ben.k

A few days ago, I posted a video about Karen Cirulli's work along Aurora Avenue, much of which is with the residents of area motels and other homeless individuals.

If you're interested in learning more about the situation of many of our homeless neighbors, here are a couple of informative resources:

Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County, an HBO Documentary by Alexandra Pelosi (interview here), "explores the world of children who reside in discounted motels within walking distance of Disneyland, living in limbo as their families struggle to survive in one of the wealthiest regions of America.  The parents of motel kids are often hard workers who don't earn enough to own or rent homes.  As a result, they continue to live week-to-week in motels, hoping against hope for an opportunity that might allow them to move up in the O.C." (full synopsis here).

View from the Tent: Thoughts from a Homeless Man.  Saturday, July 31, 7:00pm. Saint Mark's Cathedral - Capitol Hill. 1245 10th Ave. E, Seattle. "Come hear actor Dan Niven perform a dramatic monologue based on the book View from the Tent: Thoughts from a Homeless Man, compiled by M. Barrett Miller from notes passed to him by a man living without shelter in Seattle. Dan Niven does a wonderful job bringing the book to life -- do come, bring friends, tell strangers!  This is one step toward creating a more compassionate community in which we know the poor as our brothers and sisters.The monologue is both entertaining and educational -- a great way to introduce people who may have given little thought to the lives of those without shelter.  Great for young inquiring minds, especially high school ages. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/117494. All proceeds will benefit Tent City 3 and onsite childcare is available."

Karen Cirulli has been an AmeriCorps Volunteer working as a community organizer along the Aurora corridor for the past year and half. In addition to gathering neighbors to create the Aurora Communal Garden and its weekly cookouts, she spends her time networking community groups, visiting area motels, and coordinating various neighborhood events. I've had the privilege of working with her for the past year as part of the local faith community that serves as her host site, but it's about time you met her and heard about the awesome things she is doing!

Do you have any neighbors you would like the rest of us to meet?  A community leader?  A block captain?  A teacher?  A business owner?  Aurora|Seattle would love to meet them!

Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) recently held a meeting at Cyndy's Pancake House in which they conversed with neighbors about their plans for an affordable housing development "with supportive services for homeless men and women living with mental illness" at the current Cyndy's property (10507 Aurora Ave) to begin in the summer of 2011.

But less than a year ago, Cyndy's was on the verge of becoming a strip club until the city declined to issue the prospective buyer, Bob Davis, the necessary permits - leading one Aurora|Seattle contributor to proclaim, "Pancakes Trump Strippers."

The Seattle Times is reporting today that a federal judge has ruled in favor of Davis, who filed a lawsuit against the city in 2008, "saying the city's failure to provide applicants with a deadline for obtaining a license violates the First Amendment protections of would-be club owners."  It remains to be seen whether or not the city will owe Davis any damages related to the loss of his potential business.

The ruling in Seattle this week by U.S. District Chief Judge Robert Lasnik came in a case filed by Davis in 2008, which claimed the city was obstructing his efforts to convert a Aurora Avenue North restaurant, Cyndy's House of Pancakes, into a strip club. Davis challenged the city's requirement that he obtain a license and comply with a zoning ordinance that requires "adult cabarets" to be sited away from schools, community centers, child-care centers and public parks.

Lasnik found the city's current licensing ordinance — passed in 2005 after the last one was struck down by another judge — fails to provide applicants with a time frame in which the city must issue a license if its requirements are met. The upshot, the judge said, is that the ordinance could allow a city to delay issuing a license indefinitely.

In 2008, the city tried to fix the ordinance by adopting a policy saying it would notify applicants within 30 days, said Assistant City Attorney Carlton Seu. But Lasnik said those efforts fell short.

Lasnik said that policy isn't the same as law, and that Davis' "First Amendment rights should not depend on what is essentially a promise to act promptly in the future."

The ruling comes after Davis has apparently abandoned his plans for Cyndy's. His attorney, Kristin Olsen, said he waited more than 19 months to buy the property, which eventually was sold to someone else. He is asking the city pay him damages for lost business.

Free trees available for your neighborhood through Seattle Department of Neighborhoods

Tree Fund celebrates 15 years of planting 20,000 trees

July 8, 2010 (SEATTLE, WA)— Community members can get free trees for their neighborhood through the Tree Fund, a program of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. It is an easy way for residents to beautify their neighborhood and help the environment, while connecting with their neighbors.

Groups of neighbors from at least five households living on a street or block can request from 10 to 40 trees per project. In addition, every participating household can have a fruit tree for their own yard. Information on how to organize your neighborhood, the selections of trees, as well as the application form, can be found at www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/treefund.htm . Deadline for applications is August 16.

This is the 15th year that Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is providing free trees through the Neighborhood Matching Fund’s Tree Fund program. Through the Fund, Seattle residents have planted more than 20,000 trees and built stronger community connections along the way. With the present tree cover at 23 percent, the goal of the Tree Fund is to help increase the percentage to 30 and promote a clean and green environment for Seattle’s streets. For questions or additional information, contact Judy Brown, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, at 206.684.0714.

In addition, for residents who live in specific neighborhoods within southwest and southeast Seattle, Seattle reLeaf is providing free trees through the City’s 2010 Trees for Neighborhoods program. To learn more, visitwww.seattle.gov/trees/treesforneighborhoods.htm.

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods provides programs and service that engage residents in civic participation, foster stronger communities, make government more accessible, and preserve and enhance the character of Seattle’s neighborhoods.

# # #

The Green Bean Coffeehouse, which was destroyed by arson last October, will be reopening this Friday morning at 7 a.m. in their new space at 8533 Greenwood Avenue.   

And it isn't taking long for various groups to host creative events in this coffeehouse and community space.  On Sunday, July 18, Artocratic, an online magazine, will be putting on the Food-As-Art Party:  

The Food-As-Art Party is in a few days, on Sunday July 18th.

We're starting on the early side because it's the end of the weekend. Try to get there between 5:30 and 6:00 so we can display all the creations before we dig into them. Sometime around 7-ish we'll start our Food-For-Thought Open mic. Anything you want to perform -- a poem, a song, a very short essay -- original or not -- is welcome!

We hope you are inspired, not intimidated, by this invitation to gustatory creativity! Bring anything that can be eaten, and call it art! If it's just not possible for you to bring something, we will enjoy your company in any case!

If you've been invited to this and you somehow don't know what Artocratic is... we are an online magazine that sometimes organizes gatherings in real life.

http://www.artocratic.com/

Greenbean Coffee House

8533 Greenwood Ave N, 98103

Sunday, July 18

5:30-8:30

SeattleCrime.com is reporting that a man was beaten into near-fatal condition outside an Aurora motel last night:

Police say a man was so severely beaten following an argument over drugs outside an Aurora motel that his injuries "could result in permanent brain injury or possibly death." 

Just before 9:00pm last night, police were called to a bloody scene outside of a motel on 44th and Greenlake Way N.

Officers found a man on the ground with a "golf-ball sized bump" on his head and a "significant amount of blood coming from his mouth," laying next to a silver-multi tool and a pair of shoes, a police report says.

"I heard the sound of him gargling his own blood," Officer Adam Beatty wrote in his report. "I feared he might suffocate and gently rolled him onto his side."

A woman at the scene told police the victim had been in a fight with another man, who had run across Aurora, jumped over the median, and fled southbound

Police reviewed security tapes from the motel and identified a suspect, who they discovered was staying at another motel down the street.

Officers arrested the man in his room, where he told police that prior to the fight, he was with another woman and the victim, and they were trying to buy some heroin.

The victim didn't have enough money, which sparked an argument.

The suspect told police the victim pulled out a knife, and that he punched the victim to defend himself.

Police booked the man into the King County Jail for assault. Jail records indicate he has been arrested numerous times for drug possession.

During the arrest, police also found a "very poorly counterfeited $100 bill" in the suspect's wallet, which was taken into evidence.

Aurora already has at least one place open 24 hours - the legendary Beth's Cafe.  But it might soon have a number of early morning destinations - and they'd be serving more than a 12-egg omelet.  As the Seattle Times reported earlier this week (see below), Mayor Mike McGinn is proposing letting bars staying open all night, or at least later than the current 2 a.m. closing time. 

Chris Dalton, owner of Beth's Cafe and the neighboring Duck Island Ale House, told Aurora|Seattle that he has a "neutral" reaction to the news.  He added, "I don't see keeping the Duck open later and my guess would be more regulation on those bars that do close later.  As to Beth's, could be a positive in that we wouldn't get slammed all at once and may end up with more biz overall. We'll see..."

What are your reactions to the Mayor's proposal?  Will you be showing up at Beth's at 3 or 4 a.m. instead of 2?  Or is this a non-issue for Aurora?

Letting bars serve liquor later or even all night is one controversial option Mayor Mike McGinn is considering as part of a new initiative to curb nightclub noise and violence.

McGinn presented his proposal — which also includes required bar security-officer training, tighter noise restrictions and more late-night bus service — at a rock-concert-themed news conference Tuesday night on Capitol Hill.

....

His eight-part plan includes:

• Better code enforcement.

• Flexible bar-closing times.

• A new approach to enforcing noise ordinances. Under the proposed complaint-based system, places where measurements of the bass noise are above the allowed decibel level could be fined after the second violation. The city also would add building codes to encourage developers to better soundproof buildings.

• Required training for bar-security officers. The Seattle Police Department would train bar-security personnel about checking IDs, maintaining a safe environment, use of force and how to disperse patrons.

• Community outreach.

• Encouraging bars to join associations and participate in training to "minimize conflicts and problems,"

• Better late-night transportation options, such as later bus service.

• A new ordinance, proposed by Councilmember Nick Licata, to cut down on unruly bar patrons. The proposed law would make it easier for police to issue citations and warnings to people causing disturbances, particularly involving fighting and disorderly conduct.

Read more here.

SeattleCrime.com is reporting on a police bust at the recently reopened "Dancing Bare" near 105th and Aurora:

City officials say the Dancing Bare, on 105th and Aurora, reopened sometime in May—staff at the Department of Executive Administration did not have an exact date—after shutting down for about five years.

The building on 105th and Aurora has been licensed as an adult club since at least 1987, and was in operation until 2005, when they allowed their license to lapse. Although the club's small stage went dark, the adjacent adult book and video store—which are connected—remained open.

Last year, the business—which operates under the name Carnieville—filed to re-up their license.

When staff from the Department of Executive Administration went to inspect the business in March, it was still in a state of disarray. "It wasn’t even swept up," says inspector Michelle Crooks.

The club managed to get cleaned up and got their license back, and reopened in early May.

Shortly thereafter, Undercover Vice detectives dropped by and, according to police sources, found a sad scene.

Police tell Seattelcrime.com that only one dancer was working in the very small club—which one police source described as "a hole"—on several visits.

That dancer just happened to give an undercover detective a "dirty" dance and the city is now working to suspend her dancing license for 30 days.

See the full story here.

There's a great article over at the Fremocentrist about the work the Aurora Traffic Safety Project is doing to make Aurora safer.

The article highlights some of the efforts of the project so far:

Billboards along Aurora warn about texting while driving, speed limit enforcement and the need to stop for pedestrians.  Curb bulbs, channelization and signal light changes, and crosswalks have been planned.  Stepped up enforcement efforts have resulted in over 9,500 traffic infractions being written since June 18, 2009.  The steps may appear small, but preliminary data collected from June to December of 2009 shows the collision rate has dropped 30%.

And includes some great quotes from a conversation with Jim Curtin from SDOT:

Ultimately, though, the answers lie in the people who travel on Aurora.  “The leading contributing cause,” Curtin explained after reading collision reports, “is inattention.”  Second major cause has been ‘failure to yield’.  “Take it slow out there,” Curtin warned, “you never know what is going to pop out at you!”

or more

The life of the truck at 90th and Aurora operating as "Cubano Loco" was short-lived.  It is now the "Chunky Monkey".  Check out their website and a note from the new owners below.  Welcome to the neighborhood Lauren and Gabriel!