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Potala Village | Neighbors of new project FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011 object to size and impact on traffic [3]
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Packed weekend | Local high school athletes prepare for busy weekend of games [13]
‘Thank You Twice’ accused of fraud, theft by some patrons Customers report business did not uphold contracts; owner may file for bankruptcy BY MATT PHELPS mphelps@kirklandreporter.com
P
ants from designer True Religion can go for hundreds of dollars. Lululemon Athletica’s yoga outfits are also top-of-the-line garments. Juicy Couture’s designer sweats and t-shirts are sought after by many women. So when Kalene Larson took her old designer clothes to the downtown Kirkland consignment store “Thank You Twice,” she thought it was a good way to let them go. But
all she got was a promise of a customer and then take a payment and the feeling of percentage of the profits. Larbeing ripped off. son’s clothes sold quickly and “I took my “The frustrating the store owner, items to ‘Thank Jason Potter, called part of this is that I You Twice’ back in her asking her to never, at any point, bring in more. May around the received a phone grand opening,” “I asked for the call or email. Not check to be sent said Larson, who even when the store and then a few used to live and closed. ” work in Kirkland. weeks later, no Kayla Schafer “I had designer check was sent,” clothes that I took said Larson. “I in hoping to make called and he said extra cash.” he had the wrong address A consignment store and he would resend it, after typically will sell items for that I brought in more clothes
and my total he owed me was $250.” The store closed in early October and Larson, along with many other patrons, want to know where their money and property went. A few have reported the store to the Better Business Bureau and at least four people have filed reports with the Kirkland Police Department. “We are actively investigating this to see if it is a civil matter or if there is theft here,” said Kirkland Police Det. Allan O’Neill.
One victim stated that the sale price of clothing sold at the store would be split 50/50 with the consigner, according to a police report filed with the Kirkland Police Department on Oct. 24. But many of the customers also want to know where Potter went. The Reporter obtained Potter’s cell phone number and attempted to contact him with no reply. The business’ phone has been disconnected and no reply was given to the company’s email. The business also had a website that was apparently [ more THANK YOU page 7 ]
Jason Potter posed for a 2009 photo for a story on Designers Consignment. Potter is being accused of not paying consigners following the closing of his store “Thank You Twice” in October. REPORTER FILE
11,000 ballots not mailed to Eastside voters BY CARRIE WOOD cwood@kirklandreporter.com
Sophomores Andrea Loi, at left, and Claudia Gunhus work on a program during a Microsoft TEALS group taught class at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland on Monday. CHAD COLEMAN, Kirkland Reporter
Microsoft gives students a head start in technology BY SAMANTHA PAK Sound Publishing
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Emily Wilson entered Lake Washington High School (LWHS) in September expecting to pick up a paintbrush and express herself through art. But a scheduling conflict in the system now has her inputing data, creating programs and learning about today’s growing hightech world.
The 15-year-old sophomore is one of about 30 students enrolled in a computer science class at LWHS that is part of Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS), a program that has Microsoft Corp. employees teaching high schoolers how computers work. Wilson said in today’s digital age, she sees the value in having such a class at the high school level.
Robert Goins, center, of the Microsoft TEALS group, answers sophomore Cori Meyers question at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland on Monday. CHAD COLEMAN, Kirkland Reporter “We’re all on computers or cell phones,” she said.
POINT OF ORIGIN TEALS founder and ringleader Kevin Wang agreed, saying young people these days are digital natives,
familiar with technology. However, while they may be sending e-mails at all hours of the day, they don’t know how the messages get from point A to point B. TEALS teaches students this — among other things.
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Wang said the program began when Issaquah High School contacted him because the school’s computer science program was in danger of disappearing. School district officials asked Wang, [ more LWHS page 14 ]
The Elections Department has identified about 11,000 Eastside voters whose ballots were not sent out among the 1.1 million general election ballots mailed on Oct. 19. The cities of Kirkland and Redmond had the largest amount of voters who were affected, including 3,624 voters in Kirkland and 3,336 in Redmond who did not receive ballots. Another 232 voters in Bellevue did not receive ballots. Ballots were mailed to these voters on Oct. 29 and they should have received them in the mail this week. All voters have until Nov. 8 to vote and [ more VOTE page 4 ]
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