Newcastlenews8 13

By Sara Jean GreenSeattle Times reporter

Fingerprints found on a discarded water bottle led police to arrest two men on Monday who had been dubbed the “Big Top Bandits” in connection with a series of take-over style bank robberies, according to a probable-cause statement outlining the police case against the men.

King County District Court Judge Mark Chow on Tuesday set bail at $1 million for

Jeffrey Pool, 48, a Texas fugitive who fled to the Seattle area after committing armed robberies in that state. Chow ordered Pool to be held on investigation of five counts of first-degree rob-bery and on a fugitive warrant from Texas.

Pool’s alleged accomplice, Luther Ray Leonard, 23, was ordered held on one count of investigation of first-degree robbery, with Chow setting his bail at $100,000. Leonard is a former University of Washington foot-ball player, according to the probable-cause statement.

Leonard’s girlfriend, Thidu Duch, spoke on his behalf, telling the judge Leonard was

Liberty grad Tim Lincecum pitches first

career no hitterPage 15

Newcastle illustrator

publishes his first bookPage 12

Meet the police National Night Out returns Aug. 6.

Page 3

Police blotter Page 6

Pat Detmer Page 8

Gardening gurus Newcastle Fruit & Produce sprouts ideas.

Page 9

Walk this way Hikers get sneak peek of the city’s new trail.

Page 14

Contact us: [email protected]

392-6434, ext. 239

AUGUST 2, 2013 VOL. 15, NO. 8

50 ¢

You should know

The Concerts in the Park series continues into August. Geoffrey Castle will perform Aug. 7 and Shaggy Sweet performs Aug 14. Shows start at 7 p.m. at Lake Boren Park.

Former Husky named bank robbery suspectPrints from discarded water bottle leads to arrest of Luther Leonard

Contributed

A suspect robs the Newcastle KeyBank branch at gunpoint Jan. 16.See ROBBERY, Page 5

By Christina Corrales-Toy

Newcastle will celebrate its 19th year as an incorporated city Sept. 7 with the annual Newcastle Days festival.

The daylong event held at Lake Boren Park will look decidedly different, though. The car show and a large portion of the vendor tents from last year’s festival have been scrapped.

The freed up space will be replaced by an array of attractions from entertainment sup-plier Clowns Unlimited, including an obsta-cle course, a climbing wall and a swing chair ride, according to Newcastle Days organizers Diane Lewis and Mayor Rich Crispo.

“Rich and I had heard from people that they thought a lot of Newcastle Days was boring, and we wanted to have something that will bring more people in,” Lewis said.

The Clowns Unlimited attractions will be in a pay-for-play area, requiring admission to participate. The toddler-centric bouncy house and pony rides will still be free.

Newcastle Days lineup takes shape


The Renton School District and NAC Architecture released initial designs for a future middle school in Newcastle at a July 18 open house, giving locals a first glance at the plans for a two-story building.

The school will occupy the 11-acre site of the Renton Academy, next to Hazelwood Elementary School. Middle

school sites normally sit on a space of about 15 acres, so it was up to the architects to get cre-ative with the design, said Steve Shriver, the project manager with NAC Architecture, based in Seattle.

“I think the largest challenge we have is the size of the site,” he said. “We had to design a building that was as compact as possible.”

The result was a two-story

building with upper mezzanines and a central common area. Most importantly, however, the construction of the new middle school will not affect the popu-lar east baseball fields.

“The most commonly asked question that we had today was what are we going to do with the fields,” Shriver said. “People were excited to know that the existing fields will remain and will be improved as part of the

project.”A major feature of the school

will be its transparency, com-plete with windows in every classroom, Shriver said.

“Virtually every occupied room in the building has views to the exterior,” he said. “There are no interior classrooms.”

Instead of walls, the school will utilize a lot of glass, provid-

Renton unveils new middle school designsSee FESTIVAL, Page 5

See DESIGNS, Page 7

Photos by Greg Farrar

Having a blastAbove, children gleefully enjoy spin-ning on a playground toy in Lake Boren Park July 24 during the evening of family picnicking at the Newcastle Concerts in the Park featuring the music of the Randy Oxford Band. Oxford (left), inflates his cheeks to wail on the trombone with bandmates on soul, funk and blues tunes. Find more photos from the evening’s activ-ities at www.newcastle-news.com.

PAGE 2 Newcastle News AUGUST 2, 2013

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Courtesy of JoAnne Matsumura, private collection

The Pacific Coast Coal Co. invited the Seattle PTA to tour the Newcastle mine operations in 1925. This photo appeared in the compa-ny’s weekly bulletin June 11, 1925. This is the cutline that ran with the photo:

‘Precautions taken to safeguard the lives of men working underground were explained by B. F. Snook. He is here shown telling the visiting parents and teachers from Seattle just how the Gibbs oxygen apparatus is employed by the Mine Rescue Teams. Warren Roderick, wearing the apparatus, is the captain of the Newcastle team. Snook was the captain of a Pacific Coast Coal team which won third prize at an international contest held in Salt Lake City three years ago.’

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

AUGUST 2, 2013 Newcastle News PAGE 3

Back tracking:an ongoing series about the

history of Newcastle

By Imelda DulcichNewcastle Chamber executive director

Cornerstone Dance Studio owner and director Lea Lo inspires dedica-tion, pursuit of excellence and passion for the arts in Newcastle’s youth.

More than 40 stu-dents from Newcastle, plus many more from Renton, Bellevue and other areas receive excep-tional class instruction from expert instruc-tors at Cornerstone. Cornerstone’s exhibition and competition teams have won nearly 100 awards this year in local dance competitions.

They amaze and delight the community with annual Nutcracker ballets, spring shows and participation in local events such as Newcastle Days, Newport Hills Fourth of July celebra-tion and Seattle Center’s Winterfest.

“Cornerstone fuels not

only passion for music, dance and the arts, but inspires self-confidence in kids, which is price-less,” Christina Mason, Newcastle Diamond Awards chairwoman, said. “Our kids have grown and blossomed as community members and become comfortable with people they don’t know, as they learn to be a group and a family at Cornerstone.”

Lo, an Expedia employ-ee and former Seattle Supersonics dancer, is a

Newcastle chamber busi-ness member. Her con-nections to the dance community bring expert instruction and choreog-raphy through teachers like Lynelle Vandenboss and Jermoeskee, of the Massive Monkees.

The inspiration, leader-ship, dedication and tire-less contributions of Lo and Cornerstone provide tremendous support and joy to the community.

Learn more about the Nov. 13 Diamond Awards at http://bit.ly/166dMSN.

Lea Lo nominated for education awardNewcastle Diamond Awards 2013Nomination for Education: Lea Lo, Cornerstone Dance Studio

The Newcastle Diamond Award in Education: An individual whose personal interest and enthu-siasm affects the education, enrich-ment and development of our greater Newcastle area students and their advocates.

Lea Lo


Newcastle will join cit-ies across the country in celebrating the 30th anni-versary of National Night Out Aug. 6

The event aims to heighten crime preven-tion awareness, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community part-nerships, and send a mes-sage to criminals about neighborhoods organized against criminal activity.

National Night Out is celebrated with neigh-borhood block parties, often visited by local law enforcement.

The Olympus neighbor-hood will host a block party from 5-9 p.m. Aug. 6, though setup begins at 4:30 p.m. The party will be at 128th Avenue Southeast near the intersection of Southeast 80th Way.

During the gathering, 128th Avenue Southeast will be barricaded at the intersection of Southeast 80th Way.

The Olympus Homeowners Association will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, meatless patties, buns, condiments, uten-sils, plates and napkins. Neighbors are encouraged to bring chairs, their own drinks and a side dish or dessert.

Last year, Olympus used the event to celebrate its 25th anniversary, and the plan is to continue that historical theme. Neighbors are asked to share photos of their house being built and to partake in some neighborhood trivia.

Email photos to [email protected], or bring them to the event.

Police will visit the party and kid-friendly activities, such as sidewalk chalk drawing, will be provided.

The Donegal Park neighborhood event begins at 5:30 p.m. at Donegal Park, 7319 125th

Ave. S.E.Neighbors are encour-

aged to bring food for grill-ing, lawn chairs and camer-as. A grill will be available.

Register your neighbor-hood for a visit from local police and city officials by emailing Newcastle Police Department officer Kathy Decker at [email protected]. In the email, provide the location of the gathering, the estimated number of attendees and an event

National Night Out returns Aug. 6Wanted

Newcastle News wants to see your photos from National Night Out. Email your contact information and photos or video to [email protected], or contact the newspaper on Twitter at www.twitter.com/new-castlenewswa or Facebook at www.facebook.com/newcastlenewswa.

We may feature your photos in an upcoming issue or on one of our social media platforms.

time frame.National Night Out

first began in 1984, when 2.5 million people par-

ticipated in more than 400 communities and 20 states. Today, the event is celebrated by 37 million

people in 15,000 commu-nities.

Learn more at www.nationalnightout.org.

OpinionPAGE 4 AUGUST 2, 2013

Volunteers need to step up

Editorial Letters

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

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

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

What should be the mascot of the future middle school in Newcastle?

A. Minersb. Bobcatsc. Cougarsd. Pioneerse. Other

Vote at www.newcastle-news.com.

Poll question

Thanks, Regency Newcastle, for your kindness

We enjoyed the article in the July 5 Newcastle News about Regency’s Paul Reynolds, and would like to give a shout-out to Regency Newcastle. For years, they’ve been a gracious host for Newcastle Trails’ monthly board meetings (usually the first Monday — www.NewcastleTrails.org), adapting to postponements, and always friendly and accommodating.

Garry Kampen, Newcastle Trails president

Peggy Price, treasurer and trail designer

Please, people, clean up after your dogs

My husband and I were excit-ed to recently adopt a dog from the Seattle Humane Society. We love our little Tico and are doing all we can to provide him the best forever home possible. We enjoy taking him on walks and watching him explore the neigh-borhood.

Unfortunately, along our regular route of 116th Avenue Southeast and beyond, we see daily evidence of dog owners

not picking up after their dogs. It is disturbing to see this lack of courtesy in our community. Not only is dog poop unsightly, but it is also a health hazard to other dogs and humans, and it burdens the environment with harmful bacteria that contami-nates the ground and water-ways.

All pet supply stores sell poop bags. They are inexpensive and easy to use. There is no excuse for not cleaning up after your dog. Show respect for our com-munity, its pets and the envi-ronment. Pick up your poop!

Beatriz P. WallaceNewcastle

CNN Money Magazine selected Newcastle as the 18th best place to live in the nation in 2011, highlighting, in particular, the city’s culture of volunteerism.

“The volunteer spirit is alive and well in this former coal-mining town,” wrote the magazine. “Despite seri-ous budget cuts that threatened the city’s summer 2011 events, local businesses and citizens offered time and cash to keep the community’s concerts and fireworks afloat.”

Fast-forward two years and the picture is a bit differ-ent. Sure, Concerts in the Park is still going strong, and Newcastle Days will continue as usual, but it is getting harder and harder for organizers to attract volunteers.

“Last year, we did have about 125 volunteers that worked within the city of Newcastle,” Mayor Rich Crispo said at an April council meeting. “But it has been difficult at the beginning of this year to find volunteers for events.”

There is no better time than the present to step up, Newcastle. Newcastle Days and the Newcastle 5K Run/Walk for Education need you to lend a hand.

The annual festival, set for Sept. 7, and the race, set for Sept. 8, could use any willing volunteers. Whether it is set-ting up booths, directing parking or handing out water to runners, no one who wants to help will be turned away.

These events are a fun way to get involved in your community. Not only will you assist in the making of lifelong memories for you, your kids and your neighbors, but in the case of the race, you are helping Newcastle stu-dents achieve their dream of attending college.

Newcastle’s willing abundance of volunteers is one of the qualities that made the city special. Don’t let that tra-dition fall by the wayside.

Call the city at 649-4444 to volunteer with Newcastle Days, and email Patricia Ramos at [email protected] to get involved with the Newcastle 5K Run/Walk for Education.

I cannot believe it is true, but on Aug. 6, I will celebrate my one-year anniversary with Newcastle News.

It seems like just yesterday that I had my first hot choco-late at Sweet Decadence, and now I can’t get enough.

I still remember the nerves I had as I walked into my first Newcastle City Council meet-ing, but now, I look forward to spending every other Tuesday evening with Rich Crispo, Lisa Jensen, Carol Simpson, John Dulcich, Steve Buri, Gordon Bisset and Bill Erxleben.

I will never forget the first time I visited The Golf Club at Newcastle and took in that breathtak-ing view. That will never get old.

It has been a privilege to get to know the Newcastle community, and along the way, I have learned that this city is a pretty special place, all because of the people.

Newcastle is Italene Gaddis, the local musician who, at 87, is still using her autoharp to spread positive messages.

Newcastle is Milt Swanson, the man who knows more about the city’s history than anyone else, because he lived it.

Newcastle is Dennis Yarnell, the late Newcastle Shell owner, who treated every customer like he or she was the most important one.

Newcastle is Katie Tinnea, the late Newcastle Elementary School teacher who inspired a com-munity as she fought colon cancer.

Newcastle is officer Mark Sigurdson and Chief Melinda Irvine, who went above and beyond to care for two scared, young children as their dad was going through a health crisis in November.

Newcastle is a community that understands the sacrifice of its veterans, taking time to offer them a drink at the annual Newcastle USO Happy Hour.

This city is special because you make it that way. Thank you for letting me tell your stories.

A year gone by

Christina Corrales-Toy

Notes from Newcastle

Public MeetingsFrom sidewalk installation

projects to snow removal to property tax collection, deci-sions made by officials at a local level have the potential to impact your daily life. Get involved. Provide feedback. Make a difference.

Let leaders know what’s on your mind to shape a better

Newcastle at these August meet-ings:

q The City Council will have a regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at City Hall, 12835 Newcastle Way, Suite 200.

q The Community Activities Commission is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Aug. 15 at City Hall.

q The City Council’s Economic and Community Development committee will meet at 8 a.m. Aug. 13 at City Hall.

q The City Council’s Finance committee will meet at 12 p.m. Aug. 22.

q The Planning Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Aug. 21 at City Hall.

The emphasis of the 2013 event is on activities, Crispo said, hearkening back to the 1800s, when the old town of Newcastle used to gather for its annual Fourth of July celebration.

“It was about games, it was about eating, it was about being together and celebrating who we are,” he said. “We’re trying to get back to that.”

With fewer vendor booths, there will also be more space to offer games such as a balloon toss or a three-legged race, Lewis said. There are a limited number of vendor booths avail-able, so first priority will go to Newcastle Chamber of Commerce members.

Another new feature this year is a 3-on-3 bas-ketball tournament. A fee of $15 per team is required for entry. The cost goes up to $18 after Aug. 15. All registrations must be turned in to City Hall by Aug. 30. An online appli-cation is available on the city’s website at www.ci.newcastle.wa.us.

The celebration will still include old favor-ites, including displays from Newcastle Trails and the Newcastle Historical Society, as well as tours of the Newcastle Cemetery.

Four music acts will per-form at the festival, includ-ing headliner Alan White,

a Newcastle resident and drummer from the band Yes. Hairstorm, Seatown Rhythm Players and Blues and the Ricky Venture Revue will also perform.

The festival will include food vendors selling every-thing from kettle corn to pizza.

In the past, Newcastle Days was coordinated by a separate volunteer com-mittee, but this year, much of the work was done by the city’s Community Activities Commission.

Volunteers are still needed to help coordinate parking and setup. Call the city at 649-4444 to get involved.

The 2013 event is sponsored by Regency

Newcastle, Waste Management, the Animal Hospital of Newport Hills, Valley Medical Center and The Golf Club at Newcastle.

Look for maps, articles and schedule information for this year’s event in the 2012 Newcastle Days guide in the September edition of Newcastle News.


a coach at Juanita High School and runs a football camp for kids. He also played football at Evergreen High School.

“He’s never been in trou-ble, he went to the UW and he doesn’t have a bad bone in his body,” she said.

But Chow was still trou-bled by the seriousness of the allegations against Leonard, saying “there are cameras, he confessed to it … he had what appeared to be a weapon and pointed it at custom-ers and tellers.” Leonard was allegedly armed with a realistic-looking BB gun, according to the probable-cause statement.

Pool’s sister also addressed the judge in an effort to convince him to release Pool or lower his bail, saying her brother had a tough childhood

and grew up without a father. Chow responded that he knows plenty of single mothers whose chil-dren have not gone on to commit violent crimes.

On July 1, two men entered the Bank of America branch in Newcastle, pointed guns at customers and tellers, and “performed a take-over-style robbery of the bank,” fleeing with an estimated $47,000, accord-ing to the statement of probable cause.

Surveillance cameras at the bank and nearby busi-nesses captured footage of the men, which showed them tossing a plastic water bottle away prior to the robbery, which detectives later found, the statement says. Two sets of fingerprints were lifted from the bottle and posi-tively matched to Pool and Leonard, it says.

On Monday, police exe-cuted a search warrant at the house the men share in Renton, arresting both of them, the statement says.

A BB gun allegedly used by Leonard was found inside the residence, and a loaded 9 mm handgun was found in Pool’s room, it says.

Pool is also accused of committing four other armed bank robberies:

q Jan. 16 at the KeyBank in Newcastle

q Feb. 28 at a KeyBank branch on Rainier Avenue South in Seattle

q May 22 at the Washington Federal Bank on Rainier Avenue South in Seattle. One suspect fired a shot inside the bank, according to police.

q June 8 at the Sterling Savings Bank in Burien, where a bank teller was struck in the face by a sus-pect.

The FBI dubbed the men the “Big Top Bandits” because of their clothing, especially a variety of hats worn during each of the robberies.

Sara Jean Green: 206-515-5654 or [email protected]

RobberyFrom Page 1

If you go

Newcastle Daysq 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 7q Lake Boren Parkq 13058 S.E. 84th Wayq Call the city at 649-4444 to volunteer or reserve a vendor booth.

FestivalFrom Page 1

Peeping photographer

An unknown male knocked on the door of a house in the 15500 block of Southeast 79th Place June 30 and said he was hired to fix cracks on the exterior of the house. The home-owner did not hire the man to do anything and asked him to leave. Before the man left in a black SUV, he took several photos of the house. The homeowner was advised to contact the police if the subject returned.

Sound the alarmAn unknown suspect

entered a home in the 8500 block of 135th Avenue Southeast July 1, but was startled when an audible security alarm went off, and he ran away. The suspect pried open a window screen causing $60 in damage, but left before taking anything.

Party over herePolice responded to

reports of a party occur-

ring at a vacant, for sale home in the 11300 block of Southeast 77th Place July 5. There were no signs of forced entry.

Slow downPolice responded to a

complaint of speeding vehicles on Newcastle Golf Club Road between Coal Creek Parkway and 155th Avenue Southeast July 17. The report-ing party said vehicles speed along the stretch of road at all hours of the day.

License, and registration, please

An unknown suspect stole a registration, insur-ance and lease agree-ment from a vehicle in the Walkers Run Condominiums parking lot, 7453 Newcastle Golf Club Road, July 20.

Copper thiefPolice responded to a

report of a copper wire theft July 22 at Liberty High School, 16655 S.E. 136th St., Renton. The suspect(s) entered the construction area and cut and removed copper wire from the 500 wing of the school.



State Rep. Marcie Maxwell announced her resignation from elected office July 9 to accept a position with the state’s Legislative Affairs and Policy Office.

Maxwell will join the state office as the senior education policy adviser.

“I’ve been honored to serve the people of the 41st District in South and East King County, and believe that my new posi-tion in the governor’s office will continue my work on their priorities for our state,” Maxwell said in a statement.

Maxwell, a Renton Democrat, brings a back-ground in education poli-cy and funding to the new leadership role focusing on K-12, early learning and higher education policy in the state.

She has served the 41st Legislative District since 2009. Her district includes the communities of Mercer Island, Newcastle,

Beaux Arts, and parts of Bellevue, Sammamish, Issaquah and Renton.

Maxwell previously served eight years on the Renton School Board. She is a Realtor and small busi-ness owner active in local chambers and rotaries.

While supporters said they are sad to see her leave the 41st District position, they are excited she gets the opportunity to con-tinue her work with educa-tion policy in the gover-nor’s office, 41st District Democrats Chairwoman Karol Brown said.

“Marcie Maxwell has been an extraordinary legislator,” Brown said. “She cares passionately about education. It’s some-thing that she just knows backwards and forwards and inside and out, and that kind of knowledge is incredible.”

The King County

Council will appoint Maxwell’s successor from a pool of three nomina-tions selected by the 41st District Democrats. Per state law, her replacement must come from the same legislative district and political party.

The names of the top three vote getters, as voted by the 41st District pre-cinct committee officers Aug. 21, will then be sub-mitted to the King County Council, which will make the final decision.

While in the Legislature, Maxwell

was on the House Education Committee, Appropriations Committee, Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Rules Committee, and the Technology and Economic Development Committee.

She co-chaired the Quality Education Council and was on the Joint Legislative Task Force on Education Funding. Maxwell served in House leadership as the Deputy Majority Leader for Education and Opportunity.

Newcastle’s Rep. Marcie Maxwell takes position with state office

Marcie Maxwell

What to know

41st Legislative District vacancyq Interested candidates must submit a questionnaire, at www.kcdems.org/candi-dates, to Karol Brown at [email protected] by Aug. 7 to be eligible for the candidate forum.q The candidate forum is at

7 p.m. Aug. 14 at the KCLS Service Center, 960 Newport Way N.W., Issaquah.q Precinct committee officers will vote for the preferred candidates at the group’s Aug. 21 meeting, from 7-9 p.m., at the East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 S.E. 32nd St., Bellevue.q Learn more at www.41dems.org.

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By Peter Clark

Ballots for the August primary are due Aug. 6 and the only local King County Council seat up for election represents District 9.

Reagan Dunn seeks his third four-year term in the large district that spans Bellevue, Newcastle, Renton and surrounds Issaquah to the south. He is a former federal prosecutor and attorney in civil practice.

According to his state-ment in the county voters’ pamphlet, he has “worked to keep county govern-ment’s spending in check and your taxes low while working hard to protect our environment and public health services.” Additionally, he said he focused on prioritizing government spending so critical emergency services and road maintenance are properly funded.

His statement says he has received the endorse-ment of all eight nonparti-san mayors of the cities he represents. His website is

www.reagandunn.com.Shari Song is running

against Dunn. A manag-ing broker with Prudential NW Realty Associates in Bellevue, Song has been elected president of three community organizations and founded the Mission Church Preschool learning and education center.

“On the council, I will work full-time to focus on attracting living wage jobs, reducing gridlock on our roads and protecting our quality of life,” Song said in her statement. “I believe in putting people first, not politics.”

She received endorse-ments from Congressman Adam Smith, State Senators Bob Hasegawa and Karen Keiser, Representatives Marcie Maxwell and Steve Bergquist, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland, The King County Democrats, King County Labor Council, National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington and EMILY’s List. Her website is www.votesharisong.com.

Finally, Kristina

Macomber will also be on the ballot in the pri-mary. The Black Diamond resident is looking to bring a responsible, family-oriented direction to the council.

“I am running for King County Council because I believe county govern-ment needs a mom with common sense values,” her statement reads. “We need greater access to pub-lic transportation and we deserve a council member who works for fairer access to services for residents.”

She declared herself as the “only Democratic candidate in this race” and said she is running to cre-ate a “fairer tax system,” protect our environment and improve public trans-portation.

“It’s time we send a problem-solving mom to the County Council,” she said. Her website is www.kristinaforcouncil.us.

The two candidates who receive the most votes Aug. 6 will go on to run in the Nov. 5 general election in November.

Three candidates compete for ninth district county seat ing clear sightlines for

students and staff.“That improves security

and reduces bullying in the building because staff can observe the circula-tion corridor areas in the building from within the classroom,” Shriver said.

The district’s fourth middle school comes at an important time, given that Renton’s middle schools are among the largest in the state.

Enrollment at McKnight, Nelsen and Dimmitt middle schools were well above Washington’s state average of 609 students in 2011. McKnight and Nelsen each had more than 1,000 stu-dents, while Dimmitt had about 950 for the 2011-2012 school year.

“They’re overcrowded to the point where the district isn’t able to deliver the middle school curriculum that we want to, so when this school opens, everything evens out,” said Stewart Shusterman, the district’s facilities project manager.

Councilman Gordon Bisset was one of two

Newcastle City Council members who attended the open house, and while he said he appre-ciated the design, he had concerns about the increased traffic the school will cause.

“I just have questions about how we’re going to handle the traffic and make sure that Newcastle Way functions,” he said.

Councilwoman Carol Simpson, who was part of the steering committee that offered input into the schematic designs, said it was about time that the city got its own middle school.

“To have the students right here in our com-munity and be so close to home, is just going to make Newcastle the fam-ily place that we enjoy,” she said.

The schematic designs

are just the first step in the design process, offer-ing a general picture of the floor plan and area. NAC Architecture will now delve into the design development phase, which adds sig-nificantly more detail, accounting for furniture, finishes and classroom equipment.

Demolition of Renton Academy is set to begin in June 2014, while con-struction will start in March 2015. The middle school is slated to open in fall 2016.

The $46 million proj-ect was made possible thanks to voter support of an April 2012 bond measure. The $97 million bond measure will fund the school, improvements to the Lindbergh High School pool and other construction costs.

DesignsFrom Page 1

NAC Architecture

Initial designs for the middle school’s main entry show the architect’s vision of transparency, utilizing glass to allow natural sunlight.

my underpants. My favorite catalog

entry ever was art-based:“The Scream. By Edward

Munch. Sculpture.Sized for credenza or

desktop, this robustly dramatic exclusive makes art comes to life and adds an element of fun to you own desktop col-lection.”

Exactly what Edward Munch had in mind when he created it, I’m sure. And also exactly what I look like when I come around a corner to see a security line that stretches beyond my ability to comprehend.

You can reach Pat Detmer — who hopes to be voted Reunion Homecoming Queen — at [email protected].

We’ll be head-ing back to the Midwest around Labor

Day so that we can attend my 45th high school reunion. As a precau-tion, we’re reacquainting ourselves with correctly answering the raft of pre-flight questions they throw you when you check in.

We thought it was time for a review due to the fact that my sister Susie recently became a security threat. At work and doing at least a dozen other things at the same time, she decided to check in for her flight online. She breezed through the questions without much thought, and when the page came up asking if she’d packed any guns, explosives or sharp objects, she checked “Yes.” As if any-one who’s packing that kind of stuff would reveal it!

But let me warn you: Once you’ve checked “Yes” to a question like

that, hit-ting the “Back” but-ton will do you about as much good as lying about your weight and age when you program an ellipti-cal machine at the Y. Luckily my sister is a frequent flier, but it still took special time and effort before she was allowed to board with her heavy, weapon-laden suitcase.

There are other, more germane things that I wish they would ask in their quest to keep us safe, things like: “Did your husband consume a large Mexican meal last night containing unidentifi-able, esoteric ingredients that he’s never consumed before in spite of your multiple suggestions that he might think twice

about it?” I fly enough to know what cabin pressure can do to a body, and I also know a weapon of mass destruction when I see one.

Once on board, I love perusing the in-flight catalogs that feature items that I didn’t know I needed but now wonder if I can ever live with-out: golf ball-finding eyeglasses, portable hand-held fish-finders, fake plastic boulders for hiding your house keys, CD shredders and a tiny 4-liter “Portable Washing Machine.”

I have a hard time wrapping my head around the notion of packing a washing machine for a trip, but I guess that it might be an attractive option if there’s no room service, no laundromats and no nearby streams with smooth rocks for clothes-pounding. It’s described as “Big enough to wash — in one load — a shirt, slacks, shorts and a pair of socks.” That, or one of


Pat Detmer

The joy of flightLaughing all the way

Several Newcastle residents will perform in Youth Theatre Northwest’s production of “Shrek the Musical” in August.

The musical, based on the award-winning movie, tells the tale of Shrek, the surly ogre who rescues a feisty princess.

Newcastle’s Madeline Dalton, 14, will star as Princess Fiona, while Maya Paletta, 11, stars as Lord Farquaad.

Locals Shelley Dean, 13, and Kai Dalton, 7, are ensemble members. Jesse Dean, Evan Ingalls, Jake Paletta, Matt Dalton and

Kelly Paletta will play in the orchestra.

Performances run from Aug. 8-23 at Youth Theatre Northwest, 8805 S.E. 40th St., Mercer Island.

Ticket prices are from $13-$17. Learn more and buy tickets at www.youth-theatre.org.

Newcastle residents star in Youth Theatre Northwest’s ‘Shrek the Musical’

2013 Newcast le Chamber Members :You help keep our community connected.

Apple Phys ica l TherapyAppra isa l Group of the Nor thwestBaz inga St i tch Bei t T ikvah Mess ianic Congregat ionB & E MeatsLar r y Betsch Bet ter Proper t ies Solut ionGordon BissetBi l l Bur r is Nancy Car ls t rom CedarMists Heal ing Ar tsChi ropract ic Wel lness CentersCi ty o f Newcast leClose to My Hear t & Th i r ty -One Gi f tsCoal Creek Ut i l i t y Dis t r ic tComcast Cru ise P lanners Amer ican Express R ich Cr ispoRyan CrumpackerCyc le The WaveDataworks Consul t ing , Inc

Bruce DeinesDolce V i ta Salon and Nai l SpaJohn DrescherEvents wi th E legance EMC Equi ty LLCEvergreen State Mor tgageFarmers InsuranceJack ie Fosket tFor tescue F inancia l Ser v icesGal luzzo Insurance Agency IncGoldsmith Land Investments , LLCGol f C lub at Newcast leJohn Gordon Haze lwood E lementar y PTSAHero HouseHomeStreet BankIssaquah PressJB Tax & F inanceJensen Roof ing Company, Inc.Jensen Websi tesJoshua Corporat ion

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As drivers whizz by the heart of downtown Newcastle, there is no missing the bright red-and-white tent perched at the corner of Newcastle Way and Coal Creek Parkway.

The Newcastle Fruit & Produce stand has become quite the local attraction, but what customers may not know is that it’s a lot more than strawberries and watermelons.

The popular stand is home to a staff of garden-ing gurus, waiting to assist their customers with all of their horticultural needs. With decades of landscap-ing experience between them, Meghan Shepard, Susan Rabago and Carol R.C. White help patrons transform their yards.

“We’re kind of like ‘Gardening 101’ instruc-tors,” White said. “A lot of times, people will come in with a picture and we figure out what we can put in that space.”

The gardening enthu-siasts all have similar influences that led them to pursue a career in horticulture. The root of their passion began with a childhood gardening expe-rience.

“It was my grand-

mother, like many other people,” Shepard said. “I remember her victory garden. I was real little and she’d make me a sun-warm tomato-and-lettuce sandwich and I remember being in her garden and looking up at plants.”

All three have their own specialties. Shepard is the most experienced of the group, having spent years working at the West Seattle Nursery; White enjoys exploring the scientific side of plants; and Rabago can skillfully design a container garden.

One of White’s favorite pastimes involves putting on her figurative doctor’s cap to assess the diseases that plague a plant.

“I really get excited when people bring in a sample of something and they say, ‘There’s some-thing wrong with my plant. What is this?’ It’s kind of like CSI plants, a little bit,” she said.

After a brief question-and-answer session, Rabago can help custom-ers create a container gar-den that suits their needs and lifestyle.

“I love engaging people and getting them really interested in the plant material, and whether it’s just to create one little pot the few moments they

are working on that, they are finding a little bit of happiness and peace,” she said.

Newcastle Fruit & Produce sells plants and all of the tools needed to craft the perfect garden, with the gardening gurus’ help, of course. It’s also just a serene place to relax among the flora, Rabago said.

“From a bigger stand-point, we are selling a lit-tle oasis,” she said. “People come in to take a breath. Early in the morning

you’ll see people with a cup of coffee in their hand just strolling.”

The two biggest mis-takes that people make with their gardens is lack of irrigation and light, Rabago said. Other than that, people often under-estimate just how much they do know about tak-ing care of their plants.

“A lot of times, people come in and say, ‘Oh, I have a black thumb,’” White said. “A plant is a living thing. How do you take care of a living thing?

It needs food, water, space and air. Great, you’re half-way there. All you need to do is make sure you don’t step on it and you’re good.”

Newcastle Fruit & Produce’s gardening gurus said they are happy to answer customers’ ques-tions and help design a space. Their ultimate goal

is to empower locals to cultivate unique, inspired gardens.

“It’s opening people’s eyes up to other options,” Shepard said. “Not every-body has to have the same cookie-cutter landscape because their neighbor has it. You can think outside of the box.”

Newcastle Fruit & Produce is home to gardening gurus


The Newcastle Fruit and Produce gardening gurus, (from left) Meghan Shepard, Carol R.C. White and Susan Rabago, help customers make the most out of their gar-dening experience.


The Newcastle Fruit and Produce stand offers plant mate-rial, tools and decorations to help customers make their yard stand out from the rest.

q City Council meeting — 7-10 p.m. Aug. 20

q Planning Commission — 7-9 p.m. Aug. 21

q Finance Commission Meeting — noon to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 22

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 family programs for all ages. Get a com-

plete schedule by calling 282-1500 or go to www.seattleymca.org/Locations/CoalCreek/Pages/Home.aspx.

CCFY Community Excursions: Burke Museum, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 13, $6.75

Itty Bitty T-Ball Class: Mondays and Wednesdays Aug. 5-28, ages 3-4 4:30-5 p.m. and 5-5:30 p.m., ages 5-6 5:30-6 p.m., $35 for members/$60 for nonmembers

Family Camp: Camp Terry, for adults and children, 3 p.m. to 11 a.m. Aug. 17-18, $35 adult/$25 per child

Friendship Fire, classic fam-ily campfire with songs, skits, s’mores and more, 6:30-7:30

p.m. Aug. 7, free, 282-1509Kids 5K training, for ages 5

and older, 9-10 a.m., Aug. 24 through Sept. 28, $35

Small Group Personal Training, for ages 18 and older, 4-5 p.m. Aug. 2, 7, 9, 14 and 16, $20

Diabetes Prevention

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

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

Tae Kwon Do, for ages 5 and older, through March 28, $28-

Newcastle residents can learn how to make their yards wildlife-friendly at an Aug. 24 gathering.

The Newcastle Weed Warriors, the National Wildlife Federation and the city of Newcastle will host a meeting to share information about a citywide effort to earn National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat Certification.

To obtain the certification, residents must commit to providing food, water, cover and a place for wildlife to raise their offspring. A healthy habitat can be in a variety of places, including a backyard, a local city space or even an apartment bal-cony.

The event features speakers, door prizes and refreshments.

Speakers will present information from 1-2:30 p.m.; a social follows immediately after that.

The meeting takes place at the Newcastle Library, 12901 Newcastle Way.

I N T H E S P O T L I G H TMake Newcastle an official wildlife habitat

September 2013

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 2829 30

August 2013

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

Concerts in the Park: Geoffrey Castle, 7-8:30 p.m. Aug. 7, Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E. 84th Way, 206-618-5641

The Newcastle Chamber of Commerce monthly lunch is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 14 at Tapatio Mexican Grill, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E. This month’s guest speaker is Robin Callahan, executive director of the Issaquah Schools Foundation. Cost is $20 for members, $25 for nonmembers. Call 206-618-5641

Concerts in the Park: Shaggy Sweet, 7-8:30 p.m. Aug. 14, Lake Boren Park, Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E. 84th Way, 206-618-5641

Newcastle Chamber of Commerce presents “21 Questions to Ask Your Contractor,” with Steve Kunkel Master Builders Inc., 6-7:15 p.m. Aug. 15, 5466 119th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, 206-618-5641

Newcastle Chamber of Commerce network-ing breakfast: “Quick and Easy Ways to Remembering Names,” 7:30-8:30 a.m. Aug. 28, Regency Newcastle, 7454 Newcastle Golf Club Road, 206-618-5641

The Weed Warriors host a community meeting for Wildlife Habitat Certification from 1-3 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Newcastle Library, 12901 Newcastle Way. Learn more at www.newcastleweedwarriors.org.

Public meetings

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

q Economic and Community Development — 8-9 a.m. Aug. 13

q Community Activity Commission meeting — 5-8 p.m. Aug. 15 See CALENDAR, Page 11

CommunityPAGE 10 AUGUST 2, 2013

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Library events

The Newcastle Library is at 12901 Newcastle Way. The following pro-grams are offered the rest of the month:

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

‘Creating and Decorating Cupcakes and Cake Pops,’ for adults, 2-3:30 p.m. Aug. 3

‘Real Life CSI,’ 3-4:15 p.m. Aug. 6

Spanish World Language Story Time, 7-7:30 p.m. Aug. 8

Chinese World Language Story Time, 7-7:30 p.m. Aug. 14

Pizza & Pages, for teens, 7-8 p.m. Aug. 19

Newcastle Library Book Group: “The Hundred-Foot Journey: A Novel,” by Richard C. Morais, 7-8:30 p.m. Aug. 22

Friends of the Newcastle Library meet-

ing, 7-9 p.m. Aug. 28

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/east-shore-singles.


CalendarFrom Page 10

Schools honored for ‘green’ behavior

Two local schools earned recognition in June from the King County Green Schools program for their suc-cessful conservation prac-tices during the 2012-13 school year.

The program honors schools for reducing waste, improving recy-cling practices, and engag-ing in energy and water conservation activities.

Apollo Elementary School and Liberty High

School earned a Level 2 award.

Students graduate from SPU

The following students graduated from Seattle Pacific University:

Newcastle: Emily Hargis, Bachelor of Arts, global development studies; Laura Pattison, Master’s degree, industrial and organizational psy-chology

Renton: Lisa Nelson, Master of Arts, teach-ing, K-12 special educa-

tion emphasis; Danelle Vermeulen, Bachelor of Arts, visual communica-tion

Student wins Kohl’s scholarship

Jo Yee Yap, 17, of Newcastle, was one of 36 Washington youth hon-ored in the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program.

Yap received a $50 gift card and a certificate from Kohl’s in recognition of her work to make a posi-tive impact in her commu-nity through volunteerism.

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Saturday Morning Service 10:30AM Bible Study: Saturday 9:00 AM

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Everyone experiences rejection at some point in his or her lifetime. It’s what you do with it that counts. In Newcastle illustrator Dana Sullivan’s case, he wrote a children’s book.

After unsuccessfully submitting a bid to create a children’s disaster pre-paredness coloring book for King County, Sullivan was dejected.

“I thought, ‘Man, I was born to do this project. I’m going to get it for sure,’ and I didn’t,” he said. “I was really disap-pointed, and I was kind of surprised how disappoint-ed I was, so I wrote a story about it.”

Thus, “Ozzie and the Art Contest” was born. The story follows Ozzie, a lovable blue dog, who enthusiastically enters an art contest, only to fall short of the top prize. With the help of his teacher, though, he comes to find that his passion for art is more important than any award or recognition.

“What Ozzie learned is that the stuff that he likes to do, they’re great. That he doesn’t get rewarded for them isn’t necessarily a big deal,” Sullivan said.

Originally titled “Max and the Art Contest,” Ozzie’s character was inspired by Sullivan’s now deceased Australian cattle dog, Max.

“Max was a blue heeler, so naturally Ozzie is blue, even though Max wasn’t actually the color blue,” Sullivan said. “Ozzie is actually more outgoing,

more affectionate than my Max was.”

Sullivan wrote the story in September 2010, and nearly three years later, in July 2013, the book will finally come to print. It was a long, arduous pro-cess, filled with revisions and rejections, he said.

“I received 26 rejec-tions from publishers,” he said. “It can be depressing. Sometimes I’d get five in a day.”

All it took was one publisher to see potential in the story, and Sleeping Bear Press, based out of Ann Arbor, Mich., saw it in Ozzie and Sullivan.

“One thing I have

learned in this business is everything is subjective,” Sullivan said. “One per-son can love something and the other person can hate it. It’s pretty amazing knowing that your book is going to publish, but after that initial approval, there’s a lot more work to do.”

So began the process of completing and refining the 32 pages of art and 700 words of copy that are customary in a children’s book.

At the end of May, Sullivan and Sleeping Bear Press took the finished product to BookExpo America, the largest annu-al book trade fair in the United States.

Sullivan signed copies of his book at the event in New York City, but the real draw, he said, was the blue Ozzie puppet that was a hit with kids.

When writing the book, Sullivan said he did not specifically write for a chil-dren’s audience.

“It’s almost impossible

to write for someone,” he said. “In fact, I just read that Maurice Sendak never said he wrote for children, he just wrote for himself. I think if you do that, you are probably going to strike a nerve with more people than if you actually try to write to a specific audience.”

The longtime Newcastle resident spent most of his career working in Issaquah at Costco, where he was the creative director, designing the company’s infamous logo.

“I really wasn’t being as creative as I wanted to be,” he said. “It’s a great com-pany and I still love it.”

Sullivan hosted an official book launch party at Secret Garden Books in Ballard July 5, but he is set to return to his old Issaquah stomping grounds, when he hosts a book signing at Costco Aug. 30.

“The illustrating is my first love,” he said, “but there’s nothing like your own book.”

If you go

‘Ozzie and the Art Contest’ book signingq 12:30-2:30 p.m. Aug. 30q Costco, 1801 10th Ave. N.W., Issaquahq www.danajsullivan.com

Newcastle illustrator publishes first bookLocal illustrator Dana Sullivan, surrounded by walls of his work in his Newcastle home, shows off a puppet- version of Ozzie, the star of his first children’s book, ‘Ozzie and the Art Contest.’


By Kristine Kim

In the 2013 legislative session for Washington, Newcastle legislators missed hardly any votes.

WashingtonVotes.org tabulates and reports the information annually. The nonpartisan, non-profit organization has been doing so every year since 2002.

State Sen. Steve Litzow and state Rep. Marcie Maxwell did not miss a single vote, while state Rep. Judy Clibborn missed 15.

“There are many reasons why legislators miss votes, such as civic or public service obliga-tions, legislative negotia-tions and medical and family emergencies,” Franz W. Gregory, direc-tor of WashingtonVotes.org, said in a statement.

On the online posting of the same list of missed votes, WashingtonVotes.org includes the disclaimer note that users of the list should “always ask before jumping to conclusions” about a legislator’s record of missed votes.

Litzow and Maxwell

joined the ranks of 51 other Washington legisla-tors who didn’t miss any votes in this year’s session. Ten of all the Washington state politicians missed more than 50 votes.

The 2013 Legislative session included 694 roll-call votes for the House and 619 for the senate.

According to WashingtonVotes.org, the missed votes include “all roll calls in which a legisla-tor did not vote, regardless of whether the legislator was present or absent.”

By the numbers

Newcastle’s legislators cover the 41st legislative district.

q Steve Litzow, R-Bellevue — 0 q Marcie Maxwell, D-Renton — 0 q Judy Clibborn, D-Olympia — 15

Source: WashingtonVotes.org

Local reps miss few votes

Commissioners reappointed

The Newcastle City Council unanimously approved the reap-pointment of Planning Commissioners Thomas Magers, Allen Dauterman and Rob Lemmon on

July 2. The terms of all three

commissioners were set to expire Aug. 1.

The Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m., and is made up of seven citizen representatives.


Shortly after Jon Fortescue received his diploma with the rest of the Hazen High School graduating class of 2013, he was on a plane.

Fortescue had little time to relish in his new existence as a high school graduate, because he had an appointment in the nation’s capitol, where he joined 140 of the coun-try’s brightest students to receive their Presidential Scholar Medallions.

As a Presidential Scholar, Fortescue is among the nation’s elite students, honored for his academic success. Past honorees can now be found employed in promi-nent positions in the legal, political and business industry.

None of that has much significance to the humble Hazen graduate, though.

“I don’t think that this puts me above anyone,” he said. “I don’t define myself by winning awards like this, and I don’t think my friends define me or themselves by their accomplishments either.”

The scholars were treat-ed to a weekend visit to the nation’s capitol, where they met with government officials and acclaimed educators, authors, musi-cians and scientists.

They participated in forums with legislative aides and White House staffers, and met with for-mer Presidential Scholars as well.

As would be expected with a group of academi-cally gifted students, the scholars were not about to let staffers off the hook, throwing them hardball questions in the process, Fortescue said.

“We were tough on the White House people,” he said. “They brought up

transparency, and then we countered with the National Security Agency scandal. They had fun handling that question, but they did a pretty good job with it.”

The most impressive per-son he met, other than his fellow scholars, was Donald S. Beyer Jr., the U.S. ambas-sador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Fortescue said.

“A lot of people spent their time telling us how we were the future and how we were all amazing, but he specifically started his talk by saying, ‘Yeah, so it’s pretty cool that you all are smart,’” he said. “He was very funny, very world conscious.”

The scholars received their iconic medallions in a special ceremony June 16. The 141 students, most of whom were liberal, were a bit disappointed to see that President Barack Obama was not there,

though, Fortescue said.Obama was in Ireland

attending the Group of Eight summit at the time. Instead, the 2013 scholars received their medallions from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

“Arne Duncan was very cool, don’t get me wrong, but they kind of advertised it as the president would be there,” Fortescue said.

Despite being a model student, complete with a near perfect grade point average and an impres-sive list of extracurricular activities, Fortescue, who will attend Santa Clara University, said he does not know why he was chosen as a scholar.

“I’m still very sur-prised that I won it,” he said. “Ironically, I think some of my best applica-tion essays were about how I was rejected from Stanford. A lot of the kids there got into those kinds of schools and I didn’t.

Maybe those essays that were deeply personal and introspective helped me out.”

Fortescue will intern for Microsoft this summer, where he will put his com-puter programming skills to use. He taught himself how to program in middle school, just by reading some books, he said.

He will head to Santa Clara in the fall, and he hopes to study some sort of science.

“I’m thinking biology, physics, computer sci-ence,” he said. “I don’t really know though, I’m pretty open. I want to have open interests. I would love to minor in a language or minor in his-tory. I love those kinds of subjects.”

From there, Fortescue hopes to obtain an intern-ship with one of the many companies in the Silicon Valley, before eventually pursuing a doctorate.

“I would really like a Ph.D., mainly because I like the idea of researching something and making a contribution to knowl-edge,” he said. “You get to create knowledge, rather than just learn it, and that’s something I have a strong interest in.”


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Hazen graduate named Presidential Scholar

Contributed

Jon Fortescue (far right), joins fellow Presidential Scholars from across the country as they meet Donald S. Beyer Jr., the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein (center).

Newcastle in top places to raise kids

Newcastle is one of the 10 best cities in the state to raise chil-dren, according to an article on the website NerdWallet.

The city comes in at No. 8, behind cities such as Issaquah, Redmond and Woodinville.

The towns were ranked based on the quality of schools, home affordability and the city’s growth.

The article praised Newcastle’s proximity to Bellevue and Seattle and lauded the view of the nearby Olympic moun-tain range that can be seen from the city.

“Through the work of volunteers, Newcastle has

an elaborate trail system and 12 gorgeous parks,” the article said. “The town is also well known for its stunning golf course at The Golf Club at Newcastle.”

The other top cit-ies were Maple Valley, Woodinville, Issaquah, Tumwater, Bainbridge Island, Lake Forest Park, Redmond, Mukilteo and Lynden.

More than 110 cities in the state were includ-ed in the analysis.

NerdWallet is an online resource that helps consumers save money and make smarter decisions about their personal finances, travel plans, health bills, or higher education.

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“I’m still very surprised that I won it. Ironically, I think some of my best application essays were about how I was rejected from Stanford. A lot of the kids there got into those kinds of schools and I didn’t. Maybe those essays that were deeply per-sonal and introspective helped me out.”

— Jon Fortescue Hazen High School graduate

By Dan Aznoff

Several eager hikers at the Health and Wellness Fair at Lake Boren Park the first weekend of June were given guided tours of the newest portion of the trail system

that meanders through the green belts and waterways of Newcastle.

Participants on the preview trek along the 2.8-mile stretch of the May Creek trail were forced to side-step around piles of small stones and stashes of tools left by volun-teers who hope to have the trail ready for its official opening.

“The trail wasn’t completely finished, although most walkers probably did not know the differ-ence,” said Peggy Price, treasurer and work coordinator for the non-profit Newcastle Trails organiza-tion. “Volunteers have been setting pavers in the ground and working on creek crossings for weeks in preparation for the ribbon-cutting. But that has not stopped curious folks from exploring the route on their own.”

Price volunteers her time to groom the trail on Wednesday afternoons and is joined by her son Steve every Saturday. The organi-zation tends 19 trails within the city. The Newcastle Trails group is focused on both the preservation and expansion of trails within the city.

The newest portion of the trail system can be discovered south of the park by following the Pipeline Trail just across Southeast 89th Place. A small path into the trees about 20 yards from the parking area near the bridge leads to the right, into the forest and under a canopy of mature trees that stand on both sides of the trail. Small signs direct hikers toward the sound of the creek below. Before hikers reach the water, the trail will lead them past the rusted body of an imported panel van with the

steering wheel on the right.

Spawning groundsFrom there, the trail twists

down the hillside with sharp drop-offs that alternate from side to side. A large pool cre-ated by fallen trees provides the first up-close sight of the actual creek. Hikers on the trail in early June were treated to the sights and smells of native cutthroat trout returning to their spawning grounds. Not surprisingly, the fish attracted an unusual number of birds to the area.

Recent work by the volunteer

work crew is evident at the point of the trail where the elevation evens out at the bottom of the val-ley as the trail parallels the creek. Closer inspection to the surface of the pathway displays hand-built rockeries tucked into the side of the trail and potholes filled with smooth stones.

The rise in elevation is hardly noticeable. Without any notice, the walkway makes a sharp right turn and follows the contour of a fence that shields signs of develop-ment when the trees are in full

SportsPAGE 14 AUGUST 2, 2013

If you go

The ‘official’ opening of the newest section of the May Creek trail will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Retaining Pond end of the trail. City officials and members of the trail orga-nization are expected to attend.

Hikers get sneak peak of the city’s new trail

Rockeries hand-built by Newcastle Trails volunteers in the sides of stretches of trail keep it from eventually sliding away as it transverses steep hillsides.

Photos by Greg Farrar

Above, the remains of an old rusted panel van greet hikers starting out on the May Creek Trail where it begins off the Pipeline Trail south of Southeast 89th Place. At right, May Creek rushes over rocks and through pools at the bottom of the valley where the new trail parallels the stream.

Stone pavers set in the ground on a short stretch of the May Creek Trail add artistry to the practicality of overcoming a muddy patch.

See TRAIL, Page 15

bloom. The trail comes to an abrupt end with the sidewalk on Coal Creek Parkway, across from the entrance to the Windtree development.

A short walk along the esplanade takes hikers back to the parking lot at Lake Boren. The new trail is pet friendly, but hikers should come prepared with their own water supply and poop bags. There are cur-rently no plans for waste disposal along the trail. Bags are available at each end of Lake Boren Park.

Work by the Newcastle organization is being done in cooperation with plans by the city of Bellevue to replace the 45-year-old culvert along Coal Creek Parkway to improve salm-on passage. The project

includes new vehicle and pedestrian bridges.

Monthly meetings of the Newcastle Trails orga-nization are open to all residents of the surround-ing communities. There are no dues. Price empha-sized that equestrians are encouraged to have their voices heard in future plans for walking and rid-ing trails.


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After seven years in Major League Baseball, Liberty High School prod-uct Tim Lincecum has accumulated his fair share of accolades.

The San Francisco Giants pitcher has won two Cy Young Awards, given to baseball’s best pitcher, two World Series championships and has appeared in four all-star games. He had not, how-ever, thrown a no-hitter, despite the fact that he had come close a few times.

That all changed July 14, when Lincecum used a whopping 148 pitches to no-hit the San Diego Padres on the way to a 9-0 Giants victory.

“I’m kind of speechless right now,” Lincecum said in a postgame TV interview.

The 148 pitches was a career high for Lincecum, who came into the game

with a 4-9 record and an ERA above four. After a stellar start to his career, Lincecum began to strug-gle in 2012 and into 2013, but the 2003 Liberty grad, nicknamed “The Freak,” was back to form against the Padres.

The performance, said current Liberty soft-ball coach and former Lincecum teammate Zach Bartholomew, would hope-fully allow the star pitcher to get his stride back.

“I was happy for him,” Bartholomew said. “I think it’s a great start for him to get back on track and get back to what he does best, and that’s striking people out.”

Lincecum ended the game with 13 strikeouts and has collected 125 this season. While he succeed-ed in getting batters out at the plate, Lincecum also had help from his defense, which recorded a handful

of superb plays to main-tain the no-hitter.

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval snagged a sharp grounder in the sev-enth inning and made a long throw to first base for the out. An inning later, outfielder Hunter Pence made a spectacular diving catch, robbing Padres hit-ter Alexi Amarista of what appeared to be the team’s first hit.

Prior to the game, Lincecum’s career-high pitch count was 138. He beat that by 10 pitches in the no-hitter, but that did not affect him, he said in the postgame TV interview.

“I felt fine out there from the first pitch, maybe just a little sweaty, but other than that I felt great,” he said.

When the TV announc-ers asked Lincecum if he could remember the last time he threw a no-hitter, he responded that he could

By Greg Farrar

Former Liberty High School star Tim Lincecum, pitching in Major League Baseball since 2007 for the San Francisco Giants, makes his Safeco Field debut pitching against the Mariners in 2012.

PRIDE PATRIOTSof the

Liberty High School grad Tim Lincecum throws no-hitter

not, though he opined it must have been during his high school days.

“Yeah, they’re only seven innings though,” he said. “It’s a little easier.”

Lincecum threw a cou-ple of no hitters during his time at Liberty. In March 2003, he recorded his first career high school no-hit-ter as a senior, striking out 16, defeating Interlake. He did it again in April 2003, striking out 13, defeating Bellevue, 9-0.

“Every time that he was on the mound, we would know that great things were going to happen,” Bartholomew said. “The whole thing back then was that we had a great team atmosphere and everybody trusted everybody, and he was a huge part of it.”

That team went on to win the 2003 state cham-pionship.

Lincecum continued his baseball career at the University of Washington, where he earned the 2006 Golden Spikes Award, given to the nation’s best amateur baseball player. That year, he also com-bined with Nick Hagadone to throw the Huskies’ first no-hitter since 1969.

He was drafted 10th overall by the San Francisco Giants in the 2006 MLB draft.

“I’ve got nothing but good things to say about him,” Bartholomew said. “He was a great kid grow-ing up and a good friend. Off the field, he’d be there if you needed him. I have nothing but respect for him.”

Get involved

The organization website is www.NewcastleTrails.org. More information is available by emailing [email protected]. Individuals are encouraged to list their area of interest when communicating with the group.

TrailFrom Page 14


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Register for the Newcastle 5K

Registration for the Newcastle 5K Run/Walk for Education is open.

The 3.1-mile course snakes through a mix of trails and paved roads through Newcastle parks and byways.

The 5K begins at 9 a.m.

at Lake Boren Park. For those who want to par-ticipate with strollers, or leashed dogs, there will be a staggered start at 9:15 a.m.

Registration for the regular 5K costs $25 per person, or $20 through group-registration. High school students can enter for $15. Runners can par-

ticipate in the new 1K Kids Dash for $10. Fees will increase after Aug. 15.

Register online at www.newcastle5k.com.

The 2013 race is made possible by support from the YMCA, Imelda Dulcich PR, Michelle Woo — Windermere, HomeStreet Bank, Conner Homes, B&E Meats

Elite baseball holds tryouts

Baseball Elite is holding free try-outs for two, possi-bly three teams, according to a press release from the organization.

Baseball Elite is run by a Major League Baseball scout. Players are held accountable to improve

and get better every day, and the coaching staff carries a high standard of professionalism and hard work. Players are prepared for college and beyond.

Tryouts will be in August with team indoor training starting in November. The first tour-nament will be in March, with the season conclud-

ing at the end of July. Each team will compete in 12 tournaments.

Open tryouts for 12U baseball teams are at noon Aug. 3 and 10 at Renton Academy, 7100 116th Ave. S.E., Newcastle. Open tryouts for 13U teams are at noon Aug. 4 and 11 at Renton Academy, 7100 116th Ave. S.E., Newcastle. A 14U team could also form.

Call 206-973-9294 or email [email protected] to RSVP for tryouts. If you cannot attend one of the tryouts, Baseball Elite may hold individual tryouts as well.

VFW offers scholarships

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) offers schol-arship programs in the Issaquah School District to all levels of education.

Scholarships for those up to grade 8 take the form of savings bonds. High school scholarships, including awards of up to $30,000 for the national first-place winner, go directly to the recipient’s American univer-sity, college, vocational or technical school.

The organization will collect submissions on Nov. 1. Submit at the Issaquah School District front desk or to Veterans of Foreign Wars at Albert Larson Post 3436, P.O. Box 18, Issaquah.

Learn more at www.vfwofwa.org/programs.html. Direct questions to Delbert Fleming, scholarship chair-man for VFW, at 392-6539.

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