Public Health Seattle and King county case update April 4, 2020

Sunday, April 5, 2020



Public Health—Seattle and King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59pm on 4/3/20.
  • 2898 confirmed positive cases (up 111 from yesterday)
  • 200 confirmed deaths (up 14 from yesterday)

Dashboard HERE. Be sure to click the button to filter by “positive results only” to see age and gender of deaths.

Thirty-eight people are currently staying in King County isolation and quarantine facilities.

Shoreline:
  • 143  have positive results
  • 15 have died due to illness
Lake Forest Park:
  • 16 have positive results
  • 1 has died due to illness
State Number
  • 7591 (+625 from yesterday) confirmed cases in the state
  • 310 have died due to illness


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Edible Book Festival - Vote Now

Saturday, April 4, 2020


Edible Book Festival - Vote Now

Vote for the People’s Choice Award until 4pm Sunday


The Edible Book Festival has opened up its online voting for the People’s Choice Award for both adult and youth entries. This year there were a total of 65 edible book submissions! Many thanks to all of you for getting creative in the kitchen and supporting this event's move to an online format. Afterall, you can’t quarantine creativity!

All of the culinary creations have been inspired by a book, or a pun on a book title, and made out of edible ingredients (some exceptions) —sweet or savory. It may look like a book, tablet, or scroll... or be completely unique.

We need YOUR vote for the People's Choice Awards - voting will be open online from 8am Saturday, April 4th, to 4pm, Sunday, April 5th. 

We will announce the winners via a live stream Sunday, April 5 on Facebook live at 5pm PST (winners will be posted immediately afterwards).

Our jurors will rate all the submissions over the weekend. Categories include, Most PUNderful, Most Book-like, Most Visually Appealing, Judges Choice Award, and People’s Choice Award.

2020 jurors include Bill the Chocolate Man, Susan Jones Davis, Julie Hiers, and Bobbie Bender.

Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor: Jack Malek, Broker and Realtor

Thanks to our Sponsors: The City of Shoreline and the City of Lake Forest Park

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.



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Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Visualize



Just need to try a little harder...




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Kruckeberg has online resources for kids and adults

Activities to do at home
Check out Kruckeberg Botanic Garden's Kid's Only page to access free online learning resources for students and their families! 

Created by local organizations, these self-guided activities, worksheets, and videos can help you and your students take advantage of the unique learning opportunities found in our homes, backyards, and other outdoor spaces.

Are you an adult looking for learning opportunities? Check out our adult learning resource page for online courses, videos, and community science projects.



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State Patrol loans equipment to UW to help increase COVID-19 testing

ThermoFisher 7500 testing units
were loaned to the UW from WSP

On Friday, March 27, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) Crime Laboratory Division provided the University of Washington (UW) Medical Center with critical equipment to increase COVID-19 testing.

The UW Virology department currently processes about two to three-thousand COVID-19 clinical samples a day. 

With this number expected to increase, the department was in need of additional ThermoFisher ‘7500’ testing units. 

Due to high demand for the units, the company is experiencing an inability to fill requests for them.

After being contacted by ThermoFisher, The WSP’s Vancouver Crime Lab DNA Section identified two units as available and loaned those to the UW. 

These were new units slated for the WSP High-Throughput Laboratory, but they are not scheduled to be placed in service until June, so there will be no impact to current operations at the lab.

“It is important that WSP helped to enhance the public health of our citizens during this time of crisis,” said WSP Chief John Batiste. 
“Our Crime Laboratory teams are committed to making a difference every day for the health and safety of all Washingtonians, and this partnership is a great example of their dedication.”




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Wellness Tips from the Senior Center


Wellness Tips from the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Senior Center
4-4-2020



Yoga with Heidi


Notes from Heidi Mair on the benefits of Yoga

Yoga’s Unique Approach

Why is Yoga different from other forms of exercise and how does it facilitate healing? 

Why do students leave Yoga feeling energized yet calm? 

The goal of Yoga is beyond stretching hamstrings, losing weight or building muscle mass. The sister sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda function together as an integrated wellness system. The blending of asana, pranayama and meditation creates an efficacious practice, regardless of age or physical limitations. The ancient texts teach us the three main purposes of Hatha Yoga:
  1. To purify the body
  2. To balance physical, mental and energetic aspects
  3. To engage in physical practices that lead to higher consciousness


Asanas and their Effects

  • Seated meditation prepares the body for movement, balances breath and energy and focuses the mind inward and into the present moment.
  • Moving in and out of poses stretches the muscles, while staying in a pose is strengthening. Standing poses with longer holds build bone and muscle mass.
  • Spinal twists aid in release of toxins and create more flexibility in the spine.
  • Seated and standing forward bends and Apanasana, massage abdominal area and aid in digestion.
  • Back bends (chest openers) aid in respiration.
  • Grounding, restorative poses calm the sympathetic nervous system and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

Stan's Joke Corner

No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.
 
A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.
 
Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.


QUIZ of the WEEK  - NAME THAT SONG
(answers at the end - no peeking!)

Call up a friend or family member and share these questions.  Once one of you name the tune, see if either of you know at least 1 verse & the chorus, then sing it together.  

Question 1 
When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother what will I be

Question 2
You keep saying you've got something for me, something you call love but confess?

Question 3
She said I was high class but that was just a lie, she said I was high class but that was just a lie

Question 4
You know I work all day to get you money to buy you things?

Question 5
I don’t believe you, you’re not the truth. No one could look as good as you, Mercy

Question 6
I see trees of green red roses too, I see them bloom for me and you, and I think to myself

Question 7
I hear the train a comin' it's rolling round the bend and I’ve not seen the sunshine
since I don’t know when

Question 8
The old home town looks the same, as I step down from the train and there to meet me is my Mama and Papa Green

Question 9
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie

ANSWERS
l
l
l
l
l

Answer 1: Que Sera Sera
Answer 2: These Boots are Made for Walking
Answer 3: Hound Dog
Answer 4: Hard Day’s Night
Answer 5: Pretty Woman
Answer 6: What a wonderful world
Answer 7: Folsom Prison Blues
Answer 8: Green Grass of Home
Answer 9: That’s Amore

TIME TO WRITE YOUR STORY
 
Each of you is affected differently during the Stay At Home restrictions. It’s time to write your thoughts on paper, as to how you are adjusting to remaining in your homes. You may not think that anyone is interested, but we are living in an historical moment and your thoughts and feelings are important. 

Be sure to place the date on your writing as well as sign your name. When our offspring either help us downsize our homes as we move into retirement living or we travel from this life, they will enjoy reading your little memoir of the 2019 COVID-19. 
 
This is also a time to add an additional paragraph or more, about the other important moments in your life, be it your military service, your wedding day, escapades during a vacation, it is your moment to share memories and history.  Grasp the moment, your family will love reading these in the years to come.

See our Covid-19 Relief Fund Drive



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Governor signs bill to build pathways for international medical grads

Photo by Guillaume Piron on Unsplash
Gov. Jay Inslee signed into law Friday legislation to reduce barriers for international medical graduates who want to continue their professional careers in Washington state.

Sen. Derek Stanford (D-Bothell) sponsored Senate Bill 6551, which addresses professional barriers for medical providers who graduate from institutions outside the U.S. and Canada. 

The bill is based on recommendations from a work group the Legislature established last year, which was comprised of experts from state medical schools, hospitals, the Department of Health and others.

“By eliminating barriers for the many highly qualified medical professionals in Washington who are refugees or immigrants, we can ensure they are able to work in their profession,” said Stanford. 
“In addition to helping them fully participate in our communities, this will allow us to address public health challenges in our state, such as the shortage of physicians, the lack of access to culturally competent care, and the need for access to quality care for vulnerable communities.”

Oversight by the Washington Medical Commission will ensure high standards are maintained as care is expanded, Stanford said.



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Puget Soundkeeper kicks off Earth Month with Virtual Cleanups

In an effort to encourage both social distancing and environmental stewardship, Puget Soundkeeper has launched a Virtual Cleanup Campaign on social media. 

The call to action: for community members to pick up trash in their neighborhoods. 

The campaign asks individuals to incorporate a trash cleanup during their routine walks, runs, bike rides, and outings during Earth Month by bringing a pair of gloves and a bag, taking a selfie or picture of the trash, posting it to Instagram, and tagging @PugetSoundkeeper with the hashtag #PSKVirtualCleanup.

The campaign aims to foster community building during quarantine by featuring individuals who are taking action against trash, inspiring a virtual community of cleanup heroes. 

Campaign organizers remind participants to follow CDC guidelines and not participate in large groups, maintaining social distancing requirements of (six feet) and practicing sanitary measures like wearing gloves and washing hands for at least 20 seconds.

“Despite the physical distance between us all, we can still connect as a community and show our love for Puget Sound. We’re all in this together,” said Gillian Flippo, Puget Soundkeeper Volunteer Coordinator.

Link to Puget Soundkeeper’s Instagram here.

Puget Soundkeeper is an environmental, membership-based non-profit whose mission is to protect and preserve the waters of Puget Sound through legal action, advocacy, and stewardship. 

To date, Puget Soundkeeper has removed more than 150,000 pounds of marine debris through the help of nearly 25,000 volunteers.



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North City Tech Meetup April 6 with presentation on Novel Coronavirus outreach

The North City Tech Meetup Group
Online Meetup Announcement

Monday, April 6th, 7 to 9 PM

Novel Coronavirus Outreach

Presented (online) by:

Marguerite Pappaioanou, DVM, PhD
Captain USPHS (Retired)

(See below for information on how to attend the Zoom meeting.)


This presentation will provide an overview of what we know, as of early April 2020, about the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 (the disease), its epidemiology, and Seattle King County Public Health’s Community Mitigation response.

What we are learning about this new coronavirus and the disease it causes increases day by day, and community mitigation guidance, accordingly, is revised based on new information (e.g., the Governor's Stay at Home Stay Healthy Order).

The presentation will include what we know about the virus, the disease, the outbreak and pandemic, and provide an overview of the most up to date community mitigation guidance as of the day of the presentation.

Note from host: This is intended to be a more detailed presentation on the spread of the novel coronavirus and epidemiology in general, not just another “how to stay safe” presentation.

Marguerite Pappaioanou, DVM, PhD
Captain USPHS (Retired)

Dr. Pappaioanou is an epidemiologist with over 35 years’ experience working to improve global and U.S. public health in the areas of disease surveillance, prevention, and control of emerging zoonotic and other infectious diseases, global health security, food safety and security, and antimicrobial resistance.

She currently is serving as a volunteer, Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention Specialist, with the Public Health Seattle King County COVID-19 Community Mitigation Branch.

From 1983-2016, she served as an epidemiologist at the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in malaria prevention and control,
HIV seroprevalence surveillance, directing the USAID funded global capacity building Data for Decision Making Project, directing CDC’s support of the Guide to Community Preventive Services, as Associate Director for Science and Policy in CDC’s Office of Global Health, co-coordinating CDC's response to SARS, Monkeypox, and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreaks, and as CDC's Liaison to FDA for Food Safety.

As Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, University of Minnesota (2005-2007), she led a large NIH- and CDC- funded research program focused on surveillance for avian influenza and other emerging zoonotic infectious diseases at the human-animal interface.

From 2016 to present, she has served as Affiliate Professor and Associate Director of the Center for One Health Research in the School of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, at the University of Washington.

She has authored and co-authored numerous publications, including as co-editor, the IOM/NRC Committee report “Sustaining Global Surveillance and Response for Emerging Zoonotic Diseases”.

In addition we will be joined by (at least) two Covid-19 survivors who will share their experiences in catching, living with, being quarantined with it.

ZOOM MEETING INFO:

This is a scheduled Zoom meeting.

  • Topic: North City Tech Meetup - Novel Coronavirus Outreach
  • Time: Apr 6, 2020 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
  • Join Zoom Meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/331876118
  • Meeting ID: 331 876 118


When you click on the above link your browser will ask you to allow it to open the Zoom Launcher. Click on the "open" button (exact text will vary depending on your browser). Then simply follow the directions.

Please anticipate that the first 5 or 10 minutes will be spent fiddling with the technology, please be patient, it's our first time.

Dial in audio by telephone may or may not work as Zoom is experiencing particularly heavy loads right now, so use your computer audio if at all possible.

Please see this link for information on how to dial in for audio

The North City Tech Meetup is a free meetup, usually the first Monday of each month at one of our local libraries: Lake Forest Park, Shoreline or Kenmore. People of all levels of interest and experience are encouraged to attend. There is always time for introductions and discussions. Skip the downtown traffic and join with your fellow north-enders once a month for interesting presentations and discussions.

Note: For the foreseeable future the North City Tech Meetup Group will be meeting online using Zoom. We look forward to the resumption of physical meetups when safe.

Upcoming Events (online):

  • Financials for Fundraising by Andrew Klein, May 4, 2020
  • Get Plugged in with Electric Cars by Mark Shiller (repeat due to coronavirus), June 1st, 2020




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King County jails reduce the number of people in custody by more than 600 adults

King County jail, Seattle
Photo courtesy King County

The King County Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention is making progress on Executive Dow Constantine’s direction to quickly and safely decrease the number of people who are in custody at all correctional facilities.

There are 1,285 adults in custody today, down from 1,899 on March 13.

The number of youth housed at the Children and Family Justice Center today is 36, down from 43.

The reduction is mostly the result of courts, public defenders, prosecutors, and law enforcement prioritizing jail beds for those who pose an imminent risk to public safety.

No one in custody has tested positive for COVID-19 so far.

The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention set up a website to provide the latest updates – including the number COVID-19 tests and the daily population – along with answers to frequently asked questions.

Reducing the number of adults in custody by more than 600 in a little more than two weeks has provided the staff with more opportunities to promote social distancing as recommended by Public Health – Seattle and King County.

The number of youth at the Children and Family Justice Center was already low enough that each youth has their own dorm room where the staff can provide individualized care.

Three staff members – two at the King County Correctional Facility and one at the Children and Family Justice Center – have reported testing positive for COVID-19. None of them reported being symptomatic while they were at work. Department leaders have connected each of the staff members with all available resources.

If an adult in custody tests positive, the staff will transfer them to a designated housing unit at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent where they will provide appropriate care in medical isolation using personal protective equipment. Jail Health Services will transfer them to a hospital if their needs exceed the staff’s ability to provide appropriate care.

More information: Emergency COVID-19 actions to ensure everyone’s safety at correctional facilities



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Friday's flower

Photo by Steve Schneider


And now, a lovely flower to clear your palate from the news of the day.



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Rep. Pollet notes life-and-death nature of coronavirus crisis

Rep. Gerry Pollet D-46

By Evan Smith

State Rep. Gerry Pollet has altered his annual legislative session recap because of the coronavirus epidemic.

“With the COVID 19 pandemic and our State under a stay-at-home order, I have not felt it is appropriate to do a traditional post-session legislative recap,” he said Friday. 
“Instead, I have prepared this piece for constituents and others to understand why the stay-at-home orders, including yesterday's extension, was absolutely necessary.” 
He sent this report:

Prioritizing Public Health
By Rep. Gerry Pollet, 46th Legislative District

Washington state continues to have life-and-death public-health-policy choices to make. As a legislator and faculty member at the UW School of Public Health, I continue to help the public and our state decision makers understand policy choices from COVID-19 modeling.

Those models strongly supported Gov. Inslee’s “Stay-Home, Stay-Safe” order and its extension through May 4.

To avoid overwhelming our health care system by April 1, Washington needed to:
  • Adopt mandatory measures to prevent social interaction
  • Increase testing
  • Quarantine people who have had contact with those who may be infected
  • Increase hospital capacity

One model predicted 116,000 deaths and a peak of 157,000 hospitalizations if we hadn’t taken action.

Washington hospital capacity as of March 15:
  • Fewer than 12,000 total hospital beds.
  • Under 1,500 critical care beds.

Without critical care beds and PPE, the number of people who die from COVID 19 goes up dramatically. This is why the federal government’s failure to work on ventilator manufacturing and distribution is so disturbing.

Here’s what that model for how the case load would have overwhelmed Washington’s hospital capacity looked like around March 20 if we had not acted:



Here is what one of the most respected modeling efforts in the world showed for the impacts of various policy choices for the US:


The solid line at approximately 10/100,000 population is our nation’s total critical care bed capacity with emergency surge beds added. Source: Imperial College, March 16, 2020.

That is why canceling elective surgeries was essential. For those of you, like my neighbor, living with pain from missing a scheduled surgery: thank you for your sacrifice.

Of course, this data was available to the President, and was well known by CDC, FEMA, and others while the nation was being told that it would disappear.

We are now trying to develop surge capacity for our health-care system. This crisis has shown the tremendous shortage of health-care professionals in Washington, and the impact of having stripped the “foundational” funding from public-health agencies. 

I have been working on both issues for several years, including grant support for students going into health-care-shortage areas, expanding capacity ranging from community college nursing programs through post-graduate physician assistant, and medical school programs.

To fund “foundational public health,” I sponsored our State’s first e-cigarette and vaping products tax in 2019. This tax revenue was dedicated to cessation, prevention and foundational public health.

The vaping and tobacco industry (big tobacco also owns big vaping) responded with over $140,000 in campaign contributions to legislators and legislative campaign committees immediately after last year’s session. 
Sadly, their legislative allies stopped us from continuing the ban on flavored vaping products, banning new disposable e-cigarette products, and taxing new e-cigarette products to fund public health.

I continue work to support public health, including training health professionals and eliminating the threat to an entire new generation being addicted to e-cigarettes and vaping. 

Removing lead from our children’s school water is also among my continuing public health efforts. The House unanimously passed my bill to set a health based standard and take action. Next year, we will ensure the Senate also acts.

First in Nation Legislation to End Sexual Harassment “Pass the Harasser” at Colleges:

Students deserve protection from faculty, coaches or administrators who are serial sexual harassers or predators. For a year, I worked to bring together our state’s universities, sexual-assault survivor advocates, faculty groups and others to develop the nation’s first state-legislation to end the common practice of “pass the harasser;” allowing a faculty, coach or administrator who has committed sexual assault or harassment to “move on” to another college without the second institution learning of the findings.

HB 2327 will ensure that schools in our State will know if an applicant has a history of sexual harassment or assault. 
Our state’s schools will be the first in the nation required to disclose such findings about anyone who was employed at a Washington school to any other higher education institution. 
We will also be the first to bar non-disclosure agreements used to keep these cases secret.

As one of our State’s commissioners on the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, I will be working to have other state’s university systems and legislators agree to join in ending “pass the harasser.”

Pollet represents the 46th Legislative District, including Lake Forest Park, northeast and north Seattle, and Kenmore.

Evan Smith can be reached at schsmith@frontier.com



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Public Health Seattle and King county case update April 3, 2020

Friday, April 3, 2020



Evidence continues to show the virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading in King County. With more than 100 new cases per day, staying home and avoiding all non-essential contact with others is the best way to stay healthy and keep others healthy.

Public Health—Seattle and King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59pm on 4/2/20.
  • 2787 confirmed positive cases (up 131 from yesterday)
  • 186 confirmed deaths (up 11 from yesterday)
Shoreline:
  • 134 residents tested positive for COVID-19
  • 13 have died
Lake Forest Park:
  • 16 residents tested positive for COVID-19
  • 1 has died
State:
  • 6966 residents tested positive for COVID-19
  • 284 have died

Data Dashboard HERE. Be sure to click the button to filter by “positive results only” to see age and gender of deaths

Forty-one people are currently staying in King County isolation and quarantine facilities.



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Battelle gives the state a system which decontaminates N95 masks

The Decontamination System can sanitize tens of thousands of
N95 masks per day to they can be reused.
Photo from Battelle


As the state continues its efforts to fill critical PPE shortages, Battelle has delivered one of its Critical Care Decontamination Systems (CCDS) to the Washington state COVID-19 command center at Camp Murray.
Once fully installed, the system can sanitize tens of thousands of N95 masks per day so they can be reused, reducing the number the state will need to procure. Camp Murray is just the third location across the nation to have received this emerging technology.

The Battelle process uses vapor phase hydrogen peroxide to sanitize the N95 masks, allowing them to be reused up to 20 times. The filters are gassed for two and a half hours to destroy bacteria, viruses and other contaminants, including the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

Visit the Battelle website for more information.

Ohio-based Battelle's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) located in south Lake Union,  has been operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Battelle Memorial Institute since 1965. 

Battelle's previous building in Laurelhurst is now the Talaris Conference Center and is set to be razed.

--Cynthia Sheridan




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Amendment to agenda for Shoreline council meeting April 6, 2020

Shoreline City Hall and Council Chamber
Photo by Mike Remarcke

The agenda for Monday’s April 6, 2020 City Council meeting has been amended to include two Action Items:

8(a) Approval of Grant Requests from Sound Generations in the Amount of $50,000 and from the Center for Human Services in the Amount of $20,000 from the COVID-19 Community Emergency Response Grant Program


Grants to these two entities were briefly discussed at last week’s Council meeting. It was decided to wait until the grant applications were submitted. Applications have been received and a staff report completed. Council will discuss and vote whether or not to approve these grant requests.

Public Comment will be heard.


8(b) Terminating Temporary Public Health Emergency Order No. 5 of the City Manager for Suspension of the Prohibition on Plastic Retail Carryout Bags During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.


On March 31, 2020, the City Manager issued Temporary Public Health Emergency Order No. 5 which suspends the prohibition on carryout plastic bags at retail establishments in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Council will determine if the order was not necessary to preserve and maintain the public life, health, welfare, or peace. Staff does not recommend termination.

Public Comment will be heard.

--Pam Cross


Attending and/or Commenting:

The Shoreline City Council values community input and looks forward to hearing from you on agenda items.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Pursuant to Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 20-28, in an effort to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the City Council’s Regular Meetings scheduled March 24 through April 23 will take place online and the public will not be allowed to attend in-person. You may watch a live feed of the meeting online or listen to it over the telephone, and the Council is providing opportunities for public comment by submitting written comment or calling into the meeting to provide oral testimony.

Please see the below links to access these options:

Click Here to Watch Online Live Streaming Video of the Meeting

Call into the Live Meeting: (888) 475-4499 Meeting ID: 617-118-5923

Click Here to Sign-Up to Provide Oral Testimony at the Meeting via Calling-In

Click Here to Submit Written Public Comment

The Council meetings are televised on Comcast channel 21 and Frontier channel 37:

  • Tuesdays at noon and 8:00pm
  • Wednesdays through Sundays at 6:00am, noon, and 8:00pm


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We live in a beautiful place

Boeing Creek
Photo by Jo Simmons


Boeing Creek flows west to Puget Sound, through Shoreview Park. It's a beautiful part of Shoreline bubbling through parks and down hillsides.




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Average Joe Cat Show goes to the web



There Just Aren’t Enough Cat Photos on the Web. Let's Fix That!

The Average Joe Cat Photo Contest is an annual online celebration of cats and their quirks. Starting on Thursday, April 2nd, we invite you to enter (or vote for) YOUR favorite cat photos in our 2020  contest, powered by Make My Contest.

You can find all the information on the photo contest HERE

Winners will be selected based on the number of online votes they receive between April 2nd and April 30th and all proceeds will support Purrfect Pals.

Let’s make this annual fundraiser a huge success so we can provide much-needed second chances for the many homeless cats and kittens who need our help!

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PHOTO CONTEST? Email us at sjonas@purrfectpals.org or call 360-926-8494.

Purrfect Pals Cat Sanctuary and Adoption Centers
230 McRae Rd NE, Arlington, Washington 98223



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Book review by Aarene Storms: Counting by 7s

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
audiobook read by Robin Miles

Willow Chance was adopted as a baby by parents who understand and delight in her peculiar genius and her fascination with the natural world and with diseases. Then, her parents are both killed in a car wreck, and there's nobody around who understands Willow.

Or is there?

Willow is "temporarily" taken in by the Vietnamese-speaking family of a girl she barely knows ... and soon, everything begins to change.

Fabulous narrative that swaps between 1st person (Willow) and 3rd person (everybody else) to tell this story of a unique young women's search for home and family.

Highly recommended. No cussing, no kissing, no violence, no drugs ... but there are a lot of digressions on topics like broken hearts, the importance of the color red, and the life cycle of sunflowers. The audiobook read by Robin Miles makes a comfortable companion on the road.


The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS astorms@kcls.org



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Eagle Scout candidate initiates project to assist homebound seniors during COVID-19 crisis

Ballinger Thriftway allowed a donation bin in the store
for Andrew W to collect food for homebound senior citizens
Photo courtesy Troop 309
Eagle Scout Candidate Andrew W is leading an Eagle Scout Project to provide needed food resources for needy homebound seniors in Lake Forest Park and Shoreline.

The project, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park, will benefit seniors being served by the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center. The senior center is now the primary lifeline to provide needed meals, food and supplies to homebound seniors.

Theresa La Croix, Senior Center Director, notes that this Eagle Scout Project comes at a critical time when the senior center had to cease in-person operations due to the COVID-19, leaving many seniors without the food and service support that the center offers every week. 

Funding and resources were never meant to provide for the unique and vast need required by the COVID-19 crisis. 

She notes that KC Public Health Directives severely limit the way staff and volunteers can even interact with seniors on a face to face basis when dropping off food.

The center cleans all the food donated, prepares some meals for delivery and prepares the weekly food boxes for delivery. Seniors cannot pick up food at the center as the center itself is closed to the public by health order.

Currently, Ballinger Thriftway on Ballinger Way has allowed a donation box in their store to collect donations.

Andrew is working with other grocery stores and retailers to either donate fresh food or place other collection boxes. The senior center also needs certain fresh items to supplement the food boxes. 

When Andrew found out that some of the seniors could not lift
the food boxes or bend down to get the food, he had tables
built for their front porches.
Photo courtesy Troop 309


In an unexpected twist to his project, Andrew was told that food was being left on the doorstep of elderly disabled seniors who could not lift the 20-pound box much less bend down to get the food.

He had volunteers build small 2’ X 2’ tables to place on the porch for the food box so these seniors could safely get their food. All the tables were built with donated wood and labor.

Andrew has a web page for more information about his project and information on how to donate food, supplies or make a cash donation.

The Lake Forest Park Rotary Charitable Foundation can receive tax deductible cash donations for this project. 

All funds received will go to benefit COVID-19 emergency senior services in Lake Forest Park and Shoreline - particularly homebound and needy seniors served by the Senior Center, which is in desperate need of resources.

Andrew is a member of Scouts BSA Troop 309 in Shoreline WA. Information about his project and how you can help can be found HERE

To contact Andrew or ask questions please contact his Scoutmaster (and Rotarian) Dwight Thompson at dthompson@reswa.org or 206-399-9477.



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Shake, rattle, and roll!

Photo by Gloria Z Nagler


(Millard's just that kind of duck)

--Gloria Z Nagler



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Shoreline Council to discuss Transportation Improvement Plan

The April 6, 2020 Shoreline Council meeting includes one Study Item:

Discussion of the 2021-2026 Transportation Improvement Plan

In accordance with RCW 35.77.010, cities in Washington State are required to prepare and adopt a comprehensive six-year Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP).

The six- year TIP should include transportation projects, such as road and bridge improvements, as well as new or enhanced bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

Council will discuss proposed updates to the TIP. The TIP will be brought back to Council on June 1, 2020, for a Public Hearing to receive public feedback on the proposed updates and for potential Adoption of the TIP.

Draft of the TIP and staff report available HERE


Attending and/or Commenting:

The Shoreline City Council values community input and looks forward to hearing from you on agenda items.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Pursuant to Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 20-28, in an effort to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the City Council’s Regular Meetings scheduled March 24 through April 23 will take place online and the public will not be allowed to attend in-person. You may watch a live feed of the meeting online or listen to it over the telephone, and the Council is providing opportunities for public comment by submitting written comment or calling into the meeting to provide oral testimony.

Please see the below links to access these options:

Click Here to Watch Online Live Streaming Video of the Meeting
Call into the Live Meeting: (888) 475-4499 Meeting ID: 617-118-5923

Click Here to Sign-Up to Provide Oral Testimony at the Meeting via Calling-In

Click Here to Submit Written Public Comment

--Pam Cross



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Amazon donating supplies for King county isolation and recovery sites

Amazon donated supplies
Photo courtesy King County
Amazon is donating more than 250,000 items such as linens, towels, shelf-stable food, entertainment items and other supplies to four King County sites supporting patients in temporary housing for quarantine, isolation and recovery due to COVID-19.

Amazon has already delivered more than 30,000 donated supplies to help transform the former Econo-Lodge in Kent into temporary housing for incoming patients.

As each facility site is transformed and Amazon deliveries arrive, King County employees unload and unpack boxes of bedding and relief supplies to put together welcome kits for incoming patients.



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Public Health Seattle and King county case update April 2, 2020



Public Health—Seattle and King County is reporting the following confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 through 11:59pm on 4/1/20.
  • 2656 confirmed positive cases (up 175 from yesterday)
  • 175 confirmed deaths (up 11 from yesterday)
Dashboard www.kingcounty.gov/covid/data

Thirty-three people are currently staying in King County isolation and quarantine facilities.

Shoreline:

129 residents have positive test results, at a rate of 228.8 per 100,000 residents

Among those:
11 (8.5%) have died due to illness, at a rate of 19.5 per 100,000 residents

Lake Forest Park:

16 residents have positive test results, at a rate of 120.8 per 100,000 residents

Among those:
1 (6.3%) has died due to illness, at a rate of 7.5 per 100,000 residents

State:

6585 residents have positive test results
which includes +601 new cases
and 282 deaths

Interactive Washington state map showing cases and deaths by county HERE


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Governor extends 'Stay Home, Stay Healthy' through May 4

Gov Inslee extends Stay Home, Stay Healthy


Gov. Jay Inslee announced a month-long extension of his "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" emergency order Thursday evening. The order, which banned all gatherings and temporarily shuttered non-essential businesses, will continue through May 4.

"Epidemiological modeling from the University of Washington predicts we will have at least 1,400 deaths this year," Inslee said. 
"We are yet to see the full toll of this virus in our state and the modeling we’ve seen could be much worse if we don’t continue what we’re doing to slow the spread."

Public gatherings remain banned and non-essential businesses may reopen May 5. If gatherings are held in violation of the order, individuals are encouraged to notify their local police department. Do not call 911.

The state Department of Commerce is providing guidance and assistance to businesses on whether they can be considered essential and other resources they may access to help during this time. Residents or workers concerned about non-essential businesses remaining open may file complaints at this link.

"We have taken dozens of steps under my emergency powers to help people in this time – including moratoriums on evictions, mortgage forbearance, utility ratepayer assistance, unemployment extensions, flexibility on tax payments and cash assistance to families," Inslee said. "We will do more."

Part of that effort is the sacrifice of business owners who had to shut down and of their workers who struggle to pay bills, Inslee said, and it is important for us to work toward coming out of this statewide shutdown. For example, the administration is engaging in productive conversations with industries to devise a safe way for them to get back to work when we can lift that part of the order.

Is it May 4th yet?
Photo by Pam Cross

More information on resources available to Washingtonians impacted financially by the COVID-19 outbreak can be found by clicking here and by visiting coronavirus.wa.gov.

In addition to the extension of "Stay Home, Stay Healthy," the governor signed a directive to the Department of Enterprise Services and the Emergency Management Division to secure personal protective equipment as expeditiously as possible.

Also Thursday, Inslee announced a delay in the implementation of new state building codes from July 1 to Nov. 1 to provide adequate time for training and outreach that was interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

These codes relate to construction and occupancy of residential and commercial structures throughout the state. Read that proclamation here.

Read all of the governor's recent proclamations here.



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Governor's assistance for small businesses

Gov. Inslee

Up to $5 million of the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Funds will be made available as small grants to small businesses across the state to help prevent closure due to COVID-19. The state Department of Commerce will coordinate an application process.

“Businesses across our economy are impacted by closures and social distancing requirements right now,” Inslee said. 
“While taking the necessary precautions to halt this virus, we do not take lightly the impact this has on businesses.”

The governor previously announced the federal Small Business Administration has approved his request for a disaster declaration, and it is anticipated that all counties in the state will be eligible.

This approval unlocks low-interest loans that will help small businesses meet their financial obligations and cover operating expenses during this difficult time. 

Congress recently approved up to $7 billion in SBA disaster loans for businesses impacted by COVID-19. Small businesses can learn more HERE.




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King county moving 400 shelter occupants into hotels

King County continues to reduce shelter concentrations by moving nearly 400 people to hotels

In a continuing effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus and prevent the transmission of illness through the homeless shelter population, King County has negotiated with three local hotels to serve as temporary shelter locations for people experiencing homelessness.

This is another in a series of actions King County is taking to “de-intensify” the concentration of people in shelters. This action also will allow locations to stay open 24/7, and meals will be provided. Onsite services and oversight will be provided by the shelter operators.

These are not isolation and quarantine facilities. The people who are moving are presumed to be well.

The transition to the hotel sites will happen early next week:
  • The Sophia Way is moving 100 people from a shelter site in Bellevue to a hotel in Bellevue, at 625 116th Ave NE.
  • Catholic Community Services is moving 90 people from shelter sites in Kent, Federal Way and Renton to a SeaTac hotel, at 2900 S 192nd St.
  • Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is moving 200 people from its Seattle shelters to a hotel in Renton, at 1 South Grady Way.

King County is finalizing agreements with the three hotels. The hotels will not be open to other guests during this time.



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Evergreen School Lab Coordinator making 3D printed headbands for face masks

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Photo courtesy The Evergreen School

The Evergreen School in Shoreline reports that their BIG Lab Coordinator Lindsey Own is using the Evergreen School's 3D printers to join in the widespread DIY community effort to help support health efforts! 
She's making headbands that hold a plastic sheet in place to act as a face shield to protect doctors and nurses.

The first batch is headed to the emergency department at Swedish Hospital in Edmonds.



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Inside the Shoreline Assessment and Recovery Center

The side are aluminum, the roof is fabric - which was undamaged in the
hail storm - and the interior walls are insulated fabric


By Cynthia Sheridan
Photos by Steven H. Robinson except as noted

County Executive Dow Constantine held a media preview of the newly constructed Shoreline Assessment and Recovery Center on Tuesday, April 1, giving a huge shout-out to the City of Shoreline for providing the soccer field site at 1st Ave NE and 190th St.

King County is grateful to the city and people of Shoreline for their tremendous support.

King county executive Dow Constantine speaks to reporters.
He started the session by asking the media to distance themselves.


Constantine also praised Kaiser Permanente, which has donated 100 nurses who volunteered to help staff the recovery center. And gratefully he thanked the Conservation Corp for completing the building construction with lightning speed.

The center will address three issues: 
  1. the need for social distancing, 
  2. overload in King County hospital facilities and 
  3. a place that can accommodate surges, or large groups that need assistance.

Tile floors, glass doors, and insulating fabric on the walls
of the patient care spaces. Beds are set up and the foot lockers
are for the personal possessions of each patient.

The Assessment tent will evaluate medical conditions and whether patients can return to the community or should move to hospital care. The center of the tent will be used for this evaluation, which includes opiate use and mental health issues.

People clearly needing hospitalization will not come to Shoreline but will go directly to hospitals.

Exam rooms in the middle of the tent will allow for some
privacy for the initial assessment


The Recovery tent will meet the needs of those needing quarantine and/or medical assistance, including behavioral health and opioid treatment. 

Initially both operations will be in one tent; as the need arises, there will be two separate tents.

Toilets and showers are in trailers outside the tents and
will be maintained by a private contractor.


The toilets and showers are in trailers outside the tents and will be maintained, cleaned, and sanitized by the vendors. 

Exterior security will be maintained by contracted law enforcement and there will be security inside the tents as well. 

Coming to the center is voluntary; leaving is by decision of health staff. 

King County Health and Human Services will oversee these important issues and will provide the doctors.

Each room has the bare minimum needed


Constantine also thanked Alaska Airlines for donating digital media players to be used for patients’ enjoyment; Amazon, for helping with procurements, and Woodinville Distillery which has pitched in with their recent production of hand sanitizers.

This is not a walk-up facility. Placement will come from E.R.s, shelters, and community services. 

There will be no ‘rounding up’ of people as some homeless advocates feared. The purpose of the center is to isolate and assist in the recovery of people needing help.

There were Porta Potties and handwashing stations on site
for a few days - but they were for the construction workers.


Local social service providers will maintain contact with their clients when they are brought to the recovery center and will be involved with any ongoing care for individuals.

Food will be provided by FareStart, an organization that hires and trains homeless people for food service jobs. They will deliver the food in individual sacks and leave it between the two tents for the staff to pick up. FareStart is serving all the county facilities.
FareStart says: "We're working closely with government, community and foodservice partners to scale up to more than 15,000 emergency meals a day to support shelters, quarantine and isolation centers, and other communities in need during the COVID-19 crisis. And we are doing all this while maintaining the highest measures of safety, cleanliness and social distancing in our kitchens."

Behavioral issues will be assessed and ongoing behavioral counseling and stabilization along with medication will be provided by the patient’s current service provider and if no known provider is involved referrals will be made.

Microsoft is working to develop software to track the COVID-19 epidemic and to provide better data concerning hospital usage.

King County will continue to develop additional sites throughout the county to provide more localized assistance to individuals being assessed allowing them to stay in their local area without the need for extensive transportation to receive help.

North Seattle units on N 128th
Photo courtesy King County


The North Seattle site on N 128th is limited but the units are small apartments with private bathrooms, dorm sized refrigerators and microwaves.

The interior of the units in North Seattle and Interbay
Photo courtesy King County

They are continuing to work with local municipalities to develop more options for a potential surge in cases that overwhelms local hospitals.

Interbay site when the pods were being brought in.
Photo courtesy King County


There is a site at Interbay with apartment pods like the ones in North Seattle.

Metro Transit will provide, run, and sanitize buses to transport people to and from the facility. They can transport up to 20 people at a time. They will be particularly important if there is an outbreak in a facility such as a nursing home where a large number of people will need to be assessed at the same time.



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