My attempts to document the expansion of The Bottleneck (a CDNews sponsor) last week were repeatedly foiled by slow-drying polyurethane. But I met a friend there for drinks last night and got to see the new space in action, complete with a comfy couch, an extra restroom, and swiveling barbershop chairs left from the space’s previous life as a hair salon.

No more worries about whether there will be enough room for you and your entourage to enjoy a few drinks at our north-neighborhood bar.

Update: Just got an email about a big Bottleneck expansion bash planned for next Thursday

And in other bar news: The whale vs. squid mural outside the Twilight Exit will be dedicated Saturday at 6pm. Join us there for the event.

Got a crime or safety issue you want to discussion with Seattle Police? Want to learn about progress with the Drug Market Initiative and other criminal issues in the neighborhood? 

Tonight’s your chance, as Seattle Police leadership and community members will get together for the monthly EPCPC meeting. It’s your best opportunity to get bring your issues to the attention of the East Precinct police leadership and hear what other people are dealing with around the area.

It starts at 6:30pm at Seattle Vocation Institute at 21st & S. Main.

We’ll have a full update after the meeting.

Your daily (usually) chronicle of the police beat in Seattle’s East Precinct:

(r u a twitterer? Follow us @cdscanner and @cdnews)

Hey everyone,

We have found a small tame rabbit (lop ear) in the Dearborn/Rainier area. Definitely a pet… If you’ve lost a rabbit, contact: 206.709/7611

We’ll be requesting that you know its color and distinguishing markings to claim it as your own.

Woods was also a leading parent in the establishment of the Central Area Aquatic Team. Back then, after children completed swimming lessons at the YMCA, they had nowhere to test their skills, and continue growing as a team. Woods and others recognized this and created the Central Area swim team, which has evolved into the CAAT and continues to allow children to compete at the highest level.

Last month we broke the news of a coordinated police effort that resulted in the arrest of a number of alleged members Central District gangs for low-level drug offenses. Those cases are now working their way through the legal system. Here’s an update on each:

Kevin F. Coleman, Jr. – Pleaded not-guilty. His next court hearing is 9/9 which should result in a date for trial. He was released from jail on July 28th on a $15,000 bond.

Ryan Grant – Pleaded not-guilty, going to trial in drug court on 9/3. He was released from jail on July 28th on a $1,250 bond.

Joseph A. Counts – Pleaded not-guilty, trial date not set. He remains in custody in the King County Jail.

Edmond J. Cummings – Pleaded not-guilty, going to trial in drug court on 9/10. Released on personal recognizance on 7/31.

Kevin R. Brown – Went to drug court on 8/13, was assigned 48 hours of community service through “Helping Hands”

Joseph Gilmore – Pleaded not-guilty and was assigned to drug court on 8/13, however we can’t find any records of his appearance there.

Marqwez Stone – Pleaded not-guilty, trial date not yet set. He was released without bail the day after his arrest on 7/22.

Join your neighbors to build a new Children’s Learning Garden on a previously unused piece of Seattle Parks property, between the tennis courts and ballfields at Rainier Beach Playfield.   As a nice side benefit, the garden activity has apparently drawn attention to the long-neglected tennis courts at the playfield, which were being pressure-washed and refurbished today!

The garden is in close proximity to South Shore PreK-8 (a brand new building opening next month), Dunlap Elementary, South Lake High School, Rainier Beach High School, KidsCo daycare, and Rainier Beach Community Center, so will be used by a wide variety of local children to learn about math, science, healthy eating and environmental stewardship.  

Grab your gloves and join a work party Thursday 8/27 – Saturday 8/29 from 9:00 – 5:00 or Sunday 8/30 from 9:00 – 1:00.  Today, volunteers removed sod and dug (and dug and dug), so the base is  ready to spread 20 tons of gravel and 10 yards of mulch, build six raised beds from concrete blocks, then fill the beds with 20 yards of compost.  Park in the Rainier Beach Community Center, then walk to the garden using the service road between Rainier Beach Community Center and South Lake High School.  Kids are welcome to help!   Any questions about volunteering, contact Jodi Newton at 206-303-6610 or [email protected].

discussed here: http://www.centraldistrictnews.com/2009/08/17/corporate-medi

They seem to be averaging two posts a day and none over this last weekend. Looking at all their posts currently on the front page there is only one that has a comment. Most of the posts seem to be written by one person. There was one interesting piece actually written by someone in the KOMO news department ( http://centraldistrict.komonews.com/content/shuttered-travel), but that was the exception not the rule. They’re also definitely posting on subjects previously covered here and recycling content across all their neighborhood blogs. At this rate I don’t seem them taking too many eyes from Central District News.

Now somebody just needs to tell Ezell’s that they’re advertising on the wrong site.

there were are lot at the corner of 23rd and cherry then they moved down a few blocks and were on the south side of cherry on 25th…there were also a lot of police cars driving up and down the blocks around there…what was this?

You may have seen the land use notices that have gone up around Washington Hall, announcing an application to convert the building from a private club and offices to community center space. The 101 year old building was purchased by Historic Seattle back in June for $1.5 million.

I spoke to Andrew Phillips, the architect on the project, who told me that renovations will come in two phases. The first is minor – only enough to fix things up enough so that Historic Seattle can start to use the building. It will include interior projects like upgrading toilets and getting mechanical systems in working order, plus some minor exterior work to patch up the leaky roof.

The major renovation won’t take place for several years, once the private fundraising market is in better shape to support a multi-million dollar project. That will provide enough funding to perform seismic upgrades on the structure, which hasn’t seen any major structural work since it was built in 1908.

Phillips says that the minor work should be complete in relatively short order, and that Historic Seattle hopes to start using the building some time in September.

We’re still curious how the foundation intends to use the building, but were unable to reach anyone at the foundation to fill in those details. We’ll update you with another story once we find out.