Pink flags marked new plantings in Lewis Park a few weeks ago. Photo by Wendi. Native plants and shrubs were recently stolen from Lewis Park, a small park at the north tip of Beacon Hill near the PacMed/Amazon building and the Jose Rizal Bridge. The plants were planted by volunteers who have been reconstructing this park recently, with support from the City.
Vinh Nguyen has been spearheading this project, and reports that on May 28, volunteers found that more than a dozen plants had disappeared from the park, including lady ferns, red flower currants, and evergreen Oregon irises. While parks are public property, the plants within them are not free for the taking, and stealing them is a crime. If anyone knows anything about this crime, please call 911.
If you would like to help with the reconstruction of the park, please join other volunteers at the Friends of Lewis Park work party every Sunday, 9:00 am -1:00 pm. Tools and gloves are provided.
If you are going to be driving off the Hill on Saturday, be prepared for some congestion both east and west. On the east side, SDOT crews will be repairing roadway pavement at two locations on Rainer Avenue South, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. One location is between South Juneau and South Mead Street, and the other is between South Cloverdale and South Henderson Street. Traffic lanes will remain open but drivers should plan for congestion.
West of the hill, Sounders FC are playing a match against the Columbus Crew at Qwest Field, 7:30 pm on Saturday night. There will be traffic, so be prepared.
School may be winding down for the year, but there are still some events at local schools to take note of.
Tonight and tomorrow are the last two nights of Garfield High School’s spring musical, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Though Garfield is in the Central District, we are told that some Beacon Hill students are among the more than 100 kids who are involved in the production. The play has a bit of a twist; in the story, Victorian actors are putting on a production of Charles Dickens’ final work, but Dickens dies before he can complete it. To solve the mystery of Edwin Drood’s disappearance, the audience votes each night to choose the murderer, and the ending of the play varies depending on the results. Performances are tonight and tomorrow at 7:00 pm, at the Quincy Jones Performance Center at Garfield High School, 400 23rd Avenue. Tickets are $10 ($7 for seniors and students).
Here on the hill, Beacon Hill International School is hosting a Summer Chess Club camp from June 22 to June 26, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. The camp is for kids of all levels, in grades K-6, and students will be able to learn chess from the basic moves and rules to “strategy, cool openings, and all the tools to get ahead in the game.” Three-time US Women’s Champion Elena Donaldson and National Chess Master Joshua Sinanan will be the teachers. The registration fee is $219 with a $10 discount for siblings, and single-day and half-day registration is also available. For more information, visit the website, call 206-363-6511, or e-mail chess64@comcast.net.
Beacon Hill International School is also holding its fourth annual Beacon Bazaar on June 13, from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm. The bazaar will be held along the front of the school on 14th Avenue South. If you’re interested in purchasing table space to sell your wares, stop by the school at 2025 14th Avenue South, or contact Ferdinand deLeon at jifdeleon@gmail.com.
Thanks to Matthew Bates for the chess camp info, Dorothy Orzel for the news about Edwin Drood, and Shelly Bates for info about the bazaar.
Do you have something to say that is relevant to Beacon Hill (North, Mid-, or South)? If so, the BHB wants you. We are looking for guest writers on a variety of Beacon-related topics, and particularly for folks who live in Mid-Beacon or South Beacon. Living toward the north end of the Hill, we know we don’t always hear about what’s going on further south as well as the people who live there do. We are committed to covering the entire Hill, and we are glad to feature other voices than our own.
Don’t be shy — you don’t have to have perfect writing skills to do this. We can polish up your prose if needed.
Here are some potential starter topics, though these are not the only ones, and we welcome your ideas:
Raising kids on Beacon Hill
Voices from the various cultures represented on the Hill
History of the Hill
Restaurant reviews on the Hill and nearby
What to do on the weekends
City political issues as they directly affect the Hill
Land use and development
South Beacon Spotlight
Mid-Beacon Spotlight
Crime
Gardening on the Hill
Schools and education issues
A Greener Hill: environmental issues
Beacon by Bus: Life here without a car
BeaconBike: A cyclist’s life on Beacon Hill (Bike-On Hill?)
Interested in a regular writing slot or just a one-time opinion piece? Either way, email us.
We may have only had a fake bear on Beacon Hill for one day last week, but that was enough for Behi Bonsai to create a Beacon Hill Bear t-shirt.
Awhile ago we posted about the plant pilferer recorded by security cameras while stealing people’s shrubs. Neighbor April reports that several neighbors have identified the man as someone who lives near 16th Avenue South and South College Street. A police officer watched the security video, and spoke to the man, who denied stealing the plants. April says “Unfortunately, that probably is as far as it will go — it would be very unlikely that he is actually going to be charged with the theft unless more evidence is provided by others.” If your garden is also victimized, please file a police report.
The folks at First Choice car wash at 2507 Beacon Avenue South have filed for a construction permit to “Establish use of a portion of commercial building as an auto detailing service, per plan.†The building continues to be zoned NC2P-40, which means that, according to the city land use code, “Drive-in or drive-thru businesses are prohibited” at the site.
Perhaps the bear pictured on this Beacon Hill bus shelter is the legendary Beacon Hill Bear. Photo posted by Kim from Seattle Daily Photo to the Beacon Hill Blog Photo Pool on Flickr. See more of her wonderful photos at seattle-daily-photo.blogspot.com.Craig Thompson sends a report from last night’s meeting of the Beacon Alliance of Neighbors (BAN). Here are some of the highlights:
At last night’s BAN meeting, four neighborhood project coordinators decided that whenever we call 911 about crime, etc., we will indicate a bear is part of the action. An all purpose report would go something like:
Fourteen youths have been jumped by a bear making gang signs off campus, near Cleveland High. The bear was later reported pushing a Goodwill shopping cart, and carrying a gas can, while approaching drivers at the Shell station. A bear – identity unclear – was then spotted traversing several backyards, carrying a cash register and an application for a
liquor license. A bear – presumably an ursa minor – was spotted in possession of several cans of Old English 800, Red Bull, and acrylic enamel. Near evening, a bear accosted several residents about free burglar alarm equipment while stealing their potted plants.
80 significant trees in the woods south of Dr. Jose Rizal Park were saved from ivy infestations by two EarthCorps crews this past Tuesday, May 19; a crew will return on June 8 to continue heading south along the west side of Beacon Hill. Continue reading Neighbors bearish at BAN meeting→
Sound Transit, Seattle Police and Fire, and King County Metro will conduct an emergency response drill at the Beacon Hill light rail station (Beacon Ave S. and S. Lander St.) on Wednesday May 27 through Saturday May 30. Please do not dial 911 about the drill activities; it’s only a drill.
Temporary parking restrictions will be imposed on those dates between South McClellan and South Bayview streets on 17th Avenue South from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. This restriction will enable the Fire Department to stage response vehicles during the drill.
Thanks to Steve Louie for forwarding the info to the mailing list!
OK, there really wasn't a bear on Beacon Hill yesterday. But if there had been, it would have looked like this! Thanks to Joel Lee in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool for the laugh.
A new applicant, Young Rae No, has applied to assume the liquor license at the M.C. Food Store at 4800 Beacon Avenue South (Beacon and Columbian). The license being applied for is “Grocery store — beer / wine”: a “license to sell beer and/or wine for off-premises consumption in bottles, cans, or original containers.” See the notice here.
A Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare (SNAP) disaster preparedness program is coming to North Beacon Hill, with a workshop on June 4. Presenters from the city’s Office of Emergency Management will discuss safeguarding your home before a disaster happens, quake-safe actions, and building neighborhood preparedness teams. The workshop is free and open to all, at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Avenue South, Thursday, June 4, 6:30 – 8:00 pm.
Hello Bicycle is hosting their first Beacon Hill group bicycle ride this Saturday. All are welcome. Be at Hello Bicycle at 10 am for a moderate speed bike ride with the group to Alki Beach, and return just after noon for tacos from El Quetzal. Hello Bicycle is at 3067 Beacon Avenue South.
Have a cappuccino like this one (from Victrola) while supporting students from Beacon Hill International School tonight and Saturday. Photo by Christie Aesquivel in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr. It’s a busy day in North Beacon, where students from Beacon Hill International School are participating in a Read-a-Thon today. This event is to raise money for the PTA, which funds fourth-grade music, after-school sports, fifth-grade camp, and other activities at BHIS. Local coffee shops Victrola (former Galaxie) and Java Love are helping support the Read-a-Thon by hosting “Read Ins” at which students will read and play reading games. Victrola is today’s host, and you can stop by between 3:30 and 5:30 pm to support BHIS. Java Love will host their Read In on Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 am.
Later tonight, the Beacon Alliance of Neighbors (BAN) is holding a meeting to discuss grants, crime and public safety information, the status of the west side woods, and summer planning. The meeting is at 7:00 pm in Quarters 1 on the PacMed campus, at the northwest corner of 14th Avenue South and South Judkins Street.
Friendly kitty with injured tail. Is she yours? This friendly kitty was found near 12th Avenue South and South Massachusetts Street, sunning herself in a backyard. Bridget writes to the mailing list, “her tail is injured badly but she seems sweet and calm. Neighbor is going to try to get her some help for her tail.” Is she yours? Email us and we can put you in touch with the kitty’s current caretaker.
