Tag Archives: mid-beacon

Crime

Pick-ax burglar interrupted ransacking Mid-Beacon home

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By Jill Blocker, KOMO News (Beacon Hill Blog news partners)

A woman with poor eyesight wasn’t able to immediately see if anything was taken from her home in a burglary Friday, but the window smashed in with a pick ax was hard to miss.

Police said a burglar broke into a home in the 5200 block of Columbia Drive S. in Beacon Hill by taking a pick ax and smashing open the bedroom window. The burglar than ransacked the bedroom and office, strewing belongings across the floor.

Two people, including the woman, came home during the burglary and saw the person run out the back door.

The sight-impaired woman told police she did not immediately notice any missing belongings.

News

Crews make quick work of bedroom fire near Jefferson Park

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Photo courtesy of KOMO News (BHB news partners).
By KOMO Communities Staff (Beacon Hill Blog news partners)

Seattle firefighters quickly extinguished a fire inside an apartment complex near the south end of Jefferson Park Golf Course on Saturday.

Crews were called to the building at 4715 Beacon Ave S. about 12:35 p.m. and found smoke coming from the bedroom of one of the units.

The fire was out within minutes, and no one was hurt.

Several adjacent apartment units suffered smoke and fire damage, and those occupants were displaced.

Officials said no one was inside the apartment when the fire broke out, and the cause is under investigation.

Getting Around

Construction to detour traffic 7/8-9 near Cleveland HS

Street improvements in Georgetown will force traffic to be detoured past Cleveland High School on the nights of July 8 and 9. Be prepared for congestion and delays in the area, and when driving down to Georgetown.

Here is the explanation from the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT):

On Thursday and Friday July 8 and 9, SDOT’s contractor will work at night to repave Ellis Avenue South and South Albro Place between East Marginal Way South and Stanley Avenue South. If weather is favorable, this work will take two nights to complete, from 7 p.m. each night through 5 a.m. the next morning.

During this nighttime work, one lane will remain open for westbound traffic on Albro Place and for southbound traffic on Ellis Avenue. However, these streets will be closed to northbound and eastbound traffic during the night, and traffic will be detoured over I-5, and then circled back to Albro Place. More specifically, the detour will direct traffic from East Marginal Way South onto Corson Avenue South, then to South Lucille Street, then to 15th Avenue South, and then to Swift Avenue South to return to South Albro Place.

Uniformed police officers will assist traffic.

There may be short-term cross street and driveway restrictions (two to four hours). Bus stops may be closed or relocated. There will be parking and loading restrictions near the work zone. Please note — vehicles parked on the street in No Parking zones will be towed.

Drivers should expect traffic congestion and delays, and may want to consider using alternate routes.


View Detours, July 8 and 9, 2011 in a larger map

Arts, Neighborhood Pride

Blue Scholars’ “Fou Lee” video released

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“Cruise on the Hill, getting food at Fou Lee.” Blue Scholars have a new song and video, “Fou Lee,” that features local stores Fou Lee and MC Foods, along with what looks like some pretty tasty cooking. (Watch the video all the way to the end and you’ll see a list of the ingredients in chicken adobo.) Release parties for their new album, Cinemetropolis, are June 17 and 18 at Neumos.

Thanks to Tyler Hill for pointing us to the video!

Crime

One woman robbed, another sexually assaulted

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On December 26 at about 12:25 am, a woman was robbed on the Chief Sealth Trail in the 2600 block of South Orcas Street. She told police that the robber put a gun to her back and said “Give me everything you have.” She gave him her wallet and he took her money as well as her cell phone, then took off running northeast through the park.

The woman then ran to Beacon Avenue South and rang doorbells until she was able to get someone to call 911 for her.

A K-9 search for the suspect was unsuccessful. The suspect was described as a black male, about 6’0″, wearing a dark beanie, braided hair, a gray zipper sweater, dark pants, and white Jordan tennis shoes.

The police report is here, and the SeattleCrime.com report is here.

Another crime took place on Tuesday, December 28, when a 63-year-old woman was violently sexually assaulted in the 1700 block of South Angeline Street at about 5:50 pm. The woman fought back and the suspect fled, taking her handbag.

The suspect (pictured to the right in a police sketch) remains at large, and is described as a Hispanic male in his 30’s to 40’s, 5’10” to 6′, clean-shaven, with a brown complexion and medium build, and wearing a beige or light-colored jacket and a beige hat.

The SPD Blotter report is here.

If you have information about either of these incidents, please call 911. If you have information about Tuesday’s assault, you can also call the Seattle Police Sexual Assault Unit at 206-684-5575. Anonymous tips are welcome.


View Assaults on Beacon Hill, 12/10 in a larger map

Getting Around

S. Orcas to gain new sidewalks through Neighborhood Street Fund

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On Wednesday, Mayor McGinn announced eleven neighborhood projects that will be constructed through the Neighborhood Street Fund Large Project program, funded by the Bridging the Gap transportation levy. One project is of note to Beacon Hill residents: South Orcas Street from Beacon Avenue South to the Chief Sealth Trail will receive new sidewalks, lighting, and other improvements. Other changes would be made between the Trail and Martin Luther King Jr. Way South, including making room for new sharrows on that part of the road.

The original project application stated that sidewalks on Orcas are currently “badly degraded or non-existent. Pedestrian access to Dearborn Elementary School is dangerous, especially when it is non-daylight hours. If the improvements are made, many will walk safely from Beacon Ave South to Lake Washington.”

See more about the Neighborhood Street Fund Large Project process here.

Life on the Hill

A difficult road still ahead for Art’s on Beacon Hill

A jukebox waits for customers in the coffee shop at Art's on Beacon Hill. Photo by Wendi.
Michael Perrone sent us an email about the status of Art’s on Beacon Hill, the old grocery store site at 13th and Shelton which Michael owns (we’ve posted about it previously), and he gave us permission to post his message:

I am writing to let you know what’s up with Art’s.

The City of Seattle has re-instated my continuous use retail zoning and I will be working directly with them so that I can open my doors to the public. They have granted me the month of April to raise funds on this project and MIXED: FIRST PERSON is on display to the public Friday and Saturday nights through the month. I also received a phone call from a law student in Wisconsin, who for a class, is member of a law team representing Art’s vs. The City of Seattle. Interesting, huh? Thanks to those on your blog who forwarded my plight to the world. At least I know someone in Wisconsin gives a rat’s ass (LOL). I need to raise $25,000.00 to make this all happen. I do not have a lot of time, and if I cannot raise this money this site will be lost as a place of business. The City will not continue the use if I lose this property to foreclosure, due to the predatory loan I got into. I cannot express my Gratitude enough to Jeff Jones, my attorney and Lucas DeHererra DPD, who have both diligently found ways to work together to preserve my dream. Please post this as I need now more than ever to find a solution that will keep this community project going. This has pushed me into Chapter 13, and that light at the end of the tunnel seems far and distant… Thanks for listening, etc., and the opportunity to publicly announce this story; Art’s Gallery will be a grandfathered retail space by late summer 2010, and another neighborhood community based local business can be saved.

If you want to contact Michael, you can reach him at 206-861-6260 or egodd1@msn.com.

Health and Safety

Boeing Field may be a bit noisier for a while

"Too loud!" Photo by Nicki Dugan via Creative Commons.
Are you noticing increased noise from Boeing Field, sometimes after 10:00 pm? This press release from King County International Airport may explain why:

Residents of some adjacent airport neighborhoods may experience temporary increases in aircraft engine noise levels as described below by The Boeing Company:

Over the next several months, King County International Airport may experience elevated noise events due to The Boeing Company engine runs, a critical part of its flight testing. These flight tests are part of the certification requirements for the 787 and 747-8 programs. Both types of aircraft will be at the airport in higher than normal volumes during this time. This is an important test period where the airplanes are completing their initial configuration testing to support the certification programs.

To the extent possible these engine runs will be kept outside the curfew window between 10pm-7am daily. However, there may be a rare circumstance when The Boeing Company will need to conduct engine runs outside of curfew hours. This is most likely to happen early in the testing program and all proper protocols will be followed and notifications issued. This is necessary in order for Boeing to meet the stringent FFA requirements that allow both airplanes to be certified and put into revenue service.

For more information on flight test operations, please see the flight test fact sheet provided by The Boeing Company at http://www.kingcounty.gov/airport or contact Jennifer Hawton at The Boeing Company, (425) 444-1600.

Thanks to Steve Louie for sending us this info!

Local Business, Meetings

Neighbors invited to discuss future of ART’s on Beacon Hill coffeehouse

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ART's on Beacon Hill at 13th and Shelton will host a community meeting this weekend and fundraising performances during April. Photo by Wendi.
Owner Michael Perrone sent this letter about the future of the ART’s on Beacon Hill coffeehouse in the former DeVos grocery at 13th and Shelton:

Dear Neighbors,

Thank you for all of your recent and generous support, as we are working hard to provide a community center that supports and reflects the diversity and rich history of our Beacon Hill and Georgetown neighborhoods.

On Saturday March 27, 2010 between 5 and 7 p.m., you are invited to attend a special community meeting at ART’s to discuss upcoming events and options for further community involvement and support. All neighbors are invited so please spread the word!

As you know, we have been working closely with the City of Seattle to renew historic licensing allowing for the reinstatement of ART’s as the community corner where neighbors gather, share a cup of hot beverage, a tasty delight, and news of the day. It is our aim to continue this tradition and reopen the corner coffee shop as a community hub and center of creativity. To assist in this endeavor, ART’s has recently partnered with CULTURE FORUM, a non-profit Culture and Arts organization dedicated to artist and cultural exchange through community building.

ART’s current offering opens April 1 running through May 1, and is entitled MIXED: First Person and is a 42 minute multi-media stage play developed with the Evergreen State College, CULTURE FORUM, and of course ART’s.

We are very close to achieving our goals, but cannot do it without your input, involvement, and support. So please accept our invitation to attend this special meeting, and we hope to see you very soon at ART’s! If you have any questions, please feel free to give a call or just stop on by!

Sincerely yours,
Michael Perrone
ART’s on Beacon Hill
4951 13th ave south 98108
phone: 206-861-6260

Christian Ryser of CULTURE FORUM tells the Beacon Hill Blog that the city has agreed to reinstate the building’s original historic status and zoning, including retail and gallery use, and that they are allowing fundraisers to be held. The Mixed: First Person show is functioning as a fundraising effort for ART’s. He adds, “The bad news is that ART’s is suffering from the same banking malpractice as the rest of the world. Culture Forum has partnered with ART’s to provide artistic direction as well as an avenue for tax deductible donations. We are attempting to find a way to modify and or buy out the absurd loan on the building. ” They are working with an attorney from Beacon Hill in this effort.