Arts al Fresco 2014 begins Thursday at Shoreline City Center

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Camp Harmony by artist John Zylstra

Arts al Fresco 2014
Thursday, August 7th at Shoreline City Hall
 and the Town Center Area
6:00 – 8:00pm

The Sculpture Stroll, Piano Time sights and sounds, and a Shoreline City Hall Gallery Opening all rolled into one make the 3rd annual Arts al Fresco an event to remember! It’s free and you are invited! 6:00-8:00pm on Thursday, August 7th. This event marks another season of artistically decorated pianos available to play at various outdoor Shoreline locations through the month of August, large outdoor sculptures, and more art inside the City Hall Gallery.

Arts al Fresco is the kick-off for Celebrate Shoreline this year; eleven days of lively events to engage your senses. On August 7th we’ll celebrate nine new sculptures and five continuing pieces on the City Hall lawn and the Park at Town Center. This visual treat will remain in place all year with a new opportunity to vote for a People’s Choice Award from August 7th to September 7th. The taste treats will include Streetzeria pizza and Wheely Cool Treats. You’ll want to stroll the sculpture and piano trail, enjoy the music on the brick road, watch a chalk artist at work, and continue down to the Gateway Plaza where Menchies, Tony / Guy’s and Wallcotts will be participating with samples and artists in action. Ashley Webster will also be there performing on a tangram piano that you can play as well.

Florabunda by Maria Mondloch

The artist-decorated Piano Time instruments will be out and about all of August. Six pianos from the 2013 event will be joined by five additional creations to ensure lots of tunes in the air. During Arts al Fresco Nelda Swiggett will perform on the piano in the City Hall courtyard with bass player Chris Symer, and out on Red Brick Road across the street the fabulous Steve Flynn will be playing boogie woogie and swing for listening and dancing. You may even see dancing crayons. At other times the pianos will be available for organized or impromptu performances by passers-by. You will definitely want to find and play them all. 

With a new Gallery at City Hall exhibit opening on August 7th as well, including several small sculptures by internationally known artist Phillip Levine, you’ll certainly want to explore the visual feasts indoors and out.  There will be information about the Gallery plus maps to help you take the Sculpture Stroll and discover the unique pianos. Light refreshments will be available for purchase so bring your friends, family and visitors to celebrate the sounds and sights of summer at Arts al Fresco. Mark your calendars for this fun event now!

For more information check the website or email.


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WeatherWatcher: Weekly Report - Thunderstorms - Forecast

Forecast
Last two week's highlights - thunderstorms
Last week's data and graphs

Forecast: It's looking like we will continue our above average temperatures and sunshine for the next 7 days. Highs will range in the 80's with lows in the 60's or upper 50's. Mix in a chance of a thunderstorm here and there as it's possible for upper level disturbances from the southwest to continue to bring some of that monsoon moisture up here once in a while. This was a pattern I was expecting to happen this summer with the weak El Niño going on.

Highlights: Wednesday the 23rd we had a fairly significant Pacific storm move through the region, starting off with some lighting in the area and followed by heavy rain as the storm front moved through. Very out of season, especially because late July and early August are historically the driest time of the year for this area. There was even a large power outage in the North Shoreline area and parts of Lake Forest Park which shutdown the weather station. Backup power normally in place also failed that morning, naturally before the actual power outage. With 4,500 customer affected, Shorecrest High school was the only station I could find that was online during the day and not affected by the power outage, so I pulled the rainfall total for the day from that station. Total rainfall for the day, 0.93 inches, far greater than the normal total rainfall for the entire month of July, records were broken.

The fun continued Saturday morning (August 2nd) and afternoon where moisture from the southwest continued to flow into the Puget Sound area, some of the convection was so rapid you could actually watch these clouds grow out of thin air, and on the visible satellites as they moved north through Seattle. Right around North Seattle and Shoreline is where the clouds got tall enough and heavy enough to produce precipitation and lightning. Some showers started as far south as Seatac as well. Total rainfall for Saturday August 2nd from the storms amounted to about .03 inches, also reported from Shorecrest High School. My rain gauge only measures in 0.04 increments so anything less than that isn't enough to tip it.

Last week's data:
High temperature: 89.0°F (Friday)
Low temperature: 51.6°F (Saturday)
No measurable rainfall.
Warmest day: 69.3°F (Monday)
Coldest day: 63.8°F (Saturday)
Average temperature: 67.7°F
Historic average: 65.5°F

Graphs:

Below I have the daily average dew point for the month of July, as you can see it's been above 50°F most of the month. Things probably felt a bit "muggy" on a lot of days. We dried out quite nicely however right at the end of the month, but that changed at the start of August.

Next is the daily high and low temperatures compared to the average for July, we've been breaking 80°F far more often than normal this year. Low temperatures were also warmer than normal, but not by an alarming amount. Since the El Niño has weakened to an almost neutral state now I think we might have some relief from the heat around the middle of August.

Daily Average dew point for July 2014

Temperatures for July 2014
For current weather conditions and emergency updates, see http://www.shorelineweather.com


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Cooking local: Edible flowers

Edible Flowers

So you went away for a weekend. It was hot and sunny, and your kale, or mustard greens, or broccoli, turnips or some other brassica sp. went haywire, bolted, and started producing these yellow flowers. What do you do?

Bolted kale

Eat them. Turns out, any plant where we eat the leaves, we can eat the flowers. The flower petals are simply specialized leaves. Some flowers may not taste particularly good – many lettuce flowers are particularly bitter – but they are all edible. (Hey – what? There are lettuce flowers?! Yes – that’s where lettuce seeds come from.)

Don’t be scared off by the bitter lettuce flowers, skip to the yummy ones. Arugula flowers have a curiously sweet, spicy flavor – some people even think they taste a bit like peanuts, making them a very nice accompaniment to Thai food (try them on a cold Thai Beef Salad). Broccoli flowers taste of broccoli, kale flowers are a nice addition to any salads, and those bright red and orange nasturtiums you are seeing in lettuce mixes also have a pleasant sweet and peppery flavor.



For an especially tasty treat, snap up those squash blossoms as they appear at the Farmers Market. The very yummiest combination is the female flowers atop itty-bitty baby summer squash. These are so crisp and sweet you’ll see the relationship of cucumbers and summer squash as you eat one up. (The male flowers are the ones on regular stems. Very spiky – don’t {owww---ptooie!} eat them.)  Both male and female flowers have a large center – pistil or stamen – that is edible, but it does have an odd texture, and gets in the way of stuffing, so it is usually broken off and removed.

Now, make a salad that includes flowers, and enjoy this summer-only treat!

And if you are feeling adventurous, try this simple stuffing for squash blossoms.

Tomato Bread Crumb Dressing
-for-
Squash Blossoms and Baby Summer Squash

Ingredients:
  • bread – 1 slice (or the hard ends off a baguette)
  • cherry tomatoes – 6-8, any color
  • parsley – small handful (basil and oregano are also good here)
  • queso fresco or feta cheese (or any other fresh cheese)
  • garlic clove
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • baby summer squash and blossoms – 6 -12 or however many you can get
  • oil – a few tsp
Equipment:
  • toaster -or- oven and pan
  • knife
  • cutting board
  • small bowl
  • sauté pan
  • spatula
  • (tongs)
  • food processer (optional)
  • serving plate
Prep:
  1. Toast the bread and break into crumbs.  (This is very fast in the food processor).  If using the food processor, toss the parsley and garlic in with the crumbs to mince and mix them together.  Otherwise finely chop the parsley and garlic by hand.
  2. Cut or crumble the cheese into tiny pieces.  Halve the tomatoes and clean out the seeds and goo and discard (this keep the bread crumbs from getting too squishy).  Chop up the tomatoes small.
  3. Mix the breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, tomatoes and cheese.  Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
  4. Gently rinse the baby squash, rub to remove any prickly hairs and trim off any spiky stems.  Gently open the blossoms and remove the pistil or stamen inside (edible, but not scrumptious).
Cook!
  1. Carefully stuff the blossoms with a tsp or two of stuffing.  Don’t over-stuff.  You don’t want to tear the fragile blossoms and have the mixture spilling everywhere.
  2. Pour about 2 tsp of oil into the sauté pan with a few breadcrumbs.  Place the pan over medium-high heat.  When the breadcrumbs have fried, the pan is hot and ready to go (about 4 minutes).
  3. Gently place the baby squash and blossom in the hot pan.  Sauté and gently turn the baby squash and blossoms until they are browned on all sides (about 10 minutes).  Set them aside on a plate.
  4. Quickly fry the rest of the breadcrumb mixture in an additional tsp of oil.  It is done when the crumbs have darkened a little and the cheese crumbles are soft.
  5. Place the crumb mixture on the serving plate with the fried baby squash and blossoms.
  6. Eat ‘em up while they are hot.  Repeat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday June 14th - October 4th
The Shoreline Farmers Market at Shoreline City Hall
Top level of the Parking Structure (Free Parking underneath)
17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline

Sunday May 11th - October 26th
The Lake Forest Park Farmers Market will be at Third Place Commons
Lower Level Parking Lot (Free Parking in surrounding spots and in the upper lot)
17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greta Hardin is a science teacher, food nerd, and the author of Cooking Your Local Produce: A cookbook for tackling Farmers Markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and your own back yard.

Cooking Your Local Produce now has a  CookLocal App for iPhone! A Farmers Market Guide and Shopping Lists for recipes.

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Two Shoreline girls finish summer basketball travels

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Kallin Spiller (left) holds the 3rd place trophy for the USJN tournament
 in the 17U division. Taryn Shelley holds the 3rd place trophy
for the Oregon End of Trails Tournament 17U division.

Two 15 year old Shoreline residents, Taryn Shelley of Shorewood High School and Kallin Spiller of Lakeside High School, just completed their summer basketball travel tournament schedule with the ECBA Swish Black Elite 15U team.

They finished their travels with a 4th place finish at the MSNM Western Championships after an 11 day trip. The trip took them first to the Nike US Junior National Championships in Washington, DC where they finished 3rd and then straight to San Diego for their last event of the season.
 
Swish Black is made up of mostly 15 and 16 year olds from around the Puget Sound. Their travels since April have included the top tournaments around the country. Swish Black always plays in the top high school division at every tournament, against juniors and seniors and many D1 college recruits.
 
Their spring tournament results are as follows:
  • 2014 NW All Stars Tournament of Champions. Seattle, WA. Tournament Champions.
  • 2014 YEA Invitational.  Tacoma, WA.Tournament Champions.
  • 2014 Boo Williiams Nike Invitational Tournament, Hampton, Virginia.
  • 2014 Inland Empire AAU Best of the West Tournament. Yakima, WA. Tournament Champions.
  • 2014 WTA Slamma Jamma. Kirkland, WA.Tournament Champions.
  • 2014.Nike West Coast Premier Invitational, Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Took 3rd place.
  • 2014 MSNM End of Trails Tournament, Oregon City, OR. Elite Bracket Tournament Champions.
  • Nike National Invitational, Chicago, IL. Viewing tournament. Won 4 of 5 games.
  • Nike U.S. Junior National Championships,  Washington DC.  Took 3rd place. Won 7 of 8 games. 
  • 12th Annual MSNM Western Championships. San Diego, CA. Took 4th place.
 
Team at the Nike Junior Nationals tournament in Washington DC
with coaches Jan Nicholas and Brent Merritt

The team is sponsored by former Seahawk Sam Adams and is coached by Adams as well as former UW player and Garfield High School boys assistant coach, Brent Merritt and former Oregon State player Jan Nicholas.
 
Taryn Shelley (Shorewood) is a 6'3" center for ECBA Swish Black and Kallin Spiller (Lakeside) is a 6'2" power forward on the team.
 
The rest of the roster is: Mikayla Pivec, Lynnwood HS, Te'a Adams, Juanita HS, Shalexxus Aaron, Juanita HS, Mandy Steward, Bellevue HS,Tatiana Streun, Bellevue HS, Mackenzie Keeter, Bellevue HS, Nia Alexander, Todd Beamer HS, Avery Granberg, Liberty HS, Lindsey Cleary, Holy Names HS, Kennedy Nicholas, Inglemoor HS, Ifeoma Emeka, Inglemoor HS, McKenzie Gardner, Inglemoor HS, Jaisa Nunn, Juanita HS, Kayla Anderson Mountainview HS (Boise, ID) and Mallory LaPoole, Lakes HS.
 

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Inaugural Community Garage Sale at Parkwood, September 27


Collect your treasures over the summer and sell them at the inaugural Parkwood Community Garage Sale on September 27, 10 am – 2 pm, rain or shine, at Parkwood Elementary School grounds, 1815 N 155th St, Shoreline, WA 98133.

This Community Garage Sale is hosted by the Parkwood Elementary PTA and benefits the school’s 6th grade camp.

Register soon, as space is limited! More information and registration form online.
  • $15 registration fee per 8’ table space for Parkwood Elementary School families
  • $25 registration fee per 8’ table space for community members at large
  • Bring your own table(s) and chair(s)

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Top stories in July 2014 - Facebook, email, and web

Who is reading what?

Since we began the Shoreline Area News in 2009, the metrics for tracking and analyzing stories have upgraded across all platforms. We used to publish the top 5 stories each month, which were the stories with the largest number of web hits. We had to stop when we were invaded by a couple of sites which artificially inflated the numbers and made them unreliable.

With the new metrics, it has become clear that our different editions have different reader groups with different interests. Combining those numbers would not give an accurate picture nor would it give you information about stories you missed that you would be interested in.

So, these are the separate numbers for our Facebook friends, our email subscribers, and those who find us on the web - most often through links from our news partners The Seattle Times and King 5.com. Web users include the small but growing number of Twitter only readers (@ShorelineArea), as well as those who just Google for us.

Stories are listed in order of popularity.

Facebook (Shoreline Area News)
  1. Families invited to attend (YMCA)
  2. Live and local (July 30)
  3. Meridian Park Classic Car Show
  4. On the mayor's mind (shop Shoreline)
  5. Save this: 10 days of Celebrate Shoreline
  6. Quick Start Shoreline (July 29)
On the email edition (subscribe here)
  1. Learn how to create and care for bonsai
  2. Have fun at NW SolarFest this Saturday
  3. Author of The Boys in the Boat to speak
  4. Brown Bear Free Car Wash Day
  5. Letter to the Editor: Chris Eggen
From the web
  1. Photo: Black helicopters at Richmond Beach
  2. Lake Forest Park street overlay project
  3. Crime in Shoreline A-Z (Rethink the doggie door)


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Cookin’ with Kilowatts Recipe Contest accepting submissions

Friday, August 1, 2014


Kids and adult contest rewards customers for conserving electricity while cooking

Seattle City Light is launching the Second Annual Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest, which aims to raise residential customer awareness of energy consumption and its environmental impact. Kids and adults are invited to send in their recipe submissions to SCL_Recipes@seattle.gov

Every contestant who submits a recipe using a more energy-efficient method of cooking will receive a thank you gift including a pot holder and chef’s hat. Contest submissions are accepted from July 1 – October 3, 2014.

City Light is asking customers to submit their most creative, tastiest recipes using an alternative cooking method that uses less electricity than a stovetop or oven. As you see in the chart below, a microwave uses less energy than the oven.


APPLIANCE
TEMPERATURE
TIME
ENERGY
COST*
Electric oven
350 F
1 hour
2.0 kWh
19 ¢
Toaster oven
425 F
50 minutes
.95 kWh
9 ¢
Crockpot
200 F
7 hours
.7 kWh
7 ¢
Microwave oven
High setting
15 minutes
.36 kWh
3 ¢
Table from Consumer Guide to how Energy Savings
*Assumes 9.5 cents/KWh

The Cookin' with Kilowatts contest challenges adults and children in our community to think about how they can reduce their personal energy use, and thereby contribute to a healthier environment. More information can be found on the Cookin’ with Kilowatts website.

There are two categories for this year’s Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest: 
  1. an Adults Contest open to adults as well as students in grade 9 and above, and 
  2. a Kids Contest open to children in grades K-8. 
Each will have a first, second and third place winner with prizes including $100, $150 and $250 gift cards for adults, and $75, $100 and $150 Disney gift cards for children.

The winners will be chosen from a panel of judges at a celebratory event to be held in October 2014. Each submission will be judged based on creativity, energy saved and presentation.

There is no entry fee, and all Seattle City Light customers are encouraged to apply. Bonus points are awarded to those who send photos of themselves with their dish and chef hat to this email.

For more information about the Cookin’ with Kilowatts contest, including contest rules and how to apply, visit the contest website. The 2013 contest cookbook can also be downloaded from the Cookin’ with Kilowatts website.


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Attorney General seeks to join marijuana lawsuits

marijuana leaves
Attorney General Bob Ferguson moved to intervene in three marijuana lawsuits filed against the cities of Wenatchee and Fife. Businesses that applied for marijuana licenses have sued these cities in Chelan and Pierce County Superior Courts to challenge city ordinances that block them from operating. The AGO is intervening to defend Initiative 502, not to support the plaintiffs’ or cities’ positions.

“As Attorney General, my job is to make sure the will of the people is upheld,” said Ferguson. “If any party to these lawsuits seeks to overturn state laws, my office will be there to defend the law.”

The AGO is authorized by law to intervene in a lawsuit to protect the interests of the people of the state. Intervention means the AGO would become a party to each lawsuit and be able to participate fully in briefings, hearings and trial. The AGO often intervenes, for example, in environmental and consumer protection cases.

Approved by voters in 2012, I-502 legalized the possession and sale of recreational marijuana in Washington and created a system of state licensing and regulation.

The cities of Wenatchee and Fife passed local ordinances that prohibit operating marijuana businesses within their cities. The plaintiffs in SMP Retail, LLC v. Wenatchee, Graybeard Holdings, LLC v. Fife and MMH, LLC v. Fife seek to invalidate these local ordinances so they can sell recreational marijuana.

Evaluating the claims in the Wenatchee and Fife lawsuits will require the courts to interpret I-502 and determine whether, under the initiative and the Washington Constitution, state law preempts local authority to legislate on this subject.  A formal opinion released by the AGO in January 2014 concluded that, as drafted, I-502 does not prevent cities and counties from banning marijuana businesses.

Some local governments that have banned marijuana businesses have said that, if sued by potential local marijuana businesses, they will argue that federal law preempts I-502. The AGO intends to intervene in such cases in the future, to ensure that I-502 is properly interpreted under state law and to defend against any claim of federal preemption. 


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King County Assessor Lloyd Hara to host Town Hall Meeting in Shoreline August 12th

King County Assessor
Lloyd Hara
King County Assessor Lloyd Hara from the Department of Assessments and representatives from the King County Board of Equalization will host a town hall meeting in Shoreline on Tuesday, August 12 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm.

This public town hall will be an opportunity for the residents of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and Kenmore to learn more about their property assessments and values, senior and disabled exemptions, online services and the appeals process.

Property values in West Shoreline for 2014 increased 15.6%, West Central Shoreline increased 16.2%, East Shoreline increased 16.2%, and Lake Forest Park/West Kenmore increased 20.5%. Annually, the King County Assessor’s Office values over 700,000 parcels and physically inspects 1/6th of the County.

Property taxes fund state and county services, including roads, transit, schools, libraries, and hospitals.

The King County Board of Equalization (BOE) will be present to provide information on property valuation appeals: The BOE is independent from the Assessor’s Office and is comprised of seven citizen members appointed by the King County Executive and confirmed by the King County Council. King County property owners have 60 days from the postmark date on their valuation notice to file an appeal.

Tuesday, August 12th 
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Shoreline City Hall
17500 Midvale Ave. N
Shoreline, WA 98133

“Property values for King County have continued to show signs of strengthening as we emerge from the Great Recession,” said King County Assessor Lloyd Hara. “Of the 86 residential areas in King County designated by the Assessor’s Office, we saw a residential valuation decrease only in 10 areas for the 2013 assessment year, we expect this trend to continue as we complete our 2014 valuations.”

For more information, visit the King County Assessor’s website or contact Phillip Sit, 206/263-2261.


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Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) completes work in City Parks

Mamie Bolender (left) with WCC workers
in a Lake Forest Park park  


Thanks to the dedication of citizen volunteer Mamie Bolender who applied for a grant to conduct this work, WCC dedicated the month of July working hard in Lake Forest Park parks to remove invasive species.

A WCC worker removes invasive Ivy and Blackberry
along McKinnon Creek Pedestrian Trail to 

WCC spent time in Pfingst Animal Acres Park, the City-owned property on Perkins Way, McKinnon Creek Pedestrian Trail, and Grace Cole Nature Park.

WCC is housed through Washington State Department of Ecology and is designed to provide meaningful service and training opportunities to young adults (18-25) and military veterans.


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Heraldnet: Taxes dominate issues for 32nd state Senate seat

From HeraldNet.com

The HeraldNet, out of Everett, published a story about the 32nd district candidates for the state senate.

Maralyn Chase, a long-time legislator, faces a challenge both within her Democrat party and from Republican Robert Reedy in the Aug. 5 primary race for the 32nd state Senate seat.The three candidates outlined how they would approach two big issues facing the state: paying for transportation and fully funding public education, a step ordered by the state Supreme Court.The top two finishers in the primary election will go on to the November general election ballot.
Read the entire story here 

The 32nd Legislative District includes Shoreline, part of northwest Seattle, Lynnwood, Woodway and nearby unincorporated areas of southwest Snohomish County, and parts of Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace.


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Cheryl Roberts begins term as president of Shoreline Community College

Informal greeting for new college president
Photo by Jim Hills
Cheryl Roberts is the new president of Shoreline Community College, the eighth in the 50-year history of the institution.

Roberts took the reins on Friday, Aug. 1, 2014, transitioning from interim president Daryl Campbell. 

“I’m very happy, very excited to be here at Shoreline,” Roberts said at the gathering. “How could one not be excited to be at a college with the vision of being a world-class leader in student success and community engagement?”

Cheryl Roberts
Shoreline Community College President
Photo by Jim Hills

While Roberts grew up in Tacoma, Washington, her family roots extend to the South at a time when segregation was the rule. Her father, LeRoy Roberts, Jr., was a member of the Tuskegee Airmen and a decorated African-American fighter pilot in WWII. Her mother was an academic librarian. With a strong focus on education at home, Roberts went on to graduate from Seattle University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, earn a Master of Arts in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education from the Ohio State University and eventually a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Seattle University.

For the past seven years, Roberts served as president at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Ore. Before going to Oregon, she was a vice president at then-South Seattle Community College and held other positions in the Seattle system as well as at the University of Washington.

“There is really nothing like working at a community college where there is such a tremendous opportunity to make such a difference in so many lives,” Roberts said.

Roberts said that along with her education and professional experience, growing up in the South and Tacoma has helped to shape the way she approaches her job. “I do have a lens,” she said. “I have a heart for access and diversity.”

Roberts told the gathering on Friday that she intends to take the first 100 days “listening to you.” She said she was attracted to Shoreline by the strong reputation for excellence in university transfer and professional-technical programs. “What really won me over is the sense of community, that we are all here for the students and to create an environment where everyone can do their best work,” she said.

Roberts is a voice for higher education at the national level. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Community Colleges. She sits on the association’s executive committee and chairs the Committee on Program Initiatives and Workforce Training.

Following a national search, Roberts was the unanimous choice by Shoreline’s Board of Trustees on April 21, 2014. She takes over from Campbell, who had been vice president for administrative services since 2008 and served for the past year as interim president during the search process. Campbell was recently appointed president and CEO of Seattle Goodwill Industries. (See article). 

The presidential position was opened in July, 2013, when then-president Lee Lambert left to become chancellor of the Pima Community College system in Tucson, Ariz. (See article).



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Aurora construction update

Aurora Corridor Construction Update - August 1, 2014

Utility Work

Excavation will continue during daytime hours (7:00am to 3:30pm) for utility work (power, lighting, and communications) on the west side of Aurora. 


The contractor plans to install the utility crossings between N 195th and N 200th during the first two weeks of August. During this work, Aurora will be one lane in each direction, generally between the hours of 7:00pm and 5:00am.

The crews will do everything they can to minimize the noise at night; however, night work may present a noise impact to nearby residents and businesses.

Roadway Work

Storm drain work, resulting in trenching and installation of new manholes or inlets, and the construction of new curbs, gutters, and sidewalks is in progress. Southbound Aurora may be restricted to one lane during the daytime non-commute hours to perform any of the work above. 

2014 Activities

Activities on the west side of Aurora that will continue through most of this year include asphalt pavement removal, excavation, utility work, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, retaining walls, and paving.

Questions or concerns about construction?
  • Call 206-801-2485 - 24 hours a day or email
Sign up to receive alerts and construction updates on Alert Shoreline

Remember that all the businesses are open. Look for the Business Access signs for the driveways.


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New Shoreline Theatre Company brings free outdoor performances of "Into The Woods" to City Hall in August



The new Aurora Theatre Company will bring its inaugural production of the Stephen Sondheim-James Lapine award-winning musical Into The Woods to Shoreline City Hall for six free, outdoor performances:
  • August 8-9, 15-16 and 22-23, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00pm. 

Into The Woods is a magical retelling of your favorite Grimm’s Fairy Tales characters and their search for “Happily Ever After.” What begins as an irreverent fantasy becomes a moving lesson about community responsibility and the stories that we tell our children.

The cast of Into The Woods
pose in the City Hall courtyard

Directed by Scott Charles Francis, with Musical Direction by Avery Groenmann and Brandon Peck, the cast features Rachel Brinn, Justin Johns, Andrew Larson, Candace Larson, Matthew Steven Lawrence, Patrick J. Lucey-Conklin, Sarah McGrath, Adam Minton, Chelsea Moe and Katherine Poor. This Into The Woods will be a departure from most productions: there will be only 10 actors taking on all the roles, with two musicians. 

The City of Shoreline, Shoreline Community College, Charlie’s Produce and Il Terrazzo Carmine / Intermezzo Carmine, have joined together with Aurora Theatre Company to present the six performances with no charge to the public. Reservations are FREE and can be made online 

Director Scott Francis has been working closely with Shoreline’s Economic Development Program Manager, Dan Eernissee, to work out all the details of this production in the outdoor plaza amphitheater at Shoreline City Hall – it is a first for both Shoreline and Aurora Theatre Company. Into The Woods is delighted to be a featured event at Celebrate Shoreline.

Patrons are invited to come as early as 6:00pm and bring blankets, jackets and a picnic supper and be ready to enjoy this “theatre under the stars” production. There will also be food carts at some performances where patrons can purchase meals and/or desserts, including Sweet Wheels and Wheely Cool Treats. 
Mark your calendars and get ready to enjoy a magical theatrical experience under the stars!

Aurora Theatre Company is on Facebook

For more information or to make a donation to help with production costs (there are wonderful perks available), send an email.

Shoreline City Hall 17500 Midvale Avenue North, Shoreline, WA 98133. Free Parking at the City Hall parking garage.


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Metro route 331 reduced - not eliminated



Thanks to the readers who pointed out that Metro route 331 is not eliminated but reduced in hours. (see previous story

"Changes to Route 331

On weekdays, all trips after 7 p.m. will be discontinued.

Rider options

After 7 p.m., the following routes can be used to make connections at the Northgate Transit Center:

Route 345 to or from Shoreline Community College.
Route 346 to or from the Aurora Village Transit Center.
Route 347 to or from Ballinger Terrace.
Sound Transit Route Route 522 to or from Kenmore and Lake Forrest Park; transfer to routes 41 or 75 in Lake City."


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Demolition begins at Aldercrest Annex

Contractors hired by the Shoreline School District have begun demolition of the gymnasium, electrical building and remaining foundations on the Aldercrest Annex site in Shoreline.

Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

Photo courtesy Shoreline Schools

The buildings in the complex have been vacant for years and the target of squatters, arsonists, and graffiti taggers. One building was demolished after a fire destroyed most of it. See the previous article on the site.


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Large turnout of families for Aaron Crawford concert at Animal Acres

Thursday, July 31, 2014



Photos and text by Jerry Pickard

Wednesday was a beautiful evening for a concert. Aaron Crawford and his band were playing at Animal Acres and everyone enjoyed his music. The weather was mid seventies and clear. Aaron and the group played a large selection of music with a little something for everyone.


The Robertson family of Lake Forest Park were enjoying the music and the evening.



The next concert is August 6 when the six piece Bluegrass Band - The Weavils –  plays in Richmond Beach Library Park.


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Special City Council meeting Friday

City Council Meeting
Friday, August 1, 2014 – Special Meeting 9:00 a.m.

As required by RCW 42.30, the Open Public Meetings Act, YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that the Shoreline City Council will hold a special meeting on Friday, August 1, 2014. 

The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. and is scheduled to conclude at 9:30 a.m. It will be held in Council Chambers at Shoreline City Hall, located at 17500 Midvale Avenue N, Shoreline, WA 98133. 

The purpose of this meeting is to Adopt Ord. No. 697 Amending the Budget to Increase the Appropriation in the Equipment Replacement Fund and Waiving Council Rule 3.5 and Authorizing the City Manager to Sign a Purchase Agreement for a Parks Bucket Truck and Chipper Box.






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Van accepting ballots in Shoreline Saturday, Monday and Tuesday


Voters can leave their ballots for the Tuesday, Aug. 5 primary election at a drop-off van Saturday, Monday and Tuesday at the Shoreline/Aurora Square Shopping Center, 15505 Westminster Way N., Shoreline. (Upper lot)

The van will accept ballots Saturday and Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, Election Day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters also can leave ballots at 24-hour drop boxes at the Lake Forest Park City Hall or nine other sites around King County.


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Heidi Thaut to serve as interim principal of Highland Terrace Elementary

Heidi Thaut, interim principal
Highland Terrace Elementary
Heidi Thaut has been selected as interim principal of Highland Terrace Elementary for the 2014-15 school year., Superintendent Rebecca Miner announced. 

Former principal Mike VanOrden has left Shoreline to accept an administrative position in the Lake Washington School District.

Heidi is excited to be returning to Washington state after spending the last four years as director of extended learning opportunities for the Marana Unified School District in Arizona. She previously worked for 10 years in the Marysville School District in Snohomish County, first as principal of two elementary schools and later as director of categorical programs. She also taught for seven years in two elementary schools in Edmonds.

As a principal in Marysville, Heidi was selected by the superintendent to mentor her fellow elementary principals and was also awarded Educator of the Year by the PTSA. As a member of the Marysville Rotary, she received the Paul Harris Fellow award for developing positive relations between the school district and community.

Heidi graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in English and also received her teaching certification and masters in Education Leadership from UW.


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Shoreline resident earns scholarship from WWU

Western Washington University student Colleen O’Toole King, daughter of Sheila and Clarence King of Shoreline, has accepted a $1,000 J. Ruth Kelsey Merit Scholarship for the 2014-2015 academic year. The scholarship is awarded to a student whose experience in the student practicum demonstrates potentially outstanding teaching skills.

King graduated from Shorewood High School in 2011 and is expected to graduate from Western in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in Art Education. She hopes to become a high school art teacher after graduation.

Western Washington University is located in Bellingham, Washington.


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Plan for traffic jams


Harmony, at WSDOT, provided the following list of events which could create traffic challenges this weekend - other than the Blue Angels, Seafair, express lanes going against you, construction projects and all the other fun things about driving in Seattle.

Events to note

Before you head out to enjoy wherever your plans take you this weekend and into early next week, check out some events that could slow you down if you don’t plan ahead.

Friday, Aug. 1 
Santana - The Corazón Tour, 7 p.m., White River Amphitheater 

Sunday, Aug. 3 
Seattle Storm vs. San Antonio Silver Stars, 6 p.m., KeyArena 

Tuesday, Aug. 5 
Mariners vs. Atlanta Braves, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field 

Wednesday, Aug. 6 
Mariners vs. Atlanta Braves, 12:40 p.m., Safeco Field 

Thursday, Aug. 7 
Seattle Storm vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m., KeyArena 
Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field 

Friday, Aug. 8
Lady Gaga, KeyArena (TBA) 
Mariners vs. Chicago White Sox, 7:10 p.m., Safeco Field


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Use your gardening skills to help feed hungry neighbors and friends

Food bank garden and shed
Twin Ponds Food Bank Garden Needs Volunteers

Twin Ponds Food Bank Garden grows fresh, organic vegetables for Hopelink Food Bank, Shoreline. 

In 2013 we donated 1425 pounds of food. Our goal for 2014 is 3000 pounds and we have 935 pounds to date!!

Our food bank garden consists of 17 beds, each full of food that needs watering, weeding and harvesting. The Food Bank Garden within the Twin Ponds Garden is entering its heavy harvest period.

We pulled over a hundred pounds last Sunday and Monday, and left more to harvest. 

If you have a spare hour, we meet Sunday evenings from 5-7-ish and Monday mornings from about 10:00 until 11:30am or so.

We love to meet new people, teach and learn new skills, connect with our community, and grow food -- and we could really use your help! 

Our garden is located at the south end of Twin Ponds Park, across the street from Aegis Shoreline: 14900 1st Ave NE, Shoreline.

Check out our web page.


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Bus cuts announced

Corrected 08-01-2014 8:30pm

Local route cuts:
  • 331 Shoreline Community College to Aurora Village TC to Kenmore P/R - evening hours cut
  • 306X and 312X - It appears that these routes are shortened to go from Lake City to downtown and all the runs to and from UW Bothell, Kenmore and Lake Forest Park are cancelled

King County Metro Transit will move forward with a first round of Metro service cuts Sept. 27, canceling, reducing and revising dozens of bus routes.

Service will be canceled on 28 routes and another 13 will be reduced or revised. Riders should visit the Metro website to review the September cuts and reductions and begin to assess daily travel plans for later this fall.

Sept. 27 service changes
(* – potentially revised in two phases)
  • 28 deleted routes: 7X, 19, 47, 48X, 61, 62, 139, 152, 161, 173, 202, 203, 205X, 209, 210, 211X, 213, 215, 243, 250, 260, 265, 280, 306X, DART routes 909, 919, 927, 935.
  • 13 revised routes: 27*, 30*, 200*, 204, 208, 212*, 236*, 238*, 249*, 312X, 331, DART routes 903, 931.
  • 6 route adjustments: No-cost route scheduled adjustments or revisions also are posted online: Routes 24, 48, 49, 122, 178, 201.
  • Routes to continue under agreement with the City of Seattle: Night owl routes 82, 83, 84
There were no changes to the Rapid Ride routes.


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New shellfish safety map shows risks in real-time

This is a screenshot with information about Richmond Beach
For the live map go to the link

A new online shellfish safety map gives shellfish harvesters an up-to-date look at biotoxins, pollution, and bacteria levels at public beaches or on their private property. Beach names, nearby landmarks, and specific addresses are searchable to help provide real-time information on shellfish safety risks.

The new shellfish safety map was developed to provide current information about areas where water quality conditions and public health risks are evaluated by the Department of Health.

Shellfish filter water and may retain harmful bacteria, viruses, and toxins that can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when eaten. Some can even be life threatening. The health risk for eating raw shellfish increases during the summer.

People can lower their risk of getting sick by following the three C’s of Shellfish Safety: check, chill, and cook.

Check the shellfish safety map to see if any warnings or closures are in effect, and look for warning signs posted at the beach. It’s also important to check the Department of Fish and Wildlife website to verify that harvesting is allowed.

Chill shellfish as soon as they’re harvested, and keep them cold until they’re cooked.

Cook shellfish to an internal temperature of 145 F. Thoroughly cooking shellfish kills vibrio bacteria. Cooking doesn’t destroy biotoxins, so checking for restrictions is the best defense.

The Recreational Shellfish Program evaluates pollution conditions around public-access shellfish areas and restricts harvest areas when necessary. More information on shellfish safety is on the agency website.


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