Jazz Vespers Sunday: The True Gift

Wednesday, December 9, 2020



This Sunday, December 13, 2020 the Lake Forest Park Presbyterian Church will stream a special holiday edition of its Jazz Vespers series: “The True Gift.” May the beauty of the music guide you in reflecting upon the true meaning of this Christmas season.

Jean Chaumont will be joined by singer/saxophonist Thomas Harris in presenting many of your favorite carols. Join the live stream starting at 5:00pm on Facebook @JazzVespersLFP 



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Jobs: City of Shoreline

City of Shoreline


Transportation Specialist


CLOSING DATE: 12/21/20 11:59 PM

GENERAL SUMMARY:

Shoreline is an inclusive City that endeavors to build a work culture which embraces diversity, encourages participation, and promotes equity.

The City of Shoreline capital program supports transportation, surface water, facilities and parks projects. The 2021-2026 Capital Improvement Program is estimated at approximately $250 million, with a $156 million for transportation related projects. The City is aggressively proceeding with several large transportation projects utilizing federal funds. In order to deliver these projects, the Engineering Division is looking to add a motivated individual to the team to support the program with an emphasis on property acquisition and administering grant funds.

DEFINITION

Under general supervision, perform a wide variety of specialized and complex administrative duties in support of the Engineering and Transportation Divisions including research, data analysis and report/presentation preparation, technical financial and budget support, coordination with agency staff and consultants, support of property acquisition, grant reimbursement duties, document control and management, contract preparation support, stakeholder engagement assistance, general administrative support functions, and perform a variety of tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

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Gov Inslee announces new economic supports and extension of restrictions

Gov. Jay Inslee today announced additional economic supports for workers and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inslee also announced a three-week extension of the state’s current restrictions which will now be in place until January 4, 2021.

The three-week extension of statewide restrictions come as the state’s healthcare system nears dangerous occupancy levels. 

With the effects of Thanksgiving on infection and hospital numbers still unknown, the extension will grant the state’s medical system much needed time to increase Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity before it’s overwhelmed.

“What we do between now — when COVID activity is still at crisis levels — and the time when vaccines are widely available, is literally a matter of life and death,” Inslee said at a press conference Tuesday morning.

Inslee was joined by Department of Commerce Director Lisa Brown who announced an additional $50 million, doubling the number of Washington small businesses that will receive aid. Industries recently shut down, such as restaurants and fitness centers, as well as businesses that have been devastatingly impacted throughout the pandemic, like music and event venues, have been prioritized.

  • More information here 
  • More information on Working Washington Small Business grants here. 


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Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Secret revealed

 


Previous cartoons by Whitney Potter HERE



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Case updates December 7, 2020

Case updates December 7, 2020


United States
  • cases 14,823,129 - 186,215 cases since yesterday
  • deaths 282,785 - 1,532 deaths since yesterday

Washington state
  • cases 187,327 - 2,923 since last report
  • hospitalizations 11,841 - 145 since last report
  • deaths 2,967 - 26 since last report

King county
  • cases 50,326 - 587 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 3,486 - 67 since yesterday
  • deaths 905 - 2 since yesterday

Seattle - population 744,995 (2018)
  • cases 12,584 - 155 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 819 - 4 since yesterday
  • deaths 211 - 0 since yesterday

Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018)
  • cases 1,301 - 29 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 141 - 3 since yesterday
  • deaths 74 - 0 since yesterday

Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018)
  • cases 150 - 5 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 8 - 0 since yesterday
  • deaths 2 - 0 since yesterday


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Senior Center TeleCafe - holiday creations



Senior Center TeleCafé
Wednesday, December 9, 2pm
HOLIDAY CREATIONS with Kathy Brower

We are happy to have paper and Greeting Card artist Kathy Brower, longtime Shoreline resident, join us again in the café to lead us in making Holiday cards and gift tags.

A master at using everyday paper items found in one’s home, Kathy loves using her imagination to create one-of-a-kind items to share with family and friends.

There is no need to be really “creative or craft experienced’ to participate. Any skill level can accomplish the planned project. 

Kits are available from the center, call 206-365-1536 and ask to speak to Donna to reserve a kit. 

Join us!
  • What: A Zoom social hour, a chance to visit while staying home and staying safe. Grab a cup of coffee and pull up to chat!
  • Who: You and your friends from the Shoreline Lake Forest Park Senior Center
  • Where: From the comfort of your own computer or smartphone
  • When: December 9th, 2:00pm
Meeting ID: 859 8484 8513
Password: senior2020


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Waste Reduction during the holidays

Furoshiki wrapping cloths for packages


Waste Reduction during the holidays


By Sarah Phillips

Who doesn’t like to get a present? This year you can make your gift giving environmentally friendly. During the holiday season the amount of waste increases significantly. Some of it is from packing materials and other from gift paper.

One easy way to make your gift-wrapping paper more environmentally friendly is to avoid papers with glitter, foil or that are glossy. These papers are trash. The best alternatives include:



Brown paper
  Perhaps you have been collecting lots of paper grocery bags. These can be cut and decorated and used as wrapping paper and after the holiday they can be recycled. Parent-teachers can make it a craft project

Furoshiki Wrapping Cloths These cloths were traditionally used in Japan to transport items. They have been reintroduced as a new look for a traditional form. If you have material in your closets from sewing projects, you can use the material as wrapping and then reuse them again next year.

Cloth Bags These are like a pillowcase. You can purchase them or make them quite easily. Put your gift inside, knot the top and add a gift label. After the gift giving you can collect the cloth bags and use them again next year.

Beeswax reusable wraps If you are making food items as gifts you can use beeswax to cover and carry the food. The beeswax can be used in place of single use plastic film to cover food in the refrigerator.


Of course, you can also give items that don’t need to be wrapped. Memberships to museums, zoos, organizations or donations to organizations that might need a little extra this year. These can be enclosed in an envelope. Gift certificates to local restaurants is also a great way to both support local businesses and give great gifts that can be slipped into an envelope.

This year local organizations are struggling because of the Covid-19 virus. Perhaps you can give a donation in someone’s name to a local organization: Third Place Commons, The Shoreline Lake Forest Park Senior Center, ShoreLake Arts, Shoreline Schools Foundation North Helpline, Hopelink, just to name a few.

Maybe get a live Christmas tree this year and after the holiday season plant a new tree. Trees are a great way to capture and sequester carbon.

Celebrate wisely and have a great holiday season. 


See King county holiday recycling for more tips King county holiday recycling

You can help make your life waste-less all year long by doing simple things like:

  • Using a refillable water bottle
  • Bring your own coffee cup to your local coffee shop
  • Purchase large size items like a shampoo bottle with a pump or try a shampoo bar.
  • Use bar soap instead of soap pumps
  • Shop at thrift stores
  • Bring your own jars to be refilled with bulk items.

Saving the planet one small step at a time. Happy Holidays!



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Agenda for Shoreline council meeting Monday Dec 14 includes three public hearings


Agenda for December 14, 2020 City Council Meeting

The agenda includes the following three Public Hearings:

Action Item 8(a) Public Hearing and Adoption of Ordinance No. 908 – Adopting Pre- Annexation Zoning for the Point Wells Subarea and Adding a New Chapter, Chapter 20.94 Point Wells – Planned Area 4, to Title 20 of the Shoreline Municipal Code

The staff report for the November 9, 2020 Council meeting can be found at the following link:

http://cosweb.ci.shoreline.wa.us/uploads/attachments/cck/council/staffreports/2020/staffreport110920-8b.pdf


Action Item 8(b) Public Hearing and Discussing Ordinance No. 916 - Extension of Interim Regulations to Allow for Additional Extensions of Application and Permit Deadlines Beyond Those Provided for in the Shoreline Municipal Code Due to COVID-19 Impacts

On July 27, 2020, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 893, enacting interim regulations that provide relief for applicants by creating additional extensions of application and permit deadlines due to the economic and health impacts of COVID-19. Proposed Ordinance No. 916 would extend these interim regulations for another six months

The staff report is available at the following link:

http://cosweb.ci.shoreline.wa.us/uploads/attachments/cck/council/staffreports/2020/staffreport072720-7d.pdf


Action Item 8(c) Public Hearing and Discussing Ordinance No. 917 – Extension of Interim Regulations for Outdoor Seating

On July 27, 2020, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 895, enacting interim regulations for outdoor seating areas for existing restaurants and bars due to indoor seating restrictions related to COVID-19. To date, there have been five outdoor seating registrations filed with the City. Proposed Ordinance No. 917 would extend these interim regulations for another six months.

The staff report is available at the following link:

http://cosweb.ci.shoreline.wa.us/uploads/attachments/cck/council/staffreports/2020/staffreport072720-8a.pdf

--Pam Cross




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LFP council work session and regular meeting on Thursday



The LFP council will hold a work session at 5:30pm Thursday, December 10, 2020 to continue work on the Town Center code draft amendments.

Zoom Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/91484421090 (works for both meetings)

The draft amendments can be found from a link on the agenda page

The regular council meeting will begin at 7pm with a presentation on the proposed merger of Northshore and Woodinville fire departments, and recommendations from the Tree Board for updates to tree regulations.

Zoom Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/91484421090

Instructions for making oral comments at the meeting are on the agenda as are links to all staff documents. 

The agenda includes interlocal agreements for jail services, as well as budget amendments, property taxes, and the legislative agenda.




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Christmas Lights: Ridgecrest shines brightly

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

NE 170th and 11th Ave NE
Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Lots of Christmas lights everywhere this year. Fighting the darkness of a lost year with bright colors in the night. 

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

True confession: Steve lives in Ridgecrest. So unless the rest of you send in photos from other neighborhoods, we'll just keep on displaying Ridgecrest lights! 

Photo by Steven H. Robinson

Looks like Ridgecrest has enough to take us into the next year!

Photo by Steven H. Robinson


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Shoreline - Lake Forest Park arts organization announces new name and new logo


We are proud to announce our new name and logo!

After several years in the making, we are excited to announce our new name and logo: ShoreLake Arts! 

We’ve heard people stumble over the lengthy name of our organization for decades, so we are deciding to make it easier for everyone! 

We are refreshing our branding to bring a simpler name, an emblematic logo, and a fresh, modern flair to our look! 

Our legal name will remain the same, but we will now be doing business as ShoreLake Arts.

Here is a statement about the logo design from our Publicity Manager, Kevin Sheen: 

Kevin Sheen, Publicity Manager
ShoreLake Arts 
"It's not everyday you get an opportunity to work on a rebrand. Especially when you get to incorporate a new name! 
"Having been on the front-lines of writing, typing, and saying 'Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council' for the last 3+ years as the Publicity Manager, I can't tell you how excited I am to introduce all of you to our new name and logo."
"ShoreLake Arts is a marriage of sorts between the two cities we primarily serve (Shoreline and Lake Forest Park). 
"But it also speaks to the beautiful surroundings that both cities have within their boundaries, and generally speaking here in the Pacific Northwest. 
"As a lifelong Washingtonian I can attest to spending the majority of my adolescence around many shores and lakes! 
"This is a detail we wanted to make sure to convey in the iconography. The waves are clearly depicted in yellow, with the shore in orange, both from our branded color scheme."
"I want to say thank you to everyone who helped make this refresh a reality. A ton of work went into this from the board, community members, designer, and staff. A special thanks to our designer, Gale Benning, and our Board for their leadership." - Kevin Sheen

The programs and services you have come to know and love are staying the same, now accompanied by the new logo and name!

You can continue to use the same address and emails you are used to, and you are welcome to write checks out to either the “Arts Council” or “ShoreLake Arts”. Also, we are proudly sticking with the distinctive yellow color in our logo (and not just because we have so much yellow paint and cloth!) 

We also took time this year to refresh our website both to enable the logo change, and set us up for eCommerce and virtual events.

This was a multi-year process with much-appreciated community input. Thank you to all who provided us with their feedback and suggestions!

ShoreLake Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to cultivate creativity and inspire our community through the arts. Established in 1989.



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Parkinson's Support Group Tuesday from the Senior Center


Parkinson's Support Group, Tuesday December 8, 2020

A support group can offer advice, provide understanding of the stages of the ailment and offer opportunities for support & friendships with others who understand.

A great opportunity to have your questions answered. The meetings are led by a skilled Social Worker who will offer a wealth of knowledge on the subject.

  • Day: 2nd Tuesday of the month
  • Time: 10:00am-11:00am
  • Location: Zoom, call in via phone or Webcam ID: 823 0004 0827, no password. Link is here
  • Host: Giddiany Romero, SW
  • Call 206-365-1536 or email giddianyr@soundgenerations.org for details.


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Dancing duck at Twin Ponds

 

Photo by Hitomi Dames


Photo by Hitomi Dames

Photo by Hitomi Dames

This ♀wood duck was turning around and around as if she was performing dance for me. (@Twin Ponds Park). --Hitomi Dames



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New certificate program at Shoreline Community College: Health Data Analyst


Students who want to pursue a career in the high-demand healthcare field now have even more options. This winter, Shoreline Community College is launching a new Health Data Analyst Certificate, an 18-credit certificate that teaches students how to analyze, interpret, organize, and present health data.

“COVID-19 has increased awareness of data’s importance in providing effective healthcare,” said Dr. Melanie Meyer, Director of the Health Informatics and Information Management (HIIM) program at the college. “While we’ve been developing the certificate for awhile, the launch is timely with the current pandemic.”

Health data analysts work with many different types of health data and may help answer questions critical to their organization’s operation, such as how many COVID tests have been performed or COVID patients have been admitted. They can also help their organization understand and visualize current staffing and reimbursement trends.

Students learn how data is used for quality and performance improvement, best practices in data visualization, and how health statistics are used to guide decision making.

Given the growth in health data available and the need to improve healthcare delivery, demand is growing for qualified health data analysts. “This certificate trains students for a career with strong growth and earnings potential,” said Meyer.

The certificate will launch in winter 2021 with the HIIM 239 Health Data Visualization class, which focuses on using Tableau and Excel for presenting healthcare data. The only prerequisite for HIIM 239 is Excel, so anyone who has taken Excel can sign up for the course.

“One of the great things about this program is that it gives students practical hands-on experience using data applications and data visualization tools professionals use in the field,” said Meyer. “And students get the opportunity to complete a real-world healthcare data project.”
“It’s a one-of-a-kind offering in this area,” said Meyer. “And, it’s stackable with other HIIM programs, so students can get a really well-rounded skillset that increases their job options. Pursuing transfer to a four-year degree program is also a great next step if that’s their goal.”

The certificate qualifies for Workforce Education funding, which provides free tuition for qualified students.

Learn more about the Health Data Analyst Certificate.



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Shoreline Public Schools Foundation achieves fundraising goal for matching funds

The Shoreline Public Schools Foundation would like to thank the generosity of 30 donors who donated over $9,000 during our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion campaign. 

This guarantees that we will receive the $5,000 matching pledge from the Debi Ehrlichman Fund for Educational Excellence. 

Thank you for supporting DEI in our schools!



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LFP City Council takes cautious approach to parking garage zoning code changes

A large one-story building with a railing along the roof line. The entire facade of the building is covered with greenery.
The facade of the Bellevue Public Library parking structure displays a "green wall" similar to that which might become a requirement of the Lake Forest Park city zoning code for the Town Center parking structure. Photo courtesy Johnston Architects


By Tracy Furutani

The Lake Forest Park City Council signaled that they would not be offering major incentives for the proposed Town Center parking structure to provide community benefits beyond parking, in a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting of the Council Monday, November 23, 2020 attended by a dozen community members.

The meeting discussion topic was the proposed changes to the city zoning code to accommodate the parking structure that is slated to be built just to the west of City Hall on the Town Center property.

“We have to assume that Sound Transit is paying for it, [so] they have committed to a 300-stall parking structure and they’re intent on delivering that as cheaply as possible,” said Councilmember John Wright. 
“I don’t know that this is some place that we want to try and work on incentives; I think we want to work more on ‘these are requirements for a parking structure.’ Sound Transit is delivering on a political commitment and very little else, so I don’t think they’re going to provide [any extra amenities] unless they have to.”

Councilmember John Resha agreed. “If it’s not in the base [code], Sound Transit is not likely to do it, that’s the simple math.”


Garage plan of the view looking down onto the structure, with north (and Ballinger Way) at the top. Drawing courtesy Sound Transit

The incentives, also known as bonuses, are provisions in the code that allow variances seen as benefiting the developer, in exchange for community benefits.

Deputy Mayor and Councilmember Phillippa Kassover reflected the ambivalence of the Council on the incentive provisions, stating she was “struggling a bit with now figuring out whether or not there is any real reason to expect that Sound Transit would ever want a bonus height and whether it makes any sense for us to even work through what the public benefits that we would ask for in response to their need for a bonus height.”

City Planning Director Stephen Bennett emphasized that the proposed changes, without the incentives, would have to be precisely what the Council wanted. 

“If you don’t have the bonus provision then you really have to decide you’re going to try and get everything right, in terms of what you’re going to require,” he said, adding later that the Planning Commission’s approach was to make the zoning code changes “to make sure that there was some discussion of a development agreement,” which is a development-specific agreement between the property developer and the city that may vary from code requirements.

Councilmember Lorri Bodi agreed, cautioning the Council to not try and anticipate a developer’s goals, “I don’t want us to negotiate against ourselves here by assuming Sound Transit is going to say X,Y and Z,” and, as a result, scale back with the city wants.

In the end, the Council asked the Planning Department and the City Attorney’s office to leave in the height incentive provision, which allows greater height in the parking structure in return for “public benefits,” such as a community meeting space or the use of “green (living) walls,” and to require a set square footage of the structure be for “commercial, public or other active use,” with the exact distribution of that space to be determined.

“[I] also believe most of this is going to end up in a development agreement, and I think we’re going to have another opportunity to have this kind of discussion,” said Councilmember Semra Riddle. “Putting more [requirements] into the base code … will encourage that development agreement which will help us get what we want in a way that might actually happen.”

The Council is required to send proposed zoning code changes for the Town Center area to the state Department of Commerce sixty days before a Council vote on the adoption of the code changes.

Since the Council’s moratorium on changes to the Town Center expires on March 10 of next year, the proposed changes need to be sent to the state by January 10, 2021. The proposed changes sent to the state will include different options, not all of which will be approved by the Council in its final vote on the zoning code changes in late February or early March.

The next discussion on the proposed Town Center zoning code changes will be a Council Work Session this Thursday at 5:30pm on the Zoom platform. 

This session will be followed by the regular business meeting of the City Council at 7pm.

There will not be a public comment period in the City Council Work Session on Thursday at 5:30pm. However, there will be the usual Citizens Comment period near the beginning of the regular City Council Business Meeting at 7pm.

A public hearing of the proposed zoning code changes to the Town Center area not related to the parking garage is scheduled for January 25, 2021. 

Jamas Gwilliam, Vice-President of Development for the Town Center owner Merlone Geier Partners, sent a letter to the Planning Department and the City Council dated November 12, 2020 in which he states the company’s position: 

“…it appears that there is still considerable work that needs to be done on this document [the proposed zoning code changes]…we have provided many comments in the past urging the Planning Commission and City Council to avoid placing overly restrictive provisions in the code as it relates to our property.”

Both public comment speakers at the November 23 meeting emphasized the urgency of giving the community a 21-day notice of the January public hearing.


CORRECTION: There will not be a public comment period in the City Council Work Session on Thursday at 5:30pm.



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Letter to the Editor: Thank you Briarcrest - and perhaps a sign next time?

To the Editor:

Thanks, Briarcrest Neighborhood for your caring, collecting and delivery to Tent City. We had a little difficulty in finding the drop-off and couldn't see a house address until a passer-by told us where to find you. Another driver was also having a hard time finding you.

If you do this again perhaps a "Tent City Donations" sign could be put in a visible place.

Again, THANK YOU

Dorothy and Bob Burns
Lake Forest Park



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Case updates December 6, 2020; State DOH dealing with backlog and unresolved duplicates

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is announcing 6,972 new cases of COVID-19 today in the state, a number that reflects both a backlog of COVID-19 positive lab test results received over the weekend and approximately 1,800 duplicates that have not yet been resolved.

DOH has caught up with processing most of the backlog in positive COVID-19 test results created by temporary system slowdowns last week. Those slowdowns occurred as a result of upgrading servers. The high number of new cases reported today partially reflects the backlog created by these delays.

DOH estimates there are up to 1,800 duplicate cases in today’s total case counts. These duplicates will be removed from the dataset in the future as we catch up on our deduplication process.


Case updates December 6, 2020


United States
  • cases 14,636,914 - 174,387 cases since yesterday
  • deaths 281,253 - 1,118 deaths since yesterday

Washington state - see opening paragraph
  • cases 184,404 - 6,957 since last report
  • hospitalizations 11,696 - 152 since last report
  • deaths 2,941 - 16 since last report

King county
  • cases 49,739 - 2,121 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 3,449 - 49 since yesterday
  • deaths 903 - 9 since yesterday

Seattle - population 744,995 (2018)
  • cases 12,429 - 666 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 815 - 19 since yesterday
  • deaths 211 - 2 since yesterday

Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018)
  • cases 1,272 - 71 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 138 - 1 since yesterday
  • deaths 74 - 1 since yesterday

Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018)
  • cases 145 - 4 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 8 - 0 since yesterday
  • deaths 2 - 0 since yesterday


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WeatherWatcher: Rain returns, winter forecast

Monday, December 7, 2020

Rainy day over Richmond Beach and Puget Sound
Photo by Carl Dinse

Forecast: Rain returns Tuesday morning, and is expected to continue at times into the afternoon. More rain is likely Tuesday night as well. We're looking at a quarter to 3/4 of an inch of rain in total for Tuesday. 

The wet weather pattern is expected to continue through the weekend, with clouds and the threat of rain each day this week. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 40's for the highs and lows in the upper 30's to low 40's.

Winter Forecast: Several things are in play this year that are increasing our chances of a colder than normal winter, and wetter than normal winter. We have a moderate La Niña developing as well as a shift in the Pacific Decadal Oscillation to more of a negative phase.

In the near term I think we will start seeing the effects of the colder and wetter weather kick in around the second half of December. Some long range forecasts have been pointing at a significantly higher chance that we will see some lowland snow around the Christmas to New Years holidays. We normally have a very low chance of a white Christmas but those chances have increased this year.

January through March is when the bulk of the storms, rain, cold, and possible lowland snow are expected. For that time period our average temperature will likely be around 1-2°F lower than normal. Several atmospheric river events are expected as well.

December 8, 2020, marks 10 years since I started writing weather articles for Shoreline Area News. Here is a flashback to my very first weather report: WeatherWatcher: Thunderstorm. I started this in response to the November 23-25, 2010 snow and cold snap event to help provide better storm coverage for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. Ponds froze over during that cold snap, and we had about 1-2 inches of snow accumulate and freeze on all the local streets.

Snow covers the newly completed N 195th St connector trail between Meridian Ave N and 1st Ave N in Shoreline on November 23, 2010
Photo by Carl Dinse



For current weather conditions visit www.shorelineweather.com




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Christmas Lights: Edmonds Harbor

Photo by Lee Lageschulte

 

Worth a trip up the road to see the decorated boats in the Edmonds harbor!




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O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, the trees are at Sky Nursery


Photos by Steven H. Robinson

There may be some tree lots around but Sky Nursery has trees, wreaths, and garland.
18528 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133


Pretty trees all in a row


And the staff help fasten them to your car roof.

You get to decorate them yourself, unless you're like my friend who built a closet for her artificial tree, put it on rollers and just rolled it out of the closet every year.



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AG Ferguson issues guidance for third-party restaurant delivery services

Third-party delivery services that hide fees, list restaurants without their permission are likely violating the Consumer Protection Act


OLYMPIA — In response to concerns raised by consumer complaints and news reports, Attorney General Bob Ferguson issued guidance today for third-party restaurant delivery services. The guidance is aimed at helping the companies avoid violations of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act.

The Attorney General’s Office has received approximately 45 complaints about third-party restaurant delivery services in 2020. The complaints cover a variety of issues.

Complaints and news reports highlight serious concerns for both restaurants and individual consumers. When a third-party service implies it is authorized to deliver for a restaurant, it could damage the restaurant’s reputation if the service performs poorly or charges unfair fees.

Consumers complained to the Attorney General’s Office that their bills were higher than expected due to membership or delivery fees. Consumers also complained that the menus posted on the websites of third-party restaurant delivery services did not match the actual restaurant menus.

“As the pandemic continues, many Washingtonians are increasingly using third-party delivery services to access their favorite restaurants,” Ferguson said. 
“These companies need to be clear and honest with consumers about their fees, and their relationships with restaurants.”

The guidance, available here, highlights conduct that likely violates the Washington Consumer Protection Act, including:
  • Charging consumers any fee without clearly and conspicuously disclosing the fee before the consumer places an order.
  • Listing a restaurant or business without their permission.
  • Establishing or listing false phone numbers, websites, or other contact information for a restaurant or business.
  • Misrepresenting to consumers the source of the food or products delivered.
  • Misrepresenting safety precautions.
In November, Gov. Jay Inslee issued a new emergency proclamation capping delivery fees for third-party delivery platforms at 15 percent of the price of the order, and total fees at 18 percent. The proclamation went into effect Nov. 25. Violating that proclamation would also violate the Consumer Protection Act.

To file a complaint about third-party delivery services, or other consumer issues, click here.



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Case updates December 5, 2020

Case updates December 5, 2020


United States
  • cases 14,462,527 - 206,992 cases since yesterday
  • deaths 280,135 - 2,310 deaths since yesterday

Washington state
  • cases 177,447 - 1,654 since last report
  • hospitalizations 11,544 - 69 since last report
  • deaths 2,925 - no reports on weekend

King county
  • cases 47,618 - 363 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 3,400 - 30 since yesterday
  • deaths 894 - 0 since yesterday

Seattle - population 744,995 (2018)
  • cases 11,763 - 47 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 796 - 6 since yesterday
  • deaths 209 - -1 since yesterday

Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018)
  • cases 1,201 - 1 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 137 - 0 since yesterday
  • deaths 73 - 0 since yesterday

Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018)
  • cases 141 - 0 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 8 - -1 since yesterday
  • deaths 2 - 0 since yesterday


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Obituary: Fred Otto 1942 - 2020

Fred Otto 1942-2020
Frederick (Fred) Otto 1942-2020 

Fred was a Seattle area resident his entire life. He attended Seattle Preparatory HIgh School; and had a life-long career with the USPS.

Fred was very influential and philanthropic in Shoreline’s Youth Soccer Association. He was an active board member for many years and sponsored travel and equipment for many players, that otherwise would not have been able to know and love the sport.

In 1979 and for years thereafter he sponsored and was the team manager for the inaugural Seattle Select Team; The team went on to win three straight state championships (1979-1982).

One of the receivers of his donations recently said “His biggest soccer contribution was always buying us the best equipment. We always looked forward to the new season, he was a kind man and truly loved soccer, we were lucky to have him as part of our team.” 

Soccer was Fred’s life until the day he died. He is survived by his wife Marita, sister Mary Ann Andresen (Mike), niece Michelle Andresen and many stepchildren, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was a kind man, and will be missed by all who knew and loved him. RIP Fred.



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Flamboyance is its own reward, thought Terry...

 

Photo by Gloria Nagler


Spotted Towhee, one of my faves, in our yard the other day
--Gloria Z Nagler



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ORCA Lift Subsidized Annual Pass for qualified riders


King County Metro and Sound Transit have partnered to create a new, subsidized annual pass program, allowing qualified riders to travel on select transit in our region with subsidized fares.

Eligibility – Customers who reside in King, Pierce, or Snohomish County and are enrolled in one of the six state benefit programs.

APPLY NOW! For more information, visit WashingtonConnection or call 877-501-2233. Expansions are expected in 2022 to serve more customers that have household incomes at or below 80% of the federal poverty level.



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Do you need help right now? The Community Resource Center is there for you virtually

The Community Resource Center is held on 
  • Tuesdays, 1:30-3pm
  • Wednesdays, 2-4:30pm
ALL ARE WELCOME! GET THE HELP YOU NEED AT THE VIRTUAL RESOURCE CENTER.

We are living in stressful times and you may find yourself in need of support.

Log-in or call for free information and access to:
  • Cash assistance
  • Employment and training
  • Education
  • Housing
  • Food assistance
  • Health / medical care
  • Legal assistance
  • Dispute resolution
  • Mental health treatment
  • Substance use treatment
  • Transportation / ORCA Lift
Online Access

Log in via Zoom anytime during the listed open hours. Use - https://tinyurl.com/virtualresourcecenter
Meeting ID: 930-683-3892
Password: 459890

Telephone Access

If you do not have computer access, contact the Virtual Resource Center at one of the following phone numbers during open hours.253-215-8782

669-900-9128
346-248-7799
312-626-6799
646-558-8652
301-715-8592

In collaboration with The City of Shoreline, The City of Redmond and King County District Court.


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Small Business Counseling - Navigating COVID-19




Small Business Counseling - 
Navigating COVID-19

Sessions are scheduled on:
  • Tuesday, 10-12pm
  • Thursday, 10am-3pm
  • Saturday, 10am-1pm
One-on-one counseling with a SCORE mentor to help you with your startup or assist with your existing business including navigating COVID-19. 

SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a nonprofit organization supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Register online for a virtual one-hour session that will be conducted over the phone or computer. Spots are limited but the sessions are ongoing.

A SCORE Counselor will email you about your meeting preferences.



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Shooting on Aurora Saturday morning sends one to the hospital

Shoreline officers responded to the 14700 block of Aurora Ave N around 8:30am Saturday, December 5, 2020 after a young woman sustained a gunshot wound to her face.

She was transported to Harborview Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The suspect remains outstanding, however there are no immediate concerns for community safety.

The King County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit (MCU) is overseeing this active and ongoing investigation.



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Seattle City Light recognized as No. 1 West Midsize Utility in J.D. Power 2020 Customer Satisfaction Study


Seattle City Light received the highest customer satisfaction index score of any midsize electrical utility in the western United States, according to the J.D. Power 2020 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study.

The overall satisfaction index examines six factors: power quality and reliability; corporate citizenship; price; billing and payment; communications; and customer contact. Seattle City Light received the highest score (5 of 6) in the following: power quality and reliability; corporate citizenship; price; billing and payment; and customer contact.

“This award is a great example of the commitment of our City Light employees to our customers, especially during a year that has brought so many unexpected challenges for our business community,” said City Light General Manager and CEO Debra Smith. 
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, especially when so much has been asked of our employees. We cannot thank them enough for their dedication to their work.”

The study, fielded from February through October 2020, was based on responses from 18,457 online interviews of business customers in decision-making roles related to their utility company.

As the number of COVID-19 cases began to rise within the region, City Light’s Business Customer Services took significant strides to support its customers, including small and medium business customers, to help ease the financial challenges of the pandemic.

The team, including Key Customer Managers, provided a holistic approach to supporting its customers, including proactively offering payment plans or arrangements, providing virtual energy audits to identify methods to reduce electricity usage within their business, working with customers one-on-one through a concierge-style service and contacting known closed businesses such as restaurants to assist in closing their City Light accounts.

We believe these efforts contributed to the utility’s increase in its overall customer satisfaction index score by 32 points from 2019.

“Customer service demands continuous improvement while remaining nimble enough to anticipate change,” said Craig Smith, City Light Chief Customer Officer. 
“This year, our Business Customer Services team went above and beyond to provide the outstanding level of service our utility strives for. City Light will remain steadfast in its commitment to its customers as our region recovers financially from this pandemic and beyond.”

The 2020 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, now in its 22nd year, measures satisfaction among business customers of 86 targeted U.S. electric utilities, each of which serves more than 40,000 business customers. In aggregate, these utilities provide electricity to more than 12 million customers.

For more information about the J.D. Power Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/utilities/electric-utility-business-customer-satisfaction-study.

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years.

Seattle City Light, one of the nation’s largest publicly owned utilities, generates and delivers affordable, reliable and environmentally responsible power to the homes, businesses, and communities we serve. We provide carbon-neutral electricity, generated primarily from carbon-free hydropower, to over 900,000 residents in Seattle and the surrounding areas.



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A sea of crimson caught my eye

Sunday, December 6, 2020

A bunch of bright red-orange poppies on long stems
Photo by Wayne Pridemore



A sea of crimson caught my eye

Of oriental splendor, out of place

Beneath the pastel of English sky


poem by Mary Spain




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Case updates December 4, 2020

Case updates December 4, 2020


United States
  • cases 14,255,535 - 214,099 cases since yesterday
  • deaths 277,825 - 2,439 deaths since yesterday

Washington state
  • cases 175,793 - 1,503 since last report
  • hospitalizations 11,475 - 202 since last report
  • deaths 2,925 - no reports on weekend

King county
  • cases 47,255 - 324 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 3,370 - 23 since yesterday
  • deaths 894 - 0 since yesterday

Seattle - population 744,995 (2018)
  • cases 11,716 - 67 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 790 - 6 since yesterday
  • deaths 210 - 1 since yesterday

Shoreline - population 56,752 (2018)
  • cases 1,200 - 8 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 137 - 1 since yesterday
  • deaths 73 - 1 since yesterday

Lake Forest Park - 13,569 (2018)
  • cases 141 - 0 since yesterday
  • hospitalizations 9 - 0 since yesterday
  • deaths 2 - 0 since yesterday


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Gothard Sisters Christmas show is now LIVE - and free for everyone

Gothard Sisters

The Christmas show is now LIVE!

️ >>> Watch Now! <<<


We hope this show will help you to ring in the holiday season.

Tickets: This show is free and available to everyone. However, if you would like to make a donation for a “ticket” price, there are options for that at the bottom of the video page. Please do not feel obligated to donate something if you’re having a hard time. We appreciate you being here!

HOWEVER - if you would like to make a donation or purchase some CDs, music or other goodies, scroll to the bottom of this page! Thank you! 

Available Through Christmas: This show will be available through Christmas day so you can watch it on the evening that makes it the most magical experience for you and your family. You can share it with friends. You can also watch it as many times as you want!

Running Time: The show is about 90 minutes long with an intermission.

Our Christmas Gift: It has been a difficult year. This is our gift of music and cheer to you and your family.

Enjoy the show!
Greta, Willow and Solana
The Gothard Sisters


The Gothard Sisters
Celtic Folk Music from the Pacific Northwest 




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