Local candidate filings

THE PRIMARY IS ON AUGUST 1ST

Redmond City Council Position 2 

Byron Shutz (incumbent)
Steve Fields (mayoral candidate, 2016)
Osama Hamdan

Redmond City Council Position 4 

Tanika Padhye (appointed Incumbent)

Eugene Zakhareyev

Redmond City Council Position 6 (currently John Stilin)

Jason Antonelli

Roy Captain  (Planning Commissioner / realtor)

Jeralee Anderson)

Lake Washington School District 414, Director District 3

• Christian Cahua
• Anita Damjanovic
• Cassandra Sage (endorsed by current Director. Nancy Bernard)

Legislative District 45, State Senator

• Jinyoung Lee Englund (Prefers Republican Party)
• Manka Dhingra (Prefers Democratic Party)
• Parker Harris (States No Party Preference)

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Legislative District 48, Representative Position 1

• Vandana Slatter (Prefers Democratic Party)*
• Ciaran Dougherty (Prefers Libertarian Party)

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Legislative District 48, State Senator

• Patty Kuderer (Prefers Democratic Party)*
• Michelle Darnell (Prefers Libertarian Party)
• Richard Knierim (Prefers Independent Dem. Party)

Source:  King County Elections

172 Avenue NE punch-through

When is this road going to open?

(Updated: Spring 2017)

Residents in North Redmond have been inquiring about the status of 172 Ave NE, and when it might be open to through traffic [to 124th Street.]

Currently 172 Ave NE remains closed, with a gate at NE 124 Street (Redmond City limits), but is accessible to emergency response vehicles as well as pedestrians and bicyclists.

172 Ave NE will open to general vehicular traffic when the following conditions are met:

• The intersection of 162 Place NE and NE 124 Street meets warrants for a traffic signal, which will happen when enough residential units are built and occupied in North Redmond to generate sufficient traffic volumes.
• Funding is identified for a traffic signal and left turn lanes at 162 Place NE and NE 124 Street and the project is constructed. (This intersection is currently owned by King County.)
• Traffic calming is completed on the corridor between NE 111 Street and NE 128 Street. Propoased traffic calming will be coordinated with area residents and King County.

As a side note, the existing gate was recently damaged by an unknown vehicle. The City is working with a local contractor to have the gate repaired.

-- Redmond.gov

2/22/17

Based on the construction status of the two subdivisions on 116th I'm guessing 172nd won't be punched through until  around 2020.  This punch-through will add to already heavy Avondale and 166th Av. volumes.  by

Downtown Park Groundbreaking 2

Credit/Jeni Craswell

Nancy McCormick (retired CM) is far left.  She's a strong advocate and defender of the Downtown Park. On the night of her retirement from Council she gave a check towards the Downtown Park to Mr. Mayor. Nancy is now a member of the One Redmond Foundation.  Rep. Joan McBride of the 48th District is right of Nancy.  Councilmember David Carson is the tall guy in the blue shirt. Molly Hill, the wife of Sen. Andy Hill is speaking. Mr. Mayor is behind her. King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert was present.  Is that John Aftebro  (V.P. RHS) in the foreground with the blue cap?

The photographer, Jeni Crawsell was Marchione's 2007 campaign manager, the Executive Director of  "Realize Redmond" (precursor to the One Redmond Foundation) and now works for Hopelink.

An individual on Facebook thought the Park should be named after John Couch, the city's Park director of 30 years.  Nancy McCormick the "Facebook park defender" responded a park can't be named for someone until they've been deceased for at least 2 years.

Photo source:  Facebook

UPDATED: Downtown Park Groundbreaking 1

l-r, David Carson, Hank Myers, Byran Schutz, Molly HIll (State Senator Andy Hill's wife) John Marchione, Nancy McCormick, Joan McBride 48th District, Hank Margeson, Tanika Padhye, Angela Birney, John Stilin  credit/C.O.R

King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert was present but is not in the photo.  She lives on Education Hill

UPDATED, 5/21: Hawks Glen

Quadrant removed this brick rambler, oversized garage and barn; the demolition was covered with straw

You are looking at land Quadrant names "Hawks Glen," formally "Ray Meadows."  It's 9.77 acres. Is this the last vestige of undeveloped agricultural land in Redmond? (The Conrad Olson Farmstead is a "park" and Keller Farm, a Mitigation Bank.)  A city employee in Planning said three other Preliminary Plats remain....two on Rose Hill and I think one in No. Redmond.  I doubt they're undeveloped agricultural lands. [still investigating this]

Hawks Glen has been unfarmed for as long as I can remember.  I think Councilmember Hank Margeson knows who owned it. It was sold to Quadrant by a limited partnership for $2.9M.  Matt Perkins, the Quadrant Manager said the land was ditched and used for agriculture.

The parcel is located in North Redmond on NE 116th and 178th Ave. NE.  It will be subdivided into 27 residential lots, including a duplex for affordable housing.  According to Matt, construction will begin in 2018; so expect additional car trips on Red-Wood, 166th and Avondale roads starting 2019-2020.  Below, is some interesting habitat, fish, and drainage data found in the permit file:

Monticello Creek –The on-site stream enters the property from the north, flows south/southeast, and exits the site on the east property line. It's not intermittent.  It flows into a culvert near the east property line and under 178th Avenue NE. The on-site stream is known to support resident Cutthroat trout (Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife). Coho salmon presence has been documented immediately downstream of the site by the City of Redmond. (Can't you just see a farmer and his kids fishing this creek?) There are no known obstructions or fish barriers within the Stream A channel on-site. According to the City of Redmond, this stream is a Class II stream and receives a 150-foot buffer consisting of a 100-foot inner buffer and a 50-foot outer buffer.

Fish Habitat:  According to WDFW Priority Habitat mapping, the on-site stream is inhabited by resident cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki). Coho salmon presence has been documented immediately downstream of the site by the City of Redmond. This stream connects to Bear Creek, which is also known be habitat for Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Sockeye salmon, and steelhead trout (WDFW Salmonscape). These additional salmonid species may use the on-site stream since no barrier is documented between Bear Creek and this tributary. Ideal spawning conditions appear to be somewhat limited, due to limited gravel and pools within the stream. The stream appears to have potential for smaller resident species as well.

PSE "Energize Eastside" Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is open for comment

Maybe you've heard about PSE's plans to collect up to $1 billion through higher energy bills to build the “Energize Eastside” transmission line. PSE hopes to install giant new poles (80-100' tall) and high-voltage wires through 18 miles of the Eastside. The line would be constructed within feet of the aging Olympic jet fuel pipeline - the same one that exploded in Bellingham in 1999. This project will not measurably increase reliability or decrease the most common types of power outages.

Th draft 2 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been released and is open for comment until 6/21. A group of dedicated residents recommends smarter solutions to increase reliability - cense.org. CENSE will host a workshop THIS Saturday (5/20) from 10 a.m. - noon at the Eastshore Unitarian Church (12700 SE 32nd St, Bellevue, WA 98005) - free coffee and pastries. Volunteers will share their findings and help you focus on questionable areas in the EIS to make your comments extra effective. They have read 800 pages so you don’t have to!

-- Shannon Madonna, "Nextdoor"

Grasslawn neighborhood

Posted to 42 neighborhoods in General 2d ago

Bood Drive June 20

BLOOD  DRIVE, Tuesday,June 20th, 1-7pm

We’re doing it again….asking you to donate an hour of your time to save a life!  Redmond United Methodist Church is hosting a blood drive, June 20th from 1-7pm (break 3-3:45pm).  Whether they use your blood whole or spin it into three components, only you can help meet the daily need for Puget Sound hospitals.

I was registering donors yesterday and a young women came in because she saw the signs.  She donated FOR A FRIEND THAT NEEDED 8 UNITS after complications with a delivery of a baby.  It underscores that any of us or a family member might need it.

EMAIL:  bpeltola@gmail.com  for an appointment!  We’ll  have some wonderful cookies or brownies to thank you for your generosity!  

Tina Paul

Four LWSD students receive National Merit $2500 Scholarships

Distinguished seniors part of only 50 selected statewide

Redmond, Wash. – The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced today that four Lake Washington School District (LWSD) students will receive National Merit $2500 Scholarships. Fifty students were selected statewide for these awards.

The students receiving National Merit $2500 Scholarships are:

·         Shloak Jain (Redmond), Redmond High School

·         Alicia Kacharia (Redmond), International Community School

·         Abhinav Singh (Redmond), Tesla STEM High School

·         Marium Raza (Woodinville), Redmond High School

These students are four of the 2,500 distinguished high school seniors nationwide to win this scholarship. They were selected from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.

UPDATED: Writing Your Way to Happiness

Credit/ "Well"  

By TARA PARKER-POPE

 JANUARY 19, 2015 5:30 PM
The scientific research on the benefits of so-called expressive writing is surprisingly vast. Studies have shown that writing about oneself and personal experiences can improve mood disorders,  [Writing my blog helps me] help reduce symptoms among cancer patients, improve a person’s health after a heart attack, reduce doctor visits and even boost memory.

Now researchers are studying whether the power of writing — and then rewriting — your personal story can lead to behavioral changes and improve happiness. [I do this on my blog.  I "update" all the time.]

The concept is based on the idea ] we all have a personal narrative that shapes our view of the world and ourselves. But sometimes our inner voice doesn’t get it completely right. Some researchers believe that by writing and then editing our own stories, we can change our perceptions of ourselves and identify obstacles that stand[ in the way of better health.

It may sound like self-help nonsense, but research suggests the effects are real.

READ MORE to find a personal story at the end of this article

Bragging rights

Bragging rights from a "Blog'n Bob"

Lexie

My daughter Lexie graduated from LWSD, K-12, "future ready." According to Lexie, she had lots of very good teachers along the way, but several really stood out for her. She felt lucky to have Mr. Town, a nationally recognized environmental science teacher. Lexie is soft spoken and remembers Mr. Anderson "made" her do a skit, taking her out of her shell.  As a high school student she loved helping Ms. Leonard teach her Horace Mann students. To this day they are good friends.   

I'm proud to say, Lexie graduated from Gonzaga cum laud with a double major in Biology and Environmental Studies and last week graduated from University of Montana with a Master of Science in Environmental Studies.  She was "spotlighted" in UM's annual "Vision" publication (page 23.)

Okay, I'm done with my boasting...for now!!  

But there's more!  Police Chief Kristi Wilson earned a "Masters in Organizational Leadership" from Gonzaga University. And, it's my understanding Rob Odle, Director of Planning and Development has a son who graduated from the Zag engineering department. I've heard Mr. Odle speaks highly of "community" at Gonzaga.

"Townsquared," Online Community for Small Businesses partners with OneRedmond

After successful Seattle launch, Townsquared expands to King County, Eastside neighborhoods; partnering with Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and OneRedmond

SEATTLE - May 16, 2017 -- Townsquared, the only online community and mobile app designed to help small businesses connect and share resources with each other, today announced another major milestone — the expansion of its community into the Eastside neighborhoods outside of Seattle.

The launch is the culmination of an ongoing partnership between local community leaders, small businesses, and Townsquared staff.

Now, local entrepreneurs will have access to the company's  emerging suite of services, which include its events, its platform, and its soon-to-launch business tools.

The Watershed Preserve

Credit/ C.O,R,

The Watershed Preserve - General Informaiton 

OPINION: Leadership at Lake Washington School District

UPDATED, 5/11/17. An aspect of LWSD culture is promoting executives from within. For local governments is this always good policy?

Note an excerpt  from City University of Seattle, Student Profile, Academy School of Education, March 3, 2012.

"In the Fall of 2011, the board [presided by President Jackie Pendergrass and influenced by Superintendent Dr. Kimball] decided they were going to focus on internal candidates only so the grade reconfiguration transition could be smooth and initiatives like the STEM choice school could be continued without a hitch. Dr. Pierce is known in the district for putting students first and leading through inclusion and collaboration. The board of directors voted unanimously to hire Dr. Traci Pierce as the district’s new superintendent, beginning July 1, 2012."  

Looking back, was hiring our Superintendent without a regional or national search good policy considering the district's size and budget and importance of the position?   Why rush the decision without leaving time for a community task force and consultant advice? Running the district smoothly and without a hitch for one-four year initiatives is critical and challenging...reference grade reconfiguration and passing bonds. Yet, hiring a Superintendent is a seminal event with long-term consequences.  We are fortunate and blessed Dr. Pierce is proving to be a strong leader.     

During last night's Board meeting two students from Lake Washington High School eloquently described personal "inclusion" problems at their school. To watch the students speak, advance the tape to the Public Comment "dot."  This meeting is a good opportunity to watch our Superintendent, Board President Dr.Christopher Carlson and V.P. Siri Bliesner in action. At the meeting Siri recommended emphasis in "executive limitations" for mathematics next year. (EL7.) Both are strong leaders and we are lucky to have them.

Toby Brenner, the Principal of Frost El. gives a terrific presentation at the beginning of the meeting. He was hired by Associate Superintendent Dr. Jon Holmen. Jon's job is "the meat and potatoes" of LWSD. We are very lucky to have him, as well.

Bob Yoder

Redmond Learning Community

City plans transition from Old Redmond Schoolhouse

Dr. Mary M. Goings, President of LWIT and OneRedmond
Board member. Dr. Goings received a standing ovation at
the Mayor's "State of the City" breakfast this month.

As part of the Lake Washington School District’s long-term facilities planning, the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center will be remodeled for district preschool programs, which serve special needs and low-income families. The renovated school will include 10-preschool classrooms, a gym, and a commons area. The current lease agreement between the City and the District will end effective June 2018 to allow time for renovations. The City and the District are working together as the use of Old Redmond School House Community Center (ORSCC) changes. During the short-term transition time, recreation programs at ORSCC will be relocated to the Redmond Senior Center, Teen Center, LWSD schools, and potential leased space at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology RedmondCampus (20,000 sq ft.) 

The recommended leased site will not only absorb current programming but will allow for additional program demands such as arts, culture, camps and family programs. Lease costs are estimated at approximately $500,000 per year with additional funds needed (approximately $100,000) for the decommissioning of the Old Redmond Schoolhouse and staff moving costs. Staff recommends these costs be supported through Real Estate Excise Tax collections received in 2016 over forecasted amounts. The temporary solution allows the City to use capital money until a more permanent resolution is agreed upon. Lease terms are in two year increments.

Time Restraints:  Due to the timeframe for registration of programs and renters needs for communicating to their organizations; staff recommends that small modifications be made to the Redmond Senior Center and Teen Center in July 2017 to accommodate varied programming. All programming recommended to relocate to the above two sites is encouraged to move by Fall 2017 for a smooth transition. This will give time to provide marketing support and identify any facility operational issues. The potential leased space (Lake Washington Institute of Technology) is available now, staff recommends to relocate in the late fall of 2017. This will allow for time for decommissioning of ORSCC and the commissioning of LWIT facility for programming, marketing and outreach to the community in preparation for full implementation of programs and services starting in first quarter 2018.

-- May 9th Study Session, Agenda III
redmond.gov

What's this?

Credit/ Ingunn Markiewicz

What is this?

Credit/ Ingunn Markeiwicz
Powerline Trail

He/she is a Western Screech-Owl, probably foraging for small animals in the Sammamish River riparian-forested habitat.

It's pretty amazing I can walk 20 minutes to this little guy's home; and walk 20 minutes from my home in the opposite direction to urbanized Downtown Redmond.

Ingunn is an excellent writer and photographer.  She has a fascinating blog about motherhood, trail running & hiking:
www.trailsnail.com 

Proposal to Boost Funding for Arts, Science and Heritage on King County Ballot

Seattle - In August, King County voters will have the chance to boost funding for arts, science and heritage education and access. Yesterday the King County Council voted 7-2 to place "Access for All" on the August 2017 ballot.  "Access for All" would provide funding for more than 350 arts, science and heritage organizations throughout the county to expand education for public school students and increase access to diverse experiences for low-income and middle-class families. Smaller, community-based organizations that serve traditionally under-served communities would be eligible for twice as much funding. If approved by voters on August 1, 2017, "Access for All" would raise the county sales tax by 0.1 percent -- just one penny for every $10 spent, or $30 a year for the average King County family.

New Design Review Board Members Needed

Internet photo

Opinion:  We need a resident on the Board who cares about the aesthetics of our downtown, Overlake and the Marymoor Sub-area.  Don't you think it's about time the City set new color standards other than bland earth tones?  New materials?  New architecture? The developers have been getting great deals with our low-cost building standards at a time when incentives aren't needed. The City's Development Manager Steve Fischer oversees all the developer design applications, yet never once has he and the Board presented Design Standards to Council.  It's long time our City Council leaders held a joint study session with the DRB. 

 Redmond, WA.  If you are a design professional and care about the quality of architecture and landscaping in the City of Redmond, consider applying for a vacant position on the Design Review Board. The City of Redmond is looking for new members for its Design Review Board; two (2) design professionals and one (1) resident position.

Volunteers on the seven-member Design Review Board review and make recommendations to City Council on site plans, landscape and architectural design and colors and materials for commercial, industrial and multi-family projects.

UPDATED: Downtown Walkability - Yesterday and Today

In 2012 the Downtown Walk Score was 95.  Today's Score is 82.  Of course, you'd never believe it with all the construction downtown..

This is a city video describing how walkable our downtown was in 2012.  It gives a good perspective on how the city's grown in just five short years.  Good for a chuckle, too.

 The walk score for all the apartments in the downtown is HERE.

Special thanks to Michael Leccisi for clarifying this piece.

Downtown Park Groundbreaking Slated for May 10

A video from five years ago...

REDMOND, WA - The public is invited to attend the upcoming groundbreaking for Downtown Park, where the first shovel will be turned to make way for the final phase of the project. The Downtown Park groundbreaking celebration will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10, 2017, at the project site on Cleveland Street between 161st Ave. NE and Leary Way NE. The evening will include a short program, groundbreaking ceremony, and opportunity for attendees to ask questions and learn more about the park.

“This groundbreaking marks an important milestone for the park and Redmond residents and businesses, as we take our next step in creating a complete and vibrant downtown area. The park will be a gathering place for the neighborhood as well as provide a unique venue for events for the entire community in the near future,” stated Mayor John Marchione.

Actual construction is expected to start in June and the park is projected to open in summer 2018.  Planning for the Downtown Park included extensive public input to determine key features—which include a pavilion and stage performance area, splash pad, dining grove, and raised lawn with deck and seating.

Parking for the ceremony is available in the public parking lot at Leary Way and Bear Creek Parkway (entrance off of Bear Creek Parkway), as well as on-street.

 - City Communications