Green Holiday Meet and Greet attracts 14 local environmental organizations

Thursday, December 16, 2010

14 local environmental organizations attended the Meet and Greet
Shoreline Solar Project hosted a Holiday Meet and Greet on December 14, for individuals and organizations working on local environmental projects.

35 people representing 14 organizations attended this event. Representatives from each organization made a brief presentation about their organization and projects.

A follow up meeting to explore areas for potential collaboration on projects will be held on January 18 from 6:30 to 8 pm at the Lake Forest Park Montessori Gymnasium, 19935 19th Ave NE, Shoreline 98155.  For information email Shoreline Solar. 

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21 Shoreline teachers achieve National Board Certification

Shorecrest’s new National Board Certified teachers
L to R: Rob Mann, Linda Cobb, Toni Nyman, Lisa Gastaldi, Donna Reynolds

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards announced the names of 21 Shoreline School District teachers who have received National Board Certification.
Teachers, schools and subject areas:
  • Peggy Aguilar, Spanish, Shorewood
  • Linda Cobb, Family and Consumer Science, Shorecrest.
  • Nate Courtney, Social Studies, Kellogg
  • Rebecca Drury, Journey program (grades 6 to 8) ,Room Nine Community School
  • Amanda Findley, Special Education, Parkwood
  • Lisa Gastaldi, Counselor, Shorecrest
  • Suzanne Hibbert, Spanish, Shorewood
  • Jenny Hillger, Library Media, Meridian Park
  • Marie Hurtado, Counselor, Kellogg
  • Tracy Johnson, Math, Shorewood
  • Dana Knox, English, Shorewood
  • Cathy Mader, Math, Einstein
  • Rob Mann, Math, Shorecrest
  • Sarah McFarlane, Social Studies, Shorewood.
  • Christina Nelson, Special Education, Einstein.
  • Megan Nowak, fifth grade, Brookside.
  • Toni Nyman, English, Shorecrest.
  • Janet Paden, sixth grade, Brookside.
  • Cathy Petersen, English, Kellogg.
  • Donna Reynolds, Family and Consumer Science, Kellogg and Shorecrest.
  • Pam Richards, Counselor, Shorewood.
Shorewood’s new National Board Certified Teachers
L to R:Peggy Aguilar, Pam Richards, Dana Know, Tracy Johnson, Sarah McFarlane
Photo by Paul Villanueva

Shoreline now has 56 board-certified teachers currently working in the District.
According to spokesperson Craig Degginger, "Shoreline is one of 25 districts in the state with 50 or more NBCTs. Nationwide, Washington ranks second in the country with 1,272 new board-certified teachers in 2010, and fourth with 5,247 certified teachers overall. This achievement brings the total number of teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) to more than 91,000."
The national certification process takes at least 18 months. Teachers take a six-part examination in their content area and create a four-part portfolio which demonstrates a deep understanding and application of the national standards that are in place for their field of teaching. A national panel of peers then assesses the portfolio.

The Shoreline School District pays half of the registration fee for applicants. Those who complete the program receive a yearly salary bonus approved by the Legislature. In return, newly certified teachers give 25 hours of service, teaching professional development classes, supporting or mentoring colleagues, or working on educational projects.

Created in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit organization devoted to advancing the quality of teaching and learning. 

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Book Review by Aarene Storms: The Magician's Elephant

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Audiobook read by Juliet Stevenson

The fortune teller's words seemed to make no sense: to find his sister, whom he'd been told had died years earlier, young orphaned Peter DuChene must "follow the elephant." 

This begins a remarkable series of magic and miracles through a mythical Old World town in the midst of a bitter winter. The characters are outrageous and amazing: a missing sister, a singing beggar, a blind dog, a crippled stone carver, a magically-conjured elephant and most especially, a policeman who continually and hopefully asks: "What If?"

Inventive, surreal, and poetic prose narrate a fable to captivate readers and listeners, ages 8 to adult.

The audio book is highly recommended for all ages.

Aarene Storms is a storyteller and a librarian at the Richmond Beach Library
 

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Shorecrest, Shorewood girls meet Friday after Wednesday basketball victories

The Shorecrest and Shorewood girls’ basketball teams take identical records into their 7:30 p.m. Friday game at Shorecrest after each won its first game of the season Wednesday.

Both teams have 1-1 Wesco 3A conference records and 1-3 overall records after Shorewood won a home game against Oak Harbor and Shorecrest won at Lynnwood.

In Shorewood’s 60-41 victory over Oak Harbor, Erin Ellersick led a balanced Shorewood scoring effort. Ellersick scored 13 points and senior guard Lisa Echert added 10 for the Thunderbirds.

In Shorecrest’s 71-61 victory over Lynnwood, Shannon Schachle scored 24 points for the Scots, Mickey Greenburg added 18 and Brianne Lasconia had 15. Shorewood took a 26-3 lead after the first quarter and hung on for the win.

Both teams had opened Wesco 3A play Friday, December 10, with Shorewood losing at Mountlake Terrace, 51-42, and Shorecrest losing at home to Glacier Peak 74-72 in overtime.

In Shorewood’s 51-42 loss at Mountlake Terrace, Mountlake Terrace pulled away in the final quarter to turn a one-point lead after three quarters into a nine-point victory over Shorewood in the Wesco 3A game. Masha Shtikel led Shorewood with 8 points.

Scores:

Friday, Dec. 10
Mountlake Terrace 51, Shorewood 42
At Mountlake Terrace H.S.

Shorewood 8 9 14 11 — 42
M. Terrace 10 10 12 19 — 51

Shorewood Scoring—Masha Shtikel 8, Lisa Echert 5 Jennifer Franklin 7, Kimberly Lindgren 0, Munawara Abdula 0, Erin Ellersick 6, Kenra Holley-lair 8, Hager 0, Jennifer Thompson 6, Lauren Thompson 2, Kassie Rasmassen 0

Glacier Peak 74. Shorecrest 72 (OT)
At Shorecrest H.S.
Glacier Peak 15 23 11 17 8 — 74
Shorecrest 16 14 13 23 6 — 72

Shorecrest Scoring-- Janie Uppinghouse 6, Melissa Ruhlman 5, Mickey Greenburg g 4, Brianne Lasconia 22, India Matheson 20, Christina Jarvis 2, Shannon Schachle 13, Havilah Glesener 0, Allison Jones 0.

Wednesday, December 15
Shorecrest 71, Lynnwood 61
At Lynnwood H.S.
Shorecrest 26 17 15 13 — 71
Lynnwood 3 22 23 13 — 61

Shorecrest Scoring— Havilah Glesenerr 0, Mickey Greenburg 2, Christina Jarvis 0, Allison Jones 3, Brianne Lasconia 15, India Matheson 18, Melissa Ruhlman 3, Shannon Schachlee 24, Janie Uppinghousee 6

Shorewood 60, Oak Harbor 41
At Shorewood H.S.
Oak Harbor 12 9 4 16 — 41
Shorewood 23 14 13 10 — 60

Shorewood Scoring— Masha Shtikel 6, Lisa Echert 10, Jennifer Franklin 2, Kimberly Lindgren 4, Munawara Abdula 0, Erin Ellersick 13, Allegra Simpkins 0, Kenra Holley-lair 6, Gabby Hager 7, Jennifer Thompson 9, Lauren Thompson 0, Kassie Rasmassen 3.

Wesco 3A Standings
Top six teams to Northwest District 3A tournament


Girls’ Basketball
Division
All
W
L
W
L
Meadowdale
2
0
3
3
Lynnwood
2
1
5
1
Everett
1
1
5
1
Glacier Peak
1
1
2
3
Shorecrest
1
1
1
3
Shorewood
1
1
1
3
Mountlake Terrace
1
2
1
4
Oak Harbor
0
2
0
6

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Shoreline City Council changes public comment procedures

From the office of the City Manager

At its December 13 meeting, the Shoreline City Council adopted modifications to the Council Rules of Procedure relating to public comment during Council meetings. All public comment will now all be taken at the beginning of both study sessions and business meetings. Individuals may speak to agenda items or any other issue they wish.

In an effort to provide enhanced opportunities for effective public communication and community engagement and to help streamline meetings to allow for more Council deliberation, in April, the Council modified the rules for public comment. The new rules went into effect in June.

Kane Thomas, SW ASB President,
speaks to Shoreline City Council
during the schools bond campaign
For the past six months, the Council has operated under the new rules with the intent of revisiting them in December to see how they were working. The primary issue that arose during the trial period was the confusion created by having different public comment procedures for study sessions and business meetings. Some people wishing to speak at study sessions to issues not on the agenda were unable to speak and asked to return during a business meeting.

The new rules have public comment at study sessions and business meetings mirror each other. Now anyone wishing to speak on any issue or agenda item may do so at the beginning of either study sessions or business meetings.

Use of public comment to promote or oppose any candidate for public office is still prohibited.

If you are unable to attend a council meeting, you may comment electronically on agenda items by submitting a comment form found on the Council agenda page of the City’s website. If your comments are submitted before 4:00 p.m. on the day of the City Council meeting, your comments will be distributed to the City Council and appropriate staff prior to the Council meeting that evening.

To learn more about public comment procedures at Council meetings and how to correspond with the Council in general, visit Shoreline's web page.

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Gregoire budget would increase tuition

by Jim Hills

That sound emanating from Shoreline Community College Wednesday afternoon was the collective sigh of relief from the presidents of the state’s 34 community and technical colleges.

Gathered at Shoreline for their December statewide meeting, the presidents and other higher-education officials reviewed Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed budget for the coming biennium, issued Wednesday morning.

“Under the circumstances, we’re very pleased with the Governor’s budget,” Shoreline Community College President Lee Lambert said. “(The presidents) have just been discussing her budget. While it does include a significant tuition increase that will impact students, overall, it could’ve been that and much more.”

According to State Board for Community and Technical College staff, Gregoire’s plan includes tuition rate hikes of 10 percent for each of the next two years. That would translate to roughly $100 a quarter for a full-time student.

The state allocation to colleges would be reduced by just less than 10 percent. Including the tuition increase, the net average reduction would be about 2.6 percent, according to state board staff.

“We know this is just the first step toward a final budget next spring,” Lambert said “There will be proposals from both parties in the House and the Senate. However, with this budget, the Governor is clearly saying the community and technical college system is key to this state’s economic recovery and putting people back to work. That’s a sentiment I agree with whole-heartedly.”

Moving forward, Lambert said the college’s previous budget-reduction planning would provide the basis for responding to a final state budget. “We’ll just have to wait and see what the Legislature does, but we’re pleased with the bar set by Gov. Gregoire,” he said.

Gregoire also released her proposed capital budget, a list of building projects for the state. Shoreline isn’t on the list, but that was expected. The college is working on a master development plan, with an application expected to be submitted to the city of Shoreline sometime this winter. The college needs the plan before proposing capital projects to the state.

Gregoire must still put forth a supplemental budget to cover revenue shortfalls in the current year. The Legislature met in a special session on Saturday, December 11, and came up with $588 million, about half of the needed budget cuts. Gregoire is scheduled to unveil her complete plan to meet the $1.1 billion shortfall on Monday, December 20, according to state board staff.
  
--Jim Hills is special assistant to the president for communications marketing and government relations for Shoreline Community College


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Evan Smith: Chase says budget cuts in the special legislative session offered a ‘Civics lesson’

By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Democratic 32nd District State Rep. Maralyn Chase says that the Saturday special legislative session offered a “Civics lesson” on the relationship between taxes and government services.

Chase, who will take her new position in the State Senate next month, said Sunday that the supplemental budget that cut about $700 million from the remainder of the 2009-11 budget, showed what people lose when the State lacks money to pay for vital programs.

The supplemental budget passed the House of Representatives 86-6 and the Senate 30-9.  It includes steep cuts to education, social and health services, prisons and State parks.
Chase said citizens “will see the relation between taxes and services delivered — senior services, disabled services, education, infrastructure, food for people who don’t have money, state parks, medical care.”

Chase blamed anti-tax votes in the recent election for the cuts.
“People do not understand how our school system could go from No. 12 in the nation to No. 49 in terms of percentage of personal income spent on education support while our taxes continue to rise, she said. “And legislators do not understand the depth of citizen revulsion of public tax policies that reward the wealthy at the expense of the working middle class. We have the most regressive tax system in the United States, but the people voted to deny our ability to raise revenues or fees to fix the problems.
Requiring a two-thirds vote on revenue bills means rule by the minority, not the majority. So much for democracy.”

She said that voters would see the consequences of the drop in State revenue.
“Class sizes are going to get bigger because we will have fewer teachers,” she said. "Respected elders whose bodies are wearing out are losing assistance in dealing with declining hearing, eyesight, teeth and feet. Unemployment is going to take another sharp rise as state employees are cut.”
Chase added that the State needs to begin a careful study of the history of tax reform in the State.

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Places That Matter in Shoreline fundraiser Friday, December 17

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

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Shorecrest language students to visit Japan in June

どうもありがとうございます
 
On June 30, 2011, thirty-five Shorecrest High School Japanese language students plan to travel with Washington Cultural Exchange for an exciting and rewarding cultural exchange trip to Osaka, Kobe, and Hiroshima, Japan.

Washington Cultural Exchange is organizing a Shorecrest High School Student Delegation to visit Japan during Summer Vacation. The highlights of this trip will include developing life impacting friendships while enjoying a “Home Stay“ with Japanese families; creating life long friendships while visiting local high school students in Osaka; touring the exciting sights of Osaka, the extraordinary sights of Kobe, and the historical sights of Hiroshima; experiencing the Japanese Way of Living while staying at a Japanese Inn; traveling on the World Famous Shinkansen between Hiroshima and Osaka; appreciating an opportunity to experience first-hand the culture of Japan.

Students are working to raise money for their trip and will be working the holiday gift wrapping table at KMART (see story.) 


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Shorecrest students are gift wrapping to raise money for class trip to Japan

どうもありがとうございます

Shorecrest High School Japanese Language Students will be gift wrapping 
at KMART on 130th and Aurora to raise money for a class trip to Japan. 
Donations for this fundraiser will help cover expenses 
for their Journey to Japan in July. 
Cash or check payable to Washington Cultural Exchange would be greatly appreciated.

Following are the dates and times that 
SC students will be staffing the gift wrap tables:

December 17, 4-8 p.m.

December 18, 19, 23, 11a.m.-8 p.m.

December 24, 11 a.m.- approx. 4 p.m.


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SC - SW boys' basketball game to be broadcast live Thursday 7:30 pm

For those unable to attend the boys basketball game Thursday night when the Scots host the T-Birds, the game will be available live at 7:30 pm on Comcast Channel 26 in Shoreline/LFP, presented by the combined Live Video Production Class as taught by SC's Trent Mitchell and SW's Marty Ballew. Shorecrest senior Joe Veyera will join Frank Workman for the play-by-play.

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Shorecrest, Shorewood boys both take 1-1 Wesco 3A records into Thursday meeting

The Shorecrest and Shorewood boys’ basketball teams both take 1-1 Wesco 3A records into a 7:30 p.m. Thursday meeting at Shorecrest.

Both teams will be coming off victories Tuesday night, when Shorecrest (3-3 overall) won a 77-56 home game against Lynnwood (1-2 Wesco 3A, 2-4 overall), and Shorewood (3-2 Overall) won a 65-53 game at Oak Harbor (0-2, 1-4).

In Shorecrest’s 77-56 win over Lynnwood, the Scots had balanced scoring, with four players in double figures. Keith Shattuck led Shorecrest with 17 points. Dylan Pontrello scored 12, Ryan Canfield 11 and Michael Bateman 10. Emmanuel Chibuogwu Jr.,
Shorecrest’s leading scorer in each of the team’s first five games, scored 9.
Shorecrest ran out to leads of 18-9 after the first quarter and 42-23 at halftime

Chibuogwu has 116 points in six games.

In Shorewood’s 65-53 victory at Oak Harbor, the Thunderbirds had three players in double figures. Gage Carroll scored 15 points; Josh Hawkinson added 12, Ben Andrews had 10 and Peter Berquist 9.

Shorecrest follows the Shorewood game with a non-league home game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against Kamiak of the Wesco 4A South.

Tuesday Scores:

Shorecrest 77, Lynnwood 56
At Shorecrest H.S.

Lynnwood           9 14  21 12 — 56
Shorecrest          18 24 19 16 — 77

Shorecrest Scoring
Points
Emmanuel Chibuogwu Jr.
9
Trevor McCoy
6
Max Nelson
4
Liam O'Neill
4
Colin Shands
4
Keith Shattuck
17
Dylan Pontrello
12
Ryan Canfield
11
Michael Bateman
10
Alex Horning

Keelan Tidwell

Shorewood 65, Oak Harbor 53
At Oak Harbor High School
Shorewood Scoring
Points
Peter Berquist
9
Blake Snell
5
Duncan Hendrickson
4
Gage Carroll
15
Josh Hawkinson
12
Ben Andrews
10

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CleanScapes Tips: Why reduce waste?

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Weekly Waste Reduction Tips. Looking back at a year’s worth of waste reduction ideas, and forward to the year ahead, we wanted to pause to answer the question, “Why reduce waste?”

The short answer is that everything we make, buy and dispose of has an impact on the environment, and as individuals we generate a lot of waste.

Whether the next stop for that waste is the landfill or a recycling or composting facility, it all requires natural resources for transportation and processing.

All of the natural resources used during the lifecycle of the things we buy -- from obtaining and processing raw materials (wood, minerals, water, etc.) to the manufacture, transportation and finally, disposal of products -- add up to 29 percent of the anthropogenic (caused by people) greenhouse gas emissions released in the US.

Luckily, one solution can make a big difference: reuse items as much as you can to stop waste before it happens. Waste reduction alternatives like reusable bags, travel mugs and refillable water bottles are easy to substitute, can help you save money and are a simple way for each of us to conserve natural resources.

By working together to reduce waste as a community, we can create a more sustainable future together.

The Big Picture
How much waste do we generate? In Washington state individuals and businesses generated 16,000,000 tons of waste in 2009(1). According to the US Environmental Protection Agency Americans generated approximately 250 million tons of waste in 2008(2).

Reduce first. Reuse what you can, and then Recycle.

Reduce, Reuse and Win! Do you live in Shoreline? Learn how you can help your community win the 2010/2011 Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition.

--CleanScapes Staff 
 

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SCC Hosts NWAACC Men’s Basketball Crossover Tournament

SCC Men's 2010 Basketball.  Photo by Wilson Tsoi.
The Shoreline Community College Athletic Department will host the NWAACC Northern Region Men’s Basketball Crossover, featuring eight basketball teams from across Washington and Oregon. The tournament is December 17th through the 19th and will feature four games on Friday and Saturday and three games on Sunday.

The host Dolphins of Shoreline will play Friday night, December 17, at 7:30 pm against Southwestern Oregon Community College. SCC, the defending NWAACC Northern Region Champions, is 5-2 on the early season and has won the consolation bracket of both the Pierce Community College tournament and the Community College of Spokane/Northern Idaho tournament. SCC has lost the first game of each tournament, but then won two games to capture the consolation trophy.

Shoreline is led by three players averaging in double figures, sophomore Alfie Miller leads the team at 16.86 points a game, Sean Jones, another sophomore is adding 15.80 and freshman, Zach Kelsh is dropping in 15.14. Both Miller and Kelsh have been on one All-Tournament team each so far this season.

The tournament features the top ranked NWAACC team in Yakima Valley Community College, who are 5-1 on the season. SCC is ranked 8th in the league and could will face YVCC on Saturday if both teams win on Friday night. Pierce CC and Highline CC also received votes in the NWAACC Top 8 poll but did not break into the official rankings. Highline also knocked off Yakima last week and will face YVCC in the opening round.

Other teams and the pairings in the tournament:

Friday, December 17th

1:00 PM: Skagit Valley College (1-2) Vs Big Bend Community College (3-1)
3:00 PM Linn-Benton Community College (2-3) Vs Pierce Community College (5-2)
5:30 PM Highline Community College (2-2) Vs Yakima Valley Community College (5-1)
7:30 PM Shoreline Community College (5-2) Vs Southwest Oregon Community College (3-5)

Game times are the same for Saturday, December 18th and on Sunday, December 19th, the consolation final is at 10:00 AM, 3rd Place Game at Noon and the Championship Game at 2:00 PM.

Admission is $6.00 for adults per day, $4.00 for Non-SCC Students, Seniors (60 and over), an active Military with ID and SCC Students are admitted “FREE” with student ID.

--Douglas W. Palmer, SCC Director of Athletics and Recreation/Wellness

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Shorewood wrestlers seek first victory at Meadowdale Thursday

The Shorewood wrestling team seeks its first dual-meet victory of the season Thursday at Meadowdale.

Shorewood has a 0-2 record after losing to at home to Mariner 42-33, Thursday, December 9.
Meadowdale is 0-3 after losing to Edmonds-Woodway 72-6 Tuesday.

Mariner 42, Shorewood 33
Thursday, December 9

At Shorewood H.S.
103—Huggin (M) by forfeit; 112—Parker (M) pinned Aldrin Valdez (Sw) 1:25; 119—Mathew Floresca (Sw) by forfeit; 125—Bui (M) dec. Daniel Yun (Sw) 6-5; 130—Peters (M) pinned Brandon Leach (Sw) :32; 135—Villalobos (M) dec. Ian Ducey (Sw) 7-0; 140—Rikio Campbell (Sw) by forfeit; 145—Kyle Floresca (Sw) by forfeit; 152—David Ball (Sw) by forfeit; 160—Nelson (M) pinned Aaron Wansley (Sw) 1:32; 171—Alex Coffman (M) pinned Konnor Carpenter (Sw) 1:16; 189—Joel Smith (Sw) dec. Garion Nelson (M) 7-4; 215—Nathan Eshete (M) pinned Richard Le (Sw) :43; 285—Michael Mujadin (M) by forfeit.

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Shoreline awards contract for next section of Aurora

City of Shoreline awards contract N 185th Street to N 192nd Street segment of Aurora contract to Johansen Excavating

--from the office of the Shoreline City Manager

At its December 13 meeting, the Shoreline City Council awarded the construction contract for the N 185th Street to N 192nd Street segment of the Aurora Corridor Project to Johansen Excavating.

The City’s original cost estimate for the project was $9.1 million. Johansen Excavating, based in Buckley, was the second lowest of nine bidders, winning the contract at $8.2 million. The lowest bidder was found to be non-responsible and its bid was rejected. Construction will begin in January, 2011. The improvements are expected to be complete by winter 2012, weather permitting.

The Aurora Corridor Improvement Project is Shoreline’s project to redesign and redevelop the three miles of Aurora Avenue N that runs through Shoreline. The City completed improvements to the first mile, between N 145th to N 165th Streets, in 2007. In January of this year, construction began on the second mile with enhancements of improved and continuous sidewalks, street and pedestrian lighting, natural storm water treatments and a landscaped center median with left- and U-turn pockets. These improvements will be completed by spring 2011.

This next segment of Aurora from N 185th Street to N 192nd Street will continue many of the same improvements found in the first two miles. New to this segment will be “green” retaining walls and a plaza located at the northeast corner of the King County Metro Park & Ride on N 192nd Street. Green retaining walls incorporate living elements such as climbing plants. Due to the topography within this segment, retaining walls are necessary on both the east and west sides of Aurora.

The total estimated cost for this segment including the construction, right-of-way acquisition, construction management, contingencies, design and environmental is $15.5 million. Shoreline’s share of those costs is about 10%, which is at a level consistent with the City’s leveraged funding for the first two miles. The other 90% comes from Shoreline’s funding partners on this project, including the Federal Government, the State and King County.

Improvements continue the City’s vision for Aurora and promote economic development, improve safety, ease congestion and enhance environmental quality and pedestrian amenities along Aurora Avenue N.

For more information, visit the project website  or call the construction hotline at 206-801-2485. Enews subscribers will receive regular construction and project updates via email. To subscribe, simply enter your email in the Sign Up box on the lower right corner of the City’s website and follow the directions from there.

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Evan Smith: Rep. Kagi on the one-day special legislative session

By Evan Smith
ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Democratic 32nd District State Rep. Ruth Kagi told me last week that she expected the special legislative session to last two days, one for committee hearings and another for the State Senate and House of Representatives to pass a supplemental budget.

The Legislature, however, took only Saturday to pass a supplemental budget that cut about $700 million from the last six months of the 2009-11 budget.

After the session, Kagi told me that cooperation between Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate made the action quick.

“The governor got agreement from all four caucuses on Wednesday,” she noted, adding that the unanimous House ways and means committee vote was something she had never seen in her 12 years in the Legislature.

The supplemental budget passed the House 86-6 and the Senate 30-9.

Kagi praised the bipartisan cooperation during the special session.

“I hope the bipartisan spirit lasts into the session that begins January 10,” she said.

Kagi called the cuts made Saturday “truly devastating to our schools, community health-care clinics, low-income working families who need child care, and the list goes on.
“We have only cut a small portion of the reductions we face in January,” she said. “The voters left us no room to find solutions other than cuts.

"Washington state is going to be a very different place by the end of next year, much to my sorrow.”

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Photo: David Cline working "hands on" for LFP

Lake Forest Park resident David K. Farkas sends this photo taken in the aftermath of Tuesday morning's thunderstorm.

City Administrator David Cline removes leaves from storm drain
Photo by David K. Farkas

David Farkas says:
"Walking across the LFP City Hall parking lot to catch my 8:30 bus, I noticed several inches of water backed up against the curb.

Then I spotted City Administrator David Cline, all dressed up for work, pulling debris from the drain to let the water run out. This is not in a city administrator’s job description. It’s real commitment to the city."

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Storm aftermath - not as bad as it could have been

by Diane Hettrick

I am sensing a tone of relief from our cities and county in the wake of this last storm. Having over three inches of rain in 48 hours, into ground already full of water, could have caused serious problems, but didn't.

King County Executive Dow Constantine pointed out that the damaged homes shown in the media were not those which had been permitted or built in the last ten years.

“Policies to limit construction on steep slopes and protections for flood hazard areas are doing a better job of making our homes and neighborhoods safer and more resistant to damage from severe weather.”
 Shoreline
Ducks enjoy the Cromwell Park storm retention pond.
Photo by Tom Downer.
Shoreline has been working for several years to solve and prevent flooding. Cromwell Park, which was completed this summer, was designed to hold storm water and prevent it from flowing into Ronald Bog. In previous weather events, Ronald Bog overflowed its banks and routinely flooded a section of homes to the south of the Bog. One year it even covered a block of Meridian Avenue.

Ronald Bog overtopped its banks but did not flood Meridian.  
Photo by Janet Way, courtesy Of Paramount Importance blog


This year, while the Bog filled to the brim, it apparently did not flood nearby homes. Incidentally, the City obtained old aerial survey photos of Shoreline and discovered that the homes by Ronald Bog with the flooding problems are built on an area which used to be part of the Bog.

Shoreline Public Works had 22 calls related to flooding.
"While this is not an insignificant number, it is significantly lower than what the City has experienced in the past during a major storm event. A number of areas in the City that historically had severe flooding issues did not have any problems with this storm."
Shoreline did a lot of work ahead of the storm which they feel minimized the damage.
"City crews prepared the week before with street sweeping, catch basin cleaning, and jetting of problem lines. City crews will continue to take preventative steps throughout the winter."
Lake Forest Park
LFP built a sandbag wall to keep Lyon Creek in check.
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

Lake Forest Park has a much more serious problem. The Towne Centre sits at the outflow of two watersheds - McAleer/Ballinger and Lyon Creek. McAleer Creek comes from the joining of streams flowing out of north Shoreline and Lake Ballinger. Lyon Creek comes from the watershed to the north, which includes Lynnwood. The two streams are within feet of each other at the Mall. The Sheridan Beach neighborhood is in the path of these streams as they head for Lake Washington.

Flooding in Sheridan Beach.
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park
Several years back, when flooding was rampant and hillsides were sliding, 40 homes in Sheridan Beach either were flooded, or worse, filled with sewage when the sewer lines filled with storm water and backed up into the houses.

That year, several homeowners told me, it happened so fast they barely had time to react. They went outside to look at the flooding and went back inside to a home full of sewage.

This year, knowing the potential problems, LFP was right on top of it.
"Staff joined the fire department to go house to house in the Sheridan Beach area, informing citizens about the flooding and to check on people. There was one sewer back up and the City responded with a pump to divert flows from one trunk line to another."
Part of Bothell Way was underwater.
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

Solving the upstream problems is complex and will be very expensive. The Lake Ballinger Watershed Consortium, which has included representatives from five cities, two counties, state and county officials, has been meeting for several years, working on solutions for flooding and pollution problems in that watershed. There is no consortium for the Lyon Creek Watershed.

Lake Forest Park is applying for Federal grants for flood control for an estimated three million dollars.

In the meantime, here is the link for the LFP sandbag depot and emergency information.

A final word of warning from County Executive Constantine,
“As our population grows and the recession eases, pressure will build once again to allow new business, residential and infrastructure investments in the floodplain,” said the Executive. “We need to keep in mind that we've had 11 Presidentially-declared flood disasters since 1990, and we must continue to site development and infrastructure in a way that will be economically viable, environmentally sustainable, and safe."

Other articles of interest:
Impacts of Big Storm on Shoreline Area by Janet Way, Of Paramount Importance blog

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