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46th District Town Hall Meeting

TownHallHave you met Pinehurst’s (46th legislative district) state senator and state representatives? They’re really quite approachable. And they are asking us to tell them what’s on our minds. Do you have concerns about schools? jobs? housing? traffic? street lighting? Let them know! They’re holding a town hall meeting nearby:

46th District Town Hall Meeting with Senator David Frockt, Rep. Gerry Pollet, & Rep. Jessyn Farrell

Where: Nathan Hale HS Performing Arts Center – 10750 30th Ave NE

Date: Thursday, January 7, 2016

Time: 6:30 – 8:00 pm (doors open at 6:15)

Pinehurst Picks

Happy holidays from Pinehurst Community Council!

Please feel free to send in photos of art – or anything unexpected and fun – you see on your walks around the neighborhood to info@pinehurstseattle.org.

SnoopyOn23rd

City Council News

PoliticsOur newly elected District 5 (that’s the district Pinehurst is in) City Council representative, Debora Juarez, will chair the Council’s Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries and Waterfront Committee. As chair, Councilmember Juarez will focus on issues relating to City parks, community centers, and public grounds, including the Seattle Center.  Her committee will also manage legislation relating to the Seattle Public Library system.  Councilmember Juarez will also chair the Central Waterfront committee.

She is also vice-chair of the Energy & Environment committee, a member of the Education, Equity & Governance committee, and the alternate on the Gender Equity, Safe Communities & New Americans committee.

Styrofoam Recycling January 23rd

styrofoamHere’s a great opportunity to recycle Styrofoam nearby. On January 23rd (2016) take it to the Northeast Seattle Tool Library at 2415 NE 80th St. Hours that day are 9 am to 3 pm. The tool library will take it all to recycling.

That’s also a good chance to see all the tools the library has to lend, and to see how it works.

Also, check out the website at http://neseattletoollibrary.org/

Safety Tips

SPDbadgeOur former Crime Prevention Coordinator Terrie Johnston works in the West and East Precincts. Below are some tips from her for this season. (By the way, our new North Precinct CPC  will soon be up and running.)

It’s the time of year when our calendars can become crazy with  parties; shopping; travel;  cultural events; and long to-do lists.  Our normal routines are stretched and attention to our safety can suffer.  We may be gone from home more in the upcoming weeks so burglary prevention becomes important.  Shipped packages and money/gift cards in the mail are popular targets for thieves.  Being amongst crowds in shopping malls, downtown streets, the train station or airport provide would-be pickpockets a target-rich environment.  Door-to-door solicitors may pick this time of year to collect for charities and yet we wonder if they are legitimate.  In addition, too much holiday “cheer” can lead to unwise decisions and in some cases, DUI arrests.  At the risk of sounding like Debby Downer, please take a moment to review some of the following crime prevention tips, and/or forward these attached flyers to your neighbors and distribution lists.

Travel light:  take only what you need when you are out.  Leave the heavy purse behind and clean out your wallet of unneeded credit cards, medical cards, etc.

Dress the part:  It feels darker now without our sunny Seattle skies, so make sure you can be seen by motorists.  Are your shoes comfortable enough to allow you to move, kick, run if you had to.  Long billowing scarves, umbrellas, certain kinds of hats can reduce the ability to see around you, or might give a mugger something by which to grab you.  Leave the bling behind or under layers of clothing if you’ll be out walking around much.

Cell phones:  “apple picking” is what some are calling the grabbing of iphones and other electronic devices.  You may be asked by a stranger for the time, or if they can borrow your phone. Then boom, in a blink of an eye, they’re off and away with your device.  While cell phones are a helpful safety device, street robbers love them so don’t flash them around.  Be mindful when using them in public places.

What’s your location?” means being able to relay your location such as house number, business or street names, hundred block; intersections, landmarks, or mile markers.  Make it a habit to know your location!  This is key when making calls to 9-1-1.  Seconds matter in emergencies, help us get to you or the incident quicker.  Stay on the line with the call taker until instructed to hang up.

If you will be out of town, please let your trusted neighbors know.  Encourage them to keep an extra watch out for your home and let them know you want them to call 9-1-1 if something is suspicious.  Enlist their help with picking up newspapers, checking for oversized mail, packages and those pesky flyers left on doorknobs.  On our block, we pick up each other’s parcels that have been left on a porch for safekeeping. You want to make your home look occupied (lights and radio on timers; have someone park in your driveway, bring in your garbage can/recycling bins, etc.)  Getting a house sitter can be helpful.  Watchful neighbors truly are your best alarm! 

Car prowls:  Thieves target all makes and models of vehicles looking for GPS devices; cellular phones; cameras; purses; garbage remotes; jackets.  I know some parents who keep their kids’ holiday gifts in the trunk.  Not good!  Also, I’ve read a few police reports where people pack up their car the night before heading out on a trip, only to find the car was prowled overnight.  Leave your car empty; disable internal trunk releases and be consistent with any theft deterrent device like the “club” or audible alarm.

Warming up the car:  Vehicles left running and unattended while the heater and defroster kick in may be just the opportunity the auto thief needed.

Buy Nothing Books & Tea Gifting Event

The Buy Nothing Project is hosting a Buy Nothing Books & Tea Gifting event Sunday, December 20, from 3:00 – 4:30 pm in the Lake City Library meeting room, 12501 28th Ave NE .

You don’t have to be a member of the Facebook Buy Nothing group to participate. You are invited to bring tea and/or books (used or new) to gift to others, and browse for tea and books to take home for free! It’s a sharing economy.

If you like the concept, BN members at the event will be able to tell you how to join the Facebook group. On Facebook you can post all kinds of things you want to give away, or ask for things you want. No selling, buying or bartering. It’s all free! There are almost 800 members of the Pinehurst/Olympic Hills group and there is giving and receiving activity every day. Below is a poster for the event. Please come – the more the merrier!

tea

Free Holiday Tree Composting

treeIf you subscribe to curbside food and yard waste collection you can put your trees and greens out on your regular collection day at no extra charges from December 26, 2015 through January 10, 2016. You can continue to set-out greens after January 10th with a fee charged for any greens outside to the cart.

Multifamily buildings can put out one tree next to each food and yard waste cart per collection day at no extra charge during this time.

Cut trees into sections of six feet long or shorter, and trim branches to less than four feet to fit into the collection trucks. Bundle sections with string or non-plastic twine. Remove metal, plastic and ornaments in trees and wreaths.

Trees that are flocked and/or have tinsel or ornaments will be collected as extra garbage. Cut the tree into three-foot pieces and each piece will be charged as extra garbage. Each unit of extra garbage costs $10.20. Plastic trees are not compostable.

All Seattle residents can also drop off holiday trees and greens for free at Seattle Public Utilities’ South Recycling and Disposal station from December 26, 2015 through January 10th, 2016. The tree sections must be cut to eight feet or less in length and the trunk must be four inches or smaller in diameter. The limit is three trees per vehicle. Only trees and wreaths without flocking or decoration may be composted free of charge.

Seattle Hazard Explorer

The Seattle Office of Emergency Management website has interactive maps that show some of the city’s top hazards. Check out the Seattle Hazard Explorer and learn more about the hazards that impact Pinehurst. Just click on a tab for the hazard you want to see. You can zoom in on your home, work place, or any other location to see what hazards are most likely to impact you. Information videos and other content provide more in depth explanations of each of the hazards. You can also access the Seattle Hazard Explorer via the link: http://arcg.is/1SPaX1i

Here is a screen shot of the flood map:

Flooding

November 2015 Pinehurst Crime Report

Here is a partial picture of Pinehurst property crime for the month. Click on the map to enlarge it.

You can see ALL the types of crime at http://web5.seattle.gov/mnm/policereports.aspx. Select the North neighborhood and enter a date range.

2015-11CrimeMap

North Precinct Advisory Council Minutes for December 2015

SPDbadgeThis month there was no guest speaker. Instead, there was a poster session where Council members were invited to write down public safety issues. I added all comments Pinehurst neighbors posted on my recent queries on Facebook. The responses will be addressed at future meetings, and will be studied by the precinct Captain.

In the last 28 days, the crime trends have been overall level, though property crimes are down 10%. There are quite a few car prowls here in the north precinct in secured garages, resulting in multiple burglaries at the same time. Don’t allow anyone to follow you in to a secured garage.

There’s still time to donate new socks, hats and gloves to the sock drive. Many will go to Mary’s Place, an emergency shelter on 130th & Stone Way. Take donations to the North Precinct, 10049 College Way N south of Meridian, or for pickup, call our Community Police Team lead, Sgt Dianne Newsom at 206-684-0794.

For all the news, see the minutes here.