Five blocks of 15th Street NE to close for Jazz Walk, thanks to donors

Monday, July 20, 2026


This year's North City Jazz Walk will be a five block-long street festival once again—thanks to these two generous individuals whose support made it possible for us to close down a portion of 15th Avenue NE:
  • King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski —who secured a grant to ensure the people he serves throughout North Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Kenmore, and Kirkland can attend this event safely; and
  • Paul A. Barrera, Attorney at North City Law PC in Shoreline—his support will allow you to spend another warm summer evening wandering freely among our live jazz venues, food trucks, beer gardens, community booths, and children's activities.
Please join us in thanking them both for their kindness and support of our neighborhood and the Jazz Walk!


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Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs' response to DOJ letter

Steve Hobbs, Washington
Secretary of State
OLYMPIA - On July 7, our office received a letter from the Department of Justice titled "The State of Washington’s Compliance with Federal Law Governing Voter Eligibility."

My response is below:

Dear Mr. Mohrman,

Washington has received Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon’s letter dated July 7, 2026, titled "The State of Washington's Compliance with Federal Law Governing Voter Eligibility." 

The letter appears to be another instance in a troubling pattern of efforts to intimidate election officials and interfere with states’ constitutionally protected election administration.

Washington election officials take seriously our responsibilities under both federal and state law. This commitment is reflected in RCW 29A.04.205, which states:

"It is the policy of the state of Washington to encourage every eligible person to register to vote and to participate fully in all elections, and to protect the integrity of the electoral process by providing equal access to the process while guarding against discrimination and fraud."

Washington's elections are conducted transparently, and our voter registration maintenance procedures are publicly available. I invite you to review Chapter 3 of Elections 101, along with our published guidance on Cancellation Due to Death, Cancelling Inactive Voters, Restoration of Voting Rights After Felony Conviction, Voter Registration Applicants Without Identification, and Voter Registration Updates

As you will see, Washington’s practices fully comply with the requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, 52 U.S.C. § 20501 et seq.; the Help America Vote Act of 2002, 52 U.S.C. § 20901 et seq.; and Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960, 52 U.S.C. § 20701 et seq.

Notably, your letter does not identify any specific concerns regarding Washington's voter registration procedures or compliance with federal law. 

If the Department has recommendations regarding our practices, we ask that it identify the factual basis and applicable legal authority so that we may review it promptly. 

We regularly coordinate with our federal partners on matters involving election administration and election security, including efforts to protect our elections against both physical and cyber threats.

For example, in 2025 the Department of Justice shared several potential instances of double voting with our office. We reviewed each referral and, where appropriate, forwarded the information to the applicable county auditor for investigation in accordance with Washington law. Many of these records had already been identified through our existing Data Integrity Program.

State and county election officials faithfully administer elections under the laws enacted by their legislatures and should be able to perform those duties free from unsupported suggestions of criminal liability. 

Threats of criminal prosecution, absent the identification of any specific violation of law, undermines the cooperative relationship that has long existed between federal partners and state election officials and may demoralize the election officials responsible for administering free and secure elections.

Finally, your letter asks how the Department can assist Washington. We welcome meaningful assistance, including timely information sharing regarding potential election crimes, cybersecurity threats, and other actionable intelligence. We remain committed to working cooperatively with our federal partners to protect election integrity while respecting the constitutional role of the states in administering elections.

Sincerely,

Steve R. Hobbs
Washington Secretary of State


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Wonderland birth to 5 yo play group Wednesdays at Mountlake Terrace Library

Wonderland play group

Join facilitators Shelby, Kylie, and Alyssa for movement, music, and fun! Wonderland Play Groups are full of engaging activities designed to foster your child’s development. 

Groups are always free and open to children of all abilities ages birth through five years of age. All cultures and languages welcome!

In-person groups are first come, first served. No pre-registration required.

Wonderland, headquartered in Shoreline. is a non-profit organization that provides early childhood support and therapy for infants and children.

The playgroup meets every Wednesday - 10:00 to 11:00am at the Mountlake Terrace Library 23300 58th Ave W, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043


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Shoreline Fire Wildland Deployment Update


Our Shoreline Fire Department personnel continue to answer the call, supporting wildfire operations both here in Washington and beyond.

Currently, we have three wildland teams deployed:
Communications Team: Two members are deployed in Eastern Washington, setting up and managing communications for multiple wildfire incidents.
Brush 165 Crew: Three firefighters are deployed to Central Oregon, assisting with wildfire suppression efforts.
Public Information Officer: Our PIO is also deployed to Central Oregon, supporting incident communications and keeping communities informed during ongoing wildfire operations.

We are proud of our personnel for their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to protecting our state and our neighboring communities. Please join us in wishing them a safe deployment and safe return home.

--Shoreline Fire


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HomeTechHacker: What to Do Before You Throw Away Old Electronics


By Marlon Buchanan

Many of us have a drawer, closet, or box filled with old electronics. Maybe it's an outdated laptop, an old smartphone, a retired router, or a tablet that hasn't been turned on in years.

Recently, I decided it was finally time to clear out some aging desktop computers that had been taking up space in my garage. Some of them were older than my teenage kids. Before I recycled them, I made sure the hard drives had been removed and securely erased. It was a good reminder that getting rid of electronics takes a little more thought than tossing out an old toaster.

Before you recycle, donate, or dispose of old technology, there are a few important steps worth taking.

Back Up Anything Important

Before doing anything else, make sure you aren't about to lose something valuable.

Old devices often contain:
  • Family photos
  • Personal documents
  • Tax records
  • Saved passwords
  • School or work files
Take a few minutes to check what's on the device and copy anything important to a cloud service, external drive, or newer computer.

Sign Out of Your Accounts

Many devices stay logged in long after we stop using them.
Before getting rid of a device, sign out of:
  • Email accounts
  • Cloud storage services
  • Social media accounts
  • Streaming services
  • Shopping accounts
This helps prevent someone else from gaining access to your personal information.

Factory Reset the Device

Once you've backed up your files and signed out of your accounts, perform a factory reset.

Most phones, tablets, computers, streaming devices, and smart home products include a built-in option to erase personal information and restore factory settings.

For older computers, simply deleting files isn't enough. If the device contains a hard drive or solid-state drive, make sure it has been securely erased before disposal.

Remove SIM Cards and Storage Cards

Phones, tablets, cameras, and some laptops may contain removable SIM cards or memory cards.

These small pieces of storage are easy to overlook and may contain contacts, photos, messages, or other personal information.

Check before recycling.

Consider Donation or Resale

Not every device needs to be recycled.

If the equipment still works, you may be able to donate it, give it to a family member, or even sell it. I wrote about several ways to get money for your old technology, and many devices still have value long after you've replaced them.

Recycle Responsibly

Many local organizations and businesses accept electronic waste. Shoreline residents can recycle many electronics through Recology's electronics recycling program, and companies such as E-Waste LLC in nearby Mountlake Terrace accept a wide range of computers, networking equipment, and other electronic devices.

Taking a few minutes to recycle electronics properly helps keep hazardous materials out of landfills while ensuring usable materials can be recovered and reused.

A Few Minutes Can Save A Lot of Trouble

Old electronics often contain years of personal information. Spending a few extra minutes backing up files, signing out of accounts, and erasing data can help protect your privacy while keeping useful materials out of the landfill.

Your future self will thank you, and so will whoever ends up handling that old device next.

Marlon Buchanan is a best-selling author, IT Director, and founder of HomeTechHacker.com, a website with free resources to help you make the most of your home technology.

If you have questions or comments about this article, you can contact Marlon through his website or X (Twitter).



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Creative Kaleidoscope - Music/Art/Poetry camp for ages 6-9 at Shoreline College August 3-7, 2026


Pianist Dr. Jensina Oliver is bringing back the very popular Creative Kaleidoscope summer camp to the beautiful new music wing of the Bracken Building at Shoreline College this August! 

In its third year, the camp provides opportunities for imagination and creativity with a variety of hands-on learning projects. Students work daily on piano instruction in the keyboard lab, as well as with instrumental ensembles of familiar folk songs, using diverse percussion instruments and xylophones in the small ensembles studio. 

Interspersed with the music time are daily art projects, often conducted outside, including making homemade colorful instruments, painting watercolor scenes while listening to music, and a poetry composition project. 

The final hour on Friday is an art show for caregivers, including rhythm orchestra tunes, a piano solo, a piano duet, and full display of all of the art projects from the week. It's a very special camp and families are always amazed with what can be accomplished in just one week.

The Creative Kaleidoscope summer camp meets Monday through Friday, August 3-7th, from 9:30am until 12:00pm at the Bracken Building at Shoreline College 16101 Greenwood Ave N.

Dr. Oliver is assisted by Art Director Susan McIntyre and pianist Dr. Nicholas Tagab throughout the week. The camp maximum enrollment is 12 kids and there are a few spaces remaining. 

Please email Dr. Oliver for more details: jensina.oliver@gmail.com.



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Kenmore Summer Concert series

Sunday, July 19, 2026


Now in its 24th summer, the Kenmore Concert Series brings community, music, food, and fun together all in a picturesque, natural setting at St. Edwards Park Lawn, 14445 Juanita Dr NE, Kenmore, WA 98028

The series runs on Thursdays from 6-8pm with concerts every other week on July 30, August 13, and August 27.

Check out the bands, food vendors, and event details here.

Parking: Discover Pass required to park at St. Edward State Park. This park is equipped with an automated pay station for visitors to purchase a one-day or annual Discover Pass. More info or to purchase a Discover Pass in advance HERE.

Concert parking at Saint Edward State Park starting at 4:30pm

10 ADA parking spots near the concert venue. Additional ADA parking spots throughout the park.

FREE Shuttle Service - details here


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Whistles from Everyday Activists

Photo by Pam Cross

Everyday Activists, the group organized to raise awareness about overreaches by the federal government, has started offering whistles during the Sunday sign-waving events on Aurora at 205th, 1-2pm on Sundays.

Information, sign up sheets, and whistles
Photo by Pam Cross

The whistles were the idea of the resistance groups in Minneapolis after their city was flooded with quickly recruited and poorly trained ICE agents making dubious arrests with no evidence of due process.

The citizens wore whistles which they blew when they saw agents on their streets.

Eventually, the ICE agents murdered two peaceful protesters and were drawn down from the city.

This volunteer was offering whistles to passing motorists.
Photo by Pam Cross

ICE agents are active in Shoreline and Mountlake Terrace. Local police and government have no knowledge of their activities and no jurisdiction over them.


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Richmond Beach Library by the Numbers

Richmond Beach Library to celebrate 25 years in new building
at event July 28 from 5:30 - 7:30pm


Richmond Beach Library by the Numbers 2025

Richmond Beach held 170 programs across the year, drawing a recorded total of 2,687 attendees.

Summer has the highest program attendance. July had 600 attendees across 20 programs! This is driven largely by Family Story Time Under the Tree and other children's programs scheduled during the summer reading program.

Toddler Story Time is the top recurring program with 627 attendees over 27 sessions.

Outdoor Family Story Time: Cantando Y Jugando / Singing & Playing session on July 31 drew the highest single session attendance of the entire year at 120 people!

--Richmond Beach Community News June 2026 p.7


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Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Venus de Milo





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Justices on the ballot

By Diane Hettrick

The Washington State Supreme Court has 5 of its 9 seats on the ballot for this year's election. I always find it daunting to vote for judges because of the lack of real information about the candidates. I still mourn the loss of the VotingForJudges.org site that the Washington Bar Association used to publish.

It would list the candidate and link to endorsements and articles, without making a recommendation.

I started to recreate their work and gave up pretty quickly. But I was shocked at the clear division that immediately emerged.

I received a list of endorsements from the Washington State Republican party. I found the Seattle Times endorsements. There were no matches between the two. I tried unsuccessfully to find endorsements from the Washington State Democrats, so I checked the local organizations. Again there were no matches.

There is an interesting page with history of each candidate's rise to office: Full Court Press

The League of Women Voters of Washington conducted interviews with each candidate, which can be viewed here.

Here's what I found:

Position 1:
 
Scott Edwards WAGOP
Laura Christensen Colberg WAGOP


Colleen Melody Seattle Times 32nd Dem 1st Dems


Position 3

David Stevens WAGOP

Jaime Hawk 32 Dem 1st Dem


J. Michael Diaz Seattle Times 32 Dem 1st Dem








Position 5:

Dave Larson WAGOP


Theo Angelis 32 Dem 1st Dem


Sharonda Amamilo Seattle Times


Greg Miller









Position 7: 


Todd Bloom WAGOP


Debra Stevens Seattle Times 32 Dem 1st Dem


Karim Merchant


David Shelvey









Position 4, will appear on the November general election ballot.
Ian Burke 
Sean O'Donnell 

Because only two candidates filed for Position 4, they will not appear on the primary ballot. 

For voters looking to learn more about the candidates and the court, Full Court Press has launched a dedicated website resource at www.wasupremecourt.org.

Additionally, because judicial races are non-partisan, only races with three or more candidates appear on a Primary ballot 

For the Superior Court, if a single candidate files, they are deemed elected after candidate filing ends in May.


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WA tribes, environmental groups sue over Endangered Species Act rule change

Chinook salmon swimming upstream to spawn
Photo from King County
By Aspen Ford
Washington State Standard

Washington tribes and environmental organizations sued the federal government Tuesday, arguing that recent changes to Endangered Species Act rules defy scientific research and pave the way for the destruction of important wildlife habitat.

The two separate lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court for Western Washington, challenge the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the legal definition of the word “harm” as used under the Endangered Species Act.

In a July 10 announcement, the Department of the Interior said the new rule would reduce permitting requirements and compliance costs for farmers, landowners and energy producers.

“For years, federal agencies abused the ESA to obstruct lawful land use and burden American families and businesses,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “This action restores common sense, respects private property, provides much-needed certainty for landowners and follows the statute Congress actually passed.”

But the environmental groups and tribes contend that the change will pose greater risks for species like salmon, steelhead, grizzly bears and northern spotted owls.

The rule is underpinned by a 2024 Supreme Court ruling, according to the Department of the Interior announcement.

When a species is listed as endangered, federal agencies such as the National Marine Fisheries Service designate certain areas of federal or private land as critical habitat.

Before the rule change, developers seeking permits were required to explain how they would limit habitat harm in these areas, but that is no longer the case, said Kristen Boyles, Earthjustice attorney representing the nine environmental groups suing the federal government.

“This is a big deal,” Boyles said, noting that she expects other lawsuits to be filed in the near future. She described the rule rewrite as “an assault on all of these resources that should belong to all of us,” which will enrich companies.

The conservation groups that sued include the Center for Biological Diversity, Columbia Riverkeeper, Conservation Law Foundation, Conservation Northwest, Friends of the Wild Swan, Oregon Wild, Sierra Club, Swan View Coalition and WildEarth Guardians.

Their suit names lead officials at the Interior and Commerce departments as defendants.

Swinomish and Squaxin Island Tribes fear the rule will undermine recovery efforts for the federally listed Chinook salmon in the Puget Sound and Skagit River, which are reserved for the tribes to fish in under longstanding treaties with the federal government.

“We cannot save the ESA-listed Chinook salmon that are a pillar of our Treaty rights and our cultural lifeways when the habitat they need to spawn, rear and grow is under attack,” Steve Edwards, chairman of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, said in a statement. “This new rule is anti-science.”

The lawsuit from the tribes also alleges that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service violated the law by arbitrarily and capriciously rejecting Swinomish’s consultation request.


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Mountlake Terrace Community Parade

Saturday, July 18, 2026

The Shriners were out in force

Story and Photos by David Carlos

Hundreds of spectators lined 56th Avenue West Friday evening July 17, 2026 as the Mountlake Terrace Community Parade brought people together for a lively summer celebration.

Sunny skies and mild temperatures provided a welcome contrast to the thunder and lightning that swept through the area the day before.

Bubblemaker

The parade continues a longtime Mountlake Terrace tradition, although its name and organizers have changed in recent years. After the Smith family retired from organizing the three-day Tour de Terrace festival, the nonprofit MLT Cares sponsored last year’s MLT Parade. This year, the Mountlake Terrace Chamber of Commerce took over as host of the newly named MLT Community Parade.

Dance troupe

Friday's parade offered a little bit of everything: Performance groups, community organizations, marching bands, cultural groups, local businesses, classic cars and plenty of colorful characters. Young dancers displayed brilliant traditional dresses, musicians performed along the route, Scouts carried flags, and first responders greeted spectators from vintage to modern fire engines.

Seafair Pirates aboard the cannon-blasting Moby Duck

The pirates were VERY noisy

Other crowd-pleasers included the Seafair Pirates aboard the cannon-blasting Moby Duck, Shriners performing on miniature and custom rides, a mariachi band, costumed dancers and children participating alongside their families. Spectators also enjoyed a steady procession of Ford Mustangs.

The City of Mountlake Terrace served as the event’s Terrace Title Sponsor. In announcing the partnership, the Chamber said in its Facebook page:

"The MLT Community Parade wouldn't be possible without the incredible support of our Terrace Title Sponsor, the City of Mountlake Terrace. From day one, the City has been more than a sponsor; it's been a true partner. Their guidance, resources, and willingness to help navigate everything from permits and logistics to event planning have been invaluable throughout this process.

The Chamber of Commerce organized the event

"As this is our first year organizing the parade, we've had a lot to learn, and the City's support has helped turn this vision into reality. Their investment in this event reflects a shared commitment to bringing our community together and continuing a tradition that means so much to Mountlake Terrace. 

"Please join us in thanking the City of Mountlake Terrace for helping make the 2026 MLT Community Parade possible. We couldn't have done it without them, and we're grateful for their partnership every step of the way."

Western Vigilantes with their kneeling car

I asked Mayor Woodard, "Why was it important for the city to step up as the title sponsor for the MLT Community Parade?"

He replied: "Well, I would say from where I said, right now, protect your joy should be a theme throughout the county. This is a wonderful opportunity to just bring people out and make sure that we see each other and recognize our needs while we also just enjoy each other's presence"

Concern for Neighbors Food Bank

I asked Councilmember Doyle, "What does the city hope residents will take away from this parade?"

She said: "To find your joy, like the mayor said, and that everybody belongs."

The Double D crew in 1970s dress

One of the most eye-catching groups was the crew from Double D Meats. The group dressed in hip early-1970s clothing, complete with flower-power prints, bell-bottoms, fringe, tinted glasses and peace signs. I dug the far-out, groovy scene.

For the people watching from lawns, sidewalks and folding chairs, the evening offered a chance to reconnect with neighbors—and perhaps collect a little parade loot.

I asked one spectator, who has lived in Mountlake Terrace for 25 years, "What's been your favorite part of the parade so far?"

Free stuff

He said: "All the free stuff." He then pointed to a bag his wife was holding, already filled with giveaways from merchants and parade participants.

Joy, sunshine, and a bag full of freebies. For this year's MLT Community Parade, that sounds like a pretty groovy scene.


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Statements from all candidates in the 32nd Legislative District

By Diane Hettrick

Today's edition has statements from Lauren Davis and Imraan Siddiqi. This completes the information from all 11 legislative candidates in the 32nd Legislative District.

32nd District Representative, Position #2 has two candidates:
Because there are only two, both will advance to the general election in November.

Three candidates for 32nd District State Senator:
32nd District Representative, Position #1 - open seat
Check your personal voter data at this link VoteWA.gov If you have not received your ballot, you can get a replacement there.


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32nd LD Pos #2 Candidate: Lauren Davis

Lauren Davis
Lauren Davis - candidate for 32nd LD Pos #2

It has been an extraordinary honor to represent our community for the past 8 years in the State House. My job title is “Representative” and I take that extremely seriously. I represent you. I am one of three voices you have at the state capitol and that is an enormous responsibility. I pour my whole heart into this work and pride myself on being active and accessible.

I first ran for office in 2018 with the goal to reform our state’s terribly broken mental health and addiction treatment system. I have made tremendous strides in this area, authoring sweeping legislation to allow same day inpatient treatment admissions with no insurance paperwork required, to require a naloxone kit to be provided to every patient with opioid use disorder, and to expand access to medications for alcohol use disorder. I created the Recovery Navigator Program—the only behavioral health program that exists in every county of our state. I have secured tens of millions of dollars to expand recovery housing so that people in early recovery have the best shot at keeping the disease of addiction in remission after they complete treatment.

Having served on the House Community Safety Committee for my entire tenure in the legislature, I have become one of the most pivotal players in crafting our state laws related to crime prevention, criminal justice reform, police oversight, juvenile justice, services to support reentry from incarceration, and domestic violence.

I am running for re-election because the work is not yet finished and because I am a much more competent, skilled lawmaker now than I was when I was first elected. I have amassed tremendous knowledge about our state’s agencies and systems and which levers to pull to most effectively create change. I hope to earn your vote!

Feel free to reach out anytime  I can be reached at lauren@electlaurendavis.com.


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32nd LD Pos #2 Candidate: Imraan Siddiqi

Imraan Siddiqi
Imraan Siddiqi - candidate for 32nd LD Pos #2

We are living in a time where our fundamental rights as Americans are under attack. Our right to speak freely. Our right to assemble. Our right to live in safety and dignity without fear of being targeted based on our race or status. Many Washingtonians feel helpless in this moment, or that their voice is not being represented. In Washington State, there is something we can do to push back against these violations by our federal government. We can actually use our state laws to push back and ensure all Washingtonians are protected. As a longtime civil rights and immigrant rights leader, I have long served on the frontlines of defending the Constitution. The 32nd Legislative District needs a representative who will be that strong voice and fighter for the rights of everyone, and I am that fighter.

I am also the father of three teenage sons, two of whom are in college. My wife and I are both nonprofit professionals and have acutely experienced the affordability crisis that is hitting the middle and working classes the hardest. Our democracy was founded to be the voice of the people – not corporations, and I will be a voice within the legislature to ensure the people are heard once again.

As a former small business owner, I know the deep struggles that our small businesses in the district face. Bringing this well-rounded background into the legislature will allow me to represent the perspectives of so many communities who have not been heard for far too long. I am endorsed by many sitting legislators and respected organizations throughout the state, who are ready for a change from the status quo.


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Hey kids! Want to have fun / learn English by reading out loud - Shoreline Library has Reading Buddies


Reading Buddies at the Shoreline Library

Tuesdays, July 21 and 28 and August 4, 11 and 18, 1:30-3pm

Volunteers help students practice reading out loud for up to 30 minutes! Two students are paired by reading level with each volunteer. Book selection focuses on readers in grades K-8 and English language learners in grades K-12.

Reading Buddies choose from a cart of books or share eBooks on an iPad.

345 NE 175th St, Shoreline 98155
206-362-7550
www.kcls.org


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July 25th is Kids Day at the Market


The Shoreline Farmers Market celebrates Kids Day on Saturday July 25, 2026 from 10am to 2pm with an array of events and activities for young ones.

A real cow - plant flowers - get your face painted!

Listen to a story or check out a beehive. Or participate in the ever popular Build a Birdhouse.

The market is held at the BikeLink Park 'n Ride at 192nd and Aurora. 

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Celebrate the Richmond Beach Library July 28, 2026


Celebrate the Richmond Beach Library
Tuesday, July 28, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30pm
All ages welcome.

To celebrate 25 years in our beloved building, we're hosting an open house.

Explore old photos, reconnect with library memories, and enjoy light refreshments.


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Collision on Westminster Way

Medics check person sitting on the ground.
Photo by Bruce Miller

A collision on Westminster Way, about a block north of N 145th on Friday July 17, 2026 sent one person to the hospital.

A black SUV was traveling south on Westminster Way when it collided with a silver vehicle apparently exiting from the driveway at Bullseye Creative (Building to the right in the photo).

Photo by Bruce Miller

The impact spun the SUV around, where it landed pointing in the opposite direction. The silver vehicle went off the road and ended up in the bushes next to the road.

One patient taken by aid car to local hospital with non-threatening injuries. Another was checked at the scene.


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