Pinehurst Seattle

Texting and Driving Warning Period is Over

The education and warning period for the state’s new distracted driving law is over, and troopers will start handing out tickets if you’re caught holding a cell phone while behind the wheel.

Since July 2017, when the law went into effect in Washington, police have pulled people over and given them warnings about the law, which states you cannot have a phone in your hand for any reason while driving. But now that we’re in 2018, the warnings have ended and the ticketing will begin: First time offenders will get a $136 fine, and if you are caught a second time it’ll set you back $234.

Minutes for North Precinct Advisory Council – January 2018

This month’s guest speaker was Student Officer Jessica Chandler who just finished her training at Washington’s police academy. Last year she was the SPD Micro Community Policing Plan intern, and she enjoyed working with the community and the officers so much that she applied to the department. Read about the process of applying and training in the minutes, as well as here assessment.

Also in the minutes are crime statistics for all of 2017, comparing to 2016 and to city-wide.

http://www.pinehurstseattle.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018-01NPACMinutes.pdf

2017 North Precinct Crime Statistics

Here are comparison crime statistics for our North Precinct in 2017 compared to 2016, and compared to city-wide statistics. I think they reflect the effort the NP has been making to reduce residential burglaries and car thefts.

In 2017 crime was down 3% from 2016, whereas city-wide it was down 2%.

Person crimes were up 7%, compared to city-wide up 6%.
– Aggravated assault up 11%, compared up 12% city-wide.
– Aggravated assault domestic violence up 25% compared to city-wide up 19%.
– Robbery was down a bit both here and city-wide.
– There were 4 homicides here, with 24 across the city.

Property crimes were down 4%, compared to city-wide down 2%.
– Arsons up 45%, same as city-wide; we had 44, mostly in dumpsters and porta-potties.
– Larceny up 1%, compared to up 2% city-wide.
– Residential burglaries in the precinct down 14% (335 fewer than 2016) compared to down 4% city-wide.
– Commercial burglaries in the precinct down 4% (32 fewer), compared to up 14% city-wide.
– Car prowls no change from last year, compared to down 6% city-wide.
– Car thefts down 19% compared to city-wide down 12%.

Disaster Preparedness – Ham Radio Classes

Help our neighborhood survive in a disaster – In the event of a major disaster when most forms of communication fail, Ham radio communication will still be working. It would be great to have more Amateur radio operators in Lake City. If you are thinking of becoming an Amateur (Ham) radio operator, the West Seattle Amateur Radio Club is offering a free 3-day class later this month.

The Club will be offering 2 classes hosted by the American Red Cross so you can learn about amateur (ham) radio and take the test to get your FCC license, all in the same weekend. And while ham radio has been around a long time, there are many new applications which are being adapted to take advantage of amateur band radio frequencies. For instance, you can now send email over radio waves and create your own Wi-Fi using radio equipment.

Amateur Radio Technician Licensing Class (all 3 days for the class)

When: Friday, Jan. 26, 2018: 6pm – 9pm

Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018: 9am – 5 pm

Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018: 9am – 3:30pm

Testing: Sunday, Jan 28, 2018: 3:30pm – 6pm

Where: Seattle Red Cross, room 207

1900 25th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98144

Cost: $15.00 test fee (cash or check)

Book: Recommended is Gordon West Technician Class Manual

(2014-18) – please purchase before class

Practice Tests at: https://www.qrz.com/hamtest/

Register at: Send email with your name and preferred email contact to KD7KSH@westseattlearc.org

Questions: Cindi Barker at KD7KSH@westseattlearc.org or

206-933-6968.

Amateur Radio General Licensing Class (all 3 days for the class)

When: Friday, Jan. 26, 2018: 6pm – 9pm

Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018: 9am – 5 pm

Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018: 9am – 3:30pm

Testing: Sunday, Jan 28, 2018: 3:30pm – 6pm

Where: Seattle Red Cross, room 130

1900 25th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98144

Cost: $15.00 test fee (cash or check)

Prerequisite: Valid Technician License

Book: ARRL General Class License Manual, May 2015 –

please purchase before class (available on Kindle too)

Practice Tests at: https://hamexam.org/ , many other sites and iOS and Android apps are available

Register at: Call (206) 323-2345 and ask for Kevin Kopp or email dokrent@usa.net

Questions: dokrent@usa.net

Walk-ins for testing for Technician, General and Extra are welcome. Test fee is $15.00.

Free Resilience Workshop by Lake City Future First

What is Resilience?

Please join Lake City Future First for the first of a series of workshops to discuss community resilience on January 14th from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lake City Library. LCFF is working with local resident, West Latta, on this informative series to explore the fundamental concepts of community resilience and use them as a lens to examine the many challenges we face today and in the future. From environment to economy, the local and the bio-regional, we’ll make connections, explore systems and discover how to make our communities stronger, more adaptive, and ready to face the full scope of social, environmental and economic challenges equitably and sustainably.

Please RSVP to Director@lakecityfuturefirst.org

Sunday, January 14, 2018

1:30 – 3PM – Lake City Library Conference Room

What Is Resilience

Road Rules: Is It Ever Ok to Pass on the Right?

The idea of “passing on the right” makes many drivers uncomfortable, except maybe when overtaking another driver who is turning left. However, Washington law does permit passing on the right on multi-lane roads when it’s safe to do so.

This question also applies to “left-lane camping” on the freeway and whether or not the HOV lane is considered the “fast” lane. HOV drivers who want to go faster can pass another HOV driver by moving right. Those drivers would be subject to speed laws, the same as any other driver.

That said, the spirit of the HOV lane is to move large numbers of passengers as efficiently as possible. Traffic flow specialists encourage HOV drivers who want to drive slower than vehicles in the adjacent lanes (and notice they’re being passed on the right) to move out of the HOV lane when it’s safe and legal to do so in favor of a lane that’s moving at their desired speed.

And that whole concept of a left “fast” lane? Actually a misnomer, according to police. It’s more accurately called the “passing” lane, as in “keep right except to pass.”

Kids’ Art in Pinehurst Pocket Park

Starting off the new year is 10 year old Kenzie’s charming drawing at the pocket park. Stop by to see it in the kiosk at the park on the corner of NE 117th St & 19th Ave NE. Thanks, Kenzie, it looks great out there!

If you would like to submit your child’s artwork (or yours!) for the Pocket Park, please email nancy@pinehurstseattle.org.

46th District Town Hall January 3, 2018

Our 46th District legislators, Senator David Frockt, and Representatives Gerry Pollet and Javier Valdez, are holding a town hall meeting near us.

They want to hear our thoughts and answer our questions about issues facing our state and community. This includes our public education system, providing access to health care, affordable housing, protecting our environment, a fairer tax system, and protecting our immigrant communities.

Nathan Hale High School Performing Arts Center
10750 30th Ave NE
Wednesday, January 3, 2018, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm.

Happy Snow Day

Pinehurst Community Council wishes all our wonderful neighbors a happy snow day! Here are some of the fine snowmen from December 25th:

Our North City Post Office is Moving

At the end of December our North City branch of the post office is moving from its building at 15th Ave NE and NE 175th. Despite other USPS offices being closer to Pinehurst, the North City office is where we pick up packages and have our mail held if we go on vacation. The last day of service is anticipated to be December 29th.

USPS lost the North City location when the new owner of the land put it up for sale. The federal government owned the building but only had a lease on the land. The lease was renegotiated several times, but the new buyer invoked a clause to end the current lease so they could begin construction of an apartment building on the site.

USPS had leased a temporary space at Gateway Plaza in Shoreline, 18336 Aurora Ave N, Ste 105. Gateway Plaza is located on the east side of Aurora Ave N at NE 185th and contains Bartells, BECU, and several restaurants.

Midvale Ave N runs through the middle of the Plaza. There are access points to Midvale from N 185th, from N 175th in front of Shorelinc City Hall and from several points on Aurora.

The post office will be in a large space at the inside corner of the main building, next to Toni and Guy hair salon and cosmetology school.

The new space is intended as a temporary location while USPS continues to actively search for a long term solution as close as possible to the current North City location.

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