The Smarter Highways website has an animation to show how the system will work. Here’s a longer video about the system. According to the video, systems such as this have been used in Europe with success, reducing traffic-related collisions by 30%.
The Urrea family, whose 17th Avenue South rental house burned down on Wednesday morning, lost everything they had in the flames including their clothes and their savings. KOMONews.com has a follow-up article that discusses the family’s circumstances, and mentions that you can help the Urreas by donating to the Problem Solvers’ Fund or to a fund at Chase Bank. When you give, please note that your donation is for the Alexandra Urrea family.
More information about yesterday’s fire:
These photos are from the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr. You are invited to add your own Beacon Hill photos to the pool.
Details from news partner The Seattle Times:
Medics responded Tuesday afternoon to a South Seattle address where a man was shot to death, said Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman Dana VanderHowen. The victim was reportedly shot outside when he was shot by a woman who left in a car.
Homicide detectives were responding to the address in the area of 14th Avenue South and South Hinds Street, said Seattle police spokesman Mark Jamieson. The shooting was reported at 2:52 p.m., VanderHowen said.
Later updated to:
A 38-year-old man was shot to death in South Seattle Tuesday afternoon. Police believe the shooter may be the man’s girlfriend.
Witnesses told police that they heard gunshots and then saw a man on the road. A woman was seen kneeling over the man before she jumped into the passenger seat of a waiting car, described as a dark-colored Honda or Toyota.
The car was last seen headed west on South Spokane Street toward Interstate 5.
The Times later added that the woman suspected of the shooting then shot herself in Tukwila, while alone in a car. Police say that she has been taken to Harborview with life-threatening injuries.
KIRO has more information here. KOMO has some information as well, including the suspect’s name, in the video. (A correction, though — 14th and Hinds is not “near ‘The Jungle.'”)
SeattlePI.com comments that this is the eighth homicide in Seattle this year, and the first since June 6. They’ve also posted video of the police briefing at YouTube:
Read more at the Times.
(4:50 pm: Headline changed to correct street, P-I links added, and photo added. — Ed.)
(5:50 pm: Added Times follow-up. — Ed.)
(6:15 pm: Added KIRO and KOMO links. — Ed.)
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Beacon Pub is starting a Trivia Night every Wednesday at 7:00 pm. It’s free to play, and the current first place prize is a $20 coupon for pub drinks and food. Up to four players are allowed per team. The weekly event is organized and hosted by members of the community.
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A member of the BAN list posted a runaway tale to that mailing list the other day:
“A shopping cart was sent flying down Grand Street in the middle of the night (last night) with a giant television in it. It crashed on 12th, making an awful mess. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and all property seems unscathed.” Police and the Illegal Dumping Department were contacted.
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There’s a lot happening on Beacon Hill these days. Don’t forget to check our Events page to keep track of everything going on, including events like the following:
CommuniChi Community Acupuncture has two Free Acupuncture Days for new patients on Friday, August 13, and Saturday, August 14. You can reserve a spot using their online scheduler. The clinic is located at 2524 16th Avenue South, #301, inside the El Centro building.
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The League of Women Voters is holding a Primary Election Forum at Seattle First Baptist Church (Harvard and Seneca), on Thursday, August 5, from 7:30 – 9:00 pm to hear statewide candidates for two State Supreme Court seats and local King County Council District 8 candidates. (Part of Beacon Hill is in District 8.) King County Council District 8 voters will choose among four candidates in the August 17 primary election. For more information contact the League office at 206-329-4848, visit the website, or email info@seattlelwv.org.
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The Second Annual Rizal Park Fest will take place on Sunday August 15 from 12 noon to 8:00 pm at, you guessed it, Dr. Jose Rizal Park, across from Pac Med/Amazon. There will be nine live bands along with food vendors, artists, and activities for the whole family. See the website for more, and please note that volunteers are needed!
Neighbor Lina wrote to warn us about an unsavory individual on North Beacon Hill. She saw a white van SUV pull over in front of her and park near Daejeon Park. The windows on both sides of the van SUV were rolled down, and inside was a white, baseball-cap-wearing, masturbating male. When Lina returned with a camera to get a picture of the van’s SUV’s license plate for the police, it was gone. She reports that the license plate started with a B and ended with an H.
(5:00 pm: Article updated to correct description of the vehicle. — Ed.)
Seattle Night Out is tonight! Night Out is an evening event in which communities hold block parties where neighbors can connect with each other and organize their neighborhoods against crime. We haven’t heard about very many neighborhood parties this year, but we do know of a couple:
Is anyone else hosting a Night Out event tonight? If so, please post in the comments.
Naugahyde: a two piece rock set – percussion, Theren Hayes and guitar/vocals, Jeff Wendland.
Deception Pass: a local youth rock band including Ian, Finn, Anders and Raphi who created the group in 2007 when the members were in fifth grade at Kimball Elementary.
Zumba: West African dance and exercise demonstrations by Carol.
Excuse You: original adult contemporary rock.
Blue55: blues, R&B, and “vintage rock and roll with a garage band feel and attitude.”
Kevin Gibbons: calls himself a “hack songwriter,” but the Beacon Rocks! people say “he’s actually a ‘really good songwriter.'”
The Middle Age Crisis Band: “a hard pumping, fun and punkish/J-pop style band that plays all original music (sometimes in Japanese).”
Neighbor Lynn has been adopted by a cute kitty who may be lost:
“For the past six months or so, this russian blue cat with green eyes has been sneaking into my house and ‘sharing’ my cats’ food. I live near the corner of Beacon and Columbian. I assumed it was just because he liked what I was serving better than his own home, but now I’m begining to wonder if he’s homeless… I suspect someone is missing this guy, since he’s been full-on living here for a while now. He’s super talkative, with an amazing vocabulary, lots of rolling R’s. Very affectionate, a bit skittish. No collar. This cat has a very unique tail, I’ve never seen anything like it. If someone has any info on this cat, please email me at lynnard666-at-comcast.net. thanks!”
(Another photo is after the jump.) Continue reading Is this your cat?
Spanish broom looks much like its close relative Scotch broom. Both are medium-sized evergreen shrubs growing 6-10 feet high with small yellow flowers. Scotch Broom is not native to our region, but it is a “non designated noxious weed” and control is not required in most of King County, though it is recommended.
How to spot the difference:
If you find Spanish broom on your property (or notice it somewhere else) or have questions about another invasive or otherwise noxious plants, contact the King County Noxious Weed Control Program: 206-296-0290 or via email at noxious.weeds@kingcounty.gov. You can also report infestations of broom or other noxious weeds by using the online form.
Be sure to visit the Noxious Weed Control website to learn about the Weed of the Month, volunteer as a Weed Watcher, or get tips on safe ways to handle potentially dangerous plants like Giant Hogweed. You can also review the complete Noxious Weed list for ideas about what not to plant in your garden. Butterfly bush, for example, is considered a Class B Noxious Weed in Washington State and a non-regulated weed in King County. This means that gardeners are encouraged but not required to remove it.