Our neighborhood Seafair event is happening all weekend at Judkins Park, including a parade, food, music, basketball tourney, activities for the wee ones, and exhibits on green living.

Here’s the daily lineup:

Friday & Saturday: Children’s activities, including arts and crafts, drum and dance, storytelling, interactive exhibits, talent and art showcases, face painting, and more.

Saturday & Sunday: Heal The Hood 4-on-4 basketball tournament, featuring top high-school athletes from around the area. Games will be played at the Shawn Kemp Outdoor Courts at 23rd & Judkins.

Saturday at Noon: The UmojaFest parade will get kicked off, traveling down 23rd from Union to Judkins Park. Last year’s parade was really good, so bring a chair down to 23rd and check it out again.

Saturday 2:30pm-8pm:  Performances at the Hip Hop stage include Black Aries, Darkside, Lady Tasz, 80P, M-Famous, Raashan Ahmad of Crown City Rockers, Lioness of, Canarysing & JUSMoni, SK, Tap Tap, The Jacka, Glo Medina, Jerk Camp, P-Shot, Sellassie, Razpy and The Vigilantes, AfroK, SP, Mic Crenshaw, D.Labrie, Dee.aLe

Sunday 2:30pm – 8pm: Performances at the Hip Hop stage include Bleev, Wyzdom of Verbal Venom, YZE, Rahman Jamaal, The Essence, Keno Sky & Skinny B., One Mic and Young Sim, Sic1, YDMC ft., Kash, Wojack, Skurge of Righteous Movement, Ampfrie, Y. Balance, Suntonio Bandanaz, Knox Family

The last week has seen two separate comment threads that have included lengthy discussions about when we do and don’t publish photos, so it seems like a good time to clarify the exact thinking behind those decisions.

Generally, our policy on photos follows a general philosophy: we want to give our neighbors all relevant information that will help them be safe, make informed decisions, and understand what’s happening around them in the most objective, non-sensational way possible. For people involved in violent crimes and other persistent criminal activity, we think it’s important that people be able to recognize the players on sight. That’s especially true as we talk about things like the new drug enforcement strategy that relies on an engaged and informed community to help steer drug dealers in a more positive direction, and report them if they break their end of the deal.

We will publish a photo for a suspect in a crime only in the following situations:

• When a suspect has been officially charged with a serious crime, such as a crime of violence, related to a violent gang, or a property crime such as burglary that is directly affecting neighborhood residents
• When police release a photo for a person they’re looking for that threatens the public’s safety
• If there’s video or photo of someone caught in the act of a crime

• If a photo is available (*see below)

We will not publish a photo for criminal suspects if:

• They haven’t been charged with a crime, unless there’s a very serious public safety reason to do so
• They’re alleged to have committed a minor crime that doesn’t directly affect the public’s safety or property. For example, it’s hard to conceive of a reason why we’d publish the photo of a drug user/buyer, as they’re addicts and not directly threatening other people. But a repeat burglar would be fair game.
• It is of a juvenile, unless there’s a very serious public safety reason to do so

* Photo Availability: The state department of corrections is the only official source for photos of criminal suspects, and those are only available if the suspect has previously spent time in a state prison. This drastically limits the opportunities for obtaining a photo, as many suspects have pleaded down to lesser sentences if they have been previously convicted of a crime.

Last week several people pointed out a racial imbalance in photo availability, in that no one has seen a photo of the suspect in the Leschi murder, who is white. It’s a totally valid point, and we looked far and wide for a photo of him but have so far come up blank. Rest assured that we will publish one if it ever becomes available.

One cause for this imbalance can be traced to county policy, which prevents the release of photos for people booked into the King County Jail. If that was loosened up, we would have been able to get photos of Appleberry and everyone else in the recent gang round-ups, which included a mix of races. However, with that policy in place we were limited to only getting photos from the state corrections department, and only one gang suspect had previously been that far through the justice process.

Since we’re not “professional journalists”, we checked around today to make sure our policy wasn’t out of step with generally accepted principles, and we found that it was right in line with other site’s policies. They agreed that official charges in a crime is the turning point for releasing names, photos, and other personally identifying information. That’s because the charging process, while not proof of guilt, has gone through a legal process to establish a reasonable suspicion of guilt. That makes it newsworthy, and something that the community at large should know about. 

Actually I’m watching the dog for a friend so this is really really bad. She is a medium size cattle dog – mostly black & brown with a silvery / gray tone. Her name is Nika and she is very skittish. She escaped from my yard this evening and isn’t familiar with the city since she is from the ‘burbs.

Please call or email if you see her. Please try to get her inside or on a leash – she loves food.

– Alex Zankich

206-465-8255

[email protected]

From the SPD blotter:

On July 29th at approximately 8:30 a.m. an elderly female tenant of Yesler Terrace was in the backyard of her apartment unit. An unknown male suspect approached her and showed her paperwork which he stated was for him to work on her apartment. The suspect then slapped and punched the victim and pulled her into her apartment. Once inside, the suspect stole cash and jewelry and fled the scene on foot.

The suspect remains at large. He is described as a black male in his 30’s, 5′10″, very thin build, dark skin complexion and very short hair. The suspect was last seen wearing a blue/black baseball cap, blue t-shirt and black jeans. The suspect was also described as having a dirty or unkept appearance.

Call 911 if you have any possible tips on the case.

We’re all about balance here on CDNews, so it seems important to help out the half of our audience that loves to see, hear, and feel the Blue Angels’ freedom spectacular. Here’s a helpful map with the best spots within walking distance to catch the action:

1. I-90 Overlook – The best view has to be the overlook over I-90. It’s also usually the most crowded, so get there early if you want the front row.
2. Central Area Senior Center – Possibly one of the best and least known views of Rainier on a sunny day is on the back side of the Central Area Senior Center, and it’s also great for airshow watching. The curved, elevated street (King/31st Ave S) just to the north is a great vantage too.
3. Leschi-Lake Dell Natural Area – This hidden gem of a park as a wide angle view of the lake and the Blue Angels’ performance area.
4. Blue Water Bistro dock – Conveniently located next to a place with cold adult beverages, the doc has a good water-level view and room for plenty of people.
5. Madrona Park dock – Halfway between Leschi and Madrona Beach, this small dock juts way out into the lake and offers great views if you can find room on it.

The Blue Angels will be practicing on Friday from 12:45 to 2:40pm, and will have their full show during that same time on Saturday and Sunday. Note that I-90 will be closed during each session.

Image courtesy Andrew Taylor

Walking home from the library and its blessed free A/C today, I noticed that the city has recently added a sign highlighting some of the area’s attractions.  (It’s at the end of Blanche Lavizzo Park where Washington dead-ends.)  Unfortunately, there seems to have been some kind of typo or miscommunication – both sides of the sign say “Douglass Trust Public Library” instead of Douglass Truth.

On Monday we gave you the exclusive news of a big gang operation that used phone taps and controlled buys to bring federal charges against two large-scale drug distributors who were associated with the East Union Street Hustlers. We also mentioned at the time that there were additional suspects awaiting charges from the county prosecutor’s office. We received the documents for those additional charges earlier this morning, and found that an additional eight purported gang members are facing felony charges for drug sales in the Central District.

The additional suspects are tied to three different gangs: the Deuce Eights, the East Union Street Hustlers, and the Valley Hood Pirus. Police detectives used a series of controlled buys going back to April to build a case on the suspects, and then rounded them all up late last week in an attempt to disrupt potential gang violence at the Torchlight Parade.

Here’s the details on each:

Kevin F. Coleman Jr., aka “Gusto”, 24 years old, was arrested at SeaTac late on Sunday 7/26 as he arrived back on a US Airways flight from a jaunt to Las Vegas. His charges stem from a drug deal on 7/9 when a police witness bought a quarter ounce of crack for $220 from Coleman at 16th & Jefferson. Coleman conducted the drug sale in a blue Pontiac Grand-Am that is registered to a female. The witness also later got a price for a half ounce of crack ($460) via a phone call with Coleman on 7/14, but that deal was never consummated. Coleman has previous convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm, drug possession, and reckless driving. He made a $15,000 bail and was released from jail on Monday 7/27. Coleman’s last known address was in the 2600 block of E. Thomas, and he is alleged to be a member of the East Union Street Hustlers. 

Ryan J. Grant, aka “Fly”, was traveling with Coleman on the trip back from Las Vegas and was arrested with him at SeaTac airport. He’s charged with drug distribution connected to two separate buys with a police witness. One was on 4/16 outside the Walgreens at 24th & Jackson, and the other from 4/22 at MLK & E. Cherry. In each case he conducted the drug sales from his tan 4-door Nissan Maxima.

Joseph A. Counts, 19 years old, is held on a $35,000 bond in the King County Jail. Detectives targeted him for controlled buys with a police witness on 6/15 and 6/19, where he allegedly sold $50 and $60 worth of crack to the witness near Flo Ware park at 26th & Jackson. He was arrested on 7/22 and was found then to be concealing 3 grams of crack “in his buttocks.” Counts has previous convictions for DV assault and theft of a motor vehicle, and prosecutors say he is a “risk to community safety given he is a self-proclaimed Deuce Eight gang member.” Counts’ last known address is in the 500 block of 26th Ave S.

Edmond J. Cummings, aka “Scarface”, 19 years old, is alleged to be a Deuce Eight gang member and is facing drug charges based on three different controlled buys. On 4/29, a police witness bought $40 of crack from Cummings at Flo Ware Park, where the witness reported that Cummings had “a large roll of US currency in one hand and the clear plastic baggie of crack cocaine in the other hand.” The witness again bought $50 of crack from Cummings at 26th & Jackson on 5/20 and 7/1. Cummings was arrested on 7/21, held on a $30,000 bail, and released yesterday (7/29).

Kevin R. Brown is another alleged member of the Deuce Eight gang, and faces drug dealing charges from two controlled buys on 5/28 and 6/1 of this year, where a police witness was able to purchase $50 and $40 of crack from Brown. He is held in King County Jail on a $30,000 bail.

Joseph Gilmore, aka “Joe Dirt”, 21 years old, is held in jail on drug charges with a $30,000 bail. A police witness bought crack cocaine from him on 6/24 at 21st & Union and on 6/25 in the parking lot behind Catfish Corner. He was arrested in the post office parking lot at 24th & Spring and allegedly admitted to having $50 worth of crack hidden in his butt at that time.  He is varyingly described as a member of the East Union Street Hustlers and the Valley Hood Pirus.

Marqwez Stone, aka “Marquez Perkins”, 19 years old, allegedly sold a witness $32 of crack cocaine on 5/14 at Flo Ware park. He was arrested on 7/22 on First Hill but was released by the court at his first appearance. He is alleged to be a member of the Deuce Eights.

Finally, a juvenile with the street name “24 hours” is also facing felony drug charges for selling crack to a police witness at Flo Ware Park and 23rd & Jackson on two separate occasions in May.

Here’s all the hot fun from the streets of Seattle’s East Precinct: (did you know you can also follow us on twitter?)

How about a little noise to go with your heatwave? It’s Seafair time, and that means that the Blue Angels will soon begin their multi-day aerial assault on Lake Washington and the neighborhoods around it.

Here’s the full schedule:

• Thursday (practice): 9:45am to noon and 1:15pm to 2:30pm
• Friday (practice): 12:45pm to 2:40pm
• Saturday & Sunday (full show): 12:45pm to 2:40pm

The I-90 floating bridge will be closed in all directions during those times.

Get a good Blue Angels photo? Upload it to the site or email it to us and we’ll share it with the neighborhood.

I was just walking home at 1:20am and there is a large number of police cars and ambulances in front of Thompson’s Point of View and Key Bank.  It looks like about 8-10 police cars and 2 ambulances.  No idea what happened as it is pretty quiet at this point but there are alot of flashing lights.