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Walmart coming to Pinehurst

I just learned that Walmart is negotiating to purchase the property in the NW corner of Roosevelt Way NE and Northgate Way for a new urban concept store. The store would have underground parking, a two-story street level store and housing (including employee housing) above. Read more here.

Are you Metro’s 3 billionth rider?

On Tuesday, March 31, Metro will reach a major milestone of serving 3 billion riders since 1973. Learn more here.

Your opinion on the Plastic Bag fee?

Editor’s note: Chad Lupkes is a Pinehurst resident who moved to the neighborhood in 2000. He will be posting here on important city issues in order to encourage discussion and civic participation.

One of the items that will likely be on the ballot in August is a ratification of the 20 cent plastic bag fee. The Seattle Times reported this past Tuesday that the Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax has collected enough signatures to put the law passed last July on the ballot to let the citizens of Seattle make the final decision.

My wife and I have been using the green reusable bags for about 3 years now, and the grocery retailers have been doing a fantastic job promoting their use since the law was passed. We still get plastic bags every once in a while when we need some for trash or other uses around the house. But we try not to use them very often.

I define activism as learning the answers to three questions. First, what decision is being made. Second, who is making that decision. And Third, how can I influence that decision.

The decision about this 20 cent fee is now ours. I think it’s a step in the right direction, to try and reduce the amount of plastic our culture, or at least our city, uses.

What do you think? Let’s talk about it.

Chad Lupkes

References:

4/1 North District Council Meeting

North District Council Meeting
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
van tour: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.*
meeting: 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Lake City Library conference room
12501 28th Ave. NE

Agenda
6:30 Call to order/Introductions
6:35 Prioritizing of Neighborhood Projects Fund (NSF/CRF) requests
7:30 Community health disparities and relevance for North District communities: “Unnatural Causes” video screening and discussion of King County Communities Counts project (For more information, see these two links: here and here) with Molly McNees and June Beleford, Seattle-King County Public Health Department
8:50 Parks Levy Oversight Committee report – Cheryl Klinker
9:00 Adjourn

*Van tour of proposed NSF/CRF project sites: Please RSVP to Ed Pottharst (ed.pottharst@seattle.gov, 494-9026).

Questions: please contact North DC chair Phil Shack, 954-8179, philip.shack@gmail.com or Ed Pottharst, ed.pottharst@seattle.gov.

Pinehurst Safeway Design Review packet

The full Pinehurst Safeway Design Review packet is here. It is an enormous file, so it will take a minute to load. (If you have trouble, though, e-mail me at reneeastaton at gmail.com and I can send the file to you.)

The Pinehurst Safeway Design Review Meeting is Monday, 4/6/09 at 6:30 PM at University Heights Center (5031 University Way NE).


Parks and Recreation with Amy Poehler

I am looking forward to Amy Poehler’s new comedy series, Parks and Recreation, that starts on NBC in April. You can read more at the NBC site here or in today’s New York Times here.

Eritrean Kidisti Selassie Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Pinehurst

Thank you to Michael Neguse and Tsegay Berhe of Eritrean Kidisti Selassie Orthodox Tewahedo Church for graciously inviting me to their monthly community dinner and meeting last night. There were over 150 community members, adults and children, at the dinner.

Community members enjoyed traditional Eritrean fare (all vegetarian since it is Lent). After dinner a few outside speakers including King County Deputy Prosecutor, Mike Hogan, spoke. Mike specializes in prosecution of hate crimes, an unfortunately too common issue for new immigrants such as those in the Eritrean community. I spoke briefly about the Pinehurst neighborhood and about our upcoming Pinehurstfest event. I was impressed by the strength of community and the warmth of the reception given to all of the outside speakers last night. It is a very vibrant community.

We have invited Michael and Tsegay to attend our May 4th Pinehurst community meeting and for them to speak a bit about their community and what we can do to help and be more involved with them. One significant way that we can help, and that they will speak more about on May 4th, is for interested folks to volunteer as youth tutors in the HOPE Eritrean Social Services youth tutoring program.


4/19 Victory Creek Restoration Work Party

Join your neighbors for a few hours in helping to restore Victory Creek by removing invasive plants, mulching, planting native species, cleaning up the litter in the park and caring for this small wonderful native habitat.

Sponsored by Seattle Public Utility Creek Steward Program Project

Everyone is welcome!
The project is teen friendly!

When: Noon – 2 p.m.
April 19th
(Note: this event is normally held on the second Sunday of each month, but will be held on the third Sunday in April)
Where: Meet at Victory Creek Park – off the QFC parking lot at 105th NE and Roosevelt

Questions or for more information: Eric & Alika Madis, SPU Creek Stewards emadis@juno.com (206) 362-8331

Safeway Design Review Packet – Watch this blog

The Pinehurst Safeway Design Review packet that includes drawings and other details about the planned new store should be available Monday, March 30th. I will post it as soon as I get it.

It is posted now here.

No hair in the food, the chefs are bold



I finally had a chance to stop by Square Meal, the new Pinehurst restaurant. I was not able to eat because I was on my way to dinner at Eritrean Kidisti Selassie Orthodox Tewahedo Church. (I also realized that I could not eat much at Square Meal since I am vegetarian and most of their dishes involve meat.) A menu is attached below. Square Meal is owned by a French, Swiss-trained chef who has a sense of humor. The menu boasts their slogan: “No hair in the food, the chefs are bold.”