Madison Park Times 10-01-21 by Pacific Publishing Company

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Sisters of electro-swing

Local singers turned pandemic into new opportunity with Blush Fox Trio

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Featured Stories

By Jessica Keller

Madison Park Times editor Like many performers in the entertainment industry, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdowns stalled the careers of actor/singers Carly Marie Corey, Savannah Lynn and Noel Christine. Rather than wait for the theaters to open back up, however, the three performers decided to take charge of their careers by forming the electro-swing band, Fox Blush Trio. Corey and Lynn, both Seattle residents, initially started the band in May of 2020. The two friends agreed they wanted to do something positive with their musical theater backgrounds while they couldn’t perform on stage by recording songs, making music videos and releasing music. Corey said she and Lynn have been friends for more than three years, and they met Noel Christine during the pandemic during a search for an alto singer. “We thought it was a great opportunity to start creating and launching our own work,” Corey said. The result was harmonious, and the trio launched their band under the name Blush Fox Trio. “It was kind of crazy because none of us had jobs, so we could really put all of that energy that we were putting into other things into creating this,” Corey said. An added bonus, she said, was their friends were also in the same situation, so they invited friends who were free to collaborate. They hired friends to dance in their videos and another to design their costumes. “Although the pandemic was horrible, it kind of opened up some opportunity for us to really get a head start,” Corey said. Corey is the songwriter and arranges the vocals and produces the music with her husband. They meet once or twice a week in Corey’s Queen Anne apartment to practice and rent space when they want to record or practice choreography. “I think we all, we’re at this point where we’re kind of taking control of our careers and building our own thing, which feels really fantastic,” Corey said. She said not only is the trio’s chemistry and “vocal blend” great, pivoting away from theater allows them more freedom. She said, as actors, a lot of their careers are decided by other people, starting with

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Photo courtesy Blush Fox Trio Members of Blush Fox Trio, from left, Noel Christine, Carly Marie Corey and Savannah Lynn sing at a performance for Aspire Repertory Theatre’s opening gala in September.

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October 2021

Back under the water

By Richard Carl Lehman Revisiting the Park

cuba diving meetings were always well attended. Two brothers named George and Dick Tomsguard suggested a new slant to diving at one of the meetings. They were from Alaska and spent time as many did looking for gold. The theory was that both rocks and gold rippled over large boulders in a river with the aid of the current. The two of them spent many days studying how rocks fell much slower than gold and were able to see fair results. Here in the Northwest, they found remote areas via road maps where they parked their cars and hiked in to find deep lakes and/or river pools. They purchased SNUBA gear: a quiet compressor, dive suit with added weights, tanks and lots of hose. The objective was to do a walk-in dive quietly and leave without the disturbing the surroundings. Taking care to stay quiet meant a landowner offering a shotgun welcome was unlikely. Like diving itself, maneuvering out of this situation had to be done with great caution. We met the two of them east of Seattle at their local tavern and played pool with the locals. It was good to get to know the brothers better. We asked how the SNUBA was working, to which they responded, “We’ll show you!” Presenting a small, pint-size coffee can, they asked us to lift it. Wow! It was heavy! George put a rock-like thing in my hand, and as I turned it, it glimmered. Oh, the glimmer of the elusive gold in all of its charm! There were rocks

with gold embedded in them and actual nuggets! That can was worth big bucks. They later told us how many they had found and had sent home to Alaska. Frank from West Seattle Dive Shop and I joined them on one occasion. We hiked in through the thicket and could hear the river, the boulders posing ominously. We suited up and waded against the current to the down side of one of them. George, Frank and I dove some 20 feet to where we could feel the coolness of the geothermal layer. We swept the hose along the bottom sucking up rocks hoping to find gold. Ever aware of big rocks falling from above, we spent a lengthy time under and finally back up to the river bank. We knelt down to screen the dirt, rocks and gold! We couldn’t believe it. This locale and many other locations were the brothers’ secret and they did it right! These generous guys gave us a share of their good fortune. Somewhat dangerous, it was, but so rewarding. After that, we decided to combine our search for gold with river running. On one venture we used a SNUBA but took limited gear on our quest to find gold. A river of choice had a strong current, and we ran short of air about 60 minutes early fighting it. The brothers had it down to a science and brought river running to a whole new level. One dive member flew his small plane over a feasible river and charted areas for water falls as he was unsure how to proceed. Earlier, a group on a first run had found themselves in a quiet area

TRIO, FROM PAGE 1 the theater auditioning and being “given permission to do our craft,” Corey said. “This way, we get to take the reins a little bit and creative control,” she added. Lynn said electro swing is an emerging genre of music that has been pretty niche for a while but has been gaining more of a mainstream sound recently. Corey said the electro-swing genre can be broad but essentially takes Big Band-era swing that has a nostalgic feel and layering pop beats and bass on top.

that felt unusually still. Suddenly, 15-foot falls appeared, and they were forced over them. One guy dislocated his shoulder and went to the North Bend hospital. River running was always the best in the summer. but we did it all year round. The four-man heavy-duty raft was a favorite. To keep beverages safe, we wrapped them in towels and tied them to the raft. On one run, we refined our river running by sending a couple of guys ahead to set up a camp, build a fire and prepare food. On one trip, a fellow rafter had fallen off the raft and struck his

“I feel like right now people are really craving nostalgia and going back to a simpler time,” Lynn said about the music’s appeal. “Electro-swing is a good way to bring the old and the new together.” Corey said, when deciding on a direction for their music, they drew on their shared love for old Hollywood vintage music, The Andrews Sisters and the 1940s’ sound in general, while adding their own sound and making it more modern and exciting. “We wanted something to make us stand out, too, so when we got to the electro sound, we got really excited,” Corey said.

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In addition to their original songs, Blush Fox Trio also performs covers of remixed pop songs with a vintage twist and jazz standards that are familiar to everyone, Corey said. The band members also put their artistic flair on display in performances. Their look incorporates vintage Hollywood and features dresses from that era, the popular victory hair rolls of the day and a bold red lip. Blush Fox Trio is beginning to attract more notice in Seattle, as well. The group has a live performance lined up on Nov. 5

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tailbone on a boulder and blacked out. We were able to purse his purple lips and give him a capful of tequila. In no time he was up and running. In the beginning, three of us made a test run in our four-man raft. We had rowing down to a system, having learned how to dodge the various obstructions. We were in the groove when the current slowed. Ahead of us was a large tree trunk that had fallen across the river. Our thought was to approach the tree, lift the raft up and over and be on our way. Well, almost — as we approached the trunk, the current sucked the

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raft and us underneath it. We grabbed branches and found our overturned raft in brambles as we heard the sound of cans of beer making their way down stream. Sharing the identical expressions of shock, we untangled the raft minus the goods inside. Fortunately, some of the goods floated and were gathered further down. Lesson learned: Don’t try to outsmart the river. Just because we were all good swimmers, once entangled in branches, we could have declared “Sayonara!” But the Diving Gods were with us, and we are here to tell another day!

at the Jewel Box Rendezvous and has inquiries pouring in for the Christmas season and next spring, Corey said. The trio is also excited about an album they are featured on with other female electro-swing artists from around the world called “Swing Sisters,” which was released in September. To order the album, go to smarturl.it/swingsisters1. People can follow Blush Fox Trio on their website, blushfoxtrio.com, which has links to their music videos, or visit the Blush Fox Trio YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXjLrfnh2gvZ35_e4UFJ37Q.

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Editor: Jessica Keller, 206-461-1310 or MPTimes@pacificpublishingcompany.com Art Department: Guy L. Jackson Production Artist Subscriber Services | Circulation: Chris Lemmen, 206-461-1337 Letters policy: Letters to the Editor — whether sent via regular mail or e-mail — must include an address and a telephone number at which you can be reached for verification. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters are subject to editing.

October 2021

Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times

After the quake: Neighbors helping neighbors By Margie Carter and Sarah Armstrong

Photo courtesy Margie Carter Sarah Armstrong and Bob Edmiston, members of the Madison Park volunteer emergency preparation and response team, display a map where notations of blocked roads, fires, collapsed bridges and other critical updates will be noted by the hub radio operators after an earthquake.

e KNOW sometime in the future we will be faced with a devastating earthquake or other major disaster. On the day it occurs, your task is to make sure you, your household and neighbors are safe, have shelter and basic first aid. The day after the disaster, you are to meet in the park by our brown hub box to activate our system to support one another until help arrives. This is the plan endorsed by the city. The Madison Park volunteer emergency preparation and response team has reactivated, and we are encouraging neighbors to do three tasks to survive an earthquake. You can find resources for each of these on the Seattle Office of Emergency Management and Seattle Emergency Hubs websites listed below. First, prepare your household,

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https://www.seattle.gov/emergency-management/prepare/prepareyourself. Second, get to know immediate neighbors on your block and organize yourself loosely into a SNAP, which stands for Seattle Neighborhoods Actively Prepare, https://www.seattle.gov/emergency-management/prepare/prepareyour-neighborhood/seattle-neighborhoods-actively-prepare. This is like “block watch-plus,” where you have contact numbers and emails for each other and know some basic things like how many people and pets are in each household and who has special skills (e.g., contractor, nurse, doctor, electrician) or resources (e.g., generators, tents, satellite phones). Third, participate in Madison Park Emergency HUB activities and read our Madison Park Times publications so you’ll know that the day after the earthquake you are to come to the park to offer or request help. At the hub, you will also be able to get updates from our Ham radio volunteers about critical infrastructure conditions (e.g., collapsed bridges, closed hospitals, where fires are out of control) and when we can expect

federal and state rescue teams to arrive. You can also become one of the trained volunteers who will collect information on local situations, needs and resources and assist in getting those matched up with people in need after the quake. Also needed are folks to work with our Madison Park team of amateur radio operators to relay information between other neighborhood Hubs and the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, http://seattleemergencyhubs.org/, https://www.seattle. gov/emergency-management/ training. In addition to the valuable training and resources posted here, join us for an upcoming neighborhood activity from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Madison Park Tennis Courts, where we will stage a hub drill as part of the Great Shakeout Day, https:// www.shakeout.org/washington/ Come see us in action! If you would like to be on our mailing list or become a volunteer with us, please contact Sarah Armstrong, saraharmstrong215@ gmail.com, or Mary Beth McAteer, msimiele1@gmail.com.

Maple Festival 2021 this month at Seattle Japanese Garden

Harrell are running to replace incumbent Mayor Jenny Durkan, who decided she would retire at the end of her term. In the city attorney race, Nicole Thomas-Kennedy and Ann Davison are squaring off to fill the seat currently held by Pete Holmes, who was ousted in the primary election. The forums will be moderated by Erica C. Barnett and Jeff Sprung. People may submit questions to be asked during the forums. Email queenannecc@ gmail.com.

The Maple Festival 2021 will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 8 through Oct. 17 at the Seattle Japanese Garden, 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E. Self-guided maple tour brochures are available at the gatehouse all day. A new Seattle Japanese Garden scavenger hunt will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday during the festival. Northwest Nikkei by Michelle Kumata will be in display in the Tateuchi Community Room through the end of October. Admission to the garden ends 45 minutes prior to closing time. There is no admission after 4:15 p.m. People should plan to arrive at least one hour prior to closing. Tripods are not allowed in the garden.

Community council hosting conversation with candidates, Oct. 10 The Queen Anne Community Council is hosting a virtual community conversation for the candidates running for mayor and city attorney in the Nov. 2 general election this month. Everyone is invited to attend. The community forum will begin at 3 p.m. Oct. 10. Go to https://signup.com/go/NGpALpJ to register. In the mayoral race, City Council President Lorena Gonzalez and opponent Bruce

People can volunteer for upcoming Seattle Forest Week projects

Harrison Ridge Greenbelt organizers in Madison Valley will have volunteer events throughout the Seattle Forest Week, Nov. 6 through Seattle Arbor Day, Nov. 13. Projects that week will continue throughout the month of November, as volunteers plant more than 600 trees and shrubs, provided by the Green Seattle Partnership. Volunteers will haul woodchips, dig holes, move plants to various areas of the greenbelt and, in dry areas, water the new plants. Volunteers of all ages can help increase the population of native trees and shrubs necessary for maintaining the health of this part of the Pacific Northwest ecosystem during Seattle Forest Week. To find out about neighborhood event, go to HarrisonRidge.org, and click on “Get Involved,” or go to SeattleForestWeek.org to sign up for events all across the city.

October 2021

Sun Valley

The count down is on. It is time to plan your active winter vacation. What are you waiting for? The time is now to buy your home in Sun Valley. We have been discovered. I will guarantee you that the sun will be shining in Sun Valley. Text or call 208-720-4595.

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Photo by Mary Henry Less than an hour from Seattle, the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way features a collection of over 150 bonsai. The museum is featuring a special exhibit this month, World War Bonsai — Remembrance and Resilience, a collection of trees cultivated during or soon after World War II.

A short journey into bonsai

By Steve Lorton Tree Talk

ravel is more than physical movement from one place to another. It is a journey into history and culture. It is a vehicle to the discovery of exotic riches. Some travel takes a specific focus: art, architecture, food, theater, animals, perhaps horticulture and gardens. Yes! Horticulture and gardens. I’ll be traveling this month, so I’m suggesting to readers that you do a bit of traveling yourselves. Less than an hour from Seattle, the Pacific Bonsai Museum is nestled into native woodland, adjoining the old Weyerhaeuser corporate headquarters in Federal Way. The museum is open air with a collection of over 150 bonsai, 60 of which are on display at any one time. Every plant stands at eye level, tucked into carrels, so that the viewer’s focus is on each of these incredible creations. Simply stated, bonsai uses the techniques of pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation and grafting to grow miniature trees that have the shape and style of full-size plants. The trees are often artistically contorted, reminiscent of the gnarled conifers we see growing in the rocky outcroppings of Japanese mountains and also our own high Cascades. Bonsai dates back to the sixth century in Japan. Buddhist students, visiting mainland China, returned home with potted trees. Over the centuries, the cultivation process was refined, reaching its peak in the 17th century. A few of these old trees survive, the oldest, a Japanese National Treasure, began its bonsai training in 1610. Fascination with this living art form spread. By the early 19th

century, bonsai became a widely popular hobby. Today, largely due to the postWorld War II interest in Japanese culture, groups and individuals cultivating bonsai have sprung up in pockets around the world, none more vigorously than in the Western United States. The trees in the Pacific Bonsai Museum’s collection come from Canada, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and the United States. To enjoy the subtle seasonal changes in these trees, visit the museum in autumn, winter, spring and summer. There is good reason, however, to go this month. A special exhibit, entitled World War Bonsai — Remembrance and Resilience, is on view through this month and into November. The idea of Aarin Packhard, bonsai historian and the museum’s curator, the show features 35 trees, all cultivated during, or soon after, World War II. Each tree is a rhapsodic manifestation of nature, art, painstaking cultivation, constant attention and love, all under the stressful circumstances of surviving the war and its ramifications. What makes this show resonate, as much as the incredible beauty of the bonsai, is the story that accompanies each of the plants. Posted in the carrel, many with photographs, the text is to be read where the visitor can see the plant. Every tale is compelling. Ben Oki, a Japanese-American studying in Japan, was trapped there with the outbreak of the war. In a split-second decision, he chose to go fishing rather than take the train into downtown Hiroshima for a job interview on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945. What seemed a reckless impulse saved him from the Atomic Bomb and certain death. His brother, who was with him and chose to go into the city, was lost. After the war, Ben returned

to Los Angeles where he ran a successful landscape design and installation business. He practiced bonsai, becoming the curator of the bonsai collection at the famous Huntington Library Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California, holding that position until he died at the age of 88. Juzaburo Furuzawa was incarcerated in Tule Lake Segregation Center. There, in a tin can, he planted seeds of black pine that had been sent to him by relatives in Japan, where pine trees symbolize strength, resilience and longevity. The seeds germinated, a pine grew and the bonsai on display is the one he tended through life. The stories go on, each one as compelling as the next. You’ll want to buy a catalog of the show, replete with beautiful photographs and well-written and informative text. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. For directions, holiday closing dates and access to some excellent taped interviews, see the website, www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org. Set aside time to walk the well-groomed trails meandering through the adjoining forest. You may want to visit the Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden in the same wooded area. Make a day of it! Mark Twain famously said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness…” ’Tis unlikely that any readers of this publication suffer from any of those maladies. Still, it is always healthy to broaden your view of our wonderful earthly whole. While I am out and about, I urge our readers to take a journey into history and culture and all the exotic riches that can offer. Travel — head south, down to the Pacific Bonsai Museum.

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October 2021

Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times

social emotional academic artistic

Working ergonomics for you

f all the quesspare bedroom, tions that dining room exceptional programs patients ask me, table — some waddler work ergonomics and even worktoddler posture are near the top ing from their preschool pre-kindergarten of the list. It is a fair set bed. There are of questions because so several key many working people concepts that now spend a large share can improve of their time behind a your ergonomcomputer. ics position Dr. Dan Michael Since the pandemic, and practice. many have been desMost of them Northwest Sports are free and can ignated to work from capitol hill • madison valley home, which creates be used imme206-329-5187 additional challenges, some workdiately, so why not start now? Admissions@HarvardAvenueSchool.com HarvardAvenueSchool.com Raise your hips. Having one’s ing from their living room couch, hips too low — below the knee — is one common error, and it’s most made by those working from the YOU ARE INVITED! couch. Couches tend to be lower MLK FAME Community Center to the ground than office chairs, STATES AND NATIONS REUNION and low hips put the hip joint in Virtually, November 6, 2021 a semi-flexed position, shortenat 1:00pm - 2:00pm ing a group of muscles called “hip flexors,” which creates strain on the lower back. You want to keep your hip as close to 90 degrees as possible if you are going to sit for any long period of time. Whether you raise your chair or put pillows under your hips, any effort to VIRTUAL 2021 States and Nations Reunion improve will make a difference. ZOOM Meeting ID: 16699301 Passcode: 723858 Some may have a high desk that www.mlkfame.com is not adjustable, so you may We look forward to seeing you at our Annual require a footrest. Fundraiser as we represent our States and Nations Rest your elbows. Resting your with fun and entertainment. Help us honor our forearms is a second-best option, supporters and community! but really the elbows should be MLK Fame Community Center 3201 East Republican Street near 90 degrees. Unlike the hips, Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 257-5572 the elbows need more flexion to

protect the shoulder from overreaching. Chronic long periods of shoulder protraction to reach for a keyboard or mouse can result in shoulder pain and even injury. Long periods of low-level tension in muscles, especially of the shoulder, can cause tendon inflammation and degeneration over time that can result in tendon tears. Secondly, the arms need to be rested on a stable surface to prevent other overuse injuries in the arm, shoulder and neck. The simple act of resting your elbows can save you from a host of injuries ranging from the head, neck, back, shoulder, arm and wrist. Sit up, lean back, but never lean forward. Some folks attack posture with too much zeal by raising their back rest so vertically that they end up effectively leaning forward. Leaning forward, or even attempting to become too erect, can activate the spinal muscles excessively. If you want to activate your back muscles, that is OK, but you must also then activate your core muscles without missing a moment in time. For how do core activation, reference my previous articles on core coordination first. Every spine is unique and will have a natural resting place, and so what you should do is be away from any extremes while keeping the basic framework of ergonomics in place. What is the basic framework

of ergonomics you might ask? Basically, your feet should be rested on a flat surface; there should be evidence of 90- or 180-degree angles without much variance throughout the joints of the body. If there is variance, then it should never be under condition of muscular strain and definitely not for long periods (more than one hour). The monitor should be directly across from you, not causing your eyes to look up or down, and about 2 feet in front of you. Your arms and shoulders should be rested and not reaching. Your head should be directly above (or on top) of your shoulders, and your chair (or seat) should have a head rest, and you should be able to reach it without extending the neck backward. Your lower back should have some support, but depending on your unique spinal curves, you may need more or less than is capable by the chair. Your muscles must be relaxed, except the abdominal core muscles, which would ideally have some level of light tension to support the lower back. Perhaps the most important part of ergonomics is actually taking a break to get up and move. Our bodies are designed to move all day, and we have not yet evolved to sit behind a computer. We may need several thousands of years to achieve it, but for now, remember to take frequent movement breaks.

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“Microdosing” involves taking threshold amounts of a substance to feel sub-perceptual effects, and it’s gaining traction with cannabis legalization. While some cannabis micro-dosers are curious about enhanced creativity or mood, others are seeking relief from pain or anxiety without experiencing psychoactivity. Whatever the reason, taking minimal doses of THC is reportedly beneficial for many of those who’ve tried it, and some limited medical research seems to support this claim. THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive compound found in cannabis that gives users the sensation of being “high.” Depending on the amount of THC consumed, effects can range from the sub-perceptual elevation of mood to a nearly psychedelic experience. The ideal cannabis microdose will be hardly noticeable, and shouldn’t impair your ability to perform daily tasks. People choose to microdose cannabis for a variety of reasons. Most often, medical patients will start experimenting for the first time with cannabis and will take only the smallest amount needed to experience relief without feeling the psychoactive buzz. In some instances, taking lower doses of cannabis is actually more helpful for alleviating chronic pain than higher doses. This is the conclusion of a 2012 study, published in the Journal of Pain, in which cancer patients were administered either a low dose (1–4 sprays/day), medium dose (6–10 sprays/day), or high

dose (11–16 sprays/day) of a blend of THC and CBD. The results of the study describe patients with a higher dose experiencing similar pain levels as the control group, whereas the low dose group reported experiencing the least amount of pain. Such research shows promising potential for the use of THC and CBD in small, subperceptual doses. While cancer pain is a comparatively severe reason to seek the medicinal benefits of cannabis, some people are microdosing THC for a myriad of other reasons, which may include the desire to feel more creative, or just to see what happens! For all the reasons there are to try microdosing weed, there are several points of valuable advice that apply to anyone: Start low and go slow. If you aren’t feeling anything yet, it’s tempting to take more, but cannabis consumed orally takes between 60-120 minutes to fully onset. Be patient! Concerning dosage, there isn’t one universally accepted microdose. Since each person experiences cannabis differently, it’s nearly impossible to define a perfect microdose in terms of milligrams. Typically, it’s advisable to start with 2.5mg of THC, unless you’re incredibly wary of any possibility of subtle psychoactivity, in which case 1mg is a good option. In Washington State, 10mg is the maximum legal limit for a cannabis edible, which is roughly equivalent to one standard dose.

To truly “micro”-dose, that is, to ingest less than the amount needed to feel perceptually high, you’ll want to consume no more than 5mg at a time. For this reason, edibles, tinctures, and capsules are the preferred method of ingestion since the dose is more measurable. When smoking flower, it’s harder to dial-in a specific dose. If you do wish to attempt microdosing with flower, it’s advisable to look for cannabis with a THC content at or under 15%, and start with only one hit. Stronger flower can still cause psychoactivity with only one hit, which defeats the purpose of a microdose. For the same reason, microdosing with dab oil or cartridges is difficult unless the oil or cartridge is quite low in THC. With any luck, you may find that microdosing cannabis is a great strategy to experience the benefits of cannabis without unwanted psychoactivity. Cannabis is a complicated plant- it’s made of hundreds of unique compounds that we’ve yet to sufficiently research due to federal laws. Therefore, no two people will react to the same cannabis product identically. Microdosing around 2mg each day might work well for some people, but others may require higher doses to achieve the desired results.

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October 2021

Meet the candidates: District 5 School Board

Mom of 3, longtime Central District resident Michelle Sarju will advocate for student health as board member

Capitol Hill’s Dan Harder hopes to bring new voice, prioritize individual student excellence if elected

By Jessica Keller

Madison Park Times editor For all of Michelle Sarju’s career, children and their health at various stages of their life, have been a central focus. Sarju is running for the Seattle Public Schools District 5 position against mechanical engineer Dan Harder. If elected she will replace Director Zachary DeWolf, who did not run for re-election. Sarju, a 34-year resident of the Central District, has been a midwife, social worker and maternal health professional in her career and is currently managing a children’s healthcare program with King County Public Health. She is a mother of three adult children who all attended Seattle Public Schools and has served as a PTSA member at TOPS K-8 and Garfield High School. Sarju said, if elected, she will advocate and consider what is best for all students when helping set policy. “When it comes to children, this is not about politics,” she said. “This is about developing kids and having them grow in to happy, healthy, productive adults.” Sarju said, if she is elected, she wants to know how the current systems and policies in place in the district are working for the children and their families in the district, while ensuring that teachers have the classroom support and tools they need to be successful. “I believe every child should have access to a high-quality public school education,” Sarju said, adding access to programs should not be impacted by race, zip code, socioeconomic status, different abilities or language a student speaks. Sarju said one of the strengths she will bring to the board if elected is her background in social work. “I understand the social, emotional and mental health needs of children,” Sarju said. “That’s my skill. That’s my super power I’ll be bringing to the board.” She expects her experience developing and administering health programs for the county will serve her well because she regularly makes decisions keeping all children in mind, not just the ones the programs specifically serve.

“For me it’s not a lens,” Sarju said of equity. “It’s everything I do. ... We can no longer have equity be in its own silo.” Sarju also welcomes Michelle Sarju participating in hiring a new superintendent. She said she has seen seven new superintendents get hired to the district in the last 34 years and feels the revolving door needs to shut. “We need to be clear about what we want and not settle for less,” Sarju said. She wants the new superintendent to not only have leadership skills, she wants this person to make children’s well being, including long-term mental health, a focus, and develop a transportation plan that is sustainable and equitable. “The kids who need to be prioritized are over and over again not being prioritized,” Sarju said. She also wants the superintendent to be actively engage with community members and vows to do that as a School Board member if elected. Sarju said she already has some experience with that as former School Board District 5 Director Mary Bass is a friend of hers, and she learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes by helping Bass with administrative tasks, specifically setting up and running meetings between Bass and parents. She also wants to ensure parents are informed about the decisions the district and board members make, especially when it comes to COVID-19. “COVID is still our No. 1 priority,” she said. In the Nov. 2 general election, Seattle residents are allowed to vote in every school board race, regardless of where they reside in the district. Go to https:// sarjuforseattleschools.com for more information about Sarju.

Madison Park Times editor Capitol Hill resident Dan Harder is hoping to bring a new voice to the School Board. Harder, a mechanical engineer, said he witnessed teenagers participating in the rioting in Capitol Hill during last summer’s unrest, and he was motivated to run for School Board after later learning that they were recruited by groups like Black Lives Matter and influenced by “radical ideology” learned in Seattle Public Schools: Critical Race Theory. “Where are folks picking up ideas that it’s OK burning the police station down or setting off Molotov cocktails?” Harder said. According to Harder’s voter’s pamphlet statement released in the primary election, “the premise of Critical Race Theory and ‘anti-racism’ is that all social disparity is the result of systemic racism, and that group identity, not individual character, is the core of who you are. It teaches students to hate each other, their country and, if they happen to be white, themselves.” One of his main objectives, he said, if he is elected to School Board would be to remove CRT from Seattle Public Schools curriculum and “prioritize academic excellence” over activism. Harder is also concerned about reports during lockdown of homeless encampments being situated on Broadview Thompson K-3 school grounds. He said, first, tents were set up on park grounds next to the school, but when the School Board didn’t require the city to remove the encampments, the homeless residents moved to school property, which is a safety concern. He said it is the city’s duty to clear out encampments and provide services to the homeless, whereas the district’s concern is with student safety. “When I am director I will advocate for a policy that requires the immediate removal of any folks who are camping on school property,” Harder said. “That is completely inappropriate.” Harder admits if he is elected to the School Board he will have a lot to learn. His only foray into government or politics in the past was an unsuccessful bid for

Washington state Senate against Sen. Jamie Peterson. I tend too run long-odd campaigns, but so be it,” Harder said. Harder said his vision for Seattle PubDan Harder lic Schools is to value students individually, value them equally without stereotyping, ensuring their safety and “seeking and expecting excellence from every student.” Harder said, while he does not have any experience in education, nor does he have children, he would provide a different voice on the board, something he said is missing. “I would bring a new voice,” he said, adding he would be an advocate for parents who are disappointed with what the district has been doing academically or with its other policies. “I would be a voice for parents that want to see change. They have been missing a clear voice for change.” Harder said, if elected, he would like to understand better how the district is spending its money. He said he is concerned that the funding breakdown comes out to be approximately $20,000 per student, which he said “is an incredible amount of money.” “I understand there’s different colors of money, but I think we can reprioritize a little bit,” Harder said, adding he thinks the district has plenty of resources monetarily, but they just need to be applied better. Harder is running against Michelle Sarju for the District 5 board seat in the Nov. 2 general election. Seattle residents are allowed to vote in every school board race during the general election, regardless of where they reside in the district. Go to www.danharderforschools.org for more information about Harder, or email danharderforschools@gmail.com.

American Red Cross hosting blood drives in area

The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood and platelet shortage and must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week over the next month for the blood supply to recover and meet hospital and patient needs. Donors of all blood types — especially type O — and platelet donors are urged to make an appointment to give now and in the weeks ahead to overcome this current shortage. According to a press release, blood donor turnout has reached the lowest levels of the year as many delayed giving as they

returned to the workplace and in-person learning, as well as a recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country due to the Delta variant. As cases spiked in August, blood donor participation decreased about 10 percent, but blood product distributions to hospitals have significantly outpaced blood donations in recent weeks. The national Red Cross blood inventory is the lowest it has been at this time of year since 2015, with less than a day’s supply of certain blood types in recent weeks. The supply of types O

positive and O negative blood, the most needed blood types by hospitals, dropped to less than a half-day supply at times over the last month — well below the ideal five-day supply. The Red Cross urges people to make an appointment to give blood or platelets as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows safety and infection control standards, and additional precautions — in-

cluding face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status — have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive. Upcoming blood drives in Seattle in October are: Oct. 8: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave. Oct. 11: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Van Vorst, 426 Terry Ave. N. Oct. 11: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross Seattle Chapter, 1900 25th Ave. S.

Oct. 12: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Van Vorst, 426 Terry Ave. N. Oct. 13: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Van Vorst, Terry Ave. N. Oct. 14: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Van Vorst, 426 Terry Ave. N. Oct. 15: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Van Vorst, 426 Terry Ave. N. Oct. 18: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross Seattle Chapter, 1900 25th Ave. S. Oct. 25: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., American Red Cross Seattle Chapter, 1900 25th Ave. S. Oct. 28: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave.

October 2021

Pacific Publishing Company – Queen Anne & Magnolia News • Madison Park Times

Madrona author releases third book in series

Newest Fog Ladies mystery came out Oct. 4

“The Fog Ladies: In The Soup,” the third installment in Seattle author and award-winning novelist Susan McCormick’s Fog Ladies cozy murder mystery series, was released Oct. 4 by The Wild Rose Press, 326 pages, $17.99. “Stressed young doctor-in-training Sarah James and the spunky, elderly Fog Ladies stumble into another murder when they volunteer at a San Francisco soup kitchen,” according to the press release. “They envision washing and chopping and serving. Then a celebrity chef ends up dead in the soup, the director is arrested and the soup kitchen is doomed. “The suspect list is long, including the soup kitchen director with a ruined life, the frumpy ex-wife jilted for a beautiful model, a land developer with an acrimonious past with the chef, and a disrespected soup kitchen guest who bit off a man’s ear. The Fog Ladies have troubles themselves. Frances Noonan has vision problems and must give up driving. Alma Gordon’s seventy-six-year-old beau is calling her by his dead wife’s name. Sarah has problems with her

sweetheart and must confront ghosts of the past, including her first love and her widowed, now dead, father, to understand her ambivalence today. “Navigating a near gas explosion, large dog digestive issues, a blackmailer and a scorned woman with a chicken cleaver, the Fog Ladies push on to find the killer. Each Fog Ladies grows and changes, with Alma Gordon stating, ‘Her couch was no longer soft and squishy, and neither was she.’ ” McCormick is an award-winning writer and a doctor who lives in Seattle. She graduated from Smith College and George Washington University School of Medicine, with additional medical training in Washington D.C., and San Francisco, where she lived in an elegant apartment building much like the one in the book. Susan served as a doctor in the U.S. Army for nine years before moving to the Pacific Northwest and civilian practice. In addition to the Fog Ladies series, she also wrote “Granny Can’t Remember Me,” a lighthearted picture book about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and “The Antidote,” a timely middle grade and up medical/STEM fantasy. She lives in Madrona with her husband and two sons. She loves giant dogs, the bigger and slobbery the better. Visit Susan McCormick online at www. https://susanmccormickbooks.com.

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