Commuters should plan ahead as winter nears
December 16, 2009
NEW — 5:15 p.m. Dec. 16, 2009
After heavy rains in November and bitter cold last week, many King County residents would say winter has been here for some time. Winter, however, does not begin until Dec. 21.
The past few days gave residents a taste of what might be in store in the weeks ahead as precipitation and cold temperatures mix.
King County Road Services Division staffers have been on weather patrol for weeks, but ramped it up across this county starting last Friday through Monday looking for icy roads and other driving hazards.
Now is a good time to review winter-weather travel plans with a few tips from the King County Department of Transportation.
NEW — Wednesday sports update
December 16, 2009
NEW — 1:57 p.m. Dec. 16, 2009
Liberty swimmers win third straight meet
The Liberty High School boys swimming team won its third straight KingCo Conference meet Dec. 15 when the Patriots swamped Interlake 104-75.
Luke Duschl and Logan Briggs each won two events for the Patriots, who are 3-1 in KingCo competition this season. Duschl captured the 200 freestyle in 2 minutes, 01.08 seconds and the 100 freestyle in 54.22. He also swam anchor on the Patriots’ winning 400 freestyle relay. Raymond Ha, Kevin Hays and Shunya Asano were other members of the relay.
Briggs won the 50 freestyle in 23.37 and the 100 backstroke in 57.46.
Other Liberty first places came from Cameron Kaulia in diving and Ha in the 100 butterfly,
Authorities believe alcohol was factor in I-90 crash
December 16, 2009
UPDATED — 12:30 p.m. Dec. 16, 2009
A crash near Preston caused by a suspected drunk driver sent two people to Harborview Medical Center with life-threatening injuries Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities said the driver, a Newcastle woman, was traveling eastbound in a silver Acura when the vehicle crossed the center median that separates eastbound and westbound Interstate 90. The accident occurred just west of the Preston exit.
A Washington State Patrol trooper witnessed the Acura cross the median, then drive down the hill and continue in the middle westbound lane — traveling in the opposite direction. The driver swerved right to avoid a collision with a tractor-trailer and instead collided with a Honda Civic. The accident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The driver of a Honda Civic was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a Tuesday crash on Interstate 90 near Preston. — Washington State Patrol
Only questions remain after ’68 disappearance
December 15, 2009
When 8-year-old David Adams disappeared in May 1968, the still-unsolved case generated unprecedented news coverage and attracted hundreds of searchers to Tiger Mountain. Photo illustration by Greg Farrar
Innocence Lost, a three-part series about the 1968 disappearance of David Adams.
Part 1: Missing
The walk home was short, but David Adams never completed the trip.
David left a friend’s house on a late spring day in 1968, and set off down a shortcut worn by neighborhood children. Somewhere along the path — whether by accident, misstep or chance encounter — the 8-year-old boy disappeared from Tiger Mountain.
Searchers volunteered by the hundreds and combed through dense forest for days. Tiny Issaquah, with 4,000 or so people then, was the nexus in the unprecedented search effort.
With the techniques and technology available to investigators and searchers in May 1968, the search for David unfolded as a rescue mission.
Searchers offered theories.
Maybe David fell down a coalmine shaft. Maybe a wild animal attacked the boy. Maybe — a more remote maybe in the 1960s — someone abducted David.
Searchers found nothing.
Darlene Haugen-Marron
December 15, 2009
Darlene Haugen-Marron
Darlene Haugen-Marron died Dec. 3, 2009, in Bothell. She was 76. Read more
Ruth LaVon Pierson
December 15, 2009
Ruth LaVon Pierson, of Issaquah, died Nov. 21, 2009, surrounded by family. She was 82.
Ruth Pierson
Services will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 27 at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 3030 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue.
LaVon was born June 7, 1927, in Davenport, Iowa, to Conrad and Ruth Johnson. She lived her early years in South Dakota, in Stockholm and Watertown. She graduated from Watertown High School in 1945 and Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., in 1949.
She married Paul Branstad Pierson on July 16, 1950. They lived in Germany and Minnesota prior to Paul’s first call as a pastor in Lead, S.D. In 1959, they moved to Bellevue when Paul was called to serve as pastor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.
LaVon has been an active member of St. Luke’s for the past 50 years. LaVon taught piano and guitar for 17 years and was a member of the Washington Music Teachers Association. She shared her talents as both organist and pianist for the churches they served. She is also a lifetime member of the American Association of University Women.
Patriots’ Steve Valach named Coach of the Year
December 15, 2009
Liberty coach Steve Valach, carrying son Elijah, 3, shouts his pride out to his players who had just beaten O’Dea 38-35 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle in the first round of the 3A state football playoffs. By Greg Farrar
If Liberty High School football coach Steve Valach had his way, the recent Coach of the Year award he received would have included a few more names.
Valach was honored Dec. 6 as the Seattle Seahawks’ High School Coach of the Year. He was given the award, along with a check for $2,000 for the Liberty football program, at halftime of the Seahawks’ game with the visiting San Francisco 49ers.
While Valach’s name was on the award, the Liberty head coach pointed out that other members of the team deserved to be on it, too.
“This is really a team award. You don’t win it without having excellent players or without having excellent coaches,” Valach said. “As the head coach, you get your name on it, but it really should include all the players and coaches. There are a lot of people who made this award possible.” Read more
Arts calendar
December 15, 2009
DECEMBER
16th
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.
Evergreen Philharmonic Orchestra Winter Concert, 7:30 p.m. Skyline High School, 1122 228th Ave. S.E., Sammamish, $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors
17th
Lena Bundy and Steve Rice duet, 7-11 p.m., Vino Bella, 99 Front St., 391-1424
18th
Paul Green and the Straight Shots, 7:30-11:30 p.m. Vino Bella
19th
Bill Peterson presents “Abstract Expressionism,” crayon doodles on table-top butcher paper from Pogacha, through Jan. 30, at the restaurant, 120 N.W. Gilman Blvd., 392-5550
Venture Highway, 8-11 p.m., Pogacha, 120 N.W. Gilman Blvd., 392-5550
Greta Matassa Quartet: And to All a Good Night, with Susan Pascal, 7:45-10 p.m., Bake’s Place, 4135 Providence Point Drive S.E., $15
Scott Lindenmuth Jazz Quartet, 7:30-11:30 p.m., Vino Bella
24 Paolo Viacava, 7-10 p.m. Vino Bella
26 Astro Cats, 8-11 p.m., Pogacha
31 Little Bill and the Bluenotes: Special New Year’s Eve Celebration, 7:30 p.m. – midnight, Bake’s Place, $95
New Year’s Eve Party, 8 p.m. – 1:30 a.m., Vino Bella, $85 per person, call 864-5466 for reservations
City budget: Bus service, maintenance to be delayed
December 15, 2009
Issaquah City Jail will add a corrections officer, but parks and road improvements will be scaled back in the 2010 budget headed to the City Council next week.
The plan reflects difficult decisions as the council sought to balance savings and services amid the recession. City residents will notice changes large — fewer traffic signal upgrades — and small — only two city newsletters will be mailed next year.
Mayor Ava Frisinger proposed a leaner budget for next year for a city with fewer employees and capital projects planned. After several tweaks, the City Council plans to adopt the $99 million budget Dec. 21.
Burst pipes leave damage in wake
December 15, 2009
Village Theatre, AtWork! sustain water damage
AtWork! employees were gathered for a late-afternoon meeting last week when someone heard what sounded like rain — coming from inside the building. Read more
