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BUSINESS | New Bellevue juice bar, Jujubeet, finds success growing organically [15]
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013
Bellevue goes for sixth straight 3A state football title tonight | Wolverines have won 53 consecutive games. The game will be a rematch of last year’s title game in the Tacoma Dome at 7:30 p.m. Bellevue beat Eastside Catholic 35-3 in last year’s championship. Pregame coverage on Page 13; get postgame recap at BellevueReporter.com and pick up the Dec. 13 issue of the Reporter for photos, recaps and opinions from the state championship game. [13]
Northeast Fourth extension work starting this month
The first phase of the Northeast Fourth Street extension isn't expected to cause traffic delays this winter. COURTESY, city of Bellevue
Phase 1 of the Northeast Fourth Street extension project in downtown Bellevue is slated to start this month, and will expand Fourth from 116th Avenue Northeast to the Eastside Rail Corridor. This is one of several projects by the city to address future growth in the downtown and Bel-Red areas in Bellevue, along with higher population draws once Sound Transit completes its East Link extension in 2023. KLB Construction will complete Phase 1 of the project under a $3.9 million contract bid award made using local, state and federal funding. "We shouldn't have any major traffic de-
Ferguson has full plate in first year as attorney general BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson says his office is prioritizing as best it can to deal with current and pending legal challenges in the state in the face of a slimmer budget, and he's confident critical issues are being addressed. In an editorial discussion with Reporter staff Tuesday, Ferguson touted his selection of Nancy Krier as the open government ombudsman for his office and being able to bring that position back to full-time status. The attorney general said he is also proposing a bill to provide locally elected officials with an online training resource for navigating open records requests within the law. While some cities like Kirkland are backing budgets that make government accessibility a first-tier service, others are being challenged by what they consider to be burdensome requests for public information. Ferguson said it's good for local governments to work to clarify with the public what they want in order to narrow the scope of requests, but sometimes it doesn't matter. "There will be some cost to that and some inconvenience," he said of following open government laws, "and that's a fact." The attorney general's lawsuit against the Grocery Manufacturer's Associa-
tion over campaign finance concealment claims will move forward this month. So far, Ferguson said the association is accused of hiding the identities of contributors of up to $10.6 million to its campaign against I-522 in Washington, which would have required labeling on some genetically modified food products. He added it is the largest amount of concealed money ever donated to a campaign in the state. The GMA has since provided the names of its backers and their share of contributions, but continues to deny any wrongdoing, said Ferguson, adding he has read an association letter to its contributors that promised to conceal their identities. "They were very thoughtful and deliberate in concealing the names of those donors," he said, adding his office is seeking more options than just monetary penalties against the GMA. "Even a significant (monetary) penalty on their end may be interpreted as the cost of doing business." The Washington State Liquor Control Board is taking applications through Dec. 18 for licensure to grow, process and sell recreational marijuana with the potential for legislation to be passed next year that would require medical marijuana patients to go through these suppliers without being subjected to taxation. Many cities have accepted that they will soon need to make room for retail marijuana stores and grow
On the Hyatt Courtyard
lays starting up this fall and in winter," said Tresa Berg, city transportation department, adding more substantial lane detours and closures aren't expected until summer. Phase 1 construction will continue until the end of 2014, and occur 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and may include 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. The second phase of the Northeast Fourth extension project will connect to 120th Avenue Northeast, which also will be widened in several stages from Fourth to Northup Way. Phase 2 design is at 60 percent and construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in fall 2014.
Bartell Drugs, Group Health form CareClinics Crossroads store to be one of first BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
Attorney General Bob Ferguson said jis office is focusing on improving protections for veterans. CRAIG GROSHART, Bellevue
Reporter
sites, but others like the city of Kent are not embracing the change. The Kent City Council voted last month to put a moratorium in place for marijuana businesses. Ferguson said the liquor control board is now seeking an opinion from his office about whether these municipalities have legal grounds to oppose marijuana as a commercial enterprise in their cities and oppose the will of voters who approved I-502. He's trying to come up with a legal opinion as fast as possible, he said.
The Art of
Seattle-based Group Health Cooperative and Bartell Drugs announced Dec. 2 a collaboration to place medical clinics within three of the retailer's Seattle and Bellevue locations in 2014 with the hope of expanding its CareClinic model in the future. The collaboration is meant to provide more convenient and affordable access to basic care for common minor illnesses and procedures by Group Health within Bartell Drugs locations, where customers will also be able to quickly turn around and fill prescriptions. The cost for a visit is set at $75 when dealing with issues like the cold, flu, allergies, burns, rashes, sprains and bronchitis, and access will not be restricted to Group Health members. Most insurance plans will be accepted. The clinics will not be available for X-rays. The three initial start-up locations inside Bartell Drugs – Crossroads in Bellevue, University Village in Seattle and Ballard – were selected based on geographic and market data that will help the companies get a better sense SEE CARECLINICS, 5
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