Two more candidates emerge in City Council race
June 14, 2011
NEW — 4 p.m. June 14, 2011
Resident Frank Irigon and former City Councilman Gordon Bisset filed to run for City Council Position 4 in this year’s election. Bisset — who served on the council from 2002-2005 — and Irigon will face off against Parks Commission Chair Andrew Shelton in a primary election in August.
The top two finishers will advance to the general election in November.
Steve Litzow elected to represent Newcastle in state Senate
December 2, 2010
NEW — 10:10 a.m. Dec. 2, 2010
Republican Steve Litzow appears to be the next state senator to represent Newcastle after defeating incumbent Randy Gordon.
King County Elections completed a mandatory machine recount for the contest Wednesday afternoon. The unofficial results present a solid lead for Litzow, a Mercer Island councilman.
Democrat Gordon trailed Litzow by more than 1,000 votes in the days after the Nov. 2 election. The gap between the candidates slimmed to 194 votes — or 0.32 percent — as the county tallied ballots.
Newcastle state Senate race appears headed for recount
November 18, 2010
NEW — 12 p.m. Nov. 18, 2010
The last undecided race to represent Newcastle in Olympia appears to be headed for a recount.
State Sen. Randy Gordon trailed challenger Steve Litzow by more than 1,000 votes in the days after the Nov. 2 election. In the 15 days since the campaign ended, the gap between the Democrat Gordon and Republican Litzow has slimmed to 142 votes.
Under state law, a machine recount is required if the difference between the candidates is less than 2,000 votes and also less than one-half of 1 percent of the total number of votes cast for both candidates.
Incumbents lead in early election results
August 17, 2010
NEW — 8:35 p.m. Aug. 17, 2010
Incumbent candidates outpaced challengers in the initial election results released Tuesday night.
The primary set up a showdown for a 41st Legislative District in the state House of Representatives, a competitive congressional race and a chance to elect a judge to the King County District Court bench.
State Rep. Judy Clibborn, a Mercer Island Democrat seeking a fifth term, outpaced Stephen Strader, a Bellevue Republican, and independent Orion S. Webster.
Clibborn represents the 41st Legislative District — Talus and other Cougar Mountain communities, plus Mercer Island, Newcastle and parts of Bellevue, Renton and unincorporated King County.
The incumbent led Strader by about 55 percent to about 40 percent to set up the general election contest. Webster, like Strader, a political newcomer, trailed at 5 percent.
Police blotter
July 1, 2010
Leave the door open?
A man reported his wife returned home, in the 14700 block of Southeast 80th Court, to find the front door of their home open. The door opened between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. June 4, and nothing was missing or disturbed in the home. The man said he was not sure if the door had been left unlatched and came open on its own or if somebody had opened the door.
Homeowner’s best friend
A woman reported that somebody opened the rear sliding door of her home in the 7000 block of 121st Place Southeast between 12:15 and 12:25 p.m. June 7. She said she heard the door open slightly and shut quickly. Immediately, her dog began barking.
Crank text
A boy crank-texted his brother, who attends Newcastle Elementary School, between 9:36 a.m. and 12:12 p.m. June 8. A faculty member called the police.
Issaquah school levies, King County library measure lead in latest election results
February 11, 2010
NEW — 10:40 a.m. Feb. 11, 2010
Celebration was in the air as Issaquah School District officials gathered to welcome election results Tuesday.
The celebration continued Wednesday: Results released at 4:30 p.m. showed district ballot measures leading with 64 percent for a maintenance and operations levy, 63 percent for a transportation levy and 64 percent for a technology and repairs levy.
If the measures pass as expected, taxpayers would pay $4.81 for every $1,000 of assessed property for the levies and the remainder of the 2006 bond.
Levy supporters gathered Tuesday night to await early results. As the numbers appeared on the King County Elections Web site just after 8 p.m., sighs of relief, high fives and victory cries erupted from partygoers.
Superintendent Steve Rasmussen thanked voters for their support.
City Council candidates Rich Crispo, Bill Erxleben and John Dulcich lead
November 6, 2009
NEW — 5:19 p.m. Nov. 12, 2009
City Council candidates Rich Crispo, Bill Erxleben and John Dulcich led in unofficial election results released Thursday evening.
In Position 5, Karin Blakley ran against Crispo. In Position 6, Erxleben ran against Kandy Schendel. In Position 7, Dulcich ran against incumbent Jean Garber.
Crispo led Blakley 65 percent to 35 percent, Erxleben led Schendel 62 to 38 percent and Dulcich led Garber 52 percent to 48 percent in a close race.
Blakley, Schendel and Garber have advertised together, and they place priority developing downtown Newcastle with mixed-use buildings. They said although the city faces financial challenges, they can move the city forward, prioritize and make do with less.
Crispo said he is opposed to developing Newcastle’s downtown with mixed-use, multistory buildings, as he said he found community members were not in favor of the idea.
Erxlben and Dulcich are opposed to the city’s floor-area ratio requirements that promote the use of multistory, mixed-use buildings, as they said they feel the decision to develop mixed-use, multistory buildings should be the developer’s, not the city’s.
Three leaders emerge on election night
November 6, 2009
City Council candidates Rich Crispo, Bill Erxleben and John Dulcich led in the first unofficial election results released Nov. 3. Read more
Pitting the pocketbook: The cost of political signs
November 6, 2009
It was recently election season again, and as always, paper and plastic political signs were out in full force.
Sign distributor Art Boruck, who sold signs to each of this year’s six Newcastle City Council candidates, said signs usually range between $1 and $4.50 each, with plastic signs and those with more than one color being more expensive. Read more
Hear from county executive, council candidates at Saturday forum
October 15, 2009
NEW — 11:10 a.m. Oct. 15, 2009
Join King County executive candidates Dow Constantine and Susan Hutchison at a Saturday morning forum in Newcastle. County Councilman Reagan Dunn and challenger Beverly Harison Tonda, candidates for the District 9 seat, will join the would-be executives at The Golf Club at Newcastle.
The district includes swaths of Bellevue, Newcastle and Renton, as well as unincorporated King County land south of Issaquah.
The free forum begins at 9 a.m. in the St. Andrew’s Ballroom, 155500 Six Penny Lane. Organizers ask attendees to R.S.V.P. to the event. Call 206-241-5774 or e-mail CandidateForum@newcastlecc.com to R.S.V.P.
Debbie Berto, publisher of the Newcastle News and The Issaquah Press, will moderate the executive portion of the forum.
