Mike Allen at Juniper Flowers, located at 308 W. Republican St., just wrote in informing us that their shop was broken into over the weekend (sometime between the evening of March 26 and the morning of March 27). He wrote,

We were vandalized on Friday night/Saturday morning. Our business is in lower Queen Anne on Republican St. Someone attempted to break the glass on our door. When they were unsuccessful, they broke a much larger window with a rock to gain access. They made off with our cash register. Just thought residents of Queen Anne should know.

If anyone has any information about this break-in, please comment below.

Around 400 people attended the public meeting at Seattle Center last night to discuss what will become of the 5 acres of open space that used to be home to the Fun Forest, according to our news partners the Seattle Times.

(Image by Studio 216 for Owen Richards Architects, courtesy of both).

One proposal outlines plans for a 44,000-square-foot “glass house” that would include an outdoor public garden, plaza, bookstore with cafe and retail space, and a 3,800-square-foot space for permanent a Dale Chihuly exhibit. The project, expected to cost an estimated $15 million, would be financed by the Wright family, the original builders and owners of the Space Needle. Many estimate the paid-admission venue would bring in hefty revenue for the Center, which funds 67 percent of its budget on its own.

The Times reported that there were voices of both support and opposition represented at the meeting last night. From the Times:

“It’s a smart addition to the Center and an amazing opportunity for Seattle,” said Deborah Person, managing director for the Seattle International Film Festival, which uses Seattle Center as a venue.

Ron Sevart, CEO of the Space Needle, talked about how the project would bring scores of family-wage construction jobs.

Many who oppose the project argue that the city should take advantage of 5 acres of open space in the middle of town, while others say alternative options should be considered before a decision is made. From the Times:

Iain Robertson, a landscape architect, called himself a “grass-roots supporter of grass.” He said Seattle Center is not the right location for a glass exhibit and that the city would be foolish to give up nearly 2 acres of open space.

“For us as a city to replace that [open space] in the future would cost an enormous amount of money,” he said. “You just don’t get a chance at this much open space in the center of the city.”

In response to the outcry of opinions around the proposal, the Seattle Center announced last week that it would be accepting public bids to compete with the “glass house” project. Read the Seattle Times’ coverage of last night’s meeting here.

PBS will be filming at the Interbay P-Patch at 1 p.m. today, Wednesday, March 31, for its new garden series “Growing A Greener World.” The P-Patch, located at 2451 15th Ave W, is a 132-plot, 43,000-square-foot urban garden managed by the Department of Neighborhoods. From PBS:

They will be interviewing two key volunteers about the history of Interbay, its development, the community it has created and about the gardeners who are devoted to community gardening.

Yesterday the Interbay P-Patch celebrated the opening of its own food bank garden. PBS’s gardening/eco-friendly living show will air nationwide beginning on May 15. The segment highlighting the Interbay P-Patch is set to air in the fall. If you happen to snap a picture of the shoot today, email us at tips@queenanneview.com.

Queen Anne’s newest artisan handmade shop, Absolutely Fabulous, which opened at 6 W Howe St Suite #2 (on the second floor) last month, will be hosting an in-store egg and candy hunt for the holiday this weekend.

Absolutely Fabulous combines the work of Pike Place Market vendors and local Queen Anne artists Emma Roscoe, who designs colorful handmade and custom bags through her line, Red Delicious, and Lynn Rosskamp, who thinks up funky whimsical fleece hats through her business PingiHats. This Saturday, April 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Roscoe and Rosskamp invite kids to their shop/studio space to hunt for eggs, candy and prizes hidden throughout the store by the “Fleeceter Bunny.”

In a press release sent out this week, Roscoe and Rosskamp detailed what the Fleeceter Bunny would be doing for the hunt:

She will be hiding prize-winning eggs among the amazing fleece hats, beautiful bags and goods from other Seattle artists around our store.

Easter eggs and candy will, of course, be among the prizes. You could also win valuable coupons for the Studio, and the top prize is a PingiHats hat of your choice (maybe a bunny for Easter?) or a Red Delicious clutch purse.

The Queen Anne Farmers Market is looking for a “dynamic marketing intern” to help out with operations and work with the market manager in preparation for and during the upcoming market season. Market Director Julie Whitehorn posted this job description on the QAFM site this morning:

The Queen Anne Farmers Market is seeking a smart, friendly, detail-oriented intern to learn market operations while assisting the market manager. The time commitment is five hours weekly pre-season and 7-8 hours each Thursday during 22-week season plus flexible offsite hours. The intern will attend committee and board meetings, and learn skills in nonprofit management, market operations, fundraising, marketing and customer service.

For more information on the job or how to apply, see the official job description (.pdf). The Queen Anne Farmers Market is starting up early this year, on Thursday, May 20. Read up on the market’s upcoming season and expansion here.

SeattleCrime.com is reporting an interesting incident buried in the police reports from last week. According to police records, on Sunday, March 21 an employee of an apartment complex or motel located in the 2400 block of Aurora Ave N confronted a man that he believed had broken into the building to sleep over the past few nights. While confronting the alleged squatter, the man reportedly threatened the employee with a screwdriver, and in response the employee then grabbed a shovel and reportedly chased the man out onto Aurora Ave N. From SeattleCrime:

The man jumped in front of a car headed north on Aurora, and the driver screeched to a halt.

The report says the driver thought the squatter was “about to be viciously assaulted” by the employee and told the man to get into her car. As the woman drove off, the employee hit the woman’s car with his shovel, leaving a dent.

The report appears to indicate that the driver dropped the squatter off and contacted police about damage to her car.

The woman provided officers with the squatter’s phone number, but police were not immediately able to contact him. The woman told police she wanted to pursue charges against the shovel-wielding employee who damaged her vehicle.

What a strange set of events…

This isn’t in Queen Anne, but it relates to our legislative district and is pretty interesting: Tonight is the Grammas for Ganja public forum in Ballard. The executive director for Grammas for Ganja, Jeanne Black-Ferguson, will be hosting the event which she hopes will raise awareness surrounding marijuana law reform. As an advocate for the use of medical marijuana, 36th District Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles will be attending the event. During this legislative session, Sen. Kohl-Welles sponsored Senate Bill 5798, which passed both the state house and senate and has been delivered to Governor Gregoire’s desk (bill as it passed in the Legislature .pdf.)

Check your mailbox this week for a coupon for a free “Green Kitchen Kit” which should arrive in your CurbWaste and Conserve newsletter. The kits, which feature an EcoSafe Kitchen Collector (shown at right) and compostable bags for storing food scraps, a food scraper, a CFL light bulb and a reusable shopping bag can be picked up starting Thursday, April 15 at several Neighborhood Service Centers including the Central NSC (2301 S. Jackson Street Suite 208), the Ballard NSC (5604 22nd Ave NW), and the University NSC (4534 University Way NE).

“Green Kit giveaways are part of Compost Days, April 15 – May 30, when Seattle Public Utilities, Cedar Grove and Seattle City Light and our community partners are making these special offers to Seattle residents to say ‘thank you’ for helping make our city even better through your recycling and composting efforts,” the Seattle Public Utilities’ website states.

Phil Brockman, the principal at Ballard High School was recently honored for his commitment to music. Last month, Brockman (shown holding plaque) received the first-ever Washington Music Educators Association Administrator of the Year Award “for advocating music as a core quality of education,” the release from the Seattle Public Schools states. He was honored during the association’s All-State Gala in Yakima. Brockman will be playing trumpet at the alumni concert, 7 p.m., April 10 at Ballard High. Brockman helped create the alumni concert in 2006. According to the release from the school district, the event has raised $40,000 for the school’s music department. Photo courtesy Seattle Public Schools.

Over the weekend the FRIENDS of Gilman Urban Gardens broke ground on a 20-plot community garden at the medians along Gilman Drive W. and 13th Ave. W., removing trees, growth and tilling the area.

Residents interested in securing a plot dug in from 9 a.m. well into the afternoon both Saturday and Sunday. Project head Charlie Hoselton praised the help in an email sent out to volunteers today.

We accomplished an amazing amount of work this weekend, thanks to all who pitched in, in helping build the infrastructure of our garden.

Charlie said he will continue working in the garden for a few hours each morning (10 a.m. to noon) Tuesday, March 30 through Friday, April 2 and welcomes anyone interested in volunteering to join him. There will be work parties again this weekend, beginning at 10 a.m. on both Saturday, April 3 and Sunday, April 4, during which Charlie plans on finishing up the remaining work.

This coming weekend we can cut in remaining paths, plant the trees, put the rain barrels in and by Sunday afternoon, start assigning plots so that gardeners can start gardening!

And aside from stellar volunteers of all ages, Charlie is still looking for a few more supplies from the community, specifically cinder blocks, retaining wall blocks or bricks that could be used to construct a strong base for the garden’s rain barrels. If anyone would like to donate these or other items to the Gilman Urban Gardens, or get more information on how to volunteer, contact Charlie at friendsofgilman.urbangardens@hotmail.com. Want to learn more about getting a plot at the garden? Download the FRIENDS of Gilman Urban Gardens user agreement (.pdf).

(Photos courtesy of Charlie Hoselton).

Nearly two weeks ago a longtime member of Bethany Presbyterian on Queen Anne Ave N passed away outside the church in the early morning. Deemed a natural death by police, the church opted not to reveal the man’s name until any family could be searched for. “He was not in good health,” was all Rev. Dan Baumgartner said at the time.

On Wednesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. the church will be holding a memorial service for Russ Luke, 75 when he passed. According to Baumgartner, the autopsy revealed that he died of heart failure. Anyone wanting to pay their respects to Luke is welcome to attend the memorial.

FOLKpark has been working to redesign and revitalize Queen Anne’s Lower Kinnear Park with the support of a $15,000 Department of Neighborhoods grant and many community volunteers who have dedicated weekends to cleaning up the park.

Over the past few months the organization has enlisted the help of HBB Landscape Architecture to develop four concept designs for the enhancement of the park, built from community feedback at a series of public meetings. In order to finance Phase II of the project–design development and construction drawings–the group is applying for Department of Neighborhoods Large Project Fund, and is asking for community support in winning it. In an email sent out last week FOLKpark Volunteer Coordinator Phil Prahst wrote,

FOLKpark is applying for funding through the City’s Department of Neighborhoods Large and Simple Fund to take the conceptual design for Lower Kinnear Park into the next phase of design development and construction drawings.

Part of the application asks that we list individuals by name, address, phone and email that are willing to volunteer time or donate money to the project during the time frame of this grant, which is August, 2010 through January, 2011. I know we have asked you before, but we need your permission to use your name, etc.

FOLKpark is asking those planning on volunteering time or making a donation in the next year to fill out this short survey, which will be provided to the Department of Neighborhoods for grant consideration. For more information visit folkpark.org.

On Thursday, April 8, FOLKpark will be presenting the final conceptual plan for Lower Kinnear Park to the community at a public meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bayview Retirement Community, located at 11 W. Aloha St.

And on Sunday, April 24 FOLKpark will be leading a clean up in Lower Kinnear Park in honor of Earth Day. Volunteers are invited to come celebrate nature and clean up the park by clearing out invasive (ivy, holly and blackberries) from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Department of Park and Recreation will be providing tools.

When Seattle Center first announced the proposal to build a 44,000-square-foot “glass house” at the base of the Space Needle (the former home of the Fun Forest), many were surprised by the prospect of an admission-only, for profit exhibit space moving into the Center grounds.

(Image by Studio 216 for Owen Richards Architects, courtesy of both).

The $15 million project, which would be financed by the Wright family, the builders and owners of the Space Needle, would include an outdoor public garden, a plaza, a bookstore with cafe and retail space, and a 3,800-square-foot exhibition space for artist Dale Chihuly’s work. However, since the plans were revealed two weeks ago, many have expressed an interest in seeing alternative plans, especially one that would maximize public open space, rather than a paid-admission exhibit.

Earlier this month the Center announced that it would be holding a public meeting on March 30 to discuss the proposals to replace the Fun Forest, and last week they ensured Seattle residents that the decision process would be transparent and with significant public input.

According to our news partners, the Seattle Times, the Center is actively seeking public bids to compete with the “glass house” proposal. And though the details of a public bidding process have not yet been worked out, both Mayor Mike McGinn and the chairwoman of the Parks and Seattle Center Committee, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw, have expressed support in the decision. From the Times:

“We heard the public, that they want an open process, and we’re going to do an open process,” McGinn said. “Any proposal will have to win the support of the public, because the public loves Seattle Center.”

Read the full Times story here.

SDOT will be installing a conduit under the Ballard Bridge today, Monday, March 29 and Tuesday, March 30, closing down lanes both days that will likely cause a little extra traffic. Crews will close the right northbound lane from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. both days and may switch to the southbound right lane if necessary. According to the city, the work must be done during daytime hours due to budget constraints. Motorists are advised to account for possible traffic delays in their commute and use caution while passing through the work zone.

From 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. last night, Saturday, March 27, lights were doused all around the city for Earth Hour. Even the Seattle Center and Pacific Science Center arches turned off all non-essential lighting for the event.

Reader Dana sent in these photos, taken from Kerry Park on the south side of Queen Anne hill during Earth Hour.

She even caught a few pictures of the fireworks show over Elliott Bay, which were supposed to start at 7:30 p.m., but incidentally ended up coinciding with Earth Hour.

We saw the fireworks tonight at 8:30 pm from Kerry Park. Great view and the Space Needle and other downtown buildings went dark just before they started!!!

Queen Anne’s got a weekend packed with events and activities–a sure sign that spring must be on the way! Whether you’re in the mood to do a little gardening or hear some live tunes, you’ll find a number of fun things to do in the Queen Anne Weekend Guide!

Friday, March 26

• Hear some “honky-tonk, jump blues, and rock and roll” at Easy Street Records at 7 p.m. where The Dusty 45s will be doing a live, free all-ages performance. Details here.

Saturday, March 27

• Get your hands dirty and help build the neighborhood’s newest community garden, the Gilman Urban Gardens. The work party starts at 9 a.m. until as long as volunteers can stay. Can’t make it? Work parties will be digging away on Sunday too! Details here.
• Got a story to tell? Share it at the first annual Seattle Stories event at Serendipity Cafe in Magnolia. Readers start at 7:30 p.m. Details here.
• Catch a free fireworks show over Elliott Bay (General Construction Company is putting on the show in celebration of its centennial). Grab a perch near the top of the hill. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Details here.
• Join the Space Needle and Pacific Science Center arches in turning out the lights for the third annual Earth Hour–a global effort to take action against climate change by dousing the lights for one hour–from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Details here.

Sunday, March 28

• Help build the Gilman Urban Gardens. The work party starts at 9 a.m. until as long as volunteers can stay. (Psst! Volunteering is your best bet at getting a good plot!) Details here.
• Catch the Freelance Whales, a five-piece band and eight-time SXSW act, live at Easy Street Records at 3 p.m. Details here.

Traveling outside the neighborhood? Check out events going on in our sister neighborhoods: Ballard, Fremont, Magnolia, Phinney Ridge/Greenwood, Maple Leaf, Wallingford and Wedgwood/View Ridge.

The Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for most of Saturday and Sunday for its semi-annual inspection. Both decks of the viaduct will be closed from the Battery Street tunnel to Spokane Street from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. During the closure, WSDOT and SDOT will coordinate maintenance and preservation work. The Washington State Department of Transportation says to “expect increased congestion on all major north-south routes during the closure and plan accordingly – leave early, carpool, vanpool or take transit. Watch conditions at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic or get voice-activated driver information on 511.”

At around 12:30 p.m. today, Friday, March 26 a Queen Anne resident found this dog at the corner of 10th Ave W and Howe St.

Before taking the dog to a shelter, he decided to bring him back to his house and circulate a few fliers in the area, dropping one at Muse Coffee Co. on 10th. He said the dog is “very sweet,” has no collar and was extremely clean when he found it (perhaps it escaped just after a bathing?).

If this is your dog or you know who it belongs to, please call (206) 714-5834.