Stories

We got word this weekend from Audrey Seale, organizer of the Madrona Dining & Sipping Society's events, that the 3rd Annual Neighborhood picnic has had to be canceled because of low ticket sales.

The picnic had been scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12 on the lawn at St. Therese. 

"The turnout as expressed in ticket sales to date or the emailed intention to buy tickets last minute still had our numbers at a fraction of the past years," Seale wrote in an email to community members.

St. Clouds, which had been scheduled to cater the event, will serve BBQ fare for the Sunday special that night at the restaurant. If you already purchased tickets, you can receive a refund by stopping by St. Clouds on Sunday the 12th to turn in your tickets.

2ND ANNUAL GARDENING-BASED FOOD, NUTRITION & WELLNESS FAIR

Saturday, September 25, 2010, 12:00PM – 6:00PM

Gardening-Based Food, Nutrition and Wellness Fair.  Saturday, September 25, 2010, from 12:00 Noon - 6:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 2116 E. Union Street, Seattle, 98122.  Workshops on Nutrition on a Budget; Prevention of Chronic Diseases; and Weight Loss.  Cooking, exercise and Zumba demonstrations.  Pot your own plant to take home. 

Dr. Herb Joiner-Bey, noted author and educator in therapeutic nutrition, western botanical medical and homeopathy will present information regarding healthy eating and lifestyle choices.   Dr. Joiney-Bey is a graduate of John Hopkins University and Bastyr University (Seattle). 

We combine wellness, education and fun for the whole family.  FREE.  206-424-4573. www.foodnutritionwellness.blogspot.com 

Presented by MJK Productions, PEARL Legacy and the City of Seattle Department of... (more)

The proposals for purchasing Martin Luther King Jr. School are on the agenda of the Seattle School Board's Audit & Finance Committee meeting on September 9th from 3:30PM to 6:00 PM in the School Board Conference Room at 3rd and Lander (2445 3rd Avenue South ).  These meetings are open to the public but do not include public testimony.    However, it will provide an opportunity to ascertain the thinking and the issues that appear to be important to the District administration and various Board members during these final steps of  making a decision. This in turn will be helpful to community members and advocates in framing  the questions, information, and comments that they may want to forward to Board members.

Current proposals under consideration:                                        ... (more)

Have you purchased your duck?

Starting Monday, August 30th, all BluWaters began selling mini ducks in-store for a rubber duck charity race to be held on Saturday, September 11th, at the BluWater Bistro in Leschi.   All proceeds benefit the Officer Brenton Memorial at 29th and Yesler, where he lost his life while on duty, that will be dedicated on the first anniversary of his death, October 31, 2010.

BluWater has set a goal of raising $10,000.

Derby Ducks can be purchased individually (ask a hostess) or with a drink special (ask a bartender or server)  An individual Derby Duck costs $5.00, with a drink special Daiquiri Duck costing $7.00.  Ducks can be left in the store of purchase or you can come to BluWater Bistro on race day to enter your duck.

The Rubber Duck Derby will begin at noon on September 11th

Buy a Derby Duck to support a good cause and to participate in the prizes, music, food and fun.  You do not have to be present at the Duck Derby to win the prizes:

1st Place - $1,000 BluWater Gift... (more)

Bed bugs are one of CDNews' worst fears. We drive other members of the family crazy when we travel, with thorough examinations of mattresses and pillows for signs of possible infestations.

But now it appears that they're getting closer to home. Our friends at The SunBreak reported today that a King County official said that bed bugs are "out there" and "doing well" here in Seattle. And they provide a link to BedBugRegistry.com that shows three reported infestations here in the Central District, all in multi-unit apartments:

• 1100 block of 17th Avenue - One unit with bed bugs
• 1500 block of 17th Avenue - At least two apartments in 144-unit HUD building infested
• 100 block of 21st Avenue East - Bed bugs in one unit in a 4-unit apartment building 

We're getting itchy just thinking about it.

One saving grace for CDNews is that we're in a single family residence and thus have some natural barrier if they continue to spread. But don't be offended if you ever come over and we ask you to leave your bags outside... (more)

Local yoga studio Mountain Flow Yoga has been receiving plenty of buzz since moving to Madrona this spring. A mention in Daily Candy, a "Best of Seattle" Award in Seattle Weekly for their popular rooftop yoga classes, and an upcoming blurb in October's issue of Seattle Magazine have all led to increased attendance at the small business.

As a result, the studio will be doing some minor expansion this weekend, knocking down the wall between the studio and reception area to create one large room. The studio will be closed Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day Weekend before reopening on Labor Day, though re-painting and floor installation are still a few weeks away.

It's always nice to see local businesses doing well. To those who've checked out Mountain Flow Yoga, what do you think?

CDNews reader Bryan sent us a tip about this mural that's going up along the side of the Garfield running track:

We spoke to two of the artists who said that it's a student-led project to decorate the blank retaining wall with some Garfield School Spirit

They're aiming to finish the project by Sunday, just in time for the start of school next Wednesday.

The Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center and the Parks Commons Program will bring engaging multicultural puppet theater to six Seattle parks . AMADOO AND THE CROCODILE is a lively collection of African stories, musical interludes by African American Jazz greats featuring toy and hand puppets by master puppeteer Clay Martin of the Clay Martin Theater.

Youth and adults will delight to the music of Cab Calloway, Ma Rainey and learn how Anansi the Spider once had all the stories in the world and then lost them. Does a bad deed always repay a good deed? Follow Amadoo as he ventures into the jungle and meets Mr. Crocodile to learn the answer.

 “Martin’s puppetry brings the world of African fable to life, incorporating many valuable lessons that are relevant today.” notes Jacqueline Moscou, Artistic Director, Langston Huges Performing Arts Center. “Puppet theater is an historic, accessible art form that brings culture and history forward in an engaging way.”

 Outdoor performances of AMADOO AND THE CROCODILE... (more)

Seattle police have surrounded an apartment building at 20th and Yesler after a man fired off shots from an apartment balcony around 8:30am.

Seattlecrime.com is updating as this develops.

Update:

Seattle Crime says a man is in custody and things should be winding down soon:

Update @ 9:29- Seattle police are working with a crack negotiator—the man's mother—who is on the phone with the man, trying to coax him out of his apartment.

Update @ 9:35- Police believe there may be 3 or 4 other people inside the apartment with the man.

Update @ 9:36- Police have one person in custody and are trying to get three more people out of the apartment.

Update @ 9:42- Sounds like everyone is safely out of the unit.

Update x2: SPD has released new details on this morning's mayhem: 25 year old man arrested, stolen 9mm handgun recovered from apartment.

On September 2, shortly before 8:30 AM, East Precinct officers responded to a report of shots fired from an apartment balcony in the 2000 Block of East Yesler...

yesler at 19th is shut down. SWAT has moved in. Not sure where the "issue" is but I heard about 8-9 gunshots around 8:30ish....I thought Pratt park. Overheard the cops outside my window saying they thought they came from "the balcony" -- which balcony, who knows!

The official letter to Madrona businesses from Metro on the decision not to move the bus layover went out this morning. As we reported yesterday, the proposed move of the No. 3 bus layover station from in front of St. Clouds to further down the street was deemed too costly.

Today's letter from Victor Obeso, manager of Metro's Service Development Section, has more details on the estimated cost of over $486,000 to develop new overhead wire design and construction.

Route 3 is an electric trolley operating on power drawn from overhead wire with limited operational flexibility. The bus stop on 34th Avenue also functions as a terminal or layover. Any new layover site would require overhead wire construction in order to maintain current service levels and operations. Metro Transit estimates the cost of new overhead wire design and construction to be over $486,000. Based on the projected costs involved, relocating the layover is not possible at this time. We had hoped to be able to accommodate the neighborhood business’...

anybody see the awesome looking new articulated hybrid buses running on "test" up and down Union?  cool to see a new bus. 

are they going to be used on the #2?

For those interested, groupon has a deal going on for one of our local restaurants. I've never been so I'm using this as an excuse to try it out. The deal closes at midnight.

You can find the details here:

The Leschi neighborhood's efforts to build a memorial to Officer Tim Brenton is getting new support from local businesses. Yesterday BluWater Bistro left a comment on CDNews announcing their plans to hold an event on Saturday, September 11th, to raise funds towards the $25,000 cost of building the memorial.

The restaurant will be selling rubber ducks for $5 at each of their three locations, including their waterfront restaurant in Leschi, with the funds donated towards the memorial. Then on September 11th they'll hold a Derby event in Leschi, where the first three ducks that make it to shore will win a range of prizes for their sponsors.

The BluWater program comes one week after the memorial committee announced an $8,000 donation of materials and services from Quiring Monuments, which will provide the sculptural elements of the memorial.

The Leschi community is working to hit their $25,000 goal by October 1st, so that the memorial can be built and then dedicated on the one-year anniversary of Officer Tim Brenton'... (more)

Updated: We've heard from a Madrona business owner that the No. 3 bus stop layover has been deemed too cost-prohibitive to move entirely, according to Metro.

An internal review by Metro's Transit Route Facilities Group, an internal work group that oversees bus stops and other transit issues, concluded that it would cost $450,000 to move the layover from its current spot in front of St. Clouds restaurant.

For a bit of history on the bus layover move: two months ago, several Madrona business owners met with a representative from Metro about moving the layover spot further south, out of the central business district. A poll we ran showed a vast majority preferred moving the layover away from its current spot in front of St. Clouds.

Metro will send out an official letter this week announcing the decision and proposing ways to work with local businesses to improve the situation, such as reducing the amount of time multiple buses are waiting on 34th Ave.

What do you think of the decision?

Capitol Hill Seattle brings us up to date on Hamlin Robinson School, which is preparing to start the new school year in the old TT Minor building at 18th & Union:

Hamlin Robinson spokesperson Rob Harahill said that the school is aware of the needs of the community around T.T. Minor and that it hopes to begin programs that will be beneficial to that community. 

"We feel honored to be a tenant in this building, so part of our luck of being here is being involved in the greater community," Harahill said.

Harahill said that the school is looking to aid students outside of the children who attend the school full time. They want to provide after-hours tutoring for students with language-related difficulties who cannot attend the school full time. The school has not yet decided whether the tutoring will be free but Harahill said the school's main goal is that all students should have access to their programs, regardless of financial background. So, if there was a fee that went along with the tutoring, there...

Is back.

Tonight around 8pm our doorbell rang (we are near 23rd & yesler), and I opened it to a fellow that introduced himself as he held out his hand to shake, as 'a new neighbor'.

I shook his hand and asked where he was a neighbor from, and he quickly responded that he and his boyfriend just moved in nearby.

(At that point I had heard the story before from a few years ago since he had come to our door and went into the story of being new to the neighborhood, had a boyfriend, and was locked out and needed a couple bucks for a locksmith.

Flash forward a few years and numerous posts on this site and I had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say.)

So as he told me he and his bf were new to the neighborhood I quickly let him know that I was sorry but couldnt help him out. He seemed caught off guard and quickly asked where Lincoln Towing was. I told him I didnt know and he quickly walked away.

I think he got a pretty good idea that I had already heard his story before and he already made the rounds with our immediate... (more)

Today I found a sign taped to a telephone pole saying "cat found" and a picture of my cat with a telephone number of animal control and a case number.  Apparently somebody picked her up wed afternoon, in front of my house, and brought here to the pound as a stray.  Now I have to pay $85 to get her out and produce some kind of ID (which I lost today) or they euthanize her Monday.   My dogs are a menace to the neighborhood when they get out, this I understand.  My kids are a public nuisance if they throw rocks and vandalize your house and anyone is perfectly within their rights to call the cops before they call me.  But a cat?  I know she is clingy, codependent and neurotic; she will crap in your flower bed, sit on your car and wander into the street, but animal control? really?   You do know that a trip to the pound is a death sentence?  They can only hold animals 72 hours, I don't know when you put the sign up but I only found it saturday morning.  What... (more)

Update from the planning committee for the Brenton Memorial:

• Quiring Monuments of Seattle is donating the materials and labor for fabricating the sculptural elements of the memorial.
• Other local businesses have also offered to donate materials as well as the use of their equipment.
• SDOT has approved the permit required for the memorial space.  Further discussion will be taking place regarding replacement of the street curb and adjoining sidewalk.
• Community work parties will take place on the 1^st three Saturdays of October.  Additional details will be provided in future updates.
• Cash donations to-date: $1,290; Value of donated materials to-date: $8,000.  Remaining to reach goal: $16,710

Early next week, the CDNews will be displaying a graphic to track the progress of the $25,000 fundraising effort.

You can make your tax-deductible contributions  through PayPal to LeschiCC@gmail.com (Please reference the Brenton Memorial) or by check to:

Leschi Community Council
Attn: Officer Brenton Memorial
Po Box... (more)

Those who work M-F 9-5 will appreciate a non-weekday Molly Moon's truck visit. The big blue ice cream truck will be parked in its customary spot outside Buggy (1422 34th Avenue) from 3:30-5:30 today (Saturday the 28th). 

Also today will be the final event to celebrate Washington Wine Month at Bottlehouse, with Washington winery ANIMALE hosting a reception and free tastings from 6-8pm. 

at Lucky Devil Tattoo near Howell

Have you noticed the new 12th Avenue benches?

at Velocity Dance Center near Pine Street

at Chatterbox near Spring St 

at WaterTown near Barclay Court

The benches were funded by the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development with input from the 12th Avenue Stewardship Committee and project management by Capitol Hill Housing.  The City of Seattle provided the raw materials that were originally granite curbstones.  Who knows, maybe some of these pieces of granite used to reside on 12th Avenue before being torn up and replaced with concrete...

Special thanks are due to Kevin Long of Urban Wilds who did a fantastic job on design and fabrication of the granite stones as well as installation on the sidewalk. We also want to thank Daniel Mihalyo of Lead Pencil Studio for help with the design, offering up a workspace, and general assistance with the project, Greg Lewis for help with installation, 12th Avenue Iron who fabricated the bench legs, Kate Leitch at the Seattle Department of Transportation for helping us with City permits, and to each property and business owner who supported this project.

Be sure to check out all five benches located on 12th Avenue between Yesler and Denny.  Each one is designed a little differently and shows the amazingly different qualities of the granite -- both the rough and rugged raw stone and the smooth and shiny polished stone. 

So,  pull up a seat, and enjoy the view of 12th from these really cool benches! 

at Saba Ethiopian near Yesler

Today County Executive Dow Constantine forwarded a plan for trolley bus evaluation to the King County Council, identifying the technologies and areas of comparison that will be used to make the decision on whether to keep electric trolley buses in Metro's transit system, or else replace them with diesel buses.

The biggest element is what technologies Metro has decided it would not study as potential replacements for the trolleys. Their initial list included some technologies that were looking far forward into the future, such as hydrogen fuel cells or battery-only buses. But they've now ruled those out as there aren't any buses currently offered with those kinds of propulsion systems, and county staff has decided that any early versions of that technology would have higher costs and reduced performance compared to other options. The county also ruled out Compressed Natural Gas as a fuel option due to the cost of installing the fueling network and higher environmental impact.

That leaves only two bus technology... (more)

Hot on the heels of our note yesterday about bad parking blocking emergency vehicles, our news partners at the Seattle Times have a front-page story about how busy the city's parking enforcement officers are, writing $18.4 million in tickets last year:

The violators are many. When they see her approach, they beg, cajole, argue. Anything to worm out of that $39 fine.

"I'm just doing my job," she tells people. "There's a number you can call to contest the citation."

Parking enforcement is the scourge of all dense urban areas. Last year, Seattle's parking-enforcement officers wrote up 508,675 tickets. That's about one a minute.

The Seattle Crime maps tell the local tale, showing that most tickets in the Central District happen around Swedish and along the neighborhood's arterials:

But is parking enforcement "the scourge of all dense urban areas" as the Time's article suggests? I guess that depends on whether there's a bunch of hospital employees taking up parking in front of your house, or someone... (more)

Early this morning, around 3 AM, we heard what sounded like gun shots coming from Leschi, near the water perhaps.  There were never any sirens so perhaps these were fire crackers.  Hard to tell.  If someone knows what these were, would love to know.

Update by scott: Police received many calls on this, and spoke to a man at 23rd & Jackson who reported seeing fireworks being set off by someone west of there, towards Washington Middle School