Hazelwood PTSA hosts annual pancake breakfast Page 12
Liberty’s first female wrestler defies the odds Page 14
January 4, 2013 VOL. 15, NO. 1
Welcome aboard
New administrator is excited to begin. Page 2
Notes on Newcastle
Page 4
Police blotter
Page 6
City staff prepared for a busy 2013 schedule By Christina Corrales-Toy Newcastle city staff members spent the month of December gearing up for what is expected to be a busy new year. With the passage of its 2013 budget, the City Council tasked staff members with a multitude of projects that should have them working at full capacity throughout the year.
“The City Council has made an aggressive pitch towards lots of projects in 2013, and that’s what we’re here to do,” Public Works Director Mark Rigos said. “So, I’m excited about all of the work that’s going to happen.” The Public Works Department in particular faces an actionpacked 2013, filled with several transportation and stormwater projects.
Staff will stay busy working to maintain city streets in the new year, with the city spending the most it ever has on pavement management, Rigos said. In addition to the $683,000 to be spent on pavement overlay to ensure streets are maintained at a certain level, the staff will also manage a significant, and necessary, rehabilitation project on phase one of Coal Creek
Parkway. “In 2011, the city of Newcastle had our largest pavement-rehab effort ever,” Rigos said. “It was approximately $1 million. Well, this one is going to be 50 percent more — it’s going to be about $1.5 million.” Rigos’ staff will also manage the construction of two sidewalk See 2013, Page 5
Public Works is prepared for next big snowstorm By Christina Corrales-Toy
“When I budgeted 2012, I budgeted revenue really conservatively, and I didn’t anticipate a recovery this year, and we did see a start of one,” she said. Stable expenditures in 2012 also contributed to the hefty surplus, Olson said, though she does not expect that to remain the case, as the cost of police and fire contracts are among the expenses likely to increase in the future. A lot of forecasting is figuring out what is trending, and as a finance director, it is Olson’s job to make an educated guess
Newcastle was greeted with a dusting of snow Dec. 18, but except for a two-hour delay for Issaquah School District students, the white stuff didn’t cause much havoc. The relatively quiet debut of winter’s first snowflakes came as a welcome sight for Newcastle Public Works Director Mark Rigos, as memories of last winter’s sprawling snowstorm lingered in the back of his mind. “We’re hoping to have the El Niño winter, which means warm and wet, which was predicted by a meteorologist,” he said. “So, if that happens, great, I’m happy about that. Hopefully, we’re done with snow.” Last winter’s snow and ice storm kept city crews working around the clock, and several Public Works employees were forced to sleep at City Hall. Additionally, one of the city’s three snowplows malfunctioned during the storm, putting it out of commission for several hours. This winter, however, the city has an interlocal agreement with the Coal Creek Utility District for additional snowplow support, just in case a big storm hits again, Rigos said. The city is indeed prepared for the next big storm, whether it comes or not, already having stocked up on and salt and de-icer. In the event of a snowstorm, it’s Infrastructure Maintenance
See SURPLUS, Page 5
See SNOW, Page 7
Pictures with royalty
Miss Washington pays visit to military base. Page 11
Classes unchanged
Board votes to keep school’s schedule as is. Page 12
You should know Many of Newcastle’s homeowners associations have websites where residents can learn more about the particular neighborhoods they live in. The city has a series of links to the different sites on its website at www.ci.newcastle. wa.us/home_owners_ association.htm.
Contact us: newcastle@isspress.com 392-6434, ext. 239
50 ¢
By Greg Farrar
Ready for checkout An overflow crowd of eager Newcastle residents on the ‘gathering porch’ awaits the welcoming speeches and opening of the doors of the Newcastle Library Dec. 8 at the corner of 129th Avenue Southeast and Newcastle Way. For more photos of the event, see page 8 or go online at www.newcastle-news.com.
General fund ends 2012 with surplus By Christina Corrales-Toy The city is expected to end 2012 with a sizable surplus in its general fund, after a year in which sales tax and development revenue came in higher than originally forecasted. “Simplistically, a surplus is excess revenue over expenditures and so any revenue that came in over what we expended for the year is called a surplus,” Finance Director Chris Olson said. Olson anticipates the city will have about $200,000 in surplus for the year, barring any major snowstorms, or unforeseen events, before mid-
January. A lot of the surplus can be attributed to increased development revenue, Olson said, but higher-than-expected collections from sales tax revenue also played a part. “When I budgeted sales tax, for the last three years, it’s been pretty flat, and this year it’s definitely up, and also the state-shared sales tax is up,” she said. “So, that’s extra money that came in.” Initially, Olson actually forecasted a shortfall, but in recent months the numbers have gone in the opposite direction, thanks to what she believes is a slow economic recovery.
Newcastle News
PAGE 2
JANUARY 4, 2013
New community development director brings energy, experience By Christina Corrales-Toy The city’s new director of community development, Tim McHarg, spent the month of December settling into his new position and familiarizing himself with the Newcastle community. McHarg joined the staff Dec. 3 after stints as the assistant planning director in Steamboat Springs, Colo., and Durango, Colo., and most recently, as the planning director in Bozeman, Mont. McHarg is no stranger to the Northwest, having worked with the Walla Walla Housing Authority straight out of graduate school at Cornell University, where he earned a degree in city and regional planning. He also worked for a development consulting firm that was employed by several cities around the state, including Seattle and Federal Way. After 12 years working in the Rockies, McHarg said he was ready for a new challenge and was intrigued by all that Newcastle had to offer. “I wanted some
change, professionally,” he said. “I think this is a good match for me in Tim McHarg terms of Newcastle being obviously very interested in high-quality development outcomes for the community and also very focused on what I would call the community-based amenities, such as parks and trails.” One thing that made the Newcastle position very attractive was the future development of the Mutual Materials site, McHarg said. “I think it’s tremendous,” he said. “You know the scale of that project in a community this size is just an incredible project to work on.” McHarg said he has a lot of experience working on large-scale redevelopment projects, helping to shape a project from the inception and then seeing
What to know New Community Development Director Tim McHarg is eager to answer questions, chat about community development issues or receive feedback from Newcastle residents. Contact him at timm@ci.newcastle.wa.us or 649-4444, ext. 112. it through construction in a multiphase, multiyear type of proposal. “That’s the type of work that I really enjoy doing, and my career was taking me in a direction that I really didn’t get to do a lot of that,” he said. Development of the Mutual Materials site is expected to be a critical component of the city’s future, and McHarg said he understands the importance it holds. “The vision that I think the community has articulated for that site is just critically important on so many different levels to the future of this community, and trying to make
“He understands customer service, not only understands it, kind of lives and breathes it. He’s a problem solver. I mean all the things that I was looking for, he’s got it.” — Rob Wyman Newcastle city manager
the community as sustainable as possible,” he said. Also important, McHarg said, is getting the community involved in the project’s development. “I hope people really will participate in the process and get involved and engaged in what they would like to see there, so we can kind of collaborate with the developer,” he said. Coming from Bozeman, Mont., where the city staff consisted of about 350 employees, has been a welcomed change, McHarg said. “My planning department in Bozeman was essentially the same size as this whole city, and so com-
ing to a small organization has just been great, and I’m really impressed with the quality of the people that work here,” he said. Exemplary customer service and high efficiency are two things that are very important to McHarg, which is why City Manager Rob Wyman hired him. “He understands development really well,” Wyman said. “He understands customer service, not only understands it, kind of lives and breathes it. He’s a problem solver. I mean all the things that I was looking for, he’s got it.” McHarg said there are a lot of things he’d like to do within his department, mostly in the ministerial realm, to maximize efficiency. “There is always room for improvement, and I think particularly where we are with the staffing level right now, having really gotten lean through the recession, I think it is a good time to try and make sure we’re as efficiently using our resources to deliver on that customer service experience as we
can,” he said. As he continues to get acquainted with the community, businesses and city staff, McHarg said he is excited to really hit the ground running in 2013, bringing a new energy to the city. “I think having some new people here with some new ideas, and certainly a whole lot of energy, to be generating new ideas and trying to implement them and being a part of that team is really important,” he said. The director of community development manages all functions of the Community Development Department, which includes the Building and Planning divisions. The Building Division administers permit and code enforcement activities. The Planning Division is responsible for administering the city’s Comprehensive Plan, zoning code, land use and development, and other growth management plans, and it processes new residential and commercial applicants.
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PAGE 3
Newcastle Historical Society hopes to increase presence in 2013 By Christina Corrales-Toy For the better part of its more than 20 years of existence, the Newcastle Historical Society has been a place where passionate history junkies could get their fix by attending monthly meetings where the legend that is Milt Swanson would talk about the good old days. Swanson, who has lived in the Newcastle area since he was born in 1918, is indeed a treasure trove filled with memories of Newcastle’s past. In 2013, though, the historical society hopes to accomplish more than it ever has. The organization plans to expand its presence and visibility in the community. The hope is that the
5K scholarship applications are now available Three lucky collegebound Newcastle teens will be awarded $1,000 in scholarship funds, thanks to proceeds raised from the 2012 Newcastle Days 5K Run/ Walk. Scholarship applications are now available. Obtain application materials by emailing a request to Newcastle5K@ hotmail.com. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be high school seniors and live in Newcastle or attend Hazen or Liberty high schools. Finalists are selected based on grade point average, college admission test score, financial need, a personal essay, and their school and community involvement.
Back tracking: an ongoing series about the history of Newcastle
group can bring the story of Newcastle’s history, of which Swanson is an integral part, into the public consciousness, said Pam Lee, Newcastle Historical Society member. “We’ve really been sort of lazy because we’ve just had Milt to talk to and he’ll just come to a meet-
EFR seeks firefighters Eastside Fire & Rescue is looking for male and female volunteer firefighters for the Tiger Mountain, Preston and Maple Hills communities. The minimum age to apply is 18. Applicants must have good driving records and can now live outside the boundaries of EFR within five miles of the closest response station. The testing process includes written, physical and psychological tests, and an oral interview. Go to www.eastsidefirerescue.org; email David Misakian, volunteer program manager, at dmisakian@esf.r.org; or pick up an application from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Headquarters Station, 175 Newport Way N.W., Issaquah. Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. Jan. 11.
ing, tell his stories and at the end we’d say, ‘Oh, that was so interesting,’ but we didn’t do anything else. So, we were spoiled,” she said. The historical society has myriad tasks it would like to complete, beginning with a project that would place historical signage around the city. In addition, “The Coals of Newcastle,” the ultimate handbook that outlines the city’s history, could use some updating, Lee said. To do these projects, the historical society would have to seek grant money, but in its current informal structure, that would be a difficult undertaking. “We have to be able to present ourselves to an entity that wants to give
us money, and they want to have a lot of rigmarole to do that and that’s never been my strong point,” Lee said. The group is currently working on updating its bylaws and formalizing its structure, making the historical society a more attractive option to those awarding grants. The Newcastle Historical Society’s mission is to protect the city’s historical artifacts and educate the community about the area’s rich history. All that Lee asks of the Newcastle community is that its residents express an interest in wanting to know more about their city’s history. Nearly everyone knows about the city’s active role
in the coal-mining industry, but there is still so much to be learned about the history-rich community, Lee said. For example, the Newcastle Cemetery is a pioneer’s cemetery, where miners and nearby families from the late 1800s were laid to rest. Also, one of the reasons a golf course sits on a Newcastle hillside, rather than a large housing development, is because underneath, it’s all honeycombed with coal mines, Lee said. The historical society is a resource that Newcastle residents can use to learn about interesting facts such as these, and as the group works to increase its visibility, Lee said they hope people would be
What to know The Newcastle Historical Society meets the first Thursday of every month at 4 p.m. at City Hall. Attend a meeting to learn more about the organization, or call Pam Lee at 891-8149. eager to get involved. “Newcastle is special because its history is so old and so rich, and even though we are pretty much a little suburban city now, there is quite a history,” Lee said. “I think it’s interesting to find out about the community we live in. Some people are curious why things are the way they are. I know I am.”
Hazen weapon rumor ruled not a ‘credible threat’ By Christina Corrales-Toy Attendance at Hazen High School was down Dec. 20, after a rumor that there may be a weapon brought to the school came to administrators’ attention. It was not known if the absences were directly related to the rumor, since it was also the last day before winter break and many students may have left early for holiday vacations. The chatter was a rumor, not a direct threat, and upon further investigation, it appeared to be unsubstantiated, district spokesman Randy Matheson said. “The rumor was uncorroborated,” he said. “We talked to a bunch of students and any staff who may have heard something, and what we learned was that somebody heard something that someone
else may have heard.” In a Dec. 20 email sent to parents, Hazen High School Principal John R. Kniseley said the school was not able to verify the rumor, and as such, it was not a believable threat. According to the email, a student overheard someone in the hallway make a remark about bringing a weapon to school. The student could not identify who said it, but she did what Kniseley wrote was the right thing, in reporting it to her parents, who then contacted the school. Hazen staff spoke with the student, and several others, before determining it was not a “credible threat.” Kniseley added that the school takes such things seriously, but encouraged parents to convey to their students the magnitude of such rumors and the undue
concern they may cause. On Dec. 19, Kniseley sent an email to parents alerting them of the rumor. Kniseley wrote in the email that Hazen would work to have school and district security officers “visible and vigilant” on Dec. 20. Hazen has school and district security, and employs a Renton police officer who is assigned as a school resource officer to help keep the school safe. Newcastle City Councilwoman Carol Simpson has a son at the school. As a mother, she said given the recent events in Newtown, Conn., the email made her
pause for a moment. “You know there was a little tinge of anxiety as a parent,” she said. “I was a little concerned.” Simpson said her son had not heard anything regarding the rumor and attended school as usual. School started and ended on time and operated normally Dec. 20, Matheson said. Winter break officially started Dec. 21, but upon returning to school Jan. 3, parents were encouraged to send a note that explains it was their decision, not just a student taking advantage of the situation, to refrain from sending their children to school.
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Opinion
PAGE 4
JANUARY 4, 2013
Editorial
Notes from Newcastle
New year brings new city goals
Newcastleite? Novocastrians? What should city residents call themselves?
Newcastle news Published since 1999 by
Is s a q u a h Pre s s In c .
P.O. Box 1328 Issaquah, WA 98027 Phone: 392-6434 q Fax: 392-1695
People from the United States of America are known as Americans. People from Washington state go by Washingtonians. People from Seattle are Seattleites. But what do people of Newcastle call themselves? Based on a highly informal survey of Newcastle residents, there doesn’t appear to be a Christina clear consensus when it comes Corrales-Toy to identifying the people who live in this community. The exercise is made all the more difficult thanks to the pesky vowel at the end of the city’s name. Sure, Seattle ends with an ‘e’ as well, but Newcastleite just doesn’t roll off of the tongue like Seattleite does. Newcastleans and Newcastleonians don’t sound much better. Citizens of the original Newcastle, in England, adopted the nickname “Geordies” in a nod to the city’s historical roots. There are several theories behind the identifier’s origin, but one explanation is that the local coal miners used a particular brand of
lamp in the mines, called the Geordie safety lamp. Another popular nickname, used by Newcastles in both England and Australia is Novocastrian. The slick-sounding name is Latin. Novus is new, while castrum is castle in Latin. I’m particularly fond of the Novocastrian moniker, but I appreciate the original Newcastle’s way of thinking in choosing a name that relates to the city’s history. If we were to travel down that road, how about something such as Coal Creekers or simply The Miners, to reflect the city’s rich coal-mining history? If we are looking for something that just sounds cool, we could always go with Novocastrian, but another option I like is Newcastlers. There is so much variety in the Newcastle community. Some residents live closer to Bellevue, others live near Renton. Coal Creek Parkway literally splits the city in half, creating an East and West divide. Even the students are divided among two school districts, Issaquah and Renton. One simple collective term that encompasses the entire community would go a long way in establishing a clear identity for its residents. What do you think Newcastle residents should be called? Sound off on our website at www.newcastle-news.com.
Poll question
Public meeting calendar
What should the citizens of Newcastle be known as?
Let leaders know what’s on your mind to shape a better Newcastle at these January meetings: q The City Council will have a regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 at City Hall, 12835 Newcastle Way, Suite 200. q The Parks Commission is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Jan. 9 at City Hall. q The City Council’s Economic and Community Development committee will meet at 8 a.m. Jan. 8 at City Hall. q The Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at City Hall.
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Each year, we offer you our list of 2013 goals for Newcastle. Let’s get the agenda started! Infrastructure projects. An extensive pavement management program, two sidewalk projects and a multitude of storm water projects are in line for 2013. It’s ambitious, but nothing city staff can’t manage to ensure they are done well and on time. School construction. It’s an exciting time as the new middle school prepares for construction to begin in 2015. The Renton School District will hold community presentations to showcase the design and invite the community to help name the school. Get ready to help shape an important educational and community space. Mutual Materials: The city should collaborate with the developer to craft a plan that is mutually beneficial to both the company and the city. The development of this site is a vital opportunity that has a significant chance to impact Newcastle’s future. Protect history. The city and the library must partner with the Newcastle Historical Society to ensure that local artifacts are not only protected but also displayed where the community can learn more about the city’s history. Concurrently, the history group needs to be aggressive about fundraising and seeking grants. Expand business connections. The chamber of commerce is taking a big step in hiring a part-time executive director. It means increased membership fees, but members should see it as an investment. We hope merchants embrace the change and get involved in promoting Newcastle as a good place to shop and do business. City Parks. The City Council will update the parks portion of the Comprehensive Plan this year. It’s an opportunity to define everything from future acquisitions to maintenance plans and the trails system. Both the Parks Commission and Planning Commission should be involved. Outcome should consider a parks and open space bond for voter approval. Legislature — 41st District representatives are all returning with their leadership intact. Still, when the session convenes next week, we expect their ears to be wide open and their hands outstretched, prepared to set aside party agendas in favor of bipartisan cooperation to develop solutions to the state’s education and budgetary issues. Local elections — We’re only months away from candidate filing for City Council and school board positions. If you are interested in the ultimate volunteer job, it’s time to start planning your campaign. The community is best served when every position has challengers.
A. Newcastlers b. Novocastrians c. Coal Creekers d. Other. Email your responses to newcas@isspress.com. Vote at www.newcastle-news.com.
Rapid response What is your New Year’s resolution? Go green in 2013!
— Grace Stiller
My New Year’s resolution is to do whatever I can to help to improve the U.S. economy
to create jobs in our region and country. I hope my dream is shared by others across the nation. — Jesse Tam I’ve taken to not making resolutions; instead I have reframed my intentions for the New Year as “creating” what I want to happen each year. It’s a different energy and much more powerful. — Jackie Foskett
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Newcastle News
JANUARY 4, 2013
2013 From Page 1 projects on portions of 116th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 73rd Place. The Public Works Department must additionally oversee several stormwater projects, beginning with the task of stabilizing a hillside by Newcastle Golf Club Road, where a 2010 landslide occurred. The landslide repair will begin this month and run until March, but the inconvenience to drivers should be minimal. During construction, at least one lane of Newcastle Golf Club Road will always be open, so the longest delay drivers will face should only be a few minutes, Rigos said. Staff will also work on a Lake Boren drainage mitigation project that will allow the city to regulate the lake’s water level and prevent nuisance flooding. Furthermore, the city has several other small stormwater projects that it must attend to in 2013. Despite the large workload, which doesn’t even include minor maintenance projects such as trail work, Rigos said his staff is excited and eager for the upcoming year. “I think we can do it,” he said. “Nobody wants to be bored at their job, and I have got lots of work to do. So, I’m certainly not
bored around here.” Public Works Department workers won’t be the only ones working long hours in 2013. The Community Development Department also expects to stay busy as development activity ramps up in Newcastle. Both departments will be active in working with developers, especially those for the Mutual Materials site and the new Renton School District middle school. Community Development Director Tim McHarg may be new to the city, but he said he is prepared to hit the ground running in 2013. “I think planners have come to realize very clearly through this recession that our jobs literally are dependent upon development activity,” he said. The city may have to increase its usage of outside consultants in order to maintain a handle on 2013’s heavy workload. City Manager Rob Wyman said that staff will have to ramp up a little bit to ensure everything gets done. “Before we get really, really busy, we are going to get really busy internally to figure out what exactly we need to complete all these projects,” he said. Even with 2013’s workload and the stress it may put on city staff, Wyman, Rigos and McHarg all agreed that it is a good problem to have.
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Surplus From Page 1 as to how the revenues and expenditures will pan out for the year. “Somebody told me once, when you forecast revenue, you’re never right,” she said. “It’s either too high or too low. But you don’t want to be too conservative because nobody will program any projects. If you anticipate too much, then you have to put the brakes on because the revenue is not coming in.” While the surplus bodes well for the city’s immediate future, Olson cautioned that future forecasts don’t look quite as rosy, with revenues held at a lower increase than the city’s expenditures. “Something has to
be done in the future,” she said. “We are kind of just day-by-day getting through, but we are healthy for the next couple years. It all depends on the recovery and our cost increases.” At a November meeting, the City Council unanimously voted to move the 2012 surplus into the cumulative reserve fund, paying back $175,000 that was taken from the fund to help finance the move to the new City Hall. Depending on how the rest of the year shakes out, $175,000 of the surplus will go toward the cumulative reserve fund; any money left over will remain in the general fund balance. If the surplus ends up being less than $175,000, the entire balance will go to the cumulative reserve fund.
PAGE 5
Scout Christmas tree pick-up is Jan. 5 By Michele Skinner Recycle your Christmas Tree on Jan. 5 and help support Newcastle Boy Scout Troop 499. The troop distributed flyers with self-addressed envelopes throughout the Newcastle and Kennydale neighborhoods Dec. 15. Place your bare, unflocked tree out at the curb by 9 a.m. Jan. 5. A truck with Scouts will come by and collect your tree. The trees will be mulched and recycled for parks and trails. A donation for the service is appreciated. Place your donation (checks
payable to Troop 499) in the envelope, then place it inside the bag provided and attach to your tree. Mail donations to Troop 499, 8042 116th Ave. S.E., Newcastle, WA 98056. Donations allow young Scouts to earn money toward attending summer camp. For missed trees or questions, call 206-817-8323 or 206579-7732. If you would prefer, you may bring your tree to Renton Academy between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Jan. 5. Troop 499 thanks you for your support. The troop expects to visit more than 6,500 homes this year.
Newcastle News
PAGE 6
JANUARY 4, 2013 6. At least twice a year, I promise to take a tumble. And not just a little trip, but a huge belly flop, always on cement, likely to trigger UW seismic equipment. This year, I did it while walking to lunch in Seattle with a critical client, and again with The Sainted One while hurrying to the entrance of the King Tut exhibit.
Laughing all the way
Seven New Year’s resolutions I know I can keep When it comes to holidays, I’ve never been a big fan of New Year’s Eve and Day. The celebratory parties are too frenetic and desperate, resolutions are made and forgotten, hope springs eternal and then collapses like a Ponzi scheme. Besides, I don’t consider the dead of winter the optimum time to foster a new and better attitude. That kind of bright promise is for September — the start of the school year — when clean lined paper and sharpened pencils speak of fresh starts and new beginnings. At my age it’s ridiculous
to come up with resolutions that I know will fall by the wayside. It’s high time, I think, to provide myself Pat Detmer with goals that I know I can reach. Why put unnecessary pressure on myself? With that in mind:
2. I resolve that I will not spend time on Facebook. Perhaps I should amend that to say that I will not spend an inordinate amount of time on Facebook. I do check it periodically. Like once a quarter.
1. I resolve that I will not watch a television show with the name “Kardashian” in the title.
4. While attempting to meditate, I resolve that I will note things like spider webs, dust bunnies and
Boots were made for walking
Police blotter Diaper duty Two packages, including more than $80 worth of diapers, were stolen from the doorstep of a residence in the 7100 block of 119th Court Southeast on Nov. 16. The theft wasn’t reported until two weeks later, on Dec. 3.
Let there be light An unknown suspect shattered the window of a car parked at the Parterra Condos, 13301 S.E. 79th Place, between the evening of Dec. 5 and the morn-
3. Ditto Twitter. I swear that I will not participate. I’ll amend that with a subresolution that I’m not sure that I can keep: I will cease asking, “What is it? I don’t get it.”
ing of Dec. 6. Damage to the window was estimated at $200, but other than a flashlight and some paperwork, nothing was stolen from the car.
Drop a beat More than $1,000 worth of goods was stolen from a car parked at the Cedar Rim Apartments, 7920 110th Ave. S.E, between the evening of Dec. 7 and the morning of Dec. 8. Among the items stolen were a set of Beats by Dre headphones, Ray Ban sunglasses and a gym bag.
A pair of Eddie Bauer boots was taken from an unlocked vehicle parked at the Cedar Rim Apartments, 7920 110th Ave. S.E, between the evening of Dec. 7 and the morning of Dec. 8.
Stolen electronics Between the evening of Dec. 9 and the morning of Dec. 10, an unknown suspect stole an iPod, a GPS and a stereo from a car parked at the Castle Creek Apartments, 7000 132nd Place S.E.
A walk in the park More than $1,500 worth of goods was stolen from a locked car in the parking lot of Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E.
Experience Service
spots on the carpet, and I will utter very un-Zen like things like “What the hell?” but vow that I will resist the urge to get up and make those things right, although their loud shouts for attention will break every meditation rule in the book. 5. While struggling to 84th Way, on Dec. 8. The vehicle owners went for a walk at the park, and upon their return, found that the driver’s door lock had been punched and the contents of a purse had been stolen.
Disputed tree Police responded to an ongoing neighbor dispute in the 11300 block of Southeast 76th Place on Dec. 10. The dispute is over property lines, fences and a large evergreen tree with limbs that hang over one of the neighbors’ driveway. The person who reported the incident said that her neighbor flipped her off and cussed at her.
Breaking and stealing An unknown suspect broke the front door lock and entered a home in the
do things that used to be mindlessly easy for me — like threading a needle or putting a little button through a tiny loop or affixing earring backings — I vow to stop, exasperated by the task, and announce loudly to no one in particular: “Seriously?”
14300 block of Southeast 84th Court on Dec. 10. A $700 laptop was stolen, but police did collect fingerprints from the scene.
Slow down A car was hit by a speeding vehicle near Newcastle Elementary School, 8400 136th Ave. S.E., on Dec. 12. The damaged car’s owner reported that while there is a 20 mph speed limit in the school zone, she often sees cars going 30-40 mph in the area.
Grinch steals Christmas
A package was stolen from the doorstep of a home in the 7000 block of 121st Place Southeast on Dec. 18. The victim said she heard the doorbell ring, and in the little
7. I pledge that I will think a lot about starting a humorous memoir entitled “They Could Only Afford to Feed One,” but I’ll do little other than move some pertinent Word docs from one file to another and berate myself for the balance of the year for my lack of action. 2013! Bring it on! You can reach Pat Detmer — who had no plans whatsoever to add “lose weight” to the list, even though she knows she should — at patdetmer@ aol.com.
time it took her to put on shoes to answer the door, the package was gone. The victim did not know what the package was because it was a Christmas present.
Mass mail theft A total of six mailboxes at the Castle Creek Apartments, 7000 132nd Place S.E., were broken into between the evening of Dec. 19 and the morning of Dec. 20. An unknown suspect caused about $1,000 in damage by breaking the locks to gain access to the mailbox.
Correction The name of a council member was incorrectly printed in the “Share Your Views” section of the Dec. 7 issue of Newcastle News. Sonny Putter stepped down from the council and Councilman Gordon Bisset replaced him in early 2012. Email Bisset at gordonb@ci.newcastle. wa.us.
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Newcastle News
JANUARY 4, 2013
Snow From Page 1 Manager Brian Smith’s responsibility to track the weather and remain on call at the first sight of snow. Members of the Newcastle Police Department, who work 24 hours a day, alert Smith of any flakes. If there is an expectation that the city will get snow, the day before it is forecasted, crews will go out and lay de-icer on some of the roads. “That will prevent some of the snow from sticking and it melts it a little bit quicker,” Rigos said. The city maintains three plows. They are
Chamber names new board members
Mary VonRanker, of CedarMists Healing Arts, and Jenna Boerboom, of Apple Physical Therapy, will join the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce board for a three-year term. They are joined by current members Peter Zevenbergen, Karin Blakley and Angela Wingate, who all will continue serving on the board for another three years. Current board members Larry Betsch, Bill Burris and Sandra Wixon will leave the board. Learn more at www.newcastlecc.com.
not the heavy duty ones that the state Department of Transportation uses; rather, they are attachable plows that can be fixed to the city’s fleet of trucks. Newcastle uses a snowand-ice priority map to determine which roads get plowed first. The priorities are numbered from one to four, with priority one streets representing major arterials that transport large volumes of traffic. Coal Creek Parkway, Newcastle Golf Club Road and Newcastle Way are all priority one arterials and would garner the focus of the city staff’s initial attention in the event of a snowstorm. Streets such as 116th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 79th Drive are considered priority two
arterials. Priority three and four streets are more like neighborhood collectors, Rigos said. During last winter’s storm, the city was able to maintain priority one and two routes pretty well, but found it difficult to keep up with priority three and four routes because the snow was coming down so fast, Rigos said. In the event of a snowstorm, Rigos encourages Newcastle residents to drive slowly, use common sense and have patience as city staff works to maintain the roads. “We’ll try and get to those priority three and four routes as quickly as we can after we clear off the priority one and two routes,” he said. “The
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“We’ll try and get to those priority three and four routes as quickly as we can after we clear off the priority one and two routes.” — Mark Rigos Newcastle Public Works Director Public Works Department is there to help out and we’ll get there eventually.” Winter doesn’t end until March 19, so the area isn’t completely out of the woods yet; in fact, the brunt of last winter’s storm hit in January.
Contributed
Newcastle’s snow-and-ice priority map determines which roads get plowed first, numbered in priorities from one to four, with priority one streets representing major arterials.
Community
PAGE 8
JANUARY 4, 2013
Photos by Greg Farrar
Families begin their exploration of the Newcastle Library as the doors open. More than 1,000 people used the library on opening day. View a slideshow of the event at www.newcastle-news.com.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Long awaited Newcastle Library opens its doors Dec. 8 Jade Gensheimer (left), 13, and Shelley Dean, 12, log onto the internet as computer terminals quickly fill up with first-day patrons.
Amy Eggler (left), the head librarian for Newcastle, is handed a plastic library card on a key ring to check out books for a patron.
Jim Wigfall (above left), Newcastle resident and president of the King County Library System Board of Trustees, welcomes the big opening day crowd to the ribbon-cutting for the Newcastle Library. At right, Joel Haq (left) signs up for a library card with librarian Andy Akada, who grew up in Newcastle, worked at Newport and Mercer Island libraries, and now gets to work at his hometown’s new branch.
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Newcastle News
JANUARY 4, 2013
PAGE 9
Happy Holidays from the children & merchants of Newcastle
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PAGE 10
Events The Newcastle Chamber of Commerce monthly lunch is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 9 at Tapatio Mexican Grill, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E. Guest speaker is to be determined. Cost is $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers. City Hall is closed Jan. 21 for the Martin Luther King holiday. After Hours at Valley Medical event is from 6-7:15 p.m. Jan. 17. Come to meet a doctor and take a tour at 7203 129th Ave. S.E., Suite 200. Also enjoy a glass of wine or cold beer and some light appetizers. Learn more by emailing info@ newcastlecc.com. The Renton School District presents College Goal Sunday, an FAFSA Completion Event, from 3-7 p.m. Jan. 17 in the Hazen High School library and computer labs, 1101 Hoquiam Ave. N.E. Call 204-2300. Chamber of commerce’s networking breakfast is from 7:30-8:30 a.m. Jan. 23 at Regency Newcastle, 7454 Newcastle Golf Club Road. This month’s business topic is Networking Works, with James Alberson, of Sandler Training. Seating is limited and preregistration is required by emailing info@newcastlecc.com. Dance class registration is now open at Cornerstone Studio, 5810 119th Ave S.E., for the 2012-13 school year. There are classes for age 2 to adult from ballet to breakdancing. Learn more at www.cornerstonestudio.com.
YMCA The Coal Creek Family YMCA, 13750 Newcastle Golf Club Road, has regular family programs for all ages. Get a complete schedule by calling 2821500 or go to www.seattleymca. org/Locations/CoalCreek/Pages/ Home.aspx. q Circus Parents Night
IN THE SPOTLIGHT City honors volunteers
Contributed
Volunteers, armed with shovels, helped make Newcastle’s Arbor Day tree planting event a success in October.
Out at the Y, for ages 3-11, 5-9 p.m. Jan. 5, $30 for facility members/$40 for nonmembers, free, call 282-1500. q Tai Chi, for ages 14 and older, 1-2 p.m., Jan. 6 to April 28, free, call 282-1518 q Health & Wellness Leader Information Session, for ages 18 and older, 6:30-8 p.m. Jan. 22, free, 282-1518 q Healthy Body Image: Teaching Kids to Eat and Love Their Bodies, for fourth through sixth grades, 4-5:30 p.m. Jan. 24 to April 24, $75, call 282-1517. q Teen Night: Laser Tag, for grades six through nine, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Jan. 26, $20 q Masquerade Ball Parents Night Out at the Y, for ages 3-11, 5-9 p.m. Feb. 2, $30 for facility members/$40 for nonmembers, call 282-1500 q Tumbling: Mommy/ Daddy & Me, for ages 1-3,
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10:45-11:30 a.m. Thursdays, $5 for members/$9 for nonmembers q Diabetes Prevention Program, for ages 18 and older, call for times or to sign up q Swimming lessons, for ages 3 and older, $54, call for age group times and dates q Itty Bitty T-Ball, for ages 3-4, through Feb. 27, 4:30-6 p.m., $30-$56 q Tae Kwon Do, for ages 5 and older, through March 28, $28-$54, call for age group times and dates
Library events The Friends of the Newcastle Library meets from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 23, at the Newcastle Library, 12901 Newcastle Way. The Newcastle Library is at 12901 Newcastle Way. The library will be closed Jan. 21 for the Martin Luther Day holiday.
After a year packed full with successful community events and valuable projects enhancing the neighborhood, the city is honoring all the volunteers who made them happen with a Jan. 30 celebration. Whether you worked on several events throughout the year, or donated just a few hours, the city wants its volunteers to know that the community wouldn’t be the same without them. The appreciation event, at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, is expected to be filled with treats, fun and a special gift. In particular, the city thanks the Newcastle Weed Warriors, Newcastle Trails, the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce and the Public Works Department for their work throughout the year. Contact Michael Holly at michaelh@ ci.newcastle.wa.us or 649-4444, ext. 142, to RSVP for the event by Jan. 25.
January 2013
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The following programs are offered the rest of the month: q Drop-in to Learn About eBooks, for adults, 7 p.m. Jan. 9 q Teen Advisory Board, for sixth-graders and up, 7 p.m. Jan. 14 q Art Preview: Rembrandt and the Art of the 17th Century, for adults, 7 p.m. Jan. 16 q Computer Class: Internet Level 1, for adults, 7 p.m. Jan. 17 q Computer Class: Oneon-one Assistance, for adults, 10, 10:30 and 11 a.m. Jan. 26
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Clubs The Society of Artists for Newcastle, an art organization, is seeking new members. Call 271-5822. Bridge players are wanted, evening or daytime. Games take place at various homes in the Hazelwood area. Call 2550895. The Newcastle Historical Society meets at 4 p.m. the first Thursday at City Hall, 13020 S.E. 72nd Place. Call 226-4238.
Newcastle News
JANUARY 4, 2013
PAGE 11
Miss Washington shows military support at family holiday event By Sgt. Christopher M. Gaylord 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment JOINT BASE LEWISMcCHORD, Wash. — Mandy Schendel, who was officially crowned Miss Washington 2012 in July, has spent the better part of her life serving others. At 11, she started her own nonprofit organization, focused toward helping children and teens discover leadership potential within themselves through volunteer projects with their local communities. In high school, she said, she involved herself in “everything under the sun.” So one might assume Schendel would fit in well among military men and women, who live a life of voluntary service to their country. The pageant beauty, who leaves for Las Vegas on Jan. 2 to vie for the coveted Miss America title, paid her first visit to a military installation Dec. 15, when she stopped off at the Hillside Youth Center for its annual Holiday Fest event. Though she only spent a few short hours meeting with service members and their families, it was a stint the 22-year-old considered her “ideal holiday.” “Sincerely, it’s just an honor,” said Schendel, sitting, all smiles, at a table stacked high with wrapped gifts for children, a box of photos intended for autographs laid out before her. “I walk beside military men and women all the
Mandy Schendel competes for Miss America Newcastle’s own Mandy Schendel, Miss Washington 2012, will head to Las Vegas on Jan. 2 in preparation for the 2013 Miss America competition. Schendel will be among 53 national finalists who will vie for the Miss America title. “The Bachelor” host Chris Harrison and “Dancing with the Stars” co-host Brooke Burke-Charvet will host the event. Among the judges for the
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher M. Gaylord
Sydney Flores (far right), 8, and her two younger sisters pose for a photo Dec. 15 with Mandy Schendel, Miss Washington 2012, at the annual Holiday Fest event offered by the Hillside Youth Center on Joint Base Lewis-McChord. time, and I am always so compelled to just thank them. “I have a huge love for the military, for what all the men and women do.” She explained that, for an outsider, it’s typically harder to gain access to an installation, especially one the size and capacity of Joint Base Lewis-McChord. But where stories of military life and the understanding of what it takes to serve are concerned, she’s not much of an outsider at all. “I come from a long line of military family,” she said. “My mom was an Army brat growing up, so all of her stories from her childhood come from being on a military base.” Her grandfather retired from the Army, and her father served for five years. “The dynamic with my dad and my grandpa was that they were very structured, both having been in the military,” she said. Schendel frequently
travels to schools across the state, working to inspire youths as part of her pageant platform, “Do Something: Enriching Youth, Cultivating Leaders.” The goal of her platform, she explained, is to help young individuals grow through volunteer work, most of which stems from a particular passion of theirs. Some, she said, just need some sort of outlet. “Maybe they’re passionate about music, and they don’t think that they can really do much with it,” she said. “Well, maybe
we’re able to put together a team and let them lead that team to go and sing at an elderly home.” “The goal is kind of this bettering of society as a whole,” added Schendel, who also said she was often a target for bullying in high school after making strict decisions to avoid drugs, alcohol and sexual activity. “The more we have an ability to help others, I think we eliminate so many of the issues we
competition are Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney, dancer Cheryl Burke and television host Mary Hart. More than 300 community members attended a farewell fashion show Dec. 8, where Schendel gave attendees a sneak peek at the fashions she plans to wear for the telecast. The competition will be televised Jan. 12 at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, and can be seen at 9 p.m. on ABC. Learn more about Schendel’s quest for the Miss America title at www.misswashington.org. have in society today.” But most of the young girls who went up to see Schendel weren’t exactly thinking of a subject that complex. For them, the role model they saw in a happy, smiling woman in a tiara was enough. “I really like her,” said 8-year-old Sydney Flores shortly after taking a photo with Schendel. “She’s very interesting and very pretty. She always smiled.” “Girls like to see some-
body beautiful, because they want to be like that,” said her mother, Isabell Flores, an Army wife who brought Sydney and her other two daughters to the event. “They thought she was a princess, with the crown,” she said, adding that her girls were delighted to have a photo taken with Schendel. “I think that was a really good thing to see themselves in a picture with someone they’d probably like to be.” Schendel did her best to bring her own smiles to the faces of some of her younger fans. “Thank you, sweetheart. Nice to meet you!” she said to a young boy asking for her autograph. “So cute,” she added with a laugh as he walked away. “To be here, and to be able to just be around these families that work so hard and give — it is a tremendous thing, and there’s no other word than it’s just an honor to be here,” she said. “I’m just fortunate that it worked out today, and hopefully there will be more opportunities in the future.”
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Schools
PAGE 12
JANUARY 4, 2013
Issaquah School Board leaves Liberty schedule as is By Lillian O’Rorke A celebratory cry gushed from the audience Dec. 12 as the Issaquah School Board voted 4-1 to preserve the eight-period block schedule at Liberty High School. “The data to support a six-period day has always seemed to me to be weak,” board member Chad Magendanz said. “At this point, I think it is premature to make a change without a compelling case driving it.” Since 1995, Liberty has used an eight-period block schedule where students
take four 90-minute classes each day. Many in the school’s community like that eight periods give students more chances to explore electives. This, supporters of the block schedule say, cultivates creativity, innovation and a commitment to learning. “I think we have something at Liberty, that is evidenced by the groundswell of feedback from the community, that says this is very valuable to us,” board President Brian Deagle said. “I don’t know how to measure it. We haven’t been measuring it,
yet it’s been proposed that we get rid of it.” However, Liberty’s schedule does have some drawbacks. Primarily, the existing block schedule gives students 127 hours per class each year, where Issaquah High School has 161 hours and Skyline High School has 165 hours. The subject has been a hot topic of debate for the past several months. The Liberty Schedule Committee, put together by the school district, spent two months looking at test scores, gathering input from the communi-
ty and researching schedule options, before voting unanimously Oct. 30 for a seven-day schedule. A final report was sent to Superintendent Steve Rasmussen Nov. 6, and in it the committee stated several reasons for its decision, including that the change would increase Liberty’s student-teacher contact time by 24 hours per class while still allowing enough room for extra opportunities, like electives and support classes for struggling students. A similar committee was formed last year, but
with representatives from all three comprehensive high schools. Ultimately, that committee said it could not come up with a common schedule recommendation. Rasmussen came up with a recommendation of his own Nov. 28 — that Liberty switch to a six-period schedule. The option was what Issaquah and Skyline already use and did not require the hiring of extra teachers, unlike a seven-period schedule. Anne Moore was the only board member who
voted in support of the change to a six-period day. “It is a challenge because I understand that parents and kids love it (the block schedule), but what are they missing?” she said. “I think the key comes back to some of the teachers that did talk about not being able to get through all the material in a given amount of time.” One concern is that less class time means lower test scores. While Liberty’s average SAT score of 1634 over the past five years is See SCHEDULE, Page 13
Former Hazelwood educator named interim superintendent Vera Risdon, Renton School District’s assistant superintendent, will serve as interim superintendent when Mary Alice Heuschel transitions to her new position as Gov.elect Jay Inslee’s chief of staff in January. Risdon will serve during the expected monthslong search for a new superintendent. The Renton School Board voted unanimously to name Risdon, an educator in Renton for 46
years, to the post. Risdon began her career with the district as a teacher at Hazelwood Vera Elementary Risdon School and went on to teach at five different Renton schools from 1966 to 1982, including McKnight Middle School. She served as a principal at Hazelwood
Elementary School from 1986 to 1992. She has also served as assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and technology, and as associate superintendent for elementary education. “The Renton School District has been a very important part of my life for nearly a half-century,” Risdon said in a statement. “It’s truly an honor and a privilege to serve Renton See RISDON, Page 13
By Christina Lords
Spencer Rowland (left) and Indigo Bamba flip through pages of ‘Star Wars’ books at last year’s annual Hazelwood PTSA pancake breakfast and book fair.
Newcastle Elementary School Hazelwood PTSA hosts annual crowns geography bee champ pancake breakfast Jan. 12 Palms were sweating and nerves were rattled when a group of 10 fourth- and fifth-graders gathered to compete in Newcastle Elementary School’s 2012 geography bee Nov. 30. The 10 competitors stood in front of more than 50 of their classmates and answered questions taken directly from the National Geographic Society. Ultimately, it was fifth-grader Nathan Jackson who won the competition after correctly identifying Australia as the country where Fremantle Prison is located. Nathan will now have an opportunity to take a written test, with a chance to qualify for the state championships. The other nine competitors were Grace Beal, Allison Constantini, Lauren Crutchfield, Dillon Gyotoku, Molly Keegan, Theo Koob, Matty Lilley, Abigail Peacock and Beau Pedersen.
By Christina Corrales-Toy
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Nathan Jackson (left) and Molly Keegan, students at Newcastle Elementary School, pose with their prizes after competing in the championship round of the school’s geography bee Nov. 30.
More than 500 students, neighbors and family members are expected to get a belly full of pancakes at Hazelwood Elementary School PTSA’s annual pancake breakfast Jan. 12. The all-you-can-eat affair runs from 8-11 a.m. and includes mounds of pancakes, as well as sausage, fruit and beverages, all cooked by PTSA volunteers. This event in particular gets fathers to come out and show their cooking prowess, said Rosalind Vazquez, the Hazelwood PTSA president.
On the web Learn more at the Hazelwood PTSA’s website at www.hazelwoodptsa.org.
“The dads, they do it in one-hour shifts and they are just cranking pancakes out,” she said. The pancake breakfast will again be held in conjunction with the school’s book fair, where attendees are being asked to donate their change. Those donations will go to educational support items for Hazelwood students in
need. “The money that we collect from that helps to buy books for kids that maybe don’t have as much money,” Vazquez said. The money raised selling books at the fair goes to the school library. “All the money that we raise from selling our books at the book fair, we reinvest right into the library to buy more books,” Vazquez said. This year, the PTSA will also collect gently used purses and shoes of all sizes that will be given to the Renton Clothing Bank. See BREAKFAST, Page 13
Newcastle News
JANUARY 4, 2013
Hazen High School assistant principal Ed Crow honored The Association of Washington School Principals has named Hazen High School Assistant Principal Ed Crow the Ed Crow Seamount League’s Distinguished Assistant Principal of the Year. Crow was selected based on his strong educational leadership, commitment to the needs of his students and his strong community ties with parents and local businesses, according to a press release. The recognition is also based on his ability to create a school climate where students thrive, cultivating a focused team of teachers, and building relationships with students, parents and staff. The most rewarding part of his job, he said in a statement, is when he sees meaningful change being implemented. He added that he is tremendously proud of the work teachers and
Breakfast From Page 12 The event is open to the community. Children younger than 2 get in free, tickets for children 2-14 are $4 and
staff members are doing at Hazen. Crow grew up in Seattle and attended Franklin High School. He graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in communication and went on to earn a master’s degree in teaching from Seattle University. Crow will accept his honor at an upcoming Association of Washington School Principals conference.
Support Newcastle Elementary at ice skating fundraiser Relish in the wintry holiday season with a family visit to Chaplins Bellevue Volkswagen Ice Arena and support the Newcastle Elementary School PTSA at the same time. From Jan. 7-13, visit the ice rink, mention you are with Newcastle Elementary School and a $3 donation will be made to the PTSA for each paid rink admission. The ice rink is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 3-9 p.m.; Wednesday from 1-9 p.m.; Friday from 3-11 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and
everyone else can get a ticket for $5. “We really hope that people will bring their aunts, their uncles and grandparents,” she said. “It’s kind of a nice way for their extended family to see where their kids and grandkids are going to school.”
Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the dates listed above. Admission is $10 including skate rental. The Chaplins Bellevue Volkswagen Ice Arena is sponsored by Bank of America and is at 10201 N.E. Fourth St., Bellevue.
Newcastle PTSA makes snowflakes for Sandy Hook The Newcastle Elementary School PTSA is doing its part to ensure students of Sandy Hook Elementary School are greeted with a winter wonderland when the students are relocated to their new building. Students and families are encouraged to get creative and make snowflakes that will be sent to help decorate the school. The PTSA will collect snowflakes and send them to Connecticut. To ensure your snowflakes are included, put them in an envelope and drop them off at the PTSA office, once school is back in session, no later than Jan. 4. You can also mail the snowflakes on your own for arrival by Jan. 12. Send them to the Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514. On Dec. 14, a gunman killed 26 people — including 20 children — on the Sandy Hook Elementary School campus in Newtown, Conn.
Newcastle students make dean’s lists Biola University Jeremy Hamann, of
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Newcastle, was named to Biola University’s spring 2012 dean’s list. To qualify, students must have a grade point average of 3.6 or higher while enrolled in 12 or more credit units and whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.2. University of Washington Students from the Newcastle area have been named to the dean’s list at the University of Washington for the summer quarter. To qualify, students must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 (out of 4). Students on the dean’s list include Chris Han, Simerjot Singh, Lindsay Gardner and Jessica Kim.
Rotary club honors student of the month
Mikayla Muratore, a senior a Hazen High School, was selected as a Renton Rotary Club Youth of the Month for December. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average and has been involved in National Honor Society, Drama Club, Key Club, Gordy’s Guides and the swim team. Muratore has received a scholar athlete honor, the Academic All-Star Award, the Unity Award, a varsity letter and an Advanced Placement Scholar Award. She works part time as a swim instructor and volunteers in kindergarten classes at local elementary schools. Muratore plans to attend a four-year college, maybe the University of Washington, and pursue a career in education or international relations.
PAGE 13
Risdon
Schedule
From Page 12
From Page 12
students, staff and community in this capacity as we begin the work to identify a dynamic new leader to build on the district’s good work.” Risdon is not a candidate for the superintendent position. The school board has already begun the process for a nationwide search for a new superintendent. The process will include staff and community input as well as community meetings to meet candidates. The school board hired Northwest Leadership Associates to conduct the search for a new superintendent. In the past decade, the firm conducted more than 190 superintendent searches for school districts in the Northwest. The firm will conduct background and reference checks, visit the communities of prospective candidates and ensure the candidate is a good fit for Renton. Later work will include presenting qualified candidates to the public at community meetings. Learn more at www. rentonschools.us.
above the national average — 1500 — it is below Issaquah’s and Skyline’s. Both those schools averaged 1719. But others on the board wondered if chucking the eight-period day was the only way to raise test scores. “It seems like the only variable that was ever considered was changing the schedule … rather than looking at what are some other things that we can do,” board member Marnie Maraldo said. “Is the only solution changing the schedule or is there a way to address some of these issues and stay in that eight-period schedule?” Many of the board’s comments were also made by the district administration’s staff, Rasmussen said. “It wasn’t one-sided,” he said. “Our recommendation will be to come back in January for recommendations for how we are going to work together to improve the six-period and eight-period day … this has been a valuable conversation, it’s been tough at times. So, let’s move on.”
Sports
PAGE 14
JANUARY 4, 2013
Hazen dominates boys conference swim meet By Christina Corrales-Toy
By Laurel Bluhm
Joanna Moreira, Liberty High School sophomore (right), wrestles her opponent at the Auburn Mountainview Girls Tour in December.
Liberty’s first female wrestler defies odds By Christina Corrales-Toy
Maywood Middle School.
Just a day before competing in last year’s Mat Classic, Liberty High School wrestler Joanna Moreira stood high up in the rafters of the Tacoma Dome and stared down at the 12 perfectly placed mats laid across the floor. “I remember just looking at those 12 mats and saying, ‘I got this far, and tomorrow I’m going to dominate,’” she said. Liberty High School’s first female wrestler did not place at last year’s state competition, but as she begins her sophomore campaign, it’s clear that the determined teen expects to be back in the Tacoma Dome at the end of the season. “They say that getting to the Tacoma Dome changes your wrestling career, and they are right,” Moreira said after a long, grueling practice at
‘One of the guys’ It’s not easy to immediately spot Moreira at a Liberty wrestling practice. She is, after all, just another one of the guys, Liberty coach Manny Brown said. “She’s one of the guys, in fact we don’t say ‘guys and girls’ — she’s just a wrestler and the guys accept her as a wrestler,” he said. As the only girl on the team, Moreira must go up against guys the entire practice, which is tough on her physically, she said, but it makes her a better wrestler. “These guys beat on me every day,” she said with a smile as she pointed toward her teammates. “They don’t hold back, and it just makes you tougher.” The experience she gets competing against male opponents will help
Derek Nichols, Hazen High School sophomore, has the top position in a match at the Redmond Team Dual Tournament in early December. By Rob Nichols
her when she gets the opportunity to face other females, Brown said. “She works awfully well with the guys, and my philosophy for her is that if you can wrestle a 135pound guy and do well, then you will do well with a 135-pound girl,” he said. Moreira, who also plays football, said her teammates are very supportive of her, but just a few years ago, she didn’t have the confidence to try out for the team. An encouraging brother As a sixth-grader at Maywood, Moreira turned out for the wrestling team, but for seventh and eighth grade she decided against it. “In seventh and eighth grade, I was kind of ashamed of it because a lot of girls didn’t do it, and so I just started doing basketball because that was the right way of doing it,” she
said. As a kid, people would tease her about her passion for seemingly maledominated sports, forcing Moreira to shy away from the things she loved to do. “People would call me Jomanna, just to tease me about it, but now it’s just a joke to me, and people will joke about it, but they know that I’m good at what I do,” she said. “At the time, though, it kind of affected me. I didn’t like being called that and that’s why I quit for a while, because I was ashamed of it.” When she entered high school, her older brother Tulio encouraged her to try out for the wrestling team, and disregard what others thought about it. “My brother kind of changed my thought about it and said, ‘Who cares what people think? See WRESTLER, Page 15
The Hazen High School boys swim team may have won 11 of 12 events at its Dec. 20 swim meet against Lindbergh. The team may have soundly defeated its conference foe, 128-57. None of that mattered to Hazen coach Rick Wertman. “Part of what I ask the boys to measure themselves against is how supportive are we? Are we being good sports? Good sportsmanship means caring enough to give your best,” he said. The team did give its best, Wertman said, with several swimmers dropping seconds off of their times on the way to a dominant victory. Leading the pack was junior Malcolm Mitchell, who earned two statequalifying times, capturing the 200 freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 49.36 seconds and the 500 freestyle in 4:59.32 “I was pretty happy with it,” he said. “It hurt,
but it was worth it, so I was happy.” Mitchell’s performance thrust him into an elite class with some of the best swimmers Hazen has ever seen, Wertman said. “What he did today, really, was put himself in the all-time top 20 for Hazen swimmers as a junior,” he said. “So, when you think of a storied history from 1968 and you look at the records there, it’s pretty amazing. There are some Olympic-caliber swimmers there.” He wasn’t surprised by Mitchell’s achievements, though. “I was very pleased, but not surprised, because he’s committed himself to being his best,” he said. Kyle Nelson and Nolan Hoover also had a big day for the Highlanders, each emerging from the meet as double winners. Nelson captured the 200 individual medley in 2:19.08 and the 100 butterfly in 59.85; Hoover took the 50 freestyle in See SWIMMERS, Page 15
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Hazen High School’s Nolan Hoover looks up for his time after taking first place, in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.3 seconds, in a Dec. 20 meet against Lindbergh.
Hazen takes second in December tournament Following a year when Hazen High School sent a record eight wrestlers to the state tournament, expectations are high for the 2013 team. In early December, the Highlanders took second place at the Redmond Team Dual Tournament. Hazen went 3-1 for the day, defeating Henry Foss,
Redmond and Federal Way high schools. Hazen’s only loss came to Kentlake in the first round of the tournament. At the end of the match, Kentlake and Hazen were tied, 39-39, but the Falcons were awarded one team point after successfully meeting the eighth tiebreaker criteria. The
Falcons won the match because they had scored first in more matches than Hazen. While it was a heartbreaking defeat, the Highlanders went on to finish the day without another loss. Derek Nichols and Zach Moore went 4-0, posting outstanding
performances for the Highlanders. In addition, Hazen wrestlers Jimmy Huyhn, Cole Thatcher and Erik Johannessen each earned their first varsity wins, while transfer Malik Haythorne had a huge comeback victory in overtime to seal the team win against Redmond.
Newcastle News
JANUARY 4, 2013
PAGE 15
Swimmers
Wrestler
From Page 14
From Page 14
24.3 and the 100 backstroke in 58.85. Hazen also won each relay event, a necessary achievement if the team wants to be considered among the top in the state, Wertman said. “We want to be a top 10 team at state, and it happens with strong individuals but great relays,” he said. “That relay enthusiasm, when you get a foursome clicking as one, acting as one, it’s the most inspiring thing we have.” The team of Turner Englehart, Chris Foth, Nelson and Mitchell won the 200 medley relay in 1:47.22; PJ Warmenhoven, Englehart, Nelson and Hoover took the 200 freestyle relay in 1:37.11; and Connor Broughton, Mitchell, Hoover and Warmenhoven took first in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:33.11. Last year, the Highlanders placed in the top 25 at state, but the goal this year is to get into the top 10, Mitchell said. “We definitely want to get top 10 at state and we would like to win Seamount League and district,” he said. “The team is definitely doing a lot better this year. We have a lot more depth overall in each category of swimming and our team is definitely getting stronger.” At last year’s end-of-the-
By the end of high school, you are not going to see these people,’ so I turned out,” she said.
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Above, Nolan Hoover, of Hazen High School, swims his way to victory, in the 100 backstroke with a time of 58.85 seconds. Below, junior Malcolm Mitchell races to a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle with a state-qualifying time of 4 minutes, 59.32 seconds year banquet, Wertman made it clear that the team hopes to put the top 25 finish in the rearview mirror and work toward the top 10. “The only thing I said at the banquet, and I said it about 20 times, is, ‘Hazen’s on the move. Hazen’s on the move,’ and I want the team to embrace that,” he said. To achieve that goal, athletes and coaches will have to be at the top of their game, Wertman said. “As coaches, we want to be teaching the things that allow kids to succeed at their highest level,” he said. “And if you are doing that right, you are going to be a top 10 team at state.”
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‘Place myself on a banner’ Now that Moreira has made history as the school’s first female wrestler, she wants to do it again by becoming the school’s first female wrestler to win state. “My goal is, by the end of my four seasons, I want to place in state,” she said. “There are not too many state banners, so I kind of want to place myself on a banner.” Moreira will tell anyone that wrestling is by no means easy — just take a look at the bruises and pains she accumulates throughout the season. “The first week of practice it’s all about aches,” she said.
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“Walking up stairs is the worst, and a lot of bruises.” Yet, she continues to eagerly compete in the sport that she loves. There are a lot of things that people can learn from Moreira’s drive and perseverance, Brown said. “If you set your mind to something, don’t let anybody get in your way,” he said. “You know she could’ve just as easily said, ‘I’m not going to do this because I’m the only girl.’ But, you know, she brings a little extra to our team and that is really helpful.” Both Moreira and her coach have high expectations for her performance this year. The goal is to have Moreira place in the state competition this year, not just qualify. Brown said he believes she can do it. “She’s proven herself and she went to state last year,” Brown said. “She’s just a natural athlete and she’s pretty good.”
Newcastle News
PAGE 16
JANUARY 4, 2013
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