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Friday, October 10, 2008

This Week in the News

posted by on October 10 at 15:40 PM

CityLead-570.jpg

In this week’s paper, Jonah Spangenthal-Lee takes a hard look at the “epidemic” of violence in Southeast Seattle

In the last month alone, there have been at least half a dozen shootings, many of them attributed to rising tensions between rival gangs. As Mayor Greg Nickels trots out his Youth Violence Prevention Initiative—a $9 million program designed to keep kids out of gangs and reduce violence in South and Central Seattle—South Seattle residents like Rachel Risley and Scott Schenk are getting used to the sounds of gunshots and police helicopters outside their home.

… and Dominic Holden talks to one Capitol Hill resident about his vision for the Broadway light-rail station:

Carter Kinnier, a 48-year-old Capitol Hill resident, has an idea. He envisions a new, permanent home for the farmers market, currently a block north of the transit station, which will soon be displaced by an apartment building. Sound Transit expects 14,000 people a day will board light rail at the station—all potential customers.

Meanwhile, on Slog, Dominic dropped in on a group of South Seattle residents who’re unhappy that light rail will mean taller buildings; Jonah got the scoop on a probation officer who accused cops of sexually harassing her and was subsequently charged with assault; I wrote a long-ass analysis of the presidential debate; Eli Sanders polled the Slogerati to find out how much they’d donated to Obama’s campaign; I wrote about the layoffs that are coming at King County; Dominic tells Catholics what they can do with their moralistic laws; and Eli — along with Paul Constant, David Schmader, and Christopher Frizzelle—liveSlogged the presidential debate.

RSS icon Comments

1

14,000 potential Farmers Market customers - only if it's open after 5pm.

Posted by Dougsf | October 10, 2008 3:50 PM
2

Open air drug markets? White people feel threatened? I didn't know that The Stranger employed STUPID FUCKING CREDULOUS HACKS.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | October 10, 2008 3:56 PM
3

yes make a farmers market pay for it with giving more stories.

rather than raising taxes generally


as to SE Seattle.....welcome to being world class. It's called a city. It's striking how much LESS crime there is in Seattle compared to most other cities. This is great. Even a few drive bys doesn't change this reality.

And what to do about gangs anyway as long as we promote free and easy access to guns, what do you expect?

They have the same problem in every nation with lots of guns everywhere.

Posted by PC | October 10, 2008 4:06 PM
4

Best comment to the article "Death Valley":

"I'd be interested in hearing more of Garrett's perspectives. If it is not gang activity that's causing the shootings, where is it coming from? I don't know, because although I have some socio-economic reasons of my own, I haven't shot anyone. And more police will just create more shootings? You can't just dangle these positions out there in an article like this and not force him to flesh out his opinions. How are the division of races turning into "us versus them"? Black residents don't mind crime, but white people do? Black residents wouldn't report their kids being shot? Come on, you're just skimming the surface of this issue.

"And for Jimmy, I tend to think that citizens should expect to live in any neighborhood without drive-bys, period. The perpetrators are breaking laws, and I'm tired of neighbors being blamed for wanting to live without exposure to violent crime. Moving to frat row and complaining about vomit on your sidewalk? Okay, I'll understand that being silly. However, moving anywhere in Seattle and complaining about people shooting each other on your street? Totally reasonable. Our laws don't change by zip code. Or, Garrett, they shouldn't be expected to."

Posted by my name here

Posted by Greg | October 10, 2008 4:20 PM
5

Best comment to the article "Death Valley":

"I'd be interested in hearing more of Garrett's perspectives. If it is not gang activity that's causing the shootings, where is it coming from? I don't know, because although I have some socio-economic reasons of my own, I haven't shot anyone. And more police will just create more shootings? You can't just dangle these positions out there in an article like this and not force him to flesh out his opinions. How are the division of races turning into "us versus them"? Black residents don't mind crime, but white people do? Black residents wouldn't report their kids being shot? Come on, you're just skimming the surface of this issue.

"And for Jimmy, I tend to think that citizens should expect to live in any neighborhood without drive-bys, period. The perpetrators are breaking laws, and I'm tired of neighbors being blamed for wanting to live without exposure to violent crime. Moving to frat row and complaining about vomit on your sidewalk? Okay, I'll understand that being silly. However, moving anywhere in Seattle and complaining about people shooting each other on your street? Totally reasonable. Our laws don't change by zip code. Or, Garrett, they shouldn't be expected to."

Posted by my name here

Posted by Greg | October 10, 2008 4:20 PM
6

Well fuck. Sorry for the double.

Posted by Greg | October 10, 2008 4:22 PM
7

I think I read in one of these stories how - the nice but too old to be so stupid couple moved from C. Hill to the South End to escape?

Well now, if you asked five people who have lived here 4 months or more about that logic, well, all five would scream in your face -NO,NO WAY!!! DON'T DO IT.

Just sayin' the truth.

Some neighborhoods are very rough places to live.... in any city.

True in Paris France, Paris Texas and Seattle.

Posted by Louis | October 10, 2008 4:34 PM
8

And what is your point, Louis? Should we all just accept that there are places that are bad, throw up our hands, and try and ignore the problems? Do you think all efforts to clean up neighborhoods and put an end to the vicious cycle of gang violence are doomed to failure? Is it okay for the cops to ignore violent crimes in the poor, black neighborhoods because it's a "socioeconomic issue?"

Posted by Greg | October 10, 2008 4:57 PM
9

It's all gentrification's fault!!! The White People are ruining all the fun!!! Leave us alone to kill each other in peace!!!

Posted by Fight The Power | October 10, 2008 5:08 PM
10

Is it okay to work ourselves up into a tizzy once white people are affected Greg?

Posted by Bellevue Ave | October 10, 2008 5:31 PM
11

You know, once we gentrify the area the light rail runs through, after an initial spike upwards as the cops start doing their jobs, the crime rate will drop.

So, by 2020 it will all be swell there.

Won't be the same neighborhood, mind you.

Posted by Will in Seattle | October 10, 2008 5:33 PM
12

I'm sorry Bellevue, but I seem to have missed the spot in my previous post where I said, "As long as it's just black people killing each other, that's fine by me." Gang-related murders in south Seattle have been a problem for years now; there just haven't been convenient Slog posts to comment on about it.

Posted by Greg | October 11, 2008 4:04 PM

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