Kurt Cobain Memorial Bench,
uploaded by samirdiwan.

On the 19th anniversary of Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain’s death at his Lake Washington Boulevard home, the Seattle PI has published a stack of never-before-seen photos from the day fans and media from around the world descended on the neighborhood to learn about Cobain’s suicide.

The greenhouse where Cobain shot himself April 5, 1994 was demolished four years later. However, a bench in Viretta Park next door to Cobain’s former home continues to serve as a destination for visiting fans paying their respects to the grunge icon.

Some fans, who volunteer to keep the park clean and maintained, are still pushing for an official memorial of some kind in Viretta Park.

Cobain would have turned 46 in February.

Of all the major recordings Nirvana made, this one is my favorite: Continue reading →

The sketches have been drawn, and now it’s up to the community to decide how the new park at 19th and Madison should look.

Landscape artist J.A. Brennan & Associates and public artist Carolyn Law designed the three sketches, which were unveiled at the design meeting March 27.

A slide, amphitheater, climbing sculpture, interactive wall, sensory garden and picnic area are just some of the suggested design features that would transform the 4,500 square foot lot at the corner of 19th and Madison into a tranquil green, urban oasis. Continue reading →

Liquor license notice posted on the door.

For those neighbors still mourning the demise of All-Purpose Pizza at 29th and Jackson, your despair may not last much longer.

Several readers have alerted CDNews recently of activity at the space, including a liquor notice for Central Pizza. Seattle Met tracked down the folks behind the business: Eric Ellsworth, Ellie Rose, Steve Scalfati and chef Mike Eagan.

With ties to Belltown Pizza, the crew is planning a pizza-centered bar and restaurant with sandwiches, specials and pizza-by-the-slice.

Oh, did I mention drinks? They’re replacing the All-Purpose Pizza kids’ area with a bar with drinks “at a decent price point,” Rose told Seattle Met.

So why that space? From SM:

According to Rose, the partners have spent a few years looking for an ideal location and didn’t want to pay the high rents that come with heavily trafficked locations like the Pike/Pine corridor. They also didn’t want to charge the sort of prices required to pay those rents. She also noticed that this pocket of the Central District (okay, technically by our internal map a few blocks into the Leschi neighborhood) lacks “a place for the neighborhood where people can actually meet each other.” The nearby Starbucks at 23rd and Jackson is always packed, she says, and here “you can have a cocktail instead of a mocha.”

Read more…

Golden Wheat Bakery has been slinging coffee, pastries, cakes and fresh bread at 29th and Cherry for one month as of Monday.

To mark their second month, the bakery has a new sign in its front windows (created with help of a supportive customer) and the bakery told CDNews they have plans to expand their menu in the near future.

“The neighborhood has been so supportive,” said barista Sam, noting that residents have helped spread the word via CDNews and other neighborhood networks.

Goods are baked fresh in-house daily, and they are working to expand their offerings to include more options like salads and sandwiches. Continue reading →

If the state legislature does not take action to help King County Metro avoid a massive budget shortfall on the horizon, several Central District bus routes could face revisions, reductions and complete cuts, Metro said Monday.

Among those on the chopping block for full deletion: The 27, 211EX and 84 (night owl). Essentially every major route in the CD could face changes and reductions in service, including the 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, and 43. The 48 might be at least partially slit into two routes (north and south of UW), and the north segment would experience cuts.

Officials said Monday that funding shortfalls could mean Metro faces up to 65 routes eliminated and up to 86 routes potentially reduced and revised — about 40% of the system.

The release of the threatened cutbacks comes as legislators in Olympia consider a statewide transportation funding package.

Here’s a list of routes on the chopping block, from Metro: Continue reading →

Filmmakers will talk about Garifuna April 19

The 2013 Langston Hughes African American Film Festival is getting ready to launch a week of screenings, premieres and chats with established and up-and-coming black filmmakers.

For the first time, all films will be screened in the renovated and reorganized Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute at 17th and Yesler.

The festival gets under way April 13 and runs through April 21. Tickets are on sale now and cost $10 for adults ($5 for youth and seniors), or you can buy passes starting at $50.

Here’s the full (long) press release:

The Langston Hughes African American Film Festival (LHAAFF), a keystone program of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, celebrates its 10th anniversary with a nine-day festival featuring over 50 feature-length and short films, 35 of which are either world or Seattle premieres. Black film luminaries from across the nation will convene in Seattle from April 13 to 21. Many films are either shot in the Northwest (The Blank Canvas) or directed by Northwesterners (Ali Allie, Elijah Hasan). For the first time in the festival’s history all activities will take place at the newly renovated Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (LHPAI) and record attendance is expected.  Details on all films, including show times and press photos, are available at langstoninstitute.org or by calling (206) 684-4758. Continue reading →

Police fanned out in the area of 21st and Union Saturday night after a gunman was reported firing on another vehicle from the car he was riding in near the intersection.

There are no reports of any victims in the area following the incident that was reported just before 8 PM. Both cars were last seen speeding away from the scene.

The car carrying the reported shooter was described as a black, 4-door sedan similar to a Crown Victoria with tinted windows. The car being fired on was described only as a white sedan.

Police units are also active in the Judkins Park area tonight following Friday night’s shooting death of a 19-year-old in the 2500 block of South Norman.