West Seattle, Washington
21 Saturday
ORIGINAL 2:53 PM REPORT: Remember the invitation to decorate a cake for the Fauntleroy Fall Festival? Here are some of the entrants. The Cake Walk is at 3:30, if you haven’t made it to the festival yet – Fauntleroy Church, Y, and Schoolhouse, 9100 block of California SW, with a guard to get you back and forth safely:
In the church parking lot – activities including pumpkin-painting
Be sure to check out what’s behind the schoolhouse – including the ponies!
And meet some of the folks whose volunteer efforts keep the wheels turning – like board members from the Fauntleroy Community Association:
And West Seattle Hi-Yu Summer Festival leadership:
More photos to come, post-festival! The event schedule at fauntleroy.net – the festival is on right now, till 5:30 pm.
MORE PHOTOS ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT! Just ahead –Read More
After months of planning, the final round of readiness started this morning in the heart of Fauntleroy, where we spotted this megacanopy at midday. Its site in the Fauntleroy Church/YMCA parking lot is only part of the venue for Sunday afternoon’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival (2-5:30 pm), which also sprawls across the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse grounds across the street (front and back) in the 9100 block of California SW (map). The full schedule of events/activities – where, when, what – is here – including (elaborating on our headline) a cake walk/cake-decorating contest (explained here – not too late to enter!), pumpkin-painting for kids, pony rides, and even a goat demonstration. Much more, as you’ll see on the activities list. See you there!
Sunday’s the Fauntleroy Fall Festival – and that was one major topic of Tuesday night’s Fauntleroy Community Association meeting. Kim Petram was there with a reminder about a contest you’ll need to plan for in advance: Everyone’s welcome to enter the cake-decorating contest! Any kind of cake, Kim says, any shape, just bake it, decorate it, bring it down and maybe you’ll win a prize. They’re planning categories for competitors from kids to pros. The festival runs 2-5:30 pm at Fauntleroy Church/YMCA/Schoolhouse, but you can bring your cake entry over as early as noon. Entering or not, you’ll want to be there for the cake walk! Full details on this flyer. More festival details ahead, and other FCA business:Read More
Two notes for pumpkin fans:
PUMPKIN SALE: Saturday, 10 am till 2 pm (or till the pumpkins are all gone, if sooner), the Lincoln Park P-Patch is selling the pumpkins just harvested there last weekend, with proceeds benefiting the West Seattle Food Bank. Details in this WSB Forums announcement.
PUMPKIN CARVING DEMONSTRATION: Need some jack-o-lantern skills? Just in:
The Genesee Schmitz Neighborhood Council is hosting professional pumpkin carver Pam Leno from 1 to 4 pm at Ercolini Park (48th & Alaska) this Sunday (rain or shine!).
There will be demonstrations for decorating your pumpkin this year! We ask everyone to bring your own pumpkin and tools to decorate with. Markers will be provided for the smaller children. The GSNC will be providing free cider and hot coffee.
One of the half-dozen-plus ongoing criminal cases on which we check periodically is that of Angelo Felice, charged with the stabbing murder last February of the Fauntleroy man best known by his vaudeville name, Hokum W. Jeebs. Felice was back in court today; a trial date was tentatively set for January 17th, provided everything is in order at the “omnibus” check-in hearing that will precede it, on December 30th. We last reported on this case in March; what’s happened since then is the fairly standard pattern of check-in hearings, postponements, and also in this case some motions and documents that are “sealed,” regarding expert witnesses for the defense. Felice has been in jail, held in lieu of $1 million bail, since last February 16th, the day after the killing, when he was picked up while walking in Highland Park, hours after being seen climbing out of a ravine near Jeebs’s home.
Same place where recyclables were dropped off yesterday, you’ll find part of the fun this Sunday, at the annual Fauntleroy Fall Festival. It actually spans the entire Fauntleroy hub – Fauntleroy Church/YMCA and, across the street, the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse Community Center (be sure to wander to the west side, “behind” the schoolhouse, too). 2-5:30 pm on Sunday (October 16) with live music, dance, pony rides, pumpkin-painting, more than two dozen OTHER things to do! We’ve just received the full list of activities and performances, and when/where on the festival grounds you’ll find them – see it here.
Maybe “fall cleaning” is more popular than “spring cleaning”! An update just in from Judy Pickens:
West Seattle is surely riding higher in the water today after yesterday’s free Recycle Roundup sponsored by 1 Green Planet and Fauntleroy Church. Residents off loaded a record 14 tons of stuff, from water heaters and console TVs to computer monitors and floor lamps. All is even now being responsibly recycled locally for return to the resource stream. Watch for the church’s green committee to host another roundup in the spring.
If you can’t wait till spring, check out the South Transfer Station – and related links if you have items they don’t take. (WSB photo taken during Sunday’s event)
That classic TV console was one of the items dropped off in the early going for today’s Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church. We asked people on WSB’s Facebook page for caption ideas; among the suggestions so far, Stephanie suggested, “1970 called and wants its TV back.” Here again is the list of what they’ll take (for free, unlike some other e-and-other-things recyclers that request a fee).
9140 California SW, dropoffs till 3 pm.
(WSB photo from April 2011)
The trucks from 1 Green Planet return tomorrow to the Fauntleroy Church parking lot at 9140 California SW (map), 9 am-3 pm, and you are invited to bring your recyclables – as long as they are items on this (long!) list of what will be accepted. Just drive up and drop off, free! (P.S. One week from tomorrow, that same lot will be abuzz with activity for the annual Fauntleroy Fall Festival, as will the schoolhouse across the street, so make a calendar note for the festival, too.)
First of two updates from this morning’s City Council Transportation Committee meeting:
That’s what Cove Park just north of the Fauntleroy ferry dock is projected to look like after the Barton Pump Station expansion. This was a hot topic at this month’s meeting of the Fauntleroy Community Association, which has been working with government agencies a long time to make sure the station project doesn’t completely ravage the park and its distinctive art. The council committee had asked for a presentation on where the post-project park design stood. In addition to what they saw – here’s a PDF with the graphics – the plans also are detailed in the latest edition of the FCA newsletter, where Mardi Clements writes that the centerpiece will be a “stunning display of multiple new pieces of salmon-themed art created by noted sculptor Tom Jay …” They will include a “Salmon Bench” shown to the committee today:
The FCA newsletter article says the bench will be “cast bronze depicting a coho digging a redd in ‘the river of time.’ She will be installed with her tail touching a faux concrete rock carved with petroglyphs inspired by images of salmon from around the world.” Cove Park’s existing raven, canoe, and story rocks are to be returned to the park after the pump station project, which will be under construction for about two years, expected to start next summer (here’s the county information about it).
One point of contention for Fauntleroy community advocates remains the fencing between the project and homes on the beach; they wanted fencing that was more of a visual screen, but the team briefing the committee today said they’re going with the Design Commission recommendation of a more-see-through fence. SDOT has jurisdiction because this park is on a “street end”; it’s not a Seattle Parks site. No vote was taken today, it was just a briefing, but agreements related to the pump station project eventually will come before the council.
Two notes today from Fauntleroy, related to big events ahead:
FINE ART AND HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR DEADLINE THIS THURSDAY: That’s West Seattle batik artist Ruth Leonard at left in the photo, and she’s been a crowd-pleaser at the fair since its beginnings in 2008. Want to show/sell your stuff this year? The fair isn’t till November 18-20 but volunteer organizers need time to review applications and put together a great event – so they’re asking you to please send yours by the deadline this Thursday (September 30th). You’ll find more details, and the application, at fauntleroyucc.org.
FALL FESTIVAL – THANKS AND REMINDER: One week ago, fundraising flapjack-flipping was under way at The Hall at Fauntleroy, and there was plenty of it, according to this acknowledgment out of the WSB inbox: “A big THANK YOU to everyone who turned out last Saturday (Sept. 17) to enjoy a pancake breakfast in support of the Fauntleroy Fall Festival. The event netted nearly $525, putting the festival on solid financial ground to start planning for the 10th anniversary celebration in 2012!” But first, this year’s edition is only weeks away – 2-5:30 pm on October 16th.
Today’s biggest rummage-saling opportunity in West Seattle: The 16th annual 2nd-Time Sale at Fauntleroy UCC Church (9140 California SW), continuing till 3 pm. Big turnout in the early going. Donated items include a pile of pillows we’re told are courtesy of a West Seattleite who does decor aboard yachts!
P.S. If you’re looking for more rummage/yard/garage sales, check the (free!) listings in the WSB Forums’ Freebies/Deals/Sales section.
(Updated screen grab of City Light outage map – click here for a “live” look)
ORIGINAL 4:17 PM REPORT: Just got a note from Eddie, who says they “heard a big explosion … south of Fauntleroy ferry dock,” and are without power. The City Light map says 165 customers in that area are without power, and the cause is listed as “equipment failure,” with hopes of getting the power back by 7 pm. More as we get it.
4:25 PM UPDATE: Now up to 335 customers affected. We’re headed for the Fauntleroy/Endolyne business district to make sure they’re OK. (Update – they are, power IS on in the business district; the map above is from City Light’s website, and suggests the outage area starts just south of there, and is mostly west of 45th/Marine View Drive.)
6:21 PM UPDATE: The City Light map reverted to 165 customers (homes/businesses, though we believe this is all residential) so we’re going with that. It also has changed the restoration estimate to 2 am. And we’re hearing there is a Comcast outage in the area as well.
6:47 AM UPDATE: Still not fixed, according to the SCL map, which is back to the 335-customer estimate, and listing early-afternoon restoration. We’ll be checking directly with the utility’s media team as soon as they’re reachable this morning.
Southwest Youth and Family Services is a West Seattle-based nonprofit that does a lot of hard work, fairly quietly … but once a year, it’s time to have fun. In our photo are State Sen. Sharon Nelson and SWYFS executive director Steve Daschle, snapped at The Hall at Fauntleroy Friday night, during the agency’s annual gala dinner/auction. Not just the standard auction fare – check this array from Seattle’s popular Pop Cap Games:
The night also featured a dessert dash for treats from the quite-dashworthy Bakery Nouveau:
As explained on the SWYFS website, their main areas of emphasis are counseling, education, and family support (high-school classes are even taught on site, for high-risk students trying to get back into the groove).
Note from Samantha Bowes at the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor):
The Fauntleroy YMCA (9140 California Ave SW) will be closed for the rest of the day today due to a major water issue; we anticipate being able to open on time tomorrow morning. Fauntleroy members are welcome to use our West Seattle facility (4515 36th Ave SW) in the meantime.
Some residents near the Fauntleroy ferry dock say the overnight electrical work by Seattle City Light has been keeping them sleepless, to the breaking point. The utility first issued a warning early this month; then last week, neighbors said it got really loud, as noted here – one commenter called it “the most obscenely loud jackhammer ever.” SCL’s Scott Thomsen responded by saying the jackhammering is done. But there’s word from City Light that tonight might be noisy again, so neighbors are bracing themselves. One is even putting out an open call for a lawyer who they could consult; Chuck Sawyer (ecccsawyer [at] q.com). He and others say they are concerned not even so much about this work, which is scheduled to run another two weeks, but a precedent it might set for other future work in the area, including the Barton Pump Station adjacent to the dock.
ADDED 3:27 PM: Chuck’s video with the jackhammering from last week.
A few residents near the Fauntleroy ferry dock have e-mailed/called, wondering about late night/early morning construction work that’s under way this week. We doublechecked; it’s part of the electrical upgrades mentioned here a week and a half ago, for the nearby Barton pump station (prelude to this), for construction of a RapidRide bus stop, and for an electric-vehicle-charging station. The official Seattle City Light notice (see it here) did warn that the work hours would shift to 7 pm-4 am this week when the project moved to the immediate vicinity of the ferry terminal, to avoid conflicts with traffic during the busiest hours for ferry use. The project is scheduled to last at least two more weeks.
Just in from Seattle City Light – electrical work in the Fauntleroy ferry terminal area starting Monday – details ahead:Read More
(One tile names members of a family that influenced Fauntleroy into the 1980s. Photo courtesy Phil Sweetland)
Your name – or some other inscription – can be etched into Fauntleroy history! From Judy Pickens:
What do a state legislator, sculptor, and school office manager have in common? Their names get walked on by more than a thousand people every week in the Fauntleroy Church/YMCA lobby.
That’s because each contributed in an important way to what Fauntleroy is today. Bill Leckenby was a conscientious voice in Olympia for district residents, Frank Evans made fine art as well as very popular “Thora-ware,” and Betty Bogardus Colman greeted children every day at Fauntleroy School.
These names and several dozen others with a past or present in Fauntleroy have graced the church/Y lobby since 1996, when the church initiated the buy-a-tile project. During the building remodel last year, the lobby grew, as did the number of blank 8″ X 8″ tiles. Now 200 are available to capture more of the neighborhood’s flavor for decades to come.
The tax-deductible cost is $100 per tile for up to two lines of lettering, and pretty much anything related to Fauntleroy goes. Buyers might choose to
§ commemorate grandparents
§ honor a special Y coach
§ mark a wedding or baptism
§ list family members
§ recognize a neighborly business
§ credit an influential residentDeadline to purchase tiles is Nov. 1. Proceeds benefit the church’s Fund for the Future. Order forms are available in the lobby, church office, or at www.fauntleroyucc.org.
Because of state budget cuts, state troopers/cadets will no longer be helping direct traffic at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal as of this Sunday, according to a news release that just arrived. Read on for the details:Read More
While remodeling an area of the old Fauntleroy Schoolhouse to serve as a Pilates studio, Pamela Phillips-Blevins discovered a bit of history, a blackboard that appears to have been frozen in time – in 1939.
Way over on the right side of the blackboard, a few names for a “list” (gotta wonder what “list” that was):
Pamela says they found this blackboard under a newer one. Hers is one of several new businesses in the old schoolhouse, now nonprofit-owned (after a deal was completed last year). Fauntleroy Schoolhouse is 93 years old, according to this thumbnail history from Seattle Public Schools, which closed it in 1981.
Politics can have its moments of levity. Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen and West Seattle political activist Chris Porter had one Wednesday night during the candidates’ reception/mixer at The Hall at Fauntleroy co-sponsored by the Greater Seattle Business Association and West Seattle Chamber of Commerce. It’s the first of two pre-election events with which the Chamber is involved this month – the next one is the tunnel-related Referendum 1 forum that it’s presenting a week from tonight (6 pm July 21st, West Seattle High School, two reps from each side, with your editor here as moderator). More photos after the jump:Read More
(Photos by Rebecca Orton)
Before the next round of serious news rushes in, anybody up for a wildlife break? Rebecca Orton shared photos of a river otter (yes, the ones in Puget Sound are “river otters,” not “sea otters”) catching and enjoying its dinner:
Sunday evening, Mr. Otter was visiting our backyard and lounging under and on the deck. I rarely get to see the otters in the day time so I quickly ran for my camera and zoom lens.
Leaving his lounge area, he made his way to the water, so I followed him down to the beach where he quickly found himself a flounder. He devoured it at the water’s edge, heartily crunching through fish bones he had his flounder finished in 4 minutes flat. Then off he went for another one. His fishing skills proved expert as he came up in no time with another juicy flounder. This one, he apparently intended to gorge on in the back yard and began making his way up toward the house. Though I hadn’t moved a muscle, he finally caught sight or wind of me and stopped dead in his tracks, did a quick double take, then turned tail and ran to the water swimming away with his dinner. We both had a treat, dinner for him and wildlife-watching for me!
This reminds us of a note received recently reminding people to drive carefully near the water – including Fauntleroy, as well as Beach Drive and Harbor and Alki Avenues – otters like these spend time inland, and have to cross busy streets to get there.
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