Seattle Police and the FBI arrested more than 20 people in a Oxycodone trafficking bust that reached from Northern California to the Puget Sound, including the Central District.

Among the groups targeted most heavily in the investigation was CD-based gang the Union Street Black Gangster Disciples, the PI reports. Agents said the group was responsible for recent Seattle violence, but did not identify which incidents.

Details from SPD:

More than 100 federal and local law enforcement agents fanned out across the Puget Sound Region and Northern California today to arrest more than 20 defendants implicated in a significant narcotics trafficking ring, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan.  Eighteen of the defendants have been indicted by the grand jury for distributing thousands of oxycodone pills in the Seattle area.  An additional six defendants were arrested for their role in the drug distribution scheme.  The arrests are the culmination of a two year investigation by the Seattle Safe Streets Task Force, operated by the FBI and Seattle Police Department.

SPD also published a list of the people arrested.

Several Central District organizations will receive thousands of dollars from the city’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, the mayor announced last week. In total, the city announced $150,000 in funding for needed facilities maintenance and upgrades at arts institutions around town.

Pratt Fine Arts Center will get $10,000 from the city to upgrade it’s security lighting and to add signage for the somewhat hidden center in Pratt Park. Reel Grrls will receive $6,000 to soundproof its media lab. The Northwest African American Museum will get $11,250 for HVAC and electrical wiring work. The James and Janie Washington Center at 26th and Denny will receive $7,500 for roof and furnace replacements.

Details from the Mayor’s Office:

Mayor McGinn has announced new funding for cultural facilities. This new pilot program supports Seattle-based arts, heritage, cultural and arts service organizations with urgent-need, facilities-based capital projects, including facility renovations or completing the final phase of new facilities. A total of $150,000 will be distributed to 14 organizations to support projects such as adding an ADA access entryway, roof and furnace replacements, HVAC and wiring updates, and exterior security lighting. In all cases, the majority of funding for the facility’s capital project was in place before organizations were able to apply to this program. 

“Arts space revitalizes our neighborhoods, boosts our economy and invites civic engagement,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “With this program, we hope to help preserve valuable facilities in our community.”

Projects range in size and scope. Jack Straw Foundation, a non-profit multidisciplinary audio arts center, will add an ADA-access entryway to their University District site with $25,000, while Pratt Fine Arts Center will utilize their $10,000 award to add security lighting and fencing and improve signage. SouthEast Effective Development, a non-profit community development organization in Southeast Seattle, will add a $5,000 ADA elevator. $15,000 goes to The Center for Wooden Boats to improve the exterior lighting on their campus.

A total of 14 partners received funding ranging from $3,250 to $25,000. For a complete list of funded organizations, visit the Cultural Facilities web page at:

http://www.seattle.gov/arts/funding/cultural_facilities_partners.asp

Projects will take place and be completed between September 2012 and December 2013.

The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs supports the health and vitality of our city by providing access to arts and culture, advancing the role of artists in our community, and advocating for issues affecting the entire cultural community. The 16-member Seattle Arts Commission, citizen volunteers appointed by the mayor and City Council, supports the city agency.

Jackson Commons has been keeping busy, organizing a community dinner at Promenade 23’s East African Imports and profiling small business owners tucked away in sometimes hard-to-find or overlooked spaces in the shopping center and along Jackson Street.

Recently, Jackson Commons’ Knox Gardner spoke with Karen Davis, owner of Cellular North West, which sells credit-check-free mobile phones. She expressed hopes and concerns about changes to the neighborhood and how current business owners may or may not be able to afford to stay:

This spot must be challenging though?

You know our business is growing here, but growing slow. The good rental properties are too high to afford, particularly when you’re starting your business. African-American business are disappearing. We believe a rebuild of the property would be awesome but are really concerned about being displaced! We’re here covering our bills, but not making profit. How are we going to be able to continue business during some kind of construction here? Will we be able to afford a lease at any new Promenade 23?

What do you think needs to happen?

We’re really proud to offer a product and services the community deserves. But to continue we need more customers. We’re all for building improvements to draw new customers to Jackson. We could really use a neighborhood newsletter or handouts that highlights all the stores and their deals and specials for the month. We might even have some advertising on TV or radio as a shopping center. We need to figure out ways to remind people of the variety of products and services that are here at really reasonable prices.

There’s a basic problem of investment here you know.

Read more…

Justin at Capitol Hill Seattle called it “one of Seattle’s most pitiful traditions.”

Seattle Public Libraries are closed city-wide all this week for a budget-saving unpaid furlough period. But a group of activists have stepped up to try to fill the void in the Central District, building the Seattle People’s Library on the steps of the Douglass-Truth branch at 23rd and Yesler.

“The cool part is, we don’t even need to explain the issue of the austerity measures to people,” said Yates Coley, one of the many People’s Library organizers. After all, most people find the idea of libraries closing for a week every year ridiculous, as demonstrated by the healthy victory of the recent Library Levy, which passed with 65 percent of the vote. The levy should prevent furlough weeks for the next several years.

Organizing for the People’s Library started just ten days ago, but people were able to pull together a respectable (and growing) book collection, a couple computers with Internet access, free public wifi and a packed schedule of music and children’s storytime readings.

Less than an hour after opening, several people were parked around the Douglass-Truth lawn reading books while others took advantage of the free computers. Library computers are one of the few dependable sources of free Internet access for many CD residents.

Coley said the project has received the support of several librarians, and several even helped hand out fliers to library users.

And don’t worry: Although their books were mostly donated by book stores, residents and some leftovers from the Occupy Seattle libraries, the books are not unwanted titles.

“A lot of people have donated books they like,” said Coley.

The library plans to be open according to the Douglass-Truth operating hours through Sunday (Mon-Thu: 10am–8pm, Fri-Sat: 10am–6pm, Sun: 1–5pm).

They could use some volunteers to staff the library during the week and to do children’s readings. They could also use more children’s and classic book donations. And if you have some cash to put toward their moving truck rental, you can donate online.

Below is the tentative schedule for Monday. Check the Due To Budget Cuts blog for daily schedules of events:

10am: OPEN!

1pm: Music by Seattle indie artist Thomas Starks

2pm: Children’s Storytime

3pm: Snacktime. Thanks to Eileen for bringing some Filipino noodles and eggrolls to share with everyone.

3pm- 5pm: Crafts for Kids (of all ages!). Make your own birdfeeder with pinecones and peanut butter. Materials provided.

6pm: Children’s Storytime

7pm: Acoustic set by Eric Richards of local band Podblaster

8pm: Close

A man was shot outside a hookah bar at 12th and Main shortly after 4 a.m. Monday morning, according to police.

A friend drove him to the hospital with gunshot wounds to his abdomen. His condition is unknown.

Details from SPD:

Disturbance outside Hookah Bar leaves one man shot. Just shortly after 4 a.m. this morning two adult men got into a verbal altercation outside a Hookah Bar at 12th and Main. The altercation escalated and one man was shot. According to Security, the two men may have been shooting at each other – those details are still sketchy and no one at the scene would provide officers with information.

Following the shooting, the victim was driven to Swedish Hospital via a friend. He was later transported to Harborview where he is currently under going surgery for his injuries. The man was struck in the abdomen and the buttocks. His condition is unknown at this time.

Officers recovered over 20 shell casings at the scene. The shooter is still on the loose.

The news comes days after another shooting at 27th and Columbia. Frank Brown, Jr, is reportedly improving after being shot multiple times Thursday outside his 27th Ave home. He remains in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center (an upgrade from critical condition).

The closed up bookstore at 15th x Republican (across from QFC) is being yarn-bombed.  Art installation is compliments of the owner and will be up for 2 months.  So enjoy.

Does anyone know why all the streets east of 23rd were closed off earlier?  There were cops at nearly every intersection from cherry to jackson and nobody was allowed to go east.  Anyone know what’s up with that?

Frank Brown, Jr, the man shot multiple times Thursday at 27th and Cherry, has been upgraded from critical condition to serious condition at Harborview Medical Center, the Seattle Times reports.

Police say Brown, also known to neighbors as Omari Shakur, got into some kind of argument with the shooter, who then pulled a gun and fired as many as ten rounds at Brown, hitting him several times.

Police say they have identified a suspect in the shooting.

Commenter F.V. Foss was among the first to the scene and detailed the experience here.

This news comes as more shots rang out around 7:20 Friday evening, this time at 26th and Jackson. Police at the scene said no victims or suspects were located. We have received no indication that the incidents are related, but it is a reminder of the continuing violence in the CD.

The Second Annual Back to School Backpack Giveaway and Community BBQ is today (Saturday) from noon to 3 in the parking lot of the Red Apple at 23rd and Jackson.

There will be live music, college and professional basketball players, and free haircuts.

More details from the event flier:

If you want a spot at the Neighbor Lady’s first CD Community Flea Market, you better reserve now. The September 16 flea market will take place in the parking lot of the Key Bank at 24th and Union from 10 a.m. to 6.

Also, spots are free (but you gotta reserve via Facebook).

Details from the Neighbor Lady:

BUY! SELL! TRADE! VENDORS WANTED!

Do you have a garage full of stuff you’d like to get rid of? Old movies, CDs, records and electronics taking up space? Arts and crafts you’d like to sell? Baked goods?

We have permission from Key Bank AND Med Mix to use their parking lots to host a community flea market. We would like to invite you to participate!

Please join us September 16th from 10am – 4pm. Spaces are limited so be sure to signup and reserve yours today!

Did I mention spaces are free? Yes, FREE! You can reserve a space by sending a private [Facebook] message to Jimmy Steve Cornillez (host) with your email address. Please be sure to tell your friends and neighbors!