Jennifer Spigner, Saleena Green and Keith Dahlgren. Photo by Bob Allen, courtesy North Seattle Rotary

Saleena Green, a senior at Northgate Middle College High School, has been awarded North Seattle Rotary’s Student of the Month, a title bestowed in just May on another student at the school located inside Northgate Mall, Joe Lee.

Jennifer Spigner, the school’s new graduation success coordinator, introduced Green to the club at a recent meeting:

Jennifer stated that Saleena was a calm presence and a leader to whom many of the kids turned for help and advice. Saleena wants to go to college next year (she’s waiting to hear which institutions have accepted her) and study Psychology towards the goal of counseling.

Last month, the humanities instructor at Northgate Middle College High School, Beth Bruton, was awarded the Simon Youth Foundation’s 2011 National Teacher of the Year.

Just in time for Christmas, three very noticable new businesses are opening in the Maple Leaf/Northgate neighborhoods.

On Wednesday, Thornton Place tweeted that its newest business had just opened its doors, a laser hair removal center called Ideal Image, located between Tengu Sushi and Jewel Box Cafe at 317 N.E. Thornton Place, Suite 10A and 10B.

Just north of there in the same complex as Target, Petco is planning to open a new location at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22.

And lastly, the space at 11030 Eighth Ave. N.E. that was vacated when 24-Hour Fitness moved into 507 Northgate is expected to open in December as a new Hot Yoga Inc.

Janice sent us this photo earlier this morning, along with this note:

“This morning I found a guest in our backyard, a very pretty Cayuga Duck. I thought at first that it was a sick or injured wild duck…it let me walk right up and pick it up with a towel..but after a little Google work and a call to PAWS I am pretty sure it is a healthy domestic duck.

“For the moment it is sleeping on a towel in our bathtub but I am going to return it to our fenced yard in a few minutes. If there is any way that you can post a notice on the neighborhhod blog so that this duck can return home that would be great. For a point of reference we live on Northeast 95th Street just off of 15th Avenue Northeast.

“Thanks!”

O’Kanaiaupuni “Puni” Iwi’ula, a founder of the Maple Leaf Community Council and a Hawaiian spiritual healer, died this month of heart failure at age 58. A celebration of his life was held Saturday at the Shilshole Bay Beach Church.

“When a man of his caliber passes, we need to remember that the community we live in did not just happen. Men such as Puni Hokea gave us an understanding of the dynamics of community action,” said Jack Remick, a longtime neighborhood resident and former council member. “I, for one, will miss him very much.”

In 1986, Maple Leaf won an award from Neighborhoods USA. “You still see that sign around the area. The award went to the Maple Leaf Community Council, but the drive to the award was spearheaded by Puni Hokea, the then-president of the nascent community council,” wrote Remick.

According to HistoryLink, Maple Leaf was the only neighborhood west of St. Paul and Dallas to make it to the contest semi-finals. Then-Mayor Charles Royer said, “it has a ‘can do’ attitude and works cooperatively with government, business, and other neighborhoods. In doing so, the Maple Leaf Community Council never loses track of what will benefit the neighborhood and the residents.”

Barbara Maxwell, a 35-year Maple Leaf resident and former council member, emailed from her new home in Montana: “I completely agree with Jack that the Maple Leaf of today did not just happen but instead reflects hundreds of volunteer hours dedicated on behalf of the Maple Leaf neighborhood by those who followed in the footsteps of Puni and the other founding members of the Maple Leaf Community Council.”

According to HistoryLink:

Maple Leaf did not become active until 1983 when, under the leadership of Puni Hokea and Peter Orser, they formed the Maple Leaf Community Council.

Quietly, persistently, the group worked to improve services, yet preserve their sense of community. Without confrontation and without blocking a single building permit, the group managed to scale back the zoning of Roosevelt Way NE so that businesses had to provide off-street parking. The group was “articulate and well organized” (The Weekly).

“The traffic circles now protecting our streets by slowing down traffic to avoid accidents were Puni’s brain-child, one he lobbied the City Council for,” Remick said. “As a result, traffic circles became the standard on neighborhood streets - but believe me, the battle to get them was fraught with much tilting and fire on Puni’s part.”

Under Puni’s guidance the council became a powerhouse in local dynamics and maintained strong working relationships with the City Council. The present configuration of the Northgate area is due to the work that Puni and the Community Council board did to preserve a livable community.

The bus terminal at Northgate came into existence under Puni’s leadership; the ultimate daylighting of Thornton Creek was outlined in a White Paper Puni brought to the design committee at that time. The present-day multi-tiered parking structure at the Northgate Penney’s was already in the community’s design material long before the DeBartolo Corporation sold it. If you look across the freeway, you’ll see a medical center which Puni fought for.”

Hokea ran for City Council in 1993. At the time he was director of human resources at Sea Mar Community Health Centers, according to The Seattle Times, which added “he has been a member of the Commission on Asian American Affairs and the Seattle Parks Board and was founder of the Maple Leaf Community Council.” Hokea was rated “very good” by the Municipal League of King County.

A native Hawaiian, Hokea was also known as a spiritual teacher and healer - a kahuna. The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest Magazine ran a cover story on him in 2003. He was a founder of the Kalama Foundation.

Hokea’s obituary in the Times is here. More memories of him are on his Beck’s Funeral Home page.

Update, 1 p.m.: Bob is back home. Again. See comments.

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Good news: Daisy, the missing Lab-Rottweiler, has been found. “Thanks to all who helped look for her!! – Tim.”

Not-so-good news from Friday afternoon. Lindsey emails:

I found an adult male chocolate Lab wandering Maple Leaf on Friday 11/18/11 on 85th between 4th and 5th. He was wearing a silver choke chain and a dog license from Milton, WA. No ID tag.

A chocolate Lab was found Nov. 13 at 8th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 85th Street. “Bob” was back home that same day.

Lindsey reports the new dog is well-behaved, well-balanced, and calm, and now at the Seattle Animal Shelter.

He is microchipped but the info isn’t in the Seattle system (they will contact the microchip manufacturing companies and cross check the number with them). The officer told me that they wait 3 days to be contacted by the owner, and then they will initiate a temperment screening and move forward with adoption.

This dog was a sweetheart, but because he was running in the streets he was at risk for being hit by a car. Let’s get this dog home!

Competing with stuffed turkeys is tough, so Santa is stealing a march on the holidays by arriving at Northgate Mall at 1 p.m. today.

“Meet jolly ol’ Saint Nick at the Santa Set in the Ben Bridge Court. We’ll be decorating cookies, making festive holiday ornaments, and there will be a special meet and greet with Santa Claus himself. We can’t wait to see you there! Ho Ho Ho!”

We checked Maple Leaf Ace Hardware’s Facebook page only yesterday, having heard a rumor that KMTT The Mountain was coming to the store.

Nada.

Today, though, what a difference. Three things:

1. Yes, The Mountain will be broadcasting live from Ace from 10 a.m. to noon, in conjunction with
2. A Cedar Grove kitchen composter offer.
3. Also live at Ace, also from 10 a.m. to noon, and for the first time in our memory, Master Gardeners will be on hand at the store to answer gardening and composting questions.

All the Best Pet Care at 8050 Lake City Way N.E. is inviting you to its “Kittens In A Tent” adoption event from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow, November 19, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20. More than 20 rescue kittens will be available for adoption at the event, and all have been viral tested negative, spayed/neutered, de-wormed and are ready to go to their new home.

If you can’t make it tomorrow, the kittens will return from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26.

We’ve already told you that North Helpline, a food bank that serves our area, is holding a benefit in early December.

Now it’s teamed up with Fred Meyer, across the street from the food bank offices at 13000 Lake City Way N.E., for a turkey drive.

From North Helpline:

We will be onsite at the store collecting donated turkeys on

Friday the 18th - noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday the 19th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

AND FRED MEYERS IS KICKING IT ALL OFF BY DONATING THE FIRST $500WORTH OF TURKEYS!!!!

North Helpline sees over 850 families each week and we need your help to make sure every table has a turkey this year.

North Helpline is a 501 (c) 3 organization.Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

After last year’s debut “Wild Holiday Event” at the Northgate Mall Wild Root Salon, the salon whose roots are in the heart of Maple Leaf at 8814 Roosevelt Way N.E. is planning the second annual holiday party tonight.

From 4-7 p.m., you’re invited to stop by the Northgate Mall location for a chance to learn about all of the services that the two locations provide, and receive a free gift and VIP card giving you 10 percent off all products and services in 2012. In addition, there will be special discounts on products and gift sets.

But it’s not just about you. It’s also about the season of giving, and in that spirit the event also serves as an opportunity to collect donations for Toys for Tots. Toys must be new and unwrapped.

Reservations are requested for this event by emailing [email protected].

Over the years, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist David Horsey has made a name for himself not only locally, but also worldwide through his commentary and cartooning in the Seattle P-I.

And it turns out the apple did not fall far from the tree. Although you may never have heard of her, David Horsey’s mother, Jeanne Horsey, also is an avid artist, and for the first time their art will be exhibited together at our own Aljoya Thornton Place, 450 N.E. 100th St.

You’re invited to the opening reception from 4-6:30 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 17, although reservations are requested by calling 206-306-7920.

In total, more than 15 David Horsey pieces and 10 Jeanne Horsey works will be on display.

(more…)

It’s been whispered about for days - but this morning snow was reported mixed with rain in Marysville, and by Friday it could well be on the ground in Maple Leaf.

Arctic air from Canada is expected to move south on Thursday night, driving the snow level in some places down to 500 feet or even sea level, according to the National Weather Service.

Maple Leaf tops out at 466 feet, but we’re also close to the Puget Sound Convergence Zone that typically forms along the King-Snohomish border.

KOMO News puts it this way this morning: “Friday will be the coldest day since late February with daytime temperatures barely breaking into the 40s.

Yes, if you are lucky, you may wake up to a dusting of snow on either Friday or Saturday morning.

No, this isn’t the last snow chance we’ll see… so don’t be too bummed if you miss the snow this time.

Don’t expect much accumulation, though.

Our news partners at The Seattle Times are setting up a live chat about winter weather. It’s to come off at 10 a.m. Wednesday, and include information about La Nina, bus service and Seattle road clearing. To chat, go here tomorrow morning. To submit questions in advance, click here.

Update: The mayor’s office promises to live stream the summit here.

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Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, who called for a Road Safety Summit after recent bicycling deaths, and Seattle City Council members are holding a north end public forum at the Northgate Community Center on Tuesday Nov. 15.

The summit runs from 6-8 p.m. at the center, 10510 5th Ave. N.E., and will center around three basic questions:

1. What do you think are the highest priority safety problems to solve on Seattle roads?

2. What do you think are the most important things to do to make Seattle roads safer?

3. We often talk about what government can do to promote safety. What are the ways that non-governmental groups and individuals can promote safety?

Conclusions are due Dec. 12.

Update 3:14 p.m.

“Bob” is home thanks to your posting! Thanks, Mike!

Bobbi

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Bobbi writes: “Found - Big, beautiful chocolate Lab on 8th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 85th Avenue Street. As of now he is at our house. (206) 525-3489.

A decade ago this month, very early on Thanksgiving morning, a three-alarm fire destroyed nearly an entire block in the heart of Maple Leaf’s business district along Roosevelt Way Northeast.

The Snappy Dragon was saved, Reckless Video moved across the street, and the Maple Leaf Grill moved up the street. But the block has sat vacant ever since.

Until now.

For a time there was a plan to develop the site, at the intersection of Northeast 89th Street, into a mixed-use retail and residential project. It fell through.

A number of folks have asked about it since we started Maple Leaf Life. We’ll find out more on Monday, but in the meantime, who knows why the site is now for sale?