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Top 10 mostread stories of 2013
‘JJ’ gives three decades to city, set to retire BY RAECHEL DAWSON
rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
Members of the community know Janet Jonson as “Janet” when she answers the phone, but those who work for the city or have a strong connection to the city of Kirkland know her simply as “JJ.” After three decades as executive assistant to the City Manager, Jonson will retire from her position but her nickname will live on at City Hall. When Jonson started working with the city in 1983 as a clerk/typist, the Director of Office of Administration and Finance asked her if he could give her a nickname. “We had a lot of Janes, not just Janet,” Jonson said. “I wasn’t the first Janet, there [were] Janices, Junes, Judys -- there were so many J’s and my boss at that time said, ‘Do you mind if I give you a nickname? I’m stumbling all over the people whose names start with J’s.’” And it stuck for 30 years. Jonson said JJ was a
special nickname designated for city staff and her regular callers. “My customers evidently liked it too because they have always called me JJ as well, when they got to know me,” she said. “… There was a basketball player that played for the Sonics who also had JJ as his nickname but I’m short and squatty and nothing like a basketball player, so we were never going to be confused.” Jonson began with the city after she saw an advertisement for a receptionist position. Saving time during her commute was appealing for Jonson, who has lived in the Finn Hill neighborhood for 40 years. “I knew a lot of our customers we have here, I had met them through other ways, through other schools and activities in the community,” she said. “It felt right.” Jonson was the City Hall receptionist for a few months before she was promoted to executive as[ more RETIRE page 3 ]
BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
After 30 years, Janet Jonson will retire from her position as executive assistant to the City Manager. Jonson, known as “JJ,” is a longtime Kirkland resident and has worked for past city managers Al Locke, Terry Ellis and Dave Ramsay. She will miss her “city family” the most during retirement. CONTRIBUTED
Boys & Girls Club to host first Brick Fest in Kirkland BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
After attending Lego KidsFest in Portland, Ore. with her two children, event organizer Bekki Jo Kahler thought she could bring the popular Lego trend to Kirkland. With the intent of raising money for the Kirkland Boys & Girls Keystone Club and Team ASPCA, Kahler contacted local companies who
would later become sponsors of the first Kirkland Brick Fest. Their Keystone Club is comprised of teenagers 14 to 18 years old and Team ASPCA advocates for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Children may have fun with Legos while cultivating skills in building, engineering and creativity at the Kirkland Boys & Girls
Club gym from noon to 4 p.m. on Jan. 4. The club is located at 10805 124th Ave. NE in Kirkland. “I think it’s a great idea because it challenges the creativity of kids and adults,” said Kirkland Boys & Girls Club Teen Coordinator Erik Touhey. “Adults and kids who like to build, the engineering type, they get to show their creativity through building whatever they can think of. I think
everyone will benefit.” Different building areas will be set up for people to keep with a theme. There will be a “Lego Friends” area sponsored by PCL Construction and PCL Civil Contractors of Bellevue, a vehicle building area and a spaceship building area sponsored by Greenpoint Technologies of Kirkland, a Lego City area and a Duplo area for younger children.
“I’m hoping to have some display spaces set up so that kids can leave them up until the next kids come along,” Kahler said, noting it might be a good idea to bring a camera. “Children and adults are both really excited.” Terra Associates, PlayWell Teknologies and Demetriou Archetects PLCC of Kirkland and Tenhulzen Residential [ more LEGO page 5]
A young teen missing, prostitution at Motel 6 and other stories sexual in nature were among the most-read headlines this year, but two heart-warming, community oriented stories made the cut as well. Here are the top 10 mostread stories of 2013, according to Google Analytics: 1. Comedian Drew Carey shares challenging past at Friends of Youth Luncheon, by Matt Phelps, March 25, 2010. Thanks to social media, this 2010 story took off again when someone shared the link on Reddit.com. Comic and actor Drew Carey spoke at a local Friends of Youth luncheon to explain how a charity, such as Friends of Youth, might have helped him as a teenager. After Carey’s father died at a young age, he found himself suicidal before he became homeless at one point in Las Vegas. 2. Police arrest four men patronizing prostitutes at Kirkland’s Motel 6, execute Backpage.com search warrant, by Raechel Dawson, Aug. 5, 2013. This prostitution sting article has held the title of top-trending stories among western Washington Sound Publishing newspapers since August. One summer night, Kirkland police arrested four ‘johns’ at Motel 6 after discovering suspected prostitutes, who advertised on Backpage.com, were staying at the Kirkland location. 3. Kirkland parents searching for missing teen girl, by Raechel Dawson, Oct. 18, 2013. A 14-year-old Kirkland girl ran away from home and was missing for a little more than 24 hours. Her parents notified Kirkland police and put a call out to the community by posting flyers with her photo. The teen was [ more TOP READ page 3 ]