Nominate your company as Washington's Best Workplace - but do it today

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Don't think about it too long. If you work for a great company, nominate them today for the Puget Sound Business Journal's contest for Washington's Best Workplaces.

Nomination Deadline: THIS Wednesday, April 12

Studies show that happy employees in the workplace bring greater benefits to a business. Companies that are considered among the best workplaces consistently tout customer loyalty and profitability.

Nominate your company as one of Washington's Best Workplaces.



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Cope with early Memory Loss - presentation Apr 18



Learn about research about memory loss and how to cope with it and stay engaged in meaningful activities.

Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, southernmost building on Shoreline Center campus, 10:30 - 11:30am.



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Shorecrest and Cascade K-8 TSA teams advance to Nationals

2017 Shorecrest TSA Team at the State Competition in Yakima


Shorecrest High School and Cascade K-8 Community School advance to the National Technology Student Association (TSA) Competition in Orlando, Florida. Both schools won awards at the Washington State TSA Competition in Yakima in mid-March and earned the invitation to compete nationally.

“We are scheduling fundraising events over the next month and a half as we race the clock to send our teams to nationals,” said Shorecrest TSA Fundraising Chair Theresa Greco. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to compete for a national title – representing Lake Forest Park and Shoreline.”  

Shorecrest High School won first in Animatronics and second place in Recycled Fashion Design Technology. Cascade K-8 Community School earned second place with the Community Service Video, and third place in Forensic Technology and Tech Bowl, a STEM based trivia contest.

Both Shorecrest High School and Cascade K-8 Community School TSA chapters are entering their third years.

“The students and their families are working hard to make this dream a reality. We are proud of their drive to learn and reaching Nationals so soon,” said Shorecrest TSA advisor Emily Slack.

TSA represents 2,000 schools preparing students for careers in technology, innovation, design, and engineering. Member schools integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts through co-curricular CTE/STEM activities, competitive events and related programs.

“I am so proud of our kids and the fun they are having in science and technology. They are demonstrating that the sky’s the limit in technology with their creations,” said Chrisy Francescutti, Cascade K-8 Community School Principal.

The Shorecrest team must raise $9,000 and Cascade K-8 Community School an additional $5,000 in five weeks in order to compete in the national competition.

The students are rapidly working to get the word out of their need to travel to nationals.

“Raising the $9,000 dollars for Shorecrest and $5,000 for Cascade K-8 Community School to pay for travel and rooms to the national competition is a heavy lift. These kids are determined to reach Orlando and represent.” stated Shorecrest TSA advisor Kari Potter.

In 2016, Shorecrest students brought home one award, and won 9 awards this year. Last year, Cascade K-8 Community School sent two projects to nationals. There are so many programs that seek to recruit girls and people of color to STEM. TSA never says they are trying to do that, and yet they do it so well,” said Cascade K-8 Community School Advisor, Becca Drury.

 “One of the things that impresses me about TSA is that there is so much diversity in both the membership and leadership.”

Donations are directed to Shorecrest High School, ATTN: ASB TSA Account, 15343 25th Avenue NE, Shoreline, WA 98155. Funds will be pooled between both schools for travel and expenses.


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Photos: Hyacinths

Monday, April 10, 2017

Photo by Lee Lageschulte


My mother had a bed of hyacinths - blue and white - in front of my childhood home. They don't seem to be as popular now as other flowers, so it's doubly special to see them.

Not sure why but they also bring of a memory of crawling on my belly across the yard in some group game with neighbor kids and bringing my knee down on top of a bumble bee who did not appreciate the experience.


DKH



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Free family movie at Kenmore Library Thursday

Thursday Night at the Movies Thursday, April 13, 7pm

Family program, all ages welcome.

Come and join us for a fun feature film! Feel free to bring your favorite blanket, pillow, and snack. Sit back and enjoy the show!

Title of show not announced - take your chances!

Kenmore Library, 6531 NE 181st St, Kenmore 98028



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Top-notch SHIBA volunteers provide outstanding customer service

Sunday, April 9, 2017

SHIBA volunteers attend an outreach event in 2016. 

From the Office of the Insurance Commissioner

In honor of National Volunteer Month, the OIC is recognizing the more than 400 people who passionately volunteer their time to the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program. SHIBA's outstanding volunteer advisors are an integral part of the consumer protection work at the Office of the InsuranceCommissioner.

During 2016, SHIBA volunteers:
  • Assisted more than 88,000 Medicare beneficiaries, their families and caregivers with one-on-one counseling in person and over the phone to help them: 
    • Evaluate their insurance needs. 
    • Choose a Medicare plan. 
    • Choose a Medicare supplement plan. 
    • Review long-term care insurance policies. 
    • Apply for subsidies to help pay for prescription drugs and Medicare Savings Plans to help pay Medicare Part A and B premiums, copays and deductibles. 
  • Educated more than 105,000 people about Medicare. 
  • Held more than 3,300 outreach events statewide. 
  • Resolved 648 complex complaints from beneficiaries between March 2016 and February 2017. Examples of complaints can include beneficiaries who were out of coverage, had been disenrolled by a plan, or needed an emergency prescription drug refill. 
Last year, volunteers donated 98,000 hours of their time to help Medicare consumers in our state. At a national average volunteer rate of $23.65 per hour, this amounts to approximately $2.3 million in valuable donated time and effort.

We honor and celebrate our volunteers this month – and all year long – for their dedication, compassion, commitment, kindness and service.

Read more about SHIBA services and where to find help in your area. You can reach SHIBA online or by phone at 1-800-562-6900.



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Mark your calendar: LFP Garden Club Plant Sale Apr 29


The LFP Garden Club annual plant sale will be held on Saturday, April 29 from 9am to 2pm at Lake Forest Park Elementary School, 37th Ave NE and Ballinger Way NE.

For more information call 206-364-6075.



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Authors have a bird theme this week at Third Place Books

James H. Osborne will discuss his book about overcoming terrible, personal adversity but the other authors are all about birds. Mozart and starlings. Bird intelligence. And stretching it a bit, the last book is set on Hummingbird Lane.

Hear the authors in person; have your book autographed; meet people you'll be reading about someday. Third Place Books, upper level Town Center, intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way, Lake Forest Park.

Lyanda Lynn Haupt 
Mozart's Starling (Little Brown)
Monday, April 10 at 7pm

In Mozart's Starling, Haupt explores the unlikely and remarkable bond between one of history's most cherished composers and one of earth's most common birds. The intertwined stories of Mozart's beloved pet and Haupt's own starling provide an unexpected window into human-animal friendships, music, the secret world of starlings, and the nature of creative inspiration. A blend of natural history, biography, and memoir, Mozart's Starling is a tour de force that awakens a surprising new awareness of our place in the world.

Lisa See
The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane (Scribner)
Tuesday, April 11 at 7pm

A thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa See explores the lives of a Chinese mother and her daughter who has been adopted by an American couple. Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. There is ritual and routine, and it has been ever thus for generations. Then one day a jeep appears at the village gate--the first automobile any of them have seen--and a stranger arrives.

James H. Osborne
Will Your Way Back: How One Man Overcame Tragedy with a Winning Mindset (River Grove)
Wednesday, April 12 at 7pm

James H. Osborne suffered a tragic spinal cord injury from a road cycling accident that rendered him quadriplegic. Though doctors said he would likely never walk again, James has been fighting for nine years to recover his body. Will Your Way Back chronicles his journey, an exercise of will, to walk again and live independently.

Jennifer Ackerman
The Genius of Birds (Penguin Press)
Thursday, April 13 at 7pm

In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores the newly discovered brilliance of birds. As she travels around the world to the most cutting-edge frontiers of research--the distant laboratories of Barbados and New Caledonia, the great tit communities of the United Kingdom and the bowerbird habitats of Australia, the ravaged mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy and the warming mountains of central Virginia and the western states--Ackerman not only tells the story of the recently uncovered genius of birds but also delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain itself that are shifting our view of what it means to be intelligent.




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Workshop: Civil Disagreement

Dr. David E. Smith
Civil Disagreement

In our increasingly polarized political environment, how can we have civil discussions with others with whom we have profound disagreements?

Learn from Dr. David E. Smith how to have meaningful, civil conversations with others, by building bridges and not walls between ourselves and those with whom we disagree.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 6:30pm -  8:30pm, Shoreline Library Large Meeting Room, 345 NE 175th, 98155.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Shoreline Library.



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Kruckeberg Summer Camps start July 10

Cyclamen coum
KBGF
KBGF is excited to offer three weeks of summer camp for children in first and second grade.

Each week will offer a different theme and focus, filled with environmental education, outdoor recreation, and more!

We’ll work together to gain awareness of nature and plant knowledge. We'll study the resident birds and look for other forms of wildlife in our 4-acre sanctuary in the heart of the Richmond Beach Neighborhood.

We only have 12 openings each week starting July 10th with Earth Art, July 17th learning about Featured Creatures, and July 24th with an Imagination Vacation.

Regular camp hours are 9am – 3pm. Register here



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Conference: Getting Kids to College and Career

Featured presenter Dr. Karen Mapp
Effective student cradle-to-career educational efforts require equitable partnerships between families, schools and communities and a commitment from all adults in the life of a child to work together for a common goal.

This conference will teach you why you should become engaged and how to be a partner in student success.

Saturday, September 23rd 2017 8:30am to 4:00pm
Everett Community College, Jackson Conference Center 200 Tower St. Everett WA 98201

Who should attend? Educators, parents, students, school administrators, community professionals and others working with students and families.

FEATURED PRESENTER Dr. Karen Mapp

Learn all about the Dual Capacity Building Framework for effective engagement from its co-creator Dr. Karen Mapp!

She is a Senior Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Faculty Director of the Harvard Education Policy and Management Master’s Program, special consultant to the U.S. Department of Education, founding Board member of the National Association of Family School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE), and a nationally recognized expert on the link between engagement and student learning.

She is the author and co-author of a vast number of articles and books including the landmark: “A New Wave of Evidence,” “Beyond the Bake Sale,” and “A Match on Dry Grass.”

Plus!
Guest speakers, workshops by field experts, exhibitors and networking opportunities.
Cost: $165 per person. School District Purchase Orders accepted. Contact for more information. 
Breakfast, lunch and parking included. Clock hours and STARS available. Schools encouraged to register teams.

Space is limited! Register here.  Ask us about scholarships for parents
Benefiting: The Engagement Conference raises funds for Washington Family Engagement Trust programs.



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In The Garden Now….. Sorbaria Sem

False Spirea or Ural False Spirea

Text and photo by Victoria Gilliland

The most colorful plant in my garden right now is Sorbaria ‘Sem.’ And it isn’t the flowers …. it’s the fabulous texture and color of the fern-like foliage! Even in my shady garden these deciduous shrubs have been leafing out over the last 8 weeks, first slowly with just a hint of color and then with knock out bold enthusiasm. Foliage is produced in shades of orange, red, pink, chartreuse and yellow. Plants seem like refugees from the autumn garden, but I’ll take this intense color in my garden any time of year!

False Spirea will grow just about anywhere. It will grow in sun or shade and can make a showy container plant. Color is more intense in sun and it’s quite drought tolerant once established.

Plants grow to about 4 feet high and wide. In summer white flowers are produced that look a little like plump astilbe blossoms. Most gardeners grow "Sorbaria ‘Sem” for foliage color and texture not the flowers. I cut my plants back periodically during spring and summer to get plenty of that colorful foliage and don’t worry about the flowers that are less than stellar. Plants may be deer resistant, but who can be sure about the changing cuisine preferences of our deer friends?

This is a suckering shrub so it does spread by underground runners. It’s pretty easy to control, by lopping off errant offshoots with clippers and pulling up stray roots. In my sandy loam garden roots tend to be near the surface so little digging is required to remove them.

Some gardeners have commented that this plant was “invasive” in their garden. Over time and under the right growing conditions it could well be. So, be warned! If this is a concern, consider planting your false spirea in the ground in a black nursery pot to keep the roots contained. Alternatively, make your plant part of a container garden.

If you venture out into the neighborhood you may find some of these showy plants mingling with natives and other ornamentals in the garden. Enjoy the colorful display!

Botanical Name: Sorbaria sorbifolia ‘Sem’


Victoria Gilleland is the owner of Cottage Garden Designs, a Garden Design company specializing in Redesign of Residential Gardens, Garden Consultation and Coaching. She has been designing gardens in the northwest for over 20 years.


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Crime in Shoreline week ending April 3

Selected items from the Shoreline Police blotter, week ending April 3, 2017

Trespass - usually for causing a scene or shoplifting
03-25  America's Best Value motel
03-25  Viking Bar and Grill
03-27  National Electronics
03-27  Goodwill - with drugs and outstanding warrant
03-27  Walgreen's at 175th and Aurora
03-28  YMCA -man fights with staff
03-29  St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church
03-31  Cash America
03-31  Trespassed from Aurora Chevron, then arrested for theft.
04-02  Fred Meyer shopper found outside with stolen merchandise.
04-03  Ballinger McDonald's

Vehicle prowls
03-23  Sinclair Apts
03-23  Metro park n ride
03-26  Echo Lake Apartments - vehicle windows smashed
03-26  Locked garage at Polaris
03-26  Metro park n ride
03-28  Heatherwood Apartments parking lot

Vandalism
03-22  Vehicle egged in driveway 160xx 25th NE
03-25  Broke window and tore down American flag 145xx 17th
03-27  Tags on city signs at 195th and Richmond Beach Rd
03-29  Vandalism to lumber window at Home Depot
03-29  Racist graffiti at Einstein
03-30  Graffiti at Shell station N 175th
03-30  Graffiti at Hillwood park
03-31  Tire slashed on vehicle parked at Central Market
03-31  Graffiti on 76 station 204th and Aurora. One tagger tagged on a previous tag

Burglary - commercial and residential
03-23  Auto shop building at SCC
03-25  183xx 6th NE
03-25  21xx 15th NE
03-26  Pressure washer stolen from shed at vacant house under construction 158xx 14th NE
03-27  Resident returned home to see burglar running from his house on Forest Park Dr.
03-27  Owner on vacation 22xx NE 177th
03-27  Vacant house staged for sale 12xx NE 162nd
03-28  Storage shed at Forest Hill Apartments burglarized. Cat food and kitty litter stolen
03-28  196xx 30th Ave NE
03-28  Ballinger Commons
03-29  10xx NE 180th
03-29  166xx 15th NE
03-29  193xx Linden
03-30  16th Ave NE unoccupied house under construction. Took items, left their own clothes behind
03-31  Burglar at 171xx Dayton scared off by audible alarm
03-31  165xx 27th NE
03-31  185xx 7th NE
04-01  192xx 12th NE. Resident left garage door open for 30 minutes and bicycles were stolen

Domestic violence
03-24  DV rape reported
03-26  Couple get in physical fight and each claims the other assaulted him/her. Neither wants to prosecute
03-27  Disturbance between brothers
03-28  Man contacted on possible DV call was arrested on outstanding warrant
03-28  Man hits wife; arrested for assault
03-28  Ex-boyfriend damages ex-girlfriend's property - arrested
03-28  Disturbance between boyfriend and girlfriend - widely different stories - both had been drinking
04-02  Wife punches husband in nose, makes it bleed

Death investigations
03-26  Unexpected death of 44 year old woman
03-27  83 year old man
03-27  59 year old man in group home
03-29  Natural death at Good Shepherd home

Drunks
03-24  Public drunkenness - by USBiotek on Linden
03-27  Public drunkenness - at Prince of Peace church
03-28  Male involuntary commitment for drunkenness - from his home
04-02  Drunk person sitting on sidewalk at 205th and Aurora transported to NW Hospital for detox

Other actions
03-23  License plates stolen and swapped out with other plates 148xx Interlake
03-24  Son charged thousands of dollars on his deceased parents' credit cards
03-24  93 year old woman who chronically calls 911 referred to Geriatric Regional Assessment Team for welfare check
03-27  Four students left campus and went to abandoned house. One cut himself on glass and had to have stitches. Parents and school notified
03-27  Autistic male "happily" assaulted a cashier at Sears
03-29  Stolen mail including prescriptions 4xx N 188th
03-30  Stopped for improper lane change then cited for driving without a license
03-30  Woman eats from deli at Central Market without paying, causes disturbance, rips up flowers, spits on employees, goes to jail
03-30  Welfare check on 93 year old man; officers force way into house, man not there
03-30  Robber jumped the counter at Walgreen's 145th and Aurora and stole drugs


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Photo: Flowering trees survive the wind

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

I have been surprised, as I drive around Shoreline, to find so many streets with rows of flowering cherry trees. I was concerned that the wind and rain of Friday would mash them into pink pulp but it appears that they survived.

This row is along 165th by the bus barn and Ridgecrest Elementary.

There's another row on 175th between Meridian and Aurora. And another row on Shoreline Center property along 1st NE - and the library has a row on 5th NE.

I imagine there are many more places with these bursts of color - so welcome in the monochromatic environment of ours!

And some history, thanks to RNA:

Ridgecrest Neighborhood Association (RNA) The trees in this photo on NE 165th, next to Ridgecrest Elementary School, are Blireiana Plum Trees - not cherry. The delicate pink blooms precede the purple leaves. The plum trees, along with more than 100 other trees in Ridgecrest, were planted by volunteers from the Ridgecrest Neighborhood in the late '90's. The city of Shoreline was so impressed with the results on NE 165th, they planted Blireiana Plums on 175th, just east of I-5, as part of the eastside Gateway to Shoreline.

Updated 4-11-2017

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Senior Center Book Club and the Hotel Angeline

At the next meeting of the Book Club, April 11, we will be talking about Hotel Angeline by Garth Stein and Others!

Hope to see you at the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center at 1:00pm on Tuesday. 18560 1st Ave S, southernmost building on the Shoreline Center campus.


Coming up:

May 9 - The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Jun. 13 - The Art Forger by Barbara Shapiro

July 11 - The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood

Aug. 8 - Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Sep. 12 - The Paris Winter by Imogen Robertson



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Register Monday for Chamber of Commerce April lunch

Officer Paula Bates
Join the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce for lunch Wednesday, April 12 from 11:30am - 1pm in the Shoreline Center Alumni Room, 18560 1st Ave NE, 98155
 
Register online or email to let them know you're coming. Pay cash, check or card at the door. Please register by Monday.
  • $20 online / $25 walk-in registration for members
  • $25 online / $30 walk-in registration for non-members

The presentation, by Officer Paula Bates, will be Shoreline Police Department Resources for Businesses

Paula Bates was named Community Outreach-Problem Solving (COPS) Officer in October 2016. Paula’s role is to meet with individuals, neighborhood groups, organizations, and businesses to discuss crime prevention and public safety issues.

At the luncheon, Paula will introduce herself and her new role as it applies to Shoreline businesses. She will also briefly discuss a new City of Shoreline initiative to focus on engaging the business community in promoting and enhancing safety. There will be plenty of time for questions and answers.



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Puget Sound Jersey Mike's raises $102,498 for Children's Hospital

Steve Berry, owner of Jersey Mike's in Shoreline
Jersey Mike's would like to thank its outstanding customers, franchise owners and team members for their generous support during this year's record-breaking jump from $4 million raised in 2016 to more than $5.5 million nationwide during Month of Giving! 

In the Seattle-Tacoma area alone, $102,498 was raised for Seattle Children's Hospital. A complete list of money raised for charities nationwide is available here listed by state.

Shoreline's Jersey Mike's in Aurora Village participated in the event, contributing 100% of its sales on Wednesday, March 29, 2017.



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Shorecrest scores Saturday softball victory over Shorewood


The annual Saturday game between the schools has a tradition of promoting cancer awareness. Denise Galloway, Associate Director of the Human Biology Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, throws out the ceremonial first pitch.

Photos by Chris Stuvek

The Shorecrest softball team defeated Shorewood 5-2 Saturday on Shorewood’s home Meridian Park field.

Shorecrest scored single runs in each of the second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings to overcome an early Shorewood lead.

Shorewood runner Kate Lydin and Shorecrest pitcher Allie Leicester

Winning pitcher Allie Leicester held the Thunderbirds scoreless over the last five innings while striking out nine Shorewood batters over seven innings. She gave up runs in each of the first two innings.

Hailee Desrosier hit two triples in four at bats for Shorecrest. Teammate Hannah Jorgensen hit two for four, and Alicia Scott hit a double.

Shorewood senior, Brianne McCaslin, is greeted by teammates at home plate after belting a second-inning home run.


For Shorewood, Haley Osborn hit a double, and Brianne Mccaslin hit a home run.

Shorewood pitcher, Bonnie Paulson

Shorecrest now takes a 2-6 Wesco 3A record (4-7 overall) into a Tuesday 4pm home game with Arlington.

Shorewood takes a 0-7 (0-9) record into a Tuesday 4pm game at Snohomish.

The Shorewood junior varsity takes a 3-1 (5-1) record into a 3-1 (5-1) record into a Tuesday 4pm game at Snohomish.

Shorecrest's Rochelle Gigrich lays down a sacrifice bunt in the first inning.


Shorecrest catcher Alexis Pezeshki

SW coach is Paul Jensen
SC coach is Michael Olsen




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Cats: the busiest kitty you'll ever meet

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Rylie was busy with his toy, but stopped to stand on his back legs
and peer around the corner to see if staff were doing something more interesting.


My name is Rylie, and I am here at SAFe Rescue waiting for my new family.

Not very patiently, I might add.

I am probably the busiest kitty you'll ever meet. I never stay in the same spot because I am busy attending business meetings and making sure everyone is doing their job, you know, normal cat stuff.

But don't let my talkative, business oriented mind fool you. I am actually very loving, and affectionate. I also love human children!

So if you let me into your home, your human kids will be my best buddies!

Everyone here at the rescue says I have a really cute round face, but I think it makes me look distinguished.

Come meet me and fall in love!

You can find me at the Seattle Area Feline Rescue, 14717 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline 98133

Adoption Hours

Friday: 12 to 7 PM
Saturday: 12 to 7 PM
Sunday: 12 to 7 PM
Monday: 2 to 5 PM

(closed Tues., Wed., and Thurs.)




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Home sales in Shoreline during March 2017

The following is a sampling of homes at each price point that sold in Shoreline during the month of March 2017 from data compiled for the Shoreline Area News by the Shoreline Windermere office.




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Diabetes Self-Management class at Senior Center starts Tuesday

Photo by Jerry Pickard
Diabetes Self-Management Program: a Six Week Class Coming to the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center

Workshop begins on Tuesday, April 11, 10:00am to 12:30pm and will be held for 6 consecutive Tuesdays, April 11 to May 16, 10:00am, to 12:30pm, in the Game Room at the Senior Center. No fee, donations appreciated.

Also known as Living Well with Diabetes, this is a 6 week, 2.5 hour workshop that focuses on those with Type 1 or 2 Diabetes and Pre-Diabetics with information around the unique needs of the chronic health conditions.

Workshop participants focus on ways to better self-manage diabetes with skill building around diabetic nutrition, specific health concerns, medication management, safe physical activities, and other skills specific to diabetes.

Participants who graduate from the program are given a Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions book and Relaxation for Mind and Body CD to help them continue building their skills and self-management both during and after the workshop.

The workshop is an EnhanceWellness program from Sound Generations, a Community Partner of the Senior Center

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center is the southern-most building of the Shoreline Center, 18560 1st AVE NE #1. 206-365-1536.



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FBI and local law enforcement train for a child abduction


Text and photos by Steven H. Robinson

On Thursday, April 6, 2017 between 8:30am and 3:45pm a field training exercise was conducted as a culmination of an FBI sponsored Child Abduction Response Training for 16 local law enforcement agencies. The agencies were from Clark County, King County, Kitsap County, Skagit County, Snohomish County, and the Portland Police Bureau. Washington State is the 11th state to receive this training.

Annually there are 110 children abducted by strangers in the United States. To solve these types of cases it is imperative to begin the investigation as soon as possible after the abduction is suspected. The FBI recommends that 76 investigators should be involved in these cases. To increase the number of available trained investigators the FBI provides this training.


Conducting the training were agents from the “Child Abduction Response Deployment Team" and the Behavioral Analysis Unit. The FBI’s role is to help investigate the disappearance, recover the child, and apprehend the person or person responsible. They support local law enforcement with investigative resources and technical assets to work hand in hand with state and local law enforcement agencies on cases involving the mysterious disappearance of a child.

The training exercise was held in the city of Snoqualmie and included three separate neighborhoods, the business district and a middle school. The role players for the exercise were recruited from the specific neighborhoods, the middle school students, drama programs from the local schools and universities located in Seattle.


The scenario for the exercise was developed in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This training scenario was the disappearance of a middle school student on her way to school. She had taken a shortcut on a trail through the woods instead of her normal route. She was abducted by an individual in a car.


The role players acting as neighbors, citizens, family, school classmates, and others, provided clues to investigators. Investigators spread out through the neighborhoods following leads developed from interviews. Local businesses were contacted for videos to try to identify the suspect and the vehicle.

Roadblocks were set up in the neighborhoods to check with drivers and develop any possible leads. School classmates were interviewed. Searches of the abduction site were made to collect possible evidence.


All clues and information weere processed to determine which were substantive and which were not. From that information leads were followed. Depending on the decisions the investigators made, the abducted child was recovered safely - but the successful end to this exercise was not a forgone conclusion. The child was recovered from a house in another neighborhood from where she was abducted.



The participating law enforcement investigators were monitored by FBI staff during the exercise. A review of the exercise will take place on Friday April 7, 2017 with a follow up report on what was done well and what could be improved in a real incident.

Carlos Mojica, FBI Assistant Special
Agent-in-Charge of the Seattle Office

According to Carlos Mojica, FBI Assistant Special Agent In-Charge of the Seattle Office, this training is valuable for law enforcement personnel who may be called to investigate a child abduction in the future. Not only does this training inform investigators on techniques and procedures but creates working agreements between local agencies and the FBI to respond quickly with adequate numbers of trained investigators.

He acknowledged the role of media in assisting in getting information to the citizenry in the case of an abduction and allowing the public to assist in quickly locating a missing child.

Snoqualmie Police Chief Perry Phipps

Snoqualmie Police Chief Perry Phipps thanked his community for their willingness to provide time, personnel and resources to make the exercise a real experience for the investigators.

He reported the citizens are now better experienced in providing good information and having a clearer understanding of reporting crimes as well as assisting police in have a positive outcome. The middle school students have a better understanding of personal safety issues and how to keep themselves safer in the community.



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Ask the Bird Lady: where are the small birds?

Friday, April 7, 2017

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon subspecies.
Depending on your yard, this one could be leaving,
with most coming in this next month.
A reader asks:

I have a question for our bird lady Chris Southwick. Last week I refilled the bird feeder and have seen only one small bird since(!) Usually it gets quite a bit of action. Crows and jays are still present, but I haven't even seen a small bird anywhere around my house.

What is going on? Is there something I'm not aware of with this time of year, etc? I don't recall this phenomenon in previous years.

Hope you can clear up the mystery for me.

Vicki Westberg

Dark-eyed Junco, male may have left
not to return until September

The Bird Lady answers:

Several people have noticed this happening at their feeders.

Do not worry. It is the seasonal changing of the birds.

What most people are seeing is the winter birds that have been using their feeders are starting to migrate north or to higher elevations to their breeding grounds, and the summer birds are not here yet.

I had one friend who had a Yellow-rumped Warbler that was gorging itself on high protein meal worms.  I told her it would probably leave soon -- and it hasn't been seen since last Saturday.

White-crowned Sparrow. Just starting to
be heard in the area -- breeds here
Depending on your habitat, Dark-eyed Juncos may have left, or be leaving.  I have breeding juncos in this yard, but my house just 28 blocks to the south used to only have juncos from September to March-April.

Resident birds that stay here to breed are eating more bugs and less seed (now that bugs are available again after the frosts), and many local breeders are feeding bugs to the females creating bonding for the season.

My hummingbird feeders are going down quite rapidly, so I know that I have extra hummers, maybe even a Rufus passing through, even if I am not home during the day.

Townsend's Warbler should be showing up soon
Soon, you will start seeing and hearing birds that you haven't had for six months--the passing through migrants, and the local summer birds.  Already the American Robins are serenading the mornings and the early evenings.

Soon will come the warblers--Townsend's, Wilson's, Yellow-rumped, Yellow.  Passing through will be Western Tanagers, flycatchers, vireos, etc. Sparrows that breed in this area are starting to appear:  White-crowned, Golden-crowned, Savannah, Lincoln.


Look upward, and listen too -- the season is a changing....

Chris Southwick

All photos by Christine Southwick



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King County honors local service in the “War to End all Wars”

From left: Russell Greaby, Marcie Sanders, Dwight Stevens, ?, Phyllis Moll,
Councilmember Rod Dembowski, Ray Coffey, ???
Veterans from County Council District 1
Photo courtesy King County

100 years ago April 2, President Woodrow Wilson sought a declaration of war to join our allies fighting in the Great War, now known as World War One. In recognition of this moment in history and in memory of the King County and City of Seattle employees who then left their families, jobs, and lives to serve our nation, King County Council Vice Chairs Reagan Dunn and Rod Dembowski unveiled two refurbished bronze plaques at the entrance of the King County Courthouse.

“As the son of a Korean War combat Veteran, I am personally committed to ensuring we honor the sacrifices of all who have served our nation, including the more than 120,000 veterans who call King County home,” said Dembowski. 
“I am proud to partner with Councilmember Dunn to honor the legacy of the brave men and women who fought to safeguard the world 100 years ago.”

During the war, more than 60,000 residents of Washington served in the Army, Navy, Marines or Coast Guard including more than 500 employees of Seattle and King County government.

Before and after shots of the Honor Roll King County
Photo courtesy King County


In 1931, King County and the City of Seattle affixed bronze plaques entitled “Honor Roll of County Employees” and “Honor Roll of City Employees” at the entrance to the County-City Building — now the King County Courthouse —to honor the service of these brave men and women.

Time and weathering left the plaques in need of repair, so Dunn and Dembowski advocated for funds to restore these pieces of local history. Today’s ceremony rededicated the newly restored plaques so that they may serve as a reminder of service for many years to come.

“It’s an honor to able to take part in events like these especially for veterans of WWI and WWII who led the way,” said Al Zarb of Enumclaw’s VFW Post Hall 1949. “There’s not many of those veterans left and their story must continue to be told.”

Refurbished Honor Roll City of Seattle
Photo courtesy King County


Shoreline Vet Dwight Stevens, Jr. is the son of a Veteran who served in WWI. He said the new plaques are a reminder to all of the service and sacrifice of those who answered their nation’s call a century ago.

“This is a marvelous remembrance of the people who laid down their tools and went to war,” he said. “We honor their memory and their service”

To see the newly rededicated plaques, visit the 4th Avenue entrance to the King County Courthouse (516 3rd Ave). The memorial is located on the 4th Avenue side of the building between James and Jefferson streets.



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Bertha breakthrough in photos and drone video

Stars and Stripes for Bertha
Photo courtesy WSDOT


Bertha, the tunnel boring machine digging the tunnel for SR 99 that will replace the viaduct on the Seattle waterfront, finally made it through to the end, finishing her tunneling work Thursday.

WSDOT has a photo album here.

Tidying up after Bertha breakthrough
Photo courtesy WSDOT
You can see drone video of the breakthrough online, or other conversation on the WSDOT Facebook page. Now that the tunneling machine has chewed the future SR 99 tunnel, crews will spend the next several days removing steel support braces then drive her into the open area to be cut into pieces for removal.

The new SR 99 tunnel is scheduled to open in early 2019. The double decker highway will have two lanes in each direction as well as an 8 foot safety shoulder.


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Home sales in Lake Forest Park during March 2017

The following is a sampling of homes at each price point that sold in Lake Forest Park during the month of March 2017 from data compiled for the Shoreline Area News by the Shoreline Windermere office.




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Palm Sunday worship celebration at Richmond Beach Congregational Church


Local Blue Grass Group 7 Chord Pile-Up will provide music for worship on Palm Sunday, April 9, 2017 at the Richmond Beach Congregational Church, UCC, 1512 NW 195th St, corner NW Richmond Beach Road and 15th Ave NW, Shoreline 98177 206-542-7477

9:45am gathering to process with Palms to the sanctuary with lively drumming at 10:00am.




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Moms Demand Action holding new member meeting Thursday Apr 13

The Shoreline local group of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is holding a New Member meeting, and invites anyone interested in supporting their work to come and learn about their organization.

The event will be on Thursday, April 13, 2017, 8-9pm, at the Library in Lake Forest Park mall: 17171 Bothell Way NE.



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Spring Fling Craft Fair


Spring Fling Craft Fair at Aegis Living of Shoreline
14900 First Ave NE, Shoreline 98155
Saturday, April 8, 10am to 4pm

Easter Bunny arrives at 2pm



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T-Birds and Scots slog to 2-2 tie

On a night better suited for ark building than playing soccer, the Shorewood and Shorecrest boys battled to a 2-2 tie Friday night at Shoreline Stadium.

The Scots' Ricardo Ruiz opened the scoring with a goal barely five minutes into the game, as Shorecrest was playing into the stiff wind and sideways rain during the first half.

Mathew Wilkinson tied things up for the T-Birds with a header off a corner kick that got past Scots' goalkeeper Ben Evans at the 25:00 mark.

Shorecrest responded with nine minutes to play in the half when Rhys Kroehler blasted a rebound past the T-Birds' Nathaniel Poole, giving the Scots a 2-1 halftime lead.

Liam Ammador-Emmons knotted the game at two on a penalty kick with just under twenty-five minutes to play in regulation.

Poole made the save of the night with two minutes to play in regulation, stopping a Scots' shot from point-blank range to preserve the tie.

A surprisingly large (given the conditions) and spirited crowd was on hand to support the two teams, and their decorum reflected the great respect the community has for one another.



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Public Art City of Shoreline #6: Ridgecrest Neighborhood Banners

Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

City of Shoreline Public Art Collection
Multiple locations on 5th Ave between 150th and 165th, and at Ridgecrest School parking lot on 10th Ave NE just north of 165th St.
City of Shoreline Neighborhood Mini-Grant 2008

Ridgecrest Neighborhood Banners   Adam Yaw, artist. Digital printed fabric

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Artist's Statement: My banner design was inspired by sunny drives up and down Ridgecrest's 5th Avenue where one can have a quick moment of appreciation for the colorful lines of trees that parallel the road ... the curling rays are meant to substitute for a winding path.

--Text courtesy City of Shoreline



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