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SCHOOLS | LWSD task force asks community for input on school facilities [7] CRIME ALERT | Redmond Police Blotter [3] COMMUNITY | Bear Creek students to perform original musical theater production. [5] Courtesy of Vivian Yee
FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Redmond High drama students to hold benefit concert Proceeds will go to former costumer after Kirkland condominium fire SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
For about three decades, Sherrill Taylor has been helping people with their costuming needs. From community theater groups to local high school productions,
she and her Redmond store Pacific Northwest Costume — which closed in fall 2014 — have been giving people the opportunity to dress up to their hearts’ content. The Kirkland resident’s contributions have
become so well known locally that when news spread that she and her husband had fallen on hard times — losing everything they had in a fire that burned down their condo as well as some of their neighbors’ condos — student members of the Redmond High School (RHS) drama department did not hesitate to figure out how they
could help. Sophomore Ember Johnston and junior Erich Schleck are organizing a benefit concert featuring RHS students of all grades. The concert will be from 7-9 p.m. tomorrow at the Old Fire House Teen Center, 16510 N.E. 79th St. Admission will be $10. In addition, there will be raffle tickets
for various prizes. The proceeds will go toward helping Taylor and her husband get back on their feet. The fire that destroyed the Taylors’ condo occurred at about 7:30 p.m. on March 14 and the cause is still under investigation. The couple had been living there for 22 years. “It’s sad,” Taylor said,
adding that they are currently in temporary housing in another apartment complex in Kirkland. The fire destroyed everything, she said, including a couple of sewing machines she had used to create costumes for years. “That wasn’t fun,” Sherrill admitted. When asked why the RHS drama department [ more BENEFIT page 2 ]
Notching wins, life lessons City teams up with agencies to restore Bear Creek SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
In the 1990s, the City of Redmond determined that Bear Creek was inhibiting the productivity of the area’s wild Chinook salmon. To address this issue, city staff and officials came up with a plan to restore the lower part of the creek. The city teamed up with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), King Conservation District (KCD) and King County Flood Control District (KCFCD) to create a more fish-friendly environment and earlier this month, that work was completed. A ribbon-cutting celebration was held May 14 to mark the occasion. Through the restoration, about 3,000 feet of Bear Creek — located between State Route 520 and Bear Creek Parkway, behind Redmond Town Center — was
relocated to an existing adjacent open space. In addition, the formerly, mostly straight stream was channelized to a meandering, reshaped and re-planted channel. The creek now supports healthy and diverse fish runs as well as habitats, including a large wild Chinook salmon population and many other species, according to a press release issued by the City of Redmond. Prior to this restoration, Mike Haley — a senior engineer with the city’s public works department and project manager — said the creek water flowed too quickly and was not conducive for the salmon to swim and live. Reshaping the creek to make it meander, he said, has slowed down the flow and will help the fish survive better. According to the city release, the project also established stream [ more CREEK page 6 ]
CITY NEWS
Redmond High softball players and head coach Paris Mamon celebrate defeating Inglemoor High, 11-3, on May 21 to earn a 4A state berth for the second consecutive season. Local golfers, tennis and lacrosse players and track and field athletes also made it to state. ANDY NYSTROM, Redmond Reporter
RHS softball players are among host of locals scoring postseason success ANDY NYSTROM anystrom@redmond-reporter.com
After Daiana Kaplan caught a popup for the final out, the Redmond High softball players unleashed emotional screams that signified they were going to the 4A state tournament for the second consecutive season. As the Mustangs gathered near their dugout on May 21 at Inglemoor High, they doled out high-
fives and hugs to each other and remained on the field with their coaches and families for a while, posing for pictures and talking non-stop. They were soaking up the scene after notching their third straight elimination victory over Inglemoor, 11-3, and slugger Amirah Milloy even doused head coach Paris Mamon with a bottle of water that had everyone smiling and cheering. Redmond (12-12) will take on
Bethel (14-7) at 10 a.m. today in the first round of the state tournament at the Merkel Sports Complex in Spokane. The tournament runs through tomorrow. Milloy and Tatyana Forbes both homered and Sophia Viola was solid from the mound with a complete-game victory over Inglemoor to secure Kingco’s second spot to state. Megan Nakamura (4-for-4) [ more MUSTANGS page 10 ]