Tuesday Open Thread

Good article from the West Seattle Blog on the future of Roxhill and the E. C. Hughes building.  (They also had some interesting tweets last night about the growth boundaries meeting at Denny; I'll put up that story when it becomes available.)

There's a petition on the topic of allowing the homeless encampments in parks, on school grounds and other public spaces (Council Bill 11894) in Seattle.

Do you pack Lunchables for your child's lunch?  There's a recall on.

Great thoughts on raising confident daughters from the Notorious RBG via Inc.  I particularly like number four and number six.  Luck is really preparation meeting opportunity.

Any interesting events at your child's school for Indigenous People's Day?

What's on your mind?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Do you live in the Ballard area? Remember the name Mike O'Brien. He will be up for re-election in 2019. So will the rest of the district council members. He is spearheading this crap piece of legislation: This Friday the Council majority have indicated they will vote in the completely misguided ordinance that they say will let homeless know where it is not OK to camp. In reality what they are about to do is open every "undeveloped" area of our parks and green spaces to homeless squatters...it's about time to stop calling the derelicts who refuse services "campers"...at the same time instruct police not to remove them. Unless they are "harassing" someone. Try defining and proving that. Even in unsuitable places they are going to have 3 days to move on. This legislature is a joke and the council is enacting it for a 2-year period.

This will impact practically every family in Seattle as the legislation is guaranteed to attract more squatters instead of making steps toward solving a problem. Do we all have compassion for homeless families, those who the economy has left behind, those trying to kick addiction? Of course. That's not what this is about. This is about the destruction of our city, leaving it unsuitable for family use and in worse shape for our kids.

Write your council member today. They vote Friday. Burgess is not good with this. The rest are bobbleheading and have the numbers to override a mayoral veto. This is more dire than the usual SPS pathetic lack of planning. It is a catastrophe.

POd
I was thinking of going down to the City Council on Friday.

Also, Bill Clinton isn't running for president; Hillary is.
Anonymous said…
Maps of areas where camping may be allowed.

Not going to work so well with those new city-sponsored outdoor preschools.

DistrictWatcher
Anonymous said…
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/education/seattle-teachers-to-wear-black-lives-matter-shirts-in-show-of-unity/


OMG this is going to create even more division in an already polarized district.

Bad SEA
Anonymous said…
Wow that map is beyond depressing - especially the sidewalk part - and most of Ballard... just. wow.

reader47
Watching said…
I am encouraging individuals to contact the City Council and reject homeless camping in our parks and sign the petition that Melissa posted.

One map suggests that homeless will be allowed to camp across the street from North Beach elementary.

A Good Samaritan got stabbed trying to help a homeless woman in Woodland park. There are serious health and safety issues.

As one individual pointed out, campers have a high impact on the environment. The above link indicates a coach must look on the play fields and remove needles!

Last check, the legislation wouldn't sunset for TWO years!

I agree with the first poster- remember Mike O'Brien's name.
Anonymous said…
I'm a big fan of Mike O'Brien, and I think he means well here. The current "sweeps" policy just moves homelessness around and doesn't solve any problems. But his proposal to turn our parks into homeless encampments is a cop out that doesn't help the homeless themselves while causing a lot of other problems. The better answer is to find space for people to set up camp, ideally under a roof or at least with sanitation facilities nearby. Perhaps part of Magnuson Park or Discovery Park could be set aside for this purpose while tiny houses or some sort of better and longer-lasting housing is quickly built.

His legislation would also create a very strong and intense backlash to the homeless across the city. Not all homeless people would leave needles in playgrounds or poop in a sandbox. But it only takes a few instances of that happening (and it already has) to stoke a huge backlash, which doesn't help anyone. O'Brien and the City Council shouldn't do this. Find a better way.

Olaf
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said…
Didn't see this up yet:

http://www.king5.com/news/education/city-school-district-discuss-new-high-school-at-seattle-center/333429056

"SEATTLE – Seattle's mayor and Seattle Schools signaled Monday it's time to talk about a new high school at Seattle Center, as part of a major redevelopment of the urban campus.

The issue has bubbled up since the mayor convened a special summit on September 13. The closed door meeting included Mayor Ed Murray and Seattle Schools chief Dr. Larry Nyland. Seattle Center Director Robert Nellams, Budget Director Ben Noble, and at least one Seattle City Council member were also there."

--DistrictWatcher
madpark said…
Why not make John Marshall an alternative high school again after 2018?

In 2021 the Roosevelt station will open and the school could draw all the way down the eastside of Seattle. Thanks to South Lake Union, the Center is now messed up to get to from points east.

Voting Reykdal said…

SPI candidate Erin Jones weighs in on WEA:

“The WEA is a political organization,” Jones said. “Its job is to make sure people are getting paid, not on teaching and learning.”

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/ex-teacher-erin-jones-champions-change-in-race-for-state-schools-chief/
I will have a story about Rekydal and Jones but yes, I note the different things Jones says about teachers and the union and I find it all confusing.
Voting Reykdal said…
Erin Jones proudly displayed her association with Young Life in her voters guide. Young Life is a Christian group that goes into our schools. I'm not surprised to see Susan Hutchinson supporting Jones. Hutchinson sits on the board of Young Life and she is also connected to the Discovery Institute.

https://www.younglife.org/Relationships/Pages/2016/01/Trustee-Transitions.aspx

Popular posts from this blog

Tuesday Open Thread

Why the Majority of the Board Needs to be Filled with New Faces

Who Is A. J. Crabill (and why should you care)?