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CYCLING | Marymoor Grand Prix to feature world-class athletes [6] CRIME ALERT | Redmond Police Blotter [3] FEATURE | Latha Sambamurti discusses the importance of the upcoming Ananda Mela Joyful Festival of India in Redmond [6]
FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2013
73rd Derby Days brings community together SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
McGruff the Crime Dog encourages the crowd to make some noise during the Grand Parade at Derby Days festival on Saturday. The parade was one of the highlights of the event, which has been a Redmond tradition since 1939. SAMANTHA PAK, Redmond Reporter
Redmond hit with 38 vehicle prowls in the course of a week Police arrest Seattle man possibly linked to 19 SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
The City of Redmond was hit with 38 vehicle prowls from July 8-15 and the Redmond Police Department (RPD) has arrested a 32-year-old Seattle man they believe is linked to at least 19 prowls that occurred overnight Sunday, into Monday morning. The arrest came after RPD received a call at 4:40 a.m. Monday from the 14800 block of Northeast 64th Street in Grass Lawn. “An 11-year-old heard someone hitting vehicles and window smashing,” said Jim Bove, spokesperson for RPD.
He said one of the girl’s parents called the police and as they were en route, a patrol officer noticed someone kneeling in the front passenger seat of a car in the 15100 block of Northeast 68th Street, sorting through items in the middle console. When the officer approached, Bove said the suspect took off running. A foot pursuit ensued and as the officer got close, the suspect stopped and lay on the ground. At the same time, Bove said a car engine revved, wheels screeched and a car began speeding in reverse toward the officer and suspect. “The car continued southbound on 151st Avenue Northeast onto Northeast 68th Street when it stopped and then sped off,” he said. “As the car was doing that, the suspect got up and ran again towards [ more CAR PROWLS page 3 ]
On Saturday morning, crowds of people lined 161st Avenue Northeast and Northeast 85th Street in downtown Redmond, watching, as pirates, Darth Vader and his Imperial Stormtroopers, zombies, dancing horses, a dancing dragon and lion and others made their way toward City Hall. While the sight of such individuals on any other day in Redmond may have been cause for alarm — or at least curiosity — their appearances in town on Saturday was business as usual as they walked alongside marching bands, elected officials, school groups and representatives from other local organizations in the Grand Parade at the 73rd Derby Days festival. Antim Bansil, who has lived in Redmond for 10 years, attends Derby Days with her family every year and said she enjoys the lively event and parades. “You see the community,” she said about what she enjoys the most. Redmond resident Rachel King agreed that seeing the community is a Derby Days highlight for her. She has attended about seven years out of the 13 years she has lived in Redmond, both before and after she became a mother. Now with a 4-year-old son, King appreciates being able to bring him to such events — especially in the summer when being outdoors is ideal. “It’s just fun,” she said. “It’s a family event. We need more family events.” Although King and Bansil see Derby Days as a chance to meet others in their community, their children have other things in mind. King’s 4-year-old son David and Bansil’s 8-year-old daughter Ashika both said their favorite part of [ more DERBY DAYS page 5 ]
No injuries in two-alarm fire east of Redmond SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
Crews from Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Duvall, Woodinville and Eastside fire departments responded to a two-alarm structural fire shortly before 9 a.m. on July 12 from a residence in the 25500 block of Northeast 67th Place in unincorporated King County east of Redmond. A neighbor had reported the fire and Jim Bove, spokesperson for the Redmond Fire Department, said the house was about 50 percent engulfed in flames when crews arrived and were not able to enter at first. He said they also thought occupants were inside as no one was coming out of the building.
Crews from multiple fire departments responded to a two-alarm fire at a house east of Redmond last Friday morning. Courtesy Photo “It turns out they were out of town,” Bove said, adding that the owners were notified right away and made their way home from Walla Walla immediately. There were no injuries. Bove said, according to
neighbors, the owners had four dogs and two cats. The four dogs have been accounted for and are doing fine but the cats are unaccounted for at this time. The cause of the fire is still unknown and currently under investigation.