What Peace Means to Me - LFP Rotary Contest

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

 
The Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park invites you to tell them what peace means to you.

Modes of Expression can be essay, poetry, haiku, short story, lyrics, artwork (drawing, painting, photograph, sculpture, collage)

Competition categories:
  • Kindergarten to 2nd grade
  • 3rd to 5th grade
  • 6th to 8th grade
  • 9th to 12th grade
  • Adult
The winner in each category will receive a $50 gift card to Third Place Books.

Deadline for submissions April 9, 2022. Email submissions to lfprotarypeacebuilders@gmail.com



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LFP Heatmap - 765 police calls in January 2022

Police incidents heatmap for January 2022: Each blue dot is an incident generated by dispatch or an officer. This map represents 765 incidents in January.

765 incidents in January 2022
Map courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

Notable Calls/Incidents:

On 01/26/22, officers responded to a domestic assault. 

A resident called 911 to report a female was outside screaming and swinging a chair at a window and door at the residence. When officers arrived, the female was holding a broom stick. 

The suspect was attempting to strike the victim with the broom. The victim stated the suspect attempted to hit him several times but dodged her attempts.
 

Broomstick assault
Photos courtesy City of Lake Forest Park
The victim stated she had bit him in the shoulder, broke his cellphone, and damaged items in the house. The female suspect was taken into custody for DV assault and DV malicious mischief. She was then booked into King County Jail.

Theft in progress

On 1/30/22, officers responded to a theft in progress at Albertson's. The store manager reported a male subject shoplifted from the store and was in a vehicle parked in front of the business. 

As the officers approached, the driver shifted the vehicle into reverse and accelerated hard backwards. The officer was able to pivot his body out of the way, however, the passenger sideview mirror struck his right arm (elbow area) and the suspect collided into the front of the police car.

The vehicle left and officers pursued the driver for vehicular assault. The pursuit was terminated by the supervisor as the vehicle fled towards the freeway. Officers were flagged down by a passerby who said he witnessed the vehicle on I-5 going in the wrong direction. State Patrol was notified and later learned the suspect drove onto the closed Express Lanes.

Back on scene at Albertson's, officers were notified of a female accomplice that was left by the male driver of the van. Officers conducted an area check and located her, ultimately arresting her for several outstanding arrest warrants (felony and misdemeanor) and the shoplifting incident. 

A check of the suspect (female ID’d him) located six outstanding arrest warrants. Efforts are underway to locate. The officer was evaluated by aid. The patrol vehicle sustained front corner bumper damage.

Photos courtesy City of Lake Forest Park

DUI one-vehicle collision

On 1/29/22, Officers assisted Kenmore with a one-vehicle collision in the 5700 block of NE Bothell Way. The driver was trapped and was later extricated by Northshore Fire personnel. The driver had non-life-threatening injuries and was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). Charges are pending the outcome of toxicology lab results.



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Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Cupid

 

Previous cartoons by Whitney Potter HERE



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Local Residents Named to William and Mary Dean's List

William and Mary University
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (February 8, 2022) - The following local residents were recently named to the Dean's List at the College of William and Mary for the fall 2021 semester:

In order to achieve Dean's List status, a full-time degree seeking undergraduate student must take at least 12 credit hours and earn a 3.6 Quality Point Average during the semester.

HOMETOWN, STATE; NAME

Seattle, WA
  • Ben Normann
Shoreline, WA
  • Harry Zhang

William and Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.



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Shoreline resident named to Dean's List at George Fox University

NEWBERG, ORE. (February 8, 2022) - Abby Wall of Shoreline was among those who earned dean's list recognition at George Fox University for the fall 2021 semester. 

Traditional undergraduate students must earn a 3.5 grade point average or above on 12 or more hours of graded work to earn a spot on the dean's list. 

Wall is a freshman majoring in nursing.

George Fox University is classified by U.S. News and World Report as a "Best National University." More than 4,000 students attend classes on the university's campus in Newberg, Ore., and at teaching centers in Portland, Salem and Redmond, Ore. George Fox offers more than 60 undergraduate academic programs, degree-completion programs for working adults, and 19 masters and doctoral degrees.



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Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center Valentine's Fudge Sale


The Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Holiday fudge sale was so popular we are bringing it back for Valentine's Day. 

The perfect gift for your sweetheart. Or for yourself.

Pickup is February 10, 11 and 14, 2022 (Thursday, Friday, and Monday) from 10am - 2pm at the Senior Center 18560 1st Ave NE #1

Hurry in, we sold out last time.

Classic and walnut. $8 for one - $15 for two - $20 for three




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UW Bothell welcomes Rebecca Ehrlichman Blume as vice chancellor for Advancement

Rebecca Ehrlichman Blume
BOTHELL, Washington — The University of Washington Bothell has named Rebecca Ehrlichman Blume as its new vice chancellor for Advancement effective April 1.

“Rebecca is well prepared to assume the mantle of advancement leadership for the Bothell campus,” said Chancellor Kristin Esterberg. 
“Over more than 15 years in the field, she has consistently been in service to organizations that promote opportunity, equity and justice.”

Blume has been the assistant dean for Mission Advancement and Engagement at UW’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance for more than seven years. She oversaw the school’s community engagement, marketing and communications, fund development and strategic partnerships. 

She led the school’s $50 million campaign focused on increasing student access through scholarships and a $25 million remodel of the school’s historic 1902 building. A UW alumnus, Blume received her master’s in public administration from the school in 2010.

“I’m excited to join the UW Bothell team and look forward to contributing to the important work being done to increase student access to an amazing UW educational experience,” she said 
“It will be an honor to join Chancellor Esterberg and the Advancement team as we — together — continue telling UW Bothell’s unique story, inspire private support and build upon the strong sense of community among alumni and partners.”

About UW Bothell

UW Bothell’s commitment to increasing access to a UW education extends well beyond admissions. It also includes offering evening, offsite, online, hybrid and certificate programs that help make it possible for more students to pursue higher education. 



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Registration is open for 2022 Art Adventure Camps with ShoreLake Arts


With 19 options, including half days, full days, mornings, afternoons, Winter, Spring, and Summer, as well as a huge variety of awesome themes, you are bound to find the right camps for your child!

Search for camps and register at www.shorelakearts.org/camps-2022

Upcoming Camps for Ages 6-10:

Everyone is an Artist
Turning Concepts into Creations
Dates: February 21-25, 2022
Times: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ages: 6-10
Price: ($425.00) $375.00 ($50 off now through Feb. 16!)

Palette Power
Paint like History's Superheroes of Art
Dates: April 25-29, 2022
Times: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Ages: 6-10
Price: $425.00

Camps are held in person at the ShoreLake Arts Classroom inside the Shoreline Center. You can find a map, camp itineraries, policies, FAQ's, COVID-19 protocols, and more at the Art Adventures web page

And don't forget to check out the discounts for siblings and members! Don't delay! These camps fill up quickly!

REGISTER NOW



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Salomon bill would increase inspections of fire sprinkler systems

State Sen. Jesse Salomon - D-Shoreline
Public safety would be heightened by the creation of an account to increase resources for residential and commercial fire inspections, under legislation passed today by the Senate.

Senate Bill 5880, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline), would fund the account by increasing license fees for installers as well as penalties for systems installed without state certification. The bill passed 44-5 with overwhelmingly bipartisan support.

“Our standards are put in place to protect property, prevent tragedies and save lives, but the state fire marshal doesn’t have the resources to be everywhere,” Salomon said. “This badly need funding stream will increase the fire marshal’s ability to identify and investigate bad actors.”

The state fire marshal’s office typically encounters two types of problems with fire sprinkler installations. One stems from companies from Oregon that lack the credentials or training to install fire sprinkler systems according to Washington state standards. The other stems from the level of competition in the construction industry, which can put pressure on some contractors to cut corners.

“No one thinks about sprinkler systems until there’s a fire, but if sprinklers are not working, it’s too late,” Salomon said. “Inspections are critical to making sure our sprinklers work as intended in the event of a fire.”



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Jobs: WSDOT Utility Accommodation and Project Delivery Engineer in training

WSDOT
Utility Accommodation and Project Delivery Engineer (TE3, In-Training)

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Northwest Region (NWR) is eager to hire an innovative project manager with a desire to fully utilize their analytical, negotiation, and communication skills as our next Utility Accommodation and Project Delivery Engineer assigned to NWR Headquarters in Shoreline. This is an in-training position that offers a career path and on-the-job training, and allows the incumbent to progress upward through the Transportation Engineer field.

This position will serve in a dual role capacity. As the Utility Accommodation Engineer, this position will be responsible for researching, negotiating, and processing Utility Franchise and Permits for installation and maintenance of utilities within the state right of way. As the Utility Project Delivery Engineer, this position will be responsible for the coordination and support of negotiations between the Region Transportation and Electrical Design/Construction Offices and Utility companies. This position is essential for the project delivery of WSDOT projects as it ensures that projects are delivered on time and within scope and budget.

Job description and application




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Case updates February 7, 2022

COVID-19 Updates - increases are reported in 7 or 14 day periods 

 

United States  

  
  • Total cases 76,782,002
  • Cases in past 7 days - 1,731,240
  • Total deaths 903,038

Washington State

  • Monday, February 7, 2022: Due to the current surge in COVID-19 cases, Department of Health is experiencing substantial slowdowns in our data systems



King county

Level of Community Transmission is based on the number of new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 7 days:

High: ≥ 100
Substantial: 50-99
Moderate: 10-49
Low: < 10

  • Total confirmed cases - 334,938
  • Cases in past 7 days - 9,212 
  • Total hospitalizations - 11,000
  • Hospitalizations in past 7 days - 213  
  • Total deaths - 2,429
  • Deaths in past 14 days -100  
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Seattle 
  • Total confirmed cases - 90,188 
  • Cases in past 7 days - 2,533   
  • Total hospitalizations - 2,373
  • Hospitalizations in past 7 days - 45    
  • Total deaths - 593
  • Deaths in 14 days - 28     
  • Level of community transmission HIGH  

Shoreline  
  • Total confirmed cases - 7,764 
  • Cases in past 7 days - 295    
  • Total hospitalizations - 293    
  • Hospitalizations in past 7 days - 4
  • Total deaths - 123
  • Deaths in 14 days - 2 
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH

Lake Forest Park 
  • Total confirmed cases - 1,368   
  • Cases in past 7 days - 61 
  • Total hospitalizations - 30    
  • Hospitalizations in past 7 days - 1
  • Total deaths 5  - 0 
  • Deaths in 14 days - 0
  • Level of community transmission: HIGH


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Stolen property recovered in Shoreline by Kenmore Police

Last week, multiple bicycles and motorized scooters were stolen from an apartment complex garage near NE 181 St / 68 Ave NE in Kenmore. The suspect vehicle was a very distinctive Chevy S10 pick-up.

This week, Kenmore Police arrested two subjects. Both subjects were booked into King County Jail. Several stolen items, including a Vespa scooter, were recovered in Shoreline. 

Kenmore is now working on returning the property to the owners.



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Elections: First day returns show Schools and Parks well over 67% Yes votes


City of Shoreline Prop 1 Parks

Once the validation requirement is met, 60% Yes votes are required

Ballots counted 2-8-2022 - 9,111

Yes votes 67.84%

Shoreline School District levies (Shoreline and Lake Forest Park)

To validate a school levy, a simple majority is required i.e. 50% + 1 Yes votes required

Ballots counted 2-8-2022 - 11,799
  • Prop 1 Educational Programs and Operations = Yes votes 67.85%
  • Prop 2 Technology = Yes votes 69.67%


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Tuesday is election day and people are on street corners in Shoreline to remind you

Tuesday, February 8, 2022


These are northwesterners so they don't mind a little rain. They're in good company and they are supporting their school by reminding people to turn in their ballots before 8pm Tuesday.


And on another corner, green signs wave to encourage voters to support the Shoreline Prop 1 to refurbish half a dozen green spaces.

Ballots must be in before 8pm Tuesday.


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Shorewood wrestling teams represent their school well at post-season

Hunter Tibodeau, 1st @ 195lbs
RJ Buchheit, 4th @ 195lbs

Story and photos by Clark Norton

The Shorewood wrestling program began their post-season this past weekend and did not fail to represent. While the boys wrestled at Edmonds-Woodway High School, the girls competed 32 miles away at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. Both teams did better than expected and represented their school amazingly.

Quincy Laflin, 1st @ 126lbs

The boys were led by their team captains Quincy Laflin and Hunter Tibodeau. Laflin at 126lbs and Tibodeau at 195lbs both won their first district titles. 

Owen Mulder, 2nd @106lbs

Sophomore Owen Mulder brought home a 2nd place medal at 106lbs, Junior Isaac VanHorn took 3rd at 145lbs, Senior RJ Buchheit placed 4th at 195lbs, and Junior Milan Johnson placed 3rd at 285lbs. 

Isaac VanHorn (in blue), 3rd @145lbs

In addition to the Regional Qualifiers, Shorewood’s Masa Taura at 120lbs, James Nottingham at 138lbs and Ahmed Abdeen at 160lbs each just missed the podium and will be alternates next weekend.

The girls went to “Sub-Regionals” with only 6 wrestlers and placed 9th out of 30 teams. “Sub-regionals” represents one eighth of all the high schools in the state and Shorewood had the ninth largest team at the tournament.

Coach Clark Norton with girls team

Shorewood was led by a quartet of juniors who all got at least one pin, including Fiona Blair at 110lbs who became the first “Sub-regional” champion in Shorewood history!

Fiona Blair, 1st @ 110lbs, became the first
“Sub-regional”champion in Shorewood history

Ultimately, the StormRays placed three of their 6 wrestlers in the top five placers to advance to Regionals. 

Libby Norton, 3rd @ 100lbs

Freshman Libby Norton placed 3rd at 100lbs, Junior Fiona Blair placed 1st at 100lbs, and Junior Kiana Yoshimura placed 2nd at 190lbs, while Junior Abby Tveit placed 6th at 120lbs to be an alternate.

Kiana Yoshimura, 2nd @190lbs

The girls team wrestles next weekend at Sedro-Wolley High School on Saturday, February 12, 2020. It is a 10-person bracket and the top five (5) placers advance to the state tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

The boys wrestle next at the Regional Tournament at Foss High School in Tacoma on Saturday, February 12th. It will be a 12-person bracket and the top five (5) placers will advance to the Tacoma Dome.

James Nottingham, Alternate @138lbs
Boy Qualifiers: 
  • Owen Mulder 2nd
  • Quincy Laflin 1st
  • Isaac VanHorn 3rd
  • RJ Buchheit 4th
  • Hunter Tibodeau 1st 
  • Milan Johnson 3rd
Boy Alternates (all 5th): 
  • Masa Taura 
  • James Nottingham 
  • Ahmed Abdeen
Girl Qualifiers: 
  • Libby Norton 3rd
  • Fiona Blair 1st
  • Kiana Yoshimura 2nd
Girl Alternate: 
  • Abby Tveit 6th


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LFP Council to consider three resolutions and one ordinance at Thursday meeting

At their virtual meeting on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 7pm, the Lake Forest Park City Council will consider the following Ordinances and Resolutions:

Resolution 1836/Creating a Climate Committee (introduction and discussion) 

Resolution 1837/Authorizing the Mayor to Enter into American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant Agreements with ShoreLake Arts and Glacial Cryotherapy, LLC (introduction and discussion) 

Resolution 1838/Authorizing the Mayor to Sign Interlocal Agreement for Dispatch/Records Management Services with the Bothell Police Department

Ordinance 1235/Amending Chapters 18.08, Definitions; and Sections 18.50.050, Accessory Dwelling Units and 18.50.060, Accessory Structures and Buildings, of the Lake Forest Park Municipal Code (discussion)

Full agenda and links to documents here

Instructions for participating in this meeting virtually:

Please note, this link works for both the Work Session (6:00pm) and Regular Meeting (7:00pm).

When: Feb 10, 2022 6:00 PM (Work Session) and 7:00 PM (Regular Meeting)
Topic: City Council Work Session (6:00 p.m.) and Regular Meeting (7:00 p.m.) - 2/10/2022

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82719930895



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LFP Council to hear presentation on Creek Riparian Restoration Thursday

Riparian restoration at McAleer Creek
Photo courtesy City of Lake Forest Park
The Lake Forest Park City Council, in their work session Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 6pm, will hear a King Conservation District presentation on Creek Riparian Restoration from Michael Lasecki, Senior Resource Specialist, Forest Stewardship.

The meeting is virtual.

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82719930895

Or One tap mobile :
US: +12532158782,,82719930895# or +16699006833,,82719930895#

Or Telephone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US:+12532158782 or+16699006833 or+13462487799 or+14086380968 or+1646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 827 1993 0895

International numbers available: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kRUDCKEX1


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Driftwood Players present: Holmes and Watson by Jeffrey Hatcher

Sherlock Holmes is dead. Or so it is assumed. 

The world knows the great detective went over the falls at Reichenbach with his nemesis Professor Moriarty. 

But as Holmes’ body was never retrieved, a number of frauds, fakes, and charlatans have come forward since to lay claim to his identity, and it falls to Dr. Watson to disprove them. 

Then a telegram arrives informing Watson that three men, each claiming to be Holmes, have been committed to a remote asylum off the coast of Scotland. 

Now Watson must discover if one of the mad men is the real Sherlock Holmes. 

Directed by Curtis Rawls and featuring the acting talents of Mark Velednitsky, Tod Harrick, Trent Latta, Jeremy Moller, Joe Wheeler, Tom Stewart, Sonja Usher, Esha More, and John Dugaw. 

The design team includes Nancy Johnson (Properties Designer), Rob Falk (Lighting Designer), Arian Smit (Sound Designer), and Diane Johnston (Costume Designer). James Lyle is coaching dialects. Katie Soulé is Production Manager, assisted by Brian Fletcher. Jennifer Nielsen is Stage Manager, and Malene Hundley is Assistant Director.  

WHEN: March 4-27, 2022 - Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm. 
 
TICKETS: $28 General; $25 Jr/Sr/Military. Available online here: https://edmondsdriftwoodplayers.org/shows-tickets/ or by phone at 425-774-9600. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available. 
 
Holmes and Watson By Jeffrey Hatcher
Presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York

Special thanks to our show sponsor, Beresford Booth, PLLC, as well as our season sponsors Templar Financial Services, Rick Steves’ Europe, and Windermere Real Estate Edmonds.

About Edmonds Driftwood Players: Edmonds Driftwood Players is a volunteer-based, non-profit community theatre with the mission to produce live theatre that entertains, enriches and engages the community. Established in 1958, it is one of the oldest operating community theatres in Washington State.




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Burial services held at Acacia for casualty of 1943's Black Sunday air raid

A military honors team from Joint Base Lewis-McCord
Story and most photos by Doug Cerretti

Early Sunday morning August 1, 1943 Army Air Force's 2nd Lt. Anel B. Shay Jr., along with nine other airmen, boarded the B-24 Liberator named “Semper Felix” and took off from their base in Benghazi, Libya.

"Bud" Shay was 26
Photo from DPAA
The target for that day, code-name Operation Tidal Wave, was the Ploesti (Romania) oil complex that supplied 60% of the oil for the Nazi war machine. 

Shay, a bombardier, was a member of the 345th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. The doctrine of high-altitude, precision, daylight bombing utilizing B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses was a new strategy and the Army Air Forces were still experimenting on how to utilize this new weapon. 

For the Ploesti oil complex raid, the B-24s would use a new strategy; low level flying at tree top level (200 to 800 feet) to deliver their bomb load. The mission required precise timing of the bomb groups to arrive over the target in mass and, most importantly, the raid would be a complete surprise. 

Unfortunately neither occurred; bomb groups lost track of each other and arrived at different times and the Nazis broke the American code and were lying in wait for the Liberators. 
Only eighty-eight of 178 liberators returned to base and three hundred and ten American fliers were killed including 2nd Lt. Anel B. Shay Jr., who was 26 years old. 

The Ploesti raid is also known as Black Sunday. The Army Air Forces never again tried low-level bomb runs.

The honor guard ceremonially folding the flag

Following the war, more than 80 unknown remains from the Ploesti raid were transferred to the American Cemetery in Belgium. In 2017, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA, www.dpaa.mil) began exhuming unknowns from Operation Tidal Wave. 

The remains were sent to the DPAA Laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for examination and identification. 2nd Lt. Anel B. Shay Jr. was accounted for by the DPAA on June 28, 2021, after DNA analysis using samples from family members.

The flag is presented to Shay's nephew John Shay

After 78 years 2nd Lt. Anel B. Shay Jr. was laid to rest at Acacia Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Lake Forest Park on February 3, 2022. Present at the service were Shay’s nephew John Shay and great nephew Dylan Shay and other family members.

Members of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

A 17-member military honors team from the Joint Base Lewis-McCord’s 16th Combat Aviation Brigade participated, including an Honor Guard Firing Team and Bugler. Also paying their respects were eight members of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Growing up, John Shay did not know much about his Uncle. Seeing his medals, he asked, “Whose are these?” Grandma said, “They’re Uncle Bud’s,” as he was known in the family. 

A native of Seattle, 2nd Lt. Anel B. Shay Jr. attended Lincoln High School and the University of Washington. His parents, Anel Sr. and Lucy Shay and sister Jane survived him. Anel B. Shay, Sr. is also interred at Acacia Memorial Park.

Additional information about 2nd Lt. Shay here



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Flags at half-staff Tuesday February 8, 2022

Flag Lowering - 2/8/22 (Officer Donald Sahota)

Governor Inslee is deeply saddened by the death of Vancouver Police Officer Donald Sahota, 52, and direct that Washington State and United States flags at all state agency facilities be lowered to half-staff in his memory on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. Officer Sahota died in the line of duty on Saturday, January 29, 2022.

Flags should remain at half-staff until close of business or sunset on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.

A memorial service will take place on February 8, 2022, at the Ilani Event Center in Ridgefield at 1:00pm.

Please email FlagRequests@gov.wa.gov if you have any questions about this flag lowering.



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For the Birds: Bewick’s Wren – Our local Bug-eater Extraordinaire

Bewick's Wren with two spiders. Photo by Craig Kerns

By Christine Southwick
 
If you have a small boisterous ball of feathers flitting through your shrubs, stopping every so often to belt out lovely warbles, whistles, and trills, you probably have a resident Bewick’s Wren. 

If it repeatedly flicks its tail over its back, has a distinctive white eyebrow, and scolds you if you get too close, you definitely have a Bewick’s Wren!

Consider yourself well pleased. Your yard is being used by one of the best insect and spider exterminators.

Male Bewick's Wren singing his territorial songs.
Photo by Elaine Chuang

The males have the guard duty, and take it quite seriously, loudly protecting their territory with up to 22 different songs in their repertoire.

One example of a Beck's nest.
Photo by Christine Southwick
They also have the house-hunting gene, often making three or four starter nest-sites, with the female finishing her selected nest site. 

The nests start with a lot of twigs which the female tops with moss, feathers and hairs to make a soft and warm cup for her eggs. 

Nests are placed in cavities, ledges, and other hidden places. They don’t like high-traffic area, and don’t make nests out in the open.

Right now these early nesters are already chattering back and forth, and it won’t be long until the female is sitting on 3-6 eggs, while the male brings her food.

These mainly insect-eaters forage in shrubs, trees and the ground, and especially like brush piles and leaf-covered ground where they uncover their insect and spider meals. 

Bewick’s Wrens can be seen moving through local native plants such as dogwoods, elderberries, snowberries, salmonberries and blackberries, ocean spray, and rhododendrons to list a few.

They love willows, cherry trees, Indian Plum, serviceberries, viburnums and trees in general where they easily find their insect morsels and the males can watch their territory.

Bewick's Wren with large moth as babies get older.
Photo by Craig Kerns

Bewick’s Wrens are smaller than song sparrows, are acrobatic and can forage upside down when necessary. They like to eat suet and mealworms, but they usually won’t come to your seed feeders. They readily use nest boxes, and now is the time to put them up.

Since these birds eat the bugs in your garden, don’t poison them by using pesticides. Wrens and other birds will rid your yard of most bugs, and you can always use water to spray off remaining bugs.

Just a fun note: Birders in this area say if you can’t identify a bird song, since the males can sing so many songs, it is likely a Bewick’s Wren.



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Not just the coyotes are getting bold

Monday, February 7, 2022

 
Photo by Breck Haining

Photographer Breck Haining says, 

"I occasionally see River Otters by Log Boom Park in Kenmore, but usually when I do see them I do not have my camera. Yesterday I was birding by the marina which connects to Log Boom Park.  I happened to see a River Otter swimming near the shore. It later climbed up on a dock where I was able to take a good photo of it."

I find this astonishing. The first time I was told about river otters, in Echo Lake, no one had a clue what they were. It took several months and a children's book to identify the mystery critters as otters. 

It was several years before I got my first photo of an otter, taken by Martin DeGrazia at Ronald Bog. And it was several years after that before they started regularly posing for Martin.

I now know that they are in every lake, bog, and stream around us. But they have always been shy and elusive, even while they were stealing your prize koi.

With the pandemic and people staying in their homes, the coyotes started coming out in the daylight. I lived here for 20 years before I even knew that we had coyotes. Now I get reports weekly of coyotes boldly walking through yards and streets in the daylight.

Now the otters are coming out. They are far more benign that coyotes, but it's strange to see this one fully out of the water, staring down the photographer.

Warning: we also have raccoons, weasels, opossums, and bobcats.  I wonder if they will be next to come into the daylight?

--Diane Hettrick


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Ziply goes live in Shoreline with 5gig speeds

Ziply™ Fiber announced that after an initial rollout in Kirkland, Washington in December and outstanding customer feedback, it has begun offering ultra-high-speed 5-gig and 2-gig residential fiber internet service to nearly 170,000 residential customer addresses in 60 cities and towns across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. 

By mid-year, these multi-gig residential services will be available in most of the company’s four-state fiber footprint.

Ziply Fiber is the first company to introduce a 5-gig speed for residential services, making the company the fastest home internet service provider in the Northwest. This launch is also a defining step in the company’s mission to build the region’s fastest, most reliable fiber network. 

“While gig-speed connections work great for the majority of families, today’s announcement is about building for the future and our commitment to build the fastest, most reliable network ever constructed in the Northwest,” said Harold Zeitz, CEO of Ziply Fiber. 
“The cities we are announcing today are no longer just Gig-speed cities, they are now Ziply Fiber Multi-Gig cities, with the fastest home internet we’ve been able to find in any city in the Northwest or elsewhere in the United States.”

Ziply Fiber’s announcement comes at a time when more and more people who depend on fast, reliable, high-capacity internet to support multi-media applications, uploading large files, and working from home,  as well as for people who just want to have the best and fastest connection, with no data caps or annual contracts for residential users.

One of the 60 cities where 5-gig and 2-gig service launched recently is Everett, Washington.

“Technology infrastructure is essential for growth and innovation. Fast internet is critical for our modern lives in Everett, both at home and at work,” said Mayor Cassie Franklin. 
“We are proud to have Ziply Fiber as a civic partner and we can’t wait to see what Everett residents and businesses do with its lightning fast service.”

Some of the other local cities in which Ziply Fiber’s multi-gig fiber service is now available include: Bothell, Brier, Edmonds, Everett, Kenmore, Kirkland, and Lynnwood.

“Just like we manage our network to ensure there’s enough capacity to meet the needs of all of our customers, we’re also always looking to the future when it comes to bandwidth and capacity needs at home,” added Zeitz. 

“We absolutely believe that people’s use of the internet should not be constrained by what is simply the most popular technology or speed today, which is why we’re excited to bring these advancements forward across our entire fiber footprint in the months and years to come.”

Ziply Fiber is local in the Northwest, headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, and has major offices in Everett, Washington; Beaverton, Oregon; and Hayden, Idaho. 

Most of Ziply Fiber’s executive team, which consists of former executives from AT/T, CenturyLink, and Wave Broadband, either grew up in the Northwest or have spent the better part of 30 years living here. That local ownership and market familiarity is an important part of the company mindset and culture.


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Sen. Salomon: Psychedelic mushrooms can alleviate depression, PTSD

Sen. Jesse Salomon D-Shoreline
It would be legal in Washington state to use psychoactive mushrooms to treat depression, PTSD and other conditions, under legislation heard Wednesday by the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee.

“The use of mushrooms as part of therapies to treat problematic mental health issues should be divorced from the lingering cultural drug stereotypes of the sixties,” said Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline). 
“It’s long past time we stop grouping psilocybin with Schedule 1 substances like heroin and meth and recognize its considerable medical value.”

Senate Bill 5660 mirrors an Oregon voter initiative that passed in 2020 but incorporates modifications to address implementation problems that have arisen in Oregon.

“We’re talking about a drug that has been proven to effectively help people in supervised settings,” Salomon said. “Psilocybin is an incredibly useful tool that should be available to medical professionals or certified trip guides, and their patients.”

The legislation would enable people 21 and older to be treated at licensed centers under the supervision of licensed facilitators, using products created and tested by entities licensed by the state Department of Health.

Public testimony from dozens of people who had tried the therapy was overwhelmingly in favor of the bill and cited similar experiences. 

One combat veteran stated that three months of the psilocybin therapy trumped 12 years of traditional therapy but complained that his veteran’s organization needs to come up with $4,000 per treatment to fly wounded veterans out of the country for this treatment. 

Another testifier said the experience surpassed 15 ineffective years of traditional therapy, while another said it eliminated longtime physical tremors that had resisted other therapies.

“We have an opportunity to help many, many people who are struggling to cope with troubling and longstanding medical conditions, including depression, PTSD and addiction,” Salomon said. 
“Studies on depression, anxiety, PTSD and addiction treatment consistently show this is a treatment that can bring immediate and lasting improvement to people who have been failed by every other therapy, from talk therapy to the use of anti-depressants, and more.”

Sen. Jesse Salomon, D-Shoreline, represents the 32nd Legislative District, which includes Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Seattle, Shoreline, Woodway, and unincorporated Snohomish County.



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Nordo's Room Service mysteries come to your living room for an at-home game night...


with wine and dessert!

Nordo’s Room Service curates premium, immersive at-home experiences that fuse theatrical storytelling with imaginatively curated drinks and desserts for the ultimate night of fun. 

Produced entirely by Seattle-based artisans, Nordo’s Room Service is a truly original and high-quality entertainment option that can be picked up in downtown Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, or two-day shipped via FedEx anywhere across the United States. All experience boxes can be purchased online at cafenordo.com/room-service >>


Every Room Service mystery immerses players in a themed adventure guided by cinematic experiences.

These films feature original storytelling and scripting all devised and written by Nordo artistic director Terry Podgorski with performances by professional actors on a fully staged set - just like a feature film or theatrical experience would be. 

Unique to the at-home game night marketplace, each experience integrates specially curated desserts and drinks into the game sequence - all of which comes packed inside the box.



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