Storiesby Andrew Taylor |
View by List | Grid |
City Neighborhood Council
invites you to
The City Council Candidates’ Forum
Thursday, June 18th, 2009
5:00 pm- 7:00 pm
Bertha Knight Landes Room, City Hall
600 4th Avenue, Seattle, 98124
The filing deadline has passed and the races are crowded!
Knowing this is an important year in city politics, the CNC is proud to host this event.
This is your chance to learn more about the candidates that want a seat on City Council.
This is your chance to find out more about their qualifications.
And, most importantly, this is your chance to let your priorities be known.
Light refreshments will be available.
Four City Council Seats. 16 Candidates. One Forum. And You!
The City Neighborhood Council (CNC) is a citizen-led advisory group, comprised of elected members from each of the city's 13 neighborhoods. In simple terms, we are the neighborhoods!
(planning underway for a Capitol Hill/Central Area Candidate Forum: School Board, Council, Mayor. Probably Sat. July 25th 9 - noon @ Mt. Zion, but stay tuned for details. Contact tayles@jps.net to volunteer)
Previous
I put this map together a couple of months ago to help orient some European visitors to Seattle. This being the sunny season, I thought you might be having visitors who could benefit from the assembled wisdom.
Drop me a note (tayles@jps.net) if you'd like to add to or edit the map, and I'll make you a collaborator. Here's a link to the big map, where you can read the legend (Bookstores/library: green; Foodstores: pink) and list of attractions
View Capitol Hill attractions and amenities in a larger map
Preliminary work on the replacement of the dirt surface at Miller Playfield with artificial grass (SportsTurf) has begun. The field is fenced off and various destructive activities have begun. The hard work, involving lots of trucks taking dirt away, will begin after school is out (and Meany Middle school has ceased to exist). Ted Holden, the project manager, says that work will begin in earnest about June 22nd, be substantially done in 60 working days and be all done in 75 days. The field should be playable by mid-September.
I recently wrote a letter to Tim Gallagher, the Parks Superntendent, suggesting a few small inexpensive improvements that will make the renovated playfield work better for everyone:
- Free time on the field for pickup games
- Encourage teams to use off-street parking
- Equip the outdoor bathrooms at Miller Community Center with automatic locks, to allow their use by players after evening games.
I would be most grateful if you could read my letter to the Parks Superintendent, and send him your thoughts on the proposals (contact information).
Image: Office of Todd Akin (R-MO)
From Huffington Post comes word that a Missouri congressman fears for Capitol Hill's safety:
Now more than ever we need to continue a robust investment in missile defense. Cutting or canceling missile defense programs in the face of growing threats from North Korea and other rogue regimes will weaken the national security of our country and increase the threats from these governments that menace the safety and security of our allies and our own shores.
The Missile Defense Agency budget proposed this year by the Obama Administration strips $1.4 billion and calls for canceling or cutting major programs such as the Airborne Laser, Multiple Kill Vehicle, and the installation of additional Ground-Based Interceptor missiles in Alaska.
This note (from a 19th Avenue Lofts resident, at 1812 - 19th Avenue) came my way via a friend:
A warning to you all about a considerable safety and security issue on our street. As I was walking home late the other night, I turned left onto 19th from Madison and was walking down the sidewalk on the west side of the street. As I did so I saw a gathering of several men in the dirt "yard" of the apartment building that lies between ours and the Al-Anon building on the corner of 19th and Madison.These men also noticed me, and proceeded to move quickly in my direction and surround me, demanding money. They displayed no weapons, but I felt sufficiently intimidated by being surrounded that I gave them what cash I had ($6, for their trouble).
As it was quite dark and I was more concerned with my own survival than the criminal justice system, I did not get a very good look at any of the men who mugged me, nor do I feel particularly confident that I could pick them out of a lineup. However, they were all African-American males, three of which were in the 25-35 range and one was in his forties. The older one displayed the spastic nervous habits and stuttering speech patterns of a habitual drug user.
In any case, once I gave them the cash I had on hand, they let me go unharmed. My concern is that these people are friends of residents of the building next to ours and may be frequent visitors to the area (or possibly even residents themselves, I don't know). In any case, be on your guard, especially when there are people gathered out front of that building at night.
I've reported this to Officer Chris Kelly, Liaison Officer for the East Precinct, and he managed to stop most of the activity. However, with the warm weather, the young men are once again gathering, sometimes till wee morning hours, loud, and offensive.
Anchovies & Olives permit information
Anchovies and Olives suffered permit-related delays in opening, and is now applying for another permit!
I see they have a website and Yelp reviews.
Sidewalk cafe applications used to be reviewed by DPD (planning) but are now reviewed by SDOT (transportation).
(Note that it's still March in DPD! CAM = client assistance memo, a "how to guide" published by DPD).
Here's what SDOT has to say, if you want to comment on the application. Note that cafes have to provide at least 5' of space on the sidewalk for you to squeeze by.
City Inside/Out premieres Friday, May 29, 7 p.m., Cable 21; program focuses on city government’s effort to balance the parking needs of residents, commuters and businesses.
SEATTLE — As Seattle grows, city government is trying to find the right balance of parking for residents, commuters and businesses. For decades, "residential parking zone" permits have helped renters and homeowners secure street parking in the city's busiest neighborhoods, but now, city leaders are considering changes. The City Council will be voting soon on whether to create "restricted parking zone" permits that will extend the all-day parking privilege around light-rail stations to businesses in Southeast Seattle to use for their workers. How will the new rules affect Seattle? And with light rail poised to open on July 18 in Southeast Seattle, will there be enough parking for residents and businesses?
Our in-studio guests include Seattle Department of Transportation’s Mary Catherine Snyder, Phinney Ridge resident John Bito and Rainier Valley Community Development Fund’s David Essig. We also talk to a parking enforcement officer, a business owner in the Rainier Valley, a South End orthodontist and others on different sides of the issues. Tune in for a close-up look at what happens when businesses, neighborhoods and government debate parking issues.
City Inside/Out, 7 p.m., Friday, May 29, Channel 21. Did you miss our last show on zero waste? You can watch it right now by following this link: http://www.seattlechannel.org/CityInsideOut/. (Link gives assorted ways to watch the show)
The Washington State Department of Transportation has dug into its historical records to offer advice about when NOT to travel during this holiday weekend
Drivers headed to the mountains this holiday weekend should be prepared for additional traffic, especially on US 2 Stevens Pass and I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass. Monday, Memorial Day, is the busiest day of westbound US 2 travel each year.
Over Memorial Day weekend, WSDOT expects close to 43,000 cars on US 2 Stevens Pass. On a typical weekend, 27,000 cars travel on US 2 between Everett and Leavenworth. WSDOT is re-timing signals on US 2 to help keep traffic flowing Friday and Monday.
