Sunset July 7 at Saltwater Park
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
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| Photo by Roger Barnett |
We are fortunate to have a combination of beautiful sunsets and talented photographers.
We are fortunate to have a combination of beautiful sunsets and talented photographers.
Puget Sound Energy update for customers who may be struggling financially due to COVID-19 crisis
Puget Sound Energy statement for its customers
Helping Residential Customers:
As a provider of an essential service, we are working to ensure we are here for our customers, our community and our employees as coronavirus impacts the region. Need financial assistance and support for your energy bill? We know some customers might be worried about paying their bills.
Here are measurable actions we’ve taken on behalf of our customers:
Helping Small Business Customers:
We know some of our business customers might be worried about paying their bills. Here are measurable actions we’ve taken on behalf of our customers:
- We will not be disconnecting customers for non-payment during this time.
- We received approval from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission for a waiver that allows PSE to waive late fees.
- We will work with our customers on options such as payment plans and choosing a new bill due date.
- We have multiple bill payment assistance programs available to income-qualified customers.
- In order to help our community partners, the PSE Foundation, which is a nonprofit entity operating independently of PSE but helps communities PSE serves, has donated $250,000 to support relief efforts in the community through the Seattle Foundation as well as donating to food banks to cover emergency preparations.
- We’re here to help during the pandemic.
Helping Small Business Customers:
We know some of our business customers might be worried about paying their bills. Here are measurable actions we’ve taken on behalf of our customers:
- We will not be disconnecting customers for non-payment during this time.
- We will work with our customers on options such as payment plans and choosing a new bill due date.
- Help for your small-medium business.
AG Ferguson: Frontier Northwest will pay $900,000 over hidden fees, misrepresentation of internet speeds
OLYMPIA — In the latest action of his office’s Honest Fees Initiative, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that Frontier Communications Northwest will pay $900,000 to the State of Washington.
The payment resolves an Attorney General’s Office investigation that Frontier Northwest did not adequately disclose fees when advertising and selling its products, and misled subscribers about internet speeds it could provide. Frontier’s unlawful deception impacted thousands of Washington consumers.
The Attorney General’s Office began its investigation into Frontier Northwest in 2018 after receiving more than 600 complaints about the company. The investigation included reviews of Frontier Northwest’s website and advertising as part of the office’s Honest Fees Initiative.
As part of the legally binding agreement, the internet, phone and television provider is ordered to clearly and conspicuously disclose all fees. To resolve Ferguson’s investigation, Frontier Northwest is also required to be transparent about its available internet speeds. The Attorneys Office will set aside the majority of the $900,000 payment to provide restitution to impacted customers.
“Broadband access is integral to our daily lives,” Ferguson said. “The current pandemic has only amplified its importance. Knowing the true cost and speed of our internet connection is essential to make an informed decision about a service that connects us to our work and to each other. Companies must be able to deliver what they promise, at the price they advertise.”
Ferguson asks Washingtonians who believe they have received bills that include undisclosed fees to file a complaint with his office.
The Attorney General’s investigation focused on Frontier Northwest’s failure to adequately disclose fees during sales of cable, internet and phone services since 2016. For example, the company charged as much as $3.99 — nearly $50 per year — for an “Internet Infrastructure Surcharge,” without adequately disclosing the surcharge in its advertising.
The binding agreement also addresses Frontier Northwest’s misrepresentations to consumers about the internet speeds it could offer, and its failure to deliver speeds and service it had advertised.
As part of the agreement, Frontier Northwest will pay the Attorney General’s Office $900,000, the majority of which will be set aside for restitution for impacted Frontier Northwest customers.
There will be a claims process to determine eligibility for restitution. The Attorney General’s Office will announce details of the claims process when they are finalized.
Washingtonians who have filed complaints with the Attorney General’s Office about Frontier Northwest will be directly notified of the claims process.
In addition to paying $900,000 to Washington, Frontier Northwest is required to clearly disclose fees and surcharges in its advertisements. It is also required to make clear and conspicuous disclosures in advertising about the internet speeds it is able to offer. In addition, it must stop charging its “Internet Infrastructure Surcharge.”
Frontier Northwest is also required to clearly disclose to potential customers:
- The monthly base price of the services
- The estimated amount of taxes, fees or other recurring charges for the services
- The amount of each one-time fee, or fee charged only on the customer’s first invoice, for the purchased services, including activation and installation fees and equipment purchases
- Any applicable cancellation or termination fees
Within three business days after a sale, Frontier must send the customer an order confirmation that clearly sets forth the pricing and terms and conditions of service.
In May of this year, Northwest Fiber purchased Frontier Northwest. As a condition of the sale, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approved a sale agreement that requires Northwest Fiber to invest $50 million to improve and expand Frontier’s broadband infrastructure. If the company fails to fulfill that commitment, the legally binding agreement includes up to 18 additional requirements on Frontier.
Assistant Attorneys General Daniel Davies, Heidi Anderson and Lynda Atkins, in addition to former AAG Tiffany Lee, handled the case for Washington.
Honest Fees Initiative
Ferguson is calling on Washingtonians to check their bills, and, if they believe they contain hidden fees, to file a complaint at the Attorney General’s website here. For more information on filing complaints, visit www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint.
Read more...
Case updates July 7, 2020; Paycheck protection plan extended for small businesses
One week of data for King county showing the percent of individuals testing positive for COVID-19 in the past week. The goal is 2%, indicated by the red dotted line. COVID Risk Assessment Dashboard
Case updates July 7, 2020
United States
- cases 2,932,596 including 46,329 new cases
- deaths 130,133 including 322 new deaths
Washington state
- cases 37,420 including 435 new
- hospitalizations 4,582 - 38 new
- deaths 1,384 - 14 new
King county
- cases 11,206 - 66 new
- hospitalizations 1,631 - 8 new
- deaths 596 - 5 new
Shoreline
- cases 407 - 2 new
- hospitalizations 89 - 0 new
- deaths 57 - 2 new
Lake Forest Park
- cases 44 - 2 new
- hospitalizations 3 - 1 new
- deaths 0
Bunny faces with Elizabethan collars
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| Photo by Hitomi Dames |
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| Photo by Hitomi Dames |
Photos and text by Hitomi Dames
I found out that these are Delphinium of Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family). The common name is Larkspur. Delphinium came from the Ancient Greek word delphÃnion which means dolphin.
Maybe the upper part — I still think bunny ears — can look like dolphin’s tail.
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| Photo by Hitomi Dames |
I found Delphinium at Twin Ponds Park in Shoreline.
Stressed by COVID-19? Call Washington Listens
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| Photo by Sanjeev Saroy on unsplash |
The COVID-19 pandemic has created new levels of stress and anxiety for many Washingtonians.
State disaster psychologists say this is normal and increasing numbers of people will need some kind of mental or behavioral support as we head into the fall and the holidays.
That’s why Washington has launched Washington Listens, a non clinical support program and phone line to help people manage elevated levels of stress due to the pandemic. Washington Listens' support line is 1-833-681-0211.
It is available from 9am to 9pm Monday through Friday, and 9am to 6pm Saturdays and Sundays. TTY and language access services are available by using 7-1-1 or their preferred method.
People who call Washington Listens will speak to a support specialist and receive information and connection to community resources in their area. The program is anonymous and no identifying information is maintained.
People who call Washington Listens will speak to a support specialist and receive information and connection to community resources in their area. The program is anonymous and no identifying information is maintained.
People who staff Washington Listens will receive basic training needed to provide support to individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. To reach Washington Listens, call 1-833-681-0211. Resources and self-help tips are available on walistens.org.
The support line is funded by a $2.2 million Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program grant funded by Federal Emergency Management Agency and supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Read more...
The support line is funded by a $2.2 million Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program grant funded by Federal Emergency Management Agency and supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Jobs: Human Resources Manager
WSDOT
Human Resources Manager
Shoreline, WA – Northwest Region
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is currently seeking an experienced leader and passionate Human Resources professional to fill the HR Manager role for the Northwest Region.
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is currently seeking an experienced leader and passionate Human Resources professional to fill the HR Manager role for the Northwest Region.
This position reports directly to the agency Director of HR and Safety, and is responsible for a full range of HR services, both tactical and strategic, for both its designated Region and the WSDOT Mega Projects. Responsibilities include providing leadership and oversight to four (4) senior-level consultants and their direct reports who deliver a myriad of HR services to more than 1,300 employees.
Description and application: HERE
Description and application: HERE
Third Place Books: virtual event with three debut novelists
Thursday, July 9, 2020 - 7:00pm
Virtual Event
Join Third Place Books and Algonquin Books for a virtual panel with three much-anticipated debut novelists!
This is a Virtual Event! Register for this event here!
Gabriel Bump: Everywhere You Don't Belong
Read more...
In an alternately witty and heartbreaking debut novel, Gabriel Bump gives us an unforgettable protagonist, Claude McKay Love. Claude isn't dangerous or brilliant-- he's an average kid coping with abandonment, violence, riots, failed love, and societal pressures as he steers his way past the signposts of youth: childhood friendships, basketball tryouts, first love, first heartbreak, picking a college, moving away from home. Percolating with fierceness and originality, attuned to the ironies inherent in our twenty-first-century landscape, Everywhere You Don't Belong marks the arrival of a brilliant young talent.
Crissy Van Meter: Winter Island
On the eve of Evangeline's wedding, on the shore of Winter Island, a dead whale is trapped in the harbor, the groom may be lost at sea, and Evie's mostly absent mother has shown up out of the blue.
From there, in Crissy Van Meter's mesmerizing, provocative debut, the narrative flows back and forth through time as Evie reckons with her complicated upbringing in this lush, wild land off the coast of Southern California. Evie grew up with her well-meaning but negligent father, surviving on the money he made dealing the island's world-famous strain of weed, Winter Wonderland. Although her father raised her with a deep respect for the elements, the sea, and the creatures living within it, he also left her to parent herself. With wit, love, and bracing flashes of anger, Creatures probes the complexities of love and abandonment, guilt and forgiveness, betrayal and grief-- and the ways in which our childhoods can threaten our ability to love if we are not brave enough to conquer the past.
Kimi Eisele: The Lightest Object in the Universe
Kimi Eisele: The Lightest Object in the Universe
Carson is on the East Coast when the electrical grid goes down. Desperate to find Beatrix, a woman on the West Coast who holds his heart, he sets off along a cross-country railroad line, where he encounters lost souls, clever opportunists, and those seeking salvation.
Meanwhile, Beatrix and her neighbors begin to construct a cooperative community, working to turn the end of the world into the possibility of a bright beginning. Without modern means of communication, will Beatrix and Carson be able to find their way to each other? The answer may lie with one fifteen-year-old girl, whose actions could ultimately decide the fate of the lovers. The Lightest Object in the Universe by Kimi Eisele is a moving story about adaptation and the power of community, imagining a world where our best traits, born of necessity, can begin to emerge.
Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team - virtual event with author Wednesday
Wednesday, July 8, 2020 - 5:00pm
Third Place Books Virtual Event
Join Elise Hooper (author of LEARNING TO SEE and THE OTHER ALCOTT) for an evening of stories, history, and Olympic trivia to celebrate the release of her new novel FAST GIRLS! Hooper will be joined by Kate Quinn, Tara Conklin, Jennifer Robson, Jillian Cantor, Kerri Maher, Heather Webb, Jane Healy, and Susie Orman Schnall.
Acclaimed author Elise Hooper explores the gripping, real life history of female athletes, members of the first integrated women's Olympic team, and their journeys to the 1936 summer games in Berlin, Nazi Germany. Perfect for readers who love untold stories of amazing women, such as The Only Woman in the Room, Hidden Figures, and The Lost Girls of Paris.
In the 1928 Olympics, Chicago's Betty Robinson competes as a member of the first-ever women's delegation in track and field. Destined for further glory, she returns home feted as America's Golden Girl until a nearly-fatal airplane crash threatens to end everything.
Outside of Boston, Louise Stokes, one of the few black girls in her town, sees competing as an opportunity to overcome the limitations placed on her. Eager to prove that she has what it takes to be a champion, she risks everything to join the Olympic team.
From Missouri, Helen Stephens, awkward, tomboyish, and poor, is considered an outcast by her schoolmates, but she dreams of escaping the hardships of her farm life through athletic success. Her aspirations appear impossible until a chance encounter changes her life.
These three athletes will join with others to defy society's expectations of what women can achieve. As tensions bring the United States and Europe closer and closer to the brink of war, Betty, Louise, and Helen must fight for the chance to compete as the fastest women in the world amidst the pomp and pageantry of the Nazi-sponsored 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
A New Englander by birth (and at heart), Elise Hooper lives with her husband and two young daughters in Seattle, where she teaches history and literature.Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team (Paperback)
By Elise Hooper
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062937995
Availability: Third Place Books, call 206-366-3333
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - July 7, 2020
Read more...
Poppy - with and without fuzzy worker bee
Tuesday, July 7, 2020
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| Photo by Hitomi Dames |
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| Photo by Hitomi Dames |
Hitomi shot these at the Twin Ponds Community Garden. Now we know they have pollinators at work. The garden should have a bumper crop.
LFP council regular meeting Thursday
The regular meeting of the LFP city council will follow the study session, at 7pm Thursday, July 9, 2020. The meeting will also be held virtually as city hall is closed to the public.
The main item on the agenda is approving a contract for Municipal Court Collections (introduction)
The RFP evaluation panel, consisting of the Court Administrator, City Administrator and Finance Director, interviewed three companies and came to a joint conclusion that Linebarger, Goggan, Blair and Sampson(LGBS) best fit the needs of the Court.
To read the staff document, go to the agenda page and click "related docs" then "municipal court collections."
As allowed by law, the Council may add and take action on items not listed on the agenda.
Instructions for participating in this meeting virtually:
Please click the link to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/94344028216
Please click the link to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/94344028216
Or iPhone one-tap:
US: +12532158782,
94344028216#
or +16699006833,,94344028216#
US: +12532158782,
94344028216#
or +16699006833,,94344028216#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 253 215 8782
or +1 669 900 6833
or +1 346 248 7799
or +1 408 638 0968
or +1 646 876 9923
or +1 301 715 8592
or +1 312 626 6799
or +1 669 900 6833
or +1 346 248 7799
or +1 408 638 0968
or +1 646 876 9923
or +1 301 715 8592
or +1 312 626 6799
LFP City council continues to review code revisions
LFP City Council work session Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 6pm will be held virtually as city hall is still closed to the public.
They will continue their review of planning commission recommendations for the Town Center code update. Staff document HERE - click the tab that says "related doc"
Instructions for participating in this meeting virtually:
Click the link to join the webinar: https://zoom.us/j/94344028216
Or iPhone one-tap:
US: +12532158782,
94344028216#
or +16699006833,
94344028216#
Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 253 215 8782
or
+1 669 900 6833
or +1 346 248 7799
or +1 408 638 0968
or +1 646 876 9923
or +1 301 715 8592
or +1 312 626 6799
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 253 215 8782
or
+1 669 900 6833
or +1 346 248 7799
or +1 408 638 0968
or +1 646 876 9923
or +1 301 715 8592
or +1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 943 4402 8216
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/acWn3v1fjH
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/acWn3v1fjH
Reminder: New face covering requirements in effect Tuesday
Beginning July 7, businesses will not be able to serve customers or visitors who aren’t wearing face coverings. This measure aims to counteract the record-high levels of COVID-19 activity in the state as counties have begun to reopen.
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| The choice of style is yours Photo courtesy Diane Lindberg |
Face coverings, when combined with keeping 6 feet of physical distance and frequent hand-washing, can significantly slow the spread of the virus.
Individuals with certain health or medical conditions or disabilities are exempt from the requirement to wear a face covering.
Businesses can offer to provide accommodations such as curbside pick-up, delivery, scheduling of visits during non-peak hours or virtual meetings.
No one is required to carry proof or documentation of their health condition or disability.
32nd LD Democrats meet Wednesday on zoom
AGENDA
Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 7:00 PM
ZOOM Meeting ID: 893 6333 7367
Password: 757707
To listen only Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 893 6333 7367
Password: 757707
6:30 Sign In
7:00 Call To Order
7:01 Pledge of Allegiance
7:02 Land Acknowledgment
7:03 Approval of Minutes
Moment of silence for racial justice
7:05 PCO Appointments
7:10 State Coordinator Campaign Conversation with Savanna Steele
7:40 Conversation with Sen. Joe Nguyen
8:00 Resolutions
8:15 New Business
8:20 Good of the Order
8:30 Adjourn
Alan Charnley
Chair 32nd LD Democrats
PCO 32-1053
Voter Registration Guru
Hummer on branch
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| Hummer on branch Photo by Mike Remarcke |
Tiny hummingbirds are still showing up at feeders but are enjoying fresh food from all the blooming flowers.
Shoreline Schools town halls on school reopening plan options
Shoreline Public Schools will hold a virtual town hall to share school reopening plan options, answer questions and take your feedback.
Join then on July 14-16 for one of several virtual town hall meetings for families, students and staff.
Learn more and register for one of the sessions HERE
Learn more and register for one of the sessions HERE
AG Ferguson wins refunds for victims of COVID-19 “vaccine” scam
Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced June 22, 2020 that, as a result of his lawsuit, the maker of a so-called COVID-19 “vaccine” will repay his victims and is permanently barred from marketing vaccines without testing and evidence.
The legally binding agreement comes just over a week after Ferguson filed a lawsuit and nearly two months after he sent Stine a “cease and desist” letter to stop marketing the “vaccine.”
Click here to read the full story
Click here to read the full story
Goodwill reopens under COVID-19 restrictions
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| Goodwill reopened July 3, 2020 |
Story and photos by Cynthia Sheridan
The Seattle Goodwill Industries implemented a rolling start for the opening of North end Goodwill stores, beginning with Lynnwood, then Edmonds and finally Friday, July 3rd opening the Shoreline store.
Fifth Grade teacher Caroline Phillips counts on the Goodwill for paperbacks to restock her classroom library at Olympic Hills Elementary.
Reduced hours are daily from 10am to 5pm.
For all of you who have been cleaning out closets, the drive-up drop-offs begin at 9am and end at 3pm but the drop-off line closes at 2:30pm.
Maximum number of people in the Shoreline store at any one time is 205. Monday's final hour tipped the scale at 200 occupants.
Senior discounts are now the first Wednesday of the month only. No returns are allowed at present.
They began requiring masks on customers on their opening day, as well as limiting the number of people in the store.
Check out line kept cashiers busy, especially since the Goodwill is closing early, at 5pm
The Goodwill is a non-profit organization organized in 1923 . It provides education and free training as well as operating retail outlet stores. You may also shop the Goodwill online.
Read more...
Nap time for little bunny
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| Nap Time, copyright Marc Weinberg |
In our yard there is no shortage of rabbits. This little one comes within a few feet of us and feels comfortable to take a snooze in the shade of a fern. This is not a one off moment. It has happened many times.
--Marc Weinberg
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Sound Transit design refinements in Lake Forest Park for BRT lane on SR 522
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| NE 155th is near the Sheridan Beach Terrace apartments and 41st NE joins SR 522 at the "B" on the map |
Sound Transit has announced design changes to over ten blocks of Bothell Way through Lake Forest Park for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
From Sound Transit:
Thanks in part to early outreach that allowed us to visit potentially affected property owners, we were able to better understand access challenges.
Thanks in part to early outreach that allowed us to visit potentially affected property owners, we were able to better understand access challenges.
As we advanced to the 30% design phase, we began to analyze driveways and access to potentially affected properties in Lake Forest Park, and modified the design based on access challenges identified.
From this analysis, we learned that widening SR 522 exclusively on the east side of the road between NE 155th and 41st Avenue NE in Lake Forest Park could cause significant impacts to driveways.
From this analysis, we learned that widening SR 522 exclusively on the east side of the road between NE 155th and 41st Avenue NE in Lake Forest Park could cause significant impacts to driveways.
In some cases, residents would not have been be able to safely access their homes, potentially requiring acquisition of multiple properties.
Based on this information, we are refining the design on about ten blocks of SR 522 / Bothell Way between NE 155th Street and half a block south of 41st Avenue NE in Lake Forest Park.
These refinements include shifting some roadway widening to the west side of SR 522 to reduce property impacts and ensure more residents can maintain access to their homes.
Based on this information, we are refining the design on about ten blocks of SR 522 / Bothell Way between NE 155th Street and half a block south of 41st Avenue NE in Lake Forest Park.
These refinements include shifting some roadway widening to the west side of SR 522 to reduce property impacts and ensure more residents can maintain access to their homes.
While a portion of the road may now be widened to the west in this section, the added Business Access and Transit (BAT) lane would still be northbound, or on the east side of the roadway.
The sidewalk would also be on the east side of the roadway, where there are more properties with direct access for use of the sidewalk.
The west-shift design refinement would mean that construction would be required on both sides of the street.
West-side property owners would see some purchase of property along their backyards, with new retaining walls close to the roadway.
Our design process is dynamic, and we continue to make updates as we receive more public feedback and design information. These design refinements are not finalized until the Sound Transit Board votes on the project to be built later this year.
We are working to share this information with property owners as soon as possible. We are still determining the impacts at the individual property level and expect to reach out to property owners on the west side via mail with more details in July.
Learn more about this west-side refinement HERE
Puget Sound Bird Fest On-line Photo Contest
Amateur and professional photographers are invited to take part in the 2020 Puget Sound Bird Fest On-Line Photo Contest in conjunction with virtual Puget Sound Bird Fest! Accepted entries will be displayed online (a link to the contest will be supplied at a later date).
Voting will start on Saturday, August 29th, and continue for two weeks prior to the event on Saturday September 12th, 2020. Voting will close on September 12th at 6pm.
Photos must be of bird species typically found in the Puget Sound region. There is an adult (18 and over) and a youth (17 and under) category. On-line voting will determine the winner in each category. A prize will be given to the vote winner in each category.
The photograph with the most votes in the Adult category will receive a pair of Olympus 8x42 Pro Binoculars donated by Olympus Corporation of America and the photograph with the most votes in the Junior category will receive a one year subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan, donated by Adobe.
Complete instructions can be found HERE or by contacting jennifer.leach@edmondswa.gov for more information. The first 50 entries will be accepted with a limit of one entry per person.
Case updates July 6, 2020; disease rate in King county trending upward
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| COVID-19 disease activity in King county |
Case updates
United States
- cases 2,886,267 including 44,361 new cases
- deaths 129,811 including 235 new deaths
Washington state
- cases 36,985 including 1,107 new*
- hospitalizations 4,544 - 62 new
- deaths 1,370 - 11 new
King county
- cases 11,140 - 126 new
- hospitalizations 1,623 - 7 new
- deaths 591 - 1 new
Shoreline
- cases 405 - 1 new
- hospitalizations 89 - 1 new
- deaths 55
Lake Forest Park - no change in previous 24 hours
- cases 42
- hospitalizations 2
- deaths 0
Wonderland volunteers deliver baby supplies to their clients
Story and photo from Wonderland
Even though our client visits are still virtual, our staff found a way to help the most vulnerable families with supplies they need to care for their babies and toddlers.
Every week, our volunteers pick up diapers, formula, and wipes from Eastside Baby Corner and deliver directly to their clients' homes!
Three months ago, when we started these essentials-only deliveries, we had no idea it would continue this long!
This service means so much to the families and is something tangible Wonderland can do to support our clients through the pandemic. A huge thank you to our staff who volunteer in support of our EBC efforts - your time is VERY appreciated!
Read more...
Mandy, family support manager and delivery coordinator extraordinaire, was told by EBC staff that "Wonderland has the most thorough sanitizing and COVID protection process” they have seen! Woohoo!
Wonderland Child and Family Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit multi-program agency headquartered in Shoreline, serving children with developmental delays, disabilities, and prenatal substance exposure.
VSP Jewelry to close storefront business after 31 years in LFP
VSP Jewelry Design Gallery is located on the Town Centers’ lower level near the King County Library. Don’t miss their customer clearance appreciation sale taking place now!
VSP Jewelry Design Gallery is one of the longest standing small businesses in Lake Forest Parks’ Town Center since its major remodel in 1989. After recently being forced to close for almost three months due to COVID-19, owners YeeMan and Paul Lee have decided it’s time to move on and will close their traditional brick and mortar storefront business.
With no rent relief, they plan to close their store in 30 to 60 days. YeeMan and Paul begin their customer gratitude and clearance sale starting Monday, July 6th. They do promise a return to the community in the future to continue their repair and jewelry design services.
Read more...
Lovely display of Amber. YeeMan or Paul will happily give you a brief education about Amber and its special characteristics.
They first started their small business in the Kirkland Totem Lake area in 1986. They discovered the recently remodeled Lake Forest Park Town Center during their daily commute and decided to plant themselves there in 1989. Their store initially was on the upper level of the LFP Town Center. When Third Place Books and Third Place Commons moved in, they relocated to the lower level.
LFP Town Center has been their ‘home away from home’ for the last 31 years. Paul and YeeMan grew their business in “tiny baby steps,” while working long hours and carefully listening to what LFP residents value and need, and then they developed those services.
LFP Town Center has been their ‘home away from home’ for the last 31 years. Paul and YeeMan grew their business in “tiny baby steps,” while working long hours and carefully listening to what LFP residents value and need, and then they developed those services.
In return, they established a loyal, friendly, and sophisticated LFP customer base and beyond. Their work is from a place of passion and not profits, and LFP residents appreciate and recognize that characteristic, and the quality of their work shows. “Our customers have good taste,” YeeMan smiles in sincere admiration.
Their store looks like an international jewelry boutique and art gallery in one.
That’s not something you can get off the internet. YeeMan explains that when someone sees a piece of jewelry that catches their eye, it may not be the most attractive piece for them. She asks a lot of questions until she understands the customer better. This process eliminates the risk of creating a piece of jewelry that doesn’t fit that person as there are many reasons they may not have considered. That’s how they make happy customers.
Donna Hawkey checks out the current window display. This well-loved window display allowed many residents and beyond to admire the exquisite pieces that were changed frequently as pieces were either sold or rotated for variety. Photo by YeeMan Lee.
No two abalone shells are quite the same, so it brings individual beauty and variety to every piece of jewelry.
The owners invite you to stop by to say goodbye. And check out their patron gratitude clearance sale - right after the Fourth of July holiday – when YeeMan and Paul begin to strike out into their newfound independence. Good luck to you both!
This is the first time their merchandise has ever been on sale due to keeping “honest prices,” says YeeMan. VSP’s motto is “Very Special Pieces for Very Special People at Very Special Prices!”
They carry a wide price range - everything is worth looking at here!
Their store looks like an international jewelry boutique and art gallery in one.
“We were never a traditional jewelry store. We’ve been more like a jewelry doctor and art gallery incorporating many types of artwork and ideas from around the world.”
VSP handles every customer with the same high standards. When designing jewelry, they consider someone’s features and personality. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a piece of favorite costume jewelry or an heirloom piece; they treat every customer and their treasures with the same respect and care.
That’s not something you can get off the internet. YeeMan explains that when someone sees a piece of jewelry that catches their eye, it may not be the most attractive piece for them. She asks a lot of questions until she understands the customer better. This process eliminates the risk of creating a piece of jewelry that doesn’t fit that person as there are many reasons they may not have considered. That’s how they make happy customers.
Donna Hawkey checks out the current window display. This well-loved window display allowed many residents and beyond to admire the exquisite pieces that were changed frequently as pieces were either sold or rotated for variety. Photo by YeeMan Lee.
VSP Jewelry Design Gallery will be missed. Luckily their business was not affected much by online shopping. That’s because this is a one-to-one relationship type of business. And it’s a custom and value-added service they perform - and they work hard - seven days a week as a storefront retailer.
We have “weathered many storms and dealings with over four Town Center property management firms,” but this storm is different, says YeeMan. While this is a current sad theme for many small businesses across America, in Lake Forest Park, there are so few independent businesses that a loss like this is like severing off an arm of the community.
Their fast, on-site, and excellent repair service is “key to their longevity despite the ups and downs of the economy”, says YeeMan. Paul apprenticed with a master Goldsmith, and so they repair both gold and silver jewelry right on the spot while a customer does other shopping in the Town Center. Repair services include everything from watch battery replacements to replacing beautiful lost gemstones. The repair service is a big part of their business and help other Town Center merchants, too.
Town Center is a one-stop kind of shopping place for LFP residents, and it’s the only community gathering place in the entire city. Many of VSP’s customers come by regularly to say hello as they have built strong and lasting relationships.
Paul and YeeMan’s message: “We gratefully thank all the residents of Lake Forest Park and those patrons from afar who have placed their trust in our work and the services we have been providing for over these 30 years.
"We have enjoyed working with all their treasured pieces and creating new ones, but we have also developed true friendships which are even more valuable than running a business for income.”
Their fast, on-site, and excellent repair service is “key to their longevity despite the ups and downs of the economy”, says YeeMan. Paul apprenticed with a master Goldsmith, and so they repair both gold and silver jewelry right on the spot while a customer does other shopping in the Town Center. Repair services include everything from watch battery replacements to replacing beautiful lost gemstones. The repair service is a big part of their business and help other Town Center merchants, too.
Town Center is a one-stop kind of shopping place for LFP residents, and it’s the only community gathering place in the entire city. Many of VSP’s customers come by regularly to say hello as they have built strong and lasting relationships.
With the building of a Sound Transit garage soon, the face and culture of the Town Center are now being re-envisioned.
No two abalone shells are quite the same, so it brings individual beauty and variety to every piece of jewelry.
And the City of Lake Forest Park demographics is changing with older residents passing away or moving out of the area and into other retirement living arrangements. That, too, has affected their business in the last couple of years.
Today, their reopened business is not getting much foot traffic due to COVID-19 and its restrictions. Older adults are mostly keeping sheltered in place, and families have children to take care of, so the local business is down.
Today, their reopened business is not getting much foot traffic due to COVID-19 and its restrictions. Older adults are mostly keeping sheltered in place, and families have children to take care of, so the local business is down.
The Town Center escalator and stairwells are still closed, so customers can’t walk down from the area that houses Third Place Books. Instead, they have to walk or drive around to the lower level parking lot to enter, so they are not getting any foot traffic from the upper level. The King County Library and the Planet Fitness gym are still closed, which had provided more foot traffic, equating to more sales for all businesses located on the lower level.
And unlike some stores, VSP has no curbside items to sell.
And unlike some stores, VSP has no curbside items to sell.
A jade carving display highlights not only intricately carved stone but its value as becoming a lost art form.
“There comes a time in life that we must say…we’ve fulfilled our duties with much joy and passion and devoted countless hours to serving our communities’ needs, and now it’s time we make some time for ourselves.
"We will come back one day with a new business model to continue our repair and design services – so stay tuned as we work out our transformation!
"Until then, we wish all of you the best of health and happiness and to live a mindfulness life with compassion for others,” says YeeMan and Paul.
VSP sits adjacent to the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council Arts Gallery and Gift Shop so many customers like to visit both when shopping at Town Center.
The owners invite you to stop by to say goodbye. And check out their patron gratitude clearance sale - right after the Fourth of July holiday – when YeeMan and Paul begin to strike out into their newfound independence. Good luck to you both!
This is the first time their merchandise has ever been on sale due to keeping “honest prices,” says YeeMan. VSP’s motto is “Very Special Pieces for Very Special People at Very Special Prices!”
Hummingbird magnet
Story, photos, and plant by Wayne Pridemore
The Crocosmia,"Lucifer," plant is a hummingbird magnet.
The plant will produce blossoms most of the summer if the old blooms are removed to induce the growth of new ones.
Read more...
Case updates; patterns of inequity, rise in cases among younger people
Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. That’s according to a pair of new reports state health experts and researchers at the Institute for Disease Modeling released today.
The reports analyzed COVID-19 reporting data by age, race, ethnicity and primary language spoken.
The reports also reported an uptick of cases among people in younger age groups.
Case updates 7-5-2020
United States
Read more...
Compared to White people, death rates are over three times higher among Hispanic people and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander people, twice as high among American Indian or Alaska Native people, and over 50 percent higher among Black and Asian people.
Analysis of these rates by region shows COVID-19 is found in significant numbers across racial and ethnic groups throughout the state and is not confined to certain areas, such as rural, urban or suburban regions.Read the press release here.
Case updates 7-5-2020
United States
- cases 2,841,906 including 52,228 new cases in 24 hours
- deaths 129,576 including 271 new deaths in 24 hours
- cases 35.878 including 651 new in 24 hours
- hospitalizations 4,482 - 9 new in 24 hours
- deaths 1,359 - 5 new in 24 hours
- cases 11,014 - 230 new in 24 hours
- hospitalizations 1,616 - 6 new
- deaths 590 - 0 new in 24 hours
- cases 404 - 2 new cases
- hospitalizations 88
- deaths 55
- cases 42
- hospitalizations 2
- deaths 0
Low tide Saturday
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| Photo by Lee Lageschulte |
There was a -3 foot tide on Saturday, so Lee Lageschulte headed to the Edmonds Beach to get some photos.
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| Photo by Lee Lageschulte |
I'm not sure what the attraction is that makes people want to wade in a kelp bed, but the most interesting sea life lives around docks and rocks.
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| Photo by Lee Lageschulte |
No one can complain about lack of social distancing. This woman brought her own chair to sit and enjoy the day at the beach. At first I thought she was reading a book, then I thought she might be knitting - but I'm afraid she was just looking at her phone!
--Diane
Trivia quiz night online Thursday - free from King county library
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| Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on unsplash |
Thursday, July 9 from 7-9pm. For teens and adults.
Join KCLS online for Trivia Quiz Night, every 2nd and 4th Thursday, through August 13
There will be four rounds of trivia questions and answers.
You can play along at home on Zoom as an individual or as a team.
If you are playing as a team please be sure that each of your team members registers here. Each person who registers will receive a Zoom invitation to join the fun on the day of the event.
The July 9 event will feature Marvel, Social Media, African American History, and Star Trek.
Refer to Trivia FAQs for details about playing, especially if you are playing with other team members.
Read more...
Monsanto to pay record $95 million to end Ferguson’s lawsuit over PCBs
Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced June 24, 2020 that Monsanto will pay $95 million to resolve Ferguson’s lawsuit over the company’s manufacturing, marketing and distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
This is Washington’s largest independent state environmental recovery against a single entity.
Neighborhood Legal Clinic - free through the King County Library
Mondays, All day
The King County Bar Association provides free 30-minute consultations with volunteer attorneys to any King County resident with civil legal issues. Attorneys cannot represent clients but can refer to other assistance.
Neighborhood Legal Clinics are open for free 30-minute phone consultations during this time.
To request a consult, call 206-267-7070 and press 1 to leave a message with your name, number, and a brief description of your legal issue or fill out an online client intake form at www.kcba.org/nlc for a faster turnaround time.
Leaving a message does not guarantee an appointment. We are currently prioritizing housing, family and employment discrimination issues.
Appointments will be scheduled no further than 7 days out.
Bird house bandits
Marc Weinberg found an old bird house and decided to put it up on a tree in his back yard.
He was hoping that birds would move in.
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| Get off my roof, copyright Marc Weinberg |
Get off my roof!
Instead he was treated to a trio of rambunctious squirrels.
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| Three is a crowd, copyright Marc Weinberg |
Three is a crowd.
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| Too close for comfort, copyright Marc Weinberg |
Too close for comfort!
They skittered around his back yard for a couple of days, and then moved on to entertain someone else.
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