Author: Carl Setzer

Grays Harbor Changes

Carl Setzer

Just read this over at KXRO’s blog:

Port of Grays Harbor may incorporate Friends Landing and Sterling Landing

Doesn’t look dramatic, but I’m wondering about the “whys”. I guess reverting ownership to a public agency would lower the costs for the org (a 501(c)(3)). And I’d expect the title for this transfer would have some conditions regarding what the Port Authority could actually do with the property. What are the full range of pros and cons? We’ll need to wait and see, I guess.

As Grays Harbor has struggled economically with the decrease in logging, losing key jobs with mill closings, I watch for these sorts of activities hoping that some economic revitalization can occur. I love the Washington Coast and it’s communities, wishing the greatest success to them all.

Robotic Engineering Comes Alive At Imagine Children’s Museum : April 19

Carl Setzer
These sorts of events delight me no end. Seeing local high-school students really work the cutting edge is just awesome.
Imagine Children’s Museum is hosting robotics clubs from Cascade, Glacier Peak and Lynnwood High Schools (The Cascade Bruin Robotics, Lynnwood Royal Robotics and Glacier Peak Sonic Squirrels) this Saturday, April 19. These students will demonstrate robots of their own design and creation, including FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST LEGO League bots.  Amongst other activities, you’re invited to participate in constructing the robotic equivalent of a functional human hand.  Young scientists will bring robotic hands to life, creating a mechanism that simulates the tendons in human fingers.

Activities will take place in The Great Room on the Lower Level from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m, and is covered by the regular $9.50 admission.

Part of the I-Engineers program, which is presented quarterly through generous sponsorship by our local Fluke Corporation.

Imagine Children’s Museum (ICM)

1502 Wall Street

Everett, WA 98201 ­

425-258-1006 x1015
http://www.imaginecm.org/index.html

 

New Life At Lynndale

Carl Setzer

Quite the elaborate construction area around the Lynndale amphitheater. I’m realizing that I don’t remember the last time I saw real work here. At this point I can see they’ve replaced the long non-functional light over the theatre. The ripped up topography makes think they’ve got quite a bit of work planned. I look forward to seeing the final product.

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Ever growing Lynnwood

Carl Setzer

I’ve been watching the buildings going up on Ash Way just of the freeway in Lynnwood. Earlier this week, I finally drove past. My God, these things are huge! 5 floors of apartments above several levels of parking. And several building; 7, 8… just couldn’t look closely enough. But a huge number of apartments are about to hit the market there.

There are a number of other developments coming on along 164th in North Lynnwood (unincorporated Snohomish County), too. This should make that area, with its already sluggish traffic, even more joyous.

My hope is the proximity to two Park and Ride lots will divert some of that traffic. And their closeness to shopping, too, might impact that. Yet, we must expect traffic along that stretch to become even more congested. I guess the main solution will simply be avoidance combined with tolerance. Perhaps.

#Everett’s April Pools Day : April 19

Carl Setzer

Spring is upon us. Time to make sure those water skills are up-to-date.

Water safety and fun go hand-in-hand on April Pools Day 
Experience how fun it can be to feel safe in the water at April Pools Day, Saturday, April 19.  All ages are invited to practice water safety skills from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Forest Park Swim Center; 802 E. Mukilteo Blvd. 
 
Participants can play games, try on a life jacket, ride in a kayak, and learn safety tips for playing in and around the water.  Safety skills learned at this event could help save a life. Admission is a canned food donation to support local food banks or a monetary donation to support the Park Scholarship Program.
 
This annual event is presented by Everett Parks & Recreation in cooperation with the Drowning Prevention Coalition.
 
For more information, call Everett Parks and Recreation at 425-257-8300, ext. 2, or visit  www.everettwa.org/parks. 

Sunday Pitch, Hit &Run Event this Sunday in #Everett

Carl Setzer

The Everett Parks & Rec has some fun opportunities this Sunday for the young baseball/softball players in your life.
  
 
Kids compete at PitchHit&Run event
Swing into action at PitchHit&Run, a free competitive event for boys and girls ages 7-14.  This skills event takes place Sunday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Phil Johnson Ballfields, 400 W. Sievers Duecy Blvd., Everett.
 
Participants can pitch strikes to a designated target, hit from a stationary batting tee for distance and accuracy and run from 2nd base to home plate.  This event is the first of four levels of competition.  Other levels include Team Championships at Major League Ballparks and the PHR National Finals at the 2014 MLB All-Star Game.
 
For more information, contact Phil Rognier at FirstSwing Foundation: 425-451-8276, phrog38@hotmail.com or visit www.mlb.com/phr. Hosts: FirstSwing Foundation and Everett Parks & Recreation
 

Tulip Festival : Glory of Skagit County

Carl Setzer

Ah, the wonderful Tulip Festival, where the back-roads of Skagit valley become near-parking lots for several weeks. It is, though, beautiful and one of the most photogenic scenes that Western Washington has to offer (at least in the mud season otherwise known as spring).

MyNortwest.com has a nice article about the festival, well worth the few minutes of your time to read.  And here’s the main site for all the festival details.

One of my favorite elements of the festival are they’re frame-worthy posters. Below is the 2014 Tulip Festival Poster

Craigslist & Real Estate

Carl Setzer

I have to wonder if these new terms will kill Craigslist for Real Estate Agents. It’s really the “do not” list that’s problematic. And, really, just one thing in that list.

Each real estate for sale posting must be 100% about a single, specific, currently available property.
Lead capture, loans/financing, services, offers to buy, lists/directories, and/or driving users to a website are not allowed.

  • please do include:
    • all relevant information about the specific property you are selling
    • multiple high-quality photographs of the specific property on offer
    • street address, and location on craigslist map
  • please do NOT include:
    • cartoon or graphic images, photographs of yourself or other people
    • links to “more information” elsewhere (emphasis mine)
    • photos with “click below,” contact info, or other writing
    • search links, or information about multiple properties
    • advertisement for services of any kind, including financing or loan information
    • advice about buying and/or selling and/or market conditions

No links to “More Information” is one of the crucial benefits to us as agents. I guess we shouldn’t complain too much as Craigslist is a free tool. Not  getting traffic to our sites, though, is painful.

I wonder if driving agents away from Craigslist will serve to lower the value to customers? Or is the spammy content too negatively impactful?

Anyway, we’ll adapt to whatever Craigslist tosses our way.

Edmonds School District : Strategic Input Meeting : April 2

Carl Setzer

For those of us who have kids in the Edmonds School District, this is important info.

Dear Edmonds School District Families:

The second of four Strategic Direction Community Input Meetings is being held this Wednesday, April 2 beginning at 7 p.m. in the Lynnwood High School Theater. Any of these meetings are open to anyone in the community.  We are pleased to share that in addition to the opportunity to attend and participate in person, an audio live stream of the conversation will also be available. Whichever option you select, we look forward to your participation!                

In Person:

  • Lynnwood High School Theater, 18218 North Road, Bothell 98012.

Online Audio Live Stream:

If you cannot join the April 2 conversation, please join one of the two remaining opportunities:

  • April 16, 4 pm @ Mountlake Terrace High Theater
  • April 23, 7 pm @ Edmonds-Woodway High Theater

Rescue in Oso

Carl Setzer

It’s been one horrible story after another regarding the Highway 530 mudslide. Now, finally, a happy story. Well, one tinged with sadness, but the rescue of a young boy from the horror show is a key positive. I’m grabbing what I can.

Young Boy from Oso from Snohomish HRT on Vimeo.