A Seattle police officer drew his gun while investigating a burglary in the 7000 block of 53rd Ave NE.  A 911 call came in around 5am this past Sunday (8/29) that a man had backed a vehicle into the driveway of a home under construction and was loading boxes into the back.  The officer who responded says the man was frantically putting a cardboard box into the front seat.  The officer also saw that the rear of the vehicle was packed with other boxes. 

The officer then shined his flashlight on the man and said “Seattle Police!  Put up your hands!”  The man look surprised and then started doing something with the box that was still in his hands.  Since the officer couldn’t see the man’s hands, he drew his weapon and ordered the man to show his hands.  The man finally complied and was taken into custody.  The officer found black gloves and a maglite in the suspect’s pockets along with construction equipment in the trunk.  Photographs of the man’s vehicle and its contents were turned over to North Precinct detectives to see if he may be involved in other burglaries in the area.

New photo from SDOT.

There’s been another milestone in the NE 45th Street Viaduct project. SDOT just finished the new cement concrete roadway surface that caps the new west approach. The outside barrier walls have also been put in. This week, new street lighting is scheduled to be installed. SDOT says the viaduct is still set to reopen by Sept. 10.

Seattle Police are investigating three recent home burglaries in the neighborhood.  Here’s a look at where and when the crimes took place.

August 25:  7000 block of 24th Ave NE.  When a woman returned home from work, she found someone had broken in through a kitchen window with some kind of tool.  The thief dumped out drawers and boxes and made off with a laptop and two external hard drives.

August 27: 6500 block of 51st Ave NE.  Someone broke into a home that was being remodeled.  Although no one was living in the home, the thief or thieves stole the construction crew’s tools as well as boxes of personal items.  It appears entry was made by using a key from a lock box outside the house.

August 29:  7000 block of 53rd Ave NE.  No detailed police report is available yet.

The Seattle City Council has approved a bill that could soon have a lot more chicken coops and urban farms popping up in Ballard and across the city. The ordinance updates the land use code on urban agriculture uses, including allowing “urban farms” and “community gardens” in all zones. Residents will now be able to sell food grown on their property. The legislation also changes the number of chickens allowed per lot from 3 to 8. The city also has a great resource page all about raising chickens.

A reminder that you and your family are invited to an outdoor movie tonight (Friday, Aug. 27) at Burke Gilman Park (next door to Metropolitan Market).

The festivities begin at 7pm and will feature the 8:30pm screening of “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” Ronald McDonald staff members say to come early for snacks and other entertainment.

Suggested donation is $5 per person to benefit the the Seattle Ronald McDonald House (which, yes, is next door to the park).

Forget the weather and get in some last-minute summer fun on Saturday at Magnuson Park with the “Big Day of Play,” which will feature activities designed to keep families together, including 3-on-3 basketball tournament, paddling and boating activities and plenty of music, activities and healthy food.

The Seattle Parks and Rec event will be at Magnuson, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Other activities at the main stage:

10:45-11:30AM: Recess Monkey
11:30-Noon: Speakers (Tracy Taylor from KING TV emcee from 11:30-1PM)
Noon-12:30PM: ADEFUA African Dance and Drumming
12:30-12:50PM: Hawaiian Dance
12:50-1:10PM: Inspired Child (Step/tap Dance)
1:10-1:30PM: Capoeira (Brazilian Martial arts)
1:30-1:50PM: Hip Hop (exhibition) (Zulu nation and elements of Hip Hop)
1:50-2:20PM Yata Eritrean Group (exhibition)
2:20-2:30PM: Tae Kwon Do
2:30-2:50PM: Pacific North West Drumline
2:50-3:00PM Taekgyeon
3:00-3:15PM: Life Long Recreation Line Dancing Group
3:15-3:40PM: Sterling the International Yo Yo Champion
3:40-4:00PM: Zumba (demo)
4:00-4:40 PM Rainier Beach Orchestra

Get more info at the Parks and Rec site.

Tent City 3 may be coming to the Meadowbrook neighborhood later this year — and that is spurring quite the debate, including dueling Web sites.

On the pro-Tent City 3 side, is Maple Leaf Lutheran Church, at 10005 32nd Ave. N.E., which will vote next month on whether to host the tent city, which would house 100 homeless people for three months.

The church recently added a whole new section to its Web site, including background, news updates and frequently asked questions.

On the anti-Tent City 3 side is a well-organized neighborhood group called Meadowbrook Neighbors. Their next meeting is tonight (Thursday, Aug. 26) at 7 p.m. at a home at 3218 NE 100th St (you are asked to bring a chair).

Both sites offer conflicting reports and studies about whether tent cities have increased crime in other areas they have come to.

What’s your opinion — should Maple Leaf Lutheran Church host Tent City 3? Sound off in the comments section.

The North Helpline food bank’s “Round Up Hunger” campaign earlier this month, is over, and a big success.

Thirty-eight organizations, businesses, and community groups had signed up to participate by decorating a barrel and filling it with a total of more than 4,000 pounds of food for the food bank, which has seen demand grow by 37 percent this year.

Businesses or organizations with barrels in Wedgwood included All That Dance and the Wedgwood Alehouse.

The food bank serves Northeast Seattle.

This is the last week to get things done at the library before budget cuts force the entire library system to shut down until after Labor Day. The Northeast Branch and all other Seattle Public Libraries will close on Monday, Aug. 30 and reopen Tuesday, Sept. 7.

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 is Sunday, Aug. 29.
* No book drops will be open. Do not leave books and materials outside Library locations during the closure. Book drops at branches that are open on Sundays, which includes the Northeast Branch, will close at 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29 and reopen at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7.
* 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. The Central Library, Capitol Hill Branch and Ballard Branch garages will be closed.

It has been a little while since we’ve noticed any burglary activity in the area.  But this past Friday (8/20) around noon, officers responded to a home burglary alarm in the 8200 block of 28th Ave NE.  The thief broke the glass on a basement door, but it didn’t appear that anyone actually went inside.  Officers were able to contact the homeowner by phone who said the security company had contacted him four hours earlier about an alarm being tripped as well.  The homeowner said he would call officers once he got back to the house to let them know if anything was taken.