Top Bellevue News Events Of 2017 Include Mosque Fire, Sex Sting

BELLEVUE, WA - 2017 has been quite a year in Bellevue. Some of the biggest news events involved tragedies, like the death of a 23-year police veteran or the arson at a local mosque. But there were bright spots too, like the "best in show" dog with Bellevue roots.

Here are some of the biggest news events that happened in Bellevue this year:

Bellevue Mosque Arson

Early in the morning on Jan. 14, the Islamic Center of Eastside was set on fire. The building was badly damaged, and police later determined the fire was intentionally set. Police arrested Isaac Wayne Wilson, 37, near the scene of the fire and he was later charged with second-degree arson.

Bellevue Safe-Use Site Ban

Bellevue was one of the first King County cities to ban safe-injection sites. The sites, also called Community Health Engagement Locations, have been proposed by King County to fight opioid overdose deaths. The safe-use sites - where technically any drug can be used - centralize social and health services, and, proponents say, would prevent overdose deaths and better link addicts with resources. King County wants to open two CHELs.

Big Bellevue Prostitution Sting

Bellevue police and the King County Sheriff's Office set up a fake brothel to capture johns. Police arrested over 100 men in the sting, including a local sports radio host. However, about half the cases were tossed in December because police recorded conversations with some of the men against the state wiretapping law.

Plans For Bellevue Homeless Shelter

The year will end without a permanent, low-barrier homeless shelter in Bellevue. Plans for a shelter in the Eastgate area are being opposed by nearby neighbors. Bellevue did, however, extend a ban on public camping. The annual point-in-time count found nearly 300 people on the Eastside are homeless.

Bellevue Police Officer Dies

Twenty-three year police veteran Sgt. Danny Young died in his sleep on May 27. Young joined Bellevue police in 1994 and was a member of the SWAT team. In 2007, he was given the Commander's Award and promoted to lieutenant. After that, he became the supervisor of a division of patrol officers.

Betsy DeVos Visits Bellevue

Education secretary Betsy DeVos spoke at the Washington Policy Center's annual dinner at the Hyatt Regency on Oct. 13. Thousands showed up to protest DeVos, including teachers, local school board members, and elected officials like King County Executive Dow Constantine and Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

Bob Ferguson Sues Donald Trump

One of Donald Trump's most controversial moves came early in his presidency. He issued a sweeping travel ban on people coming to the U.S. from majority-Muslim countries, even if they already lived in the U.S. Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued and successfully blocked the travel ban. It was the first of many lawsuits Ferguson would file against the Trump administration in 2017.

Bellevue School District Ranked No. 1

The website Niche.com ranked Bellevue the best school district in the state. Bellevue was followed in the rankings by the Lake Washington, Mercer Island, and Issaquah districts.

Bellevue Dog Wins 'Best In Show'

The winner of the annual Thanksgiving Day National Dog Show was an 11-pound Brussels Griffon named Newton. The dog was bred in part by Bellevue breeder Keith Jacobson. Newton will next compete in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in February at Madison Square Garden.

Did we miss a story? Email neal.mcnamara@patch.com and let us know what your top story of 2017 was.

Images by Neal McNamara/Patch