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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AUGUST 1, 2014
Council passes marijuana moratorium By Christina Corrales-Toy Newcastle residents won’t find a marijuana retail establishment in the city anytime soon. The Newcastle City Council approved a sixmonth moratorium on marijuana-related business activity within Newcastle, at its July 1 meeting. “A moratorium is simply a procedural mechanism this council can adopt to literally hold the status quo as is, meaning, it gives you six months to review something,” city attorney Dawn Reitan told council members. “Nothing comes in while that happens.” Councilman Gordon Bisset made the motion instituting the moratorium. It passed 4-3, with council members Lisa Jensen, Carol Simpson and Rich Crispo dissenting.
Mayor Steve Buri called the moratorium a “sensible mid-step,” and Deputy Mayor John Drescher supported it, too, even though he said he would eventually like to pursue a ban on marijuana businesses in Newcastle. “We are taking the opportunity to try to say not in the 4.4-square miles of Newcastle do we want to in any way encourage this use or business,” Drescher said. A moratorium didn’t quite seem necessary, Crispo said, given the low probability a business could legally operate in Newcastle. City staff considers the potential for any marijuana-related business activity in Newcastle very low due to state Liquor Control Board rules on where marijuana facilities can set up shop.
The board requires a 1,000-foot separation between marijuana facilities and places such as parks, libraries and schools. Only the Shell gas station, the Coal Creek Utility District building, and the Hansen Moving and Storage Building could facilitate that. Also, the state’s marijuana retail license lottery came and went without any impacts on Newcastle. “It’s not that I’m voting for marijuana in Newcastle, because I don’t want to see it necessarily, but I don’t believe in voting for things that don’t make a lot of sense to me, and this doesn’t make a lot of sense to me,” Crispo said. City staff will now craft a work plan on how the city will use the six months and bring it back to the council for review.
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Above, Hazelwood Elementary School teachers, staff and older students wave goodbye to students on the last day of school at its former building, June 22, 2005. Below, Then-Hazelwood Elementary School Principal Mary Ford stands in front of the old school building during its final days in 2005. Students returned that fall to a new Hazelwood built just next door. The building has been home to the Renton Academy, a kindergarten through 12th-grade, special-education school, since 2006. Demolition of the structure begins this summer to make way for a new middle school set to open in fall 2016.
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PAGE 3
Nominations coming in for 2014 Diamond Awards For the second year in a row, the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce’s Diamond Awards will be an elegant evening affair, hosted at The Golf Club at Newcastle. Nominations are already coming in for the Nov. 20 ceremony that honors Newcastle’s top community members. Get to know some of the nominees below, and be sure to cast your nominations at www.newcastle-chamber. org.
Mary VonRanker — Community Leadership Award
energy that is absolutely infectious. We are lucky to have Mary as part of our community.
By Peter Zevenbergen Mary VonRanker has been a longtime friend of the greater Newcastle area. Mary brings a cando attitude to every one of her endeavors. Whether it is her giving of time to the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, her involvement in Newcastle Earth Days or her commitment to sustainability and green business practices, Mary always exhibits a positive
Jinjuan Wang — Education Award
By Carolyn Pastoriza Jinjuan Wang is the owner of Kumon Newport Hills, a Japanese franchise that offers an after-school math and reading program. She helps children of all ages and levels become eager, independent self-learners. She is energetic, organized, patient, maintains a supportive atmosphere for the
students, and assists parents with their questions and keeps them updated on student progress. She has made a difference in my daughter’s life. My daughter now loves math, is able to work out math problems on her own and thinks for herself. Our community has benefitted from Jinjuan Wang. She is a special person who has helped the children of our community grow and develop life skills.
David Black — Education Award By Karin Frost Blakley
Newcastle plans National Night Out events Newcastle will join cities across the country to celebrate National Night Out Aug. 5. The event aims to heighten crime prevention awareness, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and send a message to criminals about neighborhoods organized against criminal activity. National Night Out is celebrated with neighborhood block parties, often visited by local law enforcement. The Donegal Park neighborhood event begins at 5:30 p.m. at Donegal Park, 7319 125th
Newcastle Elementary School principal to speak at chamber lunch Newcastle Elementary School parents and students can meet the
Ave. S.E. Neighbors are encouraged to bring folding chairs and food for grilling on the park’s barbeque, said event coordinator Lorinda Ecklund. Members of the Newcastle Police Department, as well as representatives from the Bellevue Fire Department, are expected to stop by Donegal Park, she added. Child safety and neighborhood-watch education will also be provided. Neighbors will break in the city’s newest park, when they gather at Little Rhody Park from 6:30-8 p.m. The National Night Out celebration at the
school’s new principal, Richard Mellish, at the Aug. 13 Newcastle Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Mellish comes to Newcastle from the Mercer Island School District, where he served as prin-
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park, at the northeast corner of Southeast 80th Street and 113th Avenue Southeast, will offer a refreshing summer treat in strawberry shortcake. Check with your local neighborhood leaders to see if your community is planning anything for National Night Out. Register your neighborhood for a visit from local police and city officials by emailing Newcastle Police Department officer Kathy Decker at Kathleen. Decker@kingcounty.gov. In the email, provide the location of the gathering, the estimated number of attendees and an event
cipal of West Mercer Elementary School. He replaces outgoing Principal Marla Newton, who left at the end of the school year to take a job as a principal at a Federal Way School District elementary school.
time frame. The Newcastle City Council has canceled its regular meeting, in order to participate in National Night Out festivities. The council will instead hold a budget retreat Aug. 6 from noon to 6 p.m. at The Golf Club at Newcastle, 15500 Six Penny Lane. Newcastle News wants to see your National Night Out photos. Email photos or video to newcastle@isspress. com, tweet them to @ NewcastleNewsWA or post them on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ NewcastleNewsWA.
The luncheon starts at 11 a.m. Aug. 13 at Tapatio Mexican Grill, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E. The cost is $20 for chamber members and $25 for nonmembers. RSVP for the luncheon at http://bit. ly/1lb7n0c.
David Black, a language arts teacher at McKnight Middle School, is truly one of those teachers who makes an impact on students for years to come. My son said of him, “Mom, he was one of the best teachers I have ever had. He relates to the students and makes learning fun. I wish I could have him again next year.” He teaches language arts, and has been practicing the art and science that is teaching for more than a decade. I know that he has been on board at least that long,
because he was also a favorite instructor of my oldest son Tyler. One of his gifts is to not only impart knowledge, but also the importance of critical thinking. I hope that the judges will recognize David’s skill, creativity and tenure in having a positive impact on the students of the Renton School District. P.S. In my opinion, his ability to organize and run the seventh-grade field trip to visit the Woodland Park Zoo should make him a shoo in — that was an experience!
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Opinion
PAGE 4
Editorial
Be responsible with your marijuana Marijuana. No matter how you feel about it, it’s now legal to purchase and smoke it in the state of Washington. (Leave it to officials to sort out the federal vs. state issue, though at this point, no one has announced plans to crack down on people who take a toke.) And although there is not a local place to make a purchase, and there won’t be one in Newcastle anytime soon as a result of the City Council’s recent moratorium, 24 retailers in the Puget Sound area were granted licenses in early July by the state Liquor Control Board. A majority of voters wanted marijuana, and now we all have it. In order to turn that initiative and vote into a real win, people must be responsible with their pot. Don’t share your weed with your teenaged son or daughter. Marijuana for anyone under 21 is still illegal. Don’t leave your stash out where your pets can get into it. Veterinarians are already treating pets that have eaten pot. (And don’t blow the smoke into their faces. It isn’t humane to get an animal high.) Just as driving drunk is illegal, driving stoned is illegal. Police have received training to be able to identify people under the influence of marijuana — you will be caught. So, be patient and don’t take a hit on the way home. And purchase your Doritos on the way home or call for takeout when you get the munchies. Don’t smoke in public. Part of the initiative states you can only partake in private — not at a park or restaurant. Don’t buy in bulk. Possession of up to one ounce is legal (or up to 16 ounces in a solid form or 72 ounces in a liquid form), anything more is too much. If you don’t smoke, no one is going to force you to, but you might see some benefits from the law. The state estimates marijuana could bring in up to $2 billion in tax revenue over the next five years. Whether you smoke or not, you should be pleased that social services may be saved, children may get better educations and roads may get fixed with more money available in the piggybank. Along with Colorado, we’re engaging in an experiment in how well this can work. Let’s set a positive national example.
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AUGUST 1, 2014
Notes from Newcastle
Neighborhood pride and activism I often like to end my interviews with a question about a subject’s hometown. How long have you lived in Newcastle? Why did you choose to move to Newcastle? What do you like about living in Newcastle? The answers aren’t necessarily important for the story, but I always enjoy hearing residents talk about the place they live. Some mention the city’s trails, others the small-neighborhood feel, but all extol the convenience of Newcastle’s location and display a certain pride in the city they call home. Take, for example, Mandy Schendel, the local girl who gained notoriety after a top 10 finish at the Miss America pageant in 2013. She’s so proud of her Newcastle roots, she goes out of her way to correct people that say she’s from Renton. That pride seems to trickle down to neighborhoods, too, with active homeowners associations coming together to put on block parties, create neighborhood block watches and more. With community pride comes a desire to preserve all that is good about a neighborhood. That’s what was on display July 8 when I was invited to a Windtree neighborhood meeting. “Neighbors need to look out for each other,
keep an eye for what’s not normal and not be complacent,” resident Daniel Baker said of the informational session about security camera installation, due to a recent rash of car break-ins. Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine attended and offered her thoughts about cameras, saying they are useful tools for law enforcement. Christina Cameras with motion alerts are Corrales-Toy even better, and many these days can be accessed remotely. But if you happen to see something happening on your cameras while you’re out of town, call the police, not a friend or neighbor to check things out, she said. Windtree resident Gil René, a commercial security expert, also presented, and tempered residents’ expectations of the true capabilities of a residential security camera system. A lot of things go on in a security camera, and it’s very hard to make it do what citizens often expect it to do, he said. For example, capturing video of a license plate is very difficult to do reliably, since plates are designed to reflect light. Camera placement is critical, René said. Residents must emphasize the lighting conditions, because the better the light, the better the pictures. Buyers must also remember to place motion cameras in a location where they won’t get triggered by the region’s all-too-common rain and wind. A good number of Windtree residents filled the community room at the Newcastle Library for the talk because they care about the safety of their homes, neighborhood and city.
Public meetings From sidewalk installation projects to snow removal to property tax collection, decisions made by officials at a local level have the potential to impact your daily life. Get involved. Provide feedback. Make a difference.
Let leaders know what’s on your mind to shape a better Newcastle at these August meetings: The City Council will have a regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at City Hall, 12835 Newcastle Way, Suite 200.
The Community Activities Commission is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 14 at City Hall. The Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at City Hall.
Poll question In honor of the Newcastle Library’s first naturalization ceremony, see if you could pass a citizenship test. Here is one of the questions. See more at www.uscis.gov. What are two Cabinet-level positions? A. Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of History B. Secretary of Homeland Security and Secretary of the Treasury C. Secretary of Weather and Secretary of Energy D. Secretary of Health and Human Services and Secretary of the Navy Vote at www.newcastle-news.com.
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PAGE 5
School’s out for Hazelwood building Photos by Greg Farrar
An empty hallway at Renton Academy, which was the former Hazelwood Elementary School when constructed in 1963, waits for demolition to begin as early as Aug. 4 for the new middle school to be built on the site by the Renton School District in time for the 2016-17 school year.
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AUGUST 1, 2014
Laughing all the way
Jack and the ice cream man. Uh, woman. Truck. Small open vehicle. I recently wrote an article about the overhyped tests that you can take to find out how old you really are. Who needs a test? While watching my 32-month-old grandnephew Jack a few weeks ago, I easily found out how old I really am, and discovered the same about him. I am 8. Jack is 52. Jack is a very smart, thoughtful and cautious child who went directly from observant silence to sentences like, “Mom, did you play with dollhouses when you were a little girl?” and who often begins conversations with, “Mom, I have an idea ...” I watch him every Tuesday for a few hours, and on that day several weeks ago, the stars aligned, the Summer Gods smiled and the ice cream truck came to our neighborhood while I had him. Jack was at the kitchen table eating blueberry yogurt when I heard the unmistakable sound of summer treats approaching. I popped up from my chair and cried, “The ice cream man! The ice cream truck!” Jack looked up from his yogurt. “Jack! The ice cream man is coming! The truck is on the way!
Can you hear it?” Jack heard something all right: me, yelling at full volume from three feet away. Grabbing some money and heading out the door, I asked The Sainted One to keep an eye on our charge. I ran down our steep driveway and looked up the street. The truck was stopped at a cul-de-sac north of us, and our Good Neighbor to the West and her Lovely Daughter were paying for their purchases. I ran back up the hill, grabbed Jack from the porch where he was now waiting, and tugged him towards the street, but before we could get there, the truck took a tight turn and puttered away from us. Hearing my wail of dismay, Lovely Daughter chased it up the street and around the corner but had no luck finding it. At the same time, The Sainted One was backing down the driveway to go to the store. Or so he thought. His new mission was to follow the sound of the truck and bring it back. Jack and I hurried up to the main street so that we wouldn’t be bypassed, with me jabbering the whole way about summer and ice cream men and trucks. Within minutes, the truck slowly approached us with my
CWU students make honor roll The following students from Newcastle were recently named to Central Washington University’s
husband in the car behind it, pushing it along like a sheepdog herding Merino sheep. Jack solemnly Pat Detmer held my hand as the parade approached. I could almost hear his thoughts: “I’m pretty sure that’s not a truck. I can’t define precisely what it is, but it is not a truck.” “That is not a man. I distinctly remember hearing ‘ice cream man,’ but that is a woman.” “That is not ice cream as I know it. Where is the ice cream? I see only frozen treats.” Because Jack remained mute, I followed the suggestion of the ice cream woman and bought him a cartoon character Popsicle featuring bulging blue jawbreaker eyes that scared the hell out of him. He wouldn’t touch it. The next Tuesday, I chopped it up, put it in a bowl and gave it to him with a spoon. He liked it just fine. You can reach Pat Detmer — who also used to get very excited when Santa came by in the fire truck — at patdetmer@aol.com.
honor roll for the 2014 spring semester: Cameron Richards, senior; Olivia Hirschey, senior; Stacy Carlson, junior; and Elizabeth Ryker, senior.
Energize From Page 1 Homeowners Association, detailed his community’s concerns, while more than 50 neighbors sat in the audience of the council chambers July 1. Hargis highlighted health, safety, easement, pipeline and aesthetic concerns with the proposed installation of 230 kilovolt transmission lines along Route M, which goes through Newcastle, and more specifically, the Olympus neighborhood. Along the same corridor sits a gas pipeline that supplies jet fuel to SeaTac Airport, and neighbors are worried that construction along it could lead to a disastrous accident, Hargis said. He mentioned the 1999 Bellingham pipeline explosion that caused about $45 million in property damages and killed three people. “I think for us that are living along that corridor, we’re very concerned with anything that could happen that’s even close to this kind of magnitude of an event,” he said. Installation of the taller transmission poles would not only affect Olympus residents that live directly on the corridor, Hargis added, but it would also block views for neighbors, and would cause a visual blight for other parts of the city, including the views from The Golf Club at Newcastle. CENSE The all-volunteer group of residents from affected cities, Coalition for Eastside Neighborhoods for Sensible Energy, raised questions about the PSE project’s necessity at the July 15 City Council meeting.
“Our belief is that what they’re proposing shouldn’t be in anybody’s neighborhoods,” said CENSE co-founder Steve O’Donnell. O’Donnell and CENSE co-founder Don Marsh, raised doubts about the true magnitude of the need, based on PSE’s power demand forecasts. Marsh pointed specifically to PSE’s “Eastside Customer Demand Forecast” graph, which shows that by 2017 or 2018, demand for power will exceed capacity. The graphic, which is shown at PSE’s public meetings and can be found on its project website, is fiction, he argued. O’Donnell and Marsh challenged PSE’s projections that electricity demand is growing at an annual rate of 2 percent. Marsh said that demand has actually been flat or declining, both on the Eastside and nationally, for at least the past six years, even with population growth. He added that a Bellevue study anticipates a rate of growth that is less than half of PSE’s projections. O’Donnell said he acknowledged the need for PSE to provide reliable power, but argued, “there are better ways to do it than industrially blight our neighborhoods.” To that end, Marsh offered several alternatives to PSE’s proposed solution, including time-of-day pricing, which would encourage residents to conserve by using electricity at offpeak hours for a discount. He also mentioned that grid batteries are being used for projects in major cities across the nation, and noted that Tesla’s Elon Musk and Segway inventor Dean Kamen are both working on residential batteries
On the Web Learn more about Puget Sound Energy’s Energize Eastside project at www. energizeeastside.com, and the Coalition of Eastside Neighborhoods for Sensible Energy at www. cense.org. that will lessen the need for transmission lines. The group ultimately asked the Newcastle City Council to work with other cities and hire an independent expert to evaluate the project. Both CENSE and the Olympus Homeowners Association also encouraged council members to keep citizens up to date about any Energize Eastside developments. “If there’s one conclusion I’ve drawn from the process, it’s that we need your help, because this process is stacked to the outcome that PSE wants,” Newcastle resident Sean McNamara pleaded to council members July 1. “So, please do what you’re all in those seats to do and protect Newcastle as a phenomenal place to live.” Newcastle Mayor Steve Buri said the City Council has been thoughtful in its consideration of the project. He also said Energize Eastside is a “front-burner issue” for the city. “It’s easy to be loud,” Buri added, but the Newcastle City Council is choosing to be strategic and methodical in its approach to the situation. The city is in regular communications with the other affected municipalities, Buri said. City Manager Rob Wyman also noted that there is a lot more going on at the staff level behind the scenes, as cities decide how to approach the issue.
Newcastle News
AUGUST 1, 2014
Fired From Page 1 day with Urquhart in a socalled Loudermill hearing, where deputies are allowed a final opportunity to plead their case. The officer was not a member of the Newcastle Police Department and wasn’t working overtime in the city, Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine said when the incident was first reported in January. Richtmyer was taken into custody at about 9:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, after a citizen called 911 to report that the deputy was hunched over the steering wheel of his marked vehicle in the Starbucks parking lot at the corner of Newcastle Way and Coal Creek Parkway. Three deputies who arrived to rouse their colleague noticed signs of impairment, police said. Alcohol wasn’t suspected, but a Bellevue police drug-recognition expert who was called to the scene believed the deputy was “under the influence of some sort of drug, possibly a narcotic,” a sheriff’s spokeswoman said after the arrest. Blood drawn from the deputy was submitted to the Washington
P ets SponSored
by
State Patrol Toxicology Lab, which ran a standard screen on the sample and did not detect drugs, according to the Bellevue Police Department. Because that finding was at odds with what the department’s drug-recognition expert observed and the deputy’s alleged admission he’d taken prescription drugs during his shift, Bellevue police submitted a blood sample from the deputy to a lab in Pennsylvania that conducts broader substance screenings. Bellevue police said investigators learned March 31 that new lab analysis had returned with positive result for the presence of multiple prescription drugs, all of which have impairing qualities and carry warnings they are not to be used while operating machinery or vehicles. Richtmyer, a 16-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, had been placed on light-duty status while under investigation, meaning he had no police power but was performing clerical duties, according to the sheriff’s office. The case against Richtmyer, who was arrested on investigation of physical control of a motor vehicle, the legal equivalent of DUI when no driving is observed,
of the AnimAl HoSpitAl
M onth of
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was forwarded to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors are continuing to review the case, an office spokesman said July 17. Richtmyer was the second deputy fired by Urquhart in a week. Darrion Holiwell, who has been charged with helping his wife work as a prostitute, stealing department ammunition and illegally delivering testosterone, was terminated July 15.
Police blotter
Seattle Times news researcher Miyoko Wolf contributed to this story, which includes information from Times archives. Steve Miletich: 206-4643302 or smiletich@seattletimes.com
A resident reported seeing what appeared to be a thin male on a bicycle traveling around
Neighborly dispute
PAGE 7 the neighborhood and checking door handles on cars parked on Southeast 82nd Street July 2.
A resident in the 8700 block of 116th Avenue Southeast called police July 3, after his neighbor refused to pay a $450 window repair bill. The reporting resident said a rock from his neighbor’s lawnmower caused the damage between May 21 and 22.
Sunglass caper
Cycling high jinks
More than $500 worth of stereo equipment was stolen from a vehicle parked in a garage at the Par Terra Apartments, 13301 S.E. 79th Place,
More than $800 worth of items, including two pairs of sunglasses, was taken from the 9200 block of 117th Avenue Southeast between July 3 and 6.
between July 3 and 4. An unknown suspect entered the garage overnight and took a stereo amplifier, speaker box, the vehicle’s in-dash stereo and the garage door opener.
Scream Two police officers responded to resident reports of a man talking and screaming outside in the 6900 block of 115th Place Southeast July 6. His mother, who explained he had mental problems, calmed him down, as officers explained that his loud voice was concerning neighbors.
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PAGE 8
AUGUST 1, 2014
One-two punch Newcastle man leads UW boxing team to national championship By Christina Corrales-Toy On the basement floor of Chris Mendez’s Newcastle home sits a dedicated nook filled to the brim with trophies, medals and plaques. They represent physical reminders of Mendez’s storied boxing career as a U.S. Military Academy cadet and his accomplishments in the corporate world. The collection’s newest addition is hard to miss, standing tall among the others, embellished with a bright red boxing glove on top. It’s one of the more meaningful ones, too, Mendez said, as he handled the 2014 National Collegiate Boxing Association championship trophy he collected in April, after his University of Washington women’s team earned first place at nationals. “My feet haven’t even touched the ground yet,” Mendez said with a proud grin. It was an improbable win for a university boxing team that started just four years ago, has limited resources and a volunteer head coach. But the 40 or so athletes on the club team have completely bought in to their coach’s philosophy of “pride, poise, team,” and the trophy is just validation of that, an emotional Mendez said. “They trust me,” he said. “They believe me when I tell them they can win.” Mendez didn’t step foot in the ring until he was a West Point freshman. Boxing is a requirement for all first-year students, because it instills discipline, he said. He was a fast learner, winning the Brigade Boxing Championship, a competition
On the web Learn more about University of Washington boxing, and contribute to the team, at www. uwboxing.org. The team is always looking for volunteer coaches, athlete mentors and financial donors. Email Chris Mendez at christopher.mendez@hotmail. com to learn more.
that pits West Point students of all ages against each other, in his first year. “As a cadet, you’re a lowlife plebe, and you get yelled at and screamed at,” he said. “Well, no one touched me after winning that. They left me alone.” Mendez went on to win the Brigade Boxing Championship all four years, became a twotime All-American and was a two-time national runner-up. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence branch. He also earned an Air Assault badge and was an Airborne Ranger. Originally from California, it was the service that brought him to Washington, where he was stationed at Joint Base LewisMcChord. After his time in the military, Mendez elected to stay in the state, get a corporate job and earn his MBA from the University of Washington. His military background is evident in the way he runs the UW boxing team. It’s structured like a platoon, with pseudo sergeants, captains and squad leaders. Tryouts also consist of rigorous boot camp-style exercises. Mendez emphasizes that
Eastside Select wins state title The Eastside Select Sports 14U baseball team, including players with both Hazen and Liberty high school roots, won the USSSA state championship at Cheney Stadium, home of the Tacoma Rainiers, July 9. At right, they pose with their championship trophy. At left, Adam Morrison, an incoming freshman at Liberty High School, stands on third base By Kerry Baker
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Chris Mendez, head coach of the University of Washington boxing team, shows off the team’s national championship trophy in his Newcastle home. his young boxing program is much more than right jabs and left hooks. It’s about finding young men and women and developing them into leaders that will go out into the world and represent the University of Washington well, he said. “It’s not who’s the best athlete. I’ll teach them how to box,” he said. “It’s who has the most heart? Who has the best character to be a part of this team?” One of the team’s goals is to achieve an average grade point average of 3.4. With graduates that have gone on to medical school, and current students with aspirations in medicine, law and business, Mendez said he thinks the group can top that. Mendez works hard to find mentorship opportunities for his athletes. He has used his connections to pair boxers with physicians, business professionals and lawyers. He also brings in guest speakers to talk to his team about leadership.
“It’s not just about athletics. It’s not just about winning,” he said. “It’s about who they become during and after the process.” The UW boxing team meets three nights a week during the school year. They train in a mat room at the school’s IMA athletic center. But they don’t have basic training tools, such as a ring or punching bags. In order to compete, they often have to go out of state to find opponents, which requires a travel budget. “Our lack of resources is a huge disadvantage, but yet we’re out there, we’re competing and we’re winning,” he said. “I keep telling people, alumni and supporters, imagine what we can do if we had the facilities, space and equipment.” Mendez estimates it takes a $25,000 budget to accommodate the travel and competitions. For now, Mendez relies on a small alumni base for support, and the team sells UW boxing T-shirts as
its main fundraiser. He hopes the team’s national championship raises awareness about the group and its work, so that someday, it has the essential training resources to annually compete for titles. UW President Michael K. Young has acknowledged the success, mentioning the team at a Regents meeting and sending them a letter. “That alone meant a lot,” Mendez said of the letter. “These boxers represent the University of Washington. They go in that ring and they wear the purpleand-gold, and they wear it proudly.” Mendez doesn’t get paid for his work, at least not materially, and the time commitment during the season is substantial, with wife Alyson becoming a “boxing widow” at times. “We’re truly a little family,” he said of his team. “My benefit is being able to help and coach them into the best people they could be. That’s my benefit. That’s my pay.”
Hazen baseball player makes All-State team Hazen High School pitcher Ryan Gayte was named to the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association’s All-State team. Gayte, a junior, earned second team 3A honors. He also earned first-team AllSeamount League at the end of the season.
Newcastle News
AUGUST 1, 2014
PAGE 9
Three vie for King County District Court judgeship By Ari Cetron samrev@isspress.com A trio of part-time judges is competing to fill a King County District Court open seat. Judge Linda Jacke has announced her retirement in the Northeast Division, which serves a large swath of the Eastside from Lake Washington in the west to the county line in the east, and from Newcastle and areas south of North Bend in the south to the county line in the north. The district also includes part of Bothell in Snohomish County. Jacke’s courtroom is in Redmond, though there is no guarantee the new judge would sit there. All three running for the seat are pro-tem judges — they act as fill-in judges when a regular judge is away. The top two vote getters in the August primary will move on to the General Election ballot in November. Court rules prohibit judges from speaking about how they might be inclined to rule in specific sorts of cases, but each of the three would bring a different skill set to the bench.
Rick Leo Rick Leo, 44, of Snoqualmie, is married and has one child. Leo started his career as a public defender before moving to the prosecutor’s office. He’s also been working part time as a pro-tem judge. “I honestly believe that I can give more to the community as a judge than as an attorney,” he said. Leo noted that with his experience as a defense and prosecuting attorney, along with his pro-tem judging, he’s the only candidate who has sat in every spot in the courtroom. Leo said that when he presides, he likes to be sure everyone has a chance to have his or her side heard. “What I think is most important is to be fair to the process,” he said. He said that he likes to spend time explaining his reasoning for his decisions. Leo said he finds it helps people better understand why a case may not have gone their way, so
they can still feel like they were heard and got a fair trial. He also said he believes his temperament is wellsuited to running a courtroom. He thinks he can put people at ease while keeping control of the court. Leo would like to remain involved in the community, while still maintaining his judicial impartiality. He gave an example of judges who lend their expertise to running youth courts, where teens try other teens, under the guidance of adults in the legal system. He might want to help start more programs like that if he is elected. Leo said he’d like to improve technology, such as filing more documents electronically, which could help make the process run more efficiently. He would also like to find a way to develop a series of videos covering common topics, and present them in dozens of languages. That can help people, particularly those who are not native English speakers, understand how to fill out certain forms or complete other tasks. He notes that if the court could find a translator to donate his or her time to produce the video once, the system could continue to use it to the benefit of all, and do so rather inexpensively. “I think that’s a way to use technology to make things more efficient,” he said.
Marcus Naylor Marcus Naylor, 51, of Sammamish, a pro-tem judge for four years, is married and has two children. He has spent his legal career in the public defender’s office and supervises a team of seven attorneys in Seattle Municipal Court. He said the majority of the work he has done is in criminal cases, but that he has had an opportunity to defend clients in most courts in the county, such as district, superior and juvenile, giving him a breadth of experience. He said he wants to be a judge so he can continue his work in public service, a value instilled in him by his parents. He said he would also
like to reach out to underserved communities to better serve them. “I want access to justice for all people, including minorities and the poor,” Naylor said. He also would like to find ways to improve access for non-English speakers. He noted the county is home to speakers of hundreds of different languages, but many forms are only offered in a few. Naylor said he’d like to expand the offerings, and have a website dedicated to giving people that information. He’d also like to help find ways to improve access to free and low-cost legal representation. Naylor noted his management experience, and said that will help him carry out administrative duties outside the courtroom for which a judge is responsible. He said he’d like to help make the court move more efficiently and reduce the court calendar. “You want a meaningful experience, and at the same time be efficient,” he said. One way to do that would be to create an expectation that attorneys be prepared, and sometimes refuse to grant a continuance if they are not. He’d also like to work with the county to find more funding to increase the number of staff, such as bailiffs and court clerks, to help process some of the day-to-day paperwork more quickly. Even without extra money, he thinks there might be better ways to use what the judiciary already has. “Courts are underfunded, but they also need to allocate resources better,” he said. Naylor said he would bring an unflagging work ethic to the bench if elected. “No one will work harder than me,” he said.
Lisa O’Toole Lisa O’Toole, 52, of Newcastle, a pro-tem judge for the past six years, is married and has two children. She noted she is the only candidate to have practiced civil and criminal law. O’Toole said although
she’s been serving as a pro-tem judge for several years, for the past three, it has been her sole occupation. O’Toole said she tries to keep in mind that when people come to her courtroom, they want to be understood. “It’s not just a case or a number that’s coming before us. It’s an individual,” she said. If elected, she said she would like to be visible in the community outside of the courtroom. She’d want to work with leaders in communities that might not always have a positive experience with the justice system to help reach out to members of those communities in an effort to increase their participation. She noted that some-
times at a criminal trial those on trial — entitled to a jury of their peers — might face a jury that doesn’t look much like they do or have similar life experiences. She said if she can reach out to those communities and find ways to increase their response rate when called for jury duty, it will help advance the credibility of the court in general. “It could make a positive impact on people’s view of our legal system,” O’Toole said. She also thinks it would benefit her to be able to follow a case from beginning to end, allowing her to better serve justice. “You will not only have the background, but you get to know that defen-
dant,” she said. O’Toole noted that judges, besides running a courtroom, also run the Judicial Branch of government, and with that comes some administrative responsibilities. She said she’d like to be able to see some changes to the District Court system. She lamented that there are unrepresented defendants in civil cases. In a criminal case, defendants have a right to legal representation if they can’t afford it on their own. In a civil case, defendants have no such right. O’Toole said if budgets weren’t an issue, she love to see a way to find legal representation for people in those cases, but she realizes it’s not likely to happen.
Meet the New Principal August 13, 2014 Lunch Newcastle Chamber
Richard Mellish – Newcastle Lions – Speaker 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Tapatio Mexican Grill 9620 Coal Creek Parkway Southeast $20 members, $25 non-members. RSVP www.newcastle-chamber.org
Community
PAGE 10
Events Concerts in the Park, 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Aug. 6 and 13, Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E. 84th Way Newcastle Chamber of Commerce monthly lunch: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 13, Tapatio Mexican Grill, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., guest speaker Newcastle Elementary School Principal Richard Mellish, $20/members, $25/nonmembers, register at newcastlechamber.org Chamber Networking Breakfast, guest speaker TBA, 7:15-8:30 a.m. Aug. 27, Regency Newcastle, 7454 Newcastle Golf Club Road, free, register at newcastle-chamber.org
AUGUST 1, 2014
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Concerts in the Park continues in August with Cherry Cherry
Public meetings All city public meetings are at City Hall, 12835 Newcastle Way, Suite 200. Call 649-4444. q Finance Committee — 4-5 p.m. Aug. 11 q Community Activity Commission — 7-8 p.m. Aug. 13 q Economic and Community Development Committee — 5:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 19 q Planning Commission — 7-8 p.m. Aug. 20 Newcastle Trails board, first Monday of the month, 7 p.m., Regency Newcastle, 7454 Newcastle Golf Club Road, www. newcastletrails.org.
YMCA The Coal Creek Family YMCA, 13750 Newcastle Golf Club Road, has regular family programs for all ages. Get a complete schedule or register for classes by calling 282-1500 or go to www.coalcreekymca.org. Small Group Personal Training, 18 and older, $120/
Steve Kelly, lead singer of the Neil Diamond tribute band Cherry Cherry, performs at last year’s concert in the park series. He returns Aug. 6 at Lake Boren Park.
members Start to Fitness, Couch to 5K Training Program, 10:30 a.m. Saturdays, Aug. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 Friendship Fire, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6 Rookies T-ball League, ages 3-6, times vary Mondays through Aug. 25 Mountain Bike Mondays, 5 p.m. Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25 Family Conditioning, ages 8 and older, 9-9:45 a.m. Saturdays, Aug. 16 and 23 Donate Blood, Puget Sound Blood Mobile will be in the Y parking lot Aug. 18 Youth Basketball League, ages 6-10, 5-7 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 22 Family Movie Night:
‘Frozen,’ 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 22 Parents Night Out at the Y, ages 3-10, 5-9 p.m. date TBA, $30/facility members, $40/program members Senior Bridge, 9:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays Senior Lunch, noon Tuesdays and Thursdays, $3 Senior Pinochle, 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays Tween Time, 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, meet by upstairs fireplace Teen Drop In, ages 11-16, 5-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Family Pickleball, 3-4 p.m. Sundays, Gym 2, free to facility members ‘Zumbini’ Zumba
File
The city of Newcastle’s annual Concerts in the Park series continues in August, starting with Cherry Cherry, a Neil Diamond tribute band, on Aug. 6. Cherry Cherry is performing its concert free of cost to the city. Crumac, a trio that plays traditional Irish music, will perform the series’ final show Aug. 13. The Golf Club at Newcastle and the Coal Creek Family YMCA are the main sponsors for the free series. Concerts begin at 7 p.m., but attendees can arrive as early as 6 p.m., when kettlecorn vendor Tastyz and the Maximus/ Minimus food truck begin selling their offerings. All concerts last about an hour and a half, and are at Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E. 84th Way.
for kids, 4:30-5:15 p.m. Wednesdays, ages 5-8, Open Basketball, times vary Monday through Friday, free to facility members Open Volleyball, ages 14 and older, 8-9:45 p.m. Thursdays Power Volleyball, 8-9:45 p.m. Tuesdays, free to facility members Teen Dodge Ball, ages 11-16, 7 p.m. Tuesdays, free to facility members Swimming lessons, ages 3 and older, $54, call for age group times and dates
Library events The Newcastle Library is at 12901 Newcastle Way. The
Worship Directory
following programs are offered the rest of the month: Counteract the Summer Learning Slide with the library’s summer learning program ‘Thinkology: the Study of Fun,’ throughout summer. ‘Light Show! Shadow Puppets and Special Effects,’ ages 8-12, 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, registration required Toddler Story Times, ages 1-3, 10:15 a.m. Monday Aug. 4 ‘Game On!’ play video games at the library, 1 p.m. Aug. 4 Book Buddies, free reading help with a high school volunteer for grades one through four, 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Aug. 5 See CALENDAR, Page 11
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Newcastle News
AUGUST 1, 2014
Newcastle property values increase Newcastle’s residential property values increased in 2014, according to the King County Assessor’s Office. The assessor mailed 2014 property valuations to all Newcastle property owners in early July. The values generally increased by 15.4 percent. Residential property is assessed each year at 100 percent of its true and fair market value, defined by
state law as the amount of money a willing and unobligated buyer is willing to pay a willing and unobligated seller. Residential values are determined based on multiple sales of similar properties. The county assessor’s office annually revalues all properties and conducts a physical inspection on each property once every six years. The last physical inspection of the Newcastle area was in 2009. Learn more at www. kingcounty.gov/assessor.
Calendar From Page 10 and 12 Preschool Story times, ages 3-5, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday Aug. 6 Movie Night at the Library, 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Aug. 6, 13, 20 and 27 Spanish Story Times, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, Aug. 7 and 14 ‘Robot Garage,’ presented by the Museum of Flight, learn about the science of robots and latest achievements of robots in space, use museum’s robotics kits, 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, registration required ‘The Rad Scientist, A Chemistry in Nature Concert,’ 6:30 p.m. Aug. 12 Teen Makerspace Club, duct tape crafts, create duct tape accessories, 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 18, Computer Class: One-on-One Assistance, 1:30 and 2 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27
PAGE 11
come, 270-3599, monthly bulletin at www.meetup.com/ eastshore-singles. The Society of Artists for Newcastle, art organization, 271-5822 MOMS Club of Renton, play dates at parks and other locations, new activities daily, nonprofit and nonreligious, daytime support for moms and families, 260-3079 Bridge players wanted, evening or daytime, games at homes in Hazelwood area, 255-0895 Devotional gathering, by Baha’i Faith of Newcastle, 7 p.m., last
Friday, 430-8047 Drinking Liberally, informal progressive social group that discusses politics, 7 p.m., first and third Thursday, Mustard Seed Grill & Pub, 5608 119th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, www. drinkingliberally.org Cub Scout Pack 738, first Friday, 7 p.m., Newcastle Elementary School, 8440 136th Ave. S.E., grades one through five, www.pack738.com
Cancer Foundation, trained survivors offer free emotional support to newly diagnosed, www. angelcarefoundation.org Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group, 6:30-8 p.m., third Thursday, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 3030 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue, 822-3549
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Newcastle News
PAGE 12
Voice” of the Newcastle Library on July 12; she defeated eight other competitors to get the chance to sing at the ceremony. During the half-hour ceremony, attendees and their families were treated to a taped video from President Barack Obama, congratulatory remarks from Buri and a speech from Imelda Dulcich, Newcastle Chamber of Commerce executive director. Dulcich is a natural-
Citizens From Page 1 said, but mostly, it represented the fulfillment of a dream that began when she first came to the states. “I thought, ‘My life is going to change. I’m going to be an American citizen forever.’ That’s the moment you know that I’m getting there. I’m finally getting there,” she said with a smile. It was just as satisfying for her husband Michael, as he sat in the audience. The couple, who met in China several years ago when he went there to teach English, has been married almost four years now. They moved to Newcastle in November 2013. It was the first such ceremony at the Newcastle Library, though Linda M. Dougherty, USCIS field office director, noted that her department had wanted to hold one in Newcastle since construction began on the library. It was quite an honor that the library had the opportunity to play a part in such a significant life moment for the 11 attend-
By Greg Farrar
Hui Russell, born in China and now of Newcastle, takes the oath of citizenship July 23. ees, King County Library System cluster manager Amy Eggler said in her welcome remarks. And Newcastle Library staff members took that to heart, decorating the building’s main meeting room with red, white and blue wall coverings. They also ordered a special congratulatory cake for attendees. Hazen High School junior Arnelie Dela Cruz opened the festivities with a soulful rendition of the national anthem. Dela Cruz was crowned “The
AUGUST 1, 2014 Prsrt Std U.S. POSTAGE PAID Kent, WA Permit No. 71
ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMER ized citizen herself, having come to America from Ireland. She told a story about what she called an “embarrassing” family tradition, when her parents would make her and her siblings give concerts and sing traditional Gaelic
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songs after coming to the States. She remembers those times fondly, now, and understands the importance of those concerts, she said. “That’s my heritage I bring with me and all of
you have that heritage, too,” she told the new U.S. citizens. “Even though you’re embracing your new country, you always will have the old country in your heart. So, combine them and go forth with your future.”
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