[ 02 ]
Explosive discovery
Resident finds father’s WWII-era grenade in attic and turns over to the Army
Downtown Park [ 09 ] ready for upgrades
BELLEVUEREPORTER.COM
News
BELLEVUE
REPORTER FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2015
East Link light rail agreement under scrutiny Council says more answers needed on mitigation BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
Council clears July construction start to finish circle, consolidate parking
Education [11 ] STEM-ming out
An announcement that terms for light rail construction had been reached between the city of Bellevue and Sound Transit turned out
premature a week later, when the city council heard concerns about the deal from residents who didn’t know whether their comments would make a difference. Bellevue Mayor Claudia Balducci, who was joined by King County
Executive Dow Constantine last week in announcing an agreement for a revised memorandum of understanding with Sound Transit, was adamant Monday’s public hearing was not a moot point. “We can change course entirely,” she said. “We have a vote coming up. We can vote ‘yes’ or we can vote ‘no.’”
Highlights of the MOU include striking $60 million from the city’s contribution to contingency costs for the downtown tunnel portion of the project and the transit agency making available up to 2 million square feet of developable property around the International Paper site, SEE LIGHT RAIL, 6
City won’t rescue Philbrook House Bill Pace to close Newport Hills produce store
Longtime vendor says he’ll be out by the end of April BY BRANDON MACZ
District adding curriculum to final 7 elementaries
Sports
BELLEVUE REPORTER
[ 12 ]
Islanders avenge loss
Brandon Macz, Bellevue Reporter
Civil War reenactors were at Wildwood Park on April 9 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s surrender to U.S. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and to advocate for saving the historic Philbrook House in Old Bellevue. The city council decided Monday not to assist with the effort.
Mercer Island baseball dominates Bellevue in Class 3A KingCo rematch
Council says timeline too short, unknowns for move too many BY BRANDON MACZ BELLEVUE REPORTER
@BelReporter
The city council commended Nils Dickmann on his effort to save the historic Philbrook
House from demolition in Old Bellevue, but decided Monday the city has neither the time nor funding in place to help. The Bellevue native has been raising money to move the Victoria-era home since learning the structure was slated for demolition to make way for a 1,600-square-foot office building to complement Gordon James Fine Diamonds’ Main Street
storefront — a sizable pledge was also made by the diamond retailer to assist in moving the Philbrook House before May 1, when razing of the structure is planned. Bellevue staff identified a number of temporary and permanent locations where the Philbrook House could be SEE PHILBROOK, 5
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Bill Pace has been selling fruit since 1968, having first bought an orchard in Yakima from his father when the bank came calling. He would take his peaches to Bellevue — a three-hour drive — after finishing his day job, later adding apples and nectarines. When the city needed someone to operate and market its blueberry farm on Bellevue Way, Pace took it over in 2000, only stopping last year when the rent became too high. About three years ago he opened Bill Pace Fresh Fruit and Produce in the Newport Hills Shopping Center. “At the end of the month, our goal is to be out of there,” Pace said last week, “but I keep thinking, where can you buy a box of peaches.” Pace said Newport Hills residents encouraged him to open up his produce store in the neighborhood shopping center, but after three years he’s done losing money and his perishable inventory. “They assured me that they would support me,” he said. “My wife mentioned a coffee shop and boy they went flying in the
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