All posts by Wendi Dunlap

Editor of the Beacon Hill Blog.

Do you have information about this burglary?

Neighbor Travis writes:

Dear Neighbors,

I want to share that our home, near the intersection of 16th Avenue South and South Stevens Street, was broken in on Saturday afternoon between 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. It seems a very bold break-in.

The burglars kicked in the back door and took the most valuable and smallest items, i.e., laptops and jewelry. The sentimental value of the jewelry out weighs the cash value — passed down from elders, etc. — and we are working hard to try to have them find their way back to us, somehow.

If anyone believes they saw suspicious activity during that time in our area of Beacon Hill your information would be very helpful. Our neighbors were able to provide some concrete leads to the officer, and the more info the better.

On that note, we want to thank all of our neighbors who have been extremely supportive and helpful, and Officer T. Saewong was thorough, informative, and professional.

On the bright side, we know our neighbors much better after this nasty incident, and we have shared personal contact information so we can better keep an eye out for one another.

Feel free to call 206-930-5321 with any leads or information, or contact Officer Saewong directly at 206-386-1850 with case #2013-115804.

Thank you.

See, hear, walk and create at Kimball Art Walk 4/11

Kimball Art Walk 2013This Thursday afternoon, April 11, is a great time to take a walk on Beacon Avenue for the Second Annual Kimball Elementary School Art Walk. From 3:30 to 5 p.m., businesses on Beacon Avenue between Tippe and Drague (3315 Beacon Avenue South) and Beacon Hill Dental Associates (3051 Beacon Avenue South) will display art by Kimball students. Businesses participating will be marked with bright, colorful flags.

The street will also be lined with booths featuring art activities, and the school choir and ukulele band will perform. All neighbors are invited to see, hear and make some art with the Kimball community and friends.


View Kimball Art Walk 2013 in a larger map

Two men stabbed on Rt. 36 bus

Seattle Police report that two men were stabbed on Sunday night as they attempted to exit the Route 36 bus at Beacon Avenue South and South Graham Street, with one victim receiving life-threatening injuries.

According to police, the bus was stopped at Beacon and Graham at about 8:20 p.m. Two male victims walked down the aisle of the bus past the suspect, who then stood up and stabbed both men with a folding knife. One victim was stabbed in the back of the head and neck, and is being treated at Harborview for life-threatening injuries. The other was stabbed in the shoulder, and his injuries are non-life-threatening.

Officers arrested the suspect on the bus and recovered the weapon. It is not yet clear whether the suspect and the victims knew each other. Homicide detectives continue to investigate.

14th and Judkins paving work to close lane on Sunday

Repair work on North Beacon Hill might complicate your travel a bit this Sunday, April 7, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., when paving crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation repair the pavement at the intersection of 14th Avenue South and South Judkins Street. One lane will remain open and flaggers will be there to assist drivers. Crosswalks and sidewalks will remain open.


View Larger Map

Classes, retreats, and a book club coming up at Chobo-Ji

Zen Radicals, Rebels, and Reformers is the featured book at the upcoming Chobo-Ji book club.
Zen Radicals, Rebels, and Reformers is the featured book at the upcoming Chobo-Ji book club.
The Chobo-Ji Zen Temple at 1733 S. Horton St. in North Beacon Hill has some upcoming events, including Zen meditation classes, a book club, and a three-day meditation retreat. Read on for the details:

The Zen Meditation class series is a four-week introduction to the spiritual practice of Zen on Tuesday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., followed by a Sunday retreat. The schedule includes:

  • 4/16 Zazen: the practice of Zen Meditation
  • 4/23 Meditation in Motion: tea service, chanting, bowing, walking meditation
  • 4/30 Zen Meals: cooking and eating in Zen
  • 5/7 Rinzai Zen with Rev. Genjo Marinello
  • Sunday, 5/12, 5-11:30 a.m. A half-day Zen retreat

Interested folks are welcome to attend one or all classes. The suggested donation is $20 for the class series, and $40 for the classes and the half-day retreat. More info is on the class flyer here.

The Chobo-Ji Zen Book Club will be reading the book Zen Radicals, Rebels and Reformers by Manfred Steger and Perle Besserman, and meeting at Chobo-Ji to discuss it from April 11 to June 6, every Thursday evening at 7:00-8:30 p.m. Detailed information about the schedule is in the flyer here. Each session will mix dialogue and meditation. The suggested donation is $5 per meeting, and guests may attend all sessions, or individual classes. Cookies and tea will be provided.

On Friday to Sunday, April 19-21, Chobo-Ji will host a 3-day Odayaka Sesshin Zen meditation retreat. Odayaka means gentle and peaceful, and sesshin refers to a period of meditation. According to the info from Chobo-Ji, “This Zen meditation retreat will be structured and conducted in a less rigorous style than our usual retreats. There will be more dialogue, movement, accommodationfor physical limits, and a less intense schedule. It is open to young and old; anybody who wants serious spiritual practice without the sometimes limiting severity of a typical zen retreat.”

To register for all or part of the retreat, email zen@choboji.org to confirm your spot.

Have you seen Hershey?

Have you seen this dog?
Have you seen this dog?
Neighbor Charlie writes:

Our little friend Hershey was last seen at 12th and Winthrop on St. Paddy’s day. He is about 15 years old and is a Jack Russell terrier (Parsons). He walks with a bit of a limp due to stiff joints, and is very deaf.

He went out for a stroll and has yet to return. Hershey was last seen wearing a little grey sweater and a bright red collar. He has several pieces of ID attached to the collar, and is chipped.

Anyone spotting him up here in North Beacon Hill can contact Charlie @ 206-323-5049.

Hit-and-run victim seeks witnesses of 3/25 accident

Abde Elshafei. Photo courtesy of Niko Kirov.
Abde Elshafei. Photo courtesy of Niko Kirov.
We recently received the following message from a neighbor:

From Abde Elshafei and Family:

Dear North Beacon Hill Neighbors,

I moved to the neighborhood last August in a house that my friend Niko purchased on 12th Ave S. I have experienced nothing but a very friendly and cool vibe from all my new neighbors.

That changed this Monday, March 25th. While riding my bicycle back from the Red Apple market I was struck by a car on the 13th Ave S and S Stevens Street intersection. The impact knocked me completely unconscious, broke my pelvis, injured my shoulder and I received a severe concussion that included bleeding internal to my brain.

I was fortunate enough to survive the accident and I am very grateful for that and I just found out that a few friendly neighbors near that intersection immediately came out to help me and called emergency services.

Unfortunately, the driver that struck me fled the scene and my family and I have been unable to find out who that driver is. The knowledge that we do have is that they were going down south on 13th Ave S in a white or grey sedan and that they made a quick left on S Winthrop Street.

I ask anybody who has any knowledge of said incident to please contact my friend Niko via phone or e-mail. His information is below:

Niko Kirov
(206) 419-8964
nskirov@gmail.com

Thank you for your help,
Abde and Family

Did you see anything on Monday, March 25 that could help identify this hit-and-run driver? Please contact Niko Kirov or the Seattle Police if you can help.

Parking, streets, and a raffle drawing on April’s NBHC agenda

It’s almost April, which means it’s almost time for the next North Beacon Hill Council meeting on Tuesday, April 2 at 7 p.m. in the Beacon Hill Library community room, 2821 Beacon Ave. S.

This month’s agenda:

  • 7:00-7:10 Introductions, Greater Duwamish Council and Department of Neighborhood updates, raffle sales
  • 7:10-7:30 Public Safety
  • 7:30-7:35 Street Stories
  • 7:35-7:50 Sound Transit and SDOT Beacon Avenue design updates
  • 7:50-8:00 SDOT Residential Parking Zone update
  • 8:00-8:15 Rosemary Aragon, Pacific Hospital PDA
  • 8:15-8:20 Happening on the Hill/Community Calendar
  • 8:20-8:30 Raffle drawing and NBHC draft bylaws and call for board members
  • 8:30-8:55 NBHC Board meets in Beacon Hill Resource Center (open to the public)

The Council is currently holding a raffle with prizes including gift cards to local businesses, a parking permit at El Centro, and more. The grand price is one free permit (and insurance) to use Roberto Maestas Festival Street for an event. Raffle proceeds will go to support NBHC’s support costs for the Beacon Hill Resource Center and Roberto Maestas Festival Street.

Raffle tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5, and can be bought from any board member in the neighborhood or at the NBHC meeting. Drawings will be held on April 2 and May 7 at NBHC meetings, and at the June Beacon ROCKS! for the grand prize.

As always, all interested neighbors are invited and welcome to attend and participate in the meeting.

Beacon Hill teens: Street Stories application deadline is today!

Screen Shot 2013-03-29 at 2.55.56 AMBeacon Hill 6th – 12th graders, this is your chance to participate in a free 5-week after-school digital video storytelling program, but you’ll need to work fast — the deadline to apply is today!

In the Street Stories program, Beacon Hill youths will create video stories of their experiences living and walking in the neighborhood, using provided iPod Touch devices to create and edit the videos. Students will also receive training including video technology and storytelling techniques. The finished videos will be shown at community events, displayed on local websites, and used to build a new kind of walking map for the Beacon Hill neighborhood.

Eligible students are:

  • 6th-12th graders living or going to school on Beacon Hill
  • Able to participate at Jefferson Community Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4-6 p.m. from April 2 though May 9.
  • Able to do a minimum of four hours of independent research

The program is limited to 20 students, and the deadline to apply is today, March 29. To apply, fill out this application form along with this E-13 Participant Information and Authorization Form and drop both forms off today at the front desk of Jefferson Community Center, marked “attention: Jean Lee.”

Selected students will be notified on Monday, April 1 (no fooling) before the first workshop on Tuesday.

Stories for Boys at Beacon Hill Library 4/28

The Beacon Hill branch of the Seattle Public Library is hosting a free dramatic reading from Gregory Martin’s Stories for Boys: A Memoir from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. The reading, adapted and directed by Laura Ferri, will be performed by Book-It Repertory Theatre.

Admission is free and all are welcome; no ticket or reservation is necessary. The library is located at 2821 Beacon Ave. S. in North Beacon Hill.

Stories for Boys was chosen as this year’s Seattle Reads book. The book details author Gregory Martin’s struggle in coming to terms with revelations of his father’s homosexuality following an attempted suicide, and tells stories about his own parenting of two young sons.

For more information on the reading or Seattle Reads, call 206-386-4636.