City, schools prepared as swine flu arrives in King County
April 30, 2009
UPDATED — 9:15 a.m. May 1, 2009
Ten probable cases of swine flu have been identified in King County, public health officials said today.
Public Health – Seattle & King County spokeswoman Megan Coppersmith outlined seven new probable cases.
The cases include a woman in her 20s, four children ages 8-12, and two other children whose mother was previously reported as a probable case.
The cases announced Wednesday include three Seattle residents: a man in his 20s, a woman in her 30s and a boy who is a student at Madrona K-8.
Officials said the Madrona student is hospitalized and his condition is improving. Seattle School District officials closed Madrona K-8 this morning as a precautionary measure. The other people are not hospitalized and their conditions are improving.
Coppersmith said the infected people reside in King County, but did not have additional details. She said none of the reported cases are serious.
“These symptoms appear to be pretty mild,” she said.
Global green citizen
April 30, 2009
Mayor Ava Frisinger, center, accepted a King County Green Globe award at an April 22 ceremony in downtown Seattle. Joining the mayor were, from left, Parks & Recreation Director Anne McGill, Parks Planner Margaret Macleod, King County Councilwoman Kathy Lambert and city Senior Planner Debi Kirac. Issaquah received the award for efforts to preserve open space. Global green citizen
Sports wrap up
April 30, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. April 30, 2009
Eagles tie Bothell
Michael Axelson’s goal in the 55th minute Tuesday enabled the Issaquah High School Eagles to tie Bothell 1-1 in a 4A KingCo Conference boys soccer thriller in Bothell’s Pop Keeney Stadium.
With the tie, Issaquah (4-3-2) remained in a tie for first place in the Crest Division with Eastlake and Garfield.
Skyline, getting goals from Mitchell Kim and Evan Kamber, defeated Ballard 2-1 in 4A action.
Matt Filer, assisted by Dean Byron, scored in the 51st minute as Liberty tied host Mount Si in a 3A/2A battle.
Issaquah softball bounces back
Issaquah, after losing 1-0 to Bothell Monday, slammed host Garfield 10-0 Tuesday in a five-inning 4A KingCo softball contest. The game was called after the fifth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Briana Bray, the winning pitcher, allowed just two hits and helped herself by going three-for-three. Kenna Olsen drove in three runs for Issaquah, which is tied with Redmond for first place in the Crest Division with a 7-2 mark.
Lacrosse team downs Bainbridge
The Issaquah High Lacrosse Club, which suffered its first league defeat last Friday, downed visiting Bainbridge 12-8 in a key Washington State League Division One contest Tuesday.
Jordan Goldstein, Todd Jones and Kevin Powers each scored three goals for Issaquah. The Eagles lost to first-place Mercer Island 6-4 last Friday.
Liberty coach going to Blanchet
Chris Bilanko, Liberty High School’s head boys basketball coach since 2004, is leaving the Patriots’ program to become the new head coach at Seattle’s Bishop Blanchet.
Bilanko will be reunited with Steve Gervais, former Skyline head football coach, who is now athletic director at Bishop Blanchet.
Bilanko was a former assistant basketball coach at Skyline before moving to Liberty.
Tennis teams post victories
The Issaquah and Skyline tennis teams each captured KingCo Conference victories Tuesday. Issaquah downed Sammamish 6-1 and Skyline topped Redmond 5-2.
Home Tour Spring 2009
April 29, 2009
To view Home Tour Spring 2009, click on the link below.
Issaquah Youth Lacrosse — Week 7 / April 29, 2009
April 29, 2009
Choking is not a game
April 28, 2009
Grieving parents share their heartache, lessons with others
Kevin Tork earned good grades in school and hung out with his friends. Most recently, he fell in love with poetry and had begun writing, completing six chapters in a book he called “The Mark.”
But on March 30, Kevin’s life ended at age 15 while he was playing what is known as the choking game.
Kathy Tork mourns the death of her 15-year-old son, Issaquah High School student Kevin. Kathy and husband Ken are certain he accidentally strangled himself while playing the choking game. By Greg Farrar
Choking game flirts with disaster
April 28, 2009
Adolescents are playing a deadly game by choking themselves to get high. Read more
158 teachers to get layoff notices
April 28, 2009
Issaquah School Board members voted unanimously to lay off 158 of its 1,097 teachers April 22, after district officials presented their reduction in force plan. Read more
Opening Day Prize
April 28, 2009
Thomas Goulet, 5, is thrilled with his trout on the first day of fishing season April 25 at Pine Lake Park’s new fishing dock, as his dad Randy, who grew up in Sammamish, looks on. By Greg Farrar
It’s fun being the lone ray of sunshine in gloomy times
April 28, 2009
Hall Monitor Ryan Cain Liberty High School
The taste remained in my mouth well into my final class, reminding me of a lunch well spent. A Grand Slam had never tasted so good, proof to the adage that free food tastes best.
Everyone bemoans the economy’s downturn. I would like to be that infuriatingly persistent ray of sunshine, the one that taunts children mercilessly, no matter how hard it’s raining. Many major corporations have been doing their part to give back to their customers; and I’ll be the first to tell you as a high school student — I love it.
