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BUSINESS | Guitar Center takes the stage at Redmond Town Center [2] CRIME ALERT | Redmond Police Blotter [3]
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015
A DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
Whatever floats their boat
SPORTS | Tillinghast shines on the cycling scene. [13]
Gormans caught up in dispute over King County’s designation of their handmade watercraft SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
Paul and Susan Gorman sit on their handmade watercraft on Ames Lake near Redmond. It was initially a float, but the couple has now converted it into a boat with a motor. Courtesy of Paul and Susan Gorman
Paul and Susan Gorman have been living on Ames Lake in unincorporated King County near Redmond for about 23 years. Living in such close proximity to the water, the couple decided to build a float to use on the lake in 2002. They built it with the intention of installing an engine on the watercraft so they could take it out on the
water in the early afternoons, when the side of the lake their home is located on would become shaded. When they built the structure, the Gormans did not realize they needed permits to do so. Paul said one of their neighbors reported them to the county that same year for having an illegal float. According to the King County website, [ more GORMANS page 8 ]
Union Shares files lawsuit against city and county over easement SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
Union Shares LLC, a local property owner, has filed a lawsuit against the City of Redmond and King County, claiming the city and county have caused massive flooding of the Union Shares’ property. This is a countersuit to a lawsuit the city has filed against Union Shares in seeking to condemn an easement across the property south of Perrigo Park along l96th Avenue Northeast. Charlie Klinge of Stephens & Klinge LLP, the law firm representing Union Shares, said the city wants to condemn that roughly 40-acre piece of land in order to relocate Evans Creek onto the Union Shares property, which is located just outside of city limits in unincorporated King County. “It’s really dramatic to move this creek hundreds of feet,” he said. Klinge called this proposed relocation an improper use of condemnation because the only
time it is allowed is when it would be for public use. Contrarily, he claimed, the condemnation would be for private use and this is why Union Shares has filed its lawsuit. Klinge said this is why Union Shares is objecting to the city’s plans. Lisa Rhodes, communications manager for the City of Redmond, said the city cannot speak on the matter at this time. She was able to share that the city received the lawsuit information from Union Shares last week. At the time, city attorney Jim Haney was out of the office. Rhodes said Haney returned on Monday and is currently working with city staff to gather information to file their formal response. “Until that response is filed, the only other comment I can share is that the city vehemently disputes the claims, that they are without merit, and we will demonstrate that in court,” Rhodes said. In a press release issued by Stephens & Klinge, [ more LAWSUIT page 6 ]
Redmond resident Vlad Volynsky visited Niagara Falls along his coast-to-coast cycling journey to benefit the American Heart Association. He started his 3,448-mile ride in Westport, Wash. on May 16 and finished in Revere, Mass. on June 24. Courtesy of Vlad Volynsky
Volynsky tackles coast-to-coast fundraising cycling journey Redmond resident rides 3,448 miles to support the American Heart Association SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com
After more than a month of cycling, Vlad Volynsky finally made it to Revere, Mass. on Wednesday. On May 16, the 47-year-old Redmond resident took off from Westport, Wash. on a solo coast-to-coast
bike ride to support the American Heart Association. Volynsky, who works as an infrastructure specialist at Microsoft Corp., rode to raise money and awareness for heart disease. He said his family has a history of cardiovascular issues and he also has friends and co-workers who have dealt with similar health problems. “It was a no-brainer for me,” Volynsky said about which cause he would support on his cross-country bike ride. Volynsky’s goal has been to raise $10,000 for the American Heart Association. So far he has raised
$3,675. He said he will continue to collect donations even though he has completed the ride. To donate to his cause, visit www. vladvolynsky.com. To learn more about his ride, visit www.facebook. com/C2CVladVolynsky. According to his son Eli Volynsky, it has been Vlad’s dream to ride his bike across the country for several years. Eli said his father has been preparing for about eight years, riding his bike to work, participating in local long-distance rides such as the annual Seattle to Portland and Ride from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. rides. [ more JOURNEY page 7 ]