November 2014

The work to reform the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and its accountability system is critically important. Achieving true reform depends on the commitment of many to make it happen—City leaders, the Chief of Police and the employees of SPD, the police unions, and the community. Mayor Murray's proposal announced today shows his firm commitment to achieving reform of the police department's accountability system. We appreciate the commitment also of other City partners in this effort.

Under the City's Memorandum of Understanding with the US Department of Justice, the Community Police Commission (CPC) was charged with recommending revisions to the Seattle Police Department's accountability system. In April 2014 it issued an integrated set of many carefully considered reforms designed to make the system as a whole work better.

These recommendations were informed by the contributions of many, including Pierce Murphy, the current OPA Director; Judge Anne Levinson, the current OPA Auditor; Mayor Murray’s special advisor, Dr. Bernard Melekian; the City Attorney’s Office; and others. Our advisors have largely endorsed the CPC recommendations.

The Alliance for Education will host Seattle Public Schools’ State of the District Monday, November 17. This annual event highlights several speakers presenting the successes and challenges facing SPS today.

This year’s event features Seattle Public Schools Interim Superintendent Larry Nyland, Mayor Ed Murray, SPS Physical Education Manager Lori Dunn, Washington State Teacher of the Year Lyon Terry, Rainier View Elementary Principal Anitra Pinchback-Jones, Dunlap Elementary student poets, and representatives from City Year.

The event will begin at 4:30 PM at Group Health, 300 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 100, Seattle.

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, on Nov. 11 was elected the Vice Chair of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) during the commission’s semi-annual meeting held in Denver. One of four regional higher education compacts in the U.S., WICHE (www.wiche.edu) and its 15 member states and U.S. territory work collaboratively toexpand educational access and excellence for all citizens of the West. Governors of the member states and territory appoint three commissioners per state to this regional governing body. As Vice Chair in 2015, Kohl-Welles will also serve as Chair in 2016.

Standing with City Council President Tim Burgess, Councilmember Bruce Harrell, Chief of Police Kathleen O’Toole, police accountability experts and community leaders, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray today announced a package of significant reforms to the City’s police discipline and accountability system.

“Our police accountability system has over the years become complicated and confusing to the public,” said Murray. “Today, we are announcing major reforms to bring greater fairness, independence and transparency to the police discipline and accountability system, and to rebuild public trust.”

Murray said that the proposed reforms would strengthen and streamline the accountability process while enhancing civilian oversight, including:

· Making the Community Police Commission (CPC) the permanent civilian oversight body for police accountability in the City;

· Consolidating the Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) case file review function in the OPA Auditor, and incorporating other functions of the OPA Review Board into the CPC;

· Strengthening the independence of the OPA; and

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

High schools
Girls soccer
The first round of the state girls soccer playoffs continues Wednesday, with Seattle Christian hosting Meridian for a 5 p.m. game at French Field in Kent and Highline visiting Ridgefield High School near Battle Ground for 7 p.m. action.
State quarterfinals will take place this Friday and Saturday. Both SCS and Highline would be home if they win Wednesday.

Basketball
The annual Tyee vs. Evergreen Alumni Game takes place Friday starting at 7 p.m. in the Evergreen gymnasium.
Tryouts for high school basketball and all winter sports open Monday.
Contact respective schools for more information.

Volleyball
Seattle Christian is playing in the state Class 1A volleyball tournament at the Yakima Valley Sun Dome this coming weekend.
The Warriors open against Cedar Park Christian at 8 p.m., then play at 5 p.m. if they win and 3:15 p.m. if they lose.

Girls swimming
The Class 2A, 3A and 4A meets all take place at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way this weekend.

If you have kids you may want to come to a special meeting Saturday, November 15th, 10 to 11 AM at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA 98106)

Officer Jon Kiehn from SPD’s Community Police Team will host a conversation about Personal Safety for Kids. Everyone is welcome — parents, kids, and the community. Officer Kiehn will focus on personal safety from a kid’s perspective; he notes that this session will be especially relevant for kids who are ages 6 to 10.

Personal safety for kids is the featured topic at the “Public Safety” breakout session at this year’s Gathering of Neighbors; but, this training session will also touch on other public safety issues including vehicle security – an ongoing issue in our neighborhoods; Kay Godefroy, Director of Seattle Neighborhood Group (and a fellow West Seattleite) will offer insights and solutions to this problem.

Information provided by Seattle Farmers Market Association

Department of Environmental Health Services at Public Health – Seattle & King County submitted a proposal to the King County Board of Health in late September to increase farmers market permit fees for 2015, without adequate justification. Called Temporary Recurring Event permits, these permits are required of every farmers market and hundreds of farmers and food vendors in King County.

This proposal stunned farmers market organizers who, like farmers, have been working in partnership with Public Health over the last several years to dramatically reduce violations at farmers markets, as well as Dept. staff time necessary at markets. Under the Public Health proposal, in 2015, the permit fee increase for each farmers market in King County will increase by 132%, and amounts to a more than ten-fold increase in the cost of fees paid by farmers markets just 3 years ago. Farmers and farmers markets alike are struggling to keep up with the escalating costs of doing business in King County.

For over four months, the Senior Center of West Seattle (Senior Center) has had organizational difficulties, and on Nov. 11 both residents and other West Seattle neighbors met to discuss the direction of the Senior Center. Entitled “Should We Stay or Should We Go?” the town hall meeting discussed whether the center should stay affiliated with Senior Services (SS) and or go another route. About 80 people attended.

“No decision has been made so far,” the consultant who opened the meeting said.

Here is what you need to know:

--> In July, the executive director of the Senior Center was terminated by SS, a decision that violated regulations. Since then, challenges have manifested. There are not sufficient guidelines between SS and the Senior Center, which is resulting in an unsustainable business model when it comes to the IRS and funding.

--> The Senior Center is now under the auspices of SS. However, the Senior Center might break free of SS and become independent. There are benefits and cons to both. SS provides an umbrella of services for the Senior Center such as meals-on-wheels, and paying operations staff.

North Seattle residents could start seeing more old utility substations developed, which is spurring some citizens to ask the City to think green.

The vacant lots are a way for the City to recoup financial losses due to budget cuts, and there is a history of the sites being sold to the highest bidder.

The properties are vacant land that used to be substations in the 50’s and 60’s and owned by Seattle City Light (SCL). As technology changed, fewer substations were needed. They are recognizable by small concrete surfaces where electrical equipment used to be. In 1968 there were 150 of these properties.

A different era: photo of an North Seattle City Light electrical station. Seattle City Light.

The sites are about the size of one or two house lots (5,000 square feet) and scattered throughout the city. There were nine in the Ballard area, but now two remain vacant (Sunset Hill: 3209 NW 65th St. and in Ballard: 6730 24th Ave. NW). Some were turned into parks and the rest were sold.

Update 2:24 pm:

The owner of the Thunderbird Tavern commented on the Times article, stating that he would hire any of of Paseos cooks.

Message:

"Hi, I am the owner of the Thunderbird Tavern, and I would love to hire any of the cooks from the Paseo."

The tavern owner can be reached at tbirdballard@gmail.com.

Original story

Say goodbye to the illustrious Caribbean Pork sandwich Seattle, because as of today Paseos is closed and the word on the street is that it’s for good.

The Seattle Times reported that a sign on their door reads they have closed due to “unfortunate circumstances.”

The Fremont location staff was not even told about the closure. The Times reported one sandwich maker showed up to work ready for the lunch rush but found the sign and a locked door.