For the last 8 years, we have participated in a really great program through the city's Market Garden up at High Point. We share a half-share of weekly produce with our neighbors <snip> which provides plenty of produce for each of our families of 4 each week.
The garden is located at 32nd and Juneau. The produce is beautiful, organically grown, cheap, and couldn't be more local unless you grew it yourself! The program employs low-income Southeast Asian immigrants who live in the High Point development. They were farmers in their homelands before emigrating here, but are mostly older folks, making learning a new trade in the U.S. very difficult. The program allows them to earn an income doing what they do best, and we get all kinds of delicious goodies each week, plus occasional flowers, costing us about $7.50/week, from late May to mid-October. Many of them speak little or no English, but have been so gracious to me and my kids, often letting us roam the garden and giving my girls freshly pulled and washed carrots to munch on.
To learn more, go to http://seattlemarketgardens.org/index.html
We've just signed up for this year with the Kellers. Maybe we'll see some of you there!
Cheers,
Katy
Help promote planting trees?
Friday, 18 April 2008
Hello,
Trees are important to keep neighborhoods healthy and beautiful. I am helping the City of Seattle communicate its new Seattle reLeaf campaign, which aims to rebuild the urban forest, and we are looking for help from neighborhood groups to promote the effort.
Here is a short article about Seattle reLeaf and what you can do to help. Could you spread the word to your members via your web site, listserve or at a meeting?
City launches Seattle ReLeaf
Seattle’s trees need your help. Seattle has lost more than half of its tree canopy since the early 1970s. The City of Seattle has launched Seattle reLeaf to help reverse the decline.
It is not possible to rebuild the urban forest without engaging the people who live in the city. That means you. While restoring trees in urban parks is important, that’s not enough. Most of the land in Seattle is in private hands; in fact, most is residential.
Here are a few of the ways you can help:
--Plant trees in your yard, and choose the right tree for your landscape.
--Water all your trees in summer, including mature trees.
--Prune young trees to create a strong structure.
To find out more about restoring the urban forest, visit Seattle reLeaf at www.seattle.gov/trees.
I am leaving town tomorrow for two weeks. If you have questions, please contact Tracy Morgenstern, City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment,
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or (206) 386-4595.
On Feb 24, there was a meeting at the Church of the Nazarene (4201 SW Juneau) between a number of neighbors and the "Share" Shelter.
20 homeless men are scheduled to be staying at this church over the next year, and potentially on an alternating yearly basis in the future.
A number of issues were raised about safety, curfews and what to do if an incident occurs at the shelter. The men staying at the church also expressed that they are just trying to help improve their lives so they will no longer be homeless.
From my perspective, while people had some issues that are expressing a tenseness with something like this going on in the neighborhood without original neighborhood input, most remained open-minded and asked that a follow-up meeting occur on March 30 to see how things are going.
To help with the concerns brought up during the meeting, I offered to setup an mailing list for the neighborhood, the church and Share so we can identify particular issues in the future and to also get the neighborhood to see how the gentlemen at Share help to become part of the neighborhood.
If you would like to be added to the new mailing list, please send an email to
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and ask to be added.
No other personal information is required to be added to the list.
Thanks
Paul
Sustainable West Seattle
Friday, 12 October 2007
Hope we can work together as part of Sustainable West Seattle. It meets
MONDAY OCTOBER 15, 7:00-9pm at Camp Long - 5200 35th Ave SW
The RTID (Regional Transportation Initiative District) proposal will raise
$47 Billion over 20 years to build 50 additional miles of light rail and
numerous road and highway projects. Come and listen to reasons (and ask
questions) for the YES and NO positions on this important transportation
levy. SWS will host representatives from both Transportation Choices
Coalition and the Sierra Club, and we expect a vigorous discussion!
Among some of the questions we expect to hear discussed are:
Is it cost-effective?
Will it reduce commute time?
Will it reduce oil-dependence?
Will it address global warming?
How will West Seattle be affected?
What are the alternatives?
Toward peace and justice and sustainability, Moreah
Fauntleroy
Monday, 01 October 2007
Paul,
Here's the reference to the law regarding turning left across a double yellow centerline. This is from the Seattle Municipal Code. It essentially repeats the state law (RCW 46.61.150). You will probably observe that this doesn't directly say that this is a legal maneuver. Rather, this states under what situations a left turn is illegal. That's pretty consistent with how these laws are written, in that if it's not specifically prohibited, it's legal. Basically, what's prohibited, with respect to turning left across center line stripes, is turning across a stripe that's at least 18" wide or across a diagonally striped painted "median". I hope that makes sense. Anyway, here's the citation:
SMC 11.53.080 Divided streets -- Medians and barriers.
Whenever any street has been divided into two (2) or more roadways by a physical barrier or by a planted area or by a median island not less than eighteen inches (18") wide formed either by solid yellow pavement markings or by a yellow cross-hatching between two (2) solid yellow lines so installed as to control vehicular traffic, every vehicle shall be driven only upon the right-hand roadway unless directed or permitted to use another roadway by official traffic-control devices or peace officers. No vehicle shall be driven over, across or within any such physical barrier or planted area or median island, except through an opening in such physical barrier or planted area or median island, or at a crossover or intersection established by public authority. (RCW 46.61.150)
Now, regarding crosswalks, I'm going to simply give you a link to our webpage, which defines crosswalks (again,under the definition, they need not
be physically marked), as well as provides a lot of the excerpts of state law regarding crosswalk law and pedestrian right-of-way.
You can get involved directly with one of our ACTION GROUPS at any time.
Just contact the folks listed below:
Energy Gary Lichtenstein glichtenstein at comcast.net
Transportation Chas Redmond credmond at mac.com
Food & Health Nancy Ishii grace728 at juno.com
Water & Waste Reduction Holly Harris holly.harris at klgates.com
Green Building & Planning Mary Quakenbush maryquackenbush at comcast.net
The six areas are
. Renewable Energy & Conservation
. Local Transportation Solutions
. Easting Locally, Sustainable Health and Elder Care
. Water & Waste Reduction
. Green Building, Sustainable Landscaping and Gardening
. Community-Based Economics
. Green Space Conservation
Moreah
Annual Night Out Invitation
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Everyone -
It hardly seems possible but August is just around the corner and that means our Night Out celebration is just a little over 2 weeks away. You should
have all received a hard copy paper invitation but here are the details, by way of a reminder:
When:
Tuesday, August 7th ~ rain or shine
Cocktails @ 6:30 (the return of the Fairmount Fizz!) & Dinner @ 7:00
Where:
Northeast end of the 5600 block of 40th SW (Look for the green umbrella and long tables)
What:
Bring your favorite entree, salad or dessert (Utensils/plates/cups/some non-alcoholic beverages will be provided)
Bring a chair you'll need a place to sit when you're not dancing!
Turn on your porch light @ 8:00 and come back to the party because the 40th Street Band will be cranking out your favorite dance tunes!
No RSVP is necessary, just come on down!
We have notified the city we will be blocking off the street to through traffic for the evening.
Hope you can join us - it's a great way to stay in touch with our neighbors, share some great food and have a fun time, all in the name of crime
prevention!
If you have any questions, let me know.
Thanks,
Melissa
West Seattle Emergency Preparedness Event, June 23, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Saturday, 09 June 2007
West Seattle High School Theater, 3000 California Ave. SW
The event will be held in the West Seattle High School Theater and commons
area.
The Hanukkah Eve Windstorm of 2006 was another wake up call for many West
Seattle residents and neighborhoods - are we really ready as a peninsula
community for the next "big one"?
The Southwest Police Precinct Advisory Council has been concerned about this
and working to facilitate emergency preparedness though local community
groups. As a result, on Saturday, June 23, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., they will
be holding a public meeting on West Seattle Emergency Preparedness.
Join your neighbors and Emergency response groups and government agencies
for a review of Emergency Preparedness plans in West Seattle. There will be
a review of personal preparedness ideas as well as examples of how some
communities have organized to be prepared in their neighborhoods.
Communications information will come from the West Seattle HAM radio
network, the West Seattle Herald and internet info provided by the West
Seattle Blogger. Finally, you will get a chance to break into community
groupings to hear and talk about what's going on in your own neighborhood.
Key note speaker will be Ken Jones, KING5 News Senior Photographer, who
covered Hurricane Katrina. Information tables, raffle prizes, coffee and
snacks as well. Sponsored by the Southwest and Delridge District Councils.
For more information, contact Cindi Barker, 206-933-6968 or at
www.morganjunction.org
Help Duke's Help Kids!
Tuesday, 10 April 2007
Friends, there's a strong effort underway to promote funding for middle and
high school athletics in Seattle Public Schools.
Please consider supporting
this cause in one or more of these ways:
** Attend the Breakfast of Champions* (see graphic below).
** Donate online* at www.schoolkidscomefirst.com.
** Buy your latte at Tully's* on Tuesday, April 17 -- 15% of sales at all
Seattle locations will be donated to Seattle Public Schools for secondary
school athletics.
** Attend the Seattle Storum game* on Saturday, June 2. Buy your ticket at
http://www.schoolkidscomefirst.com/boc/storm-opening-night.php and all
proceeds will go to Seattle Public Schools athletics programs.
** Shoot hoops with Jamal Crawford* at a private fundraiser at his home (see
http://www.schoolkidscomefirst.com/boc/hightops-helpinghands.php ).
Please support Team Seattle Athletics. Every dollar makes a difference for a
student athlete.
Irene
-----Original Message-----
From:
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Sent: Fri, 6 Apr 2007 5:27 PM
Subject: Help Duke's Help Kids!
<http://www.schoolkidscomefirst.com/boc/registration-info.php >
The vending machines are gone from the schools now. And so is the income that
was used to pay for sports after school. Public schools need money
desperately. Without your help, our young boys and girls may not be able to
experience sports in the same way we did.
That's where all of us come in. I am helping sponsor a fundraising breakfast
on Wednesday, April 11th at the Westin Hotel at 7 am. Join me at the
Breakfast of Champions and help me help the kids. A world without activities
for these kids is not a pretty place. We can make a difference. *See
attachment for details.*<http://dukeschowderhouse.com/email/documents/BCEMAILINVITE07B2.pdf >
