One step forward, two steps back for gay community
December 22, 2009
Students at Skyline High School, get together to talk about issues in a meeting of the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. All three schools in the Issaquah School District have student GSAs. The clubs at Skyline, Issaquah and Liberty are among more than 3,000 such clubs at high schools in the United States. By Stephanie Yi
A look at the future of gay politics
It had been two months since petitioners against Senate Bill 5688 qualified Referendum 71 for the ballot. For two months, the Washington LGBT community actively fought to extend the rights of same-sex domestic partnerships. After two months, their efforts paid off.
On Nov. 3, Referendum 71, the “everything but marriage” bill, was approved by Washington state voters 53 percent to 47 percent — a victory for Washington’s gay and lesbian community.
While domestic partners’ rights have been growing in steps since the creation of a domestic partnership registry in 2007, the passing of R-71 expanded the rights and protections of same-sex domestic partners to that of married spouses — the ability to take family and medical leave when a partner is seriously ill, the right to workers compensation coverage, and insurance coverage and group policy rights.
Sean Lonergan Martin
December 22, 2009
Sean Martin
Sean Lonergan Martin died Dec. 17, 2009. He was 23. Read more
Liberty High School PTSA gives cookies to school staff
December 22, 2009
Parent volunteers from the Liberty High School PTSA help prepare boxes of cookies for the school’s staff members in its first staff-appreciation cookie exchange. By Tim Pfarr
The Liberty High School PTSA held its first staff-appreciation cookie exchange Dec. 16. More than 50 parents donated three-dozen cookies each as part of the effort. In total, the PTSA collected about 1,500 cookies for the school’s staff.
“The teachers were all hugging us and thanking us,” said Holly Hollinger, Liberty PTSA vice president of volunteering and co-chair of staff appreciation. “I really think it went well.”
She said the effort grew out of a similar staff-appreciation cookie exchange at Maywood Middle School. Although the exchange is a new event, Hollinger said she was thrilled with the participation.
“The response has been so overwhelming,” she said. Read more
Metro plots new course for 2010
December 22, 2009
For Metro Transit riders, the new year will mean out with the old — certain paper transfers — and in with the new — ORCA smart cards and higher fares. Read more
Eagles sink Wolves
December 22, 2009
Issaquah High School swim and dive coach Laura Halter leaned down to the edge of the pool as freshman Willy Matsuda touched the wall first in the 500-yard freestyle race. Read more
Patriot gymnasts stumble against Mount Si Wildcats
December 22, 2009
Miranda Jones, Liberty senior gymnast, performs her routine on the uneven bars Dec. 17 during the Patriots’ meet against Mount Si. By Greg Farrar
Liberty High School gymnasts came home for their first home meet this season to face Mount Si, last year’s 3A KingCo Conference champion. With a young team and new assistant coach, the Patriots were overmatched by the Wildcats, who took the Dec. 17 meet 160.05-145.5.
Despite the loss, which dropped the Patriots record to 1-1, it was a good night for the program, said Shannon Van Selus, the team’s new assistant coach.
The Liberty team has a core of experienced older girls, but is mostly made up of girls with only a few years in competitive gymnastics. None of the new girls compete in club gymnastics during the off-season. But head coach Lori Copenhaver said she sees potential.
“For what they’re coming in with and their motivation to work, I feel really good about the program,” she said.
She and Van Selus have focused on building the girls’ fundamentals, while expanding their repertoire. Read more
Joy Margaret Spurr
December 22, 2009
Joy Margaret Spurr, of Issaquah, died Dec. 16, 2009, at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue. She was 89. Read more
Thespians take the lead at One Act Festival
December 22, 2009
Alanna Redine, a senior at Issaquah High School and an actress in a play at the One Act Festival, rehearses with Sarah Meyer, also a senior at IHS and director of a play. By Eric Clark
For many high school students, theater is a very influential aspect of their life. The schools in the Issaquah School District have many talented performers, and the Bellevue One Act Festival is an opportunity for them to showcase their talent and dramatic creativity.
The festival is an all-day event at Bellevue College, where high school actors come from around the state to perform one-act plays. The reason this particular drama event is different from other theater festivals is that One Acts are completely student-based.
“One Act performances are entirely student run,” said Issaquah High School Drama Club Vice President Sarah Meyer, a senior. “They are student-directed and acted. Some are even student-written.”
The festival lets students take the lead and unleash their creative genius by directing or performing a short play without adult influences.
A lot goes into putting together a One Act performance. Read more
Arts calendar
December 22, 2009
DECEMBER
23rd
ArtEAST, Collective Works, ‘DOWNSIZE: Intimate Art with Great Presence’ runs through Dec. 30 at UP Front Gallery, 48 Front St. N. Go to www.arteast.org. Read more
Gingerbread Farming
December 22, 2009
Marvin Schaefer shows off a model gingerbread barn of the Schaefer family farm made by him and 15 fellow students for a class project in his Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Seattle class in Tukwila. The working farm, in the Four Lakes neighborhood, has been in the family for 40 years and is home to cattle, pigs and chickens. The class voted to make the farm one of their projects and built it entirely of gingerbread, cake fondant, pretzels, candy and icing. Photo by Greg Farrar
