Bellevue Patch Week in Review

This week, the big stories have had both local and international impacts. Let's review last week, and take a look at this upcoming week for events you shouldn't miss.

First, I'd like to acknowledge that because of technical issues, the Bellevue Patch e-mailed newsletter has not been delivered since Thursday. Patch headquarters is working on a fix. In the meantime, I suggest connecting with us through our Facebook page (at http://www.facebook.com/BellevuePatch) or through our Twitter account (at http://www.twitter.com/BellevuePatch). But, believe me when I say that no one wants to see the newsletter issue get fixed more than I do!

• On Monday, the Bellevue City Council all agreed to pursue an ethics probe in the wake of questions raised about a whether of the B7 light rail route, which follows Interstates 90 and 405 and which most council members hope can be an alternative to Sound Transit's preference to take light rail up Bellevue Way.  However, as Monday's article pointedout, the scope of the probe could be wider than just Wallace.

• Electric vehicle charging stations have come to the downtown properties known as the Bellevue Collection, where office workers in the towers and customers at the restaurants and shops have requested them. Today, as an addition to the coverage, we .

• Last week, International Students and other students led the way at Bellevue College and collected more than $5,400 for the Japanese Red Cross. We had pictures and details of the fundraiser. Several other students, including Eileen Cho, news editor of the school paper The Jibsheet, also are collecting socks to send to Japan, to help with the many evacuees and others who have lost everything in the 8.9 earthquake the ensuing tsunami which devastated northeast Japan.

Free phone calls and communications from Japan

• For those who need to reach family and friends that need help and support in Japan, several companies are making it easier to communicate. on their wireless and long distance networks. , and also opened the channel (TV Japan is normally a pay channel).

• Each week Bellevue Patch features a local kid who is achieving great things. The Boys & Girls Club of Bellevue wanted us to know about Mutile Musee, who is their nominee for regional Youth of the Year.

State budget issues still to be hammered out

• Last weekend, Legislators from the 48th district, , discussed the impossibility of raising state revenue and the fact that the hardest decisions in the budget have yet to come. The meeting preceded .

• The city plans two disaster preparedness forums at City Hall on Wednesday.

• If you have a great volunteer you want to honor, the deadline is Friday for a city awards program.