As of this morning, Monday, June 7, Queen Anne and Magnolia are in second place in KEXP’s 5th annual “Hood to Hood Challenge” summer membership drive, which pits Seattle-area neighborhoods against each other to see which can raise the most money for the independent, non-profit radio station.
Winning neighborhoods receive a day of live, free music shows put on at different venues around said ‘hood by the folks at KEXP. West Seattle won the challenge last year and celebrated with a day of musical festivities just last month. Before that Ballard was the two-time reigning champ.
Right now listeners from Queen Anne/Magnolia have donated $9,255, putting us in second place behind Capitol Hill/First Hill/Madison Park with $11,340. Donations can be made starting at $10 and up (there are goodies for those who donate $100 or more) and can be made through the end of the drive this Friday, June 11.
The competition is steep this year, as both sister neighborhoods Ballard (currently in third place) and Wallingford (currently in fourth) are looking to make a comeback and steal the win at the end. We’ve got four days to step up and beat Capitol Hill, First Hill and Madison Park! Can we do it, Queen Anne and Magnolia?
Nearly 100 passengers on the “Sapphire Princess” cruise ship, which was docked in Seattle this weekend, caught what has now been identified as the Norovirus bug, a common albeit highly contagious gastro-intestinal virus (with bleak symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea), according to KING5.
According to reports, 96 passengers sought medical attention during the ship’s seven-day return from Alaska. Cruise ship representatives say the virus was most likely brought on board by passengers unknowingly. The ship staff also said they took the “highest sanitary precautions” in an attempt to quell the outbreak and made sure to “super-sanitize” the ship before disembarking from Terminal 91 with 2,000 new passengers Sunday afternoon.
Seattle Channel has posted the video online from the “City Inside/Out” series featuring the three contenders: Current interim Seattle Police Chief John Diaz (.pdf); Rick Braziel (.pdf), the current chief of police in Sacramento; and Ron Davis (.pdf), the chief of police in East Palo Alto, California. Unlike the forum format, on the show all three candidates participated in a dialogue together rather than speaking and answering questions independently.
Mayor Mike McGinn is expected to make a final decision sometime this month, which will then be subject to City Council approval. Read up on the candidates here.
The new Queen Anne Elementary is having an open house at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 5, in the Coe Elementary gymnasium, located at 2424 7th Avenue W.
Bring the kids and meet other families, our fantastic teachers and Principal Elliott.
Hear an update on the latest plans and progress and ask questions.
Speak with parent representatives and find out how you can get involved.
The open house is open to all enrolled families as well as those still considering QAE. There will be enrollment forms at the event for those who want to apply. Enrollment is still open for students entering Kindergarten through 5th grade. More information here. The QAE design team has been updating the website with information as the school’s planning process continues. Check back regularly for updates.
Seattle Center and the KeyArena are inviting the public to come skate around the ice at the Key for free until 8 p.m. today, Friday, June 4.
Free admission, free skate use and 17,000 square feet of ice offer a cool way for families and friends to slide into summer!
There are no tickets required. Skating session begin at the top of each hour and lest 40 minutes. Some concessions stands will be open and selling snacks.
The Free Skate is part of ongoing efforts by Seattle Center Productions, the public programming arm of Seattle Center, to open Seattle Center campus venues for free public activities. The ice is in place on the KeyArena floor for Smucker’s Stars on Ice, May 29, featuring Winter Olympic ice skating champions.
The 17th Annual Bigelow Block Sale is coming back to the hill this Saturday, June 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when homes up and down Bigelow Ave N will participate in a pre-summer sale of all sorts of fun items (there have even been a car or two up for grabs in years past!).
Last year over 50 homes participated in the Bigelow Block Sale, and organizers expect similar numbers this year! Over 40 homes along Bigelow Ave N and its adjoining side streets have already signed up, according to organizer Coreen Kiefer. Each participating home pays a small registration fee for marketing costs, the remainder of which will be donated to the Queen Anne Helpline (around $200 last year).
“The sale is more like a huge neighborly event. Swarms of people are walking up and down the street and adjoining streets, there are balloons, people have their things on the street, driveways, garages and occasionally inside. Items are everything from antiques to sample sales to lemonade stands to typical yard sale “stuff,” Kiefer wrote.
And for those ready to do some serious damage, Kiefer says there will be balloons directing shoppers to participating homes, lemonade stands to offer mid-sale sustenance, and “a ton of good deals.” For more information, check out the Bigelow Block Sale website. Want to register your home for the sale? Contact Coreen Kiefer directly at (206) 931-0663. Happy shopping!
The proposed changes to Nickerson Street will be on the agenda when the Seattle City Council Transportation Committee meets on Tuesday (6/8) at 9:30a.m. in council chambers. Expect both sides in what has become a passionate debate to make their voices heard at the hearing.
The Cascade Bicycle Club favors the plan and is urging members to attend the hearing. The group also started a ‘Tums for Tom’ campaign, encouraging people to send Tums antacid to Seattle Council Transportation Chair Tom Rasmussen after he questioned the Nickerson plan and the headline in the Seattle Times said Nickerson “road diet” gives Councilman Rasmussen indigestion.
The MagnoliaVoice/QueenAnneView survey on the Nickerson Street plan is still open and we will report results on Monday morning. So far over 600 people have already taken the survey. We also plan to share the survey with the Transportation Committee at the hearing. Click here to take the survey and tell us what you think.
Seattle Department of Transportation crews will close the southbound, curb lane of the Ballard Bridge on Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The closure will allow SDOT crews to complete a routine maintenance inspection of the bridge.
“The contest is designed to raise national awareness about the importance of supporting fresh food from local farms and farmers,” the website states. The winner won’t receive a major monetary prize, but they will earn the bragging rights associated with winning and a bunch of market-centric goodies, such as 500 canvas bags and an outdoor banner to hang up at the market.
Want to vote for your favorite market (i.e. Queen Anne?) Vote here by either typing in “Queen Anne Farmers Market” in the available space, or searching for nearby markets by zip code or state. AFT asks voters to supply an email address, but won’t send more than one confirmation email if you opt out of receiving others. Once you cast your vote you will be taken to a donation page, though a donation is not required to vote.
In lieu of the Free First Thursdays program (which offers free admission to the museum from 5 to 8 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month), which will be going on hiatus until October 7, EMP|SFM will be hosting a new program called Late Nights, where guests are invited to enjoy live music and drinks in the Sky Church, and explore EMP|SFM exhibitions during extended visiting hours, beginning tonight, Thursday, June 3.
Late Nights will be held every month on the first Thursday evening during the museum’s summer hours schedule (June 3, July 1, August 5 and September 2). However, unlike the First Free Thursdays program, admission to the Sky Church during Late Nights will be free, but admission to the galleries will cost–the same price as daily tickets (free for EMP|SFM members and children under 5 years old; $15 for adults; $12 for children ages 5-17, students, military and seniors).
Tonight the band We Wrote the Book on Connectors will be performing. On July 1 No-Fi Soul Rebellion and Boy Eats Drum Machine will perform. The Rat City Brass will be performing Thursday, August 5. All shows are all ages and open to the public at no cost.
The final three candidates up for Seattle Police Chief were grilled by the Seattle City Council and the public at a community forum at Seattle Center Wednesday, June 2 as one of a number of public appearances they’ll be making around town this week.
Former Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske left his post last year when he was appointed by President Obama as the nation’s Drug Control Policy Director. Mayor McGinn, who has been actively looking for a replacement since January, is expected to make a final decision later this month, subject to City Council confirmation.
The three finalists (left to right) Rick Braziel, Ron Davis and John Diaz. (Photo credit: John Lok, courtesy of The Seattle Times).
Last month McGinn narrowed down the list, provided by a 26-member Police Chief Search Committee, from nine to three: Current interim Seattle Police Chief John Diaz (.pdf); Rick Braziel (.pdf), the current chief of police in Sacramento; and Ron Davis (.pdf), the chief of police in East Palo Alto, California.
Our news partner The Seattle Times covered the public forum last night, and wrote up an overview of each candidates’ platform. From the Times:
Braziel, 50, mixing an inspirational tone with academic touches, told the council he would be “like a big sponge” accepting feedback from all corners.
Davis, 46, displaying an outgoing personality, said he has engaged youths in his city by seeking out their opinions and recognizing what they “bring to the table.”
Diaz, 52, exhibiting the introspective and thoughtful approach that has marked his 15-month tenure as interim chief, said he would put Seattle communities in the “driver’s seat,” using neighborhood surveys to change the cultural assumption that police know best.
At the forum all three candidates emphasized the need to be directly rooted in Seattle and its many communities in order to better serve the city at large. Braziel, Davis and Diaz each offered the community an explanation of their experience, strengths and plans for Seattle. Read more in the full Times piece.
All three finalists will be appearing on Seattle Channel’s “City Inside/Out” telecast with C.R. Douglas this week, which airs at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 4. According to Seattle Channel, this will be the only event at which all three will appear and participate in a discourse together (at Wednesday’s forum each candidate spoke and took questions from the public separately). After the show airs Friday, the video will be available to view online at the Seattle Channel website.
There’s a lot happening at the Seattle Public Library these days, including a new online career resource center and the Summer Reading Program.
SPL’s new Workplace911 is an online career resource covering all aspects of work, from finding a job to handling a difficult boss.
Workplace911 is a joint partnership between author and work expert Bob Rosner, Brainfuse and The Seattle Public Library. The resource is free and will be available from the Library’s website at www.spl.org by selecting the “Job hunting resources” Quick Link.
Rosner is a Seattle-based (Queen Anne) bestselling author and award-winning journalist. He is author of “The Boss’s Survival Guide” and “Working Wounded: Advice that Adds Insight to Injury.” Rosner has a unique perspective on today’s workplace, having personally responded to over 50,000 emails from employees and employers. He is a regular contributor to the Today Show and CNBC, and has been featured in People, the Wall Street Journal and Fortune.
Rosner also will facilitate a series of workshops about employment and the workplace at several local libraries.
To get your list, go to www.spl.org and then to the “Teens” page under “Audiences.” Use the “Ask a Librarian” e-mail form to tell us about a few books you love or ones that have put you to sleep. Tell us your favorite genres. Fantasy, horror, romance? What else?
In a day or two you will receive a list of five recommended books just for you. You can use the personalized list service as many times as you want, and it’s always free!
For more information, call the Teen Center at 206-615-1410.
The Library system also just kicked off its Summer Reading Program, with the theme “Where Does Reading Take You?” The annual program encourages everyone to read during summer, especially children. You can sign up in person, at any of the 27 Library locations or online.
Children can track books online, or get a reading log from any Library location and collect a sticker for each book read. Teens and adults can also track books online or in-person at their local branch.
Children who participate in the Summer Reading Program will receive a free paperback book and a pass to the Burke Museum after reading 10 books. Children who read 10 books by Monday, July 26 will be entered into a drawing for the city librarian’s popular Breakfast of Champions event held at the Sheraton Hotel in August. One winner from each Library location will be selected.
This year’s Summer Reading Program includes hundreds of free programs for families at Library locations. Here are the programs scheduled for the Queen Anne branch:
She Sings Sea Songs at the Queen Anne Branch – Popular Northwest children’s performer Nancy Stewart sings songs with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest coast, including tide pools and ferry boats. For ages 10 and under. Saturday, June 26, 2010, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
20,000 Volts Under the Sea at the Queen Anne Branch – Sing, dance and laugh with the Brian Waite Band. This deep-sea, rock musical is fun for the whole family and filled with interactive games, zany characters and, of course, great live music. For ages 3 and up. Tuesday, July 20, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Interested in when and where crime is happening around town and in the neighborhood? SeattleCrime.com has mapped out crime citywide–both burglaries and violent crimes–from May 2010 and put it on this nifty interactive map so you can see exactly what happened when and where in your community.
As is the norm in Queen Anne, burglaries and car prowls far surpassed violent crimes. Check out the full map here.
The featured nonprofit this week is the Queen Anne Helpline. As always, the market is open from 3 to 7 p.m. at W Crockett Street and Queen Anne Ave N. every Thursday through October 7.
The Queen Anne Community Council‘s monthly meeting is happening at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, June 2 at the McClure Middle School cafeteria. On the agenda for tonight’s meeting:
7:30 p.m. – Adoption of Agenda, Approval of Minutes, Treasurer’s Report
7:35 p.m. – Open Forum, Comments
7:45 p.m. – McClure Middle School update- John Loacker, Greg Bjarko
8:00 p.m. – Denny Triangle Report-Craig Hanway
8:30 p.m. – Committee Reports:
Parks Don Harper
LURC/Planning Craig Hanway
Communication Michael Lapin
NAC Kirk Robbins, Jim Smith, Ron Mason, Don Harper
District Council Mike Warren
Transportation
Social Issues Kirk Robbins
Police & Crime Allen Panich
9:15 p.m. – New Business
9:25 p.m. – Adjournment
And just so you can plan ahead, here are upcoming meeting notices for the QACC and its committees over the next month.
QACC: July 7, 7:00 p.m., Queen Anne Community Center
Parks Committee: June 8, QACC, 7:30 p.m.
LURC/Planning: June 21, QACC, 7:00 p.m.
Transportation: TBA
NAC: June 16, Port Headquarters
District Council: June 14, QA/Mag Neighborhood Service Center, 7 p.m.
Keep up to date on QA Community Council happenings on the QACC blog.
The 2nd annual “Stock the Pantry” food drive is underway at all Bartell Drugs locations, including both in Upper Queen Anne (1929 Queen Anne Ave N) and Uptown (600 First Ave N).
The 2-week drive, which ends on June 13, helps Northwest Harvest restock their shelves for the summer months when more families depend on the food because children are not getting free or reduced-price meals at school. Only 2 out of 5 low-income children who receive a school lunch also receive a lunch in the summer months, according to the Western Region Anti-Hunger Consortium.
Some “kid-friendly” suggestions from Bartells include tuna, instant oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, cheese crackers, applesauce and canned fruit in individual serving sizes.
Bartell’s aims to collect 25,000 pounds of food donations this year.
Jo Ann Schmidt’s cat Chow went missing three weeks ago, just as Jo was in the middle of a move from Magnolia to Ballard. Still, Jo says she’s returned to Magnolia every day to look for Chow, and is asking the community for help in finding him.
Chow was last seen around 35th Ave. West and Fort in Magnolia on May 11. He is an 8-year-old long-haired male cat. Jo says he was around 13 to 14 lbs when we went missing, but may have lost weight since.
He is mostly black with longer silver/grey tufts behind his ears, sticking out from between his toes, and along his tummy and chest. His coat is longer and thicker along his backside and his tail is very wide and bushy,” she wrote. “He can look dark brown in direct sunlight, and the fur under his nose can also look dark brown. He has big round gold eyes and a black nose. He won’t keep a collar on but he is microchipped.”
Jo wrote into MagnoliaVoice with a missing cat report a couple of weeks ago, but is worried that Chow has wandered off, possibly into surrounding neighborhoods given that Jo has moved out of the house Chow was familiar with.
“I have been searching for him for three weeks and am very worried about him,” Jo wrote to us. “We lived near the Locks and close to Queen Anne, so he could be in either of those neighborhoods.”
“He may be injured or hiding somewhere nearby, maybe under a porch or in some shrubs in a quiet backyard. He may even have gotten into a basement, shed, vehicle, boat, or house through a cat door and may be trapped. There were some possible sightings along the edge of the ravine too,” she wrote. “Chow is so shy and may be so frightened that hunger and thirst might not bring him out of hiding. He might not meow even if he’s trapped.”
Jo is offering a reward for any information that could help her find Chow and asks anyone who has any information about him (sightings, etc.) to call her at (206) 359-1854. “Please call me anytime, day or night, if you think you’ve seen him. Chow is very shy and will probably run from strangers.”
Whether you’re the kind of person who loves to see live music or prefers to listen to tunes in the comfort of your own home, no Seattleite can ignore the city’s biggest music festival, Bumbershoot, which brings thousands of people to Seattle Center every Labor Day weekend (this year September 4 to 6) for three straight days of jam-packed shows.
Yesterday the festival, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, announced the official lineup for the weekend, including headliners like Bob Dylan, Weezer and Mary J. Blige, and other mainstage names like Neko Case, The Decembrists, Hole, Rise Against, J. Cole and one more unannounced special guest. Take a look at the full lineup here, and keep checking back because more names will be released as the festival inches closer.
Tickets to Bumbershoot are now on sale, and are going for a whopping $40 a day (if you buy in advance, $50 if you buy at the gate), which begs the question, how much is seeing your favorite music live worth to you? (I remember way back when, when tickets to Bumbershoot were just $45 for the whole weekend–and as a high school kid, I thought that was expensive!)
But for those who don’t want to dole out 40 clams a pop, and given the current economic downturn, the festival will also be offering an aptly named “economy” package, which will get you into Bumbershoot for $22 a day ($30 at the gate) and gives you access to six musical stages, three comedy stages and a number of other venues but–and here’s the kicker–does not include any mainstage performances at Memorial Stadium (a fine option if you’re not in it for the headliners). Check out other packages here. But for the most frugal of music lovers, there’s always one more option for penny-pinching your way into Bumber fun: volunteering!
Prosecutors have not yet charged the 24-year-old driver involved in a fatal crash on Aurora Monday morning, which took the life of the car’s 23-year-old male passenger. According to the Seattle PI’s Casey McNerthney, prosecutors missed the Wednesday rush deadline to file charges and continue to hold the driver in custody for investigation of vehicular homicide while they investigate evidence from the collision-reconstruction. From the PI:
“And we are awaiting lab results to either confirm or eliminate the possibility of any influencing substances in the suspect’s system,” said Ian Goodhew, deputy chief of staff for King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg.
Seattlepi.com is not naming the driver because he hasn’t been charged. The passenger who died was identified Tuesday by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office as Jamal Michael Clayton, 23.
Read the full Seattle PI piece here. Read up on the Monday morning accident here.
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As of this morning, Monday, June 7, Queen Anne and Magnolia are in second place in KEXP’s 5th annual “Hood to Hood Challenge” summer membership drive, which pits Seattle-area neighborhoods against each other to see which can raise the most money for the independent, non-profit radio station.
The 2-week drive, which ends on June 13, helps 
