A large chain-link structure has gone up in the last few weeks between the Garfield Community Center and the Medgar Evers Pool, covering what was a small parcel of grass on a hill above the sidewalk.

The recent addition of netting and helpful folks at the parks department have clued us in as to what it actually is: a cage for batting practice. Funded by a $30,000 grant from King County to Seattle Central Little League, it gives 400 young baseball players a new place to refine their swings. It will also be available to the Garfield High School baseball team for their use.

The batting cage adds to other recent improvements to the baseball facilities around the Garfield Community Center, including six new dugouts that were built last year by students at Seattle Vocational Institute.

After getting several tips from sad customers, we just got confirmation from laurenjack, co-owner of Mezzaluna: Sunday is their last day in business.

It’s a loss for the south end of the neighborhood which was already lacking in food options. And I think it’s also a lesson for the neighborhood: support your local businesses and go there often, or else you’ll likely lose them.

Lauren says that it came down to finances and exhaustion. She and co-owner Kim have worked in the store almost every day since it opened last fall, and the revenue never reached a point to where they could bring someone else on to help out. “Financially, we were almost there. I’d say we needed to make about $100 more each day. At $5 roughly being the average ticket, we needed about 20 more people to come in per day. Some days it worked, others it didn’t.” 

Neighbors have four more days to stop by, have a bite, and say goodbye. There’s some deals to be had too: Lauren says that they need to clear out their stock of wine and beer, offering each for only $2 per glass.

From Seattle’s East Precinct, Thursday, July 23, 2009

 2) Return to the church hall at Mount Zion Baptist Church at 6 PM on Monday July 27th for our Capitol Hill/ Central District Election Forum. Our school district’s school board candidates, and ALL the candidates for City Council and Mayor will be there.

 All the details (and flyers to download and share) are at: http://tinyurl.com/cap-cd-forum

 The candidates will be answering the questions that YOU submit on postcards when you arrive (12 words or fewer, get thinking).

 There will also be a lightning round for each race, with the candidates all simultaneously writing 1 or 2 word answers to display to you.

 You may submit your lightning round questions at http://tinyurl.com/lightning-round

Thanks

Andrew Taylor, [email protected]

Are you like me and have you noticed the startling nonstop roar of jets – some close enough to read the numbers or names of the airlines – tracking directly over 12th or 15th Avenue South northbound and southbound to and from Seatac?

Check out this link from a blogger whose note I learned a lot about what we are missing to quantify our being subjected to this horrific noise pollution: a noise monitor.

http://capitolhillflightnoise.blogspot.com/

I would love to hear from anyone who can help us organize and stand up for our right not to be disproportionately subjected to this noise pollution and possible chemical pollution. The low altitude of the jets (we are on a ridge and they are supposed to maintain a certain altitude) must of some concern to us as well as neighborhoods.

I firmly believe that while we might be tuning this out or “used to it” it affects us subliminally.

Thank you! My name is Patty and I can be reached at [email protected]

A man was shot and killed tonight following an argument in the 800 block of 32nd Ave South. According to police spokesman Jeff Kappel, a man got into an argument with three other men sitting in a parked car. At some point, the first man walked across the street to his home, retrieved a rifle, and came back out and shot the driver of the vehicle.

The victim died at the scene, suffering what was initially described as at least one gunshot wound to the head.

Witnesses reported that the suspect retreated to his residence in the 800 block of 32nd Ave following the shooting. A massive and heavily armed police response flooded the area, locking down streets for a couple of blocks in each direction, and resulting in a lengthy stand-off as they attempted to get the suspect to surrender. That stand-off continues as of 11:30pm.

As of right now, it’s not clear whether the suspect is or ever was in the home during the stand-off. Initial reports of movement inside the house ceased after a female left the home and was interviewed by police. Police used various SWAT tactics, including flash grenades, to try and end the stand-off.

The suspect is described as an 18 year old white male, 6′ tall, muscular build, blonde hair, wearing a black tank top and shorts. He is possibly associated with a tan 2001 Chrysler Voyager Minivan possibly associated with the suspect. Police consider the suspect to be armed and dangerous.

Update: The SWAT stand-off ended at 1:45am, more than 5 hours after the shooting. The house was found to be empty, with no sign of the suspect. Officers finally gained access to the house after firing a large number of flash grenades, smoke grenades, wooden dowels, and other devices at it over the course of several hours. The suspect is assumed to be at large, armed, and dangerous, possibly driving the tan van describe above.

Update x2 9:30am: As our awesome commenters pointed out below, the suspect has been caught in West Seattle, which last night we had heard was the home of his girlfriend. Commenter Steve even included pictures of the suspect’s van being towed away.

Seattle police have also provided an update on what started the whole thing. According to the SPD Blotter, the dispute between the suspect and the victim began earlier in the day at a park on Lake Washington Blvd, and escalated to the shooting when the victim drove by the suspect’s house later in the night. The suspect then grabbed an assault rifle and shot the victim in the back of the head.

SPD also characterizes the suspect’s mother as “uncooperative”, even though she had told them that the suspect was not in the house near the beginning of the lengthy stand-off.

Here’s our live breaking-news report:

8:33pm – “We’re getting a report of a shooting victim on the ground” – 800 block of 32nd Ave S

8:35pm – Police arrive – report of a man shot in the head by another man with an AK-47

Police are setting up containment. No suspect description yet.

The suspect may be inside a residence in the 700 block of 32nd Ave S. A door was shut on police.

Traffic and pedestrian access is being shut down on multiple blocks around the crime scene.

Suspect description 18 year old white male, 6′, muscular build, blonde hair, black tank top, shorts. Two other “grown adult” males possibly involved, only described as black males. Officers advised to “watch their backs” due to uncertainty of the whereabouts of the other two.

SWAT teams with serious ordnance are on the scene.

9:06pm – An area resident called 911 to report that she saw two black males exit a red eclipse shortly before the shooting, carrying something long covered in a blanket. That vehicle is now gone, and the plates given don’t match the vehicle description.

…and the community is breathing a sigh of relief.

It’s a rare opportunity to see some really big things move down a really small city street. This Saturday at 10pm, the two houses rescued from the expansion of Epiphany School will slowly make their way down E. Howell St. and down the hill to their new lots in Madison Valley.

Yesterday commenter “It’s on” gave us the tip that a resolution had been reached between Nickels Brothers House Moving and a group of neighbors on E. Howell. As we told you last month, those residents were resisting the move due to the impact it would have on the trees that reach over their narrow street. Today we got hold of Jeff McCord from Nickels Brothers, who said that they’ve struck a deal with the E. Howell homeowners to replace any trees that need to be removed, and to plant additional ones along the street to compensate for the overhanging canopy that must be trimmed back to make way for the houses. Nickels Brothers is also guaranteeing all of the trees for continued health.

McCord says that he and the owners of the moved homes are “very thankful to the Howell neighbors and other people in the neighborhood for being accommodating” of the move, and he’s glad that they were able to find a long-term solution to the issue of the trees.

Want to watch? McCord says that spectators are welcome, so make some coffee and bring your cameras. But be aware that safety will be their biggest focus – move-watchers will need to stay on the sidewalk even after streets are closed due to the constant movement of utility crews and other heavy machinery. They’ll also need to stay at least 50 feet away from the moving houses at all times.

Here’s the schedule for the move:

• 10:00pm Saturday 7/25: The two houses will start making their way westbound on Howell from their current location on Epiphany School’s basketball courts.
• 12:00am Sunday: The houses will be cleared to cross 34th and continue down the hill into Madison Valley
• 3:00am – 4:00am Sunday: The houses should reach their new homes in the 1800 block of 30th and 300 block of 29th E.

Here’s a rough map of the route:

View Untitled in a larger map

Hi everyone. I’ve talked to many folks in the neighborhood about this and was wondering what the online world thought of the proposed plastic bag tax. Saw there were a few postings last year on it – do people feel the same? Differently? I’m all for helping the environment but I re-use those plastic bags on a regular basis!

Working at Two Big Blondes we just saw a few cop cars buzz up s. jackson with sirens blaring and full speed. Any ideas whats happening??