YWCA project receives $2 million loan
June 22, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. June 22, 2009
A planned YWCA housing development in the Issaquah Highlands has received a $2 million loan, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced June 17.
YWCA Family Village at Issaquah would include 146 rental apartments for tenants earning 50 percent or less of King County’s median income. The state loan is earmarked for the 48-unit second phase of the project.
YWCA of Seattle, King & Snohomish County was among the recipients of 35 state grants or loans for affordable housing projects. Five other projects in King County received grants or loans. Read more
Watermain Replacement Project has begun
June 21, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. June 21, 2009
For about the next three to four weeks, city workers will replace a water main pipe and service connections as a part of the city’s Watermain Replacement Project.
New lines will replace existing, aging pipes. The size of the construction equipment needed for this project will require both lanes of the following narrow street sections to be temporarily closed — one location at a time — during normal construction hours:
First Avenue Northwest from West Sunset Way to Northwest Dogwood Street
Northwest Alder Place from First Avenue Northwest to Front Street
First Place Northwest from 19 First Place Northwest to 175 First Place Northwest.
Access to residences and businesses will be provided during construction.
Construction hours will vary between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Residences and businesses affected by anticipated water shut-offs will be notified 48 hours in advance.
If you have questions or concerns, call 837-3400.
Plan for road closures, cars and cyclists on Sunday
June 20, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. June 20, 2009
Issaquah drivers should plan ahead for Father’s Day, when two events will affect traffic throughout the city.
Front Street North will be closed from 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday for Mountains to Sound Greenway Days Fenders on Front Street Car Show and Cruise. The street will be closed from East Sunset Way to Northwest Gilman Boulevard. See a map here.
The same afternoon, a bicycle ride for the LIVESTRONG Challenge will travel through Issaquah on the following roads: Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast, Second Avenue Southeast, East Sunset Way, Highlands Drive Northeast, Southeast Black Nugget Road and East Lake Sammamish Parkway.
After traveling north, the cyclists will briefly return to the city on Southeast Newport Way and Northwest Village Park Drive. Another route will also include Newport Way Northwest.
These roads will not be closed during the ride, and cyclists will be required to adhere to the rules of the road. Drivers should expect possible delays. See a map here.
DOT crews ready Front Street overpass for seismic work
June 19, 2009
NEW — 2:08 p.m. June 19, 2009
Crews working beneath the Interstate 90 overpass at Front Street are taking the first step toward strengthening the roadway to withstand earthquakes.
State Department of Transportation crews are preparing the overpass for new components. DOT spokeswoman Broch Bender said the first stage of the project is “similar to taking measurements to fit a suit.” She said the traffic impact would be minimal when the project begins in earnest this summer.
DOT crews will bring 16 bridges up to present-day earthquake standards between Richards Road in Bellevue and Winery Road near Snoqualmie. Engineers estimate the $9.4 million project will be complete by October.
Crews will strengthen columns to prevent girders from slipping off the bridge piers during an earthquake. Bender the bridges will be able to withstand greater seismic stress after the retrofit is complete.
Columns will be swaddled in column jackets to prevent the bridge column from crumbling apart during an earthquake. Crews will also add girder stops to prevent bridge girders from sliding or tipping.
Bender said girder stops would prevent the overpass from swaying side to side in an earthquake.
Learn how to harness the Web for job searches tomorrow
June 18, 2009
NEW — 10:37 a.m. June 18, 2009
“Working the World Wide Web” is the Career Connection Issaquah topic at noon tomorrow at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.
The program starts with a complimentary light lunch and networking, followed by interactive coaching about Internet job searching at 12:30 p.m.
In today’s volatile job market, the old practice of blindly applying to Internet postings is simply not enough. Now, the Web offers job seekers the opportunity to showcase value they can provide to prospective employers, and initiate personal relationships with hiring managers.
The church is located at the corner of Second Avenue and Southeast Darst St. The series continues July 3 with “Low Cost/No Cost Recreation” available to adults and children living on reduced incomes.
Plump up your wallet on Dump the Pump Day
June 17, 2009
NEW — 5 p.m. June 17, 2009
Concerned about saving money and cutting down on expenses? As local gas prices again begin to creep up to $3 a gallon, one of the easiest ways to keep more money in your wallet is to park your car at home and hop on public transportation.
The region’s transportation agencies are urging residents to ride a bus, train, boat, bike, take a walk or share the ride tomorrow, the fourth annual National Dump the Pump Day.
Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association, the 2009 National Dump the Pump Day encourages people to ride public transportation to save money, protect the environment, reduce dependence on foreign oil and improve our quality of life. The association’s monthly Transit Savings Report consistently ranks the Seattle metropolitan area as one of the top 10 regions for potential transit savings.
Various agencies in Washington are joining agencies across the country to ask those who’ve never tried public transportation to get on board with saving and take a new ride. Regular transit users are encouraged to make it a “zero drive” day, and only use transit.
Habitat for Humanity groundbreaking / June 11, 2009
June 17, 2009
Lobbyists tell city officials polystyrene ban could harm businesses
June 16, 2009
NEW — 9:10 p.m. June 16, 2009
City officials agreed tonight to work alongside business owners as the City Council considers a ban on Styrofoam to-go boxes and other food containers made from eco-unfriendly polystyrene.
A proposed ban would outlaw polystyrene food packaging. Critics said the material lingers in landfills long after Styrofoam trays and cups are tossed into the trash. Polystyrene is expensive to recycle, too.
But officials also raised questions about safe alternatives to polystyrene and how the ban would impact restaurants already grappling with consumers dining out less in the down economy. Council Sustainability Committee members met tonight to discuss the proposed ban.
“You know, these packages are used to serve takeout or in restaurants, and they typically last for a few minutes in terms of any use,” Councilman Joshua Schaer said. “The reality is, while we may only see them for a few minutes, the landfill and the environment sees them for tens of thousands of years.”
New school coming
June 16, 2009
Issaquah High School Associated Student Body Officers Jeremiah Odom, Quinn Grisham and Bobby Johnson (from left) take a look at the model of the new high school at the ground breaking ceremony June 11. The three will be seniors this fall. By Adam Eschbach
Developer defaults on $11.5 million loan
June 16, 2009
Tiger Mountain land could go to public auction
Wellington Park Pointe LLC — developer of the planned Park Pointe community — has failed to make payments on a loan and defaulted on nearly $11.6 million. A default notice issued June 11 said Wellington did not meet payment deadlines for the loan. Read more
