A big announcement last night is setting up about $1 million worth of changes on Ravenna Ave between NE 85th and Lake City Way. That area is one of the projects selected to be paid for with the Large Neighborhood Street Fund. Many neighbors have complained about the lack of a sidewalk. This project will widen the roadway on the west side of the street to allow for a bike lane as well as a curb, planting strip and sidewalk. You can read more here.

Tomato harvest in Maple Leaf.

We already knew it’s one of the worst summers in Seattle history. And it’s just kept raining since we wrote that, right into today, the first full day of fall.

Over the weekend weatherman Cliff Mass wrote: “Over the past 4 days SeaTac has recorded 3.2 inches of rain, normal for the entire month is 1.7 inches.”

So we knew. But we really weren’t ready for what’s happened with our tomatoes.

Some parts of town seem to have tomatoes. Our sister site My Wallingford posted this on Wednesday and invited people to the Wallingford Community Kitchen program: “Tomatoes, Tomatoes & More Tomatoes!” Maple Leaf is a lot higher and cooler than areas like Wallingford or Ballard. And we’re betting we have a lot fewer tomatoes, tomatoes and tomatoes.

Our news partner The Seattle Times published a piece last week on what to do with green tomatoes.

Who in Maple Leaf has successfully grown and enjoyed more than a handful of tomatoes this year? Tell us your stories. Send us your pictures. Cheer us up!

Here’s a start: We found this fine plant this week in Maple Leaf. We’re withholding the location, though. It’s far too close to the sidewalk, where hungry fingers could pick them off!

It means more lane closures and planning for traffic delays if you’re using the bridge this weekend.

• On Saturday, Sept.25, two out of the three northbound lanes will be closed from 5:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
• On Sunday, Sept. 26, two out of three northbound lanes will be closed from 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 6 p.m. until midnight. Seahawks fans, WSDOT is giving you that window of opportunity to use all the lanes from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to accommodate post-game traffic.

In the wake of the deadly officer-involved shooting of a wood carver last month, many in the community questioned the training methods of the Seattle Police Department. This week SPD invited Maple Leaf Life and other media outlets to get a behind-the-scenes look at some new training techniques being put in place along with methods currently being used.

“We did talk about deploying more tasers- using less lethal-force options,” said police spokesman Sgt. Sean Whitcomb.

Officer demonstrates taser techniques

Not all Seattle Police officers carry tasers, but one new step involves arming more officers with the devices. This year, SPD says taser use has actually dropped to an average of 7 incidents a month. They credit the decrease to more people knowing about tasers and the impact they can have on the human body.

“We talk people into custody the vast amount of the time,” said Officer Chris Myers.

Another new program that is already under way requires every member of SPD to take a racial profiling course, with the goal of changing the culture in the department. Verbal judo, the use of words insteads of hands and weapons, is also being taught, along with an increased emphasis on deploying crisis intervention team officers to deal with people who may have mental or medical issues.

SPD allowed the media to try out its “shoot or don’t shoot” simulator that puts officers through different scenarios. Officers also go through tactics training in real-time mock situations. After the simulations, instructors debrief the officers to find out why they reacted the way they did.

Another reporter tries out the simulator (above)

“Training has become a significant issue,” said Deputy Chief Clark Kimerer. “Every single day we’re on the job we learn something.”

Deputy Chief Kimerer will oversee a review starting next month into the fatal shooting of wood carver John T. Williams. Officials did not take questions on the specifics of the Williams case since it is still under investigation. Our newspaper partner the Seattle Times reports the U.S. Justice Department is now monitoring the case.

Summary of additions to SPD training:

1. Putting more tasers into the hands of officers
2. Racial profiling course
3. Verbal judo
4. Adding more members to the crisis intervention team

Holly e-mailed us this within the half-hour:

“Students, including my daughter, returning from school on the #73 Metro bus at about 3:15 pm on Wednesday, Sept. 22, saw a man get off the bus at Roosevelt Way and NE 95th St. with a gun stuck in the back waistband of his pants.”

“He was a white male, bald, 20-40, tattooed. He was walking north down Roosevelt. Police were notified.”

We’ve called the Seattle Police media relations officers for an update. They’re likely busy with the pedestrian struck by two cars on Aurora Avenue North near Green Lake early this afternoon. That incident halted all northbound traffic on Aurora; our news partner My Green Lake has the story.

So many people gave money to The Seattle Public Library this morning that the library foundation’s website couldn’t keep up.

“The overwhelming amount of traffic to the gift processing part of our website caused it to crash. We are so sorry for this inconvenience,” wrote Jonna Ward, executive director of The Seattle Public Library Foundation.

That’s good. It means the public is supporting the library at a time of deep budget cuts.

Because of citywide budget shortages, the library’s 2010 budget was cut by $1.17 million (2.4 percent). Next year the library faces cuts that could range from a low of 9.5 percent ($4.9 million), to a high of 14.5 percent ($7.4 million).

So it was great news when an anonymous donor offered the library foundation a grant of $500,000 if donors can match it, for $1 million in all. Our news partner The Seattle Times has a story on that announcement today.

The foundation has set up an alternate way to give, here. Or call 206-386-4130 to make a gift by phone

A recent opinion piece from Ken Schram on KOMO News points the finger directly at Maple Leaf residents for the outcry against the tent city planned at Maple Leaf Lutheran Church, 10005 32nd Ave. N.E.

Schram seems to have missed the fact that the church is actually in Meadowbrook, which is on the east side of Lake City Way. He writes:

Oh, no!

The homeless are coming!

The homeless are coming!

That’s the cry echoing around Seattle’s Maple Leaf neighborhood after a church voted to host a tent city this coming Thanksgiving.

Our sister site Wedgwood View, whose coverage area includes Meadowbrook, has been following the topic more closely, and indeed not all of the church’s neighbors are supportive of the roving homeless tent city.

As for Maple Leaf Life readers, the only comments we’ve had so far in the posts we’ve written have been supportive of Tent City 3 being our neighbor.

However, considering that we’re separated from Meadowbrook by Lake City Way, it’s hard to say whether Maple Leaf residents would have the same reaction if a tent city were in our neighborhood.

But in the meantime, Schram’s readers seem to know where we stand on the issue, after he said that we “panic and screech: The homeless are coming! The homeless are coming!”

Maple Leaf’s Cloud City Coffee, 8801 Roosevelt Way N.E., is today’s side deal on Groupon.

Here’s the deal:

• $20 for a 10-drink punch card for any 16-oz. or smaller tea or coffee drinks only (up to a $42.50 value)
• $10 for $20 worth of drinks, eats or retail products

And here’s the word from Cloud City’s Facebook page:

“Hey Cloud City fans! We are the side feature on groupon today. Go to www.groupon.com to see the deal, good to purchase for 24 hours. There are two great offers!”

Last time we looked 159 people had bought one or the other.

Maple Leaf’s Cloud City Coffee, 8801 Roosevelt Way N.E., is today’s side deal on Groupon.

Here’s the deal:

• $20 for a 10-drink punch card for any 16-oz. or smaller tea or coffee drinks only (up to a $42.50 value)
• $10 for $20 worth of drinks, eats or retail products

And here’s the word from Cloud City’s Facebook page:

“Hey Cloud City fans! We are the side feature on groupon today. Go to www.groupon.com to see the deal, good to purchase for 24 hours. There are two great offers!”

Last time we looked 159 people had bought one or the other.

If you were worried you’d have to drive far to fulfill your sportswear needs after last year’s closure of G.I. Joe’s/Joe’s Sports, those fears should now be laid to rest.

In addition to the Sports Authority store that opened in Joe’s former location at 328 N.E. Northgate Way, it looks like we’ll also be getting a Big 5 Sporting Goods in our neck of the woods.

Construction is under way in the northeast corner of Northgate Village at 834 N.E. Northgate Way, and just in case you can’t read the sign, Big 5 also is hiring for its new location. The number to call is 206-546-4443.

By the way, if you saw the “Coming Soon” sign posted across the street from La Bera Cafe at the corner of Northeast Northgate Way and Roosevelt Way Northeast, that’s not where the new store will be. Actually, we still haven’t figured out what plans for that empty pit are, but we’ll let you know when we find out.