All Stories - East King County

Eastside’s largest Independence Day celebration returns to Downtown Park

This Independence Day, more than 60,000 people are expected to gather from throughout the region in Bellevue Downtown Park to celebrate the 2008 Symetra Bellevue Family 4th, presented by Washington Square.

Retirement home bus catches fire; no injuries

The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement to recover $660,000 in back wages for 70 employees of Malay Satay Hut restaurants in the Eastside’s Overlake area and in Seattle, for alleged violations of the overtime, minimum wage and recordkeeping requirements under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Body found near Overlake emergency room identified

A smattering of incident reports taken from the Bellevue Police Department.

Issaquah Amateur Radio Club ‘hams’ it up on Field Day

“Whiskey Seven Bravo India, Whiskey Seven Bravo India.”

Issaquah church group builds home for family in Mexico

As they arrive home today, their bodies will be tired and worn, their hearts full and their minds already thinking ahead to next year. The 38-member mission group from Issaquah Christian Church have spent the past week building a needy family a new home in Mexico. Almost immediately they will switch over to selling fireworks to help pay for next year’s trip.

Some residents worry about restrictions in tree ordinance

Issaquah City planners are making progress on a new tree preservation code, but public opinion of the plan remains lukewarm.

Kirkland online: Community voices popping up all over the Web

Only a few years ago, Kirklanders could keep up with local news in a copy of the Kirkland Courier, the King County Journal, a Seattle daily or through any number of evening news stations.

Kirkland cyclist in stable condition after getting hit by truck

A 43-year-old Kirkland male who'd been riding a bicycle was in stable condition at Harborview Medical Center after being hit by a pick-up truck in Redmond around 8:30 a.m. yesterday.

Kirkland man claims $1 million raffle ticket

Ralph Arnett, an IT worker from Kirkland, thought his odds were pretty good when he picked up the phone on the afternoon of June 27 to call the Washington State Lottery’s customer service line. He'd just learned that a winning raffle ticket worth a million dollars had been sold in Kirkland -- at the same Shell station where his was purchased.

'Lucky to be alive:' Burner moves forward after devastating fire

It was supposed to be Darcy Burner’s day for rest and relaxation. Instead, it was a day of devastation and near death, caused by a “faulty lamp.”

Forenza to speak at Rotary Club meeting July 10

The Redmond Rotary Club invites the public to attend their lunch meetings on July 10 and July 24. Meetings are from 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Redmond Marriott Town Center, 7401 164th Ave. NE.

‘Affordable’ housing on the way for Redmond Ridge

Quadrant Homes’ latest addition to the Villages at Redmond Ridge community will be Cascara at the Villages, with 156 new residences for active adults, off Novelty Hill Road in unincorporated King County.

Radio operators ‘ham’ it up on Field Day

“Whiskey Seven Bravo India, Whiskey Seven Bravo India.”

'Green' building codes move closer to reality for Sammamish

A process meant to encourage more natural, forested developments within the city of Sammamish is inching forward. For several years, city officials, staff, citizens and members of the development community have been meeting to craft a Low Impact Development (LID) code. The idea is to offer incentives to developers if they use building techniques such as reducing the footprint of buildings on sites, keeping more vegetation and using permeable pavement, all of which would help the environment.

Malfunctioning lamp caused Burner house fire

Investigators said the fire that destroyed the Ames Lake home of Eighth Congressional District candidate Darcy Burner was caused by a malfunctioning electrical device, according to Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff's Office.

U.S. lacrosse team stomps Northwest college all-stars

The popularity of lacrosse in the Northwest has led to more and more high school players going on to play in college. That popularity brought Team USA’s U-19 national team to Mercer Island Sunday for a clinic and an exhibition game against the Northwest college All-Stars.

Seafair Marathon’s start leaves 400 runners stranded

The sun was shining, the runners were trained and ready, but due to a organizational snafu, some participants in the Virginia Mason Team Medicine Seafair Marathon were left out of the race.

Bellevue grad plans basketball camp in tribute to fallen UW classmate

Alexa Linger wanted to do more. The Bellevue High grad and UW freshman had been volunteering with the Seattle Union Gospel Mission since November of 2007, and was looking for a way to do something bigger for the Mission, but struggled to figure out what that might be. After tragedy rocked both the Bellevue and University of Washington communities, Linger realized she could wait no longer. When Chase Anderson, an ex-boyfriend and friend of Linger’s from Bellevue High School, was tragically killed April 25 while longboarding on the university’s campus, it changed the way Linger approached life.

Issaquah Swim Team member headed to Olympic swim trials

Rowing requires more than just muscle, novices find

In the quiet, early morning hours, oars slip cleanly in and out of Lake Sammamish. A team of master rowers powerfully propels a shell across the water.

Hurricanes win state tourney

The Recreation Calendar lists recreational and participation sports submitted by nonprofit organizations. Mail to: Recreation Calendar, Reporter Newspapers, 18080 N.E. 68th St. #A150 Redmond, WA 98052, fax to 425-867-0784 or e-mail to sports@reporternewspapers.com.

Kirkland man, UW rowing team win national title

It was one of the biggest moments of Kit Culbert’s life, and he wasn’t quite sure what had happened. The Kirkland native and University of Washington rower knew his varsity four boat was close to a national title, but that was about it.

Kirkland cyclist wins world championship, heads to Olympics

You might have missed the memo, but Kirkland is home to a world champion. Track cyclist Jennie Reed can now say something not many can: She is the best in the world at her sport. Reed grew up with her family in Kirkland and attended Issaquah High School. She got into competitive biking when she was 16 on the urging of her sister and father. Now, 14 years later, she’s finally reached the pinnacle of track cycling. Reed won her first world championship in Keirin on March 30 at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Manchester, England. Keirin is a 2,000-meter sprint on a wooden track, contested among six to nine riders.

New Juanita boys coach comes with a winning pedigree

A new era in Juanita High School basketball began last week when the school hired Jeff Patrick as its head boys basketball coach.

Redmond High basketball hosts camps to pad travel budget

Some teams may hold car washes or make the rounds going door-to-door selling magazines, but the Redmond High School’s annual fund-raiser to help fund its travel-intensive basketball seasons goes back to their love of the game. Last week, hundreds of campers from grades three to nine met at the Redmond High gym for the boys’ and girls’ basketball camps, hosted by the high school head coaches as well as numerous varsity players and alumni.

Redmond seniors compete in annual Senior Fitness Games

For senior citizens living at Emerald Heights, staying in shape has never been so much fun. Most of the retirement community’s 400-plus residents have been working out regularly with fitness trainers in an assortment of classes to prepare for the annual Senior Fitness Games, a week-long event with different competitions scheduled each day.

Right on target

Redmond High School hired Pat Frable as the new head fastpitch softball coach on Thursday.

Sammamish teen headed to Olympic swim trials

Katie Kinnear had visions of setting a personal swimming record before the end of the summer — but she never thought it would happen so soon, and she certainly didn’t think it would land her where it did. In a week, however, the 13-year-old Sammamish resident will find herself among the elite swimmers in the nation when she participates in the 100 butterfly at U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.

Rowing requires more than just muscle, novices find

In the quiet, early morning hours, oars slip cleanly in and out of Lake Sammamish. A team of master rowers powerfully propels a shell across the water.

Hurricanes win state tourney

Kirkland Performance center lines up 2008-09 schedule

Kirkland Performance Center’s 2008-2009 season will include Natalie MacMaster, Taylor 2, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, jazz guitarist Jack Wilkins, the National tour of Broadway’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and more – 42 artists in all.

Out & About in Bellevue | July 2

Calendars are published Wednesdays and Saturdays on a space-available basis. Items for the Wednesday edition must be submitted by noon the previous Thursday. Items for the Saturday edition must be submitted by noon the previous Tuesday.

Out & About in Bellevue | June 28

A listing of arts and entertainment events in and around Bellevue.

Issaquah's Coho Cafe serves up spectacular food | Restaurant Review

Atmosphere: The Coho Cafe has excellent decor. The walls are painted in a bright rainbow of colors that all slide together, reminiscent of fish scales. The restaurant has a lot of open space and feels huge. My favorite aspect was the metalwork sculptures, especially the chandeliers, which had metal cutouts of wavy forks hanging from them. The lighting was excellent, with both pinkish- and blueish-tinged lights. The cooking area is open to the view of the public. Jazz music plays in the background, but the most common noise is that of the many conversations that buzz about in the packed cafe.

Schedule set for July 4 celebration events

An itinerary for July 4 events happening in Kirkland.

Rotary Club putting on its 11th annual duck race July 4

The Rotary Club of Kirkland will host its 11th annual Great Puget Sound Duck Race at 4 p.m. on July 4 at the Juanita Beach Park.

Interested in advising city on the art it buys?

The Kirkland Cultural Council, the group that advises the City Council on arts related issues, is seeking a volunteer to join a committee currently planning for Kirkland’s future arts and cultural needs.

Redmond band Big Dog Revue to return to Derby Days

The 2008 Redmond Derby Days theme is “Through the Decades” and there’s no better way to jog people’s nostalgic memories than with music they associate with their “good old days.” Because Derby Days is geared to fun-lovers of all ages, it’s fitting that the entertainment line-up for this year’s festival spans more than 50 years’ worth of popular music.

Issaquah's Coho Cafe serves up spectacular food | Restaurant Review

A taste of Tastin’ n Racin’ on Lake Sammamish

Real estate giant Sotheby's lands in Bellevue

One of the nation’s biggest names in real estate, Sotheby’s International Realty, has launched a new office in Downtown Bellevue, tapping into the luxury Washington property market on the Eastside.

Safeway opens flagship store in downtown Bellevue

The ushering in of the flagship Safeway store on the corner of Bellevue Way and Northeast Second Street signified both a historical end and a new beginning. As the new store prepared for its grand opening to the public on June 27, the old Safeway located across the street closed its doors after 48 years of business.

Outlook good for Bellevue economy

Strong development activity and moderate job growth will fuel Bellevue’s economy over the next several years. That was the prediction delivered to the City Council Monday by City Budget Manager Jonathan Swift, who said Bellevue’s economic outlook is generally positive, but increased inflation and a slowing of the housing market could dampen growth.

Sammamish man creates 'space' for home business owners

Can't keep local biz open all night? Go online | Susan Burnash

In my last column, I posed the question “are you in business to make a living, or is this just a hobby?” In response to my point about the opportunities retail stores lose by keeping limited hours, I received several comments about how difficult it is for sole proprietors to be open as often as they’d like.

Burnham Nationwide opens Kirland office | Business Briefs

A quick look at what's up with businesses in and around Kirkland.

Kirkland-based party supply retailer sells for $31 million

Kirkland-based retailer Celebrate Express Inc., which specializes in online sales of party supplies and costumes, has agreed to a preliminary deal to join Liberty Media Corp. of Englewood, Colo., for $31 million, the Associated Press reported last week.

Oddfellow's Grill to revitalize historic Redmond building this summer

A distinguished downtown building — that goes all the way back to Redmond’s days as a rough-and-tumble logging town — is about to be revived. Oddfellow’s Grill is scheduled to open this summer in the former Odd Fellows Hall at 7979 Leary Way NE. The Odd Fellows was a fraternal organization named for its unusual kindness toward the down-and-out, including plague victims, in 17th century England and 18th century America.

Redmond biz toning down the cost, waste of printer ink

These days, when we’re off to the supermarket, the shopping list might just as likely include “printer ink or toner” as milk, bread or toilet paper. Between reports for the office, kids’ homework projects or a volunteer newsletter, we’re always printing something. All that ink and toner gets expensive — and dumping the empty cartridges is costly for the environment. Rapid Refill, a new business in the Village at Redmond Ridge, is urging consumers to “rethink ... reuse ... recycle ... re-ink.” The store collects empty inkjet and laser toner cartridges and re-manufactures them to keep them out of landfills.

Remodeling companies earn awards

Two Redmond-based home remodeling companies each earned multiple awards at the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties annual Remodeling Excellence Awards (REX) banquet held June 21 at the Spirit of Washington Event Center in Renton.

Sammamish man creates 'space' for home business owners

Like many of his Sammamish neighbors, entrepreneur Peter Chee thought it would be wonderful to work at home. Instead, he felt isolated. He missed the atmosphere of being in an intellectual “think tank.” Chee explained, “I liked being around other smart people — feeling the energy, getting charged up, networking.” Ladies and gentlemen, meet Thinkspace. Located in downtown Redmond, just down the street from the city’s new transit center, Thinkspace offers 25,000 square feet of executive office space, for self-employed folks or small business owners who want to keep their overhead low but project a professional image and interact with like-minded peers.

Thinkspace brings a new working alternative

New Mormon president to oversee many south Bellevue congregations

Robert Johnson had heard the words spoken so vividly that he looked up because he thought somebody was in the room. He has heard smaller voices before. They have told him to do something, or go to someone’s house because they were in trouble - but nothing as distinct as the time he was called to be bishop for the Newport Ward of more than 350 people.

Bellevue teenager sheds 'Jewish-style afro' for Locks of Love

Wherever 15-year-old Robby Weltman goes, the bushy brown ball of hair nested on the top of his head has raised eyebrows. While in London with his family last summer, a tour bus pulled up alongside Robby and stopped. Tourists stared. “The tour guide said, ‘If you look to the left, you’ll see an example of London hair,” recalled Robby, an Interlake High School junior. “I’m the example of local flavor - no matter where I go.” Besides evoking curiosity, the curly 12-inch mass that Robby refers to as a “Jewish-style afro” also has been a source of annoyance.

There ought to be a law - or maybe lots of them There ought to be a law - or maybe lots of them

The other day, I thought of a new law that ought to be enacted.

Hot temps. Cool cars.

When people in Spokane say “I’ll meet you at the fireplace,” they mean the one at the Davenport Hotel in the heart of the city. Lit by hotelier Louis Davenport in 1914 when the hotel first opened, the fireplace had been constantly kept burning until the hotel closed in 1985.

Spokane a hidden gem on the other side of the mountains

Passwords, multimedia and e-mail — we show you how to maintain your balance after these pitfalls try to trip you up!

Food, fun and festivities highlight Highlands Day

Atmosphere: On the day we went to Marcela’s, the sun was actually shining and we were able to sit outside in the sun, which was actually warm. (Sadly, I got a sunburn from just 45 minutes outside. Thanks, Washington.) There was Spanish music playing over speakers and the restaurant was clean, bright and very traditional.

All ages leap into Kirkland's Peter Kirk pool | Photo

Talking to people about the importance of dietary matters is not always easy. More often than not, health counselors are perceived by their own patients as puritans, naggers, task masters and spoilers of fun – especially when the need for significant lifestyle changes is involved. I’m sure I’ve been called some less than flattering names by my own clientele.

Healthy eating includes mental makeover | Timi Gustafson

(Note: This week’s column is an excerpt from my forthcoming book, Relative Discomfort: The Family Survival Guide. I simply couldn’t wait to share it with you. Enjoy, and look for the book in stores this fall. I will also be doing some book and stand-up events across the country -- with special attention paid to Kirkland, Redmond and my homeys of the greater Eastside. Hope to see you there!)

Survive July 4 with the family’s other side

Juanita Bay Park is a gem, I declare. It is one of King County’s most diverse and complete wetlands.

Warm weather tips for cats and dogs

Hot weather means more time spent outdoors with pets, but it also brings along some hazards for our loyal companions. Dr. Craig Miller, a family veterinarian who owns Loyal Companion Animal Care in Redmond Ridge, offers some advice for pet owners for a safe, healthy summer. Loyal Companion Animal Care opened in January and offers medical services to dogs and cats.

Macy's seeks applicants for Better With Time model competition

Macy’s announced it will hold a Better With Time model competition, providing women ages 50 and up the opportunity to walk the runway and serve as a model during the 2008 Better With Time Fashion Show.