January 2017

By Steve Shelton

There was no disputing the buzz in the air last Saturday as I stepped onto the escalator to join the masses disappearing deep into the Dupont Circle station. Below grade the buzz amplified as thousands of marchers—men and women from across the country--found their way into trains like bees into hives. I emerged at the L’Enfant Plaza station and began migrating toward a queen bee in her own right speaking to thousands of her worker bees from a main stage: Gloria Steinem.

But I didn’t make the stage. At once I was swallowed up in the swarms of marchers who had also flown in from corners of the United States to unite, in solidarity, for a protest unlike any protest in any time. The Women’s March on January 21, 2017, was unprecedented. It was global. It was peaceful. It was mindful. It was for women--and men. And it was directed at a man who, just a day before, was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States; A place where an individual’s civil rights for safety, respect, and honor are championed around the world. A place viewed as “safe” by families fleeing bad things and bad people in other parts of the world.

If you've driven down 35th Ave. SW anytime in the last 40 or so years you know "The Cow" atop the building at 7500 35th SW. That's the location for John's Deli, one of the last small grocery stores in Seattle.

Now it's set to close Feb. 1.

Run by Christina and Peter Yun, the store, once owned and run by John Esget for many years, and then by a series of other operators, was once a place where people could get a sandwich, pick up a quick food item, or grab a lottery ticket and in the past, use their cold storage lockers for frozen goods, like beef, hence "The Cow" symbolizing what you could store there. The building and land are now owned by Clearview Eye & Laser, the business that has been under construction just down the block for some months now.

For the Yun's, the cost of staying as the rent went up became too much to operate at a profit so they've chosen to close. Until they do, they told the Herald, they are discounting their remaining inventory which includes lots of cold beverages and other grocery items.

The High Point Branch of the Seattle Public Library will be hosting an Open House this Sunday, January 29, from 1 pm – 3 pm. The City Librarian, Marcellus Turner, will be there and deliver some brief remarks at 1:30 pm. There will be activities and snacks and tours of the reimagined spaces. The library is located at 3411 S.W. Raymond St.

The 7,200-square-foot High Point Branch opened in June 2004, thanks to the 1998 voter-approved “Libraries for All” bond measure that renewed and revitalized libraries across the city.

The library now has new carpet, a reconfigured holds area, added seating, power in seating areas and at tables and a reconfigured children’s area to provide a more welcoming space for families. Technology and sound quality in the meeting room are also improved.

Information provided by Seattle Police Department

Detectives seized large quantities of crack cocaine, heroin and $25,000 in cash on Sunday from a man suspected of dealing drugs in the Ballard and Greenwood neighborhoods.

After purchasing heroin from the 26-year-old man on several occasions, police served a warrant on his Lynnwood apartment and vehicle Sunday and recovered 75 grams of wafers of crack, 27 grams of heroin and the cash.

Police booked him into the Snohomish County Jail for narcotics possession.

information from King County Metro

Metro Connects, the long-range plan for improving King County Metro transit service, was adopted Monday by the King County Council, following review by the Regional Transit Committee. Metro Transit serves more than 400,000 daily riders today; under this plan there will be over one million daily riders on transit throughout King County by 2040.

King County Metro Transit General Manager Rob Gannon thanked the County Executive, County Council and Regional Transit Committee for their leadership and approval of the Metro Connects plan.

“When transit service is integrated, customers win,” Gannon said. “Transit demand continues to climb, and with Metro Connects we now begin the work of further expanding this region’s world-class system. Behind the buses and route numbers are the operators, mechanics and planners who will make this plan happen, and we are focused on accomplishing this work so service can better meet customers’ needs now and in the future.”

Take the stress out of filing your taxes and maximize your refund – have United Way of King County prepare your return for free!

United Way of King County is offering free tax preparation services in 27 locations throughout King County from now until April 20th. Households making under $64,000 can have their taxes prepared-- and they can get connected to healthcare enrollment and other public benefits.

Locations can be found throughout the county with daytime, evening, and weekend hours available. No appointments needed. Get your maximum refund fast and pay no fees!

The tax site for the West Seattle community is:
West Seattle Food Bank
Wed: 5:00- 9:00 PM
Thurs: 5:00- 9:00 PM
Sat: 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM

To find other locations, languages available, a list of what to bring, and other details, visit the website at www.uwkc.org/taxhelp or call 2-1-1.

Click here if you need supplies.

By Lindsay Peyton

A new coalition has formed representing Seattle’s Ballard, Phinney, Queen Anne, Greenwood and Magnolia neighborhoods – and the group is ready to take a stand on crime and homelessness.

Speak Out Seattle, created on Jan. 5, is part of Safe Seattle, an advocacy group trying to end neighborhood crime, drug dealing and homelessness.

“It’s a group of neighborhood associations, business owners and residents,” co-founder Harley Lever said. “Nobody’s satisfied with the situation going on in Seattle. The extremes are the voice, and I think regular people are frustrated.”

The organization clarified the “situation” in a letter to city council member Mike O’Brien, district 6, which was hand-delivered to him, as well as other select representatives and Mayor Ed Murray, on Tuesday, Jan. 10.

In the letter, Speak Out Seattle chair Elisabeth James wrote, “People belong in homes, indoor shelters and/or in rehabilitation facilities where they can get the help they need. Not outside in camps.”

By Lindsay Peyton

Women don’t come to Belle Boudoir simply for a sexy photo shoot.

“What people get out of this is the experience,” photographer and business owner Cheryl Jones said. “We do their hair, make-up, wardrobe. They get to feel beautiful. What women really get out of the session is more confidence, a sensuality they might not have had before.”

Which isn’t to say that they also won’t leave with some of the best photos around.

Jones knows all the techniques with her Canon and lighting equipment to make every woman look their best, regardless of age, size or comfort in front of a camera.

“For most of my clients, this is outside of their comfort zone,” she said. “The people who do sessions with us are everyday women, all ages, moms, everyone.”

Jones coaches the women through their modeling poses. “A lot of people are concerned about what to do,” she said. “I assure them I’ll tell them exactly what to do.”

By Peggy Sturdivant

Why get married on a random day in August when you can combine lifelong commitment with social justice?

Why sleep in after your own wedding and reception when you can show up to volunteer in your neighborhood the morning after to dig in the still-frozen ground and clear invasive plants?

No reason at all for the group registered “Wedding” for Nature Consortium’s Martin Luther King Jr.’s Day of Service at Pigeon Point in West Seattle on January 16, 2017. In fact registering for the day of service was part of the RSVP for the wedding and another incentive to move the nuptials from August 2107 to the last weekend with Barack Obama still in the White House.

Wedding was assigned to Group Two, just south of Pathfinder School. Wearing pink and blue knit caps the two grooms themselves were chipping into the dirt in preparation for planting. “We wanted to fulfill Obama’s message of hope,” David Wells (neé Deblock) said leaning on a shovel. “This whole weekend is about social justice for us.” He was in pink hat and his groom Jonathan Wells in the blue.

Youth beats another youth, steals phones, booked for robbery

Police responded to a robbery at a business located on the 2100 block of 77th N.W. Street on Tues., January 17. When police arrived they found the victim with an icepack on his face sitting on a couch in the lobby of the business. His left cheek was bruised, and there was blood coming from his ear. He told police that the suspect entered the business and said “You [expletive] with my brother,” and then began punching him in the face with both fists. A staff person at the desk of the business said she was going to call the police. Then another staff person came down the stairs and told the suspect to leave. He confronted the suspect. The suspect took the victim’s cellphone before fleeing the scene.