Christmas fund is still 30 percent under goal
December 29, 2009
To DATE: $33,822
2009 Goal: $50,000
It is very likely the Merry Christmas Issaquah emergency aid fund will set a new record for the number of donors this year. But the fund is still more than $16,000 away from its goal of $50,000. Read more
PSAT scores available after Jan. 4
December 29, 2009
Scores for students who participated in the districtwide Pre Scholastic Assessment Tests this fall will be available Jan. 4.
Parents interested in learning what the scores mean for students and additional opportunities available for them having taken the tests can attend a meeting with district officials at 6 p.m. Jan. 6 in the administration building, 565 N.W. Holly St.
Parents can review their child’s answers and find out how to improve their skills in areas like math, reading and writing, and learn about the National Merit Scholarship Program.
District officials can also help parents and students create an educational plan to help students reach their goals.
Suicide awareness curriculum examined
December 29, 2009
Issaquah School District middle and high school teachers will meet with district officials next month to discuss adopting a state-produced suicide curriculum — Look, Listen, Link. Read more
To The Editor
December 29, 2009
Klahanie Park
Attempted annexation by city of Sammamish was only a land grab
The attempt by the city of Sammamish to annex Klahanie Park is very much a land-grabbing effort on their part at the expense of the residents of the community that immediately surrounds the park. Some items of concern are:
- Klahanie Park is a neighborhood park, conceived and built as an “open space” and bordered by homes and living space. A sports complex park as the one Sammamish intends to develop should never be placed in such a location because it is extremely disruptive to the local community —noise, light pollution, traffic, etc.
- “Upgrading” the current park to one with artificial turf, night lighting, locked fences, bleachers, controlled access, fees, a through road, etc., is no upgrade at all. It is a disservice to the local community.
- The 64-acre park (mostly pristine wetland containing the 10,000-year-old Queens Bog) is not located within Sammamish. It is unprecedented within King County for a park area to be plucked out and annexed in this way.
-Klahanie Park was built by Klahanie’s developer (including grass field, restrooms, parking and trails) and given to King County in good faith.
- Sammamish planned to build a similar “sports” facility at Beaver Lake Park, but residents rejected it. They are now attempting to “export” the problem to Klahanie.
- Sammamish’s suggestion that a Parks Commission position be made available to a nonresident has a hollow sound. This would provide no assurance that we would be heard or fairly represented.
- It would be appropriate for the park to be annexed together with the community that surrounds it, to the city we ultimately become a part of (hopefully Issaquah), where we would have meaningful representation.
- There are clearly other means to finance Klahanie Park operations until such time. King County is shuttering no parks in 2010 and Sammamish is not coming to the rescue!
We are pleased to continue sharing this open space with all who come to the park, but the 10,000 King County residents of Klahanie will be ill-served by Sammamish’s plans to build and control a one-dimensional sports complex within our community.
David Crowther
Issaquah Read more
Clubs
December 29, 2009
This week
ArtEAST: 6:30 p.m. first Monday, Up Front Art Gallery, 48 Front St. N., www.arteast.org or 392-3191 Read more
School district officials offer severe winter weather tips
December 29, 2009
Jack Frost seems to be getting closer and with snow predictions in some of the area’s higher elevations, Issaquah School District officials have sent out information to families regarding school closure plans. Read more
Dollar-for-dollar water rate cut, tax hike OK’d
December 29, 2009
City Council members cut the municipal water rate and added a utility tax last week — a move meant to be cost-neutral to customers. Read more
School levy campaign work begins
December 29, 2009
Volunteers needed for phone banks, sign waving Read more
Draft of early-learning plan delivered to governor
December 29, 2009
Education and policy leaders submitted a draft plan to get early learning education on track in the state Dec. 1. Read more
County traffic deaths, suicides decline; homicides increase
December 29, 2009
Fewer people died as a result of traffic crashes last year than in the previous decade and suicides dropped to the lowest number since 2002. But the figures — from the 2008 King County Medical Examiner’s report released last month — showed a rising number of homicides. Read more
