Liberty, Briarwood and Maywood alert parents of possible luring attempt
January 8, 2016
NEW — 3:37 p.m. Jan. 8, 2016
Police are investigating after an 11-year-old girl said she was approached by a suspicious man outside her home Dec. 18.
The Issaquah School District alerted families at Liberty High, Maywood Middle and Briarwood Elementary schools in an e-news blast Jan. 8, a day after it was initially reported to King County deputies.
The girl told her parents she was outside her home in the 12700 block of Southeast 156th Street at about 2:45 p.m. Dec. 18 when a man approached her, asked her what she was doing and suggested that she come with him to the store.
“The girl reports he asked her this three times, she said no each time, and then the suspect kicked her and left the scene,” the e-news blast said. Read more
Westbound I-90 down to one lane near Bellevue Way this weekend
January 8, 2016
NEW — 12:04 p.m. Jan. 8, 2016
If Seattle is in your plans this weekend, check traffic conditions before you head out.
Beginning at 11 p.m. Friday, westbound Interstate 90 will be reduced to one lane near Bellevue Way, then detoured to the express lanes.
The lane closures are scheduled to last until 5 a.m. Monday, and will allow contractor crews to continue upgrading operations and safety systems in the eastbound Mount Baker and Mercer Island tunnels.
Flashing yellow lights installed on Coal Creek Parkway
January 6, 2016
Southbound drivers waiting to turn left on Coal Creek Parkway might not have to wait that long anymore.
Greg Farrar / gfarrar@newcastle-news.com
A vehicle turns left onto 135th Avenue Southeast from southbound Coal Creek Parkway Southeast on New Year’s Eve while the new overhead turn signal arrow flashes yellow.
The city installed flashing yellow turn signals at two intersections with an aim to impact particular hotspots where traffic is slowed unnecessarily.
Drivers will notice the changes at Southeast 79th Place and 135th Avenue Southeast on Coal Creek Parkway. The city expects to add more flashing yellow lights on Coal Creek Parkway in 2016. Read more
City adds officer to police force in 2016
January 6, 2016
The Newcastle Police Department is an officer deeper for the first time since 1999.
Chris Leyba officially brought the department’s roster to seven patrol officers at the start of the new year.
“The additional officer is going to be great for this city,” said Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine.
The Newcastle City Council approved funding for a seventh officer in late 2014 as it wrapped up deliberations on the 2015 budget.
Even though the addition would not come until 2016, the decision had to come earlier since the King County Sheriff’s Office requires paying salary for nine months in advance of an officer being available for duty. Read more
City Council bans marijuana businesses
January 6, 2016
The Newcastle City Council unanimously agreed to ban marijuana-related business within city limits at its Dec. 1 meeting.
In a very straightforward vote that required little discussion, the council joined cities such as Sammamish and Lynnwood in banning the production, processing and retail of the drug.
“I don’t think it’s something that our citizens necessarily want,” said Newcastle City Councilwoman Lisa Jensen, who made the motion instructing staff to craft an ordinance banning business back in October.
Council members previously adopted a six-month moratorium on marijuana-related business, giving the city time to research, analyze and assess local impacts and develop regulations for such businesses. It was extended two times and expired at the end of 2015. Read more
Hazelwood event embraces all cultures
January 6, 2016
I went on a worldwide excursion Dec. 10.
It began with a stop in China where I learned about dim sum, a yummy snack that goes well with tea.
I followed that up with a quick stop in Hawaii, where Gloria Aqui taught me how to make bracelets, necklaces and leis out of tea leaves.
I stopped by Iran, too, where Jayron Finan showed me what my name looks like when written in Persian.
You can’t go on an international adventure without trying the food, and I was certainly treated to a feast. Greece offered a spanakopita — cheese and spinach pie — while Kazakhstan greeted me with baursak, a delicious puffy fried bread. Read more
From the editor’s desk — Craving more Newcastle stories? Head online to our Facebook page
January 6, 2016
I’m not exactly breaking news when I start this column by telling you that today’s media landscape has become remarkably crowded.
Online news organizations. National and local television newscasts. National newspapers and magazines. Daily newspapers, both national and local. They all want your attention, and they want it badly.
But no other outfit devotes more resources than we do when it comes to covering stories that are solely about Newcastle. You might call our news report Newcastle-centric — to the extreme.
If what you’re reading in these 12 pages today have you craving even more local news, may I suggest you not only visit our website, newcastle-news.com, but also like us on Facebook. Read more
To the Editor — Council members make a difference
January 6, 2016
It is sad to see Council members Lisa Jensen and Steve Buri leave the City Council. We in our neighborhood are very appreciative for their service to our community and thank them for their efforts. I have confidence in our City Council and am grateful they make such efforts to serve the community. Rich Crispo and Gordon Bisset are constants at our homeowners meetings, and John Dulcich once again took over duties as Santa Claus at the tree-lighting ceremony. Each council member makes sacrifices all in the name of community service and it does not go overlooked. I have seen each out and about at various activities and events making sure to be present for the citizens of Newcastle.
Kelly Clark
Newcastle
The Anticline — Newcastle 50 million years in the making
January 6, 2016
Coal gave life to Newcastle and served as an important catalyst in Seattle’s growth. Did you ever wonder how the coal got here? Did you ever wonder why there is that one rock outcropping along Coal Creek Parkway?
About 50 million years ago during the Eocene Period, western Washington was mostly covered by the sea, while current-day Puget Sound was a swampy estuary. Decaying magnolias, figs, palms and tree ferns filled the low-lying areas with organic matter. This material would be covered by sediment, some from volcanic eruptions, and over time seams of coal were created. The volcanic activity affected the shape of the coal beds and the quality of the coal itself. Higher concentrations of carbon from an eruption led to the creation of better quality coal. The Newcastle mines produced mostly bituminous which is considered a middle grade quality of coal.
Millions of years of geologic activity pushed the coal seams hundreds of feet below the surface. How did the surveyors find the coal in a creek in 1853? Probably 20 million years ago when a condition called an anticline took place. An anticline is a geologic fold in a strata of the Earth’s crust that is convex up (creating a dome, for example) that pushes towards the surface. This anticline brought the coal seams close to the surface at a 35 to 40 degree angle going north toward Bellevue. Evidence of this movement can be seen in the rock wall on the east side of Coal Creek Parkway. Read more
Kiwanis looks to start club in Newcastle
January 6, 2016
A century-old service organization dedicated to giving back is looking to make a difference in the Newcastle community.
Ferrin Lauve is spearheading an effort to start a Newcastle Kiwanis Club in 2016.
“We are looking for people that are passionate about community service and serving the children of the world,” said Lauve, an Eastside resident working with Kiwanis International to charter new clubs in the area.
Kiwanis International and its family of clubs annually raise more than $100 million and dedicate more than 18.5 million volunteer hours to strengthen communities and serve children, according to the group’s website. Read more
