Arrests Made in Burglary Investigation | Force Investigation Team | Thank You Volunteers | Upcoming Events

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this week in kirkland

February 24, 2021

city of kirkland washington

Kirkland Police Pro-Act Unit Investigation Leads to Multiple Arrests Solving Numerous Burglaries

City of Kirkland Police Logo

Investigative work by the Kirkland Police Pro-Act Unit has led to the arrest of multiple suspects on February 4, 2021, related to several burglaries that occurred in January. In mid-January 2021, Kirkland Police Officers were dispatched to a residential burglary at a condominium complex located in the southern part of the city. Patrol Officers conducted a very thorough investigation and discovered that there were several break-ins; a residential unit, along with several storage units. Two vehicles were also stolen from a secured parking lot during these burglaries.

For more information, visit our newsroom

KPD Pro-Act Investigation

Community Representatives Sought for Force Investigation Team

Police force investigation volunteers

The City of Kirkland is seeking at least two non-law enforcement community representatives to serve on the Independent Force Investigation Team-King County (IFIT-KC).  Applications must be received by March 15, 2021. Applicants will participate in an interview with the Kirkland Chief of Police and Command personnel and selection will be made in collaboration with the City Manager’s office. The final list of available community representatives will serve for a term of two years, with yearly review and extension of assignment by the Chief of Police. This is an unpaid position.

To learn more about community representative responsibilities, selection criteria, the selection timeline, and how to apply, go to www.kirklandwa.gov/IFIT-KC.

Juanita Beach Park Playground Slide Closed

The new spiral slide at the Juanita Beach playground has been closed as of Monday, February 22, 2021. It will remain closed until it can be replaced.

This slide was purchased as part of a play structure replacement project completed in 2020. This structure was built to industry specifications, installed by a professional design and installation company and independently inspected on December 18, 2020, just prior to opening. After initial reports of the slide being too fast, the slide was re-inspected and deemed to meet all industry safety specifications. Unfortunately, reports of children sliding off have come forward and the slide has now been closed until such time it can be replaced.

Juanita slide

Pet Waste Flagged in City Parks as a Reminder to Scoop the Poop

Dog

Last week, hundreds of brightly colored flags appeared at two Kirkland parks as part of the City of Kirkland’s campaign to encourage dog owners to scoop and throw away dog waste. Visitors to Juanita Beach Park and Peter Kirk Park will notice bright yellow survey flags indicating where un-scooped dog poop was discovered during a four-week observation period in January and February.

Recently, City volunteers marked 96 instances of un-scooped poop in four weeks on the north side of Juanita Beach Park near the ballfields. Meanwhile, Park staff counted 136 cases at Peter Kirk Park in downtown Kirkland over a three-week period. 

Kirkland’s estimated 20,000 dogs generate almost 6,000 pounds of dog poop every day. Dog poop contains harmful bacteria and germs that can spread disease to other dogs and wildlife. When it rains, dog poop washes away to the nearest storm drain, stream, creek, or lake. The bacteria in dog poop can harm water quality and can make places to swim and play unsafe. Juanita Beach Park and Peter Kirk Park are two of Kirkland’s most heavily used park areas. Un-scooped pet waste can also spoil park experiences for children and families seeking to enjoy Kirkland’s playgrounds, ballfields, and open spaces.

“The easiest and most effective way to prevent the spread of disease and water pollution is to scoop the poop, bag it, and put it in the trash,” said Kirkland City Councilmember Jon Pascal. “The City provides education and resources such as poop bag dispensers and encourages compliance with the scoop law. We are asking community members to do their part and clean up after their pets.”

Residents and park visitors may remember a similar yellow flag campaign carried out in Fall of 2019. That campaign helped to reduce un-scooped pet waste by 80 percent in the six months following the outreach efforts. City staff hope a similar reduction will be achieved with this renewed effort.

City volunteers and staff will continue to monitor these areas to see if outreach efforts lead to a decrease in un-scooped dog waste in the two parks. Flags and signage were funded through a grant from the King Conservation District to help improve water quality.

For more information, visit www.kirklandwa.gov/petwaste

Pet waste outreach

Parking Enforcement and Paid Parking Resume Monday, March 1 in Downtown Kirkland

Parking resumes

Reminder! As of Monday, March 1, paid parking at City-owned downtown parking lots and enforcement of parking time limits resumes. There are free 15-minute pickup stalls in the Lake and Central Street lot, and on-street parking including the 15-minute curbside pickup spaces remains free.

In-Car Dining by Shop Local Kirkland offers free parking for up to one hour in the seven designated In-Car Dining stalls located on the west side of Lakeshore Plaza. In-Car Dining has expanded to offer more restaurants, including several that offer delivery to these parking stalls so diners can enjoy family-friendly, safe dining with views of the lake. And be sure to check out www.ShopLocalKirkland.com to find and purchase the unique goods, gifts, food and services that Kirkland businesses offer, many with contactless pickup and delivery options.

Thank you for continuing to support Kirkland’s businesses!

As always, parking enforcement continues to be in effect for vehicles parked in designated disabled parking spaces without disabled permits, as well as vehicles illegally parked in front of fire hydrants or blocking driveways, crosswalks or bike lanes.

For more information about parking in downtown Kirkland, visit our Downtown Parking information webpage

Curbside pickup

City of Kirkland 2020 Volunteer Highlights

Thank you to each and every City of Kirkland volunteer!

Despite the pandemic and its inherent restrictions, the City of Kirkland engaged 988 volunteers who contributed a total of 11,080 hours of their time and talents in 2020. These outstanding contributions represent a community benefit valued at $365,900. During the prior year (pre-pandemic), the City of Kirkland engaged 3,881 volunteers who contributed 28,411 hours.

Throughout 2020, volunteers helped restore our parklands, planted new native plants, monitored pedestrian crosswalks, maintained traffic circles, weeded public areas and along the Cross Kirkland Corridor, and contributed to public safety as police program and emergency management volunteers; and from January through March coached youth sports, helped serve senior lunches and welcomed guests to City Hall.

Thank you all for your service!

For more information about the City’s volunteer program, visit our Volunteer Opportunities webpage. 

Volunteer 1

Traffic Alerts

Totem Lake Gateway

Totem Lake Gateway

Kirkland’s Totem Lake Gateway contractor is closing one of Totem Lake Boulevard’s two northbound lanes between Northeast 124th Street and 120th Avenue Northeast.

Marshbank Construction will keep the curbside lane and the sidewalk closed from 7 a.m.to 4 p.m. until March 5.

After suspending work in November while it awaited the manufacture of handrails, Marshbank is now resuming work to install those handrails along the northeast side of the 11-foot sidewalk it built along Totem Lake Boulevard.

Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/totemlakegateway

Northeast 132nd Street

Drivers commuting along Northeast 132nd Street, between 100th and 97th avenues northeast should expect minor delays this week while Kirkland’s Fire Station 24 contractor installs a stormwater drainage line, as part of the Fire Station 24 construction.

Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/firestation24

Totem Lake

Both lanes of Willows Road Northeast will be open to traffic Feb. 26. Until then, Interwest Construction is allowing northbound traffic only, between  141st and 139th avenues northeast.

Kirkland’s contractor is building a multi-use trail along Willows Road that will help people who are riding bicycles or walking to connect to the Sammamish River Trail and the Redmond Central Connector.

Visit: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/WillowsConnection

Juanita

A City of Kirkland contractor will continue its closure of Northeast 116th Street’s center turn-lane through February while its crews upgrade a series of crosswalks near McAuliffe Park and A.G. Bell Elementary School. The center lane will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each work day. Westwater Construction is also closing one of Northeast 116th Street’s lanes between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. However, the contractor will maintain two-way traffic flow.

This project improves pedestrian safety in the Juanita neighborhood with a total of four upgraded crosswalks along Northeast 116th Street, between 104th Avenue Northeast and 113th Place Northeast. These improvements will increase safety for those walking between destinations north of Northeast 116th Street, like McAuliffe Park, and destinations south of the Northeast 116th Street, like Alexander Graham Bell Elementary School.

Visit: https://www.kirklandwa.gov/116thCrosswalks

North Rose Hill/South Rose Hill

Drivers should expect construction this week on Northeast 75th Street and at 124th Avenue Northeast’s intersection with Northeast 112th Street while Kirkland’s Neighborhood Greenways contractor closes lanes to establish a variety of traffic-calming features.

Rodarte Construction is building a raised intersection at Northeast 75th Street’s intersection with 120th Avenue Northeast and rapid flashing beacons at Northeast 112th Street and 124th Avenue Northeast. Visit www.kirklandwa.gov/greenways

Greenways

Cross Kirkland Corridor to Close for Three Months Between Totem Lake Boulevard and 128th Lane Northeast

Kirkland’s Totem Lake Park renovation contractor is closing a short section of the Cross Kirkland Corridor next week until June while its crews build the boardwalk that will connect the corridor to Totem Lake Park.

Wyser Construction is closing the Cross Kirkland Corridor between Totem Lake Boulevard and 128th Lane Northeast. The contractor will detour people who are walking or bicycling on the trail onto 128th Lane Northeast.

For more information about this project, visit our Totem Lake Park renovation webpage

CKC closure

Kirkland Parks & Community Services Hosts Eye on the Prize Scavenger Hunt

Calling all teens: get off your screens and get downtown! Join the hunt through downtown Kirkland, solve the clues, find the hidden pictures, decode the cipher, and submit your final answer for a chance to win a gift card for coffee, food, and treats from these local merchants and more! Donors include: Ben & Jerry's, Sirena Gelato, Thruline Coffee, Shake Shack, Coffee and Cone, Just Poke, Zeeks Pizza, Cafe Ladro, and The French Bakery. 

Sign up for the Eye on the Prize teen scavenger hunt for a chance to win! Thank you to Lake Washington High School PTSA for your partnership with this event. Register for free at: kirklandparks.net.

Eye on the Prize

Upcoming Events

Blood drive

City of Kirkland Pop-Up Blood Drive by Bloodworks Northwest

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday, February 25 and Friday, February 26 at North Kirkland Community Center

Appointment only 

Be a COVID-19 hero and schedule your one hour appointment. Donating blood is a safe and essential activity. Join the City of Kirkland and donate on February 25 or 26. To make your appointment, visit https://dslnk.co/CityOfKirkland or call 1-800-398-7888.

The North Kirkland Community Center is located at 12421 103rd Ave., Kirkland, 98034. For more information, visit our event page at: City of Kirkland Pop-Up Blood Drive. 


KPC Singles

Kirkland Performance Center presents... The Singles Soundtrack Experience: A Virtual Benefit Concert

7 p.m. Monday, March 1

Live, virtual show

Welcome back to Grunge City.

Did you miss this on February 14? No problem, you can catch the replay on March 1!

Thirty years after Cameron Crowe captured a moment in cultural and musical history with the hit movie, SinglesFM Collective and Rain Light Fade are excited to announce The Singles Soundtrack Experience— a virtual concert benefitting MusiCares, an organization that provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need.

The Singles Soundtrack Experience is a musical celebration that allows fans to re-live the soundtrack of a movie and movement that defined an era and a city. Livestreamed through Kirkland Performance Center this special benefit concert will feature some of the artists that were instrumental in putting the grunge scene and Seattle, on the map.

For more about this show, visit the KPC website


Mojos

Kirkland Performance Center Presents: A Virtual Concert with General Mojo's

8 p.m., Tuesday, March 2

KPC at Home Livestream

Seven years ago, the shimmering psych-pop of General Mojos found life in the damp basements of Seattle’s house show scene. In the years since, band members have come and gone—but bandleader Dune Butler has remained the glue, continuing to craft and perform hypnotic, flower-powered soundscapes with original members Eric Vanderbilt-Matthews, Sam Veatch, and David Salonen, as well as a broadening community of visionary artists.

You can find out more about the band here.


Cascade Flyer

Cascade Water Alliance presents FREE Virtual Cascade Gardener Classes

March and April, 10 a.m. Saturdays

Online virtual events

Cascade Water Alliance is pleased to provide the 2021 Cascade Gardener virtual class series. All classes are free and will be held through Zoom. Cascade presenters are regional gardening experts who will help you create beautiful gardens and landscapes that are water efficient and sustainable. Space is limited, so register today!

You'll learn about natural yard care, choosing the best plants, gardening in small spaces, sustainable landscaping, garden design, veggie gardening, gardening year 'round and practical gardening. Visit the website to see the class schedule and to sign up!


Shamrock

Kirkland Urban and Orca Running present the Kirkland Shamrock Adventure Run

10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Sunday March 13

Self-guided fun-run and scavenger hunt

Shopping, living and dining center Kirkland Urban is home to the 2021 Kirkland Shamrock Adventure Run on Saturday, March 13. Orca Running and Lake Washington Physical Therapy have partnered to bring back this race in the hopes the community can get outside and have fun while staying socially distant. Runners will visit local Kirkland retailers in the downtown Kirkland/Houghton areas for a family-friendly "choose your own adventure" fun-run and scavenger hunt.

When participants register, they will sign up for a time slot to start the run. Groups of ten people will start every five minutes from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to ensure there is no crowding. Registration is limited to 300 participants this year per social distancing guidelines.

Online pre-registration closes the day before the race at 8:00 p.m. For more information and registration, visit https://www.orcarunning.com/kirklandshamrockrun/.


Rain Garden

King County Library System presents the Sustainable Earth series by KCLS and RainWise 

6 to 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 16

Plan a Spring Rain Garden with RainWise

Online event

For adults.

Learn about integrating a rain garden into your spring gardening plans! This webinar will teach you about area storm water problems and solutions. Hear from rain garden experts and get resources such as planting lists, planting plans and maintenance guides.


Please register no later than March 15, http://bit.ly/March16RW.

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