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Art show | Local artist shows paintings at Kenmore Gallery [2] UW Bothell | First new building in 10 years takes shape on college campus [10]
FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2013
Bothell man pleads not guilty to wife’s murder BY MATT PHELPS
mphelps@bothell-reporter.com
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Bothell man remains in the Snohomish County jail after pleading not guilty to charges he killed his estranged wife. A judge ordered Alan Justin Smith’s bail to be set at $1 million during his
Cathy Z’s Hope, which is owned by Bothell resident Darrin Paul, thunders down the stretch at Emerald Downs. The horse became an inspiration to many with ovarian cancer. For the full story see page 6.
arraignment on July 22 where Susann Smith, 37, after prosecutors was found brutally refiled first-degree murdered on Feb. murder charges in 12. Snohomish County His next schedSuperior Court on uled court hearing June 19. Smith, 38, is set for Aug. 15 will have to come and a trial date has up with $100,000 been set for Sept. Alan Smith to post a bond. His 13 at 1 p.m. motorcycle remains Smith planned outside of the Bothell home the murder, researched
how to clean up the crime identified, an autopsy states scene and “savagely that Susann Smith beat, cut and ulticould have been mately drowned” killed with the his estranged wife, same type of rubber wrote Deputy mallet identified by prosecutor Craig a former girlfriend Matheson in court as being owned by documents. Alan Smith. Susann Smith Despite the fact Bothell Police that the murder detectives utiweapon has not been lized 15 search warrants
to build the case against Alan Smith, including one to match his footprint to bloody ones found at the crime scene. Smith moved back into the home two months after the murder and was then arrested for the crime in June. He allegedly confessed to a friend “Yes, I did it to her,” court documents state. Susann Smith was at[ more MURDER page 3 ]
Q&A with Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson
A horse named Hope
replaced Rob McKenna, who unsuccessfully faced Jay Inslee in the 2012 state Even as the state tightens governor race. its belt, Washington AttorQ: You’ve made helping ney General Bob Ferguson veterans a priority. What are wants to do more. you doing to serve Ferguson, Bothell Washington vets? and Kenmore’s forA: “My father mer representative was a veteran. Both on the King County my grandfathers, Council, shared his and my great-greatgoals and chalgrandfather, were lenges in consumer veterans. I’m from Bob Ferguson protection, privacy, a large family. All a high-profile dismy uncles served in crimination lawsuit World War II. Fortunately, and the latest scams. they all returned home. Elected to the state’s top I’ve always had strong legal job last November, views about veteran’s isFerguson beat fellow King sues—about mental health County Council member issues related to vets, the Reagan Dunn by about disproportionate number 200,000 votes. Ferguson [ more FERGUSON page 5 ] BY SETH TRUSCOTT
Snoqualmie Valley Record
COURTESY PHOTO/ EMERALD DOWNS
City responds to Kenmore man’s court appeal over solar panels
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he city of Kenmore contends that a local man, who the city ordered to take down his solar panels in January, misrepresented his structure as an arbor for grape vines and failed to obtain a permit for the unsafe structure.
Patrick O’Brien, who is running for Kenmore City Council, filed an appeal in February in King County Superior Court over the decision, claiming the issue is about local jurisdictions “taking control” of green energy. He claims the Hearing Examiner, which upheld the city’s decision, erred in its ruling because the city
does not have an ordinance that deals with the use and installation of solar panels. Rosemary A. Larson, attorney for the city, filed a response on July 8 to O’Brien’s appeal, denying that the Hearing Examiner’s decision requiring O’Brien to take down his solar panels was erroneous. Three years ago O’Brien
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built a structure by installing four wooden piers into his driveway and placing a 20-panel solar array on top. His solar panels became an issue in 2010 when the city received a complaint that there was an un-permitted arbor on O’Brien’s property. The city’s code compliance officer came out to his house and observed
the solar panels on the structure. O’Brien had initially told the city he was constructing an arbor for grape vines when he applied for a building permit. However, he did not inform the city that he intended to place solar panels or any other covering on the arbor, the court documents state.
According to city code and state law, any alteration to a structure also requires a building permit. “The panels are a structural modification to an arbor that requires city review to determine if the panels are safely installed …,” said the Hearing Examiner in his Jan. 19 [ more COURT page 3 ]
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BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ crodriguez@bothell-reporter.com