It's an old story, but a very real one--a cat that ran away as its owners were moving, and has now returned to meow pitifully from the shrubbery at people walking past 15th Avenue East and Aloha. Yesterday, three neighbors congregated to see what the source of the meowing was, and what could be done. I was one, and offered to help get the news out to CHS readers.

Neighbor Toni has been leaving food and water out for the kitty, so that it won't starve, but it's clearly not safe for a house cat to be out on the street like this. If anyone would like to adopt the cat and give it a new home, Toni asks you to please contact her at three two two, twelve ninety-one.

You'd also be improving the life of a cat next door, who has food allergies but nonetheless insists on eating the food Toni leaves out and develops itchy rashes that make him miserable. And besides, who can say no to a face like that?

Here is a short testament to the quiet effectiveness of a Seattle community for homeless men and women and the open mindedness and tolerance of Capitol Hill. Tent City 3 just finished a two-month stay providing housing for around 100 people on the grounds of St. Mark's Cathedral and we never heard a peep about it until this article from the Seattle Courant.

The tent city now moves on to Cherry Hill Baptist Church for two months in the Central District.

Not every community is always so welcoming of programs like Tent City. Capitol Hill typically hosts Tent City 3 twice a year -- once at St. Mark's, the other later in the summer at St. Joe's. Tent City 3 is coordinated by the Share/Wheel organization:

SHARE/WHEEL's Tent Cities are democratically organized. They operate with a strict Code of Conduct which requires sobriety, nonviolence, cooperation and participation. Security workers are on duty 24 hours a day. Litter patrols are done on a daily basis.

The city is opening two shelters to help with demand during the forecast weeklong cold snap. But they're both dowtown. Not sure what to tell somebody like the guy I ran into last night digging around for cardboard behind Cal Anderson who didn't want to leave Broadway.

Does your car have a big streak of school bus-yellow paint down its side?

Central District News East Precinct Scanner - Capitol Hill - Wed. 11/20/2008 - Full Report

Fire department says the cause of Wednesday night's fire at Republican and Belmont appears to be candles that squatters were burning in the vacant structure.  There were no injuries and the flames did about $100k in damage to the old house that was for sale and ready to be torn down. SFD says the investigation is closed.

My husband and I walked along Broadway tonight from Denny to John, a stretch of one and a half blocks.  No less than 11 people asked us for money, even rudely interrupting our conversation and physically stepping in our way.  I haven't seen my husband since Friday morning and we were catching up, so I was a bit irritated.  I usually avoid Broadway so maybe I haven't noticed the increase in beggars but it seems to be getting out of control. Has there recently been a push to shift the homeless out of Downtown, perhaps to hide them from the summer tourists?

I feel bad for the homeless and I do what I can to help by volunteering in the community at a local homeless women shelter, previously volunteered at CAMP (which helps with energy assistance and provides a food bank for those in need), and participating in food drives.  I do not have money lying around to hand out to everyone.  It's frustrating and we will go back to avoiding Broadway in the future.  Is this what we want for our community?  Is there something...