West Seattle, Washington
31 Monday
(Added: Photo sent by Jessie McClurg)
9:33 PM: SPD and SFD are responding to a report of a flipped-car crash in the Westwood Village parking lot near QFC and Rite Aid. The car is described as a “blue Hyundai sedan.” One person is reportedly trapped, one ejected, per dispatch. Updates to come.
9:39 PM: The flipped car is described as “in the bushes” and firefighters told dispatch that one person is indeed in the vehicle – they’re working to cut that one out – one outside. Neither is believed to have life-threatening injuries, in early assessment.
9:47 PM: Added a reader photo just sent. Firefighter have told dispatch they’ve gotten the trapped person out of the car (further described as a Hyundai Sonata). SFD describes both injured people as in stable condition.
(Added: Photo sent by Tim Durkan)
9:50 PM: Added another photo we just received. Meantime, an officer at the scene has just told dispatch, “This will be a medically related collision.”
ADDED SUNDAY MORNING: SFD tells us the 56-year-old woman rescued from the vehicle was taken to a hospital; the other injured person, a 43-year-old woman, did not need that level of treatment.
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
As warmer temperatures arrive, Westside Neighbors Shelter announced this week that they are changing what has been a cold-weather-only overnight shelter to one that is open year-round, at a lower capacity.
The shelter, in the American Legion Post 160 building (3618 SW Alaska), was already providing a daily “warm-up” service every morning, but has only consistently offered a place to sleep overnight from November to March.
Operator Keith Hughes told WSB that the ability to do this is a case of the “stars aligning … It’s been my goal since I opened the shelter. There just wasn’t enough staff to do it.” Now volunteer Tim James is stepping up to be the shelter’s operations manager 4 1/2 days a week, which will free up Hughes and make it possible, with the help of other volunteers, to provide dinner and cots for three dozen people who would otherwise be sleeping outside in spring and summer.
Hughes says this year there was more need for shelter over the winter than they could sustain, despite being able to physically fit everyone in the building. “We had 60 people or more for more than 6 weeks [over the winter]. We put people where we could put them.” But the impact of everyone seeking help spilled over into the neighborhood, causing a variety of complaints and accusations from neighbors about everything from garbage and drug use to too many people at nearby bus stops. “We didn’t have the staff to manage that many people,” Hughes acknowledged, adding that they are working to be sensitive to the neighborhood with the changes they are making.
One of the biggest changes is that, as of last Wednesday, the shelter has been limiting overnight beds to 36. They also have new protocols for checking people in and are continuing to adjust things as needed, while still focusing on providing a safe, dry, and warm place for unhoused people in the community. “Some of the things that were happening in January have been fixed: No garbage on the property, no one living on the front porch. We don’t have 60 people occupying the bus stops when we close at 11 am. We have a more stable group of people here now.”
With stability, there’s the opportunity to bring help directly to people who either stop in for the morning warm-up or who are there overnight. Hughes is in the process of talking with two other nonprofits that he says should be able help transition people from simply finding a place to stay overnight to getting off the streets permanently. “We should have services in house to move them into temporary housing, and then into permanent housing. We never had the ability to do that until now.” And some of that is already happening. Hughes says just last week one person was able to move out of the shelter into low-income housing, while two others are currently in rehab.
While the expansion in services at the shelter is happening at the same time the city has started making CARE Community Crisis Responders available in West Seattle, Hughes says that timing is entirely coincidental. He said they have only had a CARE team visit the shelter once, and it remains to be seen how frequently those services will be needed for people at the shelter, but potentially, “We will have a way to get more people more help.”
Hughes is still working out how to pay for the expansion. The vast majority of the shelter’s funding comes from individual donations from people in the community. Just the morning warm-up services cost $4,000/month, so additional fundraising will be needed with 8 new months of dinners and showers to support. With the full program in the winter, the shelter costs $12,000 a month to run. Hughes hopes more people see the value of what he and other volunteers are doing and pitch in. “Homeless people don’t evaporate. All they do is change places.” He says when shelters are only open part of the year, it’s difficult to provide meaningful support that will get them off the streets. “If you run them out of your park, they go to another park in another neighborhood. You can either help me support these people in my shelter or you can have them sleeping in your doorway.”
Westside Neighbors Shelter accepts donations of food and other supplies listed on its website 7 days a week from 7 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 10 pm. Here’s the most-recent wish list sent to us:
Instant hot chocolate packets
Instant oatmeal packets
ground coffee (don’t need to be fancy, Folgers is fine)
Powdered coffee creamer (like coffee mate canisters)
20 oz cups (like Dixie Ultra)
heavy-duty plastic spoons and forks
paper napkins and paper towels
Swiffer wet jet refill liquid and cleaning pads
Stocking caps, gloves, sweatshirts/hoodies, socks, men’s underwear and T-shirts
Congratulations to the West Seattle High School Cheer Squad – member Alice Herron sends the photo and news that their teams won Washington State Cheer Coaches Association championships today!
We competed today at the WSCCA All-State competition and both teams from WSHS won first place!
In All-Girl Intermediate Stunt, Alice Herron, Ava Murray, Sophie McNamara, Amaya Stagi came in first for their division!
In Coed Advanced Stunt, Christiano Solis, Mia Casillas, Sadie Stover, Eva Tatman came in first for their division!
Both are coached by Nadine Nguyen at WSHS.
Last fall, the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle said it would again give away vegetable and flower seeds in spring so that educators and parents could help kids learn about growing plants. Spring is here, and Kiwanis members have announced that they will be at the market tomorrow with the seeds:
Free seeds will be distributed this Sunday, 3/23, at the Farmers’ Market from 10 AM to 1 PM, as part of the Kiwanis Seed Project. Those who requested seeds in November and December can pick them up. There are extra seeds for those who would like to grow vegetables and teach youngsters how food is grown. Seeds for classrooms will be distributed also.
Look for their booth at the south end of the market, California and Alaska.
The leaders of West Seattle Indivisible say their membership is continuing to grow, so they’ve announced a two-part meeting for tomorrow (Sunday, March 23):
West Seattle Indivisible Meeting
Sunday, March 23
South Seattle College CAB cafeteria [campus map]
Newcomers: 1:30-3:20
General Meeting (newcomers welcome!) 3-4:30
Use north entrance
Free parking in North Lot
Free, but donations are needed and welcome
The photo is from Dave, who was first to report an emergency response at Seacrest around 11:15 am today. We’ve since confirmed that it involved a diver, but he was already at the surface when he suffered a medical problem, so it was not dispatched as a “water rescue.” SFD spokesperson Kaila Lafferty tells WSB, “Crews were dispatched to the 1600 block of Harbor Ave SW for a report of a diver onshore having a medical emergency. The diver had been doing exercises in the water prior to the incident. Crews treated an approximately 54-year-old male in critical condition. The patient was transported to the hospital by medics.”
The report and photo were sent by Jamie:
We are sad to report that our car got stolen last night from in front of our house near West Seattle High School. . I have made a police report and please ask anyone call 911 if they see it. It has an orange Defensive Driving School sticker on the back. Fingers crossed the police will find it soon. We are keeping perspective and are grateful everyone is safe. 2013 Lexus GS 350. License plate CMA5157.
We’ll add the police report # when we get it. (Added: 25-76697)
11:37 AM: The doors are open at a first-of-its-kind event inside the biggest vacant spot at Westwood Village (former Bed Bath Beyond/Spirit Halloween) – a Resource Fair organized by Seattle Police, primarily their Community Service Officer team. They have gathered more than 40 organizations, agencies, and other participants here, until 3 pm; we obtained and published this full list last night. We’ll add more info when back at HQ.
ADDED 12:15 PM: If you approach from the southwest WWV parking lot, you’ll see the Care-A-Van, but most of the medical services – blood pressure/blood sugar check, sign up for vaccinations, etc. – are provided inside. And just inside the main entrance, you can meet some of the SPD CSOs making this happen:
CSOs are non-enforcement, non-sworn officers, and connecting people with resources is what they’re all about. In our photo are CSOs Heslin, Phelps, and Masyr. We walked the aisles of tables and it’s truly a wide array of possibilities (even info on how to get free vaccinations for pets). We also learned about some agencies/organizations we’d never heard of before. Here’s one example – they’re at the table where you can get free Narcan, no questions asked, so you can have it on hand in case you encounter someone overdosing:
This table answers the question a commenter asked after one of our previews – “what service is the Medical Examiner’s Office going to offer?” In short, this is one way to try to reduce the need for the ME’s main job (investigating deaths). At left is Emily Dalgo, coordinator of the ME’s Overdose Fatality Review (based on a national model) team. People are dying of overdoses every day, and OFR talks about strategies to fight that. One is community outreach, and that’s why she’s at the Resource Fair, along with volunteers from the Public Health Reserve Corps (we hadn’t heard of that either).
Other people we talked to included a rep from State Labor and Industries, offering lots of info about workers’ rights. Even if you don’t think you need “resources,” this is an interesting educational event, again, continuing until 3 pm.
8:24 AM: Thanks for the tips. 319 Seattle City Light customers in Brace Point are reported out of power this morning, in an area hit by outages before.
9:54 AM: The SCL map shows the number of residences affected has since been halved, to 160 (screengrab added above). … Our archives show this is the first Brace Point-only outage in almost a year, since last April.
12:41 PM: As noted in comments, now the number of affected customers is back up to 319. The map also attributes the outage to “equipment failure” (historically, that’s meant trouble with the underground cable in the area – we will be following up with SCL).
2:40 PM: Area neighbor Nathan, one of the original tipsters (thank you!) about this, sent that photo of an SCL crew with whom he spoke this past hour: “Just talked to the crew working at 47th and 98th, they are still testing to locate exact location of the failed line.”
9:59 PM: After almost 15 hours, the power is back. We’ll be following up with SCL on Monday, including whether the years-overdue upgrade project in the area is really on track to finally start soon, as its website suggests.
ADDED: SCL says “a damaged cable and fuse” were to blame.
(Cascades from Hamilton Viewpoint, photographed by David Hutchinson)
Dozens of happenings around West Seattle (plus reasons to visit Georgetown and White Center today too), mostly from our West Seattle Event Calendar:
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE JAMBOREE: 9 am-6 pm today and tomorrow at Bar-S Fields (6425 SW Admiral Way), cheer for WSLL players as they start their season! Details in our calendar listing.
SATURDAY GROUP RUN: Start your weekend on the run! Meet up at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) at 8 am for the regular Saturday morning run.
HEAVILY MEDITATED: Free community meditation, 9 am at Inner Alchemy‘s sanctuary/studio (3618 SW Alaska).
MINDFUL MOVEMENT HEALING CIRCLE: 9:30-11:30 am at FoRest Wellness Collective (3225 California SW).
INTRODUCTORY WALK: First of two sequential weekly walking events – meeting at the same spot, 47th/Fauntleroy, first at 9:30 am for a flat-terrain 1-mile walk.
WALKING FOR WELL-BEING: Then at 10 am, join others for the full weekly walk in Lincoln Park (also meet at 47th/Fauntleroy).
SCOUTING FOR FOOD: Two-part food drive! If you got a door hanger from Pack 793, put out your bag of food! If not, you can bring nonperishable food for the West Seattle Food Bank to the east side of Hiawatha (Walnut south of Lander), 10 am to noon, and drop it off.
‘
FIFTH GRADERS’ BAKE SALE: 10 am-1 pm outside Arbor Heights Elementary (3701 SW 104th), fifth-graders are selling baked goods to raise money for outdoor-education experiences. Gluten-free and vegan options!
HIGH-SCHOOL SOFTBALL: 10 am at Nino Cantu SW Athletic Complex (2801 SW Thistle), Chief Sealth IHS vs. Highline HS.
TILDEN SCHOOL BOOK FAIR: Make a purchase at Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW) through Sunday, mention Tilden School (WSB sponsor) at checkout, and part of the proceeds will benefit the school.
MOUNTAIN TO SOUND OUTFITTERS CLEARANCE SALE: Continuing this weekend! “We’re offering our best discounts of the season on all of our winter gear!” says Mountain to Sound Outfitters (3602 SW Alaska; WSB sponsor). Plus, sale has expanded to add demo skis and boards! Open 10 am-6 pm today.
MORNING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Susan Pascal, Jamie Findlay, Chris Symer with “mid-century vibes,” 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).
STILL-LIFE SESSION: At Low Tide Arts, 10:30 am – registration info is in our calendar listing. (9140 California SW)
GRIEFSHARE: If you have lost someone close to you, this is for you. 13-week series continues today, 10:30 am, Grace Church (10323 28th SW).
FREE WRITING GROUP: 10:30 am – “This is a free, weekly, in-person active writing group grounded in the Amherst Writers and Artists method. It is a safe, critique-free space. Writers of all levels welcome, 16 and up.” Our calendar listing has location and RSVP info.
FAMILY STORY TIME: 10:30-11 am at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), meant for kids 0-5.
HUGE RESOURCE FAIR: Need services or info? The 40+ organizations, agencies, departments, companies participating in today’s 11 am-3 pm resource fair at the ex-Bed Bath Beyond space in central Westwood Village (2600 SW Barton) probably have it. All welcome.
POPWEED POP-UP PARTY: 11 am-3 pm, you can help out at Beyers’ Bulldog Garden, a community site that has quite a backstory. (54th SW & SW Edmunds)
FREE TAX HELP: 11 am-3 pm at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW).
FAMILY READING TIME: 11 am family reading time is back at new home of Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW).
GEORGETOWN BITES AND SITES: Special day for eating, drinking, shopping in Georgetown, 11 am to 5 pm, explained in our calendar listing. (Tickets sold at 5813 Airport Way S.)
SPRING EQUINOX RITUAL WORKSHOP: 11 am-1 pm with Linh Le, explained here, which is also where you can register.
FITNESS TOGETHER OPEN HOUSE & NUTRITION SEMINAR: Two events in one visit to Fitness Together in The Junction!
We are excited to invite you to our Open House & Nutrition Seminar! Come check out FT and learn from West Seattle’s own Michelle Babb MS, RD, CD, a registered dietitian who has written multiple books and helped many in West Seattle with their nutrition needs.
Location: Fitness Together, 4546 California Ave SW (Above The Matador)
Time: 11:15 AM – 1:45 PM
(The seminar starts at 11:30.) FT-West Seattle is a longtime WSB sponsor; find out more about them here.
LOG HOUSE MUSEUM OPEN: The home of West Seattle history is open for your visit, noon-4 pm – see the newest exhibit, about the West Duwamish Greenbelt! (61st/Stevens)
VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER OPEN: The center is open to visitors noon-3 pm, as explained here. (2236 SW Orchard)
SOUL SISTERS SONG CIRCLE: 1-3 pm, sing with “kind, fun women” – our calendar listing has details, including how to get the location.
COMMUNITY DRUMMING CIRCLE: 1-3 pm at Inner Alchemy Sanctuary/Studio (3618 SW Alaska), all welcome, by donation.
MAKE CERAMIC EGGS WITH FRANCES: 1 pm at The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), $50 – details in our calendar listing.
VISCON CELLARS TASTING ROOM/WINE BAR: Tasting room open – wine by the glass or bottle – 1-6 pm at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor).
BUNNIES AT OUNCES: 2-5 pm, all ages welcome to visit with bunny rabbits at Ounces! (5214 Delridge Way SW)
FREE MASSAGE: Walk-in clinic at Nepenthe (9447 35th SW), 3-5 pm.
EVENING MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Friends and Folk, folk trio performing 6-8 pm at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), all ages, no cover.
CONCERT AT ALKI ARTS: 6 pm, $20 at the door at Alki Arts:
Christopher Reyne is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and audio engineer from Portland, Oregon who crafts his brand of indie folk rock almost entirely on his own. With a sound that is both fresh and familiar, his music has drawn comparisons to such artists as Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, and Elliott Smith. This is a seated ‘living room style’ concert with refreshments served.
(6030 California SW)
MEANINGFUL MOVIE: “Razing Liberty Square,” about climate gentrification, is the West Seattle Meaningful Movie this time, doors open at West Seattle Unitarian Universalist Congregation (7141 California SW) at 6:30, movie at 7, discussion at 8:30.
LIVE AT EASY STREET RECORDS: 7 pm, Shaker Bloomheart album-release show. No cover, all ages. (4559 California SW)
LIVE AT THE SKYLARK: Tonight – Bandmixers Community Roulette, four mini-sets, four genres! Doors 7, music 8, 21+, $10 cover. 21+. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
LIVE IN WHITE CENTER: 8 pm, Tim’s Tavern (16th/98th, White Center) hosts three performers – Wes Watkins, Carrie Jennings, Kate Dinsmore. Tickets here.
REVELRY ROOM DJ: Spinning starts at 9 pm with DJ WD40 at Revelry Room. (4547 California SW)
KARAOKE AT TALARICO’S: Want to sing on your Saturday night? 10 pm at Talarico’s Pizzeria. (4718 California SW)
West Seattle event coming up? If community members are welcome, your event is welcome to be listed on our calendar! Please email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The sun made a brief appearance before sunset tonight, and brought along rainbows visible from Alki – above, Nadiia‘s view; below, Stewart L‘s view:
From west-facing West Seattle, though, James Bratsanos‘ shot of the sky over Blake Island is about as good as it got:
A bit later, by actual sunset time – past 7 pm – Alice Enevoldsen‘s day-delayed equinox sunset watch was a washout even though the rain had finally stopped. She and her trusty Earth-on-a-stick prop were at Solstice Park, though, as she’s been at season-change sunsets for 15+ years:
It was breezy and in the 40s, a little more wintry than springy. But here’s hoping for seasonal weather when she returns for her summer-solstice sunset watch, 8:30 pm Friday, June 20.
P.S. Since Alice’s events usually include a preview of upcoming skywatching/stargazing events of note, we asked her if anything was imminent. Short answer: No, although we’re still awaiting the long-expected Corona Borealis explosion, and it might finally happen soon.
Got your nonperishable food bagged up for this door-to-door and dropoff drive on Saturday? Pack 793 sends a reminder:
Don’t forget, Cub Scout Pack 793 will be out collecting donations for the West Seattle Food Bank on Saturday between 10 am and 12 pm. If you live between California, Admiral, 37th, and Hanford, you should have gotten a door hanger, and the scouts will pick up from you in person. If you’re not in the covered area and still want to donate, scouts will be accepting donations in the parking lot off Walnut between Hiawatha Playfield and West Seattle High School.
(Pack 793 scouts at WS Food Bank)
All donations go to the WS Food Bank; the list of items they’ll accept, from their website:
“We will gratefully accept non-perishable food items that are unopened and in good condition. Canned goods that are low-sodium or no sugar added are great for our clients with dietary restrictions. We also accept any fresh fruit or produce, but please clean it first! We accept donations of pet food and kitty litter (opened bags of dry food are acceptable) for our Pet Pantry and diapers and formula for our Baby & Child Corner.”
https://westseattlefoodbank.org/donate-food for more details
Last year Pack 793 donated over 1,000 pounds of food – the most of any unit in West Seattle – and they’re hoping to smash that record this year. Please Join Pack 793 in making a difference — every can and box of food helps!
For more information, visit pack793.com.
One more reminder that a Resource Fair is planned at Westwood Village‘s ex-Bed Bath Beyond/Spirit Halloween space on Saturday, 11 am-3 pm. We asked the Seattle Police Community Resource Officers, who organized it, for a list of the 40+ participating agencies/organizations – here it is:
Community Service Officers/SPD
Villa Communitaria
Seattle Animal Shelter/Control
Promoteres Network
Hopelink Community transportation program
King County Public Health Community Navigators
Building Beyond Communities
King County Health Public Outreach
Resource Navigation Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House MHP
Community Access & Engagement King County L&I
Washingron Relay Outreach
Project Help
Impact Public Schools Outreach
King County Environmental Health Services
Cell Phone Provider
Disability Empowerment Center
Union Gospel Mission
King County e-911
DEA Outreach
Seattle Public Schools
Victim Support Team
We Heart Seattle
Sea Mar Community Health Centers
Valley Cities Behavioral Health
Southwest PCT Crime Prevention Coordinator
Arms Around You
Communities of Belonging
Community for Youth
Delridge Community Center
Overdose Coordinator/KCME
Cultivate South Park
The More We Love
Care-a-Van WSDOH Vaccine Van
VA – suicide prevention coordinator
Transform Burien
Target
Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association
Haircut Team
West Seattle Food Bank
Park Rangers
Humana
Atlantic Street Center
Community Health Plan of WA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Seattle Public Library – High Point
Molina Healthcare
TJX/Marshalls
If you’re in need of vaccination – either child or adult – here’s what the Care-A-Van will be there to offer.
As noted this afternoon in updates on our original report, there have been two developments today relating to Wednesday’s incident in which police shot and killed a man outside the Southwest Precinct. First, in line with department policy, as reiterated by Police Chief Shon Barnes in his briefing at the scene, SPD has released some of the video from the incident (warning, graphic):
After an onscreen-text introduction, video from outside the precinct lot shows the man driving this vehicle up to a Home Depot parking space outside the precinct’s north/west lot.
(WSB photo, Wednesday)
He is seen getting out and climbing the fence to get into the lot, where department vehicles are kept. From there, the SPD edited video switches to officers’ body-worn cameras, as they encounter the man, tell him to leave the lot; he walks away from them for a while, even up to a gate, then turns to face their way. They repeatedly tell him to drop the knife; then he starts moving toward them, picking up speed at one point, and that’s when one officer apparently fires a “less than lethal” weapon shortly before another fires his gun. The video also shows what police say is the knife the man had.
Meantime, as noted earlier in an update to our original report, the man was identified this afternoon by the King County Medical Examiner as 36-year-old Urban A. Seay. His cause of death is listed as “multiple gunshot wounds” and ruled “homicide” (which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s been decreed a crime, pending further investigation, but it means a person has been killed by someone else). And in the post accompanying the video, SPD has identified the officer who killed him, saying that “Kyle Hay, 11 years of service, has been placed on paid administrative leave following this incident, which is standard procedure.” SPD says its investigation continues, and also included a reminder of resources for those with thoughts of self-harm, including the 988 hotline.
ADDED: For those interested in data, we found SPD’s dashboard here for data about past incidents in which officers shot people.
ORIGINAL FRIDAY REPORT: Police responded to Denny International Middle School around 11 am today after a report of a possible gun on campus. We don’t have confirmation yet that a gun or other weapon was actually found, but Seattle Public Schools did provide this letter that Denny’s principal Mary Ingraham subsequently sent to the school community:
Dear Denny Families and Staff,
Our school is committed to ensuring the safety of our students and staff. I want to share with you an incident within our school today.
This morning, we received reports that a student had a weapon on campus. We immediately called the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and the SPS Safety and Security team. School administrators were with all students involved from the time of the report until it was resolved. There remains an increased security presence this afternoon, but classes have continued as normal.
Please know that we take safety in our buildings very seriously. Any threat made by a student that impacts the safety and security of our students will have an immediate response from myself and district staff.
We appreciate our students and staff for their vigilance and quick reporting, as well as the swift response from our security team and law enforcement partners.
Maintaining a safe learning environment is our highest priority, and we encourage everyone to continue sharing any concerns with school staff and administrators. Any community member or student can also use the SPS Safe Schools Hotline 206-252-0510 to report any threats to our school. This phone number is managed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. I will be happy to speak with you directly.
Thank you for your support in keeping our school safe.
Sincerely,
Principal Mary Ingraham
Denny International Middle School
We have asked both SPS and SPD for more information.
ADDED 2:30 PM MONDAY: We asked SPD whether a gun was actually found and whether anyone was arrested; their reply, “Officers arrived at the school and the suspect student had already been released to go home. The victim was interviewed and stated that a handgun was seen. All parties have been identified, and Gun Violence Reduction Unit will be investigating the incident.” We haven’t heard from SPS but SPD’s reply raises a few other questions so we’ll be asking again.
(WSB photo. North-side JTF gate, bordering Arrowhead Gardens property; vehicle entry gate is off Myers, on east side)
When we first told you last Sunday about a burglary at the Seattle Fire Department’s Joint Training Facility in southeast West Seattle, SFD wasn’t sure yet about the total amount of property damage and items stolen. Now, spokesperson Kristin Hanson tells us, results of an “initial inventory” are in:
We have conducted an initial inventory of stolen and damaged items as a result of the break-in at the City’s Joint Training Facility on March 15.
Right now, the estimate for damages and equipment stolen totals between $175k – $225k. The facility’s main and visitor gates were heavily damaged, along with an apparatus bay door, air compressor room door and a department pick-up truck. Three trailers on site were broken into and many tools were stolen.
Additional measures are in place to prevent unauthorized access, and SFD is working with partner City agencies to determine how to permanently improve security at this facility.
On Sunday, the police report said the burglar(s) had gotten into the site at 9401 Myers Way S. by cutting through a fence, and that they later used an SFD vehicle to bash a gate.
(WSB photo, 2024 Loop the ‘Lupe)
‘Quick break in the news flow to talk about summer … this year’s Loop the ‘Lupe, Seattle’s only 5K obstacle-course run (you can run an obstacle-free version too), is offering the best deal if you sign up by midnight tonight! Race organizer Brian Callanan explains, “People can save up to 40% off race day prices, even more if they sign up teams of 4+ all at the same time.” You’ll find the registration links, and lots of Loop the ‘Lupe info, here. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of Loop the ‘Lupe, which is set for Saturday, June 7, at Walt Hundley Playfield.)
(WSB file photo)
Metro announced today that West Seattle Water Taxi service will be canceled Monday and Tuesday so the Seacrest pier can be repaired:
King County Water Taxi service to West Seattle will be temporarily suspended on Monday, March 24 and Tuesday, March 25 while maintenance crews make repairs to the Seacrest Dock.
Water Taxi sailings to Vashon will continue during this time.
The work to the floats at the dock is to repair damage caused by recent weather. The repairs include refastening pile guides to the docking float and replacement of pile guide bushings.
The work is being done prior to the start of the summer sailing season that begins in mid-April.
For alternate transportation suggestions, see this post on the Water Taxi website.
(WSB photos)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
It’s all about reading right now at Tilden School, an independent secular elementary in West Seattle.
Reading is always big at the small-but-mighty Home of the Owls, but right now there are two bonus reasons, both open to community participation: The annual Read-a-Thon, and a Book Fair. More on those later in this story.
Overseeing it all is Tilden’s first-year head of school, Andrew Gustav, himself a Tilden alum, “graduating” in 2002. He’s also the son of a teacher who was at Tilden for 15 years. Tilden educators tend to go by their first names, so former students might remember her as Fran. Gustav says he’s still trying to get used to going by his first name, though “Mr. G” works too.
Gustav’s mom retired just before the pandemic, an event from which many schools’ enrollment has not yet fully recovered, Tilden included. It has 67 students now and room for 33 more.
Asked for the one-line description of his school, Gustav offers, “We are the liberal-arts college of elementary schools in West Seattle.” Tilden’s roots go back 40 years to founder Whitney Tjerandsen wanting to start the kind of school she wanted her child to attend. “It’s really a service community,” suggests Gustav, teaching kindness as well as academics. Specialties include science, art, history, social skills, and music (which Tjerandsen, despite having technically retired four years ago, leads every Thursday).
Tilden students’ art was shown during last week’s West Seattle Art Walk (as reported here). It also adorns the Tilden hallways (their building north of The Junction is co-housed, but not affiliated, with First Lutheran Church of West Seattle).
The hallway displays are one of the things Gustav says he loves about the school – “walking down the halls covered in art, covered in stories. We encourage students to express themselves, to be who they are … to understand that individuals have differences and there’s value in that.”
Writing can celebrate that, and so can reading. March is National Reading Month, Gustav notes, adding, “Tilden has always had a strong culture of reading,” and that’s why the Read-a-Thon is their biggest fundraiser of the year. “Students commit to a certain number of pages, and sponsors support that reading” – in a variety of ways, as shown here. “Knowledge is the one thing that can’t be taken from you.” But reading doesn’t just apply to words, Gustav adds – “if they just want to read graphic novels, that’s OK too.” He sees it all as “creating a better tomorrow.”
And that’s what he’s hoping to do for Tilden itself – after 40 years, “maintaining some of our traditions and adding to them, improving them.” Traditions include a Thursday morning gathering where he offers a prompt for the students to use as writing inspiration. The week before our interview, he had suggested they write “about something they were celebrating, an achievement or victory or accomplishment.” The inspirations varied – a martial-arts tournament, a game on the playground; “We’re asking students to be a little vulnerable and talk about their own lives a bit … a good writer is a good communicator. (That is) one of the most important skills we have,” no matter what career you eventually take on.
In addition to program improvements, Gustav’s goals for Tilden School (a WSB sponsor) also include an expanded community presence – they’ll likely be involved with the Kids’ Zone at West Seattle Summer Fest again this year, for example – and pursuing accreditation through the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (a regional organization whose headquarters happen to be in West Seattle). That’s a major move requiring the school to examine its practices, policies, and financial plan, among other things. They’re also evaluating community needs and trying to “remove barriers to entry … working on an endowment so we can offer families financial aid,” which will help with the goal to “find ways to diversify our school and expand enrollment.” Participation in NWAIS, he adds, will enable more networking.
Before we wrapped up our conversation, we asked for more about Gustav’s background. He came from the Eastside – the Lake Washington schooldistrict, where he taught middle-school history for seven years before becoming Dean of Students at Timberline Middle School. His administrative experience there helped him learn “how to best address students’ needs” while helping them work on behavior that’s best “for society” as well as for them. That experience dovetails with social- and life-skills work at Tilden, among other things: “How can we build capacity for making a mistake and learning from it? How can we build their resilience (by stressing) ‘you are going to mess up, make a mistake, that’s where the growth happens …”
And then there’s the fun stuff about leading a school. When we talked, he was still mulling ideas for additional Read-a-Thon rewards – maybe a pie in the face for him, if they hit a certain page goal. But the job itself is fun, as it brings him “full circle” from his Tilden student days: “We’re excited about what the future holds.”
For prospective families, know that most of their current openings are in the higher grades; kindergarten and 1st grade are “pretty much full.” (A side note about the lower grades at Tilden: “We don’t believe in one-to-one screens before third grade. We’re teaching students to respect the computer, and then do things away from it.”
Operations administrator Jennifer Trise adds, “We greet the kids every morning and they’re running into the building! I think that’s a testament that we’re doing something right.” She says that includes the change at the top: “We’re delighted to have Andrew – the energy shift is massive.”
P.S. You can support Tilden’s Read-a-Thon here, or contact Gustav at andrewg@tildenschool.org to “set up becoming a grade-level or day sponsor, committing to specific donations for total pages read.” (The goal is 23,200 pages – about a thousand more than last year’s total!) And if you’re planning on buying a book soon for your own reading needs, a Book Fair is happening right now – through Sunday (March 23) – at Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW); just mention Tilden when making a purchase.
Sent by Kersti Muul:
No hints at the owner’s ID, but she spotted this while passing by at 35th/Holden (see Station 37 in the background) and propped it up against a utility pole. She says the contents include medicine, sunscreen, personal-care items but “seems definitely stolen and dumped.” (When items seem just plain lost, this is our board for those.)
(Camellia, photographed by Jerry Simmons)
Later than usual because of this, here’s our Friday highlights list, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
TILDEN SCHOOL BOOK FAIR: Make a purchase at Paper Boat Booksellers (4522 California SW) through Sunday, mention Tilden School (WSB sponsor) at checkout, and part of the proceeds will benefit the school.
STAY ‘N’ PLAY: Started at 10 am and continues until 11:30 am, weekly free drop-in playtime at Arbor Heights Community Church (4113 SW 102nd).
FREE TAX HELP: Drop-in help at Southwest Library (9010 35th SW), 11 am-4 pm, appointments recommended.
BABY STORY TIME: Delridge Library’s weekly story time is CANCELED today.
QI GONG AT VIVA ARTS: Fridays at 12:15 pm – info in our calendar listing. (4421 Fauntleroy Way SW)
CALM YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM: Online guided meditation 12:30 pm-1 pm, free series with Dr. Zoë Linkletter, ND, of Neighborhood Naturopathic and Primary Care (WSB sponsor) – info here, including how to sign up.
MEET AND GREET WITH EMILY KINNEY: 3 pm at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW) – our calendar listing explains the rules for participating.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS: Take a walk at Camp Long (5200 35th SW), 3:30 pm.
SPORTS: The only match/game being played locally today is at 4:30 pm, Chief Sealth IHS boys’ soccer vs. Eastside Catholic at Nino Cantu Southwest Athletic Complex. (2801 SW Thistle)
LIVE MUSIC AT THE COFFEEHOUSE: Dublin Abbey at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 6-8 pm, all ages, no cover.
FULL LIFE CRISIS AT THE SKYLARK: West Seattle’s own Full Life Crisis and friends, doors at 6 pm and music at 7 pm, more info here. $10. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
OPEN MIC AT KENYON HALL: This month’s showcase starts with 6 pm signups at the historic venue, all ages. (7904 35th SW)
EQUINOX SUNSET WATCH WITH ALICE: It’s the first full day of spring and tonight’s the night for Alice Enevoldsen‘s change-of-seasons sunset watch at Solstice Park (upslope at 7400 Fauntleroy Way SW), 6:30-7:30 pm, all ages, fun and educational.
JAPANESE BREAKFAST LISTENING EVENT: Hear the new album, 7 pm at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW).
REVELRY ROOM DJ: 9 pm, DJ Vitamin D tonight! (4547 California SW)
MAKE IT LOUD: Skating to live music at Southgate Roller Rink (9646 17th SW), doors at 9 pm, $18 cover, $5 skates, 21+. Tonight’s slate: Accidental Stuntmen, Roxbury Saints.
If you have something to showcase on our event lists or calendar, please email what/when/where/etc. info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(Photo by Javier Fosado)
9:24 AM: Thanks for the tips and photos! The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) has just passed West Seattle, northbound in Puget Sound.
(Photo by Chris May, from downtown)
It’s headed out on what might be its final deployment before leaving Puget Sound next year to relocate to Norfolk prior to decommissioning.
(Photo by Rick Cocker)
9:36 AM: If you look closely, you’ll note the sailors are out on deck, a detail pointed out by those with a closer view.
Eat local, help global. You can do that one week from tonight, at a local dinner supporting volunteers’ upcoming trip to Central America. Here’s the announcement/invitation!
On March 28, a fundraising dinner will enable a West Seattle-based team of volunteers to go to a remote Mayan village in Guatemala in early May to improve living conditions for residents by installing stoves and water filters.
(West Seattle Rotary member Greg MacKenzie, left, helps install a stove for a Guatemalan family)
The 110 stoves they hope to assemble in Saclecan [map] will replace the open fires and dilapidated wood stoves commonly used there for cooking and heat. By venting to the outside, the stoves reduce respiratory illnesses and are designed to prevent burn injuries. Fabricated in the northern town of Santa Cruz Barillas by local labor, the efficient stoves also slow deforestation by using as much as 50 percent less wood.
The team will include members of the Rotary Club of West Seattle and Fauntleroy Church UCC, as well as other area residents, all of whom will pay their own expenses. They will pack lightly in order to bring school supplies and books for the children and will come prepared to make other community improvements as funding allows.
The Hands for Peacemaking Foundation, an Everett-based organization founded by the late Dr. Leeon Aller (a ’38 graduate of West Seattle High School), will host the team in country. Tested in consultation with Burn Design Labs on Vashon Island, the stoves will be purchased and delivered in advance using donations by area Rotary Clubs and individuals.
Tickets for the 6:00 pm Guatemalan dinner on Friday, March 28, at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California Ave. SW) are $25 per person purchased at bit.ly/4huP0pZ or at the door.
You can donate without attending the dinner by going here.
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