June 1, Leschi Community Council Meeting Echoes of concern and motions to organize rang out from beginning to end at June’s Leschi Community Council meeting. The June 2 meeting comprised of an open discussion and lively Q&A with District 3 Seattle City Council representative, Kshama Sawant. Sawant, who is District 3’s (Leschi) City Council representative, was open to any and all questions and shed light on a plethora of important issues facing the community and the city of Seattle at large. Common topics discussed included concerns of affordable housing, gentrification of Seattle neighborhoods, homelessness, non-operational Seattle Park wading pools, a citywide income tax, gun violence, the Jackson Street Red Apple closure and many more important matters facing our local community. Regarding all these pressing affairs, Sawant, encouraged members of the community to first and foremost get involved and more importantly, to organize. In order to be heard, neighbors need to continue to gather in even greater numbers as they do at monthly community meetings. She emphasized that building on small victories gained across the city is what eventually leads to progress and change. The Leschi community and greater Seattle area face a number of issues and are at an interesting position where upcoming decisions will decide the future of the city. As an individual in attendance at this meeting, it was not only inspiring to hear members of the community speak up and rally around one another, but encouraging that if we, as a community come together for a common cause, with the help of Sawant and city legislatures, we can put wheels of change in motion. If there are matters that you are concerned about please attend or continue to attend the Leschi community council meetings and reach out to Sawant, our City Council representative, as she reiterated throughout the June meeting, amazing things can happen when people decide to organize. ~Caroline Emde

Kshama Sawant, our District 3 City Council Representative will answer questions and concerns at the June 1 meeting of the Leschi Community Council. June 1 at 7pm, Central Area Senior Center 500 30th Ave S, one block south of Jackson

Leschi Community Council Elections—New Officers Our biennial election was held at the May 2016 meeting with the election of the 4 officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer), postponing the election of a Representative to the Seattle Community Council Federation. That organization has not met in over a year, and we felt that if they begin regular meetings, we could elect a representative at that time. President Yousef Shulman—My family has been living in the Central Area for almost 100 years. My Great Great Uncle Henry (Hank) Edelson and his wife Shirley started a small market on the SW corner of 22nd Ave and East Union Street in the 1930’s. In 1948, they moved their business to its current location and renamed it Leschi Market. Leschi Market and my family have been very active in the community since the opening of the store. I moved to the Leschi neighborhood when I was 13 years old. I began to work at my family business at the age of 13, being the 4th generation to work at the business. I am now currently Co-Owner and Assistant Manager of Leschi Market with my Uncle Steve Shulman and my Grandfather Leonard Shulman. In 2011, I helped start the Leschi Business Association, which has since put on a yearly Halloween “Spooktacular” and Art Walk event. In 2015, I joined the Leschi Community Council as Business Associate Chair. In May 2016, I was elected to President of the Leschi Community Council. Vice-President Yuki Igarashi—Yuki is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments and recently moved into the Leschi branch office on Lakeside Avenue. Previously, she was located in the Capitol Hill Edward Jones branch. Yuki grew up in Tennessee, fell in love with the Pacific Northwest in college at Oregon State University, moved to Seattle in 2009 and earned her MBA from UW in 2013. She currently resides in the Central District with her husband, Kyle. Secretary Diane Snell—Diane is a retired medical social worker who has lived in Leschi since 1989. She has served on the Council as Secretary several times, served as Representative to and Secretary for the Federation of Community Councils, secretary to the Central Area Neighborhood District Council and has been Leschi News editor for the past 10 years. Most recently, she served as Co-president of Leschi CC. She is very committed to community and looks out for Leschi when she sees changes coming at the city or county level; she feels her legacy to this community was bringing back bus #27. She has adopted Gandhi’s “Be the change you want to see in the world” as her mantra. Treasurer Amy Fink—Amy and her family have lived in Leschi since 1998. She served two terms as LCC Secretary and was elected to the Treasurer’s position in 2016. She wrote a column for the Leschi News and started our Stairway Clean-up project with the first joint project with Madrona CC for a stairway in their neighborhood.

Celebrate Flo Ware and the park dedicated to this generous woman on June 5 from 1-3, featuring: balloon artists balloon toss spin art hot dogs pizza drinks and cotton candy. Come spend time in our community park with friends and family.

Paul Wilkinson, Manager of moorage for Parks, gave us a brief update: contract negotiations continue amicably between Parks and Foss, but the technical details are complex. Parks plans to restripe the parking lot by the south Marina in the next few weeks. Summer updates will be posted on our website. The contract is expected to be ready for signing by September.

We will be electing officers for the next two years and honoring those residents who have given back to the community! Our featured speaker is Captain Paul McDonagh, East Precinct. Central Area Senior Center, May 4, 7pm 500 30th Ave. S, one block south of Jackson

Colman Park restoration A presentation by Margy Bresslour and Evan Wright on restoring Colman Park to the Olmstead vision, with special guest John Huizinga, Arborist. 7-7:30pm Panel Discussion on Moorage Issues Featuring Paul Wilkinson, Manager of Moorage for Parks, Paula Hoff, Parks and Marty Oppenheimer, Public Advisory Team member. 7:30-8pm at The Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Ave. S

Recently retired from the Seattle City Council after 18 years, Nick Licata will discuss his new book: Becoming a Citizen Activist. “Licata explains how to get organized, congregate power, and master the tactics for change. He is insightful in comparing effective communication with methods that just don’t work. Licata’s observations on the intricacies of power will empower any activist who wants to make a difference in today’s world.” March 2 — book signing: 7-7:30pm, talk: 7:30-8:30pm Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Ave. S

The bee shelters are in place at the homes of the bee stewards. The bee cocoons will be placed in the shelters when the appropriate plants and trees begin to bloom.

At the EastPAC Meeting on January 18, 2016, Lt Bryan Grenon reported on crime statistics in the Central Area; residential burglaries are down, but car prowls are up, particularly in secure parking garages. A perpetrator will follow a resident’s car into the garage and proceed to take the contents of all the cars parked there. It is lucrative as these secure garages are usually associated with higher end apartments and condos. Police are notifying the residents and asking them to make sure no one has come into the garage while the door is open. Lt. Grenon said that gang feuds were related to the shooting at Pratt Park. Police responded within a minute and 2 suspects were arrested; a gun (previously stolen) was retrieved. One suspect had a long history of violent behavior. Gangs from Kent and Tukwila are mixing it up with south end gangs and local gang members. Grenon responded to a question about the Jungle shooting and said it was drug related. Scales were found at the site and 15 bicycles, when there were only half that number of temporary tenters. The Jungle is on state land adjacent to I-5, but local police handle any issues. The area abuts 3 different jurisdictions. The encampment was swept a few days later with case workers helping folks to find shelter. Stolen bikes are a big business; they are taken apart and reassembled with higher quality (stolen) parts and can be sold on the street for $100. Lt. Grenon recommended the Bike.index.org for registering your bike; it makes it easier to return property to its rightful owner.

We did not have a representative at this meeting; it conflicted with the CANDC meeting. Troy Meyers, EastPAC Chair, did report at the January CANDC meeting that violent crimes and robberies were down, but car prowls are up. One can see evidence of this in the posts on NextDoor Leschi. SPD advises never leave anything of value in your car.

Our February program features David B. Williams, a freelance writer focused on the intersection of people and the natural world. This talk is based on his recently published book, Too High and Too Steep: Reshaping Seattle’s Landscape (University of Washington Press). Previous books include Stories in Stone: Travels Through Urban Geology and The Seattle Street-Smart Naturalist: Field Notes from the City. Williams also works at the Burke Museum and maintains the website GeologyWriter.com. Williams spoke to us several years ago on his book The Seattle Street -Smart Naturalist. I have to recommend this book to anyone with children who have an interest in the outdoors; I took my grandson downtown with this book and we inspected the buildings to find the encrusted fossils. And his chapter on crows revised my opinion on these sometimes quarrelsome birds. Come and learn a little bit new about the history of this area and the gutsy folks who changed what was! There will be time for book signing. David B. Williams event February 3, 7pm Central Area Senior Center