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I hope you find this to be more than a fluff piece! Please proceed to:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where we share nature in the city!
Larry
I hope you find this to be more than a fluff piece! Please proceed to:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where we share nature in the city!
Larry
Having lived on East Calhoun street in the Montlake neighborhood of Seattle for the past twenty years, I was curious whether my street was named after a racist Vice President of the United States. If it was, I planned to see if we could resolve this without actually changing the street name—similar to what the King County Council did in 1986 with regard to changing the namesake of our county from William Rufus de Vane King to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. After some research, it turns out this may be unnecessary.
Minneapolis, the city where George Floyd’s recent death by a white police officer, was in the process last year of changing street names around Lake Calhoun to no longer honor the racist politician they were originally named after.
John C. Calhoun was a South Carolina Senator and served as Vice President from 1825 to 1832. He opposed abolition and efforts to prevent slavery from taking hold in the western territories and states. He supported the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law and insisted that slavery was a “positive good” during an 1837 Senate floor speech. He died in 1850, some 40 years before the Montlake neighborhood was developed.
Calhoun street is more likely named after Dr. George Calhoun, who owned the Marine Hospital in Port Townsend. At the time, this was the largest hospital in the Northwest. Turns out Dr. Calhoun was a good friend and mentor of Dr. Thomas T. Minor, who was elected Mayor of Seattle in 1887. Mayor Minor was a prominent civic and political leader in Port Townsend and Seattle—the only person to have been elected mayor of both cities.
According to History Link, it appears that since Calhoun street was named around the end of the 1880s, it could be it was likely named as a tribute to the Mayor’s friend. Though I don’t have certainty around this, I am more at ease knowing the street on which I live is likely named after a man of honor rather than a confirmed racist.
Mark Craemer
Do Cooper’s Hawks ever reflect on what might have been? Do they live totally in the moment? Do they abandon bad relationships? See what you think on:
Lets all work together to make sure Black Birders know they are always welcome in the Union Bay neighborhood.
Larry
Is this Monty or Marsha? What is the status on their eaglet? Which one of the three get to eat this fish? Answers in this week’s post on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
What does Charadrius vociferus mean? How does it relate to being precarious or precocious? Learn more at:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Spending more time at home these days? Why not fill your space with beautiful peonies and support the Hmong farmers of Pike Place Market and Montlake Elementary- ALL AT ONCE! Each peony bouquet is $30. Montlake Elementary will receive $10 for each bouquet sold.
Order by May 25th for pick up on May 29th. Send your order to coxelisabeth@hotmail.com and direct any questions to courtneyawilliams@gmail.com
If a local avian population doubles, Is that a population explosion? Find out what I am raving about in this week’s post at:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
This week’s post focuses on an exotic, native bird. If that description seems like a contradiction please follow the link to see if you agree.
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
The Montlake Elementary PTA needs your help to virtually “Raise the Paddle” for Montlake Elementary and donate funds that are so critical to our neighborhood school. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the annual auction was cancelled and now the PTA needs to raise $94,000 more before the end of June in order to keep supporting Montlake at the current level. That number is daunting, especially with so many facing economic hardships. Please consider giving what you can. The revenue from fundraising is critical in supporting fundamental programs like art, science, math and reading – as well as school counseling, tutoring and scholarships for enrichment. If these dollars are not raised, these things will be reduced or cut for the 2020-21 school year.
These are the staffing positions that the $185,000 PTA staffing grant will fund in 20-21.
Counselor (fully funded by PTA; 0.5 of a full-time salary). We will not have a counselor without this money.
Art Teacher (Half is funded by PTA and half by the district to make up a full-time position. Montlake’s art teacher, Jennifer Lundgren has won the Washington State Teacher of the Year and is a valued treasure to the school.
Library/Academic Interventionist/Tech Teacher (0.3 funded by PTA; combines with school funding for 0.8)
Elementary Assistant (0.3 funded by PTA; combines with school funding for 0.8)
Tutors (1.0 funded by PTA + school funding for 2.0 = 3 total)
Please don’t delay in your donations. While donations will be accepted through end of June, the PTA is hoping to reach their goal by May 15, so they can accurately forecast the budget for 20-21. To date, they have raised $27,750, 30% of the goal.
This is a hard request for the PTA to make as they know that many in our community are dealing with economic hardships – and many causes are vying for your attention and support at this challenging time. They thank you in advance for any support you can provide.
Hello Montlake Community,
The Montlake Elementary school started a monthly paper this year that is run by a number of students with help and oversight by the librarian.
We had hoped to print copies this month and deliver to your door to show the Montlake community that we are all one. With the restrictions that we are currently under, we’ve moved this to an electronic copy.
Our hope is that this entertains, informs, and brings a smile to your face today.
Please enjoy and stay safe. – Lisa and Kerri (Parents)
Have you been looking for new eaglets in Monty and Marsha’s nest above Montlake Cut? There is encouraging news in this week’s post on:
Have a healthy day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
We are excited to announce that Cafe Lago is reopening this Friday! Place your order for take-out and get reunited with your favorite salads, pizzas, and pasta.
This week’s post focuses primarily on the Orange-crowned Warbler. In a addition to seeing the photos and reading the story you may enjoying trying to decode the title to the post. Good Luck! Please visit:
Have a healthy day near Union Bay...where nature lives in the city!
Larry
The Montlake Community Club is proposing updating our Bylaws. All changes are to reflect current practices and overall modernization of the MCC Bylaws. Please direct any questions or feedback to Heather at president@montlake.net.
Thanks to the almost 100 people who have attended our online construction update meetings these past two months. We’re excited to continue bringing you the latest construction information on the SR 520 Montlake Project while providing a regular opportunity for you to ask questions and receive project updates.
Our May monthly construction update meeting will again be online, with a short presentation and Q&A to follow.
Date/time: May 6, presentation starts at 5:30 p.m.
Registration: https://bit.ly/onlineSR520 You’ll be sent confirmation and reminder emails as we approach the event.
You can join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device. Access to the Internet will be required to view the presentation and your device speakers must be enabled.
Missed last month’s meeting? A video recording of the meeting as well as the presentation slides (pdf 2.64 mb) are now available.
We continue to wish you and your family and friends good health during this time.
Will both pairs of Union Bay Osprey return, nest and raise young this year? Some of the answers are still up in the air, but some are now known. Find out more at:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Boyer Children’s Clinic, a cornerstone of the Montlake community since 1942, is the Puget Sound’s premier provider of Early Intervention services for children birth to three with developmental delays and disabilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Boyer continues to accept referrals for therapies, including physical, occupational and speech. We are offering our full array of high-quality services – therapy, education, medical, and family support – via virtual visits (video conferencing and/or telephone).
Boyer’s Medical Director, Dr. Jennie McLaurin, is also available to provide developmental and behavioral screenings to determine whether your child would benefit from a referral for Early Intervention services. Dr. McLaurin is a designated “Center of Excellence” for autism spectrum diagnosis, meaning she has the unique expertise to screen for autism expeditiously.
If you have concerns about your child’s development, please contact us; we know that a child’s brain is 85% developed by age three, and Boyer is available now to provide evaluations and services. To make an appointment, please contact Boyer Children’s Clinic in either of the following ways:
• Call us and leave a voicemail at (206) 325-8477. We are checking messages consistently and will return your call shortly.
• Email info@boyercc.org and a staff member will be in touch.
Research shows that services provided through virtual visits are as successful as in-person services, and our families have confirmed that scheduling/participating in virtual visits are simple and beneficial for their children. Here is a short video that offers insight into the benefits of Boyer’s care through virtual visits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbA68l-Db00&feature=youtu.be
Boyer remains committed to our mission of providing care to all who need us, regardless of financial circumstances. We are working tirelessly to reduce barriers to access, such as providing interpreters for all virtual visits, and providing tablets, internet access, and data when families need them. Please reach out to us at any time with questions or to schedule an appointment.
How do these Chestnut-backed Chickadees face the danger of larger creatures? More on:
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
Which three species of swallows are currently feeding above Union Bay? Which additional species will join them later? Find out at:
Have a happy and healthy day on Union Bay…where nature lives in the city!
Larry
As you heard last week, in response to Gov. Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order, the Washington State Department of Transportation suspended most of its construction projects statewide, including the SR 520 Montlake Project. We will look to restart our projects when the Governor’s Office and health officials determine it is safe to do so. We continue to wish you and your families good health during this time.
Thank you to the over 40 participants who joined us at our online monthly meeting in March. Next week, we’ll host another online meeting, with a short presentation led by Graham’s director of construction and a Q&A to follow. Please join us!
Date/time: April 8, presentation starts at noon. You’ll be sent confirmation and reminder emails as we approach the event.
Registration: http://bit.ly/sr520online
You can join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device. Access to the Internet will be required to view the presentation and your device speakers must be enabled.