Real Property Associates at its current location, five blocks from new digs.

We’ve gotten several emails about remodeling at the vacant property on Roosevelt Way Northeast just across from the Safeway at Northeast 75th Street.

On Tuesday, Josh wrote:

Hi: Any idea what’s going in the building at 7500 Roosevelt Way NE? I’m hoping a restaurant is going in there, but so far I have been unable to dig up much info. From what I can tell, the property is owned by one of the part owners of Real Property Associates, so perhaps it’s just going to be their new office space.

Bingo!

We happened to be driving by this morning, saw a crew measuring things, and stopped and asked. The site designer told us it IS in fact the new offices of Real Property Associates, now located just up the street at Northeast 80th Street and Lake City Way Northeast.

From their website: “Real Property Associates has been providing property management services in both residential and commercial property leasing since 1991.”

Update: Kim emails this afternoon to report a burglary at her house.

Wanted to let the neighborhood know that we had a break-in at 91st and Roosevelt on Monday afternoon. We came home at about 2 p.m. to find someone in our home. We interrupted the robbery so they only left with minimal items. However, they came back at night and stole our car. It has been reportedly seen as the get-away vehicle for another robbery near Aurora. It is a black Subaru wagon.

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Bill emails about a home burglary that occurred at 12th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 88th Street around 10:30 Tuesday morning.

Neighborhood witnesses described the burglar as a white woman with dark, thick, shoulder-length hair. She was driving a van described as large and boxy, bright red on the lower 3/4 and white on the top 1/4 with little windows near the top.

The witnesses said the burglar entered through a window in the back of the house. Bill writes that she took items including credit cards, which she attempted to use within hours.

“Please contact Seattle Police with any information at (206) 684-5735.”

This reported burglary doesn’t yet appear on the Seattle Police crime map for September to date.

The map does show a daytime home burglary on Sept. 4th in the 2300 block of Northeast 107th Street. There, the burglar apparently pushed open an unlocked bathroom window, but nothing was stolen, according to the police report.

The map for Maple Leaf also shows the the burglary of a business in the 9800 block of Lake City Way Northeast, five stolen cars, one car prowl and two cases of property damage to businesses.

It’s going to be a good weekend to go yard sale hopping, with weather predicted in the mid-60s to low 70s Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.

And a few of your neighbors are hoping you will do just that. Betty emailed us to let us know about four individual sales from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, on the 500 block of Northeast 92nd Street (between Fifth and Eighth avenues northeast, but you cannot enter off of Fifth). Best part besides the weather is: They’re for a good cause.

Here are the addresses and a few details about what’s for sale:

• 538 NE 92nd: ‘70, ’80s rock memorabilia, including NIRVANA, Princess Diana magazines, clothes, some electronics, a big old Tapestry rug and a few children’s items. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit Teen Feed, which works with homeless youth and is based in the University District.
• 536 NE 92nd St: earrings, greeting cards, several vintage clothing, French postcards bought by a U.S. soldier during WWII, misc. Proceeds go to University Methodist Temple to buy purchase backpacks, new underwear and socks for homeless people using their services and to the ROOTS program that is headquartered there.
• 532 NE 92nd: Moving sale – piano, sofa, wood stove, and misc. household items. A percentage of the proceeds also will benefit Teen Feed.
• 9126 – 5th NE (but enter from NE 92nd): misc. from 5-6 families to benefit Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership, a youth leadership development organization that provides youth with leadership training, service-learning and motivation-building experiences.

Seattle Police are continuing to look for the man who shot and killed Yancy Noll last month in what they believe was a road rage event.

The shooting occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 31st at 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 75th Street. A large memorial has been built there to Knoll, who was a QFC wine manager.

“This sketch is based on information taken directly from witnesses who observed the suspect fleeing the area.

“Detectives have also narrowed down the type of car that the suspect was driving as a silver 2002-2008 BMW Z4 convertible with a black interior.”

The suspect shot at Noll multiple times with a handgun and in the process shot out his own passenger window. The suspect was last seen speeding away down 15th Ave.

“Anyone with information about this incident or who may know the identity or whereabouts of the suspect or his vehicle is asked to call 911 or the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line at (206) 233-5000. Anonymous tips are welcome. Anyone uncomfortable calling police directly is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).”

Jennifer emails that somebody tried to break into her home overnight at Northeast 100th Street and 15th Avenue Northeast.

“My fiancé and I went to bed at around 10 p.m. and woke up to the sound of someone attempting to break into our house on the front porch,” she writes.

They called 911 but the person apparently heard and ran off. “If anyone noticed anything strange or out of the blue last night please let me know so I can finish filling out the police report. Thank you.”

We also got an email about car vandalism last week from Stefan, who lives at 15th and Northeast 85th Street.

We came out to our car this morning to find the driver’s side mirror was smashed, the plastic casing about 15 feet in front of the car. Doesn’t look like there was damage to the rest of the car/doors, although there might be a smudge on one of the windows. So either we were sideswiped just enough to do the mirror, or someone drove by with a bat and intentionally smashed us.

He was also the victim of a break-in about a month and a half ago.

We’re renting and feeling pretty demoralized about Maple Leaf right now. What’s going on, this is supposed to be a nice quiet neighborhood, right? Drive-by shootings, theft, smashed cars? Ugh. Thanks for listening.

For the record, so far as we can tell Maple Leaf has no more crime than an average Seattle neighborhood.

Katelyn emails: “We just moved into the Maple Leaf neighborhood a month ago, and our little cat, Leela, has gone missing. A neighbor told us to post on the Maple Leaf blog that she has been gone for three days, and to call us if anyone has seen her.”

They live at Northeast 95th Street and 12th Avenue Northeast. If you see Leela, post a comment here. We have the contact numbers.

First day at Maple Leaf’s Sacajawea Elementary, 9501 20th Ave. N.E. Photo courtesy Dane Doerflinger Photography.

Thanks to neighbor Dane for sending along this photo, which we are using as a reminder that reduced-speed school zones are back in force throughout the area - and will be enforced.

Has going back to school given your kids the blues? Northgate Community Center, 10510 Fifth Ave. N.E., has the perfect way to perk them right back up again: a free Caspar Babypants concert from 6-8 p.m. tomorrow night!

The whole family is invited to this last summer hurrah, which will also feature bouncy houses and more to entertain kids of all ages.

The Seattle Parks and Recreation event is sponsored by Pacific Medical Centers, neighbors of the Community Center at 10416 Fifth Ave. N.E.

For more information, call the center at 206-386-4283.

The helicopters overhead appear to be related to an apparently homeless man who shoved two teens at Green Lake, removed his clothes and swam out to the middle of the lake.
The Seattle Times is following the story here.

A memorial is growing at the shooting site, 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 75th Street.

Sept. 4: The Seattle Times has an update here.

Police now say Yancy Noll, killed in a shooting Friday evening, was likely the victim of road rage.

They are looking for a silver BMW Z4 convertible, with recent body damage and a broken passenger-side window.

In a release, police said:

Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect pulled up next to the victim in his car and for reasons that may be related to a road-rage type of incident, fired multiple rounds at the victim, striking him several times. The suspect then fled the scene in his car and remains at large.

The type of car, and a sketchy surveillance video, can be seen in another release here.

KOMO-TV says Knoll was a well-known and liked wine manager for the QFC grocery chain, and lived just blocks from the shooting scene. That story is here.

The shooting occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 31st at 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 75th Street. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line at (206) 233-5000. Anonymous tips are welcome.

Here’s a roundup of recent crime reports from police and neighbors.

• Police report multiple shots were fired and a man killed overnight in the 7500 block of 15th Avenue Northeast.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect pulled up next to the victim in his car and for reasons yet to be determined, fired multiple rounds at the victim, striking him several times. The suspect then fled the scene in his car and remains at large.

The shooting occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. Neighbor Jesse writes: “Saw the many police cars this evening and wondered what was up.”

Police say the suspect’s vehicle is described as a smaller silver or gray BMW. The suspect himself is described as a white male in his late 20′s to 30′s with dark hair. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line at (206) 233-5000. Anonymous tips are welcome.

• Police also report an armed robbery occurred on Aug. 28th, shortly before midnight, in the the 7500 block of Roosevelt Way Northeast. According to a police report, the robber entered a store there, pointed a .45-caliber handgun at the clerk and told her to open the register.

Something digital beeped behind her counter, possibly her clock. (Witness) stated that when the suspect heard the beep he said” that’s not cool” and then fled the store.

Nothing was taken, but officers did not find the robber.

• Megan writes that earlier in August her house on Northeast 88th Street was burglarized while she and her husband were home with the kids.

Opened a back door between 2 and 3 a.m. and took a purse, wallet, iPad, Kindles and sunglasses. Then went for a spending spree in Renton at McDonald’s, a casino, and Ross Dress for Less.

The burglary occurred on Sunday, Aug. 19th. She notes that it happened between the 7-Eleven robbery and the COA burglary.

• Penny writes to say packages were stolen off a porch at Roosevelt Way Northeast and Northeast 102nd Street, on Aug. 14th.
• John emails on Aug. 31st that problems continue at the footbridge over Thornton Creek in the Beaver Pond Natural Area. The bridge is at Northeast 104th Street between Fifth and Eighth avenues northeast. (more…)

You’ve still got a few chances to check out The Wandering Cafe, 7533 Lake City Way, for its Thursday night Chef’s Dinners, which are continuing as long as the harvest season cooperates with owner Kristine Pottle, pictured.

The entire Maple Leaf Life staff, along with spouses and friends, coincidentally showed up at last night’s Paella Dinner, so we’ll let your eyes decide if you want to reserve a spot at the table. Future dinners include the Singapore Crab Fest and Sunday Gravy, which you can learn more about by emailing Pottle at [email protected] to join The Wandering Cafe email list.

The evening started with sangria and Spanish hors d’oeuvres including manchego cheese, figs, cured meats, flatbread, and the anchovies and olives pictured at left, which the nearly 20 guests munched while watching Kristine add ingredient after ingredient to the paella she cooked right outside the door.

As soon as the staff placed the above salad of seared squid, watermelon and olives on the table, guests began streaming in to dig into the family-style dinner.

We tried not to fill up too much on first course, which also included the above tomato, parsley and basil salad with a sherry vinaigrette.

But in the end, it was all about the paella!

The Northgate Link Extension may be soon be heading our way, but we have to wonder how many Maple Leaf riders attended last week’s groundbreaking since it took place at the former QFC at Northeast 66th Street and Roosevelt Way Northeast.

Needless to say, Sound Transit says it was a “hot event” – literally, with temperatures above 90, plus a crowd of more than 350 community members. If you were among the attendees, be sure to check out the photos from the Northgate Link Extension Photo Booth, which are now posted on the Sound Transit Facebook page!

Celebrations aside, there are still plenty of decisions to be made about the light rail line heading our way, which you learn more about at an open house from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 25 in the cafeteria at Olympic View Elementary School, 504 N.E. 95th St. From the event posting:

The open house will include updated information about construction schedule and staging, road closures, construction noise and nighttime work, truck hauling, and access improvements – including a proposed bike path along 1st Ave NE. We hope you can join us.

Take a scroll through yesterday’s Big Blog post on seattlepi.com “Seattle’s next best neighborhoods” to read what residents here have known for years. The photo list features 10 Seattle neighborhoods to watch in the next decade, and naturally Maple Leaf is on the list:

Please — don’t call it Northgate, and don’t call it Ravenna. This low-profile neighborhood is making a name for itself as an affordable alternative to sought-after North Seattle neighborhoods on the other side of Interstate-5.

Update from the King County Prosecutor:

Repeat burglar Maxfield Dare was sentenced today to an exceptional sentence of ten years in prison on a variety of charges in connection with a recent property crime spree in North Seattle. Sentencing was before Judge Michael Trickey.

Prosecutors requested 11 years in prison. The standard range was five to seven years. Dare amassed 15 convictions as a juvenile offender, but was not incarcerated for any significant length of time because of the state’s juvenile sentencing laws.

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The man accused in a string of north end burglaries this spring is to be sentenced this afternoon, police say.

Prosecutors are asking for an 11-year exception sentence for 18-year-old Maxfield Dare - really, that’s his name.

From the Seattle Police Department:

Beginning in February, Maxfield Dare burglarized more than a dozen homes as his victims slept, and stole cash, credit cards and cars.

Detectives from SPD’s auto theft unit, Major Crimes Task Force, patrol, Anti-Crime Team, Crime Analysis Unit, and Robbery Unit all worked to track Dare down.

In June, Dare pleaded guilty to four counts of residential burglary, two counts of auto theft, trafficking stolen property, theft and assault, adding to his already hefty rap sheet which includes 15 prior convictions as a juvenile.