Celebrate Seattle Night Out at the RECC, on your block, and (NOT) with the Mayor (updated)

August 1, 2011 by 1 Comment

UPDATE (6:54 PM): Turns out that the Mayoral Party Bus itinerary has changed, and Ravenna is no longer one of the stops.

Via email from Steven Jones, Campaign Manager of Seattle’s Families & Education Levy:

I’ve had to make several adjustments to the itinerary, and while we’d love to stop at every block party in Seattle I’m sorry to say that it doesn’t appear we’ll have time to swing by the RECC.

I appreciate your understanding.

Steven

But the party at the RECC will still be hoppin’, because coordinator Trevor Gregg will be there.

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This Tuesday, August 2, the Seattle Police Department once again encourages you and your neighbors to go play in the street together.

It’s Seattle Night Out night (part of National Night Out), “a fun event to meet your neighbors, and organize your neighborhood against crime.” And, may I add, from personal experience, eat a lot of good food.

Many block parties around the city are planned for this date or this week, including ones in our very own Ravenna. (Feel free to advertise your own in the comments below — this type of shameless promotion is certainly encouraged.)

And here are some STREET CLOSED signs created just for the occasion.

Additionally, at 6:30PM, the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center has some fun and free activities planned:

Join Ravenna-Eckstein CC Staff at our annual National Night Out event. FREE event with entertainment provided by Nationally recognized performer and song writer Eric Ode. His upbeat, high participation programs are bubbling over with fun, interactive music, and include stories, skits, poetry, props, and puppets! Light snacks will be available.

Also stopping by the RECC on Tuesday evening will be Mayor Mike McGinn, Councilmember Tim Burgess, and a party bus-load of Families and Education Levy supporters. No word yet on what time they’ll stop by, but I’ll update this post when I find out. The Mayoral Party Bus will be staying in South Seattle tomorrow night. Here’s the schedule:

  • 6:50PM – 800 block of Thistle St., 98108

      • Description: children’s activities, live music; a city block turned into a mini golf course with artist teams designing holes.

  • 7:20PM – 8400 block of 55th Ave. S., 98118
      • Description: community event recognizing first successful drug abatement of a property in Seattle in the last 7 years.
  • 7:35PM – 3800 S. Myrtle Street, 98118 (c/o ML King Jr. Way South)
      • Description: children’s activities, live music, Asian foods, local Vietnamese singers

    ____________________
    Are your block’s parties always something to rave about? I’d be happy to do a round-up style post with your pictures and stories if you send them on: rebecca@ravennablog.com.

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    RBCA Board Meeting tonight

    July 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

    The first Tuesday of the month is upon us once again. Here’s the agenda for tonight’s Ravenna-Bryant Community Association board meeting:

    • Discussion of RBCA boundaries and 35th Ave NE
      business district
    • Discussion of Roosevelt Legislative Rezone and RBCA’s
      visit to City Council and DPD
    • Discussion of strip club(s) on Lake City Way
    • Board reports
      • Treasurer’s report
      • Committee Reports
        • Communications Committee
        • Land Use Committee
        • Transportation Committee
        • Emergency Prep Committee
      • NEDC report

    The meeting will be held at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Avenue NE) from 7-9 PM. Anyone in the neighborhood is welcome to attend.
    ____________________

    I would like to note that a meeting held on June 28th, assorted board members of the Wedgwood Community Council, the Maple Leaf Community Council, and the RBCA met with the owner of Pandora Adult Cabaret (8914 Lake City Way NE).

    RBCA board president, Sarah Swanberg, was the only woman present at the meeting.

    And while she was attending the meeting due to her position on the RBCA board, the Ravenna Blog would also like to thank Sarah for representing the female population of the neighborhood/NE Seattle at that meeting as well.

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    Roosevelt Station 30% Design Open House (audio and documents included)

    May 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

    20110527-120432.jpg

    From L to R: Map of Sound Transit's current service and future projects, stickers from the campaign to bring Light Rail INTO the Roosevelt neighborhood, and information on the Roosevelt Station

    A crowd of around 150 people attended last night’s Roosevelt Station design open house at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE), where Sound Transit staff presented the 30% completion designs for the structure and were on hand to answer questions.

    Missed the meeting, and would like the next best thing? I recommend viewing the Roosevelt 30 Percent Design Presentation while listening to the Part 1 audio. The rest of the documents, graphics, and audio from the meeting can be found below.

    ___________________________

    A 30-minute informal open house-style period was followed by a presentation (which included a question and answer time).

    The presentation portion will be made available by Sound Transit (in PDF form), and are also found on the North Link Documents Library page.

    Future meetings about the station will include open houses at both 60% and 90% completion of the design. There will also be a meeting to outline how the construction phase will take place (this fall), and a separate meeting for those people whose property will be tunneled under as construction proceeds (once the tunnel route has been set, also this fall).

    20110527-120553.jpg

    Graphic showing the footprint of Roosevelt Station (orange) and two parcels to be used during construction to be open to development when construction is completed (yellow).

    Puget Sound transit guru Atomic Taco (his internet handle) was in the audience, live tweeting the more major points during the meeting. (You can visit his Flickr site here.) While the audio recording above and the presentation docs to follow will be useful to those who missed last night’s meeting, Atomic Taco’s and my tweets are also worth a read (and are much easier to skim through).

    What follows is a selection of our tweets during the meeting. (At the bottom of the window, hit the “Load more…” link to continue reading.)

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    Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center to CLOSE [correction]

    May 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

    UPDATE (Tuesday, May 24, 10:25 AM): I was told by Ravenna-Eckstein CC staff last night that the work plan for the building has changed. The floors will remain as they are, but work will be done on the building’s walls and ceilings (including the gym’s ceiling).

    Regardless of the work being done, the center will still be closed from May 30 through June 12.

    We regret the error.

    _______________________

    Starting next week and continuing into June, the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE) will be closed while the wood floors are refinished.

    20110523-134903.jpg

    Between May 30 and June 12, the wooden floors of both the multipurpose room (pictured) and the gym will be refinished as a part of the regular maintenance of the facility.

    The center is scheduled to reopen on Monday, June 13.

    If you have a class regularly scheduled to meet during this time, please contact your instructor or the community center (684-7534) for more information about rescheduling.

    During a quick walk-through of the facility this morning, I saw one notice of relocation posted: Miss Chloe’s dance classes will be moved to the Laurelhurst Community Center (4553 41st Ave NE) on June 1, 3, 8 and 10.

    20110523-134942.jpg

    ___________________

    PARENTS: If you’ve got small ones in the house as I do, you may have seen the title of this post and panicked a bit. Have any ideas of where to tucker out our tykes during the closure? Especially if the weather still isn’t cooperating? Please share your leads in the comments!

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    Ravenna-Bryant Community Association board meeting tonight

    May 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

    It’s the first Tuesday of the month (May, in this case), so it’s time once again for a Ravenna-Bryant Community Association board meeting.

    As usual, the RBCA board is meeting at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Avenue NE) from 7-9PM.

    Topics include:

    • Reports from all our officers and committee chairs
    • Forming new committees for transportation issues, and an
    • Looking at forming a RBCA neighborhood plan.
    • Discussing who our representatives will be for the NEDC, Seattle Community Council Federation, and SPD’s North Precinct Advisory Council.
    • Per Johnson from the Wedgwood Community Council will attend to coordinate our neighborhood plans and provide general support from a neighboring community council
    • Paulo Nunes-Ueno from Children’s Livable Streets Initiative will give a 10 minute presentation

    This is a board meeting, but anyone in the neighborhood is welcome to attend.

    ____________________

    Along with regularly-reoccurring monthly board meetings, the RBCA also has a new homepage (ravennabryant.org). There, you can find contact information, by-laws, meeting dates, meeting minutes, and more.

    [Full disclosure: Yours truly is one of the people who maintains the website. New board member, Aaron Keating, is the other.]

    And speaking of the new homepage, draft minutes from the April 5th meeting are now available (here, on the Minutes page).

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    Ravenna-Bryant Community Association Community-Wide Meeting set for Tuesday, April 5th

    March 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

    After a few years of hibernation and nine months of reorganizing and rejuvenating board meetings, the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association is back in action, and holding a community-wide meeting at 7 PM on Tuesday, April 5, at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6536 Ravenna Avenue NE).

    Anyone currently living in either the Ravenna or Bryant neighborhoods here in Northeast Seattle is welcome to attend (and become members, should they choose), as well as people who have businesses within those neighborhoods.

    For a map of the RBCA boundaries, as well as those of other Northeast District community associations, visit this post on the RBCA’s website.

    Topics and speakers on the agenda include:

    • voting in old and new RBCA board members
    • updates from the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association’s Land Use Committee Chair Jim O’Halloran on the status of the properties and development around Roosevelt High School
    • how to keep rats under control
    • 520 tolling
    • Cleanscapes’ “Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards Project”

    The meeting is to be held in the community center’s multipurpose room, with has a maximum occupancy of about 100 people. For this reason, the organizers request that you RSVP to the meeting.

    Childcare is available for potty-trained kids. $5 for the first child, $2 for additional. Healthy snack included.

    For more information about this event, you can also visit the main event page at ravennabryant2011meeting.eventbrite.com.

    For more information about the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, you can visit their new homepage at ravennabryant.org.

    _____________________

    Full disclosure: I have been attending the RBCA board meetings since August as both a community member and as a “hyperlocal journalist.” I do not plan on becoming a board member, but I do wish to help the organization grow and succeed. I have also been working on the RBCA’s new website, and advocating for greater transparency and increased communication between Northeast Seattle community organizations and the people they represent.

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    New schedule, location for future Ravenna Bryant Community Association meetings

    January 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

    GOOD NEWS: No more skipping dinner to make it to those 6 PM Ravenna Bryant Community Association meetings at the Northeast Branch (before it closes at 8 PM).

    Starting next Tuesday, February 1, the RBCA will start holding its regular monthly meetings on first Tuesdays of the month at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Avenue NE). Start time of 7 PM.

    The lovely Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center - Open weekdays until 9 PM!

    On the agenda for this Tuesday’s meeting are reaffirming some replacement board members, continuing to discuss a new-and-improved (and updated) RBCA website, planning the community-wide meeting (set for Tuesday, April 5), and a neighborhood Major League outing proposal by yours truly*.

    If you can’t make this month’s meeting but have something to get off your chest, leave a comment below and I will pass it on. And maybe we’ll see you at the next regular monthly meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, March 1, at 7 PM.

    Pensive Trevor Gregg (RECC's coordinator) thanks you for your time.

    ___________________

    *Full details available here on Neighbor Appreciation Day, Friday, February 12! STAY TUNED.

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    Two Ravenna craft fairs this Saturday (plus shopping childcare)

    December 1, 2010 by 1 Comment

    ‘Tis the season for local craft fairs! And Ravenna is lucky enough to have two of them happening in the neighborhood this weekend.

    LaVassar Florists and Roaring Mouse Creative Arts Studio (7530 20th Ave NE and and 7526 20th Ave NE, respectively) are co-hosting a
    Holiday Open House and Craft Fair this Saturday from 9 am-4 pm.

    Activities during those hours includes (via Karen at Roaring Mouse):

    • Craft Fair by local vendors all day
    • Children’s activities with “The Yoga Nanny” from 9 am- noon
    • Visit with Mrs. Santa from noon to 2 pm
    • Roaring Mouse Parents’ Bake Sale to benefit the Special Dietary Needs Pantry at Hopelink Food Bank in Shoreline from 9 am-3 pm

    For more information, contact information@roaringmouse.org.

    _______________________

    The other craft fair in the neighborhood this Saturday is the 3rd Annual Ravenna Holiday Arts & Crafts Sale at the Ravenna Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE) from 10 am-4 pm.

    Via an email from the RECC’s coordinator, Trevor Gregg:

    Come and shop for unique hand-crafted holiday gifts in the neighborhood, while your kids enjoy the kids play area and crafts table. Your purchase of gifts from local arts and craftspeople will support programs at the Ravenna Eckstein Community Center.

    Now in our third year, we have an expanded roster of artistic offerings: ceramics, hand-stitched and hand-woven goods, wooden cutting boards, beautiful upcycled home goods, candles, jewelry, whimsical clocks, fine art photographs, note cards, handmade original prints, hand blown glass ornaments and vases, and more!

    We’ll have a kids art activity area and play space! We’ll also have a bake sale benefiting the community center’s teen program. To warm you up, soup will be offered by volunteers from the Ravenna Community Garden.

    Bring your family and complete your holiday shopping close to home!

    _______________________

    Another activity at the RECC that day worth mentioning is the Drop ‘n Shop. From 9 am-noon you can leave your 2-10-year-old child(ren) in capable hands while you get some holiday shopping done.

    That’s THREE HOURS, people.

    Drop ‘n Shop includes “activities to keep ‘em busy, breakfast or lunch, snacks, and lots of fun!” (sayeth the Fall 2010 Parks and Recreation Department catalog)

    There is a cost ($10, 1st child $8, 2nd child $5), which I don’t completely understand but will check into.  But, however you do the math, it’s a great deal for three hours of childcare.

    There will be one more Drop ‘n Shop this month (on December 22nd from 6-9 pm). But you’ll be all done with your shopping by then, won’t you? Of course you will.

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    Local things to see or do this weekend

    November 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment

    If you haven’t caught my cold by this weekend, here are some local events worth leaving the house for.

    Saturday

    • Pancake Art Contest (Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, 6535 Ravenna Ave NE, 9-11 am; breakfast admission $3, Pancake Artist entry fee $5) – Enjoy a pancake breakfast (including toppings, bacon and beverages) and/or show off your pancake decorating skills in competition. Prizes awarded to each age group. Money benefits the Ravenna Community Garden (Project Ravenna Phase 2).
    • Will Bake For Food (University Congregational Church’s Ostrander Hall, 4515 16th Ave NE, 10 am-2 pm; food donations or money) – Over 60 local food bloggers hold a bake sale for Northwest Harvest, their baked goods exchanged for your donations. Read the Ravenna Blog post about this event, or head to the Will Bake For Food website for more information.
    • Free Wine Tastings (McCarthy & Schiering, 6500 Ravenna Ave NE, 11 am-5 pm) – Two try this Saturday are two 2005 Corliss Estates Reds. Read more about them here.

    Sunday

    • Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale (Ida Culver House Ravenna, 2315 NE 65th St, 11 am-5 pm) = Selection of homemade jewelry, quilts, paintings, organic dog treats, greeting cards, baked goods and more will be for sale. Proceeds benefit the retirement community’s garden club.
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    Various and sundry updates, and other news Ravenna can use

    November 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment

    SEO be darned. Sometimes, you just gotta cram a lot of different stuff in one post.

    Crime update:

    Meeting updates:

    Miscellaneous tidbits:

    On November 20th, Eckstein will launch Saturday School, a new intervention program for students who have four or more missing assignments and a grade of D or E in a class. Teachers will refer students to Saturday School and counselors will call the student’s home to let families know that the student is expected to attend from 8:30 – 11:30 am.  Students who successfully turn in all missing work by Thursday afternoon after being referred to Saturday School will be excused from attending. The purpose of this intervention is to encourage students to take responsibility for their work and to give them additional time and support if they are stuggling to complete it.

    There’s also a request for volunteer tutors during those same dates and times (November 20, and December 4 and 18). To volunteer or ask questions about Saturday School, contact Eckstein Volunteer Coordinator LauraLeigh Young at llyoung@seattleschools.org.

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