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RE-ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT | Kirkland City Councilwoman Penny Sweet announces bid for re-election [3]
Little Free Library | Free library unites FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2013 community after being stolen [5]
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Rabbit | South Rose Hill fire takes the life of family pet [9]
Elderly couple files fraud suit against Bob Sternoff Councilman files police report against former employee for embezzlement; owes creditors $8.4 million BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ, RAECHEL DAWSON, MATT PHELPS Kirkland Reporter
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n elderly couple has filed a civil lawsuit against Kirkland Councilman Bob Sternoff, claiming he defrauded them out of $70,000. The couple’s claim adds them to the long list of creditors that Sternoff owes, call-
ing in loans and fees totaling more than $8.4 million. Sternoff owned and managed several real estate development companies, most recently Sternoff Custom Homes that lost its business license in July 2012, according to the Department of Revenue. The loss of his business and the debts he owes forced him into receivership and liquidation. Appointed
by King County Superior from his company. Court on March 6, the liquidator will distribute Sternoff ’s more than The elderly $7.5 million in assets couple– Weyman to his creditors. and Annie Wong, of But Sternoff also Kirkland – filed the blames part of his civil lawsuit against financial woes on a Sternoff on Nov. 20, former employee, Bob Sternoff 2012 in King County claiming the worker Superior Court. embezzled an unThe complaint aldisclosed amount of money
Civil lawsuit
leges that Sternoff defrauded them out of $70,000 through the use of fraudulent conveyance. The Wongs met Sternoff through their daughter Julie, whose realtor introduced her to the councilman about 15 years ago when she and her husband moved to the area. Julie said Sternoff asked her for a quick loan of $70,000 in May 2011, when
Sternoff ’s company was in the process of building her Yarrow Point home where she currently lives. At that time, her parents were living with her. Since Julie and her husband were already paying what money they had to Sternoff ’s company, she asked her parents. “I thought he was a trustworthy person, so we said OK for one year,” said [ more FRAUD page 6 ]
Kirkland community celebrates little boy’s life with Pinwheel Day and focused on physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapy. If on Tuesday you noticed Spinning and batting toys a brightly colored sign above became one of Lincoln’s Kirkland’s I-405 bridge that goals, and some could say he read “In Loving Memory of mastered it. Lincoln Hartley,” or pin“Once he could do it, wheels beside new spring he loved it. He would spin flowers and people being a anything,” Joie said. “We little kinder - it had a couple of wasn’t a coincitoys that, when dence. they spun, they March 19, would make deemed Pinmusic. He would wheel Day, was a get those things day to celebrate going super fast.” kindness and For Lincoln’s love in honor second birthday, of a little boy’s the Hartley’s and birthday. Lincoln their daughter would have been planned to three years old have pinwheels March 19, but on his cake. his life was cut Unfortunately, short one year Lincoln died ago. LINCOLN HARTLEY nine days before “He just had a and his family really sweet dewas forced to meanor about him,” said Joie pass out pinwheels at the Hartley, Lincoln’s mother. Mormon Latter Day Saints “He could just brighten anychurch for his funeral one’s day with his smile.” instead. Lincoln, born with a “We made 400 pinwheels deletion and duplication of and we didn’t have very chromosome 1, was able many left,” Joie said. “People to spend his short amount came and it was into the of time making huge gains overflow. I think a lot of it and progress despite some was to support us but he had developmental delays. He touched so many people’s worked with therapists at the lives.” Kindering Center in Bellevue [ more LINCOLN page 2 ] BY RAECHEL DAWSON
rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
Protest against Keystone About 40 protesters assembled on Monday morning at the Kirkland offices of the Michels Corporation, a contractor helping to build the Keystone XL pipeline. MATT PHELPS, Kirkland Reporter
Group demands Kirkland business stop building part of pipeline BY MATT PHELPS mphelps@kirklandreporter.com
The Keystone XL pipeline has been a source of contention in Washington D.C. and across the midwest. That fight came to Kirkland Monday morning as about 40 protesters assembled at the Kirkland offices of the Michels
Corporation, a contractor helping to build the pipeline. The pipeline would transport oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast of the U.S. but many, including the protesters, dispute its environmental safety. Organizer Carlo Voli planned to hand a letter to the company’s Vice
President Tim Michels as a part of the protest. But the offices were closed and the doors for the complex were locked. The building also houses Lakeside-Milam Recovery Center. “We want to demand a stop to the production of the Keystone Pipeline,” said Voli. “They decided to close down the office
because they don’t want to show their face.” Many of the protesters carried signs and the group chanted as they marched from their meeting point at the Bridle Trails Park and Ride to the offices across 116th Avenue Northeast. Many of the protesters dressed as the Grim Reaper. The biggest sign had a gigantic [ more PROTEST page 3 ]