WSP: Increasing interest in motorcycle riding means increasing risks for inexperienced riders
Olympia, Washington: Warmer weather often brings more motorcycles onto Washington roadways.
The state’s natural beauty and miles of scenic byways are enticements to those seeking the open road.
With the recent rise in gasoline prices, spring’s appeal may be even greater this year.
That’s why the Washington State Patrol (WSP) is getting an early start on next month’s Motorcycle Safety Awareness campaign.
WSP wants to remind all road users that motorcycles are not only a popular form of transportation for millions, but they can also unfortunately offer an increased level of danger for riders, especially those who are inexperienced and lack the skills, training, and equipment necessary to ride safely.
National statistics show the fatality rate for motorcyclists is up to 27 times higher than that of passenger car occupants. Motorcyclists account for 15% of all vehicular fatalities in our country despite motorcycles making up only 3.5% of the registered vehicles.
WSP wants to remind all road users that motorcycles are not only a popular form of transportation for millions, but they can also unfortunately offer an increased level of danger for riders, especially those who are inexperienced and lack the skills, training, and equipment necessary to ride safely.
National statistics show the fatality rate for motorcyclists is up to 27 times higher than that of passenger car occupants. Motorcyclists account for 15% of all vehicular fatalities in our country despite motorcycles making up only 3.5% of the registered vehicles.
Like all vehicle types, speed is a common factor in motorcycle deaths. For comparison, speed was a factor in 33% of all motorcycle fatalities in the US in recent years, compared to 22% for passenger car fatalities.
Younger, more inexperienced riders, are more likely to be involved in speeding incidents and are the most likely age group to be involved in fatality collisions. Riders ages 21–24 account for as much as 49% of the speed related fatalities nationwide.
WSP emphasizes that motorcycle safety is everyone’s responsibility. All drivers and riders must obey speed laws, stay attentive, and operate vehicles safely and soberly.
The Washington State Patrol advises all motorcyclists to:
1. Always follow traffic laws.
2. Always obey the speed limit and adjust speed for road and traffic conditions.
3. Always wear a DOT compliant helmet and protective gear.
4. Complete rider safety education courses and maintain a valid motorcycle endorsement.
5. Always be alert to your surroundings, focused on safe movements, and ride defensively. Anticipate the mistakes of others. In a collision with a larger vehicle, you lose even if you were in the right.
6. NEVER ride impaired.
Read more...
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| Motorcycle clubs organize group rides. This group is at the start of the Tulip Ride |
Younger, more inexperienced riders, are more likely to be involved in speeding incidents and are the most likely age group to be involved in fatality collisions. Riders ages 21–24 account for as much as 49% of the speed related fatalities nationwide.
WSP emphasizes that motorcycle safety is everyone’s responsibility. All drivers and riders must obey speed laws, stay attentive, and operate vehicles safely and soberly.
- Drivers: Check blind spots and give motorcyclists ample space. Motorcycles have the same rights as any other vehicle on the road.
- Riders: Avoid excessive speed and erratic maneuvers. Make yourself visible to surrounding traffic.
- Family and friends: Encourage safe decision-making. Ensure inexperienced riders and drivers have proper training and equipment, and speak up if safety is a concern.
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| Always wear a helmet and protective gear. Photo courtesy Keith McGlashan |
1. Always follow traffic laws.
2. Always obey the speed limit and adjust speed for road and traffic conditions.
3. Always wear a DOT compliant helmet and protective gear.
4. Complete rider safety education courses and maintain a valid motorcycle endorsement.
5. Always be alert to your surroundings, focused on safe movements, and ride defensively. Anticipate the mistakes of others. In a collision with a larger vehicle, you lose even if you were in the right.
6. NEVER ride impaired.
“Motorcycles lack some of the structural safety engineered into modern automobiles and depend more acutely on the rider’s skill, reflexes, and attention level,” said WSP Chief John R. Batiste.
“The Washington State Patrol urges those thinking about starting to ride to get all the training you can, invest in all appropriate safety gear, and to always be keenly aware of your speed and surrounding traffic. We want everyone to get home safely, every time.”
Shorewood High School girls golf team earns victory Wednesday
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| (L-R) Ivy Ren, Julia Kang Photo by Val Patrick |
Leading the way was Julia Kang, who claimed medalist honors with the lowest score of the match, while Ivy Ren scored her round to finish in second place overall. Their play powered Shoreline Girls to a well-deserved win.
It was a great showing for the entire team; Julia and Ivy set the tone through confidence, consistency, and composure on the course. Followed by Skylar and Anna. Congratulations to the Shorewood girls' team as they persevered during stormy weather at Jackson Park GC.
Shorewood (238) and Shorecrest (250) placed ahead of Archbishop Murphy, which came in third.
~ Coach Val Patrick
Garden Guy: New Garden Companions for 2026
Spring is here! This year, the season began on Friday, March 20, 2026 with the arrival of the Spring Equinox, an astronomical point on our calendars which marks the Northern Hemisphere transitioning more directly in line with the sun and its warmth.
(The Autumnal Equinox begins on September 22 and heralds the Northern Hemisphere’s move away from summer and toward winter yet again.)
Yet, it is in this late part of winter we begin to start thinking more about springtime as the seed and plant catalogs have arrived in your mailboxes, seed packet displays are in most stores and the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival has concluded for another year.
As a home gardener, one of the satisfying rituals of spring is finding new garden treasures; those plants that are making their debut in the retail marketplaces. They are generally sports or hybrids of plants that have been on the market for years, with the new ones having a different sense of style, color or size to them. Or, they can be new hybrids. Whether larger or smaller in size; darker, lighter or variegated leaves or larger flowers; etc., all have the ability to add something ‘extra’ to the humble part of your landscape that cries out to be noticed. A little dramatic? Perhaps.
Having served as a judge of new heat-tolerant plants and talked to many wholesale growers and nurseries, it appears there are many new plants which will be coming to retail local garden centers. When I review an assortment of new plants in the marketplace, my prime considerations include drought and heat tolerance (after root systems are established – think three years), low maintenance and, of course, presence in the garden.
GRASSES
‘Black Hawks’ Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) 5’ x 2’, Sun, Nativar, Heat/Drought tolerant, Deer-resistant
Features green foliage which turns plum-black, excellent drought and heat tolerance (after the first three years) and a strong vertical look, Its near-black autumn color and strong, upright growth habit create a dramatic presence in fall gardens.
PERENNIALS
Runners-Up
Shrubs
Runners-Up
TREES
Readers should remember this list is totally subjective. The best plants are totally my opinion. It is based upon the many plants I have seen in the past few months and like because of their individual virtues, like hardiness, versatility and “WOW” factor that the neighbors will envy.
Read more...
As a home gardener, one of the satisfying rituals of spring is finding new garden treasures; those plants that are making their debut in the retail marketplaces. They are generally sports or hybrids of plants that have been on the market for years, with the new ones having a different sense of style, color or size to them. Or, they can be new hybrids. Whether larger or smaller in size; darker, lighter or variegated leaves or larger flowers; etc., all have the ability to add something ‘extra’ to the humble part of your landscape that cries out to be noticed. A little dramatic? Perhaps.
But, you get the gist of what I’m saying. No part of a landscape needs to be boring. It is worth too much in the way of underutilized garden space, monetary value and in satisfying your aesthetic senses to be just ‘Okay.’ A new vignette may be just the thing to enliven the space and create a smile on your face on your face when gazing at the site.
Having served as a judge of new heat-tolerant plants and talked to many wholesale growers and nurseries, it appears there are many new plants which will be coming to retail local garden centers. When I review an assortment of new plants in the marketplace, my prime considerations include drought and heat tolerance (after root systems are established – think three years), low maintenance and, of course, presence in the garden.
This is a good year for new introductions as there are MANY new plants from which to choose. My candidates for your horticultural consideration include grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees (sorry folks, I have no interest in annuals). Seek them out.
If not available, ask for them. That’s when garden centers know there is a potential market for a new plant. Definitely, do your own research and evaluate their worthiness for that needy spot in your own yard or container.
While I do dislike writing a column which is more list than anything else, this is my very subjective list of 2026 new plant winners and runners-up (and, I am quite sure that, if you talked to ten other gardeners, would have ten different list) …….
BTW, an ‘x’ in the botanical name indicates it is a hybrid; a Nativar is a cultivated version of a native plant and not a hybrid.
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| Blackhawk. Courtesy of chicagobotanic.org |
‘Black Hawks’ Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) 5’ x 2’, Sun, Nativar, Heat/Drought tolerant, Deer-resistant
Features green foliage which turns plum-black, excellent drought and heat tolerance (after the first three years) and a strong vertical look, Its near-black autumn color and strong, upright growth habit create a dramatic presence in fall gardens.
For a classic autumn display, consider pairing Blackhawks with companion plants like black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.), tall stonecrops (Hylotelephium spp.) and asters (Symphyotrichum spp.). Their contrasting colors, textures and movements will complement the Blackhawks and provide a late-season WOW vignette in the landscape.
Runners-Up
Runners-Up
- ‘Golden Needles’ Prairie Drop Seed (Sporobolus heterolepis), 2’ x 2’, Sun, Native
- 'October Sky' Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), 5’ x 2’, Sun, Native, Deer-Resistant
- 'Prairie Munchkin’ Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) 2’ x 2’, Sun, Native, Drought-tolerant,
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| Opal. Courtesy of chicagobotanicalgarden.org |
- ‘Nova Opal’ Thread Leaf Tickseed (Coreopsis verticulata) , 12” x 18”, Nativar, Sun, Pollinator, Drought-Tolerant, Deer-resistant
Runners-Up
- ‘Sundial’ False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides), 4’ x 3’, Nativar, Part/Full Sun, Pollinator
- ‘Prairie Princess’ Ironweed (Veronia x), 2.5’ x 2.5, Nativar, Sun, Autumn bloomer, Rosey Pink flowers
- ‘Lemon Perfection’ Catmint (Napeta x), 12’ x 18” Sun, Native, Heat/Drought tolerant, Golden Foliage, Pollinator
- ‘Treasurer Trove’ Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia x), 3’ x 3’, Native, Part/Sun, Pollinator,
- Iron Butterfly’ Iron Weed (Vernonia lettermannii), 3’ x 2’, Part/Full Sun, Native, Abundant purple flowers, Nativar, Pollinator, Deer Resistant
- ‘Granita’ Pussytoes (Antennaria dimorpha) 2” x 15”, Sun, Native, Silver-Green groundcover foliage
- ‘Ultra Violet’ Salvia (Salvia greggii), 3’ x 3’, Sun, Pollinator, Cold-hardy, Deer/Rabbit resistant
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| Cherry. Courtesy of landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu |
- ‘Boulder Weeping’ Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila Besseyi), 4- x 6’, Sun, Native, Dwarf, Pollinator, Water-wise.
Runners-Up
- ‘Silver Fountain” Butterfly Bush (Buddleia alternifolia), 10’ x 8’, Sun, Pollinator, fragrant flowers
- ‘Centennial Ruby’ Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophila), 3’ x 3’, Part/Sun, Pollinator, Ruby-Red Blooms
- ‘Fairy Tale Cascade Hydrangea (Hydrangea x), 4’ xc 4’, Part Shade, Pollinator, Horizontal-Trailing habit, White, Different look from typical hydrangeas
- ‘Let’s Dance Sky View Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla × serrata), 3’ x4’, Part/Sun, Pollinator, Pink-Blue-Purple depending on pH, Repeat Bloomer
- ‘Kodiack Jet Black’ Diervilla (Diervilla rivularis), 3’ x 4’, Part/Shade, Native, Drought tolerant, Pollinator, Deer resistant, Black-Purple Foliage, Repeat Bloomer
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| Cinnamon Curls. Courtesy of landscape plantsoregonstate.edu |
- ‘Cinnamon Curls’ Dwarf Korean Birch Tree (Betula constata) 9’ x 9’, Sun, Dwarf, Cold-tolerant
A main selling attribute (at least to me) of this tree is that it has not been bothered by the tree-killing Bronze Birch Borer during its trials. Cinnamon Curls is excellent in limited spaces and even large containers. Cinnamon Curls is adapted to conditions of greater cold and higher pH soils where other Betula nigra cultivars do not perform well making it an all-round great choice for a smaller yack yard or patio area.
Runners-Up
Runners-Up
- ‘Wincraft Black Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria) 10’ x 8’, Sun, Dark Foliage, Deer, rabbit resistant
- ‘Easy As Pie’ Dwarf Bush Cherry (Prunus x) 5’ x5’, Sun, Dwarf, Self-fertile
- ‘Hot Wings’ Tartarian Maple (Acer tattaricum), 18’ x 15”, Sun, Excellent summer display of bright red helicopter-type seeds that look like flaming wings.
- ‘Silver Totem’ Buffaloberry (Shephersia argentea), 10’ x 3’, Sun, Native, Narrow, silvery green leaves.
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| Garden Guy Bruce Bennett |
Use my list to kick-off your own horticultural sleuthing for the new additions to the gardening world. The downside to this horticultural treasure hunt is remembering the virtues of patience and perseverance.
As new plants, to the market, these little gems may not appear in your favorite garden center for up to a year. Do ask the garden center staff if the plants in question can be special ordered or add your name to a Waitlist. Over the past thirty years, those tactics have worked many times for me.
Best of luck with this annual rite of Springtime and the newfound joy in your little patch of heaven. Happy gardening all!
Contributing garden columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Certified Master Gardener, Certified Professional Horticulturist garden and lecturer.
Contributing garden columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a WSU Certified Master Gardener, Certified Professional Horticulturist garden and lecturer.
If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or two to ask concerning your own landscape or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact him at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.
Tax deadline extended to May 1 for taxpayers in King, Snohomish and other counties affected by weather disasters
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| Tax time pexels-nataliya-vaitkevich-6863244 |
These taxpayers now have until May 1, 2026, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.
Following the disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), individuals and households that reside or have a business in Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Samish, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, and Yakima counties qualify for tax relief.
Following the disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), individuals and households that reside or have a business in Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Samish, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, and Yakima counties qualify for tax relief.
The declaration permits the IRS to postpone certain tax-filing and tax-payment deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. For instance, certain deadlines falling on or after Dec. 9, 2025, and before May 1, 2026, are granted additional time to file.
As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until May 1, 2026, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.
Details
As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until May 1, 2026, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.
Details
The May 1, 2026, deadline applies to individual income tax returns and payments normally due on or after Dec, 9, 2025. The May 1, 2026, deadline also applies to 2025 contributions to IRAs and health savings accounts for eligible taxpayers. This relief also applies to the estimated tax payments normally due on Jan 15, 2026, and April 15, 2026. Penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after Dec. 9, 2025, and before Dec. 29, 2025, will be abated as long as the tax deposits are made by Dec. 29, 2025.
The May 1, 2026, deadline also applies to affected quarterly payroll and certain excise tax returns normally due on Jan. 31, 2026, and April 30, 2026.
If an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original filing, payment or deposit due date that falls within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the telephone number on the notice to have the IRS abate the penalty.
The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers located in the covered disaster area and applies filing and payment relief.
The May 1, 2026, deadline also applies to affected quarterly payroll and certain excise tax returns normally due on Jan. 31, 2026, and April 30, 2026.
If an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original filing, payment or deposit due date that falls within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the telephone number on the notice to have the IRS abate the penalty.
The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers located in the covered disaster area and applies filing and payment relief.
But affected taxpayers who reside or have a business located outside the covered disaster area should call the IRS Special Services toll-free number at 866-562-5227 to request this tax relief.
Tax practitioners in the covered disaster area, who maintain records necessary to meet a filing or payment deadline for taxpayers located outside the disaster area, may contact the IRS Special Services; if the practitioner maintains the necessary records of ten or more clients, please refer to Bulk requests from practitioners for disaster relief for additional guidance.
Landslide cleared and I-5 open south of Bellingham
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| Courtesy WSDOT |
After weeks of work knocking down and breaking up enormous chunks of rock the size of buses next to I-5 south of Bellingham, the hillside is safe and the road is clear.
Amazing process with WSDOT workers hanging off the cliffside bolting rocks into place and knocking down the blocks that couldn't be secured.
The roadway had to be repaired after being damaged by both the initial slide and the subsequent work on the cliff face.
The debris field between North Lake Samish and Fairhaven Parkway. was close to 250 feet wide.
--Diane Hettrick
Read more...
Guess who visited the tulip fields
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Lee Lageschulte, of course.
These were all taken at the largest farm, RoozenGaarde, in Mount Vernon.
Experience the world-renowned beauty of a third-generation Dutch family farm, featuring 60 acres of vibrant tulip fields and a breathtaking display garden planted with more than one million bulbs.
Travels with Charlie: Walking the Neighborhood
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| Chris, Christy, and Charlie walking the neighborhood Photo by Gordon Snyder |
Charlie and his Lady Friends walking the neighborhood on a great Spring Day on Monday. Love the footwork.
Just a simple view of a nice spring moment. Try to get outside for some of this Spring Stimulation in your neighborhood.
Cheers, Gordon Snyder
RBCC Players Present: Noises Off
A manic menagerie of itinerant actors rehearsing a flop called Nothing’s On. Slamming doors, on and offstage intrigue, and an errant herring all figure in the plot of this hilarious, high-energy comedy.
Performances:
- MAY 1 – 7:30pm
- May 2 – 2:00pm & 7:30pm
- May 3 – 2:00pm
Purchase tickets here
Bill McLaughlin Theater - Richmond Beach UCC
Corner of 15th Ave NW & NW Richmond Beach Rd
West side – Lower Level
Pool facility exploration project update
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| Current site plan |
On March 12, 2026, the Shoreline City Council discussed the potential Pool Facility Ballot Measure. They reviewed the proposed design for the pool facility and preliminary cost estimates. They also discussed using property taxes collected through a metropolitan park district to pay for it.
The City Council is interested in moving forward with a ballot measure in November 2026 to build, run, and maintain a new pool facility. Staff are scheduled to present draft ballot materials to the City Council at their May 11 Council meeting. Council has until the end of July to decide whether to place a measure on the November ballot for Shoreline voters to make the final decisions.
Visit the City’s Pool Facility Exploration Project webpage to see the current design booklet and learn more about the project.
Shoreline police report fewer calls and faster responses
Residents called Shoreline police less, and the police responded faster to 911 calls, cut more traffic tickets, and closed more cases.
The Sheriff contract keeps costs low, said the 2025 Shoreline police services report reviewed by the city council at the April 13 meeting.
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| The average number of dispatch calls for service (DCFS) per patrol officer has declined each year, down from 456 in 2019, reaching 368 calls per officer in 2025, said the report. |
Shoreline residents have been calling the police less often. The police received 16,567 calls in 2018, but that number fell to 13,971 in 2025. Despite vacancies, the average number of dispatch calls per patrol officer declined from 456 in 2019 to 368 calls per officer in 2025, said the report.
Average response times to the highest priority 911 calls continued to improve, dropping from 6.21 minutes in 2023 to 4.24 minutes in 2025, according to the report.
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| With fewer calls, average police response times to the highest priority 911 calls continued to improve, according to the 2025 report, despite staffing shortages. |
Like other cities, Shoreline continues to struggle with police staffing, ending 2025 again with 9 commissioned vacancies, an improvement from 13 vacancies in 2022 after pandemic-era mass resignations.
The police department closed more cases last year: 1,126 cases closed in 2025, up from 665 in 2020, according to the police report. Police also issued more traffic tickets (1,261 in 2025).
Working alongside police officers, the Region Crisis Response (RCR) agency provided de-escalation and behavioral health services for 562 people in crisis in Shoreline during 1,122 encounters.
According to the police report, the city’s contact with the King County Sheriff keeps costs down through "economies of scale” and “has been an effective way to provide quality law enforcement services and contain costs.”
What’s Happening This Week in Shoreline? – April 15 - 21
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What’s Happening This Week in Shoreline? – April 15 - 21
Spring is in full swing in Shoreline, and this week’s lineup is a perfect mix of creativity, connection, and hands-on fun. From celebrating 10 years of local filmmaking at the Shoreline Short Short Film Festival to a vibrant night market at Salvation Artist Collective under the twinkle lights, there’s no shortage of ways to get out and be part of the community.
Destination Shoreline’s Must-Attend Event of the Week:
Shoreline Short Short Film Festival
Saturday, April 18 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Shoreline College Theater
10th Anniversary Celebration for the Film Festival. The Shoreline Short Short Film Festival aims to support emerging and developing filmmakers in Washington State and encourage appreciation for the art of filmmaking in our community. A program of 12 selected films will be screened.
Mo Money, Mo Problems Night Market
Saturday, April 18 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Salvation: Artist Collective
Tax season is stressful. Art isn't. Join us for a night of art, music, food, and extravagance - you earned it. New artists, new vendors, and of course - twinkle lights - all in our yard at SALVATION.
Shoppers - plan to park on side streets as our lot will be packed with vendors and art!
Shoreline Area Events You Should Know About this Week:
(Follow the event links for additional information, directions, and add to your calendar links.)
Shoreline Nourishing Network Meeting
Wednesday, April 15 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM, Shoreline City Hall
Help us launch our first meeting by mingling with others over light breakfast & coffee. We will share knowledge, develop skills, build community, innovate, and call each other into action.
Free Savvy Gardener Class – Plant This Not That
Wednesday, April 15 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM, North City Water District
This informative class will cover the best plant picks to help you avoid problems and common mistakes in creating beautiful gardens and landscapes. Class is free, but you must register to attend. Contact us in advance by email to customerservice@
Memoir Writing Group
Thursday, April 16 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Shoreline/LFP Senior Activity Center
We’ve all got a lifetime of stories. Join Arlene every 1st and 3rd Thursday to work on and share your short memoirs. Practice preserving your memories in writing with this supportive and encouraging group!
Fix-It Night at the Shoreline Tool Library
Thursday, April 16 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Shoreline Tool Library
We will help you fix and learn to fix your broken tools, lamps, toys, furniture, appliances, and any other broken items that you can carry in on your own.
Shoreline Walks - 3 Neighborhoods & Hamlin Park Walk
Saturday, April 18 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Meetup Location: Ridgecrest Elementary School east parking lot. Entrance on NE 165th St.
Walk is: 3.4 miles/1.5 hrs
Walk Description: This walk starts out in the Ridgecrest Neighborhood and explores parts of the North City and Briarcrest Neighborhoods including a trail walk in Hamlin Park. The Hamlin Park portion of the walk includes trails with some steeper hills.
Storytime @ at the Shoreline Historical Museum
Saturday, April 18 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Shoreline Historical Museum
Bring little learners to Storytime @ the Museum at the Shoreline Historical Museum! This engaging, family-friendly program invites children ages 1–8 (with an adult) to explore local history and the environment through stories, music, movement, and hands-on art activities.
Weeds: Friend or Foe?
Saturday, April 18 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Shoreline Tool Library
Learn about weeds! Explore the dual nature of weeds in the Shoreline and Seattle areas, learning how some can benefit your garden while others can cause harm.
Middle School Night Pickleball and Table Tennis Tournament
Saturday, April 18 6:00 PM - 10:30 PM, Richmond Highlands Recreation Center
Saturday Night Pickleball & Table Tennis Tournament! Free and open to youth in 6th, 7th, & 8th grade only.
Machine Sewing 101
Sunday, April 19 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Shoreline Tool Library
Students will leave this class with the foundation for utilizing a standard home sewing machine.
Ridgecrest Neighbors Meet Up at Cafe Aroma
Sunday, April 19 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Café Aroma
Join Ridgecrest Neighbors at 10 AM on the third Sunday of each month at Café Aroma to meet your neighbors, share ideas, and have enjoy being part of our vibrant community.
Tool School for Women+: Drills & Drivers, Bits & Bobs
Sunday, April 19 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Shoreline Tool Library
This class is geared toward absolute beginners or those who have very little experience using electric drills or impact drivers.
Feathered Pages at Salvation
Tuesday, April 21 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM, Salvation: Artist Collective
Browse a mobile bookstore’s curated selection of literary treasures.
Basic Bicycle Maintenance at the Shoreline Tool Library
Tuesday, April 21 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Shoreline Tool Library
Bring your own bike and learn from hands-on experience by addressing your specific needs, such as gear, brake, and bearing adjustments, wheel truing and bike fit.
What’s Up Next in Shoreline (Save the Date):
(Follow the event links for additional information, directions, and add to your calendar links.)
Horsin' Around Night Market
Saturday, May 2 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Salvation: Artist Collective
Artists, makers, and vendors. Music, Food, and Good Vides!
ShoreLake Arts Annual Gala Fundraiser
Saturday, May 2 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM, Shoreline College
We are bringing supporters together to celebrate our mission to share art and culture to the community, and raise money for our future events and programs.
Fabric and Yarn Swap
Sunday, May 3 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Shoreline Tool Library
We are celebrating National Textile Day on May 3rd by having our first-ever Fabric and Yarn Swap! Do you have fabric and yarn that you’d like to move along or do you need fabric and yarn?
Fairy Garden Workshops
Sunday, May 17 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Salvation: Artist Collective
Embrace your whimsy! Collaborate with neighbors & friends to build out the Salvation Fairy Garden & design pieces for your own garden!
For Upcoming Events in Shoreline visit: DestinationShoreline.com/
Destination Shoreline is brought to you by:
Salvation - Artists and Makers Collective - a Boutique and Gallery
Shorelake Arts bringing people together through art, culture, and shared experiences.
Seniors Helping Seniors®, Supporting Independence for Seniors in Shoreline
Become a Destination Shoreline Partner, learn more here.
Frances Anderson Center inspires the 2026 Edmonds Arts Festival Poster
Twilight over the festival’s front door
Edmonds, WA – Each year the Edmonds Arts Festival selects an artist whose work captures the spirit of this waterfront community.
For 2026, that vision belongs to painter Ben Groff, whose luminous new painting - created as the official Festival poster - captures the Frances Anderson Center at twilight beneath a dramatic Northwest sky.
Groff’s work will represent the 69th Annual Edmonds Arts Festival, taking place June 19-21, 2026 at the Frances Anderson Center and Playfield.
Groff’s commissioned poster painting - Sunset Over Frances Anderson Center - captures a luminous and iconic Edmonds moment: a sweeping slice of sky view toward Puget Sound framed by the well-worn neighborhood stairs leading up to the Frances Anderson Center, where the Festival has welcomed artists and visitors for generations.
The painting is a striking composition of saturated evening color and perspective. The result is both cinematic and contemplative. The familiar Edmonds view transformed into something transcendent.
The painting evokes a quiet moment at dusk when the town settles into evening and the sky becomes the main event. The work invites viewers to pause, breathe, and feel the sense of place that makes Edmonds special.
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| Artist Ben Groff |
His work has drawn interest for its heightened color and sensitive use of light to evoke both drama and tranquility in the mind of the viewer.
His artistic philosophy centers on capturing not only what a place looks like, but how it feels.
“Color is light and light is color,” Groff says. “They are tools to pry open a spiritual level -- the deep and powerful impression the original scene made on me. A good painting should make that same impression on the viewer.”
The commissioned poster piece was created specifically for the Festival and its historic location.
“When the Edmonds Arts Festival came to me with this commission for poster art, I was asked to include the Frances Anderson Center, the current “home” of the Festival, in the finished painting. I immediately envisioned a twilight scene with a big, brilliant sky, a chiaroscuro foreground in sharp perspective, and the beloved vista of water and mountains that make Edmonds such a special place.
"I wanted to keep it bold and simple, even stylized. I am grateful for this opportunity and for the informed collaboration of the Edmonds Arts Festival team,” says Groff.
Originally from Pennsylvania and New York, Groff has deep ties to the Pacific Northwest because The Puget Sound Region is where Ben has lived most of his life. Ben has enjoyed a long career as a nurse at Virginia Mason Hospital.
His interests have included hiking, mountaineering, travel, music, photography, art, and literature; he has been a fiction writer with many published stories. He is currently a member-artist at Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, WA, where his work is always on view.
The poster artwork will serve as the official image of the 2026 Edmonds Arts Festival, appearing on posters, merchandise, and promotional materials. Limited edition posters signed by the artist will be available during the Festival.
Now entering its 69th year, the Edmonds Arts Festival is one of the longest-running and most beloved arts festivals in the Pacific Northwest, celebrating visual arts, music, student creativity, and community along the shores of Puget Sound.
The 2026 Edmonds Arts Festival will take place Father’s Day weekend, June 19-21, 2026 at Frances Anderson Center, 700 Main Street, Edmonds, WA 98020. Festival hours are Friday and Saturday, 10am to 7pm; and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. For more information, visit www.edmondsartsfestival.com.
Jobs: WSDOT IT Customer Support – Entry
Shoreline, WA – Headquarters
$66,137 – $88,981 Annually
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is currently seeking a non-permanent IT Customer Support technician to support the Northwest Region (NWR) end-user computing environment by independently identifying and resolving routine and complex technical issues related to desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile device hardware and software, operating systems, audio/visual systems, printing devices, and related components.
Read more...
$66,137 – $88,981 Annually
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is currently seeking a non-permanent IT Customer Support technician to support the Northwest Region (NWR) end-user computing environment by independently identifying and resolving routine and complex technical issues related to desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile device hardware and software, operating systems, audio/visual systems, printing devices, and related components.
This position plays a critical role in ensuring the agency can accomplish its mission of providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation options by supporting high-profile transportation infrastructure projects within the NWR and the Urban Mobility and Access Management (UMAM) Division. Our top candidates will possess demonstrated technical troubleshooting skills, foundational knowledge of end-user computing systems and devices, adaptability in a fast-paced environment, and a commitment to providing reliable, responsive, and solutions-oriented support.
See link for more information, including details on how to apply: LINK
See link for more information, including details on how to apply: LINK
Boys soccer Shorecrest vs Arlington 4/14/2026
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| Photo by Wayne Pridemore |
Shorecrest-5 v Arlington-0
10th
- Goal: Cole Ambrose
- Assist: Unassisted
- G: Ashton Johnson
- A: Unassisted
- G: Tiago Valdes-Ischenko
- A: Ashton Johnson
65th
- G: Ashton Johnson
- A: Kai Short
- G: Ashton Johnson
- A: Unassisted
JV
Shorecrest-7 v Arlington-0
Shutout: Tri Nguyen/Levi Ochler
--Jon Cottons
Salvation Artists Collective announces Shoreline Night Market Series
Salvation Artists Collective announces Shoreline Night Market Series
SHORELINE, WA — Following a successful March debut, Salvation Artists Collective is proud to announce the second installment of its monthly night market series. On Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, the community is invited to “Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems,” an evening that centers the brand’s mission of Reclaiming Creativity through a maximalist lens.
Located at 15419 15th Ave NE, the Salvation Artist Collective is more than a retail space; it’s a hub where materials are transformed and community comes to life. This market series highlights the personal journeys of local makers, reflecting founder Ali Kurhan’s unique dual background in nursing and artistry, a blend of deep care and creative transformation.
“Salvation is about building connections through creativity. act,” says founder Ali Kurhan.
“Our night markets are a celebration designed to bring joy into the neighborhood while also supporting one another. We aren't just selling goods; we are sharing the stories of local artists and inviting our neighbors to reclaim their own creative spirit in a space that feels warm, authentic, and inclusive.”
The series is produced in partnership by Laurren Chase, shop artist and co-owner of Savage Bead.
“The Mo’ Money theme is really about honoring the vision, the craft, and the hustle that every artist and entrepreneur knows well, said Chase, Market Manager.
“We’re creating an invitation to then wrap that vision in a rich, gold-drenched, maximalist vibe and share it with the community—set to an old school soundtrack.”
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| Bonus fun: DJ Tone spinning music |
Event Highlights include:
- Artisan Night Market: A curated selection of local artists and makers sharing their journeys and hand-crafted works.
- Maximalist Photo Booth: A playful, gaudy, gold-themed selfie station designed to celebrate bold expression.
- Planting Creativity Activity: While repurposing is the daily heartbeat of Salvation, guests can celebrate Earth Day early with a $10 upcycled planting activity, giving new life to forgotten containers with fresh greenery.
- Bonus Fun: Salvation hot dogs and pulled pork sliders plus drinks available for purchase with DJ Tone spinning music including old school hip hop favorites.
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| Planting creativity activity |
Event Details:
What: Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems Night Market
When: Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Where: Salvation Shoreline, 15419 15th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA
Cost: Free to attend
Salvation Artists Collective Regular Shop Hours:
- Tuesday & Thursday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Friday – Sunday: 10:05 AM – 6:00 PM
For more information and a full schedule of upcoming events, follow Salvation Shoreline on Instagram @savationartscollective or visit www.salvationshop.com
Destinations: Skagit tulip fields are in full bloom - but we have tulips at home
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
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| Photo by Lee Lageschulte |
Tulips are in bloom everywhere - but if you want to see enormous fields of blooms, head for the Skagit Valley.
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| Current Image of RoozenGaarde |
We’ve reached full bloom across Skagit Valley, fields are bursting with vibrant color in every direction, and it's truly peak tulip season!
Now is the time to visit, plan ahead and purchase tickets in advance to save time (and money) so you can spend more time soaking in the blooms.
Buy Your Garden Tickets
Read more...
Buy Your Garden Tickets
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