New look for the Ravenna Blog, coming soon

Dear Reader,

We’re going to let you in on a little secret. Call it a sneak peek at your Christmas present.

We’re in the midst of redesigning the site.

You see, thanks to those ads you see down the righthand side of this page, we now have the means to invest a bit more back into the business. (Many thanks, ad partners.)

And we’re starting with investing in the website itself.

The overall look will stay much the same — Ravenna banner at the top, text on the left, ad space and a few other things on the right — but gain a more professional-looking, cleaner theme.

And more features! Such as:

  • TABS!
  • In-page CONTACT form, for tips and questions!
  • A FORUM, so you can create your own topics for discussion!
  • TABS!
  • Handy list of neighboring websites in Northeast Seattle!
  • A larger, more readable font!
  • TABS!

(We’re very excited about those tabs.)

Now, when can you expect to see this new and improved Ravenna Blog? We don’t have an exact date planned, but keep look for a change between now and the new year.

Until then, dear reader, if you would really, really like a peek at the look of the new site, simply click on the logo below (SPOILER ALERT):

We hope you like it, and look forward to your feedback once the new site goes live.

Sincerely,

the Ravenna Blog staff

P.S. If you’re curious about how the FORUM will work, we’ll be using the same plugin that runs the West Seattle Blog’s forums. Check it out.

LaVassar Florist and Roaring Mouse Annual Holiday Open House details

Once again, northern Ravenna businesses LaVassar Florists and Roaring Mouse Creative Arts Studio (7530 20th Avenue NE) are holding their Annual Holiday Open House.

This year the event takes place on Saturday, December 3 from 10 AM-5 PM.

Thirteen artists and vendors will have their wares available for purchase (see the full list on the event flier below).

Raffle prizes include three fresh arrangements from LaVassar, and two $50 gift certificates for Roaring Mouse.

Santa himself will attend the event from noon until 2 PM — he’s a busy guy these days. Complimentary photos are available, or you can use your own camera.

Cookies and cider will be available. But if you’re still hungry, check out the bake sale — the proceeds of which benefit Hopelink Food Bank.

Rally and march near Montlake, University Bridges this afternoon (updates)

This afternoon, the 99% are coming north of the cut.

A rally and march are planned for the University of Washington area, starting at 3:30 this afternoon.

From Working Washington’s facebook page for the event:

On November 17, people from across the area will converge at the functionally obsolete Montlake Bridge to demand our political leaders build bridges to good jobs, not make more cuts. This is part of a national day of action for jobs that’s happening in dozens of cities across the country.

The schedule of events today appears to be:

3:30 PM – Gathering at the grassy area just west of the intersection of Montlake & Pacific

4:00 PM – Rally

4:30 PM – March

One possible route the march could take we’ve gleaned from the website The Stand, a project of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (WSLC) and its affiliated unions. The Stand describes the march route as starting near the Montlake Bridge, but ending at the University Bridge to the west, due to “safety concerns cited by the Seattle Police Dept.”

A call to the front desk at the North Precinct reveals no final march route plans in place at the time of this writing; however, the officer on the phone said “they’re having a big summit on it right now.”

Capitol Hill Seattle echoes the march route move to the University Bridge, citing a Thursday Day of Action itinerary (at the bottom of the post).

UPDATE (12:14 PM): The Seattle Times’ Today File confirms the move to march to the University Bridge instead of to Montlake, citing the information on The Stand’s website that we mentioned earlier.


View November 17th rally and march in a larger map

UPDATE (12:21 PM): The Seattle Department of Transportation has sent out the following traffic advisory (via email):

SEATTLE  An Occupy Seattle rally and march today has the potential for creating major delays on all arterials leading to and from Ship Canal bridges during the afternoon commute.

The rally is scheduled to take place between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. on the University of Washington campus and then is expected to march west on NE Pacific Street to the University Bridge at roughly 4:30 p.m. The demonstrators plan to block the bridge during the afternoon rush hour so their presence will likely cause traffic delays throughout the afternoon commute until after 6:30 or 7 p.m. Demonstrators may also block the Montlake Bridge during that timeframe.

Seattle Police Officers will be on hand to minimize traffic congestion but the blockage of any one bridge could impact other nearby Ship Canal bridges. Commuters should allow additional time for detouring to another route. Motorists who must get to the University or Children’s hospitals should plan for extra time to reach their destination.

The protests could be very disruptive to transit service this afternoon. For information or questions about transit service, please call Metro Transit customer service at 206-553-3000, and sign up to receive Transit Alerts at www.kingcounty.gov/metro/alerts.

UPDATE (2:44 PM): The Seattle Department of Transportation has a network of traffic webcams across the city, and there just happens to be one at Montlake Blvd NE @ NE Pacific St (first picture revealed after you click the camera indicated by the picture below).

This rally and march is part of a larger “Mass Day of Action” planned for today, with events happening all around the country.

OM NOM: Art of Pancakes Fundraiser this Saturday

Every weekend is a good one for rolling out of bed late and cooking up some pancakes* for breakfast. But not every weekend can you cook them up at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center in an art competition!

On Saturday, November 19, the RECC is holding its annual Art of Pancakes Fundraiser for the Ravenna Community Garden.

Details from the event page:

Please join us during a wacky pancake art competition benefitting the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Garden! Enjoy a pancake breakfast that includes toppings, bacon, and beverages. Decorate a pancake for the “Wall o’ Art”.

The cost is three dollars per person. Pretty good deal for breakfast in the neighborhood.

Now, should you want to practice your Pancake Art skills before Saturday, we recommend you check out the Jim’s Pancakes website.

Here’s a time lapse video of a Millennium Falcon pancake in production:

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*See also: Hash browns, bacon, eggs, toast, coffee, etc. Am I missing anything?

Are you crafty, and local? There’s a Ravenna holiday sale for that.

The Fourth Annual Ravenna Holiday Arts & Crafts Sale is looking for a few more local crafty types to sell their wares during the event on Saturday, December 10.

The deadline for artist applications has been extended to Tuesday, November 22.

The application and all the details about the sale — table sizes, advertising, artist responsibilities and more — can be found in this document (PDF).

Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center survey needs your input

CLARIFICATION: This survey was created by a community member (who attended the RECC operations meeting on November 9). While this survey is not an official Seattle Parks and Recreation creation, your answers are still much appreciated and will be shared with the staff.

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On the heels of last week’s Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center operations meeting comes this survey gauging interest in new programming at the community center.

Whether you use the RECC or you don’t, please take a few minutes to answer the seven questions included in the survey. Future operating and programming hours may depend on it!

Two fatalities, three serious injuries after crash on 110th and Lake City Way (updates)

UPDATE (Tuesday, December 6): SUV driver has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide, one count of vehicular assault and one count of reckless endangerment. (Seattle Times)

UPDATE (Thursday, November 17): The Seattle Times’ Today File reports that the SUV driver has left the hospital, for jail.

UPDATE (Tuesday, 2:09 PM): The Seattle Times reports that the man driving the SUV in Sunday’s crash was charged in 2009 with vehicular homicide.

UPDATE (Monday, 6:32 PM): The Seattle Times’ Today File has information about the victims of the crash.

UPDATE (Sunday, 7:38 PM): More info on the Seattle Police Department Blotter here, including news that the injuries to the people taken to Harborview were non-life-threatening. Also, the accident detour will last until approximately 9 PM.

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Just after 4 PM on Sunday, November 13, Jonah Spangenthal-Lee (via SeaCrime on twitter) mentioned a “[b]ad accident with possible fatalities on 110th and Lake City Way.”


View Fatality accident at 110th and Lake City Way in a larger map

Since then, as details have come in, the story has turned even more tragic.

KING 5 News is reporting that two people have died at the scene, and three others have been taken to Harborview Medical Center.

Police say one car was stopped when another vehicle, an SUV, hit the car from behind.

The car caught fire as it was pushed down the street. Two people in the car were dead at the scene.

The male driver of the SUV was transported to Harborview Medical Center with life threatening injuries

Two girls in the back seat of SUV were also transported to Harborview with serious injuries.

The Seattle Times reports that the injured girls were a 10-year-old and an 20-year-old woman 11-year-old girl.

Updates will be available here at KING5.com and on The Blotter on seattletimes.com.

Ravenna Blog Social Media Round-Up, November 6-12

This week we live tweeted a restaurant opening, occupied University Ave., and heard about some boring vibrations on Capitol Hill.

Come celebrate BlogsGiving, meet us, and help Northwest Harvest

Hey, neighbor and/or reader! We’d love to meet you. And we’d also love to help out those in need this holiday season.

Why not do BOTH?!

BlogsGiving is a benefit for Northwest Harvest AND a multi-blog meet-up. The event was conceived by the good folks at The SunBreak, the online magazine of news and culture for Seattle.

For this fourth annual BlogsGiving, Roosiehood, My Green Lake, and yours truly badgered talked the SunBreak gang into bringing the fun and fundraising north of the Montlake Cut and into Northeast Seattle*. All in the hopes of meeting you! And helping hunger programs in Washington state, too.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: YOU stop by Pies and Pints (1215 NE 65th St) between 4 and 7 PM on Saturday, November 19, to meet your local neighborhood internet newsies and/or bloggers, and bring with five bucks or two cans of food for Northwest Harvest (suggested minimum donations). Here’s a list of what Northwest Harvest needs the most.

In return, WE will thank you kindly for your generosity by buying you a drink (alcohol or otherwise). There will also be art supplies for making hand turkey drawings!

Furthermore, if you yourself are a blogger, or have similar internet-type weight to throw around, we invite you to join us on the planning side of the event — which really just involves donating some money for the drinks and meeting your adoring fans. Contact SunBreak editor, Michael van Baker, for details.

If you like, you can let us know you’re attending by RSVPing on the BlogsGiving Facebook page.

Hope to see you there! *gobble, gobble*

* Wallyhood will also be joining us, from the other side of I-5.

Looks like Stay Inside and Fill Out Surveys weather

You WERE going to rake leaves this weekend, honest. But the weather has you trapped inside, where there are blankets, and hot cocoa. And possibly cats.

Why not dedicate a few moments of your time to giving the city a piece of your mind?

Road Safety Summit Comment Form (and Forum)

Now through November 23: The Mayor and City Council would love to know how you feel about road safety. You can find the Road Safety Summit comments form here.

You will be asked to review traffic safety data and then give your answers to the following three questions:

1. What do you think are the highest priority safety problems to solve on Seattle roads?
2. What do you think are the most important things to do to make Seattle roads safer?
3. We often talk about what government can do to promote safety. What are the ways that groups and individuals can promote safety?

In case you do feel like leaving the house (and cats) on Tuesday, November 15, a public forum on road safety is being held at the Northgate Community Center (10510 5th Ave NE), from 6-8 PM. RSVP here.

University District StreetFair Survey

The Greater University Chamber of Commerce has a survey up regarding the Annual University District StreetFair (held on the third weekend of May annually). Responses will be used to help improve future StreetFairs.