August Arts Camp for 3rd-6th grade students

Thursday, March 8, 2012

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is now accepting students for their 2012 August Arts Camp to be held August 6 – 10 from 9am - 3:30pm

2012 August Arts Camp is a week-long program where students explore the arts with accomplished artist-educators. Students choose one core class, a main area of interest and two elective classes to complete their day.

Core classes include: Reed Sculpture, Textile Arts, Drawing and Painting, Theater Arts, Hip Hop Dance and Steel Drums. Elective classes include: Blacklight Batik, Needle and Wet Felting, Bookmaking, Theater Arts, Hip Hop Dance and Steel Drums.

The program is open to students who have completed 3rd - 6th grade and want to learn more about the arts. Register early as each class is limited to 12 students and enrollment is on a first-come, first-served, space available basis. Tuition is $210 if paid by May 31, 2012 and $230 after. A limited number of scholarships are available. The registration deadline is July 13, 2012.

Application forms are available online. Call or email the Arts office at 206-417-4645  for more information.

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.



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Movie night with Whisker City


Whisker City is proud to host its first-ever movie night and you're invited!

Cinebarre has teamed with Whisker City and given a theater to show the film "Miss Minoes", a feline-oriented movie that's perfect for cat lovers.

Wednesday, March 21st at Cinebarre in Mountlake Terrace, located at 6009 244th St SW, Mountlake Terrace 98043.

Doors open at 7pm and the film will be shown at 8pm. Tickets are just $10 presale and $12 the day of the show. There is no limit to the amount of tickets you can buy and a raffle ticket is included with each ticket for prizes after the movie. All proceeds go toward Whisker City's adoption efforts.

Cinebarre features a full menu and a full bar so you can enjoy dinner and drinks before or during the film if so desired. Show up early to get a good seat and we'll get you caught up on what's happening at Whisker City.

To buy tickets, use the "Donate" tab in the upper right corner of their webpage to use Paypal. Or send a check to Whisker City, PO Box 77214, Seattle, WA 98177 (must be received by March 20th.) Or call Mike at 206-235-4698 to make a credit card purchase over the phone and they'll mail you a receipt.

Cinebarre is a 21 and over establishment. No one under 21 years of age will be admitted.

See you at the movies!!!


Whisker City is located in Shoreline and housed in a pair of rental properties owned by April and Mike Brown. Through their Whisker City bus, they have placed over 1400 cats in homes in the area.



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Community Gardeners - meeting with Diggin' Shoreline and City March 20











Do you like gardening?
Are you drawn to the idea of growing your own food 
and interested in urban farming?

You are invited to the first, quarterly Diggin' Shoreline Gardener Gathering celebrating Spring and the growing network of Community Gardens in Shoreline.

This event is free and open to the public. Join with other community gardeners on Tuesday, March 20th at Shoreline's City Hall, from 7pm-9pm to learn more about Diggin' Shoreline, hear from the City of Shoreline about the future of the new Community Garden at Twin Ponds, and meet other gardeners from around the city.

Bring your gardening ideas and thoughts to share; we’d love to hear from you and hope to see you there.

--Jennifer Rotermund, Diggin’ Shoreline Board Member



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Shoreline resident leads communication skills workshop May 9-11

Jeff McAuliffe of Shoreline will present a communication skills workshop, InterAct, May 9-11, at LIOS Graduate College of Saybrook University in Kirkland. McAuliffe is the faculty lead at LIOS. He also maintains a private coaching and consulting practice. His clients have included Microsoft, Swedish Health Services, Sound Transit, and Group Health Co-operative.

The longtime Shoreline resident worked with numerous major Northwest companies. At The Boeing Commercial Airplane Group he co-designed and implemented an integrated “People Plan,” part of the company’s largest re-engineering project. He enjoys hiking, backpacking, skiing, swimming, and playing music. His communication workshops routinely sellout.

InterAct: Skills for Adaptive Leadership runs 9 am to 4:45 pm, May 9-11. Professionals can earn 20 continuing education credits. Early registration is $825; regular registration is $925. For registration or information, go online or call 425-968-3400.

This engaging workshop builds communication skills. Anyone who plays a strategic role in an organizational setting, such as an executive, manager or staff member, can use the workshop tools to build advanced leadership techniques. Effective communicators strengthen organizations and increase productivity. The same set of communication tools taught in the workshop also improves personal relationships.

LIOS, founded in 1969, was known for many years as the Leadership Institute of Seattle. In 2008 LIOS joined Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center, becoming one of three colleges in the new Saybrook University system. LIOS offers master’s degrees in Leadership and Organization Development and in Psychology specializing in systems counseling.




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KING 5 does segment on Ireland-bound Shorecrest band

Our News Partner, KING TV 5, did a segment Thursday morning on the Shorecrest band, pipers, dancers, and flag team and their impending trip to Ireland.

                             



(If the video does not play, you can find it here)


Reporter Christine Johnson said,

"The Shorecrest High School Marching Band will make its fifth trip to Ireland on March 14 to play in Dublin's St. Patrick's Day Parade. The band, consisting of over 100 musicians accompanied by bagpipers, dancers, and flags, were invited to participate by the city of Dublin. 
"The band is an all-volunteer ensemble that rehearses outside of class time and prides itself on its Scottish heritage, proudly wearing the traditional kilt and uniform of the Clan Gordon. Shorecrest is unique among American high schools in that it boasts a bagpipe band, offering bagpipes as a music class."
Christie did a long interview, dancing with the Highland Dancers, and getting a mini-bagpipe lesson from the pipers.

This Saturday, March 10, the community is invited to a free send-off concert and parade down 25th NE. They'll be wearing street clothes, as their uniforms are packed for the trip.

Shorecrest is located at 15343 25th Ave. NE in Shoreline.



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Tour of Acacia - the first mausoleum

Acacia Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Lake Forest Park held a public tour on March 3, taking guests through the two mausoleums and discussing the famous people interred there.

Shoreline Area News photographer Jerry Pickard brought back photos.

Lower level of the atrium in the first mausoleum
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Upper level of the atrium in the first mausoleum
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Sen. Warren Magnuson is the most famous resident
See previous article
Photo by Jerry Pickard
Vicki Stiles of the Shoreline Historical Museum shares stories
about some of the well-known people at Acacia
Photo by Jerry Pickard



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Kagi preschool-to-kindergarten measure heads to governor’s desk

OLYMPIA – Early learning advocates cheered when it was announced in December that our state would receive a $60 million Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant. March 5, the legislature gave final approval to a measure that will enable many more children in Washington to reap the benefits of this grant.

House Bill 2586, sponsored by Rep. Ruth Kagi (D-32), commits Washington to statewide implementation of a skills inventory for incoming kindergarteners. It is called the Washington Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills, or WAKids, and the grant funding will allow tens of thousands of children to be assessed as they transition from preschool to kindergarten.

“This is another example of Washington’s innovative early learning efforts that aim to help children start school on the right foot,” Kagi said. “The passage of this bill is great news for both teachers and parents, who through WAKids become partners as children make that all important start in their educational careers.”

A recent WAKids pilot project of 1700 incoming kindergarteners revealed that nearly one third of them were not prepared because they lacked the necessary skill level in one area or another. Doing a skills inventory of a child allows that child’s teacher and parents to be better informed of strengths and weaknesses, and enables weaknesses to be addressed sooner rather than later.

“It’s so important to involve parents right from the start,” Kagi said. “Parental involvement increases a child’s chances for success in school, and fosters a strong support network for the child that includes teachers and other educators.”

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Notes from Shoreline City Council Study Session March 5, 2012

Notes from Shoreline City Council Study Session March 5, 2012
By Devon Vose Rickabaugh

Proposed amendments to development code
Associate city Planner Steven Szafran and Planning and Community Development Director Rachael Markle reviewed proposed amendments to the development code which the planning commission recommended. Most of the code amendments are procedural and not controversial. However, the code covering accessory dwelling units (ADUs) brought public concern. A woman said that with the current code an increase in the number of people living on one lot could go from 8 to 16 which happened next door to her. She said the quality of the single family neighborhood is not protected. She encouraged rewording the code to accommodate this.

Code abuses
Several council members saw problems with the current code which were not addressed by the amendment. Council member Hall said the ADU code was originally written to accommodate “mother-in-law” apartments but now some owners are using them to rent out several rooms like an apartment building. Council member Eggen said he was concerned about “gross abuse of the ADU issue”. City Manager Julie Underwood said they would study the code and see how to tighten up the language before March 26 when the city council would vote on adapting the code amendments.

Seattle Public Utilities water system takeover
Public Works Director Mark Relph provided an update on the complex process to determine what it would mean financially as well as from an engineering perspective if Shoreline took over the Seattle Public Utilities Water System which serves approximately 16,000 residents in Shoreline. Updates on the financial model will be forthcoming in April with a final one in May. Then the agreement between Shoreline and Seattle will be presented in June. Then the council will decide on a ballot issue to put before the voters who will have the final say.



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46th District Democrats meet Thursday, March 15

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

The next membership meeting of the 46th District Democrats will be Thursday, March 15, at Olympic View Elementary, 504 NE 95th St, Seattle, WA 98115. 7pm dinner, 7:30pm meeting.

A full dinner will be served for a suggested donation of $5.

The school is just south of Northgate, on 5th NE (entrance on 8th NE).

Agenda will include the open positions on the eBoard, and discussion of local issues, such as zoning around Northgate.

As of January 2013, Lake Forest Park will be in the 46th legislative district, while Shoreline remains in the 32nd.

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Obituary: Gordon Bowers, first principal of Briarcrest

Gordon Bowers, who served as the first principal of Briarcrest Elementary, passed away February 21 after a brief illness at the age of 93.

Gordon came to Shoreline Schools during its early days in 1948 and retired in 1978. He first worked at Jane Addams Junior High, then at Lake City Elementary, where he served as vice principal. (Shoreline Schools in those days extended south to Northeast 85th Street). 

In 1954 Gordon was selected as principal of the new Briarcrest Elementary. He joined the District central office in 1963 and remained there until his retirement.

An advocate for education to the present time, he authored the Health section of the Sno-King School Retirees Association Newsletter. In recognition for outstanding services, Gordon received two Golden Acorn Awards, the Crystal Apple Award from the Shoreline Schools Foundation and the AARP Outstanding Service to Community Award.

A celebration of Gordon’s life will be held on Sunday, March 11 at 3 pm at the Edmonds Conference Center, 210 4th Ave N, Edmonds.

Remembrance gifts would be appreciated to the Sno-King School Retirees Scholarship Fund, 11227 Goodwin Way NE, Seattle WA 98125 or the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, 18560 First Ave. NE, Shoreline WA, 98155.

Gordon’s complete obituary can be found here,




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Jazz Camp for middle and high school students - sign up now for August

2011 students perform at the North City Jazz Walk
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is now accepting students for their 2012 Shoreline Jazz Camp to be held August 6 – 10, 13, 14, from 9 am - 1 pm.

2012 Shoreline Jazz Camp is for middle and high school students. The mission of the Shoreline Jazz Camp is to provide young musicians the opportunity to learn and play with some of the region’s most accomplished teachers and performers. The program creates a safe and structured learning environment, in which students of varying skill levels are able to share in the joy of playing Jazz. The camp includes instruction in large and small ensembles, and a series of master classes that are designed to refine the individual’s skills and understanding of Jazz.

The jazz camp is at Shorewood High School for students currently in grades 7-12. The cost is $315 and some scholarships are available.

Classes include:
  • Jazz Combo/Improv
  • Big Band
  • Jazz Theory and Harmony
  • Sight-Reading
  • The Art of Solo Transcription
  • Ear Training
  • And many more…..

The camp will showcase the students’ hard work in two performances on August 14. The first will be an 11 am lunch concert at Shorewood High School, and the second will be at 7 pm at the Shoreline North City Jazz Walk, 17739 15th Ave NE.

Applications are available online now. For more information, including scholarships and deadlines, contact the Arts Council at 206-417-4645.



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Early Morning Drain: March 10 Blood Drive to start at 9 am in Richmond Beach

Only 100 pints and your name goes on the donor tree.
Start Saturday March 10 at Richmond Beach.
Photo by Tom Petersen

By Tom Petersen, Richmond Beach Blood Drive Coordinator

The Puget Sound Blood Center’s drives in Richmond Beach will start at 9 a.m. this year, beginning with the March 10 event. The bloodmobile will be at the Shoreline Fire Safety Center, at the corner of Richmond Beach Road and 20th Ave NW. 

Many donors asked for an earlier start. The unit’s morning appointments have been booked solid, and walk-ups have kept the bloodmobile at capacity, so it is hoped that the new hours will relax the rush without turning away donors.

The drives will now end an hour earlier, at 3 p.m.

Juice and cookies
for your blood.
Photo by Tom Petersen
This year’s neighborhood theme is “Win Your Pin!” The PSBC awards a lapel pin commemorating each eight donations (one gallon). Richmond Beach far surpassed its 2011 goal of registering at least two new donors per event, and now it’s hoped that those people will strive for the next honor. Meanwhile, the neighborhood’s regular donors are all now working on their multi-gallon pins!

(Just so everyone knows, the world record is 315 donations.)

The Richmond Beach neighborhood record is 31 donors registered, and 29 pints drawn, at a single event. A blood drive in India in 2010 collected 25,065 pints in one day! Must have had a bigger bus . . .




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Lake Forest Park Garden Club March 13 at the Commons

Riz Reyes, the Next Generation Gardener, will be the speaker for the March 13 meeting of the Lake Forest Park Garden Club.

His topic will be "Plant Introductions: How New Plants Enter the Market."

The group meets at 10:30 am in The Third Place Commons in the upper level of Lake Forest Park Towne Centre, by the stage. Towne Centre is at the corner of Bothell and Ballinger Way.



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"World's Worst Mom" to speak at Shoreline Community College March 21

Lenore Skenazy
Lenore Skenazy, 7pm, Wednesday, March 21, 2012, Shoreline Community College

Lenore Skenazy, author of Free Range Kids, will speak at Shoreline Community College at 7 pm, Wednesday, March 21, 2012 in the Campus Theater. 

Skenazy, sometimes called the World's Worst Mom, gives parents reassurance and parenting information in a humorous way. 

General admission is $5 at the door. The event is hosted by the Shoreline Community College Co-operative Preschools. Call North City Co-op Preschool for more information at 206-362- 4069.



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Facilitated grief group begins March 13 at Acacia

Trudy James, MRE
Listening to Our Losses, a facilitated grief group sponsored by Acacia Memorial Park and Dignity Memorial, begins the first of four sessions on Tuesday, March 13, from 7-8:30 pm at Acacia, 14951 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park 98155.

Trudy James, MRE, is a hospital chaplain who spent twenty years supporting persons living and dying with AIDS and cancer, and their family members and volunteers. She facilitates and supports griefwork from experience and with a compassionate heart.

The loss of a loved one changes our world -- and our daily lives. We may feel isolated and alone, numb, disoriented, guilty, angry, sad, or all of these. Loss is a challenging reality to cope with on our own. Understanding more about the grief process and being with others who share our experiences can help to heal our hearts. Within a group, we have the opportunity to talk freely, learn about new resources, and maybe even discover some meaning or hidden goodness in our grief.

The group is confidential, and limited to 12 participants. It is open to the public, not just to those who are affiliated with Acacia. Call Acacia at 206-362-5525 to reserve your space. Grieving family members or friends are also welcome.




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BECU awards grants to three local schools

In support of education in Western Washington, BECU has awarded community grants to 48 local schools, including three in the Shoreline School District. This year marks the 10th year that BECU has awarded over $100,000 in community grants to support education projects that help local students excel.

“BECU School Grants allow us to support programs that can have a positive impact on the lives of students, but lack funding needed to make them a reality,” said Tom Berquist, Senior Vice President of Member Strategies. “It means a lot to BECU to be able to support schools in providing tools, experiences and resources to help give kids the best education possible.”

BECU School Grants are given out each year to local schools to help fund educational materials, programs and events, environmental learning trips, and technology tools such as calculators, microscopes, electronic dictionaries and more. Grants are awarded in three categories: Financial Literacy, Environmental Sustainability, and Technology Tools. The grants are given for up to $2,500 and are awarded based on each applicant’s requested dollar amount.

BECU received approximately 600 applications and narrowed it down to 48 based on eligibility of the request, impact on student learning, number of students reached with grant funds, and potential on-going use of the item or program.

In Shoreline, grants went to three elementary schools: Meridian Park, Briarcrest, and Parkwood.

Meridian Park – Technology Tools

Meridian Park School plans to use the BECU grant money to purchase MP3 listening stations. Listening stations offer high quality oral reading and can improve students’ reading and fluency skills. Students can access various literature and can self-select more challenging and diverse forms of literature as they go.

Briarcrest – Technology Tools

Briarcrest Elementary plans to use the BECU grant money to purchase a network color LaserJet printer. The academic program incorporates Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) strategies that heavily rely upon realistic, color-printed images. The GLAD program is used to help English language learners and economically disadvantaged children catch up academically with their peers.

Parkwood  – Environmental Sustainability

Parkwood Elementary plans to use their BECU grant money to hire Julie Luthy, an environmental educator, to teach a lesson in each of the 16 classrooms and lead 2 field trips. Her hands-on lessons and field trips are meant to have a lasting impact on the students and the teachers so that environmental concepts will be incorporated into future lesson plans.

Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, BECU is a not-for-profit credit union owned by the members. Profits are returned to the members in the form of better rates and fewer fees. With more than 750,000 members and more than $10 billion in assets, BECU is the largest credit union in Washington and one of the top five financial cooperatives in the country. BECU currently operates over 40 locations in the Puget Sound region. All Washington state residents are eligible to join.



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Double District Champs: Shorewood Drill Team Heads to State

Shorewood Drill Team celebrates two first places at District 1 Championships.
Photo by Rick Ashleman.

The Shorewood Drill team took first place in both the pom and military categories at the District 1 Championships on Saturday, March 3. 

Kamiak High School hosted the event where 13 high school teams competed for qualifying scores to move on to the WIAA State Championships March 23 – 24 in Yakima. Shorewood Drill had the second and third highest scores of the day out of the 17 performances which included pom, military, kick, dance, show and hip hop.

Coach Kathy Ross and Coach/Choreographer Tiffany Bliss were thrilled with the team’s performances, especially with the debut of their military routine.

“These girls work so hard. The dedication, commitment and work ethic it takes to be a member of this year-round team is tremendous. It’s so rewarding to see the girls realize that all their hard work really does pay off,” said Coach Kathy Ross.


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Shorewood and Shorecrest Drill Team captains with trophies


Shorewood and Shorecrest teams competed at the WIAA District 1 Championship Dance and Drill Tournament on March 3 and all three teams walked away champions. Photo by Rick Ashleman.

  • Team captains display their first place trophies. 
  • Shorecrest Hip Hop (yellow) took first in hip hop; 
  • Shorewood Drill (blue) took first in pom and military; and 
  • Shorewood Flags (pink) took first in show. 


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Flags at half-staff on Friday, March 9

Governor Chris Gregoire has directed flags at all Washington State agency facilities be lowered to half-staff Friday, March 9, 2012, in memory of U. S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Nickoulas H. Elliott, 21, of Spokane, who died February 22 in a helicopter training accident.

Flags should remain at half-staff until close of business Friday.

Other government entities, citizens and businesses are encouraged to join this recognition.

A memorial for the family is scheduled March 10 at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent.



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April is Shoreline Eats4Health Awareness Month: March 28 Kick-Off Event

Are you ready for a change to a healthier way of eating? Looking for inspiration or new ideas as you plan your meals? Need help with healthy meal preparation techniques? During the entire month of April the City and many community partners will celebrate Eats4Health month by highlighting learning opportunities, specials on nutritious foods at local stores, and lifestyle changes that can help residents lead a healthy life.

In Shoreline's Vision 2029 Statement, a 20-year community vision, Shoreline is described as a "healthy community." To further this vision, Council adopted a Healthy City Strategy that supports and encourages community members to make healthy lifestyle choices.

A primary component in healthy lifestyles is nutritious food. Access to sources of healthy food and knowing how to prepare healthy meals provides the foundation for nutritious diets and lowers the risk of obesity and diabetes. During the entire month of April the City and many community partners will celebrate Eats4Health month by highlighting learning opportunities, specials on nutritious foods at local stores, and lifestyle changes that can help residents lead a healthy life.

To kick off Eats4Health month, please join the City and partner organizations at a Healthy Eating Event on Wednesday, March 28, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at City Hall. 

Tricia Clement, dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Northwest Hospital, will present Keen Cuisine: Cents and Sensibility in the Kitchen, which will focus on low cost ways to make your meals healthful while tantalizing your taste buds. Clement has more than 20 years of experience working with both inpatients and outpatients, co-teaches the "Living Well Diabetes" classes at the hospital, and frequently participates in community events to promote wellness.

After Clement’s presentation, residents can sample food, pick up new recipes and get information on making healthy food and lifestyle choices at a vendor fair of local companies and organizations. Partner organizations include: UW Medicine/Northwest Hospital, Dale Turner YMCA, Shoreline Lake-Forest Park Senior Center, Shoreline School District Food Services, Central Market, Tiny Organics, Shoreline Farmer’s Market and Diggin' Shoreline.

Visit the City website to learn more. For questions about the City of Shoreline’s Healthy City Strategy contact Community Services Manager Rob Beem 206-801-2251.



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"Teddy Bear Patrol:" Bartell Drugs collects "bear hugs" for children, March 5-April 1

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Teddy Bear patrol bears are smaller than these charmers
Photo by Diane Hettrick
Donation options at all 58 Bartell Drugs locations

Bartell Drugs is helping to give "bear hugs" to children in stressful or traumatic situations as the Puget Sound area drugstore chain teams up again with Warm 106.9 FM in the annual "Teddy Bear Patrol" campaign, March 5-April 1.

All 58 Bartell Drugs locations are designated locations for teddy bear donations. The annual drive puts teddy bears in the hands of community police departments, hospitals and emergency response teams so they may give bears to children involved in challenging situations. More than 70,000 bears have been collected over this past several years for this tremendous cause.

Donation options at Bartell Drugs stores in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties include:
  • Purchase an official "Bartell Bear" for $7.00 and Bartell Drugs will donate a second bear to the campaign
  • Donate a new or gently used bear, under 12"

More information on the program and nearby Bartell Drugs locations, 

Founded in Seattle in 1890, Bartell Drugs is the oldest family-owned drugstore chain in the United States. 
.


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Fairy Dogfather and other authors in person at Third Place Books

Self-healing, Tuscan cooking, murders, and, yes, Fairy Dogfathers are on the program at Third Place Books as authors tour to promote their books. From the newly published to multiple best-sellers, they are all creative and interesting people, and they'll be at Lake Forest Park Towne Centre. Here's the line-up through the weekend.


Marie Manuchehri
Intuitive Self-Healing: Achieve Balance and Wellness Through the Body's Energy Centers
Wednesday, March 7 at 7pm

Even doctors and the most sophisticated tests can't always find the source of a health issue, but there is one authority that always knows--your own body. With Intuitive Self-Healing, registered nurse and renowned energy healer Marie Manuchehri provides accessible instruction for helping readers tune into their health at a deeper level.

Pamela Sheldon Johns
Cucina Povera : Tuscan Peasant Cooking (Andrews McMeel)
Thursday, March 8 at 7pm

Italian cookbook authority Pamela Sheldon Johns presents more than sixty peasant-inspired dishes from the heart of Tuscany. La cucina povera is a philosophy of not wasting anything edible and making every bite as tasty as possible. Budget-conscious dishes utilizing local and seasonal fruits and vegetables create everything from savory sauces and slow-roasted meats to flavorful vegetables and end-of-meal sweets.

Alexandra Day
Fairy Dogfather
Friday, March 9 at 10am

Young Hector has trouble with the letters D and G. Thus when he writes a request to the universe that he needs a fairy godfather, well, the Fairy Dogfather arrives instead. In Day's capable and witty hands the Fairy Dogfather turns out to be a forceful and enigmatic figure who manages, with subtle wit, to grant all of Hector's wishes.

Keith McCafferty
The Royal Wulff Murders (Vintage)
Saturday, March 10 at 6:30pm

A clever, fast-paced murder mystery full of wit, suspense, and fly fishing. When a fishing guide reels in the body of a young man from the river, Sheriff Martha Ettinger suspects foul play. It's not just the stick jammed into the man's eye that draws her attention; it's the Royal Wulff trout fly stuck in his lip. Following her instincts, Ettinger soon finds herself crossing paths with Montana newcomer Sean Stranahan.


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Sing out with the OK Chorale, Saturday, March 10

OK Chorale, 2:30-3:30 pm, Saturday, March 10, at Third Place Commons

This chorale is more than OK! It’s a non-audition choir of folks -- experienced singers and uncertain beginners -- who love to sing. Rehearsals are fun and no one gets hurt. Performances are tuneful and joyful.

Third Place Commons is in the upper level of Lake Forest Park Towne Centre, inside Third Place Books. Intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way.



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Notes from Shoreline School District meeting March 5

Shoreline School Board Meeting March 5, 2012
By Devon Vose Rickabaugh

The future of Room Nine
The board heard evidence that Room Nine Community School’s enrollment has been declining over the past five years from 135 students in the 2007-2008 year to 88 students this year and therefore the cost per student has increased. 

The directors agreed that by the next board meeting they would consider either continuing the program as is, reconfiguring it to K-6, or incorporating the school into Meridian Park Elementary. 

Superintendent Walker said that parents need to know how to plan for next year. Director Wilson asked if they could put the 7-8th grade on hold for a year to see if the enrollment increased. Several parents said that part of the appeal of Room Nine came from the K-8 option. The parents wondered if once dropped if grades 7-8 would ever return. Director Ehrlichman said she appreciated the independence of Room Nine School for families who don’t fit into regular programs. Director Wilson said, “We have to figure out a way to make it work so families know they can count on the program.”

Extended Day Kindergarten successful for low performing students
The district’s Extended Day Kindergarten Program to benefit low income low performing elementary students is a success. Dr Ellen Kaje and several Principals from schools qualifying for Title I funds presented data that 70% of students who participated in the Extended Day Kindergarten reached the benchmark goal by the end of kindergarten and 60% remained at benchmark by the end of first grade.

Home Education students win trophies in Robotics tournament
Home Education Coordinator Ron Jones introduced two teams of eight middle school aged students which had won trophies at the LEGO League’s Robotics State Championship Tournament. The students built and programmed a small robot to accomplish specified tasks, investigated a research topic: methods to prevent food contamination, proposed a solution and developed a presentation.

Dads volunteer at Briarcrest
Briarcrest principal Jonathan Nessan and Briarcrest Parent Josh Visser told the board about the Briarcrest Watchdogs who are fathers and father figures who spend time in the school welcoming students, sitting and mentoring students in class, connecting with students at lunch and recess. They become a visible presence in the building and an integral part of the school community.



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The Red Hot Blues Sisters perform St. Paddy’s Day-eve March 16 benefit concert for Shoreline Community College Foundation Music Scholarship Fund



The Red Hot Blues Sisters blow on to the Shoreline Community College campus Friday, March 16, 2012 with “Green, Red and Blues,” a St. Paddy’s Day-eve benefit concert for the college’s music scholarship fund through the Shoreline Community College Foundation.

The Sisters feature powerhouse vocalist and Shoreline Community College alum Suze Sims and gutsy melodic blues guitarist Teri Anne Wilson. The Sisters are joined by top class musicians on drums, bass, B3 organ and horns to complete their award-winning sound.

Tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets.

Sims, who earned music technology and performance degrees at Shoreline, said the concert is something she’s long wanted to do.

“This is pay-it-forward-time, the full-circle thing for me,” Sims said in announcing the concert. “I’d been working in the business for awhile and thought I knew a lot. I came here and learned so much more and how to do it right.”

Joining the Sisters on the bill will be Wired, the Snohomish-based band that just won the 2012 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn.

From Shoreline will be Funk ’n’ Groove, the student-based group directed by Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa. With horns, vocals, guitar, bass, drums and percussionists, the group is a hit on campus and at local venues. Joining the Sisters and Funk ’n’ Groove will be musicians from Shoreline’s acclaimed jazz band led by well-known jazz director and educator, Paul Harshman.

“I’ll be working with Jeff and Paul about the show,” said Sims, who is also music director for the Washington Blues Society. “There are some charts I want to bring to them, and combine the ensembles for an amazing finale.”

Blues Sisters Suze Sims and Teri Anne Wilson

Sims said she’s excited to play on campus and in the PUB main room, a three-year-old facility that wasn’t available when she was a student. 

“I hear it has a new sound system,” Sims said, adding that she walked into the music building to find Owen Strain, an experienced audio technician she has often worked with, on the college staff. “SCC is in great hands with Owen … we’ll make it great,” Sims said.


The Red Hot Blues Sisters are a hard-working band. In 2011, they toured up and down the West Coast and across Montana and Idaho. They played The Montreal International Jazz and Blues Festival, The Monterey Bay Blues Festival, Vancouver Winter Olympics, Edmundston (New Brunswick) Jazz and Blues Festival, Golden Spike (BC) Days Festival, Coeur d’Alene Blues Festival, Portland Waterfront Blues Festival and clubs across Europe, Canada, and the US. 

Closer to home, the group performed at the Bothell Park Summer Festival, Porterhouse Brew Festival, Bite Of Seattle, Mill Creek Festival, in addition to Suze’s earthshaking National Anthem performances for the WNBA Seattle Storm.

The Red Hot Blues Sisters have released two albums with a third set for later this year. Their latest release 'Red On Blue' is in the top 20 Blues and Roots radio ratings. Recent awards include:

  • 2011 Best Band – South Sound Blues Association
  • 2009 Best Band – Washington Blues Society
  • 2011, 2009 Best Female Vocalist
  • 2008 Performer of the Year
  • 2008 Kings of Beale Street Finalists
  • Five 2008 Washington Blues Society Nominations
  • 2008, ’09, ’12 International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalists
  • 2007 Best Vocal, 2006 Best Band and Best Guitar Nominees


Shoreline Community College is located at 16101 Greenwood Avenue North, just north of Seattle city limits. The PUB is located on the south end of campus near the main entrance to the college. Parking and pay stations are located near the entrance.



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School district insolvency bill passes Legislature

OLYMPIA — The state Legislature Monday passed a bill requested by State Superintendent Randy Dorn that would establish procedures for determining if a school district is unable to meet its financial obligations.

In addition to formally defining what constitutes financial insolvency, House Bill 2617 would create a financial oversight committee when a district becomes financially insolvent. The committee would make recommendations to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction about whether the district should dissolve or placed under enhanced financial monitoring.

Recent cuts to the state education budget raise the possibility that districts might have trouble paying its bills. “This is not a bill about school district consolidation,” Dorn said. “We want districts to succeed. HB 2617 is about a worst-case scenario. With continued cuts in school budgets, districts need a plan in place if they can’t pay their bills.”

There is recent history of district dissolution. In 2007, Vader School District needed state resources to help it through the dissolution process. Dorn used that experience to influence some of the details in HB 2617.

The bill now goes to Governor Gregoire for signing.

There are 295 school districts in the State of Washington. Many of them are small, including some with only three schools. Districts rely on property taxes and special levies to survive financially.



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Man drowns in Kenmore after fleeing bail bondsman

A 21 year old man last seen near the Sammamish Slough in Kenmore last night after running from a bail bondsman was found dead today around 12:45pm in approximately 8 feet of water.

The King County Sheriff’s Office started receiving calls last night at approximately 6pm. 

“The original caller said that they saw a person in some type of uniform chasing a young man towards the slough in the 17400 block of 82nd Ct NE,” said Sergeant Cindi West, King County Sheriff’s Office Spokesperson. “We started receiving more 911 calls from neighbors that heard splashing and a man yelling for help in the water.”

Deputies from the department’s Marine-Rescue and Dive Unit responded to the scene Monday night and searched for the man but were unable to locate him. 

Tuesday morning deputies contacted a woman who was with the man when he fled from the bondsman. She said that after her friend ran, he phoned her and told her to meet him on the other side of the slough. He never showed up.

Marine-Rescue and Dive Unit members went back to the scene today and discovered the man’s body in the water near the 16900 81 Ave NE.

The King County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit is investigating the incident.



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Help restore native plants at Saltwater Park Saturday, March 10

Scot's Broom

Richmond Beach Saltwater Park Habitat Restoration Project
Scot’s Broom Removal and Native Plant Work Parties
2021 NW 190th Street, Shoreline WA

Saturday, March 10, 10 am -2pm
Saturday, March 17, 10 am -2pm

Join the University of Washington Ecological Restoration Students and the City of Shoreline as they continue to restore Richmond Beach Saltwater Park. Service participants will learn a brief history of restoration work completed at the park.

This service project includes the removal of Scot’s Broom, a non-native aggressive plant species that threatens the diversity of our urban forests. Plants will be cut at the base of the trunk, then the vegetation will be hauled off site to a dumpster. 

Volunteers may bring a snack to enjoy during a mid-day break. Come prepared for the forecasted weather. Participants should meet at the restroom located in the Park’s main parking lot. Contact **Maureen Colaizzi, Parks Project Coordinator, at 206-801-2603 for more information. 

** Participants under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Participants 14-18 must have a permission form signed by a parent or guardian. 


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Woman killed in head-on crash in Kenmore Tuesday morning

According to our news partner The Seattle Times, a woman died in a head-on car crash in Kenmore this morning.

A woman was killed Tuesday morning when her car cross the center divider and hit another vehicle head-on in the Kenmore area shortly before 7 a.m.  The driver and passenger of the other car suffered serious injury. 
Roads in the area were reported slushy at the time, and police are investigating whether that  played a role in the accident, said King County sheriff’s spokeswoman Sgt Cindy West. 
West said the collision occurred in the 6500 block of Northeast Bothell Way and 65th Avenue Northeast.

Read the full story (photo, map)

Update 3-6-2012 10:15pm

The occupants of the second vehicle, an SUV, were a mother and her 15 year old daughter, residents of Bothell. Both have been treated and released from the hospital.

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SCC softball opens season 2-0-2 at NWAACC preseason tournament

2012 Lady Dolphin Softball Team
Photo by Wilson Tsoi

The Lady Dolphin Softball Team opened the season with 2 wins on Saturday at the NWAACC Pre-Season Tournament in Richland, WA and followed that up with two "Time Limit" ties on Sunday.

SCC opened the season with a 17-3 win over Pierce College and then defeated Big Bend CC 7-4 on Saturday. On Sunday, SCC had a back and forth game with Columbia Basin College, but after 9 innings, the game was a called a tie due to the time limit in place for the tournament. SCC then had a 3-1 lead on Yakima Valley Community College, but the Yaks rallied for 2 runs in the 7th to tie the game and again, the time limit expired and the game was called a tie.

SCC plays Big Bend CC on Thursday at Shoreview Park at 1:00 PM.



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SCC Men’s Basketball 2-1 at NWAACC championship, plays Bellevue College on Tuesday

Avery Scharer blocks a shot
Photo by Wilson Tsoi

The Shoreline Community College Men's Basketball Team won its second game at the NWAACC Men's Basketball Championship on Monday, defeating Lower Columbia College 80-77.

Avery Scharer led the Dolphins with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Joe Bodman added 12 points and 8 rebounds and Will Acromite scored 10 points. Shoreline led by 6 at half-time, 38-32, but could not shake LCC during the second half, as both teams swapped leads in the final 5 minutes.

SCC faces NWAACC Northern Region rival, Bellevue College tomorrow at 10:00 AM in the 7th place game. SCC and BC are 1-1 on the season, as the SCC squad beat Bellevue at home, but was routed at BC in the last game of the regular season.

SCC is 18-12 on the season and 2-1 at the NWAACC Championship. SCC dropped an opening game to Mt. Hood CC, 100-93 which sent Shoreline to the consolation bracket, before defeating Walla Walla CC on Sunday 96-94. Lower Columbia finished the season 16-13 on the year.



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Home Girls: Current real estate market in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park

By Nan Skinner

In Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, there are currently 138 residential properties for sale. The average asking price is $609,000. Prices range from $135,000 to $5.6M. These 138 properties have been on the market an average of 165 days.

People have offered to purchase 47 residential properties and are waiting on various phases of the transaction to complete before the properties become theirs. We call these “pending”. The average price of pending properties is $322,000 with prices ranging from $140,000 to $1.4M. Average number of days on the market for pending properties is 98.

During the first two months of 2012, 63 properties in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park were sold. Statistics show that the average sale price was $299,000, just 98% of the average list price of $308,500. The average number of days these properties were on the market is 98.

What does this mean? It means the real estate market is stabilizing. We are seeing multiple offers on many residential properties which indicates that the demand is increasing and supply is decreasing.


Nan Skinner is a realtor with Keller Williams and can be reached at 206-734-9289.



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Tween Night at The Rec Saturday, March 10 for 5th and 6th graders

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Einstein, Highland Terrace students to design experiments for space

Photo courtesy SSEP
Two schools in the Shoreline School District, Einstein Middle School and Highland Terrace Elementary School, have been selected to participate in Mission Two to the International Space Station through the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program,  (SSEP).

The Student Spaceflight Experiment is a national educational program undertaken by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE), in partnership with NanoRacks, LLC. One student experiment from either Einstein or Highland Terrace will be chosen from a field of over 100 completed scientific proposals from to be performed on the International Space Station this fall. Shoreline is one of only 11 districts nationwide to be chosen for this program.

The Spaceflight Program uses a commercial spaceflight payload, which will contain the student experiments, and will be placed aboard ferry vehicles for transfer to the International Space Station. The student experiment flight opportunity is enabled through NanoRacks LLC, which is in partnership with NASA under a formal Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a national laboratory.

All Einstein eighth graders and Highland Terrace sixth graders will participate in a competition between now and the end of April in which they will work in teams of four to five students to design an experiment that answers the question, "What phenomenon associated with a physical, chemical, or biological system would I like to explore with gravity turned off for a period of time?"

A committee of science professionals from the community will evaluate the proposal and select three to be sent to the National Center for Earth and Space Science for the final evaluation where one of our proposals will be selected. Then the students will prepare the winning proposal in the specially designed NanoRack Mini-lab kit and send to Houston for launch.

Shoreline teachers hope to collaborate with local scientific community. Teachers and administrators from both schools are also supporting students. Stephanie Clark is principal of Einstein Middle School and Mike VanOrden is principal of Highland Terrace Elementary. The Einstein teachers are Ellen Smith, Mary Thurber and Ryan Paulhamus and the Highland Terrace teachers are Peggy Nordwall and Dennis Griner.

This truly an out-of-this world experience for these young students and staff and was made possible by the support of the Shoreline Community, including the Shoreline Public Schools Foundation, the Knossos Foundation, the, the Wong family, Tiia-Mai Redditt, Einstein PTSA and Highland Terrace PTSA.

Parents and community members with expertise in science and research are invited to consider helping mentor students with their proposals or participate on the evaluation committee. The schools would like to provide students with contacts of professionals in various fields of science to ask questions as they develop their experiments. If you can help please contact Mike Van Orden or Stephanie Clark.

For more information about this amazing learning opportunity visit the program's website.


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Grace Cole work party Saturday, March 10


Join the Stewardship Foundation at the Grace Cole Nature Park Work Party

Location: Grace Cole Nature Park, 30th Ave NE and NE 165th Street. Go south on 28th from NE 178th in Lake Forest Park and drive about 1/2 mile until just before the road turns. You'll see Grace Cole Nature Park on your right.

Saturday, March 10th: We will be planting ferns along the new trails as well as on the steep slopes in the upper area of the park. Some will also be involved in their favorite task: removing blackberries.

Details: Times as always will be 9am - 12pm. Dress for the weather and bring water, gloves and tools if you'd like. We will have gloves, tools, snacks and juice.

All volunteers will be greeted with open arms! We encourage student participation.

For more information, contact Mamie Bolender, 206-364-4410.



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Town hall on Marriage equality by Washington United for Marriage

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Shorecrest Hip Hop takes first place at district competition - again

Shorecrest 2012 Hip Hop Team takes First at District competition

By Rex Kinney, Coach

The Hip Hop Team at Shorecrest High School competed at the District 1 Championships on Saturday and took home FIRST PLACE in the hip hop category! This was their SEVENTH consecutive District Title in the past 10 years. Team was lead by Captains Grace Masaoka, James Kim and Officers Zahra Masaoka and Peter Joo. Shorewood HS also competed at the Districts yesterday and took First Place in Show, Pom, Military Category. Both Shorewood and Shorecrest have qualified for the WIAA STATE DANCE/DRILL Championships at the Yakima Sun Dome on March 23-24th.

Additionally the Shorecrest Hip Hop Team will be leaving this Thursday March 8th to compete at a NATIONAL competition in Los Angeles, California. Their last trip to a National competition was in 2010 to New York City where they swept their categories with two routines winning First in Small and Medium Team Hip Hop and First place overall for all hip hop teams at that National event.



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WeatherWatcher: More wet snow predicted

Monday, March 5, 2012

  1. Last week's highlights
  2. This week, more snow? Not again!
  3. Longer range, ENSO status


Last week we had a lot of days sit on the border line of freezing temperatures with precipitation, most of which fell as rain and snow mixed. We had a trace amount of snow stick but it was very short lived.

This week there is a new threat of the white stuff which was fulfilled Monday morning with a light dusting of snow. Tuesday and Wednesday we may have more of the white stuff. Temperatures will be about 1 degree colder. Last week the snow level hovered at about 6-700 feet, briefly coming down to about 300 feet. This week it looks like it will get as low as 200ft - sea level at times. 1-3 inches could accumulate in the convergence band, which could form anywhere from Everett to North Seattle (Northgate area). This puts us right in the prime target zone once again, but as before, it could be just too far north to reach us. If any snow accumulates, it will be very wet, and it will probably melt off fairly quickly. Most of this stuff will be over by Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday afternoon - Friday it looks like we'll be mostly sunny now, with some rain showers here and there that move through. On these clear nights temperatures will most likely hit freezing, so watch for ice on the morning commutes.

Life in the Convergence Zone
Snow on the ground, buds in the trees, sunshine, and rain
Photo by Diane Hettrick

Longer range:
ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) has dissipated to a neutral state. However we have many other longer term oscillations in place that are playing a roll on our weather. This winter was not a typical La Niña winter, with near normal precipitation, and longer than normal dry spells. It's too early yet to tell if this winter season was drier than normal or not, it's fairly close to normal. The Arctic region is still much colder than average, especially for this time of year where it normally starts to warm up. The forecast models for the next 2 weeks are looking for more of what we've been getting now, some breezy mild days mixed with cold fronts bringing snow and rain mixed into the area.

For most of March we may actually have fairly normal March weather, with the exception of rain and snow mixed here and there. I will not rule out the possibility of a strong enough convergence zone band to actually give us a decent shot of additional snow accumulation, though short lived, could easily provide us 2-6 inches at some point down the road. This possibility will exist through the end of April. We will likely see another wind storm as well before summer arrives.

Signs point to an El Niño developing later this spring into summer, I'll have more on that later this week.

My judgment on our local weather is based on my personal studies of historic weather coordinated with the known past of global oscillations and global events, including but not limited to the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation.) Links to many of my resources can be found at Carl's Shoreline Weather Station, under weather links.

Twitter: @SWeatherWatcher

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