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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2014
BUSINESS | Jujubeet opens new store at Redmond Town Center [9]
Coats for kids at Einstein Elementary
Shea Homes, Inc. addresses Trilogy residents’ repair issues SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
Lt. Steve Guenther with the Redmond Fire Department makes sure Daniel Hernandez’s coat fits him perfectly. Guenther was one of about 20 firefighters who visited Einstein Elementary last Friday as part of Operation Warm. SAMANTHA PAK, Redmond Reporter
Redmond firefighters participate in Operation Warm SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
With the holiday season here and winter fast approaching, one of the things people can do to beat the cold is put on a thick winter coat. But not everyone can get a hold of one in a time of need. To address this issue, the Redmond Firefighters Benevolent Fund and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 2829 — the union for the Redmond Fire Department (RFD) — teamed up to provide coats for students at Albert Einstein Elementary School in Redmond. Using money from the benevolent fund — which benefits people in the local community, especially
those facing personal tragedy — the firefighters purchased enough coats to keep more than 60 Einstein students warm. In addition, principal Karen Belshaw said extra coats were even purchased for some of the students’ older and younger siblings who are not at Einstein. “I have not seen a coat drive like this,” she said about the scale of it. Belshaw said in addition to the drive, the school receives support from both the RFD and Redmond Police Department as a number of firefighters and officers will visit the school as lunch buddies and sit and eat with the students. “We have a fabulous relationship with them,” she said.
DONATING MORE THAN JUST COATS
The drive was part of Operation Warm, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide warm winter clothing for children who need it. According to the organization’s website, “families struggling to survive prioritize food, heat, and rent above winter clothing resulting in frequent absenteeism from school.” The website continues, stating that this leads to forgone learning and missed opportunities for socialization, play and balanced nutrition provided through the Federal Free and Reduced Meal Program. Dawn DeLoach, secretary of the benevolent fund, said they ended up participating in Operation Warm after firefighter Mike Navarro learned [ more COATS page 3 ]
Since a group of homeowners from Trilogy on Redmond Ridge filed a mass-action lawsuit against Shea Homes, Inc., the California-based homebuilder has been working with some of the homeowners to address their repair issues. According to a press release issued by Shea, more than 700 of the 1,500 homes in the community have responded to the homebuilder’s offer to have their homes inspected and fixed — or receive a cash settlement for construction issues. As previously reported,
Lehtinen is scheduled for case setting on Dec. 3 STAFF REPORT
Eric Emil Lehtinen, a Redmond man who is accused of injecting his son with heroin, had his Nov. 17 case-setting hearing continued to Dec. 3. King County Superior Court documents include a letter from Lehtinen to the judge stating that he feels his attorney “has failed to handle this case in a professional and effective manner” as required by
some of those issues include water intrusion and rot damage caused by a lack of exterior waterproofing components. “We are pleased by the positive response we have gotten from homeowners at Redmond Ridge who love their homes and community and want us to address issues, rather than join a lawsuit by plaintiffs,” said Robb Pigg, vice president of operations for Shea. The press release goes on to state that the company has already completed more than 400 home inspections and made offers or repairs to many of the inspected homes. [ more HOMES page 7] Washington’s Rules of Professional Conduct. He asks that his case be transferred from the Society of Counsel Representing Accused Persons (SCRAP) to the Public Defender Association. Lehtinen pleaded not guilty to the charge of firstdegree attempted murder at his arraignment on Oct. 10, 2013 at the King County Courthouse. Lehtinen’s son, who was 4 at the time of the Sept. 24, 2013 incident, was released from Seattle Children’s Hospital in October 2013. The man remains in the King County Jail in Seattle with bail set at $3 million. If convicted, he could face at least 15 years in prison.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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