America the beautiful
July 31, 2014
Eastside residents become U.S. citizens at Newcastle Library
By Greg Farrar
Immigrants from around the world, who passed citizenship tests and renounced allegiances to the countries of their birth, take the oath of allegiance from officials of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services July 23 during a naturalization ceremony at the Newcastle Library.
Community spotlight
July 31, 2014
Contributed
Steve Kelly, lead singer of the Neil Diamond tribute band Cherry Cherry, performs. The band plays Aug. 6 at Lake Boren Park.
The city of Newcastle’s annual Concerts in the Park series continues in August, starting with Cherry Cherry, a Neil Diamond tribute band, on Aug. 6. Read more
Editorial
July 31, 2014
Be responsible with your marijuana
Marijuana.
No matter how you feel about it, it’s now legal to purchase and smoke it in the state of Washington. (Leave it to officials to sort out the federal vs. state issue, though at this point, no one has announced plans to crack down on people who take a toke.)
And although there is not a local place to make a purchase, and there won’t be one in Newcastle anytime soon as a result of the City Council’s recent moratorium, 24 retailers in the Puget Sound area were granted licenses in early July by the state Liquor Control Board.
A majority of voters wanted marijuana, and now we all have it. In order to turn that initiative and vote into a real win, people must be responsible with their pot. Read more
One-two punch
July 31, 2014
By Christina Corrales-Toy
Chris Mendez, head coach of the University of Washington boxing team, shows off the team’s national championship trophy in his Newcastle home.
Newcastle man leads UW boxing team to national championship Read more
Energize Eastside concerns shared
July 31, 2014
Energize Eastside was back on the Newcastle City Council agenda for the first time since Puget Sound Energy introduced the project April 1.
But this time, it was a pair of resident groups who had the opportunity to voice their concerns about the plan to bring new, higher capacity electric transmission lines to the Eastside in response to the region’s growing power demands.
The Olympus Homeowners Association and the Coalition of Eastside Neighborhoods for Sensible Energy countered PSE’s proposal and questioned the project’s true requirement at the July 1 and 15 City Council meetings. Read more
Notes from Newcastle: Neighborhood pride and activism
July 31, 2014
I often like to end my interviews with a question about a subject’s hometown.
How long have you lived in Newcastle? Why did you choose to move to Newcastle? What do you like about living in Newcastle?
The answers aren’t necessarily important for the story, but I always enjoy hearing residents talk about the place they live.
Some mention the city’s trails, others the small-neighborhood feel, but all extol the convenience of Newcastle’s location and display a certain pride in the city they call home. Read more
Hazen baseball player makes All-State team
July 31, 2014
Hazen High School pitcher Ryan Gayte was named to the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association’s All-State team.
Gayte, a junior, earned second team 3A honors. He also earned first-team All-Seamount League at the end of the season.
Newcastle Elementary School principal to speak at chamber lunch
July 31, 2014
Newcastle Elementary School parents and students can meet the school’s new principal, Richard Mellish, at the Aug. 13 Newcastle Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
Mellish comes to Newcastle from the Mercer Island School District, where he served as principal of West Mercer Elementary School.
He replaces outgoing Principal Marla Newton, who left at the end of the school year to take a job as a principal at a Federal Way School District elementary school.
The luncheon starts at 11 a.m. Aug. 13 at Tapatio Mexican Grill, 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E. The cost is $20 for chamber members and $25 for nonmembers. RSVP for the luncheon at http://bit.ly/1lb7n0c.
Newcastle plans National Night Out events
July 31, 2014
Newcastle will join cities across the country to celebrate National Night Out Aug. 5.
The event aims to heighten crime prevention awareness, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and send a message to criminals about neighborhoods organized against criminal activity.
National Night Out is celebrated with neighborhood block parties, often visited by local law enforcement.
The Donegal Park neighborhood event begins at 5:30 p.m. at Donegal Park, 7319 125th Ave. S.E. Neighbors are encouraged to bring folding chairs and food for grilling on the park’s barbeque, said event coordinator Lorinda Ecklund. Read more
School’s out for Hazelwood building
July 31, 2014
By Greg Farrar
An empty hallway at Renton Academy, which was the former Hazelwood Elementary School when constructed in 1963, waits for demolition to begin as early as Aug. 4 for the new middle school to be built on the site by the Renton School District in time for the 2016-17 school year.
