Insect Safari

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Don Ehlen and Insect Safari
Photo by Janet Way

Many people know about The Reptile Man, who takes his reptile collection to schools all over Puget Sound. Not as many know about the leader of The Insect Safari and his insect collection.

Just a sample of his collection
Photo by Janet Way


Don Ehlen, 206-329-7141, had some of his Insect Safari on display Saturday in the Kids Zone at SolarFest. He, too, makes appearances at schools and events.


Insect Safari
Photo by Janet Way

Not just confined to dry land, his interests extend underwater, with collections of creatures that crawl on the beach and seafloor.

Insect Safari
Photo by Janet Way

His website has a wealth of photos and information.



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Ballot drop box open at Lake Forest Park City Hall

Drop box at Lake Forest Park
Ballot drop boxes for the Aug. 4 primary election are open at the Lake Forest Park City Hall and at nine other sites around King County.

The 24-hour ballot drop boxes allow voters to send their ballots without paying for postage. They have been open since July 16. They will close at 8pm Election Day, Tuesday, Aug. 4.

The Lake Forest Park City Hall is at 17425 Ballinger Way NE in the northeast corner of Town Center.

Voters also will be able to leave ballots at drop vans at the Shoreline Aurora Square Shopping Center and at 11 other sites around the county Aug. 1 and 3 from 10am to 5pm, and Tuesday, Aug. 4, Election Day, from 10am to 8pm.

Mailed ballots must be sent so they are postmarked on or before Election Day. 



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Groundbreaking for Veterans Recognition Plaza

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Official groundbreaking for Shoreline Veteran's Memorial
Memorial committee members: far left, Lynn Cheeney, center in white shirt
is Phyllis Moll, widow of Frank Moll, then Dwight Stevens.
Shoreline city councilmembers from left, Keith McGlashan, Jesse Salomon,
Will Hall, then Shari Winstead,  Doris McConnell,
Chris Eggen, and Chris Roberts

On Monday, July, 20, members of the Shoreline Veterans Association and their families and friends joined Shoreline City Councilmembers in a groundbreaking ceremony for the Shoreline Veterans Recognition Plaza being built at City Hall. When completed later this summer, the Plaza will honor all veterans who have served, are serving, and will serve the country.

Preparing for the ceremony
Photo by Mark McVeety

Located in the north lawn at City Hall, the Plaza will be 32 feet in diameter and bordered by a five foot wide, white concrete sidewalk, which will surround a flat circle of brick pavers, engraved with veterans’ names, ranks, service branches, and dates of service. There will also be seven four foot high obelisks on the sidewalk honoring the different military branches.

Members of American Legion Post 227
Photo by Jerry Pickard

While the Shoreline Veterans Association has raised a majority of the funds to complete the project, they still need to raise approximately $25,000 more. If you would like to contribute you can purchase an engraved brick honoring a veteran or active duty service member, which will then be added to the plaza.

Dwight Stevens chats with Mayor Shari Winstead
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Dwight Stevens is leading the Shoreline Veterans Association in organizing the sale of the commemorative bricks to raise funds to construct the memorial. King County contributed funds to meet the cost of the memorial. The bricks still remain on sale until the total cost of the memorial has been met.

Dwight Stevens holds the service flag of
 Elwood H McVeety
Photo by Mark McVeety
Mark McVeety was thrilled to have has late Grandfather, Elwood H. McVeety's, service flag held by Dwight Stevens during one of the group photographs in front of Shoreline City Hall.  "I was relieved that it was still not too late to buy a brick, the process couldn't have been easier."

To find out more about the Plaza or to contribute, visit the website or contact Lynn Cheeney 425-231-3149 or lynn@shorelineveterans.com.



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Police update: 3 brothers convicted and imprisioned

Convicted and sentenced
for crimes in Lake Forest Park

From LFP Police Chief Steve Sutton

Last year (July 1st, 2014), a robbery occurred in the city involving three suspects (Gebregergish brothers). The brothers were eventually taken into custody.

The detectives worked very diligently and put in a lot of hours in building a strong case. Finally, the case was presented to King County prosecutors and the suspects were found guilty. The brothers received over a year in prison and the third suspect will be spending over five years in prison. Great job by all involved!

See previous articles:


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Putting history in your hands: weapons and artifacts from the Middle Ages

On Monday, July 27 at 7pm, there's a one-hour program, "Heroes of History: Knights in Shining Armor" by the Knights of Veritas.

See and learn about authentic re-creations of weapons and artifacts from the Middle Ages.

Suitable for kids 5 and older.

Space is limited; free tickets will be available 30 minutes prior to the program. 

Shoreline Library, 345 NE 175th, Shoreline 98155



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Sound Shooters: Silhouette

By Hitomi Dames

I wrote about negative space as background in White Space/ Negative Space

But you can photograph subject(s) as negative space — just shoot your subject as a silhouette.

♦Silhouette

    Expose for background: The background has to be brighter than the subject.
    You may have to manually focus the lens since the subject is dark.

Canadian geese

Jumping on Richmond Beach


♦Multiple subjects and Partial Silhouettes

December Morning

George Washington and Olympic Mountain Range


The best time for shooting silhouettes is around sunset or sunrise.

Photo Booth - Not Just a Tiny (Open with huge background), Portraits, Events, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Weddings, Albums



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New Christian preschool in Edmonds

Rock of Hope Academy has announced it is accepting applications for a new full-day preschool program that will open this Fall at their recently acquired North Campus at 8713 220th St SW, in Edmonds.

The Academy will offer full day programs for Pre-K (ages 4-5) and preschool (2 ½ -3 ½) with curriculum that supports Developmentally Appropriate Practice and Intentional learning for the whole child.

Student / teacher ratios will be low (6/1), and staffing will provide one on one, time with children to meet their total growth needs.

Rock of Hope Academy is a Christian non-profit school, committed to EXCELLENCE through Step Ahead Recognition System (STARS), and is pursuing EARLY ACHIEVERS and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation. This includes independent evaluation and site inspections, staff development, and continued growth of programs and facilities so to meet the ongoing needs of children.

Rock of Hope Academy’s South campus will continue to house their Early Childhood Development Center, a well-established licensed program that offers before and after school programs to school age children, as well as a NEW “Kindergarten Beginnings” program.

The South Campus will offer classes for children ages 3-4yrs. The 3’s class will be held T/TH 9am-1pm. The 4’s class will be held M/W/F 9am-1pm. The Kindergarten Beginnings program will be for children whose birthdays fall in summer, or early fall or children who need a more personal approach in a smaller setting. This is a half day program M-F from 8:45am-1pm.

Executive Director Cindy Fabian, has developed a quality program that nurtures children and their families, encourages parent participation, and fosters a sense of general community.

More information here or call 425-771-3232 to schedule a tour.



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Neighborly now offering service in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park

Neighborly has arrived in your neighborhood! With just a few taps, our friendly​ vetted Helpers will be right over to assist with all the things you can't find time for — including errands, shopping, housework, yard chores and pet services.

Get started by loading the Neighborly app and​ activating your free trial with the following code: SHORELFP15. 

You'll be surprised by how many everyday tasks you can knock off your list with five (free) credits in seven days.

After your free trial, you can continue to schedule services a la carte or reap the benefits of our monthly membership plans. Members save up to 20% and get exclusive perks such as Costco runs, corner store add-ons and the ability to choose your favorite helpers.

Questions or feedback? We love hearing from our customers! Email us or visit our website.



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Shorewood baseball star doing well with Tampa Bay

Blake Snell 2011
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Shorewood baseball standout Blake Snell was drafted right out of high school by the Tampa Bay Rays, where he is doing very well.

According to a column on Snell, written by sports columnist Robbie Knopf

When the Tampa Bay Rays are uncharacteristically aggressive with a prospect, you know that they believe he’s something special. They aren’t always right–that’s the reality in this business–but given the Rays’ strong track record for developing pitchers, we have to trust them regarding something like this. Blake Snell‘s season began with 46 scoreless innings, and after just a short cool-off period, he has gone back to dominating in the last month. And now, he has done something we have seen exceedingly rarely in the Rays’ system in the last eight seasons, going from High-A to Triple-A in one year.

Read the entire article here.


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School Board Meeting Summary July 15, 2015

2015 School Board
from left: Dick Nicholson, Richard Potter, David Wilson,
Debi Ehrlichman, Mike Jacobs

By Marianne Deal Stephens

The Shoreline School Board meets once a month during the summer and every two weeks during the school year. The July 15 meeting felt like business as usual despite the summer break. 

Consent Agenda
The evening’s Consent Agenda pertained mostly to improvements on the District’s properties: a project to upgrade the district-wide 2-way radio system; change orders for the Shorecrest building and the Shorewood fields; a project to improve site circulation improvements at Brookside Elementary.

The Agenda also included acceptance of community gifts. The Cascade K-8 PTSA gifted $5773 for K-5 Outdoor Camp, and the Shorecrest Boosters gifted $63,415 to Shorecrest to assist more than 40 student groups including Debate Team, Interact Club, Latino Club, Ultimate Frisbee, Highland Dancers, Drama, and many other athletic, academic, arts, and community service groups. The Board approved four extended field trips: Lake Forest Park 6th graders to Camp Orkila; Shorecrest Cross Country to a meet in Seaside, Oregon, and to the State Meet in Pasco, WA; Cascade 8th Graders to Fort Worden State Park for a Young Artist Project. 

Home Education Exchange (HEE) Annual Report
HEE Coordinator and Lead Teacher Ron Jones offered an overview of the Home Education Exchange program, which is run out the North City Elementary School and shares use of the facility with six groups that run independent educational programs. The program currently serves 115 students from 69 families, with 95 FTE (full-time-equivalent students). HEE offers classes and activities to support families who choose home education. This year, the program’s 17th, was a relatively stable one without multiple regulatory changes passed down from OSPI. 

Mr. Jones shared that about 55% of the student population is from the Shoreline School District, and about 45% are from other districts in the area. Participating families often have one or two students in regular schools and one or two students in home education. There is an even distribution from kindergarten through 8th grade. 

HEE follows OSPI guidance for Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) and students have individualized learning plans. The program evaluates every 30 days, and requires the parents to report what they have done at home. At the end of every school year, HEE has 9 months of student learning reports. The OSPI conducts audits of HEE, including a special performance audit to examine student achievement. 

Home Education, like other state public schools, adopted the Smarter Balanced Tests (SBAC) this past year. Mr. Jones explained that while some homeschool parents want to “cut the tether” between their student and the state, the program had only one student opt out of the tests this year. Though not all students had previous computer experience, they adapted quickly to the computer evaluation and say that they prefer standardized tests on computer to those given on paper. The SBAC results for HEE are on average with the District [school by school results of the SBAC tests are not yet public]. 

This summer, HEE plans to hire an additional half-time certificated teacher in order to expand the program by 30 FTE students. Mr. Jones anticipates another relatively stable year with a few new challenges and lots of student learning. 

May 2015 Financial Update and Enrollment Report
Director of Finance and Business Mark Spangenberg and Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller presented the May 2015 financials. (page 69 of the 7.15.15 packet). Director Spangenberg noted that at the conclusion of May, 51% of the levies had been collected, which is a higher percentage than in previous years. The district will collect a little less in the fall. 

The June 1 Enrollment Report shows a total headcount of 9085 students, which is similar to the September 2014 headcount of 9142. Director Nicholson asked about a projection for next year, and Deputy Superintendent Miller noted that they expect about a 2% increase in 2015-16.

Legislative Update
Deputy Superintendent Marla Miller presented an overview of five major areas in which legislative changes will impact the District. 

1) Legislative Update: McCleary 
Following the 2012 McCleary Decision, the state was ordered to adequately fund basic education. As part of the ramp-up to a mandated level of basic education, the state will implement class size reductions in K-3 only for 2015-16. The levels will be:  Kindergarten: 22; 1st grade: 23; 2nd grade: 24 3rd grade: 25. Current staffing for Shoreline follows:  K: 23; 1: 25; 2: 25; 3:25.9. Overall, the District will need about 10 more classrooms in 2015-16. For 2016-17, the class size levels will reduce further. 

McCleary changes also affect funding for All-Day Kindergarten (ADK) which Shoreline has already implemented at all elementary schools. Shoreline’s ADK will remain the same; only the funding source for four Shoreline elementary schools will shift to the state in 2015-16. State funding will cover ADK in more schools in 2016-17. In order to use state funds rather than local funds, Shoreline will adopt the WAKids Whole Child Assessment as a part of the overall program. 

With the expansion of basic education comes a new formula for Maintenance, Supplies, and Operating Costs, which were $848/ student for 2014-15. These supply funds will increase to $1210.05/ student in 2015-16 and $1230.62 in 2016-17. These funds could be used broadly in our district.
 
2) Legislative Update: Initiatives
I-1351, the class size measure passed in 2014, will be delayed. Deputy Superintendent Miller noted that this delay does not add to or subtract from our resources. As noted above, the state and local districts are implementing class size reductions related to the increase in basic education funding. 

I-732, pertaining to COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) for teachers, had previously been suspended for several years and now will be implemented, though in a different way than originally presented. Effective September 1st, this means an increase of 3% for 2015-16. Deputy Superintendent Miller expects that the state will change models for teacher compensation over the next couple of years, and hopes that the COLA will be embedded in whatever the new model will be.

3) Legislative Update: Reduce Reliance on Local Levies
The legislature continues to discuss the levy swap idea, though there were no definitive decisions.
Deputy Superintendent Miller shared that the levy swap concept has been called “levy swipe” since districts like Shoreline would not be able to maintain current levels of local funding.

Most likely, a new model, intended to ensure greater equity among school districts, would reduce our maximum levy collection and set a new mechanism for collection.

While our ability to use locally raised funds would decrease, proponents of the idea say that increases in state funding for major expenditures of basic education would compensate for the losses. 
Currently, the state funds less than 75% of regular Shoreline School District employees, and local funds pay for the “Shoreline model” that includes librarians, nurses, and family advocates.

The possibilities of a substantially altered funding model create current difficulties for the District:  Deputy Superintendent Miller said that the question is how we plan for the future when we are not certain what funds we will have. 

4) Legislative Update: School Facility Needs
Though the state is stepping up in regard to more aspects of basic education, it is unlikely that Shoreline would receive any extra funding for additional classrooms related to All Day Kindergarten or class size reduction.

5) Legislative Update: Graduation Requirements
Oddly enough, graduation requirements, and the Biology End of Course (EOC) Exam in particular, ended up being a bargaining chip at the end of legislative deliberations. Lawmakers suspended the requirement for students to pass the Biology EOC in order to graduate. Some students who did not receive diplomas because they had not passed this test are now eligible. 

Preliminary Budget 
The extra legislative sessions created challenges for all state school districts since changes impact funding formulas. Normally, the Shoreline School District produces a comprehensive Preliminary Budget and holds a Budget Hearing on the General Fund in July, but the hearing will be delayed until August 17, 2015

The Preliminary Budget presented at the July 15 meeting included the following: Capital Projects Fund, Debt Service Fund, Associated Student Body Fund, and Transportation Vehicle Fund. The Capital Projects budget includes security and facility improvement projects funded with the 2006 Bond and continues the purchasing of major equipment under the Technology Levy. The Transportation Vehicle Fund budget includes expenditures of more than $1 million, primarily related to bus replacement. 

Action Item: Early Payoff of 2005 Bonds
The School Board approved review of an early payoff of 2005 Limited General Obligation bonds. Paying off the bonds early would save District taxpayers an estimated $464,741 in interest payments. Legal counsel and financial advisors will review the proposal. 

Board Reports
Director David Wilson commended Kim Reich, Elementary Summer School Principal, and Rebbecah Emanuel, Secondary Summer School Principal. Both summer school programs are going well. Director Wilson had also attended Shorewood PTSA’s Summer Write and Ready College Application Essay Workshops and praised that effort by the PTSA’s After Shorewood committee.



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61 homes in Parkwood without power Saturday morning

Power outage by Twin Ponds


Seattle City Light reports that 61 homes in Parkwood were without power on Saturday morning due to an equipment failure.

The outage was reported around 6am. Residents will have to wait until 2pm for electricity to be restored.

A single outage was reported nearby, apparently unrelated to the larger cluster.



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Swingin' Summer Eve draws hundreds of residents

Friday, July 24, 2015

Cherry Cherry played to a sell out crowd

Photos by Steven H. Robinson

The annual free party - Swingin' Summer Eve - co-sponsored by the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Arts Council and the City of Shoreline - brought out record crowds on Wednesday, July 22.

Many came for the music. Cherry Cherry, a Neil Diamond tribute band, rocked out from the permanent stage at Cromwell Park.


The kids were interested in crafts and bouncy houses.



The Council of Neighborhoods did a brisk business with their pre-owned book, CD, and DVD sale. Proceeds are divided among the participating neighborhoods.


Booths offered information on bricks for the veterans memorial, City programs, and neighborhoods. Food was available for purchase.

The weather cooperated.

A good time was had by all.



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New Home and new mate in Beatrix the Beaver’s future

Beatrix will have a new home and a new mate


Text and Photos by Kim Josund

Thankfully, Brookside Elementary School’s beaver went right into the live trap set by UW researcher Ben Dittbrenner this week.

It turns out “Billy the Beaver” was actually a Beatrix (see Seattle Times story about this beaver being saved from lethal trapping earlier). She is a healthy, beautiful, adult female, weighing in at 35.6 lbs, and was caught unharmed on the first night of trapping.

Researchers pull the trap from the beaver dam in Hillside Creek
Relocation of Beatrix was necessary due to impending construction along the streambank near her dams, and the School District’s concerns about flooding of the school playfield.

The Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation and neighbors consulted with Ben, an expert in non-lethal management options, about the situation at Brookside Elementary, located at 17447 37th Ave NE in Lake Forest Park. Ben’s nonprofit, Beavers Northwest, specializes in helping find the right solution to beaver conflicts.

The beaver is carried through the Brookside Elementary school parking lot

The two methods most commonly used for management are a pond leveling device, which allows beavers to remain onsite but prevents flooding, and a beaver exclusion device, which prevents beavers from plugging road culverts. Unfortunately, this site on Hillside Creek wasn't a good fit  for effective use of either of these methods.

Therefore, it was determined that this beaver would be an excellent candidate for Ben’s research project, in cooperation with Tulalip Tribal Fisheries, to relocate ‘nuisance’ urban beavers to the wild and study beavers’ contribution to water quality and salmon habitat.  

Ben and his assistant, UW intern Desirae, set and checked the traps for four nights, and monitored the area with motion-activated wildlife cameras, but found no sign of other beavers after catching Beatrix.

The beaver, later named Beatrix by neighborhood kids,
shows off her beautiful coat and tail

Beatrix is now doing well in a special pen at the holding facility, where she will be matched with potential mates. The beaver pair will then be released to carefully selected and prepared habitat in the Skykomish watershed, where their activities will be monitored for 1-2 years. Hopefully a ‘happily ever after’ story for Beatrix!

Traps like this one, when properly sited and set, capture beaver unharmed.
A stick 'fence' in the streambed helps guide the beaver into the trap

Beatrix was an effective engineer, having constructed four dams in the last few months, creating several shallow ponds in that section of Hillside Creek. Beaver ponds are excellent habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms, and improve water quality with slowed flows and natural filtration, so it would have been ideal if she could have stayed there.

Hillside Creek joins Brookside Creek, where the elementary school students release baby salmon each spring. It’s very possible that the area will again attract beavers some day, so the School District and City of LFP need to be forward-thinking in creative solutions for coexisting with our urban wildlife.




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Sound Transit hears from the public

Sound Transit asked for thoughts from the public on shaping a Sound Transit 3 ballot measure that could go to voters in November 2016 and received nearly 25,000 responses to a non-scientific online survey and another 1,025 written comments from mail, email and comment forms. In addition, they received 54,000 unique page views at their new ST3 website. About 400 people attended six public meetings. 

We learned that an overwhelming majority of those commenting support continued mass transit expansion. Information on the outreach, as well as the need for more high-capacity transit, is available at soundtransit3.org.

The public will have many more opportunities to comment on a ST3 plan as it is developed over the next year.



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Honored for recycling: Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, North City Water District

Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

Businesses small and large across King County are being honored for their commitment to recycling and waste prevention - diverting tons of recyclable materials from the landfill and saving resources.

The King County Solid Waste Division and Executive Dow Constantine are honoring 112 Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling this year, recognizing businesses and organizations that are going the extra mile to reduce waste and increase recycling.

The list recognizes businesses with exceptional recycling programs and for their commitment to reducing the amount of waste their company produces. 

On the list:
City of Shoreline
North City Water District
City of Lake Forest Park

“These companies deserve special recognition for demonstrating their ingenuity and commitment in preventing waste,” said Executive Constantine. “From composting in lunchrooms to reusing packing materials, they’re showing that sustainability can be simple and rewarding.”

The “Best Workplaces” list has been celebrating waste prevention and recycling in local businesses for nine years and features a wide array of businesses in King County, including hospitality, medical services, professional services, technology, retail, finance, government, arts and entertainment and others.

The organizations on the list this year developed innovative ways to be eco-friendly and sustainable, including Shoreline's method of helping people know what to recycle at events.

According to Shoreline's Environmental Programs Coordinator Rika Cecil, “Since we use compostable ware at all of our city events, Council meetings, etc., we usually provide some version of the photo display (above) to ensure that it all gets appropriately recycled. If for some reason the event has some garbage or recycling, too, we attach the pieces to the top of the compost container.”

Last year, businesses in King County sent more than 200,000 tons of recyclable materials to the landfill.

All businesses operating in King County outside the City of Seattle are eligible for the list. To qualify, businesses must meet five basic criteria, as well as 10 additional waste reduction and recycling criteria.



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Low tide beach walks in August

Explore and investigate the fascinating world of marine beaches at Richmond Beach Saltwater Park during low tides and observe sea stars, crabs and others who live in Puget Sound.

Join beach naturalists for these fun, free and informative beach walks. Dress for the weather. Waterproof footwear is recommended.


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Photo: Bella the Blackberry Dog

Bella picking wild blackberries
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

Text and photo by Marc Weinberg

In case you haven't noticed or you're new to the neighborhood, wild blackberries are now in season. They are getting riper by the day in spite of our exceptionally dry weather. If we should get the rain that is forecast for this weekend that will help spur the berries on to a fuller bloom.

If you don't have time to pick you might consider getting a helper like Bella. She seems to enjoy picking her own and I'm sure she could show you how.

Last year we got her hooked on raspberries and this year she likes blackberries. It's hard to get her to walk past any during our daily walks. She tugs at the leash to get to them.



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NorthWest SolarFest


Food, exhibits, people to talk to, electric cars
It's all there at the NW SolarFest

Shoreline Community College
July 25, 10am to 5pm
Free!



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You still can participate: Walk to the Future with Pinky's Passion on Sunday



Pinky's Passion for a Parkinson's Cure: Walk to the Future Without Parkinson's

Sunday, July 26, 10-3, Shoreline Stadium

Registration is $30 through June 30, $40 after.
Kids under 10 are free.



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Interurban Trail / Burke Gilman connections project open house Wednesday

Northern and Southern routes will connect the two trails

A Project Open House will be held on Wednesday, July 29, 2015 from 5:30pm - 7:00pm at Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N, Room 301, for the Interurban Trail / Burke Gilman connections project.

Schedule for the project:
  • Design – July 2015
  • Bid and Award – August 2015
  • Construction – September/October 2015
It is being funded at $540,000 from a Washington State Grant - the 2013 Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program.

This project will provide two routes (northern and southern) to connect Shoreline’s section of the regional Interurban Trail to Lake Forest Park and the Burke-Gilman Trail. The trail connections will be a combination of signage, sidewalks, shoulder improvements, sharrows and grade separated paths to provide the east-west routes for these important regional trails.

Specific work includes:
  • Bike lanes/rechannelization/sharrows/signage along the routes. Wayfinding signage indicating the routes are connections between the Interurban Trail and Burke Gilman Trail.
  • Sidewalk improvements on NE 150th Street, allowing bike lanes on the street from 5th Avenue NE to 25th Avenue NE.
  • If funding is available, construction of 12 foot wide multi-purpose trails on unimproved city right-of-way to provide neighborhood connections.
The project will build upon already completed bike lanes and separated trail segments previously completed or planned for construction.



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Gardening classes at L'il Sprout Nursery in Mill Creek

Thursday, July 23, 2015


Gardening classes will be offered, mostly free, in Mill Creek at the Li'l Sprout Nursery and Garden Center, 17414 Bothell Everett Hwy, Mill Creek, WA 98012 during August.

Hydroponic Gardening
August 8, 2015 
11:00 am • Free
Join our expert hydroponic gardener Mike as he discusses how to grow plants year round without soil. Great for growing organic vegetables in condos or small spaces. Mike will talk about the benefits of hydro gardening, how to keep plants healthy and answer questions. 

Houseplant Propagation – Grow New Plants
August 16, 2015 
1:00 pm  • Free
Propagating houseplants is a rewarding experience. And the rewards of making leaf cuttings sprout or a stem cutting take root are even greater when you can share these free plants with friends and neighbors. Discover different methods of propagating house lants by stem cuttings, division, and more. A great class for any houseplant enthusiast.

Summer Garden Clean-up, Getting Ready for Fall
August 22, 2015 
11:00 am • Free
As summer comes to a close, it’s a good time to clean up your garden. Your beds can be full of dead blooms, leggy annuals, hidden weeds and spreading perennials. Learn when and what fertilizers can be added to enrich your garden beds for fall. Hear what plants are suitable for fall plantings and when to start your fall veggie garden. Bring your questions and get ready for the next season in your garden. Free.

The Joy of Cooking with Herbs
August 29, 2015 
11:00 am • Cost $5
You have been growing herbs all summer and now we're heading into Fall. What better time to find new recipes for cooking with herbs. Come and enjoy new recipe idea’s, (handouts for everyone that attends class) Learn the health benefits of adding them into your foods you prepare. There will be sample foods that have been prepared with herbs. Call (425-482-5276) to save your spot. Cost - $5.00



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AG Ferguson calls on phone carriers to offer call-blocking technology to customers

Attorney General Bob Ferguson today called on five major phone companies to offer call-blocking technology to their customers.

In a joint letter sent with 44 other attorneys general to the chief executives of the carriers, Ferguson said a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule clarification confirms that telecommunications service providers can offer customers the ability to block unwanted calls.

“My office is committed to enforcing laws intended to prevent unwanted robocalls,” Ferguson said today. “The FCC has now made clear that the technology is available to stop these calls before they happen. I call upon the industry to offer consumers the tools that will empower them to fight back.”

In their letter to AT/T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and CenturyLink, the attorneys general stated, 

“Every year, our offices are flooded with consumer complaints pleading for a solution to stop intrusive robocalls. Your companies are now poised to offer your customers the help they need. We urge you to act without delay.”

Phone carriers had previously claimed they could not offer such services. At a July 2013 hearing before a U.S. Senate subcommittee, for instance, representatives from the U.S. Telecom Association and trade group CTIA testified that “legal barriers prevent carriers from implementing advanced call-blocking technology to reduce the number of unwanted telemarketing calls.”

Attorney General Ferguson noted that call-blocking options already exist for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service (NoMoRobo.com) and Android cell phones (Call Control) and called upon the phone carriers to move quickly to implement these options and inform consumers.

Last September, Ferguson and 38 other attorneys general called on the FCC to clarify whether phone companies could utilize call-blocking technologies. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler endorsed the request in late May, and the FCC passed the rule clarification on June 18.



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Advance notice: road closure planned for North City

The road belongs to pedestrians for a few hours
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Be aware that 15th Ave NE between 175th and 182nd Street in North City will be closed between 6pm and 11pm for the North City Jazz Walk on Tuesday, August 11, 2015.

Traffic will be detoured to 10th NE and Perkins Way.



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Workshop: The Christian mystical experience


Every Day Mystics: a Saturday Workshop
on the Christian Mystical Experience
for Everyone in Everyday Life

August 29th, 9am to 3pm at St Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
722 N 145th St Shoreline 98133

Bring a “Brown Bag lunch”  - coffee and tea provided

Presenters are Br John Ryan and Fr David Marshall

Donations accepted to support the outreach ministries of St Dunstan’s Church

“I have called you by name: you are Mine,” Isaiah 43:1



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Let the music play: GoFundMe site set up for piper's pipes

Kevin Ault, right, plays at the opening of the
Lake Forest Park Library
Photo by Jerry Pickard

Bagpiper Kevin Ault has no news of his stolen bagpipes - and the trip to the competition in Scotland is drawing closer.

He thought that his renter's insurance would cover the loss, but when he called his agent to file a claim he found out that his insurance had lapsed in March because the automatic payments had inexplicably stopped going through.

There is good news, though. Kevin says that "A friend of mine has started a crowd-funding campaign to recover the cost of the pipes, which is overwhelming and really really nice."

New pipes will cost around $5000. The site is doing very well and is close to goal. If you want to help take it over the top, Here's the site.



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WSDOT: What's happening on the highway from Renton to Shoreline

WSDOT weekend traffic report

Southbound I-5 closed 12:30-5:30 a.m. Saturday

All lanes of southbound I-5 at the Stewart Street/Denny Way off-ramp will be closed from 12:30 to 5:30 a.m. Saturday, July 25, for fire suppression testing under the Washington State Convention Center. Early morning drivers will follow a signed detour to get around the closure. The Mercer Street and Yale Avenue on-ramps to southbound I-5 will also be closed. Flammable cargo is prohibited during the closures.

Ship Canal Bridge cleaning to delay opening of I-5 express lanes

The I-5 express lanes won’t open until late into the morning on both Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. The delays will allow our maintenance crews space to inspect the Ship Canal Bridge. The express lanes will be southbound at 11:30 a.m. and then switch to northbound by 1:45 p.m.

Northbound SR 99 closure Saturday evening for Seafair event

Runners all decked out in their favorite pirate gear will take to the streets Saturday evening for the Michelob Ultra Seafair Pirate Run. Northbound SR 99 will be closed from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m. The closure will take place between S. Royal Brougham Way up to the south end of the Battery Street Tunnel. 

Special events to note

Running pirates won’t be the only traffic impact you could face this weekend. The Mariners are also in town. Be sure to check out our King County Special Events webpage for details on several events taking place throughout the Seattle area. 

SR 18 weekend-long lane and ramp closures, July 24-27

Headed south of Seattle this weekend? I-5 and SR 167 could get jammed due to a major closure on SR 18 in Auburn. Westbound SR 18 at SR 167 and one lane eastbound will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday. Several ramps will also be closed. Crews working on the SR 167 - 8th to 277th Southbound HOT Lane project will add a new bridge pier to support a new overpass. You can read more about the closure in this blog.

Daily I-90 full closures July 30 to Aug. 2 for Seafair Air Show

As the Blue Angels fly fast above Lake Washington next week, traffic on the roads may come to a crawl. To keep the public and pilots safe, the I-90 floating bridges will be closed to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians in the midday hours next Thursday through Sunday. Several ramps will also be closed.

Good To Go! introduces new program to resolve customer disputes

Starting Monday, July 20, we changed how we resolve disputes for customers who have received a penalty for unpaid tolls. Customers who have an unpaid civil penalty can contact Good To Go! at 1-866-936-8246 to request a one-time waiver of fees and penalties if they agree to pay all outstanding tolls. The purpose of this program is to collect the toll and educate customers so they won't get behind on their bill in the future.


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Garden questions? Visit the Master Gardeners at both farmer's markets this weekend

The purse is NOT available for purchase at the farmers market.
(Don't you wish?)

GOT GARDEN QUESTIONS?
VISIT MASTER GARDENERS THIS WEEKEND IN SHORELINE AND LAKE FOREST PARK
  • Is there a flowering vine that will grow in the shade?
  • Is there an evergreen vine that will grow in full sun in a pot?
  • What are the tunnels I'm finding when I dig in my garden?
  • Why are my tomatoes rotting on the ends?
  • Is there a cover crop I can plant now in an empty vegetable bed?

The WSU Extension Master Gardeners of King County staff weekly clinics all over King County from April through November (dates vary by location) to answer questions just like these that were asked at last week's clinics.

Master Gardeners are folks who have gone through an intensive training and internship and share their passion for gardening by addressing your landscaping and gardening challenges. This service is free!! If you have a plant problem you would like diagnosed, bring a photo or better yet, a sample. 

Water isn't cheap .... ask a Master Gardener for tips on reducing your water usage in the garden.

This weeks clinics are:

Saturday, July 25
Shoreline Farmer's Market
Aurora Square at 155th and Aurora (near Central Market and Sears)
10 a.m. -- 3 p.m.

Sunday, July 26
Ace Hardware and Lake Forest Park Farmers Market
17171 Bothell Way NE (Town Center at LFP)
11 a.m. -- 3 p.m.




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