Friday, April 14, 2023

OPINION: We Need a Community Newspaper


"The Woodinville Weekly" just released their first real online paper!
Check it out!  I'm a subscriber. Before it was more of a newsletter with their Mayor writing the major pieces on growth and development. Now it's in color and fully formed:


The Publisher  is "EASTSIDE MEDIA CORPORATION," out of Lakewood, WA. The subscription is $45/year and supported by local businesses. 2 reporters (count me in) I called them and left an enthusiastic message of our genuine interest. Wouldn't it be great if we could express ourselves with Letters To The Editor?!

We all know Redmond sorely needs a community newspaper, weekly or newsletter. We have so many good things here to be grateful of and talk about.  Redmond is so much more than cranes and orange barrels. News of school and sports activities, cultural events, neighborhood food drives and fundraisers, city events and outreach, new projects, our community centers, parks and small businesses, non profits, are all just a few things we can be proud of and share. Affordable housing, light rail, elections and parking needs to be addressed, too. 

The One Redmond CEO Hudson, Mayor Birney and Council member Carson have been notified of this breakthrough. Please encourage them to act on it.

-- Bob Yoder, 4/14/2023


 

Thursday, April 13, 2023

Two School Board Directors To Leave District, Learn How To Run, April 19th Informational Session


Siri Bliesner, President of the School Board will not run for office November, 2023. She lives in Redmond within District #5.  Will she run for a City of Redmond Council member seat?  It's anyone's guess. 

Eric Laliberte, District #1 is running for re-election, though the seat is open to challengers.  Mr. Laliberte performed invaluable service while directing the Board during the pandemic.  District #1 encompasses Juanita and parts of Kirkland. 

Chris Carlson, a longtime board member will not run for office in November, 2023 as well. He represents District #2 which encompasses the Bridle Trails and Lake Sammamish areas. 

The School Board is holding an informational session on April 19th, 6-7 PM at LWSD Resource Center "to share information on what it means to be a Board Member." Board members must live in the District they would be representing. This "session" will be a good opportunity for prospective candidates to learn if they live in District #2, or #5.


Questions?  boardmembers@lwsd.org

Bob Yoder, opinion, 4/14/2023

Mayor Angela Birney's 2023 State Of The City Address

Friday, April 7, 2023

UPDATED: City Council Meeting Notes, 04 April 2023

 

CM Melissa Stuart
Featured
City Council group picture not available

CLICK THIS LINK FOR VIDEO NOTES OF COUNCIL'S REGULAR MEETING 
OF 04 APRIL 2023:   

https://www.facebook.com/CityOfRedmond/videos/1005053090870596

 (short pause at start of tape)

ADVANCE TO 3:00 for poet Laureate Laura Da's description of her poetry inspired "Nature & City History Walk" around our lakefronts.     

ADVANCE TO 4:52 for Dr. David Morton's "Item From The Audience" suggesting solutions to various city challenges.  

ADVANCE TO 11:53 - Mayor  Angela Birney kicks off Council's OMBUDS report where resident inquiries (positive and negative) are addressed.  As follows: 

CM Varisha Kahn passes the baton to Council VP Vanessa Kritzer. Kritzer mentions a resident's concern about the mayor's salary; resident complaint about "State of the City" recording glitches. Domestic violence. CM David Carson brings attention to businesses coping with simultaneous road construction on 76th and Cleveland Street.  CM Melissa Stuart gives an excellent report of the city's C.E.R.T. program dealing with first responder preparations for an earthquake.  Council President Jessica Forsythe directed the OMBUDS report and city process. Traffic. FBI. CM Jeralee Anderson, QR Codes for park users, "Show and Tell" by Anderson on recycled materials used to build "green roads."  Stuart summarizes Public Works committee report. CM Steve Fields had nothing to say.  

Angela Birney, Carson, Forseythe, Kahn, and Kritzer's terms end 31 December 2023. 

Reported by Bob Yoder, Community volunteer, 04 April 2023

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Redmond Town Center's Heron Art


click pictures to enlarge
 

It's all a matter of perspective and taste. By night Fairbourne's RTC art installation draws you towards an amenity of the Center; its proximity to Bear Creek.  But in daylight, what's it trying to convey?  
(After dinner, our waitress at BJ's took our picture!) 

Monday, April 3, 2023

UPDATED, 12/14/2023: Jeff Cashman Wins Race for EvergreenHealth Commissioner #6

Jeff Cashman
Mr. Cashman was appointed interim commissioner after Commissioner Minerva Butler resigned.  He was elected November, 2023 with over 58% of the vote.  

Endorsed by Board Chair Virgil Snyder:  

 "Jeff is a trusted, experienced community leader with an impressive financial background," said EvergreenHealth Board Chair Virgil Snyder. "His experience in financial strategy as well as in leading various nonprofit and philanthropic organizations in our region will be a tremendous asset. I look forward to collaborating with him and the other commissioners as we continue to evolve to meet our community's growing and changing needs."

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About EvergreenHealth

Saturday, April 1, 2023

Redmond Space District, More Satellites Than Any In The World



Mayor Birney (in blue) with Redmond Space District Leaders show proclamations officially launching the Space District

Redmond, WA – Mayor of Redmond Angela Birney announced the launch of the Redmond Space District today in partnership with OneRedmond at the annual State of the City. This brand was developed to showcase the dramatic growth of Redmond’s Space Cluster. 

According to research by Alliance Velocity, Redmond-based companies produced almost half of the satellites in earth’s orbit, and are projected to manufacture more than 75% of the world’s satellites in the near future based on current and future FCC approved satellites.

“Redmond has a long history in the space industry dating back to 1967 when Aerojet Rocketdyne, broke ground on their first site in Redmond,” said Kristina Hudson, Chief Executive Officer of OneRedmond. “Today, Redmond is home to an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem alongside two of the largest satellite manufacturers in the world: SpaceX, and Project Kuiper.” 

Redmond’s innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem leverages the region’s major strengths in information technology, manufacturing, and aerospace. Along with the two satellite manufacturing giants, Redmond’s robust and growing commercial space sector also includes Honeywell Aerospace, Kymeta, Microsoft’s Azure Orbital, RBC Signals, Spectralux, and Triumph providing a rich environment for small businesses like Xplore to locate in Redmond to grow and prosper.

 "Positioning Xplore in this hub for space activity and innovation was strategic,” said Lisa Rich, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Xplore. “We are surrounded by a community of customers and colleagues including SpaceX, Microsoft's Azure Orbital and Amazon Project Kuiper, and we have fantastic vendors and suppliers." 

Washington State is positioned well to become a global leader in the space industry, with Redmond as one if its shining stars. 

Mayor Angela Birney's 2022 State of the City Address (Video)

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OneRedmond is a public-private partnership for economic and community development. Supported by local private sector businesses in close partnership with the City of Redmond. OneRedmond strives to be the difference maker in connecting our local companies and educational community with resources to keep our local economy stable and growing.

Source:  Kristina Hudson CEO, OneRedmond kristinah@oneredmond.org 

Nature Beckons With a Double Rainbow and Hail Shower

 



This double rainbow photograph was taken by a friend on Sunday at Cottage Lake and confirmed by my next door neighbor.  On the same day we experienced ~ 20 minute hail shower.  It came out of the blue!

Photographs by Jonathan Morrison, 3/30/2023 

SEATTLE TIMES: Strangers Sent Redmond Man 100's of Cards for His 90th Birthday

 


In January, Lynn Colwell posted a request in a Redmond community Facebook group: “My dear husband’s 90th birthday is coming up and I am trying to gift him with as many cards as possible from around the world.”

She didn’t post much more, just that his name is Steve, he’s a musician and loves pickleball, accompanied by a photo of him smiling next to a sunflower. She included a mailing address and the message that whether residents knew him or not, if someone would like to send a card, she would really appreciate it.

The cards came in. Dozens and dozens and dozens, to the point the couple lost count. Steve Colwell’s 90th birthday was Feb. 15 and he’s still opening envelopes.

“They came to a delivery post box and the lady at that place said ‘I don’t know who Steve Colwell is but I want to be him on my birthday,’” Lynn Colwell said. “I had no idea we would get this many.”

Unbeknown to Steve Colwell, Redmond residents were hatching plans to send cards under Lynn’s Facebook posts. One commented that she would send a card because he reminded her of her grandpa. Another wrote she sent the request to her relatives in the United Kingdom so he could get international cards. Lynn had also requested cards from their friends and others who know Steve through his work as one of the founders of Up with People, an international performing group.

Lynn Colwell hoped to give the cards to her husband on his birthday. But then they both contracted COVID, and he had to be hospitalized for five days for other health issues. They canceled his birthday party and the plans for the card reveal.

When he was discharged and returned home, Lynn told Steve there was a big box waiting for him.

“It was wrapped and it was like a Costco cardboard box,” Steve said. “I couldn’t imagine what kind of gift I would need at this point in my life.”

--Paige Conwell, Seattle Times, March 30, 2023

(Steve helped me untangle my disjointed pickleball serve. He's pictured playing at 24 Fitness here.)

LWSD Proposes Repurposing Levy Funds To Enlarge Rockwell Elementary

Re-directing construction levy funds, will be placed on the Monday, April 3, 2023 agenda for board action at 7PM.  Email your comments to Boardmembers@LWSD.org

 


Redmond, Wash. – Lake Washington School District (LWSD) has proposed repurposing levy funds from the 2022 Building Excellence Construction Levy. These funds would be used to rebuild (partially tear down) and enlarge Rockwell Elementary School. The funds were originally planned to be used to build a new elementary school on the Redmond Elementary campus.

 

Lake Washington School District values its partnership with our community,” said Dr. Jon Holmen, Superintendent. “To that end, our commitment to fiscal responsibility includes using our public resources in the most efficient and effective ways to accomplish our goals of excellence in education for each student.”  


The 2022 Building Excellence Construction Levy was finalized in 2021. Since then enrollment in the Redmond-area elementary schools is lower than projected. The overall enrollment forecast is reduced. The current need for a new elementary school for 550 students has changed.


Watch this video from Dr. Holmen for additional information (4:16):


Direct link: https://youtu.be/BDpGZnSv0VI  [excellent video]


This proposal adds space for 252 additional students in permanent capacity, in an area that is still expected to grow. Permanent capacity at Rockwell Elementary would increase from 438 students to 690 students. This will also allow the district to address an aging facility now, at a lower cost, rather than waiting for a future measure to meet this need.


While the original resolutions allow funds to be used on any capital project, given the elimination of one project, and replacing it with another, this is being brought for board action.  Your comments can be emailed to the School Board at:  BoardMembers@lwsd.org

Friday, March 31, 2023

Historical Society Speaker Series: "All Over the Map: Surprising Places and Place-names of the Evergreen State"

 Speaker:  Feliks Banel
Redmond Historical Society 
Saturday Speaker Series
Saturday, 10:30 AM, April 8, 2023

Topic: All Over the Map: Surprising Places and Place-names of the Evergreen State” 

HYBRID EVENT: Online + live at Old Redmond Schoolhouse, 16600 NE 80th St., Redmond, WA. 98052

To register for Zoom Webinar:  tinyurl.com/RHSAllOverTheMap


Broadcaster and historian Feliks Banel has been studying place-names since his sister gave him a copy of “Washington Place Names” when he was 10 years old. In this illustrated presentation, Banel explores the stories behind some of the formal and informal names of places and things around Western Washington – including some not found on any map.

Speaker bio:
Feliks Banel is a broadcaster and historian who focuses on Pacific Northwest history, geography, cartography, and pop culture. He presents stories about Northwest history twice each week on KIRO News radio and is host of the weekly radio program and podcast Cascade of History heard live Sunday nights. Feliks also produces history documentaries for the Seattle Channel. 

Special thanks to: 

Laura Lee Bennett

Senior Vice President

Program Committee Chair

Redmond Historical Society

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www.redmondhistoricalsociety.org 

programs@redmondhistoricalsociety.org

206-351-2826