Best photos from 2014 that didn’t fit Page 8
Hazen, Liberty programs had a good 2014 Page 6
2014 was a year of change for Newcastle By Christina Corrales-Toy In 2014, the city of Newcastle celebrated a birthday, lost an icon and set the stage for the future. Here are some of the top stories of the year, in no particular order: Newcastle pioneer Milt Swanson passes away Family, neighbors and community leaders gathered Jan. 25 to honor the life of Milt
Swanson, a titan of Newcastle history and a man with an unceasing, warming smile. The Newcastle pioneer, born and raised in this community, spent all of his 95 years in the same area, 90 of which were in the same company house that still stands at the edge of town near the Cougar Mountain trailhead. Swanson died Jan. 20 after a Jan. 14 fall sent him to a hospital, where he lapsed into a
coma. He knew more about the city’s vast coal-mining history than anyone, because he actually lived it. He worked in the mines, as his father and grandfather did before him, and it was vital to him to tell his story, making sure the history of Newcastle never died. “It was important to him to allow as many people who were interested to understand the beginnings of the city they live
Now you see him
in,” Newcastle City Councilman Rich Crispo said. “He loved this community.” Council elects new mayor, deputy mayor The Newcastle City Council ushered in 2014 with elections for the mayor and deputy mayor positions at its Jan. 7 meeting. Steve Buri was elected as mayor, while newcomer John Drescher is the new deputy
See 2014, Page 2
Advisory group endorses Energize Eastside route
Volunteer Corin Carper sits atop the new Little Rhody Park playground with bolts in his mouth, waiting for a piece to come to him, as he and other neighborhood volunteers construct the new playground April 12. See other memorable images from 2014 on Page 8.
Suggested routes go through Newcastle By Christina Corrales-Toy
By Christina Corrales-Toy
CCUD building purchase questioned By Christina Corrales-Toy A Newcastle City Councilapproved agreement to purchase a building for equipment and vehicle storage is raising questions, after the city offered up more than money to acquire it. In September, the council authorized City Manager Rob Wyman to enter into a
purchase-sale agreement for the Coal Creek Utility Districtowned property on 129th Avenue Southeast. In exchange for the property appraised at $750,000, the city would agree to pay $250,000 and forfeit its legal right to assume the utility district for 10 years. It’s the non-assumption clause, in particular, that has
some current, and one former, council members questioning the logic of the agreement. “I was perplexed by this decision from the start,” Deputy Mayor John Drescher said, “and it only gets uglier the closer you look at it. “The need for the building is See QUESTIONS, Page 11
The Community Advisory Group working on Puget Sound Energy’s Energize Eastside transmission line upgrade project has made its final route recommendations and both include Segment M, which goes through Newcastle. The panel — comprised of neighborhood, business and civic leaders — selected routes Oak and Willow at its final meeting Dec. 10. The advisory group’s final recommendation is based on its work over the past year, including discussion of community feedback collected throughout 2014. Of the 20 advisory group members and residential alternates present at the meeting, 17 supported the final recommendation. Of those 17, eight expressed preference for the Oak route and five expressed preference for the Willow route, while four supported either route. Three advisory group members had a dissenting opinion
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mayor. Both will serve two-year terms. Buri was elected to the City Council in 2007 and re-elected in 2011. He served as deputy mayor from 2008-2011. Drescher was the new face on the council, having defeated opponent Mark Greene to fill the seat vacated by retiring Councilman Bill Erxleben in the November election.
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and supported none of the routes. One was Olympus resident Sue Stronk. “I was one of the three that refused to vote on any final route, as any vote would harm our residents since segment M is in both remaining routes,” she wrote in a letter to fellow residents. These are the final recommended routes that now move on to PSE for an even more thorough review: ❑ Oak (Segments A-C-E-G2-IK2-M-N) ❑ Willow (Segments A-C-E-JM-N) PSE will ultimately make an announcement about routing after reviewing the Community Advisory Group’s recommendation, larger public feedback and opportunities and constraints surrounding the project. That decision is expected in early 2015. The Coalition of Eastside Neighborhoods for Sensible Energy said in a news release that the “outcome of this process does not represent the wishes of the community.” See ROUTE, Page 3
January 1, 2015 VOL. 17, NO. 1
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