As his sister Katrina, 7, looks on, Karsten Hendrickson (above), 9, cracks open his brand-new copy of 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,' the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowlings' popular series. Hundreds of people packed Santoro's Books in Greenwood at midnight last Saturday, July 21, waiting for their chance to buy copies of the much-anticipated book.
East Precinct officer Ron Giroux displays some of the weapons the SWAT teams use during the annual Picnic at the Precinct on Saturday, July 21, at the East Precinct. The event also featured music and food and a chance for the community to meet many of the officers who patrol the neighborhood.
Night Out, a national Crime Prevention event, will take place throughout Seattle on Aug. 7. The event is designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, increase neighborhood support in anti-crime efforts and unite communities. The evening provides a great opportunity to learn about crime prevention, while also celebrating community and spending time with neighbors.The registration deadline is Friday, July 27. Registration, as well as more information, is available online at www.seattle.gov/police/nightout. Because of the volume of registrations received, no official notification will be sent out. Unless you receive your registration back, assume that it has been received and that your block is ready to go.
In May of this year, Captain Paul McDonagh took on his new position as East Precinct commander, taking over from Landy Black, who took a new position in Davis, Calif., after nearly two years at the precinct. McDonagh, who was born and raised in the Seattle area, joined the Seattle Police Department in 1983 prior to finishing college. His first assignment was as a patrol officer at the East Precinct, though he moved to the West Precinct shortly after and later become a field training officer. He then worked in an Anti-Crime Team. His next position was in a SWAT team, first working in plain-clothes enforcement and high-risk search warrants. He spent 13 years in SWAT, was promoted to sergeant during his tenure there. In April 2000, McDonagh was promoted to lieutenant and worked in the evidence unit and the identification section. After 9/11, he worked in the police operations center, which does pre-planning for special events and prepares for large-scale disasters. In this capacity he's spent a great deal of time working on homeland security issues. McDonagh was promoted to captain on May 3 this year on what was his 24th anniversary with the Seattle Police Department. He recently spoke with Capitol Hill Times editor Doug Schwartz about his new position. Inside is the first of a two-part interview.
James Crossley reaches for another copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" during a packed house at Broadway's Bailey-Coy Books during the wee hours of Saturday, July 21. As just about everyone knows, the last installment of the Potter series went on sale at midnight. The line to Bailey-Coy stretched all the way to Pagliacci's.
"If we lived in a real democracy, we would've had free national health care years ago. We have the resources to give everyone free health care yesterday," Kate Johnson said this during last week's health care forum entitled "From 'Sicko' to Sanity-Seattle doctors, nurses, caregivers, and activists unite for universal health care," hosted on Wednesday, July 18, at Seattle Central Community College.Johnson, one of five panelists, urged the room to start organizing against health insurance companies to take back their civil rights.Although Johnson doesn't suffer from being one of the statistically 18,000 persons who die each year because they don't have health insurance, she recently lost her job as a home health care worker for Swedish hospital.
More than 150 neighbors ignored the gray, muggy weather and attended the first Park Tunes at Mount Baker Park Sunday evening, July 22.Organized by E.J. Gong and his wife Susan Byrnes, the free concert in the park featured four different bands that kept the kids and their parents entertained.Despite the neighborhood's busy summer activities schedule, Mount Baker residents on the scene said they have never before seen an event like the concert. Many also said they want to see it continue.
When we stumbled upon our house four years ago, one of the features the Realtor touted was the built-in dog kennel. While we appreciated the convenience of such a feature, it wasn't exactly the selling point - we didn't have a dog, at least not at that point.I was ready for a dog the minute the ink dried on the bank loan papers. Holly took the more pragmatic approach: she didn't even want to consider an animal until we lived in the house for a year and grew accustomed to the new surroundings. Needless to say we were browsing www.petfinder.com before the cardboard boxes were unpacked.<
"Being a cop means never having to say you're sorry..."I offer this paraphrased quote for a new version of the movie "Love Story" starring Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske and produced by Mayor Greg Nickels at the Palm Springs estate of former Seattle Mayor Paul Schell. Tim Ceis will take over directing duties.I'm not a drug dealer in a wheelchair. I don't even get parking tickets. I've been a Seattle taxpayer and property owner for decades as the various mayors, police chiefs and movers and shakers come and go. None of them have left poorer and less connected than when they began. I am fed up!<br
Yes, we know it's summer and you'd rather be picnicking on the beach, but there's an important local election coming up. Five city council seats are up for grabs. In fact, with the recent decision to move the primaries back to August, it's less than a month away - Tuesday, August 21. You'd never know it, though, given the lack of media coverage of these races.  Normally we'd decry such a lack of attention but after following the candidates around, reviewing their websites and literature, and talking with some of them... well perhaps there's a reason for such a blackout. With only a couple of exceptions, it's really all rather boring and the choices limited. Incumbents and challengers alike seem too prone to mouthing platitudes rather than offering us real substance.
RUNNERS, walkers and babies in strollers headed right toward the finish line and to all the post-run excitement. And I watched them from my balcony, trying to decide whether to scream or cry or spend the rest of the day with the blanket over my head as I was registered and had a number. I even trained a bit.There are people who swear the world is flat; others believe the moon is made of cream cheese. Well, we might as well add to the list of true believers one Roberta Cole, who knows without a doubt she can carry a newspaper, a cup of coffee, a how-to book and her faithful cane down a flight of stairs. <br
I hope the added congestion and the added pollution of cars stuck in traffic are worth whatever social benefit the citizens of Seattle are receiving after the city eliminated two of four traffic lanes on Stone Way [North] between [North] 50th [Street] and the waterfront.Although the huge two-way, left-turn lane is nice, and it is good that bicyclists have their own lane, we could still have given the bicyclists their space without the turn lane. At rush hour, far more motorists want to get between home and work than to turn left.Last week at 5 p.m, it took 15 minutes and eight or nine changes of the lights to go just 10 blocks north on Stone Way.
In your recent article about the opening of Pharmaca in Wallingford Center ("Friendly Competition?," July 4), it seemed as if there are difficulties between the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce and Wallingford Center/Pharmaca. In fact, there are not.We are both in agreement that some of our more favorable comments were not included in the article, giving the impression that we had mainly negative opinions - this is not the case.
In July 2000, the Washington State Jury Commission issued a report warning, "It has become more and more difficult to find prospective jurors. Citizens appear to be less willing to give their time to perform the crucial civic duty of serving on a jury." Seven years later, little has changed. I know, I was called up for jury duty in the King County Superior Court in mid-July. It's not an experience I care to repeat.
It's hard to say how much of a pull Fremont has," Daemond Arrindell said. After 4 1/2 years of bouncing from location to location, attendance levels have rebounded for the Seattle Poetry Slam, now settled for the last nine months at Tost, 513 N. 36th St., on Tuesday nights.Having produced the Slam for four years, Arrindell has officially been Seattle Slam master for two. "The title sounds a lot cooler than the job actually is," he admitted. Slam masters organize the Slam in their particular city. More than 100 venues currently hold slams across the United States.