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FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011
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Thousands for 7 Hills
Cyclists crest the Holmes Point hill that runs through one of Kirkland’s newest neighborhoods during the annual 7 Hills event to raise money for KITH. MATT PHELPS, Kirkland Reporter
An historic week in Kirkland
State softball champs
Milkin house rebuild completed with furniture donation BY MATT PHELPS mphelps@kirklandreporter.com
Five years ago Sgt. Leonid Milkin’s family, and everything they had built, were taken away while he was serving in Iraq with the National Guard. But thanks to countless volunteers from the Kirkland and greater Puget Sound community, over 80 businesses and organizations and one very driven stay-athome Kirkland mom with a gigantic heart, Milkin was finally able to come home to stay on Saturday. “I am just overwhelmed with emotions. God cares and people care. This means [ more HOME page 6 ]
The Juanita High School softball team won the state title Saturday. MEGAN MANAGAN, Kirkland Reporter
Juanita High School defeats Bainbridge Island for title BY MEGAN MANAGAN mmanagan@kirklandreporter.com
With just one pitch left between the Juanita Rebels softball team and the state title, the crowd began chanting “Lets go Rebels” from the stands. The Rebels did just that – going all the way as starting pitcher Allison Rhodes threw the final strike out to win the game. The team won the 3A state softball championship Saturday afternoon in Lacey, beating Bainbridge 6-1. Shortly after the final pitch had been thrown and after the team held the trophy in their hands, senior captain Lexi Faist still couldn’t believe it. “It feels like a dream,” she said. “It doesn’t feel real. This is awesome. I’m so excited for all of us.” In their second meeting of the post season, the Rebels dominated from the mound, with Rhodes striking out 10 batters over seven innings. Juanita started off the afternoon with a 1-0 lead at the end of the first inning, thanks to a run from Lexi Faist. In the second inning the Rebels had two more runs off of three hits to take a commanding early lead. “The girls stayed real focused and to make those little plays were huge,” said head coach Kristan Dahl. “All game long they made every play that was asked of them and it was great. Bainbridge is a fantastic team and it was an opportunity to come out and prove that we were the best team out here and it was great.” [ more SOFTBALL page 15 ]
Milkin comes home
Annexation official with midnight celebration, Kirkland is now the 12th largest city in state BY MATT PHELPS mphelps@kirklandreporter.com
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irkland resident Johanna Palmer filled plastic glasses with sparkling apple cider by the side of the road as midnight approached on Tuesday. One car even stopped to ask the police in attendance why so many vehicles and the spotlight were all sitting beside 124th Ave. N.E. in the Kingsgate neighborhood. The 20 or so City of Kirkland employees, city council members and residents marked the official incorporation of the three newest neighborhoods into Kirkland with the unveiling of a “Welcome to Kirkland” sign at exactly 12:01 a.m. Wednesday morning. “This is history, this is
ordained,” said Deputy Mayor Penny Sweet. “These people have been Kirkland residents forever and now it is official.” The annexation covers the neighborhoods of Finn Hill, North Juanita and Kingsgate and pushed Kirkland’s population well over 80,000, making it the 12th largest city in the state. “This makes the City of Kirkland a major player at the state level,” said former Kirkland mayor and current state Rep. Larry Springer, who has been working on annexation since 1995. “It gives us more clout ... But it is not like these people are a bunch of aliens. These people have called Kirkland home 25 years.” The same event was held simultaneously at a second location
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Kirkland resident Leonid Milkin talks with reporters in his home that the community helped to rebuild on Saturday. CARRIE WOOD, Kirkland Reporter
One Kirkland
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City officials and residents celebrate annexation in Kingsgate. MATT PHELPS, Kirkland Reporter in the Juanita neighborhood. The celebrations were not originally a part of the city’s official events. “We got enough people who were interested like from the police department and fire, and the council members were really excited about doing it,” said Kirk-
land City Manager Kurt Triplett, who helped to pull the black cloth from over the sign. But not all the new residents will be celebrating as many are not happy the annexation went through after the public vote [ more KIRKLAND page 3 ]
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