Seven employees opt for severance package as city makes cutbacks
September 1, 2009
City officials will save nearly $600,000 because seven city employees have opted to accept severance packages. But the savings from the severance program will not be enough to remedy a $3.6 million budget shortfall for 2010 and a similar decline in city revenue for 2010. Read more
Arts calendar
September 1, 2009
SEPTEMBER
3rd
Paulo Viacava, 7-10:30 p.m. Vino Bella, 99 Front St. N., 391-1424
Hejira, 6 p.m., Pedestrian Park, corner of Front Street and Sunset Way Read more
Still plenty to see and do at final ArtWalk
September 1, 2009
If you haven’t been yet, Sept. 4 is your final opportunity to discover the sights and sounds of ArtWalk. Read more
Off The Press
September 1, 2009
A park I think is made for barking
Greg Farrar Press Photographer
Do you want to be the one to explain to Coby why he can’t go for his daily walk at Timberlake Park anymore? Not me.
Coby is a golden Labrador, owned by Chuck Klein, who has been a resident of the South Cove neighborhood for 23 years.
“He’s 13 and he’s been walking in here every week all that time,” Klein told me on one of their recent walks. “Four or five times a week in the summer, and two or three times the other eight months of the year.”
So, on the conservative side, that’s 1,820 walks in Coby’s lifetime. No dogfights. No altercations. No dog poop left behind. Just a happy puppy that grew into a happy old dog with his human, out for some much-needed exercise in the perfectly wooded park.
I’m not going to break the news to Coby. Any volunteers? Read more
Who’s News
September 1, 2009
EFR firefighters win gold at paintball tournament
Ryan Hendricks, Nick Parker and team captain Pete Wilson, of Eastside Fire & Rescue, brought home gold medals in the World Police and Fire Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, in August.
The three firefighters of Local 2878 were joined by Terry Dries, a Sacramento, Calif., firefighter, and Randy Paulson, a Pleasanton, Calif., police officer (at right). They competed in a five-on-five paintball tournament against five other teams, including two Los Angeles police teams, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police team and two teams from Victoria Corrections.
The five had never played together before the games and got off to a rocky start. The team suffered crushing losses to the two Los Angeles teams in the qualifying rounds. After the fourth game, the team rallied to defeat one of the L.A. teams, making the finals. The team won both rounds in the finals and took the gold.
Sports calendar
September 1, 2009
Adult Sports
Issaquah Alps Trail Club
Sept. 6, 9 a.m., Little Si, 5 miles, 1,300 gain. Call 837-1535 … Sept. 12, 9 a.m., Cougar Mountain trail, Wilderness Peak to Longview Peak, 7 miles, 1,700 gain. Call 269-3079. Read more
Board approves $149 million budget
September 1, 2009
A quorum of Issaquah School Board members unanimously approved a $149.6 million budget Aug. 26. Read more
Speed cameras operational along Second Avenue Southeast
September 1, 2009
City officials are reminding drivers that the “photo enforcement program” along Second Avenue Southeast will be reactivated Sept. 2, the first day of school, to increase safety and reduce speed violations near several Issaquah schools. Read more
To The Editor
September 1, 2009
Education
Headline belies progress school district making under No Child Left Behind Read more
Artists create lasting memories of community icons
September 1, 2009
Artist Ashley Weiss paid tribute to set designer Alex Berry with this sculpture in last year’s Collective Memory project. File
Alex Berry was left with such a lasting impression after being honored in the 2008 artEAST Collective Memory Project, that he decided to return the favor for someone this year.
The Collective Memory project began in 2007 when 18 artEAST artists partnered with local community members — from well known to obscure, quiet to colorful — who helped shape the community. The artists honored these citizens by telling their life stories through original works of art.
Berry, 43, a native of Issaquah, had his story told of working 30 years at Village Theatre as everything from director to set designer, in the form of a sculpture by artist Ashley Weiss.
“It was absolutely fabulous,” he said. “I was so impressed by all the quality of work produced.”
So impressed, he asked to be involved this year as an artist. Karen Abel, executive director of artEAST, paired him with Greg Spranger, the man behind many DownTown Issaquah Association projects.
“I had heard of Greg long before I actually met him,” Berry said. “A couple years ago, he called me and wanted me and my father to come down and paint oversized wooden Christmas ornaments for the Hailstone Feed Store project.” Read more
