Newcastle representative calls for King County to ‘closely examine’ arena proposal
February 16, 2012
NEW — 5 p.m. Feb. 16, 2012
King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor McGinn unveiled a proposed public-private partnership Thursday to construct a Seattle arena for professional basketball and hockey teams.
Dow Constantine
Reagan Dunn
The proposed arena — a $500 million facility, including $290 million from private investors — could host NBA and NHL teams in South Seattle near Safeco Field. Local elected leaders, including Newcastle County Councilman Reagan Dunn, lauded the proposal, but said the package needs additional scrutiny.
“As stewards of public money, we must closely examine any plan that seeks King County’s role in financing such a project,” he said in a statement after Constantine and McGinn announced the proposal. “I look forward to learning more about the proposal.”
Dow Constantine emphasizes partnerships, prosperity in State of the County address
February 7, 2012
NEW — 10:25 a.m. Feb. 7, 2012
King County is akin to the Oakland A’s depicted in the film “Moneyball” — nimble and unconventional — County Executive Dow Constantine declared Monday.
“The county used to be a little like the New York Yankees. Its first response to a problem was to throw money at it,” he said. “Now we’re more like the 2002 Oakland A’s depicted in ‘Moneyball’ – smart and scrappy. Finding inefficiencies in the established system – seeking out the highest performance at the lowest-possible cost. Getting the best value.”
Creating a sense of community
January 6, 2012
After 17 years, longtime Newcastle resident Sonny Putter steps down from City Council
Sonny Putter, longtime Newcastle city councilman, cuts into a cake celebrating his 17 consecutive years of service at his last City Council meeting Dec. 6. By John Jensen
As you flip through the pages of longtime Newcastle City Councilman Sonny Putter’s date book, you start to notice a trend.
For the month of October, nearly every date is bursting with small writing filling each box.
Eastside residents call for human services support at county budget hearing
October 17, 2011
NEW — 12:28 p.m., Oct. 17, 2011
As the King County Council begins to listen to hours of public testimony at a series of budget hearings, one overall theme became clear at its Oct. 13 session — support human services now, before it’s too late.
Derek Franklin, a Sammamish resident and representative of the Alliance of Eastside Agencies, said the county must begin to formulate a dedicated and stable long-term funding source for human services, such as those aimed at protecting residents from homelessness, domestic violence and inadequate legal counsel.
“Although sometimes obscured by the high socioeconomic status of the Eastside, human service needs here are quite high,” he said during a public hearing at Pacific Cascade Middle School near Issaquah. “We urge the budget committee to establish a long-term fix for the human services safety net. It’s been significantly dismantled over the years by budget cuts, and people … are beginning to fall through the cracks.”
Proposed Eastside transit changes include Newcastle bus routes
May 6, 2011
King County Executive Dow Constantine has proposed changes to King County Metro Transit bus routes as part of a plan to offer more and faster transit service on the Eastside.
The proposal includes changes to Route 240, which runs from the Renton Transit Center to Clyde Hill, serving Newcastle.
Under the proposal, Route 240 would be shortened, ending at the Bellevue Transit Center — at the corner of 108th Avenue Northeast and Northeast Sixth Street — instead of Clyde Hill, reducing wait times, according to Metro Transit’s website. It would also stop along 112th Avenue Northeast in Bellevue instead of 108th Avenue Northeast, better serving offices, homes, hotels and the King County courthouse in the area, according to the site.
The revised Route 246 would serve Clyde Hill.
Constantine presented the proposal to the King County Council at a public hearing April 12.
In the proposal announced April 8, Constantine called for additional Eastside transit service through the launch of RapidRide buses between Bellevue and Redmond.
Hear from county executive, council candidates at Saturday forum
October 15, 2009
NEW — 11:10 a.m. Oct. 15, 2009
Join King County executive candidates Dow Constantine and Susan Hutchison at a Saturday morning forum in Newcastle. County Councilman Reagan Dunn and challenger Beverly Harison Tonda, candidates for the District 9 seat, will join the would-be executives at The Golf Club at Newcastle.
The district includes swaths of Bellevue, Newcastle and Renton, as well as unincorporated King County land south of Issaquah.
The free forum begins at 9 a.m. in the St. Andrew’s Ballroom, 155500 Six Penny Lane. Organizers ask attendees to R.S.V.P. to the event. Call 206-241-5774 or e-mail CandidateForum@newcastlecc.com to R.S.V.P.
Debbie Berto, publisher of the Newcastle News and The Issaquah Press, will moderate the executive portion of the forum.
