The Community Bike Ride to Obliterate Cancer Comes to Redmond on August 10

Supporters are asked to ‘go orange’ in solidarity to end cancer

SEATTLE, March 27, 2014 – Obliteride participants will enjoy an epic experience and a

scenic ride as they pedal through the Puget Sound area this summer, while raising

critical funds to help Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center obliterate cancer. All new

routes for the 25, 50, 100 and 150-mile rides have just been released. This year’s

event will also include a 1-mile route for kids, so the whole family can get in on the fun.

The routes are designed so everyone, from beginners to experienced cyclists, can do

their part to help end cancer Aug. 8-10, 2014.;
Sadly, cancer touches everyone. Half of all men and one-third of all women in the U.S.

will develop cancer during their lifetimes.  Read More >>

City Council makes decision to support the LWSD bond - many citizens speak up at meeting

The Mayor and City Council were very busy at last night's Regular Business Meeting hearing comments from numerous citizens.


Parent Lisa Lang got up with a clutch of Redmond El students thanking the Mayor and Councilmember David Carson (and numerous others) for their participation in the Spaghetti fundraiser.  She said they now have enough funds to build a new playground at the school this summer.


Former Mayor Chris Himes and John Couch (her Parks Director) got up to celebrate Chris 85th birthday and all the accomplishments of the Redmond Historical Society.  The Parks Bond measure of 1974 drew Himes into her race for Mayor.  Couch gave Himes flowers. 


Two "frequent flyers" to the podium got up to grind their axes:  Zimmerman an oppositional and defiant speaker to anyone associated with government, especially King County.  And David Warton grinding his ax about pollution from Watson Asphalt Company of SE Redmond.  Another citizen negotiated for more than 4 minutes to address council about recurrent car accidents on a curve on West Lake Sammamish. 


Four citizens got up to encourage Council to vote in favor of Proposition One, the LWSD bond measure.  Superintendent Traci Pierce lauded the district's AAA bond rating and emphasized how fast the district is growing.  She clarified for Councilmember John Stilin that two new elementary schools in Redmond were proposed for the $404 million bond -- one in North Redmond and one in Redmond Ridge.  School Board member Siri Bleisner explained:  the bond is specifically designed to address over-crowding in schools, that extra space is designed in the new schools to create room for art, music, etc, that the district has a track record for building on time and on budget and that the cost of the bond will be about $125/year for an average home. 


Councilmember Byron Shulz gave a long speech about the importance of schools to Redmond and at the end of the meeting suggested that council work directly with the school board to improve the district.  Councilmember Margeson and Stilin agreed to a closer association with the district governance.  Council voted 5-2 (Carson/Myers) to approve a Proposition One resolution for the school bond.  Carson and Myers usually always vote No based on the principle the voters are responsible to decide for themselves what's best.


Reported By Bob Yoder

Have you seen the numerous colorful sticks in Redmond's Downtown Park?

Have you seen the numerous colorful sticks (or wands/ribbons) in Redmond's Downtown Park?   Mayor Marchione announced there's a tag on each ribbon stating:  "I want __________ in my downtown park."  Citizens can fill in the blank with their idea for what they want going on in the park --- a creative way to engage the public!   Stop by and fill in a blank!

Redmond Bike Park moves forward

Hello Redmond Bike Park followers,

 

The revised Redmond Bike Park project plans were not appealed.  Staff and the consultants will be meeting soon to plan a schedule and approach to construction.  I will follow up with details soon. 

 

Thank you,

 

Carolyn Hope

Park Planning & Cultural Services Manager

City of Redmond, Parks and Recreation Department

15670 NE 85^th Street, Redmond, WA 98052

425.556.2313, cjhope@redmond.gov

www.redmond.gov

City Attorney advises Council to close ears to Mosque Land Use issues - possible appeal

Anyone interested in the Mosque Land Use Action on 51st Street should listen to the last part of Tuesday's City Council meeting.  Mr. Haney, the City Attorney gave a study session to Council on the Roles and Responsibilities of Elected Officials where he specifically addressed the Mosque issue.


The Mosque Land Use Action is a Type 2 Permit decided by city staff (Technical Committee) appealable to the Hearing Examiner (closed record) with the Examiner's decision appealable to City Council in Quasi Judicial proceedings.  Haney advised council that even though the Hearing Examiner's proceedings are not Quasi Judicial that Council should not read emails or talk to citizens making comment on the land use.  Haney based his recommendation on "Appearance of Fairness" doctrine where council needs to appear unbiased should the appeal go to Council.  Also, in a closed record proceeding only those comments and evidence submitted to the Hearing Examiner are considered admissible when Council hears an appeal.  So Council remains pure from extraneous comments if they keep out of it.   

Councilmember Kim Allen, the city Ombudsman for the month said she did not read any emails that came in from concerned citizens about the Mosque.  She is a land use attorney.  Comments sent in by the comment deadline are considered admissible for the Hearing Examiner's record during an appeal.  Comments made to the Hearing Examiner during an appeal to the Examiner are also items for the record which the Council could hear in their Appeal should it go that far.  In Quasi-Judicial proceedings Council may not take comment from any party.

Haney referenced the Redmond Bike Park and Tent City as similar Type 2 Land Use Permits that hindered Council's interaction with the public.  The City of Redmond is one of the few cities in Washington State that uses the Quasi-Judicial system for land use appeals.

Reported by Bob Yoder

Bear Creek School Constructs LEGO Model of New Building

 Bear Creek’s New Upper School and Fine & Performing Arts Center

 

Redmond, WA – On March 26, Dan Parker, a certified LEGO® professional, worked together with more than 100 Bear Creek students in grades 5 and 6 to construct a LEGO® model of our new Upper School and Fine & Performing Arts Center. The model is as part of the school’s REACH UP Campaign to raise $10 million to finance the construction of its new building.

Mr. Parker is one of 13 certified LEGO® professionals in the entire world and lives in the Puget Sound area.  The Experience Music Project is currently hosting an exhibit, “Block by Block: Inventing Amazing Architecture,” featuring 10 famous skyscrapers constructed from LEGOs® by Dan and his team. The exhibit will remain at the EMP through April 20.
 

To date Bear Creek has raised nearly $7.4 million for construction of the new Upper School and Fine & Performing Arts Center. The school is planning to raise the rest of the needed funds this spring, so that groundbreaking can occur in June.  Read More >>

MARCH 2014 LETTER: Land Use Action for New Mosque on NE 51st Draws Neighborhood Reaction

This post is dated

If you drive by the northbound on-ramp to 520 on 51^st street, you probably haven’t noticed the small yellow sign posted to a gate announcing plans to develop a 20,000-square foot religious facility and community center. My fellow residents of the adjacent neighborhood north of 51^st and East of 520 didn’t notice it either.

 

But when we did find out, we were concerned. Our neighborhood is purely residential: 51^st Street is the natural divider between our homes and Microsoft corporate campus to the South. The proposed 20,000 sq. ft. structure, is ten times the size of the average 2,000 sq. ft. single family homes in our subdivision. Not only would this be the first non-residential addition to our community, but it would also be really, really large.  Read More >>

When Race Boats Ruled the Sammamish Slough: Recollections and Memories

Before Major League sports in Seattle, boat racing was king and the Sammamish Slough Race was one of the premier Northwest events. Every April thousands of spectators watched drivers jump logs and dodge bridge pilings on the narrow and winding 13-mile slough from Lake Washington to Lake Sammamish. Steve Greaves, a four time slough racer and national champion boat racer, will share the history and memories of this bygone era on Saturday, April 12^th at 10:30am at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center in Redmond. He is speaking as part of the Redmond Historical Society Saturday Speaker Series and will be joined by a panel of other former racers: Dave Culley, John Laird, Lee Sutter and Drew Thompson as well as former race official Penny Anderson. A boat will also be on display outside.

 “It was a challenging race as is had 63 turns and a lot of unpredictable obstacles.  I remember coming around a bend going through Redmond and having to dodge a cow getting a drink in the water,” recalls Greaves, who participated in his first race at fourteen and went on to set over 30 World and National water speed records.   Read More >>

Redmond's community engagement safety website

The City of Redmond has a new community engagement website to collect ideas, complaints, etc. on safety, roads, traffic, etc. which is moderated by Redmond Police officers.  The site is found at:  www.Redmond.ideascale.com  (The link is safe to click on). 

Lake Washington Schools Foundation Invites Community to April 23 Fundraising Luncheon

 Redmond, WA.  The community is invited to help build pathways for student success by attending Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s ninth annual “Legacy for Learning” luncheon fundraiser, to be held at Juanita High School, 10601 N.E. 132nd St., Kirkland, on Wednesday, April 23. Registration will begin at 11:30 AM, followed by lunch and a speaking program from noon to 1:00 PM. Please visit www.lwsf.org today to register.

The keynote speaker, EvergreenHealth CEO Robert Malte, will explain how the Lake Washington School District is building pathways to student success by providing students with real-world experiences through public-private partnerships with schools. One partnership, for example, allows high school students enrolled in the district’s new STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Signature Programs to explore healthcare careers by working directly with EvergreenHealth, an integrated healthcare system based in Kirkland.  Read More >>

YES "Invest in Youth" Breakfast Raises Over $610K

 Brandi Carlile inspires 1,200 guests to raise record funds

 

BELLEVUE, Wash. (March 17, 2014) – It was an event marked by powerful stories, courageous youth and remarkable support. Youth clients, along with keynote speaker Brandi Carlile, drew a capacity crowd of 1,200 at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue on March 12. Together, this record breaking crowd raised more money for YES than ever before.

 

Former YES client and small business owner Alisa Clark took the stage to ask guests to join her in donating to YES. “I have gone from client to advocate to speaker…Now I am giving financially to help ensure that the roots of this agency continue to run deep in our community and in the lives it serves and saves.” Her ask, along with the powerful stories shared by current clients motivated guests to donate more than $610K – with additional online donations continuing to come in.   Read More >>

City awards $29 million contract to Goodfellow Brothers, Inc. for Overlake South Detention Stormwater Vault

Redmond, WA - Redmond City Council voted last week to approve a contract with Wenatchee-based Goodfellow Brothers, Inc., to begin construction on the second phase of the Overlake South Detention Stormwater Vault project.

Phase II of the $29 million project, scheduled to get underway next month, will include the construction of a six million-gallon stormwater vault and restored parking lot area.

Located in the east parking lot of the Sears store near NE 20th Street and 148th Ave NE, the vault (one of three underground stormwater facilities planned for the area) will be the first regional facility to serve Overlake.  Read More >>

Citizen complains of drug use and safety issues in the city Skate Board Park

An adult citizen spoke up to city council this Tuesday night complaining about the drug abuse that is rampant at the Skate Board Park in Redmond.   He said he is one of the few adults that use the park and he is concerned for his safety when he is there.  He now goes with a buddy for safety.  He said kids between the ages of 10-18 have threatened him "to punch him in the face" for reporting drug abuse in the park.  He doesn't think it's safe for kids after school and that there should be supervision at the park.  He noticed there is no signage for "No Smoking" or "No Drugs" in the park and the city needs to do something about the problem.


Reported By Bob Yoder  

Redmond High School juniors win $2200 for their business

LWSD names winners of first Teen CEO Business Competition

 

Redmond, Wash. – Last May, Redmond High School sophomores Patrick Beighle and Sidney Counts decided to make their business idea come to life. On September 14, they started selling “pocket t-shirts” and broke even on their investment within a week. Within three weeks, they had doubled their investment and by week five, they had developed a website and sold their first products via the site. .

 

“Hardwood Tees is a specialty shirt company centered on making cool designs for a cheap and affordable price,” according to the co-owners. They currently sell pocket t-shirts with over 18 styles of pocket patterns to choose from. With everything from wood-themed pockets, to pockets with cats on them, their company’s goal is to be trendy and humorous.  Read More >>

2014 Opinion: School District Must Analyze Construction Plans, Modernization and Rebuilding

By Susan Wilkins, LWSD parent and Director candidate -- 2014 

 

In 1997, the Lake Washington School District created a modernization plan to keep its schools updated.  Schools were divided into 4 phases based on their age, and every 8 years a quarter of the schools were to be updated or remodeled.    In 1998 voters approved the Phase I Bond measure for $160,000,000 to modernize the first 11 schools on its list.

 

The word "modernization" means to update, and the first two schools on the Phase I modernization list, Audubon Elementary and Lakeview Elementary, were updated for about $5 million each.  After these two schools were updated, the district adopted a plan where they tore down old schools and replaced them with new schools by using a new-in-lieu calculation that showed that the cost to rebuild was about 80% of the cost to remodel.  The district added complex requirements to the school remodels that were difficult if not impossible to incorporate into the old schools at a reasonable price.  The cost of remodeling old schools soared and thus the district was able to justify tearing down and rebuilding schools rather than updating them.  The district started using the term "modernization" to mean tear-down/rebuild.  They also began building schools that were shockingly expensive with amenities and special features that were unnecessarily extravagant.  Read More >>

FORUM: The Effectiveness of Suicide Prevention Programs In Schools

NAMI EASTSIDE’S Monthly Educational Forum:  Tuesday, March 18, 2014

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS

 

Guest Presenter:                             James J. Mazza, Ph.D.

Date:                                               Tuesday, March 17, 2014, 7 PM - 9 PM

Location:                                         Evergreen Hospital, Suite Tan 100,

                                                                12303 NE 130th Lane,    

                                                                Kirkland, WA

               

Dr. Mazza is a professor at the University of Washington in the College of Education.  He has been at the University of Washington for the past 17 years and is the director of the School Psychology Program. He received his masters in 1990 and his Ph.D. in 1993 from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  His research focuses on youth and adolescent mental health issues and crisis interventions in schools.  He has published over 20 peer reviewed articles and 4 chapters in the area of child and adolescent mental health. 

 

Although Dr. Mazza’s specialty has centered on suicidal youth, he has worked with numerous school districts regarding crisis intervention and management for unexpected traumatic events such as death of school personnel and students, as well as exposure to violent behavior.

 

Please join us for this FREE educational event.  Open to all.

 

Hazardous Wastemobile coming to Redmond April 4-6

Find upcoming collections and convenient, permanent disposal sites

All King County and city residents can safely dispose of old car batteries, oil, paint thinner and many other household hazardous items at no cost when the Wastemobile comes to Redmond, April 4-6.


The Wastemobile will be in the parking lot of Home Depot, 17777 NE 76th St., Redmond, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Residents can drop off household hazardous waste items including pesticides, oil-based paints, automotive products (oil, antifreeze, auto batteries, etc.), fluorescent bulbs/tubes and other items without a charge. The service is pre-paid through garbage and sewer utility fees. Read More >>

Puget Sound Energy to hold three "Energize Eastside" workshops

Energize Eastside – First Sub-Area Committee Workshop

Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, 16600 NE 80th St., Redmond

March 19, 6:30 – 9:00 pm

 

Puget Sound Energy invites you to participate in the first in a series of workshops, as part of PSE’s Energize Eastside project. PSE has formed Sub-Area Committees to delve further into three geographic sub-areas on the Eastside. Over a series of two workshops in March and April (meeting details below), these Sub-Area Committees will be working side-by-side with community members to learn more about the Energize Eastside project,  understand local area issues and assess potential route segments against community values.   Read More >>

City of Redmond shows progress towards improving the environment

Four city planners delivered to the Redmond City Council two significant environmental progress reports at their last study session.  Environmental planner Cathy Beam gave a Climate Action Plan update on green building projects and Stream habitat planners Roger Dane and Tom Harding discussed restoration of  Redmond streams.  Read More >>

Vote YES On LWSD Growth Bond

We need students in permanent classrooms, not temporary ones, designed for the quality education we demand for our growing population.  A YES vote on next month’s LWSD Bond would do just that.  It will solve overcrowding at Redmond’s elementary and middle schools as well as Kirkland’s two large high schools.  It balances the district with a trending STEM high school on the west side. It gets Juanita High School out of the portables they have had for 30 years (plus gives their majority of classrooms windows)!

Being retired and living on a fixed income, I looked at my recent property appraisal and taxes.  It was great to see the value of my Kirkland improvements and land go up 17% while my real estate tax only went up 11%; hence, my current tax distribution rate went down!  We can afford the $10 per month on the average sized home and should want to for our future generations and neighboring communities.

The LWSD Board listened to the 30.74% who voted and reduced the Bond amount.  Be part of the overwhelming 57.79% majority that said yes in February to that one and VOTE YES now on this Bond by April 22nd to clear the 60% hurdle.

By Matthew Gregory

Municipal League Recommends YES Vote on April 22 Metro Transit and Roads Ballot Measure

Municipal League Recommends YES Vote on

April 22, 2014 Metro Transit and Roads Ballot Measure

 

 

The Municipal League recommends a Yes vote on Proposition 1. We believe that our growing region needs to make investments in its transportation infrastructure, both transit and roads. We must ensure that the economy can thrive, people can move about, our urban areas can support the density that our comprehensive plans envision, and our environment can be protected.

 

Our recommendation to voters is made with some reluctance. We have repeatedly urged Metro to do more to control its operating costs and to address its long term structural issues of unsustainable cost growth and inadequate revenues to meet expenses. However, we acknowledge that the agency has taken many actions to meet the challenges of the great recession and a volatile funding source.

 

We encourage Metro to continue to work on issues of efficiency and cost control and to use peer benchmarking to do so. The Municipal League intends to continue to monitor Metro’s progress on these issues.  Read More >>    Summary of the Measure

BECU Celebrates Grand Opening of Redmond Neighborhood Financial Center

Tukwila, Wash. (March 10, 2014) —On Tuesday, March 25th, at 11:00a.m., BECU will celebrate the grand opening of a new Neighborhood Financial Center (NFC) at 16325 Cleveland Street in Redmond.  The new location is located in the Elan Apartment Complex near Tipsy Cow Burger Bar.  City Councilman John Stilin will be cutting the ribbon to officially open the new center.  Read More >>

Opinion: Letter to Dr. Pierce and School Board Members On The $404 Bond

Dr. Pierce and School Board Members:

Recently the LWSD put up for a vote two Levy and one Bond measures requesting more money for the District.  The Levy measures passed, however the Bond measure failed.  Per your email and information on the District webpage, a survey was conducted of 400 residents in the District to ascertain why the Bond measure failed.  As I was not one of the residents contacted, I thought I would explain my particular reasons for voting “NO” on the Bond measure.

I have lived in Redmond for over 30 years and 3 of my 4 children have graduated from Redmond High School; my fourth child is a freshman this year at Redmond.  My husband is also a graduate of Redmond High School.  Over the past 10-plus years I have watched as the District has repeatedly asked for more and more money to fund building projects to “modernize” aging buildings and build new schools.  My belief is that the District has used these funds in less than effectual ways and with dreadful results.  Read More >>

Donate blood in Redmond March 18

While you were sleeping… A 2-year old was receiving 19 units of O Positive blood following brain surgery for a brain tumor. Additionally, Puget Sound Blood Center and Children’s Hospital were partnering to get life-saving blood to a 13-year old with end-stage liver disease who needed 10 units of red blood cells, 4 units of platelets and 3 units of plasma.

 

While you are reading this… someone else is receiving a blood transfusion.  Every two-minutes, someone in Western Washington needs transfused blood and Puget Sound Blood Center blood donors provide it every time.

 

I am writing you to ask you to donate at our next blood drive. You can donate every 56 days, and the need for your blood never stops.

 

Stay committed to saving lives.

Tuesday, March 18

9:00 am to 3:00 pm

(closed 11:00 am to 11:45 am)

CITY OF REDMOND

Public Safety Bldg.

8701 160th Ave NE

For information and to sign up contact

Maggie Lovell at (425) 556-2383

Writers Symposium at Ovelake School features acclaimed and popular poet Billy Collins

 

Poet Billy Collins, former United States Poet Laureate (2001-2003), brings his perspective on writing to The Overlake School's annual Writers' Symposium on March 17. The evening program, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m., in Discovery Hall, 20301 NE 108^th St., Redmond.

Collins is an American phenomenon. No poet since Robert Frost has garnered both high critical acclaim and broad popular appeal. His work has appeared in a variety of periodicals including The New Yorker, The Paris Review and The American Scholar. He is a Guggenheim fellow and a New York Public Library “Literary Lion.” His last three collections of poems have earned record sales for poetry, and his readings are often standing room only, attracting a widely diverse audience.  Read More >>