From the local businesses who are able to stay open offering us groceries and pick up meals, to the front line workers at our local clinics and hospitals.
We think it would be a great idea to thank those in our community and recognize those people for all they do. If you would like to thank someone who has shown kindness to others, or give a shout out to your local grocery store, restaurant, retail or
for only $25 (black and white) every week in the newspaper. The ads will all appear in a special
Space deadlines are every Wednesday at 10am for the following week’s newspaper.
Please email your request to ppcadmanager@nwlink.com or call 206-461-1322, leave us a message and someone will return your call to get the details.
Queen Anne &Magnolia
Shaken, but not stirred
Queen An &Magn
Magnolia CC to host activities to draw attention to bridge’s plight after earthquake
By Jessica Keller QA&Mag News editor
With the 20th anniversary of the Nisqually Earthquake approaching, Magnolia community leaders are launching an effort to remind residents and city leaders of the Magnolia Bridge’s history, as well as the damage it sustained in the Feb. 28, 2001, Nisqually Earthquake.
“Shaken, Not Stirred: Honoring the Magnolia Bridge on the 20th Anniversary of the February 28, 2001 Nisqually Earthquake,” is a collaboration between the Magnolia Community Council, Discover Magnolia and Magnolia Bridge Seattle.
Sunday marks the 20th anniversary of the Nisqually Earthquake, which registered 6.8 on the Richter Scale and shook the entire Puget Sound region, resulting in hundreds of injuries and $1 billion in damage to area buildings and roads.
Queen gnolia
The Magnolia Bridge, seen here from Queen Anne, was damaged by the Feb. 28, 2001, Nisqually Earthquake, which caused an estimated $1 billion in damage in the Puget Sound region. To commemorate the event, the Magnolia Community Council, in conjunction with other organizations, will host a number of activities to remind residents and city leaders about the bridge’s legacy and connection with the neighborhood.
Magnolia Community Council member Janis Traven, who has participated in efforts to get the bridge replaced for a number of
years, said in an email that the “Shaken, Not Stirred” campaign is intended to commemorate and raise awareness about the bridge’s
SEE BRIDGE, PAGE 6
Promise of Climate Pledge Arena bringing excitement to Uptown
Once finished, venue will draw new crowds to neighborhood
By Jake Heffner UW Newslab
In Queen Anne’s Uptown
neighborhood, Key Arena was once a popular facility for people to attend Seattle Supersonics basketball games and their favorite concerts.
With the departure of the Sonics on July 2, 2008, and musicians seeking venues elsewhere, the arena and the neighborhood was never the same. Local businesses that relied on those games and concerts to bring in a regular flow started to suffer because the high
rent payments and little attraction to the neighborhood.
“The Seattle Sonics were the hottest ticket in town during their run towards a championship in the mid-’90s,” said Stacy Knox, a resident of Uptown since 1986.
“Places such as the Streamline Tavern would have to shoo people away because they were too full.”
With the new Climate Pledge Arena set to open this year, merchants and residents are very
excited for what is to come.
Along with the new building is a brand-new NHL franchise: the Seattle Kraken, which will christen the new arena during the 2021-22 NHL season.
In addition to serving the Kraken, the 800,000-square-foot arena will become the home for the WNBA Seattle Storm and serve as a music and entertain-
SEE ARENA, PAGE 8
Photo by Jessica Keller
https://www.weeksmusic.net pianos@weeksmusic.net Weeks School of Jazz https://www.weeksschoolofjazz.com richard@weeksschoolofjazz.com 206-283-5928
Neighborhood Marketplace
CHIROPRACTORS
DENTISTS
Queen Anne Dental Group
Dr. Frank J. Calvo & Family Cosmetic, Implant, & General Dentistry
400 Boston St. 206-284-7812 www.QADG.net
Chiropractic AND Massage Therapy
Darrell Gibson, D.C. • Sarah Gibson, D.C. Graeme Gibson, D.C.
David E. Goodall III, LMT
Sarah Rose Nottingham, LMT
Lauren E. Traynor, LMT
SERVING THE FAMILIES OF QUEEN ANN E SINCE 1991 1905 Queen Anne Ave N • 206.282.8275 www.QueenAnneChiro.com
Queen Anne & Magnolia Worship Services
Sunday Worship at 10am Live Streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube. Simply look for Magnolia Lutheran Church.
Twelfth Church of Christ, Scientist
In Person and Online Church Services
All are welcome & warmly invited to join these healing services
For best audio results, please join by clicking on the link from your computer or smartphone and choose “Call Over Internet”
All Zoom Services Meeting ID: 418 806 2637 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4188062637
Sunday Services 11:00am – 12noon Pacific
Wednesday Testimonies 7:30pm – 8:30pm Pacific
Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lessons
Our weekly Bible Lesson Sermon may be found here: https://quarterly.christianscience.com/
Mailing address | P.O. Box 80156, Seattle, WA 98108 Physical address | 636 S. Alaska St., Seattle, WA 98108
Senior Scene
The meaning of vaccine-ing
In my prior column on “Vaccination Procrastination,” I shared my concerns about the limited access to vaccines. While distribution and administration of vaccines to our greater community is still a struggle, it does appear that those channels are easing and more vaccine will be available to more and more folks.
At Bayview, we were able to get all of our residents and staff vaccinated, and we are very grateful. While the final vaccine clinic is still in progress as of the writing of this column, we anticipate that all of our residents and staff will have received their second dose by the time this column is published.
The questions I hear at Bayview, which I imagine are the same questions that many people have, is what does it mean? How does it change my life? Are we able to go back to “normal?”
Unfortunately, there are still too many unknowns to answer these questions with any respectable confidence level. While we know the effectiveness rate of the Pfizer and
By Nancy Weinbeck
Moderna vaccine against the most common strain of the virus, we don’t have any data yet on the protection these vaccines offer against the increasing number of variant virus strains. We don’t know how long the vaccines provide protection in the first place. And we don’t know how transmissible the virus is from someone who is doubly vaccinated to someone who is
Savvy Senior:
unvaccinated.
At Bayview, our stance is to treat the vaccine as the fourth step in good infection control protocols: 1. Wear your mask; 2. Keep at least 6 feet apart from another person; 3. Practice good hand hygiene; 4. Get vaccinated.
Beyond that, many restrictions will stay in place until the infection rate in King County starts showing substantial decreases.
This is so hard when we’ve been under the grip of the pandemic for just about a year at this point.
But we’ve made it this far.
New vaccines are on the horizon, as well as new treatments for COVID-19.
Do I need to sign up for Medicare if I’m still working?
Dear Savvy Senior, I will turn 65 in a few months and plan to keep working for several more years. I have good health insurance from my employer now. Do I have to sign up for Medicare when I reach 65? Looking Ahead
Dear Looking,
Whether you need to enroll in Medicare at 65 if you continue to work and have health insurance through your job depends on how large your employer is. The same rules apply if your health insurance comes from your spouse’s job.
But first, let’s review the basics. Remember that original Medicare has two parts: Part A, which provides hospital coverage and is free for most people. And Part B, which covers doctor’s bills, lab tests and outpatient care. Part B also has a monthly premium, which is $148.50 for most beneficiaries in 2021, but is higher for individuals earning above $88,000. If you’re already receiving Social Security, you’ll automatically be enrolled in parts A and B when you turn 65, and you’ll receive your Medicare card in the mail. It will include instructions to return it if you have work coverage that qualifies you for late enrollment. If you aren’t yet receiving Social Security, you will have to apply, which you can do online at SSA.gov/medicare.
If you plan to continue working past the age of 65 and have health insurance from your job, your first step is to ask your benefits manager or human resources department how
your employer insurance works with Medicare.
In most cases, you should at least take Medicare Part A because it’s free. (Note: If you’re funding a health savings account you may not want to take Part A because you can’t make contributions after you enroll). But to decide whether to take Part B or not will depend on the size of your employer.
Small Employer
If your current employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare will be your primary insurer and you should enroll in Medicare Part B during your initial enrollment period. This is a seven-month period that includes the three months before, the month of, and the three months after your 65th birthday.
If you miss the seven-month sign-up window, you’ll have to wait until the next general enrollment period, which runs from Jan. 1 to March 31 with benefits beginning the following July 1.
You’ll also incur a 10 percent penalty for each year you wait beyond your initial enrollment period, which will be tacked on to your monthly Part B premium.
Large Employer
If your employer has 20 or more employees, your employer’s group health plan will be your primary insurer as long as you remain an active employee.
If this is the case, you don’t need to enroll in Part B when you turn 65 if you’re satisfied with the coverage you are getting through
your job. But if you do decide to enroll in Medicare, it will supplement your employer insurance by paying secondary on all of your claims.
Once your employment or group health coverage ends, you will then have eight months to sign up for Part B without a penalty. This is known as the Special Enrollment Period.
Check Drug Coverage
You also need to verify your prescription drug coverage. Call your benefits manager or insurance company to find out if your employer’s prescription drug coverage is considered “creditable.”
If it is, you don’t need to enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. If it isn’t, you should purchase a plan (see Medicare.gov/plan-compare) during your initial enrollment period or you’ll incur a premium penalty (1 percent of the average national premium for every month you don’t have coverage) if you enroll later.
If you have more questions or need help, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (see ShiptaCenter.org), which offers free Medicare counseling. Or call the Medicare Rights Center helpline at 800-3334114.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
Are things going to get better? Absolutely.
Can we say when? We’re not there yet.
But the good news is (and there’s lots of good news), there’s a “there” there. Just a few months ago, we couldn’t even talk about a “there.”
We’ll be able to answer all those unknowns soon. And that in itself gives hope.
So stay well and safe everyone, get vaccinated, and we’ll see what changes are on the horizon.
— Nancy Weinbeck is the CEO of Bayview in Queen Anne
Library hosting reading, discussion on dementia
Residents are invited to attend a reading and discussion on “The Elderwise Way: A Different Approach to Life with Dementia,” a new handbook for family, caregivers and professionals.
The event, which is hosted by the Seattle Public and King County libraries and in partnership with the Northwest Center for Creative Aging, will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday. Go to https://www.spl.org/ event-calendar?trumbaEmbed =view%3Devent%26eventid% 3D150575660 to register. Participants will register through the King County Library System and be emailed a link no later than two hours before the event.
“The Elderwise Way: A Different Approach to Life with Dementia” was written by local authors Sandy Sabersky and Ruth Neuwald Falcon. They will discuss attitudes and approaches that provide ways for persons with cognitive change — and those who interact with them — to have deep and meaningful relationships. They will share readings from the book that illuminate key Elderwise Way concepts — concepts that foster compassion, dignity and personal growth for those living with memory loss and those who care for them. There will also be time to ask live questions of the authors.
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How do birds know where to migrate?
There are all kinds of different birds on our planet, and they migrate to different places.
My friend Heather Watts, a researcher at Washington State University, is really curious about bird migration and told me more about how birds know where to go.
She said there are some birds that make a round-trip flight when they migrate. For instance, the bar-tailed godwit will make long flights between Alaska and New Zealand, traveling more than 7,000 miles without stopping.
Meanwhile, a blue grouse makes a much shorter round-trip flight. It migrates less than a quarter of a mile.
Scientists think that some birds may know where to go because of a kind of program that’s built into a bird’s DNA. It’s sort of like being born with a set of directions they know how to use. This genetic information is passed down from bird grandparents to bird parents to the offspring.
“What we think a lot of birds do the very first time they migrate is use a program that tells them what direction to go and how far to go in that direction,” Watts said.
On a bird’s first migration, it may also follow other birds. The next migration season, the bird may be able to use clues from the environment to find its destination.
There’s another kind of migration that has scientists, like Watts, asking lots of big questions. It turns out there are actually birds that do not migrate to the same location every year.
We might see birds like pine siskins breeding in California one year and then in Canada the next year.
“We don’t know as much about this type of migration,” Watts said. “It’s really hard because we don’t know where the birds are going to be
and when they are going to be there.”
Watts and her lab are studying the pine siskins to learn more about the ways these types of nomadic birds migrate and what might be going on behind that behavior.
Different birds may migrate in different ways, but they will often migrate for similar reasons. While there are some unsolved mysteries around migration, one thing we do know is that migration is really important for helping birds find what they need to reproduce and survive.
You know, it can be quite fun to watch all the different birds in our neighborhoods. Here’s a science challenge for you: The next time you go for a walk or gaze out the window, see what birds you can spot. With help from a grown-up, see if you can find the name of the bird online or at the library. Finally, do a little research to find out how it migrates and discover the journey your bird takes.
Sincerely, Dr. Universe
Local artists selling owl mural
A local artist inspired by the arrival and extended visit of a snowy owl in upper Queen Anne decided to capture the event in the form of a mural, which he is now selling with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit raptor conservancy.
Since a snowy owl decided to make its home in Queen Anne last fall, the raptor has delighted residents living nearby and visitors from around the metropolitan area.
According to an email, after the owl spectators had visited his alley consistently for the first two weeks, neighborhood artist Danny Herter was struck with inspiration.
He said, at the time, he thought, “This is just turning into ‘Owl Alley.’ We should commemorate this with a mural.”
With his father’s approval, Herter used his father’s garage, which was set to be demolished, as the mural’s canvass.
Herter said in his email, he asked his girlfriend, Minami Wrigley, also a local Seattle artist and printmaker, if she wanted to paint an owl on the garage, and she was “ecstatic.” Herter’s original concept was to call the painting, and by extension the alley itself, “Owl Alley.”
Herter said Wrigley “has a knack for uncanny realism,” while he specializes in graphics manipulation and lettering.
According to his email, drawing inspiration from a font he found online, Herter painted the word “alley” with a stencil off to the side, and a larger, free-hand version of the word “owl” as the main feature, with Wrigley’s raptor in mid flight swooping through the letter O. Wrigley also painted the a layered backdrop of mountains and trees.
Prior to the garage being demolished,
Photo courtesy Danny Herter Queen Anne artist Danny Herter and his artist girlfriend, Minami Wrigley, created this mural of the snowy owl that moved to Queen Anne last fall. The mural is for sale, and a portion of the proceeds could benefit raptor conservancy.
Herter removed the mural. The artists are now selling it and plan to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Urban Raptor Conservancy The mural is being sold on a sliding scale, where the more the buyer offers, the larger percentage of the price will be donated, according to the email. It is also being sold
as condition variable. The artists are keeping it unaltered in the gritty form of its present condition. If the buyer would prefer, some touch up can be made prior to delivery, to cover up nail holes incurred during removal.
For more information on the pricing or of the mural, contact mt.dope.arts@gmail.com.
New Initiative on Community Engagement presentation coming up
The next installment of the Queen Anne Initiative on Community Engagement series is coming up March 10.
The presentation, which begins at 7 p.m. on Zoom, features Tim Burgess, a Queen Anne resident who served 10 years as a Seattle City Council member and interim mayor. Burgess was the lead architect of the Seattle Preschool Program, one of only three municipal government administered preschool programs in the United States to meet all 10 national quality standards.
Prior to serving at City Hall, Burgess ran an international marketing/communication firm for 20 years. He is a former chair of the city’s Ethics and Elections Commission and a former detective with the Seattle Police Department.
The discussion during the March 13 presentation will be how to reset the vision for the city to better serve everyone.
To register for the event, go to https://signup.com/go/HAVjadn.
Questions can be submitted during the event or in advance by emailing paulamueller@comcast. net or queenannecc@gmail.com. This event is sponsored by the Queen Anne Community Council and the Queen Anne Block Captains Network.
Inslee signs off on bill that helps hard-hit businesses
By Ruairi Vaughan Contributing writer
The Washington state Legislature has passed a bill that will give a generous tax break to the businesses hardest hit by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The bill, Substitute House Bill 1095, is targeted towards companies that have received state or federal government grants on or after Feb. 29, 2020, that relate to a gubernatorial or presidential emergency declaration. These companies will not have to pay three key taxes — the Business and Occupation Tax, the Public Utilities Tax and the Retail Sales Tax — on the money they received from these grants.
The crucial date cited in the bill, Feb. 29 of last year, is the
day Washington recorded its first death from COVID-19, which was also the first recorded COVID death in the United States, at a nursing home in Kirkland.
Both the federal and state government have sent out a slew of emergency grants over the past 12 months in response to the dire effects that the combination of public fear, lockdown orders and the broader health crisis has had on small businesses’ ability to stay open and attract customers.
While the program is credited with keeping many businesses afloat as both the government and the private sector struggled to navigate the novel disease, state representatives and senators from both parties reported increasing concern from their constituents that the grants could complicate
tax bills in an already difficult fiscal year.
The state legislature’s response to these concerns was SHB 1095, which was put together in the waning days of 2020 by state Rep. Amy Walen, D-Redmond. The bill was met with overwhelming bipartisan support, which led to it passing both chambers of the state legislature in under a month with unanimous support.
The bill, and the speed with which it was passed, was praised by state Rep. Noel Frame, DSeattle, as “a testament to your elected representatives and the federal and state governments being responsive to the needs of our communities and answering their calls for help.”
Gov. Jay Inslee signed the bill into law Friday.
Seattle Dances livestream event will benefit Plymouth Housing
Plymouth Housing presents the livestreamed event and fundraiser “Seattle Dances,” featuring nine local luminaries paired with professional dancers, March 13.
Tickets are not required, and everyone is invited to attend the event, which will benefit Plymouth Housing. It will be live streamed beginning at 7 p.m. at seattledances.org. General donations can be made at http://bit.ly/Donate2SD.
During the event, nine area residents, including former Seahawk tight end Cooper Hlfet, Alex Nordstrom and Scott Oki, will perform with professional dancers from local dance companies and The Century Ballroom.
The dancers are competing for People’s Choice, Judge’s Choice and Cyber Choice Trophies. Each dancer has practiced for months with a professional dance instructor to show off new skills in breakdancing, tap dancing, Bollywood, jazz and modern pop.
To further the celebration, attendees can reserve a Seattle Dances experience package. Each comes with a program, raffle ticket, refreshments and party favors. Packages are available for pick-up from Kaspars Catering and Special Events at 3656 34th Ave. W., for $75, $125 and $250.
People should reserve a Seattle Dances package by March 2 at seattledances.org.
Queen Anne Community Council conducting sentiment survey
The Queen Anne Community Council wants to know what residents think about living and working on Queen Anne. The council is conducting an online survey of residents and those who own businesses or work there. Input will be used by the council to
help understand residents’ priorities and inform some work going forward. The results will also be shared with the community. The survey consists of six questions and can be accessed at https://forms.gle/bvNvX49VmDA5oWoP6. Responses are anonymous.
OBITUARY
Frances Josephine Agnetti DeBruler. Born in Seattle, WA, April 12, 1925. Passed away at her Seattle home of 70 years on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2021. The best mom, mentor, protector, and friend any child could have. She was like a 2nd mom to our friends. A knitterof-hats extraordinaire. An Eddy Bauer “Legend”. She was the neighborhood matriarch. The savior of all dogs that strayed into the neighborhood. Donations to Homeward Pet (Woodinville, WA), Mary’s Place Seattle, Union Gospel Mission and/or The National Wildlife Federation would thrill her. Mom did not want a memorial service and requested cremation.
BRIDGE, FROM PAGE 1
community, through a series of interactive tributes, events, contests, activities and educational pieces.
Traven explained that a key motivation behind the activities is to draw attention to the fact that the last 20 years of the 90-year-old bridge’s history have been marked by starts, stops, studies and plans to rebuild the failing bridge that have ultimately gone nowhere.
A lot of groups are going to be given the opportunity to join in the activities, Traven said.
“This is meant to be inclusive and informative and fun and also needle elected officials a little bit as to how long this has taken,” Traven said.
Many activities are planned to take place over the next few months, beginning with disaster, specifically earthquake, preparedness. Organizers plan to collect stories from residents asking where they were at the time.
Traven said they intend to have a contest inviting Magnolia restaurants to submit recipes for a “shaken, not stirred” cocktail called the Magnolia Bridge.
Another idea, Traven said, is to ask people to submit songs for a “Shaken, Not Stirred” music playlist that could be played at a future community dance party.
She said they also intend to work with schools to have students draw pictures or complete a coloring sheet that would be
submitted to city officials. She is also thinking of the possibility of a tongue-in-cheek event at a COVID-19 appropriate site where city leaders can “kick the can down the road” or have a baton relay race that goes nowhere.
“They have kicked the can down the road for a long time,” she said.
Traven said people should check the Magnolia Community Council and Magnolia Bridge Seattle’s Facebook pages or sign up for emailed newsletters to receive information on the “Shaken, Not Stirred” activities as they are announced.
At last week’s Community Council meeting, District 7 City Councilmember Andrew Lewis stated the Magnolia Bridge project could gain some traction in the coming months.
He said he and District 6 Councilmember Dan Strauss met with District 36 legislators Sen. Reuven Carlyle and Rep. Liz Berry prior to the start of the state Legislature to discuss whether funds could be earmarked for critical infrastructure projects that specifically build off the Ballard Interbay Regional Transportation System study completed in 2020. One of the projects considered in that study was options for replacing the Magnolia bridge, including the 1:1 replacement near its current location.
“My hope is that we will see something big come out of Olympia and keep moving this one step at a time,” Lewis said.
Frances Josephine Agnetti DeBruler
ment venue for a number of concerts. Overall, merchants and residents could expect up to 200 days of events in the neighborhood again.
Kirbie Predmore, the owner of the new Uptown HopHouse brewery right across the street from the Climate Pledge Arena, had no previous connection with the neighborhood but sold his business in Lake City and bought the small retail space in a building that his friend owns at 219 First Ave. N. #101.
With the construction of the new arena and the pandemic, trying to stay open has been a real problem, however.
“[It’s been] Brutal,” Predmore said. “We are the only sports pub in the area, so social gatherings to watch games is the heart of our business. Seahawks games and trivia nights just aren’t the same.”
Other businesses that have been in the area for years have had their share of struggles in the years between the old Key Arena going down and the Climate Pledge Arena going up, as well.
One of those businesses is the Streamline Tavern, an Uptown dive bar since the 1950s.
In 2014, the Streamline property on Second and Mercer was purchased by the Korean government, and the bar was forced to move in 2015.
To keep the old-school neighborhood feel from the old bar to its new building, owner Mike Lewis and some friends retrieved
Photo by Jake Heffner, UW Newsroom
As construction continues on the new Climate Pledge Arena, the prospect of the venue opening this fall has created a new buzz in Queen Anne’s Uptown neighborhood. The expectation is that the arena could host around 180 events in the first year.
the huge horseshoe-style bar from the original property and carried it down Mercer Street to its new location. The Streamline was whole again with its old bar and fixtures at its new building on Roy Street in Uptown.
The Streamline was doing well, even with the loss of the Sonics and concerts. There were still events in the nearby Seattle Cen-
ter and local patrons frequenting the bar kept everybody happy.
Then COVID-19 hit.
Lewis, along with other businesses owners, are now weathering a storm that has taken its toll over the last six months.
Revenue has dropped 70 percent, and many employees are out of work.
While grocery stores flourished
and take-out restaurants have managed to stay afloat, taverns and bars have floundered.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is a tornado,” Lewis said. “It has destroyed one location while leaving others in perfect condition.”
While the pandemic continues to take its toll on everyone, Climate Pledge Arena construction continues, with the NHL Seattle
“We are the only sports pub in the area, so social gatherings to watch games is the heart of our business. Seahawks games and trivia nights just aren’t the same.”
— Kirbie Predmore, Uptown HopHouse owner
Kraken franchise coming soon to Uptown.
“Bring em on,” Lewis said. “Hockey fans are going to be great.”
Lewis said he will be excited to see the waves of fans coming into his bar before and after the games at Climate Pledge Arena.
Further, with the starting of Phase Two in Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 reopening plan, Climate Pledge Arena construction still on schedule and new businesses popping up in the neighborhood, establishments that were once deserted could soon have new faces patronizing them.
With all that on the horizon, the promise of renewed activity in Uptown has business owners and residents alike looking forward to a new future in their neighborhood.
