Derby Days: Thanks be to our firefighters

Derby Days!

Two days before Derby Days we had a fire in our house!  The smoke detectors went off about five minutes before we smelled that frightening oder.  Soon we saw a haze in our living room and rec room. Oh My God! 911.  Within minutes our firemen arrived, calmly assessed the house, found a scorched furnace filter, turned off the thermostat, scanned the furnace with a heat sensor, and told me to call a furnace specialist. Wow! Mission accomplished.  They went so far as to fan out all the smoke from our house.  I couldn't believe it.  Firm hand shakes, copious thanks and smiles all the way around!  I couldn't wait to thank them and swap stories at the Derby Days Pancake Breakfast.

While donating a few bucks at the breakfast, Steve Gengo told me the money goes to the "Redmond Firefighters Benevolent Fund."   Steve is the President of the fund.  It pays for clothing, hotels and food for residents displaced from fire or other tragedies. Wow!  I had no idea.  Redmond Fire gives to the community in so many ways.

David Carson, Fire Chief, Byron Shutz

In the long line for pancakes, eggs and sausage I saw Councilmembers David Carson, Byron Shutz, and Hank Myers flipping pancakes and setting tables.  Besides representing us, all three are terrific community volunteers.  David and Hank are Community Emergency Response Team volunteers. Hank also volunteers for Green Redmond restoring our forests on the weekends.  All three are members of the Kiwanis Club and were flipping hamburgers at their Derby Days fundraiser booth.  Hank said they raised enough to possibly fund for the whole year.

My wife, a neighbor-friend and I sat next to a friendly, young Korean couple as we enjoyed our breakfast.  They moved to Redmond just two weeks prior to start work for Microsoft and to our surprise the lady had already signed up as a Derby Day volunteer!  They are renting outside of Redmond.

EXTRA EXTRA

In 2009 beloved, and now retired Captain John Stockman invited my daughter for a "ride-along." If you're interested, here's a slideshow and some clips of their activities.

http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2009/02/city-of-redmond-fire-department-ride.html

Bob Yoder

City launches a new community education and awareness campaign focused on homelessness

Redmond, WA – In response to recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, the City of Redmond is launching a community education and awareness campaign, including a new website focused on homelessness. The website addresses the causes of homelessness, current efforts underway — and encourages everyone who lives or works in Redmond to be part of the solution.

“The City is ‘all in’ because we’re about building community for everyone – including those who are most in need,” said Mayor John Marchione. “Thanks to the Redmond Community Homelessness Task Force for providing the foundation for this effort.”

There are many ways to be involved, including educating yourself and your friends, finding out how and where to volunteer your time and talents, and advocating for affordable housing or other key policies. Specific ideas are listed for landlords, employers, parents, and community groups.

The campaign is tied to the countywide All Home initiative and leverages the partnership that the City of Redmond has with King County. All Home Redmond has many ideas and opportunities for how residents can participate in this initiative, and they will be rolled out over the next several months.

For more information, go to www.redmond.gov/homelessness. 

For questions and more information contact Alaric Bien, Senior Planner, atabien@redmond.gov or 425-556-2458. This press release is available on www.redmond.gov.

Downtown art

UPDATED:  Yesterday, I was fortunate to spend an hour with a city planner to talk about outdoor art.  I'm very concerned about the rapid pace of urbanization in our city and how overly dense and uniformly green the downtown is starting to look.  Where's the art?  The pace of growth and demands to plan for it appear overwhelming.  Can the city keep up?   

Redmond is special to the Northwest in that we have a very diverse population of residents from all over the world...and we become more diverse with every year.  Art is especially crucial for us because of our diversity.  It offers a great way to connect and engage us in conversations and activities. We get to know and accept each other through art.   

The Downtown Park has a great opportunity to be our centerpiece for art.  I'm concerned that too few of us have participated in workshops on its design.  I pray and trust the city will make the right decisions. 

Frazer Court is a private development that installed this
interactive art.  See the stones on the pedestals?
You can move them around.  

What about the private developments -- those 6 -9 story apartment buildings and 4 hotels? Flowered pots and green shrubbery smartly dress up the buildings, but where's the art to engage us with each other as we walk down the sidewalks?  Look (left) at the attractive and inviting art of Frazer Court. It's interactive, too! Doesn't it look cool? Unfortunately, when you look around town very few, if any other developers are installing art. Have you seen any artscapes?  The city needs to come up with an incentive program soon before it's too late.
  

Kudos to the council, staff and community volunteers for bringing art to the Redmond Central Connector trail.  SIGNALS is prominent, interesting and easy to understand.  It creates a great place for us to interact and get to know each other.  Just look at So Bizarre! 

SIGNALS

SKY PAINTING ($95k) and the ERRATIC ($115k) on the other hand are different. Was there ever a workshop to involve us at the ground level of these projects?  The city had to spend $1M to move the ERRATIC off the light rail easement to Leary Way gateway (good choice)  Even though these art pieces are on the trail and very large, few people have seen them.  Do you know where they are?  

The city planner said they will install some temporary art in the Downtown Park and neighborhood parks.  This ought to give the planners some "wiggle room" as they await a response from the viewing public.  Phase 2 of the Redmond Trail Connector is underway.  I hope there's enough time to hold workshops so we can participate in this part of the trail.  I'm concerned there's not enough time or resources to hold another workshop for the Downtown Park.  The demands on staff are intense.  More and better delegation to the city commissions is called for.  

Bob Yoder, opinion  

*The workshop for the Bike Park was very useful in the design.  (Its location was taxing.)  

In case you were wondering, that green patch of grass in the downtown is not the finished park

Sound Transit will be obsolete before it's built

This was published in Rob Butcher's  "Kirkland Views" 

Brian Mistelle has written an opinion piece for the Seattle Times which explores the reason why ST3's $54 billion plans are a waste of money -- because technology will pass it by long before much of it is even built. The piece argues against the fundamental technologies employed by Sound Transit without even getting into the politics and wastefulness criticisms levied upon this boondoggle of gargantuan proportions. 

From the article:

"As Puget Sound taxpayers weigh Sound Transit’s $54 billion proposed expansion — a plan calling for 10 times the investment spent doubling the Panama Canal’s capacity — it’s important to ask whether it will be obsolete before it is done?

"The light-rail and rapid-ride bus proposal called ST3 will be on the November general election ballot. As proposed, it would be constructed over the next 25 years and is projected to provide transit an additional 1 percent of daily trips by 2040. Some say “we must do something” to address the growing traffic congestion in the Puget Sound region and that ST3 is our best bet. But several major trends are fundamentally changing the nature of mobility around the world and will likely cause ST3 to be obsolete before the ribbons are cut."

Read the whole piece at http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/sound-transits-expansion-will-be-obsolete-before-its-built/

Vote for Ramiro Valderrama on August 2

Ramiro Valderrama

The Municipal League gave Ramiro Valderrama the "highest rating."  They recognized Ramiro as "a pathfinder and respected leader."  and candidate who "brings knowledge and creativity to issues facing the office."  

Ramiro Valderrama, is running for the 45th Legislative District Seat Position 1.  Make sure you vote August 2.  I spent two hours with Ramiro getting to know him.  He is very engaging, knowledgeable, down to earth and willing to listen.  He's also a family man ....very caring, supportive and likable.  Ramiro seems to know just about everybody in Redmond, and Sammamish -- where he's Deputy Mayor.  I admire his advocacy and expertise on key issues -- the environment, mental health, safety, education and transportation.     

He is certainly well qualified.  A West Point graduate, engineer, corporate executive of 25 years...traveling the world.... and a 5+ year public servant for Sammamish. Ramiro Valderrama has what it takes to represent us in the 45th!  I'm endorsing him.  Here's why:

EDUCATION:  Ramiro's  four children attended LWSD.  He's a STEM school adviser for the district.  Wants new sources of revenue and will push for an internet transaction tax. An internet tax would generate Billions for the State with all going to education.  He's for Charter Schools.  70% of the kiddos enrolled in Charter Schools are 1-2 years behind.  They're not  just for the elite.  

MENTAL HEALTH:   Ramiro participated in the "National Alliance for the Mentally Ill" fundraiser event in Kirkland.  He's endorsed by MH-PAC, a political Action Committee designed to support candidates who are committed to improving access to ethical mental health treatment. The PAC is supported by seven mental health groups and about 2500 clinicians and consumers are members.  

SAFETY:  Ramir0 is well credentialed!  He's the Vice Chair of the Regional Sound Cities Commission of Law, Justice and Public Safety committee. Valderrama was unanimously endorsed by all the commissioners of the Eastside Fire and Rescue board.  He's on  the Sammamish Public Safety Committee.  You can't help but feel safe with Ramiro!

ENVIRONMENT:   King County removed 2,000 trees from the north section of the Sammamish River Trail. including 260 significant and landmark trees.   Ramiro was two years ahead of the Sammamish City Council in his fight vs. King County to save trees during the build-out of the central sections of the Sammamish River Trail.  Ramiro fought the city council majority to save trees and for property rights on the Trail.  Yet still, he won his second election by 83%.  The Council recently voted unanimously under Ramiro's leadership to remove the County from their jurisdiction over the trail.  

TRANSPORTATION:  Ramiro says NO to tolls on 405 calling them regressive.  He isn't too excited about ST3.  The $54B package would raise taxes by over $1000 on a $700k house.  It reduces bus service and Eastside residents pay a proportionally heavier cost.  He calls ST3 "taxation without transportation."  

Please vote for Valderrama on August 2!

Bob Yoder

SKY PAINTING -- you may have parked on it, but have you seen it?

SKY PAINTING, a site-specific art installation that is now considered the largest painted surface in the state of Washington. The piece also doubles as a parking lot at the corner of Leary Way NE and Bear Creek Parkway.  

"This piece celebrates a grove of trees standing at the entrance to the new parking lot. Ten-foot rings in alternating blue and yellow draw the eyes to the trees. What results is an interactive painting that adds aesthetic appeal to an exciting new Downtown entry and asks us to consider what it is that we are parking over."  SOURCE: City Website  

Is this for real? 

UPDATED: $886,780 approved for removal of peat soils from the Downtown Park

City council awarded a bid to Santana Trucking & Excavating, Inc.,in the amount of $886,780.82 for the removal of Downtown Park peat soils. Removal is scheduled for August -- get ready for a mess. 1,000 truckloads will be removed. Another 1000 replaced.

One Friend thought why not build underground parking, rather than fill up the hole? The aquifer?  Another couldn't understand how heavy buildings once stood on this site but park grass can't.  Many want to know where all that peat is going; the city has been silent.  By chance are they sifting it for artifacts?  

Bob Yoder 

UPDATED: Redmond's Downtown "Heron Rookery"

Great Blue Herons no longer nest in the forest remnant of our Downtown.   

In the early 2000's, the herons migrated from the downtown rookery (across from the Saturday Market) to Issaquah and then to Marymoor Park. City planner Cathryn Beam said they were chased away by "crows and eagles." Some say downtown construction scattered them.

 John Reinke's photos of the active Marymoor Park rookery:

These four Great Blue Heron juveniles in Marymoor Park are almost "fledged"
Credit, John Reinke

Marymoor Park rookery
Credit John Reinke

The City of Redmond designates the Great Blue Heron as our "Species of Local Importance."

        Can you find the heron?

Bob Yoder

Rob Butcher, Kirkland's man-about-town

Rob Butcher

About ten years ago -- before social media really took off as a source for news  -- "hyper-local blogs" were the in-thing.  The Seattle Times caught onto this and started up "News Partners" to organize and link popular hyperlocals to their online paper.  Rob Butcher's "Kirkland Views" was one of them. I first met Rob at a News Partners orientation and we've stayed in touch ever since.

Kirkland Views has evolved into a vibrant, highly successful community "news forum" filling a void left by Kirkland's struggling print media. Read "About Us."  What I admire most about Rob's media are the engaging conversations his readers have with each other. Check it out, you'll see!

Last week we spent 2 hours over coffee catching up. I learned a lot. Rob's highly engaged with his community; in my opinion, in many ways he's Kirkland's "man about town."

Kirkland Views is set up to have a life of it's own, giving Rob plenty of time to participate and volunteer in the community.  He's the Creative Director for Kirkland Events and now works year-round as the organizer of  "Octoberfest with a Northwest Twist."  Proceeds go to community non-profits: the Sibling House, Eastside Time Bank, Imagination Housing, Meow, and the Kirkland Downtown Association.  I suggested  VALA -- a nonprofit in Redmond dedicated to the arts. VALA's Director of Art is also the Chair of Kirkland's Art Commission. He was quite interested. Art is a great connector.

We discussed what makes our cities a great place to live and play. Kirkland's downtown waterfront and village atmosphere is a huge draw.. (My daughter and her friends do most their playing and dining in and around Kirkland's downtown.)  Redmond's the Edge city of Microsoft so we have a more culturally diverse and urban look and feel. I suggested Marymoor Park, linear park activities, our historic Derby Days, tall evergreen trees, and a network of trails and salmon-bearing creeks make Redmond special.

I'm planning to go to Octoberfest in September, insisting he make it to our Derby Days. We'll bump into each other soon I hope!

Bob Yoder  

City of Redmond forbids fireworks

A listing of other jurisdictions that allow fireworks

Redmond, WA – The City of Redmond Fire Department is wishing the citizens of Redmond and Fire District 34 a happy and safe Fourth of July. The Fire Department would like to remind residents that it is unlawful to sell, possess, use, or explode fireworks within the City Limits of Redmond. (Redmond Municipal Code: 9.26.020).

There are no public fireworks displays planned within the City of Redmond, but the following website has a list of fireworks displays occurring throughout King County.http://www.americantowns.com/wa/king-county/news/july-4th-fireworks-schedule-festivities-and-parades-in-king-county-wa-329870

Residents of Fire District 34 (Unincorporated King County) are allowed to use fireworks that are approved by the State of Washington (RCW 70.77.136) and purchased through legal fireworks stands. Fireworks are allowed to be discharged in unincorporated King County only on the Fourth from 9 am to midnight.

To learn more about fireworks ordinances in your city or county and for a list of Fourth of July celebrations, visit the State Fire Marshal website at http://www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/fireworks.htm. For fireworks-related complaints or safety concerns in the City of Redmond or Fire District 34, please call 911.

Blacktail deer sauntering down 160th Avenue

credit Reinke

Yesterday afternoon I was about to drive away after taking a walk along the Sammamish River in Redmond,when I chanced to look through my rear view mirror.

I spotted a deer sauntering down the middle of 160th Ave NE, heading in my direction.  I quickly pulled my camera out of my pocket and waited quietly for it to walk past my window, no more than a few feet away.  I was lucky to snap the attached photo, which came out pretty well.

J. Reinke

Derby Days!

Redmond, WA –Join the fun at Redmond’s 76th Annual Redmond Derby Days Summer Festival on July 8 and 9, 2016 at the Redmond City Hall Campus, 15670 NE 85th Street. There are activities for the whole family including local music, parades, kids and adult bicycle races, food, and beer and wine gardens sponsored by local companies.

“Redmond Derby Days is a cherished event. It brings our community together to celebrate our small-town roots and innovative spirit,” said Mayor John Marchione. “I invite residents of all ages to join me in the festivities and celebrate our thriving and diverse community.”  Read More >>

Lake Washington School District 2016-17 budget proposed

Adding all-day kindergarten, reduced class sizes in grades K-3

Redmond, Wash. – At its June 20 meeting, the Lake Washington School District Board of Directors reviewed a draft budget for the 2016-17 school year that enables the district to introduce All Day kindergarten for all students, reduce class sizes in grades K-3 and make other investments toward achieving the district’s strategic goals.

The draft budget included an increase of 5.8% in general fund revenues. Those revenues will rise from $304 million for 2015-16 to $321 million budgeted for 2016-17. The increase involved additional state revenue to fund basic education. Revenue also increased due to growing enrollment.

                Over the past two years, the state legislature has begun to take steps to fully fund basic education because of the McCleary state Supreme Court decision. That decision ruled the state was not meeting its obligation to fully fund K-12 public education as required by the state constitution.

                Expenditures will increase by about 5.7%, or $17 million dollars. The district’s growing enrollment requires more staff to serve them, part of the increased costs. The budget anticipates an increase of 681 students in 2016-17 to 28,410 students.  Read More>>

Updated: "Poets in the Park"

Last Saturday my wife and I went to Anderson Park for the annual "Poets in the Park" event. My wife painted at the VALA Arts Center booth and spent time talking to Michael Dylan Welch about his passion for haiku.  Michael is Redmond's third Poet Laureate.  My favorite haiku was by Christopher Herold.

foghorns

we lower our kayak

into the sound

I discovered the poem in Michael's installation "Haiku on Sticks."  I spent a lot of time talking to Dawn Laurant at the VALA Arts Center booth.  Dawn is the VALA Arts Director and Chair of the Kirkland Arts Commission.  She could be a tremendous resource for the "Redmond Arts and Culture Committee."  (The City of Redmond really needs to up their game, specifically in outdoor art.)

Dawn is especially excited about "Ekphrastic Assimilations: Finding Poetry in Art."   It's an exhibition of visual art and poetry including 6 artists from China, 6 artists from Washington and several featured poets. Sept 15th - Oct 31st.  The art will be displayed at VALA with poetry readings in Kirkland.  www.Ekphrasic.org (starting July 1) A lot of work and fundraising is going into it. Need I say this will be an incredible event.  It will draw regional attention and put Redmond on the map.

VALA is developing into an exciting arts center for Redmond.  Stop by the gallery in RTC, 8201 164th Ave NE. and pick up their June-September line-up. 100% of the proceeds from art sales go to the artist!  They just hired a new Executive Director, Vicki Todd.  Lots going on!

Poets in the Park activities:  poetry readings, open mics, workshops, a poetry book fair, and free ice cream. Also featured, mini-golf, Poetry on Sticks, art activities sponsored by VALA Art Center, and a Redmond Historical Society display. "Redmond Association of Spoken Word" (RASP) organized the event.  The City of Redmond co-sponsored it with RASP.  The current Poet Laureate, Shin Yu Pai, recited. and her performance drew me to the event.  Michael Dylan Welch (http://www.graceguts.com/) was the Event Director and made it all happen.   

Bob Yoder

Council passes the "Bear Creek Parkway Extension"

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

This is an edited 2008 report, and video on the Bear Creek Parkway Extension. In the video I said the extension would improve aesthetics. Wrong!  B.Y. 2016.

Council passes the Bear Creek Parkway Extension construction project

The July 15, 2008 Council conversations on the $23 million "Bear Creek Parkway Extension" project were interesting, yet challenging to follow. I had to contact the City Clerk to confirm the final 4-2 vote FOR the project.

All councilmembers (Mr. Pat Vache' was absent) wanted the construction project approved, but two councilmembers Kim Allen & Richard Cole were seriously upset with the proposed alignment. In the beginning Councilman David Carson went along with Mr. Cole's original stance against the project. By the end of the debate only Carson and Allen voted against the project. Cole reluctantly voted for it.  Read More >>

Most of the trees in Redmond's oldest city park are saved - for a price

Anderson Park Pump House, 2016

Below is an edited, older 2008 article. I just got home from the "Arts in the Park" event at Anderson Park and thought of this 2008 report when looking at an historical society exhibit. The photos are poorly displayed but it's better than nothing! Bob Yoder 6/25

Anderson Park Pump House during construction, 2008

Anderson Park is Redmond's oldest park and also the home for two city drinking water wells. The wellheads are old and are being replaced. To save many of the park trees the city bought some expensive land a block north to house the treatment plant. 6 trees still had to be removed; 2 were unhealthy. The Board of Parks commissioners led by Chair Lori Snodgrass fought hard for this expensive proposal to preserve Anderson Park. Councilman Vache requested a "fiscal note" to recognize the high cost ($11.6M) of the project.  Read More >>

Commentary: Change and growth are always a challenge

Council member Kim Allen
March 2, 2013 
                                    
Kim originally published this in 2013 as a comment under "Redmond's Identity Crisis"

Council member Kim Allen

As downtown Redmond builds out, it is my wish and intent for the old and new to complement each other. The Downtown park already hosted several successful outdoor concerts last summer and I have often seen folks throwing a ball or frisbee or stopping to sit s spell at the red tables-weather permitting, of course. As the Redmond Way/Cleveland St. Corridor is restored to 2 way traffic over the next couple of years, the elements like street lighting and such will be added to give us a more walkable downtown.

I have been working hard on regional transit to make sure Redmond gets what we need to get more folks out of their cars to lessen congestion. I can tell you that there are many cities competing for a limited pot of transit dollars and hours. We work regionally to keep Redmond at the table as a leader to deliver the transit that is such an important part of a green and walkable Redmond. Through those regional efforts, we are working in partnership with Metro to plan to try out some new ways to access transit in our neighborhoods.

As to the 166th St. 4 to 3 conversion, Councilmember Margeson and I took a firm stand and insisted that adequate funding be put aside in our capital fund during this budget session to do that work as soon as possible. We moved funds from a less urgent project to do so. It is a priority for safety and to give Ed Hill folks a comfortable environment to choose to walk and bike where they need to go.

Change and growth are always a challenge but I believe we can integrate those elements that make Redmond a great place to call home, even as we prepare to welcome more people who will also call it home.

Source:  March 2, 2013 comment on Redmond Neighborhood Blog