West Seattle, Washington
11 Saturday
Family and friends are remembering Dr. Patrick M. Hogan, who had a longtime dental practice in West Seattle. Here’s the remembrance they are sharing:
Pat died peacefully surrounded by his family May 31, 2023 at the age of 74 due to pancreatic cancer. Born October 25, 1948, in Seattle to Raymond and Kathleen Hogan, he attended Mercer Island High School where he played football and graduated in 1966. Pat graduated Cum Laude from the University of Washington and was a member of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.
In 1971 he married the love of his life, Jan. Pat graduated from the UW School of Dentistry in 1974. After graduation, he spent 3 years as a Captain in the Army Dental Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, earning the Army Commendation Medal. While at Fort Bragg, Pat and Jan welcomed their daughter, Kelly, in 1976. They subsequently returned home to Seattle, where Pat began his practice at the West Seattle Dental Center in 1977. Daughter Kyle was born in 1980, and Kacey in 1986. Pat and Jan lived in Burien, West Seattle, and Normandy Park while they raised their three girls.
Pat thoroughly enjoyed serving the West Seattle community as a dentist and treated his patients with a very high level of care, and he was known to follow up with patients in the evenings and on weekends. As Pat stated about his practice, “The true joy of practicing dentistry is in the relationships that you build with your patients. My practice feels very much like a family. We have many patients who started in our practice as children, and are now bringing their children to see us. I can’t express what that type of loyalty means to myself and to my staff.” During his 46 years practicing dentistry, he spent time teaching at the UW School of Dentistry, participating in West Seattle Rotary, and numerous dental study clubs, including the Renaissance Study Club, receiving years of continuing education.
Pat was very active in basketball until “the hips wore out” and was also a “founding father” of Hoopaholics Basketball Camp, which benefits Childhaven. Pat retired from dentistry in 2020 and he and Jan moved to Bainbridge Island. Throughout Pat’s life his passions were his family, basketball, and exploring the waters of Puget Sound and the San Juans in the family’s wooden trawler the “First Light.” Pat is survived by his wife Jan Hogan, brother Tim Hogan (Candy), daughters Kelly Johnston (Scott), Kyle Udo (Chandler), Kacey Lugar (Evan) and six grandchildren: Jane, George, Bennett, Emerson, Ella and Clare. A private celebration of his life will be held for family and friends on June 27.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
6:01 AM: Good morning. Welcome to Wednesday, June 14th!
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
(Tuesday photo by James Bratsanos)
Today’s forecast: Starting off mostly cloudy, sun later, high in the upper 60s. Sunrise was at 5:11 am; sunset will be at 9:08 pm.
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING
Here’s our list of when local schools get out for summer – today is the last day for Our Lady of Guadalupe.
TRANSIT
Metro – Regular schedule, but trip cancellations and temporary route suspensions can and do happen at any time.
Water Taxi – Continuing the spring/summer schedule, including late-evening runs on Friday and Saturday nights. Note that next Monday, the WSWT will be on a Sunday schedule for Juneteenth.
Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on the 2-boat schedule; sailing cancellations remain possible on short notice, so check here for alerts/updates and see Vessel Watch for boats’ locations.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge – east-end vicinity:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!
In the waning days of the school year, some longtime educators are not getting ready just for summer, but for the endless summer of retirement. That applies to one at Lafayette Elementary for whom colleagues are organizing a “fond farewell” and hoping you can help:
Did you or your child attend Lafayette Elementary and have Cindy Adams as a teacher? After over 30 years of teaching, she will be retiring. Please help us wish her a fond farewell and thank you for all of her years of teaching. Students and families, past and present, are invited to send cards, art, poems to the front office to be compiled to send as a surprise to her by June 29th.
Please feel free to email your letter to bjjones1@seattleschools.org and we will print it out. Or mail your letter to Lafayette Elementary (2645 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116) addressed to Cindy Adams c/o Brooke Jones. Thanks so much!
Thanks for the tips. The no-parking signs along the city’s portion of Myers Way are there because clearance work has begun on the encampments on the east side of the street; City Councilmember Lisa Herbold had said in her newsletter last Friday (as reported here) that she was told “resolution” was planned. Today, two readers told us in mid-afternoon that they had seen city vehicles and tow trucks in the area earlier; we went out immediately to look but the crews were gone, while vehicles and campers remained along the northeast end of Myers. Subsequent inquiries to city and state contacts haven’t yet yielded any information. But during the Camp Second Chance Community Advisory Committee meeting that just wrapped up, camp managers confirmed that clearance work had happened earlier today. They expressed gratitude – declaring “it was a great day for cleanups along Myers Way” – as the unsanctioned camping causes problems for their attempts to maintain order at their site on the west side of Myers. The clearance work also caused some chaos outside their gates, they said, as some east-side campers and their possessions migrated across the street. While outreach workers have been working with the east-side campers, none will wind up at Camp Second Chance, as its 64 tiny houses are fully occupied, the managers said. We hope to find out more about the east-side situation tomorrow and will check in the morning to see if crews return; the “no parking” signage carries dates running for another week-plus past today.
The mayor proposed it in March, and the City Council finalized it this afternoon – the next renewal of the seven-year Seattle Housing Levy, expanding it to almost a billion dollars, will be on your November ballot. Here’s an overview of where that money would go, according to the council’s website:
Rental Production and Preservation:
$707,270,379 – Capital funding for new production of affordable rental housing, acquisition of structures to create or preserve affordable housing, and reinvestment in existing affordable housing to make capital improvements.Operating, Maintenance, and Services:
$122,300,000 – Operating support for Housing Levy-funded buildings for 20 years, supplementing rent paid by low-income residents, including formerly homeless residents and other residents with supportive service needs. Wage stabilization support for supportive housing workers serving residents who have experienced homelessness and who are living with low incomes.Administration:
$60,000,000 – Funding for administration of all programs, including holding costs and predevelopment costs for land in the City’s possession.Homeownership Program:
$50,689,796 – Assistance to low-income homeowners to maintain stable housing through emergency home repair grants, assistance to eligible homebuyers through home purchase loans, and development subsidy loans for the development of new resale-restricted homes.Prevention and Housing Stabilization:
$30,000,000 – Rent assistance and stabilization services for low-income individuals and families to prevent eviction, support housing stability, and address homelessness.Acquisition and Preservation:
Up to $30,000,000 (no additional funding) – Short-term acquisition loans for cost-effective purchases of buildings or land for rental or homeownership development.
The first Seattle Housing Levy was a $50 million, 8-year measure in 1986; the one that’s expiring, passed in 2016, was for $290 million. You can see the rest of its history here. As for this one, when proposed in March, it was described as costing the owner of a median-value home – $855,000 – $32 a month.
2:21 PM: Two whale reports from Kersti Muul: First, southbound orcas off Bainbridge Island, visible from Alki, within this past hour; second, a humpback whale off Blake Island. Let us know if you see any of the above!
5:15 PM: Update from Kersti – the humpback is in Elliott Bay, headed toward Duwamish Head.
5:33 PM: From there, Kersti says, the humpback is heading toward downtown.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports:
WOULD-BE BURGLARS ON VIDEO: Aaron emailed to report;
I live in West Seattle over by Thriftway on California, and Sunday morning at 3:30 am two guys tried to break-in my house with a crowbar. Luckily the deadbolt held and they couldn’t get it open and left.
My camera was able to get good footage of them and their attempt.
Here’s a framegrab of the other person involved:
Aaron says his home might have been targeted because of personal items stolen in a car prowl recently. If you have any information, the SPD report # is 23-909805.
ASSAULT ARREST: SPD reports an arrest in the heart of The Junction late Sunday night. Just before midnight, officers “responded to the area of California Avenue SW and SW Alaska Street for an altercation.” They arrested a 32-year-old woman who they say “had accosted two men and threatened one of them with a knife.” She remains in King County Jail, held for investigation of assault and harassment, pending a probable-cause hearing later today.
Among the new books released today is a rock ‘n’ roll memoir co-authored by a West Seattle writer who sent us this announcement:
Writer Adem Tepedelen has co-authored a grunge memoir with Mudhoney guitarist Steve Turner. Mud Ride: A Messy Trip Through the Grunge Explosion is being released today in North America via Chronicle Prism.
Mud Ride is a down-and-dirty account that chronicles the birth and evolution of the Seattle grunge scene. It features a foreword by Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard and more than 100 illustrations and photographs, many that have never been seen before. Tepedelen — a highly respected music magazine journalist, author and former editor of Seattle’s iconic The Rocket — collaborated with Turner to tell the story of grunge’s underground origins in the late ’80s and early ’90s, when Turner and his friends — Seattle skate punks, hardcore kids and assorted misfits — started forming bands in each other’s basements and accidentally created a unique sound that spread far beyond their once-sleepy city.
Mud Ride offers an inside look at the tight-knit grunge scene, the musical influences and experiments that shaped the grunge sound, and the story of Turner’s bands, Green River and Mudhoney, which went from underground flophouse shows to selling out stadiums with Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Including stories about the key moments, musicians, and albums from grunge’s beginnings to its come-down from the highs of global success and stardom, this is the first account of the musical phenomenon that took over the world – from someone who was there for it all.
Tepedelen says you should be able to get the book through West Seattle’s independent bookstores Paper Boat Booksellers and Pegasus. Turner, meantime, has a promotional appearance at 7 pm tomorrow (Wednesday, June 14th) at Elliott Bay Books on Capitol Hill.
(Spittlebug on lavender stem in West Seattle garden – photographed by Rosalie Miller)
From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS: Weekly meetup for long-distance political advocacy and local networking, 10:30 am at C & P Coffee Company – drop in to join in. (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open daily, 11 am-8 pm, rain or shine. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon): “Are you looking for a new activity to keep your brain sharp and clear? The Senior Center Chess Club welcomes both novice and experienced players. Join us at 1:30 p.m. for lessons, short tutorials, and chess for all levels of expertise.” (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)
HOUSING LEVY @ CITY COUNCIL: 2 pm this afternoon, it’s the full council’s weekly meeting, online or at City Hall (600 4th Ave.). Voting to send the renewed/expanded housing levy to voters is a major item on the agenda (viewable here); the meeting is viewable via Seattle Channel.
MEAT MARKET: 4-8 pm (or while the merchandise lasts), Wagyu beef and more at Lady Jaye‘s periodic meat market, plus Father’s Day-style photo booth. (4523 California SW)
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
STORYTIME IN THE GARDEN: 6 pm stories and activities for kids at the Delridge P-Patch, weekly throughout the summer starting tonight. (5078 25th SW)
CAMP SECOND CHANCE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Questions or concerns about West Seattle’s only sanctioned encampment/tiny-house village? 6 pm online meeting tonight, all welcome. Connect here or by phone at 253-215-8782; for both: meeting ID 840 8571 9253, passcode 245935.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Myriad updates are on the agenda for this 7 pm FCA board meeting, all welcome, at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) or online (register here).
OPEN MIC: 7 pm at Otter on the Rocks, hosted by Michael Pearsall. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
MORE TRIVIA: Three places where you can play Tuesday nights – 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW); also, 7:30 and 8:30 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at The Lodge (4209 SW Alaska).
BELLE OF THE BALLS BINGO: Play bingo with Cookie Couture at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW), 8 pm. Free, all ages!
You can look into the future any time via our event calendar – if you have something to include on it, please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
If your household includes an 8- to 12-year-old interested in writing whose summer isn’t fully booked yet – this free workshop taught by a West Seattle writer in nearby South Park still has room:
In this summer-long workshop, young people creatively explore and expand their self-confidence by writing and illustrating a book together. We will read two short stories and then rewrite one of them in our own words, in weekly meetings of one hour a week over 11 weeks. Group activities, games, solitary writing, and drawing provide for a fun and productive setting.
Books/stories we’ll read: River Dragon, an ancient Chinese story of coming-of-age, retold in an illustrated children’s book by Darcy Pattison, and “A Pumpkin Seed,” a cautionary tale from Haiti, in Creole Folktales retold by Patrick Chamoiseau
Location: South Park Community Center, 8319 8th Ave S.
Session time / dates: 4:30-5:30 pm 11 sessions, Thursdays, from June 29 to September 7, 2023
Price: free. Please plan to attend as many sessions as possible, to be part of a writing community.
For more info: see video and read about our class, founded and taught by Ms. Julia (Julia Douthwaite Viglione, PhD): 1
Enrollment open NOW via the South Park Community Center website
Questions? email Ms. Julia at juliawsea@gmail.com
6:00 AM: Good morning. Welcome to Tuesday, June 13th!
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Today’s forecast: Mostly cloudy, high near 70. Sunrise was at 5:11 am; sunset will be at 9:08 pm.
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING
Today’s the last day of school for Explorer West Middle School (WSB sponsor). Here’s our list of when other local schools get out for summer.
TRANSIT
Metro – Regular schedule, but trip cancellations and temporary route suspensions can and do happen at any time.
Water Taxi – Continuing the spring/summer schedule, including late-evening runs on Friday and Saturday nights. Note that next Monday, the WSWT will be on a Sunday schedule for Juneteenth.
Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on the 2-boat schedule; sailing cancellations remain possible on short notice, so check here for alerts/updates and see Vessel Watch for boats’ locations.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge – east-end vicinity:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!
Three food biznotes:
PRE-FATHER’S DAY ‘MEAT MARKET’: Lady Jaye in The Junction (4523 California SW) is throwing the doors open at 4 pm tomorrow (Tuesday, June 13) for a pre-Father’s Day meat market. Highlights:
We are bringing in some of the best beef in the entire world:
Japanese A5 wagyu beef
Australian 9+ wagyu beef
Full-Blood Wagyu Beef raised in Oregon and WashingtonWe will also have little mini-bottles of our favorite whiskeys available as Father’s Day gifts!
DJ Derek Moon will be on the patio and we will have a photobooth set up with a bunch of “Dad” and “grilling” props.
This will go until 8 pm – if the merchandise lasts that long.
NEW BRUNCH: Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way) has launched brunch – a variety of waffle offerings, including the classic combo of fried chicken and a waffle, plus brunch cocktails (mimosas and more). Brunch begins at 9 am every Sunday and continues until 2 pm.
HOT POP-UP: Papa Tony’s Hot Sauce – the reigning recipient of West Seattle Emerging Business of the Year – has just teamed up with Mission Cantina in The Admiral District. To celebrate, Papa Tony’s will be in the house at Mission (2325 California SW) for a pop-up shop this Friday and Saturday (June 16-17), 5-8 pm, with samples, sauce for sale, drawings, and more.
Thanks to Gary Jones for the photo! Three harbor porpoises surfaced while swimming off Alki Point. They’re not endangered, but they are protected. The most-recent federal estimate of their population: More than 11,000 in the inland waters of Washington and southern British Columbia, including Puget Sound.
7:49 PM: A 2-car crash is blocking westbound Roxbury and 24th where they intersect.!SFD and SPD are on scene. We are told no one was seriously hurt.
8:10 PM: Metro is routing RapidRide H off Roxbury in this area until it’s cleared.
10:07 PM: Metro says it’s resumed regular routing.
(WSB photo from aftermath of 2016 West Marginal crash blamed on racing)
Less than a week after the latest meeting between city officials and Alki/Harbor neighbors concerned about street disorder and dangerous driving, a new proposal is in the works. City Councilmember Lisa Herbold is introducing a bill that would open the door to automated speed-enforcement cameras on Alki Avenue, Harbor Avenue, and West Marginal Way by designating them as “racing zones,” along with a few other areas of the city. This is a new use of enforcement cameras, authorized by the State Legislature. From the summary of Council Bill 120600:
As authorized by recent changes in Washington State Law (RCW 46.63.170), this legislation authorizes the expansion of camera enforcement to detect speed violations in walk areas, public park zones, hospital zones, and restricted racing zones. This legislation also designates the specific racing zones where camera enforcement is authorized, including:
Alki Avenue SW between 63rd Ave SW and Harbor Avenue SW.
Harbor Avenue SW between Alki Avenue SW and SW Spokane St.
West Marginal Way SW between SW Spokane St and 2nd Ave SW.
Sand Point Way NE between 38th Ave NE and NE 95th St.
NE 65th St between Sand Point Way NE and Magnuson Park.
Roadways inside Magnuson Park including, but not limited to, NE 65th St and Lake Shore Dr NW.State law (RCW 46.63.170(1)(d)(ii) requires an equity analysis that evaluates livability, accessibility, economics, education, and environmental health when identifying camera locations using this new authority.
Councilmember Herbold’s legislative assistant Newell Aldrich tells WSB that this would give SDOT the “authority to install speed cameras, but not immediately: “There are steps that must be taken in the state law before installing cameras, e.g. an equity analysis.” Previously, speed-enforcement cameras were only allowed in school zones, and the city is already pursuing doubling those (from 35 citywide now, to 70). Aldrich says the racing-zone camera proposal will be the subject of a briefing one week from tomorrow, 9:30 am June 20th, in the Transportation and Seattle Public Utilities Committee, whose chair Councilmember Alex Pedersen is co-sponsoring it. A vote could happen in mid-July. Meantime, we’re seeking some followup information, such as the potential cost of these cameras (which of course would be revenue generators as well) and whether they’d be in use 24/7, not just “racing” hours (West Marginal has been much-discussed as a speeding zone around the clock).
We’ve been getting questions/tips about two changes at West Seattle’s Taco Time restaurant (3500 SW Avalon Way). We’ve had inquiries out to Taco Time Northwest‘s corporate headquarters and got some info today. First, they’ve closed their interior seating temporarily for what a spokesperson calls a “simple remodel.” She’s still waiting for information on how long the work is supposed to last. The drive-through remains open, which is how customers learned about this: They’re no longer accepting cash.
(Photo sent by reader)
Signage says they’re refusing because of burglaries, and the Taco Time NW spokesperson affirms that, saying this is the only location in their regional chain with this policy: “We accept cash at all locations except West Seattle due to several recent break-ins. Our priority is employee safety, and this temporary measure helps mitigate risks at this location.” (We reported on one break-in back in late April.)
2:20 PM: Last week, Seattle Parks said work would finally begin today on the turf-replacement project at Hiawatha Playfield, so we went over to see whether that had indeed happened. The photo above is what we found – no sign of anything yet, and the field remains wide open. FieldTurf USA won the contract with a $1.4 million bid after the city had scratched the first round of bids (which the same company won for a similar price). Parks says the work should be complete in September – assuming it does start soon. Meantime, the Hiawatha Community Center and Play Area projects have yet to go out to bid, so construction is still a ways off. (Parks says the Hiawatha wading pool WILL be open this year, though – first day June 29.)
4:28 PM: Commenter Junctioneer says a segment of fencing at the field’s south end is new. We’ll be checking back tomorrow to see if we find crews there then.
(WSB photo, CSIHS graduation 2022)
In case you wondered too: Both public high schools in West Seattle are sharing a graduation date again this year. This time, both ceremonies are at Memorial Stadium downtown (401 5th Ave. N.), on Tuesday, June 27th. The West Seattle High School Class of 2023 will take the walk at 5 pm, followed by the Chief Sealth International High School Class of 2023 at 8 pm.
10:58 AM: Thanks for the tips. That was the scene at Shorewood Grocery, just south of West Seattle at 26th/106th, around 7:30 this morning, six hours after crash-and-grab burglars heavily damaged the store while stealing its ATM. King County Sheriff’s Office will only confirm that deputies found “the side of the building … smashed in and the ATM taken” when they arrived after getting word of a burglary alarm going off at 1:25 am. This KING report shows store-security video of the thieves using a pickup truck, which they quote “a friend of the store owner” as saying was stolen and has been found. A store employee who was there when we went over said they weren’t sure whether they’d be able to reopen today; we’ll be going back at midday to check.
2:42 PM: We went back early this afternoon and they’re open for business.
(Sunrise photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Here’s what’s on the list for the hours ahead:
HIGHLAND PARK SPRAYPARK: Open 11 am-8 pm. (1100 SW Cloverdale)
MONDAY MOVIE: 1 pm at Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon), “Terry’s Greatest Movies You’ve Never Heard Of,” today featuring “Fury at Gunsight Pass” (1956). Free popcorn! Contact SCWS to register in advance.
CRAFTING AND CREATIVITY NIGHT: 6-10 pm at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
OPEN MIC: Weekly BedHead Open Mic continues at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (4201 SW Juneau), 6:30 pm – info in our calendar listing.
D&D: Open D&D starts at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), all welcome, even first-time players. $5.
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION: New to meditation? On the second Monday each month, the Alki Dharma community offers an introduction, as explained in our calendar listing. Doors open at 6:45 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds).
FAUNTLEROY MEDITATION: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation event at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
PLAY TRIVIA! Three options on Monday nights for playing trivia – 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander), 7:30 pm at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MONDAY MUSIC: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
Have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar ? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The family of Jim Borrow is remembering him on the first anniversary of his death, and sharing this with his community:
Dr. James Whitaker Borrow
February 1, 1944 – June 12, 2022Born in Seattle to Will and Lucile Borrow, Jim was raised in West Seattle, graduating from West Seattle High School in 1962. He completed an undergraduate degree at the university of Washington (1967), where he was a member of the UW crew. He remained friends with many that he crewed with for the rest of his life. He also graduated medical school at the U.W. (1971) and years later, a residency in Radiology (1987).
He lived in the San Francisco Bay area during the 1970s into the early ’80s, where he was a staff physician at the SF Public Health Service Hospital (1971-1974) and then practiced emergency medicine at Alameda Hospital (1974-1983). There he met his future wife and life partner, Janice, who arrived in his emergency room from an auto accident. They married in 1982 and moved to Seattle.
In Seattle, he completed a residency in Radiology and practiced at First Hill Diagnostic Imaging (FHDI) from 1987 until his retirement in 2016. During his years there, he did early pioneering work on prostate cancer diagnosis, first with ultrasound and ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy and subsequently developed and promoted high-resolution prostate MRI techniques and clinical applications. He was a trusted clinician and held in very high regard in the field of both general oncology and specialized studies of bone marrow-based tumors in collaborative work with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Another area of special expertise was in detailed MRI evaluation of a variety of musculoskeletal disorders, with particularly detailed knowledge and attention to the complex joints of the human body. He was often the definitive opinion on abnormalities of the more common disorders of the knee and spine.
In 2007 while still practicing at FHDI, he became a clinical instructor in the department of Family Medicine at the U.W. School of Medicine. He was boarded in Family Practice as well as Radiology.
Jim combined an extreme level of interpretive ability with an unusual level of compassion and personal interaction with patients, which is uncommon in radiology. He was a valued clinical physician who chose to specialize in Diagnostic Radiology and left profound impacts on the medical community in Washington.
He was a dedicated physician who generously assisted many patients, family members, friends, and friends of friends navigate our medical system when they were faced with serious health challenges.
Throughout his life, Jim had a passionate love of travel, and he and his wife, Janice, traveled extensively. A favorite destination was the Himalayas, where they trekked numerous times in Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan.
Jim had a never-ceasing curiosity about and interest in the world, nature, history, culture, and people. Besides degrees in medicine, he had a degree in television broadcasting from San Francisco State and a degree in Technical Writing from the U.W. He pursued both out of his desire to make medicine more understandable to the patient population.
Being civic minded, he was a member of both the Capitol Hill and Alki Community Council, working to better the livability of the neighborhoods he resided in.
Being steadfast, kind and compassionate, he loved to help people in any way he could. During the course of his life he touched many lives.
He was preceded in death by sister Susan Flood. He is survived by his wife Janice Viekman Borrow; sister Betsy Borrow, brother Bill Borrow; sister in law Diana Borrow, brother in law John Flood, sister and brother in law Meredith and Ralph Gilbert; and numerous nieces, nephews; grandnieces, and grandnephews.
On this, the first anniversary of your death, we remember and honor you and your life well lived.
Jim’s online guest book may be signed at obituaries.seattletimes.com
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
6:03 AM: Good morning. Welcome to Monday, June 12th.
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Today’s forecast: Sunny, high near 80. Sunrise was at 5:11 am; sunset will be at 9:07 pm.
SCHOOL YEAR ENDING
Summit Atlas in Arbor Heights is out for the summer. Other schools will follow over the next two-plus weeks – here’s our list.
TRANSIT
Metro – Regular schedule, but trip cancellations and temporary route suspensions can and do happen at any time.
Water Taxi – Continuing the spring/summer schedule, including late-evening runs on Friday and Saturday nights.
Washington State Ferries‘ Triangle Route continues on the 2-boat schedule; sailing cancellations remain possible on short notice, so check here for alerts/updates and see Vessel Watch for boats’ locations.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Henderson), cameras are also up at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Orchard, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge – east-end vicinity:
1st Ave. S. Bridge – alternate route across the river:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander.
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: See all working traffic cams citywide here, most with video options; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: Check the @SDOTBridges Twitter feed to see if the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see trouble on the bridges/streets/paths/bay, please text or call us (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities). Thank you!
Three reader reports in West Seattle Crime Watch:
YARD THIEF: This report and security-camera image are from Andi:
Last night, June 10th, 2023, from 11:29 pm to 11:41 pm, there was a person in our yard who stole our bird feeder (most of it as he couldn’t get the post out of the ground). He also stole our potted tree but it was found across the street the next morning hidden under a tree.
Lastly, he moved our bird bath outside of our fence. He might have been coming back for the tree and the bird bath with transportation as they are both heavy. He was in our yard for a long time and appeared to be tracking our movements in the house and also tried looking in our windows. We are in the Morgan Junction south of Thriftway. We are waiting on a case number from SPD.
UPDATE: 23-909750.
CAR PROWL: Not far from there, Christian reports a car prowl early today:
4:30 am car prowlers in the Gatewood area near the elementary school. Got into my neighbor’s car that was unlocked. They were driving a black Jaguar SUV that police mentioned may be stolen.
STORE THEFT: From Christine:
My husband and I are West Seattle locals and frequent patrons of the Super Deli Mart (Barton + 35th). Recently there have been a group of 3+ teenagers who have been stealing from the store on multiple occasions (specifically handfuls of vape cartridges that cost $20 apiece). They seem to have an adult, or two, lurking half a block away (a man and a middle-aged blonde woman, one of which appeared to board the C bus concurrently to evade questioning), and we are concerned that this group may be stealing from other local businesses.
Christine says they also are reported to have harassed the store owner and customers. On behalf of the store owner, she sent this video of one theft incident.
(We’ll add police-report #’s for these incidents when we get them. Update: Added the # for the first one Monday.)
| 10 COMMENTS