KIRKLAND .com
REPORTER
NEWSLINE: 425.822.9166
TICKET TO RIDE | King County Council approves hike in bus fare, new low-income fare [9]
Historic | Kang boys swim finishes sixth, best FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014 in school history [8]
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
New | Kirkland builds first new road in two decades [7]
A circle of friends in Kirkland Pump It Up in Kirkland offers space for Friendship Circle birthday party
BY RAECHEL DAWSON rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
D
Pump It Up in Kirkland hosted a birthday party for Friendship Circle’s Birthday Club children from 4:156 p.m. on Feb. 18. Pump It Up is located at 11605 NE 116th St. in Kirkland. Friendship Circle helps give social experiences to children with special needs and is based in Mercer Island. YVONNE COOPER, Friendship Circle
enise Leary could see a difference in her son after he joined the Friendship Circle. “When he comes home, he’s relaxed, hungry and just happy,” Leary said. “He’s quick to scream, quick to fit, but after Friendship Circle, they all say he has a great time.” Leary’s son Chris, 6, is autistic, as are other children at Friendship Circle. Friendship Circle is an organization based on Mercer Island that works to provide social experiences for children with a range of special needs. “The ingredient for the organization is about providing friendship,” said Friendship Circle supervisor Elazar Bogomilsky. “Whatever we have in a typical society in the way we celebrate things, birthdays, we want to be able to provide to these families as well.” As a way to do this,
Chamber holds cash mob for business owner in need
inflatables can be soothing play and it promotes the development of gross motor skills, Roberts said. But Roberts said openthe organization started ing up their space for Birthday Club, which esanother organization is sentially throws a conpretty rare. joined birthday party for “We’d like to help where the children every few we can as a business months. The first event was held at Pump It Up in but it’s hard sometimes because we can’t say yes Kirkland on Feb. 18. to everybody, but this one “We get hundreds of fits,” Roberts said. “You donation requests a year,” have to pick some focus said Andy Roberts, the to help out with. Special Pump It Up owner. “It’s needs and autism, this fits hard to pick and choose.” the bill.” Roberts said Bogomilsky Friendship “When he comes said having the Circle’s work is in home, he’s line with the oth- relaxed, hungry birthday parer charities Pump and just happy. ties at facilities such as Pump It It Up advocates He’s quick to Up is important for, so it wasn’t a scream, quick because “many hard choice. to fit, but after times these kids “It just seemed Friendship Circle, are excluded to fit,” he said. they all say he has from typical, “We try to help a great time.” proper birthday others where we Denise Leary environments.” can. This seemed “It’s very to check a lot of powerful, this is the boxes.” something that’s so special The Pump It Up franfor a kid that has special chise of 150 stores has needs,” Bogomilsky said, worked closely with the noting that sometimes National Autistic Orchildren will observe sibganization throughout lings talking about birththe years. One night a day parties and recognize month they have a jump [ more CIRCLE page 2 ] for special needs kids, as
‘Cyborg bandit’ charged, connected to Kirkland to bank robbery
BY RAECHEL DAWSON
BY RAECHEL DAWSON
rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
rdawson@kirklandreporter.com
After learning the owner of a Kirkland business was recently displaced because of a house fire, the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce decided something had to be done. “We’re living in a hotel right now and I think they wanted to do something nice for us,” said Common Folk Co.
A once unidentified man with the monikers “Cyborg bandit” and “Elephant man” has been caught, charged and identified after a year-long investigation. King County prosecutors recently charged Anthony Leonard Hathaway, 45, of Everett on Feb. 14 with one count of robbery in the first degree. Hathaway was arrested by the Seattle Safe Streets
Common Folk Co. owner Kathryn Straub helps a customer during her first cash mob that was put on by the Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber decided to help after learning Straub’s Kirkland house was damaged in an electrical fire. RAECHEL DAWSON, Kirkland Reporter owner Kathryn Straub, who has lived in Kirkland since 2006. Straub’s Bridle Trails
home suffered $140,000 in damages from an electrical fire on Jan. 29, despite the hour fire-
fighters spent working to save her house. Feeling the need [ more MOB page 5 ]
Task Force on Feb. 11 after he was caught robbing a Key Bank in the University District of Seattle. Several bank employees witnessed a man with a black umbrella run into the bank and demand $100, $50, $20 and $10 bills, according to charging documents. Hathaway allegedly stole $2,320 from the teller’s cash drawer as he dawned a dark colored mask and told everyone [ more CHARGED page 3 ]