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

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 >>

LETTER: History of LWSD Construction & Modernization: 1998-present

By Susan Wilkins

 

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 >>

Opinion: Realities of the proposed $404,000,000 bond

Susan Wilkins said...

The proposed $404,000,000 bond measure is a HUGE amount of money. It just seems like a small amount when compared to the previous $755M bond measure. To suggest that it will cost taxpayers only $10/month or a couple cups of coffee to pay off is utterly ridiculous. Our school board rushed this bond measure and didn't bother to check their math. Their calculations are wrong! The bonds will cost nearly 4 times as much as the district states!

Intuitively, $404,000,000 paid back over 20 years will cost $20.2 million per year just to pay for the principal. With 4.25% interest, taxpayers will need to pay back about $30 million per year, about the same amount as the Capital Projects Levy that just passed or $.91/thousand in assessed value. So paying off $404 million will cost the owner of a $500,000 house about $450 per year or $40 per month, not $10/month.

Sammamish residents are the biggest losers with this bond measure. They get nothing! No additional elementary classroom space, no new eastside ICS choice school (as was promised), and no new middle or high school space.   Read More >>

What are the ramifications if the $404 Million bond fails?

During the last school board meeting...


School Board President Jackie Pendergrass asked what the price of the $404 million bond would cost the average taxpayer the first year, and staff came up with $10/month or "two coffees per month" according to Pendergrass.  Superintendent Traci Pierce ran down the following list of options staff would have at their disposal if the $404 million bond failed to pass:


1.  Reduce or eliminate all day kindigarden
2.  Double shifting (which would raise transportation and utility costs)
3.  Add portables wherever possible at $300,000/portable.  (The district is adding the equivalent population of one elementary school every year for the next four years).
4.  Year round school
5.  Construction costs of future schools would go up.
6.  Variances would not become an option. 


Reported by Bob Yoder

Concerned citizens tell school board why they voted No on the bond

There were several concerned citizens who made public comment to the LWSD school board last Monday about why they voted against the bond.   One was Rick Whitney who's father was an elementary school principal his whole life, a pro schools person, and this was the first time he voted against a school bond in his life. 


Rick said the cost of new schools is excessive and the ever increasing tax burden put on us is unacceptable.  He agreed with the levy committee's statement that the district has a consistent record of accountability and stays within budget but with one exception.  Rick said "One key thing is missing in that statement. The school district needs to strive for cost efficiencies to deliver high performing schools at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayers.  That's what I think is missing and the disconnect that caused you to lose this bond vote." 


Mike was the second speaker to the podium, a father of two children who went to Peter Kirk and Lake Washington High School.  He was Chairman of the "Yes on 1 &2 Not 3"sign campaign organized by businesses.  As a real estate developer Mike was surprised to learn that Monroe High School could be built for 23 million dollars vs. the 94 million dollars it took to build Lake Washington High School.  He couldn't believe that Peter Kirk is scheduled for a tear down saying "it had centuries" of life left with proper maintenance.  He said the tearing down and rebuilding must end and a committee of citizens, architects and professional could find solutions.   Mike also had experience with the City of Kirkland Growth Management Committee that put together the Comprehensive Plan and Capital Facilities Plan years ago.


Reported by Bob Yoder  

When a "slow" market isn't really slow: the reality behind the Redmond real estate data

By KC Brants

Redfin Real Estate Agent

 

Redmond’s real estate market kicked off with a bang this year.  In January, home prices were up 18 percent and sales were up 6 percent compared with the same time in 2013. But homes were selling more slowly, spending an average of 32 days on the market. So if sales and prices were up, why were homes taking longer to sell? The answer has more to do with competition than anything else.  Read More >>

WIAA District 2 Dance Championship Competition at Redmond High

Redmond High School is hosting the WIAA District 2 Dance Championship Competition on Saturday March 15th. Over 15 high school dance teams will be competing for the district title in dance. Dance competition categories include hip-hop, pom, lyrical and military, among others. Redmond High's own dance team recently competed at the Eastlake High School district competition and took fourth place!

Come out and cheer on your favorite team at this event! There will be food, raffle prizes and amazing dance performances. Doors open at 12n, first performance will begin at 1pm. Adult ticket price is $7, Students and Senior Citizens, $5. Children under 6 are free. Any questions please contact Cathi Bibby at 4bibbys@comcast.net.

News from LWSD schools

Four high school students selected as candidates for U.S. Presidential Scholars Program

Nikhil Auradkar (Eastlake High School), Jack Eggleston (International Community School), Hannah Yang (Redmond High School) and Alex Zhou (Redmond High School) have been selected as candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Sixty-seven students from around the state are candidates. These students will now complete applications for the chance to become Presidential Scholars. Each year, up to 141 students nationally are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative, and performing arts. Read More >>

Redmond ranks 9th most exciting city to live in Washington State

As part of Movoto Real Estate’s efforts to find the best spots in every state, whether that be for retiring or stretching your dollars, we’re turning our Saturday Night Science on Washington to find which places there will really get the heart pounding. What did we find? The most electrifying, exhilarating, and yes, the most exciting city in The Evergreen State is Seattle. Still, Seattle wasn’t the only horse in this race. The city faced stiff competition to stand atop our pump-up podium. Here are the 10 most exciting places in Washington:
1. Seattle
2. Bellingham
3. Olympia
4. Mill Creek
5. Pullman
6. Vashon
7. Snoqualmie
8. Anacortes
9. Bremerton
9. Redmond
Not surprised with our No. 1 choice? What made Bellingham more exciting than Olympia? We know you have questions; we have answers. So, pull on your hiking boots, because we’re going to traverse the great state of Washington. First, however, you’ll need to know how we made our ranking—the secret knock to our ranking club, if you will.  Read More >>

LWSD Bond Fails - Proposition One and Two Pass

The final results are in at King County Elections and the LWSD Bond failed to pass by 2.21% of those voting.  Only 57.79% of those voting voted for the bond.  60% was needed.  The $775 Million price tag was just too much for the growing minority of voters to stomach.  The school board is meeting with staff to try to come up with an answer to the community.


Proposition One passed with 65% in favor.  Proposition Two passed with 64% in favor.  Only 30.74% of the registered voters in the District voted. 


Reported by Bob Yoder

Kathy Lambert to continue as Chair of County Council, Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee

Completion on 2014 Council reorganization includes appointments
to Budget and Transportation committees 

 

Metropolitan King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert will remain Chair of the Council’s Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee as the Council completes its yearly reorganization with the appointment of the chairs of the Council’s standing committees.

“I enjoy chairing the Law, Justice, Health and Human Services Committee as the issues we cover are ones that are important to King County and to me personally. Public Safety is one of our core responsibilities of county government and I’m privileged to serve in this area,” said Lambert.  Read More >>

Learn About Native Plants This Spring

The Washington Native Plant Society is now seeking applications for the Native Plant Stewardship Program in East and South King County. Participating cities in King County include: Kenmore, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Sammamish and SeaTac.

 

The 10-week training is held on Fridays from April 18 through June 27, 2014, in Bellevue. This training is taught by top professionals on various topics such as native plants, habitat restoration and northwest ecology. In exchange for this free training, stewards will commit to 100 hours of volunteer service implementing the skills learned in these classes.  Each Native Plant Steward team will be formed to work on designated habitat restoration projects in one of our partner communities and in King County Parks.  Read More >>

Attention Logging and Railroad Aficionados: Historian to Discuss 1920's Logging East of Redmond

As late as the 1920’s there were still many huge, old growth trees in the area east of Redmond and logging was dominated by the Siler Logging Company.  Felled trees were taken north by means of a specially-built 25 mile railroad that ran from Ames Lake to Bromart, just south of Snohomish.  Logging and railroad historian Eric Erickson will explore the Siler operations in detail on Saturday, March 8^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.   Read More >>