Incumbent 32nd District representatives each get two opponents, 46th LD reps get one each
By Evan Smith
Incumbent 32nd District Democratic State Reps. Lauren Davis and Cindy Ryu each got two opponents in last week’s filing period. Democratic 46th Legislative District incumbent Reps. Gerry Pollet and Javier Valdez each got one challenger.
The two 32nd District races have drawn five Democrats, one non-partisan candidate and no Republicans.
Ryu has two opponents, both fellow Democrats. One is Keith Smith of Lynnwood, who lost to Ryu and a Republican in the 2018 primary. The other is former Lynnwood a City Councilwoman Shirley Sutton. The three Democrats will face off in the Aug. 4 primary, with the top two vote getters qualifying for the November general-election ballot.
Davis, who had been unopposed going into the last day of filing, picked up two opponents: Democrat Gray Petersen and non-partisan candidate Tamra Smilanich.
The 32nd District includes the city of Shoreline, part of northwest Seattle, Woodway, Lynnwood, a small part of Mountlake Terrace, south Edmonds and nearby unincorporated areas of south Snohomish County.
In the 46th District, Pollet will face Republican Eric J. Brown in both the primary and general election, and Valdez will face Republican Beth Daranciang. Partisan contests appear on both the primary and the general-election ballots even when they have only one or two candidates.
The 46th District includes Lake Forest Park, Kenmore and northeast Seattle.
Case updates May 18, 2020
![]() |
| Deaths per county |
178 new COVID-19 cases in Washington state in the last 24 hours bring the state total to 18,611. 1,002 people have died.
United States
- 1,480,349 known cases 13,284 new cases since yesterday
- 89,407 deaths, with 698 in the last 24 hours
Washington state
- 18,611 known cases, 178 since yesterday
- 1,002 deaths, one since yesterday
King county
- 7,529 known cases, 49 new
- 1,002 deaths, one since yesterday
Shoreline
- 352 known cases
- 54 deaths
Lake Forest Park
- 30 known cases
- 0 deaths
Tags:
COVID-19,
public health
No, photog, I did not lose my grip;
![]() |
| Photo by Gloria Z Nagler |
(Hortense could be snarky on occasion)
--Gloria Z Nagler
Tags:
gloria nagler,
insects
Asotin County becomes the 10th county to move to Phase 2
![]() |
| 10 counties have been approved for Phase 2 |
Washington State Secretary of Health John Wiesman approved the variance application for Asotin County to move into Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan.
This brings the total to 10 counties.
The variance requests are reviewed by the Secretary of Health, who can approve the plans as submitted, approve with modifications or deny the application.
If circumstances change within the jurisdiction, the variance can be revoked.
The state is still considering additional options to support different regional needs in reopening. Learn more about county variances and the statewide response to COVID-19 at coronavirus.wa.gov.
The state is still considering additional options to support different regional needs in reopening. Learn more about county variances and the statewide response to COVID-19 at coronavirus.wa.gov.
Tags:
COVID-19
The story of the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter
![]() |
| Old Shoreline police station turned Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter Photo by Steven H. Robinson |
To serve and protect.
The building, which used to house the Shoreline Police Department, did it once and then did it again - but in a different way.
This building provided protection for our unsheltered neighbors this winter on nights when no one should be outside.
The Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter did not happen overnight. This had been a vision of people in our community for some time, and the urgency escalated a year ago February when we experienced so much Winter. In response, the City of Shoreline stepped up in a huge way, and, partnering with NUHSA, made a severe weather shelter happen.
We trained 33 volunteers, retaining 20 as active participants. Neighbors were gracious and welcoming, and emergency personnel were never called.
With a capacity for 15 adults, the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter was activated on 14 cold nights between December and March. On our busiest night, we had 11 guests; on our slowest, 2.
Of course, this is not about numbers, statistics, agencies or buildings. It's about people.
The guests we served were diverse. Young and old. Male and female. Working and not. With and without disabilities. With possessions and with nothing. The one thing they had in common was a desire to get out of the elements (or vehicles) and into a warm, dry, welcoming space for the night. They shared resources and stories, chatted, relaxed and slept.
The volunteers were retired and working, parents and singles, male and female. They expressed gratitude for being able to meet, get to know and help our unsheltered neighbors. These wonderful people gave up a night in their own homes to come spend time, making it possible for others to be comfortable for a few short hours.
There are five people who made this effort not just happen, but be successful:
Pastor Kelly Dahlman-Oeth ran both trainings. If you are unaware, he cares for an unsheltered congregation at Ronald United Methodist Church and was able to bring experience and his own brand of compassion and love to the table.
Colleen Kelly (Community Services Manager for the City of Shoreline) did most of the heavy lifting. She also ran the trainings, coordinated access to the space, brought her own expertise to the process, got the hotline set up, and was just generally the best partner anyone could hope for.
Stanley Mochokoto (Lake City Partners) is a phenomenal community asset. He was there to open the doors in the evening and help close up shop in the morning. He went out looking for folks who needed shelter and brought them in. And he shared his wealth of knowledge about the homeless community and all the resources available to them.
Silje Sodal (NUHSA) facilitated communication between NUHSA and the City and organized everything that Colleen hadn't already. She was available to accept donations, make runs to the shelter when needed, and responded to emails coming in with questions about the shelter. She was the amazing support that held everything together.
And Pete Claar created a program that pulled data from the National Weather Service to let us know ahead of time when we might need to staff up and open. He tweaked it a couple of times for us until we had clear, concrete data with which to work.
Thank you to everyone in the community who donated to this, spread the word about it, or just had warm thoughts about how great this is. Thank you to everyone who volunteered, and to everyone who really wanted to, but simply couldn't this time around.
Once again, I am grateful to be part of Shoreline.
-- Lisa Surowiec, Volunteer Coordinator, Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter
Post-script:
We would like to acknowledge the incredible contributions that Lisa Surowiec gave as Volunteer Coordinator for the inaugural year of the Shoreline Severe Weather Shelter. Without her leadership and extensive time, energy and coordination, the shelter would not have become a reality this past winter.
We recognize her management and organizational skills as she adjusted staffing daily, depending on the immediate weather projections. In addition, she solved any shelter needs with speed and grace. Deep gratitude from NUHSA and the City of Shoreline!
Can you help? A new location is needed for next winter! Do you have ideas or space to share? Please contact staff@nuhsa.org. Thank you!
Read more...
Can you help? A new location is needed for next winter! Do you have ideas or space to share? Please contact staff@nuhsa.org. Thank you!
Tags:
social services
Governor allows all heath care services to reopen, under new health and safety requirements
![]() |
| Many providers are announcing their reopenings |
On Monday, May 18, 2020 Governor Jay Inslee issued a proclamation that allows for the reopening of all health care services, including dental procedures, as long as they are able to comply with health and safety requirements.
The reopening for providers who are able to meet the protocols was in effect at 12:00 midnight on Monday, May 18.
Each medical or dental practice will assess their own readiness and their communities’ COVID-19 activity to determine whether, and to what degree, they will reopen.
Aside from being determined by the COVID-19 activity in different regions of the state, the reopening of health care services are based on three standards of care. Readiness will be determined by the availability of PPE, hospital capacity and more.
Under this plan, each health care or dental provider must meet certain criteria to be able to begin performing elective procedures. Each provider evaluates their readiness to begin and must maintain standards to continue to see patients.
Local providers, including Highland Vision Clinic and Eric Yao, DDS have already sent out notifications of their reopening and what their new procedures will be under the new criteria.
“Our health care system was one of the first in the nation to be hit with COVID-19 cases when there was much we were still learning about the novel virus.
"Because of the great work of our health care system and communities, we managed the peak of COVID-19 activity in April without having a crisis in our hospitals,” Inslee said.
“This plan was developed with many partners in our health care delivery system — including nurses, surgeons, pediatricians, dentists, community health clinics and hospitals.”
Aside from being determined by the COVID-19 activity in different regions of the state, the reopening of health care services are based on three standards of care. Readiness will be determined by the availability of PPE, hospital capacity and more.
Under this plan, each health care or dental provider must meet certain criteria to be able to begin performing elective procedures. Each provider evaluates their readiness to begin and must maintain standards to continue to see patients.
Local providers, including Highland Vision Clinic and Eric Yao, DDS have already sent out notifications of their reopening and what their new procedures will be under the new criteria.
If you need to schedule care, contact your provider's office to see when they plan to reopen. Not all offices have social media presences or email contacts for their patients.
Tags:
COVID-19,
health and wellness
Low flying aircraft - second Gypsy Moth treatment scheduled for Tuesday
| Spraying for gypsy moth Photo copyright Marc Weinberg |
The second of three gypsy moth treatments has been scheduled for Woodway on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.
Treatments will begin as early as 8am, weather permitting.
The first treatment was delayed for three hours until the clouds cleared.
Expect low flying aircraft over Richmond Beach as the pilot sets up his runs.
More information about gypsy moth treatments, including maps, can be found HERE
Expect low flying aircraft over Richmond Beach as the pilot sets up his runs.
More information about gypsy moth treatments, including maps, can be found HERE
Tags:
aviation,
environment
KCSO: Medal of Heroism for Metro bus driver Eric Stark
![]() |
| The logo on his shirt says "Brotherhood of Essential Workers" |
Story and photo from King County Sheriff's Office
On March 27, 2019, Stark was driving a Metro coach in Lake City when he was shot in the chest by a gunman who was standing in the middle of the street. Despite his serious injuries, Stark kept a level head and put the bus in reverse and got his passengers out of harms way. He is credited with saving their lives.
His heroism inspired Sheriff Johanknecht to create the Medal of Heroism award for community members who go above and beyond to save lives. Eric is our first recipient and it is well deserved.
Scene on the Sound: Icebreaker
![]() |
| Photo by Jan Hansen |
USCGC Healy (WAGB-20) is the United States' largest and most technologically advanced icebreaker as well as the US Coast Guard's largest vessel.
She is homeported in Seattle, Washington and was commissioned in 1999. (Wikipedia)
Tags:
scene on the sound
Was your name used to open a fraudulent unemployment claim
From the LFP Police Department
During the last several days, many police agencies in our region have received multiple fraud reports involving unemployment claims.
To check if your name and SSN were recently used to start a fraudulent unemployment claim, go to the Washington State Employment Security Department website esd.wa.gov and start to open a SAW (SecureAccess Washington) account.
Follow the required steps, and if you receive an error indicating that you have already an account, try to reset your password.
If it shows a partial email address, an email address that you don't recognize, or it shows that a claim has been recently accepted, it means that your name and your SSN have been compromised.
You can then make a claim on their fraud page accessible from esd.wa.gov
Read more...
(Ed. and file a police report)
Now Hiring: Two Positions at the LFP Farmers Market
The Market Manager is responsible for the overall success of the market and oversees the safe daily operations of the market, including set-up, take-down, and operation during open hours.
The Market Manager also manages all vendor relations including weekly processing of payments and deposits, ensuring compliance with all market policies and health department requirements, and recruitment and applications (prior to the season). View the Market Manager position description for full details.
Each week, the Market Set-up Assistant set-ups and tears down the Third Place Commons information tent near the market entry, market lines and barriers, and assorted tables, chairs, and other supplies.
Each week, the Market Set-up Assistant set-ups and tears down the Third Place Commons information tent near the market entry, market lines and barriers, and assorted tables, chairs, and other supplies.
The set-up person also places and collects weekly signage and assists with occasional other special set-ups. Visit the Set-Up Assistant position description for more information.
Read more...
Both positions are seasonal, contract positions that continue weekly through October 18th, with possible continuation for two additional markets in November and December.
These are immediate vacancies that are expected to be filled quickly, but will remain open until filled.
Read more about these positions as well as volunteer opportunities at the market on the Third Place Commons jobs page.
The Lake Forest Park Farmers Market is a program of Third Place Commons, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering real community in real space. It is located at the Town Center at Lake Forest Park at 17171 Bothell Way NE.
Read more about these positions as well as volunteer opportunities at the market on the Third Place Commons jobs page.
The Lake Forest Park Farmers Market is a program of Third Place Commons, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering real community in real space. It is located at the Town Center at Lake Forest Park at 17171 Bothell Way NE.
Tags:
farmers market,
jobs,
third place commons
Piles of clouds over Puget Sound
Monday, May 18, 2020
![]() |
| Photo by Lee Lageschulte |
Some pretty amazing piles of low clouds Sunday over Puget Sound.
![]() |
| Photo by Lee Lageschulte |
They dominated the view from every street.
Read more...
Tags:
weather
Honorable Mention for Lake Forest Park artist in Wyoming competition
![]() |
| Osprey - acrylic by Kerry Clavadetscher Entry in Wyoming conservation stamp contest |
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department's annual Collectible Conservation Stamp Art competition continues to lead the country in state wildlife stamp art competitions in number of entries, prize money and quality of artwork.
This year's subject was ospreys. Next year's subject will be the pronghorn (Antilocapra americana).
For the 2021 contest, the Department received work from a very talented group of artists from around the country who submitted 72 entries. You can see all the winners HERE
Taking an Honorable Mention in the contest is Lake Forest Park artist. 2009 Shorecrest grad. and former software engineer Kerry Clavadetscher.
![]() |
| Canada Goose Watercolor by Kerry Clavadetscher |
Here's what Kerry has to say about herself and her art:
"I’m a full-time artist, and recently wildlife has been my predominant focus and interest. But regardless of subject matter, detail and realism are the constant hallmarks of my work and my inspiration. I love to learn through the process of deep observation, and I want my art to inspire others in the community to do the same – to look closely, contemplate, and appreciate our world, in which I think each moment, each feather or blade of grass (or stroke of paint!) is worthy of attention.
"I work out of my home studio in LFP, which is where I grew up. I don’t have a gallery representation at the moment, but will be exhibiting as a vendor this summer at the Bellevue 6th St. and Anacortes art fairs, if they happen. This is the first time I have entered the Wyoming stamp competition.
"There will be many firsts for me in the coming years since I only just started my fine art business after becoming certified as a natural science illustrator last summer. Before that I worked as a software engineer for Microsoft (and before that I studied astrophysics at Yale).
"This is getting somewhat tangential, but when I mention my background I am invariably asked “why did you quit?”
"I never have a very concise answer to this, but while I stopped working in a lab, science is still a major part of my work. I spend a lot of time photographing and researching my subjects. For example, four books on the species, several research papers, nearly 70 reference photos, and a trip to Wyoming went into painting the osprey.
"I became fascinated by their solo migration and the idea that every year there is a lingerer, a last individual to leave the area. Who is that bird, when do they go, what compels them? What might it feel like to begin that journey? Why do I care? Science answers some of those questions but some, like all my favorite questions, have to be navigated indirectly through art. This, I suppose, is “why I quit”."
Her website is HERE
Update: Kerry is female - I forgot to check out her bio on her webpage and made an incorrect assumption based on name! Apologies to Kerry!
Read more...
Book review by Aarene Storms: Strange Planet
Strange Planet by Nathan Pyle (comic)
Blobby-bodied aliens comment eruditely on common events, like blowing out birthday candles or the delight of watching cats.
That's all this book is about. And yet, somehow, it feels like so much more.
Nathan Pyle's popular webcomic is now a book. It won't take long to read it. But once you do, you'll probably want to share it with friends.
Funny, friendly, and strange. Recommended for all beings.
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
Tags:
book review,
books
Case updates May 17, 2020
![]() |
| By City of Residence |
145 new cases in Washington state bring the COVID-19 total to 18,433 with 1,001 deaths.
United States
- 1,467,065 known cases including 31,967 new cases
- 88,709 deaths including 1,394 since yesterday
Washington state
- 18,433 known cases
- 1,001 deaths
King county
- 7,408 known cases, up 40 from yesterday
- 522 deaths, up 2 from yesterday
Shoreline
- 342 known cases
- 54 deaths
Lake Forest Park
- 30 known cases
- 0 deaths
Tags:
COVID-19,
public health
No activities for 17th of May Festival but local Norwegians remain "Nordic strong"
![]() |
| 2018 photo by Lene Ellingsen Carpp |
![]() | ||
| 2016 Siblings Evelyn Hansen Baker, Stan Hansen, Jan Hansen from Richmond Beach |
With a very large population of Norwegians in Ballard and Richmond Beach, it is a very big event in normal years from pancake breakfasts at the Sons of Norway lodge in Edmonds to a huge parade in Ballard.
In 2015 Norway’s King Harald V celebrated Syttende Mai in Ballard as the first stop on his U.S. visit.
![]() |
| 2012 Photo by Wayne Pridemore |
According to Visit Norway
"The day is also an opportunity for men and women to show off their “bunad”, Norway’s traditional costumes. There are hundreds of different ones, with colours and styles indicating where in Norway the owner’s ancestry lies."
| 2017 Photo by Chip Carpp |
COVID-19 changed things this year. The 17th of May committee posted this notice:
After 130 years of celebrating Norway’s Constitution Day in Seattle, we sadly with broken hearts, have had to face the reality of not being able to go forward with preparations for Seattle’s Syttende Mai celebration this year. Based on the guidance of public health authorities, our permits for public gatherings have been suspended.
Our hearts go out to all who are affected by the current world health crisis. While adhering to “sheltering in place” we encourage you to rely on your inner Nordic strength and remain “Nordic Strong” and resourceful with hopes of happier and healthier times in the near future.
![]() |
| 2019 Cutest Viking ever! This little one is the granddaughter of Norwegians in Richmond Beach |
In normal years, the parade features many Norwegian organizations with an impressive variety of Norwegian bunader. Children are always a large part of the celebration. Ballard has expanded the event to a community celebration with marching bands, drill teams, and community groups.
![]() |
| 2016 Evelyn Hansen Baker, Jan Hansen, Shari Winstead |
The Sons of Norway lodge will not be holding their famous pancake breakfast this and local Norwegians will not be able to march in the 17 of May parade in Ballard, but we went into the files to bring you some photos from past years!
Tags:
multicultural
Fence art in chalk
![]() |
| Photo by Heather McLaughlin |
We've have chalk art and fence art, so it's a natural progression to have fence chalk art! This fence is in Lake Forest Park on Forest Park Drive.
![]() |
| Photo by Heather McLaughlin |
Here's a detail from the fence.
Read more...
Paine Field to suspend operations for 10 weeks
| Paine Field in Everett Photo copyright Marc Weinberg |
According to reporting the The Seattle Times, Paine Field in Everett will suspend passenger service from May 22 to July 31 for aircraft ramp maintenance and repairs.
They had originally planned the work for the summer but decided to take advantage of the unplanned break in air travel resulting from the COVID-19 turndowns.
They will be replacing asphalt ramps with more durable concrete.
Read The Times story HERE
Read more...
Tags:
aviation
Obituary: Richard E. 'Rick" Murphy, LCMDR USN Retd 1946-2020
![]() |
| Rick Murphy |
1946 – 2020
Rick was born and raised in Uniontown, PA and graduated with honors from Uniontown High School. He left his hometown in 1968 to enlist in the USN. By 1972, the Navy had sent him to Officer Candidate School.
Rick earned a BS in Computer Science at the University of Utah and in 1980 a BS in Naval Engineering at Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.
He began his 21-year Naval career as an Electronic Technician and after OCS eventually became an Engineering Duty Officer and Nuclear Ship Superintendent.
His Computer Science degree led him to various positions culminating as a Quality Engineer for Boeing before retiring.
Predeceased by his parents, E. Patricia (Stillwagon) and Robert E. Murphy; his sister, Sharyn (Murphy) Skurska. Survived by his son, Sean P. Murphy (wife, Marci DeLeon), granddaughter, Virginia DeLeon; stepson, Geno Castagnoli III; ex-wife, Susan Berman (husband, Hanan); and friend, Pam Queen.
He was a social person who liked parties and gave many for whatever reason. His Navy career provided many experiences throughout the Pacific, west and east coasts of the US.
He was proud of his charity work for the SOVERN (Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts) Guild - raising money for uncompensated care at Children’s Hospital and WARM (WA Adoption Reunion Movement) - reuniting families separated by adoption.
No services are planned.
Read more...
He began his 21-year Naval career as an Electronic Technician and after OCS eventually became an Engineering Duty Officer and Nuclear Ship Superintendent.
His Computer Science degree led him to various positions culminating as a Quality Engineer for Boeing before retiring.
Predeceased by his parents, E. Patricia (Stillwagon) and Robert E. Murphy; his sister, Sharyn (Murphy) Skurska. Survived by his son, Sean P. Murphy (wife, Marci DeLeon), granddaughter, Virginia DeLeon; stepson, Geno Castagnoli III; ex-wife, Susan Berman (husband, Hanan); and friend, Pam Queen.
He was a social person who liked parties and gave many for whatever reason. His Navy career provided many experiences throughout the Pacific, west and east coasts of the US.
He was proud of his charity work for the SOVERN (Society of Vintage Racing Enthusiasts) Guild - raising money for uncompensated care at Children’s Hospital and WARM (WA Adoption Reunion Movement) - reuniting families separated by adoption.
No services are planned.
Tags:
obituaries
Out for a walk
![]() |
| Out for a walk Photo by Cynthia Sheridan |
So joyful to see young families out walking together in the neighborhood. This mom has always home-schooled her children so afternoon strolls are a common occurrence for them.
--Cynthia Sheridan
Read more...
Tags:
people,
recreation
Authors are online at Town Hall Seattle events
Authors doing multi city book tours to meet with groups of fans is probably not going to happen for a while.
In the meantime, there are livestream events and podcasts.
Town Hall Seattle has a full schedule this week. Each event has the description, information about the book and the author, and information about how to access the event.
Town Hall Seattle Livestream Event:
Department of Mind-Blowing Theories Tom Gauld with Steve Scher
Monday, May 18
Read more...
Monday, May 18
Wow, No Thank You - with Samantha Irby and Angela Garbes
Tuesday, May 19
Tuesday, May 19
#MeToo in the Corporate World - with Sylvia Ann Hewlett and Kennedy Ihezie
Wednesday, May 20
Wednesday, May 20
7:30pm at Off-site, Virtual Event
Virtual Event! Alli Frank and Asha Youmans - Tiny Imperfections
Thursday, May 21
Virtual Event! Alli Frank and Asha Youmans - Tiny ImperfectionsThursday, May 21
7:00pm at Virtual Event
Tags:
author
Wayne's Wabbit
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Ideals are like rabbits. Get a couple and pretty soon you will have a dozen.
-- John Steinbeck
All politicians should have three hats, one to throw in the ring, one to talk through, and one to pull rabbits out of if elected.
--Carl Sandburg
Why you wascawwy wabbit!
--Elmer Fudd
Photos and quotes from Wayne Pridemore
Wabbit from Wayne's backyard
Tags:
wildlife
Case updates: 1000 deaths in Washington state - important to maintain social distancing
![]() |
| Cases and deaths by county Washington state Department of Health |
Washington state recorded its 1000th death from COVID-19 yesterday. Over half of those were in King county, including 45 in LifeCare in Kirkland.
A new statewide report shows COVID-19 transmission is persisting in western Washington and slowly increasing in eastern Washington. The measure of how many new infections a single COVID-19 case will produce – known as the effective reproductive number – has not changed significantly in either region since the last statewide report, and continues to be higher than ideal.
“The new report is one more data point emphasizing how critical physical distancing and other disease control measures continue to be,” said Secretary of Health John Wiesman.
“We’ve seen some success in our state because of the work each and every one of us is doing to stop the spread of the virus, and an exponential increase in cases is still a possibility. I’m asking everyone to keep up the good work to protect their families and communities.”
The Department of Health (DOH) worked with Bellevue-based Institute for Disease Modeling (IDM) and the Microsoft AI for Health program to develop the report, which updates the estimates in a previous statewide report with data collected through early May.
The report is one of many data sources the state is using to assess COVID-19 risk levels. These data sources help inform the state’s Safe Start planning and guidance.
For more information on COVID-19, visit the Department of Health’s website or call 1-800-525-0127. You can also text the word “coronavirus” to 211-211 to receive information and updates.
United States
- 1,435,098 known cases including 22,977 new cases
- 87,315 deaths including 1,325 yesterday
Washington state
- 18,288 known cases
- 1000 deaths
King county
- 7,440 known cases
- 520 including 4 yesterday
Shoreline
- 336 known cases
- 54 deaths
Lake Forest Park
- 30 known cases
- 0 deaths
Tags:
COVID-19,
public health
Home sales in Lake Forest Park April 2020
The following are properties that sold in Lake Forest Park during the month of April 2020. Data compiled for the Shoreline Area News by the Shoreline Windermere office.
Read more...
Tags:
real estate
Spraying for gypsy moths in Woodway gives Shoreline residents a good view
| WSDA aircraft sprayed for gypsy moth in Woodway Photo copyright Marc Weinberg |
As promised, the Washington State Department of Agriculture's plane arrived on Friday to spray Woodway, just north of Richmond Beach, for the voracious gypsy moth caterpillars.
![]() |
| The caterpillar of the Gypsy moth will eat its way through entire forests Photo courtesy WSDA |
The non-native Gypsy moth is capable of defoliating thousands of acres of trees in a single year unless eradicated. Left unchecked, this invasive species can eat its way through a forest in short order. In 2017 an infestation defoliated one third of the state of Massachusetts.
Treatments occur as gypsy moth caterpillars emerge in the spring and begin to feed on vegetation.
The WSDA plans three applications of Btk (see previous article and below) from 3 to 14 days apart. The spraying is weather dependent. Friday's spraying was delayed several hours when the morning weather was cloudy and raining.
| Photo by Wayne Pridemore |
672 acres of Woodway was the target, but the pilot lined up his runs over Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, then flew north to Woodway. It repeated this process several times as it moved eastward after each flight. The entire run took about 40 minutes.
Woodway was completed after two hours and the pilot flew north to repeat the spraying in the Boulevard Bluffs area of Everett.
| The pilot set up his runs over Shoreline Photo by Wayne Pridemore |
The low-flying aircraft gave Shoreline residents a good view.
The treatment consists of aerial applications of a soil bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, or Btk, which is an insecticide approved for use in organic agriculture and in organic gardening. It has an excellent safety record around people, plants, pets, fish, birds and bees and has been used globally for decades as a safe and effective treatment for combatting gypsy moth.
Read more...
Tags:
aviation,
environment,
insects
Shoreline elementary students selected for 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame
In recognition of their dedication to traffic safety, community stewardship and leadership, Elana Bronsther, a sixth-grade student at Echo Lake Elementary and Cameron Cook, a sixth-grade student at Syre Elementary were recently chosen for induction into the 2020 AAA School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame.
As a long-standing tradition, a panel of judges from AAA Washington, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission chooses ten top patrollers for induction into the AAA Washington School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame.
Read more...
Nominations require input from both the patroller and their advisor, including responses to a series of essay questions. This year, the panel received nearly 45 nominations from across the state to review and evaluate.
![]() |
| Elana Bronsther Echo Lake Elementary |
Elana Bronsther – Echo Lake Elementary
Bronsther took action when she spotted safety issues at her school, creating a new patroller post in a hallway where unsafe and loud first graders waited for classes to begin. Patrol advisor, Joe Wack says she found a way to reassign four patrollers to that area without affecting the other posts. He calls it a wonderful improvement for the school.
As instructed, Bronsther notified Wack when she saw a parent driving while talking or texting on a cell phone. The advisor says one parent, initially angry about her report, later thanked Bronsther for doing her job. “This parent finally realized the bigger picture of student safety,” Wack said. “She was very apologetic and complimented Bronsther for having the courage to speak up about her dangerous driving habit.”
Bronsther took action when she spotted safety issues at her school, creating a new patroller post in a hallway where unsafe and loud first graders waited for classes to begin. Patrol advisor, Joe Wack says she found a way to reassign four patrollers to that area without affecting the other posts. He calls it a wonderful improvement for the school.
As instructed, Bronsther notified Wack when she saw a parent driving while talking or texting on a cell phone. The advisor says one parent, initially angry about her report, later thanked Bronsther for doing her job. “This parent finally realized the bigger picture of student safety,” Wack said. “She was very apologetic and complimented Bronsther for having the courage to speak up about her dangerous driving habit.”
![]() |
| Cameron Cook Syre Elementary |
Cameron Cook – Syre Elementary
Cook’s nomination centered on his drive towards making things better. The patrol captain consistently led by example, jumping in where needed, demonstrating the proper management of each post. It is an intimidating task for any sixth-grader, telling fellow students how to behave.
Cook’s nomination centered on his drive towards making things better. The patrol captain consistently led by example, jumping in where needed, demonstrating the proper management of each post. It is an intimidating task for any sixth-grader, telling fellow students how to behave.
Cook’s ability for speaking up and enforcing the rules impressed patrol advisor Jenny Hodgen. She is a big fan of his new program, rewarding students who obey the rules with positive behavior slips.
“Cook’s idea of using positive reinforcements for students in order to encourage the desired behavior is exactly what we were looking for,” Hodgen said. “He is always seeking ways to improve the system and make the job safer for students.”
The 2020 AAA Washington School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame class includes seven girls and three boys from rural and urban communities across Washington.
The 2020 AAA Washington School Safety Patrol Hall of Fame class includes seven girls and three boys from rural and urban communities across Washington.
AAA created the School Safety Patrol 100 years ago, and has been inducting outstanding patrollers into the local Hall of Fame for 29 years, and partners with local agencies to bring the program to elementary schools across Washington.
For the Birds: If You Find a Baby Bird
By Christine Southwick
Baby birds are starting to hatch and leave their nests. Sometimes fledglings are found on the ground and may appear to need help.
Unless the bird is bleeding, or has an obviously broken wing or leg, it doesn’t need any help, and any interference is unnecessary and can cause undue stress and unforeseen consequences.
Leave it alone and make sure to keep cats and dogs away from the youngster.
![]() |
| Robin nestling Photo by Elaine Chuang |
Here is the official word from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
“If the bird is fully or partially feathered, chances are it doesn't need your help. Fledglings, also known as “branchers,” typically leave the nest and move about on the ground and on low branches for a few days before they can fly. Their parents are nearby and continue to care for the birds, answering their demanding calls with regular deliveries of food."
![]() |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet fledgling Photo by Craig Kerns Note the bright gape (around mouth) |
"Unless injured, a fledgling bird should be left where it is. You can help by keeping cats, dogs, and curious children away from the bird so the mother can continue to feed it. However, removing a native bird from its environment is illegal, and deprives it of the essential care it needs from its parents.”
Sometimes nature throws us a curveball. Three days ago I heard a loudly peeping duckling dodging under a car to avoid being pecked by five crows. I yelled them off, and then set about calming the duckling until I could capture it. There was no water nearby, no parents and no other ducklings. This was not the right environment for a duck — I wonder how it had wandered so far...
![]() |
| Rescued duckling swimming toward other ducklings Photo by Christine Southwick |
Being so young, this duckling needed water and food right away. (Baby ducks, unlike birds, start eating on their own right after hatching, therefore getting it to a place with the right type food was important) So we took it to a large pond that we knew had other mallards with some ducklings about the same age.
As soon as I put it in the water, it started peeping loudly, and swimming to the other ducklings. By this action I knew it had imprinted on other ducks — wherever it had hatched.
This week I saw a smaller duckling with a couple of others, and I like to think that was the duckling I saved. At least I gave that duckling a fighting chance.
Tags:
birds,
for the birds
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
ShorelineAreaNews.com
Facebook: Shoreline Area News
Twitter: @ShorelineArea
Daily Email edition (don't forget to respond to the Follow.it email)
Facebook: Shoreline Area News
Twitter: @ShorelineArea
Daily Email edition (don't forget to respond to the Follow.it email)









































