By Sable Verity
The crowds spilled into the main hall of the Rainier Community center even before the 7:00pm meeting was underway.
“I’m here because I raise kids in this city, and they don’t feel safe,” said one woman who attended with her neighbor. Both women said youth violence, safety and opportunities were their top concerns.
“I want to know what the guy [Mayor McGinn] is actually going to do,” said one man who identified himself as “Gary”. “He talks a whole lot of stuff, but I want to know, when he is done hearing from all of us, is he going to put the city’s money where its mouth is, or leave these kids out to dry?”
Dozens of parents neighbors, volunteers crammed into a small room prepared to begin the discussion.
The co-chairs of the new initiative are former mayor Norm Rice, former deputy mayor Bob Watt and Estela Ortega, executive director at El Centro de la Raza and were on hand to lead the meeting.
So, what is the meat of the initiative? Here’s what the Mayor had to say:
“Our goal with the Youth and Families Initiative is to get input from everyone in Seattle who cares about these issues,” said Mayor’s Office Community Engagement Coordinator Sol Villarreal. “We realize that not everyone is going to be interested in attending or able to attend one of the large group workshops, so in order to make sure we’re hearing from a representative sample of the population of the city, we’re also going to be holding up to 100 Community Caucuses around the city. The idea is that instead of asking someone to come to us, we’re going to go to them to make sure that their voice gets heard.” Read more.
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Sound Transit contractors begin work this weekend to make light rail tracks in Seattle and Tukwila quieter. The work will take place overnight, mostly on weekends and may cause service delays between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. Information on service interruptions will be available at all stations.
Contractors will begin installing automatic track lubricators along curving sections of the light rail tracks in Tukwila and the Rainier Valley in Seattle and will also modify a set of track switches in the Rainier Valley.
The solar-powered track lubricators automatically dispense a biodegradable gel across the tracks which lessens wheel squeal when trains pass over. The track switch work will also make them quieter as trains pass over.
Last fall Sound Transit determined that the noise levels along some sections of the light rail line between downtown Seattle and Tukwila were higher than anticipated. This work is designed to lower these noise levels.
Sound Transit contractors in December ground the surface of the rails and adjusted the rail profile in some areas to help lessen track noise.
The work begins Sunday night at 10 p.m. and is scheduled to finish in early May. All of the work will be done overnight to minimize service impacts. After 10 p.m. trains will run approximately every 20 – 30 minutes instead of every 15 minutes as normally scheduled.
Photo/David Mullarkey Images
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Light Rail
Seattle Public Schools:
The Hanban-Asia Society of Confucius Classrooms Network has selected Beacon Hill International School as one of 20 pioneer schools to participate in a network to develop and enhance Chinese language programs nationwide. Officials with the Confucius Classrooms Network hope to expand to 100 sites across the United States in the next three years. As part of the three-year agreement, Beacon Hill will receive some resources to support its growing program, including $10,000 a year for technology, possible funding for a new local Chinese teacher for next year, development of a sister-school relationship with an elementary school in China, professional development for Chinese-language teachers, and instructional materials. Read more.
Beacon Hill International School offers full-day Kindergarten, team teaching in an Open Concept space, and English-as-a-Second language specialists as well as many other support services. Photo/Beacon Hill International School
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Join Powerful Schools and featured speaker Dr. Sheila Edwards Lange, Vice President for Minority Affairs and Vice Provost for Diversity at UW, at the 13th Annual Powerful Schools Breakfast this Thur., March 4, from 7:30 to 9 am at the Westin Hotel (1900 Fifth Ave.). Suggested donation $125.
Powerful Schools reduces the academic achievement gap by creating strong partnerships with public schools to help children thrive. Through literacy, arts, after-school, and leadership programs, we ensure all children succeed both in and out of school.
Unable to attend the Breakfast? You can still make a tax deductible gift to Powerful Schools.
Save the Date: Powerful Schools presents Open Mic Reading and Family Writing Workshop on Wed., March 10, from 5:30 to 8 pm at a NEW LOCATION! Columbia City Cinema, 2nd floor lounge (4816 Rainier Ave. S.) from 5:30 to 6:30 pm (Family Writing Workshop, NEW!) and 6:30 to 8 pm (Open-Mic Reading):
Join Powerful Writers and families from Graham Hill, Dunlap, and John Muir schools as we step through the writing process in a one-hour workshop before each reading. Get a closer look at how your children learn to write, while trying it out yourself. Promises to be easy and fun – for kids and parents. Bring your friends, family and neighbors.
Your RVP is proud to partner with Powerful Schools and other local organizations to present cultural and public affairs events in and around Southeast Seattle. We offer a limited number of media sponsorships to cultural and arts organizations to help offset promotion costs. Learn more.
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Who to know, where to eat & what to do in one of America’s most diverse zip codes!
