March 23, 2016 The Skanner Page 5
News
Events & Announcements
Community
Calendar 2016
cont’d from pg 4
work by Portland, OR. Native ShaRonda Lynne McCauley and
stick around for a Q& A session to follow. 6 p.m. In Other Words,
14 NE Killingsworth St.
FRIENDS OF TREES PLANTING & POTLUCK: Come join us and plant
trees with neighbors and then join us for a delicious potluck
lunch. Beaumont-Wilshire, Cully and Roseway neighborhoods
(NE Portland). 8:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 4927 NE 55th Ave.
Seattle Metro
THURSDAY, MARCH 24
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
MIGHTY MITES “EGG” STRAVAGANZA: Egg hunt, play equipment,
bounce houses, and other fun activities. Bring your basket to
hunt for eggs. For children ages five and younger. Free. 10 a.m. –
noon. Egg hunt starts at 11 a.m. sharp. Miller Community Center,
330 19th Ave. E.
FRIDAY, MARCH 25
Feeling the Bern
More than 17,000 supporters showed up to see Sen. Bernie Sanders speak at Seattle’s Key Arena March 20, on one of a string of
speaking engagements in the area in advance of Saturday’s Democratic caucus. Sanders is scheduled to return to the area for speaking
engagements in Portland and Seattle Friday morning.
FLASHLIGHT EGG HUNT: This egg hunt is offered at two locations
for kids 12 to 18 years old. Bring a flashlight and a bag to hunt
for all the eggs in the dark. 7 p.m. sharp at Van Asselt Commu-
nity Center, and 8 p.m. sharp at Jefferson Community Center.
SATURDAY, MARCH 26
Briefs
cont’d from pg 4
BOLI Announces Minimum Wage
Rulemaking Process
The Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) will be-
gin the rulemaking process for Oregon’s new min-
imum wage law (SB 1532) in preparation for a July
minimum wage increase, the agency announced to-
day.
An advisory committee comprised of business as-
sociations, labor organizations, legislators, family
policy advocates, and agricultural and farm sector
representatives will assist BOLI in developing rules
for determining an employer’s location.
Passed by the 2016 Oregon Legislature, SB 1532 cre-
ates enacts a series of annual minimum wage increas-
es starting in July of this year. After 2023, Oregon’s
minimum wage rate will be indexed to inflation based
on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), a figure published
by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics to
track prices for a fixed “market basket” of goods.
The law creates a tiered wage floor based on three
zones around the state: 1) inside the urban growth
boundary of the Portland metro region, including
Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties 2)
certain “nonurban counties listed here and 3) the rest
of the state.
The advisory committee will begin work in late
March.
The rulemaking advisory committee will include
members of the NW Grocery Associations, Oregon
Restaurant and Lodging Association, Oregon Farm
Bureau, Oregon Association of Nurseries, Associa-
tion of Oregon Industries, Oregon Business Associ-
ation, PCUN, AFL-CIO, Family Forward, SEIU, CAU-
SA and Oregon Center for Public Policy. In addition,
representatives from the offices of Governor Kate
Brown, Senator Michael Dembrow and Representa-
tive Paul Holvey will serve on the committee.
Employers that want to keep up to date about min-
imum wage rules and other workplace topics may
sign up for the Technical Assistance for Employer’s
email list here. The agency also intends to develop
one poster for the state that will satisfy employers’
posting requirements.
Additional public comments can be directed to
paloma.sparks@state.or.us.
Seattle News Briefs
Mayor Murray Announces
$617,000 in Matching Funds for
Neighborhood Projects
Today Mayor Ed Murray announced an investment
of $617,102 in matching funds to support 31 neighbor-
hood-initiated projects across the city. The awards
are from the Neighborhood Matching Fund for a vari-
ety of arts events, physical improvements, and youth
projects.
These awards are part of the Small and Simple Proj-
ects Fund, one of three funds offered by Seattle De-
partment of Neighborhoods. It provides cash awards
of up to $25,000 in matching funds to community
organizations committed to fostering and building a
better community. The 2016 February awards range
from $4,249 to $25,000, and the organizations pledge
to match the City of Seattle’s $617,102 investment with
$722,931 of locally raised money, donated materials,
and volunteer labor.
In addition to the Small and Simple Projects Fund,
the Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) has two
other programs: the Large Projects Fund which pro-
vides matching funds of up to $100,000, and the Small
Sparks Fund which provides funds of up to $1,000.
Over its 28-year history, more than 5,000 projects
have been funded with the help of NMF, and its in-
vestment in neighborhoods can be seen across the
city. For more information about all of the funds visit
seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf/.
The Small and Simple Projects Fund has two more
opportunities to apply this year in June and Septem-
ber. To learn more visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/
nmf/smallandsimple.htm.
DNR Report Says Seagrass
Recovering in Puget Sound
Eelgrass beds have shown signs of expansion in
parts of Puget Sound in recent years.
A new report issued by the Washington State De-
partment of Natural Resources found sites with in-
creased eelgrass area outnumbered sites with declin-
ing eelgrass between 2010 and 2014.
This reverses the previously observed pattern in
Puget Sound. The rebound was most pronounced in
lower Hood Canal.
Seagrasses provide nearshore nursery grounds
and shelter for many species. They also serve as a
spyglass into the health of Washington’s saltwater
environment.
In 2014, eelgrass covered some 24,300 hectares of
Puget Sound. That is slightly above the 2016 target set
by Gov. Jay Inslee’s Results Washington initiative to
track eelgrass coverage in Washington.
As the steward of state-owned aquatic lands, where
the majority of eelgrass beds grow, DNR is at the fore-
front of efforts to understand and improve Washing-
ton seagrasses.
The full report is available at: http://file.dnr.wa.gov/
publications/aqr_nrsh_svmp_report_2014.pdf
Port of Seattle Announces Pilot
Program for Transportation
Network Companies
The Port of Seattle will begin a one-year pilot
program for Transportation Network Companies
SPRING EGG HUNT AT COMMUNITY CENTERS: Bring a bag or bas-
ket to hunt for all the eggs. Lots of fun activities planned at
each center. These hunts are for children 11 and under. Jeffer-
son, Rainier & Cal Anderson Park and community centers. Hunt
starts at 10 a.m. sharp, so please arrive at 9:45 a.m. Jefferson
Community Center will also have a Troops For Fitness Kickoff
Event at the same time. Troops For Fitness is a new program
that hires U.S. Military Veterans to run recreation programs.
FRIDAY – SUNDAY, APRIL 1 – APRIL 17
SEATTLE CENTER WHILGIG: Inflatable rides and entertainment
for children under 12. 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily. $8 all-day main floor
pass, $4.50 all-day toddler zone pass, $1.50single ride tickets.
Free Thursday rides at no charge. Seattle Center – Armory Cen-
ter House, 305 Harrison St.
SATURDAY, APRIL 2
GARDEN LOVERS’ BOOK SALE: Love gardening, plants, trees and
growning your own food? You don’t want to pass up this bar-
gain! 11th Annual Garden Lovers Book Sale of used books at the
Center for Urban Horticulture. Free public event. All day long,
Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 NE 41st St.
SATURDAY, APRIL 9
83RD ANNUAL DAFFODIL FESTIVAL PARADE: 83rd Edition of
Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Parade featuring 150 participants
which include floats, bands, mounted units and more. Starting
at 10 a.m. at Pacific Ave. & S. 11th, ends at S. 24th St., Tacoma.
(TNC’s) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
starting March 31, 2016 that will add choices for trav-
elers while maintaining carbon emission reduction
priorities.
This innovative program will be a first for a U.S. air-
port, requiring either a green vehicle-only fleet or a
port-initiated green standard that companies must
meet through a combination of high MPG vehicles,
deadhead reduction, and/or ridesharing.
TNC’s (also known as app based ride sharing ser-
vices) are being encouraged to sign agreements with
the port, who will have operation logistics ready and
available on March 31.
“Sea-Tac Airport was the first airport in North
America to achieve a 100% green taxi fleet in 2003 and
the first airport in the country to do a comprehensive
greenhouse gas inventory in 2008,” said Port of Seat-
tle Commission President John Creighton.
“Our agreement with the ground transportation
providers requiring them to meet specific environ-
mental standards is also the first of its kind in the
country and continues our efforts to make Sea-Tac
Airport one of the greenest airports in the country.”
The operating agreement has been part of a trans-
parent, year-long effort by the port to bring together
all stakeholders in the ground transportation indus-
try to determine the best way to introduce the new
ride-sharing option that has become popular with
consumers.