All the calls from Seattle’s East Precinct on a breezy spring day:

Although some dreams were dashed when the First Hill streetcar was designated for Broadway, neighbors around 12th Avenue got the next best thing: a mayoral commitment to explore other transit options for 12th.

But the next question for community members and leaders is what their “ask” should be to fulfill that pledge. The topic came up at this month’s 12th Avenue Stewardship Committee meeting, where the discussion centered around two basic options:

The #9 Shuffle: The first option would be to lobby for moving the #9 bus route from Broadway to 12th. The advantage here is that the route exists just a few blocks away from 12th and wouldn’t require an overall increase in Metro service to bring the buses over to 12th. But the downside is that the #9 isn’t a great bus route, running only once every 30 minutes, and only until 6:30/7:15 in the evening. Plus, it’s likely to aggravate some 1st Hill users of the #9, even after they get a shiny new streetcar route.

A new route: The second option is to lobby the city and county for an entirely new bus route. But it’s an uncertain path. Metro is facing a major revenue shortage, and may be cutting routes in coming years if the situation doesn’t improve. And in the unlikely event that the agency has more money to spend that it’s planned, current county rules put 80% of all new bus service in the suburbs, not Seattle. So it’s difficult to see how 12th Avenue could come out of all of that with thousands of hours of new bus service for an entirely new route.

More clarity should come next year with the completion of the new city Transit Master Plan, which could identify funds to improve transit in corridors like 12th. But it’s often smart to get ahead of the curve on topics like this, so it would be good for the community to pick its strategy and start the discussions ahead of time.

The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods has announced the 2010 Neighborhood Matching Fund Small and Simple Award winners. Recipients of the award will receive up to $20k in funding to improve their neighborhoods and communities through various projects.

Watoto Circle Saturday Program: The Saturday program is a dynamic event designed for children and their families to participate in African-centered curriculum. Each Saturday of the month has unique programming: Social Justice, African Arts, Children’s Open Mic, and Toddler Hip Hop. Amount gathered was $39,715 and matching fund award is $15k.

1-2-3 Man Up! – Loyal to Life Youth Academy (Urban League): Group mentor program for the most court-involved, victims of gun violence, and gang-affiliated at-risk youth to address life skills, mediation, conflict resolution, violence prevention through sports, team building, academics, civic engagement and leadership.  Amount gathered was $24k and matching fund award is $12k.

Central”Return”: A Community-Wide Staged Theater Reading (Friends of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center): The Ethiopian, Jewish and African American communities will come together to plan, read, rehearse and build a neighborhood conversation about the stage play titled “Return.” This play chronicles the rescue of 8,000 Ethiopian Jews to freedom in Israel. Amount gathered was $10,900 and matching fund award is $17k. 

The full list of 2010 Seattle recipients can be found here.  The last round of applications accepted for Small and Simple funds is due on July 12, 2010.  Apply or learn more about the funds.  

i live on 21st and marion.  i have built a front porch to enjoy the spring and summer months, say hello to passers-by, and have the occasional cigarette.  after taking part in this ritual last night, i found that, today, my ashtray had been stolen.  it was a gift and it was mine.  now, i know that i shouldn’t keep things out that i don’t want stolen but for christ’s sake, it was an ashtray.  so, if you took it, please return it.  or if you know who took, please return it for them.  i do not want to put up the obligatory central district fence/hedge in order to keep my stuff safe.  here is a picture of it on the front porch.  if anyone sees it please let me know so i can try to get it back.  thanks.

update.  just now, tuesday morning, a neighbor came by with the glass part of the ashtray.  seems that the thief only wanted the stand.  take another look at the pic, and if you see the stand somewhere, again, please let me know.  thanks so much, neighbors.

Neighbors in Jackson Place and the southwest corner of Squire Park will soon have a new option for sandwiches, deli meat, and other convenience-store staples.

We spoke to CADA CEO George Staggers over the weekend, who confirmed that they’ve leased the empty corner spot in their new building at 18th & Jackson. A deli will be moving in there later in the summer.

If you want to get a better idea of what they’ll be offering in the new store, head on over to 12th & Columbia. That’s where the family that runs the business has operated the New Town Market Home Style Deli for the last 8 years.

The new deli joins Immortal Dog (CDNews sponsors) and the soon-to-open Cheeky Cafe as the main tenants of the building’s retail space.

The beat from the streets of Seattle’s East Precinct on the last Monday of April, 2010(!):

A large number of police officers raced to the scene of 24th & Dearborn tonight after a cell phone caller to 911 reported a man had been shot and was down on the ground. According to radio reports, the caller told dispatchers “A dude has just been shot in the head.”

Police arrived within minutes but have so far not found a victim.

GPS coordinates placed the phone somewhere in the 700 block of 24th Ave South at the time of the call.

Update: No victim has been found after a big search. There was only a single call, and police now consider it to be a false report.

A group of about a dozen community members were out cleaning up the long-vacant lot at 22nd & Union today, preparing it for a new community garden. Project organizer Bryan McLellan told me that they’re hoping to get everything cleaned up, tilled, and ready to plant by summer.

It’s the second project by Alleycat Acres, which hopes to turn vacant lots all over town into working community gardens. Their other garden is already growing up on Beacon Hill across from the golf course.

Here’s how the project was described in a Seattle Times article back in February:

Ultimately, Alleycat envisions running such gardens as community-supported agriculture outfits — known as CSAs — in which low-income residents would pay not on a traditional monthly basis but on a more affordable weekly, sliding-scale basis. The group hopes to take its green efforts one step further by using bicycles to deliver the fruits and vegetables of its labor to those residents — hence the name Alleycat, a term used by bike messengers.

Anyone who wants to get involved can hook up with Alleycat Acres on their website or Facebook.

Lost this morning Sunday at 10:00am on MLK and S. Irving please call 206-255-2782 !! REWARD!!

The Yorkie is 2 years old, about 2 pounds and has gold/black/gray hair. His name is Willie Nelson. There is a microchip in his neck but no collar. His home is on Martin Luther King Jr. Way & S. Irving St. He is very small and fast, last seen around 30th & Yakima. If you see him please call 206.255.2782. You’re help is greatly appreciated. Thank You.