Pivotal Decisions Ahead

ALSC President, Lonnie Goulet, will deliver status regarding the 4th of July Fireworks show to members present at the Christmas Party and reveal options being considered to help ensure success for future displays over Angle Lake. 

Each year at the Members Only Christmas Party the club holds a final board meeting for the year. It is the one time out of nine scheduled meetings where the majority of active members attend.  It is at this meeting when new members are introduced, volunteer recognition is given, past successes and upcoming events are discussed and board nominations are voted on and positions filled. 

Last year the meeting included a poll of the membership present on whether or not to stick with the long standing fireworks contractor due concern over their poor performance earlier that year.  After weighing consideration for the many prior years of outstanding performance and the extraordinary value realized beyond what other contractors were offering, the membership expressed continued confidence in Eagle Fireworks by delivering a unanimous agreement to continue with them.

However, anyone who attended the 2013 fireworks on July 4th realizes that the deterioration of the show was not just a onetime fluke and ultimately resulted in the board firing Eagle Fireworks, assessing numerous monetary penalties against them for failure to deliver with clear indication that there will be no further contract opportunities between Eagle Fireworks and the Angle Lake Shore Club to produce future shows.

You may also have learned by now, Eagle Fireworks was not only contracted to furnish the materials for the fireworks display but also to supply the floating platform in which to launch the show from.  Eagle was one of the very few contractors to provide this additional service.  Since Eagle is no longer a viable consideration for our future shows, several options will be presented at the Holiday meeting that are targeted to help fill this gap. If you have an interest in the success of our future 4th of July firework displays, it is highly suggested that you plan to attend this meeting to become informed about what is being considered. 

In addition to this crucial board meeting, the Christmas Party will of course offer an opportunity to visit and get caught up with neighbors over deliciously catered hors d’oeuvres and full buffet dinner, hosted bar and live entertainment.  An invitation is available for download through this LINK.

Holiday of Hope: Toy and Gift Drive

The following information was submitted to us by ALSC Member Pattie Lenz and is addressed to everyone within our community.

As the Christmas Holiday nears our spirit of generosity tends to increase for many of us. It is during this time of year, we wish to extend an invitation for you to join us in helping financially strapped families from our area, by helping to make Christmas special for their children. The need is great and is growing each year.

Here are some examples of how to get involved: 

• Purchase or provide money for a gift or two. Toys for children 0-11 or gift card ($25.00) for youth 12-18 from Target Stores, Forever 21, Sports Authority or Old Navy 
• Organize a toy drive in your place of business
• Volunteer to shop or assist parents with shopping
• Refer a local family you know that needs help.

Please bring your toy, gift card and/or monetary donation to the Angle Lake Family Resource Center located at 4040 So. 188th Street by December 2nd.  They will be accepting donations between the hours of 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.  

For more information concerning the Holiday Of Hope, please contact Emily at the Angle lake Resource Center by phoning 206-816-3240 or by email at fre-vista@lcsnw.org. 

Club News and Invitations

This past week, the Shore Club completed the task of mailing out the Fall Newsletter and the Annual Member’s Christmas Party Invitations. If you are a member who is in active membership status or a recently expired member, both mailings should arrive to you per your preferred delivery method (either by way of snail mail or by email).

Else, if any of the following apply to you, please complete the ALSC Membership and Events Form, include any payment or special instruction and mail it in for assistance:

• I am a current member but have not been receiving any Shore Club Mailings
• I am a current member who would rather receive email instead of USPS mailings
• I am a current member who has changed their email address
• I am no longer current but would like to reinstate my membership 

If you have recently moved inside our Angle Lake boundaries and would like to consider becoming a member of the Shore Club, please contact our Welcoming Committee to schedule a visit to receive more information about Club Membership benefits and to receive a packet of valuable discounts available from local area businesses.

More Long Term Road Closures

The electronic message boards have been out for weeks, however for me, it didn't really register what the message was actually attempting to convey. I had just assumed it was alerting motorists that Levit’s Hill was closed and drivers should seek an alternative route. It wasn't until the new Llama Road * was opened that I realized the closure notice was announcing the renovations for Military Road that are scheduled to begin November 6th!  

Closure of Military Road between So. 176th and So. 166th Streets will be in effect 24-hours a day through the duration of the project (approximately 18 months). Only emergency services, postal service, solid waste collection, school bus pickups/drop-offs, deliveries and local traffic traveling to residences accessed off of Military Road South will be permitted. 

Similar to the earlier Military Road improvements that occurred between So. 176th and So. 186th, the goal is to improve traffic operations and increase the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The street improvements include widening the roadway to provide two general purpose lanes, a two-way left turn lane, bicycle lanes, curb, gutter and sidewalks. In addition, street lighting will be installed, new storm drainage infrastructure will be constructed, and the pavement will be resurfaced. The existing traffic signal at So. 176th Street will be modified and a new traffic signal will be added at So. 170th Street. Overhead utility lines will be relocated underground and poles will be removed. A Highline Water District water main will also be replaced. 

I was not living in the area when the improvements were made to Military Road between So. 176th Street and So. 186th Streets. I am anticipating the end result to be the same but I’m also assuming the headaches and hassles will no doubt be equal, as well. It’s going to be a disruptive inconvenience endured until April of 2015 for anyone who normally travels this route.

(Note: * "Llama Hill" is just our reference the road is officially labeled So. 178th Street).

Breaking News: Mail Theft

Reports are coming in from several residents on the south and east sides of the lake regarding mailbox break ins having occurred this morning (Thursday, October 31) along 198th Street and all down Military Road.  If you were a victim of this crime – please report it to the King County Sheriff via the following web site:

http://www.kingcounty.gov/safety/sheriff/ReportToSheriff.aspx

Mail theft is more than a nuisance; it is a serious crime, yet it is assumed that many residents don’t report mail theft for such reasons as:

• they don’t know how
• they got no feedback/outcome from earlier reports
• they are not sure what’s missing if anything
• they are not sure what all is involved; they are not sure it’s worth the trouble.

Stolen mail is often a thief’s first step into an even worse crime: identity theft, which is the fastest growing crime in the US today, one that takes its victims hundreds of ugly hours researching damages, resolving billing disputes and restoring credit ratings.

If you are a victim of mail theft, you are urged to first submit a crime notice through the King County Sheriff's Office Online Reporting System and follow that up with a report to the United States Postal Inspector Service.  

For added protection you should also consider performing the following additional actions:

• Call your bank and have a “watch” put on your account. All major banks and credit unions will have this capability and most will also have the added protection of adding a supplementary password added that must be given for any access to your account.
• Call all your credit card companies and also put a watch on your accounts.  If you’re ultra-paranoid, you can get your credit card company to issue you a brand new account # and card which you should be able to get within 3-5 business days.
• Contact the credit reporting agencies to put a “Fraud alert” on your credit file.  Calling each one individually is a pain in the back side, however if you file a fraud alert through Transunion, they will automatically notify and process fraud alerts to Experian and Equifax also.

And finally, if you witness any suspicious activity of individual(s) loitering around or tampering with mailboxes or if you observe anyone improperly discarding mail along the road – don’t hesitate to call 911!  The few minutes you take to make a report may save a neighbor from years of grief caused from identity theft.