Category Archives: Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Airport train, ROCKiT for kids, and fewer matching cycles

Passengers exit light rail at the airport station. Photo by Willie Weir.
Passengers exit light rail at the airport station. Photo by Willie Weir.

Tried the ride to the airport yet? Willie Weir and Kat did and posted photos and a short write-up over at Yellow Tent Adventures.

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ROCKiT space is gearing up for music classes for kids with Marc Smason beginning January 11th and 12th.

They’re also seeking volunteers to help with day-to-day tasks, fundraisers, programming etc. If you’re interesting in helping out, contact Jessie McKenna at 206-323-7115.

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Due to budget cuts, there will be only two Small and Simple Neighborhood Matching Fund cycles in 2010. If you have projects that the NMF could help with this spring or summer, be sure to get your applications in by January 11th. Second-cycle applications are due in July.

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Get to know about City Year‘s mission and impact in Seattle and King County at their Breakfast of Champions, 7:30am on Friday, January 8th. For more information about the breakfast, contact Teresa Thomas via email or at 206-219-5002.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Affordable housing, volunteerism, and our own dive bar

Customers visit the hot dog cart in front of Beacon Pub, summer 2009. Photo by Jason.
Customers visit the hot dog cart in front of Beacon Pub, summer 2009. Photo by Jason.
It may be a dive, but it’s our dive: The Beacon Pub was featured recently in the Seattle Weekly website’s Dive Bar Advent Calendar.

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Homestead Community Land Trust is a local nonprofit group, intended to create affordable housing by taking the cost of land out of the purchase price of a home by using a community land trust. The HCLT Advantage program provides funds for purchase assistance to help families buy homes in Seattle. Interested? Orientation classes for the HCLT Advantage program are held periodically at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Avenue South. The next two classes are Saturday, January 9, and Thursday, January 26. Further info is here.

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Jefferson Community Center is again offering the $2 Try It program, in which you can try a class or program once for only $2. Class dates are between January 4 and January 30, and classes include Zumba, Yoga, Pottery, Pilates, Pickleball, Badminton, Hapkido, Ballet, Hip Hop Dance, Cartoon Drawing, Instructional Basketball, Little Dribblers, Creative Dance, and Line Dancing. See the Winter class catalog here.

Thanks to Doreen Deaver for the info!

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Craig Thompson writes on the BAN list that many volunteers have been hard at work on Beacon Avenue and at Jose Rizal Park:

“Washington State Department of Corrections supervised a cleanup of street litter [Saturday] along Beacon Avenue and adjacent streets. Next week, WSDOC will continue cleanups of litter and trash in the East Duwamish Greenbelt, on the west side of Beacon Hill.
 
“At Jose Rizal Park, 20 volunteers, EarthCorps crew members, and community court service workers cut blackberries and moved 300+ potted native plants into the woods; these will be planted on Saturday, January 16, in a large volunteer event (100 people expected) that will kick off the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday weekend of volunteer work in Seattle. On Saturday, January 9, the community court service workers will return for a general cleanup.”

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For those who want to do their civic duty in other ways, there are a couple of upcoming possibilities to help make your neighborhood more livable. The first round of the Parks and Green Spaces Levy Opportunity Fund is currently open for your nominations of potential park development and acquisition projects. The nomination process begins with the submittal of a proposal letter, due by February 1, 2010. Letters and Opportunity Fund criteria may be found at this link. There will be workshops in early January to help develop proposal letters and explain the process. For more information, visit the Opportunity Fund website.

If pedestrian issues are your interest, you still have a day to apply for the city’s Pedestrian Advisory Board. Three volunteers are wanted for the board, which advises the Mayor and City Council, as well as participating in planning and policy activities relevant to pedestrians. The board meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at City Hall. Board members serve for two years, and must be Seattle residents who are not city employees. Those interested in serving should submit a resume and cover letter by Wednesday December 16 to brian.dougherty@seattle.gov. For more information, email Brian Dougherty, or call him at (206) 684-5124, or e-mail him at the address above.

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The International District Housing Alliance (IDHA) is a non-profit organization that provides housing services and community building to the Chinatown/International District and greater Seattle’s low-income, Asian Pacific Islander, immigrant and refugee communities, including many who live in Beacon Hill and surrounding neighborhoods. The IDHA is holding a Holiday Dinner on Wednesday, December 16 from 4:00 to 7:00 p,, and a Holiday Gift Drive until December 18. The dinner, at the Four Seas Restaurant in the International District, will help elderly neighbors celebrate the season with friends and family.  Activities will include live entertainment, a six course Chinese banquet, a raffle, and door prizes. In the gift drive, CID elderly residents, youth and family clients send in gift requests, and Sound Transit and the University of Washington Law School help distribute gift requests and collect presents for participants. Presents will be wrapped and delivered between December 18-23. If you would like to donate to the holiday dinner, or to volunteer to wrap and/or deliver gifts, or you need information, contact Alma Dea Michelena at almadea@apialliance.org, or call 206-623-5132, extension 322.

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An application has been made to the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to install T-Mobile antennas on the rooftop of the Amanuel Ethiopian Orthodox Church at 2101 14th Avenue South.

A couple of DPD decisions have been handed down related to Clearwire utilities in our area. At 3114 South Warsaw Street, a decision was made to allow a Clearwire utility (antennas and a microwave dish) to be mounted on a City Light transmission tower. At 3802 South Othello Street, a Determination of Non-Significance with conditions was decided regarding the installation of a Clearwire utility (antennas and an equipment cabinet) on the rooftop of the existing five-story residential building.

The deadline to appeal these decisions is December 28.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Musical standouts, students saving, and a trip to Leavenworth

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The Beaconettes performing at the Lander Festival Street ribbon-cutting celebration on Saturday. Photo by Jason.
The Beaconettes performing at the Lander Festival Street ribbon-cutting celebration on Saturday. Photo by Jason.
The Beaconettes singing group had a busy week. Before performing at the opening of the Lander Festival Street on Saturday, they won two awards at the Figgy Pudding caroling competition on Friday night: “Most Creative,” and “Peoples’ Choice.” Beaconette Betty Jean Williamson reports “We also had the pleasure of singing our ‘Good Mayor Nickels’ for the Mayor himself—our parody chronicling his rise and fall, all to the tune of ‘Good King Wenceslas.’ Greg Nickels was a great sport and seemed to enjoy it all.”
 
The Beaconettes will perform next at the 11th District Democrats Holiday Dinner and award event tomorrow, December 8 at Carpenter’s Hall, 231 Burnett Avenue North in Renton. Here’s the Facebook page for the event, and the Beaconettes’ own Facebook page.

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Beacon Hill’s own Helladope were just featured in the latest issue of The Stranger. Charles Mudede writes that the album Return to Planet Rock is “…yet another contender for the best local hiphop recording of the year.”

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Shelly Bates writes about a new student savings program:

“Our local bank, Washington Federal Savings, has started a new ‘Save at School’ program.

“The student opens the account with a minimum $5 deposit and the bank will add another $5 to each student that enrolls.  This is a great opportunity to replace the WaMu School Savings program which Chase discontinued.  What’s even better is it works with an adult volunteer who collects the deposits for children each week at school and then makes the trip to the bank.  Withdrawals do have to be made in person, no ATM access, but you do earn interest and there are no fees or minimum balance required.

“If you’re interested in getting it set up at your own school, contact Laitim Wong, Branch Manager, Beacon Hill Branch (206)324-1884.”

Thanks, Shelly!

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Rita Harris has chartered a bus to go to the Christmas Lighting Festival in Leavenworth on Saturday, December 12. There are still seats available for this all day trip that will depart early Saturday morning from the parking lot in front of Jefferson Park Recreation Center. Seats are $35 per adult, and there are children’s rates as well. For more info, see this Craigslist page.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Grocery stores, town halls, and a song

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A new Grocery Outlet is coming to nearby SoDo. Photo by Jason.
A new Grocery Outlet is coming to nearby SoDo. Photo by Jason.
The Grocery Outlet just off Rainier Avenue, next to the Mount Baker train station, didn’t survive long enough to see the station open. It closed last year, its business hampered by ongoing station construction right in front of its parking lot.

Fans of Grocery Outlet shopping will soon have another nearby option, however, with a new store opening in the former state liquor store site on Fourth Avenue South in SoDo. The new site is not as convenient to pedestrians as the old one, however; the nearest Link station, instead of being right next door, is about a half-mile walk around a huge block and part of the Metro bus base.

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Mayor-elect McGinn is hosting three town halls this week to hear your thoughts and ideas about the future of the city. Two of the town halls are reasonably close to us here on Beacon Hill.

These are the locations:

Northgate Community Center, 10510 5th Avenue Northeast
7:00 pm, Monday, November 30

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, 104 17th Avenue South
7:00 pm, Tuesday, December 1

Paul Robeson Performing Arts Center At Rainier Beach High School, 8815 Seward Park Avenue South
7:00 pm, Wednesday, December 2

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Beacon Hill’s Helladope had KEXP’s song of the day last Monday with “Just So You Know.”

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Did you deep-fry your Thanksgiving turkey? Still wondering what to do with all that excess cooking oil? Red Apple has joined with Standard Biodiesel to collect your used turkey fryer oil. Standard will donate money to Children’s Hospital for each gallon collected. Please contact the store before bringing in your oil; instructions are in the link above.
Thanks to the P-I’s Big Blog!

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Potluck chocolate ribbon nuisances

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Judith Edwards sends a couple of event reminders to the mailing list:

Mark your calendars for two upcoming events! On Thursday, December 3, the North Beacon Hill Council will hold a potluck dinner and honoring ceremony to recognize those who have worked so hard in the past year to make our community the wonderful place it is to live, and to plan our focus for the coming year. We’ll meet at 6:30 in the Community Room of the Library. Please bring a dish to share, and your ideas for where you want the Council to focus it’s efforts in the coming year. We’ll combine eating with a ceremony to honor the NBHC Board and the others in the community who have made so much happen, followed by a business meeting at 7:30. Please plan to attend and be part of the voice that speaks for our community.

and

On Saturday, Dec. 5 at 10:00 AM Festival Street will open with a ribbon cutting ceremony! Festival Street is that block of Lander between Beacon Ave. and 17th Ave., just south of El Centro del la Raza and north of the Light Rail Station. There will be coffee and donuts donated by local merchants, tents set up in case of rain (in Seattle?), and visits from City leaders. Please come celebrate what the Pedestrian Task Force and Robert Hinrix have worked so hard to bring to fruition.

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Also via Judith, from Vinh Nguyen:

You are invited to help restore Lewis Park for the last event to it’s natural habitat this Sunday, November 22nd, 2009. Lewis Park forest stewards will be at the park between the hours of 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Tools, gloves and water is provided. Feel free to bring your own gloves if you would like.

This weekend, we are working at the three locations: The Triangle Area, North Slope, and the South end of Lewis Park. We will be mainly applying wood chips, and some planting native trees. We hope you can make it.

Please email Vinh if you’re considering helping out.

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Dee from Yoga On Beacon wrote to announce YoBe’s 3rd Annual Holiday Bazaar is this Sunday, November 22nd, from 12:30 to 5:30pm

Enjoy holiday cheer, tea and cookies, YoBe friendly faces, and cool, quality world products from Four Winds Decor on Queen Anne Hill. Items will include jewelery, pashmina shawls, hand-made soaps, knit goods, silk scarves, journals, hand bags, bamboo ware, and much more! Make your holiday shopping a breeze and have fun too!

All YoBe products will be 10% off. First 20 people will get a free YoBe Tee!

YoBe is located at 3013 Beacon Avenue South.

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A “nuisance properties” ordinance has been approved by the Seattle City Council’s public safety committee. From the P-I:

The ordinance would define “chronic nuisance properties” as places where crimes or drug dealing or other nuisance activities occur at least three times within 60 days, or seven times in a year. Offenses such as prostitution, weapon violations, assaults or gang-related activity would be included in the definition.

The police chief would be given authority to declare a property a chronic nuisance. The owner would be notified in writing and given seven days to respond. The property owner would then have 30 days to work with the police on a plan for clearing out the nuisance activity, or face penalties of up to $500 per day for not complying.

Update: from a City Council news release this afternoon:

The Council’s Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee voted this morning to amend the land use code to allow expedited demolition of derelict properties that too often become magnets for criminal behavior in neighborhoods. Council Bill 116642 provides an exception to city land use laws requiring plans and permits for replacement structures before demolition is allowed in single-family zones.

Update to the update: West Seattle Blog has more on the derelict properties measure.

Via the Trash Problems with am/pm Convenience Store in South Seattle blog.

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Java Love, Kusina Filipina, and El Quetzal received health inspection visits last week. (Remember, red-level violations are corrected even before inspectors leave.)

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Speaking of El Quetzal, Jon Gould recommends their new winter beverage on the mailing list:

Juan and Elena at El Quetzal have a new winter offering…an amazing, thick cup of hot chocolate. It is super tasty. The way they make this traditional Mexican drink is pretty cool: They start with dry corn kernels which are softened in water for a few hours. Then they blend the softened kernels with water until the consistency is silky. This is then put on the stove to cook with Mexican chocolate and fresh cinnamon – while a patient person slowly whisks the thickening drink.

The result is a smooth, rich cup of chocolatey wonder. In Spanish, this drink is called “Champurado.” If you arrive at El Quetzal and don’t remember the name just ask for the hot chocolate made with corn.

It’s awesome. Enjoy.

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Finally, Joel points out in the forums that light rail all the way to the airport starts December 19th!

Random emphasis by me. Thanks Joel, Jon, Judith, and Dee! All of the above events and more are (or shortly will be) on our event calendar for your reference.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Off the rails, on the record, at the party, and eating right

KING 5 has a slideshow and story of a Link Light Rail train derailment today in SoDo.

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KOMO’s (and Beacon Hill’s) Travis Mayfield has posted an interview he conducted with Senator Patty Murray on health care. Travis also points out Mike McGinn‘s “Victory Party” taking place this Friday, November 20th, at the NewHolly Gathering Hall, to which everyone is invited.

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The Seattle Institute for Biochemical and Clinical Research located at the VA hospital is seeking a full time Research Dietitian, if you happen to know a dietitian looking for a gig.

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Supposed to get pretty windy tonight and tomorrow, like it was early this morning; make sure your garbage cans and lids and such are secure and aren’t blowing down the street.

Beacon Bits

More Bits: Luminaria, sing-a-longs, matching money, and more

Luminarias photo by AZAdam. At the Beacon Hill Library on Saturday, learn basic paper-cutting techniques using scissors and a hole puncher to make your own decorative Day of the Dead luminaria.
Luminarias photo by AZAdam. At the Beacon Hill Library on Saturday, learn basic paper-cutting techniques using scissors and a hole puncher to make your own decorative Day of the Dead luminaria.

This Saturday, the 14th, from 2 to 4pm, an introduction to traditional Day of the Dead crafts with artist Amaranta Ibarra Sandys will be at the Beacon Hill Library. This event is free, requires no registration, and is open to everyone ages 5 and older.

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Craig Thompson has resumed regularly updating the Beacon Lights column at the P-I, most recently considering Sound Transit, the mayoral race, and Dow Constantine.

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Next Thursday, November 19th, from 6 to 7:30pm at the Beacon Hill Library, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is hosting free technical assistance workshops to educate neighborhood groups and community organizations on funding opportunities under the Neighborhood Matching Fund. The program provides cash awards to community organizations for neighborhood-based projects. Proposals are due as early as January 11th for “Small and Simple” projects.

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Metro has introduced a new reroute notification system where you can sign up for email or SMS alerts if your bus has been rerouted due to snow or other emergency condition. — Seattle Transit Blog

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200 student poet-athletes will be participating in their fall season-ending America SCORES Seattle Poetry Slam tomorrow, November 13th, from 5 to 6:45pm. Join them at the Cleveland High School Auditorium. Call 206-988-1000 for more information.

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Rise up Singing — a family-friendly, evening sing-along with Albert Kaufman (the human jukebox). Former Beacon Hill neighbor Albert Kaufman will be back in town on Saturday the 14th at OmCulture near Gasworks Park from 7 to 9:30pm. Albert will be leading a sing-a-long with special guests and children of all ages are welcome. Thanks for the notice, Mira!

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Four Amigos, food safety, and funky foliage

KPLU has a lovely story about “the Four Amigos”: Roberto Maestas, Larry Gossett, Bob Santos, and the late Bernie Whitebear, activists who played a large role in Seattle’s history over the last 40 years. Maestas, of course, played a particular role in Beacon Hill’s history by helping found El Centro de la Raza, and leading the organization until he retired recently.

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BeHi Bonsai, the blog about the funky topiary foliage found throughout Beacon Hill, has found a yard that goes above and beyond the call of topiary duty: “Rings of foliage waft above the ground magically as if there is some unseen creature underground blowing leafy smoke rings for our amusement.”

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Health Department restaurant inspectors have recently visited a few more local establishments. Results of the inspections are posted online. The Aloha Grocery at 7762 Beacon Avenue South had 8 “blue” violation points (“surfaces not maintained, clean, sanitized”), El Delicioso at 2500 Beacon Avenue South had 5 blue violation points (plumbing issues), and Wing Luke Elementary School at 3701 South Kenyon Street scored a perfect 0. (Congratulations!) Dahlak Eritrean Cuisine at 2007 South State Street (at the foot of Beacon Hill, near Oberto’s) received 10 “red critical” violation points, for inadequate hand washing facilities.

Context: 45 or more red violation points force a re-inspection within two weeks, 90 or more red points force closure of the establishment, and 120 or more total (red and blue) points force closure of the establishment as well. So all of these businesses were in no danger of closure. Even one red violation is enough to result in an unsatisfactory inspection, however, and specialists work with the operators of the establishment to make sure that the situation is corrected immediately.

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Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Cheasty, permits, gardens, and snow plans

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Photo from Seattle Department of Transportation
Photo from Seattle Department of Transportation

Cheasty Boulevard to get new brown street signs thanks to the Friends of Seattle’s Olmsted Parks (FSOP)’s recommendation made after the 2003 Seattle Olmsted Park System Centennial celebration. More about the signs in Crosscut.

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Speaking of Cheasty, Green Seattle Day is tomorrow. They’re looking for volunteers to help out in the Cheasty Greenspace at 10am Saturday, rain or shine.

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Recommended boundary maps for Seattle Public Schools new student assignment plan. The school board votes November 18th. There’s one more public meeting on Saturday (tomorrow).

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The Friends of the Seattle Public Library encourage you to email the undecided City Council members and help keep the Beacon Hill Library (and several others) open more than 35 hours a week.

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Identical permits to “Construct alterations to replace doors, windows and install air blend fan, per King Co. Sound Insulation Bid Pkg. #7 and floor plan, subject to field inspection, [subject to field inspection]” have been filed for a number of properties in South Beacon Hill, running about $40,000 a pop. (Sounds like a construction company made the same mistake multiple times.)

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United Way and El Centro are again offering free raised bed gardens and gardening assistance for seniors.

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KOMO’s Travis Mayfield reports on the US Senate approving funds for Seattle Youth Violence Prevention and El Centro’s executive director Estelle Ortega being named to newly elected King County Executive Dow Constantine’s transition team.

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Metro has announced their new winter “snow plan” — West Seattle Blog

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Vote Now edition

No more in-person voting at places like El Centro -- now you need to mail your ballot in. Photo by Wendi in 2008.
No more in-person voting at places like El Centro -- now you need to mail your ballot in. Photo by Wendi in 2008.
It’s election day! If you haven’t voted yet, you can vote today by getting your ballot in the mail before today’s pickup, or dropping it off by 8:00 pm at one of the six Neighborhood Service Centers (Ballard, Central, Delridge, Lake City, Southeast, and University) that serve as drop-off locations for election ballots. Additionally, the NSCs will be hosting open houses for any and all residents to drop in, enjoy refreshments, receive giveaways, and learn more about the Department of Neighborhoods, City services, and opportunities for civic engagement. In our neck of the woods, the place to be is the Southeast Neighborhood Service Center, 3815 South Othello Street #105, from 3:00 – 7:00 pm. The Center is just a couple of blocks west of Othello Station, past the Safeway.

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In the Slog, Charles Mudede has some uncomplimentary things to say about the Beacon Hill Library and its public art, but the commenters vehemently disagree.

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Speaking of public art on the Hill, the Times has a feature about artist Dan Corson, who created the “space forms” in the Beacon Hill light rail station. (Thanks for the tip, Joel!)

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