The Petri Dish
Possible 2016 carbon tax ballot measure in jeopardy
News
[ 05]
Year in review
BELLEVUEREPORTER.COM
Opinion [ 02 ]
BELLEVUE
REPORTER FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016
East Bellevue wins land-use suit over PSE BY RYAN MURRAY BELLEVUE REPORTER
A contentious dispute between a community council and a utility company reached a head late last month when King County Superior Court Judge William Downing affirmed the
council’s right to make decisions regarding a land-use permit for a transmission project. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) had planned to build two “compromised” transmission lines through the Lake Hills and Phantom Lake neighborhoods in Bellevue, and the East Bellevue Community Council (EBCC) sued, claim-
ing they had the right to reasonably amend or deny utility infrastructure in the area. Downing’s decision acknowledged that EBCC was indeed able to make decisions in its area, despite what Puget Sound Energy or the Bellevue City Council had argued. “In this case, although a hearing examiner had recommended approval of PSE’s application
City doubles marijuana retail licenses
The citizens and events that made news in 2015
News
[ 05 ]
BY DANIEL NASH
Year’s most read stories
REPORTER NEWSPAPERS
“As this conversation has become more serious, in terms of the conversations between the two university presidents and the regents, I said, ‘If we’re really serious about this, we need to go and see what else is happening in other states,’” said Kerr. In particular, they were interested in learning more about models such as the University of Illinois system, which is similar to City Universities of New York.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board announced last week that Bellevue will be allotted four additional licenses for stores. The city currently has three active marijuana retailers: GreenTheory on Main Street, The Novel Tree on 130th Avenue Northeast and BelMar on 116th Avenue Northeast. Bellevue’s fourth retail license was awarded to Greenside in 2014, but a location dispute with Green-Theory prevented it from opening on Main Street. It has not opened to date. The increased allotments are the result of work by the Board, the state Department of Health and other agencies to roll existing purveyors of medical marijuana — alternatively called dispensaries, access points or “collective gardens,” as they’re known in state law — into the recreational retail system as directed by the “Cannabis Patient Protection Act” signed by Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this year. “Our goal was clear: To ensure medical patients have access to the products they need,” Board Director Rick Garza said in a press release. Under the Act, the Board is required to issue licenses in ac-
SEE BC, 3
SEE MARIJUANA, 3
The top 12 stories readers flocked to online Photo via Twitter, @BvuePD
Sports
[ 08 ]
Year in review: Sports
Members of the Bellevue Police Department pose for a photo with Aiden, 5. Officers visited children and handed out gifts at Seattle Children’s Hospital on Dec. 24.
BC, WSU glean parternship ideas on trip Representatives visit three Chicago schools on fact-finding trip BY ALLISON DEANGELIS
Interlake Saints earn the Class 3A state soccer title with win against Garfield
@BelReporter
SEE PSE, 3
BELLEVUE REPORTER
Representatives from Bellevue College and Washington State University recently traveled to Chicago to meet with local universities as part of their ongoing discussion of
a BC/WSU partnership. Russ Beard, the vice president of IT at Bellevue College, joined Colleen Kerr and other representatives from WSU on the fact-finding foray on Dec. 15-17. During the WSU-organized trip, the group visited and met with representatives from DePaul University, the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Chicago City Colleges. Each institution has different partnerships that the group felt they could learn from.
Computer Slow? Having Problems? Serving all of Puget Sound since 1989 Data Recovery, Tablets, Smart Phones, TV Repair
FREE Quick Diagnostic Diagnostic! NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY ~ WITH THIS AD.
Senior Discount $89 Flat Charge
$
45
Value
Weekend and 24-hour Emergency Service Available • pcdrweb.com Call Today 888-328-5177 • 12121 Northup Way #105 Bellevue 98005
Premier Retirement Living The Gardens at Town Square 933 111th Avenue NE Bellevue, WA 98004
eraliving.com
Please call (425) 429-7380 to schedule a personal visit.