Category Archives: News

Med Mix hopes to relocate within the Central District

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We just received the following press release from Med Mix’s owner, Otmane Bezzaz, and wanted to relay his message to our readers in full:

Med Mix II, Corporation announced today it will not be reopening the Med Mix at 23rd and Union in the aftermath of the arson fire last August.  The Company hopes to bring its unique mix of fresh Mediterranean food and American classics back to the CD soon, either at a new location or through delivery service from its restaurants in Pioneer Square.

“This was a very hard decision,” said Otmane Bezzaz, the owner of Med Mix II.  “From the first day we opened at 23rd and Union the residents overwhelmed us with patronage, kindness and support.  After the fire, the entire community was so very supportive.  We are very grateful for that.”

Med Mix II made the decision earlier this week after resolving matters with its Landlord.  “We would have loved to stay,” said Bezzaz.  “But the damage from the fire was more extensive than initially thought.  Ultimately we could not justify the time and expense to reopen in light of the demands of our family and our other two restaurants.”

Bezzaz opened the original Med Mix over 15 years ago next to the J&M Café on First Avenue.  Last June, just two months before the arson, he opened a third Med Mix on Occidental Avenue one block north of Occidental Park.  Med Mix planned to use the larger food preparation and storage area at the Occidental location as a commissary for the smaller facility at 23rd and Union.  “The CD was so good to us we needed more preparation space to meet the demand.”

Med Mix II opened in April 2012 and was immediately embraced by the Central District community.  The extensive damage from the arson-fire closed the restaurant down on August 12, 2013, less than a year and a half after it opened.  It has been closed for over five months.  The fire department’s investigation of the arson is still open.

With the fate of Med Mix II resolved, Bezzaz is now focused on other ways to keep Med Mix in the Central District.  The extra space at Occidental might become the base for a Med Mix home delivery service or a Med Mix food truck located in the CD.  Bezzaz is determined to find a way. “I moved into the building at 23rd and Union because it was my dream to have a restaurant in the neighborhood where I live. The arsonist did not kill my dream.  If I made it work once I can make it work again.”

MedMix welcomes any suggestions or information Central District News readers may have about potential locations for a new Med Mix in or near the CD.

For further information contact:

Otmane Bezzaz at [email protected]; or

Nancy A. Pacharzina

Pacharzina Law, PLLC at 206-652-3530 or [email protected]

Med Mix building goes up for lease

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File photo: Damage from August’s arson fire of Med Mix.

Closed since the August fire and the subject of months of speculation, Med Mix at 23rd and Union is now officially gone. They vacated the building despite reports they were planning to reopen, and now building owner Ian Eisenberg is looking for a new tenant. He says he does not currently have plans for the building, just that he’s looking to lease it.

When we learn more, we’ll let you know.

 

40 years celebrating MLK at E Madison’s Mt. Zion

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Murray, dignitaries and the SPD brass (Images: CHS)

Murray, dignitaries and the SPD brass (Images: CHS)

The 12th Man made a presence

The 12th Man made a presence

Friday, dignitaries, students and the community filled Mt. Zion for the 40th year of celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday at the 19th and Madison Baptist church.

53 years ago, King visited Zion pastor Reverend Samuel B. McKinney and spoke to thousands in Seattle. McKinney, now near 90, was on hand as usual Friday as newly elected Mayor Ed Murray and a full contingent of SPD brass including newly installed SPD Chief Harry Bailey attended the ceremonies inside the church.

Murray chose a reading from Maya Angelou’s On the Pulse of Morning for his brief statement during the ceremony.

The theme of the 2014 event was “Six Words” and featured NPR’s Michele Norris whose Race Card project collects six-word statements from contributors about race and tolerance.

King was assassinated in 1968 at the age of 39. He would have been 85 this year.

Area MLK activities continue through the weekend and into Monday’s official holiday as the annual march and rally starting at Garfield High School will this year also be invigorated by the push for raising the minimum wage in Seattle.

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Kshama Sawant, new East Precinct Capt. Edwards at 1/23 EastPAC meeting

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Neighbors and Citizens:

 We are honored to have Cm. Kshama Sawant as our featured guest at our 6:30 PM January 23rd EastPAC meeting!

 Kshama will speak about her vision for the issues most impacting working people, youth and the poor in our communities… From inadequate wages and skyrocketing rent, to cuts to Metro and other social services that disproportionately impact poor and working-class citizens.  She will also talk about the impact these cuts have on public safety and the importance of democratic public accountability addressing policing practices.  There will be plenty of time on the agenda for your questions and input, so don’t miss this important meeting!

 Be mindful that the East Precinct boundaries are nearly identical to the newly approved Council District 3, so we need to be prepared for identifying our priorities as this representation becomes policy.

Also, meet our new East Precinct Captain Mike Edwards!  We will begin with introductions and then EastPAC Board member Joanna Cullen will give a brief update on the Metro bus service cuts, followed by Cm. Sawant.

 EastPAC Community Meeting

Thursday, January 23rd, 6:30 to 8:00 PM

Seattle University, Chardin Hall, room 142

1020 East Jefferson (enter at 11th and Jefferson, park free in front of building)

 Please be on time, as we will have a packed agenda.  I’m looking forward to seeing you all!

 Important reminder:

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’S 2014 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Rise Up! Restore the Dream!

Monday, January 20, 2014, Garfield High School

400 23rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

Attend the $15NOW! workshop and rally: http://15now.org/?page_id=152

http://www.mlkseattle.org/index.php

 

MLK 2014 around Central District includes Mt. Zion’s 40th celebration, Fight for 15 march starting at Garfield

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2013's Mt. Zion celebration

2013′s Mt. Zion celebration

2014′s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday stretches across the weekend with and event Thursday at the Paramount, Friday’s 40th annual celebration at E Madison’s Mt. Zion and a new spirit rallying people at Garfield High School on Monday under the banner of a $15 minimum wage in Seattle. Details below.

  • THURSDAY — King County CelebrationKing County to host annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration at Paramount Theater

    Human Rights Hero Larry Gossett to present celebration’s keynote address

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Noon – 1 p.m.

Paramount Theater

911 Pine St, Seattle

  • FRIDAY — 40th Annual MLK Celebration at Mt. Zion

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Six Words: National ‘Race Card’ Project launches in Seattle at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration at Mt. Zion

Michele Norris, host and special correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR), will be keynote speaker at the 40th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration presented by the Seattle Community Colleges. Three years ago, Norris started a national conversation with The Race Card Project, which invites participants to share their thoughts, experiences and observations about race in one sentence with only six words. Thousands of interesting and thoughtful sentences from around the world are posted on The Race Card Project website.

Broadcast journalist Tonya Mosley, who recently completed the Black in Seattle series for KUOW, will emcee the interactive program and a reception to follow, where students and the community are invited to engage in an informal moderated conversation inspired by what they heard during the program.

Area leaders will present their six-word Race Cards throughout the program. Students will provide a dramatic reading of Race Cards, submitted by people in our community at www.seattlecolleges.edu/mlk.

Award-winning Greater Works Chorale directed by DaNell Daymon will perform dynamic gospel music throughout. 

WHEN

Friday, Jan. 17, 2014

12 – 1:30 pm (Program)

1:30 – 2:30 (Reception & Discussion)

WHERE

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

1634 19th Ave, Seattle 98122 

BACKGROUND

The 40th anniversary event is recognized as one of the area’s oldest and most significant events commemorating the life of Dr. King and reinforcing Dr. King’s message of tolerance and inclusion.

A capacity audience of close to 1,000 community members, civic and political leaders and students of all ages, is anticipated.

The event builds on the RACE exhibit at the Pacific Science Center, which explores the biology, history and culture of race and has drawn people from throughout the region for information and presentations.

 

  • FRIDAY — Giddens School MLK Jr. March for Peach and Justice

The annual Giddens School MLK March for Peace and Justice will be held Friday, January 17, 2014th at 10am. Organized by Giddens School in conjunction with the Seattle Girls School and Lake Washington Girls Middle School. Students have spent the past several weeks learning about the civil rights movement and have created their own protest and peace signs. They will carry their signs and sing traditional protest songs as they march from Giddens School to the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center.

 

DATE AND TIME:  Friday, February 17th at 10am.

 

ROUTE: March begins at Giddens School, 620 20th Avenue S. Students will walk north on 20th and then walk through Pratt Park. March will end at the Langston Hughes Cultural Arts Center at 104 17th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144

 

CONTACT:   Amy Bresslour, Development Director

206.324.4847 x33

[email protected]

giddensschool.org

  • MONDAY — Fight for 15 MLK Day

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Two exhibitions open tonight at Photo Center NW

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Photos from Question Bridge, courtesy of PCNW

Photos from Question Bridge, courtesy of PCNW

Photo Center NW is set to host an opening reception tonight at 6:00 PM for two new exhibitions, Question Bridge and Seen, both focusing on black men. They’ll run through March 8.

Question Bridge: Black Males is a project that critically explores challenging issues within the Black male community by instigating a transmedia conversation among black men across the geographic, economic, generational, educational and social strata of American society. Question Bridge provides a safe setting for necessary, honest expression and healing dialogue on themes that divide, unite and puzzle black males in the United States. Please join us on Wednesday, January 22nd for an artist lecture with Hank Willis Thomas, artist and Question Bridge collaborator.

Photographs in Seen were selected from images submitted by men of African diasporal descent in the Northwest in response to the question: In one photograph, what would you say? Photographs from twenty-six men ranging from age 4 to 70 were chosen by the curators and reflect a diverse range of subject and aesthetic approaches.   Please join us on Wednesday, January 22nd for an artist lecture with Hank Willis Thomas, artist and Question Bridge collaborator.

 

Blotter | Three arrested following 10th/Marion street robbery, stabbing

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See something others should know about? Email the tips line.

  • Mugging and stabbing: Police made three arrests and medics were called to 10th and Marion after a reported early Wednesday street robbery and stabbing. The 23-year-old victim was headed back to the Seattle U campus when a group of two males and a female accomplice reportedly attacked just after 1 AM. The victim suffered a stab wound in the street robbery and was taken to the hospital for treatment.Responding officers took a male and a female into custody after spotting the trio near 13th and Columbia. A second male fled the scene and a larger search including a K9 unit ensued. Police reported they had recovered a brass-knuckle knife at the scene of the arrest.The K9 unit tracked the second male suspect to the Seattle U recycling yard near 13th and Columbia where he was also taken into custody.UPDATE: SPD says the student who was robbed suffered life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, SPD says the suspects were aged 15, 16 and 23:

    Three suspects were arrested early this morning following a call of an assault and robbery on the Seattle University campus. The victim, a 23-year-0ld student, was transported to Harborview Medical Center for a stab wound to his chest.

    At around 1:15 this morning, East Precinct officers responded to a call on the school’s campus of a possible robbery or assault that had just occurred. Officers arrived along with the Fire Department and located the 23-year-old student. The victim told officers that he was walking back to campus when he noticed two people following him. As he entered campus he was attacked from behind by the suspects. They knocked him to the ground and began punching him. The victim told officers that there was also a female present during this attack. The man told officers that he could feel the suspects going through his pockets. According to the victim, one of the suspects pulled out a knife. The suspects then fled and the victim pushed the button on one of the emergency kiosks located on campus and waited for Seattle University Security to arrive. S.U. Security arrived quickly and called 911.

    As Seattle Fire was treating the victim, they discovered a stab wound in his upper chest. The victim did not realize he had been stabbed in the attack.

    As SFD was treating the victim, Seattle Police and campus security located two possible suspects hiding a few blocks away. The victim was able to positively identify the suspects, and they were arrested. The victim was then transported to Harborview with life-threatening injuries.

    A third suspect, with the assistance of a K-9 team, was located a few blocks away hiding inside a recycling maintenance yard. That suspect was also arrested.

    The suspects, a 15-year-old male and a 16-year-old female, were later booked into the Youth Services Center. The 23-year-old male suspect was booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Robbery. Robbery Unit detectives will handle the follow up investigation.

King County’s plan B for Metro includes sales tax, 25¢ fare bumps

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King County will move ahead with a local plan to help Seattle and surrounding communities overcome a public transportation budget shortfall to stave off yet another round of planned Metro service cuts.

County Executive Dow Constantine proposed Tuesday a King County Transportation District ordinance that will ask voters to approve a 0.1% increase in sales tax and a $60 annual vehicle license fee. Meanwhile, Metro fares would be adjusted with a 25-cent increase for standard adult fares and a new low-income fare of $1.50 for qualifying riders.

The sales tax and fees would create about $130 million in revenue to help fund Metro, the county says.

Metro says the standard fare increase would raise an estimated $6.6 million annually, starting in March 2015.

Meanwhile, a public transportation forum is planned for Thursday at the Broadway Performance Hall.

Each session will open with a short presentation on the history of cuts to King County Metro, current funding sources, and climate in the legislature. Directly following the presentation, our featured panel will address critical questions regarding the situation.

In late 2013, CHS reported on a slate of cuts being proposed for Metro routes including changes like a truncated 12 on Capitol Hill. “With the expiration of the temporary, two-year $20 Congestion Reduction Charge in June and the draining of reserve funds, Metro needs an estimated $75 million in annual revenue to keep service on the road and purchase replacement buses or it must cut up to 17 percent of service,” a county statement on the ordinance proposal reads.

Metro says it has outlined a proposal to cancel 74 bus routes and reduce and revise another 107 routes to live within reduced revenues.

The King County Council will now take up the proposal and decide how and when it will be brought to the ballot for a vote, likely in April. A statement on the proposal is below.

A new funding proposal

King County, local cities, and community leaders have been asking the Washington Legislature to approve a balanced statewide transportation funding package that would authorize local funding tools. The legislature has been considering such proposals, but has not approved one.

Without a legislative solution and with deep service cuts looming, County Executive Dow Constantine has proposed that the King County Council form a countywide transportation benefit district and put a transportation funding proposal on the ballot for a public vote in April.

This proposed measure would generate approximately $130 million annually from two revenue sources:

  • $60 annual vehicle fee, which would generate approximately $80 million per year.
  • 0.1% increase in sales tax, which would generate approximately $50 million per year (and expire after 10 years).

The proposal would raise enough money to sustain Metro’s current level of service and address some maintenance needs for city streets and King County roads.

Sixty percent of the funds, or about $80 million in 2015, would go to Metro for service and buses.

Forty percent, or about $50 million in 2015, would be allocated to cities and King County Road Services on the basis of population. These funds would be used for the maintenance, preservation and improvement of roads and bridges; for projects that support pedestrian and non-motorized travel; and for other transportation improvements.

Also proposed is a Metro fare change that would take effect in March 2015. All fares for regular transit service would go up by 25 cents; the Access paratransit fare would increase by 50 cents. Metro would also introduce a new reduced fare for people with low-incomes, helping keep bus service affordable for those who need it most. This new fare builds on the recommendation of the Low Income Fare Options Advisory Committee.

 

Family of student suspended for Garfield hazing sues district

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An October hazing incident including a reportedly drunken party in the Arboretum busted up by police that lead to suspensions has pushed the parents of one Garfield High School student targeted for discipline.

The Seattle PI has details on the lawsuit filed against Seattle Public Schools:

One of 10 students suspended following the Sept. 27 incident has since sued the district. Through that now-federal lawsuit, the boy and his parents fault Seattle Public Schools for the 11-day suspension.

While that student’s parents described the incident as light-hearted “froshing,” Garfield administrators said in prior years saw a dangerously intoxicated 14-year-old student left unconscious at a Seattle park. Efforts to crack down on the decades-old practice, though, appear to have been unsuccessful so far.