Wondering where all the holiday happenings are, well, happening? Check out My Northwest’s new Holiday Map, a guide for holiday activities throughout the Puget Sound region.

Using the map, it’s easy to see what festive events are happening in your neck of the woods—you can even search by address.

Here in Queen Anne we have a number of holiday events coming up, including Festivals of Lights, the classic Pacific Northwest Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker, the Christmas Ships Festival, and New Years at the Needle. There are also a number of great places in Queen Anne to stop off and enjoy the holiday lights, including the Kerry Park Viewpoint at 211 Highland Dr.

Sustainable Queen Anne, in partnership with NW Seed, is kicking off the Solarize Queen Anne Project at its December holiday meeting tonight, Monday, December 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 2501 Westview Dr W (corner of Wheeler).

Solarize Queen Anne is a neighborhood effort designed to bring solar energy to Queen Anne homes (including multifamily buildings), wherein interested neighbors will come together to enjoy significant savings through the bulk purchase of solar electric panels. Other benefits of the program include creation of local green jobs, reduction of your utility bill, and reduction of carbon emissions. This project is intended to replicate the successes of a similar model implemented in Portland last year, which has so far quadrupled Portland’s residential solar installations and helped to bring down solar prices throughout Oregon.

The event will include a presentation on the Solarize Queen Anne Project, followed by an opportunity for community members to ask questions of Sustainable QA, NW SEED and Seattle-based Sunergy Systems.

Dinner and solar-themed holiday treats will be provided.

Queen Anne-ers have a weekend full of crafty holiday shopping and gifting events ahead of them. In addition to last night’s Holiday Magic festival, there are two timely holiday bazaars happening in the hood this weekend.

The first is the winter addition of Urban Craft Uprising, a showcase of unique handmade items by independent crafters, artists and designers—things that can’t be bought at any big-box store. UCU is the largest indie craft show in Seattle, and is taking place on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and the first hundred people through the door both days will receive a free swag bag. Details here.

The second event is the St. Anne Holiday Fair Trade Bazaar. Put on by St. Anne’s Church Social Justice Commission, the holiday bazaar will have gifts, jewelry, chocolate, coffee, baskets and more. The bazaar is happening from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, December 5, at Banchero Hall, 101 W Lee Street. There will be a continental breakfast from 9 a.m. to noon. Suggested Donation is $3/person or $10/family.

Local nonprofit Rebuilding Together, and Seattle Bank have teamed up to run a local Holiday Supply Drive, benefiting the organization’s services for low-income homeowners and families. Supplies can be dropped off at any Seattle Bank banking center, including the one at 190 Queen Anne Ave N, now through December 31. There will also be a donation drop-box at the Seattle Bank booth in Touchdown City at Qwest Field during the Seahawks game on Sunday, December 5.

“Our supply boxes are essential for the work we do in the community,” Executive Director of Rebuilding Together Seattle Margie Thirlby said in a press release. “The holiday supply drive donations will impact our organization’s program activities, which benefit low-income homeowners who are elderly, disabled, veterans, and families with children.”

Supplies donated to the drive will be used for future volunteer projects, including the 21^st Annual Spring Rebuilding Day on Saturday, April 30, 2011. Not sure what to donate? Take a look at the suggested supply drive wish list:

• First aid kit
• Smoke detectors
• Latex gloves
• Grab bars
• Rubber gloves
• Safety goggles
• Masks
• All-purpose cleaner
• Windex/window cleaner
• Comet
• Glass cleaner
• Oven cleaner
• Garbage bags
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper
• Sponges
• Light bulbs

Read more about Rebuilding Together and the work the organization does here.

Metro riders in Queen Anne will have to keep a little more change handy in the new year. King County Metro Transit is increasing fares starting in January 2011.

Beginning Jan. 1, all adult Metro riders will see a 25 cent fare increase. Fares for other Metro products, such as passes and ticketbooks, will also increase. Youth fares will remain unchanged.

Fares will also be changing for Access customers. Access fares will increase by 25 cents and monthly passes will cost $45.

Metro-only annual and monthly reduced fare passes will no longer be sold, though existing ones will continue to be honored until they expire.

Check here for more information about upcoming Metro fare adjustments.

Elementary students and those in K-8 schools will not have to make up last week’s two snow days, while high school students will have to attend classes for two extra days next summer, the district announced today.

The decision was made that no make-up days are needed for the younger students because “students were not scheduled to be in classes those two days – instead, parent-teacher conferences were planned for those days.” Those conferences will be rescheduled. “Our goal is that 100% of parent-teacher conferences are completed before winter break. Schools will be scheduling a combination of Saturday, late afternoon and evening opportunities to accomplish this,” the release from the district states. “The decision about this scheduling will be agreed by the school, please watch for announcements from your principal or teacher.” The last day of school for elementary students and K-8 students will be June 21st.

Two days will be tacked onto the end of the school year for the older kids, who were scheduled to be in class. The last day of school for middle and high school students will now be June 23rd.

There will be some nighttime closures and road work around Lower Queen Anne this week as part of the east phase of the Mercer Corridor Project, according to SDOT.

The temporary intermittent night work (originally scheduled for last week, but delayed due to the weather) began last night, and will continue through Friday, December 3, however SDOT says the work may be extended into next week if necessary. Most of the work, they say, will take place between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. along the following streets:

• Mercer Street: Nighttime closures of two to three lanes of Mercer Street between Dexter Avenue N and Westlake Avenue N.  No more than one lane of Mercer will be closed prior to 9:00 p.m.
• Broad Street: Nighttime intermittent restrictions of westbound Broad Street to a single lane near Ninth Avenue N.
• Terry Avenue N: Nighttime closures of Terry Avenue N between Mercer and Valley streets.
• Westlake Avenue N: Nighttime restrictions of Westlake Avenue N to one lane in each direction in areas between Aloha and Republican streets.

Beginning Monday, December 6, SDOT and King Country Metro will also implement new temporary bus stops in the project area, at the request of local residents who have been inconvenienced by stop closures due to the project.

Full details on the route changes can be found on the Metro website, www.kingcounty.gov/metro, in the “Alerts Center”. The following routes will be affected:

• Route 17: New southbound temporary stop on westbound Aloha Street near Eighth Avenue N.
• Route 30: New northbound temporary stop on Westlake Avenue N between Mercer and Valley streets. This is a joint stop with the Route 17. New southbound temporary stop on westbound Broad Street between Westlake Avenue N and Ninth Avenue N.

For Mercer Corridor Project and construction information, email mercerinfo@seattle.gov or call the 24-hour Construction Hotline at (206) 419-5818.

Follow updates on the project website, www.seattle.gov/Transportation/ppmp_mercer.htm.

The Stranger is holding a community meeting on the Deep-ore Tunnel project at Town Hall at from 7:30 to 9 p.m. tonight. The event is free and no tickets are required. Here’s the event description:

Governor Gregoire recently announced that bids for the deep bore tunnel on Seattle’s waterfront are at or below budget; tunnel opponents scoff at the likelihood they’ll stay there, and maintain that Seattle will be left holding the bag for inevitable overruns. And this is just the latest battleground—after years of bruising political battles, opponents still voice concerns about tolls and downtown access, while many proponents seem glad simply to have a plan to replace the endangered viaduct. Washington’s Department of Transportation is accepting public comment on the project until December 13th, so if you take them at their word, the conversation isn’t officially over yet. Advancing the skeptics’ case, Stranger news editor Dominic Holden will moderate a session with Mayor Mike McGinn, Councilmember Mike O’Brien, and Drew Paxton (Move Seattle Smarter). Presented by The Stranger.

Read more from The Stranger on the deep-bore tunnel project here. Event information here.

Seattle City Light has issued a release in response to the tragic death of Sam, a neighborhood dog who was electrocuted and passed away after stepping onto a metal plate on Queen Anne Ave N on Thanksgiving while on a walk with his owner.

Sammy’s owner and Queen Anne resident Lisa McKibbin and her mother Nancy Bostdorff were heartbroken over the ordeal, and have taken to spreading awareness about stray voltage in city streets in the hopes of preventing future accidents involving pets, children, and adults.

In an open letter from Seattle City Light released today Superintendent Jorge Carrasco said the following:

On Thanksgiving, a dog was electrocuted on Queen Anne Avenue when it came into contact with a metal plate covering some electrical wires for four streetlights. This was a tragic incident and devastating for the family that owned the dog. We are truly sorry for their loss of a beloved family member. I want to assure the public that as soon as City Light was made aware of the situation, we responded by de-energizing the electrical service.

Our crews investigated the cause. We discovered that the original installation in 2006 did not include proper grounding of the four lights. Our crews have made the necessary repairs to all these lights and tested for any potential electrical charges. There is no electrical charge to any of the lights or groundcover plates. All the streetlights are functioning.

We want the public to be assured that this was an isolated incident. We are researching our records to determine whether there are similar lights elsewhere in our system. If we find there are, they will be inspected and any necessary repairs will be made immediately.

Despite word from City Light that repairs have been made to insure the safety of this particular groundcover plate, for Lisa and Nancy this is hardly enough.

“For four years these lights have not been grounded! Doesn’t anyone know the ABCs of electricity?” Nancy wrote to QueenAnneView.

Since we first reported the story on Saturday, the comments have erupted with condolences for Lisa and Nancy, and stories from fellow community members and pet owners who have experienced similar incidences in Queen Anne and elsewhere.

“I used to live back East, and every winter there were certain street corners that every dog seemed to avoid. My 100 pound beast would buck and fight if I tried to go near it. At first I thought he was just being stubborn, but about a week after his strange behavior, a dog in DC died from electrocution on the same corner. I learned to trust my dog,” Dana wrote.

Stories of these types of accidents are, unfortunately, nothing new. In January 2004 a 30-year-old woman in New York City died after stepping on a metal plate that had been electrified by a faulty underground cable. Her father took to fighting the hazard that took her life. Read that story in the New York Times archives here.

And here in Seattle the incidences, though not as horrifying as Sammy’s story, are pouring in. One reader, in fact, says their dog was shocked at the same site.

“It turns out our Labrador was once shocked on that same block. She yelped and moved, and my husband tried to check for stray voltage, not sure what had happened, but couldn’t tell what the problem was. Now we know for sure what happened,” Neens wrote.

“The day before Thanksgiving my oldest son (30) and his friend were walking my dog in West Seattle when he stepped on the same type plate and started writhing and yelping. He fell over and my son thought he had stepped on something sharp, possibly even been scared by the cold metal on his paw. After a few moments our cocker spaniel, Max, was able to stand and they brought him home. Since this, he has been limping when he walks a great deal and is very timid when he goes for walks. After seeing the news story tonight, we knew what had made Max fall over and act so strangely,” Sue Wilhelm wrote. “I applaud you for getting the word out about this “unseen” danger that we all come upon every day on our city streets. What a tragic way to be educated though. I shudder at the thought of this happening to any other person or pet.”

Lisa doesn’t think Seattle City Light’s response is enough either. “I don’t think Sam’s incident was “an isolated incident” as described by SCL,” Lisa says. “I still attribute his death to contact voltage which is defined as:

Contact voltage is caused by power system fault current as it flows through the impedance of available fault current pathways. The voltage we are trying to define (i.e. contact voltage) is only present when a power system fault exists (e.g. compromised insulation). The fault may be a very high impedance fault with very little fault current actually flowing, but it is still a fault, and still capable of creating measurable voltage between conductive surfaces that people or their animals may contact. This is true regardless of the type of power system (e.g. grounded, un-grounded, etc.). Clearly both the level of contact voltage and the amount of fault current will change when a person or animal makes contact, but this guide should be about the detection, evaluation, and mitigation necessary to avoid a potentially lethal exposure.

Lisa says she plans to continue her efforts to bring awareness, ensure public safety, and work “very hard to see that this type of tragedy will not happen again.”

“I have been receiving blog entires from people who say their dogs have received shocks from other parts of the city. John, owner of Oslo’s, now believes his dog was electriaclly shocked just one day prior to Sammy’s death. Oslo thankfully didn’t have the same fate, but was still affected. John showed me his boots, after stepping on the sidewalk to pick up Oslo after he was convulsing and screeching, the heel is completely shot, rubber sole has been melted and cracked! Oslo was about 25 ft from where Sam died, after what is now believed to be electric shock. John had no idea, much like me, this is why I need to spread this awareness and not fear, just awareness.”

A representative from Seattle City Light will be at the Queen Anne Community Council meeting tonight to discuss this tragedy further with the community. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the McClure Middle School cafeteria. Take a look at the agenda here.

The Queen Anne Community Council‘s monthly meeting will be held tonight, Wednesday, December 1 at 7:00 p.m. at the McClure Middle School cafeteria. In addition to the regular agenda items, some time will be allotted for community members to speak with a representative from Seattle City Light, regarding the Thanksgiving Day death of a dog that was killed after stepping onto an electrical plate on Queen Anne Ave.

Take a look at the agenda here:

• 7 p.m.: Adoption of Agenda; Approval of Minutes; Treasurer’s Report
• 7:10 p.m: Open Forum – Comments
• 7:20 p.m.: Discussion with Seattle City Light representative
• 7:50p.m.: Report on budget and status of QACC and District Coordinator
• 8:00 p.m.: QACC attendance—Ellen
• 8:05 p.m.: Christmas Party—Don Harper
• 8:15 p.m.: Committee Reports

1. Communication—Michael Lapin
2. District Council—Mike Warren
3. Parks—Don Harper
4. Transportation—Glenn Avery
5. LURC/Planning—Craig Hanway
6. NAC—Kirk Robbins, Jim Smith, Glenn Avery, Don Harper
7. Social Issues—Kirk Robbins
8. Police & Crime—Allen Panich

• 8:45 p.m.: New Business—Meeting location next year
• 8:55 p.m.: Adjournment

Future QACC meeting notices:

• QACC: Jan 5, TBA
• Parks Committee: Dec 14, QACC, 7:30
• LURC/Planning: Dec 20, QACC, 7:00
• Transportation: Dec 29, QACC, 7:30
• NAC: Dec 15, Port Headquarters, 4:30
• District Council: Dec 13, NSC 7:00

Molly Moon’s Handmade Ice Cream is looking to open their third shop in Seattle, but they aren’t sure which ‘hood they should move to so they’re turning to their fans for help.

Over the next three months, the Molly Moon’s ice cream truck named Leo will be parked in three different neighborhoods to see where they have the most followers. Leo will start in Madrona this month, move to Queen Anne in January and finish off in Ballard in February.

Social media is also playing a part in the process. Fans can “like” the official “Bring Molly Moon’s to Queen Anne” Facebook page if you want the ice cream shop to permanently move to Queen Anne. As of 10:40 a.m. Queen Anne’s Facebook page is trailing in third place with just 55 ‘likes’. The Ballard page is leading with 118 ‘likes’ and the Madrona page is in second with 63 ‘likes’. Want Molly Moon’s to come to Queen Anne? Vote here.

Molly Moon’s currently has shops in Wallingford and Capitol Hill.

One of our readers, Greg, had his car broken into in a parking garage near Queen Anne Ave and Republican, a half block west of the KeyArena, where he was attending the Seattle University basketball game. Nothing of value was stolen, but Greg is still hoping to recover some personal property. He writes,

It was my new car; window smashed out, and my commuter b-pac and my lunch pail of all things taken. I am sure when they found nothing in either, it was thrown away? It was a one cross body strap; Columbia pac, with REI reflector on strap.(gray-blue). If any lost & found community resource exists; I would love to get my personal “Junk” back. Any help appreciated!

If anyone has any information on the break in, or Greg’s belongings, please contact him at 206-228-2269.

The city is looking for new members to join the Seattle Pedestrian Advisory Board, a group founded in 1993 to get people out of their cars and walking.

The volunteer group is instrumental in implementing the city’s Pedestrian Master Plan, which was adopted in 2009. The group also advises the Mayor and City Council, participates in planning and project development, and evaluates policies and makes recommendations to all city departments including the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

Board members serve a minimum of one two-year term, with the opportunity to serve a second term. Board members are “frequent walkers of a variety of ages, levels of mobility, and walks of life, and from areas throughout the city,” the release states. Meetings are the second Wednesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m.

Interested Seattle residents can submit a resume and cover letter explaining their interest in the board by emailing Brian Dougherty at brian.dougherty@seattle.gov. Resumes will be accepted until December 17th.