Columbine victim’s message of kindness lives on Page 14
Local gymnasts head to state Page 16
April 1, 2011 VOL. 9, NO. 4
Prison bound Eye surgeon is given 20 years for murder plot. Page 2
Man robs KeyBank March 18 By Tim Pfarr A man robbed KeyBank, 6917 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., just before 12:30 p.m. March 18. The man walked in the store and delivered a hand-written note to the teller explaining that he was robbing the bank, King County Sheriff’s Office spokesman John Urquhart said. The teller did not see a weapon, but he gave the man money from the till and tripped the bank’s alarm. The man was white, in his 30s, and about 6 feet tall and thin. He wore a black cap, black
jacket, light-blue jeans and black-rimmed glasses. He left the store on foot, and headed northwest toward Safeway after leaving the bank. Police searched the area but did not find the man, Urquhart said. The Newcastle robber may have also robbed Chase Bank in the 4300 block of Brooklyn Avenue in Seattle March 4, according to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound, a nonprofit organization that tracks crime in the county.
The KeyBank robbery marks the seventh bank robbery in Newcastle since 2000, Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine said. Suspect No weapons were used in any of the robberies, although a man who robbed HomeStreet Bank in 2004 implied he had a gun, she said.
Police blotter
What to know Bank robberies in Newcastle since 2000 ❑ March 2000: Washington Mutual ❑ October 2001: Wells Fargo ❑ November 2003: Bank of America ❑ May 2004: Wells Fargo ❑ November 2004: HomeStreet Bank ❑ April 2005: Wells Fargo ❑ March 2011: Key Bank Source: King County Sheriff’s Office
Newcastle population passes 10,000
Page 7
By Tim Pfarr and Warren Kagarise
by the many trees that encompass the area. A paper flyer detailing the history of the cemetery can be viewed on a bulletin-board upon entering. According to this document, there were once wooden grave markers that were swept away in a fire in the early 1900s. The Seattle Genealogical Society mapped the cemetery in 2008 and recorded the names of many of those buried there, some of whom still have family in Newcastle. Linda Fitzgerald, who works for the society, describes it as a “beautiful little place.” She said one of the most
Newcastle has finally grown to more than 10,000 people, according to information from the 2010 Census released in February. Newcastle’s population is now 10,380, marking a 34.2 percent increase from 2000, when the population was 7,737. Also, the number of nonwhite residents has grown 88 percent in the past 10 years. Caucasian residents continue to make up a majority of the city, with 6,784 residents accounting for 63 percent of the total population. However, in 2000, the city had 5,807 Caucasian residents, accounting for 75 percent of the city’s total population. Newcastle is now home to almost 2,600 Asian and Pacific Islander residents, who make up about 25 percent of the city’s total population. In 2000, there were 1,431 such residents making up about 18 percent of the total population. The city is also home to 270 blacks, 435 Latinos, 38 American Indians or Alaskan Natives, and more than 460 residents who describe themselves as being of mixed race. In 2000, the city had 125 blacks, 223 Latinos, 35 American Indians or Alaskan Natives, and 234 residents who describe them-
See CEMETERY, Page 10
See CENSUS, Page 10
Football all-star Hazen senior is bound for East/West game in July. Page 16
You should know Residents can reserve the picnic shelters at Lake Boren Park. Space cannot be reserved more than three months in advance, and reservations require an application and fee. Download an application at the city’s website, www.ci.newcastle.wa.us. Click “Visitors,” “Things to Do” and then “Reserve Park Space.”
Contact us: newcas@isspress.com 392-6434, ext. 239
50¢
By Kelly Humphreys
The Newcastle Historic Cemetery, just northwest of Lake Boren Park, is a moss-coated reminder of the city’s coal mining past.
Mining past lives in today’s cemetery By Kelly Humphreys Just a short distance from the hustle and bustle of Newcastle City Hall, one can be transported back in time. The Newcastle Historic Cemetery offers a window into the town’s mining past. Newcastle began as a company-owned mining town, explained Pam Lee, who has been involved with the Newcastle Historical Society since its beginning. She said that the land and the mines were originally owned by the Pacific Coast Coal Co. During the late 1800s, the 2.2-acre cemetery was created to serve as a final resting place for the immigrant miners,
On the web See a slideshow of photos at www.newcastle-news.com.
whose ethnicities varied from Welsh to Italian. Also buried there were the families of those in the surrounding town. No gravestones are apparent as you enter the cemetery; one has to venture up a short hill to truly see the site. A variety of grave markers are spread throughout the moss-covered grounds. Those made of stone are still visible today, casting shadows over the root-bound landscape. Some are shrouded
Newcastle News
PAGE 2
APRIL 1, 2011
Eye surgeon given 20-year sentence for murder-for-hire plot By Jennifer Sullivan Seattle Times staff reporter Fear of her family being gunned down by a man who was once part of their daily life has consumed Holly King for the past 16 months. King, the mother of three and wife of successful laser eye surgeon Dr. Joseph King, said that fear prompted her to take firearms training and obsessively monitor the video-surveillance system in their Newcastle home. “Each day, when I drive my children to school, I wonder which stranger is going to murder us,” Holly King, 32, said in King County Superior Court on March 17. Judge Palmer Robinson granted the couple some relief from that fear by sentencing Dr. Michael Mockovak to 20 years in prison for plotting to kill Dr. King, his ex-brother-in-law, longtime friend and fellow cofounder of the Clearly Lasik laser eye-surgery centers. Last month, a King County jury found Mockovak guilty of criminal solicitation to commit
first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree theft and attempted first-degree theft. Jurors acquitted Mockovak of a second count of criminal solicitation involving former company President Brad Klock. Mockovak insisted that he was only kidding when he asked a Clearly Lasik employee in 2009 to find a Russian assassin to kill King, according to his defense lawyers. During March 17’s three-hour sentencing hearing, Mockovak’s lawyers said his irrational behavior was the result of stress from a contentious divorce and from emotional trauma suffered when he was sexually assaulted as a child. The defense also blamed the Clearly Lasik employee who talked to Mockovak, a man who later worked as an FBI informant in the case, for luring an emotionally vulnerable man into the murder-for-hire scheme. But Senior Deputy Prosecutor Mary Barbosa said Mockovak was focused on having King killed because their business was crumbling. She said the Yale-
By Courtney Blethen Riffkin
Dr. Michael Mockovak, Newcastle resident and co-founder of Clearly Lasik eye-surgery centers, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. educated surgeon could have left the business and started over somewhere else, but he was driven to kill King. Mockovak, 52, didn’t speak during March 17’s sentencing hearing. His lawyers, Jeffery Robinson and Colette Tvedt, talked about how Mockovak grew up poor and endured years of abuse at the hands of his uncle, a man who was later convicted of sexual assault. “Our position is that his anger, his depression, his suspicion that people are conspiring
against him come from his history of being abused over and over,” Robinson said. Robinson asked the judge to give Mockovak a severely reduced sentence from two to five years in prison. Afterward, Robinson said he plans to appeal the 20-year sentence. “I’ve been kind and trusting with the wrong man,” Joseph King, 43, said in court March 17. “I entered a business partnership with a charming sociopath.” In the criminal charges, filed shortly after Mockovak’s 2009 arrest, prosecutors said that Mockovak was willing to pay
more than $100,000 to have King and Klock killed. Mockovak was apparently angry with Klock for suing the company after he was fired, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Mockovak wanted King dead because he believed King wanted to split the company and thought his partner was taking advantage of him. The eye-surgery centers, with clinics throughout the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada, reported earnings of $17 million in 2007, but that figure had dipped to $10 million in 2008, charging documents said. Mockovak solicited Daniel Kultin, a Clearly Lasik employee who had emigrated from Russia, to arrange the slayings, prosecutors said during his trial. Mockovak believed Kultin could put him in touch with a hit man for the Russian mafia, prosecutors said. But Kultin reported Mockovak’s scheme to the FBI, which hired him to work as a confidential informant, according to testimony during the twoweek trial. The plan was for Mockovak to pay the assassin $25,000, while Kultin would earn $100,000 for arranging the slayings, according to the charges. On Nov. 7, 2009, Mockovak met Kultin in Tukwila, where he paid him $10,000 cash and gave him a photo of King, charging papers said. Mockovak was arrested five days later. Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com. Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.
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Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
PAGE 3
Council members Lisa Jensen, Steve Buri file for re-election By Tim Pfarr Councilwoman Lisa Jensen and Councilman Steve Buri have announced they will seek reelection this November. Jensen and Buri, whose terms expire at the end of the year, each announced the news in March. Jensen sits in Position 1 and Buri sits in Position 3 on the City Council. All council positions represent the entire city. Councilman Sonny Putter’s and Councilwoman Carol Simpson’s terms also expire at the end of the year, but they said they had not yet decided whether they wanted to run for re-election. Jensen and Buri were both first elected to the council in 2007. Jensen said she filed to continue making Newcastle an even better community. “I believe Newcastle is a great community for a lot of reasons, but it’s the people that make it special,” she said. “I believe that Newcastle has a great future, and I want to do my part.” She said she also wants to continue encouraging community involvement in events such as Newcastle Days, and maintain communication between city government and residents. Jensen said she feels the
biggest issues facing the city are budgetary. She said the city still has significant challenges ahead when it comes to living within its Lisa Jensen means. Jensen’s husband, John Jensen, will manage her campaign, and resident Trina Sooy will serve as her treasurer. Jensen kicked off her campaign with a party March 24 in Renton. Among those in attendance were King County Councilman Reagan Dunn and former Governor Mike Lowry. Jensen said she will likely hold a kickoff part in Newcastle in June. Jensen, a Newcastle resident since 2000, works as a website designer and co-owner of Jensen Companies Inc., which operates Jensen Websites, and her husband’s company, Jensen Roofing. Prior to working as a website designer, Jensen worked in the software industry for 13 years, and she worked as an industrial engineer in the aerospace industry for five years. Jensen has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from
the University of Washington. She was appointed to the Harborview Medical Center Board of Trustees in 2008, and she Steve Buri served as a Newcastle Chamber of Commerce Board Member from 2000-2007. She has served as a member of the Newcastle Elementary School Site Council since 2008. She also worked as a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer from 2003-2009, working with children younger than 11 who had allegedly been abused or neglected. “You really feel like you’re doing good,” she said. “I believe that you can make a difference with a child in five minutes if you see them at the right time. “It’s challenging at times because there are some heartbreaking stories,” she said. Jensen’s hobbies include traveling, walking, cycling, Tai Chi and reading. Buri said he decided to run for re-election to continue leading the city during difficult economic times. “I think we need people on
the council who understand the budget and understand the financial hardships facing the city, and I do,” he said. “I think going forward, the biggest issue for the city is our budget.” Buri said the most important issues in the city revolve around maintaining basic services, such as public safety, and street and park maintenance. “I think those are the big issues and the things people expect from the council,” he said. After funding basic services, he said the city should budget on a priority basis. He said he has not decided who will work with him on his campaign.
Buri, a Newcastle resident since 1998, is vice president of the Discovery Institute, a Seattlebased public policy think tank. He has bachelor’s degrees in political science and criminal justice. He is co-founder and a board member of Stewardship Partners, a nonprofit conservation organization, and a member of the Washington State Department of Transportation Property Task Force in Newcastle. Buri is also a member of the Hazelwood Elementary School PTSA and the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce. His hobbies include sports, camping and traveling. He and his wife Angelica have two children.
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Correction The amount of repairs the city will need to make to the Newport Manufacturing building before moving City Hall to the Newcastle Professional Center was incorrectly stated in the March 4 Newcastle News. Only minor repairs will need to be done to the building, and City Manager Rob Wyman said the repairs will likely cost less than $10,000.
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Opinion
PAGE 4
Letters to the editor
Editorial
Keep your car safe at local trailheads
S
pring is here, which means — in theory – the rain will not fall as often, giving way to sunshine and warmer weather. If you’re looking for something to do outside to enjoy the weather, hiking is a great option. However, be careful about what you leave in your car when you park at trailheads — even those near Cougar Mountain. Also, be mindful of your conduct before you hit the trails. Although it may seem obvious, don’t leave valuables sitting in your car where a potential thief could see them. We get many police reports about people leaving purses or even laptop computers on seats at trailheads, and it’s not surprising when somebody smashes a window Although it may seem and easily snatches these items. obvious, don’t leave To be on the safe side, don’t valuables sitting in your car leave anything visible in your car at trailheads, regardless of where a potential thief the value; you never know what be appealing to a thief. could see them. may Also, don’t leave a coat on your seat, as it may look like you are trying to conceal something valuable underneath. Although it may not lead to anything being stolen, it can leave you with a broken window and a several-hundred-dollar repair bill. Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine — an avid trail user — said the best practice is to only take with you what is necessary to the trailhead, and leave everything else at home. She said to carry your wallet with you while you’re on the trail. If you have valuables that you can’t leave at home, hide them away before you get to the trailhead. If you put your purse or valuables in the trunk at the trailhead, a potential thief could see you and know exactly where to find your belongings. If you’re going to the trailhead from work, change your clothes before you leave the office. If you change at the trailhead, it may send the message you recently came from work and that you are more likely to have valuables in your car. Finally, park your car where there is a lot of foot or vehicle traffic. The more people that are around, the less likely it is that your car will be broken into.
It’s officially spring! When do you think the rain will stop and the sun will come out?
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Hit-and-run driver needs to admit wrong My name is Vivian Bae and I have been a resident of the Newcastle/Cougar Mountain area since June 2001. I am writing to ask for your help and I will compensate you for your time. I was involved in a hit-and-run collision on Tuesday, Feb. 22, on my way home from work. It happened during the beginning of a snowstorm and the snow had just started falling. As I was driving toward Bellevue on Newcastle Golf Club Road — past the YMCA — I came to a stop due to a car stopping in front of me. While I was waiting for this car to start moving, an oncoming vehicle lost control and slid into me. Given the weather conditions, I didn’t think twice as the driver started to drive away. I wrote down the license plate number, thinking that we would address the matter once the weather and road conditions improved. When I got home, I contacted the police to file a report. The officer advised me he would get in touch with the other party and try to give him/her the opportunity to resolve the issue without filing a report and I agreed. I contacted the other party’s insurance company, only to hear that the other party denied any contact with my car. Although this was a very minor collision, I am upset and disappointed by the fact someone could blatantly lie and walk away. I know that I could spend my time better than being on hold with an insurance company and seeking to find a witness. I also understand that I may end up not much further from where I began prior to writing this letter. But I decided I would try everything I could to resolve this matter in the way I believe should be resolved for the sake of other law-abiding citizens.
Rapid Response Newcastle now has 10,380 people. What do you think of the city finally hitting the 10,000 mark? Great! Does that make us a little closer to gaining our own ZIP code? — Trina Sooy, Newcastle
Poll question A. Tomorrow. (It’s only a day away.) B. Later this month C. Sometime in May D. Sometime in June, or never
APRIL 1, 2011
I think hitting the 10,000 mark is a cause for celebration! We are a growing city ... and that is good news for tax revenues and interest in our city. — Jackie Foskett, Newcastle Not much. It’s our quality of life that matters, not a number. — Lee Strom, Newcastle Now that we have that many people, we should probably put in a sixth bank. — Ron Unger, Newcastle
I would sincerely appreciate your help. Email vivian.bae@gmail.com. I was driving a silver Lexus RX 330 SUV and the other car involved was a light-colored Malibu sedan. Thank you. Vivian Bae, Newcastle
Thank you, council, for expensive new City Hall Thank you Newcastle Council members Bill Erxleben, Rich Crispo and Carol Simpson for having the courage and values to vote against the quarter-million-dollar move to a fancier, more expensive Newcastle City Hall. We’ve lived in Newcastle since before it was Newcastle, and one of the arguments for incorporating at that time was the low cost of administering the local government. So much for that. So now, our local staff needs to have a fancier place to work to improve its morale and make sure our local developer gets a good return on his investment? This at the same time our local teachers and education infrastructure budget is being slashed to the bone and beyond, and the city is slated to go bankrupt within a few years. And whoops, we can’t move the $50,000 generator and we don’t really need an emergency generator now. The YMCA can do it now. We need a fancier City Hall to attract better talent to city government? How many more “consultants” are you planning to attract? Let’s all own up to what’s happening here. The people with majority control of the city are tired of their aging office and want to waste what few public dollars are left to get a fancier place with better access to lattes. I guess whoever planned and instigated the building of the Newcastle Professional Center really understood our local government. Jeff Kluth, Newcastle
Opinionated? Join our email group — Rapid Response. You give us your name and email address. We send you questions regarding the news. You tell us what you think. What could be easier? We’ll email you a variety of questions. Answer one or all of them! Respond by the deadline in the e-mail and we’ll get your thoughts into the newspaper. We’ll edit for clarity, space and potential libel, then select a variety of responses and run them on a space-available basis. Send your name and email address to newcas@isspress.com. Put Rapid Response in the subject line.
The city is going to start enforcing leash laws in city parks. What do you think of this decision? See RESPONSE, Page 5
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Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
Reserve funds, utility money to pay for City Hall move By Tim Pfarr The City Council voted 6-1 at its March 15 meeting to pay for this year’s $250,000 City Hall move with money from its cumulative reserve fund and surface water management fund. The reserves will take the biggest hit, funding $225,000, and the surface water management fund will cover the remaining $25,000. The $250,000 will cover remodeling costs in the new building and all moving expenses. That was one of two funding structures city staff proposed when the City Council voted in February to move City Hall from the Newport Manufacturing building, 13020 Newcastle Way, to the Newcastle Professional Center, 12835 Newcastle Way. The city’s cumulative reserve fund has $1.5 million for capital purchases or unforeseen operating costs, although the city has never drawn money from the fund to pay for capital purchases, according to city code. Use of the reserves requires a two-thirds majority vote by the City Council. The surface water management fund typically pays for maintenance of and repairs to the city’s surface water system, which includes drainage ponds. However, the fund is also used to cover overhead costs and salaries for employees who work on surface water projects. City Manager Rob Wyman said that is the only fund —
other than the general fund — that funds staff salaries and overhead, so it can bear some of the cost of the move. Property owners in the city pay annual fees that supply the surface water management fund. The alternative payment method city staff presented called for the $225,000 to be taken from the city’s Real Estate Excise Tax fund instead of the cumulative reserve. Excise taxes from home sales provide REET funds. They are typically used for transportation projects, such as road maintenance and sidewalk construction. If the city had used that money to pay for the move, the REET fund would run out of money in 2013, according to the city’s projections. However, even without using the using the REET fund to pay for the move, the fund is expected to dry up in 2014, according to those projections. Members of the council spoke in favor of using the reserve funds to pay for the move, as it would not impact the city’s ability to complete capital projects.
“It’s got to come out of somewhere. It’s not going to come out of thin air,” Councilman Rich Crispo said about the money needed to fund the move. “I don’t want to see things — from an infrastructure standpoint — suffer because of what we’re doing.” Councilwoman Carol Simpson agreed. “I don’t want to see our REET funds go away,” she said. Deputy Mayor Steve Buri said he viewed the use of the reserve funds to essentially be borrowing, as the city can replenish the reserves in coming years. Councilman Bill Erxleben represented the only dissenting vote. He said the city needs to be disciplined and keep from using its reserves, which would help the city maintain a positive net worth. “The expense trajectory that we’re on indicates that we’re not going to have much to pay back,” he said about replenishing the reserve funds. “As we spend this money down, we’re going to get to the point where we don’t have a positive net worth.”
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Response From Page 4 While I understand it may inconvenience some dog owners, it does give me peace of mind when running through local parks or bringing my children to play. Some off-leash dogs are a nuisance and downright scary to be around. — Trina Sooy, Newcastle I’m sure this will not make many dog owners happy. And it’s too bad we don’t have a leash free area in the park yet. — Jackie Foskett, Newcastle As a dog owner, I understand the want of dog owners to let their pooches run free and exercise. However, after a few incidents of aggression toward my fiancé and smaller dogs in and around Lake Boren, I will not hesitate to use any and all protective measures to safeguard either of them from an aggressive off-leash dog. If you love it, leash it. — Dave Martinez, Newcastle
The city will pay for most of its $250,000 City Hall move with money from its reserves instead of money set aside for projects. What do you think of this decision? Our current City Council billed itself, from the very beginning, as being very fiscally conservative. Now, they are spending our reserve to make an expensive move. I have three questions. Is this move necessary while our finances are so precarious? If our finances aren’t precarious, were they lying to us during the last election? Does this move in any way benefit a council member or his or her family financially? — Will Winslow, Newcastle I think we all understand moving from a manufacturing building to a proper office is about appearance and maturity. We should take care to ensure the city’s public safety, maintenance and other needs can be addressed in the event of an incident after the move. Is there a plan for that? — Dave Martinez, Newcastle
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Newcastle News
PAGE 6
APRIL 1, 2011
Newcastle city staff to see salary, benefits changes By Tim Pfarr The city’s 21 employees will soon see their salary ranges get a little larger, their merit pay changed, vacation time capped and cost-of-living raises scrapped. Reductions in employees’ healthcare coverage, approved last fall, will also be permanent. The Salary and Benefits Committee recommended the changes, and the City Council unanimously approved them Jan. 18. The changes to salary ranges had been overdue, said Councilwoman Lisa Jensen, who chairs the committee. Previous policies dictated that the committee re-examine salary ranges every three years, but it had not done so for about five years. The committee compared Newcastle salaries to those in similar cities, averaging the high and low salaries elsewhere to make up Newcastle’s new salary ranges. The new salary ranges — which widened on both the high and low ends — will shift to reflect trends in cost of living, and will take the place of annual cost-of-living adjustments that employees had received each year. Also, employees will not be able to accrue more than twice their annual amount of vacation
By Dona Mokin
by saving up across years, and no employee will be able to take more than six weeks of vacation per year. Those changes start next year. Merit payments won’t be discussed further until the council begins work on the 2012 budget this summer, but by the new policy, merit payments will be the only way for employees to increase their salaries. An employee who reaches the top of his or her
salary range will not be eligible for a merit raise. Last fall, the council approved a switch to a cheaper health insurance plan for employees. Also, healthcare coverage will be at 90 percent for employees and 80 percent their for dependents. Previously, coverage had been at 100 percent and 90 percent, respectively. “The way that things were going were not sustainable,” Jensen said. “I think it’s just the
new normal. It’s just recognizing the new economy. We have to live within our means.” Councilwoman Carol Simpson and Councilman Rich Crispo are the other members of the committee. Cripso said the most significant changes were those to employees’ health insurance. “We’re just asking employees to help in the cost of their health care,” he said. “It’s certainly what exists in all of pri-
vate industry.” Crispo said trading cost-of-living pay raises for the new salary ranges also makes sense because it sets more money aside for merit raises with which to award employees. “We have very good employees, and they should get paid for their performances,” he said. In adjusting salary ranges, the committee took into account size, economic base and proximity into account in choosing its similar cities. It settled with Lake Forest Park, Enumclaw, Edgewood, Mill Creek, Snoqualmie and Sammamish as its similar cities. Salary ranges for Newcastle department directors will now vary. Each department director had a salary range of $85,855 to $102,695 before the change. The committees recommendation did not define ranges for the city’s permit coordinator, development review engineer and construction inspector, storm water management engineer, or accounting and payroll specialist, as none of the positions matched closely with positions in other cities. The committee did not recommend salary ranges for unionized employees: the parks program manager and the city maintenance staff. The Salary and Benefits Committee plans to repeat the salary survey every two years.
Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
Police blotter Gun theft A man reported two guns were stolen from his home, in the 8800 block of 123rd Avenue Southeast, between 10 p.m. Feb. 16 and 10:20 p.m. Feb. 21. He reported the stolen guns to be an EIG Derringer worth $300 and a Ruger Single Six worth $600. He said his son’s friend, who had been at the house, had taken the guns and demanded $140 to give the guns back. The man’s son went to give the friend the money, and the friend allegedly used the guns to rob the man’s son of the $140. The man and his son did not report the alleged robbery, which was in Issaquah, because the man’s son has outstanding warrants.
No parking on Coal Creek Parkway A woman reported at 9 p.m. Feb. 16 that she saw a 2007 Ford Mustang crash into a rock divider on the north end of the intersection of Coal Creek Parkway and Southeast 79th Drive. The car had been traveling northbound on Coal Creek Parkway, and after the collision, the car came to a stop in the right northbound lane. The driver then got out of the vehicle and walked away from the scene, but he appeared to be so drunk he had trouble keeping his balance. Police found the man walking along the 7500 block of Newcastle Golf Club Road. The man admitted to crashing the car and said he had only one beer that night, but police said they could smell intoxicants from 15 feet away. Police arrested him and impounded his car.
Robbery A man reported he was robbed while walking his dog at Newport Crossing Apartments,
7311 Coal Creek Parkway Southeast, just before 11 p.m. Feb. 19. He said a white man with brown hair, about 20 years old, 6-feet, 1-inch tall and 180 pounds, asked for a cigarette. The man with the dog handed him a cigarette, but the man with brown hair punched him in the face, causing him to fall back onto the sidewalk. He demanded the man’s wallet — which he gave him — and the man with brown hair ran toward Lake Boren Park. The man with the dog said the robber had been wearing a blue hat, a blue jacket, a blue T-shirt and a gray Jansport backpack. His wallet contained $500 in cash, his driver’s license and a credit card. His wallet was worth $75.
Home burglary A woman reported that numerous pieces of jewelry had been taken from her apartment at Newport Crossing Apartments, 7311 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., between Feb. 6 and 19. She said her roommate denied any knowledge of the alleged burglary. She said her roommate might have had guests while she was away, and that a guest may have been responsible. She reported the stolen items to be a diamond ring worth $600, a golden band worth $400, a ruby ring with diamonds worth $4,500 and a tourmaline ring worth $700.
Liquor store shoplifter Police responded to the state liquor store at 6927 Coal Creek Parkway S.E. at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 26 where a man had stolen a $50 bottle of 1800 Reposado tequila. The man — who was black, about 21 years old, 6 feet tall and 150 pounds — appeared as though he was about to pay for the bottle, but as he was about to approach the counter, he ran out of the store. A witness who was driving by the
store followed him to a nearby apartment, where he entered through a rear, sliding door. Police arrived at the apartment about 10 minutes later; there was a group of 10 people there who appeared to have been drinking. None in the apartment matched the description of the suspect, and the group said nobody had stolen liquor or entered the apartment through the rear, sliding door.
Burglary attempt Police responded to Shell gas station, 6420 Lake Washington Blvd., just after 3:30 a.m. March 12, where the front door of the station’s store had been shattered. Police said it looked as if somebody had attempted to use a large tool or brick to break the glass, causing $300 in damage. However, the door was still secure, and the building had not been entered.
Playing mind games with a cashier Police responded to Papa Murphy’s Pizza Take ‘N’ Bake Pizza, 6945 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., where a man had allegedly played mind games with a cashier through cash exchanges to steal $118 just before 4 p.m. March 12. The man — who the employee said was black, in his mid-20s, about 5-feet 4-inches tall with a five-inch ponytail — first purchased a $1.30 soda and paid for it with a $20 bill. When the employee tried to give the man his $18.70 in change, the man said he didn’t want coins. The man instead suggested that he give employee a $1 in exchange for a $20 bill in change. After this, the man allegedly pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and began fooling the employee with other cash exchanges. After the man left, the employee checked his till and discovered the man had taken $118, so he called
PAGE 7 police. The employee apologized, saying “I’m sorry, I should have known. I’m really bad at math.”
Mailbox vandalism A man reported that the lock on his mailbox, in the 11800 block of Southeast 78th Street, had been damaged between noon March 9 and noon March 10, causing $20 in damage. He believed some mail might have been taken.
Mailbox theft A man reported that mail was stolen from his mailbox, in the 11800 block of Southeast 78th Street, between noon and 2 p.m. March 12. He said all the mailboxes in front of his house were propped open. There was no damage done to the mailbox or its lock. Newcastle News publishes names of those arrested for DUI and those charged with felony crimes. Information comes directly from local police reports.
Molestation suspect to appear in court April 22 Newcastle man Gil Furman, who was charged in January with one count of second-degree child molestation and two counts of third-degree child molestation, will appear in King County Superior Court April 22 for a case setting hearing. Furman molested a teenage girl for two and a half years beginning when the girl was 13 and ending when she was 15, according to charging documents. He was 35 when the alleged molestation began. Furman appeared in court March 22 for a case setting hearing, but a trial date was not set. Furman was arrested and arraigned Jan. 25, and he pleaded not guilty. He was given conditional release with a no-contact order with the girl. The molestation occurred weekly, and Furman pushed the girl to a wall and kissed and groped her, sometimes under her clothes but over her underwear, the charging papers said.
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City Hall now offers passport service By Tim Pfarr Need a passport? City Hall, 13020 Newcastle Way, began issuing passports March 21 on behalf of the Department of State. To apply for a passport or get your passport renewed, make an appointment to visit City Hall between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Bring a certified birth certificate, two passport photos and identification (such as a driver’s license), and be prepared to make two separate payments. You can have passport photos taken at Bartell Drugs, 6939 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., or the UPS Store, 6947 Coal Creek Parkway S.E. Payment consists of a $25 fee per application and a variable fee depending on if you want a passport, a passport card (which is the size of a driver’s license and allows you to travel to Canada and Mexico only) or both. The variable fee must be paid by check or money order.
Lake Boren playground closed for construction The Lake Boren Park playground closed March 14 for construction. After city crews demolished the old playground, City Manager Rob Wyman signed a contract with Enumclaw-based Maroni Construction to build the new playground, which is to be completed by June 8. The new playground is slated to expand to the north and east, and include two separate play areas: one for children 2-5 years old and another for chil-
After applying, expect a four- to six-week wait for your passport. However, if you apply in May or during the summer, expect a six- to eight-week wait because of the high volume of applications received during that time. City Clerk Bob Baker said both parents should be present if a minor applies for a passport. Baker and Public Works Administrative Assistant Sarah Jacobs are certified to accept passport applications, and Administrative Assistant Aleta Phillips will soon be certified as well. “We’re excited to be able offer it now. People are really going to like it,” Baker said, adding that the service is open to all citizens, not just Newcastle residents. “If somebody wants to stop in from Austin, Texas, I’ll help them too.” For more information about the city’s passport service, call City Hall at 649-4444 or go to the city’s website, www.ci.newcastle.wa.us, and click the “Passports” links.
dren older than 5. The design calls for a concrete pathway to separate the play areas. The existing swings were in good condition and were not removed. The design also calls for the backless, concrete seating areas to be replaced with benches, and for picnic tables to be placed along with benches and a sandbox in a concrete plaza in the southeast corner of the playground. The floor of the playground itself will contain cedar chips. The playground will be funded by a $325,000 grant from the state.
APRIL 1, 2011
School district changes class requirements to recommendations By Laura Geggel Issaquah Press reporter In the past, high school students have needed to fulfill specific class requirements before taking higher-level courses. Starting this fall, Issaquah School District administrators are changing those prerequisites to learning recommendations. “We’re trying to increase access for students,” Executive Director of Secondary Education Patrick Murphy said. “We used to say, ‘You must have at least a B-minus to take this class.’ But what if I have a C-plus?” Changing the prerequisites to learning recommendations has been a year and a half in the making. Throughout the year, Murphy meets with the principals from Liberty Issaquah, Tiger Mountain Community and Skyline high schools. The group brainstorms ways it can increase access for students. The access talks serve as an umbrella for several subjects, including how the district could increase student access to quality teachers, better activities and challenging courses. This is not the first time the district has changed prerequisites to learning recommendations. Middle school students traditionally had to take a sixthgrade math placement test. If students performed poorly on the placement test, or if they missed the mark by a few points, they would be placed in the regular class.
The district changed that policy a few years ago, making the placement test more of a yardstick to show where they student stood academically. If students did not perform well on the test, but had good math results from the Stanford Achievement Test, standardized testing and math class, they could make a decision with their parents about whether they should be in the regular or the advanced math class. Theoretically, every student could have registered for the advanced math class, but that did not happen. “I was the principal (at Maywood Middle School) at the time when we did it, and I can tell you I was nervous,” Murphy said. One year after the policy switch, both the regular and the advanced math class had almost exactly the same number of students as before the change. Communication was key, Murphy said. “We said very clearly in our letter, ‘You need to live with that decision.’ This isn’t, ‘Hey, I want to try this out for awhile,’” Murphy said. Communication between students and parents is also important. Both should make a decision about what is best for a student’s academic level, Murphy said. After the middle school math change went well, the district made a similar policy change for ninth-grade math placement in the 2010-11 year.
Teachers and administrators across the district are waiting to see whether the high school policy change will benefit students. “We’re kind of interested to see if the students are able to place themselves accurately,” Issaquah High School French teacher Martha Legier said. “We fully intend to communicate with our students as effectively and efficiently as possible so they can make the right choice.” Tucker Russell, a sophomore at Skyline, was more on the fence. “I think there is definitely a group of kids who are smart enough and would benefit from the classes, because they know they need to challenge themselves,” he said. “But there is also a group of kids who shouldn’t necessarily be making that decision, because it could be too much of a challenge and they need to take it down to the basics.” The new learning recommendations do not change graduation requirements, Murphy said. Students will still need to take four credits of English and three credits of math, for example. The ninth-grade physical science class is no longer required. Eighth-grade students can take a physical science challenge test online to see if they are prepared to enroll in biology. Laura Geggel: 392-6434, ext. 241, or lgeggel@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.
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Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
PAGE 9
Volunteers get fired up to honor local barbecue legend By Tim Pfarr The record was nine spoonfuls, Gene Porter once said. That was the largest quantity of his signature, blistering hot sauce anybody could down. It was that hot sauce — known as “the man” — and succulent, Louisiana-style barbecue that launched Porter’s Bellevue restaurant, Dixie’s Barbeque, to fame. His friends remember him being as lively as his hot sauce, and it hit the community hard when the Newcastle resident died of bone cancer Feb. 28, 2010. The Hazelwood Community Association and Newcastle Trails banded together early this year to raise funds for a memorial for Porter in Donegal Park. However, the memorial won’t just be a bench or a tree — it will be a 41inch-wide charcoal barbecue southeast of the park’s gazebo. “It’s a totally fitting memorial,” said Garry Kampen, a member of the Hazelwood
Scout builds benches for Newcastle Trails Boy Scout Boyd Cottom, from Hazelwood-based Troop 499, led work crews to build and install two rustic benches along the Terrace Trail in Newcastle for his Eagle Scout project in late February. The crew installed one bench
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Community Association board of directors. Hazelwood Community Association President Gordon Bisset said the group hopes Gene Porter to finish fundraising by June 1 and have the memorial completely installed by Aug. 2, just in time for the annual National Night Out barbecue. Organizers have already raised more than $1,500 of the estimated $4,500 total cost. If they reach their goal, the memorial could include a plaque with a dedication, trash and ash cans, wood benches and a seat wall on the nearby sloping ground. “When he died, quite a few of us knew him and thought we should do something,” Bisset said. “He was a much-liked indi-
near Boulder Grove and the other at the trail’s junction with the East Cross Town Trail.
Hazen High School to host budget hearing April 28 Hazen High School, 1101 Hoquiam Ave. N.E., Renton, will host a budget meeting for par-
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vidual. Just a really great personality.” Gene Porter, who grew up in Mississippi and Louisiana, settled in the Hazelwood area with his wife Dixie in the early 1970s. It was around that time that he also opened an auto repair shop in Bellevue. Although he worked on cars during the week, he spent his weekends barbecuing for church fundraisers and neighbors. Kampen moved into a house near the Porters in 1980. “He was kind of the neighbor-
hood social guy,” he said about Porter. “He pounded on my door and said, ‘Hey Kampen, you’ve got to come to my barbecue.’” Dixie Porter remembers the rave reviews his barbecue received. “Everybody said his food is so good, why don’t you just open up a barbecue in Bellevue?” she said. Porter did exactly that, converting his garage into a restaurant in 1994. The business took off, and Porter took his craft to the next level by creating “the man,” which he took around in a vat to customers as they ate. “Have you met ‘the man?’” he asked. Kampen said the sauce was scorching. “This was very potent stuff,” he said with a laugh. “You just get a little drop on your tongue, and you’d be breathing fire for an hour after that.” Dixie laughed as she remembered Gene interacting with cus-
tomers. She said he also had fun with customers when they asked about his barbecuing tactics, such as how long he cooked his meat. “It cooks until it gets done,” she recalled him saying. Dixie’s Barbeque gained such a reputation that Bill Cosby, former NBA player and coach Lenny Wilkens and former Seattle Seahawk Cortez Kennedy came by for meals. Dixie Porter said the idea of a memorial barbecue for her husband is a kind gesture. Bisset said that although it will be the site of many barbecues to come, its first purpose will always be to remember the friendly man behind the grill. “We want to let his family know that he’s remembered and that people loved him,” Bisset said. Call or email Bisset at gdbisset@msn.com or 226-9345 for more information about the memorial.
ents, students and community members at 6:30 p.m. April 28. Renton School District officials will use the meeting to gather input about funding priorities for the 2011-2012 budget. The meeting is one of three being held at Renton high schools in April, and it follows a community survey the district issued ear-
lier this year to gather information about budget priorities. Survey responders said top priorities should be keeping class sizes low; reducing transportation costs for high school students and all extracurricular activities; finding alternative sources of revenue; protecting teachers’ time to allow them to
focus on learning, planning and preparation; ensuring long-term impacts of decisions are considered; and maintaining adequate investments in maintenance and operations of school facilities. The district could face cuts as large as $2.4 million next year as the state attempts to bridge a $4.7 billion shortfall.
How to help Make a donation to the Gene Porter Memorial Barbeque by mailing a check to Newcastle Trails Treasurer Peggy Price, 9131 122nd Place S.E., Newcastle, WA 98056.
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PAGE 10
Cemetery From Page 1 exciting finds during the project were two graves hidden in the overgrowth in the top corner of the cemetery. They discovered that those graves belonged to two black miners who came to work in Newcastle during a strike. Fitzgerald said the separation of those graves from the others was common during the time. Today, the cemetery is surrounded by a housing development. Lee said a fence was put in place before the neighborhood could be built, in order to
protect the grounds. She said many residents are unaware of the cemetery, but when people discover it “they are really proud to have a special identity.” “It’s comforting to know that there’s something unique and historic about where they live,” Lee added. In 1980, the mining cemetery was designated a State Historic Landmark and two years later, a King County Historic Landmark. Due to extensive damage from vandalism in the 1960s and ‘70s, the cemetery is now locked to the public, said Aleta Phillips, of the city clerk’s office. The gates are open on Memorial Day, during Newcastle Days and by appointment.
Public Works Infrastructure Manager Brian Smith said his team goes in quarterly to maintain the grounds. In addition to cutting the grass and cleaning the headstones, they also attempt to remove invasive plant species. A lack of funding and resources has put a headstone restoration project on hold. Smith said that there has been talk of replacing the current chain-link fence with a nicer alternative, but the cost has postponed it. He is hoping to obtain a grant for the project. Lee said that many individuals are involved in maintaining the historic cemetery. In addition to the Historical Society, local Scout troops and the
APRIL 1, 2011 Newcastle Weed Warriors have aided in the upkeep. The cemetery “is a source of pride for the city,” said Lee. “It’s a pleasant and peaceful place to be.” Kelly Humphreys is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory. Comment at www.newcastle-news.com.
A headstone in the Newcastle Historic Cemetery, also serves as a marker to the city’s coal mining past. By Kelly Humphreys
Census From Page 1 selves as being of mixed race. The census figures depict Newcastle as a slightly larger city than municipal and state officials had estimated. The most recent population estimate from the state Office of Financial Management — released in June 2010 — pegged the city population at 9,955 residents. State demographers relied on data from the 2000 Census as a baseline, and then examined data related to school enrollment, housing, driver licensing and other indicators. The census is more accurate, because the U.S. Census Bureau sends forms to every household and, in some cases, conducts a door-to-door count to complete the tally. Mayor John Dulcich said gaining the additional digit in the city’s population is a step forward.
“I think it’s wonderful,” he said. “For me, it’s a reflection of the popularity of the Newcastle area. Who wouldn’t want to live here?” The census counted 1,931,249 residents in the county. The figure — based on data collected in April 2010 — indicates the county gained just less than 200,000 residents since 2000. King County remains the largest county in the Evergreen State, and Seattle is still the largest city in Washington. The county is also the 14th most populous county in the United States, and has a larger population than 14 states, including Alaska, Idaho, Montana and West Virginia. “I want to thank every resident of King County for responding to the census last year,” County Executive Dow Constantine said in a statement. “These longawaited results are exciting because they show our diversity and growth. The data will be used by the county to more efficiently target our products and services to the communities where they are most needed.”
Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
PAGE 11
Report: suicides increase as murders, traffic deaths decline Deaths due to murder and traffic accidents in King County have dipped to the lowest point in a decade in 2009, but the number of suicides has increased to the highest number since 2000. The annual report from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office offers detailed analysis of suspicious, sudden, unexpected and violent deaths, plus trends in drug overdose deaths, homicides and traffic fatalities. The agency released the initial data from the 2009 report Dec. 28. The medical examiner’s office estimated 12,967 deaths occurred in King County in 2009. Officials performed autopsies in about 10 percent of the cases — or 1,226 deaths. The agency assumed jurisdiction in 2,190 deaths — 989 natural deaths, 632 accidental deaths, 253 suicides, 141 traffic deaths, 63 homicides and 59 deaths due to undetermined causes. The 2009 total includes one Newcastle death, which was due to undetermined causes. The medical examiner’s office has responded to
one death in Newcastle per year since 2006. It responded to suicides in 2006 and 2008, and an accidental death in 2007. The medical examiner’s office identified firearms as the most frequent instrument of death in homicides and suicides. The office recorded 146 firearm deaths in 2009, including 41 homicides, 100 suicides and one accidental death. The most common cause of accidental death: falls. The medical examiner’s office said most of the accidental deaths due to falls involved people age 70 and older. “Medical examiner death reviews are a critical component of public health prevention efforts,” Dr. David Fleming, Public Health – Seattle & King County director and health officer, said in a statement. Officials then use the data from the report to launch programs, such as crisis counseling, to safeguard residents. “Because we know the circumstances, risk factors and trends of death in King County, we can target efforts and work
to prevent early deaths,” Fleming said. “Traffic fatalities are a clear example of this. We know that alcohol and drug impairment, speed, and failure to wear seatbelts contribute to traffic fatalities, and we work with partners throughout King County to help alleviate those causes.” The agency also had to confront cuts to public health services. The medical examiner’s office has eliminated 4.5 fulltime death investigators, plus the reduction of a part-time anthropologist, since 2009. The reduced number of staff has led to fewer investigators on the night shift and longer response times. “Our hearts go out to the friends and families who have suffered losses,” Dr. Richard Harruff, chief medical examiner, said in a statement. “Every death we review receives our fullest respect and attention. We work to investigate and resolve the manner and cause of death as quickly as possible, and in the most scientific and professional manner so grieving loved ones can find some solace.”
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City welcomes new officer Newcastle recently welcomed a new officer to its police force. Kimberly Roy began working for Newcastle Police at the end of February, replacing officer Gavin Anderson, who transferred to the Maple Valley precinct, but still works in the area on occasion. Roy, a Covington native, joined the King County Sheriff’s Office in 2008, working in unincorporated Renton and Kent, and later in Burien and Skyway. She said she enjoys the friendly Newcastle community. “I love representing this closeknit community that is much like where I grew up,” Roy said.
“It’s been a very warm welcome. I’m still surprised when I drive by citizens and they wave.” While she’s off-duty, Roy said she enjoys spending time with her dogs: a Dachshund, a Boston terrier and a French bulldog. The bulldog had been abused prior to the adoption, and Roy said she and her husband have enjoyed helping the dog overcome its residual timidity. Police Chief Melinda Irvine said Roy has been doing great work in Newcastle, and said she has already begun receiving phone calls from citizens with positive comments.
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COMMUNITY
PAGE 12
Events Newcastle Family Story Time, for ages 2-5 with an adult, is at 10 a.m. April 5, Coal Creek YMCA, 13750 Newcastle Golf Club Road. Hazelwood Elementary School’s Spring Auction, The Best In The Northwest, is April 9 at the Bellevue Westin. Tickets are $75 and include a champagne reception, hors d’oeuvres and a three-course dinner. There will be a cash bar. Learn more or purchase tickets at www.hazelwoodptsa.org/auction_info.asp. The Newcastle Weed Warriors’ next blackberry weed removal project is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 9 at Lake Boren Park. Download a volunteer form at www.newcastleweedwarriors.org/projects.html. The Newcastle Chamber of Commerce lunch meeting is from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. April 13 at Tapatio’s, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E. Cost is $20. RSVP to info@newcastlecc.com. Earth Day 2011 is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 23 at Lake Boren Park. Events include informative educational mini-seminars; kids activities, including a recycle relay by Waste Management and a Spring Egg Hunt sponsored by Newcastle Dentistry; an on-site restoration project with the Newcastle Weed Warriors; and musical entertainment by the Boeing Employees’ Concert Band and Hazen Jazz Band. Learn more by emailing gracestiller@comcast.net. Businesses and nonprofit organizations are invited to share their “green” services or products, and/or host a mini-seminar about why they are eco-friendly. To host a booth or a seminar, call 228-7927. Seattle Revival Center hosts an East egg hunt from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 23 at 12636 S.E. 89th Place, Newcastle. There will be 2,500 eggs, 50 golden eggs, games and crafts, inflatables, free hotdogs, chips and punch. Go to www.seattlerevivalcenter.com. The Newport Covenant Church presents “Cotton Patch Gospel” at 7 p.m. April 29 and 30 and an additional Sunday matinee at 3 p.m. May 1, at 12800 S.E. Coal Creek Parkway, Bellevue. The performances are free and open to the public. Call 7470515. Newcastle Elementary School PTSA’s auction, Imagine, is April 30 at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. Donations and volunteers are still needed. Email auction co-chairs Sherrie Corrington at sherrie.corrington@comcast.net or Marnie Maraldo at mmaraldo@gmail.com.
APRIL 1, 2011
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Celebrate Earth Day in Lake Boren Park April 23
By Bob Cerelli
Northwest Wind & Solar, an Earth Day 2010 attendee, will return this year with its windmills and solar panels.
Public meetings All city public meetings are at City Hall, 13020 Newcastle Way. Call 649-4363. ❑ City Council regular meeting, 7-10 p.m. April 5 ❑ Parks Commission — 6-8 p.m. April 13 ❑ City Council meeting, 7-10 p.m. April 19 ❑ Planning Commission meeting — 6-8 p.m. April 20 The Newcastle Trails board meeting is from 7-9 p.m. April 4 at Regency Newcastle, 7454 Newcastle Golf Club Road.
Youth The following events take place at the Coal Creek Family YMCA, 13750 Newcastle Golf Club Road. Call 282-1500 or go to www.seattleymca.org/coalcreek. ❑ Beginning ballet, for ages 45, 5:30-6:15 p.m., and for ages 69, 6:20-7:05 p.m. April 8 – June 24, $95 for members/$170 for nonmembers ❑ Fun With Food: Fruit Pizza, for ages 3-10, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. April 17, $10 ❑ Family dinners, 5:30-7:30 p.m. April 8, $5 for adults, $3 for children ❑ Family night: With singer/songwriter Nancy Stewart, 6:30-8 p.m. April 8 ❑ Kids Create: Mother’s Day Surprise, 3:30-4:15 p.m. April 27, $10 ❑ Gymnastics/Tumbling, for ages 3-4, 2:45-3:30 p.m.; for ages 5-6, 11:40 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. and 3-3:45 p.m. April 2 to June 25, $70-$125
❑ Sports Stretching and Injury Prevention, 10:30-11:30 a.m. April 17 ❑ Itty Bitty T-Ball Class, for ages 3-4 10:30-11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays April 5-28; and for ages 5-6 5:30-6 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays, April 4-27, $30-$53 ❑ Musical Theater, for ages 610, 3:45-4:30 p.m. April 4, $50-$88 ❑ Teen Football Saturdays, Saturdays, 1-2:30 p.m. April 30 to May 7, $5-$10 ❑ Teen Transit System, Wednesdays, 3-6:30 p.m. April 13 to May 5, $25-$35 ❑ Youth Indoor Soccer Class, for ages 10-14, 5:15-6 p.m. April 8; and for ages 6-9, 4:15-5 p.m. April 8, $23-$40
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 255-0895. Newcastle Historical Society meets at 4 p.m. the first Thursday at City Hall, 13020 S.E. 72nd Place. Call 226-4238. An international dinner, sponsored by Baha’i Faith of Newcastle, is at 6:30 p.m. the third Friday. Call 430-8047. Drinking Liberally, an informal progressive social group that discusses politics, meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Thursday at Angelo’s Restaurant, 1830 130th Ave. N.E., Bellevue. Go to www.drinkingliberally.org. Eastside Mothers & More, a social network for mothers,
Newcastle will celebrate Earth Day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 23 in Lake Boren Park. The event is free and will celebrate sustainability with a variety of festivities, including educational mini-seminars, gardening clinics with master gardeners from Washington State University’s extension program, a recycle relay by Waste Management and an on-site restoration project by the Newcastle Weed Warriors.
Local author Carmela Ramaglia will emcee the event, and the Boeing Employees’ Concert Band and Hazen High School jazz band will perform. Organizers are still seeking volunteers to assist with the festivities and vendors to promote their sustainable products and services. Volunteer or become a vendor by emailing organizer Grace Stiller at gracestiller@comcast.net. Learn more about the event at www.newcastleweedwarriors.org.
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meets from 7-9 p.m. the second Tuesday in the North Room at East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 S.E. 32nd St., Bellevue. Go to www.eastsidemothersandmore.org. Hill’N Dale Garden Club, meets at 6 p.m. the first Monday September through June at the Newport Way Library, 14250 S.E. Newport Way. Call 255-9705.
Seniors Lake Heights Family YMCA Seniors Program has drop-in time Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the YMCA, 12635 S.E. 56th St. in Newport Hills. Have lunch, socialize and have fun. Call 644-8417. Coal Creek Family YMCA Active Older Adult Program, ages 55 and older, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 13750 Newcastle Golf Club Road, 282-1500 ❑ Open for community service projects, Intergenerational projects, crafts, pinochle games, field trips and fellowship; sack lunches are available for a $3 donation. ❑ Refresher bridge class, 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays
Library events
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The Newport Way Library, 14250 S.E. Newport Way, Bellevue, is closed for expansion. A temporary location in Factoria Mall, 4055 Factoria Mall S.E., Bellevue, is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, for hold pickups, returns and a small browsing collection for checkout. Go to the library blog — http://blogs.kcls.org/newportway — for updated information regarding programs, classes and events.
Volunteers The Coal Creek Family YMCA Seniors Program needs volunteers for intergenerational opportunities, including rocking and comforting infants, teaching children to play bridge and reading to kindergartners. Call 282-1506. Newcastle Weed Warriors: Volunteers assist city workers in removing noxious and invasive weeds from Newcastle parks, trails and open spaces. Youth groups, community groups and individuals are invited to participate in monthly environmental stewardship projects. Learn more at www.NewcastleWeedWarriors.org.
Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
PAGE 13
Laughing all the way
Hyla regilla vs. anas platyrhynchos By Pat Detmer When we moved to Newcastle more than 20 years ago, one of the compelling reasons was the treed catch basin behind our house, our very own seasonal pond. I remember parking near the house one dark and quiet night as we considered our potential purchase. We were talking about whether or not to make the leap when I held up a quieting hand. “What’s that?” I asked. “That” was the chirping of the hyla regilla, also known as the Pacific tree frog. I found it enchanting, and had I had the mortgage paperwork in front of me at that moment, I would have signed on the dotted line without another thought. For years we delighted in their spring-announcing choruses. Some years they were so loud that it was actually a bit frightening. We would find them clinging to our windows and doors, and sometimes had to chase them out of the house. But when some trees went down in a windstorm, it
opened the pond to the sky, and the anas platyrhynchos started spiraling into our personal Discovery channel. Pat Detmer At first we found the new visitors — ducks, in case you’re not up on your Latin — a fun addition. The baby ducklings were darling. Unfortunately, they were loud to the point of rudeness, especially at night, but we’re bird lovers as well as frog lovers and believed that all was well and that nature knew best. As more and more ducks made the pond their home, I began to wonder what they were eating. My heart cringed when research revealed that they were likely feeding on our beloved frogs and their tadpole offspring. This year, save for incessant quacking as the ducks jockey for nesting space, our pond is silent.
By now we should have enjoyed a froggie chorus or two, but have heard no more than a single, feeble “creeeek” one evening. Cartoonist Dana and his wife also live by a greenbelt pond, and he expressed his concerns with their own silent spring. I asked if they had ducks, and he confirmed a mallard infestation. Newcastle Niece, on the other hand, who lives above swampy land too treed for duck landings, called us one evening and held her phone outside her door. It was deafening.
This begs some questions that might best be answered by city of Newcastle officials or the Olympus Homeowners’ Association, to wit: ❑ What’s the penalty for discharging a rifle within the city limits? ❑ When exactly is duck hunting season? ❑ If I want to build a duck
blind on my property, will it have to pass city inspection and/or be subject to approval by the homeowners’ association? ❑ Does anybody have a good recipe for duck l’orange? You can reach Pat Detmer — who is out buying decoys, camo clothing and a retriever — at patdetmer@aol.com.
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SCHOOLS
PAGE 14
APRIL 1, 2011
Rotary clubs honor students of the month The Rotary Club of Issaquah recently honored several seniors as its students of the month for February. Here are the local students that were honored:
McLane Harrington
By Tim Pfarr
Darrell Scott asks students to raise a hand if they lost a loved one recently.
Chain reaction of compassion First Columbine shooting victim’s message of kindness lives on By Tim Pfarr One day in a busy high school lunchroom, a new student sat down at an almost full table. Those at the table rudely cleared out as the new girl Rachel Scott sat, prompting Rachel Scott — who sat at a different table — to approach and join the new student for lunch. That was one of the many ways Rachel reached out to others with compassion and kindness. She challenged others to do the same and surprise themselves with the results, which could include a chain reaction of compassion, she said. When she was 17, Rachel was killed in the April 1999 Columbine High School shootings near Littleton, Colo. She was the first to be shot that day, and although her death was untimely, her message of kindness lives on. This message graced the stu-
❑ School: Liberty High School ❑ Category of recognition: music ❑ Parents: Janett and Michael Harrington ❑ McLane Sponsoring H arrington teacher: Phillip Danley ❑ Achievements: 2050 SAT; 3.855 grade point average; enrolled in two Advanced Placement classes; scored a 5 on Advanced Placement English exam ❑ Activities: Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra; WMEA All State 2009-11; president of Invisible Children Club; drum major 10th through 12th grades; wind ensemble (four years); jazz band; band president ❑ Scholastic interests: art, music and English ❑ Hobbies: reading, drawing/painting, playing music; being with friends ❑ Outside school affiliations: Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra ❑ Future goals: liberal arts degree, minor in music; undecided about career
Kylie Ishimitsu By Tim Pfarr
Darrell Scott speaks at a Liberty High School assembly March 8. His daughter, Rachel, was the first one shot in the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. dents at Liberty High School March 8, when Rachel’s father, Darrell Scott, visited the school for an assembly. For an hour, Scott — who founded the nonprofit organization Rachel’s Challenge — told students, teachers and visitors about who his daughter was, what she believed in and how she impacted the lives of those around her. Scott also read excerpts from Rachel’s journals, showed photos of his family and screened videos containing interviews and footage from the day of the shootings. Rachel had been shot while eating lunch in the grass outside the school. She had a journal in her backpack at the time, and a bullet hole pierced her
words. That and other stories brought tears to attendees’ eyes. “It was above my expectations,” said Chris Turner, a senior. “I didn’t think it was going to be as emotional as it was.” However, the assembly focused more on Rachel’s life than her death, and Scott asked Liberty students to partake in her challenge of compassion. As part of the challenge, he asked them to look for the best in others, dream big, write goals, keep a journal, choose positive influences and use kind words. “Your words can heal and your words can hurt,” Scott See COLUMBINE, Page 15
❑ School: Liberty High School ❑ Category of recognition: drama ❑ Parents: Angie and John Ishimitsu ❑ Kylie Ishimitsu Sponsoring teacher: Katherine Kukas ❑ Achievements: Running Start ❑ Activities: president of Harry Potter Club; president of Drama Club ❑ Scholastic interests: English ❑ Hobbies: soccer, singing, lighting design, acting ❑ Outside school affiliations: Starfire Soccer Club; BC GSA; Village Theatre ❑ Future goals: four-year university, majoring in environmental science or theater; unde-
cided about career choice The Renton Rotary Club selected Kaela Nurmi as its Youth of the Month for February and Kelsey Mejlaender for March.
Kaela Nurmi ❑ School: Hazen High School ❑ Achievements: 3.9 grade point average, while being involved in the Highlander Club and the National Honor Society; participates on the Highlander News, Ignite, drama, Kaela Nurmi Associated Student Body, orchestra, Washington Association of Student Council and leadership class; as swim team captain, has earned varsity letters and a coach’s award and is a scholar athlete ❑ Activities: works part time as a lifeguard and swim instructor at Lakeridge Swim Club; volunteers with Seafair and was a teen ambassador for the 2009-2010 Seafair Celebration ❑ Future goals: plans to attend an out-of-state college to study engineering and compete on the school’s swim team; would also like to spend a year studying abroad; hopes to become an engineer
Kelsey Mejlaender ❑ School: Hazen High School ❑ Achievements: 3.9 grade point average, National Honor Society, two scholar athlete awards, Masonic Outstanding Junior Award, ❑ Activities: Family, Career and Community Leaders of Kelsey America; Key Mejlaender Club president; Earth Corps secretary; volunteers with Girls on the Run, Weed Warriors, Newcastle Trails, Salvation Army and Renton Clothes Bank ❑ Future goals: Attend a small liberal arts college in Washington to study English and history. Although she is uncertain about a career, she is interested in becoming an interpreter, historian or teacher.
Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
PAGE 15
Hazelwood teams with Youth Theatre Northwest for ‘Pinocchio’ By Tim Pfarr Hazelwood Elementary School teamed up with Mercer Islandbased stage company Youth Theatre Northwest early this year for a production of “Pinocchio.” The students performed the play March 10 during an assembly for students and March 11 in the evening for parents. The production featured a cast and crew of 40 Hazelwood students, and for the first time since the school moved into its new building in 2005, the play was performed at the school instead of at Renton’s IKEA Performing Arts Center. “We just really wanted to try doing it at school and see how it went,” said Hazelwood Elementary PTSA Vice President Gretchen Paletta, who chaired and coordinated the play. “It worked great, especially to have the assembly for the kids. It’s fun for the kids in the cast to get to perform in front of their friends.” This was also the first time the school worked with an external theater company to produce a play. Theater-savvy parent Mark Smith directed plays from 20072009, but when his children moved to middle school, the school found itself in a pickle.
By Tim Pfarr
Mercer-Island-based theater company Youth Theatre Northwest brought costumes to Hazelwood Elementary School for its production of ‘Pinocchio.’ Paletta’s daughter, Maya Paletta, had acted in two Youth Theatre Northwest productions, so Paletta teamed up with the theater company’s Show to Go program, in which the company brings a director, sets, costumes and scripts to the school. Fifth-grader Emma Mason and fourth-grader Madison Huizinga split the lead role of Pinocchio. Although Mason
acted in all three 2007-2009 Hazelwood productions and Huizinga acted in two of the three, each said the most difficult part of the production is memorizing her lines. While playing the leading roles, both girls said the social byproducts of being in the play were particularly rewarding. “It’s really fun because you get to know everybody,” Mason said.
Maya Paletta, who played the fox, said she enjoyed what Youth Theatre Northwest brings with it to the school. “I get an awesome costume,” she said. Professional actress Sarah Roquemore directed the play, marking her first directing job with Youth Theatre Northwest. With such a large cast, leading the way seemed to be a daunting task.
Liberty gets a new assistant principal Columbine Sean Martin, the Skyline High School dean of students and International Baccalaureate coordinator, has a new job at Liberty Sean Martin High School. This summer, he will start his new position as Liberty High School assistant principal. Martin replaces Bernie Gibson, who is retiring. Donna Hood will continue as Liberty’s other assistant principal.
Martin has taught not only in Issaquah but also in Turkey. He earned his master’s degree in teaching from the University of Washington in 2001, and began teaching English and history at Skyline that fall. In 2003, he moved to Turkey, first teaching at Tarsus American College and later at an international school, Bilkent University Preparatory School. In Turkey, he led his students in a Model United Nations program, traveling to Istanbul, the Hague and the Netherlands. “Teaching internationally was a wonderful experience, allowing me to travel and learn a great deal about the people,
cultures and history of several areas of the world,” he said. He returned to Skyline in 2008. In 2010, he earned his principal certification from the UW Danforth Educational Leadership Program. He said he would miss teaching at Skyline, but looked forward to his new job as a Patriot. “Looking to next year at Liberty High School, I am very excited to become a part of the school community,” he said. “The most enjoyable elements of teaching for me have always been the connections that I build with students, staff and parents, and I look forward to continuing this as an assistant principal.”
Hazen High School musicians advance to state contest
Hazen’s winners were Divina Voce (women’s vocal ensemble — seventh consecutive win), Zach Shugart (clarinet — fourth consecutive win), Kent Coburn (string bass — second consecutive win), Sean Shimada (tenor voice — second consecutive win), Daniel Snitkovsky (piano), and Ena Kim and Stephanie Lee (small string ensemble). The school’s men’s choir also won in the men’s vocal ensemble category, marking its fifth consecutive win. “This is a major achieve-
ment, and we should all be very proud of the high level of skill and artistry that these students demonstrated,” Hazen Director of Choirs Josh Viles said in a news release. “Remember, unlike sports, musicians don’t get an entire season to earn a state seed. They have one 10-minute time slot to prove that they have what it takes to go on. “To have this many students rise above the rest of the league is very exciting and truly highlights the quality of Hazen’s music program.”
Thanks to strong performances in the state qualifying solo and ensemble contest, several Hazen High School musicians were selected to compete in state contests at Central Washington University in Enumclaw in April. Out of the 10 schools represented at the qualifying contest, Hazen had the most musicians advance to the April competitions.
From Page 14 said. “Let them be words of healing, not hurt.” For the final part of the challenge, he asked students to tell seven to 10 of their closest loved ones how much they mean to them. He said to do that sometime in the following three days. He asked students to raise their hands if they wanted to participate, and hundreds of arms shot into the air throughout the gym. Students treated Scott to a standing ovation after the assembly, and many took the opportunity to shake hands with or hug the man who lost his daughter almost 12 years ago. “They’re a great group of students,” Scott said. “I know I connected with them.” Liberty was the only school Scott will visit on the west side of the Rocky Mountains this year. Camera crews from KING-5 news — with whom the organization had partnered — were on hand to tape the presentation, interview students after the assembly and gather footage for an upcoming television special about the nonprofit. Liberty Associated Student Body Activity Coordinator and Dean of Students Michelle Munson worked with representatives from Rachel’s Challenge for
“It was definitely something I was very afraid of in the beginning,” she said. However, Roquemore said parent volunteers made directing the play a joy, and the children did a fantastic job of memorizing their lines during midwinter break. “I’m so proud of these kids,” she said. “They’ve worked so hard.” Gretchen Paletta said that producing the play at the school was a learning experience. Rehearsals required use of two music classrooms, and students making their ways into school interrupted the end of morning rehearsals. Parking was also limited. Still, parents volunteered in great numbers to help in any way they could. Parent Philippa Lesenberg even volunteered to serve as the play’s choreographer. Having props at the school also allowed rehearsals to function more like actual performances. “It went really well,” Paletta said, adding she wanted to thank everybody who helped. Next year, it will be up to the organizers to decide whether they want to produce a play at the school or move back to the IKEA Performing Arts Center. several months to bring one of its many speakers to the school. “I just wanted to strengthen the Liberty community,” she said. She hoped to have a speaker attend the school’s Martin Luther King Jr. assembly in January, but it fell through, she said. Weeks later, she received a call from Rachel’s Challenge representatives who told her Scott wanted to personally speak at the school and bring camera crews with him. “It was a chain reaction on some level,” Munson said. “I thought, ‘That just amped it up a notch.’ I knew it would be powerful.” She said she was moved by the presentation, and that a presentation from such an influential speaker is sure to help students understand that they can make a difference. Liberty ASB President Lauren Bay and Vice President Jordan Thompson said Scott’s presentation was incredibly moving. Thompson said he hopes to work with Rachel’s Challenge at some point in the future, and Bay said she expects the message of compassion to have lasting effects on the student body. “I think it’s going to keep going at Liberty,” she said. The school held meetings March 29 during lunch, where students brought their lunches with them into the auditorium to discuss their feelings about and reactions to the March 8 assembly.
SPORTS
PAGE 16
APRIL 1, 2011
Liberty, Hazen reload with youthful baseball squads By Tim Pfarr and Bob Taylor Liberty and Hazen high school’s baseball teams are back and ready for springtime action. Both teams will rely on younger talent this year, and they will face off against each other at 3:30 p.m. April 1 at Liberty High School. Liberty After 13 seniors — including
By Greg Farrar
Jimmy Schmidt, Hazen junior pitcher, delivers a throw last year during a baseball game against Issaquah.
some three-year varsity starters — graduated last year, Liberty will rely heavily on its younger players in 2011. Among the big graduation losses was pitcher John McLeod, who now plays for Wake Forest. There are just five returning varsity players, headed by Ryan Maio, who earned all-league honorable mention last season as a junior. Maio will pitch, play third base and be in the outfield. The other returning players are Jacob Hofferber, a pitcher and first baseman; Scott Zerda, a center fielder; Jason Hubbard, an infielder; and Ben Wessel, a pitcher and first baseman. Among the players moving up from last year’s junior varsity are Chris Weik, an infielder; Izak Styskl, an outfielder and pitcher; Harrison Diemert, a catcher; Blake Reeve, an infielder and pitcher; and Monte Korsmoe, a pitcher. The returning players and those advancing from junior varsity to varsity will look to build upon the Patriots’ 2010 season, in which the team finished in a three-way tie for first place in the 3A KingCo Conference standings. “This year, there will be a lot more coaching going on because we’re younger,” Liberty coach Steve Darnell said. “But this is going to be a fun group to watch.” With the addition of Lake Washington, the league figures to be tough from top to bottom. “Our league is the class act in
3A,” Darnell said. “We have teams with great tradition, and we have our tradition, too.” Among the highlights on Liberty’s schedule this season are games with district rivals Issaquah (March 18) and Skyline (April 16). Since moving up to 4A, Issaquah and Skyline have not been able to schedule Liberty in recent years. “A lot of our players have grown up with the players from those two schools,” Darnell said. “I’m really excited about playing those two games.” Liberty went 2-2 in March, defeating Auburn Mountainview High School, 2-1, in the first game of a double-header March 16 and Issaquah High School, 84, March 18. The Patriots lost to Auburn High School, 23-17, in the second game of the March 16 double header and Kentlake High School, 11-2, March 25. Hazen Hazen will also rely on younger players this year, since seven seniors — including five starters — graduated last year. Among the graduation losses were second baseman John Wall and shortstop Brenden Campbell. “We lost some good talent,” Hazen coach Gary Jacobs said. Last year, the team finished third in the Seamount League with a 15-7 overall record and a 12-4 conference record. The 15win season set a new school record. This year, the team will ride
By Greg Farrar
Jacob Hofferber, Liberty senior pitcher, throws out of jam during an increasingly rainy game March 18 against Issaquah. on the shoulders of returning all-league players Travis Johnson, a shortstop; Jeff Beckman, a catcher; and Jimmy Schmidt, an outfielder and pitcher. The other returning varsity players include Keith Carlson, a catcher and outfielder; David Green, a first baseman and pitcher; Julian Li, a utility player; and Patrick Ward, a second baseman, outfielder and pitcher. However, the team will have the help of two dangerous newcomers: sophomore outfielder
Cody Moorhead and freshman pitcher Jake Kolterman. “Those two, they’re impact players,” Jacobs said. Moorhead, at 6-feet 4-inches and 225 pounds, is known for his work as a dominating lineman on the football team. Kolterman, a star in select baseball through middle school, stands at 6 feet and 175 pounds. He can rocket pitches well into the 80-mile-per-hour range. “He’s actually pretty polished See BASEBALL, Page 16
Hazen football star is enjoying success on and off the field By Michael McDonald Hazen High School’s Jordan Bumgarner has worked hard and enjoyed success — at football and numerous other sports. Bumgarner’s accolades on the football field have led to his being selected to play in the 2011 Class 4A/3A East-West All-Star Football Game, which will be played July 1 at Eastern Washington University. The top senior players from 3A and 4A schools across the state will face off against each other in this exhibition. In addition to four years of football at Hazen, Bumgarner did three years of track and field, including the shot put, discus and javelin. In past years, he also played soccer and basketball. Bumgarner’s recent success builds on a long line of successes. As a guard and inside linebacker for the Highlanders, he was named to the first team on both offense and defense of the AllSeamount league team and was
tabbed the offensive lineman of the year in the conference. In Bumgarner’s junior and senior seasons on the football team, Hazen made the 3A state playoffs. The Highlanders lost to Mount Si in the play-in round of the 2009 playoffs. This season,
Hazen had to face off against Franklin High School and ended up losing a close game. Drew Oliver has been Hazen’s head football coach for the past two seasons. He said he believes that Bumgarner was a key to the team’s successful seasons.
By Greg Farrar
Jordan Bumgarner busts through a defensive line of teammates during a practice scrimmage in 2009.
“He has been a captain both his junior and senior years, and a great leader by his talent and by his actions,” Oliver said. “Kids follow him because he’s respected amongst his peers and we can always be assured he’s leading in the right way.” Football success hasn’t interfered with Bumgarner’s studies, as he has maintained a 3.2 grade point average and is involved in a number of school activities. One of these, Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a student marketing and business association. As a junior, Bumgarner was part of Hazen’s DECA team that participated in a national competition in Louisville, Ky. Madison Bumgarner, Jordan’s mother, said her son already has a plan for college. “Since Jordan was 8 years old he has wanted to fly airplanes,” his mother said. “He wants to join the AFROTC (Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps)
in college and try to get into the pilot program when he’s a junior.” Still, it seems as if athletics just means a little something extra to Bumgarner. “Sports have been such a good experience for me,” he said. “Not only have they helped me stay in shape, but they have shaped me into the person I am today. You can gain so much from the coaches and the leaders on your teams.” Whether in the classroom, on the football field or at a national DECA competition, Bumgarner has made good impressions on whoever happens to be watching. “Jordan is a great young man who we’re all proud of as one of the faces of Highlander football,” Oliver said. “He works hard and does things the right way.” Bumgarner said he hopes to walk on to the football team at Washington State University and is considering the track team for discus and shot put, as well.
Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
Baseball From Page 16
By Greg Farrar
Miranda Jones, of Liberty, dismounts from the balance beam to earn 7.9 points during a gymnastics meet Dec. 16 against Sammamish.
Liberty gymnasts go to state Liberty High School gymnasts Hannah Bergham, Tia Riley, Shauna Sarrett and Miranda Jones took to the 3A state gymnastics championships Feb. 18. The top finishers in the preliminary round Feb. 18 advanced to the final round Feb. 19. Although none of the Liberty gymnasts advanced to the finals, coach Lori Copenhaver said her gymnasts performed well, especially given the pressure of being in the state championships. “Obviously, they were a little nervous,” she said. “They just worked really hard and went in with a good attitude.” In the preliminary round on the floor, Bergam tied for 27th
with a score of 9.1, followed by Riley and Jones, who tied for 54th and 70th with scores of 8.7 and 8.45, respectively. In the event, Bergam was only .575 points out of first place. On the vault, Riley tied for 40th with a score of 8.325, and Bergam tied for 74th with a score of 8.025 On the beam, Bergam tied for 53rd with a score of 7.85, Riley tied for 58th with a score 7.75, Sarrett placed 68th with a score of 7.475 and Jones tied for 82nd with a score of 7.05. On the bars, Riley finished 63rd with a score of 6.45 and Sarrett finished 73rd with a score of 6.15.
for being a freshman,” Jacobs said. “He’s got power if he wants to crank it up.” The dynamics in the Seamount League have changed, since Mount Rainier High School — a baseball powerhouse — has grown from 3A to 4A and moved into the 4A South Puget Sound League. Hazen will be battling with Seamount frontrunners Highline, Kennedy Catholic and Lindbergh high schools for the league title. Among the highlights on Hazen’s schedule this season are games against Liberty on the road (April 1), Kennedy Catholic at home (April 6) and Highline on the road (April 13). As of Newcastle News’ March 28 deadline, Hazen was 5-1 for the year. After opening with a 6-4 loss to Sammamish High School, the team beat Kennedy
PAGE 17 Catholic High School, 12-2, March 14; Lindbergh High School, 4-2, March 18; Evergreen High School, 9-3, March 21; Highline High School, 9-5, March 23; and
Tyee High School, 8-2, March 25. The team was scheduled to play Foster High School and Tyee High School on the road March 28 and 30, respectively.
Newcastle News
PAGE 18
Celebrities to come to Newcastle in June for golf tournament A crew of celebrities will take to The Golf Club at Newcastle June 27 for the fifth-annual Jim Mora Celebrity Golf Classic, event organizers announced in March. The Jim Mora “Count On Me” Family Foundation is organizing the event, which raises money for Special Olympics Washington, the Boys & Girls Club of Bellevue and other local children’s charities. The 2010 tournament raised more than $211,000, and the money benefited 17 charities. Celebrities who attended last year’s event included Super Bowl champion football Hall of Fame inductee Marshall Faulk; five-
time NBA MVP Bill Russell; NBA Hall of Fame player and coach Lenny Wilkens; former Seattle Mariner Jay Buhner; former NBA players Detlef Schrempf and Slick Watts; and Hall of Fame NFL player, five-time Pro-Bowler and three-time Super Bowl champion Michael Irvin. The tournament is free and open for the public to attend. Organizers will announce this year’s list of attendees in early May.
Council adds items to commission work plans The City Council voted to add several items to the Parks Commission and Planning Commission 2011 work plans at its March 1 meeting. This year, the Planning Commission will also review
APRIL 1, 2011
hearing examiner procedures and duties. This year, the Parks Commission will also discuss a potential gifting policy, through which residents could fund and dedicate items such as benches. Furthermore, the commission will explore alternatives for funding pocket parks, and it will review recreational activities available at Lake Boren.
Register for Skyhawks summer camps Registration is open for Skyhawks summer camps for children 5-12 years old. Camps include golf, basketball, tennis, cheerleading and Mini-Hawk, which includes basketball, baseball and soccer. Camps are five days each and range in price from $69 to $145. They will be held at Lake Boren Park, Renton Academy or Hazelwood Elementary School. For the full list of camps, go to https://register.skyhawks.com, and enter your ZIP code. Call
Newcastle Parks and Recreation at City Hall at 649-4444 or Skyhawks at 800-804-3509 toll free with questions.
Hazelwood PTSA to hold auction The Hazelwood Elementary School PTSA will hold its spring auction at 7 p.m. April 9 at The Westin Bellevue, 601 Bellevue Way N.E. in Bellevue. The event will feature a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. Attendees will be treated to a champagne reception, hors d’oeuvres and a three-course meal. Raffle tickets are $5 each, and the PTSA is accepting donations to be auctioned. Tickets are $75, and proceeds will provide Hazelwood with science enrichment, field trips, art resources and classes, school plays, athletic equipment, library books, an IXL.com math practice subscription for the entire school, classroom teacher supply grants, school assemblies and more.
Join us for the Newcastle Elementary School PTSA Auction Saturday, April 30, 2011 Meydenbauer Center 5:30 pm Tickets $65.00 per person
http://www.newcastleptsa.org/IMAGINE_SITE/index.html
Thanks to Jensen Roofing - 206-241-5774 for donating this advertising space.
Go to www.hazelwoodptsa.org for more information about the auction or to purchase tickets.
City to start enforcing dog leash laws If you let your dog off its leash in city parks, it’s time to pay attention to the city’s regulations. Newcastle Police have started patrolling city parks to enforce the leash laws. Dogs are required to be on leashes shorter than eight feet at all times in city parks. Dog owners must also pick up their dogs’ feces, as stated in city code. Officers will first give warnings to violators, Police Chief Melinda Irvine said. However, officers will ticket repeating violators. The first ticket will cost $25, and any subsequent tickets will be $50 each. “We really want to work now with education and notifying people that this is a law,” Irvine said.
Newcastle Trails releases new map Newcastle Trails released its latest map of the city’s trails on its website, www.newcastletrails.org, in late February. Volunteer Harry Morgan created the map by walking city trails with a GPS unit in fall 2009 and mapping his data using computer software. Newcastle Trails released Morgan’s first map on its website in June 2010, and the new map corrects the Clubhouse Trail route, removes a nonexistent road along May Creek and clarified the Coal Creek Trail by showing secondary trails as thinner lines.
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Newcastle News
APRIL 1, 2011
PAGE 19
School construction projects in full swing
HomeStreet Bank to host wills and trusts seminar
Blakley at Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors at 455-4020.
sewer system instead of a larger septic tank. “We’re going to connect it to the sewer, which is a better long-term solution and a better environmental solution,” district Director of Capital Projects Steve Crawford said. Then, “it goes into the municipal sewer system and gets treated.” The sewer system at nearby Briarwood Elementary School will connect to Liberty. Previously, Liberty had a holding tank that needed to be
The Newcastle branch of HomeStreet Bank will partner with Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors for a free seminar on wills and trusts from 6-8 p.m. April 26. HomeStreet Bank, 6949 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., will host the seminar and provide light refreshments for attendees. Angela Carr-Baker, from the Amicus Law Group, will lead the seminar. For more information or to register for the seminar, call Linda Stemler at HomeStreet Bank at 401-8778 or Karin
Newcastle Trails re-elects officers, board members
By Laura Geggel The voter-approved $241.8 million construction bond from 2006 is in full swing, sending two-story buildings high into the sky and installing sewer systems deep into the ground. Several schools across the Issaquah School District — including Liberty High School and Maywood Middle School — are receiving money for construction updates or remodels. Four projects are slated to begin construction June 20, after school gets out. Liberty will undergo a partial modernization and expansion, with most areas complete by August 2012, and final completion by spring 2013. Maywood will be modernized and expanded with new classrooms and science labs with completion in August 2012. Liberty and Maywood will get new sewer systems as well. Maywood will get an upgrade from its septic system. With septic systems, the effluent — the liquid wastewater — flows out of the septic tank and is absorbed into the ground, while the solids are digested within the septic tank. Maywood’s septic tank is at capacity, and since the school is expanding, district administrators decided to give it a new
pumped out daily, or as needed. “The district has to have one of our maintenance people pump it out, drive the truck down to the disposal system and empty the truck out,” Crawford said. After the sewage system update, Liberty will also be on the municipal system. The $1.2 million sewer system project, paid for by the 2006 bond, is slated to begin in May and end in early 2012.
home services
Need help with your home & yard projects? Call your local home service experts.
Certified Residential Specialists Choose a CRS Certified Residential Specialist when you buy or sell a home. Some CRS Realtors in King County are shown here. Call 1-800-540-3257 for Certified Residential Specialists serving other areas or counties in the state. For more information on the CRS designation or for the names of CRS out of state, call 1-888-462-8841. The Council of Residential Specialists of Realtors National Marketing Institute is an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors.
Gretchen Allen
Barbara Andersen
Laurie Ashbaugh
Better Homes & Garden Real Estate/Executive Greater Eastside & Sammamish
John L Scott Greater Eastside
Coldwell Banker Bain Greater Eastside
(425) 392-1211
(425) 450-5287
(206) 427-5553
Newcastle Trails members reelected officers and board members at the organization’s annual meeting Feb. 21. Garry Kampen was re-elected as president, Jim Price was re-elected as vice president, Mark Ryker was re-elected as secretary and Peggy Price was re-elected as treasurer. Also, board members Grace Stiller, Giles Velte and Joel Harrison were re-elected. New board member Bruce Christopherson was elected.
Cindy Hamman RE/MAX Integrity Greater Eastside & Seattle
(425) 442-4942
Debbie Kinson
Kathy Lee
Steve Honnen
Bev Parsons
Windermere Greater Eastside
Coldwell Banker Bain Greater Eastside
Coldwell Banker Bain Greater Eastside & Sammamish
Coldwell Banker Bain Greater Eastside & Seattle
(206) 948-6581
(206) 465-7062
(206) 819-6166
(206) 972-0649
Also try us at the CRS web site
www.crs.com CRS Agents: Increase your visibility by participating in the special CRS page. Contact Jill at (425) 392-6434 ext. 229 or jgreen@isspress.com
“Fewer than 4% of the Realtors in the nation have their CRS designation but they account for 24% of all the transactions. Do the math. Maybe it’s time to call CRS!” –Jerry Rippeteau, Associate Broker, CRS CRS Washington State Chapter
Washington State Construction Contractor law requires that all advertisers for construction related services include the contractor registration number.
Newcastle News
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APRIL 1, 2011
County executive aims to boost electronics recycling
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MARCH STATS Year Homes Average Sold List Price
Average Sold Price
SP % LP
DOM
2010 2011
$689,039 93.2% $609,286 95.1%
168 122
14 7
$739,039 $640,521
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King County could break ground by requiring responsible electronics recycling for county departments. County Executive Dow Constantine proposed legislation late last month to ensure all county agencies recycle computer monitors, mobile phones, TVs and other discarded electronics through environmentally sound practices. The county could become the first in the state — and the second in the United States — to enact such a measure. “King County agencies recycled more than 90,000 pounds of electronic equipment in 2010 and they did it the right way — under contract with an excellent local e-Steward recycler Total Reclaim,” Constantine said in a release. “This ordinance will ensure that our agencies always use an approved recycler and pursue the most responsible recycling practices for their electronic waste.” The proposed legislation also aims to update surplus auction practices by requiring all electronic equipment to be functioning and in working order. The ordinance seeks to codify electronics recycling practices and qualify the county to earn the e-Steward Enterprise designation from the Basel Action Network’s standard for responsible electronics recycling and reuse.
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Your Denny’s wishes you a Happy Easter! Easter Bunny will be at Denny’s on Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am to 4:00pm. Come Join us for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday from 2:00pm - 4:00pm where everyone wins a prize. Kennydale/Renton 4750 Lake Washington Blvd. NE
Bellevue/Overlake 2223 148th Ave NE