The Bothell/Kenmore Reporter was filled with tragedy and triumph during 2014. From the State Champion Bothell High School football team to a series of accidents that took lives in Kenmore crosswalks, the pages of the Reporter chronicled Northshore life.
Here are the top 10 most read stories of 2014 for bothell-reporter.com as calculated by Google analytics.
The initial investigation report from the Kirkland Police Department stated that Kenmore resident Kyle J. Reel was the driver of a car that crashed on Simonds Road in Kirkland while traveling at speeds of 80-90 mph during September. Reel was killed in the crash and was found in the front seat. But further investigation of the crash found that Reel was a passenger and Thomas Bird was the driver. Dave Zielinski, who is one of the fisherman on the boat “Time Bandit,” featured on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch, was also a passenger in the car. Bird was eventually charged in the case.
2. Witness in Alan Smith murder trial commits suicide
The murder case involving former Bothell mother of two Susann Smith took another sad turn in April. Love Thai, a witness in the murder case and girlfriend of Alan Smith, who is accused of killing his estranged wife, was found dead of an apparent suicide. Thai was also pregnant with Smith’s child.
3. A boat racer and his daughter bring a beloved event back to Kenmore after a 38-year hiatus.
The Kenmore Hydroplane Cup event returned to Northshore in April after a nearly four decade hiatus. The event was held at the north end of Lake Washington at the newly remodeled Kenmore Boat Launch. The timed exhibition race featured a variety of boats including two cylinder and three-and-up cylinder boats, Native American war canoes, junior hydroplanes and RC hydroplane demonstration. Competitors raced one or two boats at a time up the Sammamish River, navigating around the challenging oval course and back to the Kenmore Boat Launch.
The race was brought back by Kenmore resident and former racer Dave Culley and his daughter-in-law Gaul Culley.
4. Pregnant Bothell woman faces federal prison for illegal marijuana ring
A Bothell woman was sentenced to federal prison time after being busted in an illegal marijuana grow operation. She was eventually sentenced but was able to give birth to her baby prior to serving her sentence.
5. Small Bothell brewery threatened for using ‘12th man’ as name for new beer
Bothell’s Foggy Noggin’ Brewing was threatened with a lawsuit for the use of the “12thMan” monicker for one of its beers. In true Foggy Noggin’ fashion, the brewery changed the name of the IPA to Cease and Desist.
6. New restaurant/brewery and distillery to open in September in Bothell
John Howie announced that his restaurant business will open a new brewery and distillery in Bothell. The opening date for the restaurant was pushed back to January 2015.
7. Sheriff seeks information on luring incident in Bothell
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office asked for the public’s help to solve an attempted luring case in Bothell earlier this month. A 12 year-old female Skyview Junior High student reported that as she was walking home from her bus stop at the intersection of 196th Street Southeast and 24th Drive Southeast when a man sitting in a parked pick-up truck jumped out, grabbed her and yelled, “Boo!” The girl said it appeared that the man then noticed three other students in the area, got back into his vehicle and fled the area.
8. Kenmore bicyclist in critical condition after hit by truck
Kenmore resident Caleb Shoop was hit in a crosswalk while riding his bike in March. The 19 year old eventually died from his injuries. Shoop was the third person inside a calendar year to lose their life while in a crosswalk or while walking on the side of the road.
9. Bothell loses to Miami Central in high school bowl game | Prep football
Saturday’s story about the Bothell High School football team’s final game of the year made it onto the most read list. The Cougars lost to Miami Central, 38-27, during the Burger King State Champions Bowl Series at Florida Atlantic University. The Bothell football team enjoyed its most successful season in school history, finishing 14-0 against Washington State teams and winning the state title. The story on the state title game was also in the top 20 most read.
10. Mary Mills of Mills Music in Bothell dies, stores sold
Mary Mills, the owner of the Mills Music Corporation of music stores based in Bothell, died during the spring of 2014 and the stores were sold. Mary and her husband Michael Mills opened the first Mills Music in Bothell in 1972.
