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Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Photo: Colorful pumpkins at Central Market

Photo by Lee Lageschulte


Lee Lageschulte says you can select from a colorful variety of pumpkins at Central Market. And don't forget the Great Pumpkin Weigh Off on October 10 (see previous article)



A New Director at the Commons

Lori Hoffman, Executive Director
Third Place Commons
The Friends of Third Place Commons is pleased to announce the hiring of Lorie Hoffman as the new Executive Director.

As the former Marketing Manager for the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council and a gallery manager in Montana, Hoffman brings considerable organizational skills to this position.

She is also a working printmaker with an outstanding command of technology and graphic design. She has been described as energetic, creative, and collaborative, with the ability to inspire others as catalysts for growth and change. 

Third Place Commons at the Lake Forest Park Town Center is a vibrant, safe, welcoming space open to everyone. The Friends of TPC is the non-profit organization that schedules and facilitates all of the community events that happen there. Last year there were more than 900! 

Third Place Commons boardmembers are excited to embark on this next phase in the life of our wonderful community space. Hoffman will begin work on October 5. Please say hello if you see her next time you are in the Commons.



$72,000 Closer to a Cure

Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild

On September 12, the Pink Polka Dots Junior Guild of Lake Forest Park hosted their 9th Annual Sydney Coxon Memorial Golf Tournament.

Each year, the Seattle Children’s Hospital Junior Guild teams up with LMI Aerospace, Inc., and the Coxon Family Foundation to host an afternoon of golf followed by an inspirational evening program. The tournament, dinner, and silent auction capped off another year of successful fundraising, bringing in over $72,000! 

Card sales in Lake Forest Park

Founded by local 6th graders after losing their friend, Sydney Coxon, to a brain tumor in 2006, the Pink Polka Dots are focused on funding research to cure cancer. You may have seen members selling handmade cards and gifts at the LFP Third Place Commons Holiday and Farmer’s Markets, or selling lemonade along the Burke Gilman trail this summer. Their custom made art cards are also available at The Gallery, the store run by Shoreline/LFP Arts Council in the LFP Town Center.

After nine years, these charitable youngsters and their families are ever closer to their goal of raising one million dollars to fund groundbreaking research for better treatments, and hopefully someday a cure, for pediatric brain tumors.

Cancer researcher Dr. Jim Olson
spoke of new discoveries

The Pink Polka Dots’ fundraising proceeds support the work of Dr. Jim Olson, who was the keynote speaker at the event. The funding has allowed researchers at Children’s Hospital and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to develop exciting new treatments including “Tumor Paint.”

Dr. Olson announced that Tumor Paint, a drug derived from scorpion venom, which makes cancer cells glow for more precise surgical removal, is now available and has been used successfully in the first patients, including a young boy with a brain tumor.

The latest effort in the Olson Lab, “Project Violet”, involves discovering and producing cancer-fighting optide drugs from natural sources, like flowers. Funding from Guilds and patient families is critical to researchers' ability to keep moving forward to save lives of children and adults with many types of cancers, and potentially other diseases like Alzheimers and diabetes. 

It’s not too late to help fund research for a cure -- and have fun doing it! Pink Polka Dots’ next fundraiser, an all-ages Karaoke Night at Community Fitness in Seattle, is happening this Saturday October 3rd, with professional Karaoke DJ provided by Quality Karaoke. 

To buy tickets to Karaoke Night, read more about Dr. Olson’s research, and make a donation to the Pink Polka Dots, visit their website.



Veterans selling memorial bricks at Central Market Saturday

Veterans selling bricks on a sunny day
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Members of the Shoreline Veterans Association will be selling bricks for the Shoreline Veterans Plaza on Saturday, October 3 at Shoreline Central Market. 

Bricks are on sale for $100 and will include name, rank and branch of service and years served.  

Bricks are in place at the plaza and will be engraved on site. The plaza is located at Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave in Shoreline.  Please stop by and visit the site.




150 people attend open house for 145th Street Corridor Study options

The 145th Corridor

By Christine Southwick

The 145th Street Multimodal Corridor Study Open House, Sept 30 hosted over 150 interested citizens.

Feelings ran high among those people on both sides of 145th whose properties are likely to be affected. The city officials repeatedly stressed that the study is still in the one-year study phase.

This phase will be followed by an Environmental Review phase of 1-2 years; Preliminary design phase of 1 year, Right of Way/Property Acquisition and Final Design phase of 1-2 years; with actual construction taking 2+ years.

There are four basic options that were presented. Option one requires no action (60 foot right-of-way) all the way to Option 4 (101 foot right-of-way), which includes sidewalks and in some cases bike lanes. A hybrid of preferred parts of the four options is also possible.

Attendees were encouraged to indicate their level of priorities for each of the five sections (contexts) of the corridor. The five contexts are: 3rd NW to Greenwood; Greenwood to Aurora; Aurora to I-5;  the I-5 interchange; and I-5 to Lake City Way.

The next open house is tentatively scheduled for January, after which the study team will make a recommendation to the City Council.




Richmond Beach Parks Walk - (Next to) Last Shoreline Walk of 2015

Shoreline Walks Richmond Beach
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Richmond Beach Parks Walk

Join walk leader Mary Jo Gerst this Saturday, October 3rd on a hearty 3 mile walk around Richmond Beach exploring four of the neighborhood parks while enjoying views of the mountains and the sound.

The walk starts at 10:00am at the entrance to Richmond Beach Saltwater Park 2021 NW 190th St, and is part of the Shoreline Walks free community walking program.

This will be the only walk in October for the 2015 program. The walk offers the opportunity to get better acquainted with each of these neighborhood parks and explores the roads the connect each of them. 

An additional walk has been scheduled November 7th. Details later.

Walk is 3 miles in length and will last for approximately 90 minutes. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Walk is rated moderate for some hills. 

The free group walk is part of the City of Shoreline’s “Shoreline Walks” community walking program helping Shoreline adults stay active, meet new people (or connect with old friends) and feel safer and more confident exploring our city by foot. No need to sign up, just show up with your walking shoes!

More information on Shoreline Walks here, or call Recreation Assistant Marianne Johnson at 206-801-2638.

Updated 10-01-2015

Bargain hunters - neighborhood yard sales in Montlake this Saturday

If you are willing to travel a little for a good bargain, this looks like a good bet.

Saturday, October 3rd 9:00 am - 3:00 pm the Montlake Neighborhood, Seattle presents its 3rd annual Fall Yard Sale.

The Montlake Neighborhood is just across the Montlake Bridge from Husky Stadium.

Shoppers are welcome at​ ​locations around the neighborhood. Look for the bright yellow yard signs. 

Here's a sneak peek of some items and a map showing the yard sale locations.



Bottom Line: County Council recognizes Diaper Need Awareness Week

Nancy Woodland (l) of WestSide Baby and Eastside Baby Corner’s Renee Zimmerman (r) hold the recognition they received from the Metropolitan King County Council.
Back Row: (l-r) Councilmembers Larry Gossett, Dave Upthegrove, Larry Phillips, Jane Hague, and Pete von Reichbauer. 
Front Row (l-r) Councilmember Joe McDermott, Nancy Woodland, Renee Zimmerman, Councilmembers Kathy Lambert and Rod Dembowski

Lack of diapers is a comfort AND health issue

Far too many parents have to make the difficult choice of changing a diaper or letting their child stay in a soiled diaper to help extend their limited supply. The Metropolitan King County Council recognized the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 4 as Diaper Need Awareness Week, the effort to ensure that all infants and toddlers can be clean, healthy, and dry by having the diapers they need.

National surveys report that one in three mothers experience diaper need while their children are less than three years of age, and that nearly half of families delay changing a diaper to extend their supply. Medical professionals are undivided in their concern over the affect this has on the health and welfare of babies, toddlers, and their families.

“Diapers are a basic need for babies and can be a significant investment for families of every income level,” said Council Vice Chair Joe McDermott. “Making sure that every child has an adequate supply of diapers with go far to keep kids healthy.” 

The average infant or toddler requires an average of 50 diaper changes per week over three years. In addition, diapers cannot be bought with food stamps or WIC vouchers, so obtaining a sufficient supply of diapers can cause economic hardship to families.

A supply of diapers is generally an eligibility requirement for infant and toddlers to participate in childcare programs and quality early education programs, thus addressing diaper need can also lead to economic opportunity for low-income families.

Locally, if you wish to be of help, toss a couple of packages of diapers in your shopping cart and drop them off at Shoreline HopeLink in the lower level of Aurora Square, near Marshall's.

Or mail a check to HopeLink and specify "Diaper Fund". Shoreline HopeLink,15809 Westminster Way N, Seattle, WA 98133.



Shoreline City Manager Update Week of 9/28/15

City Manager Update Week of 9/28/15
Debbie Tarry, Shoreline City Manager

Council Meetings
September 21
        Dinner Meeting: Executive Session, Personnel: City Manager Evaluation. The Council is in the process of my annual performance evaluation.
        Business Meeting:
o   Presentation to Kids Move Challenge Winners: Three winners (selected randomly from all of the kids who entered) each received a scooter, pads, and a helmet graciously donated by Scott Phariss & Associates at the Windermere’s Shoreline office and the Kiwanis Club. The winners took their pictures with the Council and Scott Phariss and his associates to be used in an upcoming edition of Currents.
o   Proclamation of the Mayor’s Day of Concern for the Hungry: Polly Terman, Weekend Backpack Program Director, accepted the proclamation.
o   Adoption of Resolution No. 377 – Prescribing Procedures Regarding the Transportation Corridor Study and Mitigations (Sponsored by Councilmember McConnell and Roberts): The adopted resolution provides that the City not take any action that is inconsistent with the 4,000 vehicle trips per day limit set out in Point Wells' Subarea Plan policy PW-12 and the City shall advocate positions consistent with all of the adopted policy provisions in the Point Wells Subarea Plan and the City's adopted Transportation Master Plan during Snohomish County's environmental review and/or permitting process for the proposed Point Wells development. Additionally, the resolution requires the City Manager to bring the final Transportation Corridor and Mitigation Plan related to a Point Wells development to Council to vote on the final plan. This resolution reinforces the process that City staff was already following in addressing the proposed Point Wells development permit application and environmental review process.
o   Discussion and Preliminary View of the 2016 Budget: Staff provided an update of the 2016 preliminary budget and related long-term financial projections. The City Manager will present the proposed budget to the City Council on October 12, with adoption scheduled for November 23, 2015. At this time the 2016 preliminary budget is balanced and continues to allocate resources that support the Council’s goals and priorities.
September 28 – No Meeting
October 5
        Business Meeting:
o   Proclamation for Great Washington ShakeOut Day: The Great Washington ShakeOut earthquake drill will take place at 10:15 a.m. October 15, 2015. By participating in this drill, Shoreline residents can practice Drop-Cover-Hold procedures and assess their personal readiness and understanding of how to enhance their safety. Mr. Chuck Goodwin, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator with the Shoreline School District, will be in attendance to receive the proclamation.
o   Discussion of and Public Hearing on Proposed Ordinance No. 726 – Authorizing the City to Assume the Rights, Powers, Functions, Immunities and Obligations of the Shoreline Transportation Benefit District (TBD): Assumption of the TBD would eliminate the Shoreline TBD as a separate entity and promote efficiency in government operation and administration and eliminate potential public confusion about distinguishing the two entities. Assumption of the TBD does not impair or alter any existing rights, actions, activities, proceedings, or other provision of law relating to transportation benefit districts. On September 14, 2015, Council completed the first step in the assumption process by adopting Resolution No. 376, indicating the City’s intent to conduct a Public Hearing on the potential assumption. Tonight, Council is scheduled to discuss and hold a public hearing on proposed Ordinance No. 726, authorizing the City to assume the rights, powers, functions, immunities and obligations of the Shoreline TBD.
Meeting with Federal Delegation
The Mayor, Intergovernmental Relations Manager Scott MacColl, and I will be meeting with the City's Federal Legislative Representatives September 28 – 30 advocating for transportation funding tools, along with other important legislative issues for the City.

145th Multi-Modal Corridor Study Open House No. 2 – September 30th, 6:00 to 8:00p.m.
Staff sent a post card to all residents 10 blocks north (Shoreline) and 10 blocks south (Seattle) of 145th Street and to other interested parties that have signed up to receive notification. Yard signs have also gone up along the corridor regarding the Open House. All are invited and encouraged to attend this workshop. A staff presentation will take place at 6:30 p.m. regarding the four concepts currently being evaluated for the corridor.

August Real Estate Excise Tax Revenues
The City continues to see strong year-over-year increases to number of transactions, transaction values, and tax collected. As of August, the City is ahead in total REET collected ($1,900,632) compared to whole of 2014 ($1,842,087). There was a decrease in the number of transactions, transaction value, and tax collected compared to July.



Seattle City Light/Interurban Trail Maintenance
Seattle City Light (SCL) has informed us that they are delaying vegetation removal on the west side of the Trail between 145th and 155th while doing additional outreach to concerned residents and affected property owners. SCL is currently doing “knock and talks” with all of the adjacent property owners along the trail. They plan to have a meeting with residents who expressed their concerns through e-mail or public testimony in the next few weeks.

Letter from Liquor and Cannabis Board
The Liquor and Cannabis Board recently sent the City a letter regarding their intent to begin accepting new applications for retail licenses October 12, 2015. We were a little surprised to see that the Board was advising to review local regulations prior to this time if local jurisdictions wanted to make changes in siting regulations. Staff contacted the Board and they explained that it will likely be at least 90 days after they start accepting applications (January 2016) before they would be awarding additional licenses. Staff had previously scheduled a Council discussion regarding Collective Garden Regulations for November 9. Staff will add a discussion on any potential additional siting regulations to this discussion.

Fircrest Master Plan
Last week staff became aware that the State budget included funds for Master Planning of Fircrest Residential Habilitation Center. Dan E. has contacted Case Moore of DSHS. Mr. Moore has indicated that this will be a review of the existing buildings with the goal to develop a plan that will accompany a future State funding request that makes clear which functions of the Center will be on-going for the long-term.

Calendar Items
September 30, Wednesday, 6pm, 145th Multimodal Corridor Open House, City Hall
September 30, Wednesday, 6pm, Kruckeberg Garden Party, Edmonds Yacht Club
December 5, Saturday, 9:3011:30am, Aurora Corridor Completion Celebration, City Hall


Open house and presentation Oct 12 for LFP Comp Plan

Monday Night, October 12th

The Lake Forest Park Planning Commission has finished reviewing the draft Comprehensive Plan Update and has made a recommendation to the City Council.

Come to the open house on Monday night, October 12 to learn more about the highlights of the draft plan and share your thoughts with the City.


Your participation and ideas are very important. We hope to hear from you!

Open House and Presentation 7:00 - 8:30pm 
Public Hearing starts at 8:30 pm 

Lake Forest Park City Hall, City Council Chambers 
17425 Ballinger Way NE



Shoreline Planning Commission Open House on Critical Areas Ordinance Thursday

Shoreline Planning Commission
PUBLIC HEARING
Thursday, October 1, 2015 - 7:00pm
City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N.

Agenda Highlights:
- Critical Areas Ordinance Update Public Hearing
- Development Code Amendments for 2015

Link to full Agenda

Link to Critical Areas Ordinance Update Staff Report with Attachments

Link to Development Code Amendments Staff Report with Attachments

Link to full Packet
*Staff Reports ordering within packets inconsistent with Agenda Item order, CAO Staff Report in back

Comment on Agenda items



Shorewood tennis vs Glacier Peak results

Prep Boys Tennis 9/30/15
at Shorewood

Shorewood 4  Glacier Peak 3

Singles
1. Gunnar Thorstenson SW def. Tucker Davis GP 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
2. Scott Wilson GP def. Kyle Berquist SW 6-1, 6-4
3. Hugh Gaevert SW def. Alex Surkov GP 2-6, 6-4, 7-5
4. Sean Peterson GP def. Joseph Jang SW 6-1, 6-0

Doubles
1. Jack Bong / Andrew Counter SW def. Jack Wygant / Cole Walchenbach GP 2-6, 6-4, 7-5
2. Simon Forinash / Peter Smith SW def. Nate Cutshall / Jeff Choe GP 6-0, 6-2
3. Drew Raymond / Daniel Chauvin GP def. Cameron Harford / Jack Stensrud SW 6-2, 6-3

Shorewood senior co-captain Hugh Gaevert came from behind, down 2-5, and won 5 straight games to win his third set and his match 7-5.

The win helped clinch the win over Glacier Peak high school 4-3. Glacier Peak and the T-Birds were tied in first place in WesCo 3A South, with 5-1 records, going into the pivotal matchup between the Thunderbirds and Grizzlies.

Also winning were Jack Bong and Andrew Counter at number 1 doubles, Peter Smith and Simon Forinash at number 2 doubles and Gunnar Thorstenson at number 1 singles. The win improves the Thunderbird's record to 6-1 in WesCo 3A and first place and 8-1 overall.

Shorewood travels to Lynnwood on Thursday October 1st to play Lynnwood high school at 3:30pm.

--Arnie Moreno



Shorecrest tennis over Lynnwood 5-2

Shorecrest Varsity Boys Tennis
WesCo 2A/3A
9-40-26 Kellogg Middle School Courts

Shorecrest 5 - Lynnwood 2
Shorecrest overall record 4-6

Shorecrest swept the singles matches, with Emahd Khan, Faiz Khan, Daniel Wacker, and Jake Goldstein-Street winning four out of four. With Chris King / Daivd Kim’s win in doubles, Shorecrest won the day 5-2.

Singles
1. Emahd Khan SC vs Alex Mellen, 6-0, 6-1  W
2. Faiz Khan SC vs Thet Thu, 6-0,6-0 W
3. Daniel Wacker SC vs Takara Truong, 6-1, 6-4 W
4. Jake Goldstein-Street SC vs Kevin McClenahan, 6-0,6-0 W

Doubles
1. Kasey Shibayama / Steven Zhu vs Jared Simbulan / Gary Wu, 2-6, 2-6  L
2. Reed Tangeman / Tae Min Hong vs Evan Wu / Eugene Slusar, 3-6, 6-7 (1-7) L
3. Chris King / David Kim SC vs Matthew Cooper / Ben Youn, 6-0, 6-3 W

--Robert Mann



All pet fees waived Oct 2-4 at the Seattle Humane Adoption Blitz


Seattle Humane’s annual Adoption Blitz means hundreds of families can adopt a dog, cat, puppy, kitten, rabbit or other furry critter without the typical adoption fee. Fees are waived for all pets in the care of Seattle Humane in Bellevue for three days only, Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4th. 

"Our mission at Seattle Humane is to make owning a companion pet accessible to all King County-area residents," says Shelter Director Lauren Hilaman. "Although our usual fees are low, Adoption Blitz helps us reach even more wonderful animal lovers who want to open their hearts and homes to an animal that needs a family."

Each year, hundreds of pets are adopted during Adoption Blitz. Adoption Manager Nicolette Voigt points out that Seattle Humane's Adoption Advisors carefully vet each adopter by conducting one-on-one interviews and reviewing questionnaires. "The animals are always our first priority and we want to make sure each one of them is going to a loving family that can care well for them. We pride ourselves on our ability to make successful matches," continues Voigt. 

All dogs and cats ar e vaccinated, microchipped, health-checked and spay/neutered. Dogs are temperament-tested and most dog adoptions come with a six-week obedience training course. All dogs and cats 13 years of age and under will receive one month of free pet insurance. Potential adopters can preview adoptable animals at the Seattle Humane website and download a pre-adoption questionnaire.

Seattle Humane is located at 13212 SE Eastgate Way in Bellevue (near the junction of I-90 and I-405), and is open from 11am to 8pm Friday - Saturday and 11am to 6pm on Sunday.

Please note that collars, leashes and pet carriers are not provided. You can bring your own or purchase these items at Seattle Humane, with proceeds benefiting the animals in SM's care.


Playwriting class at Driftwood Players

PAGE TO STAGE - PLAYWRITING CLASS

Session 1 - 12-week class - October 1-December 17, 2015 - Thursdays, 7pm-8:30pm
Session 2 - 12-week class - January 18 week - April 8 week, 2016 (day/time is TBD. Registration begins in October)

$300 for 90-minute weekly class. Ages 16 to adult. No previous writing experience needed.
Maximum class size: 10

Location: Driftwood Administrative Office, Training Room (306 Main Street, Edmonds. Back door of Bank of America bldg.)

Instructor: John Ruoff

Ever dreamed of putting your creative ideas on paper and seeing them come to life on the stage? This class will teach you how to tell your story through playwriting. Learn the essence of developing your plot, characters and message while creating your own short play. Students will be taught how to outline, format and develop their short plays in a workshop setting. Guest playwrights, directors and actors will join the class to offer their guidance and insight. Work with experienced playwright and actor, John Ruoff, on what makes a play successful and celebrate at the end of the 12-week course with a staged reading of your play on the Wade James Theatre stage. All levels of experience are welcome.

John Ruoff's professional writing career began as the head comedy writer for The Tricano DeSales talk show in the early 1980's in Seattle, which branched out to forming the Midnight Mystery Theater comedy radio show for which he has written 108 radio plays and still going strong. John sallied into the stage play medium through various writing workshops and theater groups, penning 35 One Acts, a musical comedy, and five full lengths, culminating in 55 productions of his work with three new full-length plays being produced in 2016. On the other side of the curtain, John is approaching his 500th performance as an actor, which includes his life long passion for silent clowning and radio theater.

Register here or call 425-774-9600

Driftwood Players at the Wade James Theatre, 950 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020



Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Shorewood design wins award

The original Ronald Elementary School is part of new Shorewood
Photo courtesy Bassetti Architects


Shorewood High School’s architects, Bassetti Architects, were recently presented a prestigious honor for their work rehabilitating and incorporating the Ronald School into the design and construction of the new Shorewood High School.

The King County Executive and King County Landmarks Commission selected the project as one of four to receive the 2015 King County Executive’s John D. Spellman Award for Exemplary Achievement in Historic Preservation. 

Main entrance to Shorewood with Ronald School on left
Photo Bassetti Architects

The 240,000-square-foot Shorewood High School was designed to incorporate the 1914 landmarked Ronald School as a black box theater for the new school. 

“We are very pleased, excited and humbled to have been recognized for our work, and a large part of the success goes to the District for the foresight and flexibility that allowed the preservation and incorporation of the Ronald School into the final design,” said Dan Miles of Bassetti Architects.


Haggen owners agree to pay wages on time in spite of bankruptcy proceedings

Attorney General Bob Ferguson today announced an agreement with the owner of the Haggen grocery store chain that ensures laid-off workers will receive their pay on time. 

The company, Haggen Holdings, LLC, is currently in bankruptcy proceedings in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. As part of those proceedings, on Thursday the company filed a motion seeking relief from “Fast Pay” laws in the states in which it plans to close stores.

“Bankruptcy is a challenging process for any company and its stakeholders,” Ferguson said. “It is my priority to see that workers are paid fairly and timely for their labor. This agreement with Haggen’s will ensure that Washington workers who are already facing the upheaval and uncertainty of store closings and layoffs will receive their checks on the next scheduled payday.”

It is not unusual for a company in bankruptcy to seek flexibility from the courts in meeting obligations arising under state law and contractual agreements. When the Attorney General’s Office reached out to Haggen’s lawyers, the company voluntarily agreed to abide by RCW 49.48.010, which requires employers to pay laid-off workers at the end of the pay period.



Reminder: Open House on 145th Corridor Wednesday evening

145th Street Multimodal Corridor Study Open House, Wednesday, September 30, 6:00 to 8:00pm.
Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N.

This open house is an important opportunity for input and information. The City will present draft study concepts, developed with input from the community and project stakeholders, which serve as bookends for the kinds of improvements that could be made along the corridor.



Issue statements from LFP council candidates Hammond and Kassover

By Evan Smith

Lake Forest Park City Council candidates David Hammond and Phillippa Kassover recently sent statements about what they think are the most important issues in this year’s election.

Hammond and Kassover are running in the Nov. 3 general election for the Council position that Jeff Johnson is giving up to run for mayor.

Here are Hammond’s and Kassover’s statements in the order that their names will appear on the November ballot and in the voters’ pamphlet.

Lake Forest Park City Council, Position 4

David Hammond

With only a few weeks remaining before ballots are mailed the campaign issue has boiled down to experience. I have spoken with many neighbors and their feedback has been they appreciate that I’ve served five years as a water district commissioner, fighting to protect the Lake Forest Park Watershed. People are concerned the city council has not been transparent about planning a trail through the McKinnon Creek Wellhead Protection Area. People appreciate that I’ve taken time to listen and understand issues then stand up for what is right. They also realize the city council will benefit from my financial management experience.

In addition to the overwhelming concern I’ve heard about protecting the watershed, people seem most concerned about three things: traffic, public safety, and zoning changes. They recognize these are the primary city responsibilities and they want the council to address them transparently and strategically.

Based on what I have heard from folks, and my own reading of the budget, I am concerned that the council has not done enough strategic financial planning. We are near the peak of the business cycle and need to do better planning for the next downturn. We need to communicate with residents about the choices we’ll be faced with and what they will cost. Calming cross-town traffic and improving walkways will be expensive, yet we do not currently have enough money to maintain our street surfaces. I’d like to thank all of the people who have chipped in to support me in this campaign.

Phillippa Kassover

While campaigning and visiting two thousand homes to hear residents’ concerns and hopes, I learned that we all want to keep LFP a welcoming, affordable, thriving place for residents and local businesses, while also protecting our beautiful Northwest environment. I heard deep concern about the number of trees lost this year to disease, damage and new development.

Residents also want improved options for getting around the city and better bus connections with the rest of the region. People are troubled about the increased traffic on our roads and deteriorating pedestrian and bike safety, especially for our school children.

As your city council member I will use my decades of professional experience to help build effective regional partnerships that benefit our city. I will be a strong voice for increased transit options, safer roads and highways and better transportation access. I will advocate for area park-and-ride facilities and safe bicycle parking for commuters at transit hubs and our city center.

I will collaborate with citizens and city council to improve ordinances to help residents preserve and manage healthy trees which protect air and water quality. We must also review zoning and development fees to make sure we don’t lose our city’s vision of a healthy, sustainable environment, and that developers are paying their fair share and supporting our city’s goals.

Many residents told me they feel uninformed. I want to work with our mayor and council to enhance communications between city hall and residents and encourage a stronger, more engaged community.



Shorewood soccer Sept 29

Tonight Glacier Peak hosted Shorewood on a wonderful night for soccer.

Shorewood 0 - Glacier Peak 3

15 minutes in Maddi Kuligoski split the Shorewood defense and scored for GP. This is how the half ended.

At the 54th minute Sarah Steranka bent a shot from about 30 yards out that curved into the side net for a 2-0 GP lead.

Finally in the 78th minute Kelsey Karls dribbled through the defense and scored for a final 3-0 GP win.

Abby Manis was in goal for Shorewood 2-2-0 and 4-4-0 while Samantha Fatkin was keeper for GP I believe who are 3-0-0 in league and 4-0-3 for the season.

--Bill Wilkins



Finnish concert at UW features National Heritage Fellowship winner

Wilho Saari, master of the Finnish kantele

Wilho Saari, master of the Finnish kantele, will perform Friday, October 2nd in Brechemin Auditorium at 7:00pm.

Mr. Saari, from Naselle, Washington, was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2006. He is a fifth generation performer on the kantele (a plucked zither), which many consider to be the national instrument of Finland. Mr. Saari was Finlandia Foundation's Performer of the Year in 2011, and he plays both traditional music and his own compositions on the kantele.

This concert is presented by Northwest Heritage Resources, headquartered in Lake Forest Park, in partnership with the University of Washington Ethnomusicology Department and Jack Straw Cultural Center. Mr. Saari will be joined for this concert by the Finnish Choral Society of Seattle.

Wilho Saari
with kantele
They will continue this year's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the birth of legendary Finnish composer Jean Sibelius with a performance of several of his pieces, along with those of other Finnish composers.

This concert is one of a series of public programs associated with the national exhibit, Extraordinary Ordinary People: American Masters of Traditional Arts, now on display at Jack Straw Cultural Center through November 30th.

Wilho Saari is an artist featured in this exhibit, and will also play his kantele in the front gallery of Jack Straw Cultural Center on Saturday, October 3rd from 11:00 - 3:00pm. More information at Jack Straw. There is a suggested donation of $5 for the concert, admission is free for students. 

This concert is funded in part by the Finlandia Foundation, 4Culture, ArtsWA, Humanities Washington and the National Endowment for the Arts.



Rep. Ruth Kagi is a Champion for Children

Rep. Ruth Kagi, 32nd District
The Children’s Alliance has named Representative Ruth Kagi (D-Seattle) as a 2015 “Champion for Children.”

This award recognizes Rep. Kagi for her leadership in shaping and passing the Early Start Act. As the chair of the House Early Learning and Human Services committee and as a member of the House Appropriations committee, Rep. Kagi was able to bring together advocates, legislators, and staff in the Governor’s office to craft the Early Start Act and get it passed and funded.

“I am honored to be chosen as a Champion for Children by the Children’s Alliance,” said Kagi. “We know that half of Washington’s children show up to kindergarten unprepared. They are behind before they even start, and most never catch up,” continued Kagi. 
“Reaching children early in their lives through quality early learning has a profound impact on their future chances of success.”
“Quality early learning is the best investment we can make in our youngest Washingtonians and in the future of our state,” said Kagi. “I couldn’t be prouder of the accomplishments we made with the passage of the Early Start Act.”

The Early Start Act puts the state’s quality rating and improvement system, Early Achievers, into law. The Early Achievers program implements quality standards and provides scholarships, coaching, funding and other supports for providers to improve quality. For the first time, parents will be able to get reliable information on the quality of early learning programs in their community.



Memorial services for Tom Jamieson on Saturday

Tom Jamieson passed away September 28, 2015. He'd suffered a massive heart attack a week earlier. He was a kind and generous man who gave selflessly to his family, friends and his community.

A memorial service will be held at 2:30 on Saturday, October 3 at United Evangelical Free Church, 1420 NW 80th St, Seattle, WA 98117. All are welcome to attend.

See church website for directions.

Memorials may be made in Tom’s honor to the American Heart Association.



Shoreline CC helps international students feel at home

The ukelele club at Shoreline CC is mostly international students
KUOW Photo / Joshua McNichols


Inspired by the recent news about the international students in the bus crash on the Aurora Bridge, KUOW published a great story by Joshua McNichols about what Shoreline Community College does to make its international students feel at home.

"Shoreline student Minh Vo was really scared her first quarter at Shoreline." 
“I was really scared, I don’t want to do anything, I just want to sit in my room and do my homework, go to school and go back to home,” she said.
McNichols reports:
Colleges like Shoreline work hard to reach students like this. They offer field trips to see the sites around Seattle. 
Older students, like Winston Lee from Hong Kong, teach them how to navigate this culture. Even things like negotiating over a used-car price. 

"Then there are the extracurricular classes, like a ukulele class at Shoreline. Most of the students are from foreign countries."




King County Executive: Shell Oil decision a relief and opportunity to transition to clean-tech development

King County Executive Dow Constantine released the following statement in regard to Shell Oil's announcement that it is halting its plan to drill for oil off Alaska's shore:

"While we should all be relieved that Shell Oil decided not to drill in the Arctic, this will not be the last proposal to drill for fossil fuels in that region, posing both local and global environmental risks. Let's seize this opportunity to make King County a hub for clean-technology development and take the lead in creating a sustainable 21st-century economy."




Applications being accepted for Annual Artists in Schools Program

American Folk Dance Project at Brookside Elementary, 2015
Photo courtesy Shoreline LFP Arts Council

The new application process is officially open for The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council’s Artists in Schools residency program.

Celebrating its 22th year, the program provides expanded arts learning opportunities for students and teachers in the Shoreline School District. This program places professional teaching artists in all art forms at schools for curriculum-based residencies.

Teachers and administrators in the Shoreline School District from Pre-K up to 12th grade may apply for this grant program. The Arts Council offers a Joint Grant Application with the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation. Interested applicants may submit their request and apply to both agencies - or select one agency for grant consideration. A teacher must be the main contact on the application, but parents, artists or community members may take the lead in writing the application.

The majority of funding is made possible through the Arts Council’s annual GALA event with additional support from the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, government and foundation grants and community donations to the Arts Council.

This year the Arts Council is looking to fund $18,000 in grants hoping to reach all schools in the district. The application deadline is Thursday, November 12, 2015.

For questions, please contact Kelly Lie, Arts Education Manager, Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council, artsed@shorelinearts.net or 206-417-4645.

The grant application materials and a listing of past recipients may be found on the website.

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to cultivate creativity and inspire our community through the arts.



Sno-King Meaningful Movies presents Princess Angeline

Princess Angeline
daughter of Chief Seattle
You are invited to see Princess Angeline: A documentary film by award-winning Seattle filmmakers Sandy and Yasu Osawa.

Learn the story of the Duwamish and their unrecognized tribal status through the life of Princess Angeline, daughter of Chief Seattle.

Treaty promises never fulfilled. Tribal recognition granted by one administration, then withdrawn by another.

Saturday, October 3, 2015, 7pm
Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church
8109 224th St SW, Edmonds, WA 98026

Duwamish elder Edith Loyer Nelson and filmmaker Sandy Osawa will be present for the discussion following the film.

Admission by donation  – open to the public

Sponsored by: Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church, Snohomish County Peace Action, Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church



Vision House: Building Hope Benefit Breakfast


Vision House is holding a breakfast event to raise support for homeless families in the greater Puget Sound area.

Susan Camerer, Vision House Executive Director and Co-Founder, said, “We can’t wait around for someone else to do it! We need to work together to end homelessness for as many families as possible.”

The fundraiser will be held on Thursday, October 22nd, from 7:30 – 8:50am at the Lynnwood Convention Center, 3711 196th Street SW, Lynnwood, WA.

Mark Canlis, co-owner of Canlis Restaurant, will be the keynote speaker. Hear Mark impart his passion for investing generously in his team, and hear a Vision House resident share her experiences of pressing through traumatic life events to self-sufficiency.

Canlis Restaurant, on the day of the terrible bus accident on the Aurora Bridge which claimed five lives, closed its doors for the day and sent its servers out on the bridge to take food to the first responders - the police, fire, paramedics - who were dealing with the dozens of trapped and wounded people.

The breakfast is open to the public and free to attend. Guests will be invited to make a generous donation during the presentation. Parking is free, and the event is easy to find – just one block from I-5.

RSVPs are required by October 16 and can be made at NoHomelessKids.org or 425-228-6356.

Vision House is a Christian non-profit providing transitional housing, child care, and support services to homeless families and separately to men recovering from drug or alcohol addiction. Since its beginning in 1990, more than 1,000 homeless children, women, and men have received the support they need for achieving independence and self-sufficiency.

Headquartered in Renton, the agency owns and operates eight debt-free housing facilities in Renton, Burien, and Jacob's Well in Shoreline; two child care and before- and after-school care facilities in Shoreline and Renton.



Sheriff's office reports Jury Scam


The King County Sheriff's Office reports that there have been a large volume of fraudulent calls that are allegedly coming from the Sheriff’s Office saying there is a warrant out for your arrest for not showing up for Jury Duty, or nonpayment of back taxes. THIS IS A SCAM!!!

The Sheriff’s Office does not solicit for funds over the phone under any circumstances.

Criminals are able to use false or “spoofed” numbers to make it appear that the call is coming from the Sheriff’s Office phone number, or from the Courts.

If someone contacts you and tells you there is a warrant out for your arrest because you missed jury duty or that you owe back taxes, this is a scam. Discontinue the call immediately.

In this scam the caller says that they are from the King County Sheriff’s Office, or from the Courts of King County, stating that because you missed jury duty and there is a warrant for your arrest. They will tell you to pay hundreds of dollars to avoid being arrested. They use high pressure tactics to get you panicked and are very professional sounding.

If they get you to agree to pay the money, they will tell you to purchase a cash card from a well known store. Once you purchase the card they will have you call them back with the special pin number on the back of the card. Within seconds the funds will be transferred to their account.

They will then tell you to go down to the King County Courthouse and sign up for jury duty and that King County will reimburse you with a cashier’s check for the amount you paid them.

The King County Sheriff’s Office or the Courts will never call you for money on a warrant or tell you in advance they are coming to arrest you.

If you are a victim of this scam:
  • You may file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.
  • If you received a false call and actually sent/confirmed funds and wish to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission you can do so here.
For more information on the topic:


Monday, September 28, 2015

Guided tour of Kruckeberg Gardens

Kruckeberg Gardens
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Enjoy a 2-hour walk through the garden with Garden docents. All scheduled tours are Saturdays from 11 am - 1 pm, and pre-registration is requested.

Available dates:
  • October 10
  • October 24
All tours are $10/person