Monthly Archives: January 2013

Clean and Green, Local Events

Food Forest celebration Friday, 1/18

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All supporters and friends of the Beacon Food Forest are invited to a celebration this Friday night, January 18, to celebrate the community’s accomplishments and the project’s new grant award from the Department of Neighborhoods Matching Fund. There will also be a showing of a 53-minute film, “The Power of Community.”

The event starts at 7 p.m. at the Garden House, 2336 15th Ave. S. It’s a dessert potluck, so bring a favorite dessert to share; there will be beverages and popcorn provided. All are welcome to this family event.

Along with the movie, Tlaloctecutli Dance Group will perform, and beekeeper Bob Redmond will be there with an information table and local honey.

Questions? Contact Melanie at melanie.coever@gmail.com .

Getting Around

Columbian Way ramps to West Seattle and southbound I-5 closed this weekend

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by Broch Bender, WSDOT

If you’re traveling from Beacon Hill to West Seattle or southbound I-5 this weekend, plan ahead. The S. Columbian Way shortcuts to the west and south will be off-limits to traffic around-the-clock for WSDOT bridge expansion joint replacement work. (Keep in mind, the detour may add five or ten minutes to your Costco run or West Seattle Junction jaunt.)

Here’s what’s closed: 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18 through 5 a.m. Monday, Jan. 21

  • S. Columbian Way to southbound I-5
  • S. Columbian Way to West Seattle Bridge
  • S. Columbian Way to 6th Ave. S. (AKA: Route to Costco)

The signed detour will direct Beacon Hill drivers south on 15th Ave. S. to a turn-around point on Corson Ave. S. From there motorists can access southbound I-5, or follow signs to West Seattle and 6th Ave. S. using northbound I-5.

Residents living near I-5 may hear loud construction work, especially at night. Crews will shroud the work zone with noise-deadening shields, but if it’s too noisy, residents can pick up a free pair of earplugs at the Jefferson Community Center (3801 Beacon Ave. S.) or call the project’s 24-hour construction noise hotline at (206) 440-4DOT (4368).

Crime

Police: South Beacon house fire was arson

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A house fire in the 2900 block of South Austin Street in South Beacon Hill yesterday afternoon was an arson that started as a domestic disturbance, according to Seattle Police.

Police say that an adult male argued with his girlfriend and then assaulted her. He then went into a back room and set the house on fire before fleeing the scene. None of the eight people inside the home were injured in the conflagration. The suspect is still at large; police are investigating.

KIROtv.com has a photo and video footage of the fire.

Clean and Green, Education

Canning Connections beginner classes now monthly

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Photo by Amanda Slater via Creative Commons/Flickr.
Demand for canning instruction has led the folks at Canning Connections to add monthly beginner sessions on the first Tuesday of each month in 2013.

These beginner sessions cover the basics of safe food preservation using the waterbath method of canning. The sessions are held at the Garden House (2336 15th Ave. S.) from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Cost is $15, payable the night of the class. The class is suitable for beginners or those wishing a refresher or update of safe canning practices.

All supplies and equipment are provided; just bring your apron and enthusiasm!

To register for the Feb 5th session (marmalade), email Diana at ankataa@yahoo.com. You can find Canning Connections online at their website or their Facebook page.

Clean and Green

Crosscut: Not much hope for airplane noise reduction

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Expected airplane noise changes under the new plan. Green means less noise, brown means more. Source.
Expected airplane noise changes under the new plan. Green means less noise, brown means more. Source.
Eric Scigliano of Crosscut has posted an article about the airplane noise situation on Beacon Hill. It’s not hopeful:

“Greener Skies’ environmental assessment, which the Federal Aviation Administration approved in November, finds that noise impacts will diminish in broad vertical swaths from Wallingford and Fremont to downtown Seattle and Federal Way on the west and from Lake City to the Rainier Valley to the town of Pacific. But they’ll increase along the axis of Sea-Tac Airport’s runways, over Greenlake, the U-District, Capitol Hill, and, especially, Beacon Hill.”

Read more here.

Elsewhere on Crosscut today, Scigliano writes about retired airline pilot (and Beacon Hill neighbor) Dana Gerry, who argues that the airport could take steps to improve the noise situation, such as reducing airport hours and enforcing limitations on when jets can drop their landing gear and wing flaps.

According to Gerry, dropping landing gear and flaps too early burns more fuel and makes more noise. He has seen pilots heading to Sea-Tac drop their gear as early as 6,000 feet, about 18 miles from the airport.

“‘If they would just hold gear and flaps up till they got to the outer marker, about 1,700 feet, they’d save as much fuel as they’d use on a roundabout approach.’ An approach like the Elliott Bay to Duwamish loop that spares residential areas, but which the airlines reject because it adds distance.”

Read more here.

Crime

Car vs. house at 15th and Orcas

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A teenaged driver crashed a Honda automobile into the first floor of an occupied house on Friday night at 15th Avenue South and South Orcas Street. Luckily, no one was injured in the collision, including the home’s residents and the three passengers who were in the car along with the driver.

According to Seattle Police, the young driver showed “obvious signs of impairment due to drugs.” A Drug Recognition Officer was called to the scene to assess the situation and the driver was then arrested for suspicion of DUI. He was taken to Harborview for a blood draw, then released pending lab results.

Thanks to neighbor Patrick Payne for these photos of the scene.

Photo by Patrick Payne.
Photo by Patrick Payne.
Photo by Patrick Payne.
Photo by Patrick Payne.
Getting Around

Columbian Way/West Seattle interchange repair work continues this weekend

The ramps from South Columbian Way to the West Seattle Bridge and Sixth Avenue South will be closed all weekend (January 11-14) for the continuing bridge expansion joint replacement project. The closures will begin at 10 p.m. on Friday night, and end at 5 a.m. Monday morning. A detour will be provided for drivers needing to access the West Seattle Bridge or Sixth Avenue South via I-5.

This nighttime work is noisy, and nearby North Beacon neighbors may hear it. If the noise is bothersome, you can call 206-440-4DOT (4368) to receive a free pair of earplugs or pick up a pair in person at Jefferson Community Center.

The project will continue through April. Find out more about the project and download a detour map at the project website.

Education, Local Events, Religion

Chobo-Ji community hosts Zen classes and talk

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The Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Temple at 1733 S. Horton Street (Chobo-Ji) will host a lecture and several classes over the next few weeks for Beacon Hill neighbors and friends who have an interest in Zen Buddhism.

The first event is this Saturday, January 12, from 9-10:30 a.m. Zen priest Rev. Kojun Hull will give a talk on Zen Master Dogen and his teachings. She is a Zen teacher from the Great Vow Monastery in Clatskanie, Oregon. Donations are welcome; they will be used to cover Reverend Kojun’s transportion costs and the rest will go to the monastery.

Chobo-Ji is also the site of a series of classes over the next few weeks, open to all interested neighbors. Classes in the Introduction to Zen series will run each Tuesday through February 5 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. The series will be followed by a Sunday retreat on February 10 from 5-11:30 a.m.

The class schedule:

  • Tuesday, Jan 15: Zazen: seated meditation
  • Tuesday, Jan 22: Meditation in Action: chanting, bowing, walking, working
  • Tuesday, Jan 29: Zen Meals: preparing and eating food mindfully
  • Tuesday, Feb 5: Roots of Rinzai Zen: koans and the Zen Master with Rev. Genjo Marinello Osho
  • Sunday, Feb 10: 5-11:30 a.m. Half-day Zen retreat, or sesshin

Neighbors are welcome to attend all or part of the series. There is a suggested donation of $20 for the Tuesday night series, and $40 for the series including the half-day retreat. For further information, contact Muken Rick Proctor at 206-817-4410.

Rev. Kojun Hull, Director of Training, Great Vow Monastery. Photo courtesy of Chobo-Ji.
Rev. Kojun Hull, Director of Training, Great Vow Monastery. Photo courtesy of Chobo-Ji.
Meetings

Agenda updated for tonight’s NBHC meeting

Please note updated agenda!

The January North Beacon Hill Council meeting is tonight, January 8, at 7 p.m. in the Beacon Hill Library meeting room (2821 Beacon Ave. S.).

Here’s the updated agenda for this month’s meeting:

  • 7:00-7:10 Introductions and welcome
  • 7:10-7:25 Community Safety update (Ted Grimes will be sharing news from the South Seattle Crime Prevention Council)
  • 7:25-7:35 DPD project update
  • 7:35-7:50 Quieter Skies
  • 7:50-8:00 Community Calendar and DON update

All interested neighbors are welcome to attend the meeting, because you are all council members. The council includes all North Beacon Hill residents, property owners, governmental agencies, business licensees and non-profit organizations.