Whittier Elementary/Public Space playground upgrade

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Neighbors, Whittier Elementary playground is ready for an upgrade and is seeking community support. Please see below and also here: Whittier Elementary Playground Upgrade
 
Is the Whittier neighborhood ready for a public space upgrade?
 
The primary play structure on Whittier Elementary’s playground needs replacement. Whittier Elementary parents and community members in the Whittier neighborhood are applying for a grant with the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods to help fund these improvements. Whittier parents and community members are working in partnership with Seattle Public Schools to map out a grant process in support of playground upgrades, including play structure replacement, entry gates, picnic table(s), and more.
 
With enough community support (i.e., our volunteer hours!), the cash obligation for this project will be minimal. Volunteer hours from Whittier families and community members increase our chances for a grant award!
 
Over the summer a steering committee was formed. We are writing our grant proposal to the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods with a due date of September 25th. To demonstrate our volunteer commitments within the grant proposal, we are seeking volunteer pledges now through the months of August and September. There are many volunteer opportunities, from planning committees in the fall, winter and/or spring, to actual construction in June.
 
Please pledge your volunteer hours here to indicate your willingness to help in this exciting effort.
 
Attached is a flyer that we are using to advertise in the neighborhood. Feel free to use this and to forward this signup genius link to your community, and your friends and neighbors to help spread the word.
 
Thank you for your support. You can email the steering committee at Whittierplayground@gmail.com with any questions, concerns or encouragement.

Whittier Heights Emergency Hub / Outdoor Movie Night on Saturday, September 9 at 6:30 p.m.

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Whittier Heights Community Council and Kirke Park Emergency Communications Hub are showing “The Princess Bride” as Outdoor Movie Night on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at Kirke Park.

First learn about our Whittier Heights Emergency Hub at 6:30 pm.  We’ll show how the hub can assist our neighborhood during a catastrophic event.  Come see our hub equipment!

Then our outdoor movie starts at 7:30 pm (all-ages animated short at 7:30 pm, followed by “The Princess Bride” at 8 pm.) There will be a food truck  plus restroom facilities (yes, a Honey Bucket!)

Bring: chairs (low-back chairs preferred), blankets, picnic supplies

Neighbors, please join us – all ages welcome!

Community Clean-up Walk – 8th Ave NW – Saturday, October 7 at 10 a.m.

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 We’re happy to announce that the first Whittier Heights community clean-up walk is scheduled for October 7 at 10 am. We are partnering with a terrific group, Seattle Clean Street Collective (seattlecleanstreet.org) for the clean-up. Neighbors of any age and ability welcome! We will pick up trash safely (with all sorts of helpful tools) on 8th NW (meet at west side of 75th at 10 am). More details coming soon.

Baker Park – Public Meeting/Open House on Saturday, August 12 at 1 p.m.

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From Seattle Parks and Recreation: We need your input! Seattle Parks and Recreation is expanding Baker Park on Crown Hill! Please join Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Planner, Project Manager and Senior Landscape Architect onsite at Baker Park to provide ideas about this exciting new park development.

Public Meeting/Open House
Saturday, August 12, 2017
1 – 3 p.m.
Baker Park on Crown Hill
8347 14th Ave NW, 98117
Meeting Poster

Thank you to everyone who attended the kick-off meeting for the development of the Baker Park Addition park project on May 20, 2017 at the park. Many neighborhood people including teens and children attended.  Most participants and respondents from on-line survey favor improvement for visibility, lighting, expanding existing play area.

UPDATE: Community Emergency Communications Hub: Citywide Drill at Loyal Heights Playfield on July 29

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Our location for the drill is LOYAL HEIGHTS PLAYFIELD – not Kirke Park.
On July 29, our local Community Emergency Communications Hub volunteers will join a citywide drill to practice for a major earthquake.  A Community Emergency Communications Hub is a pre-determined location where neighbors can gather in an emergency and share information and resources.  

Communications hub volunteers are trained with additional skills and can collect information on local situations, needs, and resources in the event of an emergency. They can relay information between Hubs, the Auxiliary Communications Service, or other locations so that it reaches those in need.

If you’d like to participate in or observe the drill, it is a free event at Loyal Heights Playfield starting at 9 am.  For more information, visit: http://seattleemergencyhubs.org/

Overview of Community Police Academy Training Class by Loralee Deshazor

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Saturday, I attended a one day Community Police Academy Training Class and I am going to give you an overview of that class.  It covered :

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS

The Constitutional Laws that govern police actions and decision.  That includes:

  • Constitutional Rights
  • Federal Laws
  • State Constitution
  • RCW (Regulatory Code of the State of Washington)
  • Seattle Municipal Code
  • Police Policy.

That is a whole lot to learn.  And it is something that a cop has to keep in mind and review constantly.

PATROL OPERATION AND PROCEDURES

How the precincts are set up and dispatched.  The equipment that a cop carries or packs.   Typically, they wear 30 pounds or more including the Kevlar vests.

ARSON/BOMB SQUAD OPERATIONS

We were able to tour the van and take a close look at the suit they wear and the robots they use.

EXPLOSIVE DETECTION DOG AND K9 TRACKING DOG DEMONSTRATIONS

An overview of the training each dog and handler has to go thru plus the mandatory testing that is required before to dog and handler can be certified.

 PRISM SIMULATOR (SHOOT/DON’T SHOOT)

This was, for me, a sobering experience.  The simulator is interactive and employs Glocks that are modified to use laser lights and not bullets.  During my sim, after attempted to get the subject to drop the knife,  I had about a second  to make the shoot/don’t shoot decision.

  • New recruits go thru initial testing for 3 – 6 months
  • Attend the Police Academy for 5 1/2 months
  • Post duty 6 weeks
  • Fields Training 3 1/2 months
  • Probation for 1 year

The DOJ and SPD agreed to a list of ‘markers’ that SPD would have to meet and that will be done sometime this summer.  At that point, the DOJ will begin a 2 year monitor of SPD and then the oversight will end.

The class was given at the Police shooting range in Tukwila.  SPD did a very good job of putting that class together and I found it well worth my time.  They also offer a more in depth Community training class that is an 11 week course, 4 hours a week in the evening.  They have a spring course and a fall course for those that are interested.  This class gave me a better understanding and a healthy respect for our police officers.

 

Community Emergency Communications Hubs Mtg, Kirke Park, 6/20

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Community Emergency Communications Meeting  at Kirke Park P-Patch on June 20th. Everyone is welcome to attend to find out about this program.

From the City: “The Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the P-Patch Community Gardening Program to designate all P-Patch Gardens as gathering places during an emergency (Community Emergency Hubs.)

“What is a P-Patch Community Emergency Hub and How Might I Participate?”

NORTH END SESSION: Kirke Park P-Patch
7028 9th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA, 98117
9th Ave NW & NW 73rd St.
Tuesday June 20th, 2017
6:30PM – 8 PM

For questions, feel free to contact P-Patch Staff member OEM Liaison Julie Bryan at: julie.bryan@seattle.gov , phone: 206-684-0540, or Seattle OEM Community Planning Coordinator Debbie Goetz at: debbie.goetz@seattle.gov, phone: 206-684-0517.”