City proposes expansion of Chronic Nuisance Ordinance to include areas outside clubs and motels

The city is working to expand its Chronic Nuisance Ordinance that can require problem properties and businesses to enter into an agreement with City Hall to address public safety concerns — or risk being shut down.

The Seattle City Council’s public safety committee Tuesday was scheduled to hear details of the proposed update that would open the way for liquor violations to be included among criminal offenses that can be included in the determination for a property.

A much larger change would expand potential violations to the area around a problem property, allowing officials to pursue a chronic nuisance designation if a violation involved an employee or customer of the property in a public safety incident outside the establishment. Continue reading

Proposal would allow Seattle to pursue $1K fine ‘per illegal graffiti violation’

Seattle Police aren’t busting taggers. The City Attorney is asking for a new tool to crack down on the likes of WESH and DOTCOM without cops including a $1,000 fine “per illegal graffiti violation.”

The Seattle City Council’s public safety committee is taking up the debate Tuesday morning on the proposed legislation from City Attorney Ann Davison and committee chair Bob Kettle that would allow Davison’s office to pursue civil penalties against vandals, taggers, and graffiti artists.

“Many illegal graffiti taggers are known to police and promote themselves on social media but it can be difficult to hold them accountable through the criminal justice system,” the City Attorney’s office presentation on the proposed legislation reads. “The Illegal Graffiti Restitution legislation would provide the City Attorney with new authority to bring civil actions against the most prolific illegal graffiti taggers in circumstances where criminal charges might not be possible.” Continue reading

Sleeping woman who died after run over in exit of Capitol Hill parking garage identified

The King County Medical Examiner has identified the woman struck and killed by a driver as she reportedly slept near the exit of a Capitol Hill apartment building parking garage last week.

Investigators say Angela Marie Willard died of blunt force injury of the torso in the Tuesday morning accident on Boylston between Pine and Pike. She was 49. Continue reading

911 | E Pine karaoke vandal does reported $20K damage — Plus, June protest-related SPD incidents

See something others should know about? Email CHS or call/txt/Signal (206) 399-5959. You can view recent CHS 911 coverage here. Hear sirens and wondering what’s going on? Check out reports from @jseattle or join and check in with neighbors in the CHS Facebook Group.

  • Karaoke joint vandal: Rock Box is looking for help finding the suspect who did $20,000 in damage to the E Pine karaoke joint’s window early Saturday morning. Broadway Building management says the vandalism took place around 6 AM Saturday. If you have information, give the East Precinct a call at 206-625-5011 or let Rock Box know.
  • Protest incidents: While a few higher profile demonstration-related incidents have made the news, there have been some unreported smaller East Precinct protest police activities to note:
    • Thursday, June 19: Police say they caught a vandal defacing the East Precinct red handed in an early morning bust last week. SPD reports an officer was arriving back at the precinct just after 2 AM “and noticed an individual that appeared to be defacing the East Precinct.” “The officer broadcast the contact and called for a backing officer,” SPD reports. T”he individual was writing on the exterior of the precinct.” Police say the suspect was placed under arrest and booked into jail for investigation of property destruction.
    • Wednesday, June 18th: Police say they made no arrests as demonstrators targeted a Microsoft event on the Seattle U campus last Wednesday afternoon: At 1335 hours, 15 protestors were disrupting a Microsoft event inside an auditorium on the Seattle University Campus. They were using devices to amplify sound and were refused to leave. Officers arrived on scene and administered trespass warnings to all participants. They then marched out of the auditorium and onto a public sidewalk where they continued to protest. They left behind noise making devices that were attached to helium balloons, which continued to disrupt the event.
      Police say no arrests were made and the noise makers were removed from the property.
    • Pride in the Park investigation: Police investigated an incident during the Pride in the Park celebration earlier this month involving a man who has made himself a regular presence at area events. The SPD report on the incident is extremely generous in its account of the man’s efforts:
      At 1730 hours, police received a 911 call reporting that a group was assaulting an individual within Volunteer Park in the 1400 block of E Prospect St. The park was hosting a permitted event. Officers contacted the male victim who declined to cooperate with the assault investigation, which is on-going. The victim was there exercising his first amendment rights at the event. At the time of contact, the male was surrounded by several antagonistic event goers.
      Police cordoned off an area for the man to continue his activities:
      Police implemented the time, place, manner restriction due to the public safety concern for the victim and to allow all parties to freely and safely express themselves. A designated protest zone for the male was established. Initially there was resilience from the male to comply as he attempted to reenter the event, and he appeared to understand the safety hazard he was creating by asking for a police escort into the event. The male had already been assaulted multiple times therefore was detained by officers for his safety. He was soon released to the protest zone where he remained until the end of the event. 
      SPD says officers investigated the assault and property destruction claims but no arrests were made.
 

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Return of the Capitol Hill complex: Double O’ Burgers joins family of food+drink businesses growing at Summit and Pine

(Image: Feed it Creative)

(Image: Feed it Creative)

The “Capitol Hill complex” food and drink concept isn’t dead yet but it is being reinvented. A veteran neighborhood restaurant group has announced the next piece of its complex puzzle at Pine and Summit.

The Pike Street Hospitality Group has announced the opening this week of Double O’ Burgers, a take-out–only walk-up burger window part of the new project being launched on the street level corner where the former Mezcaleria Oaxaca group of businesses shuttered last year.

“Inspired by the Oklahoma onion burger (OO), Double O’ smashes thinly sliced sweet onions onto sizzling beef patties, caramelizing them directly on the griddle,” the pitch reads. Continue reading

SPD releases body cam video of shootout in standoff with domestic violence suspect at E Madison apartments

The video shows police pursued the suspect at gunpoint before the man later opened fire

The Seattle Police Department has released video from the body-worn cameras of responding officers in last week’s domestic violence in an E Madison apartment complex that ended with one woman shot and hospitalized and the suspect found dead:

In the interest of transparency, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) is releasing the body-worn video from the officer-involved shooting on Friday, June 20. The department is also releasing the name of the SPD officer involved in this shooting: Officer Leonardo Bassi Rodriguez. This officer is on administrative leave. The following video shows patrol officers responding to a domestic violence related call in the 3200 block of East Madison Street. During the incident, the suspect retreated into his apartment and fired multiple rounds at the officers and victim. An SPD officer returned fire with his department firearm and struck the suspect.

CHS reported on the Friday morning incident and long standoff that began unfolding around 5 AM when officers were called to the area of 32nd and Madison and found a man assaulting a woman as she screamed. Continue reading

Pikes/Pines | These Capitol Hill weeds are Pacific Northwest native plants, too

Screenshot

June is a month of abundance.All the trees have leafed out, my vegetable garden is starting to feel like it can feed my household with more than just hearty green…

And the Capitol Hill weeds are out in full force

With the weather being nice, I tend to go on more walks where I am willing to linger, instead of begrudgingly trudging through rainy dog walks. When I give in to the lingering and take time to poke about I notice things.

One of the things I value most about paying attention to nature, or anything else, is that I think it tends to make us more curious and open minded. The more I look, the more I notice, and the more questions I ask. This lens helps me be a better human, both as a steward and community member.

Recently I’ve come to terms with the fact that I had preconceived notions about certain plants I see on a regular basis. For a long time I’d thought they were introduced weeds, invasive or at best, mild annoyances. The native vs non-native discussion is a slippery slope and anyone who has read Pikes/Pines has heard it. It’s a nuanced topic that takes an open mind. Continue reading

This week in CHS history | ‘Hottest day ever in Seattle,’ Pride returns to Capitol Hill, rainbow crosswalks debut

Here are the top stories from this week in CHS history:

2024

 

Across the street from its mushroom coffee cafe cousin, Cupcake Royale is returning to Capitol Hill


Continue reading

43rd District Democrats endorse upstarts and progressives in Seattle’s 2025 election races

With reporting by Hannah Saunders

Seattle’s political 2025 season is shaped as a battle of incumbents vs. upstart challengers with divides along the center-leaning leaders who currently hold the offices — and want to stay — and candidates who say they will bring a more progressive vision to City Hall.

This week’s 43rd District Democrats endorsement meeting for the upcoming August primary was a showcase for these challenging progressives.

“We must do better to protect Seattle communities from attacks against the Trump administration,” mayoral candidate Katie Wilson told the endorsement meeting crowd Tuesday night, criticizing incumbent Mayor Bruce Harrell’s middle-of-the-road approach to housing, social services, and civil rights.

The progressive organizer who has worked with organizations like the Transit Riders Union, and helped lead minimum wage and renter rights campaigns around the region secured the 43rd’s endorsement with a strong 89 votes (82.4%) out of 108 ballots cast, triumphing over incumbent Harrell and candidates Ry Armstrong, Joe Molloy, and Joe Mallahan with her commitment to “Trump-proofing” Seattle with a multifaceted approach including addressing homelessness, affordable housing, and transportation. Continue reading

Police report ‘officer involved shooting’ as woman shot, suspect barricaded at E Madison apartment building — UPDATE: Suspect dead

A woman was reported shot and a suspect was barricaded inside an E Madison apartment unit in a standoff with police early Friday.

The Seattle Police Department said it was investigating an “officer involved shooting” during the incident.

According to East Precinct radio updates, police were called to the Broadmoor Manor apartment building near 32nd and Madison to a reported disturbance involving a man and a woman yelling just before 5 AM.

Arriving officers reported a woman yelling for help just after 5 AM when police reported the suspect began shooting and could be seen reloading. At least one Seattle Police officer also reported opening fire.

The woman was reported down and hit in the building’s courtyard where SPD was finally able to enter and move her to a safe location along Madison west of the building. Continue reading