Shoreline Area News: February 2025

Shoreline Police officers scrimmage with Special Olympic team

Friday, February 28, 2025

Shoreline Police and Spartans
Photo courtesy Shoreline Police

Shoreline Police report,

It is always a pleasure to support the Special Olympics. This week, Shoreline Police Officers participated in a basketball scrimmage against The Spartans, and it was an exciting game! The Spartans really shined and won by a wide margin!

Congratulations to the amazing athletes who put their heart into the game!

Gloria Nagler: Rats! thought Barbara the Barred Owl.

Photo copyright Gloria Z. Nagler

Photog can see me despite my ingenious camouflage!

(Rats also happened to be what Barbara desired for lunch:). Seen in King County, WA)

--Gloria Z. Nagler

HomeTechHacker: The Future of Smart Home Tech: Insights from CES 2025

By Marlon Buchanan

I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend CES 2025, the world’s largest tech show held annually in Las Vegas.

As a tech enthusiast and smart home advocate, walking through the exhibits felt like stepping into a sci-fi movie. From artificial intelligence (AI)-driven devices to energy-efficient innovations, it was clear that the future of smart home technology is bright—and getting smarter.

Here are some key trends and insights I gathered about what’s coming next for smart homes.

AI is leading the way

AI is Leading the Way

If there’s one thing that stood out at CES, it’s that artificial intelligence is becoming the cornerstone of smart home technology.

AI-powered devices are no longer just smart—they’re learning.

For example, companies showcased thermostats that don’t just adjust the temperature but also analyze your habits, energy usage, and even local weather patterns to create a more personalized and efficient experience.

AI isn’t just in the background anymore; it’s taking center stage, helping devices predict and adapt to our needs.

Smart Home Interconnectivity
Improved Interconnectivity

Remember the frustration of trying to get one device to talk to another? Those days are fading fast.

New smart home products are finally embracing universal communication standards like Matter, a new protocol designed to make devices from different brands seamlessly work together.

Whether you're controlling lights, locks, or even your garage door, the future is one where everything just works—no more pulling your hair out over compatibility issues.

Security Gets Smarter

Cybersecurity is always a concern in smart homes, and CES delivered some promising advancements. AI-driven security systems are stepping up their game, offering real-time threat detection and even facial recognition features for added layers of protection.

Smart locks, cameras, and even doorbells are being designed to not only secure your home but also learn and adapt to unusual behavior.

With hacking threats always evolving, it’s great to see the industry prioritizing safety as much as convenience.

For those worried about cybersecurity, my book The Personal Cybersecurity Manual and my course Personal Cybersecurity Protection can help you take simple but effective steps to secure your smart devices.

Final Thoughts

The future of smart home technology is exciting, dynamic, and more integrated than ever before. Whether it’s AI-powered personalization, sustainable energy systems, or improved device compatibility, the innovations I saw at CES suggest that our homes are going to get smarter—and more human-friendly.

If you’ve been on the fence about diving into smart home tech, now is a great time to start exploring. With so many advancements coming down the pipeline, your home could soon be the smartest thing on your block.

And if you need help figuring it all out, you know where to find me.

Marlon Buchanan

Marlon Buchanan is a best-selling author, IT Director, and founder of HomeTechHacker.com, a website with free resources to help you make the most of your home technology.

If you have questions or comments about this article you can contact Marlon through his website or X (Twitter).

ORCA announces updated Regional Day Pass fare to improve transit affordability

ORCA is making the Regional Day Pass fare permanent, creating more affordable and accessible transit for riders across the region.

This price change, approved by the ORCA Joint Board, saves money and enhances convenience for customers who use multiple transit services in a single day.

Effective March 1, 2025, the new ORCA Regional Day Pass will be available for just $6 for adult riders, and $2 for ORCA LIFT and RRFP senior and disabled cardholders, providing unlimited rides on participating transit services for one day for the cost of just two trips.

This fare adjustment, first introduced in 2024 as a promotional pilot, ensures that riders can travel seamlessly throughout the Puget Sound area all day long while enjoying significant cost savings.

“The new ORCA Day Pass gives you the freedom to travel anywhere, all day long, for six dollars,” said Christina O’Claire, the ORCA Joint Board Chairperson and Director of King County Metro’s Mobility Division.

“The ORCA Day Pass also makes it easier than ever to seamlessly connect across transit modes — like buses, light rail and on-demand services — and between transit agencies. For riders who have disabilities, have lower incomes or are seniors, the price is even lower: just two dollars a day to connect to unlimited opportunities.”

This cost reduction also aligns with the reduction in fares for Sound Transit Express Bus service, now $3 per trip, and Community Transit’s reduced fare, now $1.

The new price reduction to the ORCA Regional Day Pass comes after a promotional period that launched last August 2024. The ORCA Day pass is accepted on most transit services, including buses and trains, throughout the region**.

Riders can purchase the pass online at myORCA.com, through the myORCA mobile app, at ORCA vending machines, or from the Google Wallet for ORCA digital card users.

How to Purchase the ORCA Day Pass on Your ORCA Card

Purchase Online:

Visit myORCA.com or download/open the myORCA app

If you have a myORCA account, log into your account.

On the myORCA app, select the card you wish to add the pass to, click “add money”, then “add a pass”, and then select “All Day Puget Pass”. Choose your quantity and add it to your shopping cart to check out.
On myORCA.com, click “manage this card”, select “passes” and choose “Regional” under pass type. Next, select “Daily $3.00” or “Daily $1.00” if you are a reduced fare customer, and adjust your quantity under “frequency”. Tap “add to cart” to checkout.

If you don’t have a myORCA account, you can still add the pass to your ORCA card here: https://www.myorca.com/reload-my-card/

If you have a digital ORCA card on Google Wallet, you can add the pass to your ORCA card via the Google Wallet app.

Riders can also purchase an ORCA Day Pass in-person at an ORCA Ticket Vending machine, at an ORCA customer service location, or by contacting us at 888-988-6722 / TTY: 711.

Order a physical Adult ORCA card online at myORCA.com or purchase a digital ORCA card via Google Wallet. To purchase an Adult ORCA card in person, visit an ORCA retail store, an ORCA ticket vending machine, or transit agency customer service office. Where to buy ORCA cards

For discounted ORCA LIFT, Senior, or Disabled cards, find details here on where to apply and what documents you'll need

Snohomish County League of Women Voters (LWV) celebrates 105 years and honors 2025 Democracy in Action winners Teresa Wippel and Megan Dunn

L-R Snohomish County Councilmember Megan Dunn; CEO and Founder of My Neighborhood New Network; Cathy Liu Scott, Snohomish County League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters (LWV) local League in Snohomish County celebrated the League’s 105th birthday on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

The highlight of the event was presenting the 2025 Democracy in Action Award to Teresa Wippel, CEO and founder of My Neighborhood News Network, and Megan Dunn, Snohomish County Council Member - District 2.

The award recognizes outstanding achievement or long-term commitment to enhancing democracy in Snohomish County.

Dunn was recognized for her 20-year history of working to improve lives for working families and communities through thoughtful policy change. Councilmember Dunn has been a champion of ensuring access to clean air, fresh water, healthy agricultural land, and preserving urban tree canopy and legacy forests.

Wippel was honored for her work to sustain and expand local independent news for South Snohomish County. She is passionately committed to informing residents through timely reporting that both informs and encourages comment and discussion.

In accepting the award, Dunn said, “It’s truly been my honor to serve and to work with so many organizations and volunteers who care deeply about Snohomish County.”

Headlining the event was Teresa Wippel, founder and CEO of My Neighborhood News Network. She told the celebrants: “We must combat mis and dis-information. Sustaining our professional journalists and local reporting is critical to preserving and defending our democracy.”

More than 50 members and guests attended the annual event.

From our nation’s founding until 1920, women were unable to be active participants in our democracy in most states. In 1919, National American Woman Suffrage Association President Carrie Chapman Catt called for an organization to "finish the fight" and secure the right to vote. The League of Women Voters was formally founded the following year, six months before ratification of the 19th Amendment.

The League of Women Voters was founded in 1920, the same year women won the vote. For over 100 years, we have been a nonpartisan, activist, grassroots organization that believes voters should play an active role in democracy. In 1976, the League sponsored the first televised presidential debates, winning an Emmy award for Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Journalism.

LWVSC upholds that tradition in Snohomish County by sponsoring forums for local and state offices. Since our organization neither supports nor opposes candidates or political parties, we can provide a thoughtful environment that allows voters to make their own informed choices.

Northwest Girlchoir Summer Camp - July 21-25, 2025

Northwest Girlchoir is looking for more campers to join us for this year's Summer Camp!

Monday, July 21 - Friday, July 25, 2025 from 9:30am-3:30pm* at the Northwest Girlchoir facility at North Seattle Church, 2150 N 122nd St, Seattle, WA 98133.

Camper Registration: $525
*Before-and after-care is an additional fee.

Enjoy a week of camp activities that celebrate creativity! Campers select from a variety of music and arts classes, plus outdoor fun. Work with professional arts educators as well as Northwest Girlchoir alums and high school counselors.

New Ages: For rising 2nd-5th graders, including girls and gender identities beyond the binary.

Financial aid is available, and we encourage families to apply. Contact info@northwestgirlchoir.org for more information or call the office at 206-527-2900.

Senator Murray statement on mass layoffs beginning at NOAA

NOAA Research enables better forecasts, earlier warnings for natural disasters,
and a greater understanding of the Earth.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on reports that mass layoffs are beginning at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which has a major footprint in Washington state, where NOAA employs over 700 people, many at Magnuson Park on Sand Point Way in north Seattle.

“Whether they know it or not, every American in every part of the country relies on NOAA every day—for everything from weather forecasts and storm warnings to the restoration and management of our marine resources and fisheries, which is especially important in Washington state.

“Now Trump and Elon Musk are aiming their wrecking ball at NOAA and mass firing scientists, weather forecasters, and so many others for no reason—laying off dozens of people in Washington state who do mission-critical work that will now have to come to a screeching halt.

"Reliable forecasting saves lives and property—so much of our economy hinges on accurate weather predictions, whether it’s agriculture or shipping routes. This is dangerous and could be catastrophic for our economy.

“This is a huge setback for Washington state in particular, where NOAA employs over 700 people and is a trusted partner for our agencies, Tribes, and fisheries—all of whom rely on the agency’s work to protect and restore marine resources that are essential to our state’s economy and culture.

"NOAA scientists are the experts on our oceans, fisheries, and so much else—and without them on the job, we can’t save our salmon or protect our environment here in the Pacific Northwest.

“Two billionaires with zero clue of what NOAA does are putting lives and property at serious risk in their corrupt mission to break government and enrich themselves.”

Kenmore City Council appoints Stephanie Lucash as Interim City Manager

Stephanie Lucash named as Kenmore's
Interim City Manager

Kenmore, WA – On February 24, 2025 the Kenmore City Council unanimously appointed Deputy City Manager Stephanie Lucash as Kenmore’s Interim City Manager.

Lucash will officially begin her interim duties on March 24, following the departure of City Manager Rob Karlinsey, whose final day with the City of Kenmore will be March 23.

Lucash joined the City of Kenmore in 2021 as Assistant City Manager/ARPA Administrator and was promoted to Deputy City Manager in 2022.

Lucash has served in the public sector for over 30 years and was the President of the Washington City/County Management Association in 2023-2024.

"I'm excited to serve as interim city manager and to ensure a smooth transition while maintaining momentum on ongoing city work and the City Council's priorities,” said Lucash.

“I also want to extend my deep gratitude to Rob Karlinsey for his dedicated leadership over the past 13 years in Kenmore. He leaves behind a strong legacy, and I wish him the very best in his next chapter."

In addition to appointing an interim city manager, the City Council selected GMP Consulting to conduct a competitive executive search for a permanent city manager. The recruitment process is expected to begin soon, and the City Council is committed to selecting a highly qualified candidate who will continue to lead Kenmore on an upward trajectory.

“We are confident that Deputy City Manager Lucash’s leadership will guide us effectively through this transition period, and we are grateful for her willingness to step into this role,” said Mayor Nigel Herbig. “We are eager to begin the search for a permanent city manager and look forward to working with GMP Consulting on this important process.”

Updates on the city manager recruitment and transition process will be posted to kenmorewa.gov/news.

Progress at Lakefront Park in LFP

If you’ve passed by the lakefront property this fall, you may have noticed changes on the site. Specifically, a few of the buildings have been deconstructed and a new fence and gate have been installed.

The 2025 Winter project update has been posted to the website. Visit this link to learn more about recent developments and view new photos of the park!

View the virtual tour and updated pictures on the project website here

The City of Lake Forest Park and its consultant team are advancing design work and applying for permits. Over the next several months, updates on the project website will continue to be added.

Travels with Charlie: Where’s the clean lake air?

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Story and photos by Gordon Snyder

Needed to get some of that wonderful fresh air blowing up Lake Washington. But as soon as we got out of the car, A Smell hit me!

Where’s the clean lake air? Charlie was on sniff alert.

Charlie on Sniff Alert

Then he discovered the source. Huge pile of fresh compost... Last summer the park cleared lots of invasive species and other plants around the lake shore and then replanted native and riparian plants. Today, those cleared areas were getting covered with this steamy compost.

You can see and sniff the areas now.

West of beach area...

Walkway to Log Boom Pier...

Walkway back from Log Boom Pier….

Heavenly smells if you’re a Gardner. Looking forward to watching the new growth this spring.

Cheers,
Gordon Snyder

Kruckeberg Garden: Conifer Identification with Walt Bubelis - Saturday March 1, 2025

Conifer workshop
Photo courtesy Kruckeberg Botanic Garden

Are you ready to deepen your understanding of conifers?

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden invites nature enthusiasts of all levels to join Walt Bubelis, a retired horticulture professor from Edmonds College, for an engaging and educational Conifer Identification workshop on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

The event will feature two sessions:

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Have you ever wondered how to differentiate a Western Red Cedar from a Lawson Cypress or a yew from a young redwood?

This class will provide an introduction to the major conifer species found in our gardens, covering both native and exotic varieties. Participants will start indoors, examining sprigs for close-up details, and then head outside for a broader view of these majestic trees.

Please Note: The class will take place both indoors and outdoors, so attendees are encouraged to dress accordingly. The indoor location requires the use of stairs.

Registration: This class tends to fill up quickly, and pre-registration is required.

Members: $25
Non-members: $45

You can register at: Conifer ID Workshop Registration

The Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Foundation is a not-for-profit, four-acre living collection of native and rare plants. The garden serves as a community gathering space, providing opportunities for learning, inspiration, and connection to nature.

For more information, visit www.kruckeberg.org.

Cartoon by Whitney Potter: Raccoon

Previous cartoons by Whitney Potter HERE

February recipe from Town & Country: Mediterranean Salmon Bowl

Mediterranean Salmon Bowl
photo courtesy Town & Country Market

Mediterranean Salmon Bowl

Why does everything taste better in a bowl? With fresh tender salmon, earthy farro and fresh cucumber, you'll want a little bit of everything in each bite.

Difficulty Level: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 cup farro, rinsed
4 (4-6 ounce) salmon fillets, skinned and deboned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Greek seasoning (or pepper, garlic powder, and oregano)
1 English cucumber, chopped
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup feta, crumbled
1 cup olives (Kalamata or Castelvetrano)
1 cup garbanzo beans or hummus
½ cup tzatziki Sauce
Pita for serving, optional

Preparation

STEP 1
Place farro in a saucepan covered with lightly salted water by a few inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes, or until tender. Drain.

STEP 2
While farro is cooking preheat oven to 400°F.

STEP 3
In an oven safe dish season salmon with olive oil, salt, and Greek seasoning. Cook salmon for about 10-13 minutes. (Approximately 10 minutes per inch of thickness).

STEP 4
To build bowls begin by adding the cooked farro. Next, divide the cooked salmon, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, feta, olives, beans, and tzatziki sauce amongst the 4 bowls either by clumping ingredients together into sections or spreading them evenly over the top. However, you feel looks best!

Options
Farro can also be cooked in a slow cooker or instant pot.

Prefer another grain? Go for it. This recipe would also be delicious eaten with quinoa, freekeh, brown or white rice, or even cauliflower rice.

Organic ingredients are available at Town & Country Market, 15505 Westminster Way N, Shoreline WA 98133

Letter to the Editor: LFP officials respond to article on housing policies

To the Editor:

As elected officials for the City of Lake Forest Park, we would like to reply to the misleading article on our community’s housing policies that appeared recently in the Shoreline Area News. (see article here)

Lake Forest Park is a small and welcoming city of approximately 13,630 residents and is relatively completely built out. We are an environmentally sensitive area, with several streams, many steep ravines, and a substantial tree canopy that mitigates carbon emissions from the two major State highways that run the length of our city, and provide health benefits to our community and neighboring cities.

Lake Forest Park is overwhelmingly residential, with very limited commercial space, which means that we are dependent on property tax revenues to fund basic city services. Under state law, property tax revenue growth citywide is capped at 1% per year, which provides the city only about $34,000 a year to keep up with rising costs.

We are currently dealing with a substantial gap between our basic operating expenses and these modest revenues, which barely cover annual increases in employee health insurance costs. With a population density of 3,839 per square mile, Lake Forest Park is similar to adjacent Kenmore, despite having significantly more critical areas and tree canopy.

Lake Forest Park does not have the revenue to build its own affordable housing. Unlike Bothell, the city has no vacant land to donate for housing. Still, we have incentivized affordable housing through our zoning code.

For many years, Lake Forest Park zoning has:

Required new multi-family housing to include affordable unit(s), along with tax incentives for affordable units.
Included flexible provisions for Accessory Dwelling Units, designed to support multi-generation housing and housing diversity.
Provided for supportive housing, including a number of existing adult family care homes.
Allowed capacity of many hundreds of new residential units at Town Center and Southern Gateway, exceeding the regional growth targets allocated to our city under the Growth Management Act and King County Countywide Planning Policies.
Allowed construction of homeless facilities at a location along Ballinger Way.

In addition, our community has been actively exploring opportunities for affordable home ownership, not just rental housing, with a local community land trust. But this first requires locating and funding a suitable property in our built-out community – something we are seeking.

Our new Comprehensive Plan (and zoning regulations later this year) go even further. Lake Forest Park’s new Comp Plan was timely with adoption in December of 2024 and is in full compliance with new state laws and all King County policy guidance.

The Comp Plan:

Eliminates single family land use designations pursuant to state law, so that each lot in Lake Forest Park now can have up to 3 living units.
Encourages multi-unit and mixed-use development near planned or existing transit stops and along transit corridors.
Encourages many types of “middle housing” – two or more living units on one property that can be attached, stacked or clustered.
Paves the way for these living units to be rented or sold individually, which has the added benefit of increasing generational wealth.
Explores alternative models for housing, especially multi-generational arrangements such as home shares.

Lake Forest Park is privileged to have an engaged, active, and welcoming community. Every city has its unique environmental and affordable housing challenges, so every city’s solutions to both issues will not look the same.

We appreciate this opportunity to share our commitments to affordable and attainable housing, housing diversity, and quality of life.

Sincerely,

Tom French, Mayor
Lorri Bodi, Deputy Mayor
Tracy Furutani, Council Vice-Chair
Lake Forest Park WA

Open House at Shoreline Cooperative Preschool Saturday March 1, 2025

Looking for an affordable, play-based preschool option? Come check out Shoreline Cooperative Preschool’s Open House this Saturday March 1st, 10am-12pm.

SCP is located across from the Shoreline Library, at 510 NE 175th St, Shoreline WA 98155, and offers classes for ages 1.5-5 years old. As a co-op, this is a preschool environment where parents (or grandparents, babysitters, or other loving caregivers) help out in the classroom one day each week and get to be involved in their child’s preschool experience.

Tuition is $130-230 a month and scholarships are available. Outdoor play on three beautiful levels of playground is part of every day!

And, families get access to Parent Education resources from Shoreline Community College, like discussion groups during class time and quarterly evening speakers with expertise on childhood development topics.

Registration for 2025-2026 opens to the public on March 1, at 1pm, so come check out the space, meet the teachers, and bring your kids along to test out that playground! More information can be found at www.shorelinecooperativepreschool.org

Highland Terrace Neighborhood Tulip and Daffodil sale in March

The Highland Terrace Neighborhood will hold its very popular Tulip and Daffodil sale the last two weekends of March.

Each pot has varieties of either Tulip (5 colors of Triumph) or Daffodils (6 types).

The pots are wrapped and beribboned with instructions to plant after foliage dies back for years of enjoyment; the bulbs are hardy strains.

Sale is March 22-23, and 29-30, 2025 at the corner of 2nd NW and 159th, very close to Highland Terrace Elementary.

Prices:

4 pots = $30;
3 pots = $22.50,
2 pots = $15

Preorders available with pick-up March 20 or after: fmcsea@gmail.com

The upcoming traffic Armageddon in Lake Forest Park

Paula Goode and Jeff Snedden at CORE meeting
Photo by Mike Remarcke

By Mike Remarcke

A group of folks living along State Route 522 (Bothell Way NE) and other LFP residents met last Saturday, February 22, 2025 to gather more information on an ongoing debate they are having with Sound Transit.

Sound Transit has been working on the “Stride 3” project on SR522 for years and a couple of years ago, residents of LFP, particularly those who live near SR522 and whose properties may be affected, formed Citizens Organized to Rethink Expansion (CORE).

The meeting was held at the Sheridan Market, owned by Paula Goode, one of the founding members of CORE and also a LFP Councilmember.

Leading the group was Jeff Snedden, another founding member of CORE.

The meeting began with a discussion of the key issues regarding the redesign of SR522, specifically a 1.2 mile stretch between NE 165th St and NE 153rd St.

Discussions with Sound Transit and cities involved including LFP have been ongoing since 2016. CORE was founded in 2023 by residents, not the city of LFP.

Sound Transit wants an express line for buses, running from Bothell, through Kenmore and LFP, then west on NE 145th, with both Seattle and Shoreline affected by the express bus line to the Shoreline South Transit stop.

There are issues regarding costs of $200 million, which CORE says is a lot of money to save just one minute in travel time along this stretch. That figure has not been verified and Sound Transit disputes this assessment.

Also, the project impacts private property and businesses along the route as well as tree removal and replacement.

Other options would be using Bus Queue Jumps, which allow buses a head start at traffic lights at NE 165th and NE 153rd. Keeping the existing street configuration, NE 145th will use queue jumps because there are no options for expanding the street to create an express lane.

Lastly, CORE would prefer no changes whatsoever. They would prefer to keep the road as is, or at a maximum, using queue jumps.

Half a dozen planned road projects

To complicate the entire process there will be other major roadway projects happening at or around the same time as the Stride-3 project. Along with Stride-3, other projects in the area include:

Revive I-5 (major resurfacing of I-5 in the north end)
City of Shoreline roundabouts at 145th and I-5
WSDOT Lyon Creek Culvert at Ballinger Way (SR 104) and 35th
LFP roundabout at 40th Pl NE and Ballinger Way (SR104)
City of Kenmore/WSDOT Swamp Creek Culvert

LFP residents listening to the CORE presentation
Photo by Mike Remarcke

CORE now believes that Sound Transit has not done due diligence in their planning to take into account all of the other projects, and how their project adds to the chaos. They feel that these projects will create a “Traffic Armageddon” in LFP, for they state LFP will have the highest increase in traffic of all areas impacted. “LFP is ground zero and will absorb the most impact.”

Other cities may debate that statement by CORE.

CORE group has now hired legal representation and will pursue a legal claim against Sound Transit.

They state that Sound Transit did not study cumulative impacts of multiple projects as required by law. Their hope is to mitigate and not go to court. Their goal is to shut down the Stride-3 project, or at minimum, delay it.

Delaying will greatly increase the overall costs of Stride-3. If Sound Transit would lose in court, the entire Stride-3 project would have to start from scratch and delay indefinitely the entire Stride-S3 Line from Bothell to the I-5 station at 145th, greatly increasing the cost and timeframe of this project.

There are few established starting dates with any of the projects, so determining when Sound Transit starts with Stride-3 is a tricky proposition.

A spokesperson from Sound Transit states “we have been engaged in ongoing conversations with communities along all three Stride routes, including LFP since the program was approved by voters as part of ST3 in 2016”.

“We have not yet broken ground on the project. Since the timing of Revive I-5 is at present unclear, its impact on Stride 3 is speculation,” the spokesperson stated.

Construction for the entire Stride-3 project is scheduled to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2028 according to the Sound Transit project page.

Week #7 PTA Legislative report: The Big 3 will be voted upon Thursday February 27, 2025

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

2025 Legislative Session Week #7:

The push for the big 3 continues. This Friday, 2/28/2025, is the deadline for bills to be voted forward from their fiscal committees, but executive session (voting) is taking place on Thursday 2/27 at 9am and 1:30pm for most of these bills.

Remember: when the buckets for Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs MSOC, special education, and transportation, go unfilled by the state, the Shoreline School District (SSD) is forced to use levy enrichment funding for basic education needs because these buckets must be filled.

When levy funds are depleted, the only other option is

To reduce services and staff affecting classroom sizes after grade 3, curriculum updates, mental health and safety supports, and vital programs such as music, sports, and robotics/engineering.
There is no longer money for enrichment.
A reduced education plan will be announced in April 2025 by the Shoreline School District and School Board and is likely to include reductions to family advocates, nurses, and any staff not fully funded by the state model.

Advocating for the Big 3 is SSD's best chance at avoiding further staff and program loss.

These are the BIG 3 bills that will be voted upon Thursday

Special Education

HB 1310 & SB 5307 (companion bills)
SB 5263

Materials, Supplies, and Operating Costs (MSOC)

Transportation

HB 1579 & SB 5187 (companion bills)

Other resources:

--Shoreline PTA Council

Information on summer camps and activities from Shoreline Recreation at Resource Fair March 5, 2025

Summer Resource Fair

Summer Camp Information
Scholarship Applications
Summer Community Resources
Fun Children Activities

Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Time: 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Location: Spartan Recreation Center, 202 NE. 185th St. Shoreline, 98155

For more information about our programs visit: www.shorelinewa.gov/registernow

Feria de Recursos

Información de campamentos de verano
Solicitudes de becas
Recursos comunitarios para el verano
Actividades divertidas para niños

Fecha: Miércoles, 5 de marzo, 2025
Horas: 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Ubicación: Spartan Recreation Center, 202 NE. 185th St. Shoreline, 98155

Para más información sobre nuestros programas visite: www.shorelinewa.gov/registernow

Autism, Girls and the Low Rate of Diagnosis

The Edmonds SnoKing AAUW Branch invites you to our upcoming meeting, featuring a presentation on Autism, Girls and the Low Rate of Diagnosis. This session is designed to provide valuable insights for families navigating autism.

Dr. Tanya St. John, a licensed clinical psychologist and research scientist at the University of Washington Autism Center, will lead the discussion.

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from an expert and connect with others in your community. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or simply interested in expanding your knowledge, we welcome you to join us!

When: Saturday, March 8, 2025 from 10am-12pm
Where: Edmonds College, 20000 68th Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036, Snohomish Hall Rm.338

*no cost to attend.

Chess Club at Shoreline Library for age 6+, tweens, teens Wednesday February 26, 2025

Photos by Claudia Meadows

Play chess and have fun! All skill levels are welcome, and all materials provided.

There will be chess boards for casual free play and volunteers able to teach those who want to learn.

*Volunteer availability may vary from session to session.

Snacks provided by the Friends of the Shoreline Library.

Ages 6 and older, tweens and teens.

*We are looking for volunteers for our Chess Club! If you know how to play chess and are interested in volunteering, contact Laurie at the Shoreline Library – lfield@kcls.org or 206-362-7550.

Registration not required.

Chess Club for Kids and Teens
Shoreline Library Large Meeting Room
345 NE 175th St, Shoreline WA 98155

Upcoming sessions:

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 (3:00PM - 4:30PM)
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 (3:00PM – 4:30PM)
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 (3:00PM – 4:30PM)
Wednesday, May 14, 2025 (3:00PM – 4:30PM)

Scholarships available from Shoreline Community College Foundation for SCC students

The Shoreline Community College Foundation gives out over 200 scholarship awards to SCC students annually.

Scholarship awards typically range from $1,000 to $2,500. In addition to federal and state financial aid, scholarships are a great way to offset all or part of the cost of your education.

The Foundation offers both financial need and merit-based scholarships.

With one application, students are automatically considered for the majority of our available scholarships.

We highly encourage all students to apply, including part-time, international, undocumented, and prospective students.

Follow this link to apply today!

What’s Happening This Week in Shoreline? February 26 – March 4

By Kate Ledbetter, Destination Shoreline

What’s Happening This Week in Shoreline?
February 26 – March 4
Whether you’re looking to challenge your mind at a family-friendly chess club or dive into thoughtful discussions on health, soil, and food at the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden annual meeting, there's a little something for everyone. From hands-on tech sessions like 3D printing and urban mapping to community support groups and volunteer tutoring, these events promise fun, learning, and connection for all ages. For more details and upcoming events visit https://www.destinationshoreline.com/calendar.

Chess Club for Kids and Teens
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Shoreline Library
Play chess and have fun! All skill levels are welcome and all materials provided. Sponsored by the Friends of the Shoreline Library. Ages 6 and older, tweens and teens. Ages 6 and 7 with adult. We are looking for volunteers for our Chess Club! If you know how to play chess and are interested in volunteering, contact Laurie at the Shoreline Library, lfield@kcls.org or 206.362.7550. Registration not required.

Tutors at Shoreline Library (Study Zone)
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Shoreline Library
Volunteer tutors provide homework help for grades K-12. They can also give language support for homework or translation in many languages. Students may drop in any time during Tutor hours. Look for volunteers wearing the Tutor t-shirt.

Kruckeberg Botanic Garden Guest Speakers and Annual Meeting
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Shoreline City Hall
Come hear about the major Kruckeberg accomplishments of 2024 and get a peek at what’s ahead in 2025! Then we’ll hear from local authors, David R. Montgomery (UW professor of geomorphology) and Anne Biklé (biologist and environmental planner) as they delve into the intricate, powerful relationships between human health, soil, microorganisms and food. Check out the book signing after the talk! Their books include “The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health” and “What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health”. Prepare to be fascinated!
Check out the author’s website and books here!
Free Event: $10 suggested donation

Parent/Guardian Group Stronger Together
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
6:15 PM - 7:45 PM
Richmond Beach Library
Please join the compassionate Stronger Together Group if you are a Shoreline School District parent/guardian feeling overwhelmed navigating your student's mental health challenges. We will meet in an open and safe space to connect with each other, share wisdom, struggles, resources, and together, we will make the journey less lonely. Meetings will be facilitated by a local parent who will not provide professional advice.
Email: mentalhealth@shorelinepta.org
For more information, email: mentalhealth@shorelinepta.org
Website: https://www.shorelinepta.org/mental-health.html

Recology Store Pop-up @ City Hall
Thursday, February 27, 2025
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Shoreline City Hall
Due to the temporary closure of the Shoreline Recology Store, Recology is hosting small pop-ups for Shoreline residents at City Hall. From 10 am-4 pm Shoreline residents can drop off LIMITED quantities of the following hard-to-recycle items: Fluorescent bulbs, Textiles, Books, Electronics, Small appliances, Styrofoam, Small propane canisters. Please note: Recology will not accept any other hard-to-recycle items besides the ones listed above. Drop-off limits apply. Visit Recology's website for full details. They will also be offering the option to pay your Recology bill in person!

Fred Hutch Cancer Center Mammogram Van
Friday, February 28, 2025
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Shoreline Lake Forest Park Senior Center (Parking Lot)
We are excited to announce additional dates to host the Fred Hutch Mammogram Van! It is incredibly convenient to come to the Center for your yearly screening! It ensures timely access to essential health screenings without the need for long travel or waiting times. This service brings peace of mind and promotes active health management within the community. Appointments are scheduled directly with the Fred Hutch’s scheduling line. Unfortunately, the van cannot accommodate participants requiring wheelchairs, walkers, or canes. Call to Schedule: 206-606-7800

Shorenorth Cooperative Preschool Open House
Saturday, March 1, 2025
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Shorenorth Cooperative Preschool
Join us to learn more about co-op, explore our facilities, discover our curriculum and meet our teachers! Open to all families with children from birth to five years old.

Conifer identification with Walt Bubelis
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Session 1 - 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Session 2 - 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Kruckeberg Botanic Garden
Want to tell a Western Red Cedar from a Lawson Cypress? A yew from a young redwood? Here’s a short introduction to the major conifers that are in our gardens. Both native and exotics will be covered. We’ll start with sprigs for the up-close details and then go outside for the big picture. Instructor: Walt Bubelis, retired horticulture professor at Edmonds College. Please Note: This class will take place both indoors and outdoors, please dress accordingly.
Our classes fill up fast and pre-registration is required.
Members $25 | Non-members $45.

Hackamapathon 2: Electric Bike-aloo - Mapping Tools for Urbanist Activism
Saturday, March 1, 2025
11:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Shoreline Library
On March 1, we’ll return to the Shoreline Public Library to play around with some online civic mapping and geospatial tools. This one will have a focus on tools for bike ride planning and bike advocacy. The session will be a very casual exploration of a few digital tools - we'll see what looks interesting and go from there! No coding knowledge is required, and you don't need to be a cyclist! Bring a laptop if you have one, although a tablet or mobile phone can also work.

3D Printer Orientation: Foundations of CAD
Saturday, March 1, 2025
3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Shoreline Tool Library
Learn how to find, prepare, and print 3D models on our Prusa MK3S+ 3D printer! No previous knowledge is required. This class will cover where to source 3D models online, how to slice files using Prusa Slicer, and how to operate the machine. In addition, this class will include an introduction to CAD with onshape. You are encouraged to bring your own laptop to the class and download Prusa Slicer and create an onshape account, but it is not required.
What’s Happening at the Shoreline and Richmond Beach Libraries?
Find all upcoming library events HERE.

For more information and more upcoming events, visit the Shoreline events calendar on https://www.destinationshoreline.com/calendar
To have your event included please email DestinationShoreline@gmail.com.
Destination Shoreline is presented by Kate Ledbetter, Real Estate Broker with Windermere Real Estate/Shoreline. Whether you’re planning to sell, buy, or simply explore your options, Kate Ledbetter is ready to provide expert guidance tailored to your unique real estate needs, visit www.KateLHomes.com for more information.

Annual Green Fair March 29, 2025 at Lake Forest Park

Learn to save the planet at Lake Forest Park’s Annual Green Fair!

All are welcome and invited to attend – and it’s free! The fair is hosted at Third Place Commons (top floor) from 10:00am to 2:00pm March 29, 2025.

Bring your friends, neighbors, and family to come on down for some fun, learn something new, and take home some giveaways!

Local organizations and businesses will be there to answer your questions regarding composting, recycling, reducing waste, natural yard care, water conservation, environmentally-safe products, and more!

Check out the Facebook Event Page for announcements and more information of the Green Fair! We look forward to seeing you March 29!!

Shorewood graduate selected for prestigious academic honor at University of Washington

Photo courtesy University of Washington

From the thousands of undergraduate students at the University of Washington, three are selected each year for the prestigious President’s Medalist Award.

Samuel Perkowski, Mia Grayson and Cher Zhang are the medalists for 2023–24, selected by a committee for their high GPAs, rigor of classes and number of Honors courses.

Junior medalist Samuel Perkowski

Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Shoreline, Washington

High School: Shorewood

The UW has always been a part of Samuel Perkowski’s life. Growing up, he watched Husky football games, visited campus — and joked with his parents that there was no point applying anywhere else.

With an eye on becoming a Husky, Perkowski discovered an interest in biology as a high school senior through books like “The Emperor of All Maladies” by Siddhartha Mukherjee and “The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge.

“These books revealed to me the complexity and adaptability inherent in biology,” Perkowski says. “At the same time, I enjoyed chemistry in high school and knew I wanted to study things at a microscopic scale.”

At the UW, Perkowski chose to study biochemistry in the Departmental Honors Program and applied his love for the field in Associate Professor Andrea Wills’ lab, where they study tadpole tail regeneration in Xenopus tropicalis (the western clawed frog). Perkowski says the lab has become his most important community, in part because his colleagues’ determination and passion inspire him.

During his Husky tenure, Perkowski has also received two Mary Gates Research Scholarships, worked as a lab technician analyzing soil and water samples, and presented his research at the UW’s Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Looking forward, Perkowski plans to attend graduate school with the goal of becoming a university professor and one day running his own lab. Receiving this award, he says, is an “affirmation that the university acknowledges my efforts and gives me confidence as I head into the next stage of my academic journey.”

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