As we announced last week, Motion Boardshop, which specializes in longboarding, kiteboarding, and paddleboarding, is coming to the neighborhood at 8310 Aurora Ave.  In fact, they're open now.  Check out the video that their crew made as they transitioned from "Old Motion" to "New Motion" - skip to the 4 minute mark for a walk through of the new Aurora space. 

... (more)

John T. Williams, the man who died after he was shot by a police officer Monday afternoon at Boren and Howell, like many who are homeless and struggle with addiction, spent some of his time hanging out on Capitol Hill, sitting on a bench in front of Glo's. Information about a Pioneer Square memorial for him Thursday night is below. Here's more from the Seattle Times from the owners of Glo's on Williams:

It was the same for Chaney Haney and Julie Reisman, co-owners of Glo (sic), a restaurant on Capitol Hill where Williams sold his work, and liked to sit on the bench outside on the sidewalk, carving.... (more)

Twenty years after opening his long-running and successful "Thai on Mercer" restaurant, after a two year hiatus, owner and chef Eddie Khoabtrakool is at it again - only this time, he's brought his delicious cuisine and jovial spirit to Aurora Avenue and 79th Street with "Eddie's Pan Asian Restaurant."

Check out our profile of Mendoza's Mexican Mercado just down the street as well.

There were dark days, children, when the only ice cream Capitol Hill had to its name was the going-out-of-business Ben & Jerry's on Broadway and the Ben & Jerry copyright violation also on Broadway that we can't remember the name of. But no more. Molly Moon's led the way in spring 2009 with Bluebird close behind. The frozen yogurt coalition, already represented by 2007's debut of Crazy Berry, entered its second combatant into the theater that spring also as Old School joined the fray. Now, CHS has learned, before the end of 2010, another frozen yogurt purveyor will enter the battle as Yogurtland is slated to join the Broadway Building "before the end of the year" according to company officials.

The Yogurtland franchise location joins a string of new-era chains that are calling the Broadway Building home including the soon to open Panera Bakery and the already busy Genki Sushi and Z Pizza. A company spokesperson tells CHS that the Yogurtland location will be its franchisee's second location but first... (more)

Seattle police have surrounded an apartment building at 20th and Yesler after a man fired off shots from an apartment balcony around 8:30am.

Seattlecrime.com is updating as this develops.

Update:

Seattle Crime says a man is in custody and things should be winding down soon:

Update @ 9:29- Seattle police are working with a crack negotiator—the man's mother—who is on the phone with the man, trying to coax him out of his apartment.

Update @ 9:35- Police believe there may be 3 or 4 other people inside the apartment with the man.

Update @ 9:36- Police have one person in custody and are trying to get three more people out of the apartment.

Update @ 9:42- Sounds like everyone is safely out of the unit.

Update x2: SPD has released new details on this morning's mayhem: 25 year old man arrested, stolen 9mm handgun recovered from apartment.

On September 2, shortly before 8:30 AM, East Precinct officers responded to a report of shots fired from an apartment balcony in the 2000 Block of East Yesler...

In recent years King County Prosecutors have passed up the death penalty in several high profile cases where it was applicable, with the Green River Killer being one of the most notable.

But that pattern ended today, with prosecutors announcing in a court hearing that they would be seeking the death penalty against Christopher Monfort, accused in the murder of Officer Tim Brenton last Halloween.

The prosecutor's office conducted a review to determine whether there were any factors that would justify life in prison instead of the death penalty, but in their notice presented at court they said that "there are not sufficient mitigating circumstances to merit leniency."

In a statement released to media, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg said that the premeditated slaying of a police officer called for full punishment under the law. "The magnitude of the crimes with which the defendant is charged, and the absence of significant mitigating factors, convinced me that we should submit this case to the jury with... (more)

Tonight at 8 p.m. in the Bengal Theater at the Pond Student Union is the movie, “Just Wright,” starring Queen Latifah as a physical therapist who lands a dream job taking care of an athlete’s injury, but instead the sparks of romance start to fly, complicating things. (PG)  Admission is free for ISU Students, $1 for faculty/staff/children, and $2 for the general public.
           ISU Soccer hosts the Governor’s Cup this weekend, playing the University of Idaho at 5 p.m. this Friday, September 3, followed by a 2 p.m. game against Boise State on Sunday, September 5.  There will also be games for both Boise State and Idaho against Utah Valley on Friday at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. respectively.  All games are at Davis Field. Tickets can be purchased at the gate.\
           The weekend feature at the Bengal Theater is this year’s “Robin Hood” playing at 7 and 9:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday,... (more)

It was in the spring when Idaho State women’s soccer coach Allison Gibson called forward Rachel Strawn into her office.   Strawn knew it wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation.   A top athlete at perennial power Roy (Utah) High School before coming to ISU, Strawn was fighting Gibson tooth and nail when it came to conditioning.   “I played club (soccer) my whole life,” Strawn said. “I never had to do that much fitness. I was terrified of working out. It killed me every time.”   Strawn figured she was doing quite nicely, thank you. Gibson saw things differently.   “I always was the one who got yelled at,” Strawn said with a laugh. “We have to run a 6:30 mile and my body isn’t built for a 6:30 mile.”   

At 5-foot-2, Strawn looks like a small powerball on the pitch. Unfortunately, during her freshman campaign of 2009, that powerball would run out of power. “I had a hard time last year,” Strawn said. “I had a big issue with fitness. I was not a... (more)

As Capitol Hill kids head back to school, Seattle Times has the latest on the ongoing process to forge a new agreement between Seattle Public Schools and the union that represents its teachers:

Seattle Public Schools and its teachers union reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on a contract that allows student test scores to be used as a trigger to more closely evaluate teachers when their students score poorly.

Union leaders called it a "historic" agreement, one that recognizes the need for a better system to evaluate the quality of the work teachers do in the classroom, and to provide them help if they are struggling.

But despite the agreement, the union has raised growing concerns about Seattle Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson's ability to lead. The Seattle Education Association (SEA) leadership is not only recommending approval of the contract, but a vote of no confidence on Goodloe-Johnson. Both votes are set for Thursday afternoon. Classes are scheduled to start next Wednesday.

Times says... (more)

There’s a triangle where Broadway and Harvard meet just north of Madison Street that has been fenced for years. Behind the fence is a concrete stairway with a railing -- but the building is no longer there. It's a stairway to nowhere.

This was the old Scottish Rite Cathedral, which opened in 1911 and remained in use by the Scottish Rite until the late 1950s. The building was actually built in the old Spring Street right-of-way which was vacated by the city in March of 1891, long before the Masonic Temple Association bought the land in August of 1910.

Flash forward 100 years and find a fenced empty lot full of surprisingly hearty weeds and an ambitious clutch of trees. Earlier this week, CHS talked to the owner of this strange patch of Capitol Hill about their development plans for the area. The Polyclinic, we learned, has big plans for most of its Capitol Hill holdings.

But this lot is a conundrum.... (more)

Seattle Police were investigating a reported knifepoint robbery near Cal Anderson Park just after 10 PM Wednesday night. Police said the man who was robbed was so intoxicated he could not provide suspect descriptions when he was contacted near the scene of the crime at 11th and East Olive Street. There were no medical dispatches to that area at the time so it sounds like no injuries in the reported hold-up.

While I was working like mad last week (and missed the market!) Vanessa Ho wrote "Does Seattle have too many Farmers Markets?" for the Seattle PI.  The article discusses the strain on farmers trying to spend time cultivating and still make it to all the neighborhoods clammoring for a market.  Nearby markets also compete against one another, lowering overall profits and sustainability for the farmers and market organizers.  Here in Lake City there are several markets to choose from - our Thursday night market by the library, the University District on Saturdays, and the Meadowbrook and Lake Forest Park markets on Sundays.

Chatting with market staffers in mid August, I was disappointed to learn that Mt. Townsend Creamery has pulled out of our Thursday market.  They weren't generating enough business to justify the expense of coming.  Lake City wasn't the only market to lose them, they pulled out of several other markets as well.  Wade Bennett with Rockridge Orchards is a new vendor... (more)

Next week, the kids are heading back to school! What else is new around the neighborhood?

Remember that while David Douglas starts school on Tuesday, September 7, Parkrose schools won't start until September 8. September 7 is a district-wide furlough day for Parkrose; all campuses and the district office will be closed.

Parkrose High School athletic teams will still be playing in the Northwest Oregon league, but with different schools making up the league (St. Helens, Liberty, Parkrose, Milwaukie, Putnam, Sandy, Sherwood and Wilsonville). The Oregonian has a football preview with head coach Tim Price. First home game for varsity football will be September 17.

Parkrose Girls' Water Polo will be defending their state title this year, with the boys hoping to surpass their second place finish from 2009. Varsity Water Polo will have their first home matches on September 9.

David Douglas's varsity football team will be playing without star defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, who has moved on to UCLA (where the Los Angeles... (more)

Sarah- In front of Red Light Vintage on Broadway.... (more)

There's a holiday coming on Monday: Labor Day. Will your Eastlake business be open? What hours? Planning anything special for the holiday?

Let us know by putting a note in the comments below or e-mail me at curtmilton (at) comcast.net. I'll publish a list of who's open sometime this weekend.

Have a great holiday!