West Seattle, Washington
21 Saturday
Two items in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:
SOUTH DELRIDGE POLICE SEARCH: A man was stabbed in the hand in the 8800 block of Delridge Way SW this past hour and police say they know who they are looking for. The victim originally declined medical assistance, so what was briefly dispatched as an “assault with weapons” response quickly closed, while the search proceeded. No description info.
STOLEN PICKUP TRUCK: Barbara reports, “Our 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 Megacab was stolen out of our driveway in upper Fauntleroy probably early this morning. Think we heard it drive away at 5:00 a.m.” Here’s an image of it as shown on Google Maps:
If you see it, call 911. (added Sunday) The owner is “also offering a reward in the amount of $250 for information leading to the recovery of our truck.”
(State Transportation Commission, meeting at Puget Sound Regional Council HQ downtown today)
1:27 PM: We’re downtown, where the State Transportation Commission is getting an update on the Highway 99 tunnel and the process of figuring out its tolls. We’ll be updating live.
Leading the briefing about the tunnel-project status, tunnel program leader David Sowers from WSDOT. “We have a big year ahead of us, and that’s an understatement. … The light at the end of the tunnel is upon us.”
“What do we need to do to open the tunnel?” Three bullet points: 1. Complete tunnel walls and roadway decks – the “final topping slabs” of the driving surface will be finished later this month, Sowers said. Second step, “commissioning” – installing and testing tunnel systems. Mid-August is when the contractor thinks those will all be done, Sowers said.
Then when the tunnel is verified as safe and ready to go, STP hands it off to WSDOT, and the Viaduct closure begins – “branded” as 17 days, but more like “about three weeks of time” to “reorient the existing corridor that now goes onto the Viaduct, into the tunnel,” says Sowers. He says there’ll be one big difference from past major closures – once the tunnel opens, post-closure, everyone will have to get used to the new connections from both ends.
Here’s his slide showing what happens on the south end during that closure time:
1:37 PM: Dearborn, in that slide, “is a street that doesn’t exist yet,” Sowers elaborates. He’s now on to explaining that the Viaduct demolition, Battery Street Tunnel decommissioning, and North surface street connections are being combined into one contract, and they’re expecting proposals from four contractors “in the middle of next month.” That contract will be worth about $100 million.
Next – Carl See, senior financial analyst for WSTC, leading the tolling-status section of the briefing. He’s focused on presenting results of a study that was requested about two months ago. He says some key factors have changed since the analysis began. Here’s the slide showing them:
Note “all requested toll rate scenarios maintain initial toll rates” in $1-$2.50 range, the former overnight and weekends, the latter during PM weekday commute, and other steps inbetween. Beyond the possible rates, there are a variety of scenarios the commission wanted to analyze, including how much tolls might rise over the years ahead. Most of the options performed similarly over the years ahead, See said. The analysis also included a look at whether traffic would be “ramping up” post-tunnel opening and a mention of the possibility that there might be a no-tolling period at the start for drivers to get used to the tunnel.
1:53 PM: Three tolling options came out “generally at or above preliminary coverage target” for debt service, See says – options 1a, 3a, 5a. Here are the two slides that explain (note that they are both variants of the $1-to-$2.50 assumption, which remains a proposal – no final decision for a few months):
A lot of what they’re analyzing involves not just how much money is generating but what kind of a “cushion”/reserves will be generated. That would be needed, one commissioner notes, in case toll revenue drops off at some point, so some other part of the state budget wouldn’t have to be dipped into, to cover for a shortfall. In response to a question, See says they still have time to analyze other options … but not much. The commission should “settle on key financing assumptions, and determine if other scenarios are needed” by next month. They need to get some updated information before making that decision – including “updated debt service requirements for $200 million capital funding from Office of State Treasurer.”
It’s pointed out from the commission side of the room that “everybody wants to keep it nimble … we’re going to have to keep it flexible” depending on what actually happens with traffic and resulting toll-paying once the tunnel opens.
Timeline for decisionmaking includes public meetings in late spring, according to what was just shown:
March-April, stakeholder discussions continue
April 17-18, commission meets, decides on finance assumptions and whether more analysis is needed
April-June, more stakeholder outreach and public input meetings – plus more toll-scenario requests IF needed
June 19-20, tolling subcommittee of WSTC will have recommended toll-scenario options for the full commission to review
June-July, more “stakeholder outreach and public input meetings”
July 17-18 meeting, proposed final toll plan approved by commission
July-September, more “stakeholder outreach and public input meetings”
Commission meeting September 11th – public hearing and final decision
And one commissioner stresses that even with a no-toll grace period at start of tunnel operations, the tunnel rates do need to be finalized before opening.
2:25 PM: The tunnel update is over. The financial analyst is now on to a somewhat-related item, status of a proposal to standardize exemptions across the state’s tolled facilities – tolls are the purview of the Transportation Commission, which is why the tunnel decision is in its hands. They’re also looking at systemwide fees and rates, which are charged in different ways (think about the difference between ferries and bridges, for example) – look for public-input meetings on all this later this year, too. So we’re wrapping up our coverage here.
(UPDATED WEDNESDAY NIGHT: 13 schools represented below – Alki ES, Boren STEM K-8, Cascade MS, Chief Sealth IHS, Denny IMS, Evergreen HS, Fairmount Park ES, Gatewood ES, Hope Lutheran, Lafayette ES, Madison MS, Pathfinder K-8, West Seattle HS)
(WSB/WCN photo)
10:03 AM: Students at more than 3,000 schools around the country said they would be part of the #NationalStudentWalkout at 10 am local time today – advocating for gun-law reform, exactly one month after the high-school massacre that killed 17 people in Florida. Some of the local schools participating invited us to cover their walkouts. Our first photo above and video below are from Evergreen High School and Cascade Middle School in White Center. More to come.
17 seconds of silence. pic.twitter.com/RHESoZNjYC
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) March 14, 2018
(WSB/WCN video)
ADDED 10:26 AM: The Evergreen and Cascade students headed back to class a few minutes ago. Over the next hour-plus, we’ll be adding photos and video, from there and elsewhere. Above, their 17 seconds of silence; they also had student speakers. Below, Alice Enevoldsen‘s video from West Seattle High School, as names of victims were read:
More to come from other local schools.
(Reader photo, via text)
ADDED 11 AM: Above, students from Louisa Boren STEM K-8 lined up along Delridge Way outside the school. Below, Chief Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School students gathered on the Southwest Athletic Complex field across SW Thistle:
(WSB photo)
Many held pieces of paper with photos of those killed in Florida.
(Above and below, WSB photos and video by Patrick Sand at CSIHS/Denny event)
Below, video of student Natalie Sailors speaking as the Sealth/Denny gathering began:
And the closing remarks from student Kameron Port:
He had sent us the Chief Sealth IHS United Cultural Coalition’s invitation to cover the walkout, saying, “We are pushing and advocating for more progressive and responsible firearm legislation in the wake of the recent events of Florida and other national tragedies. … It is important to let the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting know that we are walking out in solidarity, and standing with them in this fight. We will no longer deal with hearing about the change that this generation needs. We are the change! We will not let this happen again! We’re taking matters into our own hands, advocating for stricter gun-control laws and more mental-health resources for treating troubled peers.”
Elsewhere in West Seattle – also participating: Pathfinder K-8 on Pigeon Point:
(Reader photo, via text)
Hope Lutheran School in The Junction:
(Reader photo, via text)
(WSB photos by Christopher Boffoli at Madison event)
After a moment of silence outside the school, the Madison students formed a line and walked the sidewalk around the school, down the hill around back, and up to the front again.
ADDED 12:17 PM: While elementary schools weren’t planning full-scale walkouts, some parents had gatherings in solidarity with the walkout. This photo is from Linnea Westerlind, who says about 25 people associated with Gatewood Elementary, including a few students, gathered nearby:
And Erika Stromberg sent this photo of Lafayette Elementary students, parents, and grandparents walking along California SW for 17 minutes at 10 am:
Anyone else? editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – thank you!
ADDED 8:43 PM: Thanks to Melissa Fenno for this photo from the playfield fence outside Fairmount Park Elementary:
In each cup, she says, was a candle – 17, one for each Florida victim.
ADDED 11:55 PM: Add Alki Elementary to the list – thanks for the photo of the march past the playfield:
(Red-Breasted Sapsucker, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
Looking ahead at your Wednesday morning, afternoon, and evening:
SCHOOL WALKOUTS: Students at local high schools and middle schools say they are participating in the 10 am #NationalStudentWalkout in support of gun-law reform, as previewed here.
JOB FAIR: 10 am-1 pm at Neighborhood House High Point: “Employers will be on site and ready to hire. Come professionally dressed and prepared with your resume.” Child care and refreshments provided. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
BABY STORY TIME: 11:30 am at High Point Library, bring your baby up to one year old for stories, songs, and rhymes. (35th SW/SW Raymond)
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON MATINEE: 1 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, “Q Planes” is this week’s movie. $1 members/$2 nonmembers, free popcorn. (4217 SW Oregon)
LEARN MARITIME WELDING: Interested in exploring this career option? Be at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) at 4:30 pm for an information session – details here. (6000 16th SW)
LIGHT RAIL MEETING: The Stakeholder Advisory Group for Sound Transit‘s West Seattle (and Ballard) light rail project will meet 5-8 pm at Union Station downtown – agenda and supplementary documents here. Public is welcome, but note that there’s no spoken-comment period planned. (401 S. Jackson)
YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE: 5:30-7:30 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library, help review some of the proposals for a share of $3 million city park/street project grants. (2306 42nd SW)
WSHS INFORMATION NIGHT IN HIGH POINT: 6-7:30 pm at Neighborhood House High Point, find out more about West Seattle High School – details in our calendar listing. (6400 Sylvan Way SW)
RAPIDRIDE H LINE DISCUSSION: The future Delridge-and-beyond RapidRide H Line is one of the agenda items for tonight’s 6 pm meeting of the Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board at City Hall downtown. (600 4th Ave.)
POETRYBRIDGE: Paul Nelson and John Olson are the featured readers for tonight’s 7 pm PoetryBridge event at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) – details here. (5612 California SW)
34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: Health care is on the agenda for tonight’s 7 pm meeting at The Hall at Fauntleroy. (9131 California SW)
MORE ON THE CALENDAR … browse it here.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:59 AM: Good morning. No incidents or traffic alerts in/from West Seattle so far.
Later today:
STUDENT WALKOUTS: If you’re going to be near a middle/high school at 10 am, remember these are expected to happen, as previewed here. The only plan we’ve heard of that’s likely to affect traffic is at Chief Sealth IHS/Denny IMS, where participating students say they’ll be walking to Southwest Athletic Complex across SW Thistle.
ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP: The city and WSDOT are expected to be working on the slope over Highway 509, east of Myers Way, which could mean vehicles on the shoulder of the southbound side.
8:59 AM: Via scanner, police are on their way to check out a collision reported “eastbound, mid-span” on the West Seattle Bridge.
9:04 AM: One person is reported to be hurt.
As previewed last week, Sub Pop Records is visiting two community councils in West Seattle this week to talk about its big 30th anniversary party at Alki on August 11th (first announced here in January).
First up – tonight’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting, where Sound Transit light rail and a for-sale greenbelt were discussed too, but Sub Pop’s party was the big story. Lots of new information:
Megan Jasper, CEO of Sub Pop, led the briefing. “We live here,” she said, noting that – as mentioned in the original announcement – many Sub Pop employees and managers live in West Seattle and want to do their best to make this an event their own neighborhood can be proud of.
The band lineup is currently planned to be unveiled May 29th. Now that we have that question answered, about the crowd estimate:
(WSB photo of part of the encampment area, as seen from southbound Highway 509)
As first reported here eight days ago, the city and state plan to clean up an unauthorized encampment area on the slope over Highway 509, east of Myers Way, starting tomorrow. We talked with city spokesperson Will Lemke for a detailed followup a week ago and checked back with him today – at which time he confirmed work will start tomorrow:
You will see the Navigation Team and WSDOT crews on site, probably accessing the area from 509. The Nav Team will continue to offer services, shelter, and storage of items as the removal proceeds. WSDOT is scheduled to work on the drainage system soon-thereafter. We have allocated two days to the effort … We believe there is about a half-dozen people living in this specific section of the Myers Way greenbelt. Again, this is only for this section abutting 509 and the WSDOT drainage system.
That’s a reiteration that the encampment areas “on the plateau” immediately east of Myers Way, and “the grotto” beneath it, are not involved in the cleanup plan.
P.S. Earlier today, Lemke was one of the city staffers who briefed a City Council committee about ongoing encampment cleanups (see the Seattle Channel video here). This cleanup wasn’t discussed, but one staffer acknowledged that there are at least 400 known unauthorized encampments within the city limits.
Out of the WSB inbox, from Gary:
A 2004 silver-and-black Chevy Avalanche was stolen from Gatewood on Tuesday, March 13, 2018. The truck has personalized Seahawk plates that say “Perkins.” If seen, please dial 911.
UPDATE: The vehicle’s been found.
Nine teams of fourth- and fifth-graders from around the city will face off in the Global Reading Challenge finals next week, and one is from West Seattle! The Pathfinder K-8 “Enlightened Eagles” made it to the GRC finals! You’re invited to cheer them on in the auditorium at the Central Library downtown at 7 pm Tuesday, March 20th. As explained in the SPL announcement we received:
This event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Parking is available in the Central Library garage for $6 after 5 p.m.
The Global Reading Challenge started at the Library in 1995 with just 27 students. Now, more than 3,000 fourth- and fifth-graders from more than 65 Seattle Public Schools participate.
To compete in the Global Reading Challenge, fourth- and fifth-graders work together on teams and read 10 books from November to early February, when they are quizzed on the books during in-school challenges. The winning team from each school proceeds to the semifinals, and the winner for each semifinal advances to the City Final Challenge.
Here’s this year’s list of books.
Just in from the King County Sheriff’s Office. No known incidents in West Seattle, though as explained below, one wasn’t far:
In a span of 4 days a new *SCAM* has surfaced. Male suspect or younger-sounding female claims they have kidnapped the caller’s kids and won’t return them without money.
On 03/08/2018 in the Ravensdale area, a Mom had dropped her two kids off at the school bus in the morning. A short time after the bus left, the mom got a call from a blocked number. The male caller, described as having an accent, stated that he had her daughter and used her real name, although he had her last name slightly wrong. He told the mom that if she didn’t meet him with money in exchange for her daughter’s release he would “kill the child.” In a panic, the mom called the school and confirmed both her daughters were in school and safe.
Four days later, on 03/12/2018 in unincorporated King County near White Center, a father received a phone call from a blocked number. A younger sounding female came on the line pretending to be the daughter of that father. The female stated she was kidnapped and the suspect needed money to release her. The male suspect, again described as having an accent, then got on the phone and demanded money from the father or he “would hurt her.” The suspect then hung up on the father and the number was blocked so he had no way to call back. The father called his daughter’s school and, once again, was assured the child was safe at school with no issues.
Please keep in mind these type of phone calls are *SCAMS* – never provide money to anyone over the phone.
The parents did the right thing in these instances, confirmed with the school their kids were ok and called 911 to report it.
Didn’t have this on the calendar but saw it on the weekly bulletin from Denny International Middle School: Tonight at Denny (2601 SW Kenyon), 6:30 pm, Seattle Public Schools is hosting a community meeting about the future of its international schools and dual-language-immersion programs. Denny is one of three in our area, along with Chief Sealth International High School and Concord International (Elementary) School. This follows a formal districtwide program review (read it here or see the toplines here).
Two ways to go green this St. Patrick’s Day (next Saturday, March 17th) without leaving the peninsula:
BEACH CLEANUP: The photo is from Puget Soundkeeper, which invites you to help clean up Alki, for the benefit of life offshore as well as onshore:
Marine debris includes human-made trash, litter, discarded equipment, and other solid material that enters our waterways and oceans and ends up floating out to sea or fouling our beaches and shorelines. Ninety percent of marine debris is plastic, which breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, accumulates pollutants, and ends up in wildlife and in the food we eat. Through ingestion, strangulation, entrapment and injury, marine debris kills and injures thousands of animals every year. Due to the long life of these products, litter and debris will continue to harm the environment until someone comes along to clean up the mess.
Soundkeeper holds cleanups around the Puget Sound region to get trash off our shorelines and out of our waterways, and works to support policies that can move us towards more responsible consumption habits and waste management infrastructure. Cleanups are open to everyone and only require a willingness to get dirty! Soundkeeper will provide trash bags, grabbers, and gloves and will help properly dispose of trash when finished.
Time: 10 am – 12 pm. Location: Alki Beach (1702 Alki Ave SW) The 37 bus runs adjacent to the beach. Free street parking is available along Alki Ave SW. Volunteers will meet up at the Statue of Liberty Plaza near the beach.
What to bring: Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Wear athletic clothing that can get wet and/or muddy, and bring an extra set of clothes if you wish to change afterwards. Old tennis shoes are a good option if you don’t have water shoes. If it is sunny, consider wearing a hat and sunscreen and bring plenty of water. All cleanup equipment is provided.
Waivers: Everyone will need to sign a Puget Soundkeeper waiver. Participants under 18 will need a guardian to sign the waiver on their behalf. To RSVP: Call 206-297-7002 or email Hillary (hillary@pugetsoundkeeper.org)
GO GREEN WITH SWS @ C & P: Then on Saturday night, as announced by Stu Hennessey of Sustainable West Seattle:
Sustainable West Seattle is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and the saving of a West Seattle green space and public gathering area, C & P Coffee.
Celebrate the GREEN and the victory of C & P Coffee keeping their very public, open Green Space and valuable community small business. This is a victory for all of us! There will be music and the usual menu from C&P available for purchase. We will be glad to talk to you about being GREEN in West Seattle.
Saturday, March 17th, from 6:30 to 9 pm at C & P Coffee, 5612 California SW.
Three items in West Seattle Crime Watch so far today:
STOLEN CR-V: From Taylor:
> Wanted to put the word out my car was stolen sometime between Monday afternoon at 3pm (last seen) to 5:00 am Tuesday morning (today). Car was stolen out of my apartment building’s parking lot, which is open off the street (no garage or gate) on 35th Ave between the blocks of Barton and Trenton. Car is a silver 1999 Honda CR-V. Police report has been filed. License plates AMY0339.
TUESDAY EVENING UPDATE: Taylor tells us the car was found in Burien.
CAR PROWL: TM on 42nd SW in Gatewood reported this morning, “My car was run through some time last night. Parked on the street, must have been unlocked. Looks like just change taken from closed console but hard to tell right now.” If you live in the area and have a car, TM suggests, you might consider checking to see if you got hit too.
BUSINESS SAFETY: Monday afternoon, we mentioned tip-jar thieves reported in The Junction, all too common of a crime. Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner reminds us that one of her roles is to “provide safety/security assessments for businesses- using Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles, in addition to supplying tips based on recent crime trends and patterns.” (And yes, that includes talking about tip jars.) This is a free service. You can e-mail her at jennifer.danner@seattle.gov or call 206-256-6820.
What a spectacular sunrise before everything went back to classic Seattle gray! The photo above is from Joel in Highland Park. Tonight’s the second Tuesday of the month, which means four area neighborhood groups are meeting, and welcoming anyone/everyone living, working, studying, playing in their areas to come talk about/listen to what’s going on:
SOUTH DELRIDGE COMMUNITY GROUP: Come meet up with SDCG at 7 pm at Two Fingers Social – all ages welcome. Find out more about the group here. (9211 Delridge Way SW)
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: As mentioned in earlier previews, tonight’s (corrected) 6:30 pm meeting at The Sanctuary at Admiral includes two major agenda items – Q&A with Sub Pop about its big 30th anniversary party at Alki on August 11th, and ANA president Larry Wymer leading a discussion of Sound Transit’s West Seattle light-rail planning process. (42nd SW/SW Lander)
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: All are welcome at the 7 pm monthly board meeting at historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, with an agenda including:
West Seattle Police Precinct Update – Lt. Ron Smith 10 Min
Annual Meeting and Food Fest
Joslin Building Proposed Rezone
Parking Concerns and SDOT Correspondence
2017/2018 FCA Survey
Website Update
New Neighbor Bag, West Seattle 101
Endolyne Planter Update
Treasurer Report
Rose Street Traffic light
SW District Council Update
The meeting room is just inside the schoolhouse’s front entrance. (9131 California SW)
SOUTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 7 pm at South Park Neighborhood Center, with an agenda including the Seattle Neighborhood Group and the city Department of Neighborhoods talking about the ongoing Your Voice, Your Choice. And the meeting starts with food! (8201 10th Ave. S.)
Also from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
NURSING PROGRAM INFORMATION SESSIONS: Two at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) this midday, 11 am-noon and noon-1 pm – details here. (6000 16th SW)
ST. PATRICK’S DAY LUNCH: Doors open at 11:30 am at the Senior Center of West Seattle. If you haven’t already made a reservation, call first to see if there’s still room. (4217 SW Oregon)
MEDITATION: Get centered. Join the Shambhala Meditation group’s weekly event at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 7 pm – details in our listing. (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FAMILY STORY TIME: Bring the kids to Delridge Library at 7 pm for stories, songs, and rhymes. Free, as always. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
AND THERE’S MORE … always, easily browsable, on our complete-calendar page.
We’ve just heard from another local troop that will be collecting food door-to-door this Saturday for the Scouting for Food drive. From Boy Scout Troop 284 parent Dwight Gilmore:
If you live on SW 29th through SW 34th St. between SW Myrtle St. & SW Henderson St., Boy Scout Troop #284 (based at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church) would like you to know that for our Scouting for Food effort this year, we will be picking up donations for the West Seattle Food Bank this Saturday morning (the 17th). If you’re within the above-mentioned area and would like to contribute, please leave your donations outside your front door by 8:00 AM. In the unlikely event that we miss your donation (if it hasn’t been picked up by about 2 PM this Saturday), you can email me at scouting4food284@gmail.com, and I’ll see that it gets picked up by Sunday evening.
The most needed items are:
Canned meat
Canned beans
Peanut butter
Canned fruit
Canned vegetables
Spaghetti sauce
Pasta/rice
Breakfast cereal
Oatmeal
Baby food/formula
Shampoo/soap
Feminine productsThank you in advance for helping those in need in our community!
Previously, we published Cub Scout Pack 799‘s announcement. Any other troops/packs? editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – we’d be happy to announce yours too.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
6:57 AM: Good morning! We just checked around – no incidents are reported so far on the routes in and from West Seattle. No transit alerts in the area either.
Thanks to James Bratsanos for the view from Seacrest at the end of a day that set a weather record – a high temperature of 73 degrees, 20 years after the previous record, 68, was set. The National Weather Service adds via Twitter, “73° is the normal high for June 29th through July 2nd.” Rain is expected tomorrow; some sunshine is expected to return by midweek – but with highs in the 50s.
P.S. The orange-hulled ship in the bay toward the right side of the image is not the Zhen Hua 28, which left Puget Sound over the weekend after dropping off those big cranes in Tacoma, but one of its sibling heavy-lift vessels, the Zhen Hua 33. According to this item we found, it a floating drydock for Vigor – (confirmed) it’s this one announced last year.
West Seattle’s newest business opened today. The announcement from proprietor Jenny Melville:
West Seattle Pilates and Fitness is a new woman-owned business offering private lessons and group Mat/Props classes. WSP works with people who have varying injuries and pathologies as well as those who want to strengthen their body and minds. The owner has been a resident of West Seattle for the last 8 years and teaching Pilates for 7 years. West Seattle Pilates is located in the ActivSpace building (3400 Harbor Ave. SW).
(Photo courtesy Seattle Audubon)
Lots of nature fans in WSB-land. If you’re among them, this volunteer opportunity from Seattle Audubon just might be something you would enjoy:
Help Sanislo and Lafayette students have FUN!
Finding Urban Nature (FUN) is Seattle Audubon’s free environmental education program in Seattle Public Elementary Schools. The program needs volunteers at Sanislo and Lafayette Elementary Schools for lessons in April and May.
FUN introduces 3rd and 4th grade students to the nature in their own schoolyard habitat, and examines how each organism depends on others to survive. Volunteers lead small groups of four to six students through a series of outdoor investigations, which teach kids to use their senses and scientific practices to discover the importance of urban biodiversity firsthand.
Volunteers devote about two hours a week for four weeks to lead 4-6 students through each lesson, with the support of the school’s FUN Team Leader and classroom teachers. No previous teaching or science background is necessary. Training is provided and a background check is required.
FUN trainings are held at the end of March and in early April. Contact Wendy at FUNvolunteer@seattleaudubon.org or call 206-523-8243 ext. 110 if interested.
Spring-like weather today, in the 70s … and we are still two whole months away from West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2018. Exactly two months, in fact, since this year’s sale date is May 12th (second Saturday in May every year). One day, hundreds of sales, and even if you’re not having one, it’s an awesome opportunity to get out and meet your neighbors. If you are planning to have a sale this year, watch for registration to open in three weeks – early April – we’ll announce it here and on the official WSCGSD website, westseattlegaragesale.com, as soon as signups start. Ten years now since we started coordinating WSCGSD – three years after it launched, so this will be the 14th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day!
From the scanner: Tip-jar theft reported this past hour in The Junction. We don’t have descriptions – the callout just mentioned two suspects – but thought it worth mentioning so other businesses with tip jars will keep close watch on theirs. The address mentioned on the dispatch checks to Pagliacci Pizza (4449 California SW).
Updates on the process of planning Sound Transit‘s West Seattle (to Ballard) light rail:
FIRST TOPLINES FROM ‘EARLY SCOPING’: The slide deck above (also visible here) will be presented to the Stakeholder Advisory Group at its meeting this Wednesday (agenda here), and it includes toplines of what Sound Transit says it heard from commenters – in person as well as online – during the “early scoping” feedback period that wrapped up a week ago. It’s not the full “early scoping” report – that, ST says, will be out next month – but it’s important because public comment will be considered by this group before making its way to the Elected Leadership Group that in turn will, in about a year, make a “preferred alternative” recommendation to the Sound Transit board.
SPEAKING OF COMMENTS: This caught our eye when ST issued a reminder that “early scoping” is closed but that you can see the comments made on the map that was part of its “online open house” – note the number of West Seattle comments vs. everywhere else:
As you probably noticed in the slide deck atop this story, ST says it’s received 2,800+ comments in all for the West Seattle/Ballard extensions, so far.
ONLY ONE ‘NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM’ HERE: As we mentioned last week, ST now says the “neighborhood forums” will start in late April. Though the agency previously had suggested they would be deeper dives into individual areas, the list on the slide deck for Wednesday’s meeting notes only one West Seattle “neighborhood forum” is planned, out of the six locations listed (clarification: in the first round, ST notes).
LIGHT-RAIL DISCUSSION IN ADMIRAL: Tomorrow night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting will include an unofficial light-rail discussion, led by ANA president Larry Wymer, who is a member of the West Seattle Transportation Coalition board. ANA now meets every other month, and at an earlier time; tomorrow’s meeting is at 6:30 pm at The Sanctuary at Admiral (42nd SW/SW Lander).
11:57 AM: One of this week’s big stories will be what happens on Wednesday, one month after the school massacre in Parkland, Florida. Students across the nation are planning walkouts in memory of the 17 people killed there, and to support gun-law reform. So far, we’ve heard from students at three area schools – Madison Middle School, Denny Middle School, and White Center’s Evergreen High School. This past Friday evening, some local students gathered at West Seattle Art Nest to make signs:
The walkouts are planned for 10 am Wednesday – local time, whatever the time zone – and planned to last 17 minutes. The Seattle Public Schools board is on record saying it encourages students to stay on campus if they choose to take part in a walkout; we are asking Highline Public Schools (Evergreen is in that district) if it has an official stance.
ADDED MONDAY EVENING: We’ve also heard from a Louisa Boren STEM K-8 student about a walkout plan there. Meantime, Highline tells us superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield sent students a letter last week, which included this:
… Some of you may be considering joining students in other districts and states in a 17-minute walkout on March 14 or in other actions to send a message to adults in power. If you are, I applaud you for taking action on an issue important to you. This is an opportunity for you to learn what it means to be involved in the civic and political life of your community and your world. An important part of that learning is understanding the laws and policies that apply to you if you should choose to participate in a walkout during the school day.
You have a constitutional right to free speech in school as well as outside of school. If there is a walkout planned at your school, you are free to participate or not to participate. If you choose to participate, you need to know that school district policy requires you to be in class or be counted absent. District policy is “the law” in our schools, and as educators we are obligated to follow it. If you are absent from a class period, you will receive an unexcused absence unless your parent or guardian contacts the school office to excuse it.
ADDED TUESDAY EVENING: A bit more information – here’s information on the Madison PTSA website; here’s information from a Chief Sealth IHS newsletter. (added) Police will be standing by at schools where walkouts are planned, Lt. Ron Smith from the Southwest Precinct confirmed. And while we still haven’t heard from anyone at West Seattle High School, Lt. Smith says his understanding is that WSHS is participating too.
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