Ten years ago today two Queen Anne families died in a plane crash returning from a vacation in Mexico together. Alaska Airlines flight 261 went down off the coast of Southern California, taking 88 lives, including those of the Clemetsons, the Pearsons, and their six children, ages six months to just eight years old. And although the tragedy happened a decade ago, the community will never forget.
In their honor, friends and neighbors dedicated Queen Anne’s Soundview Terrace Park to Carolyn Margiotta and David Clemetson and their children, Cori, Blake, Miles and Spencer, and Sarah Manning, Rod, Rachel and Gracie Pearson.
They remember the children as best friends and even renamed the park “Rachel’s Playground,” after one of the girls, who would be getting her drivers license this year.
Every year a small group gathers for a memorial service at the park, but as this year marks the 10th anniversary of the crash, friends and neighbors of the families have decided to open up the memorial to the public, in honor of all of the lives lost that day.
Anyone is welcome to join in for music and a candle lighting today, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Rachel’s Playground, located at 2500 11 Ave W. They will be lighting 88 candles – one for each person on flight 261.
Two friends, Mari Ingram and Stephanie Bower, are the organizers behind today’s memorial. For them, even ten years later, they cannot forget their friends.
“It’s hard to imagine an entire family just disappearing,” Bower told KING5. ”At their house you could still smell the coffee on the kitchen table.”
“It’s like they were trapped in time,” Ingram added.
Read more on the 10th anniversary of the Alaska Airlines flight 261 crash at our news partner, the Seattle Times.
For those of you who like free, all-ages, music, Easy Street Records is back with their first live show at the Queen Anne store in the new year! Ballard’s own Zoe Muth & The Lost High Rollers will be kicking of “an evening filled with twangy weepers and authentic country goodness” at 7 p.m. tonight, Friday, January 29. Details here.
(As always, thanks to Jesse at Easy Street Records for the photo).
The entries have been divided into two session of ten short films each, to be screened tomorrow, Saturday, January 30 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $9 for one session or $15 for both. Check out the entries and get synopses of the films here.
If you’re looking for a longer film to satisfy your sci-fi fix, SIFF will be showing “A Space Odyssey” at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Friday, January 29, “The Man Who Fell To Earth” (starring David Bowie as an alien!) at 3:30 p.m. and “Logan’s Run” at 6 p.m. on Sunday, January 31.
The BYOB Winery, which stands for Blend Your Own Bottle/Barrel (depending on how thirsty you are), opened along the Ship Canal at 198 Nickerson St in the fall, offering patrons the opportunity to create their own wines from scratch at Seattle’s first “custom-crush winery.”
The 20,000 square-foot space currently houses a custom-crush facility, a microdistillery, air-conditioned storage bays, and a large area slated to become a restaurant down the line. Although plans are still in the works, owner and winemaker Mike Almquist tell us that they hope to open the restaurant, in connection with the winery, as soon as they get their “funding in place.” In the meantime, they’ve put in an application to the Department of Planing and Development to build a 390 square foot deck addition to the space that would supply outdoor seating overlooking the canal.
The city is accepting public comment on the application through Tuesday, February 23. To read up on the application or make a comment to the city, click here.
EarthCorps, The Kavana Cooperative and The Ravenna Kibbutz are getting together this Sunday, January 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the NE Queen Anne Greenbelt (Trolley Hill Park) to celebrate Tu B’Shevat, Judaism’s new year of trees, a little differently – with a forest restoration project!
EarthCorps will be teaching forest restoration and safety to volunteers,and The Kavana Cooperative will be offering a short session on the meaning and history of Tu B’Shevat over lunch.
For more information on how to get involved, contact EarthCorps Volunteer Program Manager Chris LaPointe at (206) 322-9296, ext. 217 or at chris@earthcorps.org. You can reach the event day contact, Lina Rose, at (206) 793-2454.
Dick’s Drive-In is celebrating its 56th anniversary today, and as part of the festivities, they will be selling Cokes for the same price as when they first opening in 1954 – 10 cents a pop!
The five locations throughout the city, including the Dick’s in Queen Anne, at 500 Queen Anne Ave. N., are open from 10:30 a.m. every morning to 2 a.m. the next day – plenty of time to get a 10-cent Coke or two! The other locations are in Wallingford, at 111 NE 45th St, Capitol Hill, at 115 Broadway Ave. E, Holman Road, at 9208 Holman Road NW, and Lake City, at 12325 30th Ave North.
This is not the first time Dick’s has made their already inexpensive menu even more affordable for a day. On Veteran’s Day Dick’s gave away free cheeseburgers to vets. To read the full story on the Dick’s anniversary, check out Casey McNerthney’s story in the PI.
If you missed the FOLKpark meeting a couple of weeks ago, but would like to share your opinions for the enhancement of Lower Kinnear Park, there’s still time to tell the planning committee what you think. Just take FOLKpark’s short improvement survey (it’s only seven questions, so it won’t take long). And if you missed the meeting, you can read up on the topics discussed, or watch the video for a quick overview.
The next FOLKpark meeting be on Thursday, February 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Bayview Retirement Community, located at 11 W. Aloha St, when the landscape architects will present a draft plan for the park to the community.
Local chain Pagliacci Pizza has just announced it will be donating 100 percent of the proceeds from all of its locations today, Thursday, January 28, to the Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund. According to the owners, they decided to dedicate today to helping those in Haiti after overwhelming company-wide support for a fundraising project. They wrote on their blog,
I, like all of you, have witnessed the news footage from Haiti over the past few weeks. Total devastation. You can’t help but be moved by the images in the press. As I was deliberating what we should do as a company, several of our employees had similar thoughts. Devesh Kumar, a driver from Miller Delivery Kitchen, was the first to approach me about what Pagliacci could do as a company. The whole Sand Point Delivery Kitchen crew talked about donating their tips to aid relief efforts. Jason Cheung, the University Pizzeria General Manager, sent out an email to all of our managers asking if their crew was interested in donating tips for a day and if Pagliacci would match their donations. Our crew really wanted to help and so did I.
In addition to donating today’s proceeds, Pagliacci will also be matching all of their employee contributions to the fund and working with their vendors to encourage a donation of the food and packaging used today.
Pagliacci has 21 locations throughout Seattle, including their Queen Anne pizzeria, located at 550 Queen Anne Ave N, which will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today.
(Photo courtesy of Pagliacci Pizza via Flickr. Thanks to Patrick for the tip!)
If you’re going to be visiting neighboring communities Ballard and Magnolia in the next few days, there might be a little extra traffic due to lane closures on both the Ballard and Magnolia bridges. SDOT crews will be repairing the guard rail on the Ballard Bridge, closing down the southbound right lane from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. today, Thursday, January 28, and tomorrow, Friday, January 29, as well as on Monday and Tuesday of next week (February 1st and 2nd). Between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on the same dates, crews will be closing down one lane at a time on the Magnolia Bridge in order to repair the expansion joints. There will be one lane open to traffic in each direction.
If you’ve been counting down the days to the emmer&rye opening since we first reported the new “seasonally inspired, locally derived” restaurant would be taking over the Julia’s on Queen Anne Ave, wait no more–the 70-seat restaurant is opening tonight.
Chef Seth Caswell’s (formerly of Stumbling Goat Bistro) newest creation utilizes the local agriculture of the Pacific Northwest to explore seasonal dishes –- what Caswell calls “new American cuisine.” Food writer and Queen Anne resident Lorna Yee attended a sneak peak of the restaurant earlier this week and had this to say: “The reasonably priced menu, ranging from $4-$17 and made up almost entirely of local ingredients, feels exactly right for this economy.” Read her full preview in Seattle magazine.
emmer&rye will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. today and tomorrow, and from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, serving brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get a look at the menu here. Call 206-282-0680 for more information or to make a reservation. Read our emmer&rye preview here.
This isn’t in Queen Anne, but might interest those of you looking for a way to volunteer and help clean up Puget Sound. People for Puget Sound will be offering a free workshop in habitat restoration in February for volunteers interested in becoming Sound Stewards, working to restore the shorelines and estuaries of the Duwamish River. The 16 hours of free training will cover the history of the Duwamish River, an introduction to ecology, native vs. invasive plant identification, planting techniques and weed control. In return, Stewards are asked to commit 40 hours over the next year volunteering at People for Puget Sound restoration sites, meeting on a monthly basis for maintenance work, invasive plant monitoring and native planting. Volunteer classes will be held on Wednesday, February 10, Saturday, February 13, Wednesday, February 17 and Saturday, February 20 at the Port of Seattle and various field locations. More information here. To register, email Dhira Brown at restoration@pugetsound.org.
The Sound Stewardship Project is funded by grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Restore America’s Estuaries, the Adobe Foundation Fund, Elliott Bay Duwamish Restoration Program and National Fish and Wildlife Fund, with support from the Port of Seattle.
McClure Middle School, located at the top of Queen Anne hill, was originally built in the 1960s, and like many other schools in the Seattle School District, it is currently on a long wait list for a remodel. In the meantime, however, McClure has a long list of structural demands needed to improve both the conditions for the staff and students, and energy costs incurred by the district, that cannot wait. According to 36th District Rep. and Queen Anne resident Reuven Carlyle, the building is often so cold, many of its 600 students wear their coats from class to class.
This is one of many reasons why last year Carlyle worked to help secure $1 million in state funds for McClure Middle School to undergo energy efficiency upgrades, a pilot project that he says has laid the groundwork for new legislation that, if passed, will fund energy and cost-saving improvements for schools and universities statewide, creating 38,000 jobs in the process.
“The money was a pilot project to show the value proposition of this core idea that has been embraced nationally as a way to create high wage jobs while improving the energy efficiency and reducing utility costs for public agencies like schools nationwide,” Carlyle wrote to us in an email last week.
So far, part of McClure’s $1 million award has been used to fund an energy audit of the building, identifying energy cost-saving improvements that will also be covered under the funding. According to Carlyle, construction has already been approved and is set to begin sometime in late spring or early summer. And although this pilot project is not connected directly to House Bill 2561, which passed through Washington’s House of Representatives just last week, Carlyle says it serves to positively reinforce support for a public policy initiative that has the potential to save money, promote sustainability and benefit communities throughout the state.
“This pilot didn’t create this larger legislation but it showed the idea on the ground in a public school. It played a modest but important role because it showed how a community-based model can work on the ground for real schools,” he wrote. “The value proposition of conducting an audit and then making decisions about how best to improve both the school and reduce costs work together. The model worked and McClure helped to show it.”
Bill 2561 would raise $850 from a state bond and allocate it to clean energy construction projects to improve schools and universities across the state, in so doing, creating 38,000 “well paying jobs,” according to Carlyle. The funds would support energy audits and structural upgrades including the installation of energy efficient windows, weathering, roofing and insulation improvements, and solar energy projects, to name a few–-projects that are “all related to energy efficiency–the most economically efficient way to reduce costs,” Carlyle said.
If the bill is passed by the Senate and signed by Governor Gregoire, it will be put to voters on the November ballot.
“I’m really proud of the small but important role that the McClure project has played in the larger development of this bold energy efficiency and jobs program. This bill has a long way to go before being enacted into law but this is the first critical step,” Carlyle wrote.
If you’ve been by the Lower Queen Anne Metropolitan Market (100 Mercer St.) lately, you may have noticed they’ve made a few upgrades (including a wellness and nutrition center, expanded products, a recipe kiosk, and a gelato bar). And over the last few days the newly refurbished local market has been holding tastings for shoppers as they walk through the store as part of their month-long Renovation Celebration.
The market will be running fun, celebratory events through Tuesday, February 16. Check out their upcoming schedule of tastings, parties and book signings:
On Friday, January 29 and Saturday, January 30 from 4 to 8 p.m. Met Market is hosting Guest Chef Row, where shoppers can “sip, sample and savor their way through the store”, tasting 25 different culinary creations. Details on the schedule for each night here.
Other events:
Meet the Ranchers – Thursday, January 28, from 4 to 7 p.m. Painted Hills Farms, Gabrielle and Will Homer will be sampling New York Strip Steak with a Dijon Demi-Glace.
Book signing with Kathy Casey -Thursday, February 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. Meet Chef Kathy Casey, author of Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers! Chef Casey is an expert at balancing flavors and textures, recalling the cocktail-hour glamour of the past.
Super Bowl Tailgate Party – Saturday, February 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. and Sunday, February 7, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Calling all Romantics! – Thursday, February 11, from 4 to 7 p.m.; Friday, February 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.; and Saturday, February 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. Taste chocolates from local favorites like Fran’s, Dilettante, Theo’s and Cadeaux Chocolates, plus gelato, cookies, fudge and sparkling beverages for your Valentine as well!
For a list of their almost daily in hours tastings, see the full Renovation Celebration schedule.
Discovery Park is looking for volunteers to plant trees and heal habitats this Saturday, January 30 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The park will provide plants, tools, gloves and guides. Volunteers are asked to bring energy and enthusiasm. If you’re interested in volunteering, it’s recommended that you pre-register here www.seattle.gov/parks or call (206) 386–4250. Meet at the Discovery Park Visitor Center at 1:00pm.
Although still a couple of months away, tax time is quickly creeping up around the corner. For those who need help filing their taxes, The Seattle Public Library, United Way of King County and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) are offering free tax preparation services at eleven Seattle library branches. Trained volunteers will be available through April 11 to answer questions and help prepare personal tax returns. Business tax returns are not eligible for the free service. The Queen Anne branch hours are as follows:
Queen Anne Library (400 W. Garfield St) – Mon, Feb. 1 through Mon, Apr. 12
Mondays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Other nearby branches offering this service include the Central Library downtown and Ballard branch. For a complete list of times and library branch locations, click here.
Martha Downey recently moved to Queen Anne from View Ridge, and for her housewarming she’s decided to host a bake sale in her new neighborhood to raise money for those those in need in Haiti. A student at SCCC, Martha believes it is important to help not only those in your community, but other around the world as well. She wrote,
I chose to do this fundraiser because I finally feel old enough and able enough to do good for people outside of my community, and it has affected people I interact with daily (I have a classmate whose whole family is either in or from Haiti) and I wanted to give back and feel like I made an impact instead of just sitting back and watching it happen.
Martha and a couple friends will be set up outside the closed Peet’s on Queen Anne Ave N and Boston St. (the same spot kids from Coe Elementary held their bake sale last weekend) this Saturday, January 30 from 12 to 4:30 p.m. (or until they run out) selling homemade goodies.
As for the charity the proceeds will be going to, Martha says she’s still deciding between UNICEF and the Red Cross. If you want to help Martha with her bake sale or make a donation, contact her via her Twitter page.
Want to discuss the 2010 budget one-on-one with city departments and representatives? This Sunday, January 31 you’ll get your chance at the Citizens Budget Conference 2010 (.pdf) from 12 to 5 p.m. at Seattle Center’s Center House.
The conference will include overviews of the budget by Mayor McGinn and the City Council Finance & Budget Committee Chair Jean Godden, a Q&A with city agencies, and time to chat with city department representatives one-on-one at their individual tables. Download the full agenda here.
This event it sponsored by the City Neighborhood Council and Seattle Center, in cooperation with the City Council, Mayor’s office, Budget Office and Department of Neighborhoods.
Lunch 2.0 Seattle is having a networking event in Queen Anne tomorrow, Wednesday, January 27, hosted by Uptown’s own BuddyTV. If you’re interested in getting a free lunch while networking with some of Seattle’s best and brightest in the world of start-ups, then swing by 190 Queen Anne Ave N, Suite 250, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow. Speakers include Andy Liu, co-founder of BuddyTV and writer of InspiredStartup.com, and Neal Freeland, head of marketing at Buddy. RSVP here.
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For those of you who like free, all-ages, music, 
According to the owners, they decided to dedicate today to helping those in Haiti after overwhelming company-wide support for a fundraising project. They wrote on 
McClure Middle School, located at the top of Queen Anne hill, was originally built in the 1960s, and like many other schools in the Seattle School District, it is currently on a long wait list for a remodel. In the meantime, however, McClure has a long list of structural demands needed to improve both the conditions for the staff and students, and energy costs incurred by the district, that cannot wait. According to 36th District Rep. and Queen Anne resident Reuven Carlyle, the building is often so cold, many of its 600 students wear their coats from class to class.
