🌱 Patch AM: How is a Kirkland native reshaping a California college football program?

Greetings Kirkland! Your go-to source for what's happening in town is here. Stay in the loop and read on. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How is a Kirkland native reshaping a California college football program?
• Why a Kirkland church is back in court over insurance rules
• How a longtime Kirkland fire leader is closing out his career

Also on today's calendar: Stand Up Comedy with Meaghan Elwood @ Chainline Brewing Company featuring Barbie Collins Young and 6 more events.

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Carl B.!

Today's riddle: What did the shovel say to the dirt? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Friday: Cloudy, with a high of 52 and low of 37 degrees.
• Saturday: Mainly cloudy, temps: high: 50, low: 45.
• Sunday: On-and-off rain and drizzle, with a high of 51 and low of 47 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Stewarding the Legacy (apu.edu) — A Kirkland native, A.J. Parnell, has been hired to lead Azusa Pacific University’s football program, drawing on years of coaching experience and a focus on faith-centered player development. Alongside new men’s and women’s basketball coaches, he’s tasked with carrying forward APU’s athletic legacy as the school shifts to NCAA Division III. His story may resonate with Kirkland residents watching a hometown coach shape a collegiate program.
   

2. Washington church revisits challenge to state abortion insurance requirement (courthousenews.com) — A Kirkland-based church, Cedar Park Assembly of God, is back before the Ninth Circuit challenging Washington’s requirement that employer health plans including maternity care also cover abortions. The long-running case could affect how religious organizations in Kirkland structure employee health benefits and whether they can access abortion-free insurance options under state law.
   

3. Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue Chief to retire June 1 (leavenworthecho.com) — Longtime Kirkland firefighter David Walker, who rose to Battalion Chief and spent nearly three decades with the city, is retiring June 1 as Lake Wenatchee Fire and Rescue’s chief. His career path from Kirkland leadership to rural fire service highlights how local experience continues to shape wildfire preparedness across Washington.
   

4. This bookstore's large homeschool section draws families from across Western WA (thenewstribune.com) — Families from Kirkland are traveling to Port Orchard for a unique bookstore whose large homeschool curriculum section now fills about a third of its space. One Less Orphan Bookstore has reopened in a smaller, cozier location, offering donated new and used materials while channeling profits into adoption and orphan support. The shop aims to be a welcoming spot to browse, sip coffee, and find hard-to-get homeschool resources in person.
   

📸 Around Kirkland

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Kirkland

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Saturday January 10

• ARCTIC DONUT SHOPPE
  FrogLegs Cooking School, 501 Market St, Kirkland
  10:15 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday January 10

• Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival
  Bridle Trails State Park , 5300 116th Ave NE , Kirkland
  1:30 pm

Sunday January 11

• SPICED CHAI MACARONS
  FrogLegs Cooking School , 501 Market St , Kirkland
  10:15 am
• Reading with Rover
  Bothell Library , 18215 98th Avenue NE , Bothell
  1:00 pm

Monday January 12

• Toddler Story Time
  Kirkland Library , 308 Kirkland Avenue , Kirkland
  10:30 am
• Baby Story Time
  Bothell Library , 18215 98th Avenue NE , Bothell
  11:00 am
• Talk Time: English Conversation Practice
  Bothell Library , 18215 98th Avenue NE , Bothell
  1:15 pm

Tuesday January 13

• Family Story Time
  Kingsgate Library , 12315 NE 143rd Street , Kirkland
  1:00 pm

Tuesday January 20

• Stand Up Comedy with Meaghan Elwood @ Chainline Brewing Company featuring Barbie Collins Young
  Chainline Brewing Company Taproom at Urban , 500 Uptown Ct , Kirkland
  9:00 am

🗓 Events Nearby

Friday January 9

• Family Story Time
  Kenmore Library , 6531 NE 181st Street , Kenmore
  10:00 am
• Welcome to Medicare
  Woodinville Library , 17105 Avondale Road NE , Woodinville
  10:30 am
• Makerspace Drop-in
  Bellevue Library 1111 110th Avenue NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
  11:00 am
• Lap Sit Baby Story Time
  Redmond Library , 15990 NE 85th Street , Redmond
  12:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Kirkland PatchAM possible:

• Peony Massage — (425) 406-4698
  📣 𝟒𝟎% 𝐎𝐟𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐬sage
• Primrose School of Redmond — (425) 800-6463
  Child Care , Day Care , Preschool, Opening Soon
• SD Framing — (425) 628-1326
  @sd.framing Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates!
• Crystal Carpet Cleaning & Restoration, Inc. — (425) 649-0908
  Celebrating 35 years serving our community
• Sodo Pizza — (425) 588-0963
  New Pizzeria in Town!
• Mindsee.it — (646) 663-8317
  Teach your kids they can achieve the impossible!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

🪧 Patch Classifieds

• Premier David Eby BC, Canada Plans to demand Bishnoi Extradition on India Mission
  canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/news/2025/09/government-of-canada-lists-the-bishnoi-gang-as-a-terrorist-entity.html (More info)

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Please share & repost to help reunite this stray dog!
  FOUND on January 6, 2026 in Kirkland, WA 98034 near 93rd pl Sharing for a neighbor. For the latest information or to contact the finder, view this… (Nextdoor Inglewood)
• Has anyone lost a dog?
  It’s a small pug and he is with a buddy that looks to be a medium sized German shepherd (black curly tail) they are in Juanita beach Kirkland. Sorry… (Nextdoor Juanita)

• Lake Washington School District posted a job opening for Instructional Assistant at Kamiakin Middle School in Kirkland. Apply here.
• Sweetgreen posted a job opening for Totem Lake - Shift Leader in Kirkland. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Kirkland here.

Ok Kirkland! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I really dig you!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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