Update 4, 9/1: Here’s a large image of the flyer so you can print it out, courtesy of Chris. If anyone is able to create an even bigger version, please send our way and I’ll post.
Update 3, 8/31: KING5 did a news story on Jeff last night…
“His wife says there were no signs of foul play in Johnson’s car, and no activity with his bank accounts. She also says his cell phone wasn’t on him when he disappeared. “
Update 2: Jeff’s wife left a comment with an update on the car in the park.
He has not visited the park to my knowledge very often if ever. He is also not disabled etc. We think the truck was dumped there, but are not sure whether it was Fri, Sat or Sun am. The truck was found by seattle police Sun @10:00 am. Also not sure whrn gates are open and closed each day and if that happens on a regular basis. Any info about the park in that regard would be helpful. Thanks for your concern
Update 1:According to commenter mb, Jeff’s truck was found in Carkeek Park (950 NW Carkeek Park Rd) on Sunday 8/28 but Jeff is still missing.
Original: PCC employee Jeff Johnson apparently left home to go to work on 8/26 and never made it. Jeff almost always works the early shift and opens up the store. Friends and family have begun posting flyers all over town hoping someone might know where Jeff is and where he’s been since then:
Leo writes in with some details about Jeff
At 6′ 2″, 200 pounds,a walrus mustache, and friendly as the day is long, Jeff is hard to miss. The flyer has details about his truck including the license plate number. I think it said he was in his fifties. He usually parks his white pickup in the Fremont neighborhood while working at the store. He has worked for PCC for quite a while. Anyone having info can contact Fremont PCC or other number on the flyer. Everyone hopes he is okay.
We’ll keep you updated, let us know if you hear any developments as well.
In cities around the globe, artists, activists and citizens will temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of an annual event called “PARK(ing) Day.”
Originally invented in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broad-based changes to urban infrastructure. “In urban centers around the world, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel and more pollution,” says Rebar’s Matthew Passmore. “The planning strategies that generated these conditions are not sustainable, nor do they promote a healthy, vibrant human habitat. PARK(ing) Day is about re-imagining the possibilities of the urban landscape.”
Fremont retailers Bitters Co. and Hub and Bespoke will co-host a parking spot on Evanston at N 36th Street. The spot will feature furniture, carpets, and other creature comforts from Bitters Co., while Hub and Bespoke will serve up fruit slushies blended using pedal power.
PARK(ing) Day 2010 included more than 800 “PARK” installations in more than 180 cities in 30 countries on six continents. More information regarding local PARK(ing) Day activities can be found at feetfirst.info/events/park-ing-day and a global map of all participating cities are available on the PARK(ing) Day website, at parkingday.org.
The first multi-performance production in Fremont’s newest theater venue, West of Lenin, arrives in Seattle this week. Digital artist J-Walt brings his newest Spontaneous Fantasia show, The Omnicentric Universe, to West of Lenin for four performances – Wed 8/31 at 8pm, Fri 9/2 at 8pm and Sat 9/3 at 5pm and 8pm.
In Spontaneous Fantasia, J-Walt utilizes the latest in interactive computer graphics techniques to bring paintings to life. The result is a live animated movie that unfolds before an audience. These works incorporate elements of animation, theater, dance, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, and interactive art.
“With my performances, I take literally the meaning of the word ‘animation’: making images come to life. I use my drawing skills to give directions to computer programs I’ve written. I aim to capture the sensitivity of gesture, but I also use techniques which amplify and augment the gestures. The wave of the arm or the stroke of the pen is my foundation, but the effect is much more. My creative process for these pieces is to continually shift between painting, programming, composing music, and performing. My goal is to create a wholly integrated experience for the eye, ear, and mind.”
Check out a preview of the show below and head over to Brown Paper Tickets to purchase tickets.
Seattle garbage, food and yard waste and recycling collections will be on normal schedule for Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5. Seattle Public Utilities customers should place their containers out for collection by 7 a.m. to ensure collection.
The City of Seattle’s North & South Recycling and Disposal stations will be open during their regular business hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The North Recycling and Disposal Station is located at 1350 N. 34th St. in the Fremont/Wallingford area.
Customers can report a missed garbage, yard waste or recycling collection after 6 p.m. on the day it was missed by visiting the On-line Missed Collection form available on SPU’s web site, at: www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Garbage, or by calling 206-684-3000 then next business day.
It’s that time again. The Fremont First Friday Artwalk is here once more and takes place this Friday, September 2nd.
Along with the usual artist showcases and events, there’s one special event worth taking note of. the Academy of Awesome Mobile Tour is making its Seattle stop in the parking lot at 35th & Phinney (also home to Fremont Outdoor Movies) from 6-9pm,
The Academy of Awesome Mobile Tour debuted on June 25, 2011 with a kick off party in Los Angeles, Calif. The giant blue Winnebago, covered in the signature Paul Frank monkey face logo (known to fans as “Julius”), has made its way East across the Southern portion of the United States and will be coming back through the Northern Route.
Tour stops will showcase a retrospective exhibit displaying limited edition co-branded products dating back over a decade. Other activities include a Creation Station where aspiring designers of all ages can submit art for the chance to create an exclusive Paul Frank t-shirt sold at Paulfrank.com, a battle of the bands, silk screening, ping-pong, a “puppy prom” inspired fashion show and so much more. The Winnebago will feature a product showroom and lounge showcasing Paul Frank’s latest collection. The newly equipped Winnebago also features interactive stations for social media and music all driven by custom designed furniture incorporating the ipad.
We’ve seen a lot of new and improved features on Aurora Avenue recently, including radar speed signs and earthquake retrofits. According to a recent blog post by SDOT, there’s still a lot more to come.
Further south, SDOT is preparing to implement a series of safety improvements centered around the Aurora Bridge. New signage will be installed warning drivers to expect merging traffic prior the Fremont Way and Halladay Street entrances. This project will include improved directional signage to the Queen Anne neighborhood and minor tree trimming to improve the visibility of these signs. Channelization improvements will be implemented concurrently on southbound Aurora at the Fremont Way and Raye Street entrances to Aurora. At Fremont Way, a solid white lane line will replace the existing dashed lane line and extend 200 feet south of the point where the two roadways become one. Since it is illegal to cross a solid white lane line, this new configuration will allow drivers entering Aurora to get up to speed before making lane changes. At Raye Street, a new edge line will be installed to provide drivers with better sight lines when entering Aurora. Coupled with the recently completed improvements at Halladay Street (for drivers entering and exiting northbound 99), the roadway around the Aurora Bridge will certainly funtion better.
I know the current set-up can cause some uneasiness when it comes to merging traffic heading onto the bridge so it sounds like these changes could help.
The 2011 Small and Simple Projects Fund, a program of the Neighborhood Matching Fund, will be open for applications beginning on Thursday, September 1 for the fall cycle. The fund is open to all eligible applicants and project types.
In recognition of Emergency Preparedness Month this September, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods (DON) and Seattle Office of Emergency Management (OEM) encourage community members to apply for funding to help them organize and engage their neighbors and plan for emergency and disaster situations.
The deadline for the Small and Simple Projects Fund for awards up to $20,000 is Monday, October 17 by 5 p.m. Community members can also apply to the Small Sparks Fund for awards up to $1000 with applications accepted year-round. To learn more, visit www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/.
Two workshops have been scheduled for community members to learn more about the NMF program and emergency preparedness project ideas. The workshops will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the Ballard Public Library (5614 22nd Ave NW); and on Thursday, Sept. 15 at The 2100 Building (2100 24th Ave S). All applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a workshop.
Community members are also encouraged to contact a Neighborhood Matching Fund Project Manager before applying at 206-233-0093 or NMFund@seattle.gov. For those applying for emergency preparedness projects, contact the Seattle Office for Emergency Management at SNAP@seattle.gov or call 206-233-5076.
The Fremont Arts Council and the Fremont Neighborhood Council have partnered to keep ahead of the taggers and keep the Bridge Way Mural clean. But they need your help. They will be out on Saturdays, August 27, September 10 & September 24.
There will also be a special paint-out on Friday September 16, for the United Way’s Day of Caring, The Fremont Arts Council will have groups working at the Troll, the Mural and the Powerhouse.
This weekend, it’s time to get your love-on, Fremont. The two-day music festival Northwest LoveFest takes place this Saturday and Sunday.
The festival was born from the belief that music festivals should have a positive effect on humanity and the environment we all share. The 2nd annual Northwest LoveFest will once again bring the community together to celebrate and support various nonprofits, vendors, artists and musicians who embody their message.
LoveFest providing free water, offsetting carbon with TerraPass and donating 1% of revenue to protecting Earth through 1% for the Planet. Since the festival borders the Burke-Gilman Trail, LoveFest, with the assistance of Bike Works, is providing free bike parking within the festival grounds; bring a lock for security.
Purified water is brought to LoveFest courtesy of Clean Water Foundation and Seattle University’s Engineers Without Borders so bring a drinking vessel for free water or buy a compostable cup for $1.
This year, within our Liquid Libation Lounge, the festival will feature Full Sail Brewing.They will have their IPA, Pale Ale, Amber and their LTD 03, which is a crisp Pilsner-Style lager, on tap. They’ll also be featuring the best Hedges Family Estates wine.
Seattle Mariners pitcher and reigning American League Cy Young winner, Felix Hernandez, will make an appearance in Ballard on Thursday. Hernandez will be signing autographs and posing for pictures at the Ballard Fred Meyer ( 915 NW 45th St) from 1:45 to 3 p.m. The event is sponsored by Pepsi MAX Field of Dreams promotion.
From the release:
Pepsi MAX Field of Dreams is a joint promotion with Major League Baseball. Fans can vote online for their fantasy team of the greatest players of all time at each position. The winner will be announced during the MLB postseason. The prize is the chance for a team of MLB legends to play ball against the lucky winner and 10 friends.
(Photo courtesy Ben Van Houten, Seattle Mariners.)
After the implementation of the Student Assignment Plan, Seattle Public Schools is also changing the way elementary and K-8 students get to school.
The transportation map for Adams Elementary. Orange is the walk zone, yellow the bus zone.
The new neighborhood-based transportation system is expected to streamline bus routs for attendance-area students and get kids to their neighborhood school in 25 minutes or less. This change will also save an estimate $4 million by using fewer buses and less gas. “With more efficient routing, buses are less likely to encounter the traffic delays that occur on longer routes, so families will find departure and arrival times to be more reliable,” said Tom Bishop, SPS transportation manager. “In addition, the more streamlined routes will also benefit the environment by taking up to 80 buses off the roads and reducing the district’s carbon footprint.”
Students within the transportation zone, but outside the walk zone for a school will be eligible for district-provided transportation. There are an estimated 3,600 elementary students who live outside the new transportation zones. They will still be eligible for the following transportation:
Students who live within a half of a mile from the Transportation Zone boundary can walk to a yellow bus stop within the zone. Seats will be allocated on a space-available basis.
Community stops will be created so students can catch a yellow bus near an attendance area school and take it to another school.
Students who are no longer eligible for transportation will receive a guaranteed assignment to their attendance area school, if requested.
School bus routes will be assigned later this summer once all the students assignments are complete. Families should expect a letter later this month, prior to the start of the school year.
For more information and to see the transportation zone for your school, click here. FAQ can be found here (.pdf)
Tableau Software, a Fremont-based business, will be hosting a recruiting event on the afternoon of Friday, August 26th to meet with job-seeking people in the community.
They’ll be outside their office (837 N 34th Street), in the courtyard, from 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. with a steel-drum band (it IS an Aloha Friday party after all) and they’ll be handing out shave-ice treats to anyone who comes by with a resume or a business card.
Come for the shaved ice, stay for the long-term career growth!
A look around the neighborhood to catch some of the stories falling through the cracks…
Even though Chris Ray is no longer a member of the Seattle Mariners, the beer he collaborated with Fremont Brewing to create, Homefront IPA, is reviewed by SB Nation Seattle.
Ethan Stowell, the chef behind Tavolata, How to Cook a Wolf, Anchovies & Olives and the shuttered Union says he will open a series of casual spots he describes as “fast food redefined.” He is looking at Wallingford and Fremont and wants to open within six months.
Who Is the Best Home Brewer in Seattle? 52 home-brew enthusiasts have entered this year’s Seattle Weekly Home Brew Competition. Judging for the third annual contest takes place over the next week, and the winning beer (brewed by Big Al Brewing) will be unveiled on October 22 at Brouwers Café in Fremont.
BEAN Seattle is holding their 4th annual “Date Auction” on Wednesday at 88 Keys in Pioneer Square at 7pm. At least one dater up for auction is promising to take a lucky lady through the “Funky Fremont neighborhood.”
Meet Rocky, a raccoon who shows up at a home in Fremont often to do whatever it is that Rocky is doing. H/T: Catie)
Seems like just yesterday Fremont Outdoor Movies was kicking their season off with zombies and vampires and the like. This weekend, however, will be the final showing of the summer. If you haven’t been to a show yet, you probably want to give this one a try. Just make sure you bring a rug to tie the parking lot together.
The season wouldn’t be complete without a screening of “The Big Lebowski.” The Dude Fest kicks off a new northwest celebration for all things related to the 1998 Coen brothers cult comedy, “The Big Lebowski.”
This year, we are helping support a wonderful local charity Lumana . 100% of the entire beer garden and White Russian Bar sales go the organization. A portion of the ticket proceeds go to support Lumana.
Lumana is a great cause that helps rural Africans to reach their personal and financial goals by providing savings accounts, small loans, business management education, and relevant local mentorship to primarily women in small villages across rural Ghana.
Dude Fest also includes special guests, musical performances, a white Russian bar and a quote-a-long. What, no bowling? 100% of the beer garden and white Russian bar proceeds will go to Lumana.
Tickets are $15 at the door, which opens (in theory since there is no actual door) at 7pm.
The Seattle Public Library system will be closed from Monday, Aug. 29 through Sunday, Sept. 4 because of city budget cuts. All branches also will be closed on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5.
From the press release:
The week-long closure will help the Library achieve its $3.7 million budget reduction target for 2011. The closure will save approximately $650,000. The closure will mean salary reductions for nearly 640 employees who will not be paid during that week and who are taking cuts in their cost of living adjustments. In addition, the book budget has been reduced, positions have been eliminated and 2010 cuts to branch hours have continued this year. Fifteen branches are only open 35 hours a week.
No materials will be due and no fines will be charged during the one-week closure.
Most library services will be unavailable during the closure, including book drops (the Central Library’s book drop will close at 8 p.m. Aug. 28); Wi-Fi; regular programs and events in library meeting rooms; TeleCirc (the library’s telephone circulation service that provides patrons with information on their library account); and no texting, emailing or chatting with a librarian.
Access to the online catalog will be limited to searching and checking library records, but patrons won’t be able to place holds.
Some online services will remain available, including the calendar of events; the SPL Mobile page; online payment of fines and fees; library podcasts; access to premium online databases, including Britannica Online, ChiltonLibrary.com, Mango Languages, Consumer Reports and Morningstar Investment Research Center; access to downloadable media, such as e-books and audiobooks, songs and movies; and digital collections, such as photos from the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition Collection, the Northwest Art Collection and The Seattle Historical Photograph Collection; the Seattle City Directory Collection; and the Century 21 Exposition Digital Collection.
8/21 Update: According to the Seattle Times, the cause of the fire was beauty bark in the yard that caught fire. The damage to the building ran upwards of $75,000. The house was rented by five Seattle Pacific U students, though none of them were home at the time.
4:00 Update: Traffic is back to normal for a Saturday. Pretty clear heading north, still some congestion southbound.
No one was hurt in the blaze and no one was apparently home when it happened but the cause has not yet been established. At least three firetrucks are on the scene and put out the fire. Unfortunately, the house was damaged pretty significantly.
If you are planning on traveling this afternoon, stay the heck away from Fremont Ave. The ramps onto and off of Aurora are closed so a lot of that traffic is being diverted through Fremont.
In cities around the globe, artists, activists and citizens will temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of an annual event called 
The first multi-performance production in Fremont’s newest theater venue, West of Lenin, arrives in Seattle this week. Digital artist 
It’s that time again. The Fremont First Friday Artwalk is here once more and takes place this Friday, September 2nd.
We’ve seen a lot of new and improved features on Aurora Avenue recently, including 
Seattle Mariners pitcher and reigning American League Cy Young winner, 
Tableau Software, a Fremont-based business, will be hosting a recruiting event on the afternoon of Friday, August 26th to meet with job-seeking people in the community.
Seems like just yesterday 
8/21 Update: 
