Police offer safety tips for shoppers

When shopping during the busy holiday season, it's easy to get distracted and let down your guard. To help ensure a safe and happy holiday season, local police departments want to remind shoppers of several safety tips for a crime-free experience:

• If shopping with children, teach them to go to a police officer or a store security guard if they get lost or separated.

• Women should carry purses close to the body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat pocket or front pants pocket.

• Be aware of your surroundings when using ATMs. Also, do not keep your PIN on your person.

• Avoid carrying a large amount of cash. Use credit cards or checks, and carry your driver's license or ID card with you.

• Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason. Criminals may try to distract and confuse you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.

• Don't leave anything of value in your car. Packages and shopping bags should be hidden from sight. Don't just cover them with a coat or blanket.

• Park in a lighted area and always lock your doors. Stay alert for people standing behind parked cars or pillars.

• When you leave your car, lock it the old-fashioned way, with the key in the lock; don't use the remote. Thieves can use a scanner to pick up your remote's frequency and then open your car with their own remote.

Civic calendar

Anacortes-Sidney, B.C., ferry

Tuesday: Washington State Ferries' round-trip service from Anacortes to Sidney, B.C., will be canceled to allow maintenance and sea trials for the ferry Elwha. The cancellation also will include the 7:45 a.m. sailing from Anacortes to Orcas and Friday Harbor, and the 1:40 p.m. sailing from Friday Harbor to Anacortes. The Elwha will return to service for its 5:05 p.m. sailing from Anacortes on Tuesday.

Traffic watch

Through Friday: Crews continue to work on the Interstate 405 south Bellevue widening project during the night and early-morning hours. Up to three northbound lanes of I-405 may be closed between 112th Avenue Southeast and Southeast Eighth Street. Crews also may close the HOV lane in both directions of Interstate 90 near I-405 at midday. Work is weather dependent. For updates, see www.wsdot.wa.gov/northwest/king/construction/#7283.

Workers also may close one lane in each direction of I-405 between Northeast 160th Street and Highway 527 during the night and early- morning hours for survey work.

Here & Now is compiled by Seattle Times lead news assistant Lynne Berry. To submit an item, e-mail herenow@seattletimes.com or call 206-464-2226.

Dec. 10, 1930: The third and final phase of the massive Denny Regrade is completed. The public-works project was part of an effort to make Seattle's steep hills more level. The third phase, begun in 1928, removed more than 4,233,000 cubic yards of dirt from the area just north of downtown Seattle between Fifth Avenue and Westlake Avenue and between Virginia Street and Harrison Street. Most of the fill was removed by conveyor belt to barges along the waterfront. From the barges, the dirt was dropped into Elliott Bay.

Denny Hill was lowered in three phases — 1898-1899, 1903-1911 and 1928-1930 — over the course of 32 years.

Source: Historylink.org