Entire Eact Precinct fleet going N on MLK, 9:40pm?

pretty much right now?

anybody? i saw six cars minimum going North.

Update: by scott:  A detective had stopped to talk to a man at 23rd & Spring who matched the description of a suspect in a recent robbery.   But the suspect drove off before they could make an ID on him.   It went south on 23rd, East on Columbia, south on MLK, north on MLK, east on Madison, north through the arboretum, and then west on Boyer.  The pursuit was called off as it approached Roanoke, and it sounds like the driver got away after that.

There was another man who was somehow associated who was kept by another officer at the original scene at 23rd & Spring.  It’s not clear if he was arrested or not.

25th and Union Bus Shelter Response from Metro

In response to the concerns about the bus shelter at 25th and Union (including my own eyewitness account of smoking and drinking yesterday at 6:15pm), I inquired with folks I know at Metro about this issue. Here is the response.

Mr. Elvis,
Your request for assistance at the Metro bus shelter at 25/Union, has found it’s way to my desk. I am the Operations Captain for the Metro Transit Police.

I have asked our patrol deputies and plain clothes Deputies to spend time there as they can. We are a small but dedicated division and I’m certain that you will see a difference soon. I will also pass this information along to Seattle Police.

Please let me know if I can assist you further, Lisa

Captain Lisa Pepin
Metro Transit Police
King County Sheriff’s Office
206-XXX-XXXX

Now, I think a larger issue exists with respect to the actual design of the shelter (i.e…it’s back faces the street, making it very hard to police), but this is a good first step.

CD Neighborhood Assoc Meeting. Tue, Aug 12. 7:30pm

Last Tuesday, a group met at Tougo to discuss revitalizing the Central District Neighborhood Association (CDNA). During the meeting, we discussed how best to revitalize a critical community organization and how organize it in order to best deal with the issues facing the community.

This kickoff meeting was just the start of organizing the CDNA, and we need your input moving forward to make it work. Therefore, there will be a follow-up meeting on Tuesday, August 12th, 7:30pm, at Tougo. At this point the agenda is pretty informal, but there was general consensus that we should discuss CDNA by-laws, possible CDNA committees, and set a timetable for holding elections (probably Sept). Other agenda items are welcome.

Tougo has graciously offered their beautiful space to us. If you don’t know, Tougo is on 18th just north of Union. A special thanks to Brian for his committment to the neighborhood and his time in hosting our meetings.

I said I wouldn’t vent, but I just gotta VENT!

where is the cordoned off blockade ala the philly’s cheesesteak murder?

where is the news coverage?

where is the search for the possible suspect?

I can understand when non-white folks think the greater public don’t give a damn about crime unless it impacts them. Guess it’s just another ho hum day for the rest of the city, but to me somebody just got murdered and nobody seems to care.

Likewise, did anybody notice on the KomoTV clip that the police gravitated to the notorious house on 27th and Spring once again?

http://www.komonews.com/news/25754809.html

That house is evil, pure and simple. I feel bad for their neighbors.

Don’t Pop the Cork Just Yet, Marty

While I am glad to see the SLOG cover the Union and MLK development (not exactly an endorsement), the community has just begun to learn more about the project and has not exactly wrapped its collective arms around it…YET.

In fact, several members of the community at the intersection of the CD and Madrona attended the Design Review Board’s hearing on the project.

In general, folks are for development, but the details as laid out drew serious concerns from nearly all attending. Specifically the concerns were about height (going from 3 to essentially 5 stories with rooftop structures), sidewalk setbacks and overall look and feel of the building.

Also, parking was clearly an area of concern. There will be 25 units with 25 spaces underground, so presumably there will be 15-20 cars added to the street.

Marty appeared eager to listen, but it will be interesting to see what he does to address neighborhood concern.

Again, I think everybody is excited about the prospect, but wants to know more and understand how he plans to pull off a pretty ambitious project (solar panels on roof, practice space for musicians, rooftop gardening, exercise machines that pump electricity back into the grid).

Is there something in the water?

this morning I noticed a slightly foul smell coming from my tap. Granted, I don’t drink unfiltered tap water too much, but i noticed it when brushing my teeth and showering. I just figured it was my home.

At work, I noticed it again in the tap water and the shower water.

It’s a slightly iodine/chloride type smell that I cannot put my finger on.

Is it just me?

Interesting Read on Public Housing

This is about DC’s effort to move toward more mixed use and not concrete block housing, but I lifted this quote for the purposes of our discussion on gentrification.

Mr. Kelly is undertaking a great experiment to see if he can turn around distressed neighborhoods and keep the original residents there to benefit,” said Sue Popkin, a housing expert at the Urban Institute. “It’s a gamble. We don’t know how to take a terrible neighborhood and make it nice while keeping the same people there.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/21/us/21housing.html