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Monday, August 31, 2020

Kenmore marina

Photo by Jerry Pickard



The Kenmore marina on a sunny day




 

Uplift Climbing begins construction on North Seattle's first climbing gym


Uplift Climbing is beginning construction on a new training-focused climbing gym in the North City Business District, targeting a 2020 opening date. A new company started by individuals with deep ties to Seattle-area climbing, Uplift Climbing aims to serve dedicated outdoor athletes who are looking to push themselves to higher levels of performance.

Rock climbing has exploded in popularity, with thousands of people holding memberships at Seattle-area climbing gyms. Recent films such as Free Solo and The Dawn Wall have exposed climbing to more people than ever before, and with the inclusion of climbing to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, this interest is not expected to slow down anytime soon. In 2019, over 5.1 million people stepped into a climbing gym nationwide.

This influx of people has been great for the growth of the sport, but has also exposed a need for a climbing gym meant for dedicated outdoor athletes. Newcomers to climbing have found easy introductions at many of the existing Seattle area climbing gyms, which are designed to appeal to a broad demographic. 

However, Uplift Climbing is concentrated on serving the needs of people for whom climbing has become more than just a recreation.

“Everything about us is purpose-built for climbers,” says founder Andrew Hou. “There’s a ton of resources on how to get into rock climbing, and the other Seattle area gyms have done a fantastic job at introducing new people to the sport. 
"While we welcome people of all ability levels, we want to serve climbers for whom this sport is a passion. People who climb in competitions, those who have set long-term climbing goals outside and train 4-5 times a week to achieve them.”



Uplift Climbing is building a 7,300 square foot bouldering-only facility, with 14’ tall walls that vary in angle from 5° to 60° overhanging. 


Other amenities include hang boards, a campus board, Moon and Tension boards, cardio equipment, weights, and other training-focused equipment. The diamond-patterned climbing walls are built by Vertical Solutions, a Salt Lake City-based climbing gym company. 

Alongside a facility designed for training, programming will revolve around community events, training-specific classes, and outdoor stewardship.

Uplift Climbing is also the first climbing gym located on the north side of Lake Washington. Located in the North City Business District of Shoreline, it will serve North Seattle as well as the neighboring cities of Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace, and Kenmore, all less than a 15 minute drive from the new location.

Construction on Uplift Climbing started in August. It is a remodel of a longstanding building that most recently served as a Maid Brigade location. Previously, the building served as a branch of the Shoreline Library in the 1990s when the new library was under construction, as well as a disco club in the late 1970’s. 

Situated a mile off of Interstate 5, it will also be a very close the Shoreline North Link light rail station planned for opening in 2024. Nearby neighbors include Safeway directly across the street, and Monka Brewing Co.—a family-friendly brewery—directly adjacent.

“Climbing is my biggest passion, it’s molded my life in so many ways. Seattle-area crags like Little Si and Index are my home” says Hou. 
“In those places, you can always find people who are trying really hard, pushing themselves to reach new levels in their climbing. The energy is infectious — I always climb harder when I’m around others who are similarly psyched. I wanted to create a gym where a passion for trying hard is the norm.”


Address: 17229 15th Ave NE, Shoreline WA 98155
Website: upliftclimbing.com
Email: info@upliftclimbing.com
Instagram: @uplift_climbing




Drive safely in school zones, even if schools are distance learning

By Emily Devora Hops 
UW MPH Student, Violence and Injury Prevention Unit
Seattle - King County Public Health

The start of school is dramatically different for kids during the COVID-19 pandemic, with most classes throughout King County conducted online rather than in person.Traffic patterns in school zones are also different than prior years. 

But families may still be going to school for various reasons, including for grab-and-go meals and special education programs. Kids will be out walking to a neighbor’s house to learn in pods, going to the park, or biking or walking for activity breaks.


Because there are kids on the street, it is as important as ever to use safe driving habits. Remember to stay alert in school zones. To stay alert, and make safer streets for King County’s kids:

Follow the posted speed limit in school zones

Even though most schools aren’t meeting in person, the school zone speed limit is important to follow to help reduce crashes and keep kids safe. Stay in the habit of following posted signs.

Stay off your phone when driving

It can be tempting to check a quick text, email, or phone call. However, keeping your eyes on the road, not a screen, will help you stay focused on driving safely.

Stick to these guidelines and help make King County streets safer this school year!



Krista's bees

 

Photo by Jo Simmons


When your neighbor is a beekeeper, you know your bees are from a good home...


Photo by Jo Simmons


You also know that your fruit trees will be pollinated and where you can get honey from your own flowers.

Beekeepers Brad and Krista Tenney, like many Shoreline residents, have a beehive in their garden and have maintained it successfully for many years.




Wedding appliances

Photo by Kathy Plant



It's common for people to put unwanted items near the street with a "free" sign on them.

It's not so common for the givers to decorate those items.

Someone obviously came up with a very creative way to deal with two old appliances they needed to get rid of. The groom is a refrigerator and the bride a hot water heater.

If you would like bride and groom appliances, they are in Shoreline's Richmond Highlands neighborhood on the corner of Dayton Ave N and N 172nd Street.



Case updates August 29, 2020

Case updates August 29, 2020

United States - the CDC has changed the way they report

  • cases 5,934,824 including 291,012 cases in last 7 days
  • deaths 182,149

Washington state - *the state is no longer reporting deaths in the weekend releases

  • cases 74,320 includes 441 new within 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 6,740 includes 17 new within 24 hours
  • deaths* 1,905 includes 0 reported within 24 hours
King county
  • cases 19,554 - 74 in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 2,225 - 1 in previous 24 hours
  • deaths 720 - 0 in previous 24 hours
Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018)
  • cases 564 - 0 new in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 105 - 0 new in previous 24 hours
  • deaths 63 - 0 new in previous 24 hours
Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018)
  • cases 57 - 1 new in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 3 - 0 new
  • deaths 0 - 0 new


Patriots Day memorial service on September 11 at Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza




Veterans, Family and members of the Community please join us

6 pm Friday, September 11th

at the Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza

17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98155

(next to City Hall)

The Shoreline Veterans Association will be conducting a one-hour Memorial Service in Memory of the attack on our Country on 9-11-2001 and the three thousand lives lost that day.

The Program will feature the Northwest Junior Pipe Band, the Ames Family singers, laying of wreaths, Prayer for the memory of the citizens who were lost.

Veterans and their family/guests will be asked to gather at their respective service Obelisk for the Ceremony. The wearing of uniforms is encouraged. The American Legion Auxiliary will provide ceremonial Wreaths.

Light refreshments will be offered after the Ceremony.


Ray Coffey, Major General, USAVR
Chairman, Shoreline Veterans Association

COVID-19 protocols will be observed, please wear a face covering (ones will be provided at the Post) and practice six-foot social distancing.




Senior Center needs food supplies for hot lunch and grocery bag program


Supplies needed for weeks of August 31 - September 4 and September 7 - 11 for food program

Every day during the week (Monday through Friday) the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Center delivers approximately 80 hot lunches to Seniors in need in Shoreline and the surrounding communities.

We also offer about 50 grocery bags on Fridays to help those Seniors who need food for the weekends.

At this time, we are getting very low on the following supplies:
  • Cans of Beef Stew
  • Cans of hearty soup such as Chicken Rice/Chicken Noodle/Beef Stroganoff
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Mayonnaise – small jars
  • Small cereal boxes
  • Juices – 10-12 oz size
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned vegetables
  • Toilet paper and Kleenex
  • 2021 Calendars

*We are only able to accept individually wrapped items as we do not repackage bulk food.

Please tell your friends, neighbors, relatives about our needs. Many of these seniors are not able to access all of their supplies and therefore rely on us.

Drop off days/times can be made to the front door of the center, Monday - Friday between 1:00 and 3:00pm unless other arrangements are made. 

Please call the Shoreline Senior Center at 206-365-1536 with further questions. The address for the Senior Center is 18560 1st Ave NE #1, Shoreline. Please remember to wear a mask when dropping off food.

Thank you for your support of our seniors,

Ginny Scantlebury, Vice President
The Shoreline Lake Forest Park Senior Center Board of Directors



Mystery photo - is this your family?

Photo by Lien Titus



Christmas is in three months, my grandsons just reminded me.

I had forgotten all about it. I used to start shopping in January but as the years go by my shopping window gets shorter and shorter - but so does my Christmas list.

Well-known local photographer Lien Titus has a gift list, too. She took this lovely photo of a grandfather and his grandchildren in the snow several years ago.

It was taken on N 193rd St between Palatine Ave N and 1st Ave NW in Shoreline.

She would like to make a gift of the photo to the family but she doesn't know who they are.

If you can identify them or you are part of the family, please contact us tips@ShorelineAreaNews.com and we'll pass the information on to Lien.

Lien Titus's photos are often featured on local TV stations.

--Diane Hettrick



Avid Readers and Gift Givers - Check out Third Place Commons Online Auction launching today


Do you love to read? Got a voracious reader in the family? 

This week’s online fundraising auction for Third Place Commons and the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market is the perfect item for you.

Part of the TPC Awesome Auction-a-thon, today’s auction item is a $100 gift card for Third Place Books! 

As usual, the auction launches at noon today on the Third Place Commons Facebook page and bids will be accepted directly in the comments of the post.

With this week’s prize, you can stock up on the latest bestsellers, dig into the works of a favorite author, or load up on books for the kiddos. Got a favorite pastime? Cooking, gardening, sports? Bid on this gift card and pick up a passport to great books on the topic of your choice, all while supporting the Commons and the market.


Third Place Books sells new and used titles, as well as music and all sorts of fun gift items, so you could even pocket the card and use it for all your gift-giving needs come the holiday season. (Which, alarmingly, will be here before you know it!)

Planning to join the Commons Community Book Club? Use this card to snag all the great titles you’ll be reading with the group.

Remember that these online auctions are fundraisers for Third Place Commons and the LFP Farmers Market to help sustain the Commons and the market through these very trying times. So bidding often and high is the goal.

This is a fantastic chance to donate generously to a vital community nonprofit in its time of need while also getting something fabulous for yourself!


Bidding will continue all week and close on Friday at noon. The highest bidder as of that time will win the card and the pride of knowing they’ve given generously to help the Commons and the market.

There are also two more fantastic items to come in the TPC Awesome Auction-a-thon, so be sure to mark your calendar for these remaining items.
  • Sept. 14 – Waterfront Hyatt Regency Overnight Bed and Breakfast Escape Package (Value: $260)
  • Sept. 28 – Spring Brings Smiles, Original Acrylic Painting (Est: $275)

If you don’t find anything that tickles your fancy in the auction-a-thon, you can always make a gift directly to Third Place Commons here.

Also, be sure to keep an eye on the Third Place Commons calendar for the new line-up of online programs to keep you connected with your Commons community until we can all meet safely again in person at the Commons.

And don’t forget the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market remains open every Sunday, 10am to 2pm, until October 18th. So there’s still plenty of time to enjoy that wonderful market bounty!

Third Place Commons, a community supported 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is celebrating its 20th anniversary of building real community in the heart of Lake Forest Park. In addition to presenting its largest program, the Lake Forest Park Farmers Market, Third Place Commons now also fosters real community in digital space. To learn more, or to make a gift to support the market and the Commons, visit ThirdPlaceCommons.org.




Sunday, August 30, 2020

Blue heron on Lake Ballinger

 

Photo by Mike Remarcke



Mike went kayaking on Lake Ballinger - and of course he took his camera.





Case updates August 28, 2020

National figures from the CDC


Case updates August 28, 2020


United States - the CDC has changed the way they report
  • cases 5,890,532 including 291,985 cases in Last 7 Days
  • deaths 181,143

Washington state - the state is no longer reporting deaths in the weekend releases
  • cases 73,879 includes 578 new within 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 6,723 includes 44 new within 24 hours
  • deaths 1,905 includes 0 reported within 24 hours

King county
  • cases 19,480 - 119 in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 2,224 - 1 in previous 24 hours
  • deaths 720 - 1 in previous 24 hours

Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018)
  • cases 564 - 3 new in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 105 - 0 new in previous 24 hours
  • deaths 63 - 1 new in previous 24 hours

Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018)
  • cases 56 - 2 new in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 3 - 0 new
  • deaths 0 - 0 new



Hungry goats are helping to clear the site of the Midvale Community Garden

This area of the Midvale Community Garden was cleared by volunteers in multiple work parties. The Interurban Trail runs through the property. Photo by David Chen.


On a little strip of land, just one block north of Sky Nursery on the InterUrban Trail sits an unused parcel of land full of invasive plants and discarded trash.

But for several Echo Lake residents, the strip represents the opportunity to breath new life into an overlooked part of the neighborhood. 

Thus was born the vision for the Midvale Community Garden, a place where the community can gather, learn about urban permaculture, and find a place of spiritual renewal in an ever-expanding concrete world. 

12 hungry goats from Earthcraft Farms are now eating their way through the wild growth
Photo by Gidget Terpstra


Although COVID-19 has slowed the construction process, partnership with the City of Shoreline, Diggin Shoreline, and Earthcraft Services has brought twelve hungry goats to hold back the vegetation.

"Our hope is to break ground next Spring on building space that is inclusive, community-centered, and serves one of Shoreline's most diverse communities," said David Chen, one of the project's volunteers. 


The initial garden design includes educational features, garden plots, ADA accessibility, and a nature play area. The goats will be on site on September 19-20 and 26-27.

 
The Midvale Community Garden is on N 192nd in the Echo Lake Neighborhood. The Interurban Trail runs through the site, which is just north of Sky Nursery. Photo by David Chen.



If you would like to learn more about the project or volunteer, email midvalecommunitygarden@gmail.com




Shelley showed up late for her portrait session (that's so like Shelley!)

 



so that the most I could do was capture a pic of her arriving.

(Shield Bug in the community garden the other day)

--Gloria Z Nagler



Washington leads lawsuit against Trump Administration for illegally sabotaging bedrock environmental law


Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a federal lawsuit today against the Trump Administration for illegally gutting the nation’s bedrock environmental law. 

The changes to the rules key to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) will eliminate or reduce environmental scrutiny for a wide range of major federal decisions and will harm Washington’s most susceptible communities.

NEPA is a federal statute that governs all federal agencies and applies to most of the activities they approve or carry out. NEPA mandates detailed environmental review for all major federal actions — like power plants, roads, pipelines and large logging projects — that the federal government plans to undertake.

Former Washington Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson introduced NEPA in the Senate in 1968 when he chaired the Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee. It passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress and President Richard Nixon signed it into law on Jan. 1, 1970. NEPA has been called “the Magna Carta of the nation’s environmental laws.”

NEPA requires that the federal government analyze and consider the environmental consequences of significant federal actions. It requires the federal government to “look before it leaps” by requiring decisions be informed by facts and science.

More information here



Volunteers pull six bins of invasive cattails from Echo Lake

Barbara Guthrie throws three clumps of invasive cattails into the green composting bin. The cattails grow in shallow parts of the lake. These are from the tiny beach in Echo Lake Park. Photo by Marla Tullio.


A small group of volunteers from the Echo Lake Neighborhood Association (ELNA) waded into Echo Lake on Saturday and pulled six bins worth of invasive cattails from the lake.

Getting rid of invasive cattails from Echo Lake Park is a long-term project of the neighborhood association. It can only be done at certain times of the year and volunteers need in-person orientation because there are two varieties of cattail - one native and one invasive.

The big work party in the park, normally held the day of the ELNA picnic on the third Tuesday in July, had to be cancelled this year because of the pandemic.

Six green compost bins full of cattails sit by the Interurban Trail in Echo Lake Park, waiting to be picked up. Four volunteers pulled cattails until the bins were full. Photo by Marla Tullio.



Also because of the pandemic, this work party was not advertised. Instead, Cattail Crew Leader Marla Tullio recruited a few people who have helped in the past and were available this Saturday.

Barbara Guthrie, Anne Guthrie, Matt and Marla Tullio spent a couple of hours and filled the six bins provided by the City.

Marla says that the cattails are very easy to pull, but they are stinky!

They enjoyed chatting with the people who stopped to see what they were doing and to talk about how much they love the park.



Third Place Books presents Brad Balukjian in conversation with Larry Stone


Tuesday, September 1, 2020 - 7:00pm
This is a virtual event! 


Part baseball nostalgia and part road trip travelogue, The Wax Pack follows Brad Balukjian as he tracks down players from a single pack of baseball cards from 1986 that had remained sealed for almost thirty years.

Is there life after baseball? Starting from this simple question, The Wax Pack ends up with something much bigger and unexpected -- a meditation on the loss of innocence and the gift of impermanence, for both Brad Balukjian and the former ballplayers he tracked down.

To get a truly random sample of players, Balukjian followed this wildly absurd but fun-as-hell premise: he took a single pack of baseball cards from 1986 (the first year he collected cards), opened it, chewed the nearly thirty-year-old gum inside, gagged, and then embarked on a quest to find all the players in the pack. 

Absurd, maybe, but true. He took this trip solo in the summer of 2015, spanning 11,341 miles through thirty states in forty-eight days.

Balukjian actively engaged with his subjects -- taking a hitting lesson from Rance Mulliniks, watching kung fu movies with Garry Templeton, and going to the zoo with Don Carman. In the process of finding all the players but one, he discovered an astonishing range of experiences and untold stories in their post-baseball lives, and he realized that we all have more in common with ballplayers than we think. While crisscrossing the country, Balukjian retraced his own past, reconnecting with lost loves and coming to terms with his lifelong battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Alternately elegiac and uplifting, The Wax Pack is part baseball nostalgia, part road trip travelogue, and all heart, a reminder that greatness is not found in the stats on the backs of baseball cards but in the personal stories of the men on the front of them.

Brad Balukjian is director of the Natural History and Sustainability Program and teaches biology at Merritt College in Oakland, California. He is also a freelance writer and has published articles in Rolling Stone, the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, Slate, Discover, Smithsonian, Natural History, NOVA Next, and Islands.

Larry Stone is a sports columnist for the Seattle Times, where he has covered the Mariners for more than two decades. He is the co-author of Edgar: An Autobiography now available in paperback.


The Wax Pack: On the Open Road in Search of Baseball’s Afterlife (Hardcover)
By Brad Balukjian
$27.95
ISBN: 9781496218742
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: University of Nebraska Press - April 1, 2020




Drive-through food bank drive at Richmond Beach Congregational Church fills a truck


Story and photos by Cynthia Sheridan

For the past ten years Richmond Beach Congregational Church has designated one service each month as Poverty Sunday, with an opportunity for parishioners to donate food or cash to a designated community foodbank.

Since Covid-19 has eliminated Sunday services, the church continues to support those in need by transforming Poverty Sunday into a quarterly food drive drop-off in the church parking, This quarter's donation will go to the North Food Bank, in Seattle.


Church members were able to collect one and a half truck loads by the time their drive ended, according to Beverly Hawkins, RBCC Community Outreach Board Member.



September fitness classes through Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center


Our doors may be locked but we remain open with a host of online classes. 
 
Enjoy your favorite fitness classes in the comfort of your home, with your favorite instructors. Share smiles and hellos with familiar faces through Zoom programming. 

Call the center at 206-365-1536 or email jarrodw@soundgenerations.org to register for any of the following classes. 

If you need assistance with downloading Zoom to your desktop, laptop or iPad, schedule an appointment with us for step by step guidance. Once you have registered, you will be provided the Zoom meeting ID number and Password. No drop-ins, no individual class purchases. Monthly class purchases only!


CLOGGING with Maureen Pettit Tuesdays 1:00pm – 2:30pm September 2nd – October 27th $5 Members / $7 Nonmember

Clogging was first introduced to the USA by immigrants from Europe. It is fun and great exercise for all ages, and danced to all genres of music. Learn the basic steps utilized in all levels of clogging.

No dance experience necessary. Clogging is always “cued” by the instructor, like square dancing.


GENTLE MAT YOGA with Heidi Mair Fridays 9:30am – 10:30am September 4th – October 30th $6 Members / $9 Nonmembers

Calm your mind, stretch and strengthen your body and improve your balance with a Yoga class designed for students 50 and older. Gentle Mat Yoga classes begin and end with breath awareness and mindful meditation, and include a series of poses to work each part of your body.

GENTLE CHAIR YOGA with Heidi Mair Fridays 10:45am – 11:45am September 4th – October 30th $6 Members / $9 Nonmembers

Calm your mind, stretch and strengthen your body and improve your balance with a Yoga class designed to be performed while seated in a chair. Gentle Chair Yoga classes begin and end with breath

Awareness and mindful meditation, and include a series of poses to work each part of the body. If you are new to Yoga, this is a great introductory class.

CECE’S CLASSIC CHAIR WORKOUT with CeCe Ryan Mondays and Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am September 3rd – October 29th $4 Members / $6 Nonmembers

For those wishing to improve physical conditioning and decrease risk of injuries. Focus is on strength training.

AGING WELL with Toshiko Aramaki Mondays 11:15am – 12:15am September – October 26th $4 Members / $6 Nonmembers

It’s time to brush off the dust and cobwebs after 5 months of sitting at home, and join Toshiko as she gradually leads you through upper and lower body exercises to regain your strength, balance and sense of well-being. Few of us have been very active during Covid-19 Stay at Home mandates, so she will guide you from a seated position until you are comfortable moving to a standing position.

Don’t underestimate the progress you will make, despite being seated! Additional classes will be added in September!

KEEP YOUR BALANCE, KEEP MOVING with Toshiko Wednesdays 9:00am – 10:00am September – October Sponsored by Shoreline Fire Dept.

Gain strength and balance along with verbal guidance on body changes through the aging process and tips on home safety.

MEDITATION with MARY NEWBILL Thursdays 1:00pm – 2:00pm September 10th – October 29th $6 Members / $8 Nonmembers

Meditation is a practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, the breath, movement, or attention itself in order to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and spiritual growth. This class is open to new students as well as experienced practitioners. Relax, rejuvenate and gift yourself an hour/week, to step away from the emotions of all that is going on around us at this time.

TAI CHI in the PARK with MARY NEWBILL Thursdays 10:00am – 11:00am September 3rd – October 29th $6 Members / $8 Nonmembers

Call 206-365-1536 for further details


COVID-19 has introduced us to a completely new way of living. It has stretched our comfort levels while placing new demands upon us. However, with it has come the opportunity to move on past our struggles, creating a new path and finding a new normal. Take this time to explore interests, create new passions and evolve into a new you. You may be surprised at the wonders you find within.

Theresa LaCroix, Director
Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center



Why high school students should consider Running Start

Since K-12 classes are all online this fall, now is the perfect time for high schoolers to give Running Start a try. Stock photo.


With K-12 classes online for the foreseeable future, now is a great time for students curious about Running Start to take a closer look. For the unfamiliar, Running Start is a program that allows academically qualified students in grades 11-12 to take college courses for free while earning both high school and college credit.

The most touted benefit of the program is cost savings. Though there are some nominal fees, and students must pay for books, tuition for the program is free. Students who qualify for reduced lunch can receive assistance with books and fees. Students who plan their courses carefully and attend college full time their junior and senior years can graduate high school with an associate degree and two free years of college.

In fact, in 2017 alone, 3,111 students earned associate degrees along with their high-school diplomas, saving themselves and their families up to $39 million combined in college tuition.

Even if you’re not trying to graduate high school with an associate degree, you can still earn enough free college credits to leave a four-year university program with significantly less debt.

And the benefits of the program go well beyond cost-saving.

Students unsure if college is right for them or who want to ease into the college experience can familiarize themselves with the rigor of college-level coursework and increased personal responsibility within a safe environment. Pairing college-level work with college-level support services plus the backing of both a high school and college counselor helps high schoolers learn how to succeed in higher education.

And, according to the University of Washington’s Admissions, “These programs are challenging and demanding, and we believe they provide excellent preparation for university study.”

Colleges typically offer a wider variety of class options than high school, so students wanting an early start on career exploration can sate their curiosity for free. College instructors usually have first-hand experience working in their fields and can serve as sounding boards for students weighing career paths. Instructors can also introduce students to internship opportunities that give them extra insight into the ins and outs of a particular career environment.

Students who struggle to focus on learning eight hours a day will appreciate the flexibility of the college environment. College classes can begin anywhere from 8am to 7pm, and some are even offered on weekends. If you work your schedule right, you can be done learning by noon and take the rest of the day for homework, work, or extracurriculars.

Running Start students will take classes in the company of people who are motivated to learn and who can push them to approach education with the same vigor. It also means Running Start students are introduced to more diversity than they’ll find in a typical high school classroom, opening their eyes to a wide range of experiences, opportunities, paths, and worldviews.

Additionally, seeing adult learners going back to college in their 30s, 40s, and even 50s can help impress on high schoolers the importance of lifelong learning, as well as the importance of choosing a learning path that will let them succeed long term.


Running Start has a high track record of successfully leading students to go on to more college. About 76 percent of Running Start students who graduated from high school in 2014-15 enrolled in a two- or four-year college after high school, compared to only about 55 percent of students who did not take Running Start courses.

Not everyone flourishes in the social culture of high school. For students who want to learn and focus on their education without getting tangled in high school culture, Running Start can be a relief.

While some students bank on earning college credit equivalence by taking high school AP classes, Running Start is actually a safer route to guaranteeing credits transfer at in-state institutions thanks to articulation agreements. AP students are only granted credit after testing, and the amount of credits AP classes can account for is much lower than Running Start.

Since K-12 classes are all online this fall, now is the perfect time for high schoolers to give Running Start a try without fear of missing out on the high school experience. Try one class at a time, or go all-in to earn an associate degree. The choice, and the tuition savings, is yours!

Learn more about Running Start at Shoreline Community College.




Saturday, August 29, 2020

View of the Blue

 

Aerial photography by Jared Solano. Instagram @Juarez.Solano


Here's a view of Puget Sound we don't usually see - from a vantage point several hundred feet in the air!

The open space in the foreground is Richmond Beach Community Park, next to the Richmond Beach Library. I assume the tennis courts are part of the park but I admit they are new to me.

The waters of Puget Sound look impossibly blue this day. Look at all the shades of blue we have - water, land, mountains, sky, clouds.

From this vantage you can see not one, but two ferries on the Edmonds-Kingston run.

The outline of Point Wells is just visible through the trees but the dock clearly angles far out into the Sound.

Considering the residents' preoccupation with views, I'm surprised at the number of evergreens. However, you can definitely tell where Woodway is because of the tree cover in the far right of the photo.

--Diane Hettrick



City of Lake Forest Park uses herbicides to clear invasive vegetation on Perkins Way

Warning signs placed by the herbicide company spraying along Perkins Way. Photo courtesy Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation.


The City of Lake Forest Park responded to concerns about its use of herbicides to clear invasive plants, such as ivy, along Perkins Way. 

Perkins Way is a beautiful wooded street that winds downhill from Shoreline into LFP, following and crossing McAleer Creek, which in many places is just a few feet from the road.

The Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation said they were:

 "VERY DISAPPOINTED the City has contracted spraying of toxic herbicides along a salmon-bearing stream. This is happening right now along McAleer Creek in the Perkins ravine. This stream also flows through many backyards, with high potential of children and pets entering the water. 

"YES Ivy, blackberry and knotweed overgrowth is a concern along the stream. CALL the City and let them you know we want to see LESS TOXIC, MANUAL removal of non-natives.

"Use of these highly hazardous chemicals should be a last resort, and not sprayed."

The City responded that 

"This work is the first part of a project to restore native vegetation between the road and McAleer Creek. 

"The company conducting the work is Applied Ecology, LLC, which has been used by other cities, as well as Forterra, with great success for similar, but larger, restoration projects along the Cedar River and Bear Creek, the largest salmon bearing streams in our watershed.

"Their work has been funded by the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council, the entity leading salmon recovery in our area.

"While it is unfortunate that herbicides have to be used at all, the careful, focused spraying of chemicals like glyphosate and garlon 4 is allowed by WA Dept. of Ecology to remove infestations of invasive plants so that native vegetation can be re-established. Phase 2 of the Perkins Way project, which will happen in the next growing season, will involve planting native trees and shrubs."



Joanne Shellan is featured artist at Red Sky Gallery for September

Sunbeam and the Shade


Featured Artist Joanne Shellan is an award winning artist. Her show at Red Sky Gallery is the month of September, her Reception is September 5th, 4pm to 7pm. 

With over 3k sq ft of space we have plenty of room to spread out and see the show and mingle safely and meet the artist. We are on the upper level of the LFP Town Center.



Joanne's Bio: Painter of Your Life in Color


When your father and grandmother paint, you come by the addiction to the brush honestly. Painter Joanne Shellan says, “I always felt at home doing any kind of art, from as far back as I can remember.” 

Joanne Shellan, born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, has studied and painted full-time for almost twenty years in Kirkland, WA. After graduating from WSU in Communications and Art, she worked at her family business until she began her second career as an artist. 

Waiting, Moored in the Sun


She recently studied under master painter, Liana Bennett, Kenmore, WA. Over her career, she has explored a variety of mediums moving from watercolors (in which she received her Signature Membership from the Northwest Watercolor Society) to acrylics and oils. 

Shellan’s paintings have won dozens of awards including a first and second place award this past summer. She has been in over three dozen group shows and had almost two dozen solo shows.

She was chosen to represent Washington State in a year-long solo show at the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia, WA in 2012-2013.

The Sea is Calling


Two of Joanne’s donated paintings were auctioned for $10,000. Her work is part of the permanent collection at Evergreen Hospital (Kirkland, WA) and the Strom Jewish Community Center on Mercer Island, WA. 

The Seattle Public Library’s Foundation used one of her images for all their media in 2015. She is represented by several fine art galleries in Oregon and Washington. Shellan also co-started the Kirkland Artist Studio Tour which is now entering its fifteenth year.


Gently Rocking


A consistent theme in her impressionist style paintings has been to push the boundaries of color and use strong compositions to support her bold brushstrokes. 

“I like to paint subjects that are a little off the beaten path, especially small groups of people in interiors, city and landscapes.” 

To help keep her painting style loose, she likes to turn her paintings upside down and then take off her glasses.





New Little Free Pantry at Prince of Peace Church

New Little Free Pantry at Prince of Peace Church. Photos show the pantry with the door closed and open. Photos by Dan Short


Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 14514 20th Ave NE, has added a Little Free Pantry to its property on NE 145th in the Briarcrest Neighborhood.

As always, the pantries are open to all who need them, without qualification.

"Take what you need, leave what you can."

This is the second pantry in the Briarcrest neighborhood.

Our complete list of pantries is HERE.



Update: Shoreline Fire crew helping to protect town of Rumsey, California

Four photos courtesy Shoreline Fire. The bottom two are night scenes with orange fire in the background. Top left shows a Shoreline fire truck with smoke filling the sky. Top right shows a person standing on top the Shoreline fire truck at night, lit by artificial light. In the background is a sky full of orange fire.


Shoreline Fire reports that their crew in California on the LNU Lightning Complex Fire have been a part of 80 firefighters including five type one engines, five type three engines, five type six engines, a hand crew, two dozers, and two water tenders.

They are working long days with high temperatures in the upper 90s to protect a small farming area called Rumsey.

Rumsey is in unincorporated Yolo County. The nearest large city is Sacramento to the southeast.


It's clear from the map that the LNU Lightning Complex is a series of fires over a large area, with some spots burning fiercely.




Case updates August 27, 2020; COVID-19 cases hitting a plateau in King county - but don't celebrate yet

Rate of newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases in King county per 100k people during prior two weeks shows trend is downward but still far from goal



The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released the latest statewide situation report, which reflects an overall plateau and slight decline in COVID-19 cases in some areas.

Report findings include:
  • The reproductive number (how many new people each COVID-19 patient will infect) remained close to one as of mid-August. The best estimate of the reproductive number at that time was 0.86 in western Washington and 0.91 in eastern Washington. The goal is a number well below one, which would mean COVID-19 transmission is declining.
  • We’re seeing a mix of disease activity across the state. Some counties (including Clark and King) are seeing plateaus, while others experience decreases (including Benton, Franklin, Pierce and Yakima) or increases (including Grant, Lewis and Walla Walla). The report includes a comparison of case, hospitalization and mortality data in these three counties to illustrate how much trends are varying in different areas.
  • Outbreaks continue to occur across the state. COVID-19 remains active in many communities. Outbreaks in Walla Walla County (at the Washington State Penitentiary), Whitman County (among off-campus college students), and Kitsap County (at a hospital) highlight our continued susceptibility.

“While we see some positive trends in our data, we must continue to think differently about the ways we interact with one another,” said Secretary of Health John Wiesman.

 “It remains critical that we limit the size and frequency of our social gatherings, wear face coverings and stay home when we are sick. A continued plateau of cases is not enough to safely open schools.”

DOH partners with the Institute for Disease Modeling, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, University of Washington and the Microsoft AI for Health program to develop this weekly report. More COVID-19 data can be found on the DOH website and in the state’s risk assessment dashboard.

Case updates August 27, 2020

United States - the CDC has changed the way they report
  • cases 5,845,876 including 294,083 cases in Last 7 Days
  • deaths 180,165
Washington state
  • cases 73,301 includes 598 new within 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 6,679 includes 5 new within 24 hours
  • deaths 1,905 includes 15 reported within 24 hours
King county
  • cases 19,361 - 184 in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 2,223 - 1 in previous 24 hours
  • deaths 719 - 2 in previous 24 hours
Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018)
  • cases 561 - 3 new in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 105 - 0 new in previous 24 hours
  • deaths 62 - 0 new in previous 24 hours
Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018)
  • cases 54 - 1 new in previous 24 hours
  • hospitalizations 3 - 0 new
  • deaths 0 - 0 new



Citizens assist Shoreline police in capture of individual attempting to purchase a vehicle with stolen identity

Fingerprint on black grid with teal lines.
Points of comparison are marked with dots.
Photo courtesy KCSO



Shoreline police report, August 25, 2020

On 08/25/2020 at 3:56PM, City of Shoreline deputies were dispatched to a report of a suspected fraudulent purchase of a vehicle in the 17500 block of Aurora Ave N.

Deputies arrived on scene and spoke with an employee of the car lot. The employee stated that the suspect, who was in the car sales office at the time, was attempting to purchase a vehicle using an identity the employee thought was suspicious.

The driver’s license photo didn’t match and the phone number given was different from the phone number on the credit report. Further, the employee stated he called the phone number on the credit report and spoke with the person whose name was given, who stated he was not trying to purchase a vehicle.

Deputies contacted the suspect and asked his name. The deputies asked if the name he gave was truly his and he stated “Yeah, it should be." When the deputy informed him that he would be verifying his identity via a portable fingerprint scanner, the suspect sprinted from the sales office and took off on foot, northbound. The suspect was seen jumping a fence and landing on his wrist.

As the deputy drove northbound, he was waved down by a passerby who pointed in the direction of a parking lot in the 17900 block of Aurora Avenue North. That was when the deputy spotted the suspect being held by two men. As he was being detained, the suspect mentioned that his wrist was broken. The fire department was called for his injury.

Using the fingerprint reader, the deputy discovered the man's true identity. A search of his person after arrest revealed the ID of another person, and credit cards matching the name of the stolen ID.

After medical treatment, the man was booked in to the King County Jail for investigation of Identity Theft.




Crash and car fire on Westminster Way Friday

Westminster Way and N 153rd Pl was the scene of a car crash and fire



Shoreline Fire reports that just before 8pm Friday evening, a car collided with a telephone pole at Westminster Way and 153rd Pl in Shoreline.

The vehicle caught fire. A bystander rescued the driver from the vehicle prior to the arrival of first responders.

The Shoreline Fire engine company came on scene and extinguished the fire as medics and aid crew treated the patient.

It appeared that the driver may have had a medical emergency. Medics quickly transported him to Harborview.

His condition is unknown at this time.



City of Shoreline collaborates with Lake City Partners on 24/7 "Enhanced Shelter"

The Oaks building proposed for an Enhanced Shelter is a sprawling, one-story facility on the corner of N 165th and Aurora.


The City of Shoreline and Lake City Partners have announced plans to work in partnership with King County to turn the former Oaks Nursing Home at 16357 Aurora Ave N in Shoreline into a 24/7 "enhanced shelter" for homeless individuals. The shelter will help address an unmet need in North King County for a 24/7 shelter.

The City and representatives from Lake City Partners will host a community meeting via Zoom on September 22, 2020 at 6:30pm to go over the plans for the facility, answer questions, and to listen to the community’s concerns. Representatives from King County will also attend and be available for questions. Go to shorelinewa.gov/NKCEnhancedShelter for information on how to participate in the meeting.

“The City of Shoreline is deeply committed to taking on the challenge of homelessness in our community, but it is no less committed to ensuring that all of our neighborhoods are safe and healthy,” stated Shoreline Mayor Will Hall. 
“We believe this shelter can provide a needed service to our community while also being a good neighbor.”

“After many years of coordinating services for people experiencing homelessness in the north King County area, Lake City Partners is very pleased with the opportunity to expand shelter to a 24/7 year-round model,” said Melanie Neufeld, Director of Lake City Partners. 

“Our housing outreach, day center, and winter shelter programs have built relationships with people living without homes with the goal of ending homelessness one household at a time. Last year we supported 124 households from homelessness into permanent housing. 

"The Aurora Oaks facility provides a real opportunity to create safety for people living outside during this pandemic and offers a setting to be solution-focused in the work of transitioning people into safe and affordable housing.”


When the Shoreline City Council adopted its 2020-2022 Council Goals, it made siting a 24/7 shelter to serve homeless single adults in north King County a priority. In early July, the owner of the Oaks Nursing Home notified the City that they were planning on selling the facility. Since this is an unanticipated opportunity, the City, in partnership with King County, has had to move quickly to secure the site.

Its prior use as a nursing home makes the facility particularly well-suited to provide a safe housing option. 

Separate rooms are the best way to protect both residents and staff from spreading Coronavirus or other airborne illness. 

In addition, having a shelter with individual rooms provides more dignity to individuals as they work to stabilize their health and find permanent housing. 

The facility is already fully accessible and is equipped with basic fire safety requirements, including an alarm and sprinkler system. In addition, it is on a major arterial and close to a bus stop. Being presented with a facility that needs little work to make it shelter-ready is a unique opportunity to quickly provide a resource that has been missing in our community.

Enhanced Shelter is a particular type of Emergency Shelter that serves guests seven days a week around the clock. It recognizes that individuals need to have safe and stable shelter to effectively address the challenges preventing long-term housing stability. 

Access to the shelter will be based on an individual’s ability to maintain behaviors that are safe in a community setting. 

The Shelter will also provide case management, meals, hygiene, health services, and laundry. Drug and alcohol use will not be allowed in the facility. Local first responders; social service agencies in Shoreline and North King County; and outreach staff employed by the program will refer individuals to the facility.


Lake City Partners will run the facility. This organization, formed out of a neighborhood task force beginning in 2007, has coordinated winter shelter for the last five years. Since 2018, they have partnered with the City of Shoreline to provide homeless outreach services and last winter supported the operation of the severe weather shelter in Shoreline. 

Lake City Partners works with a network of more than 600 volunteers including members of the faith community, social service organizations, homeless advocates, governmental agencies, and neighbors to provide shelter and housing navigation services to help bring stability to individuals facing homelessness.

King County is providing funding to purchase the property for use in the near-term as a 24/7 enhanced shelter, with a long-term plan to redevelop the property for permanent supportive housing. Operational funding for the enhanced shelter is expected from King County, pending approval of a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. The City of Shoreline will provide additional operational funding.

The Shoreline City Council’s decision to collaborate with King County is driven, in part, by the rising number of people experiencing homelessness in Shoreline and our neighboring North King County communities. 

There is a demonstrated need for more shelter space, both locally and regionally. The annual “Point-In-Time” count in 2020 found 260 people experiencing homelessness in north King County, with 56 of them unsheltered.