Fancy Pants Capitol Hill Seattle
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I'm at scene of a smoky house fire on 22nd Ave near Interlaken. In all, 18 fire department vehicles have responded according to the 911 logs.
only lots and lots of smoke inside the two-story house.
Previous
An accident involving two vehicles slamming into each other on a rain-slicked curve of 23rd Ave trapped a man in his car this morning before emergency crew were able to cut open the Mercedes and remove him. The accident on a curve of 23rd just as it starts its long slope downhill at Turner Ave sent one woman and the man to the hospital with unknown injuries. Both cars came to a rest on the southbound side of 23rd, the Mercedes with its front smashed in and pointed uphill, the other car, a Subaru, pinned against it blocking both southbound lanes. Traffic was diverted around the area and will remain so as the investigation of the crash scene is completed. The accident happened just after 11:30 AM.
UPDATE 12:37 PM:
Seattle Fire Department could not provide more information on the extent of the injuries from the accident as both victims were transported by private ambulances, not the city's emergency crews. This is standard procedure when injuries are relatively minor so sounds like both the man and the woman are shaken but should be OK.
Capitol Hill's lone entry in the Seattle Times list of the city's best holiday light displays doesn't just light up December nights -- it has a soundtrack, too. Times says the house is broadcasting music synchronized with the display on 93.9 FM. We think they should add holiday news updates from CHS to the broadcast.
Meanwhile, our favorite holiday light displays didn't make the Times list. But CC Attle's and Uncle Vinny, we salute you.
Have a favorite Capitol Hill light display? Let us know in the comments.
Picture says it all. A one-day-only politically correct alternative to the Dunshee House tree lot.
All the details on the order form (but we missed the ordering deadline).
This guy didn't win. But he wasn't as far back as you might expect. Congrats to (unofficial) winners Charlie Sunderlage and Lauren Breihof. Pictures of those two below the results:
This might be the best e-mail tip we'll ever receive. A film crew? A new business finally open? Sex? Take it away neighbor Jeremy:
Not sure this is blog-worthy, but a film crew is filming a commercial for Johnson & Johnson at . Filming is today only. Also, have you written about the new leather/sex store next to old school frozen custard? Don't think I've seen anything on the blog yet. Probably of interest to lots of folks on the hill.
Well, I think we've mentioned the opening of Doghouse Leathers' new store next to Old School Frozen Yogurt in passing here on CHS -- um, yeah, very much in passing. CHS Tweeted about it but we haven't given the opening of the new Cap Hill leather shop its due here on the news blog.
Sorry Doghouse. We're happy to see that owner Daddy Jeff is a member of the site. We'll follow up with something a little more in depth, but for now, know that upper Pike is now your source for frozen yogurt AND retailing services for "the greater Seattle Men’s Leather/Kink Community." You can also follow the action on Twitter @DogHouseLeather. .
Oh. By the way. Here's the house from the Johnson & Johnson comercial. Watch for it on a television set near you.
Murder in the Graveyard Originally uploaded by Photo Munki
Now, I'm not trying to belittle Bruce Lee here. He was a great actor/martial artist/man and paying homage to his resting place is no doubt a worthy cause. But sometimes I feel like he eclipses the fact that Lake View Cemetery has a whole list of historic Seattle celebrities worth visiting. And who might they be you ask?
Check out this handy google map for my list of famous Lake View gravesites. If you know of one that didn't make my list, you can also add it!
View Lake View Cemetery Map in a larger map
Think we can all agree that sharrows barely qualify as news any more. The debate can meander on about their symbolic value vs. actual value of making space for bicyclists on our roads. But we felt the painting of sharrows on Aloha between 15th Ave and 19th Ave deserved notice. It's where this bike 'accident' turned into this controversy.
We also missed this little stretch of Aloha when we wrote about the new sharrow plans for Capitol Hill last spring. So let it be noted. Aloha hill between 19th Ave and 15th -- and beyond to 10th -- is to be shared.
Here is the complete bicycle master plan recommendation map from SDOT. Download the attached PDF to see the whole Hill and zoom in, etc.
The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi brought out a menagerie of Capitol Hill creatures great and small to the lawn of St. Joseph's church this afternoon. Several happy dogs -- and one a little anxious but blessed, still -- a couple of rats and a few photographs and ashes of companions who had passed received St. Francis' blessing of the animals.
From the Prayer of St. Francis
By our own faultwe have lost the beautiful relationship
which we once had with all your creation.
Help us to see
that by restoring our relationship with You
we will also restore it
with all Your creation.
CHS pal realtor Marlow Harris posts about Sunday's St. Francis of Assisi pet blessing:
On Sunday, October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Pet Blessing will be at 12:30 p.m. on the front lawn of St. Joseph Church at 700 18th Ave. E.
Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow (saturday the 26th) is the Seattle AIDS Walk. Lifelong AIDS Alliance has the goal of raising $750,000 for HIV/AIDS research. They are almost at the 50% mark, so definitely contribute if able!
The Seattle AIDS Walk is a 5K walk & run of support and remembrance through the streets of Seattle. We gladly welcome all supporters and friends. Please join us as we honor 23 years of walking to fight HIV and AIDS in the Puget Sound region. Your support as a walker, donor, or volunteer is deeply appreciated.
The event is tomorrow, starting at 9AM from Volunteer Park (1498 E Prospect St on NE Capitol Hill).
When you are done with the walk, venture on over the Harem for gay belly dancing! For more LGBT events and news on Capitol Hill, visit GayCapHill!
Fuel and High 5's Dani Cone
Some startups make silly stuff like community news software . Some make pie.
At Thursday night's invitation only party in her flagship 19th Ave coffeeshop, Fuel owner Dani Cone announced she's taking the High 5 Pie concept to another level. With tabletops filled with bottles of wine and, of course, platters of High 5 pocket pies, Cone held court as partygoers leafed through slick binders describing the startup's business plan and read about an interesting offer -- High 5 Pie is looking for investors.
At the heart of the concept is a High 5 Pie shop with a kitchen to turn out the pastries and a cafe for customers to hang out an enjoy the treat along with some Fuel coffee. There's no location for the new store yet but the plan describes the requirements for the space including a dense, urban population -- Capitol Hill, check -- and plenty of on street parking -- Capitol Hill, un-check. But at the party, Cone told CHS that the Hill she started Fuel on is also where she'd like to launch High 5. The plan calls for High 5 to be operating by January 1, 2010.
Before you start planning your 2010 of pie, High 5 needs to raise some cash. That's where the interesting offer comes in. Cone is offering up 36% of the company to outside investors. What's it cost to get a piece of High 5 Pie? You'll have to contact Cone yourself. We've been asked to remove the financial information from this post and we've complied because of some misunderstanding about the situation. (EDITED 9/18/09 10:15 PM)
Hard to say what the investment outlook is for pie but cool to see a local business looking to be more. CHS is currently reviewing its own business plan to examine synergies between truly local community news and information and pie.
A truck hauling a trailer carrying two cars bottomed out on this hill on Aloha near 23rd this afternoon blocking traffic and leaving the driver and police looking for a solution to get things moving again.
arrived. The owner of the vehicles being hauled is at the scene and told CHS
he had recently purchased the cars and was having them shipped to his home.
The owner said the driver wasn't familiar with the area's streets and
underestimated the grade of the hill's slope.
UPDATE: 11:57 AM:
Two people were reported on the roof of Holy Names Academy attempting to enter the building early this morning around 2:00 AM, according to Seattle Police Department spokesperson Mark Jamieson. King County Sherriff's Guardian 1 helicopter was available to assist in the search to provide an aerial view and use its infrared system to look for the suspects, Jamieson said. According to Jamieson, arriving officers caught one of the suspects inside Holy Names and placed him under arrest on investigation of burglary. The person arrested was a juvenile male and Jamieson said he didn't yet have details about whether the boy was attempting to steal something from the all-girls school or if we simply apprehended inside the building. Both scenarios can lead to burlglary charges, Jamieson said.
ORIGINAL REPORT 2:42 AM:
A manhunt is underway in the neighborhood surrounding Holy Names Academy at 21st Ave E and Aloha. Unconfirmed but information from the scanner indicates that there has been a burglary at the school and police are searching for two suspects. The helicopter search began around 2:35 AM.
UPDATE 2:50 AM:
The helicopter left the area around 2:45 AM. Will verify the scanner details as soon as possible.
UPDATE 9:50 AM:
Call out to SPD. More when we hear back.
Jubilee is located on Capitol Hill and Wesa and I (along with other CHS community members probably) donate time and money to this worthwhile hood charity.
Rough transcription below (begins at 3:26 in video)
Narrated by Maria Hinojosa
Quotes by Kathryn Barnard
A growing segment of the homeless population are middle aged women whose children are all grown up. In Seattle, photographer Kathryn Barnard met the residents of Jubilee Women’s Center which houses dozens of homeless women over 50. Many of them have decades of work experience. “Jubilee is located on the backside of Capitol Hill in Seattle, and it is in one of the more upscale posh neighborhoods and to see the dichotomy of these homeless women in this neighborhood was pretty fascinating."
Many of the women have never experienced homelessness before and have to be taught how to get services. “It was really interesting because she had never known how to get food stamps or how to get bus passes or how to get any of that and then all of a sudden I’m in this position and I’m like wow you really don’t know where to go and what to do and how to do it and someone does have to teach you how to be homeless – it’s pretty amazing”
Stephanie who asked that we not use her last name had been working as a medical assistant until she was laid off from her job last year, “She had always been the bread winner for the family. She was working full time but in part time positions usually covering for people on maternity leaves, and she’s job hunting for something that is permanent”.
She has three grown children, but none of them are able to take her in: “I think the hardest thing for her where she got really emotional was when she was talking about her first Christmas with without her home and that was very upsetting for her I think. Maybe, she never really said this but that her kids might view her as a failure or the fact that she lost her home for her kids. So I think she wants to get that back and she’s determined, and she’ll do anything to get that back”.
Seattle is a city that loves its naked cyclists: Fremont Solstice Parade, Critical Ass...World Naked Bike Ride? We're there:
It's On! Drop your drawers – Bike Summer is here! Come join the 6th Annual WNBR Seattleride on 11 July 2009! Last year's ride was a huge success, not only in Seattle, but around the world!
Seattle also loves its causes, which makes WNBR twice as popular. The Ride isn't just about exhibitionism - it was created to be a body-positive, car-free, socially-just environmental protest statement. Which packs a little more punch than your usual protest because it's being led by a crowd of nudists on bikes.
Capitol Hill is getting a piece of the action this year with a ride that starts in Louisa Boren Park, just north of Volunteer Park. Saturday brunch on the Hill is going to be just a little bit more exciting this weekend.
UPDATE: I spoke briefly on the phone with two of the organizers of this Saturday's Ride, Emily Miller and Todd Tollefson. "The three main things that I think of WNBR representing are the promotion of body acceptance, alternative transportation without the use of oil, and increased awareness of bikes" said Emily. On the theme of bike awareness, Emily says that she'd "like to see the City get involved more officially in how we (pedestrians, bicyclists, cars) interact with each other".
Todd mentioned one of WNBR Seattle's taglines: "Because the Solstice Parade isn't the only time you can ride naked in Seattle".
We should be able to ride naked more often [than once a year at the Solstice Parade], so we do. We don't have a naked beach in Seattle...besides naked bike rides, we don't have many opportunities to be naked [in public] in Seattle. I wish we could all be less uptight about wearing clothes."
Route map:
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A buyer has stepped forward for a Capitol Hill home designated a 'historical site' by the Department of Neighborhoods and priced at more than $3.1 million. The Megrath Mansion was listed for sale about two weeks ago. The sale is still pending so no final sales price is yet available. The seller is biotech executive Leonard Blum. According to City of Seattle records, the home was built for building contractor John Megrath in 1904.
Here is background on the property from the mansion's 'historical site' entry:
Significance
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places.
In the opinion of the survey, this property appears to meet the criteria of the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Ordinance.
In the opinion of the survey, this property is located in a potential historic district (National and/or local).
This house was noted in the city's 1979 historic resources survey, and in the Guide to Architecture in Washington State. It was built in 1904 for John Megrath, a prominent building contractor and owner of Washington Brick and Tile. It was owned for many years by the Olmstead family, who purchased it in 1933. This block is within the original Capitol Hill of James A. Moore, who gave the area its name. In 1900 Moore, who had already developed other Seattle neighborhoods, purchased and began platting 160 acres, roughly between 11th and 20th avenues, from Roy Street north to Galer. Before selling lots for construction, he graded and paved the streets (eliminating the dust that plagued many sections), installed sidewalks, water mains and sewer lines, and planned for street lights and telephone poles. Lots went on sale in 1901, heavily promoted to attract local business leaders as residents. The response was immediate. The quality infrastructure, convenient transportation, schools and other amenities proved to be very popular and the area was largely developed, with sizable, attractive houses, within only a few years.Appearance
This house has an imposing two-story pedimented portico with Corinthian columns and pilasters flanking the entry and at the corners. Within the portico is a second story porch with a curving wrought iron balustrade. The hip roof has deep bracketed eaves with a row of dentils below. A wide belt course runs below the plain frieze, extending down to the second-story windows. Cladding is clapboard. Front windows on the first floor have leaded glass transoms and pediments above. The oak door has sidelights plain sidelights with leaded glass transoms. Other windows are one-over-one sash, mostly in pairs. Each side has a dormer with a Palladian window with 6-over-6 sash. In front of the house is one of the few remaining carriage stepping stones.
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Inside the Volunteer Park water tower
Originally uploaded by cleverdame107
An exhibit panel valued at $9,000 has been stolen from the Volunteer Park water tower.
Parks employees discovered the theft Tuesday, June 23, according to a Seattle Police Department report. The panel was part of an interpretive exhibit about Seattle's Olmsted parks installed on the walls of the tower's upper level.
According to the SPD report, the parks employee said the panel was ripped from the brick wall of the tower sometime between Tuesday and Wednesday night, June 24th. There were no signs of forced entry reported at the scene meaning the thief or thieves likely removed the 3-foot by 4-foot metal panel while it was light out and the park was still busy with people. The tower is open to the public between the hours of 9 AM and 9 PM.
The investigating officer attempted to collect fingerprints at the tower but was unsuccessful. You can review the officer's report on the theft below:
A woman was robbed at gunpoint near Volunteer Park this afternoon by a suspect described as a black teenager wearing a white shirt, dark pants, and carrying a purple shirt. The Central District News first reported the crime in their daily scanner report at 3:21 PM.
The woman was injured in the attack but her condition is unknown at this time.
UPDATE:
Seattle Police Department has confirmed that they are looking for an armed suspect and are continuing to investigate the robbery.
The 28-year-old woman was treated at the scene by paramedics for minor injuries suffered in the attack, according to Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen.
UPDATE:
The Slog has details from the victim:
Ashley Wolff, a 24-year-old Capitol Hill resident, says she was walking on 15th Ave between E Prospect Street and E Ward at about 3pm when an African-American man in his late teens or early twenties approached her, tapped her on the shoulder and asked her for change for a dollar.
When Wolff said she didn't have change, the man demanded her iPod Nano. When she refused, he pulled out a black handgun. Wolff screamed and took off running, but the man chased her down the block and tackled her to the ground. The man took her iPod and ran off.
Bystanders called 911. "There were a lot of witnesses," Wolff says. "There were kids playing out there on the sidewalk."
Stopped by a stop sign
The driver of a stolen 2005 Mini Cooper lost control and slammed the car into a stop sign before bringing the vehicle to rest just short of a large tree at 18th and Galer tonight around 10 PM. The intersection is midway down Galer's slope, directly in front of Stevens Elementary.
It's not clear how many people were in the car at the time of the accident but eyewitnesses at the scene reported as many as four occupants some of whom may have fled the scene. One person also said that one of the riders pulled out a gun when he exited the vehicle sending neighbors rushing back inside their homes for safety.
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UPDATE 9:50 AM:
Seattle Police detained and questioned a man and a woman in the incident but both were released after officers could not determine if either had been the driver of the car. Seattle Police Department spokesperson Mark Jamieson said the incident began when the Mini Cooper was seen running a stop sign at Galer and 19th Ave by an officer on patrol in his cruiser. The Mini sped down 19th and turned right onto Highland where the officer lost sight of the car. After a short search of the area's side streets, the officer came across the crash at 18th and Galer and ordered two people at the accident scene to the ground. Jamieson said his department does not believe any of the occupants of the car were armed but that the responding officer did have his gun out when he ordered the occupants onto the ground -- standard procedure when responding to a stolen vehicle incident, Jamieson said.
Jamieson said the two people taken into custody were released because the responding officer could not identify who had been behind the wheel when the Mini was first spotted and it is too difficult to prove intent because the two may not have known they were riding in a stolen vehicle. Jamieson said the case is now being handled by auto theft detectives.
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After police arrived, neighbors gathered around the vehicle to inspect the awful-looking spiderweb crack on the windshield of the black Mini with Texas plates. Another witness said a female had been sitting in the passenger seat where the windshield crack occurred. Inside the car, the deployed air bags could be seen and the stereo continued to play.
UPDATE 6/23/09 8:55 AM:
Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Dana Vander Houwen said one aid unit responded to last night's crash but did not transport anyone from the scene. We're waiting to hear back from SPD to find out if they can shed any light on what happened.
The cracked windshield
wading pool
Originally uploaded by joe5hammer
UPDATE 1:28 PM:
Neighbor Juan shares the bad news. Opening delayed:
the wading pool is not open yet. We just came back from the park and cement around the new drain is still curing.
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Though temperatures will top out only in the mid 60s and clouds will likely menace the sky through the day, Saturday is a good day to put on your swim diaper and head for the park. Volunteer Park's wading pool is open for the season.
The pool is one of only four in the city able to open this weekend as delays in safety upgrades will keep some pools empty all summer.
Also, while you're wearing that swim diaper, remember that the Park's 'Western Loop' is now closed to automobiles. Forever. No driving.
For kids on the other side of the Hill, Cal Anderson's wade pool is slated to begin its season on June 29th.
The blue CHASE logo replaced the old WaMu signage a while back on Broadway as what was once the largest U.S. savings and loan operation fades into history. The Puget Sound Business Journal says another sign of the old WaMu has faded as the bank's former president has finally been able to unload his multimillion dollar Capitol Hill mansion. The sale price? $4.7 million. About 24% under the asking price when the property was first listed back in October.
According to signs posted around Volunteer Park, the western loop road will be closing to motor vehicles beginning Friday, June 12th. It will be available for use by pedestrians and cyclists only. Apparently, this will be a full-time deal as part of the Healthy Parks, Healthy You program.
It looks like vehicle-blocking posts will be installed to prohibit traffic at the 12th & Prospect entrance, the loop entrance (just west of the conservatory) and the loop exit (just west of the water tower).
I searched high and low on the Seattle Parks and City of Seattle websites but was unable to find any links to share with further details.
UPDATE:
CHS wrote about the closure plan in February -- Plan to close Volunteer Park western loop to cars
It's grey and drizzly outside -- finally a typical start to summer in Seattle. It's a good time to keep on top of things like ice cream -- quick reminder that you can score a free cone today at Old School Custard's grand opening from 3 to 10 PM -- and outdoor seating.
Meanwhile, the rest of the city can freak out about street food. We'll concentrate on a more refined dining experience, for now.
We recently posted about yet another sidewalk cafe being planned on the Hill and the new public comment process to provide your feedback on applications. Including the first two written about earlier on CHS, we've found four sidewalk patios being planned on the Hill:
- Meza Latin Fare on 14th
- Anchovies & Olives
- This guy told us about Kingfish Cafe's planned sidewalk addition. He was correct. You might recall that several trees had to be removed from 19th Ave near the restaurant last summer because they were damaging the sidewalks. One byproduct of that work was more room in front of the Kingfish. Looks like they are going to put it to use.
- Grey Gallery, turns out, has also joined the sidewalk seating club.
Both the Grey and the Kingfish applications' public comment period ended on May 31 -- we'll try to be on top of any more applications earlier now that we know what to look for on the Department of Planning and Development site.
CHS sponsor Poco Wine Room also added outdoor seating recently but it's off-sidewalk and not subject to the same permitting process.
And while we're digging around in the city permit process, Captain Black's deck won't be on the sidewalk but they did get approved for their liquor license. An important development for a bar, no?
Larissa is finishing up her final week as an intern at CHS. Please join us in thanking her for her fine work and wish her luck in the big wide world.
Don't miss out on the Stevens Elementary spring carnival coming up this Friday. The carnival will be featuring traditional carnival games such as; golf ball tub, water balloon toss, water squirt, nail hammering (safe, of course), stomp rocket, airplane toss, ring toss, cake walk (!!!), hoop shoot, air blaster (?), marble grab pond (formerly soap grab), fortune telling, face painting (get a unicorn, obvi), water ballooon launch, recycle race (teaching kids good habits), nut cracker (nut allergies beware). And for the little ones, hoop shoot, bean bag toss (a personal favorite) and toys in the hay.
In addition to carnival games, there will be a raffle for an e-100 razor electric scooter. This is a zero waste event - biodegradable materials will be used and composting/recycling bins will be convenient and encouraged.
I emailed with Susan Goubert, the coordinator of this event, who said, "The carnival is a fun way to promote community for the school & neighborhood. Proceeds from the event are used for student programs that directly support learning programs. This event is specially important amidst current budget cuts."
Keep in mind, game tickets cost 25 cents, meals cost $8 (catering done by Flame Catering), raffle tickets are $2 a pop and the carnival will be held from 5-8 pm.
