November 28: Small Business Saturday Support
Kenmore’s growing small business community by shopping at local retailers on November 28 'Small Business Saturday' and throughout the holiday season. You can avoid the large-scale shopping frenzy and explore the
smaller side of independently-owned businesses such as Snapdoodle Toys, Ostroms
Drug & Gift, Micro Homebrew, Maser’s Pet Boutique, and more.
More than 100
businesses, including local retailers, can be found on Kenmore’s Business
Directory at www.FindKenmore.org.#SBSKenmore
December: Neighborhood Transportation Meetings The City of Kenmore is working to review and address the transportation needs and concerns in the various neighborhoods throughout the city. During the 2015-16 budgeting process, the City set aside funds to create and implement Neighborhood Transportation Plans. This work will be performed collaboratively with the citizens who live, work and play in Kenmore’s neighborhoods. Each neighborhood will have individual meetings; to see your designated neighborhood, visit www.kenmorewa.gov/NTPP and view the City's GIS Map.
December 4: Annual Tree Lighting Festival Join us Friday, December 4 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Kenmore City Hall and Kenmore Camera for a fun-filled evening for the entire family! Events include arts and crafts, entertainment stage, holiday cookie decorating, face painting, canned food, stuffed animal and tree ornament drives, free photos with Santa, and food trucks. Help count down the lighting of the tree with Santa at 6:30 p.m. Free parking is available at City Hall and Kenmore Camera.
December 7: Hack Night Round Two: Map It Our Round Two Hack Night event will focus on a single challenge—how to use interactive mapping
features on Kenmore’s website to better serve residents and visitors alike. At
the December 7 event from 6:30 - 9 p.m., we will give you ideas of where maps on the website would be useful
and provide some guidelines as to what the City would be looking for. Non-coders are always welcome as well. Food
will be provided. RSVP on the event's Facebook page.
December 14: Share Feedback on Design Concepts of Two City
Parks You are invited to
attend an open house at City Hall on December 14 from 6 - 7 p.m. to provide feedback and ask questions about the updated
design concepts for Squire's Landing Park and Log Boom Park. Both design
concepts focus on improvements to improve public access to the water and
shoreline. The concepts will be available to view on the City’s
website on December
10. If you have questions please contact Debbie Bent, Community
Development Director at dbent@kenmorewa.gov
or 425 398 8900.
CITY NEWS
Help Fill the Shelves at Kenmore's Local Food Bank
The City of Kenmore is partnering with Cedar Park Northshore
Church for a holiday food drive! From November 30 through December 11 you can
donate any nonperishable food items; all donations will go directly to those in
need in the Kenmore community. Some of the most needed items include canned fruits/vegetables, canned meats, boxed meals, soup/crackers, and oatmeal packets. There will be a large bin in the lobby of City Hall
to collect items. The Tree Lighting Festival on December 4 is the perfect
opportunity to stop by City Hall and donate.
In the past year, Cedar
Park Northshore Church has provided over 500 grocery servings to Kenmore families. For more information, visit the Food Bank's website.
Planning your Holiday Shopping? Be Aware of Fraud
Photo courtesy of Bankinfosecurity.com
The holiday season is full of gift giving and shopping. It
is also a popular time for scams and fraud to take place. Below are a few tips provided by AARP to help you from becoming a victim of fraud this holiday season.
Many con artists take advantage of holiday generosity by
going door-to-door. Ask for identification and get specifics to how and where
the donations will be spent/used.
When you're clicking through to a website, carefully read the Internet address that appears at the top of your browser.
Beware of any site whose name is different from a legitimate online
retailer's — extra words or letters, misspellings — and anything but the usual
.com or .org ending.
Don't believe sob stories. Beware of "act now"
offers that tell you an individual needs cash for something immediate. These tactics are often bait to empty your wallet;
the items typically don't exist.
Research prices. Similar items typically fall into a
general price range. If an item is offered way below a normal price, ask yourself why. Scammers use ridiculously low
prices to lure consumers into a bogus bargain.
Drive Sober this Holiday Season
If you plan on celebrating with alcohol this holiday season,
plan on having a sober driver! This time of year always includes an increase in
social events that involve alcohol and data from the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that this results in an increase in DUIs
and fatal drunk-driving crashes. Below are a few tips on driving, bicycling,
and walking during the holiday season. For more information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.
Planning ahead
is the key to avoiding a DUI or a deadly drunk driving crash. A sober driver is
an essential part of any plan that includes drinking.
Law
enforcement actively looks for drunk drivers, especially around the holidays.
So keep in mind that Buzzed Driving Is
Drunk Driving.
Help others
be responsible, too. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person
get behind the wheel.
Riding a bicycle while intoxicated can also have fatal results as your judgement and ability to react is impaired.
Even walking
while impaired can be dangerous, especially in unfamiliar areas. Designate a sober
friend to walk you home.
Pet Safety for the Holidays
Photo courtesy of Dogster.com
The holiday season includes decorations, trees, candles,
and house plants. Below are a few tips for keeping your four-legged friends
safe and happy this time of year. For more information, visit the ASPCA online and always have your veterinarian's phone number on-hand for any pet emergencies.
Anchor trees securely. Climbing cats and dogs
with wagging tails can knock over your tree. Hang breakable or glass ornaments
higher on the tree.
Keep tinsel, ribbons, and garland out of pets’
reach as these objects can become stuck in their intestines.
Clean up pine needles frequently. They can be
toxic when eaten by your pet.
Keep lights and extension cords safely secured
or covered to prevent chewing, which can lead to electric shock. You can also
spray cords with a product such as Chew Stop.
House plants can be dangerous to pets—lillies can
be deadly to cats, poinsettias can upset your pet’s digestive system, and holly,
hibiscus and amaryllis can cause vomiting.
Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your pets. Keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.
It’s time to get In Motion!
King County Metro invites Kenmore residents to
join Communities In Motion, their newest program aimed at helping you improve
your commute and explore different travel options around the I-405 corridor.
Take the pledge to reduce drive-alone trips and you will receive a $25 gift
card from Shell, REI, ORCA, TranBen or Jiffy Lube (while supplies last). Check
out kingcounty.gov/getinmotion to find out more, and
keep an eye out for Communities In Motion mailings, events and meetings around
Kenmore!
Where do the Crows Go? Here in Kenmore, crows are the topic of many conversations as we see them often flying overhead. We wonder where they are going and why. A local reporter and videographer investigated this question by following a crow migration for a night. The result is an interesting article and video showing the fascinating and eventful life of crows. Read more and watch the video on the KUOW website.
