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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2013
Murdered mother’s home for sale, neighbors want it demolished
Evidence mounts against estranged husband, DNA found on towel under body BY MATT PHELPS mphelps@bothell-reporter.com
Bothell resident Leann Ware’s home was built by her grandfather during the 1950s. He also built her next door neighbor’s home. But she wants that house
destroyed. “I want to tear it down,” said Ware on her front porch with her two big dogs behind a screen door. “I would be sad to see it go but I would like to see it torn down.” Many of her neighbors
have the same feelings about the 1,500-square-foot rambler at 216 240th St. SW, which went up for sale Aug. 23. The Bothell home is the site of one of the most brutal murders in the city’s history. Susann Smith was found face down,
beaten and drowned in her bathtub while her two kids were away on Feb. 12. Her estranged husband, Alan Justin Smith, now sits in the Snohomish County jail accused of the crime - with the most recent evidence showing DNA found on a
towel under his wife’s body consistent with his profile. Claudia Nastase, who owns a senior living home on the other side of the former crime scene, wants the sale of the home to be positive but agrees that ultimately having it torn down would be good for neighbors.
“I would hope that any money that comes from it would go to the children but I doubt that will happen,” said Nastase. “I hope someone else has more luck with the home.” The Smiths’ two young children were taken by Washington State Child [ more MURDER page 3 ]
NSD school board incumbent drops out of race after primary BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ crodriguez@bothell-reporter.com
Northshore School District Superintendent Larry Francois addresses the approximately 200 in attendance for the Wall of Honor induction ceremony at Pop Keeney Stadium on Thursday. For the full story see page 7. MATT PHELPS, Bothell Reporter
N
orthshore School District board incumbent Julia Lacey dropped out of the general election, days after King and Snohomish County Elections certified the final primary election results. Lacey was the top votegetter in a three-way race for the Director District No. 1 seat against Kimberly D’Angelo and Marci Cheesebrough, garnering more than 8,000 votes. However, she cited a personal opportunity
Eight inducted into Wall of Fame
that came up shortly after the August primary will cause her to relocate out of the director district, leaving Kimberly D’Angelo as the only active candidate campaigning for the seat. But both Lacey and D’Angelo will remain on the general election ballot in November, since Lacey missed the May 20 deadline for withdrawing from the race. “I have sincerely enjoyed serving the Northshore students, staff and community [ more RACE page 10 ]
Kenmore wins solar panel legal dispute with council candidate A King County Superior Court judge on Aug. 16 ruled in favor of the city of Kenmore regarding a solar panel dispute with a local man. The city contended that
Patrick O’Brien, who was ordered by the city in January to take down his solar panels in response to a citizen complaint, misrepresented his structure as an arbor for grape vines and failed to obtain a permit for the unsafe structure. O’Brien, who is run-
ning for Kenmore City Council, filed a Land Use Petition Act (LUPA) appeal in February in King County Superior Court over the decision, claiming the issue is about local jurisdictions “taking control” of green energy. He claimed the Hearing
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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. But Judge Catherine Shaffer ruled that the city was not preempted by
state law from requiring a building permit for the structure and that city code requires a permit for all structures - including solar panels. Shaffer also found that O’Brien did not establish that the building permit fee constituted a tax because
the fees pay for the costs of processing permit applications. Kenmore city officials say the city has accrued more than $40,000 in legal and Hearing Examiner costs to defend this case. “This case has been [ more LEGAL page 4 ]
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BY CARRIE RODRIGUEZ crodriguez@bothell-reporter.com