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CENTENARIAN | Kirkland man turns 100 years old [5]
Remedies | New pharmacy opens in Kirkland FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2011 with much more than medication [2]
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State | Juanita High School’s Jeremiah Laufasa took second during the state wrestling meet [11]
LWSD, teachers’ union postpone negotiations Superintendent Dr. Chip Kimball. “This situation does not provide a productive environment for negotiating a new multi-year agreement,” BY BILL CHRISTIANSON Kimball said. “Both the disReporter Newspapers trict and the teachers association understand that much he Lake Washingof our ability to compensate ton School District teachers is dependent on the (LWSD) and the Lake state budget. Budget predicWashington Education Astions for one year let alone sociation (LWEA) agreed to three years are very difficult postpone teacher contract at this time.” negotiations until next year. LWEA President Kevin Both sides said the uncerTeeley said the CBA extentainty of the state economy sion will provide “a level of triggered the decision to stability for staff members extend the current three-year and parents.” Collective Bargaining Agree“We’re hoping that a year ment (CBA), through from now the economy the 2011-12 school will be less volatile year. In addition, than it is now and KIRKLAND both sides agreed the district and to a revised 2011teachers will be 12 school district able to productively calendar, which will negotiate a contract,” include date changes for he said. elementary school parent/ The extension, which inteacher conferences. cludes minor changes to next The seven-member LWSD year’s school calendar, comes Board of Directors unaniearly enough where parents mously approved the extencan plan ahead for things sion at its Feb. 7 meeting such as vacations, Teeley said. after the LWEA, which has It also assures there will be approximately 1,500 memno teachers’ strike next fall, bers, voted to continue the which was never a concern current CBA by a 96 percent for the LWEA, Teeley said. majority. “We haven’t had a strike Legislators are cursince 1990,” he said. “We rently hammering out a state weren’t concerned with that.” budget with many changes The main concern was try— and cuts — to education ing to negotiate a multi-year funding looming large. deal when the amount of With the district facing state funding, which dictates “many unknowns” as far as the base of the contract, state funding for next school was unknown, according year, both sides felt now was to LWSD communications not the time for bargaining director Kathryn Reith. talks, according to LWSD [ more LWSD page 5 ]
Both agree to oneyear extension of current deal
A day at the Bay A day at the Bay Above, a hooded merganser couple is sighted at Juanita Bay Park’s Forbes Creek. DUKE COONRAD, Contributed Left, below, Duke Coonrad snaps photos of birds, including the above photo, at Juanita Bay Park on Monday. Also pictured is Stephen Lamson and dog, Patch. Left, above, 3-year-old Ethan Burns enjoys a tricycle ride on the path at Juanita Bay Park Monday. He is followed by parents, Kelly and Andrew, and brother Grady. CARRIE WOOD, Kirkland Reporter
Kirkland Fire disrupts Big Finn Hill Park for potential station, neighbors not pleased BY CARRIE WOOD cwood@kirklandreporter.com
Like many Finn Hill residents, Margaret Horne is vigilant about Big Finn Hill Park use as she walks through the forest every day with her dog. “We’re always watching people in the woods, making sure they are not making new trails or cutting down trees,” she said. So when Horne came around the corner Feb. 15 while walking along the park trail that runs parallel to N.E. 138th Place off Juanita Drive, she was struck by the sight of a backhoe. “We didn’t know it was coming,” she said of the equipment that flattened several areas of trail veg-
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etation as crews took soil samples last week at the proposed site of a new Kirkland fire station. The crews conducted a geo-technical survey to determine if the site would be suitable for a fire station, said Jack Henderson, Kirkland Fire Department deputy chief of operations. He noted the work was a “standard construction project” and said the crews did not remove any trees. Also, the permit that was issued by King County requires the geo-technical firm to replant the damaged vegetation, he added. “We’re still trying to decide whether this is a proper lot or not for a fire station,” said Henderson, adding that the department
An area of Big Finn Hill Park’s trails were plowed over for soil testing Feb. 15. The site is in consideration for a new fire station. CARRIE WOOD, Kirkland Reporter will know more by March 8, when a public open house is scheduled. The Kirkland Fire Department currently contracts with King County to provide fire protection
service for the annexation areas of Finn Hill, Juanita and a western portion of Kingsgate. The 2-acre site on Finn Hill is in an unincorporated [ more FIRE page 3 ]
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