Raised-bed veggie gardens for seniors: volunteers, candidates needed

photo by Sbocaj
photo by Sbocaj
Kahlyn Keilty-Lucas, El Centro de la Raza Senior Garden Project Coordinator, is running a project to provide raised-bed vegetable gardens for seniors, providing outdoor activity along with some self-sufficiency and money-savings on groceries to our older neighbors.

The gardens are housed in a four by six by two foot box, allowing them to be placed in the yard, in an unused driveway, or even atop a paved-over planting strip. Seeds, vegetable starts, and gardening tools will be provided. A weekly visit from master gardener volunteers is available to those who may have growing questions.

The project has funding (courtesy of the United Way) and materials to provide 40 gardens, but is currently lacking on manpower to get them set-up and in place. If you know a local senior that would enjoy learning about and tending to a little vegetable garden, or if you have some basic tools or a truck and could volunteer to help assemble, transport, or install them, please contact Kahlyn at El Centro (612-387-8481).

Saturday is a busy day on Beacon Hill

Its that time of year again! Please donate to the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Photo by Jason Taellious.
It's that time of year again! Please donate to the Stamp Out Hunger food drive. Photo by Jason Taellious.
Lots of things are happening on or near the Hill on Saturday. Here’s a quick list. Remember, you can check our Events Calendar anytime to see what’s up.

  • Rainier Valley Cooperative Preschool is hosting a Rummage Sale from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm, at 3818 South Angeline Street in Columbia City.
  • The Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church Asian Craft Fair is from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. 3001 24th Avenue South.
  • The School of Acrobatics & New Circus Arts (SANCA) Annual Spring Showcase has two performances on Saturday at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center, 3515 S Alaska Street. Choose between the 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm shows – or go to both!
  • The Stamp Out Hunger food drive is also on Saturday. It’s probably the easiest food drive there is — just place bags filled with non-perishable food items next to your mailbox or mail slot. Your letter carrier will pick them up and deliver them to local food banks!

Parties, crime, and alcohol touched on at NBHC meeting

The North Beacon Hill Council met tonight at 7 at the Beacon Hill library. Very briefly, here’s what went down:

  • Reps from DPD present talked about outreach and prep for the next planning meeting May 30th.
  • An ad hoc committee and an outreach subcommittee of the Neighborhood Planning Advisory Committee is seeking a six month delay in the DPD neighborhood planning process to get outreach to more of the community and focus more closely on neighborhood issues specifically instead of Southeast Seattle issues generally.
  • Beacon Mountain Playground is moving forward with phase 1 of the project.
  • An SDOT representative will be at the June meeting to provide an update.
  • Some background on the Sound Transit tunnel voids was given by Roger Pence. There are believed to be only two unfilled voids remaining and they are being actively worked on.
  • Some discussion of the pedestrian safety, zoning, and environmental issues around the new car wash occurred, leading into a proposal to form a committee to work on attracting additional businesses to the hill and a motion to write a letter to the DPD concerning the zoning conflict with the transit overlay area.
  • Police updates included notice that staffing hours will likely change soon, focusing more bodies during the times of day when they’re needed. Also brief discussion of car prowls, burglaries, graffiti, car accidents, prostitution, etc.
  • Asian Express’s liquor license renewal is mentioned to be coming up soon, and it may be an opportune time to work out a “good neighbor” agreement to reduce the sales of high-alcohol beverages.
  • Volunteers were sought to staff the NBHC booth at the Jefferson Park festival on June 6th.
  • Michael Richmond mentioned the possible upcoming city council and mayoral candidate forums this fall. Previous candidate forums are said to have been especially well attended here on the hill.
  • The Piñata Party will be on July 18th this year — the same day as the Sound Transit Link Light Rail grand opening. This may be both good and bad.
  • Newly elected board members:
    • Matthew Stubbs
    • Sara Hasan

Did I miss something or get something wrong? Let us know in the comments.

Thief stealing plants from Beacon Hill gardens

Spring is here, and Beaconians’ thoughts are turning to gardening — but at least one person around here has turned his thoughts to theft. Two posters on the mailing list have reported thefts of shrubs, trees, and flowers from neighborhood gardens.

One neighbor, April, reported on Monday, “We had two shrubs stolen a little after midnight on Sunday, our neighbor had several newly planted shrubs stolen recently and El Centro has had some flowers that were donated to them stolen.”

Another neighbor, Cat, added today, “On April 21 – 22, 2009 four of the recent plants I had put in the ground in front of my fence on 16th Ave S were stolen. Last weekend my neighbor on Bayview had another large plant stolen. She has also had a tree stolen, some pavers, and other small plants taken from the side of her yard. The Cesar Chavez memorial garden at El Centro de la Raza has also had plant thefts. The thief is watching and making sure to target houses that have just recently planted new shrubs or trees so he could be local.”

This is not necessarily a new situation around the Hill. Garden thefts have been happening in the area for the last year or so, including a theft of two large planters from in front of The Beacon condominiums near the Red Apple last September.

The current series of thefts are generally occurring at night, between 11:00 pm and midnight. A suspect has been photographed by security cameras; he’s a middle-aged balding man who smokes.

Has your garden been a victim of this thief or thieves?

Underground voids found, filled by Sound Transit

In addition to the one that came all the way to the surface, the Seattle Post Globe reports Sound Transit has found an additional six underground voids above the bored tunnel on the East side of the hill. Six of the seven total found voids have now been filled with concrete at a cost so far of about $1 million. Keep an eye out for more shifting soil!

Update: KOMO reporter (and Beacon Hill resident) Travis Mayfield has a video report on this story.

Recital to benefit St. George School May 29

Marissa Ramos, music teacher at Beacon Hill’s St. George Parish School, will play a benefit concert for St. George on May 29th at 7:00 pm in the church. Friends and fellow UW, USC, Yale and University of Arizona alumni will join her in a show featuring two grand pianos and dueling pianists, and a repertoire that includes Mozart, Brahms, Joplin and more.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Call the school at (206) 762-0656 to reserve tickets.

St. George is at 5117 13th Avenue South, the corner of South Dawson Street and 13th Avenue South.

Thanks North Beacon Hill Council for the information!