West Seattle, Washington
08 Thursday
Tonight we have full details of what’s happening at the Fauntleroy Fall Festival on Sunday (2-5 pm)! Here’s the activity list:
And here’s the schedule of time-specific performances and events:
Among the highlights – a performance by Endolyne Children’s Choir:
Endolyne Children’s Choir is thrilled to celebrate fall and the return of the Fauntleroy Fall Festival this year on Sunday. Led by director Megan Callaghan Booth and staff instructor Maya Adams, all choir levels will perform and show off what they’ve been working on since the start of the fall session.
ECC is a no-audition, secular choir welcoming all singers in grades K-12. There are 21 West Seattle schools represented in our choir. Come join us and enjoy all the free activities that the festival has in store!
The photo above shows the choir performing exactly where you’ll find them at 2 pm Sunday, inside Fauntleroy Church, one of the festival venues – all on both sides of the 9100 block of California SW, as shown on the official map. Everything’s free at the festival except food/beverage concessions. See you there!
(WSB file photo)
For the first time since pre-pandemic, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival is returning this Sunday (October 23) as a full festival! 2-5 pm on Sunday, the grounds of Fauntleroy Church/YMCA and The Hall at Fauntleroy/Schoolhouse will host myriad free all-ages activities. They include longtime festival favorites like pumpkin painting and birdhouse building. The climbing wall will be back. And new this year – a bunny “petting zoo.” The activities are free (supported by voluntary donations, at the festival and throughout the year), and the festival is an all-volunteer operation – which brings us to the “Can you help?” part. They still have some volunteer spots open – and if you can spare as little as one hour on Sunday, that could be a big help. See the volunteer tasks and times, and sign up if you are interested, by going here!
P.S. If you haven’t been before, the festival sites are across the street from each other in the 9100 block of California. There’s always a crossing guard for festivalgoers – in fact, that’s a volunteer position too!
(WSB photos)
As pleasant as it was to gather in warm, dry weather for today’s annual event to call coho home to Fauntleroy Creek, the prevailing hope was for rain to arrive soon. As creek steward Judy Pickens explained it, salmon arriving near the mouth of the creek, south of the Fauntleroy ferry dock, need that flow of fresh water to “sniff out” where to go.
But the weather could change later this week, so the ceremonial call to the salmon – 244 of which showed up last year – proceeded, with songs led by musician and educator Jamie Shilling:
About 30 people participated, many of them children to whom the creek will be entrusted after its longtime stewards are gone.
To encourage new volunteer involvement, Pickens and others who have long cared for the creek offered tributes to two volunteers who have moved on in the past year, Steev Ward and Peggy Cumming. Their achievements were detailed by Pickens and another longtime steward, Dennis Hinton – everything from Ward teaching students about salmon via dissection, to Cumming obtaining a grant to eradicate invasive vegetation. Those acknowledgments segued into suggestions of ways community members can help the creek now:
Attendees of all ages were invited to write down ideas of what they could do:
Then participants were invited to post their ideas on an easel-borne card. Some of what we saw: “Learn about salmon,” “Give respect to all the fish,” “Introduce someone to the creek,” and more-classic ways to volunteer. Starting tomorrow, in fact, some of that will be happening on the creek, as the annual watch for spawners begins, with volunteers taking shifts keeping an eye out for fish. The way was cleared by a group of volunteers who cleared a logjam at the creek’s mouth – which is on private property – earlier this week. If you are interested in getting involved with Fauntleroy Creek – one of the few salmon streams within the city – you can contact the Fauntleroy Watershed Council.
Here’s our roundup of what was discussed at the October meeting of the Fauntleroy Community Association this past Tuesday night:
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: This is now a little over a week away, 2-5 pm Sunday, October 23rd, across the grounds of Fauntleroy Church/YMCA and Schoolhouse (which are across California SW from each other, in the 9100 block, and there’s always a crossing guard on festival day). Coordinator Reed Haggerty said that despite earlier-voiced concerns about rising costs for the donation/volunteer-supported event, they’ve been able to bring back a petting zoo (smaller-scale this time – bunnies!) and inflatable climbing wall after all.
PUMPKIN SEARCH: This three-hour event in the heart of Fauntleroy’s Endolyne business district last weekend was a success, reported coordinator Candace Blue, with a “steady stream of people” throughout the afternoon.
POLICE UPDATE: Southwest Precinct commander Capt. Martin Rivera spoke briefly at the start of the meeting and offered to answer questions, though there were few. The categories of crime most on the rise locally are auto theft and burglaries; violent crime is down. He said staffing is still a struggle – “we gain a body, lose two” – and is likely to be for a long time. Asked if the precinct lost anyone because of the COVID vaccine mandate, he replied, “two or three.” He was asked about traffic concerns and suggested talking to SDOT about traffic-control measures.
SPEAKING OF TRAFFIC SAFETY: The FCA already is talking to SDOT, as discussed later in the meeting. They’re trying to set up a meeting with new SDOT director Greg Spotts – not just having him be a guest at an upcoming meeting, but showing him firsthand what happens during peak ferry-traffic times.
SPEAKING OF FERRIES: The FCA’s point person on Washington State Ferries issues, Frank Immel, recapped the newest developments in the plan for rebuilding the Fauntleroy terminal/dock. As reported here, the proposed alternatives are down to two – rebuild without expanding the dock, or rebuild by lengthening it. Though the option that had drawn the most West Seattle community opposition, widening the dock, has been ruled out, the FCA is continuing to advocate against expanding it at all and has met with/talked to city, county, and state elected officials. They’re also continuing to circulate a petition and gathered signatures recently at both the Pumpkin Search and West Seattle Farmers’ Market, with plans to gather more at the Fall Festival.
NEXT MEETING: The Fauntleroy Community Association meets most second Tuesdays at 7 pm; watch fauntleroy.net for updates.
Recognize either of those people? They were caught on security camera burglarizing Fauntleroy UCC Church (9140 California SW) last night, reports Phil, who sent the information and images. He says they left behind damage to the lobby door and interior windows, If you have information, the SPD incident # is 2022-262632, and you can also leave a message on the church phone, 206-932-5600.
(WSB photo, Sunday)
The total’s in from last Sunday’s Recycle Roundup at Fauntleroy Church. Judy Pickens reports:
485 people took advantage of 1 Green Planet’s free, responsible recycling. The day’s take of just over 16 tons brings the total since these roundups began, in 2010, to more than 322 tons.
The spring event will be on Earth Day, April 22. These roundups will continue on Saturdays instead of Sundays so that 1 Green Planet can expedite service with a larger crew.
(Spawning pair, photographed last year by Tom Trulin)
Will this be another amazing year for salmon spawners returning to Fauntleroy Creek? The first people to know will be the volunteers watching for them. You could be one of them – creek steward Judy Pickens sent this announcement:
Fauntleroy Creek salmon watch to start October 16
If getting cold and wet is a small price to pay for a front-row seat on spawning season in Fauntleroy Creek, now’s the time to sign up for Salmon Watch 2022. Last year, 15 volunteers counted a near-record 244 spawners.
The watch will start Sunday, October 16, and go until about Thanksgiving. Watchers will document coho spawners in the lower creek, near the fish ladder (across from the ferry terminal). A veteran watcher will provide training during your first shift. For details, contact Judy Pickens at judy_pickens@msn.com.
October 16 is also the day of the annual all-ages drumming to call in spawners. Barring serious rain, it will start at 4:00 pm near the intersection of SW Director and upper Fauntleroy Way (across from the ferry terminal). The sound of a drum will guide you down a driveway to the site right on the creek.
No waiting in the lot at Fauntleroy Church when we went over to check on the early turnout at today’s Recycle Roundup. Just drive/ride/walk into the lot at 9140 California SW, and the crews from 1 Green Planet will assist you in getting your recyclables into one of their big green containers..
This is free (though you can donate to help them cover the costs if you want to). The list of what they’re accepting, and not accepting, this time is here.
(WSB photo from April’s Recycle Roundup)
Reminding you one last time because this is happening on Saturday (September 24th) instead of the traditional Sunday – tomorrow’s the day you can bring non-curbside-friendly recyclables to Fauntleroy Church. The fall Recycle Roundup is set for 9 am-3 pm in the church lot at 9140 California SW [map] – drive up, ride up, walk up to drop off your item(s). Here’s the list of what the church’s recycling partner 1 Green Planet will and won’t accept this time. It’s free, but if you want to donate something to help cover the cost, they’ll welcome it. And one more request, they hope to avoid a last-minute jam, so if you can possibly bring your recyclables in before the last hour, that’s appreciated too.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The idea of widening the Fauntleroy ferry dock over the small public beach to its north that’s known as Cove Park is no longer under consideration.
That was the biggest news from last night’s meeting of the Community Advisory Group for Washington State Ferries‘ Fauntleroy dock/terminal-rebuild project, the group’s first meeting in four months.
WSF said the second level of screening had narrowed the options down to two – rebuilding the dock/terminal with its current footprint, or expanding it, mostly by building it out further over the water. Here’s how the meeting went:
5;26 PM: After being out of service all day with engine issues, leaving the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run with one boat, M/V Issaquah is out on sea trials right now. Washington State Ferries says that if it passes, it’ll be returned to service on the Triangle Route. If not, M/V Sealth will be moved to the run sometime tonight; it’s currently at Eagle Harbor, the WSF maintenance facility on Bainbridge Island. We’ll update when there’s a decision.
7:15 PM: WSF’s David Sowers just announced in the Community Advisory Group that Issaquah is returning to service.
Key topics from the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s September meeting:
GREAT PUMPKIN SEARCH: This is happening October 8th – new format – and volunteer help would be appreciated. Here’s the announcement the FCA is circulating:
You can look forward to “The Great Pumpkin Search,” presented by the Fauntleroy Community Association. This fun event for the whole family will be on Saturday, October 8, from 2 to 5 pm. The Association will have a booth set up in the square across from Endolyne Joe’s. The pumpkins will be hidden in the streets that spoke out from that square. There will be little pumpkins easy to find for the wee ones and larger pumpkins harder to find for the grownups. As a bonus, there will be a few prize pumpkins to find. All of this is on a first come, first serve basis. We also encourage you to take a picture if you find pumpkins and post them on social media and tag it #FCAPumpkinSearch. Just like the Spring Egg Hunt, we would love volunteers to hide the pumpkins, but the area will be more concentrated around the square. If interested, please call or email Candace Blue, 206-401-8406, leeblue2@hotmail.com.
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: Coming up two weeks after that, this year’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival. Organizer Reed Haggerty said that while they’re bringing it back in-person this year, it won’t be exactly what you remember from before the pandemic, because costs have risen so much. While The Falconer will be back with birds, the petting zoo won’t. They’re also still in discussions on what can be done regarding features such as the climbing wall/bouncy toys. But many festival-favorite activities will return for sure – salmon-hat-making, pumpkin-painting, etc. Festival date is Sunday, October 23rd, 2-5 pm.
FERRY DOCK REPLACEMENT: Tomorrow (Wednesday, September 21st) brings the first Community Advisory Group meeting for the dock-replacement project since May. The FCA point person on Washington State Ferries issues, Frank Immel, said not much had been happening over the summer, but he expects narrowed-down replacement options to be presented at Wednesday’s 6 pm online meeting. (Here’s how to watch.) Also related to the dock project, FCA president Mike Dey said community advocates are still circulating petitions asking the City Council to hold to a 1990s resolution against expanding the dock’s footprint. The FCA recently supported a booth at the Farmers’ Market soliciting support.
NEXT FCA MEETING: The Fauntleroy Community Association meets second Tuesdays, 7 pm, most months, in-person at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) and online. Watch fauntleroy.net for information between meetings.
That’s the Fauntleroy Church/YMCA lot – empty when we photographed it Monday evening but sure to be bustling Saturday (September 24th), the next twice-yearly Recycle Roundup. The church partners with 1 Green Planet to offer you free dropoff recycling for a variety of items – here’s the list of what they will and won’t accept this time. Just show up between 9 am and 3 pm (the earlier the better so the volunteers don’t have to deal with a late rush); the church is at 9140 California SW. And yes, though it’s usually been on Sundays, this time the Recycle Roundup is on Saturday.
(Photo sent by Mardi Clements)
Thanks for the tips. Almost two months after the ferry Cathlamet crashed into an offshore component of the Fauntleroy ferry dock known as a “dolphin,” repairs are starting. After getting word that this crane had arrived off the terminal early this morning, we asked Washington State Ferries spokesperson Ian Sterling about it. His reply:
This is the barge that does annual maintenance work on most of our terminals. It was in Vashon last week and prior to that in Bremerton. The contractor is American Construction and in Fauntleroy they are to do not only annual maintenance, but to proceed with first temporary and then later permanent repairs to the left outer dolphin. They intend to start the demolition of the damaged piles and remove the concrete pile cap. New piles and a new cap are expected to be installed at a later date this fall/winter. They will also be doing regular maintenance and repairs not related to the Cathlamet. These include repair to the right outer dolphin and replacing rub timbers on both wingwalls. Work is expected to take about a week and it’s not expected to have much impact to the traveling public.
The Cathlamet, meantime, is undergoing repairs at a drydock in Everett.
1:34 PM: Thanks for the tips. Two Fauntleroy businesses were broken into last night, though both tell us the burglars didn’t get away with anything of value – though the damage they left behind is costly.
At Wildwood Market (9214 45th SW), a glass company was there replacing the door when we stopped by – that’s how the burglar(s) broke in; we’re told they tried grabbing a cash box that had only coins.
At Endolyne Joe’s (9261 45th SW), someone broke in by busting a door lock (which they’ve already repaired). They told us the burglar(s) grabbed what turned out to be an empty cash drawer.
We’ve also received a reader report about what appeared to be a break-in attempt in Morgan Junction; a nearby resident says she saw someone with a crowbar trying to break into the back door of New Teriyaki and Wok (6540 California SW) around 4 am; she yelled to them to walk away and she says they did: “It was a person in a blue hoodie and a blue surgical face mask.”
ADDED 3:10 PM: Ian at Locöl (7902 35th SW) says they were hit too, and sent this security-video grab:
“looks like the same guy broke into Locöl last night was the same group that broke into Endolyne and Wildwood,” Ian notes.
P.S. The Southwest Precinct online community meeting to discuss crime/safety concerns is at 6 pm Monday (September 19th); details here.
Another big chance to shop this weekend – the Fauntleroy Church Second-Time Sale is ready to go! We stopped by today for a preview. Lots of kid stuff, of course:
You can even buy this quilt made by the Fauntleroy Piece Makers:
That’s Pat with the quilt, which is going for $100. Housewares, tools, jewelry, more … the church is at 9140 California SW and the sale runs 9 am-4 pm tomorrow (Saturday, September 17th) and 11:30 am-2 pm Sunday.
On this somber anniversary of deadly attacks followed by years of war, a garden gathering in West Seattle today sowed seeds of hope for peace.
The new Children’s Peace Garden outside Fauntleroy UCC Church is centered on a Peace Pole installed by the Rotary Club of West Seattle, one of a quarter-million placed by Rotarians around the world. This morning’s gathering was a celebration of the garden’s completion. Many people worked to bring it to reality:
Third from right in the photo above is Jenny Mandt, who designed the garden. At right is Keith Hughes from the West Seattle Rotary, who explained that the Peace Pole and Children’s Peace Garden embody two of the organization’s seven pillars of service – promoting peace and supportihg education. Also from the Rotary, third from left, was Christine Peak, who leads its Peacebuilding Services Committee, and noted that the Peace Pole project dates back to 1976. They are meant to be a welcoming gesture, she explained. Second from left above is Greg Dirks, Fauntleroy Church’s vice moderator, who observed that “we all have a role to play in fostering peace.” This, it’s hoped, will be a place to reflect. Also – as the church is co-housed with Hazelwood Preschool and the West Seattle/Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor) – it’ll be a place for children to ponder peace as they see the garden and pole each day.
The dedication event also celebrated peace through music, with a song led by Bronwyn Edwards:
A plaque is yet to come for the garden. It will read, in English and Lushootseed:
This garden is dedicated to the children of the Fauntleroy community. As they gather in this space, part of the traditional homeland of the Duwamish People, may they understand the power of peaceful coexistence amongst all peoples that we symbolize here. As these plants grow, may the children grow to know that whoever they are, they are welcome in this place of beauty and hopeful peace. May peace prevail on Earth.
The next Peace Pole to be planted in West Seattle by the Rotary is planned for C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), with a ceremony planned on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. September 21st.
That’s reader-contributed video showing the aftermath of a fire around 7:30 this morning in western Fauntleroy Park. What concerned the person who sent it, and another nearby resident we have heard from tonight, is that there have been multiple fires recently. Stacy said via email:
“I’ve lived next to Fauntleroy Park for 13 years. Today we called 911 because of a sizeable fire in the park, at our property line. SFD responded extremely quickly and put the fire out using shovels, rakes, a large hose of water and a chainsaw. We’ve spoken with neighbors and come to find out, this is the third fire in the park in the timespan of one week that the SFD has had to respond to and put out. And SFD says neighbors reported additional recent fires. … I don’t think anyone has seen any indication of an encampment at the sites of the fires. But the multiplicity is obviously concerning. … We are hoping others will be alerted so that they are careful and so that they let the fire department or police department know of any leads.”
We asked SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo about today’s fire, which was logged only as a “brush fire.” He replied, “I spoke to the firefighters that responded to this incident. They extinguished a small smoldering fire occupying a space of about eight feet in diameter. There was no clear evidence around the area that would have indicated how the fire may have started. No injuries were reported.”
Thanks to Keith Hughes for the photo! Members of the Rotary Club of West Seattle are installing eight Peace Poles over the next year and the first one will be the center of a Children’s Peace Garden at Fauntleroy UCC. Work was under way earlier this week to get the garden ready. It’s to be dedicated at 11 am tomorrow (Sunday, September 11th) outside the church at 9140 California SW.
(WSB photo, August 7, 2016)
Six years have passed since that juvenile humpback whale stranded and died by the Fauntleroy ferry dock. It’s something we’ll never forget seeing – and hearing, as the 39-foot-long whale took her last breaths while people tried to save her. Later this month, the whale will be teaching posthumous lessons as part of a “walkshop” in nearby Lincoln Park. We received the announcement today from the Henry Art Museum, which invites you to the September 24th event “Care for the Stranded“ as part of its “Learning Endings” series:
On August 7, 2016, a juvenile humpback whale died on the beach just south of Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in West Seattle. This animal was one of hundreds of marine mammals that strand every year on the northwest coast of the Pacific. These ocean-dwelling animals are mostly hidden from humans during their lifetimes, but in a stranding death, they reveal themselves to us, and call on us to care. This care can take many forms — from traditional ceremony, to scientific necropsy, to community vigil. Join Learning Endings collaborators for a forest and shoreline walk of storytelling, conversation, participation, and performance as we collectively consider what the death of the Fauntleroy humpback can teach us about the lives of these animals, those who care for them, and the entangled futures of humans and oceans.
Care for the Stranded is part of Learning Endings, a multi-part project by artists and researchers Patty Chang, Astrida Neimanis, and Aleksija Neimanis. Through a series of events, gatherings, research, and discussions, Learning Endings brings together local communities, scientists, artists, and humanities researchers to consider ecologies of care in a time of endings, with a focus on stranded marine mammals. For this Shoreline Walkshop, the Learning Endings collaborators will be joined by regional knowledge keepers Ken Workman, member of the Duwamish Tribal Council, and research biologist Jessie Huggins, as well as Canadian-based audio artist Anne Bourne.
Participants will meet at 9:30 am Saturday, September 24th, by the north parking lot of Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), and will be together for about three hours. There is no fee, but you need to register here (look for the “tickets” link). The Fauntleroy humpback was one of three whale strandings we covered on local shores last decade, along with a gray whale in The Arroyos in April 2010 and a fin whale at Seahurst Park in April 2013.
3:59 PM: Just in case you’ve forgotten, it’s holiday-weekend-getaway time, and that’s why the shared TV-news helicopter is circling Fauntleroy right now – taking a look at ferry traffic. It’s nothing unusual, per the most-recent update from Washington State Ferries – the #2 boat is running about half an hour behind schedule.
4:15 PM: It’s moved on, for now.
(WSB photo, April 24)
If you’ve been piling up electronics and other non-curbside recyclables, waiting for Fauntleroy Church‘s next dropoff Recycle Roundup, you have less than four weeks left to wait. This time around, it’s on a Saturday, not Sunday – September 24th is the date, same time window as usual, 9 am-3 pm. Here’s the list of what the church’s Recycle Roundup partner, 1 Green Planet, will and won’t take this time. On September 24th, just drive/ride/walk into the church lot at 9140 California and drop off your recyclables. The service is free, though the Green Committee is always happy to accept cash donations to help cover its cost.
1:04 PM: Thanks to Jon Wright for the photo. That’s state ferry M/V Cathlamet, headed out of Washington State Ferries‘ Eagle Harbor maintenance facility this morning. It’s been four weeks since Cathlamet crashed into an offshore structure (known as a dolphin) at the Fauntleroy terminal while arriving from Vashon. WSF spokesperson Ian Sterling says Cathlamet will be drydocked at Everett Ship Repair and that it’s not expected back in service before the end of the year. They aren’t citing an estimate for what repairs will cost, only that it’s “well into the millions.” (The car stuck beneath the collapsed section of ferry has been removed, in case you’re wondering.) We’ve also asked for an update on the dolphin repair plans and will add that when we get it. We’re checking separately on the status of the investigation, which was to be led by the U.S. Coast Guard. The captain on duty at the time of the crash, a 36-year WSF veteran, resigned days later.
6:11 PM: Here’s what WSF’s Sterling says about the dolphin: “Price estimate for the dolphin repair is fluctuating but remains in the hundreds of thousands range. Repair should start in late September, depending on material availability. We need some odd sized, out of stock parts and this could force the date to slide a little.”
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