Massage therapist’s license suspended for sexual misconduct
June 13, 2013
NEW — 2:50 p.m. June 13, 2013
State health officials have suspended the license of Newcastle massage therapist Matthew E. Usher, according to a June 12 Washington State Department of Health release.
A charge of sexual misconduct with a patient at Newcastle’s Massage Envy led the state agency to immediately suspend his license.
Usher cannot practice massage in Washington until the charges are resolved. He has 20 days to respond to the charges and to ask for a hearing.
Usher was criminally charged in King County Superior Court with indecent liberties, after he allegedly reached under the draping and touched a patient’s breast during a massage treatment.
High schools honor class of 2013 today
June 13, 2013
NEW — 8:30 a.m. June 13, 2013
By Greg Farrar
Alexis McGinnis sings the National Anthem as the Safeco Field scoreboard welcomes the Liberty High School Class of 2012.
As another school year comes to a close, local public high schools are getting set to celebrate the class of 2013 with the annual commencement ceremonies. Read more
Small fire causes $6,000 in damage
June 12, 2013
NEW — 8:40 p.m. June 12, 2013
Just two days after a kitchen fire caused $200,000 in damage, displacing four people, firefighters were called out to Newcastle again to respond to a separate incident.
At 3:45 a.m. June 12, firefighters responded to a reported porch fire at a home in the 12600 block of Southeast 75th Place, according to a release from the Bellevue Fire Department.
Firefighters arrived on scene within minutes and extinguished a small exterior fire. The fire had started in a wastebasket near the rear corner of the home.
According to the homeowner, the fire spread to the exterior of the home and damaged the porch area before it was stopped, the release said. Contents inside the house had some smoke damage. Read more
Four people displaced by Newcastle kitchen fire
June 11, 2013
NEW — 1:10 p.m. June 11, 2013
A residential fire in Newcastle caused about $200,000 worth of damage and displaced four people the evening of June 10.
The Bellevue Fire Department arrived to find heavy flames and smoke coming from the kitchen area of a home in the 8800 block of 122nd Court Southeast.
The fire was first reported at 7:33 p.m. and was determined “under control” at 7:52 p.m. Crews used a quick and aggressive attack to extinguish the fire, according to a release.
One occupant was asleep inside the home, but a neighbor quickly came to awake and steer the person clear of harm. The owner was not home at the time of the fire, but arrived after it had been extinguished. Read more
