Issaquah High School’s gym comes down tomorrow
April 22, 2009
NEW — Noon, April 22, 2009
Contractors will tear down Issaquah High School’s gymnasium in the morning to make way for a new one as part of the school’s extensive remodel.
Demolition crews from Cornerstone General Contractors Inc. began work in other areas April 15.
Exterior demolition to remove the gym begins tomorrow at 7 a.m.. Students and employees will attend a ceremony marking the occasion.
Protestors brew anti-tax sentiment
April 21, 2009
More than 200 demonstrators gathered on the steps of City Hall during an April 15 Tax Day Tea Party to protest against taxes and federal spending. By Warren Kagarise
When local Tax Day Tea Party organizer Tom Price arrived at the corner of Sunset Way and Front Street just after noon April 15, he was alone. Then, he looked down Sunset — less than 500 feet away, hundreds of protestors were gathered on the steps of City Hall.
Price and more than 200 others were part of a groundswell of frustration with government bailouts, federal spending and the policies of Congress and the Obama administration. Demonstrators in Issaquah and across the nation used the government deadline for filing income tax returns for an event modeled on the Boston Tea Party.
Instead of dumping tea into Issaquah Creek, however, demonstrators dangled tea bags from placards, clothing and sunglasses. The “tea” to which the protestors referred stood for “taxed enough already.” Read more
Veteran crosses not all welcome
April 21, 2009
Graves in Hillside Cemetery are decorated for Memorial Day. File
The local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars plans to continue its two-decadelong tradition of placing flags and crosses at this year’s Memorial Day service at Hillside Cemetery. But members need input from the families of veterans buried there to get the job done.
Last year, an Issaquah resident complained about the placement of crosses at the gravesites, said David Waggoner, senior vice commander of the VFW Albert Larson Post No. 3436.
Because of the complaint, the VFW and Flintoft’s Funeral Home are asking families of veterans buried at the cemetery to sign a form authorizing the placement of various symbols and what they want them to be. Those include a flag, a cross, a Star of David or other symbol that a family recommends at the gravesite. Read more
Guest Column
April 21, 2009
State Budget: Deficits, Priorities and Taxes
By Sen. Cheryl Pflug
No matter what else you hear about the proposed 2009-2011 state budget, remember this: The state still forecasts revenues will exceed those of the 2007-2009 biennium, not including the nearly $3 billion in federal stimulus money coming our way. Read more
Emily Baldwin leads Spartans to links win over Patriots
April 21, 2009
Emily Baldwin, Skyline junior, hits onto the green at the par-4, 330-yard third hole at Maplewood Golf Course April 15 in a match against Liberty. Baldwin was medalist for the match with a four-over-par 40. By Greg Farrar
Skyline High School golfer Emily Baldwin shot a four over par 40 to lead the Spartans in a dual meet April 15 against Liberty High School at Maplewood Golf Course in Renton.
Skyline defeated Liberty by 40 strokes in the meet. The Spartans shot a 243 over the first nine holes at Maplewood. The Patriots shot a 283.
Baldwin, a junior, shot two birdies and three pars on the front nine at Maplewood. She birdied the second and ninth holes, for her best outing of the year by 12 strokes, said Betsy Gaines, Skyline golf coach.
“She played outstanding golf and that just shows how much potential she has,” Gaines said. Read more
Press Editorial
April 21, 2009
Teacher layoffs will hurt, but parents can help
Issaquah School District administrators will announce the number of teachers it will give layoff notices to at the school board meeting Wednesday night. While they say the number is a moving target up, they make no bones about the fact that the number will be large — and it will hurt. Read more
Tip-A-Cop fundraiser nets $4,500
April 21, 2009
Paul Ayers, Issaquah chief of police, receives compliments and an after-meal tip from Karen Price and daughter Sara, April 18 at the Issaquah Red Robin Tip-A-Cop fundraiser for Special Olympics Washington. More than a dozen police department officers and support staff worked to raise $4,500 in donations during the event. By Greg Farrar
Shiny Clean
April 21, 2009
Issaquah Middle School students Kaylee Alvarado, Alissa Parker, Veronica Webb and Sequoia Lonneker (from left) admire their reflection in the Eagles Club window on Front Street North, on a break April 18 from their industrious efforts with other volunteers during the DownTown Issaquah Association Spring Clean Up. By Greg Farrar
City wants your comments on Federal Drive plan
April 21, 2009
City planning officials want comments from residents about a proposal to remove an Issaquah Highlands road and replace the street with two new connectors. Read more
Commuters warned to prepare for bridge closures
April 21, 2009
Washington State Department of Transportation guides and news media members walk on the Interstate 90 floating bridge express lanes to see the worn expansion joints that will be replaced during bridge closures in May. By Greg Farrar
Express lanes on the Interstate 90 floating bridge will be closed for 19 days next month while crews replace a pair of deteriorating joints. State transportation officials want Eastside commuters to plan ahead for the shutdown.
The bridge will be closed from May 4-23. A pair of new joints weighing 40 tons each — among the largest in the world — will be installed.
Blame tiny cracks for the shutdown. Steel joints that allow the bridge to bend with traffic, weather and the water level in Lake Washington began to deteriorate soon after the bridge opened in 1989.
Ralph Dornsife, a DOT bridge engineer, said broken joints could open a gap in the roadway. Existing joints are riddled with dozens of cracks.
State Department of Transportation officials said the cracks are not yet a hazard. But the joints need to be replaced before they weaken and break.
