REDMOND
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REPORTER
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2011
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Cole steps down after 24 years on City Council
NEWSLINE: 425.867.0353
Happy, safe holidays to all
SPORTS | Multi-talented Redmond High boys’ swim and dive team already showing great improvement | Ailing Mustang gymnasts looking forward to new year [8-9]
Visit with ol’ Saint Nicholas
Longtime politician was a strong advocate for financial stability BILL CHRISTIANSON bchristianson@redmond-reporter.com
A fixture in Redmond politics for nearly three decades, Richard Cole admits he is a penny pincher and it’s a philosophy that has guided him during his 24-year tenure on the City Council. “I spend the taxpayer money like the way I spend my money and I’m a pretty frugal guy,” said Cole, 70, who retired from Council earlier this month after serving six terms as a Council Richard Cole member and four years on the City of Redmond Planning Commission. Cole’s stubbornness with spending and long-term thinking has helped pave the way for the city’s financial stability, according to Council member Pat Vache, who is now the longest tenured member on the council. “He is very steadfast in maintaining adequate reserves to provide the stability we now have,” said Vache, who has served 14 years on the Council with Cole. “He is a very firm supporter in pushing forward on economic development and he played a key role in keeping our industrial zones industrial.” Cole brought his financial expertise as a CPA for Boeing to the city, advocating for the city to switch to a two-year budget process, which frees up city staff for other work. In addition, he was a big supporter [ more COLE page 5 ]
Jackson Vandermeer, 18 months, listens to Saint Nicholas, aka David Baker, as his mother Deadra Vandermeer holds him at the Seattle Children’s Thrift Store in the Overlake neighborhood of Redmond Tuesday afternoon. Baker, the receiving manager for Children’s thrift stores, created his own suit for his first portrayal of the holiday icon. CHAD COLEMAN, Redmond Reporter
Celebrating holiday traditions around the world Christmas is not the only tradition recognized by the Redmond community SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
W
ith endless sales, countless songs and numerous TV specials about the holiday, the month of December could easily be renamed the month of Christmas. But this time of year also plays host to a number of other holiday traditions. From a celebration of miracles to a solemn observance of a new year, here are a few holidays that are also observed this time of year.
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS The Jewish holiday of Chanukah,
Rabbi Mordechai Farkash of the Eastside Torah Center leads the crowd at Redmond Town Center in a series of traditional Jewish songs during a public menorah lighting Wednesday evening, the first night of Chanukah (Hanukkah). The eight-day holiday ends Dec. 28. SAMANTHA PAK, Redmond Reporter also known as Hanukkah, is an eight-day celebration commemorating the Maccabees’ resistance against and victory over the Syr-
ian Greeks who occupied Israel and tried to influence Jews to adopt the Greek way of life in the second century, B.C.
Sholom Elishevitz, a junior rabbi at the Eastside Torah Center (ETC), said Jewish practices were outlawed during this time but the Maccabees, a small group of untrained Jews, successfully took their land back and rededicated the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Part of this rededication included lighting the temple’s menorah, which was required to burn throughout the night every night, but there was only enough olive oil for one night. However, Elishevitz said the oil miraculously continued to burn for eight days. This miracle is commemorated by lighting a candle on a ninebranched menorah on each successive night of Chanukah. The ninth candle, called the shamash, is used for extra light as well as to light the other candles. [ more TRADITIONS page 2 ]