The Phinney Neighborhood Association just announced they have hired a new executive director to replace Ed Medeiros, who is retiring in January.

The PNA Board of Directors is pleased to announce that they have just hired Lee Harper to replace Ed Medeiros as the new PNA Executive Director. Lee is currently the Executive Director of the Northshore Senior Center and was formerly Assistant Director of Solid Ground (previously the Fremont Public Association).

In applying for the position, Lee noted: “The PNA’s community building mission resonates deeply with me – creating community is one of my core values and it underlies everything that I do. It would be a privilege to work with the organization and for my community, realizing a dream from years ago to lead this vibrant organization into the future.”

Ed will be retiring at the end of January and Lee will join the staff in mid-January. Celebrate Ed and meet Lee at a fundraising roast on Jan. 10 and the annual membership meeting on Jan 23.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Building on 85th St., which was destroyed in the Oct. 23 arson, is being demolished. Here’s what it looked like this morning.

Kevin Todd Swalwell has been charged with that arson, along with 10 others, and one burglary at the Green Bean Coffeehouse, which is where he admitted setting the Oct. 23 fire. C.C. Teriyaki, Szechuan Bistro and Pho Tic Tac were also housed in the Eleanor Roosevelt Building.

The Phinney Neighborhood Association needs volunteers to help with the development of a new PNA website and the implementation of a Salesforce CRM database.

Web Developer: We are looking for an experienced web developer to help implement a new design for the PNA website (Phinneycenter.org). The ideal volunteer could devote as much as 10 hours/week over the next 2-3 months to help execute and build the backend. You would work in collaboration with PNA staff and other volunteers who have been working on a digital marketing strategy, content, and overall design of the new site.

IT Consultant: We are seeking a database volunteer with Salesforce expertise to help consolidate and integrate several different database functions with our new Salesforce program. If you are an IT professional and have experience integrating Salesforce and complex databases, we could use your help.

Please contact Alex Eckardt at 206-783-2244 or alex@phinneycenter.org for more information.

We’ve been so busy with arson coverage lately, that our inbox is full of reader tips on other topics. Here’s a roundup:

Now that holiday season is approaching and delivery drivers are leaving packages on door steps, keep an extra careful eye out. One reader reports that neighbors in the 300 block of NW 77th Street had a package stolen from their porch.

Michael reminds us that it’s the 20th anniversary of the John Cusack classic “Say Anything,” with two key scenes filmed right here on Phinney Ridge at the 7-11 and the adjacent Woodland Park by the zoo’s north entrance. Here’s an anniversary review of the movie.

Five neighborhood businesses are included in the new fourth edition of “eat.shop seattle,” which calls itself “a curated guide of inspired and unique locally owned eating and shopping establishments.” They have a whole series of guides around the country. Neptune Coffee, Tokara, Picnic (a PhinneyWood sponsor), The Shop Agora (a PhinneyWood sponsor) and Greenwood Space Travel Supply all get props for being “interesting, inspired and authentic.” The book is available at Picnic.

Karen is concerned that some bicyclists don’t have enough lights or reflective clothing on, especially now that it gets dark so early. Add another light or two to your bike and helmet, and leave plenty of room when turning or changing lanes. Don’t assume that a driver can see you.

The Frock Shop at 6500 Phinney Ave. N. has completed its expansion and renovation into the space next door. The store was also named one of Marie Claire’s 50 Best Fashion Stores in the country. And owner Suzy Fairchild is now offering her own line of organic baby clothing, called Hoot.

The website Kids Eat For has a weekly calendar that lists all the restaurants in a certain area where kids eat free or cheap.

Update: The Seattle Fire Department just told us that they erroneously reported that the locks are for residential as well as commercial. Turns out they are only for businesses that use the large dumpsters for garbage and recycling.

The Seattle Fire Department has just announced that Seattle Public Utilities will provide free locks for recycling and garbage containers for all businesses in the Greenwood neighborhood, in the wake of the recent arson spree.

The boundaries for the free lock program are: NW 75th Street to North 90th Street, and from 3rd Ave NW to Fremont Ave North. Business owners can call Waste Management Customer Service at 1-800-592-9995 to get a free lock for containers provided by Seattle Public Utilities contracted service providers.

Though the Greenwood Arson suspect was arrested last Friday, Seattle Fire Department encourages residents to continue to be vigilant about cleaning up around their businesses and homes. Click on the following links for additional tips on how to prevent arson:

Arson Tips for Residents

Arson Tips for Businesses

Arson Tips in Spanish

Eco Encore is raising funds for environmental organizations in the Pacific Northwest by collecting books, CDs, DVDs and recent software, then reselling it online. The organization hopes to cut down on waste and promote the idea of reuse to conserve resources.

For their November Community Book Drive, Eco Encore hopes to gather one ton of books by Nov. 30. The organization sells the items through their online store at amazon.com, then distributes the profits to 15 partner organizations, including the Nature Consortium and Washington Trails Association.

In our neighborhood, you can drop off donations at Avanti Art & Design at 7317 Greenwood Ave. N. Here’s a list of all drop-off locations in the region. Be sure and check out this list of items they can and can’t accept.

King County Prosecutors have formally charged Kevin Todd Swalwell with 11 counts of arson and one burglary in the Greenwood arson spree. The 46-year-old homeless man is being held on $1 million bail. Charging documents state that the standard sentencing range would be nine to 12 years, but due to aggravating factors, prosecutors intend to seek more than 30 years in prison.

According to the charging documents (our content partner, the Seattle Times, has the charging documents pdf here), Swalwell is charged with first degree arson for the following fires:

• The house fire at 108 NW 84th St. on Aug. 13. That fire seriously burned one man and displaced another family.
• Setting fire to the Green Bean Coffeehouse, 208 NW 85th St., Oct. 23. Three other businesses were destroyed and several others seriously damaged.
• The massive blaze at NW Discount in Shoreline on Nov.12

Swalwell is charged with second degree arson for the following fires:

• The former OK Corral restaurant at 8733 Greenwood Ave. N. on June 19.
• Behind a building housing Moonphoto and Wish at 7708 Greenwood Ave. N. on Aug. 12.
• A building housing O-Rings West at 1111 N. 98th St. on Aug. 13.
• CPA Seattle at 338 NW 85th St. on Nov. 5.
• Rosewood Guitar at 8401 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 5.
• Moonphoto at 7704 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 8.
• Olive You at 8516 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 9.
• Greenwood Quickstop at 8102 Greenwood Ave. N. on Nov. 9.

And he was charged with second degree burglary at the Green Bean Coffeehouse, 208 NW 85th St., on Oct. 23, just prior to committing that arson.

According to charging documents, Swalwell admitted to the Aug. 13 fire that seriously injured Carlos Salmeron. (The Seattle Times profiled Salmeron’s recovery last Sunday.)

Swalwell admitted to starting this fire by entering the fenced area at the back of the house, spraying lighter fluid on a corner area of the house, and igniting it. Swalwell said he tried to wipe his prints off of the lighter fluid container. He then advised that he disposed of the lighter fluid container in a nearby garbage bin at a white house located on a side street.

As to the Oct. 23 fire that destroyed the Green Bean Coffeehouse, Pho Tic Tac, Szechuan Bistro and C.C. Teriyaki:

Swalwell admitted to starting this fire. He explained that he entered the Green Bean business by breaking a window at the rear and climbing in, entering the office, and stealing the safe and attached filing cabinet after removing the drawers from the cabinet. He stated that the safe and attached filing cabinet was placed into a large, green, wheeled recycling bin, covered with cardboard, and wheeled from the scene. Swalwell then started the fire in the office by igniting cardboard and paper inside…Further, Swalwell directed police detectives to the area where he had abandoned the safe. The detectives responded to that location and recovered the safe, which had been pried open, along with a green recycling bin and wet cardboard. A long metal pipe apparently used to break open the safe was likewise recovered. 

In requesting the $1 million bail, prosecutors state:

The defendant here engaged in a several months long arson campaign directed primarily at the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle. His actions seriously injured one man, endangered the safety of countless bystanders and neighbors, and terrorized an entire community, in addition to causing millions of dollars in damage and disrupting small business owners’ livelihoods…He manifestly presents an ongoing danger to the community if released from custody.

The Greenwood-Phinney Historical Society is trying to find the oldest house in the neighborhood, but they need your help. You could even win a prize!

We do have houses built before 1906. Perhaps we still have a few houses that were built before 1900? Hint: if you find a construction date of 1900 in King County Tax Records keep digging! The house might actually be older than that. Building permits will give you a more accurate construction date.

Houses must be within the Phinney-Greenwood neighborhood (50th to 105th Streets, Aurora to 8th Avenue NW) but contest entrants need not live within the neighborhood. The house does not need to be yours! You can enter any house that you feel might be the oldest! More than one entry per person is acceptable.

If you find a likely contestant, take a photo and send copies of your documents identifying the construction date of the house to: GPHS Oldest House Contest, c/o Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103.

The winning entry will be determined by oldest construction or building permit date of all entries received. Entries must be received by Jan. 15, 2010. The winner receives a copy of “Seattle’s Greenwood-Phinney Neighborhood” signed by author Ted Pedersen and breakfast for two at Mae’s Phinney Ridge Café.

Here’s some info from the Historical Society to get you started:

Where can I find a photo of my older home?

Puget Sound Regional Archives has a collection of King County property record cards beginning in 1937 and kept current to 1972. These cards generally contain tax assessments, a photograph from 1937, approximate construction date, building use, small sketch of the footprint of the building, and some floor plan diagrams. For more information, call the archives at 425-564-3940. Email: archives@bcc.ctc.edu. To access this information you will need the tax identification number of the house or the legal description.

How can I find out the previous owners and the remodeling history of my Seattle house?

Contact the Department of Planning and Development for their Building Permit History files. Most of this information is available on microfiche. The office is at 710 Second Avenue, Seattle WA 98104. 206-684-8850.

Where can I find the tax records for my home?

King County Tax Records are on-line for all homes currently standing. Dates older than 1900 are not always accurate due to the millennium computer glitch. If your home has a tax record date of 1900, but may be older, you will want to research further. A building permit may be a better gauge of your home’s construction date. King County Parcel Viewer is where you’ll want to go on the internet.

What about more information about previous owners?

The Polk Directories would be a great start. Take a look at the archival Polk Directories at the downtown Seattle library reference section. These will tell you the names of who lived at your home in years past.

What about even more information about previous owners?

Stay at the downtown library and look up Census information! Now that you have the names you can learn the number of family members living in the house and also what the head of household did for a living.

Greenwood resident Jessica Pelkey is so sick of the negative vibe that the arsons have caused around the neighborhood that she’s created a special Greenwood Love T-shirt line on Cafe Press, and she’s donating 15 percent of the proceeds to rebuilding the Green Bean Coffeehouse.

T-shirts are printed with the phrase, “Spread Love, it’s the Greenwood way.” Short-sleeve T-shirts start at $19.99 ($18.99 for kids). She’s also got a hooded sweatshirt, a shirt especially for dogs, buttons and mugs.

Art for Animals’ Sake is taking holiday pet portraits on Nov. 22 and 29 at Deluxe Hair in Phinney Ridge. Proceeds from the minimum $30 donation will benefit OldDog Haven.

Call 206-297-2002 to make an appointment between 12-6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22 and 29.

Deluxe Hair is at 6512 Phinney Ave. N. They’ll shut the door behind each pet so you don’t have to worry about them running out. Cats are welcome, too.

Sandra Coan Photography is offering special Santa photos the day after Thanksgiving, with 25 percent of the proceeds donated to Ballard-based Soulumination.

Soulumination, founded by Lynette Huffman Johnson, celebrates the lives of children and parents facing life threatening conditions by providing professional photographs–free of charge–of these special individuals and their families. The life-affirming photographs of Soulumination are an enduring, positive record of the child’s brief life, and provide a loving legacy for the children of parents lost to terminal illness.

Santa photo appointments are available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 27, at Sandra’s new Greenwood studio, 310 NW 85th St. Packages start at $20. Call 206-841-2260 to make an appointment.

Lotta is hoping that someone saw the accident on Oct. 26 that injured her service dog.

On October 26, around 8 PM, my service dog Oliver got hit by a car on the corner of NW 77th St and 3rd Ave NW. It was by a miracle that Oliver even survived and is currently recovering.

I was sitting in the middle of the road with Oliver in my arms, when the driver came back, repeatedly saying that they didn’t see him. Then they just left. I was in complete shock, didn’t think of asking for their contact information or anything else.

Due to that Oliver is a service animal, he is covered under insurance, but I need the information of the actual people who drove the car and get their statement.

If anyone has any information, please email Lotta.