Poster at the park for the Maple Leaf Community Council on GiveBIG day.

Perhaps you’ve already received an email. Or 12. From charities you support.

It’s GiveBIG day.

All donations made through The Seattle Foundation’s website on GiveBIG day will receive a percentage of the matching funds (or “stretch”) pool. This percentage depends on the size of the stretch pool and how much is raised in total donations on GiveBIG day. In other words, it is a prorated match.

In 2014, the stretch pool was $1,000,000 and the total amount of stretch-eligible donations was $12,800,000. The stretch percentage worked out to 8.3% (or approximately 8 cents on the dollar).

Seeing this story in The Seattle Times today - “Seattle activists push for city-run, high-speed Internet service” - reminds us of the high level of interest in our last piece on CenturyLink and high-speed fiber-optic Internet here.

Lots of folks wondered WHEN it might arrive in Maple Leaf.

Joseph, for example, on April 17: “I’ve seen several trucks wiring up new cables on the poles. Neighbor said they were CenturyLink wiring up fiber. Any clue as to when they might start offering it to Maple Leaf?”

Answer: We still don’t know.

Last Thursday, CenturyLink picked up the thread again:

I wanted to share an update on CenturyLink’s expansion of 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) broadband services across Seattle. Since announcing in August 2014, CenturyLink has made 1 Gbps service available to more than 60,000 households in the greater Seattle area and is on the way to meeting its goal of more than 100,000 residences by year’s end.

This weekend, CenturyLink – the largest provider of 1 Gbps service for consumers in Seattle and the leading provider of gig services to Seattle businesses – is celebrating West Seattle becoming a gigabit community by teaming up with Cupcake Royale to give away 1,000 free cupcakes.

That’s great, we replied. “What folks here want to know is WHEN they can connect in the Maple Leaf/Green Lake/Northgate areas.”

To which the reply was: “CenturyLink is currently installing 1 Gbps services in Green Lake - residents can register to receive updates on when the service is available at centurylink.com/gigabit. We will continue to keep you updated as CenturyLink expands into additional neighborhoods in your area.”

To follow those directions, you’ll need to create a sign-in with CenturyLink.

Or remember how to get into the one you’ve forgotten the password for.

Two days later, at Maple Leaf Life South, we got to “check availability,” and this.

We did fill out the form: “Be the first to know when speeds up to 1 Gig are in your area.”

Heather emails:

We found a set of keys (see attached pic) in front of our house on 17th Place Northeast and Northeast 86th Street.

Wanted to see if you can post it to the blog so someone can claim it.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Last year, when we wrote about the Chiarelli-Dore House, we said it looks quite unassuming from the street.

But different from within.

On Saturday the Maple Leaf home, at 843 N.E. 100th St., is open to the public as part of the 2015 Seattle Modern Home Tour.

The tour sponsors, an outfit based in Austin, Tx., have partnered with the non-profit Seattle Architecture Foundation .

The Saturday tour, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., features six homes in Seattle. More details are here.

Prices are $30 online in advance plus a $2.64 fee, or $40 on Saturday; buy tickets at any of the homes.

More details on the Maple Leaf home are at our last year’s post, which is when the home that architect James Chiarelli built for his family in 1949 was designated a Seattle Historic Landmark.

The Seattle Times wrote about it earlier this week in Pacific NW Magazine. (Hint: The Tines says Readers of Pacific NW magazine can get $5 off the price of each advance ticket purchased online using the code PNWMAG at modernhometours.com.)

Familiar scene. Anything different?

Glad it’s not me!

After Wednesday night’s meeting of the Maple Leaf Community Council executive board, the council posted this on its Facebook page. “Some of the initial architectural designs for the new building on the Waldo Hospital site.” This view looks east from Maple Leaf Reservoir Park.

It’s still there.

Sue emails:

I am a PTA member at Olympic View and Maple Leaf resident on Northeast 84th Street, and I’m organizing the annual used book sale, to be held at OV on May 29th and 30th.

We are currently seeking used book, CD, and DVD donations from the community. Would you be able to put the call out on your blog for donations?

This year, these are our donation drop-off locations:

* MAPLE LEAF ACE HARDWARE

* SEATTLE ATHLETIC CLUB NORTHGATE – one free guest pass per donation (limit 10 per day; while supplies last)

* CLOUD CITY COFFEE – one free drip coffee for 5+ items or a free 12 oz drink of any kind for 10+ items

* OLYMPIC VIEW ELEMENTARY – yellow drop box in front of the school (504 NE 95th St)

The sale itself will be Friday, May 29th from 3:45 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, May 30th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Olympic View Elementary, 504 N.E, 95th St.

The April general meeting of the Maple Leaf Community Council’s executive board is from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday night.

It’s an important one.

From our previous post:

Two of Maple Leaf’s most visible residents are stepping down after years on the Maple Leaf Community Council – an organization that played a major role in shaping our neighborhood.

The ubiquitous Donna Hartmann-Miller (seen rousing the 12th Man) is stepping down from her council position when her term expires next month. (She’s also ubiquitous here.)

Her husband, David Miller – who has served as council president for nearly six years – will step down from the president’s position in May, but remain on the council until his term expires in 2016.

The nine-member executive committee actually needs to fill four of those slots, hopefully Wednesday night.

There will also be a briefing from Aegis Living, the company redeveloping the Waldo Hospital site.

The meeting is at Olympic View Elementary School, 504 N.E. St.

The graphic, above, pretty much says it all.

Although publicity of the Seattle Police Department’s current enforcement push has focused mainly on its 9 1/2 Block downtown strategy, it also earlier this week announced plans on a neighborhood level. Called Micro Community Policing Plans. (Update: Related Danny Westneat column here.)

This is what they say about us.

* “Maples Leaf” is, for policing purposes, considered part of the Roosevelt/Ravenna neighborhood. As are Wedgwood and Green Lake. Here is the pdf.

Enforcement priorities are:

* Burglaries.

* Drug use in Cowen Park (which IS in Roosevelt/Ravenna, near Whole Foods).

* Bar noise, traffic safety and

* Urinating in public.

Not entirely familiar? We could be in the Northgate neighborhood (including Haller Lake, Pinehurst and North College Park).

There the priorities are:

* Prostitution (along Aurora Avenue North).

* Graffiti.

* Burglaries.

* Traffic safety and lack of lighting.

We’ll be happy to funnel any comments to the North Precinct.

Annie emails: “I saw an article in Maple Leaf Life back in August of 2010 associated with a media release to keep the water tower in Maple Leaf.

“I’m an artist taking a mural class at North Seattle College and live a few blocks from the water tower. One of my assignments is to propose a public mural, and I couldn’t help but think about a hypothetical proposal for the water tower to have a facelift!

“This is hypothetical as an assignment, but I’ll be designing and proposing with all considerations a mural to be hypothetically painted. I’m interested in information to do my project. Measurements are a must. This will potentially be a plan the city may want to use.

“Do you know where I could access the schematic plan for the 1948 build of the tower? Do you know who’s in charge of making a decision about the tower’s aesthetics? Any opinions about the message of the artwork?

“We could create a poll and ask on the blog what people want to see.”

We’ll put Annie in touch with Andy Ryan, media relations coordinator for Seattle Public Utilities.

The tower, as we’ve reported, has now been empty of water for years, and will not be returned to service. It doesn’t meet modern earthquake standards.

The city is leaving it up as a landmark (and platform for antennas). Other suggestions here have included turning it into an observation platform, a rotating restaurant or a hawk aerie.

Remember: Olympic View Elementary’s plant sale runs until 7 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The school is at 504 N.E. 95th St.

Update 4/24: Jennifer emails: “Someone has started a GoFundMe for COA.

“This link might be nice to put with the article. It is a shame when this type of crime happens.”

Josh emails this story with the note: “This is not good.”

Thieves steal $10,000 worth of liquor.

The story, from KIRO TV, says:

Thieves targeted a Seattle restaurant, stealing more than $10,000 worth of liquor.

The owners of COA Mexican restaurant off Roosevelt Way Northeast and Northeast 80th Street in the Maple Leaf neighborhood told KIRO 7 they were stocking up for the Cinco de Mayo holiday when the burglars hit.

They’re now hoping their surveillance video helps catch them.

The burglary occurred early Sunday morning.

Briana emails:

Joy Carter, owner of Between Cultures, requested that I forward this letter on to the Maple Leaf community.

Unfortunately Joy and Bob needed to close their delightful gallery on Northeast 88th Street and Roosevelt Way Northeast to take care of Bob (Elam) after four months in the hospital.

Also, I’d appreciate it if someone can direct me to the folks of the Maple Leaf Newsletter, as that was where Joy had mentioned.

Thank you.

The Maple Leaf newsletter of the Maple Leaf Community Council can be reached here.

Between Cultures is the second gallery to close on that block of Roosevelt Way Northeast. The Snow Goose Gallery closed in February 2014.

Interestingly, the Snow Goose Facebook page became active again last month.

A reader emails this morning:

“Large male poodle on an adventure at Northeast 103rd Street and going south on Roosevelt Way Northeast. No owner in sight.

“About 9:10 a.m. Low growling and barking as he passed by.

“A sunday stroll .”

Shortly before our last post (crime, drugs, parks) Cathy emailed to say she’s been a block watch captain in west Maple Leaf for the past two decades.

I am on the SPD’s block watch distribution. Neighbors within the loose boundaries (Northeast 88th Street and Fourth Avenue Northeast) are on my neighborhood email distribution.

I provide a map of the neighborhood, updated when there are changes, to all on my distribution. Car prowls, stolen cars, break-ins, etc. are reported to me by email from the affected party. (Neighbors contact police if incidents require.)

I send emails so that everyone is aware of any new incidents. Neighbors are proactive and very friendly with one another which facilitates our communications.

The Seattle Block Watch program is explained here, including how to start or revive one. Looks like neighbors have to buy their own signs, though.

We don’t know how many block watch groups are currently in Maple Leaf. But it seems more might make a dent in property crime incidents here.

Several neighbors have written to report drug-related issues in parks here or nearby.

Chris writes:

This Spring has seen a real uptick in intravenous drug use in one of our parks. I have come across more syringes than usual since the beginning of the year in the park parcel bounded by Roosevelt Way Northeast at the northeast corner of the Beaver Pond Natural Area.

Last week (see my post to your Facebook page) my six-year-old put her hand on a capped syringe while trying to clamber over a log. This morning, I found three uncapped syringes in the English ivy under a tree she frequently climbs.

I would love to see some community involvement in finding a fix (no pun intended) (I have filed police reports, by the way).

Similarly, on the listserve Nextdoor Northgate/Maple Leaf people are discussing teens at Victory Creek Park.

I just called the cops on some kids drinking on the playground equipment at Victory Creek park next to the QFC on Northeast Northgate Way.

Heather was walking with our three-month-old through the park and asked me to look up and call the police. It’s really frustratingto me that the closest park with playground equipment to us is this park, which is constantly filled with beer cans, drug paraphernalia (such as needles) and other non-kid friendly items.

What can we do to clean up this area so it’s clean and safe for our and other families?

In a follow-up email, Chris adds: “I, for one, have an inkling that a lot of property crime (burglaries, car thefts, graffiti) in Maple Leaf is driven by drug problems.

I was contacted by SPD today (Tuesday) regarding our ongoing crisis. The officer suggested putting pressure on the Seattle Parks Department to install sharps containers in the park. His reasoning was sound. It’s clear that our natural areas are extremely difficult to patrol. Safe disposal of needles will at least go a long way toward minimizing blood-borne pathogen exposure for the rest of us.

Was hoping to garner some community interest/involvement/input.