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SPORTS | Bellevue continues quest for sixth straight 3A state football title against Peninsula [13]
Health | Overlake Hospital first in Northwest to use robotic stapler in colorectal surgery [7]
Education | Bellevue Schools Foundation awards grants [15]
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013
Eastside economy gets a thumbs up from business leaders BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
Business leaders at Wednesday’s Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Eastside Economic Forecast Breakfast made fairly sunny predictions for future growth as the economy continues to rebound from the 2008 recession. “I remember five years ago, four years ago, three years ago, America was in decline, China was on the rise,” said Joe Quinlan, chief market strategist for Bank of America. Now the United States is on the up in the automotive, housing and manufacturing sectors, with energy to play an even larger part in driving the economy in the next several
years, Quinlan said. “It’s a game-changer, really,” he said. “It’s a game-changer at home.” Energy costs go down and put more money in the pockets of business leaders, and the energy revolution is being driven by entrepreneurs, state policy and technological innovation. The United States continues to drive the global economy, Quinlan said, but government is playing a huge part in how efficiently the economy will grow. “I think growth is a terrible thing to waste, as well,” he said. “We’re growing around 2.8 percent. This is when we should be hard at work, rolling up our sleeves and maintain
growth we have, make it stronger.” The setting aside of immigration reform by Congress is a letdown because of the missed opportunity to attract a pool of international talent to the United States for higher education and then retain highly-skilled graduates within its workforce, Quinlan said. “We still have the ability to attract the best and the brightest, but let’s keep them here,” he said. “Let’s entice them to stay. If you look at the Silicon Valley, 40-45 percent
Church, donors give Camp Unity couple special wedding day BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
Justin and Keri Embree met and fell in love at Camp Unity Eastside in the Bellevue First United Methodist Church parking lot. When they announced their plans to wed at the church before CUE's move to Woodinville, congregation members made the couple's special day a fast-paced mission that coalesced in a full ceremony on Nov. 14. "We met through Camp Unity. I had been a long-time camper and she moved in," said Justin Embree, recalling standing over his barbecue grill when she approached him. "I asked her if she was hungry." "And all I noticed was his blue eyes," said Keri Embree. There was no hesitation by the church to conduct the couple's wedding ceremony and reception, said congregation member Sheri Yeatts, however, they were worried about the short window in which they had to plan the event. "My first thought was, 'I don't think we can do this,' and then my
second thought was, 'Yes, we can,' " said Yeatts. Through solicitation efforts by camp member Margaret Brady, donors started pouring in. Sterling silver wedding bands were donated by Gold and Silver Traders and a bouquet and boutenier were provided by Lawrence the Florist. Obadiah Salon did Keri Embree's hair and nails and Bellevue First United Methodist members provided a suit for the groom and white dress for the bride. "Everything was settled in three days," Yeatts said, "the whole wedding." Pastor Steve Tarr agreed to officiate the wedding, which was unrehearsed. "I've never done anything quite like this," he said. "This is a great thing to be able to do. We've really liked having Camp Unity here, and to be able to do this before they go is a great thing." Rather than a band, music for the ceremony was provided by two members of the church choir and the church also handled photography, though many camp members also jumped in with their smart-
Bellevue's first female mayor dies Nan Campbell's death caused by injuries from Bellevue apartment fire BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
Pastor Steve Tarr officiates at the wedding of Justin and Keri Embree at Bellevue First United Methodist Church. BRANDON MACZ, Bellevue Reporter phones. "As I was standing up there, I could feel my legs shaking," said Justin Embree. Following the ceremony and reception, the Embrees spent their wedding night at the Sheraton Bellevue, which provided a room and breakfast. Embree said it would be difficult to relax because he still
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needed to tear down his home at the campsite, which moved to the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church on Saturday (Nov. 16). The couple hopes to renew their vows at the methodist church next year. "To be able to make their dream come true is just a privilege," Yeatts said. "To me, it was God in control and it just kind of happened."
Former Bellevue city councilmember and mayor Nan Campbell died Monday night at Overlake Medical Center as a result of injuries she sustained in the Nov. 5 Hampton Greens Apartments complex fire that destroyed one building on the 4500 block of 148th Nan Campbell Avenue Northeast. Campbell, 87, was one of seven people rushed to the hospital that morning after an explosion and fire broke out in one of the multi-family residential buildings. She reportedly fell out of her apartment window while fleeing the fire and broke her pelvis, later developing pneumonia in the hospital. The fire SEE CAMPBELL, 6