March is music month
March 1, 2013
NEW — 12:10 p.m. March 1, 2013
The Friends of Renton Schools are on a mission to raise $50,000 for Renton School District music programs in the month of March. The goal is to strengthen music programs in the district and make those programs accessible to as many students as possible.
The fundraising goal of $50,000 will provide money directly to school music programs to buy instruments, repair instruments and purchase sheet music.
Parents, staff and community members are encouraged to donate as much, or as little, as they can on the Friends of Renton School Foundation’s secure website, www.friendsofrentonschools.org.
A donation of $10 would purchase two woodwind recorders, while a $300 donation could go toward a new trumpet.
The community is also invited to see the schools’ music programs in action when Hazen High School and McKnight Middle School musicians perform a concert at 7 p.m. April 4 in the Hazen High School auditorium, 1101 Hoquiam Ave. N.E., Renton.
Newcastle Library hosts discussion about American Indians in cinema
March 1, 2013
NEW — 10:25 a.m. March 1, 2013
Just three months after the Newcastle Library’s grand opening, its program offerings continue to expand with exciting opportunities for the community to get together and learn more about a variety of topics.
March will be no different, with multiple events already scheduled, highlighted by a discussion about the portrayal of Native Americans in cinema.
The event, “American Indians in Cinema: A Conversation to Challenge Our Perceptions,” will center on a discussion led by cinema scholar Lance Rhoades as he prompts participants to address the role cinema has played in producing, perpetuating and challenging perceptions of American Indians.
The March 6 talk begins at 7 p.m. and is free to attend.
See a list of the library’s event offerings for the entire month of March on our calendar.
The Newcastle Library is at 12901 Newcastle Way.
Chamber finds Newcastle’s best cookie recipes
February 28, 2013
NEW — 12:40 p.m. Feb. 28, 2013
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Elee and Kevin McCarthy’s ‘Peanut Butter Chocolate Comfort Cookies’ are displayed at the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce’s Feb. 21 after-hours social event.
The Newcastle Chamber of Commerce set out to find the city’s best cookie recipe, and in the end, the organization emerged with three. Read more
Youth Poetry Slam set for Saturday
February 28, 2013
NEW — 12:05 p.m. Feb. 28, 2013
The third annual Issaquah Poetry Slam is from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, March 2, at the Skyline High School Black Box Theater.
Hosted by the Issaquah Youth Advisory Board, the event offers teens from the Issaquah School District the chance to present their original poetry in front of their peers and a panel of judges.
The board hopes the event will help ignite a socially conscious spirit and activism in Issaquah’s youth, and said in a recent statement that a poetry slam is an excellent opportunity for teens to display their writing muscle.
Email your poem(s) to .
Community mourns iconic business owner
February 28, 2013
Dennis Yarnell
Family, friends, employees and loyal customers gathered to remember the life of Newcastle Shell owner Dennis Yarnell in a Feb. 10 ceremony at Maple Valley’s Lake Wilderness Lodge.
At the two-hour ceremony, Yarnell was remembered as a loving father and husband, devoted friend and passionate business owner.
Yarnell, 33, passed away after his car crashed into a utility pole Feb. 2, authorities said.
State of the county address given at City Council meeting
February 28, 2013
UPDATED — 11:05 p.m. March 6, 2013
Editor’s note: Councilman Reagan Dunn misspoke at the Feb. 5 meeting. The route has a potential to be reduced, not necessarily eliminated. Thus, the City Council decided at its March 5 meeting to not send a letter to Metro Transit. The city will continue to monitor the situation.
King County Councilman Reagan Dunn delivered his State of the County address at the Feb. 5 Newcastle City Council meeting, dropping news that King County Metro Transit bus route 240 could be eliminated once a grant that makes it possible expires in June.
Route 240 spans from Bellevue to Renton, passing through Newcastle. Its cancellation would be a major blow to local commuters who travel by bus.
“That’s the lifeblood of this area here,” Mayor Rich Crispo said at the meeting.
Parks Commission set for major overhaul
February 28, 2013
The Newcastle Parks Commission is about to undergo a significant makeover, starting with a name change to the Community Activities Commission.
The Newcastle City Council passed a series of motions that promise to change the makeup of the commission, add a temporary council member liaison and redefine or clarify the group’s duties.
City staff members will now craft the changes into an ordinance and bring it back to the council for passage at its March 5 meeting.
Car crashes into Zoëyogurt
February 28, 2013
The teenage driver of a minivan crashed into the storefront of Newcastle’s Zoëyogurt at about 3:30 p.m. Feb. 18, according to witnesses.
No one was injured in the crash, but the storefront glass was shattered and will have to be replaced, store owner Tom Hudson said. Damage to the inside of the store was minimal, he added.
By John Jensen
Newcastle Police respond to the scene of a crash at Zoëyogurt on Feb. 18. No one was injured when a minivan drove into the storefront.
One customer reportedly had a sore leg after the incident, Hudson said, but other than that, there were no serious injuries.
City Council honors Miss Washington
February 28, 2013
The Newcastle City Council presented Mandy Schendel with a proclamation recognizing her performance in the 2013 Miss America competition at its Feb. 5 meeting.
Schendel, Miss Washington 2012, finished in the top 10 at the Jan. 12 Miss America pageant. She was the beneficiary of a surprise twist the night that allowed judges to choose one more semifinalist to continue in the competition after the original 15 had been announced.
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Mayor Rich Crispo reads aloud a proclamation at the Feb. 5 City Council meeting honoring Mandy Schendel for her performance in the 2013 Miss America competition.
The panel of judges, including Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney and dancer Cheryl Burke, chose Schendel, a 2008 Hazen High School graduate, and she made the most of the second chance, advancing through both the swimsuit and eveningwear portions of the show.
Test your Newcastle history knowledge (Part 2)
February 28, 2013
At the 2012 Newcastle Days celebration, the city’s rich history was celebrated with the festival’s theme, Return to Newcastle. One of the components of the celebration was a trivia activity put together by Mayor Rich Crispo.
Crispo compiled a list of 120 questions that highlighted the history of Newcastle. Each vendor booth had a question, and prizes were awarded for correct answers at the end of the day.
Rich Crispo
In our October issue, we printed 16 of those questions. Below we’ve printed 10 more of the questions, which bring forth interesting facts about the history of the Newcastle community.
