Upset along the main?

Is anyone else getting discolored water this morning?

Summary of 25th Ave Block Watch Meeting

On Monday, 24 November about twelve neighbors from 25th Avenue between
Massachusetts and Grand met to discuss crime and crime prevention on
our block. We were joined by special guests Kerry (pastor of the
Japanese Presb. Church) and Dian a friend from Washington D.C.

The following concerns were raised and discussed:
-3 break-ins or attempted break-in on our block in the past 6
months
-apparent casing of homes during the day by teen-age kids
- Nonresidents cutting through our complex
-Sometimes slow police response (also apparent lack of urgency
in investigating crimes)
-A perceived city government bias against our neighborhood
compared to other neighborhoods around the city
-Car racing/fast driving along our block

The following solution ideas were raised and discussed:
-Make sure all outdoor lights are on and working after dark
-Let's make sure that we know one another (A block map with
names, emails and phone numbers is being created)
-When we see something suspicious do not hesitate to call 911
-Check into placing cameras in blind spots inside townhouse
courtyard
-Check into possibly buying and posting Neighborhood Watch signs
-Let's keep our neighborhood looking cared for: no tolerance
for junk, trash, graffiti
-Don't leave ladders out and visible in your yard (see below)

We also heard from Ed whose house was robbed. It seems that the
criminals broke in during the day (around noon) and were in the house
for less than an hour. It appears that they broke in through the
unlocked sliding glass doors on the 2nd floor, either using a ladder
or "hoisting" one another up and then opening the front door. All of
the attempted break-ins that we discussed happened during the day as
did the casing incidents.

At the end of the meeting, we agreed to meet quarterly. Next meeting
will be in January and I will post a date soon. Also, the following
action items were agreed to:
1. Anthony will check on cost and details of cameras for our common
area
2. Al will check on Neighborhood Watch Signs
3. Anthony will check on potential of a google phone mechanism that
allows a "blitz call" to all who have opted in.
4. Al will coordinate with adjacent block-watch captains to learn and
to make connections that enhance the safety of us all.
5. It was brought up that it would be good to hear from an expert on
dealing with/diffusing a threat. Al will try to arrange for such an
expert to speak with us at the next meeting in January.

That's all I have on my notes. Others who were there on Monday, please
chip in if I've forgotten anything.

Al

PlayGarden Construction Update

The Seattle Children's PlayGarden is thrilled to announce that we have selected a contractor for our construction project. The Roy E. Dunham company came very highly recommended from those invloved with their previous projects and from our project manager at the Parks department.Construction will begin as soon as our permits are received and will involve completing the renovaion of the shelter building, construction of the Garden House and the family play plaza. It is expected to take approximately 10-11 months. We will continue to post construction updates as the project moves along and hope to see you all at a ribbon cutting in the new year.

And the new Triangle PCO is...

...yet to be announced.

Did you all vote for Mark Lindquist for (democrat) Precinct Committee Officer?

I checked the election board results this evening. They're not posting the PCO finals until September 10.

So, we'll wait.

Election Night

Looks like the good governor has come to the Colman Triangle for her election night soiree. The parking lot at the Northwest African American Museum was full of local TV trucks this evening as my daughter and I took went walkabout in the neighborhood. The KOMO reporter wouldn't talk to my three-year-old daughter, but someone else confirmed the reason for the party.

The Stranger's Eric C. Barnett confirms on Slog:

I’m at the Northwest African American History Museum at the former Colman School in South Seattle, and we’re waiting for Gov. Christine Gregoire to show up for her third event of the night. She’s running late from her last event—a hoity-toity “high-donor” private fundraiser at an undisclosed location—and the crowd is milling around in an increasingly hot room, drinking (mostly wine) and talking (mostly about Darcy Burner). “We Are Family” is blasting from the speakers.

Last week we had Senator Murray. Tonight Chris Gregoire.

All within spitting distance of our local crack house.

One step at a time.

South Precinct Community Newsletter

South Precinct Email Community Newsletter

August 13, 2008

Dear Community Friends,

Light Rail Testing

As reported in this morning’s Seattle Times, Sound Transit will begin testing link light-rail trains in Rainier Valley on Thursday August 14, adding a new to the traffic on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South. The trains will share streets with cars, buses, motorcycles, bicyclists and pedestrians.

The Light Rail tracks pass through 18 intersections and 10 pedestrian signals, plus three stations in the median. Trains will run as often as every six minutes in each direction, at a top speed of 35 mph. Although engineers have designed state-of-the-art signals and walkways, the sheer volume of activity makes this a hazardous five miles.

Left turns from MLK are allowed only on left-turn arrows, to reduce conflicts with trains going straight. Electronic signs show a train icon whenever trains are approaching. There are several "Z-crossings," where short fences channel pedestrians and force them to look in the direction of approaching trains. There are refuge islands in the median where people can stand, if they can only make it halfway.

Safety During Testing and Operation of Light Rail

With light rail testing and the start of service in the summer of 2009, Sound Transit has launched a safety education and awareness campaign for community members and students. To spread the safety message, Sound Transit has bought billboard space, talked with school and community groups, and hung fluorescent warning signs at crossings. Safety brochures have been produced in 12 languages. A light rail safety brochure should have already arrived in your mailbox. The light rail safety education is designed to:

• Bring awareness that light rail trains are quiet, so people should always be alert and look both ways before crossing the street

• Explain the function of the overhead electric power lines, called OCS (overhead catenary system)

• Demonstrate safe pedestrian behavior and light rail crossing safety signs and signals

• Inform the public about safe pedestrian and driving habits and signals.

The key safety messages that Sound Transit wants to impart for South Seattle residents are:

• Link light rail trains move faster than they appear and can’t stop as quickly as a car: cross only at designated crosswalks

• Trains have the right-of-way; obey all signals and warning signs

• Trains are quiet; always look both ways

• Tracks are for trains; never walk or play around trains or tracks

The Sound Transit community outreach team is also available to speak to small or large groups. Please call Carol Doering at 206-398-5095 to schedule a time, day or evening. You may also email her at carol.doering@soundtransit.org. You can also call and/or email to get the safety brochures in the various languages.

Why Traffic Safety Information is in a Police Department Newsletter

We want to give you information that is pertinent to community public safety, not just crime related information. Nothing is more important than the safety of the members of our community. So, if it means we advise you regarding traffic issues so we can raise awareness and hopefully prevent accidents or fatalities, seems like a good use of ink for us.

Until next time, Take Care and Stay Safe!

Mark Solomon, South Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator

The Squeaky Wheel

Recently I posted about vacant lots in the Colman Triangle, with just a little extra attention paid to the lots owned by Tim O'Shea on Holgate between 24th and 25th. I've written about this lot in my own blog, and this summer have taken to calling him about once a week to clean up his property, and always got "it's on my calendar." And nothing would happen. Last week my neighbors and I stepped up the pressure: several calls daily, promises for more. I was just about to post old Tim to rottennieghbor.com.

On Monday, Tim came by with a crew who spent most of the day clearing the jungle that's grown up around his sometimes-vacant buildings.

There's more to do chez O'Shea: still people squatting there, and the lots are a menace, nuisance, annoyance...but at least the grass is cut.

Good work, squeaky wheel.