In the early 2000s, the Seattle social scene was in a momentary lull. Though Seattlites had valid reasons behind claiming their town the capital of the indie music world many were unhappy with the attention. The M's and the Sonics solidified themselves as perennial under-achievers. Carissa's Weird broke up.
He's a face you've been likely to see at public meetings and large community events. While captains at the East Precinct tend to rotate almost annually, Seattle Police Lt. John Hayes has been a visible and energetic sign of continuity at the precinct.But in April, Hayes, who has been the operations lieutenant at the East Precinct for four and a half years (serving under four captains), will move downtown to a newly created position announced last week by Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske.
■ Sen. Ken Jacobsen (D-46th District) recently sponsored Ravenna's Alexander R. Jonlin, 14, as a Senate page in the Washington state Legislature in Olympia. Alexander, a member of the debate team at Garfield High School, spent a week carrying mail between offices and relaying messages to the Senate floor while also attending page school to learn how to write their own bills, engage in debates and participate in mock hearings. photo provided by Sen. Ken Jacobsen
Break out your peanuts and Crackerjacks! Baseball season is back, and the North Central Little League (NCLL) is gearing up for a year of record participation. The league has around 500 participants signed up, substantially higher than the 400 who played last year. Thirty-seven teams will play each other this year in the league. This number is up from last year, as additional teams were added to accommodate the surge in participants. NCLL has 19 sponsors and has sought out more because of the growing number of teams.
I recently strolled into an area bar, looked over the gathered men and heard a voice in my head pronounce, "Losers!" In my defense, it wasn't my voice - and I was appropriately horrified. Unfortunately, a small part of my horror was at the accuracy of the harsh label.The voice belonged to a friend who often accompanies me to singles' mixers, but who disdains speed dating - which is why I'd ventured out on this cold, wet, winter evening. My friend finds speed dating attracts a conventional crowd, which is not a characteristic she desires in a mate.My desires also lean toward the unconventional, but I'd rather speed-date than sit home alone, wallowing in my unconventional lifestyle.
Once again, a local professional sports team's threats to move the franchise are resulting in lawmakers flouting their own rules (and the desires of a vast majority of their constituents) in order to throw public money at a project that will primarily serve to benefit team owners. And once again, local TV, radio and newspapers are breathlessly fawning over the proposal without bothering to note that said media outlets have a tremendous financial interest in the success of the proposal. Sigh.It's not the fault of the Sonics' current owners, of course, that we've been down this road so many times now, with Safeco Field, Qwest Field, Key Arena and the Bank of America Arena (which is at least owned by a public entity, the University of Washington, and whose renovation was mostly paid for by private donors).
FLASHLIGHT EGG HUNT, for youths age 11-16, on Friday, March 21, 8 p.m. Bring flashlight, bag. Bitter Lake Community Center, 13035 Linden Ave. N. 684-7524.SPRING EGG HUNT, for children age 12 and younger, on March 22, 9-9:30 a.m. Free; bring canned-food donation. Laurelhurst Community Center, 4554 N.E. 41st St. 684-7529.EASTER EGG HUNT, with four age groups, on March 22: Bubble Man, 9 a.m.; Egg hunt, 10 a.m. Bring baskets. Wallingford Center, N. 45th St. and Wallingford Ave. N.BUNNY BOUNCE, with egg hunts, on March 22: Age 3 and younger, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Age 3-8, 10-2 p.m. (every half-hour); Age 6-8, 10-2 p.m. (every half-hour). Free with admission. Woodland Park Zoo, N. 59th St. and Phinney Ave. N. EGG HUNT, on March 22: Age 3 and younger, 10 a.m.; Age 4-6, 10:30 a.m.; Age 7-11, 11 a.m. Green Lake Community Center, 7201 E. Green Lake Drive N. 684-0780.SPRING CANDY AND EGG HUNT, by various age groups, on March 22, 10 a.m. Bitter Lake Community Center annex, 13040 Greenwood Ave. N. 684-7524.EGG HUNT, with bouncy toys, for children age 11 and younger, on March 22, 10 a.m.-noon. Annie's Playground @ Meadowbrook Community Center, 10517 35th Ave. N.E. 684-7522.SPRING EGG HUNT, with mini-carnival, on March 22, 10 a.m.-noon: Age 4 and younger, 10 a.m.; Age 5-10, 10:30 a.m. Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, 6535 Ravenna Ave. N.E. 684-7534.TODDLER AWESOME BLOSSOMS, with jump toys, games and more, on March 22, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Bitter Lake Community Center, 13035 Linden Ave. N. 684-7524.EASTER BRUNCH, with Easter bunny visit, on March 23, 9-11 a.m. $16.95-$35.50, includes admission, service charge and tax. Woodland Park Zoo's Rain Forest Food Pavilion, N. 55th St. and Phinney Ave. N. Reservations, 548-2662.BUNNY HOP, on March 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Northgate Community Center, 10510 Fifth Ave. N.E. 385-4283.
Wallingford residents will soon see changes at one of its neighborhood schools. A $79 million construction project will begin at Hamilton International Middle School, 1610 N. 41st St., by the end of the school year.Plans have been under review and discussion for the last several years. The final plans were unveiled at a community meeting on March 3.They consist of renovating the existing three-story building, as well as adding a gym and a play court. The plans for classroom structure center on the new teaching methodologies that have gained prominence since the 1920s, when the school was built."A lot of what drove the primary goal was the early decision team had to...attempt to transfer a more effective learning environment of 21st century," said architect Tom Bates, the construction project leader.In other words, the renovators wanted to create a place that had more personalized learning environments. The classrooms support smaller numbers of students, which will create a closer student-teacher relationship.
The Best of the Northwest, produced by the Northwest Crafts Alliance, will hold its 20th spring show at Qwest Field this upcoming weekend. While it is an anniversary for the event, its organizers and some participants are not in a celebratory mood. "I am afraid that the public will not come," Northwest Crafts Alliance executive director Kathleen Miller wrote in a letter. "Some residents in the Sand Point area are displeased with us because we moved downtown [from Magnuson Park], and they don't want to go there.... Some artists are mad because they don't think the show will succeed at Qwest."
The following information was provided by the city's Department of Planning and Development. Written comments on projects should be mailed to 700 Fifth Ave., Suite 2000, P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019.The project number is in parentheses. For more information, call 684-8467.PERMIT APPLICATIONS10750 30TH AVE. N.E. (3007914) for a Land Use Application to allow additions and alterations to existing institution (Nathan Hale High School) in an environmentally critical area. Project includes addition to main building. Review includes demolition of existing library, a portion of existing principle structure and four portables. Select parking areas to be re-striped and/or re-paved to provide 292 parking spaces. Determination of Non-Significance prepared by Seattle Public Schools. Additional approval required: school departure. The following approvals are required: SEPA to approve, condition or deny pursuant to 25.05.660; School Departure to allow less than required parking spaces. Written comments accepted through Thursday, March 20.
The following are selected reports from the Seattle Police Department's North Precinct. They represent the officers' accounts of the events described.SUSPICIOUS CARA woman was walking with her children to North 100th Street and Aurora Avenue North around 12:15 p.m. on March 2 when she saw a car slowly following behind them. The driver waved for them to approach the car, but the family kept walking.The woman's son said the same car followed him two days before so she called police with the suspect's license-plate number.An officer met the family near North 95th Street and Interlake Avenue North, where they spotted the suspect, in his late 40s, driving by. The officer stopped the suspect, who denied following anyone or trying to wave them over to his car.Though the suspect was found to be a convicted sex offender, the officer couldn't determine the man's registration status so he was released.The officer advised the woman to report any further sightings of the suspect.
Crawl Space opened a new exhibition on Saturday, Feb. 23, with a juried show of nine artists showing a combined 30 videos. The second annual centennial exhibition marked the Seattle debut of Marisa Sanchez, the Seattle Art Museum's new assistant curator of contemporary art, who served as the show's sole juror.
It didn't make any local media reports. But last Friday, a deal was struck in the state legislature that could fundamentally change how elections are held in Seattle.The deal concerned two identical bills with different numbers that had been overwhelmingly passed by the Senate (29-20) and the House (56-38).
Heather Dew Oaksen, like her work, pops up all over Capitol Hill in the most unlikely places. She can be seen zipping over to Cal Anderson Park, strolling down 15th Avenue or taking in a concert at Kerry Hall.
Music of Remembrance's free concert series "Sparks of Glory" continues at the Seattle Asian Art Museum this month. Expect challenging and emotional works on a challenging and emotional subject. "Our mission at Music of Remembrance [MOR] is broad," said MOR director Minna Miller, "and we've always tried to address the impact of the Holocaust on different populations.