How to avoid online holiday scams

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Posted: December 22, 2020

by  on December 21, 2020
 

Tis’ the season for online holiday shopping AND holiday scams! Be vigilant for any sketchy or unexpected calls, texts or email. Additionally, with so many of us working from home it’s important to keep our work and personal digital lives separate.  Here are some tips that may help you avoid holiday shopping scams.

  1. Choose carefully where you shop and make sure it’s a legitimate retailer. Don’t click on the email or text links for “amazing offers” as it may take you to a fake website. If you’re unsure, don’t use the link and either type a website address directly into the address bar or search for it and follow the search results.
  2. Use a secure payment platform, such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Using these platforms means the retailer doesn’t even see your payment details. Use a credit card when shopping on line, if you have one. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases. There are also services such as Privacy that provide virtual payment cards, allowing you to use a temporary card number for online payments but may not provide the same protection. Always check the terms and conditions before your sign up.
  3. Provide only enough detail to complete your purchase. Fill in the mandatory details which are usually marked with an asterisk (*) Be wary if it asks for security details, such as your mother’s maiden name, to complete the purchase.
  4. Watch your transactions carefully monitoring for fraudulent charges that may get buried among your holiday gifts.
  5. Keep your accounts secure by using unique and strong passwords for each account. Hackers would like nothing better than stealing one password and using it on all your accounts. Make sure that your important accounts (email, banking, social media, shopping, and payment, like PayPal) are protected by strong passwords that you don’t use anywhere else.
  6. Watch out for suspicious emails, calls and text messages. If something doesn’t feel right, delete it.
  7. Act quickly if things go wrong. If your credit or debit card has been used by someone else, let your bank know immediately so they can block it.

SPD Seeks Community Feedback on Draft Use of Force, Crowd Management Policies

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Posted: December 17, 2020

The Seattle Police Department is committed to on-going critical review, learning, and iterative reform of policies, procedures, and training, and is looking to engage the community in ongoing innovation and change.

As part of the consent decree process, SPD is reviewing and revising its crowd management and use of force policies.  These policies are being revised based on internal recommendations from SPD’s Force Review Board, insights from OPA, the OIG, and the CPC, and recommendations from the public.  As required under the Consent Decree, SPD has provided ideas on policy revision to the CPC, OPA, OIG, the Department of Justice, and the Monitoring Team. SPD hopes to have policies in form as approved by the DOJ and Monitoring Team submitted for court approval in 2021. 

Now, SPD is looking for continued feedback from the public and stakeholders. SPD understands that many in the community have questions and concerns about these policies.  For purposes of transparency and soliciting feedback from as many community members as possible, and to inform further discussion, SPD is providing these policies in draft form at this time.  Comments or suggestions relating to these policies may be submitted to SPD, anonymously if you so choose, using the following form.  Comments or questions may also be submitted to the OIG, OPA, or the CPC.  

SPD further understands that there may be very divided opinions within the community.  As it has pledged to the CPC, SPD pledges to the community at large to be open and transparent with respect to questions raised and its engagement with all stakeholders in the iterative process of policy development and review.  While SPD will not be able to respond individually to each comment or suggestion received, each will be shared with OPA, OIG, the CPC, the DOJ, and the Monitoring Team for consideration as revisions and discussions take place.  

Please review the following draft policies and provide feedback via the survey links embedded at the end of each individual document.

SPD looks forward to your comments and ideas on the future of policing services in Seattle. We are accepting feedback through January 8th, 2021.

Use of Force Core Principles 

Use of Force Definitions 

De-Escalation 

Using Force 

Use of Force –Tools 

Use of Force – Reporting and Investigation 

Reviewing Use of Force 

Crowd Management, Intervention, and Crowd Dispersal 

Seattle Parks and Recreation seeking input on renovating the Bitter Lake Play Area and Comfort Station

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Posted: December 1, 2020

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Seattle Parks and Recreation invites the community to take a short survey in this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BitterLake1 and provide input on the renovation of the Bitter Lake play area and comfort station/restroom. This is an opportunity to provide feedback on the restroom renovation and let the design team know the desired types of play elements you would like to see in the renovated play area. Please visit the park, 13035 Linden Ave. N, and share this survey with your neighbors.

The project will provide a modern, all-gender comfort station/restroom facility, as well as new play equipment that provides play opportunities for all abilities. In addition, the project will make safety and accessibility improvements that meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

For more information please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/current-projects/bitter-lake-playfield-play-area-and-comfort-station-renovation or contact Kevin Bergsrud at kevin.bergsrud@seattle.gov or 206-684-5831.

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A Look Back to the Future: Seattle-Everett Interurban Electric Railway

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Updated: November 24, 2020

By Will Murray

A southbound Hammond Car at Ronald Station [Today 175th and Aurora near Ronald Place]. A small car like this ran on 145th to the Seattle Golf and Country Club NW 145th and 3rd NW from 1911 – 1921. Larger Interurban cars ran these tracks from Seattle to Everett 1910-1939  [Courtesy, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections.]

 

Courtesy of ‘Seattle by Trolley’ Warren Wing, Lawton Gowey Collection

 

A Southbound Siemens-built S70 car Artist concept of Shoreline South/145th Station to be completed 2025 and presently under construction. Courtesy of Sound Transit

 

At the turn of the 20th Century Broadview residents worked on farms, fishing or in lumber mills and a roundtrip to downtown Seattle was a grueling 8 hour buggy ride. Automobiles were scarce, and trains were plentiful when Seattle commuters were tempted to try the Puget Sound Electric Railway: “Hourly service… Baggage Checked Free… Low Rates.. Fast Time.. No Cinders… No Smoke”. Then in 1910 a commuter could board an electric rail car at 5th and Pike and be whisked sixteen miles north to Forest Park [now Lynnwood] in 45 minutes for 40 cents! The Seattle – Everett Traction Company’s Interurban train cars slowly traversed Westlake and Phinney Ridge until North of 85th St where it reached speeds exceeding 60mph through old growth stands of Doug Fir and tiny communities such as Groveland, Bitter Lake, Ronald and Forest Park. The Interurban Trains running every hour on the hour spurred development of communities and created economic growth carrying market fresh produce, timber and commuters. As highways like State Route 99  were built and upgraded to Expressways they witnessed the rise of the automobile and the demise of Interurban railways nationwide in the early 1940s.

 In 2016 Seattle’s car population stood at 637 cars per 1,000 residents totaling 435,000 according to a Seattle Times study and roadways often clogged with traffic. Today many Seattle residents labor over keyboards furthering the Information age. Universities and employers alike provide all access transit passes while many people forgo the expense of automobile ownership. In December of 2000, Sound Transit launched rail service between Seattle and Tacoma and began planning for light rail. Then in 2009 the Central Line was launched with Service between Tukwila and Seattle featuring electric rail cars on elevated tracks. Commuter rail returned to the Seattle area and so did the ridership averaging 80,000 commuters a day in 2009. An extension to Northgate is expected to open in September 2021 and continue onto Lynnwood by 2025. That 40 cent ticket to Lynwood in 1910 will probably be in the $4-$5 range by 2025.

Take a trip back in time at Lynwood’s Heritage park where Car 55 a 1909 Interurban single-ended wooden electric train car resides. To learn more local history visit: Heritage Park site

 

 

Community Council Meeting Recap

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Posted: November 20, 2020

Here is a brief recap of the Nov. 17th Broadview Bitter Lake Community Council meeting.

Alysun Deckert shared that she is coordinating a group to cook meals for families at Compass Housing on N 132nd each Thursday.  They are looking for more volunteers to help out.  So far they are only 2 weeks into their new adventure and have had great feedback from the families. For more information please contact Alysun at Alysun1@icloud.com

Diane Vickers, PTA President for Broadview-Thomson brought us up to date on the activities at Broadview-Thomson including their new sign on the front of the building!  She shared details about their Giving Tree, You can stop by the school and pick up a tag or use the following form (https://forms.gle/c839KTpSrRZvjUVx8)  She also reviewed their Food Program, School Supplies needed, Upcoming Virtual Auction and fantastic attendance rates at the school.  Sadly they will not be having their Christmas Tree Sale this year… but there are so many other ways to donate.  See their website for more details on all of these programs….    https://broadviewthomsonpta.com They also have a facebook page you can follow 

https://www.facebook.com/pg/BTPK8PTA.  In addition, you can join the PTA or just sign up on their mailing list to keep updated on their activities.

Speaking of schools in our area…. A panel for Viewlands Elementary, presented the plans for constructing a Brand New School on the Viewlands site. It looks like it will be amazing!  Here is a link to the details for the project…. Be sure to check out the video!

https://www.seattleschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=627&pageId=87862713

Katrina Scarlett, a member of the Development Team for Mary’s Place, reviewed the mission of Mary’s Place and why they had to move from their site on 130th which was not set up for COVID safety…. as well as ways to donate to help them out….  Here is a link to the list of items they need…. They are encouraging giving gift cards which are easier to distribute.  There are also two drop off locations for clothing and household items… in downtown Seattle and SODO.   

https://www.marysplaceseattle.org/share-your-stuff

Last but not least…  North Helpline shared ways to donate to help them out.  They have two locations.. One right here in the Bitter Lake area across the street from the Community Center in the SHAG apartment building.  They are open Thurs thru Sat, 10am to 2pm and available to take food donations.  They not only do food distribution, but also do assistance to prevent utility shut off and eviction.  They have recently expanded to include Home Delivery and are expected to reach 300 families.  In addition, they are doing a big turkey drive for the upcoming holiday.  Check out their website for ways to help….  www.northhelpline.org

Our next Virtual meeting will be in February… so keep a watch out for the announcement.  That is the annual meeting where we vote on Board members so be sure to attend.  Also let us know if you have any interest in being on the Board or starting up a committee.  We have had a request for someone to follow new construction in our area to let us know about comment periods and for someone to help with the website and calendar and possibly setting up HOOTSuite.  You can be a member at large or just head up a committee…  Let us know if you can help 🙂

In the mean time… Stay safe and Healthy and enjoy your Holidays..

Broadview-Bitter Lake Community Council Meeting Nov. 17

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Updated: November 14, 2020

Hey there Community, We apologize for the delay in communicating with you.  It has taken us a while to re-group to the “New Normal”.  We’ve missed you and thought you would like to know what is happening in our neighborhoods so we’ve asked a few people to come and talk to us…   Please join us for a virtual meeting on November 17th starting at 7pm….

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkduyoqjIqGNJNJ8J_Or5xpni76liMmp2d
November 17th starting at 7pm, join Broadview Bitter Lake Community Council to hear what is happening in our neighborhoods.
 
Here is what we have planned..  If you have something you would like to add, please let us know at least a few days before so we can get you on the agenda… (email address is below)
 
Mary’s Place will give us an update about where they are now and what their current needs are for the season.
 
N. Helpline will let us know how they are holding up in the pandemic and what their families need.
 
Viewlands Elementary is excited to tell us about the upcoming construction!
 
Broadview Elementary will fill us in on virtual learning and their upcoming (hopefully) Spring auction…. (their auctions are sooo much fun!)
 
There will be time for questions. We look forward to seeing you all again and catching up!

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Broadview-Bitter Lake Community Council
 
Our NEW Website:             www.broadviewbitterlake.org
Our NEW Email:                 BroadviewBitterLakeCC@gmail.com

Wealthy, Tompkins King, Dutch Mignone the heirloom Apples of Broadview

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Updated: October 29, 2020

A post from Will Murray of the Friends of Piper’s Orchard

2020 will undoubtedly be the year that shatters fruit harvest records in Broadview if such records are actually kept.  City Fruit recently harvested apples at Pipers Orchard in Carkeek Park for the #GreatSeattleFruitHarvest and a local backyard tree produced over 576lbs of apples. 

Wealthy, Tompkins King, Dutch Mignone, Roxbury Russett apples harvested from Pipers Orchard in Carkeek Park

Fall in Broadview has meant apple harvests since the 1890s when the Piper family homesteaded here. The Pipers originating from Germany planted European Apples Bietigheimer, Gravenstein, Tompkins King, Dutch Mignone also American varieties Esopus Spitzenburg and Wealthy. European apples have complex flavor profiles such as Bietigheimer which is slightly sour. Esopus Spitzenburg originated in New York and was Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple. The commonality between these original apples at Pipers could be their use in baking as they had both a bakery and confectionery in downtown Seattle. The apples were also sold from a wagon at 6th and King St. years before Pike Place Farmers Market was formed. Here is an award winning apple pie recipe to put all those apples to use.

Blue Ribbon Apple Pie

Pastry for 2-crust pie

3 large apples

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp flour

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter

Combine all ingredients. Pile in pie shell. Dot with butter and cover with top crust. Make steam vents and flute edges. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 1 9” pie. recipe courtesy of Jewel Knutson Wenatchee, Washington 

576lbs of Winter Banana apples ready for donation to local food banks. Harvested from one Backyard tree in Broadview this fall and they are still harvesting!

To learn more: Friends of Pipers Orchard Fruit tree map

City Fruit Urban Fruit Project

Local Food Bank accepting homegrown produce

HALLOWEEN TIPS FROM PUBLIC HEALTH

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Posted: October 22, 2020

Halloween has some good celebration options since many activities can be outside and mask wearing is part of the holiday, but there are still some risks with COVID circulating. Public Health has tips to prevent illness, help our community stay on track for reopening, and still retain some of the spooky and sweet flavor of Halloween.

Trick-or-treating

During the pandemic, trick-or-treating presents some new challenges. Door-to-door trick-or-treating will likely bring people into close contact, especially if people gather and cluster on doorsteps and walkways. It’s also difficult to ensure that everyone is wearing the right face coverings or masks. Trunk-or-treating (when people go from car to car instead of door to door) may also be difficult to do while keeping adequate social distance. While we have continued spread of COVID-19 in our community, Public Health is encouraging other options.

If you are thinking about trick-or-treating, here are some things to consider:

  • If you want to give out treats, understand the level of risk you’re willing to take. Packaged food is not considered a common source of coronavirus exposure, but it’s not without risk. If you put out a bowl of candy, a larger number of people will touch the bowl and candy. If you hand out candy out individually, fewer people touch the candy, but they come into closer contact with one another, especially if children line up outside the door. It’s close contact with others that creates the greater risk of COVID spread..
  • Reduce risk in how you hand out treats. Options to reduce (but not eliminate) risk include:
    • Use tape to mark waiting spots 6 feet apart on the way up to your door.
    • Use fun ways to give the candy while staying 6 feet apart, like slide the candy down a wrapping paper tube into their trick-or-treat bags. Or individually wrap goodie bags and line them up for families to grab and go while staying social distanced (such as at the end of a driveway or at the edge of a yard).
    • When you answer the door for trick-or-treaters, wear a mask.
  • Wear masks that snugly covers the nose and mouth as part of the Halloween costume. Kids can decorate cloth face coverings with fabric markers or embellishments to go with their costumes! Avoid plastic masks with holes—commercial costume masks won’t provide the same level of protection unless they are made of two or more layers of breathable fabric that fit with no gaps around the face. Make sure kids wear their masks while trick-or-treating.
  • Make sure children (and adults) stay at least six feet apart from others. If you can’t keep physical distance, it’s best to avoid activities like trick-or-treating or going to a crowded pumpkin patch.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly when you get home. Carry hand sanitizer so that kids can wash their hands while trick-or-treating.
  • Set aside any candy that comes from outside your household for 24 hours before allowing children to handle it. Reality check: we know that it’s too much to ask of kids to wait to eat their candy. You might purchase a small amount of candy in advance so that you can have candy on hand that your kids can eat immediately on Halloween.

Safer Halloween options

We recommend Halloween activities that make it easier to maintain physical distance, wear face coverings, and keep people from sharing items. If you do have any social gathering, keep it small and on a shorter time frame (the fewer people and shorter the time, the safer it is).

Ideas for activities with lower risks of COVID-19 include:

  • Organize a neighborhood costume parade with social distancing.
  • Decorate yards or your neighborhood.
  • Do a Halloween scavenger hunt by giving your kids lists of Halloween-themed things (like different types of decorations) to look for while they walk outdoors, keeping a distance from people outside your household.
  • Hold a virtual costume party online.
  • Exchange candy with families you know. Do a drop-off delivery at their doorstep for a Halloween surprise for the kids.
  • Trick-or-treat inside your home by hiding candy for your kids to find. If your kids like Halloween jump scares, hide yourself, too.
  • Have a spooky movie night or Halloween craft party with the family.

All ages Halloween tips

Halloween is not just a holiday for kids, so we have some key recommendations for the teen werewolves and adult ghosts and witches:

  • Avoid house parties and bars, where the risk is high for the spread of COVID.
  • Keep any gatherings small, outdoors when possible or if it must be indoors, in well-ventilated spaces (open windows and doors).
  • Avoid indoor haunted houses where people may be crowded together and screaming (people spray tiny droplets when they scream).
  • Incorporate a mask that covers your nose and mouth snugly into your costume. Wear the mask whenever you might be in close contact with anyone outside your household.

Thank you for doing whatever you can to reduce the risk of COVID for neighbors, children, and everyone in the community. Have a happy Halloween season!

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