West Seattle, Washington
21 Saturday
Last night, we reported on the major West Seattle-specific topic from Thursday’s city-presented “Virtual Town Hall,” the bridge closure. The rest of the 2-hour-long event featured lots of information about city services and other aspects of the COVID-19 response, from utility bills to small-business support to artist assistance; you can see it in its entirety above (via SeattleChannel.org, whose recording is cleaner than the one we made as a backup). It was hosted/moderated by Andrés Mantilla, director of the Department of Neighborhoods and West Seattle resident. Mayor Jenny Durkan and Councilmember Lisa Herbold spoke and answered questions for the first 45 minutes, and then the event continued with city department heads presenting a “webinar.” (Among them, SDOT director Sam Zimbabwe, whose 10-minute presentation about the West Seattle Bridge was featured in our story last night.) The city’s resources are all linked here.
For a second month, the West Seattle Art Walk – a longtime second-Thursday tradition – is happening online tonight. Organizers have just published the lineup of participants, with this introduction:
Our virtual Art Walk was such a success last month, we had to do it again! Check out the full gallery of work [on the website] or click this link to view a curated virtual Art Walk on YouTube!
We again opened Art Walk to all artists who wanted to join, so have a blend of business-coordinated and artist-led exhibits. Marvel at the wide and deep variety of media, formats, subjects and moods of our 46 artists, an Art Walk Record!!
As for any second Thursday, all art is available for sale. If you would like to purchase something from an artist coordinated by a business, please contact the business first. If you would like to purchase something from an artist exhibiting on their own, please reach out directly to them with the contact information listed.
The Art Walk usually begins – when an in-person event – at 5 pm, so the YT playlist isn’t final until then, but you can follow that link to get a preview of some of the art starting now.
Happening tonight! From the Southwest Seattle Historical Society:
‘Words, Writers & SouthWest Stories,’ a historically based speaker series of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, is excited to announce that it is re-releasing a recorded presentation of Tom Reese and Eric Wagner (tonight). The presentation, titled “Once and Future River: Reclaiming the Duwamish,” was originally delivered by Reese and Wagner as part of the ‘Words, Writers & West Seattle’ series on July 8, 2016. The presentation will be made available at www.loghousemuseum.org and on Facebook at 6:00 PM Thursday, May 14. We hope you’ll join us from the comfort of your home!
Tom Reese is an independent photographer, editor and teacher in Seattle. He presents his work in print, at public events, in galleries, and teaches workshops on subjects including photojournalism, ethics, and environmental journalism. He was a career photojournalist at The Seattle Times. In addition to his book, Once and Future River: Reclaiming the Duwamish, recent books and projects focus on the complex relationship between humans and the rest of the natural world. Tom is currently at work on a documentary project involving Longfellow Creek, called “Our Liquid Mirror.” It explores global issues of clean water though the stories of this urban creek: Environment, culture, history, landscape and science, and its connections between humans and other living things.
Eric Wagner, journalist, is also from Seattle. He has a Ph.D. in biology from the University of Washington for work he did on Magellanic Penguins in Argentina. His essays and journalism have also appeared in Audubon, Smithsonian, and Earth Island Journal, among other places. His most recent book is entitled, After the Blast: The Ecological Recovery of Mount St. Helens and he is scheduled to present it for ‘Words, Writers & SouthWest Stories’ later this year.
‘Words, Writers & SouthWest Stories’ presentations are scheduled regularly for the Second Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Southwest Branch of the Seattle Public Library. The presentation for next month (scheduled for June 11th) will be announced at a later date, depending on our community’s ongoing efforts to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pre-pandemic, focus groups were a major means of feedback for SPD’s Micro-Community Policing Plans. This year, it’s happening online. The announcement is from Taylor Lowery, the Seattle University research analyst at the Southwest Precinct:
Seattle University is partnering with the Seattle Police Department to conduct ongoing research related to community crime concerns. Qualitative concerns allow SU researchers to collaborate with SPD leadership to improve the city’s community policing initiative.
As part of the Seattle Police Department’s Micro-Community Policing Plans, Seattle University’s Micro-Community Policing Plans Research Analysts invite those who live and/or work in Seattle to respond to focus group questions citywide in each of the city’s 58 micro-communities regarding community perceptions of crime, safety, and police legitimacy, as well as knowledge of and satisfaction with the MCPP. The focus group questions offer an opportunity to provide feedback to the Seattle Police Department on crime and public safety in Seattle, as a check-in between the administration of the Seattle Public Safety Survey every Fall. The questionnaire is accessible at https://seattleux.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_56jtU5ZxV67i6vH from May through August 2020.
Information obtained from the focus group will help inform your neighborhood’s MCPP, so please come share your concerns and suggestions! Thank you in advance for taking the time to offer your perspective on crime and public safety in Seattle via the online focus group questions. Please feel free to email me directly any questions that you have regarding the focus group.
She’s at lowerytaylor (at) seattleu.edu.
(WSB file photo of Jeff Hogan presenting Killer Whale Tales at a local school)
Learning can be fun … and free … AND focused on fascinating wildlife. Here’s an update from Jeff Hogan of West Seattle-based educational nonprofit Killer Whale Tales:
I have added two additional classes to our weekly lineup: Fish and Chips (what are whales eating and where it is coming from) and the Orca Acoustic Game Show (Learn individual whale calls and win prizes!) .
Classes are open to students of all ages and are designed to meet Washington State Science Standards. A full description and registration information is available here. All classes are being offered, as always, at no cost to the participant!
(Still time to get in on “Game Show” at 12:30 pm today!)
In pre-pandemic times, the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s annual membership meeting was held in conjunction with a big community gathering, the Fauntleroy Food Fest. This year’s FFF was set for March 17th – and then, like so many other events this spring, had to be canceled. But FCA is still having an annual meeting, 7 pm tomorrow (Tuesday, May 12th), via Zoom, and community members are invited. Details and the registration link are here.
Tonight’s the night – we’re now less than 2 hours away from the West Seattle Food Bank “Instruments of Change” event to help WSFB continue helping neighbors in need. Here’s the reminder:
There’s still time to register and join us for the first-ever virtual Instruments of Change!
Join us tonight from 5:30 – 6:15 pm. This short virtual event celebrates our community and the merger between the West Seattle Food Bank and the West Seattle Helpline and raises funds to support our programs to keep our neighbors safe, fed, housed, and healthy. While short, this online event will include fun games, an exciting auction, and a compelling program.
For more information and to register, visit westseattlefoodbank.ejoinme.org/IOC
WSB is among this year’s community co-sponsors.
Our server-management company has been having some trouble today, and WSB was among many websites worldwide briefly out of service as a result. Remember that the first alternate place we post updates if and when that happens is Twitter – twitter.com/westseattleblog. Now, back to what else is up today …
Ready to shop for Mother’s Day? Or, any other reason? As previewed here earlier this week, a “Virtual Shopping Spree” involving eight West Seattle Junction retailers is getting under way – live online, here – right now! The featured retailer will change every half-hour – see the schedule here – starting with Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) first up.
(WSB photo)
Amid the upheaval of this spring, schools are continuing to plan for fall, and some are scheduling online open houses. That includes Summit Atlas, West Seattle’s only charter school. The announcement:
While our physical doors may be closed, our virtual doors are WIDE OPEN!
In light of our current health climate, we are having to reschedule our Open House, as well as Shadow Day. However, we are still available to connect, and our principals, teachers and current families want to meet you all!
Use the VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE RSVP FORM to sign up for one of our upcoming Virtual Open House events.
· CHAT WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL DIRECTOR – 05/05/2020, 2 & 8 PM.
· LEARN HOW WE LEARN -05/07/2020, 2 & 8 PM.
· CHAT WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR – 05/12/2020, 2&8 PM.
· MENTORING AND COLLEGE PREP – 05/14/2020, 2 & 8 PM.
· CONNECT WITH A STUDENT – 05/19/2020, 2 & 8 PM.
Enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year is still open.
Summit Atlas is in north Arbor Heights, at 35th/Roxbury.
If this were a pre-COVID-19 Sunday afternoon, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s Log House Museum would be open to visitors right now. Though it’s not, the SWSHS continues finding ways to help you enjoy and learn about local history online. Here’s the latest, from SWSHS executive director Michael King:
The Southwest Seattle Historical Society has created a virtual map of historic places on the Duwamish Peninsula. Visit the map to learn about historic places near you. The map can be used to create a custom tour … whether it’s walking around Alki, driving through Fauntleroy, or cycling around Delridge. While social distancing mandates are in effect, you can also “tour” the map using Google Street View!
P.S. The SWSHS also invites you to join them online May 14th for the next “Words, Writers, & Southwest Stories.”
One of the many events regularly hosted by C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) pre-pandemic was the monthly PoetryBridge event, with guest readers and a community mic. C & P co-proprietor Cameron Moores tells us that PoetryBridge is now having online events – and the next one is tonight, 7 pm, featuring guest readers Koon Woon and Carrie Gilstrap-Nettle. If you want to check it out, email info@poetrybridge.net for info on how to join via Zoom.
So that as many students as possible can take part in remote learning, Seattle Public Schools is working to get laptops to those who need them. We were asked to share this message sent out by West Seattle High School principal Brian Vance:
We are continuing to work toward making sure that all students have the technology they need in order to access continued learning.
This week we are expanding distribution to any high-school student in need of a device to access remote learning. If you have a device that is working for your current needs, that is great. We will eventually get to a 1:1 distribution, but again, we have limited supplies and want to make sure students in need have access first. There have been a few folks indicating that they are trying to share with parents or siblings. If that is impacting your ability to access remote learning, please consider yourself in need. If you are in need of a device right now, please plan on coming by West Seattle High School, Wednesday or Thursday between 3 pm and 6 pm. Please bring student ID and/or your student ID#.
Many big spring/summer events have beeb canceled because of the pandemic, but some have gone online, and the next example is coming up this Saturday, when the YMCA of Greater Seattle (parent of longtime WSB sponsor West Seattle & Fauntleroy Y) presents an online edition of Healthy Kids Day! Here’s the announcement:
Healthy Kids Day is the YMCA of Greater Seattle’s annual fun and free day dedicated to encouraging healthy habits in kids and their families heading into the summer months. This year, Healthy Kids Day will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2020, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and feature an at-home Virtual Scavenger Hunt, a live family bootcamp class, and an exciting live scavenger hunt award ceremony hosted by a Y District Executive.
Yes, there are prizes! For families that participate, you will be entered to win a free week of camp, Ybucks to spend on great YMCA programs, a family personal-training session, and more.
Event Schedule
9:30 am Live Family Bootcamp Fitness Class on Facebook
10:00 am to 12:00 pm – Scavenger Hunt via the GooseChase App
12:00 pm – Live announcement of Scavenger Hunt winners on FacebookHow the Scavenger Hunt Works
Before the event, download the GooseChase App so you’re ready to go on Saturday morning! It’s free.
Scavenger missions may include:
-Safety Around Water activities
-Active family challenges
-Playing family favorite board games
-Making healthy snacks
-Engaging the entire neighborhood by making sidewalk obstacle courses
-Shoutouts to favorite Y staffMake sure to look your quarantined best as many tasks will include photos and videos. And remember, participating families will be entered to win prizes announced in our live video after the hunt ends.
This is all happening 9:30 am-12:30 pm on Saturday – go here to find out how to be part of it.
The West Seattle Earlybirds chapter of Toastmasters invite you to check out their weekly online meetings! Here’s the announcement:
If you ever wanted to hone your public-speaking skills but never had the time, you can now join the Earlybirds Chapter of Toastmasters. Our normal Friday morning meetings at ArtsWest are now a Zoom event. No participation is required – just check us out for what a fun-loving and inspired group of West Seattleites are doing to increase their speaking skills. We are live each Friday morning at 7:45 – 9:00 am. For information on how to watch a meeting, email westseattleearlybirds650@gmail.com
That’s Gwendolyn, editor-in-chief of West Seattle’s newest neighborhood-news publication, with “this week’s issue, hot off the presses,” explains Laurel, who sent the photo and report:
We wanted to let you know about a news publication that has been created in response to the coronavirus shutdown. Gwendolyn, a Gatewood second-grader, has started her own newspaper called The Daily Excitement. It’s a weekly! She has gotten the whole family involved and we also have guest reporters from around West Seattle and as far away as Arizona and Portland. We’ve published 5 issues so far and we are going strong. You can find it at thedailyexcitement.com. and readers can write to us with feedback or submissions at thedailyexcitement@gmail.com. All are welcome.
Five issues are already online! We just browsed the first one; topics include gardening, birding, and cooking, with the last category featuring the headline “Salted Caramel Sauce: Dangerous, or Delicious?”
(Miss downtown? Monica Zaborac photographed the Space Needle from Alki with a zoom lens)
Welcome to Sunday! Again this week, we have events to tell you about, starting with West Seattle churches’ online services
ADMIRAL UCC: The video service is here. Also – coffee hour via Zoom at 11:30 am.
ALKI UCC: 10 am online service, via Zoom – info and link on church’s home page.
ALL SOULS SEATTLE (WSB sponsor): Online worship will be posted here
ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 10 am.
BETHANY COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am, 7 pm.
CALVARY CHAPEL: Service will be available via the church’s website, as well as sermon audio, plus 11 am fellowship via Zoom, 6 pm all-church prayer and 7 pm evening worship (info on home page).
EASTRIDGE CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 9 am and 11 am.
FAUNTLEROY UCC: Livestreaming on the church’s YouTube channel at 10 am.
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE: Today’s online liturgy is here.
GRACE CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10:30 am.
HALLOWS CHURCH: Streaming at 10 am via the church’s YouTube channel.
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming in English at 8:30 am, en Español at 10 am, all here.
HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming at 9:30 am here.
HOPE LUTHERAN: Today’s worship service and children’s video are viewable here.
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming at 10 am, both here.
PEACE LUTHERAN: Livestreaming at 10:30 am on YouTube.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Viewable on YouTube: All Ages Sunday School at 10 am, Morning Prayer at 10:15 am (here’s the bulletin), Kids’ Club at 11:30 am.
TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): The video service for today is viewable here.
TRINITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10 am.
WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The video service is viewable here.
WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming here, 11 am.
WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN Livestreaming at 10 am on the church’s YouTube channel.
WESTSIDE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION: Livestreaming via Zoom, 10:30 am.
WESTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: Online worship at 11 am; info here.
Any other churches to add? Please email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
Also today:
DONATION DRIVE: You’re invited to this dropoff donation drive outside Alki UCC, 10 am-4 pm:
Contributions of non-perishable food and other items will be distributed via the White Center Food Bank; top requests include Canned Meat/Soup/Fruit (pop‐top cans preferred), Rice, Noodles, Peanut Butter, Oats, Toilet Paper, Diapers, Similac Formula, Cleaning Supplies, Hand Sanitizer, and Baby Wipes.
(6115 SW Hinds)
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Open 11 am-4 pm – need a tool to fix or improve something? (4408 Delridge Way SW)
FREE TO-GO DINNER #1: You’re welcome at the KBM Commissary window 4-6 pm for a free family-style meal, as previewed here. (5604 Delridge Way)
FREE TO-GO DINNER #2: High Point Community Dinner Church will serve to-go meals at 5 pm, outside, near High Point Community Center. (6920 34th SW)
Reminder:
NO FARMERS’ MARKET: Though the city gave approval for two other markets to open “modified” versions again this weekend, West Seattle remains closed.
The community hub Youngstown Cultural Arts Center is closed because of the coronavirus crisis but its parent organization DNDA has found a way to keep you connected – via the online hub they’re calling HeartSpace. There you’ll find both free and fee activities – the former includes weekly nature walks, the latter includes classes by instructors including the ever-popular Dance Powered with Jennifer Cepeda. Scroll through the HeartSpace calendar at top right of this page and decide what to check out!
Before the pandemic, Seattle Public Library events were a staple of our Event Calendar (which hasn’t yet fully morphed to reflect the new online reality). Though the closure of libraries canceled all in-person events, SPL has ramped up a schedule of online events, including its popular Story Times. So we’re mentioning that in case you haven’t already heard. SPL has other events, too, including a financial-literacy presentation at 11 am tomorrow. Its event calendar include online toddler and preschooler story times on Monday, and continues with other daily events, including arts for elders. You can browse the SPL calendar by going here.
(Photo by Sharon Nickels)
If not for COVID-19, today would have been full of Easter egg hunts, since it’s the day before Easter. While those had to be canceled, for those who celebrate Easter, worship goes on … online. Here’s our list of West Seattle churches with Easter Sunday services (and a few tonight):
ADMIRAL UCC: The video service will be here. Also – coffee hour via Zoom at 11:30 am.
ALKI UCC: 6:30 am online sunrise service; register here. 10 am online service, via Zoom – info and link on lower right of church’s home page.
ALL SOULS SEATTLE (WSB sponsor): Daily online worship is here
ARBOR HEIGHTS COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 10 am.
BETHANY COMMUNITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am, 7 pm.
CALVARY CHAPEL: Service will be available via the church’s website.
EASTRIDGE CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 9 am and 11 am.
FAUNTLEROY UCC: Livestreaming here at 10 am.
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF WEST SEATTLE: The online Easter liturgy is here.
GRACE CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10:30 am.
HALLOWS CHURCH: Streaming at 10 am church website.
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming bilingual Easter Vigil at 8:30 pm tonight, then Easter Sunday in English at 8:30 am, en Español at 10 am, all here.
HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming Easter Vigil tonight at 8:30 pm, Easter Sunday at 9:30 am, both here.
HOPE LUTHERAN: The service will be viewable here at 8 am.
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: Livestreaming Easter Vigil at 8:30 pm tonight, Easter Sunday at 10 am, both here.
PEACE LUTHERAN: Livestreaming at 10:30 am here.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: Livestreaming here at 10:15 am, or view later on the church website. The bulletin to accompany the service is here.
TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): The video service will be viewable here.
TRINITY CHURCH: Livestreaming here, 10 am.
WEST SEATTLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The video service will be viewable here.
WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming here, 11 am.
WEST SIDE PRESBYTERIAN Livestreaming at 10 am here.
WESTSIDE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION: Livestreaming via Zoom, 10:30 am.
WESTWOOD CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY: Online worship at 11 am; info here.
Any other churches to add? Please email us – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
UPDATED 1:26 PM: Among the many events/gatherings that are not allowed by government order right now are worship services. This weekend, that means many are missing what might even be the only time of year that they go to church or synagogue – it’s Easter weekend, and Passover. We’re continuing to publish previews os we get them. Today is Good Friday, and we have (updated) six notes so far:
TIBBETTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (WSB sponsor): Online service is posted here; the bulletin is here
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CATHOLIC CHURCH: 3 pm service today, to be livestreamed here
ALKI UCC: “Good Friday: A Service of Shadows,” 5 pm livestream via Zoom; info is on the church’s home page (scroll down to lower right)
WEST SEATTLE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE: Livestreaming Good Friday service here at 7 pm
FAUNTLEROY UCC: Good Friday Tenebrae Service at 8 pm via Zoom Webinars or on the Fauntleroy Church YouTube channel. To join via Zoom, register here; after registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
WEST SEATTLE CHURCH COLLECTIVE: Service presented by the pastors of Arbor Heights Community Church, Grace Church Seattle, Hope Lutheran, and Trinity West Seattle – at this YouTube link
Anyone else with a Good Friday service, email us ASAP at westseattleblog@gmail.com or comment below and we’ll add! We’ll also have an Easter service list – publishing it Saturday night instead of Sunday morning, since some are having sunrise services.
Almost every day, it’s noted that the official case numbers are not the full picture of COVID-19’s spread because so few tests are done. So two West Seattle women have come up with a project and are inviting you to participate. It’s informal, unofficial, and anonymous. From Leda Costa (a former WSB contributing photojournalist):
I created a site with a friend of mine to help flatten the curve, locally.
Since all data right now is of “confirmed cases” it feels like we’re not getting the full picture of our community and how everyone’s feeling around us. It was inspired by a friend of mine who is rather sick but just at home because he got denied testing and was told to only go to the hospital if he absolutely can’t breathe. I’m sure stories like his are everywhere! So we made this survey that takes less than a minute to complete and populates a map with the data:
https://www.covid19symptomscensus.com/
It will only work if lots of people do this on a local level’ right now we’ve passed it around our personal circles so we have a few answers all over the country, the next step is to get it localized!
(WSB file photo of Jeff Hogan presenting Killer Whale Tales at a local school)
From Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales:
Hi Neighbors: My West Seattle-based non-profit, Killer Whale Tales, is offering free online classes for students learning at home. (In fact, if you have kids in the area’s schools, I may have already visited with them…) I am offering multiple classes for a limited number of students in each session until we all get back to school. Even if you don’t live in WS we would love to have any kids that you know join us for this science-based activity. Sign up at this link and check back for other classes coming soon.
And yes, we meet WA States Next Generation Science Standards!
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