Car fire in front of Highland Terrace Elementary Monday

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Photo by Frank Kleyn


Mr. Owen, just visible at right of photo, kept Highland Terrace Elementary students safe at dismissal time on November 21, 2011 when a Mercedes started on fire in front of the school.  The Shoreline Fire Department used a special saw to cut open the hood and put out the fire.


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Shoreline receives $10.8 million in grants for Aurora Corridor Improvement Project N 192nd to N 205th Streets

From the Office of the City Manager

Last week Shoreline received news that it will receive $10.8 million in grants for the Aurora Corridor Improvement Project from N 192nd to N 205th Streets. With the $10.8 million, Shoreline has reached the minimum funding needed to start construction on the final segment of Aurora.

On November 17, Congress awarded $37.5 million to King County for two Metro Transit RapidRide lines. One of those lines, Line E, will run through Shoreline along Aurora. Of the amount awarded to King County, Shoreline will receive $4.8 million to go towards Aurora Corridor Improvements, specifically the section from N 192nd to N 195th Streets.

On November 18, the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) selected projects for the FY 2013 funding cycle. Shoreline was awarded $6 million for the final phase of the Aurora Corridor Improvement Project. The award was part of TIB’s Urban Corridor Program (UCP).

UCP projects are typically larger and must demonstrate cross jurisdictional collaboration. They also recognize the importance of partnerships with the business community.

“We were excited to learn that the Aurora project was the second largest TIB funded project in the state and the highest ranked UCP project in the Puget Sound region,” stated Mayor Keith McGlashan. “We’re proud that approximately 90% of the project funding has come from outside sources and not our local taxpayers.”

The Aurora Corridor Project is the City of Shoreline’s plan to redesign and redevelop the three miles of Aurora Avenue North (State Route 99) that run through Shoreline. Shoreline’s section of Highway 99 carries about 40,000 vehicles and 7,000 bus riders per day, and is a major transit route.

The goal of the project is to improve pedestrian and vehicle safety, pedestrian and disabled access, vehicular capacity, traffic flow, transit speed and reliability, nighttime visibility and safety, storm water quality, economic investment potential and streetscape amenities.

Improving Aurora has been a community goal since the City of Shoreline incorporated in 1995. Shoreline completed the first mile of Aurora Corridor Project, N 145th to N 165th Streets, including the Interurban Trail Pedestrian Bridges in 2007. Construction on the second mile, N 165th to N 185th Streets, is substantially complete and is currently in the final punch list phase. The section between N 185th and N 192nd is under construction with completion scheduled for the first quarter of 2012. The final section of the Aurora project, N 192nd to N 205th Streets, is projected to be complete in 2014.


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For the Birds: Snowy Owl Facts and Precautions - Interview with Nature and Bird photographer Paul Bannick

Phone interview with Paul Bannick, Author and Photographer of The Owl and The Woodpecker 11/17/2011, by Christine Southwick

With the reports of sighting along the Washington coast, this year appears to be an irruptive year for the Snowy Owl.

"Snowy Owl Singing in Fog"  Photo: paulbannick.com
Reprinted with permission


Paul, WHERE ARE THESE OWLS COMING FROM AND WHY ARE THEY HERE?

Snowy Owls breed on the Arctic Tundra, but the young disperse widely, so we don’t know if these owls are from Alaska, Canada, or Asia. We do know that they are here in search of food. The most common explanation is that the birds are responding to a fall in lemming populations to the north. The success of the prior year’s breeding owls likely plays a role as well, with many more birds putting pressure on whatever lemming populations remain.

These owls are hungry. The only reason that they fly this far south is to get enough food to survive. They need all the energy and fat that they can acquire. It is important that people, in their enthusiasm to see these magnificent owls, don’t crowd them and cause them to waste valuable calories. Expending energy unproductively can be the margin between surviving or starving.

IS THERE A SPECIFIC AGE OR SEX OF THE SNOWY OWLS THAT FLY SOUTHWARD TO FIND FOOD?

There is a hierarchy in Snowy Owls, with the adult females initially retaining breeding territories, while males and juveniles move south with juvenile males traveling the furthest. Therefore, most of the Snowy Owls who travel down into Washington are juveniles, and the majorities of these are males.

WHAT KINDS OF FOOD ARE THESE OWLS EATING WHILE THEY ARE HERE IN WASHINGTON?

They are eating mostly rodents, and opportune birds. Rodents mostly move at night or dusk, so while the Snowy Owls are in Washington, most are hunting dusk through dawn. Having found an area that sustains it, a Snowy Owl may stay in the area for a while.

HOW WOULD I KNOW IF I AM TOO CLOSE AND CAUSING A SNOWY TO WASTE ENERGY?

These owls live on or near the ground. They need much more distance than other owls because of their exposure. If you are closer than 100 yards (length of a full football field), you may be too close! Half a mile is more ideal. If you see the owl opening its eyes during full daylight, defecating, climbing to a higher perch, or especially flying away from you, you are probably TOO CLOSE. You are causing an owl harm every time it has to launch itself for reasons other than feeding.

WHAT SUGGESTIONS WOULD YOU OFFER PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THESE OWLS IN WAYS THAT ARE HEALTHY FOR THE OWLS AND SATISFYING FOR THE VIEWERS?

First and foremost, keep your distance. That means use a scope if at all possible. If you are taking pictures, take advantage of high-powered lenses and tripods and/or digi-scoping . Be prepared to stay in one place for a while.

It is recommended that people wait for a few weeks when they hear about a Snowy Owl in a new location. By late December or January, many of these owls will be in place and settled, and less likely to require that half mile. It may even be able to tolerate a closer approach, especially if you use your car as a blind. Watch for those signs of nervousness, and back away if you are bothering the owl.


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Ferguson, Gossett propose wage protection legislation

Metropolitan King County Councilmembers Bob Ferguson and Larry Gossett today proposed legislation to protect workers by prohibiting employers who steal wages from their employees from entering into business contracts with King County.

Wage theft includes such actions as withholding an employee’s last paycheck, stealing tips, forcing workers to work off the clock, paying employees less than the minimum wage, and not compensating employees for overtime.

“The County should not be in business with unscrupulous employers who willfully violate state wage laws,” said Councilmember Ferguson, Chair of the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee. “Wage theft has a negative impact on workers and our economy. This ordinance establishes safeguards to make sure the County doesn’t reward employers that shortcut the law.”

“Employers who resort to these tactics are taking money away from working people and their families, and in this current economy, literally every dollar counts,” said Gossett, Chair of the County Council. “I want to ensure that these businesses never benefit from working with King County.”

Under the proposed ordinance, employers that willfully commit wage theft can be disbarred or suspended from contracting with the County. Under County Code, the Executive has authority to disbar or suspend a person or company from consideration for award of contracts for cause, such as embezzlement or conviction under antitrust law.

The Department of Labor and Industries handles all wage theft complaints in the State of Washington. According to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, there were more than 4,000 Wage Payment Act violation claims in 2010, an average of eleven each day, and 613 citations were issued for “willful” violations, meaning the employer knowingly and intentionally violated the law.


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November Holiday Market at LFP Third Place Commons has an eclectic mix of goods

November Farmers' Market at LFP.  Photo by Carl Dinse.

The Friends of Third Place Commons organization sponsored a winter farmers' market on Sunday, November 20, 2011 on the upper level of the Towne Centre mall.

Vendors of fruit and vegetables filled the area with crunchy goodness. Many regular vendors brought their holiday gift items so shoppers could fill Christmas stockings with beeswax candles, farm-made jams and jellies, spices, condiments, and herbs for salad dressings.

Fresh caught fish, grass fed-beef, chocolate sauce, and foraged mushrooms all lined up in a row.

The Whiskey Swillers plucked cheerful strings to keep shoppers stepping lively.

Downstairs, craftspeople sold note cards and enough jewelry to deck a red carpet's worth of Hollywood starlets.

Naturally, all the restaurants at the Commons were open for business.

If you missed all this cheerful energy and good eats and gifts, you have one more chance. The Holiday Winter Market will reappear on Sunday, December 11, 11 am to 4 pm. Same time, same place. 

If you forget your shopping bag, you can get one from from Third Places Comments for a donation of $2. It is bright red and includes an icon for a smart phone app.  Get two - you'll need them.


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Supplemental School Levy passing easily

By Evan Smith

The Shoreline School supplemental levy on the November 8 ballot was passing easily in votes counted through Friday with a nearly 63 percent “yes” vote.

King County officials had counted votes from more than 55 percent of registered voters in the School District through Friday.

Of 23,544 ballots counted in the District, 13,885 had “yes” votes, 8,301 had “no” votes and 1,358 left the proposition blank.

School levies can pass with a simple majority, as they have since voters approved a State constitutional amendment four years ago that eliminated the requirement for a 60 percent majority. School bond measures still need 60 percent of a number of District voters equal to 40 percent of the number of voters in the last statewide election.

The votes through Friday were part of a King County voter turnout of 50.90 percent, compared to an expected final turnout of about 52 percent. Officials had counted almost 98 percent of the expected final number of ballots.

County elections officials had 8,000 uncounted ballots on hand at the end of the Friday business day.

Some other ballots still could arrive at the County elections office in Renton. Some are ballots returned to voters for signature verification. Others are ballots from voters who are out of the country, serving in the military, working, traveling or studying.

County officials planned to release updated vote counts Monday afternoon and each working day until the canvassing board certifies results the morning of Nov. 29. Officials plan to release final results Nov. 30 at noon.

The School Board proposed the levy to maintain class sizes after the Legislature cut money for education last spring.


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Shoreline candidate Salomon’s lead over McClelland now at 90 votes

By Evan Smith

Shoreline City Council candidate Jesse Salomon widened his lead over opponent Robin McClelland to 90 votes Monday from his 77-vote lead Friday.

The lead keeps attorney Salomon out of the range for a mandatory recount.

State law requires a recount whenever two candidates are separated by less than 0.5 percent of their combined total and a hand recount if the margin is less than 0.25 percent.

With public defender Salomon having 7,455 votes to 7,365 for former Planning Commissioner McClelland, their total of 14,820 votes means that a margin of 74 votes or fewer would trigger a machine recount, and a margin of 37 votes or fewer would trigger a mandatory hand recount.

The 17,954 ballots counted in the City included 54 write-in votes and 3,080 ballots that left the position blank.

Salomon had 50.12 percent of the vote to 49.52 percent for McClelland.

The returns came with a King County turnout of 51.63 percent, close to the expected final countywide turnout of 52 percent.

County elections officials had 1,300 uncounted ballots on hand at the County elections office in Renton. A few additional ballots could come from voters whose ballots were returned for signature verification and from people who are overseas, serving in the military, traveling, working or studying.

County officials will certify results November 29.

Voter turnout in the City of Shoreline was 53.17 percent.

Salomon and McClelland are running for the position that Councilman Terry Scott now holds.

In other Shoreline Council contests, incumbent Councilman Chris Eggen holds 70 percent of the vote to 29 percent for challenger William Hubbell, and incumbent Councilwoman Doris McConnell held 61 percent to 39 percent for former Councilwoman Janet Way.

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SCC Men’s Basketball Wins Opening Game 113-112

Kevin Hong
Photo by Wilson Tsoi
Jesse Vaughan
Photo by Wilson Tsoi
Shoreline Community College Men's Basketball Team scored 113 points to start the season and needed every point, as they edged Northwest Indian College 113-112 on Sunday afternoon in Bellingham, WA.

Jesse Vaughan made his first start in over a year count, scoring 27 points and hitting the go ahead basket with 5 seconds left. 

Kevin Hong added 20 points including 6 three pointers and Jordan Lupfer added 15 points and 5 assists.

SCC plays in the Pierce College Thanksgiving Tournament starting on Friday. They will face Pierce in the opening round at 8:00 PM in Lakewood, WA.

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SBA says shopping at small businesses can have a huge impact on local economy

Make a Big Difference on Small Business Saturday®

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As a proud supporter of Small Business Saturday®, a day dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, the U.S. Small Business Administration is encouraging every American to support small businesses by doing some of their holiday shopping on the Saturday after Thanksgiving at small businesses.
“Small businesses are the foundation of our economy – half of America’s workers either own or work for a small business,” said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. “Small Business Saturday® is an opportunity to show our support for our friends and neighbors who throughout the year are growing our local economy, as well as supporting many local initiative and organizations.”
November 26 marks the second annual Small Business Saturday®, a day to support the local small businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country.

First there was Black Friday, and then Cyber Monday, and now Small Business Saturday® will help drive shoppers to America’s job creators. Small businesses have generated two out of every three net new jobs over the past 15 years and employ over half of all private sector employees.



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Shorewood Big Band Jazz Dance, Friday, December 9

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WeatherWatcher: NWS (National Weather Service of Seattle) has issued a Wind Advisory

Monday November 21st, 2011 at 4:54 PM 

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a wind advisory for the area that includes Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. The wind advisory is in effect from 7 PM Monday evening to 12 PM (Noon) Tuesday.
  • Wind: South wind 20 to 30 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH.
  • Timing: This evening through Noon Tuesday. Winds are expected to peak from 1:00 AM tonight to 9:00 AM Tuesday morning.
  • Impacts: Winds tonight through Tuesday morning could topple small trees or cause local power outages.

A wind advisory is issued when sustained winds of 30 to 39 MPH or gusts of 45 to 57 MPH are likely. Winds this strong can snap small tree branches, topple small or shallow rooted trees and cause local power outages.



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Dog injured on N 205th

Monday, November 21, 2011

One of our readers reports that she saw a dog hit by a car on N 205th during the morning of Monday, November 21, 2011.

"Around 10:25am today, while I was traveling eastbound on 205th, maybe 200 feet from the intersection with Meridian, a mostly black border collie or sheltie mix running off leash on the south side of 205th, suddenly attempted to cross 205th where it was struck on the left side (maybe left hip?) was spun around a bunch of times from the impact and then darted off (limping somewhat) into the yards of the houses surrounding Lake Ballinger.

"I stopped, as did a pedestrian who witnessed the incident; we searched backyards and knocked on doors, but did not get a response and did not find the dog.

"My hopes are that someone found the dog, but I thought it would be good to post these details to the SAN, as I suspect the dog's home is on the Shoreline side of 205th.

"No rescue agency was called because we could find no sign of the dog, but I'd be happy to meet someone and show them where I last saw the dog."

If your dog is missing and matches this description, please contact us by email.


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Northshore Fire: Ten Tips for Thanksgiving Fire Safety

Thanksgiving is a time for families and friends to gather for good times and good food. But did you know that cooking is the leading cause of all Thanksgiving Day fires, according to the US Fire Administration? 

Just last year the Northshore Fire Department responded to a home fire caused by a family deep frying a turkey. As preparations for the busy holiday are underway, the Northshore Fire Department encourages you to use safe cooking practices by offering these ten basic fire safety tips.

  1. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, remember to check it regularly. Use a timer to remind you that something is on the stove or in the oven. Never leave the house when you are cooking. Turn the burners off, if you have to leave the kitchen or the house for any period of time.
  2. Keep anything that could catch on fire, including pot holders, food packaging, kitchen towels, or any combustible material, at least 3 feet away from a heat source.
  3. If a pan catches fire, cover it with a lid immediately and turn off the burner. Don't attempt to fight a grease fire with water, as it may make the fire worse.
  4. Turn pot and pan handles inward over the stove to reduce the risk of knocking them over.
  5. Never wear loose clothing while cooking. Wear clothing with sleeves that are short, close fitting, or tightly rolled up. If your clothes catch fire, Stop, Drop and Roll.
  6. Create a 3-foot "kid and pet-free zone" around cooking appliances that produce heat or an open flame.
  7. Have a multi-purpose (ABC-rated) fire extinguisher close at hand. If the fire is too large for an extinguisher, get out of the house. Do not go back inside. Call the fire department from a neighbor's house.
  8. Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
  9. Have a well rehearsed family escape plan. You should have two escape routes from each room and agree on a place to meet outside. Practice your home escape plan.
  10. If you plan to use a turkey fryer, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors and a safe distance away from the house or any other combustible material. NEVER leave the fryer unattended. If you fry it, stay by it!

For more Thanksgiving safety tips, visit Northshore Fire Department’s website 


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Dedication to education: Shoreline women resolve problems between families and K-12 public schools in state


By Emily Esposito

Adie Simmons and Cathy Liu Scott have lived in Shoreline for a combined 45 years, building a loyal dedication to public education along the way. Their children attended Shoreline Public Schools; they were PTA leaders; they worked for the school district.

Now their experience has taken them on a path of working with families and schools around the state at The Office of the Education Ombudsman (OEO), the first government agency in the nation focusing on resolving disputes, complaints and problems affecting K-12 student learning in public schools.

Adie Simmons and Cathy Liu Scott in their office at Northgate
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Many in Shoreline remember Simmons from her years working with the “Readiness to Learn” program in schools. In 2006 the Washington State legislature passed a law creating OEO as part of the Governor’s Office. Simmons, who was working for Seattle Public Schools at the time, made the move to work at the state level in education and was hired as OEO’s first director developing a new agency from the ground up.

As Director, Simmons ensures that public school students receive a quality education and are well supported by a school-family partnership.

“My goal has always been to help educators and families better understand each other and work collaboratively for the common goal of student achievement,” says Simmons. “OEO is a safe, confidential place where families and educators can come together to resolve issues and focus on what is best for students.”

Scott has been Volunteer Coordinator for the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park “Power of One” program and for Shoreline Public Schools where she succeeded getting senior citizens, parents, students, and other community members to volunteer in schools and directly benefit student learning. In her present job as OEO’s Community Relations Manager, she ensures that families and schools across the state know about OEO and use its free services. Her work involves outreach to refuge and immigrant families and other groups who may not know where to turn when experiencing problems with the child’s education, like military families and incarcerated parents.

“I’ve seen families frantically worried about their children because they are not attending school or they are being bullied or their IEP is not effective. After working with an Ombudsman, the family feels better, they feel like their student is safe and getting the education they need,” said Scott. “It’s such hopeful, fulfilling work to be assisting both families and schools.”

Simmons adds,
 “It has been exciting to create something that has never existed before. I have used the experience I gained in Shoreline Public Schools and applied it to this job in so many ways.”

OEO has a team of Education Ombudsmen who are trained in mediation, conflict resolution and facilitation with many years of experience in public education. Their focus is resolving complaints and disputes in a range of issues including Special Education, suspensions, expulsions, bullying, truancy, enrollment, lack of academic progress, and more. They work intensively and compassionately with the family and the school to reach a solution to the problem.

Besides preventing students from dropping out from school, OEO’s services prevent lawsuits and are a substantial alternative option to costly legal fees for families and educators. The work of OEO is being developed as a national model.

OEO is easy and convenient to connect with for help. Clients talk through problems with an ombudsman via a toll-free telephone number. To set up an appointment with an ombudsman call 1-866-297-2597. Visit their website to learn about OEO’s free resources for families and schools. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.


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Rent-A-Center Donates $20,000 to Food Lifeline

Donation Part of $250,000 Earmarked for 11 Food Banks across the U.S.

Regional Rent-A-Center managers present Food Lifeline’s Director of Development with a
$20,000 corporate gift.  Photo courtesy Food Lifeline.


Rent-A-Center has donated $20,000 to Food Lifeline, the largest hunger relief organization in Washington State. The food bank is one of eleven across the nation sharing in $250,000 worth of Rent-a-Center funding for hunger relief this year.

“Rent-A Center’s generosity will allow Food Lifeline to provide an additional 66,000 meals to the people we serve,” said Linda Nageotte, president and CEO of Food Lifeline. “Their commitment to feeding hungry people is greatly appreciated and demonstrates the positive impact our corporate partners can have on the communities in which they operate.”

The donation is in addition to the recent hunger-relief initiative staged across Rent-A-Center’s 3000-plus stores. Dubbed “Soup to Nuts,” this campaign took place in September in support of Hunger Action Month. It saw Rent-A-Center stores serve as collection points for cans of soup, jars of peanut butter and other canned goods. The donated food products were delivered to hunger-relief partners such as senior centers, homeless shelters, daycare centers and churches.

“In challenging economic times, it is especially gratifying to support the communities we serve,” said Mitch Fadel, president and COO of Rent-A-Center and a board member of the North Texas Food Bank.

Rent-A-Center, Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, currently operates approximately 3,000 company-owned stores nationwide and in Canada and Puerto Rico. The stores offer name brand, durable goods such as major consumer electronics, appliances, computers, furniture and accessories under flexible rental-purchase agreements that generally allow the customer to obtain ownership of the merchandise at the conclusion of an agreed upon rental period.

Food Lifeline is a local hunger relief organization, efficiently serving the Western Washington area by using 96% of revenue to directly feed hungry people. Last year the organization delivered more than 24 million meals to hungry people through its network of nearly 300 food banks, meal programs and shelters. Food Lifeline is also a member of the national organization, Feeding America. For more information about Food Lifeline or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit the website or call 206-545-6600.


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Food Lifeline: Hunger and food banks in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park

By Diane Hettrick

Food banks in western Washington have their own territories, which do not necessarily coincide with the boundaries of the old city of Lake Forest Park or the new city of Shoreline. To add to the confusion, Shoreline is home to the largest hunger relief organization in the state - Food Lifeline - and while it does not give food to individuals, it is technically a "food bank."

Ashley Gammell, Corporate Relations Manager of Food Lifeline, explains:
"Washington State has unique hunger relief terminology and we are what is considered a Food Bank by the rest of the country. By local standards, we are considered a food distribution organization or a comprehensive hunger relief organization since we also distribute non-food resources and have an active presence in the basic needs public policy arena at the state and local level. 
Food Lifeline is the largest hunger relief organization in the state and serves the 17 counties of Western Washington through a network of 300 food banks, meal programs, and shelters. In fact, last year alone we distributed over 27 million meals through our network of member food banks, meal programs, and shelters to over 745,000 unique individuals."

Hopelink Shoreline, located next to Marshalls in the Sears Aurora Square shopping area, is one of the 300 agencies which regularly receives products from Food Lifeline for distribution to individuals and families through its local area food bank.

Leslie Brooks, Manager of Hopelink, has been canvassing the community, asking local organizations to set up regular food drives to benefit Hopelink. 

She said, "People are concerned that the food they contribute will stay in the local community. The truth is that we don't have enough local contributions of food or money to support the need in Shoreline. Every month we have to bring in food from the other Hopelink locations. And every month, the need is greater."

Ashley says that typically, the food that Food Lifeline goes after is much larger in quantity than an agency such as Hopelink would be able to process, i.e. a 40,000 lb. semi-truck filled with 1,000 pound boxes of apples. Their thriving volunteer program is largely dedicated to taking large donations like that and repacking them so that they can be handed out by local food banks to seniors and families.

Volunteers also sort fresh and perishable product donated through their retail grocery program. "We can book volunteer groups as large as 60 people at a time and had 9,000 volunteers donate their time last year." Windermere Shoreline spent a day recently repacking frozen peas. (see story)

North Helpline is another of the local food banks that Food Lifeline helps support. Located just off Lake City Way in north Seattle, it serves not only the Lake City area, but up Bothell Way into Lake Forest Park and North City. North Helpline currently has a Buy a Bag program with Safeway, where shoppers can pay $10 for a prepacked bag of food which will be given to North Helpline. (see story)

Does Food Lifeline have food drives? How do they get their contributions?
Ashley responds, "While we do have a program that accommodates community food drives, it is something we view more as an opportunity to educate the community about hunger rather than an efficient way to source food. Because of our large infrastructure and our affiliation with Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network, we can procure food much more efficiently through other means by using cash contributions on things such as freight and shipping costs on donated bulk loads of pasta, veggies, and proteins from other regions. 
"That is how we are able to maintain only a 4% administrative overhead and provide three meals with each donated dollar we receive. Often, we partner with large companies on cause-related marketing campaigns with a food drive component. 
"We strive to always keep the food drive product we collect in its community of origin, unless specifically directed to do otherwise by the donor."

Another local partner for Food Lifeline is POPY's Cafe, sponsored by the Dale Turner YMCA and the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church of Shoreline. Held at Bethel Lutheran Church in Shoreline, POP church volunteers serve a full dinner to anyone who shows up, every Wednesday evening.  POPY's is serving Thanksgiving Dinner on November 23rd.

If someone has access to large resources, how can they connect with Food Lifeline?
"Any company that sells, distributes or produces food and can make donations that are over 1,000 pounds per donation cycle is a great candidate to be a Food Lifeline Full Plate partner. We also work with grocery retail chains through our Grocery Rescue program and Seattle area restaurants and caterers through our Seattle’s Table program (more information about those programs here).

Other than volunteering to repackage food, how can community members help?
"People in the community who wish to support Food Lifeline’s work by making a cash donation can donate online or can text the word MEALS to 52000 and a ten dollar donation to Food Lifeline will be added to their monthly mobile phone bill. Food Lifeline can provide an entire day of nutritious meals to a hungry person with every $1 donation."

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WeatherWatcher: Wind storm predicted for Tuesday

A wind storm is possible on Tuesday morning through afternoon. Though the National Weather Service in Seattle has not yet issued a wind advisory for our area, high winds are still expected on Tuesday. 

The winds expected do not meet the high wind warning criteria. However we could still see some scattered power outages throughout Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. 

Winds are expected to be sustained at 20-30 mph with gusts up to 35-40 mph. 

Storms of this strength typically only bring down tree limbs. Healthy trees generally will not fall in these winds. Be prepared for possible scattered power outages. Remember to treat any dark traffic lights as a 4 way stop and watch out for large tree limbs or downed trees.

Want to know the current temperature in central Shoreline? Check Carl's Shoreline Weather Station.


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SCC Men’s Basketball Tips-Off Season On Sunday


The Shoreline Community College Men’s Basketball Team launches the 2011-12 season on the road at Northwest Indian College on Sunday at 2:00 PM in Bellingham, WA. The 2011-12 Dolphins come into the season with high hopes and sights set on another NWAACC Northern Region Championship. The 2009-10 SCC team won the region and advanced to the NWAACC Men’s Basketball Championship but last year, the 2010-11 squad finished 13-13 overall and 6-10 in the region.

2nd Year Head Coach Greg Turcott welcomed over 40 players to camp in September and now hopes the numbers will equate to wins in the new “High Scoring – Three Point” style offense put in this season. SCC is thin on returning players, but does have 2009-10 star, Jesse Vaughn, back to the roster after a year off of competition. The 6’5” forward from Spokane helped led the SCC squad to the 2010 region championship with a 15 points per game average. SCC also returns Joe Bodman and KJ Hong from the 2010-11 team.

SCC has an assortment of new freshmen and transfer players in hopes of finding the right combination of team members for a successful 2011-12 season. SCC’s lone home game before the January region season begins will be a rematch with Northwest Indian on Sunday, December 11 at 6:00 PM.

SCC plays in tournaments at Pierce College, the Community College of Spokane and Wenatchee Valley Community College before the Christmas break as well.


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Big Butt Pick Up at Paramount Park, Monday, December 5

For more information, contact Stefanie or Patty Hale206-365-8596.



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Buy a Bag of groceries at Safeway for the North Helpline Food Bank

Mother and son volunteers Chris and Marshall hand out North Helpline Food Bank flyers are North City Safeway. Photo by Jerry Pickard

Saturday, November 19, volunteers from the North Helpline Food Bank were at the North City Safeway store handing out flyers to customers about the Buy a Bag program to benefit the food bank.

For $10, Safeway shoppers across the region can purchase a pre-packed bag of groceries for the North Helpline Food Bank through December 24.  Both area Safeways are participating.


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Four Shorecrest soccer players on All-Wesco-3A first team

Four Shorecrest girls’ soccer players have won spots on the All-Wesco-3A first team.

Senior midfielders Nicole Harris and Lulu Wissmar, junior defender Amelia Flohr and sophomore goalkeeper Frida Swensen were first-team selections. Swensen tied for the lead among Wesco 3A goalkeepers with 9 shutouts.

Bri Lasconia of Shorecrest was a second-team selection, as were four Shorewood players -- Noel Burt, Dianelle Norsby, Megan Santon and Jennifer Thompson. Lasconia led Shorecrest in scoring with 8 goals and 3 assists for 19 points.

Honorable mention went to two Shorecrest players and six players from Shorewood.

Shorecrest finished its season with a 16-5-1 record after the Scots lost in a shootout to State 3A champion Seattle Prep in the State quarterfinals Nov 11. Shorecrest had finished third in the nine-team Wesco 3A division behind Everett and Meadowdale with a 12-3-1 record before finishing third behind the same teams in the Northwest District tournament and defeating Camas in the first round of State play.

Shorewood finished fifth in Wesco 3A play with a 6-8-2 record before the Thunderbirds lost to State semifinalist Meadowdale in the first round of District tournament play.

All-Wesco 3A girls’ soccer team
(From our news partner, The Seattle Times)

FIRST TEAM
F Erin Russell, Jr., Mountlake Terrace; F Haley Ayers, Jr., Everett; F Alisa Sagdahl, Sr., Meadowdale; F Emily Critchlow, So., Meadowdale; D Rosie Sittauer, Jr., Everett; D Alexa Thompson, Sr., Meadowdale; D Shelby Stromerson, Sr., Glacier Peak; D Amelia Flohr, Jr., Shorecrest; D Khadija Taver, Sr., Everett; MF Bailey McMulen, Jr., Everett; MF Lulu Wissmar, Sr., Shorecrest; MF Gabrielle Wagonblast, Sr., Everett; MF McKayla Fox, Sr., Everett; MF Nicole Harris, Sr., Shorecrest; MF Sheridan Becanic, Jr., Glacier Peak; GK Frida Swensen, So., Shorecrest; GK Mackenzie Sevenants, Jr., Glacier Peak; GK Amanda Aversano, So., Mountlake Terrace.

SECOND TEAM
F Makaela Nellams, Sr., Everett; F Kelsee Crenshaw, So., Marysville Getchell; F Louise Pendergast, Sr., Glacier Peak; F Bri Lasconia, Sr., Shorecrest; D Megan Santon, Jr., Shorewood; D Hannah Lemm, Jr., Lynnwood; D Noel Burt, Sr., Shorewood; D Ashley Simon, Jr., Everett; D Hannah Shouse, Jr., Meadowdale; D Maddy Kristjanson, So., Mountlake Terrace; MF Roslyn Stapleton, Jr., Meadowdale; MF Sophie Millet, Sr., Meadowdale; MF Jennifer Thompson, Sr., Shorewood; MF Rachel Steranka, Jr., Glacier Peak; MF Morgan McCarty, Jr., Everett; MF McKenzie Schneider, Jr., Oak Harbor; MF Sara Fjortoft, Jr., Meadowdale; GK Ashley Routh, Fr., Meadowdale; GK Dianelle Norsby, Sr., Shorewood.

HONORABLE MENTION
Shorecrest — Sophia Flohr, Kate Hildahl.
Shorewood — Zoe Vincini, Siena Helland, Jennifer Franklin, Carrie Jensen, Sofia Vargas, Ashley Swan.
Glacier Peak — Taylor Weins, Bailey Anderson Mountlake Terrace — Lily Hart, Amanda Schnee. Marysville Getchell — Bailie Weikel, Julianna LaBrake, Marina Wika, Makenzie Terrell, Mattison Norton, Kaylie Green, Samantha Wallace. Lynnwood — Melissa Gueiros, Mollie Xitco, Cassandra Leishman, Ashley Evanger, Natalie Cachopo. Everett — CJ Shaver, Maddie Reed. Meadowdale — Tisha Parsley, Kendall Raecher. Oak Harbor — Maura McKole, Morgan Murphy, Nalani Gabb



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WeatherWatcher: November 12-18 - the week ahead looks wet

Highlights:
  • Wednesday last week seems to have been the day of extremes! Holding the high temperature for the week, the low temperature for the week, and the highest daily rainfall for the week.
  • As expected cold air moved in, we had some rain mixed with snow showers Friday no accumulations. A Puget Sound Convergence zone did develop, however it formed over North Lynnwood through Everett, and wasn't very strong or organized. We were on the very southern edge of this convergence band, which formed about 7pm Friday evening and dissipated about 10pm Friday evening.

The week ahead looks very wet!
First, a cold air mass has settled over the area for this weekend, lows are well below freezing, Saturday morning had a low of 28°F, On Sunday morning we were at 28°F.

Second, a warm front will spread increasing clouds over the area Sunday afternoon, and with it, moderating temperatures and eventually rain in the later evening. There is some talk hinting that the rain may start as snow, or rain and snow mixed before turning over to rain, but I believe Shoreline and Lake Forest Park will be warmed up above freezing before the precipitation makes it here.

A series of fronts will blow through the rest of this week with a lot of rain, and warmer temperatures. It could be breezy at times as well. There may be some urban flooding with this. Streams in Lake Forest Park will probably have problems with this week's wet weather expected. A lot of leaves on the ground will also mean storm drains will be blocked in spots leading to lots of areas of standing water.

The extremes:
High temperature: 50.2°F (Wednesday)
Low temperature: 30.7°F (Wednesday)
Wettest day: 0.31 inches (Wednesday)
Total rainfall: 0.69 inches

The averages:
Warmest day: 44.0°F (Sunday)
Coldest day: 35.9°F (Friday - cold air moved in here.)
Average temperature: 39.7°F

This month's daily average temperature's so far compared to November 2010.

Warmest and coldest days are based on average temperature of the entire day, starting at midnight. All other averages are based on the whole week. All weather data unless otherwise noted is sourced from Carl's Shoreline Weather Station.


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Just like moonlight - new LED street lights flood the streets with light and illuminate true color

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Carl Dinse went out on a very cold night to take these compare and contrast photos of old style streetlamps and the new L.E.D. lights.  The City of Shoreline is replacing all current lamps with the new, lower consumption and brighter L.E.D. lamps.

Photo by Carl Dinse
N 195th Street
This is looking West from the northeast corner of NE 195th St and 1st Ave NE. The bright light at the top is a new L.E.D. street lamp. The street lights in the background on the trail are the old High Intensity Discharge (HID) high pressure sodium vapor lamps that until recently ruled the street lighting of Shoreline and Seattle.


Photo by Carl Dinse

NE 195th Street
Looking east and down hill on NE 195th ST towards 5th Ave NE, 7th Ave NE, and the 195th St pedestrian I-5 overpass (which you can't see due to the darkness.) All street lighting is now L.E.D. lighting.

L.E.D. stands for light emitting diode. Each chip is a 1 watt L.E.D., making these street lamps a total of 40 watts of power consumption each. The high pressure sodium vapor lamps these replaced were using 100 watts.


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SCC Volleyball Goes 1-2 At NWAACC Volleyball Championship

Amanda Arnoux
Photo by Wilson Tsoi
By Douglas W. Palmer, SCC Director of Athletics and Recreation/Wellness

The Lady Dolphin Volleyball Team started off strong at the NWAACC Volleyball Championship, defeating Yakima Valley CC in the opening round 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 27-25, 25-11) and going up 2-0 on Mt. Hood CC before the air was deflated from their sails. Mt. Hood came back to defeat SCC 3-2 (23-25, 22-25, 26-16, 25-22, 15-10) and send SCC to the Loser's Bracket.

SCC then faced their Northern Region rival, Bellevue College, but lost a tough opening set 28-26 and never came back as they dropped the second set 25-20 and were eliminated from the tournament (Loser Bracket matches are only 2 out of 3).

Lisa Day, two time NWAACC Northern Region MVP
Photo by Wilson Tsoi

In the match against Yakima Valley, two-time Northern Region MVP Lisa Day led the SCC squad with 21 kills in the match while Amanda Arnoux and Hannah Stoeve added 12 and 11 kills to the SCC effort. SCC setter Christine Jenson added 47 assists in the win as well. In the backbreaking loss to Mt. Hood CC, Lisa day again led the SCC team with 14 kills while freshman Jazmyn Ray added 13 and Amanda Arnoux hit double figures again with 10. But SCC only hit 0.091 has a team, and struggled to get past the MHCC blocks in the final three games.

Against Bellevue, the Lady Dolphins were sluggish to start the game but started a comeback and served for the first set at 24-23, but the Lady Bulldogs fought back and won the opening set 28-26. SCC fell behind the second set by 5 to 6 points most of the way, but did battle back again to get within 2 points, at 22-20, but BC put the Dolphins away to win the match 25-20 in the best of 3 games loser bracket game.

SCC finished the season 24-12 and won the NWAACC Northern Region for the second consecutive year. SCC had 6 sophomore players on the teams, including two-time region MVP, Lisa Day. SCC finished 1-2 the past two seasons at the NWAACC Volleyball Championship. This was the only back to back NWAACC Northern Region Championships in volleyball history. The SCC women’s soccer team won four straight region championships before.


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Aurora construction update for the week of November 20 and 27, 2011

Two week schedule: weeks of November 20 and November 27, 2011

N 165th - N 185th Streets (Marshbank Construction)

Over the next two weeks, crews will:
  • Continue removing temporary signal poles and equipment between N 170th and N 180th Streets.
  • Continue restoration activities along Aurora including landscaping and installation of concrete features. Intermittent lane closures may be required. Restoration work will continue throughout the fall.


N 185th - N 192nd Streets (Johansen Excavating)
  • Over the next two weeks, crews will:
  • Temporarily close access to N 192nd Street east of Aurora for paving work (weather permitting).
  • Pave the work zone and driveways on the east side of Aurora between N 185th and N 192nd Streets (weather permitting); work will require single northbound lane closures.
  • Begin lane striping and center median work, and may shift traffic to the outside lanes of Aurora.
  • Continue street luminaire and pedestrian railing installation.
  • Continue pouring the concrete face of the new retaining wall in front of Sky Nursery.
  • Continue pouring and staining concrete features at the Rain Garden Plaza in the northeast corner of the Shoreline Park and Ride.


Check the website for detailed construction information.

There will be no construction over the Thanksgiving weekend.


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Home for the Holidays: LFP Towne Centre 2011 Holiday Gifts Show

Work by Kim Brayman for sale in LFP through December
Courtesy Arts Council

The Gallery at Towne Centre presents 
Home for the Holidays 2011 Holiday Gifts Show
November 22 – December 31, 2011, 
lower level of LFP Towne Centre, Ballinger / Bothell Way.

Frank Dobrushken at LFP gallery
Courtesy Arts Council
This holiday season The Gallery at Towne Centre wants to take the stress out of your gift shopping. Our Home for the Holidays holiday gifts show starts Friday, November 22 and runs until December 31. We have a stunning array of locally crafted glass, pottery, jewelry, wood, fiber, fine art and more, all guaranteed not to break your budget. You don’t have to travel all the way into Seattle to get quality, one-of-a-kind gifts for your family and friends.

Highlighting this show will be “The Stocking Stuffer Show,” an array of fine art pieces 12” and under by local artists Ann Blanch, Kim Brayman, Susan Dawson, Frank Dobrushken, Cheryl Hufnagel, Cheryl Johsnon, Jeanine Langerud, Marsha Lippert and Constance Perenyi.

Annual Shop ‘n’ Nosh event on Friday, December 2, from noon to 7 p.m. Enjoy cider and refreshments during the day and into the extended hours. Support local artists and your local arts organization and have a little holiday cheer.


The Gallery is located on the inside lower level of the Lake Forest Park Towne Centre, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA 98155. Hours are 12-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11-4 Sunday. For information on the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council see www.shorelinearts.net.

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to nurture all of the arts in the community through programs and events, arts education, advocacy, and support for artists and arts organizations. Proceeds from the Gallery at Lake Forest Park Towne Centre help fund these programs and events.


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Photo: Mountains in the Clouds

Mountains in the Clouds.  Photo by Lee Lageschulte. 

The view from Shoreline: Olympic Mountains rising out of low clouds that almost obscure the foothills.
Many locations on the west side have these stunning views.  A favorite viewing place is the upper level of Saltwater Park.

Lee Lageschulte took this photo on Saturday, November 19, 2011, from a viewpoint in Innis Arden.


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LFP Council candidate French widens lead over incumbent Councilman Sterner

By Evan Smith

Lake Forest Park City Council challenger Tom French widened his lead over incumbent Councilman Ed Sterner Friday in the closest of the three Lake Forest Park Council contests on the Nov. 8 general-election ballot.

Election returns posted Friday showed that French had widened his lead to 80 votes from his 75-vote lead reported Thursday. French had 50.59 percent of the vote Friday to 49.01 percent for Sterner. His Thursday lead had been 50.55 percent to 49.04 percent for Sterner.

French’s expanded lead remains out of recount range.

State law requires a machine recount if the margin between two candidates is less than 0.5 percent of their combined total. It’s a hand recount if the margin is less than 0.25 percent of the two-candidate total.

French led Friday with 2,563 votes to 2,483 for Sterner.

With a combined total of 5,046 votes, a margin of 25 votes or fewer would trigger a machine recount, and a margin of 12 votes or fewer would trigger a hand recount.

Of the 5,854 ballots cast in Lake Forest Park, 788 left the position blank, and 20 cast write-in votes.

French had lost to Councilman Robert Lee in 2009. Sterner had run unopposed in both 2003 and 2007 after winning with 70 percent of the vote in 1999.

In other LFP Council races, incumbent Catherine Stanford led challenger Brian Cathcart by a 55.20 percent to 44.60 percent margin, and candidate Jeff Johnson led opponent Chuck Paulsen by a 51.35 percent to 48.35 percent margin for the Council position that Deputy Mayor Dwight Thompson gave up to run for mayor.

Stanford is seeking a second four-year term.

Thompson was trailing former Councilwoman Mary Jane Goss in the race for mayor by a 52.58 percent to 47.11 percent margin.

Voter turnout in Lake Forest Park was 62.22 percent through Friday, compared to the King County average of 50.90 percent.

The votes were part of a King County voter turnout of 50.90 percent, compared to an expected final turnout of about 52 percent. Officials had counted almost 98 percent of the expected final number of ballots through Friday.

County elections officials had 8,000 uncounted ballots on hand at the end of the Friday business day.

Some other ballots still could arrive at the County elections office in Renton. Some are ballots returned to voters for signature verification. Others are ballots from voters who are out of the country, serving in the military, working, traveling or studying.


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