Saturday, April 14, at 10:00 A.M. all are invited to the quarterly meeting of the  Squire Park Community Council (the community council for the neighborhoods bounded by E. Union Street, 23rd Avenue, S. Jackson St., and 12th Avenue).  Get together at the Central Area Motivation Program (CAMP) Firehouse building at 722 18th Avenue. There’ll be a chance to hear information and talk about:

• An update on the plans of the Seattle Housing Authority to rebuild Yesler Terrace and expand its presence in the neighborhood. The first new building is planned to start construction within a year at 11th/Fir/Boren.  In the near future, SHA will choose a developer to build a new mixed-use building at the currently vacant lot at the northwest corner of 12th/Yesler.  Representatives of SHA and a citizens groups critical of some of SHA’s plans  have asked for an opportunity to speak and are expected to attend.
• The King County Council is proposing that, in the election next August, voters be asked to approve a property tax levy to fund the replacement of the existing Juvenile Justice center and Detention Center with a facility that is safer and more comfortable for all.  The plans also include the potential for the County to more productively use some of the excess land (parking lots) at the Youth Services site on 12th and Alder.  Land could be leased or sold and the proceeds used for County services.  New housing for families and individuals with a range of incomes, and new retail space needed by the neighborhood could be built.  Representatives of King County will tell us more.
• The Streetcar is coming.  Construction on the streetcar that will connect  Pioneer Square and the future Capitol Hill light rail station is beginning soon.  The streetcar will travel on Jackson Street, on 14th Avenue from Jackson to Yesler, and then on Yesler to Broadway.  When completed there will be a stop on 14th Avenue, serving the southwest part of our neighborhood.  (One detail — southbound 14th Avenue between Yesler and Jackson will be permanently closed to vehicle traffic, except for streetcars.  This will create some changes in auto traffic patterns in the neighborhood.)  A representative of the streetcar project will attend the meeting to answer questions.

The meeting takes place from ten A.M. to noon.  Come and hear more about important neighborhood projects.  Meet your neighbors.  All are welcome.

St. Mary’s parish at 20th and Weller has joined several other Catholic churches in the city that have pushed back after the Seattle Archdiocese urged parishes to gather signatures for Referendum 74, which would repeal the state’s redefinition of marriage. Archbishop J. Peter Sartain has encouraged parishes to hold drives to gather signatures for the petition, but leaders at several churches say doing so would hurt and divide their communities.

Slog reports that Tricia Wittmann-Todd, the pastoral life coordinator at St. Mary, sent the following letter to members of the parish:

Dear People of St Mary’s,

I am writing to share with you my decision regarding collection of signatures at St Mary’s for Referendum 74, to repeal the redefinition of marriage. This is a very sensitive issue, impacting people at the very core of our lives. Archbishop Sartain has sent a letter to all Catholics. I have attached the letter. He has given permission to parishes to collect signatures for the Referendum and encouraged us to do so. He has also expressed that each parish leader must decide how best to proceed, given the pastoral considerations within the parish. After much prayer and reflection, I have decided we will not collect signatures at the parish. I am certain you will find ample opportunity elsewhere to sign whatever petitions you choose.

This decision is based on two primary considerations. St Mary’s mission is “House of God, Home for Everyone”. One of our highest values is inclusion and welcome. I fear that the collection of signatures would be hurtful and divisive to our parish. I am particularly concerned about our youth who may be questioning their own sexual identity and need our support at this time in their lives.

The second consideration is that as Catholics, each of us is asked to form our conscience and decide how to vote on this and other issues, ie tax policies, services to the poor, environmental laws, capital punishment, etc. We form our conscience through studying the Word of God in the Bible, listening carefully to the teachings of the church from our Tradition and the discernment of the Spirit within our own experience. Many of our parishioners have not had sufficient opportunity to form their consciences and those who have represent a wide variety of beliefs. Some believe the church should marry all committed couples, others that the state should marry all but not the church, others that the term “marriage” should be preserved for a man and a woman, while other relationships are “domestic partnerships”, and there are those who believe only heterosexuals should have partners. Our Archbishop is trying to help us in the process of conscience formation by articulating the reasons he believes we should support Referendum 74. I ask you to prayerfully read his letter, hearing all that is being said. In addition, read the Bible, particularly those passages cited by the church on marriage. (you can find these documents at the USCCB website.) Finally, pray and reflect on your own experience of marriage and listen to what God is telling you. Sometimes I think when God is speaking to us, we respond-“call the Bishop, I don’t have time to listen. “ But as Archbishop Sartain writes “The church calls everyone to holiness.”

I hope to have a gathering soon where we can learn more about how to form one’s conscience in general and particularly on the question of marriage. In this, as in all things, I pray we will treat one another with love and respect, building up our community of faith.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and questions with me.

Blessings on this Easter Season,

Tricia

Here are a few reminders and events posted to the CDNews calendar. Did you know you can post your own events for free? Just create an account and click “Post an Event.”

Meeting about a possible new Nativity School in the neighborhood – Thursday

When: Thursday, April 12, 2012 06:00 PM – 07:30 PM
Where: Douglas Truth Library Branch (23rd/Yesler)
What: Interested in a tuition-free, private, Catholic middle school in your community?

The Seattle Nativity School Feasibility Committee is hosting an information session on Thursday, April 12th, at 6:00pm at the Douglas Truth Library Branch (23rd & Yesler). We want to hear from community members and prospective parents/students about their perception of education in Seattle and the potential need for a NativityMiguel middle school in their community. We are here to listen and learn, so come share your thoughts, and visit the website below!

http://seattlenativity.org

The Seattle Nativity School is conducting an exploratory feasibility study to assess the need and sustainability of a tuition-free, private middle  school to serve low-income families in Central & South Seattle communities.  

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Parks Board to get update on Judkins Park tennis court ‘alternative uses’

The Seattle Board of Park Commissioners will hold a special meeting a 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 10 to consider the Alternate Use of Tennis Courts Pilot Project. 

The meeting will take place in the Park Board room at the Parks Administration Building at 100 Dexter Ave. N (at the corner of Dexter and Denny).

 

The meeting agenda includes a staff update on the pilot followed by a public hearing and Board discussion and recommendation. Written testimony is welcome through Friday, May 4 to [email protected].

Project background: At the October 28, 2010 Park Board Meeting, the Park Board approved an 18 month Dodgeball/Bike Polo pilot program to be held at Bobby Morris Tennis Court #1 and Judkins Tennis Court, ending April 30, 2012. Parks staff have reviewed the activity during the pilot, and the staff briefing paper will be available online at http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkboard/default.asp on April 19.

Backyard Barter at Seattle Farm Co-op – Sunday

When: Sunday, April 15, 2012 12:30 PM – 03:00 PM
Where: Seattle Farm Co-op, 1817 S Jackson St (please use back alley entrance)
What: Join us for our April Barter Event and Plant Swap, co-hosted by the Seattle Farm Co-op. We encourage attendees to bring homegrown and homemade food items and plants to barter or swap with their neighbors! The Seattle Farm Co-op will also be open for you to peruse their offerings. We will be having coffee and sweets at this event! Please bring your favorite cookies or delicious goodies! For more information email [email protected].

Two events at Judkins St Cafe:

Garlic Gulch Boys

When: Friday, April 13, 2012 06:30 PM – 09:00 PM
Where: Judkins Street Cafe – 2608 S. Judkins St.
What: Come join us for an evening of live jazz guitar as Brian Flanagan and John DeRocco play a wide range of jazz tunes from bossa nova to Miles Davis. More information at www.judkinsstreetcafe.com/livemusic

Mike’s Mic-less Open Mic

When: Sunday, April 15, 2012 03:00 PM – 04/15/2012 06:00 PM
Where: Judkins Street Cafe, 2608 S. Judkins St.
What: Join us on Sunday, April 15th, for an afternoon of local live music and open mic at Judkins Street Cafe. Chang Choi, will be performing a mix of originals and covers reminiscing of his travels throughout the US, Canada, Caribbean, South America and Asia. He will also be the emcee for other artists who would like to perform at this “mic-less” event.

I just saw information about this program, and it seems like it could have a huge impact.  Education is one of the biggest ways to impact a person’s future, and also benefit society by reducing crime.  For instance, I’ve seen statistics that show future prison populations are predicted based on current 3rd grade reading levels (why we don’t put dollars into improving reading levels rather than building prisons is beyond me, but hey).  While this program won’t improve 3rd grade reading levels, it could hugely impact the future of many kids in our neighborhood and also our society as a whole.  If you know of anyone who might qualify for this program, pass on the info!

Guaranteed tuition for qualifying college-bound 8th grade students
guarantee tuition
It’s true. But they have to enroll in the scholarship program by the 8th grade. And the deadline is almost here.
June 30, 2012 deadline
We need to step up and take responsibility as a city to help our children, especially when many families cannot afford to send their kids to college. Even if you don’t have a child who qualifies, you probably know someone who does. Please share the above information and the following link as widely as possible. Students may apply for the College Bound Scholarship online at: http://hecb.wa.gov/collegebound 

We all know Powell Barnett Park is awesome, but apparently Disney Family thinks so, too. A post on their website lists the park as one of their top parks and playgrounds in the country.

Last year, the community took matters into their own hands when the city announced that the park’s wading pool would be closed due to budget cuts. A group raised several thousand dollars — including a couple hundred from CDNews and our sister site Capitol Hill Seattle — to keep the wading pool open on Saturdays all summer.

From Disney Family:

1. Powell Barnett Park, Seattle, Washington

Powell Barnett Park consistently gets named one of the top five parks in the Seattle and for good reason: after receiving a Starbucks Ultimate Park Makeover this magical place has a wading pool, basketball court, complex climbing structures, and creative play equipment you won’t find anywhere else. It’s especially good for families with kids of different ages. Preschoolers enjoy the smaller, sturdier climbing structures with plenty of small hand grasps and peek-a-boo holes. School-age kids have a blast on the more complex climbing structures and off-center whirligigs. Wobbly bicyclists can practice their skills on the paved trail that rings the park, with basketball courts and grassy fields rounding out the fun. The only downside is that you won’t find a Starbucks or eatery nearby as this oasis — the park is in a decidedly residential neighborhood.

The Seattle-King County NAACP is holding a vigil for Trayvon Martin 5:30 Tuesday evening at Pratt Park, the organization Tweeted:

The vigil comes days after a march for Martin from Mount Zion Baptist Church to downtown, and weeks after thousands of people marched from the Greater Mount Baker Baptist Church to MLK Memorial Park.

The vigil also comes shortly after Florida prosecutors announced a grand jury would not hear Martin’s case.

A man and his five-year-old daughter woke up to the sound of smoke detectors and the smell of fire around 4:30 Monday morning. They were able to flee their 33rd and Cherry home through the back door as flames and smoke filled the front room, according to Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore.

Firefighters were able to put out the flames in the front room, but not before the fire spread to the attic. They then had to cut holes in the roof to douse the smoldering. In all, damage to the house and contents are estimated at $250,000.

The fire started when someone put out a cigarette in a potted plant outside the home near the front stairs. The potted plant had peat moss in it, which is flamable (“You learn something new every day,” said Moore who, like this author, was not previously aware peat moss is easily combustible). The flames then spread from the planter spread to the front of the house.

The man told firefighters he is thankful his smoke detectors had batteries, or things could have been much worse for he and his daughter.

Delayed by issues with a commercial kitchen hood contractor, 23rd and Union’s The Neighbor Lady is now looking to open later this month.

The bar, inspired by several European bars co-owner Stephan Mollmann frequented during his time living abroad, will serve mostly vegetarian fare. Mollmann and business partner Shira Bray have had the idea for The Neighbor Lady for a while, so they jumped at the opportunity when the decades-old Thompson’s Point of View closed in September.

Thompson’s had served northern Louisiana-style food in the space since 1986. However, the final years of the business were trying. Carl Thompson, Jr died unexpectedly in the spring of 2010 at the age of 51, and by the fall of 2011, the business had racked up about $14,000 in back taxes.

Renovations to the space have been fairly extensive. Decades of previous renovations to the space had left floor sections at different heights, and the kitchen needed an upgrade. Mollmann and crew laid a new concrete floor, expanded the bar, and renovated the kitchen, bathrooms and dining area. They also walled-in a space that had been a gated entryway and turned it into a game room. A pool table is on the way.

Though the bar was originally planning on a late March open, work on the kitchen hood has been delayed due to an issue with the contractor, Mollmann said. Since such mechanical work requires permits — and the work needs to be done before the health inspection, etc — the bar will not likely open earlier than April 20.

The Neighbor Lady opening is part of a new wave of businesses at the troubled corner. Mediterranean Mix has been renovating the former Philly’s Cheese Steak space, which had most recently been the Beehive Bakery. Offering a wide menu from falafel to pizza, Med Mix plans to open around the same time at the Neighbor Lady.

The storied corner, traditionally the heart of the neighborhood, has had trouble drawing activity in recent years. For a few months in late 2010, there were almost no operating businesses on the corner lots. Even the gas station closed for a spell, and the SPD drop-in center on the southeast corner was set on fire by arsonists. A planned development on the southwest corner remains stalled.

Two weeks after thousands marched from the Greater Mount Baker Baptist Church to MLK Memorial Park to protest the killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida, the Seattle-King County NAACP is set to hold another protest rally Saturday.

The protest is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church at 19th and Madison, according to a flier posted on Slog.

UPDATE: After a rally, protestors will march to Westlake Park via Madison and 6th Ave.

The liquor store at 23rd and Union didn’t open early enough for one intoxicated man March 29. After hanging around outside the front doors for a couple minutes around 8:30 a.m., the man allegedly kicked in the glass door and stole a couple bottles of Paul Masson brandy.

Police found him nearby and arrested him. For future reference, the shop opens at 10 a.m. on Thursdays.

From the police report:

Speaking of the Union liquor store, the state auction for the store’s right to sell liquor goes until April 20. It is currently up to $60,000, the second highest in the state (rights to a shop in Greenwood is now up $64,000).

The shop was also featured in a recent video by CD artist and Garfield grad Sam Lachow: