To the Editor — September 2015
September 2, 2015
NEW — 4:48 p.m. Sept. 2, 2015
Reject the proposed School Woods plan
I am writing this to express my opposition to the proposed plan for the School Woods. Beyond the loss of trails, the increased residential and “cut-through” traffic through two established neighborhoods, and the violation of existing wetlands, it is a shame to have lost a potential open space and park area.
This is especially true in a city having the least park land of any in the area (4.7 acres of park acreage per 1,000 residents in Newcastle, compared to Renton’s 12.7 acres and Bellevue’s 21.2).
Further, the proposed development shows a complete lack of imagination and respect for the land. The site plan as it stands is in the perfect image of California practice: Flatten for building pad, drop, flatten for building pad, drop again, flatten for building pad, drop again, etc., extending over the entire site. This is a forced, high-density housing development that shows little or no sympathy and respect for existing neighborhood ambiance. Read more
Run with the fuzz
April 30, 2015
Contributed
Newcastle Police Department officers Steve Kajihiro (second from left), Scott Yamamoto (fourth from left) and Chief Melinda Irvine (second from right) join their friends, including Sweet Decadence owner Sandra Wixon (far right), for a pre-race photo at the Seahawks’ 12K/5K run at The Landing in Renton on April 17.
PSE to answer questions about Energize Eastside
April 11, 2014
NEW — 11:05 a.m. April 11, 2014
It was a request heard loud and clear at the most recent Energize Eastside workshop. Residents wanted a forum dedicated to solely asking questions of the Puget Sound Energy representatives.
They are now getting that opportunity, as PSE has scheduled a question-and-answer session for April 21 in the Renton Technical College cafeteria, 3000 NE Fourth St.
The Energize Eastside project, in response to the region’s growing power needs, will bring new higher capacity electric transmission lines to the Eastside.
The new lines will extend from a substation in Redmond to Renton, but the exact route the lines will take is currently undecided. One of the proposed routes directly affects the Olympus neighborhood, and many residents attended the April 1 Newcastle City Council meeting to voice their concerns about the project. Read more
Newcastle Valley Medical Center could offer more services
May 6, 2011
Valley Medical Center — which has a clinic at 7203 129th Ave. S.E. in Newcastle — signed a letter of intent in January to form a strategic alliance with UW Medicine. The alliance would likely make UW Medicine resources readily available to Valley Medical Center patients.
UW Medicine operates Harborview Medical Center, the UW Medical Center, and numerous other hospitals and clinics across Western Washington. It is also an affiliate of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
The two organizations are working out the details of the alliance this spring, and the alliance could take effect as soon as July, Valley Medical Center spokeswoman Kim Blakely said.
Dr. Jamie Park, director of Newcastle Primary Care and Valley Medical Center’s clinic network, said the alliance would make more specialists and specialized procedures — such as open-heart surgery — more readily available to Valley Medical Center patients.
“UW is pretty clearly the best fit for us,” Park said. “They have things that we need, and we have some things that they need.”
When it comes to scheduling appointments, the process would be much easier, and records could be relayed electronically.
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.
Renton Landing Red Robin to host fundraiser April 20
April 19, 2011
NEW — 6 p.m. April 19, 2011
The Renton Landing Red Robin, 719 N 10th St., Renton, will host a fundraiser for cancer research from 5-10 p.m. April 20. The restaurant will donate 10 percent of its proceeds from the night to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine and officer Steve Kajihiro are training for an ironman half-triathlon and a marathon, respectively, to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Kajihiro is assisting in promoting the fundraiser at Red Robin.
Comment period extended for large Renton development
January 17, 2011
UPDATED — 4:30 p.m. Feb. 1, 2011
The public comment period for the Quendall Terminals development in Renton has been extended to 5 p.m. Feb. 9. Send written comments to this address:
City of Renton
Planning Department
Attention: Vanessa Dolbee, senior planner
1055 South Grady Way, Sixth Floor
Renton, Wash., 98055
Renton to hold public hearing tonight about large development near Newcastle
January 4, 2011
NEW — Noon Jan. 4, 2011
The city of Renton will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Jan. 4 at Council Chambers on the seventh floor of Renton City Hall, 1055 South Grady Way, regarding a mixed-use development to be built near Newcastle.
The development is slated to be built on 21.46 acres of land at 4350 Lake Washington Blvd., Renton, with buildings six to seven stories tall, according to the city of Renton’s website.
