newcastlenews012014

Maywood student goes into overdrive for food drive

2

Water polo club features

Newcastle residentsPage 14

Police blotter Page 5

Pat Detmer Page 7

Now you see ’em See the photos of the year you never saw.

Page 8

Freshmen phenoms Liberty’s youth athletes take fall’s center stage.

Page 14

Contact us: [email protected]

392-6434, ext. 239

January 3, 2014 VOL. 16, NO. 1

50 ¢

You should know

Parents and staff of the Renton School District can receive text messages from their schools and the district by texting “Yes” to 68453. Get school notices, alerts, emergency messages and more.

By Christina Corrales-Toy

Retiring Councilman Bill Erxleben (left) shakes hand with his successor, John Drescher, at his final City Council meeting Dec. 17.

Councilman Bill Erxleben retiresBy Christina Corrales-Toy

Councilman Bill Erxleben’s time on the Newcastle City Council officially came to an end at the council’s Dec. 17 meeting.

His colleagues said goodbye with a cake and a commemora-tive plaque to mark the occa-sion.

Just before he rode off into the sunset of retirement, again, Erxleben answered a few Newcastle News questions.

Q: How was this second term different from the first?

A: The difference between night and day. My first term was not particularly rewarding. I spent most of my time try-

ing to convince a majority of the council that they were tak-ing unwarranted risks with the finances of the city, particularly in assuming full responsibility for construction cost overruns and the future maintenance of Coal Creek Parkway. Spending on staff and consultants for a

YMCA discontinues senior programBy Christina Corrales-Toy

The approximately 600 seniors who enjoy use of the Coal Creek Family YMCA through their SilverSneakers insurance benefit must purchase a direct-pay Y membership to continue using the facility beginning this month.

In a November letter to SilverSneakers participants, the YMCA announced it would no longer contract with the senior program, which provides fit-ness center memberships to Medicare-eligible users through their health care plans.

“We evaluated our agree-ments with the health plans and then realized that the current agreement wasn’t sustainable from a business perspective,” said Sara Biancofiori, the Coal Creek Family YMCA’s associate executive director.

SilverSneakers members previ-ously received use of the YMCA and its senior programs as a benefit paid through their regu-lar insurance costs. Participants will now have to pay the YMCA directly to use the facility.

The senior program offer-ings, classes and the YMCA’s commitment to them will not

change through the transition, Biancofiori said, but users might have to pay anywhere from $25 to $57 a month to become Y members.

Classes formerly labeled as SilverSneakers programs will still be available, she stressed, but they won’t be called SilverSneakers classes.

“It’s really about the busi-ness side of it,” she said. “We’re still serving them. We’re still offering programs. They’re going to become Y members versus membership through the

See RETIRES, Page 3

See YMCA, Page 3


The Newcastle City Council decided to continue its wait-and-see approach when it comes to the Initiative 502-induced recreational mari-juana industry, voting down a motion to establish a morato-rium on marijuana licenses at its Dec. 17 meeting.

They elected instead to wait for a forthcoming attor-ney general’s opinion about a municipality’s right to ban or impose strict land-use regula-tions on the drug.

“I still think, on balance, the better thing is to do noth-ing for now and to preserve your options whether they be ban, or moratorium or zoning regulations,” Councilman Bill Erxleben said.

Councilmen Gordon Bisset and John Dulcich supported a moratorium, seeing it as a proactive move, rather than a reactive one just in case the state received any Newcastle license applicants, which it hadn’t at the time of the Dec. 17 meeting.

“I hate moratoriums, but this is one instance where there are the dynamics of this law and there are so many changes and so many unknowns,” Dulcich said. “This is asking for a timeout period where we can get our ordinances and our zoning codes into place so we really understand this.”

A moratorium won’t stop people from applying for licenses, though, Erxleben said, referring to an Issaquah man who applied despite that city’s moratorium.

“While the city of Issaquah is refusing to issue a license, this guy’s got grand plans for as soon as that moratorium ends,” he said.

Just a week later, a Newcastle address appeared on the Washington State Liquor Control Board’s list of

Marijuana moratorium goes up in smoke

See MARIJUANA, Page 3

Newcastle News JANUARY 3, 2014

Roslyn ComleyColdwell Banker Bain

Presidents Elite Award Winner425-351-2208

www.roslyncomley.comYour referrals are very much appreciated!

I have been honored to help all of these clients to make their next move in 2013.CAN I HELP YOU MAKE YOURS?

skillfully work on your behalf, please call me.

7435 119th Ct SE 4 BD 2.5 Bth $558,000

12831 SE 84th St, 3 BD 2.5 Bth $490,000

8515 129th Ave SE 3 BD 2.5 Bth $485,000

7631 120th Place SE4 BD 2.5 Bth $688,000

8025 122nd Ave SE 4 BD 2.5 Bth $574,800

7916 119th Ct SE4 BD 2.5 Bth $558,800

12824 SE 84th St3 BD 2.5 Bth $509,800

7627 118th Ave SE4 BD 3.25 Bth $699,800

SOLDSOLD

SOLDSOLD

Thank You Newcastle!

SOLDSOLD

SOLDSOLD

SOLD

SOLD

10350 172nd Ave SE, 4 BD 2.5 Bth $630,000

7907 125th Ct SE,5 BD 2.5 Bth $578,000

Back tracking:an ongoing series about the

history of Newcastle

Courtesy of the Issaquah History Museums, 2013-22-1

Halmar Foldvik worked in the mines at Newcastle from about 1922 to 1926. During that time, he attended the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Mines fire institute training facility on the University of Washington campus and received this certificate. It certifies that Foldvik, of Newcastle, was trained in the use of mine-rescue apparatus and the methods of rendering first aid to the injured.

If you have historical photos of your own to share, or ideas for upcoming history features, email them to [email protected].

Former city clerk passes away

Former Newcastle City Clerk Bob Baker passed away Dec. 18, the city announced on its Facebook page a day after his death.

Baker worked at the city for nearly six years before resigning to take a position as the Lynnwood deputy city clerk in 2011.

“He will long be remembered as a person who brightened the lives of everyone he knew,” city staff wrote on the Newcastle Facebook page. “Thanks, Bob, for your ser-vice to Newcastle, and for the memories.”

Under his watch, the clerk’s office started offer-ing streaming audio of all City Council meetings on the Internet, as well as online accessibility to min-utes, agendas, resolutions and ordinances.

He also served as the Washington Municipal Clerks Association presi-dent for a term during his time with the city.

Weed Warriors hosts wildlife habitat meeting

Newcastle residents can learn how to make their yards wildlife-friendly at a 10 a.m. Jan. 18 gathering.

The Newcastle Weed Warriors will host a meet-ing to share information about a citywide effort to earn National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat Certification.

To obtain the certifica-tion, residents must com-mit to providing food, water, cover and a place for wildlife to raise off-spring. A healthy habitat can be in a variety of plac-es, including a backyard, a local city space or even an apartment balcony.

The event features a speaker from Eastside Pond Builders, door prizes and refreshments.

The meeting is at the Newcastle Library, 12901 Newcastle Way.

Parkway reopens for the season

The city of Bellevue has temporarily re-opened all four travel lanes of Coal Creek Parkway at the dip where Coal Creek flows under the arterial.

The four lanes will remain open until late February. Then, Bellevue’s construction to replace an aging culvert will enter Phase 2, which will again reduce the parkway to two lanes until about October.

The Phase 2, eight-month project entails addi-tional utility relocations,

bridge construction, road rechannelization, stream restoration, trail improve-ments and landscaping.

LEO accepts vehicle donations

Life Enrichment Options is now able to benefit from donations of

a used car, van, truck, boat with a trailer or recreation-al vehicle.

All vehicles are accepted regardless of age and condition. Free towing is offered whether the vehi-cle is running or not, and the donation qualifies as an IRS tax deduction.

Arrange for a vehicle

donation by calling 1-855-KAR-CCDC (1-855-527-2232) toll free with the year, make and model of the vehicle, the general con-dition, the vehicle identifi-cation number, and owner’s title and lien information.

Learn more about LEO at www.lifeenrichmentop-tions.org.

Bob Baker

q Securing more than $300,000 in state grants for new playground equip-ment in Lake Boren Park

q Elimination of street name confusion by nam-ing Newcastle Way, Newcastle Golf Club Road and Southeast May Creek Drive

q Reduction in council benefits to match similar cities

q Ban on the private display of fireworks in favor of a public display

q Ban on smoking in public parks

q Being the first city on the Eastside to offer domestic partner benefits to city staff

q Creation of a public arts fund

Q: What are some things you wish you could have accom-plished during your term?

A: I wish I could have changed the direction of the council during my first term.

Q: What advice do you have for incoming Councilman John Drescher?

A: Listen well, “young grasshopper.”

q Set an example for personal integrity.

q Spend the public’s money with the same care as if it were your own.

q Budget for infrastruc-ture first.

q Fiscal discipline is really only common sense.

q Long-term financial planning isn’t an idle exercise.

q Raise taxes only when really necessary.

q Be fully transpar-ent with residents about

future financial chal-lenges.

q In good years, save some money for a rainy day.

q Don’t take yourself too seriously — this isn’t the U.S. Congress.

Q: You’ve retired once before. Will this one stick? Any chance you’ll run for public office (in Newcastle or else-where) again?

A: As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Foolish consistencies are the hobgoblins of small minds.” I have no plans to run for public office again, but never say never.

Q: Any specific plans for retire-ment?

A: My wife Gayle and I do have some specific travel plans in the com-ing months. First, to our vacation home in the Methow Valley to do some cross country skiing, then to Mexico in search of sun and to practice our Spanish, and lastly, off to the coast of Croatia, for a bicycle tour in the Dalmatian Islands. Retired life is good!

Q: Any last words for your Newcastle constituents?

A: Pay attention to city affairs. Read the Newcastle News. Volunteer in commu-nity activities if you have time. Run for public office. Donate a memo-rial gift for city parks, the Historical Society or for public arts. City govern-ment is only as good as the support and attention that you give to it.

variety of development proposals was far beyond what was reasonable for a small city with a limited tax base. Additionally, I was very disappointed to learn that the council had previously awarded itself full health benefits in secret without a vote in public. I retired in frustra-tion.

After two years, I was urged to run again with a slate of reform candidates to reset the city’s priori-ties. Newcastle voters over-whelmingly agreed. With a new council majority, the city manager was quickly replaced, staffing and con-sultants were reduced, key new staff hires were made and the budget has been balanced without deficits — with only one minor tax increase — over the past four years. Attention has also been shifted from new projects to infra-structure management: Surface water and pave-ment maintenance have dramatically improved, and sidewalk construc-tion and our parks and trails have received greater attention. Volunteerism has also been strongly encouraged. In 2013, Newcastle was ranked by Money Magazine as one of the best small towns in America.

Q: Why is now the time to step away?

A: I feel I have accom-plished all the campaign objectives that I ran on. City priorities have been reset and budget disci-pline is restored. But it is also time to leave. When I was younger, I was pro-foundly influenced by John Gardner, the founder of Common Cause and a former head of the Carnegie Foundation. Two of his books, “Excellence” and “Self-Renewal,” have had a defining impact on my professional career. His notion of “repotting” yourself every 10 years as a process of self-renewal

became a life guide for me. After nine years on the City Council and one year as chairman of the Planning Commission, my alarm has gone off. It is time for someone else to take over.

Q: What were some of your proudest accomplishments on the council?

A: I must immodestly admit I am pleasantly surprised at how much I have accomplished. While it takes four votes to enact an ordinance or to create a policy on the council, the following list represents some areas that I had the leadership role and am the most proud of.

q Establishment of the annual town hall meeting

q Insistence on fiscal budget discipline

q Focus on infrastruc-ture maintenance and long-term financial plan-ning

q Establishment of a permanent Economic Development Committee

q Improving school and pedestrian safety by the construction of over one mile of sidewalks on Newcastle Way and 116th Avenue Southeast

JANUARY 3, 2014 Newcastle News PAGE 3

All six of the Newcastle City Council members used their comment period to bid farewell to their retiring colleague at the Dec. 17 meeting. Here’s a sam-pling of some of their comments.

“My only item tonight is to commend council member Erxleben for his service to the com-munity. It probably goes without saying Bill and I don’t see eye to eye, especially on national politics, but he’s a very smart guy and I think a very effective council member.”

— Councilman Steve Buri

“Now I’ll have to look for another person

to second my motion. Thank you, Bill. I really appreciate it and you know, time does march on and eventually we have to leave.”

— Councilman Gordon Bisset

“It’s always been a delight to see you and hear your opinion, and I especially appreciate you’ve had the time for me when I wanted to bounce my ideas around with you.”

— Councilwoman Carol Simpson

“A few years ago, in ’09, Bill got off the couch, came out of retirement and won a race and helped make a significant change in leadership for the city,

which I think really ensured the city to con-tinue.”

— Councilman John Dulcich

“I wish you the best and thank you for com-ing out of retirement when we needed you back on the council.”

— Deputy Mayor Lisa Jensen

“You’re a smart guy, there’s no doubt about it, and we all understand that, we all appreciate that, and even though we don’t all necessarily agree with the points, you make good logic, you make sense and it gives us more data to work with.”

— Mayor Rich Crispo

Council members bid farewell to ErxlebenRetiringFrom Page 1

SilverSneakers program, and there’s a cost change in that.”

The price is flexible, though, with the option of financial assistance, if needed, she added.

SilverSneakers users should go to the Coal Creek Family YMCA facility to speak with a membership representa-tive that will help them establish a pricing plan based on what they feel comfortable paying finan-cially, Biancofiori said.

“We will come up with a way to have them be a member. We won’t turn anyone away. Our intent is not to have money be a barrier,” she said.

The unexpected cost is a burden to seniors who don’t have the benefit of a Newcastle senior cen-ter, or a regular source of income, said Councilman Bill Erxleben, who brought the issue up at a recent City Council meeting.

“It’s not chicken change for people who are retired and living on fixed incomes,” he said.

Erxleben and his wife Gayle are SilverSneakers members, and are cur-rently debating whether to continue at the YMCA or find another fitness

facility, he said.Local options such

as the 24 Hour Fitness facilities in Issaquah and Renton will continue to offer the SilverSneakers program, but don’t offer the classes or commu-nity that the Coal Creek Family YMCA does, he said.

“It’s not that the Y doesn’t care about seniors,” he said, “they just care a little less than they have in the past.”

The initial corre-spondence between the YMCA and its SilverSneakers members about the change was not handled particularly well, Erxleben said.

Biancofiori did admit that separate letters from the YMCA and Healthways, which man-ages the SilverSneakers program, caused some confusion among cus-tomers.

“Sometimes the letters are hard to understand, so there were some con-fusing aspects,” she said.

Of the 600 SilverSneakers partici-pants at the Coal Creek Family YMCA, about 350 are active users, Biancofiori said.

As of mid-December, she estimated that 115 people had converted to the YMCA membership.

“Hopefully, more will come do that,” she said. “We want them to be a part of our community.”

YMCAFrom Page 1

license applicants.Resident Jake Rayl

applied for a producer and processor license using his Newcastle apartment address. The thing is, though, Rayl said he has no plans to set up shop in the city.

“Bottom line, we’re not doing anything in the city of Newcastle,” he said.

It caused some confu-sion between him and city staff. Rayl believed he could apply for a license using his own address, while he waits to find a location to grow outside of Newcastle.

The city was under the impression that applicants for the licenses must have spe-cific sites identified at submittal, Community Development Director Tim McHarg said.

McHarg said city staff would work to reconcile the confusion with the Liquor Control Board after the holidays.

Still, it doesn’t change anything in the eyes of the council, which will continue to monitor the attorney general’s stance and the local license issue and see what transpires, Mayor Rich Crispo said.

“So far, no legitimate or appropriate applications have been received regard-ing the growing or selling of marijuana in the city of Newcastle,” he said.

Based on the board’s rules calling for a 1,000-foot separation between marijuana facilities and places such as parks, libraries and schools, there are only three Newcastle properties that could house potential locations for marijuana businesses or growers.

Those are the Shell gas station, the Coal Creek Utility District building, and the Hansen Moving and Storage building.

MarijuanaFrom Page 1

Vote yes for the school district levies

As we enter a new year, the voters within the Issaquah School District have a unique investment opportunity.

On Feb. 11, the entire commu-nity will have the opportunity to vote yes on a three-part Issaquah district school-funding ballot, comprised of the following items:

q Four-year Maintenance and Operations Levy in the follow-ing amounts: $44.5 million in 2015, $48 million in 2016, $51.5 million in 2017, and $54 million in 2018.

q One-year Transportation Levy in the amount of $1.7 mil-

lion in 2015q Four-year Critical Repairs/

Technology levy in the following amounts: $11.4 million in 2015, $12.05 million in 2016, nearly $13.6 million in 2017, and nearly $14.9 million in 2018

When you consider the social and economic impact of sup-porting our schools, there’s no better return on investment. These dollars directly help Issaquah students and the future members of our community. Our ability to help develop creative, intelligent and produc-tive young adults offers such a contribution to the fabric of our community that, to borrow a phrase, it’s “priceless.”

At $40 per year in per-house-hold increase in tax basis on average, we can contribute to

a school district infrastructure and technology platform that is among the best in the state. As homeowners, this investment supports our community’s repu-tation as being one of the best places to live and raise children.

It’s no surprise we find signs in front of new housing devel-opments or homes being listed touting “in the Issaquah School District.” Whether you’re a home-owner with school-aged children or not, the resulting contribution this investment makes to the value of your home or property is clear. It’s a great investment.

For me, it’s an easy choice and decision. Please vote yes for the upcoming Issaquah School District levies.

Marc MessinaNewcastle

OpinionPAGE 4 JANUARY 3, 2014

Newcastle newsPublished since 1999 by

Is s a q u a h Pre s s In c .P.O. Box 1328

Issaquah, WA 98027Phone: 392-6434 q Fax: 392-1695

MAIL SUBSCRIPTION$25 per year

Call 392-6434, ext. 220

Write usNewcastle News welcomes signed letters to the editor.

They should be 350 words or less. The News may edit for length, clarity and potential libel. Letters about local topics are

preferred. Send them by the 20th of the month to:

Newcastle NewsP.O. Box 1328 q Issaquah, WA 98027

Fax: 391-1541 q Email: [email protected]

Debbie Berto ...................................... Publisher

Kathleen R. Merrill .................. Managing editor

Joe Heslet .......... General manager/advertising

Christina Corrales-Toy ......................... Reporter

David Hayes ................................. Page design

Our 2014 goals for a better Newcastle

Editorial Letters

If legally possible to do so, would you favor a ban on the retail sale of recreational marijuana in the city of Newcastle?

Poll question

As the city heads into the coming year, Newcastle con-tinues to grow and flourish. Here are our goals for 2014 as the city embarks on its 20th year of incorporation.

Middle school construction — As early as this sum-mer, the Renton Academy on 116th Avenue Southeast will become a construction zone when the Renton School District begins to build its fourth middle school, set to open in 2016. Community open houses about the project have been sparsely attended, but sooner than later, shovels will be in the ground and the chance to comment on the plans will have passed. Get involved in the details of Newcastle’s newest educational institution in the New Year.

Celebrate 20 in style — Newcastle Days is the cele-bration of the city’s 1994 incorporation. With Newcastle’s 20th anniversary coming up, volunteers are needed to work with the Community Activities Commission to make the annual festival bigger and better than ever.

Protect history — While the city has taken a step to make a commitment to history with the establishment of a historical preservation fund, more needs to be done to preserve it. The Newcastle Historical Society should con-tinue to partner with the library to display photos and host lectures, but ultimately a permanent place to display local legend Milt Swanson’s mining artifacts must be found.

Volunteerism and community engagement — Our hope is that the newly created city community activi-ties liaison makes fast and significant headway in upping the level of volunteerism in Newcastle.

Look to the future — The city has enjoyed a few years of financial stability, but looking at future forecasts, chal-lenges are ahead as development revenues begin to fall. Begin the discussion now, not later, to make decisions that will ensure the city’s financial future isn’t seeing red. The Planning Commission will also continue its Comprehensive Plan update in 2014. Get involved and help shape the future of the city with this important document.

Mutual Materials — Residents got a glimpse at Avalon Bay’s plans for the Mutual Materials site, com-plete with housing, retail and a large public square, at the annual town hall meeting. The city and developers should continue to communicate their vision and seek input from Newcastle residents for a project that means so much to the city’s future.

2014 elections — November’s election saw a big dip in voter turnout. Newcastle residents in the Issaquah School District have a chance to step it up in February as the district asks for approval of three levies. And fall elec-tions will bring another opportunity to practice your vot-ing rights in legislative and other state elections.

One of the first things I did when I joined the Newcastle News staff more than a year ago was set a Google Alert for the search query “Newcastle, Washington.”

Looking back, I’m not sure why I bothered, since I rarely receive updates, and when I do they either unnecessarily cause my heart to skip a beat or keep me more informed than I want to be about a cer-tain soccer team in the English Premier League.

Take, for example, the one I received in December, which linked to a story that had the words “Newcastle, Washington,” “knife” and “court” in the headline.

Before clicking on the link to read the whole story, a mistake I admittedly need to stop making, I briefly panicked.

“There’s someone going around Newcastle stabbing people? How on Earth did I miss that? I didn’t see any note about it in the police reports,” I quickly thought to myself.

I eventually got wise and clicked the link to find that, yes, a man was set to appear in court for allegedly entering a home armed with a knife, but

it was happening a world away in the United Kingdom.

It’s a common issue that I’m sure residents encounter as they search online for information about the city.

Type Newcastle into a search engine and you’ll see that there was a surfer movie made about it in 2008, the one in Australia, that is. You’ll find that there’s a Newcastle in Wyoming, Oklahoma and Delaware, to name a few.

You’ll see websites about Newcastle upon Tyne, the original Newcastle with a historic coal-mining industry that inspired the names of all of the other cities. For those 21 and older, you’ll notice the familiar blue star slapped on the side of a Newcastle Brown Ale bottle.

The most common Newcastle sighting, popping up frequently in search engines and social media sites, refers to the Newcastle United Football Club. If you didn’t know it before, the Magpies are a big deal and their fans across the world dominate most of the Newcastle mentions on Twitter.

There’s a lot to sift through out there to get to the heart of our Newcastle, but make no mistake, this city, one of America’s best small towns, is no slouch when compared to its counterparts.

Just ask the folks at CNN’s Money Magazine, who often find a place for it among a list of the nation’s best places to live.

So many Newcastles, so little time

Christina Corrales-Toy

Notes from Newcastle

A. YesB. NoC. No opinion

Vote at www.newcastle-news.com.


CALL ABOUT OUR BANQUET ROOM! AVAILABLE FOR HOLIDAYS, PARTIES, RECEPTIONS, BUSINESS MEETINGS.

Year-round Memberships Available!

Swim lessons sign-up starts Jan. 28th (members) Jan. 30th (non-members)

Join our Swim Team anytime! Sign-Up Today!

5464 119th Ave. S.E. Bellevue 425-746-9510

(Members & Non-Members Welcome)

Newport Hills Swim and Tennis Club

JOIN IN JANUARY

NO INITIATION FEE! (Trial membership allows full usage

through Jan. 31 2014)

www.nhstc.com

Dr. Rod NordbergOrthodontist for Children & Adults

FREE Initial ExamNewport HIlls Professional Center5613 AVE SE Suite 3, Bellevue23 years at this location

[email protected]

5608 119th Ave. SE Newport Hills 425.603.9001

est. 1995

PUB HOURS10:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. Mon.-Fri

9:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. Sat9:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. Sun

Children welcome until 9 p.m.

Where True Sports Fans Meet!

Weekend Special $3.00 OFF

any $7.99 or higher breakfast priced item

Saturday & Sundays Only til 2pm. Dine in only.

Pool, Darts, Pull Tabs, Washington’s Lottery, Dart & Pool Leagues,

Cocktails, Kegs To Go, Food To Go, 23 TVs, Banquet Services

& Satellite Sports!

WE NOW HAVE GROWLERS!

5830 119th Ave. SE Bellevue, WA 98006 425.644.7815 HOURS: Mon-Fri 10am-7pm Sat 10am-6pm

Manicure & Pedicure $24.99 Pedicure $16.99Acrylic Nails Full Set $22.99Fill (Acrylic) $12.99Shellac Gel Color $24.99 (with manicure)

Waxing 10% OFFBring coupon for discount thru March 1, 2014

- Walk-ins Welcome -

GIFT CERTIFICATES

10% OFF All About HAirBecause It Matters!

We provide expert hair, waxing and facial services in the Newcastle area.

Call us for an appointment today!

425-746-8755Open Mon-Sat: 10am-7pm

5820 119th Ave SE Bellevue, WA 98006

20% OFF All Services

Come visit us at the Newport Hills Shopping Center

Barking up the wrong tree

A city employee report-ed Nov. 27 that three oak trees at Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E. 84th Way, were damaged with a cutting tool. The trees near the park’s playground area had sections of the bark scraped off and as a result may not live. The bark removal appeared systematic with the intent to steal the bark itself. The damage was esti-mated at $6,000.

Off to the rodeoAn Isuzu Rodeo was

stolen from the park-

ing lot of the Cedar Rim Apartments, 7920 110th Ave. S.E., Dec. 1. The car’s owner parked his car at about 11 p.m. and came out to find it gone about 14 hours later.

Lots of penniesAbout $500 worth of

copper bars and wire was stolen from a vacant prop-erty in the 7300 block of 116th Avenue Southeast, between Nov. 25 and Dec. 2. Unknown suspect(s) used wire cutters to enter the fenced area.

Tool timeA tool belt and box was

stolen from a vehicle in the parking lot of Parterra

Condos, 13301 S.E. 79th Place, late Dec. 2 or early Dec. 3. An unknown sus-pect shattered the front driver’s door window, causing $1,000 in damage.

Better late than neverA resident reported Dec.

6 that more than $15,000 worth of watches and per-fume was stolen from a home in the 14000 block of Southeast 82nd Court between Oct. 23 and 24. The home was vacant at the time. The items were in a bathroom being pre-pared for a family move. There was no notable forced entry to the house; it is possible a door code was used to gain entry.

Caught on tapeA resident in the 7900

block of 115th Avenue Southeast turned in to City Hall Dec. 9 as evidence, a video recording of two unknown suspects lurking through vehicles on the neighborhood’s street.

Down and outA vehicle was left on

the side of the road in the 14000 block of Southeast 78th Way, awaiting a tow truck Dec. 12. When the tow service arrived the next day, the car was gone and the owner reported it sto-len. The broken down car was legally parked on the road and left unlocked with the keys in the ignition.

Police blotter Failed entryA resident in the 8300

block of 144th Avenue Southeast reported an

attempted burglary Dec. 12. An unknown suspect attempted to gain entry by shattering a glass door, but no entry was made.

Massage and Bodywork By Kathy

5466 119th Ave., SE .• 425-786-7482massagetherapyinbellevue.com

Helping You Live Life Well • Relief from pain

• A natural way to handle stress

• Improved function and mobility

• A better night’s sleep

5630 119th Ave SE, Bellevue, WA (425) 747-4780

BURGERSThe Classic Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Red Onion, House Dressing

Bacon Cheese Burger Bacon, Cheese, Straw Onions, Lettuce, Pickles, Tomato, House Dressing

Fish burger Crispy Cod, Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, House Tartar Sauce

Sweet RAIN Beecher’s Cheese, Avocado, Fig Bacon Jam, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion, Pickles, Garlic Aioli

Picnic Pastrami, Fried Egg, Swiss Cheese, Provolone Cheese, Coleslaw, Pickle, Tomato, Red Onion, House Dressing

AND MORE!!

Ham & Eggs Muffin OmelettesBreakfast BurritoHash Browns

CL

OUD

9BURGERS

9 0z. Sundae With Any Full Meal

BREAKFAST

“Gourmet” 100% angus ground beef

“The sport team special”

By Neil Pierson

Newcastle voters will have the chance to vote on three levy propos-als the Issaquah School District is placing on the Feb. 11 ballot.

The district is seeking the renewal of its exist-ing maintenance and operations levy, which provides a large chunk of employee salaries not covered by the state.

The district is also ask-ing for a one-year, $1.7 million transportation levy, and a four-year, $52 million capital levy aimed at improving tech-nology and key repairs to facilities.

If all three levies are approved, the total tax rate for a district prop-erty owner would rise eight cents to $4.83 per $1,000 from 2015-18. That equates to a $40 annual increase on a $500,000 home.

The levy amounts were approved by the Issaquah School Board following an extensive review pro-cess by a committee of district parents, teachers and administrators.

Superintendent Ron Thiele said he believes the increase of 1.7 per-cent over existing tax rates is a good solution, although people have questioned the need for any increase. The district also kept levy items to the most practical needs, he said.

“We’re very commit-ted to stable tax rates, so there’s kind of a compe-tition there,” Thiele said. “You could try to go for the highest, most spec-tacular kinds of things. But it would definitely raise your taxes more than I was comfortable with.”

Jake Kuper, the dis-trict’s chief of finance and operations, said

Issaquah has received clean audits from the state in each of the past 11 years. Moody’s, which tracks govern-mental bonds, has given Issaquah its highest bond credit rating.

The M&O levy would tax property owners between $2.35 and $2.52 per $1,000 assessed value between 2015 and 2018. It’s expected to raise between $44 million and $54 million per year, or roughly 21 percent of Issaquah’s classroom costs.

“There’s a lot of money in there for sala-ries,” Thiele said. “We get our state apportion-ment, but state appor-tionment doesn’t cover the total cost of our salaries.”

While the transporta-tion levy represents the smallest financial chunk on February’s ballot, it’s also a critical piece, dis-trict officials said.

The $1.7 million measure would pay for 71 new buses, to replace outdated vehicles and help the district plan for future enrollment growth.

Kuper said the new buses are more fuel-effi-cient, saving between 1 and 3 miles per gallon. If the district can upgrade its entire bus fleet by 1 mile per gallon, it would mean an annual savings of about $100,000 in die-sel fuel costs.

“Transportation is another expense that is not fully funded by

state dollars,” Kuper said. “School bus levies allow the district to collect state funding to offset the cost of bus purchas-es.”

The capital levy tar-gets a wide variety of items, including replac-ing aging computers, printers, Internet servers and document cameras. The levy also pays for staff training and new classes related to tech-nology, as well as soft-ware upgrades for bus operations.

Thiele said training costs are a key piece of the puzzle that often get overlooked. Teachers are required to maintain an “online presence” with a classroom website that has course requirements and assignments avail-able to families.

Teachers typically have to be trained out-side of their regular schedule, Thiele noted.

“It’s no different than a Boeing engineer who has to learn a new piece of software,” he said. “And I can’t expect them to be trained for free.”

The district uses a levy, rather than a bond, to fund technol-ogy because it is a basic

part of daily operations, Kuper said. Officials also don’t want district vot-ers paying interest on an item like a laptop com-puter, which isn’t con-sidered a capital asset. Taxpayers are charged interest on bonds that fund new or refurbished buildings.

Some of Issaquah’s schools are in the process of being reconfigured for enhanced safety. Administrative spaces have moved to the front of buildings, where employ-ees can more easily moni-tor foot traffic, and elec-tronic cards are replacing keys at entry points.

The levy would pay for similar modifications at other schools, along with maintaining heat-ing and cooling systems, and creating more por-table classrooms.

Thiele said admin-istrators are constantly looking at ways to create safer buildings, but that usually goes into much finer detail than deal-ing with weapons or an earthquake.

“You’re thinking about safety and security in all kinds of ways, not just the big, high-profile ways,” he said.

PAGE 6 Newcastle News JANUARY 3, 2014

Three school levy proposals are headed to voters

Steve VircksFinancial Advisor

1717 N E 44th St Suite B Renton, WA 98056(425) 226-6209 www.edwardjones.com

Simplify your financial life.Let’s talk.

Troop 499 to collect Christmas trees

Newcastle’s Boy Scout Troop 499 circulate through local neighborhoods from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 4 to collect Christmas trees from homes for disposal for its annual fundraiser.

Homeowners should place trees at their curb for pickup. Place donations to the Scouts in a Ziploc bag and envelope addressed to Troop 499 at 8042 116th Ave. S.E., Newcastle, WA 98056, on the tree. Donations can also be mailed to that address.

Homeowners can call 206-579-7732 or 206-817-8323 for missed pickups.

It is not uncommon for trees to be picked up a week after the official date, and each year, the troop collects about 500 trees that get chipped and recycled.

Donations are used to sup-port the Scouts’ camping activi-ties. Individual Scouts earned up to $100 in camping funds during the 2013 tree-recycling program, and several scholar-ships for Summer Camp 2013 were donated to families hit hard by the economy.

Donations to the Troop Scholarship Fund can also be made at HomeStreet Bank any-time during the year. Camping equipment donations for the growing troop are also welcome.

The troop is sponsored by the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce.


During the holidays, I make pies. When my moth-er — an excellent baker — passed away, I inherited Christmas Eve and pies. I don’t how that happened, but my sisters are nearly as useless as I am when it comes to food and domes-ticity, so it may be that as the eldest I felt a misplaced sense of responsibility.

Knowing that we all sucked at it, 20 years ago we videotaped Mother in the kitchen making pies. I transcribed the session after the fact so that we would have 3x5 recipe cards for reference. In doing so, I literally wrote out exactly what Mom said as she did her demo, thinking it funny and assuming that we would remember what it meant. “After adding the water,” she said (and I carefully hand-printed on the cards) “Go like this.” The video-tape has long been lost, and so whatever “this” is has been lost as well.

I asked the Sainted One — who actually knows his way around a grocery store — to pick up the ingredients for this season’s pies: lard (yes! lard!), butter, pumpkin, evaporated milk, and I set to work making the dough the day before and letting it rest in the fridge. That, at least, I’d remembered.

The next day, the two

balls of dough had the general consis-tency of meta-morphic rock, but after the addition of a little water and the warmth of my hands, I managed to flatten them enough to accept a well-flowered rolling pin. The first crust looked like a pastry display of tectonic plate movement, with gaps and fractures that I attempt-ed to stitch together. The second was perfect, a thing of beauty, and I began to consider myself quite the baker. I started on the fill-ing, opening the evaporated milk, mixing in the eggs, and adding the pumpkin.

I poured half of it into the bowl before some tiny, baking-aware part of my brain made me stop. The mixture was almost pure liquid. How could the filling ever become firm? What was I doing wrong? Then I realized: The Sainted One did not buy pumpkin. He bought pre-made pumpkin pie filling.

We were due at my sis-ter’s house in two hours and I was looking down at a rolling pumpkin ocean,

an orange tsunami. The Sainted One offered to go to the store to get the real thing, but I didn’t have time for that and wasn’t interested in going backward to go forward. I added flour and corn-starch, poured the mixture into the crusts, and put them in the oven.

They actually weren’t bad-looking pies when they came out if you had myopia and stood on the other side of a large, poor-ly lit room. Up close, they appeared dark and leath-ery, like they might make beautiful purses, with undissovled cornstarch blooming on the surface.

Looking down at them later, my Army Ranger nephew said, “I’ve walked through Afghanistan at night, but these pies scare me.”

But the crust — perfec-tion!

You can reach Pat Detmer, whose family will never be videotaping her, at [email protected].

Pat Detmer

Life of PieLaughing all the way

Calling all local artists

The Newcastle Library is seeking local authors, poets, photographers and artists for a yet-to-be-determined program cel-ebrating their works.

Vicki Heck, Newcastle’s adult services librarian, is hoping to find creatively inclined residents from Newcastle, Renton and South Bellevue to feature

in library programming.For example, Heck

is planning a March 15 Newcastle Library author’s program, where local writers will get a chance to talk about their books and their inspirations, and sell their works to audience members.

Newcastle authors Pat Detmer and Dana Sullivan have already participated in the early

planning stages of such an event. Self-published authors are also wel-comed.

Heck is also kicking around ideas to host a gallery open house with visual art, photography and poetry from children, teens and adults, or plan an open-mic session for poets and authors to share their works.

Email Heck at [email protected] to get involved.


Photos of the Year(that you never saw)

Not every photo from assignments in 2013 made it into Newcastle News. Here are some of the more memorable images that never made it to print.

By Greg Farrar

Above, Aiden Hart, 6, dances with his mom Julie, of Newcastle, as Rylee Reese, 11, takes part during the performance of the Randy Oxford Band July 24 at Newcastle Concerts in the Park.At left, four miniature cars race down the track to the finish line at Newcastle Cub Scout Pack 738’s Pinewood Derby Jan. 11. (By Christina Corrales-Toy)

Photos by Greg Farrar

At left, Alan White, a Newcastle resident and drummer of the classic rock band YES, performs with his band White on Sept. 7 at Lake Boren Park during Newcastle Days.Above, Marine Sgts. Quatieh Kabehl (left) and Torin Gayles, with Combat Logistics Battalion 23 at Joint Base Lewis McChord, stand beside Toys For Tots donation boxes Nov. 30 during A Very Newcastle Christmas Celebration held by town businesses and hosted by Newcastle Fruit & Produce.

By Greg Farrar

Josephine Yen, 12, of Bellevue, looks and listens as a male Pacific tree frog fills its vocalizing sack. The Just Frogs Amphibian Center is a nonprofit education foundation and animal rescue group for frogs and turtles in the Puget Sound area.

Chad Egger, of the

Bellevue Fire Department,

demonstrates the tools he uses for two

young boys and a parent at the

Donegal Park National Night

Out celebration Aug. 6.


Councilman Bill Erxleben playfully scolds his dog for get-ting a little too friendly while attending the May Creek Trail ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 15.



Drawing by Emily Chenn, 3rd Grade, Sunset Elementary

Issaquah

425-392-6421www.holidayinn.com/sea-issaquah

1801 12th Ave. NW Issaquah, WA 98027

Wishing our community the very best

this Holiday Season

Klahanie Issaquah425.369.8233

Drawing by Kat Bradford, 7th grade Drawing by Wenna, 4th grade, Discovery Elementary

Comfort and Efficiency from Friendly Experts you can Trust.

425.318.4970www.mmcomfortsystems.com

Heating Air Conditioning Water Heaters

Drawing by Mike Satorius, 4th grade

483 Duvall Ave NERenton, WA 98059

425-254-1346

Shooting Star Preschool

6949 Coal Creek Pkwy SE Newcastle425-401-8778 • www.homestreet.com

Drawing by Ana Chan, 4th grade, Hazelwood Elementary

BELLEVUE - NEWPORT HILLS5800 119th Ave S.E. • Bellevue, WA 98006

425-281-0997 • www.kumon.com

Drawing by Eyoel Gebre, 4th grade, Hazelwood Elementary

6420 Lake Washington Blvd. SE

425-255-2754

NEWCASTLE SHELL

Drawing by Kate, Grand Ridge Elementary

6920 Coal Creek Pkwy SE ~ Suite 7Newcastle • 425.429.3091

www.zoeyogurt.com

Happy Holidays from the children & merchants of Newcastle

CommunityPAGE 10 JANUARY 3, 2014

Your Residential Specialists

www.marciemaxwell.com

[email protected]

q Planning Commission — 7-8 p.m. Jan. 15

q City Council meeting — 7-8 p.m. Jan. 21

The Newcastle Trails board meets the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at Regency Newcastle, 7454 Newcastle Golf Club Road. Learn more at www.newcastletrails.org.

YMCA

The Coal Creek Family YMCA, 13750 Newcastle Golf Club Road, has regular fam-ily programs for all ages. Get a complete schedule by calling 282-1500 or go to www.coalcree-kymca.org.

Teen Trips: Paintball and

Forestfire, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 3, ages 11-14, $50/facility members, $55/program mem-bers, $60/community partici-pants, register at www.coalcree-kymca.org or 282-1500

Family Night: Bingo Bonanza, 6:30-8 p.m. Jan. 3, Community Kitchen, free for facility members

Family Movie Night, 6-8:15 p.m. Jan. 17, Gym 1, popcorn provided, participants welcome to bring other snacks or comfort items, free for facility members

Teen Service Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 18, location to be determined, [email protected]

Club Tyee, 3:45-4:45 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and

Thursdays, grades 6-8, free to Tyee Middle School students

Family Pickle Ball, 2-4 p.m. Sundays, Gym 2, free to facility members

Preschool Pool Play, 11 a.m. to noon, ages 5 and young-er, free to facility members

Tumbling-Mommy/

Daddy and Me, 10:45-11:30 a.m. Thursdays, ages 10 months to 3 years, $5/class for facility members, $9/class for program and community members

Zumbatomic, 4:45-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, ages 5-8, free

Students, neighbors and family mem-bers are invited to get a belly full of pan-cakes at Hazelwood Elementary School PTSA’s annual pancake breakfast Jan. 11.

The all-you-can-eat affair is from 8-11 a.m. and features mounds of pancakes, as well as sausage, fruit and beverages, all cooked by PTSA volunteers.

The pancake breakfast will again be held in conjunction with the school’s book fair, where signed copies of Newcastle resident Dana Sullivan’s book “Ozzie and the Art Contest” will be avail-able for purchase.

Representatives from Newcastle Pony Baseball and YMCA Kids University will also staff information booths at the event.

The event is open to the community. Children younger than 2 get in free, tick-ets for children 2-12 are $4 and everyone else can get a ticket for $5. Learn more at www.hazelwoodptsa.org.

I N T H E S P O T L I G H T

FileRichard Blakely (right) adds fresh pancakes for Jim Tintinger to deliver to volunteer servers at the annual Hazelwood pancake breakfast in 2012.

Hazelwood hosts annual pancake breakfast and book fair

March 2014

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

January 2014

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Events

Newcastle Boy Scout Christmas Tree pickup, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 4, place Christmas trees on curbs by 9 a.m., donations accepted in envelopes attached to trees, learn more at bit.ly/1h1OQ8j

Newcastle Chamber of Commerce monthly lunch, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 8, Tapatio Mexican Grill, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers, 206-618-5641. This month’s topic is “Discover treasure in Newcastle.” Regency Newcastle introduces two of its valuable residents to talk about their personal history. Their presenta-tions will be followed with an interactive question-and-answer segment. Paul Reynolds will also present tips and tools for prepar-ing for life in the senior years.

Chamber Networking Breakfast, featuring Thomas Parkinson, profes-sional business trainer and coach, presenting “Increase your sales & your influ-ence” personality sales training; 7:15-8:30 a.m. Jan. 22, Regency Newcastle, 7454 Newcastle Golf Club Road, free, 206-618-5641

Newcastle Chamber of Commerce After Hours Social, 6-7:15 p.m. Jan. 16, Tapatio Mexican Grill, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E., 206-618-5641

Public meetings

All city public meetings are at City Hall, 12835 Newcastle Way, Suite 200. Call 649-4444.

q City Council meeting — 7-8 p.m. Jan. 7

q Community Activity Commission meeting — 7-8 p.m. Jan. 8

q Economic and Community Development meeting— noon to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14 See CALENDAR, Page 11

• 401(k)/403(b) Rollovers

• IRAs/Roth IRAs/Sep IRAs

• Mutual Funds

• Fixed/Variable Annuities

• Long-Term Care Insurances

• Actively Managed Accounts

• Tax-Advantaged Products

• Funding for College Education

• Retirement Strategies

• Various kinds of Life Insurances

Laura Counsell, MBABranch Office Manager1800 NE 44th St., Ste 201

Renton, WA 98056 Direct: 206.396.3161 Office: 425.282.1988

Fax: 425.282.6328Email: [email protected]

Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. (TFA), Transamerica Financial Group Division - Member FINRA, SIPC, and Registered Investment Advisor. **An investor should consider the investment objectives, risk, and charges and expenses associated with municipal fund securities before investing. More Information about municipa l fund securities is available in the issuer’s official statement.Non-Securities products and services are not offered through TFA. World Financial Group, Inc. (WFG) is a financial services marketing company whose affiliates offer a broad array of financial products and services. Insurance products offered through World Financial Group Insurance Agency, Inc.(WFGIA). WFG, WFGIA and TFA are affiliated companies.

Your Dreams, Our Strategies ®

to facility members, first-come first-serve, Zumba for kids

Open Teen and Tween Basketball, 4-6 p.m. Fridays, free to facil-ity members

Open Teen and Tween Volleyball, 7:30-9:45 p.m. Thursdays, free to facility members, ages 14 and older

Coal Creek Crew Teen Dodgeball, 7-7:50 p.m. Tuesdays, Gym 1, free to facility members, grades 6-12

Teen Innertube Water Polo, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Saturdays, free to facility members, ages 11-16

Tae Kwon Do, for ages 5 and older, through March 28, $28-$54, call for age group times and dates

Swimming lessons, for ages 3 and older, $54, call for age group times and dates

Diabetes Prevention Program, for ages 18 and older, call for times or to sign up

Library events

The Newcastle Library is at 12901 Newcastle Way. The fol-lowing programs are offered the rest of the month:

‘Computer Class: One-on-One Assistance,’ 7-7:30 p.m. and 7:30-8 p.m., adults, Mondays

SHIBA Counseling, 10 a.m. Jan. 3, volunteers from Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisor will offer assistance in English and Chinese, reg-ister by calling 206-624-5633, ext. 4301

Young Toddler Story Time, 10:15-10:45 a.m. Jan. 6, 13 and 27, ages 12-24 months

Toddler Story Time, 11:30 a.m. to noon Jan. 6, 13 and 27, ages 2-3

Preschool Story Time, 11:30 a.m. to noon Jan. 8, 15, 22 and 29, ages 3-5

iCreate Computer Lab, 1 p.m. Jan. 11, create your own comics using the iLife suite on a MacBook, bring a flash drive to keep your creation

Teen Leadership Board, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 13, voice your opinions on programs and services you would like to see improved

Drop-In to Learn

about eBooks, 7 p.m. Jan. 15, 10 a.m. Jan. 31, bring your e-reader, tablet or phone to learn how to access eBooks through KCLS

Spanish Literature Reading Circle, 7 p.m. Jan. 16

Newcastle Book Group: ‘Snow Child: A Novel,’ by Eowyn Ivey, 7 p.m. Jan. 23

Clubs

East Shore Singles, a social group for single adults older than 45, spon-sors monthly activities and special events on the Eastside. New members are welcome. Call 270-3599 for a monthly bulletin go to www.meetup.com/easts-hore-singles.

The Society of Artists for Newcastle, an art organization, is seeking new members. Call 271-5822.

MOMS Club of Renton meets for play dates at parks and other locations. New activities are planned daily. This nonprofit, nonreligious organization provides daytime support for moms and their families. Call 260-3079.

Bridge players are wanted, evening or day-time. 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 891-8149.

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 dis-cusses 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.


Newcastle Chamber of Commerce

• Joining the Chamber was a great way for me to connect with and support other local business owners. The support our business receives is exceptional. The Chamber is very well connected with the businesses in the greater Newcastle area. I appreciate that the Chamber supports and connects businesses online with social media. The breakfast and lunch meetings have informative guest speakers and the after-hour social events are well received. – Chris Ware, Dolce Vita Salon and Nail Spa.

• Being a member of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce has increased our networking for our non-profit. We feel at home with the chamber. They are always welcoming and provide excellent networking opportunities to get involved in the community. We will always be a member of the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce! - Kailey Fiedler-Gohlke, MA, CRC. HERO House.

Why not the Newcastle Chamber? www.Newcastle-Chamber.org

Why Join the Newcastle Chamber?

Helping you preserve your legacy for those you love.

425-251-8880 425-251-8880Renton • BellevueRenton • Bellevue

www.bethmcdaniel.com • [email protected] www.bethmcdaniel.com • [email protected]

Beth A McDanielBeth A McDanielPrincipal Attorney Principal Attorney Newcastle ResidentNewcastle Resident

Serving residents of Serving residents of Newcastle since 2002Newcastle since 2002

Wills and Trusts • ProbateGuardianship • Elder Law

Professional Limited Liability Company

CalendarFrom Page 10 Bill Ptacek, longtime

director of the King County Library System, announced Dec. 19 that he would step down to take a similar position in Alberta, Canada.

Ptacek, who has led KCLS since 1989, will leave to become CEO of the Calgary Public Library on Feb. 1.

During his 25-year tenure, Ptacek’s vision for technology and collection management kept the library system in the fore-front of public libraries nationally.

Continual innovation, including upgrades to

computer-based data and materials handling systems, public computer access, and organiza-tional and library staffing models enabled the King County Library System to stay ahead of the curve and provide seamless service through both eco-nomic booms and down-turns, according to a news release from the library system.

Under his leadership, the KCLS experienced unprec-edented growth as King County’s population and economy expanded and local municipalities voted to join the library system.

Voter-approved capi-tal improvement bond measures (passed in 1988 and 2004) funded new, replacement and expand-ed libraries, adding nearly 515,000 square feet of library space, while annual circulation grew to more than 22 million items.

KCLS typically shares one of the top three spots for highest circulat-ing public library in the United States and leads

the U.S., Canada and Australia in e-book cir-culation. The KCLS was named Busiest Library in 2010 and Library Journal’s 2011 Library of the Year.

“I am lucky to have had a chance to be a part of this special organiza-tion and am confident that KCLS will continue to be the talk of the town in the library world. I will miss that, and all of you,” Ptacek wrote in an email to local Friends of the Library groups.

Julie Brand, director of community relations and marketing, will serve as interim director until a new director is hired.

County library system director steps down

Bill Ptacek

Certified Residential Specialists

CRS agents are committed to helping their clients and customers be successful in completing a home sale or purchase. Each CRS member has completed rigorous education and training.

CRS agents are among the top real estate agents in the nation. To learn more, visit www.crs.com.

Laurie AshbaughColdwell Banker Bain

Greater Eastside(425) 450-5287

Cindy HammanRE/MAX Integrity

Greater Eastside & Seattle(425) 442-4942

Steve HonnenColdwell Banker Bain

Greater Eastside & Sammamish(206) 819-6166

–Jerry Rippeteau, Associate Broker, CRSCRS Washington State Chapter

“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!”

Also try us at the CRS web sitewww.crs.com

Debbie KinsonWindermere


Bev ParsonsColdwell Banker Bain

Greater Eastside & Seattle(206) 972-0649

Kathy LeeColdwell Banker Bain


Barbara AndersenJohn L Scott

Greater Eastside (425) 392-1211

Paula Chambers Windermere

Eastside Listing Specialist (206) 234-1538

Cory Brandt RE/MAX Integrity

Eastside Community Specialist(206) 419-2679

Jeanne StilwellRE/MAX Integrity

Great Eastside and Seattle425-941-1063

SchoolsPAGE 12 JANUARY 3, 2014


A whole lot of fami-lies will eat well this holiday season, thanks to Maywood Middle School’s annual food drive benefit-ting Northwest Harvest.

Students took the chal-lenge seriously to bring in as much canned and non-perishable food as possi-ble, collecting about 3,500 pounds of donations.

One student in particu-lar, though, went above and beyond in his quest to bring needy families a dash of holiday cheer.

Sam Catherall, a Maywood eighth-grader, collected 576 pounds of food, accounting for about half of the nearly 1,200 pounds his first-period class accumulated.

“You see commercials on TV where there are these hungry families and I just want to help them,”

he said. “I get to eat every day. It’s kind of messed up that they don’t get to eat every day.”

Sam set an admittedly ambitious goal of amass-ing 500 pounds worth of food, but he easily sur-passed that, and he did it without any financial assistance from his par-ents.

It would have been easy, he said, to just have his parents buy the food for him, but he decided to take a more grassroots approach, soliciting dona-tions from neighbors, friends and strangers.

He received permission to stand outside the Sunset Way Albertsons on one of the busiest weekends of the year, just before Thanksgiving.

There, Sam handed out pieces of paper outlining his cause to shoppers as they entered the store.

When they left, they’d often hand him a bag of groceries to add to his col-lection.

One shopper gave Sam $50, which he quickly went in to spend on some canned food to add to his pile of donations.

Another shopper emerged from the store with a single package of sausage and two bags of groceries. He handed the filled bags to Sam, and proceeded to his car with just the sausage.

“It was really awesome to see people that were more than generous,” said Charlene Catherall, Sam’s mother. “Some people would just give us one can and say, ‘I’m sorry this is all I can give you,’ but every can counted, so it didn’t matter.”

They left the store after about three hours, but they could have stayed

much longer, thanks to the Albertsons patrons’ extreme generosity, Charlene Catherall said.

Sam also went door-to-door in his neighborhood asking for donations, and sent emails to friends and family.

When people gave money, instead of food, Sam saved the funds for a Costco shopping spree to add to his donation pile.

All in all, Sam surpassed his goal by more than 75 pounds, accumulating the most food in the school, and leading his class to first place in the school-wide competition for the top-collecting class.

“I’ve never had a kid do that kind of thing since I’ve been teaching here,” Hillary Nadell, Sam’s first-period teacher, said. “That took a lot of time on his

The Renton School District unveiled the lat-est designs of its future Newcastle middle school at a Dec. 5 open house.

One of the major changes made to the layout since the district’s July 18 Newcastle open house was the decision to move the bus drop-off to 116th Avenue Southeast. It was previously situated along Newcastle Way.

The two-story school designed by NAC Architecture will occupy the 11-acre site of the

Renton Academy, next to Hazelwood Elementary School.

The project remains on schedule, and the school is slated to open in fall 2016.

The project was made possible thanks to voter support of an April 2012 bond measure. The $97 million bond measure will fund the school, improve-ments to the Lindbergh High School pool and other construction costs.

The Renton Academy is at 6928 116th Ave. S.E.

Renton unveils new school designs

NAC ArchitectureDesigns for the future Newcastle middle school show an open plaza entrance with benches for seating, and lots of windows in the two-story building. Below, the school’s site plan shows how the architect envisions the layout of the school.

ContributedSam Catherall, a Maywood Middle School eighth-grader, stands among the 576 pounds of canned and nonperishable food he collected for his school’s annual food drive.

Maywood student goes above and beyond for a good cause

RentonCheuk-

Ning Li, a senior at Hazen High School, was selected as a Renton Rotary Club Youth of the Month for December.

She maintains a 3.72 grade point average and is involved in Key Club, STEM Club, Teen Cert, National Honor Society, East Hill String Lessons and the girls swim team.

Li has been named an Academic All Star, a Scholar Athlete, an Outstanding College Prep Scholar and an Advanced Placement Scholar with honors, and has received an orchestra varsity letter.

She volunteers with East Hill String Lessons, tutoring students who play the violin.

Li plans to enroll at the

University of Washington or a liberal arts college. She is undecided on a major and career path, but is excited to explore her options at college.

Jeff Wood, a social studies teacher at Hazen High School, was selected as a Renton Rotary Club Teacher of the Month for December.

Wood attended Pacific Lutheran University, where he earned a bach-elor’s degree in education.

He then enrolled at City University, where he obtained a master’s degree in curriculum and instruc-tion.

He spent a year teaching at Bethel High School before joining the Renton team. He has taught in the Renton

Rotary clubs honor top students, teachers

See ABOVE, Page 13

See HONORS, Page 13

Cheuk-Ning Li

Jeff Wood


School District for 22 years.

IssaquahJeremy Stroming (October)

q Liberty High School senior

q Recognition in science

q NASA Space Camp and Quarknet Cosmic Ray Workshop

q 3.99 grade point aver-age

q Rowing with the Sammamish Rowing Association

q Currently being courted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Emerson Collin (October)

q Liberty High School senior

q Recognition in math

q College plan is to major in math and actuarial science

q Washington All-State Marching Band

q 3.95 grade point average, eight Advanced Placement classes

q Key Club Student of the Year, 2012

Newcastle resident lands on dean’s list

Newcastle resident Justyn Jacobs was named to the Oregon State University fall term honor roll. Jacobs, a freshman, studies pre-environmental engineering and competes on the school’s women’s rowing team.

Issaquah board earns WSSDA honor

The Issaquah School Board was one of 15 enti-

ties in the state named as a Board of Distinction by the Washington State School Directors’ Association.

At the time of the award, Issaquah’s board was comprised of Brian Deagle, Marnie Maraldo, Alison Meryweather, Anne Moore and Suzanne Weaver. Lisa Callan has since been elected to Meryweather’s seat.

The annual Boards of Distinction program hon-ors school boards that demonstrate effective use of the Washington School Board Standards.

Grant help Renton music programs

Nearly 175 musical instruments were repaired for Renton School District students, thanks to a grant from the Randy Rockhill Foundation.

Through a generous grant of $14,000, students in all middle and high schools are now able to play trumpets, flutes, clari-nets, violins, cellos, flugel-horns and many other instruments that were repaired or refurbished in the past few months.

The Randy Rockhill Student Instrumental Music Fund, man-aged under the Renton Community Foundation, is named for the professional musician and longtime Renton High School music teacher. Contribute to the fund at http://bit.ly/JE6dhE.

Maywood musicians perform at state

The following Maywood Middle School students have received top honors by being selected to par-ticipate in the Washington School Music Educator’s Association Junior All-State bands, choirs and orchestra:

Halle Abel, Olivia Cole, Parker Coleman, Boyd Jarman, Abigail Peacock, Will Wick and Jessie Woldstad.

The groups will meet, rehearse and perform in Yakima on Feb. 15.

Sixteen Issaquah teachers earn board certification

Washington has the largest group of new national board certified teachers in the nation, and the Issaquah School District is among the state’s top 10 districts when it comes to adding high-quality teachers.

Issaquah added 16 new board-certified teach-ers, placing it ninth among the state’s 295 public school districts. Seattle led the state with 54 additions, followed by Highline, Spokane, Bellevue, Clover Park, Evergreen, Federal Way and Tacoma.

National board certifica-tion requires teachers to submit a four-part portfolio and a six-exercise teaching content and philosophy assessment. A national panel of peers reviews the 10 entries to determine whether the teacher meets board standards.

Newcastle Elementary School’s Trent Neugebauer and Apollo Elementary School’s Elizabeth Spencer were among the 16 teach-ers certified.

Hazen wins computer contest

Hazen High School stu-dents placed first at the Puget Sound Computer Teachers Association computer programming contest sponsored by Microsoft.

The three-hour com-puter programming skills competition measured stu-dent abilities in speed and accuracy of coding, prob-lem solving, teamwork and knowledge of computer programming language.

Hazen came out on top among nearly 250 stu-dents on 91 teams repre-senting 24 schools. Hazen sophomore Tiger Cao, who learned much of his computer coding skills in Hazen’s computer science class, placed first in his category.

part. I’m proud of him. I’m proud of the time he spent and the work he did.”

Nadell, a language arts and social studies teacher at the school, is no strang-er to the annual competi-tion. Her class consistently raises the most food in

the school, which this year came with a prize of doughnuts.

Sam said he credits Nadell with giving him the determination to collect as much food as he did.

“She’s the driving force behind it, because Sam came home from school inspired to collect food,” Charlene Catherall said of Nadell. “It’s the third year he’s been at this school and he’s never been this

motivated to do that.”The annual food drive

is a cause that Nadell said she ardently supports, in part because of the les-sons it imparts on her students.

“At the middle school level especially, their worlds, for the most part, are pretty small,” she said. “This is a way for them to realize that there are people other than just themselves.”

AboveFrom Page 12

HonorsFrom Page 10

Jeremy Stroming

Emerson Collin

SportsPAGE 14 JANUARY 3, 2014


Less than a year ago, Brigette and Kelsey Takeuchi, Sydney Hartford and Noah Pritchett roamed the halls at Maywood Middle School.

Fast forward to their first year at Liberty High School. Three of them have com-peted among the top ath-letes in the state, while the fourth has found a place on a varsity squad that rarely makes room for freshmen.

Liberty sports teams found a lot of success this fall, due in no small part to these budding stars.

Brigette and Kelsey Takeuchi — cross-country

Liberty coach Mike Smith knew of the tal-ented twins on Maywood’s cross-country team, he just didn’t know what sport they would choose in high school.

Luckily for him, the Takeuchis, of Newcastle, chose cross-country instead of soccer. They were integral parts of the Liberty team that finished sixth at state.

Brigette became the school’s first cross-country state medalist when she took fourth overall with a

time of 18 minutes, 31.79 seconds.

“It was really fun, because everyone supported each other no matter how they did,” Brigette said. “I also really like the course.”

It’s a good thing, too, because if the Takeuchis have their way, they’ve got three more visits to the state competition in their future.

Kelsey completed the state course in less than 20 minutes, putting her among the state’s top 30 runners in the 3A division.

High school cross-country is different than

anything she saw at Maywood, Kelsey admit-ted, but it’s a lot more rewarding.

“We used to think that our 2-mile runs were really long, but we don’t even do 2-mile runs anymore,” she said.

Smith said he’s excited about the girls’ potential.

“We look at increasing pace, mileage and leader-ship every year, so over the next couple of years, they’ll hopefully have pro-gressively faster times and serve as role models for the


The temperature couldn’t have been high-er than 32 degrees.

Puddles of water turned to ice outside the Newport Hills Swim and Tennis Club, and signs warned visitors to watch their step.

And yet there they were, a group of water polo enthusiasts practic-ing in the facility’s out-door pool as steam ema-nated from the water.

“It’s worth it because the game is really fun,” said Newcastle resident Jacob Hepp, 14, a mem-ber of the newly founded Northwest Water Polo

Club.While the swimmers

bobbed in a steamy heat-ed pool, the real troopers were their parents and coaches who stood freez-ing on the deck, watch-ing the athletes.

It’s the type of dedica-tion needed to excel in the sport, which is begin-ning to rise in popularity in the Northwest, pro-gram founder and coach John Jacobson said.

Competing among the water-polo elite requires going head to head with athletes from sunshine states where it’s


From the moment wres-tlers step onto the mat, a match becomes a one-on-one battle of skill between opponents.

It may seem like the ulti-mate individual sport as the athlete approaches the mat alone, but that couldn’t be farther from the case — just ask the Hazen High School wrestling team.

“We all need each other in this sport, even if it’s an individual sport,” said Hazen senior Jairo Barahona. “In the end, we all depend on each other.”

That sentiment rings even truer when one of

their own suffers a loss away from the gym, as head coach Rory Magana did when his father died of pancreatic cancer in 2011.

Since, the team has rallied to host its annual Taking Down Pancreatic Cancer dual meet benefit-ing the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

“He’s our coach, he’s like our father, so we all feel like we’re family,” Barahona said. “We all fight through to be able to get money so that those who are suffering don’t have to go through what people like Rory went through.”

The team will host its fourth event at Hazen High School Jan. 17, featuring the wrestling squads from Hazen, Highline and Oak Harbor, Magana’s alma mater. The

Highlanders are also look-ing to add one more team.

Last year’s event at Highline High School included a bake sale, raf-fles and the sale of T-shirts to raise funds for pancre-atic cancer research. This year, attendees should expect more of the same, Magana said, along with an evening of top-flight wrestling competition.

“It’s awesome. I love the fact that we’re doing something good for the community. It’s nice to do something good for people other than ourselves, rath-er than just focusing on wrestling and athletics,” Magana said.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It’s one of the few cancers for

which survival rates have not dramatically improved through the years, largely because detection tools to diagnose the disease in its infancy do not yet exist.

Magana’s father Rodney died just eight months after he was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer.

The Magana family has

Hazen wrestlers tackle pancreatic cancer

ContributedRory Magana (second from left), Hazen High School wrestling coach, stands with his wife Alyssa, mother Susie and brother Kyle at last year’s Taking Down Pancreatic Cancer event.

Highlanders host annual fundraiser

See CANCER, Page 15

Freshman phenoms take center stage

By Christina Corrales-ToyWater polo buddies (from left) Blair Voorhees, Peyton Thomas and Jacob Hepp brave freezing Nov. 21 temperatures to get a workout in at the Newport Hills Swim and Tennis Club’s outdoor pool.

Pool boysNew Northwest Water Polo Club features Newcastle residents

See FRESHMEN, Page 15

See POOL, Page 16

By Greg FarrarFreshmen varsity athletes (from left), swimmer Sydney Hartford, cross country runners and twin sisters Brigette and Kelsey Takeuchi and football player Noah Pritchett, stand by a poster in the Liberty High School commons proclaiming the motto of Patriot athletes and their student body fans, ‘We Are One.’

If you go

Hazen High School Taking Down Pancreatic Cancer dualq 6 p.m. Jan. 17q Hazen High Schoolq 1101 Hoquiam Ave. N.E., Renton


Changing the myth of scary dentistry,one smile at a time...

425-228-KIDS (5437)451 Duvall Ave NE, Ste. 140 Just minutes from Lake Boren Park

Keith E. McDonald, DMD

Certified, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Member American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

Anticavity Tip:Water consumption is the most effective way to slow cavity progression

in children because of its natural ability to reduce intraoral acidity and

cleanse the mouth. How much water is enough? As a general rule, the

amount of water your child should consume (ounces) a day is equal to

half their total body weight in pounds. Example: 28 pound child = 14

ounces or 2 cups; 46 pound child = 23 ounces or 3 cups. For more

information about how to keep your child’s mouth healthy, visit us online

at www.akidsplacedentistry.com

We Welcome New Patients!

other runners,” he said.Brigette, in particular,

has the talent to compete on a national stage, Smith said. He added that the Takeuchis’ work ethic and parental support separate them from the pack.

“How you do in cross country is based on how hard you work,” Brigette said. “So, if you put in a lot of hard work, then you will be more successful.”

Both girls said they hope to continue to drop times as their careers prog-ress, with the ultimate goal of running in col-lege at a place with warm weather, such as California or Hawaii.

Sydney Hartford — swimmingSydney Hartford, of

Newcastle, feels at ease in the pool.

“I love swimming because I’m actually more graceful in the water than I am walking or running,” she said.

There is no doubting Hartford’s prowess in the water, where she was a member of Liberty’s state-medalist 200 freestyle relay team. That team took fifth place and Hartford record-ed a season-best split.

Liberty coach Kris Daughters, who knows a thing or two about top freshman swimmers after the early successes of Mackenna Briggs, Lauryn Hepp and Ellie Hohensinner, said she was pleasantly surprised about Hartford’s contribution to the team.

“Sydney has competed on a club team for the past few years, so she comes with more experience

and endurance than most ninth-graders,” she said. “She is also very tall and lean, and that makes a dif-ference in swimming.”

Hartford admitted she was a little nervous join-ing the Patriots squad, but she was quickly welcomed by her teammates.

“I was blown away just by how much they accept-ed the freshmen into the group,” she said. “On the first day, I had multiple people walk up to me and introduce me to other people on the team.”

Hartford likely isn’t done growing, Daughters said, which helps in a sport where height is valuable.

“I loved seeing her get more confident this year,” Daughters said. “I’m not sure she knew she would have the impact she did when the season began.”

Hartford said she isn’t sure if she wants to purse swimming in college, but her goal is to make it to state in an individual.

Noah Pritchett — footballIt’s rare for a Liberty

freshman to crack the football team’s varsity roster, let alone start; if he does, he must be pretty special.

In coach Steve Valach’s 15 years at the school, he said he can count the number of freshmen to start on varsity on one hand. One of those is ninth-grader Noah Pritchett.

“Noah has size, strength and aggression,” Valach said. “He’s also a humble kid who’s willing to work hard and be coachable.”

Pritchett is a soft-spoken lineman, with an unrivaled determination and work ethic. He began training and watching film last year, hoping to make

varsity.“I went to the sum-

mer workouts and I would walk to Liberty if I couldn’t get a ride,” he said. “I’d also go in the weight room in my free time at home.”

When not at school or doing homework, he’s working out, even in the offseason, with an eye toward getting the chance to play in college.

Like most Liberty foot-ball players, Pritchett got his start in the Five Star football program. It was quite a leap, he admitted, from the youth leagues to KingCo.

“The game speed is a lot faster in high school football, but after a few games I got used to it,” he said. “I’m getting the hang of it.”

Valach said he’s eager to see how Pritchett devel-ops in the next few years, but he knows that effort will never be an issue for the freshman.

“Noah has tremendous potential, and I am excited to see how a year of varsity experience and an offseason in the weight room impacts his play on Friday nights,” he said. “Hard work in the weight room and game experience do so much for a player’s confidence.”

Pritchett is rather hum-ble about his lofty accom-plishment in seeing the field at such a young age, but more than anything, he said he is extremely grateful to Valach for giv-ing him the opportunity to play for the Patriots.

“I’m really fortunate to be able to play on this team and I’ll do anything I can to help the team,” he said. “I’m going to work out and just try to be the best lineman I can be going forward.”

worked tirelessly since to educate others about the disease, culminating with the annual tournament.

“We’re carrying our favorite sport over to a cause that’s greater than ourselves,” Magana said, “and that’s the most important thing.”

Highlanders show well at Hammerhead Invitational

The Hazen wres-tling team traveled to

the Kitsap Peninsula Dec. 20-21 to compete in the Hammerhead Invitational, where it had its best performance ever at the 40-team tourna-ment.

Malik Haythorne was the Highlanders’ top finisher, placing second in the 152-pound divi-sion. Haythorne upset the state’s fourth-ranked wrestler to make it to the finals.

Hazen’s Zach Moore (138) and Barahona (182) each placed fifth in the tournament that featured teams from Washington

and Oregon.“Overall, the team

performed well and beat out a few tough pro-grams in the team stand-ings,” Magana wrote in an email. “Our team has started to become a strong tournament team, which is something new to us.”

Things are indeed looking up for Hazen, which wasn’t the case at the beginning of the year when they found out they lost some key return-ing players to injuries and academic issues, Magana said.

FreshmenFrom Page 14

CancerFrom Page 14


Prsrt Std U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Kent, WA

Permit No. 71

ECRWSSPOSTAL CUSTOMER

Renton: 4750 Lake Washington Blvd. NE Bellevue: 2223 148th Ave NE

425-226-7052

Remember what breakfast used to cost?

still does!

2 Bloody Mary’s or Mimosas - only $6

Happy Hour Appetizers 3-8pm & 10pm-midnightWell Drinks only $3.25 only with this ad

HOBBIT HOLE

BREAKFAST

SPECIAL MENU & AARP DISCOUNTS55+ menu and great discounts for AARP membersDenny’s offers an exclusive menu for 55+ customers with great deals and nutritious options that are sure to satisfy your appetite. Plus AARP members receive special daily savings for themselves and their guests.*

*Restrictions may apply. Offers are valid at participating locations only. Offers are subject to change and lay vary by location. Go to AARP.org

Visit our website www.MyNewcastleHouseValue.comwww.MyNewcastleHouseValue.comdesigned to help you follow the activity of house sales in your neighborhood. This is current and accurate informationdirect from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Selling or buying – I’m here to help!

(425)444.SALE(7253)

www.julievaron.com

Experience Integrity Results

For all your real estate needs call...

What is your home worth?

home services

a year-round sport. So, the Northwest Polo Club ath-letes will practice through a little rain and a crisp chill; the only thing that gets them out of the pool is thunder and lightning, he said.

“We want to expose our kids to a higher level of water polo,” Jacobson said. “Then, we really hope our kids stick with it and get them into college. I know that’s one of the things I did.”

Jacobson played the sport at Mercer Island High School before continu-ing his career at Whittier College in Southern California. From there, he served as a graduate assis-tant coach at California Lutheran University.

Most of the kids found the sport through their swim teams. They enjoyed the fitness of the sport, but sought an outlet from the monotony of it, Jacobson said.

Water polo is nothing if not exciting, he said. It combines the physicality of football with the finesse of swimming, all in a soc-cer-type setup.

“I love the water, so I tried it and fell in love with it,” said Newcastle resident Peyton Thomas, 12. “It’s just more fun and more interactive than most sports.”

It’s also safer than most contact sports, Jacobson

said. “It’s every sport put into

one,” he said. “A lot of kids and a lot of parents like contact sports, but injuries are a big part of that, and water polo is low impact. You don’t have a lot of concussions or torn ACLs.”

The goal with the bur-geoning club is to give ath-letes a year-round option to play water polo, while coaching them to compete at a national level and trav-el to both local and out-of-state tournaments.

A big part of that is Jacobson, who Lynne Hepp, Jacob’s mother, lauded as an excellent coach.

“Jacob has played a lot of sports and he said, by far, John is the best coach he’s ever had,” she said. “He’s a good balance between fun and one-on-one serious training. That’s a good combination.”

The club practices in Newport Hills and Seattle’s Medgar Evers Pool. Its winter session will con-clude in mid February,

before a short break until the spring session starts.

It offers a variety of mem-bership options from drop-in rates, to a once-a-week practice schedule. Free trials are also available, so athletes can, literally, get their feet wet. The club, which offers teams for athletes ages 10 through 18, operates on open enrollment, so swim-mers can join at any time during a session.

PoolFrom Page 14

By Christina Corrales-ToyNewcastle residents Peyton Thomas (left) and Jacob Hepp (right) practice throwing and catching the ball at a water polo practice

On the Web

Learn more about the Northwest Water Polo Club at www.northwestwa-terpoloclub.com.

newcastlenews012014

Documents

silversneakers classes

silversneakers programs

silversneakers participants

senior programs

silversneakers members

final city council meeting

police blotter page

pat detmer page