Northsound News Bits

Here are a few of the stories that are of interest in North King/South Snohomish counties today.

1. The Weather! The temperature yesterday was in the upper 90s, prompting many north end residents to suddenly become sick and have to leave work. Most parts of the country see temperatures in the 90s pretty consistently during the summer, but here in the Northwest its not that common. In fact, it's so uncommon that it tends to precipitate a lot of sudden illnesses. Illnesses that can only be cured by going to the beach, or taking out the boat.

2. Kenmore Redevelopment: According to to the Seattle Times, the city of Kenmore has signed an agreement with Kenmore Partners LLC to redevelop a large, city-owned parcel of downtown into a new city center with pedestrian-friendly shopping, in accordance with Kenmore's downtown master plan. Kenmore Village by the Lake will include housing, retail, and a central gathering space. The 9.6-acre site, at 68th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 181st Street, is now home to a temporary City Hall, a park-and-ride lot and a shopping center that dates to the 1960s and is currently home to Ostrom's Drug. The public comment period will begin in the fall.

Kenmore is one of the areas where I work, and I think this is great news given that one of the things that is less desirable about Kenmore is lack of this kind of infrastructure. It's actually a neighborhood that has a lot to offer in terms of its location and the kinds of homes that are available, but home values have been somewhat lower here than other nearby communities because of the lack of a central core. The completion of this project should increase home values in the area.

3. Arlington Fly-In is In Progress: The 39th Annual Arlington Fly-In began yesterday at the Arlington Airport and runs through Sunday. The Fly-In is one of the leading air shows in the country for experimental and "sport" aviation.