Local News
New Indian Restaurant Opens at Old Jack in the Box Location
A new Indian fast-casual restaurant, Hyderabad Biryani & Kababs, has opened at the corner of Bellevue Way and Main Street. It is currently the only restaurant of its kind in the area.
The menu includes a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Starters range from onion samosas and chili paneer to pepper chicken and Apollo fish. Curries include vegetarian dishes like paneer butter masala and eggplant, as well as non-vegetarian options such as lamb and meatball curries.
The restaurant also serves several styles of biryani, including chicken fry and goat curry, along with Tandoori clay oven items like naan, chicken tikka kebab, and tandoori chicken. Desserts and soft drinks are also available.
The site has seen multiple restaurant tenants over the years. A Jack in the Box operated there for decades before closing in 2019. It was followed by Thai restaurant Racha Go, and later Chawla Cafe, an Indian restaurant that closed in less than a year.
The location is part of a larger redevelopment project approved by the City of Bellevue for the southeast corner of Bellevue Way SE and Main Street. Plans include a seven-story, mixed-use residential building with 376 apartments, ground-floor retail, and underground parking.
The project will feature 15,026 square feet of retail space at street level, three levels of below-grade parking with 438 stalls, and a total gross floor area of about 322,294 square feet.
The new development will replace five existing commercial buildings, including a strip mall, low-rise retail spaces, and the former Jack in the Box building—currently Hyderabad Biryani & Kababs.
Local News
Healthy Fast Food Chain Joe & The Juice Coming to Bellevue Square
Joe & The Juice will soon open a new location on the second level of Bellevue Square. The space was created by combining two former storefronts: Great State Burger and Starbucks.
Great State Burger first opened at Bellevue Square in 2018. It has since closed at that location and reopened at Lincoln Square South in the Lincoln South Food Hall. Starbucks relocated in May 2024 to a nearby space between Aveda and Saje Natural Wellness, featuring a more modern design.
This will be the first Joe & The Juice on the Eastside. The brand currently has two Seattle locations, one at University Village and another at Amazon’s headquarters on 7th Avenue.
The menu features sandwiches such as steak, turkey, and vegan pesto, along with breakfast bowls like yogurt and overnight oats. Snacks include mango bites, banana bread, and chocolate muffins.
Beverage options range from specialty coffee drinks, including an iced blueberry latte and iced lavender matcha, to teas, protein shakes, and the brand’s signature juices and shakes. Customers will also be able to order ahead using the Joe & The Juice app.
Joe & The Juice was founded in 2002 by Kaspar Basse in Copenhagen. As an athlete, Basse aimed to make nutritious food flavorful and appealing, drawing inspiration from Starbucks’ approach to changing coffee culture. Today, Joe & The Juice has locations worldwide.
Local News
Taiwanese Eatery Facing East Opens New Downtown Bellevue Location
Facing East in Downtown Bellevue at Brio Apartments
Facing East, a family-run Taiwanese restaurant originally established in 2006, has opened a new location in downtown Bellevue. The eatery, which focuses on traditional Taiwanese dishes prepared with fresh ingredients, began in Bellevue and moved to a take-out–only location off Bel-Red Road in December 2021.
The new downtown Bellevue location, which opened last Friday, is situated in the Brio Apartments building on the same level as Farine Bakery & Cafe.
Unlike the Bel-Red site, this location offers both takeout and dine-in service. The menu at the downtown location is separate from the Bel-Red menu and includes small bites, handmade wontons, sesame flatbread sandwiches, Taiwanese bao burgers, noodles, bento boxes, desserts, and beverages.
Signature items that are also fan favorites include popcorn chicken, honey-glazed BBQ pork sandwiches, and a bao omelette sandwich. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The Bel-Red location continues to operate as a takeout-only site with online ordering available.
Facing East’s name originates from a feng shui reading conducted before the restaurant first opened, in which the direction “East” was identified as bringing luck and prosperity.
Nearby, Master Bing, a fast-casual Chinese restaurant also in Brio Apartments, specializes in Jianbing, a traditional Chinese street food crepe. Customers at Master Bing can order via a screen and choose to dine in or take their food to go.
Local News
Downtown Bellevue to Welcome First Dedicated Pickleball Facility This Fall
Photo Credit: Colliers
PickleNation will open a new indoor pickleball venue this October. It will be called the Bellevue Pickleball Club and will occupy a 35,000-square-foot space at 44 Bellevue Way NE. The site once housed Bellevue Consignments, which opened in November 2022 and closed in late 2024. It had previously served as a Sports Authority.
The project received approval from the City of Bellevue, confirming the planned transformation of the commercial space into an athletic facility. This redevelopment will convert the consignment store into 13 full-size pickleball courts, making it the first urban, dedicated pickleball club in downtown Bellevue and a flagship for PickleNation.
Susan Tai, who co-founded the delivery app Fantuan, emphasized in a PickleNation press release that pickleball can support both mental and physical health. She said the Bellevue Pickleball Club aims to make the sport accessible to everyone, whether they’re casual players or part of a corporate team.
Discerning the club’s ideal surroundings, PickleNation selected Lakeside Shopping Center for its mix of convenience and community. The facility is near Starbucks, Café Bollywood, FedEx, and Orangetheory Fitness.
These developments align well with Bellevue’s broader interest in expanding pickleball offerings—currently available in limited format across community centers and local parks—into a more professionally tailored, centrally located space.
PickleNation’s Bellevue Pickleball Club is scheduled to open on October 1, with membership tiers and rates to be announced ahead of the grand opening. When it opens, the club will add something new to Bellevue’s recreation scene—a place where people can come together, stay active, and dive into pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S.
Bosa Development owns the property, which they purchased in 2021 for $127.5 million. The purchase included 44 Bellevue Way Northeast and 102 Bellevue Way Northeast. The site is 3.3 acres.
Local News
Bellevue Recognized as a Leading Innovation Hub in the West
Bellevue has been named one of the top innovation hubs in the western United States, according to a new report by CommercialCafe. The study looked at cities across Washington, California, Oregon, Arizona, and Colorado, ranking them on things like STEM jobs, education, talent attraction, patent growth, and the strength of science and tech industries.
Bellevue ranked second overall in the West for its concentration of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) workers. The city has about 18,200 STEM professionals per 100,000 residents. That number is much higher than nearby Seattle, which has about 14,000.
Education also plays a big role in Bellevue’s ranking. About 65% of college graduates in the city hold STEM degrees, the third-highest share among the top 20 cities studied. Bellevue is one of the few cities outside of California and Washington that made the top tier for STEM education levels.
The report also noted Bellevue’s success in attracting highly educated newcomers. About 37% of residents with college degrees have recently moved to the city. That puts Bellevue fifth among the top 20 cities for talent attraction. This steady stream of skilled workers continues to support the city’s growth as a technology and science hub.
Other western cities ranked highly in different categories. Santa Clara, California, came in first overall because of its strength in STEM jobs, education, and talent attraction. Tempe, Arizona, ranked highest in education, with the most vocational STEM schools. Fremont, California, had the largest share of science, engineering, and tech businesses, making up 14% of all companies in the city.
San Jose, California, led the way in patents, producing more than 200,000 since 2020. Boulder, Colorado, stood out for STEM enrollment, with 253 of every 1,000 students studying in STEM fields. Salem, Oregon, saw the fastest STEM job growth, with a 158% increase between 2019 and 2023.
The report shows that while Bellevue is competing with some of the West’s biggest tech cities, it continues to grow as a center for science and technology jobs and talent.
Local News
Bellevue Botanical Garden Hosts 16th Annual Arts in the Garden
Arts in the Garden Artist Steve Hopkins
The 16th annual Arts in the Garden will take place at the Bellevue Botanical Garden from August 22–24, 2025. The three-day event features 27 artists, live music, and local food trucks.
Admission is free. Premium parking will be available onsite for $10, and free parking will be offered at Wilburton Hill Park. Event hours are Friday, August 22, from 12 to 5 p.m.; Saturday, August 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, August 24, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Artists include Amanda Sarah Metals, Bedrock Industries, Forest Green Enterprises, Mad Mosaics, Katy LaReau Glass, and Wishpoosh Design. Artworks range from copper and recycled glass pieces to mosaics, concrete sculptures, and kiln-formed glass and wood designs.
Live music is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. The Bellevue Ukesters will perform on Saturday, August 23, from 1 to 2 p.m., and Take Seventeen will perform on Sunday, August 24, from 12 to 2 p.m.
Food trucks will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Saturday, vendors include MoMo’s Kebab and El Koreano. On Sunday, MoMo’s Kebab will return along with Taco Cortes.
Local News
Popular Children’s Show Blippi Features Bellevue Police Department
Photo Credit: Bellevue Police Department
The Bellevue Police Department is featured in the latest episode of the popular children’s program Blippi, giving millions of young viewers an inside look at local law enforcement.
Titled “Blippi Meets Police Heroes & Their K9 Dog!”, the episode introduces Blippi’s 25.5 million subscribers to some of the tools officers use daily to keep Bellevue safe. The segment includes a jiujitsu demonstration, tours of a police car and motorcycle, and an introduction to Kole, one of the department’s three K9 officers.
“It was a pleasure to welcome Blippi to the Bellevue Police Department, because this agency takes great pride showing community members of all ages how officers keep this city safe,” said Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley.
The episode, filmed in mid-May, premiered on August 9. As of publication, the 10-minute video has received more than 159,000 views.
The Bellevue Police Department’s feature on Blippi highlights its broader focus on community outreach, guided by its Prevention, Intervention, and Enforcement (P.I.E.) philosophy.
Local News
Northwest Chocolate Festival Returns to Bellevue: October 4–5, 2025
Photo Credit: Northwest Chocolate Festival
The Northwest Chocolate Festival is returning to Bellevue for its 17th year, bringing together over 100 artisan chocolate makers from more than 30 countries. This event will take place on October 4 and 5, 2025, at the Meydenbauer Center.
Attendees can sample a wide variety of chocolate offerings, including milk and dark chocolates, truffles, bonbons, caramels, and drinking chocolate. The festival features tastings, chef demonstrations, and workshops as part of the Cacao & Chocolate Education Program.
All workshops are included with the festival pass.
A highlight of the 2025 festival is the inaugural Women in Chocolate Business Summit on October 3, 2025. This one-day conference will focus on leadership and innovation by women in the craft chocolate industry, featuring keynotes, expert panels, and networking opportunities.
Tickets are available for early access, single-day, and weekend passes, all of which include access to tastings and programming.
The Northwest Chocolate Festival is recognized as one of the best chocolate shows in the world and is a must-visit for chocolate enthusiasts.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the official website at nwchocolate.com.
Photo Credit: Northwest Chocolate Festival
Local News
Another Delay for East Link Light Rail: Opening Set for April 25, 2026
Photo Credit: Sound Transit
The opening of the full East Link Extension, connecting Seattle’s light rail system to the Eastside, has been pushed back again. The new target date is April 25, 2026, according to Sound Transit’s June 2025 System Expansion Monthly Status Report.
The agency had previously projected an early 2026 start with a potential January 16 opening date. Earlier timelines targeted late 2025.
The delay affects the segment of the 2 Line that crosses Lake Washington via I-90, including new stations at Judkins Park and Mercer Island. These stations were most recently expected to open in early 2026. Sound Transit cites ongoing construction work, additional testing and training requirements, and time needed to resolve remaining issues as reasons for the postponement.
The 14-mile East Link Extension includes 10 stations stretching from Seattle’s International District to Judkins Park, across I-90 to Mercer Island and South Bellevue, through downtown Bellevue and the Bel-Red area, and ending at Redmond Technology Station.
A phased opening approach was approved by the Sound Transit Board in August 2023. The first phase, between South Bellevue and Redmond Technology Station, began service on April 27, 2024, with stops at East Main, Bellevue Downtown, Wilburton, Spring District/130th, Overlake Village, and Redmond Technology.
An additional 3.4 miles of track and two more stations, Marymoor Village and Downtown Redmond, opened on May 10, 2025, as part of the Downtown Redmond Link Extension.
Once complete, the 2 Line will connect the Eastside to Seattle’s 1 Line via the I-90 floating bridge and provide access to the Operations and Maintenance Facility East in Bellevue, supporting more frequent service and future expansion toward Federal Way.
Sound Transit said it remains committed to meeting quality and reliability standards before opening the remaining segment.
Local News
Mendocino Farms Opens in Bellevue Featuring Sandwiches & Salads
Photo Credit: Mendocino Farms
Mendocino Farms has officially opened its newest location in Downtown Bellevue. Situated at 10667 Northeast 4th Street, the fast-casual eatery offers a diverse menu featuring salads, sandwiches, and soups.
Highlights include half sandwich combos paired with a deli side or soup, sandwiches like the “Not So Fried” chicken, vegan Bahn Mi, and turkey avocado salsa verde, plus kid-friendly options like crispy chicken tenders and pepperoni pizza melt. Salad choices range from kale and apple rainbow to Thai mango, while soups feature lemon chicken & farro and corn & hatch chile.
This Downtown Bellevue location is the third Mendocino Farms spot to open on the Eastside, joining existing locations in Totem Lake and Redmond. The company also operates locations in Seattle’s South Lake Union and Downtown Seattle at Rainier Square.
The South Lake Union location was the first in Washington, opened in response to demand from the brand’s fan base.
Mendocino Farms’ dedication to supporting local farmers and communities shines through in its ever-evolving menu, especially in the creative offerings found in the Chef’s Selection.
The new restaurant is located in a newly constructed pavilion on the same property as the Key Bank building, positioned directly in front of it. The space spans 3,137 square feet, providing ample room for diners to enjoy their meals.
Photo Credit: Mendocino Farms
Photo Credit: Mendocino Farms
Photo Credit: Mendocino Farms
- Advertisement -
Latest News
JBLM soldier sentenced for sexually assaulting college student in barracks
A military judge sentenced Pvt. Deron Gordon to over six years in prison for sexually assaulting a college student.
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier who sexually assaulted a college student in the barracks in 2024 was sentenced to more than six years in prison Friday.
A military judge sentenced Pvt. Deron Gordon, 20, to six years and three months in prison after he pleaded guilty to one specification each of sexual assault, abusive sexual contact and as a principal to indecent recording.
Gordon was previously charged with additional crimes, but those were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Gordon is one of four soldiers who were charged in in connection to the sexual assault of a college student, who is now a commissioned Army officer, in October 2024.
When Gordon pleaded guilty, he said that he and another soldier followed the college student into a bedroom after she had been drinking with them. He said she was unstable walking into the room and when they went inside she was on the bed and not responsive.
Gordon said he and the other soldier each proceeded to have sex with her and they filmed each other sexually assaulting her on Snapchat.
As part of his sentencing, Gordon will be reduced in rank to E-1 and dishonorably discharged from the Army.
Gordon will serve the remainder of his sentencing at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Once he is released, Gordon must register as a sex offender.
The three other soldiers who were charged in the incident are at different points in the legal process, and their cases are being treated separately.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. Additional resources are available on the Washington State Department of Health's website.
KING 5’s Conner Board contributed to this report.
- Advertisement -
Entertainment
Charlie Sheen Says He Turned to Alcohol to Help His Stutter
Charlie Sheen
Drinking Helped Me Find My Voice!!!
Entertainment
Josh Allen Calls Out Bills Fans Who Left Before Comeback Win, ‘Have Some Faith’
Josh Allen
Hey, Bills Mafia
Have Some Faith Next Time!!!
Local News
Teen sentenced in 2023 deadly Metro bus shooting near White Center
In the plea agreement, the teen said he recognized the man from pulling a gun on him on the bus several days prior and was nervous and scared.
WHITE CENTER, Wash. — A teenager was sentenced Friday to over 23 years in prison for shooting and killing a man aboard a King County Metro bus near White Center in 2023.
King County Judge Brian McDonald sentenced Miguel Rivera Dominguez, 19, to 23 years and 4 months in prison, with credit for time served. Prison time will be followed by three years of community custody.
The sentencing comes after Rivera Dominguez pleaded guilty July 3 of first-degree premeditated murder.
On Oct. 3, 2023, Rivera Dominguez fired five shots from “point blank range” at the head and neck of Marcel Da'jon Wagner, 21, who appeared to be asleep aboard the bus near Southwest Roxbury Street and 15th Avenue Southwest, according to charging documents.
In the plea agreement, Rivera Dominguez said he recognized Wagner from having “pulled a gun” on him on the bus a few days prior.
“i was nervous and scared when I saw him on 10/3/23 but he was not threatening me and I was not acting in self-defense,” Rivera Dominguez wrote.
There were 15 other passengers on the bus at the time, but none of them were injured in the shooting.
Rivera Dominguez, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, fled after the incident and remained at large for a month before he turned himself in.
The shooting prompted concerns about safety aboard King County Metro buses. After the shooting, Metro said it would add security to the H Line, expanding transit security officers who patrol buses and transit centers.
Local News
Let’s Go Washington launches initiative campaign on trans youth sports, parental rights
Let's Go Washington, the backers of the 2024 initiatives, is looking for signatures again.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Let's Go Washington is back in the initiative game.
The organization, founded by Brian Heywood, sponsored several initiatives in 2024 changing state law.
Heywood announced Monday signatures are being gathered to submit two initiatives to the 2026 state Legislature or potentially voters. The initiatives relate to parental rights and trans youth athletes.
Heywood's organization achieved significant victories last year when voters supported initiatives restricting natural gas use and overturning state laws limiting police pursuits. The state Legislature also passed Let's Go Washington-backed measures banning income taxes and guaranteeing parental rights to access school records. The success came after Heywood invested more than $5 million of his own money into seven initiatives.
"Someone has to stand up and fight back. And what I think I've done is given the voice. I've given voice to 1.2 million people who signed at least one of our initiatives," Heywood said.
However, the organization faced a setback earlier this year when Gov. Bob Ferguson signed legislation overhauling the "parents bill of rights" initiative.
"It stripped all the parts about parental notification or parental access to information," Heywood said.
In response, Let's Go Washington is now gathering signatures for two new campaigns. The first seeks to overturn Ferguson's recent law, restoring their original parental rights initiative. The second would require physicians to assign genders to youth athletes during physicals, prohibiting those considered males from competing against females.
"Allowing biological males to compete in girls sports is a blatant, a flagrant violation of Title IX, I would argue, and also extremely unfair to girls who've worked really hard to get in a position to be top athletes," Heywood said.
Despite failing to pass initiatives targeting the state's climate law, long-term care savings program, and capital gains tax in 2024, Heywood remains optimistic about his organization's impact.
"Four out of seven, I'm pretty, pretty happy with what we did, and we're not done," he said.
If the organization can collect enough signatures by the end of the year, the issues would be submitted to the state Legislature. Lawmakers could either pass the initiatives or let voters decide in November 2026.