Shred it and forget it.  Are you worried about identity thieves stealing private information from your trash?  Let Group Health Credit Union give you some peace of mind.  Join in the shredding at 11023 8th Ave NE, Seattle, WA and bring up to two grocery bags of sensitive documents to be shredded, pulped, and recycled. Shredding is safer than throwing out but greener than burning. While supplies last, anyone who comes to the Shred-a-thon will receive a durable, reusable eco shopping bag.

When: Saturday, April 25 from 10am to 2pm
 Where: 11023 8th Ave NE, Seattle, WA

Are you looking for a place to hold your next event or activity?  Greg Baggett from the Queen Anne Manor, wrote,

We are an assisted living/retirement community off of Crockett Street (11 Crocket Street, Seattle).  Our remodel of the lobby and downstairs areas are complete and we  are ready to play host to local groups such as boys or girls scout  troupes,  knitting clubs, or other.  I am the new activities director and would  love to start networking. On  April 18th at 6 p.m.  we are opening up our doors and hosting a  Casino night not only for residents at the Manor but also to the  community.

Give Greg a call at 206-282-5001 if you have any additional questions.

On Monday, April 6th at 11:00 am King County Councilmembers will recognize the Seattle Children’s Home as it celebrates 125 years of service to children, youth and families. Seattle Children’s Home, located in Queen Anne at 2142 10th Avenue West, Seattle, provides services for Washington’s emotionally and developmentally challenged children to help them live normal, productive lives.

Founded in 1884, Seattle Children’s Home is a private, not-for-profit organization that responds to the mental health needs of children and their families throughout Seattle, King County and Washington State. Our services and programs have changed over the years, yet we have not wavered from our commitment to improving the lives of our most vulnerable citizens – children. Seattle Children’s Home is accredited by The Joint Commission as a Behavioral Health Care Organization

The Council meeting is held in room 1001, King County Courthouse, 516 Third Ave, Seattle.  A gala celebration will be held on May 16th at the Seattle Sheraton. Tickets are $150 per guest.  For more information, click here.

At the Queen Anne Community Council meeting last Tuesday, the Council voted to voice their opposition to the suicide fence that is being proposed for Aurora Ave. Bridge.  We reported earlier that a mock up of the fence had been installed on the bridge for people to view.  The purpose of the fence is to deter people from jumping off the bridge, an unfortunate event that has happened on numerous occasions in the past 3 years.  Linda Brill of KING5 talks to George Counts about why he opposes the fence.  She also talks with those in Fremont who brought the initiative to the City of Seattle and the State legislature.

George Counts, a physician and a member of the Board of Sound Mental Health, and several others have drafted a letter outlining a number of reasons to oppose the fence.  An excerpt from this letter follows:

We are opposed to WSDOT plans to build a fence on the Aurora Bridge.  In order of importance, our reasons are: 1) the fence is unlikely to prevent a significant number of suicides, 2) spending over seven million dollars of public funds for this purpose seems wasteful, and 3) a fence could greatly mar the appearance of the bridge, an “Historic Place” and a “City Landmark”. 

The most effective way to prevent suicide is to focus on identifying and treating mental illnesses – severe depression and bipolar disorder are associated with most suicide attempts.  Since the majority of suicide victims are not receiving mental health treatment at the time of their deaths, we need to enable doctors, other health care providers, and gatekeepers to be more aware of suicide-risk evaluation.  For persons who jump from the Aurora Bridge, a fence might prevent suicides at that site, but not those choosing other locations or other means to take their own lives.  

Click to view a complete copy of this letter. The QACC urges those who oppose the fence to write a letter to the Landmarks Preservation Board citing the importance of maintaining the historic integrity of the Aurora Bridge.  

Let’s cheer as Queen Anne resident Kathy Biever celebrates her 70^th birthday with a three week, 250 mile walk from Bunker Hill in Boston to Central Park in New York.  This route was developed by her husband Keith who had just finished reading a book on President John Adams.

Many of you may recall Kathy from her work with organizing the friends on walks to the area Seattle Public Libraries.  Our sister blog, Phinneywood captured the story of these 20 members of the Mountaineers Club as they demonstrated their love of hiking and support for libraries.

Kathy (left) will be accompanied on her Long Walk by three different friends from Seattle and her historian husband Keith, who serves as chauffeur and planning guide.  During this time, Kathy will also take time to visit different areas along the route  Writes Kathy,

Am very touched that three fine fun healthy long-time friends Blanch, Lynn, and Jacquie are accompanying me on The Long Walk, one week each. Blanch’s shift is now over after our having walked 80 miles together for Five Days from Bunker Hill  to Palmer, MA. Yesterday morning after enjoying and photographing Dr. Seuss’s whimsical park in Springfield, we dropped Blanch off at Peter Pan Transport for her shuttle to Logan for flight back to Seattle. Next Walking Friend of the Week Lynn arrives Springfield tomorrow to walk with me for Days Six – Eleven.

This is one feisty and very young 70 year-old.  We will keep you informed of her progress.

It doesn’t appear that an Easter Egg Hunt is planned at the Queen Anne Community Center.  However, the very popular Magnolia Community Center Spring Egg Hunt will happen on Saturday, April 11th.  This free event draws a big crowd of kids and parents each year.  Parents should bring cameras and kids should bring baskets to hold all the treats they will collect.  Click to the MagnoliaVoice for information on exacts for each age group.

What a great way to celebrate April Fool’s Day with a traditional pie joust!  If you drove by Sully’s Snowgoose Saloon on Phinney Avenue tonight, you couldn’t miss this bizarre scene in the street:

Yes, these are jousting bicyclists slinging pies at each other. And it’s a very popular annual tradition. PhinneyWood was there with action photos.

The Seattle Department of Transportation confirms a report in the MagnoliaVoice from last week that plans to change Nickerson Street are being reevaluated.  Here is the official word in a message from project manager Eric M. Widstrand:

“Thank you for your interest in the Nickerson Street rechannelization project.  This project is currently on hold as we evaluate how Nickerson Street would interact with the roadway network, via a systems approach, taking into account the north portal of the bored tunnel.  We are coordinating with the Alaskan Way Viaduct project team to make sure that the overall mobility of the north end is taken into consideration before making a decision about Nickerson Street.  

 Our comment period is open until April 10th to give people time to comment about the project.  Once we have received all comments we will send out a response to questions received.  For more updates or to see a copy of the plans, please visit our website at:www.seattle.gov/transportation/nickerson.htm

 The city backed off after numerous concerns were voiced by residents and the Queen Anne Community Council.  The city originally proposed changing Nickerson from two lanes to one lane in each direction and adding bike lines. 

Markus Kunz, Managing Director of Teatro ZinZanni, announced today the official launch and dates for this summer’s Camp ZinZanni, a project of the ZinZanni Institute for Circus Arts (ZICA).

Dedicated to the preservation, development and enhancement of ancient and contemporary circus arts, including Juggling, Clowning, Magic, and Acrobatics with an emphasis on all aspects of performance and production, ZICA is the educational outreach program of Teatro ZinZanni.

This July and August, Camp ZinZanni will offer three different curriculum options divided for ages 8-12 and 13-16. Each session gives campers the opportunity to learn the basics of Character/Scene Development and Clowning through hands-on instruction and workshops with Teatro ZinZanni cast members. Detailed by session, campers will learn:_Objects in Motion – Juggling, Yo-Yo, Rings, Hoops, Ribbons, Spinning Plates, Diabolo, Cigar Boxes, Spinning Clubs, Hats, and magic hand tricks. Each session will culminate in a free revue-style performance for family and friends under Teatro ZinZanni’s antique red velvet spiegeltent. Cost per camper is $350 per session. For enrollment information, please visit http://zica.zinzanni.org.

A recent increase in the number of suicide attempts from the Aurora Ave. bridge and comments from people who live and work in the densely populated area compelled the City of Seattle, King County, WSDOT and community members to take action.

WSDOT is designing a fence to deter people from jumping off of the bridge. This effort follows the city of Seattle’s installation of signs and phones on the Aurora Bridge in 2006 to connect people directly to a suicide hotline.

The project received design funding during the 2008 legislative session. Design work started in spring 2008. We expect the construction phase to start in late 2009, although actual fence installation won’t begin until early 2010 because of the time it will take to manufacture the fence. Construction would be complete by the end of 2010.

On Sunday, March 29, WSDOT attached a mockup of a fence panel to the bridge for evaluation. Click here to view photos of this fence.

Seattle City Light is about to begin a project to replace old wooden power poles and upgrade the high voltage power lines over the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The project will result in some short-term disruption of traffic and parking in the area, but there should be very little interruption of electrical power and advance notice will be given those directly affected. Specific dates of dates of traffic, parking and trail disruptions will be announced as soon as they are known.

This upgrade project is expected to begin in early April and may take up to five months. It will involve a number of trucks and staging of equipment on both the Queen Anne and Fremont sides of the canal, primarily near Warren Ave. N. along Nickerson St. on the Queen Anne side and Phinney Ave. N. by N. 34^th on the Fremont side. There will be safety buffer areas beneath the towers during the time workers are overhead, including occasional closures of a portion of the Burke-Gilman Bike Trail.

A reader has asked to inquire if anyone has any information about a fire.  Writes Sylvia,

There was a fire in the dumpster at my apartment complex (108 Roy Street) on Sunday, 3/29/09 around 12:30 a.m.  Does anyone know the cause?  Dumpster was up against the building and could have caused damage if the fire department hadn’t arrived and moved burning dumpster away from building and put out the fire.

Did anyone else see the fire?