Hey folks, welcome to the first issue of The Osprey Weekly Update. I’m David Mendez, your friendly neighborhood newsman and reporting resident of Shoreline, Wash.

Some other time, I’ll get into why I started The Osprey, and what it’s like to begin reporting on a town from scratch. But for now, I’d like to tell y’all about a moment that keeps rattling around in my head.

A few weeks back, when the Briarcrest neighborhood candidate forum ended, organizer Sarah Kaye invited guests to stick around and chat with the candidates, then gently encouraged folks to pick up and put away their chairs when they were done. People got up, stretched their legs and started talking. Chairs weren’t their chief concern.

Shoreline Mayor Chris Roberts wears a lot of hats — as a mayor/council member, on various regional boards, and he’s mounting a challenge at the King County Assessor’s office in 2026. Plus, he just wrapped up an hour or so of answering questions alongside his colleagues. I certainly wouldn’t have blamed him for politely bolting.

But as soon as Roberts stood up, he promptly grabbed his chair, strode back and put his chair on a rack. As I recall, he grabbed a few other chairs, popped them onto the rack, then posted up to aid anyone else who needed a hand. Sure enough, people began to follow his example.

Leadership doesn’t have to be loud, it doesn’t have to be demanding and it doesn’t have to be obvious. It’s just about doing the right thing. Others will notice, sooner or later.

The focus this week is on the Nov. 4, with three pieces — including two profiles — looking at the candidates for Shoreline City Council Position 1, their policies and their campaign spending.

Thanks for reading.

Less than a week remains before election day, and while eight elected offices are up for grabs in Shoreline this year — four city council races, two school board positions and two seats on the fire department’s board of commissioners — only one city council election is a competition.

Jack Malek has the experience, has held nearly every volunteer position a person can hold in town and hopes he can encourage the city to embrace development amid its population growth. Valerie Snider, a relative newcomer to the scene and champion of slower development, remains confident that she can win despite her underdog status.

Why is she an underdog, you ask? Check out the campaign spending at the bottom of the story: Malek has raised about $25,000 for this race, about five times Snider’s fundraising — and his own money makes up most of his war chest.

Check it out here

A real estate agent, Jack Malek has done just about everything available to him to make Shoreline even better. But his ties to, and stances on, development have given some folks pause.

King County employee Valerie Snider thought herself an “armchair activist” before she was asked to run for office by neighbors who saw talent in her. Snider thinks her ability to strategize and build systems will fit perfectly on the dais.

Federal employees are already missing paychecks, and public food benefits are all but guaranteed to be on hold for the foreseeable future.

In the future, this space will be a calendar for community events. But this time, I’m asking for anyone who reads this to send and forward along any tips you hear about local food drives, free pantries, free lunches or anything else they know of that can help folks who need help as we lurch toward an uncertain future.

It’s our community. Help me spread the word.

Thanks for reading The Osprey’s Weekly Update. Please reach out to me at [email protected] with any questions, events, story ideas or news tips. Nothing is too small.

Take care,
David