Beyond the window of Kwik Cup Espresso Shop, a curtain of rain formed the backdrop for a markedly contrasting slide show. A digital photo viewer on the counter in front of the window flashed scenes of sun baked dirt streets, concrete block walls, pale blue skies and smiling, barefoot children. The occasion was the Coffee for Kids fundraiser on April 17, with free coffee for every customer. Beside the cash register sat a big glass jar filling up throughout the day with green dollar bills, donations to Capitol Hill's Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS) 6-year-old Zambia Club program.
It is increasingly common to find residents of Capitol Hill who are unhappy with the state of things in their community. For them, it is hard not to notice crime in the neighborhood as well as a challenging economic climate and a chronic homeless population that lacks the help it needs.A community council can help address such concerns. And while the Capitol Hill Community Council has been inactive for the past three years, many residents see restoring it as a chance to deal with these and other issues.
Hans von Sponeck, former United Nations assistant secretary general, speaks on 'Toward Peace In and With Iraq' to a crowd of about 250 people on April 3 during a special appearance at the University Temple Methodist Church, 1415 N.E. 43rd St.
The Fremont Bridge will no longer close for nighttime work because Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) contractors have nearly completed replacement of the electrical and mechanical drive systems on the bridge.Work remains, so occasional single-lane closures are still required.SDOT crews recently paved areas of the intersections at each end of the bridge. They will apply permanent markings to these areas when weather and work schedule allow.SDOT also has changed the turning restriction for northbound traffic from the bridge. Left-hand turns are now allowed except during peak traffic times on weekdays between 3 and 7 p.m.Also, the Ship Canal Trail in the area under the south end of the bridge on Monday, May 5.For more information, go on-line to www.seattle.gov/fremontbridge.
University Heights Community Center and the Phinney Neighborhood Center (PNC) share similar stories: Both were discontinued as public school buildings in the 1980s, leased by community associations, determined as surplus by the Seattle School District and are now up for sale. Both current tenants are currently negotiating to buy the respective sites.On April 16 and 17 the University Heights Center Community Association (UHCCA) and Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) respectively held forums for community members to present their opinions on the school district's sale of the buildings.A majority of the attendees approved and were excited about the sale."My main message is please, please, please be behind this," said Christine Buck, a North Seattle real estate agent."It's become really clear the community wants this center to be here and supports it and loves it," UHCCA president Mike Dash said.
An idle gas-powered generator in the garage of a three-story Lake City apartment building sent 10 people, including four firefighters and two medics, to local hospitals with carbon-monoxide poisoning on Monday, April 28.A carpet-cleaning employee had left a generator running in his van in the open garage of the 18-unit Shorecrest apartment building in the 12500 block of 35th Avenue Northeast. A resident found the employee unconscious on the third floor and called 911 at 11:15 a.m. For the next hour and a half, 17 fire and aid units responded to the scene.Many of the victims received treatment at Harborview Medical Center for headaches and dizziness, while three - all civilians - were treated in Virginia Mason Medical Center's hyperbaric chamber, according to Seattle Fire spokesperson Helen Fitzpatrick. Three residents with symptoms declined treatment.The Seattle Fire Department allowed the residents inside the building around 2:30 p.m.
Conscious Father instructor Chris Yeargin helps his son, Ethan, 3, 'plant' one of the more than 300 pinwheels at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Laurelhurst on April 3 to mark Child Abuse Prevention Month. Kim Yeargin (left) holds son Sam.The Georgia chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America started the month-long Pinwheels for Prevention campaign, in which colorful pinwheels are 'planted' to express hope that the cycle of child abuse can be broken.
Questions or comments about the following applications or actions should be directed to the Regulatory Services Division, Washington State Liquor Control Board, 3000 Pacific Ave. S.E., P.O. Box 43098, Olympia, WA 98504-3098, or call (360) 664-1600.LICENSE APPLICATIONSFIKRE W. YOHANNES and FANA TZEGAI: a grocery store selling beer and wine, at Dollar Plus 1, 12528 Lake City Way N.E.BIG STAR BEERS L.L.C. (MYLE CHAU HUYNH): a specialty shop selling beer and wine and a direct-shipment receiver in Washington state only, at Big Star Beers, 1117 N. Northgate Way.DANDREW WINE L.L.C. (DANIEL RAY BATY, PAMELA DIANE BATY, ANDREW TAYLOR BROWNE and CARRIE A. BROWNE): a domestic winery selling less than 250,000 liters, at Dandrew Wine, 3534 Bagley Ave. N.AZENEGASH-TESFASELASEI INC. (AZENEGASH TESFA TESFASELASEI): a grocery store selling beer and wine, at 99¢ Plus Smoke Mart, 10325 Aurora Ave. N.LICENSE ASSUMPTIONSUM & UM CORP. (KRISTINE K. UM and IN HEE UM): a grocery store selling beer and wine, at W Mini Mart, 4339 University Way N.E. Young Sook Kwon holds the current license, doing business as Young's Place Grocery.LICENSE APPROVALSMOJITO: a change of class, for a restaurant service bar selling spirits, beer and wine, at 7545 Lake City Way N.E.
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 APPLICATIONS7219 GREENWOOD AVE. N. (3006027) for a Land Use Application to allow an expansion of existing grocery store, change the use of a portion of existing retail building to grocery store (first floor) and add a second story for offices. One additional parking space to be provided at 7301 Greenwood Ave N. The following approval is required: SEPA environmental determination. Building permit may be needed but was not included in this application. Written comments accepted through Wednesday, May 7.
The following are selected reports from the Seattle Police Department's North Precinct. They represent the officers' accounts of the events described.TRAIL ASSAULTOn April 22, police responded to the University of Washington Medical Center, where a man was being treated after an assault on the Burke-Gilman Trail, near Sand Point Way Northeast and Inverness Drive Northeast, around 6:50 p.m.The man was running northbound along the edge of the trail when the suspect, running in the opposite direction, dropped his shoulder and charged him, the victim said. The suspect's shoulder hit the man in the chest.The suspect, in his 20s, then jogged off.The victim turned around and yelled at the suspect, who then turned around and knocked the victim to the ground. The suspect proceeded to punch the man in the head, chest and abdomen before leaving again.A witness provided her contact information to the victim, but police were unable to reach her.
Geov Parrish's column ("Beijing-Tibet Relations on the Forefront") on April 11 is uninformed [and] disorganized and does a great disservice to understanding Tibet and China. First, Han Chinese (and Hui, the Chinese Muslims) are not the majority in Tibet: They comprise less than one-fifth of Tibet's population. Seventy-five percent of these immigrants return to China within two to three because their ventures fail. Tibetan is one of over 52 nationalities in China and the eighth largest. Tibet has more to gain from continuing as a region of China than it would on its own. The Dalai Lama echoed this in Seattle when he said that if separated, Tibet would be weak and poor, but joined with "thousands of millions of people" it would be "prosperous" and have "dignity. Much better." (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, April 14, 2008).
Phil Megenhardt, president of Bold Hat Productions, welcomes everyone interested in building community to join the fun at Hop Scotch Spring Beer and Scotch Festival on Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, at Fremont Studios, 155 N. 35th St.). This fund-raiser for Northwest Folklife is for aficionados of beer, scotch and - just this year - tequila. Attendees can sample and learn about their favorite beverages, and if Phil has his way, they can meet others and have fun with others who share their interests.
CONCERTO COMPETITION: Two North Seattle students have been selected to perform in the Young Artists Concerto on May 10 with the Philharmonia Northwest Orchestra.Fifth-grade violinist Simone Porter and 12th-grade flutist Angela Potter are among the six young musicians who also received master class instruction from educators across the country.The concert will take place at the University of Washington's Kane Hall, starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is a requested $10 contribution.NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP: Oasis Art Gallery, 3644 Wallingford Ave. N., has started a new partnership with local nonprofit organizations, starting with Friends of the Children, which helps high-risk children from kindergarten through high school graduation with weekly mentoring.The gallery will kick off its first partnership with an event on Wednesday, May 7, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The free event will feature a new exhibition and a raffle for fine art.Each partnership will last two months, beginning with free use of the gallery for a kick-off event. During these events, 10 percent of the revenue generated will go toward the agency. Over the entire two-month period, the agency also will receive 10 percent of proceeds from Strazzanti Photography and revenue from the raffle for pieces of fine art.
This month's Northwest Focus word: chamber music.If only it were called "intimate music." Or "private music." Funny, how a label can entice - or discourage. What does the label "chamber music" do for you? For that matter, what exactly is chamber music? Why do some people flock to it? Why are entire festivals created around it? Chamber music is the kind of playing that orchestra musicians seem to want to do for fun. Instead of two-dozen violins all playing the same thing, in a chamber group each instrument gets its own voice. There might be two violins, but each is playing a separate line; each individual is heard. It's like small-ensemble jazz in this way, but without that instant thank-you applause that jazz players get after each instrument has its say.
Seattle Parks and Recreation is seeking an artist or artist team to identify art opportunities for the new Northgate Urban Center Park.The project will convert an existing 3.73-acre King County park-and-ride facility at the intersection of Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 112th Street to a new urban park. The artist will work with Mithun, the lead design architect, to integrate art into the overall park design.The budget is $15,000 to $22,000. The artist will make and install the artwork as part of the park's construction budget.The deadline for the application (available at www.seattle.gov/arts) is Monday, May 5. For more information, contact senior capital project manager Kim Baldwin, at 615-0810 or kim.baldwin@seattle.gov.