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

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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

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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

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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

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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 →

Fugitive who made Sea-Tac escape by light rail arrested in First Hill apartment

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The suspect who gave authorities the slip at Sea-Tac and rode light rail into the city where he was last seen still handcuffed making his escape from Capitol Hill Station was tracked down and taken into custody this week in a First Hill apartment.

The U.S. Marshals announced the arrest but the Seattle Police Department says it was their detectives assigned to the federal task force who busted Sedrick Stevenson on Wednesday at the building in the 1400 block of Madison. Continue reading →

Vroom! Phê revs up Capitol Hill Vietnamese coffee ambitions with new auto row-inspired cafe

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Any echoes of its more recent than you might expect auto row past are mostly drowned out by the buzz of customers eager to try the signature banana pudding matcha lattes and pho as Vietnamese coffee joint Phê has joined the Capitol Hill cafe scene.

“Indulge in meticulously crafted coffee, matcha, and brunch favorites, all prepared with the finest ingredients. Nestled in a minimalist, industrial-chic space,” the new cafe’s hype reads. “Phê offers a unique experience that tantalizes your taste buds and elevates your senses.”

The new cafe debuted this month in one of the more unique — and hard to fill with a tenant — spaces created by the recent wave of Pike/Pine redevelopment. CHS reported late last summer on the plans for Phê along E Pine on the ground floor of a new building built a decade ago with a street-level commercial space meant to echo the old 15th Ave Garage that called the block home until its mid-2010s demolition. Continue reading →

Police: One arrest after man busts into Pike/Pine cafe with scooter, sets fire

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Police and firefighters were called to the area around E Pike and Broadway overnight after a series of small arson fires including one reported to have been set inside a cafe in the area after a break-in.

SPD says it took one man into custody in the string of destruction that started around 3:15 AM with a report of a large fire set in a parking lot along E Union where a 911 caller reported a man fanning the flames with a blanket and adding items to the bonfire. Continue reading →

$2M loan proposed for early boost to Seattle Social Housing Developer

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Seattle’s Social Housing Developer has held up Maryland’s The Laureate, a 268-unit mixed-income, mixed use, new construction project from Montgomery County’s Housing Opportunities Commission, as a model development.

Mayor Bruce Harrell is proposing a $2 million loan from the city to help the Seattle Social Housing Developer start on its mission to provide a wider variety of public affordable housing in the city.

“Increasing housing supply and diversity have been top priorities for my administration, creating more safe, affordable places for people to call home,” Harrell said in a statement. “While there were different strategies for how to fund the social housing developer, we share a vision for this model to be successful and add more housing options across our city. This loan will provide critical support during this interim period for planning and capacity-building so that the developer is set up for success and can achieve its goal of operating publicly owned, mixed-income housing.”

The Harrell administration says the loan would allow the developer “to sustain core operations and potentially pursue near term property acquisition opportunities” until revenue from a voter-approved tax on city employers is available. Continue reading →

Dodgeball DJ — How music and community helped Dan Gregory heal

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Five years ago, Dan Gregory’s life changed forever when he was shot by the brother of an SPD officer during the 2020 protests on Capitol Hill. The trauma left deep scars, both physically and mentally, but through music, DJing, and an unexpected Capitol Hill community on the dodgeball court, he found a lifeline.

“Music Saved My Life”
For Gregory, DJing is survival.

“If it wasn’t for music and having an outlet, I probably would have offed myself,” he admits. “That was a lot to go through, and I’d still do it all over again if I had to, but music is how I process my emotions.”

Under the moniker DJ Danny G (formerly DJ oohchillem), Gregory has turned his pain into a magnetic force, curating sets that bring people together at everything from bus stop pop-up jams, homeless camps, or local taco stands.

Today, he brings music to the busy courts of Cal Anderson just blocks away from 11th and Pine and the center of where CHOP formed five years ago this month.

“I love how music can change an environment,” he says. “People come in stressed, and then the right song comes on, and suddenly everyone’s singing along. That energy is everything.” Continue reading →

Celebrate Juneteenth 2025 in Seattle at Jimi Hendrix Park and the Northwest African American Museum

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The Skate to Freedom Party returns at NAAM

The jackasses in the Trump administration still haven’t figured out how to cancel Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Mark the commemoration Thursday with events and celebrations in the Central District and around Seattle.

  • THURSDAY: Juneteenth Freedom Festival @ Jimi Hendrix Park: “Join King County Equity Now and Africatown Community Land Trust for big performances and even bigger legacy at Seattle’s largest celebration. Summer of Soul is taking this year’s Juneteenth celebration to new heights, gracing the stage with a Grammy award winning talent, R&B singer October London!”
  • THURSDAY: Juneteenth at NAAM: A Movement for Joy: “Juneteenth is more than a day of remembrance—it is a declaration of Black joy as resistance. At the Northwest African American Museum, we honor this powerful legacy with a celebration that is bold, vibrant, and full of life: Juneteenth: A Movement for Joy. This year’s celebration features: Skate to Freedom Party – Roll into joy and freedom Black Artist Market – Support local Black creatives The Benjamin Banneker Math Room – STEM exploration for all ages Food Trucks & Local Pop-Ups – Delicious, soulful bites Arts & Crafts Stations – Create, connect, express Come out and celebrate Black freedom, culture, and creativity with us. Bring your friends, your family, and your joy—this is a space for all generations.”

Looking for more things to do Thursday and through the weekend? Here are more area Juneteenth events. Check out the CHS Calendar for more.

 

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