April 18, 2024 - This Week in Kirkland - Text Version
Published on April 19, 2024
April 18, 2024
All the latest (and then some) delivered straight to your eardrums.
The Kirkland City Council met on April 16, 2024, in a hybrid meeting. Here’s a brief overview of some of the items from the meeting:
- Council authorized the addition of a full-time Firefighter/EMT to the Mobile Integrated Health Unit of the Kirkland Fire Department.
- Council adopted an official statement of the City regarding international conflicts.
- Council reviewed the Sustainability Strategic Plan’s Year Three (2023) report card, and provided feedback to continue to prioritize implementation efforts.
- Council received an update on the upcoming biennial community survey.
- The Mayor proclaimed April 2024 as Earth Month in Kirkland. To read more, visit the City’s website.
Prior to the above business agenda, the Council held a Study Session, where they discussed:
- A Regional Coalition for Housing Strategic Plan.
- The Coordinated Response to Homelessness Initiative and provided feedback and direction on the draft Resolution R-5631 declaring the City’s commitment to addressing homelessness.
How to watch: Kirkland City Council meetings are streamed live and can be watched after the fact on the City of Kirkland Facebook page and the City YouTube channel, in addition to the livestream on the City website. Meetings are also televised on Comcast Cable Channel 21 and Ziply Cable Channel 31.
To watch the Council discussions on the specific agenda items outlined above, visit the City’s website. The full agenda packet with information on each item is located on the City’s website.
The next City Council meeting is on May 7, 2024.
KPD to Host Guns for Gift Cards Exchange
The Kirkland Police Department is hosting a voluntary Guns for Gift Card Exchange on April 27, 2024, at the Kirkland Justice Center between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
Read more.
Kirkland Police Return Stolen French Bulldogs to Family
It was a happy ending for Socks, Fancy, and Jon Poul, three French Bulldogs who were stolen last Friday, along with their owner’s van, from a gas station parking lot in Kirkland. They were reunited with their family Thursday April 11, 2024.
Read more.
It’s no secret how much community members love trees. When it comes time to remove a tree on your property, do you know what City regulations to be aware of?
The City has launched a new interactive Tree Permit Guide, designed to simplify the process for navigating tree regulations and submitting permits. This user-friendly tool provides guidance on what regulations apply to your property and walks you through the permit submission process. You can filter through private land, wetlands, hazards, and more for the best fit for your situation.
Visit our Tree Permit Guide – City of Kirkland (kirklandwa.gov).
The City of Kirkland is hosting the Spring Recycling Collection Event on Saturday, May 11. This is an opportunity to dispose of hard to recycle items.
This is a cash only event, some items have a fee to recycle. For full event details and a list of accepted items please visit Spring Recycling Collection Event – City of Kirkland.
For questions please contact the Recycling Hotline at 425-587-3812 or email recycle@kirklandwa.gov.
The Hazardous Wastemobile will be in Kirkland to collect household hazardous waste on May 10 - 12 at Northwest University (5520 108th Ave NE, Kirkland). The Wastemobile travels around King County to offer convenient opportunities to safely dispose of hazardous waste. For an accepted materials list or more Information visit, Kingcounty.gov.
Household hazardous waste is always accepted at the Factoria Household Hazardous Waste facility located at 13800 SE 32nd St, Bellevue
Distracted driving isn’t just risky, it can be deadly for every driver, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist. At least eight people are killed in distracted driving crashes every day. Handheld and hands-free phone calls and texts, emails, social media, passengers, snacks, and built-in vehicle touchscreens are some of the distractions vying for drivers’ attention while on the road. If something requires your hands, eyes, or attention, it’s a distraction.
There are three kinds of distracted driving: visual distraction, manual distraction, and mental distraction. Texting is the most dangerous distracted driving because it involves all three.
Pledge to avoid distracted driving and help everyone around you get home safely.
Commit to driving distraction-free by taking the pledge.
- I will make our roads safer for everyone by avoiding all forms of distracted driving.
- I will speak up when others are distracted to protect myself and all other road users.
To take the pledge visit the National Safety Council at https://www.nsc.org/pledge.
Help spread the message that when you’re behind the wheel, your only job is to drive. Share the pledge #JustDrive
9-1-1 dispatchers are the invisible, unsung heroes on the other end of the phone when we call for emergency help. The second week of April has been designated as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and it’s the perfect time to honor the telecommunicators in the public safety community and thank them for their service in this demanding profession. Each call requires specialized knowledge, a calm and collected response, and they save millions of lives every year!
Here are some ways to observe National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week:
- Send a thank you note. Send notes, cards, posters, letters, or gifts to your local communication centers.
- Add a leaf to the 911 Tree of Life. Share how a 911 telecommunicator made a difference in your community.
- Arrange a spirit week. If you’re part of an agency where dispatchers work, plan dress-up themes and fun activities through the week.
- Celebrate on social media. Thank your emergency call centers and dispatchers using the hashtags #ThankYou911 or #NPSTW. If you’re a dispatcher, upload a pic of yourself and bask in your glory!
This year’s celebration starts April 14 and runs through April 20.
To learn more, visit https://www.cisa.gov/national-public-safety-telecommunicators-week.
Want to know what to do in an emergency and how to resiliently respond to a disaster?
Register for our CERT (Community Emergency Response Training) spring class - Registration closes Friday, April 19 - so don't delay!
What do people learn during CERT? Check out our video.
I-405 and NE 85th St Interchange Project
If you travel through the 85th St Corridor, take a few minutes and stay informed with WSDOT weekly updates on I-405 and NE 85th St Project. The project webpage provides both day and night road and highway ramp closures.
For the most up to date information, visit https://bit.ly/85th-Interchange-BRT
Kirkland Avenue and Lake Street
Lake Street’s intersection with Kirkland Avenue will remain closed until June 1. Kirkland’s Lake Street pedestrian scramble contractor closed it April 1 for two months while its crews rebuild the intersection into the city’s first pedestrian scramble.
The contractor made significant progress last week on a variety of necessary tasks. It removed sections of sidewalk curb and gutter, staged stormwater pipe for installation later this week and installed tree and trunk protection.
Its most noticeable task last week was to remove the intersection’s asphalt pavement and concrete layers, which are each six to 10 inches thick.
New X is planning this week to begin digging the trench in which it’ll be installing elements of the new stormwater system, while it continues to remove asphalt and concrete.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/lakestreetpedscramble
Juanita Drive
Drivers should expect intermittent lane-closures for the next year along Juanita Drive, between 79th Way Northeast and Northeast 133rd Place.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/juanitadrivecorridor
Fifth Avenue South and Eighth Street West
Kirkland's Fifth Avenue South and Eighth Street West water main contractor is alternating traffic until mid-May on Eighth Street South and a short section of Railroad Avenue.
Strickland and Sons crews are working from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
Search “5th Avenue water” on www.kirklandwa.gov
100th Avenue Northeast
100th Avenue Northeast’s intersection with Northeast 139th Street remains closed until early May while Kirkland’s contractor upgrades stormwater utilities beneath the street.
OMA Construction is alternating traffic at various locations between Northeast 137th and 145th streets. The legal speed limit through the construction zone is 25 miles per hour.
Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/100thavedesign
Blood Drive
Date: April 23 and 24
Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: City Hall, Peter Kirk Community Room, 123 5th Ave
Blood donations help people who've suffered from emergencies and trauma as well as patients with cancer treatments, surgeries, premature babies, car accidents, and others who cannot live without the support of volunteer blood donors. Prevent a blood shortage by making an appointment to donate. A blood drive will be at City Hall on Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24. Book a Donation Appointment today!
Teen Night Extravaganza: Murder Mystery
Date: April 26
Time: 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Location: Peter Kirk Community Center
April’s Teen Night Extravaganza is a Murder Mystery Party. Bring your friends and unravel the secrets hidden within. Solve the mystery or cover your tracks but beware, you may find yourself in a tricky situation.
Walk-ins are welcomed but if you register, you will be guaranteed a main character.
We welcome teens ages 15 – 18. Register at Kirklandparks.net and search “murder mystery” or using the class number “19227” #KirklandTeens #WhoDoneIt #NoMoreFoMo
Upcoming Events at the Library
Talk Time
Date: Monday, April 22
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Location: Kingsgate Library, 12315 NE 143rd St
Practice speaking with other English language learners. Learn about American culture and meet people from around the world.
More info.
Reading Buddies Online (Study Zone)
Date: Monday, April 22
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Volunteers help students practice reading out loud. Two students are paired by reading level with each volunteer. Book selection focuses on readers in grades K-8 and English language learners in grades K-12.
More Info.
Family Story Time
Date: Tuesday, April 23
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Virtual
Enjoy stories, music, movement and rhymes that develop your child’s early literacy skills.
More Info.
LEGO Block Party
Date: Wednesday, April 24
Time: 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Kirkland Library, 308 Kirkland Ave
The library provides engineering toys, you provide imagination! Create, play and share with fellow builders.
More info.
For more events from the City, visit our Community Events page. For up to date happenings around Kirkland, visit ExploreKirkland.com/Events.
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Go bags, neighborhood safety, pet emergency planning, and more is covered in our Let’s Chat video series. Check it out!