Ducks on Ice
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
 |
| Photo by Martin DeGrazia |
Someone forgot to tell Ronald Bog about the temperature warming. The bog was still frozen Monday morning, January 22, 2023.
The ducks appear to be a little puzzled.
--Diane Hettrick
Shorewood Big Band Dance 2024
You’re invited!
The Shorewood High School Jazz Bands are hosting their annual Big Band Dance on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 7pm in the Shorewood commons.
This family friendly evening is a public event open to anyone.
The night will include a group swing dance lesson with professional instructor, Jonathan Keith. Then dance along or simply enjoy performances from the Einstein Middle School Jazz Bands and Shorewood High School Jazz Bands as they take you back in time with classic swing dance standards. Concessions, desserts, and specialty items will be available for sale at the event.
Get your tickets in advance through Brown Paper Tickets. All ticket proceeds help support the jazz program.
Shorewood Big Band Dance
Saturday, February 10th
7:00pm-11:00pm
Tickets in advance:
Read more...
Get your tickets in advance through Brown Paper Tickets. All ticket proceeds help support the jazz program.
Shorewood Big Band Dance
Saturday, February 10th
7:00pm-11:00pm
Tickets in advance:
- $10 - Students/Seniors
- $15 - Adults
- $15 - Students/Seniors
- $20 - Adults
Letter to the Editor: A blight on our community
A few blocks south of this creek there is another blight on our community, one that fills me with a sense of shame and betrayal every time my daughter and I walk through its parking lot on our way to her bus stop.
This morning we found stripper trading cards featuring women either naked or in crotchless panties, last week it was a few used condoms (we see those a lot), and a few weeks ago I found drugs-- though that was on the sidewalk just outside the property lines.
The giant fishnet clad legs of the Deja Vu Showgirls are hard to miss, yet somehow this establishment has become the unspoken of elephant in our community. We willingly pay increased levies to keep our school arts programs, will plan our city around our spawning salmon, and vociferously defend our tree canopy-- all important causes for sure. But despite our willingness to advocate for these protections, we are condoning, through our silence and our complacency, the presence of Lake Forest Park's very own strip club.
Glowing neon letters advertise the price of lap dances (3 for $100 if you're interested). Graphic photos of women with teeth and tongues bared invitingly gaze out at families dining at Floanna's. Women are encouraged to sign up and "earn extra money for college" as there are lots of "hot local ladies” according to their website.
This is our community. This establishment is a reflection of who we are. The Streamkeepers asked us to step up and preserve Bsche'tla Creek to a level of health that is "more fitting to our city's image." Perhaps we could find a business-- or affordable housing units or a community space-- that would better reflect our city's image than the neon legs of Deja Vu.
Kirsten Potter
Lake Forest Park
Read more...
Kirsten Potter
Lake Forest Park
The Right to Read - free film screening Wednesday, January 24, 2024
Shoreline School District and Shoreline PTA Council are hosting a free screening of the film "The Right to Read" this Wednesday, January 24, 2024 from 6-8pm at the Shoreline Center Theater 18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155.
The film shares the stories of an NAACP activist, a teacher, and two American families who are striving to see better reading instruction in American schools.
The activist featured in the film, Kareem Weaver, believes literacy is one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time. Recent data shows that nearly 40% of Washington 4th graders do not meet the basic reading standards for this grade level.
Shoreline students fared only slightly better - last year 37% of 4th graders did not meet standard on the Smarter Balanced ELA assessment (from the OSPI report card).
Many districts in our state, including Shoreline, have been slow to implement curriculums that better align with the science of reading and in the film you'll hear that Mr. Weaver and others are proponents for this to change.
This is an important opportunity to get informed about best practices in reading instruction, to learn what to ask school leaders about and to become involved in advocating for improved literacy teaching.
Come watch the film for free and then make sure to stay after for the discussion - we are very lucky to have Mr. Weaver joining us in person for this. You can RSVP to attend here. Limited childcare available for ages 2-12. Register for that here.
Read more...
Call for playwrights: Edmonds Driftwood Players 13th Annual Festival of Shorts
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: 13th Annual Festival of Shorts - Silver Linings
Edmonds Driftwood Players is pleased to announce our theme and call for submissions for our 13th Annual Festival of Shorts.
Our annual playwriting festival provides an opportunity for playwrights to have their works brought to life on stage, as well as gain recognition and potential awards. Some past winners have later been developed into full-length award-winning plays!
The festival this year will be presented in five performances June 27-30, 2024, featuring eight shorts finalists. The theme for 2024 is “Silver Linings: a consoling or hopeful prospect.” We would love to see both comedic and dramatic stories with uplifting endings.
The finalists are selected from submissions from around the globe. Our volunteer readers and judges are local Seattle-area theatre lovers and playwrights. To keep the process as fair as possible, our readers are given blind copies of script submissions for judging.
After the closing performance, we will announce the winners for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Judges’ Awards and Overall Audience Favorite.
To enter your short play in the festival, please follow the instructions below:
Submit an original script for a short play based on the following guidelines:
- Run time between 10 and 12 minutes
- Minimum 2 characters – maximum 5 characters
- Can be staged with minimal sets, props, and costumes.
- Limited foul language
- Be sure to incorporate the theme of “Silver Linings” into your story
- To be eligible for consideration, the play cannot have been previously produced beyond a staged or feedback reading
- Submit your play by 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time on Sunday, March 17, 2024 to Shorts@EdmondsDriftwoodPlayers.org.
- A single cover page with the title of your play and your full name, address, email address and phone number.
- The original short submission (Standard Stage Play Format. For an example, please click HERE) with the script and title of the play ONLY. No identifying information about the playwright is to appear in this “blind” copy. All plays which fail to submit a blind copy of their play will be disqualified. The blind copy of the script preserves anonymity in our reader selections to keep the process as fair for playwrights as possible.
Ticketing information to attend the festival is below:
WHEN: June 27-30, 2024 - Thursdays-Saturdays at 8pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2pm (5 total performances).
TICKETS: $20 General Adults (ages 19-59); $18 Junior/Senior/Military. Available online or by phone at 425-774-9600. Discounted tickets for groups of 10+ people are also available.
Thank you to First Financial Northwest Bank for sponsoring the 13th Annual Festival of Shorts, and to our Season 65 Sponsors: Rick Steves’ Europe, Windermere Real Estate Edmonds, Templar Financial Services, and Down Easy Salsa.
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.
Performances at the Wade James Theatre, 950 Main Street, Edmonds.
Two-act choral concert You Are Family in Shoreline February 24-25, 2024
 |
| You Are Family: Presented by Puget Soundworks, Seattle’s All-Gender, LGBTQIA+ Centered Chorus. This Concert Promises an Intimate, Living Room Experience of Familial Connections, Honoring Historical Significance. |
Puget Soundworks is thrilled to announce You Are Family, a two-act choral concert that transcends the boundaries of traditional performances, creating a warm living room atmosphere for an immersive experience. This concert is scheduled to take place on February 24 and 25, 2024 in Shoreline, WA.
About the Concert
You Are Family goes beyond the surface, unraveling the rich tapestry of emotions within the concept of family, for both the LGBTQIA community and its allies. Historically, the term "family" has been a powerful and inclusive identifier within LGBTQIA+ circles, signifying a sense of belonging and acceptance.
Through their unique blend of voices, Puget Soundworks aims to explore the complexities and multifaceted nature of all familial relationships, celebrating the diverse connections that make up our nuclear and extended families.
Just in time for that mid-winter lull, the chorus is building a cozy ambiance inside the beautiful Sanctuary at Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church.
The Sanctuary is a perfect and comfortable setting for an intimate concert and will enhance the feel of the show for every performer and audience member. Attendees can expect a relaxed atmosphere, enhancing the emotional resonance of the performances.
To further enhance the sense of community, light concessions will be available before the show and during intermission, creating a delightful experience reminiscent of a cozy gathering among friends. In the lobby there will be dedicated mingling time, and the option to contribute to a memory wall highlighting what family means to you.
Tickets [$29-$100] for You Are Family are available now and can be purchased through our website.
Read more...
Executive Director, Kate Huisentruit, expressed her excitement, saying, "With 'You Are Family,' we want to create more than just a concert – we wanted to invite our audience into a space that feels like home, where they can immerse themselves in the beauty of the music and connect with each other on a personal level.
The historical significance of 'family' within LGBTQIA+ circles adds another layer of meaning to this experience. Puget Soundworks is a first, or second family for all of us."
To further enhance the sense of community, light concessions will be available before the show and during intermission, creating a delightful experience reminiscent of a cozy gathering among friends. In the lobby there will be dedicated mingling time, and the option to contribute to a memory wall highlighting what family means to you.
Tickets [$29-$100] for You Are Family are available now and can be purchased through our website.
Don't miss this opportunity to be part of a unique choral experience that celebrates love, diversity, and the strength of connection.
Perfect for kids who love music and adults of all ages
Event Details
Saturday, February 24th, 2024
The Sanctuary at SUUC, Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church
14724 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
Accessibility and safety:
Read more about location, parking, and our health and safety protocols to plan your visit.
- Matinee 3pm
- Evening 7pm
- Matinee 3pm
- March 22nd - 29th
The Sanctuary at SUUC, Shoreline Unitarian Universalist Church
14724 1st Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
Accessibility and safety:
- All performances have accessible floor seating and all-gender restrooms.
- ASL interpretation will be available for the Saturday, February 24th matinee performance
Read more about location, parking, and our health and safety protocols to plan your visit.
Secretary Hobbs warns Washington voters to be alert for deepfakes
 |
| Secretary of State Steve Hobbs |
In a recording posted by NBC News, the faked Biden voice implores voters to “save your vote for the November election” rather than participating in Tuesday’s state Presidential Primary.
Washington state legislation requested and supported by Secretary Hobbs in 2023 prohibited deepfake advertising by political campaigns within Washington and empowered candidates targeted by faked statements to sue for damages.
“We have several high-interest elections this year, which creates a target-rich environment for these bad actors to subject voters to deepfakes and other misinformation,” Secretary Hobbs said.
“I am grateful that the Legislature supported my bill to get ahead of this situation, and helped us enact a law that every state ought to emulate.
“The disturbing situation we’ve seen in New Hampshire’s campaign is just the tip of the iceberg for 2024,” Hobbs continued.
“These false messages will get more polished and harder to tell from real ones. Voters must remain vigilant and skeptical, and turn to trusted information sources to verify things that just don’t seem right.”
Statewide offices will be on the ballot in the August 6 Primary, and decisions on the presidency and state offices will go before voters in the November 5 General Election ballot.
Washington’s deepfakes law, found in RCW 42.62 and created by Secretary Hobbs’ requested Senate Bill 5152 in 2023, was one of America’s first restrictions on the use of synthetic media in political campaigning, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Under it, political campaigns must disclose when using falsely generated or manipulated video, images, or audio. A failure to disclose creates a potential civil liability.
Read more...
“As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, we as state leaders have a responsibility to make sure our laws evolve as well to protect the public,” Secretary Hobbs said.
“I will continue to work with the Legislature to keep Washington ahead of threats to the integrity of our elections.”
Jobs: City of Mountlake Terrace - Student Intern III – Stormwater
Student Intern III – Stormwater
Status Open
Status Open
Category Part-Time Employment Opportunities
Salary $23.33 per hour
Published Jan 19, 2024
Learn how small cities protect local creeks and lakes from water pollution and increase tree canopy. Responsibilities will include fieldwork, data analysis, design of education/outreach materials, and updating of city web content. Provides the opportunity to develop skills in municipal stormwater work, including lake and stormwater system water quality sampling, creating/updating materials for public outreach & involvement, GIS analysis, and field screening of stream stormwater outfalls for pollutants. There will also be opportunities to work on long-term planning efforts for the city’s urban forestry plan, street tree inventory, and 2024 stormwater comprehensive plan.
Temporary position with an anticipated term of 3-4 months, with the potential for extension to part-time work during the following academic year.
Job description
Read more...
Salary $23.33 per hour
Published Jan 19, 2024
Learn how small cities protect local creeks and lakes from water pollution and increase tree canopy. Responsibilities will include fieldwork, data analysis, design of education/outreach materials, and updating of city web content. Provides the opportunity to develop skills in municipal stormwater work, including lake and stormwater system water quality sampling, creating/updating materials for public outreach & involvement, GIS analysis, and field screening of stream stormwater outfalls for pollutants. There will also be opportunities to work on long-term planning efforts for the city’s urban forestry plan, street tree inventory, and 2024 stormwater comprehensive plan.
Temporary position with an anticipated term of 3-4 months, with the potential for extension to part-time work during the following academic year.
Job description
Beginning Genealogy course from Seattle Genealogical Society
Thursdays, February 1 - 29, 2024 1:00pm - 2:30pm Pacific Time
Learn how to successfully conduct, organize and record research for your genealogy.
- How to begin?
- How to evaluate evidence?
- What are the best sources?
- Where are the records - online and off?
- What can DNA tell us?
Weeks 1-4 are online and consist of lecture, discussion and workshop.
Week 5 (optional) includes a library tour and one-on-one research assistance
Class fee $80 (SGS members $60)
Shoreline CERT knows how to shut off the water
 |
| Shoreline Emergency Manager Ryan Zavala demonstrates how to shut off water at the meter. Photo by Patrick Ducey |
While we normally train for a big disaster, sometimes the disaster is smaller, like a water leak inside your home. We train for those disasters, too.
During the recent cold snap many people found themselves with frozen pipes, or even worse, burst pipes. A broken water pipe isn't just the inconvenience of no water, but the more expensive problem of water damage and plumbing repair.
While the CERT training doesn't involve fixing a broken pipe, it will teach you how to turn off the water to prevent further damage.
"Knowing how to shut off utilities is part of CERT basic training," said Shoreline Emergency Management Coordinator Ryan Zavala.
"The CERT program is designed to help our community respond to all disasters."
The City of Shoreline has scheduled two CERT classes for later this year. Contact the Shoreline Office of Emergency Management for information.
--Patrick Ducey
Homeschool book club at the Shoreline Library
2nd Thursday of the month at the Shoreline Library, 345 NE 175th St, Shoreline WA 98155, 2pm. For ages 6-10 and their families.
Hoopalooza January 27, 2024 at the Shorecrest High School gym
The annual Hoopalooza event tips off on January 27, 2024 at the Shorecrest High School gym 15343 25th Ave NE, Shoreline WA 98155.
This Shoreline School District tradition features Shorecrest vs. Shorewood high school basketball games in a full day of friendly cross-town sports rivalry and "hoop it up" camaraderie.
Game Schedule:
- Boys Freshman game @ 12:00 pm
- Girls JV game @ 1:30 pm
- Boys JV game @ 3:00 pm
- Girls Varsity game @ 5:00 pm
- Boys Varsity game @ 7:00 pm
Ticket Information:
Standard WESCo athletic ticket prices apply for JV and varsity games:
- $7.00 for adults
- $5.00 for seniors and elementary/middle school students
- Free for Shorecrest and Shorewood students WITH ASB cards
Tickets may be purchased at the door or online in advance:
- Girls game tickets: https://gofan.co/event/1151842?schoolId=WA23327
- Boys game tickets: https://gofan.co/event/1151854?schoolId=WA23327
Note that one ticket purchase is your admission to the event for the day. There is no need to purchase both girls and boys game tickets if you plan to attend both.
Hoopalooza will also feature the annual canned food drive organized by Shorecrest and Shorewood students in support of the North Helpline Food Bank. Anyone coming to Hoopalooza is encouraged to bring non-perishable items to donate.
- Boys Freshman game @ 12:00 pm
- Girls JV game @ 1:30 pm
- Boys JV game @ 3:00 pm
- Girls Varsity game @ 5:00 pm
- Boys Varsity game @ 7:00 pm
Ticket Information:
Standard WESCo athletic ticket prices apply for JV and varsity games:
- $7.00 for adults
- $5.00 for seniors and elementary/middle school students
- Free for Shorecrest and Shorewood students WITH ASB cards
Tickets may be purchased at the door or online in advance:
- Girls game tickets: https://gofan.co/event/1151842?schoolId=WA23327
- Boys game tickets: https://gofan.co/event/1151854?schoolId=WA23327
Note that one ticket purchase is your admission to the event for the day. There is no need to purchase both girls and boys game tickets if you plan to attend both.
Hoopalooza will also feature the annual canned food drive organized by Shorecrest and Shorewood students in support of the North Helpline Food Bank. Anyone coming to Hoopalooza is encouraged to bring non-perishable items to donate.
Kindness Week at Echo Lake Elementary
Monday, January 22, 2024
 |
| Bee Kind at Echo Lake elementary Photo by Karen Nicholson |
By Karen Nicholson
Echo Lake Elementary is participating in The Great Kindness Challenge for the ninth year.
We will be focusing on kindness the week of January 22 - 26, 2024 with fun spirit days, activities and kicking it all off with an assembly on Monday.
 |
| Each day of the week has a theme |
The assembly will feature our district superintendent and student speakers sharing about kindness, as well as a slide show and student singing.
This year our theme is Bee Kind. Students have shared ideas on how to be kind and we have built a hive of ideas in our main hallway.
Shoreline Rotary meets January 24, 2024 at the Virtue Cellar Tasting Room in Edmonds
 |
| Photo courtesy Virtue Cellar |
Come to check out the brand new Tasting Room for Virtue cellars.
Virtue Cellars is a small family winery located in the Richmond Beach neighborhood of Shoreline, producing small lot, terroir-focused wines from the most unique vineyards in Washington State.
Quality is at the heart of everything they do at Virtue. Producing less than 2000 cases per year, their wines are hand-made by the owners of the company (Kevin Mueller and Jake Edens) with purposeful production techniques and meticulous attention to detail.
Their winemaking philosophy focuses on production of small lot, single-vineyard / single-varietal wines that showcase unique aromas and flavors of specific sites, which are often lost in larger production wines.
Their winemaking philosophy focuses on production of small lot, single-vineyard / single-varietal wines that showcase unique aromas and flavors of specific sites, which are often lost in larger production wines.
No artificial flavors, colors or additives are ever used in the production of our wines.
Our goal is to ensure that every bottle of Virtue delivers a unique and enjoyable tasting experience, along with an origin story all its own.
If you need help with parking, please email Micah at micahblair@msn.com and he will meet you at the curb and park your car for you.
Tickets now available for the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival: A Spectacular Celebration of Spring and Gardening
Tickets for the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival at the Seattle Convention Center, running from February 14 - 18, 2024, are officially on sale.
For over three decades, this spectacular showcase has been a source of inspiration for both seasoned gardeners and eager novices, a place where ideas bloom, knowledge flourishes, and the quest for beautiful living spaces begins, marking the start of Spring in the PNW.
This year’s show, themed “I Heart Spring” will feature a sensory feast with 20+ full garden displays, overflowing with vibrant colors and interactive experiences like never before, 96+ seminars featuring a plethora of garden luminaries from around the globe, an expanded Market Place including the hit Vintage Market, a new “Plant People Panels” series for beginners and houseplant lovers and thousands of treasures in the marketplace – with shopping recommendations from gardening stars so your beloved botanicals can thrive as theirs do.
 |
| Photo courtesy Marketplace Events |
The Plant Market is set to outshine last year's record-breaking offering, with both new and returning vendors ready to cater to the surging demand in plant sales and tap into the burgeoning enthusiasm of new generations’ growing interest in greenery.
Offering visitors an exclusive first look, First Editions® Shrubs & Trees is debuting a new Hydrangea to the world! Visitors will explore the beauty of the elusive new Eclipse® Bigleaf Hydrangea and immerse themselves in a selection of 500 Hydrangeas including the Eclipse® Bigleaf Hydrangea, Endless Summer® BloomStruck® Hydrangea, Endless Summer® Summer Crush® Hydrangea and Endless Summer® Pop Star® Hydrangea.
 |
| Photo courtesy Marketplace Events |
Adding to the excitement, a series of brand-new special events, both during and leading up to the Festival, provide a unique opportunity for fans to get closer than ever to renowned flower and garden experts and tastemakers, including the illustrious Kristen Griffith-VanderYacht and Jo Thompson. Outside events require additional tickets.
Located outside the City Living entrance, the inaugural Plant Academy series will provide deep dives into your favorite plants - or the plants you want to be your favorite. Show admission is not required, granting anyone access to the best in the industry, the chance to ask questions, and the opportunity to learn how to excel in their gardening endeavors in 2024 and beyond.
The stellar lineup at the festival also includes stars of the gardening world, ready to engage with visitors, offer expert advice and share exclusive tips. Notable speakers and judges include:
Tickets are now available at early bird rates at www.gardenshow.com. Visitors are encouraged to explore exclusive hotel rates and packages with our lodging partners, available here.
The stellar lineup at the festival also includes stars of the gardening world, ready to engage with visitors, offer expert advice and share exclusive tips. Notable speakers and judges include:
- Super Star Floral Demo with Kristen Griffin Vander-Yacht host of Netflix’s Big Flower Fight
- Kamili Bell Hill, author of Happy Plants, Happy People and the brains behind the wildly popular PlantBlerd IG account
- Eliza Blank, founder of The Sill and arguably, the mother of today's houseplant movement
- Epic Gardening LIVE! With Jacques Lyakov and Kevin Espiritu
- And many many more! Explore all seminars and workshops HERE
Tickets are now available at early bird rates at www.gardenshow.com. Visitors are encouraged to explore exclusive hotel rates and packages with our lodging partners, available here.
 |
| Photo courtesy Marketplace Events |
February 14 - 18, 2024
Wednesday - Saturday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Festival Location
Seattle Convention Center
705 Pike Street - on the corner of 7th and Pike Street
Seattle, Washington 98101
About the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival
The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is one of the world’s leading garden shows, ranked the second largest in the U.S.
Sunday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Festival Location
Seattle Convention Center
705 Pike Street - on the corner of 7th and Pike Street
Seattle, Washington 98101
About the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival
The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is one of the world’s leading garden shows, ranked the second largest in the U.S.
The show is renowned for its size and quality of display gardens, seminars, and commercial exhibits, drawing visitors and participants from across the globe.
The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is owned and produced by Marketplace Events, the largest producer of home shows in North America. Learn more at www.gardenshow.com.
About Marketplace Events
MARKETPLACE EVENTS creates vibrant expositions connecting enthusiasts with experts, products and services in dynamic face-to-face environments.
About Marketplace Events
MARKETPLACE EVENTS creates vibrant expositions connecting enthusiasts with experts, products and services in dynamic face-to-face environments.
Scene on the Sound: All cans on deck
 |
| USS John Paul Jones photo by Jan Hansen |
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) was assigned a new homeport at Naval Station Everett, in Everett, Washington, August 23, 2021.
John Paul Jones is part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, and was formerly homeported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
On this day this formidable vessel appeared to be transporting Honey Buckets, at least that is what I discern on her deck above the tug.
--Jan Hansen
Supreme Court will not rule on state capital gains tax used to fund school construction
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider a legal challenge to the measure.
In the program’s first year, nearly $900 million was collected from a thin, ultra-rich sliver of the populace: just 3,765 returns were subject to the tax on extraordinary profits in excess of $250,000 from stock and bond sales.
Those hundreds of millions of dollars will fund school construction, childcare programs, and K-12 education statewide.
Adventures of an Icebreaker: New Year's Eve at the bottom of the earth
 |
| Meeting the strange creatures Photo by PA3 Graves |
As the clock ticked down to midnight, the Polar Star was in the midst of breaking a channel through the frozen McMurdo Sound.
 |
| Karaoke for New Year;s Photo by PA3 Graves |
Our crew gathered for a one-of-a-kind celebration featuring karaoke, sparkling cider toasts, and a ball drop to count down to 2024.
 |
| All hands on ice Photo by PA3 Graves |
Just a couple of days prior, the crew held their first all-hands meeting on the ice, which included several awards and advancements.
This was followed by a couple of hours of ice liberty, with the ice rescue team seizing the opportunity to refine their skills and practice recovery techniques as the brow was lowered.
State health-officials advise people not to eat Fratelli Beretta Antipasto Gran Beretta purchased from Costco
 |
| Italian-style charcuterie meats linked to Salmonella infections in Washington |
OLYMPIA – As part of an ongoing outbreak investigation that includes 47 Salmonella cases in 22 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises people to stop eating the following charcuterie meats products and throw them out or return them to the store:
- Fratelli Beretta Antipasto Gran Beretta sold by Costco. This product contains black pepper coated dry salami, Italian dry salami, dry coppa and prosciutto and is sold as a two-pack.
- Busseto brand Charcuterie Sampler sold at Sam’s Club. The product contains prosciutto, sweet soppressata and dry coppa. There are no Sam’s Club store locations in Washington state.
Many people with Salmonella infections don’t see a health care provider or get tested, so it's likely that more than five people in Washington have been sickened by this outbreak. People who ate either of these products, become sick, and are concerned about their health should consult their health care provider.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and sometimes vomiting. Symptoms usually begin 1 to 3 days after exposure and last 4 to 7 days. Most people recover on their own without antibiotic treatment.
Approximately 700 to 1000 Salmonella infections are reported each year in Washington. More information on Salmonella and how to prevent it can be found on the DOH’s Salmonellosis (Salmonella) website.
DOH is working with the CDC, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Costco to investigate this outbreak. For more information, visit the DOH foodborne outbreak page.
The Untold Story of Bsche’tla Creek
 |
| A map of the east side of Lake Forest Park illustrating the positions of our three creeks. |
By Brian Saunders and Chip Dodd
Most people, who are familiar with Lake Forest Park, associate it with large trees, clean, cool creeks, green spaces and people who care about our natural environment. Visitors here speak of the pristine park-like feel in contrast to the ever encroaching urbanization typical of most metropolitan areas.
Indeed, having grown up on the banks of McAleer Creek, witnessing the salmon runs, clambering up tall cedars, and enjoying mid-summer swims on the lake, I have always felt our namesake fits us well.
The Stewardship Foundation Streamkeepers have been studying the chemical, physical and biological health of McAleer and Lyon Creeks for over a decade now. However, many people who live in Lake Forest Park may not be aware of a third creek that cuts through a ravine near the southern entrance of our city.
The Stewardship Foundation Streamkeepers have been studying the chemical, physical and biological health of McAleer and Lyon Creeks for over a decade now. However, many people who live in Lake Forest Park may not be aware of a third creek that cuts through a ravine near the southern entrance of our city.
Bsche’tla Creek is the ‘little sister’ to McAleer and Lyon Creeks, and it is the only creek that still bears the Lushootseed name. Most of us have driven over the stream innumerable times with no idea that it exists beneath a bridge over SR 522/ Bothell Way (just south of the Sheridan Market).
It is mostly a hidden stream, deep in its ravine, abutting backyards of private properties in a steep fall to Lake Washington.
Having lived in Lake Forest Park for 50+ years, I had never visited Bsche’tla Creek until 2023. My visit left me ashamed, with a feeling of betrayal, by the image we project as a city.
 |
| Streamkeepers Chip Dodd and Councilmember Tracy Furutani climbing out of the Bsche’tla ravine covered with invasive plants. Photo by B Saunders |
A Rude Introduction
Rather than finding a winding, little creek, staggered with waterfalls, dark pools and bubbly riffles resembling the creek I was raised on, I found a stream in dystopian chaos.
The headwaters of Bsche’tla Creek begin in the Briarcrest neighborhood from natural springs and runoff, just north of the Acacia cemetery. No more than a few feet across, it trickles and meanders along streets before winding its way down towards Highway 522 where it plummets into a culvert that cuts underneath the highway and eventually tubing out 100 feet below the street.
The water that exits the drainpipe below 522 is initially channeled through a cement causeway before allowed to freely flow. Its color is rust-tinted and murky as it rambles along the clay-lined banks that make up much of the stream bed down the steep-walled ravine.
It's a treacherous path to reach the stream bed that runs below 522, as one must fight through thick tendrils of invasive English Ivy, English Holly, Himalayan Blackberry, and Laurel. Tree trunks wear ivy as a thick coat, 40 or 50 feet high.
It's a treacherous path to reach the stream bed that runs below 522, as one must fight through thick tendrils of invasive English Ivy, English Holly, Himalayan Blackberry, and Laurel. Tree trunks wear ivy as a thick coat, 40 or 50 feet high.
At the base of the ravine, I was left speechless with the sheer volume of debris, garbage, and used tires that had been discarded there. At first glance it is not recognizable as a stream but more resembling an effluent ditch in an industrial zone. I counted 20 old tires within a 30-foot stretch of the creek! It’s difficult to firmly wrap my head around this neglect.
Could this stream really be here in Lake Forest Park?
 |
| Discarded car tires lining the bed of Bsche’tla Creek. Photo by B. Saunders |
(For information on the importance of B-IBI analysis, see past SAN articles on September 2021 and October 2021).
The B-IBI results confirmed my suspicion of a creek on life support system scoring in the “Very Poor” index B-IBI test (17.2 out of 100).
Looking at the graph below you can see a side-by-side comparison of B-IBI scores from different creeks in our area, including those in Seattle, Shoreline, Bothell, and Kenmore.
 |
| Mean B-BIBI Score of neighboring city creeks and those of Lake Forest Park |
How could we have let one of our watersheds become so dilapidated? In addition to its poor current condition, Bsche'tla Creek faces immediate and extreme risk from proposed development at the rim of the ravine as well as from Sound Transit's widening of SR522 for Bus Rapid Transit.
We Have Been Here Before
A colleague of mine and Stewardship Board member, Dr. Jeff Jensen, sent me video file of a slightly grainy movie produced by KCTS that appears to have been filmed in the early 1970’s.
The next are images of Brookside School, the plaque with 1959 commemorative date clearly visible, and children, perhaps aged 8-12, heading out as if on a school field trip.
The final images show students and teachers testing the water quality of the creek, measuring stream flow, and conducting restoration by planting streamside vegetation and releasing fish species, presumably salmon. The video ends by tracing the path of a released fish along the riffles.
“It was amazing to see the collective effort involved, from Bill Stevenson (Shoreline Superintendent), Dick Sacksteder (director of Instructional Materials) and Jill Dilworth at KCTS.”
“It never ceases to amaze me how people, unified under a common purpose, can become so inspired and motivated”.
Many local elementary schools today continue with Salmon in the Classroom programs, which were a direct result of the McAleer Creek cleanup. We shall need such educational inspirations and efforts as we face more challenges to protect and restore our natural systems in the future.
The Future of Bsche’tla Creek
Moving forward, we have two options. We could continue our focus solely on McAleer and Lyon Creek and ignore the plight of Bsche’tla or we fight to restore this small creek to a health that is more fitting of our city’s image.
Read more...
 |
| Image from a KCTS video taken in the 1970s of young students cleaning up a Lake Forest Park creek. |
A colleague of mine and Stewardship Board member, Dr. Jeff Jensen, sent me video file of a slightly grainy movie produced by KCTS that appears to have been filmed in the early 1970’s.
There’s no audio of the copy sent to me, but the images are vivid and in color.
The movie begins with footage of I-5, uncongested by traffic, with old 1960-70 car models whizzing past the off-ramp of 104 East to Mountlake Terrace. Images quickly shift to several stretches of a McAleer Creek, from its beginnings at Ballinger Lake, through a culvert bypass under I-5 before entering Lake Forest Park proper. At last come the familiar sight of a large creek running along Perkins Way (NE 180th St), well shaded by vegetation but with the banks accessible.
 |
| Another image from a KCTS video taken in the 1970s of refuse extracted from an LFP creek. |
The footage that follows is worth a second look as the cleanup effort begins.
Large pieces of fabric, tires, metal bars are seen being pulled out of the creek waters or from along the banks. Obvious signs of a neglected waterway from past times. Even a large automobile was somehow dredged out and piled next to all the other debris.
The final images show students and teachers testing the water quality of the creek, measuring stream flow, and conducting restoration by planting streamside vegetation and releasing fish species, presumably salmon. The video ends by tracing the path of a released fish along the riffles.
Speaking with local artist and historian, Tony Angel, who spearheaded the project and helped edit the KCTS film, he recalled the colossal effort the cleanup took.
“There were 5-6 schools involved and it happened over 2-3 weekends.”
Much of the heavy lifting was even done using excavation equipment donated by out of town business groups.
“It was amazing to see the collective effort involved, from Bill Stevenson (Shoreline Superintendent), Dick Sacksteder (director of Instructional Materials) and Jill Dilworth at KCTS.”
After the clean-up, Tony convinced the Fish and Wildlife agency to get involved along with local scout troops, and the Rotary Club to replant native vegetation along the stream bank and plant sockeye salmon in McAleer Creek.
“It never ceases to amaze me how people, unified under a common purpose, can become so inspired and motivated”.
Many local elementary schools today continue with Salmon in the Classroom programs, which were a direct result of the McAleer Creek cleanup. We shall need such educational inspirations and efforts as we face more challenges to protect and restore our natural systems in the future.
 |
| Streamkeeper Brian Saunders examining the debris and invasive species on Bsche'tla Creek Photo by Chip Dodd |
The Future of Bsche’tla Creek
Moving forward, we have two options. We could continue our focus solely on McAleer and Lyon Creek and ignore the plight of Bsche’tla or we fight to restore this small creek to a health that is more fitting of our city’s image.
As we enter 2024, I hope the citizens of Lake Forest Park join the Stewardship Foundation, to continue to battle for the restoration and preservation of natural areas, areas that sustain not only species but entire ecological communities, so that future generations may enjoy what I experienced in my youth.
Governor directs Fish and Wildlife to create a rulemaking process for a decision to destroy a wolf
 |
| A state trail camera captures a gray wolf roaming in Washington state. Photo courtesy state Department of Fish and Wildlife |
By state estimates, there are only about 216 state-endangered gray wolves left in Washington. Wolves hunt to survive, and they occasionally hunt and kill livestock. In cases where ranchers report wolves chronically harming livestock despite preventions, state officials have lethally removed 53 wolves since 2012.
Fortunately, the need for removal has fallen year after year thanks to protocol introduced by the state Wolf Advisory Group. Wolf-livestock conflicts have fallen, lethal removals have fallen, livestock losses have fallen, and wolf populations have improved.
But the determination to destroy a wolf is still a matter of protocol rather than a matter of rule, so last Friday Gov. Jay Inslee directed the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to begin a rulemaking process to create a more formal and consistent review process before a decision is made to destroy a wolf, and to maintain continuity of that process.
Read more:
Gray wolf (WDFW)
Gray wolf conservation and management (WDFW)
Read more...
Gloria's Birds: Zombie crow!
 |
| Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler |
(aka nictitating corvid. Birds, among other animals, have this membrane that they draw over their eyes for protection and to prevent dryness.)
--Gloria Z. Nagler
GardenGuy: A New Year and a Change in the Air
 |
| A frozen Ronald Bog photo by Martin DeGrazia |
The very short answer for those readers is “Climate is what you expect and Weather is what you get.” In other words, ‘weather’ refers to short-term changes in the atmosphere; what’s the weather like today or next month and what’s discussed during the 6:00pm Evening News’ weather segment.
‘Climate’ describes what that weekly weather is like (as described by some 11,000+ weather stations across the country) over the long-term, generally thirty years or more. What are the averages of precipitation, temperature, sunshine, etc. in a particular area? At the moment, there’s a chill in the air, however, long-term………. Now, on to the actual article.
Happy New Year all! And, welcome to yet another year of the fun and challenges in the Pacific Northwest world of gardening. I’m still trying to decipher the post-Christmas instructions and ramifications for one of our newest presents from the federal government; the report about our part of the state now categorized as being in USDA Hardiness Zone 9a (!).
My, how we have grown! I can remember back to the early 1980’s when I moved to Seattle and was in Zone 7b (average winter low between 5° and 10 degrees) and, in 2012, was raised to Zone 8b (an average low of between 15 and 20 degrees). How quickly they grow!
So, what are the ramifications of this climatic news? What does it mean in our roles as home gardeners who may hold all horticultural titles on our respective pieces of earth as designer, landscape maintainer, pest controller, etc. The thirty-year warming trend, which meteorologists talk about during the evening news, continues as the related heat and horticulture issues, increasingly, evolve around us. Let’s take some time to consider where gardeners need to be more aware, more proactive.
Let’s start by looking at our current winter weather.
Across the continental USA, the lowest average winter temperature is predicted to be 2.5 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer than when the last map was published some ten years ago. Winter and nighttime temperatures are rising faster than summer and daytime temperatures. Now, 2.5 degrees might not seem a great deal warmer in ten years, but, the effect has been cumulative over the past century, over the last thirty years and, certainly, over the past three record-breaking years.
Across the continental USA, the lowest average winter temperature is predicted to be 2.5 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer than when the last map was published some ten years ago. Winter and nighttime temperatures are rising faster than summer and daytime temperatures. Now, 2.5 degrees might not seem a great deal warmer in ten years, but, the effect has been cumulative over the past century, over the last thirty years and, certainly, over the past three record-breaking years.
The trend is clear: Earth is warming because of our increasing populations and longstanding reliance on fossil fuels. According to the federal government's latest National Climate Assessment, as our cars, buildings, industries and power plants continue to burn more fossil fuels and emit greenhouse gases, the planet will continue to warm. By 2050, Seattle is expected to average around 27 days per year over 85 degrees and an increasing frequency of heat waves. Start buying your supply of sunblock protection and wide brimmed hats now!
 |
| Bronze birch borer |
The Pacific Northwest is already experiencing climate change (have you been here for the past few summers?) which will become even more evident in the decades ahead.
With warmer minimum temperatures, certain insects that would usually die in winter will be able to survive year-round and multiply in greater numbers.
And, as maximum temperatures rise in the summer, heat-stressed plants can become prime targets for destructive pests such as the bronze birch borer (pictured left) and western pine beetle.
A warmer climate will also provide a better environment for mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. Remember that Western Washington had its first case of West Nile Virus just last year. Look for more glaciers and polar ice caps to melt at faster rates, sea levels to rise and weather-related disasters like wildfires and floods to become more common.
The warmer winter temperatures will also cause precipitation in the Cascades to fall as rain rather than creating the usual snowpack that slowly melts throughout the summer and keeps our region hydrated and green. Certainly, these changes won't happen overnight. You might not notice them every day, every month or even every year. But they are happening. We still may have time to shape our future, for better or for worse. A profit of doom, I’m not. However, the climate is what it is or what we help it to become.
 |
| Rock rose |
How about our Acer macrophyllum (Large Leaf Maples) many of whose leaves have been shrinking in size for the past few years or the Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock) that are experiencing brown-out along their branches, all due to the increasingly hotter and drier summers?
It may be time to think about landscape ‘editing’ which includes more native plants, but native to Zone 9. Plants like Cistus (Rock Rose – pictured right), Chamaecyparis (False Cypress), Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine) and similar warmer zoned plants may be good candidates to fill the garden spaces of their heat-stressed predecessors. Also, start tracking the timing between when your current plants begin to flower earlier in the season and when their feeding pollinators are around. It’s one more cue to determine zone hardier plants and their fitness for changing landscapes.
Mentioning ‘pollinators’ raises another gardener’s issue: new insects and new diseases will become more common to challenge your fortitude and outdoor ingenuity. Watch for the scourge of roses, Japanese Beetles. They haven’t made it all the way from the east coast to western Washington as yet, but, they are closing-in with recent sightings in eastern Washington and south of Portland, OR. Also, watch for larger populations of the brown marmorated stink bugs to disturb your horticultural zen and bronze birch borers attempting to take down your White Himalayan Birch from the inside.
Mentioning ‘pollinators’ raises another gardener’s issue: new insects and new diseases will become more common to challenge your fortitude and outdoor ingenuity. Watch for the scourge of roses, Japanese Beetles. They haven’t made it all the way from the east coast to western Washington as yet, but, they are closing-in with recent sightings in eastern Washington and south of Portland, OR. Also, watch for larger populations of the brown marmorated stink bugs to disturb your horticultural zen and bronze birch borers attempting to take down your White Himalayan Birch from the inside.
The task may seem akin to one person removing a cup of water from the ocean and expecting to see the water level fall a bit. Unfortunately, it will take more effort than that. It will take a concerted, global effort.
In response to this challenge, as part of the individual efforts in your own yards, there are plenty of eco-friendly, cost-saving design tasks you can consider to help Seattle, the State and, of course, the world (not a bad result from all of us making simple changes to our landscapes.
Adding more drought-tolerant plants to the landscape and switching from gas-powered lawn mowers and weed whackers are the first actions that come to mind. How about removing some or even all of that front lawn and adding water-efficient perennials, shrubs, etc.? I’m anticipating having an article and, perhaps, a gardening talk on the topic later this year. Let me know if you are interested in attending such a program.
 |
| New growing possibilities for the edible garden |
Edible gardens could experience improved harvests of eggplant, melons and other hot weather vegetables. New varieties of flowers may do better than they have any right to in the warmer weather.
While warmer temperatures are projected to shorten the snow season by half in portions of the Cascades, thus cutting into winter sports, there is also the chance the change might expand access for activities like hiking and camping.
The demand for warm-weather activities like cycling and boating might also increase. Things are going to change. There are going to be winners and losers in the region’s landscapes. As gardeners, we need to be pro-active and willing to change the way ‘things have always been done.”
When you use plants appropriate for your growing zone, it is not an absolute guarantee that they will be successful, but it is an excellent place to start. Experienced gardeners know there are other factors at play when deciding on which plants to use, including soil type, humidity and the effect of microclimates.
Start with plants that are recommended for our changing hardiness zones, then research other factors that may have an influence on your plants as well. Local nurseries and garden centers carry native species that are suitable for our changing regions.
In addition to choosing the right plants which will survive both our winters and summers, be sure to check and follow the planting and care instructions to ensure a healthy garden. Use some of this winter’s wet days to do the research needed to replace longtime familiar but suffering plants and be willing to try new candidates which will make life easier on your parcel of land in this green paradise called the great Pacific Northwest.
Happy Gardening all!
Further Reading:
Crimmins, A.R., et. al. (eds.) 2023. Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment Federal Report. U.S. Global Change Research Program. Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH1
Dalton, M.M., et. al. (eds). 2013. Climate Change in the Northwest: Implications for our Landscapes, Waters and Communities. Island Press: Washington, DC.
Moore, Darryl. 2023. Gardening in a Changing World: Plants, People and the Climate Crisis. Pimpernel Press Ltd: London, UK.
Further Reading:
Crimmins, A.R., et. al. (eds.) 2023. Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment Federal Report. U.S. Global Change Research Program. Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.7930/NCA5.2023.CH1
Dalton, M.M., et. al. (eds). 2013. Climate Change in the Northwest: Implications for our Landscapes, Waters and Communities. Island Press: Washington, DC.
Moore, Darryl. 2023. Gardening in a Changing World: Plants, People and the Climate Crisis. Pimpernel Press Ltd: London, UK.
If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or two to ask concerning your own landscape or want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact him at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.
See Bruce's previous columns here
See Bruce's previous columns here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
