Governor to attend hospital ceremony
September 29, 2009
Gov. Chris Gregoire will attend the Oct. 12 groundbreaking ceremony for a new Swedish Medical Center campus in the Issaquah Highlands. Read more
Longtime volunteer looks back on 40 years of Salmon Days
September 29, 2009
Pam Stevens, who’s been volunteering for Salmon Days since her mother helped organize the first one in 1970, mans the Geoteaming desk Sept. 26. By Greg Farrar
Pam Stevens recalls her mom, Donna Graves, organizing a community festival from their Issaquah living room. Little more than a gopher at the time, Stevens had volunteered her services for the very first Salmon Days.
She continued helping out here and there over the years as the festival grew in popularity. But it wasn’t until 1987 that Stevens became an “ohfishal” volunteer, with T-shirt and badge, full time, year round.
Before the army of volunteers grew to more than 500 in recent years, Stevens, 52, recalls how it seemed that just a handful accomplished much. Read more
Election forums planned for school, City Council candidates
September 29, 2009
Voters can learn what Issaquah City Council and Issaquah School Board candidates think about key issues at an Oct. 8 forum sponsored by The Issaquah Press. Read more
An advocate for arthritis
September 29, 2009
10-year-old named honoree for fundraiser
U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, Alicia Seidel and her mom Cynthia pose for a photo during Alicia’s lobbying efforts for research funds during the 2009 Arthritis Advocacy Kids Summit in Washington, D.C. Contributed
She swims, she plays soccer and she snowboards. By all accounts, Alicia Seidel is like many other 10-year-olds in the area: There’s just one difference — she has arthritis.
“I’m the only one at my school with arthritis,” said Alicia, an Endeavour Elementary School student.
“A lot of people know about arthritis, but they think it is something you get when you’re old,” said her mother Cynthia Seidel, who was also recently diagnosed with an arthritic condition.
Alicia is one of 294,000 children living with arthritis in the country. But she hasn’t let it slow her down. In fact, because of her determination and her message for research and a cure, she was named the honoree for Bellevue’s second annual Arthritis Foundation Walk Oct. 10. Read more
Prepare for road closures during weekend festival
September 29, 2009
Plan ahead for road closures during the Issaquah Salmon Days Festival. The event runs from Oct. 3-4. Read more
Volunteers donate bountiful harvest to local food bank
September 29, 2009
The community garden set aside and supported by Sustainable Issaquah at AtWork! for the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank features such edibles as tomatoes. By Greg Farrar
Volunteers have harvested more than 300 pounds of organic peppers, squash and tomatoes for the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank, and volunteers said the center can expect more bounty as summer comes to a close.
Organizers said the community garden attracted unprecedented support from gardeners and volunteers. The idea germinated with members of Sustainable Issaquah. AtWork! provided room for garden plots on the land it leases from the city.
In the spring, when volunteers cleared land for the garden and planted seeds, they set aside 25 percent of the space to benefit the less fortunate and the local food bank. Since then, volunteers harvested 315 pounds of eggplant, peppers, squash and tomatoes for the food bank. In some cases, recipients picked up fresh vegetables mere hours after the bounty was plucked from the vine. Read more
2008 festival named best in the world
September 29, 2009
Judges ranked the 2008 Salmon Days Festival as the premier festival in the world, the Salmon Days Festivals Office announced Wednesday. The weekend-long event celebrated the theme “It’s a Wonderful Whirl.” Read more
To The Editor
September 29, 2009
Police blotter
Keep the entertaining headlines
I grew up in a small town, and looked forward every Thursday to the publication of The Wahkiakum County Eagle, where, along with the “News of Your Neighbors” columns, the editor also ran the highlights of the weekly police activity in our county. Read more
Awaiting some sage advice
September 29, 2009
Zander Aguirre, 4, sits down for a visit on East Sunset Way with the statue by sculptor Richard Beyer of late City Clerk Linda Ruehle. Aguirre checked out the bench during his summer visit from California to see his great-grandmother, 99-year-old Issaquah resident Florence Koss. Contributed
Who’s News
September 29, 2009
Local youth to compete in Miss Pre-Teen Seattle
Kara Lieber
Kara Lieber, of Issaquah, was recently selected to participate in the national 2009 Miss Pre-Teen Seattle pageant competition Oct. 11.
Lieber, participating in the category for ages 7-12, will be judged in modeling routines, including casual and formal wear, and in personality and interviewing skills.
If Lieber wins, she’ll represent Seattle at the Cities of America National Competition in Orlando, Fla., and compete for more than $60,000 in prizes and awards. Read more
