Here are the updates, linking to the full stories on WSB:

-Power outage: All but a few hundred homes/businesses are back on. More here.

-Evergreen Pool: It WILL close September 1st, according to King County Council Chair Dow Constantine, who hopes that will be temporary while the agreement for WhiteWater Aquatics to take over the pool is negotiated. More here.

-Hicks Lake: Warning signs are posted because of an algae bloom. More here. Also, here’s the entirety of the note we received from King County’s Doug Williams:

We just got results back from the state Department of Ecology that confirms a blue-green algae bloom at Hicks has surpassed the safety threshold. While there aren’t likely too many people swimming there right now, it’s possible that people could let their dogs swim and/or drink from the lake. Not a good idea!

We’ve posted signs that ask people to stay out of the water, and don’t let their pets swim in or drink from the lake.

Toxic algae can have some nasty effects on people and pets. In minor cases, it can cause a rash, eye and throat irritation, etc. It’s a neurotoxin that, in serious cases, can cripple your liver, mess with your nervous system, etc. Those are pretty rare situations; you’d have to ingest a lot of the stuff to get that sick. But it’s still important for everyone to heed the warnings and keep out of the water – pets, too.

When will the algae bloom go away? That’s a good question. We’ve seen blooms last for weeks; sometimes they don’t go away until the weather cools down and the sunlight becomes elusive.

We will collect water samples weekly for analysis by DOE. Once we have two weeks where the samples come back below the established acceptable threshold for human contact, we’ll take down the signs.

ORIGINAL 12:57 PM REPORT: Here’s the news release we just received (12:55 pm):

Power went out for approximately 3,671 City Light customers
in Burien, SeaTac and unincorporated King County at 12:36 p.m. today.

The cause of the outage is currently unknown, but City Light crews are
heading to the area to investigate. An estimated time of restoration is
unknown at this time.

The area affected is bordered on the north by So. 96th St., on the
south by S.W. 175th St, between 24th Ave. S.W. and 33rd Ave S.W.

f you are a customer of Seattle City Light — you do not have to be senior or disabled to get reduced rates.

Low income customers can get a 50% rate reduction. That means what it says — LOW INCOME. Stop struggling to pay utility bills — get help. This is not temporary or one-time help to pay the bill. This is long term rate reduction. Eat better, pay less for electricity.

Discounted Rates for Seniors, Disabled and Low-Income Customers
Qualifying customers can save 50% on electric, water, sewer and garbage bills. Customers living in federally-funded public housing and Section 8 housing are not eligible.

* Seniors and persons with disabilities – If you are a senior citizen or a person with disabilities and your income is at or below 70% of the state median level, call the Mayor’s Office for Senior Citizens at (206) 684-0268.

Income Guidelines.

* Low-Income – Customers with household income at or below 70% of state’s median income may call the Seattle Human Services Department at (206) 684-0268 to qualify and enroll.

This message brought to you by Stephen Lamphear, former Burien City Councilmember!

PATH OF APPROACHING STORM UNCERTAIN
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT RECOMMENDS CUSTOMERS BE READY
City Light has crews ready if storm takes a more northerly track

SEATTLE – Seattle City Light crews are ready to respond if the storm
predicted to hit late Thursday – New Years Day – hits the Seattle area.
Storms are expected to bring rain and strong winds to the Puget Sound
area through the weekend. However, there’s a chance that the storm
will hit to the south of the Seattle area.

“Our crews are ready to respond if the weather system ends up hitting
our area,” says Chris Heimgartner, Energy Delivery and Customer Care
Officer for City Light. “We are prepared for the possibility of
outages occurring throughout our service territory and we can have
back-up help available to us quickly if there is significant wind
damage. Our main concern is the saturated ground from the snow and
rain. Similar to 2006, this can bring down whole trees onto power
lines.” City Light has written agreements with other utilities in the
region and throughout the West to send back-up crews should the outages
and damage be widespread. Likewise, City Light would send crews to other
storm-damaged areas, if necessary.

The Customer Service Call Center will remain open this evening,
December 31st, until 8:00 p.m. The Call Center also will be open
tomorrow, New Years Day from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. If it appears that
the storm will hit Seattle, the Call Center hours may be extended.

If a large-scale storm event occurs, residents should be ready with
emergency supplies for at least three days. Items to include are a
hand-crank or battery-operated flashlight and radio, fresh batteries, a
survival blanket, a first aid kit, pocket tissues and hand sanitizer
wipes.

City Light reminds customers to be safe. Downed lines can be
dangerous. Also, City Light urges customers to be prepared for any
possible outages. Here’s what customers can do if they experience a
power outage::

Ø Do not get near any downed wire. An individual should always
assume a downed wire is “live” and dangerous. If someone seeks a
downed wire, they should call (206) 706-0051;
Ø Do not use a barbecue grill or generator inside the house or in
a garage that is attached to the house. Do not use a grill or generator
near a home air intake vent or near windows;
Ø Do not use fossil fuel burning auxiliary heating sources;
Ø Have an emergency power outage kit available and well-stocked.
There should be sufficient supplies to last three days for every family
member and family pets. Make sure all batteries are fresh. To find out
what to put into a kit, go to www.takewinterbystorm.org
Ø Know how to manually override electric garage doors, security
doors and gates;
Ø Have a land line phone or fully charged cell phone available -
cordless phones won’t work when the power is out;
Ø Unplug electrical appliances if the power goes out so that when
the power comes back on, there won’t be a surge that could damage
sensitive electronic equipment;
Ø Use battery-powered flashlights – not candles or oil lamps;
Ø Close doors, windows, curtains, and unused fireplace dampers to
retain heat if there is an outage.