Letter to the Editor: the value of journalism

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

To the Editor:

Thank you, Shoreline News, for continuing to be the conduit of news, information and public comment for our community. Newspapers- virtual or print- are a window to the events of our world, be it around the block or around the globe.

Should reporters and their dedication to investigating the facts behind the headlines disappear, we will be left with few dependable resources to understand the truth and facts of the events that impact our lives. The world starts outside our front doors. Thank you for being there.

Anne Guthrie
Shoreline



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Gardening: Ivy removal at 5 Acre Woods Saturday

Ivy removal at 5 Acre Woods Saturday, January 6, 2018, 9am to noon -- 
Help us take back the Forest from Invasive Plants

Join Lake Forest Park Stewardship Foundation for the 1st official Saturday work party to remove ivy and restore forest health at Lake Forest Park’s new park.

5 Acre Woods - Lake Forest Park - 19000 block of 40th Place NE (located west of the 40th Place NE and 45th Place NE intersection). Parking along 40th Place NE.

Come dressed for all weather – rain or shine. Wear sturdy shoes and be prepared for uneven terrain and mountain beaver holes.

A limited number of tools will be available so bring your garden shears, loppers, folding hand saws or metal rakes but leave your power tools at home. Don’t forget your gloves – some people are sensitive to ivy sap. Children 14 yrs and under require parental liability waiver and must be accompanied by parents. Snacks and water provided.

Check in at the volunteer table to sign a liability waiver and learn what to do. No experience required.

Regular work parties will take place 1st Saturday of the month unless specified otherwise.

More information here. Donations here

Questions: Contact Polly -  206 999-1406


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Winter/Spring 2018 Create & Make workshop registration now open

Join the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council on Wednesdays this winter/spring to explore new artistic mediums and techniques in 4 exciting workshops lead by professional, local artists.

Workshops are $35 each and are held from 6:30 – 8:30pm in the Cromwell Room (south end) of the Shoreline Center, 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline 98155. All materials are provided, all you need to bring is your imaginative spirit!


Laura Cameron
The series kicks off on Wednesday, January 17th with Adventures in Painting: Mixed Media with Acrylic with Laura Cameron. This is a step-by-step painting class designed for beginners and experienced alike. Participants will see a complete example while following along to live painting to go from blank canvas to completed painting.

Materials and techniques will be introduced in a series of steps to complete an 11X14 or 12X12 mixed media painting, beginning with the general shapes and larger background areas first, using acrylic paint and mediums for mixed media techniques. The second part of the class will be spent with adding details with increasingly smaller brushes.

Then, come on back for more:

Ana Christensen
A New Spin on Valentines: A Card for You, A Card for Me: Artist Trading Cards with Ana Christensen – February 14th

This class will create artist trading cards while we explore beginning to intermediate collage techniques and design. Artist trading cards are miniature artworks (2.5 x 3.5 inches) created to trade or give away to others, just in time for the Valentine holiday!

Giving New Life to Fabric with a Bag or Pouch with Deb Shannon – March 14th

Transform a garment into something useful! In this class, you will make a pouch, purse, or small bag. Fabric and necessary supplies will be provided for this workshop.


Add some color and fun to your garden or potted plants with this fused glass workshop making glass butterfly ponds! All supplies will be on hand to create a 6" diameter piece that will then be taken to instructor's studio to fire in her kiln with a copper cap fused into the bottom, making so you can then add any length of copper pipe. 

Got questions? More info is available on the Arts Council’s website

Or feel free to email us at artsed@shorelinearts.net or call the Arts Council’s office at 206-417-4645.

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to cultivate creativity and inspire our community through the arts.

1-3-18 description updated for Fabric workshop.

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Christmas in the daylight

Photo by Seattle Poppy

Here's a daytime display - no lights but charming decorations. Wish we could have seen this one in the snow - the little trees like this were particularly beautiful. It's at a home southeast of the Shoreline Library.

DKH



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King County Housing Authority buys Ballinger Commons

Ballinger Commons

By Diane Hettrick

King County Housing Authority (KCHA) has purchased Ballinger Commons, the huge, multi-building apartment complex on 77 acres at N 205th between Meridian and 1st Ave NE.

Ballinger Commons was built in 1989. The clubhouse, fitness center and playground were remodeled 20 years later. The 485 units come in 1, 2, and 3 bedrooms, with some units having two bathrooms. There are two pools, a spa, racquetball court, and tennis courts. Units have washers and dryers and most have fireplaces.

The 2018 tax appraisal was over $100 million but the actual sale price is not yet public. The previous owner was BRE Properties.

In the real estate listing, one of the selling points was that the rents could immediately be raised an average of $300 a unit. Current rents range from $1200 - 2000.

"The only thing the tenants will notice," said Dan Watson, Deputy Director and Chief Development Officer, "is that their rents won't go up as fast as they have been."

The King County Housing Authority is an independent municipal corporation, serving all of King county outside of Seattle. It was formed in 1939 by the State of Washington to provide affordable housing and related services. Their first project was to provide affordable housing for miners in Black Diamond so they could live close to their jobs. After that, they focused on providing housing for defense workers during WW II.

After the war, they turned their attention to low-income housing and have been acquiring rental properties ever since.

Their mission is to preserve affordable housing, so that people with incomes at less than 50-60% of median can afford to stay in their communities and live near their work.

Although the goal at each property is to have half of the units rented to income-qualified tenants, there are no plans to displace current tenants.

Watson said that KCHA is very excited to acquire Ballinger Commons. The units have large bedrooms and KCHA appreciates all the trees.

They are enthused about what is happening in Shoreline, said Watson. The Commons is close to jobs, good schools, the Aurora transit center, pretty good public transportation, and soon, the 185th Sound Transit station.


It's the largest single property they have acquired at one time, although Watson said they have one of equal size in Bellevue that was purchased in three sales, as property became available.

KCHA is the largest landlord in King county, owning over 100 properties.

KCHA also owns Ballinger Homes, a complex on Ballinger Way. It is federally funded, with federal rent subsidies. They administer the Section 8 voucher program for the Federal Government. There is currently very little funding for Section 8, although the need is still great.

The housing authority also owns Northridge I and II in North City, four units in Echo Cove on Aurora, Lake House by Aurora Village, Briarwood Court on Midvale, Paramount House on 145th, and Westminster Manor on Dayton. Several properties are Senior living.

KCHA receives no funds from state, county, or cities. They cover operating costs by rents charged to tenants and federal funding. Their annual consolidated budget is about $221.7 million. About 400 employees work at the Tukwila headquarters and field offices around King County.

They are governed by a five member volunteer Board of Commissioners, appointed by the county executive and approved by the King County Council. They partner with social service agencies to provide support services to tenants.

Correction: Dan Watson is the Deputy Director of KCHA; Stephen Norman is the Executive Director. Information in the story came from Dan Watson.

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Run, Walk, or Howl into the Year of the Dog with ICHS Lunar 5K in Shoreline

Registration Now Open 

Local runners and walkers of both the four- and two-legged variety are invited to get with their pack to bring in the Lunar New Year in an effort to help local families who cannot afford medical care.

International Community Health Services’ (ICHS) will be holding its 3rd annual Lunar New Year 5K walk and run fundraiser, on Sunday, February 25, in Shoreline.

Online registration for humans is now open online, while on-leash canines are welcome to join for free. 

The event commemorates the lunar calendar Year of the Dog in 2018 by inviting participants to roam the environs of Shoreline’s Interurban Trail while doing good.

Each year, ICHS organizes the 5K to raise money to support uncompensated patient care and provides almost $1 million to the Puget Sound region’s most vulnerable communities — about 90% are persons of color and about 55% have limited English speaking skills and need interpretation help.

“Facing challenges in federal funding, ICHS rely on events such as the 5K Walk and Run to serve the needs of our community,” said Ron Chew, ICHS Foundation executive director.

International Community Health Services’ Lunar New Year 5K walk and run fundraising event will support uncompensated health care for families throughout the region. Participants will receive a time chip, bib, t-shirt and promotional giveaways from vendors. The first 250 participants that check-in will also receive an ICHS fanny pack.

The walk and run route will start at Shoreline City Hall, 17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133

Registration prices range from $10-$40 based on age, and increase by $5 per month.

Online registration is open now until 24 hours before the race

Questions? Email for answers.

Lunar New Year 5K sponsors include: East West Bank, Coordinated Care, Amerigroup, Aurora Rents, Community Health Plan of Washington, One Cup Coffee, Shoreline Rotary, Sam’s Club, Uwajimaya, Miller Hayashi Architects, City of Shoreline, HomeSight, Mei-Ling Woo State Farm Agency, Merchants Parking Association, Molina Healthcare, SCIDpda, Shoreline Community College, Viet-Wah Group, Recology, and WPI Real Estate Services.

International Community Health Services (ICHS) provides culturally and linguistically appropriate health services to improve the wellness of King County’s diverse people and communities. ICHS’ commitment to health equity includes supporting safer neighborhoods, nutritious foods, green spaces, jobs, housing and economic opportunity.

Since its founding in 1973, ICHS has grown from a single storefront clinic in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District with deep roots in the Asian Pacific Islander community, to employ more than 500 people and serve nearly 29,000 patients at eight clinic locations in 2016. The Shoreline Clinic has both medical and dental clinics, as well as labs. It is open to everyone.


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Chase says capital budget is one of many tasks for Senate’s new Democratic majority

Monday, January 1, 2018

State Sen. Maralyn Chase
32nd Legislative District
By Evan Smith

Democratic State Sen. Maralyn Chase says that passing a capital budget is the first of many tasks for the Senate’s new Democratic majority.

In 2017, legislators were unable to pass an operating budget during their scheduled 105-day session, and went into a third 30-day special session to reach a compromise between the Democratic-controlled State House of Representatives and the then-Republican-controlled State Senate.

But legislators never reached an accord on a capital budget, which pays for state buildings and other projects built using the state’s bonding authority.

Chase said in early December that other bills mean little if Democrats can’t secure sufficient votes from the Republicans to pass the capital budget bond bill.

She added that the legislature needs to address unsolved issues related to the State Supreme Court’s order for the Legislature to provide full support for public schools.

She also said that, as the new chair of the Senate Economic Development and International Trade Committee, she hopes to craft a strategy for a growth economy.

“I am looking at how we can now move forward to grow an inclusive economy where everyone shares in the prosperity, where businesses thrive, and our citizens enjoy an increased standard of living,” she said.

Chase will take the chair of the committee on economic development and international trade in the 2018 legislature because Democrats have taken a 25-24 Senate majority after a Democrat won a special election in November for a seat representing east King County that had been held by a Republican.

Chase represents the 32nd Legislative District, including the city of Shoreline, part of northwest Seattle, Woodway and nearby unincorporated areas of southwest Snohomish County, south Edmonds, the city of Lynnwood and part of Mountlake Terrace.

In addition to being chair of the committee on economic development and international trade, Chase also will be a member of the Senate Transportation Committee and of the Rules Committee.


Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com



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RBCA meeting Jan 9 with school levy and police on agenda


RBCA Community Meeting
Topics: School Levy and Police
Tuesday, Jan. 9; 7:00pm 
Meet and Greet, 7:15pm School Levy and 7:30pm Police
Richmond Beach Congregational Church, lower level


Rebecca Miner will make a brief informational presentation, hand out literature and answer questions about the February 13 Schools Levy special election at 7:15pm before the start of the January RBCA public meeting.

The election is a vote to replace the 2013 levy. People not able to attend the meeting can find detailed information here.

At 7:30pm, Shoreline Police Officer Paula Bates will update Richmond Beach on matters of public safety.

The presentation will address issues particularly on the minds of Richmond Beach residents lately: Package and mail theft, car prowls, non-residents hanging out in bus shelters and now and then camping under bushes in parks and greenbelts, speeding on Richmond Beach Road and bad manners at intersections, door-to-door salespeople and sketchy charity representatives.

Officer Bates will offer suggestions for looking out for one's self and neighbors and when and why to call the police.



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Christmas tree pickup at curbside for Shoreline residents

Unflocked, no decorations, 4 foot length trees
can be picked up at curbside for Shoreline
residents who subscribe to yard waste pickup.
Recology CleanScapes will collect unflocked, undecorated, natural trees in lengths up to 4 feet.

Shoreline customers who subscribe to food scraps and yard debris collection service may place trees out for collection on their regularly scheduled food/yard waste collection day.

Because of Monday's New Year's Day holiday, the collection schedule is pushed out one day this week, i.e. Monday on Tuesday, Tuesday on Wednesday, etc.

Residential customers who do not subscribe to food scraps and yard debris service may schedule collection of properly prepared trees during the first two full weeks in January at no additional charge.

To schedule, contact Customer Service at 206-763-4444 or at shoreline@recology.com by Friday, January 5th.

Flocked trees are not accepted in compost collection because flocking contains non-compostable materials including adhesives, flame retardant, or additives. Flocked trees may be disposed as garbage for an additional fee.



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WARM Journey: An adoptee's search for her birth family

WARM JOURNEY for Mary Kate
Excerpted from the Winter 2015 WARM Journeys Newsletter

I was told by my parents at an early age, that they found me under a rock on the beach where we played in front of our house in Bremerton, Washington. I marveled, with three year old fascination, at the puddles under rocks and the tiny crabs and slimy creatures that shared my beginnings. I spent many hours flipping over rocks in endless fascination at the strange world from which I was retrieved. A few years later I learned that I was born in 1955 in Walla Walla, Washington and adopted, as were my two older brothers. This was akin to learning that Santa was not real, as I had many toddler moments devoted to my intertidal beginnings.

Upon reuniting at the war’s end, my parents found that they could not have their own children, so without hesitation they turned to adoption through Catholic Charities. I was adopted at three weeks, which was the soonest my mother could get her hands on me after birth. It is an understatement to say that I was the apple of my parents' eye, as were my brothers. My mother and I turned heads with my pale blue eyes, white-blonde hair, her red hair, hazel eyes and stunning good looks. We didn’t look anything alike but we were a match made in heaven. My father had lost his only brother, and witnessed the dark sinister side of humanity during the war. He lived every day with Mom and us kids as if our time together was precious and fleeting.

It was not until high school that my folks and I talked more about my adoption story. I learned that I was of Norwegian - Irish descent and a few scant particulars surrounding why I was given up for adoption.

My parents had not been told much. I was a physical, robust girl and could not get enough exercise. Years before mountaineering was a popular activity or high school sports available for girls, I joined a mountaineer club and started to climb the peaks of the Cascade Range.

In my 15th summer, I was racing out of our house to go on a weekend Mt. Rainier climb and nearly got knocked over by an ethereal missile from my biological mother.

She was worried about me and my welfare. The message may as well have been on a banner floating over our house, it was so strong and clear. It stopped me in my tracks, which was not easy to do.

I talked to my mom about it. We decided that it sure would be nice if I could tell her that I was fine. Mom and dad were told that the adoption records were closed, done deal, end of story, no going back.

As the years passed I continued to seek out risky outdoor activities that included dangling from ropes, challenging rapids, or taking on nontraditional jobs like fire-fighting or climbing poles as a lineman (woman).

I was invited on an international climb in the Pamir mountain range when I was 18. A nagging voice in my head said not to go. An agonizing decision, because I had a sponsor, but I went with the voice. The eleven person rope team I would have been on all perished in a severe storm on the climb.

I did have other close calls which made it all the more thrilling for me. I “heard” from my biological mother several times during these years through that mysterious space that looks empty around us but holds much we cannot see.

Fast forward to 2007 when my mother died and 2008 when my dad died. I was by their sides throughout their aging years and beyond grief when they passed away.

In 2014 I am in my 33rd year, in Alaska. A good friend, who is also adopted, told me how Washington changed a law to allow adoptees access to their original birth certificates. The door opened a crack for adoptees, so my friend and I decided to send in for our birth certificates together.

My friend found out who her biological mom was within a week, on her own. Her mom never left the Seattle area where my friend was born. I sort of tried to find my biological mom, but ran aground of false leads. I contacted WARM in Seattle and they were encouraging and supportive. I was given a Confidential Intermediary (CI) in Spokane and the process began. My CI also ran into several false leads and dead ends. Ultimately it took several months to find out that my biological mother had died when I was only 29 years old. I was surprised that she had died so young, so I consoled myself that I had surely tried and I really hoped she knew it.

The CI then said, I have siblings. Siblings? I had not considered that I would be contacting siblings. She encouraged me to continue and contact them. I had doubts and questions. Did they know I existed? What would they think of their mom if they found out about me? This was new and rocky terrain for me. To learn more about my biological mother, the next step was to get a family member to sign a consent form. With my CI’s positive views, we continued to pursue contact with a sister and a brother. On March 21, 2015, the day before my birthday, I received a call from an enthusiastic CI. My sister had responded to the letter from the CI. She was alive, well and thrilled to know of my existence. Thrilled? Really? My CI said, “And do you know what else? You are never going to believe this, her name is the same as yours, Katy!”

Katy lives in New York. Without WARM, I do not believe I would have found her. As it turned out, I have not two but four siblings! We all met for the first time in the Seattle-Bellingham area on September 19-20, 2015. My Seattle family and friends were also invited to the meet and greet, and they all thoroughly enjoyed each other. We rented a minivan and spent a week together. It was as if I already knew my siblings. They are all amazing, talented, and considerate people. We had a really good time, and I have been in communication with one or the other almost daily since we met March 2015.

I am so grateful to our mom for having these remarkable and gifted children whom I will now enjoy the rest of my life, along with a bounty of nieces and nephews. I certainly did feel as though my biological mother was pushing me to pursue what I thought was finding her, but indeed it was her children. She wanted me to find them and so did my parents.

~~~~~~

Washington Adoption Reunion Movement (WARM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to reuniting families separated by adoption. We serve adoptees, birth family members, and adoptive families. Specializing in Washington state, we also have cooperation with the superior courts in a number of other states as well.



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Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 31, 2017


 See you next year...

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Cartoon: Go cold turkey with bad habits



Previous cartoons by Whitney Potter can be found under Features 
in the first column of the front page of the Shoreline Area News



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Rob Oxford: Happy New Year

Eating black-eyed peas on New Year's
means good luck for the coming year
By Rob Oxford

When I was a youngster, celebrating the new year meant so many different things. Although it rarely happened, it meant being allowed to stay up late and watch Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve.

It meant drinking a "fake" toast of grape juice at midnight with my parents. It meant watching my Dad prepare Black-eyed Peas, a true Southern tradition and knowing I could get away with eating just one single pea on New Year's Day in order to receive the luck it "held". 

It meant school was "out", it meant lots and lots of football and it meant making resolutions and promising the next year would be the best year ever. Then a couple days later, forgetting what it was that you had resolved to change.

It also meant everything from the previous year would be forgotten and erased from memory. I'm so glad that wasn't the case. Today I think back on those memories and realize the ability to remember my mistakes is precisely why I am where I am today. Married, the Father of two bright, loving, respectful children and by my own definition, successful.

When I got older, after the passing of my Mother, New Years Eve meant no matter where I was or what I was doing, be it on stage playing with my band, hosting a radio station event or being the low guy on the totem pole and keeping the radio station on the air, stopping just before midnight and calling my Dad. Usually waking him up from a deep sleep, but knowing that if I didn't call him both he and I would regret it in the morning.

I made so many mistakes growing up, said and did so many things I wish I hadn't, behaved in ways I can't imagine my children ever behaving. Luckily for me and for all of us, we were always forgiven. We were always blessed with that "new year" and the chance to start again.

So what does celebrating the new year mean now at 57 years old? It means trying desperately to stay up late and watch Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve hosted by some guy with whom I have absolutely no connection.

It means now that I am sober, drinking a toast of grape juice at midnight with my wife. It means never having to eat another Black-eyed Pea as long as I live. It means lots and lots of football, letting my children decide how they want to celebrate their own New Year's Eve and looking forward to when school will start again.

It means being saddened by watching the "In Memoriam" segment honoring all those who we lost the previous year and it means wishing I could call my Dad. It also means being intelligent enough not to make resolutions I have the risk of breaking.

Finally, it means waking up to another day of life, being thankful for the air I breathe, the love of my family and friends, the people I meet and the prospects of changing my world for the better.

And most of all it still means sincerely wishing each of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!



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Friday afternoon at the movies - film classics

Join us for this 1936 film brought to you by Scarecrow Video and the Shoreline- Lake Forest Park Senior Center. Showtime: January 5 at 1:30-4:00pm.

A waitress, a hobo, and a bank robber get mixed up at a lonely diner in the desert.

Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, and Humphrey Bogart star.

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Senior Center is located in the southernmost building of the Shoreline Center, 18560 1st Ave NE #1 in Shoreline, 206-365-1536.

The movie is free but donations are appreciated.



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Two Masonic Lodges merge at ceremony in Shoreline

Two Masonic Lodges merge
MarTeam Photography

By Matthew J. Appel, Secretary, Mill Creek Lodge No. 243

At two pm on Saturday the 30th, at the Scottish Rite in Shoreline, two south Snohomish County institutions merged to move forward into the future as one.

Two Masonic Lodges, Robert Burns No. 243, founded in Alderwood Manor in 1921, and Genesis No. 305, which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary last summer, merged.

The ceremony was presided over by the state-wide leader of the fraternity, Warren Schoeben, and attended by approximately 250 Brothers and friends from across the state, as well as some who traveled from California and Oregon.

“We are excited that this consolidation will combine the best aspects of both Lodges and enable us to do more together than we ever could apart,” said Brent Arnold, who was installed Master of the consolidated Lodge at the ceremony.

The new Lodge will be known as Mill Creek Lodge No. 243, and will meet at the Edmonds Masonic Center at 515 Dayton St on the third Tuesday of each month.

Brent Arnold is installed as Master of the newly formed Mill Creek Lodge No. 243
Photo courtesy of MarTeam Photography 
 

The consolidated Lodge will have about 200 members, including those in the Snohomish County area and others living throughout the U.S.

Robert Burns Lodge has been known in recent years as the organizer of the Turkey Trot 5k to benefit the Lynnwood Food Bank, and Genesis Lodge hosted an annual golf tournament for its scholarship fund. Both Lodges also participate in numerous other local and state-wide activities. Together the merged Lodge will continue in these efforts, and seek more opportunities to benefit the community, while continuing to make its members better men.

Free and Accepted Masons of Washington was founded in 1858, and teaches and inspires its members to be better men and citizens through its symbols and lessons. Freemasonry is the world’s oldest and largest fraternity.



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Photo: Moon at Noon

Photo by Mike Remarcke

The Wolf Moon made an early appearance Sunday afternoon, over the Cascades. According to Space.com,

The next full moon will be the Wolf Moon, and will peak on Monday, Jan. 1. 
To casual observers, the moon will still appear full the day prior and after the peak. 
January's full moon will be a "supermoon" as the moon arrives at perigee close to reaching its fullest phase.

This spectacular photo is brought to you by Mike Remarcke and a bright, sunny day. The view is to the east, looking at the Cascades from the ridge of North City.




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Authors at Third Place - one for grownups, one for kids

One regular author reading this week at Third Place Books and one story hour for the kids.


Gregory Erich Phillips
The Love of Finished Years (Sillan Pace Brown)
Thursday, January 4 at 7 pm

The story of one immigrant's powerful journey of aspiration and love in early twentieth century New York, this debut novel by local author Gregory Phillips won the Grand Prize for Chanticleer Reviews International Writing Competition.

Special storytime with Lucas Kok
Taima the Seahawk (Mascot Books)
Saturday, January 6 at 10 am

Join us for a special storytime with local children's author Lucas P. Kok, who will read from and talk about his picture book, Taima the Seahawk. And did someone say stickers?!

Third Place Books, Town Center, 17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, upper level.



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Skandia First Friday dance Jan 5

Skandia First Friday Dance, Cedar Valley Grange, 20526 52nd Ave W, Lynnwood 98036, January 5, 2018.

Bur-r-r-r it’s cold outside, but the dance class at 7:30pm will feature lively Danish set dances to warm you up.

Frank Brown and Elaine Murakami will teach Danish dances, featuring Firture fra Varde, Den Halve Kaede, Den Toppende Hone, and others. Then, at 8:30pm, it’s the return of the All-Comers Band!

For the fourth year in a row, all musicians are invited to come and play for dancing. Musicians, come prepared to suggest tunes; the list will be open in the basement of the Cedar Valley Grange from 8pm, and musicians may add tune picks to the list.

Please keep in mind that we are best served by tunes that are very common. Class, 7:30pm; dance, 8:30–11pm.

$15 (Skandia members, $10); kids, free. Information425-954-5262.



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Christmas Lights: Fremont Ave N

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Fremont Ave N and N 151st St.



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Shoreline Area News: 2017 in review

The Shoreline Area News has a regular cartoonist - Whitney Potter

The Shoreline Area News has published over 3800 stories so far in 2017. Following is one story from each month of the year, typical of some of the topics we cover.

January - Schools
Echo Lake 5th graders sworn in as Presidents in Olympia
Teachers Karen Nicholson and Allan Rand taught their 5th graders a Social Studies Storypath on the election process, learning about our government, political parties, platforms, the electoral college and culminating with the election of a president in each of the two classrooms. The classes travelled to Olympia where their elected Presidents were sworn in by a State Supreme Court judge and chatted with the governor.

February - Parks and Gardeners
Volunteer Opportunity at Grace Cole Park
An announcement for volunteer gardeners to help remove invasive species at Grace Cole Park was one of many gardening events in parks all over Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. Our parks look better every year because of the hundreds of hours of work put in by volunteers. Groups are formed around specific parks, pathways, and trails. They are led by Master Gardeners, Rotary clubs, neighborhood associations, or individuals with a passion. Victoria Gilleland writes a regular gardening column.

March - Politics
Kagi emphasizes role of early learning in foster care in Democrats' budget
Evan Smith covered politics all year, checking in with city councils and state legislators.

April - Theater
Theater Review: The Drowsy Chaperone receives a well-deserved standing ovation
Doug Gochanour reviewed productions from Driftwood Players, Phoenix Theatre, Shoreline Community College Drama, and Aurora Theatre Company. Jim Anderson covered Seattle Musical Theatre.

May - Sports
Sasha Gaeth and Gunnar Thorstenson save their best tennis for State
High school sports are covered by volunteers associated with an individual team. In tennis, coaches Arnie Moreno at Shorewood and Rob Mann at Shorecrest have been stellar at consistently sending reports and photos of their teams. Other sports had parents who stepped up to provide information about their teams. 2017 had particularly good football coverage from both schools.

June - Photographers
Demo Day - Abandoned buildings at Fircrest come down
We have been blessed with wonderful photographers. Steve Robinson, Jerry Pickard, Wayne Pridemore, Lee Lageschulte, Marc Weinberg, Jan Hansen. Other regulars are Frank Kleyn, Shirley Sidell, Dan Short, Lien Titus, Janet Way, Martin de Grazia, Bruce Hill, Carl Dinse, Seattle Poppy, G M Wiegand, Geoff Vlcek, Mike Remarcke. Then the readers who see news happening, take a photo and send it in. And all the bird photographers who give Christine Southwick permission to use their photos in her popular For the Birds columns.

July - Weather
WeatherWatcher - Heat wave coming
Carl Dinse tracks the weather at his private Shoreline weather station.

August - Letters to the Editor
What NOT to do if you find a dead cat
We welcome letters to the editor, and receive them on a variety of topics.

September - Art
New show opens at the Gallery at Town Center
We also follow the openings of art exhibits sponsored by the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Arts Council in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, Galleria Essentia in Ballinger Terrace, Shoreline Community College art gallery. We ran a series on Public Art in Shoreline and are working on other art related stories.

October - Fire and police
Fire calls and Police blotter
Fire and police actions in Shoreline are a regular feature; articles on fires and police action in Lake Forest Park are also published.

November - Neighborhoods, PTA
Pumpkin Pie for Hillwood neighbors
Meetings, event, projects of local PTA units, neighborhood associations, clubs, and groups - and there are a lot in the area!

December - Veterans
Patton's soldier
VFW post events, Shoreline Veterans' Association, Memorial Day, Veterans' Day, Medal of Honor winners, ceremonies at local cemeteries are all part of what we do.

Apologies to those who have not been mentioned. We truly appreciate everyone's contributions.

Free subscription here



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American Legion Post 227 hosts WWII Veteran Bob Harmon as Guest Lecturer

Bob Harmon addresses Post 227
Photo by Jerry Pickard
By Jerry Pickard

On Tuesday December 5, 2017 Starr Sutherland Jr. Post 227 held its monthly membership meeting. The featured speaker was Mr. Charles Robert “Bob” Harmon.

Mr. Harmon was a member of General Patton’s 80th Division, 319th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Army.

Mr. Harmon stated that Gen. Patton was a family friend, he only saw him three times during his tour of duty.

Mr. Harmon said that when his unit landed at Normandy they were afraid that the beach had been mined, but he made it off the beach without encountering a mined area.
The Army Air Force did an excellent job of providing cover against the German aircraft. The P-47’s chased them away.

He came ashore on the 5th of August 1944, and crossed France in about a month’s time. He was impressed by the bombed out buildings they encountered along the way. The allies had done a thorough job on their assigned targets.

Bob was lucky, his only wound during the course of the war was when he cut himself trying to open a can of meat in his rations.

He asked, "How can you kill a man as a Christian? (thou shalt not kill)," but said he had no trouble killing the enemy as he considered it a just war. He related the terror and stress of combat and what is now known as PTSD. Back then it was known as Battle Fatigue.

He related stories of battles along the Siegfried Line. His unit had made three attempts to cross a river and had been repulsed every time by heavy mortar and artillery fire, each time with heavy casualties. He decided he didn’t want to fight anymore, but a sergeant convinced him to go on.

On the fourth try, he and another soldier were the only ones to make the crossing. They found that they were behind a line of five German bunkers. They radioed back to an artillery unit and gave them firing coordinates for each of the first four bunkers - which were promptly destroyed.

They worked their way behind the fifth bunker and as they both could speak German they convinced the Germans to surrender. They marched the prisoners back to their headquarters and arrived in the evening. After turning in the prisoners it was too late to go back to their own unit so they spent the night there. Bob said that it was the first hot meal and dry place to sleep they had in a long time.

Vice Commander Larry Fischer on right and Sergeant-At-Arms
Randall Kehrer present a Certificate of Appreciation
 to Mr. Harmon after his presentation.
Photo by Jerry Pickard
His unit was involved in saving art and treasures the Germans had stolen.

The Germans had hidden the art in ancient Roman salt mines. The soldiers were given carbide lamps to light their way while they searched the stacks. The carbide leaked sometimes and would burn holes in whatever it landed on. Some paintings ended up with tiny holes in them.

They marched into Austria, where Hitler had gone to school. The Austrians didn’t want to admit he had been there.

While traveling through a bombed out town Bob saw an old woman sitting on a stone block. He asked her why she was sitting on the block and she replied that “This is my home”. There was nothing left of her home but rubble.

Near the end of the war they came to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. The guards had all fled and left the gates open. The inmates were all starving and some had wandered into the town five miles away to look for food. When they first encountered the Americans they were afraid to beg for food but soon learned that the troops were pushovers in sharing their food.

Bob Harmon’s war ended in January of 1946 when he left Europe for home.



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Shoreline Planning Commission end of year report to City Council

Saturday, December 30, 2017

2017 Planning Commission
Pictured front row, from left: David Maul, Donna Thomas, Susan Chang;
Back row, from left: Vice Chair William Montero, Chair Easton Craft, Laura Mork, Jack Malek.

Report from the Planning Commission to Shoreline City Council


Since our last annual report to Council in November 2016, the Planning Commission has reviewed and advised the Council on several projects of note.

In terms of membership, Susan Chang will depart the Commission as she joins the Council starting in January 2018. Donna Moss-Thomas, a valued planning commissioner, will complete eight years of service to the City of Shoreline with her term ending March 2018. Two other Commissioners, Jack Malek and Laura Mork, may be re-appointment for second terms in March of 2018. Both Jack and Laura have submitted applications for your consideration. (See previous article Openings on Planning Commission)

The Commission spent the better part of 2017 studying and evaluating the 2017 Comprehensive Plan amendments and the 2017 Batch of Development Code amendments.

  • Comprehensive Plan Amendments – Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan; Master Street Plan as it relates to the 185th Street Station Subarea Plan; incorporating Ronald Wastewater into the Comprehensive Plan; and incorporating the Shoreline Fire District’s Capital Facilities and Equipment Plan into the City’s Capital Facilities Element. The Comprehensive Plan amendments were adopted by Council on November 14, 2017. 
  • Development Code Amendments – The 2017 Batch of Development Code amendments included 41 administrative, clarifying, and policy amendments. Council will consider the batch of amendments at their January 22 and February 26 meetings. 
  • Deep Green Incentive Program – These Development Code amendments incentivize the most comprehensive green building programs and implement the City’s Sustainability Strategy and Climate Action Plan. These amendments were adopted by Council on April 17, 2017. 

The Commission is looking forward to working with staff in 2018 on the following projects:
  • Annual Comprehensive Plan Docket
  • Annual Batch of Development Code Amendments
  • Vegetation Management Plan
  • Subdivision Development Code Update
  • Community Residential Facilities Development Code Amendment
  • Mandatory Green Building Requirements for all Commercial Structures
  • Shoreline Master Program Update 

The Commission is also interested in pursuing the following topics assuming staff has the availability on their work plan:
  • Update Single-Family Attached Design Regulations
  • Housing Choice in Single-Family Zones 


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Polar Plunge at Green Lake New Year's Day

2016 RBRC at Green Lake
Photo courtesy RBRC


First of the Year Run at Green Lake for Richmond Beach Running Club

8:00 for two laps
8:30 for one lap
9:00 taking the plunge!

For the last several years the RBRC has been meeting at the Evans Pool parking lot for a run around Green Lake, then taking an optional "plunge" in the lake to start off the year.

This is a fun event, maybe a little early for those having too much fun on New Years Eve!

There is no pressure to jump in. For those wishing to get in two laps around the lake, meet at the Evans Pool parking lot, 7201 E Green Lake Dr. N, Seattle 98115.

Be ready to run at 8:00am. Take a lap and meet back in the same spot at 8:30am to meet up for those wishing for either less distance or just a later start. The distance around the lake is 2.8 miles.

At 9:00am gather on the dock for "leg recovery" ice bath! This may be the warmest air and water temperature at Green Lake in years! After quickly drying off we will all head over to Starbucks for a nice hot beverage.



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Trailer fire in Ballinger

Trailer fire on Ballinger
Photo by Dylan Garmon


Shoreline Fire reports a trailer fire in the 19500 block of Ballinger Way NE at 25th NE around 7:30pm Saturday, December 30, 2017.

"Trailer fire fully involved 15ft from structure." The fire was intentionally set.

Fire crews extinguished the fire within seven minutes on scene. One person was taken to the hospital for evaluation. ‬King County and Shoreline investigators are investigating.

Neighbors report hearing a loud explosion.



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Death notices as of December 25, 2017

Obituaries are condensed biographies of people's lives, written by the people who loved them.

Like a memorial service, they tell us things we may not have known about the person, and may leave us wishing we had known them better.

Obituaries extracted from The Seattle Times

Timothy H. Sweeney  1926-2017  Funeral mass at St. Luke for Shoreline resident and proud Navy veteran Sweeney. He worked 40 years for Farmers Insurance. After retirement, he golfed every day until his 90th birthday.

Katharine Ann Shoemaker  age 72  Shoreline High School graduate taught school in British Columbia, American Samoa, Alaska and Micronesia.

Mark Newman  1948-2017  Celebration of life held at Lake Forest Park Civic Club.

Virginia Cruver  1943-2017  Ging loved flying and became a small aircraft pilot during her long time residence in Lake Forest Park. She raised two children and was active in the Presbyterian Church. With her second marriage she began travelling the world, then settled in Indianola WA, later Indio CA.

Anita M. LaViolette Schultz  1931-2017  Services at St. Mark and interment at Holyrood for Seahawks and Sounders fan. She ended her career at Bank of America and Online Banking Report in Seattle.

Alfred A. Bahlkow  1922 -2017  WW II veteran was a sergeant in the Marines. He served in the South Pacific, and while there contracted dengue fever, malaria, and tuberculosis. He spent three years in a military hospital recovering. Memorial service at St. Dunstan's.

Julie Jane McFarlane  age 59  Died after a six month battle with cancer. A 25 year Shoreline resident, she recently retired from the Small Business Administration after 35 years of public service where she last served as deputy district director. Her travels included trips to England, Ireland, Scotland, France, and two trips to Italy.

Elspeth Dautoff Alexander  1929 - 2017  Shoreline resident. Born in Oregon, she had degrees from Oregon State University and Mills College.

Suzanne Maury Philips  1929 - 2017  Born in a Basque hamlet in France which was occupied by Germans during WW II. After the war, she travelled and learned three languages, then went to Paris where she met and married a GI from Seattle. They moved to Lake Forest Park in 1967. She was active at St. Marks, singing in the choir for 50 years and active in the All Saint's Guild. She taught French at St. Mark School. She had weekly lunches with the Le Cercle Français at Cafe de Paris in Edmonds.

Catherine Hazel Henricks  1938 - 2017  She passed away peacefully after a courageous battle against glioblastoma. Funeral mass at St. Mark.

Harold M. Olden  1930 - 2017  A veteran of the Korean Conflict, he was a Boeing engineer for his entire career. Memorial service at First Lutheran Church of Richmond Beach.

Donna Day  1948 - 2017  She attended Auburn Adventist Academy Church during her high school years. After graduation she worked as a medical stenographer. She attended the Shoreline Seventh Day Adventist Church.

"Bill" William B. Scherr  1947 - 2017  Memorial mass at St. Luke. Bill's career was in human resources but he volunteered with volunteered with Filipino Youth Activities, St. Edwards Parish as a Eucharistic Minister and on their Parish Council, and on the Seattle Archdiocesan Pastoral Council.

Arnold Timss  1940 - 2017  Born in Latvia, he came to Seattle when he was 10. A CPA, he and wife Arlene bought a home in Richmond Beach in 1970 and raised their son there. "He enjoyed war novels, Bond films, stretch Cadillacs, the hashbrowns @ the 13 Coins, and the musical works of Neil Diamond. He loved gardening, golfing, the Golf channel, gambling on the occasional horse and spoiling his grandchildren." Services at Richmond Beach Lutheran Church.

Richard James Town  1932 - 2017  Joined the service at 17 and became a medical corpsman who fought in Korea and Vietnam. Graduated as an RN from Shoreline Community College in 1971 and worked at the VA hospital. Services at The Sanctuary Church in Lake Forest Park.



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Christmas Lights: NE 160th

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

800 block NE 160th 



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Andrew Wyeth: In Retrospect - Tuesday at LFP Library

Christina's World
Andrew Wyeth
Andrew Wyeth: In Retrospect - Lake Forest Park Library, Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 7-8:30pm

Presented by Tamara Moats, art historian and faculty member at the Bush School, Seattle.

Andrew Wyeth is one of America's best loved painters, famous for Christina's World and beautiful impressions of his New England countryside.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the artist's birth, the Seattle Art Museum will host Andrew Wyeth: In Retrospect from October 19 – January 15.

This lecture and discussion examines key works in the show and outlines the American master's 75-year career, his art and his legacy.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Lake Forest Park Library.



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WSDOT: Fireworks, Festivities & Football

From WSDOT

There are many special events happening in and around the Seattle area this weekend as we ring in the New Year. 

First, the Seahawks are in town for their final home game of the year… and it’s a big one. A win against the Arizona Cardinals (and an Atlanta Falcons loss) means the Hawks are in the playoffs, so you can bet that the 12s are going to show out for this one. Kickoff is at 1:25pm on Sunday.

Also, make sure you plan ahead for congestion on highways entering Seattle on Sunday night as thousands head towards the Space Needle to watch the annual fireworks show. If you plan on going, make sure you leave yourself extra time to get there. And if you happen to just be driving through the city when the clock strikes midnight, please don't stop on the shoulders or ramps to watch the show, it's unsafe.

Out with the old, and in with the new – here’s to 2018! Happy New Year!


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New Year's Day sale at Third Place Books


Third Place Books, upper level
Town Center, Lake Forest Park
Beginning at 9am on January 1




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Delivered: 21 instruments this fall - Needed: clarinets, flutes, violins, trumpets for students in Shoreline Schools

Friday, December 29, 2017

Music4Life
“Music4Life” means different things to different people.

To children, learning to play a musical instrument is a meaningful activity — it’s fun and it builds relationships that can last a lifetime.

To youth, music opens up the world —its history and its many cultures — and provides opportunities for teamwork and meaningful forms of self-expression.

Educators know that music benefits students academically, especially in mathematics, science, history, and world languages.

Our community understands that music education helps a person lead a richer, fuller, more meaningful life — and an arts-rich community is a more desirable place to live.

However, to participate in a music program, students must provide their own instruments. Normally this means renting an instrument. Kennelly Keys is the largest instrument rental company in the area. Their student instruments come in different sizes to fit the student. A typical rental is $22 - 30 a month, with cellos going for $40. (see rental page).

Considering that a quarter to a fifth of students in Shoreline Schools are in families who can't afford food, the likelihood of paying for instrument rental is very low.

Enter Music4Life, which takes donated instruments, refurbishes them, and makes them available for free to students in need. They provide the instruments to the school district, which loans them to income-qualified students.

David Endicott, co-founder, President / COO of Music4Life reports that,

We are very pleased to report that during the first quarter 2017-18 (Sept. 1 – Nov. 30), Music4Life delivered 21 ready-to-play musical instruments having a fair market value of $9,335* to Shoreline Public Schools. 
These 21 instruments included two clarinets, one tenor saxophone, five trumpets, two acoustic guitars, one electric/acoustic guitar, one electric guitar, two snare kits, one trombone, one double French horn, one flute, two violas, one cello and one electronic keyboard.

However, there is still significant need.
We have an ongoing need for clarinets, flutes, violins, trumpets and other musical instruments that people have in their garages or attics. As well as funding to get them repaired, if possible.

What's in your attic?



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