Kids

Outdoor movies at Magnuson Park return on July 11

June 25, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 2 Comments

Summer in Western Washington is said to officially start after July 4. And the same goes for the Outdoor movies at Magnuson Park series. (Nobody likes soggy popcorn!)

All showings are on Thursdays, starting July 11, at Magnuson Park (7400 Sand Point Way NE). Seating opens at 7 PM, and the movies start at dusk. Cost is $5.

Also “showing” will be cirque performances (by The Cabiri), movie trivia, and food trucks. And the event is also billed as being dog friendly.

As for which movie you might want to attend, Ravenna Blog recommends ALL of them. Seriously. Look at this schedule:

July 11: Moonrise Kingdom (2012, PG-13, 94 minutes)
July 18: Singin’ in the Rain (1952, 103 minutes)
July 25: Finding Nemo (2003, G, 100 minutes)
August 1: Skyfall (2012, PG-13, 143 minutes)
August 8: The Sandlot (1993, PG, 101 minutes)
August 15: Raiders of the Last Ark (1981, PG, 115 minutes)
August 22: Singles (1992, PG-13, 99 minutes)
August 29: The Princess Bride (1987, PG, 98 minutes)

You can see information about event sponsors and which specific food trucks will be at each showing on the Movies at Magnuson homepage.

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The Ravenna Blog’s 5th birthday is also scheduled for Thursday, August 15, but from 5-7 PM. Celebrate with us, *then* go fight Nazis with Indy.

RSVP to the party here. We’d love to see you!

Filed Under: Events, Families, Food, Kids, Magnuson Park, Northeast Seattle

Beloved metal animals stolen from Ravenna Park playground

June 18, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 4 Comments

Where Lucy the Pika once crouched…

Pika statue from Ravenna Park playground. Used with permission from Seattle Parks and Recreation.

…there is naught but a hole, a bent screw, and the name of the missing critter and her donor family.

Photo courtesy Tracey Sconyers

Of the eleven bronze animal sculptures that have graced the Ravenna Park playground since 2008, four reportedly went missing over the weekend: Two pika, a deer mouse, and a mourning dove.

View Ravenna Park playground in a larger map

From resident Tracey Sconyers, who lives near the park (via email):

My girls informed me today [Monday, June 17] that four of the small animal statues are missing from around the Ravenna Park playground. They noticed yesterday (Sunday) that they were gone. I walked over the the park about an hour ago, and it looks like two pika, one deer mouse, and one mourning dove were cut from the rocks. All the missing pieces were along the upper sidewalk area, the one that passes directly in front of the little maintenance building.

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Each [sculpture] was custom made for its location, and were a gift to the park, in commemoration for the extensive time and money that several families made to ensure that the playground was renovated.

Sconyers says she has called several local metal recyclers to make them aware of the thefts, and to keep an eye out for the sculptures.

Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Joelle Hammerstad tells us that Parks has already contacted the artist, Rachel Boughton, about possible replacements if the stolen animals are not returned. Good news: The artist still has the molds.

You can see all of the animals that artist Rachel Broughton (Flying Dog Press and Gallery) made for the playground here.

Photo courtesy Tracey Sconyers

You can view the Friends of Ravenna Playground site here, thanks to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. The playground was renovated with money from grants and fundraising, and reopened with new play equipment in 2007.

Filed Under: Crime, Families, Kids, Lost/Found, Photos, Ravenna, Ravenna Park

Wading pool season opens on Saturday! Yay!

June 17, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson Leave a Comment

It’s almost too hot right now to write this post, but I know you’re all wondering…

AND, YES, IT’S ALMOST WADING POOL TIME.

I want to go to there.

Your two Northeast Seattle wading pools for 2013 are:

Dahl Playfield (7700 25th Ave NE) open T/W/Th from noon-7 PM, June 25 through August 15
Magnuson Park (7400 Sand Point Way NE) open daily from noon-6:30 PM, June 22 through August 25

And your closest spraypark is:

Northacres Park (12800 1st Ave NE) open daily from 11 AM-8 PM, now through September 2

Wading pools are open when the temperature is forecast to be 70°F or higher. Sprayparks, however, are open daily (unless thunder and lightning are present).

You can download the full Seattle Parks and Recreation wading pool, spraypark, and swimming beach schedule here (in all its Comic Sans glory; 302 KB PDF).

Filed Under: Dahl Field, Families, Kids, Magnuson Park, Northeast Seattle, Seattle Parks and Recreation

Bike-to-School Day ride and rally at Bryant Elementary (UPDATES, VIDEO)

May 8, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 3 Comments

Wednesday, May 8 was Bike-to-School Day, and Bryant Elementary School students and family turned out in force.

Participating cyclists started their ride to school at the Wedgwood Top Pot Doughnuts, who provided morning treats. About 40 minutes later, and under Seattle Police escort, the group headed south on 35th Avenue NE toward Bryant Elementary (on NE 60th Street).

Once at school, everyone gathered on the playground for a rally and press conference. Speakers included:

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. José Banda
Seattle City Councilmember Sally Bagshaw
Seattle School Board President Kay Smith-Blum
Cascade Bicycle Club Education Director Julie Salathé
Bryant Elementary School Principal Kim Fox

And Ravenna Blog was there! Taking lots of pictures.

View from the Top Pot driveway off NE 70th Street as families gathered.

Lesile Loper (AKA The Bike Fairy) in blue, next to Seattle Schools Superintendent Dr. José Banda in bright green. On the left in red is Michele Solis with her son, Linus (who I think had just taken a bite of a powdered sugar doughnut).

Overflow bike parking at the Wedgwood Top Pot along 35th Avenue NE.

This pink beauty was the first bike here this morning, as you can see in the tweet below:

The calm before the storm. The forecast is for a joyous din of kid bikers, beginning around 8 a.m. twitter.com/Eckstein_Bikes…

— Eckstein Bikes (@Eckstein_Bikes) May 8, 2013

Clint Loper (Walk.Bike.Schools co-founder, Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board member, father of Bryant and Eckstein Middle School students, and husband to The Bike Fairy) was handing out these smiley bike pins. (The eyes are the wheels, get it?)

A gaggle of bikers walks their rides through the crosswalk at NE 70th St and 35th Ave NE.

KOMO TV morning photographer Fred Veinfurt let a few kids check out his camera gear while he was on scene with reporter Kelly Koopmans. Here’s Fred and his “students” from another angle:

@photogfredkomo showing the kiddos what it’s like to be a big time photographer #liveonkomo twitter.com/KellyKOMO4/sta…

— Kelly Koopmans (@KellyKOMO4) May 8, 2013

Many of the kid’s bikes were decorated. This one is even sporting a Seattle Children’s Bike to Work Month seat cover.

GIRLS RULE indeed.

Another view from the NE 70th Street side of Top Pot, as the crowd swelled (in numbers and with doughnuts consumed).

Here, Clint Loper (in black, with the bullhorn) thanks Bike to Bryant attendees for coming, and Top Pot Doughnuts for supporting the cause.

Seattle Bike Blog‘s Tom Fucoloro (center) interviews Car Free Days‘ Anne King (right) while Robyn Ellis (behind the camera) records the conversation.

Members of the Seattle Police Department line 35th Avenue NE and look for the start of the ride.

The front row of riders get a briefing just before heading out onto 35th Avenue NE. Cascade Bicycle Club Education Director Julie Salathé is in the yellow jacket at right.

A *lot* of riders, no?! For contrast, here is the first Bike to Bryant Donut ride:

Bike2Bryant 1st Donut Ride, 2008. bit.ly/16Yi1nk Today we will ride with Jose Banda & 100+ kids & parents. #SEAbikes @oninformation

— Anne K (@annesavvy) May 8, 2013

And they’re off! Banda and The Bike Fairy lead the way.

A number of Cascade Bicycle Club members were along for the ride, wearing red, white and black wool cycling shirts. The rider on the yellow bike here happens to be Kathy McCabe, Deputy Director of the Cascade Bicycle Club.

Cyclists of all ages and sizes, heading to school.

No worries: Her dad had the other wheel. (Two unicyclers in the family!)

Cyclists fill the streets while the media lines the sidewalks.

The Seattle Bike Blog people-powered news van on its way to the rally.

Back of the pack. Clint, armed with his cowbell, is on the far left.

And Michele Solis and her moving sculpture-style ride brought up the rear.

The Cascade Bicycle Club has a video of the start of the ride, as well as a sped-up version of the route to school:

One the primary school peloton arrived at Bryant Elementary, everyone cruised around to the playground behind the school for the Bike to School Day rally.

Ready to ring, or tweet, at a moment’s notice.

Bryant Elementary School Principal Kim Fox addresses her students.

Cascade Bicycle Club recorded Superintendent Banda’s speech, and you can view it below:

This is Brian Dougherty, the Safe Routes to School Coordinator with the Seattle Department of Transportation, dressed for the occasion.

Here, a KIRO TV photojournalist gets an exclusive with The Bike Fairy.

I took a picture of this balance bike, thinking it was an ancient family heirloom. Talking to the family that owns it revealed that the bike was only about two years old — it gets USED.

Councilmember Sally Bagshaw spoke to the crowd as well.

And here’s Seattle School Board President Kay Smith-Blum speaking to the kids from the podium, the younger ladies literally hanging on her every word.

Shots from the PACKED bike racks behind Bryant.

Who doesn’t love a miniature vanity license plate?

Tim King of Bike Free Days tallied the kid’s bikes at the end of the ride:

That’s a whole lotta kids’ bikes! #seabikes #bike2schoolday #bike2bryant twitter.com/oninformation/…

— Tim K / Carfreedays (@oninformation) May 8, 2013

UPDATE (Thursday, May 9): Here’s Q13FOX’s coverage of the event (not embedded here due to its autoplay feature).

And here is the video of the event that the Seattle Bike Blog put together. Includes an interview with Car Free Days’ Anne King:

And here’s KIRO TV’s coverage, including the video of the event once it reached Bryant Elementary:

Filed Under: Bryant, Bryant Elementary School, City Council, Civic Envolvement, Events, Families, Food, Kids, Photos, Ravenna, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Police Department, Updates, Video, Wedgwood

“Get Your Bloom On” at the Olympic View Plant Sale

April 22, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 1 Comment

The 12th Annual Olympic View Elementary School Plant Sale is happening this Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, from 9 AM-7 PM each day.

“Get growing with vegetable and fruit starts, herbs, flowering annuals, premium perennials, pottery, garden art, and more!”

All proceeds directly benefit the students of Olympic View Elementary (located at 509 NE 95th Street just south of Northgate Mall).

Special events on Saturday include crafts for kids (11 AM – 2 PM) and Peaks Frozen Custard (from noon – 5 PM)

Filed Under: Events, Families, Food, Fundraiser, Kids, Maple Leaf, Northeast Seattle, Public Schools

DUI suspect Mark Mullan’s role in local youth baseball, clarified

April 10, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 1 Comment

After it became known that Mark Mullan, the suspect in the March 25 DUI/homicides on NE 75th Street, had a connection to the North Seattle Baseball Association, NSBA President Chris Medina emailed parents in the organization about Mullan’s role.

We asked Medina if we could publish this message here, for the wider Northeast Seattle community, and he agreed. Medina also said he has received a tremendous outpouring of support from league members and the community in support of the league, and offers of support as volunteers since the event.

The date of this letter is March 26.

On Monday, tragedy struck our community when a driver struck several pedestrians on 75th in front of Eckstein Middle School. The NSBA Board of Directors extends our deepest condolences to the families of the 2 people who lost their lives, and to the 2 people who were critically injured. We cannot put into words the sadness that all of us in the community are feeling right now, but I felt it important to reach out right away to communicate openly so as to offer at least a gesture of caring and respect to our community.

The board of directors was mobilized early [Tuesday] morning. We asked our commissioners to communicate with their coaches in order to be prepared to talk to their players and parents about the incident, so that we can be able to have the dialogue that perhaps some families and players need in order to cope with the situation.

You may have read the newspaper or saw in the news the references to NSBA. Mark Mullan, the driver of the vehicle that struck the pedestrians was wearing an NSBA sweatshirt at the time of the accident. While I do not know him personally, he is a former coach and former board member, but is not one of our current coaches or volunteers for this season. Mr. Mullan did not return as a coach to the league after last year, and it has been several years since he was a board member. We are in touch with the press, and we ask that all press inquiries be directed to me, or to the board.

As many of you know, we take coach (and player) conduct very seriously in our league. We highlighted a stronger stance and policy on policing coaches behavior at the outset of this season’s preparation and was again emphasized during our mandatory coaches training last month. As an all-volunteer organization, driven by you all, our membership, we focus very carefully on the player/child experience as well as on coach and parent experience. That means we must often rely on parents, coaches, and each other for reports on incidents that may have occurred. We have a disciplinary review committee that is formed according to our league by-laws, and we actively police each other. At any time, for a given action committed on or off the field, any volunteer can be dismissed for his/her conduct, or if in fact the league disciplinary review committee decides that as a proper course of action. Our biggest concern is the kids well-being.

Additionally, every head coach and assistant coach in our organization must submit their personal information as part of a criminal background questionnaire. This is a required action every season. Additionally, we take this a step further by submitting that information for every coach to the Washington State Patrol background check services called WATCH, a special service that has been offered to us at little or no cost, as we are an all volunteer non-profit organization. This is currently in progress, and is unfortunately a very manual process, so if you would like to assist to help us accelerate the process, please let us know as we would welcome the assistance at this very trying and busy time.

Again, our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by this tragedy.

Chris Medina, President NSBA

For further questions, you may contact the North Seattle Baseball Association here: contactnsba@gmail.com.

Filed Under: Crime, Families, Kids, Northeast Seattle

Family Movie Matinees at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

April 8, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson Leave a Comment

The Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Avenue NE) has added a few movie matinees to their schedule that may be of interest to you and your toddler/preschooler.

RECC_movie_matinee

All movie dates are Fridays, with a start time of 2:30 PM, and include popcorn and coloring sheets.

April 12: Brave (PG), 93 minutes

April 26: Ice Age: Continental Drift (PG), 88 minutes

May 17: Born to be Wild (G), 40 minutes

The event is free (with donations accepted for refreshments).

Filed Under: Events, Families, Food, Kids, Northeast Seattle, Ravenna, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

New collaborative play equipment debuts at Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

April 4, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 3 Comments

There’s some brand new fun to be had at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE), and it’s called Imagination Playground.

New-to-the-RECC coordinator Tim Ewings puts together a sample structure while a Ravenna Blog staffer looks on.

Perhaps, as a younger person, you enjoyed playing with Tinkertoys. Now imagine how much fun it would be if those Tinkertoys were HUGE and made of lightweight foam.

That’s what this stuff is like.

Pieces come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, some pock-marked with holes for adding foam tubes and connecting with other pieces.

The community center debuted the new play set, a purchase by previous coordinator Terri Burns (who is now at the Yesler Community Center), on Thursday, with cupcakes, juice, and coffee (for the grown-ups).

The pieces all fit *just so* inside one of two wheeled carts (both with diagrams like that above taped to their sides).

The playtime was free for the inaugural construction session, but will cost the usual drop-in fee of $3 per child in the future.

A separate “pint-sized” engineer area was set up with more basic pieces on a foam mat.

If you and your tiny engineers would like a turn at some constructive playtime, Imagination Playground will be waiting for you in the gym on the following days:

Thursdays, April 4 through June 13, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM for kids ages 1-5
Saturdays, April 6 through June 8, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM for ALL AGES

This was a “gas station” that a boy had put together…

…and here it is, back to its component parts, ready for its next pint-sized engineer.

Filed Under: Families, Kids, Northeast Seattle, Photos, Ravenna, Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center

Hundreds walk to remember, honor the Schulte family (PHOTOS)

April 1, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 14 Comments

Walkers gathered under the swaying palms of the Wedgwood Top Pot before setting out.

Seattle Police Department officers wait to escort everyone down local streets. Local traffic was blocked as the group walked to and the memorial site.

Seattle Police Department officers and their rides wait to escort everyone down local streets. Local traffic was blocked as the group walked to and the memorial site.

Pedestrian and cyclists, young and old, the sighted and the blind all participated, and fueled up with coffee and doughnuts beforehand, provided by Top Pot.

This walker in orange was one of three I noticed walking with a white cane. She is pictured with her ASL interpreter (the woman in orange is Deaf-Blind).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (1 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (2 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (3 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (4 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (5 of 6).

The walkers spread out to cover 35th Avenue NE on the way to the memorial site (6 of 6).

A cameraman films the start of the walk on 35th Avenue NE.

The group walks west on NE 73rd Street, after turning off 35th Avenue NE.

Seattle Mayor Michael McGinn (center, light blue shirt) walks with Schulte family members down NE 73rd Street.

More walkers heading down NE 73rd Street.

Here the group is shown walking north on 33rd Avenue NE, taking the approximate route the family took on Monday, March 25. On the left side, Lacia Lynne Bailey, Judy’s Truffle (the baby goat), and some Schulte family members and friends stand where Bailey chatted with the Schultes one week ago. She was the last person to speak to the family before they attempted to cross NE 75th Street.

More walkers heading up 33rd Avenue NE, to the memorial site.

33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street. Some family members stand together on the right, behind the main crowd.

Bailey talks to Dan Schulte, husband of Karina and father to Elias, who are both still at Harborview Medical Center. They are flanked by a female neighbor from the immediate area and two of Dan’s cousins.

Members of the Schulte family, gathered in front of the memorial. Hundreds of neighbors and complete strangers have stopped by throughout the week to pay their respects, Bailey told us. She has been tending the site daily ever since people started leaving flowers, notes, or other tokens after the tragedy.

One of the Seattle Police Department officers who escorted the walkers to and from the memorial site looks on.

“Look out for pedestrians.”

After spending some time at the memorial, the walk heads back to the starting point, heading east on NE 75th Street, before heading south down 35th Avenue NE.

Mayor McGinn talks with Dongho Chang,(Chief Traffic Engineer for the Seattle Department of Transportation) at 33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street.

Before starting down NE 75th Street with his family, this dad said to his small son, “This is the one time we’re walking in the street, buddy.”

Mayor McGinn with Bailey, and Judy’s Truffle. Bailey has added to the baby goat’s original name in remembrance of Judy Schulte.

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My thoughts, from Sunday, March 31:

Tonight I met 2 of the 3 makers of the Schultes’ white crosses at #75th. One made them, one painted them white, one did the calligraphy.

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

All three cross makers, neighbors of the young Schulte family.
“Neighbors are our geographic (not genetic) family.” – Lacia (@goatguild)

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

The cross painter, husband of the calligrapher, still has white paint on his fingernails…

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

…like I think many of us carry the tragedy on our hearts.
Because this happened to our neighbors. Our family.

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

Thoughts from a run through Wedgwood,View Ridge, past Sand Point Comm UMC, to the memorial on 75th. (We’re all much closer than we think.)

— Ravenna Blog (@RavennaBlog) April 1, 2013

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One Week Later: A Memorial Walk for the Community (UPDATE)

March 30, 2013 by Rebecca Nelson 9 Comments

The Seattle Neighborhood Greenways group, along with other members of the local community, has coordinated a Memorial Walk on Monday, April 1, from 4-5 PM.

That date and time marks one week from the day that Judy and Dennis Schulte lost their lives while crossing NE 75th Street at 33rd Avenue NE with their daughter-in-law, Karina Ulriksen-Schulte, and her then 10-day-old son, Elias. Mother and son are still in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center.

All four were struck by a drunk driver traveling over the speed limit westbound on NE 75th Street just after 4 PM on Monday, March 25.

street_sign_75_33

The circular walk will start and end* at Wedgwood Top Pot Doughnuts (6845 35th Ave NE), stopping at the memorial site in between.

*UPDATE: The direction shown on the Seattle Neighborhood Greenways map may not be correct — The walk may instead start west on NE 70th Street, later mimicking the walk north along 33rd Avenue NE that the Schulte family made together.

View Memorial Walk for the Schulte Family in a larger map

For those whom mobility is a problem, the plan as we know it is to be gathered at the memorial site (33rd Avenue NE and NE 75th Street) at 4:30 PM.

From the Seattle Neighborhood Greenways event page:

You can bring flowers. Or bring canned food to leave at the site that will be taken to the University Food Bank. Dennis and Judy Schulte, who were killed on Monday, had a passion to provide food for at-risk children.

A Facebook event page has also been set up.

Mayor Michael McGinn will be participating in the walk along with several other Mayor’s Office and City Hall staff members. The Seattle Police Department will also be present.

Schulte_memorial_Mar291

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