At the Central Area Neighborhood District Council meeting on December 14, an important issue was presented: tax relief for seniors. (Note: The District Council is still meeting despite its “axing” by former Mayor Murray. We do not know how the current Mayor feels about these groups.) With the tremendous rise in real estate prices in this area, there is a subsequent rise in property taxes and seniors (and disabled) live on fixed incomes which make it difficult to keep up with rising taxes and they often face the prospect of having to leave their homes. Seniors may see a rise in health care costs due to aging issues as well, thus adding to the crisis. King County offers two programs. One is for folks over 61 and/or disabled and provides an exemption or reduction in real estate taxes if one qualifies. One’s income must be under $40,000 including monthly Social Security benefits. The other program is a deferral of taxes and the income qualification is $45,000. A deferral means that the deferred taxes must be paid when the house is sold and it is often this requirement that discourages participation. Seniors are reluctant to “shortchange” their heirs by having to pay these taxes through the proceeds of the sale. However, in reality, home values have risen so much in the past few years, the taxes are probably a small percentage of the total value. There are actually about 40,000 older homeowners who would qualify for this program but only 15,000 take advantage of it. Our legislative representative, Rebecca Saldana, is interested in taking on this project and trying to get the annual income figures raised to accommodate more of the elderly and disabled. There is more than likely an educational component that should go with this. There is a social worker assigned to the Central Area Senior Center who could help explain this program to interested parties and answer questions. It is important to keep seniors in their own homes as long as possible as institutional care is costly to both the individual and the state, which bears much of the cost through Medicaid. Our state has ranked second in keeping these costs low by providing services like these that help to keep seniors in the homes. We should support this effort by our representative. ~Diane Snell

November 6, 2017—Attending: Janice Brown, Trevor Menagh, Diane Snell, Janet Oliver, John Barber, Tracy Bier Old Business Logo: Janice wants to postpone this to the new year. CANDC rep: Janice will attend these meetings. Racism: No plan at this point New Business Janet: Submitted Treasury report and her Snow Bunny plan. Janet leaves the area for warmer climes Nov-February but has her computer with her. Left some checks for Diane in case we have a non-credit card bill. Janice: Holiday Gala at the Senior Center; agreed that we would sponsor a table for eight. Janice: Overdue bill from SDOT with huge fine. Bill had long been paid and Janet worked with SDOT employee until she verified she had rec’d our check. Diane confirmed that SDOT has an imperfect accounts payable system. Last year they sent a bill for us to a collection agency but the bill had been paid long before. Trevor: Established a forum for comments to alleviate community perceived problems that Board actions did not reflect their concerns. Needs to connect to website. John B: Adam Tycaster taking responsibility for three street end parks: Norman, Charles and Dearborn. John said the new owner at S. Charles is very cooperative. The next work party will be there. No work party in December. A major tree in Leschi Park needs to be replaced; Parks to purchase and plant replacement. Diane: Newsletter deadline is Nov. 20. Spooktacular was a success despite the late confirmation for tent. Yousef had purchased an inflatable tunnel to connect to a tent door and set up a fog machine. Kids found this spooky and some tried to avoid the fog. Two new residents stopped by and asked if we did this every year! We confirmed this and gave them the current issue of the Leschi News to follow events. Next meeting is our annual Holiday party. We invite (and pay) Garfield orchestra students to perform. Wine and snacks served. Diane proposed that we purchase $200 worth of grocery cards for the Leschi School Giving Garland. Approved. The Mason Bee Project is also purchasing grocery cards with their profits this year. Next Board meeting is Dec. 11 at 7pm in the Technology room. FRIENDS of POWELL BARNETT PARK This restricted fund was established to handle the donations to restore Powell Barnett Park. The community was active in making the plan and meetings were held with neighbors and children to determine what they wanted. Adults wanted to keep the “castle” bathrooms and the children selected the playground equipment from catalogs. Starbucks played an important role in both donations and offering their staff to work at the site on the day of implementation. This fund represents what is left of the donations and is to be used for maintenance. The Adult Exercise equipment that was added more recently was fully funded by donations gathered by the Trust for Public Land. Maisha Barnett, granddaughter of Powell Barnett, chaired the project and she still manages the funds.

I adore restaurants tucked away in residential areas. There’s nothing better than stumbling upon an establishment that seems out of place. Single Shot is one such find, nestled between apartment buildings on the residential end of Summit Ave E. along with a handful of restaurants and bars. Its décor is a cross between a glamorous 1920’s ballroom and a high-end hunting lodge. Hard to imagine, but it totally works. The only that works better than the atmosphere is the food. We had a large group and ordered pretty much everything on the menu and everything we had was a score, but two dishes in particular stood out. With its Carlton Farms Pork Chop, the kitchen accomplished a rare fete—a truly juicy pork chop. Topped with Smoked & Pickled Pearl Onions and Huckleberry Agrodolce it was the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The Fall Beet salad was also a table favorite with unexpected touches such as a Rye Whiskey Gel garnish teasing your taste buds throughout the dish—in fact we order a second, it was that good. If you fancy going off the beaten path—well, as off the beaten path as you can go in Capitol Hill—your intrepidness will be well rewarded at Single Shot. Single Shot 611 Summit Ave E., 206-420-2238 Hours: Open Daily 5pm-2AM; Weekend Brunch 10am-2pm ~Staci Smith

Happy Holiday Season Leschi! Giving the gift of wine can be equally as fun for the gift giver as it is for the recipient. When choosing a bottle of wine (or two) to gift, keep a few basic ideas in mind. Know what they tend to like, and have a rough estimate of what you would like to spend. Many great wines can be found across all ranges of price points. When in doubt- ask an expert- like US! Leschi Market will be well staffed with wine experts throughout the month to assist you with all of your wine questions. A comment that I will never forget was said to me one of my first holiday seasons at the Market. “Giving wine just seems so last minute.” We have discussed the art of gift giving many times before. As we embark on the biggest gifting season of the year, let me offer some ideas on putting a little meaning behind those gifts. Trust me, in general, everyone loves to receive wine as a gift and if you put just a tiny amount of thought into it, it won’t seem so last minute at all. We’ve explored several options in the past of theme based wine gifts. These definitely show some amount of thought was taken into account. They are just as fun to assemble, as they are to receive. All you need to do is choose your price point and choose your theme. Here are some of my favorites from over the years. For the bicyclist on the list, for example, a “Tour de France” package can include a wine from several different regions in France: Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Chateauneuf du Pape, Gascogne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, and Rhône are great starting points. These regions are so diverse themselves that you could easily choose a few wines from within each region. “Around the World” packages are great for those fresh off of a journey, or for those about to embark on one in the coming year. Focusing on one country, or several, is easy enough to do. Rieslings from Germany, Barberas from Italy, Tempranillos from Spain, Cabernet Sauvignons from South Africa, Malbecs from Argentina or Carmeneres from Chile. Domestic sets can be great too. Walla Walla, Yakima, Columbia Valley, Willamette Valley and Napa all provide great themed packages. The possibilities and spin-offs are endless. From an “Italian Getaway,” to an all organic grouping, from all under $10 wine, to an all animal themed label, use your imagination and creativity, and most of all, have fun with it. This brings me to Champagnes and Ports. These are ultimate gift wines, if not for the sole fact that people rarely buy them for themselves. Who knows why, but I’ve seen the trend that we tend to put off splurging for these special wines for ourselves, yet are ecstatic when we are gifted them. When in doubt, look to the Port and Champagne sections. Many of these wines are discounted during holiday months, and great finds can be had for under $30. Vintage Champagnes and Vintage Ports are more expensive and harder to find, however “Colheita” Ports (years of ports not designated as “vintage”) can be found for a lesser dollar amount and for nearly every year; a great idea when trying to match birth years, anniversary years, and other significant dates in one’s life. Finally, let’s conclude with highly sought after wines that are in fairly limited supply. Collectors, cellar builders and new winos alike will appreciate getting their hands on some of these rarities! 2010 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino ($72) 95-points Wine Advocate 2013 G.D. Vajra Barolo ‘Ravera’ ($68) 95-points Wine Spectator 2012 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva Toscana ($51) 94-points Antonio Galloni/Vinous Pierre Peters Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Reserve NV ($50) 93-points Wine Spectator 2013 Forman Chardonnay Napa Valley ($47) 94-points Robert Parker, Jr 2014 DeLille D2 Red Columbia Valley ($42) 92-points Wine Advocate 2012 Tranche Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla ($38) 92-points Sean Sullivan Still unsure what gift to give the wine lover on your list? One of my favorite reminders is that accessories like wine glasses and decanters rarely need a gift receipt! Have a safe and memorable holiday season and we’ll see you next year! CHEERS! ENJOY! Kenneth Benner, a Seattle area native, is a trained chef and has worked in such restaurants as Barbacoa, B.O.K.A. Kitchen + Bar, and Dahlia Lounge. Ken is the wine buyer at Leschi Market. He has a passion for learning, a meticulous palate, and a tenacity for searching out the best for his customers while offering some of the most highly coveted wines in the area. His wine column is intended to inspire and explore new choices in wine, learn about wine with his readers, and share his knowledge and experiences in the wine world. Check out the latest at www.LeschiMarket.com or request to be added to email updates or send questions, comments, or suggestions to ken@leschimarket.com and follow the wine department directly on twitter at twitter.com/leschimarket .

Special Editorial [Poem by Georgia McDade] Sometimes speaking up, speaking out can be hazardous, too hazardous. Time-consuming Frustrating Confusing Embarrassing Frightening, Costly, Devastating Paralyzing Deadly. Yet, despite the hazards, speaking up, speaking out can be liberating. And we need to be liberated. We must, therefore, get in the habit of speaking up and speaking out. And soon. This poem is the result of the #Me Too Movement. For several weeks my mind has swirled with instances that could be “me too” in my life, the lives of those I know, persons in the news, movies, dramas, art (Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?”), the many maids/caretakers during slavery—and afterwards, all women during times of war, students from elementary to graduate level, women in prison, and women in “male” professions such as law enforcement and politics. And then I saw the film “Marshall” one day and Arthur Mitchell’s drama The Crucible the next day. More and more, I’ve come to believe that the most desired, sought-after possession is power! Power seems to give those who have it whatever they want or desire. Because so many men generally have greater physical strength than women do, some of these men have abused women and men whom they deem weaker. Not surprisingly, some women want that power, or some of it, and have paid dearly to get or attempt to get it. I have tried to recount the Me Toos with which I am familiar. The earliest was my sister’s friend who tried his best to get me to go in the restroom at my house. Next was a cousin, as much as twenty years my senior. I had my learner’s permit and this cousin was always willing to let me drive for as long as I chose. After several weekly trips—and I was miles and miles from home—he suggested we have sex. Appalled, I said I couldn’t do that. Further pushing, he said he knew my dad and I did not get along and that not liking my dad was a sin so I might as well commit the sin of having sex too! I convinced him to take me home despite his other disgusting reasons I should succumb to his wishes. I spent a lot of time wondering what I had done; never told my parents or sisters. Years, years later, when I was an adult, I told one sister and discovered this cousin had approached all my sisters and several cousins the same way! The summer I took swimming lessons reminds me of yet another occasion. I got a terrible stomachache and the swim teacher said I could go in his office where he could rub my stomach to make the pain disappear. I wanted only to go home. As an adult, I recall having to shift my body to keep a doctor from touching my breast. I really thought he had inadvertently done it until it happened a second time! Regardless, he could easily have said I was mistaken had I accused him. In each of the instances, I instinctively knew I was in danger. Countless times I replayed how I could have avoided the situation. “If I had not..., then he would not...” At the time of these events, I was sure I had in some way erred. Of course, I know better now, but when each of the incidents happened, I blamed myself, did not tell anyone. My sister probably would have ended her friendship. I have no doubt my daddy would have hurt if not killed my cousin. The teacher might have been fired. Only one of my abusers is alive now, and he is very old. I often think he probably did to other women what he did to me, but as far as I know, no one told, so he escaped. Perhaps he is wondering if a woman will out him, sooner or later, and what price he will pay. Ages ago the experiences stopped being a constant memory, but ever so often something triggers one or the other. They do cross my mind. The #MeToo Movement has brought all these incidents to the forefront simultaneously, a first. Would others have spoken up in similar circumstances? The more I read, the more I am convinced that they too would most likely have kept quiet. My guess is fewer have spoken than spoke. Perhaps more will speak. No one can know the negative impacts of the many experiences, how many lives have gone differently because of one encounter. Conversations have probably taken place all over the country. A great many women exhaled after telling someone what happened. These situations also reminded me of my tenure as a juvenile parole counselor. Girls often accused their mothers’ “boyfriends,” relatives, stepfathers, fathers—yes, biological fathers—of sexually harassing or raping them. Never did I meet a mother who took the child’s part. The girls, regardless of their ages, were always denigrated by the mothers, sometimes put out of their houses. Prostitutes’ first sexual encounter was often with a family member. I want to join the chorus of those who say they understand. I know questions posed about assaulted women: How was she dressed? How tight/short was her dress? What was she doing out so late (or so early)? Why was she in that part of town? Wasn’t she asking for it? Why did she go there? The results of the encounters vary from person to person. Perpetrators are known for telling victims that no one would believe them or, for younger victims, something terrible would happen to them or their families. No one was told for decades; nothing was ever said to a perpetrator. But I understand why some women wait so long or never say anything. I understand why women often “submitted.” Unfortunately, many of us women are distressed about inadequacies, real and perceived. Feelings of inferiority on many counts make some of us perfect prey, make us believe whatever a man tells us, especially when we believe or know he is powerful. (Note that Harvey Weinstein did not try this on Meryl Streep.) I hope this threshold is the beginning of the end of persons using their power to intimidate, hurt others. These responses are certainly healthier. All of us must call out anyone who perpetrates this abuse anytime, anywhere. And we must not let this be a spurt in history. This must be the end of such abuse, forever. ~Georgia S. McDade

As you may know, the public library plays an invaluable role in our city. Not only is it a tremendous source of information, but it also offers numerous programs to address the wide variety of needs of Seattleites from all walks of life. From offering tutoring for elementary students and counseling programs for teens to resources for the homeless, the Seattle Public Library system is both an educational and social asset to the city. In addition to its more serious contributions, the library also has a lighter side and offers a respite to the daily grind in the form of its adult story time program called Thrilling Tales: A Storytime for Adults. Taking place two Mondays a month Thrilling Tales is a 50 minute long dramatic reading of 2-3 short stories from the world of horror, suspense, sci-fi and/or speculative fiction. The event takes place at the Central Library location (1000 4th Ave.) from 12:05-12:55pm and attendees are encouraged to bring their lunches and imaginations. David Wright, Seattle Public Library’s Reader Services Librarian, is the storyteller and he is, simply put, amazing. You will not find a better performer on any stage in the city. Wright brings even the weirdest of fiction to life with nothing more than his voice. The first time I attended a reading, all I could think of was how I needed to rush back to work after this, what I had to do afterwards, was my lunch making too much noise, so on and so on. By the time it was done I was so fully immersed I literally had to shake my head and come to, as if I had drifted off. But I had not—instead I had become so engrossed with Wright’s story telling that time just slipped away. It was practically a meditative experience. It truly does not matter what Wright reads, if you are able to carve an hour out of your day and make it to the Central library for Thrilling Tales, it will be well worth the time and effort. Thrilling Tales: A Storytime for Adults will continue until February, please go to spl.org to check the Seattle Public Library’s calendar of events for a full schedule. ~Staci Smith

On November 13, the first windstorm of the 2017-2018 storm season rolled through the area. While this was not a major windstorm by any means, it delivered quite a blow to the coast, Northern Interior and Puget Sound lowlands. This storm was unusual for several reasons. First, there were hundreds and hundreds of lightning strikes off the coast with this storm due to an intense squall line along its cold front. This squall line rolled through Seattle a little past 2 AM on the morning of 11/13, delivering a brief burst of strong winds and heavy rain that woke up many across the region. While having embedded squall lines in Pacific Northwest windstorms is not rare (the Hanukkah Eve Windstorm of 2006 is a prime example—during this storm the Leschi neighborhood saw approximately an inch of rain from 4-5pm and severe urban flooding took the life of a woman in Madison Valley), having so much lightning from them is. Second, this storm actually had two areas of low pressure embedded in it that were circling around each other. Low-pressure systems that have this feature are often called “double barrel lows,” and the existence of two low-pressure centers typically hinders storm development and can dramatically alter its track. The November 13 windstorm was originally headed north of Vancouver Island from the SSW, but it stalled a little over 300 miles off the mouth of the Columbia River and subsequently began tracking to the WNW into Southern Vancouver Island. The highest winds from this storm came from the storm’s “bent-back occlusion,” which rolled into the Seattle area around 5pm. An occluded front is a front formed when the storm’s cold front overtakes its warm front, and a bent-back occlusion is an occluded front that has been wrapped around the center of the storm. Over 60,000 people from Seattle City Light lost power, and some of the more exposed locations recorded 50+ mph winds. The 520 bridge gusted to 52 mph, and West Point near Magnolia, which commonly experiences some of the highest winds during Puget Sound windstorms due to the point accelerating winds coming in off the sound, had a peak gust of 64 mph. “Kelp Reefs,” a Canadian station in the Haro Strait just west of San Juan Island, was the windiest location in the lowlands with an impressive 88 mph gust. From a wind perspective, this storm was typical of the storms we’ll usually see once or twice a year in the Puget Sound lowlands, but it occurred on the anniversary of one of the great Pacific Northwest windstorms. The “Friday the 13th” storm of 1981 had a central pressure on par with a category 3 hurricane and delivered a wide swath of 60-80+ mph gusts from San Francisco northward into British Columbia. December is the second stormiest month for Western Washington after November, but we have the potential for arctic outbreaks and with them the chance for lowland snow. Snow is very hard to come by in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s not too early to start wishing for a White Christmas. ~Charlie Phillips Charlie Phillips, a Madrona resident, received his B.S. in atmospheric sciences from the University of Washington and works in Portland as a meteorologist forecasting wind energy along the Columbia River Gorge. Check out his weather website at weathertogether.us .

There’s still time to contribute to the 8th Annual Giving Garland. For the past seven years, the Giving Garland has served families in need of help during the holidays. Last year we supported 39 families with approximately 130 children. The Giving Garland is geared to support the children in the families; we hang tags on the garland which represent a gift; some items are fun: toys, bikes, art supplies, board games, balls, books and some are basics: clothing, bedding, warm coats or diapers. We also give every family gift cards to easily accessible grocery stores. We greatly appreciate the past partnership, support and generosity from our neighborhood community: the Leschi Community Council, local businesses and residents in our neighborhood. And we welcome your support again this year! To help: Pick up a tag for a wished-for item (outside the school’s main office) and return your wrapped gifts by December 8 Donate money to the Leschi PTA (designated for the Giving Garland), 100% of the money designated for the Giving Garland goes to families! Go to wish lists on Amazon, and search for “Giving Garland” to purchase a gift. The Giving Garland and break backpack programs rely heavily on the coordination and support of Gerald Donaldson (“Mr. D”), Leschi Elementary’s invaluable community support worker. For a profile of this lifelong resident and remarkable member of our community, and lots of other news from the school, please see our November newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/yc6c4a3o

Our friends at King County Metro are conducting a study to improve reliability of the #3 and #4 bus routes that serve our community in Leschi. The proposal is to have both bus routes head down Yesler Way between 3rd Ave and 8th Ave instead of heading up James St from 3rd Ave to 9th Ave. The main reason to change the route is to improve speed and reliability, since there is often congestion along the James St I-5 on-ramps. The new route would avoid the on-ramps all together. There is a downside, though, in that the 3 and 4 routes would no longer stop by City Hall, King County Administration or the Seattle Municipal Court, which could be a concern for people with difficulty getting up the steep hills between Yesler Way and James St. The next step is in the summer of 2018, where the county will publish the results of a study to determine whether to hold another round of public outreach sessions. Go to http://tinyurl.com/routes-3-and-4 for more info. If you have a comment about the proposed changes reach out to Tristan Cook, Community Relations Planner by email at tristan.cook@kingcounty.gov or by phone at 206-477-3842.

The entire schedule is on the Argosy website, at argosycruises.com, but there are several times when the ship leaves Leschi Marina. See below. Dec. 2 First Sailing at 2:30pm. Performers: Rainier Youth Choir sings at Seward Park at 3:10pm and Madrona Beach Park at 4:10pm. Dec. 2 Second Sailing at 7pm. Performers: Dickens Carolers sing at Hyatt Regency at 8pm and the Newport Yacht Club at 8:55pm. Dec. 3 First Sailing at 2pm. Performers: Dickens Carolers sing at Pritchard Beach Park at 2:45pm and at Newcastle Beach at 3:40pm. Dec. 3 Second Sailing at 7pm. Performers: Seattle Girls Choir sing at Ferdinand St. Park at 7:40pm, at Stan Sayres Memorial Park at 8:15pm and at Mt. Baker Beach Park at 8:45pm. (Three performances in all.)

Come to our annual Holiday Party on December 6, featuring a concert by Garfield musicians—1st Violin: Nicholas Gjording; 2nd Violin: Marte Borgemann; Viola: Mari Morikawa and Cello: Nicole Burns. And stay to have a sip of wine and some seasonal goodies. Dec 6: doors open at 7pm; concert begins at 7:30pm. The Central Area Senior Center 500 30th Ave S. one block south of Jackson

Once again, we end the year with 70 homeless or transitionally housed students at Leschi Elementary School. This is one of the highest homeless populations in all the city schools. The staff and PTA at Leschi School does a remarkable job of gathering resources for these families and their technique is a Giving Garland with gift wishes for kids and families in need. You might collect a gift wish from the school and fulfill that or if you are pressed for time, consider a grocery gift card as the students will be on a two week break and not receiving their two free meals each week-day. Grocery cards may be purchased in any amount and do consider cards to local stores as many of these families may also be in need of transportation. At the November LCC Board meeting, Board members voted to use $200 to purchase eight $25 gift cards at Grocery Outlet, which is convenient and your funds do go further there. (And thank you to all those members who included a donation with their dues renewal! Your gift is being put to good use!) Another of my favorite places to give money to is LIHI, the Low Income Housing Institute. This is the group that conceived of and built tiny houses to be transitional housing for the homeless and there are now seven sites across the city. Our closest is on 22nd Ave on property belonging to the Good Shepard Lutheran Church. Tenants of the Tiny Villages receive services and the goal is to move them into more permanent housing at an affordable rate. The Director, Sharon Lee, received much deserved recognition from Seattle Magazine when she was chosen one of Seattle’s most influential citizens. I would say that Sharon is more than influential; she is creative, implements her ideas, and has made more progress in getting folks out of tents in risky sites than anyone else in the city. Mayors may have more money at their disposal, but one does not see the results as quickly as one does with LIHI projects. Tiny houses cost about $2200 each and come as a DIY project providing an 8x12 foot space that is insulated, has a roof, heat and can be locked. Hygiene and kitchen facilities are communal. “Last year, 157 tiny-house village dwellers moved into permanent housing, and 103 found employment. We have a model that people across the country are trying to follow,” says Lee, who believes this quick, relatively easy solution is urgent. “We have more people dying from homelessness than from homicide. It’s an outrage.” We featured Sharon in an article several months ago as one of our local heroes. We need more Sharon Lees to solve this homeless mess. There are numerous opportunities to help within our neighborhood: consider the Seattle Music Program, the after-school music instruction at Leschi Elementary or the Central Area Senior Center where seniors are able to eat a well-balanced meal for a modest fee and access services through the social worker. With less money going to Meals on Wheels, we can only hope that the congregate meals at the Senior Center thrive. Keeping seniors in their own homes and out of nursing homes saves the state an enormous amount of Medicaid money; our state is one of the nation’s leaders in achieving this goal. With cutbacks at the federal level, it will be hard to maintain this success. Those of us who can afford to give can help keep these services in place. ~Diane Snell