NEW — Wednesday sports update
December 9, 2009
King County will widen swine flu vaccine availability
December 9, 2009
UPDATED — 3:27 p.m. Dec. 9, 2009
King County public health officials will offer the H1N1, or swine flu, vaccine to everyone in the county 6 months and older, starting Saturday.
Public Health – Seattle & King County will widen eligibility because many health care providers in King County said they are able to meet the demand for high-risk patients. Moreover, vaccine supplies are increasing and expected to continue to rise.
But officials cautioned that supplies could be limited at some locations if demand is strong. Check the availability at pharmacies here.
Fireplace, woodstove use OK; burn ban lifted
December 9, 2009
UPDATED — 2:55 p.m. Dec. 13, 2009
Go ahead, light a crackling fire to combat the brutal cold. A burn ban for all wood-burning fireplaces and devices was lifted Sunday morning.
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency officials lifted the ban after air quality improved.
The agency enacted the first burn ban of the winter heating season Wednesday. The ban included King, Kitsap and Pierce counties, and was enacted because cold weather conditions and increased fireplace use created unhealthy pollution levels for young children, seniors and people with heart and lung problems, officials said.
During the Stage 2 burn ban, no burning is allowed in any wood-burning fireplaces, woodstoves, fireplace inserts or pellet stoves unless the sources provide the only available heat source.
YWCA Family Village at Issaquah groundbreaking / Dec. 7, 2009
December 9, 2009
Sue Sherbrooke, CEO of the Seattle/King/Snohomish YWCA, thanks guests with her applause Dec. 7 at a ceremony marking beginning of construction of the YWCA Family Village at Issaquah, which will provide 146 apartment units for low-to-moderate income residents at Highlands Drive Northeast and Northeast High Street. Ribbons tied by guests symbolized the strength of the community partners in the project, and the coral bark maple tree, which will be planted on the site, symbolized the community that will grow there together. – Photo by Greg Farrar
Donate a toy, pick up a free Krispy Kreme doughnut
December 9, 2009
UPDATED — 10:15 a.m. Dec. 9, 2009
Krispy Kreme is making the holiday season a little sweeter for children in need by hosting a Salvation Army toy drive.
Customers who bring in a new, unwrapped toy for donation at participating Washington stores will receive a free doughnut or doughnut coupon.
Toy collection barrels will be available at the Issaquah store, located at 6210 East Lake Sammamish Parkway S.E., through Dec. 20, and Salvation Army will then distribute the toys to families in need.
A tale of two titles
December 8, 2009
The Liberty senior running back Kevin Ton kneels on the Tacoma Dome turf with teammates after the state 3A championship game loss Bellevue 23-17. By Greg Farrar
Liberty falls prey to Bellevue’s juggernaut of a running game
Liberty High School’s football team came within six points of winning its first state championship in 21 years on Dec. 4.
However, the Patriots were unable to close the gap, falling to the rival Bellevue Wolverines 23-17 in the Tacoma Dome.
“Right now, it’s tough to swallow that we lost,” Liberty quarterback Trey Wheeler said after the game.
The Wolverines came out with guns blazing, taking the ball first, marching down the field, converting on two fourth downs and scoring a touchdown. The 80-yard drive took eight minutes and 55 seconds. Read more
Kicking the habit at 14,441 feet
December 8, 2009
Jeff Rafuse, of Issaquah, is all smiles after reaching the summit of Mount Rainier, photos Contributed
Jeff Rafuse had tried many times to quit smoking, something he picked up at age 15.
Little did he know, all it would take to kick the habit is climb a 14,441-foot mountain.
The 1998 Issaquah High School graduate learned of the American Lung Association’s annual Climb for Clean Air through the KIRO radio program “The Ron and Don Show.” As tribute to a producer on the show suffering from lung cancer, Don O’Neil joined the climb of Mount Rainier, a fundraiser for the ALA.
“He talked quite a bit about the climb, which motivated me a little to do it, too,” said Rafuse, 29. “I’d been smoking on and off since I was 15 and had tried to quit with varying degrees of success.”
He felt the time, March 1, 2009, was right to quit for good, especially if he wanted to get in shape to reach the summit with other climbers.
Public Meetings
December 8, 2009
Dec. 9
Council Utilities Committee Read more
Anna Maria Dunmore
December 8, 2009
Anna Dunmore
Anna Maria Dunmore, of Issaquah, died Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009. She was 77. Read more
Lois Gloria Johnson
December 8, 2009
Lois Gloria Johnson, of Preston, died Nov. 28, 2009, at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue. She was 82. Read more
