The Seattle Department of Transportation’s demolition contractor has rescheduled the Mercer Street nighttime lane closures and demolition activities for this week, beginning tonight, Monday, May 17 at 7 p.m. and continuing through the evening of Friday, May 21.

Up to two of Mercer’s four lanes between Fairview Avenue North and Terry Avenue North will be closed to allow SDOT’s contractor to remove remaining walls and foundations at 1000 Mercer Street (the former West Marine building).

The left lane of Mercer Street will close at 7 p.m., with a possibility that the adjacent lane will close at 10 p.m. According to SDOT, all lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. for the morning commuters.

Queen Anne’s 5 Spot restaurant is celebrating its 20th birthday by rolling back the clock. On Tuesday, May 18, Wednesday, May 19 and Thursday, May 20, the eatery will offer all its food at their 1990 menu prices (beverages will remain at the current price level).

Right now, the joint famous for rotating its menu with foods from across the U.S. is  featuring a menu paying tribute to Seattle. You can start with appetizers like the Counterbalance Crab Cakes, move on to the Seattle PI Memorial Salmon Burger, and end with the 520 Floating Bridge Dessert (a chocolate waffle bridge on Almond Roca Pontoons in a lake of chocolate sauce with raspberry ice cream topped with whipped cream & granola). Most of that menu will probably be suspended during the 3-day birthday celebration next week.

It’s a deal worth around $12 retail, but Seattle Public Utilities customers get it for free – two bags of local Cedar Grove compost suitable for organic gardening.

That’s over 80 pounds of compost. But the deal is only good until the end of the month.

Just take the coupon in your flier from Seattle Public Utilities to the Seattle Conservation Corps at Sand Point or, on the morning of Saturday, May 29, to the Good Shepard Center – 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N. – to pick up your bags.

Need more? Maple Leaf Ace Hardware is selling the Cedar Grove compost for 20 percent off through May.

Update Seattle City Light says (and Silver concurs in comments) that as of about 10 p.m. power has been restored to all customers in Queen Anne.

Earlier: About 1600 customers are without power in Queen Anne, in an area roughly from W. Barrett St. to Denny, and 2nd Ave. N to 17th Ave. W. Seattle City Light says the cause is an underground cable failure.

The power outage began at 7:30 p.m., and City Light says the estimated time to restore power is 11 p.m. to midnight. Earlier, about 80 customers in the Fremont area lost power. (Thanks Silver for the tip!)

A misdemeanor jail won’t be coming to Interbay anytime soon.  Today, King County Executive Dow Constantine proposed creating a regional jail planning group and providing cities with 150 beds in the King County Jail until 2020. This move, coupled with current and potential contracts that King County cities have with other jurisdictions for jail beds, enabled Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn to recommend ending the process of siting a new regional municipal jail to house misdemeanor offenders.

As we have reported, the site at 1600 Armory Way in Interbay was one of the six potential locations for a new regional misdemeanor jail.

“By making the best use of space in our existing jails, we create the time to explore every option for meeting the region’s future need for jail bed beds,” said Constantine.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn applauded the new regional approach. “My staff has been working hard with King County to find a regional solution that would avoid the need to build a new jail. This agreement accomplishes that,” he said. “Going forward, we won’t be focused only on jail beds; we’ll be looking for additional safe and appropriate alternatives to detention.”

The Executive’s proposal is based on recent changes that provide an opportunity for the county and cities in north/east King County to meet their jail capacity needs through 2020 with existing facilities. These changes include a decline in inmate population in King County, which frees up jail beds in the county’s facilities, and more contracting options becoming available to cities to meet their needs for jail beds for misdemeanor offenders. These options did not exist when the north/east cities started planning for a regional municipal jail in 2008.

Volunteers from Seattle Country Day School will be repairing the tagged mural under the Aurora Bridge this Saturday, May 15, according to Head of School Michael G. Murphy. The mural, which has been tagged and repaired countless times, was repainted just last fall. Unfortunately the site seems to be a frequent target for vandals.

“Let’s hope it remains in good shape and not hit again by graffiti!” Murphy wrote. Murphy also emphasized Seattle Country Day School’s commitment to contributing to the Queen Anne community. He wrote:

Besides the mural and Adopt-a-Street clean-up, SCDS has hopefully been a positive influence in the neighborhood in other ways.  Several of our students have made multiple visits to the nearby Queen Anne Care Center bringing Valentine’s Day gifts, sharing music, and interviewing some residents as part of their history classes.  Also, for several years, our students have regularly been sprucing –up designated areas in Rogers and Mayfair Park under the guidance of the city’s Parks Department.

Vandalism around the neighborhood is nothing new. Read up on the most recent occurrences here.

A new business is set to open in Interbay with a focus on kid’s fun and fitness. The Little Gym teaches kids to bounce, tumble, skip and jump while developing their motor skills.

The Little Gym is set to open next month at 2213 15th Ave West (next door to Alpine Hut).  This is the second location for the management and ownership team that has operated The Little Gym in the Lake City area for over 17 years.

(Photo courtesy of Little Gym)

The Little Gym is now enrolling for summer classes and camps to begin on June 21st.  You can check out the schedule here.  The folks who run The Little Gym say their programs are based on a philosophy of allowing kids to experience success in a fun, caring and non-competitive way.  They offer gymnastics, sports skills, dance and cheerleading.

We now have photos from Monday’s bank robbery at the Wells Fargo on Queen Anne Avenue. We were the first to break the news about the robbery that happened about 11:40am. Police say the man seen in these photos is white, 25 to 30 years old, 5’6″ to 5’8″, with a dark mustache and goatee. Witnesses told us that someone may have been taken into custody, but the suspect is still at large. The FBI asks that you call 206-622-0460 with any information on this case.

Between 12 and 5 p.m. today the Washington SeaGrant will be conducting a training exercise at the Elliott Bay Marina that may spark curiosity for a few in the neighborhood, according to Seattle Human Services Department Emergency Management Planner Thalia Syracopoulos.

Washington SeaGrant is holding a training event that will include flares, burn pan fires, divers in the water and other activities likely to be viewed by cruise ship passengers, waterfront visitors, plus the communities in the area of Elliott Bay Marina. It may also visible from the Seattle Municipal Tower.

According to Thalia, the Seattle Fire Department, Seattle Police Department, Harbor Patrol and the Coast Guard have been notified of the event. Thalia also reminds onlookers that the event is merely a training exercise and asks them not to call 911.

(Thanks to Julie for the tip!)

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn’s ‘Walk. Bike. Ride’ initiative means some big changes for Nickerson Street.

It was announced today that this summer Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will change West Nickerson Street to include one driving lane in each direction and a center two-way turn lane. The new configuration, between Warren Avenue North and 13th Avenue West, will reduce the number of motor vehicle lanes and add an uphill bicycle lane. The downhill traffic lane will have sharrows, shared lane markings for bicycles. There will be marked crosswalks installed at Jesse Avenue West, Cremona Street, and Dravus Street.

The city expects the changes on Nickerson to reduce vehicle speeds and collisions. The speed limit on Nickerson is currently 30 mph, but SDOT says that average speeds are significantly higher. The report claims that narrowing the space for motor vehicles has been shown to reduce travel speeds and the kinds of collisions common on Nickerson.

Our sister site, MagnoliaVoice, first reported in March, 2009 that the city was planning to reduce Nickerson to one lane of traffic each way and add bicycle and center turn lanes.  The plan was not well received and after a number of concerns were raised, the city backed off the plan and put changes to Nickerson on hold.

Many organization and individuals in Queen Anne and Magnolia have spoken out against the change, as Nickerson is a thoroughfare frequented by many in both neighborhoods on the daily basis. The Magnolia Community Club (MCC) took a strong stand against the plan, saying that Nickerson is the primary route for Magnolia residents traveling to Fremont, Wallingford and the University district and that the route is already frequently congested.  Randall Thomsen, MCC president at the time, sent a strongly worded letter to the city, stressing that Nickerson is the alternative to West Mercer Way to access the proposed bored tunnel that will replace the viaduct.

The MCC said that when the viaduct comes down there will be a substantial increase in vehicles seeking access to I-5 and the tunnel by using Nickerson. Even with four lanes, Nickerson will be congested. With only two lanes, it will likely be overwhelmed.  The MCC said that the changes to Nickerson are meant to improve safety for bicycles and pedestrians but the improvements will be marginal when weighed against the potential for congestion. There are 19,300 vehicle trips on an average day on Nickerson.

The cost for the changes is about $200,000, coming from the voter-approved Bridging the Gap transportation funding measure. Work will begin this summer with completion by spring 2011.

SDOT’s demolition contractor had planned nighttime lane closures on Mercer Street through Friday of this week in order to do some work on the Mercer Corridor project. However, today SDOT canceled the lane closures. The reasoning for the change of plans:

During demolition the contractor encountered larger and deeper foundation walls than anticipated at the former West Marine building. SDOT and the contractor are reevaluating methods of wall and foundation removal.

According to SDOT, the construction and subsequent lane closures will be rescheduled shortly, but a time has not yet been set.

Over the years, I’ve been impressed with the innovations at Seattle Public Library – the wifi, checking out MP3 players, various programs – but this latest offering is especially pertinent for our energy and budget conscious times: “Kill A Watt” home energy monitors.

The Seattle Public Library and Seattle City Light have teamed up to make the monitors available to Library cardholders at all Library locations.

Library patrons can borrow a device with their library card, just as they would with books, DVD’s, etc. Plug it into an electrical outlet to find out the cost of running refrigerators, computers, TVs and other home appliances. The monitor measures the electric consumption of small to medium household electronic devices and appliances, and can even help discover which appliances drain energy even when they’re not on. (It’s a good way to get in the habit of unplugging chargers not in use!)

Don’t have a library card? Getting one will barely take any energy. Applications are available in person at all Library locations or online. Select “Using the Library” from the top menu, and click on “Get Started” to learn how to sign up for a Library card, access your account online, and more.

For more information about borrowing a Kill A Watt device, call The Seattle Public Library at 206-386-4636. To learn more about how to save energy, contact Seattle City Light’s Conservation Help Line at 206-684-3800, or visit the website.

The FBI confirms to Queen Anne View that the Wells Fargo Bank on Queen Anne Avenue was robbed Monday morning (5/10). We received several tips from readers including this from Candice who actually saw the manhunt for the robber:

He was running around W Garfield St, Alleys etc between 11-12:30. Someone was surrounded and apprehended in front of Kens Market.

The FBI is releasing more information later, including surveillance pictures from the bank.  We’ll update you as soon as we receive the photos.

Update: Candice wrote in with a few more details.

He ran past my house and my housekeeper saw him and gave an interview to the police.  White guy, red hair, black cap. He ran down our back alley. I saw lots of cops trying to find him. The cop I talked to in Magnolia said that they didn’t have a k-9 team available yesterday, if that had they would have caught the guy.

Yesterday, Monday, May 10 the Seattle City Council approved ten new city landmarks, including three sites in Lower Queen Anne acknowledged for diverse architecture, art and historical significance.

Representing a number of neighborhoods, these ten landmarks exemplify the diversity and the rich cultural and architectural heritage of our City.

The nominations and designations for each landmark was approved by the City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board, which is staffed by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.

(Photo courtesy of Neil B. Waller via his Flickr page).

All three of the Queen Anne landmarks are located on the Seattle Center campus–the Seattle Center House, the Kobe Bell and the Horiuchi Mural, which is currently up for a Partners in Preservation restoration grant, one of 25 historic places in the Puget Sound area competing for community votes that will determine who will receive the funds. (Voting is open through May 12. More information here).

The other Seattle sites bumped up to landmark status include the the MGM Building in Belltown, the former First United Methodist Church in Downtown, the Sorrento Hotel in First Hill, the former Sixth Church of Christ in West Seattle, the Egan House in Capitol Hill, the Coca Cola Bottling Plant in First Hill, and Fire Station #13 in Beacon Hill.

Back in January Seattle Public Schools changed up some of the principal positions around the city, reassigning 5-year John Hay principal Dan Warren to head up the new Sand Point Elementary for the 2010-2011 school year. Many in the community have been waiting to find out who will be coming in to take over Warren’s post, and just last week SPS Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson announced longtime Hay teacher and enrichment specialist Karen Hanson as the new school head.

In a letter addressed to the community on Friday, May 7, Goodloe-Johnson explained the decision making process and introduced Hanson, while wishing Warren well at his new post. Read the full letter below:

Dear John Hay Community:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Karen Hanson as the new principal for John Hay Elementary School.

A team from John Hay participated in the selection process. The team developed a profile of the qualities desired in the next school leader, interviewed a series of candidates, and provided feedback on the strengths of each applicant relative to the needs of your school. The candidates were drawn from a highly qualified pool of individuals who participated in a rigorous interview process conducted by principals and administrators.  Led by Education Director, Pat Sander, the finalists that your school team recommended then participated in a Learning Walk at John Hay.  During this walk, they visited classrooms, interacted with students and wrote some reflections on what they observed. The Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer conducted final interviews and made the appointment.

We believe that Ms. Hanson’s background as an enrichment specialist, classroom teacher and head teacher at John Hay for the past 11 years qualifies her to be an excellent principal choice for your school, and will ensure continuity of John Hay’s current educational experience.  Her student-centered approach means that she works for the success of all students at every level; she demonstrates personal integrity and an ability to foster positive change.

Ms. Hanson’s recent experience includes two years as a head teacher, three years as a classroom teacher and six years as an enrichment specialist at John Hay, plus five years as a classroom teacher at Olympic View Elementary School.  She values relationships with staff, students, families and community, and is committed to ensuring academic success for all students.  Ms. Hanson’s professional preparation includes a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology, a Master’s Degree in curriculum and instruction, and principal certification from Seattle Pacific University.

We want to also take this opportunity to thank Dan Warren for his outstanding educational leadership. His dedication to providing the best possible education for every child has been a gift to John Hay. We wish him all the best in his appointment as principal of Sand Point Elementary School.

Sincerely,

Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson, Ph.D.
Superintendent

Bicyclists and pedestrians in the neighborhood may have been surprised to find the Ship Canal Trail closed off yesterday between 6th Ave W and 11th Ave W. SDOT has asked the contractors who have been working on Phase 2 of the project to make a few final adjustments to the trail’s new extension–extending the fence bordering the trail and fixing damaged concrete.

Due to this work, the section of trail between 6th and 11th avenues will be closed off to through traffic until this Friday, May 14. SDOT asks that trail users follow the instructed signs and stay off the trail work zone until the freshly poured concrete is dry. To follow the Ship Canal Trail project progress, click here.

Missing your pet parrot? Apparently he’s hanging out at the top of the hill. Denise writes,

There is a little green parrot hanging out at the 4-way stop on Boston / Queen Anne Ave N. Guessing its a missing pet.

Seen him around the neighborhood? Comment below.

Update: The folks at All the Best Pet Care (2127 Queen Anne Ave N) have taken in this little guy until his family can be found. They wrote us:

On Monday, May 10, All The Best Pet Care found an affectionate, lively, smallish green parrot on the corner of Boston Ave. and Queen Anne Ave. We’ve provided this little cutie with a temporary home at our store at 2127 Queen Anne Ave. N., until the owner comes to claim it. Please drop by or call us at (206) 283-3959.

The Seattle Fire Department has been distributing arson watch fliers (.pdf) around Uptown after an upsurge in dumpster fires in the neighborhood over the last eight months.

“Six intentionally set fires have occurred in a specific area of Lower Queen Anne since September 2009, and three of them occurred in the month of April,” Fire Department Public Information Officer Dana Vander Houwen told QueenAnneView on Friday.

According to Terrie Johnston at the Seattle Police Department, most of these fires have been set in dumpsters in Lower Queen Anne (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Avenues West, between Mercer and Aloha streets), and were lit using items at the scene.

Although there were no injuries from any of these fires, the Fire Department encourages residents to follow the information on the fliers to find out what they can do to help prevent neighborhood homes and businesses from arson. On the top of the list: securing dumpsters, preventing recycling bins from overflowing, leaving a porch light on and calling 911 to report any suspicious activity.

Early Sunday morning several neighbors wrote in reporting a loud explosion-like noise in the Lower Queen Anne area.

Elizabeth C. wrote, “I heard a loud explosion last night [Saturday] at around 2 am. I live on West Olympic Place near 3rd – it woke me up. I know we had that mini-bomber a month or so ago and that was what I thought it might be (since the last bomb was 2 blocks from us)… It was very loud – and did not sound like a gun shot or fireworks.”

Tiffany S. wrote, “I have been searching the news sites to see if there have been any other reports of an explosion in lower Queen Anne again? May 9th (two months exactly since the last “home made bomb”) around 1:30am my husband and I heard a VERY loud explosion, within a block or two of 3rd and Olympic… It was so loud it shook our windows a bit.”

However Johnston says the rumors of recent “homemade bombs” in the area are inaccurate. “I’ve had several inquiries about “homemade bombs” being used in the dumpsters and want you to know there is no truth to this,” she wrote.

The Seattle Police Arson Bomb Squad is currently handling the criminal investigation. To report a dumpster fire or for more information, call Johnston at SPD Crime Prevention at 206-684-4741.

Although you likely received notification from the U.S. Postal Service about its annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, we wanted to make sure you don’t forget to put out nonperishable foods for your letter carrier Saturday, May 8 if you want to participate.

The Postal Service asks that you donate items such as canned meats and fish, canned soup, juice, pasta, vegetables, cereal and rice, but make sure they’re not expired and that they’re not in glass containers. Don’t forget to get your donation out to the mailbox before your letter carrier arrives.

The food will be delivered to local food banks such as North Helpline, which helps families in North Seattle.