This is from our sister blog My Wallingford.

The Woodland Park Zoo’s Spring Fecal Fest is almost here. Register for your chance to win some prized zoo animal poo to spread on your garden or yard.

Photo by Ryan Hawk, Woodland Park Zoo.

Zoo Doo is the most exotic and highly prized compost in the Pacific Northwest, perfect for vegetables and annuals, composed of exotic species feces contributed by the zoo’s non-primate herbivores. Bedspread, the zoo’s premium composted mulch, is like Zoo Doo but with higher amounts of wood chips and sawdust. It’s the perfect mulch for perennial beds and woody landscapes such as native gardens, rose beds, shrubs, tree rings or pathways.

For a chance to purchase Zoo Doo or Bedspread, send in a postcard from March 1 through March 18 only. You can enter both the Zoo Doo and Bedspread drawings, but separate postcards are required. For Zoo Doo, mark your postcard “Zoo Doo.” For Bedspread, mark your postcard “B.S.” Entry cards will be selected randomly for as many entrants possible. Dr. Doo will contact the lucky drawn entries only.

Pick-up dates for Zoo Doo or Bedspread begin April 8 through April 24. The lucky winners load the compost, using shovels provided by the zoo.

To enter the random drawing, send one postcard per person (except if you want both Zoo Doo or Bedspread) to Dr. Doo, Woodland Park Zoo, 601 N. 59th St., Seattle, WA 98103. (more…)

Although Northgate Middle College High School may still be Northgate Mall’s best-kept secret, mall manager Matt Bourassa and marketing director Sarah Bonds hope the upcoming Spring Fling Silent Auction will help change that.

Beth Brunton, humanities instructor at the public alternative school located inside of the mall, said both have been instrumental in helping her plan the fundraising event scheduled from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Ben Bridge Courtyard on the east side of the mall.

Northgate Mall manager Matt Bourassa and marketing director Sarah Bonds at the location of the March 3 Spring Fling Silent Auction, a benefit for Northgate Middle College High School.

In our earlier post, the school was holding a bake sale at Northgate Community Center to raise funds for field trips and other activities, while the goal of the much bigger upcoming event is to keep the school’s life coach on staff part time.

“The Seattle school district is really tightening their belt,” Bourassa said, explaining that the cuts are even more noticable at a school with just 45 students compared with a school of 600 students. “They’re the ones that really feel (the cuts).

“Whatever we can do to help them, we figure the mall would be the best place.”

Which is why mall management proposed having the fundraising event in the middle of the mall, where invited guests as well as regular mall traffic can learn more about the school.

“It’s a chance to get the community involved,” Bonds said. (more…)

Maple Leaf artist Rachel Marcotte sent us the above video to better illustrate intersection painting projects.

By Katie Melton

In our last post discussing the possibility of painting the intersection at Northeast 96th Street and 12th Avenue Northeast, nearby neighbors commented in support of the project.

And since then, Maple Leaf artist Rachel Marcotte, who orchestrated the Wallingford turtle painting, received approval from the Seattle Department of Transportation to create a street mural at that intersection.

“Yes, a painted intersection would be possible at this intersection,” wrote Christina Legazpi with SDOT’s Neighborhood Traffic Operations. “Next step is to work with your neighbors on a design. Once the design is submitted to me and approved, I can put together a petition for you to distribute around the neighborhood to show there is at least 60% approval for the project.”

Some neighbors also expressed concern regarding the toxicity of the paint and traction on the road. The paint used in Seattle intersection paintings is nontoxic, and SDOT mandates the exact paint that can be used.

It’s called DriveLine, and exact ingredients in the product can be found from SDOT or Rodda, the supplier. The paint dries within minutes, so runoff is not an issue. Also, the clean-up is done with water, and Marcotte explained that the painters mix a lot of grit into the paint to ensure good traction.

Neighbors in the vicinity of Northeast 96th Street and 12th Avenue Northeast who would like a role in the project should email Rachel Marcotte at [email protected].

Katie Melton is the intern for Maple Leaf Life. She is a journalism student at the University of Washington.

This morning we were having a partly sunny day, but now - it’s snowing. And expected to continue to do so.

The National Weather Service within the hour has issued a winter weather advisory for the Interstate 5 corridor. It calls for up to 2 inches of snow through Sunday morning.

IT SEEMS WISE TO EXPAND THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TO

INCLUDE THE ENTIRE I-5 CORRIDOR…WHERE AN INCH OR SO OF SNOW WILL

BE THE AVERAGE. TRAVEL THIS EVENING COULD BECOME TRICKY BUT NOT

IMPOSSIBLE IF DONE CAREFULLY.

We had earlier mentioned the chance of snow Saturday evening, but it vanished from the forecast today. You might also want to check recent posts here and here about whether last week’s snow forecasts were all wrong.

Shortly after 1 a.m today a car smashed through the barrier blocking access to the closed 15th Avenue Northeast bridge, Seattle Police report.

The vehicle proceeded through the barrier and traveled approximately 200 feet before striking a parked construction truck and bridging equipment. The driver, a man in his 20′s was pinned in the vehicle and unconscious as officers and fire personnel arrived.

Firefighters cut the roof off the car and medics took the driver to Harborview Medical Center. “The driver had an odor of alcohol on his person so a DUI officer responded to Harborview Medical Center to process him,” according to police.

In December, just after A New York Pizza Place closed its doors, we realized that La Bera Cafe, 1000 N.E. Northgate Way, might have done the same thing.

It appears we were correct.

Signs now posted on the doors and a number of the windows state the following:

“Coming Soon
The Fine Diner
International Cuisine”

When we first announced that La Bera had opened, the owners were hoping to stay open evenings as an Italian diner. As far as I know, that never materialized.

Is this an extension of that plan, with the bonus of food from other cultures as well? I guess we’ll see …

It’s been snowing off and on all afternoon in Maple Leaf, usually lightly, sometimes not.

Unlike south King County and Pierce County, we aren’t expecting much more snow - today. There is a short-term forecast for up to a half inch, but it’s to the south of us.

The real news is the cold. Expect temperatures to drop below 20 degrees tonight, and not to break the freezing point Friday.

And by Saturday night? Sixty percent chance of … snow.

There’s a rare local opportunity to view “Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge” exhibition and explore some of the world’s most intriguing and stunning places captured by this world-renowned photographer.

The artwork is at Aljoya at Thornton Place, 450 N.E. 100th St. It’s on exhibit from Feb. 15 to April 11.

This afternoon and evening wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served from 4-6:30 p.m. Enjoy music from guitarist Julian Catford.

It’s that time again. Twenty percent off whatever fits in your bag at Maple Leaf Ace Hardware!

Also, if you got an ad for the sale in the mail, the store, at 900 Roosevelt Way N.E., will make you the same offer on Friday.

Power tools and small appliances qualify for only 10 percent off, and some items like grills and lumber aren’t covered – even if you could find a bag big enough.

Update 11:30 a.m. Snowing lightly.

Last night the National Weather Service said it would snow 2-4 inches here, but the city said “put out the trash” anyway.

Turns out the city was right.

Less than an inch of snow fell overnight locally, unlike the foot that fell in some places to the north.

All local buses this morning are on regular routes.

The current forecast is for another 1-2 inches by this afternoon, with temperatures around freezing. But:

MOST AREAS OUGHT TO ONLY GET MAYBE A HALF

INCH OR INCH OF FLUFF.

And for Friday, sun! But cold.

Snow flurries and ice pellets started in Maple Leaf about 5 p.m.

The city Department of Transportation says its forces are in position:

Nineteen plow trucks with salt spreaders are pre-positioned around Seattle. Snow routes have been pre-treated with magnesium chloride salt brine, emphasizing elevated structures. The department has been working 12-hour shifts for 24-hour operations since 9 a.m. this morning.

The forecast here is for 2-4 inches of snow overnight, with more on Thursday. Cliff Mass, on his weather blog, says “tonight could get very interesting very fast.” Expected lows are around 27 degrees.

Seattle Public Utilities, though, believes its trucks are going to roll in the morning.

Treat Thursday as a normal day for garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste collection.

Please put your garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste out by 7 a.m. to ensure pickup.

Update 3 p.m.: Lengthy backup remains. Our news partners The Seattle Times has a report here.

The mainline lanes of southbound Interstate 5 were closed shortly before noon after a high-speed police chase ended in a crash at the Lake City Way exit.

One lane had reopened a few minutes ago, but the backup extends for miles.

According to KOMO News, the incident originiated in Snohomish County, possibly as a result of a domestic violence occurrence.

The suspect was soon spotted on southbound I-5 in the Lynnwood area. Deputies tried to pull him over, but he kept driving. Deputies pursued him at high speeds that sometimes exceeded 100 mph.

The pursuit ended in Seattle when the suspect crashed into another vehicle, causing both the SUV and the victim’s vehicle to roll over.

The victim, a woman, suffered minor injuries. She was taken to Harborview Medical Center as a precautionary measure.

The suspect, believed to be in his mid-30s, was taken to Harborview for a checkup before he is taken to Snohomish County Jail.

Maple Leaf resident Phil Borgnes sent us these photos from All the Best Pet Care, 8050 Lake City Way N.E., which he said is closed for the time being after being burglarized sometime between 4 and 7 a.m. today.

He said Qwest workers are seen above repairing phone and Internet at the Maple Leaf company.

We’ll try to get more information to you as we learn more. The police report gives the incident time as 7:08 a.m.

Since our last crime roundup the Maple Leaf Pharmacy was robbed again - and the robber was caught blocks away minutes later.

Another robbery occurred on Friday afternoon, Feb. 18, at a service station at 10800 Roosevelt Way Northeast. According to the full report, which just became available, a suspect who appeared drunk entered the store, took a piece of pizza and a hamburger out of the warmer and ate them, then tried to walk out with an 18-pack of beer and a bottle of wine. When the store worker went after him, the suspect punched the worker in the face at Eighth Avenue Northeast and Northeast Northgate Way.

A third robbery occurred Sunday afternoon, Feb. 13, at a store in the 400 block of Northeast Northgate Way. Police say a store security worker was punched in the face when he stopped a shoplifter. The security guard won, police made an arrest, and two watches worth more than $250 each were recovered, according to the police report.

In new burglaries and car crimes: (more…)