UPDATED, 3/14
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-does-derby-days-and-city-hall.html
OPINION: I was one of the few non-staff citizens, who attended the first "Budget By Priorities" community meeting on March 1. At the meeting, Mayor Marchione announced an emphasis on improving customer service; it was directed mostly to the staff-side of the chamber. Hopefully, customer service is one of his priorities again this year.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Redmond Police Commander clarifies facts on the air-soft pellet shooting case.
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-are-air-soft-pellets-banned-from.html
Last Saturday I reported an unsafe air-soft pellet gun shooting incident that I had personally witnessed in a park. Later, I I learned the police had misinformed me on several occasions. In the interest of public trust, I'm clarifying the inaccuracies.
Redmond Police Commander Shari Shovlin called today to inform me of the facts:
Do you know air soft pellet shooting is a game like paintball? If played with face protection and in a safe location it's a fun game. Police make mistakes just like anyone, but do you think there could be something more to these errors and ommissions?
Last Saturday I reported an unsafe air-soft pellet gun shooting incident that I had personally witnessed in a park. Later, I I learned the police had misinformed me on several occasions. In the interest of public trust, I'm clarifying the inaccuracies.
Redmond Police Commander Shari Shovlin called today to inform me of the facts:
- According to Police Commander Shari Shovlin, the three juveniles shooting the air-soft guns were not arrested or cited for misdemeanor (even though the lead officer on the scene said the boys would go to court.)
- The Public Information Officer told me air-soft pellet guns are legal in parks. According to Commander Shovlin, the Redmond Municipal Code states air soft guns are illegal in parks if pointed or shot.
- The game-shooting incident is a misdemeanor, but it was not reported on the Police Blotter.
Do you know air soft pellet shooting is a game like paintball? If played with face protection and in a safe location it's a fun game. Police make mistakes just like anyone, but do you think there could be something more to these errors and ommissions?
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
100 Year Scouting Service Campaign Teams Up with GreenRedmond
Eagle Scout Leader Tracy (left photo) and Volunteer Land Steward Doug Schmidt (right photo) teach scouts how to plant trees. This work party was a 100 Year Anniversary Scouting Service event.
The weather was extremely cooperative as more than 35 boy scouts, scout leaders, fathers and some siblings gathered at Hartman Park to finish the project which had been started a week earlier. The youth were members from packs, troops, teams or crews from units 612 and 613 which meet at the LDS stake center adjacent to Hartman Park and troop, team and crew 597 from the Novelty Hill neighborhood. Although the weather was cool and crisp when they gathered at 8:00 am, the sun was soon shining down on them as they continued the process of eradicating the invasive blackberry bushes that had overtaken the area they been assigned to clean up. The youth and adults learned a very valuable lesson from GreenRedmond volunteer Doug Schmidt, the supervisor of the project. Doug instructed them that it was not enough to simply cut down the stalks and remove the roots. Even the smallest pieces of green stock needed to be removed from the area. If any were left lying on the ground, they could root out and start a new blackberry plant.
Once all the insidious plants were eradicated and a thorough sweep of the area was completed, removing any trace of the invasive plants, new trees were carefully planted throughout the section. In just a few hours, a section of the park which had been overgrown with blackberries had been transformed. Stepping back and looking at the results of their efforts, the volunteers realized there is a significant amount of work required before all of Hartman Park looks like the small area they had worked on. But for now, there was some satisfaction as they admired the transformation that just a few hours of volunteer labor was able to perform.
By Bruce Salmon, Volunteer for Boy Scouts of America and LDS Church
Photos by Salmon
Monday, March 8, 2010
Redmond Ladies Mustang Basketball Senior Night
REDMOND MUSTANG BASKETBALL SENIOR NIGHT, 2010
Marissa Pratt #44 - the one hamming it up - set a Mustang Career Record of 169 blocked shots. She's actually a lot taller than she looks here.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Why are Air Soft pellets banned from Redmond city parks? When do you call 911?
I was watching GreenRedmond volunteer Doug Schmitt ride his mountain bike on the dirt jumps this afternoon and "a funny thing happened."
We were walking the improved course to get a feel for it. Off to the right, I was startled by four high schoolers is "army colors" loading pump guns and shooting pellets over head. I yelled out : "Watch it, I want to keep my eyes!" They said not to worry and kept shooting.
It just didn't seem right. I asked two elementary-aged girls what the boys were shooting. "Airsoft pellets" they said. They opened their hands to show me hundreds multi-colored "bullets" they had collected. One little girl said she was hit in the finger from a distance. (Apparently, it's a shooting game similar to paint-ball.)
According to Wikipedia:
I was surprised, but totally impressed with how the two officers handled the situation. The lead officer must have spent 45 minutes with the bullies explaining the seriousness and illegality of their activity. The officer said it was so illegal that they: 1) could have to go to court and 2) talk to Judge. He made them call their parents for a talk-out on the site. I think he confiscated their paraphanlia.
The take-home message for me was: if something is suspicious, doesn't look right, and could be dangerous, CALL 911. Don't even hesistate: Call 911. We all have cell-phones. We need to use them. I guarantee you, I won't hesitate next time. I'll be calling 911 at the slightest doubt. And, so will my trail friends.
Have you ever called 911 for suspicious activity? Are you hesitant or afraid to call 911? Did you know your taxes pay for 911 police service? Is there a place in Redmond where it's legal for kids to play with "airsoft pellet guns"? Do you think the police should have been more lenient?
We were walking the improved course to get a feel for it. Off to the right, I was startled by four high schoolers is "army colors" loading pump guns and shooting pellets over head. I yelled out : "Watch it, I want to keep my eyes!" They said not to worry and kept shooting.
It just didn't seem right. I asked two elementary-aged girls what the boys were shooting. "Airsoft pellets" they said. They opened their hands to show me hundreds multi-colored "bullets" they had collected. One little girl said she was hit in the finger from a distance. (Apparently, it's a shooting game similar to paint-ball.)
According to Wikipedia:
"Airsoft pellets typically leave small wheals (welts) on human targets. While mildly painful, pellets are not especially damaging to the skin. Eye protection is universally required to prevent damage to eyes. It is also often recommended that full face masks and body protection be used during airsoft matches to protect the players' teeth and ears." WikipediaI remembered. in my youth it was cool to shoot copper pellet Beebe guns, but my parents never let me because beebes could break the skin and kill an eye. Well, no sooner did we round the corner than two uniformed Redmond police officers came running onto the course. Apparently, some sixth-graders were bullied off of the jumps and their parents called 911.
I was surprised, but totally impressed with how the two officers handled the situation. The lead officer must have spent 45 minutes with the bullies explaining the seriousness and illegality of their activity. The officer said it was so illegal that they: 1) could have to go to court and 2) talk to Judge. He made them call their parents for a talk-out on the site. I think he confiscated their paraphanlia.
The take-home message for me was: if something is suspicious, doesn't look right, and could be dangerous, CALL 911. Don't even hesistate: Call 911. We all have cell-phones. We need to use them. I guarantee you, I won't hesitate next time. I'll be calling 911 at the slightest doubt. And, so will my trail friends.
Have you ever called 911 for suspicious activity? Are you hesitant or afraid to call 911? Did you know your taxes pay for 911 police service? Is there a place in Redmond where it's legal for kids to play with "airsoft pellet guns"? Do you think the police should have been more lenient?
Friday, March 5, 2010
"Legacy for Learning" foundation lunch set for April 28.
Mark your calendars. The 2010 Legacy for Learning Lunch is set for Wednesday April 28, 2010 from 11:00 to 12:30. Click here to learn more.
Volunteers Needed for Legacy for Learning Lunch
Luncheon Set Up/Tear Down - Event set up is Tuesday, April 27th, the day before the luncheon. Along with the help of JHS PE students rolling out the floor mats, we can use volunteers to set up the stage and do table placements, table settings, decorations, displays, registration table, etc. This will begin at 2pm and last approx at 6pm. Any time a volunteer has to give is welcome!
Tear down is immediately following the luncheon at approximately 1:00pm on Wednesday, April 28th with removal of aforementioned items.
Posted from Lake Washington School Foundation website.
If you would like to volunteer, visit our volunteer sign up page or email volunteer@lwsd.org.
City of Redmond Installs Sculpture at Redmond Junior High
City of Redmond Installs Sculpture at Redmond Junior High
The mascot for Redmond Junior High is the GRIZZLEY. So it's fitting the city of Redmond installed a new outdoor sculpture called "Bear". "Bear" was installed on Thursday March 4, 2010. It''s in the front of the school. You can't miss it.
The artist, James Madison, was present, working with four members of the City of Redmond Parks Department instatllation crew. The piece will be at RJH until at least June 2011, in partnership with the Redmond Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition. This sculpture is the second installed at RJH through this partnership. Do you think the Bear has a Native American design look to it? Who is James Madison? Does James have a Native American Indian ancestry? Does he live in Redmond?
UPDATED: HSBC in Redmond Center makes a donation to Lake Washington Schools foundation.
HSBC Bank USA, N.A, part of one of the world's largest financial services organizations, has officially opened the doors to its latest full-service retail branch, situated in the heart of Redmond.
To mark the occasion of its Redmond launch HSBC made a generous donation of $7,500 to the Lake Washington Schools Foundation at a grand opening ceremony on January 28, 2010.
Byron Shutz and Sherry Wartelle, Co-Presidents of the Lake Washington Schools Foundation, said, "The Foundation appreciates the commitment and collaboration of leading businesses such as HSBC in the support of an engaged school partnership with the community."
Dominic O'Hagan, West Coast Regional President, HSBC Bank USA, N.A., said, "The city of Redmond, with its strong cross-border connections, made it the obvious place in which to enhance our Seattle area branch network. As 'The world's local bank', we fully understand the importance of serving the Redmond community locally while helping them to make the most of opportunities globally." LWSF site.
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Legacy for Learning Lunch for 2010Mark your calendars. The 2010 Legacy for Learning Lunch is set for Wednesday April 28, 2010 from 11:00 to 12:30. Click here to learn more.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Eastbound SR 520 in Redmond closed overnight for next two weekends.
Eastbound SR 520 in Redmond closed overnight for next two weekends
REDMOND - Crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will close all lanes of eastbound SR 520 between West Lake Sammamish Parkway and SR 202 in Redmond Friday and Saturday nights for the next two weekends. During the closures crews will install new drainage underneath the roadway. This work is part of a project to widen SR 520 in Redmond by adding a new HOV lane and merge lane.
A signed detour will direct eastbound drivers left on West Lake Sammamish Parkway, right onto Leary Way NE, right onto Bear Creek Parkway to SR 202/Redmond Way ...more
WSDOT
REDMOND - Crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will close all lanes of eastbound SR 520 between West Lake Sammamish Parkway and SR 202 in Redmond Friday and Saturday nights for the next two weekends. During the closures crews will install new drainage underneath the roadway. This work is part of a project to widen SR 520 in Redmond by adding a new HOV lane and merge lane.
A signed detour will direct eastbound drivers left on West Lake Sammamish Parkway, right onto Leary Way NE, right onto Bear Creek Parkway to SR 202/Redmond Way ...more
WSDOT
UPDATE: FEATURE STORY: A reader comments about our neighborhood's drug bust story.
An Aging Babyboomer Gardener said...
It’s always a surprise what I can learn by reading the Redmond Blog, especially this thread on the drug arrests at Redmond High School on Feb 19. It’s also interesting what I can’t find out. The press release said 11 students were arrested for selling drugs including marijuana, heroin, cocaine, MDMA(Ecstasy) and methamphetamine, although the mother who wrote in said that her son was arrested for selling marijuana only. How many of the other students sold marijuana only and how many sold the much more hard-core drugs? The Redmond Police Department’s grouping of all of the students under a single umbrella of all the drugs creates a guilt-by-association atmosphere. The department should be specific about the various drugs and quantities that each student sold so we can determine the magnitude of the problem.
What surprised me most was how much marijuana costs!!! It appears that 1.5 grams costs about $20 and that works out to almost $3000 per pound. As an avid gardener who grows vegetables and flowers from seed, I would guess that marijuana is no more difficult to grow than hothouse tomatoes or petunias. And yet, the most a pound of tomatoes goes for is $3.00. It is astounding to me the amount of money that is involved in the pot trade, and it’s all because it’s illegal, not because it’s difficult to grow. I can now see why drug cartels have become so powerful and violent considering the amount of money to be made on such an easy-to-grow plant. Governor Gregoire is busy trying to add penny taxes to bottled water and chocolate. The states’ governors should get together and urge the Federal Government to legalize marijuana and then control it and tax it the way alcohol is distributed and taxed. (Remember that Prohibition didn’t work and just made Al Capone a household name.)
With the benefit of hindsight, I can tell you that there were pot-heads in my junior and senior high schools in the 1970s – most were experimenting but there was a small group that would find a way to get their drugs no matter what. Alcohol and tobacco replaced marijuana and I know the dedicated marijuana users became alcoholics and heavy smokers (many are now AA members.) As for the cocaine-heroin-LSD user that I knew of in my high school, he had serious behavior issues in elementary school and was psycho-violent as an adult and is now halfway through a 65-year sentence for slashing one of his rivals into pieces during a drug-robbery. In my view, all drugs are not equally dangerous.
As for the 11 students who were charged with selling drugs, it was also surprising that so many people automatically assumed they were guilty. And yet the Feb. 24 edition of the Seattle Times had an article about how crime labs make errors and do shoddy work. Did the crime lab actually analyze the drugs from the busts or did they falsify the data as sometimes happen to expedite the results? Maybe the kids just put some oregano in a bag and sold it to make some quick money? What about this Monika, the informer? How do we know that she didn’t taint the evidence to make it appear that she was more effective?
Some writers commented that this was a wake-up call for parents, and implied that the kids would be off the hook and back in school. If anyone has read the Becca Bill, the often-cited bill that’s supposed to keep kids in school, they’ll discover that students 16 and older are treated differently than students 15 and younger. So these drug busts are most likely one-way tickets to the dropout line for most of these kids. In 10 years, how many of these students will be alcoholics? Do we even care?
Submitted by "an Aging Baby Boomer Gardener" under the February 24 drug bust story.
This comment was posted under the February 24th drug bust story. This reader took a lot of effort and time to put her thoughts down so I moved it up to a Feature page. Please do her the honor of a comment?
Do you agree with all she has to say? Is she right on? Or way off base? Is her arguement missing a key piece of information? Do you think her article is good, but too long? Does any one want to kick off with an opinion or thought? Thank you for your consideration and interest.
It’s always a surprise what I can learn by reading the Redmond Blog, especially this thread on the drug arrests at Redmond High School on Feb 19. It’s also interesting what I can’t find out. The press release said 11 students were arrested for selling drugs including marijuana, heroin, cocaine, MDMA(Ecstasy) and methamphetamine, although the mother who wrote in said that her son was arrested for selling marijuana only. How many of the other students sold marijuana only and how many sold the much more hard-core drugs? The Redmond Police Department’s grouping of all of the students under a single umbrella of all the drugs creates a guilt-by-association atmosphere. The department should be specific about the various drugs and quantities that each student sold so we can determine the magnitude of the problem.
What surprised me most was how much marijuana costs!!! It appears that 1.5 grams costs about $20 and that works out to almost $3000 per pound. As an avid gardener who grows vegetables and flowers from seed, I would guess that marijuana is no more difficult to grow than hothouse tomatoes or petunias. And yet, the most a pound of tomatoes goes for is $3.00. It is astounding to me the amount of money that is involved in the pot trade, and it’s all because it’s illegal, not because it’s difficult to grow. I can now see why drug cartels have become so powerful and violent considering the amount of money to be made on such an easy-to-grow plant. Governor Gregoire is busy trying to add penny taxes to bottled water and chocolate. The states’ governors should get together and urge the Federal Government to legalize marijuana and then control it and tax it the way alcohol is distributed and taxed. (Remember that Prohibition didn’t work and just made Al Capone a household name.)
With the benefit of hindsight, I can tell you that there were pot-heads in my junior and senior high schools in the 1970s – most were experimenting but there was a small group that would find a way to get their drugs no matter what. Alcohol and tobacco replaced marijuana and I know the dedicated marijuana users became alcoholics and heavy smokers (many are now AA members.) As for the cocaine-heroin-LSD user that I knew of in my high school, he had serious behavior issues in elementary school and was psycho-violent as an adult and is now halfway through a 65-year sentence for slashing one of his rivals into pieces during a drug-robbery. In my view, all drugs are not equally dangerous.
As for the 11 students who were charged with selling drugs, it was also surprising that so many people automatically assumed they were guilty. And yet the Feb. 24 edition of the Seattle Times had an article about how crime labs make errors and do shoddy work. Did the crime lab actually analyze the drugs from the busts or did they falsify the data as sometimes happen to expedite the results? Maybe the kids just put some oregano in a bag and sold it to make some quick money? What about this Monika, the informer? How do we know that she didn’t taint the evidence to make it appear that she was more effective?
Some writers commented that this was a wake-up call for parents, and implied that the kids would be off the hook and back in school. If anyone has read the Becca Bill, the often-cited bill that’s supposed to keep kids in school, they’ll discover that students 16 and older are treated differently than students 15 and younger. So these drug busts are most likely one-way tickets to the dropout line for most of these kids. In 10 years, how many of these students will be alcoholics? Do we even care?
Submitted by "an Aging Baby Boomer Gardener" under the February 24 drug bust story.
This comment was posted under the February 24th drug bust story. This reader took a lot of effort and time to put her thoughts down so I moved it up to a Feature page. Please do her the honor of a comment?
Do you agree with all she has to say? Is she right on? Or way off base? Is her arguement missing a key piece of information? Do you think her article is good, but too long? Does any one want to kick off with an opinion or thought? Thank you for your consideration and interest.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Seattle Times is writing a neighborhood story about graffiti and wants your opinion.
Several of the Seattle Times partner sites will write local stories about graffiti in their neighborhoods. The TIMES will sinc their own story to Redmond's story and other partners. Redmond Neighborhood Blog is participating and your opinions and commenting will help write our story with the TIMES.
What are your thoughts and comments about graffiti in Redmond? Is it an issue for you? Or, do you just leave it up to the police if a place gets tagged. When graffiti is reported by your neighbors does the City quickly respond? What is graffiti to you? Have you seen the "art graffiti" on the Edge Skate Park tag wall? Are these walls often tagged with graffiti? Or, are they more an artist's canvass? Should the city monitor the tag walls at Edge Park more frequently?
Will you help the TIMES to write this story? If you want to help or just have something to say about local graffiti, please comment under this post. (Click on the map to find links to the partner sites).
View Seattle Networked News Initiative in a larger map
What are your thoughts and comments about graffiti in Redmond? Is it an issue for you? Or, do you just leave it up to the police if a place gets tagged. When graffiti is reported by your neighbors does the City quickly respond? What is graffiti to you? Have you seen the "art graffiti" on the Edge Skate Park tag wall? Are these walls often tagged with graffiti? Or, are they more an artist's canvass? Should the city monitor the tag walls at Edge Park more frequently?
Will you help the TIMES to write this story? If you want to help or just have something to say about local graffiti, please comment under this post. (Click on the map to find links to the partner sites).
View Seattle Networked News Initiative in a larger map
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Public input will help determine budget cuts at LWSD
Public input will help determine cuts again this year
Redmond, WA – While the state legislature is still working on the state budget, indications are that K-12 public education will get even less money next year from the state. Estimates of the revenue loss for Lake Washington School District based on current proposals range from $3.6 million to $8.4 million. Cutting that much more from the district budget after last year’s $7.7 million reduction will be difficult.
“Last year’s process really helped us understand community priorities,” said Dr. Chip Kimball, superintendent. “I encourage all citizens, especially parents, to come and weigh in on what is most important for our school district.”
Meeting dates and times:
March 16 – Juanita High School, 7-9 p.m.
March 17 – Rose Hill Jr. High, 4-6 p.m.
March 17 – Lake Washington High School, 7-9 p.m.
March 24 – Redmond High School, 7-9 p.m.
March 25 – Eastlake High School, 7-9 p.m.
By Kathryn Reith, Communications Director, Lake Washington School District
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