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Friday, April 30, 2021

Shoreline Parks Bond needs 44 more ballots to validate

Photo courtesy King county elections
After over 14,000 votes cast, Shoreline's Parks Bond is 44 votes shy of validation. 

Ballots may still trickle in from mailed ballots but this election has gone from nail-biter to cliff-hanger.

Required number of ballots to validate the election:14,092

Number of ballots received so far: 14,048
Number of additional ballots needed: 44

Yes votes are not the problem

Yes votes needed: 8,455
Yes votes cast: 9,961


Dr. Susana Reyes selected as Superintendent of Shoreline Public Schools

Dr. Susana Reyes, new Superintendent of
Shoreline Public Schools

After a five-month nationwide search for the next Superintendent of Shoreline Public Schools, the Shoreline School Board has selected Dr. Susana Reyes to be the district’s next leader. 

Dr. Reyes was unanimously approved by the school board following an executive session meeting earlier today. She will begin in the position on July 1, 2021, succeeding Dr. Rebecca Miner who will be leaving the district after seven years of service.

“We are incredibly excited to name Dr. Reyes as the next Superintendent of Shoreline Public Schools,” said School Board President Meghan Jernigan. 
“Dr. Reyes is a deeply collaborative leader who engages in her work with clarity and purpose. As a bilingual immigrant and first-generation college graduate, she brings a wealth of experience and perspective to our district. I’m so honored to welcome her to the Shoreline Schools community.”

Dr. Reyes said,

“I am honored, humbled, and thrilled to have been selected for this incredible opportunity to serve the students, families and staff of Shoreline Public Schools. I want to thank the school board and everyone who participated in the search and selection process. 
"I cannot wait to get started and delve into the critical work of supporting the highest levels of success for each and every student we serve.”

Dr. Reyes currently serves as the Assistant Superintendent of Operations for the Pasco School District in Pasco, WA. Previously, Dr. Reyes served as Assistant Superintendent of Special Services for the Mead School District and the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning for the Pullman School District in Pullman, WA. Her experience in public education includes serving as a principal, assistant principal, and bilingual elementary teacher for the Wapato School District.
 
Dr. Reyes serves on the Washington State Board of Education. She is also a member of the board of the Washington Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents and a member of the Board of Trustees of College Spark Washington. 

Dr. Reyes was born in Mexico City and is a first-generation college graduate. She attended Wapato Public Schools and graduated from Wapato High School. Dr. Reyes earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Washington State University (WSU) as well as her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in education administration. She also holds a principal certificate and superintendent credential from WSU.



Shorewood girls golf team April 28 and 29 matches

Anna Ertsgaard makes a practice swing for her approach shot on hole #6 at Jackson Park

Shorewood HS Girls Golf hosted the match Wednesday, April 28, 2021 at Jackson Park Golf Course in north Seattle.

Results:
1st Edmonds-Woodway
2nd Shorewood
3rd Lynnwood  

With overcast skies, 62 degree weather was comfortable for this match.

Shorewood Juniors, Anna Ertsgaard, (62) and Jennifer Suh (61) scored their lowest rounds ever for 9 holes, now their 'personal best' to date.

We celebrate and applaud all the girls who are returning players, and to the brand new golfers that have entered the sport and chose to compete with us this year. 

Thanks also go to Athletic Director Joann Fukuma and the Cheer squad for being in our gallery!

Shorewood Girls finished 2nd behind Edmonds-Woodway girls and edged Lynnwood girls by one stroke.

Coach Val, Anna Ertsgaard, and Jennifer Suh

On Thursday, April 29, Shorewood played a match with Meadowdale HS
hosting at Lynnwood Golf Course.

Results:
1st Meadowdale
2nd Shorecrest
3rd Shorewood

Perfect weather for our match this afternoon. 

--Coach Val Patrick


Shorecrest varsity girls tennis 4-27-21 vs Mariner High School

 
Cami Sikora by Michael Davis

Shorecrest varsity girls tennis
Away game 4-27-21 at Mariner High School
Shorecrest 4 - Mariner 3
Shorecrest overall record 4-2
Coach Robert Mann


Eunice Banks by Michael Davis

The next event is a home game at Shoreview park on May 3, 2021 at 3:30pm against Edmonds-Woodway High School.




Case updates April 28, 2021; King county headed back to Phase II

Firefighters prepare vaccine syringes at the UW Med Shoreline Center Clinic
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

UW Medicine has a vaccination clinic at the Shoreline Center Auditorium on 1st Ave NESee the article. King county's COVID-19 rates are too high and the county will return to more restrictive Phase II on May 7, 2021.


Case updates April 28, 2021


United States 
  • Total cases 32,031,068 - 53,051 in one day
  • Total deaths 571,297 - 876 in one day

Washington state  
  • Total cases 401,718 - 1,569 new cases in one day   
  • Total hospitalizations 22,194 - 83 new in one day  
  • Total deaths 5,487 - 13 new in one day   

King county 
  • Total cases 97,620 - 424 in 2 days  
  • Total hospitalizations 5,784 - 21 in 2 days  
  • Total deaths 1,514 - 5 in 2 days  

Seattle - population 744,995 (2018) 
  • Total cases 23,869 - 80 in 2 days
  • Total hospitalizations 1,320 -  5 in 2 days
  • Total deaths 391 - 2 in 2 days

Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018) 
  • Total cases 2,286 - 16 in 2 days 
  • Total hospitalizations 195 - 1 in 2 days
  • Total deaths 93 - no change

Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018) 
  • cases 311 - 2 in 2 days
  • hospitalizations 17 - 0 in 2 days
  • deaths 4 - no change


Jobs: WSDOT has two positions - Engineering Manager and Transportation Center Technician

WSDOT

Engineering Manager
(WMS Band 03)

As the Engineering Manager for WSDOT’s Northwest Region (NWR) Highway Construction Program, this position will apply advanced management principles and skills to manage organizations, programs, projects, and staff. This position will require a highly experienced manager to perform strategic planning for several core functions within the region. To achieve program success with the Highway Construction Program, this position is responsible for the establishment and implementation of policies that ensure the most efficient management of a multimillion-dollar budget and diverse workforce. 

Job description and application here

Transportation Management Center Technician (Transportation Technician 3, In-Training)

Entry level opportunity in our new state-of-the-art facility. Candidates should have a passion for computers, real-time traffic management, and serving the people of Washington. Successful applicants will provide daily traffic management activities in the TMC consisting of operating traffic management systems, tunnel control systems, and radio communications. This position is required to perform advanced traffic management activities and analysis. The goal of this position is to manage daily traffic, accidents, construction, and maintenance closures in the greater Seattle area, Canadian border, and Island County. 

Job description and application here



Shoreline Police: Shoplifters are becoming more bold

Shoplifters are becoming more bold. They take advantage of store policies that prohibit employees from intervening. And, as is the case here, when an employee does intervene, they use threats of violence.

This shopping cart full of tools was rolled out of a Shoreline hardware store on 04/21/2021 around 4:43pm. 

When our deputies were flagged down in the 1500 block of N 205th St, they found a store employee and the thief having a vigorous discussion in the parking lot.
 
When the deputy asked the shoplifter for his side of the story, he stated that he was trying to get some money for the pressure washer he'd stolen, but had dropped the merchandise when store personnel confronted him. 

He also said that he "would never come back to the store" and that "all this was not needed."

In speaking with store personnel, deputies were told that the male had attempted to leave the store with a shopping cart of merchandise. 

As they tried to confront him, the suspect took an ax (stolen from the store) and continued to hit the shopping cart with it, leaving them to fear for their safety.
 
Once the male put the ax down, he left the cart and attempted to walk away but was confronted again by store personnel. 

This was the point where deputies were flagged down.

A run of the shoplifter's name found he had misdemeanor warrants for his arrest and was carrying a credit card in someone else's name.
 
The suspect was arrested and booked into the King County Jail on charges of Felony Harassment and Theft in the Third Degree.

Shoreline is a contract department of the King County Sheriff's Office.

--King County Sheriff's Office



Notes from Shoreline Council meeting April 26, 2021

Pam Cross, reporter
Shoreline City Council Meeting
April 26, 2021
Notes by Pam Cross

Mayor Hall called the remote meeting to order at 7:00pm.
All Councilmembers were present.

Proclamation
I, Will Hall, Mayor of the City of Shoreline, on behalf of the Shoreline City Council, hereby proclaim the month of May 2021 as NATIONAL BIKE MONTH in the City of Shoreline and encourage all people to celebrate the month of May by bicycling for recreation and transportation.

Approval of the Agenda
Agenda adopted by unanimous consent.

Report of the City Manager, Debbie Tarry

COVID UPDATE


As you can see from the COVID-19 slide, King County has exceeded the metrics for being in Stage 3 as respects new cases and new hospitalizations.

Since this meeting, it has been reported that King County will likely move back to Phase 2. The decision will be announced May 3 and will take effect the following Friday.

There is much urgency in the public health field about the current trend of new cases and hospitalizations. Most of these new cases are related to the variants and are occurring in all age groups except for those 65 and older and those under 5 years of age. Shoreline has risen from 70 to 82 new cases, 2 more hospitalizations, and one death in the past 14 days.

We strongly urge that everyone get vaccinated!


Please note there is a phone number to call if you do not have access to a computer.


Earth Day Every Day

If you were unable to attend this informative webinar series, you can see them now on YouTube at YouTube.com/cityofshoreline

Council Reports

Mayor Hall reported that now that the City of Shoreline has officially become the owner and operator of a wastewater utility, we have seats on the advisory committee that advises the King County Council on how to reduce pollution associated with wastewater. The committee is called the Metropolitan Water Pollution Abatement Advisory Committee or MWPAAC (pronounced mew-pac). The Mayor has appointed Randy Witt as the City’s representative, and Lance Newkirk as alternate.

Public Comment

Rebecca Jones, Seattle, has a business in Shoreline, Save Shoreline Trees
Spoke about the environmental importance of large established trees in Shoreline

Kathleen Russell, Shoreline, Save Shoreline Trees
Spoke about the survival rate of newly planted trees and the amount of time it takes newly planted trees to sequester compared to old growth trees. (Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.)

Jackie Kurle, Shoreline
Reiterated the importance of ongoing close monitoring of the shelter’s activities and operations for the safety of residents and the community at large since the enhanced shelter is open and there are residents living there.

Approval of the Consent Calendar
Consent Calendar approved unanimously

STUDY ITEMS

8 (a) QUASI-JUDICIAL: Discussion of Ordinance No. 925 – Amending the Zoning Map at 16357 Aurora Avenue N from Residential 48 units Per Acre (R-48) and Residential 18 units Per Acre (R-18) to Mixed Business (MB) (PLN21-0008)

Because this item is a quasi-judicial proceeding, Councilmembers must disclose any ex parte communications.


Councilmembers had no disclosures.

Steven Szafran, AICP, Senior Planner, did the presentation

The City proposes to rezone one parcel of land located at 16357 Aurora Avenue N from R-48 and R-18 to MB. There is currently an enhanced shelter operating on the site.

The property owner intends to utilize the parcel for an Enhanced Shelter, a type of homeless shelter, and redevelop the property for permanent supportive multi-family housing after that. Rezoning to MB would allow for a variety of more intense residential and commercial uses not currently permitted in the R-48 zoning district.

Rezone Criteria:
  • The rezone is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The existing zoning of R48 and R18 is not consistent with the Comprehensive Plan.
  • The rezone will not adversely affect the public health, safety, or general welfare.
  • The rezone is warranted to achieve consistency with the Comprehensive Plan.
  • The rezone will not be materially detrimental to uses or property in the immediate vicinity of the subject rezone.
  • The rezone has merit and value for the community. The proposed rezone is implementing the City’s vision for this area as stated in Comprehensive Plan Policy LU9. This location was chosen for the allocation of the City’s population growth. The rezone will allow the site to redevelop to provide additional density and/or employment opportunities. Commercial uses are planned for the Aurora corridor.
The Hearing Examiner held the required public hearing on March 17, 2021 and subsequently recommended approval of this requested rezone.

DISCUSSION

During the Hearing, there was a lot of public comment stating concerns about the enhanced shelter. People may not have realized that, whether or not we approve this rezone, the enhanced shelter is vested through the interim regulations. The enhanced shelter is there whether we vote to rezone or not, correct?
Reply: That is correct. The enhanced shelter is an approved use and allowed to be on that property.

It makes sense to rezone to make the property consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. It would allow permanent supportive housing, which is similar to an apartment for single families, built with appropriate setbacks. Right?
Reply: Yes, any further development would have to meet the development code which includes setbacks and building step-backs from any adjacent residential.

What happens if we don’t up zone?
Reply by City Manager, Debbie Tarry: Nothing. The enhanced shelter would continue to operate.

Would like to know a timeline for getting a report on how the shelter operation is going.
Debbie Tarry: I have asked for a monthly update. The shelter has been open for a short time and so far there have been no police calls. There was one false fire alarm. They are serving 20 residents and opening an additional 6 spots in a few days.

This rezoning is a good move for future ownership. It will also allow us to fix the anomaly to the zoning. There is a need for consistency in zoning along Aurora not only for the City but for future developers.

This will come back to Council on May 10 as an action item.

8 (b) Discussion of the 2020 Recology Annual Report

Autumn Salamack, Environmental Services Coordinator, introduced the guest speakers:
Erin Gagnon, Government Affairs and Community Relations Manager
Brooke Stroomsa, Waste Zero Specialist from Recology

Who is Recology?


We were impacted by COVID-19 like everyone else. Our staff changed to working from home. All of our drivers are considered essential workers, so we had to develop immediate protocols such as mask wearing, new check-in and check-out technology to make it contactless, as well as social distancing rules for safety meetings and contact with residents.

We saw an increase in recycling (I’m sure we all did a lot of online shopping) and we had to reallocate some of our resources from commercial residential to residential homes.

Green - food waste/compost
Blue - recycling
Grey - trash

Overall diversion rate of 63.74% kept out of landfills. Good job, Shoreline !

We did seven in-person presentations in January and February 2020. After that we made six virtual presentations throughout the end of the year. This included The Story of Plastic which included a panel discussion.

As part of our education and outreach, in 2020 we launched a Contamination Reduction Program in Shoreline to improve recycling by eliminating the introduction of non-recyclables (garbage and food waste) into recycling containers. 

Recology staff visits sites both commercial and multi-family, and visually reviews the material in the recycling containers. We don’t dig through the container or open any bags. If this visual review shows the container has less than 5% contamination, no action is required. However, if it contains more than 5%, Recology will post a notice on the recycling container and then contact the site by phone, and follow up with a letter with the contamination report.

If the recycling container shows more than 5% contamination over three follow-up visual inspections, a fee of $25/cubic yard may be assessed to dispose of the material as garbage.

The Contamination Reduction Program was originally scheduled to begin in early 2020, but because of the pandemic it was postponed to July. At that time the program was amended to reflect the financial hardships brought on by the pandemic. The visual audits are now limited to properties that have more than 50% contamination. City staff is also required to provide approval for contamination fees.

Between July and December 2020, Recology conducted 1,068 visual audits and found 130 that exceeded 5% contamination.

Recology offers education and outreach whenever they contact a customer about a contamination issue.

Multifamily apartments and complexes frequently experience recycling challenges and high levels of non-recyclables ending up in their recycling containers. In July 2020, the City of Shoreline and Recology launched Waste Wise, a virtual pilot program to reduce recycling contamination at multifamily complexes. Waste Wise provides free resources to make it easy for residents and the property manager to recycle correctly. Contamination is a huge issue that the entire recycling industry faces.

The Recology Retail Store hopes to reopen as soon as they can find employees. Full-time and part-time positions are available. Call 206-763-4444 if interested.

When the store does open, it will have contactless drop off for hard to recycle items. Residents will be able to make an appointment, come in, drop off their items, have their name checked off the list, and then leave.

Curbside pickup is also available. Contact Recology customer service to schedule a pickup for items you’ve been storing in your house while waiting for the store to reopen.
The number is 206-763-4444.

Recology customers were not affected by the AFTS Data Breach in February. There will be a confirming notice on their website and notices will be sent to customers.

DISCUSSION

How does Shoreline compare with our peer cities in their diversion rates?
Reply: Generally, Shoreline is very similar but at the higher end.

Do we have a sense of how much more diversion we can realistically expect?
Reply: There is a lot of room for improvement, specifically regarding food waste and some yard waste. Commercial and multifamily do not specifically collect food waste. We will be focusing on food waste in both commercial and residential in the coming year.

The contamination rate you mentioned was based only on audits?
Reply: Yes. Just the commercial and multifamily locations we visited.

Do you track the routes?
Reply: We track the routes first to identify high levels of contamination. Then we go out to specific locations on those routes to audit.

I don’t feel I’ve seen the innovation and new customer service things that I expected. For example, once the pandemic took hold, the amount of cardboard use and the need to recycle increased dramatically. But Recology did not address it. The response was: we’re just going to pick up a certain amount per residence. I don’t see that even penalizing people is changing the rate of recycling.
What concerns me the most is the Whitman Place Apartments. When they had bad audits, they did not participate in the education program, but simply opted out of recycling. We need to find a way to make it work instead of just opting not to participate.
I’m glad Recology is offering curbside pick up. There are other companies doing that and it didn’t make sense that Recology wasn’t.

We approved a rate increase based on the reduced recycling market after China stopped accepting our shipments. Is the recycling market better, specifically regarding plastics? And have you done anything to try to find new sources of recycling? Is there any thought of returning that increase to the ratepayers when a new source is found?
Reply: Finding recycling markets is an ongoing challenge because the international market has changed drastically. Starting this year we can no longer send plastics overseas. Recology has been able to find domestic markets for the plastics we were previously sending overseas.

I didn’t realize cancelling recycling was an option.
Reply: All residents are required to use Recology garbage collection per our contract. Residential customers receive food waste/yard waste and recycling at no additional cost. Commercial and multifamily are also required to use Recology for garbage collection and there is no additional charge for recycling. However commercial and multifamily do have an additional cost for food waste/yard waste collection.
Everyone has the option to not use it.

If you opt out of food waste/yard waste and recycling, doesn’t that increase the cost of garbage collection because you have more tonnage of garbage?
Reply: Yes. If you recycle and compost, you may also be able to select a smaller container for your garbage collection and save money. The savings would be even more for a commercial or multifamily residence.

The Shoreline transfer station allows free recycling of many things while the retail store is closed.

8 (c) Discussion of the 2020 Sustainability Report

The 2020 Sustainability Report provides an overview of the City’s 2020 achievements for five core focus areas and 22 associated indicators, as outlined in the City’s Sustainable Shoreline program.

Autumn Salamack, Environmental Services Coordinator, continued with this presentation

The 2020 Sustainability Report is available online at shorelinewa.gov/sustainability



In 2019 we met or exceeded 4 of the 22 sustainability indicators. While we did not exceed that amount in 2020, we did make progress on 11. And we are close to meeting our goals for our City’s vehicle fleet energy use, and the overall number of green residential buildings.

Climate change was a central theme in our 2020 environmental sustainability programming that was quickly adapted in response to the pandemic. New programs and online platforms were embraced by our residents, transitioning from in-person to virtual programming.

There were 19 new building permit applications for projects in the light rail station areas registering for Built Green 4 Star Energy Certification and two large multifamily projects on the Aurora Corridor registering under the Deep Green Incentive Program.

We did a waste reduction food service outreach program, a recycling guide and quiz, and introduced the Multifamily Waste Wise program previously discussed.

We’ve added enhanced bicycle parking, more EV charging stations, and a small quantity of sidewalks.

Almost 495 new trees were planted in Shoreline last year and we added an acre of parkland. We continued to advance our Salmon Safe progress


DISCUSSION

I think we need more than education to increase our recycling and food waste/yard waste composting. We’ve been talking about this for years now. Is it time to start looking at alternatives?
Reply: There are tools that we can look at that we’ve been talking about at a staff level around both mandates and working with Recology to try more design focused solutions. We need to look at how to redesign systems and redesign containers. We are watching what the State is doing as well. We will be coming back to you with additional asks on that front.

I think that composting food and yard waste could really help with diversion. But on the recycling piece, we’re really in a bind. There’s little a city can do to boost the need for recyclable products. I think it has to come from the State or Federal level requiring producers to use recyclable products in their packaging or to create packaging that does not mix plastics with paper. A lot of the packaging from grocery stores is not recyclable.

Why can’t we get Shoreline-specific data on water use from Seattle Public Utilities and North City Water District? I saw this in the staff report.
Reply: The utilities have reported that they have made some changes on how they classify their billing and they are simply unable to provide water usage by customer groups specific to our City.

I don’t understand that. They obviously send everybody a bill and they know all of the Shoreline addresses. The information has to be available in their database. They measure it to bill!
Reply: Yes they do. But for two years in a row they’ve told us they are unable to provide the data. I’d be happy to share the responses we’ve received with Council. This is an important area that we want to track. We have been able to get some information from them on electricity use associated with water treatment for the potable water that they are supplying to us, so we are getting some data. We will continue to push them on that.

Is it the way we are asking? I just don’t understand. It is a simple query.

This is a reason that cities need to control their own utilities so they can get this type of information.

Product packaging seems to be getting worse and worse with more things being packaged in both paper and plastic. That will take federal action to do anything about. Things like electronics take-back laws have eliminated the charge to the consumer, so the consumer is no longer throwing them in the dumpster to avoid paying the fee. At least we’re getting the most toxic, including batteries and paint, out of the landfills.

I was excited to hear in the presentation of the success that we’re having with development in Shoreline meeting Built Green and LEED Certifications. How does our percentage of this development compare to the rest of King County? Do we know?
Reply: We did just pose this question to Built Green and we are waiting to get an update.

Shoreline is also providing regional and global benefits by shifting toward transit oriented and green building development. How do we compare with other average developments in King County?
Reply: We worked with Cascadia Consulting Group late last year to try to get a sense of what you are asking. We have the results on the City’s website. It shows that housing and transportation choices have a really big impact on our climate footprint. But it’s an analysis based on estimates so you have to take it with a grain of salt. It shows that:
A Shoreline resident living in a green housing development by the light rail station and commuting on light rail (which is now 100% carbon neutral) results in a 1.6 metric ton footprint, compared to a Shoreline resident living in a single family home and commuting alone by car results in about a 8.16 metric ton footprint, and compared to a single family home resident in eastern King County commuting alone by car results in an 18.68 metric ton footprint.

Other benefits for our Shoreline development are that our electricity is provided by Seattle City Light, and since it is hydroelectric power is considered carbon neutral; we have natural gas in many of our Shoreline homes although not as much as utilized in other parts of the County; and combined with light rail and pretty good transit access we have increased opportunities to expand our active carbon neutral transportation network. These benefits really prime us to be a leader in sustainable low carbon footprint community development and design.


Meeting adjourned.



Thursday, April 29, 2021

Backyard Birds: Shhh - the baby is sleeping

Photo by Dan Taflin


Juvenile Bewick’s Wren napping on a patio chair in Lake Forest Park




Lake Forest Park Farmers Market opens Sunday May 9



Great news, market season is almost here! The Lake Forest Park Farmers Market Opening Day is Sunday, May 9, 2021 from 10am to 2pm.

That’s right, the market will open as always on Mother’s Day, just in time for you to pick-up glorious bouquets of spring flowers for all the moms in your life.

You’ll also get to shop your favorite vendors for fresh and delicious goodies of all kinds. From Garden Treasures and Bautista to Wilson Fish and Doll House Baked Goods, there will be something fresh and amazing at every turn. (More details on the vendor line-up coming soon.)

You may recall that last season, the market underwent a number of changes to ensure the safety of everyone – shoppers, vendors, volunteers, and staff alike.

As things begin to open up, the health department has permitted some changes that translate to great news for you. For instance, the market will be permitted more booths and more shoppers this year, which means fewer lines and more of your favorite vendors at the market. Hooray!

However, consistent with health department requirements, everyone will still be required to wear masks and to maintain physical distances of 6’ or more, and there will still be a single, designated entry.

Shoppers are also still requested to shop quickly and send only one person per household to do the shopping so that as many people as possible can move quickly, easily, and safely through the market.

In addition, many vendors will still be offering pre-orders to speed up your visits to the market, so check the Third Place Commons website for details. (A list will be uploaded and updated as details become available.)

The LFP Farmers Market is a program of Third Place Commons and it’s your support that makes it possible. If you love the LFP Farmers Market and Third Place Commons, please consider making a gift for GiveBIG here.

Third Place Commons is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has been building real community in real space for over 20 years and now also offers online programs under the TPC At Home moniker. 

Third Place Commons and the LFP Farmers Market are located at the Town Center at Lake Forest Park at 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park 98155. All donations to the organization are fully tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.


Three Shoreline-based small businesses receive grants from Comcast Rise

Enat Ethiopian Market
Google photo

Comcast today announced that Safety First Driving School, Enat Souk and The Grill King Korean BBQ in Shoreline are among 69 Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses in Washington that will be awarded technology, and, or marketing resources as a part of the Comcast RISE program. (see previous story on Enat Souk)

These recipients of this latest round of grants are part of nearly 2,500 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected as awardees since its inception November, including approximately 100 in Washington.

Safety First Driving School
Both Safety First Driving School and Enat Souk market will be awarded services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable that includes turnkey 30-second TV commercial production, plus a media strategy consultation and a 90-day linear TV media campaign.

Chol Song Enterprises Inc.DBA The Grill King Korean BBQ will receive a “Technology Makeover,” which a state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business including computer equipment as well as internet, voice and cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period.

According to a National Bureau of Economic Research study, the number of Black business owners nationally plummeted last year from 1.1 million to 640,000 in four months — a 41% loss. Other minority communities also experienced deep losses, including immigrant (a 36 percent drop), Latinx (32 percent), and Asian (26 percent) business owners. 

Comcast RISE was formed in 2020 to give BIPOC-owned small businesses the tools needed to not just survive, but thrive. The program provides grants to Black and BIPOC-owned small businesses nationwide, which includes Hispanic and Asian American owned businesses among others.

Comcast also announced a goal to support 13,000 small businesses by 2022 through the program with a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv; or computer equipment, internet, voice or cybersecurity from Comcast Business; or a monetary grant.

“Congratulations to all of the grant recipients across our state today. Comcast Business is dedicated to lifting up businesses and providing a human touch that offers them the support they need, and we are truly proud to be able to support these owners through Comcast RISE,” said Robert Brenner, VP of Comcast Business in Washington.

Through Comcast RISE, the company creates sustainable impact and meaningful support for communities that have been hit hardest by the global pandemic and the BIPOC-owned small businesses that shape them. 

More BIPOC-owned small businesses throughout Washington are encouraged to apply now and take advantage of this opportunity Eligible businesses can apply directly online at www.comcastrise.com/apply/

Eligible businesses in Washington can apply for the following:
  • Marketing Services: The following services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, and its creative agency, Mnemonic, are designed to help recipients with their marketing and media campaigns, including:
  • Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period.
  • Creative Production: Turnkey 30-second TV commercial production, plus a media strategy consultation and a 90-day linear TV media campaign.
  • Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research and creative teams to gain insights on how to drive business.
  • Technology Makeovers: The state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business includes computer equipment as well as internet, voice and cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.)

Comcast RISE also invests in ongoing mentorship and resources to help businesses succeed over the long-term. The program has partnered with Ureeka, an online platform for entrepreneurs, to provide grant recipients with business coaching to help build skills in company foundation, growing customers and financial stability.

All Comcast RISE recipients will also have a specialized online networking community within Ureeka with access to educational resources, sources of capital, and vetted experts such as U.S. Black Chambers, National Asian Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Walker’s Legacy and Operation Hope.

Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes transform their business. For more information, call 866- 429-3085.

Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. 



LFP Early Registration for Summer Recreation Programs with the City of Shoreline begins Thursday, May 6, 2021


Live in Lake Forest Park? Interested in recreation? Take advantage of recreation programs offered through the City of Shoreline. 

Lake Forest Park residents are eligible for a 24-hour early registration period prior to the start of each season’s programs plus an 8% discount on all program fees (not rentals) through the entire year! 

Summer 2021 early registration for Lake Forest Park Residents starts Thursday, May 6, 8:00am.

The City offers scholarship reimbursements for eligible youth and specialized recreation participants who reside in the City and are registered for and attend cultural, recreation, or aquatic programs and camps. For more information, go to our webpage or call City Hall, 206-368-5440.

You may also find more information on how to register, scholarship opportunities, or the partnership with City of Shoreline at: http://www.cityoflfp.com/index.aspx?NID=396.

Click here to view the Recreation Guide: https://www.shorelinewa.gov/government/departments/parks-recreation-cultural-services/recreation-programs




Youth essay contest through National Veterans of Foreign Wars


The National VFW holds an annual Youth Essay contest for three different age groups as follows:

The Voice of Democracy (VOD):

Theme is: "AMERICA: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?”

Total Cash Awards: $154,000
Top Individual National Cash Award: $30,000
Grades 9-12

The Patriot’s Pen

Theme is: "HOW CAN I BE A GOOD AMERICAN?”

Total Cash Awards: $55,000
Top Individual National Cash Award: $5,000
Grades 6-8

The WA State Youth Essay

Theme is: "WHY DO I STAND FOR MY COUNTRY'S FLAG?

Grand Prize: $100

Details and how to enter:

The deadline for each of the three contest entries, to be received by our Post, is on or before: October 31, 2021.

Details are on our website under the “Programs” menu, option: “Youth Essay Contest” --- which has more helpful information --- including links to the Entry Rules and Forms.

Blackburn Aurora VFW Post 3348
Shoreline and Northern King County

VFW website: www.vfw3348.org



Celebrate Happy Days virtual fundraiser with the Senior Center May 4 - 7


The Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Happy Days on the Horizon virtual fundraiser will take place Tuesday May 4 to Friday, May 7, 2021 on their website

Join us as we celebrate our organization and raise needed funds for our community!

Please register (at no cost) for our virtual fundraiser by visiting either of our webpages:

We will send you important updates, messages, and inspiring videos from our community.

PRIZES AWARDED DAILY TO REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS!

Here is a brief overview of the schedule:
  • Tuesday, May 4th @ 10am - Virtual Kick-Off Video
  • Wednesday, May 5th @ 12pm - In person drive-by lunch
  • Thursday, May 6th @ 12pm - Dr. John Hibbs in person with the Annual Dahlia Tuber Sale
  • Friday, May 7th @ 6pm - Virtual Happy Hour


Shorecrest grad hired as reporter for the Everett Herald

Jake Goldstein-Street hired by the
Everett Herald as criminal justice reporter
Jake Goldstein-Street, Shorecrest class of 2017, UW class of 2021, has been hired as the Criminal Justice reporter for the Everett Herald starting July 1, 2021. 

Jake's interest in journalism began at Shorecrest, and led him to become a reporter for the UW Daily -- the last two years the News Editor.



North City Tech meetup: Searching for Lumbering Giants with Nature's Best Clocks

North City Tech Meetup May 3rd Presentation

Searching for Lumbering Giants with Nature's Best Clocks
By Dr. Jeffrey S Hazboun

Monday, May 3, 2021
Online Zoom Meeting
7 to 9pm
Free and open to everyone


Gravitational waves have opened a new cosmic window, allowing us to see the darkest most compact objects in the universe. 

While ground-based detectors, like LIGO, can see black holes 40 to 50 times the mass of the Sun, there are giant black holes at the centers of galaxies that we are only beginning to understand. 

Pulsar timing arrays are galactic-scale gravitational wave detectors that use millisecond pulsars, nature's most stable clocks, to search for these lumbering giants.

Jeffrey Hazboun, Ph.D is a gravitational astrophysicist working on the big data challenges of gravitational wave detection. 

He is interested in exploring questions about the makeup of the Universe and the history of galactic evolution using gravitational waves. 

He enjoys mentoring students in the machinery of data analysis, whitewater kayaking and playing banjo.

Note: NANOGrav has been in the news recently with some results, which, while still preliminary, are very exciting. 

We are pleased to have UW Bothell once again provide us with a speaker on gravitational physics. Dr. Joey Key presented on LIGO, December 2018.

Link to recent NANOGrav news: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/galaxy-size-gravitational-wave-detector-hints-at-exotic-physics/

NANOGrav site: http://nanograv.org/

FREE and Open to All! No RSVP required.

Next Event: June 7th, The Vital Role of the Oceans in Climate Change, by Brian Saunders

ZOOM Information:

Searching for Lumbering Giants with Nature's Best Clocks

by Jeffrey S Hazboun

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86751087640?pwd=aU5hWHhnK0p6Um0reEUvc2cwSWlvQT09

Meeting ID: 867 5108 7640
Passcode: 685943
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,86751087640#,,,,*685943# US (Tacoma)

Meeting ID: 867 5108 7640
Passcode: 685943
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcG1tueAGR

The North City Tech Meetup is a free meetup, usually the first Monday of each month at one of our local libraries: Lake Forest Park, Shoreline or Kenmore. People of all levels of interest and experience are encouraged to attend. There is always time for introductions and discussions. Skip the traffic and join with your fellow north-enders once a month for interesting presentations and discussions.

Group site: https://www.meetup.com/northcitytech/

For the time being all North City Tech Meetups will be online using Zoom.



King County Public Health launches in-home vaccination program

Photo courtesy King county
Public Health is implementing a new vaccination program for individuals in King County who are unable to leave their homes. 

Through partnerships with local fire departments, pharmacies, and medical providers, our mobile teams are ready to deliver vaccinations to these residents where they need it most.

Eligible adults include people age 16 and older who:
  • Have not yet been vaccinated and
  • Have an injury, developmental disability, or medical condition that makes it difficult to leave the home and
  • Would require considerable and taxing effort to get vaccinated outside the home.
Right now, appointments are limited and individuals with the greatest challenges leaving their homes will be prioritized. Once an eligible adult is scheduled, the team can also bring shots for any other adults in the home who have not already been vaccinated.

How to schedule an appointment

To schedule an appointment, call the King County COVID-19 Call Center at 206-477-3977 between 8am and 7pm PST, any day. Language interpretation is available. You will be asked a few questions to confirm your eligibility for in-home vaccination, and if eligible you’ll be asked to provide verbal consent for vaccination. Family members and caregivers may call to request appointments on behalf of others.

If you meet the criteria, you will receive a call from the mobile vaccination team to schedule your appointment. At that time, you can indicate if you need interpretation services for your in-home vaccination. 

The mobile teams will provide phone-based interpretation and translated written materials during the visit. In some situations, we may be able to provide in-person interpretation. 

You can also tell the scheduler if you have family members 18 years or older in the home who also need vaccines.

Please note that due to high demand, it may take several weeks before your appointment is scheduled. If you are a Kaiser Permanente patient, please contact Kaiser Permanente Member Services at 1-888-901-4636.

What to expect on the day of my in-home vaccination appointment

A team of two or three people will come to your home and can administer the vaccine in the area that is most comfortable for you, including your bed or bedroom. Wear a short sleeve shirt or top to make administering the vaccine easier. After, the team will stay with you for 15 – 30 minutes to watch for any rare allergic reactions.

Please take a few steps to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for everyone:
  • Make sure that everyone in your home wears a mask unless they are unable to for health reasons.
  • When possible, practice social distancing. If you are not receiving the vaccine, stay 6 feet apart from members of the vaccination team.
  • Keep pets out of the area where the vaccination takes place.
For more information about getting vaccinated in King County, visit www.kingcounty.gov/vaccine.


Case updates April 27, 2021; King county not updated today

 
Active cases King county

UW Medicine now has a vaccination clinic at the Shoreline Center. See the article.


Case updates April 27, 2021


United States 
  • Total cases 31,976,888 - 50,061 in one day
  • Total deaths 570,421 - 556 in one day

Washington state  
  • Total cases 400,149 - 1,640 new cases in one day   
  • Total hospitalizations 22,111 - 78 new in one day  
  • Total deaths 5,474 - 12 new in one day   

King county, Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park were not updated today.


King county 
  • Total cases 96,744 - 147 in a day  
  • Total hospitalizations 5,742 - 29 in a day  
  • Total deaths 1,505 - 2 in a day  

Seattle - population 744,995 (2018) 
  • Total cases 23,696 - 25 in a day
  • Total hospitalizations 1,313 -  5 in a day
  • Total deaths 389 - 1 in a day

Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018) 
  • Total cases 2,264 -  2 in a day 
  • Total hospitalizations 194 - 0 in a day
  • Total deaths 93 - 0 in a day

Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018) 
  • cases 309 - 0 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 17 - 0 since yesterday
  • deaths 4 - no change