David Kim)
They were announced back in February (WSB coverage here), but the breakfast celebration is always an occasion for the business community to gather and not only give the awardees well-earned applause, but also to celebrate the community’s ongoing growth.
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
AmericanWest Bank
Junction branch manager David Kim – who also chairs the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee – accepted the award, noting that AWB (a new name for what had been Viking Bank, before last year’s merger) is a “business-focused community bank.”
EMERGING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
The Grove/West Seattle Inn
Montoure introduced owner Lynn Sweeney Pedersen after recalling that when the Chamber polled members in 2010 about what West Seattle needs most, there were two answers – a hospital and a hotel. The Sweeney family made the latter dream come true last year.
Sweeney Pedersen recounted the property’s makeover last year, from rundown motel to “comfortable, friendly, affordable lodging,” saying their work isn’t over yet – they’re working on “continuous improvement.” She also mentioned that this weekend they will celebrate the complex’s “50th birthday,” since it was built for the Seattle World’s Fair half a century ago (as the Mar-Lyn, after original owners Martin and Evelyn).
NONPROFIT OF THE YEAR
West Seattle Garden Tour
President Jim Reid accepted the award, talking about the WSGT’s roots in the mid-1990s, founded by community advocate Irene Stewart. Since then, he said, it was raised and donated nearly a quarter-million dollars to causes in the community, facilitating the community’s “stepping up to make up for the decline in government funding” of some of those services. It’s an all-volunteer organization, and its planning is in high gear for this year’s tour, July 15th (more info here), and Reid said, you have one more week to sign up as a sponsor (WSB is among them again this year).
WESTSIDER OF THE YEAR
Pete Spalding
Montoure quipped that when he asked Spalding for his bio, it was a page and a half long. Just a few toplines of what he’s up to currently – West Seattle Food Bank board, Southwest Precinct Advisory Council, Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council, Parks and Green Spaces Levy Oversight Committee … Spalding, no stranger to awards but clearly moved by this one, said with his trademark Southern-accent humility and humor, “I think there are a lot of people who do a lot more in the community and are more deserving, but I’m not going to give (the award) back!” He closed his remarks by quoting the exhortation he features in his e-mail signature, “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
Ahead – toplines from the keynote, what’s next for the Chamber, and our video from this morning’s event:Read More
Many other West Seattle schools have had their fundraising auctions, as reported here earlier this spring – and now we have one more to tell you about: Roxhill Elementary‘s second annual fundraiser, “Night for the Stars,” coming up May 4th at 415 Westlake in South Lake Union. They’re selling tickets AND accepting donated items/services for the event, says Michelle Lehman:
This event is going to be tons of fun, with great items up for auction, food catered from the fabulous Joanie’s Catering (a West Seattle business), a wine toss, live music and more!
Tickets are $35.00 in advance, and $40.00 at the door. They can be purchased at the school, from your favorite Roxhill teacher, or online (go here).
Your ticket price includes a complimentary glass of champagne, appetizers provided by Joanie’s Catering, and access to all of the fabulous items donated from businesses all over the Greater Seattle area. Curious about what we have to offer? Check out our auction blog (go here) to see some of the incredible items we will be auctioning off.
So come on down to South Lake Union, bid on some fabulous items and support a wonderful cause!
We are still accepting donations, so if you would like to donate a service, item, dessert or wine to the event, please contact me at mllehman@seattleschools.org, or bring it by the school. Thanks for supporting West Seattle students!
“The Stars,” by the way, refers to Roxhill’s official symbol/mascot.
(Don Brubeck photographed picnickers on Alki in the rain!)
From the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
PARTIAL VIADUCT/99 CLOSURE OVERNIGHT: Once again tonight, southbound Highway 99/Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed 10 pm-5 am for reinforcement work.
WEST SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARDS BREAKFAST: Happening right now at Salty’s, till about 9 am; coverage to come. (Here’s the list of winners!)
SAVVY SEATTLE WOMEN: Their “Wine and Wisdom” networking event is at 6 tonight, Prudential Northwest Realty offices in Jefferson Square.
DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: 7 pm at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, with guest presentations including the downtown waterfront/seawall project and Community Power Works (WSB sponsor) energy-assessment program.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Quarterly meeting at 7 tonight, downstairs meeting rooms at The Kenney. The agenda (see it here) includes an update on the Murray Combined Sewer Overflow project to put an underground storage tank across from Lowman Beach Park.
OPENING NIGHT AT ARTSWEST: ‘Exit, Pursued by a Bear’ opens tonight, 7:30 pm.
Even more on the calendar!
Services are planned this Saturday for George Carfrae, whose family shares this remembrance:
George Carfrae, 77, of West Seattle, passed away from complications related to Parkinson’s disease April 9, 2012. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family. George was born in Seattle January 2, 1935.
He graduated from West Seattle HS in 1953 and received an Associate’s degree from South Seattle Community College.
George married Joyce Thomason April 23, 1954. He worked as a cost estimator at Todd Shipyards and Foss Maritime and served in the US Army from 1957-1965. He enjoyed gardening, traveling and playing cribbage.
The Delridge Produce Cooperative board is about to take the next step toward potentially running a food store in the future Delridge Supportive Housing building: Next week, it’s expecting to submit a Memorandum of Understanding to DESC. That was one headline from Monday night’s DPC meeting at Delridge Library. Representing the co-op were board members Ariana Rose Taylor-Stanley and Ranette Iding; they were careful to say that the MOU is not a lease, nor a guarantee of one, but it will enable architects to move forward with planning the development of the ground-floor commercial space they’re likely to occupy in the building. DPC is hoping to find a community volunteer who can help them with the MOU.
First update from tonight’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting: Southwest Precinct Operations Lt. Pierre Davis had wrapped up his crime-trends update without mentioning last month’s Beach Drive murder, but during open Q/A afterward, he was finally asked about the case. Still an active investigation, he said, adding that detectives are following up “specific leads,” though he had no details to share. Five weeks have now passed since 51-year-old Greggette Guy of Kent was found dead in the water south of Cormorant Cove Park, a half-mile south of where she had apparently left her car the night before to go for a waterfront walk; we checked with key figures in the case at the one=month mark (here’s our April 11th story). The case was a major reason acting Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams spoke to the group tonight; nothing revelatory in his remarks, but toplines and video are coming up in our full meeting report.
(Photo courtesy Doug, scene at Henderson)
6:07 PM: We’re at the scene of a crash in Highland Park at 15th and Henderson that is reported to have involved a police pursuit, apparently northbound from the White Center area, as King County Sheriff’s Office units are reported to be involved. More shortly.
(Scene at Trenton, where stolen car was found – this photo and next one by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
6:12 PM: Our crew at the scene has been told so far that a stolen car was being pursued and collided with the KCSO unit; the stolen car continued another block or so north to SW Trenton and was abandoned. Seattle Police are at that scene and have talked to a “person of interest” who is reported to have admitted being in the stolen car; officers are still looking for the driver and possibly one other person. We’re not sure yet about injuries.
6:39 PM UPDATE: Just past the damaged KCSO car, there’s a truck up on a lawn in the area but KCSO at the scene won’t comment on how it got there. SW Henderson is still blocked at the scene and according to Metro, that’s diverting Route 23 buses.
6:45 PM UPDATE: Kyle Moore from Seattle Fire says a 57-year-old woman, “not an officer,” was taken to the hospital by private ambulance with minor injuries.
7:50 PM UPDATE: We’ve now heard from KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West, who says it all started in White Center, when a “deputy spotted a stolen vehicle near SW 98 and 15 SW. The vehicle fled northbound. At 15th and Henderson the deputy’s car collided with a truck that was not involved in the pursuit. The deputy and the woman in the truck both had minor injuries. The 57 year old woman was taken to Harborview, the deputy went to Highline Hospital. The suspect vehicle continued northbound for a block or 2 and the suspects (2) fled. The female passenger was apprehended and we are still looking for the driver who is described as an Asian or Hispanic male, possibly in his teens. Our Major accident response unit is investigating the accident.” Here’s a wider view of the main scene:
9:10 PM UPDATE: The county investigators have finished their work at the scene and SW Henderson is open again. The stop sign on the northwest corner of 15th/Henderson was taken out, so a temporary one is in place for now.
(Photo by Holli Margell)
A comment following Sunday’s report of burglaries at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center mentioned vandalism at Delridge P-Patch. We don’t know if it’s related, but we do know more about the P-Patch problems tonight, thanks to this firsthand report from Valerie:
The storage shed at the Delridge P-Patch (5078 25th Avenue SW, at 25th Ave SW and Puget Blvd SW) has been vandalized , with holes chopped into the walls from the outside and both doors badly damaged, twice in the past five days. So far nothing has been stolen, but both times the damage has required considerable effort to repair. Police reports have been filed for both attempts, but of course after the fact there’s not much to be done except make the repairs.
People garden here through the city’s P-Patch program, which not only provides individuals with a space to garden in the city, but P-Patches also donate a significant amount of fresh, organic produce to food banks around the area. All P-Patch maintenance and improvements are done on a volunteer basis by people who garden there, and it’s dispiriting to have to make repairs after pointless acts of vandalism.
We’d appreciate it if people would keep an eye out, and if anyone sees anything suspicious at the Delridge P-Patch, or any P-Patch, please report it to Seattle Police.
And if you see this before 7 pm, one more reminder that tonight is the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster).
Story by Tracy Record
Photos/video by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
Seven months after they came to West Seattle for an announcement including big changes for what was then the Southwest Community Center, City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams were back today to dedicate the result.
The reconfigured building at 2801 SW Thistle now is home to Southwest Teen Life Center as well as West Seattle’s only Neighborhood Service Center, newly relocated from Delridge, a move that was such a side note in last fall’s announcement, the Department of Neighborhoods didn’t even have a representative there. But today, DON director Bernie Matsuno was on hand too, and Bagshaw pronounced the end result “fantastic” – she’s one of the speakers in a short (11 minutes) round of speeches:
Those also on hand for the dedication were two of the three Neighborhood District Coordinators who are now based out of the SW offices, after moving from the shuttered Delridge site:
That’s Steve Louie on the left and Yun Pitre on the right (fellow coordinator Ed Pottharst wasn’t in), with, at center, Laurie Ames.
And in the top photo, Southwest Advisory Council president Tom Foley – who had fought for months to save the community center – helped cut the ribbon. The building continues to rent space to some private programs, such as EuropaKids International Preschool (WSB sponsors), whose young students sang for the visitors:
All of the changes are among the latest results of city budget cuts. The city is saving money by co-locating the NSC – where you can pay bills, renew passports, and find out about city services – and district coordinators in a building it owns.
Less than a year ago, it not only operated an NSC on Delridge, in privately owned space, it also paid rent for an NSC in The Junction (vacated last summer and not replaced). And in addition to repurposing SW Community Center as SW Teen Life Center, other centers around the city were organized into geographic zones with centralized staff – the High Point Community Center, where all this reorganizing was announced last September, is the hub of the West Seattle/South Park “geo.”
One facility in the SW building that hasn’t really changed is Southwest Pool, which reopened yesterday after a three-week maintenance closure. It’s part of today’s celebration too; we photographed assistant aquatic coordinator Matt Richardson before the day’s special free swims got started:
The next free swim is for teens, 3-4 pm, part of an afternoon of celebration detailed on the Parks Department’s Parkways website. And superintendent Williams will be back in West Seattle tonight; he is the scheduled guest at the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting tonight (7 pm, Southwest Precinct at Delridge/Webster)
By Megan Sheppard
On the WSBeat, for West Seattle Blog
As always, the WSBeat summaries are from reports on cases handled recently by Southwest Precinct officers, incidents of note that (usually) have not already appeared here in breaking-news coverage or West Seattle Crime Watch reports, but that might at least answer the question “what WERE all those police doing on my block (whenever)?”:
*Medics declared a North Admiral resident dead after finding him in his apartment face down, without pulse. Per routine procedure, an officer was dispatched to survey the scene. Finding no signs of foul play, he lifted the victim’s arm and heard a sudden expulsion of air from the man’s mouth. The officer alerted the medics, who reiterated that not only had there been no pulse, but that rigor mortis had started to set in. But to placate the officer, they lifted the victim onto a nearby bed. As the cloth covering the “deceased’s” face slipped off, everyone was startled to see his eyes blinking rapidly. Medics quickly provided life-saving treatment and transported the man to the Harborview emergency room.
*Early Tuesday, officers pulled over a van in the 3200 block of Harbor Ave. SW. It had originally been spotted on Murray Ave. SW, and the occupants were thought to be casing the area. The driver, a Port Orchard resident, claimed he was in the middle of a pre-purchase 2 a.m. scenic test drive along Beach Drive. He refused to let officers search the vehicle, which was lined with racks and shelves and bags of items. A records check showed the driver was a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history (burglary, auto theft, theft, vehicle prowling and property damage) and that two women had active anti-harassment orders against him. He has been known to assault officers and to own illegal weapons, handguns, rifles, knives and grenades. He also had a history of substance abuse. His female passenger (who waved and called one of the officers by name) is also a convicted felon with a similar criminal history. There was a large knife at her feet. She had two warrants, one for misdemeanor assault in Burien ($7,500) and failure to appear on a theft charge ($5,050). Thinking that the van contained stolen property, the officers decided to impound it. The driver was released and walked away southbound on Harbor Ave. The woman was driven to Tukwila and transferred to the custody of the King County Sheriff’s Office.
10 more summaries ahead:Read More
West Seattle is THE most spectacular part of the city. We all know that! But if you drive in via the Fauntleroy end of the West Seattle Bridge, that’s not always apparent. Some aspects of the “gateway” stretch will take time to change – but the greenspace around the Walking On Logs sculptures (city webcam at right) 
only needs a few hours of your time, one or both of the next two Saturdays. Updating the plan for new landscaping in that area (as published here a week and a half ago) – thanks to a lot of volunteer work that’s already been done – Nancy Driver of the Walking On Logs Landscape Restoration Group is hoping a few more people will step forward to help, particularly this Saturday, for two hours between noon and 4, they need some muscle-power for the two-person “augurs” to be used to dig holes for new trees and shrubs going in a week later. She says “more volunteers to take out blackberries” are on the wish list too, particularly for this Saturday. Any shift you sign up for is only two hours – we know there’s a LOT going on this Saturday, but c’mon, you can fit it all in. Read more about the project here; e-mail ruth.hoover@comcast.net to get on the volunteer list – and know that thousands will see the result of your work every single day.
Much of what we report on WSB includes, or originates from, information made available online by the city – the 911 log, the police-report map, DPD permit status/filings to list a few – and the city has put it all out there for the public under the leadership of its Chief Technology Officer, West Seattleite Bill Schrier. Now, the city sends word he’s leaving that job (one year after the City Council reconfirmed his appointment):
Mayor Mike McGinn today announced that Bill Schrier is retiring from City service as the city of Seattle’s chief technology officer after 30 years.
“Bill Schrier has been an effective and innovative leader in helping Seattle use technology to support our residents, our businesses, and an open government,” said Mayor McGinn. “Under his leadership Seattle has begun to connect more of our neighborhoods to high-speed fiber broadband, set national standards for accessing information online, and helped create and improve other innovative and effective ways to get the people of Seattle better engaged with their government.”
During Schrier’s tenure as chief technology officer and head of the Department of Information Technology (DoIT), the city of Seattle was named as the best large city government website in the nation by “Best of the Web” in 2001, 2006 and 2011. Schrier led the development of data.seattle.gov, an award-winning website that increases access to datasets generated by various departments of Seattle city government. DoIT also oversees the city’s television station, the Seattle Channel, which was named best municipal TV station for large cities in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010.
Schrier’s retirement from City service will be effective on May 2. Erin Devoto, deputy director of DoIT, will serve as acting chief technology officer until a permanent director is chosen.
According to his Twitter feed, Schrier is at a conference in Minnesota – but we’ll be asking for comment. Via Twitter, of course. (Where he just promised “more in a while.”)
ADDED EARLY WEDNESDAY: Retirement in this case does not mean actual “no more paid career” retirement; here’s where his new job is revealed – deputy director of the Center for Digital Government.
Some of today’s highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
VIADUCT/99 PARTIAL CLOSURE OVERNIGHT TONIGHT: Again tonight, the state plans to close the **southbound** Alaskan Way Viaduct/99 as the reinforcement work, pre-tunnel construction, continues. 10 pm-5 am.
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE CENTER DEDICATION AND CELEBRATION: Starting at 11:30 am, it’s celebration time at the newly reopened Southwest Pool/Teen Life Center/Neighborhood Service Center building at 2801 SW Thistle – including tours, Zumba, free swimming sessions, and more, starting after the official ribbon-cutting. It’s all detailed in the city’s announcement.
HEALTH AND HARVEST TOURS: Join in one of the Community Orchard of West Seattle‘s weekly tours, 2 pm (north side of South Seattle Community College campus, 6000 16th SW).
NATIVE PLANTS/BLOOMS WALK: Think you know Lincoln Park? Even the names of native plants and flowers you can see almost every step of the way this time of year? Take a walk with an expert – local naturalist Stewart Wechsler – and test your knowledge, or start learning. 5 pm; details on his website.
PARKS SUPERINTENDENT AT WEST SEATTLE CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL: Issues of safety and security at city parks arose after last month’s murder of Greggette Guy, believed to have happened at West Seattle’s waterfront Emma Schmitz Viewpoint. Tonight, acting Seattle Parks Superintendent Christopher Williams is the guest at the WS Crime Prevention Council‘s monthly meeting; Southwest Precinct police leadership also will be there as always to discuss the latest crime trends and answer community questions. 7 pm, SW Precinct meeting room (Delridge/Webster).
DELRIDGE SKATEPARK STORY: Not in West Seattle, but made in West Seattle – the Delridge Rec/Tech interns’ documentary about the 7-month-old skatepark and local skate culture will be showcased by the Northwest Film Forum tonight, 7 pm – map and more info here.
(added) 4TH “NEW BPP” ANNIVERSARY PARTY & WORLD RELEASE OF CRAIGALICIOUS BLACK LAGER! From Beveridge Place Pub, happening tonight at 7:
Manny, Roger, and the crew of Georgetown Brewing were here at the new location on Day One, and they’ll be back again! Along with their regular lineup, they’re bringing some super special brews just for YOU! How about the world release of Craigalicious Black Lager (served from a CLEAR keg!), a cask of Johnny Utah Session IPA, and bottles of Waldman Belgian Pale!
BELLY-DANCE SHOWCASE: The monthly Alauda belly-dancing showcase takes the stage at 7:30 pm tonight at Skylark Café and Club (3803 Delridge Way SW).
TRIVIA THAT ROCKS: 8 pm, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), the weekly trivia event – with prizes! Next week, the Feedback celebrates its third birthday, and to preview the occasion, you can read their updated ruminations on what they’ve learned about running a bar – go here.
TAX DAY PROCRASTINATION? HERE’S WHERE YOU CAN GET A POSTMARK BY MIDNIGHT: No West Seattle post office, not even any Seattle post office, is postmarking till midnight tonight, but if you really find yourself in that last-last-minute bind, the Riverton branch north of Sea-Tac Airport will be doing it – here’s a map.
More on the calendar!
Just in from SDOT:
Engineers will conduct routine load tests today on the Delridge Way SW on- and off-ramps to the West Seattle high-level bridge to measure the effects of heavy trucks. Drivers may experience delays of 10 minutes at a time on three occasions between noon and 4 p.m. Also, drivers may be briefly delayed by traffic flaggers under the bridge on Delridge Way SW at times today until 6 p.m. Please plan ahead and allow extra time to reach your destination.
Before we get going all-out with a brand-new day – and Tax Day, at that! – take a moment for two seagoing West Seattle sights shared by WSB’ers. First, John Hinkey‘s view of the Monday night sunset. Next, the latest undersea video from diver/photographer Laura James – who lets her camera linger on market-squid eggs on the seafloor near Seacrest:
The eggs take just past two months to hatch, according to this squid-info page. (Yes, same squid that appears on menus as calamari.)
It’s one of our favorite milestones – the 100th sale has now signed up to be part of this year’s West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day! 9 am to 3 pm May 12th is the 8th annual edition of WSCGSD – the fifth one coordinated by WSB – and whether you’re a seller or a shopper, it’s a chance to meet your neighbors and engage in one big day of what we like to think of as person-to-person recycling (we invite the rest of the region too, just in case they’d like to come shop our sales, dine and drink in our restaurants/bars, etc.). Nine more days to register – we’ve just set the deadline as 11:59 pm Wednesday night, April 25th. Here’s the form to sign up online! As May 12th gets closer, watch for updates not just here, but also on the WSCGSD website and Facebook page.
(August 2010 photo by Guy Smith)
Another chapter to share in the ongoing saga of Alki’s Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft, first launched in 2008, first mentioned here when we heard from Joy’s husband Guy Smith in 2009, and the subject of some memorable stories since then. Today, Guy shared another one:
Joy’s raft is in dry dock again after an underwater line broke. That’s nothing new, but the way the raft was rescued is quite a story.
We discovered it had broken loose in the late afternoon on Thursday the 12th and located it drifting along about halfway to Duwamish Head. There wasn’t enough daylight left to get a boat and pull it home, so we crossed our fingers and went to dinner with friends. They volunteered to look for it the next day in their boat, but when we got back home at dusk we couldn’t believe our eyes. The raft was tied to a buoy about halfway between the point and the Alki Promenade. How could this have happened?
As near as we can tell, from listening to all the neighbors’ stories and a little guesswork, the raft and buoy were drifting toward Alki Point at about 7:30 pm, on the strong incoming tide when a neighbor, Zack Singer, jumped into his kayak and set out to rescue it. Zack said he was spurred to action when he, Judy, and Linda were sipping cool ones on the patio and Judy said something like “we can’t let that raft get away; we like watching it too much.”
Zack hooked up to the raft and buoy, but the current was too strong and he found himself being pulled south around the point. Luckily, Jack Miller was heading north in his big boat, the “Baltic Sea,” and responded to Zack’s hail.
(Photo by Kyle Udo, added Tuesday morning, courtesy Kyle’s dad Pat Hogan)
Jack hooked up to what he laughingly described as “a pretty unusual sight” and pulled the whole thing around the Point to the first buoy they came to; one of only 3 left on this stretch of beach where a dozen used to be. Zack said it wasn’t exactly a smooth ride; because when Jack took off, the kayak was being pulled backward. Afraid it would flip, he whipped out his knife and cut the kayak loose (instincts from working on tug boats), nicking his finger in the process.At the new buoy, rope was needed; so Zack paddled to the beach and borrowed a length from Duff Kennedy’s seemingly endless supply. Jack donated a throw-ring float from the Baltic Sea to keep the lines from sinking and tangling. All this action was watched by neighbors on the beach as they shouted encouragement and advice (happy hour was running late that day).
On Saturday, Jerett Kaplan donated his rowboat for retrieving the raft; and it now sits in dry dock, awaiting new parts and a call to the diver. It’s been a nice marine refuge and people along the beach like to watch the birds and seals. Penny Earnest is a Seal Sitter volunteer and sends in daily seal counts. Thanks go to other neighbors who keep watch on the raft and who helped fill in details – Bette Callan, the Hogans, the Warrens, and others; even the unknown owner of the buoy where the raft was temporarily tied. The biggest thanks go to Zack and Jack for their timely action.
Sharon Kennedy related that on Friday, she had watched a mother seal and her pup circle the spot where the raft normally floats; circling for quite a while before they gave up and left. She laughed when she told that she had almost started yelling and pointing to the new location.
It’s a rare opportunity – enjoy opera music without leaving West Seattle to head for a concert hall downtown. You don’t have to go to a concert hall, period. This Sunday, a unique benefit for Southwest Youth and Family Services is happening at a private home on Fauntleroy Cove, and tickets are available right now.
The performers are The Opera Belles, a lyric soprano, mezzo-soprano, and pianist – all professionals – who will bring you “opera’s greatest hits,” in original arrangements. The 4-6 pm event also includes a cheese and wine reception. You can enjoy it all for a donation of $50 per person – register now online (just go here) while there’s still room. Once you’re signed up, you’ll get the address and directions.
The continued work for a RapidRide stop on SW Alaska west of California isn’t moving “rapidly” enough for the businesses stuck behind the backhoes, as first mentioned here a week and a half ago – like Twilight Artist Collective, which currently has the view we photographed through their front window, and which is now into “making lemonade out of lemons” mode: They’ve announced a “Bashed-Up-Street Sale” all week long, 10 percent off if you come in and mention that phrase. Yes, you CAN get into Twilight, Edie’s Shoes, and Rose Nails along the stretch west of Easy Street Records. Twilight is open till 7 tonight. (We’re working to get an update on how much longer this section of the work will take; all along the future RapidRide route, it’s been happening in phases, first the concrete and utilities, then the stop/station shelters, benches, signage depending on what’s scheduled for a certain spot.)
P.S. Twilight and Edie’s also are part of this Saturday’s “Tax-Free Day for All” daylong Junction-wide sale – participants listed here
As young runners go, Seattle Lutheran High School senior Matt Haggerty is one busy guy. First, we found out this morning (via a tip from John) that Matt ran the famous Boston Marathon this morning – finishing 227th out of 27,000 runners, in under 2 hours, 51 minutes! (Tipster John notes that “it was 74 degrees at the start of the race.”) Here at home, Matthew has turned his love for running into community-minded efforts; last fall, we reported on his “Ritual Running” senior project (in our first story, in fact, he mentioned his Boston Marathon plans), and earlier this month, we talked to him at West Seattle Stadium as he led other SLHS students on a fundraising/awareness-raising preview to the recent “Day Without Shoes.”
As part of Ritual Running, he has been collecting shoe and money donations for Haiti via One World Running. Here’s a video he recently shared about what his project’s covered so far (including last fall’s Ritual Running 10K, which Matt says raised more than $1,100 plus 250 pounds of shoes):
Ritual Running, Matt tells us, still does group runs twice a week from the Alki Bathhouse – you can contact him to get on the list and join in – ritualrunning@gmail.com – and congrats again on the Boston Marathon achievement. (According to the SLHS Twitter feed, he was the youngest runner!)
Today is the day that Seattle Public Schools families officially find out students’ assignments for next year, and while there’s no suspense for those returning to their “neighborhood school,” those who applied for out-of-neighborhood schools or “option schools” have been awaiting the news. 
This also means there’s an official number for the first wave of enrollment at West Seattle’s new option school, K-5 STEM at Boren, opening this fall, so we asked SPS what that number turned out to be and whether there’s room for more. Here’s the reply from enrollment manager Dr. Tracy Libros:
There are 226 students assigned to K-5 STEM at Boren, with a short waiting list at kindergarten and 1st grade. If families are interested, they are encouraged to apply soon to let us know if we should consider adding another class.
If someone in your family is awaiting word of an assignment, here’s the district webpage you can use to get the information (provided you have their student ID number handy). Meantime, the school’s Design Team, including community reps, continues to meet (minutes are linked online, from the right side of this page); they’ve been meeting at district HQ in downtown but minutes from last Tuesday’s meeting indicate they’ll be switching to a West Seattle site, the Madison Middle School library.
In addition to the Metro-changes hearing tonight – previewed here earlier this morning – here are tonight’s other highlights from the WSB West Seattle (and vicinity) Events calendar:
SOUTHWEST POOL REOPENS: Though the grand opening/reopening celebration for the newly co-located Southwest Neighborhood Service Center/Southwest Pool/Southwest Teen Life Center, all in the former SW Community Center, isn’t until tomorrow, the pool is scheduled to reopen TODAY at noon (here’s its ongoing schedule) after three weeks of maintenance work, which included installation of the brand-new sign out front (2801 SW Thistle).
WEST SEATTLE COOKING CLUB: Today’s ingredient – roots! The WS Cooking Club invites you to bring your favorite dish incorporating them to the meeting @ Beveridge Place Pub, 3 pm today (6413 California SW).
NATIONAL HEALTH-CARE DECISIONS DAY: Providence Hospice of Seattle is sponsoring a conversation, with an elder-law attorney on hand, at the West Seattle (Admiral District) Library branch at 6 tonight – details in the event-calendar listing (2306 42nd SW).
DELRIDGE PRODUCE COOPERATIVE: As previewed here over the weekend, DPC invites the community to tonight’s meeting as it gears up for potentially opening a “greengrocer”-style food store in the to-be-built DESC Delridge Supportive Housing apartment building – about 2 years away, but there is much to be done in the meantime. 6:30 pm, Delridge Library (Delridge/Brandon)
SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE FOCUSES ON FARMING: A movie, a panel discussion, and a seed sale are all part of tonight’s Community Forum, as detailed on the SWS website. 7 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle (California/Oregon).
More on the calendar!
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