The owners of a dilapidated, graffiti-covered building in Phinney Ridge have been ordered to meet with a city hearing examiner on Wednesday morning after numerous complaints of graffiti not being cleaned up from the property at 7706 and 7708 Greenwood Ave. N.

The property, next to MoonPhoto, has been vacant and repeatedly covered with graffiti since at least 1996.

According to the hearing notice, the building is owned by Scott Walker and Rene Vaughan, who live just down the road on NW 76th Street. The two have been very involved in the community over the years, helping to build the 6th Avenue NW Pocket Park about a decade ago, and Walker organized the Greenwoodstock music concert at the park for several years.

A neighbor (who wished to remain anonymous) told me he had a cordial relationship with the owners several years ago, but that relationship soured after the neighbor kept complaining about the graffiti, garbage, transients, and other problems, and the property remained derelict. The neighbor said the Block Watch was also concerned.

The side of the building is also covered with graffiti.

The neighbor told me he recently found beer cans and a hypodermic needle next to the property. He has called the police several times about squatters in the building. The neighbor said the house attached to the back of the building used to have renters, but doesn’t anymore.

The back of the building appears to be rotting away.

Seattle Public Utilities received numerous reports of graffiti at the property on Feb. 8 of this year, and notified the property owners that it needed to be cleaned up. When it wasn’t cleaned up by Feb. 28, a second enforcement notification was given. Under Seattle Municipal Code’s Graffiti Nuisance section, the owners’ failure to respond to that second notice means they now face penalties of $150 per day, up to $5,000.

Walker did not respond to an email request for comment.

Carmelita Vegetarian Restaurant, at 7314 Greenwood Ave. N. for almost 17 years, is closing its doors at the end of September. In its place will be a new (not vegetarian) restaurant.

Michael Hughes and Kathryn Neumann have sold the business to three local restaurant owners, including Chris Navarra, who currently owns Prost! right across the street, The Ridge Pizza just a block south, and the soon-to-open Martino’s Smoked Meats & Eatery, a block north. Navarra’s business partners in the new restaurant will be Chris Gerke (also co-owner of  The Ridge Pizza and Martinos, plus Nickerson Street Saloon in Fremont), and Shannon Wilkinson (Little Water Cantina on Eastlake).

Hughes and Neumann say the recession played a part in the decision, but mostly they wanted to spend more time with their young son.

They’re planning lots of special celebrations this summer. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more information.

Carmelita will close on Sept. 29.

Members of the Greenwood Community Council are asking neighbors to join them on a walk along Greenwood Avenue North, to explore the areas north of North 90th Street, at 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

The state of Greenwood Ave north of 90th is of great concern for many Greenwood residents. The lack of sidewalks, sufficient lighting and a busy arterial create an unsafe atmosphere for pedestrians. To shed light on this issue, the Greenwood Community Council (GCC) invites individuals to join us on a Greenwood Ave walk and adventure beyond where the sidewalk ends.

Purpose: To document the experience of walking Greenwood Ave north of 90th in the evening. Documentation of this experience will be used to generate awareness of the conditions pedestrians face on north Greenwood Ave.

Meet at Naked City Taphouse & Brewery at 8564 Greenwood Ave. N. at 8:30 p.m. Walkers will leave Naked City at 9 p.m., walk north to North 105th St., then return.

If you can’t make it to the walk, but want to send feedback about your own experiences walking along that stretch of road, email your comments to info@greenwoodcommunitycouncil.org.

The Puget Sound Blood Center is hosting a blood drive at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., this Friday, June 21. The drive is from 1-7 p.m. (closed from 3-3:45 p.m.) in classrooms 1 and 2.

Nearby, it’s also hosting a bloodmobile today (Monday) from 12-6 p.m. outside Super Jock ‘n Jill, 7210 East Green Lake Drive N.; and a bloodmobile from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 22, Jo-Ann Fabrics, 2217 NW 57th St, in Ballard.

To reserve your donation time, call 1-800-398-7888 or email schedule@psbc.org to request an appointment.

Plenty to do in the neighborhood this Father’s Day weekend. Here are a few highlights; check our Events calendar any time for more.

The Phinney Farmer’s Market runs from 3-7 p.m. Friday in the upper parking lot of the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N.

Greenwood-Phinney’s monthly Artwalk is Friday night with almost four-dozen of galleries and businesses open from 6-9 p.m., hosting artists in various mediums. Some restaurants have Artwalk specials. Check the Artwalk website for a list of all participating venues, artists, and a map.

Open mic at 6:30 p.m. at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, 225 N. 70th St.

Friday Contra Dance at 7:30 p.m. at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., in the Brick Building.

It’s closing weekend of Taproot Theatre’s comedy “Bach at Leipzig.”

Couth Buzzard Books Espresso Buono Café, 8310 Greenwood Ave. N., hosts Mary Flower in a Pacific NW Folklore Society Coffeehouse Concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, it’s “Science = Art = Science Open Mic” at 7:30 p.m. And on Sunday, Open Jazz Jam with Kenny Mandell & Don Berman at 1 p.m.

The Phinney Neighborhood Chorus performs a concert as a fundraiser for a school in Haiti at 7 p.m. Saturday at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave. N.

Low-cost life jacket sale at Evans Pool at Green Lake from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death among children ages 1 – 14 years old. Wearing a life jacket saves lives. Washington State law requires children ages 12 and younger to wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket or life vest on vessels fewer than 19 feet long. There must be a life jacket on board for each person older than 12.

The cost for life jackets sizes infant to youth large is $20, and for teens to adult size XXXL, is $30. The life jackets are comfortable, high quality vests in fashion colors. All sales are final -sorry, Parks cannot offer refunds or returns.

Paving crews from Seattle Department of Transportation have been repairing concrete pavement panels on NW 80th Street between 6th Avenue NW and 7th Avenue NW this week. That work will continue next week with nighttime closures Tuesday through Friday.

Next week, NW 80th Street will be restricted to one lane shared by both directions of traffic. Flaggers will be present from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. But at night, westbound traffic will be detoured to NW 85th Street from 3rd Avenue NW to 8th Avenue NW.

The following week, from June 25-28, crews will work on the opposite side of NW 80th Street, and and at night will detour eastbound traffic to NW 85th Street between 3rd and 8th avenues.

The Phinney Neighborhood Chorus will perform its annual concert to benefit a school in Haiti at 7 p.m. Saturday at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave. N. There is no charge, but donations are accepted for the George Marcellus School.

A reception will follow the performance.

More information on the George Marcellus School can be found at the Mona Foundation website.

City Fruit is a local organization that harvests excess fruit from neighbors’ and street fruit trees and gives it to local hunger programs. City Fruit is looking for volunteers to pick fruit from July to September in Phinney Ridge, as well as West Seattle and Southeast Seattle.

The most common types of fruits harvested are apples, pears and plums. Volunteers will get to bring some fruit home as thanks.

If interested in helping out, contact Amanda@cityfruit.org.

Naked City’s new beer garden in the adjacent parking lot will officially be called the Walrus Beer Garden, in honor of the Walrus blues tavern that was originally on that site before burning down three decades ago.

Local muralist Henry painted a large mural of two walruses on one wall. And the artists who created the colorful arson mural that used to stand next to Taproot Theatre down the street, have been restoring it and added a portrait of John Lee Hooker, who once played at the original Walrus tavern.

The grand opening for the beer garden, at 8564 Greenwood Ave. N., will be Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22. That Friday night will feature live jazz. That Saturday will feature an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil for $25 a person, live music and games.

Naked City’s full menu will be available, along with table service, in the beer garden. All ages are welcome, but dogs are not.

The Phinney Neighborhood Association is looking for a skilled craftsperson to assist with occasional projects and renovations.

We do many small renovation and repair projects in-house. We build walls, drywall (mud, tape and paint), install cabinetry and trim, hang doors and mount hardware, do minor plumbing and electrical, tiling, build signs and glazing. We do exterior and interior painting and wood restoration.

We have several part-time and on-call staff who share this workload. This would be a flexible, on-call, position, ideal for someone who enjoys this type of work, has high standards, and likes to see a project from inception to completion. We emphasize quality over production.

To receive the job announcement with more information, email bill@phinneycenter.org To apply for the position, send a cover letter and resume to hr@phinneycenter.org by June 21 at 5 pm.

Terrie Johnston, Seattle Police Crime Prevention Officer, wants to remind everyone of safe practices when dealing with solicitors at your door.

I send you this quote from an email I received from a Block Watcher last week, “We had a solicitor come by the house last night at 9:30 p.m. When I told him I was not interested he became agitated and was spouting off as he walked down the street. I also told him he should not be knocking on doors that late at night. He was completely rude and a little off.” 9-1-1 could have been called at this point to report suspicious activity. Yes, you read that right, 9-1-1 is not only for emergencies but for reporting suspicious activity. Callers will need to articulate what is suspicious about the activity, in this case, the late hour and hostility not normally associated with legitimate sales. Burglars often seek homes they believe are unoccupied. They knock on doors first to see if anyone is home. Home sales can be a cover should someone answer. You don’t know what you prevent by getting a patrol cruiser coming into the area.

SPD recommends we ‘answer’ the door, don’t ‘open’ the door. There’s a huge difference. Since burglars seek homes where occupants are away, ignoring the knock on the door may prompt a criminal to attempt entry. I read in a police report this week a homeowner was upstairs watching TV in the evening. She heard the doorbell ring several times but ignored it. Imagine what she thought when she heard the front door open and someone enter and climb the stairs. She called out and the suspect turned and fled the home. Very scary to think about how that could have ended.

And here’s more information about door-to-door sales from Seattle Police Department:

This is the peak time of year for door-to-door sales, including those using traveling sales crews. There are many legitimate companies in this industry with professionally trained salespeople, selling between the hours of 8:00am and 9:00pm, and a long history of law-abiding customer service. There are, however, less reputable companies in this business willing to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals who trust people knocking at their door. Sometimes residents forget to practice good personal safety.

Seattle Police officers respond to calls from citizens concerned about door-to-door salespeople. The results have ranged from the officers checking identification and sending the seller to the City of Seattle Revenue & Consumer Affairs office for their business license, to arrests of individuals posing as residential sellers, but wanted on warrants. There have also been arrests for aggressive behavior, threats made against the resident, burglaries, and assaults.

Homeowners may consider posting a sign indicating “No agents,” “No peddlers,” or “No Solicitors.” In Seattle, it is unlawful for any residential seller to attempt to gain admittance for the purpose of selling at any residence displaying one of these signs.

With these facts in mind, what should you do when a person knocks at your door?

BEFORE OPENING YOUR DOOR: LOOK FOR PROPER IDENTIFICATION. Acknowledge the knock since ignoring it may lead to an attempted burglary. It is preferable to speak to strangers through your door. In Seattle, all door-to-door sellers must display the residential sales identification which includes the seller’s photograph on their outer clothing. The residential sales agent’s license has the name of the licensee as well as the agent. It shall be endorsed with the type of product or service being sold. The license is only valid for the product or service specified. If you have any questions about whether a company is properly licensed, call the City of Seattle’s Office of Revenue & Consumer Affairs at 206-684-8136.

DISCLOSURE REQUIRED: Each residential seller shall, immediately upon contacting the prospective buyer, disclose their name, company and the product or service represented. If requested to do so, they shall leave the premises immediately. If the individual does not leave, or if an attempt to gain access is made by asking to use the bathroom, the phone or get a drink of water, refuse the request and ask the individual to leave. If you feel intimidated, pressured, or threatened at any time, call 911.

USE GOOD JUDGEMENT: It is safer not to allow the salesperson into your home. You are encouraged to avoid paying immediately. Do not give the salesperson cash or a check, as it may be pocketed and you will never receive the product ordered. Instead, find out from the seller how you can order directly from the company or receive the bill upon receipt of the product/service. If the salesperson is concerned about losing their commission for the sale, offer to provide their name when placing your order.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: In Seattle, if you make a purchase, the salesperson must tell you of your right to cancel the order and the contract must include a statement regarding the right to cancel. For each sale of ten dollars or more, the seller must provide a receipt or contract to the purchaser. Do not leave any blanks on your contract. Be sure the contract or receipt is dated and that it states the terms of the transaction, the amount of payment made and the name and address of the residential seller. It must also include a notice informing the buyer of their right to cancel the order any time prior to midnight of the third business day after the date of the transaction. A completed Notice of Cancellation (in duplicate) must be provided to the purchaser at the time they purchase from the seller. You do not need to provide a reason for canceling your order.

DO NOT GIVE IN TO HIGH PRESSURE TACTICS: Never be afraid to say “NO!” If a salesperson in your home tries to pressure you into buying their product, terminate your conversation with them. Take the time to contact the company directly if you still have interest in the product or service. Avoid making an immediate purchase in order to receive a “free gift.” If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

The Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St., continues to expand its services for those dealing with memory loss, including a new four-week series and a documentary screening.

“Re-ignite the Mind with Improvisation and Play” runs from 1-2 p.m. on Wednesdays, from June 12 – July 3. Cost is $10 for PNA Members, $15 for non-members for the series. There is no charge for care partners. Call 206-297-0875 to register.

This four week class uses improvisation and theatre games to tap into the creative abilities of individuals experiencing early stage memory loss (ESML) and their care partners. Improv participants engage fully in the present, making improvisation a perfect theatre class for students living with memory loss. There is no memory requirement, just a delight of participating in a creative experience that releases the imagination while giving a sense of accomplishment, self-confidence and social enrichment. The class, taught by theatre professionals from Taproot Theatre, promises an hour where participants find success as they learn new things, interact socially and live creatively in the moment.

Care partners are encouraged to attend, but it’s not mandatory, as this class can add a wonderful new dimension to daily life. This program is subsidized by the Washington Health Foundation.

The newly-released documentary “The Penelope Project” will be screened at the GSC at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19, as a benefit for creative programming for people living with dementia. The event starts at 4 p.m. with a “happy half-hour,” followed by the one-hour movie at 4:30 p.m. and a discussion with experts in our community on creative engagement in aging services.

Cost is $10; all proceeds will benefit the Greenwood Senior Center and Elderwise. Make a reservation online, or call 206-297-0875.

What is the Penelope Project? Using the story of Penelope from Homer’s Odyssey, a team of staff, residents, artists, and students engaged an entire long term care community in Wisconsin in creativity and learning. Everyone was welcome. Discussion groups, movement exercises, visual art, stories, and music all emerged from this multi-year project that culminated in the performance of FINDING PENELOPE, a professionally-produced play staged inside the care facility. Over 400 people attended the performances. Here is a link to a small clip from the film.

There is work being done in the greater Seattle community to bring a bold, optimistic, innovative and creative approach and vision to programs for people living with dementia and other chronic diseases in and out of long term care facilities. This documentary will highlight this exceptional experiment and be an inspiration for more opportunity and collaborations.

The Greenwood Senior Center is a program of the Phinney Neighborhood Association and in the last three years has created and added creative programming for people living with dementia. Elderwise is a daily program that recognizes and nurtures the value and wholeness of older adults, regardless of their cognitive or physical ability, and using art techniques meets their need to experience life deeply in the present.