School’s out for Hazelwood building Page 5
Newcastle man leads UW to national title Page 8
Energize Eastside concerns shared By Christina Corrales-Toy Energize Eastside was back on the Newcastle City Council agenda for the first time since Puget Sound Energy introduced the project April 1. But this time, it was a pair of resident groups who had the opportunity to voice their concerns about the plan to bring new, higher capacity electric transmission lines to the Eastside in response to the region’s growing power demands. The Olympus Homeowners Association and the Coalition of Eastside Neighborhoods for Sensible Energy countered PSE’s proposal and questioned the project’s true requirement at the July 1 and 15 City Council meetings. Olympus Keith Hargis, president of the Olympus See ENERGIZE, Page 6
County deputy found asleep in patrol car is fired By Steve Miletich Seattle Times reporter King County Sheriff John Urquhart has fired a deputy who was arrested in Newcastle on New Year’s Eve after being found asleep in his patrol car and showing signs of impairment. The deputy was ultimately found to have prescription drugs in his system, according to a previous statement from the Bellevue Police Department, which was asked to handle the criminal investigation, while the King County Sheriff’s Office handled the administrative investigation. Deputy Whitney Richtmyer, 47, was fired for violations involving criminal conduct and dishonest statements related to his actions on New Year’s Eve, and a subsequent investigation that found various paperwork in his car hadn’t been turned in over a four-year period, Urquhart said July 17. Richtmyer was fired July 15 after meeting that See FIRED, Page 7
By Greg Farrar
Immigrants from around the world, who passed citizenship tests and renounced allegiances to the countries of their birth, take the oath of allegiance from officials of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services July 23 during a naturalization ceremony at the Newcastle Library.
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL Eastside residents become U.S. citizens at Newcastle Library By Christina Corrales-Toy July 23 is an important day for Newcastle resident Hui Russell. On that day, four years ago, she relocated to the United States from China to marry and spend the rest of her life with then-fiancé Michael Russell. On July 23, 2014, her link to the United States became forever cement-
ed when she joined 10 others at the Newcastle Library for a special naturalization ceremony. The 11 Eastside residents walked into the facility as citizens of China, Indonesia, Jamaica, South Korea, Taiwan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and emerged as American citizens. “It means that I can vote,” Hui said. “It means that I can get a U.S. passport. It is a great honor to be an American citizen.” Representatives from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services administered the oath ceremony for new citizens in front of a crowd that included state Rep. Judy Clibborn, Newcastle Mayor Steve Buri and City Councilmembers Lisa Jensen,
Rich Crispo and Carol Simpson. During the administration of the Oath of Allegiance, new citizens “absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance” to their past country, and in turn promise to “support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States.” In one of the more poignant moments of the ceremony, the USCIS representative told the candidates to stand before they took the oath, thoughtfully reminding them that “the next time you sit, you’ll be an American.” Several thoughts were running through Hui’s mind at that point, she
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See CITIZENS, Page 12
July 4, 2014 VOL. 16, NO. 7
Newcastle Dentistry Modern Dentistry by Professionals Who Care
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