A resident in the 2500 block of Perkins Lane called police on September 1 to report that someone had stolen items from his home sometime between August 11 and August 31.  Officers say the doors were unsecured and there was no obvious point of entry.  One neighbor heard some noises at the home during that time but assumed it was coming from dogs.  Officers were able to find some fingerprints.

Also on September 1, officers responded to a non-residential burglary in the 2400 block of 32nd Ave W.  The door was kicked in and the dead bolt was broken.  Property was thrown all over the place, but it was unclear if anything had been stolen.

Another non-residential burglary was reported on September 2 in 2500 block of 34th Ave W.  The full police report on that crime isn’t available yet.

Mulleady’s Irish Pub and Restaurant (3055 21st Ave West) received a nice review in the Seattle Times.  Reviewer Sanjay Bhatt called the restaurant a perfect respite at the end of a long week and said that Mulleady’s pub fare delivers value and taste in a friendly, bustling setting.  Bhatt’ recommends the Shepherd’s Pie, a heaping portion for two sprinkled with chives and melted cheese.   And don’t forget that Mulleady’s offers trivia night every Monday night at 8pm.

The story of Magnolia’s PJ’s Paws and Claws is told in this article that highlights owner Patti Howell’s commitment to giving back to animals who aren’t blessed with the owners that keep her store in business. The store donates 5% of all profits to animal rescue and adoption agencies, including annual events to support the Seattle Animal Selter’s “Help the Animals” fund. 

By the way, did you know that the store name stems from a cat that Patti rescued after she found him with his head stuck in a peanut butter jar? 

The class will be held from 7 to 9p.m. at Catharine Blaine School Cafeteria at 2550 34th Ave West next to the Magnolia Community Center.

Space is limited and you can reserve your spot by calling 206-283-1188.

This letter was posted on the building at 2410 32nd Ave West.  It tells the owner of the property that all graffiti must be removed within ten days.  If the required corrections are not made, the property will be considered a graffiti nuisance and a court date will be set with the hearing examiner.

The letter from Idris Beauregard from the city’s private property graffiti enforcement program says that if the owner does not clean up the graffiti the fines are $100 per day up to $5,000.

The effort to get the city involved started in the Magnolia Voice forum and on our facebook page with the following post:  Does it bother anybody in Magnolia besides me that those buildings on 32nd West between McGraw and Ace Hardware are in such horrible condition. Haven’t been open for over 20 years that I know of and now have more graffiti, dead trees, boarded windows,and probably rat infested…can’t we do anything about it? It’s an eye-sore in an otherwise lovely neighborhood. Who owns it and why don’t they either rent it or maintain it to better standards?

Another reader provided information on how to report the graffiti: I agree this property is a total eyesore. Complaining about the graffiti to the city is one way to keep a bug in the owner’s ear that the neighborhood is keeping an eye on the property and does not appreciate its derelict condition.

After the city was contacted, the sign was posted on the building.  The letter does not address any other issues with the buildings other than the graffiti but the people in the forum agree that it’s a start.

Thanks for the great pic Matt!

Calling all hands who can make it on Friday, September 3, to come down to Blaine for a quick grounds tidy-up before school starts.  We’ll focus on the main entrance area and The Courtyard, so we can use all the help we can get.  Please bring your own favorite garden tools for weeding and pruning (marked with your name) and your gloves.  Children are always welcome to help.
I will be there from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and you are welcome to come for any or all of those hours.  If you want to help but can’t make it Friday or want to come later in the day, please contact me and I will assign you your own VIP task!  Questions?  Call Nancy Gilbert at 283-4638, or send an e-mail to soaring@blarg.net.

Also, Back to School Night at Blaine is set for Friday, September 10 at 6:00 pm. The night will include a spaghetti feed, dunk tank, face painting, games and prizes. This annual event is a great time to settle back into the school year,  stock up on your Blaine Gear, carb load for Bike the Bluff on the September 12, and reconnect with friends after summer vacation. The cost is just $5 per person or $20/family.  All proceeds support 7th Grade Camp and there will be a bake sale to support 5th Grade Camp.

Willard is seen here with producers Mike Hayward (on right) and Shawn Herron (middle).

The commercial stars movie legend Fred Willard.  You may recall Willard from his many movie roles including Waiting for Guffman and Best of Show.  He was  recently nominated for an Emmy for his role in the new TV series Modern Family.

The crew set up camp in the parking lot of the park and then shot this car as they pulled it around Magnolia Boulevard.

Twelve year old local actor Ethan Holle from Kirkland plays Willard’s grandson in the commercial and he said it was quite a thrill to get to meet and work with Willard.

We took these pictures as they were getting ready to break for lunch and it looked like a nice spread for the crew.

The spot will be viewed online on the Symetra Financial website and we will post it here when it is complete.

Thanks to everyone who sent us tips about the shoot this morning!

The following day, officers noticed that someone had also tried to break into room 102 by using a large tool to open a window.  The damage was considerable and officers didn’t notice it during their investigation on Saturday, leading them to believe it was a separate burglary attempt.  This time, the burglars didn’t make it inside.

(photo courtesy of King County)

West Point’s art and landscaping was installed in the 1990s as a mitigation measure for the plant’s federally-mandated upgrade to more stringent secondary treatment standards.

Prior to the upgrade, the plant that treats about 133 million gallons of sewage each day, was a blight on Discovery Park’s prime beachfront.  Now it is  screened by 7,000 feet of sculptured concrete walls and walking paths. 

The Smithsonian describes the project this way:  Over 7,000 feet of sinuous sculpted walls screen the sewage treatment plant for the visitors of Discovery Park.  The multi-level wall defines the industrial structures imagery, the park walkways, the wetlands and the pedestrian bridge.

When Chef Ludger and his wife Julie opened Szmania’s in the Magnolia Village in 1990 they had a one year old son and a baby on the way.  Today, you can often see the three Szmamia boys (two are in college and one is high school)working in the restaurant.  The Szmania family is committed to Magnolia and their restaurant has made our neighborhood a dining destination for many.

Julie says that the past 20 years have been filled with their three sons, 19 pets, hundreds of great employees, and about a million pounds of Schnitzel.  Its been exciting and rewarding and she wants to thank the many loyal customers and friends they have made along the way.  They have packed September with lots of fun events and an appreciation savings opportunity for customers:

• First off you can buy $50 gift certificates for just $40 until September 20.  
• The official 20th anniversary party happens on Monday, September 20th with a kick off party for Oktoberfest.  Expect German food, music and beer along with a drawing for gift certificates and more. Call for reservations.
• The Everything Blueberry "Sip & Dip" is set for Tuesday, September 14th  6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  In conjunction with Washington Organic Week and Whitehorse Meadows Farm they will be celebrating local organic wines & growers. For $35 per person you get three wines and three courses involving one of the most healthy berries ever.
• The fall harvest cooking class happens on Wednesday, September 29th at 6 p.m. when Chef Ludger will prepare a four-course dinner while walking you through his recipes and secret chef tips.  Bring any fall vegetable and he’ll teach you how to cook it.  Pre-paid tickets are $55 per person, not including tax, gratuity or beverages.  Space is limited to 12 hungry, eager-to-learn guests.

Give the restaurant a call at (206) 284-7305 for reservations or gift certificates.  You can also visit their facebook page for the latest news.

This is to let you know that the phones and internet are down at Pop Mounger Pool in Magnolia. Before the phones went down, the pool staff were getting lots of calls asking if the pool would be open today, and if swim lessons would operate normally.

The answer to both those questions is: yes. The pool will be open and operating a regular schedule until Sept. 12 – rain or shine. The only reason we close the pool is for thunder and lightning.

If folks want to check the pool schedule click here.

We found a  young cat on Thursday evening (8/26) near 31^st Ave W and Grover.  He is now at the Animal Shelter on 15^th Ave (case number 10787).  He doesn’t have a microchip. 

We hope his owners read this and retrieve him from the shelter as soon as possible.  He is very cute and extremely friendly.  A picture is attached.  If the owner finds him, please call Olivia at 206-313-3626 because she would be happy to know he got home safely

We got this note from Rio who is looking for the owner of this cat:  For some time, a timid yet very friendly (once trust is developed) male black cat (possibly young) has been camping out nearly full time on our terrace located on the west side of Government Way and 31st Ave West.

He isn’t wearing any collar to help identify him or who may be his owners.  The only distinctive marking he has is a nick/tear in his left ear perhaps from a cat fight in the distant past.  We are hoping that he does have a home nearby and can get in touch with his owners so they know he’s not missing.

In the meantime, we’ve temporarily made a bed for him and set out some food and water.  He has a voracious appetite which leads us to believe he could be lost or abandoned.   If no one comes forward to claim him after some time, we will take him to the clinic to scan for a microchip rather than pursue this immediately as we would like to avoid causing any distress to him.  If he has no chip, we would like to find a nice home for him.  We?d love to adopt him, but we have three indoor kitties already, two of which have medical needs.  Therefore, I am uncertain if bringing him into our home would be ideal for all.  

If you have any information about this cat, let us know in comments or drop us a note at tips@magnoliavoice.com and we will connect you to Rio.
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The  Rustic Ham and Cheese at Melt Café is listed as a "One Of A Kind Fave” by the magazine.  Here is what they say: 

“At Melt Café, you get three options: Order a Classic if you prefer your sandwich as listed, a Melt Me if you desire one toasted, and a Piled High if you?re a meat-avore who needs the extra protein and a scoop of caramelized onions, too. For less than $10, the Rustic Ham and Cheese is a sweet deal that comes with hand-carved slices of smoked ham, shingled pieces of Brie and mustard on an excellent Macrina baguette"

The Rustic Ham and Cheese sells for $ 7.95. and comes with chips and  homemade pickled veggies.

Melt owner Teresa Schultz, as you can imagine, is thrilled about the news.  “This is an amazing honor and tribute to our hard work and dedication, making high quality sandwiches, utilizing grass fed local beef, local Macrina artisan breads, on site roasted meats, and only scratch - made fare. I received the news we were to be included in the article via a fact-checking phone call from the magazine.  We didn’t know we were on their radar, and had been in business just five months when they finished the article back in June.”

Schultz says that the crew at Melt Café, located at 2818 Thorndyke has been working hard to get to know folks in the community, including collecting donations for the Magnolia Little League.   She says that they have lot of regulars and new folks coming in daily.  The big favorites are the Rustic Ham and Cheese, Beef and Cheddar Dip, Tuna Melt, BLTA+S, Chunky Chicken Salad with homemade chutney, and the vegetarian  Mushroom Melt.

Church leaders say the old maple was dying and becoming a safety risk. They held a prayer service around the giant tree last Sunday.

The tree parts were taken to the Meyer Wells Company in Interbay.  They are known for helping people preserve a piece of their favorite trees.  "Humans have a really strong connection to trees," said John Wells, president of Meyer Wells. "Especially if they grew up with them or have lived around them for a while."

Part of the this tree will become a maple table for the entry area at the church. Meyer Wells recently made a table and bench from a salvaged walnut tree for the Magnolia Library.

(Thanks for the pics Julie!)

KING TV also did a story on the maple tree and you can see it here.

The house was originally owned by the U.S. Navy and is now owned by the public-private venture of the Navy and Forest City.  Forest City Military Communities is in a partnership with the Navy to provide and manage military housing in the Northwest and other regions of the country.

Currently, the house is vacant. Forest City plans to sell the home to a private party, who will be required to maintain that house and site as stipulated by the landmarks ordinance.

“It’s been a thrill to contribute to such an important and visible project,” said Mimi Sheridan, local historian and preservationist, and author of the Admiral’s House landmark nomination. “As a Magnolia resident myself, I know how much this building means to Magnolia and Queen Anne. The community has really been behind this. People came forward to let us know the importance of the house and, together, we have been able to set aside and preserve a unique part of our history and community.”

In addition to being a Seattle landmark, the Admiral’s House is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places because of its association with the history of the Navy presence in Seattle and for its embodiment of the Colonial Revival style. Forest City is working with the Washington State Historic Preservation Office to complete this listing this year.

The restaurant opened  in November of 2008 but closed the following March when owner Jon Davis said he needed to restructure. He reopened with an expanded menu last September but then put the restaurant on the market. We took these pictures through the window this afternoon and the kitchen equipment has all been cleared out.

It appears that not much has been left behind.

Thanks to everyone who wrote us asking what was up. We will let you know if we get any more information about the future of that location.

We wanted to share a topic that is being discussed in the forum and see if anyone else is experiencing the same trouble.  Two readers are concerned about the smell of chlorine in their tap water:

SeattleJim writes: A few weeks ago we started to notice a very strong Chlorine taste and smell in our water. Seattle Public Utilities said we were the only complaint. It has continued on and off for the last few weeks, sometimes almost undrinkable. Has anyone else had an issue? We are near Ruffner and 33rd.

And gweaver had a similar experience:  My husband started a bath for our kids a couple of weeks back and when we went back into the bathroom (the door had been shut while the bath was filling up), we noticed an overwhelming smell of chlorine. We don’t use chlorine bleach in our house; we don’t clean with any bleach or chlorine products. The smell was in the water and it was STRONG. I meant to phone the city to ask what had changed. I will certainly call now that I know it wasn’t an isolated incident. We don’t drink unfiltered water in the house because I always smell chlorine faintly, but this was very pronounced.

Anyone else experiencing the same troubles?  Let us know in comments below.

The kids got to meet the players and get their autographs

David Estrada (left) and Jamel Wallace took questions from the Magnolia players.

And they showed the kids how to do it!

Here are some pics from Tuesday night when Taylor Graham came to sign autographs for the U-7 teams.

Here is Tyson Wahl showing the kids how to do it.

Thanks for the great photos Kym!

Trent in our forum asks “Does anyone have any idea what the 10 or so loud shots/explosions were last night at 4 a.m.?”  Somebody else thought is sounded like gunfire.  Another reader said “I was out walking the dog when I heard at least 10-20 shots near 36th and Emerson.”   And from our facebook page “Does anyone know what the 10-15 blasts in Magnolia were just before 4:00 am Sunday morning? They didn’t sound like fireworks or car backfire.”

We are checking too but wanted to open it up to our readers to see if anybody knows what this was all about?  Let us know in comments below.

During the closure most library services will be unavailable:
* No materials will be due and no fines will be accrued.
* The last day to check out Library items before the closure in Magnolia is Saturday, Aug. 28.
* No book drops will be open. Do not leave books and materials outside Library locations during the closure.                                                                                                        * Limited access to the online catalog. Patrons will be able to search the catalog and check their Library record but will not be able to place holds on items. No staff will be working to process the thousands of books and materials that customers normally put on hold.
* Limited access to the website (www.spl.org). The online calendar, databases, downloadable books and media, digital special collections, podcasts, SPL Mobile app and blogs will be available, but other online information and features will not be available. No staff members will be working to maintain the site or troubleshoot problems.
* No Library computers will be available. You will not be able to reserve a computer for the week the Library system is closed.
* No access to Wi-Fi.
* No book group kits will be sent, received or returned during the one-week closure. Kits will be sent to libraries as usual on the last Wednesday of the month, Aug. 25. Kits not available then will be sent as soon as possible after Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6.
* No programs or events in Library meeting rooms.
* No TeleCirc, the Library’s telephone circulation service.
* No Quick Information telephone service.
* No Text a Librarian, e-mail a librarian or chat with a librarian.
* No Mobile Services.
* No parking in Library garages.

Over the last four years, Brown Bear has washed 78,760 vehicles during its annual free car wash day to celebrate the company’s founding 53 years ago.  For other free wash locations, click here. 

Gumball (pictured) and Jellybean are a pair of cute, playful bonded siblings.   They are about one year old with active, friendly personalities.  They have been waiting patiently in the shelter since mid-May for someone to choose them.  Gumball is a gregarious, athletic black male, while Jellybean (a bit camera-shy on photo day) is a mellow, gentle female tabby.  Both kitties are petite, attractive and loving.  Gumball is wild about the laser pointer and will make you laugh out loud with his antics as he tries to catch the light.  These two opposites are a perfect balance of Yin and Yang and are guaranteed to bring smiles to the faces of their new family.

Many adult cats have spent the summer at the shelter, patiently awaiting adoption. This is a difficult time of year for older shelter cats, as many adopters choose kittens instead. These adult cats are proven winners who have landed in the shelter through no fault of their own and will make a wonderful addition to your family.  Click here for more adoption information.

The USDOT’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a report that reviewed the safety record of lane reduction projects in California, Washington and Iowa.  The report says that rechannelizations don’t adversely impact roadway capacity.  It states, “Under most annual average daily traffic  conditions tested, road diets appeared to have minimal effects on vehicle capacity because left-turning vehicles were moved into a common two-way left-turn lane.”

You can read the full document, entitled “Evaluation of Lane Reduction ‘Road Diet’ Measures on Crashes,” here.

Tell us what you think.  There has been much debate about the Nickerson road diet.  Now that its complete, we would like to hear about your experiences.  Let us know in comments below.

Bicycle traffic will be diverted to the west path through the park (normally bike traffic is on the east path). It’s impacted by vehicles and equipment, but remains open to bicycles through Friday night and re-opens Monday morning. Hempfest tear-down lasts through Wednesday, so it will be impacted through next week.

Hempfest organizers had asked to extend the festival to include Friday this year but the city of Seattle denied the request. Now Hempfest may be on its last legs.  According to the Seattle PI, organizers are making a do-or-die push to keep the 19-year-old event alive.  They say money is running out, and unless something changes, this could be the last year.  The event is free to visitors and is funded by donations.   Hempfest lost $50,000 in 2009.