Stroll north from Yesler toward Jefferson along 19th Avenue. These designate the location of the original headquarters for the Black Panthers in Seattle.

Quincy Jones Performance Center Dedication tickets are available, free, and required for open seating at the September 26th performance at 4:30 pm. Tours will be available following the dedication. Quincy Jones will attend but not perform.

Tickets are available as long as supplies last by emailing [email protected] with name and address or at Garfield’s Performance Center entrance off 23rd Street from 4 to 7 pm on Wednesday and Thursday, September 17 & 18. Only two tickets are allowed per family.
For more information see the Celebrate Garfield page:
http://www.celebrategarfield.org/dedication.html

*

On Wednesday Mayor Greg Nickels appeared before a very supportive audience at the newly remodeled Garfield Teen Center to announce that he will include $9 million in the Mayor’s 2009-2010 proposed biennial budget to fund the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative. The Mayor’s office has been prompted to act due to the shooting deaths of four teenagers during 2008 and an increase in the numbers of violent juvenile crimes during 2006-2007. The $9 million reflects approximately $3.5 million of re-directed funds and about $5.5 million in new spending. The proposal would focus on 800 children a year, mainly at the middle school age, who are at highest risk of perpetuating violence or becoming victims.

The programs would focus on:
1. Establishing reentry programs for repeat offenders in state detention programs.
2.Working with middle-schools to provide support for students with a history of truancy and students at risk of suspension.
3.Providing alternatives for youth who are arrested for crimes that do not automatically require detention.
4.Preventing retaliation by victims of violence and their families and friends to stem the cycle of violence.

The Urban League, Southwest Youth and Family Services and the Atlantic Street Center, along with the Seattle School District were named as the community partners responsible for helping to design neighborhood networks and service delivery. The Urban League will represent and design the network for the Central Area; the Atlantic Street Center, Southeast Seattle; and Southwest Youth and Family Services, West Seattle.

In answer to questions regarding how the three agencies were chosen Mayor Nickels responded that they each have a long history of working with others and of effectiveness in their communities.

Extending youth center hours, to provide safe places for youth activities; working closely with middle schools to add police officers in schools, improve attendance and provide conflict resolution training; and adding mentors are elements of the initiative.

Questions also included how Mayor Nickles plans to assure accountability. Setting specific goals are key to ensuring accountability. For instance, the goal of cutting in half the number of incidents of youth violence by May 2010 will be measured according to the definitions set in the goals. Increases in neighborhood and school safety, improvements in school performance and reductions in recidivism are also measurable. Measures will be set according to the program designs.

James Kelly of the Urban League and Seattle School Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson were on hand to speak in favor of the Mayor’s proposal and were well received. Members of the faith community were recognized and praised for their contributions to the community.

Next steps will include completing design of neighborhood networks and partnerships and the review of the Mayor’s budget by the City Council. If passed as planned implementation would begin in January 2009 with final results for the first year reported in June 2010

The press release, a video of the press conference and an overview of the initiative are available at:
http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/
The Seattle PI report:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/378555_youth11.html
The Seattle Times:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008172406_y

From: Sharon Star
Date: Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Subject: REMINDER: MLK SUAC Meeting – Sept 11, 2008
To: Sharon Star

Hi All,

Just a quick reminder about the MLK School Use Advisory Committee (SUAC) Meeting tomorrow at Madrona Elementary Cafeteria – 1121 33rd Ave from 7:00 – 9:00pm.

Please forwarded to your community organizations, neighborhood groups and interested neighbors.

Thanks,
Sharon

The forum discussion centered around the personal time commitment and differing business models that exist within the blogger group of presenters and the future goals of each. Except for Corey from Ballard who envisions replacing the mainstream media, the bloggers described their sites as complementing neighborhood and city newspapers and their future goals as becoming more effective in their neighborhoods and helping to empower others. There was no mention regarding the effect of demographics and size of area covered on the business models, just as there was no in-depth discussion on the effect on community communication. It was clear that a good portion of each community participated in and valued their blog, but the articulation of why and the positive and possible negative affects on the community was fuzzy. The forum successfully presented the personalities of the bloggers and who they are as individuals.

Hopefully, this report is not being too negatively affected by a disheartening experience during the reception that began at 5:30 P.M. I met and spoke with one of the City Club organizers who relegated the Central District to being the same as Rainier Valley. A polite geography lesson appeared to be in order. This was especially disturbing since he was aware of Madison Valley as a distinct neighborhood and is working with them on rebranding and is aware of the Montlake, Eastlake, Capital Hill and almost all other neighborhoods, but was at a complete loss regarding the Central District.

Fortunately, during the presentation Amber Cambell described The Rainier Valley Post as serving an area south of I-90. Perhaps that should have been relief enough, but the earlier conversation bothered me throughout the presentation. Scott of the Central District News could have significantly contributed to the discussion in several areas, and I was sorry he wasn’t part of the panel. Maybe that was his decision.

I did call the City Club this morning to express hope that future neighborhood organizers are made aware of the Central District. This incident seems to somewhat feed into the CD News discussions regarding the Central District not being uniformly depicted on maps and areas of it often being renamed by various interests.

I had to leave just before the last audience question.

Keep up the good work, Scott.

The phenomenon of neighborhood blogs will be explored Thursday, September 4 in an event sponsored by Seattle CityClub and moderated by Monica Guzman of the Seattle P-I. What is the impact on mainstream media and community communication?

Registration is at 5:30 p.m. and the program at 6 p.m. at the Seattle Public Library Downtown at 1000 Fourth Avenue Sign up for free tickets at CityClub’s site: http://www.seattlecityclub.org/events.php

Grant money from the City of Seattle helped make these workshops possible and De Charlene appreciates any help you can provide to ensure that all members of the community are aware of the announcement below:

The Central Area Chamber of Commerce would like to Invite everyone to our
FREE Business Seminar (Series Two) “The Right Place At The Right Time – Doing
Business In The 21st Century” Saturday, September 13, 2008, 10:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. The Tree House, 2100 24th Ave. South, Seattle, WA. (Located between S.
Hill and S. Market Streets, Bus routes #4, #7 & #48) We will have 4 dynamic
professional speakers covering areas of Credit and the role credit plays in your
personal and business life; Taxes: what to file, when to file and how to file
business taxes; various ways to market your business, and be able to secure
financing; and How to save your life! This is a good one! If you missed the
first, you don’t want to miss the second. This information will assist you in
your financial well-being, and vital to having and saving more money.
Refreshments will be served. We look forward to seeing you there! Please RSVP:
LaVerne at
(206) 325-2864 with the number of people that will be attending for seating.
Also, due to the Labor Day holiday, our next Chamber meeting will be held the
second Monday, September 8, 2008, 7:00 p.m. at Seattle Vocational Institute,
2120 S. Jackson St., Seattle. Thanks.

A story for our attention.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377218_incentive01.html
Broken rules could benefit neighborhoods
Council to weigh incentive zoning

Next week, the Seattle City Council will begin deciding how communities would benefit if developers are allowed to build taller in neighborhoods citywide.

(full text of article removed by moderators to avoid copyright infringement)

Please as you read this article and comments regarding cost overruns remember that if Garfield had been renovated before Roosevelt HS, Garfield would be within budget and Roosevelt would be the one with cost overruns, even greater than those attributed to Garfield.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377313_garfield02.html
Garfield High renovation blends high-tech and history

For the last two years, it’s been tough for Heather Snookal to teach lab exercises in a temporary school, with equipment competing for space on overcrowded desks.

(full text of story removed by moderators to avoid copyright infringement)

On Saturday, Sept. 13, join Feet First for a Central District Walk. Participants will meet at the Odessa Brown Clinic at 2101 E. Yesler at 10:30 AM. Please make a reservation by calling 206-652-2310 or emailing [email protected] by Sept. 10.

Feet First is a nonprofit organization advocate for walkable communities in the Puget Sound area: www.feetfirst.info

Participation is free, but reservations are required.