Bellevue
Reporter
newsline 425-453-4270
news | Bellevue Square J.C. Penney closing in November; Kemper Development to redesign space for specialty retailers [8]
Schools | New program in Bellevue School District helps guide students through college friday, September 5, 2014 application process [11]
Business | Congressman Smith tours Spring District [7]
PSE hosting more Energize Eastside open houses BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
Puget Sound Energy will host another round of open houses for its Energize Eastside project next week, including one in Bellevue on Thursday, Sept. 11. PSE is about two-thirds of the way through its community outreach goals for the project, and citizen advisory committees have reduced the number of routes being considered to run 230kV lines between Redmond and Renton down from 18 to 11. Energize Eastside Senior Project
Manager Jens Nedrud said all have their challenges and tradeoffs. The goal is to link the lines to an additional transformer to increase capacity on the Eastside, as the four existing in the area are beginning to feel the strain, he said. A fifth transformer is expected to handle capacity needs into 2030. “People really get that there’s growth,” Nedrud said. “You’re always going to have a small portion that say, ‘No, we’re not growing.’ ” The energy company has been scrutinized by several neighborhoods along
proposed routes for the Energize Eastside project that contend PSE is not in any eminent danger of reaching capacity here. PSE estimates it could reach winter peak capacity by 2017. It also points to a Puget Sound Regional Council report that estimates a 70-percent growth in employment in the region by 2040. Nedrud said opponents are correct that new power lines will feed into Canada, however, that will amount to about 3-8 percent of production. “The whole project is based on the need to keep the lights on in the Eastside area,”
he said. Many still argue conservation efforts could shore up the need for increasing capacity on the Eastside, but a study commissioned by PSE shows only 2,300 of its 1.3 million customers are currently taking such conservation actions, said Gretchen Aliabadi, Energize Eastside communications initiatives manager. She said residents within proposed Energize Eastside routes vary in their opinions about erecting power poles between 90-125 See energize, 12
Area black bear sightings dropping
A taste of flavors of india
Fish and Wildlife caution animals still active BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
There were several black bear sightings in the Newport Hills area this summer, but Washington Fish and Wildlife expects those reports to drop significantly with the change in seasons. Bellevue Park Ranger Laura Harper with the Lake Hills Greenbelt station said black bears are bulking up for the winter, which prompted the city to warn residents about taking steps to discourage them from scouring their homes, such as securing garbage cans and keeping pet food indoors. “They get this craving, essentially to just keep eating and eating, and they’ll get a little more bold in their efforts,” she said. But Sgt. Kim Chandler with Fish and Wildlife’s District 4 office in Mill Creek said reports of black bear sightings tend to drop by August, when natural fruit becomes more available. Chandler said King County had received about 530 bear complaints this year, as of Tuesday, and two of those were received that morning. He added the bear population here is far less than the number of complaints the agency receives. Of all of those complaints, he said only one black bear had to be trapped and eventually euthanized east of Issaquah due to its aggressive behavior. “These bears are not aggressive, they’re just a nuisance,” Chandler said. Hibernation typically starts in mid-November, but that start time can be affected by the weather, Chandler said. While reports may be dropping, he added there is still about two months left where the bears will remain active. Fish and Wildlife can be contacted at 425-775-1311.
The third annual Flavors of India, organized by the Vedic Cultural Center of Sammamish in partnership with the city of Bellevue, was held Saturday and Sunday, and included dancing with DJ Prashant, a number of cultural displays and a free Indian feast. A slideshow of the event can be found at bellevuereporter. com. BRANDON MACZ, Bellevue Reporter
On the Hyatt Courtyard
EASTSIDE OFFICE 15600 NE 8TH STREET BELLEVUE, WA 98008 (425) 746 - 1200
425.283.0461
1079655
DOWNTOWN OFFICE 10138 MAIN STREET BELLEVUE, WA 98004 (425) 454 - 4141
Dan Larsen Sept. 10 – Oct. 4
www.gunnarnordstrom.com 800 Bellevue Way NE #111 Bellevue Place
The Art of